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Featured: Battle! Zinnia

Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire

Nintendo

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He gasps lightly as I suddenly feel all of my emotion drain from within me. I see him raise his hand to cover up his mouth with a splash of worry filling his eyes. Donnie throws him an icy stare with his hard, emerald eyes. Anger is beginning to fill his eyes as he tears his gaze back to mine, and I feel them shoot through me. I narrow my gaze back at him, cross my arms over my chest and give him the same angry, icy stare.

I don't believe you. How can you possibly be my son?

Ike is approaching us now, with a confused look on his face. Did he hear what Ronnie said?

"Y—you are me?" I hear Merric ask in a whisper.

After another moment of staring at me, Donnie's gaze slowly begins to soften, more and more. When he sweeps his gaze down to Merric, then back up at mine, he completely looks vulnerable now. He quickly averts his gaze away from mine and hides his face from me with his hood, "No,"

"But Ronnie just called you with my name!"

Donnie swiftly turns his eyes towards Merric with his sharp glare, almost snarling at him and raising his voice, "I said, no!" then turning away from us again. He stands there for several moments saying and doing nothing. Ronnie stands there awkwardly, darting his gaze between his brother and Ike.

I notice Ike is now standing next to me, "What happened?"

"Ronnie called Donnie my name, pa. Ma is upset about it though," Merric says softly.

I see Ike spin around to face them, "What?" and his face contorts into mild anger, "Why would you claim this?"

"I don't believe you!" I say loudly, hearing enough, "You cannot possibly be my son! And you cannot possibly know the things that you claim!"

Donnie turns to face me, his eyes are hard once again but they are not as tough as they were a few moments ago, "I do, and you just don't understand," He turns away again, "I have seen it,"

I feel anger swimming around within me and when I see Ike's face, it looks the same but with confusion mixed in.

"What do you mean, you have seen it? What are you trying to say?" Ike asks angrily and steps slightly in front of me and his sons. I feel Merric cling to my waist and Lance grasps Ike's leg in front of me.

Ike seems angry too, or maybe he is just confused. But, I refuse to believe them. They are suspicious to me and might be trying to get us to trust them by disguising themselves as my sons.

But why does Donnie claim they are not and Ronnie does? Even though Ronnie looks as though he slipped up and did not mean to call him that? I do not know what to believe anymore.

"Do not understand what, Donnie? That you are telling me not to protect the King? Do you not hear what you are saying? Are you crazy? Are you conspiring against him?"

I see Ike's eyes widen as he listens to my words, like he has not thought about that before. Ike's face twists into anger as the confusion washes away. Donnie glances at me then turns to face Ronnie, "Lance, it is time..." He says, hiding away from me once again.

Lance?

My eyes widen and confusion washes over Ike's face as Donnie says those words. His voice is different and it changes dramatically. It is a voice I have never heard before.

No, I have heard it before.

I cannot believe my eyes as I turn to face Ronnie. He has raised his hand up and is now grasping his hood. Wait, what is he—?

He pulls the hood down and dark blue hair appears around his face. No... I don't believe you!

"W—what? How are you—?" Ike's voice sounds confused as he stares at Ronnie who now looks like our son.

I spin around to face him, "You're lying! I don't believe you!" and I spin around to Donnie, "How dare you say all of these things to me and then claim to be my son!"

Anger appears across his eyes once again, "I don't trust you! Stay away from me and my family!"

"I'm only telling and showing this to you because bad things will happen if you don't do as I say!"

"Enough!" Ike snaps, now raising his voice, "What is the meaning of this, boy?"

Donnie turns away, like he is done speaking and motions for Ronnie to take his hand, "Come, raise your hood and get your blade. This is getting nowhere," Dark magic encompasses his other hand and he turns around to look at Ike and myself, "Don't say I did not warn you. If you do not heed my words, then I will have to take it in my own hands,"

Ronnie pulls his hood back over his eyes, picks up his silver blade from the grass and nods, "You should believe us. We have seen it," he turns his eyes towards us and they become slightly wet like tears are threatening to fall down Ronnie's face, "We have seen it once and don't plan to see it again," he says softly. He turns back to face his brother.

"Hey! HEY! You cannot just leave after saying that!" I raise my voice at them from behind Ike. I hear Ike grunt like he agrees but knows we cannot stop them now.

They disappear completely from sight and Ike immediately turns to face me. This is when I realize how he actually feels. I glance around and see everyone watching us with similar looks on their faces. Ike places his hands on my shoulders, causing me to look back up at him.

"I don't feel like I can trust them anymore," He says to me. He searches my eyes and they spill nothing but slight anger and agitation.

"They are lying. I knew I felt something weird about them! The way they act, the way the speak to me, all of it!" I keep my hard gaze on Ike's, "I believe they are working for Vladimir, who is manipulating King Walhart because he is corrupted,"

"But he did save you. That must have been a trick,"

I nod, "Think about it! The only reason they wouldn't want me to save King Chrom is so Vladimir kills him and Ylisse loses the war!"

"Hmmmm, you speak much wisdom, my dear. Now I understand your concern. It holds a deeper meaning than I once thought," Papa says from behind me, "Your loyalty shines brightly through your words. Do not worry, we will be with you. Chrom will stay safe, my dear,"

"We must work together to make sure Chrom stays safe," Titania adds.

"Understood," Oscar says.

"I don't know what to think anymore. I do not trust them, but those boys haven't done anything negative or anything like that. They have saved Star and act like they would do it again if necessary. The only thing they have done that is negative is saying not to save King Chrom in the next encounter. Perhaps if they prove their words and if what they say is true, only then will I begin to trust them. They have to earn my trust, or they will not get any sympathy from me. Maybe we should speak to King Chrom about this, father?" Ike says, turning to face him.

I turn to face Papa as well and he gives us a stern look, "Perhaps we should, my boy. I agree with your words and I will give them one more chance, only to prove what they claim to be true. If they are correct, then their purpose for coming here must be bigger than we can imagine, trying to stop events from happening,"

He is right. Those things the demon lord was saying to me in my mind, that there are actors that do not belong on this stage. Was he talking about Donnie and Ronnie? Or was he trying to trick me into believing them and that is their master plan? And he was talking about someone else?

My eyes widen from the next thought that flows through my mind. Papa raises his eyebrow at me, "What is on your mind now, my dear?"

I turn my gaze up to his, "If they are telling the truth, they should have Falchion with them, Papa," I place a hand on Merric's shoulder who looks up at me, "Falchion has chosen Merric. Donnie should have him but he holds a silver sword,"

"Hmmmm, this is true," Papa studies my face before speaking again, while crossing his arms, matching Ike who is doing the same, "Didn't you say he tricked you before? With the color of the tome he was holding? That was how you figured out he practiced dark magic like yourself. His tome changed from red to purple, right?"

My eyes widen slightly and a wave of anger and frustration floods my emotions. He's right, he may be tricking me again. What else is he hiding from me?

I cross my arms and a grunt leaves my throat. Clever boy...

"You're right, he must be tricking me again," I say angrily, "So he may have Falchion, then..."

If he is lying, he has prepared everything to be sure he stays hidden while keeping everything making sense. However, if he is telling the truth, everything also makes sense...

How has he tricked me so well?

I clench my fists at my sides. If he is my son, he has learned a great deal from me. I do not know what to think or feel anymore. All I know is I must protect King Chrom and win this war. This is what I should focus on and not this nonsense. This may distract me from doing my duty to the King. I am his mercenary, so that is my first priority.

"Right. The only thing left to do now is our job. They have it. They have one more chance then. That is all they get,"

Papa and Titania nod to me, "Right, I will call a meeting with him and the princess," and he turns to Titania, "Let's go Titania,"

She nods, "Yes sir,"

I suddenly feel emotionally drained and I turn to press myself into Ike's embrace, hiding myself into his shoulder. He grips my waist tightly with one arm and holds the back of my head with the other, "I want to believe them, Ike,"

"I do too,"

"But if what they say is true, then their words are unsettling... I cannot stop worrying about what it was that caused them to travel back through time..."

Ike stays silent for a moment, "Not if I have anything to say about it, now that I am aware of it," he says confidently while giving me a kiss on the top of my head, "I will protect you, always,"

So much confusion. Let's see what Chrom and Lucina has to say next.