A/N: Back again, this time with a slightly shorter chapter.

PSA: If there's any of the Robins from the previous chapters that you'd like me to write more of, feel free to say so! I'd be glad to expand on any particular Robin y'all are interested in hearing more about.


"This is the best decision you've ever made," Lissa whispered to Chrom.

Chrom shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The high-backed council chairs were torture devices in their own right. He resisted the urge to slump into an un-princely slouch. "Frederick doesn't think so," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Lissa glanced up. Across the room, Frederick had given up on keeping up his calm demeanor and had buried his hand in his hands as if he could erase himself from the room by pretending not to see or hear what was going on.

"You're going to get into so much trouble for bringing her," she said gleefully.

"It's too late to now," Chrom said, sneaking in a yawn and a stretch. No one was watching him right now, anyways. Everyone was watching Robin duke it out with the, er, Duke.

Duke Bradbury probably wasn't a bad person, Chrom reflected. Just kind of stuffy. And stupid. And if there was one thing he knew Robin hated, it was stuffy, stupid people telling her what to do.

It was unfair, really. Bringing Robin to the council meeting was like dumping a shark in a goldfish tank. Chaotic and disastrous for all involved, but no one was able to tear their eyes away.

"—have never been so insulted in my life!" raged Duke Bradbury. "You are not to speak to your betters with such uncouthness—"

"The only thing you're my 'better' in is flapping your mouth," Robin snapped back. "Is there actual thought going on up there when you talk, or is it just reflex?"

"House Bradbury," the Duke said, drawing himself up to an impressive height of five feet, two inches, "has served the line of the Exalt for over two hundred years—"

"Hey, is anyone listening to this?" Robin interrupted, looking pointedly around the council room. "Because I'm not."

Duke Bradbury sputtered. Half the council shifted and murmured. The other half looked frozen, too shocked to speak. When Chrom was a child, Emmeryn had adopted a fluffy orange cat she'd found in the gutter. He had seen the cat stalk and face down one of the unsuspecting mice once. The mouse had dropped its small breadcrumb and stood petrified, unable to look away from the advancing doom that was the jaws of the cat. And that was the best description Chrom could think of for the expressions on most of the nobles' faces.

"Robin is my favorite person," Lissa said, grinning.

"I thought I was your favorite person," Chrom said jokingly.

"Sorry, no."

"Prince Chrom," the Duke said, turning away from Robin with a huff, "I must ask that you send this commoner away so that the rulers can resume their decision-making without outside interference—"

"What an interesting insight into the ideological foundations behind Ylisse's reigning government!" Robin said. "I feel like we're getting into prime ground for a philosophical debate—tell me, what are your thoughts on democracy?"

Chrom hastily tried to disguise his startled laugh as a throat-clearing cough. Judging by the glare Frederick sent him, he hadn't fooled anyone.

"I have invited Robin into this meeting as my tactician," he responded. "I believe that Robin has proven herself to be a skilled and valuable member of the Shepherds and as such she deserves a role in the—ah—decision-making process."

Duke Bradbury looked slightly abashed. Chrom must have sounded appropriately resolute and commanding. He wondered what the Duke would have thought had he known that deep down, all Chrom was doing was fighting the extreme urge to snicker like a child.

"But—but," the Duke stammered. "Milord! I must insist on the departure of—"

"You want to leave? Oh, but don't go, we were going to have a rousing discussion about democracy!" Robin cut in, grinning her wildest grin, eyes gleaming.

Lissa snorted and covered her mouth with her hand. Chrom felt vaguely sorry for the unsettled Duke Bradbury, although he felt more sorry for Frederick, who seemed to be in the throes of a mild breakdown.

One of the other nobles, sitting beside Bradbury, cleared his throat. "My prince," he said, "I must agree with Duke Bradbury on this matter—"

"Ah, another one for the bureaucrats!" Robin said with mock interest, whirling around to turn on him like wolf. "What is it you people have against a more democratic form of rule? I don't understand."

The nobleman's eyes bulged like goldfish eyes. Chrom saw a duchess beside him quickly pinch herself, then look disappointed when she did not wake from the never-ending nightmare that was Robin.

"I think we should take a break, everyone," Chrom said quickly, standing up. "I'll be on the balcony if any of you need me." He pushed back his hair hurriedly and strode to the double glass doors that led to the balcony. He flung them open, walked out into the open air, and checked carefully to see if the doors were shut.

Then he leaned over the edge and howled with laughter.

The doors swung open. Robin slid out onto the balcony to join him.

"I think I'm making a positive impression," she said cheerfully. "Definitely."

"Oh yes," Chrom gasped. "Definitely." he exhaled and inhaled deeply, trying to stop himself from giggling. Future exalts did not giggle.

Robin watched him with one raised eyebrow.

"So," she said, "what are your thoughts on a democratic government?"

Chrom remembered the frozen expressions of the council nobles and burst into laughter all over again.


A/N: Robin is a weapon of mass destruction and should be used responsibly.

Please review! I can't express how happy some feedback makes me, even if it's just to say you liked the story/chapter.

Answers to anonymous reviews:

Guest: Thank you for your review, and I'm glad you liked each Robin! That was really my goal when writing this series—I wanted to explore how different each version of Robin could be, while still making each one interesting/likable.

Cats: Haha, glad you liked my terrible angsty romance. Yeah, when I thought of this chapter, Robin happened to be M!Robin. Robin's gender doesn't really matter to me when shipping him/her with Chrom.