AN: I've been brewing these ideas in my head for a while, but I finally decided to set them to paper. A poll on one of my gaming boards told me that this would make a good first chapter, and I decided the title worked for the collection of stories.

This will be a collection of stories about the children characters. This first chapter contains full spoilers for the main game, and for the DLC 'The Future Past'. You have been warned.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Displaced

Flying was something the Exalt never managed to get used to. The skies were never very friendly in the past, and she'd always preferred walking. Still, with Cynthia and the others off 'reliving old times', she didn't have much of a choice. That and, though she would never admit it, she felt that Severa was quite proud to protect her. Lucina would think herself quite fortunate to have such a dedicated retainer. And though Cynthia was a bit...over the top, she was never known to over blow anyone's skills. That belonged more to her cousin.

As they flew over the countryside, Lucina spent her time looking down, leaving the steering of the mount to her trusted friend. The land was starting to heal from the war with Grima, but the scars of it were still visible. Acres of land barren and scorched, the ruins of villages they could not save dotting the horizon, but things were still worlds better then they had been before. The past year had seemed like a dream, peace had come at last. Not that it came so easily to the people, mind you. Even after Grima's defeat, Lucina still slept with Falchion at her side, jumping to arms at the slightest noise in the dead of night. She imagined it was much the same for the others. Fighting for your life every waking moment was not something you easily forgot. In some ways, she was glad for the trials of rebuilding the world. They worked her body and mind to the point of exhaustion, which usually allowed sleep to find her quickly when she desired it. Most nights she would be too tired to even truly dream, though she had awoken a few times in a cold sweat, those burning crimson eyes and obsidian scales still haunting her nightmares.

As the pair of them soared through the clear skies, she allowed her gaze to settle on a small town off to the side. And upon seeing it, she nearly fell off the mount with the speed of her double take. Severa, for her part, sensed the shift in weight and tugged on the reigns sharply, sending her now annoyed pegasus into a stiff turn to keep her liege from ending her reign prematurely. She snapped back to Lucina instantly, forgoing all sense of rank and respect. "The hell was that about, are you mad?!" She shouted, pulling her mount out of the turn and into a more stable direction.

"Bring us down!" Was the only response she got over the roaring winds around them. She knew what she had seen, but to tell Severa she would think her leader mad. Maybe she was, but she was never more certain of anything before. She had seen her father down there, alone in the center of a collection of peasant houses. He'd been looking right at her. Waving, with that happy smile of his that he wore when they'd been fighting Grima... It couldn't be just her losing her mind, could it? "Now! I need to know for sure!" She shouted forward again.

Severa sighed and began her descent.

The landing of what was clearly a militant pegasus in the middle of maybe a dozen farming houses would normally be cause for commotion, and today was no exception. Lucina had made it a point to travel around Ylisse as much as possible since the end of the war, bringing the light of hope to it's injured people. As such, many of the remaining citizens (but a fraction of what they once were) knew who she was. She didn't recall visiting this place before, but none the less an elderly woman stepped out and bowed her head, dragging down the head of a younger man, likely a teenage son, next to her.

"Your majesty! It does us a great honor to see you." She spoke, clearly elated to see someone as legendary as the Exalt, slayer of the Fell Dragon. Severa was ignored at first, but soon found herself and her mount surrounded by peasants who felt more comfortable approaching her then the Exalt. Severa had taken to the new world quite well. When she wasn't constantly battling with her mother's legend, she was actually quite happy. The last person to make a comment on the famous Cordelia was Cynthia when Severa decided to become a Pegasus Knight. A few well timed tugs on that white hair of hers had silenced those comparisons though.

Lucina knew as soon as the people began to surround her that she had just been seeing things. There was nobody here that even resembled her father, not even close. Most of them were blond or brown-haired, with a few of the more colorful varieties of them. Never the less, she was here now, and he presence seemed to do wonders for them all. Perhaps that is why she wished to stop here, to bring hope to these people as well? Was her father guiding her to the people who needed her most? As she was thinking this, bringing smiles and well wishes to her subjects, she saw someone approaching her. A younger woman, maybe a few years younger then herself, but she was looking at Lucina oddly, trying to gaze directly into her eyes. Lucina sensed this, and looked up, meeting the green-eyed woman's gaze. She gasped sharply, and took a step forward, a smile splitting her face.

"U..Um, your majesty. I hope you will not consider it rude of me to ask..." She began, clearly star struck. "But..um...your eye..." She began.

Lucina smiled and nodded. She'd heard this question a lot recently. With the massive destruction Grima had sowed across the land, many had forgotten much about their history and legends. "My left eye you mean?" She asked pleasantly. "It is the Mark of the Exalt. It marks those who are descendants of the first Exalt's own blood, and the Divine Dragons Naga and Tiki." She explained. Calling on Tiki's name still hurt, but that had been something else she had been busy spreading. Tiki was no longer The Voice, she was the Divine Dragon now. Naga was no more, and Lucina would ensure that the people would always remember the sacrifices Tiki had made to see their world saved. She was the Goddess they would pray to now, looking over them from the world above.

The girl clapped her hands in delight, much to Lucina's surprise, but she explained. "Oh I knew it! I heard tales of it when I was a little girl, but nobody believed me. You see?" She said to her fellow villagers. "I told you he was marked by the Goddess!" Lucina looked puzzled, and addressed the woman again.

"He? Marked by the Goddess? What do you mean?" She asked, trying to piece together the story here. Severa seemed to have become interested now, moving over to where Lucina was with a skeptic look on her face. The peasant woman beckoned to Lucina, gesturing towards a house on the outskirts.

"About a year ago, after the fall of darkness." The woman began, using a new name for the battle against Grima. She'd heard it called so many things, maybe in time history would pick one and stick with it. "We found a traveler in the fields outside of town. He was badly injured, almost starved, and constantly mumbling about failure. He seemed almost totally broken, as if he had simply lost the will to live. The people believed him cursed, but I saw. I saw the Mark of the Exalt in his blue eyes. I knew it meant he was someone special..." But Lucina was no longer there. At the mention of the Mark of the Exalt, she'd started running ahead of both the maiden and Severa. Severa started trying to give chase at first.

"Severa! Stay out here!" She called back to her, having to see this for herself. "I have to know...I have to see it with my own eyes!" She declared, pulling open the rickety wooden door that flooded light into the dreary house. A lone voice rose up to greet her ears.

"Master...I failed...I failed you..." It seemed to lament out. The figure was hunched over in a chair, it's dark colored hair over it's eyes. Lucina approached the figure, her metal boots clanking on the stone floor. The figure stirred, and looked up at her, pale blue eyes staring at her from underneath a mat of similarly colored hair. How long had it been? Ten years? Twelve? He'd vanished when he was just a boy, she'd thought him dead. She'd been SURE he was dead. But there was only one person in this world who could have the Mark of the Exalt, and in his right eye it shone like a beacon.

Morgan.

He seemed to comprehend who she was at the same time, and the frail and slumped form sprung into action surprisingly quickly. With a howl of pain, akin to a wounded animal, he lunged from his chair at her. "You! You killed Master! Master Grima! I will avenge you!" Lucina took a half step back in surprise, barely managing to avoid the dive as Morgan landed, spinning around and grabbing a shovel from the ground. He'd always had a natural talent, but this! He fought like an expert, and expert trying to kill! His reactions were fluid, precise, and Lucina went to draw her sword to try and deflect the improvised weapon. Morgan brought the weapon down with a yell of rage, only to find steel marring it's path. Lucina paused, Falchion half drawn from her sheath, as she saw the lance held up in front of her. Morgan didn't even slow down, pulling back for another strike.

Severa didn't give him the opportunity. The clash of the haft of her lance with the flesh of his cheek was potent enough to spin the boy twice before he hit the stone floor. She advanced up to him, spinning the lance point down as she stood over him.

"Wait!" Lucina called, returning Falchion to it's sheath as she knelt down at his side. "Don't you recognize him Severa?" She asked. Morgan had been around for the start of the chaos. Was it possible that she was the only one who recognized him.

"Of COURSE! I know who he is! He's the little trai...oh." She stopped herself, and Lucina's eyes flew to her with an intensity that Severa wasn't used to seeing directed at her.

Lucina stood from Morgan's side, taking a step towards Severa. "You know something. I can see it in your eyes. What is it?" She said. It wasn't an order, or at least it didn't sound like one, but Lucina's face showed she was not to be denied currently.

Severa shrugged her shoulders, as if the truth of this didn't bother her at all. "Hmph, I heard it from Cynthia, you should ask her when she gets back. Remember when we went to recover the gemstones?" Lucina nodded, her hands clenching on the hilt of Falchion. Not because she was threatening her friend, it was just something she'd come to do over the years. "Well, Cynthia was telling me they got ambushed, and then saved by those other versions of our parents. You've heard this part before." Lucina nodded again, quickly wondering what this had to do with Morgan.

"Cynthia's cell was closet to the leader of Grima's forces. When she was saved, she said she saw their tactician, your mother, talking to the leader. After a bit, the guy just left. Ran off. She swears up and down that he was..is...well." She finished, jerking her head to the unconscious body.

Lucina was livid now. "She knew? YOU knew that my only remaining family was still alive and you didn't tell me?!" She shouted. Severa, however, wasn't easily intimidated by yelling.

"Cynthia said not to tell you because it would only hurt you more! Your best friend was watching out for you, and I happen to agree with her! Your younger brother defected to Grima and tried to kill all of humanity! Was that what you wanted us to tell you? Or that he was just another of the millions of casualties that the war caused, and was at peace with everyone else. What would you have said?" She shot back.

Lucina was still plenty angry, but she looked over Severa's shoulder and saw the crowd that had gathered in the doorway. Most of them looked terrified by this news, and a few of them had the looks of violence upon their faces. Lucina looked back to her own flesh and blood, and knew that he would not last an hour if she left him here.

"We're going back to the capital. All three of us." She said to Severa, and this did have the make of an order. Though it didn't stop Severa from rolling her eyes and making a snide remark.

"And how would you suggest we convince him to do so?" She said, jerking her head towards the boy.

"Tie him up and lay him across your mount. We'll travel by foot." She grabbed her brother and moved from the house, clearly having nothing more to say on the matter.

Two weeks, and Lucina was almost at her wits end. She'd had some serious words with Cynthia when she returned, but she could not remain angry at her, or her intentions, for long. Cynthia had always been her most steadfast supporter, and her closest friend. She might have been a bit...bubble headed sometimes, but she was the real heart of Ylisse. Dealing with Morgan, on the other hand, had been terrible. He hadn't improved at all. The moment he saw any of the twelve, he reverting to a screaming madman, flailing against his chains. When they were gone, he faded to his lamenting, barely even existing. None had yet asked Lucina how long she intended to do this, but she knew that they were all thinking it. Maybe he just...was not there anymore? Had Grima corrupted him so fully? Was her last strike against them to claim her entire family, leaving her well and truly alone in this world? Lucina found herself in a calming place, before one of the statues of Lady Tiki she'd had constructed after the war. It was small and modest, not at all what she deserved, but Tiki would have rather seen the resources go to helping the people, not honoring her. And so they had, leaving a small stone statue of her likeness to be the shrine of Ylisse. No precious metals, no jewels, nothing like the shrines to Naga that she had seen in her youth. Still, she needed guidance now, and she knew that Tiki would never guide her the wrong way.

And so she prayed. She prayed as deeply as she could. Prayed for her brother to regain his mind, prayed for him to have a life of peace again, prayed for anything. She was honestly surprised when a familiar voice pierced her mind.

"I cannot restore his mind, Lucina. He does not wish it restored. His delirium is his refuge..."

Her eyes snapped open, looking about the room. She'd heard her voice, she knew it. "Lady Tiki? Lady Tiki! Please, where are you?"

Again the voice spoke to her mind. "I am always with you Lucina. Though my interference is...limited."

Lucina spoke, instead of thinking now. "But what did you mean, he doesn't want to recover? Has Grima's power changed him totally?" She asked, despair filling her heart.

"No, the kind and loving child you knew still exists. But he does not wish to be found. He choose to fight his friends, his family, and all of humanity. He was manipulated by Grima to perform horrible things. He cannot cope with such things, nor does he wish to. Grima claimed his life long ago, he lives as but a scar of her horrible power."

Lucina stomped her foot in frustration. "That cannot be! After all we've done, all we accomplished, I cannot even grant my brother peace lest I slay him?"

Silence.

"Lady Tiki! Please answer me! There must be something, anything I can do!" She shouted out in despair.

The voice pierced her mind again. "There is something...one way that might still. But Lucina, to do this would be to never see your brother again, and I cannot promise his life would be happy. Only that he would have another chance. What he does with it, will be his own choice once again..."

The choice was simple to her. "Anything is better then the future for him here. Please Lady Tiki...please save my brother..." She begged.

She could swear she almost heard Tiki's sweet laugh in her ears. "My lady, it is I who am still in your debt. I am honored to help you one last time..."

Morgan slept in the corner of his cell, darkness and terror filling the troubled mind of his, when he became aware of an incredible power brewing around him. His eyes shot open, to find that his shackles had fallen from his body. Free to move, he also saw a spec of light seeming to come from the stone wall of the prison. How curious, was this some manifestation of power? Perhaps he could use it to escape this vile place...yes, and take revenge for Master Grima. The light began growing bigger, engulfing more and more of the wall as it did so. Morgan looked upon the large wall of light before him, curious as to what it was he was seeing. A gate of some kind? The power reeked of Naga, what was that foul dragon up to now? Had not his Master killed her? But still, in this wall he felt his Master's power. Weaker then usual, but there, and growing stronger with every moment. His eyes lit up with delight. Yes...Master Grima was certainly through this gate. He did not pause a moment before leaping in, ecstatic to serve his lord and master once again.

He found himself surrounded by a sea of colors. Blues, greens, silvers, this was certainly a font of Naga's power. But Naga could not imitate Master Grima's power, which meant that power he had sensed was true. And he was drawing closer and closer to it. As he did, an odd sensation washed over him. What power was he drawing closer to again? What power had been the reason for coming here? Grima? Right Grima. He came into this place because of Grima. He remembered feeling...determined...dedicated when he stepped in. Dedicated...to someone? Who? He saw something in his mind's eye, a face. A woman's face, a long braid of pink hair, dark robes like his own, handing a large book to him. She smiled brightly at him as she spoke.

"It's one of my favorite books. It details my basic battle strategies. Perhaps it might benefit one so obviously fond of tacticians."

That was right! He loved tactics, strategies, battle plans. Just like that woman had...just like mother had! Yes! Mother gave him this book! That was why he'd gone through this, to find mother! She was through here, wasn't she?

And the next thing that assailed his mind was the feeling of consciousness returning to him. He blinked twice, looking up at the clear, blue sky. He leaned up, finding himself in a grassy field. W..what had happened? He felt the book, tucked into his robes, and pulled it out. This was...right! His mother's book, she was a great tactician! He needed to go find her, right away! She had to be around here somewhere, after all she'd been right here just a minute ago.

With a smile plastered onto his face, the young boy stood up, dusted himself off, and began walking north towards an odd set of ruins. Something like that would certainly interest her, so it would be as sound as any place to look! One of these days he'd prove just how much he'd learned from her!

AN: Welp, this was my take on the sorrowful tale of Morgan. I hope you all liked the retelling as much as I did, because I feel that this actually answers a LOT of questions about Morgan if you marry the Avatar to Chrom. Re-read some of the dialogue and see how the story fits if you like. The Future Past and Morgan's Recruitment were used mostly. Remember to leave a review!