Author's Note: Okay...the tone of this one is slightly different, and unintentionally. Still hope that y'all like it. Kind of overdid myself :P
As per usual in the mornings, Lucina was fast asleep, in her own world. That was, until a voice beckoned her awakening much earlier than normal.
"...Lucina...get up..."
She struggled to get up, since forced awakenings weren't her thing.
"Mmmm?" she asked, still asleep.
"Lucina. We need to talk."
Her mind finally snapped and heeded the call of the voice now recognized as Robin.
"Robin...what is it?" she asked, still getting up. Robin himself looked upon with a concerned expression.
"Lucina...remember that dream you had where you said Morgan appeared in an improbable manner?" he asked.
"Yes, I do. Why so?" asked Lucina.
"I just so happen to have had my own little experience with her. Different context, same thing, her appearing when she shouldn't. It feels odd, though, like she's actually there, spying on me." explained Robin.
Lucina looked at him in confusion. "It can't be anything more than a coincidence, right? It's not like she can enter dreams or anything. Look at her, she's sleeping like a baby." she said, pointing at their daughter.
Robin had to concede the point here. Despite his growing suspicion, there wasn't any currently feasible way for her to do such a thing...that he knew of, at least. "I suppose you're right, Lucina. Maybe I worry too much."
Lucina smiled and kissed Robin, trying to ease him of his worries.
Morgan was in doubt the rest of the day. She technically already saw what she wanted, what her mother and father dreamt of, but also felt an insatiable need to continue. After all, she wasn't harming anybody, was she?
Morgan walked around camp when not doing any chores, thinking of whose mind to visit next. There were so many possibilities! Maybe one of the fellow children, maybe one of their parents, maybe-
It popped in her mind. She knew who was next, just from the thought of it.
Chrom. Of all the people Morgan was thinking of, and her first thought wasn't the Shepherd leader? It was almost inconceivable. Regardless, she had her next target.
As night came, Morgan was in bed on time, as usual. Chrom was usually one of the first to turn in, so she didn't worry about sleeping too early to catch him. Before she could close her eyes, she was called.
"Morgan?" said Robin, standing above her.
It was Robin. Morgan felt slightly nervous, considering she had shown herself to them in their dreams, in succession, no less.
"Yes, Father?"
Robin scratched his head, not knowing how to say it. It was certainly a bizarre subject, and he didn't want to be weird to his daughter.
"It's likely coincidence and an issue to ignore...but why do we dream of you, Morgan? Twice have me and Lucina seen you in our dreams in completely unrelated subjects. I'm...just curious, that's all."
Morgan felt confident. If she could fool her father in a dream, she could fool him here, though it was a bit honest.
"It's just a concept of love, Father. You and Mother care for me, and me appearing in your dreams is probably just a reinforcement of that feeling. I wouldn't think much of it, honestly."
Robin smiled, feeling grateful that Morgan didn't think him weird. "All right, just a small doubt. Thank you, Morgan." he said, blowing out the candles.
Morgan let out a sigh of relief. She was effectively free of suspicion...unless someone else complained, that was. Her worries dispelled, she began the thought of her next destination: Chrom's dream.
"Must be interesting to think what Chrom dreams. He's got a wife and all, so maybe it's gonna be like my own parents." she thought. Morgan then closed her eyes to begin another night of adventures in slumberland.
Oddly enough, the usual feeling of void that accompanied Morgan during her descent into dreams was absent this time. Maybe she was getting used to the whole thing.
Morgan opened her eyes to find herself...in Ylisstol and not camp this time around. Reasonably, Chrom would be at the palace, so she stood up and went on her way there. Something was wrong, though. As she walked across the capital, she saw that it was completely deserted. Nobody in sight in the vast streets despite the brightness of day. It unnerved Morgan, but she knew that it was all an illusion, so she brushed off the thought.
"Hello!" she called out. No answer. There really was no one around.
Or so she thought.
Just before she reached the palace, she heard something. It sounded like a door creaking. Morgan immediately looked around frantically trying to find the source, eventually seeing a nearby house's door swinging slightly. Against all common sense, she drew closer to check it out. It had stopped swinging by the time she got next to it, so she simply dismissed it as faulty. Turning around, Morgan planned to return to her original objective of getting to the palace.
That is, until the door swung open and she was grabbed. Caught by surprise, Morgan struggled against her captor.
"Stay calm! I'm not going to hurt you!" said her captor.
She knew that voice. It was Chrom himself. Morgan stopped struggling and allowed Chrom to release her.
"Chrom! What was that for?!" she demanded, not realizing that Chrom speaks signaling for her to keep quiet. Growing a face of frustration, Chrom covered her mouth and began talking.
"Listen to me very carefully. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is trapped in the palace, and if you don't shut up, their captor is going to find and do bad things to us. I don't know how or when you avoided capture, but I need your help so we can get everyone out. Clear?"
Morgan couldn't bring herself to argue after that. She nodded yes, and Chrom released her.
"Just a question, though." asked Morgan. "Who or what has them captured?"
Chrom began scratching his head nervously. "That's honestly very hard to answer because it's so surprising. Basically, it's that-"
A voice was heard in the distance.
"Chrooom! Where are youuuu?" asked a voice in a flirtatious manner.
Morgan was left surprised and Chrom nervous. "That's not...no, you're joking. Please tell me this is a joke, Chrom." said Morgan in disbelief.
Chrom let out a sigh. "Yes, Morgan, it's exactly what you hear. Cordelia has everyone locked in the palace."
Morgan's mind filled itself with so many questions. Why Cordelia, why go to such insane lengths and what the hell was Chrom dreaming?
"She's apparently had a crush on me for a long time and I didn't notice. It apparently got worse after I married Sumia. Today, she snapped and took everyone hostage, and she won't let them free unless I marry her." explained Chrom. "She's gone Gangrel levels of nuts."
Morgan was left in utter shock. Then again, she was more interested in the fact that Chrom was dreaming about THIS as opposed to something like a Risen attack or Emmeryn's death for traumatic factor. But that didn't matter. She had friends to save.
"So what do we do, Chrom?" she asked.
"I know what to do, but we need Cordelia distracted. And she's headed this way." explained Chrom.
Another call pierced the silence. "Chrom? I'm only asking for something simple! Come out and let's make this all OK, huh?"
Chrom scoffed from his hiding spot. "Not on your life. Morgan, what's here that we can use to distract her?" Morgan looked around, seeing a lot of tools in the place. "I have an idea." she said.
Cordelia was still in the streets, looking for her would-be husband. She was quite calm, but fiercely determined to get him. Morgan knew that the real Cordelia would never do such a thing to get Chrom's attention, but then again, for one, she once scared him by wearing a Risen mask, and for another, dream land. Anything could happen.
Cordelia was walking towards the palace, still looking, growing disappointed when he really didn't dare to show. Oh well. That meant leaving his friends to suffer.
"Alright, Chrom, if you don't want to do this the easy way, we do it the hard way." she called, pulling out a lance. Just as she said that, the sound of plates breaking came from a nearby house. Chrom had revealed himself.
"Ah. I know where you are, Chrom. There's no escape from my embrace this time, honey!" she declared.
Cordelia ran towards the house, stopping in front of the door. It was closed. A big smile painted her face as she opened the door. Without warning, she felt a large bang on her head. Chrom and Morgan had laid a trap and she fell for it hook, line and sinker.
Both were running towards the palace. "That was actually pretty smart, Morgan. I didn't think it would work!" exclaimed Chrom. "People are easy to fool when blind to strategy. There's a reason Father's the best asset here." said Morgan.
Entering the palace, Chrom looked around frantically. "Over there." he pointed. Both ran to the stairs which led further down...into a dungeon.
"This palace has a dungeon?" asked Morgan.
"Yeah, of course it does. Why wouldn't it?" said Chrom.
"I've just never seen it before..." answered Morgan. "But let's focus on the task at hand."
Chrom was searching like a madman for his friends. He didn't want to fight Cordelia to free them, so he had to move fast.
"Over there!" he shouted. He ran to the mass of Shepherds, tied individually and laid there, isolated from the town. Sumia was the first to notice him.
"Chrom!" shouted Sumia. "You're alive!"
"Of course I'm alive." said Chrom. "But I couldn't have done it without Morgan."
"Morgan?!" shouted Lucina. "But she's here with us!"
Chrom stopped in confusion. Two Morgans? Was that even possible?
"Never mind that!" yelled Chrom. "We need to get you all out of here before-"
"Stop right there!" yelled a voice. "It's gone far enough!"
Both Morgan and Chrom turned to see Cordelia pointing a spear at them, clearly dropping the happy facade.
"You know, Chrom...for a man with a wife, I'm intrigued that you'd free Robin's daughter first. But that doesn't matter."
The Morgan at the back got fed up. "WHY IS EVERYONE IGNORING THE FACT THAT IM STILL TIED UP IN THIS DAMN ROPE?!" she yelled.
Cordelia lowered her weapon, confused. "T-two Morgans? Mind explaining this?" she demanded.
"I don't know either. And I don't care, she's helping me. And regardless of all of this, you need to stop." declared Chrom.
"How silly. Look at you. Your friends barring that clone or whatever are tied up. And you have to save them without collateral damage. I would have waited an eternity for this. It's over!" she retorted.
"Never!" yelled Chrom. "I'll never marry you when you're this insane!"
Cordelia smirked.
"Then I suppose you'd accept...death." she said, pointing her lance at him. Chrom's determined expression did not change. That is, until Morgan stepped in front of him.
"Morgan! What are you doing?!" he asked.
"Cordelia!" shouted Morgan, extending her arms. "I don't care if I die in the process, you're not harming anyone!"
Cordelia was legitimately surprised by Morgan's determination, but unfazed nonetheless in her objective.
"Morgan...kindly step out of the way." she said, irritated. "Otherwise, it's going to get messy."
Morgan faked a laugh. "Don't be foolish, think now all this danger isn't fun and games! When everything is back to normal, do you really want the blame?!"
Cordelia was stunned. Not because she was being dared, but because it was Robin's child daring her. She wanted her out of the way, but she didn't her harmed either. It stuck her in a dilemma.
"Morgan!" yelled Chrom. "Stop at once! Can't you see this is absurd?"
"Yes, Chrom, it is absurd." she answered. "But there's a reason. You're dreaming. Watch."
Morgan walked to the hostages and freed them effortlessly with her Levin Sword. Cordelia began getting mad.
"Morgan...stop it...stop it now..." she said, irritated.
"You want it to stop? Stop me." dared Morgan, freeing more of them.
Cordelia's expression turned from mad to insane as she readied her weapon.
"Stop...stop!" she said, running towards her, weapon in hand. Chrom was ready to stop her, getting in her way. Crashing into him, she lost grip of the lance, sending flying...with the butt of the lance striking Morgan in the head. She collapsed immediately.
"Morgan!" screamed Chrom. He ignored Cordelia, rushing to the aid of Robin's daughter, feeling guilty over her possibly severe injury.
Morgan was feeling the world disappear in front of her. This must be the point where he woke up.
A last scream was what she heard before abruptly being forced out.
Chrom woke up in panic. He swore that he had just witnessed Morgan being injured by a weapon. It wasn't until a minute passed that he realized that he was dreaming.
"Just...just a dream...okay. It could have been much worse." he said to himself, relieved.
Sumia woke alongside him. "Chrom? Is something wrong? A nightmare, perhaps?" she asked.
Chrom was slightly embarrassed to tell the actual subject of his dream to her, but the alternate possibility was good enough as well.
"Just...seeing one of our own die. Just a reminder to keep me on my toes in battle." he said, laying back down, hoping he could spend the rest of the night in peace.
Morgan, on the other hand, woke up paralyzed...again. Chrom's understandable fear forced her out of the dream, except this time it was accompanied by a splitting headache. Did pain in dreams transfer to the real world as well?
"Note to self." she thought. "NEVER visit Chrom's dreams AGAIN."
The most Morgan could do right now was sit back and think of a...less traumatic target. Someone much more lively.
Maybe Anna.
End Chapter Notes: Jesus...I wrote this and thought: that wasn't my original idea. Good thing it's rated T. On a brighter note, next victi-er, destination, will definitely be lighthearted. Any thoughts? Leave a review!
An imaginary cookie to the one who finds the mall shout-outs I threw in, some less obvious than others ;3 One small hint, though; title's a reference.
