Screenshot Dakota's War Journal (Semiblind Fire Emblem Fates RP/LP) (Send me your castles!)

[Prince Cavvy]

I *know* for a fact I saw the castle of Dakota change just a day or two ago, but now it's back to normal?

[Alastor15243]

I *know* for a fact I saw the castle of Dakota change just a day or two ago, but now it's back to normal?

I use Dakota for basically all of my files, and I have a draft I'm running occasionally.

Anyway, quick update: realizing how long these parts are taking me, I think a major part of it might be that I need to cut back on the scripted scenes in favor of more War Journal narrative like in the earlier parts. I think I might have let the long dialogue scenes kinda creep up on me, and if I want this series to be done before February of next year, I'm going to have to figure something out. I'm going to experiment with this next part to see if I can make it easier to write. I have enough stuff planned for it that it's going to be a ton of fun regardless, and I want to avoid more schedule slips and at least be able to release a part every Sunday.

But in the meantime, I was wondering if I could have some opinions: do you prefer when I mostly summarized the pre-battle events from Dakota's rather eccentric point of view, or the new style where I have tons of long dialogue scenes?

[Sodium Hydroxide]

I feel like the long dialogue scenes make the story more gripping, but the Dakota summary develops his/her character much better; so my opinion is that the ideal situation includes some of both, but with a little more focus on the Dakota summary than the dialogue.

(Edited to be more specific)

Edited November 8, 2016 by Sodium Hydroxide

[Alastor15243]

Entry 5

Part 1

Dear War Journal,

Upon reflection, I'd rate our little off-Xelbus escapade somewhere between a “mixed success” and a “crucial failure”. There are plenty of things we failed to do, namely rescuing Takumi and obtaining photo evidence of there-that-must-not-be-named. In addition, there was one way in which we actually made things worse, that being giving what I shall now refer to as the Executors of the Grand Conspiracy (hereafter referred to as the EGC) access to something that could potentially substitute for my soul. However, we did excellent damage control on that last point considering our circumstances and options, and more importantly, thanks to my experiments while off Xelbus, we gained essential intel on to how to get reinforcements over there when the time comes.

Because the time will come, War Journal. The world isn't going to be safe as long as either Garon or Mikoto still roam free, and Mikoto isn't going to set foot back into Xelbus anytime soon without the meat puppet she's forced Takumi to be. While I bought us some time by sabotaging her magical lab, I'm certain she'll come up with an alternative if I give her too much time. And so whether we succeed in stopping the war or not, we're going to have to gain more allies and take the fight to Mikoto directly. So obviously our top priority is exposing the truth to my siblings.

Somehow.

I'm starting with Hoshido because my second War Journal, an extremely powerful tool to convince the Nohrian siblings, will become available in a little under two weeks' time, and thus it would be an extremely inefficient use of time and resources to tackle them first.

...That and it's probably going to be harder to convince my Hoshidan siblings regardless. While Garon succeeded in pulling the wool over my Nohrian siblings' eyes and getting them to ignore his transparent malice with an oppressive atmosphere of paranoia and desperation...

...Mikoto actually succeeded in playing the part of a stable, functional, nurturing, loving mother.

For twenty four years.

Even the youngest of them have more than a decade of happy memories with a mother they now think is dead.

...And now it's my job to convince them that all of those memories, all of them, were nothing but lies.

Wonderful. I can't wait to get started on that.

Moving on...

Fun fact: we arrived in Hoshido sooner than anticipated. Turns out that little flight after that Arete woman took us to the area of There-That-Must-Not-Be-Named that corresponds to Hoshido.

More specifically, Azura and I emerged in the small village of Jiri, located smack dab in the middle of Hoshidan territory.

...Even more specifically, Azura and I emerged in some poor schmuck's bathtub. He had drawn the water mere moments ago and had just walked off to get more soap when we emerged from the freshly-made body of water.

With little time to act and even less time to think, I called upon my limited knowledge of Hoshidan culture and etiquette to arrive at a proper diplomatic solution: I stripped naked and waited by the bathroom door for him to open it so I could pretend to be offended and spin-kick him upside the head with a mighty roar of “BAKA HENTAI!” before he could fully comprehend what was going on. We then tied him up and gagged him before he could wake up and stuffed him in a closet.

I should probably make this up to him when this is all over, but if I'm being perfectly honest, going by his potbelly and receding hair line, that was probably the best interaction with a woman he's had in quite some time.

More importantly, we used the brief lull in action afforded by being taken to a quiet village to gather our bearings, supplies and information. First, we needed to acquire some disguises to freely walk around town with. I tasked Anna with this job, what with her being the only member of our group neither obviously Nohrian nor known to the general public. Plus, with her business acumen and general street savvy I figured she'd be ideal for the job anyway. She came back fifteen minutes later having bought from several separate shops to avoid arousing suspicion (good girl). She presented us with some good sturdy peasant cloaks, five sets of cheap Hoshidan footwear...

...And this darling novelty horse mask! It's absolutely ridiculous. I love it. I would kill for an excuse to wear this abomination in public.

Once we were all properly disguised, I gave Anna some more money, a quick shopping list for other supplies we needed, and instructions to eventually untie the house's captive owner, and then I set off with Jakob, Azura and Gunter to do...

...Other things.

We are returning from said other things now, and once we hear back from Anna, we'll-

(A sound of “Tap, tap! Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!” comes from Dakota's sending stone ring)

(Dakota gestures to her companions to back away)

Dakota: Excuse me for a moment.

(Dakota walks off and gets behind a nearby tree)

Dakota: Are you still secure, Orange Falcon?

(Kaze's voice is heard through the sending stone)

Kaze: ...Is that my code name?

Dakota: Ah, yes, that was the last timeline. Yes it is, and I'm Black Swan.

Kaze: Very well. And yes, we're free to speak, at least for now. I'm prepared to give my initial report.

Dakota: Proceed.

Kaze: First, Yukimura is currently stationed at Fort Jinya, and thanks to some strings I managed to pull and a favor I called in from my brother, so am I. Regrettably I have been unable to do much spying on him yet. He left yesterday claiming to be on business in the capitol and is expected to return within the hour. I will have more information on his plans then. In the meantime, I believe you asked me to inform you about “how the narrative is holding up”?

Dakota: Yes.

Kaze: Regrettably... it's holding up quite well.

Dakota: Explain.

Kaze: Are you familiar with the Hoshidan organization known as “Black Blossom Moon”?

Dakota: ...No.

Kaze: They're a group of Nohr sympathizers and domestic terrorists who have spent the last decade or so trying to undermine the Hoshidan defense effort out of a desire to see Nohr win, or at least see Hoshido lose.

Dakota: What are their stated grievances? Dissatisfaction with Hoshidan rule? Extreme bleeding-heart guilt over their warlike past making them view anyone the Hoshidans fight as helpless victims? Have they suspected the plot all along? Can they be counted on as-

Kaze: I'm sorry to disappoint you, Dakota, but... they're actually more of a darkness-worshipping cult that claims to wish for the death of all who bow to the sun.

Dakota: So... they're a bunch of insane lunatics?

Kaze: Yes.

Dakota: And therefore they conveniently don't have to actually make any points a sane person would agree with, nor do their actions and tactics have to make the slightest bit of sense?

Kaze: ...Yes, I agree, in hindsight it's entirely possible that they're nothing but a puppet of Mikoto's regime. In fact, I'm sorry to say that's looking increasingly likely. And this is why I bring them up: Yukimura is saying that they're the ones who brainwashed and/or possessed you. When you followed the Hoshidan royal family to the plains that day and wandered into that forest just before the battle, Yukimura says that one of their members cast some sort of magic on you to make you their puppet. The official story is that they're trying to use you to undermine Hoshido's resolve in its moment of grief in order to let the Nohrian army win. Furthermore, Yukimura claims that they are directly allied with the Nohrian army, and that we should therefore expect any Nohrians we fight to seemingly corroborate your story if questioned.

Dakota: So that's the excuse they're going with.

Kaze: And I'm afraid it's been quite widely accepted. The atmosphere has been tense and paranoid, so it's been difficult to probe for potential dissidents, but the majority of soldiers I've spoken with are quite vocal about their belief in the official story. As to which of them are deceived and which of them are in on the plot... that I cannot say at this moment. I have no suspicions or guesses strong enough to even mention. However, I have noticed that the soldiers Yukimura-

(Unintelligible commotion is heard on Kaze's side of the conversation)

Dakota: What's that?

Kaze: ...I'm not sure. Keep quiet, I'm leaving my ring active so you can hear.

(Random sounds of movement. A door opens, the commotion gets louder. More of Kaze's footsteps until it becomes apparent that various people are muttering to themselves, and a woman is screaming into a gag.)

Kaze: Yukimura! You've returned! What's... why... is that Hana!?

(More gagged screams. Random soldiers grunt and struggle while one of them yells to keep her secure.)

Yukimura: Kaze... I'm afraid something terrible has happened. Princess Sakura has been kidnapped.

Kaze: Lady Sakura!?

Yukimura: Indeed. Though it pains me to say it... I'm afraid that both of her retainers have secretly been agents of Black Blossom Moon this entire time.

Kaze: That... that can't possibly...

Yukimura: Believe me Kaze, no one wanted to believe this less than I. But I found correspondence between the two of them and elite members of Black Blossom Moon in their quarters. I was about to confront them when Lady Sakura was visiting the royal library, and they immediately took Lady Sakura hostage and started a fire. We managed to capture Hana, but Subaki... he escaped with the princess, and the entire royal library is now in ashes.

Kaze: No...!

Yukimura: Assume your post immediately, Kaze. Hana's fellow terrorist scum will be coming for her, and we cannot let them take her. I will take charge of the interrogation myself. It must be done quickly if we are ever to see the princess again. They will likely be demanding our total surrender in exchange for Sakura's release, and I will not let it come to that.

(The sounds of soldiers falling to the ground are heard, and the sounds of various punches and kicks. The sound of a gag being removed is heard, and the woman gasps, finally able to speak)

Hana: YOU SON OF A BITCH YUKIMURA!

???: Stop her!

Hana: He's lying! He's the one who burned down the library, not me! Sakura wanted to study Mikoto's shield spell notes and Yukimura attacked us when she wouldn't hand them over! They were going to kill her! Subaki barely managed to get her out of there alive! I would never betray Sakura, you have to know that!

(More sounds of a struggle)

Hana: What the hell is in those scrolls that you're trying to hide, Yukimura!? Was that even a shield spell!? Was Dakota right about you!? Answer me, you traitorous filth! ANSWER ME-MMMMMPH!

Yukimura: Take her to the maximum security cell! Now!

(Hana screams against her gag more, but the noise gets further and further away from Kaze's sending stone)

(Kaze's footsteps are heard as he moves away from public view)

...

...

...

Kaze: Black Swan... did you hear-

(Click here to play music in new tab)

Dakota: One hour.

Kaze: ...Black Swan?

Dakota: Report back in exactly. One. Hour. I want every last scrap of intel you can get your hands on about the cell she's being kept in. I want to know the lock type. I want to know the dimensions. I want to know the goddamned shade of grey the bricks are. Tell me everything you can possibly tell me about how to get that door open. Understood?

Kaze: ...Perfectly, Black Swan.

(Dakota switches sending stone channels to Anna)

Dakota: Anna! Have you finished the shopping!?

Anna: Almost done, chief! All that's left are the doilies for your tea and coffee! Nobody here seems to stock them. ...Or know what they are.

Dakota: THE UNCULTURED SAVAG- (Dakota stops herself immediately, seizes the right fist she had already started clenching in rage, and forces it down) ...Though it burns my very soul to say it, Anna... the doilies can wait! Meet us at the house in ten minutes. We're leaving.

(Gunter, Jakob and Azura all walk forward towards Dakota)

Dakota: Brace yourselves, everyone. We ride for Fort Jinya.

(Out from between them walks Mozu, dressed in the garb of the dread fighter and glowing with its blue aura.)

Dakota: ...Mozu, I know this is a lot to ask of you so soon after what you've just been through, but please... we could seriously use your help.

Mozu: ...Put a blade in my hand and name your target, Mistress.

(Mozu cracks her knuckles and neck)

Mozu: Step. One. Optional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Dakota and Jakob are riding alone across the Hoshidan countryside, heading northeast to Fort Jinya, Dakota riding on Jakob's strategist horse)

Dakota: The very minute we get within visible range of the fort, we rejoin the others in New Lilith and make our plan there.

Jakob: Milady, if I may...

Dakota: Speak freely, Jakob.

Jakob: How certain are you that Hana and Subaki aren't in on it?

Dakota: Positive. They would die for Sakura, and her cooperation is all it will take to secure theirs.

Jakob: Nevertheless, this has all of the hallmarks of a trap.

Dakota: (Laughs loudly and humorlessly)

Jakob: Milady?

Dakota: Of course it's a trap, Jakob! It wasn't planned in advance, but they're obviously using Hana as bait to lure me in.

Jakob: And we're just going to walk straight into it!?

Dakota: Jakob, let me tell you a bit of advice. Listen carefully. Decades from now, this will be required reading for every aspiring tactician in Xelbus, lesson one in the standard-issue textbook: 100 important lessons Yukimura failed to learn before fucking with Dakota Waterstone Vendelgate of Nohr!

Jakob: ...And that would be...?

Dakota: NEVER SET A TRAP FOR A RABBIT... WHEN YOU'RE HUNTING A DRAGON!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Back at New Lilith, Dakota, Gunter, Anna, Jakob, Azura and Mozu are all gathered around Dakota's chalkboard with a map of Fort Jinya drawn on it.)

Dakota: Listen carefully, team: I've used my dragonvision to map out Fort Jinya, and it is divided into five circular walled structures: four to the north, south, east and west, and one in the center. The northern rear circle is behind enemy lines and blocked off by a vast and complicated network of walls controlled both mechanically and by dragon veins and would require a much larger force to get through. Thankfully, however, we have no business there.

(Dakota walks away from the chalkboard)

Dakota: Let me be plain. This is not an act of war. This is not a raid. This is a rescue mission, and we will treat it so. As such, there will be no plundering of chests...

(Anna looks extremely disappointed)

Dakota: ...And no killing. These are misguided sheep who have no idea what they're really fighting for, but even if they weren't, every person we kill is another soul that the EGC can use against us, and it is essential that we not give the EGC any more propaganda fuel with which to undermine our credibility further than they already have. I will be conducting a thorough training exercise on non-lethal combat to make sure you understand how to do this, but even that won't be enough if there aren't medics nearby to help the soldiers we inevitably severely injure, so do not lay a finger on the healers. Not a single one of them, they are all off limits. Am I understood?

Azura, Mozu, Anna, Gunter and Jakob: Yes.

Dakota: Excellent.

(Dakota returns to the chalkboard)

Dakota: ...Regrettably, this limits our options, as the central circle is currently being used as a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers. Under no circumstances are we to bring the fight to that circle or deaths will be unavoidable. And unfortunately, that is the only available pathway between the other four chambers... and the stairway leading to our destination, the dungeon, is located in the southern circle. Which means this will have to be a frontal assault.

Gunter: A frontal assault? Milady, how are we going to get past the guards at the front gates?

Dakota: (Grins) Leave that to me. (Becomes serious again) Mozu, Anna, Gunter, you're with me. The objective is to get Anna to Hana's cell so that she, with the help of my “secret weapon”, can break into it. Azura and Jakob, you will get to a secure location and remain on standby. The very moment it becomes apparent that the enemy has something up their sleeve we can't handle, Jakob, you will warp in and start warping us out while Azura both serves as a waypoint for you to warp to and sings for you to double your speed. We should be able to fully evacuate in less than a minute. This is crucial. I'm counting on you two.

Jakob: We won't let you down, milady.

Dakota: Take a few minutes to get settled in. Then we'll begin practice. Thanks to New Lilith we have the rest of our natural lives to get this right if need be. I trust it won't come to that, but this is crucial. We cannot screw this up. So we will take as much time as we need.

(Dakota takes in a deep breath)

Dakota: Good luck, everyone. Good luck.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Alastor15243

[Hiro Dark]

[spoiler=Just gonna put this in a spoiler tag 'cause I'm not sure what should and what shouldn't be spoilered and better safe than sorry]

Hullo! I stumbled upon this story on a random google search a few months back(looking up gameplay mechanics for Fates I think, unimportant), and I have to say I was hooked from the moment I started reading. The only reason I'm only now responding to the thread is because originally I wanted to at least keep pace with the Birthright campaign and not read past the chapter I was on, but real life ended up getting in the way of me actually finishing that save and at this point I'm a lot farther on Revelations than that anyways, so I just decided to come back and binge the entire story thus far. And I have to say, you completely blew me out of the water, especially with what you did with conquest and how you tied the whole thing together! I especially like the cascade of climactic action-every time I thought you were writing the absolute final part of the Conquest storyline, you ended up just making that more rising action for a damnably satisfying payoff, and it definitely looks like you'll be gearing to one up it even further with the Revelations story. There's honestly a lot I could say about how much I'm absolutely loving your take on the Fates story and what all you're doing, but it's probably nothing you haven't heard before and to be entirely honest I'm already more than gushing anyways, so I'll stop my rambling compliments here and just leave you with well-wishes and the knowledge that you've got another faithful reader/trade partner for Dakota(not sure how much you'll be doing with that further on down the line since as of the latest chapters Dakota has a very good reason not to be using many Bond Units or the like, but I'm Xorhi if the circlet I threw at you yesterdayish went through).

[Alastor15243]

Part 2

(Dakota, Gunter, Mozu and Anna behold Fort Jinya from behind a nearby rock formation)

Dakota: There's our mark.

Anna: What's the hostage's status?

(Dakota uses dragonvision to look inside the fort on the lower levels to Hana's cell. She is in extremely bad shape, chained to the wall, covered in blood and with bruises all over her body. Yukimura stands before her, examining a large table full of instruments of torture.)

(Click here to play music in new tab)

(Hana pants and glares at Yukimura)

Yukimura: You have done passably so far, I will admit. But you must realize by now that your situation is completely hopeless.

(Hana says nothing and continues to glare)

Yukimura: You only have yourself to blame for your continued suffering, you know. You have the power to end this any time you wish.

(Hana continues to glare)

Yukimura: You and Subaki clearly had a place planned in which to hide Sakura should the capitol ever become compromised. Just tell me where it is, and your suffering will end.

(Hana continues to glare)

Yukimura: ...Or you can continue this exercise in futility. Your choice.

(Hana spits out a glob of blood along with one of her canine teeth)

Hana: Fuck. You.

Yukimura: Very well. Let's try the strappado this time.

Hana: You want to talk about exercises in futility, traitor? What even is this!? Do you actually think any of this will work!? If you think there's a fiber of my being that would ever betray my liege and my best friend, then I don't know how I didn't guess the conspiracy before! Nohr would have to be in on it, or we'd have lost the war ages ago with an idiot like you planning our every move! Go on! Give me everything you've got! Tear out my fingernails! Rip out my tongue! Tear off my clothes, bathe me in acid and roll me in salt! I am powered by something more powerful and more beautiful than a despicable coward like yourself could ever comprehend!

(Yukimura walks towards Hana)

Hana: Or maybe you'd like to use that against me? Maybe you'd like to threaten my dear sweet mother? Or my five year old brother? Nice try, except news flash, you imbecile, maybe you should have thought about that before trying to destroy the world! What could you possibly take from me, what could you conceivably threaten me with, that my silence isn't already protecting!?

(Yukimura, with no change in expression, thrusts his hand around Hana's throat and lifts her from her chained resting place)

Yukimura: (Whispers into her ear) Little girl, you have no concept of what I can take from you.

(Dakota's eyes narrow)

Dakota: We need to move in now. Get ready, just as we rehearsed.

Gunter: ...

Anna: ...

Mozu: At once.

(Stop music)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Seven guards, two samurai, two oni savages, two archers and one ninja, stand guard at the entrance to Fort Jinya, vigilantly scanning the land before them for any incoming intruders. Suddenly, out from a nearby rock formation comes a large, tall, moving black tarp. All seven soldiers ready their weapons in alarm as the vast shape creeps towards them.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Just as it gets close to them, however, the tarp falls off. It's Dakota, wearing the horse mask and a cloak so huge it drapes completely over the sides of the horse she's standing on top of.)

Dakota: HAUDII NEEEEEEEEIIBA!

(The seven soldiers simply stare, dumbfounded)

Dakota: HERRO! ITTO IZU AI, ZI GORANDU ANDU MAITII HOOSU GAADO...

(Dakota pauses for a moment, then continues in earnest:)

Dakota: “HOOOOOOOOOSU GAADO”! ANDU AI HABU KAMU TU EKUSUPURESSU MAI EKUSUTORIIIIMU DISUPURESIAAA WISU YORU KAOWAADORII AKUTO OBU HOSUTAJI TEIKINGU! SHEIMFURU DISUPUREI!

(The seven soldiers stare at Dakota, utterly incapable of processing what is even going on in front of them and questioning their own sanity)

Dakota: ORIGAMI! YAKISOBA! NEKO BAKA MIMI OPPAI CHIN CHIN!

(The two samurai and the two oni savages walk up to Dakota)

Samurai: Um... with all due respect, Dakota...

Oni Savage: Do you think we're retarded or something? We know it's you.

(Dakota immediately slips her arms and head out of the mask and cloak, forward rolls off the horse under the cloak, steps on the chests of the samurai and oni savage who just spoke and pins them to the ground with her feet)

Dakota: (Laughing) And your first instinct was to get closer!?

(Click here to play music in new tab)

(Dakota knocks them both out with a swing of a carp streamer as the cloak is entirely tossed aside, revealing Anna, Mozu and Gunter hiding beneath it. The ninja and archers open fire, but Gunter blocks their attacks with his shield. Anna then leaps off and takes midair headshots with a rubber bow at the two archers before they can reload, and Mozu leaps off and hurls a loaf of stale bread right at the ninja's head, knocking him out instantly, and then whips out two daikon radishes at the remaining samurai and oni savage and strikes them both on the head as she reaches the ground.)

Mozu: Sleep, ignorant lemmings.

(Her targets fall unconscious behind her)

Mozu: The ebon wolf of justice howls not at your door.

Dakota: Alright, we're in! Switch to real weapons, we're close enough to the healers to stop holding back! LET'S MOVE!

Assume formation...

Calibrate dragonvision...

Alright Mozu, let's show them what you're made of.

The patrols we initially snuck past are now hot on our tail. If we keep running the fliers will catch up to us, and our numbers are too small to deal with them outside of counter-attacks.

Best to intercept them right away before proceeding.

Our dual guards didn't line up properly, so Anna baits the ninja so that we don't risk debuffing one of our frontline fighters while Mozu heals up and prepares to fight an archer.

Approaching the halfway point... hang in there, Hana...

(Yukimura emerges from the dungeons)

Yukimura: Status report, Saizo. What's going on here?

Saizo: You were right, commander. Black Blossom Moon wants Hana back. Dakota and a small band of her minions have breached the front gates.

Yukimura: So soon!? ...Then the situation is more dire than we expected. We're short-handed as it is with all of our wounded... to attack a building full of wounded soldiers...

Orochi: (Glaring with contempt) Their cowardice knows no bounds.

Yukimura: Saizo. Did you contact Ryoma as I requested?

Saizo: He's on his way, sir.

Yukimura: Go. Find him. Tell him we need him here as soon as humanly possible.

Saizo: But the fort-

Yukimura: You will not make the difference between victory and defeat here, Saizo! GO!

Saizo: ...At once.

...Shit. If Ryoma gets here, that will complicate things to no end. Better hurry!

Mozu baits the melee fighters, Anna baits the ninja, same as usual.

Dakota: There! If we can get in one of those doors, they'll take us straight to the dungeons!

Orochi: Commander, they're here! Watch-

(Orichi is struck on the right temple by a loaf of stale bread and falls to the ground unconscious)

Mozu: Rest, charlatan. Your tarot cards have not armed you for the reckoning to come.

Dakota: Mozu, we're headed to the dungeons! Don't let Yukimura follow us! Keep him distracted!

(Dakota, Anna and Gunter rush into the side doors along the walls and move around the inner ring. Yukimura stares at Mozu with a cold, harsh expression.)

Yukimura: “Keep him distracted”, she says. What a curious choice of words. ...But I suppose, yes, you shall serve as a sufficient distraction.

Mozu: Cutting your cancer from this mortal plane was never part of Mistress's strategy. And yet, Yukimura, after all I have learned of your atrocities...

(Mozu draws her raider knife)

Mozu: ...I secretly dreamt it would prove necessary. Whichever god has the black mark of eternal shame that is your worship, Yukumura, make peace with it now! (Twirls knife menacingly before gripping it backhanded) Justice hungers.

(Yukimura tightens his gloves)

Yukimura: Bold talk from a little girl.

Mozu: The Mozu is no girl, and is neither woman nor man, but an eternal engine of vengeance! And until its righteous cause is won, it cannot be slain by mortal hands!

(Mozu leaps through the air and readies a flying kick directly at Yukimura's head. A loud metallic “ka-chunk!” is heard, however, and Yukimura grabs Mozu's outstretched leg effortlessly in his right hand without being knocked back at all. Mozu flinches in shock as Yukimura's powerful grip tightens around her leg.)

Yukimura: Fascinating.

(Yukimura effortlessly hurls Mozu against the wall so hard that it cracks, and Mozu, stunned, falls to the floor. Yukimura, his right arm and wrist now contorted and bent at an unnatural angle, steps off of his mechanical mount.)

Yukimura: Very well then.

(With a series of clicks and clanks, Yukimura's right arm returns to its natural position for him to push up his glasses as jets of steam suddenly erupt from holes in his shirt by his shoulder blades)

Yukimura: Proceed.

(Meanwhile, Dakota, Gunter and Anna reach the bottom of the stairs and race towards the end of the hallway. Anna takes out the dungeon guards while Gunter and Dakota cover the rear as several reinforcements arrive. Dakota takes out three of them. An archer is about to shoot her when he is suddenly struck from behind. Kaze appears from the shadows.)

Kaze: I'm glad you made it, Dakota. You said you brought a thief to help with the door?

(Dakota gestures behind her to Anna)

Kaze: Excellent. (Kaze looks to the wounded soldiers on the ground, looking back at him with disgust) ...Unfortunately it would appear I'm of no further use to you as a spy.

Dakota: We'll get you out of here with the rest of us, just help Anna with that door!

Kaze: At once! (Kaze moves over to Anna)

Anna: You mean we had a spy in here this whole time and you didn't tell us!?

Dakota: I'll explain later.

Anna: (Incredulously) Why didn't we just have Jakob warp us straight to Kaze and skip all the fighting!?

Dakota: Warp doesn't work if Jakob hasn't been near the target person in over 24 hours, and Kaze couldn't get an opening to sneak out. Now stop asking questions and get that door open!

(Kaze and Anna start fiddling with the door's massive lock)

(Back upstairs, Mozu continues to do battle with Yukimura. He unleashes countless punches and kicks, each with a tremendous and inhuman “whoosh” as they whizz past her chest, limbs and head, and it takes all of Mozu's focus just to dodge them. Mozu whips out her katana and holds it out defensively to block a punch, but Yukimura's fist hits the blade completely unimpeded and knocks it out of her hands while sending her staggering backward. Without missing a beat Yukimura goes in for another punch as Mozu is backed against the wall, but she manages to duck, and Yukimura's fist collides with the wall with a powerful crash as the wall cracks behind her, whole large bricks are dislodged, and his fist is momentarily stuck.)

(Quickly, Mozu whips out her knife again and stabs at Yukimura's outstretched arm, but instead of the squelch of hitting flesh, there's nothing but a muffled clinking sound. Her eyes narrowing, Mozu leaps atop Yukimura's arm with catlike tread and runs the knife down the sleeve all the way to the shoulder and pulls with all of her might as she leaps off of him, causing half of Yukimura's shirt to be torn away and revealing that his arms are in reality a complex network of pistons and gears, anchored to his torso by a metal framework that appears to have been welded to his flesh and powered by a miniature boiler on his back.)

Mozu: What... What in all the hells are you!?

Yukimura: The future. Or I would be, if this putrescent world had one. I am a machine man, a marvel of flesh and clockwork and steam. The world thinks the technology is still too large for anything but boats and trains... (adjusts glasses with a smirk) ...but then, that's what happens when you invent something and tell no one. And once my craft surpassed my flesh, what else could I do but-

Mozu: Silence! (Brandishes axe) I care nothing for your limbs now that I know where you bleed!

(Mozu rushes Yukimura)

(Back downstairs, Dakota is still fighting off reinforcements from upstairs while Kaze and Anna are still trying to get the door open)

Kaze: Milady, what's going on upstairs? How is Mozu faring?

Dakota: (Stressed out) Oh, no big deal, Yukimura just punched through a wall with his fucking piston arms!

Kaze: W-what!?

Dakota: Also, your big brother's gone off to fetch my big brother. But more importantly, piston arms. How much longer until the door's open?

Kaze: Forgive me, milady, this is a delicate operation. The slightest misstep and we won't get another shot.

Dakota: Damn it...

Come on, come on... there has to be something Mozu can do to get the upper hand...

(Dakota uses her dragonvision to scan Yukimura again)

Damn it, his strength and defense are off the charts... how did I not see this before!? Did he ride around on that mechanical lion just so he could rely on it to attack and nobody would realize how strong he really was!? Did that trick my dragonvision somehow!?

Come on come on come on... think!

...Wait...

If he's powered by steam...

That means he needs...

(Dakota notices what appears to be a waterskin strapped to Yukimura's back and connected to the boiler)

Dakota: (In her sending stone, to Mozu) There! On his back! He has a pocket dimensional waterskin like my convoy bag! Cut it off and he has no power!

(Mozu's eyes narrow, and she charges at Yukimura, trying to find an opening, but Yukimura parries her axe)

Yukimura: Too little, too late.

(Yukimura punches Mozu hard in the stomach and knocks her against the wall again. Mozu slumps against the wall, dazed and unmoving. Yukimura slowly walks towards her.)

Yukimura: “An eternal engine of vengeance that cannot be slain by mortal hands... until its righteous cause is won”.

(Yukimura stomps on Mozu's stomach as she grunts in pain)

Yukimura: Oh little peasant girl... (adjusts glasses) we are more similar than you could ever imagine. But alas for you... (clenches his right fist) these are not mortal hands.

(Mozu's eyes dart for an instant towards the dislodged brick against the wall behind her and her raider katana)

Mozu: N-no... They're... not...

(Yukimura lunges to punch Mozu's head in, but she reaches behind her, grabs the brick with both hands, and hurls it directly at Yukimura's head with all of her might, hitting him dead on and sending him reeling back in shock and pain as Mozu forces his foot off of her and grabs her raider katana)

Mozu: And you're nothing but an arrogant, miserable fool...

(Mozu snakes behind the stunned Yukimura and puts her katana against the hose connecting the waterskin to the boiler on his back)

Mozu: Who thought he'd fare better...

(The serrated blade tears clean through the hose)

Mozu: WITH NO HANDS AT ALL!

(Water and steam begin erupting from the breach point as Yukimura starts to stumble and stagger before finally his limbs utterly fail him and he collapses on the ground. Mozu, having exhausted the last of her strength, is now barely able to stand herself, and falls to her knees.)

(Back downstairs, Kaze and Anna apply the finishing touches to the door, and it finally swings open)

Kaze and Anna: DONE!

(Dakota rushes in to see Hana, still in chains and badly hurt, barely conscious, and looking at Dakota through half-lidded eyes. Kaze and Anna follow and start working on her chains.)

Hana: ...Dakota? Is that you? You have to... Sakura...

(Hana suddenly becomes very alert)

Hana: SAKURA! Lady Dakota, they're after Sakura, she-

Dakota: Calm down, we know! But first we have to get you out of here!

(The chains undone, Hana stumbles to the floor and Kaze helps her to her feet)

Dakota: (Into her sending stone, to Jakob) Jakob! We have Hana, but she's in bad shape! Get down here, patch her up, and then we'll begin extraction!

(Jakob appears at once at Dakota's side and starts using his heal staff on Hana's wounds. However, his staff isn't having much effect.)

Jakob: I'm sorry, milady, but many of these injuries are at least half a day old. Her soul's losing the image of her body's natural state, I'm going to need a more powerful staff to heal her completely.

Dakota: Do what you can, then. And then start getting us out of here.

Hana: (Angry and impatient) I'm fine! Forget the healing! Get us out of here so we can get Sakura!

(Jakob looks to Dakota, who shrugs impatiently)

Jakob: (Sighs) As you wish.

(Jakob teleports out with Hana)

Dakota: Gunter, come with me, we're getting Mozu!

(Dakota and Gunter rush up the steps to find Mozu struggling on hands and knees, panting, next to an immobile Yukimura. Dakota rushes over to her when suddenly a pair of magical snakes lunge through the air at her. She manages to dodge one, but the other hits her. Dakota looks to where they came from to see Orochi wielding a snake spirit scroll.)

Orochi: Well it was certainly fun pretending to be unconscious, but I'm afraid the fun's over. My commander over here needs his wrench and oil can.

Dakota: You're awfully unsurprised to discover he's- ...wait...

(Dakota uses dragonvision on Orochi to see her skills. Warp is among them. Dakota is momentarily shocked, but then becomes confident again)

Dakota: Nice skills you have there. So you're one of them, are you?

Orochi: Oh! You peeked, did you? Naughty naughty! Well maybe I'm one of “them”, and maybe I'm not! Depends what “they” are, really.

Hm...

...A magic spellcaster working for Mikoto who knows warp, hmm?

Dakota: Tell me, Orochi, how's your swordmaster friend doing?

Orochi: Hm? Whatever might you mean?

Dakota: (Malicious gin) Oh this is just priceless. You are going to suffer when I get my hands on you, and you don't even know what for.

Orochi: Sounds wonderful, but perhaps some other time, I'm in a hurry. So how about we cut a deal? You take yours and I take mine. Fair?

Dakota: Fair.

(Dakota rushes for Mozu while Orochi rushes for Yukimura and teleports out with him. Dakota helps Mozu to her feet.)

Mozu: I couldn't... finish him off...

Dakota: That wasn't our objective, we'll have other chances. Good job.

Mozu: Then... the child's guardian... she is safe?

Dakota: Yes.

(Dakota looks downstairs. Kaze has been teleported out and Jakob briefly appears to retrieve Anna before disappearing again.)

Dakota: (Into her sending stone, to Jakob) Get Mozu out, then Gunter, then me. We're done here.

(Jakob re-appears by Mozu's side and helps her onto his horse before teleporting away again. Dakota's ears twitch.)

Dakota: ...Gunter... You saw Yukimura leave as well, didn't you?

Gunter: Yes, milady.

Dakota: So why... do I still hear something ticking...?

(Dakota looks to see Yukimura's abandoned mount seconds before it suddenly whirrs to life and chatters its teeth menacingly)

Dakota: Oh dear. He taught the thing tricks.

(Dakota sniffs the air)

Dakota: Wait a second... is that...?

(Dakota's eyes go wide)

Dakota: Gunpowder!

(A faint hissing sound starts up as the mechanical lion scurries off down the hallway into the central circle)

Dakota: NO! YOU SON OF A BITCH!

(Dakota runs after the mechanical lion, which is now climbing up the sides of the hallway walls, while yelling into her sending stone at Jakob)

Dakota: Jakob! There's a bomb in Yukimura's mount! It just went into the hospital ward, it's going to blow the whole damn building with everyone in it! Get Gunter out of here, I'm pursuing!

(Oni savages block the way ahead of Dakota)

Oni Savage: Get back! You're not getting within twenty feet of the wounded!

Dakota: You idiots! That damned machine has a bomb!

(Dakota shifts into dragon form and barrels through the oni savages and continues into the central circle, but the mount is too fast, and it reaches the center of the room while the wounded and medics stare at it in confusion.)

(Stop music)

(The hissing suddenly stops)

Dakota: No!

(Jakob teleports next to Dakota and grabs her just as the bomb explodes, fire and shrapnel inches from her face before they're teleported out to the opening of a cave in a nearby cliffside where the rest of their allies are already evacuated. The entirety of Fort Jinya is destroyed in an instant as the bomb blast consumes everything. Jakob begins healing Mozu while Dakota, furious, begins punching the walls.)

Dakota: DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN! IT!

(Azura stares in horror at the cloud of smoke while Kaze and Hana are visibly shaken)

Dakota: ...This...

(Dakota returns to the cave opening and attempts to regain her composure)

Dakota: ...I should've expected this. This was their contingency plan if our actions skewed too nonlethal. The survivors would start asking questions about why we didn't kill anyone if we're so evil, just as I said. ...So... so they made it look like we killed them all. No survivors to question the narrative, and now they have a concrete atrocity to pin on me. Saizo's off retrieving Ryoma, and when what's left of Fort Jinya comes into view... what else could they possibly think?

Jakob: ...So this was their trap.

Dakota: No, Jakob, this wasn't a trap. A trap... a trap requires the target's action. They didn't need my presence for this... it was just a bonus. But they could have easily blown up the fort without me there and had Yukimura or Orochi claim to be witnesses. ...All that changes is they convinced one of the people Ryoma trusts most. ...They won't be able to do this again or they'll risk running out of soldiers to kill in the war. But... (Dakota turns to the others) ...Everyone... I'm sorry, but our job has just become even harder.

(Dakota regains her composure, and while still serious, is more confident.

Dakota: But don't any of you come away from this thinking this was a mistake. These people have been committing crimes against humanity since I was six years old. They will do even more harm to this world before we're done, and we can't expect our small band to be able to stop all of it. What matters is what we did do, not what we couldn't. I know it's hard, but please try to remember... we did good work here today. We rescued a vital prisoner, and Sakura's safety is as good as secure.

(Mozu, fully healed, gets to her feet, while Hana, still being supported by Kaze, coughs)

Hana: Not... not yet. Don't say that until we see her. Listen carefully, I want to tell you now in case something happens to me. Subaki took Sakura to-

(Dakota puts her hand over Hana's mouth)

Dakota: Not yet, Hana. I have one more order of business before I can let you say that. Anna, remember when you asked why I didn't tell anyone about our spy? Well, funny you should ask... Mozu? (Snaps fingers)

(Mozu immediately leaps at Gunter, tackles him off of his horse, and pins him to the ground with his arms behind his back)

Gunter: GAH! What... what is the meaning of this!?

Dakota: You see, Jakob, this was the trap. They never intended to completely stop us. They hoped to whittle down our numbers, most likely, but they always planned for us to get away with Hana. If just barely.

Jakob: I don't follow. And what does that have to do with Gunter!?

Dakota: Well, you see... (Dakota turns to Hana) Hana, remember when you taunted Yukimura about how he'd never get Sakura's location out of you? How your will was too strong and the circumstances of their plan meant he had no leverage?

Hana: ...Yeah?

Dakota: He must have realized you were most likely right. So he changed plans. He decided he'd let me rescue you, let you think you were home free, let you reveal where Sakura is...

(Dakota turns to Gunter)

Dakota: And then have their spy rat us out so they could kill us all at once and destroy those important documents Sakura had escaped with.

Jakob: S-SPY!?

Dakota: Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you this earlier, but there was a spy in the last timeline. Somebody who betrayed my army to Garon and... nearly managed to get me killed. I knew as soon as I came back that one of my top priorities would be figuring out who it was before they could do something serious.

(Dakota turns to Jakob and Azura)

Dakota: Thankfully, starting off, I knew I could at least trust you two, one of the benefits of inadvertently placing my life completely at your mercy when we first came to New Lilith. Either one of you could have taken out the other and betrayed me to Garon and Mikoto, but you didn't. That simplified things immensely. But I knew I had to be careful with everyone else until I found out the traitor. But thankfully, I figured it out rather quickly.

(Dakota bends down to talk to Gunter)

Dakota: Because his story made no sense whatsoever.

Gunter: Dakota... you can't possibly be suggesting... I have served you loyally for many, many years...

Dakota: Indeed you have. Far better, in fact, than I deserved, I'm ashamed to admit. And I deeply regret that I didn't learn from my past behavior until it was far too late. But I'm sorry, friend... they got to you.

Gunter: Wh-what...?

Dakota: Gunter... tell me... What happened when you fell into the Bottomless Canyon?

Gunter: I... I... I awoke... you know we can't talk details about-

Dakota: Of course, of course, but you see... it's the strangest thing... Right after Hans knocked you in, Garon threw me in there as well, in a plot to trick Lilith into saving me and revealing her true form as a dragon in the process.

Jakob: Lilith!? She's a dragon!? Where is-

Dakota: She...

(Dakota takes a deep breath)

Dakota: ...She didn't make it. I'm sorry. But the point is, Garon wasn't certain that Lilith was the dragon he was looking for. Meaning that he ran the risk of me simply falling straight through un-rescued, which would have exposed far too much to me far too quickly. Which means he must have already had guards down there ready to send me back if I fell through before I regained consciousness. ...Guards you would have to have run straight into. Tell me... what did they do to you?

Gunter: I... I evaded them and escaped into a cave!

Dakota: Really? While dazed and barely conscious, as happens to anyone who falls through the canyon? And you eluded them, as frail as you are in your old age and as conspicuous as you are in that heavy armor and on that war horse, for days upon end?

Gunter: I... but... but milady... I swear... that's what... I swear that's what I remember! Please... you have to believe me... I... I would never...

Dakota: Don't worry, Gunter. If you're telling the truth, we'll know in a second.

(Dakota turns to Azua)

Dakota: Azura? Sing for him. He's possessed.

Azura: O-okay...

(Azura starts singing, while Dakota continues)

Dakota: I considered sweeping him right away, but I realized it would be far better to wait a bit.

(Gunter starts groaning uncomfortably)

Dakota: I would leave him to his own devices when time was stopped in New Lilith and he couldn't contact anyone, and then keep him with me at all times otherwise, right by my side. Make him think that I trusted him to have my back, when really I was just keeping my friends close and my enemies closer.

(Gunter's groans start becoming violent roars of pain)

Dakota: I knew that if I kept him around, if I didn't sweep for possessed people, if I let him think I had never discovered the existence of a traitor at all, I could turn one of their early traps against them. And that's precisely what I did. ...My biggest mistake was only sweeping Kaze, Mozu and Keaton in the last timeline. Had I found an excuse to check everyone else for brainwashing... perhaps this all could have been over much sooner.

(Click here to play music in new tab)

(Gunter's roars are suddenly distorted and unnatural, like many voices yelling at once. Dakota suddenly lights up with a terrifying mixture of amusement and fury.)

Dakota: Oh! Now we're getting somewhere! Now I hear the beast they put within you, Gunter! OH! HAPPY! DAY!

(Gunter's eyes and mouth suddenly glow bright purple as a voice not his own flees his unmoving lips)

???: Y-YOU... YOU... HOW DARE... YOU'LL RUIN...EVERYTHING!!!

Dakota: Out with it then, monster! Introduce yourself to the fucking club! TELL ME THE NAME OF THE MISERABLE CREATURE THAT BETRAYED MY FAMILY... AND KILLED! MY! BEST! FRIEND!

???: HOW DARE... HOW DAAAAAAAAAAARE!!!

Dakota: SAY IT!

???: ANANNNNNNNKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!!!!!!!!

(A mighty pulse of purple energy erupts from ???, knocking everyone back against the walls, as he suddenly glows with a purple aura and levitates off the ground, his eyes and mouth still glowing. He begins to lunge at Dakota, but is stopped by an invisible force.)

???: YOU... YOU'LL RUIN... EVERYTHING... EVERYTHIIIIIIIIIIING! I'LL KILL YOU... I'lL kIlL YoU!

Dakota: KEEP SINGING, AZURA!

(Azura continues to sing as the force holding ??? back grows stronger and stronger, and ??? roars in pain as his flesh begins to smoke)

???: UUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!

(??? Suddenly flies out of the cave with a streak of purple energy trailing behind him as he rushes into the sky, flying to the east and rapidly disappearing into the distance)

(Stop music)

Anna: ...

Azura: ...

Jakob: ...

Mozu: ...

Hana: ...

Kaze: ...

Dakota: ...Well. I, uh... I'll be honest, I... was not expecting that.

(Everyone is silent for a full minute)

Dakota: ...Well! Traitor expunged, at any rate. Let's return to New Lilith so Hana can heal up and then-

Hana: How long will it take?

Dakota: I dunno, it looks like a few days-

Hana: She can't wait that long.

Dakota: It's a time castle, time stops here when we're in it.

Hana: I don't care. I can't go to sleep until I know she's safe.

Dakota: Hana, please... try to imagine how Sakura would react if that were the condition you greeted her in.

(Hana closes her eyes in anxious thought)

Hana: ...Fine. Fine, let's go then. ...Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day

(Dakota and Hana are flying south on one of the bond units' spare pegasi over Hoshido. Hana is fully healed, with the exception of one of her canine teeth on her upper right side, which is still gone. Hana suddenly points down.)

Hana: There!

Dakota: But that's... You hid her in the Eternal Stairway!?

Hana: That's the genius of it! Nobody would ever think to look there, because it's overrun by Faceless! But get this! On one of our patrols? Subaki and I found a secret cave that the stupid Faceless couldn't get to! Hell, it would be hard to get there at all without flying.

Dakota: ...What if Subaki had been the one captured?

Hana: ...We agreed a while back that I would be the one to hold the attackers off if necessary, and Subaki would fly Lady Sakura to safety.

Dakota: You were prepared to get captured?

(Hana glares at Dakota determinedly)

Hana: I was prepared to die, Dakota. There is nothing that is more important to me than protecting Lady Sakura. If I had to die to keep her safe, I wouldn't even hesitate to do that.

Dakota: ...Do try to avoid that in the future, yes? ...She watched you die in the last timeline.

(Hana's steely seriousness suddenly falters)

Dakota: (Expression softens) ...Please don't put that look on her face in this one.

Hana: ...I'll do my best.

(The pegasus lands. Dakota and Hana get off on a ledge near a cave, with Faceless wandering blindly a few dozen feet below. Hana walks over to the cave entrance.)

Hana: Subaki? Are you there? ...It's Hana. ...“Hoshido has fallen, but its children live on”.

(Subaki emerges silently from the darkness. His uniform is somewhat torn and ragged, his hair is messy and standing on end in places, and his face has hints of stubble. He walks out with his naginata at the ready. When he sees Hana and Dakota greeting him, however, he lowers his naginata, sighs heavily, and nearly collapses against the wall.)

Subaki: Thank the gods... We thought... Lady Sakura thought...

(Subaki looks at Dakota)

Subaki: Lady Dakota... Thank you so much...

Sakura: Subaki? W-who are you talking to? I-is someone here to help?

(Click to open music in new tab)

(Sakura steps into the light. The instant she sees Hana and Dakota, her eyes well up with tears.)

Sakura: Hana!? HANA!

(Sakura runs to hug Hana, slightly winded in shock, but hugs her back as Sakura starts sobbing)

Sakura: I thought... I-I thought for sure that they had...

(Hana grins at Sakura)

Hana: Oh come on, Lady Sakura, you know me better than that!

(Sakura notices her missing tooth)

Sakura: Y-your tooth... what happened to it...?

Hana: (Grins) Nothing that wasn't worth this, Lady Sakura. Nothing that wasn't worth this.

(Hana turns to Subaki)

Hana: Subaki!? Is that... is that a beard!? I didn't even know you had to shave!

Subaki: (Chuckles awkwardly) What, you think looking like that doesn't take work? It takes me like half an hour to get my face right in the morning!

(Sakura nervously turns to Dakota)

Sakura: ...Big Sister? I... I... thank you for-

(Dakota suddenly pulls Sakura in for a giant hug. Sakura lets out a yelp of shock, and Dakota starts crying.)

Sakura: B-Big Sister!?

Dakota: I... thank the gods... I... I promised myself I'd do it right this time... that I'd keep you safe no matter what... and then when I heard they nearly caught you... what... what were you doing!?

(Sakura backs out of the hug)

Sakura: I-I was just going to the library, I swear! I-I...

(Sakura rushes into the cave and retrieves a bunch of scrolls)

Sakura: What you said... about M-mother... I didn't want to believe it... but I couldn't stop th-thinking about it... I thought if I read some of M-mother's notes... I'd be able to reassure myself... but...

(Sakura starts crying again)

Sakura: B-but... but I've been reading the spell... and... and you're right, Big Sister... this isn't a shield spell at all! I don't know wh-what it is... but... but there's nothing in here that I can link to anything it's supposed to do! B-big sister... is... is...?

(Dakota hugs Sakura again)

Dakota: It's alright, Sakura. Don't worry about that right now. Everything's going to be alright, I promise. Let's get you out of here, and then...

(Dakota holds Sakura at arms' length and smiles at her through tears)

Sakura: ...Then what?

Dakota: Well, we've got a lot of sister-sister time to catch up on, don't we? We're family, I'm on my third timeline now, and I barely know you! Unacceptable! Let's clear out of here, chop chop! We've got things to do! So much to do! And I know a place where we'll have all the time in the world!

...It was tough, War Journal...

...And it was... messy...

...But seeing Sakura here, right here in front of me, alive and safe, the nightmare of the last timeline nothing but a distant memory...

...Hana was right. This is worth it.

Until next time, War Journal.

We have work to do.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Alastor15243

[Alastor15243]

(Canon Story Rage)

 

Oh shit I completely forgot, I'm sorry, I just had to comment on this, but at the end of the actual game chapter, when Corrin talks to Sakura by a lake, they say it's the one where they met Azura.

HORSE. SHIT.

CORRIN, YOUR MOTHER TOLD YOU TO FEEL FREE TO ROAM THE AREA AROUND THE CASTLE. YOU DID NOT WANDER HALFWAY ACROSS AN ENTIRE GODDAMNED COUNTRY, ONE YOU KNEW NOTHING ABOUT, PAST TWO HEAVILY-MANNED FORTS, AND SOMEHOW MIRACULOUSLY RUN INTO AZURA, WHO ALSO WAS SOMEHOW WANDERING WAY FAR AWAY FROM HOME FOR FUCK KNOWS WHAT REASON.

And if you mean to tell me Corrin went all the way to Shirasagi to have that conversation with Sakura...

...WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOSHIDO THINKS CORRIN'S A TRAITOR...

I...

...I don't even have the energy to work out which explanation is more asinine.

I'm just...

Holy cow.

I am so glad I jumped ship.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Alastor15243

[Prince Cavvy]

Fates is a good game, but its story, normally, is... borderline cringeworthy at times. I'm glad to see you are still working on and fixing these mistakes as they show up and managing to make a damn good story out of it. The mark of a good writer is dedication to their work, which you clearly have... although, I do feel like this is starting to cross into gushing territory, so I'll stop before I start mixing emotions into this. My point is, keep up what you're doing so far.

[Alastor15243]

Alright, I'm thinking that with my new work schedule I might be able to get one entry out a week now. Let's see how that goes. But this one definitely won't be as heavy as the last few were, so I'm fairly confident.

In the meantime... could I have some feedback on the fight scene from last entry? That was the first real script-heavy fight scene I've ever done unless you count the big rush to the heaven vein towards the climax of volume 2, and I'm not sure how well I did and I'm looking to know if any of you feel there are areas I can improve them for the future, because there are certain other fights I want to happen that aren't going to be possible to stage in game, so I'll have to do that again.

Specific commentary in spoilers please. And for those of you who don't know how to do it, it looks like this:

(spoiler)

(/spoiler)

except the ( ) are replaced with [ ].

[Alastor15243]

Oh, one more thing...

I'd ideally like to have Dakota work for her nonlethal routs of each map until we get to the second half of Rev and we stop fighting humans, because just straight-up doing the maps and having everyone survive kinda feels cheap from a storytelling perspective and still doesn't sit well with me, and this seems like it's gonna be an easy route regardless...

...Does anyone have any ideas for a rule I could add to the first half of Rev's maps that would simulate nonlethal combat aside from just "don't kill the healers"?

[Sodium Hydroxide]

You mentioned only using 'gag' weapons like Carp Streamers and Radishes earlier in this thread, but why not take it a step further and say that only foes who need to be 'killed' for the clear (or whose 'death' is unavoidable for whatever reason) can actually be reduced to 0HP, while the rest must have at least 1; in addition to only allowing yourself to attack with aforementioned 'gag' weapons (Only when fighting non-purple humans, of course)?

[Alastor15243]

Alright, I tried to get an entry out this weekend, but it looks like I'm probably not going to be able to make it unless I'm really productive tomorrow. I didn't get a lot of free time and I found myself stressing myself out and cutting corners on Dakota's characterization to try and get it out, and I don't want to do that. It may be that I need to do this biweekly (Jesus, this is going to take me more than a year in total at this rate...) to keep up the standard of quality I want to hold myself to, but I may be having more free time in the coming months, so we'll see.

As for your idea, SH, that would seriously cripple my XP gains, though I like the idea in concept.

Actually, on that subject, I think I may have come up with another workaround with that issue.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Prince Cavvy]

There's nothing wrong with calling on others for aid, barring trivial things like "what color should someone's hair be" and such.
On that note, I appear to have made another bond unit... were you intending for that to happen?

[Alastor15243]

Alright, Entry 6 is basically fully written, but certain additional details with the entry mean that it's not going to be ready for some time, I'm not sure. It could be ready tomorrow, though I doubt it and don't expect that, but most likely it'll be ready before this upcoming Sunday.

[Sodium Hydroxide]

After rereading Conquest and what's happened so far in Revelation, I have a pair of guesses at things that may or may not be significant:

'Kaizo-Kotomi' is AnnaCorp. Stop denying it. Also, Mikoto's 'shield spell' is actually a shield spell, but it's the one guarding the afterlife from new arrivals so all the souls can be sacrificed; instead of doing what she says it does and keeping Nohrians out of Hoshido.

Edited December 11, 2016 by Sodium Hydroxide

[Alastor15243]

After rereading Conquest and what's happened so far in Revelation, I have a pair of guesses at things that may or may not be significant:

'Kaizo-Kotomi' is AnnaCorp. Stop denying it. Also, Mikoto's 'shield spell' is actually a shield spell, but it's the one guarding the afterlife from new arrivals so all the souls can be sacrificed; instead of doing what she says it does and keeping Nohrians out of Hoshido.

Interesting theories on both counts. Could you share why you think so?

Also, sorry everyone for the delay, don't expect a huge part or anything, I just had trouble working out how this one character is supposed to behave, and I also asked for a friend's help photoshopping a few of the chapter's images.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to the user who helped me with that, HenryMidfields, who's currently doing a Conquest LP where he turns the story of Conquest into a parody of World War II's Pacific Theatre. If that sounds interesting, by all means, check it out!

http://serenesforest.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=64837

Edited December 12, 2016 by Alastor15243

[Sodium Hydroxide]

[spoiler=Reasons why I have these theories]Let's start with why Kaizo-Kotomi is AnnaCorp. When Anna is introducing Dakota to her wares, one of the things she specifically mentioned was artificial skill infusions. What did Kaizo-Kotomi do the most to make the Hoshidans tough to deal with in Conquest? ARTIFICIAL SKILL INFUSIONS. I don't think you'd have mentioned skill infusions unless you wanted to hint at Kaizo-Kotomi being AnnaCorp. Also, from the PMI's existence in the Vallite laboratory we can tell that at least one Anna is part of the Garon-Mikoto Conspiracy (GMC). This can also explain how large numbers of enemies in the Conquest timeline were given weapons Dakota had never been able to get access to, like Landon's steel nageyari - An Anna supplied them from a world with further-advanced weapons technology than Xelbus yet knew of. As for why Mikoto's shield spell is the one that traps the souls, it's clear it's still active when Sakura tries to recast it - there's a reflect cascade and everything! How peculiar, then, that the only currently active AOE spell in all of Hoshido - probably all of Xelbus - at the time is the barrier blocking souls from the afterlife. I rest my cases.

[Alastor15243]

...Fascinating. Well, let's see how the story unfolds :)

[Kyl490]

Umm well this I'm VERY far back, but I recently found these stories you've written, and I must say I'm impressed and enjoying them! The stories in game were meh, but you've turned them into something else! I've only read up to Conquest, entry 22 but damn. Really happy you're doing this. Just thought I'd say something since it's so great to read.

And I'm not sure what you're doing with castles now, noticed you had a lot of bond units on your team. You may have seen me visit, in game name is Kyl. Dunno if you're still visiting things. Either way, hope you're enjoying the game and thank you so much for writing these.

[Alastor15243]

Umm well this I'm VERY far back, but I recently found these stories you've written, and I must say I'm impressed and enjoying them! The stories in game were meh, but you've turned them into something else! I've only read up to Conquest, entry 22 but damn. Really happy you're doing this. Just thought I'd say something since it's so great to read.

And I'm not sure what you're doing with castles now, noticed you had a lot of bond units on your team. You may have seen me visit, in game name is Kyl. Dunno if you're still visiting things. Either way, hope you're enjoying the game and thank you so much for writing these.

Hope you keep enjoying!

Sorry for the hiatus everyone, complicated stuff IRL I'd rather not explain, but I'm back, more or less. The next entry should hopefully be out this weekend, if all goes according to plan.

I will be honest, the fact that I have very little to look forward to gameplaywise from Revelation's maps is putting a bit of a damper on my enthusiasm, but I'm still determined to finish Dakota's tale and I've got tons of fun ideas for what to do with that, hopefully that'll continue to keep things rewarding. I just wish the game was still fun.

Maybe I've been spoiled by Conquest; it's basically everything I want in a Fire Emblem game but a good story, and getting to try and put that in myself was quite the treat. But let's be honest, I'm not doing this for the gameplay anymore. Maybe the game will pick up later, but right now, for me, it's all about the story I'm writing. And I'm fairly proud of what I've done so far. I've got some hangups about mistakes I made early on and such, but all in all I'm having a lot of fun with this, and I'm determined to see this story through. Even if it takes me a while to do it right.

[Alastor15243]

Turns out the place I'm staying at on my Christmas vacation has no wifi, sorry, I'll get you the part as soon as I can. I've been using my phone to post here.

[Kyl490]

Turns out the place I'm staying at on my Christmas vacation has no wifi, sorry, I'll get you the part as soon as I can. I've been using my phone to post here.

That's fine dude, take your time and hope you have a wonderful New Years and holidays!

[Alastor15243]

Alright, I'm back. If anyone's wondering why my castle changed, I managed to update it while visiting a house with wi-fi. Again, the part's almost entirely complete, it's just the final part of it is something I'm getting writer's block on, as it determines the route Revelation takes and I need to be sure I'm not writing myself into any corners (this is definitely the trickiest route to write for since I'm going to be at almost none of the maps for the same reason I'm at them in canon).

I was kinda hoping this wouldn't take me longer than a year in total, but it looks like that's not going to happen, but I will finish it.

[WyvernSurfer]

So glad I stumbled across this. I'm doubly impressed how you managed to integrate the salvaged story with DLC. I look forward to the next update.

[Alastor15243]

Hey guys, so sorry it's been so late, but I think focusing on this for so long has given me a little bit of burnout. I'm thinking I might tackle a little bit of a writing exercise to try and clear my head where I basically outline how I personally would have directed this game if I were actually making the real game from the ground up and not writing around a set of battles the game must conform to.

Would anybody be interested in reading that?