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"Are you sure you want to go to that college?" Tharja asked with disgust seeping through her whole demeanor. She seemed to really dislike that Robin chose another place to study than her first choice."Yes. And even if you ask this another hundreds of times my answer will not change." Robin sourly replied. They had talked about his so often she had lost count of it. Tharja, dear Tharja didn't like it to be separated from her research object. The black haired woman hadn't changed from way back.And she was the only one who knew the whole truth about Robin. Not even her other childhood friend Gaius knew everything.Which Tharja knew and further increased her interest in the albino.But that was more coincidence than anything else. Tharja had simply been the first Robin had met again after all these years. And she had been careless to reveal herself like that.However, right now that didn't matter."Just drop it, okay? It's not like I will do anything different than before. Just studying medicine like always." Robin sighed resigned but she could just be as stubborn as Tharja was insistent. And they both knew it. They stared at each other for a few moments and finally the black hair gave up… for the moment."So then, dare tell me why you cut your hair? You just look like a guy now." Tharja's squinted eyes bore holes into the other woman. Robin was relieved for the change of subject and had expected that question sooner or later so she wasn't really surprised. Though, it was a hard issue to discuss regardless.The day before she went and had her hair cut, now it was only just covering her ears. Also her clothes were baggy and didn't reveal anything. Since her face was a bit more boyish and even her voice was quite husky, it was easy to hide the fact she was really a girl."I… just felt like it okay? The last few life’s I lived as a guy so it is hard to adjust. And since I didn't need to wear skirts I never actually felt like a girl again yet… so I just changed my appearance a bit. But it is not like I will deliberately hide the fact that I'm really a girl or do a surgery or try something dangerous like dark magic and hexes." She reassured her friend and excluded immediately a proposal that would have followed definitively. "Not that I don't know how it is either way. But dad liked it long and I held myself back. Just, right now, I really couldn’t stand it anymore."To Robins surprise Tharja looked more lost in thought than angry and nodding along as she spoke. The albino had never talked about it as it was hard for her to explain and bring up. But it seemed she had underestimated her childhood friend massively."Finally. I wondered when you would do it. That is just one more point to add to my research. Do you have a hair for me? Heh heh heh." A familiar creepy laugh escaped her and Robin sighed in relief while denying her friend her wish and ignoring the dark aura surrounding them. She leaned back and sank into the fluffy couch.They had met in Tharja's apartment and it was full of creepy things like dissected insects, parts of body’s and photos of bizarre things. But the furniture was quite comfy to sit on. So the white haired woman made her way always straight towards the parlor to avoid having to look around more attentively. She moved her knees under her chin and watched Tharja moving in a circle around her table."Why didn't you choose the same college as me? I know in Mila has interesting courses for you." Robin inquired curiously. "I know you knew where I would go."Her friend sighed exasperated."Yeah, yeah. I know. But in Duma are much more interesting courses for me. And sometimes I have to think about myself too, as sad as it is." At that Tharja sounded really heartbroken. Like, she had wanted really, really badly to go to Mila too. But her parents forbade it. Or there were actually more interesting courses there. More scientific or magic courses. Or both. But she also wanted to study and stalk Robin.Everything had been probably the case more or less. But at the end, her selfish wish to study more dark magic and learn more hexes won over her desire to stalk the albino. And another thought came to Robin."This has nothing to do with the strange guy you met while doing the extra classes?" Her eyes twinkled teasingly. And Tharja immediately denied that."Absolutely not! What do you think of me? I only have one research object and that is you." She glared back but the response was way too fast and too strong."Ok, ok. But I wonder if you will meet him again? What was his name again? Did you mention it before?" Robin chuckled. She got not often the chance to tease her friend and enjoyed it massively when she could."Hmm I never did tell you, did I? His name is Henry. He takes the exact same curses as me." At that Robin stilled. That couldn't be a coincidence, right? She gulped. She had to confirm this."… Let me guess, he is plegian? His hair is white and he wears preferably black and purple? A crow - or a few - are always with him?""How…?" Tharja began until she could see Robins expression. Then her expression began to shine once again. "Ohhh! He is one too, right?"Robin sighed exhausted. Now that the fourth person had popped up she was almost sure she would met everyone else too.At that her heart jumped in anticipation. She yearned to see everyone. Especially her husband Chrom and her kids but everyone in the Shepherds had a special place in her heart."Probably. He is very interesting, although loves blood a bit too much in my opinion. But he was a good friend regardless. He cared for those he was allied with. I would hate to get on his bad side though." That was all true. But she decided to left out a little detail. She would see eventually if everything turned out the same. Right now it almost looked like it and that would be wonderful. Not only for Tharja and Henry but for herself too.No more stalker.No wait, that wasn't quite true.Decreased stalking from Tharja.Yes that was more like it.She sighed yet again, unnoticed by Tharja who thought hard for herself while grinning like a lunatic. Who knows which curses she thought of yet again. But as long as the target was Henry it would probably be fine - if he was like before."It would be great if you could introduce us eventually. I really miss him. His maniac laughter is almost cute if you are used to it." Robin asked and Tharja snapped out of it."Of course, everything for you Robin. He he he." The black hair made already plans how they should meet. Robin contributed when she had time for it but forced Tharja to first ask Henry if he even could meet up then."But I know he has time. Why do I need to ask just to confirm what I already know?" The pouting Tharja made Robin laugh. She was really cute like this. The albino stood up and patted her friend on her head. It looked strange as Tharja was a bit bigger than Robin but they didn't care. It had always been like this after all."We already discussed this, right? I don't mind if you do it because I'm used to it. But others dont. You will ask, promise?" And Robin could see the resistance melt away while a soft expression took over the mage's face."Ok!"
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On normal nights with a full moon, Robin slept like a dead fish. But on this particularly day before college started she laid awake for a long, long time. When she finally had to get up she felt awfully slain and sleep-deprived.What a great start.She made an extra effort to look good but her bed hair was pure evil and stood in all directions. They did move like she wanted to at first, but as soon as her hands, or the hairbrush for that matter, didn't touch it, it sprang back. Eventually she gave up because her hair had to come down at some point and if she didn't got ready now she would be late.Robin hurriedly dressed herself with her favorite clothes, a black pullover with purple and yellow ornaments over a black shirt and beige trousers. Everything was wide enough to not disturb her and simultaneously tight enough to not be saggy. Then she took her backpack designed after the dragon Grima, which she had already packed the previous day and made her way down to the kitchen. She wondered if someone would notice the subtle Grima-signs on it as it was not that obvious. Though it was modern right now, not that she really cared.Since Chrom sealed the fell dragon and she found him afterwards again, they shared a strange bond. She could feel him in the back of her mind and sometimes they even talked. After almost a thousand years, he had calmed down greatly and she had the feeling he was much more open towards humans than before. She saw him as a friend now, even if he had still problems.She shook these thoughts away from her and smiled as a big blue haired man came into view. He looked hilarious in the apron and without a sword. His bulky form was not suited for housework at all. In her eyes he looked still best with his weapon of choice - the Ragnell - in his hands. Sadly he didn't have it in this life. Swords were rare and the legendary sword had been lost during another great war.But Robin couldn't laugh however hilarious he looked because she knew, he did it just for her. And he tried and trained just as hard as he did with everything."Good morning dad. This smells delicious. Pancakes? We haven't had that in ages!" She snooped around him with glittering eyes. She loved his cooking. At least it was much better than in the beginning."Good morning, little bird. Yes as a special service for your first day in college. How did you sleep?" He grinned and ruffled her hair so that it was impossibly more standing up. She shrieked and tried to get at least a relatively normal hairdo which failed miserably. She sighed defeated and glared daggers at her now laughing father. He put a third pancake onto a plate and placed it on her usual place."Awful, actually. I don't know why but I didn't sleep a wink." The white hair then answered honestly and let herself fall onto her chair, exhausted despite it only being seven in the morning.The traitor dared to chuckle."I can imagine. You have to go to an unknown place with unknown people and unknown situations. It would have been strange if you had slept well." Robin only murmured a few curses and poked at her pancake. She should be used to it already. And she was not nervous at all. Actually she looked forward to it very much. She loved learning new things after all. Her room full of books spoke volumes.But something bugged her.Something big would happen today.She just couldn't say what.As the sweet pancake met her tongue she was brought back to reality, it just was this good. The fluffy pastry together with marmalade, applesauce and cinnamon sugar was truly the best. He had prepared it exactly how Robin liked it. And she loved him for it."Hmm~ so gooood!" She swooned and took another bite. Or two. Or many. The plate was cleaned with lightning speed."Thank you dad, I needed that. Are we training today?" She asked while she gave him a little kiss on his cheek to say her goodbyes. At first interactions like that had been awkward for her as she remembered him from before. But now she was used to it and he truly had become her father. It hadn't been difficult given his affections and attention."No, but tomorrow we will. Here take one for Gaius too." He gave her her lunch and an extra for her friend."Thank you! Cannot wait to see his happy face!" She gave him an extra hug and wanted to go but was stopped shortly before she could open the door."It would be good if you could come home early. I want to discuss something with you." Robin looked over her shoulder and noticed how awkward he looked. She grinned."Don't tell me you want to talk about the birds and bees? I already know about that so you don't have to." The albino teased good heartedly and watched as he spit out part of his coffee and his face became tomato red and then some."N-No that isn't it actually…" He stuttered while wiping the now wet desk. It was cute how innocent he was in this regard. She chuckled."Come on dad, it is only as awkward as you make it to be." She took the few steps back to him while he laughed stiffly. "If it's not that, then I can only think of one more thing you want to talk about so seriously. The fact that I'm adopted?"At that his mouth dropped to the floor. He couldn't get anything coherent out of it and just stuttered nonsense."How…?" He finally managed.Robin just shrugged."I always knew. I can remember everything, dad. Everything." She explained, still smiling."But you were only three then!" He furrowed his brows questioningly. He looked so confused it was almost funny if it wasn't such a serious thema."I know. But I remember everything from birth on." She mumbled a I always do that he couldn't hear and continued then. "And please don't think about it. I'm really happy that I have you as my dad. How couldn't I? I have the best in the world after all! You are my father in every regard except blood. And that's the last thing I'm concerned about."Robin could see tears glittering in his eyes but he didn't let them go. She hugged him wholeheartedly and he recicoperated it strongly."I really have the best daughter too." He said when he found his voice again and let her go. He smiled so happy it was contagious. They just enjoyed each others company for a short while until Robin noticed the clock on the counter."Oh gosh! I really have to go now! Gaius is waiting for me! Love you dad." She gave him a final kiss on his cheek and was then out of the door while Priam shouted a Love you too! after her.
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As expected Gaius already waited on the crossroad across her home. She waved at him smiling brightly.
"Good morning Bubbles. Hope you slept well?" He ruffled her hair when she was in range and she swatted his hand away while hissing. Why did everyone think that was a good idea? Especially today! He just laughed.
"You look good with short hair." His eyes were sparkling with humor and she knew he meant well. She grumbled but couldn't really be angry at him. She sighed, accepting her fate for today. So what if she was the one with a tousle-head.
"Gee, thanks. Here, a present from dad." Now his eyes were shining as he almost ripped the container from her hands. He looked inside and let out a happy yelp while already eating his sweet treat. Robin couldn't help but laugh at that.
"I'm just waiting for you to choke on one of your sweets some day." She said still chuckling and Gaius glared at her.
"Sweets are good, they won't do such a thing." Now she had to laugh again.
"Okay, if you say so." Gaius looked sternly at her but had to laugh too after a while. Then they began walking towards their college.
"Are you nervous?" The redhead asked while munching on a lollipop. She always wondered where he hid so many sweets. She shook her head.
"No. Not really. I know what to expect and you're here too, right?" She gave him a grin and he blushed just a tiny bit.
"But I'm a year before you so we don't have any courses together. I don't understand why Sunshine decided to go to another college as she followed you everywhere ever since we were kids." He tried again but she just shook her head.
"Doesn't matter." He looked skeptical. "Really. Don't worry."
She tried to reassure him when she looked over him again and something clicked inside her head.
"Aside from that… Why don't you tell me why you are so neatly dressed today? I never saw you with patched holes before." She eyed him suspiciously and he blushed hard. Too hard.
"I just felt like it?" It came out more as a question than anything else and she stared at him until he began to wilt. He never had a chance to escape from her curiosity.
"Cordelia flicked them for me." Gaius admitted with his shoulders hanging in defeat. To gloss over her giddy feeling to maybe meet another one, she took out a bonbon and gave it to him.
"Cordelia? You never mentioned her. Who is she?" She asked to make sure but really wanted to know too. Even if it turned out she wasn't the past Cordelia, he was her friend and she wanted to know what was going on in his life if possible.
"Didn't I?" He scratched his head embarrassed. "We're friends in the same course. She is our class president and has a crush on a teacher. But she is very dutiful and somehow I caught her eye. Now she tries to make me look more.. How did she put it? Decent."
Robin stumbled. That sounded really close like her Cordelia. But a teacher? She had to ask.
"That sounds like an interesting character. Maybe I even know her. What does she look like? She crushes on a teacher? Did she say that?" She hoped her friend didn't hear her voice tremble.
"Oh? Someone from your past? Let's see, she has long fire red hair and always wears a hair ornament like a feather. She is tall and is only dressed in pants." He mused while he took out another lolipop from somewhere. "Yes, I don't think she realizes it but is so obvious for all but her. His name's Chrom Exalt. His eldest daughter Lucina will be in your class if I remember correctly."
Abruptly Robin came to a halt.
She didn't mishear that, did she? She didn't want to believe it. Her husband Chrom already had a daughter. The same daughter he had had with her in the past. And he was seemingly old enough to be her father.
Fate was a cruel thing.
"...what?" Her eyes glossed over and at the edge of her mind she noticed how worried Gaius was. But the shock was too huge. At this moment she didn't care. She let her sorrow swallow her up.
It could be any Chrom. If it weren't for a daughter with the name Lucina. That couldn't be just coincidence.
Her mind went blank and afterwards she couldn't even remember how she made it into the collage let alone her course.