[center][h3]A Chance Encounter III[/h3]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]Pit[/b] - [u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 351/80[/color]
[color=bc8dbf][h2]Grima[/h2] Level 5 (holding 1 level up) 49/50 EXP

Location: Esaka's High Tier, Forbidden Kingdom (Friday Morning)
Word Count: 1694 (+3 exp) [/color][/center]

Grima’s spell was certainly disrupted as her body staggered back from the force of the heart, even if it was a healing force. In truth though, the damage was not from the friend heart, but from the effects it had on her mind. Instantly, Grima brought her hands to her head, hunching over in seeming agony as memories flooded her mind.

The first thing Grima remembered was the wind. The deafening, howling wind that roared in their ears. Not only their vessel’s, but themself. Their TRUE self. They were free, flying across the ocean to wreak havoc upon Ylisse. The Fell Dragon’s body, left without form for so long in this time, could finally be free.

Time… Yes, time. This Grima was not of this time. Or, they were, in a way. The child of the Exalt, the girl, traveled back through time to try to stop Grima’s resurrection. To take their vessel away from them and disrupt fate’s design. An act that forced Grima to follow, working behind the scenes to ensure that their true form could be resurrected in this timeline as well.

Which led to now. Where the Fell Dragon’s vessel stood atop their true form’s back, staring down at the Exalt of this timeline… As well as the vessel that should have been theirs. An exact replica, a woman with bright white hair and the tainted blood of the Fell Dragon coursing through their veins. They had rejected Grima, rallied with their ‘friends’, swore to defeat them once and for all…

Yet Grima stood. The Exalt and the flawed vessel were both left on their knees, battered and beaten, while their beloved friends barely fought and survived against the Risen that heeded Grima’s call.

“... Utterly foolish. You had a purpose, one that defined your entire, pathetic mortal existence. And yet, you throw it all away, and for what?” Grima’s vessel asked, tilting their head slightly, “I truly do not understand what you see in these creatures. These… Hypocritical, self righteous fools. Even with the Divine Dragon’s power and the Fire Emblem, you failed to defeat me. Truly, how disappointing,” Grima said with a sigh as they lifted their hand. In tandem, the large neck of the Fell Dragon turned around, facing its own back.

“You could have given them a swift death, if you loved them so dearly. Instead they will curse you for subjecting them to pain. And I will [i]ensure[i/] that you witness the life leave every one of their eyes… Starting with the Exalt,” the Fell Vessel slowly smiled as Grima’s true form opened their mouth, a massive amount of dark magic and purple fire forming in its jaws. The flawed vessel herself tried to speak out, to stop the coming end… But she could only stagger back to her knees, coughing up blood.

This battle, this world, and this timeline… It was all over. Grima had won.

… 

Or at least, that’s what should have happened. 

A shining light in the distance caught Grima’s eye. It was not the sun, as it had begun to rise in the opposite horizon. This fact alone caused them to cease their attack, turning their head to face the oddity… Which only left them more confused as they witnessed what it was. It wasn’t just a glint, but a solid wall of light swiftly making its way across the sea.

“What the… What kind of sorcery..-” Grima whispered to themselves, utterly flabbergasted by the sight before them that they didn’t see the flawed vessel rise from their feet. The Exalt took notice, yelling something that didn’t quite reach Grima’s ears as the flawed vessel pushed Grima’s shoulder, turning their body to face them again… Before stabbing her sword through their heart. In an instant, the dragon’s body shuddered in agony, letting out a screech of pain as the Fell Vessel’s body staggered back, only to be gripped tightly by the flawed vessel, “Wh- You- [i]Worm[/i], what have you-” they gasped out as the vessel silently gripped Grima tighter, focused solely on the task of finally slaying Grima once and for all…

Even as the world faded into light.

“Wh… What did you [i]do to me[/i]?!” Grima asked, all theatrics and venom gone, replaced by genuine confusion, her red eyes peeking out from between her fingers as she tried to steady herself on a nearby wall.

The only other person around did not reach out to comfort or assist her, rooted to the spot as he was. The friend hearts weren't supposed to hurt, or so Pit had thought, but the longer Grima had stayed doubled over the more hunched the angel's shoulders got as his tension grew. Maybe there was something else going on in her brain - in [i]Robin's[/i] brain. 

When Grima finally spoke again it undid some of the knot that had been forming in Pit's stomach. He shook off his nervousness with a quick flex and flap of wings before he tiled his chin up and answered her honestly.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I freed you,"[/color] he said. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"You were sorta brainwashed, like basically everyone else in the world. Now you're not! You should remember some stuff like how weird everything is, and that light that brought you here."[/color]

He paused, thinking about what else he could say right at that moment that would ease Grima down from the shock of her new state of mind. Ultimately though he just dismissed his weapon, knowing he could summon it again in an instant if he needed to, and held his hands up briefly before spreading them in a way that was almost welcoming. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"You have to get beat up a little before you can get un-brainwashed, but now that you can think normal again... Um, just take a minute to breathe? If you don't go evil dragon mode I'll tell you everything that you're gonna wanna know!"[/color]

Grima stared at the angel for a few moments, processing their words before she slowly lowered her hand, staring at it, “... Freed me, is that it? Yes… You did open my eyes to the inherent wrongness of this world.” Suddenly her eyes snapped up again, the look of confusion gone as she focused once more, “That light. The light that engulfed the world. What was it?”

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]I think it's going good so far?[/i][/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]Don't let your guard down just yet.[/i][/color]

Pit dropped his hands, mostly so that he could gesture with them as he spoke. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"It's called Galeem. We don't know exactly what it is, but it's strong enough to have basically taken over every world and make a whole new one out of all the parts."[/color]

Should he mention the whole 'and everything is just a copy that times out before a new one gets made'? Honestly he still couldn't entirely wrap his head around that himself, so better not. While still intending to heed Palutena's words, Pit started to walk closer to Grima, tilting his head curiously to see if she needed any help before he went on.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"And us, the Seekers of Light you wanted to join? We're traveling around the world to take out a bunch of Guardians protecting Galeem so that we can kick its butt and get all our worlds back to normal!"[/color]

“... So your purpose is far more than just Esaka. I should have anticipated that,” Grima commented, running a hand through her hair as she rose to her full height (which, admittedly, wasn’t that much). “... Galeem huh. They are to blame for this world then. I…” she pauses, looking towards the sky for a moment before looking back at Pit, “I require time to think. This has given me much to consider… And I still have to deal with the tournament,” the Fell Vessel states with a sigh, whispering under her breath as another memory came to her mind, “... Robin… Now I remember that name.”

It was a stroke of luck for Grima that Pit hadn't heard the murmured comment to herself, since the stubborn angel would likely have not let her go if he had. As it were, Pit crossed his arms and nodded a few times. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"It's a lot, right? But if you're fighting in the tournaments that's actually part of our plan..."[/color]

Briefly he explained that the Four Kings of Esaka would all have to be defeated at the same time in order to conquer this region and get that step closer to Galeem, hence why the Seekers were all there fighting for a chance to face the city's rulers. He also mentioned that she should be wary of the Consul that presided over the area, who was likely to try and put a stop to their plans some time soon.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"We do kinda need all the help we can get, so once you get your thoughts sorted out-"[/color] Pit rummaged through the folds of his clothes until he produced a small, golden sphere, which he held out to the vessel. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"-then come join up with us! This here is for talking to each other by magic, you put it in your ear."[/color]

He was smiling now that it looked like everything had worked out. 

Grima looked down at the sphere, pondering it for only a moment before plucking it from Pit’s hands, “I will consider it. And contact your group if I do” she says, turning on her heel and beginning to walk away. There was much she had to consider, not just for her immediate plans but for what her long term goals were as well.

… Including dealing with the newfound headache emanating from the center of her mind.