Chapter One

Dear Whoever Got Me Into This Mess,

For the record, I'm not ungrateful that a faceful of bus didn't result to a permanent stay in the afterlife. Being seventeen meant that would've been a premature way to go, and grinding things to a halt just when I've hit my stride isn't exactly the first thing I'd want to include in my bucket list. But then I start thinking about how that 'second chance' thing came to be, and—

Um.

Suffice to say that I have questions. Plenty of them.

See, buddy, it's one thing to be stuffed into someone's womb for nine months. One thing to start from scratch, and one thing to have a new life and a new body and a whole set of bells and whistles that I don't even know how to handle because more than half the time I'm trying to remember how it all panned out.

But to be reborn in a world that, though equal parts amazing and terrifying, is supposed to be fictional? Not to mention as someone whom I'm sure isn't supposed to exist?

Let's put it this way: you're lucky I don't know where you live, mister (or miss), because I might just have a fist with your name on it.

Cheers,

Bianca Eisner, a.k.a. the Teenager You Decided to Reincarnate

P.S. Yes, Bianca Eisner. I'd call myself Byleth, but it's not exactly polite to take someone else's name when they're already using it.

Alright, so maybe, just maybe, not everyone was meant for the mercenary life, even if you happened to be in a family full of them.

Bianca Eisner, member of said mercenary family, could only bury her face embarrassment as the memory of today's pre-dawn sparring session surfaced in her mind yet again. What was once a calming forest stroll turned into a walk of shame, and lo and behold, the heat returned to her cheeks as if it had never left. There was no stopping the muffled groan that then escaped her lips for the umpteenth time.

Whoever said that life was easier to live the second time around was either one hell of a liar or Lady Luck personified.

She shook her head. Okay, she also might have stiffened for a brief moment because something in the trees rustled and sent leaves flying, but then it turned out that an owl was just swooping towards a different branch. At least, she thought it was an owl. Hard to tell what's what when all you had as a source of light was the moonlight shining above.

Still, yeah. This day absolutely sucked, and the best part was that it had barely even started. There had to be a medal for that kind of achievement somewhere.

Of all days to have an off day…

Because it was. An off day, that is. How else could she have made a disaster so epic that she'd made herself scarce the moment the opportunity arose? Into a place that had no right looking so dark and foreboding in the middle of the night, no less?

"Alright, kid, I think that's enough for now. Why don't you go and take a break? I'll let you know when it's time to move."

"You're… sure?"

"I'd hate to say it, but your sword arm today's made a pretty convincing argument."

It was just that something about today didn't sit well with her, that's all. It ruined her concentration. Her carefully-maintained dignity. Her sanity! There was a mystery afoot, and it demanded to be solved. No other person could be more suited for the job than hers truly, she who possessed the kind of knowledge that can turn her from zero to hero. In an ideal world.

So, really. A day of less-than-stellar combat performance? That was perfectly okay. It should be perfectly okay if it meant finding out… or remembering… what it was about Remire Village that made her stomach all twisty with anxiety.

So long she wasn't fighting for her life, anyway.

The unpleasant memory flashed in her mind again; it wasn't comforting knowledge that she'd be dead ten times over if she messed up in a real battle. This time, however, she broke into a brisk walk before the feeling of humiliation could take hold once again. Boots stomped against the earth as she repeatedly put one determined foot in front of the other.

Half an hour more of this, she thought, and then I return to camp.

On the plus side, questionable her martial prowess may be, her magical aptitude would never disappoint. See that tiny ball of flame she now conjured as reassurance, dancing on her open palm before dissipating and avoiding a potential forest fire? That was something she was 100% incapable of doing in another lifetime.

Ah, the look on her face when she'd done magic for the first time…

Besides! What's it matter if the Blade Breaker's daughter wasn't exactly turning heads with her sword-swinging? It wasn't like Father's mercenary company suffered any shortages of skilled melee fighters. Best she stay in the background and take potshots while everyone was busy swinging and stabbing.

Except that Byleth could do both.

Bianca stopped, approached the nearest tree, and gave it one sharp kick.

Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it. You'd think that half an hour spent walking back and forth in a forest near tonight's glorified pit stop would do her troubled mind some good, but then, nope. The memory of her sending that sword flying through the air like an arrow loosed from its bow—thrice—was just too humiliating to forget. Especially when she was supposed to disarm her sparring partner instead of the other way around.

Whatever it was that Mr. Random Omnipotent Being saw in her that made her so suitable for reincarnation as "female Byleth", she sure wasn't—

"This way! Those brats went this way!"

She tensed.

Well, then. That… was definitely a voice that sounded too rough and too threatening to belong to an upstanding member of medieval society. In fact, years spent completing contracts ranging from bodyguard duty to defending villages would sooner have her guessing that she was dealing with—

"Where?"

"Here, stupid! Dammit, Kostas, of all people you'd stick me with…"

You know what? Never mind.

Trusting that her teal hair and her dark-colored coat… cloak… thing blended with her surroundings well enough, Bianca ducked behind a tree. A pair of axe-wielding ruffians then emerged from the shadows and sprinted past the spot where she used to stand, and she'd swear on her grave it was as if they took an invisible cue from an equally invisible director. She'd also half-expected them to slow to a stop several feet away and argue about their intel being all wrong—buying her time to unsheathe the dagger on her waist and prep an attack because spells were unfortunately noisy—but then she took a quick peek from her hiding place and… huh.

So much for an ambush. Her targets were now a pair of retreating backs as they continued their hot pursuit under the cover of darkness.

She stepped out into the open with eyebrows raised.

Alright. Okay. If the past thirty seconds weren't just her imagination, then she had just stumbled upon some bandits. It was more like they nearly stumbled upon her, but eh, semantics. Point was, they were up and about in an ungodly hour. Even for them.

That was not normal.

In fact, it was so out of the ordinary, the sight of them also made her frown in unease and gaze at the moon in worry. Did this have anything to do with the anxiety that stuck to her recently? But then, maybe it'll all work out in the end? Jeralt's—Father's—mercenary band would make short work of them soon enough.

Maybe they'd even leave a piece for her, once she got back.

After all, it certainly wouldn't do if Remire Village was invaded by the bastards, right? Bastards who happen to be chasing three nobles who've come a long way from Garreg… Mach…

Claude. Dimitri. Edelgard.

Ah, hell.

She was already running when she called herself an idiot.

The battle was in full swing by the time Bianca burst out of the forest and into the outskirts of the village. The sound of steel clashing against steel rang in the air, and for a moment, she could have sworn that someone's cursing got cut off by what could only be imagined as a stab through the throat.

She flinched. Hopefully, that wasn't how her second life was going to end today.

Now that she was finally where she wanted to be, though, what's next?

…

Oh. That's what.

In the chaos of a battlefield, distinguishing friend from foe could be a difficult challenge, especially when the sun wasn't there to provide any ounce of brightness. It took familiarity of one's voice and body language to know who's who. Sometimes, even that wasn't enough to avoid a case of friendly fire. There was this particularly recruit so green that he'd accidentally cut her two months ago, and… yeah. Let's just say that forgiveness was still in short supply.

Thankfully, accidents like that weren't a problem right now.

The man charging towards her could only be described as a bandit in the most generic way possible. Muscular, loud as hell, and hefting an axe that was better off chopping trees than human flesh. Not to mention the nose-wrinkling stench associated with unwashed bodies, but that one was easily ignored in favor of leaping away from a blow that would have gutted her like a pig ready for slaughter.

It wasn't a complete dodge, if the burning sensation on her forearm was of any indication, but still.

That was too close for comfort. Way too close.

Time to return the favor.

"Wrong move, chum." Hands tingling with the familiar sensation of magic being prepped, Bianca was quick to counterattack with a fireball she shot after a graceful spin. Her surroundings lit up in a brief, orange glow before her spell made its mark.

Bull's eye. The man was struck down in just one hit—she must've put too much power into it. Not that it's a bad thing, considering that's one less problem. But when it came to acknowledging that this was another kill done by her…

She made sure to look away from the body after that. Staring too long could lead from one thing to another, and feeling the weight of her actions, justified as they were, wasn't quite in the agenda tonight.

Alright. Now where was her family and the fearsome group of mercenaries that followed it?

"There you are."

Speak of the devil. Well, demon. An ashen one, at that.

"And there you are," Bianca returned with a shaky smile. Her brother responded with a nod and his customary blank, yet piercing stare.

You know, it was funny. Once upon a time, being met a reaction like that would have made her swallow and step back with an excuse that someone needed her elsewhere. But now, after spending year upon year learning how Byleth Eisner ticked, reactions like that barely bothered her. Actually, she'd sooner say she had never been more relieved to see that near-emotionless mug on this not-so-fine night.

She could even tell that Byleth felt the same way, and that was just from the way he'd drooped his shoulders by the tiniest of fractions.

Crazy, wasn't it?

"Come on. You can help deal with the rest after you've gotten that arm looked into," Byleth said. Bianca nodded in affirmation, and he was quick to lead the way. His hand never left his sword hilt like the consummate professional he was. At least in her perspective. "Where were you?"

She shrugged. "Oh, you know, it was such a nice night, I couldn't help but take a stroll through the forest nearby."

"Really."

"Yes, really. Having a change of scenery is nice every once in a while."

"That, and your training with Father went wrong and you've gone into hiding."

Ouch.

"And there we have it, folks. Byleth Eisner goes straight for the kill." She grimaced. "If you already knew, why ask?"

"I wanted to see how you'd answer the question."

Her dear, dear brother was smirking the tiniest of smirks when he said that. He had to be; no other version of this reality existed. She could only see the back of his head as she followed from behind, but… No. Just no. Expressionless, he had not been.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for her, she never got the chance to retort. The twins had finally reached the place where the fighting was still ongoing, and whatever words Bianca had at the ready died right on the spot.

That was to say, she wasn't struck speechless because the bandits were winning. Not in the least—scattered as they were, Jeralt's mercenaries clearly had the upper hand in numbers, combat skill, and morale. Hell, it became even more of an overkill when Byleth dashed ahead to assist, leaving her eating dust when she was expected to follow suit. Defeated bandits were limping away in fear, and the ones stubborn enough to stay were soon being stomped flat.

No, what made Bianca proceed to stare in awe was the sight of three nobles assisting the mercenaries however they could. One slashed with an axe, one lunged with a spear… and one had just released an arrow after performing a backflip.

For a bunch of students, they were doing surprisingly well. Must've been the result of Byleth's guidance—guidance she wasn't there to witness.

Then again, it wasn't as if she was really needed for everything to work out in the end…

"Glad to see you've made it, kid." Her reverie was broken by none other than Jeralt Reus Eisner, her father. There was no mistaking that braided, sandy hair and scarred face from anywhere. And the horse. "And in one piece, too."

Actually, even with a cut on her arm, it'd be more accurate to say that she looked pristine compared to the man who's clearly started and ended several fights already. She did not remember that spear of his being that red.

"Let's just say my luck's been holding up for the most part."

"Luck and skill, you mean." He eyed her wound. "Let me guess, a sword?"

"More like an axe, but I digress." Bianca shook her head. "I think Byleth's found the leader of these merry band of idiots."

The powerfully-built man with a mane of ash brown hair and a set of crooked teeth couldn't be anything else but the leader, honestly, seeing as he'd been yelling at his subordinates to stay and fight before Byleth went ahead and engaged the man in battle.

First blood to her brother, then a quick counter from the asshole. Then came several exchange of blows, and wow, the head bandit's movements were swift for someone so bulky—he was fast enough to dodge the slashes and lunges that he couldn't deflect with his axe.

Thankfully, her brother was no slouch either.

And she was pretty sure he'd shine even brighter if the right assistance was given.

Words didn't need to be said; all it took was a glance. The man nodded. "Alright, go on and help your brother while we secure the perimeter. But as soon as you're done, you're getting that arm fixed. Not gonna let you say no to that one, kid."

"Funny, Byleth said almost the exact thing."

And off she went to provide sibling aid.

Starting with a nice, cold serving of a Blizzard spell.

"What—argh!"

Lesson number one: never leave your back open. The bandit leader had noticed her too late; speed and the element of surprise was on her side, and the ice shards hit him head-on, sending him staggering.

Unfortunately, he wasn't down for the count because her spell lacked the kick that her earlier Fire spell had; that was what she got for field-testing a spell she had yet to master. While injured, no less. Fortunately, however, that opening was all Byleth needed to press his advantage and swing his sword hard enough to cut the man and send him sprawling.

Bianca winced. Though her brother's attack wasn't a fatal blow, no thanks to that chest plate taking the brunt of it, there was nothing pleasant about the sound a head made if it hit the ground hard enough to knock its owner out cold.

Still, a victory was a victory. Now all that needed to happen was for Father and company to wrap things up, and everyone could say good-bye to this night and move on with their lives while she started pondering what her role was for the events to come.

"That was nicely done," someone then said. A white-haired girl with calculating, violet eyes, standing several feet away. Edelgard. Her gaze switched from Byleth to Bianca. "But I don't believe I've seen you before. Considering the resemblance, I take it the two of you are related?"

Alright. The future instigator of a continent-wide war was now addressing her, and okay, that might have sounded a bit unfair; there was actually more to the person than that.

But still. First impressions and good foundations. Right. What was that saying again? Never let 'em see you sweat?

"We're twins, actually," Byleth said.

…Or she could just let her brother lead the conversation and she'll happily pitch in from time to time. Not a bad plan.

"That's right," Bianca said. "I'd say great minds think alike, but that fight was all him. I just hastened the process."

"Is that so?"

"Actually, she's just suffering from an earlier blow to her dignity." On second thought, Byleth was better off staying quiet. "Bianca is a much better fighter than she thinks she is."

Much better off. She whirled towards her brother. "By, do we need to revisit that talk we had about some things being better off left unsaid?"

But then she never got an answer to that question.

Sometimes, a person like her couldn't help but think that some people deserved to captured or released instead of being executed where they stood. The intel they could provide was always valuable, and let's face it: killing was an act that never got easier, and the less people she had to off, the easier her conscience rested. Of course, it went without saying that kind of principle wouldn't slide in times of war. She wasn't that big an idealist. But while there wasn't one, wouldn't it be better if those not so far gone got the chance to learn their lesson, redeem themselves, and become a contributing member of society?

And then assholes like this one came along.

The bandit leader—Kostas—apparently should have been buried six feet under while they had the chance. Because the moment he regained consciousness and hopped to his feet, he made a beeline towards Edelgard with a wild, desperate look in his dark eyes. The noble in red could only brace herself with the dagger she had on her (what happened to her axe?), and then—

There were many things going through Bianca's mind as the whole thing transpired before her. But for one brief moment, there was only one thing she could think of, and that was, Did someone just shove me?

One moment she was moving to intercept Kostas, then suddenly her world had gone sideways and her arm burned like fire.

She pulled herself up. "Byleth, what is wr—"

Kostas and what remained of his band were scattering like cockroaches, and Byleth, her brother, was standing in front of Edelgard with a blade in hand. But that wasn't what made Bianca shut right up and stare in shock.

It was the sight of her brother staring right back at her. Expressing an emotion so openly for the first time since the day she'd gained self-awareness.

Fear.

So that's what it felt like to be on the opposite end of Divine Pulse.

Okaaay, I have absolutely no idea if I absolute nailed everyone but Bianca's personalities, but I'll admit I enjoyed writing this thing and there's always room for improvement if I didn't.

But that's getting ahead of myself. Basically, welcome to this story that was begging to be written, which actually started as a plot bunny and became what it is now. It's unplanned as all hell and I have absolutely no idea which Eisner twin gets which House (let alone which of them become professors, or if both of them become professors), or who gets paired with who, but that's not a priority right now and I'd rather see who ends up working well with who as the story goes by. Something something characters taking a life of their own the more I write.

That said, yeaaaah. It's a reincarnation self-insert with none of the setup, because I absolutely don't have time for that and at some point the whole thing becomes a slog instead of a buildup to the person the character becomes. And then we'll all be crying because why is it taking so damn long to get to the main plot.

I'll do my best to fill in the blanks as time goes by, but yeah, Bianca's basically thrown right in the middle of things and I'm going to hope she doesn't drown in the process. Fingers crossed.

Feel free to let me know what you think! This is something I'm just doing for fun, but it's always a plus if people end up enjoying whatever I churn out. :)