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Chapter Text

-- Dragon to Dragon --

Harvest festival decor was finally all over the kingdom. Corrin SHOULD be enjoying a candied apple or something, but...

When Alear is summoned to the Kingdom of Askr as the full proper Fire Emblem AND Divine Dragon of Legend, something bothered Corrin. He'd been watching the other versions of the Elyos folks for awhile. Kiran mentioned the Askran archives lacked a lot of information on them, and that made it difficult. But... there was just... something... wrong! Talking to Alfonse was little help, and Sharena had suggested he just try to be there to cheer him up if he was needed, but they were all busy in their own ways. Well, fine then, Corrin decided.

He couldn't take it anymore. He'd watched Alear from a distance all day, and he noticed. As time wore on, he never once faltered. He never once said no to anyone's requests, running himself ragged. He ran around helping everyone with decor, baking, moving things for a haunted house, fixing up a haunted hay ride, moving mules... he should be exhausted! But he keeps saying yes. When Corrin finally tugs him aside next to a bakery in the shopping district, Alear blinks, but smiles. Ever since he'd shown up with that new power... something had been bugging him. Alfonse said it was for the best.

Corrin had a few choice words for where he felt Alfonse could shove his opinions, of late, but that was neither here nor there. He'd never get anywhere if he just said whatever thing came to his head. He'd never make peace or help people with a foul attitude. And while he understood that need, to put on a smile, here in Askr... they're all on one side. So why?

"Oh, Em--I mean, er, Corrin." Alear quickly corrects himself. Maybe that confidence was fake after all, Corrin muses. Alear seemed put together, but was he, really?

"Hey, Alear... ever since you got back, you've been..." He fidgets with his Askran costume garb, adjusting feathers. He noticed it. For a moment. The tired hesitation. Resignation. Right now he's dressed kind of not unlike a vampire. He'd helped a bunch of them dye Feh the owl's feathers for costume use, and he's still a bit stained. He was too excited to try it on earlier, what with Elise and Camilla egging him on and saying he looked nice... right, Alear. Distracted. He looks at Alear's two-toned hair and eyes and clears his throat.

"I've been what, Corrin?" Alear was keeping his face so neutral. It was starting to remind him of his family in Nohr. Corrin loved Elise dearly in part because she refused to stop expressing herself, good or bad.

"Completely overlooking your own wants and needs. I know you're... an Emblem or whatever now, but..."

Something about it just sat poorly in his gut, was all. Corrin didn't like the... what term would Leo use? Dehumanizing Alear was going through. Okay, not the right word. They're both dragons. So maybe he should try dragon to dragon.

"Look, from one dragon to another, I totally get it, okay?" He says, pulling an old crate aside to sit down while he steals a loaf they'd left out behind the local bakery. The place was in overdrive preparing breads. Some Heroes were even assisting in the baking. The smell of cookies and fall treats was overwhelming, and it was hardly even mid-afternoon.

"... Get what?" Alear asked, looking away. His smile was beginning to falter. "I have people who need me, and places I'm needed, and that will--"

Corrin interrupts him, shoving a loaf of stale bread into his arms.

"It'll never be enough to replace the people you feel you failed and lost." Corrin finishes, seeing right through him. "Think about the kinds of Heroes we have here, Alear. You think you're the first like that?"

Alear pauses, his two-toned eyes uncertain. He picks at the bread a bit, before sighing. Corrin was right. He wasn't like the Emblem he knew, exactly, but...

"I'm sorry," Alear finally replies. "It's just... everyone has always needed me to be their God, and now I'm an Emblem... and expected to rule... I can't afford to tell people no or show weakness. They need a strong leader. They've lost so much, and... it's hard leading people. I died once, you know. I could tell that as a scary story, but to be honest, I was more afraid for my friends, and..." He starts rambling. Corrin listens, patiently. It seems Alear had really gone through a lot in his past he'd forgotten, and boy, did Corrin feel that. When it seems like there's a good point to pause, he decides he'll interject.

Corrin hums, finishing his hunk of bread. He pulls a little bottle of honey out of his pocket and puts some on Alear's bread and his own before continuing.

"I know how that feels. You're going to wonder for the rest of your stupid long life if you made the right choice. Well... the first choice you should be making is taking care of yourself. Alfonse hears this from me so much he barely talks to me now, hah!"

He kicks a small pebble down the alley, and Alear blinks.

"You don't get along with Prince Alfonse?" He asks, despite himself. "Oh--oops. I shouldn't pry, I'm sorry..." An Emblem's place is in servitude, after all. Right? Corrin just laughs, waving a hand, cleaning the honey off his scaled fingers.

"We used to. But ever since he lost Zacharias and some other stuff happened, he's been getting more... distant. From the rest of us. I don't want you to end up the same way. Trust me, he's not the example you should follow."

Alear sighs gently.

"... You're right, Corrin. Thank you. I've been so lost without you and the others to guide me... that is, the Emblem versions of you all."

Corrin grins, showing off the bread and honey stuck in his fangs. The way his smile reaches his ears and they wiggle a little makes Alear smile, too.

"Well, hey, we're all part of the same army now. You're not a leader in Askr. Alfonse is, and we should both badger him together."

Alear nods.

"You're right. We should keep an eye on him. And each other." Corrin goes to shake Alear's hand, and his glove comes back sticky.

"Agh... Corrin!" He yelps, trying to get the honey off his poor glove. "Now I'll have to go to the onsen or something--"

He pauses, narrowing his eyes, and Corrin just whistles innocently.

"Oh no! How awful. You'll have to relax." He says, grinning mischievously. Alear pushes him clean off the crates, and he tumbles over a garbage can, yelping. They both laugh. There's that tension relief he'd been hoping for. Corrin cares for his friends and allies, and if they'll even open up a little, he'll take the opportunity to make sure their hearts aren't closed. Even Alear needed to hear that from time to time, he figured. Though he'll probably want to make sure none of the scarier dragons are bathing tonight... when they're in the hotsprings it tends to start to feel like an entirely different kind of war.

-- Harvest Emblems --

Byleth was busy helping clean up after training today. He and a few other mercs had been trying to help school some of the younger in Askr's recruitment on self-defense the mercenary way. Shez made it a competition. He's relatively sure all of them had eaten far too much sugar today, which explained the sudden crash afterwards. There was a lot of mess after all was said and done. He's pretty sure Chrom broke something. Or Lucina did. One of them. Everyone was just too excited about the upcoming festival plans to really focus. He isn't expecting to see Corrin approach him...

"Corrin... what can I do for you?" He says, trying to smile. He's not the best at expressing himself, and he may never be. That's fine, though. Most people who get to know him learn how to work with it. He brushes aside the weird horns on his head. A permanent fixture, something Kiran had done to "differentiate all the units". They spoke strangely of wartime and life in general, but it worked. Byleth wasn't the type to question orders.

"It's about Alear," Corrin says. "I was just talking to him, and he seems to be in rough shape. Sent him to the baths. ... I was thinking... what would you say to putting something together? We all know who his Emblem friends were, so if we all got together..."

Byleth nods.

"... We'd have to do a little research, first. Some of their situations seem to have differed significantly... the tales I've heard of my students, for example..."

In his world, Byleth had sided with Claude and taught the Golden Deer House, so it surprises him to learn how wildly things could go, depending. When he asked one of his female counterparts, she mentioned Edelgard... and then when he speaks to Rhea, she's all over the place. He considers how he was summoned alongside Sothis for the harvest festivals in the region. How Dimitri, Claude, and Edelgard all have wildly different timelines depending on which one you caught in Askr. Hmm... Corrin grins.

"I've got the best idea ever, okay? Why don't we go out with some of our funds and get costumes for everyone, and take him to the festival with us? All of us 'Emblems' and him!"

The excitement on his face... yeah, Byleth can't say no.

"Sure thing. I'll go tell a few others. I bet Citrinne would love to help."

-- One Born Every Festival --

The harvest festival was full of a gaggle of people from Elyos and other regions all buying candied apple after candied apple, but Grima was not about to let them deplete the stock of sweets those red-haired thieves were hucking. When Flayn vanished again, her cute kitty parasol a distant sight, he tugged at his collar and looked at the sack of sugared goodies. He jumped out, hoping to startle them. This costume made him frightening even as a human... right?

"Your candy! Now!"

Neither of them flinched, even slightly.

"Oh, a customer," the tiniest Anna said.

"Oooh, a customer!" The taller one repeated. "What'll it be, tough guy? I've got some super sour candies here I don't sell to the kids..." When she said that, the smaller Anna nodded.

"I can confirm it'll totally melt your tongue off. I'm never eating it again!"

Grima looked... confused at that, as he pondered. A challenge of... sour sugar? Now that intrigues him. He loves a battle.

"Very well..." He said, picking at the bags of sweets laid out before him, and selecting the most violently colored, sour suckers bag. "And what's in it for me? If I can consume all of this despair-filled sugary snack?"

The Anna sisters look at each other. They know a sucker when they see it. Grima is not wise to the worldly ways of capitalism.

"Oh, well, if you can eat the WHOLE bag... you can have another thing, whatever you want, for free." The smallest Anna says. The taller Anna balks at her.

"What?! No! We can't just give out premium product, you begged so hard for that with your cute costume--I mean, uh, earned it fair and square! It's fair trade. Which is to say, if you fail... you've got to guard our stall for us from other candy thieves."

The tinier Anna groaned. "Yeah, that orange-haired guy stole a bunch of our product... I didn't even notice him slip in. He was a real master criminal..."

Grima narrows his eyes, and then growls. These two idiots have no idea who they're dealing with.

"I will take your bet, fool!" He swiped the bag of sour suckers into his clawed hand. He was itchy. Kiran's stupid potion had turned him into a dog, in every possible way. They watched as he tore open the bag and consumed it. The reaction was not instant, to Grima's credit. It took him approximately three minutes before he had little choice but to be handed a different kind of bag and call it quits... and the smug face on the red-haired toddler while he guarded her stall really did not help. He growled at Duma and Mila as they looked at him.

"Don't you dare say a word, worms!"

Mila shrugged in response.

"I was just going to ask if you ate all the sour candy..."

Grima groans, turning away. "Stop talking to me about that this instant!" The small Anna slides over to the sibling dragons and whispers gently, aloft on her broom to help her lack of height.

"Ignore him, he's just our bouncer. He lost a bet... too many super-sour suckers. An Anna & co. classic product! And if you're a discerning dragon, you'll definitely wanna try one..."

Duma observes the child from next to his sister, and mutters. "These two... are strong."

-- The Tale of the Tailess Dragon --

Marth is surprised to find he is not the only one coming to the hotsprings in the resort tonight. He's had a long day of helping prepare costumes, and Alear is here. What a relief that is, as he had been worried ever since Alear went home. He was often happy to see all of his friends return whole and...

And...

He notices Alear's back. The scars. A lot of them are new... or he'd never seen them, at least. He also notices how, since they're alone due to most of them being at the festival tonight, Alear seems to be talking to himself. Marth's plan was just to get his costume and then go, but...

"... Did I make the right choice, Marth...? I wish you hadn't gone... I'm so sorry. It's lonely, being an Emblem without you there. It feels... kind of like a bad joke, really."

Well, that's all he needs to hear. Marth enters next to Alear, who startles, not realizing he hadn't been alone. He glances down at the medicinal water, which is not at all clear from the spells and herbal remedies used to help ease the pain of injured soldiers. Alear grabs a small wooden tub, holding it over himself as he turns bright red. He crouches into the water deeper. He's... nervous.

"Marth! I wasn't--I didn't think you'd... I'm so sorry!" He's practically boiling over all on his own.

Marth hums in amusement.

"Alear... can I ask a question?" He says, unable to stop himself. He's usually more proper, but it's just them, and he had indulged Alear on many occasions with shouting about Engaging. It's the least he could do, Marth thinks. Alear swallows, nervous. Marth had always had such a presence, and he doesn't feel worthy to bathe with him. He never had in the past, either... even when he was in the Somniel, he'd taken off his ring and asked the others to give him privacy. The pool was different, but... he's honestly a bit shy.

"Why don't you have a tail or wings like some of the other dragons we see?" Marth asks, tracing the delicate scars on Alear's back. He swallows the lump in his throat. His skin feels like it's full of goosebumps now.

"W-well, I... I would have, if I had kept my dragonstone," he stammers. He hopes that excuse is enough. It hardly flies when people like Corrin can still change without one, unlike him, but...

"But you're an Emblem now, yes?" Marth continues, removing his hand to help wash Alear's back. He'd hoped this would relax him, but it seems to be doing the opposite. "I would have expected that prerequisite no longer was necessary. After all, you've told us before that borrowing Tiki's power allowed you to become a proper Divine Dragon like her. Why not try to get a stone here?"

Alear... isn't looking at him now. This is a tough subject for him.

"Because I can't. Sombron... I... even if I hadn't given it up... I had to remove them, to live on the Somniel, Marth. The--the Emblem you, I mean. He... he knew about all that. What I did when I was... before I was put to sleep. To--to distance myself."

... Oh. Marth understands the implication of the scars on Alear's back now. No tail. No wings. Just himself. He pulls him into a tight hug, instead. The reaction isn't what he'd hoped, though.

Alear yelps. He feels something bite his foot, and...

"WHY IS THERE A SNAKE IN THE BATHHOUSE?!"

Then, as he's checking, he notices the faint traces of gold and--are... are... Marth laughs, catching him.

"Oh, sorry. I should have warned you, sometimes Gullvieg's snakes like to be in here. It's warm, you know..."

-- Seer, Far --

"Where did you two go...?" Gullvieg asks her slithering companions, noting that they're coming back from towards the resort. She moves away. This is her first time visiting such a festival, and she is nervous about this costume the woman dragon she's been befriending had her put on.

"You'll look GREAT, Gullvieg," Corrin says, smiling. "Look, I even made hats for each of your snakes." They're all individually knitted, and she has to admit, the care and attention to detail touches her greatly. She helps fasten each one to her serpent companions. She's so glad she learned how to make these from Bernadetta. All the effort was really worth it.

"... They look... really..." Corrin's face scrunches up as she looks at Gullvieg's. She finally finishes, "... Cute." And Corrin nods. Being a Brave Hero meant more than just fighting, she figured. For the two of them, it also meant trying new things and helping others do the same. They arrive to see... a commotion in the square around the Anna & co. candy stall.

"Is that... the Fell Dragon arm wrestling--" Corrin stammers. Should she... be in there?

Gullvieg nods. "... Duma..."

They decide to give the two a wide berth, and find a quieter stall. Her snakes flick their tongues and curiously poke their heads toward a bakery that's been preparing all night for the festival, where they find a nice cake to share with Corrin. Gullvieg smiles at the small pumpkin-like cake.

"We would... like to carve a pumpkin..." She says quietly, and Corrin beams.

"We can do that!" She says excitedly. As they chat, she watches a group of people dressed as various kinds of ghosts walk past them. A ghost pirate... a ghost... murder victim? She thinks? Uh... wow. Chrom and Robin are with them, and they wave, pausing to run over. The rest of the group diverts to check on the duo, though Soren seems agitated. A fellow Brave Hero and a brilliant tactician, but rough around the edges, Corrin always noted. She hopes the candy will loosen him up a bit...

"Corrin! Gullvieg. What do you think of my outfit?" They recognize this Robin as another Hero titled Brave, and the Chrom alongside him. He does a little twirl, showing off his tattered raggedy costume. "I tried to be just like the Terrors that I read about in Valentia. I also heard their history had a deep pirate problem, and Celica was telling me about it... so I'm a drowned pirate first mate!" He finishes, posing dramatically. "I even drew my own maps!"

Gullvieg raises a brow. Soren rolls his eyes. He's dressed like some kind of scientist? Probably. Neither of them are sure what he did here. The effort was half-hearted, it seemed.

"Nobody cares about historical accuracy at a party," he mutters, and Ike, from behind him, puts a hand on Soren's shoulder.

"Not really, no. ... Stitches good?" Ike asks, clearly trying to do the undead warrior thing. He's not a man of many words, but the meat Timerra had been cooking for their party later was a huge motivating factor. That, and if Byleth asks him a favor, he won't turn it down. Unlike Shez. Shez always got no.

"They look like you might bleed on me at any second!" Robin says cheerfully. He's having a great time, it seems. Looking around the cluster, they note Alear in the back... and he's just floating with a big sheet over his head, giggling.

"I'm the ghost of dragons past." Alear says, wiggling his hands. "Am I scary?" He adds, looking to Gullvieg. He figures she's a good judge of that... and Gullvieg nods at Alear. She is growing accustomed to all these noisy people butting into her business... slowly. She doesn't really think he's scary, but Corrin had taught her sometimes you lie on purpose.

"Would you two like to come with us?" Alear asks, smiling. Marth is alongside him, now, covered in glitter and... and wearing fairy wings? Gullvieg is... surprised. "We're all going to a haunted house Sharena some of the others are putting together. They're charging us admission, which is lousy, but..."

Robin frowns. "Well, I know one of the Morgans were helping with it... to be honest, it's probably going to be really realistic if it's them..." He trails off.

This does little to stem the excitement at the table. A few snakes flick their tongues questioningly.

"Oooh, Gullvieg, can we?" Corrin asks, waving at her pink-haired counterpart. He's dressed like some sort of gargoyle? Maybe. It's hard to tell. He uh... did his best. Felicia helped. It clearly ended as expected. Gullvieg looks to her serpents for confirmation. They have finished their meal together. Byleth appears to be... a very serious-looking mime.

"... All right... I will ask them not to bite." She runs a hand over one of their heads, and they nuzzle into it. She loves them dearly.

She smiles just a little, despite herself. Suddenly, behind them, everyone hears a shout erupt from the throngs.

"HAH-HAH! I HAVE BESTED YOU, SO-CALLED STRENGTH GOD!" The dog-like Grima shouts, hopping up on the stall the Annas are running. "COWER IN AWE! I AM THE HOWL OF DESPAIR! THE BARK OF RUIN!"

Robin and Chrom almost fall over laughing and have to be escorted towards their destination with the rest... well, Robin thinks to himself, he knew he was right. Grima isn't that far gone. He can still have fun.

"Robin..." Chrom says, adjusting his costume's fake axe sticking out of his head. "This haunted house... isn't--"

"It run by that other Fell Dragon? ... I'm aware. I think we should give them a chance. Like you gave me. I'm not willing to give up on them, like I said before." Robin says, smiling. Chrom can't help tussling his hair, and he pushes him away, making Chrom's fake axe almost fall off his head.

"Chrom, I spent an hour making this historically accurate, don't mess it up yet!"

That yet hangs heavy. He rushes on ahead after Soren and the rest, and Chrom's mind has to also now catch up with Robin's footwork.

"Robin--wait!" Chrom shouts, taking off after him. Gullvieg gently removes herself from the table. Her and Corrin will follow.

-- Pitfall of Horrors --

They all meet up with Seadall and Timerra at an intersection and head out towards the emptied fields where the big haunted tents were being built. Morgan watches them from a distance with his telescope, and turns to his Master Mother. ... Er, Master Grima. Roy and Lilina are helping push some final touches down into place.

"You sure this won't set anybody on fire?" Roy asks, looking around. "The other Morgan was saying the pitfall might be a bad idea..."

Grima waves a hand, approaching the two. Even in costume, she refuses to walk. She and Morgan were both skeletons, though she'd taken a much more elaborate makeup look for hers, including some flowers sprouting out of her 'corpse'. She's too important to settle for less.

"It's all staged. The worms won't fry. ... Much," she says, grinning as she leaves. Roy blinks. Eh, she was just kinda like that. It was probably fine. Morgan, on the other hand, eyes red and filled with glee in his costume, can't wait. He's painted himself up like a skeleton and is even going to use some magic to illusion his guts spilling out in the pit. He can't wait to terrify whoever is dumb enough to fall into it. As he climbs down into the pit, he notices a horrifying groaning noise... and a light he can't place...

Suddenly, a hand locks around his ankle, and he shrieks.

"MASTER GRIMA HELP!" Morgan's voice vanishes into the pit, only to be greeted by the Risen King, who has been dressed up like some sort of undead butler. Morgan tries to clear his throat. He's redder than his eyes right now, and just suddenly wants out. As he screams, the guests outside get more excited in line. Chrom whispers to Timerra.

"This was definitely more frightening than I expected," he says, and she grins. "Sure we couldn't have convinced your friends Ivy, Alcryst and Takumi to come with us?" Timerra sighs.

"No can do... 'cause they're terrified of this kinda thing."

Inside the haunted house, the Risen King gently sets Morgan down.

"Uncleared pranks... against... the rules." The Risen King drawls slowly, narrowing his undead eyes at Morgan. "You... know."

"Kill joy," Morgan says, pouting. The Risen King grins.

"The dead... kill much joy... do not resist." And then he chucks Morgan back up to go help Grima. The suddenness surprises him, but he manages to work with it, landing in a wobbly manner hopping on one foot. Grima rolls her eyes.

"Morgan, hurry up. We have guests coming. Get into place. We are going to terrify them!"

He hasn't seen his mother this excited in awhile. She really did enjoy the harvest times, huh?

Chapter Text

-- Spook Society Stories --

Kiran looks around the campfire at all the people gathered. A lot of the younger kids in Askr are here asking for a campfire night story. Marth is terrible at frightening children, so they're taking it upon themselves. After a moment, they take out a powder bag, and go to grab a handful of dust--and the wind blows it back into their hood and they start gagging and coughing for a moment. After that, they try to clear their throat and continue, eyes watering.

"Submitted for... th... the approval of the Askran Spook Society..." They pause, frowning. "Wait, that doesn't sound as cool as I hoped. Do I have to worry about getting in trouble if I use the better name? Does... copyright exist here? Wait. Itsuki and the others could tell me--can I tell this story? Like, legally?"

Lady Anna frowns, counting her bills she'd stashed under her hat after Commander Anna had stolen most of the ill begotten goods she and her other sister profited off of Flayn and the rest.

"Eh, I dunno... I don't see what the legal ramifications could be if it's not an Outrealms-based operation. There's nothing to keep up to code like that here in Askr. I've checked. They'd have no grounds to sue you on a legally distinct entity in another world's country, especially since the Anna & co. bylaws are the ones that wrote them in the first place. And TRUST me, after Sombron, my sisters will be updating that!"

From next to her, Nils and his sister sit with a bag of treats. As he opens one, he considers.

"I don't think it matters either way, really," he says, popping a chocolate gourd into his mouth and chewing. Mmm, caramels. Tiki inches closer to the Fell Morgan who wields an axe over a tome, and whispers as she tugs at her coat.

"What if... what if I'm already scared?" Tiki asks, her voice small and full of fright. Ninian moves over to give her hair a gentle brush, but Morgan smiles, red eyes gleaming.

"Then you'll be the first to go," she says, trying to make her tone scary the same way her father always had. He has presence. The both of them aren't allowed to go until last, because they knew they had PRESENCE, damn it. Tome Morgan was legendary for his 'DM voice skills', according to some. Also for being a stickler for scene setting... Kiran had told them as much. In a way? She's proud, honestly. They have the kind of reputation servants of Master Fath--er, Master Grima--should have. Tiki, though, is less comforted by this, and buries her face in Morgan's coat. Morgan... feels a bit bad, and then backpedals.

"Well, we don't even know what the tale IS yet..." She says slowly. "And... after all, it would make little sense to worry about if you'd get in legal trouble. Since they'd have to know you'd even left anyway. Why not? Speak, Kiran." That was suitably playground dramatic... right? She looks at the other Morgan, who gives her a subtle thumbs up behind his tome. Kiran continues.

"... Er, right," They begin. "Well, as I said. Submitted for the approval of the Late Night Gang..." Their face wrinkles a bit under their hood as they heft an orb for the atmospheric glow. "... Listen to the terrifying tale of..." And Kiran places the powder into the campfire, causing a little blaze to kick up for dramatic effect.

"The Moaning Ghost! ... If you dare--"

Alfonse stares.

"If you dare to what? Fall asleep?" Sharena gently elbows him, and he yelps despite himself. She had elbowed him pretty hard, and he wasn't prepared for it.

"Brother!" She says, sighing as he picks himself up. "This is the good part! I want to tell one next... you better be prepared, I'm going to roast this a loooong while... Timerra and I have been learning how to tell good stories together."

Timerra, part of the ensemble, grins. She waves her ghostly sleeves.

"BooOooo yeah, Sharena! There isn't any better way to celebrate than with a few truly spine-chilling tales. My retainer was totally into them. I know all the best ways to make your nightmares happen... OoooOooooOO!"

Timerra adds, giggling at her bad impression. Her singing sure SOUNDS like it could kill people, Alfonse thinks to himself. By comparison, everyone has noticed he seems less than enthused by the idea of a bunch of spooky stories. ... But Sharena's puppy dog eyes, paired with Kiran's puppy-faced mask is too much for his heart to take. And once some of the Heroes start doing it, too, he relents, sighing. His smile is small, but there. Maybe it's all right to indulge sometimes. He waves a hand.

"All right, all right... Summoner, will you do the honors of telling us the frightening tale you've... woven, as a denizen of the dreamless World of Steel?"

Peony lights up hearing that, gesturing to Triandra. Of course they're all here. Roy clings a bit to Alcryst, who seems like he's shaking so bad he might qualify for consideration as a beast unit, if filed under a small wet wolfskin of some kind, perhaps. Hector is right there with them, though the smaller stature he has in comparison doesn't do much to blunt his axe, or his fearless nature. He eagerly leans in.

"Metal isn't frightening!" Ricken says from a log nobody was looking for, clutching a tome he painted to resemble a Plegian one. "... I-I mean, um... it feels like claws for alarm. I mean, cause."

From behind him, a sudden voice laughs and echoes, and a crow yells loudly.

"Someone say caws?" The voice asks, chipper as ever. Oh. It's just Henry, dressed up like a vampire. They... think? Ricken groans.

"Henry...!" He says as the dark mage sits down, making himself cozy by the fire. The bird he's with is rather fluffy now. He pets its silky feathers.

"It isn't all about metal. The World of Steel, I mean. Would LOVE to know about it... see someone from there inside-out. Take it apart," he muses, looking to Kiran. "But that's a fright for another night, nyeheheh! Tell me your scary story? I'm a pretty good listener! ... I don't scare much, though."

Kiran puffs out their chest. Okay, now this is a challenge. A Henry, telling them to scare him? Oh, yeah. It's ON. Kiran settles in, and begins to weave a picture for the group...

-- The Moaning Ghost --

In the halls of Askr, it's said that, late at night, when all the Heroes sleep, you can hear a moaning through the halls. The remnants of the land of the dead, perhaps. Or Heroes who were sent home, their souls trapped. Ivy, Takumi, Bernadetta, and Alcryst are headed back to their rooms after avoiding the spooky festivities all night, when they all pause, frowning.

"D-did you h-hear t-that?" Bernadetta stammers, hiding behind Ivy. "Oooohhh, P-Priiiiinceeeessss...!!!"

The sound was horrible. Groaning and wailing filled the entire hallway. Alcryst yelped.

"Ghost, I am SO sorry. I would be HORRIBLE food!!" He's on his knees immediately, and Takumi scoffs.

"What're you afraid of? There's nothing undead here except that one guy in the dark armor. Stand up and have some self-respect!" He drags Alcryst upright, but the truth is, he's as freaked out as the rest of them. As all of them are beginning to wonder if it's safe to go back OR forwards, Ivy sucks in a breath. She hates ghosts SO very much.

"Would that my retainers were here... very well, it surely cannot be a g-ghost, and even if it is, I will use my tome to banish it." Ivy says firmly, trying to buy her own bravado. They inch through the halls, closer to the barracks, and the moaning only gets louder.

"OOUUUUURRRRRGHHHHH..." They hear another horrifying yell. As the moaning is reaching its zenith and the wind begins to coldly blow through the open windows, they round a corner and run smack into...

A ghost! ... In a bedsheet. It's Alear, who also yelps as he's knocked out of his disguise. The entire group panics. Bernadetta tries to become one with a potted plant. Alcryst begins yelling apologies to the divine one's entombed spirit. Ivy falls over on her rear end, completely graceless... as she drags Takumi down with her, who is cursing his lack of a bow.

"You--idiot!" He says at Alear, groaning. "We thought you were... some kind of... evil spirit!"

Alear fumbles upwards, dusting himself off.

"Oh... I thought you were, too!" He laughs. "I'm, er, terrified of the Corrupted, you know..." He helps the others up, dusting them off. Ivy is so glad her savior is HERE, and she is so RELIEVED. What a silly thing to think.

"Divine One... WHY were you moaning so loudly? I do hope it wasn't because of something untoward," she says, narrowing her eyes at Alear in suspicion. He blinks.

"Moaning?" Alear says. "It wasn't YOU?" Bernadetta, from behind the potted plant, is going quite pale. The moaning has returned, and it isn't any of them. They all yell, fleeing down the hall to the other end of the castle...

As Grima exits the privy, sighing, holding his sensitive stomach. He whines pathetically, lying down on the floor.

"C-cold... tile..." he says, falling asleep. Too much sour. Too much.

"Hmmm," Henry says, judging. "Not really frightening, though, is it? That's just funny!" Kiran slumps, looking sad.

"Awww, I was inspired by my last terrible bout of illness from those bad veggies." They shrug. "Maybe someone else can scare you!"

As they say this, though, they hear a voice.

"Well, we could give it a try. Couldn't we?" Someone says, noticing several of their younger members have fallen asleep as they approach the fire pit. Timerra leans in close, and then cocks a brow, but it's just Corrin, who grins, tossing some powder in and NOT getting choked up. He makes direct eye contact with Alfonse and Sharena. Alfonse... smiles, despite himself. He knows Corrin had been trying hard to help them all since he came to Askr. And seeing all these younger Heroes about... it does serve to help steady his nerves and remind him of the truth of their mission. Behind him, the rest of the group from the Haunted House arrive. Grima picks up the Morgans who complain about being more than old enough for this story, and one of them has to be carted away by the Risen King, who smiles lopsidedly as he leaves. They are due for bed, spooky stories or not.

"Submitted for the approval of the Askran Fright Night... was that the title we agreed on, Kiran?" Corrin glances over, uncertain. The Summoner shrugs.

"It's... er, a distinct entity for copyright purposes!" They say, and the older Anna nods, taking notes.

"And as your publisher for these stories, Kiran, I can't wait to hear this submission... if it's good enough, Corrin, we'll throw it in the anthology and give you a cut!"

Corrin smiles, and Camilla bumps up to the group and settles in, tugging him into her lap as he tries to be spooky and fails.

"Oh, you ARE darling when you try to intimidate everyone so!" Corrin struggles out of her strong grasp, and brushes himself off, almost smacking her with his tail for a moment. Okay. Phew.

"Camilla!!! ... Er, right. Can I finish my story?" She blinks, looks around, and then nods, bringing a cloak as a blanket over Hector and the smaller Anna, who are snoring in a pile, crashed from sugar. Alear comes to settle down next to them all, removing his sheet costume so that he can use it to hand to the small Tiki, who insisted on holding it close. He gives her a nod, helping her feel braver. This is an ADULT story. She can handle that. She's an adult.

"... Right. So," Corrin begins again, adjusting his eyepatch. "In every happy event is a downside. In every bad event is a silver lining... but what would you do if you only ever saw the former? What if you were so desperate to fix yourself, in the process, you forgot who you were?"

He waggles his fingers, trying to look spooky. Alfonse looks uncomfortable, because he's beginning to feel targeted, considering... well, all the everything with his... other... self.

"Oh, my," Camilla says, grinning. "Corrin, is this going to scare poor Sharena? You're certainly putting some preamble into this..."

Sharena blinks. "I am NOT scared!" She insists, and Triandra smiles despite herself... Timerra seems lost in thought.

"Well, we've encountered that before," she says shrugging. "Personally, I think she was kinda... weird."

Alfonse chuckles.

"Well, of course. Most of us have seen alternative worlds, even of Askr itself. It's not that far-fetched." At that, Corrin looks at Alfonse and raises his hands in a manner he hopes is the opposite of reassuring. Alfonse needed a good scare.

"I'M speaking on matters of the heart... on the ways in which a person can be torn in two... prepare yourself!"

-- Hyde and Seek --

In a rather unsurprising turn of events, Robin has no intentions of being around almost anyone at this get-together during the Harvest Festival. While all the others seem to be laughing and hanging with their friends, the only friend he has is Kiran. And Kiran is incredibly busy. He has no one he can call his own. Why is that his focus? He had to be summoned during a Gods-damned Bridal Festival? He hates the traditions here deeply, but not as much as Ylisse right now.

As he watches, someone he doesn't recognize in a cloak comes up to him, watching him carefully. Long hair, a strange miasma rolling off him... if not for its colorations, he'd have assumed it was Grima. Robin recognizes this man. It's Anankos. ... He doesn't seem to be enjoying the festivities... in fact, he seems as disdainful as he is.

Robin watches Anankos.

Anankos watches Robin. For a moment, neither of them speak, but then, Anankos removes something from a coat pocket. A vial. He says nothing, at first, and Robin stares at it.

"... What is this, some kind of liquid candy?"

Anankos is quiet for a moment, before an unsettling smile stretches to his disconcertingly mad eyes.

"Their destruction... it is what you want, isn't it? You have loved and lost... does that not make you want to end them? This will end your constant internal conflict on making the decisions your heart and mind cannot agree upon..."

Robin shrugs. He doesn't care. Maybe he should. He SHOULD care. But...

"I don't..." He stammers, pausing. "I..."

... DID he care? Maybe--maybe he did, after all. He stares at the dark liquid in the vial Anankos holds.

"What is it, anyway? ... No, really. I don't think I need to be drinking something from... someone I barely know..." He says, trailing off. Anankos provides him no answer, merely holding it out expectantly.

Robin sighs. Anankos is notorious amongst the Heroes here. He's heard stories from Corrin and the rest. He glances over at Gullvieg and the others as they vanish into a throng. Even the Golden Seer can be happy with someone now, and he cannot. It's... infuriating. What had he done? What was so wrong with him? His heart hurts so bad it feels like it might break. To even see Grima enjoying himself... though it seems like he's sugar crashing, if the nap he's taking on top of a stall is clue enough.

"It is a foolish sentiment regardless. I only hand you this in the hopes the one who broke your heart in such a way suffers greatly... or that you obtain the means to make him yours..."

Shoving the vial into his hand, Anankos vanishes from his sight. Robin thumbs it in his white glove, tracing the glass slowly. It pulses ominously, an eerie kind of color.

"... Broke my... heart." Then, he laughs to himself. "Hah... he doesn't need a Harvest costume to be scary, does he?" Robin says to no one aside from himself. He glances around. People are filing away to do other things or starting to go indoors at this hour... but the moon shines bright in the sky. He slowly passes by a version of people all too familiar. Lucina, Chrom, and... another him he doesn't recognize. All in a corner. Together. It hurts. He decides to go find Kiran instead.

Popping into Kiran's little haunted house exhibit, he finds them pretending to be a mummy in a sarcophagus. They pop out at him, attempting to startle him, and grumble when he barely moves.

"Boo! ... Not afraid? I'm a terrible mummy," Kiran bemoans. "I thought I was good at startling you all..."

Robin smiles a little. Kiran had become his closest friend and confidant... but Kiran spends a lot of time with a lot of other Heroes, and with the situation with Alfonse and all... and the food shortages Askr had recently suffered... yeah, he's decided.

"Kiran?" Robin asks the Summoner, who pops their hood down to reveal a... harvest mask.

"Yeah, Groomy?" They ask, voice chipper. "What's the word, bird?"

"... I'd like to go back to my home." He says, deadly serious. Kiran balks.

"Hwhaaa??? Why?! I worked so hard to make you stronger!" He can hear a whine edging into Kiran's voice.

"... I--I know. And I was hoping that new strength could go back to protecting Ylisse. ... Please," he tacks on, hoping the sincerity reaches his amber eyes. Kiran sighs, looking dejected.

"... Fine, but I'm totally counting this as a Paralogue and you're coming back later. I still have Grails!" They say, and Robin shrugs, smiling. Right, right, the Summoner was a known hoarder for those. They played to win, and mostly with Heroes like him...

"That's fair. I just want a vacation." Robin lies.

Kiran seems to be considering saying something else, but they can tell Robin really needs this. Honestly, they'd been worried since he showed up. He's the only Robin here without what feels like some kind of something to keep him well, and his desperation to be around them at all times made it hard to help others, some days. They recognized it was really just Robin's loneliness, but... maybe this will help, they muse. A Paralogue or two is fine, right? They shrug, fixing some bandages.

"Well, all right. Return to Ylisse... but you better come back with an entire armful of cool stuff, yeah? You know I love little accessories, and Ylisse seems like a fashionista's haven."

Robin snorts. "Sure thing, Summoner. I promise--we share invisible ties. I won't let those break."

As he steps back into the castle, it feels like the exact moment he was pulled away. Because, well, it is. Nobody knew he'd left. In Askr, he'd found out he apparently had multiple timelines worth of children, but here and now, in his own... well. Lucina is Chrom's. It's nighttime in Ylisstol, and he gently sneaks back to his private quarters. Thinking about that Robin in the nice cloak with the sword... he sighs and leans back into bed, staring at the strange vial of liquid Anankos gave him. Still, it glows and bobs, taunting him inside the vial as if alive.

What... does he do with this?

His heart is pounding, suddenly.

"Hah. A tactician's sword, from the royal family... I'm sure Chrom's asleep in his bedchambers with Lucina and Sumia." He rolls the vial over in his hands. Once, twice. He can picture it so clearly it sickens him. All his bravado and talk about caring and being other halves, and...

... And what? It was Robin himself who insisted it would be wrong. Because he knew the truth about how little the people would trust him, some nobody. And... well. Sumia always showed interest. Chrom had no shortage of bridal options. Of course he would pick Sumia or Cordelia or someone with a pedigree, unlike him. An amnesiac, potentially world-ending threat. Better to... better to... where was his mind?! Going to Askr had been a different kind of curse on him. Seeing Grima, seeing all of that... he had to honestly wonder what the point was. He'd said the happy couple's memories would live in his mind forever.

What he meant by this was in absolutely embittered, desperate desire that he would be happy about it, damn it all.

...

But no matter how he tried to roll it over, no matter how long he spent, he could not stand it any longer.

Oh... fine, whatever. Anankos had given him this. He has no clue what it does, though. He takes the potion and uncorks the vial, giving it a precursory sniff, and recoils when he realizes it's full of some kind of awful alchemical mixture. The tincture smelled truly terrifying.

"Probably has a taste only Henry would love," Robin muses, grumbling as he properly sits up. He's glad to be out of that horrid suit and not surrounded by happy couples eating candy or whatnot. "Under no circumstances would I ever ingest this."

He's no fool. This is probably poisoned. Or... something. So instead, he stands, throwing on something and stepping out into the evening air... and as he goes for a late night stroll about the castle grounds, he overhears a conversation he's sure wasn't meant for his ears.

"... I don't know, Chrom. I don't think... surely going for a holiday now would be a bad idea, wouldn't it?"

Sumia. And Chrom.

"I know you've Lucina to take care of, and I'm just saying that I think the fresh air would do you good. If it's a bad idea, though, I'm sure Robin will tell us," he says happily. "He's given me so many tips on being a first-time father, I really ought to thank him..."

His heart plummets in his chest so hard as he overhears the two of them speak he can't make out the rest of it. Robin takes off in the opposite direction, and... the vial seems to shine dangerously in the moonlight. His pulse is racing. Something in him feels like it's clawing to get out. He drinks the vial, in part hoping it's poison. Maybe he'll never feel this pain again. This was... this was...

Chrom returns to his bedchambers, but without Sumia. She's going to go care for Lucina late at night, as the poor child seemed unsettled by something. He hopes his daughter will be well, but he couldn't quit thinking about... Robin. He often worried he'd been working his tactician too hard, and while it hurt back when he was shot down... he didn't want to push Robin. It was clear Robin cared more about their relationship on a professional level. He's so lost in his thoughts he doesn't even notice it, at first--Robin is sitting there, on his bed, staring at him. His brilliant eyes shine almost red in the light of the moon tonight. Chrom feels relieved; maybe they could train together late at night, like the old times. Or talk strategy. He smiles.

"Robin! I had no idea you were awake at this hour. Up for some sparring? I feel all this work at helping with the baby has completely let my sword skill diminish."

Robin makes a noise Chrom isn't sure what to make of, and he slides over in the bed.

"Train? ... Sure... yes, I would like that VERY much." He grins, holding out a finger. As he does so, Chrom finds his mind... wandering, once more. To those long, late nights they'd had, quiet and alone in the tents, desperate not to wake the rest of the Shepherds. Sometimes tactic discussions between them would stall, resulting in the occasional sleepless night or argument, but one night, it became something more.

He swallows, trying to push the memory of his feelings down. He is the Exalt now, and he has a duty... a duty to... to... things seem to swirl and shift, and for a moment he swears he feels suffocated by the strange aura Robin is putting off.

"What is it you truly want, Chrom?" Robin asks him, and Chrom finds himself slowly walking towards him, as if compelled. He looks at Robin's gleaming red eyes. "Because if it's me... you can't have her..."

Chrom blinks, his mind filled with a purple fog.

"... Her...?" Oh, right. Sumia. Well, that's fine, he thinks. Given they'd both married, in the end, for convenience. Sumia knew from the onset their marriage was political, but she was happy as long as Chrom was. He had hoped to approach her to one day ask about them both having... other help, but... it felt inappropriate to do so while Lucina was still young. She needed stability, not her father taking in consorts or whatnot... and besides. Would Robin not be insulted by such a title, when he obviously was a tactician? As Chrom is pondering this, he realizes he's been gently pulled into bed, and Robin is now straddling him and running a finger down his chin. His mind is so warm he can scarcely think.

"Choose." Robin asks him once more, and Chrom... doesn't know. He's torn down the middle. His people, or his duty? "My life, or hers."

Choose... Sumia or Robin? That's--that's not fair, Chrom thinks to himself. Surely this must be a bad dream. His anxieties, given form. But in the moment, Chrom is weak. He knows his answer automatically, as if compelled from his lips...

"Robin, you... were always the only one I could truly let my walls down around." Chrom says slowly, each word feeling more and more self-centered and foolhardy. Robin grins, running his mouth down Chrom's neck.

"I see... very well, then... Chrom. I will take the choice from you. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Chrom swallows, his pulse getting faster. He should fight. He should... he should do something. This is dangerously close to adultery, and he's no longer sure if this is wise. Had he... been wrong?

"R-Robin, stop playing with me... Gods, just spit it out, what do you--"

Suddenly, Chrom is yanked forcefully, and he notes Robin's eyes lack any light to them. His teeth seem to be fangs, and he just snarls.

"You will die first." He says slowly. "Painfully, in ecstasy, and everyone will know you were my FIRST project. You'll bend the knee to me, and finally LOOK at me."

Robin yanks on Chrom's hair, and while he finds it hurts, Chrom can't stop staring right into Robin's now red eyes. Ahh... hadn't they been a nice amber before? Why are they red now? He can scarcely think straight as his jugular is bitten into. His mind goes blank as his body grows cold, Robin's warm touch soaking the bed in his royal blood... his mind grows distant as his flesh becomes cold and pale. Robin is... robbing him... of his vitality...

"And--and then what happened?!" Asks Kiran, clinging to the older Anna. They're both captivated by Corrin's story... and suddenly, a Robin they don't recognize in a nice suit that's all bloodied comes up to them, with a Chrom wearing a matching pair of bloodied clothes. Several of them yelp in surprise, and the fire suddenly dims from Robin's magic. Chrom leans in, grinning.

"He ate my flesh!" Chrom says in his spookiest voice, and half the crowd startles and begins running away, while Timerra falls over laughing. She comes up and slams Robin on the back so hard he falls into the dirt.

"HAHAH! That was a good one, you two! Nice costumes." She gestures to the bite marks on Chrom's neck.

Robin coughs and spits, rubbing at his jaw. Chrom smiles, but doesn't correct her... Henry, however, looks at them both and, for a rare moment, has a fully toothed grin.

"I love a little showmanship. Nice work, nyahaha!"

Henry is the only one there who realizes, Robin thinks to himself, and smiles as he dusts his coattails.

"Looking forward to your next hit book, Kiran," Robin adds, settling in to roast a marshmallow or two as he stokes the flames. "Glad to have come back."

Kiran grins, rubbing the back of their hood. Huh... it's crazy what an Ascended Hero can do, huh? Kinda wild they don't remember summoning another Risen King, though. Maybe he just harmonized with this Robin? Or they're Attuned or something? Too much new stuff to keep track of. Kiran yawns. The festivities are winding to a close, and it's time to take a break for the night. They'll get to work helping clean things up.

"You've got a really convincing costume to match your story," the older Anna notes, standing. "That would make a really good product... temporary bite marks...! I'll release some as a promo with the full story... ooh, I can see the adult demographic already!"

As Anna plots, Robin laughs.

"Glad they see it our way, huh?" Robin says as they get to work helping and he makes a nice, sugary snack for the two of them to share.

Chrom takes the sugary treat from Robin, and he smiles back at his other half.

"Your way is the only one I see, Robin. You know that."

Oh, did he know that.