Here's a lovely one shot story concerning my fav FE Awakening characters.

P.S. Morgan is a dog. Deal with it.

Enjoy. :)

"You need to ease up, Liv." insisted Robin, as he stopped his 2007 nighthawk black pearl VW Touran beside the front gate of her home. Olivia, the dancer from Regna Ferox, and her family lived in an old farmhouse about five miles outside of town. The famed white haired tactician ferried her to and from school each day. "You're too serious about everything. You need to lighten up and have a little fun. One of these days you're going to wake up and realize you've missed out on lots of the important things in your life."

"Sure thing, Robin."she responded, grinning. "Just because you're the grasshopper and I'm the ant, there's no need to make fun of me. Remember that at the end of the story, the grasshopper needs the ant's help."

He smiled back ruefully, "Well, if that means I might need help studying for the geometry exam, you're absolutely right, Liv. I'll come over tomorrow afternoon so that you can help me with it." He winked at her as she hopped out of the car, toting a knapsack full of textbooks and papers. Olivia was well known at Lakeland High School for being an academic overachiever who walked the halls oblivious to the thriving social life the others had; she had no time for any of it and wasn't even interested.

Robin drove off, unhappy that his invitation to the school dance that evening went rebuffed for the third time. Robin and Olivia had been best friends for many years. Now that they were older, Robin was hoping Olivia might be his date at some of the social venues their high school offered. But Olivia had yet to get interested in socializing; she was too focused on becoming a valedictorian of Ferox and didn't want to waste any time in the pursuit of her goal, even though graduation was still a couple of years away. Robin sighed and continued driving down the road, wishing that Olivia would change her mind when he noticed the storm clouds that were brewing.

Olivia sat and worked, engrossed in her assignments. Accordingly, she did not hear the distant but ominous rumbling, and therefore did not glance toward the window or she would have seen the flickering tongues of lightning arcing through the atmosphere. Nor did she notice that Morgan had drawn close to her and now lay sideways across her feet, anchoring her in place. Morgan had a firmly entrenched dislike of storms, and the distant rumble of thunder was echoed by the faint grumbling of his growls. Still Olivia worked on her assignments, not looking up from her studies until the darkness grew so pronounced that she could no longer see well enough to read. Puzzled, she glanced at her watch and realized it was only four o'clock, knew that something was amiss.

"What is it, Morgan?" she inquired amiably, stretching as she pushed her chair away from the table and looking at the Newfoundie affectionately. "Is there a storm on the way?"

Morgan rose to his feet and responded with an indinginant glance and a sharp volley of barks, his thick, plumy tail waving virogusly.

"It's that bad, is it?" she asked in concern as Morgan rose onto his hindlegs and placed his front paws on her knees so that he could look into her eyes. Clearly, Morgan didn't appreciate her levity; he was a dog that liked thunderstorms to be taken very seriously.

She slid Morgan's paws off her knees and rose to stroll toward the darkened window, closely accompanied by the Newfoundland. Ash she stood staring at the scene before her, Morgan placed his front paws on the windowsill so that he too could scrutinize the situation.

Olivia breathed in sharply. She had expected to see storm clouds, the usual thunderheads that heralded a strong electrical storm. What she saw was far more ominous. The sudden darkness had eased slightly and a lurid glow had taken it's place. The yard and fields beyond were bathed in a greenish light. She opened the back door and stepped onto the porch. Not a leaf stirred on any tree or bush; everything had grown unnaturally still. Morgan whined and pawed at Olivia's knee.

"C'mon boy, NOW!" she called, turning back to into the kitchen and moving toward the door to the basement at a full run.

Morgan required no urging, and he beat her to the basement door, barking at her impatiently to hurry. Together they sped down the stairs to the security of the "safe room" that Olivia and her parents had prepared for such weather emergencies. Together they huddled under the heavy oak table, and Olivia turned on the radio they kept there, along with water, food, a first aid kit, flashlights, blankets, and pillows. During her childhood, Olivia had spent countless nights here during tornado season. She was relieved to be in place where she felt secure, and even more relieved to look at her watch and realize that her parents were still miles away, safely enscorned at the University of Ylisse where they both taught.

Overhead, the wind began to rattle the shutters; Morgan whined and snuggled closer to Olivia for comfort. She patted him and dug her fingers through his velvety fur in a soothing manner, feeling small and helpless herself as the sounds of the storm engulfed them. She clung to Morgan and started to think that maybe she was a little too focused on school and that possibly there was more to life than studying all the time. Olivia's cellphone chimed, a welcome sound amidst the violence of the nearby storm; it was Robin calling to check on her.

"Liv, there's a twister on it's way. Get downstairs now!" he shouted into the phone. Olivia surprised him with the news that she was already there. "How did that happen, that you were actually paying attention to the world around you instead of your books?" Robin asked incredously and a bit sarcastically.

"I wasn't." replied Olivia, "but Morgan was!"

Robin told Olivia to give Morgan the biggest bone she could find when the danger passed. Morgan barked sharply in assent and though she was still scared, Olivia let out a short giggle. Even though there was a twister close by, she felt happy that Robin had called to check on her and said, "Maybe next time there's a dance, Robin, I could take some time away from studying and go with you."

There was a dead silence on the other end, Olivia thought the storm had disconnected them and almost hung up when she heard Robin say quietly, "That be real nice, Liv."

Here are some optional "Reading class" story questions you really don't have to answer but you are more than welcome to try. :)

1) Read this sentence from the passage.

Morgan rose to his feet and responded with an indinginant glance and a sharp volley of barks, his thick, plumy tail waving virogusly.

This sentece was probably included to:

A) Show what it takes to interrupt Olivia.

B) identify Olivia's fear

C) express the urgency of Olivia's situation

D) demonstrate that Morgan is very smart

 

2) Read the following excerpt from the story.

She had expected to see storm clouds, the usual thunderheads that heralded a strong electrical storm.

What she saw was far more ominous.

What is the most likely reason the author included these two lines?

A) to show that the storm is not an average thunderstorm

B) to demonstrate Olivia's knowledge of weather events

C) to demonstrate that Morgan is right about the weather

D) to show that the setting on the farm is usually peaceful

 

3) The "safe room" is apparently:

A) seldom visited except in thunderstorms

B) poorly maintained by Olivia's parents

C) regularly used during Tornado season

D) not needed but comforting to have

 

4) Morgan is apparently very aware of:

A) why Olivia is studying

B) where to go during storms

C) the need for a walk outside

D) the danger for Olivia's parents

 

5) The first paragraph of the passage was probably included in order to:

A) describe a feature of Olivia's appearance.

B) reveal Robin's feelings for Olivia

C) introduce a fact about Olivia's character

D) establish the main setting to the story

 

6) Which best describes the method of development used in the passage?

A) a series of flashbacks to childhood

B) a statement about high school supported by reasons

C) a series of chronological events from one afternoon

D) a comparison of the behaviour of two characters