Hey again guys! Thanks for still being interested enough to keep reading. Sorry for lack of story events in this chapter, but due to studying and a couple other things, I only had time for a short chapter. So... Sorry if it's kinda boring. This one's a filler. On the other hand, I felt like I needed something to get Kit and Lissa really together, so here you are. So...

Onwards!

Chapter 4

Kit awoke in a large tent, lay in a comfy bed. Which was odd, because his last memory was...

"You idiot!"

Kit winced, his crippling headache not helped by Lissa's shouting.

"You... You promised me..."

As Lissa's voice became stuttering sobs, Kit's last memory flooded back to him...

Kit and Chrom warily circled the Risen Chief from a distance, aware that it was a lot stronger than the others. Its axe glinted menacingly. Stahl had tried to rush it, and had nearly lost an arm, so no-one wanted to approach. Kit was silently sizing it up.

Axe. Sword has the advantage here. Good. Me and Chrom both have swords. Unfortunately, it's at least a foot taller than us, and looks frighteningly muscled. Strength advantage. Skill disadvantage. Good. If I can dodge, I can land a couple of good attacks.

Kit's vision slid back to normal.

"Chrom, I'm going to attack it." He said calmly, and started to advance.

"Are you crazy?!" Chrom exploded. "It'll kill you!"

Kit grinned. "No, I'm good. I've got this."

Kit stepped in first, blocking a hammer blow from the axe over his head before swinging low, cutting a deep gash in the Risen's leg.

Good. Now it has even less movement.

Kit moved forward again, slicing with the sword. As it lumbered around, swinging its massive axe, Kit danced and dodged, only landing shallow cuts.

Eventually, as Kit danced around it, his foot snagged. He began to fall. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. He saw the brief look of satisfaction on the monster's face. He saw the look of horror on his friends' faces. He saw the axe, swinging upwards towards his head...

Then everything had gone black.

Lissa was still sobbing. "I- I thought you were dead! I didn't know if I could heal you! I don't want anyone to die... I don't want you to die..."

"Lissa..." Kit murmured gently. "I'm not dead. I'm right here."

"But... But what if next time..." Lissa wept. Then her hand slammed down on the table. The tears were already drying on her face. She gritted her teeth. "Damn... I'm not fragile!" Kit's jaw dropped at her sudden change... And her eyes of steel.

"I refuse to be fragile! I will be strong... For the people who need me." Her eyes softened slightly. "And you..." She started, turning to Kit. "You are not going to take a hit like that again, you hear?"

Kit saluted. He felt it was appropriate. "Yes, ma'am."

"And," She continued, "I will show you how to do magic properly."

Then her shoulders sagged.

"But... That's tomorrow. Today... I need to be a healer. Helping people."

"Lissa..." Kit began uncertainly. "What... Just happened?"

"Sorry." Lissa grinned crookedly. "That just kind of... Came out, I guess. I'm just so tired of... Being delicate. Of not being able to do anything. Of others having to protect me. When I saw you fighting that Risen Chief, I wanted to help, but... I couldn't. Don't get me wrong, I love healing people, but sometimes... I just wish that I could help people before they got hurt. Know what I mean?"

"You know... I was thinking something similar." Kit thought aloud. "What if we were on the front lines together in the next battle? Instead of you hanging back, I mean. It would be a lot easier for you to heal me."

Lissa giggled. The sound cleared the air, bringing a small smile to Kit's face.

"You do seem to get hit a lot." Lissa smiled. "I noticed, by the way."

"Noticed what?"

"You take hits for other people. Don't lie." Lissa smiled knowingly. Kit squirmed.

"Well... You found me out."

"Kit!" Lissa complained. "You need to stay alive! Stop endangering yourself!"

"Sorry..." Kit mumbled. "I just... Don't like seeing others get hurt."

"Believe me, Kit." Lissa explained patiently. "It's easier to heal a whole lot of small hits than to fix an axe to the face!" Kit looked embarrassed. "Look, you should be healed by tomorrow. Then, I'll show you how to brace and cast magic properly. Ok?"

"Sounds good to me."

The straw dummy wafted gently in the slight breeze. Kit stood on the other side of the yard from it, tome in hand. Lissa stood just to the left of him.

"Okay." She began. "Basics."

She pointed to the tome in his hands. "That is a tome. It contains the forces of the elements, contained within the words there. The words you speak are only half the operation: the fact that they are in the book is also vital. The words themselves can't do anything, but combined with the book itself, can unleash the forces of the elements. Follow me so far?"

Kit looked dazed. "Um... I think."

"Good." Lissa continued. Kit understood now- Lissa wasn't delicate, she just couldn't fight. Kit saw nerves of steel in the petite healer. He wondered what would happen if she used a weapon... "Kit? Hello?" Lissa was looking at him strangely. "Your eyes kinda glazed over there. Need me to run through that part again?"

Kit roused himself from his stupor. "Hmm? Yes, thanks."

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Okay. Bracing. This technique seems complicated at first, but soon it'll be second nature. To understand this, you need to see yourself in a... Weird way. Try and picture yourself as two, not one."

"What?"

"The physical you, and an ethereal form, that deals with magic. Your physical form can be doing whatever it likes, but the spirit form has to be mostly flexible, to allow magic to pass through it, but your core- your heart- has to be protected and solid. If magic passes through your core, well... You know what happens there." Lissa tilted her head. "Still understand?"

"Yeah." Said Kit. "I see..." He raised his hand, muttering the words in the book. The lightning fizzed and crackled, but did not fly as a projectile.

Kit sighed, but Lissa encouraged: "That was good! I think that maybe... You were too rigid. Don't fight the magic. Be calm."

Kit took a deep breath and tried again...

The sun was starting to set. Almost all of Kit's day had been frustrating error, occasionally offset by Lissa's upbeat encouragement. She could always make Kit smile a little.

Kit glared at the target.

"One last attempt." He declared. "One more time!"

He emptied his mind of all other thoughts. In his mind, he saw the spirit of his magic, like a shadow made of light. He watched in slow motion as the magic crackled up his shadow's arm, towards his heart- no, round his heart- down his other arm. The lightning fizzed and hummed, slowly gathering into a ball in his hand. He held his arm straight out, aiming straight for the target. Everything seemed to go silent. With the merest flick of his wrist, he launched the sphere towards the target.

It flew straight and true. The ball of lightning struck the target dead centre, blasting charred chunks of straw everywhere. Kit's grin was wide at his achievement.

"You did it!" Lissa called with glee, her blue eyes wide. In the heat of the moment, she kissed Kit on the cheek. Kit coloured slightly at the contact. Lissa's lips were soft, only pressing against Kit's face for a second, but it was enough.

Lissa was blushing furiously.

"Sorry!" She babbled. "So, so sorry! I just got excited, and it just sort of happened, and I'm so embarrassed..." She stared at her feet.

"Lissa!" Kit laughed. "Why are you embarrassed? It's fine. Honestly." Kit departed for his tent.

Lissa stood in silence for a second. Then her eyes widened. "Wait!" She called. "Does that mean- come back here!"