#objectively i say verdant wind

[seabirdtxt]

.Irminsul stash --Traveler_Inventory

You and Scaramouche head over to ask the Traveler for some groceries [< prev] [Blog tag] [next >]

Notes: SAGAU without cult shenanigans, mostly filler chapter. sorry for the long hiatus!

WC. 1.5k

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As much as you enjoyed spending your time running around Teyvat in-game, nothing quite prepares you for how vast it actually is. 

Of course you’ve known that, logically speaking, it’s impossible to correctly scale an entire city using a limitation such as video game engines. You are still knocked completely off your feet at the sight of the sprawling verdant domes and alabaster walkways of Sumeru City. 

You jog down from the Sanctuary doors and lean over the railing, eyes tracing the knotted branches of the Great Tree where they mesh flawlessly with the infrastructure of the city. The scale of things is easily dozens of times bigger than what is shown in-game, and despite the beautiful graphics it has, the game definitely cannot do justice to the sheer variety of buildings and people that make up Sumeru City. Unable to help yourself, you make wordless noises of awe as you take in the scenery.

“You’d think you’ve never seen a city before,” Scaramouche’s deadpan voice states from a few paces behind you, where he’s lazily following you down the ramp. You turn and face him, taking note of how he’d removed the colourful belts, ropes, and other identifying markers of his outfit, leaving only his bodysuit and black jinbei. He looks deeply annoyed by this state of undress, so you wisely choose not to mention it. 

“I mean, I’ve never seen it like this before,” you agree, gesturing to the skyline with a wide sweep of your arm. “Like, I’ve seen some of it from a certain, uh, distance? But seeing it in person… Wow. Just doesn't compare.” 

Scaramouche says nothing as he finally comes to a stop beside you, arms crossed as he surveys the view. After a few seconds he snorts derisively. “Looks the same as it always does, to me.” He scoffs. “Come on, we don’t have all day.”

You let him drag you down the rest of the ramps until you both meet the pale bricks of the main road. You follow him as he leads you, presumably, to wherever the Traveler is staying. Your eyes wander aimlessly, taking in the sights. 

Something tugs at the gem of your shirt and you stop walking, surprised. When you look down, you see a small child with dirt stains on their hands and knees, and a streak of dirt across their face. The child beams up at you, holding out their closed fist and shaking it at you.

“Oh, hello. What’s up?” You ask, crouching down beside them. You hear a noise of disgust from Scaramouche, which you wave off in favor of giving the child a smile. “Anything I can help you with, buddy?”

The child shakes their fist again and you finally get the message. You present your own open hand, palm upturned, and the child drops whatever they’re holding into it. They scamper off quickly before you can say anything, so instead you peer at the tiny object in your hand.

It’s a small stone, with a very simplified carving on it. It appears to be some writing, and an angular leaf shape. The marks are gibberish to you, but surely it has significance of some kind, so you pocket it and stand back up. You give Scaramouche an apologetic grin, to which he simply rolls his eyes and continues on.

The walk is, understandably, much longer physically than it is in-game, and you find yourself a little winded by the time you’re anywhere near the Grand Bazaar. You do eventually get to a building that you (very, very vaguely) recognize as the inn the Traveler and Paimon stayed at during the Sabzeruz Festival arc, and you huff a sigh of relief that the long stroll is finally over. Before you can even approach or knock, you’re bowled over by a flying white mess of limbs.

“Creator! You’re here!” Paimon squeals in your ear as she tackles you to the best of her ability, and you wince as she excitedly hugs whatever part of you she can reach. “I’m so glad that stupid mean puppet didn't kill you yet!”

Scaramouche makes an offended noise at that last remark and flips Paimon the bird.

“Yeah, here I am!” You laugh after untangling her from around your head and pat her head as the Traveler joins her, looking a little worse for wear. Their outfit is a little stained in places, and bears some signs of scorch marks at the edges.

“Good timing, we just got back from our morning commissions,” they say with a wave. “I didn’t think you’d be out and about so soon, is there anything you need help with?”

“We want your ingredients supplies.” Scaramouche blurts out, interrupting any of your attempts to phrase it in a nicer way. 

“All of them?!” Paimon gasps, absolutely devastated. You quickly step in before Scara can say anything else.

“No no! Just a little bit,” you reassure the sprite, then address the rest of your request to the Traveler with an affable shrug. “If you have anything to spare we’d really appreciate it. We don’t exactly have a lot of food in my teapot yet. Or, uhh… Any food, at all.”

“Oh!” The traveler smacks their forehead with the heel of their palm. “I didn’t think of that, Your Grace, I’m so sorry!”

“You really don’t have to call me that,” You laugh awkwardly at the title and volume at which the Traveler said it, conscious of the curious glances your little group has attracted. All around you you begin to hear indistinct murmuring, and you frantically hope they’re not talking about you. “And, uh, don’t worry about it! It’s a bit short notice, I get it.”

“As long as you leave some for us, it’s no problem!” Paimon says as she recovers from her shock. The Traveler turns to her with a sly grin.

“As long as they leave some for you, you mean?” They tease, to which Paimon splutters in protest. The Traveler gently pokes her cheek while she throws her tantrum.

“Can we take this inside?” Scaramouche asks waspishly, stopping the pair’s bickering for a moment. “Or literally anywhere else? Maybe you two enjoy being ogled like zoo animals, but I personally don’t appreciate being eyed up by the unwashed masses.”

“How rude! You haven’t learned a single thing, have you?!” Paimon scolds, turning her wrath on the harbinger. 

“Actually, I agree,” you give a halting laugh as you step closer to the building. More and more eyes are turning toward you. You give the crowd an awkward wave, and suddenly the murmurs turn into a clamor as people begin to understand your identity.

“Oh, whoops,” the Traveler says, grabbing both your hand and Scaramouche’s bicep. Paimon quickly gets the idea and grabs onto the sleeve of their outfit. “Time to go!”

-----

You spiral back into existence high above the streets of Sumeru, close to the Akademia front doors, having been forcefully teleported as a group with the Traveler. They set you down gently, while simultaneously dropping Scaramouche like a sack of potatoes. 

“Ow! Hey, watch it!” 

“Are you alright, Your Grace?”

Three pairs of eyes watch as you dust yourself off and give a cheerful thumbs up. “All good!” You announce. “Let’s talk groceries, shall we?”

In the end, the Traveler decides to give you and Scaramouche three bags of dry products—things like fruits and veggies, rice, sugar, coffee beans, and cured meat—and promises to stop by your teapot sometime later in the week to deliver cold foods and more fresh produce. 

“I’m sure some of this probably isn’t what you’re used to in your world,” the Traveler says apologetically, giving you a wry smile. “If you have any questions about it, I’m sure you can ask Wanderer. He’s been enrolled in some cooking classes for the past few semesters, so he’ll know what he’s doing.”

“Hah! As if.” Scaramouche snatches the last bag of groceries out of their hands with a sneer. “That weakling is going to be out running errands for Buer’s every whim. Do you really expect him to be around long enough to cook adequately? I’ll handle this.” 

The Traveler only raises a single eyebrow at the declaration, then shrugs. “Suit yourself,” they chuckle. “Just don’t poison the Creator, I guess.”

“Can the Creator even get sick?” Paimon asks, hovering around you and inspecting you closely enough to make you ticklish. “I’m not sure gods are supposed to be able to get sick, you know!”

“Well, we don’t want to find out!” 

“It’s fine, a little food poisoning won’t kill me,” you reassure the three of them, knowing you’ll be having a rough go at it for the foreseeable future given what you know about Scaramouche’s current cooking skills.

“So, what? None of you have any faith in me?” Scaramouche frowns and crosses his arms as best as he can around his grocery bags. 

The response comes from the three of you at the same time.

“No.”

[cherrypikkins]

Here is my contribution to the final prompt from @fe-oc-week! Oct 15 - Endings

With some fake game ending cgs for Kitt :3

No extra lore write-up today! Instead, I've included some sample battle dialogue below the cut. Do enjoy :3

Background generously provided by @damnilovefaerghus

vs transformed Miklan (Conand Tower, White Clouds):

Kitt: "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this… But that's why I'm here."

Kitt: "Listen, Professor. If you can crack its armor, I'll make quick work of it."

Kitt: "But if you want to give your students an impromptu lesson on how to fell a Demonic Beast… I won't object."

If ordered to attack transformed Miklan: Kitt: "Fine, then. Allow me to show you how it's done."

vs Edelgard:

(Battle of Garreg Mach, pre-time skip)

Edelgard: "You and I are not so different, Kitt. I know you wish to be free of the Church's machinations. We might have walked this path together, had you trusted me."

Kitt: "This is rich, coming from the Flame Emperor herself. Your entire reign is built on lies and secrets. I can't trust you any more than I can trust the Church."

Kitt: "And as they say, better the devil you know…"

(Battle at Enbarr, Silver Snow/Verdant Wind)

Kitt: "Edelgard. Let Rhea go. I don't know what you have planned for her, but she and I have a score to settle."

Edelgard: "I am not concerned with vendettas of the ancient past, nor will they have a place in Fodlan's new dawn."

Edelgard: "You of all people should understand what it's like to be powerless, to have all control over your own fate wrested away by the likes of Rhea and her ilk."

Edelgard: "Knowing that, how can you truly wish for her to walk free?"

Kitt: "Because no one deserves to be buried underground, sealed away from the rest of the world and forgotten, left to the mercy of their jailers."

Kitt: "Believe me, I do understand."

(Battle at Enbarr, Azure Moon)

Kitt: "That's quite the transformation, Edelgard. Well done. You've already mastered what I've had to practice in secret for years."

Kitt: "But surely you must know what happens to monsters like you and me. I'll cut you down, same as all the rest.

Hegemon Edelgard: "You are welcome to try."

vs Seteth:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Seteth: "Of all people, I thought you would have learned not to repeat the mistakes of the past."

Seteth: "Stand down, lest I be forced to repeat some mistakes of my own."

Kitt: "Seteth. Didn't you promise long ago that the people of Annwen would suffer no harm under your protection?"

Kitt: "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. But for now, it looks like we'll have to fight each other instead."

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Kitt: "Hello, Seteth. You've quite the nerve to show your face around here."

Seteth: "You took the words out of my mouth."

Seteth: "To think, after everything we've tried to do for you, you would once again betray our trust and bear teeth against your own family."

Kitt: "Ha. You're one to talk about trust or family. Even that kid you called 'sister' was getting tired of your never-ending charade."

Seteth: "You will not drag Flayn into this! No matter who you are, know that I will destroy you to safeguard her if I must!"

Kitt: "Then you should have thought about that before bringing her here."

(If Kitt defeats Seteth)

Kitt: "Take Flayn and leave Garreg Mach - now - before I end your life. This is the only chance I'm giving you. I suggest you take it."

Seteth: "I… I understand. We will not meet again."

Seteth: "Regardless of everything else… I am grateful for your mercy. It is certainly more than we have shown you, and more than either of us deserve."

Kitt: "Don't come back."

vs Flayn:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Flayn: "Kitt, what are you doing? You cannot truly mean to fight us! We're your family!"

Kitt: "You and I seem to have wildly different ideas about how this 'family' is supposed to work."

Kitt: "For example, if you get to call Seteth 'brother'… where does that leave me?"

Flayn: "I… That's not…"

Kitt: "Not what? Not fair?"

Kitt: "I'll tell you what else isn't fair - being treated like some lost broken toy you can fix and heal until I'm good as new. Better than new. Until there's nothing left of the old me."

Kitt: "Why couldn't you just let me stay asleep forever?"

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post time-skip, Crimson Flower)

Flayn: "Why are you doing this, Kitt?"

Kitt: "Not one step closer, Flayn."

Flayn: "Tell me, I beg of you! I wish only to understand! In what way have I done you wrong? What must I do to make amends?"

Kitt: "Enough! I know you only have the best wishes at heart, but I won't serve as a vessel for your good intentions."

Kitt: "And unlike you, I refuse to spend the rest of my life hiding behind a web of lies and secrets."

Flayn: "Kitt… I know not what to say. To think that it should come to this…"

(If Kitt defeats Flayn)

Kitt: "Find your father and go. Leave this place and never come back."

Flayn: "I… Yes. I will do as you say."

Flayn: "I wish you nothing but happiness for the rest of your days. Good-bye, Kitt."

Kitt: "…Good-bye, Flayn."

vs Rhea:

(Final Battle, Silver Snow)

Kitt: "This is just like what happened at Annwen… and the day I was struck down."

Kitt: "Rhea. This disaster is of your own making. But to suffer like this is too much for anyone to bear - even you."

Kitt: "Like all the beasts I've felled before, I'll put an end to your pain."

(Battle at Garreg Mach, pre-time skip, Crimson Flower)

Rhea: "I see you are determined stand against me here once more, after all the mercy I've shown you, after every second chance I've given. You truly are the capricious one, aren't you?"

Kitt: "I discarded that name long ago. It's just Kitt now."

(Battle at Tailtean, Crimson Flower)

Seiros: "You. I know what you are. I've seen your true face, for it has haunted me since that day I struck you down."

Seiros: "I did everything in my power to make amends, to restore you to full glory, just like she bade me. And yet once more, I must destroy you where you stand."

Kitt: "You still haven't figured it out, have you? She set you up with an impossible task. It was never in your power to reverse the deeds of the past."

Kitt: "No matter how hard you try, some things can never be fixed, nor healed, nor restored to what they once were. She was trying to teach you a lesson."

Kitt: "But it's fine. I've moved on from that. And so can you."

Seiros: "You know I cannot. I was never as quick to change as you are. Nor will I stop trying to bring her back, even if you are determined to betray her memory time and time again."

(Battle of Fhirdiad, Crimson Flower)

The Immaculate One: "You! Miserable, conniving serpent who dares hide itself among the flock!"

The Immaculate One: "You are not worthy of her blessing! Not worthy of her blood! I should have sealed you in your own grave while I had the chance!"

Kitt: "Yes, you should have. But don't be sad. The moment you're gone from this world, I won't be far behind."

As enemy, if not recruited:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post-time skip, Crimson Flower, if Kitt not recruited)

Kitt: "It's a shame we can't catch up, for old time's sake. Too bad I must ask you to move."

Kitt: "…Or by all means, keep on testing me. You're not going to like what happens next, and neither am I."

If defeated:

Kitt: "Into the dark, once more. Maybe this time…forever."

vs Byleth:

(Battle at Garreg Mach, post-time skip, Crimson Flower, if Kitt not recruited)

Kitt: "Professor. Did I ever tell you? How much you remind me of someone I once knew?"

Kitt: "Long ago, she told me that the moment I've decided who my people are, I must fight to protect them with everything I have. Even if it means defying the Goddess herself."

Kitt: "…I suppose you don't know or remember, do you? Yet here you are, following in her example, just as I am doing now."

TWISTD Members:

vs Solon

(Remire Village)

Kitt: "I should have known it was you. You're the one who started all this. First my village, and now…Remire."

Solon: "So now you know who I am, Ghost of Annwen. But if you think I'm but simple prey for you to hunt down, you are gravely mistaken!"

(Sealed Forest)

Solon: "Take not one step closer, Demon of Annwen! Lest your weakness for these beasts prove your undoing!"

Kitt: "What's the matter, Tomas? I thought you always dreamed of finding out how the story ends."

vs Kronya

Kronya: "You don't scare me. You're nothing but a stupid ghost story! I'll send you back to the filthy grave you crawled up from, you little freak!"

Kitt: "So you've heard of me from your darling bedtime stories. I guess I won't have to explain what happens to you next."

vs Cornelia

Cornelia: "Well now. This really won't do. I'll have to put an end to you quickly."

Kitt: "And I'll be sure to end you slowly."

vs Thales

Thales: "You insatiable wretch! That you would choose to menace me now, here, of all places!"

Kitt: "Don't look so shocked. I did promise I'd be back for the rest of you, didn't I?"

[synergysilhouette]

Remaking "Fire Emblem: 3 Houses"

(Spoilers ahead, obviously)

The time has come for another rewrite! I'm an amateur (re)writer, and I KNOW people are gonna be picky about this rewrite since many consider this entry the Holy Grail of the "Fire Emblem" series, but I hope you'll still be open to my changes, anyway! This is purely subjective and not something that reflects the fandom's opinion or me saying how to make the game objectively "better" (even though the term itself is subjective). I don't remember every single aspect of the game, so if I mention something that I wanted from the game that they actually DID do, be sure to mention it!

General

DON'T RUSH US!--From the get-go, you're on a fixed schedule. Once you become a professor, you've got one day out of the week to explore the grounds, fight battles/do paralogues/xenologues, or another activity. Every Monday, you've gotta do instruction for your student, and the other days literally breeze by until you get to your next story arc. Letting us go at our own leisure would be awesome, particularly since it'd give us more time to get to know our characters via more missions and xenologues. Between school and war, it can get a bit monotonous.

2. Give us impactful dialogue options instead of the illusion of choices--I have the same issue with "Pokemon: Mystery Dungeon." Throughout the game, we're given dialogue options, but most of the time the choices are identical or offer no affect other than a character's approval/disapproval. It felt annoying to have the option to tell the Flame Emperor that you'd join them, only for them to say they could tell you were lying. It's annoying stuff like that that makes it feel like you don't really need dialogue options at all, just cutscenes with Byleth speaking for themselves.

3. Those Who Slither in the Dark being keeping us in the loop--It's wild to me that the people who did the most damage are the most underused in the game. Someone said that making their deeds more pronounced/known would ruin the point, but I disagree. In Crimson Flower, their role in the Tragedy of Duscur is revealed, but Edelgard defeats them offscreen before restoring peace. Dimitri never learns the full truth of this in Azure Moon, and if I recall, the organization does get more attention in Silver Snow (for like 2-3 chapters) and Verdant Wind, but I can't recall for certain. Either way, I feel like each route should feel complete, given that you're playing completely different stories, rather than it feeling like you're missing some information depending on the route you play. Not to mention, Kronya deserves better, even if I'm retconning her actions (more on that in a second)...

4. Don't make us forget about marriage--having to find a ring sucks. After Jeralt dies, you have a certain amount of time in order to find his marriage ring (which I completely forgot about in my first playthrough) that you NEED if you want to reach S-supports with anyone. I'd prefer if Jeralt just gave it to Byleth rather than us having to go to his office and find it.

5. Change the confusing Byleth bloodline--I'm fine with Sitri being either Rhea's daughter or (if you wanna romance Rhea and Sothis without ethical concerns) simply working at the church where she met Jeralt. The family tree above makes things a lot more confusing than what it needs to be.

6. Marriage to (mostly) whoever, whenever--In the game, you have to wait until after the war is over to be married, and out of them, you only have 5 romantic same-sex options for female Byleth--2 of which are route-exclusive--and 3 options for male Byleth--2 of which are either DLC or route-exclusive. I'd rather make it a free-for-all, save for Gilbert and Alois, who are married, and should've never prevented you from a romantic relationship with another character.

7. Keep Jeralt alive--I'm just...I'm just TIRED of the "dead parent/evil parent" storyline that "Awakening," "Fates," and "Engage" have done, along with "3 Houses." I'd enjoy having Jeralt kept alive, in this version. Nevermind, this is probably the longest a protagonist has gotten to keep their parent in one of the recent FE games. Having him stand by Byleth similar to "3 Hopes" would be awesome.

8. Let us have Child units--As someone who got into the series via "Fates" and "Awakening," it disappointed me greatly that child units were removed. While I prefer "Fates" using the Deeprealms, I think an "Awakening" approach fits best here. Perhaps Sothis' time manipulation is more powerful than she knows, having sent the child units from the future to avoid their dark fates. Since it's story-related, perhaps it's Byleth's child who comes from the future first, referencing Chrom's daughter Lucina coming to save him and Emmeryn in "Awakening," only the child comes to save Byleth and Jeralt. Personally I made a lsit of fanmade child units almost a year ago.

9. Recruit Jeritzia outside of Crimson Flower--"3 Hopes" allowed us to do so as long as we had Mercedes in one of our routes, and I'm confused on why that couldn't be done here. Recruiting Mercedes would be the wakeup call Jeritzia needs to join our side, rather than being the opposition.

10. Keep Byleth's hair color--This is a nitpick, but I'd like being able to change Byleth's hair color back to the way it was before becoming one with Sothis. I'm fine with keeping the hair color, though.

11. A 3 Houses United Route--I mentioned in another post about a route where Jeralt survived, TWSITD as the main antagonists. What'd make this route unique (since I'd want the other two changes to be changed in all routes) is that the almost-death of Jeralt would inspire Byleth to leave the church and become a mercenary again, only getting involved years later once they see how the war has affected their students, and they can still recruit others based on their stats, and since they're not tied to a particular "side" in this concflict, they could recruit the house leaders and their aides rather than having to kill them.

12. Fix Dimitri's turnaround (Azure Moon)--It's probably just me, but it felt like Dimitri's vengence and sudden change of heart following Rodrigue's death felt...too quick? I know this is a hot take, but I'd have thought Rodrigue's death would've fueled Dimitri's anger. Plus I didn't feel like Dimitri's redemption (so to speak) was earned. It was just kinda "sorry for being a jerk, guys" even though the whole team seemed to back him. I'd have enjoyed seeing more moments of his sanity and morality kick in amidst the chaos rather than being one-track-minded. I feel like a lot of poorly done villain arcs do this (even if he isn't the villain of this route, per se). Since in my rewrite we learn about TWSITD, it's quite possible that Dimitri's anger is focused elsewhere in any case. Maybe Rodrigue didn't even have to die...

13. Utilize 3 Hopes designs--This may not be a popular opinion, but I think some of the characters looked better halfway in 3 Hopes than in 3 Houses. It would be nice to have the option to switch their costumes to their 3 Hopes looks instead (even though I know they're older in the 3 Houses timeskip than they are in 3 Hopes).

14. NO IGNORANT BYLETH--Instead of other installments that use the amnesia subplots, Byleth is simply kept in the dark about their parents' pasts, the world, and the church (which is kinda the same thing). I'd alleviate this entirely so we can have a mature and well-learned protagonist rather than a teacher who's just learning how the world works and about the tension in the land.

Hope you're not too upset with my version of the game! Lemme know what you think and if you have any questions. The next FE rewrite I do (whenever I get around to it) will be "Engage," which is the last FE game I've played.

[fantasyinvader]

I keep thinking about it, but I believe that the romanticism angle really explains the weirdness of Fodlan's writing. Far more than the idea that Edelgard's path is simply supposed to represent ignorance. It's a bit more than that.

Take for instance how romanticism favours being in awe of nature rather than trying to demystify it through science. It might not seem like a fit, but consider that science helps us understand the world around us. We know why certain phenomena happen, which allows us to anticipate and prepare for it rather than simply being at nature's mercy. But for the Fodlan games, this takes a slightly different turn. It's more about the social environment of the continent, giving the player the knowledge needed to grasp why Fodlan is the way it is, what truely ails it.

For Edelgard's romanticism to be preserved, the game can't simply state the facts. It gives the player the information in order for them to figure it out for themselves if they can see under the surface. Claude undergoes this as well in Verdant Wind, as that route represents his own obtainment of enlightenment. But for the player to side with Edelgard, they must choose to take what she says as the truth. To disregard what can be objectively proven through examination, and instead focus on a subjective bias.

Subjectivity is another thing championed by romanticism. Another thing is ideals, which fits Edelgard pretty well. After all, her Hegemon form is treated as (in Houses and Cipher) as her taking her ideals to their logical end. She is referred to as a servant to them, willing to throw away even her own humanity to see them made manifest. For a lot of people, this is the important aspect of her character. She is willing to do bad things, but she's doing them for what she believes is the greater good.

But one of those things Edelgard is willing to in service to those ideals is lie. Lie and manipulate those around her, including her closest allies. We see this in Crimson Flower after the fall of Arianrhod, there's a line about it the game's main theme song song from her perspective, and she'll even admit she tried to sway Byleth should they fight. Hopes made it abundantly clear, she KNEW what the Agarthans were doing during White Clouds, she COULD have stopped them but she didn't simply because what they offered was simply too valuable for her to refuse. This also means she allowed Monica, a close ally of hers, to be kidnapped and have her body stolen from her while Edelgard turned a blind eye.

Edelgard is so infatuated with the idea that she's the heroine that she can't look at the evidence that says otherwise. It's not just the past she has this romanticized view of, it's also her war. That it'll be worth it because eventually the people who supposedly will benefit from her rule will outnumber her casualties. That by restoring the Empire under a strong leader (i.e. Herself), she'll be able to fix all of Fodlan's problems which she blames on the Church and Crests while ignoring how the privilege offered to the nobility simply for serving her gives them the foundations for holding onto their power for untold generations. If the people fail to rise up, it's not because of her system being at fault it's because they're simply too coddled and weak (ignoring that her rule is said to oppress the common folk by her right-hand man Hubert). She idolizes her father despite his stories making no goddamn sense, instead painting him as a tragic victim. She's living it a world that the game's creators deliberately crafted to say she was wrong. Yet she's so enamored by her ideals, ideals presented as being her master, she averts her eyes from reality time and time again.

And it's not just Edelgard either. Since the game romanticized her as well, her fans follow in her footsteps. They'll claim that she's right in spite of the evidence, that her actions aren't that bad or deny entirely, that her route is the only path that will lead to a happy ending. They'll try to present her in the most appealing of ways, while misrepresenting those who stand against her. It's too the point that they'll claim a fanfiction is essential to understanding the story as well as her character, in addition to how the writer understands those things better than the game's actual creators. Said writer is known to start creating takes when Edelgard does things that go against his “reading” of her.

Over the years, I've talked about the Buddhist symbolism of the game. Despite how Hopes furthered this, people try to claim it's been debunked as you're not supposed to be able to lose Nirvana. But if that wasn't the full purpose, it makes more sense. The player chooses romanticism over their enlightenment, embracing ignorance to side with Edelgard. They already put Edelgard above the rest of their students to unlock Crimson Flower, foregoing a week of teaching them in order to accompany Edelgard at her request.

But everything ties into this. The Buddhist symbolism saying rejecting Edelgard is the path to enlightenment, the Christian symbolism connecting her to demonic forces and the idea she's a false messiah figure, the tarot symbolism painting her as a corrupting influence or that her form of enlightenment has been corrupted, the allusions to King Lear and the idea that we shouldn't just favor the ones who praise you the most... individually, any one of these would work, but when you put them all together they compliment each other. The point to one bigger idea than simply enlightenment and our choice as a player.

Do we seek enlightenment, even if the path isn't all sunshine and rainbows, or do we instead embrace romanticism and blind ourselves to the truth? The fact that Silver Snow, Verdant Wind and Azure Moon all have endings that point to there being real change as a result of the former, while the latter leads to endings that hint at the tyranny the game's creators said Edelgard's route leads to, really push the idea that the former is the favoured path. After all, this is a franchise that has, in the past, said that it's not what you preach that's important. The methods you use ARE the message, and Edelgard's message is not a pretty one.

The fact so many people choose romanticism over enlightenment, though, that’s pretty disheartening. Houses was made for players to immerse themselves in the setting, only for people to see it at a surface level.

[kob131]

Claude, although subtle, DOES have character development. It’s most noticeable in his support with Cyril.

Edelgard, if you ask me, is the one whose character arc needs serious improvement.

I should mention… Verdant Wind was my first route, Azure Moon my second, and Crimson Flower my third.

Verdant Wind-Edelgard made a BAD first impression on me by the end.

Azure Moon-Without spoiling anything… I ended up hating her EVEN MORE after this route.

Crimson Flower prompted SOME thought… and I ultimately decided it did NOT redeem her in my eyes. She comes off less as changing for the better and more as being prevented from changing for the worse. That dialogue you mention about her relaxing her views on the church rings hollow considering this is the only route where the church is more or less completely dismantled, vs reforming on other routes. She overall comes off as remaining static, with her character not changing much, if at all. Not to mention that the story seemingly goes out of its way to ensure her misinformed view of Fodlan history is never challenged. (Which feels more sue-ish to me.)

It’s also kinda funny that you claim Claude’s flaws never screw him over when, in fact, they DO screw him over in any route outside his own! And it’s heavily implied he only really succeeds in his route because he has Byleth on his side. Also… pretty sure his cheerful attitude is a cover for his pain.

Although, I suppose without knowing if you’ve played Azure Moon, or your thoughts on it if you have, I can’t form a full opinion on your thoughts. So I’ll just wait and see.

(BTW, the TRUE Mary Sue in the overall Three Houses canon is Three Hopes!Dimitri)

Okay, before I go anywhere with this, i want to say that I appreciate that you took your time to come and explain yourself to me. Very rarely do I get something like this and instead get preaching to the choir or really bad arguments that don't do shit. So thanks for putting in so much time and effort.

1- I can't deny or affirm this since I didn't GET Cyril in my run. And from what I remember- Claude acts a little more trusting and his facade is more truthful by the end. That doesn't help that Claude is still the guy who gets the most hopeful route when he presents less vulnerability.

2- While I do understand this and I am not going to argue for her on any kind of objective basis here- I do have to say that the Church being dismantled doesn't make her relaxing her views come across as less hollow to me. This kind of stuff would go beyond just the Church since the real problem is the tramua she suffered rather than the Church's issues. Also I can't really think of a way to change it so the Church stays since you need Rhea and Seteth/Flaynn around still. And no fucking way can Edelgard pull off the shit she does and they stick around.

2.5- Going to the history bit- I can understand that. She isn't being challenged here properly and I get that. But my issues with Claude weren't fully detailed in my post so sorry about that.

Another of my big issues is just what was revealed in Verdant Wind: The history of Foldlan, the relics and Rhea's past. This is all stuff that should have been at least shared with the other routes, ESPECIALLY Silver Snow since...you know...that's RHEA'S route and the final boss is NEMESIS, her mother's murderer? Of all the places to have the Agarthans and Nemesis show up, Claude, the guy least affected by them, gets to fight them.

As far as I know, you don't get to get revenge on them for killing Edelgard's family and torturing her, shattering Dimitri's mind and ruining Rhea's life. No, CLAUDE gets the fight.

Again, I could be wrong. My personal experience lacks Azure Moon and Silver Snow. And I know this is emotional and stupid as all hell. But...fucking hell, it REALLY feels like the developers realized Claude was the weakest Lord in terms of character and then shoved the backstory into his route to give you a reason to fight with him.

3- Yeah, the problem there is that from what I've seen, other characters drop their masks but Claude never really does. Just once, can he not have a smile on his face.

And- You'll have to explain how Claude keeping up a facade fucks him over in Crimson Flower. Best I could get there is that without Byleth, Claude's fakeness means no one will rally behind him. Which...doesn't get that much focus compared to Dimitri.

4- I haven't and my memories of Verdant Wind and Crimson Flower are a bit distant since I took about a year to revisit this game. This is kind of why I would like for you to explain the bits about Claude like you did against Edelgard.

Just as well- my thoughts here are just that. My thoughts, not an actual analysis of Three Houses and the routes. In that sense, Claude's route is perfectly functional and works well as a contrast to the more dour routes along with fitting his rouge-like aesthetic and the Golden Deer's more cheerful tone. (That...might just be because of Rapheal though). Claude's development isn't obvious and upfront but it doesn't need it. In fact, Claude's upbeat demeanor is something that can't really be filled by anyone else in the route and is necessary for the tone and unique identity of Verdant Wind. So he works perfectly fine here on an objective level.

You really shouldn't take what I said before as any actual judgement on his character. That was me summing up my year old thoughts on a route I personally didn't like.

Oof, kinda ranted a bit in my earlier ask.

If it makes you feel better, Three Hopes has some… opportunities to vent your frustrations with Claude.

No problem, man. I clearly touched a frayed nerve there and I know all too well the feeling. I should have explained myself better if I didn't want to get a rant after all.

And...if that's a reference to killing Claude, I don't really want that. I want Claude to be vulnerable or for me to snark at him for making jokes about poisoning others. Like dude, I know it's a joke but the fucking diplomats won't care. Probably a good thing I paired him with Ingrid- She can act as the resident Claude translator.

[star-wars-writing]

Return of a Legacy Chapter 1

This is an original story I've written, it's also posted on A03 and I hope you like it, comments, are always welcome.

In the cosmos's heart, the serene planet Elysiar lay cradled in peace, its rolling hills and quaint villages a stark contrast to the galaxy's distant tumult. Here, Alaenna, a girl with eyes as bright as the twin suns and a spirit curious as the wind, found her sanctuary in a humble orphanage nestled in the heart of a verdant valley.

Alaenna's life was a tapestry woven into Elysiar's very essence. Each morning, as the village awoke to the dawn chorus, she walked the cobblestone streets, her smile a reflection of the suns' warmth. The villagers, in turn, greeted her with a fondness tinged with reverence, acknowledging her as one of their own, yet an enigma.

In the lively marketplace, Alaenna's touch seemed to infuse the fruits and flowers with a touch of Elysiar's magic, her connection to the planet evident in her every interaction. Yet, there were moments, fleeting and filled with wonder, when her otherness would surface – objects levitating or her sudden, distant gaze, as if listening to a secret whisper. These instances were met with awe, the villagers accepting her uniqueness as part of their world's rhythm.

The afternoons were for the children, who gathered in the orphanage's garden, captivated by Alaenna's tales of distant worlds and heroes. Unbeknownst to them, her stories were woven from the threads of her visions, fragments of a legacy yet to be understood.

As night fell and the twin suns bid farewell, Alaenna found solace in the forests of Elysiar. Her solitary walks were a communion with nature, the creatures of the wood drawn to her innate connection to the planet. It was in these moments of solitude that her visions became clearer, whispering of ancient battles, lost legacies, and a destiny intertwined with the stars.

Mareen, the village's wise elder, guided Alaenna through the maze of her burgeoning powers. "Your gift is a rare one," Mareen would say, her eyes reflecting the depth of the night sky. "Forces ancient and powerful stir within you." Yet, even Mareen's wisdom could not unveil all the secrets that beckoned to Alaenna.

The Festival of Moons marked a turning point. That night, as Elysiar celebrated under the glow of lanterns, Alaenna's dreams brought her face to face with a mysterious figure, a herald of the path unfolding before her. Troubled yet intrigued, she sought Mareen's counsel, sensing the threads of her destiny weaving together.

In the days that followed, a subtle change permeated Elysiar. The villagers sensed it, a sense of anticipation and pride for the girl who had grown amongst them, yet a realization that their village was on the cusp of an irreversible change.

Alaenna herself felt the shift most profoundly. Each vision, each whisper of the wind, drew her closer to the unknown. As she stood at the village's edge, gazing at the starlit sky, she knew her time on Elysiar was nearing its end.

With the dawn's golden light, an air of expectancy filled the village. Unseen, a starship descended toward Elysiar, heralding the beginning of Alaenna’s true journey. Among the children, as she imparted lessons of life and harmony, Alaenna felt a resonance with the Force, an undeniable call to embrace her legacy.

Her path, woven into the fate of the galaxy, was now clear. The time had come for Alaenna to step beyond Elysiar's embrace, to follow the whispers of her destiny and become the beacon of hope for a galaxy in turmoil.

******

On the distant planet of Elysiar, a world untouched by the turmoil of the galaxy, an unexpected visitor arrived. Mace Windu, a figure of legend in the Jedi Order, set foot on the lush greenery of this secluded planet, his mission seemingly unrelated to the serene world before him. The Jedi Master, known for his wisdom and prowess in the Force, was accompanied by a squad of elite clone troopers, their presence a stark contrast to the peaceful surroundings.

The reason for their landing on Elysiar was ostensibly simple – a routine reconnaissance, a minor detour in the grand scheme of the Clone Wars. Yet, as Mace Windu stepped onto the soil of Elysiar, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the Force had guided him here for a reason far more significant than any routine mission.

The planet radiated a sense of tranquility he hadn't felt in years, a stark contrast to the shadows of conflict that clouded most of his days. As he moved through the dense foliage, his troopers following in a disciplined formation, Mace couldn't help but feel a disturbance in the Force – not of darkness, but of light, a beacon of hope and purity that pierced through the encroaching darkness of the galaxy.

The troopers, veterans of many battles, sensed their General's change in demeanor. They exchanged glances, their respect for Mace Windu mixed with curiosity. They were trained to face danger head-on, yet here on Elysiar, the threat was not of blasters or enemy combatants, but something far more elusive and enigmatic.

As they ventured deeper, the lush landscapes of Elysiar unfolded around them, a vibrant tapestry of nature that seemed almost surreal in its beauty. Mace Windu, guided by an unseen force, found himself drawn towards the heart of the planet, towards the source of the light he sensed.

The village, with its cobblestone paths and quaint homes, came into view. The inhabitants, unaccustomed to visitors of such imposing stature, watched warily yet with open curiosity. Mace Windu, his gaze calm yet penetrating, surveyed the surroundings, his senses attuned to the Force.

It was here, among the simple folk of Elysiar, that he felt the disturbance most strongly. A presence, pure and powerful in the Force, unlike anything he had encountered before. It resonated with a clarity that was almost overwhelming, a call that could not be ignored.

The clone troopers, ever vigilant, stood guard, their loyalty to Mace Windu unwavering. They watched as their General, usually so stoic and unyielding, seemed momentarily lost in thought, his connection with the Force evident in his focused demeanor.

Mace Windu knew that this was no coincidence, no mere twist of fate. The Force had guided him to Elysiar, to this very village, for a purpose that was slowly unveiling itself. The beacon of light he sensed was here, a hidden jewel in a galaxy on the brink of darkness.

In the heart of the village, unaware of the Jedi Master's presence, was Alaenna, a girl whose destiny was intertwined with the fate of the galaxy. Mace Windu, standing on the threshold of a significant discovery, prepared himself to unravel the mystery that the Force had laid before him.

This encounter, unbeknownst to both Alaenna and Mace Windu, was set to change the course of the galaxy, a pivotal moment where paths crossed and destinies aligned under the watchful eyes of the Force.

In the heart of Elysiar’s village, where life moved to the rhythm of nature’s song, Mace Windu’s path finally converged with Alaenna’s. The Jedi Master, his robes slightly out of place in the rustic setting, stood quietly, observing the young woman who seemed to be the source of the profound disturbance he had sensed in the Force.

Alaenna, unaware of the significance of this encounter, was tending to a small garden beside the orphanage, her hands gently caressing the petals of a blooming flower. The air around her seemed to hum with an unseen energy, a melody of the Force that was both serene and powerful.

As Mace Windu approached, his steps deliberate yet unthreatening, the clone troopers fanned out, their training keeping them alert yet respectful of the peaceful surroundings. The villagers, sensing the gravity of the moment, watched from a respectful distance.

"Excuse me," Mace Windu began, his voice calm yet carrying an undercurrent of fascination. "I am Master Mace Windu of the Jedi Order."

Alaenna looked up, her eyes meeting his. A flicker of recognition passed through her – not of the man himself, but of the presence he carried, a presence she had felt in her visions.

"You have a remarkable connection to the Force," Mace continued, his keen eyes studying her. "I sense around you what we call 'shatter points' – critical junctures that can influence future events. Your presence in the Force is... extraordinary."

Alaenna stood, wiping her hands on her apron, a mix of curiosity and caution in her gaze. "I've always felt a connection to something greater, visions and dreams that I didn't fully understand. But what are these 'shatter points'?"

"They are points in time where significant changes can occur, where the smallest actions can have profound effects on the future," Mace explained, his voice reflecting his awe at the discovery. "It's rare to see them so clearly around a person. It suggests a destiny of great significance."

Alaenna absorbed his words, a sense of wonder and apprehension swirling within her. "Does this mean I have a role to play in the events to come?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper, yet carrying the weight of her potential destiny.

Mace nodded, a sense of solemnity enveloping him. 

"The Force has guided me here to you, and I believe it is no coincidence. You are at the center of something much larger than yourself. Your connection to the Force could be pivotal in the days ahead."

The clone troopers, standing guard, watched the exchange with disciplined silence, their presence a reminder of the galaxy's ongoing turmoil. They too sensed the importance of this meeting, understanding that the young woman before them was more than just a villager on a remote planet.

Alaenna looked around at the faces of the villagers, her adoptive family, and then back at Mace Windu. A myriad of emotions played across her face – fear, excitement, uncertainty. The garden, once a place of simple peace, now felt like a crossroads of her destiny.

**** 

As the twin suns of Elysiar dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow over the village, Mace Windu and his clone troopers, including Commander Ponds, prepared to settle in for the night. The villagers, though initially apprehensive, extended their hospitality, intrigued by their visitors from the stars.

Mace, his mind still reeling from the revelation of Alaenna's connection to the Force, found himself in a quiet corner of the village square, where a modest feast had been prepared. Alaenna joined him, her curiosity about her destiny and her place in the Force growing.

"Master Windu," Alaenna began, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "What does this all mean for me? For my life here on Elysiar?"

Mace looked at her, his expression thoughtful. 

"Your connection to the Force is unique. It's clear that you have a significant role to play in the events unfolding in the galaxy. Your training and understanding of the Force will be vital."

Commander Ponds, standing a respectful distance away, couldn't help but overhear the conversation. His usual stoic demeanor softened slightly as he observed the young woman. To him, she was an enigma – a civilian with a potential impact on the galactic scale.

Alaenna glanced towards Commander Ponds, sensing his presence. "And your soldiers, what do they think of all this?"

Ponds stepped forward, nodding respectfully to Alaenna. "We follow Master Windu's lead. If he believes you're important to our mission and to the galaxy, then we're here to support that."

Alaenna offered a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Commander Ponds. I've never been part of something so... vast."

As the night progressed, the villagers mingled with the clone troopers, the initial tension giving way to cautious fascination. Stories and experiences were shared, bridging the gap between the two vastly different worlds.

Mace, observing the interactions, felt a sense of hope. In Alaenna, he saw not just a potential Jedi but a symbol of unity in a divided galaxy. Her natural empathy and connection to those around her were evident, even in this brief encounter.

"Alaenna, the path ahead will be challenging," Mace said softly, drawing her attention back to him. "But I sense a strength in you. The Force has chosen you for a reason."

"I've always wanted to understand my visions, to know why I'm different," Alaenna replied, her gaze steady. "If being part of the Jedi Order will help me find those answers, then I'm ready to take that step."

Commander Ponds listened, his respect for Alaenna growing. In her, he saw not just strength but a genuine desire to understand her place in the galaxy. It was a trait he admired, a stark contrast to the often rigid perspectives he encountered.

As the night wore on, the conversations deepened, weaving the first threads of understanding and camaraderie between the villagers, the clone troopers, and Alaenna. For Mace Windu, this night reinforced his belief in the Force's guiding hand, bringing together disparate paths for a greater purpose.

In the quiet of the evening, under the starlit sky of Elysiar, a new alliance was forming, one that would ripple across the galaxy, with Alaenna at its heart.

****** 

As the village of Elysiar slumbered under a blanket of stars, Alaenna tossed restlessly in her modest room at the orphanage. Her dreams, vivid and tumultuous, swept her away to realms unknown, to scenes of a past steeped in mystery and grandeur.

In her dream, Alaenna found herself amidst grand halls and soaring spires, echoes of a past grandeur. She walked through corridors lined with portraits of individuals bearing a regal bearing, their eyes seeming to follow her with a knowing gaze. The Tarrealis legacy, though unknown to her, whispered through these visions, revealing glimpses of magnificent dragons soaring through the skies, their riders noble and proud.

As she moved through the dream, Alaenna felt an overwhelming sense of loss and longing, a connection to these people whose names and stories were yet a mystery to her. The images shifted, showing her scenes of joyous celebrations, groundbreaking achievements, and then, a descent into shadows – a great tragedy that seemed to tear at the very fabric of this once-glorious legacy.

Mace Windu, resting in a room not far from Alaenna’s, felt a disturbance in the Force. It was a ripple of turmoil, a storm of emotions that he instinctively knew emanated from Alaenna’s troubled dreams. Rising from his bed, he made his way to her room, his concern deepening with each step.

Commander Ponds and a few other clone troopers, sensing their General’s departure, followed at a discreet distance. Their loyalty to Mace Windu was unwavering, their trust in his judgment absolute. Yet, the nature of this disturbance, so deeply entwined with the mysteries of the Force, left them with a sense of unease.

Mace arrived at Alaenna’s door just as she awoke, her eyes wide with the remnants of her dream. He entered quietly, his presence calm and reassuring.

"Alaenna," Mace said softly. "I felt a disturbance. Are you alright?"

Alaenna, still caught in the afterglow of her visions, nodded slowly. "I had another dream, Master Windu. It was so vivid, like walking through memories that aren't mine. There were people, places... and dragons. It felt significant, but I don't understand what it means."

Mace listened intently, his mind processing the possible significance of her words. "Visions can be a powerful tool for those strong in the Force. They can reveal glimpses of the past, present, or even possible futures. But interpreting them can be challenging."

Outside, Commander Ponds and the troopers exchanged worried glances. The mention of visions and their unknown implications added a layer of complexity to their mission. They remained alert, ready to respond to any threat, yet aware that this was a battle fought on a different front – one of the mind and the Force.

"Could these visions be a message?" Alaenna asked, her voice tinged with a mix of hope and apprehension. "Could they be showing me something I need to know?"

"It's possible," Mace replied thoughtfully. "The Force often communicates in cryptic ways. It could be guiding you to uncover something important – perhaps about your heritage or a role you are destined to play."

Alaenna sat up, the weight of her potential destiny pressing upon her. "But what could it be? Who were the Tarrealis, and why do I see them in my dreams?"

Mace Windu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "These are answers we will seek together. The Force has brought us here for a reason, and I believe your visions are a key part of that."

Outside, the clone troopers stood guard, their expressions stoic yet filled with concern. They knew the galaxy was on the brink of great change, and it seemed that this young woman, with her mysterious visions, was at the heart of it.

In the quiet of the night, Alaenna and Mace Windu talked, delving into the mysteries of the Force and the enigmatic legacy that seemed to be calling out to her. For Alaenna, this was the first time she truly felt understood, her fears and hopes acknowledged by someone who could help her find the answers she sought.

As the first light of dawn kissed the village of Elysiar, Mace Windu and Alaenna found themselves in deep conversation, seated on the worn steps of the orphanage. The peaceful morning air was a stark contrast to the weighty matters they discussed.

"Alaenna," Mace began, his voice reflecting the seriousness of the topic, "the path of a Jedi is not an easy one, especially for someone who begins training later in life. Yet, the Force's guidance in this matter is clear. Your connection to it is extraordinary, and I believe you have much to learn – and much to offer."

Alaenna nodded, her eyes reflecting the resolve that had formed within her. "I understand that it won't be easy, Master Windu. But these dreams, these visions... they confuse me. Sometimes, there's a voice calling out to me, but I don't know what it means."

Mace contemplated her words, his mind working through the implications. "Visions can be a manifestation of the Force communicating with us. This voice you hear could be a key to understanding your role in the larger scheme of things."

Alaenna looked towards the rising sun, her thoughts turbulent. "But why me? Why now? I've lived a simple life here; I never imagined being part of something so... vast."

"The Force often chooses unlikely individuals to play crucial roles," Mace replied, his gaze steady. "Your age is of less concern than your potential. The Force has been insistent in a way I've rarely experienced. It's not just me; it's urging that you be trained by Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Obi Wan Kenobi as well."

Alaenna's eyes widened in surprise. "Three Jedi Masters? But why?"

Mace sighed, a rare hint of uncertainty crossing his features. "I don't have all the answers, Alaenna. The Force works in mysterious ways, often revealing its intentions in time. But I trust in its guidance, and it has never been so clear as it is with you."

Commander Ponds, who had been standing watch nearby, listened intently. The idea of someone starting Jedi training at Alaenna's age was unheard of, yet if Master Windu believed it to be the right course of action, he would support it without question.

Alaenna took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. "If the Force deems it, then I will embark on this path. I want to understand these visions, to know my place in all this."

Mace nodded, approval evident in his eyes. "Training will be rigorous, and the path fraught with challenges. But I sense a great strength in you, Alaenna. You're not alone in this journey."

As the village began to stir, Mace stood up, extending his hand to help Alaenna to her feet. "We will make arrangements to begin your training as soon as possible. The galaxy is in a precarious state, and your role, whatever it may be, is crucial."

Alaenna stood, a sense of determination settling over her. "I'm ready, Master Windu. Ready to learn, to understand, and to face whatever the Force has in store for me."

As they walked back towards the heart of the village, the first rays of sunlight illuminating their path, a new chapter in Alaenna's life was beginning. A chapter filled with the promise of discovery, training, and the unraveling of a destiny that could change the course of the galaxy.

****

Across the galaxy, in a stark contrast to the tranquility of Elysiar, Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in a makeshift camp, surrounded by the familiar hum of his clone troopers. The night was dark, the stars obscured by the smoke of recent skirmishes. Around him, the troopers, including Commander Cody, Waxer, Boil, and the unit's medic, Bones, were engaged in routine duties, the atmosphere one of weary alertness.

Obi-Wan, his mind always partly attuned to the Force, felt an unexpected surge, a tidal wave of energy that knocked him off balance. The world spun momentarily as he grappled with the intensity of the vision that assaulted his senses.

Cody was at his side in an instant, concern etched on his face. "General Kenobi! Are you alright?"

Obi-Wan steadied himself, nodding slightly. "Yes, Cody, I'm fine. Just a... a powerful vision from the Force."

Waxer and Boil exchanged glances, their respect for the Jedi ways mingled with concern for their General. Bones stepped forward, his medical instinct kicking in. "Sir, you should sit down. You look like you've seen a ghost."

Obi-Wan managed a faint smile, easing himself down onto a nearby crate. "Not a ghost, Bones, something... different. The Force just gave me a rather insistent message."

Cody crouched beside him, his voice low. "What kind of message, sir?"

"It's about a girl, a new Padawan I'm supposed to train," Obi-Wan explained, his brow furrowed in thought.

"I don't know who she is or where she's from, but the vision was so clear, so forceful. It's been a long time since I've felt such a hopeful light in the Force."

The troopers gathered around, listening intently. The concept of the Force was something they respected, even if they didn't fully understand it. They knew that if their General was affected this strongly, it was a matter of great significance.

Boil, always the more vocal, spoke up. "Sir, what does this mean for our mission? Are we going to meet this new Padawan soon?"

"I'm not sure, Boil," Obi-Wan replied, his gaze distant as he pondered the implications. 

"The vision didn't reveal much, only that I'm to be part of her training. This girl, whoever she is, holds a significant place in the Force. It's as if she's a beacon of hope, a light in these dark times."

Cody nodded, his expression serious.

"We'll support you, General, in whatever the Force asks of you. If this girl is as important as you say, then she's important to all of us."

Obi-Wan looked at his troopers, a sense of gratitude washing over him.

"Thank you, Cody. Your loyalty and support mean more than you know. For now, we continue with our mission. But I sense that soon, our paths will take us to this new Padawan."

As the group settled back into the rhythm of the camp, Obi-Wan's mind remained focused on the vision. The Force had never been so insistent, so direct in its guidance. The girl in his vision, a mystery for now, was about to become an integral part of their lives, a symbol of hope in a galaxy desperately in need of it.

In the quiet of the camp, under the dim light of distant stars, Obi-Wan Kenobi braced himself for the journey ahead, a journey that would intertwine his destiny with that of a new Padawan, a bearer of light in the darkening galaxy.

**** 

In a different sector of the galaxy, under the vast canvas of stars, Jedi Master Plo Koon sat in contemplation, surrounded by his loyal clone troopers. Commander Wolffe, Boost, Sinker, and others of the Wolfpack were gathered around, their armor stained with the remnants of recent battles. The atmosphere was one of solemn camaraderie, a brief respite in the midst of war.

Plo Koon, known for his deep connection to the Force and his wisdom, felt a sudden and intense disturbance ripple through him. It was as if the very fabric of the Force was beckoning him, pulling him towards a destiny yet unseen. The strength of the vision was such that it momentarily took his breath away, his usually stoic demeanor faltering under its weight.

Commander Wolffe was immediately at his side, concern evident even behind his helmet. "General Koon, are you hurt?"

Regaining his composure, Plo Koon shook his head slightly. "No, Wolffe, I am not injured. The Force... it has shown me something, a vision of great importance."

The troopers exchanged looks, their respect for Plo Koon's connection with the Force evident in their silent attention. They knew that such moments were rare and significant.

"What did you see, General?" asked Sinker, his voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

Plo Koon looked out into the night, his eyes reflecting the starlight. "It is a girl, a young Padawan that the Force insists I must train. This vision was powerful, more so than any I have experienced before. It suggests that this girl is of great importance to the future."

Wolffe stepped closer, his loyalty unwavering. "What does this mean for our mission, sir? How will this affect the Wolfpack?"

"The mission continues as planned, for now," Plo Koon replied, his voice calm yet filled with an undercurrent of anticipation. 

"However, I believe that soon we will be called to meet this Padawan. She is like a beacon in the Force, a point of light in these dark times."

Boost, always quick to lighten the mood, chimed in, 

"Sounds like we might be getting a new member in the Wolfpack, huh?"

Plo Koon allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Perhaps, Boost. This Padawan will need all the support and guidance we can provide. The Force has been unequivocal in its message. She is essential to the balance of the Force, and our paths are destined to cross."

The troopers nodded in understanding, their trust in Plo Koon's wisdom and the will of the Force absolute. They knew that their journey alongside the Jedi Master often led them to unexpected paths, and this was no exception.

As the night deepened and the camp settled, Plo Koon sat in quiet reflection, pondering the implications of his vision. The galaxy was at a precipice, and the emergence of this new Padawan, whoever she was, marked a shift in the tides of fate.

Commander Wolffe and the others respected their General's need for contemplation, guarding the camp and their leader with silent vigilance. They were more than just soldiers; they were guardians of a future that was slowly unfolding under the guidance of the Force.

In the quiet solitude of space, Plo Koon awaited the moment when the Force would call them to action, to meet this mysterious Padawan who held the potential to alter the course of the galaxy.

[cherry-blossom-inferno]

-Okay, I gotta address the Goneril thing first because it comes from a big misunderstanding that comes from going from Japanese to English. Cyril is not meant to be a Goneril slave. Cyril is not a (奴隷) Dorei aka a slave. He's a Shiyōnin (使用��) aka an employee/servant. He's not property, he's an employee and the Gonerils were bad bosses that employed him after he was captured. Cyril just found better employment under Rhea hence his title in his bio is servant to the Archbishop just like his bio mentions he was a servant to House Goneril. That's why the House Goneril slave issue topic isn't really a thing in Japan compared to the West.

-I wouldn't use FEH as an indicator because their decisions are based on who makes more money. Like Bernadetta has her base and 2 alts and Hubert just has his base but I wouldn't say they put more effort into Bernadetta's writing than Hubert's (I wish they did) or that they prioritize Bernie's importance over Hubert's. Edelgard just has the most stans that shell out money for her hence she's given better treatment than Dimitri and Claude.

-I don't think you're giving Claude his just due. Everyone outside Edelgard is just a side-note when you go outside their routes. Dimitri gets off-screened in Verdant Wind & Silver Snow having done nothing of note. Dimitri only gets slightly better screentime than Claude does in Crimson Flower but only slightly and Claude gets treated better in Azure Moon than Dimitri did in Verdant Wind so it evens out.

And in Hopes, I'd argue he's on level with them. He determines who wins the war or doesn't win the war for example and he's always on your side.

In SB, Edelgard can't win without Claude so he determines whether she succeeds or it continues indefinitely if you choose the path where he betrays you. He's even the one that plans out the climatic Battle of Aillel for them.

In AG, Dimitri can't win without Claude and even moreso here, he's the one who plans Dimitri's final campaign with his initial "Many-headed Snake" idea.

In GW, well he's the lord there and it's the closest we will get to a golden route for three houses although not for the Church.

And if we look at it more closely and compare, just look at Azure Gleam where Edelgard gets turned into a plot device/puppet by Part 2 . Azure Gleam Claude, on the other hand, gets plenty of screentime and he has more lines in Azure Gleam than most of the Blue Lions:

Here's the line count btw:

Dimitri: 889 (923 with lord supports) 2. Shez: 586 3. Felix: 257 4. Arval: 225 5. Rodrigue: 204 6. Dedue: 179 7. Claude: 174 (192 with lord support) 8. Sylvain: 160 9. Ingrid: 131 10. Annette: 129

(this includes Explore Dialogue so Claude would end up above Dedue and Rodrigue if this was just cutscenes and battle dialogue)

Claude's got more screentime than Dimitri does in Scarlet Blaze as well.

-Anyways, I guess the character is not for you which is fair but Claude's just a very different character from Dimitri and Edelgard in framing. Dimitri and Edelgard (once the mask comes off) are very upfront about what they want. Claude hides everything even from the people he trusts so his characterization is much more subtle which fits with the whole "smile doesn't reach his eyes" thing. Claude's just meant to be a cipher. He's a puzzle that you have to really think about to unravel or you'll just end up confused. And the games acknowledge that he's objectively meant to be like that.

Engage's description of him:

"Known as the Emblem of Rivals. A calculating and enigmatic heir to a dukedom."

Heroes' description of him:

"The heir of Duke Riegan, head of the Leicester Alliance. He’s a hard man to get a grasp of, and employs means both fair and foul to get his way."

-On Almyra, they're not evil for the lolz. They're a warrior culture that that prizes survival of the fittest and strength. You didn't get the Claude paralogue in Hopes but they touch on it a bit more that the royal family is fighting itself to see who becomes king. This toxic culture all feeds into why Claude should want to change Almyra so bad and partially why he is the way he is at the start of the game in that he prefers to do everything solo and how much of a change it is when he ends his story with a speech on how individuals are weak by themselves but that together they can scale even insurmountable walls.

Obviously, more Almyra would've been great but that's not the story. The story is Edelgard's war and the 3 different perspectives on it.

-To be fair, they do that with the Eagles and Lions too. How many jokes have they made out of Caspar after talking about murder? Remember when Sylvain started talking about how everything could've changed if he made a move on Edelgard one second before Dimitri goes throw a breakdown in Houses. They do it more with the Deer but that's just the vibes of the House. The Deer are always pretty jovial and Claude even lampshades it during the Ordelia chapter in Hopes that nothing gets them down. But I do understand where you're coming from and how that might bother you. I enjoy black humor but it's not for everyone.

-I agree with you on Dimitri but disagree with Edelgard. Hubert does say in SB after they kill Gilbert that they would leave Faerghus alone if they gave them the Archbishop. Now Edelgard later thinks that Faerghus and the Church have become one by the end so it's better if they just dissolve Faerghus.

But I don't think Edelgard says that about the Church just being an excuse. She means what she says about the Church because they're in the way of her imposing her ideals on Fodlan as a whole.

I'm 50/50 on whether she would go to war to unite the continent if Claude and Dimitri run their countries like she wants and if the Central Church is dissolved. Specifically in Hopes though, not Houses because her alliance with TWSITD makes it impossible.

-Edelgard's world isn't feudalism. It's a dictatorship-run meritocracy. There's no caste system in Edelgard's world where there are nobles and commoners. There, will of course, still be a rich and a poor but those are issues we haven't even solved in our world.

Her world gradually phases out the nobles for salary-paid bureacrats(mentioned her support with Constance). Claude's endpoint, at least in GW, is an elective monarchy + meritocracy but he plans to hand Fodlan off to someone else to deal with it since he has to change Almyra too and he has to do both to achieve his dream.

Dimitri doesn't plan to end the nobility. He plans to make more commoners into nobles which is an improvement but not ideal because you still have a system that decides who rules based on birth.

And yes, if left alone, all countries would improve from before, I agree. But Edelgard would improve things faster because she has more radical ideals and she's so much forceful and stronger whereas Dimitri is afraid of pushing too hard because of the Tragedy of Duscur. Buuuut Edelgard's way involves more death so….pick a side there.

Also I want to mention that Claude isn't slaughtering half of Faerghus. He's being exceedingly light-touched in his campaign with Faerghus. He's taking the quickest way to Fhirdiad(he literally just goes through Fraldarius and Blaiddyd lands although he does involve Gautier in a fight with Sreng), mentions that he'd prefer to ignore taking forts if he could and balks at excessive bloodshed. Claude's also trying to end the war faster to reduce casulaties albeit in his ideal way.

Golden Wildfire Ch 11

On we go to ch 11. Things are . . . uh . . . interesting.

MAIN STORY

So if you didn't see ch 10, I failed to recruit Byleth. I retried the level a few time, but honestly I just want to finish this game so I didn't bother.

Plus, the reason I failed was that Claude just sat there instead of moving forward on the escort mission, which got really frustrating, and honestly I didn't want to bother.

Ugh, I don't want to fight the Kingdom.

So those Houses that wanted to defect to the Kingdom didn't because Claude's battle was that bloody in that fire map.

Poor Dimitri and co seems like he's just betting bullied for no real reason by two imperialistic maniacs.

I love how Arval is getting snooty over Shez getting credit for their tactics lamo.

Man, this dialogue is dragging.

So Nadar is going to cause diplomatic chaos by utilizing the Almyran army without getting real permission.

Wait, Claude riled up Sreng? So much for "ending racism" lamo. Wasn't having two cultures not be prejudice against each other like his MO? The writers really just threw him in the trash, hunh.

I feel so bad for Claude fans. He's really a piece of work in this.

MAP/SIDE STUFF

Everyone missing Judith has a lot more punch than Randolph. Even Monica was like "get over it" to Fleche (but nicely).

So, let me make sure I have this right. Mr. I Want to End Prejudice Between Cultures just provoked Sreng into attacking the Kingdom so Edelgard can take it over because Rhea is the reason for everything bad. Did I get that right?

Unlike SB, GW is entertaining as hell, but man is the logic here is just non-existant. And poor Claude RIP.

Like, I know I'm biased and all, but I don't see how you're supposed to be the heroes and not Dimitri here. The people just defending themselves are getting attacked on all 3 fronts for the crime of *existing.*

Not going to lie. I kinda wish Claude didn't side with you in AG either. It would've been hype to kick everyone's ass as Dimitri after getting cornered by all these land-grabbers.

GW!Claude is really just the mean girl's sidekick. 😂

If Felix and Rodrigue die in this chapter I swear to God . . . (I just remembered Rodrigue is dead in SB now 😭 - LET THIS MAN SURVIVE).

I had to fight Felix in a side mission. Lysithea said they had to "defend this place" - like, girl, you are invading.

When the challenge is "you can't dodge" but you're using Lorenz 😌👌 (FYI, he just does not take damage in this game)

SHEZ & HILDA A SUPPORT

They're talking about how Hilda exerted energy in a battle because she worried about Shez.

Hilda claims it's just self-defense bc she was cheering for Shez on the front lines and enemies were there (honestly, this is pretty boring so far)

It's the same-old Hilda claiming she's weak but that not being true.

SHEZ & CONSTANCE C SUPPORT

I know she's an Empire character, but whatever.

She wants to create new magics to restore her noble house and wants to research Shez bc of their weird magic

Lamo, Constance low-key called us dumb

Shez suggests she get her house back through military accomplishments.

Constance refuses to train right now, she wants to at night (it's her dual personality thing, right?)

CLAUDE & LYSITHEA B SUPPORT

Their first one. Claude's unhappy Lysithea charged in the last battle. But Lysithea kicked ass, so she's upset with Claude.

Claude calls her plan dumb and that he thought Lysithea was smarter than that. Lysithea still argues it ended earlier bc of her.

Lysithea doesn't back down.

Honestly, I side with her here. Claude's being patronizing. And it's rich of him not to care about all the other deaths dragging out the battle would cause and only Lysithea dying because she's *important*

CLAUDE & HOLST A SUPPORT

Oof, this one hurts. Claude accuses the church of creating all the systems to serve their own interests, because he doesn't know the truth here. That the Empire actually created most of it, and that all the church ever did was protect a genocided race from being murdered by more power-hungry humans.

It's also hysterical to hear Claude talk about wanting to improve foreign relations while instigating a war between two cultures.

Oof, Holst doesn't care about any of this. He's only worried Claude's going to send Hilda to marry a big, brown, scary foreigner. NOT a good look.

Holst says he cares more about Hilda's future than the whole Alliance. Yikes.

HILDA & HOLST A SUPPORT

They're preparing a feast.

Oh, it's nice to see Hilda's insecurities about Holst's "perfection" come up in this, bc so far she hadn't said much.

After that last support though, Holst is actually a pretty shitty leader.

Holst wants to make the feast all about Hilda instead of himself though. Hilda likes the attention.

Hilda basically had to set up her own feast lol.

HILDA & LINHARDT A SUPPORT

Hilda's cleaning, and Linhardt's honestly upset that he's lost a fellow lazy person.

Hilda claims she never pushes work on people. That, is a lie.

Linhardt is mostly worried how bad it'll look if he's the only one not working instead one of two.

All this support confirms that Linhardt is by far the superior lazy.

LORENZ & LYSITHEA A SUPPORT

Their only support.

So, not related to their support (and watch it counter it), but I find it pretty amusing how getting a leadership position faster matured Felix and Sylvain, but Lorenz is still a bit of a joke and the butt-end of every support he's in.

He's just bragging about how awesome his position and power is.

Lysithea says she's not inheriting her house. She claims it's because she doesn't like what comes with nobility, but we all know why.

She worried that the land will go to chaos without it's leaders though. Lorenz offers help (which, imo, he's actually mature here!)

Lorenz suspects she's turning it down for another reason and encourages her to rely on others to help.

RAPHAEL & LEONIE B SUPPORT

Raphael keeps snapping bows in half when he uses them. Leonie's shocked.

Leonie seems to actually make one and invites Raphael to test it while on guard duty with her.

IGNATZ & MARIANNE B SUPPORT

Marianne found his picture. He puts it down, but she likes it (it's a horse, well a pegasus, but of course)

Ignatz gets carried away talking about it, but Marianne finds it cute.

Ignatz finds Marianne loving pegasus cute. She blushes.

He wants Marianne's help, helping him paint a pegasus bc they don't like men, but if Marianne is around he can get closer and get a better painting. She's happy to help.

Honestly, this whole support is really cute.

MAIN BATTLE/STORY

It sucks having to attack the Kingdom over and over again when all they want to do is exist in peace.

Oh, joy, Nadar wants to plunder Faerghus. I can see why Fodlan is so evil for not wanting to let them do what they will.

GW really had a chance here to finally do something interesting with Almyra. It even marketed itself as a route that WOULD. But instead it's just doubled-down on Almyra being a one-note lawless place full of barbarians. At least we have Brigid and Duscur so the only brown country isn't some racist stereotype. Since it's only 1 of 3, it's not AS bad of a look.

Fuck. I don't want to kill Felix and Rodrigue. It would be one thing if the Kingdom actually provoked this, but Felix and Rodrigue haven't done anything to deserve this.

I get to recruit Ashe again. Is he miserable here too?

Ugh, I was hoping Felix and Rodrigue weren't here. It seems vastly unfair that it's only Kingdom characters who die for reel in this.

Wow. Claude's really an A-class asshole. He told Ashe to surrender because Dimitri wouldn't want him to die. Maybe don't invade for no reason then?

Is Claude also going to single Felix out as a citizen of Faerghus who deserves to live? Or does only Ashe count and not the nobles and unnamed grunts he's slaughtering because he decided to team up with the person who plans on taking over his rule? (not hate to Ashe at all, I honestly feel awful for him in this game)

Ok, so fighting Felix is just a side quest. I'd rather fail a side quest than fight Felix so, going to try to avoid having to kill him. Ugh, he's attacking the engineers. And he's damn right saying he has every right to kill the people who are invading his home.

Thank God, he just retreated.

I still love how Claude got bent out of shape over Ashe, but Lorenz alone has killed 500 citizens of Faerghus this chapter so . . .

Felix is so worried about Rodrigue. I swear the writers wanted you to feel like shit playing this route.

Oh, fuck. Just when I thought I was finished killing people for defending themselves, Daddy Gautier shows up :( He's sacrificing himself to safe Felix and Rodrigue, isn't he?

Oh, fuck. He died for real 😭

It's really hard to like these characters, making mindless chit-chat after killing Sylvain's daddy. I hope Sylvain fucks them up a new one.

I've never wanted to slap a character more than I'd love to slap Claude right now. The moron has the audacity to be surprised people are going to die while he's invading a foreign country. What a fucking stupid moron.

He's also blaming - get this right - chivalry.

I'm like. I'm speechless right now.

That's right guys. Margrave Gautier died defending his king, his country, his home, and most importantly one of his fucking best friends from an asshole invader. But it's CULTURE'S fault he died.

I'm really confused what the hell Claude thinks he's doing. Does he REALLY think killing Rhea will magically allow people to live as they please? Didn't he grow up in another country where they had princes and shit and NO Rhea?? All he's doing is making Edelgard's take over easier.

This is starting to feel like a borderline spoof. Look at us end the war by invading another nation!!! I mean???

What's his plan? Kill everyone in Faerghus - profit - "freedom" from Rhea - Edelgard takes over - no profit???

The writing in this route has gotten really fucking stupid. Like, I LIKE the idea of evil!Claude. Either a Claude who wants to take over all of Fodlan or one who's ruthless and will do anything to preserve Leicester.

But what I don't like is really fucking dumb Claude, which is what GW's devolved into.

Oh, God, now we get a flashback between father and son. Sylvain and Gautier :(

Sylvain better not be fucking recruitable in this route.

Now Sylvain's in charge 😭😭😭😭

I'm convinced someone who's a major Edelgard stan wrote the larger plot of this, but then a Dimitri stan wrote the actual dialogue 😅

We really go from one moment Claude being like - it's Rhea's fault Gautier died bc Kingdom culture bad because church bad to Sylvain being like, naw, he died defending his friends.

At the very least, I'll give Hopes credit here. At least they didn't write anyone opposing Edelgard as either evil or like they're idiots for resisting invasion, but I almost feel like they made the Kingdom especially too sympathetic which makes Edelgard look more interesting (since SB is more honest than CF) and Claude just look like a bozo. Rhea just doesn't look like anything since she's not even here.

Though, I REALLY wish Claude didn't side with us in AG. I really wish we got to see Faerghus backed into a corner and kick everyone's asses. They've very much the underdog and watching them do that would've been awesome.

Felix and Rodrigue are beating themselves up over this.

See, this is what I mean - Sylvain just said he's reserving all his hatred for the foreign invaders who take everything for no reason - I really feel like a Dimitri fan saw how everyone collectively decided to take a dump on the Kingdom in the big plot and got revenge by making everyone look like villains (or morons in Claude's case) for doing so in the writing.

xxx

[starswake--archived]

2, 26, 31, and 38 for the 3h ask meme :D (if u want)

oo thank u so much!! :D ahh okay I’m not sure if you went through all of FE3H based on your answers so I might wind up spoiling for you so feel free to ignore these answers but!! Thank you anyhow for sending me these ; v; i miss this game sm 

FE3H Asks

2. Favourite route?

BLUE LIONS!! It was the first route I had started off with and even if I played the rest of the routes, nothing can really beat it. Like you, I really like character-driven stories. The plot could be absolutely lousy, but if the character goes through a really good character development, I will latch onto it deeply, and watching Dimitri go through everything in that route was just my cup of tea!

I also just really like the dynamics and the individual characters of the Blue Lions more than I do the other routes, and I think they incorporate a lot of the characters well in the route contrast to the other routes so I felt more engaged with them than anything! 

26. Favourite line?

It was a line that Felix had said to Dimitri I think in their A support? 

“If you keep stringing gravestones around your neck, you'll snap.“

I think it’s just the writing of that line that just gets me because wow that’s pretty hardcore of a line BUT it’s such a good one and it just hits hard once you realize what has been going on with Dimitri all this time -- what’s been eating at him all these years. 

31. If there was one thing you could change, what would it be?

I kinda wish that Silver Snow and Verdant Wind weren’t so.... similar,,, I think it might have to do with the fact that I played them back to back so if I had shoved in maybe Azure Moon or Crimson Flower between them I would have been fine, but I was pretty burned out after playing Silver Snow, that Verdant Wind felt like I was just reliving Silver Snow so it just felt :/ for the most part. 

Still really like the final battle in Verdant Wind though,,, unlike Silver Snow. 

38. Most heartbreaking death?

So because I was such a big fan of Blue Lions and in turn Dimitri, watching Dimitri go down the way he did in Crimson Flower has got to be the most heartwrenching death for me. It’s rare for me to be so upset about something in a game that I have to put it down, but I had to do that after Dimitri had died lolol Like I literally could not play more of CF after that cuz I was just sad orz 

I mean I did wind up finishing of course!! ....Just took a week eheh. 

[asphodel-storm]

Not saying I'm gonna write a Magical Girl/Boy AU. But if I did.

Miguel: Yellow, electricity. "Lightning strikes more than twice! Shimmeriiiing...Salvo!"

Sam: Blue, water/ice. "The waters are still, but what lies beneath? RADIANT RIPTIDE!"

Robby: Green, wood. "My roots are strong and my will is set. VERDANT VIOLENCE"

Demetri: Purple, illusion/shadow. "I've still got a trick or two up my sleeves. Umbral Rush!"

Hawk: Black (and whatever colour he wants to pair with it at the moment), wind. "THE ULTIMATE FURY DESCENDS UPON YOU NOW! GALEFOOORCE GLORY!"

Tory: Red, fire. "There's no escape: become ash! ONSLAUGHT INFERNO!

Anthony: White, holy (protect the healer egg!). "Everyone! We can do this - Seraphic Glow!"

Kenny: Gold, earth/metal. "I am the unstoppable force. I am the immovable object. TECTONIC TERROR!"

[kisant]

I have reached the Goddess Tower in my Verdant Wind playthrough and I have some Claude thoughts. I have commented before that I liked that Claude is such an inquisitive character. There is a big duality aspect with him, because Claude really hates when people and institutions hide the truth from him, and yet he hides his own name, past and ambitions from everyone else during White Clouds. The conclusion that I have reached with Claude, in short, is that Claude is someone who starts out with the mentality of a spy in a hostile country, but gets attached to the Golden Deer and to Byleth during his year at Garreg Mach.

Analyzing Claude’s growth in contrast with Edelgard’s and Dimitri’s during white clouds, I’d say that all of them start closed off, and get attached to their new relationships in Garreg Mach, much like Byleth grows as a person through their role as a teacher.  Edelgard starts out hiding her agenda of revolution against the church and her future betrayal of TWSID due to necessity. If she gets caught red handed, she would get executed on the spot, as we saw in the Holy Tomb. She yearns to forge genuine bonds with Byleth and the Black Eagles, but she’s also resigned to have to leave them all except for Hubert behind. Edelgard is grateful and surprised when Byleth and the Eagles choose to take her side in the Holy Tomb rather than blindly following Rhea’s commands.  Dimitri doesn’t hide information out of fear of discovery, he simply takes a while to trust Byleth, and the reason for it was the Ashen Demon. Dimitri initially fears Byleth because Ashen Demon Byleth seemed to kill without guilt or a conscience. When he sees that Byleth is simply a stoic person, but that they feel deeply and care about their loved ones and their students, Dimitri opens up about his past and his objectives.  Claude differs from the two of them because he starts out pretty hostile and mean spirited. For example, he intentionally attempts to use Edelgard and Dimitri as human shields and distractions to cover up his escape from the bandits in the paralogue, and goes for the emotional neck in the mock battle, needling Edelgard about her fear of rats and Dimitri about having a crush on Edelgard. And this is because Claude is, initially, a spy for Almyra.  Claude has his own plans and his own ambitions. He takes the chance of becoming Duke Riegan’s heir and studying at Garreg Mach because doing so would help him further his own ambitions. Basically, it’s a one in a lifetime opportunity to look for key information in the usually isolationist Fodlan. As Claude von Riegan, he can study in the monastery, meet the heirs of all the important noble houses, investigate how the weapons of Fodlan work (crests and relics) and try to uncover the secrets and history of the Church. All of this information would put him in an advantageous position once he took up his role as one of the princes of Almyra once again. 

So Claude begins the WC year as a spy in a hostile territory. He’s mean spirited, he’s closed off, he deflects all attempts to have a sincere conversation with him. And, gradually, he gets attached. He lets Byleth in as a friend, and gets excited about showing them the interesting information that he is able to dig out of the church library. His conversations and interactions with his classmates get progressively kinder, he stops trolling as much and starts to empathize more. And it all culminates in making the promise to meet again as a class in five years. 

For Edelgard, this moment represents the faint hope that Byleth and the Eagles will have chosen to side with her in the war that she intends to start. For Dimitri, it’s the hope that the relationships that he has made as a student will endure the test of time and distance, because what Dimitri wants is to be understood, and for his precious people not to leave him. And for Claude, this moment is also incredibly important as a character, because it means that Byleth and the Golden Deer have grown on him, that he has grown to value them as people rather than as convenient tools for his ambitions or information sources on the secrets of Fodlan. 

In five years, and without taking into account Edelgard’s war (something Claude didn’t think would happen), Claude wouldn’t have been Archduke Riegan or the Leader of the Alliance. He would have been Prince Khalid of Almyra. And he was hoping that the Golden Deer and Byleth would still welcome him back even as the prince of an “enemy” nation, that he would be able to come back to Garreg Mach as himself. That’s the “great ambitions that grew throughout the year” that Claude refers to when he talks with F!Byleth at the Goddess Tower. 

Edelgard and Claude similar in this way, because both fo them long for the people who they have grown close to in Garreg Mach to still accept them once they drop the masks and reveal their true identities. 

[roguelioness]

wip word search

@cleverblackcat wanted me to search for the following words in my wip: dance, gentle, green and desire - I’m including relevant snippets from Uprooted:

dance

A rap on the door, a most welcome signal. She steps out into a verdant clearing covered by an azure sky, every tree loaded with flowers of all colors. Ribbons hang from the branches and dance their joy with the wind. She ignores the pretty scene for the man standing a short distance away, his garnet tunic matching hers, his eyes and face so, so bright with affection it pulls tears to her eyes. “Tamlen,” she says when she reaches his side, “Ar lath ma.”

gentle

She chuckles, a fond noise, shifts to situate herself fully into his arms. Beneath the swaying branches and rustling leaves she dances with him, a gentle swaying, her arms linked around his neck, his hands broad and steady on the small of her back. He smiles, sunshine-bright, touches his forehead to hers.

green

Tamlen stills, ears twitching towards the source of the sound, and spins, eyes widening at something she can’t see. She blinks, and the next instant he’s charging towards her, grabbing her waist, and flinging them both out of a cloud of noxious green gas, the vapors drifting towards them.

desire

“This is Ghilan’nain,” she murmurs, the tips of her fingers tracing the script.

“Yes!” He’s bouncing on the soles of his feet. “Those shems don’t know how precious this is, but we do. Think of it, Ilya! We might find something worth announcing at the next Arlathvhen!”

His eagerness wears away her objections, his desire for exploration igniting her own sense of adventure.

“Very well,” she sighs. “I suppose there’s no harm in seeking it out.”

Tagging @noire-pandora, @darethshirl, @thevikingwoman, @coldshrugs, @rosella-writes, @rakshadow, @perlen-gold, @redinkofshame, @ejunkiet and @serenpedac to search for laugh, sleep, kiss and soft :D

[blackkatmagic]

In labyrinths of reflections?! So excited!

I would love to see a drabble of Harley and Ivy reunion after Marc helps Ivy out of prison. ^^

There's ice cream melting over her fingers, a buzz of green in her veins, and a darkened shack in the middle of the park that’s filled with the sound of hitched breaths.

Ivy tightens her grip on the Arkham-standard prison clothes, takes a breath. The trees around her bend inwards, shivering, and she has to close her eyes against the surge of hope and relief and vicious glee that’s beating like a tattoo in her chest.

The Joker is dead. The Joker is dead. He’s dead and gone and an old god ate his heart, so it’s safe to say that he’s never coming back.

Just for that, she would walk barefoot over broken glass and take a swim in weed killer, the moment Moon Knight asked her to.

Harley is crying, and Ivy should likely feel worse, should mourn the pain if not the man. But she doesn’t, she can't. Harley is free of him, Gotham is free of him, and it’s a fierce, bloody, vicious joy in Ivy’s chest, the knowledge that he died and suffered. Not just for what he did to Harley, but—

That doesn’t matter. He’s dead, because Moon Knight killed him. Moon Knight is like her, like them, mentally ill but forged into a weapon, functionality and purpose and intent, and he killed the Joker. Harley is free because of Moon Knight.

A muffled, trembling sound, and Ivy pushes forward, through the darkened doorway hung with wilted vines and into the moon-striped interior.

There's no movement, no sign she’s been seen. Harley is curled in the corner where Ivy’s bed is half-collapsed and covered in the wild tangle of her citrus trees run rampant, face tucked into her drawn-up knees, her hair down. She’s in loose clothes, Ivy’s baggiest sleeping clothes huge on her small frame, and she’s not audibly crying, but she might as well be.

Silently, Ivy sets both cartons of half-melted ice cream down on the floor, then crosses the small shack and pulls herself up onto the listing mattress. Without pause, she leans in, wraps her arms around Harley as tightly as she can and just—breathes. Lets her hair hide them from the world, just for a moment.

“Hey, sweetheart,” she whispers, and Harley’s breath catches on a sob. She grabs, hauls Ivy in and wraps her arms around her, and Ivy kisses her forehead, her cheek, the corner of her eye as Harley buries her face in her shoulder.

“Red,” she gets out, and the word cracks. “Red, Mr. J is dead. Someone killed him. I'm—I'm so relieved but I'm so sad, an’ I can't stop crying.”

Ivy never attacked the Joker, never confronted him. It would have made Harley angry, would have upset her, and Ivy could never risk losing her. Could never risk pushing her back to the Joker permanently, shutting down her one avenue of escape. She’d wanted to a thousand times, had thought about arranging accidents, or slipping him some poison, but—Harley is clever, and Ivy isn't a good enough actor to fool her. Harley would have realized what she’d done, and maybe the Joker would have been dead, but Ivy would have lost the one person she gives a damn about in the whole world. The trade-off was never worth it.

“I'm not sorry,” she whispers, not about to hide the truth. Harley already knows how she feels, anyway. “I'm glad. Him being dead makes me happy.”

Harley chokes on a sob, fingers bruising against Ivy’s skin, but she doesn’t pull away. Ivy doesn’t try to move, either, just leans in with a sigh, stroking Harley’s limp hair. “Moon Knight broke me out of Arkham,” she says quietly, and Harley stills, frozen, conflicted. There's a long pause, and then a watery breath, and Harley lifts her head.

“’S good,” she says, wiping at her eyes with the heel of one hand. “I know—I know how much you hate bein’ away from the sun, Red. I was gonna try to break you out, but the Bats were keepin’ an eye on me, an’ then Mr. J—”

“I know,” Ivy says, and shifts sideways, pulling Harley down onto the sagging mattress with her. The broken frame creaks dangerously, but Harley snuggles closer, tucks Ivy’s head under her chin and hangs on the with desperation of someone drowning. Gently, Ivy strokes her back, closing her eyes and thinking of a flare of white in the darkness, glowing eyes under the dark shadows of a hood.

When she’d first seen Moon Knight in the hallway, she’d expected a henchman come to break out their master, or maybe a new mercenary hired for a hit. Had only thought about charming him, tempting him in and then using him to escape. And maybe some part of her, impossible to turn off, is still thinking about the benefits of knowing him and the advantages he can provide, but—

He’s like them. He was in an institute at thirteen, and Ivy remembers all too well the long hours sitting in a psychologist’s office when she was a child, head bowed as she listed to the man and her mother talk. Remembers six months in the hospital, alone, desperate, after Jason Woodrue experimented on her.

The incident drove her insane, the files say. Ivy knows; she’s looked them up, torn through them to see what the Bats whisper about her in the darkness, and she’s seen those words printed starkly in black enough times to be burned into her brain. The incident drove her insane, like everyone in the world is one tragedy away from becoming mentally ill. Like Ivy was just sad and angry and that alone was enough to make her unstable. Like being in Arkham will fix her, or do anything but make her angrier. None of the doctors there give a damn about the patients, about anyone, and the ones who try turn out like Harley.

Moon Knight breaking her out and talking to her like a person, looking at her like she’s real and reasonable and not either a crazed villain or a mindless sex object did more to help steady her than her whole stint in Arkham. A little bit of understanding, a touch of his strange, brusque respect, and Ivy felt like she could breathe.

He’s like them, and he does what he thinks is right, not what the laws tell him to do. He’s like them, a little broken and a little crazy and a little good.

With her eyes closed, Ivy can feel the whole of Gotham breathing, the roots beneath the city and the branches spread through it, the weeds creeping up through the cracks in the sidewalk and hundreds of thousands of stately old trees, young and verdant trees, ivy and roses and flowers carefully trimmed and confined. She can feel each step that crushes the grass, the careless cruelty of a tree cut down, the gasping breaths of plants trying to breathe through the pollution. And, if she focuses, she can find a heavy pair of boots, moving more lightly than most across the park. The brush of a white cloak, the way he feels like moonlight on the grass, how the trees bend towards his presence. Like he’s carrying fresh air with him, as clean and cool as a wind across the desert, completely untouched by the smog and rot of Gotham around him.

Moon Knight, she thinks, and smiles, thin and wicked against Harley’s skin. Tightens her arms around Harley, then shoves, rolling them over and straddling Harley, knees locked against her ribs. Harley gasps, but she reaches for Ivy, tangles her fingers in Ivy’s hair and pulls, and Ivy kisses her, kisses her, kisses her, and never wants to let her up for air.

Moon Knight gave her this. Gave them this, even if Harley will never see it as the gift it is. He killed the Joker, set her and Harley both free, and Ivy’s laugh vibrates low in her throat as she cups Harley’s face between her hands.

Like them, she thinks. Moon Knight is one of theirs, one of hers. Ivy’s never been good at limits; everything she’s ever let go of has claw marks in it, and she’s willful, wicked, doesn’t have or want a code of honor of any sort. But—

“I think,” she whispers against Harley’s lips, still smiling, “that I just found my very own knight in shining armor.”

Harley laughs, too, even if hers is a little watery. “Don’cha mean your own Knight Light?” she jokes, and Ivy snorts and kisses her again.

She’ll keep one eye on Moon Knight, whenever he appears. Batman doesn’t like their kind, and he’ll like that Moon Knight broke her out of Arkham even less. Ivy doesn’t accept anyone easily, doesn’t take to strangers, but watching Moon Knight in the park, she felt…different. Wanted something other than to walk away and leave him behind. He’s an ally and an unknown and a god on earth, and Ivy knows a little bit more about that than she should.

He’ll need them eventually. That favor Ivy owes him will be called in. And—it’s not an entirely selfless thing. A steppingstone, maybe, to draw him closer, to pull him in.

Moon Knight doesn’t realize it yet, but if he tries to leave them—leave her—behind, he’s going to have claw marks in him, too.

[On AO3]

[omgkalyppso]

The Unforgotten King

A Dimimari drabble that fits into Fae's post canon.

The icy winds pouring down from the frigid Fraldarian mountains were starting to upset the horses with how cold they were. Many roads this far north were impassable for carriages; even the main roads, which in many cases were the only option, were made to constrict the approach of enemies and allies alike, venturing to and from the historically chaotic northern border, and the capital to the south.

They had come first by boat and then followed the trade routes carved out by the fishing villages on the eastern coast.

Marianne held her scarf against the chill, wincing and shaking her head about Dimitri, with his scarf pulled down around his smile as he spoke about his homeland. He'd long ago let his hat fall back around his shoulders, secured by a cord about his neck, and his bound hair was a tangle as a result of the gales. He was going home, and it was as clear in his person as it was in his temperament. His nose and cheeks were pink and frozen, and his beard was gelid with frost, but the Faerghan climate suited him. Marianne even suspected that the temperature might have been harsh on another man's injuries, but Dimitri was only livelier by the mile.

Some might have said he was as a boy gone to the fair, but she knew him too well now, and could see the flit of his eye as he watched the forests. He was fighting his hauntings and his memories of war, and trusting her and their guard with his insecurities. A vast improvement when compared to the dreary state of his heart and mind during the year or two past.

Marianne had worried that despite Dimitri's growth, that returning to Faerghus was going to upset him and his friends, when he and they found him without the crown, without the armour and attire one expected of a king, and with the continued trauma of never having achieved his vengeance. She was overjoyed that it was nothing so simple.

.

"Do you see how the trees have turned from green to blue here?" Dimitri asked, gesturing to the evergreens, brightening as Marianne nodded. "They say the Goddess took pity on the verdant evergreens of Fodlan after her first ice storm, and blessed all the trees north of Conand River with a piece of her home on the Blue Sea Star, that they might from then on weather the storms."

Marianne held her scarf from her face as she replied, "They're quite beautiful. I hear they house wildlife too? I would have expected we'd only find migratory birds out in these temperatures."

"It would be wonderful to hear an owl at night," Dimitri mused. "You are right, though. There are a variety of creatures in the underbrush."

"As stubborn as any Faerghan," Marianne joked. "Although I suspect, in regards to your tale of a blessing, that similar accounts are told of the seas themselves, rather than only of Faerghan forests. Anything blue."

Dimitri had blushed and laughed awkwardly at Marianne's initial declaration, knowing that it was true that sailors in Faerghus were revered and worried perhaps even that he had misremembered his own short yarn, but then he'd smiled and contributed softly, "It is a color dear to my heart."

"Because of your house banner?" Marianne asked as if to confirm, offering Dimitri no space to argue. "Perhaps a square or kerchief could be sewn in one of your pillows? Or some other secret space? I am sorry that you're only clad as one of my guards."

Dimitri shook his head. "An honor. I am glad to ride beside you, Mari— my lady, and ... maybe with the right materials, I could try to award myself with the gift you suggest. It would be a small and challenging project for a man of my extremely limited skill."

.

Upon their arrival at the manor in Fraldarius, they were escorted to the entrance hall, where Dimitri embarrassed Rodrigue with a bow and an embrace.

"Dimitri," Rodrigue said softly, as a reprimand and a prayer, testing the name, free of title and ornamentation. "It is good to see you again. If Felix had not seen you himself, I would have assumed a ruse or extortion." He pulled away, a hand still on his once and fallen king's shoulder. "To bury you, would be as burying another son—"

"Rodrigue—" Dimitri said, meaning to interrupt.

"Humor me," he begged. "Hear me. Not only am I proud to host you, in secret, in public, but should you ever need a home in Faerghus, we will never turn you away." Rodrigue swept a tear from his eyes, "Hm. I think you'll find my lack of decorum is your fault, for hugging me first—"

"My sincerest—"

Rodrigue chuckled. "Don't apologize. Just know that I intended to be more reserved, for the sake of Lady Marianne, if not for that of my son."

"Where is Felix?" asked Dimitri, as a door to the entrance hall opened at the top of a far stair, and Felix, Annette, Sylvain and Ingrid rushed out of it.

Although Felix had been to visit him in Margrave Edmund's territory three times, Dimitri could not suppress his joy at his friend's reveal, and after Rodrigue's admission, he could either hope that Felix too thought of him more fondly, or else worry that he needed to apologize to the younger Fraldarius for what he'd inspired in his father. "Felix!"

Dimitri spared a glance for Marianne, who waved him off delicately so that he could rush to his friends at the base of the stair. She shared a far more respectable greeting with Duke Fraldarius.

.

"Wait—!" Felix started to object, but too late or with too little conviction to keep Dimitri from fitting his arms around him and Ingrid and squeezing them to his chest.

Ingrid laughed happily, and Felix scoffed when Sylvain was greeted with only a joined hand and a clap on the shoulder, though Annette then jumped into Dimitri's arms.

"I half worried it was an exaggeration," Dimitri said softly. "That you all could make it."

"Mercedes and Dedue's boat is expected tomorrow," Sylvain said to assure him.

"Ashe won't be here for a week," Annette lamented as her feet hit the floor, "but I hear that will be long enough to see you?"

"I won't leave before," Dimitri promised. "It would break my heart if his journey from Gaspard was fruitless."

"Did you know that he needed to wait for Linhardt to take up residence in Gaspard?" asked Ingrid. "To deter the Adrestians from overreaching — even now."

"As well as general rebellion," Felix supplied. "Things aren't exactly settled that far west."

"You're helping him?" Dimitri confirmed, and a part of his heart stirred to be able to have this conversation with Felix in person, rather than over a period of days by letter.

"Fhirdiad's helping him," Felix said and then frowned when the others around Dimitri looked at him more directly, and corrected himself. "Yes, I'm helping him."

Fhirdiad had been Felix's home and his charge these past few years. He had taken up the title of Archduke and wielded his role with purpose. He always intended to return to Fraldarius, imagining that there would be an opportunity to suggest another lord be honoured with the capital region, but some days he worried he had sealed his fate. His father, and Sylvain, were less subtle in their matching inquiries about his return, but it seemed all others were slowly becoming accustomed to him sitting in that place of kings in the more temperate south.

"I appreciate it," Dimitri said carefully.

"There'll be plenty of time to worry about the shadow of dissent tomorrow," Sylvain said, looking to change the subject. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh," Dimitri said in surprise, looking down at himself, dressed as a Leicester soldier in wool and armour.

"Are you warm enough?" asked Annette, turning over a side of his cloak to assess its thickness.

Dimitri chuckled. "I'm plenty warm, I—"

"How many layers is that?" Ingrid inquired critically.

"Do the rest of Marianne's escorts have hats like this?" asked Sylvain, propping Dimitri's upon his golden hair.

"Four. No, most have wool lined leather caps."

"Four? Like this? That's not enough," Ingrid worried.

"We'll warm him with drink and games," Sylvain suggested. "Maybe dancing if Annette feels like singing?"

Annette squeaked in protest, but Felix spoke first.

"You're being ridiculous. Dimitri's had a long ride—"

Dimitri's lips tightened to hear Felix call him by name, and he spoke gently, worried he might break this simple spell of friendship when he spoke in favour of Sylvain's suggestions, "I think it would be nice to drink with everyone, but I might like to bathe first. I fear as soon as I loosen my collar my sweat will thaw from where it's frozen upon me."

Three exaggerated tongues of disgust extended in sympathy.

"Do you want to stay inside?" asked Felix. "Wood fires can heat baths in the lower levels."

"Oh, no, lets show Marianne the hot springs," Annette said, as if pleading with Dimitri, though he would have agreed without any provocation.

"I would like that," he agreed, looking at Felix for permission.

With an expression of vague annoyance, Felix nodded, and then he and Dimitri each glanced to where Marianne continued her conversation with Rodrigue.

.

There was a social element to the hot springs that Marianne feared, but Sylvain made a joke that set her at ease, and challenged her to try the new experience.

Dimitri half expected Felix to return home after dutifully guiding their group to their destination, and thanked him for his continued company and conversation, such as it was, while they sat together in the steaming water. Sylvain was kind and assertive, inspecting Dimitri's right side as he stretched his arm and took advantage of the heat, to massage strong fingers into his shoulder.

Elsewhere, Ingrid and Annette had Marianne giggling as the trio raced from the spring to the snow and back again each time they grew over-red from being boiled together.

Later, they drank and reminisced, and Ingrid pulled Dimitri aside, to reaffirm that she would have been his knight and protector ... and that she still would, if he wanted to pursue his place in Fhirdiad. She saw no reason to defer to the law in Garreg Mach when Faerghus could still have its own king, and if not that, then at least he could be recognized, as the rest of them were, within Fodlan's nobility.

The shock that overtook Dimitri frightened her, when she had only meant to offer him his ancestral home, and the respect many had died to get him.

Sylvain and Felix were in listening distance, and Ingrid had known that; the four of them looked to Marianne, weaving Annette's hair in a five strand braid, while they spoke of seals and bears and other creatures that plagued the harbours.

Felix hissed about how Ingrid would throw them from one war into another, reminding her that Dimitri was hidden away precisely to avoid what she was suggesting: that there would be people willing to die for their rightful king to reclaim his place in Fhirdiad.

Everything would change if Dimitri returned, and they'd lose the trust of the Adrestians, especially Ferdinand, when they had already been caught in another lie.

"You can't come back," Felix said to finish his argument. Aggressive, nervous, cruel.

"Dimitri should be given a choice now that he's recovered," Ingrid said, firm.

"He's recovering," Sylvain insisted.

With a great expression of self control, Dimitri maintained his volume as he declared for his friends' forgotten benefit, "I am right here." He waited for the shame to silence them before he went on. "And things are not ... how I envisioned them — how I wanted them? My mind and upbringing feel ... wasteful, at times; and yet I have been consulted," he sighed, "on strategy and trade, customs and etiquette — by Felix and Marianne both. My input is heard in Faerghus and Leicester, and if I willed it, I am sure that Garreg Mach is within my reach ... even Almyra."

Sylvain raised his tankard in salute as he walked away then, seeing that a fight wasn't about to break out, and that Dimitri had their conversation well in hand. He complimented Annette's hair, and strove to further distract the ladies from the dark turn of that other corner of the room.

"If Faerghus was threatened, I would find my way back here, lance in hand. But I trust the peace that's been building. And the crown, as it was, only invited duplicity and massacres. Faerghus will thrive without me." With one arm he embraced Ingrid, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And Sylvain is right, I have been recovering. I would not risk all of Faerghus' progress, all of your work," his eyes drifted to Felix for a moment, "because I could not accept the truth of what a minister said. I still struggle. I am more comfortable with smaller challenges ... and I would appreciate your reassurance of our friendship as I am."

"Of course, Mitya," Ingrid insisted.

"Thank you."

"I miss you," Ingrid clarified. "I miss... The lives I thought I'd have by now."

"Change is painful," Felix agreed, sharp and forgiving.

"Yours is a life worth celebrating," Dimitri promised. He drank at the same time as his old friends, and then fumbled after, worried about sounding too much like his healers, but still he added, "Take time to recognize success."

Their quiet conversation was interrupted by Marianne and Annette hollering with laughter, and Dimitri could not even imagine Marianne's disappointment in him if in returning to Fhirdiad he brought a new conflict to her doorstep. He could not imagine his own heartbreak if their peoples ever returned to bloodshed. Sadly, he had imagined his horror with the possibility of witnessing another day like the tragedy, his blue love desecrated, their hypothetical children screaming, and him again, a lone survivor.

He would not speak of this in casual conversation with his friends, though perhaps in private with Marianne at some later time.

He was grateful for his anonymity.

.

It was late in the night when they made for bed, and Marianne was as drunk as he, and Dimitri worried between her state and their locale that he shouldn't have followed behind the door of her rooms. They had lain together a handful of times, but not for weeks now, yet she pressed him against the door like it was a casual thing, delicate fingers curving over his hips.

They leaned close as if they might kiss, and then she turned her face away from him with a sigh.

"I hope I haven't made a fool of myself. Did you have a good night, Mitya?"

"Beloved," Dimitri beckoned, curving a large hand around the side of her face, his scarred fingers had been mended and shattered an embarrassing number of times in the early use of his Crest. He guided her to look at him, his shining blue eye, deep as the ocean in the dark of the room.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said, his tone deep and sincere. "The snow, the culture, my friends... I missed them more than I realized. I've had a very good night."

His last sentence was near whispered upon her lips, his thick lower lip tickling against her mouth.

Eyes closed, Marianne hummed her approval, bumping her nose against Dimitri's; narrow and then bulbous, a pretty princely feature that somehow he still maintained despite the violence in his life.

He bent to kiss Marianne, his hands finding her upper arms, her shoulders, her neck, and her twin braids, a gift from Annette that extended nearly to Marianne's waist.

"I should let you sleep," Dimitri whispered, though he felt how Marianne's hands wandered, pressing his shirt against the muscles on his chest and stomach.

Marianne looked from her bed to Dimitri. "Let me sit," she requested, "and I'll untie your hair. Stay with me a while longer." She swayed a little and Dimitri worried he would have to catch her. "Your friends are kind," Marianne confided, "but it felt a little strange as the night wore on, and maybe it's just me, and maybe it's just the building, but I know I can rely on you. Say you'll stay."

"A while longer," Dimitri agreed, drifting a thumb through her bangs as his hand rested on the side of her tightly bound hair again.

He sat between her knees while she pulled the ribbon from his fine hair, carefully carding through it with her fingers around the strap of his eye patch, and then allowing her hands to find the muscles of his neck, thick from stress and training.

One dainty foot made it's way over one of Dimitri's monstrous shoulders, and he brought the opposite one over his other side, leaning back into Marianne's space so her skirt ballooned out around him. They shared a soft laugh.

"Did you have any trouble today?" Marianne asked, gentle in her approach of his occasional visions.

"I thought of Glenn," Dimitri confided, "but I am uncertain if I saw him or imagined him today. There are many memories of him here. And ... at the gates, I ... I saw some violence that was not there, but I could not hear it. I'll write it down tomorrow."

"Tell me about Glenn? There must be a happy memory tucked into what came to mind."

"He would have made you feel welcome," Dimitri insisted with a smile. "He was very personable, and I was always glad to be in his company — though I was always closer with Felix, and so thought, like Felix, that I was in contest with him. Unless my Crest activated, I was always left embarrassed, and regardless of whether my Crest activated, I always lost. Felix was often disappointed in both of us."

.

Dimitri spoke of friends like family until well after Marianne curled up on her side. He stayed on the floor, and spoke with less frequency, though the memories didn't fade. He could picture Glenn on the opposite side of the room, a macabre spectre of the self from his memories, but it wasn't a hallucination this time, just a horrible imagining, the loss of a friend.

Dimitri kissed Marianne's forehead, and she mumbled that she was still awake, despite sounding as if she were miles away. Still, Dimitri smiled and kissed her lips, just in case, and then left for his own chamber.

[butwhatifidothis]

And that one anon about it not being a villain route. I see it as just A route. I can't consider it the evil route just as I can't consider Blue lions to be the "objectively good route" or Verdant Wind to be "the neutralish route!" (or whatever it was supposed to be. The dev's and Writers really botched the whole "Claude is a liar and schemer but he's not EVIL" Thing.)

It's about as much of a villain route as the Fates Conquest route, the difference being CF tries to justify your actions slightly less.

Outside of the initial choice of being against Edelgard's execution, the only villainous choices you have are whether or not you spare certain characters which are irrelevant to the ending. Otherwise, its mostly just "Edelgard is actually sort of justified! Look, Rhea's gone insane and has set an entire city on fire! Dedue's has Dimitri's troops become Demonic beasts! Besides, TWSITD are way worse, cause they just nuked a place!"

Honestly, it just feels like they intended dor Rhea to be the good guy up until they realized "Hey I like edelgard! Let's give her a route! Wait, we don't want a VILLAIN route! Let's amp up Rhea's negative traits to an eleven and have all the characters except a few be willing to join you!"

But like... the devs consider AM to be the objectively good route. Dimitri is called the righteous king and his route is called the righteous route, while Edelgard's is called the Military Rule route where “even if people you know stand in your way, you mow ‘em down” (go to page 8 in the first link for that). AM is called the path of Oudou, and CF the path of Hadou (see here and here for why that’s very very important). And AM shows this to be true by having literally everyone have a good ending except for the villains. It's the only route where another lord - Claude - is given a happy ending and noticeable character development off of their route. It's the only ending where Rhea always lives. It's the only route that has you take on every big-wig of TWS (even if on accident). AM like... is the objectively good route.

It's about as much of a villain route as the Fates Conquest route, the difference being CF tries to justify your actions slightly less.

Um... not really? Because in Conquest Corrin and the Nohr Sibs are literally forced to follow Garon against their will, and it ends with Garon being killed and with a truly good man taking the throne when Xander ascends to become king. His ending has his rule be just, if unpopular, and he ends Conquest finally coming to terms that his father is not the man he used to be, a character struggle that has tormented him for years. Compare that to willingly working with Edelgard as she conquers Fodlan and with her ending card and narration actively contradicting facts found in the game. It's... not really comparable, honestly.

(If those with more knowledge of Fates wants to chip in here feel free to do so, to correct me or to just chip in, since it's been a while since I've last played Fates)

That initial choice of joining Edelgard is the choice that makes the player into the villain though. It's the player turning their eyes away from the villainous actions of Edelgard and wanting to help her fulfill her villainous goals regardless of the immense pain and suffering they've cause so many people. It's Byleth being willing to work with their father's murderers because they don't care about that as much as they want to help Edelgard. And that's because at that point, the player doesn't want to admit that Edelgard is the villain. You're deliberately ignoring what the game has revealed to you to continue living the lie that Edelgard isn't the villain. You continue believing the red herring of Rhea being the big bad villain. You continue believing a woman who has shown herself to be a massive liar when she says that X is a bad guy, Y must be killed, Z horrific action must be taken.

Rhea's "villain traits" aren't "amped up," she is lashing out due to her trauma being constantly trampled on by you as the player and Edelgard. Rhea is shown as the "villain" because Edelgard is telling you that and you at the player are believing her wrong, lying words. Of course Rhea is going to degrade as a character when the player and Edelgard forces her to relive the horrific slaughter of her people by those who wield her mother's mutilated corpse. The Rhea we see at the end of CF is a result of the player and Edelgard beating and beating on her trauma again and again and again until she literally breaks. All while Edelgard insists that it's Rhea being an inhuman creature that is the reason she's acting like this, shifting the blame off of your and her shoulders and placing it solely on your victim's.

Look, I guess we just really don't agree on this lol, so think it's best to agree to disagree. Thanks for sharing your thoughts tho!

[somepinkthing]

You know, now that I'm over halfway through azure moon, I'm realizing that claude isn't the only lord who uses byleth in some way, he's just the only one willing to acknowledge it. Controversial statement but all the lords need byleth and all the lords "use" byleth's support to see themselves through the events of the game. There are differences in how, but that byleth is an integral piece to all of them is pretty universal

Now, this is not a critique of any of them. I like seeing how the different dynamics play out. Edelgard's regard for byleth reads like a high fantasy romance. To her, we serve as a symbol of the righteousness of her goal as well as a much needed human connection. For dimitri, we are the helping hand that reaches for him in his darkest moments and guides him when he's lost. We issue orders when he can't, we reign him in when he's gone too far. For both of them, byleth's presence and unilateral support is needed to keep them grounded. They "use" byleth to provide the unconditional care they lack in their lives. To claude however? We're a partner, someone who can take care of the parts he can't. Claude is a young lord barely holding a bunch of squabbling nobles back from all out war. What he needs is for people to listen.... or perhaps someone people will listen to. Like a tactician needs a commander, claude's willing to lay his abilities at our feet if we'll help him secure victory. The genuine affection we had with claude was something chosen—a contrast to the other paths where that emotional connection with byleth was central to what kind of person the main character becomes. And I love that. I love how byleth has such different relationships with each lord and I'm not saying it's wrong for them to need byleth in different ways. What I am saying is that the idea that claude and only claude uses byleth to accomplish his goals simply isn't true. We are so incredibly integral to edelgard and dimitri's paths that they literally die when we don't help them. What part of that implies that they don't lean heavily on byleth? Is serving as someone's sole emotional tether and support system unimportant? And as far as the endings go, byleth does become fodlan's leader in VW but they also end up the archbishop in AM and the emperor's right hand man in CF. There is no ending where we leave to freely frolick about and, if you s-support a lord, you're not characterized as someone willing to leave work half done like that anyways.

To add yet another layer of nuance to this, claude is the only one that doesn't assume byleth's support comes for free. He approaches you as a leader who is offering you an army in return for your help. You provide the morale, he'll provide the logistics. You help him and the alliance, he'll get you rhea and the answers you seek. In the other routes, your role is pretty much purely to support the lord you picked. However, in verdant wind, byleth is given a role and an objective that's aligned but seperate from claude's. Of course peace is a shared objective, but byleth expresses a desire to get answers for their own sake as well. They agree with claude's goals but it's not their sole focus. And, narratively, that makes a lot of sense. I mean, think about what the golden deer represent. Think of what claude wants to accomplish. The deer call themselves a gang of misfits with mismatched goals who all came together despite their differences—the person byleth becomes in VW is meant to fit that. And while there's definitely something to be said about claude's inability to trust any help he didn't pay for, this reciprocity is touching in its own way. Sometimes it's nice to have someone who reaches for you and expects you to reach back in equal measure. It implies a different kind of respect.

[a-pale-azure-moon]

Midnight Plays Azure Gleam: Chapter 9

Time for a climatic clash at Arianrhod! A long, extremely chaotic battle ensues, and then some more stuff happens...

Dimitri essentially wants to win the war here by severing the Empire's supply chain and then overwhelming their forces. A pincer attack, essentially, with Arianrhod at the front and our army at the rear. The narrative is certainly setting this battle up as a turning point.

We get a cut to Claude, where he's being shady and clearly waiting to see whether the Kingdom or Empire will prevail. It's been over two years since I played Verdant Wind, but was Claude always this blatant of an opportunist? Also, his line about "keeping the winner at bay" makes no sense in regards to the Kingdom, unless he honestly thinks Faerghus is going to invade the Alliance once the Empire's beaten, which, uh....why on earth would he think that?

Camp (Southern Geraint Territory)

Dimitri asks Shez to keep the truth about his stepmother concealed, as it would be viewed by many as a scandal. Shez responds that even nobles can have it rough, and Dimitri says he hopes someday to see a world where everyone can be free to lead their lives.

Meanwhile, there's an NPC who expresses suspicions about the Duscur soldiers. Sadly not unexpected, nor unrealistic. People are just like that sometimes.

Sylvain brings up Gwendal, who is currently missing. Gee, I wonder if he might show up at Arianrhod?

Another NPC mentions that Margrave Gautier's first wife came from the Empire. (It's revealed in Sylvain's supports with Shez that he and Miklan are actually half brothers.) She was pregnant with her second child when she was killed by raiders from Sreng. =(

Annette mentions her cousin Simon, who is the heir to House Dominic, and apparently doesn't get along with his father the Baron. (Man, it is SO frustrating that this NPC we'll likely never meet gets a name, but the writers couldn't even tell us the names of any of the Faerghus moms.)

An NPC scholar talks about a boy (i.e. Yuri) Count Rowe claimed to have a adopted, and how the Count was "enamored" with him. Vaguely creepy.

Another NPC says the Empire is too aggressive, but that the Kingdom has been avoiding the problem. What problem, exactly? What the hell is this line even for?

Seteth confirms that Catherine and Shamir have met up at Arianrhod.

Felix is arguing with Rodrigue about Patricia/Anselma. Rodrigue really has the patience of a saint, because Felix has zero chill and never gives his dad even the tiniest bit of slack.

Paralogue: The Saints' Forge

Holy crap, it's Rhea! I was starting to think the game forgot she even exists! She's talking with Seteth and Flayn about a holy artifact that belonged to the first emperor of Adrestia. Seteth says the place where it's kept is full of bandits, and the Knights of Seiros are too busy to supply spare personnel, and he can't do it alone.

Flayn wants to go bust heads and Seteth is immediately all overprotective "brother" and says no. Rhea says she's coming on this mission too (?!?!) and Seteth starts fretting over her too! (Lettuce family is best family. Also, poor Seteth trying to deal with this pair.)

Enter Shez and Cyril. Rhea's surprised to see Shez, but Cyril apparently asked them to come along. "King Dimitri has spoken quite highly of you," Rhea says to Shez. <3

(Where is my support chain with Dimitri and Rhea you cowards? Or Dimitri with Seteth for that matter? Or Rhea with literally anyone in this game? We were robbed, I tell you! What a wasted opportunity.)

Ahem. Anyway, the place we're going has some connection to Saint Indech. Seteth and Shez are going ahead to scout the enemy.

...And the mission objective is to rescue Seteth. Clearly that scouting mission went well! Rhea and Cyril are joining the battle as green units. Nice of the game to handwave Seteth getting captured and Shez somehow not being able to stop it. [Eyeroll]

I admittedly have not trained Flayn very much, but Shez is more than able to handle everything here on their own, and Rhea eschews the typical FE green unit in that she's able to look after herself. Rescuing Seteth is a simple matter as well, and I've trained him slightly more, so he won't need any babying either.

We "search for information" (read: beat up thieves) about the artifact, and then three green arrows appear in the northeast corner of the map. Rhea immediately heads towards them to "search." She says Indech once had a workshop in this place.

The boss comes out as soon as the shield is found, and he goes down easy. Pretty short and simple mission. I got an A Rank because I was under the kill count...again. Shez got the MVP nod.

Rhea looks so happy we were able to recover the artifact. It's the Ochain Shield, which IIRC was found in the Ferdinand/Lysithea paralogue in 3H. Rhea says that it was crafted for Saint Cichol, but that Saint Seiros gifted it to Emperor Wilhelm.

It's kind of bittersweet to listen to Rhea wax about Wilhelm, knowing what his current successor is up to. He clearly was important to her. Shez has apparently never learned anything about the War of Heroes and asks Cyril if he knew any of this stuff.

Cyril: "Don't use my ignorance to feel better about yourself." (Oof, get some aloe for that burn, Shez, lol.)

OMG, Flayn went and called Indech her uncle. She is so adorably bad at hiding this "secretly a thousand year-old dragon" thing, lol.

Seteth says that the current Emperor of Adrestia has forgotten the Empire's origins, and is committing "pure blasphemy" by seeking to eradicate the Church of Seiros. Rhea gives the shield to Shez and says to use it to stop the wayward Emperor Edelgard, just as Wilhelm used it to bring an end to Nemesis. If we accept, Shez says they'll give it to Dimitri. <3

Really nice bits of lore in this one! Plus it's a rare treat to see the lettuce family talking like, well...an actual family. I wish there was more of this stuff.

Interlude

A scene with Edelgard, Count Hevring, Ferdinand, Gwendal and Yuri (at last he shows himself!). Yuri apparently told her about a secret passage in Arianrhod. Gwendal calls him a "sneaky little whelp" lol.

Edelgard says it's a boon to have members of House Rowe aiding the Empire, though says it's a shame the Kingdom was able to reclaim the territory. Ferdinand accepts blame for the failure, and laments that the enemy has free reign of Rowe's lands (it's pretty gross how entitled he sounds about it; I thought you were better than that, Ferdie).

Edelgard says the Empire will take it back, noting that the Kingdom's internal strife has left it "nigh defenseless." (Hm, how convenient for her.) And Hubert's apparently elsewhere, so I guess we won't be seeing him in the next battle.

Count Hevring notes that the Knights of Seiros have been dispatched to Arianrhod, and says they should "settle this matter" before the Kingdom's main army arrives at the fortress. (Ah, are they walking right into our trap?)

After Edelgard and company leave, Yuri calls Count Rowe wretched right to Gwendal's face, mocking Gwendal's loyalty to him. Gwendal says Yuri should've refused the payment if he found this mission so distasteful (a good point). Yuri says this "settles his account" with Rowe, since it was the the Count who paid for Yuri's tuition to the Officer's Academy years ago.

Battle

It's Catherine and Shamir! And Miklan's here too. Catherine compliments his leadership, and remarks her surprise that he really is from House Gautier. She says she'd wanted to spar with him when she was younger.

Interesting: Miklan says he's the one who cut ties with House Gautier. Or maybe he's just saying that to save face? Either way, he says he has a "purpose" now, to show that even a "Crestless loser" like him can accomplish what he wants. (Which...I mean that sounds nice and all, but was the lack of a Crest truly what held him back in life, or was it his own petty avarice towards Sylvain?)

Sure is rich to hear him call Dimitri a "weak-willed king with a Crest who's been spoon-fed his whole life." (The Tragedy of Duscur was really just a disappointing party where Lambert got punched in the face, Glenn got drunk, and Dimitri never got a piece of cake. /s )

Ah, and now Miklan says that Dimitri told him that the only thing holding him back in life was his past mistakes. That's more like it. And Miklan says a part of him is starting to like his new position, lol.

And now Empire soldiers have infiltrated the fortress, presumably through the secret passage.

Cut to the Lions, and Dedue breaks the news that fighting's already going on inside of Arianrhod. Dimitri gives a short rallying cry and we're off to battle.

...Dear lord this map is enormous. The S-Rank kill count is 2000! TWO THOUSAND!

One of the strategies is to persuade Yuri! Shamir apparently has to be "persuaded" too, even though she's a green unit on the map. Catherine and Miklan are likewise green units, but only Catherine has to stay alive to fulfill the mission parameters.

Remixed "Apex of the World" for the background music!

First order of business is opening the fortress, since the main gates are still locked. Shamir is directly on the other side, and she's already getting swarmed by baddies. As soon as she's saved, she leaves the field, but a note pops up that she's been recruited.

Gwendal arrives on the map, far to the north behind currently locked doors. Miklan stands in his way and challenges him. Sylvain says it's probably better if he doesn't go to his brother's aid, lol.

The spikes are really annoying (just as they are in 3H). They don't do a ton of damage, but they slow down your movement unless you're flying.

Margrave Gautier shows up as a green unit after opening the ramparts. I like how he's a recurring helper, even if he's not actually playable.

There's way too many switches to flip here.

...And Gwendal killed Miklan. This definitely screams "scripted," so I'm not going to wonder if we were supposed/able to save him. The Margrave (calmly) says that even if he disowned Miklan, he'll still avenge him. Sylvain sounds both sad and impressed with Miklan's efforts in defending Arianrhod.

Bigger problem is that Gwendal is now moving in on Catherine, and four freaking ballistae activated too.

Ha! So, I made a mad dash towards Catherine with Felix, since he was both the closest and has the Rapier equipped, and he proceeded to proc Lethality against Gwendal! I know that's what it was because an achievement popped up in the corner.

With Gwendal defeated, Catherine is now playable! Woohoo!

There, finally disabled all the ballistae and the stupid traps. And right on cue, here come some more reinforcements, Yuri being among them. Time to execute some "persuasion."

...And Count Hevring and Linhardt just showed up. Linhardt asks what he's even doing here, which is something I'd like to know as well. I was expecting Ferdinand.

Ashe recognizes Yuri and asks him to join us. Yuri says he'd prefer to not get butchered, lol.

Linhardt and Count Hevring both retreat once defeated. I guess that's a good thing?

And finally, here's Edelgard. And Ferdinand as well, with a whole lot of reinforcements. The music even changes to a remix of "Indomitable Will."

I send Felix to go take out Ferdie, and he just retreats as well (Felix sounds disappointed about it). No prizes for guessing who has the honor of facing off against Edelgard. Sadly, she doesn't really have any special words for Dimitri, nor he for her. They just agree it's time to finish things. She's sturdy as hell compared to the other bosses, but she goes down all the same. Cutscene time!

I love how Dimitri just yeets her giant shield aside with his lance. Edelgard admits defeat but immediately tries to run, and Dimitri growls that she won't be escaping. He charges towards her, and there's a bit of cool slo-mo before Thales sends a magic blast between them and teleports in.

...OK, what? Why would Edelgard ever think Thales and Dimitri would be allies? And then she just casually drops that Thales is the one who killed Lambert. (Why the hell didn't you just tell him that in 3H? Stupid.)

Edelgard attacks Thales and gets whacked, and Dimitri protects her, saying no one lays a hand on her until he gets answers about the Tragedy. He launches himself at Thales (badass shot), but Thales warps behind them both and sends out this Creststone-like thingie that engulfs Edelgard, and there's an explosion of dark magic.

Shez's voice calls out to Dimitri.

Cut to the main streets of Arianrhod and there's suddenly fireballs raining from the sky and...oh dear.

Now we see Shez helping a clearly injured Dimitri limp through the wreckage (but what the heck happened to Hegemon Edelgard?) Dimitri insists he's OK because the man could lose all of his limbs and still claim it's only a flesh wound.

Shez says they're not going to let him die here, and that they're by his side, always.

I ended up with an A-Rank for the battle, because I "only" got 1896 kills. I'm surprised I came in under the time limit because holy crap was there a lot going on in this one! They did a good job making it feel like a desperate, messy battle. Dimitri got the MVP yet again.

The Lions are gathered, and an NPC reports that the Empire is retreating and the monster has conveniently vanished. (Why? Because plot, I'm assuming.)

Dimitri orders to have Arianrhod secured and the NPC runs off. Shez says something doesn't sit right with them about Thales, saying he's like Tomas, and wondering how they're connected to Shez's powers.

Dimitri says his thinking is unchanged; he trusts Shez and will continue to do so. He says they both need answers, since Edelgard accused Thales of killing Lambert. (Note that Dimitri does not take her at her word; he correctly notes it'd be foolish to trust the word of an enemy without verifying it.) He surmises that if she's telling the truth, then another faction was working behind the western lords and the Empire, and it would make Cornelia's actions more explicable.

Felix, Ingrid and Annette express their desire to know the truth as well.

Dimitri grunts in pain and Dedue, expressing concern, slips and addresses him by name. <3 Dimitri says once Arianrhod is secured, they'll have to return to the capital.

Then we cut to Duke Aegir and Thales. (The game insultingly puts "???" above their textboxes while not fully concealing their models. Do better, writers.) Thales says the Empire is Duke Aegir's to command.

Edelgard's standing right there with them, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. I'm guessing she's supposed to look scared, but the effect doesn't quite work IMO; she looks more like a muppet. Thales says a "grave injury" has left her unable to speak. Isn't that convenient? I'm not liking where the plot's going here in the least.

Thales goads the Duke into "saving" the Empire in its time of need, and the Duke gloats that he will take up arms and solve this crisis, and that he will crush the Kingdom and the Alliance. He will be the savior of Adrestia. Thales says they will lift him up from the darkness, until the day the Duke "inevitably" falls back down. (Such a great guy. Clearly on the level and a trustworthy ally. /s )

And that's the end of part one, apparently. I was unaware there was a second timeskip in the game, but surprise! I liked the battle this chapter, but I'm clenching my teeth and bracing myself about the story. I'm not getting good vibes about it at all, but we'll see what happens.