There were no tombs in the library quite as thick, quite as large, quite as old, and quite as important as the one Robin was scanning over. Written by over thirty scholars, mages, leaders, and more, over a thousand years, in a dozen different languages, the tomb was one part history of their world, one part its doom, and two parts her only hope.

Spells littered the pages, from raising a sunken castle to freezing a mountain in ice, spells that could change cities, bring life to a desert, bring death to a forest. And all of them were beyond useless.

"Take a break." The warm shall and an even warmer cup of tea Chrom had brought her made her aware of just how cold the library truly was. But that didn't matter.

"I can't." She shook her head and scanned the page in front of her. From tip to tip it was almost longer than her arm, and numerous smaller pages were glued, or sewn into each one, making each page feel like a book in its own right. "She's still out there."

"She's been out there before." Chrom rubbed her back in a soft circle that felt so very good. Almost good enough to lull her to sleep. He gave a laugh and leaned backwards against the table, arms crossed, leaving his shirtless chest exposed to her. Ahh, either it was just getting night, or it was just becoming morning. "Lucina isn't a weak girl, she can handle herself."

"I know!" She bit, trying to turn one of the pages quickly, only to slow down when she heard a small tear. Rushing wouldn't solve anything. "I know. But that doesn't mean I can't try to help her. The pathway between worlds are sealed, I just need to open one up, and give her a light to come home to."

"And you will. But you need sleep. Besides." Chrom grabbed her from the waist and hugged her softly, his chin resting on her shoulder and she felt the warmth of his love. "Your daughter misses you. Your son misses you, and I miss you."

"Hmm," She hummed enjoying his touch and letting her eyes shut for just a moment. "I'm surprised Morgan isn't in here helping me."

"He was, you kicked him out remember?"

"Oh? So I did." She opened her eyes and looked at the book for a moment. It would be here in the morning. "Just one more page, then I can promise your wife will be in your bed tonight."

"One more page and I'll be carrying her to-"

She saw it, hidden under one of the attached pages, a second folded page, near some talk about a foreign land connected by portals. She shoved Chrom back and grabbed the page, tearing it gently. It was a spell! A spell to open a portal where the was none! "Chrom this is it!"

He looked confused, her husband was a great warrior and a great leader but magic wasn't exactly his forte. "Paper?"

"No the spell! Alright, Oh and it's not a complicated ritual either." she kept looking over it. And felt her heart drop. It wasn't a transportation spell. "It's just a messenger spell."

"Oh, well that's good, right? We can get in contact with her at least." Chrom moved over to console her. "Or not?"

"It's a start, maybe there's something she can do in her world to give us a chance." Robin took a breath. She wanted to get her daughter home. "Alright, stand back. Oh and get your sword ready."

"Why?"

"Slight chance of summoning demons?"

"There always is."

With a few arcane words, hand gestures and just a bit of energy the spell was complete. A green orb appeared amid the room, lighting up the place like a second sickly sun.

Robin blinked and stared at it for a moment. "Oh, uh, hello? Lucina?"

Did it work?

"Robin Dear!" A haughty voice came from the orb, the tone, accent, and just about everything about it was familiar enough. "It's been far too long, we really must go for tea sometime. But this isn't a social call, is it? Don't worry, a certain green-haired goddess told me all about your wayward daughter, she's in good hands. Though I supposed its time to return home. Keep the channel open for me deary."

Without another word the orb vanished.

"Was that who I think it was?" Chrom asked sword firmly in hand.

"Yep. I don't know if that's a good thing though."

XXXX

"So did you?"

"Yep."

"Nice."

"Yep."

"And how was it."

"Nice."

"Nice?"

"Nice."

"Nice."

Futaba sighed and glared at both Akira and Ryuji while she typed away at her laptop. "Seriously you two? Are you having this conversation in front of me? And in Leblanc?"

"Why are you sitting with us anyways Futaba?" Ryuji nodded and pointed his chin towards the table where the other girls were all laughing. A red-faced Lucina in the center of the storm. "Shouldn't you be with them."

"No," Futuaba stretched out the 'O' and glared at Ryuji from over her glasses. "They're worse, at least with you guys it's just 'Nice' they're talking about everything over there."

Akira looked back and caught Lucina's eye for just a moment, she bit her lip and smiled at him, her blue eyes shining through her blush. That smile vanished when Anna grabbed onto her excitedly. If he had known that being in a relationship would have caused her this much embarrassment he would have tried to keep it secret.

"Still, I have to admit Akira, gratz on being the only guy in the history of the world to hook up with a character from a video game. And you even got with one of the waifuiest waifu's out there. Even if the internet thinks she's flat." Futaba typed on her computer, not looking him in the eye.

"What the hell? Why are you getting on us for talking about it when you're talking like a dirty old man?" Ryuji poked Futaba in the head.

"I'm a girl, it's cute when I do it." Futaba sneered back and swatted at Ryuji's hands.

"Pfft, you're a perverted shut-in, I've seen a few of those games you ordered, they're Eroge."

"So? It's still cute when a girl does it!"

Since when did Futaba care about being cute? He missed Yusuke, at least when he was around Futaba just argued with him. It was like she needed someone to disagree with. Maybe that was a side effect of her being on the internet so much? Seemed likely.

"You spend too much time on the internet Futaba!" Ryuji shouted stuck trying to get to Futaba's forehead while she deflected him. It was like the slowest action scene ever.

"Okay Boomer!" Futaba shouted back.

"What?"

Ryuji didn't get a response as the door to Cafe Leblanc was opened.

Normally this wouldn't do much if anything at all. But it was the presence that entered the cafe that caused everyone from Haru to Sojiro to pause for a moment and stare, mouths falling open. She was tall, nearly impossibly so, with equally as impossibly high heels on. Tight black leather pants showed off her feminine legs and the ruffled white top she wore looked like something a model would wear.

Short black hair. Sunglasses that had more jewelry on them than a jewelry store. And enough sass in her every step to make a bear blush.

Akira hadn't seen her in years, but somehow the woman looked exactly how he remembered her.

"Jigen?" the woman paused looking towards Sojiro. "Dear me, it's been far too long! Whatever happened to your hair?"

"Fell out," Sojiro rubbed his head and smiled. "And it's Sojiro now Cereza, but what are you-"

"Bayonetta!" Lucina stood from her booth with the girls, practically running on the countertop to jump over Makoto and over to the much taller woman. "What are you doing here? Is this your world too or did you-"

"Ahh, there you are Lucina, finding you was easier than I thought. Or perhaps I'm just that good?" Bayonetta gave a haughty laugh and patted Lucina on her head. "But give me a bit deary, I just got here and there's so much I need to catch up on."

"Are my parents?"

"They're fine darling, fine, and they miss you terribly." Bayonetta waved her hand at Lucina and then locked eyes with Akira. She took a few steps towards him, her towering stature just as powerful as he remembered. "Now Ren, baby, don't give me that look, aren't you going to say hi?"

Akira swallowed and looked up at her. It had been so many years since he'd seen her, this was the least he could do. "Hello, Mom."

The cafe exploded with a singular repeat of that word.

"Mom!?"

AN:... I saw some Lucina fan art.