"Oh, Ananias!" Lucina gushed. "What do you think of this one?"

Ananias looked at the dress and shrugged. "Well, it's definitely a dress."

Lucina chuckled. "Of course it's a dress. I'm asking what you think of it."

"Can you be a little more specific?"

"Well, what do you think of the color?"

Ananias tilted his head from side to side as he contemplated his answer. "I mean... it's definitely pink."

"Well, yes, but don't you just love the shade of it? How bright it is? How it just... pops?"

"I guess," Ananias admitted. "It'd certainly be hard to miss."

"Oh, absolutely!" Lucina excitedly replied. "Especially with the pattern this dress is sporting! I mean, white polka dots? How can anyone resist looking at something so beautiful?"

Ananias gave Lucina a funny look. "Are you trying to fish some compliments out of me? If you want the dress, then just get it."

Lucina's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You don't think it's too much for me, do you?"

"Do you think the dress is too much?"

"Oh no! Absolutely not! But do you think I'd be able to do it justice?"

Ananias simply shrugged. "I think you'd look just fine in it."

Lucina's face lit up upon hearing this. "Really? Do you really think so?"

"I mean, I think wearing clothes is more of a confidence thing, so as long as you like it, your feelings about it will probably translate when you're wearing it."

"Oh! I never thought about it like that!" A sudden thought then came to her and her face noticeably fell. "But then again, there are probably much better and more urgent things we should be spending our money on." She placed the dress back down where she had found it. "It's disappointing, but I'll have to refrain from buying it for now."

"You do remember that we're not going to be staying in this world, right? If you want the dress, then it's now or never."

"Oh! Um," Lucina glanced longingly at the dress she had just set down before solemnly shaking her head, "no. Now is not the time for self-indulgence. This world is counting on us to focus on the fight ahead, and that is exactly what we're going to do."

Ananias nodded. "Got it." He then picked up the dress and went to find the merchant who was selling it.

Lucina's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Ananias, what are you doing?"

"Paying for it," Ananias nonchalantly answered.

"What? But I just said -"

"I know what you said," Ananias gave the merchant the dress and the money, "and I agree. But still, what are the chances that you'll find a dress like this back in our world?"

Lucina was at a loss for words. "Well, yes, but still..."

It was then that the merchant came back with the dress. "Ah, here we go." The merchant then gave the dress back to him, which Ananias then gave to Lucina. "Happy birthday."

Lucina's eyes widened further as her gaze quickly darted between the dress in Ananias' hands and Ananias himself. "B-but my birthday isn't until -"

"In case I forget." When Lucina didn't immediately take it, Ananias sighed and whispered, "Come on. After everything you've done, this is the least I could do."

Lucina chuckled before finally accepting her gift. "Okay, but only if you'll allow me to look for a birthday present for you too."

Ananias shook his head. "You don't have to do that."

"Please. After everything you've done, it's the least I can do."

Ananias awkwardly averted his eyes to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lucina smiled knowingly. "Funny. Neither do I."

Ananias sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Fine. Do what you want."

"Actually, in this case, it's more about what you want."

"Humph, like I'm anywhere near the fashionista you are."

"Really? You can't think of anything you'd like to wear except the clothes your family gave you?"

"I'm surprised you can. You took to your roles pretty well, I'd say."

"Well, it was more out of necessity than anything, but I see your point."

"Is that why you like the dress so much? Because it's so different from what you usually wear?"

Lucina considered it for a bit. "Hmm. I'm not really sure. I suppose, deep down, that may be a part of it."

"Yeah." Ananias glanced down at the dress in Lucina's hands. "Honestly, I find it hard to image you wearing anything else besides the clothes you've got on right now."

Lucina nodded. "Honestly? Me too. It makes me wonder what I'm going to do after we save the future."

Ananias nodded. "Assuming that we just won't disappear, right? Yeah, I've been wondering about that too. Should I be my own best friend? Should there be two Ananias' walking around at the same time?"

Lucina groaned as she covered her eyes with one of her hands. "Oh gods. Now you've got me thinking about it."

"Sorry."

"No, no. It's a good point. I mean, it's not like we can deprive our parents of having any children, right? And would it be right for my father to name and treat his new first-born differently, just to accommodate me?"

Ananias shuddered at the thought. "Great. Another thought I didn't need living inside my head." He sighed. "I don't know. I guess we could all just... move out? Like, take ourselves out of the picture?"

"Hmm. How far?"

"As far as you feel comfortable. I mean, you still want to visit, don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I'm wondering if the other me would get suspicious or not."

"Okay, then don't visit them."

Lucina sighed. "Yes, but what exactly would I do in this new life of mine? If I'm not going to visit, I should at least find a way to keep myself busy in the meantime."

Ananias shrugged. "I don't know. How about designing and selling your own clothes? You seem interested in that, at least."

Lucina gasped and her face practically lit up upon hearing this. "Oh! I've never thought of that before!" She let out a little squeal. "So many dresses that I wish would exist but don't, I can finally bring to life myself! And better yet, I would get to share those same dresses with other people! Oh, Ananias! You're a genius!"

"Yeah, an evil genius, maybe," Ananias muttered, cringing at the thought of Lucina making her own clothes based on her own peculiar taste in fashion.

Lucina frowned. "Hmm? What was that?"

Ananias coughed. "Nothing. Nothing."

Lucina tilted her head to the side. "Oh. Well, what about you, Ananias? What do you think you'd like to do once our fight is over?"

Ananias shrugged. "I don't know. I can't imagine staying in one place for very long, especially with that whole younger-me-might-find-out-about-me scenario. Maybe I should just move around from place to place?"

"Oh? Like a mercenary?"

Ananias gave her a funny look. "What makes you think I would ever pull off being a mercenary?"

"Oh," Lucina nodded, "right, right. Because you're not skilled enough for it. Right. Well, what other jobs require moving around then?"

Ananias took a moment to think it over before sighing and saying, "I don't know. A messenger?"

"A messenger," Lucina mused. "Hmm. Yes, I think that would actually suit you."

"Really?"

Lucina nodded. "Yes. Think about it. It's simple enough not to require too much of a specialized skill, it's a job that is sorely needed, and it requires somebody trustworthy and dependable! It's a perfect fit! Why, if I needed something to be delivered, I would choose you to deliver it in a heartbeat."

"Okay, but, do I get paid upfront or after I've successfully delivered... whatever it is that you want me to deliver? Because paying upfront seems super shady, and collecting my pay after seems like a lot of wasted energy and resources on my part."

"Huh. I'm not really sure."

Ananias sighed. "Well, I guess it's still an option."

Lucina chuckled. "Still need some more time to think about it?"

"I mean, I guess I could think about it while delivering a package or two. Something to fall back on until I figure things out, you know?"

"Hmm. Yes. Would you mind if I joined you?"

Ananias' eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Why?"

"We've been fighting for so long to save the future that we completely forgot how to plan for it. I may need some time to figure things out as well. And like you said, delivering messages and packages could give me something to do until then."

"You sure? I doubt that you'd want to be a messenger forever."

"True, we may eventually have to go our separate ways, but why don't we just ease into it? I believe it'll make the transition just a bit smoother."

Ananias shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just be ready for some really boring and awkward conversations to pass the time then."

Lucina smiled. "What boring and awkward conversations?"

Dual Special #1:

Ananias: I set them up, you knock them down!

Lucina: Sounds like a plan!

Dual Special #2:

Ananias: Marth, let's go!

Lucina: (laughs) Old habits certainly die hard, don't they?

Dual Special #3:

Lucina: Let's show them the power of our love, "Anna"!

Ananias: Um, yes, "Falchion"! Let's!

Dual Special #4:

Lucina: For a better and brighter future!

Ananias: And present! Don't forget about present!

Author's Note: The next Warriors supports will be:

5. Celica

6. Sakura

7. Owain

8. Marth

9. Lianna

10. Chrom