#or because he is a human Rhea trusted with her blood but who ditched her out to live the best mercenary life out there?

[randomnameless]

Looking at some stuff for a plotbunny of mine, I incidently noticed this 

and in the jp version

With the expected differences in delivery and tones but bar that -

Rhea here is acting as if she knew what Jerry wrote in his diary, and is surprised her bro found out !

(Did she read it already, or knows what it’s about?)

I’ve already supposed during WC, in general (and after her Seiros the Warrior stunt), Rhea ultimately thinks the world needs Sothis, because she cannot guide it to prosperity like the Goddess most likely would.

Still, because Rhea hasn’t completely given up on Fodlan yet, unlike Lehran, she still cares and offers her help to everyone around.

Rhea felt “safe” enough, at one point, to abandon her hair dye and use her real hair colour (maybe her real name too?), even if that used to spell certain doom a thousand years ago.

And then, she read Jerry’s diary.

And learnt why Jerry ran away, because bby!Billy isn’t “natural” and how it made him afraid. Especially afraid of her, someone who saved his life, someone he knew and worked with and apparently had a good relationship with for at least 300 years.

Of course the game follows this course, the second Billy becomes green Rhea is more and more insistent on making them sit to bring Sothis, because red herring and all -

But what if Jerry’s reveal also participated in her general feeling of hopelessness and resignation, at how only Sothis can save the world now?

People might be seeking Nabatean parts for power (breaking in to steal Seiros’s bones and actually the SoC?), people knowing they can find “power” in Nabatean blood, people knowing her niece has “special blood”, gross experiments using Nabatean parts (demonic beasts, even if they are using artificial crest stones), old enemies resurfacing in her own home (Solon) and now, that.

It’s not the final nail in the coffin (i suppose kind of similarly to Dimitri, Rhea’s final moment of despair is the Holy Tomb, aka humans really seeking Nabateans parts for power + a Hresvelg!) but she grows more and more desperate, the probability of another Red Canyon happening grows higher with each passing month -

The world is going to fall, someone she thought she could call an ally died, and lo, that someone had never been her ally (at least not for the last 21 years) - she needs Sothis more than ever now and oopsies, her brother finally catches on her plans -

Imo she’s less pissed (lol) than surprised, but ignores him because from the moment Billy started to show signs of Sothis awakening, Rhea became an ostrich, putting all of hopes for a good resolution of the situation on what Billy represents - people know Flayn is a Nabatean and are hunting her for her blood? Seteth’s first reaction is of course to gtfo away, and hide again, because he knows what will happen if she stays, Rhea most likely knows it too - but it’s alright, because Billy is here.

Billy, who might or not be Sothis at this point (for her) is here so there’s no need to panic !

And yet, the world really start to spiral in a narrative she knows too well, a narrative she cannot stop (but doesn’t try to stop either?) and so she fuels all of hopes on Billy and the chapter 11 revelation.

With the added twist that unlike last time - when Nabateans were alone against Nemesis’n’pals - now she has allies, so maybe Zanado won’t happen and they have more “time” than what they thought...

But no, imo Jerry’s diary really hurts Rhea because it’s not like his death deprives her of an ally, but it’s more like Jerry’s diary reveals he has never been an ally to start with -

(add CS to give her another blow with Aelfric, her child, who tries to kill her)

I know Rhea already knew Jerry found her “frightening”, but I don’t think it’s because he knew she was a Nabatean, more like she knew he thought she was stupidly strong, and sometimes has to act stern’n’scary befitting her role

Jerry finding bby!Billy not “natural” and running away from Rhea could only mean, imo, to her, that Jerry found out his baby wasn’t human and ran away from her, who isn’t human either. Unlike Willy and the Adrestians of back then, the second Jerry finds out she’s not “natural” like his baby, he bails out on her.

In other words, a person she thought highly of and respected/loved/called an ally/friend would have left her in a heartbeat (lol) if he ever knew the truth about her.

Ultimately, Jerry’s diary to Rhea, in the course of the game, cements the “we cannot trust humans because they will turn on us the second they know who they are” feeling she had 1k years ago - then dropped - then believed in again - then re-dropped.

Humans are out for their parts, Nabateans cannot trust humans -> only Billy as Sothis can save them now. 

That could explain why she hyperfocuses on Billy - beyond a mere wish to see her mother again - Billy/Sothis is the only person able to thwart a cycle that starts to replay itself and ended, last time, with the Red Canyon.

As for Seteth’s reaction...

He came to trust Billy, but wonders what they are, and asks Rhea what she did to Billy, unaware - at that point, that Billy is supposed to be Sothis.

When he finds out (after Supreme Leader’s stunt) he has his anwers, as expected, Rhea really tried to rez Sothis he is annoyed, but what is done is done but moreover...

Now understands what has been going on in her head, and how desperate she is (something she later confirms) and what she wished for, Sothis to bring order back to the “wayward land”.

Seteth accepts to help Billy - and it is revealed, given how deferent he is to them in SS and follows their choices, that he actually shares Rhea’s wish, maybe not to see Sothis return, but Billy, her avatar, to guide the land. Imo, given some of his own lines, Seteth too believes in a better world guided by Sothis, but unlike Rhea, even if he despairs at the current state of Fodlan with wars and what not, he isn’t yet at that point where he gave up on humans and Nabateans and a world where Sothis isn’t here - the second she appears (or her avatar) he undestands and follows her lead, but if she’s not here? He’ll try to manage and do his best for Fodlan...

Something Rhea did, but then stopped believing (or not? 12 vessels in 1100 years isn’t the sign of her being completely desperate, despite what we’re told) and believes again.

It’s kind of fitting with the Nin dev interview from 2020, Sothis is the Progenitor God to Nabateans, and they believe she can make the world go back on the right rails again.

However, Seteth still thinks/hopes/believes that even without her, Fodlan can go round, something Rhea doesn’t anymore, at least during that specific moment the game is set in, and before Billy receives their “revelation”.

[semi-imaginary-place]

fe3h blogging 1

spoilers

Sorry blue lions. It was between eagles and deer for me. 

ch3: Well OK. The church is now using me as their personal political assassin are they?  

Fe3h fav characters so far: Tomas: knowledge grandpa! And one of the few I trust  Gatekeeper: my pure boy. On the topic of trust. You know who I don't trust? Claude. He always angling for something. Always digging for secrets never revealing his own

I didn't think I'd like Raphael so much but I do. He's so good natured. He always wants to help and even when the other kids are mean to him. His only response is more kindness. Like oh youre kinda grumpy right now how about a snack. Like a human shaped golden retriever. Full of love and very food motivated. As much as he's a complete musclehead, his emotional/social intelligence is pretty high. He just wants to make friends. Let Raphhael have friends!  

Guess who chose golden deerI was considering black eagle. But everyone did black eagle. I can go on youtube later. I haven't gotten it but on youtube is lorenz and sylvain's c and b supports and they are hilarious

I found japanese audio of fe3h and it just really hit me that Sylvain belongs in an otome game. I mean his character design (hair color, hair style etc.) and the way he acts is already... eh. But then his japanese voice actor... and its giving me this mental dissonance. Especially aince I've seen the character artist doing utapri, samflam, and other stuff.

weeho spoiled myself on supports: Everyday I grow less and less convinced of Sylvain's heterosexuality. Does he even like women?? He's just emotionally manipulating them as a self destructive coping mechanism because he has self worth issues.  So he presents himself as the superficial stuff like social status and then gets insecure and accuses them of only dating him for status. He's setting himself up for failure. And each tine reinforces his belief that he is nothing but his crest and family. Look at this disaster boy 

knowledge grandpa no! I trusted you and I trust so few people. I wonder if it was real Tomas who first joined but an impostor who rejoined a year ago

List of potential immortals: Jeralt, Rhea, Flayn. There are multiple mentions of Jeralt not seeming to age, he looked the same over 30 years ago. Rhea looks suspiciously like Saint Seiros and was archbishop 20 years ago. Flayn act both young and old and won’t give me her age. That said now that its revealed in the paraloge that Seteth is her dad, maybe not secretly an immortal so much as magical bloodline. Also Seiros, Rhea, Sothis, and Flayn are all related somehow. The green hair doesn’t help. And Byleth is somehow involved. I thought byleth might be part of the immortal gang but mom’s grave stone said she died at age 20 so byleth was born at the church like 20-21 years ago

support thoughts: Are all of huberts c supports just him insulting people?? each and every day I fall more in love with Dorothea. her support with Ferdinand where she straight up says she hates him, the voice acting on that! Lorenz and Ferdinand was hilarious. This is why you get bullied. Lorenz and Sylvain was also funny. Not a big fan of Bernadetta. 

Ok so update on the green haired tinfoil hatting: Flayn related to the saint cetholynn????? somehow and definitely real old.

end of part 1

Thinking back the crests and church(seiros/saints) are what turn people into demonic beasts. there are beasts with crest stones in their heads, in Remire villiage they tried to turn people using Flayn’s blood, and later succeeded. Flame emperor is using the church’s abilities against it. Also Rhea’s been seeking to replicate... something Seiros maybe?? (or more someone.. someone who was precious to her) by ripping the hearts out of babies and putting in a special one??? Rhea seem desperate, but I’m not sure what (or whom) she is desperate for. turning Byleth into Seiros??? There is a ... tension is her, like she is on the edge of snapping. And what was she trying to achieve there in the tomb before she was interrupted. For being “holy” relics, they sure are ominous looking. and they turn people into monsters. The whole church is sketch honestly. The propaganda and censorship campaigns. The crushing of any that are a threat under the language of sin and justice.

So Edelgard went full supervillian. Wow. And Rhea was the immaculate one huh (still don’t know what that means), here I was theory crafting that she was a reincarnated Seiros or something. Edelgard is like a worse Alm, she wants to rid humanity of dragons ruling over them and install a meritocracy. Her methods though are !!!!! yikes. I mean any reign that starts with “kill all that resist” can’t lead to anything good. Also out of 10 siblings only 1 didn’t die of illness or go mad. hmmmn where have I heard that before.

That said I do agree with her goal. I love it when I can take down a religious institution in a videogame.

At Garreg Mach her whole plan in to brute force it. Like if we just keep throwing enough lives at it we are bound to win. Admittedly I know nothing of military strategy, but that doesn’t sound like the best plan.

Interesting the differences between routes. In Edelgard’s church allied with feargus, while in Claude’s the Church lost significant power and Edelgard successfully incited a coup, but why did the Empire give up Garreg Mach as a strategic position? 

My baby deer are all grown up. And yup another mark in the Flayn is some immortal being, her sprite didn’t change at all. Totally in favor of stealing everyone from the other houses.

Who wore it better Part 1 or 2

Edelgard: 2. I mean p1 Edelgard was already best dressed but p2 takes it to a new level

Dimitri: 2. I mean p1′s hair is so goofy looking I just have to choose the edgelord

Claude: both. Claude looks fine so matter the time

Hubert: 2. He really did grow into the goth look

Petra: 1. Both are good but I love the huge braid

Lindhart: 1. p2 isn’t bad but I like the two layers look

Dorothea: 2. but both are good

Caspar: 2. Something about p1 always bothered me

Ferdinand: 2. His character model looks better than his sprite, and his hair is so luscious and flowing!

Bernadetta: 2. its just a mess is p1, v cute in p2

Dudue: 2. what is even going on in p1. where as p2 is like... elegant

Sylvain: 1. as much as I teased about him belonging in an otome game, his p2 haircut is just ugly

Ingrid: 1. mmmm its fluffy?

Felix: 1. What is his p2 hair even doing??? it makes me confused

Mercedes: 1. Fluffy.

Annette: 2. never was a fan of the hair loopies

Ashe: both. p1 is cute but p2 is beautiful. both are sooo good

Hilda: 2. p1 pigtails kinda boring

Raphael: 1. though p2 its a shaggy dog

Leonie: 1. another fluffy head, p2′s low pony tail does not give a flattering shape

Ignatz: 2. a bowl cut is an improvment from whatever p1 is

Lysithea: 2. not sue about the veil but it is more intersting than p1

Marianne: 1. I always did prefer thick bangs

Lorenz: 2. its definitely p2. in p1 he looks like such a clown

Cyril: 2. Honestly he kept the baby face so there’s not much difference.

Claude sees that under Rhea the church enforced a doctrine that locked in the status quo of nobles and crests and he wants to chage the church’s influence to promote tolerance, diversity, and open mindedness. but, hey. Hey. What if we got rid of the church all together.

Why can’t I recruit the old general... hey. Hey!

Aww Claude introduced me to his second mom and dad

So the more people you can recruit the less painful things are. I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to kill Dimitri.

In terms of characters, Ferdinand has surprisingly grown on me. As for Caspar I shocks me occasionally how uncaring he is about killing people. He reminds me of a smt chaos hero with the whole might equals right thing. As long as he decides they are evil its ok to kill them. Now all he needs to do is get possessed by a demon. Eating away at him from the inside out. Ashe as always continues to be an absolute angel. I need somewhere to gush about how cool Claude looks in him final class promotion. So I rather like the group of childhood friends dimitri, felix, sylvain, ingrid. And it always trips me uo to remember that sylvain is like 2 years older than the rest because he really doesn't act like it. I'm getting that they are all traumatized from the death of felix's brother. A lot of the characters have had pretty bad childhoods.I was surprised to find out that Lysithea was tortured as a child like ok wow. I need to spend more time with you. Does Dimitri have PTSD? Golden Deer has had quite a few goofy hijinks. Marianne's character growth really has been a a thing of beauty, I’m so proud of her. But I love my oddball bunch of misfits. How did Dedue not get found out??? He’s very noticeable. and Claude, you’re starting to sound like Edelgard. I love Edelgard’s final promotion. Looks so cool. Like a mix or her Lord and Flame Emperor clothes. I wince every time some mentions the free market or the joys of capitalism. I guess adrestia is imperialism, faergus is religion, and leister is capitalism. I didn’t care about Dimriti’s death, but Edelgard’s got me.

damn ok so dubstep cyberpunk dungeon and Rhea took like 15 missile strikes. wow this really is very smt. maybe persona 2. And fighting zombie Nemesis and the 10 was excellent (Nemesis is still a stupid name). I love it when we fight literal embodiments of the past

its hilarious that in Shamir and Claude's paired ending,  he ends up ditching 3 whole times. He turns the opportunity to lead the unified fodland down, then he ditches house reigen, and then he abdicated the throne! I love it! That's so him. And they both wanted to travel the world.  Technically Claude is also a descendant of Loog so he also gave up claim to the Faerghus throne too. I swear. This dude. This dude...  Next its going to be revealed that secretly Claudr is Edelgard's cousin. Or one of her "dead" sibling. Lysithea tell us that blood experiment to force crests leads to physical and mental damage. Does this have anything to do with what happened to Edelgard’s siblings? As far as I can tell every ending has Fodland under a single party state. Crimson flower, azure moon, and verdant wind all end in monarchies, and silver snow a theocracy.

Hold up. Flayn said that Cethaleann never had any children as rational as to why she's not a descendant. But how did Lindhart get the crest then?? And I might be mixing up the 10 and the saints, but then I thought  the crests were designed as tools of war by those who slither in the dark. Thats how the 10 got them, to use as weapons against Sothis. But that then brings the question of why Rhea edited history in favor of them.  This is why the holy relics looked so ominous and creepy. The animations are eeeeeeeeuuuuuugggh. My initial though was that the church is secretly evil and this is foreshadowing. I mean rhea's kinda... viscous? Ruthless? Filled with barely contained hatred? I was thinking maybe she's secretly the evil dragon of the game the way Mila kinda was. 

But then you dont need consent to make a crest. Only blood. Blood could have been stolen from cihol and cethaleann to make their crests. Alternately they could have chosen to give crests to specific people.  The 2 sources of crests is also why there’s multiple weapons for some crests. The crest weapons made by the agartans all have a similar aesthetic, but not all the crest weapons have that aesthetic some look different and probably weren’t made by them. As for why Rhea rewrote the 10 into heroes. It might have been to stop people from questioning the crests and relics and seeking to replicate them. By framing it as sothis's doing, with the power of the church she can control crests, how people view them, and keep a closer eye on the descendants. Its its a gift by the goddess, of course we cant try to replicate them.

Let’s see what Claude achieved before he dipped. anti-discrimination laws (race, religion), and increased foreign relations. Potentially equal treatment under the law.

Edelgard really likes brute forcing solutions

The whole opera thing with Dorothea and Manuela stinks of the idol industry where an idol peaks at like 18. Real opera singers have much longer careers.

Golden Deer is so JRPG in the best way. There’s an evil cult of technologically advanced subterranean people, a zombie army, the power of friendship.

It already caught my attention when  missiles appeared and the evil cult's dungeon belonged is a scifi movie like ghost in the shell and I was thinking to myself "hmmm... this all sounds very smt of you" or maybe Persona 2. I mean with names like Shambala and the whole general aesthetic of that dungeon ... yeah. But then someone points out the UN’s symbol is all over the Agarthan stuff. And wow we really are in an smt timeline aren't we. and I remember seeing the missiles thinking hmmm that looks vaguely familiar. Its the UN symbol. Which means in alternate future Earth Sothis comes, we wage a war against the gods and and then Rhea destroys modern civilization along with the planet. that really does sound like the plot of an SMT game. I did wonder at the inclusion of electronica and dubstep into the soundtrack.

THC (Thinking Hard about Claude). Claude let's everyone know he's up to something, and his self portrayal as a schemer is both deliberate and truthful. He's using it part as social armor and part as an excuse to probe. Claude holds genuine cuiosity, wonder, and passion for the world. He is not always scheming so much as he is one of those people who's brain never turn off. He just wants to explore the world, meet different cultures, and discover all the secrets. Given the environment he grew up in, his natural inclinations angled him to thinking in terms of how to best leverage someone or how to sneak around.

Alright so here’s the lore as I know it. Sothis=Goddess came from another world to Fodlan. Through her blood made the goddess’ children (Nabateans) who are the original magical beasts and can talk, and they resided at Zanado. Rhea=Seiros=The Immaculate One, and the 4 Saints (Cihol=Seteth, Cethaleann=Flayn, Indech=The Indomitable, Macuil=The Wind Caller) are Nabateans. Sothis gave knowledge/interacted with the native humans of Fodlan (Agarthans). Eventually the Agarthans waged war against Sothis killing her and many Nabateans. The Agarthans used their bones to make weapons, their hearts to make crest stones, and their blood to make crests. The above is why magical beasts and demonic beasts are connected to crest stones. The crest stones as the hearts of Nabateans transform humans into a distorted version of their magical beast forms. The Sword of the Creator was made from materials taken from Sothis’ body. Using these weapons the humans attacked Zanado killing everyone except Seiros and the 4 Saints. The 10 Heroes Relics were similarly made from Nabatean bodies. Seiros, already obsessed with Sothis thought only of vengeance and bringing back Sothis. She raised an army, killed Nemesis, and drove the Agarthans underground to become Those who Slither in the Dark. Seiros then took control of the continent under the guise of The Church of Seiros. Seiros and the 4 Saints gave their blood to favored individuals granting them the power of their personal crest as well as potentially extending their lifespan/granting extended youth. This is why the 10 Heroes Relics have a visual aesthetic distinct from that of the weapons of the 4 Saints. The 10 Heroes Relics were made by the Agarthans but the other crest weapons like the other Gloucester crest weapon the Axe of Ukonvasara and the Saint’s weapons were not mad by them. The Church the acted as a tool for Seiros/Rhea to control the continent and its course. She then rewrote that part of history. The goddess was just sleeping, crests were a blessings of the goddess, etc. 

I am unsure as to why she did so, but I believe it served the 2 purposes. First it allowed Rhea to control the narrative and how people thought about the matter. Second it erases the existence of a rebellion against the Goddess. From the Church, Rhea could control the flow of information, censoring anything that threatened her power. Using the language of religion she could also justify using military force to eliminate her political opponents. 

[galivantingg]

Behind Those Eyes

Chapter 14 - End

Adjusting after that fiasco was tough. I went back to the orphanage, Cole helping me find the way. After whatever that was with Kev, I collapsed. I woke up however later it was, blind, but not alone. I love my powers. Both of them. Kev lost his mind reading powers, but he still had his family powers. Nobody else died. And, we captured all the villains.

Huzzah!

The mood was muted. I was quick to make jokes about my blindness, making everyone less awkward around me. I missed it. Seeing the sky, watching leaves dance in the wind, admiring my friend's smiles. I can still picture them.

I was shaken out of my thoughts by approaching feet. "Wait, don't tell me," I said, and smile forming on my mouth. "I want to guess." I listened hard, hearing soft breathing and light footsteps. "Phoenix?" I guessed.

Silence.

I'll take that as a no.

I groaned. "Alright I give up."

I felt light wind brush across the top of my patchy head, ruffling the bunches of hair that could grow. I need a wig.

"Martha," I said steadily.

"Cam," she said. "You're talking to me now."

I shrugged, not really knowing what to say. She took that as an invitation to continue. "I needed to tell you something." I motioned for her to continue. "When I woke up, last year, I was in that same room you were. The Director, he was there. He explained everything to me, and I was angry, so angry at first. I was a captive, I had no choice. Then Peculiar, she got inside my head. I don't think she really wanted me to go insane, because I could still function on my own."

She sighed, and I heard something that sounded like her sitting down. "All I really remember from that time is flashes. I didn't have any solid memories. So I'm sorry, that I didn't reach out before."

She stopped talking then, apparently not knowing what to say. "I forgive you," I said quietly. I imagined she was looking at me questioningly, wondering why.

"You, so full of hate and anger, forgive me, just like that?" She asked.

Way to hit the nail on the head. Ouch.

"I've had enough anger inside of me, I think I'm done being angry." I heard her hair ruffle, and I imagined she was nodding her head. She could have been shaking it, though.

"How very mature of you," she complimented. Or insulted. "There was something else I wanted to tell you," she said. "Waya and I were talking, and we want to retire. Take things slow, I know Houdini and Legion want to take a break too. Honestly, I think that last fight might've pulled a lot out of everyone."

I nodded, agreeing with her. "I think the only ones staying are Aerglo, Mo, Phoenix, Mazus, Mayhem, Nova and Rellik. I think Mo is also thinking of ditching her mask, along with Mayhem."

It was quiet again, and the only think keeping me thinking Martha has left was her steady breathing.

"That'll be good for the public, knowing who's protecting them. They'll do a fine job." She said.

I nodded, not knowing what more to say.

"Tom and I were also talking about something else, something that concerns you. We want you to be the new director."

Well there's a surprise.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you are the best candidate. You know these people, you know the cave, you know the system, plus, you and I both know you won't be able to stay away from the fight too long." She has a point.

"I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," she urged.

"Okay," I said, plunging into the unknown.

. . .

We were sitting in silence, just enjoying each other's company. I felt her hand brush against mine, and I opened my palm so she can lace our fingers together. She rubbed her thumb along the side of my hand, repeating the comforting movement. It set off butterflies in my stomach.

"Aella and Waya want me to be the new director." I broke the silence.

She hummed. "I think you'd be great at it."

I imagined her face, the one from school. Cute cheeks, full lips, dark eyes filled with love. Why did it take me so long to realise that she loved me, and I her.

"I want you by my side," I murmured.

She lifted my hand, pressing a kiss to it. I smiled. "Always,"

"Always and forever."

. . .

Cole stared at her, taking in the sight of her girlfriend. Her girlfriend. That was weird to say, it finally happened. It was all a rush of spilling feelings and then suddenly she was being hugged, arms wrapping tightly across her back, Hestia's face buried in her shoulder. She smiled at the memory. She revelled in the quiet. She knew as soon as this moment was over, Hestia was going to go back to pretending like she wasn't affected by Cole.

"Ew," came a voice. Cole looked over to see Jay in the doorway. "Keep the PDA to a minimum." They both grinned, and Hestia huffed and let go of Cole's hand. Cole tried not to show her disappointment at the loss of contact.

"What do you want," Hestia asked. Cole tuned them out, choosing to stare at the amazing woman in front of her.

Her hair sprung out in dark curly patches, sparse across her head. She had mentioned getting a wig, just for the public, but Cole thought she looked beautiful. She had burns running up and down her arms and legs, and probably more covering her torso. Her eyes, that's what Cole missed the most. Her beautiful blue eyes were covered by a thick white curtain, only the faintest of the once brilliant blue shining through.

Her skin was still just as soft, and her right hand was mostly unscathed. She loved Hestia's hands. Her fingers were long, and the knuckles a little bit big. They were perfectly imperfect.

"Cole?"

"Huh?" Cole was brought out of her thoughts to see Jay looking at her and Hestia looking over her shoulder. Close enough.

"We were wondering what you were going to do." Jay clarified.

"Um, I wasn't listening."

Hestia rolled her eyes. "No duh,"

Jay snickered. "Are you going to be on the team or in charge of the team?"

"I'll go wherever Nessa goes." Yeah, Cole is cheesy. Despite her not having to lie anymore, Hestia still went by Nessa. Cole called her Hestia in private, but Nessa with all the others. The others still called her Cammie, though.

"Well I won't be much use on the team being blind," Hestia quipped. Jay and Cola laughed, and Hestia grinned. "Come on babe," she said to Cole. "It's time to go visit the slime bag.

Interrogation time!

He was locked up in the cave's prison, Hestia didn't trust regular prisons. Besides, we had a power dampener just for him. They walked down the steps slowly, thinking. They came to the door he was behind, and slowly opened it up.

"Hey there, Killer." Hestia said coldly. Cole itched to take her hand, but she understood that now was not the time.

"Chameleon?" He didn't recognise her.

"Ding ding ding! You got it in one. So, I have some questions for you. If you answer them, I leave you alone, and you get regular meals. If you don't, I'll haunt you in your nightmares and you'll starve. Got it?"

He nodded, then said yes when he realised she couldn't see.

"Great. So the first lie you told me was that the experiment that gave me my powers was an accident, and that it wasn't supposed to hurt anyone. You and I know that's not true. I know who you are. You're a racist misogynistic white man, who can't accept that there are other people in this city, this country, who deserve to be treated like equals."

Cole was confused. She did not think this was how it was going to go. Maybe something along the lines of yelling about murder and lies and all that, but definitely not this way.

He chuckled. "You've done your research. Your kind should have assimilated when we got here."

"First of all, racism. Blatant racism. But you don't care about that. You mean to tell me that your plan the whole time, was to only recruit people who fit you ideal version of a person, and also kill people who you didn't consider human?"

He tapped his nose. "Swallow was a mistake, and I never authorised your team to be recruited. I didn't even authorise her." He gestured towards Cole.

"How long have you been planning this?" Hestia but out, trying not to show her anger. Too bad the Director wasn't the one who was blind. He was smirking.

"For as long as Rhea and Zephyr Whitehead have been on the run."

A pregnant pause. "You knew my family." It wasn't a question.

. . .

My blood was boiling, and it took everything in me to not launch myself at him. I'd probably end up smacking my head into the wall or something. He knew my parents.

He knew my parents and he lied to my face.

He's known who I am this whole time. No I understood why he hates me so much. Because he's a racist misogynistic old man who can't get with the times. I'm done here. He can rot for all I care. I turned around, forgetting I was blind, again, but Cole got the idea. She lightly placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me towards the door. When we got outside she led us back to the lounge, and I sat heavily on the couch.

"Want to talk about it?" Came the soft question.

I shook my head, perplexed. "If he knew who I am this whole time, why. Why bother letting me live. Was it just ton cause me so much pain and misery? Why not just kill me?"

I felt a hand in mine. "I think," Cole said slowly, you should focus on who's alive, and who really matters. Have you even been back to the orphanage yet?"

"You're right," I murmured. "Take me there, please?"

I could practically hear her grin.

. . .

Cole was saying we were standing outside of the tall building, but I couldn't see so I'd just have to take her word for it. My hand was on her shoulder, and I was tugged along until we reached the steps. No, I did not trip. I need to get one of those canes too. I heard knocking, and steeled myself for the questions about to come.

"Hello?" I heard Helen say. "How can I help you?"

"Hi," Cole responded. "I know you don't recognise her, but this is Nessa."

Silence.

I missed my vision.

"I don't think so, Nessa is just inside." Helen remarked. Clever, lying, but you see, it really is me.

"Nessa Carter, your oldest orphan at 17, birthday April 23, has been here since she was six, and when you first met her, you gave her a stuffed parasaurolophus that she named Perry, because she couldn't pronounce the name." I smiled. "That stuffed dinosaur is in my room, on the second shelf over my bed."

"Ness?" I almost rolled my eyes. This was like a scene from a movie. Boo, too cheesy.

"Yep, hey Helen. I was captured for three months by the villains and then I was on TV and then I was recovering and now I can't see." I said all in one breath, using sarcasm to cover my emotions.

"Well," I heard. "That's certainly a good enough reason for Mason." I grinned, and I knew everything was going to be alright.

. . .

Months later, I was still getting used to being blind and in charge.

Cole was my saving grace. She really is wonderful, she did so much for me. I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, after a few seconds of trying to find her cheek and holding her head still so I wouldn't miss. I'm great at this whole blind thing. I felt her cheek curve upwards, and smiled too.

"What do we have," I asked her, listening intently. I had noticed my hearing had gotten better since losing my vision, but I still walked into people by accident.

"Uh, a cat," she said. "Stuck in a tree." I snorted.

"Sounds like a job for our esteemed team." I leaned forward and pressed a button, speaking into the comms. "Hey losers, you're up."

[randomnameless]

I love how in AG Rhea gets to trust humans. Dimitri's hair might be a golden dumpsterfire, but he came to her aid when she needed it the most. She even ends up trusting Shez at the end. It's really nice.

Uh...

Gets to trust humans - anew - I should add.

And even in AG, Rhea doesn't trust Dimitri with her secrets, she's just happy (very happy?) to have returned home, but I'm not sure she told him she is a giant lizard and the spear he is using is her older brother.

And yet, while I don't really want to say Rhea trusts the AG crew, she just maintains a positive if not normal relationship (like she has with Catherine and Cyril). Dimitri is an ally, that's for sure, but imo he isn't trusted like Seteth is.

Just like Barney, Rhea seems to have known since the beginning that they had some link with the Agarthans, but she still offered them a place at GM and didn't terminate them on spot (tfw 93% of Ao3's Rhea fics are ooc).

But she didn't tell them what she is, nope. They work together, Rhea seems to trust them "more", but not on the Seteth/Willy tier.

It's still nice to see her have ally who won't try to backstab her for one reason of another (Zahras!Dimitri doesn't exist), but I must confess, Nopes and FE16 in general makes Seiros the Warrior's heroes quote hilarious, when she goes "My instincts are not often wrong..."

Rhea through the course of the game (and even in the background lore) trusted a lot of people, and, let's say, 3 times out of 4 those people betrayed her, or turned against her.

Jerry? 300 years after "trusting him", he ditches her because bby is biracial and that's "weird" and when she says bby is alright he doesn't want to believe her.

Aelfie? Received her blood and a shard of her crest stone (seriously what the fuck), and yet, Rhea BaD because the very same woman who gave you her blood and a piece of her, uh, weird stone, refuses to tell you why this other woman you fancied who sort of looks like her died and why she isn't decaying.

Supreme Leader ? Asks for her help to overthrown her evil Uncle, promising not to turn against her afterwards... only to turn against her afterwards.

At least some of the descendants of the Elites she trusted not to wreck shit protect her when the other descendants want to kill her for the lols, but damn.

"My instincts are not often wrong..." except when they are !

[randomnameless]

seteth negative character growth in cf thoughts?

why must you tempt me so when i'm already struggling to write things about metodey !

I won’t say it’s as flagrant as other characters.

Cichol left after the War of Heroes to look after a comatose Cethleann. It is not said where they rested (Flayn mentions she slept in a casket).

Apparently, some 18 years ago, Rhea called him back. Now, Cichol could have refused and continued to watch over Cethleann like he did for the past 1000 years, but for some reason, he answered her call and came to the Monastery.

Seteth’s main concern is Flayn’s safety. He mentions it once to Billy I think, but Flayn is the most important thing to him, not the Church, not Rhea, not the world, but Flayn and only Flayn.

When things become dire in the monastery, after Flayn’s been recovered from Emile’s clutches, and he thinks they know about her “mysterious blood” he wishes to run away and hide, to protect her. It doesn’t matter that if Emile and pals know what is Flayn, they might know what is Rhea, nope. But Flayn tells him to stop and reconsider, and ultimately Seteth accepts to trust Billy with her safety (lol).

Then, things happen and Flamy does their stuff. Before being fridged, Rhea asks Seteth to support Billy, after revealing who Billy is supposed to be. Depending on your earlier choices (I suppose it has something to do with your support or if you accepted Flayn in your class or not?) Seteth accepts.

He accepts looking after and supporting Billy, if something happens to her (meaning GM is ruined and people know she’s a giant lizard) instead or running away with Flayn to hide until the world becomes dust.

SS Seteth even says “Each of our situations is unique. What we share is companionship and the will to fight as one.”

The BE humans are now his “companions” and the fight as one. That’s not the words of someone who only wants to protect his daughter.

In CF... this does not happen, because Billy betrays.

Billy is definitely not Sothis, nor shares her consciousness or anything like that, because Billy sides with Flamey who ordered Metodey to seize “bones and hearts” of the fallen Nabateans - Billy sides with the “eww dragon” crowd.

Betrayed by humans he reverts to his old persona - Flayn must be saved, no matter what.

“Dear Flayn. I only brought you with me because you were so insistent. Still, no matter what happens, you must not go near the front lines.”

Seteth never says that in the other routes. Are we supposed to understand he recognised her abilities and let her do as she wanted, instead of “allowing” her to be there only if she doesn’t go near the front lines?

“Even if we prevail, I doubt that the church can ever fully return to the way it once was... “

From the guy who reforms the Church in every ending - Seteth knows the Church cannot return to what it was, but strives to rebuild and better the institution.

Then, during the fateful battle :

“I cannot approve of your actions. But I also cannot follow Rhea on her current course”

Which is all kinds of “meh” + “player pandering shit” (you really cannot ‘approve’ seteth? Where did all the fire from the first battle go?) but it is explained later with :

“If Flayn and I survive this battle, we will withdraw from the world and leave you to do as you please.”

Rhea’s current course of action is to fight for survival and throw everything in the fight, even her life (she doesn’t run away or flee Fodlan). Seteth knows if they continue to fight, they’re not going to survive. Unlike her, he isn’t willing to put his, but moreover Flayn’s life, on the line.

Flayn knows it, when she goes “ When this is over, my brother and I will go into hiding. It is the only way.”. Implying even if they won, they would not continue to side by Rhea and instead run/hide.

Rhea knows this, and she expected it :

“ I see. As expected, I am the only one left.”

After all, Seteth always made it clear Flayn was his top priority :

“ I detest that person with all my heart. However, Flayn's life is more important to me than all else.”

Rhea, Flayn and Seteth all know in CF he is going to hide with Flayn after the battle in GM, and not finish the war.

Seteth reverts, not to his old WoH days, but to the days where he and Flayn hid from the world.

Contrast with SS, where Rhea’s surprised to see them at Billy’s side (even if she asked Seteth to support them!) :

“Seteth, Flayn... You are here as well...”

:) bonus Inoue!Rhea lines because she was allowed to emote

Rhea even thanks him for rescuing her! To which Seteth replies :

“Rhea... I am overjoyed that you are unharmed. I could not stand losing another of our kind “.

And then they go in their old people mode, reminiscing about the good’ol days in Enbarr.

I’m not implying Seteth couldn’t gaf about Rhea dying in CF, or other relics to be crafted, but Flayn was more important. In SS, Flayn is still important, but Seteth still wishes to rescue Rhea, because she is his kin, and they are old friends?/sibs? (the game is still a bit muddy on their exact relationship).

Tl; Dr : Seteth in SS (AM/VW presumably) goes from a guy who was only looking after his daughter and wanting to protect her from a guy who wants to protect the world and rescue his sister, while of course protecting his daughter. His endings makes him become a public person (in charge of the church), he “ditches” his old isolated life.

In CF? Seteth goes from a guy who was only looking after his daughter to... a guy who only wishes to protect his daugher, let his sister or the world be damned. He “returns” to an isolated life.