Chapter 3: Future Plans

"I trust that this evidence will suffice that I am telling the truth?"

Chrom nods hesitantly at Lucina, (currently, though, only Lon'qu knows Lucina's true identity) who's just killed a would-be assassin in front of his eyes. He knows that he will need her help to protect his older sister, even if he still thinks that she is actually only the masked swordsman. Before any plans can be made to defend the area, however, another assassin appears out of nowhere, slashing at Lucina's abdomen.

Lon'qu, currently observing the situation with Chrom, immediately recognizes the assassin as the same one who attacked Lucina previously, judging by the bandage on his sword hand. However, Lon'qu knows he isn't going to let him get away this time. Seemingly slicing through the air with almost inhuman speed, Lon'qu cuts through the assassin's chest, and the assassin falls to the ground, dead.

At the same time, Lucina collapses onto her side and eventually onto her back, barely breathing. It is almost exactly like the previous encounter where Lon'qu first tended to her wounds those many days ago.

"Gods! He's wounded! I have to get a healer!" Chrom shouts, and before Lon'qu can object to the idea of Chrom going instead of himself, Chrom disappears into the castle. As he contemplates the situation, Lucina slowly grunts and opens her eyes, and upon recognizing Lon'qu alone with her again, she sighs in relief, but the severity of the wound is quickly pulling her away from consciousness.

"Lon'qu..." she breathes out, "that assassin must have been... sent from the future... he knew my every move... you may not understand now, but I promise I'll explain everything when the time is right..."

"Huh? The future? What do you mean? Can't you heal yourself again..."

A coughing fit from Lucina interrupts Lon'qu's words, and she gingerly replies, "no, the wound is still too severe to be healed, like last time... and there's no time for vulneraries... but I have an elixir in my pack... use it..."

Her eyes close into the peaceful slumber of unconsciousness, and despite his intense uneasiness at being so close to her, Lon'qu opens her mouth to pour the liquid inside. To his horror, she coughs up the liquid, and none of it gets swallowed. He tries a few more times, but with the same result, leaving him with only a quarter of the elixir to use now.

If she does not somehow ingest this small portion of the elixir, she will surely die.

How did it come to this? I can't let her die on my account! But... how do I get her to drink that liquid...

The answer quickly reveals itself to Lon'qu... and he wants no part of it. But seeing no alternative, he has no choice...

...but to administer the elixir to Lucina orally.

Here goes nothing... there is no way I could do this if she wasn't dying right in front of me...

After taking off Lucina's mask and moving her hair away from her face, Lon'qu pours the rest of the life-saving liquid into his mouth before meeting his lips with hers, trying his best to open her throat so she can swallow the elixir. As he notices her gulping down the liquid, a glowing light shines around the two of them. After the light dims, Lucina opens her eyes, and when she recognizes the man her lips are meeting with, she stops swallowing and actually starts kissing him, much to Lon'qu's surprise. He cannot tear his lips away, however, much to his surprise, due to the strange familiarity of the kiss, mainly from the flavour of Feroxi wildberries.

After their intimate kiss is finished, Lon'qu pulls away from Lucina, blushing profusely. As Lucina reveals her Falchion and simulates the glowing light a few more times, her strength returns to its normal capacity, and she gets up just as Chrom returns, Lissa in tow. The realization of Lucina's real gender causes both of their eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Well," Chrom starts, somewhat grimacing, "I was wondering from far away why Lon'qu was kissing a man... it's because she isn't... a man..."

"I was not kissing her," Lon'qu defends, backing up even further away from Lucina. "She needed that elixir..."

"And you have my gratitude once again, Lon'qu," Lucina says, bowing in thanks. "And that kiss at the end... well, my father once told me that if a sincere man meets his lips against mine, no matter how out of character it may seem, reciprocate my appreciation in the same way."

Chrom raises his eyebrow in interest, and before anyone can say anything else, Lucina puts away Falchion before continuing, "I'll explain everything later, Chrom. Lon'qu, we'll have to have that spar some other time, when I can reveal the truth. We have an Exalt to save!"

Lucina starts running towards the castle, and the remaining Shepherds immediately follow suit. As they run, Chrom makes an observation: "it's strange; I was actually thinking of giving my future heir the same advice as her. What a coincidence."

Lon'qu doesn't respond; instead, he ponders about any future encounters with the enigmatic swordswoman and how they might turn out.

He may not be able to handle being in close proximity with a woman, but getting kissed by one is still a very pleasurable experience.

I never should have agreed to spar with her... that being said, perhaps she can help me overcome my fear of women. Better chance with her than a crazy dark mage who would probably just curse me...

Deciding not to think about it for now, Lon'qu pulls out his Killing Edge and prepares for battle, conscious of his mysterious new companion fighting alongside him in this battle.

THE END


Author's Notes

Remember everybody! If you want your crush to kiss you, find an elixir, nearly get killed, and notice your happiness increasing as you feel their lips against yours! I actually thought it was a really cute idea, so that's why I used it! Hopefully people will agree with me!

Finally finished! In pure honesty, this was not an easy submission. I lost a lot of motivation to write it once I started the second chapter, but I couldn't just skip out and write crap. Wait, what? Everything I write is crap anyway? Whoops! Guess that takes care of that problem! :p

I hope you guys liked the way it ended! I still needed some romance, obviously. Chrom's supposed advice to Lucina about the reciprocated kissing is just something silly I thought of. Actually, my original idea was for Lucina to reveal to Lon'qu that in her timeline, Lon'qu (at his current age, mind you) was her husband! That would have just been TOO out there, though, even for me!

The dark mage cursing thing at the end in Lon'qu's thoughts are reference to Lon'qu and Tharja's supports, although in a more humourous manner. So far, the marrying of those two (using them as part of my main forces as well) was the only time I used them in the game, but that may change once I start my Lunatic+ playthrough. That won't be for a while, though; I've decided to replay FE4 again! I've now made the executive decision that FE4 is my favourite FE that I've played! I recommend it to any FE fan!

Wait, I can write something new after my next chapter of AGOH and my next request? AWESOME! Hope you guys liked this story! (man, I haven't written my signature for multi-chapter fics since January! :D)

Signed, COOKIECHEESEMAN