A much belated hello to you all! As you may remember, in late March/early April I posted a "100 little pieces" challenge response for the Joshua/Natasha pairing. I said that I would re-vamp it shortly; but in between personal issues, finishing out my school year, and taking dual-credit English all summer, I hadn't the time to do so.
Now, since over four months have gone by, I figured I owed more to you all than an editing of a piece that has since been mostly forgotten. With that in mind, I bring you a "Fanfic 100" response for the same beloved pairing of the cleric and the mercenary. The last five are "author's choice"—so, those will be redone responses to your favorites of the "100 little pieces". Like before, it will be posted in two chunks of 50 responses each. Reviews are appreciated, but never begged for—but if you do choose to review, could you please tell me which were your favorites (and possibly why)? It helps me to see what the general audience of my work responds best to.
I don't own Fire Emblem. Enjoy, darlings!
-)(-
1. Beginnings
He
came to the town looking for gold. It was a wise choice, Joshua
thought—there was an arena, and a job to be done, and Serafew was
sure to have a bustling economy, so maybe—
And
golden hair flew up from around the corner.2.
Middles
"Good
evening, Joshua...I regret that this is the first time I've been able
to talk to you since, well...Since we both joined the
army..."
"Well, then maybe we should get stuck in the middle of the supply wagon together more often, hmm...?".
3.
Ends
Every
story she told—and she told a lot of them, since they were tools to
keep minds off of the arrow in their side or the gash in their
leg—had a happy ending. But, he wondered, did she believe in them
herself?
4.
Insides
When
you had both seen what the insides of a human looked like, it made
talking about it a little easier.
5.
Outsides If he
would take off that hat, he'd look more like a prince.
If she
would take off that hood, she'd be even more gorgeous.
"How
long have you been at it?" Joshua asked the cleric as she blinked
against the light of the lantern to see the wounds on Forde's torso.
"Four hours," She wearily replied. But
her hands moved as deftly as ever.
7.
Days
Their
days of travel, which numbered about five to every one spent in
battle, were filled with sitting in the healer's wagon and talking.
Joshua had a feeling that, with Natasha, if they had met under
circumstances other than a war; that their time together would be
spent in the same fashion anyway.
8.
Weeks
"So...you
found out about your emperor; fled your country, and have been living
as a traitor to Grado ever since?" He asked her. The woman looked
down and nodded. "Hey, my country probably considers me a traitor,
too. But...what I want to know is, how long were you on the run?".
She glanced to the side, trying to recall. "Um...maybe two weeks?".
He handed her his chunk of bread silently. Just as silently, she refused it.
9.
Months
"How
long have we known each other?".
"A little over five months, I believe...".
"Well, then! That's more than enough time for me to be able to give you a nickname, now isn't it, 'Tash?"
"J-Joshua!"
10.
Years
The
intensity of it all made her head throb and her heart clench. The war
was an awful, terrible thing; it ruined lives and homes and people,
oh, the people! and
it felt like it had gone on for years on end. Yet, every time he came
into her tent with a smile or a scratch, she was glad
for
the stretch of time the war consumed.
And,
oh, shouldn't she be ashamed
of that?!11. Red
Looking
at him among the rest of the royal heirs of Magvel, Natasha realized
why most Jehannans had red hair. They were all covered with sand,
sand that blended Innes' hair into his flesh and made the Renais
twins have tresses that were absolutely unremarkable in hue.
But the bright, vibrant crimson that trailed down Joshua's back was simply a rich auburn now.
12.
Orange
"And,
really, isn't it a silly
thing to name the fruit after what color it is! Most names of things
can be traced, you know—in fact, the plum's name comes from a word
meaning 'something desirable', due to the fruit's sugary flavor—but
to just call it an orange!".
Joshua nodded mutely to the Freilan prince—who was now well past rambling—and glanced to Natasha. "Keep talking to him," She murmured, never stopping her frantic grinding of the roots spread over her worktable. "It might not be on topic, but at least he's coherent. I have to know how far that poison's spreading," Natasha explained. He sighed, and looked back to Innes.
"...And it's waxy!"
"You don't say...hey, Innes, do you hate oranges or something?".
13.
Yellow
Everybody
in the army was gathered for the coronation of the new ruler of
Grado, so he wasn't shocked to see Amelia there, weaving in and out
of the assembled group. He waved to her, and she came over to him
with a smile—as well as two dresses in her hands.
"Lord Joshua! Where is Sister Natasha?" She asked him breathlessly, shaking the garments in her hands. "She has yellow hair like I do, so I was wanting her to tell me which one of these to change into...".
He grinned. "First off, sweetheart, her hair's gold like yours, not yellow. And, my advice? Stick with the red. It's sort of your...thing".
14.
Green
"This
is Jehanna? But everything's so...green," Natasha blinked, peering
out of the tent flap.
He laughed. "It's just mostly desert. We've got vegetation here, too, you know".
15.
Blue
Her
eyes weren't the bright, startling blue of the Renais princess or
prince. They were a deeper hue of the color, less lagoon and more
ocean, and were more likely to be focused on a patient than onto his
face.
Joshua liked the sea better, anyway.
16.
Purple
He
stared at the tailor before him, not sure if he should laugh or begin
to bash his head against the stone wall in frustration. After a
moment's pause, he was able to speak to the man.
"Well, that's very...nice. But I'm getting married, not going to a masquerade ball...".
"But, my liege! You are the possessor of the throne of Jehanna, and—!".
"I am not wearing a purple overcoat. Period".
17.
Brown
As
unholy as the thought was, when the rain began to fall in sheets,
Joshua was glad that clerics didn't wear the drab brown of their male
counterparts.
18.
Black
The
wound was a rotting, festering, stinking, dying
sort of black, that much Joshua knew. Natasha sadly looked at Kyle
from her place by his side, hid the injury from his eyes while
replacing his bandages. "It's...it's necrosed, Sir Kyle," She
said. "I'm so, so sorry; but to save your life, I have
no choice but to amputate your leg from the knee down...".
The
knight looked sick with himself as he replied. "I...I understand,
ma'am. It's my fault, for not coming to you earlier". But
Joshua knew, from the look on her face, that Natasha was placing the
blame for the amputation on herself. He loved and hated her for
that.19.
White
"Can
you wear that color with a clean conscious, Sister?" One of the men
in the port town leered as Joshua guided her away from the group with
an arm around her back.
Offended, angered by the question—How dare he question her morals?!—he whirled his head around to snarl back, or maybe draw his sword; but the woman smiled sadly at the man and replied herself.
"Yes, I can, thank you for your concern of the honesty of the clergy. Good day," Natasha said, continuing to walk down the street. That's my girl.
20.
Colourless
He
assumed that, when one fainted, they saw all kinds of colors. But
when he stood from his cot too quickly, ripping his stitches and
spinning himself into vertigo, all the man saw was nothing.
Joshua regained his senses some time later, and was greeted with dark blue and gold surrounded by white.
21.
Friends
She
couldn't remember a time (save for a few brief, terrifying moments
when he had his blade to her throat, but
let's not think about that!)
when she had considered Joshua anything less than a friend. Natasha
never told him this, of course; and he didn't exactly come running to
her with handmade friendship bracelets. But whenever he sat next to
her at dinner instead of eating with the other swordsmen or royalty,
she knew he felt the same.
22.
Enemies
Several
curses were predominant in his mind as he looked at the woman in
front of him. Dammit!
She's a cleric, she's probably telling the truth—shit, she's
beautiful...Well. We can't be enemies, now can we?
Long, tanned fingers drew the coin from his belt pouch.
23.
Lovers
Her
face was very, very red when she re-entered the wagon; and whenever
Natasha was blushing, it meant there was a good story for him to
hear. "What happened?".
She flushed even more. Oh, this would be good. "I...I am glad that there is good coming out of this war in the form of romantic attachments," Natasha began. "But, having stumbled on two members of the army engaged in the precursory measures of certain physical acts, I feel that I must express...a certain astonishment".
"That people are in love? It happens every day, Natasha. There's nothing novel about two young lovers becoming seized by passion," He teased, "Especially when it's springtime...something about the weather seems to make clothes fall right off...".
"...Well, yes. But that's not what astonishes me. It's the fact that they're foolish enough to do so in a very public place— the bushes behind the privies do not offer a lot of privacy".
Joshua howled.
24.
Family
"My
family? Oh, they're boring,"
He told her. "What about yours?".
"My parents make candles in southern Grado," Natasha told him.
"Candle-makers, huh? Is that why you joined the clergy?".
She frowned sharply. "Really!".
25.
Strangers
"Why
did you come up to me that day," He asked. "Didn't your mother
tell you not to talk to strangers?".
"You weren't a stranger. You were in the war just like I was".
"...If you had made such a connection with any other man in that troop, Natasha, you'd be dead".
She smiled at him. "Probably. Guess I got lucky, hmm?".
26.
Teammates
He
had always assumed that the woman he would make queen would be beside
him with a sword in hand, his companion on the battlefield—because
that was how his parents were, after all.
Instead, he found himself beside her, watching in horror and awe and ohpleasemakeit, pleasesavethem; passing rolls of gauze or bracing a bone or counting heartbeats. He was her teammate in her work, and it beat his swordplay any day.
27.
Parents
"This
isn't fair. My parents are both dead, you don't have to—".
She sighed in irritation. "Really, Joshua. Don't start pulling that one...you're going to meet Mother and Father before we are wed".
"...Can I just meet your mother, then? Women tend to not want to kill me...".
"Oh, now you're just being ridiculous...".
28.
Children
She
turned to him, mortified, her breath hitching as her hands clasped at
the ends of her hood, the knuckles as white as the fabric.
"They...they can't be..." Natasha whispered, and he moved to
catch her when her knees buckled. "Are those all...No. No, it's
not..." Her eyes looked over the burning
pyre, taking in each body laid upon it; and she turned into his chest
with a choking sob and an exclamation.
"They're only children!".
29.
Birth
At
the man's urgent request, all eyes in the group turned to the three
healers. L'Arachel relied entirely on her healing magic—it couldn't
be her. Moulder, though able to treat injuries by hand, was more
versed in how to pull out a prince's stray arrow than practical
medicine.
So it left only Natasha, and she offered the man a reassuring smile before she quickly fetched what she would need. Joshua was left to go with her—why did everyone assume he liked the blood and pain?—and he was also left to comfort the villager while the blonde woman entered the house.
"Don't worry, soon you'll have a son or daughter...Natasha's the best I know. Everything will be fine".
30.
Death
There
was a little girl, small and porcelain white with rich brown hair.
But the babe mewled forgotten in her father's arms as the man stared
at the cleric; her robes bloodstained and eyes downcast. "I...am so
sorry...for your loss," Natasha told him, "...Please, cherish
your daughter".
She turned to leave, and he followed her out silently. It was later that night when he found out what had happened.
"There was too much blood...it wouldn't clot...I tried to give her bitteroot, but she had been ill for weeks prior; and it didn't take effect quickly enough," The woman shuddered and balled her fists. "I should have known...".
"...Hey, you did all you could in there, you know," Joshua murmured, one hand closing over her left fist.
"I...I tried to," She sighed. "But for the arrival of a life to cost another...? It's just...".
"It's not fair. I know".
31.
Sunrise
He entered the wagon with as little noise as possible, intent on not
accidentally waking the woman, but was startled to find that she was
already up. "I get up just before sunrise," Natasha smiled at
him.
He smiled back and kept the love letter hidden in his
coat. If you get
up at sunrise, then I will have to wake at moonset.32.
Sunset
When
he was younger, he would look at his mother's hair in the light of
the setting sun, and deem it the most beautiful any hair could ever
look. The queen's locks glowed with inner fire at that time of day,
scorching a trail down the rich colors of her robes and shining with
reddish-orange light.
But
then, he saw golden waves alight with fire that danced
and shifted as she moved, that surrounded a pretty face smiling
because of him; and Joshua was forced to change his opinion.
33.
Too Much
She
had never thought it possible to love too much; and oh! did he reap
the benefits!
34.
Not Enough
He
had promised to make her happy for the rest of her life, she dully
thought as she stared up at the strikingly white memorial stone.
The widowed queen of Jehanna bitterly smiled as she laid her hand over the carving of his name. "...I know you tried for me, Joshua. But..." She shook her head as tears fell down her face, the salty drops evaporating before they stained the sand. "...It just wasn't enough".
35.
Sixth Sense
Joshua
tried to keep an open mind about everything, but found it hard to do
in the instance of psychic phenomena.
But one autumn day, as he limped into her tent to find Natasha already waiting for him with bandages, a pair of tweezers, and the exact potion needed to discourage infection from the snap of Cormag's wyvern; he found himself accepting the notion that some people have a sixth sense rather quickly.
36.
Smell
The
poison had altered his sinuses, so his nose wasn't working properly.
But he could remember well enough (despite his pounding head) that
the cleric leaning over him smelled like something clean and good and
his; so it wasn't too much of a bother.
37.
Sound
Being
someone who treated the wounds they caused, Natasha found the sound
of weapons—their swishes
and
clangs
and shings—to
be unnerving. Joshua's blade slid from it's sheath with nary a hint
of metal ringing, just the promise of wind. She liked the wind.
38. Touch
Passing
through a cave in the dark was a dangerous endeavor, and with the
thought of deep underground springs and rocky crevices inches to his
right, the man froze at the light pressure at his back. "Oh! I'm
sorry, Joshua," She softly said. "I didn't see you
pause...".
"'S fine," He told her. "Here, be sure not to get separated, okay?". He reached back, and smiled as her fingers touched his before taking his hand firmly.
39. Taste
For
one reason or another, Joshua tasted like apples when they
kissed.
40.
Sight
Seth
looked down at the woman from atop his mount, nodding. "Yes, I
agree that it would be best for the army to leave Jehanna as soon as
we're able...Three men have already been hit by heat exhaustion,"
The general told Natasha. "Oh, and Sister...how fares Lord
Joshua?".
The cleric sighed and looked towards the wagon where the man in question was. "Physically, I have healed his wounds...but...his health is the other reason I would like to be out of this country within the week," Natasha admitted. "The more he sets sight on the land he left, I fear the worse his scars become".
The Silver Knight gave a kind glance to the blonde. "I see. I shall do what is in my power to get the caravan moving, Sister Natasha".
41.
Shapes
She
looked on in amusement as Forde continued to try to teach Joshua how
to draw realistically instead of doodling those strange, geometrical
monsters he scratched out on spare parchment. "Ah, you know, Lord
Joshua, maybe if you broke it into basic shapes first...".
He shot red eyes over to the knight. "Forde. I'm drawing a slice of bread, how much simpler can it get?".
The artistically-inclined man sighed. "At least Sister Natasha can draw. All hope isn't lost for Jehanna".
42.
Triangle
Something
in him wouldn't let her do the grim task alone. So, after she had
informed the required parties, he stood a pace behind her and watched
as she slid a blade down flesh. Setting the slender tool to the side,
Natasha drew back the triangular sections of flesh and turned to him.
"Are you ready...?" He nodded, placed the tip of his quill to the scroll. She took a deep breath, and began to speak. "Sir Franz of Renais...died due to poisoning from an as of yet unknown agent...".
43.
Square
What a bizarre
charm, Natasha
thought, looking at the necklace Joshua had given her for the
Solstice. It's all
squares...don't people usually make jewelry rounded...?—
—Oh
Latona, this is the royal insignia of Jehanna!44.
Circle
He
joyfully pulled her into the circle of their comrades, one arm looped
around her shoulders. "Come on, Natasha! Celebrate!".
"I-I don't dance!".
45.
Moon
Under
the light of the moon, when he looked out onto his birthright, it was
impossible to distinguish the white of her robes from the white
sands; and that was how it should be.
46.
Star
The
point of light flashed across the night sky, and she bowed her head
to make a wish. Please,
let him make it through this...!47.
Heart
He didn't know how she managed to do all she did with just her own
heart, so he gave her
his.
48.
Diamond
L'Arachel,
he could see, was clearly jealous of the dress Natasha wore; her
green eyes locking onto the glistening stones that shot prisms of
light onto the white silk.
Yeah,
Rausten has a long history of holy magic and fish; but Jehanna's got
diamond mines.49.
Club
Shielding
her from the blow, he felt his shoulder dislocate from the force of
impact. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Joshua took his sword in
his working hand and parried off the next strike, then rushed behind
the bandit and sliced through his tendons. The pain and blood loss
made the brigand pass out almost instantly.
Looking down at his opponent, he turned his attention to her as she gingerly probed his shoulder. "Ouch! Really, who uses a club anymore?!".
50. Spade
Smirking,
he laid down his hand. "That's a pair...this late in the game, I
doubt you can beat it."
The cleric cocked her head to the side, showing him her cards. "Does this trump your pair?"
Groaning as he saw all spades, Joshua nodded and
shoved the rest of the pot towards her. "Here, take it...you've won
every other hand...".