AN: I took the name Jay for male Robin because...what other bird names for a guy are there? Hmm...oh well. There's a few AU fics I've read about Awakening, and they're all really good. I think one of them uses Jay, Ylisse Now by Prescribed-Madness, which you should totally go check out, but seeing him use it, simply enforced my reason to use it. :D
Anyways, just wanted to explain. This is going to be veeerry fun! :)
Also...from here and out...it'll be a little dark too. Not just High school AU. You'll see. I hope you like it...and if you don't...well, it's my story...so deal with it. ;)
"Aw come on!" Nowi complained, pouting. "Why can't I have the shiny stone?"
"'Cuz it's mah father's." Donnel wasn't budging on this, eyes gentle, but hard. "No tawch."
"But," Nowi whimpered. "WHYYYYYY?"
"Nowi," Jay placated, patting her on the head.
"Fine," Nowi stomped her feet angrily.
"Sorry ma'am, ah jus doan like people tawching mah father's stone." Donnel looked apologetic. "Ah usually wud give you a look, bauwt, this is mah father's. Mah father. I..." Donnel trailed off. "I miss him."
Nowi calmed down and nodded. "I guess I know what you mean. My parents ditched me too." She smiled brightly at the farm boy, who gave a confused smile back.
Jay sighed in relief. Another bullet dodged.
Nowi flashed Jay a bubbly smile before darting off to join Tharja and Lon'qu, who were ignoring each other in the same dark corner. Donnel glanced over at them furtively before darting off to find Vaike, Chrom, Gaius, and Frederick. Jay ambled after him.
"So, what do you think?"
Jay paused and turned as Lissa's bright voice filled the large courtyard. She was leading his twin by the hand, grinning from ear to ear.
"I mean, it's very...beautiful?" Robin muttered, staring back at the questioning stares.
"So, this is Jay's magnificent little sister, yes?"
"Huh?" Jay watched as Virion approached the duo, and winced slightly. "I better stop that disaster before it begins."
"So, how have you wonderful, amazing ladies-" Virion began.
"Ahem, so Ro, this is Virion, and a huge womanizer. I'd suggest ignoring every positive word that comes out of his mouth." Jay flashed the guy a grin. "He plays basketball with me...and that's about it."
"Hey! That is sooo, not true. You beautiful ladies deserve it!" Virion said brightly, shooting Jay a dirty frown. "And Jay sweetie, maybe we should learn to watch it."
Jay snorted at Virion's audacity, but shrugged. He was digging his own grave.
Robin scowled at the boy. "Seriously?"
"Oh just ignore him," Lissa said quickly before pulling her away. "He's dating Cherche already...oh right! You haven't met Cherche, or Henry, Frederick, or Olivia, or Say'ri yet! Come on! Let's go talk to the girls. The boys are all so...boring!"
Jay mouthed, 'Good luck.' as Lissa dragged her away. Robin stuck out her tongue in response.
"So you've met nearly everyone this morning right?" Lissa asked, sliding into her seat next to Maribelle.
"Uh...yes," Robin agreed, feeling like she was being scrutinized. "Except for a few?"
"Well hello, I'm Cherche," another red-headed girl introduced gently, holding out a worn hand. Robin smiled and shook it gently. "We have not met yet. Though my boyfriend is already singing your praises...so you must have made a good impression?"
Robin flushed and nodded meekly. "Uh yeah, I guess you could say that. It's more of...well just the fact that I'm one of his best friend's little sister.
Cherche seemed a lot more friendly than Cordelia who was still trying to glare at her inconspicuously.
"This is Olivia," Sumia said happily, pulling a pink-haired girl forwards.
"H-hi...I'm not very good at...talking to n-new p-people," Olivia said shyly, ducking her head and turning the same color as her braids.
Robin laughed softly at Olivia's timidness, but it only made her turn redder. "Oh, it's okay, I used to be pretty shy too."
Robin offered her a hand, "Friends?"
Olivia studied her outstretched hand nervously, and took it with her own shaking hand. "Okay."
"So...that's Henry, who's running after Tharja right now," Lissa pointed out. Robin followed her finger to a white-haired boy was cackling madly as he chased after Tharja, screaming literal bloody murder.
"Whaaat? I just want to see if your blood content is the same as Libra's! Hey! Come back here!"
Tharja seemed to content to run away from him and actually had a smile spread across her face.
"Not a chance," the dark girl said breathlessly, grinning.
"He seems to get along with Tharja," Robin noted, tilting her head as she played with the hem of Jay's basketball sweatshirt. "And who's Libra? That red-haired guy?"
"Nah," Maribelle said snootily. "That's Gregor. A senior with Nowi. Libra's...not here at the moment."
Robin just nodded slowly, trying hard not to anger the blond girl.
"Welcome to the club Robin!" Sumia said happily.
But...what if I don't want to be part of the club? Robin remarked inside her head, shrinking in on herself. "Thank you...I guess."
She could feel a panic attack coming on.
The girls continued chatting, their voices overlapping. Gossip, virtually useless tidbits, and their voices were all suddenly high-pitched and annoying. It all faded to a buzz as Robin was hit with vision after vision.
"You are my daughter do you hear?" Validar glared down at her daughter as Robin cringed away.
"And if I say you are going to take over then you are. DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?" He roared.
Robin let out a broken sob, nodding slowly with tears running down her face.
"You get until you finish high school. Understand?" Validar swept out of the room, slamming the door hard.
Robin curled up against the floor, and wept.
"Hey loser," Gangrel sneered. "Do you understand now? You are nothing."
He aimed a kick at her chest, and Robin curled in on herself again, holding in a loud groan.
"Nothing!" Garrick echoed. Orton punched her face with a leer, cackling. "Absolutely nothing!"
Everything ached.
The pain was so blinding that Robin felt the beckoning call of familiar darkness. She reached for it and sank into it's warm embrace eagerly...but something interrupted her.
"Leave her alone."
A soft, sweet voice drifted over the gang of boys. They turned to meet a tanned girl's furious eyes. They backed away with sheepish grins. "Hey Aversa."
"Hey? You dare say hi to ME? After you beat my best friend? The nerve. Now scat." None of the boys moved, and Aversa seemed to get angry.
Aversa's tanned face broke into a haughty, angry expression. "I said SCAT! Leave or I'll force you too!"
The boys turned tail and ran.
"Hey Ro," Aversa said quietly, leaning over her limp body. "You okay?"
"Hey Avie," Robin said weakly, struggling to get up. "Not...okay."
"Don't move Ro," Avie said softly, kneeling down next to her. "Come on, I'm taking you back to the dorms."
The dark-haired girl scooped her Robin with no problem, her face etched with worry.
"I'm sorry I couldn't..." Robin trailed off, curling up tighter as every footstep jolted her. Pain webbed through her body. She could already feel the bruises and perhaps even a few broken bones, aching once more.
"Fight them off," Robin finished lamely, nestling closer to her best friend.
Aversa's breathing was labored and filled with heated anger.
The last thing Robin saw before the pain dragged her under, was Aversa's concerned face filled with a hot anger.
"Those boys are going to pay, forever."
"No, don't," Robin pleaded as Gangrel lowered himself to her level. "Please."
"Please?" Gangrel crooned, running the knife along Aversa's neck slowly. "Please pretty girl?"
"Please," Robin whispered, her voice breaking.
Gangrel only sneered. "Then you better do what I say, right? She got away with stopping us freshman year, but it isn't freshman year anymore, is it? No. We are Plegians! We are the Grimleal! We are under the leader of Grima, Validar! Validar's our king, sweetie."
"You are evil, and dark, and your a bastard," Robin sobbed, no longer struggling, staring at Aversa with a hopeless expression.
"We excel in darkness. We are the Grimleal. What don't you get? They're the worst gang in history! And you don't get it do you? I'm powerful, and you are weak. You're going to do what I say."
The door pounded and rough voices sounded outside. Robin cried out for help.
And her father walked in.
But Robin only continued sobbing. Half with relief, half with worry.
"What is this?"
Robin was bloody and beaten on the floor, half naked as Gangrel looked poised to...to...it almost looked like Gangrel was preparing to...rape her.
Aversa was crumpled on the ground. Not beaten or bloody, but simply unconscious with a thin red line across her neck.
The entire room was damp and dark, the cement dyed a dark red color.
"I was doing my initiation Master," Gangrel said gleefully, giving Robin a sharp kick to the ribs.
"Not to my daughter," Validar hissed, tossing Gangrel out of the way. "NOT TO MY DAUGHTER."
Robin moaned and whimpered on the ground. It was all too much.
Validar glared down at her and almost snarled. "Get up."
Robin let out another pitiful whimper before struggling to get her slippery hands in place. The blood stained the stone, but Robin still pushed on, weakly rising to her knees.
Validar nodded in approval before hauling her up.
"You. Yes you. Get my daughter some medical assistance Mustafa." Validar had an ordering demanor as he started shooting off directions.
"And you," Validar crooned to Gangrel with narrowed eyes. "We're going to have a talk about attacking MY DAUGHTER. And my apprentice and adopted daughter. You would do well to remember...who's part of my family."
Gangrel shuddered on the ground as Validar threatened him. "Y-yes sir."
Validar sneered once more before turning tail and slamming the door shut. "You can stay here for a night to think about what you've done."
"Are you okay? Robin? Robin? ROBIN?!" Lissa shook her hard, and Robin emerged from her revere, blinking. Robin flushed bright red, and rubbed her sweaty palms. In fact, her entire body was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and her heart seemed to pound in her throat.
Robin opened her mouth...but closed it hesitantly again.
Lissa looked her over with concern, some of the other girls peering over as well. "Are you okay?"
"I'm uh...fine..." Robin croaked out, clearing her throat awkwardly. Lissa narrowed her eyes at her, but relented nonetheless, nodding half-heartedly. She still seemed to be waiting for more affirmation though.
"May I go to um...see the boys?" Robin asked nervously, her fingers tapping incessantly.
"Sure, but not until you meet Say'ri, oh look there she is!" Lissa said in an ordering tone. "SAY'RI!"
A petite, Asian girl hugged a thick textbook to her chest. She seemed timid, but had her shoulders back and chest forward in a proud posture.
"Hello," Robin greeted, "I'm Robin Grima, Jay's sister. Is that your textbook?"
Say'ri studied her, and stuck out her hand for a handshake.
"Say'ri Chon'sin. Nice to meet you," she said softly, before retreating a few steps to sit next to Cherche. "But no. Why does everyone assume the stereotypical answer? It's for Maribelle."
Robin shot a pointed look at the flushed girl, who pointed her nose up indignantly.
But Say'ri's necklace caught her eye. It was a dragon coiled around her throat, with the dragon roaring and its tail fanned out wards in an impressive silver waterfall. Small sapphires made it's eyes, and a symbol was etched across the dragon's forehead. In fact, the dragon was somehow, very familiar...but Robin just couldn't place it. Her gaze still lingered on it for a second before escaping.
"Robin!" Sumia called, her voice scolding.
But Robin didn't look back, her silver hair flying behind her.
"Just let her go already, she obviously doesn't want to be here," Cordelia said softly. "I mean, she's nice but I don't think she wants to be here. At all. Don't force her."
"But I thought she was fine?" Lissa whispered worriedly behind her.
"Come on sweetheart. She and her basketball shorts and ponytail? No. She doesn't want to be here. I agree with Cordelia. Just give it up you two." Maribelle sighed dramatically.
"That's not true," Cherche argued.
Their voices faded as Robin fled to her brother's side, but was still there to haunt her.
"She likes you guys, you should have seen how Jay was describing her, she's already being brave and taking a huge step. She's the new girl so it's probably all too much for her right now." Cherche's voice was hard and somehow still soothing. "Don't give her crap for it."
She collapsed onto the bench and Stahl opened his eyes sleepily. "What's up?"
"The sky," Robin snarled, dropping her head with a heavy thunk. "I hate this. I hate them. I hate all of this. I hate being the new girl. Nagasomeonekillmenow."
Stahl just stared at her with half-lidded eyes. "Done yet?"
"No," Robin grumbled, turning away. "I can't stand it. It's like they're all trying to pile as much people, information, and personalities as possible. I just was some peace and quiet isn't that enough? I mean...at least you're average."
Stahl opened his eyes and glared at her balefully. "Wow thanks. Average?" But his mouth split into a sideways grin anyways, shaking his head.
"I mean," Robin murmured, a little quieter. "I mean, they don't exactly know what I've been through...or who I am. Why are they being so judgy?"
"Course not," Stahl yawned, but he stared at her with a calculating stare. "So what's got you so nervous and scared?"
"Huh?" Robin looked at her hands, which were shaking and sweaty still. "I...dunno."
How come those visions just keep coming back?
"Oh I think you know," Stahl yawned. "But I'm not going to push it. I'm going to go get some lunch, then find the other boys. Are you coming?"
Robin took a shaky breath before nodding affirmation. "Yeah, I've got nothing better to do. At least I'll escape the girls then."
Stahl snorted, rolling his eyes. "Right. What else are best friends for?"
Robin glared at the back of his head as they walked towards the lunch line, spread across two picnic tables. "Best friends already?"
"Sure," Stahl said lightly, crunching over a branch. "Who else do you have? Chrom? Nah, I don't think so. Your brother doesn't count. Gaius..may be your friend, but he isn't you best friend. So that leaves me!"
"That sounds a little conceited," Robin laughed, tossing her hair back.
"Conceited?" Stahl pretended to be offended. "Oh how you wound me, my dear!"
"Now you sound like Virion," Robin giggled, her previous predicament forgotten.
"I know," Stahl said smugly, sticking his nose up in the air. Robin giggled again, slapping Stahl's shoulder. Stahl held the pose for a second before dissolving into giggles with Robin.
"Why...is this so funny?" Robin laughed, rubbing at the corners of her eyes.
"I-I don't...know!" Stahl gasped alongside her, both of them practically collapsing.
When they finally stopped laughing, they dragged themselves to the lunch line, which was the goal all along.
Robin watched as two girls hugged, then ran off laughing. She felt her heart clench as she thought of Aversa. She shuddered, shaking the foreboding feeling off. Plegia was a different chapter in her life. Her dad was gone. She was with her mom and brother now. She was SAFE now.
"Does the 'meat' have actual meat in it?" Robin whispered conspiratorially, shutting out another wave of memories.
"Yeah, surprisingly. But this is a private school," Stahl offered lightly. "I mean...just saying."
"Are we being serious about this?" Robin deadpanned, nudging Stahl. "It was a joke."
"A joke, I know...I think."
Robin burst into laughter again, but shook herself out of it.
"No, we're not repeating that."
Stahl grinned with lidded eyes, yawning. "Average, right?"
"How are you still sleepy?" Robin shot him a dirty look, taking a lunch tray.
"I dunno," Stahl shrugged, following in suit.
They both got their lunches and continued chatting all the way to Jay's table.
"Hey sis," Jay greeted, grinning widely. "I see you've made new friends!"
"New friends, right," Robin said with a forced smile, shoving her twin to the left so she and Stahl could sit down.
"Hey!" Jay complained, getting smushed with Chrom.
"Hey's right!" Chrom agreed, shoving back lightly with a wide grin.
Robin stuck out her tongue, closing her eyes and making a funny face.
"Who're you?"
A brown-haired, fair-skinned boy had his eyes trained on her, watching her every move.
"Err...Frederick, this is my twin Robin," Jay cut in nervously. "Try not to hate her as much as you hated me when I first started."
"Anyone near Lissa and Chrom must be watched," Frederick insisted, his eyes following Robin's every move.
"Uh...that's creepy?" Robin laughed nervously, leaning back slightly, back towards Stahl.
"It's fine...Frederick is just protective. His brother married Emmeryn, then died in a car crash, saving Emmeryn. So now Frederick's all protective," Stahl explained stabbing at the beans on his plate.
"Oh," Robin said in a small voice, pushing her food around. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Edmund doesn't want his sacrifice to be in vain. So I must protect my family!" Frederick snorted, still watching her.
"I'm not planning on killing Chrom," Robin muttered with knitted eyebrows.
"You never know!" Frederick cried.
"He's sounding more and more like a lunatic," Robin muttered lowly to Jay and Stahl. Stahl held back a chuckled while Jay just laughed outright.
"That's my little sister!"
Frederick glared at them again. "Quiet!"
"I apologize for Frederick's behavior...it's rather like a bodyguard." Chrom mused.
"Stop talking like 'Lord Chrom'," Jay joked, shaking his friend lightly with a pretend serious face.
The boys laughed, and went back to eating.
Robin shook her head at their antics.
"Welcome to the basketball team," Sully drawled, waving her hand with obvious annoyance. "Maybe you can reign in these annoying guys. We don't have enough people for an official girls, or boys. So we combined them and compete on the boys end...since they pulled us from the girls, insisting that we were cheating."
Robin spun through the gym slowly, taking everyone in.
"I don't know," Robin said with a sigh. "They are pretty pathetic. How can those guys be cheating?"
She pointed to Chrom, Vaike and Gaius, who were shooting baskets and hooting at each other while Lucina was sinking three-pointers while rolling her eyes. Frederick twirled a basketball absentmindedly as he watched his friends fool around with a half-smile.
Gregor was laughing with Donnel as the two faced off at the other end of the court.
Sully was standing next to her, glaring at the room in disapproval.
A blond girl with long hair was standing around, dribbling slowly.
Robin approached her with a frown. "Um...hi? We haven't met yet."
But as 'she' turned around, Robin choked out a gasp of disbelief.
Sully followed her line of sight and burst into laughter. "Did you mistake Libra for a girl as well?"
"Wha-at?" Robin spluttered, still not over the shock.
Libra let out an airy chuckle himself, shaking his head. "Don't worry, a lot of people make the same mistake. Don't worry about it."
Sully grinned at her and gave her a light punch. "Awww, see already making new friends!"
"Ouch...Sully that HURTS." Robin groaned as she keeled over, ready to hurl.
Sully glanced at her, unimpressed. "Ah that little hit? That was nothin'!"
"I don't want to know what happens when you punch someone hard," Robin muttered, backing away.
She backed into another body, and went tumbling to the floor. "Ahhh!"
"Oopsie!" A feminine voice giggled next to her ear.
Robin groaned again, struggling into a seated position.
"Sorry about that," Robin apologized, tilting her head back to get a better look at the victim of her clumsiness.
"It's fine!" A tinkling bell-like voice replied. Blond hair was tied back in a ponytail as blue eyes twinkled merrily at her. Freckles dotted the bridge of a sharp nose, high cheekbones and round cheeks highlighting her youth. "I'm Bridget and this is my sister, Eileen!"
The twin of Bridget waved shyly a few meters back, clutching at a basketball. They were obviously siblings, but their features were still slightly different. Not quite identical. "We're sophmores here at Ylisse. You?"
"Transfer student...Junior from Plegia," Robin muttered, still looking back and forth at the two. "Twins, you two?"
Bridget nodded with another laugh. "Yeah! And we have an older brother called Charlie, who's a senior! We're the Sullivans."
Robin nodded slowly, her mouth splitting into a grin. "Yeah, okay. Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you too," Bridget shot back, smiling. Robin shook her head with a light laugh, turning to find her twin.
It was time to get this team together.
Robin sighed with disappointment when she saw her brother.
Jay was sprawled across the basketball court floor, jersey riding up on his chest to expose his abs.
"Eww, pull down your shirt," Robin teased, leaning over her brother with a smirk.
"Oh come on," Jay scoffed. "We literally shared the womb together."
"That," Gaius muttered lowly, "Is a disturbing thought."
Robin laughed. "Blame my dirty-minded brother."
"I do," Gaius agreed readily, slinging an arm around Robin.
"But we're best friends!" Jay pouted, giving everyone an eccentric smile.
Everyone gathered towards the center of the court and Robin nodded in approval. "That's better. Jay, you know how important strategy and order is in our house! How could you let the team get like this?"
"Like what?" Chrom asked challengingly, his blue eyes fiery.
"Uh...you and Vaike, and Gaius were just fooling around. You call that basketball practice?" Robin sassed, waving a finger in his face.
Chrom ducked his head, face flushed. "Well...uh...not really."
"But it's the first day baaack," Vaike whined, "Teach'll show them after the first day."
Robin rolled her eyes. "Nope! I'm going to get you guys in order if it's the last thing I do! Jay! Get up!"
Jay rolled off the ground reluctantly, standing with a slouched back. "What Roooo?"
Robin huffed.
"Everyone! Twenty laps around the court! Go, go!" Robin ordered, taking off ahead of everyone.
Lucina grinned and followed after her, Eileen, Bridget, and Sully quickly following.
The rest of the team looked at each other in silence.
"At least she actually started to do them herself," Libra offered in the silence.
"Plus...we can't let the girls completely crush us." Frederick agreed.
All of the boys sighed and nodded, finally taking off after the girls.
"I already lapped you twice!" Robin teased manically. "Pick it up!"
Jay groaned, picking up the pace reluctantly.
"Come on! Only two more to go!" Lucina crowed at Chrom, finally getting back at her cousin.
"I...hate...this..." Gaius gasped.
"Actual...work!" Vaike agreed.
"Are we done yet? What...did they do to you in Plegia?" Chrom gasped, clutching his stomach on the floor.
"That wasn't that bad. Up losers!" Lucina laughed, high-fiving Robin eagerly. "What's next?"
"There's a next?" Jay groaned.
"I thought you were in shape?" Robin tutted disapprovingly.
"Was..." Jay muttered. "Keyword there...is was..."
Bridget laughed. "Push-ups?"
"Yes! Arm and core work! Sixty push ups, one hundred sit ups, and 2 minute planks four times through!" Robin called, grinning evilly.
All the boys grumbled, but a couple kicks and comments from the girls had them up and going again.
Jay groaned again. "What has my sister done?"
AN: Here ya go! I finally updated! ;)
-Angela