"FINALLY! I was freezing my arse off out there!"

"Ah, my dearest Sully, come into my arms. They will warm you with the strength of my love for—"

"Can it, Ruffles!"

Robin snorted, trying and failing to stop herself from laughing as Virion received a boot to the face. She couldn't say that the shameless flirt didn't deserve it. He had been persistent in his attempts at wooing Sully, but to no avail. Robin briefly wondered how long it would be before the "Archest Archer" actually got anywhere with the cavalier.

After having a nasty scuffle with the Feroxi border guard, Chrom and the Shepherds had been allowed to have an audience with the Khan. They were currently waiting for the esteemed leader to make his appearance. Lissa pouted, tapping her foot impatiently.

"If this Khan is so important, where is he?"

"Patience, milady," Frederick chided.

"I know, I know," Lissa whined. "Still, he could be a bit faster."

"Have you ever met with the Khan before, Chrom?" Robin curiously asked.

"No," the prince answered. "This is my first time in Ferox, actually. I'm not quite sure what to expect."

"Well, I do! I can see him now. A man with bulging biceps, his chest covered in hair, gruff in manner and tongue."

"Am I now? Do go on."

Robin whipped her head around at the female voice. "Eh?"

A woman clad in red armor holding herself in a dignified, yet fearsome manner strode casually into the room. She eyed the ragtag group of soldiers, raising an eyebrow at a still recovering Virion. She then grinned, focusing on Chrom.

"Are you…the khan?" Chrom hesitantly asked.

"One of them. I am Flavia, the East Khan. I apologize for the trouble my guards gave you at the border, Prince Chrom. You are welcome in Regna Ferox."

"It's alright. But is it true that Plegians posing as Ylisseans have been ransacking your border villages?"

"Yes. The Plegian dogs must find some benefit in raising tensions between our two kingdoms."

"Damn them!" Chrom paused, grimacing at what he said. "Er…I mean—"

"Go ahead and let it out. No need to be delicate. Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech."

"That's nice to know. I don't have to feel guilty when I say you should have a word with your damn border guards," Chrom scathingly replied. "I nearly lost my head!"

Flavia began laughing. "That's what I'm talking about! I think I'm gonna like you. So, what brings the high prince of Ylisstol to Ferox?"

"Well," Chrom began. "Much like you, Plegians have been crossing our borders and raiding our villages. We do not have the troops necessary to guard those towns, so I have come here in place of the Exalt to request for troops. Will you help us?"

"Kid, as much as I'd like to, I can't."

"Why not?" Robin asked. "Aren't you the Khan?"

Flavia shook her head. "Like I said, I'm ONE of the Khans. However, only one of the two Khans can hold supreme power over Ferox. This authority is decided through a tournament every few years. Since the West Khan won the last tournament, he's the one who has any say over anything."

"So, as Sully would say, we're screwed," Robin summarized. "This isn't good."

"Not quite," Flavia interjected. "Actually, your timing couldn't be better."

"I'm afraid I don't follow you," said Chrom.

"The next Champion's Tournament is taking place in two days and I have yet to find a worthy soldier to represent me. If you were to win, I would be able to provide Ylisse with the soldiers she needs."

"I didn't think outsiders had a place in Feroxi traditions."

"Only in this one. It was decided long ago that the tournament would be fought by outsiders to avoid any potential repercussions of involved family members or comrades."

"Very well then," Chrom agreed. "If fighting for you in this tournament will grant Ylisse an alliance with Ferox, I will gladly accept."

"Then I will arrange some rooms for you and your men," Flavia replied. "Two days, Chrom. If that oaf chose that same swordsman he's been swooning over for the past couple years, you're in for a real treat. Think you'll be prepared enough?"

"I don't care who he is. I will defeat him for the sake of Ylisse, no matter what."

"I knew I was going to like you!"

"Chrom, are you sure it has to be you?" Robin asked, a hint of worry in her voice. "Surely any one of us could—"

"Robin, please understand. As prince of the halidom, it is my royal duty to do what I can to help my country and people."

Robin pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's exactly it though. You are a prince. Your life means a lot more than mine. I should do it."

"I couldn't possibly ask you to put yourself through that."

"Chrom, I don't remember the slightest thing about myself. I don't have any ties anywhere. If anything happened—"

"No, Robin. That's final."

"Stubborn idiot," Robin muttered. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Chrom."

"Relax. What could go wrong?"

Two days had passed. For some, it was the longest two days of their lives. For others, they sped by faster than an arrow. Chrom was one of the latter. He stretched his arms, preparing himself once he woke up that morning. It would only be a matter of time before he would be led to the Feroxi Arena where he would be facing his opponent. He had gone over every possible scenario with Robin the previous evening, giving him the confidence to take on just about anything the West Khan's champion could dish out. He was nervous, but excited. There was always something thrilling about battling for sport. Perhaps it was the knowledge that one could find a friend in an enemy or they'd all still live to talk and laugh about it the next day.

Flavia had given him a hint at who the swordsman could be. Apparently, the West Khan held the man's skills in high regard. The fact that he was the West Khan's reigning champion consecutive years in a row said something of his merit. Chrom wasn't deterred by the information. He had vowed to win and he wasn't going to go back on his word. Ylisse needed him to win.

A knock on his door snapped him out of his reverie. A Feroxi soldier had come to acquire him and lead him towards the arena. Chrom nodded, strapping Falchion to his side before following the soldier down many hallways and staircases. He was led outside into the freezing cold, all the way towards a circular building. He was led inside, walking down more hallways that all looked the same before he was told to wait in a specific room. The place was bare, save for the many weapons hanging off the walls. Chrom held the hilt of Falchion, steeling his resolve once more. Come what may, he would persevere.

He could hear the voices of hundreds, cheering in the crowded stands just outside the double doors before him. This went on for several minutes before it suddenly quieted down. The doors before him opened, light streaming through and hitting his face. He strode out into the open, feeling thousands of eyes looking down on him. He stood in the middle of the arena, waiting for his opponent to make his entrance. He mentally went through Robin's strategies once more, reasserting that he would be ready for anything.

The opposing doors opened and out strode a young man appearing to be around Chrom's age, if a bit younger. He was not dressed in Feroxi garb, which made sense, but it wasn't indicative of any region in Ylisse. Chrom felt his mouth open a tad. There was a Killing Edge strapped to his side, but he held what appeared to be a bow without its string in his right hand.

An archer without a usable bow or arrows? He wasn't expecting that. He could practically imagine Robin's shock, recognizing all her preparation time with him to face a swordsman had been for naught. No one would have expected the swordsman was also an archer. Archers usually never touched weapons other than bows unless they desired to be become Bow Knights. However, this odd surprise was a good thing. Because he wielded two weapons, one of those skills would be lacking compared to the other. Considering the male held his bow, Chrom assumed his aim was better than his swordplay. If he could get close enough, all he needed to do was land a few good hits and the opposing champion would fall. His experience with fighting alongside Virion would prove to be useful. Chrom drew Falchion from its sheath, holding it aloft before him. The archer raised an eyebrow, intrigued for some reason.

"That blade…I've seen it before. Are you and that Marth person…? No, that can't be right."

"You know who he is?" Chrom asked, surprised that the other champion had encountered the mysterious figure.

The archer sneered. "I know that she's a fraud and she deserves worse for dishonoring my predecessor."

Chrom blinked. "She?"

"Enough. I came here to defeat you, not chat about your girlfriend."

"How can you defeat me using a weapon like that?"

"Simple," He took the bow in his left hand. "My Fujin Yumi will answer that for me."

"Fujin Yumi?" Chrom repeated, eyeing the bow. "That can't be it. That sacred weapon was said to be lost forever, like the others. How could you possibly have—"

"You dare question my worth!?" the other male seethed. "Tell me your name, scum. I want to know who it is my arrows will be skewering today."

"I am Prince Chrom of the Halidom of Ylisse."

"…Prince, huh?" An ethereal green string formed from the bow, an arrow appearing in his right hand. He aimed the arrow at Chrom, who looked shocked by its sudden appearance. "Very well then. If you're a prince, then I will make sure your downfall befits your station!"

The arrow was released, heading straight for the still startled Ylissean. Chrom snapped out of his stupor, raising his blade and blocking the shot. He grunted from the force of the impact as the arrow shattered against the cold steel of Falchion. The other warrior did not allow Chrom to recover from his brief defense and began to relentlessly fire off more arrows from his bow.

Chrom turned and ran, attempting to dodge the barrage. He cut down any arrow that strayed too close to him as he attempted to get near the other male. He knew what Chrom was trying to do, so he increased the distance between them. Chrom growled under his breath as this process continued for several minutes. This would turn into an endless cycle until one of them got tired, which would be him if the seemingly endless flurry of arrows didn't cease. If the bow truly was the sacred Fujin Yumi, it would never run out of arrows. He needed to get the weapon away from its owner.

"You gotta start thinking on your feet," Robin had reprimanded him. "I can't always be there to tell you what to do. I know Lissa teases you about being more brawn than brain, but you've definitely got something. If you can tap into that, you might just come up with more hare-brained schemes than I do. Then the enemy definitely won't know what hit 'em. That's why they're so effective."

Chrom took a breath as he side-stepped, watching the projectile fly mere centimeters past his nose. He looked at his opponent, waiting for him to prepare his next shot. This was going to be crazy if he managed to pull it off. He threw Falchion into the air, positioning himself to jump for it. The other read his movement perfectly, directing his aim towards the flipping sword.

Chrom charged at the other, using the brief distraction to close the distance between them. The opposing champion realized what Chrom was doing too late. He could not defend himself as Chrom slammed his fist into his stomach. Pain quickly blossomed in the area, causing him to hunch over and his grip on Fujin Yumi to lighten. The Ylissean prince used this to advantage, backhanding the weapon and sending it flying off across the arena.

Chrom almost cheered for his brief victory before an equally powerful hook hit his chin and knocked him to the ground. The blade of a Killing Edge stabbed the ground near his head, cutting off a few strands of his hair. Chrom immediately rolled away from the next slice, using the momentum to get him back to his feet. He stood opposite of the opposing champion, seeing that he appeared unfazed by the brief physical assault from earlier.

"Not bad, Ylissean prince," he said as a competitive smirk graced his features, pointing his Killing Edge at Chrom. "The pleasure I will get out of defeating you might actually be worth something now."

Chrom chuckled lightly as he rubbed his stinging chin. "You're pretty good yourself. You might just take the 'Archest Archer' title from one of my men."

"I'm going to assume that was a compliment."

"I never did get your name, fellow warrior. Have I earned the right to hear it yet?"

"…My name is Takumi."

"Takumi," Chrom said, walking over to his dropped Falchion and picking it up. "Your skills are laudable, but I must prevail. The fate of my people depends on my victory."

"Your people are none of my concern," Takumi stated, getting into an offensive stance. "However, I must prove myself to those who believe in me and defend my honor. I hope you can understand that."

"Then forgive me for tarnishing that honor."

Chrom was the first to move, his Falchion raised to strike. Takumi blocked the attack, maneuvering around the second assault from Falchion and poising his sword at Chrom's back. The Ylissean prince grunted when he felt steel puncture his back. He quickly moved forward, trying to ignore the throbbing from the stab wound. His brows furrowed once he saw the pleased grin on Takumi's face.

Chrom once again swung his sword, Takumi blocking it with ease. He continued his attacks, watching the other as he parried each swing. It was obvious that Takumi had practiced enough that he could be Chrom's equal, but he did notice something each time the other champion countered. Takumi was definitely faster and more flexible with his movements, but his attacks did not have as much power behind them. That was his weakness. If he could somehow throw Takumi off guard again, he might be able to win this.

"Give up," Takumi said as the two reached a stalemate, blades clashing once again. "Whatever you try will be pointless."

"Oh really?" replied Chrom. "And what makes you so sure about that?"

"Your stance, your moves, the very way you swing your sword…I've seen them before when I faced Marth. I can easily see what you're going to do before you even do it."

"Don't be so sure about that," Chrom retorted, though he was surprised by the information about his sister's savior. "Cause I have one thing that Marth doesn't have."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"One hell of a tactician."

"KICK HIS ARSE, CHROM!"

Chrom inwardly laughed at the crude cheers from Robin and Sully in the stands. The sudden shouts over the rest of the audience drew Takumi's attention away from Chrom and towards the two women who had yelled at them. Takumi's gaze focused on Robin, his eyes widening tremendously. One hand went to his head, eyes squeezed shut in pain. Chrom almost wanted to ask what was wrong, but he remembered he couldn't afford to do that. He was still in a competition with the safety of his people on the line. He had an opening and, underhanded or not, he had to take it. He let out a loud cry, swinging his sword downwards as hard as he could.

He could feel the warm liquid splatter against his face as Falchion tore through skin and cloth. An expression of shock was frozen on Takumi's face as the realization of what had happened dawned upon him. Chrom tried to ignore the feelings of guilt and shame as he watched the other champion fall. Takumi hit the ground with a sick thud, his amber eyes taking on a glassy sheen. The crowd had fallen silent at the sudden turn of events.

"It's over," Chrom said quietly, mostly to himself.

"Not…yet…"

Chrom snapped his attention back to Takumi. His hair had fallen out of its tie, the tips of his silver locks colored crimson. He was struggling to stand up, his Killing Edge still in hand. Rage burned in those amber pools, undeterred by the wound on his chest. Blood still splattered against the ground, his stance shaky from the pain.

Chrom frowned when he saw blood dripping down Takumi's chin. "Stand down. You're in no condition to—"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do!" Takumi snapped. "I refuse…to lose to you!"

"And I refuse to fight a man who has already lost. If you try and continue this fight, you'll die."

"…Maybe I deserve that."

He almost missed the soft-spoken words, but their magnitude was tremendous on the Ylissean prince. Chrom felt sick. Why would this person actually want to die? He couldn't comprehend it.

"I had one duty as the West Khan's representing champion: to win. I couldn't even accomplish that," Takumi muttered, the frustration and humiliation he felt evident in his tone. "I've disgraced him and myself. Why…? Why can't I do anything right!?"

"Takumi, you…"

Takumi's balance crumbled. With the adrenaline running out, he could feel his entire body protesting against any more movement. He felt himself tip forward, getting ready to greet the ground face first. Instead of hard stone, strong arms caught him before he could fall. He looked up and saw that Chrom had stopped his fall.

"Ylissean filth," Takumi growled out. "Unhand me."

"You want to get to know the floor better?" Chrom jokingly responded. "Sorry if I don't agree to that."

Chrom could hear more curses being mumbled under Takumi's breath, but the younger male didn't protest anymore. Chrom wanted to question what the other warrior had meant earlier, but his question was drowned out by the crowd. The next thing he knew he was being separated from the other, taken away to get his injuries healed, and everyone who was anyone associated with Flavia was congratulating him on his victory.

He had gotten very good at selective hearing, he mused. He was only half-listening to his fellow Shepherds as they chatted about how well he did. He felt someone tap his shoulder. Realizing it was Robin, he followed the tactician as she led him to Flavia. The East Khan joyfully announced that she would give Ylisse Feroxi soldiers to protect against Plegia's attacks on their borders and that they were going to celebrate her new power with a grand feast. Robin's mouth watered at the thought of food and Chrom couldn't help but laugh at her attitude.

"Typical Flavia. As soon as she sees an excuse to party, she goes for it."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Robin asked the unknown, burly man who had suddenly made himself known.

"I'm Basilio, AKA the West Khan you so rudely removed from power!" he answered. "I thought for sure I had picked the stronger man."

"Can you tell us what you know about him? He gave me the weirdest look before Chrom beat him. Does he know me or something?"

"Ah, that sprog…" Basilio sighed. "Takumi would be happy to know anything at all, let alone you."

Robin blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The kid can't remember a thing about himself. We just found him alone in the snow and took the stray in like he was one of our own."

"That sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Chrom teased, eyeing Robin knowingly. He then turned to Basilio. "So what made you decide to pick him as your champion over your previous one? I was expecting a swordsman based on what Flavia had said, not an archer."

"My old champion got knocked flat by some sellsword named Marth and Takumi beat Marth. It was during that match when I saw the sprog's potential and he's only going to get better. It's just luck would have it that raw talent wasn't enough for Ylisse's crown prince."

"He is a great warrior, I will admit to that," Chrom stated. "But what I want to know is how he has Fujin Yumi."

"That's none of your business."

Everyone turned to look at Takumi, his clothes repaired and wounds healed thanks to the timely use of Heal staves. He walked over to them, his hair still down and tinted with red. He sent a nasty glare towards Chrom and Robin before it morphed into shame when he looked to Basilio. He bowed down before the Khan.

"Forgive me, Khan Basilio," he said. "I've failed you."

"I thought I told you not to worry about it!" Basilio barked at the teen. "Everyone fails at one point or another. There's no need to beat yourself up."

"But…because of me, you've lost your power over Ferox!"

"Stop it, damn it! Suck up to my big brown arse all you want, but it's done. In the past. If it's killing you that bad, train to get stronger so that next time you won't lose."

"But—"

"No more 'buts'. I don't wanna hear 'em unless you're kicking them," Basilio placed a hand on Takumi's shoulder. "Take a breath and relax. That's an order!"

"…Yes sir."

Takumi let out a sigh as soon as Basilio moved out of earshot. He still seemed downtrodden by his loss. Even Robin couldn't help but feel bad for him. The archer then scowled at her, the fury burning in his eyes directed only towards her and not Chrom. What did she do that made him hate her so much? A small part of her suspected that maybe she did wrong him somehow before they lost their memories.

"Look, whatever I did, I'm sure I didn't mean it," she said in a half-hearted apology, unsure of how to explain herself for something she may or may not have done.

"Don't talk to me," he growled, though he sounded more hurt than angry. "You traitor…"

"Traitor?"

"You…and she…" He shook his head. "I don't know anymore…"

"Takumi," Chrom interrupted. "If you've met before, I can assure you Robin meant no ill will towards you, memories or not."

"Robin?" Takumi repeated. He then looked remorseful. "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."

Chrom frowned. "I assume this person did something to you to warrant such hatred?"

"I don't remember much of anything, though I don't think her name was Robin. But when I saw her face in the crowd…I just felt a profound sense of betrayal and loss. That threw me off during our fight and it cost me dearly. If I hadn't looked…"

"I'll be honest. I'm glad it did. Otherwise, that fight could've gone either way. You're definitely not some token archer."

"Gee, thanks," Takumi huffed sarcastically. "That makes me feel a LOT better."

Robin smacked Chrom's head. "That's just his stupid way of saying your merit is outstanding. You were his equal and had things gone differently, you could've his better."

"What she said," Chrom hissed out, rubbing his bruised skull.

"But I wasn't," muttered Takumi. "I've still got a long ways to go."

"Look, it's been a long day for both of you," said Robin. "Why don't we all do what Basilio said and take it easy? I'm sure Flavia's ready to 'celebrate her authority' by now."

Chrom nodded while Takumi scoffed. Robin pouted at the attitude of the archer. He really didn't like her. She tried to ignore the strange feeling in her gut as she walked beside Chrom and left Takumi alone. She was torn between staying with the Ylissean prince and charging after the archer to ask him loads of questions. He was placed in a similar scenario, so she knew what must've been going through his mind. She would dedicate her life to helping the ones who took her in and she would do anything in her power to prove that she was worthy to be with them. It must've been the same for Takumi.

Robin was so caught up in her thoughts that she never realized when they had gotten to the big table assorted with all sorts of lavish food. Those thoughts soon evaporated when the smell hit her nostrils. Drool began to well up in her mouth as she grabbed anything within reach and layered it on her plate. As she did this, she tuned out the announcement for entertainment before the meal. Chrom had to elbow her in her side to get her to pay attention to the stage. Out walked a lone woman with the pinkest hair Robin had ever seen. She looked nervous and it was obvious as to why. She was a performer and she would have to entertain all the people looking up at her from the table. She took a breath before letting it out.

"You are the ocean's gray waves…"

Chrom felt his eyes widen at the delicate, bell-like voice that came from the pink-haired woman. He kept his gaze focused solely on her as she began to dance gracefully, singing the song in perfect sync with her moves. The entire room was entranced by her voice and the elegant way her moves flowed along with the song. As the song progressed, she got more confident with her dancing and put more passion into her movements.

"Sing with me a song of birthrights and love…"

It wasn't long before she ended the performance with a shy bow. Chrom snapped out of his daze, not realizing how mesmerized he was by her dance. He had a sudden urge to ask who she was, but Robin's pointed look told him to stay put.

"One surprise after another…" he thought. "Something tells me this isn't going to be the end of them either."

I hate fight scenes! That's the only reason this took forever to write! *bangs head against a wall*

Still feels like a crummy chapter to me (stupid fight is stupid), but I hope you like it. At least it's longer and less revealing to the plot as Marth's fight with Chrom, right? Stay tuned for the next chapter as Takumi "volunteers" to help the Shepherds in their fight against Plegia!