I wrote this really quickly in an attempt to make something Valentine's Day themed, but FFnet was being weird so I couldn't upload it, and all that rushing was for nothing. Dx It took about an hour, to be honest…It's not my best work, but oh well. The only Mary-Sue is Priscilla. And the couple making out in the tree? You decide...x3
This is dedicated to all the people who don't have dates on Valentine's Day. (Single Awareness Day!)
I do not own Fire Emblem.
Now, on with the story! Ready, steady, GO!
Birds were chirping, the sun was shining, it was warm, and the sky was clear, except for a few white, fluffy clouds that couldn't possibly hold any rain at all. The day looked promising.
And yet…
On top of a hill stood a small tent, worn and obviously forced to endure harsh weather. The sturdy and thick brown canvas of the tent did not allow much light to seep inside it and into the eyes of the young tactitian who had buried herself in a mound of blankets, lying face down. But the lack of sunlight made no difference. She was awake, and hated herself for it.
"Oh, Elimine. Oh, please, Elimine, don't let it be that day. Please, oh, please…" Her pleas were muffled by the pillow she held fast atop her head. She suddenly rose, her short brown hair suffering a severe case of bed head, and said nothing for a long time, listening to the sounds of spring.
"...No sign of abnormality. I guess it's not today. It seems like it's safe to come out now." In silence she pulled on a brown robe, and although it wasn't necessary, felt the need to wear her trademark green cloak as well. "I was expecting some excitement. It's been kind of boring, lately," she told herself. "But at least it's not—"
"IT'S VALENTINE'S DAAAYYYY" screamed Serra, hugging the tactician with one arm (Erk was being dragged along against his will by the other arm). "Oh, Rie, it's my favorite holiday! Of course I'm going to have dozens and dozens of admirers. This army is full of men, and…"
Rie gazed down sympathetically at Erk who was in a desperate struggle to get away from Serra's surprisingly tight grip. "Well, at least there's something to do…" she muttered as the cleric's chatter continued.
----
Having narrowly escaped Serra, Rie made her way through the camp.
"They're already separating into couples…" She scowled as the army steadily broke off into groups of two. "Wait a minute—" She whipped her head around and saw a couple kissing passionately in a tree. Blushing, she sprinted away before trying to figure out who the two were, and she made her way to a lake. She sat down dejectedly and tried to skip a rock. It landed with a less-than-delicate splash and sank to the bottom of the lake.
"I hate this holiday. It's just to make the poor losers who haven't got dates feel lonely…" And Rie was indeed lonely. She had always been too absorbed in her studies for boys, and she had always been a plain-looking girl. "It's not fair…" She threw another rock, which made another loud splash. She turned her head and shielded her face to avoid getting wet, and to her surprise, saw that her Valentine's Day wasn't the only dysfunctional one.
"You love her, too…?" That was Erk. No doubt, she couldn't miss that hair and cloak. And that face…Rie shook her head to clear her mind. She noticed that he sounded a bit embarrassed, but that was to be expected.
"I…I do. Nothing will change that. Nothing." And the other had to be Guy. Such determination, even in such an awkward situation…Rie admired him for that.
So the two of them are in love with the same girl…she thought. What a lucky girl…I'd give anything to have two guys after me—Wait. I'm sure that I saw all the women already paired off. Her eyes widened. What if…no…it couldn't be…By now, she had turned bright red, and she buried her face in her hands.
"We're rivals now, you know that, right?"
"Of course. I-I won't let you win..!"
"Neither will I…"
It can't be! Oh…I've always wished for something like this to happen…she thought gleefully. This must be a dream! Someone pinch me!
A few feet away, Lowen tripped on a twig and a pot sailed towards Rie, inevitably giving her a good lump on the head.
"S-so it's not a dream" she mumbled, in a daze.
"Lady Rie, are you all right?!" Lowen asked.
"I'm fine…" she sat up, clutching her head. "Ow…"
"Are you all right? That looked painful…" Erk and Guy were standing over her, both with a genuine look of concern on both their faces.
"Eeep!" Rie turned pink. "I-I'm all right, thank you! Ah! I just realize that-that I have to go…umm…help Lady Lyndis with something! Goodbye!" And with that, she sprinted away.
"What's wrong with her…?" Guy asked Lowen.
"Oh no, that pot must have caused some serious damage…do either of you know where Serra is?"
----
Panting and exhausted, Rie sank to the ground underneath a shady tree.
Today is TOO eventful! Aaah... she looked up into the branches, light raining down upon her in fragments.
"Ohohoho, what a day! Romance is wonderful, eh, Kent?" Oh, Elimine, thought Rie. Sain must be having fun today… He and Kent were talking nearby.
"I do not understand why we must celebrate such a holiday while we are in the midst of war…" Kent was serious, as always. But his face was a bit pink.
"Oh, don't tell me you don't have your eye on someone, my comrade!" Sain slapped Kent on the back forcefully, almost causing his fellow knight to fall forward.
"I…I don't…"
"Of course you do!" Sain laughed. "Lady Lyndis is radiant as always today, eh?"
"Sain!"
Heh, I knew it. Rie smiled to herself. Next battle, I'll remember to let them stand near each other.
"But there is competition, so you musn't let your guard down for a second! For example, I overheard that those two lads are going to meet with the object of their affections later today to see whom she'll choose." Sain gestured towards a familiar mage and myrmidon.
So it's true!!! Rie found herself blushing yet again. Oh, no, I hope they don't fight…
"Um…Sain…" Rie said suddenly. "I was just wondering…when…"
----
So, this is the place…? Rie thought. She was standing behind the same tree she had been earlier that day. Oh, here they come now.
Sure enough, the two came, and she was about to emerge from her hiding place. But to Rie's surprise…
OH ELIMINE NOOOOOOO!!!! Rie fell over, her hopes shattered like broken glass.
Priscilla stood before Erk and Guy, arm and arm with Heath.
No doubt, Erk and Guy had thought the exact same thing as Rie.
----
"Oh, I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up!!" Rie lay face down on her cot once again. She viciously swore, enough to make even the most foulmouthed pirate cringe.
"Umm…Rie…?" The Sacaean myrmidon timidly poked his head into the tactician's tent.
She sat up abruptly. "C-come in!" He obeyed…and immediately sunk into the chair in front of her desk, his head down in the disorganized piles of papers.
"Oh, I'm a failure! I'm no good with girls!" he cried, head still buried in Rie's battle tactics. "I might as well become a monk!"
"No, don't do that!" Rie placed a comforting hand on Guy's shoulder. "Priscilla's not the only girl in the world," she said. It was lucky that he wasn't looking at her, because she was holding back a flurry of curses with extreme difficulty and her expression was that of pure rage. (In the next battle, Priscilla would be accidentally put in the front lines.)
"But…"
"Don't worry. Guy, you're a great person, and you should move on. Don't let something like this get you down!"
"…Thanks…" Guy finally lifted up his head, and Rie smiled sweetly at him.
Hey, this might turn out in my favor, after all!! she thought hopefully.
"I'll be here for you, so don't be afraid to come to me for help…"
"Rie…" He looked up at her…"I...I..."
Kyaaa, I hope this is going to work!!
Guy stood up. "I can't thank you enough…You've helped me so much! I'm so lucky to have you as a friend!"
"…yeah. Me too," she said, her hopes sinking again.
"Well, I have to go. I have to keep up on my training. I'm going to be the best swordsman in all of Sacae, right? Practice is important!" he exclaimed.
"I…I'm sure you're going to be, Guy."
"Thanks again!" He left.
Rie went back to her cot, lay down, and didn't move for a long, long time.
"I hate Valentine's Day…"
Thanks for reading! Please review!
And I had lots of fun writing Sain and oblivious!Guy. Guy is so cute (I think you're cu...curious! XD). Next time I'll try to write something that isn't Fire Emblem, but I doubt that I'll get out of this Fire Emblem rut for a while...so...Expect more FE goodness!