Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.
Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage, Dragoon.
Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + Evil to Good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, Magician, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D&D magic, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Teleporting, Crippled, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling, Shapeshifter.
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, 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, Car, Incubus, National Personification, Gravity Magic, Kraken, Zora, Kirby, Moon, Quadruplets, Unnoticed, Inventor, Bastilio's Kid, Treasure Hunter, Future, Mind-Swapping, Criminal, Hunter/Tracker, Biker, Gigantic Sword, Miracle, Medium, Warlord, Greater Good, Acrobat, Mother of Chrom, Soul Stealer, Mid War Memory Loss, Detective, Reverse Memory Loss, Sentient Item.
Arachne Robin, suggested by Guest and Invisible Prince. Just so you're aware, you're not dealing with standard Brady here. You're dealing with a slightly younger, not future child Brady.
"GAAAAH!"
"What!? I knocked!"
"You came in through the window!"
"I'm huge! What do you expect me to do!?"
"Brady!" Another voice entirely snaps from some nearby room in the mansion. "It is uncouth to shout, especially at a lady! Keep your voice down if you please!"
"Sorry Ma!"
"Sorry Mother!" Maribelle corrects. "And Robin, use the door like a civilized human being!"
"I'm not human! I can't fit through the doors!"
"Don't take that tone with me young lady!" Maribelle scolds. "Anywhere you might need to go in the mansion has been refitted with larger doors. You have no excuse to scuttle around on the roof anymore!"
"Brady's room doesn't have larger doors!"
"I hope I don't have to explain why you shouldn't be in there you two!"
"Because there will be rumors and bla bla bla…" Brady grumbles. "Fine, we'll go somewhere else."
"That better not be a complaint, Brady!"
"It's not Ma!"
"Mother!"
"It's not Mother!"
"But this room is better." Robin grumbles. "I can actually sit down in here."
"There are chairs ya can sit on in the sittin' room."
"But the bed is more comfy." She complains. Nevertheless, she climbs out of the room and makes her way in through the front door. Despite the fact that they've seen her no less than a hundred times, the servants are still startled when she skitters down the hallway.
"You better not let Ma see you or she'll gripe that you ain't "properly dressed"." Brady whispers as Robin pushes into the sitting room. "And she'll probably complain about your hair too."
"But fancy clothes suck." Robin complains. "They take too long to put on. I don't have an extra hour to spare in the morning! I mean, I do, but I'm not wasting it on clothes. My hair is just out of my control. I've tried everything and I always end up looking like a swamp witch."
It's really true. Robin's hair is grey and thin and stringy and has a tendency to get knotted easily. Despite her significant height her hair almost reaches the floor as well. Brady considers it her most distinguishing feature… which is a bit weird in retrospect because he's talking about someone who is eight feet tall and has a spider for their lower body.
But the spider thing is old news. Yeah, she's part spider. Whoopee. She's tall and can't fit into small spaces but can see over crowds. But the hair; that's interesting. It also matches her spider half too. Her hair is light grey, and her spider half is dark grey with black markings.
"Maybe swamp witch will be in fashion soon." Brady snorst. "I can see it. Considerin' how much hair product most o' the ladies Ma meets with use, they could stiffen their hair enough to pull it off."
"I'll have a leg up because my hair is naturally awful though." Robin snorts. "Yay."
"At least you don't gotta wear this awful thing." Brady tugs at the collar of his suit. "Apparently I gotta start wearin' proper outfits and all that malarkey. I don't look noble enough or some junk."
"That sucks."
"Yeah."
"If it's any consolation, you look moderately less like a brigand in that suit."
"Don't lay the flattery on too thick there…"
###
"Can ya see it?"
"No, can you?"
"Nah."
"You two! Get off the roof right this instant!"
"Just a sec' Ma!"
"We're just trying to find the bird Lady Themisia!"
"The falconer can find his own bird! Robin, get my son down here! It is not safe up there!"
"It's fine Lady Themisia! I can cling to almost any surface! I'm part spider, remember!"
"And Brady is not!"
"He's tied to me! See?" Robin turns a bit so Maribelle can see the webbing that is tying them back-to-back. "Everything's fine!"
Even from this distance the two of them can see Maribelle's expression says she thinks this is not 'fine' by any measure. She doesn't care if Brady is tied to Robin, the fact remains that he's up on the roof of a three-story building, and not a building with a flat roof mind you.
"If you two do not get down this instant-!"
"There it is!" Brady suddenly barks. "Rob, in the pine o'er there!"
"Where- ah, I see it! Gotta web it before it gets away!"
Robin skitters off the roof on the opposite side from Maribelle, ignoring her shouting angrily after them for ignoring her. Robin quickly spins some web from her spinnerets, forming it into a large throwable net. Brady remembered the first time he saw her make something from web he thought she was crazy fast. That was four years ago when he thought two minutes was a fast crafting time for a small ball. Robin spun this usable throwing net in twenty seconds.
"Rob, I can't see nothin'!"
"You're tied to my back, remember? Just give me a sec…" Robin says, quieting her voice so as to not scare the falcon away. She moves carefully (which is really unnecessary in Brady's mind because Robin is normally very quiet as is) and when she's in range she pulls back her arm and throws the net. It flares out to encompass a wide area and effortlessly tangles the bird which falls out of the tree in a flurry of feathers and protestful squawking. The grass cushions the fall, as does the rest of the net, so the bird isn't injured.
"Woo!" Robin cheers. She quickly cuts the webbing tying the two of them together, and kneels so that Brady can safely jump off her back. "Got 'em!"
Maribelle comes storming around the mansion, and the two of them make the split-second decision to flee back up on top of the mansion.
###
"Behold my power!" Robin cackles. "Fear Grandmaster Robin! Queen of tactics and empress of strategy!"
"Rob, this is a board game."
"And I'm winning!" The girl says smugly. "Because I'm a genius!"
"Or 'cuz I suck at strategy games."
"Nah, I'm just the best." Robin says, and preens her stringy hair. "A regular tactician."
"Except you're not in the military."
"And thank the gods for that." Robin huffs. "That would suck."
"Yeah. Older me hated it, even as part of the Shepherds." Brady recalls. "Not that the Shepherds were bad or anythin', just that the whole 'war' business sucks."
"I bet fighting a dragon god wasn't any fun either."
"Yeah. Everyone apparently got through it by sheer strength o' will and arms." Brady recalls. "An' a huge issue was that no one was a fantastic tactician. Not that Duke Virion was bad or anythin', jus' not great."
"They could have used me is what you're saying?" Robin grins.
"If you were even alive during that time, sure, or if you'd ever used an actual weapon."
"Yeah, fair point. I win next turn by the way."
"Gah..."
###
"Brady, for the last time-"
"But Ma!"
"Robin is not a noble dear, nor is she a part of our family. We have no reason to bring her along with us. We would have to pay for her as well, and considering her build that would be quite expensive." Maribelle says in an exasperated tone.
"I don't wanna spend a month in Ylisstol then!" Brady protests. He crosses his arms in defiance.
Maribelle sighs deeply. She can't say she didn't expect this. For better or for worse, her son is very attached to their… neighbour. Actually, Maribelle never given much thought to where or how Robin lives. She's shown up almost daily for the last seven years and is so entrenched in their lives, mostly Brady's life, to the point that their mansion is remodeled specifically to accommodate her, but Maribelle still knows very little about Robin.
Perhaps that is something she should fix. Fix when they return, of course. She cannot simply cancel a meeting with the Exalt because her son is stubborn.
"At least the older Brady is not this stubborn." Maribelle sighs. "Brady, there is no room for debate here. It will only be a month."
"Does Robin even know?"
"Yes, I told her about it a few days ago." Maribelle says. "Now come."
Brady enters the carriage with extreme reluctance. Maribelle hopes he'll get over it by the time they get to Ylisstol.
###
Brady is very much not over it by the time they get to Ylisstol. He's bitter about it almost the entire time they're there. He doesn't throw a tantrum or anything, he's not that petty, but it's clear that nothing Ylisstol has to offer makes up for Robin's absence in his mind. He interacts with the other children of the Shepherds just fine, and even makes an unexpected friend in Noire, but he's not close with anyone. He doesn't want to be.
Maribelle will admit she was hoping he'd make some more normal friends instead of solely spending time with the random spider girl who walked out of the woods one day seven years ago. Not that Robin isn't welcome, just that she was quite literally his only friend back at the mansion. Maribelle did not stop him from leaving the mansion, she encouraged him to go out in fact, but so long as Robin was around he saw no reason to make other friends.
So perhaps this trip is a success, just not as much of one as she hoped.
When they return home, Maribelle remembers her resolution. She needs to learn about Robin. She has been negligent, going for so long knowing nothing about her son's constant companion.
Perhaps it's not surprising to see Robin waiting for them near the front entrance. Equally unsurprising is how Brady gets out of the carriage early to run to greet her. Maribelle shakes her head at the display of such poor restraint. How will he ever take up the mantle of Lord of Themis if he cannot contain such a simple emotion as enthusiasm? Or at least display it in a less childlike fashion.
"Brady!"
"Rob!"
"How was the trip!?"
"Wuz fine." Brady mutters as he briefly hugs his friend. "Couldn't wait to get back though."
"Miss me?"
"Yes." He says bluntly.
"Well same." Robin nods. "It was really boring without you. I can only sit around for so long doing nothing."
"C'mon, don't tell me you actually did nothing."
"Well no." Robin says. "Did some hunting for meals, improved my house, the usual stuff I do when you're in lessons."
"Ah, did you make the extra room?"
"Yep! Finally have a larger storage area. I'm going to convert the old one into a proper workshop. Shelves and stuff."
"I wanna see next time I'm allowed out!"
"Sure!"
"Not sure when Ma 'll let me go though. She ain't been too keen on that lately. Somethin' 'bout it bein' unlordly."
"Bleh."
"Yeah, I know."
Maribelle very politely pretends not to hear that. She's well aware her son despises his propriety lessons. If he would actually apply anything he learned then maybe she wouldn't insist on them so much, but that's neither here nor there…
###
"Lady Themisia? You summoned me?" Robin asks. Her voice is even, but her body language conveys worry. Maribelle has forgotten how very tall Brady's friend is as well. She is easily two heads over Maribelle's height.
"I did not summon you Robin, you are not a servant." Though as a duchess she very well could summon her, but no need to make herself out to seem a tyrant. "I merely wish to talk. It occurs to me that despite your visiting our home on a daily basis for quite some time now, I know very little about you. Today I want to rectify that."
"Right." Robin still looks cautious, but at least slightly less so. She sits down on the large flat chair that's reserved for her and carefully handles the delicate teacup. Maribelle isn't sure if Robin can tell just how valuable this tea set actually is; it's one of the most expensive ones she owns and reserves for important occasions… like this.
"So…" Maribelle isn't quite sure where to start. 'Tell me about yourself' seems rude to say towards someone she's been acquainted with for more than half a decade. "Do you live alone? You visit so often I don't imagine you have parents reigning you in, is that right?"
"Correct." Robin says stiffly. "My parents have been dead for a while."
Oh, that's not quite what Maribelle was expecting. She figured Robin's parents were simply busy and worked elsewhere.
"So how do you support yourself?"
"Well I hunt and repair the house on my own. That's all I really have to do, right?"
"What about taxes?"
Robin blinks. "Taxes?"
Oh dear. "Where do you live Robin?"
"The forest. My house is about half an hour from here."
"That forest is private property. It belongs to house Themis." Maribelle says. "Our house."
"Oh."
"Anyone in the Themis duchy, and anyone in the halidom at all, is expected to pay taxes as well. I suspect the reason you have not is simply because the tax collectors don't know that you exist." Maribelle says quietly. This is a bit of an issue.
Robin's expression is now flat. Forcibly calm. "So what does that mean?" Her voice is low, almost hostile. She is unhappy and not expecting this to go well. Maribelle can't help but grimace. This isn't how she wanted this conversation to go either.
"Well at the very least it means you'll have to start paying taxes." Maribelle frowns. "It's unfair if everyone else has to and you don't, yes? Usually tax is determined by how much land one owns, though you don't own land at all per say."
This is an issue indeed. What is she supposed to do? She doesn't want to kick Robin out of the forest, but for the sake of fairness she should because it is technically the property of house Themis and not supposed to contain housing. If she gave Robin an exemption it would be blatant nepotism on her part.
At the same time, it would be needlessly cruel to simply tell Robin to leave her home with nowhere to go and likely no money to her name.
There is an obvious solution, also arguably nepotism, but at the very least it is her paying for Robin and not a simple exemption.
"Perhaps it would be best you simply move into the mansion then." Maribelle sighs. This feels like an inevitable suggestion. If not now, it would have happened at some other point. "Your house can remain, we can justify iit as a hunting lodge and personal project, and house Themis will take on the cost of supporting you."
Robin blinks in surprise. "Really?"
"Of course." Maribelle says. In a more joking tone she says "I'm sure Brady wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I kicked you out."
"I'd hope not." Robin sighs. "Else our friendship would be rather cheap."
"Indeed." Maribelle sips her tea. With that out of the way… "However, that is not quite what I called you here to discuss. I was hoping to talk about more simple and pleasant things."
"Please, let's."
Weird place to end, I know, but honestly where was I going to end this chapter? I was trying something new with what time-period I could set these in and I'm not so sure it works. Also there's an odd world-building focus, and her quirk is not super relevant, and… yeah. Still, I had some fun writing this as a little "how does spider-lady affect the Themis household?" piece, which is basically what this is rather than it being a version of Robin per say.
Takedo: Deadpool regeneration. I never said anything about personality.
Tiki is great. I'm starting to see why she's popular. Clothes are weird considering her standing though.
Firehedgehog: :D
bauers374: I'm aware Deadpool's is stronger. The point I was trying to make is that Robin had strong regeneration.
That was so fun! I should have done an enemy view a long time ago.
Izunama: Don't let your bias show too much there.
patattack: Thanks for the compliment, and as for challenge… it's literally the point of Robin having such powerful regeneration that there won't be challenge. The chapter was designed that way. There are other chapters for challenge if you want it, but Inevitable Robin is not one of them and intentionally so.
B1ackAshes: A new favourite? I'm surprised. I thought the chapter was a bit of a mess to be honest, but hey, I'm happy about it now.
I didn't really have a reason for Tiki getting along with Robin. Left it up to the reader to imagine. I left the reason Robin wouldn't spar up to the reader too, but I did have my own reason and just couldn't find a natural way to include it.
(It was because he never learned how to hold back because he can just throw himself into a fight and do whatever and end up winning because of his regeneration, so naturally he just learned to use all the most brutal moves that don't really lend well to sparring unless you want to brutalize your sparring partner).
JustaPapaFrog: See the top author's note for chapter 67.
X King 014: No, I haven't. Probably won't. I'll put it on the list though. That quirk doesn't lend well to an Awakening-style world sadly.
Raj8: Yeah, but I suck at combat focus and having a battle obsessed Robin would have that issue. Also, I have a distaste for training junkie characters, so I guess you could say I was biased against her.
As I mentioned to B1ackAshes I did have a reason but left it up to the reader because there was no good place to include that reason. If you want to know, go up a few lines.
Tiki is so good and I don't know why. She's just great.
OnceFutureWilf: Reverse Memory Loss would be almost impossible to justify in a believable way inside a story unfortunately. I've seen several mermaid fics for Fire Emblem and I don't know why. Well, that's not true, it is a cool idea. Really difficult idea for me in particular, but a cool idea. No. I will not make Robin an actual bird. Just no. Sentient floating time? Is that a misspelling? Did you mean sentient floating item? I'm going to assume that's what you meant. Another really difficult idea by the way. Not a bad one, just really hard to make a story around. Alchemist is certainly doable. There's solid potential there.