A/N This chapter feels like a diving board... there just for getting back into it. Oh well... I'll get there. I don't own Fire Emblem or any of its alternate timeline forms.

In southern Ylisse, villagers were enjoying a quiet evening. In light of a recent disaster and conclusion, many were either preoccupied with recuperation or celebration. As such, no one noticed the brief flash of arcane runes in the sky, nor the jet black figure that passed through them and fell to the ground.

Thud! Adriane met the ground steadily with her feet, but the height sparked pain in her half-healed leg.

"Ah!" she gasped softly in surprise. Without even looking, she knew that the cloth on her leg had been bled through. A simple shift of her cloak and the weakness was temporarily hidden. The pain's resurgence brought to mind the auburn-haired healer and Adriane clenched her fist in consternation. Incompetent, meddling bastard...

With narrowed, cadet blue eyes she scanned the immediate area for threats. None. Adriane sighed, releasing some of her tension for a clearer frame of mind.

She was standing in the shadows of an alley, deathly silent.

Master Grima… Master Grima, where was he?

There was no one around, but Adriane could feel a certain vibrancy in the air and a soft thrum of movement underneath the quiet. She was surrounded by buildings on three sides, and the only way out was down the long alleyway or through the buildings' doors. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, Adriane noticed something off about the buildings. They appeared… untouched, unweathered. New, even. No, that would be too strange, she insisted, the enemies all retreated to the capital save for a few pockets of resistance. Even then, they lacked the resources and manpower to defend such structures, much less build them. But as she suspiciously stepped towards the walls, the pristine appearance of the bricks gave it away.

No evidence of any recent attack. "Where am I?" Adriane whispered, eyes widening. She stepped back from the wall. Before she could try to reason out the situation, a second-floor window opened, and she immediately flattened herself against the wall.

A golden yellow light flooded the opposite end of the alleyway. As Adriane watched, arms holding a sloshing bucket appeared from the window, followed by a voice. "-ear, I know you just got home, but could you please take the rest out the back?" An indiscernible grumble responded. "But dear, it's been your turn for a few days now! Naga help me, even the kids are complaining of the smell!" More grumbling, then acquiescence.

There was a splat on the cobblestones a few feet to Adriane's left, and the putrid stink of feces and piss flooded the alley. Business finished, the woman in the building closed the window and the outside was once more plunged into darkness.

Adriane ignored the smell and brandished a small dagger to strike the incoming soldier. They hadn't seen her yet, and from the sounds of it, the man was coming alone. A plan formulated in her mind and, waiting by the door, she melded into the shadows.

The door creaked open and out walked a middle-aged man holding a burlap sack. He dragged the bag behind him into the alleyway muttering under his breath. As soon as the door closed shut, Adriane sprang on him. Taking a fistful of his shirt, she slammed him against the opposite wall and placed the dagger on his neck.

"Make a sound and everyone dies," she hissed. Sweat beaded the man's forehead as he nodded his head as much as the blade would allow. "Good."

"First question. Where are we?" The man's eyes widened as he replied, "what? You don't-"

"Spit it out or I'll cut your tongue!"

"S-s-southtown!"

"Lies. Master Grima reduced that place to the dirt years ago. The new resistance wouldn't have buildings such as this. Tell me the truth!" As if to emphasize her point, the blade bit through skin and lapped at the blood.

I'll never find Master Grima at this rate.

"I'm not lying!" the man gasped. "Who's Grima?" His eyes let on confusion, and Adriane knew she would get nothing out of this one. She pushed hard with the dagger, dug into the flesh until metal hit the stone of the wall. She let go of the body dispassionately and the soldier slumped onto the cobblestones along with a small chink on the ground.

Adriane crouched down to look at the small object on the ground. It was a little pouch with a drawstring. Upon pulling the opening wide, she was surprised to find several yellow coins with the face of a woman molded onto them.

Money? But humans ceased to use currency over a decade ago, once the war worsened.

Unsure what to do with it, she fastened the bag to her belt.

Grey eyes glanced back at the body and took note of the corpse's attire. Unarmored, the man was clad in civilian clothing with nary a trace of a weapon on his person. Additionally, there was the expression in his eyes as she asked her questions. Surprise. Disbelief. Confusion. He truly seemed to be ignorant of… well… everything that has been happening the past few years. He's probably just that good at acting, she tried to tell herself, but even she could feel the tendrils of doubt in her logic.

Suppose the man was telling the truth-no. That someone of that age live so far from the conflict to be sheltered was improbable. No, it was impossible. But the money, and his clothing, and these buildings…

"Dear? Are you still outside? I forgot to include something when you took the trash out…" That didn't sound like the voice of someone who's suffered through conflict, but it was getting closer and the body lay conspicuously against the wall. Strange place or not, she couldn't let the enemies know of her appearance, not when she didn't even know where they were keeping Master Grima.

First things first, she had to eliminate the immediate threats and then leave. Second would be to find out more of the enemy territory so she could find her Master. The amount of subterfuge and killing depended on whether her Ylissean guard uniform would be accepted. For her own sake and energy reserves, Adriane hoped it would be. She could feel the throbbing in her leg worsen.

Hand on the doorknob, Adriane readied her blade and stepped inside.

A/N Four enemies and one chapter slain! +50 EXP. Level Up! Can now use Rightful Angst and Rally Writing Speed. Status effect Depression disappears. Item Inspiration [x1] acquired.