Chapter 28: Twin Wyverns

The Shepherds resume their march towards Mila Tree as Chrom sends scouts if the enemies are near them. After that Cherche's wyvern, Minerva lifts its head in the air sniffing it before giving a soft whine and brings it back down causing its rider to turn her head with a smile on her face as she pets the large creature. Seeing this, Robin speaks, "Is there something wrong with Minerva, Cherche?"

"Nothing is wrong. It seems that Minerva is excited like an excited child because of the direction we are heading." Cherche says.

Chrom raises a brow in surprise before looking to his retainer. "Frederick, where does this road lead?"

"To Wyvern Valley, milord." The knight answers immediately. "Home to Valm's greatest feral wyvern population.

"That sounds… interesting." The exalt says hesitantly as he glances to the woman's wyvern. "We'll have to be sure and keep our distance, regardless."

With a slight look of disappointment, Cherche smiles nonetheless. "Shame. My Minerva's fit to burst. She's excited other of her kind are near as well. She was raised there before I found her orphaned as a very young wyvern, after all."

Unable to understand the creatures, Chrom raises a brow and notes, "Oh? She doesn't look that excited to me. Not that I can really tell the difference…"

Hearing this, the pink-haired soldier continues to smile. "Oh, it's easy. My Minerva just looks even cuter than normal. Don't you girl? Don't you look cuter? Who's a goooood wyvern?!"

As the rider begins to dote on her wyvern, Chrom frowns awkwardly as he begins to walk off. "I'll, uh… leave you to her, then."

Then the sounds of wings flapping through the sky can be heard as they look up and sees Cordelia.

"Prince Chrom! I spotted a group of brigands attacking villagers at the canyon!" The red-haired pegasus knight reports quickly with worry.

It wasn't long after the report is given did the exalt orders his Shepherds following the red-haired knight. Once there, the tactician didn't waste any time issuing orders and directions to the group. Robin quickly split the group into squads and sends one of them ahead with Chrom while the female tactician decides across another bridge to where the nearby villagers are.

Cherche then spots a man with a wyvern next to him deciding that he's one of the villagers, she takes off to him. But as she comes closer, the man doesn't seem to be one of the villagers as he wears black armor with a black mask.

"Wait. You're not one of the villagers." Cherche says.

"No. …I am Gerome. A traveler."

"And a fellow wyvern, I see. This is a piece of good news!" Cherche speaks with a smile. "We fight to keep those villagers alive. May I ask why you won't aid us?"

"Why? No man can stop fate." The man reasons bluntly.

"These people will be killed by spears, traveler. Not fate."

"Heh. Spoken like one who hasn't yet to witness fate's impossible implacable cruelty." The man responds with an unconvinced tone.

"So you do nothing, then, save wondering the land in a fog of cowardice?" The pink-haired knight says before glancing to his wyvern. "And your wyvern? Has she seen enough? Does she also yearn to surrender?"

Surprisingly the man remains silent before finally responding. "You would know better than I."

Hearing his words, she tilts her head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing." Gerome answers bluntly. "I'll fight if you wish it. Death will always have its due, but perhaps it will accept a few substitutions."

"Thank you, Gerome." Cherche says with a smile of gratitude.

He then turns around and whispers to the wyvern. "Come, my dear Minerva. Join me on one final fight…"

With that, the two riders mount their wyverns before they take off into the sky once more.

Meanwhile, Reina and Éclair are having no trouble dealing with the brigand from a plot of land across from the two while Kai and his Umbreon guard them against the oncoming enemies.

"These guys are like cockroaches!" Kai exclaims as he slashes a soldier while Blacky hits the other with Iron Tail and a Shadow Ball at another.

"The only way to stop them is to beat the leader, so don't complain!" Reina shouts letting an arrow fly towards a soldier on another plot of land.

"Now's not the time to fight each other!" Robin tells the two.

"We're not fighting!" Reina and Kai retort at the tactician simultaneously as they also take down the soldiers.

"Those two sure are scary when they do that." Donnel says.

"Chao…" Quin agrees.

"It shows that they get really well." Cordelia says as her pegasus lands next to him. "Now let's get rid of these brigands."

Not long after securing two more plots of land, Robin quickly scans around to notice Owain stuck on the other side of the bridge and the soldiers. Gaius soon comes in assisting his son before telling him not to underestimate the enemy. Soon the battle is over with Chrom and Luke dealt with the leader and the exalt goes over to see the villagers' condition as the others begin to regroup a long distance away from the valley to set up tents for the night.

Reina and Kai stayed with Cherche with the release of the entire feral wyverns which some licked Kai's face as thanks to which his dismay. Then Cherche notices the masked wyvern rider who seems to be getting ready to leave.

"Cherche." The pink-haired rider turns back at Reina. "Kai and I can handle this while you go talk with him." She says.

Cherche stares at her before smiling. "Thank you, Reina. But that wasn't the reason I was looking at him." She states. "His wyvern is rather cute. It would be great if I could take a look, though that would seem rather rude of me."

"Don't be. If that is you want to do then ask him."

"All right. Once again thank you, Reina." Cherche then turns to her beloved wyvern. "Let's hurry, Minerva."

Reina watches Cherche pulling the reins of her wyvern towards the man and hears Kai calling for her to help since one of the baby wyverns won't stop licking him.

"Do you have a moment?" Gerome stops his preparation and looks up to see Cherche with her wyvern.

"What is it?"

"I was hoping you might introduce me to your wyvern."

"Why?"

"To see which of ours is cuter. Not very sporting of me when mine is the finest in the world, I know."

Gerome stares at Cherche at this statement and finally says,"…Do as you please."

"I will, then! Thank you." Cherche then begins to compare Gerome's wyvern to Minerva. "…Hee hee! Oh, but you ARE cute! She's nearly a match with Minerva! …Nearly so in every way." She then notices something. "Wait, what sorcery is this? They… they look IDENTICAL!"

"That's because they are identical. They're one and the same."

"…M-Minerva? How is that possible?"

"You could examine her from tip to tail looking for scars and marks if you like." The man says and pulls out something from his pocket. "…Our you could just look at this ring."

At the sight of the ring in his palm, everything falls into place as the pink-haired knight speaks in surprise, "I…I know that ring. So then you're…"

"I am, though I had not intended that we meet." He bluntly states.

"Why not?"

"I came back in time so I might release Minerva." The man answers bluntly. "Not to seek out parents to whom I've already bidden farewell."

His answer shocks the female rider. "You crossed the bounds of time just to set Minerva free? Whatever for?!"

"In the future I know, she is among the last of her kind. I…" Surprisingly, the man's voice shows signs of falter as he continues strong. "I could not leave her to that solitude."

Cherche gives a warm smile to Gerome. "She is lucky indeed to know someone of such kindness. …As I imagine, am I."

The man then shows a visible grimace as he takes a step back. "Stay your words. I've no intention of getting close to you. Fate will not be mocked. This war may claim your life anew, and I'll not weep twice for losing the same mother. My burden is heavy enough."

"But yet you carry it still."

"That's enough." The man speaks firmly as he turns around and surprisingly walks in the direction towards the Shepherds' campsite followed by the future Minerva.

Seeing this, Cherche smiles warmly and whispers, "Thank you, Gerome."

~Later~

Kai is sitting at a table with Reina, Meena, and Asuna as he puts his face down on the table letting out a disgruntled sigh.

"Is there something wrong, Papa?" Asuna asks and Reina giggles at his action.

"Some of the baby wyverns were licking him when we saved their parents." She says.

Kai lifts his head with his chin on the table. "I had enough of wyverns for today."

"Come on, Kai. Getting licked by wyvern is the same as getting licked by Pokémon." Meena points out.

"Those two are different."

"How is it different than dealing with baby Pokémon and baby wyverns?" Reina questions.

"A lot." Kai bluntly answers.

"Now, now." The group looks up to see Cherche standing there. "Some of those babies didn't lick you right away." She points out.

"Cherche. Are you done talking to Gerome?" Reina asks.

"Yes." The pink-haired knight replies as she sits next to the female archer. "And thanks to you, I know now that he is mine and Virion's child."

"Gerome is your and Virion's son?!" Reina exclaims as the three trainers remember Virion's personality to Gerome's. "I can't really imagine that…"

"Yeah. Gerome is more of a silent type than to what Virion is…" Kai adds.

"But, he has kindness towards his Minerva since in his future I died." Cherche states.

"I see." Meena replies.

"Mama." Asuna calls.

"What is it, Asuna?" Reina replies.

"Can you teach me how to use a bow?"

"Eh…?" She and Kai simply reply.

"Why?" Reina asks with a sweatdrop.

"Because I wanted to be like you when I grow up."

"Why not be a healer like Meena?"

"I don't wanna! I want to use the bow like Mama!"

"Why do you want to be like Mama?" Kai asks.

"Mama is the prettiest, coolest, and strongest person I know."

"What about Papa?"

"Papa is… also cool but every time you get Mama mad, you always get beat up by her."

An imaginary arrow pierces where his heart is and slumps down.

"She's got that right." Meena confirms which causes another arrow pierces him and making him sit at a corner.

"Is there something wrong with Papa?" Asuna asks innocently.

"Nope. He's just that stupid that's all." Reina replies.

"A big idiot you mean." Meena corrects her and both of them laughs at the statement.