Cycle

by RoseWarden

Robin is a young woman who bakes cakes during the day, sleeps at night, and drinks on weekends. She does not wage wars, fight demons, or solve dating issues. Yet, somehow by divine mistake, she's found herself doing just that. Clearly, someone has her confused with another Robin...

46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer – I don't own Fire Emblem. All of its properties belong to Nintendo and Intelligent System.

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Chapter 46

Nope, there is no way I'm doing this without alcohol. A gallon should suffice. Screw my liver, I need this. I'm actually not sure how much is in this pitcher, but it's going to have to last. Cause...cause I did not sign up for this.

I set the pitcher down with a thump, liquid sloshing slightly over the lip. Two blurry eyes look out from under Lucina's bangs over the top of her knees. She watches silently as I fill my mug to the brim. This is some sort of mead. There's not much of the hard alcohol left in Themis after the invaders got to it. This is the best I could find and that's after paying off a guard. Oh well.

"Are you feeling better?" I ask, watching the liquid pour forth. I chance a look at her and find Lucina staring with the most dead expression ever. "Yeah, stupid question."

Setting aside the pitcher, I grasp the handle of my drink and take in a mouthful of the sweet tasting liquor. The immediate buzz leaves me grateful for it. I let out a satisfied sigh and slip into my seat. Cloves and nutmeg, yum.

The little turtle before me peeks out of her shell. "What is that?"

I raise the mug in a toast to no one in particular. "Booze. The strongest we have."

"Is that really going to help?"

I laugh into my drink. "Hell yes."

There's a spark of something in her eyes and it causes Lucina to unfold from her curled up position in the chair. The princess sits up on her knees, a thumb swiping at the corner of her now puffy lids. She takes a sniff trying not to sound too loud. She places both hands on the table, fingers just slightly scraping at the surface in uncertainty. Lucina's gaze jumps between the pitcher and an empty cup on her table. Something in her steels her resolve and she makes a bold move for it. Realizing her intentions, I pull the pitcher away out of reflex.

"Hey!" I chastise with the cluck of my tongue. "None for you, young lady. You're not old enough to drink."

Lucina's already dismal attitude adds to the poisonous glare she shoots me.

"Of course I am old enough! We have been over this before," she challenges me.

I loosen my grip on the handle, remembering where I am.

She's right. At least, in terms of her world. Lissa's like fourteen or fifteen and she got smashed at the party in Regna Ferox, not that it was a great idea or that I condone it. I still forget sometimes how certain adult privileges in my home are acceptable at a younger age here. Not to mention Lucina would be legal to drink by now if I consider how old she is in a technical sense. How may lifetimes has she lived? Would she be old enough to be my grandmother? Great grandmother? Oh my God, brain cramp! I am not going down that thought path!

As I mentally bleach my brain with pictures of kittens and Skittles, I mumble an apology to her. "Sorry. You wouldn't be where I come from. That was a force of habit. I worked around kids so I had to keep watch when they were poking about the kitchen."

Lucina holds the pitcher in both hands. She sneaks a look over the edge of it and stares at the mead as if it were some mystical elixir. It takes a full minute for her to build up the courage to pour it into her mug.

"Where you come from..." she murmurs quietly over the sound of the alcohol trickling into her cup. "You are talking about your home world again?"

The words weigh on my shoulders like a blanket of snow. "That's right."

A lot of what she had said in the past comes back to me. There's a clearer understanding to everything she had spoken of in our conversations. I can finally see her ulterior thoughts hidden behind her words. This warrants another drink. I chug again and stare mournfully into the depths. "I see what you mean now, about how nothing could be as it was. If I go home, achieving the exact same state of your original time line would be impossible."

Lucina lets out a sour laugh. "So you finally understand the reason for my doubts."

"I-" My companion breaks into a harsh set of coughs causing me to look up in alarm. She slams the mug to the table with both hands and quickly raises her left to cover her mouth. I know that scrunched up look anywhere. I'd laugh if the situation weren't so serious.

"You okay?" I ask as I rise to my feet. She waves me to sit back down, clearing her throat.

"...fine," she wheezes out, barely audible to hear.

"Do you want some water?"

"I said I was fine," she pouts slightly, pushing away the mug. Lucina coughs a final time letting the fit pass. "I was not expecting that."

"Most don't. This is actually not that bad compared to some things. I've had a brandy that quite literally feels like it's set your throat on fire."

Lucina shakes her head. "Why in the heavens would you drink something like that?"

"There are advantages to getting piss drunk. Sometimes you need to forget or just black-out entirely. Like this one time, I just drank myself under the table for a full week to forget how my last boyfriend cheated on me. Good times."

"A...boyfriend?"

"Someone I was courting," I correct myself for her better understanding.

The idea of me actually being with someone catches her off guard. She looks taken back by the very notion. "Someone else sought your hand?"

My face puckers up in offense to her response. I look myself over. "Is it that much of a surprise? I know I'm not on the same tier as Olivia, but still!"

Lucina flushes bright red. "N-no, I did not mean that in offense. I just was not expecting you to have...I apologize. I should not think it so strange, having grown up in a different world."

Her eyes flickers about nervously. "It wasn't...er...he was not my..."

"Who?" I urge her on.

She turns her face away, mumbling to the wall. "It was not your world's version of my-my father, was it?"

What a bizarre question. Does that matter? I suppose she would be curious since they had been together before. Maybe she's wondering if the two were doomed to begin with, no matter what world they're in?

"No, it definitely wasn't him," I assuage her fears.

The memories of this came back to me much like a lot has. I'm happy to say I've got a pretty good remembering of the last five to seven years at least. Definitely through the late years of high school and beyond. With it came my only serious relationship outside of small high school flings. It also explained why I wasn't dating anyone recently. I was still salty as the Dead Sea over my guy cheating on me for that buxom tart in his English class! Alice Lapointe! Ugh, I still remember her perfect teeth and adorable freckles!

It was probably mostly my fault. Okay, not probably. It was. He stayed home for schooling and I went away with his sister. He was hesitant to keep a long distance relationship, but I pressed for it. I swore it could work, yet I was the one who ended up getting distrustful and wary despite urging us on. My bad attitude is what drove him away.

Still, if he wasn't feeling it, he should have just ended it. Whatever. That's been over for a couple years. We've moved passed it. Still friendly even. Doesn't take away the burn sometimes, but you know...

Besides, the two don't even look alike! There's no way Chrom could possibly have been him. Half French, half Sicilian, Tony is a good four inches taller with a deep tan and deeper eyes. No way the two are a thing a like. Except the arm muscles. Both of them are very toned like that. Actually, their body structures are both on that athletic side with the nice-

"Robin?" Lucina asks in mild concern.

I hold a finger up to request Lucina's patience as I chug another helping of mead to drown away the thoughts. She watches in awe as I down the alcohol with little restraint. Thankfully it takes more than one glass to make me tipsy. The downside of building up a tolerance for the stuff. I fill up the half-empty mug and sigh.

"Highly impossible. I've never met a version of any of the Shepherds in my world, let alone know if they exist."

Lucina nods silently. Reaching back out for her drink, she pulls it in. She builds up her courage and takes a tiny sip this time. It causes her nose to wrinkle, but she manages to swallow it without an adverse reaction.

I take another swig myself and sigh. "So, uh, sorry."

"For what?" she asks.

"Everything," I shrug. "Nothing. I dunno anymore."

The life is slowly returning to Lucina's features. Her earlier admission took a whole lot out of her. The very act itself left her in a distressed state that required some time to collect herself. That was why I excused myself for this lovely pitcher of mead. That reminds me, I also brought comfort food!

I get up from the chair to where I put down the bundle I had brought with me from the kitchen. Gaius would be proud of my thieving skills. I undo the cloth tie at the top and open it up to reveal the large pile of shortbread cookies I lifted from the pantry.

Lucina looks almost surprised to see me lay out the cookies between us. She squashes whatever she meant to say with the shake of her head. The princess takes another sip before reaching slowly for the center.

"Mead and cookies. Somehow this is very much like you," she comments, rolling the shortbread between her fingers.

"I take that as a compliment." I grab one for myself and savor the buttery taste. It takes on a spiced flavor from the aftertaste in my mouth lingering from the mead. It's quite enjoyable.

Lucina nibbles on the edge of it. Finding nothing offensive about it, she takes a second larger bite.

"Never had a meal like this, have you?" I say in an attempt to make conversation.

"Considering there are days where I have gone without, I-" I don't know if it's because she realizes how dismal her words are or if it's because of the look on my face, but Lucina stops her sentence right there. She stuffs the rest of the cookie in her mouth while wearing a childish pout. She swallows roughly. "It is among the strangest."

Another silence envelops us as we sit there, each recuperating from earlier in her own fashion. The pitcher is half full and the cookies picked over thoroughly when Lucina finally braves the quiet.

"For once, I don't know what to do," she admits against the unfinished corner of her shortbread. "Nor what to say."

Don't I know the feeling! I chuckle. "Welcome to my world. I've been bullshitting my way through this lunatic plot fuckery since day one."

Lucina chews thoughtfully on the snack. "Are you proud of where it has brought you?"

"Hm?"

"Are you proud of where your efforts have placed you in the present?" she repeats.

I lean back in my chair, the front legs tipping off the ground as I balance backward. Good question.

"Yeah, more or less. Things could be worse. A lot worse. Could they have gone better? Sure. But I'm grateful for where we're at right now. All the Shepherds are alive, the bad guys are on the defense, and the future still has a chance."

"Ah." She's making that face. It's the same one she does when she wants to say something but her sense of propriety prevents her from doing so. I raise my eyebrows in wordless question.

She frowns but speaks all the same. "I just find it extraordinary that even through all this, you retain some bizarre sense of optimism. I-it reminds me of him."

Him. That him. The very specific him sitting between us like one very obnoxious elephant trumping a national anthem off-key.

Lucina's eyes are downcast, her hands twisting and knotting together in remembrance. Her voice grows soft and tender. "He never would give in. There was always one last strategy he could pull from the void that could save our lives. It would be by our very skins, but we would be alive."

Yep, sounds like Morgan. What I know if them. Him.

God that is so weird to think.

Morgan. Robin's kid.

My kid? Is that true?

Holy cheese puffs, here comes that dizzy feeling again! I don't like thinking about these things because it always makes my brain confused, like I'm watching reality break down. I've got enough going on trying to survive war and psycho kidnappers. All these things about Other Robin's life and how they might be my own is just crazy. I-

"Did your stories ever mention him?"

Lucina's questions cuts my thoughts in half. She stares at me intently, waiting for an answer.

"Why?" I cringe in shame.

"I would think you would have asked of him at least once given the knowledge you have."

"Yeah," I admit lamely. I should have, but I didn't. I can't even look at the kid's page in the roster, let alone think of him.

She ruffles at my pathetic answer, accusing me roughly. "That's all you have to say?"

"No," I protest too loudly. I sink deep into my chair, dropping my chin to my chest. My eyes close tightly in disbelief. "I-I know about Morgan."

"And?"

"I don't know what to tell you," I continue weakly. "I've tried to think about it, but it's just all so crazy. It's strange enough to be living another woman's life. To be carrying this!"

I hold my hand up with fingers splayed against the ceiling. I can mentally trace each curve of every eye under the glove. It's something I've done more and more often with the mark. I just stare hard at it hoping somehow it would go away, utterly denying this thing was still blemishing my hand.

I ball it up in a fist and it crashes down on the table, startling Lucina. "I've got Robin's lineage and a war trying to kill me. I'm already overloaded with so many different things!"

My voice cracks in desperation. "Now there's kids? My best friend is their father? I mean fuck!"

The idea of family and picket fences has always been a novel thought. I was never against it. It wasn't something bound to happen in the near future though. I was struggling to find a compatible enough guy willing to swing his attention my way on a committed basis. You can't have one without the other. Kids were definitely far off.

Now?

I'm still reeling with the fact that some undead dragon wants to jump into my skin. I didn't want to touch the subject of Robin's future breeding habits with a ten foot stick. Who's to say her life is even mine, being a whole separate entity outside of this world. My dimension might not even follow the same rules! What if I had a female Morgan instead? I could have no Morgan at all!

This is so hard to swallow.

"I'm trying to take this one step at a time. I finally adjust to one change and three more crazy things pop up to screw with me!"

I'm yelling. Loudly. This is going to grab someone's attention if I don't stop. It's not like I should be shouting anyway. Guilt is already building up in the place of my own selfish anger. The minute I see her face, I immediately remember I have no right to be complaining about anything to Lucina.

My chair hits the floor as I slide forward onto the table. I bury my face in both arms to block her out.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be saying any of this. You've lost your family and everything along with it. Here I am going on about trivial things when you're-"

I have too many things to say and not enough effort in me to push them out. I exhale one long drained whine against the ancient wood of the table. My forehead is pressed so tightly to it I feel as if I've fused with the surface.

"Maybe I'm just being a coward. Deep, deep down I think I sort of knew some things. I began to pick up on the signs and I just didn't want to accept them. I was in denial because of what it could mean for me."

I pause. "For you."

Her chair squeaks as she shifts awkwardly. The space between us is tense with all the revelations just tumbling messily about.

"The truth is what I told you. I'm aware of plenty of things concerning this world's story. Some of the details are sketchy though. The parentage of the children is always up for debate, as is marriages and the like. I'm one hundred percent sure Morgan is Robin's kid, but the other parent is who's in question. And if siblings are involved, that's a whole different argument."

Another sigh. "Then there's you. The similarities were there. Lots, actually. As the probability was growing greater and greater, I had a hard time accepting it. Cause if Robin was, and I'm her now..."

Lucina finishes for me what I could not.

"...you would be destined to become my mother?"

I shift my head up just enough to take her in. A weird knotting has begun to coil in my stomach. It's a strange combination of apprehension and fear.

"I'm making that sound as if it were a bad thing," I mumble.

She nods slightly, eyes averted. "I understand."

I push off the table, heart cracking apart in ways I never felt before. Is this me? Is it Other Robin's influence? Where do I begin and she end with the girl before me? I'm so confused.

Just what role am I supposed to play now?

"No, no. Lucina listen. I meant what I said before. I'd never be happier to have a kid like you for a daughter. You're...amazing, just like your father." I feel a brief swell of pride mentally picturing the two standing together and talking. Gods above, he'll be so proud when he finds out the truth!

"But, I'm sure as all hells not something you want as a mother, am I?" Is this argument trying to convince her or myself? I can't tell anymore as I ramble on in what I think is a logical debate. "Can you imagine how badly I would destroy your childhood? I'd ruin the family name! Have you seen what a failure I am in the royal court? I'd get banished or something and then you'd have to celebrate family holidays over the border in Regna Ferox. How awkward would that be? Can you imagine sharing a dinner table with Basilio or Flavia?"

The humorous twist I put on the end does little to lift her spirits. "That was a bit of a joke. One I failed miserably at."

She doesn't lose her somber expression. If anything she stares more intently, memorizing the lines and curves of my face. I force myself not to look away, letting her do so until she decides to speak again. When she does, it's a little above a whisper.

"Even after all this time, I find this hard to speak of."

"I can imagine" I answer sympathetically. "It took forever for me to cope with my own mother's passing. With what you've been through...That's a wound that won't heal no matter how much time passes."

A hint of something glows in her eyes. "You have made it easier."

It feels as if a hot coal has ignited in my chest. Her admission brings a mixture of pride and shame. What she's telling me should make me happy! I should be elated! But it's also strange. I can't help but feel like I'm just stealing someone else's story. This isn't my place. I'm not fully prepared for this. I'm just so confused.

Her mouth presses into a thin line. Lucina retreats back to free up space for me. "This is making you uncomfortable, I can tell."

"Not unless you start calling me Mom suddenly." Again, I regret my words. That came out worse than I intended. "I mean that it might take some getting used to, if that ever were the case."

She almost smiles, except it's more bitter than amused. "It would not be the worst of outcomes."

"Really? What could be worse than my bumbling butt?" I ask.

It's like watching all of her personality slide away leaving Lucina a cold slate as she utters the next line with little emotion.

"A golden-haired prostitute belonging to a brothel on the coast of the Southern Sea."

I wait a beat, hoping this was some sort of bad joke thanks to her pitiful sense of humor. Even for me, that's pretty dark.

"Good one," I force out behind a very fake laugh. She stares dully at me showing no change. My smile drops like a heavy stack of bricks. "You aren't joking."

"I said some things are predestined to happen, didn't I? My past self will always be conceived before Father's twenty-fourth birthday. Regardless of circumstances, it will happen, without fail."

My brain is sluggishly processing this outcome. Lucina was once...Chrom did the do with...

"Wha- How- ?" I blurt out like a mad woman, leaping to my feet in shock.

"I'd rather not go over that particular aspect of the past," Lucina admits calmly, picking up her drink. "It was the least favorable of all cycles."

I can't just let that go! So there's another beyond Ginette and I, uh, I mean Robin? "How many-"

Lucina plants the cup down and rebukes me firmly. "What did I just say? I would prefer not to answer."

She's clenching the cup so hard I can hear it rattling against the tabletop. "If it will satisfy your curiosity, I will explain it like so. I described my aunt's death as a persistent factor. If I eradicated one version of her death, another would take its place. Well, if you remove my first mother, another was simply made to take her place. My younger self was born no matter what the circumstances were. A suitable substitute was always there to fill the void left by the last. That's simply how time moved."

Despite my imagination wanting to run wild, I suppress it. This is enough to make my head roll. So at least three women have become her younger self's mother at some point in these cycles? She wasn't kidding when she said certain events always found a way to happen. What could have possibly gone so wrong that...Never mind.

No wonder this girl is so messed up. She doesn't even have anyone to call mother anymore. She's just existing in the void. Now I get why she only ever talks about her father. There's no one else she knows well enough to talk about. And her brother? If you count Ginette's son, let alone another Shepherd's, her potential sibling is always dead no matter what. I want to ask, but I feel like the question is going to bring about too much pain. There's just some things better off left unsaid. She's already mourning the loss of Morgan. Why remind her of what-ifs? That's cruel.

"Damn. Double damn." I pull my chair back in and pick up another cookie. I inspect it carefully, then make a bold move by dunking it in my mead. "I don't know how you do it Lucina. I would have lost my mind cycles ago. The fact that you're still here clinging to life and fighting is remarkable. I can't even find the words for it."

"If there is one thing I did inherit from Robin, it is her stubborn perseverance to win," Lucina remarks pitifully. She notices my new snack and shakes her head. "That is disgusting."

"You wouldn't say that if you ever had hákarl."

Lucina tries to copy the word, rolling it off her tongue in a respective first try. I repeat it for her and she pronounces it again pretty well. She's probably a good linguist. "Do I dare ask what it is?"

"I wouldn't," I chuckle as I take another bite. "I've tasted dishes you'd never even imagine."

I regret steering away the course of conversation, but we need to get back to what matters right now. It's best to avoid the personal things. Clearly she's very scarred over certain topics. I'll have to tread carefully in finding out what I need.

"You know I have to ask the inevitable, right? How this all came to be? I won't have you go over more than needed. I promise," I tell her as I swirl the cookie about in wait for it to grow soggy.

She takes a long sip, better than before. It seems like Lucina is growing accustomed to the mead. She's taking her time to answer however.

"What is it?" I question her gently.

She plays with the mug, pushing it back and forth with her thumbs. Lucina speaks with a genuine softness I'm not used to. This really is the princess at her most vulnerable. "I didn't expect this conversation to go as it has. You've been civil with me, considering what you've gone through."

"I-"

She raises a hand to stop me. "No. I owe you as much. You have been nothing but kind and patient to me. A true friend despite everything I have done. I have not been able to trust someone in such a way for so long."

Her tone breaks again, seeping with regret. "I had forgotten how rely on others."

Her own conclusion is a punch to the gut. Lucina grimaces at the sound of her own self-loathing and raises her mug again. "I think I shall have a bit more before continuing."

"Just don't get drunk. I'm not the best, but I can hold my own pretty well. You look like you're a lightweight when it comes to drinking," I warn.

She hums in understanding, another mouthful and nothing more.

While she reflects on the taste, or her thoughts, I try to keep the conversation as comfortable as I can for her.

"This has to be painful for you. If you can't continue at any point, then stop. I meant it. Everything is about you, kiddo. So, no rush Luce. Take all the time you need."

She licks a lingering drop off the corner of her mouth, a sad mix between a snort and chuckle coming from her chest. "Morgan was the one who called me that."

I reflect on what I said, a single word standing out. Ah, now it all makes sense. "Luce?"

Lucina pushes the mead aside and rests forward into her palm, blue eyes settling on the window over my shoulder. "It was a pet name he kept since he was just a babe. My name was too long to say, so he would just call me Luce."

"It is funny you started calling me that right from the beginning," she muses. "Another suggestion from my Robin's memories, or pure coincidence? I wonder."

There's no real answer for that one. "I can't say. It just felt right to call you that. It was like second nature."

She sinks deeper into her palm hiding an expression of mild curiosity. "Mm."

The reality of her words is finally settling in. This girl was once Robin's daughter. Morgan's sister. They were siblings and some other version of me birthed them. I've endured my share of jokes with my roommate, fondly calling the little pixelized versions of them my 'children.' But to actually think...

"I still can't believe she was your mother."

A sharp glance my way matches the hitch in her voice. "It was the truth, once."

I rub my temples in an attempt to clear the fog in my brain. "I know. I'm just trying to wrap my head around the idea." I laugh out loud. "There were two of you."

"Yes. There was."

I slump forward again, taking nice deep breaths to keep focused. "I hope there were a couple years apart between you both. I can't imagine giving birth so close together."

That's one thing I am not looking forward to gambling with. Mom always said twins and triplets ran in the family, usually identical. Scarily so. I pray to whatever higher power there is that I do not inherit that trait! Giving birth sounds horrific enough for one child, let alone two or more!

Lucina cast a sympathetic glance my way, though her words are more chastising than comforting. "You would not have had to worry if you just listened to me. It could have been so much simpler for you."

"Ignorance is bliss. That's the quote, right?" I whine in my sleeve. "I should have. You really did want to protect me."

I feel ashamed for pushing Lucina and doubting her motives. It might not have been so in the beginning, but she has come to care about my well being and was just trying to make my stay here as easy as possible. How do you digest such damaging information and still stay neutral to it all? I sure can't.

"Thank you," I find myself murmuring out loud.

"For?" she asks, somewhat surprised by my sudden declaration of gratitude.

"For caring."

I don't need to elaborate. Lucina knows exactly what I mean.

"The future will tell whether I made a mistake or not in doing so," she answers sadly.

I stir just enough for her to hear me clearly. I feel so pathetic right now because I should know what to do. Yet, she's handling this better than I ever could. "Lucina, don't be like that, please."

"I can't be the same exact woman who was your mother. I never will be, we're two separate people. But I can try to be something close to...to whatever you feel comfortable with me being. Excuse the sappiness, but I feel like we've grown very close. I wouldn't be asking these questions if I wasn't trying to do what's best for your future."

Lucina grows a little colder, matching the light breeze that whistles in and draws goosebumps on my arms. "Do not do what is best for me. Do what is best for the me that is yet to come. The Lucina that is yet to be born is the one who will inherit the new future."

"You matter just as much as the future, er, past you. I won't accept that. No human being deserves to go through what you had and not have a happy ending!"

Instead of growing angry, Lucina utters her logic as stoically as a prisoner facing her execution. She's a woman completely accepting of her fate.

"What do I have to go back to, Robin? A return to my world was never assured. That was the risk. We went back in time, but there was no certainty we'd ever return to the future we left. As far as my identity goes, I am a paradox. I do not belong. I will do only more harm than good if I try to maintain a permanent place in this world."

I gawk. "Naga can't...?"

"I cannot even commune regularly with Naga anymore, let alone rely on her power to bring us home," Lucina admits.

I find myself leaping to my feet, hands pressed to the table as I lean forward. "There has to be a way. If Robin can rewind time, then there's got to be a way to go forward!"

Lucina narrows her eyes in annoyance. "Haven't we toyed with these forces enough? The damage is barely repairable. Do not make it worse that it already has become."

"You're stuck here, just like I am." I repeat my thoughts aloud, realizing how similar both of us have become. "Two people masquerading about in a time that isn't theirs."

"You can still go home," she tells me.

Once, I would have readily agreed. Given what I know now...

"Can I?" I laugh shakily. The thought of me leaving seems like a joke now. A cruel one. "Should I?"

Lucina returns to avoiding my gaze. My image seems to give her grief and I can guess why. "That is up to you."

"But if things need to go back to how they were originally then-"

She interrupts my protest with her own argument. "We are beyond that, Robin. Too much has been done. We must adapt now and guide the straying path back to where it can."

I disagree. I want to give you back what was stolen, Lucina! I just don't know how.

Let's settle it then.

I harden my resolve best I can. There's no backing out of this now. For Lucina's sake, I'll face whatever needs to be said. I'd never imagine myself doing such a thing in the past, let alone for someone else. Here I am though, facing my fears for one girl and the phantoms haunting her past. Seems I'm full of surprises.

I force out my voice even though everything inside of me is saying not to. "What happened Lucina? Start from the beginning again. Tell me the part of the story I'm missing. I can't help guide this path back if I don't know the mistakes made in getting there."

Lucina has known for some time what was coming. She's better prepared for it than I. All the same, she looks tired, and there are far more shadows in her eyes than someone her age should have.

"I told you where it began," she begins, low and weary. "The choice in the final battle against Grima is exactly as you said. Robin was given the choice to let my father strike the beast and bind it to another thousand year sleep, or sacrifice herself to end Grima's existence forever. She chose the latter."

So far, so good. "And then?"

"My father asked her what she planned." Here, she pauses. A ghost of a smile plays on her lips."She admitted to him everything because that was how they were. No secrets were ever kept between them."

"He played along, pretending to let her do as she wished. In the final battle, before that last strike was dealt, he had her restrained." She bows her head, face hidden behind her hair. Every word added has a quiver to it. "My father decided the life of his wife was more important than Grima's. He was confident they could find a way to handle Grima in the many years they had ahead of themselves."

"Robin felt betrayed, that I know. She was the practical one of the two. The world was not worth the life of one woman." Lucina grows weaker in volume, shrinking into herself over the next few sentences. "This was a choice given to her alone and my father took that from her. She was furious. She couldn't understand why he would choose to let Grima remain."

"The truth was his love was too great for her."

She raises her face and I see some small ounce of love she once had for the woman of my namesake.

"My father always said life would stop without her. She was not just a wife, she was a partner. A second half to his soul. He only felt truly complete when beside her. Losing her after all he had struggled through would have broken him."

My heart constricts comparing my own relationship to Robin's. Couldn't I say something similar? If someone asked me how to describe my relationship with Chrom, I would have a hard time doing so. It's quite bizarre to feel something so strong yet not be able to put it to words. I've never worked with someone I fit so well with. Even when we argue, it's like I'm still comfortable with him. It hurts ten times more, but I know it's because he's doing it with my best interests in mind. He makes these otherwise unbearable events manageable. I don't know where I would be without him.

Lucina continues with a shaky breath. It's taking a lot in her to keep together. "What...what Father did not take into account was the fallout of his decision. Grima was not dead, only sleeping. The Grimleal still remained, small as they were, because of that fact. Their broken spirits thrived because of this sliver of hope. I would say it made them even more fanatical, searching out every way they could to reverse the damage done. "

In a rare action on her part, Lucina reaches over and gently touches the top of my marked hand. "After all, the perfect vessel still remained. All the Grimleal had to do was reawaken Grima's soul again and offer up Robin in exchange."

It makes sense now. "If Robin had destroyed Grima together with herself, there would be no Grimleal. The dragon's utter extinction would have caused the cult to collapse."

"Yes, but that did not happen. Grima was not destroyed and the remnants of the dragon's cult thrived. They grew stronger on the dissatisfaction the populace of Plegia faced in the collapse of their economy following so many wars. The Grimleal recruited and became powerful."

Lucina flinches visibly facing some dark memory. She struggles to continue. "Powerful enough to stage a coup one night."

"They tried to kidnap Robin?" I guess. It proves to be a correct one.

"Yes. However, they failed because she was too strong to handle. Robin did not survive three wars on luck alone."

Lucina's fists clench together. I give her a moment to gather her thoughts. Whatever she has to say is distressing enough to cause her to rise from her seat. She turns away to face the corner, biting the top of her tumb through her glove.

"Lucina?"

She fights back a sob. "They could not have the original vessel, so they went to the next best thing. You see, most of the new Grimleal were young initiates not fully trained in the verses of Validar. Much of their cult had burned in the initial war or were razed by the Ylissean army in the aftermath. They could only scrape together pieces of the old rites. These new initiates assumed the mark and all its potential would pass down genetically now that it had awakened."

Lucina touches the corner of her branded eye. "Just like the mark of the Exalt."

"It doesn't though," I answer. "It took decades of selective breeding and purifying of the blood for Robin to bear this mark. You dad's blood should have negated that and saved you both."

"I'm...surprised you know even that much. Our history and practices must have fallen to the wayside for such sacred knowledge to be so readily available," she admits in surprise. "You are correct, though. It didn't for Morgan and I. The Grimleal assumed otherwise."

I can feel it even before I see or hear anything. The dread was palpable. Whatever she was about to say next was going to be bad. This conversation has only been going in one direction and I think I'm about to find out the conclusion of it. If the Grimleal assumed Robin's children could also be vessels if she would not then...

"Oh no."

Lucina closes her eyes, hiding behind both hands. Her story ends in a heartbreaking fashion forced out between strangled gasps. "They attacked Morgan, my younger self, and I one afternoon. I was able to escape but Morgan...Morgan allowed himself to be taken to save child Lucina. I couldn't...I...They thought he could be a vessel, just as Mother was. He wasn't. He wasn't..."

I stand up, torn between rushing to her side and staying rooted to the spot, blood chilling at the horror of her words.

"They forced him through a ritual," she whispers hoarsely. "It failed."

I've lost my voice. All I can hear between us is the thundering of my own heart in my head. I didn't realize it before, but I've broken into a cold sweat. Even through my sleeves, I feel like an iceberg is sliding up and down across my skin. The specters of the past are swirling around us, haunting this poor girl. Something in my brain throbs.

God. Morgan... I feel nauseous all of the sudden.

Lucina stares into the palms of both shaking hands, utterly devastated.

"Do you know what he looked like when we found him? My brother...the boy I raised since infancy...He was..."

I-

My feet move my body forward. I have aim to comfort the trembling girl before me. When I reach out, I stop. I find myself holding back, afraid to touch her lest I break her fragile frame.

Whether she knows I'm there or not, she continues her long, mournful exposition.

A small laugh bubbles up out of her, releasing in a hysterical fit."So fanatical were they that the first failure did not phase them. They tried again! Can you imagine?"

"It was a risky gambit to kidnap Robin and any who may have her blood. It was all or nothing. So many died in the ambush. The Grimleal practically threw themselves in a suicidal fashion against our forces on a diplomatic trip to Regna Ferox. They almost caught her too. She was gravelly wounded in the fight. So badly. It..." Lucina draws a long shuddering breath. She holds on to the dresser next to her to stabilize her. "She was...It was going to be a surprise. She would have announced it when we returned to the capital."

"She was...she was pregnant at the time."

My stomach drops out. I shut my eyes and swallow back the bile threatening to come up. I never thought you could get dizzy from your own fear, but it's true.

"Good God," I murmur in disbelief. "Don't tell me she..."

Her silent nod is the answer to my unspoken question. The world sways and I feel sick. "The wound was large, deep. It affected her in more ways than one. Robin could not conceive after that. The Grimleal took away her ability to have children. To have Morgan. He was gone forever, past and future."

She lets slip a dark laugh. "Perhaps that was the exchange. My mother could live but another would have to die in her place. As you can tell by now, the natural order does not enjoy being cheated. My mother could enjoy her life but she would have to sacrifice something for it."

I step back and retire to my chair as Lucina continues on, oblivious to me in her nightmares.

"If there is a true point Robin began to slip into darkness, it was there. She blamed Father for everything. The Grimleal would not even exist if he had just let her destroy Grima for good. At least she had a chance of coming back. At least Morgan would be alive in some form. Now he was gone for good and her life would forever be one lived with her searching shadows for the son she lost."

"To Robin," she finally concludes, "he had ruined everything because of his selfishness. And they paid the ultimate price. Her life for their child's."

I struggle to speak, the sting of her revelations still a slap to the face. "That's why she started over. She wanted to save Morgan?"

"Yes."

"So she found a way to rip apart time and go back herself. Goddamn. How...how did she do it?"

Lucina picks a book off the dresser and flips through several pages before it snaps shut with a loud thump. "Grima's Grimoire."

Despite never touching the cursed thing in my life, I can conjure up a perfect image of it. The purple tome sits in between my hands, the velvet cover crushed in some areas. Dark specks litter the cover, a combination of blood and grime that coated it when retrieved from the wreckage. Even now, the golden engraving of those fearsome eyes calls to me. It hums in tune with my blood and coaxes me with a lullaby of familiarity. This is a part of me in ways I do not wish it to be. This tome is a bastion of magic that can supersede even Naga's. The oldest and most ancient of powers to help me do what must be done. Though I have never touched it before, all other options have failed. I must turn to-

"Dark magic," I say aloud, my predecessor's memory fresh in my mind. It's intense, leaving me in a haze between reality and illusion.

"The darkest there is," Lucina agrees, assuming my comment an innocent guess. "The grimoire was retrieved from Validar's body after the final battle and stored away in the deepest vault the castle had, located in the archives of the library."

I glance up sharply and the world blurs around her. For a moment, the room expands and flashes into a vast, darkened vault lined with rows of shelves housing ancient relics. Locked in the back is a nondescript oak chest. Tucked away in darkness on a bottom shelf, none would give the featureless box a second glance compared to the gaudy wonders around it. I blink and try to focus.

Lucina sets down the book but is unable to leave it just yet. "Robin spent so many hours in that dark room, pouring over the scripts for some way to save Morgan. All other magic failed her, you see. Her last hope was that of darkness, the one domain she never touched for fear of inciting her fell blood. Time travel was not her original plan, but one she discovered over her research."

An odd sensation plays up my right arm, swirling in an invisible vortex up toward my hand. It's indescribable. Powerful. Slippery and cold, yet still burning. I turn my palm up and blink twice in surprise, a pop of purple and black light playing up another memory from somewhere else.

"She was desperate enough to use her own father's magic to achieve her goal," Lucina speaks in great regret. "I never thought she would go so far. We were all grieving. She was not alone in this."

Despite it all, something about her words doesn't sit well with me. An old memory from one of my first days in court comes back to me, one where Robin was in a similar position feeling judged and alone. Her emotions were so raw and dejected. It was the impression of someone on the outside looking in. Those nobles whispering behind her back and Robin's frustrated thoughts. Anger at the fact that she had done so much and received nothing but scorn. That anger built as she held it inside behind a mask of obliviousness for the sake of what little reputation she had left.

Now I understand the strange feeling that persisted all the way through the dream. The empty, soulless pit it left in my chest before I snapped awake from the fall.

"She felt alone. Abandoned," I murmur out loud at the shock of the realization.

Lucina tilts her head in question, looking surprised by my statement.

I explain to her the memory I had. It gave this overwhelming urges of disdain and hopelessness in regards to her relationship and view of the court. She wasn't happy. The people didn't look happy with her either.

I can see from Lucina's face my observation has some weight to it, so I dare to ask further. "I'm right, aren't I? Something happened between her and the court, didn't it?"

"Robin's memories again? I've never encountered anything like this before. Memory transferals to such an extreme are unheard of. You should not have access to such deep thoughts. How is that possible?" Lucina wonders out loud.

"You're changing the topic Lucina. We can worry about that mystery later," I warn. "I want to know about this first."

Lucina returns to her seat, collapsing into it with the weight of the world seemingly on her shoulders. "What do you believe would happen to you if word reached the outside world that you were the daughter of Validar. That your existence was orchestrated solely to rebirth the coming of one of this world's greatest evils?"

The corner of my mouth raises slightly. "I imagine quite a few of the nobility would take me off the guest list of these parties they've been inviting me to recently."

Lucina ignores my quip entirely and somberly continues. "It was hard to hide the truth after the final battle with Grima. There were already suspicions circling about. It was impossible to cover up after my brother's death. The Grimleal's intents were clear as day. News began to spread about her unique brand. The court is not full of dim-witted fools. They are a smart lot and were able to tie the pieces together."

"The court turned on her?" I guess.

"Mostly out of fear. Some did for their own advantage. It was well known how little the Exalt and his consort had in terms of contact following that last attack. When her condition became common knowledge, lesser families began to plot her removal from the royal family. After all, how useful would she be when she could no longer beget any heirs for the family?"

"She was the royal tactician, wasn't she? I'm pretty damn sure she had other uses besides her lady parts!" I argue feeling slightly insulted for my other half's sense of worth, as well as my own.

"They could easily counter that with the argument that Ylisse was no longer at war. Her position no longer held the importance it did," Lucina utters with equal disgust. Even with her own issues concerning Robin, the princess could not argue the woman's exceptional talents. "I wholly disagree with them, but it is a point they used nonetheless. Whatever they could to justify removing her to place one of their daughters in her role. You will learn how fickle and capricious the court can be."

"But...I meant what I said. She had us all there to support her. Her family and all the Shepherds understood her pain. She pushed us away but we never went anywhere." Lucina rubs the corner of her eye, voice wavering. "I guess we did not try hard enough."

"I'm sure you did all you could," I say in an attempt to comfort her, but she doesn't take it.

"Did I?" she suddenly shouts, eyes flaring with emotion. "Father did not know what to do and neither did I. We did little, choosing to give her space in hopes time would help heal her grief. Instead, she saw it as us abandoning her. She did not recover in her time alone. The grief twisted her and warped her sadness into madness."

The anger flares up again and I can only watch in mute helplessness. Lucina hides her face behind the back of her palm, the other hand closing to a fist and smashing into the table top. The force causes the settings to bounce and clatter. "She reset everything and it took three years to track her down! She refused to join the Shepherds and went her own way. She didn't even realize I still remembered the past, unlike everyone else. Not until I finally confronted her."

She sucks in air between her teeth, shuddering in her struggle to stay calm. "I found her working for a resistance group in Plegia. She was orchestrating a continued effort toward the country's demise from the shadows. Revenge for all it had caused her in the beginning. Even looking at her then, I could see something about her wasn't right. I should have known. I should have seen what was happening."

She takes a deep breath and recollects herself. "I came to this woman, calling her Mother. I begged for her. Pleaded as a daughter would. I wanted our family back, our future. I tried to remind her what we had achieved before. I promised we could find a way to do it together if she would just stop what she was doing and come back."

Lucina's eyes dart to me. My face gives her a perfect recollection of their conversation. Her expression is empty. So empty.

"Robin laughed at me and wanted to know what I could aid her in. She told me she had already achieved what she wanted and there was nothing else she needed. Time had reversed and so had all that had been taken from her. She aimed to make things stay the way they were. That she would carefully avoid the mistakes of the past and preserve what she could. Then she stepped aside and showed me the cradle in the corner of the room she was working in."

"A...a cradle?" I choke. "You're joking. She-?"

"Inside was an infant boy. His name was also Morgan, but his hair was no longer blue. He was another man's son and not my brother she told me." A high, hysterical laugh slips from Lucina. "And I wasn't her daughter any longer. She had already seen my birth happen, you see. That life was over. Then she told me to leave."

A tear falls, then another. "She told me I was just like my father after I had chosen to side with him. She could not even stand to look at me without seeing everything she despised. She was better off not being my mother."

What was once funny becomes mortifying as her laughter turns into a whisper. "And Father? Father had gone on to found his own family, in no way similar to what I remembered! I had left watching over the Shepherds after the first war ended in good faith to focus my efforts on finding Robin. In that time, unbeknownst to I, he had quickly given into his advisers' demands for the need of an heir. A Lucina was born, but she would not share the history I remember. My past was rewritten. Everything was wrong! Everything!"

It comes out. Every last bit of what she had been holding back comes spilling out in a long, breathy exhale of misery. Lucina collapses into herself, mumbling 'wrong!" and 'my fault!" over and over again from behind her knees as she buries her face in them.

"I...I...," I mutter to myself helplessly. "Oh God."

From here, I move automatically. My human instincts kick in and do everything for me. The need to be emotionally supportive and comfort a hurting soul causes me to immediately go to her side.

"The woman was crazy," I say louder, reaching out to rub her back. "She was wrong. She didn't know what she was saying. Obviously that magic screwed her up. That's one of the risks of handling dark magic, let alone the type that belonged to a malevolent dragon. This isn't your fault. Hell, you're the last person I would even think to blame for any of this. Robin was just so, so wrong."

If someone had stuck a knife in me and gutted out my insides while I was still alive, I imagine how I feel right now would accurately describe the experience. I figured it would be bad, but I never imagined the amount of mental abuse she endured. She's gone through all of this alone while watching friends disappear and her whole existence change. The fact that she'd didn't crack like her mother is a testament to how much stronger she really is. Even still, Lucina is only human. She's been surviving on willpower alone, shutting down all her emotions over time to cope.

And here I was bumbling in asking her to open up and explain everything like it was no big deal.

I had no clue.

Despite everything, something in me says I can't blame Robin fully either. Yeah, it's a cheap thing to say. She's accountable for all of this, don't get me wrong. If she needs to go rot in some cosmic prison cell for decades to amend for all this damage she's done, then so be it. But I can't help but pity her. Her life came crashing down around her in so many ways. She lost her son in both past and future forms, was hunted and denied peace of mind because of Grima's existence, and was ostracized by her fellow humans for it.

Maybe it's my bizarre connection to Robin, but a small sliver of me understands how she slipped under. This sad, sinking feeling of lonliness closing in. It's like drowning. Consciousness slowing fading as darkness presses in from all sides. Struggling to breath but your lungs are already full and crushing under the immense weight of it all.

I keeping repeating phrases of sympathy to her even after they all start to sound mechanical. I'm trying to make up for cycles worth of support she's been denied. She doesn't react, continuing to remain curled up on the floor with nothing to say. Eventually, I stop. Perhaps the last the person to even be telling her such things is the mirror image of the one who started it all.

I cross my legs under me and sit equally silent beside her. The floor becomes infinitely more interesting and I take my time tracing the grout between each stone. This really is a crap situation and I don't know how to fix it. I'm lost. Sadly, so is the girl next to me.

"Do you want me go?" I finally ask.

Her clothing rustles lightly, her face turning just enough to look down on me. "No."

"Alright."

We return to silence for another period of time. It takes forever for my courage to return to even allow me to talk again.

"This is a lot to relive Lucina. I think I've put you through enough. I was expecting...I didn't think it was this bad. I mean, I knew it would be harsh but to think..."

"The story isn't over yet," she whispers, reminding me of the unheard parts I've come to dread hearing.

"I know."

She struggles to raise her head, resting her chin over her folded elbows. "I-I must finish this today, for I do not think I will have the heart to do so again."

"Whatever you want," I say gently. "I guess my question then is, why did she keep going if she managed to have Morgan again. The cycles kept continuing."

"Do your strange memories have anything to say about it?" Lucina asks, eying me strangely.

"I don't have control over them. I can't just whip up a memory on whim," I explain. I'm rather glad I can't. Other Robin's memories might have made me insane! That's too much grief for me.

Lucina tucks her face in so only her nose and eyes show. "We did not make it to the war with Valm before he died again."

Shit.

"It was Plegian loyalists this time. You see, Grima was brought back just as everyone else had and the only path to the monster was pursuing the same route she knew best. Robin's happiness and Morgan's future depended on destroying Grima, so she did what she had to in order to draw out the Grimleal. That meant destroying every aspect of Gangrel's leftover lineage so Validar would assume the throne faster and come out from hiding. I don't know what her plan would have been, but she was crafting something to ensure her new life was free of every past action that affected it."

"The loyalists who remained were crafty, however. They wanted their own revenge and eventually captured several members of her group who they tortured for information. They discovered Robin's identity and that of the other leaders who helped orchestrate so much of their downfall. Then, they struck at the rebellion's leaders in the lowest of fashions. In the same way they had destroyed the loyalists' lives, the rebellion's would also end. So, they went after the families. Before Robin or any of the others could return, blood had been spilled."

I feel my heart get stabbed again, this time with a corkscrew. "Morgan was once again an innocent casualty at her expense?"

"Yes," Lucina admits.

"Was his father as well?" I ask in both anxiousness and dread.

"If there was a father, I would assume so," she explains. "However, I saw no man at Robin's side in any cycles, so I assume he was no fighter or she simply sought a way to get with child before moving on."

I have half a mind to ask if Lucina has any ideas. Would Robin seek out a unrecruited member of the Shepherds perhaps? Familiarity would at least assure she had found a good father figure for her son. God, I still can't even get over the fact that she wasn't scarred somehow in losing Lucina to another woman. Your kid is your kid, regardless of how pissed off you are at the other partner!

Lucina only knows one side of the story though. I want to know what was going through Robin's head? That's where the real truth lies. I don't trust the words coming from her mouth, someone so crafty they could probably dupe death itself. Could she really have meant something so distressing. Did she believe the words she said?

The idea bothers me greatly, burrowing into the corner of my mind as I struggle to return attention to Lucina's words as she continues.

"I was not even aware of what occurred until time looped about like before. Robin had dropped everything in desperation and spun her magic once more. We returned to the beginning yet again, and I was alone."

She twists her wrist about showcasing the world around us. "Here is where we begun the true descent to the point we sit at today. In regards to time, this was her second try and the fourth cycle. As before, when my father and the others set forth to aid Southtown upon their first meeting, she fled. This time, she did not interact with the Shepherds or the war. Robin removed herself completely from this story to hide in shadows and plot Grima's death by her own hands. She had no bearing upon the Plegian war or any events thereafter. Little did I know how much worse doing so would be."

"I think I know where this is going," I grimly mutter under my breath.

Lucina reaches into the folds of her cloak, extracting her mask once more. She holds one half between her fingers and caresses the broken edge with her thumb. "The first signs of her betrayal made their repercussions known. You see, by removing herself from the Shepherds, the Ylissean forces did not have her masterful tactics to back them. They often made more mistakes or missed crucial warnings during their planning. In doing so, casualties were created. The past cycle, one Shepherd suffered a loss in the Plegian war."

I take a much needed drink, the flavor turning sour in my mouth as I utter her name. "Maribelle."

"Yes." Lucina pulls out the other piece and places both halves on the table. She pushes them together to form a complete mask. I feel like she's talking to it more than I as she remembers her lost friends. "The other children and myself were horrified at what had happened to Lady Maribelle. We were worried for Brady. Yet, I found hope for Lady Maribelle's survival as Robin had reset time once again. It was proven that the departed always returned to life with every return we did."

"What I did not yet know was that Robin's presence was a safeguard for all their lives. When she left, a far ranging ripple effect was created. Lady Maribelle would now fall victim to an oversight in planning early on in the campaign. It was unavoidable with Robin not there to foresee the error. And now that she had abandoned the wars even as an outside influence, more dangers hounded the army than ever before. Every little impact Robin created toward the future was now gone come this new cycle. History had begun to rewrite itself again."

"Her death affected at least one life," I say bitterly, thinking of Brady's missing place among Lucina's friends.

"Yes, but not just for Brady," Lucina corrects me. "Afterward, Lady Maribelle's loss spread throughout the war's events like wildfire. Lady Maribelle is a gifted healer and one who stood at the front lines. She is also one of the few to be had in the Shepherds. She saved may lives in her time, often bringing key figures back from the brink of death. Now that she was gone, like Robin, other lives were affected by it. The war raged longer and more loss was suffered."

She pauses, searching to explain in the most accurate way. "Every one of her actions had a reaction. By saving the life of one person, she ensured they lived another day. That extra day allowed her patient to move about and create their own reactions. From those, even more. Every Shepherd had at some moment influenced another life in some way."

"For example, Lady Maribelle would have healed Lady Cordelia's severely injured arm during one battle. Without her, the arm was never healed and Lady Cordelia would forever ride without the full use of her strength. This prevented her from properly throwing a javelin that would save Lady Sumia in the future during an ambush. Without Lady Sumia, she would no longer be available to serve as the flier who would deliver an emergency warning to the scouting group Sir Stahl and Dame Sully were involved in. One that also took their lives."

Lucina stops to let me absorb everything. Robin set off a domino effect that ended up destroying the Shepherds in ways we could never have fathomed. It shows how vital every member truly is. Every Shepherd was connected to their comrades with all our survival entwined deeply together.

"Robin was right in a way. We all are bound together by some sort of invisible ties," I smile sadly.

Lucina returns the gesture. "Yes, the evidence before you does not lie. Only a few of us children remain, a testament to our losses."

"Did you ever get to see Morgan again?" I ask hesitantly.

"A few times, but never in later cycles," Lucina smiles sadly. "I only saw him from far away. Robin always found him before I could, so no words were exchanged. I never had the heart to follow. I was afraid of what he might say or remember after witnessing Owain and the others start to lose memories of the rest. I lost a mother. I could not bear to lose a brother as well. Twas better to believe him dead than..."

She squeezes her eyes shut. "Than having never been born as my brother at all."

I awkwardly attempt to pat her head in condolence, only to realize how juvenile that might make her feel. I gingerly extract my hand. "Sorry."

She offers the first true smile of positive feelings, small as it was. My pathetic attempt to console her seems to have amused her at least slightly. "You have no reason to apologize. You are not the cause of this."

It flits away as quickly as it came. Her subject matter sobering the mood once more. "But to answer your question, Robin simply could not protect Morgan. Whatever it was that kept my brother alive for as long as he did, her efforts alone were not it. Much like my aunt, something continued to occur to cause Morgan to..."

Die. He continued to die, much like my heart is with each passing second.

"Perhaps it was fate's way of punishing her for doing as she pleased," I suggest, regretting my own morbid thoughts.

"I do not know why Robin. I truly don't. Why punish Morgan when he was but a simple innocent in all of this?" Lucina folds her arms over her chest, glaring angrily. "If that is how justice is to be served then I disagree with it."

The anger fades and Lucina once again becomes dull and tired. I'm not sure I could make enough cookies in the world to turn that frown of hers upside down.

"By then, she had changed completely. Her actions were cruel and secretive. She stopped speaking at all and moved through shadows pursuing a hidden agenda I could no longer understand. I tried to speak of Morgan, the only common ground we still shared, but I received silence. Sometimes it seemed like she had made progress and he would live longer, only to still die in the end. Nothing worked. Perhaps that is why she also chose to stop seeking Morgan's elder form out, or maybe he simply ceased to exist like the rest with his premature demise. I had no heart to find out the truth."

"We always danced around each other. Naga was growing weak. Her powers were draining each time she attempted to protect me from the time shift. Perhaps without that protection, the affects of such powerful magic were what began to alter Robin. But soon, each new cycle became a new chase. One that ended the same every time. There was no guessing when she would reset. All I could do each cycle was attempt to track her down. I began to hunt my own mother down in hopes of ending this nightmare once and for all. I just wanted to give Morgan peace."

She averts her eyes to hide the shame of her actions from showing through. "So much had been destroyed in her wake. I cannot explain the change in her actions aside from insanity finally consuming her. She was no longer reachable."

Did the grimoire's magic corrupt her beyond all hope? Was seeing the affects of her actions destroying lives driving her crazy with guilt? Again, no one knows but the woman herself. Unless some memory springs on me, I can't answer it.

There is one thing that has been bothering me though. My thoughts drift to the mark on my hand.

"And through all of this, there was no change in Grima's actions?"

Lucina startles at my abrupt questioning, then grows thoughtful. "Yes. The Hierophant, as Grima was called in human form, would always remain somewhere in Plegia to wait for the final ritual to be performed. It was made abundantly clear Grima was weak upon reentering our world and made no actions while recuperating in that time. Validar was Grima's protector and pursued all actions on his god's behalf. There was no inclination of reason to fear Grima acting outside of what was to be expected after all the cycles that passed. Robin never allowed any cycle to reach the culmination of Grima's rise so I had learned not to fear the dragon's interference."

Lucina flinches. "Not until last cycle."

If Grima remained constricted through every time line thus far, why was the last so different? More questions among the answers! This is insane. I'm not sure I have anything left in me to think about it anymore. I feel emotionally and physically drained. My brain is sludge.

I fall back on the floor and stare blankly at the ceiling. "This is a lot of information to process."

"As much as it is to remember," Lucina sarcastically comments beside me.

That's the absolute truth. I have experienced information overload. I could ask a million more questions and plot a thousand theories, but it's all one big mess in my mind. I need time away to sort this out. There are elements to this that have filled in missing pieces and created new holes. Several things are bothering me and I need to get them on paper and tear into the facts before I even start to debate this with Lucina. That's not accounting the time of day it is. We've spend a very long time here and supper will be soon. Someone is going to get suspicious the longer we both remain missing. Frederick alone is going to be wondering where I've been when I've got paperwork stacked up to the ceiling.

What's most important is that I have a new understanding of Other Robin. I could go so far as to say the same thing about Lucina. And Chrom too.

I have a lot to think about. This might take some time. I still need to digest it all. I just can't believe some of what I heard. Others make total sense. I rest my hands over my stomach, toes tapping together in rhythm with my heart beat. "So that's it, the main idea behind, well, everything."

"In a broad sense." Lucina finally unfolds, choosing to sit cross-legged beside me. She's pale and looks drained from the conversation. "There are plenty of things I summarized for the sake of time and my sanity. It was taxing to remember."

"I'm going to need some time to think on this," I warn her. Lucina makes no move to push me further understanding completely. I can't help but feel for her. Poor kid. I hate having put her through this.

I clear my throat, trying not to embarrass her too much or stifle her with sympathy. "Thank you for telling me. This was so hard to go over again. If I had known how bad it was, I would never have asked."

"I did not believe it would effect me as bad as it did," she answers. "I thought I had moved past any feelings of kinship with her."

"Your memories. Have you..." She stops, unsure whether to proceed. It takes a large amount of courage to ask her question. Once again, she avoids looking at me. "Were there any memories at all you encountered that, perhaps, showed...Was there any part of her that still cared?"

I inwardly groan, closing both eyes. "I don't know. I didn't experience anything like that. The only thing I really caught once was her watching you with your dad. It wasn't a bad memory, but it didn't reveal anything I felt about her relationship with you. Just how happy Chrom was for having you as a daughter."

"I see."

I lean up on my elbows to avoid the pain forming in my back from laying on the floor. "Try not to dwell on it until we find the real answer behind everything. Seems like there's still a part of this mystery left to solve."

"If we ever do," Lucina reminds me. "You forget, your previous self seems to have disappeared and left you in her place."

"On the bright side, Maribelle is alive again which means that should undo the tragedy behind the Shepherds! So at least me being here did some good," I point out back to her.

"Perhaps. What happens to Brady is yet to be seen. The future is still unsure in some ways as to how this will affect us. However, I will admit that you have been helpful in more ways than I can count. I am eternally grateful," Lucina admits in a blunt honesty I wasn't expecting. It warms me up inside.

"A genuine compliment. Those are about as rare as Frederick's!" I laugh a little, snatching away at the air before putting the same hand into my coat. "I'll tuck that away to remember."

Lucina snaps her head to the side and throws a disapproving look. Her old self is starting to return with the rise in her attitude toward my own comments. "I have been trying to be more supportive as of late."

She's right. I don't have it in me to poke fun at her given how appreciative I am for that chance. "Far more so than I deserve. I haven't forgotten."

Lucina gives a thankful nod for my cooperation and follows up with a very good question. "What shall we do now?"

"Think, discuss, plan," I say, raising a finger with each point. "I want to go over everything and see what I can come up with. Besides, I doubt you have it in your talk anymore about it today."

"I...yes. You would be correct. I would like some time alone myself."

I stretch out both arms before getting on both knees. "Waiting a day or two won't kill us. We're safe here for now. It's not like we have anywhere to go until youf aunt and Flavia get here anyway."

We both rise off the ground and I make an immediate jump for my mug. Downing the last of it, I go for a refill only to find the pitcher empty. Drat!

"Robin," Lucina quietly calls behind me. "May I ask a personal question?"

Her meekness surprises me, causing me to turn around. "Go ahead."

"What do you plan to do now that you know about Morgan?" She looks down at my hand, then to my face. "About my father?"

I freeze.

"Um."

This is not something I have an answer to. Not in the slightest!

"I'm not going to lie, it's still pretty weird," I meekly reply. I rub the tip of my nose with my thumb, unsure what would satisfy her or myself as an answer.

"I really have no idea. What would you have me do?" I ask, turning it over to her. "This is your future."

She narrows her eyes slightly in disappointment, chiding me. "I told you, it matters little to my present self."

"Fine," I ask again with a roll of my eyes, "what do you want for the younger you?"

This also catches her off guard. It causes us both to shift awkwardly about with indecision over a frankly bizarre topic I don't know how to pursue. Any answer will change the relationship between us infinitely. I like where we are. This is a good place. We're have a mutual respect and partnership. I don't want to lose it after working so hard to get here.

"I...also do not know," she murmurs in uncertainty. That quickly changes to something more confident. "What I do know is that I want my father to be happy."

I try to take the easy route and throw a bunch of ambiguous answers together in hopes to bide time. "We can do something about it or do absolutely nothing at all and let time run its course. I'm sure he's capable of making his own decisions when the time comes without us intervening."

I take her silence as an answer to the conversation's end. I contently begin to gather up the empty dishes, unaware Lucina was far from done. Her question hits me in the back of the head like a brick.

"Out of curiosity, how do you view my father?"

The pitcher in my hands falls from my hands onto the table beneath filling the air with a metallic clang that matches the large thump against my ribcage. I turn too quickly, voice squeaking in protest.

"Excuse me?"

" 'tis an innocent enough question. How do you feel about him?" Lucina gingerly says again in a fashion no different than before. She asks like this isn't the most inappropriate question to throw out after everything we just spoke of!

"You know how what I think about him," I comment vaguely hoping that will suffice. She watches me expectantly, that emotionless mask of hers hiding her inner thoughts. I inwardly curse her well-crafted restraint.

I pick up the pitcher and tuck it under my arm before returning to gather the mugs. I turn my back to her to hide from her gaze. It's easier to talk when I'm not aware she might be judging me.

"What do you think? He's fine." That's the safest answer I can offer. Effective yet devoid of anything too strong.

She waits to see if I have anything else to say, which I don't. Lucina still has her arms crossed. She leans back on one leg, staring into me as if searching out my soul. I can feel her gaze locked intently on my back as I bustle back and forth collecting things.

"That's it?" she finally states.

I halt mid-step. That was a poor choice. Now I look like I have to say something else. Is it getting hot in here or is it because of the attention suddenly on me?

"What do you mean?" I ask even weaker than before. "Is there something else I'm suppose to say? He's a nice guy and a good friend. I value him as a comrade."

Lucina considers me a bit longer before turning to grab the last plate off the table. She joins me at the dresser where I've collected the rest of our dirty dishes on a tray to take away. While I wipe off the side of the pitcher, she stacks the plates together. I'm allowed a breath of peaceful silence before she speaks again.

"I expected something else from you besides nice or fine." She sighs sadly into her opposite shoulder. Lucina sounds very disappointed. "I thought you had a higher opinion of him."

"P-pardon?" I stutter. "I do! I value Chrom more than I think anyone in my whole life, and that's saying a lot."

She seems a little forlorn, picking at some hardened crumbs stuck to the top of the plate with her fingernail. "Yet you seem to give him such little credit when asked."

"Absolutely not!" I startle too loudly once again. I mentally kick myself. "Look, I'm just saying he's a great guy. That's all there is to it."

She flicks an uprooted crumb off the plate toward me. Lucina has grown more disappointed each time I speak. "Why? What's wrong with my father?"

"Nothing! He's a great guy," I exasperate. Where is she going with this? I'm starting to get very flustered with trying to dance around her question.

"I simply would have thought my father deserved more respect. He is more than great, as you so kindly put," Lucina frowns slightly. Her earlier mood has shifted to something different. I feel like she's actually being a bit aggressive to me right now. "If I had asked anyone else, I know they would describe him as heroic, gallant, and charming among other things."

Is she actually giving me a disapproving glare? What the-

"I just find your compliment is a bit insulting, especially coming from one who claims to be his best friend."

What the hell just happened here? Am I hallucinating or something? What is going on with her? My face could fry and egg on it with how embarrassed I feel. God! I'm not trying to upset her! I'm trying to prevent that and I still did anyway. Can't I catch a break with her?

"That's not what I- Of course you're right!" I exasperate, my fingers tearing nervously through my hair. "Chrom is that and many other things! He's also kind, considerate and very handsome. Anyone would be silly not to admire him."

"Yourself included?" she asks firmly.

"Well, yes but-"

Wait.

Lucina rests a hand under her chin, considering me carefully. "I see. So you do have feelings for him."

I'm stuck in the middle of my previous expression, mouth slightly ajar and hands still frozen in their animated pose as I let her little game sink in.

Lucina just played me. Hard.

"What? No! Not really! I- How?" I finally emote properly. I fall against the support of the dresser, leaning back on both hands. "You are a frightening young woman."

Lucina drops her deception and smiles sadly at me. All traces of her former aggression are gone, replaced by her prior melancholy. She places her hands on the edge of the furniture piece and uses it to help her hop up on top of it. Lucina has to reach over quickly to stop a mug from falling off the side from her leap. "I apologize. I did not feel I could ask you outright. I feared you would not give me a straight answer in some attempt to preserve my feelings. And after you learned of my true heritage today, I felt I could ignore it no longer. You clearly did not want to make me worry, but I needed to know if-"

She carefully places the mug upright before drawing both hands into her lap. She stares at them, voice lowering slightly in shyness. "I heard you speaking with my father on the wall the night we set about rescuing him in battle. It was..."

She breathes it out softly as if cursing out a terrible word. "...suggestive."

I actually laugh a bit at the innocence of the gesture. "You think that's me being suggestive? Lucina, please."

The princess leans away from me, eyes opening in disbelief. There goes me not trying to scar her for life.

"Sorry," I ramble quickly. "Forget I said that."

She shakes if off, turning as morose as she had when discussing her brother. "Robin, if you are returning home, you cannot do that anymore."

Unlike before, I know exactly what she's talking about. I stare at the tips of my toes, scratching at an itch on my neck that isn't really there. "I don't- It isn't as bad as you think."

She doesn't say anything, letting me continue to blather on in my defense first. "It was just playful bantering. People do it all the time. Have you ever heard Virion or Gaius? Even Sully can get aggressive once in a while. It's just a thing adults do. Not that you aren't an adult. I'm sure you know what I mean. There's a big difference between really liking someone and being sexully attrac-"

I am doing a great job of achieving the opposite of what I aimed for based on her face. I'm going to shut up now.

Lucina is smart enough to understand the main idea of what I'm trying to say. I expect her to offer some sort of advice on my expense about learning the joys of celibacy. Instead she surprises me again. Contemplating everything I've said up until this point, she delivers a sadly definitive fact, at least in her eyes.

"If you let my father choose his own path, he's going to pick you."

A strangled little gasp chokes out of me. God, she is way too serious to be jerking me around again.

"It has already started, just like it did once before. The siege of Ylisstol helped with that, I fear."

I stare blankly in question as to how in the hell she knows something like this.

"I am his sister, remember?" she says with a knowing tap to her skull. Lucina winds a strand of similarly blue hair around one finger before pulling away to let it fall loose. "There are things he feels safe discussing with his own blood, and I am one of the only people in the world who has a known history with you. He has asked and spoken certain subjects that have made things known to me over time. It is getting hard to ignore."

She's not joking. Son of biscuit...I was hoping...

"With all that's been said, I felt as if I must warn you of this. I do not want to strain your relationship because you both do share an enviable, rare type of bond." Her left hand comes up to pull on the sleeve of my coat, showing off the gift between Chrom and I that proved a physical statement of our bond. "You've made it very clear you wish to return home. A world my father cannot follow you to. Not with the responsibilities he carries. It would be unfair for you both to pursue anything if this is the future you are destined for."

"As I said, I want my father to have happiness," she concludes.

"I haven't thought of that. I've been too busy worrying about you," I admit.

Her hand slips back to her side. She hugs her arms across her chest, sounding less convinced than before of the same point. "I am not going to repeat myself again. What matters for I is irrelevant when faced with those of the past."

I snort through my nose. "No offense, but it matters a ton. If we did get together for some reason, I would end up being the one who has to push you out nine months later. I think that means your opinion is going to be pretty important as I would be the one technically making up half of the genetic material that made you!"

"My what material?"

"The stuff that makes you you!" I blather out in defeat, face and ears starting to boil again. "Look, just let me handle it. I'll think of something."

Gods, I thought Chrom had better tastes than this. I am not royalty material, okay? Far from it. There are way better, far worthier prospects than I. Like Cordelia! Or...or Olivia! Even Ginette is more qualified at this point having run a whole town by herself!

"Perhaps I should have said nothing at all," Lucina remarks tiredly. She slides off the dresser away from me. She looks over her shoulder and speaks apologetically. "I simply want to avoid any further heartache. If this is our last chance, then I wish it to be the happiest outcome it can for all."

I run a hand over my face, sucking in air deeply through my nose before exhaling through my fingers. "Holy shit," I mumble weakly. "Chrom, you stupid idiot. What is the matter with you?"

"Robin." Lucina calls out.

I swallow my frown and put up a far more engaging demeanor. "Yeah Lucina?"

She places a hand on the chair beside her, eyes staring at a brown bird hopping around outside the window. "No, I meant it is a robin. There, on the ledge."

I look a little harder. She's right! The round little avian is a dusty brown with a heavy splash of rusty orange on the front of it. It's thin beak pecks around making little tick sounds across the stone. Yep, it's an actual robin. The same bird my name comes from.

"That's odd," I murmur.

"Or it's luck. These are native to Plegia, though they can be found in the territories close the border, such as Themis," Lucina informs me while slowly approaching it. The bird stops hopping and freezes. It turns one black eye on us. It doesn't flee even as she approaches it. In fact, it hops closer to the outstretched hand she holds out for it. "Such friendly birds. They are very popular given how adjusted they are to humans. They are easy to befriend and said to lead those lost to safety. My aunt Lissa favors them and enjoys hunting out their nests."

Its head cocks about searching for food. When it sees Lucina has none, it turns its feathers on her and resumes its business. I cautiously approach, fascinated at the simple creature.

"We have many stories about the robin. It has a rich history and noble background, despite its simple appearance," she explains. I've come across some while browsing a book, but I haven't really read into it.

"You give yourself too little credit," she says, finally reaching her point. "Like this little bird, there is more to your worth than you seem to realize. If...if you are destined to become someone's mother someday, regardless of who they may be, the child will be lucky indeed."

She's turned my own statement around on me. It's a far more poetic way of acknowledging my worth while attempting to support me in her own way. Hmph. You little brat. I wish I could accurately describe how much I appreciate it. I really, really do.

Instead, I pull her in a one armed hug and muss up her hair with my free hand. It's the first openly affectionate gesture I've attempted with her because I'm not afraid this time. She trusts me and I trust her.

"Don't go getting sappy on me now, kiddo. You're suppose to be the serious one," I tease humorously.

She tries to wiggle away, letting out a rebellious harrumph at the mess I make of her hair. "I will most seriously take to laying you across the floor if you do not cease this at once!"

I concede defeat and step back with hands raised in surrender. It doesn't stop me from laughing at the numerous bunches of hair strands sticking up and about across her skull. She pats furiously at the knots, undoing them with her fingers. I rest both hands on my hips, still smirking while she combs away.

"You know, before I even think of anything like that, I have to get through this ordeal alive."

She pulls a particularly stubborn set of locks free and lets her hand slide cleanly through. Shaking out the rest, she nods resolutely. "Then let us do what must be done to make it so. We have given ourselves a rare chance. We cannot lose it. Not when we've have finally found our hope."

I hold a hand out to her in a gesture of friendship and partnership. "I swear we'll make this right Lucina. Even if I have to tear apart reality and bargain with time itself, I will find a way to give you back a life worth remembering. Just tell me what you want and I'll make it so."

Lucina looks at my hand like I'm offering her the power of the world itself. She's lost intently in the moment, thinking deeply while turning her own hand in front of her. Slowly, she extends it until we clasp our fingers together. The act itself leaves her speechless. I'm sure Lucina never thought she'd be in this position again. Not after...everything she's been through.

I note that she doesn't share my enthusiasm. The shake we share is sluggish and I feel like I'm doing all the work.

"I should be happier, I'm sorry," she explains. "I am still struggling to...after everything I just said aloud..."

"I'm not asking you to do anything but believe in us Lucina."

"I do believe. I always have," she admits, tightening her grip. "It is simply hard to remember again. I cannot do one without the other. You are not looking for grievances however, but for affirmation."

This time she engages the shake, hard and firm between us both. She draws herself up, finding courage even in the face of all the darkness she just relived. "I offer it freely."

I nod in agreement. "We are going to survive this, Lucina. I promise."

It's a weak, thin smile she offers and it's victory enough for me. She squeezes my hand.

"I will hold you to that. Show me what the tactician of the Shepherds can truly do."

---

A/N: Heeeeeey there. Don't mind me. Just returning casually after a few months to update.

Not much to say other than I'm surprised I've come so far. Also nervous, as usual with big reveal chapters. Now I'll pray I didn't make any plot holes along to way that will destroy me later on.

Adios!

---

Review Responses (THERE'S SO MANY!):

J. Lai – I've read fanfiction on train rides plenty of times so I'm glad my story helped make the trip pass faster for you! It beats staring awkwardly out the window! From one fan of Awakening to another, I'm super excited you're enjoying the story. Nothing is better than indulging in your favorite tales. I'll do all I can to make future chapters an enjoyable one in this continued journey! Happy reading!

Raiden312 – I figured Lucina's little secret would really tickle a few people. She's far craftier than she looks. Morgan wasn't the only one blessed with high intelligence.

Wow, I haven't seen Code Geass in forever. That's a flashback. I wonder how Lucina would have done with a geass of her own. I think the main difference is she's not as ruthless as Lelouch is. He was an ends justifies the means kind of guy. Even after all of this, I think Lucina's guilt would stop her from extreme cases. If she thinks her father would disapprove of it, she wouldn't act. Interesting thing to think about though.

Sylveon-Bit-Me - *hands back desk items and a tissue*

I feel bad for making everyone wait so long. I hope you found a nice video game or book to pass the time D:

Selias – I figured the incident in Themis would have proven what most had figured to be true. Thanks though! It's nice to finally be able to reveal some of the story finally.

Raging Berserker – I don't believe the trust will weaken, per say. But things are going to be a lot more strange for Robin when it concerns her standing with Chrom. Playful teasing here and there is one thing, a full blown romance is a whole other story.

arans – That would be a twist, wouldn't it? She'd be reversing the original scenario, having him held back instead of her. That's if this even ends in a similar fashion as the games. As of this moment, Grima and the original Robin are both still missing. Who knows where they may end up from here?

Kaoru-chibimaster – Gregor is the cool uncle we all wish we had. I appreciate the guy and wish there were more stories with him, though I understand why not. His speech pattern is ridiculous! Robin is becoming a bit of a celebrity now isn't she? If she survives the war, she'll probably gain her own folk hero status among the commoners. Everyone likes a good story about a hero rising from nothing to make a name for themselves.

Yep, finally a piece of our story is unveiled. I'm nervous to share it with everyone because I know a lot of people have been speculating, much like yourself. There's something thrilling about reaching a reveal and finding out whether you guessed right or now. It gives weight to all the time invested in speculating. There are some things still missing, but that's what the rest of the story has to explore, right?

Past Chrobin confirmed. Future Chrobin uncertain?

*insert kyubey face*

meira – Aw, thank you. Have a wonderful day yourself! I hope the amount of angst these last two chapters had hasn't dampened your mood. Think positively for the future!

UmiNight Angel Neko – I'm surprised Lucina isn't dead inside at this point. She's just too stubborn to give up. As for Robin? Yeah, she's been emotionally slain. Thank goodness there's always hope!

Maronmario – You and me both. It's not like this information came to Robin when she was in some seriously committed relationship with plans to have kids soon. The poor thing is still trying to decide if pancakes or waffles are better to have for breakfast every morning. This bomb is a bit hard for her to comprehend. This is going to take time to process and then for her to either accept or decline.

robotortoise – Someone requested more of Nara after her first appearance in a past chapter as Eldaran's unnamed squire, so she got a character upgrade. I actually enjoyed her and the segment so I might use Nara again in the future.

I had fun with Sumia, Cordelia, and those books. Sumia reads way too much literature to be put off by extra saucy romances in my opinion. I think she would be intrigued by their 'forbidden' nature, and Robin just enables it further. A complete opposite to Cordelia's noble principles. It's hilarious.

Stahl hasn't done much because it's been implied in the past he has unrequited feelings for Sully, who prefers they stay friends. And Sumia is known to have a crush on Chrom, though she has shown less of it as of late. He's a bit unsure what to do, or if Sumia was truly changing her affections to him instead of just being extra friendly like she usually is. That...might have changed thanks to Miriel though.

I had to google search the scientific name for butt just to be sure I was spelling it right. My search history must look so bad.

Yep, revelations all around. I seriously hope I haven't made any plot holes/paradoxes. That's my worst nightmare.

Got the typos, thanks again. I tried to dedicate more time spellchecking this chapter but if it continues as is, then I'll start thinking about investing in a helper maybe.

ArcherShirou – Yep, whether she likes it or not, Lucina was originally Robin's daughter. Though that may have changed in its own bizarre way, she still remembers. That's not a lineage she can fight.

KalNim – I know, poor Morgan. I'm curious to see how Marc will react to all of this. She's the wildcard right now! The two of them can be amazing allies or cause some severe damage depending on how they handle future events. And of course there's the father...so much to consider!

Caellech Tiger Eye – Hey, Fates is a good game. I blame no one for falling off the map to enjoy it. I'm continuing the eternal quest to collect all the supports, even if Pokemon has put a damper on that. Someday I shall prevail.

If anyone should ever ask me why a chapter takes so long to update, it's because of characterization. Unless I'm happy with the character's actions, I will keep scrapping and rewriting scenes until satisfied. Lissa's scene with the barrier was what held up my last entry. Nothing I initially wrote conveyed her properly. I didn't want her to appear juvenile and unapologetic about her actions, nor did I want her to react without some underlying logic to explain her moves. In the end, I wanted the reader to be sympathetic with what she did but not feel as if she was entirely blameless either. The same with Robin. She should have been understanding toward Lissa but her lingering inexperience would cause her to slip, thus leading to both eventually learning a lesson.

The tower battle will remain among my most favored scenes thanks to its complexity in both the action and interactions. I honestly wondered how many would recognize Chalard. Even as a throwaway boss, he should still have his time in the spotlight. Orginally I wanted to add more villains like Vasto, but then we'd be here until next year trying to recover Themis. I scrapped it for now, but maybe more bosses will show up in the future.

You don't know how long I wanted to do Maribelle's arc! Maribelle is destined for an impressive future and her past with Gaius, I feel, played a large role in that. Who better to dream of becoming a magistrate than one who saw the flaws of the justice system first hand. Add Gaius into the picture as an interesting foil, and you have build-up for two great characters who affected the other's lifestyle long before they personally knew each other. I wanted Gaius to see the young woman Maribelle had grown into since he last had contact with her. He could learn to forgive himself just a little more and maybe even surprise himself by seeing life from a less selfish, individualistic nature. As for Maribelle, she's meant to struggle and surmount her own desires to uphold the ideals she hopes to one day protect. Her renewed relations with Gaius are meant to influence her future pursuits and interests in caring for commoner rights. There's still more to be said, but I achieved my current goal for both last chapter. I will openly state I'm proud of how Maribelle and Gaius are doing as characters.

I agree wholeheartedly with you. There have always been legitimately decent human beings who pop up on the enemy side that make you pause and regret battling them. I will always be bitter over Lloyd and Linus. On the opposite side, I've enjoyed Hector as one of my favorite lords because he was such an opposite from the typical heroes. He's brash, self-assured, and sometimes insensitive. For once, I got to enjoy a hero who wasn't a cookie cutter goody two-shoes. His sometimes stubborn conflicts with Lyn lead to even better bonding moments when they did agree. And he has one bro-tastic relationship with Eliwood, who is complex in his own ways as he tries to maintain his more gentle nature while fighting one heck of an ugly war. Having a story with characters who are black and white in terms of morality is never a bad thing. But depending on the subject matter, utilizing a gray spectrum for the cast will really develop them and make them shine stronger.

I think it's widely accepted that the three main heroes of Awakening are Chrom, Lucina, and the avatar/Robin. For the story to run properly, Robin's relationships with both were paramount. However, as I plotted out the story, it became clear that both sides would be very different in nature. One would develop faster but begin to suffer from the weight of the unknown, causing a reliance on blind faith and trust. The other would begin slowly, damaged by distrust, and take longer to develop. However, once there, it would be completely open and honest running on a strong foundation of mutual respect and sympathies. I'm sure you can guess which is which.

Lucina's been riding the angst train for ages. This whole story is what I dubbed a "worst case scenario" for the ending involving choosing not to sacrifice Robin for Grima. Of course, everyone is entitled to imagining how they think the endings could turn out! I personally never felt like letting Robin live was going to end well for anyone. Regardless of Grima potentially coming back in the next thousand years, I didn't see Robin returning as a good thing. Too many factors were left open. What of the Grimleal? What of the bloodline eventually returning to Grimleal hands if not now but in the future? How would the world react if word got out that Grima could have been defeated for good, but the choice was not taken. That led to speculations, potential kidnappings, ripple effects and then...this hodge-podge I call I story. I couldn't see it ending happily and Lucina's misfortunes were born. She's a survivor though and I could never see her giving up, not unless she was dead.

I don't really have much to say on pairings anymore. The plot is constantly evolving in little ways and I'm just moving with it. A lot of things are different than what I planned. All I'm going to say is that Robin is not in love yet and she knows what she is and is not comfortable with at the moment. She can and will change her opinions over time, but I won't say anything for the present. I appreciate your opinion regardless. There's always some trepidation about confirming any couple because I feel like someone will be disappointed in the end. It's nice everyone has been kind and open so far.

Victory3114 – Lucina's existence isn't impacted much by changing mothers because she always exists and takes after her father. She has no fear about disappearing because she's safeguarded by her own existence being an infallible part of the time line. Her memories would have been severely altered as her friends' had Naga not protected her. That still doesn't make it sound any better. Poor kid.

Those bonding moments in between keep me sane. I need some normalcy to fend off the depressing moments and near-death experiences!

NODAHE – So much truth! So much emotion! I swear I will update much faster next time D:

EmilykaFairy – I hope some of your theories come out true. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a well thought guess turn out right!

I'll be happy to help with English if you ever need it. If there's anything in particular that seems strange, just ask. Spelling and definitions of words can be easy if you are familiar with a lot of basics from other languages as English borrows so heavily from others to make up our words. Latin roots play heavily into a lot of them as I discovered in my courses. Grammar rules are where it can be confusing. Anything in particular that sticks out to you as being odd? Feel free to PM or add to a review.

Oh God, I forgot about that one. The example you gave is one I had trouble with. I was going to go with a typical pet name for him to use, but I figured Virion would add a more personal touch with his acquaintances. I debated with referring to her as a baking goddess, a sweet bun, or something generally sugary. Terms of endearment weren't something we went over in class I'm afraid. Would it be better to change it to "ma chèretacticienne?" I feel like that might make more sense than what I came up with before. It's probably easier to read too.

Rationalism – Holy wow. Thank you. I've come to enjoy spoiling myself with writing these action scenes for the integral moments of the story. It's a treat for myself and everyone else. Good practice too. The more I push myself, the better I can get! Here's to future awesomeness and kick-ass scenes!

Zarelyn – Here is a warm blanket and pillows. I'm sorry! No more angst for a while after this, I promise! The worst is over! Happy thoughts!

pheonix89 – Yeah, messing with godlike powers while you're already mental unhealthy was never a good idea. The road to hell is paved with good intentions...

Lucina does not know about Morgan, let alone either of the twins' true identities. The idea of Grima even having children is improbable to her. She is aware Robin knows about Grima's influence on the mark based on prior discussions in past chapters, as well as witnessing what happened during the assassination attempt in the castle. Robin has made no secrets between them, a point that drastically helped convince Lucina in the end that Robin is a friend to be trusted.

LadyRainFeather – Chrom's actual roster page is fine but the notes in the back detailing his family and the other Shepherds is what was defaced. His family was shredded worst of all, for obvious reasons now.

That's pretty on point. Robin kept going back in time but things would continue to fall apart over and over. It didn't go well for her or anyone else. Trying to play with the forces of the universe isn't the smartest thing to do once, let alone multiple times!

If there is one thing that is proven here, it's that Lucina has finally come around. She's learned to trust Robin and herself. Things will be easier, in a sense. Robin now knows where to start and Lucina can trust Robin enough to work together on any plans they make. Their true counter attack is just beginning.

S093 – I'm always working on this even if writer's block and life continue to hound me. I'm too stubborn to give up on the story after coming so far.

Tiki's mystery hasn't been forgotten and will rise again in time.

Guest – All those issues are inexperience. I take the blame there. I was focused on so many other things I neglected something as simple as the actual introspection of the current situation. Someone brought up that Robin's reaction to finding the mark on her hand should have been with more panic. Definitely true. Denial is a part of why Robin brushes some things off. I did not convey that properly nor did I use logic, like you said, to back that however. I aim to fix that with some rewrites in the future and am trying to emphasize her internal reasoning of events much more in recent chapters.

Guest – Nope, I appreciate the advice. While I do try to keep things more realistic, I personally indulge once in a while with fanfiction tropes for my own amusement. If this were a real novel, I typically wouldn't do the inclusion of such obvious easter eggs and references. I enjoy the occasional odd twist because fanfiction allows that freedom without critique. Someone did warn not to get excessive with it once before so I have scaled back a bit. The story does have a dominant tone that I do not want to lose under too many gag encounters. I'll continue to use such tropes in measured doses so I don't overindulge too much. Thanks.

3liManning – There were a lot of times I wanted to warn the Chrobin shippers the angst that may come about that pairing with everything I already had planned. It's certainly given the plot a dramatic twist, hasn't it? How interesting. Poor Lucina though...

Marc has a reason for existing, one that will make sense later on. That's all I'll say about it for now.

Guest – (Not sure if you are the same guest as before but if you are, I may have some repetitive banter. Sorry!)

Lon'qu and potatoes are sort of a thing so I had to make use of the opportunity somehow. Frederick's death grip was my favorite little detail in the whole chapter.

I don't comment much on Robin's age, but my headcanon is she isn't as old Frederick or Aversa. She's closer to Emmeryn in age. Culinary schools often have advanced tracks or year round programs so students tend to get out earlier than normal four year colleges (personal experience). She's also very immature, I won't argue that. That's intentional.

I don't have an excuse for the lack of deep thinking. That's MY fault as an inexperienced writer. Other readers have commented on that and I can see the truth there. I did not properly convey nor dedicate an appropriate enough amount of development to her internal thoughts on many things regarding the plot. That's a definite oversight on my part. It's not the character's fault but the author's. I've been attempting to rectify that as of late and will try to expand on that aspect more in the future.

I've actively been avoiding gender stereotyping in both temperaments and dialogue as best I can so definitely let me know where that's happening! Can you remember a specific instance that occurred? I'd like to go back and fix it as quick as possible!

KingKeith – Robin is sort of a minor celebrity, especially with the youth. It's inspiring to hear a nobody peasant like themselves has managed to learn skills and excel over time, to the point of reaching such a prestigious position in the army. Robin isn't fully aware of it now, but she does have a small fan club brewing in the same way Sully and Cordelia do. Maybe more of that will pop up later?

Ha, Robin Alter. I like that. I'll use that in my head from now on. If we have the original Robin and Alter Robin, does that make the current Robin the Lily form? …...Nah. She does work as a caster class though. She won't reach a level worthy of saber for a few years still.

Gregor is a blessing. Hard as he is to write, he's got a different perspective from everyone thanks to his age. Hopefully I can make use of that later.

Miriel and Vaike's relationship will get some exploration later on when they become more exclusive. It's weird. So weird. I love it.

BreadNotDead – Believe me, if anyone passed over the story for length, I would not blame them. How the heck did this even get so long? How am I not dead? It's great you did manage to find time for it though and even better you enjoyed it! I'm happy to scratch the itch you've had for a story of this nature. I know what a letdown it can be when your stories haven't updated in a while and you have that mighty need. Though, maybe I shouldn't be talking as I stare at the date of the last time I updated this...

You can thank your fellow readers for Stahl/Sumia happening. Henry/Sumia is one of my Awakening OTPs and I was happy with that. But some comments were made and then I poked around with the pairing in plot and now I don't know why it's not in the game either. They have so much compatibility! Luckily we have fanfiction!

Now that you've caught up, catch those Zs! Sleep is good! I know I need it after writing this chapter!

TheNyrusDragon – Hey there! Nice to meet ya! Glad it's been an entertaining read so far! Never fear, I always appreciate a review whether long or short. Every word if valuable!

Isn't it fun to see all the different interactions? Besides it being a good exercise for myself as a writer, I think it's only fair that Robin gets to interact with all the Shepherds at some point. Everyone has a favorite character they like to see. And it's only fair they all get their time to shine. Their role in the Shepherds is equally valuable and deserves to be seen!

There's no harm in just sitting back and enjoying the ride. I've tried to make the story enjoyable for those who like speculating and for those who will wait for the reveals to come in time. No one should be punished for wanting to simply enjoy a good read. So sit back and enjoy whatever you like most! If I'm neglecting something or you simply have a suggestion, feel free speak!

I love my jokes in reference to the Einherjar. I'm terrible like that, ha ha. I'm always taking suggestions so you never know. There are four currently who have yet to appear but may soon so keep your eyes peeled!

safranbrod – Ha, ha. Looks like you had a good time reading along. Awesome! Welcome to the local Chrobin fanclub. I think most readers here have subscribed to it XD We're, like, part way there? There's the rest of the story to follow so we'll see if the present day counterparts happen to repeat history or not. That makes me really happy to read that my progression has shown a positive change over time. Yes! There may be hope for my future as a professional author. Some day, some day. I appreciate you reading along and hope the rest of the chapters keep growing stronger!

Xoroth – Thank you very much. This is my personal project so I put a lot of investment into it. I have no excuses for the grammar other than human error. My apologies for that and I appreciate the suggestion. I'll definitely be more mindful of that trend in the future. Weird spelling mishaps seem to form and remain unless I notice them. Once I have time sorted out I plan to do a massive typo overhaul. I'll add this suggestion to the top of my list to look out for!

Guest – Believe me, as the author, I get crushed sometimes in regards to what I've penned for Morgan. There are always consequences to playing with fire...Hopefully you got a few questions answered. They may or may not help hint at the yet uncovered details in this strange plot design.

Diamond Gargoyle – Yep, Robin is in one big internal fight with herself. The answer isn't going to come anytime soon either. As much as she feels welcome in Ylisse, she does still remember her old life. In regards to Lucina especially, that's even worse. She does care a lot for Lucina, but she also isn't fond of the court. Robin enjoys the simple life and prefers to avoid the spotlight. I can't wait to see what happens to her if news of the twins drops. Chaos?

Animeseris – I had a feeling it was you in the previous review. As one of the resident sleuths invested in the story, hearing the excitement about your theories coming true gave it away. I'm happy you finally got some confirmation after so much guessing!

Isn't it fun to go back and reread only to see all the things you missed along the way. That's the true mark of a sneaky character. Well played indeed Lucina!

Yep, there are a lot of dilemmas happening. Only time will tell what happens in the future. Though any reunion scene that could potentially reveal the twins' true identities probably won't go over well with Lucina. Poor thing is in for a shock, let alone Robin.

Hellabella142 – Same. As much as the action scenes are fun to choreograph and write, the social parts remain my favorite. I can breath because no one is at risk of dying. Well, as long as Nowi behaves from now on, the group should mostly be safe.

I've been waiting a very long time. Funny thing is, I struggled the most with trying to express the reveal in the most believable (and not boring) way. It's strange to reach that checkpoint in the plot. We've come very far!

Anyway, welcome aboard! New faces are always appreciated because they come with fresh news and advice for me. The dialogue is one of the most important parts of this story because I chose to make it so character driven. While there is a plot, the major focus truly is about the relationships and how the evolution of characters can affect the world. As the characters were my favorite part of Awakening, their scenes together is what I like to indulge in most!