Comms and Other Long FE Oneshots

Which Way is Home? (4)

"You see anything, Shigure?" Reina asked, raising her voice above the wind.

"Nothing yet," Shigure shouted in reply, leaning out to look through the arc of snowy expanse visible between Namine's neck and wing. "The world looks a lot different from up here, but... I think I recognize that cliff now." The one he'd wandered away from at the beginning of this week. "Father has probably long since moved on from this spot, but I think this is where I first crashed."

"Good, then we should be able to find him by the end of today. I'm glad you've made a full recovery from that concussion so we could do this; despite all of Gunter's paltry concerns, you seem to really enjoy flying."

"I do." Shigure glanced back so that she could see his beaming smile before turning his attention back to the ground. "This isn't my first time, actually. I've flown with Aunt Hinoka before, and that was amazing too."

"Now how did you talk your mother into allowing that?"

Shigure slowly turned his head, the small flush on his face only growing at the sight of Reina's sharp grin. "Well..." he said slowly. "There's a story behind that."

"I knew it."

"So, King Xander and Aunt Hinoka were having a sparring match, and Aunt Hinoka was on a pegasus-"

-

"Oh, would you just concede?" Hinoka called down from the sky, the pegasus continuing to circle lower and lower towards Xander.

"No," Xander panted, a soft laugh behind the word. "I may be outnumbered, but I'm still in the fight!"

"Outnumbered?" Hinoka sounded outraged, and she snapped her spear out as her pegasus dove towards Xander- a feint. She leapt from her saddle, effectively tackling Xander while he was distracted, knocking both of them to the ground, her practice naginata pressed against his throat. "Well, now you're dead."

"What a coincidence," Xander smiled up at her, shifting his practice sword that was pressed against her stomach just enough that she winced. "So are you."

Azura shook her head to herself, but clapped at the display of skill and smiled when Hinoka swooped in for a kiss before getting off of Xander and helping him to his feet. "You both were incredible!" she called.

"Thank you, Azura," Xander replied with a soft chuckle while Hinoka whistled for her pegasus to land. "I'm glad you enjoyed the bout. Are you feeling a little bit better?"

"I am, the fresh air really helps with the morning sickness." It had been getting worse the later into the pregnancy she got, but a sparring match was a good enough distraction to take her mind off of the worst of it. She turned her gaze to Hinoka's pegasus as Hinoka walked over to it, and then stared uncomprehendingly at her son strapped into the saddle, who had the biggest grin she'd ever seen on his face. It took a second to click, but when it did, she surged to her feet in fury. "You had Shigure with you the entire bout?!"

"Bail!" Hinoka yelled, and Shigure clung to her, giggling as she and Xander beat a hasty retreat.

-

"My mother is really, really scary when she gets mad," Shigure concluded. "It's like she's a whole different person."

"Well, a lot of women are like that," Reina replied with another soft laugh. "Your Aunt Hinoka was once a very different woman before her father's death and Corrin's abduction. She spent so much time angry that she grew into someone who would be embarrassed by the girl she'd been in the past."