"What's this? The Exalt herself in all her radiance has come to me personally? I fear I must shield my eyes!"

"Can I shoot him now?" Takumi growled, but Robin shushed him.

They had finally arrived at the Plegian border where the meeting with King Gangrel was supposed to be held. As soon as the man made himself known, Takumi wanted to use his head as target practice. He was every bit as heartless as Chrom made him out to be. This was not the kind of man who would see sense until death had brought it to him. His desire for destruction and war was evident in his eyes and that sickened Takumi. He was beginning to believe that Plegians had no souls. Emmeryn immediately asked if Maribelle was safe. To her and Lissa's relief, she was. The classy insults he could hear coming from a nearby cliff were enough proof that Maribelle was alive and well.

Gangrel was accompanied by a woman called Aversa and the lies she spewed made Takumi want to shoot her head off as well. If Robin wasn't holding onto his shooting arm, he would have done it while they were talking, parley be damned. Why couldn't Emmeryn see that this man would seek the complete annihilation of her kingdom and nothing would stop him until he accomplished that?

The more Gangrel spoke about the apparent problems Ylisse was having, the more the desire for blood surfaced in Takumi. He despised men like this. Chrom was thinking along the same lines if his reaction to Gangrel's threat to Maribelle's life was anything to go by.

"Now then, Your Graceliness. Perhaps we can arrange a trade?" Gangrel proposed, an sly and evil smirk spreading across his face. "You give me the Fire Emblem and the Tome of Life, and I'll return Mari Contrary here in one piece."

That got Takumi's attention. It seemed to get Robin and Chrom's attention as well. Both sounded extremely important; items not to be handed away so easily. He eyed Emmeryn, seeing her keep her cool at the mention of those items.

"The Fire Emblem is Ylisse's royal treasure, only to be used when the world is at its most desperate hour of need. As for the other item, you and I both know those weapons do not exist. Even if they were true, why would you think Ylisse would possess that sacred tome?"

"Don't give me that nonsense, Your Luminosity!" Gangrel laughed wickedly. "You and I both know that your father abused the power of that tome in his 'crusade' against my kingdom! That power may have ultimately destroyed him, but not without taking the lives of thousands of Plegians! I highly doubt you dainty Ylisseans would've let a power like that fall into the 'wrong' hands."

"Sister…Is that true?" Chrom asked, completely shocked by the information. "Did Father really…?"

"…I'm afraid so," Emmeryn replied softly. Her expression hardened. "Brynhildr was never meant to be used in such a way nor was it meant to be wielded by one it did not choose itself. Father was not worthy and his actions impure. Brynhildr did only what it could to protect itself and the lives it was forced to fight against."

"Why would you keep information like that from us?"

"You were young. We all were. The sacred weapons were meant to stay legends. If not…countless lives would be lost in an effort to find and control them. Brynhildr alone was enough to cause untold destruction to Plegia. I never wanted any of us to repeat our Father's mistake."

"So both Fujin Yumi and Brynhildr…"

"OH? Did I hear that correctly?" Gangrel said. "Were you hiding another weapon from me, Your Radiance? That would be an uneven distribution of power. My, my, that sounds like a call for war if left the way it is."

"King Gangrel, please—"

"If you won't give me what I want…" He snapped his fingers and several Plegian soldiers surrounded Emmeryn. "Then I'll simply pry them from your shiny, dead hands!"

Chrom drew his sword, acting on instinct alone to protect his sister. He struck down the closest one he could find. He turned to take out the other four but stopped when he realized each one had a glowing arrow embedded in their skulls. He turned to Takumi in surprise, having never seen the archer so furious before.

"Plegian scum!" he shouted, aiming his next shot at Gangrel. "I'll have your head if you try that again!"

"Ooooooo~! That sounds like a declaration for war! Perfect!"

Takumi winced. "Shoot…"

"Takumi, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Don't blame yourself," Chrom said, backing the archer up as more Plegian soldiers began to swarm the mountainous area. "I'll admit you actually beat me to the punch that time."

"Great minds think alike, I suppose," Takumi replied, looking over the landscape and what they were up against. "Let's hope my big mouth didn't just condemn your kingdom."

"Takumi, Chrom!" Robin called as she ran up to them with the rest of the Shepherds. "There's not much time. We need to pick our men and go."

Chrom nodded. "Understood. So what are we up against?"

"It appears they have a sufficient amount of myrmidons and fighters. I saw a few dark mages as well," Robin explained as everyone huddled up. "We'll want Sumia and Frederick to handle the myrmidons since they have ample speed to match theirs thanks to their mounts. Lon'qu, Chrom, and I can easily handle the fighters. Their axes slow them down but they still hit hard, so be wary. Miriel, you're going to be our main asset against their dark mages. Vaike will go with you for extra muscle. Take plenty of throwing axes with you this time, Vaike! Lon'qu, I want you to stay near Lissa and protect her. She'll be their first target if they manage to get too close. The rest of you should go and protect Emmeryn while we clean things up here."

"Robin," Takumi interrupted. "You're forgetting something crucial."

"What would that be?"

"Maribelle is by herself and practically surrounded by the enemy. Even if you sent the most mobile unit out to her, which would be Sumia, they have plenty of wyvern riders that can swarm them. Not to mention that she would be at a weapon disadvantage on top of all that."

"I'm aware of that. That little mage from yesterday came to her rescue," Robin said as she tuned out the angry swear Chrom had muttered under his breath at the news. "He used wind magic, so he'll be able to handle himself for a little bit. That's where you and I come in, Takumi."

Takumi blinked. "Me?"

"Wyvern riders, like any airborne enemy, will be easy targets for your Fujin Yumi. I have a Wind tome with me as well. Should those wyverns come close enough, we'll be more than a match for them. Maribelle will be close enough to help if we sustain any damage and I can protect you from any other soldiers that stray too close when you're aiming."

"I see."

"If everyone understands their roles, then spread out and give those Plegians hell!"

With their objectives in mind, the assigned Shepherds dispersed among the battlefield. Robin immediately grabbed Takumi's arm and began to drag him towards a steep slope they could use to reach the cliff where Maribelle and Ricken were. He wanted to voice his objection about being dragged around but he held his tongue. Instead, he focused on what they were supposed to do.

Robin was a very skilled individual. Chrom had spoken about her talents numerous times but Takumi had never seen her in action this close before. He normally kept his distance from her during their encounters with the Risen. Now that he was side-by-side with her, he could see she wielded her sword with practiced ease. She could hold her own easily if left by herself. A mutinous voice in the back of his head teased him, calling him useless. If she could do this much, why was he even with her right now?

"Heads up!"

Takumi took aim, letting loose an arrow at a fighter that strayed too close to Maribelle. The troubadour let loose a sigh of relief at the sight of allies. Robin quickly assessed their position, warning Ricken to stay behind her and Takumi since he was an easier target to take out. While she did this, Takumi kept his eye out for more enemies. This time, something tickled his senses. It wasn't from his mind this time. It felt…familiar, but intangible. A certain power was flowing up from the ground somewhere but he couldn't determine where.

"Takumi, look out!"

He grunted when Robin tackled him from behind, bringing them to the ground and narrowly dodging a sweeping axe from a wyvern rider. He cursed himself for being so distracted, quickly regaining his footing and shooting down the one who had tried to kill him. He watched with a sick sort of pleasure as the body fell to the earth with a satisfying crack. He took aim again and let his arrows fly, taking down each enemy that dared to stray too close to them. Robin looked impressed. Her Wind tome was still unopened and had yet to be used. Takumi decided it was going to stay that way.

As they made their way to join up with the rest of the deployed Shepherds, more Plegian soldiers began to come at them from all sides. Robin sent blasts of Thunder towards them, weakening them enough for Ricken to take them out. Fujin Yumi's power allowed Takumi to take out each one with a single shot. Despite their effort, more soldiers seemed to take their place. Robin cursed under her breath, having forgotten about the reinforcements that were coming from the forts in the area. If they didn't do something to take them all out at once or weaken them enough for them to handle each one, Maribelle's staff would run out of power. They'd be sitting ducks at that point.

Takumi grinded his teeth together, trying to think of a way out of the mess they were in. He couldn't take them all without tiring himself out. They still had to take out the captain that was leading these troops. He took a deep breath, still feeling that strangely welcoming power that was coming from someplace nearby. He whirled his head around, hoping to find the source. It seemed to be leaking out from the base of the mountain.

"I must be out of my mind," he thought as he rushed towards the area, earning him a curse from Robin for abandoning his position. "This better work!"

He placed his hand down on the area, the strange power seeming to react to his touch. A strange light lifted out of the ground and flew into the mountain. The ground began to rumble, causing all those who were fighting to stop what they were doing. The sound of tumbling rocks filled their ears and the sight of a rockslide caused everyone to panic. However, the rocks seemed to fall only upon the Plegian forces and ignored the Shepherds. After a few more minutes of confusion, the rockslide ceased and only the Shepherds and Captain Orton remained.

"Takumi…how…?" Robin tried to speak but couldn't as she looked down at the carnage in awe.

"To be honest…I don't really know," Takumi replied sheepishly, feeling just as weirded out by the events as everyone else. "I just…did it."

"Well, whatever it was, that sudden rockslide may have saved our arses!" Robin exclaimed excitedly. "Wow. Swords, bows, tactics, and the power to affect the surrounding area? You really are a something, Takumi."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Takumi said with a smile. "I guess I am."

"Anyway, we should get back with the others in case this mountain decides to topple on us too."

"I doubt it. But you're—" Takumi's eyes widened. "Robin!"

"Wha—?"

Robin didn't have time to react. Takumi shoved her out of the way and something seemed to slash through him. It took her a second to realize that Captain Orton had descended on them since they were the closest and smallest group. Robin saw red and she opened her Wind tome. With a loud cry, she channeled as much power as she could into her hand before she sent it careening into the drake. It blasted Orton off his ride, allowing Robin to take her sword and drive it into his chest. With a few pants, she left her blade in the corpse and ran to the injured archer's side. Thankfully the wound wasn't deep and Maribelle was already in the process of healing it.

"You crazy idiot!" Robin shouted, thwacking Takumi's head. "You could've been killed!"

"Guess we both need to pay more attention, huh?" Takumi replied with a grin.

Robin sighed, a relieved smile on her face. "Yeah. It seems so. But don't ever do something that rash again."

"Well, wouldn't you do the same for someone you cared about?"

"Well…yes," Robin mumbled with a blush. "But you…"

"D-Don't get the wrong idea! I don't care about you," Takumi said quickly. "It's not my job to be the tactician for these idiots. It's yours."

"Thank you anyway, ya big ol' softie," Robin answered as she hugged him.

Takumi froze in her grip. His heart began pounding against his chest so hard he thought it might burst out. He squeezed out of Robin's grip, muttering a half-hearted response as he attempted to get his pulse down to a normal level again. How strange. He remained quiet as everyone regrouped and got back to Emmeryn. Lissa and Maribelle were talking up a storm, the former expressing her worry while the latter tried to calm Lissa down. Chrom was questioning Robin about the strange rockslide and Robin wasn't able to give him any concrete answers. Frederick was giving him the stink eye again, which seemed to be turning into a habit now. The man must've thought Takumi was an assassin in disguise with all the suspicion he was showing. Takumi actually didn't mind it too much. Gods forbid if someone didn't keep an appropriate level of caution in the Shepherds.

"Milady," Takumi began remorsefully. "I spoke out of turn earlier. I'm sorry for giving the Mad King the perfect excuse to get exactly what he wanted."

Emmeryn sighed. "It's alright, Takumi. I know you didn't mean to. I knew that this war would happen one day. It was just a matter of when."

"But is it true?" Robin interjected. "Did Ylisse really harbor Brynhildr?"

"Yes. Long ago, a descendant of the Dark Night Kingdom inherited that tome and married into the family of the Hero-King. Her name was lost to time, but Brynhildr has been a family treasure ever since. It's been kept locked away for some time now, waiting for someone worthy enough to wield it once again."

"Why weren't you chosen then?"

"I cannot say. They say those weapons have a will of their own. It is not my right to question why some are chosen over others. All I can do is ensure that it remains safe when its rightful owner does appear."

"First Fujin Yumi, now Brynhildr and actual descendants…" Robin mused. "At first, pouring over those old myths was just a pastime of mine. If my suspicions are true, it looks like I might be doing some more digging in the future."

"What do you mean, Robin?"

"Gangrel mentioned an uneven power distribution. He made it sound like he had a similar power under his belt. He might be hiding a sacred weapon of his own in Plegia."

Chrom scowled. "So you're saying that he might have Siegfried or Raijinto at his disposal?"

"I'm saying it's a possibility. The Tome of Life wrought destruction over an entire country. Gangrel could easily do the same if he does possess either of those swords."

"Well, this got complicated real fast," Chrom commented. "We'll have to make our way back Ylisstol immediately and prepare for the worst. Gangrel wanted a war. Let's give him one he'll never forget."

When they finally returned to Ylisstol, the moon was already high in the sky hovering ominously over everyone. It was as if it could sense the impending danger that was headed for Ylisse. In order to ease off the anxiety, many people ended up talking to one another. Frederick was teaching Sumia how be better at…well, everything. Miriel was busy watching Vaike work out and Vaike mentioned something about "periwinkle mussels" somewhere. Ricken was busy trying to explain himself to Chrom and Maribelle for reckless endangerment, but managed to be let off since he proved to be a valuable ally during the battle. After the stunt with the enemy getting too close to Emmeryn, Lon'qu had been assigned to keep Lissa safe from potential assassins out for her head. The myrmidon was none too pleased with it and Takumi couldn't help but laugh at his expense. That earned him a nasty bruise on the back of his head.

Takumi rubbed the sore spot as he passed through the halls, making his way past the open area where the soldiers would train. He stopped when he spotted Robin looking up at the night sky. He quickly looked around to make sure no one was there before he walked over to her. She heard his footsteps, greeting him with a gentle smile.

"Nice night, isn't it?" she mused.

"I'm surprised you're not hanging on Chrom's arm like you usually are," said Takumi.

"He is my commanding officer. I am his tactician. It's kind of a requirement that I be near him a lot."

"I know that. I'm talking about the times when you're not working together and you still do it."

"Oh…" Robin blushed. "Well, that's…um…"

"…You like him as more than a friend, don't you?"

"Is it really that easy to tell? First Lissa, now you; though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you figured it out. Nothing gets by you, Takumi."

"I don't really see why everyone likes him so much," Takumi stated honestly. "Yeah, he's got a good heart that he wears on his sleeve, but he lacks the maturity to handle his position with dignity."

"Look who's talking, Frederick the Wary 2.0! Why are you concerned about how he holds himself anyway? How would you know about the intricacies of his duties as a prince? It's not like you're royalty."

Takumi frowned. "Neither are you. So why should you care about what I say? "

"Because your preconceptions about him are false. When I was lost, Chrom gave me a chance and a purpose. Because of that, I've met so many new friends that I've grown quite fond of. I was able to find a home with the Shepherds. I'll never forget what he's done for me. I'll give my life for him if need be."

"Ridiculous…"

"Excuse me, but isn't it the same way you feel for Khan Basilio for taking you in?" Robin snapped, narrowing her eyes in anger. "You hypocrite!"

"I never said you returning his kindness was foolish, Robin. It's the honorable thing to do," Takumi explained, his expression softening. "But the basis for your feelings is ridiculous."

Robin blinked. "What do you mean?"

"How do you know for sure your feelings are genuine and not just a side effect from your gratitude towards him?"

"Well…I guess…I would…feel it?"

"You really are hopeless," Takumi sighed. "Though I guess that's what makes you so relatable."

"Thank you?" Robin replied unsurely. "Since when did you care about me, Takumi?"

"I don't!" he growled. "You're a tactician, so act like one! You should think first before you do something you might regret."

"Regret?"

Takumi turned red from embarrassment. "Gods, you're thicker than most books I read! I mean make sure you actually love the guy because you'll be stuck with him for the rest of your life!"

Robin smiled at him. "Alright. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Because I'm not saying it again! Geez, making me say that out loud…"

"You know what? It's actually quite sweet of you to be concerned about my feelings. I'd like to see this side of you more often if you'll allow it."

"Don't get used to it. I still don't like you."

"Of course not," Robin teased. "Although, the fact that you're even acting like this tells me you might not hate me as much as you say. I'd say that's a nice step in the right direction."

"The right direction for what?"

"For us to become friends."

Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"

"Yeah. I try to make an effort to get along with everyone in the Shepherds. Once I'm done with you, Lon'qu is my next target. I'm planning on cornering him down the next time we have weapons practice."

"Good luck with that. You'll be lucky if he allows you within a twenty foot radius of himself."

"I welcome the challenge!" Robin declared, a fire glowing in her eyes at the prospect. "Maybe I'll finally remember something if I do get somewhere with him."

"Wait," Takumi interrupted. "You mean you still don't remember anything about yourself?"

"Unfortunately not…" Robin replied dejectedly. "I can't help but feel jealous of you, Takumi. Snippets of your past keep coming back to you and it tells you something about who you once were. I want to know what my former life was like before Chrom found me passed out in the dirt. I want to know who I was. But no matter how hard I try, nothing has come back to me. I wonder if it ever will."

"Robin," Takumi began. "Don't let that deter you from being who you are."

"Who I am?"

"I guess what I'm saying is that your past shouldn't determine who you are now. I'm probably the last person who should give you that advice since I still need to follow it myself."

"You know, you really need to stop saying so many bad things about yourself."

Both Robin and Takumi jumped at the unknown voice. They both turned around to find the owner walking up to them. Takumi's senses screamed at him that he should know this person, but he had never encountered him before. He looked a little younger than he was judging by his height. The clothes were almost an exact replica of his. The boy's face was covered by a familiar blue butterfly-shaped mask that starkly contrasted against his snow-white hair.

"Like it? It makes me feel all cool and mysterious!" the kid chirped happily. "I'll probably get kicked for borrowing it, but I think it's worth it if I get to talk to you two."

"That mask…Isn't that Marth's?" questioned Robin.

"Oh, is that what she's going by? Then yeah. It's Marth's."

"And you? What are you doing here?"

"Me? I guess you can call me Gin. As for why I'm here…Well, to be honest I wanted to hug a couple of people, but that's not important right now. Bad things are gonna happen to the Exalt if you don't protect her tonight."

"And why should we trust you?" Takumi snapped.

"You probably shouldn't," the masked kid laughed. "After all, no one trusts a random guy in a mask talking about your ruler being in danger. But you will anyway."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Because no evildoer in his right mind would act like me!" the boy announced cheerily. "So will ya give me a chance, Takumi? I promise I'll stay nearby if you wanna keep an eye on me!"

Takumi paled. "How did you…?"

"Know your name?" Gin finished. "You could say I'm a distant admirer. To me, you're the coolest da—I mean, coolest dang archer I've ever seen! After all, you have to be good if you can wield Fujin Yumi so skillfully!"

"Skillfully? Is that bow really that hard to use, Takumi?" Robin asked out of curiosity.

"Actually, yes it is," Takumi answered offhandedly. "It's heavier than most bows and you have to have perfect concentration, otherwise the bowstring and the arrows won't form. But I don't get how this kid would—"

"Know that? It might be better to show you."

The child pulled out the bow from behind his back, holding it so both Takumi and Robin could see it. Takumi felt chills roll down his spine when he recognized the distinct design. There was only one like it in the entire world according to legend. But there it was; another Fujin Yumi. The kid grinned, showing off a white smile to them.

"I know what you're thinking: how can he have that bow when it's still mine?" Gin said. "Well, I didn't steal it. Yours is right where you left it. This Fujin Yumi was handed down to me…in the future."

"The future!?" Robin yelled in shock. "Are you saying you're from the future!?"

"Yep!" Gin replied. "In the future, the Exalt was killed tonight. Marth is probably explaining the same thing to Chrom right now. We're here to warn you so that doesn't happen."

"And what future averted?"

"A LOT of nasty things that I'd rather not talk about," Gin said with a troubled frown. "I came back to prevent those things from happening. I'll never forgive myself if I allow them to pass again."

"Takumi? What do you think?"

Takumi remained silent, simply staring at the strange boy. It looked like it pained him to mention those things in the most general sense. Not many could imitate that kind of pain. A sudden sensation of wanting to hug the boy overcame him, but he pushed the nagging feeling down. He would question this Gin character more after they made sure the Exalt was safe.

"Robin, let's go," he declared. "We can worry about him later."

"Got it."

Kiragi watched the two as they both headed straight into the castle. He let out a shaky breath he didn't realize he was holding before bursting into tears. It was so heartwarming, yet so painful. He wanted nothing more than to hold onto them and never let go. But they wouldn't understand. Kiragi took the mask off, rubbing his eyes and trying to convince the tears to go away.

That future took his parents away. That future took away the place he once called home. That future made him turn into a man before he was ready. Yes, he would do everything in his power so that their future would a bright one.

That dragon would fall.

Hey! It didn't take me two weeks this time! I'm having a lot of fun writing this and I hope you are all still enjoying it. I'm also going to change the titles of the chapters because I now know how to connect this story with the lyrics of "Lost in Thoughts All Alone"! It'll also make it easier to know which section of the story ends where. You'll see what happens! ;)

Stay tuned for the next chapter and let's all hope Lucina doesn't kick Kiragi for "borrowing" her mask!