#((aka the askran way))

[valeriefauxnom]

Unintentional Comedy - Dragalia and Feh Artwork Edition

So, remember Alfonse, from FEH?

Y'know, this dude?

For an okay crutch for those without Gala Euden or Albert or other handy light swords they didn't want to invest in, he was rather popular, only partly owed to any pre-established fondness FEH players had since they already knew him. People liked the more expanded personality we got than FEH's bare-bones story, additionally before they started trying to spice Alfonse up in more recent books.

In his story, however, one of the events that happening is Euden falling off a cliff, shortly followed by Alfonse.

Miraculously, cliff-falling isn't quite as dangerous in Dragalia Lost as in real life (also demonstrated by Leonidas in Stranded Scions, etc...), and the two survive. Alfonse has some sort of injury to his foot, however, conveniently hampering his ability to move but not much else.

Euden, being Euden and unwilling to throw anyone to the wolves, comes up with this idea:

Nothing atypical here, right?

...Well, as it was revealed in a book published two years later than his debut in Dragalia, Fire Emblem Heroes Character Illustrations, Volume 1...

Alfonse is 180cm tall, AKA 5'11.

...Is it any surprise coming from 195cm/6'5 and 180cm/5'11 parents? Someone check the Askran royal food for steroids that Sharena has apparently not been consuming, presumably because she's instead dining with heroes in the barracks.

I digress.

Now, as I've gone over before here, here's where it gets hilarious in retrospect.

In short, Ranzal, the resident big buff burly dude of Dragalia...is stated to be 6'1/185 in the joke comics.

...And while literally nobody else got an even vaguely-official number to their height, Dragalia instead opting for a 'comparison heights' to keep track of who's shorter and who's taller in a pair... Euden often seems to wind up in the 150-155cm/5'0-5'1 range or even shorter when in illustrations with Ranzal:

At most, I've seen him crack about 5'9/175cm in the comics, which aren't exactly a stable source of art, as demonstrated by these two panels, in which both seem to be on flat ground and standing pretty straight:

I need to stop before I mindlessly repeat the other post, but my point remains:

Euden, by most depictions, is tiny. A literal short prince/king.

And yet, no matter what way you slice it, he's trying to carry a dude that seems to be quite a bit taller, let's say. How much, we'll never know, but the fact remains he'd likely need to pull out a dragon phone to search 'how to carry people much taller than you?' just in case and hurriedly read a wikihow 10-step article explaining some strats, were it not for the fact that dragons would have destroyed smartphones in Dragalia a long time ago (good move, dragons....?).

I will admit that there are a few arts that frame them as the 'same height' but I would more point to the fact Euden, when drawn with crossover characters for promotional art, is usually portrayed on an 'equal footing', so as not to have one take up more space/attention. Also, the Feh team might not have even decided on a height for Alfy boy before!

Even then, he's still portrayed as shorter than 5'9/175cm Joker in some art:

So yeah. Crossover art is not exactly consistent, and all I can do is look to the general trend in the 'canon game' of him being absolutely dwarfed by Ranzal.

Now, it's one thing for Euden to be lugging about Alfonse for a while.

The idea he might have done so with such a potential height disparity is pure comedy.

No wonder he's so tired after a while, lugging about another human who is both taller, heavier, and also wearing armor!

Not only that, he later tries and partly succeeds in fighting heavily armored soldiers (who are admittedly aiming to capture him and kill Alfonse) with Alfonse 'draped across his back like a sack of potatoes'. Talk about determination, adrenaline, and/or the simple principle of 'small but mighty'!

Maybe that's why Alfonse was saying "I don't think that's wise" at the start there before he quickly found other rationale besides 'you sure you can give a piggyback without my feet dragging along the ground the whole way?'

My case rests, Your Honor: they unintentionally made part four of Alfonse's personal story a lot funnier to envision by publishing an art book 2 years after he first existed in Dragalia Lost!

[poulpemou]

Happy Valentine's Day! It's the perfect day to proselytise aroace Kiran from Fire Emblem Heroes!

As the "protagonist" of a gacha game, AKA a soft harem game, it only makes sense for the self-insert character to be aroace! Got folks of all genders throwing themselves at you for no understandable reason? Got people taking your lack of interest as a personal challenge? Why, that sounds like the perfect setting for a character to realise and/or profess their aroace-ness!

Here are some satisfied testimonies from our existing representatives!

"Wow I had no idea Fjorm felt this way? Why? Since when? I thought she and Laegjarn were dating?"

"Uhhhhh Gunnthrá said what?????????"

"Do people know I have a job and responsibilities? I have a lot going on, I don't have time for this kind of stuff, do people realize we're at war like 24/7 and I'm literally the only person keeping this place from falling apart and—"

"How come it's always the girls confessing their love to me but not the guys? I mean I'm not into dudes but that doesn't mean I can't be. Actually, who says I'm not? Oriented aroaces exist and—"

"Hey Alfonse. Bro. Are we or aren't we partners. Are we or aren't we the perfect unit if we could be combined into one. Have you ever heard of Steven Universe by the way? Or of this thing called QPR?"

"How come Plumeria is always shit-talking me about lewdness when I literally didn't do anything? Like ok yeah I poked her, but I literally poke everyone? Also what's up with my dreams? Has she heard of this thing called intrusive sexuality that literally doesn't mean anything—"

"Hey, so, I don't know how to say this, Seiðr, but I don't want a baby and I also don't want to be a deadbeat parent, and also Gullveig and Kvasir keep saying things about feelings but I have no idea where that's coming from. Don't even get me started on Heiðr."

"Why are girls weird around me? Am I actually just a cat and never noticed? Is that why they keep petting me and cooing at me? I was just a cat this whole time and no one had the heart to tell me I'm not human?"

"You love me? Aw, thanks, I love you too! I love all of my friends!"

"What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Oh wait this song doesn't exist in Askr..."

"What do you mean they think I'm flirting!!!!!!!! What the heck is a flirting!!!!!! I'm literally just being a good friend what!!!!!!!!"

"I love Day of Devotion! It's a day where you're devoted to your loved ones! Yeah of course all my friends are my loved ones, what do you mean?"

"So when two people like each other very much, they perform this ceremony called ally-supporting, and for some reason people blush when they reach A-tier. I think it's because it's a very important milestone that happens to take place in what looks like a church, and they're afraid to look like they don't belong in a church. Something about Askran churches must seem very intimidating."

"Oh wow you have feelings for me for real? I thought people were just saying that for the bit."

"Oh wow you have feelings for me for real? Can you describe what what's like? I've never understood it and people take it really badly when I ask."

"So back in my world, we have this event called Asexuality Awareness Week taking place during the Harvest Festival, and this other event called Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week that takes place a week after the Day of Devotion."

"Hey does garlic bread exist here? Anyone got any cake?"

"I don't know any of these people. They keep wanting to talk to me and be friends. Well ok. I don't get it but I guess it's my job to ensure troupe morale. I thought that would be Sharena's job but I haven't seen her in forever. Sacrifices for the cause, I guess."

"What do you mean they think I'm flirting!!!!!!!! What the heck is a flirting!!!!!! I'm literally just being polite what!!!!!!!!"

Join today and headcanon your summoner as aroace! Add a layer of complexity to a silent character and off-the-rails writing! You may be entitled to emotional compensation!

[summoner-kentauris]

okay so by popoular demand aka me my zacharias centric take on the trailer

FIRST

this:

so this was obviously taken before the events of the trailer. for one, it, unlike the rest, is presented in sepia toned old timey film lined illustration i mean. i dont think i have to spend time justifying that this is a flashback from a video editing point of view. but, if thats not enough, vero also has a dramatic wardrobe and hair change in the trailer.

to me, this is both obviously still book 6 because. its in a trailer about book 6. but also because bruno and veronica are rarely in the same place. bruno and alfonse are very rarely in the same place. and the three of them in one spot is. like. i mean its book 6. i guess it could be late 5 but. i feel like thats tricky as far as bruno and vero being at the same place. they were busy.a

at any rate, this fun little handshake agreement between the two powers that be, juxtaposed next to a shot of them fighting because of embla's mindcontrol things, suggests to me that this is depicting, yknow, the first part of the book this is a trailer for. the agreement to fight together to stop embla.

this is a long winded way of saying based on all that, like, brunos totally out of the picture by the time the next events happen - chiefly, the fight twixt vero and alfster. i mean. he is literally out of the picture. and that is deliberate - they didnt have to put him in this illustration. and alfster could have very easily be fighting multiple emblians - as we see in banner preview, letizia can go glow-eye mindcontrolled mode.

to me, showing the audience a picture - a flashback - calling to mind the historic and also book 6 p1 agreement to fight embla/embla's control, then switching to alf fighting solo against a vero who is leveled up (and as someone pointed out sporting zach's haircut) pretty much to me clearly indicates both what he is losing - vero - and what he has lost - bruno.

to me as well, it feels like. it feels like this book is embla - broken bonds/promises etc - v askr. and most brunos interactions with alf lately have been asking him to protect or otherwise come to the defense of vero.

i dont think its a stretch to say that if bruno was killed or otherwise incapacitated, that one coudl do some dramatic last words vis a vi protect my sister. so, in striking down vero, alf not only loses a whatever vero is to the askrans right now (DAUGHTER TO ME! maybe a quasi frenemy ally to the askrans?), and also is breaking a bond/promise. very thematic is you ask me.

of course what i would like to have happen is the emblians get cured, preferably with a bit of angst, and for bruno to finally rejoin the order for the fight against the next big bad - alfather, perhaps?

but at any rate those were my immediate trailer thoughts from a bruno-centric point of view

[salviasplendens-a]

//Actually thanks to my hc of Andy being a cyborg now like his sister thanks to the first explosion back when they were both still regular cops...I have to wonder how the Askrans managed to fix his cybernetic parts when he got dumped in Askr post second explosion? I don't remember if they say much about how cyborgs work in the anime, so I'm not sure if any FE peeps would be able to repair those parts of him if they were very damaged.

If they DID manage to survive the Dark Reactor explosion enough to not be TOO damaged then Bart might be able to repair them himself, though he might have to direct someone with steady hands since it's probably hard to do it one-handed. I'm not sure how they're powered either, so he might also have to recruit some mages into helping. I hc that his right arm at LEAST (aka the one that produces an electric shock effect when he Falcon Punches Black Shadow) is a cybernetic, and probably more of his body as well since a large chunk of Jody's body is and she was the one who was SHIELDED by him during the police blast.

Either way, until he figures that out and also heals up the still-fleshy parts of his body he ain't gonna be on a battlefield any time soon ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ He's really more like a court mage almost, one who doesn't actually...go out...just sits at home and does his magic whenever they ask him to...

[reuska]

Reuska’s FEH Headcanon Time No.2: Geir (Book II Finale edition)

Gathering energy to draw something bigger, let me explain why I hyped so much about the final chapter and throw another piece of my HC at you.

First, let’s sum up some info about Geir.

Geir of Dufansdarl is an OC of mine.

He is the original Summoner from approx 2 millenia ago.

Askran nobility, born to a couple of Askr and Embla bloodlines (but neither of his parents was the main royal line).

This union happened to bless him with a unique skill - to travel between worlds at will (aka open and close gates - combo of Askran and Emblan abilities). His special ability had one unparalleled bonus: he could actually travel to the mythical, unreachable “magicless” realm, Earth.

Scholar, blue mage, smart jerk. Arrogant, selfish, pleasure-hunting womanizer.

He sworn his loyalty to Askran king but when called for help during an emergency, he betrays his oath - as he takes his time to come (= Loki aka Lady Mischief came to seduce him to prevent him from going and he gives his bed priority). His absence has terrible consequences which result in the king’s death and the curse of Embla bloodline. (Details to be shaped)

The queen performs a rite to call Askr’s wrath on Geir. The dragon curses Geir and turns him into Breidablik, puts him to sleep in a shrine until the right time comes for him to undo his mistakes. He also seals Geir’s castle Dufansdarl near the border with Embla and generally erases all but vague knowledge of his existence. He keeps Geir’s cape in the shrine and through prophets creates a myth of the Summoner who would come in the time of need.

The curse re-shaped Geir’s abilities (since they came from an original gift of the dragons, Askr could manipulate them at his will). When Geir is awoken at the beginning of FEH story, his mind travels to Earth and he handpicks Reuska because she can use a gun, she has decent strategic mind and at the same time appears as a chicken Geir would be easily able to control.

Reuska is vulnerable in many ways but she certainly isn’t the type to get herself manipulated. Quite the opposite. Geir finds himself in a mind connection and constant presence of someone he collides with in pretty much everything. The two getting along is a long journey but it has invaluable moral impact on Geir.

He IS feeling guilty for his failure back in his time. At first he is in a state of denial and just wants Reuska to get the job done asap to set him free. He refuses to communicate with anyone else and tries to avoid any thoughts on why. But as the Order grows on him, especially the royal siblings who inherited the burden of his betrayal, he is less and less reluctant to admit his errors, to himself at least. He begins to change.

But he keeps his identity to himself - he would probably never tell anyone. Reuska has to figure out his identity herself and he forces her to promise she wouldn’t tell anyone. Alfonse eventually figures out Breidablik has a conscience due to him overhearing Reuska “talking to herself” several times. Upon him asking, Geir allows Reuska to introduce him but he doesn’t speak to Alfonse himself (guilt). And he never tells them his backstory.

Now to the point.

Geir functionates thanks to Reuska’s energy (that’s how Askr set things up anyway). They have no idea about this for months because he uses only little of it as he’s just “mental energy”. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t digest, nothing - he just thinks and “scans” the sorroundings in approx 30m diameter. Reuska does suffer from light chronic weariness but they both always connect it with her not being used to this new lifestyle.

Eventually Gunnthrá starts visiting Reuska’s dreams. She reaches for the part of Reuska’s mind where Geir resides - he actually protects Reuska from having nightmares, she would certainly have them otherwise. Geir can’t stop Gunnthrá even though he tries (he has no idea who she is). But seeing her reflection and listening to her voice, he platonically falls in love with her. It is a different emotion than he ever felt for a woman, genuine affection instead of lust which was his drive back in his time.

When Surtr kills Gunnthrá (the first time they physically encounter her), Geir gets furious (a mix of pain, hatred and all the other emotions connected with the terrible event). Reuska is experiencing her own share of strong negative emotions and the two synchronize through these in a way they haven’t before. Geir gets an access to more of Reuska’s energy and uses it to (sort of) materialize into a weird, translucent, glowing humanoid object that manages to buy the group some time so they can retreat. Geir can’t get hurt in this state but his consumption of Reuska’s energy multiplies several times so he can keep it up only as long as she has enough energy to fuel him. Which is not long. Any hit he takes eqeals to even more energy taken from her.

This form fades out soon enough for Reuska to not faint but it still leaves her exhausted, barely able to move. From that event on, Geir uses this ability to shield Reuska from physical danger he can detect (he can’t detect long distance shots as the shooter is far from his “scanning” range - and magic just goes through him) which is very relieving to anyone in the Order as it gives her an extra protection. However, everyone must adjust to the drawback - which is exhausted and even more vulnerable Reuska afterwards. She usually falls asleep within minutes. One of her guard trio has to get her away asap, on horseback usually, where she sleeps in front of them.

So what happens in the finale?

Alfonse goes to face Surtr. Surtr can be killed at the time but he remains a mountain of muscle fueled by the Flames of Múspel. He’s a terryfying foe, much much larger than Al. But it’s the Flames that are a real problem. Combined with Surtr’s hits, they put immense heat + force load on Fólkvangr, a load the sword can’t take and it starts to crack.

Another hit would shatter it and kill Al but Geir prevents it. He uses his “immortal object” ability but instead of materializing, he jumps at Fólkvangr and covers it with a thin layer to keep its sharpness. Plus he still carries the Nífl blessing which dulls the Flames. Fólkvangr appears to glow with a blue light. The sword is shielded from damage, which, however, means the whole load shifts to Reuska. So Al and Geir have only tens of seconds to finish Surtr off.

Reuska tries her best to hold on as long as possible but Surtr’s first hit literally sends her down to her knees. She starts sweating immediately, breathes heavily and her pulse jumps up at the verge of heart attack. She manages to force the connection to stay up longer than usual which is enough for Al to finish the job. But she faints right after and sleeps for four days. She wakes up again on a cart they prepared for her transportation, already back in Askr.

(I came up with the Folkvangr enforcement idea just like three days ago and I was trying to pick a proper situation for it to happen. I was tempted to go for the final battle against Surtr but the chapter just confirmed everything including Alfonse being most likely the one to take Surtr down. And no further fighting after his death so Reuska would be safe. All the pieces just came together perfectly ♥)