Rio: Ah, finally back to writing.
Legault: Hey, you could have been back earlier if you had just finished all those projects beforehand.
Rio: I guess you're right.
Maria: Hey Rio?
Rio: Yeah?
Maria: Could I ask why Legault is such a jerk to you?
Rio: Sure, it's pretty simple though. He's mad that I never would heal him ever during the whole of FE7. I used him as bait, and then made him chase after the chests. Also, I never usually promote him.
Maria: Thanks for the answer.
Legault: Jackoff.
Rio: Whatever you say Legault. And for something special, we are having Satan…I mean Serra, state the disclaimer.
Serra: I heard that!
Rio: Just do the disclaimer Miss Bishop.
Serra: Fine. Rio doesn't own Fire Emblem, Nintendo, or us. He only owns Maria, Rio, and this story. Besides, if Rio owned it, the story probably would have sucked.
Rio: Cheap shot…
Serra and Legault: Ha ha!
Chapter 9: A Plan Emerges
As the six figures walked into the empty room, much was going on in their heads.
"Wow, this palace is amazing!" Maria thought excitedly. "I would love to wander through here forever!"
"I wonder why I'm here?" Florina questioned herself. "I may be Hector's wife, but I doubt I'm that important."
"I hope Rio has an idea," Eliwood thought.
"Rio's got some nice weapons," Hector thought while looking at the Emblem set.
"Rio's friend seems to be in heaven," Lyn thought.
"I hope I don't screw up," Rio prayed.
They sat down at the table and prepared for business.
"So Rio," Hector started, "we know what the problem is. What are we going to do?"
"Well Hector, I'm actually not completely sure," the Tactician said nervously.
"Come on, you must have something!"
"Hector, calm down," Florina said. "I'm sure Rio has been thinking about something. You annoying him isn't going to help though."
"You're right. I'm sorry Rio."
"It's okay."
"Well," Eliwood said, "what are your thoughts on this problem?"
"One thing I can say for certain is I don't think Nergal ever died. I believe that he's been hiding somewhere, such as the realm reached through the Dragon's Gate."
"But isn't that impossible?" Lyn questioned. "I mean first off, we killed him. Also, how would he have escaped even if he got through?"
"Well," Rio said, sitting back, "I believe the man we killed at the Dragon's Gate was a morph. If you think about it, he could have laid the morph as a trap to give him time to open the gate and pass through, leaving the dragons to rampage on us. Now, he has returned to continue his plot, so he must have learned something."
"But who got him through?" Maria asked. "From all I've heard, no one would help him out, save his new army."
"Another true word. That means most likely his power has now increased tremendously. But right now, our problem is Nergal's control of Bern."
"Then let's march in there and take him out like we did with the Black Fang last time," Hector said.
"It's not that easy. We have two problems: Athos is gone, and if we attack Bern, we endanger the civilians."
"But we marched through Bern before, and plus we have the Archsage's daughter. She apparently is as strong as her dad from what I've heard, and we won't lose her like Athos."
"Hector, stop!" Eliwood commanded. "Look at Maria."
When Hector looked over, he saw Maria was in tears.
"Hector, please," Rio said, getting up and going to Maria to comfort her. "Maria isn't ready to be facing such intense fights. She hasn't seen all the things we have. She needs time to think through everything. Remember, we didn't lose Athos. He died saving us, and I don't want Maria to think anything differently."
Florina and Lyn nodded in approval.
"I'm sorry Maria," the gruff Great Lord said, "I didn't mean to be so rude."
"It's all right," the young woman said, still wiping away the tears. "I just let my emotions get the better of me."
"Florina, Lyn, Maria, why don't you all head out to town and have some fun," Rio suggested "On Hector, of course."
"What!" Hector exclaimed.
"Sure Rio," Lyn said with a wink, "see you later."
And with that, the three girls left, leaving one angry Great Lord, a laughing Tactician, and a Knight Lord stopping one from killing the other.
"RIO, WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU," Hector yelled, "I AM GOING TO GRIND YOU INTO DUST!"
"Don't worry Hector," the Tactician said with a smile. "I needed them to take Maria out so I could tell you my plan."
"So you do have one?" Eliwood inquired.
"Yes. I suggest we take some of our group with us to find everyone else from our previous army. The rest will stay back and report news of anything happening in Bern, as well as defend Lycia from a frontal assault."
"Well," Hector said, "who do we take then? And where do we start?"
"We are starting in Laus. Now let me tell you who is coming."
Rio: A pretty good chapter. Please review, and have fun till next time.
Serra: Say Rio, am I coming, right?
Matthew: No way, he's taking me. I'm actually important.
Legault: You are both wrong, obviously, I'm going.
Wil: You wish. Rio would definitely only trust a great Sniper like me.
Rebecca: Really funny Wil. He's going to pick me.
Rio: Be quiet. You'll all find out next time, in Chapter 10 (again).