Just a little something I came up with. I might make a whole story involving Mokona the tactician, but for now I just have this little story. Based on an actual conversation I had with a friend, ha ha. Tell me what you think. First Fire Emblem (but not first overall) fanfic.

After A Little Drink...

Once again, Lord Eliwood and his army had defeated a group of Black Fang members, getting them one step closer to defeating Nergal. To celebrate, the tactician Mokona had taken them all out to the nearest tavern. Eliwood was a bit concerned about this move, especially considering the last time they had all gone out to drink. Hector had lost track of how much beer he had, and he had gotten in a brawl with another drunkard. Since then, Eliwood always worried about Hector getting near alcohol, but Mokona reassured him that everything would be fine.

"Besides," the young tactician explained, "we're all tired. The soldiers deserve a nice drink. Who knows the next time we'll be near a tavern, eh?" Employing the use of her puppy-dog eyes and cute grin, she convinced the red-haired lord to let them all go out drinking -- er, celebrating a well-fought battle.

So here they were, an entire band of soldiers at a small tavern on the outskirts of Bern. Eliwood kept a close eye on Hector at first, but it wasn't long before he was beginning to be affected by the alcohol himself.

Mokona was sitting at a table with the two lords and, for some strange reason, Matthew. The blonde spy had been invited to sit with them by Mokona, mostly so he wouldn't have to sit with Serra.

"Mokona, you're my new best friend!" Matthew whispered to her as they heard the pink-haired cleric shouting at Erk for no particular reason. "I bet she's pretty blitzed as it is."

"I think we should go soon," Eliwood mumbled worriedly, looking at the tactician. "We need to get our rest and--"

"Eliwood! Have another drink!" Mokona interrupted and handed him a beer. She secretly wanted him to be able to relax for once and maybe share some secrets.

"So, my distinguished lords," Matthew began, "I have an important question involving matters of the company. I want your full and honest answers."

Eliwood gave his full attention to Matthew. "Yes, I'm listening. What is it?"

"This better be good," Hector muttered. He was used to Matthew's tricks by now.

"All right. Mokona will want to hear this as well." Mokona nodded, for she knew what Matthew's question would be. The two lords came closer to hear the spy better.

"Which of the girls in the company is your favorite?"

"What the hell?!" Hector shouted. "I'm not answering a question like that!"

Eliwood blushed. "Wh-why do you want to know that?"

"Well, being the main gatherer of intelligence of this group, I figured I should know a bit more about the personal lives of each of the men. Mokona agrees," Matthew added with a grin.

Eliwood looked at Mokona in shock. "You mean you're plotting with him?"

"Of course! I need to know all your personal lives as well!" the tactician explained. "C'mon, spill it. Who do you like?"

"I'm leaving," Hector grumbled, but as he stood up to leave Mokona threatened to tell Matthew the story about when Hector said--

"Fine, fine. Stupid kid," the Ostian muttered as he sat back down, his face a slight pinkish shade.

"I'm intrigued, what is this story?" Matthew whispered to the tactician.

"I don't know. I just had to find some way to make him stay. He has such an ego. It's easy to mess with him," Mokona explained with a wink.

"This is true."

"What are you two whispering about? I stayed, didn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just discussing our thoughts on what you'll say is all," Matthew quickly lied.

"You mean you think you know what we'll say?" Hector asked angrily.

"Sure!" Mokona piped up. "I have my ideas, and Matthew has his ideas. We want to see which is correct."

"In other words, you have a bet on which girls we fancy," Eliwood said, eyes narrowing.

"N-no! Of course not! Why would we bet on something like that?" Mokona giggled.

"Why would we even bet? We would never do such a thing as gambling!" Matthew added. "Now, Lord Hector, you first."

Hector sighed. They're so immature...

"Who do you think she is?" he finally asked them. "I'll tell you if you're right."

"Aww! That's no fun!" Mokona whined. She instantly put on her puppy-dog eyes and sweetly asked, "Will you still tell us after we guess?"

"...Fine." Despite all his toughness, the Ostian lord's one main weakness was Mokona's cute begging look. He, like Eliwood, found great difficulty in refusing it.

"Well, I'll go first since I'm almost positive I'm right!" Mokona declared. "I think Hector likes Lyn!"

"No way!" Matthew interrupted. "He totally likes Serra!"

"What? She's so annoying! Haven't you seen how Hector runs away every time that cleric approaches?"

"That could be because he's embarrassed!"

"Shut up! You're both wrong!" Hector quickly shouted.

The two tricksters stopped arguing and stared at the blue-haired lord with faces full of dejection. "Really?"

Eliwood finally spoke up. "To be honest, I do believe I saw Hector turn red at the mention of the Lady Lyndis."

"WHAT? That's not true!" Hector yelled, but his face did indeed turn a bright crimson as he spoke.

"See?" Mokona exclaimed. "I told you! He likes Lyn! I win! Hand over the gold!"

"Wait, you have to get Lord Eliwood's right, too!" Matthew protested. "You know that it's really Lord Eliwood who loves Lyn!"

Mokona frowned. "No way. He doesn't flirt with her at all. Hector flirts more with her than Eliwood does."

"I DO NOT FLIRT!"

Eliwood was suddenly interested. "Matthew, why do you think I have a fancy for the Lady Lyndis?"

"That's exactly it!" the spy replied. "You're like the only person besides her subjects who calls her 'Lady Lyndis.' My lord, everyone else just calls her Lyn!"

"It's just polite," Eliwood replied. "I would call our young tactician 'Lady Mokona' if she wanted, but she does not prefer such formalities."

"Exactly. Dude, Eliwood's polite to everyone. That doesn't work at all," Mokona told Matthew with a look of triumph on her face.

"Well, Mokona, whom do you think I fancy?" the Pharaean asked softly. He was secretly afraid that she would be right about him as well.

"Well, it's totally obvious. I mean, ever since she joined our company you've been watching over her, and you're always offering to hold her hand and stuff like that. You, my friend, are obsessed with Ninian."

Just at that moment, the light-green-haired dancer approached their table. "D-did someone say my name?"

"No, no. Well, yeah, but not in a bad way," Matthew explained with a sly grin.

"Oh, I-I see." Then Ninian meekly asked, "Lord Eliwood, are you all right? You look a bit flushed."

"Ah, y-yes, I'm all right. I think I've had a bit much to drink," Eliwood commented, giving Mokona a sharp glare.

"Oh. Well, N-Nils and I are going back to the inn, if that's okay," Ninian explained.

"Yes, that's perfectly fine," answered Eliwood. "Good night, Ninian."

"Tell Nils I said good night," Hector added. He had started to adopt the tiny bard as his little brother.

"I will, my lord. Good night, my lords, Matthew, Mokona." With that, the graceful dancer left.

Mokona then turned back to Eliwood. "I'm totally right. Look how he's staring longingly after her!"

Eliwood looked back at the tactician, face blushing. "I-I am not! I'm just making sure she gets out all right!"

"Eliwood, you're worse than me when it comes to this kind of stuff," Hector joked.

"Hah, see? Both times! I win! 5,000 gold! Hand it over!" Mokona exclaimed, jumped up out of her seat.

"Fine, fine, here you go," Matthew grumbled, handing her a bulging brown bag.

"So it was a bet after all," Hector muttered.

"Well, thank you sirs for your willing cooperation," said Matthew. "This has really helped us gain a better understanding of our comrades."

"And I get more money! Woohoo!" shouted the little tactician.

Eliwood, who was completely embarrassed, was about to stand up when suddenly, Mokona asked an unusual question.

"Hey, Matthew, if Hector and Eliwood were gay for each other, would Eliwood be the girly one?"

"I'm outta here!" Hector shouted, and he stormed off to join Oswin, Erk, and Serra.

"You have a point there, O wise lady tactician!" Matthew replied. "Eliwood's got some competition, though. Lyn's pretty competitive. She could probably kick his butt."

"Please, you two, why can't you discuss something more sensible?" Eliwood sighed. Then he, too, got up and left the table.

"I still win!" came the triumphant voice of the tactician. "I told you they would both leave! Hand over the gold!"