Pairing alert: RickenXNowi and HenryXTharja. Although the relationships are just referenced.
Let me be real for a moment: I saw One Cup Of Alternate Dimension has 1,000 hits! Depending on how well known or generally liked an author is, this may or may not be a big deal... But the fact it's for THIS story, well, I'm confused and way too happy about this! Whether you clicked because you were just browsing, like or have fun mocking it I'm so glad you came and really thank you!
One Cup Of Alternate Dimension
Chapter 5: Call My Name Or Walk On By
Two days passed since yet another helping binge. Virion and Sully disappeared and hadn't been heard from since, although Cherche once received an accidental phone call that suggested the couple were currently engaged in steamy rituals. Speaking of Cherche, her and Robin seemed to be fine although they weren't very openly affectionate in public. Morgan would be lying if she said to not have caught the sly attempts at holding hands at the dinner table... Or maybe it wasn't a secret; Gerome ended up sick to his stomach around the same moment and was out of commission for half a work day. But everything could be peaceful again if you take into consideration Morgan and Inigo's soda adventures ended up with them talking about why helping people meant a lot to her... It was a very in-depth talk not recorded because no one would believe Morgan was capable of deep thoughts.
This world was balanced for the time being.
But Morgan didn't forget what Emmeryn said. She wouldn't dare argue that woman wasn't competent at life, but she also didn't expect her to be prying into her siblings' damaged relationships like that. She totally admired her, feeling like they connected that way. It was clear to her that family had a lot of love even if almost everyone was cringe-y to astronomical levels. If Emmeryn said she wanted to help Chrom, who was Morgan to turn down the chance to explore if platonic relationships were just as relevant to getting her back home? Not that she had proof love was the key. If she knew just what to do, well, why wouldn't she peace out at the first opportunity? At least the situation wasn't something cliché like a divine-fueled gate that connects worlds. But Morgan had a feeling somewhere in yet another dimension someone was writing such a bizarre addition to their story.
While Morgan was dragging a freakish-sized bag of coffee beans across the floor of her family's shop, daring any loose nails in the floorboards to connect, she passed her mother behind the counter doing a perfect job holding her phone and arranging pastries to be psychologically appealing. This wasn't anything abnormal in the crucial four minutes before the open sign signaled a new day. In fact Robin was making sure they didn't blow the budget on stirring sticks – gods forbid someone have to use a spoon like the lower class – and Gerome had those tables sparkling. Morgan, however, couldn't ignore the opportunity to eavesdrop if it sounded like the topic at hand was important.
So Morgan put up an act of being overwhelmed by the bag, loudly huffing and wheezing as she dug her own heels into the floor. Cherche's back faced her, so it was unclear if she needed to do it. Still, Cherche was doing a much better job at casual reaction, especially when she made a shocked gasp.
"...Tharja does have a sharp tongue, but she wouldn't say that!"
Morgan dropped the bag, act crumbling along with her sanity. It was like her crazy dreams caught up with her, bending with reality and trying to startle her. Put thoughts in her head. She already made a big deal about a scenario where Robin and Cherche weren't an obviously perfect match... Could she really do so again so soon? That was the kind of progression found in lower quality romance novels.
"...Oh Nowi, give her some time. She might need to cool down. You've endured much more troubling times, remember?" Cherche actually sounded invested in a problem, almost to the point she was going to launch into tales of better times.
Something went wrong. Nowi must have gotten too loud because Cherche cast the phone as far away as her arm could stretch. It didn't take long for crappy, high pitched audio to fill the coffee shop. Robin and Gerome briefly looked up from their tasks, but only Robin made the effort to scribble a request on the memory board away from the customers eyes to call pest control.
"You don't mean that! You need to apologize to- Tharja? Are you two sharing the phone?" Cherche's words would fall on deaf ears as she held the phone as far away as she could to escape the bickering on the other end.
Ultimately Cherche couldn't get another word in. When Tharja was finished ranting, Nowi was several steps ahead with ammo. Not that Morgan could hear even from her eavesdropping spot, but it didn't sound like intelligent points were being made. It was just a whirlwind of angry people, people who Morgan believed were decent enough friends in her world. They couldn't bond over dark magic here, so she couldn't help wondering what brought them here and could they be saved.
The phone call ended, summoning Morgan and Robin to either side of her. Gerome retreated like the background character he aspired to be, just in case anyone cared. More importantly: Cherche looked at her caring husband, her way too invested daughter... She gave them a smile just to placate them obviously.
"Nowi is always like this." Cherche assured them. "She gets mad about the slightest minor annoyances, but by the next day she'll laugh and joke about it."
"But when Tharja is involved..." Robin added with a touch of mystique.
Cherche rolled her eyes and turned to face him, grabbing his shoulder. "How much do you know about Tharja and petty drama?" She didn't sound menacing or gave off a different vibe.
Robin stared at her blankly, and if Morgan concentrated enough she almost caught a glimpse of his life in real time flashing before his eyes. "You know... I need to check on stock... I'll get back to you, Cherche." With that he was expertly disengaging himself, not even breaking into a sweat as he retreated to Gerome's abyss.
Morgan threw her hands up in the air dramatically. "I can't believe Father and Chrom aren't the only people who can't manage their platonic dealings!"
"Such a shame." Cherche said genuinely. She pulled her phone back out, miserably gazing at her contact collection. "Nowi and Tharja – I know you don't remember so I'll explain – aren't the most likely pairing, but they've shown me in the past friendships can form despite the odds."
"And we show the odds the door in this family!" Morgan cheered.
"We annihilate anything that follows typical logic." Cherche agreed with lower energy.
"Teamwork is beautiful when the participants actually give a damn!" Morgan declared, pumping her fists. "Let's find a lull in business hours, then go out and prove it!"
Cherche blew the hair that was trying to fall into her eyes and cast a Gerome-like aura. No, she hadn't fallen so far into the abyss yet. When she looked at Morgan's fired up expression, she only cringed for a second before murmuring she was going to be involved. She didn't need to watch another deteriorating friendship in front of her. But mostly because she had no choice once Morgan decided what she would do.
Morgan looked at Robin just living his life, and the gears began to turn. She could feel it coming on – a potential bonding moment. But it wouldn't be enough without...
"Gerome!"
"Do you know that feeling when you drop a sugar packet in the boiling coffee without spoons to fish it out?"
Morgan just stared blankly as Gerome strolled past, nose in the air as he thought he just said something intelligent she needed to work out mentally.
The plan came to Morgan's mind in an instant, but she wouldn't be able to do it alone. Once there was a lull in business Cherche joined her allll the way across the street to the other coffee shop. Morgan had no problem at all bursting through the doors while there were still plenty of customers, even going as far as to politely hold the door open for one while Cherche stared uneasily at everything. Olivia was at the counter with a customer-ready smile but terrible flashbacks visibly played out in her eyes about Sully from the other day and she deserted her post leaving shocked Chrom in the dust.
"Good morning, Chrom!" Morgan practically sang with genuine glee.
Chrom looked up at her, seemingly at a loss. But Morgan knew why; he was so used to the passive aggressive nonsense that took place when around Robin and Cherche. He and Cherche did briefly exchange eye contact, but Cherche was smart... She took the hint they were here for more than a latte or bragging session – that they would totally win –. She didn't smile at him, but even without eye contact she gave a slight wave. That had to be progress, right? Especially for two people who the universe didn't allow to talk one on one for some reason.
Morgan cringed at the display before looking back to Chrom, bright eyed and grinning in a very non threatening manner. "We're here because we NEED to borrow your shop again. Remember your friend Sully? Well she and Virion are back together! It's becoming clear to me coffee shops have this power... A power to make people blurt out their real feelings! After all, how can you not when all you have for entertainment is the people sitting across from you?!"
Chrom looked more lost with each context clue somehow. Still, he held onto the counter with tired hands and forced a smile. "I am relieved they're back together – I think everyone is for the sake of peace – and I'm all for beating the odds, but I don't think we can all take mending people's love lives so... So soon..."
"But we could schedule one?" Cherche spoke up, finally looking at Chrom curiously.
"W-why do you ask?" Chrom asked. Come to think of it, Morgan never heard him be scared.
Cherche just shrugged, mysteriously looking away to give more questions than answers. That didn't help; Chrom visibly broke into a sweat he didn't seem to want to admit even while patting his brow with a napkin.
"Today we're just going to help a friendship." Morgan explained to save the atmosphere. "I don't truly believe this will be tough since we're dealing with Tharja and Nowi; they probably argue all the time, and just need helpful reminders how much they care about each other now and then."
At the sound of Tharja, Chrom was patting his brows with enough force to puncture his freakin' eye. "Thatexplainswhyyouaren'tdoingthisatyourshop... MorganIhavetopolitelysuggest-" He almost seemed nervous about something, but wasn't able to finish his lame protest because of the distinct sound of a broken cup.
"You can't be serious!" A petrified version of Inigo yelled.
Morgan joined the others in looking over at Inigo standing above the broken cup looking deathly pale for a change. The fact he wasn't shamefully gathering the pieces and didn't shrink away from all the eyes let Morgan know there was some kind of history with Tharja and this place. She wanted to ask about it, it tried to rise in her throat but she... Let it go. Chrom was whatever, but she just couldn't dig for intel with Inigo in a state like that.
Cherche bravely looked Chrom in the eyes. She needed a dramatic soundtrack of drums and flutes to punctuate how serious this moment could have been if they weren't in a coffee shop. Instead, there was only the real time noise of cars in the background and Lucina trying not to be involved as she made coffee.
"Robin has told me how Tharja used to interfere with your friendship in the past, so you don't have to hide your feelings about that. But while she isn't my friend, well, Nowi likes her enough. So for the sake of my friend, I'll support hers. Do you know what that feels like, Chrom? Human friends are the worst to manage; I find snakes easier. But... We have to deal with humans eventually."
"Yes!" Morgan interrupted, fists raised to the sky. "Appeal to his sentimental feelings! So badass!"
Chrom gave Morgan a hopeless glance at first, but in this world he was not to be needlessly called out like that. He had to protect his composure at all cost, so he plastered a calm look that Morgan pretended not to notice.
"You'll have to give me something in exchange." Chrom said firmly, arms folded on the counter top and everything. "I'm still not supportive of Tharja coming into the shop. And while Sully was chaotic the other day, I know her enough to understand there's more to her. Tharja just opens old wounds, sometimes literally."
"Fine..." Morgan groaned, stepping over to the counter and holding out her empty arms. "How about me? I'll change from red to green for whatever time you establish, lending a hand around here in exchange for getting what I want."
Chrom looked repulsed for some reason. Lucina, in the background, turned on the ice maker just make racket. Cherche was shocked into silence by the apparent switching sides. The only person who looked thrilled about this was Inigo, aware of his uncontrollable smile but no effort to hide it did anything.
And through all of this, Morgan untied her apron and dropped it into her mother's hands as an over-dramatic gesture. She was proud of her family and their goals, she really was. But Chrom asked if she was going far, and she was no coward. Besides, she had a great opportunity to snoop.
Eventually, all eyes fell on Chrom. He was left uncomfortable, rolling his eyes ready to do whatever it took to get his business back to normal. "The deal's on." He had to choke briefly, apparently the words were sour. This displeasure had zero effect on Morgan, just thought you should know.
Morgan reached for Chrom's hand and shook it vaguely professionally. "You won't regret this! Not only will you gain another pair of hands around the shop, showing that grudges are pointless, but you get to see the reconstruction of a friendship!" She released him by the grace of the gods, smiling tenderly at his regretful expression. "I think what you've been missing all this time is my influence."
"Morgan, please don't get carried away." Cherche more so begged than scolded.
If this were a plan Morgan had time to kind of/sort of think of clearly, it would be safe to say step two was ready for launch. But it didn't come without the sacrifice of Chrom feeling comfortable in his alternate life, though that side effect could be balanced by Inigo hardly holding back anticipation. Morgan wanted to think Inigo was thrilled to be in a situation where they could both "accidentally" trigger a super realistic moment where sparks could fly as Morgan failed to carry a heavy sack of coffee beans but Inigo with his non traditionally masculine form could sweep it up for her and show off like humans are really that primitive enough to be swayed by pointless physical feats.
Chrom decided to make himself busy preparing drinks for the upcoming bringers of doom. Cherche invited herself behind the counter, not making any more of an ass of herself than Morgan in general although that's an understatement even to Morgan herself considering she was dropping comments Nowi gave to their coffee as she explained the delicate balance of strong and light. Morgan briefly sweated about her mother refusing to give up the passive aggression, but she realized there was a platter of a sample cake just sitting on the counter and... Priorities, you know?
Within minutes of Cherche's invitations being sent, coffee was steaming. Cake was arranged on a specific table. Lucina and Inigo took the chance to hide in the broom closet and restroom respectively. One might assume everyone was safe within the walls. Think again. There was a hell of a lot of glass, and even though it provided sight they would have to move fast to avoid cuts should the windows get broken from the sheer force of negative feelings. But Morgan tried to be positive, unable to stop herself from smiling loony AF against one of the windows as she saw a woman approach the shop with a curtain of jet black hair dramatically obscuring her face. There was no way she drove her like that; it was caused by a random breeze that made her toss the hair over her back and reveal the dead stare.
Just ignore the wicked, purple aura radiating from her shoulders as it attempted to enter the mortal plane in a physical body.
There was no way Tharja didn't see the fellow freaks pressed to the window, but kept a stoic face and forced herself to look straight ahead. She smoothly entered the building, about to seat herself at the closest table before being unceremoniously tackled by Morgan.
"Welcome!" Morgan chirped like she already worked there, slipping her arm around Tharja's. "We've already prepared a table for you! Don't make a scene; humor us!" She said it all super friendly, dragging a speechless Tharja scraping the floor and everything. So why were Chrom and Cherche hiding their faces in their hands?
Tharja was dropped into one of the specific table's chairs. She stared at Morgan, wide-eyed and cautiously smoothing the wrinkles in her sleeves and future arm cramps.
Luckily, Cherche inserted herself into the scene forcing a practiced friendly smile at their hos- Customer. "I see you've gotten my message, Tharja. You'll have to excuse my daughter; she's... Eager to help." She managed to say it so normally. Enough so that Tharja collected herself.
"Oh, I know better than anyone daughters more effort than sons." Tharja replied.
"Don't be so sure." Chrom commented loud enough it couldn't be considered muttering, eye bags briefly breaking through his facial illusions.
Speaking of illusions, even Cherche's cracked as she smiled much less genuinely. "Kids in general are something."
"We brighten up your lives!" Morgan said as if to close the debate, appearing between Chrom and Cherche just to pat their shoulders uncomfortably.
Tharja let out a dark chuckle, making her aura shrink slightly. "You all think you're so cute. Fair enough. If this is the kind of talk you were referring to, maybe it won't be a total waste of a weekend."
"Are we bonding yet?" Chrom whispered fearfully to Morgan. She just made a vague hand gesture awakening more questions than answers.
Bonding or not, Cherche was prepared to force it. That was how super admirable she was, Morgan noted, she didn't want to take that seat next to Tharja at the table but she had come too far to abandon the mission. In fact, she did the work for Chrom in his own shop by pouring Tharja a mug of coffee. The pot left on the table would probably burn the table, but hey it wasn't their property so-
"I'll admit: I don't make a habit of going out for coffee with my... Real social circle." Tharja confessed, hands clasped under her chin and hair covering her eyes ominously. "I don't even know how to act. But I need comfort where I can get it; you know all about Nowi acting like an overgrown brat."
"Oh, I'm surprised you mentioned her by name." Cherche noted, pouring herself a mug and making it look overly fancy.
Tharja bristled, aura increasing. She had to choke back potential foul language by downing her drink.
Morgan couldn't help if her eyes moved back to Tharja a lot. She had brief flashes to those terrible nightmares where Robin and Cherche's relationship was in peril because of her. But it wasn't like Tharja was much of a siren; she was mysterious and actually pretty, but her people skills were horrid. She definitely obsessed over Robin back home, but would she really have such low empathy count to happily take someone's spouse away? As much as Morgan feared her and Robin secretly having a passionate history in this world as an alternate to the obsession, up close... She just couldn't think of her as a threat.
Believe it or not, she could see past the darkness. She credited Gerome and his edgy nonsense for that.
For just one moment, people were getting along.
And then the door opened, as a shorter woman with spiked pale green hair entered the establishment. It can't be ignored: without the dragon heritage, she actually looked thirty something.
Tharja's face darkened in an instant, aura pulsing and causing the lights to inexplicably flicker.
Nowi curiously looked around before her sights set on the table. Her innocent smile faded in an instant as she gasped out Tharja's name, her own eyes blazing.
"Meet me in group therapy when it hits the fan." Chrom said stoically, rising from-
"Every one of us is stable!" Morgan retorted like she believed it, clasping Chrom's arm and pretty much shoving him back into his seat.
Tharja looked between Cherche and Chrom with a betrayed expression. "You two know I can't have multiple friends at once! How could you set this up?!"
"This is for your own good!" Morgan cried much too loud to be secretive. "You and Nowi were friends somehow... People might tell you it's healthy to switch out your social circle, but that's BS when you get along so well with someone!"
"Me and Nowi?!" Tharja cast what had to be either a disgusted or affectionate look over her shoulder at a shell-shocked Nowi. "Listen, your mother may have exaggerated if she told you about us. We're not close enough to be sisters, and as for our friendship... It was always fragile enough to break any time."
Tharja wasn't exactly being discreet with her volume there, enough so that Nowi approaching arms folded and pouting like a child. "Of course you'd say that. I knew you never meant any of those kinda nice things you aren't capable of human emotion. Never was, never will be. Even when your only friend does everything she can to-"
There was a terrible crashing sound as Tharja leaped out of her chair sending it across the room. "Tell me I'm not human one more (effing) time! You're lucky I don't bring up Nah again!"
Nowi made a shocked face, before it morphed into legit pissed off. "Well! DON'T talk about Nah! What about the way you treat Noire?!"
"I'm sensing troubled households." Morgan cut in, stepping in the middle taking out her journal and pen.
"Is this truly what all the fuss is about?!" Cherche shouted, shaking the world because it was a rare phenomenon. "Nah and Noire are grown up; you can't STILL criticize the other's parenting style!"
"Did they... Do that often?" Morgan asked Chrom, but he just nodded while grabbing the abused chair and positioning it for defense.
Nowi and Tharja were fuming, but did so much too immaturely for the subject matter. They folded their arms tight enough to constrict themselves, only occasionally glanced at the other just to stick out their tongue in Nowi's case and flash the finger in Tharja's case. Either way, they were grown-ass adults. Let's not forget that fact; Morgan certainly kept reminding herself.
Cherche forced herself in between them this time, fighting through the aura to latch onto their arms. They cried out indignantly, but had nothing useful to say. It was up to Cherche to drag them back to the table, sit them down before herself.
"If there's anything Morgan's taught me lately, anything at all I can craft into a life lesson, it's that problems are often less convoluted than they seem." Cherche said firmly, keeping either friend held in place by tougher-than-it-looks wrist clamping. "Nowi, you're a good friend of mine. Tharja, I don't know you as well... But I have more than enough proof you've been close to Nowi when I wasn't around. You two can deny, argue or maybe even try to kill each other. What will any of that accomplish?"
"Cherche, I expected freaking girl talk over coffee and sweets." Nowi's words could've been emotional if she hadn't bit into cake and sprayed crumbs everywhere. "Why does fate keep shoving me and Tharja together? Let's just cut ties and get it over with."
"I have this strange feeling like... Fate isn't that powerful." Cherche said like it was supposed to be deep and thought-provoking. She committed to that vibe, keeping a clenched fist to her chest and staring at everyone kinda but not really. "We have to overcome mistakes we've made so they can't haunt us now. And it's clear to me: you two are only fighting because of past issues. We could sit here making light conversation with coffee until we die, but let's not. Let's just open up." Her words were punctuated with Morgan clapping slowly in the background, not helping set the scene at all.
Tharja huffed. "I bet you've no regrets about your family... Your kids, even your husband."
Even Nowi nodded hesitantly, trying not to let Tharja see her agreement. Hmm.
Cherche sighed, shifting all her weight to one side and letting her hair fall to her face in a Tharja-like form. "You don't know me that well, then. Not even Nowi... Well, maybe I don't express myself enough but... I do know what you two are going through, but I wouldn't look at other people's lives and put them on a pedestal when I don't see the world through their eyes."
Tharja and Nowi looked to each other dramatically, not angry but just really mentally exhausted so soon. Morgan hoped they would come around; accept this round of coffee and cake wasn't going to be relaxing, rather be super uncomfortable enough to make them talk just to leave. She kept her fingers crossed, hoping Naga or whoever would strike their brains with realization.
And then they just bolted out the door.
Cherche and Morgan exchanged looks, one emotionally invested and the other horrified. They both struggled to say anything, so it took a thoughtful Chrom to assess the situation as he placed the chair back in its proper place.
"I'm not surprised it ended this way." Chrom commented, leaning on the chair as it was his only support. "They don't like talking about their past, though it seems to have caught up with them lately. Something must have happened with their children; that's the only thing I can think of."
"WHY should Nah and especially Noire be blamed for their inability to TALK?!" Morgan yelled before she could control herself, slamming an equally immature fist on another chair nearby.
"No, it's not their fault." Chrom insisted, turning to face her with a neutral face more than anything. "Most of the – unnecessary – drama comes from long before any of you kids were born. When I say something happened with their children now, I mean they can't accept what's happened on the past is catching up. But fate is cheap, easily breakable. We can turn these consequences around."
Morgan gawked, barely believing him. Enough staring caused neutrality to switch out for embarrassment, sending Chrom hastily taking his place back at the counter and saying nothing more.
Then Morgan looked at Cherche as she inhaled deeply, face in her hands. She reached out to pull her in for a hug if she needed it, but froze when Cherche revealed a new expression. Determination.
"We're not letting them walk away so easily." Cherche stated.
Morgan couldn't help but rub her hands together furiously, not igniting a fire but rather signaling her own determination.
There was still time to catch them. Mother and daughter bolted from the shops and even down the road. Nowi and Tharja were walking in opposite directions at calm paces, somehow not getting much distance. Cherche broke off to follow Nowi while Morgan was on Tharja's trail.
"Nowi! Don't leave things unsaid!"
"Tharja! You appeared in my nightmares; I need to overpower you for closure!"
Morgan looked over her shoulder long enough to see Nowi and Cherche breaking into a sprint with the former shoving her palms to her ears and loudly refusing to listen. Meanwhile, scraping shoe noises indicated Tharja was picking up the pace despite not being the most athletic person.
It was absolute chaos from there, bystanders might tell the historical record. All four crazy people ran around the parking lot choking on their own air, attempting to run around buildings and fake the chasing party out. Sometimes Morgan outright toyed with Tharja by letting her get ahead before sprinting past her and then hiding behind a moving car of all things to cut her off. It was a terrible state of events that would only embarrass everyone involved, but history's a B like that. It was such a ridiculous experience that we're going to move right along, pretend that didn't just happen.
As Morgan chased Tharja, her mind was consumed by a flash of imagery yet again.
"...He's looking at you." Nowi said with a face-splitting smile.
Tharja, meanwhile, sank into the booth seat and tried to merge with it. "Don't encourage him."
"Aw, it's cute." Nowi insisted, giggling as she'd lost count what number drink she was on. "He can see past your darkness to the overgrown schoolgirl underneath. Not that he isn't into darkness from what I hear..."
"You're paying for your own damn drinks." Tharja growled, swiping her cash back and stuffing it into her purse shakily. She couldn't even get the forsaken zipper open, making a bubbly Nowi have to hold her own mouth shut to quiet the giggles.
"You're might be the only person who would spend the whole night at their crush's workplace to ask them out, and not even follow up." Nowi shook her head in mock disappointment before rising from her seat kind of unsteadily. "Look, all you and Henry do anymore is talk about each other. It's mutual. So lemme break out the wingwoman skills-"
"I just might break your arm if you try to go over there." Tharja seethed, head low as she stepped around the table. If her foot caught on the table and she looked clumsy in front of Henry... Nothing would change; she'd done it many a time.
Nowi threw her head back, groaning. "For Naga's SAKE! You're willing to avoid asking out someone you don't even have to find out likes you back, willing to halt a future epic love story for what?"
"I know he says he likes me. It's just that... After Robin..." Tharja trailed off, stealing a look over at Henry anyhow.
And then Nowi rushed forward, giving her a wake up call slap to the cheek. A security camera might interpret that as an attack, but really she was just tired of it all. Tharja didn't even stagger, just standing totally still and massaging the sore spot.
"I spent forever telling myself no one would could ever like me, I was doomed to never have a mutual romance, blah blah... And you know what? I was DUMB." Nowi said firmly, hands on her hips looking less and less mature. "Ricken wants to marry me! It's a totally mutual feeling, by the way! Here's a life lesson: step out of your comfort zone! Me and Ricken learned it together, and if we can we'll learn more things together like in the ancient marriage vows! Don't make me shout any more, Tharja; I might barf!"
Tharja just gawked at her. She was brought back to earth by Nowi's flaring nostrils and pouting face. When she heard someone approach from behind, she knew it was Henry wondering what the hell was going on and if they planned on drawing blood.
"Maybe I am stuck in my comfort zone." Tharja said out loud, mostly to herself.
Tharja was so done with running, she actually collapsed against the hood of someone's car and slid down like that chase lasted AT LEAST one minute. Morgan had her. Instead, she looked at her suffering state and contemplated what she had seen. That was a key moment in her friendship with Nowi – that moment must have stood out in Tharja's mind as important. She couldn't think of any other reason it flashed. So Tharja hadn't been in the best condition after dating Robin in more than her nightmares. That sounded highly logical given how obsessive she was. But maybe Tharja was actually a lot more hesitant to get involved with the world, leave her comfort zone even now. After all these years, she wasn't living how she wanted to despite having a family and friends to support her.
Morgan looked over at Cherche cornering Nowi against the side of Chrom and family's shop. She was easily towering, casting a shadow that consumed her. Tharja didn't look to be in any condition to stand, so Morgan fled her side and approached Cherche and Nowi. Just when she was close enough, there was another flash.
Nowi and Tharja were in the living room enjoying a pizza and a cheesier movie they found streaming. It was a contender for the set up of a heartwarming bonding session. However, the front door creaked open and was followed by a curse as the opener failed to be stealthy.
Nowi's parental mode activated at the sound. She smashed the pause button, startling even Tharja when she leaped off the couch and bolted to the front door.
Nah whirled to see her mother, eyes bulging enough the wet streaks on her face were obvious. But she put on a stoic face, whipped her head away and just started walking.
"Nah! What happened to you?!"
"What?"
"You're crying!"
"It's nothing... I have homework, so-"
"Nowi, let her go." Tharja cut in, sighing deeply as she stood.
Nowi and Nah turned to look at her as she leaned into the archway lazily, hair again giving a shadow over her face. But she couldn't hide the sympathetic shine in her eyes as she looked at Nah.
"Nah never cries." Nowi said grimly, whirling her head back to Nah. "Nah, if anything happened at school you know you can tell me. That crappy high school was all we could afford at the time, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's actual scum of the earth prowling around-"
"Mother!" Nah exclaimed, shutting her eyes as if to cut off fresh tears. "Nothing happened! I was obviously walking past a sprinkler and-"
Nowi just pulled her into a hug, visibly shocking and obviously embarrassing her a little as her body froze up and her face reddened as Tharja was standing there looking almost sane. Nah could only try to free herself, Nowi's trademark hugs having the comfort of an iron maiden.
"Nowi, you were her age once so tell me: didn't you ever want to be alone and watch the world burn sometimes?"
Nowi released Nah as she was rasping out something, and whirled to face Tharja offended. "I know you raise Noire to go anywhere but you and Henry for emotional support, but I didn't have parents. Excuse me if I want to give Nah something I barely understand myself!"
Nah sighed heavily and tapped Nowi's shoulder. Her mother and Tharja both whirled to her, accidentally showing off how in sync they were by shouting "what" together.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Mother... But I really did just walk past a sprinkler." Nah deadpanned, brushing away the drops that didn't actually align with her eyes after all.
Nowi froze, looking between Nah and Tharja. One was exasperated, the other smug.
"Friendships are so much more difficult to gain as we get older." Cherche wisely explained to Nowi, taking her wrist and guiding her into the open. "Sometimes it seems hopelessly impossible to maintain our old friends, but when you pull if off it's the most rewarding thing."
Cherche pulled Nowi forward, resting her hands on her shoulders. She forced her to look up at her, not an easy feat... Not that Morgan was secretly thrilled by the idea of not being the only short one. Also, Morgan quickly sprang into action by whipping out her journal and taking notes in case a day came she might help Chrom and Robin.
Nowi seemed to be trying to look anywhere else, face scrunched up with what had a fifty/fifty chance of being guilt or frustration. But she never opened her mouth, never even attempted to crush Cherche's logic or deny caring about Tharja all that much. Never mind the fact if she did have a heartwarming realization to speak of, Tharja was so out of it she might gain a soul just to have it fly out.
Morgan saw what her mother was doing there. It made her respect shoot through a whole new roof – Cherche was trying to send all those memories that she inexplicably saw to Nowi's mind. It wasn't very clear, but Morgan theorized they were being transferred through her shoulder touch. And as Nowi's mind was ATTACKED by the past... Approaching footsteps behind Morgan let her know Tharja didn't actually kick the bucket.
"If you're done being insane, I'd like to leave." Tharja grumbled at Morgan's side, glare getting covered up by falling locks. "Nowi and I were always different, we're always going to be different. It took a long time... It took my own daughter preferring to spend more time with her than me, but I finally realized-"
Morgan's eyes widened as she abruptly spun around to Tharja, reaching up and clasping her shoulders before she could punch her or whatever. Of course Tharja was shocked by contact, made a demonic sound even. But Morgan had to process what she'd just heard... Her brain needed to take itself apart and repair before she could say anything about that.
"You're going to end a friendship that's worked for who's-even-counting because of NOIRE?!"
"I know she's your friend, and she's probably told you everything about our situation at home." Tharja said without missing a beat, still deeply uncomfortable and trying not to hiss demonically.
Yes, back home Morgan somehow managed to get on friendly terms with Noire. However, unless Noire had been calling and she didn't realize she didn't know if they were friends here. But Tharja sounded convinced of it, so she believed her.
"(Eff) it." Tharja growled, reaching for Morgan's hands threateningly. Her movement caused hair to get thrown out of her eyes long enough to show a lot more sadness instead of rage. "I'm a horrible mother- Maybe it's not realistic to say I'm the worst, but I never gave Noire much reason to believe I loved her. I think the only reason her schools never reported me was due to being too scared of me. It's not as if Noire spending time with Nowi is a new thing; we used to have outings with her and Nah all the time. I could really compare our differences then... How Noire would light up a lot more around her. So I guess that built a lot. Maybe it even hurt a little to think I brought this kid in the world, but she deserved better than me. Hell, Henry is a much better father than I would have expected him to be. Seems like everyone I know is good with their kids, and emotions, and whatever."
"Why haven't you told me that?"
Morgan released Tharja, letting her spin around with her in awe at Nowi suddenly standing there with her cheeks flushed as she struggled to keep tears from slipping. What were they even-
"Y-You could have just... Oh... Tharja...!" Nowi hiccupped one too many times, unable to stop a light stream of tears from escaping. She instantly charged like this was some kind of moment, targeting Tharja.
There wasn't a dramatic leveling of the freaking parking lot after Nowi collided with Tharja, but wow that would have been epic. Morgan let that slide, seeing as a needlessly weeping Nowi wrapped around Tharja and the first step to understanding these horrid "emotions" was made... By Tharja not retching or screaming for the police when she was hugged.
"Their problems can't be sorted in just seven-thousand words." Cherche, again, shared her wisdom. "Progress was made, Morgan. We can leave them."
"Mother, I don't know if they ever had a problem." Morgan said under her breath, unstable to stop smiling as she watched Tharja look sincerely sympathetic for a change and brush Nowi's hair.
Cherche gestured back to the shop, and Morgan happily followed after her whistling out of tune and hopeful for having maybe let stubborn people FINALLY vent. Maybe a little venting was all some people needed. She looked over her shoulder briefly to catch Chrom, Lucina and Inigo gawking through the windows of their shop like they couldn't believe everyone survived. She just gave them a merry wave in return.
See, when Cherche and Morgan were involved... The rest of the world was better off letting the experts step in and make life at least twenty percent less stressful. Unfortunately, Cherche's calming effects could be diminished by Morgan's everything.
As for Chrom and Robin, they probably didn't know they had every reason to be terrified. Morgan would get to them someday; unearth all their problems. However, she had to stop once in a while and enjoy the journey.
TBC