Fauna's Awakening to Lunacy

Fauna's Awakening to Lunacy
Or, how BP struggles to survive Fire Emblem: Awakening's Lunatic mode

Short introductory post to what is otherwise going to be all in-character, here. I'm pretty sure that by now everyone knows I'm a rabid Fire Emblem fangirl and damn proud of it, as well as author of fanfiction. I've consciously avoided the initially hardest difficulty, Lunatic, on my copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening, but today, I've finally brought myself to start up a Lunatic file with a My Unit that is, in fact, NOT the default. Most people would do a comic or a fanartish thingy, but I can't draw to save my life. As such, I'll instead be documenting my -or rather, Fauna's- journey through the only medium I master: Fanfiction.

This is basically a freak hybrid of a Let's Play and a novelisation. It's by no means my headcanon, or the source of all my other fanfiction, as far as classes and supports go, but I felt like making a My Unit that was not Robin - either the default white-haired one or my black-haired one. In fact, let me introduce you to Fauna right now.

I'm aware of the terrible quality of the pictures. My phonemera doesn't agree with my 3DS on this strange thing known as 'lighting.' Also, for those of you who have not yet played Awakening, GET IT AND PLAY IT RIGHT NOW be aware that there are spoilers in her description.

Pictures here so they don't stretch the page (open) Pictures here so they don't stretch the page (close)

Fauna is a confident and cold-mannered woman, too aware of her charms to not use them but too proud to rely entirely on them. Although she detests her parentage and her connection to the Fell Dragon, she happily uses the power to which she is entitled, and feels no compassion for those she or the other Shepherds kill. Her strategic genius allows her to keep her allies alive, but most of them find it hard to tell whether the vixen likes them or not. Generally speaking, she seems to get along with her horse better than with her allies; except for Chrom, whom she considers her best friend and soulmate.

The fic will be written from first-person view in present tense. Now, I'm not used to present tense, but I AM used to first person, and that should sort of make up for it as far as my writing comfort goes. Now then, without further ado, I suggest I put up the Premonition and the Prologue; which is as far as I have gotten as of writing this.

Note: While I have decided on Fauna's final class, skills, and weapons, she is currently a bachelorette and I have in fact not decided on ANY pairings for this playthrough. Even though this is Lunatic, I'm not interested in minmaxing and will instead torture myself. What, you all weren't aware that I am a masochist?

Premonition: Invisible Threads

I feel myself drift into consciousness to witness a scene that doesn’t feel real, but not like a dream, either. My sight is blurry, but soon clears up, revealing the inner structure of a dark temple, lit only by torches and the bright glow of magic… Intrigued, I turn towards this source of unfathomably powerful ancient magic to see an unsettling, dark-haired sorcerer fighting a blue-haired swordsman, dark magic clashing with a glowing sword and sending sparks everywhere. I don’t recognise either of the men, but part of my mind tells me I cannot allow the sorcerer to kill the swordsman.

More of my senses clear up and I realise there is a large black horse beneath me and a spellbook in the hand I’m not using to hold the reins with. I don’t know why it takes me so long… but finally, I realise that I can, and should, help the swordsman. My legs urge the horse and he leaps forwards, galloping in a circle around the battle until I see an opening in the sorcerer’s defence and launch a ball of electricity in his direction. Before it can connect, he vanishes, and I stop my horse so we cannot be intercepted. A bright flash draws my attention, and my horse rears in surprise. I get the feeling he’s not supposed to do that, as he didn’t react at all to me casting magic from his back… but then again, this sorcerer’s magic is different from my own. He has reappeared in front of the temple’s altar, just outside of the swordsman’s reach.

But not my horse’s. Realising this, I pull up next to the swordsman. “This is it,” he says, his voice barely audible, “Our final battle…” He turns to me, smiling. “You’re one of us, Fauna, and no ‘destiny’ can change that.” Fauna..? Is that my name? It’s fuzzy. Everything is fuzzy. Suddenly, the man’s smile fades, making way to determination. “Now let’s kill this dastard and be done with it!”

I cannot bring myself to talk -my mouth refuses to open- but I hold out my hand to him. He understands and lets me help him onto my horse, where I wait for him to adjust himself before lining the beast up with the sorcerer. Just as he is outside of our reach, so we are outside of his… but not for long. Taking my spellbook in my left hand, I instead use my right hand to draw the sword that hangs from my hip. The swordsman’s arm winds around my waist as he anticipates the charge… and the next thing I feel is my horse crashing forwards, his irons clanging loudly on the stones beneath us, and the sorcerer approaches us rapidly. Before he can loose his spell, we draw past him and my sword lashes out, leaving a deep gash in his side. He reels back, and as I use one hand to turn the horse around for a second charge, I realise that I should have continued, for I find myself looking into his dark magic as it comes towards me.

I hear a loud neighing as my horse reels, as well as a loud clanging of metal on stone, but I have no time to respond to it. The magic sears my flesh and agonises me on a level I cannot place, but when it finally wears off it is with shaky hands that I take the reins again. It is a miracle I’ve not dropped my tome. There is no time to pick up the sword I have dropped, instead lining the horse up again. Before urging him forward once more, I open my tome, preparing the spell within as we rush towards the sorcerer once more. Long before we reach him, I unleash it. This time, the electricity connects, leaving him stunned for only a second; but that second is enough for us to draw by him a second time, this time with the swordsman pushing his sword through the sorcerer’s chest.

He draws his blade back swiftly enough that we can gallop further, not taking the risk of being struck by another spell in the off chance that we’re mistaken. We are not, however, and he leaps off my horse to watch the sorcerer go down in the flames of his own magic. However, just as the swordsman turns to me, I hear a hateful voice echoing in my head- a voice that sounds much clearer than the swordsman’s was. “This isn’t over…” it cries, “Damn you BOTH!” Suddenly, the dying body rears up one final time, casting his spell towards us in a last-ditch effort to kill us. Led by instinct, I throw myself off-horse into the swordsman, pushing him out of the spell’s path. In the process, however, it collides with me for the second time.

It’s… not as bad the second time. The collision with the ground may have hurt more than the impact of the spell. I hear my horse running off in fear as the swordsman rushes to my side. “Are you alright?!” he asks, terrified. He quickly calms down when he sees me scramble to my feet, however. “That’s the end of him. Thanks to you, we carried the day.” He offers me his hand and helps me up. “We can rest easy now,” he continues, “At long last…”

Power suddenly surges to me. It is my own power, without a doubt; I can feel the electricity surging through me even without my tome. “…what’s wrong?” His voice is even more poorly audible this time, due to the blood pounding in my ears and the electricity crackling in my hand. “Hey, hang on--” he interrupts himself with a cry of pain as he staggers back. I realise my hand is now outstretched in front of me, and the power is gone; it juts out from his chest, burning him and… piercing his heart. Or at least a lung. The same part of me that told me I could not let the sorcerer kill him cries out in horror and I find I want to fling myself at him to help him in whatever way I can; but my armour suddenly feels heavy, and I cannot bring myself to move.

By some sort of miracle, he finds the strength to speak: “This is not your… your fault…” He coughs. I definitely hit a lung. “Promise me you’ll get out of this place…” he starts to slump now. Move, body! This armour cannot possibly be that heavy! “Please…” he struggles to get any air in or out of him, I can tell. “Go…” finally, his strength caves, and he falls over. My magic leaves him, but as he hits the ground and remains laying face-down, I know it is too late for him. I start to back away, as the same voice form before echoes in my head. This time, it only cackles maniacally…

I should find my horse and get out of here… should I? …should I stay here? Am I… supposed to leave? I don’t know anymore as I feel myself drifting away…