Fated Awakening: Part 1
Redone
Prologue: Of Twins and Tactics
It was the burning pain at the back of Robin's head that first signified that something was terribly wrong.
Ducking into a dark, narrow alley as to not catch the attention of the passerby, the young man clutched his head as the pain intensified. He barely muffled the small shriek of pain that threatened to escape his lips, and it felt as if there was something trying to penetrate its way into his head.
Which, he soon realized, it was. Robin was no fool. He could sense dark magic for what it was, and although he was more skilled with a sword, he has dealt with his fair share of magic. Fighting back mentally, a few long, agonizing moments dragged on by before the pain finally subsided. Whatever was trying to get into his head, it was gone now, the only trace of it left being the blood roaring in Robin's ears.
Balancing himself with one gloved hand on the brick wall of the alley, he dragged the other down his face as he let out a sigh. That's when he noticed that it was aching. Glancing at the back of his hand, he almost choked on his own spit. In an unnervingly pink glow, those harsh, judgmental eyes that haunt his dreams glared right back at him straight through the fabric of his black glove. His eyes widening in panic, he shot up and dashed out of the alleyway and straight into the crowd.
Robin pushed his way through the people, getting glares and exclamations of protests by those in his path. He was too focused on his goal to be bothered. Then again, he still wouldn't have cared even if his mind was on a happier subject. He didn't really do well in a crowd, and preferred it a lot more when it was just him and his companion. But that wasn't what mattered at the moment, now was it?
I need to find her, he continuously repeated in his head as he shoved his way through the wave of people. Whatever is going on, it's bad for the both of us. We need to leave.
He spotted the small shop that he'd left her in just up ahead, and he darted in. It was stock-full of E-Level Tomes and Bronze weaponry, with a few pieces of armor scattered here and there, but he was too preoccupied to browse at the moment. He looked around frantically for the girl he needed. She was nowhere in sight.
The shopkeeper entered from the backroom, and his face brightened at the sight of the young man, not sensing his distress. "Oi!" he greeted good-naturedly. "What can I fix ye with?"
"I'm looking for a girl," Robin explained hurriedly. "She was in here a while ago. Probably bought a Bronze Sword and Thunder Tome. Dark eyes, black hair tied in a ponytail, pale skin, same face as me, identical robe."
"Oh, yeah, her." The shopkeeper nodded. "'Fraid ye just missed her, she left in a hurry after payin'. Said somethin' about gettin' some fresh air? She seemed to 'ave a killer headache, if ye ask me." He looked Robin up and down. "I'm assumin' she's yer sister? Twin, probably."
"Do you know which way she went?" Robin questioned instead of answering. The answer would have been obvious, anyways.
"Took a right as she exited the shop," he replied with a shrug. "But that's all I saw."
Robin was out the door in a flash.
He made a sharp right and dashed down the street, almost tripping multiple times as he looked left and right for his sister. Please be okay, he silently prayed, feeling his chest constrict at the thought that she could be hurt and alone somewhere. Please be safe when I find you.
He stopped dead in his tracks as a feminine scream erupted to his left. He whipped around, fearing that it might be his sister when he realized halfway through the turn that his sister's voice wasn't that high. What he saw, however, did little to ease his troubles.
A group of brigands were shoving their way through the crowd, dragging a young village woman along with them. Behind the front line, others were setting fire to the buildings. People began screaming and running, many knocking into Robin. A man shoved his way through, knocking Robin's shoulder and making him do a small twirl. If he didn't move out of the way soon, he'd be trampled.
He darted to the side where the stampede was a little thinner. Hugging close to the walls, Robin blended in with the crowd as best as he could while trying to think of what he could do. Should he stop the bloody idiots who were waving around axes and swords? Yes, they're hurting people and burning down the town, but despite their seemingly lack of intelligence, they still outnumbered Robin by one to gods-know how many there were. Besides, Robin was no hero. That was more of his sister's expertise.
That thought made him pause, and silently curse. Yes, that was his sister's expertise. Which of course means that if she were in the town at this moment or anywhere nearby to hear the screaming or see the smoke, she'd come charging into battle, her Thunder Tome flipping its pages as she brought the brigands down. And although Robin was no hero, he was his sister's older brother, which meant he must do what he could to protect her. Even if it meant pretending to play a hero alongside her.
So, with a groan of annoyance, Robin unsheathed his Bronze Sword, opened up his Thunder Tome, and prepared himself for battle.
oOo
The woman flew back from the hit she took, feeling pain shoot through her entire body from the dark spell. Slamming into the ground, she went rolling once, twice, three times before coming to a stop onto her side. Weakly forcing her eyes open, she vaguely registered her companion sprinting to her side, worry etched into his handsome features as he came closer.
He slid to his knees beside her, pillowing her upper body with an arm. "You all right?" he inquired as she tried and sort of succeeded in clearing away her dizziness.
She answered with a whinny groan.
A smile broke out onto his lips as he lifted her up into a sitting position, his arm wrapped around her waist. "That's the end of him," he announced, glancing back at the Sorcerer they had just defeated. Looking back at her, the brilliance of his grin expanded tenfold as he nodded. "Thanks to you we carried the day. We can rest easy now."
She looked down shyly, feeling pride swell within her chest. But it was soon extinguished as she felt something heavy press down on her. It was as if the weight of the world was crushing her shoulders, filling her vision with red. Her companion was saying something to her, but it was far too distant and muted for her to make it out. Without wanting to, she turned to face him. The uneven thump of heartbeat was pounding in her ears, drowning out all noise, and something within her was screaming to say something—anything—to warn her friend to step away.
But her voice never came, and instead she felt like a puppet on strings for she had no control of her own body. Her friend swiveled back to her joyfully, believing the battle to be won, but concern flooded his features as he peered at her. He asked something, probably about what was wrong, and she couldn't answer, couldn't warn him, couldn't tell him to get back. And then she felt electricity crackle between her fingertips, her magic coursing through her veins, and she tried to fight back—oh, how she tried—but it was not sufficient enough.
Whatever it was that was controlling her, it made her stab him with her Thoron spell, made her kill the man she knew, somewhere deep down in an unknown place in her mind and heart, was someone very, very dear to her. She watched as shock flooded his face, and he took a couple of steps back, pain filling those oh-so handsome features of his, and finally—finally, but far too late—she regained control of her body, the red disappearing from her eyes. She stared at her hand, still sparking with energy but now shaking in disbelief, horror filling her entire being. She was trembling, a small part of her registered—trembling with guilt and pain and dread at what she had just done
She forced her eyes up and examined her partner, tears beginning to stream down her face. Everything felt like a dream but not a dream, so real but not at the same time. It was like a nightmare that felt like reality—too real and far too vivid for her to swallow. As he squinted up at her, eyes pleading and desperate, all she could think was no no no no—
"This is not your…your fault," he told her, his voice firm but cracking and breaking and echoing through the giant, damned room. She choked on a sob, not believing his words even with the sincerity of his eyes.
(Why isn't he mad he should be mad please be mad condemn her accuse her curse her to the depth of hell do anything but forgive she does not deserve to be forgiven—)
"Promise me…you'll escape from this place…"
(How can he still be worried for her safety when he's dying and it's her fault no this isn't right dear Naga save him please—)
He was beginning to fall, and apologies were spilling out of her mouth in sobs and slobbery messes, but she found herself frozen to the spot. "Please…" he begged. The light began to leave his eyes. He was sweating with the previous effort of the fight and the current effort of staying alive. He was dropping ever so slowly. "G…o…" And he fell. He fell, stiff and still and lifeless onto the ground, and her legs finally moved, but in the opposite direction of where they should be going. That maniacal laughter rang through the room and echoed in her ears, but she was too focused on his body, the body of her friend, the body of the man who she cared so deeply for but was unable to save from herself of all people, and she couldn't stop asking herself why?.
(Because you weren't strong enough you should have been stronger you should have prevented all of this you knew the risk and yet you took it now look at what you've done this is all your fault—)
And it all went dark as she wailed.
She woke to the sound of a familiar voice.
"Chrom…we have to do something."
Her eyes began to flutter.
"What do you propose we do?"
She squinted as a soft but blinding light poured into her vision, and she registered two blurry figures casting their shadows down upon her.
"I—I dunno!"
She blinked once, twice, three times, and saw the two clearly. They noticed her awakening, and made a small noise. They leaned down towards her, gentle smiles on their faces. To her right was a girl bearing blonde pigtails and wearing a fancy, yet dirtied, yellow sundress. To her left was a young man with startling blue eyes and hair of the same color, wearing a dark attire of some sort and a white cape.
"I see you're awake now," he mused, his voice deep and rich, and so strangely familiar.
"Hey there!" the girl greeted with a giggle. Still slightly bewildered at what was happening, she simply nodded to her in acknowledgment.
"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," the man mused, and she looked back to see him smiling as the blonde girl giggled in agreement. She liked his smile. He held out his hand to her. "Give me your hand."
She stared at the gloved hand for a moment, before lifting up her own bare one and hesitantly placing it in his. She took note of the peculiar pink mark that stood out on the pale skin of her hand, but found herself a little distracted by how warm the man's hand was as he gripped hers. His hold was firm, and a silly voice in the back of her head told her that their hands were made to fit together. The man then pulled her up, and she stumbled a little before catching herself. She looked up at his face, and she was pretty sure her own was visibly heating up as she noticed the lack of distance between his and hers and thought wow he is handsome.
Noticing that their hands were still together, she quickly let go, taking a few tentative steps back and trying to ignore the disappointment she suddenly felt at the lack of his grip. She noticed another man, much taller than the other, standing a little further back. There was a scrutinizing glare on his face, and though it was strangely familiar, she was pretty sure it was directed to her.
The blue-haired man tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "You all right?" he inquired, drawing her attention back to him.
She coughed a little, clearing her throat in fear that her voice might crack if she spoke. "Y-yes…" she stuttered out, just noticing how dry her throat was. Fidgeting, she pulled down the dark sleeves of her strange cloak after realizing they were rolled up. She toyed with the golden rimmed ends nervously. "Thank you, Chrom." She surprised herself. She was sure that she's never seen him before despite him seeming strangely familiar, so it was unknown to her how she knew his name.
It seemed the man was equally surprised, for he raised a brow. "Ah," he said. "Then you know who I am?"
The way he said it sounded a little strange—was that disappointment?—but she brushed it off. "No, actually," she admitted hesitantly. "I… It's strange… Your name, it just…came to me…"
"…Hmm," Chrom hummed, looking at her in a way that was both cautious and intrigued. "How curious." He smiled at her, a smile that she knew was meant to be reassuring, but somehow made her feel immensely nostalgic and unexplainably melancholic. "Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"
Good. A simple question. She could answer that. "My name is…" She paused. "It's…" Or maybe not. "…Hmm?"
Chrom's smile faded. He now looked wholly skeptical. "…You don't know your own name?" She cringed. It sounded a lot more suspicious when said aloud.
"I'm not sure if…" she struggled, trying to find the words. It was then that she noticed that there was a huge blank in her mind, a hole that she felt should be filled but isn't for some unknown reason. There was something was trying to resurface, something that felt familiar, but nothing came to mind. So she sighed, and figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. "I'm sorry, but where am I, exactly?"
The other girl suddenly pipped up. "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!"
"It's called a load of pegasus dung," the man in the back corrected sharply. He glared at her, and if looks could kill, she was sure that she would be dead a thousand times over. "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"
She was too busy trying to defend herself to notice that he had addressed Chrom as milord. "B—but it's the truth!" she stammered. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed to gain their trust, like it was important to her emotionally that she did.
"…What if it is true, Frederick?" Chrom prompted. She glanced back at him, and saw that he was regarding her with a concerned look. For some reason, she was oddly touched by his worry. "We can't just leave her here, alone and confused. What sort of Shepherds would we be then?"
Considering their choice of clothing, she found it strange that they were mere shepherds, but she kept her mouth shut in fear that she would ruin the small hope she had if she spoke. Best not to make the situation any worse than it already was.
Frederick was a stubborn one. "Just the same, milord," he said, and this time she noticed the title and it only baffled her even more. Why would he be called milord if he was just a simple shepherd? "I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock." He scrutinized her again, and she could feel herself slightly shiver at his cold gaze.
"Right then—we'll take her back to town and sort this out there."
That snapped her back to attention, and she took a couple of panicked steps back. "Wait just one moment!" she protested. "Do I have a say in this?"
Chrom raised a hand in a calming gesture, which was rather futile if we were being truthful. "Peace, friend—I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town." He gave her a smile, and with an inward sigh, she knew that meant something along the lines of no, you most certainly do not have a choice. "Now come."
And just when she thought things might have been going her way.
oOo
Thank the gods I'm good at tactics.
Robin sprinted down the alley, took a turn, kept going, leaped from a window sill to propel himself upward, and grabbed the edge of the parapet. Hauling himself over the roof, he risked a peek back to see two bandits on his heels. Good, he thought to himself. It seemed he had lost the others. All was going well.
What exactly was his plan? Easy. He had to separate the bandits, take out a few at a time. He obviously couldn't take them all at once, but he could handle two or three with his swift movements, ability around a sword, and slight knowledge with a tome.
He crouched down a little ways away, hiding behind a chimney as he waited for the brigands to get their oversized arses up there. When they did, they seemed confused and frustrated at seeming to have lost their kill. As soon as they both turned, Robin darted forward and stabbed one of the bandits in the back. When the other one began to spin towards him, Robin shot out his other hand and launched a Thunder spell straight at the man, effectively killing him as he careened off the roof. The one with a sword in the gut struggled, and the young tactician twisted the sword until the man lay limp.
Yanking his weapon out, Robin kicked the bandit over. He briskly wiped the blood off his blade as he looked down at the grim corpses below that lay still on the stone pavement. Despite any beliefs that said otherwise, he didn't like killing, and preferred if he could avoid bloodying his hands. He liked to think that he was nothing like his father, after all. But if the choice came to it, he would cut down any man, woman, or otherwise inhuman thing if it meant keeping his sister safe.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he jogged back to the town square, where he knew a couple more bandits were grouped. But halfway there, a cry of rage reached his ears, and he skid to a halt. Looking to his left down an alley, he recognized five brigands barreling towards him, looks of anger on their faces. Robin identified them as the ones he had recently eluded and separated the other two from. Silently cursing to himself, he bolted in the opposite direction. He couldn't take on all of them. There were far too many. But maybe he could lose a few like he had previously done.
So that's what he did. Well, at least that's what he tried to do. He slipped through tight spaces, leaped over abandoned vendor stalls, and navigated through the more confusing streets of the town. But somehow, in some way, they stayed on his tail through it all. It seemed that not all of them were as stupid or slow as he thought they were.
"Get back here you dishonorable dastard!" one bellowed as he continued to give a chase.
Scowling, Robin yelled back, "Says the filthy brigands burning down an innocent town!" Seeing as the bandits wouldn't relent on their chase, Robin pulled out his Thunder tome, and as he ran, he shot bolt after bolt towards the enemies. Considering how at the moment he was more focused on escaping than actually killing, multiple shots missed. One or two hit a bandit, but they were more of small grazes that they could easily brush off. Abandoning that idea, Robin settled for simply shaking them off his tail as best as he could.
He continued to run, and ignored the cries of help and anguish of the townspeople that blurred by. It was a good thing his sister wasn't with him as he ran. Unlike his twin, Robin preferred to lead with his head rather than his heart. He never let his emotions influence his choices, unless his choice involved his sister. Which is why he paid the people no mind, and focused solely on his own survival in hopes of finding his sister and dragging her out of this damned mess.
He turned a corner, then abruptly stopped. Wall. A giant freaking wall was blocking his path of escape. Robin cursed, and swiftly turned to backtrack, but the bandits closed off his escape. Four Barbarians were staring him down. It seems that he lost one, but that did little to actually reassure him. He was still outnumbered, and they all looked far stronger than him.
Robin skirted backwards as they slowly closed in, sadistic grins on their faces. His eyes frantically searched for something—anything—that would provide an escape route for him. He found nothing.
"Looks like the little prick has nowhere left to run!" one man sneered, brandishing his axe.
Putting on a brave face, he leered back sarcastically, "Oh, wow, I'm so scared. Look, I'm practically trembling." Provoking the enemy may not seem like a good idea, but Robin knew that when people acted on rage, it was so much easier to gain a tactical advantage over them. He just hoped it would work. He let out a mock yawn. "That was sarcasm, by the way. But I doubt you would know that with your tiny little pea-sized brains."
Another man growled. "Kid's got quite the ego, eh?"
"All the more fun to rip his pretty little mouth right off his pretty little face!" one cackled. The group roared, and Robin used that to his advantage.
He whipped out his tome, and discharged a blast of thunder at the man in the right-center. In quick succession, he sent another spiraling to the furthest one on the left. Both hurtled backwards and hit the pavement, dazed. Using the moment of confusion, Robin sprinted towards the remaining two, and in a flash, he unsheathed his sword and stabbed the one on the right in the leg. He crumpled with a shriek as the young man yanked his blade out. The man on his left was snapped out of his revere, and swung his axe down. Robin rolled to the side to evade, and quickly followed that up with a slash to the abdomen. His opponent gave out a gurgle, before falling limply to the ground as blood began to pool around him.
The bandit with a wound in his leg gave a yell, and tried to grab at Robin's feet. The black-robed man side-stepped easily, and brought his blade down. The sword made a large cut from the bandit's shoulder to his opposite hip. He was dead within moments.
The other two who were blasted back were now on their feet, still wobbly, but definitely angry and balanced enough to charge at Robin. He spun to the right to dodge an axe swing, and sliced down at the brigand. He responded quickly and blocked the blow with his axe. Robin had the advantage with a sword, but his opponent seemed to be much stronger. He heard a roar from behind, and deduced that the other one was going to be upon him at any moment. Quickly swerving to the side, Robin stopped putting force into his attack and used the Barbarian's own momentum to push him forward and take the hit instead. The other opponent's axe was already in full swing, and he was unable to stop it as it felled his comrade. Using the man's shock to his advantage, Robin quickly darted in and thrusted his sword forward. His blade found purchase, killing the bandit after a moment.
Wiping the sweat off his brow, the young man breathed deeply as he looked over another battle won. An unpleasant sight, yes, but a victory nonetheless. He exhaled, flicking his sword to the side to rid it off the blood as he walked out the dead end. Sheathing his weapon, he once again immersed himself in deep thought. He's looked everywhere in the town for his sister, and yet he's seen no sign of her—she wasn't in a shop, she most certainly isn't hiding, nor is she fighting the bandits. It was probably safe to conclude that she must have wandered away from town far enough to not hear the screaming or see the smoke. A small part of him was relieved because that meant he could leave the town to itself, but a larger part of him was worried. If she wasn't in the town, then where was she?
He pondered for a long moment, before he suddenly felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand straight. A chill washed over him, and he suddenly felt very exposed. Wait…if the four of those brigands could keep up with me, why couldn't the fifth one…?
Realizing his carless mistake, he reached for the hilt of his sword quickly and withdrew it. But he was too late. From the side of a rather obscure alley, the fifth brigand barreled out and crashed straight into Robin. The young man slipped and tumbled, losing his grip on his weapon as his head slammed against the cobblestone. Spots danced before his eyes as sharp needles stabbed at his brain, and he tried to reach for his tome from the inside of his cloak, but the bandit was faster and snatched it away, chucking it to the side.
Robin felt himself being hauled up from the back of his neck, then shoved roughly against the brick wall. Pain exploded is his head and his oxygen was abruptly cut off when the man twice his size wrapped his meaty hands around his throat. He gasped for air, clawing at the hands that refused to give it to him.
The bandit leaned in, a venomous sneer stretched across his face. "You know, for a gigantic nuisance, you're awfully skinny." His smirk grew broader. "I wonder if you'd snap like a twig with just enough pressure."
Robin felt the grip on his throat tighten, and his vision started to tunnel. It was then that he numbingly realized that he might actually die that day. There was a high chance that he could be dead within the next few minutes, and who in the world would care? His sister, maybe, but that was it. He would die a meaningless death in where he's never made any worthwhile impact on the world. Robin never quite realized how disappointing that actually was to him.
He could feel his mind slowly ebbing away, and his actions grew weaker and weaker. And yet, he still struggled, and if not for the simple reason that he still had unfinished business in this damned world, then for the sole reason of being there to protect a sister who still needed him. He refused to die so soon.
But even so, the darkness at the corners of his vision began to swallow him.
Instinctively, he closed his eyes.
"What will you do with me?"
Chrom glanced back at the woman that now accompanied them. The "amnesiac" was reluctantly trudging behind them ahead of Frederick the Wary—who insisted on watching her from the back atop his armored horse—obviously not pleased with the turn of events taking place. He had to resist the urge to chuckle at the cute little pout her rosy lips were probably unintentionally pulled down into.
What? So he thought her pout was cute. It was. There wasn't much to deny it. In fact, the woman was, to say the least, rather intriguing, and not just in looks. Sure, she had smooth, milky white skin that had a hint of rosiness in her cheeks, and her dark locks swayed in the wind mesmerizingly, tied back into a messy ponytail with small blades of grass poking out. But he was never really one to care about appearance. Although, he did like the way her intense eyes of a burnt umber color were ablaze with a look that was lost, confused, defiant, fiery, curious, and hopeful all rolled into one.
But really, it was the girl's presence that captivated Chrom. She radiated a fierce aura that he couldn't quite place, and everything about her seemed so foreign and new, from the way she dressed to the small, almost unnoticeable accent in her voice when she talked. There was something unique about this girl that piqued Chrom's interest, and he planned to get to know this girl to the best of his abilities.
"Am I to be your prisoner?" she questioned, her pout forming to a scowl at the thought.
Chrom chuckled, continuing his stride towards the town. "You'll be free to go once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse," he assured. But oh, how he wanted to establish it right away. There was a light in her eyes that he found comforting, and he wanted to chat with her all day and become her friend. Alas, due to his position, he must put his country first, and his own wishes last.
The woman tilted her head, hostility gone and curiosity taking its place. "Is that where we are?" she asked, her face scrunched up in thought. He assumed she was trying really hard to remember. "Ylisse?"
"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick inquired, suspicion dripping from his voice. The amnesiac turned to him as he continued, barking out a laugh. "Ha! Someone pay this actress. She plays quite the fool!" He gestured to the woman's face. "The furrowed brow is especially convincing."
Chrom sighed, and looked to his loyal companion. "Frederick, please," he chided. He then turned to the girl with an apologetic smile, slowing his pace so he could walk in step beside her. Lissa did the same, smiling brightly at their new acquaintance. "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse," Chrom explained patiently. The girl nodded to show she was paying attention. He continued with a smile. "Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the exalt."
A low chuckle escaped his lips. "I suppose proper introductions are in order…" The girl's face brightened, as if happy with the thought. "My name is Chrom—but then, you already knew that."
The girl laughed. "Yes, I suppose I do. I don't really know how, so I'm afraid that will remain a mystery for a while." She smiled at him. "But please, pay me and my ramblings no mind. Continue with your introductions."
He smiled, gesturing across the girl to Lissa. "The delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."
His sister, in turn, stomped her feet and pouted at her older brother. "I am not delicate!" she protested, provoking a giggle from the amnesiac. Lissa simply huffed in annoyance at Chrom, before turning a grin to the girl. "Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes." Chrom frowned, but Lissa continued before he could say anything. "But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"
The woman raised an eyebrow, a bewildered look laced in her features. "You've called yourselves that before," she noted. "Shepherds, I mean. You tend sheep?" Then, in an even more bemused tone, "…In full armor?"
Chrom chuckled. "It's a dangerous job," he jested. He waved behind them. "Just ask Frederick the Wary here."
"A title I shall wear with pride," Frederick answered, sitting up tall on his steed. "Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution." He looked directly at the amnesiac, a stern expression on his face. "I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise."
Chrom was about to protest, but the girl spoke first. "I understand, sir," she concurred, surprising the blue haired man. "I would do no less myself." She nodded, and in what seemed to be an off-handed comment, she added, "My name is Ren." They looked to her in surprise, she herself seeming to be just as stunned. She blinked a couple of times. "…Huh. I just remembered that. How odd." The amnesiac known as Ren looked to Chrom, and beamed happily. "I suppose that's one mystery solved," she joked.
Chrom laughed, liking this woman even more as the minutes passed. "Ren, eh?" he wondered after he contained his chuckles. "That's a new one for me. Is it foreign?" Seeing her brow furrow in thought again, he shook his head. "Ah, well, we can discuss that later. We're almost to town. Once we—"
He was about to say that they would show her around and make sure she'd be okay by herself, but he was cut off when Lissa let out a horrified gasp and pointed ahead of them. "Chrom, look! The town!"
Chrom and the others snapped his attention to where she was pointing. Not too far away was the town, which was going up in smokes. Black clouds billowed into the afternoon air as the blazing fires ravaged the buildings and slowly swallowed the town. Now that he was paying attention, he could smell the putrid stink of smoke and ashes.
"Damn it!" he growled. "The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt…" He shook his head, his previous laid-back demeanor changing into one fit for a general. "Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!"
Chrom was about to dash towards the town, but hesitated as Frederick called after him. "What about her?" he turned his head to see the knight looking questioningly at their amnesiac friend. Loathe as he was to just leave her, he needed to focus on his priorities, and protecting the villagers was at the top of his list.
"Unless she's on fire as well, it can wait!" he decided.
"Aptly put, milord."
"Let's go already!" Lissa rushed, and the three of them sprinted/rode towards the town in distress.
They passed by many people, who either ducked out of their way or pointed them to where the bandits were mostly gathered. They came across several of them during their trek to the town square, and thanks to a swing of Chrom's Falchion or a stab from Frederick's Silver Lance, they cut them all down. Lissa healed any injured passerby, and kept close to Frederick.
They were getting close to the center of town when Lissa suddenly stopped and pointed to the side with a strangled gasp. Looking over, Chrom saw a mountain of a brute choking a lanky young man. Said man looked as if he was about to pass out as he weakly clawed at the hands cutting off his oxygen, his legs dangling uselessly in the air. Judging from the Bronze Sword and Thunder Tome discarded to the side, he guessed the man had put up a fight.
Without a moment's hesitation, Chrom quickly charged forward, and slashed at the brigand's back. The bandit let out a noise of surprise before crumpling, dead before he even hit the ground. The young man toppled onto his hands and knees, gulping down large intakes of air as his lungs were finally opened. He rubbed his throat with a gloved hand, as if checking for any bruises. Chrom knelt down to aid the man, and as he did, the stranger looked up and into his eyes.
The blue haired leader felt a strong wave of déjà vu wash over him as he stared at the face.
The stranger had such an uncanny resemblance to Ren, it left Chrom's mind reeling. His hair, although obviously a different style, was the same dark shade as Ren's. His face was almost exactly like hers, save for the subtle but definitely masculine features such as a stronger jawline. His eyes were of the same burnt umber color, and Chrom could see almost all the emotions in this man's eyes that he saw in Ren's: confusion and defiance. Heck, he was even wearing an identical cloak. The only thing different was the aura of hostility and coldness he radiated in replace of the amnesiac's overall friendly and curious one.
There was no way this was a coincidence.
The man, for the most part, seemed to recognize Chrom, although from his reaction, it was a less than desirable situation for him. The doppelganger flinched from Chrom's touch, backpedaling away with a hiss. He had nowhere to go of course, so his back ended up hitting the brick wall behind him as he glared at Chrom.
"You!" he spat, and Chrom was taken aback from the venom in his voice. From the corner of his eye, he saw Frederick move his horse protectively to his and Lissa's side. That just made the man's scowl deepen. "What are you doing here?" he snapped angrily, and Chrom still wasn't quite sure why the man was so angry at him.
"Erm, I—"
"You know what?" the man interrupted, shaking his head. "Never mind. I don't have time for this crap." He scrambled to his feet, wobbling a bit as he stood, and tried to push past the group. But Lissa stopped him.
"Wait!" she objected, standing in front of the man. He growled, and both Chrom and Frederick pushed Lissa behind them. Although slightly cowering, Lissa still held that rebellious look in her eyes. "You're hurt, silly! At least let me heal you, and then you can leave!"
"But I—"
"No buts!" The blonde haired girl stepped around her guardians, and lifted her stave. A soft glow emitted from the stick, and the man sighed before begrudgingly letting Chrom's sister heal him. Throughout the ordeal, Chrom and Frederick kept careful watch over the man. He may have resembled Ren in appearance, but that was as far as any similarities went. Chrom trusted the friendly amnesiac, but not her hostile doppelganger. It seemed the man was equally cautious, for he watched the trio's every movement with a rigid body—and for some reason, Chrom felt like he was analyzing everything about them, from their greatest strengths to their horrible flaws. His eyes were cold, yet calculated.
"There!" Lissa breathed, finally lowering her stave. The man tested his arms for a moment, stretching them, winding them, and trying a few motions. He touched the back of his head, as if checking to see any wounds. After a moment, he nodded reluctantly at the young Healer.
"Thanks," he muttered. "I guess that wasn't too bad…"
"Tell me, young man," Frederick suddenly spoke. "Were you the one who dispatched those brigands?" The brown haired man tilted his head toward a dead end just to the side, and when Chrom looked, he finally noticed the four brigands that were dead on the ground. Two had burn marks that he assumed were a result from the Thunder Tome, and all were cut or stabbed in some way.
The stranger nodded nonchalantly, not even bothering to look. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"
Chrom eyed him. "Impressive, for a single man with a simple Bronze Sword and Thunder Tome," he praised. "Would you like to help us take down the bandits? We could use all the help we could get."
"Milord, I do not think that would be wise—"
"Yeah, you'd better listen to your bodyguard, Blue Boy," the man said, his voice steely. Before Chrom could question the nickname, the stranger continued. "Besides, I pass."
"But why?" Lissa questioned. "You took those guys out, and there are people here who need help!"
The stranger shook his head, raising his hand and acting as if he were explaining a really simple concept to a child. "Look, let's get one thing straight: I am no hero. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find—"
"Chrom!"
Chrom whirled at the familiar voice, and immediately identified Ren jogging up to them.
"Ren?!" Chrom was surprised to find that he was not the only one who spoke that time. He looked to the stranger, and saw him pause and stare at the amnesiac. His eyes were uncharacteristically relieved and joyful. But he then glanced at Chrom, startled that he apparently knew her as well.
Shaking it off, Chrom looked to Ren as she caught up to the group. "You followed us," Chrom said, saying it more of as a statement than an actual question. "Why?"
Ren was looking quizzically at the doppelganger when he spoke, but turned to him after a pause. "I'm not certain myself," she admitted. But her gaze hardened, a determined look set in her eyes. "But I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me."
"Of course—strength in numbers. Just stay close!"
"Out of the question!"
The two of them were startled out of their conversation by the strange look-alike of Ren, who was now glaring at both of them. "Ren, you are not fighting!"
A quirked eyebrow and challenging tilt of the chin indicated that Ren wouldn't back down so easily. "Oh? And who are you to stop me?"
"Try your older brother?"
That's when it all fell into place for Chrom. It made sense now, the stranger's uncanny resemblance to Ren, and the ferocity he gave off to protect her…it would be plausible to say that they were siblings—twins, even, with how they look almost exactly like one another.
But when Chrom glanced at Ren to confirm, there was a sort of bewildered look in her eyes, as if that wasn't exactly quite the answer she was looking for. With a sinking feeling, it dawned on Chrom that Ren's amnesia may have extended far more than just who she is in general.
"…Brother?"
"Um, yeah? Why do you look so surprised?"
"Well…it's just that I can't remember any family, let alone an older brother. I can't remember anything, really."
And when the brother's face dissolved into one of astonishment, Chrom also knew that he had just dug himself into a really, really complicated situation
Robin felt his blood run cold. No, this couldn't be possible…could it? No, she had to know him. She just had to. But if she really didn't…
Why must the gods be so cruel?
No. He refused to believe it. Robin tried to convince himself it wasn't true. But with the look she was giving him…it was hard to do that. But he tried, and let his anger flare. "…This is no time to screw around, Ren!" he snapped as he grabbed her shoulders, almost desperately. "This is not funny, and right now, we need to get out of here!"
"You think I don't know that? But I'm telling the truth: I don't know who you are."
"Of course you do! I'm Robin, your older twin brother, the man you've grown up with all your life! Dammit, Ren, you need to understand that this is no time for japes!"
"And you need to understand that I am no joking around!" Robin flinched at her harsh tone. It wasn't often that he found himself at the receiving end of that. A steely look was dead set into his sister's eyes, her face showing nothing but seriousness. There was no more denying it any more.
But then…what do we do now?
His distressed emotion must have slipped onto his face, because Ren's gaze softened and she gently pried her brother's hands from her shoulders. "Look—Robin, was it?" He nodded, slightly miffed that she was treating him like a kid, but too caught up in his inner turmoil to really care at the moment. "Right. Well, Robin, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I seem to have developed amnesia. I can't remember anything prior to awakening alone in a field and being found by these guys no more than half an hour ago."
She gestured to the group that was silently watching, and Robin's eyes quickly flickered over the three. He didn't know the faces of the girl and the man on the horse, but he definitely remembered the blue-haired one. His eyes narrowed.
Ren continued. "If you are truly my twin brother—which I honestly do not doubt considering how alike we look—then I would be more than happy to learn more about you and the kind of kinship we shared—but only after we stop these brigands."
Robin's head snapped back to Ren, his face hardening. "No," he denied. Ren opened her mouth, but Robin cut her off. "Ren, I was just about strangled to death by one of those dastards, and I was fully equipped with my weapons. If you think I'm going to let you—my younger sister who apparently has amnesia—fight a bunch of thieves who would be more than happy to kill you or worse, then I think we need to have a serious talk about how much you've forgotten."
A sigh escaped his sister's lips, her face exasperated. "Lesson number one on relationship with brother: he's apparently an overprotective mother bear." He began to protest, but she interrupted him. "Robin." He stopped, and looked into her eyes. They were ablaze with the same ferociousness that he's known for years, the same confidence and determination that she always wore when she wanted to help someone. And he knew that there was no way he was going to win this argument. "There are people who need our help. I don't know what kind of person I was prior to this amnesia, but I know that right now, I cannot and will not just leave them to die. I will help this fine group of fighters"—she gestured to the three who were still quietly watching the ordeal—"protect the townspeople. And there is nothing you can do to stop me, brother or not."
Silence reigned for a moment. Why, of all the things she could have kept, did she still retain her heart of gold and stubborn resolve? "Fine," Robin finally relented, glaring. He huffed, turning his sour look to the group of three beside them. The frown on his face deepened as he looked at Chrom. Blue haired moron. "I suppose that means I will join your cause after all. But only until we stop these brigands."
"Right," Chrom agreed, quickly adjusting to the two new additions of their small band of fighters. "Let's go."
The five of them set of in a brisk pace towards the town center. Throughout the way, they were intercepted by many bandits. Quickly seizing his chance at utilizing the admittedly outstanding skill of Chrom and the Great Knight—Frederick, Ren had called him—Robin immediately called out formations and quick instructions to cut down those standing in their path. The fights were quick for the most part, and they got through without much delay. The Cleric—Chrom's younger sister Lissa, he recalled—took the time to heal them whenever they got hurt.
He noticed way Ren was scanning her environment. Robin immediately recognized the look in her eye as the one she always had when analyzing the weak points of her enemies, and the tactical advantages and disadvantages of their surroundings.
Guess amnesia didn't stop her from being a tactical genius like me.
They finally arrived at the town square, where most of the bandits were gathered. At the head, they saw a man howling with laughter, obviously pleased with the misery he was causing. An ugly scar ran down his face, his ginger hair slicked back, and red paint was smeared onto his cheekbones.
"Gwa ha ha!" he hollered, throwing his hands out into the air. Robin felt himself momentarily panic before recollecting himself. The leader's voice had a thick accent to it, an accent that Robin recognized all too well. "Get to it lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types!" He gave a sickening grin, his cracked lips stretching to an unpleasant smile as he turned to a poor village maiden that was surrounded by bandits. "Ain't that right, lass?"
The woman's lower lip quivered, fear evident in her eyes. "S—Stay away from me!" she screeched. "Please! Someone! Help!"
Lissa turned a distressed look towards her brother. "Chrom, we have to stop them!"
"Don't worry," Chrom assured, a steely look in his eyes as he unsheathed his sword. The gleaming metal reflected an image of Robin on its surface, and added along with the royal mark on Chrom's right shoulder, Robin felt as if it were taunting him. He gulped, suddenly very much aware of the symbol on his hand. "After today, these bandits won't ever be bothering anyone ever again…"
Sighing, Robin followed suite, taking out his own bronze sword for battle. He slid closer to his sister, intent on keeping an eye on her throughout the whole ordeal. She may have kept her tactical ingenuity, but she was never much of a fighter. There was no telling what her skill was like with her memory gone. "Remember, Ren," he spoke. "We face practiced thieves and murderers."
"They will grant us no quarter," Frederick added. "It's kill or be killed."
Ren nodded grimly. "Understood." She parted her cloak, the scabbard of her Bronze Sword shifting from its spot at her waist as the group began to move forward. She seemed to remember basic battle instinct, so Robin let his eyes wander to the enemy instead.
"So, Ren," Robin heard Chrom begin. "I see you wear a sword. Is it—" there was a pause. "Wait, is that a tome? …You know magic?"
There was another pause, causing Robin to glance sideways at Ren who was looking slightly hesitant as she examined the book of magic that she now held in her hands. "I…believe so?" she stated, although it was more of a question than anything. "I suppose I should go check…"
From the corner of his eye, Robin saw Chrom take a tentative step away. "You believe so? …Perhaps I'll just keep a few paces behind you for the time being…"
Robin rolled his eyes. "Ren is a perfectly controlled magic user," he drawled. "Better than I am, in any case. I was always more of a swordsman than a mage, anyways. We made up for each other's weaker points. She can handle." But even so, he stepped just a little closer in case her spells went a little off point.
Ren, ignoring her brother's cautious move, examined her Thunder Tome curiously. "Now, how did this work again?" The older twin opened his mouth for advice, but she had already waved a hand above the tome, and was soon holding an orb of thunder in her hand. "Ah, yes…" She immediately lobbed it at one bandit—a Myrmidon, by the looks of him—and the ruffian toppled down. Seeing the quick chance, Robin dived in and sliced with his sword.
When he stood straight again, he saw Ren grinning triumphantly at an impressed Chrom. "See? I'm perfectly fine!" Robin snorted at his sister, and lightly ruffled her hair.
It was then that he noticed the Myrmidon dashing towards them from behind Ren. Without a moment's thought, Robin yanked Ren backwards, shielding her from the swing of the sword. He wasn't quick enough to parry with his own sword, so he ended up taking the hit himself. He hissed in pain, and as he scrambled back while dragging Ren with him, Chrom and Frederick quickly dispatched the swordsman.
Lissa was at his side in an instant, her Heal stave raised. She smiled shyly. "I may not be able to attack like Chrom," she admitted, "but when you get injured? I'll be the one stitching your bones back together, care of my trusty staff! Just give me a holler, and I'll be there!" His wound was nicely healed by that point, and he got up with a short nod of what could almost pass as gratitude.
Ren hurriedly looked him over, worry etched into her features. "Are you alright?"
A wave of the hand. "I'm fine," he assured, brushing it off. "I'll survive. But not if we charge in blindly. We need a plan."
"My thoughts exactly." Ren surveyed the playing field, eyeing each enemy as Robin followed her lead. There was quite a few, and no doubt it would take a while should they stay in just one group. They needed to split up if they were going to finish it quickly enough to prevent further damage and destruction…
"Ren? Robin?" The twins were shaken out of their thoughts at Chrom's call, and they looked to see him examining them curiously. "Still with us?"
"It's strange," Ren answered instead, turning back to their group of opponents. Ahead was a Mage wielding a Wind Tome, and she was scrutinizing him closely as he approached. "Here on the battlefield, I can...ah, how to put it…"
"'See' things?" Robin guessed, readying his sword. "Like, say, both the strength and weaponry of enemy and ally alike? The flow of battle?" Ren blinked, nodding in surprise. Robin shrugged, eyes still on their opponent. "Not much of a surprise. The two of us studied battle tactics together in our spare time. We've become naturals at it. We had to, if we were going to survive with just the two of us."
"So what you're basically saying you both can size up the enemy at a glance?" Chrom summarized, letting his eyes stray from the battlefield for a moment.
"To the side," Ren called, shoving Chrom away as a blast of a Wind spell came hurtling towards him. She snapped out her palm, and dispersed it with a Thunder spell of her own. "And yes, it would seem so."
"Perhaps more, if you apply yourself," Robin chimed, smiling slightly at her as Chrom sent Ren an appreciative nod. "You're a quick learner, Ren. You've got the makings of a great tactician."
"I'm glad you think that. Now, as a great tactician in the making, I have a plan to end this quickly, but I have a feeling you'll highly disapprove."
Robin raised an eyebrow, spinning to the side as another Mage threw a spell at him. "Oh?" he questioned. He retaliated with a spell of his own, whipping out his Thunder Tome, and although his magic wasn't as polished as Ren's, it still did the job. Frederick urged his horse forward, spearing the mage with his Silver Lance. "And what kind of plan do you have in mind?"
"Well…" Ren looked hesitant for a moment, a small pause coming between her sentence as a Barbarian charged forward and swung his axe down at her. She easily slipped away as an opening appeared, and quickly unsheathed her sword and slashed. Chrom dashed in and delivered the final blow while Ren turned to Robin and looked him dead in the eye. "Obviously, this will take far too long to do in one large group. We'll need to split up, and based on what I've gathered, you, Frederick and Lissa should take the left flank while Chrom and I take the right. Then we'll pincer down the leader."
"You're right," Robin agreed with a scowl as he threw another spell at an incoming Barbarian. "I disapprove. Ren, you developed amnesia last time I left you alone. If you think I'm going to take another risk with that—"
"Robin, the town will be in ashes by the time our group gets to the leader. We need to be fast and smart about this. Lissa is a healer with low defense and resistance. Frederick will be able to cover her for defense and attack, but they'll need someone with long-range capabilities, and someone with clear tactical knowledge. Chrom seems to be pretty well rounded in all fighting aspects except for magic, and he doesn't seem to have a bow on him. I doubt he can even use one." At that Lissa snickered while Chrom gave an unhappy grunt, but stayed silent. "And he'll also need some tactical knowledge himself."
"My brother is more brawn than he is brain," Lissa chirped as she healed a small nick Chrom received from a spell, to which Chrom protested.
"If we're to defeat these brigands swiftly, we'll need to split up," Ren reasoned, speaking over the arguing siblings.
The blue haired swordsman sighed at his sister, before looking back at Robin. "Her logic seems pretty solid to me," Chrom supported, and Robin scowled as Ren grinned triumphantly.
"With all due respect, milord, I have to begrudgingly take the side of Robin on this," Frederick pitched, and the twin's expressions shifted, although Robin's smile was more of a sneer than anything. "I do not trust the supposed 'amnesiac' to be left alone with you."
Robin then turned a sharp look at the knight. "If you're implying that my sister has any malicious intentions in that golden heart of hers—"
"Robin," Ren cut in. After cutting down another Barbarian, she turned to him with desperate eyes. "Please."
Robin pursed his lips. The only sound was the conjuring of spells, the yell of enemy and civilian alike, and the clink of metal against metal. "Fine," he finally snapped. The tension in Ren's face finally relaxed, and he added "But I swear to all the gods that if you get injured…"
"I'll stay safe," Ren promised with a huge smile. Robin had to reluctantly admit that he was slightly satisfied that she seemed genuinely happy with him. There was a small pause on Ren's end, as if she was contemplating something, before she quickly leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. "Good luck, brother," she wished, and gave him a short but tight hug before breaking off to the right, calling for Chrom to follow.
Chrom looked to Frederick and shrugged. "You heard the plan, friend," he said, and it was almost as if he were asking for permission.
A sigh escaped the Great Knight's lips. "Very well, milord. Please don't rush into danger carelessly."
Chrom laughed. "I'll do my best." He gently ruffled Lissa's hair, much to the girl's chagrin, and jogged to catch up to Ren.
Robin called out before he got too far away. "Wait! Chrom!" The swordsman turned, and Robin dug into the pouches attached to his belt. He then tossed the royal a couple of Vulnaries. "Do me a favor and give some of those to Ren too. You two don't have a healer with you, so make damn sure that you use them when you need to!" Chrom nodded and ran to catch up to Ren, Robin watching their retreating figures before jumping back into the fray himself.
He and Frederick marched—or in the knight's case, trotted—side-by-side, forming a wall in front of Lissa and taking most of the hits or deflecting them. Whenever one got injured, Lissa had her staff in the air almost immediately, and the scratches were patched up in no time. No one spoke, either due to their concentration to the task or not really knowing what to say—probably even both.
After a while, the enemy forces were starting to diminish, and the trio was getting closer to the brigand leader. A Myrmidon was slammed back as a Thunder spell made contact with his chest, courtesy of Robin. Leaving the swordsman to the Great Knight, he risked a glance across the square to where Chrom and Ren were fighting together. They were doing rather well, although their cooperation was messy—always tripping over the other, bumping arms as they tried to move, and barely sliding through attacks. Robin chewed his lower lip as he pushed forward.
"You know, you remind me a lot of Chrom when he's actually acting like a brother."
Robin glanced back to see Lissa smiling warmly at him. "I don't really show it often, and I usually pretend to do the opposite, but I really care about my brother, and I know he cares about me despite all the teasing and japes. You and Ren are kinda like that, except you're both a little less silly and more serious with one another. But I can tell that you're really comfortable when she's around. It's just so obvious how much you care about her," she continued. "It's cute, really. I mean, you seem so prickly but you're just so loving when it comes to Ren…"
Robin felt his cheeks burn, and he quickly turned away. "Shut it," he muttered, before throwing his arm out to disable an incoming Mage. He's been called many things before. Cold, rude, a pain in the arse…but the last time he was called cute was when he was five. It was weird, and he didn't like being called cute, of all things. "I don't need to hear you babble nonsense. Besides, Ren doesn't even remember me. I kind of have to be nice with her."
"Well, memory or not, I think Ren really loves you."
Robin faltered in his step slightly, before fixing himself so he wouldn't be caught off-balance by the enemy. He stayed silent for a moment, not quite sure how to comment on Lissa's observation. After striking down the last remaining enemies on the left flank, he finally voiced his thoughts as they began to meet up with Chrom and Ren in a brisk pace. "…Do you really think so?" he asked her.
Lissa smiled a big smile, gripping her staff and nodding so enthusiastically that her pigtails bounced. "I know so! I may not understand how amnesia works, but I think there's something still with Ren that tells her that you are important to her. Maybe it's natural instinct? You're twins, so it wouldn't be surprising if you hand a stronger bond with each other than most people. She loves you just as much as you love her!"
Robin allowed himself to show a small, genuine smile. "Thanks," he expressed softly. There was a heavy weight on his chest that was suddenly made lighter, a weight he never knew he had until Lissa spoke those words. "That…that actually makes me feel slightly relieved."
Lissa giggled, before jogging ahead to meet up with Chrom and Ren who had just finished off the right flank. She was met with a brotherly smile from Chrom and an exhausted but triumphant grin from Ren. For a moment, Robin smiled at the bright light in his sister's eyes. Then the smile disappeared when he noticed how close Chrom and Ren were standing. It was the stance that showed both a subtle presentation of trust and need to protect the other. Their arms brushed together, but they didn't seem to mind, and they walked together in an admittedly sloppy yet almost synchronized way.
A small, almost long-forgotten memory of a blue haired boy and his sister flashed through his mind, but he shoved it away as he strode up to Ren. He looked her over for any injuries, discreetly pulling her away from the other man. Aside from a few scrapes that a little time would heal, she seemed to be at the top of her game.
Ren's lips pulled up in a smile. "See? I told you we'd be fine." Robin simply grunted. Regardless, he waved over Lissa to heal the two of them in case. Ren's face screwed up in disapproval, but said nothing as the soft glow of the staff washed over the two.
"Everyone all good?" Chrom checked after Lissa lowered her staff. After confirming everyone's ability to continue, the group moved onward to where the leader was bellowing orders along with a small band of what seemed to be his stronger lackeys. The opponents surged forward to defend their boss, and the four fighters clashed just as fiercely.
The Bronze Sword was back in Robin's hands, its weight a familiar and comfortable presence as he danced out of the way of a Myrmidon's swing and dove from a Mage's spell. He rolled up to his feet quickly and slashed upwards at the swordsman before kicking him in the shin and leaving him to be finished off by Chrom. Switching targets to the Mage, Robin pivoted just in time as another spell went sailing inches from his face. He sprinted at him, and lunged forward as the magic user tried to prepare another spell. He made it just in time, and thrusted his sword straight through the Mage's gut. He laid limp against the blade, the remaining sparks of magic in his open palm flickering out.
Umber eyes flickered across the field as he pulled out his weapon. Frederick was fending off other Barbarians with Lissa sticking close. Chrom and Ren had already broken through the thin line of defenses and were engaging in battle against the leader. Robin moved forward to help, but snapped his head to the side as he heard another Barbarian charging up to him. Cursing, he swerved to the side as an axe tried to split his head open. He swung his sword at the Barbarian's hip, cutting a large wound into his side. The man howled in pain, and Robin finished it off with a stab in the back.
He heard rapid footsteps approaching from behind, and swiveled away just in time to miss an attack from a Myrmidon. Robin parried a rapid follow-up blow, a small shockwave traveling up his arm from the sheer strength of the other. He gritted his teeth, and shoved all his weight forward to throw the skilled swordsman off-balance. Staying on the cautious end of things, Robin feinted to the right. The opponent took the bait, and he used that as an opening to slash from the left. The enemy crumpled momentarily, and Robin swiftly finished things.
As he looked back up, he saw that Frederick had eliminated the remaining brigands, and was wiping the blood off his lance. Chrom and Ren had already finished dealing with the leader. The final bandits that kept to the side all scattered away, fleeing the town in fear of facing the Ylissean authorities.
It's over, Robin told himself. We're done here.
Sweat dripped down from his forehead, and a cooling wind washed over his skin from the nice afternoon breeze. The tension in Robin's shoulders was released, and a sigh of relief and exhaustion escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his mess of black hair. Swiping the blood off of his blade, he slid it back to his waist and jogged to stand beside his sister. Once again, he checked for any wounds on his twin. Lissa did the same for her brother. Ren seemed to have already gotten used to the routine, for she allowed him to look her over without any resistance. A few scratches here and there, but otherwise, Ren was fine.
"It seems that the townspeople put out the fires while we kept the brigands busy," Robin remarked. Sure enough, he could no longer see any waves of red swallowing up the town, and although the air still smelled of burnt wood, the smoke was beginning to diminish. Other townspeople who stayed indoors were now peeking out of their doors and curtains, checking to see if the danger had finally passed.
Ren simply nodded. "Well," she breathed, blowing a stray black strand of hair out of her face. "That's the end of that."
"Lucky for the town, we were close by," Lissa agreed, lowering her stave which she was using to heal Chrom's wounds. She then turned to the twins, a look of awe and glee spread out across her features. "But holy wow, Robin, Ren! You guys were incredible!"
Robin felt his ego swell, which, in retrospect, was probably a bad thing. Ren's reaction differed from his, for she blushed slightly and ducked her head. "I—It was nothing, really," she denied.
"Are you kidding me? Swords, sorcery, and tactics! Is there anything you two can't do?"
"You both are certainly no helpless victims, that much is for sure," Chrom nodded, putting away his sword.
Robin snorted. "No one ever said we were."
"Indeed." Frederick urged his horse forward slightly, then casted a look full of suspicion onto the twins. "Perhaps one of you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?"
Robin froze at the question, but quickly regained his composure. Thankfully, Frederick had been paying attention to Ren instead. It was a close-call though, for a split second later the Great Knight had turned his attention to him.
"I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick," Ren said, and Robin scoffed slightly at the title. Ren, in turn, nudged him sharply and glared, before turning back to the man atop the horse. "I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me. But please, believe me. I have shared all I know."
Frederick scrutinized her for a moment, before switching attention back to Robin. He was prepared to lie on the spot, but was saved of doing so by Chrom. "The both of you fought to save Ylissean lives," Chrom stated with a smile. "My heart says that's enough."
Frederick momentarily seemed to lose interest in Robin, and the young tactician let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?"
Chrom sighed, and looked to his companion. "Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin and Ren's talents." Heh, take tha— Waaait a minute… "We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil." Is he implying… "Would you really have us lose two such able tacticians?" Gods, I think he is…
Robin shot a glance to Ren, and she seemed to have pieced together the conversation as well. But her reaction was a far cry to what he was feeling about it. She kept trying to fight down a smile, but it seemed she was on the losing end for the corner of her lips kept tugging upwards.
"Besides, I believe Ren's story, odd as it may be."
"Th—thank you, Chrom," Ren sputtered, suddenly bashful again. Robin could not believe they were actually winning her over.
Chrom smiled, and a spark of mischief danced in his eyes. "I figure the both of you have already understood the topic of our conversation," he guessed, "so I'll just get to the point: We'd like the two of you to join the Shepherds as our two chief tacticians."
Ren smiled a huge smile, while Robin massaged his temples and silently cursed his own stupid luck. It wasn't that he hated the group. He just didn't particularly like them. Besides, he and his sister could do without all the dangers. And they were just fine with just the two of them.
Chrom chuckled, a grin stretched across his face as he saw Ren's joyful reaction. "So, how about it?" he prodded. "Will the two of you join us?"
Robin's answer was immediate. So was Ren's.
"Hell. No."
"I would be honored."
The twins looked to each other, one glaring and the other one looking rather tired with it all.
"Ren, this disaster will seem like a walk in the park compared to whatever battle is ahead if you join these lunatics! I refuse to let you walk into your own death! You are not joining!"
"Robin, I will go with them, with or without you."
He felt as if he was socked in the gut. There was a harshness in her voice that he wasn't used to—a cold glint in her eyes as she gazed at him unflinchingly—and the simple threat that she was going to leave him was enough to make him feel panic welling in his chest.
His face must have visibly paled, for Ren's features softened. She sighed. "Look, Robin, I won't force you to join me. But I want to help these people. I don't want to simply explore a world with a broken memory without any real purpose. These people seem to have their hearts in the right places, and I want to fight for a good cause. They seem to be doing just that." She tilted her head at him. "I may not know what I was like before I had amnesia, but from what I can gather, I was very important to you. Which makes sense, considering I'm your younger twin sister. I won't ask you to follow me but…" She looked up at him with hopeful, pleading eyes. "I would really like to reform that bond the two of us once had."
Robin gazed at his little sister. He knew, deep down in his heart, that he had lost this battle. Again. This always seemed to be the case, now that he thought about it. He argues, she retaliates, he loses. Rinse, repeat. He sighed, closing his eyes. Ren always had a way of getting exactly what she wanted. But Robin secretly admired that. His sister knew what she wanted, and was willing to fight for it. She wouldn't back down, and although it got her into more trouble than it was worth, he was still proud of her in so many ways.
Robin opened his eyes, and faking a frown, he relented. "Fine, go join." Ren's eyes became downcast for a moment, obviously thinking he wasn't going. Robin couldn't fight the smirk that tugged at his lips as he folded his arms behind his head and looked casually to the side. "But I had promised Mother before she died that I'd always look after you, so I suppose I'll also be following this ragtag bunch of crazies."
Ren's face brightened, and in a flash she had tackled him in a hug, her words of gratitude being muffled out as she pressed her face against his cloak. Robin laughed, ruffling Ren's dark locks. Looking to his new companions, he saw Lissa jumping with joy at her new friends, and flicker of a smile passing on Frederick's face as he took in the scene of Ren hugging her brother. Chrom walked up to Robin and clasped him firmly on the shoulder. He was smiling brightly. "Glad you could join us," he teased lightly. Then, in a more sincere tone, added, "Welcome to the Shepherds, Robin, Ren."
Robin simply nodded, and as Ren finally let go, he smiled at her. "You know," he remarked. "Mother used to always say that you should never cage a wild bird. They're bound to retaliate. I think I understand her words now."
Ren grinned, moving to her brother's side and keeping a tight hold to his arm. Now that he thought about it, this amnesia thing might actually work. Sure, she lost all the good memories of their past, but that also means she lost all the bad ones as well. She wouldn't remember her origins, her expectations, her destiny…
Maybe this was a blessing in disguise.
His positive mood quickly dissipated, however, when Frederick spoke up. "Did you notice, milord? The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."
Robin scowled. He supposed that no matter how far they traveled, he and Ren would always have a reminder of that blasted kingdom following in their wake. True, it might not have been because the twins were there, but all the same, he needed to be cautious. Especially now that Ren doesn't remember their history.
As to prove his point, Ren inquired, "Plegian? What's that?"
"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor," Chrom supplied.
"Yeah, they like to send small bands into Ylissean territory to try and provoke a war between the two kingdoms," Robin added gruffly, obviously not pleased with Plegia's actions.
"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer!" Lissa fumed. "Totally innocent, and totally helpless…"
"They do have us, milady," Frederick pointed out. "Shepherds to protect the sheep. Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement."
"I know, I know…" Her eyes were sad for a moment, before she perked up again, forcing a smile onto her face. "Don't worry. I'll get used to all this."
Ren gave the blonde girl a comforting pat on the shoulder. "You won't be alone," she assured with a smile. "I'll have to adjust to this life as well, I suppose."
Just then, a man scuttled up to them, beaming at Chrom. "Milord, please!" he begged. "You must stay the night!" He gestured behind him to a small crowd of townspeople gathering a little ways away to gaze upon their saviors. "We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!"
The young blonde-haired girl gained an enthusiastic look to her face, and she started listing out a few of her requests. Meanwhile, Frederick spoke over her, paying Lissa no mind. "A most generous offer, sir," Frederick thanked. "And no doubt you hospitality would be grand. But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol."
Robin leaned towards Ren's ear. "Capitol of Ylisse," he informed. She nodded in appreciation.
"Dark meat only for me," Lissa babbled on. "Medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply—" she stopped short, finally processing what Frederick said. After a moment, an appalled look crossed her features. "Wait, what?!" Lissa squeaked. Robin snickered at the reaction, and earned a nudge from Ren. But judging from her features, she was trying hard not to laugh as well. "We're not staying?! But Frederick, it's nearly dark!"
Frederick looked far too happy as he explained the plan. "When night falls, we'll camp. Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like…" A smirk twitched onto his face as he continued. "I believe you mentioned you would be 'getting used to this'?"
Lissa scowled. "Frederick?" she huffed. "Sometimes, I hate you."
The group chuckled, save for Lissa. "You've quite the stern lieutenant here," Ren observed.
"Yeah, well, 'stern' is one name for it," Lissa muttered. "I can think of a few others!"
"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe," Chrom quipped.
"Duly noted," the twins said in almost perfect unison.
Frederick cleared his throat, annoyance laced in his voice. "You do realize I am still present?"
"Oh, we realize," Chrom assured with a smile.
Ren giggled, and Robin sniggered along with her.
"Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?"
"All right, all right." He turned to the twins, the friendly smile still on his face. "Ready to go, Ren? Robin? The capital isn't that far."
The twins exchanged a look, and Robin felt another connection. For all their life, Robin and Ren could communicate with each other simply by looking into each other's eyes. They had grown so close and accustomed to each other that they could tell what they were trying to convey to the other—almost as if having a silent conversation with their eyes. Right now, Ren was seeking for Robin's approval. Robin replied with an affirmative.
No words were exchanged between the two, but they looked to Chrom with absolute confidence in the other's answer. They spoke, their words simple but setting into motion events of unfathomable importance to history itself.
"Ready as we'll ever be."
Lesson One: Robin and Ren have many differences that tend to lead to clashing personalities. Ren is always doing what she believes is right, and Robin is trying to stop her from getting hurt. This tends to lead to arguments between the two. Robin is almost always on the losing side, and gets increasingly frustrated with Ren's defiance. Ren thinks of everyone's wellbeing, while Robin is only concerned with his and his sister's survival.
Despite this, he would willingly give his life if it meant protecting Ren.
oOo
Please Read!
A/N: Ooooookkaaaaayyy that was hecka long! Probably the most I've ever written for one chapter huh. Now, let me explain.
I shall clear the air first and foremost: this will include both Awakening and Fates Revelation Route. Only one Fates character will appear in Part 1 of the Story (unless I change my mind), so please bear with me Fates fans. Part 2 includes beginning of Fates, and that's when the crossover aspect of it kicks in a lot. I won't consider the Before Awakening and the Hidden Truths DLCs canon, but I might add some aspects of them (I mean, how else am I gonna explain Inigo, Severa, and Owain's new looks). No clue if I'll add the Cordelia, Gaius, and Tharja lookalike children, so we'll see about that.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the Avatars.
As you have probably guessed by now, Robin and Ren are the male and female My Units, but twins. However, Ren is the only one with amnesia (it will be explained far into the story. Like, really far). Robin knows of their origins but doesn't speak of it. Now, personality wise, Ren is basically the Avatar, but a little bit more fiery (and dorky haha). Robin, on the other hand, is colder and more cautious. In game terms, Ren would be the player with the heroic choices (save Emmeryn, strike final blow on Grima, etc) while Robin is the more tactical and selfish one (keep Fire Emblem, let Chrom strike). Just so we're clear, you know, haha. Okay, appearance wise, Ren is Female (obviously), Body 1, Face 1, Hair 3, Color 9, and Voice 1. Robin is Male, Body 1, Hair 1, Color 9, Face 1, Voice 1 (so basically their default except black haired and Ren has a ponytail instead). I dunno, I always felt that black hair suited them best.
Now, what do I mean by Parts? Well, from what I understand of the publishing guidelines here on , we can't post series? So, instead of posting separate stories, I'll just put it into parts. Fated Awakening is the series name (gosh, that is such a cheesy title but I can't think of anything better, haha, I'm always open to suggestions guys *hint hint cough*) and Redone is the "book" name. There will be a total of three parts (four, if I feel like it). And considering how long this freaking prologue was, there's going to be a lot of reading for you guys and double the writing and proof-reading for me. Oh boy, why did I do this? Oh yeah, because I'd die if I didn't. And I'm a masochist. Yeah.
What about ships? What ships will be in the story? Well, I definitely have a couple...but I don't know for certain, to be honest. I'll probably put up a poll on my account, and have you guys decide on the official ships. I'm definitely doing ChromXRen for suuuure because it just makes sense to me to do that (second option was Sumia to be honest, but as cute as they were, I felt like female avatar was a better fit since their always together and are like BFFs. Besides, I felt a little unsatisfied with the Sumia support. Then again, Female Avatar support could have gone better too, but Chrom and Avatar just had more depth for me. Plus, out of all other children, Morgan seemed best fit for Lucina's sibling support. Cynthia would have worked for the dork parts, but I don't really see her getting angry like that. Morgan, however, I can see. Also, Fellblood and Divine Blood! Talk about plot worthy!). Might be doing RobinXCorrin(Female Fates Avatar) for reasons I will not delve into, but that might change who knows. GaiusXOlivia is cute too (his nickname for her is literally babe how was I not supposed to ship that?) and maybe NowiXDonny and CordeliaXLon'qu. But, as I said, they could change.
But hooooboy this is gonna be one heck of a ride for me. I've got a lot of ideas for this, and I don't know if I'll even complete this series. But I'll try if you guys actually like it. I'm not sure how to think of this piece, to be honest. I like it? I don't like it? Eh, I'll let you decide. I might edit this some time, who knows.
Constructive criticism always appreciated! But, you know, be helpful. Saying "oh yeah this is a piece of shit" and then leaving is not helpful. But you guys are nice, I'm sure you won't do that. Anyways, if I can remember any other important notes, I'll tell you guys next chapter (or add it in here haha)! And if you have questions and/or suggestions, don't be afraid to PM me or leave it in a review!
Moonwolf121 here, howlin you a good time~