Through the Fires of Hell between Us

"So, wanna tell me about the future?" Anna said playfully to Morgan as they took inventory.

Morgan smiled. For a mother that she couldn't remember, she was amazing. No wonder father married her!

"Well, I don't remember much. Only a few things, and those centered on tactics. But I remember being happy!" she said enthusiastically.

The rocking of the boat soothed her. For several days after father had found her, she was disoriented. But a ship at sea was peaceful. And they had a funny captain of their ship.

"So you don't remember me?" Anna said. She had asked before, but Morgan suspected she kept asking because she just couldn't believe her daughter (albeit from a different future) wouldn't remember her own mother.

She hung her head, "I'm sorry mother, but I just…don't. But as someone in the future told me, 'When memories are lost, just make new ones!'"

"Did Vincent say that?" Anna smirked.

"I…don't think so. It was someone close to me though…" Morgan trailed off as she tried to remember. There was so much missing from her head! A person who remembered some parts of their life was worse off than total amnesia. They at least didn't know what they'd forgotten. But Morgan could recall some things. Like the man with green hair. He in particular came to mind.

"Well that's that!" Anna said cheerfully. She stacked up the remainder of the Fire tomes and put them away in the chest of magical tomes she had. "If you see Vincent, tell him when he's done playing with his assassin tools, that I'm done inventorying."

"Of course mother!" Morgan said happily. It was best to not dwell on the past anyway. If things were to be answered, then they would in due time.

"Careful! I don't want to die!" Vincent nearly yelled at Matts' near mistake.

"Oh shut up. Even if it did break, you of all people would figure something out," he said laughing.

Vincent muttered something as he went back to mixing his poisons. Lowell sat next to him, and Matts and Heather sat across the table. They had been running low on poisons, so what better time than to mix poison than now?

"So anyway, getting back on track, I can't help but notice you two are holding hands!" Vincent said in mock surprise.

Matts and Heather looked at each other, as though they figured something out. "You may be able to lie to the King and others sir, but not to us. You arranged our…meeting, didn't you?" Heather said accusingly.

Lowell rolled his eyes next to Vincent as the spymaster leaned back into his chair, "Are you complaining?"

Heather opened her mouth to refute as Matts muttered, "The bastard got us there."

They all laughed, even Lowell cracked a smile. Which of course, was as uncommon as hell freezing over. "So Lowell, how's your love life coming? Any women?" Vincent said, getting back to his poisons.

Lowell simply stated, "Nonexistent."

"Why Lowell, I didn't know you swung that way," Heather said. Matts laughed and Lowell stared at Heather until she stopped laughing. Of course, that didn't stop Matts or Vincent.

"I hope you all die," he muttered.

The argument was interrupted by a knock at the door. Morgan poked her head through the door. "Father? Mother said she's done inventorying."

"Ah, Morgan! Come on in, I'll be done soon," Vincent said, motioning for her to come in the room.

She glanced round the table, then said, "Are you brewing poisons and antidotes?"

"Nope, just poisons," Vincent said calmly, as if this was perfectly normal. Which for spies and assassins, it was.

"Funny how we never run out of antidotes," Matts muttered.

"Is this Hemlock?" Morgan asked looking at the nearest vial of poison.

"Yeah, did I teach you poisons in the future?" Vincent inquired curiously.

"I…don't think so. But someone did," she mused.

"Huh. Well you three, carry on without me. I'm sure Anna wants me for something," Vincent stood up after corking his vials. He and Morgan walked out of the room.

They walked the long hallways of the ship. Captain Colby's personal vessel. So it was giant for a ship. It fit the Shepherds and Vincent's team quite comfortably. The good Captain followed up on his agreement, and all their ships had good captains, and at least a few skilled sailors.

Before they could get on the deck of the ship however, Henry came below deck and pulled Vincent aside. "I need you help with something," he said in an oddly normal sounding tone.

"If it's killing someone or finding you more crows, then no," Vincent yawned wearily. Crow finding with Henry was not enjoyable.

"No, I was wondering if you knew someone who could teach me to dance," Henry said nervously.

Well that came completely out of nowhere.

"Um…Olivia?" said a baffled Vincent. Henry dancing? Creepy. Where were the crow puns!?

"Nyah…ha! That's part of the problem…" Henry trailed off.

It took Vincent only a few seconds to figure it out.

"You sly dog you. Or maybe crow…anyway, I'm sure my wife Anna could help you with that," the spymaster grinned.

"Yay! It seemed to CAWmplicated to explain to anyone else," Henry laughed. Or cackled. Either or.

Vincent chuckled too, a normal Henry just didn't fit.

"So Captain, you say Valmese ships approaching our fleet?" Vincent asked.

"Yep! A whole ton of 'em. You better get strategizing, boy," the Captain said gruffly.

"You better get your axe sharpened. You'll be helpful in this fight," Vincent said as he dashed to find Chrom and the others.

"You're going to do WHAT!?" Chrom said horrified.

Vincent grinned to the rest of the people there at the table. "I said I would burn our ships."

"Why!?" Chrom practically yelled.

"I never said I wouldn't have them going somewhere," Vincent smoothly said.

"I see…" Captain Colby said in amusement. "A good plan."

"What does he mean, what is he talking about?" Chrom said, irritated he didn't get it.

"We will light the ships ablaze as they crash into the Valmese. All we need is volunteers," Vincent said in a low voice.

"I'm on it," the Captain got up and left.

"You're going to let people die in order for the plan to work!? This is madness!" Chrom cried.

"Wake up Chrom, do you see another solution? No! Casualties are inevitable!" Vincent stated fiercely.

Chrom was about to retort when his wife Sully stopped him. Vincent followed up, "Me and the Evanescent Team will take out the command ship."

Well, it was Heather's idea for the name. Makes sense, we are trying to be unnoticed as we fight.

"Oi! Kid, take out those masts!" Vincent yelled. Kid shot wind magic, ripping the sails and shattering the masts. The command boat was crippled.

He, Morgan and Kid were launching fireballs as the ship loomed closer. The ship burned, but had no way of putting out the flames.

The ship bumped into theirs. Wooden planks were quickly extended and the Valmese began boarding. Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds held them off as Vincent and the rest of the team boarded the Valmese ship.

The three of Vincent's operatives quickly began silencing mages and archers. And Lowell killing people while smoking his pipe was very amusing.

The rest of them forged their way to the commander, who foolishly stood out in the open of the ship. Gaius pushed Vincent out of the way as an arrow came streaking by. "Careful there Vinnie. Wouldn't want the team leader to die now!"

Vincent's response was to kill the archer.

Vincent kept Morgan close, the newest member of the team. It wasn't that he doubted her, just that he hadn't seen her in action yet. So yes, he doubted her.

But she didn't disappoint. She seemed to want to prove that she was worthy of Vincent's respect…or something.

She doesn't need to do that, she's my kid after all.

The three of them, Vincent, Anna and Morgan made quite the team. The two tacticians were more than a match for the enemies. And Anna was able to focus on healing the team with her Physic staff.

"Nyah ha ha!" Henry cried as he struck down the commander with his dark magic. Actually, it seemed like he cursed the man's visor shut. As the man was blinded, Henry tripped him over the edge of the boat. He sunk like a rock.

Damn…why can't I do something cool like that?

Oh shut up. Less thinking, less dying.

The enemy was quickly routed after that.

All that was left was the main part of the plan. The Captain had been successful in finding volunteers. And flaming ships struck ship after ship.

The sea…is on fire…