AN: This is it. The final battle. All we gotta do is travel halfway across the continent, recruit Anna, travel back to Ferox, and then fight Gangrel, because who cares about things like "plot" and "mood", 'cause we gotta recruit a Shepherd! *ahem*

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem and other referenced properties, as they belong to their respective companies.

Third person POV

Man… today was a long day. I can't even believe what happened. Chrom sat alone in his tent, illuminated by the dim light of a sole candle. She just… fell… if I just ran faster, maybe I could've… but, the fall… even if I caught her, she wouldn't have stopped right away. I might have even been injured if I caught her… so what could have I done?

"Um, Captain?"

"Hmm? Is that you, Sumia?"

"Yes. M-may I come in?"

"Sure. It's not like I was sleeping or anything…" Chrom quipped, a humorless smile on his face.

"Oh! A-am I bothering you?" Sumia stammered, already turning to walk out of the tent. "I-I'm sorry."

"No, I was just kidding. But I guess it should be me that should be sorry." Chrom sighed.

"What for, Captain? You didn't do anything wrong." Sumia asserted.

"No. I dragged you into this. I dragged all of the Shepherds into this, this mess, and I'm not sure how to fix it."

"Captain…"

"I-I was so powerless!" Chrom punched his bed in anger, shifting between a passionate rage and a tired sadness. "She… she sacrificed herself so I wouldn't have to choose. She did it so I wouldn't give up the thing that could one day save our own people."

"Listen, Captain!" Sumia strided over to Chrom, grasping his shoulders tightly.
"H-huh?" Chrom nervously backed farther up his bed, surprised by her boldness. This prompted Sumia to shuffle closer, leading to her legs resting on Chrom's bed. "S-Sumia?"

"It wasn't your fault! Emmeryn chose to sacrifice herself for you." Sumia gazed earnestly at Chrom, trying to snap him out of his anguish. "She cared about you. We care about you! When you fall, we'll help you right back up. And if you'll support your sister's cause, we'll follow you every step of the way. I will follow you every step of the way."

"And what if I can't do it, Sumia? What if I'm not worthy of her ideals?" Chrom looked up at her, searching for an answer.

"Then you'll keep at it until you are. And we'll be right behind you. After all, what are friends for?"

"I… guess that you're right. Thank you, Sumia." Chrom felt as if a weight was taken off of his shoulders, ignoring the fact that Sumia was still technically pressing down on his shoulders.

"No problem, Chrom."
"So, why did you come here in the first place?"

"U-um, well, you see, I just came to tell you that… um, I value you as a friend."
"Thanks, Sumia. I value you as a friend, too."

"…"

"… but, I came to tell you that I wanted to be more than friends."

"You mean, best friends?"
"No! S-something more than that…"

"Super best friends?"

"No!"
"Super Ultra Awesome Best Friends?"
"No, you dense idiot! I'm trying to tell you that I-"

It was at this moment that Robin barged into Chrom's tent, holding a rolled-up map of the world which he kept on him at all times. "Chrom, buddy! I'm here to-oh, uhh, am I interrupting something?" As Robin stared at what was happening, Chrom and Sumia both realized that were were both on Chrom's bed, seeming a bit too close for comfort.

"Oh! N-no, Robin. You aren't." Chrom got off of the bed, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "So, why are you here?"
"I've decided to help you out of your slump by… byaskingyouifyourChrom-sensesaretingling! And I now immediately regret saying that."

"My Chrom-senses? What are you talking ab-wait." Chrom's laidback expression suddenly turned serious, a German shepherd on the trail of a suspect. "I can feel something. In the north-east. Should I get Frederick for this? I mean, he's probably asleep, and I wouldn't want to annoy him."

"Wait Captain!" Both men turned to face Sumia, the source of the outburst. "My pegasus is capable of carrying the two of us!"

"Two of you?" Robin raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "You do realize that I'm coming for this little excursion, right? I don't really trust Chrom going off all by himself, considering that I just got an angry letter describing very vividly the destruction of Donnel's home village. And how it was done by a certain blue-haired prince with his heavily armored companion."

"Oh! Hehe… I kinda forgot to send them restoration money, y'know, what with the war and all…" Chrom sheepishly scratched the back of his head once more, remembering the incident.

"Which is why I'm coming with you. I'm all set, all I have to do is handle one thing."

88888888

"Psst. Hey. Hey Reflet."

"Just five more minutes, mom…"

"Reflet. Wake up. Now."

"Mom, why do you sound like Robin…" Reflet opened one of his eyes, greeted by the sight of Robin's face inches away from his. "Whoa! R-Robin?"

"Keep your voice down!" Robin hastily yell-whispered.

"Why are you here?"

"I have to ask you for a favor. I'm leaving with Chrom to recruit a Shepherd. Can you hold the fort while I'm gone."

"Sure, whatever, just let me go back to sleep. I was having a really good dream too."

"Okay, just try not to blow anything up, please?"

"Just leave. Don't worry. I-I've got it…" and just like that Reflet went back to sleep, not knowing what would happen that day.

88888888

"Alright guys, I'm ready." Robin stood before Chrom, Sumia, and her pegasus. "And I think I know what to do about this situation. So you know how Chrom floated in mid-air when I made you two pair up?"

"Yes." Chrom nodded, remembering his first encounter with King Gangrel. "It was an interesting experience. But why wasn't I floating when we fought Raimi?"

"That's probably because the floating is situational!"

"Meaning?"

"You'll only float whenever we're fighting where you can't walk. Like when we fought that Vasto guy."

"I have to admit, the Plegians did look surprised when I started slashing down their wyvern riders in midair."

"So we could do that! I could ride on Sumia's pegasus, while you can float!"

"B-but, Capt-" Sumia tried to object to Robin's hasty decision to ride with Sumia, but was interrupted.

"I find nothing wrong with that, Robin! I do enjoy the feeling of hovering in the air. It makes me feel like a hero," Chrom grinned goofily, completely oblivious to Sumia's pleas. "You're fine with that, aren't you, Sumia?"

"B-but I…" Sumia sighed a sigh that could rival that of Cordelia's, knowing that she wouldn't get anywhere the way the situation was. "Yes… Captain."

"Alright! So let's go!" Chrom pointed in the general direction the Shepherd was, and off they went.

AN: … yeah, I know what you're thinking. I did take too long to update, and the chapter is shorter. School just gets to ya sometimes, y'know? I promise that I shall try to continue updating regularly, but time management isn't exactly my thing. Sorry! Also, username change. Because, reasons.