Author's Note: Ask not for whom the Tactician toils: he toils for thee! SO have I, for I have gotten high expectations expected of me! Hope I don't fall flat on my face...! Kind of expected at this point as I return to this story after the greater part of a year..., but that's only because of focusing so very hard on my RWBY story... and again, leaving this one for months.

As for Fire Emblem news... Hope everyone's happy with the new one coming out... next year! In two... versions? What? And how's about that there Shin Megami Tensei crossover deal? Sure looks like a bunch of idols up on my pegasi-chariots! I was like... "What". In a good way!

Ah well, for now, let us enjoy a nice cup of tea~.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. I do not claim ownership of anything pertaining to the series, nor of any related properties. Any and all other references to other works are also not owned by me. This is a nonprofit fan work. Endgame, Postgame, and SpotPass spoilers are in effect.

Rated T for: Language, suggestive themes, and a dose of mixed priorities.

Original Post Date: 5/5/15

"Hey Mom..."

"What is it, Cynthia...?"

"Do we really want to go into Robin's tent after what we just saw...?"

"No, we don't, but sadly, I don't think we have as much of a choice as we might think..."

Both generations of Pegasus Rider sat at one of the benches of the mess hall, empty, save for a few baskets of stale bread. Both were looking rather haggard, having witnessed their Tactician go absolutely nuts over his daughter going on a date with Inigo. The boy in question should give all one needs to know as to why Robin would flip out.

"Sometimes I wonder if he was always like this...," pondered Sumia, absently chewing on a piece of bread. "He seemed so nice whenever we talked, and we shared an interest in stories, too...! He made me realize that perhaps I shouldn't get caught up trying to be like all those heroines I read about."

She sighed, letting her head rest in her palms as she reminisced about better days...

"Mom, the way you sounded there almost makes me believe Sir Robin was actually not a weirdo!" Cynthia turned away from her mother, a little apprehensive. "N-Not like I didn't know that too; he didn't get worried over my grandstanding for no reason! I still look to him as a hero!"

The heroic youth blushed slightly, perhaps also thinking of better days...

"When do you think he became more crazy then," she asked, "Since you've known the guy for longer, can you answer me that, Mom?"

Sumia deflated in her own hands, unsure of how to answer...

"Well, he and I got really close over the time we've known each other. This was way back when the Shepherds went north up in Regna Ferox to ask for aid in the Plegian war." She began to sound happier as she went on. "He wouldn't mind taking some time to just talk, to sample some of my pies, comment on what weirdness I happened to think of... We'd even read the Wyvern Wars series together!"

Her joy continued rising, to her daughter's confusion.

"Did you know that the creators have announced that they're writing a sequel series, Cynthia?! Robin didn't have a hand in that, but he made sure that I always had a copy of the latest book reserved whenever I was in the capital! Oh, he was the best, you don't know the half of it! There was this one time when I tried making one of those portable meals from Chon'sin! Ben-to? It sounds funny, but Robin not only helped by reading off and telling me what needed to be done, but he handled the messy steps! I don't like handling sticky rice, but with his advice I..."

The future mother's sudden, squealing praise unnerved her daughter to the point that Cynthia took a step away. Sumia went on and on and on...!

"...and, you know, he'd do his best to look out for me so I wouldn't trip over my clumsy self...! He was really sweet and attentive, and he didn't have to gout of his way but he did~.

Er, I guess you can say, he... I might have fallen..."

She then shook her head wildly, trying to erase these weird thoughts, much to Cynthia's confusion.

"N-Never mind that! The point is, when I married your father, he understood that there would be less time to hang out together... Being Queen does that. But other than perhaps a passing greeting, I haven't talked to him since then! What does he do with all that time I wonder? I miss him..."

Cynthia raised a sympathetic brow, but something was nagging her...

"Uh..., isn't that because that hex lady is always hanging around him? She sure doesn't like any of the other ladies..."

Sumia waved her hands about, trying to wave that train of thought away.

"Oh, nonono, I always do my best when it comes to Tharja... She's really someone who cares for others, but sometimes she can be a little... proactive when it comes to shooing me away. Well, any girl around Robin, really. Even though she moved in along with Robin into the castle, she'd prefer being with him than keeping people away. No, she's not the reason I haven't talked to him in a while, I just know it..."

As Sumia pouted, Cynthia inwardly cringed as she thought to herself, 'Ugh... It sounds like she really liked the guy... Like, really liked him. Then again, I guess I do too...'

She quickly dismissed the thought, looking back to her mother, who needed to have her daughter wave a hand by her face to catch her attention.

Unfortunately, the future child was still focused on her own experience...

"D-Don't worry, Mom," began Cynthia, drawing on her resolve to be the hero for anyone, "I can confirm for you that Sir Robin was still a nice guy after that! You don't have to cry, okay?"

"I'm not... crying?"

She wasn't. She really wasn't. Cynthia in Heroic Mode tends to gloss over or imagine things. Her mother was crying out for her help!

"In fact, I can personally attest that he was worried for me as well! Sir Robin was so very concerned over my deployment on the battlefield, and he tried to keep me on the safe and narrow! Nothing left his watchful eye as I flung myself into the thick of battle! Er, right!" The blue-haired rider laughed at herself for her ranting before she fell into a frown. Seems Heroic Mode wasn't on High. "It's funny, unlike most of my heroes back when I came from, I never knew what became of him, we never did... So I always held out hope, especially with how you always told stories about him and Dad just tearing up the bad guys like nobody's business!"

"C-Cynthia?"

"And now that I'm here, and he's here, I've had a whole new level of respect for him and all he's done for me~! He was always watching my back, telling me to be careful and that sort of stuff! I guess you could say I kinda fell for..."

The disturbing thought came back to Cynthia's mind, this time, eliciting a scrunching of her face that her mother noticed.

"What's wrong? Cynthia, what's wrong?!"

Mothers' Intuition took hold as Sumia worried, while nothing came out of her daughter's mouth for a few seconds. The silence broke when Cynthia found it in her to ask...

"Do you think Sir Robin was trying to... court us...?"

...

...

"Hahahahaha...!"

Sumia wiped a mirthful tear from her eye, while her daughter did not change her expression.

"Oh, you're such a kidder, Cynthia~! Robin is too nice and thoughtful, he would never... N-Never...~!"

Her laughter and mood quickly faded; her daughter's notion slowly starting to make sense as she recalled the closeness that she and Robin shared, up until that final skirmish that resulted in the Mad King's forced deposing at the hands of the Shepherds...

'Huh. The more that I think about it... Th-That can't be. Robin wouldn't do such a thing; he married Tharja very swiftly after she joined! Three years is very fast, right? R-Right...?

But, he and I were really close...! I mean, really close! Sometimes I worried more about him than Chrom! My husband! Well, he and I wouldn't have been married at that time, though...'

She found herself repeating what she told her daughter inside her head, along with dredging other old memories...

'It was almost like a dream... Chrom and I met on that fateful day over at the Longfort. I saved him from a situation where I too would have been struck down, but I did it anyway! I was by his side when we convinced the Feroxi to back us up! I'm sure I was smitten with my Captain, really!

And that was it.

No, we would... talk sometimes, maybe he'd pass by, maybe I'd pass by him... Okay, maybe we didn't even get to have a single moment to ourselves... Not like Robin. He was there. He was always there...! He was there until we won the war against Plegia... Then he disappeared, in a sense...

Shortly after, it was decided that Ylisse would need a Queen alongside the new Exalt... Chrom chose me, and I accepted. I accepted. I became his wife, and to this day, I have no regrets.

No, that isn't right. I had no regrets simply because I had nothing to regret over...! I married him when I hadn't even so much as spoken to him more than a few times!

Ugh, my head... This isn't my sort of thinking... I... I am at least happy now...! Lucina is proof of that! Still hurts to think about this...

Sumia held her head between her hands, now worrying her daughter in turn. As soon as the mother realized this, she did the one sensible thing that can be done: she returned to blissful ignorance.

"Don't joke like that~! Honestly, you have the most vivid imagination sometimes, Cynthia...!"

"... R-Really...?"

"Really~!"

The blue-haired girl just shook her head, nursing it like she had also had a headache.

"Yeah, maybe I'm just imagining things... Sorry, Mom."

"It's okay, I forgive you. Still, it's probably best that we don't talk about this in the future. Okay?"

"O...kay!"

After exchanging a small hug in forgiveness, both mother and future daughter were about to leave, when another familiar, familial visitor walked into the mess hall...

"Mother? Are you in here? Oh there you are!"

Another blue-haired young woman was quick to run over to her mother and sister, happy to see them, as Lucina treasured her family so.

"I have been looking for you back at town, Mother! Did something happen to you? I was worried sick!"

"Oh? Really? I'm sorry to have worried you, Lucina, I was just..."

Sumia pondered about how and if she should break the news about Robin's skulking around...

Lucina, while kindhearted and benevolent like her father, never seemed to act the same around the tactician after that one fateful day... Asking someone to die or be killed was never something that could just be easily glossed over, like most of the psychosis among the Shepherds...

"I was just more famished than I realized, so I came back for something to eat~. Nothing more."

"Yeah, th-that's it," stuttered the younger sister, joining up with her mother as she continued, "I wanted to spend time with Mom to begin with, and it didn't feel right to just bail on her!"

The swordswoman nodded. "I see. It's important that we spend all the time we can with family. Even if the... Fell Dragon isn't doing anything to rush us." Lucina blushed slightly, feeling awkward. "In fact, we've spent an awful amount of time not worrying! I should have listened to... Robin earlier, I've only trained and fought ever since then...! I would really like to spend more time with you, Mother!"

Sensing her inner child coming out, Sumia did her best to make sure it stayed out for more than a few seconds... by pulling out one of the many, many garish and offensive articles of... clothing that her future daughter was convinced were spectacular. This one blouse in particular had these weird designs evocative of a Chon'sin tradition involving hanging dolls by one's windows to chase the rain away, heno... henomo... She didn't know how to pronounce it, but she did know that there were several of them colored onto the garment..., with the former Exalt's face on each and every one of them.

"Mother! Oh, you kept it~! I'm so glad you did, because I bought one just like it!" On cue, she pulled an identical blouse in her size, smiling like a child who hadn't grown up in her timeline.

'S-Swell...! Just the words I wanted to hear...' "Oh, would you look at that...! Luci, it's b-beautiful..." Sumia struggled to say the words her daughter wanted to hear. It always pained her to let Lucina down, especially at the cost of feeling pained herself...

The more "mature" of the blue-haired girls rubbed her blouse affectionately. "Of course it is~! We should walk side by side and show everyone the closeness that we share as family! I just need to get sizes for Father and Cynthia. Are you available right now?"

She then turned to said Cynthia, sparkles in her eyes as she caused the flighty girl to step back in reflex.

"U-Uh..., you shouldn't s-spend so much time and money on such a thing, L-Luci," she stuttered, noticing that her mother was silently mouthing "Get out" from behind Lucina. "B-Besides, I must be going now...! The Justice Cabal has a meeting, and I'm going to be late! Bye!"

"Huh? Wait!"

Lucina barely had time to convince her sister otherwise before she fled out the door, to their mother's hidden relief...

"Ow!"

That is, until Cynthia got pushed back through the door and rolled onto her back.

"Hey, watch we're you're going, buddy!"

"Cynthia!"

"Oh my...!"

Both mother and daughter were by her side in no time, lifting her up to her feet as they looked to the open flap to see... just a bunch of sunlight.

"Gh...! The sun is shining a little brightly in this direction...!"

Everyone had shielded their eyes, so it stood to reason that they weren't aware of who Cynthia bumped into until the person decided to enter the mess hall.

"O-Oh! Sorry, I had something on my mind... Uh..."

Robin stood there, a little surprised that he found the ladies he had been looking for so easily. He wasn't too happy, however, because of their own company...

"R-Robin...?!"

"Sir Robin...?"

"You...!"

Lucina walked straight up to Robin and held her Falchion up to hiss collarbone, resting the flat of her blade just shy of cutting into his throat. A compliment to her ability as a swordsman, as Falchion was eternally sharp and dangerous to her enemies, but...

"Lucina...," he muttered, trying not to move too much, "Would you please stop trying to kill me? Please...? I thought we already established that e-even though I am a facet of Grima, the Fell Dragon, we are not the same...!"

"...Tch!"

She withdrew, putting her sword back in the sheath as she gave Robin a nasty and wary look. This turn of events wasn't one her mother was very happy about...

"And to think, she acted this way before we all found out that Robin had... issues," muttered Sumia. She wasn't referring to Robin's self-sacrificing nature for his friends and loved ones, as genuine as they were...

"I-Issues," coughed out Robin, a little offended, "That's one way to put them... Sumia, may I speak with you outside? With my neck away from the chopping block...?"

As he gulped with fright, Sumia took one look to her side and saw that her sword-wielding daughter was wiping down the flat of her Falchion's blade of grime and undead ichor, even though it was clean a moment ago. All with an innocent look to her that went at odds with both her attitude and her battle-hardened yet hopeful persona.

"Hm~, hmhm, hmhm~..."

Robin took a step back, taking the older flier by the hand and rushing out of the mess tent, all while the blue-haired sisters just stood there, the elder one still blissfully cleaning her sword, while the other expressed her frustration.

"Luci, what's with you?! Honest to gods, this isn't the first time I've seen this, but when did you turn into such a creeper?"

"Uh..."

Lucina hesitated when Cynthia posed that question, looking very lost as she let her Falchion slip out of her hands and stick into the dirt.

"Oh...! I mustn't be clumsy with Father's blade...! I'm sorry, Cynthia, but I h-have to clean it some more! Farewell...!"

Pulling a flimsy excuse, Lucina grabbed her Falchion from the ground and ran out of the tent in the opposite direction, leaving the younger sibling to scratch her head.

"Okay, wow, I'm starting to see a trend here! I think we all seem to have more issues than we let on... I better go save Mom...!"

Cynthia ran out of the mess hall in pursuit of Robin and her future mother, hoping that things wouldn't get any weirder...

Things got weirder as Cynthia approached Robin's tent.

From the large avalanche of books she had to step around, to the tent itself being in shambles... And to top it all off, more books were being thrown around, thanks to an angry wife...!

"How dare you bring another woman into our abode, Robin! I thought you understood that my feelings for you weren't meant to be split apart...!"

"For the last time, Tharja, I'm not trying to bed Sumi— Ow!"

Robin was trying to defend Sumia from incoming literature, but Tharja's aim was pretty solid to the point his head had been struck multiple times.

"Hmph! Likely story. You were off trying to find her, while I waited here patiently for your return...! The bed we share is meant to a place where our troubles melt away, Robin~, and said troubles do not include the likes of hers!"

"N-Now please, we don't have to fight like this, Th-Tharja...!"

Sumia stepped out from behind her cover, shaking as she approached the dour mage. Tharja stood up and turned as she felt the flightier girl getting close, cutting her a very dark glare.

"I-I'm only here to help with... whatever Robin needed help with! He was kind of vague... I think it had something to do with Morgan... Y-Yeah, Morgan! That was it...!"

Her confidence felt like it was wilting away as she continued to be glared at.

"And to what end would he need you, when he already has someone who can give him what he needs...?"

"Er, you've got me...! I r-really don't..."

"Enough!"

Robin found his voice as he defended his visitor.

"Tharja, Sumia is here for a very important reason! There is no need to be hostile here!"

"Who said I was being hostile?"

Her dismissive statement prefaced her turning back to a pile of books. Tharja bent over and began flinging every tome she came across... right into Robin's face.

"Egh! OW! St-Stop that! That hurts!"

"Then step out of the line of fire! You just came running in here with that Sumia girl while I was salvaging our bed! I'm not being hostile...!"

It took a bit after getting pelted with more books that Robin applied this knowledge...

"Oh wow, that actually worked!"

"Of course it did," Tharja assured, "I would never hurt anyone in such a manner... I have other methods."

Sumia took several steps back, meeting Robin off to the side of his tent as his wife continued digging and mumbling about how their love nest had been intruded upon. After the coast was clear, the tactician finally got to addressing the reason they were there.

"I wanted to get a private venue in order to talk, but..." Robin cleared his throat knowingly. "Anyway, Sumia. You and Cynthia have laid witness to something I would have preferred to keep hidden, and for that we need to talk. Uh, where is Cynthia...?"

"R-Right here..."

The blue-haired, hero-aspiring girl stepped out from another corner.

"Sorry," she muttered, "I'm not sure I want to be a part of all this crazy..."

"Crazy. That's one way to put it..."

Robin sighed, letting Cynthia walk up and hug her mother for comfort.

"Please, hear me out... Morgan... She is currently taking part of something I never would have thought to dread...! Sumia, what am I supposed to do?"

"Robin, that's normal for a father to be feeling...! It's perfectly natural."

"I know, but I cannot help it...! Morgan may have hailed from the future and is close to my age, but as her father, the sensation is almost arresting!"

The father of two sounded more and more passionate as he went on.

"I just want to protect my daughters, is that so much to ask for? Sumia, you have two of your own! Why not help me keep the suitors off of her so she can be safe?"

"S-Safe? Robin, I don't think you understand how parenthood works!"

Cynthia sighed as the two talked it out, clearly not wanting anything to do with this.

"Sumia, be reasonable. I just don't want any of the boys getting close to Morgan, and they all seem they have their eyes locked on to my daughter...!"

"Sh-Shouldn't she have the last word on whether she gets to talk to boys or not...?! Robin, you're being unreasonable!"

"Unreasonable.. That's one way of putting just how much I'm willing to put into this!"

Throwing his hands up in the air, Robin was flustered.

"I thought with you having two of your own, you'd understand! But no, it looks like you don't. I'm sorry, Sumia, but I need to make sure this doesn't get back to Morgan...!"

As he reached in his coat, both mother and daughter became far more alert with the implications of what he just said.

"Sir Robin! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Robin! You don't mean to k-kill me, do you?! After what we had...!"

The Chief Tactician raised a brow with what they said.

"What are you two talking about? I was just going to give you this..."

He produced something wrapped up in cloth, along with a bag of gold. He handed them both to the flier of his time.

"Sumia, for you I have an recipe book I have bartered for in town. It has plenty of pies that I'm sure you'd like to try and make for us!"

She gasped with this sudden surprise.

"R-Robin, you shouldn't have! This is wonderful~!"

With that, Tharja peeped her head around to see what the commotion was, scaring everybody as she looked at what her husband was giving the other woman...

"Hmph. Very well then."

She then disappeared back behind the tent, apparently appeased for now...

No one at the time knew what to make of her behavior. Robin steered the conversation back on track.

"A-Anyway, that's for you! I want you to stay out of trouble though, if you get what I'm saying..."

"O-Oh...!"

Sumia only connected the dots just then. She blushed out of the embarrassment of thinking she was just being given stuff.

"I see... So you're bribing me then... I don't know what to say, Robin."

"Say yes. That's all I ask of you."

"HMMMM?!"

This time, Tharja came out of a stray barrel, looking intently at the three...!

"... Tch, don't do anything you'll regret..."

The stealthy mage went back into hiding, and no one could understand how she even did that.

"That's Tharja for you," explained Robin, who merely waved off his wife's stealthiness due to experience. Yet, it hadn't crossed his mind why she's doing this now...!

"Now then, will you promise not to interfere with my plans concerning my daughter's safety? I will make sure that no one innocent gets caught in the crossfire. You have my word."

"Well..."

The experienced flier looked like she was still on the fence about this, taking a moment to think about all this.

"I will, under one condition, Robin.

Please get me more things...! Anything will do, just come visit me!"

Sumia's almost child-like reply took Robin for a loop. It was almost like he was his normal, somewhat dorky self!

"Uh, s-sure! I promise I will, Sumia...! AGH!"

As she did a few skips for joy with Robin in her arms, Cynthia was off looking from the sidelines, trembling in shock with how her mother was acting!

"Oh gods...! I think Mom has a few issues of her own...! What the hell, I could have had Sir Robin for a Dad?! Ugh, I don't even want to think about what I'M thinking right now!"

Before she could make any further connections about her own problems, a large piece of wood crashed through the tent and almost swept up Robin and Sumia in its wake!

Tharja was fuming. One could almost see reality warp around her as she approached the surprised pair...

"YOU! TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY HUSBAND!"

"U-U-U-U-Uhhh...!"

Instead of letting him go, Sumia's arms were frozen in fear. This did not bode well.

"Ack...! S-Sumiagh... My nerck..."

"I SAID LET ROBIN GO!"

"EEEEEEE!"

She did what Tharja asked, crouching behind Robin with how scared he was. Unfortunately for her, Robin didn't exactly have a tactic that could pacify his wife when she gets like this...

"N-Now now, my love...! W-We don't have to curse her...! She's an old f-fr-friend...!"

"Robin... You...! Hm?"

Tharja looked off to the side and saw the other girl; Cynthia was no better in staying calm against odds like this!

"I WANT TO LI-I-I-IVE! AAAAHHH!"

The future Pegasus Rider ran with all the speed her legs could muster, with no idea where she was going. All she wanted was to get away from the scary lady and her dark magic.

"Nononononononono! Nothing was worth saving back there except my liiiiife! AH!"

Her frantic run came to an abrupt end as she hit something smack dab in the middle of the path and fell to the dirt!

"Ouch...! Ooh, not what I needed right now..."

"Cynthia! Oh wow, did I hurt you?! Sorry! I was too caught up in something..."

The fallen girl blinked. She hadn't been expecting to run into her, if this was who she thought it was. No sooner than she was about to reply, Morgan lent a hand and helped her back to her feet.

"M-Morgan? What...?"

It was indeed the tactician's daughter, distraught over causing the spill as she held a book close.

"Sorry, Cynthia! I was too absorbed with this book I found, and I ended up walking a small circle! You're okay, aren't you?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay. Thanks for your concern, I've had a rough day myself..."

Seeing her comrade in some sort of pickle, Morgan perked up.

"Really? Do tell! Maybe the Justice Cabal could be of assistance! It's been a while since we convened for a meeting."

Cynthia wondered for a bit...

"Normally, I'd be all for a group meeting, but..."

She then grabbed Morgan by the shoulders with shaky hands, unsure whether to be courageous or self-preserving.

"Morgan. Heed my advice...! Something's coming... Something bad...! You need to prepare yourself..."

"Wh-What?"

Cynthia's words spooked and weirded her out, to the extent Morgan could be...

"What are you going on about...? Wait, are you trying to set up some sort of team-building exercise?"

"... What?"

"Trying to teach me how to fend for myself until the team gets here or something? Hehe, don't worry, I've got the skills for your little test! I AM my father's daughter, after all!"

"Tchchch! NO! That's the point! I..."

The blue-haired girl shivered...

'I really don't want to think about dads right now...! AAHHHH, what if somehow I ended up...!'

Cynthia began breathing harshly, envisioning herself with black hair, and Morgan with her mother's hair. Then, she thought of Morgan with her hair...!

"AAAAH! NOOOO! I don't want to be... Huh?"

Morgan looked on worryingly, clutching her book tight.

"J-Just... be careful, Morgan...! Trouble is brewing, and I don't think we're able to drink what's in store for you— us."

Cynthia walked away drooping, leaving Morgan utterly confused.

"Uh, okay then. I guess I gotta stay sharp, huh? All right, I won't let you down!"

The amnesiac girl then turned back to the book she had been reading before.

"Let's see, back to How To Train Your Wyvern 101. Man, I can't wait!"

A/N: So, how many Shepherds will have problems by the time this all blows over? Who knows~?

Again, I'm very sorry! I didn't mean to leave this story hanging, but a lot of real-life stuff happened, along with some priority shifts!

I feel like I've failed my virtual daughter... It's not like I intended to update a year later...

Well, just gotta take a page from her book and not sweat it. But, I won't play Tome Stackers in real life. Oh no.

See you again next time!