#i will stand by the i love you song being a very good corrin song

[swordtsukiyama]

Chimerical || “I have family in Hoshido. I also have family in Nohr. Even if I were to lose everything... Even if they all despise me... I can't choose to side with one against the other.”

1. Overprotected ☽ Britney Spears || 2. If Only For Memories ☾ Streetlight Manifesto || 3. Fact and Friction ☽ The Nearly Deads || 4. Good For You ☾ Dear Evan Hansen || 5. The Town Inside Me ☽ AISHA || 6. Rainbow Connection ☾ Weezer & Hayley Williams || 7. Karma ☽ AJR || 8. Blame ☾ Air Traffic Controller || 9. My Silver Lining ☽ First Aid Kit || 10. Carry On Wayward Son ☾ Kansas || 11. Roll With The Punches ☽ Lenka || 12. gravity ☾ Maaya Sakamoto || 13. Let Me Make You Proud ☽ Tangled the Series || 14. Long Long Time ☾ Linda Ronstadt || 15. Let It Go ☽ James Bay || 16. 21 Guns ☾ Green Day || 17. Float On ☽ Modest Mouse || 18. Cancer ☾ My Chemical Romance || 19. Should've Been Me ☽ Mitski || 20. The I Love You Song ☾ The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

[monasatlantis]

Fire Emblem: Engage review

So I’ve played Fire Emblem engage for over 30 hours and it took me around 4 to 4 weekends to finish it. But it is done and that means it is time for my usual game review. I try to make it short this time tho.

1. The pacing of the game starts out really good, but the Paralouges and the training opportunities in the second half of the game make the pacing slow down quite a bit. The Paralouges and the Skirmishes are optional, so you can just rush through the story if you want to, but it gives you a big disadvantage to not at least do the Paralouges, so I would recommend doing them despite the pacing-issue.

2. The weapon-weakness-wheel is very strong in at the beginning of the game and makes it almost impossible to focus on anything else than fighting in battles (while in all other Fire Emblem games I played so far, I could still focus on pairing up characters or training the weaker ones) and really needs you to think about who to attack next or who you shouldn’t stand too close too, because your enemies use your weak points. However, if you use your cards right, at the later parts of the game neither you, nor the enemie really have anymore weak spots and you can fight skirmishes on Auto-Battle without much trouble.

3. The Final boss and the final battles as well as the final map was one of the most boring final battles I ever had in a game. Any map until then was more challenging then the map from the final and there were certainly much stronger, harder bosses in the game then the actual final and final-final boss.

4. There is almost no advantage in ranking up your character's support-levels. The Rank-Up-Events are quite boring most of the time and the A-Rank is hardly anything special and at the end of the game, post credits, the game doesn’t even give you any connection between the characters that have A-Rank-Support. Heck, there wasn’t even really any connection between Alear the main character and my chosen bond-ring receiver, Alfred. Its like the love-confession Alear got after she gave Alfred the bonding-ring only served the purpose of making Alfreds life longer.

5. Seriously, no one actually gets ENGAGED in this game. Every character goes back to where they belong in the end. Not seldom vanish at some point of their story, without you having any chance to prevent that, by giving them an A-Support with someone. There was (aside from the event with the bond-ring) no romance in this game whatsoever. So it was pretty disappointing.

6. Why do only staffs break? I am glad weapons and toms don’t break any longer but why do healing-stuffs still break? Where is the logic behind that?

7. You NEVER have enough money in this game.

8. The class-system is kind of boring, especially compared to the one from 3 houses. You basically go from prince to king and then you are stuck going back to level 1 for some reason, so that you can get stronger. This whole system was stupid as fu**.

9. Alear isn’t exactly one of those protagonists you will remember well - aside from her/his hair-color, that is ^^’

10. The characters were all in all nice and likeable, but not many really stand out, despite the game trying hard to make some of them stand out, by making them as unique and human as possible.

11. Soundtrack was alright. Tho I really didn’t like the opening song.

12. It was nice to see some of the old characters from other games but most of them I didn’t know, because I never played there games. Aside from Lucina, Corrin, Celica and Byleth I only knew Marth and Ike and not from their respective games but only from Smash Brothers (and Marth being mentioned in Awakening of course) and the rest was a bunch of nice (or weird xD) Strangers to me. I also would have preferred Chrom instead of Lucina (tho we are taking care of that in wave 3 of the Season pass) and I would have liked female Byleth or both versions of Byleth, but... oh well... *shrugs shoulders*

13. The season pass seemed like a waste of money at first, but saved my ass at a certain point of the game.

14. I saw a big part of the plot of the game already coming. But there were a few surprises here and there.

15. The plot has some holes that should have been filled.

16. The game was all in all a medicore good game.

17. You can NOT compare it with 3 houses but if you had to, your will very likely say how much better 3 houses was

18. There is literally no reason to replay this game at all aside from trying a harder difficulty. If you are done, you are done. The story is not interesting enough to play it twice. The are no alternative routes or endings to reach. No relationship endings that are worth working towards.... if you think about the fact that FE:3H had all those reasons to replay it and yet both games sold at the same price, it makes you wonder if buying Engage at full price was really worth it.

I give the game 8 out of 10 points. It wasn’t a bad game or so. It was fun playing, especially the first half of the game. And there are not many complaints I have in this game aside from the ending, the missing romance and the final battle. It was all in all, as I said a good game, medicore good, but good.

[1ddotdhq]

🍃Wed 18 Nov ‘20💌

The duality of Harry! Today we got snapback and jumper casual Harry promoting Choose Love- a store where you can buy supplies for refugees- but Don't Worry Darling (which filming looks to be starting back up today or tomorrow) he also appears in his Gucci episode today ready to piss off more conservatives with the Looks he's serving! He's wearing a pink and white tucked in jersey, short ripped jean shorts (not quite booty shorts, but definitely not in adherence to any high school dress code), tall socks and loafers (and how much do you think they paid him to not wear his vans?). In the still that Gucci released early today he's got one hip cocked sassily, his hand on the other, and a phone to his ear. He looks like the gay uncle you wish you had posing as an 80s romcom heroine, like seriously straight people on Mars' gaydar is going off, I'm at an actual loss as to how they could have made this picture scream any louder! But never mind the still, let���s talk about the movie! Thus far Gucci Fest has been an exploration of the constructs of gender and sexuality and the expressions of such - how the existence of some people (“monsters”, as the TV pundit says proudly in the first episode) is inherently political, and also beautiful in its dissidence. They've gone for an artsy, surrealist vibe, it's very atomspheric. I have also personally appreciated the language diversity - the first one was in Spanish, and the second one in Italian, and today’s in Italian and English. Today’s episode opens with a crowd of unmasked people crammed in a public place (post office) followed by a shot of the lead character Silvia writing “we breathe the same air”, a bit disconcerting in these times. Anyway, they see a whole cast of characters there, including the advertised 'elegant gentleman', who is chatting with Harry on the phone! He asks Harry (who appears as Harry Styles™) about art, and how one celebrates the joyful differences of humanity within it, and Harry, standing outside in a garden replying on a flip phone with the sun flaring into the camera replies, “I think when it comes to making art, it's about...finding the thing you've always wanted to see, or you've always wanted to listen to, that like has never been made. It's always like an uncomfortable moment, I think, when you find the thing. You know, you don't know if you love it or hate it, because you don't know what it is yet, but i think that's the most exciting place to work in, and that's true for all the fields you mentioned. I think you draw on things you've, you know, kind of experienced in the past because it's your only reference point.” This sounds like something we’ve heard from him (and Louis!) before, but this time it’s DIFFERENT because it’s ARTSY.

Oh, and also! The Crown’s Emma Corrin, who you may remember being introduced oh so casually as Harry's PLATONIC friend (not a weird thing to spell out in headlines at all, nooo) right around the time she got cast in that role, mentioned last night that Harry had dog sat for her dog Spencer one night, but that halfway through dinner she received a text from an alarmed Harry-- “He won't stop farting. Is this normal?" and that was the end of that potentially beautiful platonic relationship (Harry/Spencer that is). Funny how the resurgence of their names together in the media comes right as Harry’s Vogue cover drops and Emma’s tenure as Princess Diana starts - nope, definitely no promo going on there! Jimmy Fallon, who was interviewing her, thought the whole thing was very funny and cosplayed Harry in his Howard Stern outfit - the bright Cobalt Blue sweater, deep green pants, and pearl necklace, and even included the Louis Blue balloon that made it to the cover of Vogue. Bluegreeners, the lot of them!

Liam’s 3rd collaborative Hugo Collection is out today! Liam answered some questions about the it on their instagram stories: he loves the “disheveled” look that Hugo went with for this capsule, he’s loved to learn about sustainability in fashion, his favorite piece is the blue track suit, his favorite collection (so far!) has been #2, or #1?  (someone responsible for making this video to promote capsule *#3* is crying but don't worry, he loves “all of them!” They’re “my little design babies”), and his favorite Hugo outfit was a custom red suit. The new designs, as Liam mentions, are more casual than ones that we’ve seen in the past, consisting of a lot of athleisure in au natural shades of taupe and such. If you want to see more of Liam taking about his fashion collection, tune in to Hugo’s YouTube channel this sunday at 6:30 GMT, where Liam and “special guests” will be online for the premiere of “The Style Eye”. What is that? No clue, but let’s all find out together, shall we? And, Liam is also going to be a part of Global’s Make Noise Celebrity Giftmas, donating a personalized video from him. It seems like the winner will be picked in a raffle, and you donate to enter! The proceeds will be going into a COVID relief fund, so it’s all for a good cause, as it always is with Liam!

And Niall's gone public about being in LA: he was papped yesterday wearing blue Nike shorts, a white T shirt with some flower blossoms over the heart and cartoon naked people on the back, and a Modest Golf mask (Harry’s not the only one who does promo in his pap walks!). Modest Management published a piece praising his RAH show, saying “the first words he said to us when he came off stage on Saturday were 'let’s do that again!'. So, possibly.” We look forward to more, especially if it means we get to hear some of the new songs he's working on right now!

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (240-231)

#240: Joci Pápai - Az én apám (Hungary 2019)

"Hallom őt, az ő szívét a húrokon Látom őt, múló idővel az arcomon Az ő hitét büszkeség vallanom Ezeregy dalból ezt az egyet dúdolom, dúdolom"

"I can hear him, his heart on the strings I can see him, bearing the passing time on my face I’m proud to confess his faith Of a thousand and one songs this is the one that I hum"

If there's anything I love at Eurovision, is when someone sings a song from their soul. And in both of Joci's entries, he does just that.

Az en apam is a bit more sedate than his first entry (which will come soon enough), but it's calming and serene with substance. The lyrics, talking about his relationship with his father, is a touching and poetic tribute, one that people should really speak to their loved ones that care about them.

It's just a shame this song was the one to break Hungary's impressive qualifying streak; I thought they were on a path to win soon (though not with this one...). And they left the contest too; hopefully they will steer the ship back to more open waters and come back.

Personal ranking: 5th/41 Actual ranking: DNQ (did not qualify)--12th in the first semi-final in Tel Aviv

#239: Anna Vissi -- Mono i Agapi (Cyprus 1982)

"Η ζωή μας περνά, κι ότι φεύγει πονά Πίσω δε γυρνά, κι όμως κάτι μας κρατά"

"Our life passes by, and whatever leaves, we’re in pain It doesn’t come back, but something holds us together"

In most cases, the first entry somebody has sent in the contest is their best, with a number of exceptions here and there. Anna is one of them; I never liked her first entry, but her other two are fantastic.

Mono i agapi is quite lyrically simplistic--it talks about how love remains between two people, as the world changes around them. But the melody has a very loungy sound--I've heard it being compared to a James Bond theme. While I don't hear why it would be the case (other than the alluring mystery of this piece), it does give a calming vibe, and stands out in the rather mediocre field in 1982.

Personal ranking: 3rd/18 Actual ranking: 5th/18 in Harrogate

#238: Yardena Arazi -- Ben Adam (Israel 1988)

בן אדם הוא רק בשר ודם,” אבק פורח במדבר, בן אדם, בדרך העולם, כצל עובר, כחרס הנשבר "

“A human being is only flesh and blood, Dust flying in the desert A human being, in the way of the world Like a passing shadow, like broken pottery"

Yardena's time at Eurovision 1988 is best known for the anecdote where she goes to a fortune teller who said that song #9 would win that contest. When the draw occurred, Israel was slotted into that place, but was shafted up to #8 when Cyprus withdrew from having an already-released song. #9 would go to Ne Partez Pas Sans moi, which would end up winning and make history thanks to its singer.

This ends up taking away from the song itself; Ben Adam is reminiscent of older folk songs, but it takes off with its own character and flair. I also love the lyrics, which recognizes humans as flawed, without berating them as such. (We need a little bit more of that in the internet world, haha)

The flurry towards the end of the song was well-executed too, and the instrumentation is just fantastic. It feels like one was in a festival!

Personal ranking: 2nd/21 Actual ranking: 7th/21 in Dublin

#237: Amandine Bourgeois -- L'enfer et moi (France 2013)

“Tu m’as fait pleurer à vif Mon cou porte encore ta griffe J’aimais échanger de peau”

“You made me cry a lot You can still see your mark on my neck I used to like exchanging skin”

I love the dark sensuality of this song—with its blues influences, it tells a story of a relationship gone awry, but does so with sophistication. It starts out with a slick guitar line, which later devolves into a full on outrage against the lover at question.

The harshness of this song probably clashed with its opening spot, which is why it’s so underrated. Or it was because of Amandine’s styling...

Either way, it has grown on me since I watched the 2013 contest, and it gets the right vibes going...except with the lyrical story...

Personal ranking: 5th/39 Actual ranking: 23rd/26 GF in Malmo

#236: Ambasadori -- Ne mogu skriti svoju bol (Yugoslavia 1976)

"Ne molim da se vratiš Al’ molim te da pamtiš Voljela tebe samo sam ja”

“I’m not begging you to come back But please remember I only loved you”

Ambasadori was one of Yugoslavia's biggest groups, and they have a long list of who's who in the Bosnia music scene. I'm not familiar with their other music, but Ne mogu skriti svoju bol definitely highlights their artistry, along with the dark-pop take Yugoslavia had in 1970s Eurovision.

This song was initally my fifth place of 1976, but it has steadily grown until it became my fourth (knocking out Portugal in the process) The instrumentation conveys a dark mood, despite the upbeat strings and the poppy sound. There’s a grooviness in it to contrast the sullen lyrics, mourning for a lost love. It definitely stands out in the crowd; along with Ismeta's lack of makeup.

It got rewarded with a second-to-last place, which is way too low for this. And Yugoslavia withdrew for five years, and came back with a new sound...

Personal ranking: 4th/18 Actual ranking: 17th/18 in Den Haag

#235: Zibbz -- Stones (Switzerland 2018)

"Sins of the father make us fall And I can’t do anything about it"

2018 had a number of staging errors which cost several countries qualification. In Stones' cases, this wasn't the case.

Corrine has incredible stage presence, with a sense of strength and attiude as she struts on the stage. She definitely adds substance to this powerful pop-rock song, fighting against bullying in all corners of society.

To further that, she lights a flare at the bridge, which definitely hits the tone of the song home. Plus, it was an awesome moment to behold.

Basically, Zibbz did everything right--great song, thoughtful message, simple but impactful staging, and it still didn't qualify...While it has outgrown me a bit, it's still a total jam.

Personal ranking: 9th/43 Actual ranking: DNQ -- 13th in the first semi-final in Lisbon

#234: Kalomira -- Secret Combination (Greece 2008)

“An open book An open book, well, I'm sorry, I am not Sometimes I'm acting like a lady Sometimes woman, sometimes baby.”

"You maybe an open book Spongebob, but I'm a bit more complicated than that"

One third of the female-bop grouping in the 2008 contest, Secret Combination takes Greek instrumentation and American production to produce quite the gem. I could imagine Britney Spears singing this, but I also thought of the Cheetah Girls when I was listening to it. With a bit of sweetness and a touch of sexiness, Kalomira plays the different roles well--and has a cute moment when the book actually opens, revealing her in a really nice silvery dress!

Personal ranking: 7th/43 Actual ranking: 3rd/25 GF in Belgrade

#233: Avi Toledano -- Hora (Israel 1982)

"וגם ההורה, ההיא עם הה”א קולה עוד עולה, קולה לא נדם"

"And also the Hora, the one with the Hey Its voice still rises, its voice has not been silenced"

Israel had a particular style with songs from the 1980s--they are usually really energetic, with fun choreography in which everyone joins along. It makes for good results and good energy, especially when it's done well!

Hora seems to embody it in many ways, from the celebratory lyrics to the fun dancing across the really tiny stage in Harrogate. It combines Israeli folk music with a sense of joie-de-vivre, celebrating the nation (which as you will see later, may not work today...)

Avi earns himself a strong second place, but he would write something even better the following year (again, will come later)!

Personal and actual ranking: 2nd/18 at Harrogate

#232: Raphael Gualazzi -- Madness of Love (Italy 2011)

"Ma vedrai un altro me in un sogno fragile Riderai come se non ti avessi amato mai Cercherai un altro me oltre all’ombra di un caffè"

"But you’ll see another me in a fragile dream You’ll laugh as if I had never loved you You’ll look for another me beyond the shadow of a coffee"

Between 1994 and 2010, Italy withdrew from Eurovision, with only one participation in 1997. Nobody knows why, with reasons ranging from the rise of a televote to Italian disinterest in the contest, but they were certainly missed. Thanks to the late Rafaella Carra and a bunch of other circumstances, Italy came back in 2011, and they did so in style.

"Madness of Love" is frequently overlooked amongst Italy's post-comeback entries, as some of us aren't into jazz. I don't listen to the genre often, but I like this song particularly. It's flirty and sweet, under a very sophisticated soundscape which reminds me of a 1920s speakeasy. And while people are put off by Raphael's vocals, the way he lets himself go at the end of the chorus is definitely a highlight.

Basically, it's one of those runners-up that should've won against the winner of its year. But it was nicely made up for ten years later.

Personal ranking: 2nd/43 Actual ranking: 2nd/25 GF in Dusseldorf

#231: Anneli Saaristo -- La dolce vita (Finland 1989)

“Minä sammutin elämän janoa vaan Minä osasin onnea anoa vaan Jälkeen kaiken nyt saatan sen sanoa vaan La dolce vita”

“I was just quenching life’s thirst I knew how to plead for happiness After everything all I can say is: The good life”

La Dolce Vita sounds more stereotypically ”Spanish” than “Finnish”, because of its flamenco influences versus the dark pop or metal we expect from the country. Apparently, a lot of Finns travel south for vacations, which makes a bit more sense here.

Either way, it springs a bit of life and joy into a dark heart. It embraces life in its tropical vibe and Anneli’s deep vocals, and conveys a comfortable mood. Apparently, it was also known for Anneli's slight choreography, but I only noticed her standing during the instrumental.

It would be Finland’s last top ten result for many years, but the 7th place it got in Lausanne was deserved (and they should've done better, actually!). A fitting send-off for their long-time conductor Ossi Runne (RIP).

Personal ranking: 3rd/22 Actual ranking: 7th/22 in Lausanne

[fatesdeepdive]

Entry 1: Anticipation

Introduction

What is your most anticipated game? Not the upcoming game that you’re excited about, the game that, more than any other, made you count down the days until its release. No game has ever made me as excited for its release like Fire Emblem Fates did.

Fire Emblem Fates was first announced in January 2015. Back when that trailer was first released, I was still obsessively playing through Fire Emblem Awakening, the game Fire Emblem Fates was meant to be a successor for. The trailer hooked me and I eagerly waited for more information on this bold new entry into the Fire Emblem series. The trailer showed a battle between two armies, a monster destroying a castle, a woman dancing, and a duel between two swordsmen. Between these clips, the trailer showed a return of Awakening’s gameplay, the addictive gameplay that’d taken away hundreds of hours of my free time. This trailer told us nothing, leaving me eager to learn more about this new story.

As the months went on, it was announced that Fates would tell the story of two kingdoms at war. More interestingly, the player would be given the opportunity to choose which kingdom to support, adding a layer of moral ambiguity and complexity to the story. I loved this concept and had no doubts it would be executed perfectly. The game released in June 2015 in Japan, but American fans had to wait until January of the next year to play it.

I bought the game as soon as it came out.

And I loved it. I played through all three routes half a dozen times each. For about six months, Fire Emblem Fates was the main game I played.

I haven’t played Fates in four and a half years. I don’t know why I went from spending multiple hours each day playing it to dropping it and never going back. I’ve played Awakening about once a year since then, but I haven’t gone back to Fates for some reason.

Since its release, Fates has gained a certain...reputation among the Fire Emblem fanbase. Put bluntly, it’s widely considered to be the worst Fire Emblem game. And, to be honest...I can kinda see why. Looking back, the game’s writing was filled to the brim with problems. But still, I can’t bring myself to hate the game like other Fire Emblem fans. I still remember asking my mom to preorder it for my Christmas present when I was fifteen. I still remember devoting hours of my life to this game.

So, I’m left with this quandary. Who should I trust? Other fans, or the memories of my youth? Is Fates really as bad as people say? Well, I kinda want to figure that out for myself. And I think the only way to figure this out is to obsessively play the game.

Over the next few months, I’m going to do a deep dive through Fire Emblem Fates and post my thoughts on this blog. I’m going to go through every chapter, every support conversation, every part of this game to answer the question: is Fire Emblem Fates a good game?

Opening Cutscene

Booting up my copy of Birthright for the first time in years, I’m greeted with an opening cutscene containing much of the footage from the trailer. It’s worth noting that the two armies from the trailer have very different aesthetics, one being heavily influenced by feudal Japan and one being heavily influenced by medieval Europe. The transition from the battle to the woman dancing is done by zooming out, revealing that this battle is actually taking place inside a painting. I actually really like this, it shows that the hostilities that this game is centered on have been going on for a long time.

Another thing to note: the song the dancing woman is singing has been translated into English. I’ll be going through the Lost in Thoughts All Alone’s lyrics and analyzing them when they appear in the actual story. The dance scene leads into circling shots of two families; judging from their different styles and fancy clothing, they are presumably related to the two kingdoms at war. The eastern family has a red and white color scheme, while the western one has a black and purple color scheme.

After that, the camera pans into a deep chasm until it arrives in a land of floating castles and islands, which looks interesting. Next, the opening cutscene shows the dancer in a lake, being choked by a large dragon-like creature. As the creature pushes her further underwater, its scales turn into light and fade away, turning into a humanoid form. Finally, the trailer shows the two swordsmen clashing as the dancer freaks out, setting her up as being an in-between that doesn’t want this conflict to grow. Her necklace flies off as she panics and lands in a pool of dark blue water, bringing us to the main menu.

The opening cutscene, like the trailer, hooked me in and made me excited to play this game. Even though I know that the game is going to bungle the story beats it sets up, I’m still excited to dive right it.

While staring at the dark title screen, which features only the quiet sound of waves for background noise, I get a strange hint of nostalgia. It’s a weird type of nostalgia, though. When I replied Awakening last fall, it felt familiar and comforting. Coming back to Fates, it doesn’t feel familiar. I recognize it, and it’s nostalgic, but it isn’t comforting. It’s like nostalgia for something I’ve forgotten, if that makes sense.

Character Creation

Jumping in, I am presented with three settings each for two types of difficulty. Normal/Hard/Lunatic control the strength of enemies, while Phoenix/Casual/Classic determine whether or not units come back to life. I’ll be checking out the other difficulties in a later entry, but for now, I create a Normal/Casual save file. Yes, it’s taking the easy path. But I barely remember this game and am playing it on a deadline, I don’t have the time to restart every level multiple times.

Next comes the character creator. We’re shown the player Avatar standing at the bottom of a lake and given the ability to customize gender, build, hairstyle, hair decoration (if a girl), hair color, face, scars, and voice. None of the options look bad, but the fact that it’s just choosing from a set list of faces is a bit disappointing. Understandable, considering the fact that these assets are drawn in, but that just raises the question of why there needed to be customization in the first place.

A few oddities about the character creator: hairstyles are sorted on two axis chart of Stylish/Simple vs Wild/Slick for boys and Long/Short vs Cute/Wild for girls. I don’t have time to go into each hairstyle, some are better than the canon versions, some are absolutely ridiculous, some are just boring. The short build is the canon design for Male Corrin while the tall build is canon for Female Corrin. This is probably for the best, because Short Girl Corrin looks like she’s eight. Finally, while both choices have three voice choices, two of Male Corrin’s choices are played by Cam Clarke (Corrin’s other male voice is Yuri Lowenthal, while Female Corrin’s voices are performed by Danielle Judovits, Marcella Lentz-Pope, and Stephanie Lemelin). Later games featuring Corrin stick with Clarke and Lentz-Pope.

I flip a coin and end up deciding on Female Corrin. I go with the generic design, because I really don’t care enough to customize her. Speaking of design, Corrin’s design is a mixed bag. Regardless of player choice, Corrin always wears the same outfit: a grey, black, and white suit of armor with a blue cape. Corrin’s generic hair color is also grey, but like a pinkish grey. I do appreciate Corrin being associated with grey, gold, and blue, making them visually appear to be between worlds, but I personally think the armor looks too complicated, looking more like a striped suit than actual armor. I also don’t get why it has a neck cuff.

Also, Corrin is barefoot. Always. This does give Corrin a sort of animalistic appearance, but that design element isn’t present anywhere else in Corrin’s design. Fire Emblem Awakening was kinda infamous for the fact that none of its characters had feet on their models and I get the vague feeling this game is overcompensating.

Next, we get to the details that actually matter. Name (I went with Corrin, because it’s the canon name and I don’t relate to this character at all), Birthday, Boon, Bane, and Talent. Boon and Bane determine stat growths, but they are labeled by personality traits instead of the actual stars, which is both more immersive and slightly annoying. I made Corrin Quick and Unlucky. Talent determines what Classes are available to you. I didn’t care, so I spun it randomly. It landed on Mercenary.

Prologue: The Ties that Bind

Now that we have our character created, let’s start the game. The game starts with the dancer singing Lost in Thoughts All Alone at the shore of a lake before walking into the lake and sinking below the waves. The song continues as she goes underwater, which means she must be amazing at ventriloquism. As she goes deeper underwater, ruins start to appear, floating in the water. The dancer swims into a bright light and disappears.

Smash cut to the Western prince riding on a horse, commanding an army as they charge into battle. The Eastern prince charges through his army, wielding a sword surrounded by lightning. The anime cutscenes in this game are beautifully animated and incredibly cool to watch. The Eastern prince introduces himself as Ryoma of Hoshido and challenges the Western prince, Xander of Nohr, to a duel. Xander accepts and charges into battle, wielding a sword surrounded by shadowy purple fog. The two clash as the cutscene ends.

We then see Corrin and a Hoshidan Pegasus Rider named Hinoka fighting an enemy, This fight is rendered as an actual game cutscene. Side note, the fact that this scripted battle features Hinoka guarding an attack for Corrin is a great way to foreshadow that mechanic. Hinoka mentions that Corrin looks distracted and reassures her, pointing out that all of Corrin’s siblings are here.

The game then moves onto introducing basic mechanics. If you move your cursor away and look at the other units on the battlefield, you’ll notice that all of them have unique names and designs. Fire Emblem Fates shows both armies off to you during the prologue, which is really interesting. Still, it must be noted that the Nohrian Units are marked as enemies and the Hoshidan Units are marked as allies. This isn’t super important now, but keep it in mind.

Between turns, Ryoma asks Xander why he’s invading and mentions a cowardly attack. Xander tells him to surrender and the two fight some more, both doing decent damage. The camera pans over to Xander’s siblings. The youngest of them, Elise, mentions that, due to a bridge collapse, they can’t get over to Corrin. Her older sister, Camilla, tells her not to worry, because their royal blood allows them to manipulate dragon veins. Camilla moves over to the river and a fireball flies out of her, striking the river and evaporating it. The third of Xander’s siblings, Leo, tells Elise to stay back as they attack the Hoshidans. The Hoshidan royals remark that Camilla’s use of a dragon vein means she’s royalty and the Hoshidan prince Tamuki smirks, saying that he’s always wanted to use a Nohrian royal as target practice.

The two armies of named characters start fighting and a Nohrian general named Hans shows up with an army of reinforcements. He then refers to his own army as cannon fodder and says king Garon sent him to kill them all, because he’s very obviously an evil person. A Hoshidan general shows up and we get some more tutorials as Corrin and Takumi beat up a single redshirt. And then the level just ends.

Corrin and the Hoshidan royals run up to the bridge to help out Ryoma. Xander calls out to Corrin, happy to have found her alive and well. He beckons her to come back to her family, which angers Ryoma, who shouts that Corrin is his sister. Xander counters, saying that Corrin is HIS sister. The other royals argue over which family owns Corrin and Hinoka states that the Nohrians kidnapped her. Xander points out that the Nohrians raised Corrin since she was a child and are her real family. As the two families fight over Corrin, the screen fades to white and we hear voices yelling for Corrin to wake up.

The prologue features some good teaching of mechanics, some bad teaching of mechanics, and an introduction to the game’s plot. It introduces two countries at war and Corrin, a bridge between the two that is caught up in this war. I just have one question.

What even is this chapter? It isn’t in media res, the actual point in the game this chapter is playing off of happens differently. The fact that it cuts to Corrin waking up implies that it’s a premonition of the future, but Corrin can’t see the future in other parts of the game. At least, I don’t remember that ever happening. Sure, this chapter introduces the plot, but it does it in such a confusing way.

Awakening did something similar to this, admittedly, but Awakening is a game about time travel. That scene happened, just in a different timeline. Awakening’s use of media res both set up the plot and helped foreshadow the game’s main twist.

Also, the Hoshidans are allies and the Nohrians are enemies. In a game about a morally grey conflict between two sides made up of real, suffering people, it’s not great to start out by calling one of them evil.

These two traits, aping Awakening without knowing why it worked and failing to be a morally grey story, are going to become much more apparent as the game goes on...

[norbah]

Holiday Music

This is my gift for the @summonersecretsanta exchange. It is for @the-lonely-ylissean. I sincerely hope you like it!

Music washed over the keep that served as the Order of Heroes’s base, and Silas watched with a smile as the various Heroes from distant ages mingled in the great hall. They laughed, ate, and danced, the holiday spirit having mixed thoroughly with the exultant sensation of victory. The threat of Hel was gone, and the relief was palpable in the air, a veritably intoxicating atmosphere filling the hall. Here Ike was pulled into a dance by his sister Mist, there Ninian and Eliwood shared a quiet bite, and farther back over there Azura convinced Arden to join her in the dance floor.

Silas himself chuckled and laughed with everyone, but hung back from the core of the festivities. His eyes darted about, skipping over the various groups enjoying the festivities as he searched for one person in particular. Here and there he thought he’d spotted her, but the auburn hair always belonged to another. The tiniest of frowns landed on his brow and his smile slipped just a bit from his lips as he found himself unable to find her. Which was the darnedest thing. He could have sworn he’d seen her come in here earlier...

Suddenly the room felt a little hot for Silas’s comfort, and he realized a little bit of fresh air sounded good right about now. So, making sure to apologize to anybody he bumped into, he made his way outside, avoiding the more bustling central area. Along the way he kept his eyes peeled for the one he was looking for, but still had no success in finding her.

After what seemed like hours, Silas finally made it outside. Almost instantly he felt some relief, just from the sight of the chilly winter landscape. He took a deep breath, enjoying the sensation of the cold, crisp night air entering his lungs. He had seen plenty of snow back on Nohr, but it was a harsh land, with harsh winters. Askr was gentle by comparison, its snow soft and fluffy rather than the cutting sleet of the Ice Tribe’s plains.

Without much idea of where he was going, Silas started walking, mulling over his thoughts, and wondering where Sofia, the Summoner, had gone off to. It was rather funny, but as of late, he’d been spending more time with Sofia than even with Corrin. It was still nice being with his long lost friend here, but the Summoner... Silas felt happy around her. Content. Safe, even. She carried a large burden on her shoulders, as she was the Summoner in charge of keeping the Heroes alive, but still made the time for them... for him. She was honestly, truly-

Silas was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound, ever so faint, of music. He blinked and cocked his head, listening carefully. It was almost drowned out by the loud cacophony coming from the great hall, but it was definitely there. He’d wandered far enough from the celebration that its noise was somewhat lessened.

Muffled, lovely notes drifting among the falling snowflakes kept landing on Silas’s ears. He couldn’t quite make out the tune, but Silas could more or less hear where it came from. Curious despite himself, he followed the music with nary a glance back towards the great hall.

“A piano?” He murmured to himself, finally recognizing the instrument being played. Idly he wondered who it was playing at this late hour. And away from the party, to boot.

——————

The music led Silas to another one of the keep’s wings. It took but a glance upward to pinpoint the room from which the music came, as there was a single window with light coming from within.

He entered the building quietly, shaking off some of the snow that had piled upon his hair and shoulders, as well as caked itself to his boots. A few gentle stamps outside the entrance got most of it off.

Within, the music was even clearer. The tune was much clearer now, a deep, slow, almost somber melody which nonetheless held joy and reverence in its tone. His curiosity almost at a bursting point, Silas headed upstairs. In retrospect, he mused as he got close to the music’s source, he did recall having seen a piano near the keep’s study, in the sitting room. He’d just never paid mind to it.

His heart hammering in his chest, Silas gently pushed open the door, and looked inside the room.

Sitting at the piano was none other than Sofia, the auburn-haired young woman’s eyes focused intensely on the keys before her, her fingers moving deftly, with precision, with determined intent. And yet she smiled softly as she played. Silas realized that this, right here, was something she loved dearly, and couldn’t help but feel like he was intruding on something deeply personal.

And then the door gave the slightest of creaks, Sofia’s eyes flickered upwards and met his, and her fingers stumbled for a second over the keys. The music stopped, and both Silas and Sofia froze.

—————

For a moment, neither spoke, but eventually Sofia cleared her throat awkwardly.

“Silas!” She greeted Silas nervously, her tension bleeding through into her words. Her eyes seemed to focus anywhere but on his own. Of all the times he could have found her, why now? “I, ah, didn’t realize anybody would be listening...”

“I’m very sorry,” Silas said, and bowed a little in contrition. “I simply heard the music and wondered who could be playing at this hour. It was lovely music,” he added at the end, a little more brightly.

“It’s a song from my world, for the holidays,” Sofia explained, still a bit shy. The compliment about her playing did help her feel at ease, but it was still more than a bit awkward to be discovered like this. “I thought you’d be at the party. This is a bit embarrassing.”

“I was,” he replied. “I... well, I couldn’t find you there, so I stepped out for a bit of air, and heard your playing.” He seemed somewhat surprised when his explanation brought a generous dusting of scarlet to Sofia’s cheeks.

“You were looking for me?” She asked him, very quietly. Hearing that... it did very funny things to her stomach. It was actually really nice to hear. A very tiny smile was born on her lips at this admission.

“Well, yes. I was sure I’d seen you go in, but when I tried to find you, you weren’t there.”

“I left after a little bit,” she explained. “Wanted a little bit of air, so I came here. I guess time got away from me a little bit,” she murmured the last bit, still a little red in the face. She should have seen it coming, really. Whenever she played, time just... seemed to slip away.

“I didn’t know you played,” Silas said, standing a bit more at ease as he saw her relax a little. Sofia shrugged bashfully.

“It’s just a hobby,” she said, the lie tasting foul on her tongue. Music was her passion, and to deny it so, even if to someone as special to her as Silas was, felt wrong

“Oh,” Silas said. He seemed a bit disconcerted. “Well, you play very well, for what it’s worth. I’ve heard serious students with less talent than you showed just now.”

The praise made Sofia’s breath catch in her throat. Some of the Heroes were aware of her crush on the earnest young knight, but for the most part she wasn't obvious about it. That she didn’t voice it didn’t mean she didn’t feel it, though, and she felt quite strongly about her knight. So to hear him praise her like this... she felt certain that he could hear her heartbeat, it was thumping so loudly and powerfully in her chest.

“Would you...” she started a bit weakly, then cleared her throat, sat up straighter, and spoke again with more conviction. “Would you like to listen for a little while?”

Silas blinked in surprise, and for a moment Sofia’s heart sank. Of course he’d want to get back to the party, she thought. But then a bright smile lit his face up.

“I’d love to,” he said, warm and gentle like the spring sun. With a matching smile, Sofia scooted over just a bit on the piano bench, giving him space to sit.

After he took a seat, Sofia began to play once more from the top, her fingers moving with practiced ease over the keys.

“This is a holiday song from my world,” she explained, and told him the song’s name as she played. Silas nodded as the melody, reverent and deep, rang out once more.

“I learned it some time ago, and the holiday isn’t quite the same here, but I felt it... fitting to play it now,” she went on after a moment, a smile on her face.

Silas shot her a look.

“Just a hobby, eh?” He asked playfully, and Sofia couldn’t help but giggle as he nudged her shoulder with his own.

“Okay, so maybe I lied a little bit,” she admitted with a roll of her eyes. Silas chuckled, but said nothing more, content simply to listen to her playing, and so they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

Some distance away, the party still went on. Dance and revelry, and food and drink galore. But here, in this little corner of Askr that was theirs and theirs alone, Sofia shared with Silas her true passion for music. She shared with him the music of her world, something even Azura wasn’t privy to. She shared it with him, with her knight, and he was smart enough to realize the gift he was being given.

“As far as I am concerned,” he thought to himself, watching Sofia’s face as she played, a smile matching hers on his face, “there is nothing more the Winter’s Envoy can bring me.”

[sockablock]

Possible fic request - I've been thinking about Caduceus, and how he seems to be very familiar with the families from which he "gets" his tea. I kind of wonder if he knew any of them growing up, or if his family did? I'd love to read a like, short chapter fic that opens with a story of his meeting them, and then ends with him drinking their tea reminiscing.

- (Read on AO3) -

Their family name is Aigner, andthey arrive at the grove when Caduceus is seven.

His parents are thrilled, ecstatic even. It’s beenalmost a decade since the last visitors trekked through the Savalierwood andsurvived. They are ushered quickly into the temple that has been the Clayhousehold for centuries, and his family begins the process of making theirguests comfortable and treating their injuries. Caduceus’s father busieshimself in the kitchen, and his mother gets to work setting the ankle of theyoungest Aigner: a little half-elven girl who couldn’t have been older thanfive. 

Caduceus is very curious about her. Not just becausethey are the closest in size, but also because of her tears. Because of the wayshe wails after Mother gently takes her foot and pops the joints back intoplace.

He does not understand the crying—why should she be sadwhen she is being healed?

He tugs on Corrin’s sleeve as he rushes by with anarmful of towels, but gets nothing more than a hurried, “Later, Cad,later. We’re busy, right now.”

He is unsatisfiedwith this lack of a response, but does not let it show. His brother is right. This is the most activity their household hasseen in years. 

He hangs around the periphery as his parents and therest of his siblings listen to the Aigner’s request. The father, an older humanman with hair going early grey, has traveled here with his children to lay hiswife to rest. She was a follower of the Mother, he says, and her last wish hadbeen to return to the wild. 

He has brought her body. It is in a crude wheelbarrow bythe front of the temple. His greatest regret is that he could not have givenher a more dignified vessel.

But Caduceus’s mother just shakes her head. Shesays, “A greater regret is forgetting to cherish what you’ve already done.Look at you. Look at your beautiful children. Look at what you accomplished,today.”

Caduceus’s father adds, “Come on. Let’s look for agood spot. Today, our family helps yours.”

Caduceus is swept up in the tide of movement that comesnext. The father herds his three children out into the gentle forest sun, andCaduceus’s parents nudge their three children along as well. Father and Mother pushthe old wheelbarrow through the clearing, through thousands upon thousands ofblooming spring flowers. The grass below their feet is soft, the air sweet, awarmth and peace drifting across the grounds with every playful puff of breeze.

The Aigners look much better than they had an hour ago,though the littlest girl still seems perturbed. Caduceus wonders how that evercould be possible. This grove is the most serene place in the world.

Eventually, they all arrive at a small patch ofunclaimed earth. There is grass curling along the edges, but no life and noflowers mark the space as occupied.

Not yet, anyways. The father and older Aigner childrenhelp the Clays dig a pit.

They fill it. This part has never been anything butright. The most natural thing in the world is for a body to return to theMother who made it.

Even Caduceus, young as he is, knows this better thananything.

Then comes the part where the mourning family says a fewwords. Their still-fresh scars, just-closed wounds, the splint on the littlegirl’s foot, says more.

And then the hole is filled back in. The Aigner father fallsto his knees.

“I’ll see you again, my love. I promise.”

He pulls his children in close. They are in variousstates of tearful, as expected of a moment like this. 

Eventually, they stand. The father glances at Caduceus’sparents, and gives them both a faint, wry smile.

“She was supposedto outlive me,” he says. “She was supposed to outlive me by centuries.”

“Death can be unexpected,” Mother nods. “Even whenit is the only sure thing you can expect.”

The father gives a smile. He gestures slowly at theearth. “When will the flowers bloom?” he asks. “What will grow here?”

Cornelius Clay gives this a careful thought.

“Did she have a favorite flower?” he asks. “Perhapsa color she liked?”

“Chrysanthemums,” says a small, shaky voice. “Mommyliked chrysanthemums.”

They all glance down. The youngest girl had spoken. Herface is red from crying, her eyes are much too hard for her age. Her fists areclenched. Her shoulders are shaking.

For a moment, nobody responds. Her father, most of all,seems stunned. He reaches out as if to take her by the shoulder, but suddenly,Caduceus’s mother stops him.

She shakes her head. Then she turns to her youngest son.

“Do you remember the trick I showed you?” she asks.

Caduceus nods. Of course he does. He’s been practicingit every day.

“Do you know what flower we’re talking about?”

He nods again. He thinks he might know every flowerthere is.

His mother gives him a soft smile. “Then you’re incharge then, dear. Come back inside and let us know when you’re done.”

The father, Mister Aigner, blinks. “Wait, w—” hebegins, but then Mister Clay whispers something in his ear. Their eyes flickerover Caduceus, and then the little girl.

The father seems to understand. He nods. He crouchesdown, and murmurs to his daughter, “It’s okay. Take all the time youneed.”

She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t seem to want to.

Eventually, all of the older people leave. Corrin givesCaduceus a supportive thumbs-up as he runs after their parents back into thehouse.

And then, Caduceus and the little girl are alone.

There is a moment’s pause. Filled with song of a far-offswallow.

Then Caduceus turns towards her. He says, “Why areyou upset?”

She stares at the ground. She bites her lip.

“’Cause Mommy’s dead.”

Her voice is a rasping whisper, and a groan of rage allat once. It is a terrible sound to come from the heart of a child.

But Caduceus is confused. He takes a seat against thebarren dirt.

“So what?” he asks.

The girl seems thrown by this question.

“So…what?”

He nods. She considers this. Eventually she settles on:

“Mommy’s gone. That’s what.”

Caduceus blinks and tilts his head. “I know that,”he says. “That’s what happens when people die.”

The girl does not take this nearly as well as he thoughtshe would. She kicks the ground and whirls around on him.

“I know!” she shouts. “I know! That’s…that’s…Mommy is gone. She’s gone, and she’s not coming back. How come?” shedemands. “Why? Why did thathappen? It’s not fair!”

“It’s not,” Caduceus agrees. “But it happened. Idon’t know why. You dad didn’t tell us. Did he tell you?”

The little girl shakes with emotions she could neverfully understand. That nobody really could.

“He just says that sometimes, people go away,” she cries.“Sometimes stuff happens, and they’re gone forever.”

Caduceus nods. This information is more in line withwhat he had been brought up to know. 

“That’s what dying is,” he says. “It’s natural.”

The little girl stares at the ground again, and then staresat the weird, skinny, fur-covered boy in front of her.

After a pause, she takes a seat next to him. She crossesher arms.

“I don’t care,” she says. “I just want my momback.”

Caduceus, at least, can sympathize with that.

“I’m sorry she’s gone. I’m sorry you’re sad.”

She huffs. She folds her knees up and wraps her armsaround them.

“It’s not fair,” she says again, quieter thistime. “It’s not. Why does dying happen?”

Caduceus thinks for a moment. This is a question he hasbeen pondering for some time, now.

“I think…I think that’s just the way things are. Ifpeople didn’t die, then the world would be different. I don’t know how, yet,but I know that it’s bad.”

“How could it be bad?” the girl mumbles. “In thatworld, my mommy is alive.”

They sit there in silence, for a while. The swallowdarts across the sky and disappears into the trees beyond.

Then Caduceus asks, “Why did you cry, before?”

The girl lifts her head. She gives him an odd look.

“What?”

“Before,” he repeats. “When Mom fixed your foot.Why did you cry?”

She gives him a glare that manages to convey, in asecond, how incredibly stupid he must be. 

“Because it hurt,” she says. “Duh.”

Caduceus sighs. “But you got fixed, after. Theworst part was over, and now you can get better.”

She stares at him. “But it still hurt,” shesays. “Right now, it still hurts a little.”

He blinks. He’d never thought of it like that.

They are quiet for a little longer.

Then the girl says, “I wish she was here right now.She makes me feel better.”

“How?” Caduceus asks. 

“She just does.”

Caduceus looks at the ground. He puts his hand to thedirt and runs his palm along the earth.

“She can’t come back,” he says softly. “You knowthat, right?”

“I wish I didn’t.”

Caduceusnods. “I am sorry,” he triesagain. “Really. I…I wish I knew how to make you feel better.”

“I wish you did too,” the girl sighs. Her chin isresting against her knees. “I just miss her. I wish she wasn’t gone. Iwish she was here, instead of just stupid, empty dirt.”

Caduceus considers this. Then:

“Chrysanthemums?” he asks.

The girls’ eyes dart up again. “What?”

“Your mom’s favorite flower. Chrysanthemums, right?There are different colors. What kind?”

The girl opens her mouth. She closes it again. Shefrowns, and thinks, and then looks relieved when she remembers.

“Yellow.”

He nods. 

“Okay,” he says. “Watch.”

Caduceus Claygets up from the earth and carefully brushes off his trousers. Then he crouchesdown again, presses his palms to the ground, closes his eyes. His hair driftsagainst his face in waves, and the corner of his mouth is curled inconcentration. He has practiced this spell many, many times before, and though he knows what he is doing, thisis the first time he has done it for something as important as this.

 Chrysanthemums, he thinks. Yellow Chrysanthemums.

He feels the soundless squish of fertile earth beneathhis fingers. He feels the caress of twirling air past his cheek. He feels thesun warm on his back, smells the sweet song of spring nectar, bites down on histongue to focus and hears the lilting, far-off cry of a swallow.

He feels the magic taking hold. He feels somethingstirring in the soil.

When he opens his eyes, it is to see a wreath of swayingblooms. He is suddenly crouched shoulder-deep among tall green stems of thatend in bursts of thin gold petals, like thousands of tiny fireworks pressedtogether in light. They shuffle as he stands, as he admires his work, turns tobeam with pride at the little girl he has done this for.

But then he pauses. He frowns.

Mixed within these yellow chrysanthemums are dozens anddozens of a different sort of plant.

These are much taller, to start, towering over thechrysanthemums by a good foot or so. They are thin, and fragile-looking, andlean with the wind as it blows in across the clearing. Their stems are coveredin wide clusters of red and purple and pale pink leaves—no. Not leaves, butflowers.

It takes Caduceus a moment to realize. 

“Sweet pea?” he breathes out, confused. He takes a stepforward, and catches one in his hands.

“Sweet pea,” he repeats. “Huh.”

And then there is movement. The little girl has stoodup. She has taken a step closer, and is pressing a finger to the petals too.

“Is that what this is?”

Caduceus nods. “Yeah. Um…sorry. I didn’t mean forthem to happen.”

But the girl seems entranced. She just shakes her head.

“No, um…no,” she says. “It’s…my mom called methat. She said it’s what her mom called her.”

Caduceus blinks. He looks at the flowers.

“Oh,” he says. “Oh. I…oh.”

She runs her finger along a petal with the utmost care.

“It’s pretty,” she murmurs. “It’s…it’s reallypretty.”

Caduceus is encouraged by this. “I’m glad,” he saysquickly. “I wanted to help. And you said that this place was empty, so…Iwanted to change that. I can’t bring your mom back, but I can at least makesure that something’s here.”

The little girl glances at another swaying stalk.

“Sweet pea,” she repeats. “Huh.”

Caduceus twists nervously at his sleeves.

“Is it…is it—”

And then a pair of arms slide around his waist.

“Thanks,” the little girl whispers. “It’s not the same,but…it’s nice. Thanks.”   

Caduceus grins. Relieved, and thrilled.

“I’m sorry she’s gone,” he says one last time. “I’m gladI helped.”

She gives a soft nod.

And all around them, flowers sway in the breeze.

----------------------

more filled requests here!  -  💜 ☕ ☕💜

[dlamp-dictator]

Three Houses Quick Thoughts

Just finished the Black Eagle’s route today and wanted to give my quick thoughts before I finally start drafting that Rambling. Mostly to get some of my thoughts together somewhere accessible so I have something to reference back to when I actually start drafting the danged thing. Don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil anything here... no story spoilers anyway.

Anyway...

The Bad

I was hesitant to say this at first, but now that I finished this game I can confirm that I hate Byleth as a character. They're honestly worse than Corrin to me due to their lack of personality and agency in their own story. The mystery surround their birth and general existence just muddies the whole plot when it tries to make them out as important when I, the player, barely know anything about my own damn character aside from being the father of a great mercenary. I didn’t like their designs either, but I wasn’t a fan of Corrin’s or Robin’s so... I guess their consistent in making player character designs I dislike/am apathetic for.

While I think the system for class advancement is good in the early and mid game, it fell a little flat as I got to the late game. Class mastery really needs to happen a bit faster, at least to a point that I don’t have to actively grind for mastery points. I pity those trying to optimize on hard mode when you don’t have endless auxiliary battles.

On that note, as of 2019 gender-locked classes are dumb and the one good thing Fates did was remove it. Why bright it back? Why deny me War Master/Punch Queen Edelgard? Why deny me a Dark Mage Lysithea? It just makes no sense to me.

Why is there no Dread Fighter class so Petra doesn’t die from a mage glaring her?

Why is there no Kishin Knight class so Bernie be more useful with a bow as a flying archer and have Amaterasu?

Why is there no Malig Knight class so Hubert can ride dragons with his waifu?

Why is Edelgard’s unique class an armored unit with 5 movement when the maps basically require two flying unique to be playable?

Oh yeah, these maps really remind of Echoes given how useless and slow the armor classes are without someone to warp them. These maps really want you to maneuver around them and can get very large. I feel like I’m playing Echoes again for the wrong reasons.

The Good

The soundtrack is great.  For all my complaints (and believe me, that’s just the tip of the iceberg), I do love this game’s music. Especially some of these battle tracks. The Edge of Dawn is probably one of my new favorite songs now.

While I didn’t like the class system in the late, the early and mid game is where it shines and I had the most fun testing things out and experimenting. As a casual player, it was fun to mix and match class and see what worked.

The supports were all done very well, some of my favorites came being Edelgard, Caspar, and Hubert. They really fleshed out all of these characters and I’m looking forward to a second playthough and seeing how all the rest are going to play out, especially when I’ll start actively recruiting now.

Speaking of, I like that recruiting classes has a real effect in the time skip, as it keeps those characters in your house after things go down and... well,  as I said, I won’t spoil things, but just know it really makes you think about what it means for some of your newer members stay on board despite what happens and it does wonders for storytelling.

While I had my hesitations about weapon durability being back it worked out for the better. It keeps the some of the strategy fresh and makes really decide between a strong yet fragile weapon versus a weak but reliable weapon that can take 20+ more swings, especially with the special relic weapons. Though weapons breaking in a story mission sucks.

The voice-acting was great, much like in Echoes. Nothing much else to say save for the fact that there’s more of it and it’s all great.

As conflicted as I feel about the Black Eagles storyline, I like the overall theme individuality, standing up for your own beliefs on your own two feet, and making a name for yourself with your own effort. The execution... well, again, not going to post spoilers, but I’ll just say the journey was more exciting than the destination. 

Again, my conflicting feelings on the story aside, I do like Edelgard as a character. I can really understand why she did the things she did in the time skip, especially after some of her later supports with certain characters. It makes me really wish the story itself was written to focus more the House heads than Byleth.

The fact that all the characters canonically have last names is a nice touch too.

Byleth aside, I did like a lot of the character designs, especially after the timeskip.

The ability to dismount is outright broken and I love it. My Pegasus Knights can look an archer in the eye and laugh at them before getting off their mount and stabbing them to death and climbing back on their flying horse.

Canto is also outright broken and I love it for similar reasons. 

General Advice

Because I feel like being nice and I wanted to just give some pointers after finish a playthrough.

According to people far better at this game than me, Master Classes are honestly optional unless you plan on being a flying class. A lot of the growths and abilities aren’t really worth it unless you’re specifically grinding for them and at least on the Black Eagle route, horse mounts can be more of a hindrance than a help with the maps of the last few chapters. I couldn’t tell you how many times I had to dismount half my army just to get a few extra movement spaces.

That said, War Master, Wyvern Lord, and Falcon Knight are generally seen as good classes overall.

Like I said, at least on the Black Eagle route, mobility is probably the best asset you can have, especially for flying units. Combining flying units, Stride, and Warp can outright break some of these maps in the right situation. You can clear a map in one or two turns if you play your cards right.

Again, coming from people far better at this game than me, don’t prioritize recruiting other students, especially on your first playthrough. Your original group is honestly all you need and I believe you can get the teachers after a certain point for free if you need some extra magic on your team.

That said, general consensus from people far better at this game that I am is that Felix, Ingrid, Bernadetta, Ferdinand, Leonie, Lysithea, and Raphael are good targets to go for. Though given my Black Eagle route I’ll say that a War Master Caspar and Dancer Dorothea are nothing to sneeze at.

Use Divine Pulse, it’s there for a reason.

And that’s it for my quick thoughts. Rambling for this will be come... eh, later this week.

[dragon-kiddos]

🐩

🐩 - Discovering their pet/favorite animal

“Ah, what a lovely day!”

Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and kids like him… should really be back inside where it’s safe. 

“I might just break out in song! And twirl all the day long!”

A sweet giggle rings through the air. As of then, the young one had slipped away from his caretakers to play out in the beautiful weather. His friends hadn’t joined him; they all said their parents told them to stay inside. The thought brings his attention to his own mother, whom he had not seen in so long.

“Hmm, but,” he hums, stopping his dancing across the field, “Mama is visiting today, and I haven’t seen her in such a long time. I’d better do something special for her.”

A gloved finger taps against his bottom lip. Lost in thought, Kana hops along the edge of the river closest to his home, not minding the feeling of the mud between his toes. 

“Gather some fruit?“ he muses. “Fish for her?”

Kana jumps to a halt, a closed fist hitting down against the palm of his opposite hand. “Ha, I know! Mama should have both. So I’d better get going!”

It had been perhaps twenty minutes of wading across the banks of the river, attempting to catch a fish in the only way he knew how—using his bare hands—before pointed ears twitch at the telltale signs of someone running up to him. Looking up, Kana wipes his wet hands in the fabric of his pants before pulling his gloves, which he had tucked into his waistband, back on. 

“W-Who are you?”

Grey eyes squint and then widen. The figures that had approached seem to bend light itself, almost camouflaged with the area, but just visible enough to have their features made out. 

“Y-You look weird!” Kana sputters, not his most polite moment. “Get away from me!”

More of the invisible forces appear. In response, Kana draws back, nearly tripping over his bare feet in the process.

“Umm, what do you all want?” It seems that the fact that these entities aren’t quite human has yet to settle in his mind. “You’d better not be here to make trouble! My mama will be here soon!”

Another step. His back hits a wall. Panic begins to prick at the edges of his mind. 

“They’re not listening,” he mumbles. “But I can’t just run. They look ready to do evil things!” 

He can feel the handle of the door to his home digging into his back, make out the grooves in the wooden structure through the thick layering of his gloves, and yet, Kana doesn’t run. There is perhaps a moment of hesitation where he stares before a hand slides down to rest atop the pommel of the blade that hangs at his side. 

A deep breath in, and he charges. 

He swings. He misses. The assassin counters, sending Kana flying to the ground with a soft oof! Before another attack can land, a familiar blade finds its home in the side of the perpetrator, causing its whispy body to dissipate into nothingness. Kana can barely recognize the visage of his mother before she’s jumping in front of him for protection, a puff of air escaping her lips.

“Here in the nick of time,” Corrin sighs, casting a glance over her shoulder. “Are you all right, Kana?”

“M-Mama?”

“I’m so sorry, Kana. You’ve been safe here for so long.” Dragoness raises her blade, a dark look spreading across her visage, though her words remain comforting. “I never thought anyone would come here to hurt you. Please tell me you’re okay!” 

There’s a moment of silence. Kana can’t see his mother’s face, nor can he see the flurry of emotions she wears—rage, guilt, worry, complete and absolute love—but he knows that Corrin cares. 

“Yeah, Mama,” he finally breathes. 

Corrin lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods,” she whispers. A little shake of her head, the grip on her blade tightens. “Now,” her voice raises to a commanding tone, “off with you. Your mama has everything in hand.”

Her attention is turned back to the invaders, who all the while had been slowly inching forward. Her legendary blade is flipped in her hands; Corrin rears back to roar.

“YOU!” 

Even while mindless, the enemy flinches back. 

“You dare touch my child?! I’ll soak these fields with your blood!” 

One invader dares to rush the dragoness; their attack misses, mistake proving fatal as Corrin slices the just-barely-tangible body right in half. Another manages to land a hit on her right, but she quickly retaliates with another hard hit to send them flying. Kana whimpers from behind her. 

“Mama, there are too many of them!”

“I’ll protect you, Kana,” she says through gritted teeth. “But don’t worry about me. I told you to run!” Turning to the quickly-growing crowd, her grip on her blade tightens even more. “Now, the rest of you! Prepare to join your comrades in death!”

Her words are threatening, but her actions fail to defend her; an attack is thrown at her, blade slicing into her shoulder. It’s a shallow graze, but enough to draw blood. She counters; miss. 

“They’re tough,” she mutters, “but I have to… keep them away from…” 

Her thought is interrupted. 

“No!” 

Kana’s hands tremble for but a moment before gloved hands tighten around the hilt of his sword.

“You bunch of bullies! Stop hurting Mama!”

Before Corrin can react, Kana pulls her away from the attackers and takes her place, standing before her in a protective position. 

“Kana! How many times do I need to tell you?! Run!” 

“No! I’m not going to leave, Mama! Not when I’ve waited so long to see you again! No one’s going to take you from me!” 

Corrin reaches forward, hands pressing to her little boy’s shoulders in an attempt to pull him back. He shakes her off. 

“I’m staying right—!”

He cuts himself off with a low growl escaping his lips.

“Right here by—” 

Another growl. His vision begins to swim. 

“By your—”

Everything fades to black. 

“Whuh… whuh… what… What happened, Mama? I dreamed that I turned into a dragon!”

Gloved hands rub at his eyes, where tears had just barely dried. The moment Kana regained his senses, he burst out into sobs; after a long while of being comforted by his mother, he was finally in a state of mind to speak and understand what had happened. 

“Yes, well…” a soft, sheepish laugh escapes Corrin’s lips. “You did, Kana.”

A beat of silence. 

“I did? For real?” 

Grey eyes light up in awe, but that twinkle dies down to a frown when he notices Corrin’s expression.

“You look upset, Mama,” he whines. “I didn’t mean to do it. I only wanted to protect you! But I’m small. And I felt…”

Kana trails off, arms crossing over his chest. 

“… useless.”

A little kid can’t help in battle. But a dragon? A dragon can do anything! 

“Then I felt myself get so angry. I heard a roaring in my head… It got louder and louder, until I couldn’t hear myself thinking anymore.”

A little frown. He hadn’t meant any of this; he just wanted to make a gift for his precious mama, and then everything fell apart. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to turn into a dragon. Am I in trouble now?” 

“No!” Corrin’s response is quick. “Far from it. You’ve made me the happiest mother in the world.” She waits for Kana to react, and then a grin spreads across her face. 

“I turn into a dragon, too.”

Kana’s eyes widen. “What? Mama, you—?”

“Listen, Kana. I’m sorry that I haven’t visited you enough to explain. But I keep my power in control by using very special stones. You must too. Or else the dragon within may take over. Don’t be scared,” she smiles, noticing the hint of fear on her son’s face, “you just need a stone.

“Azura has given me a stone that you can use. Carry this with you always.”

A faintly-glowing green emerald bound in a thick cord is draped over Kana’s head, falling into place just over his heart. Gingerly, he takes the dragonstone into his hands, gazing at it with wonder in his eyes. 

“Thank you. It’s such a beautiful stone. I’ll treasure it, Mama!”

Carefully, he tucks the stone into the folds of the navy scarf that hangs around his neck. Hidden, but he can feel its warmth against his chest.

“But now that I can turn into a dragon…” Kana gazes at Corrin with a hopeful expression. “… can I maybe travel with you?” 

Silence. The sweet moment is ruined; mother’s face falls into a depiction of guilt as she shakes her head at her little boy. “I’m so sorry, Kana,” she says. “But you’re too young. And my world is too dangerous.”

For once, Kana doesn’t fight back. “No, Mama?” He deflates only slightly. “I guess I can wait longer, but only if you promise to visit more often.”

“Oh,” Corrin’s frown softens, “of course. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to—” perhaps not the best choice of words “—er, I promise. That’s all. And I’ll be sure to bring you a nice gift next time I come.”

Kana bows his head, nodding solemnly. “Yeah… All right, Mama.” 

The dragoness puts on a smile and takes a moment to cup her hands to her boy’s cheeks. “That’s my boy,” she hums. “Be good, Kana, and you keep hanging on to that stone!” 

Corrin’s fingers linger against Kana’s face for a moment longer before she finally pulls away. Her back turns and she starts to walk away, leaving Kana as alone as he was before. 

“… Hmpf.”

His hands ball into fists at his sides. 

“No, Mama. WAIT!” 

Stopping in her tracks, Corrin holds back a sigh. She turns only slightly to face her son. “Kana,” she’s already using that strict, motherly tone, “I have to go. A lot of people are depending on your mama.” 

“I… I know!” Stomping his foot down into the grass, Kana can’t hold back the tears that build in his eyes. “That’s why I have to go with you! I’m depending on you too… to come back! And I never know if you’ll… if you’ll… if you’ll DIE and never come back! What if I grow old enough to leave here, but by then you’re gone?”

“Kana, I’m only trying to protect you!” 

Exasperated, Corrin takes a step back. She had definitely come off as more aggressive than she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she begins again.

“But if that’s how you feel,” her voice is softer, now, “if it’s agony for you being here? That’s the last thing I want. Maybe…“

A deep breath. The pads of her fingers dig into her temples, rubbing in slow circles, while she contemplates. This could be a life-changing decision—and could end horribly, for all she knows. 

“All right. You’re coming. With your new powers, you might be safer with me.” The thought hangs heavy in the air, though only Corrin acknowledges it: might be safer. 

“I need to explain all of this to my friends. You need to say good-bye to yours.”Stunned, Kana stares up at his mother; truth be told, he had not quite expected that to work. 

“What, I get to come with you? Really?” Already, he’s jumping up and down in excitement.

With a soft sigh and a tired-looking smile, Corrin nods. “Yes, really,” she says, though the truth is she would much rather prefer her baby stay safe in his Deeprealm. “But, Kana, it’s a different world out there. It’s not a game—it’s scary. I’ll look after you. Still, are you sure you’re grown-up enough for this?“ 

For a moment, Kana debates. He nearly puffs his chest out all mighty-like and declares his grown-up-ness, but decides against it, and instead settles to look up at the sky with a thoughtful gaze. 

“Well…” he starts, “I’m only a little kid. But I’m old enough to be a dragon. And my mama’s one too.“ 

“Like mother, like son,” Corrin nods. “I guess there’s a lot we should catch up about.”

“Yes! I can’t wait! … Mama, I have to say one more thing before we leave.”There’s a moment’s pause before Kana opens his mouth and lets out a high-pitched but surprisingly-not-too-loud “roar.“ 

”… Rrrghg rawrgghh rrrh! That’s dragon for ‘I love you!’“

It takes everything Corrin has not to coo at her son—or rub at her temples in mild frustration in response to what a… sweet child he is. Still, she smiles, taking his hand to lead him back to the rest of the army—to his new family.

The dragon plush that sits on his bed is special in an entirely new way, now. It may be a little self-centered to call yourself your favorite animal, but… it never bothered a dragon.

[sakumosowainthirst]

You know that song from Tangled, I See The Light? that but Corrwain

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME I’M GOING TO CRY. I chose to do something different with the song lyrics this time; hope you like it!

“I still can’t believe we did this!” Corrin said with glee as she and Odin walked down the crowded street. The sun, setting on the horizon, cast an orange glow over the festival, which was winding down for the evening’s festivities.

“I couldn’t have done it without Flora and Felicia’s help with sneaking you out of the Northern Fortress,” Odin said, grinning at her apparent delight. “Be sure to thank them for me tonight when I return you home.”

“Absolutely!” she said with a vigorous nod. “They’re keeping Jakob distracted so he doesn’t alert the entire kingdom.”

“I thought for sure we were busted when we almost ran into Lady Elise and her retainers at the festival,” he sighed. “It was quick thinking to duck into that alleyway.”

“Of course! I’m used to sneaking around the fortress without being seen to steal things from the kitchen at night,” Corrin said with a bit of pride.

“Why, princess, I never knew you were so devious!” Odin said with a laugh.

“Oh, I think you’ll find I’m full of surprises,” Corrin said with a shrewd grin. There was a beat of amicable silence before she spoke again. “Say, Odin?”

“Nn?”

“Thank-you so much for taking me out today,” Corrin said, threading her arm around his to hug close to him. “You’ve always been such a good friend to me, but you really went above and beyond today.”

Odin smiled softly at her, looping his arm to pull her a bit closer. “When you mentioned you’d always seen the lights from your tower but longed to see them in person, I had to act. Odin Dark won’t stand idly by when his dearest friend is in need!”

Smile radiant, Corrin rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank-you. Today has honestly been the best day of my life.”

“Then the risk was well worth it, Corrin,” he said, reaching to stroke his thumb against her arm.

“By the way, you haven’t said where we’re headed,” she said, tilting her head up a bit to look at him from his shoulder.

Chuckling, Odin said, “Best day of your life, I figure you should have a decent seat for the main event.”

He lead her to the docks, where hundreds of people were crowding on boats of all shapes and sizes. Paying for a small rowboat, Odin assisted her into it, and they rowed their way out onto the clear lake just as the gloom of night settled in all around them. They passed the time as they waited for the ceremony chatting as they always did. Odin came to visit Corrin so often at the Northern Fortress that their chats made them fast friends, so she was happy to indulge in conversation with him. His merry demeanor always brought cheer to her drab days living in isolation. She owed Odin so much, and she couldn’t think of a way to properly repay him. She would, though. She’d think of something.

The first orange twinkle in the sky signaled the start of the closing events, and Corrin nearly bowled Odin out of the boat as she shifted to the edge to get a better look. Hugging the bow of the ship for balance, she held her breath as one by one, lanterns floated into the night air. First ten, then a hundred, and suddenly thousands of lights dotted the sky. The sight was breathtaking, far better than her past viewings. All those days she spent watching from the windows, all those years she was outside looking in on this miraculous event…In all that time, she never truly knew just how blind she’d been to the world and its wonders. But here in this moment, blinking in the starlight, she had a moment of pure clarity: this place, this moment, here where she stood, was exactly where she was meant to be.

It was like seeing the light at last after living in a dark fog, finally lifting in the wake of the rising sun. Her body tingled, a warm, bright sensation, realer than anything she’d ever felt, enveloping her in its embrace. Everything felt different somehow, the sky somehow newer, the world all around her shifted to a better, clearer view. More than anything, though, she realized this moment was so good and so perfect because of who was there sharing it with her. Her heart thumped in her chest as the realization struck, and she turned back to face Odin.

He was grinning tenderly at her, a paper lantern in each hand, the coils already lit by magic. Beaming, Corrin eased back into the seat across from him. “Odin, you really are amazing,” she said as she gently took a lantern from him.

“You really think so?” he said, tilting his head with interest. “I’m of course humbled by your flattery, dear Corrin, but I’m not certain how I’ve earned it.”

“Just by being you,” said Corrin, her smile poignant. “I’m so glad I met you, Odin.”

He paused for a moment, his expression contemplative, before a grin retook his features. “Myself as well, Corrin. I’m grateful our paths were able to cross.”

On a shared count, they released their lanterns in tandem, and as Corrin gazed up at them in wonderment, Odin studied her face, something within him stirring. In his life, he’d never really made room for love. All those days, chasing down his daydreams of being some grand hero, chosen by the gods, and then all those years of sorrow that he lived in a blur. He was always too busy for love, too preoccupied with theatrics and tales of whimsy to let himself fall. He’d carried on this way in Nohr, but if he was being truly honest with himself, all that time, he never truly saw how things were, how they should be, how much of a fool he was.

A genuine smile tugged his lips as Corrin awed over a lantern that was approaching them across the water, its levitation flagging. Out here in the starlight, she shone brighter than any star, than any of the thousands of lanterns out there in the sky. She reached her hand and rescued the descending lantern from an early grave, lifting it back toward the sky, and his heart shook. He knew now, without a doubt, that every step in his life, from his birth in Ylisse, coming to another world, to agreeing to run that first errand for Lord Leo out to the Northern Fortress, every one of them was a step toward this moment. His path, from the very beginning, had always lead to Corrin. That much was crystal clear to him now. Right now, he was exactly where he was always meant to go, beside the person to which he was always destined to belong.

He couldn’t keep it in. While she was distracted by the spectacle before them, he slowly reached for her hand. She immediately turned, and the way her smile lit up told him he had made the right choice. “Corrin, I…I have something I need to tell you,” he said softly.

“Good, because I have something I need to tell you, too,” Corrin replied, squeezing his hand.

“Far be it from me to usurp your right as princess to speak before me,” said Odin, eyes lidding as he leaned a bit forward.

Corrin matched him in both expression and closing the distance. “But you spoke first, Odin,” she chuckled with a sweet smile that made his heart drum in his ears.

“It’s just…all at once, I’ve had a revelation,” he said, inching just a bit closer.

“Tell me,” she whispered, their faces growing nearer by the second.

“Now that we’re here…when I see you, I just…”

“Just…?”

“…Can’t help but wonder if…maybe…”

They were at the point of no return, their noses practically touching. “Odin…” she said, her breath hot against his lips.

“…Corrin, I…”

He didn’t finish, because Corrin met him finally, their lips softly caressing each other. Odin let out a sigh of relief as she tilted her head into more, the two of them trading chaste kisses over and over. Lanterns glimmered all around them in the sky, their glow reflecting off the shimmering lake, and in that moment, neither of them cared if they’d make it back to the Northern Fortress by the designated time. Right here, together, Corrin slowly slipping into Odin’s embrace, was exactly where they should be.

[mycatmoo]

Alright. Imma post the story

"I-I lost.." I whisper, dropping my Fujin Yumi. "I-I lost..." I whisper once again, in shock, falling to my knees.

Of course I couldn't win. Of course. I could never beat my own siblings. How could I win a voting gauntlet?

"Takumi!" I could barely hear someone shout. I'm outclassed. I'm weak. I couldn't win. Why did I think for even a second I could win?

"Takumi!" I'll never be good. I'll always be a failure. I'll never be able to win.

"TAKUMI!" I felt someone hit me really hard.

"OW WHAT THE HELL!" I shout, whipping my head to look at who hit me. Hinoka still had her hand in the air. Ryoma, Sakura, and Corrin was always behind her. I could still see the injuries on Hinoka and Ryoma from their battles.

"You weren't listening to anything we were saying." Hinoka shrugs, putting her hand out. "Come on mister finalist. Stand up. Be proud. You got further than any other Hoshidan and was so close to winning. Be proud." Hinoka says. As I grab her hand, she pulls me up. Corrin puts his hand on my shoulder.

"You had a good battle. It was excellent. I'm proud of you, brother." Corrin nods, smiling.

"I'm so glad you got t-this far!" Sakura pipes up, smiling at me like she does when she gets her favorite type of candy. "Lets go get cakes! T-To celebrate almost winning!"

"Good job, brother. You did excellent. I couldn't be prouder of you. If mother was here, I'm sure she would be very proud as well." Ryoma nods, arms crossed and a small smile on his face.

"Thank you guys. But I lost. Why are you congratulating me?" I ask. I couldn't keep it back. Why are they congratulating me when I didn't win? When I didn't become the second male winner? When I didn't become the representative for Hoshido?

"You almost won. If you had some more points, you could have won." Ryoma says.

"Yea! You were so close to winning!" Hinoka cheers.

"Y-Yea!" Sakura agrees with Corrin nodding his head.

"Thanks.. But I just want some alone time right now." I say, lowering my head.

"Alright. We'll wait outside. Come out when you want. I'll treat you to ice cream." Ryoma says, walking off, the rest of my family following suit.

I sit on the ground, and look up at the sky. ...This sucks. I think, and stare blankly at the sky. I didn't even think. I just... Stared. I don't know how long I sat there, until I heard a voice behind me.

"Takumi." Great. Its that Prince Leo of Nohr. Turning around, I saw Leo sit next to me, a frown on his face. "I knew you'd still be here." He says, a knowing look on his face.

"What do you want." I say, pulling my knees to my chin.

"I know how it feels to lose one of these. Probably more than anyone else. I've lost all 3 of the one's I've been in. I know it hurts. But you got further than I ever have. You did amazing. You really should have won, and I'm still trying to figure out how you lost. But nevertheless, you were so close. As I'm sure you were told, you got further than any other Hoshidan. You may as well have won" Leo says. looking at the sky.

"I should have won.." I mutter.

"I know, I know. It hurts right now. But I promise, after a while, you'll be able to look back at this gauntlet and feel proud of your accomplishment. You are strong. You are one of the strongest people I can think of off the top of my head. You are amazing. Put your chin up and take this victory like the winner you are. This may technically be a loss, but really, with how close you were to winning, its a win."

"...Its a win..."

"Well, talk to you later Prince Takumi." Leo says, standing up and walking out.

"...Heh. How could a Nohrian scum like him make me feel better with some words when my own family couldn't." I mutter. It was true though. Somehow, that small chat with Leo made me feel better. Maybe its because its rare to hear him talk like that..?

"Oh wow. If I knew winning would get me THIS much attention I probably would have.... Actually, no. No I wouldn't." I hear a familiar voice behind me. Shanna. "Huh? Oh! LordTakumi! What are you still doing here? I thought you would go off with your friends and family and celebrate making it to the finals." Shanna says. I could hear her walking up, but I refused to look back.

"Sulking." I simply say.

"Oh wow. Love the honestly. But y'know, sulking won't help out much. I know I probably shouldn't say that since I won." Shanna says, sitting next to me. I could feel her looking at me intently, so I just buried my head in my knees. "Y'know. I was so close to just giving up. You had a lot of supporters, and I wasn't sure I could win. I was so shocked when I won. You just had so many people rooting for you, and... I dunno... I just felt like you would win." Shanna laughs. I turned my head to her. Where is this going?

"I'm sure Lord Ryoma, Lord Corrin, Lady Hinoka, and Lady Sakura wishes to do something big for you. But before that, why not we go do something? Y'know, to celebrate making it to the final round and having such an amazing battle. I say the both of us deserves to celebrate, so why not celebrate together?" Shanna laughs, adding on "None of the other finalists for these celebrated together afterwards, The winners were too bragging about winning and the losers were too busy being salty. Why don't we break the trend and celebrate! I know of an excellent cafe we could go to nearby. My treat." Shanna beams. ...Why is she being like this?

...You know what. Alright. Sounds... Pleasant enough.

"Alright. I accept." I shrug.

"Great! Come on!" Shanna beams, standing up, pulling me up as well. "We'll go on my Pegasus!" She smiles, mounting her Pegasus. I did the same. "Alright! Hold on tight Takumi!" I hear her say, before lifting off... WAY to fast.

"WAH! SLOW DOWN!" I shout. And it was at that minute... I forgot my Fujin Yumi. "SHIT I FORGOT MY FUJIN YUMI!"

"Well why didn't you say so?!" Shanna asks, diving back to the ground.

"I SWEAR IF YOU KILL ME I'LL TURN INTO BETRAYAL LIKE I DID IN CONQUEST!" I shout.

"Did you just break the forth wall?" She asks.

"Nope." I quickly say, jumping off the Pegasus, grabbing my bow, putting it over my shoulder and getting back on the Pegasus. It went off way to fast again. "I SAID SLOW DOWN!" I shout again.

"Alright! Whatever you say!" Shanna says in a sing-song voice.

...Could this be the start of a friendship? Despite beating me, it certainly seems so...

A/n: How obvious is it I don't know Shanna's personality?

[fire-emblem-heroes-supports]

Summoner/F!Corrin C-S Support

Written by  aph-aphrodite

C SUPPORT

(y/n): Gods, it’s so nice to get a break every once in a while. I feel like it’s been forever since I last visited the neighbouring town for some shopping. Now that I’m here, though, I’m not too sure what I want to get… Maybe I should just do some window shopping.

Corrin: (y/n)! I finally caught up to you!

(y/n): Lady Corrin? You surprised me! What are you doing here?

Corrin: Please, there’s no need to call me Lady. And I was heading out myself for some sheet music before I saw you here!

(y/n): Sheet music?

Corrin: Ah, for the piano! I’m pretty good, you know! Back where I come from, I have a lot of sheet music already, but I was wondering if there were any new tunes to play in this realm. So I decided to come here to check it out!

(y/n): Fair enough. Would you like me to accompany you?

Corrin: I’d love the company! But don’t you have your own shopping to do?

(y/n): I just came here to take some time off. Besides, it’s fun to shop with others.

Corrin: Heheheh! Lovely! Oh, there’s so many places to go to together, (y/n)! See, there’s that one there, and the pâtisserie that just opened up…

(y/n): Ooh, yes! I’d like to have some cake-… Wait, I thought we were just shopping for piano music? Corrin, hold on!

[(y/n) and Corrin have reached support rank C.]

B SUPPORT

(y/n): Hm? That sound… Could it be…?

[…]

(y/n): Ah! If it isn’t Corrin! I had a feeling that it was you in here!

Corrin: Oh, (y/n)! How did you find me? I was sure that I wasn’t being loud.

(y/n): I was just passing by before I heard someone playing the piano, even if just one key at a time. Are you tuning it?

Corrin: Yes. I finally found a piano in the castle, but it was dusty and so out-of-tune I winced the first time I even played a single note.

(y/n): That’s unfortunate. Do you need any help?

Corrin: Please, there’s no need. I’ve had plenty of practice by myself back when I was still living in the Northern Fortress.

(y/n): I hadn’t realized.

Corrin: Ha! Please, (y/n), don’t look so scared. Where I grew up isn’t a topic that I’m uncomfortable with. I look back on it quite fondly, actually. … You know, there wasn’t a lot to do in there. I remember going to the library just to pass the time. I remember it was there I first came across songs for the piano.

(y/n): It’s nice that you decided to take up an instrument so young. You know, I play the piano, too.

Corrin: Really? Well, that’s just fantastic! We need to find some pieces for piano four hands!

 (y/n): I’d love to. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll be good enough to show off to other people.

Corrin: Hee hee! Speaking of showing off, I think that all the keys are tuned properly now! Come closer, (y/n)! Watch me play!

[(y/n) and Corrin have reached support rank B.]

A SUPPORT

(y/n): Corrin, you’ve been looking at me for a while. Is there something the matter?

Corrin: Ah, no, of course not! I was just thinking… Have you ever tried singing before, (y/n)?

(y/n): Oh, no. You’re not going to ask what I think you’re going to ask, are you?

Corrin: Does what you’re thinking about involve singing together?

(y/n): Corrin, you’re- very, very sweet to offer, but I don’t want to deafen the entire army should they hear my voice.

Corrin: Nonsense! I bet you sound lovely when you sing! You already have a soothing voice as it is.

(y/n): Oh, Corrin, you flatter me, but what would I even sing? I don’t think I know any of the songs from your realm.

Corrin: Well, we can… Always make up one of our own. It’ll be fun, I swear! And it’ll mean a lot to me, since it’s to… You know, commemorate us being close friends.

(y/n): … You know I can’t refuse when you phrase it like that.

Corrin: Heehee! So, is that a yes?

(y/n): Gods, you sweetheart- yes, Corrin. I’ll help you in making our song of friendship.

Corrin: Alright! Let’s go wow everyone when we present it together!

(y/n): P-present?! Corrin!

Corrin: Alright, alright, teehee. It’ll just be our thing.

[(y/n) and Corrin have reached support rank A.]

S SUPPORT

(y/n): Hey, Corrin! What-

Corrin: AH! (y/n)! When did you get here?

(y/n): Whoa! I just got here now! Was I interrupting something…?

Corrin: Um… I was actually… working on our song lyrics. And I was having some trouble.

(y/n): Really? May I take a look? …! Gods, there’s so many words on here! It’s just scribbles from the front to the back!

Corrin: Um, that’s the thing. When it comes to you, I get distracted incredibly easily. Before I know it, I’ve already a page dedicated to you. Like there’s no point where I can stop. There’s a lot about you that I like… And I can’t pretend that I only think of you as a friend anymore.

(y/n): Corrin…

Corrin: (y/n), I love you. I’ve tried to deny my feelings and mask how I felt under the premise of friendship with you, but I can’t dismiss my thoughts anymore. I’ve always been sheltered my whole life, and I’ve never been able to make much of my own decisions… But what I want to happen between us is something I am more than willing to work towards. And even if you make the decision to reject me, I hope that we can remain friends.

(y/n): Corrin.

Corrin: Eh?

(y/n): You’ve given me a lot to work with. To start, getting together now… I’m sorry, but at this moment, it’s not possible. You and I both have responsibilities we must tend to: you and your army back home, and mine against Veronica’s. As soon as we defeat Veronica, there’s still the problem that you must face with your family once you return. There’s lives at stake here, and we can’t let our personal lives mix with our responsibilities.

Corrin: That’s… True.

(y/n): … However. There will be a time when both our conflicts will cease. We’ll be able to see each other at a more peaceful era. Once that time comes, we can finally act on our feelings.

Corrin: … Our feelings?

(y/n): I feel the same, Corrin. I love you. Hearing you confess made my heart burst. I’m sure we’ll make each other happy.

Corrin: Yes! Oh, (y/n)…!

[(y/n) and Corrin have reached support rank S.]

Confession Quote:

Corrin: You mean more to me than words could ever describe. Even if the entire world were against you… I’ll stand by your side. 

[utahimeazura]

Sunshine

Written for Azurrin Week Day Two

Read on AO3

“Mama,” Kana murmurs, trying to hide her yawn. “Will you sing me a song?”

Azura pats her daughter’s hair, hoping to soothe her. Shigure, still just shy of having his own room, lays on his bed, pretending to be asleep; she can feel his eyes on her. “A lullaby?”

“…Lullabies are for babies,” Kana pouts.

Azura puts her finger to her lips and speaks in a whisper. “Your father likes lullabies.”

Kana’s mouth falls open. It opens and closes a couple times, and then finally, she lays back down on her pillow with a loud flop. “Okay.”

It’s hard for Azura to hide her laugh. “All right… Just a little. I found a new one in the library. I’ll sing it for you.”

She took a breath, and sang out in a clear voice:

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when skies are grey.

You never know, dear, how much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away.

She trails off, and Kana blinks open her sleepy eyes and hazily murmurs, “Tha’s short.”

Azura just smiles. “I’m afraid I still need to learn the rest of the song,” she says. She leans over and kisses Kana’s forehead. “Goodnight, my little princess.”

“G’night,” Kana whispers, closing her eyes.

Azura gets up and kisses Shigure’s forehead—he doesn’t stir at all, which is even more evidence to his being awake, since he’s such a light sleeper—and leaves for her room. Corrin hasn’t even changed from his kingly robes, sitting at his desk and going over reports from his siblings. Azura walks up to him and runs her hand playfully through his hair.

“Oh, hello,” he says, turning toward her. She leans down to peck his lips with a kiss. “Are they asleep?”

“Shigure was pretending to. I still can’t figure out why he does that.”

“I liked to try to escape my room and go spy on Felicia and Jakob. Gunter always caught me, though.” Corrin laughs for a moment before calming. “But he’s been trying to come into our bed for the past week—he could be just waiting for us to fall asleep so he can sneak in. Maybe it’s bad dreams.”

“I hope not,” Azura says quietly. She’s had more than her fair share of them, and she would hate for her son to suffer the same. “Maybe he just wants to listen to me sing to Kana without seeming too eager.”

“All embarrassed, then?” Corrin smiles. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to listen to your mother sing. And he likes to sing. But, I suppose he’ll come around.”

Azura hums in thought. “I hope so.”

()()()

She’s going over letters from Elise—personal and professional ones, for once—when someone tugs on her dress. Azura looks to see little Shigure standing beside her, his head barely up to her chest while she sits. His cheeks are red, and he can’t meet her eyes.

She puts down the letter on her desk. “What is it, Shigure?”

He peers up at her with his big, golden eyes, and then quickly looks down again. “I… want to hear more of that song.”

“Oh?” She pats his head. “The one I sang the other night?”

He nods.

“I thought you were asleep,” she can’t help but say, and she also can’t help the smile that twists on her lips.

“I wasn’t,” he says in a small voice, and guilt pricks at Azura’s heart. She picks him up and puts him on her lap, and he snuggles against her.

“Hmm, well, it’s a really sad song,” Azura says. “Do you really want to learn it?”

He nods again. “It sounded pretty.”

“All right…” She sings the first stanza. It’s an easy tune, slow and drawn out, and Shigure easily falls into the sound. It takes a few tries for him to memorize the words, and she smiles and kisses his forehead, congratulating him before she continues on with the next stanza, holding him close:

The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping,

I dreamt I held you in my arms.

When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken,

So I hung my head, and I cried.

()()()

“Mother?”

Azura is writing a letter. “What is it?” she asks, finishing the sentence before putting her quill in the inkwell. She looks toward the doorway of the study, and Shigure is standing there. He’s sweating a bit, still in his pegasus riding gear. He pushes his hair out of his face—she can’t fathom why he would wear his bangs in front of his eye like that—and he seems excited, but agitated.

“What was that song you taught me as a child?”

She frowns. “I taught you a lot.”

“I mean…” He shakes his head, and then hums a tune. “I can’t remember the lyrics. Kana was humming it as she was practicing her dancing. It was stuck in my head on my whole flight.”

“Oh…” Azura hums the tune herself, and then snaps her fingers. “You are My Sunshine. I found it in the library. It’s an old song.”

She sings the first line, and Shigure quickly joins in, his deeper voice strengthening the sound of hers. They go through the first stanza, and then the second, and then the refrain—but then, they both hesitate, and the song stops.

“It’s been so long,” Shigure murmurs.

Azura nods. “I can’t remember the rest. How about I look it up, and then later we can go over it?”

He nods. “Kana promised to model for a painting for me. I would join you, otherwise.”

“It’s fine. Go spend time with your sister.”

Shigure thanks her and heads off. Azura turns back to her letters, humming the tune.

()()()

I'll always love you and make you happy,

If you will only say the same.

But if you leave me to love another,

You'll regret it all one day.

Corrin raises an eyebrow as he lays beside Azura in their bed. “Is there something you want to talk to me about, dear?”

She laughs. “It’s a song I used to sing for Shigure and Kana when they were little. Shigure came in today singing part of it, so I went and found it in the library. Do you remember it?”

“I think I would have remembered hearing such a dark verse sung to our children.”

“I think that’s an optional verse? I don’t remember singing this one very often, if at all.” The moonlight streams through the window and highlights her pale hand as she rubs Corrin’s arm. “The song always struck me as a mother speaking to her children, for some reason. This verse sounds much more like a possessive lover.”

Corrin chuckles. “Should I be worried?”

Azura pulls him closer, a small laugh bubbling from her lips. “Well, dear, you’re getting a little old, so I don’t worry as much about ‘another woman.’”

“I really don’t know how to take that comment.”

“I only tease.”

“Well you, my sweet,” he says, kissing her lips, “look as beautiful as the day I met you. So forgive me if I’m a little more worried than you are about ‘leaving me to love another.’”

“Such little faith in me, I see.”

“Hey!”

“I’m teasing.”

()()()

Shigure presses his lips together as he looks at the paper. His mother’s neat handwriting is beside the middle stanza, reading, Perhaps it’s best to leave this out, if the singer is going for a more familial tone, rather than that of a lover. But I can’t say that mothers either are happy about their children spending more and more time away from them.

“It’s such a sad song,” Kana says, leaning over his shoulder. She’s practically laying on top of his back as he sits in his chair. “I remember her singing it a little.”

“It’s a soothing melody. Beautiful for a lullaby,” Shigure says. He reaches back and rather carelessly pats Kana’s head; her signature bun has been abandoned for the day, and her long, light blue hair spills all over her shoulders.

“If you start singing it to the baby now, maybe they’ll end up a good singer by the time they come out,” Kana teases.

“So long as you don’t sing with your tone-deaf voice, dear sister.”

“Hey!”

“I inherited Mother’s voice, and you, her grace. It would be unfair for one of us to have both, don’t you think?”

Kana stands up straight, hands on her hips, and huffs. It still makes her look like a child, even though she’s nearing adulthood. “You’re so clumsy off your pegasus; you’d better be careful with your baby when they come.”

“I won’t drop them. And please don’t make them deaf with your singing.”

“Shigure!”

He laughs and stands, picking up the paper. “Mother will love that I’ve found this song. Will you let her know I’ve found it when you practice dancing together?”

“Only if you apologize.”

Shigure raises an eyebrow at her. “I apologize…for telling you the truth.”

“Hey!”

()()()

Shigure’s wife smiles at him when he comes into their quarters. He pecks her lips and puts a hand on her rounded stomach. “I found a lullaby my mother used to sing for me and Kana.”

“Oh? Do share. I’m sure the baby will love it.”

He can’t resist it.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when skies are grey.

You never know, dear, how much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away.

[fatesdeepdive]

Entry 14: Groans of Increasing Discomfort

Heading back to the castle, it seems I’ve accumulated a ton of new buildings to buy. I can buy a statue of Mozu which probably costed more than her entire village, a ballista and shuriken launcher to use in castle battles, a bunch of puppets to give me nightmares (they fight for you in castle battles too I guess), a shop to buy new units (both generics and clones of the soldiers I already have), and a hot spring. Because fanservice. You can run into other units in there, everyone is in their underwear and blushing, half of the decisions that were made in this game’s development were solely for the sake of horniness, yada yada yada. I actually tried to leave and the game stopped me, because Sakura was showing up and it’s necessary to get that bath time with the teenage girl. The hot springs does have a use, admittedly, but it won’t become apparent for a few chapters.

Support: Lady Corrin/Reina

C: Corrin sees Reina talking to an old man and asks her about it. Reina explains that he reminds her of her parents, who cut her out of their life when she became a soldier. And also, apparently, don’t give a shit about her being the personal retainer to the goddamn Queen. Actually, wait, hold on. Where the hell was Reina when Mikoto got blown up? You know what? Her parents should be ashamed of her, she’s a terrible bodyguard.

B: Corrin tells Reina she should visit her parents. Which makes sense; Corrin points out that she’s an orphan and wishes for any relationship with a parent, no matter how strained. Reina tells Corrin that she became a soldier because she really, really, really likes killing people. Corrin volunteers to find out how Reina’s parents are doing.

A: Corrin tells Reina that her parents are doing fine. Reina retcons the last conversation by revealing that she became a soldier to protect her family’s peasants. Nowadays, though, it’s all about that murder.

Review: This one was fine. Corrin wanting to help Reina is a nice bit of characterization, but there isn’t much more to say about this one.

Now, you may be wondering why I referred to Corrin as Lady Corrin in the last bit. Reina actually has completely different supports depending on Corrin’s sex. Most characters have identical supports with Corrin, or if not that just minor dialogue changes (For example, Camilla and Laslow, off the top of my head). But characters like Reina, who can only support Corrin, get two conversations. I suppose it’s for the best, considering those characters would otherwise be incredibly out of focus as opposed to merely extremely out of focus.

Support: Lord Corrin/Reina

C: Corrin sees Reina carrying an apron, which weirds him out, because of the whole murder hobo thing.

B: Reina reveals her sheltered noblewoman housewife in training turned soldier backstory and says that the apron was a gift from her parents before they cut her out.

A: Reina says that her parents cried when she became a knight and that she keeps the apron out of gratitude for them.

S: Corrin, off screen, goes back to Hoshido to talk to Reina’s parents. Apparently they’re proud of her. And he asked to marry her, which she accepts, because she cannot imagine life without him. Apparently.

Review: So, these are kinda the same support? I mean, the actual words are different, but they cover the same information. It’s weird that they were split into two conversations. Whatever. The second one is better, because it gives this really fun characterization of Reina being a friendly team mom when she isn’t stabbing people so she can hear them gasp their last breaths. Also, it resolves the plotline. On the other hand, the S-Rank is really mediocre. Reina saying she relies on Corrin daily is ridiculous, given what we’ve seen. Overall, the problem with Reina is that she just has these two conversations. And one with Kanna, I guess, but that one is recycled from other characters. If Reina was a more fleshed out character that interacted with other characters, she might work as a character. But, as it stands, all she has is her recruitment and two mediocre supports.

Support: Hinata/Takumi

C: Hinata kicks down the door to Takumi’s room so he can tell him that he’s going to start a fighting tournament so he can beat people up.

B: Hinata beats people up.

A: Hinata reveals that he’s beating people up to cheer up Takumi, because Takumi looks happy when he cheers him on. I feel like he could have, I don’t know, asked Takumi how to cheer him up in advance instead of just assuming and doing something he said he didn’t want, but whatever. The two bond over Hinata beating people up.

Review: I think this one helped me hone in on why a lot of Fire Emblem supports don’t work. Supports are, by their very nature, just dialogue. So, when you get a support like this, that relies heavily on something happening, it ends up as telling not showing. That’s why the best supports rely on dialogue rather than explain something that happened off screen.

Support: Kagero/Saizo

C: Kagero and Saizo get into an argument over how to train royal guards, with Kagero pointing out that Saizo’s hard as nails “be ready to die for the monarchy” speech just stressed people out. Saizo blames the new recruits for being inexperienced.

B: Saizo endangers the life of his men to succeed on a mission and Kagero calls him out on it. Saizo points out that victory requires sacrifice and war is unforgiving. The two of them point out that they’ve had this exact argument again and again, and it’s the reason they broke up when they were dating.

A: Kagero and Saizo win a big battle together and admit that they work well together.

S: Saizo points out that their relationship failed because they kept trying to change each other and forgot that they loved each other. The two of them decide to give it another shot.

Review: This one has a much more solemn and reserved tone than most supports, which helps it stand out. It isn’t great, but it has a good tone and I actually don’t dislike Saizo and Kagero as a couple. Them being a flawed couple that broke up over their differences, then trying it again after maturing and becoming more rounded people is a lot more realistic than most relationships in this game.

Birthright Chapter 12: Dark Reunion

The gang arrives in Cyrkensia, a city in Nestra, a country that I forgot existed because this is the only part of the game where it is mentioned. Cyrkensia is a popular vacation spot with a big opera house that appeared in the intro.

A kitsune named Kaden goes up to the party and explains that he’s in town to repay a favor to someone. This introduction feels like when you introduce a new player halfway through a D&D campaign and they quickly explain their deal after walking up to the party.

Kaden introduces his friend Layla, who explains that she’s a singer at the opera house, but can’t perform tonight because her mother is dying. Also she’s singing for King Garon, the evil king who is on vacation a week after starting a brutal war. Azura volunteers to perform in Layla’s steed so the party can do some patricide. Now, you may be thinking, did the game do the stupid trope of having Azura and Layla look identical? Surprisingly, no, they didn’t. Everything else about this chapter is so cliche I assumed they would, but they actually remembered Zola has illusion magic that the party never uses. Also, because we helped the person Kaden has to help, he now owes us a favor, and will totally kill dozens of soldiers in a war he doesn’t give a shit about if we ask him to.

Kaden

Kaden is a Kitsune, this game’s equivalent of Laguz or Taguel from past games. He wields a special weapon called a Beast Stone that allows him to fight by turning into a big ass fox. His personal skill heals units who heal him. He’s a glass canon who does extra damage to cavalry, giving him an interesting niche. His human design is fine, but not remarkable. His fox design is cool, especially regarding the blue fire that floats around him; that said, the spikes on the legs are weird. Personality wise, he seems to be a go lucky idiot who stumbled into joining us.

When the party arrives at the opera house, Corrin notices Elise, who looks sad. Azura, who doesn’t look like Layla for the player, goes on stage. Azura sings the only song she knows, the magic one that breaks mind control, which makes Garon...groan in increasing discomfort, which makes me also feel discomforted. Also Azura does a bunch of crazy water magic, which is a bit extra.

Garon orders his troops to capture us, because Zola betrayed us. Gasp. Shocking. Zola does admittedly beg Garon to spare us. Garon kills him for even suggesting it, right in front of his young daughter, because Garon is a cartoon supervillain. Zola dies begging Corrin to forgive him and Garon calls Corrin weak for having sympathy. Takumi threatens to kill Garon, but Corrin points out that they need to leave if they want to live. Which is smart; Garon has ridiculously high stats.

This battle sees our units fighting on boats floating in the opera house, which is a cool setting for a battle. On turn three, some reinforcements arrive. Xander, who’s still pissed about the whole traitor thing. With him are Peri, a cavalier with cotton candy hair, and...is that Inigo? That’s Inigo, from Awakening. That’s fucking Inigo! What is Inigo doing here, and more importantly, why is he working for the very obviously evil bad guys?

There’s a Dragon Vein you can use to freeze all the water, which would make this level easier, if it wasn’t already a broken easy level. To beat this level, you need to get Corrin to a specific spot. Corrin can’t walk on water, so you need to fight through an onslaught of tough enemies. There’s just one problem: Hinoka or Subaki can carry Corrin directly to the end. I fought the enemies, because why not, but I didn’t have to.

I ignored Garon because he’s able to one shot literally every unit in my army, but I did decide to take on team Xander. Side note, I looked up Garon’s battle quote after the fact, and he says this to Corrin: “I may not be your father, but I will slap you down like a child.” I take back everything bad I ever said about Garon.

Peri, as it turns out, is a sadistic sociopath, because Nohr. Inigo...excuse me, Laslow, blushes when we stab him. And Xander steals Inigo’s famous crit quote from the Princess Bride.

Peri and Laslow went down easy, but Xander was almost as bad as Garon. Even with his bonus against cavalry, Kaden only did one point of damage per hit. I had to resort to the classic strategy of throwing disposable soldiers at him until he was weak enough for Corrin to Dragonstone.

This was a great map, with a creative setting, multiple ways to approach it, tough bosses, and an exploit that makes it completely skippable. Still, it’s the only Birthright chapter with a creative goal, so it deserves a little credit.

After escaping the opera house, Xander chases after us, despite being defeated ten seconds earlier. Elise gets in his way, telling him that if he’s going to fight someone, he should fight her. As Corrin runs, Xander warns that it is her destiny to fight him.

After escaping Xander again, Corrin finds Azura collapsed on the ground, exhausted. She’s going to die at the end of the game, isn’t she?

[fanforfanatic]

I’m All You’ve Known

You can read this destiel ficlet on ao3

Today, Cas is the one who almost died at the hands of a prince of Hell or whatever the fuck- it’s not like it matters what ends up doing them in, only when it happens- but Dean’s the one who’s wrecked. Dangerously drunk, waving a bottle around, nearly dropping it, though only twice.

Cas isn’t sure why exactly but he thinks Sam might have an idea since he retreated to his room as soon as they made it back to the bunker, leaving Cas and Dean alone in the library.

Cas didn’t notice just how much Dean was drinking at first, too occupied with leaning back in his chair and recuperating. There’s no wound, not anymore, but Cas is drained.

Eventually, he opens his eyes and Dean is standing (no longer sitting), holding a different bottle than the one he had started with, having entirely abandoned the notion of a glass, and glaring at Cas.

“You fucked up, Cas,” Dean slurs, moving to take another swig, but he aborts the idea. “You’re fucked up,” he corrects. He takes the swig this time and it’s a long one, long enough that Cas winces at the phantom burn in his own throat.

“The injury is gone, Dean,” Cas says placatingly, reluctant to defend himself. Dean seems primed for a fight and he doesn’t want to fight with Dean.

The feeling is not mutual, apparently. “Shut up,” Dean says. “Just- Just be quiet. You don’t get to speak anymore. You don’t get to say things, anymore.”

“Dean,” Cas starts, never one to obey. “It may have been a close call but everyone made it out with minimal damage.”

“You can’t say shit like that, Cas.” Dean stumbles back like being near Cas, even with the table between them, could hurt him. He takes another drink. It’s impressive, really, Dean wasn’t even sure he could get drunk anymore.

“It’s the truth. We are all alright and-”

Dean interrupts him with a dry laugh, arms swinging out, liquor spilling, balance precarious. “No,” he says. “You can’t say what you said.”

Cas doesn’t understand what Dean is referencing and it might be because Dean isn’t making much sense but Cas is so tired that it might just be him that’s unable to keep up.

“You said you lov- You said-” Dean can’t say it, Cas never should have, so he drinks more instead.

Cas gets it, then, and he’s relieved. This he can handle much more than a conversation about how mortal they all really are. How much time they don’t have. Telling Dean he cares, he can handle. Showing Dean how he feels, he can handle.

Dean knocks back maybe another two shots worth of booze and slams the bottle onto the table. There’s an audible crack, but nothing seems to leak. Then Dean stalks down the hall.

Cas thinks he ought to follow but Dean is already back with a duffle. The duffle is Dean’s, tattered and worn, but it’s the few articles of clothing he’s stuffing inside are Cas’.

Dean walks all the way around the table and pulls Cas to his feet by the lapel of his trench coat, shoving the bag into his arms.

“I’ve put some stuff you’ll need in there like cash, credit cards. Some IDs I had done for you.”

Cas’ eyes are wide but Dean can’t tell since he won’t even look at him. This is not how Cas thought this conversation would end up going, and he’s imagined it plenty of times.

“You need to go, Cas.” Dean speaks gruffly.

“W-what is this?” What is going on?

Dean’s head snaps towards him, eyes finally meeting his. Dean says, “You have to fucking go.”

“Because I said-”

“Because you said something you can’t mean!” Dean pulls on Cas’ lapel again, tugging him towards the stairs. He’s so drunk that it’s mostly Cas keeping him steady. The angel could easily subdue him but it’s not like Cas would fight Dean.

They’re at the foot of the stairs when Dean stops, apparently sober enough not to attempt going up the steps. He shoves at Cas to, though.

Cas stands firm for moment but his voice cracks when he says, “But I do mean it.”

Dean glares at him, shoves harder, meaner. “You don’t. You only think you do, Cas, because you don’t know anyone else. We’ve- I’m all you’ve known. You need to go.” Then, again, softly, “Please go, Cas.”

Cas doesn’t know what to do, doesn’t understand what is happening, but Dean is looking at him like Cas is the person who’s ruined him most in life and Cas can hear the prayer that’s begging him to get gone and Dean is grinding his teeth like being this close is causing him pain again and Cas doesn’t want that.

Cas loves Dean. Loves Dean enough to always come when he calls. Loves Dean enough to go when he asks.

The heavy metal door of the bunker shuts behind him with a clang and he’s left with the clothes on his back, whatever Dean’s packed in the duffle and a very big hole in his chest.

Cas heads West because it’s a good a direction as any. He walks a fair bit but eventually a pair of girls pick him up off the side of the road. They’re giggly and often sing along to the music they have playing.

They listen to the actual radio, not old cassettes, and the stations they pick have songs that are upbeat and playful. None of the grit Dean usually has playing.

Cas… Cas likes it. It has him thinking that maybe Dean is right, not about Cas not loving him because that’s one of the few things Cas is always sure of, but about how limited Cas’ perception of the world has been.

He’s seen it, seen humanity, mostly through Dean’s eyes. Fell in love with it because of Dean’s loyalty to it. Dean came first for Cas, humanity followed.

He does love it now, though, he loves them. These beings that feel things so viscerally- Cas knows because he’s been one- yet can laugh instead of cry. These creatures that create better than his father did. That made the music that these smiling girls hum to. Maybe Cas owes it to them, or to himself, to discover beyond the scope of Dean Winchester.

It’s early morning when Cas wakes up in the backseat of their beaten up Jeep. They must have stopped at some point because the girl with the dark skin and the light pink braids is driving now.

“He’s up!” The ginger says, turning in her seat to peer at Cas. “Gotta tell you man, you’ve seen better days.”

“Shit life if you haven’t.”

“You knocked out before we even got your name.” The ginger sticks her hand out for him to shake and grins wide, uninhibited, crooked teeth and all. “I’m Clara.”

“No one calls you that, Red.”

“No one calls me that,” Clara echoes with an easy nod and another smile. “That’s Corrine- Ow! Cory, her name’s Cory.” She corrects, rubbing at the now sore spot on her head. “What’s your name, blue-eyes?”

“Castiel.”

“Where ya headed Castiel?”

“Euh…” Castiel doesn’t have a destination in mind. Where does one go to explore humanity? “Where does one go to explore humanity?” he asks.

“Oh us too!” Red exclaims chipperly.

 As it happens, where one goes to explore humanity, according to Clara and Cory, is San Francisco. It takes the day to get there and they fill it with boisterous chatter and laughter Cas is all too eager to engage in. Cas never laughed this much with Dean, due to circumstances perhaps, but he’s also not laughing quite as hard as he did with him.

Once they arrive, Cas somehow ends up tagging along with the girls who seem to have no trouble inviting him to meet their friends who in turn have no trouble welcoming him into the fold.

The fold is an eccentric group of diverse people who tell Cas he’s much too stiff and that they’ll help him loosen up. They start by loosening his tie and then the rest of Cas’ clothes gets peeled off until he’s in something he knows Dean didn’t pack.

The fishnet t-shirt is black and big enough on him that Clara coos and says, “He’s so cute.” Lower, thinking that Cas wouldn’t hear, she says to Cory, “Can we have him tonight?”

It surprises Cas, though he doesn’t know why, when Cory grins, all mischief and cunning, and answers, “He might just get lucky enough.” She kisses Clara after that, curled lips meeting sweet pout and Cas doesn’t look away until he’s jostled by another of their friends.

Like something caught in a current Cas is swept back into the Jeep and then back out onto a street littered with clubs and bars but where the party seems to be taking over the pavement too.

These aren’t like the hole in the wall places Dean likes to drink at. The beverages are colourful, the decor neon and the people bursting with energy. Everyone is dancing and touching and moving as a whole.

When Clara grips his chin, offers a more predatory look than he’d expect from her and kisses him, he lets her. He likes it. She’s soft even as she leads the kiss into something filthy. When she pulls away she plants an equally filthy kiss on Cory who then plants one on him.

It all feels good, Cas is buzzing not with the booze they’ve had him drink but with the energy of the club they’ve ended up in. It’s still not comparable, Dean has sent Cas on much wilder highs with just a look. Cas thinks he could kiss these pretty girls forever and it wouldn’t mean as much as the briefest instance of locked eyes with Dean.

 Cas makes his way up the coast, staying in small towns and small motels that remind him too much of the Winchesters. Eventually he finds himself in Seattle. He lives there for a while, gets a job as technical support at a radio station (it’s all waves) and builds himself a life. He goes to the market on Saturdays and runs on Sundays. He volunteers at a women’s shelter on Tuesdays and spends time with the bees on Thursdays.

It’s on a Friday, early enough that the sun is still low on the horizon, while he’s on his way to work that he physically bumps into Jeremy.

Jeremy smokes cigarettes and is as tattooed as Dean is freckled, maybe, (Cas later finds out Jeremy owns a tattoo parlor) but he never wears leather and his drink of choice is rhum.

They bump into each other four times before Jeremy asks Cas out and Cas doesn’t say no.

The date is nice and it’s followed by a string of more dates. Jeremy likes to talk about big things like God and Karma and Right and Wrong. Cas likes to talk about these things too, likes that with Jeremy he isn’t expected to know the answers. Likes that he can speculate like the rest of ‘em. Likes that in Jeremy’s small apartment with book lined shelves and book littered floors, Castiel isn’t an angel of the lord. He is just Castiel.

Cas sprawls on Jeremy’s couch, wears Jeremy’s t-shirt and Jeremy’s boxers, reads Jeremy’s book (the one he got published a few years back) after the first time they have sex.

Cas finds that he likes getting fucked. He’d never really thought of it before. He’d always figured he’d be the one to take Dean apart. To lick him open until Dean is nothing but ready, nothing but needing, nothing but Cas’.

Jeremy is sweet enough and Cas enjoys himself, but Jeremy’s hands aren’t calloused and he calls Cas by his full name and Cas feels full but he doesn’t feel whole.

Not like he does when Dean hugs him.

 Cas gets transferred to Vancouver where they’re opening a new station. Crossing the border, Cas feels an odd trepidation. Dean’s barely seen Canada, this experience is all Cas.

He meets Mabel at the botanical garden where she works. They talk for hours that first time and when he sees her next he asks her out.

Mabel is sweet and tells Cas things even he didn’t know about the bees. She teaches Cas to bake and Cas shows her the wonders of Netflix. She plays along like she and literally everyone else don’t already know what Netflix is and wonders how a man this wonderful fell into her lap.

A few months later Mabel’s lease is up and they both think it’s irrational and impulsive but they move in together anyway.

A few months after that Mabel tells Cas she loves him. It makes Cas pause. This feels important. This is a big thing. This is what got him on the road in the first place.

Dean’s never said those words to him. Yet what Dean did say was enough for Cas to break through Naomi’s brainwashing. We’re family. It was enough for Cas to defy all of heaven. We need you. It was enough for Cas to choose Dean over everything else. I need you. Cas doesn’t want to ever choose anything else.

“I love you too,” he tells Mabel and he means it. It’s just not the same. Nothing could compare. Not to Dean. Not to him and Dean together.

It’s another few months later when they have the conversation that ends their relationship. It doesn’t seem like it would at first, starts off innocent enough, but when Cas makes it clear that he can’t give her children it’s all but over.

Mabel asks him to leave and so Castiel does but it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as his last night in the bunker. The hole Dean’s words left in his chest is still there and Castiel thinks there’s only one way to fill it. He’s tried everything else. He’s done what Dean wanted. He went and met people, met the world. As wonderful as they were- and they were wonderful- the most glaring thing about them was how much they weren’t Dean. Now Cas’ll do what he knows is right. He’ll go where he knows he belongs.

 The large metal door to the bunker opens with the same creaking it always does.

“Hello, Dean,” Cas says.

Dean just stares, mouth hanging open and gun still raised. He doesn’t know what to say, what to do, Cas has been gone for years and Dean hasn’t felt the knot in his stomach loosen until now.

He’d tried to shake the pain. Slept around for a while until all that did was make him hurt more. Has been focusing all of his energy on hunting since.

“S’been years, Cas.” He can’t think of anything else to say and his voice is hoarse so it’s not like any words would have sounded good.

“Invite me in, Dean.”

Dean nods dumbly, moves to the side and tucks his gun back in his pants.

They stand in front of the now closed door just staring at each other for a while.

“I won’t say it again,” Cas finally speaks. “If you don’t want me to but I won’t ever not mean it.”

Dean nods because what else is he supposed to do?

“You don’t have to have me but I’m not going to stop giving myself to you.”

Then, Dean figures there’s really only one thing to do.

“I do too.” He pauses and almost laughs at Cas squinting at him in confusion. How has he missed squinting? “I love you too. God, I love you too, Cas.”

Cas hears the words and they’re… they’re everything. His entire person, this body he’s made his own and the grace inside, sings with happiness, with the feeling of right. His entire existence might have been just so he’d hear these words said by this man.

They go to Cas’ old room which he’s surprised to find is exactly how he left it. Or maybe he isn’t surprised. Dean must have known he’d come back, on some level, Dean must have known that by his side is where Cas belongs.

Cas means to ask but when he turns Dean takes an almost threatening step towards him. Then Dean’s mouth is touching Cas’ mouth and Cas forgets whatever it is he was thinking about. It’s not a kiss, not really, but Cas gets all the cliches from the contact. Bells chime in his ears and fireworks go off behind his lids and butterflies overrun his stomach.

Of course it has to be Dean. No one else would ever do for Cas.

And when Dean’s lips actually move against his? The angel is lost. It’s been said that he had been since he laid hands on the righteous man but maybe that’s when he was found.

Dean’s lips are soft and Cas’ aren’t but Cas doesn’t think Dean minds because he moans into the kiss and tugs Cas closer with the lapels of his trenchcoat. Dean works it off Cas’ shoulders and lets it drop to the floor.

When he pulls away his eyes are glassy and his lips impossibly plump.

“Where’s your suit?” Dean asks as if it matters.

“I’ve experienced new things. I like jeans and I like t-shirts.”

“Do you like to take them off?” Dean grins.

“It turns out I’m a bit of a nudist.”

Dean laughs and together they remove each other’s clothing. Piece by piece, they strip away layers revealing themselves underneath. It’s something they’ve imagined doing before and now it’s happening. It’s never been like this for Cas. The people he’s been with were pretty, sure, and Cas was without a doubt attracted to them but this… Dean… It’s something else entirely. Cas wishes he’d spent the last few years mapping out Dean’s body. Hands flattening on the hard planes, nose nuzzling the softer spots, tongue linking every last freckle.

Eventually, after too long but also too soon (because undressing each other is fun), they’re naked. They’re like giddy teenagers at a sleepover in the way they shuffle onto the mattress and under the blanket, each coming up on either side of the bed and meeting in the middle, mouths first. Fingertips roam and tease and tickle and at some point Dean has to stop kissing Cas to let out a laugh. Cas makes note of the ticklish spot.

When Dean sobers he says all reverent and awed and grateful, “You came back.”

“Did you doubt that I would?”

Dean buries his face in Cas’ neck instead of answering the question. Lips moving against the angel’s throat, he asks, “What else have you learned about yourself, Cas?”

So Cas tells him. He pushes Dean onto his back, straddles him and kisses his way down his body. An even trade: one fact per kiss, until he gets greedy and it’s more like one per five, six, ten. The things he shares are mostly arbitrary- I found there is such a thing as too much honey.- but they set Dean on fire as they’re spoken, Cas’ lips brushing and pressing into his skin, Cas’ voice rumbling.

Cas only stops talking when he takes Dean in his mouth. Dean curses above him.

“Christ, Cas, you’ve learned about more than just yourself.”

Cas laughs around Dean’s cock and feels him tremble underneath him as the head bumps the back of Cas’ throat.

“Cas.”

Cas pulls off to shoot a cheeky smirk Dean’s way. “Yes, Dean?”

Dean rolls his eyes once but then they roll back of their own accord as Cas’ tongue ventures lower. It feels so fucking good. Better than when Dean licks a finger and touches himself there. Better than anything Dean has ever had done to him before. So good that Dean wonders how Cas can moan and mewl like that with his tongue inside of Dean. Then Dean realises it’s him. He’s the one keening and begging and chanting Cas’ name like every prayer he didn’t dare make while the angel was away.

Dean thinks it’s too late to feel embarrassed, so the next words out of his mouth are sharper, lucid, less slurred by pleasure because he wants Cas to really hear them. “Cas, Cas, Cas, I need more, Cas.”

“What do you want, Dean?” Cas asks, fingers of one hand digging into the fleshy part of Dean’s thigh as he lifts himself up.

Dean hesitates for a moment. The most he’s ever had in his ass is Cas’ tongue just now and the tip of one finger, once when he was drunk and desperate enough to brave it. He’d left a girl he’d brought back to the motel one night after getting her off, hating the feeling of her hands on his body. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t Cas. He stumbled his way back to his own motel room and figured that Sam must have hit it off with the sexy brunette because he wasn’t around. Dean clumsily got a knuckle deep before he came with a shout, with thoughts of Cas plaguing him, with illusions of the feather light touch of pretty hands stroking him, with blue eyes cutting his breath off.

“What do you want, Dean?” Cas asks- demands- again, voice rough, deeper than usual but cracking on his name.

Cas is kneeling straighter now, the blanket has fallen off of his shoulders to gather behind him, around them. The hand on Dean’s thigh grips tighter as he shudders out a breath. He’s flushed...everywhere. Cheeks, shoulders, dick. Pink, panting and so pretty Dean doesn’t think he’ll ever want to look at anything else. Then he notices Cas’ other hand. The one not on Dean. The one moving rhythmically if a little awkwardly behind Cas.

“This,” Dean finally says on an exhale. “You. Anything. Whatever you want. You, Cas. You’re gorgeous, you know? Fuck, Cas, you.”

Cas nods and shuffles forward again, tell Dean he can have it all and sinks down onto him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Dean says on a loop.

Cas has had minimal prep, hasn’t bothered with lube other than his own spit mixed with some of Dean’s precome, but the stretch and burn is so sweet. Unlike honey, Cas doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough. Still, he allows himself a pause before he continues his descent to take all of Dean.

A little outraged, Dean chokes out, “There’s more? How is there more? I thought I was all in? Is it supposed to feel this good? Is it supposed to feel this hot?”

Cas laughs and Dean thinks it sounds like looking into the sun which doesn’t make any sense except that it does. “You ask too many questions.”

That’s when Cas starts moving, tight rolls of his hips at first, and Dean doesn’t ask any other question all night save for, “Please, Cas, please,” but that’s more of a plea. Cas hears I love you, anyway.

You can read this destiel ficlet on ao3

[bykth]

WHOO I just returned from MuBank Sg. I'm just gonna write down everything even tho no one asked because I need to release the feels somewhere Bogum: The fucking CUTEST egg. His smile, oh my god. His English is not bad at all! At one point he teased us for not understanding what he was saying (after he said a whole bunch of stuff in Korean) and it was fucking cute I want a fairy to kiss him Mamamoo: BITCH. FUCKING. HWASA. I couldn't deal with her. Obviously, their vocals are top tier but bro, BRO, she was gorgeous. So gorgeous. Tanned skin and amazing body I was envious. Wheein and Solar were amazing, of course. I screamed a lot for Moonbyul as well, what a babe. Their performance set the tone pretty well for the rest of the night. Red Velvet: Their voices are so high!!! Especially Yeri omg when she spoke I was really surprised. She has the chipmunk voice, for real. It's kind of cute, I guess? Kind of threw me off because I couldn't believe that was really her voice. The other girls were gorgeous, of course. Wendy did most of the talking but was really nervous, bless. I think the one that stood out the most was Joy, goodness. She was SUCH a babe! So tall, really great skin, very beautiful face. Her red hair complemented her face really well! Couldn't stop staring at her. They had these special shows in between so after RV there was a K drama special, basically Wheein + Jonghyun singing one of the songs from Moonlight drawn by clouds (but of course) and Onew fucking owning You are my everything from DOTS. CNBlue: I LOVED THEM. SO MUCH. I think it starting peaking from them onwards. Yonghwa is such a natural on stage, you can tell he loves performing. He's hilarious, too, and isn't awkward at all even though he's not fluent in English. Really cute interactions with the audience, and their songs were BANGING. They played their older songs as well and got the crowd really excited Another special, sort of like a Singapore special. Wendy performed a Corrine May song, owned it, of course. She's very elegant on stage and pretty small/skinny. Fragile looking? Really cute smile. Then Solar and Yonghwa came out with a JJlin duet, and their mandarin was really good! It's a difficult language in general, especially if you haven't been continuously exposed to it, so they did really great. Yonghwa I expected a little, since he collabed w JJlin before, but Solar, damn. I was shook she was REALLY good. BTS: Highlight of the night. May be a bit biased. But for real, the screaming was intense af. Everything was intense af. Oh my God. I have to rewatch videos of their performance because so many things were happening and I was not ready. I was not ready at all. Okay, one by one. Jin: gorgeous. Got the loudest screams of the night. I think people were screaming whenever he was on screen. Plenty of his trademark kisses, crowd went nuts for him including my weak ass, ofc Namjoon: did most of the speaking. he didn't stand out a lot, but he worked hard. didn't come to my side a lot, went to the other side so couldn't see what he was doing Jhope: So cute. So hyper. A puppy. He was the moodmaker I was laughing even when he wasn't being funny. At one point there was a lull in conversation bc of the game (I'll explain this later) and he just yelled 'JHOPEEEEEE' and got the crowd hyped, lol Suga: spoke the least, but aura was legit. on stage, his presence is no joke. he was just wearing a white cap and the fire outfit, yknow, nothing too eye-catching but gosh, i couldn't stop staring at him. really gorgeous. came over to our side a lot and at one point I was convinced I made eye contact w him so I guess I have to marry him now Tae: Cutie. Didn't notice him much also during the performance since he didn't come over to our side a lot, but he hosted a bit with Bogum and they played up their friendship a bit. very puppy-ish, the whole thing. obviously gorgeous irl. obviously. Jimin: Pink hair!! Stood out bc of that, imo. Very cute and interactive with fans. Also rude cause when the whole thing ended all the celebs came out to say goodbye and he did some dirty dancing to the music. Handsome, of course. I think he looks very much like how he does on screen. most of them do, tbh. I think he was wearing lifts? Confused me a little cause when they stood in a line he was almost same height to JK. I didn't think he would be as small as he looks on screen irl but idk it threw me off lol Jk: Ugh. Bf bod goals. He came really close one time and I was so in awe because he's more filled out than the rest of bts and I appreciate that. wore a cap to hide the comeback hair and I was thankful because jk w a cap is a thing that I need all the time. Handsome as hell. oh my God he's real They played some game where two lucky fans get chosen to take a pic with them on stage and I was very envious the whole time. jimin was the most flirty, tbh. got soooooo close to the fan in the pic everyone was screaming (pretty sure he smirked a little when the fans got rly loud at one point) oh, and they announced the September comeback. SHINEE: tbh I felt a little bad for them. they are legends, obviously the crowd knew that, but the energy was a little lower after BTS came in bc fans were tired out. they still kept waving their lightsticks and balloons, though, so the atmosphere was really nice. most of the older fans were there for shinee too. overall it was a great night and I finally got to see BTS/CNBLUE in person, yay! my seat was a bit far bc I bought the tickets late, but it was close enough to the stage. I'm not sure if whatever I recalled happened in the correct order but that's the gist of it