Hello all!
So I had an idea a while back about what might happen if Lucina had been sent back further along for some reason, at least for a while. If, for example, it was to protect and teach a certain tactician to maybe change fate. Lucina x Robin is one of my favourite Robin ships (aside from Robin x Cordelia and Robin x Severa), there are others that I will include in this and other stories that I write along the way.
I don't want to spoil the other pairings for now, but this story will likely be split into different parts : the first part being Lucina in the far past, the second when Lucina returns to the past she was meant to be in, and the third after the events of the Endgame. All that I hope is that I can live up to the fluffiness/embodiment of the other fantastic Fire Emblem Fanfictions that I have spent many of my evenings reading until I knew I had to write my own in order to find the specifics of what I wanted.
The other thing that I would like to point out before I start is that, in this story and my mind at least, Lucina was 17 went she went back in time. This would mean she is 19 when she joins the Shepherds as Lucina, and I then inferred (or guessed, but I like inferred better) that the other children would be around two years younger than her.
I do not own Fire Emblem, nor the characters written here.
The rain thundered down, remorseless and unforgiving at any traveler that dared stay in the torrent that flooded the streets. For one time traveler, the grim bleakness resembled the future that she originated from.
"Sweet Naga," Lucina muttered, clutching her head as a dull pain flooded through her. "I didn't expect time travel to hurt quite as much."
She examined herself, relief coursing through as she felt Falchion by her side. Her only possession from her father, and heirloom of the Exalted family, was dearer to her then anything else. Her friends' last gifts to her was also on her person: Gerome's mask, her sister's scarf, Severa's treasured candy…
Lucina?
The voice that echoed in her head soothed her. Her shoulders dropped in relief and a small smile flickered on her face for a moment. "Naga."
I am sorry, but I have little time remaining. As I was sending you all through something… happened. An interference of sorts.
Lucina gritted her teeth. "Grima?"
Not quite, yet there were lingering traces of the Fell Dragon in this music.
Lucina felt a cold fear pass travel down her spine. "What about my friends? Are they okay?"
They all managed to make it across. Naga's words calmed Lucina. However, they are scattered in places and times, yet they are closer to each other than they are to you.
"What?"
For some reason, the interference from this… thing brought you further back then I had wanted. Nearly 12 years before the point that we discussed.
12 years! Lucina gasped. "Is it… is it all for naught, then?"
No, Lucina. It will take me a while, but I will be able to transport you to the correct time once I manage to gather enough power once more. I used most of my strength in bringing you and your friends over. I have lent you some of my powers as well, so that until I can return you to where you were meant to be you will age slower than normal. However, it might not matter as much.
"Might not matter?" Lucina blinked. "If I may ask, why would it not matter that my age will progress further than what I would be?"
Look at your face, Lucina.
Lucina did so, glancing at a nearby puddle, and saw the shock mirrored upon her face, as she gazed at a younger version of herself.
"How…?"
Variations in the time travel. I would say you are a few years younger than you were before you travelled back.
Younger than Cynthia, Lucina thought glumly. Before she could say anything, the sound of footsteps caught her attention.
A young woman stumbled into the alleyway that Lucina occupied. Clad in dark robes, her snow-white hair gleaming despite the grime and rain clinging to it, her breathes came in ragged, quick gasps, both hands wrapped around something that she clung to dearly to her chest. A large, red stain was spreading from her torso, leaving an ominous trail behind her.
Lucina caught her as the woman nearly collapsed on the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot, heavy and dark. "My… my son…" she gasped.
Lucina was about to reply when a shout came from the entrance. Several armed men were standing there, grins on their faces as they held their weapons out. "Who woulda thought we'da find a gem among the dirt. Now we've a prize to share once we return that 'hore to the Master."
Lucina narrowed her eyes, and set the woman down as gently as she could behind her and against the wall. A muffled cry came from her but Lucina payed her no mind. "Would you like to repeat that?" she asked, drawing Falchion and keeping an eye on the men.
The five of them bellowed with laughter when Lucina drew her weapon. "Girl thinks she knows how to fight, huh?" One jested as he stepped closer, causing another round of laughter. "If you want, I'll go easy on-"
He didn't finish, however, as Lucina ran forward, knocking the breath out of him as she rammed his stomach. Without wasting another second she brought Falchion up and slammed the pommel into the bandit's temple, letting him slump unconscious to the ground.
The rest of the assailants grew angry and started to advance, glares taking over their nice jovial faces. Lucina grasped her blade in both hands as she readied herself.
One lunged at her, his axe raised overhead. Lucina brought Falchion up, deflecting the axe to one side while sidestepping the sword stroke coming in from the other bandit. She noted that the alley could only have two of them advance against her at a time, just as she thrust the sword into the bandit's gut.
She felt the jarring sensation as Falchion burst through him and out is back, the man gasping as blood spilled from his wound and his mouth. She slid Falchion out, shoving him to one side and stepping over him to meet the second bandit. She slashed out, catching the sword-user by surprise, knocking his weapon away with one stroke, and laying a second across his chest, leaving him to gurgle in surprise and stagger away. Immediately she raised Falchion up, blocking the strokes that were sent her way by the last two, the ease of which she did so showing their lack of skill and experience apparent to all three of them.
When an opening showed she cracked the flat of the blade over the top of one, a grunt of surprise the only thing he emitted before dropping to the ground. When the other stepped away fearfully to turn and run, she slammed her foot into his ankle and sent him sprawling, his wailing echoing around the alley. Another kick to the head silenced him, and she checked to make sure that the other assailants were unconscious.
A small whimper caught her attention. Lucina returned to the injured woman's side in an instant, mortified that she had forgotten about her. "Hush," she spoke gently. "Everything is fine now."
However, glancing down at the wound, her heart dropped as she saw how severe the wound was. She had not the training that Brady had, nor the knowledge that Laurent possessed. She rummaged in her bag for her dwindling supply of vulnerary, but a light touch stopped her. "P-p-please," the woman stuttered, raising her head to look at Lucina in the eyes. "Y-you… stopped them."
A noise distracted Lucina, and, wide eyed, she watched as a small figure tumbled from the woman's arms, wrapped in an oversized, dark cloak similar to the woman's.
"Save him… from… his father." The woman reached out to hold Lucina's hand. She held it, conflicted, knowing that she would have to leave once Naga let her. But a thought rose in her head. What would her parents do?
Lucina tried to think of any other way, but she already knew the answer. At the most, she could leave the boy at an orphanage or a place where he would be looked cared for. Lucina nodded, and the woman gave a relieved sigh and let her hand fall. Lucina was afraid that she had passed on, but then the woman let her hands encircle the boy. "Go with her," the woman murmured, pressing her lips to the head of her son. "Be… safe."
Lucina heard a shout from far away, and knew that time was running out. Without further thought she grabbed the boy and started to sprint, hearing the cries of the boy as he called for his mother. She made it to the outskirts of the town, into the shelter of the trees, and decided that, for now, they were safe.
She set the trembling, now quiet figure on the ground. "I am sorry about… about your loss," she muttered, knowing what he was going through. She too, had lost her parents at a young age. "I wish I could console you and tell you everything will be alright, but you decide to know the truth."
He suddenly moved, the heavy cloak that was meant for an adult her size falling to the ground as he suddenly crashed into her, arms around her waist as he wept, tears pouring down his face. Lucina went to hesitantly pet his head and try to calm him, when she froze.
His hair was white like his mother's, and the cloak on the ground was similar to someone she once knew, and someone, no, something that she hated above all. She crouched down, staring into the eyes of a murderer, a killer, and a betrayer. "Who are you?" she croaked.
The boy looked up at her, sniffling and surprised at the tone of her voice, yet he retained his group around her. "R-R-Robin."
I hope you all enjoyed it so far, will update as soon as I can :) Thanks for reading!
P.S The title is still a work in progress. Suggestions are welcome, as are criticisms (Please. I don't get enough of them).