Everything had happened so fast. One second he was staring at the Hoshidan queen – the woman who claimed to be his true mother. And the next … his sword was flying away from him and into the hands of a dark hooded figure. Before anyone could react, there was an explosion of shadows and darkness and rubble. The shockwave flattened all that it touched.

The world around him seemed to move in slow motion: the black shards of his sword’s blade as they flew towards him; his arm rising as if to ward off the impending blow; the queen throwing herself in front of him to protect him from the shards; the sound of an angry, animalistic roar in the distance …

And then, there was pain – nothing but pain. It was the last coherent thought Corrin had before he was Dragon Clawed out of the universe.

–

Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get any more chaotic, fate just had to prove her wrong. Amid the chaos, Corrin had transformed into a dragon and was wreaking havoc on the already destroyed town square. He’d taken to the air with newly acquired crimson wings and was raining fire upon anyone and anything unlucky to be in his path.

I’m the only one who can stop this … with my song. With the thought in her mind, Azura steeled herself and began walking towards Corrin. Looking up at him with an unwavering, determined expression she sang. Her voice, so soft yet so powerful, resonated throughout the battlefield over the screams and the cries, the clash of weapons and the pounding of feet against rubbles.

For a fleeting moment, Corrin stopped in his rampage and turned to her – almost as if he could hear her pleas for him to return. In that moment, Azura felt her heart become lighter and a smile graced her face.

But then, the prince of two countries let out an irritated roar and began hurtling straight at her. Azura’s singing turned into a scream of terror – it was the last sound she would make before the Salamence blasted her out of the world with a well-aimed Dragon Tail.

–

Chaos and panic – such was the sight that greeted the Altaria when it reached the once vibrant and bustling Shirasagi. As expected, Salamence had already beaten it there – although it was also rampaging again for whatever reason had upset it this time. Altaria examined its surroundings, wondering whether to deal with the strange shadowy beings or Salamence’s rampaging first – the choice suddenly taken out of its cloudlike wings when Salamence incinerated the strange figures.

With a dismissive caw, Altaria flew up to Salamence and began singing its song. The lullaby put the larger dragon Pokémon to sleep immediately and sent it practically falling out of the sky in a swan dive, nearly crushing two small humans as it landed. That was a mistake; Altaria was fond of humans and didn’t want to cause undue harm onto them. Salamence … not so much – it only liked certain humans.

Regardless, the crisis was over and once Salamence was awake they could go back home. And they would have to hurry, because Palkia’s space rifts wouldn’t last forever.

–

“This way!” Ryouma called out to Corrin, his hand extended to his long-lost younger brother.

“B-big brother …” Sakura ran over to stand beside Ryouma, their siblings Hinoka and Takumi lingering close by with weapons drawn. The entire Hoshidan army was behind them, waiting for a command or an action.

“He’s my brother!” Elise cried out, rushing forward to her beloved big brother – only stopping when her elder siblings Camilla and Leon held her back.

“We’re your family,” Xander said, shifting his blade and holding out his hand to Corrin. The full force of the Nohrian army stood behind its royal family, ready to carry out any orders.

Salamence gave both sides an agitated roar in response, firing a Dragon Breath attack at Xander and attempting to bite Ryouma with Crunch. The armies of both countries immediately scattered, not so much against one another in combat but to avoid the Salamence’s attacks. The eight royal siblings could only stare as the Salamence flew around in the skies, laying waste to everything around it.

“I told you guys he was nothing but trouble,” Takumi hissed to his siblings, motioning towards the Salamence. “Kamui’s tried to attack Ryouma-niisan twice, and on the way here he chewed up my Fuujin Yumi!” He held up his bow indignantly as if to prove his point.

“Shut up, Takumi! Maybe if you were nicer to him,” Hinoka snapped back – the sharpness of her retort less to do with her brother and more with the fact that Corrin had growled at her every time she tried to get close. The last time she tried to approach him, he’d swiped at her and snapped her lance in the process. She had a sinking feeling that Corrin hated her, for not trying hard enough to save him.

“Um … Azura-neesama, why is Kamui-niisama so angry?” Sakura asked, turning to her favorite elder sister timidly. “I-is he upset with us? D-does he not want to be our f-family anymore?”

Altaria merely cawed, and then continued its humming. For whatever reason, the humans had decided to get them involved in their conflict, and neither Altaria nor Salamence were the type to refuse challenges from humans. Besides, the small pink-haired one had many delicious snacks that she’d often share with them, the best reason to stick around with her.

–

“Big brother Corrin, you can’t eat my pony!” Elise whined, attempting to shield the creature with her own body. “It’s not funny!”

“Oh, my poor dear Corrin. I’ll have the maids whip up something for you immediately!” Camilla shook her head pityingly. “Did those naughty Hoshidans starve you while you were there? Big sister Camilla will teach them all a lesson.”

“Xander, haven’t you noticed … Corrin seems to be acting strange.” Leon eyed his sibling out of the corner of his eye, wary of the elder’s strange personality change and baffled that the others had not noticed.

After destroying more than half of the battlefield, Corrin had tired himself out – and then he had caught sight of Elise’s pony. He had barreled towards the poor thing and chomped down on its neck. Elise had saved her beloved mount before any serious damage had been done, but Corrin had been attempting to make meal out of it ever since. Although Camilla couldn’t resist gloating to the Hoshidans about how Corrin chose to go back to his Nohrian siblings, his realfamily, the Hoshidans had been too baffled about everything to give a proper response.

“Corrin is simply under the weather is all,” Xander replied. His glare made it clear that he would brook no discussion on the matter. “Now come. We must report to Father immediately.”

Servants quickly rushed to tend to the royal siblings as they entered Castle Krakenberg, although none of them dared to approach the Salamence. One servant bravely approached Elise, relieving her of her pony. Salamence would have followed if Camilla hadn’t been smothering it in a hug.

In his usual commanding fashion, Xander led the others down the dimly lit hallway. All was silent save for the sound of their footsteps, reflecting the somber mood of the castle. Xander nodded to the guards outside the throne room and they stepped aside, allowing for the siblings to pass. When the Salamence stalked past them, obviously irritated, the guards felt a chill run down their spines. When had Prince Corrin become so terrifying?

Marching towards the throne with a regal demeanor, Xander knelt before Garon as a loyal son and prince. “I have returned, Father.”

Garon stared down at his eldest impassively, unmoving from his throne. “So you have. Word of your work in Hoshido precedes you, Son. What I’ve heard pleases me. Your efforts to vanquish our enemies will not go unrewarded.”

“Thank you, Father.” Xander had a small smile on his face upon receiving praise from his father. “There’s something else. I bring good tidings. It’s about Corrin …” He rose to his feet and then motioned at the Salamence. “He has already safely returned to us. Our family is whole again.”

Enraged, Garon bolted up from his throne – his fists clenched tightly. “Corrin … has returned?”

Xander opened his mouth to speak, but then the Salamence let out an angry roar – clearly more enraged than Garon was. The royal siblings turned to it, worried for what they believed to be their brother, while Iago squawked about how Corrin obviously couldn’t be trusted and was charging up a spell.

With a scornful snort, Salamence easily dodged Iago’s spell and soared around in the throne room – the roomy interior almost as spacious as an open field. Salamence purposely knocked down hanging overhead lights, candlesticks, and decorations all the while snarling and dodging Iago’s magic blasts.

And then, it suddenly lunged at Garon. The tyrant didn’t even have time to shout as the dragon charged at him, jaws agape, and took a large bite out of his upper body.

Elise let out an ear-piercing scream, which echoed throughout the room. Leon and Camilla were too shocked to do the same, while Xander drew his sword and began cursing out the Salamence – calling it a traitor to Nohr.

“You … craven!” Xander bellowed, swinging his sword in a blind rage. “How dare you betray Father, betray us! I will show you no mercy for this injustice! Die on my blade!”

“Oh Father, how could this have happened?” Camilla had her eyes closed, unwilling to look at the sight of Garon’s mutilated body. “My dear sweet Corrin, why would you do this?”

“This … this is …” Leon appeared to be at a loss for words, perhaps for the first time in his life. “Corrin … this is unforgivable!”

“A-ah!” Elise stammered out. “B-big brothers! Big sister! Look – there’s something happening to Father!”

The three elder Nohrian siblings immediately turned to Garon, and were struck with horror upon the sight of their father’s body melting into putrid gray slime. Iago had an almost terrified look on his face and he quickly fled the throne room, shouting about how he was going to mobilize the army. Elise hid behind Camilla as the slime seemed to take life of its own and began forming a humanoid shape. Xander and Leon joined their sisters, so they could stand together against this unknown threat.

Salamence continued to ignore them all and went on circling above, alternating between razing the room and nearby parts of the castle to the ground with its Flamethrower and puking out bits of gray slime.

–

“I won’t have it, Sakura. Azura’s a Nohrian, first and foremost – and we’re in her home territory. She could be leading us into a trap.” Takumi glared at the Altaria warily, his Fuujin Yumi in his hands.

“Takumi-niisama, you’re wrong,” Sakura replied, looking up at her elder brother determinedly. “Azura-neesama wants to help us, a-and to get Kamui-niisama back. And I trust her.”

Altaria cawed in non-committal response, busy stuffing itself with Sakura’s mochi and dangos. The silver-haired human had boarded a ship with a small platoon of soldiers, vowing to stop his enemies before they could attack Hoshido again. His little sister had snuck aboard and followed him to enemy territory, not wanting to stay behind while her siblings were all fighting. Altaria had in turn followed her – partly because it had grown fond of the pink-haired human, partly because the elder two humans had no sweets to share.

“Oh!” Oboro exclaimed just then, bringing the siblings’ argument to a halt. “Takumi-sama, over there!” She pointed at a strange sight in the distance – a dark void appearing to gather above a single spot. The skies appeared to be growing darker as the void became larger.

“What is that thing?” Takumi narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the Fuujin Yumi. “I’m going to go investigate.”

“Takumi-sama, I must protest!” Hinata spoke up. “It looks too dangerous!”

“I agree with Hinata,” Oboro said. “You mustn’t put yourself in the way of unnecessary harm, milord.”

“But we can’t just ignore it either,” Takumi argued back. “This thing … whatever it is, it could be a threat to Hoshido!”

Cawing loudly, Altaria pushed off Sakura’s shoulder – its new favorite perching spot – and flew towards the dark void. Ignoring the Hoshidans’ confused looks and Sakura calling for her Azura-neesama to come back, Altaria made a beeline for the dark skies. Perhaps one of Palkia’s portals was making its appearance? 

–

Anankos was furious. Years and years of careful planning – his plot to destroy both Hoshido and Nohr – all of it dashed in a mere instance. All because of that insolent child!

“Pathetic human. You dare bare your teeth at me?” Anankos bellowed. “Corrin. I will take your pathetic life. Then I will make your body my own. You will serve as a vessel for me!”

The once proud Castle Krakenberg had become nothing but rubble, an epicenter for the end of the world. The Nohrian army had long fled; Crown Prince Xander had ordered everyone in the castle to escape, and for the army to begin evacuating nearby citizens. He and his siblings had also gone to assist in that task, too shaken and bewildered to consider fighting the monstrous being that had been masquerading as their father.

Having regained his true form, Anankos leered down at the only enemy that stood in his way. The nightmarish black dragon – towering above where the roof of the throne room used to be – had a gigantic wingspan and a body composed of muscles and scars. Sharp spikes ran down his hand, but the eeriest part of him was the many eyes – all floating in a dark orb-like void in his mouth, red and staring at their victim.

None of it seemed to affect the Salamence at all. It let out a roar, eager to beat up the strange dragon that was somehow not a Pokémon. That day was the worst one he had ever had. First, it and Altaria had ended up going through a portal that had to have been created by Palkia. Then they had ended up in the middle of someone else’s war and business, only to get involved in it. No one bothered to feed it either, and everyone kept on referring to it as Corrin. What exactly was a Corrin?

Salamence was about to attack Anankos with Dragon Claw, but then a familiar sound caught its attention. Flying over towards them was Altaria, looking extremely tired and feeling more like a rain cloud than a cumulus cloud. Despite how exhausted it seemed, Altaria shoved Salamence aside to take its place in the fight – and then began singing.

Perish Song – it was a double-edged sword in that the enemy was guaranteed to fall, but so was the singer. But once Altaria finished the song, it immediately zoomed over to Salamence and nudged it back into the battle in its place – switching out so that it wouldn’t faint from its own song.

The dragons traded blows for three turns, but the outcome of the battle had already been decided. Salamence survived its enemy’s attacks, although barely, and Anankos dropped dead at the end of the third turn – dead for real, because Anankos wasn’t a Pokémon and was not able to switch out of battle.

And so Altaria and Salamence had inadvertently ended the biggest threat to the kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido.

–

With the imposter Garon and Anankos gone, Nohr and Hoshido no longer had any reason to be at war. A peace treaty was signed between the two countries. Xander and Ryouma became king of their respective countries.

Palkia never did open another portal for Salamence and Altaria to return home, but the two Pokémon had ended up staying in Hoshido. Altaria taught Sakura the art of being like a cloud dragon and ate all the sweets she offered it, while Takumi had declared the Salamence to be his favorite big brother for “singlehandedly beating up those Nohrian jerks”. As for the Salamence, it got along fine with Takumi, Ryouma, and Sakura but it continued to hate Hinoka’s guts. 

So the two countries lived together without any conflict ever again.