The gentle rays of dawn shined through the flap of the tent. They seemed particularly intent on focusing on Robin's face this early in the morning. She groaned under her breath, not wanting to get up. She was so comfy that she didn't want to move. It was just her luck that they had to wake up early every morning to get back on their track towards Ylisstol with their two new Feroxi companions. It wouldn't be long before they reached the capital. If things went at the same pace as they had been, they would arrive by lunchtime.

Judging by the amount of light she could see through her eyelids, the sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. She would have at least another hour or so to stay put until she had to get up. She snuggled closer into her pillow. She didn't remember ever having such a nice sleep before. This pillow was soft, warm…and breathing?

She snapped her eyes open, fighting the urge to scream. Her face flushed red when she recognized where she was. She wasn't in her tent. It was Takumi's. She and he had been talking all night. He had wanted her to leave earlier, but she ended up falling asleep before she could leave. He must've let her stay since carrying her out would've made quite the scene to those who were on guard duty. There was no need to look suspicious if he could avoid it, especially since he was one of the new recruits and was not fully trusted by the others as of yet.

She realized she had snuggled into the crook of his neck in her slumber. His hair was untied, flowing around him in sleek silver streams. It definitely felt as soft as it looked. His armor and the fluffy thing he wore around his waist were tossed to the side. One of her arms was draped over his middle since she had thought he was a pillow earlier. She slowly got up, peering over his shoulder to make sure he hadn't been awake the entire time. Robin simply stared at him for a few minutes. Not the slightest twitch of an eyelid or from his hands. He was still dead to the world.

"He looks so…peaceful," she thought as she brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. "Nothing like the quick-witted jerk he was last night."

Robin then eyed his shoulder suspiciously. Chrom had taken a weird interest in whatever was there last night. He also had neglected to say anything else about it in front of her either. Why was that? Curiosity winning over common sense, she carefully grabbed his shirt and began moving it up. She had a constant watch on the sleeping man, making sure her efforts wouldn't be interrupted. As she did this she unintentionally focused on his well-muscled form. With all the stuff he wore, it hid a nice six-pack that spoke volumes about his personal health. She thought he was just a string bean. How wrong she was.

She was half way to the target. Just a little more…

"Robin?"

Robin froze at the voice. She was so focused on her task that she didn't notice the flap of the tent had opened. She slowly turned her head, feeling mortified when she saw Chrom giving her a dirty look. She swiftly looked between her handiwork and the unamused expression on Chrom's face, making small squeaky noises as she attempted to find her words. Chrom pulled his head away and Robin immediately dropped what she was doing to race after the prince.

"Chrom! Wait! I swear to Naga it's not what you think!"

"I think I know what I saw, Robin," Chrom deadpanned. "I know I said you'd have to be the one to make the first move, but I didn't think you'd take it that far."

"It's not what it looked like!"

"Then what were you doing?"

Robin grimaced. "I…can't say. Either way, it would only make me seem like more of a pervert. But I swear to you it was done only with honest and curious intentions and I had no desire to remove more."

"When you put it that way, it sounds even worse!" Chrom snapped. "Robin, I trust you. Never doubt that. However, I won't tolerate that happening under my nose in my own camp. Don't ever do something like that again."

"You don't need to tell me that twice."

"You dunderhead! Way to blow it! Chrom's never going to forget something like that!" she mentally berated herself. Flashes of images then passed through her mind, causing her to blush. "…I really should put his shirt back down. I don't need Takumi thinking the same thing, especially when I actually got somewhere with him last night."

Falchion was glowing again. It had been doing that way too much recently for Lucina's taste, not to mention she couldn't figure out why. Were her other friends interfering with the timeline as much as she was? It wouldn't surprise her. That was why they all had come back in time in the first place. Yet, she felt something…off; a subtle nagging feeling that told her it wasn't because of her friends but something else entirely.

It was that man. It had to be.

She had been following the group from the shadows for some time now. That guy she had fought in Ferox was now traveling to Ylisstol with them. Lon'qu she could understand since that happened before, but not him; that bizarre anomaly that was Takumi. Not once had she ever encountered the strange youth in her time. He was not a Shepherd and did not reside in Ferox at the time her father fought in the Plegian War. Paranoia told her he was an enemy in disguise, but not once had he shown any malicious intent towards the others. Whatever emotions he did show were mainly annoyance and anger. Either way, she would keep her eye on him in case there was any change.

It was difficult to keep herself away from the others. Old friends of her father and mother looking so young and alive made her want to reveal the truth right then and there. But she couldn't. They would never believe her. She had to wait for the opportune moment before she could reveal that bit of information. Seeing her mother and father again was a blessing, but it burned like salt in an open wound. They had died and she could not interact with them as a daughter should. She hadn't even been born yet. Heck, they weren't even married!

Lucina looked over the fields of green and simply enjoyed the simplicity of a fertile land. With Grima's resurrection, everything around him seemed to wither and die. It wouldn't be long before her world would be nothing but ruins and the Fell Dragon would rule over what was left. She couldn't let that happen again. She would make sure Grima's resurrection would never come to pass.

A scream brought her out of her thoughts. A village was seen not too far ahead of her and she could see smoke coming from a couple of the buildings. Lucina growled under her breath as she ran forwards. The Risen were relentless beings and no one was safe from their random strikes. As soon as she reached the gates to the town, several dozen people ran by her in an effort to escape the undead soldiers. Lucina made her way to the center, but was stopped by a stray woman.

"Sir, please help the children! They're surrounded!"

Lucina nodded before increasing her pace. She wouldn't let any child have their chance at life taken away by those monsters. Unsheathing Falchion, she cut through any Risen that dared to interrupt her mission. Slicing through the beings had become second nature for her. They no longer posed a challenge for her. If only she had achieved this strength sooner, then maybe her family wouldn't have been torn apart. She eventually spotted a bunch of Risen formed in a circle. A male and a female were their targets, both appearing to be around Lucina's age.

"This is bad, Kiragi!" the village maiden said fearfully. "We're surrounded!"

"Don't worry, miss. Everything will be alright!" the boy, Kiragi apparently, said cheerfully. "I got my dad's bow after all."

"You haven't hit a darned thing with that piece of pegasus plop since you first arrived," the lady snapped. "Just run, Kiragi. Don't worry about me."

"I'm not leaving you to these monsters!" Kiragi replied with a pout. "Your mom would have my head! Besides, these things have taken enough away from me. I don't want anyone else to go through what I did."

Lucina felt her stomach churn. Had that boy lost his parents to the Risen? A newfound rage surged through her. With a loud cry, she slashed through the Risen. They soon realized they had a new target and they immediately collapsed on her. The fight was a blur of silver and purple, Falchion carving a way through the undead as she got closer to the two kids. As soon as she was close enough, she was able to get a better look. She almost mistook the boy for that strange Takumi character. He had messy snow white hair and he wore similar clothing with inverted colors. The same bow she had faced against in Ferox was in his hand.

"Whoa, thanks!" Kiragi gratefully said. "You came to help these villagers too, mister?"

"Indeed," Lucina answered, keeping her "Marth" persona up.

"Wait a minute…I know that voice." He paused for a moment, his face scrunching up as he thought. He then brightened. "Oh, hey! Hi, Lucina! Fancy meeting you here."

Lucina froze. "How…?"

Kiragi giggled. "What's up with the mask? Is it Gerome's? If it is, it looks good on you!"

Lucina was speechless. Who was this person? She had never seen nor met him before yet he knew who she was. He knew who Gerome was. She pointed her blade at his neck, which caused him to let out a small cry.

"As soon as the Risen are taken care of, you have explaining to do."

He gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

Lucina took her blade away and began hacking through the undead warriors. Shots of green flew by her in her peripheral vision, some missing their targets by a good few feet. She swore she never heard a single outcry of rage from each of those missed shots. Instead, a couple of laughs and more arrows took their place in an effort to destroy the Risen. With their combined effort, the Risen were vanquished and the village saved. The lone girl Kiragi had been trying to protect was reunited with her mother. When the mother tried to thank him, Kiragi bashfully scratched the back of his head saying he didn't really do anything and that "the swordsman did most of the work." As soon as the thanks were given, Lucina dragged Kiragi by the arm and led him out of the village. She shoved him against a tree and held Falchion dangerously close to his neck again.

"Speak or I'll slay you here and now," Lucina hissed. "Who are you and how do you know who I am?"

"Yeesh, Luci. Take it easy," he said, seemingly unafraid by the blade near his jugular. "I'm Kiragi; you know, the guy you kinda consider a cousin since your dad and my mom were really good friends?"

"Lies. I've never seen you before in my life."

"But…" He seemed hurt by her words. "What about all those times we went adventuring together? You used to love exploring the forests close to Ylisstol. Don't tell me you forgot."

"As I've said before, I don't know you. Now are you going to give me the truth or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"Hmm…" His eyes widened. "Oh, NOW I get it. You're Lucina, but you're not the Lucina I know. It all makes sense now!"

Lucina felt confused. "Pardon?"

"You went back into the past to fix the timeline so that our world wouldn't end up being the dump that it is now, right?"

"…Correct."

"Well, I went along with you and the others to do the same thing, but…I think there was a hiccup when I passed through that eye-gate whatsit. Miss Naga did say time was a sensitive thing."

"So…you're from an alternate timeline?"

"Yeah! Is time travel cool or what?" Kiragi said with a beaming grin.

Lucina sheathed her sword. "Your name is Kiragi, yes?"

"That's me!"

"What were you doing in that village?"

"I…was looking for my little brother. We got separated at some point when we were traveling through the gate," Kiragi explained, a troubled frown on his face. "Other than my dad's bow, Morgan is all I have left. I don't wanna lose him like we lost our parents."

"I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay, Lucina. It's why we're here, right? So we don't see our parents die again?"

"Right," Lucina nodded, affirming her own mission once again to herself.

"Have you seen Uncle Chrom yet?"

"Er…I have, but I haven't said anything about the future as of yet."

"Oh, I gotcha. Sneaky, secret stuff like that needs to be handled carefully."

"Yes. Kiragi?"

"What?"

"I already have a good idea as to who they may be, but I want to be sure. Who are your parents?"

"You should already know my mom. Her name was Robin. She was the Shepherds' tactician. My dad was Prince Takumi, also a fellow Shepherd."

"That man is a prince!?" Lucina blurted out in shock.

"…Oops," Kiragi said with a nervous smile. "I forgot he told me that I wasn't supposed to mention that to anyone."

"Care to explain that to me?"

"Sorry, Luci. I think I spilled enough beans for one day."

Lucina scowled. "…You do know that I'm not going to accept that, don't you?"

"Oh yeah. When you're determined, nothing will stop you."

"Then you must know that I'm sticking to you until I get the information I want from you."

A sweatdrop ran down Kiragi's face. "Uh oh…I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Deep trouble."

"Home, sweet home," Lissa cheered. "It feels so good to be back!"

"I'll say. Ylisstol always has this serene, peaceful atmosphere. It just welcomes you in no matter who you are." Robin turned to her traveling companions. "What do you think? It's a lot different from Ferox."

Lon'qu grunted in distaste as he attempted to remove his arm from Lissa's grip. He didn't seem to be paying attention to Robin at all since all his concentration was being focused into not having an embarrassing breakdown in front of everyone. Lissa certainly was not taking the hint that Lon'qu wanted to be anywhere but near her. Robin shook her head before turning to look at Takumi. He seemed to be in a state of contemplation. He had a distant, almost yearning look in his eyes.

"It feels so familiar…but this isn't it."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"I feel…at home here, but it doesn't feel like my home. It's hard to explain…"

"A sense of belonging? Is that what you're trying to say?"

Takumi nodded. "Yes."

"Don't worry about it. At least something is ringing some bells in your head," Robin said reassuringly. "I've yet to experience that. It means your memories are trying to poke through. It may be a slow process, but they will come back to you."

"I can only hope at this point."

"Hey! Maybe if we meet the Exalt, it might stir some more up!"

"I'd rather not bother Her Grace with a trivial matter like that."

"Actually, I think Emmeryn would be more than happy to help. Chrom needs to report to her about the trip to Ferox and part of those forces we requested includes you and Lon'qu. I think she'd like to meet you two if you're working alongside the Shepherds."

Takumi sighed. "You're impossible to argue with."

Robin merely giggled as they were led inside the castle. Takumi looked around with the same look he had as they traveled through Ylisstol. Had he been inside a castle before? Robin didn't know and neither did Takumi. He continued to eye everything they passed, which caused Frederick to keep a closer eye on him in case he tried to steal anything. By the time they reached the throne room, Lon'qu's arm had finally been relinquished from Lissa's grip and it allowed the myrmidon a few minutes to recompose himself for the Exalt. Emmeryn always retained an aura of tranquility no matter who she encountered. As she delicately walked forward to view the warriors, both Lon'qu and Takumi were on their knees bowing before her.

"Are these the Feroxi warriors you told me about, Chrom?" she asked.

Chrom nodded. "Yes, Sister. They've both proven to be exceptional fighters during the couple Risen encounters we had on the way back to Ylisstol."

"Lon'qu and Takumi, I believe? Please stand up," Emmeryn said with a smile as the two did as she asked. "I thank you both on the behalf of the halidom for lending your strength to Ylisse in her time of need."

"You don't need to thank us, milady," Lon'qu replied. "We haven't done anything yet to earn your praise."

"But you already have. You have protected the people around Ylisse's borders and for that you have my gratitude."

"Your Grace?" Takumi began unsurely. "Not to be rude, but I'm only doing this because Khan Basilio asked me. I don't really care what happens to your people in the long run. I'm doing my business and then getting out of here."

"Takumi!" Robin seethed. "You can't just say that in front of the Exalt!"

"Peace, Robin," Emmeryn said soothingly. She then turned to Takumi, a gentle smile still on her face. "Takumi, you do not have to act in front of me. I can see that you have a good heart."

"And how would you possibly know that?"

"Chrom told me you possess the Wind God's Bow, Fujin Yumi. The fact that you have it means there is a layer of truth to the myths of the ancient kingdoms. The sacred weapons of old would only choose humans worthy enough to wield them. If you truly felt that way, Fujin Yumi would not have chosen you as its master."

"Milady, you…"

"It's alright to be cautious, Takumi; but it's not a sin to make friends. I believe the Khan would want that for you as well."

Takumi silently looked at Emmeryn for a while. He lowered his head so that his bangs hid his eyes. His grip on Fujin Yumi tightened, his lower lip beginning to tremble.

"I don't understand," he mumbled. "I can't look at you…without wanting to cry."

"Takumi?" Emmeryn asked in concern. "Is something wrong?"

Takumi opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by an unknown female voice. He spotted a Falcon Knight running up to Emmeryn in a hurry. The woman, Phila, had urgent news about Plegians crossing over into Ylisse and abducting someone's daughter. Lissa was devastated since she apparently knew the person as her close friend Maribelle. Phila also explained that the king of Plegia, Gangrel, was holding her captive and demanded ransom from Emmeryn for "this insult." Takumi scoffed at such nonsense. For once, he could say he agreed with Chrom when the man wanted to drag everyone down into the pits of Hell with him. Gangrel was called the Mad King for a reason.

"I will offer parley."

That shocked everyone in the room. Takumi felt a rock drop into the pit of his stomach. She couldn't be serious. If she did that, she ran the risk of being killed by those deceitful monsters. The sick feeling in his stomach worsened at the thought of such a gentle and caring soul meeting her end by the hands of the heartless tyrant. The royal siblings and even Phila had their objections for her course of action. However, Emmeryn stood firm. They would be leaving in the morning for Plegia.

"This is a bad idea," Robin commented as they went through the castle towards their designated rooms to prepare for the trip. "I can feel it."

"You and me both, Robin," Chrom said with a sigh.

"CAPTAIN!"

Chrom paused and spotted a child running up to him. "Wha…? Ricken?"

"I'm all set and ready to go!" Ricken announced happily. "When do we leave?"

"Ricken, I told you before: you're too young. I want you to stay here while we handle this mission."

"But, Captain—"

"No. That's final."

Ricken pouted as he watched the two walk away. "I can't believe it! He still thinks I'm a just kid trying to take on something I can't handle."

"You certainly look like one."

"Wha!?" Ricken yelled, swifting turning around and seeing Takumi giving him a stern look. "Oh, it's just you. You're one of the new Feroxi recruits, right?"

"I have a name. I'd appreciate it if you used it."

"Sorry, Takumi," he apologized. "I'm Ricken. Chrom usually makes me stay around the castle since I'm still young. Normally I'd be okay with his orders, but this time it's different! I need to save Maribelle."

Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Lissa's friend? Is she important to you?"

"More than you know," he answered, a light blush coating his cheeks. "If anything happened to her when I could've been there and done something…I'd never forgive myself."

"I see," Takumi mused with a smirk. "Can you handle your own in a fight?"

"Of course I can. I wouldn't be stationed here if I couldn't."

"Then wouldn't it be your duty to go along anyway just to make sure the Exalt has as much safety as possible?"

"Ohhhhhhhhhh! I get it now!" Ricken laughed. "Thanks, Takumi!"

"If I cared about someone that much, I'd probably disobey and do some crazy stuff too," Takumi thought. "Gods help me if that ever happens."