Grunts 7

Squad 7, to ARMS!

Severa and Lucina: *Instinctive solute*

7: I knew Frederick taught you guys well. Anyway, I'm gonna give a somewhat shorter chapter today with a slight change of view as we see how Marth and her companions come to Ferox and become Basilio's champions.

Severa: Wait a minute! How come there're TWO of us with Lucy! We agreed to split up and fight the Risen after coming through!

7: Because this is my story and I think it adds a greater sense of mystique to the mystery of 'Marth' if 'he' has a group of highly skilled companions.

Lucina: Alright, I think that works then.

7: It also gives you two some more time to go over the script for the next chapter so don't worry too much on this one, ok?

Lucina: *blush* o-o-ok

Severa: UGGGGH LUCY! That wasn't innuendo you dork!

Lucina: *blush deepens* Sorry

7: Ahem, anyway onto the chapter before this gets any more awkward

A/N: Track 9 this time-Nagi no Asukara OST

Start playing at: Later that night…

Movements (Reflections)

-Western Ferox, Five Days before Shepherd Deployment-

A young woman sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that day. She observed the cold, ice covered ground in silence.

She'd come to Regna Ferox about three weeks ago with a plan to become Khan Basilio's champion. The idea had been conceived from the minds of her friends before they'd arrived. The reasoning was simple; becoming champion let them control events and would divert the disaster that was to come.

Well, control was a stretch. She had arrived with only two others in tow.

Sighing again, she looked at her own attire, unchanged from when she'd met Chrom, and moved back into the room she shared with her companions. Most of the others hadn't been there when they arrived. She could only assume they were wandering the world, searching.

The woman frowned a bit at that thought. Many of the others seemed desperate to avoid the Shepherds of this time, and while she could understand theur trepidation, not wanting to meet at all was a bit extreme.

Clearing her head of such thoughts, she turned when she heard voices approaching the room.

"…and I'm telling you that charging in without help is just going to get you killed!" That was Severa, the woman's oldest and best friend. They were born just a year apart from one another and were nearly inseparable.

"That's not heroic at all! If you can't break the enemy's line with a great swoop, special moves and one liners, there's no point!" Answered another voice.

The woman chuckled. That was Cynthia, her polar opposite, bright and outgoing compared to her own solemn aura. They made a great team, balancing each other like that, but that's what sisters were for.

"Sis! We're back!"

The door creaked open and two figures entered the room, both loaded down with bags.

The first was clad in light armor, steel clanking on her torso and arms. Underneath, she wore a white and blue dress with long blue gloves and equally long boots. Her most eye-catching feature was her midnight hair, tied in two small pigtails on either side of her head. The brand proving her lineage was hidden from sight, but the woman knew that it slept upon Cynthia's breast.

It was fitting, she supposed. Cynthia had been their beating heart ever since everything went wrong.

The second figure wore a unique set of armor made up of steel greaves over her boots. She wore chainmail underneath a dark shirt. Her top garment was purple and scarlet, a sort of leather jacket-dress.

She sighed. That was the only way to describe what Severa was wearing since it was stuck between the two.

Besides that, it had light pauldrons on both shoulders and had dark pants with a line of gold on them. But, the entire ensemble paled before the large coat she wore over everything, the gold embroidery shining.

She smiled again. Despite everything they'd been through, the coat was in fabulous condition. It was Severa's last gift from her parents, placed on her shoulders bare weeks before they'd died. It was their way of telling her she'd surpass them, an acknowledgment of the girl's tactical genius.

The genius that had saved them so many times.

But, even with all that, she thought that Severa's best features were her long amethyst hair, tied into two pigtails, and her heterochromatic eyes. Her right eye shimmered like an opal, multiple colors frozen in the iris, while her left eye was a blazing garnet that flickered like fire.

She blinked a moment later, surprised to see them staring expectantly at her. "What is it?"

Cynthia glared at Severa. "Tell her she's wrong, sis! Heroes swoop in to save the day!"

Severa rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Lucy, tell her doing that is just going to get her killed."

Lucy, full name Lucina, rolled her eyes at them. "Not this again."

They just stared at her, waiting.

Lucina sighed. "Geez, ok."

She looked at Cynthia. "Cynthia, you can't just charge off into enemy lines by yourself. You're a valuable asset in battle and it would be a disaster to lose you to a trap."

Her eyes softened. "Besides, you're my sister. I'd be devastated to lose you."

Cynthia glanced away, pouting. Lucina spoke again before Severa could start celebrating.

"But, it is admirable to think of others before yourself and it is something we should all aspire to. Heroes give people hope, and sometimes, that means going against common sense."

This time Severa looked away, eyes bitter.

Lucina smiled and pulled them into a hug. "You both have valid points, I know that, but it's by working together we've gotten so far. So, let's leave these petty arguments behind for now, ok?"

She felt them nod against her shoulders. "Good. Now, I assume the shopping went well?"

Severa nodded to the bags on the table. "We were lucky. They still had some extra veggies and beef to go with all those potatoes."

Cynthia perked up. "Oh, and I got the last of the spices they had too! Had to wrestle a few people to do it, but all's well that ends well."

Lucina smiled wryly. She could picture Cynthia diving into the crowd with a roar and the kerfuffle that followed. "Well, depending on what you bought, I may be able to make my famous russet soup tonight."

Severa and Cynthia almost cheered. Lucina knew how to make soup better than just about anyone, even if she couldn't make anything besides that and pies. All those hours in the kitchen with her family weren't just for show.

Severa blinked. "Wait a minute! Cynthia, didn't you say something about having news?"

Cynthia paused her fantasies of hearty soup to think. "Hmm. Did I?"

Severa glared at her. "I'm pretty sure you did. You were running around like a headless chicken trying to find me, screaming about how we had to leave."

Cynthia's face scrunched in thought. "Um, oh what was it, something about…"

Her eyes flew open. "That's right! I found out where the tournament is being held!"

Severa and Lucina groaned. That sort of news was beyond important in so many ways.

"Well, spit it out numbskull!" Severa punctuated her demand by putting Cynthia in a headlock. Lucina almost smiled. Seeing them wrestle like this brought back old memories.

Lucina coughed. "Anyway, let's hear what she has to say, Sev."

Severa pouted but let Cynthia go. Cynthia, after blowing a petty raspberry, grew serious.

"The Champion Selection Tournament, or 'The Harrowing' according to locals, will be held at the West-Khan's palace in three days. From what I was able to scrounge up, anyone is allowed to enter as long as they register by noon the day before the tournament."

Lucina nodded. "Good, that's our ticket in. Anything else?"

Cynthia played with her hair, bored. "Well, everyone says the current champion can't be beat. Outside of that the only concrete information I could find was an announcement in the square explaining how everything works."

Severa sighed. "Well, I don't know about you, Catria, but how are we going to go with Marth over there?"

She nodded to Lucina's mask on the table.

Cynthia grinned. "Well, I may not be able to hide my face under a hood like you Katarina but I bought this."

She held up a mask outlined in white feathers. "They use these for the festival that's happening because of the tournament."

Severa snorted. "Would you look at that? Using your brain actually made something easier for everyone."

Cynthia growled and started arguing with Severa again.

Lucina let them go at it, mind pulled away from their antics.

They certainly act like sisters. At least, they act more like sisters than Cynthy and I do. I may be older than her, but we haven't been this open with each other in almost ten years.

Lucina gulped, mouth suddenly dry.

If… if I follow what I believe, and by some miracle it works… then they will be sisters.

Lucina took a steadying breath before interrupting them. "Alright, that's enough. The Khan's Palace is two days from here, less if we all fly on Selene. I'll get the soup boiling and then we'll turn in, agreed?"

The girls agreed and a moment later Lucima had a pot boiling over their fire place.

"I still don't see why we didn't just go to an inn that serves food."

Lucina sighed. "Sev, we had to scrounge for enough gold just to stay here, let alone get food. Something like that is too expensive."

Severa groaned. "I know. It's just… we've been through a lot. I think we deserve some luxury after coming to a time where there's plenty."

Cynthia shrugged. "I'm not opposed to being pampered, but we still have work to do."

Severa sighed, her hand pressing into her forehead. "I know… I know."

Lucina put a hand on her shoulder. "Still thinking of what happened?"

Severa sighed. "How could I not? Daddy was right in front of me. Young, vibrant, alive. I…"

She started sniffling and Lucina pulled her into a hug, Cynthia embraced her from the other side.

"Hey," Lucina whispered, "I understand. Having father in front of us with Aunty Lissa and Uncle Freddy… It was almost too much."

Cynthia stroked Severa's hair. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to not choke up. If mother had been there, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself."

Severa shook her head. "Ok, ok, I'm… I'm better. Thanks, guys."

Cynthia punched her shoulder. "Come on, what are friends for?"

Severa didn't miss a beat. "Annoying the hell out of me and running off into danger without back-up."

That made them all laugh, the atmosphere much more relaxed. Lucina went back to preparing their meal and before long they'd eaten and were getting ready to sleep.

Cynthia was the first to fall to her dreams, leaving Severa and Lucina alone at the table. They didn't speak, each preferring their thoughts. They avoided looking at one another.

Oh, why did Cynthia convince us to get nightgowns? And for that matter, how did she convince us to get negligee at that?

Lucina sighed as the thought went through her mind. Sure, the fabric was positively divine compared to their normal clothes, but they were sheer up to the waist and it made she and Sev look away from one another.

"So," Severa started, "what are we going to do tomorrow?"

Lucina sighed. "Pack up and leave, most likely. If we want to make it in time for the tournament and get somewhere to sleep, we'll have to leave early."

Severa nodded. "Thought as much. Do you… do you think after we do this we can go search for the others?"

Lucina sighed. "Our main objective is to do all we can to stop the events leading to doomsday. Everything else is secondary."

Severa's eyes grew bitter again, her nod stiff.

"Sev, I know you miss Morgan. I do too. If we find any leads, I will investigate them personally, but she's a strong girl. Have some faith in your sister."

Severa frowned. "I always have faith in my sister. You of all people should know that."

Lucina held up her hands. "Sorry, I know it's a sore subject. I guess I shouldn't be so flippant about it."

Severa huffed. "No, you shouldn't."

Lucina smiled, standing and walking to Severa's side. "Do you remember when I'd come visit? How we'd play in the stream and climb trees?"

Severa averted her eyes. "How could I forget? You always insisted on gigging for frogs and eating apples straight from the tree. We drove my parents mad."

Lucina stood behind Severa, fingers trailing up the other girl's arms and settling on her shoulders. "Want a massage? I want to do something to apologize."

Severa shivered at her touch, not really sure where this was going. "Um, uh, sure, if you, uh, want."

Lucina smiled and began to knead Severa's shoulders, feeling for the tense spots and slowly rubbing them away. Severa seemed pleased with her work if the brief mewls she was letting out meant anything.

Lucina took a deep breath. "Hey, Sev?"

"Hm?"

Lucina's hands stopped on top of Severa's shoulders. "I've… wanted to speak with you alone for a while. I have something I want to say."

Lucina's arms wrapped around Severa's shoulders, holding the nervous girl in place.

"Um, w-what do y-you want to say?"

Lucina took a deep breath before leaning close to Severa's ear.

"Sev… I-"

"What are you guys doing?"

Lucina launched herself away from Severa's side. "C-Cynthia?! What are you doing up?!"

Cynthia rubbed the crust from her eyes, blinking when she saw Lucina's glowing face and Severa hiding her face in her arms. "Uh, did I interrupt something?"

Severa jumped out of her chair. "No, now got to sleep!"

Severa jumped into her bed and hid herself under the sheets, leaving a mortified Lucina to stare at her sister.

Cynthia coughed into her fist. "So… am I going to get an explanation?"

Lucina sighed before slinking to her bed and hiding herself under the sheets.

Cynthia scratched at her head before flopping back into bed. "Guess not." She mumbled.

The girls did eventually go to sleep, but there was little in the way of conversation the next day. They took to the air on Cynthia's Pegasus, named Selene, and flew towards the Khan's Palace just after waking and gathering their things.

They couldn't fly forever though and they set down in a clearing amidst trees as the sun began to set. Again, there was little conversation until Cynthia finally got fed up and dragged Lucina away for an explanation.

"Ok sis," she started as soon as Severa was out of sight, "what happened last night?"

Lucina fidgeted. "I was… just giving her a massage. You know how stressed she gets."

Cynthia's face fell flat. "Lucy, you know you bite your lip when you lie, right?"

Lucina bit her lip. "No I don't."

Cynthia reached up and freed the lip. "Yes, you do. Come on, Lucy, I'm your sister! You can tell me anything and I won't blink!"

Cynthia's face scrunched. "Unless you tell me you've decided to live au natural, then I can't help you."

Lucina glared.

Cynthia backtracked. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Geez, can't take a joke today?"

Lucina tilted her head. "That was a joke?"

Cynthia stared at her before sighing. "You know what? Never mind. Now, tell me what happened!"

Lucina started glancing around for an escape route, but Cynthia would have none of it. "Don't even try, sis. Even if you run back to camp, I'll just drag you into the sky."

Lucina glanced around some more before heaving a resigned sigh. "Fine, if you're so insistent. But, don't breathe a word of what I'm about to say to Sev, got it?"

Cynthia smiled. "Course, now tell me!"

Lucina rolled her eyes. "Well… I was giving her a massage. I had brought up Morgan… and I wanted to apologize for being insensitive."

Cynthia winced. Morgan was supposed to come right behind them, the last to enter the portal to the past. When she hadn't shown up, Severa hadn't been the same, retreating into an acerbic and sarcastic shell.

Lucina pushed on. "As I was working on her shoulders, I decided to tell her something that I'd been thinking on for some time. Something that my heart was ready to tell."

Cynthia connected the dots instantly. "You tried to confess?! Oh, geez, no wonder you didn't want to talk about it, I'm so sorry!"

Lucina sighed, a tired smile on her face. "It's fine. I think I was trying to push this too fast. Don't worry, I'll tell her when I feel it's the right time. I just…"

Cynthia pulled her older sister into a hug. "You're afraid she'll think you're a freak and stop being friends with you, right?"

Lucina nodded into Cynthia's shoulder, tiny sniffles shaking her body.

Cynthia held her tighter. "It'll be fine, Lucina. Severa's not some idiot. She's been your friend since you guys were tiny. Believe me; you had a more serious chance of losing her friendship when you decided to hide Mr. Fin from her when I was five."

Lucina choked on a laugh. Severa had been beyond furious with her after the old plushy had been found, not speaking to her for almost a month. It had taken a heavy apology and a lot of cying to get her back.

Lucina finally got a hold on her emotions. "You… you're right, Cynthia. You always seem to know what to say when I get like this."

Cynthia smiled. "Hey, remember what we promised after Mom and Dad died? We would work together to lift the other when they were down, to be like the sun and moon. I want to see my sister be happy, no matter what it takes."

Lucina finally hugged her back. "I do too. You little pony harasser."

Cynthia laughed. "That was one time!"

"Hey, what are two talking about? Food's done, but if you don't want any…" another voice interrupted them.

They jumped and turned to see a curious Severa standing a few feet away. They shrugged helplessly at each other before Lucina answered. "Cynthia wanted to ask me about the possibility of getting Selene checked when we reach the castle-town. She thinks she's ill."

Severa clicked her tongue. "Ah, small wonder she's been so ornery. Well, they should have something for her if we can afford it, but we won't get anywhere without eating. Come on."

She turned and left. Cynthia and Lucina sighed in relief before trading smiles and following her.

Tourney Day

Thankfully, they were able to reach the town early on the morning of the tournament. Selene was indeed falling ill so Cynthia set out to find medicine. She stored her armor and put on a white shawl and winter dress with her mask before leaving. She led Selene to the nearest vet under the pseudonym she'd used with the Shepherds: Catria.

That left Severa and Lucina, going by 'Katarina' and 'Marth' respectively, to search for the registration tables.

Katarina glanced around under her hood. "When Catria said there was a festival, she wasn't kidding."

In fact, it seemed closer to a grand celebration than a festival. There were stalls, games, food, and drink aplenty. The excess actually made the time travelers slightly nauseous.

Marth nodded. "Indeed. Were we not here on business, I'd enjoy looking around."

Katarina shrugged. "I guess. Hold on, I'm going to ask for the tables. It'll take too long if we just wander everywhere."

She wandered over to one of the stands and conversed with the owner for a moment before returning.

"Ok, they're in front of the palace. If we walk straight from here and turn left we'll see an inn with a blue snake on it. Once we see that, we'll be there."

Marth nodded and they set off. Eventually, they made it to the tables.

There were only a few people waiting to sign up, so Marth was only in line for a few minutes before being waved forward.

The registrar cast a skeptical eye over her lithe form. "You sure you want to sign up? You look like a stiff wind could blow you over."

Katarina almost snorted. Marth's outfit hid it well, but she was all muscle and grace. All sexy muscle and curves…

Stop that, you oaf! Focus on the mission, you can entertain sick fantasies when you're alone!

"I'm sure, sir." Marth answered. "I wield the sword when I fight, if that's helpful."

The registrar shrugged. "Alright kid, your choice. Now, sign here please. This basically says that you're doing this of your own free will, accept any potential injuries, and will not fight dishonestly or after the fight is called."

Marth nodded and signed.

"Alright then. Your waiting area is over there, with the big D on it. Competitors are allowed to bring only two comrades with them. These comrades can help them prepare, but that's it."

Marth nodded and walked off to the waiting area, Katarina a step behind.

Marth turned to Katarina. "Why don't you find Catria? I can prepare on my own."

Katarina stepped towards Marth, face wreathed in shadow. "You sure?"

Marth nodded. "Yes, go ahead. I'll see you at the tourney field."

Katarina nodded before sweeping back toward town. Marth watched her go before turning around and walking further in. She almost smirked as she walked.

None of them think much of me. They take one glance and dismiss me as a fool for thinking I can fight them. Well, we'll see who the fool is. A warrior fighting an apocalypse for eight years against a militia that rarely sees real battle.

She gripped her blade tighter and continued.

Proving Grounds- Two Hours Later

Catria and Katarina were milling about the edge of the grounds. Getting Selene the medicine she needed took longer than either had expected, but they arrived just before the matches began.

"Did you get a look at the roster? They should have put it up by now."

Catria shook her head. "An airhead I may be, but I'm not so bad as to miss the roster. Marth fights in the sixth round."

Katarina groaned. "Ah, that'll take forever! Want food?"

Catria cheered and they wandered over to one of the stalls, vaguely hearing an announcer get the tournament started. They ignored the voice at first, more concerned with getting their hands on a pot pie, but hurried back when the fifth fight ended.

"And now, we move on to our next fight of the day!" The announcer howled to the rowdy crowd.

He gestured to the right side of the field. "On my right, we have the runner-up of the last Harrowing! He hails from right here in town and is always looking for a fight, let's hear it for BROOOOOOGGGAAAANNNN!"

The crowd roared once more, a big beefy man with a simple axe roaring right back at them.

He's… kinda plain. Like, if he didn't have that fur coat over his shoulders, I'd lose him in a crowd without even trying. Katarina shook the thought away, focusing on the other fighter.

The announcer did too. "On my left, we have a recent entry. Hailing from parts unknown and with an air of mystery sure to make the ladies swoon, I give you, MAAAAAAAAAAAARTTHH!"

There wasn't near the level of cheering this time, but more than a few women were making doe eyes at Marth.

Catria chuckled when she saw them. Oh, if only they knew.

The announcer recited the rules 'just to be sure' before banging the gong at his side. "Begin!"

Bogan charged, aiming to split Marth in two with a single blow. He froze when his target disappeared from view.

"Hey, come out and fight like a man!" Bogan roared, his voice like raw gravel.

The crowd started whispering, wondering if Marth had fled the field.

Katarina and Catria smirked. "You remembered to put our bets on Marth, right Kat?"

Katarina groaned. "Don't call me that, and yes, I did."

Bogan was still searching for his opponent when a cut appeared on his arm.

"What the-"

He couldn't continue as more and more cuts bloomed over his body. Every one of them a simple flesh wound, but the sheer number soon put Bogan on the ground.

Stunned silence met the result, Marth reappearing with her blood coated sword after Bogan hit the ground.

She placed the blade under his chin. "I believe that's my win."

The announcer shook himself out of his stupor. "T-the winner, in a stunning upset, is the late arrival, MAAAAAAAAARRTHH!"

There was little cheering, the crowd still stunned. Only Katarina and Catria made any attempt to show their support. Marth walked over to them, a slight smile on her face. "So, how'd I do?"

Catria giggled. "You were super cool! No one could see you!"

Katarina cackled. "And we made money! Those fools at the betting table put you at six hundred to one!"

Marth's eyes narrowed behind her mask. "How much did you use?"

Katarina had to keep herself from dancing. "A thousand."

Marth groaned. "You're lucky we need to become the Khan's champion. That's almost all the money we had left."

Katarina shrugged. "Hey, we have another six rounds before you fight for the title. Besides, we're not going to be here forever, so we may as well get some funds."

Marth chuckled. "Always an angle. Good thinking, Kat."

Katarina groaned. "Not you too. Let's… just go collect our winnings. You won't fight again till this afternoon anyway."

They exited the field and went to find the betting tables, happily ignoring the angry mutterings of those that had bet on Bogan.

That was how it would continue for the next few days. Marth was too fast for any of her opponents to see let alone fight, so the fights became less of a spectacle and more of a certainty. The odd-makers got wise to this after the third fight so Katarina couldn't make any further money on anything but the title fight.

They did have a few incidents after the first fight. A number of angry losers had tried to gang up on them and attack, but Katarina summoned fire to her side and they scurried away. Another problem was when the odds-makers sent some goons to try and intimidate them.

Catria took care of them with the generous application of her lance butt.

Finally, Bogan decided to try and take revenge on Marth for the humiliating defeat. He'd brought some of his own goons to corner Marth, but it ended the same way.

Now, they were waiting to be called out to the field for the title fight.

Katarina took Marth aside. "Hey, you ok? I know it's Inigo's dad, but you can't afford to hesitate."

Marth shook her head. "I'll be fine. Remember, he's not over his phobia yet. Knowing how sharp he is, he'll figure out I'm a girl and hesitate. That'll be my ticket."

Katarina nodded. "Good. But remember, he's as honor bound as they come. He may hesitate, but he's still the best swordsman the continent's ever known. Don't let your guard down."

Marth smiled. "I never do."

Catria's voice interrupted them. "Hey, they're about to call you out! Get over here!"

Marth nodded and walked to the edge of the field, counting butterflies in her head to calm down.

The Khan was the announcer this time. "Well, if it isn't a wonderful day for a fight! Who's ready for a real brawl of a battle!"

The crowd roared at their leader's words.

The Khan laughed. "That's what I like to hear! Now, so everyone knows, the famous Swan Troupe is in town today. They'll be performing after the tournament is over!"

The crowd roared ever louder, but Marth could see a pink haired woman shaking her head next to the Khan.

Oh, that's Inigo's mother. I forgot she was part of the troupe.

She shook her head. It looked like the idea of the tournament was just to celebrate, like she'd heard. No one expected anyone to show up with a chance to actually beat the champion.

Well, not until we showed up.

"Alright, let's get started! Our champion requires no introduction, but I'll yell his name to embarrass him! Give it up for Lon'qu!"

The crowd roared once again, laughter mixed in with their cheers.

Marth glanced at her opponent, barely keeping a smirk off her face.

Normally, he'd be quite intimidating. His short and wild hair mixed with his perpetually frowning visage and narrow eyes made him look like a demon. He wore a blue tunic with black and gold lacquer shoulder guards. His sleeves were lined with fur. He wore fur lines leather gauntlets and a pair of beige pants which ran into fur lined boots.

Actually, fur was a theme with his clothes, adding to his wild appearance.

Yet, his eyes were extremely focused, at odds with his wild appearance. In fact, despite many of his features trying to draw the eye, Marth was drawn to the red sheathe belted at his side. Its shape was curved, a unique shape compared to the traditional straight sword Marth used.

But, all of this intimidation was ruined by the slight blush on the man's face.

The Khan laughed. "Now that I've had my fun, let's introduce his opponent! They've blazed through the tournament with nary a scratch while fending off Feroxi hospitality, no small feat, and now they're looking to dethrone Lon'qu! Give it up for Marth!"

This time there was a lot more applause. Marth's mysterious demeanor and skill had garnered many fans, most of the female variety.

The Khan laughed again. "Well, I want to see this as much as the next guy, so let's get a move on! Fighters, to the center!"

Marth and Lon'qu walked to the center of the field.

"You both know the rules! When I hit this gong, have at it!"

The Khan paused. "Oh, and Lon'qu! If you win again, you and Olivia get the week off!"

Lon'qu perked up along with the pink haired woman.

Marth frowned.

Great. Now he has motivation.

A moment later the gong rang.

Lon'qu drew his blade, a single edge tapering off at the tip. Marth drew hers in turn, the simple steel less recognizable than her personal blade.

They stood in silence, studying each other, then Lon'qu tensed.

He's figured out my disguise. The phobia should kick in now, but I'll need to take the initiative.

Marth charged forward, sword poised to stab at his chest. He jumped out of range and weaved among the flurry of stabs with ease.

Marth clicked her tongue and jumped back, avoiding a hard slash that would have opened her shirt.

They started circling each other, diving in at every opening, imagined or real. Lon'qu could feel himself hesitating unconsciously, trying to compensate for it was throwing off his rhythm.

Their blades clashed whenever they couldn't dodge, Lon'qu's aggression against Marth's prudence.

Marth was calm though. Lon'qu was starting to rush his attacks to compensate for his hesitation, and his blows were slowly becoming less accurate.

But they also became less predictable.

Marth hissed as his blade cleaved through her armor and opened a cut on her back. How did he get behind her?

Damn it, he's getting faster too. I need to end this, now.

She rolled away from another strike and sprang forward. Lon'qu leaned away from her attack, but she hooked her arm around his neck and pulled him to the ground.

He tried to flip himself back to his feet, but Marth pinned his sword under her body and placed her blade at his throat.

They remained there, panting, until the Khan's voice reached their ears.

"And that clinches the match! We have a new champion, Marth!"

Marth sighed in relief, getting off of Lon'qu and letting him stand. "A great match. You're truly a peerless swordsman."

Lon'qu blushed. "Hmph, you're not so bad yourself. You're lucky I haven't had to train getting out of a pin in so long."

Marth tilted her head. "Why's that?"

He gestured to his sword. "My usual plan is that I slip my arm out and roll over you before impaling you. But, you seemed aware of this possibility, so I'll let this loss slide, much as it burns to say that."

Marth bowed before turning to face her friends. There was still the formal ceremony to go through, though she wondered if the crowd could hear her racing heart.

He could have ended me less than a minute in. If it hadn't been for his phobia, this plan would have been for naught.

She shook the ifs from her mind. It was time to get inducted as the Khan's champion and relax.

Katarina frowned at Marth's form as she walked toward the winner's platform.

I need to talk to her tonight. That couldn't have been an easy battle.

The ceremony was short and to the point. After that, the dancing troupe moved into position and the celebration swung into full force.

-Night—

Lucina, sweet Naga is was good to say her own name again, watched the festivities from her room.

They'd each been given private quarters to relax in. The Feroxi told Lucina they'd leave for the Grand Colosseum in three days, the ancient building which would host the bi-annual Khan Selection tourney.

If all proceeds as it should… then I will meet father in combat.

The thought filled her with dread and joy in equal measure. Joy because she could finally fight her father without him holding back, just like she always wanted. Dread because she feared getting carried away, what if one of them was hurt?

No… no, it's a silly fear. Father was always skilled, even before I was born. Fighting him now will save both him and Uncle Kellam in the long run. Hopefully… hopefully we can save Aunty Emm too.

Lucina knew it would be hard. Time always favored its original course, and it would cause ripple effects to make it move.

No, I can't think like that. We will save them, no matter what.

A knock on her door broke her musings. She coughed and spoke in a deeper voice. "Who is it?"

"Well, if you're going to try and hide behind a voice from your best friend, I'll just take my leave."

Lucina sighed. "Sev, come on. There's no way I could have been able to tell."

A chuckle ghosted through the door. "I know, I just like messing with you. Now open up."

Lucina smirked and walked over, letting Severa into her room.

Severa looked around. "Well, I wasn't expecting fine silks and velvet, but there's a lot of fur in here."

Lucina chuckled. "Well, the Feroxi are practical if nothing else. Most of the fur is for insulation, and to keep the stone from freezing."

Severa shrugged. "Meh, not that important. Anyway, how are you feeling? I know it was pretty hard to keep your head in that fight."

Lucina sighed, taking a seat before the hearth. "Well… I don't know how to feel. I'm happy that I was able to fight one of my heroes on even ground, but…"

Severa sighed, sitting behind Lucina. "You're concerned that this is for nothing, right?"

Lucina nodded.

Severa shook her head. "Well, you can't worry about that. Come on, we went through time, how awesome is that? If we're cool enough to break a law of nature, we're cool enough to see this through."

Lucina chuckled. "Am I that obvious?"

Severa chuckled too. "More than you know. I don't need to have known you my whole life to tell."

Lucina leaned into her. "Thanks, Sev. Thanks for always being there."

Severa hugged her. "Why wouldn't I be? Without me, you'd just go be a martyr somewhere else."

Severa sighed. "I'd hate that."

Lucina gulped, aware of the opportunity before her. With what was to come… she couldn't let this pass.

"Hey…Sev?"

"Mm?"

Lucina took a deep breath. "Could… I ask for one of your famous shoulder rubs?"

Severa blinked. "Uh, sure. Just let me get your pauldrons off."

Lucina nodded and let Severa unhook her pauldrons and set them down, a slight pressure dug into her shoulders moments later.

Lucina let Severa work her magic, letting the loosening muscles relax her anxiety. Eventually, she found her voice again.

"Sev, do you remember when Aunty took care of us? After our parents left?"

Severa sighed, digging a bit harder on a stubborn knot. "How could I forget? She took care of all of us after she came back from the war, even when Uncle had to stay."

Lucina took another deep breath. "Well… I have a confession."

Severa's hands stopped. "A confession?"

Lucina nodded. "Yes. When… when we were with Aunty, I had a talk with her."

Severa felt anxiety settle in her stomach. "About what?"

Lucina kept her back to Severa. "About love."

Severa gulped. "And… you're telling me this why?"

Lucina smiled, though Severa couldn't see it. "Well… I think it'd be better if I showed you."

Severa leaned back. "Show me? Lucy, what are y-"

Severa didn't finish. Lucina spun around and wrapped her arms around Severa, sealing the other girl's lips under her own.

Severa didn't move, mind futilely trying to process what was going one. Her eyes just stared at Lucina's eye lids, who was trying to enjoy the sensation for as long as she could.

Eventually, Lucina pulled away. Severa was still frozen.

Lucina's heart ached at Severa's look of shock. "I… I'm sorry, Severa."

She hurriedly pushed Severa out of the room, locking the door and flopping facefirst onto her bed. She sobbed into the sheets.

I've done it. I've gone and ruined our friendship for my own selfish wants. Oh, Naga, please let her forgive me. Please don't let her hate me.

Lucina sobbed again, her branded eye burning.

I'll break if she hates me.

Severa, for her part, was still frozen in the hallway. Her mismatched eyes were cloudy, mind somewhere else.

-Ylisstol, Nine Years Ago-

Severa was sitting next to her Aunty as they stared at the sunrise together.

"So, Sev," her Aunty began, "what did you want to talk about?"

Severa fidgeted in her seat. "Um, Aunty, when did you realize you liked Uncle?"

Her Aunty chuckled. "Oh, love is it? Well, I met your Uncle during the early parts of the Plegian War. I was on the run from the Grimleal when the Shepherds found me. The others went to fight the villains, but your Uncle stopped to tend to me, to make sure I was ok."

She chuckled. "I knew right then he was a kind man."

Severa stared at her. "Then… how did you knew you liked him?"

Her Aunty pulled her into a hug. "That's not something I can really tell. Every person feels something different when they fall in love." She pulled away. "Now, why don't you tell me? What do you feel when you're near this person?"

Severa glanced away, blushing. "Uh, well…"

Her Aunty smirked. "We're both girls here, there's no reason to be nervous."

Severa sighed. "Well… I feel safe, secure. I feel happy, like everything that's happening is going to be ok as long as they're there. I just… feel so happy."

Silence stretched between them before Severa was pulled back in. "Ah, that sounds a lot more like love than what I thought. Here I thought you had some kind of puppy love, but this sounds a lot more serious."

Severa buried her head into her Aunty's silky green hair. "I… I just don't know if I can tell this person."

Her Aunty tightened her grip. "Why?"

Severa started crying. "It's… It's Lucina. I love Lucina."

Severa wiped at her eyes as the memory came to an end. Aunty had been beyond understanding, telling her it didn't matter that she loved her best friend, that she loved another girl, all that mattered was that she loved.

Severa almost choked out a laugh, her voice a whisper. "To think… Lucy talked to her too. What else have I been blind to?"

Severa's back hurt. These emotions were making her back hurt and she needed to rest.

Tears streamed down her face, relief and fear mixing in the tracks.

I'm so relieved… she loves me too. But… my stupid brain may have just ruined it before I even had the chance to tell her.

Severa finally went back to her room, barely remembering to lock the door before falling into bed.

Morgy… I need you. You always know what to say when I get like this. I need your help.

Her back continued to ache, even as she fell into a fitful sleep.

The ugly purple brand between her shoulder blades pulsed with every sob.

Ch 7 End

Well, this actually turned out better than I expected.

I was actually arguing with myself on that last part for a few days as I wasn't sure how it would run in the context of this story. However, I found I liked the pairing of LucinaxSevera when I played the final part of the Future Past DLC and it's especially poignant if Lucina's mother is Sumia and Severa's dad is Robin. So, I think it works here.

Anyway, we now know how these three got into Basilio's service.

Thanks for reading and please leave your thoughts and comments in a review!

Squad 7 DISMISSED!