Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.
Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage.
Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D&D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.
Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Genie, Car, Incubus, National personification.
So, before this starts, I have something to announce. Announce? I guess it's an announcement, technically. I've decided the endpoint for The Robin Variable. It's not terribly close, I'm going to chapter 100, but that'll be the end. (Well, it'll be the last proper chapter; chapter 101 will be the short epilogues for chapter 41-100. Might do a chapter 102 with short snippets of what I've considered for some of the others ideas, or something along those lines, but you get the point. Chapter 100 will be the last proper chapter). Similarly, Varied Awakenings will probably only go to chapter 50 before being moved out of my main rotation (I keep a rotation of three stories that I consistantly update, which right now is TRV, VA, and Five Stars) due to its low popularity.
Anyhow, this chapter is Martial Artist Robin as suggested by G and Wyvern Rider (kinda) Robin as suggested by Guest.
Cherche sighs deeply. This wasn't exactly what she had in mind when Robin said he had been practicing something with Minerva. She was expecting a combat technique, not… this.
"Behold, the Fell Dragon Grima!" Robin cries, gesturing to the side of the stage. The kids watching all gasp in appropriate awe as Minerva trundles onto the stage with a menacing hiss. She's not holding herself as she would if she were actually aggressive though. A wyvern flares out their wings and roars when they actually want to look scary. Minerva is holding her head low and making a noise much closer to a hiss, which is something they do in nature on occasion was likely something Robin taught her.
Minerva plays along with Robin's whole routine, taking (very weak, extremely telegraphed) claw swipes, bites, and head bashes at the tactician as he dances around her, throwing weak but dramatic punches and kicks, doing flips and cartwheels, and generally putting on a show to impress the audience of awed kids.
The adults look a bit nervous at having a wyvern so close to their kids, but Robin's prestige as the grand tactician probably makes them trust him despite that.
This is also something that would only work with Minerva and not just any wyvern. A lot of people give Cherche weird looks when she coos over Minerva and calls her 'cute' or 'gentle', but it's very true. Minerva is essentially a rescue baby, despite their rocky first meeting, and as such is much more gentle and calm around humans than most domesticated wyvern. She's one of the few wyverns you could realistically trust not to have a fit of anger or be frightened or offended by people. Her temperament compared to most wyverns is exceedingly calm.
That's why Cherche doesn't run in and stop this, as she would with any other fool trying to use a wyvern as part of some sort of circus act. She knows that Robin knows Minerva is a special case. She still thinks this is a bit foolish of course, but she can't deny that it is amusing to see Minerva playing the part of Grima and mock fighting with Robin.
When Robin delivers the 'finishing blow', Minerva keels over dramatically with a "Croooo!" and lies on her back with wings spread.
Sometimes Cherche wonders if Minerva is really a wyvern, or just a dog pretending to be one.
###
"C'mon, c'mon!" Robin laughs, beckoning his wife. "Try again!"
"Robin, we both know well I won't win if I try again." Cherche chuckles. She dusts off her sparring clothes from her most recent fall. "My hand-to-hand just doesn't match yours."
"Then use an axe! Heck, use Minerva, I'll take you both on!"
Cherche sighs in amusement as she picks up a training axe. "What won't you do for a good fight?"
"Hey, I punched out Grima, a dragon, that should say a lot."
"You punched his avatar."
"Same thing!"
Rolling her eyes to the sky, Cherche advances on her husband with an axe in hand. It's not nearly as unfair as it sounds considering Robin is a highly skilled martial artist. In fact, Robin probably still has the advantage considering Cherche is used to fighting on wyvernback.
In his usual excessively-dramatic style, Robin soundly knocks her around the training grounds. Cherche isn't helpless by any means, but Robin is very much in his element here. You could mistake Robin's movements for being staged, but that's just how he fights.
He insists his fighting style is kung fu. It's… not. Well, not usually. He can do kung fu, he just also does other things a lot as well. He's quite partial to drunken boxing styles, but his full repertoire is a mix of so many different styles it might as well be considered a style unto itself
Robin knows this. He just likes saying "I know kung fu!", so he calls his fighting style kung fu despite the fact that it's really not.
So while Cherche is a picture of discipline and carefully-used strength, Robin looks like he's dancing half the time. Cherche can almost hear the imaginary beat he's fighting to. Her husband's feet slide across the dirt as if it's ice as he strings together a seamless stream of jabs, kicks, elbow strikes, knee attacks, and so on.
He's told her before that he is trying hard, but Cherche can never tell. Even when he's really trying, it still looks like he's dancing.
Their spar is unceremoniously ended by Minerva rushing onto the training grounds and playfully knocking them both over. After all, to a wyvern, sparring is basically play.
###
"Let's get em!" Robin shouts with a mad grin on his face. Minerva, hearing the now-familiar battle cry, adds a roar to the man's shout and takes off at high speed. The man hollars with clear glee as the two of them descend on the pack of unfortunate bandits and start tearing them apart.
Cherche watches from the sidelines, shaking her head in amusement. If this were any serious battle she would be on Minerva's back with Robin riding passenger, but in such a low-effort low-stakes fight she's content to let her husband have his fun. Besides, Minerva seems to enjoy Robin's dramatic nonsense just as much as he does. The wyvern does many more arial loops and big, obvious lunges when fighting with him on her back, fighting for flare rather than for efficiency.
It's remarkably similar to wyvern mating rituals actually. Big shows of power, not necessarily the most effective, just whatever looks impressive.
"Why are you letting Father ride Minerva?" Gerome asks dryly. His own Minerva, two decades older than the one fooling around with Robin up ahead, rests behind the two of them. She looks like she's sleeping, except for one eye being kept half-open to watch the battle going on. "He's not doing it right at all. You're not supposed to dive like that, and he should have taken off quicker after striking."
"No need to be so serious." Cherche chuckles. "Unless you think those two are in any serious danger from some bandits."
The boy's mouth thins as he watches his father and Minerva dive from the sky, smashing a bandit to pulp as they land, and waste a moment with a dramatic pose before rising back up into the air. "At the very least he could pretend to have some dignity."
Cherche smiles fondly. "He'd fit right in with the Justice Cabal, wouldn't he?"
"Oh Naga, don't suggest that to Owain…"
###
If it was supposed to be a secret, Robin was doing a terrible job… or, more accurately, Minerva was doing a terrible job. Then again, trying to fit a wyvern into a house, even one with tall rooms like theirs, was never going to be a quiet affair.
So, just for the sake of not ruining whatever he's doing, Cherche stays in bed and allows him to do whatever it is he's doing.
Then she hears the sound of something breaking, gives a deep sigh, and removes herself from bed. She better go stop her husband's nonsense before Minerva knocks down the house.
Cherche steps out of bed and puts on a robe and makes her way to the dining room. She stares at the wyvern that has somehow managed to cram itself into the corner of the room. There's a broken plate near Minerva's foot, explaining the crash, and an array of food set out on the table.
"You're supposed to still be sleeping!" Robin protests as he enters the room with another plate of food. His face has contorted into a pout. "You always sleep late!"
"Except when I can hear Minerva breaking the house." She responds in amusement.
"How dare you!" Robin gasps, feigning scandal. He rests his on Minerva's wing and gestures to her face. "This is a picture of innocence! The face of an angel! That broken plate could have been… a rat."
Cherche raises an eyebrow, now smirking. "Really?"
"Sure, why not." Robin shrugs. "Besides, Miverva wants to celebrate too, right Minerva?"
The wyvern lets out a low rumbling noise and leans across the room to nuzzle Cherche. The lady laughs and affectionately pats her on the snout. "Well, that explains the deer carcass on the table I suppose."
In the end, she lets Minerva stay in the house for breakfast. It's a disaster, and it will probably take days to scrub out the blood stains on the floorboards and the table from Miinerva's meal… but she honestly expected no less. As far as her birthday goes, this is a fairly tame start.
Last year he managed to get Minerva all the way to the bedroom door. They had to replace several door frames…
###
"Gerooooome!"
"Oh Naga…" The boy sighs. "Hello Father."
The grumpy boy is scooped off his feet for a moment as Robin hugs him, and then he instantly goes off to hug the old wyvern curled up nearby. "Hey girl! How are the old bones?"
Mivera the elder huffs. She raises her head for just a moment to lick the man upside the cheek before returning to her rest. She doesn't mind when Robin starts rubbing her head, despite the fact it must be disrupting her nap… or maybe it feels like a massage.
"Don't get too excited to see us dear." Cherche chuckles to her son. "Contain yourself."
"Ha-ha." The boy grumbles. "What do you two want?"
"To see our son."
"Well you've seen me." The boy responds dryly. "You can go now."
Maybe Minerva (the elder) understood his tone, because if a wyvern could give 'the look', Minerva sure gives it to him. That looks of "you better stop being petty and be nice to your parents".
At least, that Gerome assumes the wyvern is saying. That sounds like what she would say. It sounds strange to say about a wyvern, but Minerva is big on family.
This is only reinforced when Minerva the younger (Cherche's Minerva) gives him the same look, punctuated by a soft growl.
Gerome sighs. He really doesn't want to deal with this. He moved to the wyvern valley to get away from this. He loves his parents, he really does, but that doesn't mean he feels particularly comfortable around them. Frankly, he'd rather be alone with Minerva. That sounds horrible of him, and maybe it is, but it's true nonetheless.
Still, maybe he should indulge them, his own discomfort be damned.
"I suppose I can spare some time…"
Short, simple chapter, but it works I guess. Haven't done one of these in a while.
Darkness is complete: You've actually suggested that before already. Guess I'll add an x2 next to that in my notes :P
Fantasy Paradise: Noted.
B1ackAshes: Several people seem to like how this relationship was done. I've done something very right this time apparently.
I mean, I could, I'd have to differentiate it from Succubus Robin and Vampire Robin, as both of those have similar dynamics and were intended as counterpoints to each other, but it's possible.
Quiet: It's a hard balance with Chrom between him being kind and him being stupid, and I think this chapter managed to hit that mark somehow. I'm glad you liked it.
Laughing Dog: I think Morgan would think it's awesome, and Lucina would be slightly mortified, but considering the craziness of their lives I don't think it would phaze them all that much.
Unless we're talking about the not future children Morgan and Lucina, then maybe yeah, hearing your parents tried to kill each other numerous times would be traumatizing, wouldn't it?
Dandaman5: Thank you! It was my first serious attempt with it, and apparently it worked well.
bauers374: Noted.
Cyberchao X: Even so, a compliment is a compliment. I'll take it. Hope the other story improves.
LuciferXIII Trollkaiger Green: I make a point of not doing crossovers here. I know those are dragons within the same series and all, but I won't drag in elements of other games. So no, sorry, I actually have to turn those ideas down. They're one of the few things I'll outright say no to.
Sonochu: Full honesty, I had no idea if I even wanted to tackle your reviews. Not because they were bad or unjustified necessarily, just because they seem to have a fair point and I don't know if my defence holds up, or if I should even offer a defence (or my opinion at all) for the sake of not sparking a conflict.
But, so far, I've made a habit of being as forthright as I can with my opinions and intents, and I make a point of addressing every review of any substance, so I'll keep that up here. No offense intended to you with anything, but I have realized over writing so many responses to reviews that I can come off as… blunt. So, sorry in advance if that happens. I'm quite happy to have a critical reader!
How to go about this… I could make a response to your reviews directly, breaking apart your argument, but it's easy to nitpick and be petty, so instead I'll just present my side and only touch on a few major points you made.
So, basically, I make flirty/aggressive female Robins because I like that archetype. Plain and simple. Same reason why Robin tends to be sexualized: author appeal. I won't deny any of that. Sometimes there are other primary reasons, but usually it's just because I decided I wanted to do another of that type (I'll just use the abbreviation F/A from now on so I don't have to write out flirty/aggressive all the time), and I'm firmly of the opinion that people can do whatever the heck they want as long as it doesn't affect other people (as in, I don't shove it in people's faces, and people choose to be here reading these stories). There's not much more to it than that. These are fictional characters, and while I won't be the person to say "you're taking (insert thing here) too seriously" I will be the one to firmly remind people of the difference between fiction and reality. I know full well that I'm writing a fantasy, and I expect my readers to know that too. So I make no apologies for exaggerating Robin's sexuality, sometimes to extreme levels, as it is with the implicit understanding that of course I'm exaggerating for entertainment. If that's not your cup of tea, fine. Not everyone has the same preferences. No problem there.
Okay, so, the part about making Chrom uncomfortable? Great point. Totally missed that on my own. I'm of the opinion it's kind of an author/reader disconnect as well. I've always assumed, with one exception, that Chrom is the 'hot and bothered, oh Naga how do I flirt?' sort of uncomfortable rather than the 'get me out of here, please stop' sort of uncomfortable. However, that doesn't always translate to the page so well. I guess I assume it's obvious that Chrom is just stupidly awkward and nothing more when it's not obvious at all. (That one exception by the way? Alien Robin, where the whole point is that Robin is completely selfish and sociopathic and uses her appearance to try and manipulate Chrom). I can see why Assassin Robin would be a breath of fresh air for that reason (although in Angel Robin Chrom is explicitly fine with it as well).
So, TLDR, good point about Chrom being uncomfortable, and no, I won't stop making Robin extremely sexualized or doing F/A because this is my collection and I believe in a person's freedom to do what they want as long as they don't shove it in other people's faces.
Oh, and I've actually been working on those ideas you suggested to do in the future (male Robin romance, using the future kids), it's just that I'm really bad at romance without Chrom as the Male lead, I actually have a very narrow set of personalities I can effectively use for romance at the moment, so it's my own incompetence as for why we haven't gotten male Robin romance.
One (well, two) last thing. Erm… how to put this… you said something in your first review that I hope I'm misunderstanding. I assume I'm misunderstanding, because it sounds horribly discriminatory. In that first paragraph you basically say "I can't respect F!Robin when she looks sexy". I hope I don't have to point out how that sounds like slut shaming, right? I presume that was unintentional on your part and you meant something like "It's annoying how you present women as sexual objects all the time" (which is fair enough) and it was just poorly phrased.
I think that covers everything. Nice hearing from you! Even if I disagree with half of what you said, I appreciate you sharing your opinion in a respectful manner.