Chapter Text
Byleth was quietly reading in the mansion's library, fully absorbed in her book… at least until she felt like she was being watched. She glanced over her shoulder, but seeing no one, she decided to keep reading. Still, the feeling of being observed wouldn’t go away.
It lingered for several minutes, and then...
"Got you!" Corrin exclaimed with a laugh as she surprised Byleth with a hug from behind, sending them both tumbling to the floor—Corrin ending up on top of Byleth.
Byleth let out a soft gasp of surprise, her book flying from her hands and landing open a few steps away. She blinked, still dazed, feeling the weight of Corrin on top of her and the tickle of her laughter near her ear.
"Corrin?" she asked quietly, her voice a mix of confusion and resignation. "Another one of your 'surprise attacks'?"
Corrin braced her hands on either side of Byleth's body and smiled down at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes, a mix of playfulness and affection.
"I couldn’t help myself! You looked so serious reading, so focused... I had to do something. Besides, you’ve been in here alone for hours. I thought a little company might do you some good," she said, her voice dropping slightly, as if just now realizing how close they were.
Byleth frowned slightly, but she didn’t seem angry. If anything, she looked like she was trying to maintain a neutral expression while feeling the warmth of Corrin’s body against hers.
"You could’ve... told me in a less dramatic way," she murmured.
"And miss this view?" Corrin teased shamelessly, lowering her face a bit. "Besides, I know deep down, you like it."
A faint blush crept onto Byleth’s cheeks. She tried to look away, but Corrin didn’t budge an inch.
"Corrin... are you going to get up, or do you plan on staying there all day?"
"Hmm… not sure," she replied with an innocent smile. "Still deciding."
"Deciding what?"
"Whether it’s better to get up... or stay here and see how long it takes to make you completely blush."
Byleth sighed, but her expression had softened. In fact, she looked amused… and maybe even a little tempted to play along.
"You’ve got five seconds," she said in a firm tone, though her lips barely hid a smile.
Corrin chuckled softly. "Five seconds for what?"
"To run," Byleth replied—and with surprising agility, she flipped them over, reversing their positions so that Corrin now lay flat on her back, with Byleth above her.
Corrin let out a yelp and laughed even harder, making no effort to resist.
"Hey! That was cheating!"
"And what do you call your surprise attack?" Byleth retorted playfully, leaning in slightly, her hair falling like a curtain between them.
"Hmph... sometimes you can be cruel..."
"Maybe... but that’s why you love me~"
Without waiting for a reply, she leaned down to kiss her, and Corrin happily returned it, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s neck.
It could have been a sweet, private moment, but...
"How lovely that you’re being all lovey-dovey, but you do realize you're in the library and not your room, right?" Sonic's voice suddenly cut in—more annoyed than disgusted.
Byleth and Corrin pulled apart like the floor had just shocked them. Byleth quickly sat up, adjusting her hair and brushing her tunic with feigned composure, while Corrin stayed on the ground, laughing nervously and flashing Sonic an innocent smile.
"Oh... Sonic? Hehe… didn’t see you there," Corrin said, waving dismissively.
Sonic raised an eyebrow, leaning against a bookshelf with a book tucked under his arm, his expression somewhere between annoyed and amused.
"Clearly. If you wanted privacy, you could’ve gone to one of your rooms instead of reenacting a scene from a cheap romance novel."
"It wasn’t cheap!" Corrin replied in mock outrage. "It was a passionate and well-built scene!"
"In the li-bra-ry," Sonic repeated, emphasizing every syllable. "You know, where some of us come to read. Silence, books, knowledge... ring any bells?"
Byleth, still slightly flushed, picked up her book from the floor and tried to compose herself.
"Sorry... I got carried away."
"You think?" the hedgehog replied, rolling his eyes. "Look, I get it—you’re both super into each other and trying to distract yourselves from the looming doom of whatever happens after the tournament when we all go back to our own worlds. But making out in public like that, borderline devouring each other with others around, is eventually gonna make someone uncomfortable—if it hasn’t already."
"Sorry for wanting to kiss my girlfriend, you romance-void hedgehog," Corrin said sarcastically as she stood up and hugged Byleth tightly, who looked a bit embarrassed.
"And sorry for not wanting to be grossed out," Sonic shot back. "Look, if you’re so eager to strengthen your bond, go fight in a real match. Nothing builds a relationship like punching each other—or slashing each other—in the face."
He walked off laughing, clearly joking... but to Corrin and Byleth, it didn’t feel like a joke. Or at least, that’s not how they took it.
Byleth raised an eyebrow, giving Corrin a half-smile as she dusted off her pants.
"You know..." she said slowly. "He might have a point."
Corrin blinked, surprised. "Wait, really? You want to fight now?"
"Why not?" Byleth lifted her book, blew the dust off it elegantly, and calmly put it away. "Doesn’t sound so bad. Not as punishment, but... something a little more intimate, if you think about it. Unless, of course, you’re afraid you’ll lose..."
Corrin blinked, then smiled like she’d just discovered a new favorite hobby.
"Oh... now that sounds tempting," she said, narrowing her eyes mischievously. "A sword training date? Just you and me, sweating, pushing each other, testing our strength..."
"Corrin," Byleth cut in with a dry tone, though her face was more amused than annoyed.
"What? I didn’t say anything inappropriate!... Yet," she added with a laugh.
The two didn't take long to reach the mansion's lobby and enter the stage selection room. They decided to fight in the Fire Emblem Coliseum, with 3 stocks each and Final Smash Meter enabled. After a quick kiss and wishing each other good luck, they were both transported to the stage.
Said stage was a simple arena with platforms that appeared and disappeared periodically. There were only two ways to KO your opponent: launching them off the sides or upward. The latter was particularly difficult unless one of the fighters had over 200% damage, was on a platform, and the other either grabbed them before throwing or used a launching attack.
Soon, two golden emblems appeared on the ground. From one, Corrin emerged, landing in her dragon form before being surrounded by water and returning to normal, holding her Omega Yato in hand. From the other emblem came Byleth, holding a classroom pointer as she said, "Let the lesson begin," before putting it away and drawing the Sword of the Creator. They stared each other down, ready for battle.
"3... 2... 1... GO!"
As soon as the announcer gave the signal, both of them dashed toward each other, their swords clashing in the middle.
Corrin pushed forward hard, her Omega Yato glowing with a bright pink aura, while Byleth stood her ground, her Sword of the Creator pulsing with vibrant orange energy.
"I'm not letting you take the lead that easily!" Corrin exclaimed, swinging her sword in a downward arc.
Byleth dodged nimbly and countered with a thrust that forced Corrin to leap back, briefly turning her legs into dragon limbs to propel herself through the air.
"Are you sure about that?" Byleth replied, briefly summoning her bow to fire an explosive arrow toward Corrin.
The blast knocked Corrin into one of the platforms, but she used the momentum to glide gracefully across the field and dive in with a descending attack, her arm morphing into a dragon lance. Byleth rolled just in time, feeling the impact hit mere inches from her head.
"That was close!" Corrin laughed as she landed gracefully.
"More than you think," Byleth muttered before pulling out Aymr and slamming it into the ground. The tremor forced Corrin to leap, but not fast enough—she was partially caught in the blast and flung to the far left side of the stage, crashing to the ground with 64% damage.
"Ouch..." Corrin winced, dusting herself off. "This doesn't feel like a normal date anymore."
"I'd say it's a date... with consequences," Byleth quipped, calmly walking toward her opponent.
Corrin grinned, tilting her head playfully.
"I love dangerous women," she said just before launching into a spinning sword attack, landing a string of hits that forced Byleth to retreat. At the end, a transformed kick sent her flying into an aerial platform, where she bounced off with a grunt.
Byleth rolled on the ground with 79% damage and stood up, wiping the corner of her mouth.
"Well now... you're getting serious."
"Didn't you want intimacy? Here it is," Corrin winked. "This is almost poetry to me."
"What a strange way to flirt," Byleth retorted just before switching to her Areadbhar lance and charging in with a fierce thrust that caught Corrin off guard.
The blow hit her squarely and launched her skyward, but Corrin reacted just in time to transform and glide, regaining her balance mid-air. She landed with a powerful shockwave that pushed Byleth toward the edge.
To follow up, Corrin executed a combo: she used Dragon Fang Shot, transforming her arm into a dragon’s and firing a paralyzing projectile that hit Byleth directly. Taking advantage of the opening, Corrin lunged forward, sword in both hands, and struck Byleth head-on, launching her off the stage and costing her her first stock.
Byleth instantly respawned on a floating platform, descending with a composed look, though her eyes sparked with renewed determination.
"First blood goes to you..." she murmured as she unsheathed the Sword of the Creator again. "But don’t underestimate me. I haven’t shown my full arsenal yet."
"I hope not," Corrin replied from the center of the stage, smiling. "I love it when you get serious."
They clashed again, this time more aggressively. Byleth began using her weapons more strategically, switching between sword, lance, and bow to pressure Corrin from every distance. Her attacks became unpredictable and precise, forcing Corrin to stay on the move to avoid being cornered.
"Take this!" Byleth shouted, firing an arrow that exploded at Corrin’s feet, causing her to stumble.
"Ah!" Corrin barely regained her balance, but Byleth was already on top of her.
With a swift motion, Byleth used her lance to launch Corrin into the air, then switched mid-jump to Aymr and slammed her down with a powerful strike, crashing Corrin hard into the ground. Her damage had already passed 120%.
Corrin staggered to her feet, but smiled through her ragged breathing.
"You’re improving... and that’s really sexy."
Byleth sighed with a half-smile, then pulled out Areadbhar and closed the remaining distance, taking Corrin’s first stock as well.
As soon as Corrin respawned on the floating platform, she jumped down and landed on the ground, looking at Byleth with a mix of amusement and indignation.
"Focus, or I’ll take your next stock before you can say another compliment," Byleth teased.
Corrin chuckled under her breath while twirling her sword in circles, getting ready for the next clash.
"Empty threats, professor! I’ve seen what you’ve got... now it’s my turn to level things up."
With a restrained roar, Corrin lunged forward again, this time switching more fluidly between her human and draconic forms. Her sword gleamed with every motion, leaving pink trails as she executed a precise string of attacks that forced Byleth to retreat, blocking with her lance and countering with her bow whenever she found an opening.
"Come on, come on, don’t hold back!" Corrin shouted, savoring every clash of weapons like it was a wild and intimate dance.
"I won’t," Byleth replied—and in that moment, both meters lit up.
Their Final Smash Meters had filled.
"At the same time...?" Corrin murmured with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"Looks like fate wants a show," Byleth replied.
In Smash, it wasn’t allowed for more than one fighter to activate their Final Smash at the same time, so now it was a race to see who could trigger it first. Add to that the fact they had a limited time before the meter emptied, and things were down to the wire.
So, after a tense staring contest that lasted about six seconds, they both rushed at each other, hoping to be the first to strike... but Corrin was faster.
"This ends here!" she exclaimed, activating her Final Smash: Torrential Roar, unleashing two pillars of light on either side—one of which struck Byleth directly.
Immediately after, the two appeared in a strange realm surrounded by rocks. Corrin transformed into a dragon and roared, summoning a vortex that damaged and trapped Byleth before launching her away.
When the sequence ended, they reappeared on the stage, with Byleth screaming as she was flung far into the distance, losing her second stock. As if that weren’t enough, Byleth’s Final Smash Meter depleted—though only slightly.
Corrin landed back on the stage, breathing lightly from the effort. Her smile was full of pride and a hint of mischief as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I’ll admit that was a bit over-the-top for a date, don’t you think?" she said with mock innocence.
Byleth respawned on the floating platform for a second time, visibly more serious now—but not without a crooked smile on her lips. Her expression was no longer just that of a warrior—it was someone savoring every second, every blow, every shared glance.
"Now you’re getting cocky..." she murmured while descending slowly onto the stage, her blue eyes burning like contained flames.
"Jealous it looked good in slow motion?" Corrin teased, twirling her sword gracefully.
"Oh, sweetheart... you haven’t seen anything yet."
In a flash, Byleth dashed forward—this time with a calculated, methodical aggression. She switched between weapons almost instinctively, each attack precise and sharp. Her lance kept Corrin at bay, her bow harassed her from afar, and her axe sought to break through her defenses up close.
Corrin was forced to use all her mobility—jumping, gliding, shifting parts of her body into dragon form to dodge attacks that could’ve spelled disaster if they landed.
"Don’t think I’m falling behind!" Corrin shouted, launching into another spiral combo, each strike searching for the perfect opening.
The exchange was intense. The platforms shook with each impact, projectiles flew like shooting stars, and the pair were clearly enjoying this far too much.
Both were at high percentages. Corrin at 132%; Byleth at 117%. One solid hit could mean victory for Corrin—or a comeback opportunity for Byleth.
Byleth dodged a downward slash and spun with the Sword of the Creator, slashing Corrin’s side and launching her toward the farthest platform. But even mid-air, Corrin channeled her energy and fired another Dragon Fang Shot, forcing Byleth to block with her lance.
"Not so fast..." Corrin panted as she landed. "I’m not done with you, professor."
"Neither am I with you, princess," Byleth replied softly, their eyes locking in a moment that, for a brief instant, made the world stand still.
They rushed at each other again, knowing this might be the decisive moment.
Corrin spun with a crescent-shaped thrust.
Byleth dodged with a side jump.
Corrin countered with a vertical slash.
Byleth deflected it with her lance.
Then, Corrin propelled herself forward in her dragon form, and just when it looked like she’d charge directly, she shifted direction and slid across the ground with a sweeping kick that made Byleth lose her footing.
"Now!" Corrin yelled, unleashing an upward slash.
But Byleth reacted just in time. With perfect timing and technique, she planted her sword in the ground, used its hilt as a pivot, and delivered a powerful kick that landed squarely on Corrin.
The princess flew toward the upper-right corner of the stage—and before she could recover, Byleth was already in the air with Aymr raised high.
"This is why I like you so much!" Byleth shouted, and the impact was brutal.
Corrin was launched off the right side of the stage, crying out in surprise as she lost her second stock.
The match was tied.
When Corrin respawned, she got overconfident seeing Byleth panting—and her damage already at 134%. So Corrin rushed toward her girlfriend, sword sparking through the air as she dragged it across the ground.
However, Byleth’s Final Smash Meter had just filled. A golden aura surrounded her, her eyes glowing the same hue. And with Corrin at close enough range, Byleth smiled—knowing she wouldn’t be able to dodge it even if she tried.
"I’ll finish with this!" the professor declared, activating her Final Smash: Progenitor God Ruptured Heaven, whipping the Sword of the Creator forward and striking Corrin.
Suddenly, Sothis appeared behind Byleth, granting her temporary access to her enlightened form: both Byleth’s hair and eyes, normally blue, turned green, with Sothis’s voice echoing, "Your will and mine be now as one!" Immediately after, Byleth readied the Sword of the Creator, extended it into its whip form, and attacked once more with immense force, growling in sync with Sothis, who added, "The end approaches!"
The blow instantly raised Corrin’s damage from 0% to 29%. Not a huge amount—but still, it was damage.
Corrin was launched to the center of the stage, rolling across the ground with a grunt of exertion. As she got back on her feet, she tossed her hair back and laughed, slightly out of breath.
"What was that? A divine fusion or a violent 'I love you'?" she joked, brushing the dust off her shoulders. "Because honestly... it got me excited."
Byleth descended gracefully to the ground, the golden energy slowly dissipating as her appearance returned to normal. Her breathing was heavy but controlled, and her eyes were locked firmly on Corrin.
"Let’s just say it was a reminder of how serious I can get," she replied with a faint smile. "Want me to do it again?"
"Are you courting me with celestial attacks? Because if so... it’s working," Corrin replied as she spun her sword and returned to a ready stance.
They were both back in neutral ground. Even though Corrin had taken the Final Smash, her damage was still relatively low, but now the match was even again, with one stock left each.
The background crowd (even if virtual) roared as if witnessing a grand finale. It was just a friendly match — a Smash date, as they called it — but the passion and connection both fighters shared made every move feel like part of a carefully written choreography fueled by emotion and trust.
"One stock each," Corrin murmured. "Final round. Ready?"
Byleth nodded, her voice soft but firm:
"Always."
At that moment, both dashed toward each other, their swords clashing in a bright flash. The impact created a shockwave, and both slid backward from the force—only to launch right back in.
Corrin started with a flurry of thrusts meant to break Byleth’s guard. Byleth blocked with the Areadbhar lance and countered with a sweeping strike. Corrin leapt back, launched a Dragon Fang Shot, but Byleth deflected it with an explosive arrow that detonated it midair.
"Nice try!" said Byleth, advancing with her sword. "But you’ll need more than that."
"Oh yeah? How about... this?"
Corrin spun forward in a spiral, transforming her arms into dragon claws, landing two consecutive hits that launched Byleth into the air. Immediately, Corrin jumped to follow up and finish the combo, but Byleth switched to the Aymr axe mid-air, blocked the descending slash, and countered with a brutal spin.
Both fighters landed in opposite directions. Byleth rolled to her feet with 176% damage; Corrin, panting, was at 81%.
They stared at each other.
The air grew tense. No more talking. No more teasing.
Only a single moment left to decide everything.
Then, almost in unison, both charged toward the center of the stage.
Corrin jumped, spun midair, and prepared a horizontal slash.
Byleth sidestepped, summoned her bow, and fired a direct shot.
The impact was simultaneous.
Corrin landed her strike just as the arrow exploded in front of her.
Both were launched in opposite directions.
Corrin, however, managed to stop herself using her sword, landing painfully on the ground. Byleth wasn’t so lucky—she was KO’d, losing her final stock.
"GAME!" announced the announcer, followed by a victory jingle. "Corrin, wins!"
Corrin panted from the fight, a grin on her face equal parts smug and triumphant—one that wouldn’t fade for weeks.
After leaving the stage select screen, Corrin walked like an overjoyed kid, while Byleth walked beside her with arms crossed, though a playful smirk lingered on her lips.
"Oh, don’t let it go to your head, sweetheart," Byleth said to her girlfriend. "Just because you won today doesn’t mean you’ll win next time."
"Today? Is that what you call that heavenly beatdown I gave you?" Corrin replied with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Admit it—you let yourself lose because you can’t resist my smitten dragon smile."
Byleth raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at her, amused.
"Is that what you think? Because if I remember correctly, you were one pixel away from flying off too. A bit more, and we both would’ve gone down... very romantic, sure, but not exactly practical."
"Oh please. It was perfectly dramatic. Simultaneous impact, explosion, slow motion, roaring crowd... top-tier cinematography!" Corrin gave a small hop as she spoke, still riding the high of the match. "Admit it—I’m your dream rival."
Byleth stopped in her tracks, looked at her with a mix of affection and challenge, then stepped closer, placing a hand on Corrin’s waist.
"Not just my dream rival," she murmured, lowering her voice. "Also my perfect partner in battle... and in life."
Corrin blushed faintly, though her confident smile remained.
"Tsk, I can’t even tease you if you keep saying sweet stuff like that. You’re sabotaging my mind games, professor."
"Mind games?" Byleth leaned in slightly, their foreheads almost touching. "What if I told you I’ve been playing too... this whole time?"
"Playing what?"
"At making you fall for me... even more."
Corrin gasped in mock surprise.
"You mean this was all part of a long-term seduction trap?!"
"Maybe."
"And I fell for it completely! What disgrace for a dragon princess... I’ll have to get my revenge."
"You’ve got your rematch in the next set," Byleth said, letting go of her with a teasing grin as they resumed walking. "Though... we could raise the stakes. If I win, you cook tonight."
Corrin narrowed her eyes.
"And if I win?"
"Then I’ll cook... and wear that ridiculous apron you love so much."
"The one with the duck in the hat?"
"Exactly that one."
Corrin burst out laughing in delight.
"Deal! But fair warning, professor, now I’m going all in."
As the two of them headed toward the mansion’s dining room, the air between them still sparkled, as if the fight had only been a prologue to the real game: their shared story, forged between swords, smiles, and stolen kisses.
And maybe—just maybe—the kitchen battle that night would be even more memorable than the one on the battlefield.
End of Chapter 68.