Similar and Different S
-S-
"Lucy, I've been having strange dreams, maybe memories, but in them...I killed you, maybe it was another time, maybe what happened to my father happened to me." Morgan looked up, tears running down her face.
"Morgan, no," Lucina said as Morgan began to cry shaking her head as she tried to dispel the thoughts, "you...you didn't choose that...that's not you, you didn't kill me...I'm right here."
"Just because you're here now doesn't mean anything!" Morgan cried, "If I killed you, then I don't know what I would have done, but the thought...it hurts! Is it a memory, or is it just my imagination?"
"Morgan, I know you're a good person I know you'll try to find the right way in any given situation, I aspire to be that kind of person...I admit, you terrify me at times, and I find myself wondering if you can be serious, but, and I did consider what all you may be, but instead of living in fear of you I would try to...understand you more, you say everything's new and bright, but...now I see you do have fears. By the way, I never thanked you but back in my tent...I was lost...I still am, but you helped me. We...could be a good team...like our fathers, but different, though."
Morgan lifted her head and looked Lucina dead in the eye, "Lucina...if we're like our fathers, we're their tragic counterparts—ugh, let's do the right thing together!" her eye fell intently on Falchion.
"No, Morgan...I am afraid what could be," Lucina brushed her thumb against Morgan's face, "not what is, I see that now...we are...much like our fathers in that he and I don't understand...our...contemporaries...but he trusts your father without question, and I-I crave that ability like I never thought possible, and I can't stop wishing for that, with all I am!"
"But he found my father helpless in a field, he never had to live through what you did...never had a reason for doubt...look at me, Lucina, you love me, so save me from my future, cut me, it doesn't matter how, Falchion is powerful, if you strike I may burst into flame, who knows?" Morgan held out her hand and watched Lucina, "All I know is...that if my father doesn't become Grima...if I'm waiting-"
"No! No, that's not you, Morgan, you told me a while back you believed I was better than letting your dad die!" Lucina held the child of the Fellblood like they had been friends since before time began, and ran her fingers through her hair, "Morgan...we're stronger together than we could imagine apart."
"Lucina, like this...you only have to worry about him, keep my father safe for me." Morgan shoved Lucina back and they both stood. Morgan grimaced as she charged a bolt of lightning and threw it through the air in a blast of white light, Lucina turned around, and watched a hole in a cloud vanish.
"I'm not scared of you, Morgan!" Lucina turned around and approached the crying tactician, and placed a hand on Morgan's cheek, "We're like our fathers, in many respects...they have a strong bond...he trusts his tactician, perhaps more than he should, but it makes them strong! Love is said to be powerful and stupid and it's true, it could give us a powerful bond while causing us much grief, and I know, more than is wise on my part, I love mine...more foolishly and relentlessly than he ever could!"
"A-and...what...Lucina?" Morgan stared at the grass, startled by words, but they were Lucina's.
"I apologize...I know I've not been easy to be around, when we talk it's hard to think about what could be...if I pushed you to feel negatively about yourself, then I apologize, but I see clearly now."
"Don't be stubborn, if Grima returns...using my body, no less, then what would it have all been for?! All you work, wasted!" Morgan glared at Lucina, who watched her intently.
"That's somewhere deep in the future, it may not come to that. Could you...see us...together?"
"I'll tell you...but on one condition." Morgan hissed.
"What's that?" Lucina worried she already knew the answer.
"You...make sure...I don't become Grima...I never want him to come back, I know that wherever I'm from it may have happened...you can't allow—you have to...get rid of a small...liability." her voice broke at the last part and she turned away.
"Morgan...I promise, I won't let that happen, I'll be here, I-"
"Don't play around, you know what I'm asking!" Morgan gritted her teeth, "To kill me, not guard me."
"What happened to that wonderful optimism?" Lucina took a breath, "Morgan...I don't how badly I want to change...what could be."
"Then think about what will be!" Morgan yelled. Lucina rested her hands on Morgan's shoulders.
"Morgan...I will...not allow you to become Grima...e-even if...no, I can't promise you it!"
"Lucina, when this first started, you were talking to yourself, about how Falchion would be the best thing to stop him with, you didn't mean Grima, you meant my father...you were debating whether to rely on him being surrounded in combat or kill him yourself, that's why you wanted me to leave, you were ashamed of yourself, disgusted, then I found you crying...you were thinking of killing him...and me." Lucina clenched her jaw as the bitter memory vividly rose to the top of her mind, "Now you're here...honestly, I suspected you were here to kill me, that my father was dead, or next in line. Who knows what terrible memories you have of my father, how many similarities between the times you see? You shouldn't worry about that...you've lived here for two brutal years, remembering everything, preparing for anything; I don't want your work wasted, I'm a burden you were never ready to handle."
Morgan saw Lucina watch from a far away seat as the past replayed in front of her, "You've put up with enough, Lucina...you said you wished that when the time came, you'd do what's right, and that you didn't know, I told you not to do anything hasty...I gave it thought, you know this is the best way, too. If I have to attack your father to force your hand...then I will...better than dying a pawn of Grima."
"You won't...I need you! Alone I fear I'd founder...like I've been for a while now, taking orders and praying for time, and now I've fallen for you...you had to so charming, don't leave me now!"
"Fine, then do it...for the memory of me, keep me becoming what you hate, for you'd love me less."
"You won't become Grima...I won't allow you...I'll watch you closely, and if...if I have to act, then I will, as painful as it may be. But that last remark, you care that I harbor affection for you?"
"It does...I love you, Lucina, and if I had my way...we'd never face this dilemma."
"Then it's time to alter fate—for the better." her fingers gliding over the pommel, "I'd make a request."
"Anything you want, as long as you keep your word."
"Then I ask...that you'd love me forever and never let me go," Morgan was stunned, she leaned back and forward as a hand rested on her cheek and her back, "never question...us, and always believe that somehow we will find a way, but together...we must always walk together."
"I...fail to see how agreeing will change anything." Morgan said, scowling as she awaited the end.
"I will change the world...by asking...to forever be with you. You will never revive Grima...because he can't have you if your heart's mine." Lucina didn't break eye contact as her face burned red.
"Lucina-" Morgan clenched her fist and bowed her head, for once life was serious. Lucina reached for Falchion, and when Morgan looked up again the sword and its scabbard were on the ground.
"Morgan, I'm going to change my foreseeable future by doing something I never wished for and always dreamed of...I'm going to trust...trust you—blindly—for I don't know why or how, but I love you!" Lucina sighed, "I believe if I embrace my feelings and trust my heart...then we can, alter fate!"
"Lucina, you could be sacrificing everything!" Morgan's fists clinched as she thought of everything.
"But I'm not!" Lucina touched the back of Morgan's fists, and they uncurled, "Because, you...you're my...everything—inspiring me and terrifying me, giving me hope while making me question it, you're the nicest, most beautiful person I never should have even dreamed to meet and...that scares me, I-I want to put it in hands other than my own...I can't make the future mine, but it's better than having to choose between letting a horrible thing happen, or do something equally terrible...you want to free me from...this burden," Lucina said, placing her palms in Morgan's, "so, then, give me a reason to believe that it's not, that it's a chance for something wonderful and beautiful! That fate can be affected, just...like you always do!"
"I...you feel...I always make you feel like...there's a chance?" Morgan mumbled, not sure if she was happy or angry at herself. All the strong feelings conflicted, she was used to perpetual cheerfulness.
"Yes, with you I feel the future could be bright...I was happy enough just to see you smile...but then wanted to be the...thing you smiled at, doodles became the subject of my envy, and I had to do something...to be the center of your attention, even for a short time...even to risk a potential friendship. It had gotten so hard to think of the future and you were so lighthearted all the time, so peaceful, if I could just...warm up from the cold, harsh reality, even if I was burned, I would at least had that comfort for a moment." Lucina smiled at Morgan, "I've been alone so long, I thought I didn't need help, but now I know I have to...be willing to accept that the version of reality in my head may not be realized, not to...depend on drastic things, but the subtle differences, and—Morgan, I am certain I never felt something so strong in my life! I will do the best I can, but I could do far worse than this—I could avoid you entirely, and let the moment pass...but you strive to capture the present...I've learned a lot from you—I will capture this moment, at least!"
"And I thought I was blissfully stupid." Morgan said, falling into Lucina's arms.
"I'm stupid, now?" Lucina replied, holding Morgan against her, "Your assessment is...undeniable."
"You've given up...and for what, me? You could do better." Morgan whispered.
"I only gave up because I finally found someone strong enough to lean on, who makes me feel strong, too, but I cannot go on, aimlessly waiting for something to happen, I need someone keep me strong on this hard road, and I want someone to understand me...if I can't keep myself together in the present, the future is not mine...but if you...accept my proposition, despite the difficulties, then it's our future, mine and yours." Lucina ran her finger through Morgan's hair, capturing the moment as we as she could, "Ultimately, the future belongs to those who can take control, that is, presently, not me, our fathers will do what they can, just as we will; truly the only option we have, only question is how."
"You sound like me...I thought you liked long term plans for your goals."
"I learned what I wanted didn't matter until the time to act appeared and that forcing the future to bend to me didn't work and never would, but that it isn't hopeless because we're together...you make the wait so less daunting. Who said I didn't have a long term goal to worry about?"
"Then stand ready, Lucy!" Morgan said, smiling, perhaps brighter than ever, "I'm as spontaneous as they come!"
"Hmm, harmless spontaneity?" Lucina found herself caught up in a net of bliss, "I could do with a little of that, I think...what will you do?"
"I'm going to challenge my fate." Morgan jumped back away just as Lucina decided to kiss her.
"And just how do you propose to do that, Morgan?" Lucina asked.
Morgan grabbed the bracelet she had been working on and on her knees presented it to Lucina, "With this bracelet! I was just going to drop this on your bed, or at your table before dinner, just so you'd know someone loved you, but if take this...you accept your request, from me...okay?"
"Morgan, thank you—I mean...yes...I don't know what to say." Lucina joined Morgan on her knees.
"You already said everything, Lucy." Morgan slid the bracelet onto Lucina's wrist and looked up at Lucina, "I love you, Lucina."
"Morgan...I love too." Lucina whispered.
Morgan threw her arms around Lucina's neck, and Lucina held onto Morgan as though the fate of the world depended on it, for all she knew it might, but all she knew for sure was what they had now, and now she felt that that kiss was like the Brand of the Exalt, the result of a something special that could alter fate itself.
A/Ns: Funny that the number of pages my word processor counts goes up with the chapters, the number correlating with the number chapter, one gets one, two gets two, three get three, and four finally got down to four pages...it took work, it was breaking the rule the story made, fourth chapter having five pages, unheard of! XD Anyways, this is the end of the Support Conversation, but I think there may be another chapter to post after this, so we'll see how that goes...later, people!