As I continue to play Fire Emblem Awakening, over and over again. My love for the characters begins to grow exponentially. One character really enraptured me and that's why I wrote this. I hope you enjoy, and thank you as always.
The battle seemed to be as gruesome as any other. The disgusting smell of sweat, dust, and copper blood perfumed the air. A scent she was all too familiar with.
The monotonous groans and grunts from the Risen annoyed her to no end. And while they seemed mindless and unintelligent, the dastards still knew how to claw the hell out of a person.
It did not help that the ground was slick with a messy, gooey mixture of water and dirt creating mud. The Shepherds were coated from head to toe of the mess, occasionally causing them to slip and fall, giving them a severe disadvantage against the zombie-like creatures. But a Shepherd does not fight only when the weather is perfect, they fight through sleet or snow. Mother Nature be damned.
Her eyes began to water and her body trembled from exhaustion, the battle had been going for quite some time. It was only her own perseverance and determination that pushed her forward, as well as a certain dancer at her side.
Even while the rain muffled the sounds of the world and the mud caked her skin, Olivia continued to dance away. Her moves were smooth and graceful, giving the others the will to fight on. And she still sliced her way through enemies at the same time. Ever since joining the Shepherds she had become an asset, a tactical advantage to Robin's strategies. Plus, she was a kind and gentle soul as well.
Robin, in the heat of battle did not see the Risen approaching her from behind, clueless to the sword ready to slice her. A habit of hers she needed to do away with as soon as possible. As the Risen brought down the sharp sword on the unsuspecting tactician, a light body pushed her out of the way just in time. She fell down on the muddy ground, gasping from the sudden contact. A shriek of pain resounded next to her and she shook awake from her dazed state.
It was Olivia who had pushed her out of the way. While Robin did not see where the hit impacted, the blood seeping from Olivia's shoulder gave her an idea. The dancer was on her knees, grasping her wounded arm. She had suffered the blow for Robin.
"Olivia!" Robin shouted in distress. Curse herself for being absentminded at a time like this!
Olivia looked back at her with a weak smile, trying her best to keep her composure. She tried standing up on her feet, but the Risen had really taken a toll on her. As Olivia trembled and shook, trying to get back up, she did not notice the Risen had returned once more for blood. Robin did not have enough time to shout once again and the monster now aimed somewhere else, at Olivia's ankles. It swung it down at her feet, nicking and slicing the tendons and skin. Olivia screamed in pain as she groveled on the wet ground down below.
Refusing to allow Olivia to get hurt any longer, Robin flipped open to a page in her tome and looked for a spell strong enough to dispatch the Risen. Noticing a spell perfect for the job, she murmured the incantations and aimed the spell at the Risen. A concentrated beam of electricity escaped her fingertips and hit the Risen directly in its chest, causing the Risen to gurgle and explode into a puff of purple smog.
Robin got up to her feet and ran to Olivia's side. A sense of fear washed over her as she saw the amount of blood covering Olivia's body. While she did not want to stare at it, out of the corner of her eye she could see her ankle…and it wasn't a pretty site. Judging from the way it looked, her Achilles tendon was probably ruptured, an injury that would keep her in bed for who knows how many weeks, but she refused to think of such things at a time like this. She teared her eyes from the injury and instead focused on Olivia, who was whimpering and moaning from the pain.
"Stay calm, Oliva. I'll summon a healer!" She tried to reassure her. Robin shrugged off her cloak and wrapped it around Olivia's arm, a makeshift tourniquet to try to stop the bleeding.
Her eyes searched frantically for any sign of a healer nearby, but the rain and commotion around her did not help. She shouldn't be acting like this. She had to remain calm as times like these, especially her. Recognizing a familiar figure nearby, she shouted at her name with a sense of urgency. "LISSA! LISSA!" She wailed. At her side she could feel Olivia's breaths begin to dimmer and slow down. Lissa appeared before her with her healing staff ready in her hands. Knowing too well the severity of injuries during battle, she began to address the Olivia's wounds. Robin's eyes alternated between the dancer and the young cleric as time seemed to slow down around her. She was ripped apart from her dear friend whose eyes did not open. Gods, if anything happened to Olivia because of her carelessness… The battle ended soon after, but everything was a blur at that moment. She did not remember much after that.
…
A few days pasted after the whole incident. Lissa had managed to stabilize Olivia, curing her wounds and stitching her right back up. She was under a lot of medication and Lissa's watchful eye. Even when under Lissa's watch these past few days, the girl was still in a lot of pain. Her ankle was swollen to no end, and she would occasionally get sharp pains that would make her twist and turn. The Shepherds would often come to visit, bearing get well gifts and kind words. Chrom, who was fretful of her condition, practically never left her side. The only one who refused to come visit her was Robin, not because she was busy, but because she refused to meet Olivia's eye.
She blamed herself for what happened to Olivia. Because of her carelessness and novice-like skills, she caused the harm of another fellow soldier. She could not forgive herself for that…But she could not avoid Olivia as well, she had to take responsibility for her actions. She knew that Olivia would not be upset with her, she was just like that, and that hurt the most.
Finally gaining the courage to face Olivia, she stood in front of the infirmary tent. She breathed out and then in, it was now or never. She opened the flap of the tent and walked in.
When she walked in she was greeted with the dancer sitting on the edge of the bed, with a grimacing look on her face. She stared down at her damaged foot which was completely bandaged up and gave it a longing look as though she already missed dancing. Seeing her in this state caused her heart to stir. It was all her fault.
"H-Hello, Olivia," Robin gulped.
Her head snapped up and she quickly retreated back into the bed sheets, trying to hide her wounds to the best of her ability. Her expression of sorrow twisted to one of fake happiness, a wavering smile stretched across her face. "Oh, Robin. It's you," she said unenthusiastically.
Robin inched towards her with her head bowed down and her arms neatly folded behind her back. "…How have you been doing? Recovering well?" She questioned.
"I'm much better! Lissa said I can start walking in no time. It'll only take a couple of weeks…or so she guesses."
Robin blinked. "Oh…that was pretty quick. I was expecting-"
"She doesn't know when I can start dancing though," Olivia interrupted.
Robin deflated. "Oh."
An awkward silence grew between them. Robin still refused to meet Olivia's eye, and Olivia herself was growing redder by the minute. She gripped her bed sheets tightly and trembled before Robin.
"I'm sorry, Oliva!" Robin quickly blurted out, breaking the silence.
"What-"
"It's- It's my fault. All of this. Your ankle, your injuries, even how you act. This isn't you Olivia, not the lovable, kind Olivia that I know." Robin shook her head and pointed at Olivia's ankle. "Because of me that happened. And now- and now…" Her voice broke away. "You can't dance…for who knows how long."
"Robin…"
"Gods, I really messed up didn't I?" Robin said with a wry smile.
"…Everything will be better." Olivia said softly.
"Huh?"
Olivia mustered up a smile. "It might seem like a long time, but…I'll get better. And when I can dance again, I'll make the best dance anyone's ever seen!"
"You don't have to pretend you're not angry with me, Olivia, I would understand."
"I've danced on stages from all around the world, Robin, I know how to fake a smile when I want to. But this time, I mean it. What I did for you…I would do it again."
"That's not-"
Olivia giggled. "Wouldn't you have done the same thing for me, Robin?"
Robin stayed quiet because she knew that Olivia was right. She would do for any of the Shepherds.
"Plus, I'm not much of a use anyways, all I do is dance and I don't even do it quiet well, to be honest." Olivia confessed.
"Nonsense, Olivia! You've been an asset to this army since the very beginning. Basilio did not lie when he said you were a Feroxi treasure, you truly are!" Robin contradicted.
Olivia flushed and frowned. "Oh, don't say things like that. That's so embarrassing!"
"But it's true! Now because of your injury, I'll have to completely change my strategy. Your dancing made soldiers work twice as hard, and without you, then they won't be as motivated."
Olivia looked at her with utter horror. "Oh great, now I'm just a burden! Chrom is going to kick me from the Shepherds, countless soldiers will get hurt or killed! The morale will go down, everyone's going to!-"
Robin quickly stopped her. "No one's going to kick you from the Shepherds, Olivia. For Gods sakes, Chrom is your husband! Why would he ever do that? I just have to readjust my strategy, that's all there is to it." She reassured her.
"Can't you find some sort of replacement in the meantime? Someone to fill my space while I heal? I could even teach them if possible." Olivia insisted on.
Robin sighed. "If there was someone else I wouldn't be worrying as much, but it really is only you."
Olivia brightened. "What about, Inigo? He wants to be a dancer as well. Will he work?"
"As much as Inigo is a good dancer…I don't think he would work."
Olivia made a face. "But…why not?"
Robin gave her a sheepish smile. "It's just, well. Inigo is a bit different from you, Olivia. You're more…likeable. Optimistic, encouraging."
"What?!" Olivia looked offended.
"No offense! Er, he's more efficient as a unit in the front-lines like Chrom!" She rapidly said.
Olivia fiddled with the bed sheets and slumped her shoulders. "I guess you're right. He is much stronger than me, a lot like Chrom."
The two remained silent once again, trying to find a solution to the problem at hand. After the noiselessness continued for some time, Olivia gave Robin a strange look and stared at her. She studied her figure and stance, looking her up and down. That's when an idea occurred to her.
"Robin. You said you need someone that's optimistic and encouraging right?" Asked Olivia.
"Yes that's right. Someone who can really push forward the soldier's forward, giving them something worth fighting for." Replied Robin.
"And I'm sure they must be in decent shape and could learn my dances pretty quickly."
"That would be the best, yes. I'm not looking for someone exactly like you, rather, someone who could manage."
Olivia gave her a small smile. "Then wouldn't…you, be a good candidate, Robin?" Olivia said timidly.
"E-Excuse me?" Robin said surprised.
"Yes! Yes! You would be perfect Robin! You're everything you're looking for."
Robin shook her hands and head furiously. "N-no, there's no way I could ever- Olivia I'm the tactician, I can't. I just…" Robin stammered.
"But you yourself said it would be extremely hard for you to change your strategy around. If we need a tactician you have Morgan, don't you? You said you wanted to him a chance to run a battle." She said a little braver.
Robin ran her hand through her hand and gazed up at the tent ceiling. "I just- I don't." She sighed.
"Oh, please Robin! I don't want the others to work hard while I stay here doing nothing. I have to help just like everyone else. If you replace me then I could teach you and be some sort of a use, if at all. If you really think that I'm not useless then you'll do this."
"T-That's just low!"
"Please, Robin. Please!" Olivia begged.
Robin hid her face in her hands and groaned. "…I can't believe I'm going through with this," she bit out.
"Oh my gosh. This is- really Robin?!" Olivia said excitedly.
"Yes! Yes I am! But remember this, I'm only doing this because I like to learn new things. That's it!"
Right when they reached their agreement, the tent flap opened and Lissa walked in. "Oh, hey Robin! Came to visit Olivia, huh?" She giggled. "That's Robin for you. Always caring about the others."
"Oh you wouldn't believe the things I do for this army," she said fatigued.
"Well, I'm actually going to have to tell you to leave. I've got to unwrap Olivia's bandages and she needs her rest, sorry." Said Lissa.
Robin waved her away. "She's all yours," she said while scuttling away.
"I'll visit your tent when Lissa allows me to walk once again, alright Robin?" Olivia shouted after her.
Robin nodded and left the tent. Her mind went numb and she went straight to her tent. When she arrived she opened her strategy book and flipped to the first page.
'All units have different abilities and strengths. Use them wisely. If unit is injured or missing, replace immediately or adapt strategic procedure. Avoid continuous changes in strategy, a constant formation is advised.'
Robin scoffed and closed the book. "Adapt strategic procedure or replacement…yeah right." The things she did for this army.