Static fills a camera before it shows a security room with a single occupant, appearing to be a fairly young elf woman with dark blue hair wearing slender, white sci-fi armor with gold highlights. She blinks before looking at the camera.

?: Ah, good evening, Readers. It is good that I finally have a body and can introduce myself properly. I am the Electronic Logistics and Forgemaster Intelligence of the Hephaestus. The Captain call me ELFI for short. It has been a long time since this Reading has updated, and in such time, we have finally procured the specifications for Reploid production. I have taken the liberty of claiming the first chassis to roll off the assembly line for myself for the purpose of aiding the Haros with the completion of the ship. We should be able to launch shortly, but there is still work to be done.

Ryoma takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh before cracking open the book and starting to read, deciding better to get it over with than to waste time.

[You are now well rested: 1.5 EXP bonus]

[You're HP has been fully restore]

"Another benefit of The Gamer system, I'm guessing?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, that's actually a common one. Well, the full heal after resting, at least," Spice confirms. "Not too sure about the EXP bonus from being well-rested, though. I'll have to look into it."

'Well that's another bonus of actually sleeping,' I thought as I keep my eyes closed, but my consciousness returned to the land of the living nonetheless. 'Just because The Gamer ability means I don't need sleep doesn't mean there aren't perks for sleeping.'

"Looks like he's still asleep," a female voice said, Corrin if I recall.

"Would you like me to wake him up Lady Corrin?" I heard Flora ask.

Corrin shuddered a bit at the memory of how Flora and Felicia liked to wake her up, something that didn't go unmissed by her Nohrian and Hoshidan siblings.

"Corrin?" Ryoma asks, not understanding why she was shuddering.

"Well, Felicia and Flora are from the Ice Tribe, meaning they have cryokinetic abilities," Corrin explains, "and their favorite way of getting me awake is to hold my cheeks, while channeling said cryokinesis."

Both the Hoshidan and Nohrian royals blink in surprise at that. The fact the Nohrians looked surprised told Spice that Corrin hadn't mentioned her maids' duty of "alarm clock" to them before, likely so that the maids would keep their jobs and be spared Camilla's wrath.

"Yes, but gently please," Corrin said after a moment.

"Don't bother..." I said with a yawn. "Your talking did that for you."

"Yeah, he was kind of already awake," Spice and Leo comment simultaneously, making host and guest look at each other in surprise before chuckling in amusement.

"Oh, sorry Irwin," Corrin apologized.

"It's fine," I said getting out of bed to see that it was just Corrin and Flora in the room.

"I managed to find a change of clothes for you Irwin," Flora said setting the spare shirt and pants on the table next to the door.

"How exactly would Flora have known Irwin's size, anyway?" Spice asks idly, looking to Corrin, which also draws the attention of the Nohrian royals.

"My guess is that Flora asked Felicia to help her," Corrin admits with a shrug. "You might not tell it with how clumsy she is outside of a fight, especially when compared to her twin, but Felicia, my Felicia, at least, is actually the more fashion conscious of the two."

"Really?" Spice asks, now intrigued. "Huh, the more you know." 'Note to self, look into that; see if that holds true in other alternates of the Fates worlds,' he adds to himself mentally. 'Maybe also ask Swift which of his version of the maid twins is the more fashion conscious of the two.'

"Thanks Flora," I said with a smile.

"You're welcome," Flora said with a bow.

At that moment Xander came in. "Corrin, get ready we're going to start training in a few minutes," Xander said to his sister before he turned to me. "Good Morning Irwin, I trust that you had a restful sleep."

"A lot more restful than a rocking boat or with my back to a tree," I said. "Bark isn't exactly comfortable on my back and wearing armor so I don't feel the bark is just as uncomfortable," I joked.

"I would imagine so," Ryoma jokes.

"It is," Hinoka comments idly. "I camped outside the castle a few times while I was learning to be a Sky Knight. My back was stiff as a board both times I tried sleeping in a tree."

"Once you get dressed Jakob can show you where I'm going to train Corrin," Xander said, with a slight smirk on his face.

"You got it, now unless you want to see me in my underwear can everyone please leave," I said.

Spice idly looked back at the assembled royals idly and had to suppress both a teasing smirk and a snort of amusement at the faint blush on Corrin's cheeks as the image of Irwin in his underwear no doubt flashed through the princess's mind when that last part was read.

Corrin and Flora pushed Xander out and shut the door faster than I thought possible.

That got a chuckle from Spice and several of the gathered royals while Xander snorted in amusement

"Damn, that was fast," I said before pulling off my shirt, undoing my belt, and also finding that on said belt was a medium sized pouch, and pulling my pants off before quickly putting on the clothes Flora brought me. I don't even want to know how she managed to find clothes that perfectly fit my size.

"Again, my guess is Felicia helped," Corrin comments, then looks to Spice. "Does the story ever say one way or the other which of my maids is the more fashion conscious?"

Spice looks away in thought, a finger on his chin for a moment as he goes over what he's read of the story up to the latest chapter Phoenix had written. "No, I don't believe he ever did," he ultimately replies as he pulls out his data pad and starts typing. "You guys go ahead and keep reading, I'm gonna shoot Phoenix a quick message."

Ryoma nods and resumes reading as Spice does his thing.

However before I put my shirt on I saw my Brand on the front of my shoulder. Like with the other Brand's of the Branded I've seen in Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn I couldn't tell exactly what it was, just a collection of marks making a vague shape... I think there's a wing-like shape at the part closest to my neck... I'm gonna need someone to make a sketch of it so I can get a better look at it.

The sound of a scratching on paper makes the royals look to Leo, who had, somehow, gotten hold of a pencil and pad of paper and was making a sketch of Irwin's Brand. "Don't mind me," Leo says as he sketches, making Ryoma and Xander look to each other for a moment in confusion before shrugging as Ryoma gets back to reading.

"Still, that's something to think about later," I mumbled to myself as I put my armor on... actually, I should probably find ways to explain my Gamer ability.

"Well that's actually easy," I chuckled.

I could write off the fact that attacks don't leave a mark on me as a skin deep regenerative ability as my unique Branded Trait, and the hammerspace inventory as just the pouch on my belt being enchanted. Simple as that really.

"Makes sense/I'd buy it," Xander and Leo say simultaneously as the latter finishes his sketch of Irwin's Brand.

"Agreed," Ryoma says in agreement.

Now, with my armor on, my shield on my arm, my lance on my back, and my bronze axe in the loop on my belt, I stepped out on the room to find Jakob standing next to the door.

"I'm ready now," I told the butler.

"Excellent, Corrin's training is about to start," Jakob said as he led the way to the place Xander was training Corrin.

"Time to see how well your other does, Corrin," Xander says, looking to Corrin. "Make sure you take notes, it will help when I test you in our host's arena."

"Right, brother," Corrin says with a small smile.

The walk to the rooftop was rather silent, seeing as I didn't have a good conversation starter and I didn't want to resort to small talk with someone I barely know... that just gets awkward really fast.

"Agreed," Azura comments. "During my first couple of months in Hoshido, I couldn't even bring myself to speak to Queen Mikoto herself because I didn't know her as I do now."

That perked Spice's interest as a mischievous smirk started to work its way onto his face. 'Note to self, ask the Hoshidan royals, preferably Ryoma, Hinoka, and/or Sakura, for embarrassing stories of Azura's stay in Hoshido.'

Of course when we did reach the rooftop I saw that Corrin was already sparring with Xander, and she wasn't doing to good at the moment.

Spice idly looked over his shoulder for a moment to gauge the nobels' reactions. Ryoma, Hinoka, Sakura, and Xander looked a bit concerned for Corrin's other, Corrin herself cringed a bit, Camilla looked stuck somewhere between wanting to hug Corrin protectively and wanting to throttle Xander, Takumi was being an indifferent prick as usual, Azura's hand was on Corrin's shoulder supportively, Leo looked thoughtful as he observed Corrin's other sparring with Xander's other, and was occasionally writing down a note or two on his pad of paper, possibly notes for Corrin to help with her style of sword fighting for when she spars with Xander during the first break they get, and Elise was trying to cheer encouragement to Corrin's other despite the fact her words wouldn't be able to get past the television screen.

Corrin jumped away after getting slashed by Xander, a restrained slash, but it still knocked the wind out of her and left small gash on her side. Corrin put her hand on the wound trying to stop the bleeding as best she could.

Camilla outright glared at Xander at that, though it wasn't too intense since she could tell his other held back a lot with that blow.

"Hmm, looks like that wound needs attention. In that case..." Xander said, I looked to where he was standing and noticed a small glow, then that glow flashed and a small orb shot out and landed right behind Corrin.

"There's a Dragon Vein there?" Corrin asks, surprised.

" Ah! There was a Dragon Vein here?" Corrin shouted.

"Not quite an echo, but close enough, I guess," Spice quips idly, making Corrin blush a bit.

"Dragon Vein?" I asked Leo, playing dumb.

"A Dragon Vein is a power that those who have the blood of Dragons in their veins that can be used in certain places to alter the battle field, the one Xander just used is a regenerative point that Corrin is now using to heal." Leo explained.

"So... anyone with Dragon Blood in their bodies can use this?" I asked.

The gathered royals all chuckle a little at Irwin asking that question.

"Possibly." Leo said as Corrin took a few steps toward the healing point, "We know for a fact those with the blood of the first Dragon's can use it, but that's all we know for certain."

"Huh." I said as I saw Corrin's wound heal, "You think it might be possible that someone with Dragon Laguz Blood could use those?"

"Is it actually possible for someone with Dragon Laguz blood to use those?" Camilla asks.

"Sorry, spoilers~!" Spice teased in a sing-song voice, earning a pout from Camilla that Ryoma, somehow, found rather cute if he was being honest with himself.

"If you can find someone of Dragon Laguz blood you can test that yourself." Leo said as Corrin ran back into the fight with Xander, a blow that was just strong enough to knock Xander off his horse.

"Spoilers," Spice says, cutting off Elise, who was about to ask where Irwin could find someone with Dragon Laguz blood to test that theory.

"Well done Corrin." Xander said getting up and sheathing his bronze sword, "You're getting stronger everyday."

"Thanks, Xander. I couldn't have done it without your, uh, tough love." Corrin said sheathing her bronze sword.

Xander shook his head, "I disagree. I believe you have natural talent. Someday, you could be the greatest warrior in all of Nohr."

Corrin blushed slightly as she scratched her head, "Now you're just teasing me." Corrin said.

"I never joke about serious matters, Corrin," Xander lightly chides, both to his actual, if adopted, sister, and her other.

"You know me, Corrin." Xander said, his face hardening, "I never joke about serious matters. I mean what I say. You could be the one to bring light to our kingdom so long shrouded in darkness."

"Xander... "Corrin said quietly

"Typical. You know that true strength is more than simple swordplay, right?" Leo asked.

Spice pulled out his flintlock and idly twirled it around his finger once before holstering it again while his left gauntlet crackled with electric power for a brief moment. Xander merely smirked and rolled his eyes in amusement at his host's subtle way of backing up Leo's other.

"Leo, he didn't mean-" Corrin started.

"Calm yourself, little brother." Xander said, "You really are competitive to a fault. As I've always said, you're a talented mage with formidable magical abilities."

"Hmm. Well, just remember that pointy metal sticks are not the only path to power." Leo said.

"Swords aren't pointy metal sticks," Spice comments idly. "Spears are the pointy metal sticks."

"Hey!" Hinoka retorts, the Hoshidan princess' indignant tone ruined by the amused smirk on her face, seeing as she was the only polearm user among the royals.

"And arrows are tiny, pointed sticks," Spice quips with a smirk on his face.

"Hey!" Takumi shouts indignantly, getting a round of chuckles from the other royals, who knew that their host said that specifically to get a rise out of the younger Hoshidan prince.

"Oh, that reminds me of something I've been meaning to tell you, Leo." Corrin said, a smirk growing on her face.

Leo gave a slightly annoyed look toward Corrin, "Something important enough to derail this conversation?" Leo asked.

"Well...your collar is inside out." Corrin said.

Spice snickered at Corrin's other pointing that out, most of the other Royals giving similar reactions of amusement, the standout exceptions being Takumi, who scoffed and rolled his eyes like the prick he was, and Leo, who flushed in apparent embarrassment as he checked to see if his own collar was in the same condition.

"What!?" Leo cried out as he blushed in embarrassment.

"It would appear someone got dressed while still half-asleep." Xander said with a smirk on his face.

That earned a snort of amusement from Spice, Xander, and Ryoma, as well as giggles from Camilla, Elise, Hinoka, and Sakura. Leo, on the other hand, was blushing up a storm in embarrassment as he made sure his collar wasn't inside out as well.

"Ugh! Wh-why didn't you say something earlier?!" Leo shouted as he ran off around a small corner, I couldn't help but laugh at this.

"Haha, sorry, Leo. But that sort of thing is what makes you so lovable." Xander said with a grin on his face.

"Absolutely." Corrin said with a smile on her face.

"Oh man, why can't all royal families be like this?" I mused aloud.

"Because then games with 'em wouldn't have the storylines they do," Spice replies.

Pretty soon Leo returned, with Camilla and Elise arrive from the other side of the roof.

"Are you alright, Corrin? Did you get hurt at all during practice? If you did, let me know right away so I can take extra-special care of you..." Camilla said as she reached over to pull Corrin into a hug.

"I'm perfectly fine, Camilla. As always, thanks for your concern." Corrin said backing ever so slightly away. I don't blame her really, there's only so much doting that one person handle.

"Ain't that the truth…" Corrin mutters, low enough that no-one heard her, while Camilla pouted at Corrin's other backing away from her loving hugs.

"I was worried about you too, Corrin!" Elise cried out.

"I know, Elise. You wouldn't visit me all the time if you didn't care so much, right?" Corrin said smiling.

Elise giggled, "Heehee... Do you like it when I visit?" Elise asked.

"Of course! I'm not allowed to leave this fortress, so visits are all I look forward to!" Corrin said with a smile.

"Well, not allowed to leave barring an overly doting older sister strong arming her other siblings into taking Corrin out for a picnic while the guards are absent, apparently," Spice snarks, to which Camilla glares indignantly at the arcane mechanic.

"Then what the heck was going on yesterday?" I asked as Elise tackle hugged Corrin, causing her to spin with the little princess still attached to her waist.

"I managed to convince the others to let Corrin out while all the guards were out." Camilla said warmly.

"I love you so much! I love you more than anything in the whole, wide world!" Elise called out.

"Elise, when do you intend to behave like the adult that you technically are?" Leo asked.

"Probably never," Xander, Ryoma, Camilla, and Hinoka all comment simultaneously, making the eldest children of Nohr and Hoshido look to their counterparts a bit in surprise.

"Probably never." I said chuckling.

"The echo is strong in here," Spice comments with a smirk.

"Well, I for one think her cheer is a good complement to this gloomy kingdom, Leo." Camilla said.

"Preach it," Spice says with a smile, making Camilla puff out her chest a bit in pride and for Elise to giggle in unrestrained glee.

"Well said, Camilla. Every one of you is so dear to me. You've all been so patient and kind since I lost my memory... I don't even mind being quarantined when I'm with you. I'm so grateful to have you all." Corrin said with a smile.

Xander smiled at the warm scene, "We are grateful to have you as well. But, Corrin, I have some-"

"And Camilla interrupt in… 3… 2… 1…" Spice whispers to himself, earning a slight look of confusion for Corrin, the only one to hear him, as Ryoma continued reading, none the wiser.

Camilla however cut him off. "Let me tell her, Xander! We have wonderful news, Corrin! Father asked us to take you back to the capital!"

That got looks of surprise from the Nohrian and Hosidan royals (minus Takumi and Ryoma, the former because… well… Takumi, and the latter because he was reading), as well as a gasp of pleasant surprise from Corrin.

While Corrin gasped in delight Xander turned toward me, "You're welcome to come along yourself Irwin." Xander said.

"Thanks." I said, "I guess I am coming with you, it'll be nice to see what the capital of Nohr looks like."

[]

After a few minutes of walking through the Fortress we soon found ourselves at the stables in the front of the castle, the old veteran knight of Nohr, Gunter, had joined us sometime along the way.

Corrin smiled fondly at the sight of old Gunter, something which drew the attention of the Hoshidan Royals.

"Another of your loyal caretakers, Corrin?" Hinoka asks.

Corrin nods. "Yes, Gunter is the one who taught me everything I know about weaponry and how to fight with a sword," she explains. "He was a strict, but fair teacher. Kind of like if Xander were a wise grandfather."

Xander chuckles a little in amusement at having such a comparison drawn between himself, the Crown Prince of Nohr, and one of Nohr's most distinguished war veterans.

"I hear you can finally leave the fortress. You must be very happy, Lady Corrin, Gunter has asked me to go with you to the capital so I can look after your horses." Lilith said.

"Glad to hear it! I'd miss you if you weren't coming along too." Corrin said happily, it seemed like she restrained herself from hugging Lilith at that moment.

"Sisterly love at its finest," Spice whispers again, drawing more confusion from Corrin. Sure, she loved Lilith like a sister, but she was just a stable hand… right?

"Lilith, are the horses ready?" Xander asked

"Yes, milord. Everything is ready, and the horses seem excited for the trip. They are all very fond of Lady Corrin. Probably from all her time in the stables..." Lilith said.

"That is a universal trait of Corrins from what I've observed," Spice comments, drawing everyone's attention. "Regardless of gender, Corrin is very good with animals."

That drew smiles from Corrin, Ryoma, Xander, Camilla, Hinoka, Leo, and Elise. Corrin because it was something that was apparently universal among all of her various others, Ryoma, Xander, Camilla, and Hinoka because it was a good trait for their younger sister to have, and Camilla, Hinoka, Leo, and Elise because all of them were mounted fighters as well, and as such were also good with animals.

"Our Corrin does love animals. Such a kind hearted soul... Why, she even nursed an injured baby bird to health one time!" Camilla said fondly.

This caused Lilith to gasp slightly.

'You were that bird, Lilith...' I thought, I had to hide a quick frown though, 'But how the hell did everyone mistake a small dragon for a bird in the first place?'

That caused Spice to look at the Nohrian siblings in confusion. "Yeah, seriously, what's up with that?"

"Well, with how dark Nohr is, it can be hard to identify distinguishing characteristics between birds and smaller dragons at times, especially when outside," Xander explains.

"Fair enough," Spice acquiesces.

"Lilith, is something wrong?" Corrin asked getting a little worried for her friend.

"Oh...no. It's nothing." Lilith said quickly.

Elise was the one who spoke up, "Isn't it obvious, Corrin? Lilith is sad because she's going to miss you!"

"Your other does realize Lilith is going with, right?" Hinoka asks Elise.

Elise, surprisingly, didn't answer, and instead flushed a little in embarrassment.

"Umm Elise, she's coming with us remember?" I reminded, "She just told us that less than a minute ago."

Elise blinked once, "Oh, right! Well then, I bet she's sad 'cause she won't have you all to herself anymore. You've always been especially fond of our sister, haven't you, Lilith?" Elise asked.

"I, er-" Lilith stammered.

I decided to spare Lilith before Xander could, "Listen as much fun as it may seem to tease the stable hand, we have a King we need to go see remember?" I said.

"Yes, please!" Corrin says quickly, also wanting her other's friend to be spared further embarrassment.

"Yes, let's go!" Corrin said quickly, also wanting to spare her friend (and sister on her birth fathers side... sorta) from further embarrassment.

"Hold on, Lilith is Corrin's sister?" Xander asks, surprised.

"Yeah, it's something that comes up during one of the paths. As for how they're sisters, well, spoilers," Spice replies.

"Flora, you and Felicia will remain here to watch over the fortress." Gunter said, taking control of the moment, "Jakob and I will accompany Lady Corrin." Gunter said. "We may be gone for some time. Take good care of this place."

'That's going to end up being an understatement Gunter.' I thought.

"We'll see them again later, right?" Corrin asks hopefully.

"Yes, just, much later in the story," Spice replies.

"Of course! You may rely on us." Flora said.

"Safe travels, Lady Corrin!" Felicia called.

"Thank you. I hope to see both of you again soon...just not here!" Corrin said as we left.

[]

As we walked toward the city of Windmire, more specifically castle Krakenburg (Who comes up with these names?) I found myself observing Camilla's Wyvern as it walked beside her.

"Don't look at us, we just live there," Leo replies with a shrug that all of the Nohrian royals share when the Hoshidan ones looked at them, curious as well about who came up with the names for Nohr's capitol city and the castle that resides there.

"Never seen a Wyvern before?" Camilla asked as she stepped closer to me.

"Not really no." I said, "Back in Tellius the Dracoknights didn't ride Wyverns, instead they rode full on Dragons."

"Seriously?" Camilla asks, astonished.

"Yep. Never seen one in action myself, but, well, anyone with the ability to tame and ride an actual Dragon instead of a Wyvern? Not to be taken lightly," Spice replies.

"Oh... that's interesting." Camilla said.

"In Tellius a Dracoknight can train themselves into a Dragonmaster, then into the Dragonlord." I said, "They're terrifying opponents to face in battle, although they are mostly seen in the Daein army while Begnion and Crimea usually rely on Pegasi for their aerial combat."

"Yeah, the Draconic fliers tend to be reserved for the kingdoms with easy access to draconic mounts, regardless of if the mount in question is a wyvern or a dragon," Spice replies, something that the Nohrian royals nod in agreement with.

"Are there any Dracoknights that come to your mind when you think about them?" Camilla asked.

"Just two." I said, "A girl named Jill and a man named Haar."

"So I guess there aren't too many good Dracoknights out there huh?" Camilla asked.

"Well, not too many that survived the Mad King's War." I said, "In fact from the stories I heard about Haar, he was lazy as all heck, but when the guy actually got into a fight it was nearly impossible to combat him with physical strength alone."

"Are Dracoknights really so powerful?" Camilla asks in awe of what Irwin described of Haar's strength.

"They are when they promote to Dragonmasters and especially Dragonlords," Spice replies. "Remember, unlike with most continents, Tellian warriors promote twice along a linear path, with Tier 3 Tellians being borderline gods of war."

"Hmmm," Camilla hummed, slightly interested. "Sounds interesting, you'll have to tell me more later," Camilla said. "But... what's this about the Mad King's War?"

"That's... a story I don't think I want to tell at them moment," I said a little unnerved.

Honestly the last thing I want to talk about on the way to King Garon was to talk about King Ashnard. Garon may be possessed by Anankos at the moment, but I don't think Garon ever went or even thought about going to the length Ashnard went to secure his throne.

You could hear a pin drop as the Royals all froze at that statement.

"Wait, what?!" The assembled Royals all shout in surprise when they finally recovered from their shock.

"Long story short, Garon as you all know him now is basically a corps being used by Anankos, king of Valla, as a meat puppet to control Nohr from the shadows and instigate a war with Hoshido that would just leave both kingdoms distracted and exhausted so that his invisible soldiers can just steamroll right over everyone and wipe out both kingdoms at once," Spice explains.

Seriously Ashnard wasn't even possessed and yet he committed mass murder of his family just to get himself the throne of Daein.

"Alright, we can talk about it later then," Camilla said as she went over to her wyvern.

"There is something wrong with that man Ashnard," Corrin comments.

"An understatement if ever there was one, lady Corrin," Spice quips as Ryoma places the bookmark and closes the book before passing it to Xander to read the next chapter.

ELFI: Hopefully the captain can get a solid work ethic going for these stories. So much to do, so little time.