Author's foreword: This one shot is the first thing I'll have ever published on this site. I do not own Fire Emblem Awakening. It was developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the 3DS. All I did was come up with a mildly wacky scenario. Chrom eavesdropped on Robin and Lucina shortly after the incident at castle Plegia. If you don't know what I'm talking about, SPOILERS AHEAD. Go play past Chapter 21. But, what if more people still had joined in? Chaos is sure to ensue.

Only two pairings in this story: Chrom/Sumia and Robin/Thajra. If either of these are deal breakers for you, I apologize I couldn't give you something nice to read. If you don't find the pairings off-putting, then I hope you enjoy this.

Chrom understood what Robin was going through. He was dueling with unpleasant thoughts. Robin had been cursing himself and his father, Validar, ever since the disaster at castle Plegia. Validar had momentarily compelled Robin through some vile sorcerery to betray Chrom and steal the Fire Emblem. Robin would not stop dwelling on it. Chrom had tried to get Robin to focus again and think of damage control and repair but to no avail.

Was I this inconsolable after Emmeryn's death? Chrom wondered. Emmeryn's death had been Chrom's greatest failure and Robin had helped pull him through his darkest hour. They swore to become two halves of a greater whole and uphold Emmeryn's legacy. Now it fell to Chrom to help pull Robin through this crisis. Why couldn't the man see that he could fight Validar's control? Not all was lost! They just had to regroup and come up with a plan to stop Validar and reclaim the Fire Emblem. The Shepherds needed Robin to regain his confidence and formulate such a plan.

That was why Chrom was following Robin's tracks. Robin had left camp some time ago on his own to brood alone. The sooner Chrom could confront Robin and get him to see sense—to see that he was vital to opposing Validar rather than a hindrance—the sooner they could win this conflict. However, there was another reason. Chrom had also seen Lucina following after Robin. He wasn't quite sure why that bothered him though.

Chrom finally saw a clearing ahead through the foliage of trees and bushes. Robin stood with his back to Chrom, facing the horizon as dusk was quickly ushering in the night. Chrom waited. Eventually, Lucina emerged into the clearing first and walked up to Robin.

Robin did not seem to notice Lucina's presence until she cleared her voice to get his attention.

"Beg pardon, Robin. Might I have a word?" she asked.

"Lucina. What is it?" Robin replied.

"It's about my father," she started. "I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before he … died."

Chrom frowned. So did Robin. Neither of them liked to think of the tragedy which seemed to define Lucina's dark future. Chrom died, and the fell dragon Grima rose to lay waste to the world.

"I see," Robin said somewhat uneasily.

"He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him," Lucina went on. Her stoic expression softened into a smile, caught up in a wave of more pleasant thoughts. "People say he was brave right up until the very end. I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do ... I can see that the world will be robbed of a very great man ... I won't allow that to happen."

Robin's mood lightened. "I understand. You love him … We all do."

Lucina's smile disappeared into a grimace. Chrom felt something was … wrong. Though the setting sun was warm, he felt a chill.

"Robin, I … please, forgive me."

Lucina drew Falchion from her sheath and pointed it straight at Robin. Chrom's heart fell at the sight and he froze into place where he stood hidden.

Lucina … what are you …

"Lucina?!" Robin questioned with alarm.

"Stay where you are, Robin!" she commanded. "I have no choice. I must kill you."

"What?! What madness is this?!"

"In my future, you … You are my father's murderer."

The words nearly struck Chrom as hard as the sight of Emmeryn hitting the ground.

"No! That's insane! Why would I kill Chrom?" Robin tried to reason.

"I was not certain myself," Lucina admitted. "Until now ... I knew he had been killed by his closest friend. Having witnessed your bond with him, I doubted it could be so ... But today's events make it clear. You are at Validar's mercy. I suspect it's he who forces you to take my father's life, and very soon."

A look of realization dawned on Robin as he made the connection.

Validar, Chrom thought, fire and fury replacing the cold horror in his chest. This was all Validar's fault! Validar compelled Robin to steal the Fire Emblem, and in Lucina's future, kill him. Validar was responsible, not Robin! Why did Robin and Lucina not see the real root of the problem?

"Lucina, wait," Robin tried to argue.

"If my father is right, then we can change our fates," Lucina continued, not permitting Robin to speak. "If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made. I am sorry, Robin! I know this is murder, I ... I know that ..." Lucina's resolve seemed to waiver for a split moment before she hardened herself.

"Lucina, you don't have to—"

"Don't make it harder!" Lucina cut Robin off again. She tightened her grip on Falchion, steeling herself for the task she had set for herself. "Don't resist, and your death will be swift and painless. If you hold any love for Chrom, then let this be done ..."

"Enough!"

Robin and Lucina whirled their heads around. Chrom, too, looked at the newcomer. He had cried out the same words but his voice had been drowned out by a furious Tharja.

When did she get here? Chrom thought. Did she follow one of us? How much has she heard?

"Tharja? Wait, don't do anything rash!"

Tharja didn't seem to acknowledge her husband. "You're a dead woman if you don't put down your sword in the next three seconds," Tharja threatened Lucina coldly.

Chrom recognized the tome in Tharja's arm. She was carrying Goetia, her strongest dark magic spell book, open and ready for a casting. It would kill Lucina. Chrom closed the distance faster than he thought possible and drew Falchion, resting its cutting edge on Tharja's shoulder. "Stop!" he yelled. "Everyone just calm down! No skewering! No disintegrations!"

"Father?"

"Chrom!"

"If you don't call your daughter off," Tharja started darkly.

"I won't let you hurt her," Chrom said.

"And my husband?!" Tharja demanded. "Robin loves you both like family and this is how you repay him? I have no such attachments to either of you if this is how it's going to be. Harm him and die."

"Hold on Tharja!" Robin said. "This is all getting blown out of proportion!"

"STOP!"

Chrom, Robin, Lucina and Tharja all turned to see Morgan with her own dark magic tome standing behind Chrom. "Nobody move until I figure out what's going on!"

Morgan too? Of course, she's always tailing after Robin.

"H-hold on now Morgan," Chrom stuttered.

"Shut up! I've got a forged Nosferatu and I'm not afraid to use it! Now let's start disarming this mess. Both of you, step away from my mother and father! Then maybe we can talk this out and nobody will need to—"

"WOAH WOAH WOAH!"

Only one person could possibly assault someone's eardrums like that, Chrom thought, feeling a massive headache starting to develop.

Surely enough, his second daughter, Cynthia, entered the fray, and pointed her spear to Morgan's back.

"EVERYBODY HOLD IT!" Cynthia yelled. "Morgan! Why are you threatening my father?! Why is your mother threatening Lucy?! What is going on here?!"

"How many people followed us out here with the intention of eavesdropping?!" Chrom asked with exasperation.

"This is getting way too out of hand," Robin moaned tiredly. "Everybody, just listen to me for a—"

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!"

Oh gods no. Chrom felt the blood drain from his face. If there's one person more unstable and dangerous than Tharja, it's Noire!

Noire had her bow ready to let loose an arrow at Cynthia, too close to possibly miss, and she was in full on demon-possessed-aggression-mode.

"It seems I was right to follow Morgan to ensure no harm would befall her with night's approach. Cynthia! Remove thy spear point from my little sister's back, or so help me I WILL FEAST ON YOUR SOUL! And Chrom and Lucina! If thy blades draw blood from my parents, thou shalt both beg for mercy, IN VAIN, AS I MAKE YOU SUFFER!"

"Is the entire army going to show up to this circus of madness?!" Chrom could feel a good few months being shaved away from his lifespan from the sheer stress of this ever-growing mess. "Okay, it doesn't matter who followed who to eavesdrop. Let's just not kill each other."

"Yes!" Robin agreed. "For the love of the gods, everybody, please get a hold of yourselves! Noire! Morgan! Put down your weapons!"

"Eep!"

"If you think it best, father."

Both of Robin's daughters hesitated before obeying him. Noire promptly returned to her usual, meek self and Morgan stood down. Cynthia and Chrom, in turn, lowered their weapons as well. Tharja, however, was still ready for to disintegrate someone and Lucina still had Falchion aimed at Robin.

"Tharja, Lucina," Robin started as carefully and nervously as Chrom could ever recall. "Please, our entire families are here and watching! One hasty action, a single lunge or spell, and all of us here will end up seriously injured if not flat out dead. Our army is low on morale as it is after our retreat from castle Plegia. We can't have our two families wipe each other out! Please, both of you, put away your weapons before irreparable damage is dealt!"

"Lucina," Chrom cut in as he approached her. "Lower your sword."

"But father—"

Tharja's frown grew harsher. Chrom could vividly imagine the bloodbath that would consume them and possibly split their army into two.

"Lower your sword!" he commanded again, half ready to bind her blade with his own if need be.

"A-all right." Lucina relented and lowered Falchion.

Tharja still looked ready for blood. Robin walked past Lucina and Chrom and towards Tharja. He shut her dark magic tome, his hands over hers. She did not stop him. She didn't stop glaring either though.

Chrom and Robin both let out heavy sighs of relief, everyone else still mostly on edge and confused.

"Okay," Morgan started. "How did our two families just come to the brink of slaughtering each other?"

"… I can explain," Lucina said guiltily.

"No, Lucina," Robin said. "This is all my fault. You're right, after all. Validar … can control me. We all saw the proof today. He made me steal the Fire Emblem. He may make me kill Chrom."

Everyone gathered immediately started with arguments or questions.

"Everyone," Chrom said. "Please, wait. Lucina, Robin, listen to me. Lucina, I know your heart was in the right place … but I trust Robin. You cannot shake my faith in him.

"This is not about trust!" Lucina cried. "He'll be the death of you!"

Chrom continued before Robin's daughters could protest. "Robin and I have held fast through good times and ill … We swore to be two halves of a greater whole. You underestimate the strength of those ties, the bonds we share. I believe in them more than in some foretold 'destiny.'"

"That is easier to say when you haven't seen it yourself …" Lucina insisted.

"Lucina, aren't our ties stronger here now than they were in your future? You said so yourself. In this flow of time we are bound tighter than ever, you and I. Not just as father and daughter … but as friends. We can change things—we already have … and we will again. Just look around you at everyone here."

Chrom wrapped his arms around Lucina and Cynthia's shoulders and held them close. "Though we were just at each other's throats a moment ago, aren't we all closer now than in your future? We are still a whole family. We are all here, alive, and aware of what must be done to avoid the tragedies of your future."

"… Very well, father." Lucina turned to face Robin, Tharja, Noire and Morgan. "I would ask your forgiveness, but I cannot expect it, not after the wedge I've driven between our families."

"I do forgive you, Lucina," Robin said before anyone could object. "You needn't speak of it again. In fact, I'd much appreciate it if nobody spoke of this incredibly stressful and embarrassing affair ever again."

"Agreed," Chrom said, his headache finally dying down.

"I pray … that is, I trust the both of you will prove me wrong," Lucina said. "And that this future will fall to pieces before your bond ever would. And also that such a feud will never come between our families ever again."

"Aw don't worry about it too much, Lucina," Morgan consoled her. "You only attempted murder—we all did. Except for father that is. He was unarmed and vulnerable the entire time. At least you weren't mind-controlling your own flesh and blood. Now let's all go plan out how we're going to curb stomp evil grandpa Validar into the ground and make him pay!"

"The punishment for his transgressions against us shall be DEATH!" Noire agreed, momentarily reentering her frenzied persona. "Oh goodness," she second guessed herself, reverting to her normal temperament. "Does this mean father will have to commit patricide? Even if his father is someone as evil as Validar …"

"We cannot falter! Justice is on our side—we must prevail for the sake of everything and everyone we love and hold dear!" Cynthia joined in, her inner Justice Cabal cadet taking full control.

The two families began walking back to the Shepherd's camp with the affair behind them. Robin walked up beside Chrom on their way.

"Chrom," Robin said. "Remind me to see about forging a nice weapon for Sumia the next time we visit a blacksmith."

"What? Why?" Chrom asked.

"Because," Robin explained. "Your wife is now officially the only member of your family that hasn't tried to see me, my wife or my daughters killed."

"What about Lissa?" Chrom reminded him. "And Emm?"

Robin frowned. "Emmeryn was a saint. As for Lissa, I still haven't forgotten about that frog incident."

"Gods, Robin! That was over two years ago! And that prank is hardly equivalent to raising a weapon at your family!"

Robin suddenly started laughing. Chrom also felt a smile scrawl across his face and a sense of mirth return to him. They both knew better than to put any stock into that 'destiny' hogwash. They would be fine. The strength of their invisible ties would see them through their struggles. Even if some of those struggles occasionally involved friendly fire.

Author's afterword: That's all folks! I hope you found this one shot at least somewhat amusing. I always felt that this scene of the game was the most powerful from the raw sense of tragedy and desperation on Lucina's part-especially if your Avatar was her mother or husband. And while I enjoy a good tragedy, I felt that this could easily be turned on its head into a comedy by simply having the rest of Robin and Chrom's family getting caught in the struggle.

Thank you for reading this short piece. Rock on.