Hey guys! I've been telling myself I'd write one of these for the longest time now and I finally did it! Tis' be my first fanfic so do go easy on me review-wise! Hopefully you read the description because I'm not writing it again! ^.^
"The Avatar is found lying in a field with no memory. After (s)he helps Chrom fend off a band of brigands, (s)he is welcomed into the Shepherds as a tactician."
—Opening Narration
*Victoria POV*
Victoria could not see. Had she always been blind? Her head throbbed at every attempt she made to remember anything. Victoria could not recall a single thing about herself; not a name, birthday, favorite color, anything. It seemed the gods had doomed her to lay blind and confused in this field forever.
"Chrom, we have to do something..."
That was a voice. Another person.
Two people, since she's evidently talking to someone.
"What do you propose we do?"
"I... I dunno..."
As if they had been capable of doing so the entire time, Victoria's eyes opened. Her eyes scanned first the girl that was to her left. She was young, blonde, and carried a staff, which she kept clutched to her chest as if it was her most valued possession. A healer of some sort, Victoria reasoned, and then turned her eyes to the taller male to her right.
Victoria was immediately taken aback by how attractive the man was; his longer blue hair, pale skin, piercing azure eyes, strong jaw, muscular physique, and the commanding and confident way in which he carried himself indicated that he was someone of importance, a leader. Victoria was pulled from her thoughts when the blue eyes she had been admiring turned to meet her own.
"I see you're awake now." The man said, his voice a deep baritone. The blonde girl next to him gave a short gasp.
"Hey there!" The girl's voice a high soprano, further indication of her youth.
"There're better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." The man offered a hand and a small smile. "Give me your hand."
Without hesitation, Victoria grabbed the man's hand. For whatever reason, she was confident that she could trust this stranger. As she raised her hand, Victoria noticed the strange marking across the back of her hand.
Had that always been there? She wondered.
"You all right?" He hoisted her up as if she weighed nothing at all.
"Y-Yes... Thank you, Chrom." Where his voice had been confident and warm, her own was distant and nervous.
"Ah, then you know who I am?" This shocked Victoria, who had not even registered that she knew the man's name. I can remember his name but not my own?! I don't even know this "Chrom"!
"I... No? Maybe? You do seem familiar... Have we met before?" Victoria nervously twirled a piece of her hair between her fingers and kicked at the grass that she had been previously using as a bed.
Chrom's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "I don't believe so. What' s your name?"
Victoria racked her brain, searching for anything that could serve as a name. A memory lay just out of reach; the closer she got to it, the worse her headache became.
"My name is... Is-" A polite cough from behind her cut Victoria off.
"Milord, if I may interrupt," Victoria turned to see a tall man in great blue armor. "Whilst you and milady attended to this one here," The man nodded to herself. "I patrolled the outskirts of the forest and happened upon yet another suspicious person." The man stepped aside to reveal a white-haired man in a great purple and black coat. A coat that was identical to the one she wore. "He claims to be suffering from memory loss. When asked for his name, he apparently suffered great pain whilst attempting to recall the information."
"Thank you Frederick-"
"Chrom, do you think they're twins?!" Lissa asked in disbelief.
Chrom paused to look between Victoria and the other man before asking, "Do either of you recognize the other? You two are nearly identical, even down to the coats you are wearing."
Looking at the new man, Victoria's head throbbed violently as she searched her mind. Judging by the way his features contorted in pain, Victoria guessed he was suffering from the same amnesia she was.
"No, I don't." Victoria muttered after a moment.
"And I don't recognize her either, Chrom." The man shook his head slowly.
Chrom nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps someone back at camp will recognize you." He turned to face the stranger. "You also know my name? Can you try to recall your own?"
The stranger's eyes glazed over as he racked his brain for a moment. Finally, he shook himself and raised his eyes to meet Chrom's gaze.
"N-No... I'm getting closer to remembering, but my headache is making it hard to concentrate on anything right now."
Frederick snorted from where he stood next to Chrom. "You honestly expect us to believe you remember milord's name but not your own? Milord, I honestly hope that you are not actually considering helping these people?"
Chrom frowned at that. "Sir Frederick the Wary, while I appreciate your concern, I refuse to leave these people without proper aid. What kind of Shepherds would we be if we left two amnesiacs alone without at least attempting to help them?" Chrom shook his head. "They're coming with us, and that's final."
Frederick opened his mouth but seemed to think better of it and sighed instead. "Yes, milord."
Lissa squealed. "Alright! With that settled, I call walking next to the new guy! He's CUTE!"
Sometime Later...
The group carried on down the path, intending to rest in a nearby town for continuing on for the capital. As her companions chatted and laughed, Victoria was left to her thoughts.
I will remember my name. I can feel the memory, it's just out of reach.
But, despite her best efforts, the memory still evaded her.
Growling in frustration, Victoria curled her hands into her hair.
Why can't I remember?
Perhaps there's something around here that can jog my memory?
Looking around, all Victoria could see were trees, rocks, and the occasional animal. Sighing dismalling to herself, Victoria had nearly given up when she happened to glance down at her hands.
What even is that mark anyways?
Pulling her right hand closer to her face, the strange purple mark seemed to pulse as her eyes scanned it.
A brand, maybe? Defineitly not a birthmark. Maybe it's what's sapping my memory? Like some kind of parasite?
Looking into the mark's six tiered eyeballs, Victoria's headache increased tenfold, yet she could not force herself to look away.
You are... Who are you, mortal? A voice deep within her head spoke.
You do not bear the taint. You are a pretender, an unworthy fool. Naga's meddling does not fool me, child. You will not remember this.
Victoria shook herself, had she been daydreaming? Looking around, she saw that she had fallen a ways behind the others. Her headache had faded, and at last she could reach out at the memory that had evaded her.
Victoria, my name is Victoria.
*Robin POV*
There was smoke and flame everywhere. Robin could scarcely see in front of himself and kept pausing every few paces. As a result, Lissa, who was practically breathing down his neck, kept ramming her head into his back and bonking his head with her staff.
Maybe a few more bonks and I'll remember who I am. Robin thought to himself. Why couldn't I just remember out of the blue like Victoria did earlier? We may be similar but she obviously has better luck than I. Who knows? Maybe my name is Victoria too? Gods, if that's the case, I hope I never remember.
"You think that Garrick guy is up ahead?" Lissa's voice pulled Robin from his thoughts. "That jerk needs to pay for what he did to this place."
Robin turned back to look at her. "You said it. He shouldn't be too far now. At least, I hope we're heading in the right direction. This smoke makes it damn near impossible to see."
Lissa nodded. "I hate fire. That's why I'm using you as a shield!"
Robin turned away so she wouldn't see him roll his eyes.
*Victoria POV*
Victoria's thunderbolt curled through the air and struck her target's chest, where it melted armor and charred flesh. The barbarian cried out as the electricity racked his body, shutting down major organs and paralyzing him momentarily. He stood convulsing for what seemed like an eternity before Falchion came down to crush the man's chest. Chrom drew his sword from the man's smoking body and turned to face her.
"Good work. You're good with magic for someone who just remember her name thirty minutes ago." He offered a lopsided smile. "But next time, please try to aim only at the enemy. I barely dodged that thunderbolt."
Victoria snorted. "Your fault for getting in way, doofus... Do you think that Frederick has finished evacuating the townspeople?
Chrom's brow furrowed momentarily, "Hard to say, he works fast so I'm willing to wager that he's done and is currently waiting at the shop for us."
Victoria nodded, "Well, we shouldn't keep him waiting then."
"Agreed, lead the way."
*Robin POV*
Garrick stood cackling over a pile of bodies, waving a bloody axe about as his cronies looted nearby houses for valuables. A particularly large barbarian stood to his right, clasping a screaming girl in one huge meaty paw, a great attleaxe held in the other.
"Gwa ha ha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types!"" Garrick turned to the woman, wiping gore and guts on her cheek as he caressed her. "Ain't that right, lassie?"
The woman recoiled as he touched her, her pretty features contorting into a look of fear and utter hopelessness. "S-Stay away from me! Please! Someone, anyone! Help!"
Robin snarled angrily from his hiding spot behind the bridge. "Damnit Chrom, where are you?!" He turned away from the sobbing woman, unable to bear the sight any longer. To his immediate left, Lissa was curled into a small ball, the woman's screams clearly affecting her as well.
Robin looked to the small shop immediately behind Garrick, the location chosen to be Chrom and Victoria's hiding place. From there, they would signal Robin that they were ready to begin the ambush. The plan was for Robin to handle the large barbarian while the others dealt with Garrick. Only, they were taking longer than expected and the woman's screams were becoming increasingly unbearable the longer Robin listened to them. He glanced to the shop window again; Chrom's cape had appeared, they were ready.
Nudging Lissa, who sat up with a dazed look in her eyes, he nodded to the window. Immediately, determination replaced the shock in her verdant irises. "Let's do this." She muttered.
Moving from the side of the bridge, Robin walked confidently across it, not fearing an attack from Garrick's henchmen;Chrom and Victoria had already taken care of them. Lissa quickly fell into step behind him, clutching her staff nervously as they approached the bandit lord. The large barbarian next to Garrick immediately noticed him and nudged his employer. Garrick caught sight of Robin and gave a surprised grunt before raising his axe. "Here sheepy sheepy! Come to the slaughter!" He cackled madly, spitting everywhere. "Albose, throw that wench with the rest of her family and bring me his head!"
Robin clenched his teeth as 'Albose' tossed the girl into the pile of bodies at Garrick's feet.
"Face me, you bastard!" Drawing his sword, Robin charged the vile man.
*Victoria POV*
"They are brave, I will give them that," Frederick nodded approvingly. "but I shall still advise caution in trusting them, milord."
Gods, he talks about me like I'm not even here. Victoria rolled her eyes.
"Yes, yes, of course Frederick." Chrom murmured distractedly. "He is rather good with a blade."
Victoria turned to watch the fight, her fellow amnesiac darting in and out of Albose's reach while dodging projectiles being thrown by Garrick. She was pleased to see that Albose was bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds while their ally had barely been scratched.
Rolling away from a particularly powerful battleaxe swing, the white-haired man spun quickly and stabbed his blade into Albose's heel before ducking back out again. The barbarian let out a ear-splitting roar as he spun his battleaxe about and charged directly at their ally. The man quickly spun out of the way, barely missing the edge of the blood-drenched blade. Moving with a large burst of speed, the white-haired man met Albose as he turned around and dragged his blade across the barbarian's huge chest, spilling blood and gore across the town pavilion. The giant man let out a final roar before sinking onto his knees and muttered something to their ally before falling to the ground, dead.
Garrick made a choking noise from where he stood atop the mound of pillaged loot. Looking around frantically for something to hurl at their tactician but unable to find anything usable, Garrick swore and jumped from the mound before charging towards the tactician.
Turning to see that the bandit lord was nearly on top of himself, their friend had no time to dodge the incoming blow to his chest. The axe tore his coat and pierced the unprotected flesh underneath. Stepping back, the white-haired man attempted to draw his sword, but was horrified to see that it lay discarded a few feet away. Distracted momentarily, Garrick took the opportunity and drove his elbow into the tacticians forehead before driving the long hilt of his axe down on top of their ally's shoulder. Victoria watched in horror as the white-haired man sunk onto his knees, his eyes dazed from pain.
Growling angrily, Chrom tore out from the shop, drawing Falchion and he raced towards the insane bandit lord. "Coward!"
Garrick did not turn, paying no heed to the voice behind him. Again, taking the axe, he drove the flat head into their ally's forehead with as much force as he could muster. The tactician fell back from the blow, landing spread-eagled on the town pavilion.
Garrick then turned, pausing momentarily as he saw Chrom before brandishing his axe. "Ah, hello Princey, come to play with me?"
Princey? Victoria wondered before shaking herself. Nevermind that!
Victoria ran from the shop, flipping through her tome as she did. "Thunder!" She screamed watching as it struck Garrick across his side, spreading along his body and dropping him to the ground. Chrom, not missing a beat, arched Falchion over his head and stabbed down into the center of Garrick's back.
The fight over, Victoria sprinted to wear Lissa sat with their tactician. He had been knocked unconscious by he injured he'd recieved. Lissa frantically murmurred incantations as she bandaged his bloody chest.
"Lissa! How does he look?" Chrom called as jogged over, coming to stand beside them.
She shook her head. "He's not waking up. His shoulder was dislocated but I've fixed that. His head is going to be bruised, and his chest is still bleeding but barely. I'm not sure on what else to do." Lissa murmured.
Chrom nodded. "He'll be fine, don't worry yourself about it. You're doing great, Lissa."
"Yes, but-"
Her reply was cut short when they heard a short gasp of breath. Looking down, bright brown eyes started up at them.
His voice was weak when he spoke. "...Heh heh... Hi guys. How'd I do?"
Chrom chuckled warmly as he patted Robin's shoulder, "You're crazy, you know? That was some plan you had, but do try not almost dying next time, alright?"
Robin laughed weakly, "What are you on about? This all went according to plan. That oaf bludgeoning me might've kickstarted my memory; I think I might've remembered my name, Robin. "
Victoria laughed, "It's about time! I've known my name for hours!"
Chrom shook his head, laughing, "Well, Robin, it's nice to meet you."
Frederick coughed politely, "While this is very touching, I do believe the we had best be on our way. The capital is still a long way off, milord."
Chrom nodded, "Very well," He agreed. "Only, how will we move Robin?"
"Sir Robin may ride on my horse until he has sufficiently recovered." Frederick said with a small smile.
Lissa clapped happily, "Awwwwww Freddie-Bear, you do have a heart!"
As the group made their way out of the town, Victoria hung towards the back, lost in thought.
I've only known these people a day, and yet I can feel us becoming close. Is this what friendship feels like? Did I have friends like this before-
"Victoria?" A voice pulled her from her thoughts. "May I walk with you?" It was Robin, currently sitting atop Frederick's horse.
She smiled. "Of course! You fought great today, and that plan was great!"
"Hah, not really. I liked yours better. A charge was much more heroic, and I probably wouldn't have ended up with a bludgeoned head."
"You also wouldn't have remembered your name." She reminded him.
"Good point." He nodded."I was thinking today, how odd it is that both you and I are so similar, yet we're complete strangers to each other."
"I don't know about you, but I also feel like a stranger to myself."
Robin chuckled bitterly, "Tell me about it. I just realized my hair is white. I feel like my own hair color is something I should be familiar with."
Victoria laughed quietly, "Despite everything, I think we're going to be okay. Chrom and them, I think we'll be good if we stick with them."
"Agreed," Robin nodded. "He seems to think we'll fit in well with the Shepherds. Apparently they're in need of a good tactician. I imagine you and I will fit that role nicely."
Victoria snorted, "Well, I'll fit that role nicely. You'd be lucky to be my assistant."
"Oh really?" Robin asked with an exagerated roll of his eyes. "Because I'm pretty sure Chrom liked my plan better. You're going to have to step up your game if you want to compete with me."
"Pfft, whatever. My tactics are going to blow yours out of the water."
"Oh sure they will. I'll have you kno-"
"Robin! Victoria!" Chrom yelled. "Keep up!" Looking ahead, Victoria could see they had fallen a considerable distance behind.
"Race you!" Robin smirked down at her before spurring the horse forwards.
"That's not ever fair and you know it!" She yelled after him.
Giggling despite herself, Victoria smiled brightly at the group ahead of her.
Yes, we're going to be fine.
Well, that's it for Chapter 1! Next chapter, we'll meet the Shepherds, more competition between our tacticians, and probably a plot-twist.
Again, this is my first fanfic so please be gentle when reviewing, also, please review! Let me know how you feel about it, and what I can do to improve! I'm still out for summer break so I can promise frequent updates. ;)
Also here is a list of planned pairings for the story, don't read if you don't wanna know! (Note: these are subject to change!)
Still reading? Ok!
Chrom/Victoria
Robin/Lucina
Sumia/Frederick
Panne/Lon'qu
Stahl/Cordelia
Tharja/Gaius
Sully/Virion
Kellam/Olivia
Miriel/Vaike
Maribelle/Henry
Libra/Cherche
Donnel/Nowi
Lissa/Ricken
Gregor/Villager Lady that Nobody Likes (JK but poor Gregor #foreveralone)
Morgan/Inigo
Marc/Severa
Owain/Noire
Yarne/Kjelle
Brady/Nah
Cynthia/Gerome
Laurent/Knowledge
Hopefully that's everyone, if not, Oh well!
Again, please review! Thanks for reading!