#yes ik the roles are backwards

[joeycubed]

@4-cats-1-keyboard

F---ing bites you or smth

silly nuzi doodle :33

[gascon-en-exil]

I'm genuinely curious about your "Black Eagles most to least favourite" list.

Here you are.

#1: Hubert

Could there be any other? I remember back when there was a promo introducing the house retainers (well, Lorenz for the Deer) and everyone was saying that Hubert looked so obviously evil that there had to be some deeper explanation, that someone who took design cues from a two-dimensional villain like Fates’s Iago couldn’t possibly be Edelgard’s retainer. Then the game came out, and we all realized that Hubert was exactly as advertised and then some: a cold and calculating murderer and war criminal with his fingerprints all over almost every terrible thing that happens over the course of the story, as comfortable with chloroform and a razor as dark magic and down to perform unspeakable experiments on innocent civilians to turn them into war machines and then backstab his co-conspirators because he will suffer no rivals for his title of the Most Evil Man in Fòdlan. And yep, he looks like Dracula and Severus Snape had a one-night stand and their mpreg love child went to an anime convention...but when Ferdinand looks at Hubert he sees Mr. Darcy and the Phantom of the Opera and Edward Cullen/Christian Grey, and soon enough that snake in Hubert’s breeches will be singing quite the aria indeed. You do you, Ferdinand.

Ok, I’ve already rambled at length on Hubert’s bisexuality and the interesting things it reveals about both him and his two primary love interests, but I do also have to admire the sheer audacity both of Hubert as an incel/Nice Guy-flavored romantic false lead for Edelgard who never had a serious chance because of the self-insert fantasy and of the decision to follow that up with a trope-laden queer romance that perfectly counterbalances Hubert’s attraction to Edelgard and puts Ferdinand firmly in the place he was destined to occupy by choosing to side with the Empire. It’s nearly as outrageous as just how casually evil Hubert gets to be, as well as the immense potential for dark humor that lies with that. You have to bend over backwards to say that Hubert isn’t unapologetically, irredeemably evil, and if you try there will be significantly more fans just waiting to tell you that you’re wrong - myself included. He’s the Manfroy to Edelgard’s Arvis but so much than that, and I look forward to the point in the CF postgame where he effectively takes over the Empire in true evil chancellor fashion and unleashes the full extent of his horrors upon Fòdlan. He somehow got even better in the DLC too despite being absent from CS and getting no new supports, because the Abyssians in CF just can’t stop talking about his nefarious antics down there. I just can’t get enough of how good this guy is at being bad, and I love that FE gave us exactly what was advertised here.

#2: Ferdinand

Now here’s a case of the opposite, where what’s on the packaging didn’t prepare me for what was to come. If I remarked on Ferdinand at all during pre-release it was only to think that he might be part of a Christmas knight duo with Sylvain since the game looked like it wouldn’t have one of those. Early on there wasn’t much else to be said about Ferdinand; he was like Claude in that his popularity ran off a meme (except just the one rather than several), and in appearance and personality he was basically Lorenz with less ridiculous hair. But then came his supports, and his post-timeskip look, and suddenly Ferdinand blossomed into the subtext-laden fem with very bizarre taste in men - see above - that he could have only dreamed of being if he’d stuck to such well-trod ground as the Christmas knight archetype. We learn of his love for opera, his complicated relationship with his father, his worship of the hot mess diva Manuela and how he learned swordplay specifically to imitate her roles on the stage, and - yes - how some backhanded compliments and expensive gifts of tea turn him into a blushing Regency heroine. It all casts his unusually rote romances with women in a performative light (as opposed to Lorenz who is similarly performative but seems genuinely interested in the marriage market), to say nothing of his one-sided rivalry with Edelgard that brushes against jealousy over Hubert’s devotion to her more often than against romantic attraction to her, and that toys around with gendered behavior in a manner complementary to Edelgard’s own bucking of the gender status quo.

And while not to the same extent as Felix, I do appreciate that Ferdinand has two distinct arcs depending on the route - and unlike some who feel that one or the other detracts from his character as a whole I personally find that they complement each other well. In SS and if recruited to AM and VW he makes the hard choice to oppose his homeland, spending the timeskip waging a solitary battle against the Empire with his private militia and then joining back up with Byleth’s army at Garreg Mach because he knows Edelgard is in the wrong even as it pains him to depose the Adrestian emperor and leave his own status uncertain...not to mention fight Hubert, which merits a curious boss conversation as well as some extra lines in SS (plus the infamous Huge Hole™ remark that I will never stop referencing because it is hilarious) that, while not elevating Ferdibert anywhere near the level of Dimidue in terms of cross-route canon endorsement, nonetheless are suggestive of something deeper between them that exists even if they find themselves on opposite sides of a war. In CF by contrast Ferdinand gives into his craving for the title and holdings that Edelgard has just stripped from his father and embraces nationalism and his long-held ideal of what the office of the prime minister should to do as a means of justifying the Empire’s conquests. Of course in the process he also succumbs to Hubert’s, er, charms(?) and becomes the charismatic bureaucrat who is presumably saddled with the task of putting a positive spin on the Empire’s dystopian atrocities while Edelgard and Hubert do all the actual work...and Hubert does all the actual actual work, which includes a lot of murder and kidnapping and all manner of other things that he doesn’t share with his pretty lover and about which Ferdinand quickly learns not to ask. Two Jewels of the Empire, indeed.

#3-4: Edelgard and Dorothea

I go back and forth on these so I’m not going to bother putting them in a definitive order, particularly because I like them for very different reasons that are difficult to compare. For Edelgard, it would be most accurate to say that I enjoy her potential much more than her execution; she gets some meaty material to work with as a lord and as the driving antagonist of the whole game outside of CF, and while I still prefer Micaiah for female lords there’s something darkly satisfying about her need for control and domination and her utter refusal to compromise or remain stagnant...except where Byleth is concerned, and Edeleth drags her down so badly that it would be painful if I cared more about that type of strong female character. Had the game axed the self-insert obsession (even if that meant axing her bisexuality along with it) and focused on her experiences during the Insurrection as the source of her worldview and motivations I’d be inclined to like the final product far more, because that’s a hell of a lot more in line with what she actually does and conveniently also maps to the life of a real world ruler with whom I’m relatively familiar and whom history regards in appropriately ambivalent terms.

Dorothea on the other hand is someone I can relate to on a more personal level, mostly as a sex worker. She’s similar to Primrose from Octopath Traveler, both of them prostitutes and playing coy with the implications of the RPG dancer class archetype, although Primrose hits a few more of my buttons for being former nobility and being motivated by revenge. Then again, I fully understand Dorothea’s anxieties about growing old without a man to take care of her, even if she loses me (and Yuri picks up from where she leaves off) when she dips into lesbianism as an alternative option. She’s got her ups and downs for me - I love that she brings up incest kink with Caspar as opposed to this series’s usual outright incest, while I love less her strange Ferdinand supports that are suspended oddly between friendship and romance and...something else undefinable - and I don’t have much to say on her life as an opera diva except that it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that she’s been turning tricks on the side and even got a sugar daddy to pay her way into the academy. Theatre and sex work have always gone hand-in-hand like that.

#5-7: Linhardt, Caspar, and Petra

This is why I couldn’t make up a list like this for the Lions or Deer, because most of their students would be in big clumps like this. I have no strong opinions on any of these characters; they each have their moments, but not enough to elevate them to where I actively like them or drop them down into real dislike. I suppose you could say I’m disappointed by how Caspar and Linhardt are visual allusions to Ike/Soren who do absolutely nothing else with that similarity except eloping in their paired ending...which is preceded by virtually nothing in the way of real chemistry. If I enjoy them for anything in particular it’s Linhardt’s wit and Caspar’s occasional bouts of emotional vulnerability, like his mini-arc in AM where he has to deal with his feelings surrounding Randolph’s death and then later gets an apology from Dimitri for it.

Petra is awkward all around as the game dances around her delicate political situation, and I also happen to agree with the VA who (if I recall) thought the character should have some sort of accent but wasn’t allowed to do one. (If anyone is wondering, based on her last name and Brigid being an island nation I headcanon it as a Celtic-derived culture, but as with my personal reading of Dedue and Duscur I know that doesn’t play well to the fandom at large).  All in all Petra feels like a more self-aware rendition of the exotic swordswoman archetype begun by Ayra in Jugdral, but there’s clearly still some work to be done on that front.

#8: Bernadetta

Ugh. With apologies to @capriciouscorvid for explaining how even unintentional disability representation can be taken as a positive, I just don’t see how Bernadetta’s character could possibly be considered a good thing when she’s so grating in almost all of her supports and most of her story and exploration presence outside of CF. All the screaming and high-pitched pronouncements of impending death get very old very quickly, and the part where she’s meant to be romantically appealing in her neediness and isolation is as lost on me as it would have been had it stemmed instead from a massive rack. Her supposedly sympathetic backstory doesn’t help much either, as it leaves me mostly with the thought that her father is an idiot because his methods obviously did not make her suitable to be a good wife. I also don’t care for how she’s one of several characters used to soften Jeritza (and that the way she does so is I think rather insulting to people with social anxiety, to liken it to a compulsion to commit murder), or even worse that people point to her Hubert support to try and say that he’s not such a bad guy and they’d be total besties just like Ferdinand and Dorothea (another pairing that doesn’t exactly scream BFFs). I mean, really....

[merlinthoughts]

Season 1 Episode 2 - Valiant

- ik for a fact that this one is the episode with the asshhoole. not bc i recognised it from the title but perhaps it was because i recognised it from the title u got me there

- i always go to mr clean too when i want protection, val, ur not alone

- yeah, this is harry potter l ma o

- the next thing u know theres a stone that makes arthur live forever and the snakes start joining into one and growing bigger until a phoenix (im dibbing on kilgie here), pops their corneas out

- DAMN DON'T KILL UR DEALER WHERE U GONNA GET THE NEW SHIT FROM NEXT TIME SMH VALIANT

- okay but who names their son valiant

- he was probably named valerie and didnt like it so he said “woah imma be valiant like courage, thats sick”

- that was probably his superhero persona as a child ngl

- no, shev, no respect for val stop doing this

- merlin in armour, what a fucking bLESiSNG GIVING ME THIS RIGHT ON THE SPOT BBC KNOWS WHATS GOOD

- ok a y but hear me out, merlins a servant. i have not seen any of these servants been asked to train with the royals??? like in the sense where it helps the servant train as well?? and the FIRST thing arthur does with merlin as his servant is train with him. not only is arthur a huge JOCK, he’s not using his manservant properly

- neverfuckingmind “most servants collapse after the first blow”, so it seems to be arthur likes to train with his servants. now that in itself is a question to be asked, but is he the only royal who trains with his servants??? how did this man survive on his own without a personal servant until merlin??? did he have a personal servant??? was it just regular servants?? who are those other servants he trained with??? did arthur just say hey lets go to the field in the morning, put on armour and let’s have a fun time?? UNLESS merlin literally just took someones job away from them kmao

- also my mind went right to the gutter guys, ngl, it sounded like an innuendo. it had me quaking i wish i was one of those servants

- “we all have our duties, even arthur” “it must be so tough for him, all the *hesitates* girl, all the glory”

- so we probably get at least 1 out of every 2 episodes where there’s a scene with merlin dressing arthur in his armour. bring the popcorn, lads.

- MORGANA LOOKING LIKE A FRICKEN SNACK

- the reigning champion is arthur, wonder fucking w h y

- valiant is in fucking mustard, while arthur is fucking ketchup idk why i thought of that but it happened. my literature teacher always told me to look for symbolisms. guess we found one guys.

- merlin after hating on arthur for the past episode is literally just cheering arthur on like a good husband he is

- did ARTHUR JUST SNICKER AT MERLINS “CREEP” LMAO DON'T TRY AND HIDE IT BY HUFFING AT HIM AFTERWARDS YOU FUCKING GOOF

- omg he hid it by telling merlin to do a full novel of chores

- AND MERLIN DOES IT WITH MAGIC A PAIR OF GOOFS

-  “are you using magic again” “no” merlin ffs he just saw you use magic, while the items fell and landed right in front of him while you didn’t move at aLL. they are nOT BLIND

- “very aggressive style” I MEAN SURE UTHER

- valerie be fuckboying morgana lmao with a “i saw you watching” and a, “then i will give everything to win the tournament”

- i wish this show was set in the early 2000s so i can see val in low sweatpants, a backwards cap with gelled spiky hair and cheap neon sunglasses (maybe even some gold teeth just for kicks), while hes trying to rap 50 cents or make a mixtape of brit pop songs. bc yes.

- honestly im loving my 2000 fuckboy au. gonna make an ao3 after this.

- of course merlin would be the one to find out the magic shit in valiants room, it just lures him. AND OF COURSE VALIANT IS THERE

- i'm so fucking glad arthur looks confused as to how merlin did what he asked. when u have this kind of hubby, arthur, its amazing what things he can do.

- i dont know why theres dramatic music as merlin put armour on arthur but im living for it

- “is it my imagination or are you beginning to enjoy yourself?” merlin doesn't know what to say to that bc he’s turning gay and doesn't know if that counts as enjoying oneself when the one you are gay for is the asshole prince

- typically enough, valiant and arthur never fight except for the finale. like with all conveniences in place, youd expect them to have at least fought at some point with as much knights as there to determine the final two but no, just the finale. k.

- this poor fucking purple knighted bloke didn’t need to be fucking demonstrated on, val. like you didn't need to kill him?? that could have blown ur cover

- DID NOBODY SEE THAT??? DID NOBODY SEE THE FUCKING SNAKES???

- oooh merlin found out what happened everyone gonna be fucked. nobody harms arthur is he has something to say about it

- if someone starts off a sentence with “i just saw someones snakes on their shield come alive” nobody would fucking believe you, merls. but given the fact that magic exist… mhh maybe it wouldn’t be too absurd. but ppl apparently are thick as hell

- “why were you in his chambers” well i know how id explain if i was in valiants chambers ;)

- jk i dont fall for this toxic shit

- imagine getting paid as an actor just just lie down there like this poisoned kid. “yeah, id like to audition for ewan’s role???” “why are you lying on the ground?”

- i hate those tropes where it's like “i know how to tell someones bad, here’s proof” and then nobody believes you and tells you you’re lying and should die or whatever but then you kNOW IT'S THE FUCKIN TRUTH BITCH that trope gives me damn anxiety >:((

- yes merlin, fucking slash the shield with your sword. i'm sure that's how it works. im sure it will kill the snakes.

- HOWA RE THE SNAKES ALIVE WITHOUT VAL SAYING “ISHNAHASHAHI”

- i think val would know that you cut off the snake’s head, merls, just saying. ur were the oNLY ONE.

- TELL ARTHUR WHAT??? “I CUT A SNAKE”

- EXACLTY ONG THAT'S WHAT MERLIN FUCKING SAID I WAS RIGHT LMAO

- ARTHUR BELEIVED HIM I'M FUCKING LIVING BUT IK WHAT HAPPENS AND AHH

- uhhh the anxiety is rolling up boys

- ewan is mcfuckingdead

- snake be sliding in like a hoe on a business

- bfehfjdjfskf i hate this part

- arthur's pride, merlin’s pride, fuck me

- i'm not even gonna write this part, it breaks my fragile heart when arthur sees the look of people not believing him, especially his dad, and merlin seeing how arthur doesn't trust him anymore like prepare the eulogies girlies

- okay but if arthur is struck and gaius has the antidote?? arthur aint gonna die technically

- but now val knows merlin knows

- AND MERLIN INTERVENES

- why are royals so bitchy towards servants. like they do their best to help you??? they are loyal to you and are paid there to serve you and are often very kind, generous, passive, understanding people??? yet merlin interrupts uther and he fucking sends him to the pit

- VAL YOU ASS LMAO DON'T HURT MY SON’S PRIDE

- he said allegations like four times, yes uther we know ur vocab is shining with intellect but seriously, there’s other synonyms that could still be acceptable and still sound fancy

- quick search on google bc my mind doesnt roll fast enough: claim, assertion, charge, accusation, declaration, statement, contention, deposition, argument, affirmation. see daddy uther, not hard to look up.

- forget they didnt have internet whoopsies

- :((( arthur doesn't trust merlin anymore

- the husbands FIGHT

- not just a banter petty fight, this is a huge fight

- SACKING MERLIN DON'T FUCKING SACK MERLIN YOU GOOF

- TRUST UR HUBBY

- FUCK

- I'M GONNA CRY AND IT'S ONLY EPISODE TWO

- I'M HAVING EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS CONCERNING MY TWO BOYS

- GUYS IM NOT OKAy

- its been 2 minutes after i wrote that last sentence, and i am now okay

- “a half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole” iconic as hell. so many things could be said about that quote. either for innuendo purposes, love purposes, destiny purposes, how long it took me to say it right, just so many purposes man. it’s just iconic.

- merlin looks absolutely done with kilgaharama’s shit

- “just give me a straight answer” seems like kilgarass here is being too gay for merlin

- gwen already knows merlin’s the heroin of the series, saying everyone knows it's merlin who will save the day. but same tbh

- i dunno if this is like me or not but it says her nickname is gwyn in the subtitles but im typing it as gwen which i thought was how u wrote it, even if her full name is gwynevere but like gwen has a ring to it while gwyn sounds like gwin or smth and i dunno which one is right so ill just leave it alone ahjsjfk

- MORGANA HAS VISIONS WE ALREADY KNOW WHERE THIS GOES SHES MAGIC ISNT SHE HAHAHAHAUHD

- merlin trying one last time to convince his husband not to die, but at least this time arthur knows he’s up for val’s magic and is like “k iloveyou but i have to do this for the country not just bc of pride and thinking val is not magic”

- staring into the fire like he’s hoping it would suck him up into the void, not only is merlin a now confirmed emo, so is fucking arthur it seems. perfect for one another i'm telling you

- eerie music as morgana enters… wha suddenly i can't read

- i thought at first morgana and arthur were gonna end up together cause of the fucking weird tension going on and i was prepared to be disfuckinggusted but no! the show and producers actually put my expectations away and helped me see that it wasn’t going in that direction! thank fucking god! 

- k but arthur looks majestic in his gear im just a huge bi

- “don’t go into my room” he says then gaius peaks in and almost gets mauled by a large chihuahua

- me too val, id step on someone's toes then fuck them up with an undercut. thats the bad bitch way to go. unless it for arthur, then val hahaha you can go fuck yourself

- no one sees mErLin??

- but they now see the snakes smh fakes

- “what are you doing? i didn't summon you” i don't think that will work val cause you didn't say it with a serpent tongue, it has to sound more like “shhashhwhat ahhssare hiisssyou iisshhaadoing?”

- okay but i thought arthur was impaled for a half second until he started to talk then i screamed that he was aight and he would now believe merlin

- uther better give merlin an apology

- arthur just said he wouldnt

- but still uther BETTER APOLOGISE TO FUCKING MERLIN

- “yknow i wish valiant was escorting me” “me too” i thought for a fricken moment arthur wished valiant would have escorted HIM. i'm dying.OMG

- “i wanted to say i made a mistake. it was unfair to sack you.” “don’t worry about it. buy me a drink and we’ll call it even.” DID YOU JUST SAY WHAT I THINK YOU JUST SAID MERLIN YOU SLY DOG OMG

- “i can’t really be seen to be buying drinks for my servant.” so if he wasn’t ur servant?? you’d say yes?? they are so fucking gay i can't anymore

- yeah, i literally fucking can't

[anarchy-of-love]

DAMAGED GOODZ ( beschadigde goederen )

personal library of inspiration // alles in de kk fik

WAAROM IK LIEVER ANALOOG FOTOGRAFEER EN WERK MAAK

Een tijdje terug was ik in het Poortgebouw. Mijn beste vriend woont daar en op donderdag kun je daar voor een paar euro goed eten. Terwijl ik hielp met de drankverkoop, raakte ik aan de praat met een Chileense man, zijn naam ben ik vergeten. Vanwege mijn Peruaanse afkomst sprak ik hem aan, met de uitdaging om het gesprek in het Spaans te voeren. Deels omdat hij matig Engels en vrijwel geen Nederlands sprak, maar vooral omdat ik te weinig mijn best doe om mijn moeders taal op peil te houden (andere vorm?).

Hij was documentairemaker, ik beeldende kunst student, de gesprekken gingen al snel over perspectief en het vastleggen van momenten. We hadden het over Martín Chambi, een van de eerste inheems latijn-amerikaanse fotografen, en zijn bijzondere foto’s. De belangrijkheid van zijn rol binnen een wereld waar het narratief meestal uit een westers oogpunt wordt weergeven. En vanuit deze uitwisseling ontstond er een begrip voor mijn intuïtieve drang om zoveel mogelijk analoog te fotograferen (en te creëren), die mij een beetje sprakeloos achterlieten.

Het vastleggen van momenten is het het vastpakken van iets dat fysiek ongrijpbaar is. Het is het vasthouden van iets wat passeert en het zo uit te rekken en een plek in de toekomst te geven. Het vastgelegde moment, in het speciaal analoog, wordt met alle zorg en aandacht tot in de puntjes uitgerekt door het wachten, ontwikkelen, bewerken, drukken, ophangen, delen, etc.

“Houd je van voetbal?”

“Niet echt..”

“Maar je weet hoe het werkt toch?”

“Ja!”

“Het is net als het moment dat iemand de bal in het doel schopt door hem uit de lucht terug te schoppen. Op dat moment moet je weten wat er achter je speelt - het verleden, wat er gaat gebeuren - toekomst, en precies in die samenkomst, op het juiste moment: de bal schieten - het heden. Het is de exacte samenkomst van deze drie, die zorgen voor een goal. Net als wanneer je een foto maakt, zonder dat evenwicht is de foto niets.”

Het is de creatie van een samenkomst tussen verleden, heden en toekomst ineen en dat vervolgens zo lang mogelijk herbeleven.

“Ik ben jaloers dat jij dat kan, dat vastleggen. Ik wilde het liefst fotograaf worden, maar ik ben daar niet goed in. Daarom ben ik maar gaan filmen.”

 *insert analoge foto’s*

WHY I SHOOT FILM AND RATHER WORK ANALOGOUSLY 

Some time ago I was at Poortgebouw. One of my best friends lives there and on thursday you are able to eat a decent meal for a few euros. While I was helping out with selling some drinks, I started a conversation with a Chilean guy, I forgot his name. Due to my Peruvian background I approached him, with the challenge to have a conversation in Spanish. Partly because his English was just reasonable and he spoke little to nothing Dutch, but mostly because I came aware that I put to little effort in speaking my mother’s native language.

He was a documentary filmmaker, I a visual art student, naturally the subject diverted to perspective and the capturing of moments. We talked about Martín Chambi, one of the first indigenous latin american photographers, and his particular images. About his importance of his role within a world where narratives are mostly formed from a western point of perspective. And throughout this exchange grew a self-understanding of the intuitive push to mostly shoot film and work analogously, which left me a bit dazed.  

Capturing moments is to grasp something that is physically intangible. It is holding onto something what passes by and by doing this: extending it and giving it a place in the future. The captured instant, especially when this is analogue, is extended to the fullest with utter care and attention by waiting, developing, editing, pressing, hanging up, sharing, etc.

“Do you like football?”

“Not really..”

“But you have watched a match, haven’t you?”

“Yes!”

“It is like the moment that one of the players scores by hitting the ball backwards in the air. At that moment you have to remember what is going on behind your back - the past, what is going to happen when you touch it - the future, and at the exact right split moment, hit the ball - the present. It is in that precise coming together of these three, that make the goal possible. Just like when you make a picture, without that balance the picture will be nothing.”

It is the creation of the coming together of past, future and present in one and trying to experience that for as long as possible.

“I am jealous that you can do that, capturing moments. I wanted to become a photographer, but I found out I wasn’t good at it. That’s why I started filming.”

*insert analoge foto’s*

[itbeajen]

Unspoken, but Written | Ike (Fire Emblem)

Do I regret writing this? Kind of. I don't know what compelled me to write this. Ike won the voting gauntlet, I should be writing fluff for my precious boy. But here I am, hurting him. Wow what a life. In all honesty though, I've always wanted to write something canon for Ike, but like, I haven't played PoR since it came out, so my memory is really fuzzy. OTL. Sorry if it's out of character fam.

The first time you looked my way was the first time I held a sword again. I wonder why that is. *** "Ike." The call of his name was soft, almost a low whisper, and when he turns around, his strategist is approaching him. A look of concern is noted on the mage's visage, and Ike frowned, "What's wrong, Soren?" He opens his mouth to explain, but instead he sighs the moment he hears the shouts coming from where they have set up camp. Ike raises an eyebrow and Soren mumbled, "You'll understand better if you see it." Soren walks away first, expecting Ike to follow, and he does. But as they approach camp, the sound of sword clashing sword is heard, louder than ever. And he's surprised when he sees you dancing around the bonfire with a blade in your hand, keeping Mia at bay and also preventing her from approaching you. Mia's face may have been set in a grimace, but the light of pure exhilaration and excitement that shone in her eyes was evident enough that you were a worthy opponent. You didn't hold back against her, regardless of the fact that everyone knew you were skilled with both blade and staff, you played a more supportive role rather than an active one. So to see you holding a blade rather than a staff was a sight to behold, and Ike found himself captivated with the scene before him. "Give!" Mia shouted after dodging yet another lethal strike. Your entire figure tensed and froze, almost as though it was a still scene taken from a movie. But as soon as Mia drops onto the floor with a sigh, you pull away. Both of you have a fond smile on your lips and she laughed, "You're really good [F/N]!" "Thanks," you chuckled. With a flourish, you sheathed your sword, and Mia mumbled, "I can't believe you'd choose to be a valkyrie though." Your eyes widened slightly, and you sheepishly scratched your neck, "I learned swordsmanship to survive, but if you asked me, I'd rather heal people then afflict wounds onto them." You took a quick glance at Soren and Ike, and you whispered, "But of course, if our commander and strategist will me to, even I will take to the sword." Ike is surprised by your loyalty to the mercenaries. You joined just shortly after the revival of Serenes Forest, a wandering cleric at that time. And yet, you've already taken to the group like a fish to water. You noticed his gaze, and immediately you give him a small smile. But your attention on him was nothing more than a fleeting moment as you returned your gaze to Mia. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" "No, not at all!" Mia takes your hand that you offered and you pull her up effortlessly. She lets out a sigh and whined, "Aren't you tired?" "Me?" you asked with a tilt of the head, you shook your head, "Not at all. I've gone through more vigorous endurance training before." "Is that so?" Mia mumbled. Your hand was no longer holding hers, but she couldn't forget the roughness that indicated the years of practice that you had.

The day I learned more about you was also the day you were borne into this world. I wish you had told us sooner. *** "Mia wasn't kidding when you said you were strong," Ike grunted as the two of you exchanged blows. Your stance had changed just slightly, but you weren't physically strong enough to overpower Ike. With both height and muscular weight superior to yours, the only reason why you haven't completely been mowed over was the fact that you had grew up learning how to beat people like him, to defeat trained soldiers like him. There was a wild, almost feral smile on Ike's face as he exchanged blow after blow. Soren watched from the side, analyzing both of you at the same time. And immediately Soren pointed out, "Ike, don't focus on your strength only." "Yeah?" Ike takes a leap back, and you mirror the action. Ike was fast on his feet, and he was also used to exchanging heavy blows one after the other. Something you were once used to, but not as much after picking up the staff. You clenched your teeth and your grip on your sword tightened. "You up for another round?" Ike asked out of courtesy. You took in a deep breath, calming your body and mind, and you smirked, "Yeah, what about you, commander?" Ike furrowed his brows, "Can't you just call me Ike? There's no need for those formalities." He launches forward, and you dodge the strike by twisting your body out of the sword's path. You make your own attempt to strike at the opening presented before you, but just as you swung down your blade, Ike's blade swings upwards, knocking you completely off your feet and into the air. There was a moment of shock on your face before you regained composure, flipping around and landing neatly on your feet. Immediately, you ready a guard stance just in time for Ike's next attack, and he asked, "You've been trained well." "Surviving in a world like this is hard, sir." Ike blanched, "Like I said, don't call me that!" With a final grunt, Ike pushes you out of the way with brute force, and you skid backwards, almost tumbling right into Soren if you didn't find your footing fast enough. You get up and mumbled, "I think I'm done for today." Ike frowns, and before he can ask if you're alright, you smiled reassuringly, "And I'm fine, thank you. I've experienced worst back in my training days." But your happy expression drops as soon as you realize the slip of your tongue. Soren and Ike glance at each other, and he asked, "Training days?" You hesitated, and Ike can tell from the way you gnawed at your lower lip that you were not fond of the past at all. But after a deep breath, you admitted, "I was once a knight of Daein." "A knight of Daein?" Soren repeated, and you nodded, "I grew up under the shadow of my father, a previous knight of Daein. After noticing that I had exceptionally fast reflexes, he had forced me to learn as soon as I was capable to walk and hold a wooden sword." The bitter smile on your face was evident as your grip on the sword tightened, "I resented him for it. My existence became his, his to mold for his own, to regain whatever previous glory he once had as a knight of Daein. He had hoped that one day I could become one of the Four Riders of Daein. But.." Your voice trailed off weakly, and you mumbled, "4 years ago on this day, the same day my father had believed I would finally be able to enter the ranks of the knights, I committed suicide." "Suicide?" Soren frowned. You were very much alive now, and you nodded, "It was shortly after my coming of age ceremony that my parents had held for me. I disappeared off to the local river with nothing more than my staff and a small knife, and I had convinced my good friend to help me fake my death." "But why?" Ike frowned. You give him a small smile, "I wanted to find my own life. I had lived as my father's puppet for years, and had known nothing about what there was in life outside of holding a sword and pledging loyalty to a kingdom I did not love. I didn't love Daein as much as my father did, and perhaps I came to resent it because my father only had love for his kingdom and naught for mother and I." "Your mannerism and fighting techniques all make sense now," Soren grumbled, and you nodded, "I was planning on informing you soon after joining your ranks. But there was much going on, I couldn't find the right timing. Forgive me." Ike's eyes widened, and after exchanging a slight glance with Soren, he said, "You don't have to apologize, [F/N]. But more importantly, today's your birthday?" Your eyes widened, and you nodded, "Yes. It is." "Then we should-" "It's fine," you laughed it off, and then you mumbled, "I'd prefer not to remember today's meaning." Ike watched as you slowly walked away. The trembling in your shoulder was obvious, but against his own gut, and from the way Soren had slowly shook his head, he didn't. But looking back, he really wishes he did.

You love him, don't you? I do, but I will never tell him such a thing. For I am unworthy. *** Mist watched you with interest as you went around healing your side of camp. She had finished those assigned to her, but she couldn't help but watch the way you and her older brother interacted. There was a comradery and friendship between the two of you that she noticed no one else really has with her brother. She frowned and Titania gently pats her shoulder, "What's wrong, Mist?" "Don't you think brother and [F/N] are really close?" she asked. There was genuine curiosity in her eyes, and Titania's gaze slowly shifted over to the two of you. There was a light in Ike's eyes that she's never seen before, and she couldn't help, but nod in agreement. "They are, aren't they?" Mist agreed, and she murmured, "I wonder if [F/N] likes him." "Well, I don't see why Ike wouldn't be liked, he is our commander after all. Albeit a bit clumsy with his words, and rather fearless and perhaps reckless, he's still a good person," Titania fondly noted. She watched the way Ike was able to bring out a genuine smile from you, and she teased, "If you're so curious Mist, why don't you ask Ike directly?" "I would, but I don't think he'd even know, maybe I'll just ask [F/N]. She promised to train me a bit more on sword techniques on a horse," Mist happily chimed. Titania raised an eyebrow, and Mist added, "I can't ask Ike when he's never done any horseback combat." "Quite true," Titania chuckled. Later that night, after training, Mist is slightly slumped in her horse saddle. You trotted over and patted her back, "You okay?" "Yeah," she gives you a small smile, and she mumbled, "I just forget how much balance is required of me." "Yeah, it's a bit to get adjusted to, but you'll get a hang of it soon enough," you smiled, "You have talent after all." "Mm, it's probably because brother and I are related, huh?" Mist mumbled. But you shook your head, "No, I was thinking you're skilled as well, I wouldn't acquaint it to your brother. Just because Ike is strong doesn't quite immediately equate to you being strong. But both of you are strong on your own accord, not simply due to one being strong meaning that the other is strong." Mist is a bit surprised, and then she giggled, "I see. Thanks [F/N]." "Anytime, Mist," you laughed as you got off your horse first. You offered her a hand, and she shook her head, "You're so nice to everyone. It's no wonder you fit in so quickly." "That's good then, it's always good to get along with people," you hummed as she took your hand. Mist slowly got off her horse and she asked, "Is there anyone in particular you get along with more?" You hesitated, and Mist nudged you playfully, "Come on, you can tell me can't you?" "W-Well, t-that's... that's a personal thing," your voice trailed off, and Mist notices the slight tinge of pink, and she asked, "You like him, don't you?" Your eyes widened, and you sighed, "I should have known his younger sister would notice it sooner than he would himself." "Why don't you just tell him?" "We're in amidst of a war, Mist, I can't do that. And besides..." Mist notices the way your shoulders slightly dropped, and there was a sorrowful tint in your eyes as you gave her a weak smile, "Someone like me? With him? It's impossible." You walked away, and Mist feels like she touched upon something she shouldn't have. She wishes she apologized, she really wished she did. 

Perhaps I should have told you sooner. But perhaps it was for the best I did not tell you at all. For it is one less heart breaking loss in your already wounded heart. *** "Mia, fall back!" you commanded as you rallied your horse over to the other side of the field. There were far too many soldiers, and the reinforcements were almost never ending. Mia shook her head weakly, although the fight in her eyes were far from burning out, her body was not made for a war of attrition. You furrowed your brow as you casted yet another round of heal over her and the rest of the mercenaries within the vicinity, and you muttered, "There are far too many. But if we can thin out enough of them, then we should be able to escape safely." "If you're telling Mia to fall back, then all of us need to," Shinon grumbled as he ran past you. You frowned, and muttered, "We all need to fall back." "Indeed." Soren's voice surprised you, and he said, "All of us need to fall back, there's far too many. This ambush was unaccounted for, and there are villagers near by that may be caught by collateral damage." Everyone exchanged weary glances before all of them nod in agreement. Soren starts issuing orders, although the quiet male may not have had a loud voice, his words carried a heavy weight to them. You lingered in the back, making sure all of them were ahead until you heard a weak cry of help from the forest side of the clearing. Soren heard it too, as you can tell from the surprise that flickered in his expression. You exchange a glance with him, and he bit his tongue. No. He wanted to tell you no. He still had so much he wanted to ask you. There were so many things he wanted to know, things that he knew you've seen or heard. After all, you and him were one and the same. He watched helplessly as you spurred your horse towards the direction of the cry of help, and he could only pray that you came back in one piece. For you, the darkness meant nothing. After all, you were always able to see clearly in the dark, it effected you in no way, shape, or form. But today, it felt like it was going against you as you tried to pinpoint the plea for help. But soon, the sobbing and tears were ringing in your ear as you approached the river. A teenage boy was cradling a small girl in his arms, both of them shivering from the cold winds and clearly part of the escaping villagers as far as you can tell. The adults were huddled on the opposite side of the raging river, clearly panicking about what to do. The shaky wooden bridge had 2 platforms holding it up over the river, and one platform had completely collapsed, leaving the children stuck on your side of the river. You frowned and looked at the river, then at the children and the adults. All of them staring at you, waiting for your movement. "Hey," you softly called to the children as you dismounted. Your horse follows behind you loyally, and you mumbled, "Can you two stand?" They both nod, and you said, "I can get you guys over the bridge, but you have to trust me, okay?" The adults' gazes were both desperation and anxiety. The nervous tension in the air was palpable, and you wanted nothing more than to get this situation over with. As soon as the two children nodded, you placed them into your saddle, using your robe to strap them onto it tightly. You rubbed your horse's neck and you murmured, "Look like this may be the last time I see you, my dear friend. Thank you for keeping company for all these long years." It neighed in response, nuzzling its muzzle against your cheek, as you leaned your forehead against it. You give it one last smile and a kiss, before signalling its jump with a pat. The jump was clean, although your horse did skid a bit on its landing, but the children were safe with the adults. Once you saw the two children get off the saddle, you whistled, hoping your horse could jump back over, but the sound of an arrow being released causes you to dodge. It narrowly misses you, but instead your horse jumps in front of the villagers, taking a hit directly to its calf. You flinched as you hear the painful neigh and you shouted, "Get out of here!" "Your horse-" "Take her with you! She's injured, I can't make her fight in that state!" you responded as you unsheathed your sword. You slipped your staff into its scabbard and you muttered, "These blasted soldiers. Do they not realize they're shooting their own people!?" You immediately duck into the trees. They may shoot blindly into the dark as much as they want, but I have the advantage here. You made your way through the foliage, in hopes that you could still hear Soren's voice. His consistent mumbling of wind magic was enough to guide you towards the right direction, but with the interference of arrows and shouts of your foes, you were slowly losing focus on that quiet grumble. The release of multitudes of arrows catches your attention though, and you make a quick glance up, only to dodge and roll away as quick as possible as the arrows speared through your previous location. You bit your tongue at how close you were to your death. But this was not your first time. But just as you tried to get up, you felt a stinging pain in your left shoulder. You glanced over to see a tiny knife embedded into your skin, digging into you. With a shaky hand, you gripped it and pulled it out. But as soon as you did, you cursed as the blood seeped through the open wounds. You used whatever magic you could to heal yourself, but it wasn't fast enough to reverse the damage, only slowing it at most. "The enemy is right there! I can see their figure!" "How many are there?" "Just one, sir." "Then I shall deal with it. That rag tag lowly bunch thinks they can take on an army? Well they were wrong," he chuckled as he approached you. You could hear the slow march of a general in armor, and you cursed. Of all things, an armored general? If it was just some lowly grunt I could probably have won. I need to escape. There's no way I can win here. You checked the wound one last time, and after one last surge of healing magic, you dashed away. The crunch of dead leaves and twigs beneath your feet gave away your location, and suddenly there is an onslaught of footsteps following you. Your advantage over them was just enough to get far enough away faster than they could, as they couldn't maneuver through the forest as easily. But just as you reached the edge of the clearing, one look indicated danger. The entire field was filled with the fallen comrades of the opposing side. Their soldiers mourning over their fellow comrades in arms, and you immediately ducked back into the forest. I'm stuck between a rock and a very hard place. Where the hell did our group run off too? You continued your trek, but you could feel the flare of pain in your legs. You were beginning to burn out and you bit out a dark chuckle, "Seriously, after all these years, I'm finally going to give way here?" No, I won't fall here. I still haven't had the chance to figure out why those of my kind are so hated. I refuse to believe that the goddesses dictated some stupid rule like that. You leaped over a fallen log tree, only to realize hear shouting behind you. "There!" "Follow!" Well, shit. You darted away as fast as you could, only to stop when a spear narrowly misses your head. You skid into a stop and quickly unsheathe your sword, barely parrying a slash from above. The general chuckled, "Well, well, looks like the little mouse knows how to fight, eh?" You immediately noted he wasn't wearing heavy armor at all, and with a strong kick, you push yourself away from him. You hesitated for a split second before turning tail and running off. The man growled as he chased after you, profanities spilling from his lips the entire time. You hear the tell tale sounds of arrows splitting air and you duck and roll side ways before stumbling forward to break into another sprint. But all the running and tumbling has taken a toll on your stamina as you feel yourself losing energy. I can make it. I can still hear Soren's voice. And I can hear the others too. They.. they waited. You almost teared at the thought, but you shook your head. I have to get to them safely first. But how do I get rid of these people that are on my trail. How can I- Your thoughts are wrenched from you as you let out an heart-wrenching cry of pain as you feel hot flames lick at your entire being, engulfing you whole. But it was that sound and the light of the red fire that alerted not just the enemy of your location, but also your comrades. You glared at the general who approached you slowly, and he laughed, "Well well, look at our mouse now, aren't you a sight to behold-" But he doesn't finish his sentence as you spring forward, launching the first strike. He narrowly dodges it, but it nicks his cheek, causing blood to trickle down his face. The smug expression on his face turns to horror and then anger as he lunges at you. But you throw yourself at him, passing the flames from him to you. He cries out in pain as the heat sears his unprotected skin, and you rolled on the floor, getting rid of it as much as you could. Your body was heavy, and you could feel your vision blurring as you tried to focus on the enemy before you. He was still grappling to get his armor off as his undergarments caught on fire, but you couldn't afford to relax when he was right there. Kill him. He's right there. I can't move. It was as though your entire body was filled with lead, you couldn't move, you couldn't breathe, you couldn't see. Nothing was working. And then it finally dawned on you. That knife... it must have been... tainted with poison. You let out a dark chuckle as you steady yourself by plunging your sword into the ground. No wonder I couldn't heal it immediately. I was wondering... what went wrong. I should have paid more attention, god damn it. Your eyelids fluttered, threatening to close, and you muttered, "I can't fall here. There's still.. so much more I have to do..." "[F/N]!" That voice... sounds so familiar. Your body swayed back and forth, struggling to keep you up right and alive. But you can faintly hear the sound of metal against metal and the cries of anguish from the opposing side. "[F/N]! [F/N]! Hey, stay with us! Stay with me now!" Is that... Ike? You barely catch his worried expression and your last thoughts were, Ah I wish... I had the chance to tell you.

I was never meant to exist in this world anyways. But you, no, not just you, all of you... All of you made me feel like I finally had family. Like I finally had a place to belong, thank you. *** "We're sorry, Ike," Mist managed to choke out. Her hands trembled as she held onto her staff weakly. Titania walked out of the tent, her head lowered and gaze averted from their young commander. Ike's throat was dry, and he weakly asked, "What?" Mist opened her mouth, but she finds herself unable to speak. Tears are welling at the corners of her eyes, and she barely manages another apology before she silently breaks into tears. Ike numbly stares at her and then past her into the tent. There was no way you were gone. Just yesterday the two of you were laughing, talking about random nonsense like the color of the skies and the grass. You had just finished teaching him a new sword technique, and you had even taught Mist more riding skills. How could you be gone? "Ike," Soren's throat is dry, but he just manages to call out his name, and he mumbled, "Do you... Would you like to... one last time?" His sentences are choppy, and his composure is nearly gone. He had known you were like him. He could tell from the way you cared for the entire camp as though you were their mother. You had more experience then all of them combined. He wished he had talked to you. He wished he didn't push you away when you tried. And Soren still remembers the pain yet understanding gaze when he had. His fists clenched, and Ike doesn't respond as he walks into the tent. It was as though you were asleep. Your expression was calm, it was gentle, and it was filled with an inexplicable peace that he's never seen before. He slowly kneels down, and his hand slowly, gently takes hold of yours and he whispered, "[F/N]..." You won't ever hear me call your name again, nor will I hear you say mine. Ike rests his forehead against your hand. I'm sorry. I failed to protect you. Even though I said I'd do anything in my power to protect those important to me. To fight for my friends. To keep them safe and bring them peace. I couldn't do it for you. I couldn't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. *** It wasn't until after dinner when Mist finally approaches Ike. In her hands was the small bag that you always carried around with you, and he glances at it before looking up at Mist. "Is this...?" She nods and she mumbled, "I didn't look through it yet, but I figured you should." "Do I even have the right to?" he scoffed and Mist nodded, "I think... I think [F/N] would want you to." She drops it in his lap before walking away. Ike stares at it, his thoughts empty as he tries to find the will to open it. But soon, he finds himself subconsciously opening it, and pulling out an old weathered leather notebook. He opens it, and his eyes widened from the first date in the journal. As he flips through it, the pages documented your entire life, from your childhood up til the realization that you weren't a Beorc, nor were you a laguz, but rather the cursed mix of the both. Your father, a Beorc, and your mother, a hawk laguz. You were granted nothing except hatred from the people around you, and the sight and hearing of a hawk. He finds his throat growing dry as he reads the documentation of your past, and it isn't until he reaches the end of the yellowed pages that your words grow more lighthearted. But the folded letter at the very end causes him to pause as he sees two of them. One for Soren, and one for him. Ike slowly places Soren's letter back into the folds of the old pages, and closes the book. But upon opening your letter, he feels regret, relief, and the overwhelming love that you were holding back the entire time. After reading, he can't control the tightening in his chest as the sting of tears threaten to spill yet again. His grip on the letter tightens just slightly before he lets it drop into his lap. His hands desperately wipe away at the tears and he muttered, "Idiot." "I wish I could have told you I loved you." He took in a deep shaky breath, and he softly whispered, "I wish I did too."

[mrauthor3ds]

Smash Musings - Takumi and Leo

Yup, it’s a twofer post! This is me contemplating what it would be like if Takumi and Leo of Fire Emblem Fates were brought into Smash’s roster.

I’m sure the first thing most of you are thinking is “Doesn’t the Fire Emblem group have enough characters??“ Well...yes. But I’m doing more with this series besides naming very likely candidates. But IF* they were to go and add a bit more representation for Fates, who would they add? Azura could work, but she’s more of a support unit, so she might not seem too dependable in a solo battle. (Well, maybe I could work up SOMETHING that’s not strictly for helping allies...)

* ...I swear any puns here were unintended.

Point is, if they were to add Fates characters that aren’t Azura, it would make the most sense to add two - one to represent Hoshido and Birthright, and one to represent Nohr and Conquest. Only fair, since Corrin, with the Omega Yato, best represents Revelation, and in turn Valla. If they do decide to add a bit more from Fates (and it IS pretty popular), then it would thematically be best to do a Hoshidan and a Nohrian.

So with that out of the way, the next thing you wonder is “Why not Ryoma and Xander? They’re the eldest princes of Hoshido and Nohr, and Corrin’s strongest allies!“ And believe me, I tried to figure some way to really make them stand out, but ultimately couldn’t come up with enough unique traits to make them seem like more than just swordfighters. Sure, I could make Ryoma a fast swordfighter, but that’s kinda what characters like Meta Knight and Marth/Lucina are. Xander would definitely be the slow, tough type...like Ike or Cloud. And even if I worked in indirect attacks, which Raijinto and Siegfried can do in-game, it just didn’t feel unique overall. So, for these movesets, I ended up giving them the Chrom treatment, and put them into Takumi and Leo’s Final Smashes.

I mean...okay. Maybe I could also try again with them. A katana is still pretty long. Certainly longer than Galaxia. I could make something work from that. Maybe.

Besides, Takumi and Leo also play big roles in Birthright and Conquest (especially vice-versa), and are quite popular in their own rights. And being an archer and a mage would certainly make them feel like a breath of fresh air for everyone who’s sick of seeing “too many“ sword specialists.

And...let’s face it. The Fire Emblem series is more popular than some people give it credit for, especially with this renaissance that the 3DS games have sparked. Honestly, the Fire Emblem group in Smash has earned its 6-character size already, and the series is getting even bigger with Heroes, Echoes, Warriors, and that brand-new Switch title coming.

Anyway! When making these movesets, I wanted Takumi and Leo to kinda represent the dualities of Fates. The general feel of Birthright and Conquest. What Hoshidan and Nohrian classes are mostly like.

- Most Hoshidan classes favor evasion and accuracy, so they’re usually glass cannons playing by chance to avoid otherwise devastating blows while dealing multiple hits. And Birthright gives you endless chances to train and get stuff with skirmishes. That kind of influenced what I wanted to see in Takumi: lightweight, but mobile with evasive moves and some fast strikes, but otherwise fairly easy to learn.

- Most Nohrian classes are tanky, and often lack speed, so they have to rely on brute force, especially against dodgy Hoshidan foes. And Conquest doesn’t give you skirmishes, so you have to use really good tactics to get everyone through (unless you downloaded Boo Camp). So that influenced this Leo moveset: he’s durable and deals fairly strong but slow attacks, but gets the most out of his strategic moves.

-= TAKUMI =-

This Hoshidan Archer is pretty lightweight, but he's very mobile - moreso than any other Fire Emblem character, in fact. His Fujin Yumi's shots are stronger with distance, but Takumi does have some close-range martial arts as well. His throws and smash attacks aren't very damaging, but boast really great launch power.

-= Neutral Attack: Shoots a quick arrow with Fujin Yumi. Can shoot up to two in succession. The second one can be angled slightly. -= Side Attack: Fast punch, then fast kick. -= Up Attack: Flip-kick upward. -= Down Attack: Sweep kick. Great trip chance. -= Dash Attack: Swings Fujin Yumi forth. -= Side Smash: Wind Dragon Vein summons a hard breeze forth. Low damage, but very high launch. -= Up Smash: Wind Dragon Vein summons a tornado above. Low damage, but very high launch. -= Down Smash: Water Dragon Vein conjures a swirl of water. Very good damage, but low launch.

-= Grab: Seizes foe up close. -= Pummel: Smacks foe with Fujin Yumi's head. -= Front Throw: Shoots foe straight forward with Fujin Yumi. Low damage, high launch. -= Back Throw: Shoots foe behind with Fujin Yumi. Low damage, high launch. -= Up Throw: Shoots foe straight upward with Fujin Yumi. Low damage, high launch. -= Down Throw: Hurls foe into the ground. Lowest launch of throws, but greatest damage.

-= Air Neutral: Spin-kick. -= Air Front: Shoots Fujin Yumi forward. Can tilt during attack to slightly angle shot. -= Air Back: Fast roundhouse kick behind self. -= Air Up: Flip-kick upward. -= Air Down: Shoots Fujin Yumi straight down. Stronger meteor smash at close range.

-= Standard Special: Fujin Ballista: Fires a shot upward. It will explode into three arrows that rain downward at different angles. -= Side Special: Takumi's Shinai: Quickly swings a bamboo sword. If he hits a foe, he'll push himself backward. Deals very little damage, but very high hitstun. -= Up Special: Soaring Kinshi: Glides in any given angle with Fujin Yumi's power. Not an attack, but is super-armored. -= Down Special: Trick Gale: Performs a high dodging leap forward. Input again to deliver a shot at a downward angle (forward or behind, depending on tilt). -= Final Smash: Hoshidan Unity: Ryoma appears and deals a wide electric slash with Raijinto. Struck foes will be barraged on the spot by Ryoma and Takumi, finished with an electrified Fujin Yumi shot.

-= Palettes =- Normal Red (Ryoma) Brown (Hinata) Orange (Oboro) White (Mikoto) Pink (Elise) Green (Shura) Purple (Vallite army)

-= Other =- - Main idle stance is the same one used by Archers and Snipers in Fire Emblem Fates.

-= Idle Animations =- - Stands straight, shoulders relaxed for a moment. - Rotates free arm.

-= Taunts =- Up: "Oh, that's IT!" Conjures an arrow and aims at a 3/4 view to the camera. (cutscene: Vs. Takumi) Side: "Bring it on!" Aggressively gives a "come and get me" gesture with his free hand. Down: "Ready or not!" Holds Fujin Yumi down and throws a fist upward. (Archer victory animation)

-= Victory Poses =- - "How do you like THAT?" Twirls Fujin Yumi and holds an arrow at a 3/4 view. (cutscene: Vs. Takumi) - "Not my fault you're so weak." Swings Fujin Yumi to the side, then turns his back to the camera. (Sniper victory animation) - "Heh. Did you see me out there?" He and Ryoma strike a pose with their weapons.

-= LEO =-

A Dark Knight of Nohr, boasting surprisingly good durability and floating jumps. His mobility and attack speed are a bit lacking, but his attack range and tricky attacks are incredible. His biggest damage options are his earth-based Dragon Vein smashes, though they're not very great for launching. The specials can help Leo get some...pragmatic hits in - lethal, even, if you're willing to take the risk.

-= Neutral Attack: Magic burst, magic burst, then magic spark flurry attack. Finishes with a small tree in front. -= Side Attack: Casts Fimbulvetr in front. Relatively quick and inflicts freezing. -= Up Attack: Sends a Mjolnir spell upward. Has a "critical" sweet spot at its highest point. -= Down Attack: Spreads a Fire spell on the ground in front, covering good distance. -= Dash Attack: Hops back a distance, leaving a burst of magic where he started. -= Side Smash: Earth Dragon Vein summons a spike of rock in front and pointing up above Leo. Very great damage, but very weak launch. -= Up Smash: Fire Dragon Vein makes a pillar of fire erupt upward. Moderate damage and decent launch. -= Down Smash: Earth Dragon Vein breaks the land around. Very great damage, but very weak launch.

-= Grab: Grabs foe over a mid-short range with magic. -= Pummel: Harms foe with magic. -= Front Throw: Flings foe forth with magic. -= Back Throw: Flings foe behind with magic. -= Up Throw: Spikes foe upward with a tree. -= Down Throw: Slams foe into a rose bramble.

-= Air Neutral: Surrounds self in a vortex of magic. -= Air Front: Throws a blast of magic forth, dealing two hits in succession - one at close range, one at mid range. -= Air Back: A magic orb slings behind himself. Deals meteor smash at its farthest point. -= Air Up: Casts a magic blast upward, propelling himself downward. -= Air Down: Casts a long spike of magic downward. Meteor smash at the tip.

-= Standard Special: Brynhildr Growth: Summons a tree a fair distance in front to spike foes upward. In the air, will summon the tree on the nearest spot of floor. -= Side Special: Stone Guard: Summons a wall of stone in front of himself to block attacks. Input again to thrust it forth a fair distance, or just let it hover in place momentarily. -= Up Special: Gravity Inverse: Thrusts himself upward a bit using gravity magic. Deals a strong meteor smash to foes below self, but also strikes foes at his level lightly upward with himself, presenting a bit of a risk. -= Down Special: Ginnungagap: Command grab. Rockets foe or projectile grabbed in one of eight given directions. Not very damaging compared to his normal throws, but its choice of directions and usability in the air give it plenty of tactical uses. -= Final Smash: Nohrian Trust: Xander appears and catches foe in a wide circular pulse. Struck foes will be barraged on the spot by Xander and Leo, finished with a shadowy eruption from Brynhildr.

-= Palettes =- Normal Pink (Forrest) Yellow (Odin) Blue (Niles) Cyan (Arete) Red (Hinoka) White (Izana) Dark-Red (Zola)

-= Idle Animations =- - Scratches chin with a smirk. - Adjusts his collar with a look of disdain.

-= Taunts =- Up: "You can't hide from me!" Holds a hand up as rubble lifts around himself. (cutscene: Vs. Leo) Side: "Pathetic!" Turns back to camera with a flip of his arm. (Sorcerer victory animation) Down: "What a nuisance." Flips through Brynhildr's pages.

-= Victory Poses =- - "That was nothing." Holds a sphere of magic as rubble lifts into the air. (cutscene: Vs. Leo) - "Hmph. Contemptible fool." Brushes Brynhildr and then flips through its pages. (Dark Mage victory animation) - "I'll do what no one else can." Leo and Xander strike a pose with their weapons.