The Present Past

Chapter 1: Awakening

Before I forget, DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FIRE EMBLEM OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS.

Robin's eyes slowly fluttered open and he heard a voice. It was feminine and higher pitched, so likely a young woman or a teenage girl. "Chrom! We have to do something!" The girl exclaimed. A deeper voice responded, "Well, what do you propose we do?" The voice, likely Chrom, was deeper, so likely male. "I-I dunno!" The girl stammered back.

By now, Robin was fully conscious, and the two figures next to him noticed. His deductions were correct. One man, one woman. The woman turned to face him, her pigtails bouncing as she lowered herself. "Hey there." She greeted and giggled. The man smirked and remarked, "There are better placed to take a nap than on the ground, you know." Then he paused, "Give me your hand."

He held his hand for Robin to grab. Robin accepted his offer and reached his own hand out. Chrom pulled him up. "You all right?" He asked. Robin blinked, trying to ignore the headache he had. "Y-yes. Thank you, Chrom."

Chrom nodded. "Ah, then you know who I am?" Robin shrugged. "Kind of." He gestured towards Lissa and continued, "She said your name, and I only know the name Chrom from one place." A tall knight in blue armour stepped forwards, grabbing a lance. "Then you know who milord is. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to take a couple steps back."

Not wanting to be impaled, Robin stepped back. Chrom put his arm in front of the knight. "Peace Frederick. Not everyone we meet is a spy or an assassin." He turned to Robin. "Anyway, what is your name and what brings you here?" Robin shrugged again.

"My name is Robin. As far what I'm doing? Well, I kind of wander. I was heading towards Southtown because I extremely underestimated how much food I had." Chrom laughed and pulled a piece of bread out of a saddle bag. "Here. Have this for now. We'll take you back to Southtown and get you some food."

Then, the girl standing next to Chrom, who is confirmed to be Lissa, the princess of Ylisse, simply by Chrom's identity, walked up to Robin. She grabbed his thin arm and exclaimed, "Geez! We need to get you some food! I'm pretty sure you passed out from malnourishment!"

The knight, Frederick, shook his head. "No. If he is a spy or assassin, he would get a prime opportunity in Southtown." Robin held his hands up. "Whoa, I won't hurt them." He grabbed the bronze sword he had sheathed at his hip and handed it to Frederick. "Here, you can have this. I won't hurt them, and I'll just head to Southtown on my own.

Chrom grabbed Robin's sword. "No. I know you won't hurt me. Have your sword. That way you can defend from bandits." Lissa nodded. "Oh yeah! I guess you should be glad the Shepherds found you! Brigiands would be a rude awakening!" Robin raised his eyebrows jokiungly. "Shepherds who tended sheep in full armour?!" Then he laughed. "I jest. You're a military unit who protect the people of Ylisse. Correct?"

Chrom nodded. "That's right. In fact, we just finished a border patrol and will be headed back to Ylisstol." Frederick frowned. "Milord! If he is a spy you just told him potentially valuable information!" Chrom sighed quietly. "I apologize for Frederick the Wary here, he is very overcautious." Frederick shook his head. "At least one of us is cautious!" He scoffed.

Robin inhaled and realized he could faintly smell smoke. Lissa gasped. "Chrom! Look! Southtown!" Robin trailed his eyes to where she was pointing. A lot of buildings in Southtown were ablaze, and he could see brigands looting.

Chrom and Lissa immediately charge off towards Southtown. Frederick hoists himself onto his horse, and follows. Robin pauses. He looks at the town. Then to his blade and spell tome. "Damn it. I can't just abandon innocents..." He mutters, and follows the trio.

Running down the road as fast as possible, Robin manages to almost catch up. While there, he finds a man, likely the chief of the bandits, harassing a woman. He turns to his fellow bandits and laughs, "Gwa ha ha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set to these Ylissean types!" He turns back to the woman and advances on her again. "Ain't that right, lass?" Robin can't but notice that he has a thick Plegian accent.

The woman frantically backs up and tries to push him away. "S-stay away from me! Please! Someone! HELP!" She shrieks. Robin has nearly caught up to the trio, and he hears Lissa tell Chrom, "Chrom, we have to stop them!" Chrom nods to his sister. "Don't worry. After today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone again."

Robin runs up to Chrom and shouts, "Wait!" Chrom's eyes widen. "Robin! You followed us. Why?" Robin shrugs and responds, "Well, I just can't abandon innocents. But I can fight. In fact, I've sort of studied tactics. If you'll have me, of course."

Chrom smiles. "Of course. Strength in numbers." Then he gestures Robin over. "Stick close." Frederick slightly narrows his eyes. "Remember, Robin. These are practiced thieves and murderers. They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed."

Chrom sizes up Robin. "I know you have a sword. And- Is that a tome? You know magic?" Robin nods. "That I do." Robin then looks directly at Chrom. "I've studied tactics. I can size up enemies at a glance, and can recognize weapons from afar. If you want, I could direct you." Chrom shrugs. "Sure, if you're any good."

Robin scans the enemies. He begins to think out loud, "Two myrmidons, two barbarians, and a mage in a close distance, the same amount grouped near the barbarian boss..." Robin turns to his comrades and continues, "We'll take out the bandits in close range, and I'll tell you my idea when we get closer to the boss." Robin unsheathes his blade, and the bandits begin rushing the trio.

A/N: YAY! First chaptered fic, and my second fic! (FOR NOW) Anyway, this is an idea I've had floating in my head for a while, but never really got around to writing. In case you're confused, it's a novelisation of the original timeline, where Grima runs rampant and kills everyone. (Which I may or may not be planning on writing) Thanks for reading, and I'm sure you already know the review and follow spiel, so I'll skip that. If you enjoyed, stay tuned!