Like a flash of light created when steel hit silver, everything instantly turned against the Shepherds. Gangrel kidnapped Emmeryn and although Roo had made plans, strategies and had done everything she could think of that could have saved them and the Exalt, the one thing she hadn't counted on was Emmeryn sacrificing herself to save her people and her family.

It was the one thing she overlooked and Roo stood alone, her failed papers and maps surrounding her feet as she stared bitterly at Chrom falling to his knees in front of his sister's body for the last time. Robin, who had not met Emmeryn before, but knew something terrible had happened, squeaked and nuzzled his mother desperately, but Roo couldn't respond, frozen on the spot. Cherche had finally taken Robin away and put him in her care and Sumia, in tears, had pulled her friend aside and lead her back to Roo's tent.

A dark quiet had come over the camp and Gerome found his young squire distracted and unfocused as he corrected Robin's stance again with a short sigh. It's not as if he could blame the young wyvern, for he kept looking back at Roo's tent which hadn't opened since Sumia brought Roo back, Roo never making herself seen. He wasn't sure what to do or how he should respond to the situation, for Emmeryn was not his sister or his friend, but he could feel and relate to the pain of losing someone close.

Chrom and Lissa were also dead eyed and barely functional, but Lissa had Vaike's shoulder to cry on where as Chrom had no such support, other than Sumia who kept bringing him rhubarb pies that he would leave untouched. Instead, Chrom tried to put out of his mind how he had watched his sister fall to her death for what seemed like nothing. How he had lost one of the greatest and most powerful Pegasus Knights in all of Ylisse's history. How he had failed.

No, he hadn't failed. Everything else had failed. If only they hadn't stopped on that beach for a day. If only he had ordered for training sessions that were longer, more intense, then they would all have been ready. If only his tactician hadn't asked for days to relax, something he felt he could never do, nearly killing Frederick as she rode away from him and her duties, messing the camp, being distracted with something that was never hers to begin with, making him look like a fool for ever thinking they could just be more than comrades, then this wouldn't have happened. Emmeryn would still be alive and he would still be happy.

It didn't help that he could see from his main tent overlooking the camp on the training grounds, Gerome would look back at Roo's tent for longer and more often than one would consider out of simple concern. The display was just rubbing salt into the deep hole where his heart had been torn out and Chrom didn't realize how much he was growing to despise the Wyvern Rider and his best friend.

"Captain?" Sumia's voice called to him from the outside, the smell of another pie wafting over the air as she opened the tent flap ever so slightly. "Sir, are you alright? May I come in?"

"No," Chrom hissed, more aggressive than he meant to, and Sumia unconsciously stepped back.

It was dark in his tent, even though Frederick had opened the front to let some fresh air and light in, Sumia could barely see Chrom's hunched over body sitting in his chair, overlooking Roo's old plans and maps that she had abandoned. Taking a hard gulp, Sumia once again tried to find her voice and hoped it wasn't cracking as bad as she thought it was. "Sir, she tried," Sumia said. "We all tried, but there was nothing you could do. Please…we need you back." Sumia's head dropped sadly. "I need you back."

A low growl came, like a wild animal ready to pounce and Sumia knew she had said too much. "I'm sorry," she whispered, quickly closing the flap behind her. Now standing outside, Chrom just a few short paces behind her, Sumia tried to choke back the tears that were already rolling down her face, the pie trembling in her hands. Taking in a deep breath, she quickly picked up pace to another tent, Roo's tent, and called for her friend softly.

There was no answer and Sumia didn't wait for one as she stepped inside. It was as if nothing had changed. No maps on the walls, no plans on her desk, just the same items with tags describing what they were and who they belonged to as reminders for when Roo woke with nightmares and could assure herself that she hadn't forgotten anything. Roo was sitting in her chair, but unlike Chrom who had been lurking in the darkness, Roo was upright, even though her eyes were closed peacefully, as if she had fallen asleep. "I brought you a pie," Sumia said as she sat down on Roo's bed to be close to her. "And an extra fork."

Slowly, Roo's eyes opened and she turned to face her friend and smile. "Thanks," Roo said, as if she hadn't been oblivious to Sumia just seconds before. "I take it you've seen Chrom."

She meant her tear stained face and Sumia quickly wiped at her eyes. "Y-yes, I did," she admitted. "It's not…he's not taking it well."

"Understandable," Roo frowned as Sumia handed her a fork and they both took a chunk out of the pie.

They ate in silence for a few moments before Sumia looked up at her friend, readying the words in her mind. "I know what you're going to ask," Roo said, interrupting her and leaving Sumia's jaw hanging open. "But if I did now, it would only hurt him. He may not realize it, but he doesn't want to see me. Not right away."

"No, he does!" Sumia countered. "Roo, he's unlike anything I've ever seen before. Please, only you can make things right. You always do."

However, Roo just stared up at her, her eyes piercing through Sumia's. "No," she repeated again. "It's not what you want either."

Now Sumia's anger was getting the better of her as her fingers gripped tightly around her pie. "I don't understand," she whispered hoarsely, the tears coming once more. "Chrom needs you. His sister, his leader, our leader, is gone and all you do is just sit here. Why?"

Roo did not move, her gaze unwavering. "If I went to him now," she said quietly, slowly so Sumia would hear every word, "You would lose him forever."

Instantly, Sumia stood, the pie clattering to the ground. "You really are coldhearted!" she cried out, tears coming down her face. "I've done my best to ignore what the soldiers say about you! How you won't fully participate in our side because you really don't believe in us! Why you won't kill any of our enemies because you're really a Plegian spy and that's why we lost our Exalt! I trusted you, but you're not as smart as you think, so don't sit there and stare at me the way you do and tell me my feelings about Chrom!"

Her energy left her and Sumia collapsed into the bed, her body shaking. During her whole speech, Roo hadn't moved, hadn't even changed expression and Sumia mentally kicked herself for ever believing someone like Roo could have been a friend.

Until Roo's gloved hand softly landed on hers and gaze it a reassuring squeeze. "It's alright," Roo said gently as Sumia stared at the ground, unable to meet Roo in the eye. "I understand, really I do, but Sumia, you have to trust me." Now Sumia picked up her head to look at Roo, hoping that her scrunched face and tears weren't as terrible as she thought they looked. "Chrom doesn't need me," Roo continued. "He needs someone he doesn't realize yet. That person is you. It'll be hard. It'll be really hard, but you have to keep trying to reach through to him." Putting her hand on Sumia's shoulder, Roo gave her a sympathetic smile. "I believe in you, my friend. Please keep your faith in me."

She didn't know how Roo did it, but Sumia felt all the anger dissolve inside her as she leaned forward and grabbed Roo by the shoulders, unable to bring her into a hug, but had to be content to just hang off her like a child as she cried hard all over again. It was Roo who pulled Sumia up and brought her into a tight embrace, saying nothing, but meaning everything. They had both lost something dear to them, regardless of where they came from or what they had done and Sumia hoped that her previous words hadn't destroyed their friendship as much as she thought they had.

It was late once more and Gerome had long ago excused Robin from his training session, but he took note of how Robin hadn't gone inside his mother's tent, but had sat outside it, watching for some sort of movement from the interior. Before, Sumia had gone in and there was screaming and crying that practically the whole camp heard, but she came back out with a smile on her face, wiping her eyes and holding the remains of a mangled pie before she went about her duties with a new vigor. She only returned to leave a meat pie by Chrom's tent, which was eventually dragged into the darkness by an unseen hand, much to Sumia's delight.

It was with a heavy sigh that Gerome headed back to his own tent, passing the young wyvern who gave him a pitiful look once he had noticed Gerome coming. "Alright, come on," Gerome said, bending down so Robin could climb up on his shoulders so he didn't have to keep up with Gerome and Minerva's longer strides. They strode past Roo's tent, past Chrom's and all the way to the wyvern stables, where Gerome cleaned and fed Minerva as Robin sat on Gerome's shoulders, sometimes sneaking glances back to where his mother was.

Afterwards, Gerome found himself with Robin alone and the two sat in the space just outside his tent as if waiting for something to happen until Robin yawned in his ear and Gerome gently lifted the wyvern off his back and took him inside his tent and set him down on his bed. The interior was plain, minimalistic, and Robin gave Gerome a confused look, being used to his mother's explosion of items on the wall. "We're different," Gerome offered and this seemed to satisfy the wyvern's curiosity as he curled up and looked up at Gerome expectantly.

"What?" Gerome asked.

Robin squeaked.

"A story?"

Another squeak.

"No."

A longer, drawn out, wailing squeak.

"Alright, fine!" Gerome huffed. "This is very…strange. Let's see. Once upon a time, a young boy-…"

Squeak.

"…A young wyvern, Gerome corrected, "Went out on a journey. The end."

A dead silence hung in the air as Robin gave Gerome the most incredulous, pathetic, flat look. "Fine," Gerome sighed. "A young wyvern…one day, he…he lost his family. They were taken away. First, the father. Then the mother. The boy was left alone." Sadly, Gerome's head fell a little, but Robin didn't seem to notice, squeaking for him to continue. "The boy…one day he heard of a magical gate that if we went through, could bring his parents back. At first the boy thought this was foolish. There's no way to bring back the dead. But he found the courage, went through and after a bright flash of light, he saw them. They were alive in the new world, but they were not the same. The boy was very sad…" Robin had put his head down now, but was still not quite asleep as Gerome took in a ragged breath. "It was very hard to see them, but not have them know him. For him to not know them. He didn't know what to do or how to act around them. He figured he was better off alone. He was…very lonely. "

Suddenly, Gerome looked up to see Robin awake, looking up at him with sad eyes that tore at him. "Then the boy found a girl, got married and was happy. They had many children. The end. There, satisfied?" he snapped.

Robin just rolled his eyes in the way that was reflective of his mother and put his head down to rest. Soon soft snores came from his nose and Gerome thanked the gods as he gently snuck back out of his tent, realizing with bitterness that the sleeping wyvern had completely taken over his bed and unwittingly kicked him out of a sleeping place.

He figured he could always sleep with Minerva as he used to do when he was little, but now that he was an adult, it wasn't so comfortable anymore with her claws and fangs having more of his body mass to sleepily mangle. He was wandering back to the dining area to sleep on one of the tables when he saw Roo, sitting on the ground by herself silently near the edge of the camp, staring at nothing down the road, her hood over her head. "You should be asleep," he said as he reached her side.

"Don't want to," Roo said, and Gerome could hear the weariness in her voice. "Long day."

Gerome snorted lightly. "You should sleep," he said again, more gruffly this time. "Robin is worried about you. Everyone is."

"No they're not," Roo said. "Not everyone."

There was nothing to be said in the face of the truth and Gerome pursed his lips bitterly. He had heard the rumors about the camp, blaming her for what happened. After Sumia had visited Roo, she worked twice as hard to keep the men under her command quiet, stopping an all out revolt and assuring them that nothing could have been done given the circumstances and Roo was in just as much mourning as they were. Didn't Emmeryn extend her friendship to Roo when Roo was first brought to her? Didn't Roo promise to do everything she could to save her in return? Roo had been keeping them all alive when there had been plenty, more than plenty of chances to bring them all down to Gangrel's knees. Yet still, rumors and whispers viciously ran through the soldiers and in the end, there was little Sumia alone could do about it. "Robin is worried about you," Gerome repeated. "That should be enough."

Slowly, Roo let out a sigh. "I tried speaking with Chrom today," she admitted. "He didn't come out or perhaps wasn't even there, but there was no reaction." A bitter smile passed over her lips as Roo closed her eyes. "I was wrong, then," she continued. "I was wrong about everything."

Suddenly, Roo turned to Gerome, catching him by surprise with the tears that threatened to spill at any moment. "Was there really nothing I could have done?" she cried, forgetting to keep her voice quiet. "Or was I just a pawn of fate? Am I really bringing the Shepherds, my only friends who cared when I had nothing, to a time of peace or am I just sending them to their deaths? How can I know? Everyone expects me to know everything, but how can I? I'm just…one person…"

The tears came now and Roo bent her head down so Gerome couldn't see. However, it meant that she also didn't see him bend down to her with a sympathetic look in his eyes or reach for her hand until she found her fingers enfolded in his. "You did nothing wrong," he said, firmly and slowly. "Was it not you who changed the destiny of so many? Of Robin, who would have surely died alone and afraid without a chance? You are not a pawn. You are the most valuable piece, regardless of everything anyone has said or will say." Standing up, Gerome held out his hand for her to take. "Anyone who thinks otherwise can answer to me. You are not alone."

She sat there, frozen and looking like a child underneath her giant coat and Gerome couldn't think of a time when he had ever seen her so small and frail, but slowly, the determination and strength came back into her eyes and she grabbed his hand with conviction and pulled herself up. "Thank you," Roo whispered, her eyes steady.

He had no words, but nothing needed to be said as they stood there together in the quiet road, the dawn slowly coming up over the distance.

The next morning found Chrom still sulking in his tent and Roo outside of it, wondering what darkness she would have to face going in. Sumia had done everything she could to help her Captain, and Chrom was at least eating again from the evidence of mangled pies outside his tent and his expectant form in the shadows when Sumia walked up the hill towards him. It was time. Robin had been dropped off with Gerome on the training grounds and despite Gerome's silent look asking if he wanted him to go with her, she shook her head. She had to do this alone.

"Chrom?" Roo asked, hoping he could hear her and he was decent. "I'm coming in."

Stepping inside, the first thing she noticed was the smell. It wasn't overwhelming, but it was definitely noticeable and Roo silently wished for Frederick to appear to work his magic. "Chrom, show yourself!" Roo gagged as she stepped further into the tent that seemed to expand deeper than it really was.

He was still in his chair, head bent down and arms limp, but she couldn't tell if he was awake or not and looked as if he had simply died in his place. "Chrom, we need to talk," Roo said.

"Do we?" came the roar that Roo wasn't expecting, but not surprised at, as Chrom reared his head up to face her with burning eyes. "I don't think we do, so get out and leave me."

"You can't let the past haunt you like this!" Roo shot back, standing her ground. "Sumia has been doing more than her best to get you to come out and Frederick and Lissa are beside themselves with worry! Even Panne has offered herbs to help you feel better!"

"Herbs are not going to help anything!" Chrom shot back. "My sister DIED!"

A long silence fell over the two, Roo's gaze never leaving Chrom's. "If you don't want me to be your tactician anymore," she whispered fiercely, "Just say so."

No, he didn't want that and Chrom sank down into his chair, defeated. "Stay," he whimpered, his voice small and child-like. "Please."

The reaction was immediate and Roo swiftly bent down so that she was kneeling before Chrom as his servants, but unlike them, she stared up at him with determined eyes. "Gangrel is still alive," she said gently. "Don't let the past cause you to falter again. The Mad King must be stopped."

"Is that my life now?" Chrom hissed back, pain in his voice. "Am I to be alone in my revenge?"

"No! Not just revenge," Roo said. "We are fighting for a chance for peace. For the future! You may not want it, but you are the Prince and people will look to you. You may not need it, but you must still make bonds between yourself and those that reach out for you. Yes, you are not your own man, because you stand for the peace of the world!" Staring into his eyes, Roo frowned sadly. "But you are not alone. Whatever our differences may be, whatever anyone says, I will always offer whatever guidance I can give, because you are my friend."

He met her gaze and something inside Chrom simply broke and his voice cracked and shattered. How long had he let his men snipe at someone who stayed by his side this whole time? How long had he made her uncomfortable and nervous and still, she swore her fealty to him? "Roo, I'm so sorry," he managed to get out. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever said to you. I'm sorry for everything my men have ever said about you. Please…don't go."

She didn't say anything, just simply put her hand on top of his and smiled up at him. It was enough and whatever was left of Chrom fell into pieces in his chair, letting out everything he had tried to keep inside him since he saw his sister for the last time.

The camp brightened after Chrom stepped out of the showers, once again smelling like a normal person and Frederick giving him a quick trim, apologizing profusely for nothing of importance. Frederick had even tried to uplift morale more by commissioning an artist to post flyers of Chrom heroically posing with his sword. The problem lay in the fact that Chrom had been painted nude.

However, a lingering shadow still haunted the camp between Chrom and Gerome who seemed to meet gazes with hints of bitterness passing between them. While it wasn't known what had happened when Roo entered Chrom's tent, Gerome had seen how Chrom had exited with a smile in Roo's direction as she left. At the same time, Chrom had noticed how Gerome was speaking to Roo in a much gentler way and was around her more and more, helping her with her duties of inventory and training with Robin.

Roo couldn't have cared about any of it, distracted with her own set of problems. Rumors of Roo's unwavering refusal to kill due to betrayal had been stomped out by the combined efforts of Sumia and Chrom, even despite Frederick's protests. However, they had morphed into what would happen IF Roo decided to take a life at all. Theories of pitiful womanly screaming at the sight of blood or simply cowering and allowing the enemy to kill her anyway now circled over Roo like a storm cloud and she honestly didn't know which was worse.

Only Robin, now able to wield a lance enough to spar with Gerome, seemed to be oblivious to the vicious nature behind the rumors about his mother. Whether it was because he simply didn't understand the meaning behind the words of humans or he chose to live in his own reality, Robin simply stared and shrugged whenever asked by the men if he had ever seen his mother truly angry.

"Leave him," Gerome snapped at a group of guards one day who had cornered the young wyvern and asked him the same old questions. "It's none of your concern."

The men had dispersed quickly enough, but the whole ordeal left a bad taste in Gerome's mouth. "Come," he said to Robin who looked up at him nervously. "Let's find your mother."

She was with Miriel, Laurent and Noire, tinkering away at something or other. Thanks to the combined efforts of Roo and the two Sages, they had come up with inventions that had significantly improved the lives about the camp – a self wood chopping machine that ran on steam and whistled, colored fire that burst in the sky and of course, Robin's old sling that he was carried around as an egg in, now repurposed as a way for soldiers to carry most of their gear on their backs as a form of "backpack."

"If we can use this current here…" Roo was saying as Gerome and Robin approached her. "It might give the lift we need to…oh hey!"

"What are you working on today?" Gerome asked, a smile across his face as he watched Robin leap into Roo's arms.

"Nothing dangerous, I assure you," Laurent said, tipping his hat towards Gerome, silently amused of how his friend had somehow become very protective of the young wyvern and his mother. "Everyone here is undeniably safe."

Instantly, Gerome shot Laurent a look that would have made other men die on the spot. "I heard we'll be moving soon," Miriel said, picking up some of their plans and rolling them to keep them safe for travel. "It would behoove us to stop here and resume our strategies when we next settle."

"Agreed, mother," Laurent said, also helping in cleaning up. Then, turning to Roo, he gently took a scroll from her hands. "I believe the three of us will be sufficient in tidying up," he said to Roo, but giving a sideways glance to Gerome who didn't bother to hide the silent snarl on his face. "Why don't you two try what Inigo offered last night and, 'take off the load?"

"I think it's 'take a load off,' but sure," Roo grinned, not noticing Gerome's killer stare towards Laurent. "Anyway, I don't want to mess up your, uh, cubbies."

At this, Laurent and Miriel both huffed, drawing themselves up and pushed their glasses up their nose in unison, Noire giving Roo a sympathetic smile, knowing what was about to come. "They are not 'cubbies'," Miriel said indignantly. "They are specialized holding units that form a pace by pace by pace measurement that have a single open side to allow items of any importance to be placed in that would agreeably fit."

"I believe they are a pace and a pica, mother," Laurent said.

Immediately, Miriel turned to her son, her eyes open and wild, the air around them growing icy cold. "Do not attempt to correct me, Laurent," she moaned dangerously, Laurent and Noire shrinking back. "Not if you value your life."

"Ok, we're leaving!" Roo said brightly as she grabbed Robin in one arm and looped her other through Gerome's. "See you later! Don't follow us."

Roo's words fell on deaf ears from the flurry of rulers and measurement tools behind them and Roo quickly marched both Robin and Gerome away. "Those two are worse than Basilio and Flavia," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "I swear, I'm going to strangle one of them, I just haven't decided who first."

"Laurent," Gerome sneered, not missing a beat.

"Why?"

"I have my reasons."

A light laugh escaped Roo as she closed her eyes. "Yeah, I mean, he'll probably just be born again anyway," she mused. "Maybe the next time around he won't be so much of a sourpuss."

"You really like that word," Gerome said, a small grin on his face.

"What? Sourpuss?"

"You used to call me that all the time."

Suddenly, Roo stopped and looked up at him. Once again, her gaze was searching through his eyes, looking for something he still didn't know what for. "You're right," she said finally, her stare turning into a smile. "I guess I did call you that. But you're not so much of one now, are you?"

"I prefer not to think so, but perhaps others think differently," Gerome said. "This camp seems to have a great affinity for rumors."

"I'm sorry."

In a blink, Gerome's smile turned to confusion as he looked down at Roo who was smiling gently up at him. "Whatever the others think, they're wrong," she said, clearly and defiantly. "You really are a kind person."

It was then that the both of them noticed that they had been walking arm in arm this whole time and both leapt back from each other as if the other were on fire. "Sorry!" Roo gasped, not seeing Robin snickering to himself behind her. "I didn't mean…I didn't realize…!"

It was rare to see the tactician at such a loss for words, but considering Gerome couldn't think of anything to say back to her, he couldn't point fingers. "It's fine!" he managed to cough out. "Think nothing of it!"

A low and drawn out squeak came from Robin and Gerome grimaced as Robin stared at him square in the face and made a clicking noise while shaking his head. Although he opened his mouth to answer, Gerome didn't get the chance for Roo suddenly stopped and said: "Oh, hi Chrom."

"Hi," Chrom said stiffly back, standing with a forced smile on his face as his eyes flicked between Roo and Gerome. "Uh, I just came looking for you to let you know we've got a Plegian fort on our route and I wanted to get your opinion." Another gaze back and forth between Roo and Gerome. "But I can come back later if you're busy."

"No! No, it's ok," Roo said, holding up her hands as if caught in some crime and walking over to his side. "Where's the War Council being held? Over there? Sounds great. Oh, uh, gotta go, Gerome! Robin, be good! Don't give me that look. Be! Good!"

It was only when Roo walked past Chrom and left him and Gerome alone did the false smiles fall and the two men met their gazes with disapproving frowns. Then, without another word, Chrom turned to join Roo, being sure so that his cape would flutter over her figure, shielding her from Gerome's view.

A small squeak came from Robin and Gerome looked down at him in shock. "Where did you learn that word?" he snapped as Robin smiled sheepishly back up at him.

They had arrived at the Plegian fort, but Chrom stared at the relatively empty space around them. Finally, he asked what was on everyone's mind. "Where is everybody?"

Nothing but empty wind whistled back at him and Roo stared deeply into the tall grass covered field that lay before the fort. "It could be an ambush," she said. "These grasses could hide a few men in them if the teams were small enough."

"Do you think they could?"

At this, Roo pursed her lips together. "I won't rule it out, but at the same time, why leave the safety of stone walls? And more than that, why leave the grass growing wild like this? We could use that to our advantage and move without being seen."

"It would seem that the most likely conclusion is that this fort is abandoned," Frederick chipped in. "If you look closer, sire, the walls seem to be in disrepair anyway."

Chrom made a small humming noise as he squinted where Frederick was gesturing. "That's true," he said. "I had heard rumors that many of Plegia's soldiers were abandoning their post. This wouldn't even be the first fort that's been deserted on our road here."

"All thanks be to Lady Emmeryn," Frederick said. "Her words were reached by some hearts after all."

At the mention of his sister's name, Chrom's face fell and Frederick coughed, embarrassed.

"Well, whatever we do, we shouldn't be standing around," Roo said quickly, trying to bring focus back to the situation at hand. "We can either investigate or leave it, although I vote for not taking a chance we don't have to take."

Chrom said, nodding his head in agreement. "Split the camp twenty paces behind each other and pull down the flags. We don't need to give any indication that anyone is here."

Roo sighed in relief and turned back to the rest of the camp that had been waiting behind while Chrom and Frederick began giving orders and organizing a breakdown in the most efficient Frederick way possible. "We're not advancing?" Gerome asked, Robin leaping down from his shoulders and to Roo's side.

"No, thank gods," Roo said. "We're avoiding bloodshed if we can."

"Good."

A surprised look came over Roo's face, but melted into a smile as she looked up at Gerome who sheepishly turned from her gaze. "What a change," she mused. "Here I thought you said your only purpose was on a battlefield?"

Perhaps that had been true at some point, but a battlefield was no place for a pacifist and a child. "I…Minerva's sick," Gerome stuttered stupidly. Immediately, Minerva irritably snapped her jaws near Gerome's head and he gave her an apologetic frown, missing the secretive smile that grew on Roo's face.

Suddenly, a crackling sound was heard and the sound of creaking wood hovered in the air. "Careful!" Frederick hissed at a young soldier had been trying to bring down one of the larger beams of a caravan and was now staring in horror at a pile of cloth and wood. "We are on stealth movements! Do not give our position away to a potential enemy due to clumsiness!"

"Sorry, sir!" the soldier cried back, trying to grab the fallen ropes and debris. "I lost grip on the-…"

It came out of seemingly nowhere, but an arrow rocketed out of the sky and into the young man's shoulder, causing him to scream in pain and fall back. "We've been seen!" Chrom roared as more arrows whistled through the air. "Cover!"

Looking up at the fort as everyone scrambled, Gerome snarled as small human shapes appeared on the walls. So much for avoiding bloodshed, he thought bitterly to himself as he pulled Minerva away from the range of the arrows. The only way over the long distance and tall grass would be for fliers to take the charge, but with the river of archers and targets as big as Minerva and Pegasus, it would be a death trap.

"Well, look what we have here," a familiar voice rang out over the field. "Prince Chrom and his little cronies. How kind of you to come all the way here looking for little old me!"

"Gangrel!" Chrom snarled, the arrows mercifully stopping so the two could speak. "You're here?"

A snarling grunt came from Gangrel as he stood on the edge of his crumbling tower, Aversa by his side. "Yes, I am here," he spat. "No thanks to you and your suicidal wench of a sister. Feast your eyes on my final castle, for this is all I have. But no matter. Plegia was built from the rubble your father stomped over, and she shall rise again! Come, princeling! I've sharpened my sword just for you!"

"As have I!" Chrom shot back, drawing his sword. "If this is your last stand, so be it! We shall face you till the end!"

Beside him, Roo sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Great, can't wait for what today holds after speeches like those," she grumbled as Gerome grabbed his lance, preparing for battle.

Gangrel's laughter echoed through the air. "Last stand for me? I think not," he sneered. "You may have some woman beside you, whispering things in your ear, but two can play at that game. Aversa has come up with some lovely ideas, just for my little playground!"

Beside him, Aversa smiled. "Fire the cages."

Great snapping sounds were heard and from out of the grass, wicked looking hooks and claws shot out into the still tightly packed Shepherds, raking their way through the ranks and dragging those who were caught in their grip back into the field, leaving red lines streaking in the dirt. "Scatter!" Chrom cried out as more men were torn away, screaming into their deaths as the hooks pulled apart their bodies.

"Robin!" Roo cried out as she reached down for him, but another claw sailed through the air, whistling as it came down for the both of them.

Suddenly, Gerome's body smashed into hers, pulling her away just before the claw could tear into her and they both hit the ground hard. However, there had been time to save only one and Roo cried out as Robin screeched from inside of the claw, his small frame being the only thing that saved him from being ripped to shreds.

"Oh? It looks like I've caught something a bit more interesting than men," Gangrel smiled as he watched Robin struggle inside his cage. "Bring that one to me!"

"Of course, sire," Aversa smiled as she waved her hand to her soldiers.

On her command, the claw began drawing back towards the fort, pulling Robin with it as he cried out in terror.

"NO!" Roo screamed as she tried to make for her son, but two powerful arms reached around her, keeping her back. "Gerome! What are you doing?" Roo cried out as Gerome struggled against her. "Let me go!"

"You can't save him, not now!" Gerome growled. "It's too dangerous! We don't know what's in there!"

"My SON is in there!" Roo protested as she struggled against him once more, but it was no use. Robin's cage was already being lifted up the wall to be presented to Gangrel.

"Well, well, aren't you a pretty thing," Gangrel said as he looked at Robin in the cage, trembling in fear. "I bet someone would pay a shiny penny for a wyvern like you. What a joke! To think that my new kingdom will be built upon the funds gained from the mighty Ylissean tactician!"

"No, STOP!" Roo shrieked, still trying with all her might to claw her way out of Gerome's arms. "Don't hurt him! Let him go and I'll do anything!"

Gangrel's cackle rang over the air. "It seems you've got a bit of a dilemma, Prince," he called from his fort. "I wonder…if I say so, will she cut your throat to get her little whelp back? Tell you what, tactician. If Chrom is dead by tomorrow morning, I'll spare you the sight of seeing this wyvern's hide on my belt by the afternoon! Any attempts to attack me in the night and I'll cut his throat where he stands. Don't believe that? Why don't you ask your men who lie in the field! Or I guess you could ask their pieces! How's that for friendship and loyalty?" Giving Robin's cage a sharp kick, Gangrel relished as Robin's cry for help stabbed at Roo. "Maybe I'll make a nice pair of boots with him instead!"

A stunned silence settled over the Shepherds as Gangrel and his men disappeared back into the fort, Robin's cries echoing away. Once they were out of sight, Roo sank to the ground, defeated, her teeth barred, her fists packed tight and her eyes burning with rage.

Night had fallen and Gerome looked up sadly where Roo's tent had been pitched by Sumia before she had shuffled Roo inside. Ever since they had left the field where Gangrel held Robin, Roo's gaze had become distant, hollow, as if nothing of life was left in her. Chrom had said nothing to her at all and had forbidden anyone to speak of the offer Gangrel had made. "She won't do it," he said confidently to Frederick who had offered to stand guard outside his tent. "She's my friend. She won't betray us." Even so, Frederick didn't want to take any chances and had made up excuses and reasons to be around Chrom until the prince had stormed into his tent to privately think of a way to survive the fight with Gangrel in the morning.

Now Gerome found himself in an odd backwards position, holding a small plate of food outside of Roo's tent as she had so often did for him. If he had the mind to grab them both, he wouldn't be here. If he had just doubled back and cut the line that drew Robin away from them, he wouldn't be here. If he had let Roo go, she night have been able to free him anyway and he wouldn't have been standing where he was, wishing for the gods, any god, to protect Robin while he was in the hands of a madman.

"Don't bother."

Looking up in surprise, Gerome frowned as Roo's voice once again spoke through the closed tent flap. "I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep up your strength," Gerome said curtly. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

Suddenly, the tent flap flew back and Gerome's eyes went wide as Roo stepped out. She was no longer wearing her heavy coat, but was just in her basic tunic and gold shrug with a short black cape over her shoulders. What looked like a broken off part of a wyvern lord's mask was in her hands, along with a large sack, its contents a mystery. However, her eyes were cold and hard, unlike anything Gerome had seen before and he wished that he hadn't heard the rumors of what Roo was like when she was infuriated because they all paled in comparison. "I'm leaving," she said.

"Where?" Gerome asked stupidly, still caught off guard by her new appearance.

"I'm going to get my son."

She had gotten a couple paces behind him before Gerome fully understood what she had said and whirled about to grab her shoulder. "You can't!" he hissed, Roo not turning to face him. "Did you see what happened to those men? Who knows how many more are inside! You will die if you go alone! Wait until tomorrow-…"

"Tomorrow!" Roo snarled as she snapped back to face him, here eyes bright with fury. "Do not ask me to wait while Robin is in the hands of that…monster! I have thought this through. Believe me, I've thought this through and the only way Robin's life is going to be saved is if I go alone!"

His own anger welled up inside him and Gerome's eyes narrowed into hers. "You would die and leave Robin alone so easily?" he snarled bitterly. "Men like Gangrel will draw out pain as long as possible, knowing he has full control of the situation! Control over you! He's sentencing you to die and you would happily walk into his traps! Think about your family!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Roo snapped back. "Of all people to tell me that! Your parents died and you come to a world where they're alive and all they want to do is get to know you and you just pass them by! Don't talk to me about how to protect family when you can't even see the one right in front of you!"

That did it and Gerome let her go, grateful for his mask that hid whatever expression was on his face. "Go then," he said quietly.

And she did. Without another word, she turned and left him, whistling for her horse and disappearing into the woods. It was only when she had vanished, with no hope of catching up to her did Gerome bitterly clench his fist, his anger gone and replaced with a terrible deep regret.

Dawn broke and Chrom stood alive and well as he faced the fort, but in the safety of the woods where Gangrel's trap claws would not reach him or the Shepherds. "Still alive, huh?" Gangrel mused bitterly as he looked down at the Shepherds from his tower, Robin's cage underneath his boot where the little wyvern shivered inside. "What happened? Did you execute your tactician before she could get her hands on your neck?"

At this, Chrom frowned. He had been up planning what to do when he had heard Gerome and Roo shouting at each other and gone to investigate, but Roo was already speeding away on her horse. She had disappeared to who knew where and Gerome, in his natural fashion, was not talking and disappeared inside his tent. Chrom simply found him ready for battle in the morning with the rest of the Shepherds, a sour look on his face. "She didn't attack you?" Chrom called back to Gangrel.

Behind him, Gerome's heart pulled at the meaning behind Chrom's question. Looking up, he could see Gangrel's face as he stared back down at the Shepherds, just as confused as they were. "Oh, I see," Gangrel mused as he snickered down at them. "She ran away from you! Abandoning comrades in their hour of need? Hilarious! Or did she come here last night on her own? Perhaps I should check the traps for a familiar head or leg."

"Enough!" Chrom shouted back. "This is your last chance, Gangrel! Even if Roo isn't here, Robin's a Shepherd and I will not leave one of my own behind! Release him!"

Gangrel was laughing and Chrom was trying to shout back negotiations, but Gerome was barely paying attention. His mind was still clouded by his earlier conversation with Roo, the words she spoke still tearing into him and her eyes blazing with fury in his memory. It had just been said out of anger and frustration, but it had truth. He did have his family, more than just his parents being alive. He had the Shepherds and even Chrom, who had saved his back more than once and yet, even though he had grown comfortable around Roo and Robin, he still cowered in his tent, away from everyone else, training alone, while they all worked together to make the camp as one.

And now she was gone. Dead, missing, or just vanishing like a ghost, and Gerome had never felt more alone in all his life, even as the Shepherds surrounded him on all sides.

That's when he noticed the silence. The stillness that had come over both parties and Gerome looked to where they were staring. A lone figure, standing in the treetops in a black cape and wearing a broken off wyvern's lord mask stared down at Gangrel, two long boxes strapped to her side and some sort of mysterious handheld contraption in both fists that Gerome had never seen before.

"What the hell…?" Chrom murmured, squinting hard against the sun. "Is that…?"

"Oh my Gods!" Gangrel cackled, pointing in delight. "It's you!"

Shock ran through the Shepherds as they all gasped and whispered among themselves. However, Roo took no notice of them, not even acknowledging Chrom's call to her and continued to stare deep into Gangrel's fort.

"You have one chance," she suddenly said, almost too quietly so no one could hear her.

"Don't be foolish, little girl," Gangrel sneered. "What do you think you're going to do?" Turning to his captain, Gangrel spat. "Kill her."

Gangrel's captain waved his arm on his king's command, but the world stood still and Gangrel stared out at the peaceful field. Looking back up at Roo, Gangrel snarled as she opened her hand, several screws and nuts falling from her fingers and into the reeds below. "She can't possibly have gotten them all!" he screeched. "It would have taken her at least a week!"

It had happened too quickly for anyone to see, but there had been a sharp pinging noise and Roo burst forward, flying through the air and over the tall grass towards the fort. "How is that possible?" Gangrel screamed as he stared stupidly. Panic was slowly beginning to rise in his throat as Gangrel waved his hand towards his archers. "Shoot her! Shoot her now!"

Instantly, several arrows shot out towards Roo who gritted her teeth and suddenly dropped down into the reeds, the arrows flying in after her. "Ha!" Gangrel cackled. "A valiant effort, but foolish! Maybe I'll put her head on a pike in my wall! Captain! Get her worthless body for me!"

However, Gangrel felt the world shift to slow motion as he turned to see his Captain's head already a foot in the air from his body, a fountain of blood slowly falling away to reveal Roo behind the body, two long flat blades in her hand, already colored red, already at the walls.

When the world sped back up again and the same sharp pinging noise was heard, the man on Gangrel's right found a small hook with a line connecting to Roo's two boxes sticking out of his chest. "What…?" the man managed to get out before his body was rocketed towards Roo, and the man's face met with her heel, the force nearly taking off his head.

"Kill her!" Gangrel screamed as he made a dash for the inner chambers, just remembering to grab Robin's cage for his own. "Kill her now!"

It was no use as Roo swept from side to side, the ping of small, but strong hooks latching into everything and everyone, enabling Roo to dodge panicked lances and swords, using her own weapons to take off heads, arms, legs, whatever fell within her reach. "It's the box!" Aversa screamed as she shot off several orbs of dark magic at Roo who zipped past them. "Aim for the box!"

Arrows now flew in her direction as the men regained their senses and Roo snarled as she pulled her way up towards a broken tower, leaving behind a thin bloody splatter in her wake. Using the tower as a shield, Roo ducked behind it, letting the arrows bounce off the stone harmlessly before she zipped up to the top, flipped over the roof and slid down the other side, blades ready. Just before she hit the ground, another hook shot out and buried itself in the opposite wall, pulling her forward along the ground towards them, and before the men could leap out of the way or even block, two blades ripped through their bodies, rivers of blood following them until she came to a skidding stop and turned her gaze towards Gangrel and Aversa. There was a second of silence before Aversa started screaming, scrambling for the fort's wall facing the Shepherds, the only way farthest from Roo, Gangrel right behind her.

However, just before the both of them were about to clamber over the stones, a pinging sound was heard and a shadow passed over their heads before Roo landed hard in front of them, her eyes still wide open in a stare that seized both their hearts.

Aversa and Gangrel froze, Robin's cage still clutched in Gangrel's shaking hands. "Kill…kill her…" Gangrel gasped to no one, but before he could finish, Aversa turned tail and ran back towards the inner walls, grabbing her Dark Flier in a mad dash to escape.

Only Roo and Gangrel remained as Gangrel fell to his feet, his Levin sword forgotten on his side, the sound of Aversa's Dark Flier wings beating against the sky and fading into the distance. Gangrel let out a small whimper as Roo looked deep into his eyes, her glowing red gaze stabbing him with a hate and fury Gangrel had never seen before in his life. "Here!" Gangrel cried, snapped Robin's cage away from him, offering it to Roo. "Take it! It's all yours!"

However, Roo said nothing and all that came from Gangrel was a strangled cry as he realized death was imminent, the cage dropping from his hands. Having been smashed open, Robin fell out, shaking his head to clear his mind. It was when his vision cleared he saw the man who had kidnapped him, who had starved him all night and taunted him about things he'd do to his mother and his friends cowering like a child beneath Roo, already having raised her sword to bring down on his head.

It wasn't right. The person he saw before him couldn't have been his mother. His mother was kind, caring, who told him justice prevailed above all else and no one man was above it. The mother that refused to take a life, now splattered with the blood of fifty some men, and eyes that he did not, could not recognize, burning like embers from her mask.

It wasn't her.

Roo's hand came down and Gangrel let loose a shriek, but another cry rang out and Roo's blade stopped just centimeters above Robin's nose as he defiantly stared back into her eyes, his wings spread out, protecting the one man who had treated him with such unkindness he had never known before.

This wasn't her.

Roo's eyes stared in shock as Robin's bored into hers before he uttered a small cry. Short, low and secretive, it only had one meaning.

Please…remember…

Roo blinked and instantly, the red glow in her eyes vanished. Slowly, gently, Robin reached out and placed his head against Roo's hand. She drew back as if he were fire and everything seemed to just fall away as Roo stared down at him. Small sniffling noises were coming from her now and Robin smiled sympathetically as he trotted over to his mother, now collapsed on her knees and hiding her face in her hands.

Slowly, Roo opened her eyes and looked at Robin. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, pulling off the mask, revealing tear-filled eyes. "I'm so…so sorry."

It was alright, Robin seemed to say as he looked up at her, all the love a child could have for a parent reflected in his gaze. She didn't have to be that monster he had seen, blood trailing her every movement. Her heart didn't have to be filled with darkness. He was back and she didn't have to cry. Together, they were a family, no matter what they were or where they come from and they would share the burden of their memories of the day.

The camp was quiet. So quiet, every rustle of the trees sounded like an explosion as he sat alone just outside of his tent with Minerva as he often did when he couldn't sleep. Although Gangrel hadn't gotten far before the Pegasus Knights captured him, seeing the man rave and whimper like a child, his mind completely gone, caused Chrom to show him mercy and simply sent him back to Ylisse's prisons instead of the execution block. To be honest, Gerome thought that a life in prison inside a small, black cell was a far worse punishment, but he didn't say anything about it. In fact, no one said anything once they saw Roo, her clothing torn and her body covered in blood and grime. They had simply let her pass them all, Roo not even acknowledging they were there, as she took Robin away. It was only after a very long time and camp already set up for the night did they see her again, cleaned up and looking as if nothing had happened. Still, even though she smiled when her name was called for whatever reason, everyone thought it best for them to keep contact to a minimum. Only Robin seemed back to normal, more happy to have his mother than anything else.

Although sleep came for the rest of them, Gerome was not so lucky and he huffed angrily as he stood. "I'm going for a walk," he said to the sleeping Minerva outside of his tent. He couldn't blame her for sleeping while he was still awake. Minerva had always tried her best to stay up with him on nights like these, but she never made it past an hour before smoke was rising from her nostrils and her eyes closed.

For some reason, his feet seemed to take him farther out from the borders of the camp to a small river. Maybe because it was the smell of fresh water or the opening in which he could see the moon, but Gerome sighed and felt contented with his spot, waiting to see if rest would come.

A heavy splash told him rest wouldn't and Gerome turned his head to maybe catch the ripples of a large fish that had jumped, but his eyes widened to see Roo standing there, staring out at the river, her face covered with her hood. "What are you doing here?" he said after making his way to her.

She didn't even seem surprised by his presence as Roo hung her head slightly, continuing to look out at the water. "Nothing," she said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gerome could see the ripples in the river just starting to fade away in front of them. "What did you throw in there?" he asked again, making sure to try to keep his voice soft and nonthreatening.

"Nothing."

"Roo…"

"I said it was nothing, Gerome! Ok?" Roo snapped, whirling her head to face him. "It was nothing, nothing happened and I'm fine! Thank you!"

It was a dismissal, but Gerome did not move, letting the silence between them grow. Even though the mask hid whatever expression was on his face, Roo knew better. The way he fidgeted with his fingers and pursed his lips told her that something was on his mind and Roo sighed heavily.

"Are you just going to stand there all night and stare at me?" Roo asked bitterly. "Or can I help you with something?"

Gerome gave a small cough before continuing. "You were right," Gerome said quietly, Roo's eyes widening in surprise at his words. "Before you left. You were right about me and my family." A heavy sigh escaped him as he turned his head in shame. "I take for granted the fact that they're here. The fact I could get to know them. However…" now turning to face her again, "Do not think I don't know about family, even though mine was taken from me at an early age."

"What are you talking about?" Roo sighed, the weariness in her voice very apparent.

At this, Gerome frowned. "You are my family."

He barely heard it, but the smallest gasp of shock passed through Roo's mouth before she stared at him, wide-eyed. "When you left, I understood your fury, your pain," Gerome continued. "I am a wolf that deals only in death. I am very aware of what it can bring. I didn't want it to come to you. Not after you told me why you refuse to kill. I realized then, it wasn't a weakness. I tried using Robin as a means of protecting you, but I realize that trying to play to what I believed was a soft heart is wrong. Using the ones that I considered close to me to have my own way is wrong, even under the pretense of trying to do good. I chose a craven's path. I…hope you can forgive me."

Her shock had melted away into something Gerome didn't recognize, but her gaze, once again piercing through his in her familiar way gave him a small sense of comfort. "You're hurt," Gerome said suddenly, frowning at the dark stain that he could now see even against the dark cloth of her coat.

"It's nothing," Roo tried to say, but Gerome gently took her shoulder in his hand, causing Roo to wince in pain and betray herself.

"Were you hit?" Gerome hissed, his voice growing low and angry. From their position on the field at Gangrel's last stand, once they realized that Roo was in the midst of a fight, Gerome had mounted Minerva and sped towards the towers. He had a bird's eye view of how she swooped and sped through the air, much like a dragon, but through a storm of lances and swords. It was a wonder to him that one hadn't cut into her that he saw.

But Roo shook her head. "The gear I was using…it's an invention of mine, modified by Laurent," she explained. "It propels the user at great speeds, but the strain it can put on the body is…it's just really hard."

Confusion turned to suspicion as Gerome gently placed a hand on Roo's shoulder, just underneath the collar. He moved slowly, as if trying to tame a wild wyvern, giving pauses in case Roo protested, but she simply closed her eyes and let him slide her coat off her shoulders.

Gerome's eyes widened in shock as angry red, thick lines oozed blood in a crisscrossed pattern across Roo's body. Although she was wearing her night clothes and Gerome could see the attempts at self bandaging, blood had seeped through to the point that she might as well be naked. "We need to get you to Lissa!" Gerome demanded, reaching to grab her arm, but not knowing where to place his hand. "How long have you been like this?"

"Since the fight," Roo said sadly. "And don't. Lissa's asleep and I didn't want to wake her. I didn't want anyone to know."

"Why?"

"Because I just want to forget," Roo cried. "I said I didn't want to kill and look what I've done! All those men…and even almost Gangrel when he was the only one left. I had to do it, I have to keep telling myself I had to, but…!" Roo's head fell and she closed her eyes, her left hand furiously gripping the back of the right. "I don't care if people call me a coward or whatever! I just don't want to remember!"

She began to tremble without her coat, Gerome suddenly realized how small she was. Thin and delicate, as if she would shatter at any moment, and he could barely believe that this woman was the same one he had seen so much strength in before. Gently, he reached out to her and even before he knew what he was doing, he had gathered her into his arm and put a reassuring hand on her head. "Do not give concern about what anyone says, now or in the future," he said quietly. "Those memories…they won't haunt you forever as you fear. We are here to help with the burden."

It seemed like forever to Gerome, but in truth was a few short minutes before Roo stopped, lifting her head back to him with clear eyes. "Thank you, Gerome," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I'm sorry for what I said before."

"Just promise me you'll never use that…whatever you called it again," Gerome said, more sharply than he meant to, but the bloody lines across Roo's body were hard to overlook.

A cracked grin looked up at him. "I threw it away," Roo said, breaking apart from him and looking back into the water where the river lay still. "It belongs there."

"The plans?"

"Plans?"

"Surely you have blueprints or a design that you used to make it?"

"Oh, Laurent has those."

"I see."

Suddenly, Roo felt Gerome's hand on hers, pulling her down to sit. "Here," he said, reaching into his pocket and taking out a healing salve. "We should treat those soon."

She would have argued, but something told her otherwise and Roo sat next to Gerome in the grass as he gently took her arm and began to rub the healing ointment in. "Where'd you get that?" she said.

"You gave it to me," Gerome replied, not stopping his work. "When I did take an arrow to the knee, it helped greatly. I keep a close eye on my right side now, thank you."

A short silence came between them and Roo smiled bitterly. "I remember that. You got super messed up that day. I thought…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "We were all pretty scared."

He paused and she turned to look at him, a confused expression on her face. "I know the feeling," he said quietly and Roo gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Alright, fine," she mused, Gerome chuckling with her. "Then I propose we stick together from now on, if only to stop the other from dying some horrible death through war or bad memories. The smarty pants and the masked bandit, at it again. How's that for partners in crime?"

"Partners?" Gerome echoed with a scoff. "Seems I'm the one doing all the rescuing these days. Since when does one side of the party do all the work?"

"What about today?"

"Today, you saved Robin, not me. And we're forgetting today, so all of this is moot."

"AW!" Roo whined as she playfully rocked back and forth in her place. "FINE! Then don't worry. I'll keep a tab going and pay you back with something huge, how about that? You like planets? We can give you the planet."

"Good luck."

It was dawn once Gerome was finished, getting into all the places that he could without embarrassing Roo. She thanked him and headed back for the camp to rest and he was happy to see her go, only in that it meant she would be taking care of herself and not bleed to death. However, Gerome remained, sleep still eluding him, and he sat next to the river, staring at the place where Roo had thrown away something that had almost killed her and he wondered if he should fish it back out, only so that he could smash it to pieces further. Turning away, his foot hit something soft and he realized she had left her coat behind. Picking it up, Gerome frowned at the tatted edges, the frayed seams and the stained cloth. It would be quite a repair job, but Gerome showed no signs of weariness as he took the coat back to camp and headed inside his tent.

So Attack on Titan's 3D gear is pretty interesting and I shamelessly wanted to play around with it. I should probably say do not own Attack on Titan.