Lucina sighed aloud. Ever since she met Kiragi, he had been a bundle of sunshine that brought light to the dour clouds that constantly hovered around her. It was seemingly impossible to ruin the white-haired archer's mood. He was eternally optimistic; so much so that it managed to make her see things on the bright side for once. She began to believe her mission was achievable. She began to believe that the timeline had been altered and no more interference was needed.
She was wrong. And she had taken out her frustration and shame on her friend.
The moment she had heard that Emmeryn was captured by Gangrel and sentenced to death, she dragged Kiragi by his arm and rushed all the way to Plegia. They ran all that way, only to watch her fall to her death. It was jarring; a painful reminder that, despite the changes that had been done, fate always preferred its original course. With Emmeryn's death, Grima's resurrection was back on track. Lucina blamed herself for not remaining vigilant, but that anger soon transferred elsewhere towards a single source.
She remembered the lights that took Phila down. She saw their strength and speed. Yet, she wasn't able find the source. It had happened too quickly. Then the witness statements came. Their belief had swayed her judgment. Their words were the evidence Ylisse wanted. Their Exalt had died and her rescuer had been shot down. They wanted justice. They wanted punishment. Once the suspect had been found, all their hatred was directed towards him. It was justified. It satisfied their desire for vengeance, pulling them away from their initial desire to condemn Plegia for starting a war. Takumi became the target for all their hatred and fury.
Lucina cornered Kiragi, demanding to know if he played a part in what happened. He had been a distraction. A diversion from her mission. An anomaly that should have been eliminated if he had darker intentions behind that innocent facade. Kiragi looked ready to cry; if not from the knowledge that his father was accused of a crime he didn't commit, then from Lucina's blunt and heartless comment.
What happened next startled her. Kiragi gave her an angry glare, one that did not belong on the normally delighted face. He yelled at her, tears falling down his cheeks as all the hidden pain and suffering surfaced from deep inside. It exploded in a show of sorrow, rage, and agony. It was then that it hit her and she wanted to kick herself for forgetting such a crucial detail. Kiragi came from the same apocalyptic future she had, even if it was a different timeline. He went through the loss of parents he loved with all his heart. He grew up in a world that wanted him dead. He had to become a man before he was ten-years-old. He knew his father better than she did and he was convinced that Takumi would never willingly kill Phila.
"Why!?" he shouted at her. "Why does the whole world hate my father!? Everything he ever did was for people he cared about! And what does he get for it? Nothing but hatred and horrible comments!"
"Kiragi—"
"He's not a bad person. He's not weak either. Yet everyone drags him down and degrades him! They don't understand how much it hurts him inside." Kiragi hiccupped, his hands balling into fists. His grip on Fujin Yumi tightened, pulling the beloved bow closer to his heart. "I saw how their words affected my father. He always wanted to gain their approval; to be the person that could be looked up to and respected. The type of person that you and Chrom are…"
Lucina tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it stubbornly stayed in place. "I had no idea…"
"Exactly! No one does! Nobody knew that about him except his closest friends and family!" Kiragi snapped. "I don't care what anybody says! He's innocent, Lucina! It wasn't him! It was—!"
He suddenly cut off, biting his lip as if to prevent anything else from slipping out. Lucina narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "You mean you know who did it?"
"I'm sorry, Lucina. I can't say."
"Why not?"
"I JUST CAN'T!" he blurted out, more tears falling down his face. "If I do, I might…I just can't take that chance!"
"Kiragi, you must tell me. If you're keeping information from me that could help—"
"You don't understand. You wouldn't believe me."
"I believe that you're hiding stuff from me again," Lucina growled, her hand twitching as she took hold of Falchion's handle. "And I've grown tired of it. I want answers and I want them now. "
"Look, all I can say is that you should keep an eye on your parents and your infant self when she comes." Kiragi turned away and began walking off. "You're not the only one who wants to stop a future from falling to pieces. If I have to stop it on my own, then I will."
"Wait, where are you going?"
"I'm getting away from you!" he answered with a pout. "I don't need to hear you patronizing me or my father."
"Your father is a suspect! And your hero worship of him is blinding you to the truth!"
"Truth? Don't talk to me about the truth! You only use that as an excuse to suit your needs! You're no different than Corrin!" Kiragi yelled angrily while Lucina blinked at the foreign name. Fresh, hot tears were trailing down Kiragi's cheeks again. The anger and betrayal Lucina saw in his amber eyes truly made him look like his father. "Don't parade around like you're some almighty savior doing everything for the 'greater good'; because you're not!"
Lucina winced at the harsh, accusing tone in her ally's voice. This was a first for her. She had never seen Kiragi like this before. So torn, so broken, bleeding and hurting deep inside but unable to reveal that to anyone. It didn't suit him at all.
"Tell me, Lucina. How far would you go to save the future?"
She frowned. "I…I would do whatever was necessary."
"Necessary?" Kiragi repeated darkly. "If it was 'necessary', would you destroy an entire kingdom? Slaughter innocent people? Point your blade at your own flesh and blood?"
"I would—NEVER!" Lucina practically roared. "I could never do any of those things! How could you even ask that of me!?"
"Because such events did happen at some point in history, and it was done all for the sake of 'peace' and the 'greater good'. At least that's what the winning side believed," he explained. "My point is that your way is not the only way towards the answer nor is it the right way. So don't act so high and mighty, Lucina. When it comes down to it, you're just as selfish and short-sighted as Corrin was."
With that last statement, Kiragi turned and stomped away. Lucina reached an arm out as if to stop him, but her legs were frozen to the ground. She didn't know what to say. She could only watch his retreating backside and wonder what he was talking about. Most notably, she wondered who the "Corrin" he mentioned was. Clearly Kiragi harbored a grudge toward this person but, as always, he refused to divulge anything important.
The future princess let out a defeated sigh. Lucina lowered her arm and made up her mind. If Kiragi continued to hide things from her—including information that could potentially help stop Grima's resurrection—then she simply couldn't trust him anymore. She didn't want to believe the boy was capable of anything evil, but she wasn't going to take any chances. She couldn't afford to make any more mistakes. Once again, she'd have to rely only on herself. She took one last glance at the young archer before striking off in the opposite direction.
She prayed Kiragi wouldn't do anything to make her raise her blade against him.
Cold. Dark. Empty. Alone. It had been that way for a long time. How long, he couldn't tell. It was impossible to tell time in a dungeon. All that stayed with him were his thoughts and guilt. It tormented him constantly with relentless nightmares that he could never escape. Every time he fell asleep, he was afraid; terrified by whatever horrors his mind decided to torture him with that night. How long would it be before his inner demons consumed him? How long could he last before it became too much to bear? He didn't know for sure. The only thing he could do was believe in what Chrom had told him. Hope was all he had left, and even that was dying alongside everything else in his dreams.
The dirty, cold slate flooring chilled his skin every night, providing little comfort for him as he laid down to sleep. He piled his hair behind his head, cushioning his skull as much as he could. He curled in on himself, trying to keep some semblance of warmth in the chilly room. Yet another sleepless night awaited him, so why delay the inevitable?
Rattling echoed beyond the door, sounding louder than it probably was in the quiet corridors. Takumi snapped his tired eyes open, sitting upright and alert as the jingling of keys rung in his ears. The lock clicked, the door creaking open as a familiar purple coat entered the room. The door was shut as quietly as possible before the figure came over to the cell.
"Robin?" Takumi managed to whisper.
"The one and only," she replied quietly as she fiddled with the lock to his cell. "Happy to see me?"
A small smile formed on his face. "Yes, actually."
Robin unlocked the door and swiftly went over to Takumi's side. Her brown eyes widened when she saw him before they softened with pity. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it shortly afterwards.
"Don't say anything," Takumi said as Robin looked him in the eyes. "It's not your fault."
"Then I won't. What's important is that we get you out of here." She took hold of one of his hands, helping him to his feet. She frowned. "Your hands feel like ice."
"I can deal with it."
"It's the middle of fall and those dastards couldn't even think to give you a blanket? I should murder them in their sleep!" She grumbled under her breath as she began to remove her cloak. It slipped off her shoulders, revealing her petite figure. Her clothes seemed to be baggy, hiding her curves completely from prying eyes. Despite that, the look suited her.
Takumi shook his head a bit, trying to expel such thoughts. He tried to focus on her face, the determined expression set in place as she draped the purple coat over his shoulders. The immediate warmth he received from the gesture sent pleasant chills down his spine. She had been wearing it, so of course the body heat was still there. That was nothing to worry about, he told himself. Flipping the hood over his head, he pushed his arms through the sleeves. Once that was done, Robin grabbed his hand again and began leading him out of the cell.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"What's it look like? I'm busting you out of here!" Robin quipped. "I don't care if I'm labeled a criminal for doing this. I won't let an innocent man suffer like this."
"You—!" Takumi blanched. "You're breaking me out!? Are you insane!?"
"Only in your eyes."
"I—No!" He pulled his hand out of Robin's hold. "I can't let you do this. I'm not worth it."
Robin let out an exasperated groan. She swiftly turned around, grabbed the front of his coat and pulled him down so that he was eye level with her. "You listen to me, Pineapple. You are worth it. Besides, I'm the rescuer here and I'm rescuing you whether you want it or not, damn it! Deal with it!"
With that said, she clutched onto his arm and practically dragged him out the door. Takumi spotted the guard, knocked unconscious and lying on the ground. Another woman was there, looking dour and grimly standing beside the man. The moment she laid eyes on Robin, her whole demeanor seemed to light up. Robin fought back a grimace, putting on the best fake smile she could give.
"Thanks for helping me out, Tharja."
"Anything for you, Robin," the woman chuckled darkly, her smirk unnerving Takumi immensely. "So this is my competition? I must say that I'm not impressed."
"Excuse me?" Takumi blurted out in confusion, slightly miffed by the underlying insult. "What's that supposed to mean?
Tharja gave him a murderous look. "I suggest you keep your hands off of Robin. Something…unfortunate may happen to you if you don't."
"Tharja, you're going overboard again," Robin said with a sigh while Takumi pulled his hood further down over his face. "I told you before that Takumi is my friend. There's nothing going on between us."
"Could've fooled me."
The tactician blushed. "I'm serious."
"If you say so," Tharja said as a creepy smile spread across her face. "I'm happy to hear that."
Robin shuddered a bit as she turned away and began to tug Takumi along, not pausing to look back. Takumi could feel the Dark Mage's eyes following them, burning a hole through his back even as they turned the corner. He made a mental note to stay far away from that woman. He had a feeling she wouldn't hesitate to curse him for the rest of his life if he angered her in some way. As they went down various hallways, Robin's hold on his arm tightened slightly and this did not go unnoticed.
"You don't have to do this," he reminded her.
"Yes, I do. Remember what you told me that one night? When we were planning for…" Robin bit her lip at the memory. "You told me if I went down, you'd go down with me."
"But that didn't happen."
"Maybe not to me…but it did happen to you," she responded. "I swore that I'd get you out of this horrible place, no matter what. Whatever happens from this point onward, we'll face it together. If they want to kill you or imprison you for life, I'll be there by your side."
"Robin…"
"Even if the whole world is against you…you're not alone. And you never will be again. I want you to remember that."
He felt a rock drop into his stomach. Her words stung his heart, breaking down the rest of the walls he had built to protect himself. Once they broke through, a warmth seeped into his chest and spread throughout his body. The numbing cold ebbed away as hot tears ran down his face. He was thankful the hood kept his face mostly hidden. The last thing he wanted was to let Robin see how pathetic he had become.
The darkness brightened as they approached the exit. Stepping into the light of the moon, Robin quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was wandering around. Once she felt the coast was clear, she continued to lead Takumi through the castle corridors. So far, things were working out exactly as she had planned. Countless days of observation and guesswork had allowed her to pinpoint which hallways were the least likely to be used. If everything went smoothly, she could sneak Takumi out of Ylisstol's walls without anyone knowing until the following day.
Suddenly, she spotted a shadow moving toward them. She slammed Takumi against a nearby pillar in a panic, where the shadows would hide them from sight. He opened his mouth to protest, but all that came out was a "Mmmph!" as Robin covered it with her hand. Heart pounding, she watched as the shadow's owner came into sight.
A tawny cat padded down the hallway, tail swishing behind it and yellow eyes reflecting the moonlight. No doubt one of the castle's resident pest controllers on a nightly stroll. With a heavy sigh, she lifted herself away from Takumi.
"False alarm," she stated in relief. Without giving him a chance to respond, she continued tugging him along, unaware of his flushed face hidden beneath his hood.
The rest of the trip was uneventful and Robin praised the gods for her good luck. Aside from a snoring, drunken guard, the stables were unoccupied. She spotted several horses strung up, many of them sleeping. She went over to one of the animals that were still awake, silently unlocking the gate. With a gentle hand, she led the steed out of the stable. It had already been saddled before they arrived.
"You really went out of the way for this, didn't you?" Takumi whispered as Robin mounted the horse.
"Of course. We gotta get moving as soon as possible," she replied as she held out her hand. "Now get your butt up here."
With a humored huff, Takumi took her hand and helped himself up and onto the steed. Once he was settled, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt his face heating up at the contact. She was so warm despite the chilly night air. She looked over her shoulder, her brown eyes glistening in the pale light of the moon. She gave him a heartwarming smile.
"We'll be just fine. Trust me."
Somehow, he believed her. With that said, Robin motioned the stallion to move. It nickered softly and began to walk. She led them through the quiet streets of Ylisstol, wary and alert for anyone that was out and about in the night. Robin kept her eyes and ears peeled for any ruffians skulking about. If worse came to worse and they couldn't avoid a confrontation, it would be up to her to protect Takumi.
Once they reached the gates, she flicked the reigns and the steed began to gallop. It didn't take long for the castle to become a small speck in the distance behind them, but the danger had only just begun.
She was hyper aware of Takumi's cold hands nestled on her stomach. They only served to remind her of the horrible conditions he had endured over the past months. His whole body was covered in dirt and muck, he had lost a noticeable amount of weight, and it was obvious he hadn't been sleeping well. On top of that, the guards had jeered and mocked him whenever he was led to court.
Robin grimaced and tightened her grip on the reins. Despite what Takumi said, she couldn't help but feel that all of this was partially her fault. If only she had stayed with him on that fateful day, she might have been able to protect him from the creature that had killed Phila and very nearly killed him. When she saw the giant hole going through Takumi's chest, she felt like she had been shot too. He had paid the price for her mistake, and it destroyed her.
She wouldn't let that happen again. After coming so close to losing him, she realized just how dear Takumi had become to her. Despite his prickly demeanor and initial hatred of her, he had shown signs of a kind heart deep down. He had her back when she needed him and had given her comfort and support during her most desperate hour. It was only fair that she returned the favor. This time, she vowed to protect him, no matter what.
She brought the horse to a stop at a tiny, unassuming house on the outskirts of Ylisstol. She asked Takumi to wait in the saddle as she dismounted and approached the door. She made sure no one else was around before she began knocking on the door. Three soft knocks, a pause, and then three louder knocks.
The door cracked open, revealing a small hooded figure that motioned for them to come inside. Robin tied the horse to a stake and beckoned Takumi to come with her. The archer was confused, but decided to trust her. The three of them slipped inside the house and the hooded person locked the door behind them. Then, they took off their hood.
Takumi's mouth fell open. "Olivia?! What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here to help you," she answered. "Do you have any idea how worried I was the whole time you were in prison? And those awful guards wouldn't even let me see you! So when I heard that Robin was planning to set you free, I knew I had to do whatever I could to help."
"But—"
"No buts! Now hurry up and get in that washtub! You smell like a cesspit!"
Takumi was powerless to stop the two women from shoving him behind a convenient screen where, sure enough, a bath had been prepared for him. With a sigh, he removed his filthy clothes and climbed into the tub. The warm water was heavenly, but there was no time to waste. He hurriedly scrubbed himself down, watching as months of grime fell off his skin and hair. By the time he finished, the water was dyed black.
As he wrung out his hair, he noticed that someone had replaced his clothes. Some type of white armor laid on the floor, accompanied by leather gloves, boots, and a pair of blue leggings that seemed vaguely familiar somehow. Once he was dry, he changed into the outfit. It was different than what he was used to, but it was clean, comfortable, and durable.
He stepped out from behind the screen and Olivia smiled at him. "Wow, Takumi, you look great! That Bow Knight armor suits you perfectly!"
"You got me these clothes?" he asked, surprised.
She nodded. "I would never let you to stay in that horrible prison garb and Robin couldn't find a tailor that could repair your old clothes. This was the best I could do."
"It's fine, Olivia. You've done more than enough."
"Actually, I'm not finished. I have a couple more things for you."
Takumi watched as the dancer retreated to another room. She returned a moment later with a Steel Bow, a quiver full of arrows, and a Killing Edge in her arms. She handed the weapons to him, watching as he eyed them with shock.
"Lon'qu wasn't able to make it tonight, but he dropped these off earlier," she explained. "You have a dangerous journey ahead of you and we'd prefer that you came back alive."
Takumi felt a lump form in his throat. They did all of this just for him. It was difficult to hold back his emotions as he accepted the weapons from Olivia. He didn't feel worthy of such kindness, but he knew she wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
"Now go," Olivia ordered once Takumi had finished strapping the weapons to his new outfit. "It'll be dawn soon. You need to get as far away from Ylisstol as you can before anyone finds out you're missing."
Takumi nodded, but Robin spoke up. "Hold on. You're forgetting one more thing."
He blinked in confusion. "What?"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a familiar pair of red ribbons. "You're not really a pineapple without these, are you?"
He huffed at her teasing but accepted the ribbons and quickly tied his hair up. "I can't thank you all enough for doing this."
"You can repay us by surviving out there until we clear your name; and by Naga's name, we will make sure that happens," Olivia replied. She went over to Takumi, giving him a tight hug. "Be safe. Stay strong. And may Naga bless and watch over you on your journey."
"It's time we got moving, Olivia. We have a lot of distance to cover," Robin announced, opening the door. "Takumi, let's go."
Amber eyes locked with her brown ones, a spark of an old flame igniting once again. "Right."
Oh. My. GOD! This chapter fought with me, kicking and screaming for the past month. I got stuck about ten million times and my college classes just killed my motivation completely. Props to LunaClefairy for helping me finish this darned thing! Thank you so much! I owe you one!