Tactics and Sanity
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fire Emblem.
Robin is setting up his strategies in his Tactical Tent as Frederick will call it. Right now the Shepperds are going to invade Castle Valm. Now most tacticians will draw up various maps, go through countless lists, and devise battle plans.
Robin prefers to play with toys. Ylisse's Grandmaster, at the age of 20, likes to play with toys. Not that anyone has any problems with that. If Vaike, the muscle head of the group, can understand what Robin's plans are 100% of the time, then there is no reason to change it, as long as Robin spends the funds on the new pieces reasonably. Chrom trusts his best friend with his life, but not with his money.
"Hmmm…based on intel we got from Gaius and Sumia, it seems like the enemies will go a Split-Blockade formation. That means they will be splitting the army up in smaller squads to slow us down." With that in mind, Robin sets up his 'enemy' units to where the enemies will be on his diorama of his battlefield. The next step is to pull out his deck of dossier cards on the Shepperds and do reviews on who is good to fight. Such information will be devastating if it were to fall into the enemy's hands, so Robin put the cards in a magical case where no spell or weapon can break it, and the only way to open it is by saying the secret password that no one knows about, not even Chrom.
"Hey Daddy." said the ever grumpy snow headed mercenary, Severa, Robin's future daughter.
"Oi Severa? What are you doing here?" asked Robin smiling.
A Severa blushes as he she grits her teeth, and quickly replies, "I-I just came back to give you your stupid cards! It's not like I want to see you!"
"I love you too sweetie." said Robin until he noticed what Severa said "…wait…'cards'?"
Severa quickly shoves Robin's dossier cards back to his hand, as said Grandmaster looks at them dumbfounded. He pulls out his magic box that can only open by saying a certain word, until-
"Garoogamesh." said Severa bluntly as the box mysteriously opens to reveal…nothing! Robin looks at the box, then his daughter, then the box, and back to his daughter.
"How-"
"Morgan wanted to devise some of her own strategies, but knowing my sister, she would probably forget after Pegasus Knight Practice." she explained "But seriously? 'Garoogamesh'? What kind of word is that?!"
"Come on, no one would've guessed that!" defended Robin.
"Well…I did!" retorted Severa.
"That's because you're my daughter!"
"Morgan couldn't figure it out!"
"Wait you told Morgan the secret password?!"
Severa stops and tries to change the topic as she spies Robin's diorama. This isn't the first time she seen her father use said diorama, but something is off. Robin sighs, but it was a calming one. "Don't worry Severa, we'll spend some time together later. Right now, I need to finalize my strategies and send it to Chrom."
Severa takes one hard look at where Robin put his presumed allies and shrilly said, "With the Full Front Shield formation? Are you daft?!"
"Huh?" was all could Robin say, for this is the first time someone disagrees with his plan. Above all else, it is his own flesh and blood. "Severa our foe is using a Split-Blockade Formation. Typically the Shepperds are more talented than the enemy, plus we can crush them with our numbers as well. I hardly see the problem with that formation." Robin explained as he is glad that Severa understands, yet worries that Severa seems annoyed.
"The problem is that with that kind of formation, it will take a long time to go after each squad individually. We also are on a time limit since Walhart can get reinforcements in a matter of who knows what and flank us from behind!" countered Severa as she picks up the pieces of the Shepperds "The OBVIOUS answer is to use a Lighting Strike tactic, which involves some of our most mobile units, splitting them into two groups, and take out the squads faster."
Robin narrows his eyes as he can see where Severa is going with this idea, but… "I agree that we will be on a time limit of sorts. While Lighting Strike tactic will be good if we need to capture an area quickly, it does pose some severe threats." He directs Severa's attention to the forts "If we fail to capture these forts, then enemy reinforcements WILL come, and that will potentially kill one of our weakened allies."
"…So you're saying my plan was bad?" asked Severa as she internally growls at herself, with most people know her inferiority complex, except for Robin.
"Not bad per se, but that plan leaves a lot of blindspots." explained Robin.
Severa keeps on growling at herself until something dawned on her. "Hey wait a minute! Wouldn't that mean the Full Front Shield formation suffer as well? Due to the steady pace, and stockpiling our most defensive units up front, we are leaving our side AND our backs exposed." Robin is sorta flabbergasted, mainly because Severa is right. "Okay so maybe Lighting Strike isn't the best option, but we need to end this battle fast!"
Robin ponders on his daughter's statements, smiles, and says "Well mind helping your old man Severa?"
Severa seems annoyed at first, but says "W-Whatever! It's not like I want to do tactics with you! That's Morgan's thing! I…I just want to prove that I'm not as dumb as people say I am!"
2 Hours Later…
"Sorry about that father." said a downtrodden blue haired Inigo to Chrom "I guess I should have suspected that lady was in cahoots with those bandits."
"Inigo, stop already." said the exalt himself "Admittedly, I AM disappointed that you just rushed into danger without backup. At the same time, I do understand why you just rushed in."
"…I'll try to be more careful next time, okay?" said Inigo.
"Fair enough, but make sure you bring some backup like Gerome, Laurent, or Cynthia." smiled Chrom "There is only so much one man can do, you know?" he said as they both enter the Tactics Tent.
"Umm…actually father, there's something I have to-huh? Do you hear…arguing?" asked Inigo as he and his father look at each other and nods. They can tell the voices belong to both Robin and Severa. The two blue hairs nod to one another and spy their two white hair friends.
"Severa I do not know if it is a good idea." pondered Robin thinking of Severa's plan.
"It HAS to work. Sure it's risky splitting our forces up, but the enemy will be too confused to do anything before we get them."
Chrom and Inigo listen to the pair's strategy in secret when Chrom off handedly mentions, "Huh…this is surprising…"
"Yeah…I sometimes forget that Sevs is Uncle Robin's daughter. I know she is pretty smart, but I forgot how smart."
Then they are caught off guard when Robin said, "We will not use Inigo as a decoy to lure the enemies away."
"…What?"
"If people from the Verdant Forest fell for a bandit who didn't even TRY to disguise himself, what are the chances of them mistaking Inigo as Chrom? They might as well be long lost brothers!"
Robin and Severa look at each other, daring to say another word, until Severa decides that "Wait…I forgot that Frederick sent all those posters of Chrom to practically the whole world."
"You mean the one with Chrom not wearing a thing?"
"The same."
Inigo looks at Chrom who can see his eye twitching and looks like he is on the verge of tears. Inigo escorts his father out of the tent and take him somewhere private.
3 Hours later…
Cordelia and Morgan entered the Tactics Tent to let Robin and Severa know that supper is ready. However when they got there…
"Daddy, if we do a Lunar Eclipse Formation, we will have to pray those Eclipses actually hit!" objected Severa.
"Not unless we get some of our archers to do the aiming and sniping for them." replied Robin.
Severa then writes something down on a piece of paper, and frowns. "And reduce our own attack force? We don't have enough!"
"Make it planetary and fix the sun!"
At this point, not even Cordelia can understand as Morgan just stares at the pair. Cordelia leads Morgan out of the tents and apologizes. "I know you want to work on tactics with your father Morgan."
"…It's…alright." said Morgan "Somehow…this feels…" Morgan is struggling to find the word she is looking for.
"Right?"
"Yeah…like…this isn't the first time Severa will put her own thoughts to a strategy." Morgan starts to smile a little and laughs "In fact, I think most of my plans work BECAUSE sis was smart enough to point out any flaws there were."
"It appears so. I didn't even understand about 'fixing the sun' or the jargon." smiled Cordelia "To be honest, I am glad. I was worried that, besides hair color, Severa didn't inherit anything from Robin. I am relieved to hear otherwise."
"Yeah! I know how you felt! I thought besides hair color and being a Pegasus Knight, I wasn't sure if I really was your daughter." Cordelia smiles as she asks what changed her mind. "it's the fact that we're both poor runners of course!"
"…Ummm…Morgan…why not keep that fact to ourselves…?"
After some intense training of Frederick's exercises, playing 'tag' with Gaius, dance lessons from Olivia, and a duel with his son, Chrom decides to check on his tacticians.
At the perfect time, Robin smiles as Severa is rubbing her head. "Great news Chrom. Severa and I debated long and hard, but we have the best strategy yet. It covers ALL the blind spots, keeps our defenses up, and can hit the enemies hard." said an eager Robin.
Robin hands the Exalt a bunch of papers. Chrom may not be the smartest person out there, but he can definitely see how the strategy works. Ever since that day, Robin makes sure that he will be a master of tactics, and this definitely shows.
"Thanks friend. The only way this could be screwed up is if Walhart jumps into the heat of action."
Robin's brilliant smile goes to a frown as all he could say is "What?"
"You DO know that Walhart is the type of person that prefers to be at the forefront of any battle."
Severa stops rubbing her head as she shouts "GAWDDAMNIT! We forgot to take in account of the Conqueror!"
Robin's eye starts twitching as he says, "Hold on Chrom, Severa and I will rework the whole thing."
"N-No you two need your rest-" objected Chrom weakly.
"We'll rest when we kill Walhart and his legion! Come on Severa!" Robin goes back to his diorama.
"Gawds…I hate being tired…but we need to re-do our whole strategy on how to kill him." said Severa as she goes to her father "Okay sso first thing is that will Walhart-"
Chrom scratches his head and leaves the two alone.
The next morning, at the break of dawn, Chrom decides to check on Robin and Severa in the Tactics Tent. Upon entry he is greeted of the image of the Grandmaster and the Dreamer snoozing peacefully inside. He sees a note right on top of Robin which says:
Chrom,
Here are the notes of our plan. We even took in account Severa and I will be out for a while.
Good luck!
Chrom smiles as he says, "Thank you friend. We won't let you down" He takes one glance at the notes and abruptly says "Huh…'PS:If Owain tries anything funny to Morgan, please use the attached Shockstick to teach him a lesson.'"