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gascon-en-exil · 3 years

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Dark Deity Pre-Release Character Opinions

This isn't actually a tier list, but someone helpfully created a template for this game and it's as good a way as any to do a little visual showcase for this cast. Characters are listed by their class sets, which are fixed but offer a nice variety in terms of promotion options. My opinions on each are as follows, from left to right in each row. Most characters have introductory profiles written up on the DD subreddit, if you'd like to check them out yourself.

Warriors

Alexa

You know those buff female blacksmiths in Echoes and Three Houses that some people wish were playable characters? That's pretty much Alexa. Can't say I'm too hyped about her myself, but warrior + tomboyish female character will do that for me...or not do it, I suppose.

Benji

Seems to have been written to become a meme, and I still can't decide whether that's clever or stupid. Kind of like Raphael only with a bigger emphasis on training than on eating, and with brotherly devotion replaced with brotherly angst that might theoretically go somewhere if the character isn't reduced to being a goofy joke all the time.

Fenton

Doesn't have a character profile, so as far as I know he's just a generic dwarf because DD swaps out its inspiration's loli dragons and other vaguely fetishistic shapeshifters for the two most cliché non-human races in Western fantasy. I wonder whether his VA will voice him with a Scottish accent, to go all in on the (ironic?) laziness. There are a handful of elves in the playable cast, but Fenton is the only dwarf so for better or worse he's representing.

Helena

She's the embodiment of the FE exotic swordswoman archetype, but curiously DD seems to have turned that broad ethnic brush inward. Helena's last name is apparently a Japanese verb, her art shows her with a spear (as in the association of the naginata with women), and she studied and trained in a monastery that seems to blend elements of Buddhism and Shintoism. Not sure how all that fits into the larger setting yet, but at this point she's still got more background development than Petra.

Irving

Our Hero, the one front and center on the cover art. He sounds a bit on the blander side as far as lords or lord equivalents go, with his most promising hook for me being his established friendship with Garrick (see the ranger section). At best I can hope for a bit of a romantic friendship dynamic, although they sound a bit rougher overall as they're military academy schoolmates I wonder why DD went with that instead of lordlings of different territories.

Rogues

Brooke

Looks like Camilla; has a backstory like Niles. Cleavage aside though the sexual element of both is toned down here, and there might be some sapphic bodyguard shenanigans to be had as her current employers are a pair of highborn sisters further down this list.

Cia

For some reason she reminds me of Tressa from Octopath Traveler, only bustier and a bartender rather than a merchant. She's still just a small town girl with big city dreams, and this being a tactical war game following those dreams will inevitably involve stabbing people.

Corvan

Hard to judge him at the moment, as his profile was only the second written and so isn't terribly detailed. He's a moon elf with scholarly interests, apparently. Still, as of right now he's the only rogue who doesn't slot loosely into either a ninja/assassin or pirate aesthetic, so that's kind of neat. Also, he's one of several characters to have FEH-esque beach fanart made of them already, so clearly someone's into elf twinks.

Ford

A former officer at the military academy Irving attends and a smuggler who dotes on his niece, Ford has major dad energy. Per developer reveals he's also bi, and as I mentioned before I'm totally fine with that. More bear sex, please - but what guy in this cast would hop in the sack with Ford? Only time will tell. His personal skill makes him extra dodgy, which combined with the mug of booze in his art makes me think of WoW brewmasters who dodge-tank through the power of being wasted.

Wren

Like Brooke, he's an assassin from a foreign nation - in his case the same one as Helena so presumably he's a not!Japanese ninja. I'm not really feeling him at the moment. What is it about Hao'Fen (the city/territory he and Helena come from) and massive families? That comes up in both their backstories.

Rangers

Caius

I feel like this is the third or fourth character to grow up in some slum or other; at least they've all been in different towns so far. The relative rarity of noble characters is certainly different from FE, but it reduces the political stakes which leaves me wondering a bit about the story. Anyway, Caius is a small town desert hunter who learned how to make arrows out of animal bones. How aerodynamic is bone, I wonder?

Garrick

Irving's BFF and seemingly the Hector to Irving's Eliwood, only with more flirting (his intro doesn't specify that Garrick is flirting with women, but I'm not going so far as to say that indicates anything). He's the academy headmaster's son, with a strained relationship with his father for some of that hotheaded lead tension. Notably, his VA is the one I'm most familiar with in this cast, as he's the voice of Revali from Breath of the Wild as well as love interests in two different erotic gay dating sims I've played. In other words, I know what this guy sounds like making awkwardly simulated sex noises...and I have no idea what to do with that information.

Maeve

She's a half-elf with a very storied background, so much so that it's all rather hard to follow her exploits when little of what's being described has been fully revealed yet. I'm expecting her to be a mid/lategame recruit, unless she's dropped in early on to reveal that (sun) elves exist or something.

Rose

Imagine if Bernadetta were a commoner, although we can only hope they'll be less screaming. Alternatively, Neimi without an obvious boyfriend. She won the beach contest so now she has official swimsuit art, which I guess makes her a top-tier waifu in the eyes of players who care about such things.

Sophia

A ranger in the "has animal companions" sense, although whether that will come into play mechanically aside from her personal skill - Butter the ferret can attack with her! - remains to be seen. Her preference for the company of animals is explained by a lack of social graces, so prepare for klutz-related humor. Of note to those interested in F/F is that her introduction specifically brings up her connection with Sloane (see the mage section) and how close the two of them are.

Clerics

Faust

Doesn't have a profile yet, so not much to go off other than his decidedly unhinged look. The cleric class set does feature some darker-flavored options, so presumably he's more naturally aligned with those. His VA was announced to be the YouTuber behind So This is Basically Fire Emblem and other similar videos, so I'm picturing a kooky and somewhat demented Henry type.

Lincoln

Also lacks a profile at time of writing...clerics get so little love. The Discord has identified him a bland blond paladin sort, but as we know from the likes of Perceval and especially Dimitri that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be boring (or not gay).

Maren

The soft-spoken healer type, and also a childhood friend of Garrick although her intro sibling-zones him but then this game is inspired by FE so who knows if that'll stick. She may have some interesting thoughts on the theology of the setting, as there seem to be several faiths and she's said to have a complicated relationship with her own. I will be utterly shocked if she's not either Irving or Garrick's eventual love interest.

Samara

One of two princesses of the country of Aramor, which appears to be loosely inspired by the Middle East. Heaven help us if the Khalidstans ever get wind of this game. Unfortunately aside from her bond with her older sister (in the mage section) and the knowledge that Brooke has been hired as their bodyguard there's not much to Samara at the moment. Hopefully the clerics all do some comparative theology in their bond conversations, and this isn't like Sacred Stones where none of the clergy characters from different countries ever compare notes. The succession crisis involving Samara and her sister vs. their less-loved cousin the king's son might be a major plot hook? It's still too early to tell.

Vesta

Much like Maeve her backstory has entirely too much going on to really follow at the moment. Basically she's a human who grew up in a sun elf city because Reasons (seriously, I don't know what they are) and was called to a clerical vocation and also something about taking a journey. Has an unfortunate case of silly boob armor, which unlike a certain other character probably won't be rectified this close to release.

Mages

Alden

Maren's precocious younger brother, also basically Ricken up to and including the comically oversized hat. As a unit he follows the tradition of Donnel, Mozu, and Cyril of having a personal skill that buffs his stat gains, so it's safe to say he's a growth unit. At least he'll probably join early.

Liberty

Comes with dead brother angst and a connection to the "aspects" system that will hopefully make more sense once I've played the game and know how it functions both mechanically and from a storytelling perspective. Otherwise she looks to be a busty older - as in, not a teenage - mage in the vein of Calill.

Monroe

Got the first ever character profile, so it's really short. He's the son of a duke and sounds like a bit of a snob, albeit one that can make explosions happen to back up his haughtiness. He's got some scarring around his eye that surely must come with a story. Someone also made featured fanart of him in Heroes summer banner style, so I guess he's got somebody horny already.

Sara

Samara's half-sister, with comparable fantasy Middle Eastern flavoring. Has an interest in discovering magical artifacts and being a just ruler in the event she winds up on the throne (so, almost definitely), and she and Samara travel around with the assassin Brooke as their bodyguard. There's maybe some lesbian possibilities there? Either way, Sara has enough development where I could see her as a major supporting character.

Sloane

Comes with a genuinely fascinating backstory involving manipulative double-crossing parents, an education in the cruelties and deceptions of social life (reflected in her personal skill), and disinheritance - and yet it's all likely to be overshadowed because she may go down as DD's equivalent to Fates's face-touching. Her initial art is even more revealing than Camilla's, and while the developers later gave her a more modest redesign after negative feedback I get the feeling that this controversy may live on. Her introduction mentions her hunting for both heirs and heiresses and she's now been linked to Sophia, so safe to say she's another confirmed bi character.

Adepts

While the other class sets are standard fantasy fare adepts require a bit more explanation. They have innate magical abilities and appear to be feared and distrusted most places in the setting. Functionally they remind me of adepts from the Golden Sun series, if anyone is familiar with those games. The classes in the adept group tend more toward physical/magical hybridization than those of other sets, so that will probably be their mechanical niche. Oh, and their default weapon type is lances, which is a plus in my book.

Aurima

Along with Caius and the royal sisters, he's another one from the desert nation of Aramor. An arena fighter who got touched by a god in what I assume was a non-sexual way and came out of it with a new appearance and adept powers. Also, he's confirmed to be over 40 - how often do you see that in games like this?

Bianca

Looks like a more carefree Mathilda from Echoes. She's a ranking officer in the Delian army which sounds like it'd sit uneasily with her adept powers. Her profile describes Lincoln as her close friend, which is still about the most we know about him at this point.

Elias

This guy's writing plays more into the fairly standard coding that comes with adept powers, as we know they manifested shortly before he was going to confess his feelings to a male paramour and afterwards he was forced to flee his homeland and wander the world. He also spent time among dwarves, so insert short bear jokes here? In the present he's attached to Cia in what seems to be a platonic way; maybe she's a fruit fly, or maybe she just likes having a friend who can light drunken assholes on fire? Elias is definitely into guys, but I would still be a little surprised if he turned out to be totally gay as that's such a rarity in these sorts of things.

Iris

Oof, another lengthy and rough backstory. Iris had better parents than Sloane, but she also had to deal with permanent facial scarring (hence the mask) after a bandit kidnapping and the stigma of manifesting as an adept pretty much eliminating the prospects of her making a good political marriage. Also, she and Elias both come from Neullais, which is prominently featured on the continental map on the DD subreddit but doesn't seem to come up all too often in backstories. I think it's a not!France? Hard to tell.

Thae'lanel

A World of Warcraft blood elf, flowing anime hair and apostrophe'd name and all. I like WoW so that's not terribly grating, but as he has no profile yet there's little else I can say. Thae'lanel is mentioned in Maeve's introduction as a member of a sun elf group called the Exiled, which I'm guessing is tied to his adept status in some way. He and Maeve form yet another adventurer/bodyguard duo.

#Dark Deity #Fire Emblem #Well it's sort of FE

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stargazer-balladeer · 4 years

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Happy Birthday [Y/N]! [Fire Emblem: Fates - Conquest]

[Nohr Siblings x Sibling! GN! Reader]

Requested by: @bagel-prince

Note: Hi! Thank you again for requesting! I hope you’ll like this one! (PS: I don’t really know if it’s a surprise party or not, but I decided to make it a surprise party. Hope you don’t mind :P. If you want, pls request again for a different one.) I REALLY love Fire Emblem, including the Nohr siblings (mainly Leo but--) Let’s get to the One-Shot! By the way, your NOT Corrin in this, she’s a separate human (dragon) being. ENJOY!

Reader’s Gender: Neutral

Warning: None

Word Count: 1950

Hushed voices and hurried footsteps can be heard throughout the halls of Krakenburg Castle. It was still early in the morning when the young (princess/prince) woke up from their slumber. They rub their eyes as they tried to get rid of their sleepiness. They blink a bit before lowering their hands and yawning. “What’s with all those noises?” [Y/N] muttered, slightly annoyed at the noise for waking them up.

Then the door flung open abruptly, making the poor royal (princess/prince) jump in surprise. They look over at the door, only to smile at the familiar sight of her sibling. “Sister!” [Y/N] cheerfully exclaimed as they hurriedly got out to bed to embrace her purple-haired sister. Camilla chuckled as she drop down to her knees to hug her younger sister. “Hello, dear (sister/brother). I see you’re already awake.” Camilla said in her sultry voice while running her fingers through [Y/N]’s hair.

[Y/N] pouts in response. “Because it’s so noise, sister.” Camilla only chuckles as she puts her hand under [Y/N]’s bottom and stand up along with her sibling, effectively carrying them. [Y/N] gasp as they hug Camilla tighter, afraid to fall. Camilla chuckles once more as she walks towards the (princess/prince) bed. “Maybe because they are busy, dear (sister/brother).” Camilla said as she puts down [Y/N] on the bed.

“Busy with what, sister?” [Y/N] asked as they watch her go to their closet and open it, revealing their set of clothes. Camilla hums in response as she picks up clothes and inspecting them. “Oh? You don’t know, dear?” Camilla twirls the clothing around before letting out a smile and nodding to herself. She closed the doors of the closet and walks over to [Y/N].

[Y/N] looks at her in wonder. “Why? Is there something I should know of?” Then their gaze fell down to the clothing Camilla has in her hands. Their brows rising in surprise. “And am I going to wear that?” The clothing she has is one of their favorites, and they only wear it for special occasions. For Camilla to pick this outfit means something is happening today. They look at her only to see amusement dancing in her eyes and lips.

“You really don’t know, [Y/N]?” Camilla chimed, an innocent smile still present on her face. [Y/N] thought about it a bit more, trying to recall what is so special about today before shaking their head. Instead of a disappointed sigh that [Y/N] was expecting, Camilla chuckles. [Y/N] blinks at her, confused at their sister’s behavior. “Oh! This is marvelous!” Camilla laughed.

Camilla calms down after a while, coughing a bit before smiling ever-so-gently at her youngest sibling. “Forgive me, (sister/brother). But I must go now. Brother Xander is requesting my presence today. You better clean up now.” Camilla instructed as she calmly starts to walk towards the door. [Y/N] following her movement. She opens the door, and before she’s fully out. She looks at her sibling over her shoulder. “See you later, [Y/N].” And with that, she closes the door with a click of the knob.

[Y/N] stares at the door for a couple of minutes before releasing a sigh. “Why is sister acting so weird today?” [Y/N] wondered out aloud before shrugging it off and started getting ready for the day.

——

“Brother!” [Y/N] called when they saw Leo’s familiar back on their way to the kitchen. They noticed Leo’s sudden tense when they called out to him, and how hesitant to turn towards them. He looks down to [Y/N] with a weak and wry smile on his face, but they noticed Leo’s hands behind him, hiding something from them. “(S-Sister/B-Brother)! What a surprise!” [Y/N]’s frown went deeper as they crossed their arms in front of their chest. “Why so tense, brother?”

Leo’s eyes weren’t looking directly at theirs, which made the young (princess/prince) of Nohr suspicious. “I.. I’m not sure what you’re talking about, [Y/N].” Leo’s acting weird, Camilla’s acting weird, what’s next? That horses can fly now? (Well there’s pegasus but that’s besides the point). [Y/N] huffs while crossing their arms in front of them. “Why are you and sister Camilla acting weird this early in the morning? What is today that I should know of?” [Y/N] is determined to find out why.

Leo was sweating while looking away from the burning gaze of his young sibling. He looks pale. He opens his mouth to say something but someone cuts him off before he could utter a word. “Prince Leo, Prince Xander is requesting your presence.” A familiar sultry voice said as both siblings turn their head to meet a smirking white-haired retainer of Leo’s. “Niles!” Both siblings exclaimed in surprise. Niles rolled his eyes, whether playfully or not, [Y/N] couldn’t tell.

“Yes. My name is Niles.” Niles said dryly, sarcasm dripping from his mouth. “Also, haven’t you heard what I said? Prince Xander is requesting you, Prince Leo.” Leo raise a brow at this, looking confuse at what Niles is saying. “But why would--” “Immediately.” Niles interrupted with a slight glare and scowl on his face. Leo’s confused face shift to realization as he nodded his head swiftly. “Very well.”

He then turns to a very confused [Y/N] and slightly bowed his head. “Excuse me, dear (sister/brother), but I must go. Have a good day.” And with that, both Leo and Niles started to walk away, but not before Niles giving you a wink. [Y/N] stare at their retreating figures, who seem to be fighting about something, as they walk towards wherever Xander is.

[Y/N]’s frown went deeper, almost like a scowl, with furrowed brows and slight pout on her mouth. “What is today?” She asked in exasperation as she continued her way towards the kitchen.

——

“(Princess/Prince) [Y/N]!” [Y/N] jumped at the sudden shout as they swiftly turned around to meet one of Xander’s retainer, Laslow. He was running towards them and skidded to stop just before he could land on them. He was huffing and sweating profusely, like he ran from Hoshido to [Y/N]’s front. [Y/N] tilted their head slightly at the sudden appearance of the flirt. “What is it, Laslow?”

Laslow took a deep breath after regaining his usual breathing and lets out a gentle smile to the young Nohr sibling. “Princess Elise and Princess Corin wants to eat with you in the garden, they are requesting you, mi(lady/lord),” He explained while putting one hand on his hip. [Y/N]’s eyes widened at what the retainer said as their eyes began to sparkle. “Sister Corrin is here?!” Laslow internally melted at the sight of [Y/N]’s eyes sparkling. He laughs at what they said as he nodded his head.

“Yes, your father agreed for Princess Corrin to come here.” [Y/N]’s excited smile faltered a bit at this revelation. Laslow noticed this as he think of what he previously said before his eyes widened at his accidental slip. “Father?” King Garon rarely lets Corrin out of that fortress. Usually they were the one visiting her, not the other way around. And yet now, Corrin was allowed to visit them in the Castle of Krakenburg. This made [Y/N] even more suspicious of the sudden arrival of her dear sister. “But why would Father allow sister Corrin to come her on her own?”

Laslow nervously laugh as he cough behind his hand. “I-I believe they are still awaiting for your arrival, (Princess/Prince) [Y/N].” [Y/N] snapped to him as they sigh and smiled at him. “Whatever his reason may be, I guess I can entertain them. Take me to where they are.” [Y/N] ordered as Laslow excitedly nodded his head, internally sighing in relief that his head would stay intact, for now.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

“Sisters.. may I ask a question?” [Y/N] asked as they sip on their tea. They were currently outside in the garden. They were sitting in a ‘Y’-shape, Elise and Corrin on the two end. They were accompanied by Jakob, Silas, Kaze and servants of the Castle. The two female sisters hummed in response as Corrin nodded her head, beckoning for the (princess/prince) to continue. [Y/N] scowl as they set down their teacup to the saucer.

“Why is everyone acting so weird today?” They asked as both Corrin and Elise flinch at her question. This goes not unnoticed by the [H/C]-haired (girl/boy), which made her scowl deeper. “See.. even you two are acting weird.” [Y/N] sighed as she trace the teacup’s opening with her index finger. Both sisters look at each other for a while before turning to their sibling.

“You’ll find out soon enough, dear (sister/brother).” Corrin said as vague as possible. Elise happily giggles behind her hands. [Y/N] looks at them, looking like a confuse puppy. “Yes! You just need to be patient, (sister/brother)!” Elise cheered, her cheerful smile still present on her face. [Y/N] sighed before letting out a smile, deciding to trust her sisters on this.

Jakob, Silas and Kaze was watching their interaction with an equal excited grins on their face. They turn to one another, having one thought in mind. “They are so cute together.”

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

“(Princess/Prince) [Y/N]? Are you in there?” [Y/N] looks up when they heard someone knocking and calling them from the outside. [Y/N] closes the book they were reading and answered back. “Yes! I’m here! Who’s there?” They could hear shuffling noises from the outside. “It’s me, Xander.” [Y/N]’s eyes widened at who it was. They look out to see the night still present as ever, but it was strange for Xander to be here.

“May I come in?” [Y/N] snapped their head back to the door as they said yes. The door slowly open to reveal the Crown Prince in his fullest glory. He smiled at the sight of his youngest sibling sitting on their bed. “My.. you look (beautiful/handsome) as ever, dear (sister/brother).” Xander complimented. [Y/N] blushed lightly, as they smiled brightly at their older brother. “Thanks, brother! But, don’t mind me asking, what’re you doing here?”

Xander only smiled at them, which made [Y/N] confused. “I’m here to escort you to the ballroom.” [Y/N] blinks at what he said. “Ballroom? Wha--” “Shall we, dear (sister/brother)?” Xander holds out his hand towards the young (princess/prince). [Y/N] decided to just go along with him as they hold Xander’s hand. Xander squeezes their hand as he leads them to the ballroom.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

“Go on, [Y/N]. Open the door.” Xander encouraged as [Y/N] looks at him, confused and scared on what’s in store beyond this huge doors. “Are you not going to follow me inside, brother?” [Y/N]’s small voice squeak out. Xander merrily laughed as he ruffled his youngest sibling’s hair, which made them pout. “Don’t worry, (sister/brother). If there’s danger, I’ll protect you.” [Y/N] slowly nodded their head as they face towards the door once more.

They took a deep breath before pushing open the door, only to be greeted by smiling faces of their siblings, retainers and servants and balloons. [Y/N] stand there with mouth agape and eyes widened at the sight of the ballroom. The siblings noticed this and giggled at their awestruck sibling. Someone began counting down and they shouted,

“Happy Birthday, [Y/N]!”

[x] Main Page || [x] Fire Emblem: Fates Page

#fire emblem #fire emblem x reader #fire emblem fates #fire emblem fates x reader #camilla #niles #laslow #nohr #nohrian siblings #nohr siblings #corrin #leo #xander #elise #kaze #jakob #silas #req ans❣️

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thesummonerofaskr · 7 years

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Salt 2: Tharja

Rant under the read more.

Oh Tharja. How I hate thee. Let me count the ways. I was ready to do a rant upon this character back during the Enduring Love gauntlet after she won, the only character to take two wins after multiple gauntlets and prove that people absolutely enjoy psychopaths more then they love to admit. And I mean... I like psychopathic characters to a degree as well. I’m just more aware that if half of these characters I like were real, they would deserve to die in horrible, painful manners. But Tharja... Tharja doesn’t click with me. I don’t find her entertaining. Still, I decided not to do the rant then because I figured it would prove nothing. She took her second win and surely wouldn’t be in another gauntlet for a while, right?

Well now we have Winter Vs. New Years. And since as with any gauntlets they do internal eliminations first, we already have a million people predicting that the final match will come down to Winter!Tharja vs. NewYears!Camilla. And needless to say, while I am loathe to admit it, I do understand the anger and frustration that comes from the fact that the reason these two characters are so popular has less to do with personality and more to do with their physical assets. Because a lot of people who play this game consist of two groups, those groups being prepubescent straight men and prepubescent lesbians who see big tits and immediately rate that character high because “daaaaaaaaaaaaaaayum!” Meanwhile Faye from Shadows of Valentia has a similar personality with a more modest character design, yet notice how many people despise her because she isn’t built like a supermodel. A good number of these people who hate also like Tharja and/or Camilla. You wanna talk about double standards?

Now to be fair I know there are reasons to like Tharja. I like Camilla. And Faye, while cute, doesn’t get a lot of writing outside of her obsession for Alm. But if I had to take any of these girls in real life, it would definitely be Faye because she’s not ready to murder Celica for her man. That being said, though, why do I hate Tharja personally? I like Camilla. I like Henry. I even like Peri. It doesn’t get more problematic then Xander’s literal problematic servant. What’s my beef with Tharja?

Well for starters her personality doesn’t appeal to me. Tharja is dark and broody. She intentionally acts this way because she doesn’t care for social contact and because she feels it is the way a harbinger of death, destruction, and doom is meant to act, heavily contrasted with her fellow Dark Mage in Awakening in Henry whom is upbeat, cheerful, and has a bad joke or pun at the ready even while committing horrible acts of atrocity. Both are morally bankrupt as far as ethics go, but who sounds like the more entertaining character out of the two? Camilla may be as obsessive as Tharja, but she’s also got more charm in her unbridled and unquestionable love for her family as well as her adoration for children and animals. Tharja’s just kinda... dull to me. She’s either dull or scheming. All of her good acts feel forced because it doesn’t seem like the character she is. It’s similar to Peri’s support with Odin. Most of her supports involve her being heavily problematic and being scolded for her practical murder fetish, yet when Odin does it, she’s apparently leading a group designed to rehabilitate the disorderly such as her. I love Peri for being more entertaining, but she’s a psychotic bratty womanchild! Where the fuck did that come from?! But for Tharja, that’s nearly every support she has. The only one where you could see her being that nice is with her stalker crush Robin. Speaking of which...

My second gripe is that it’s never explained why exactly she’s obsessed with Robin. Nor is there any real way to headcanon it either. I once posited it might have something to do with Grima, but was then reminded that Tharja is willing to destroy Grima for Robin, meaning she cares for the man more then the dragon. So why is that so? I don’t know. Nobody does. Compare that to her expy in Fates, Rhajat. Corrin saves Rhajat when she’s a little girl from a life-ending experience. Then they save her again during the Faceless rampage. Rhajat was already smitten the first time, but the second time around sealed her obsession for Corrin. Camilla’s obsession? As she explains in her support with Niles (another popular character whom I despise, go figure), she saw Corrin as a scared, lonely child who now had the entire world against them as a Hoshidan in Nohr. During the Concubine Wars, she was a living weapon against her half-siblings, unloved by her own mother and hunted by her other family until the bloodshed ended and she was able to live peacefully with Xander, Leo, and Elise. She doesn’t want Corrin to feel as alone as she did and so she utterly smothers them with affection. She knows that her other three siblings can handle themselves since they also lived through those bloody times, but Corrin is this sweet, naive person who can’t even murder Hoshidan prisoners on King Garon’s orders. Clearly they need more affection and more time to grow in Camilla’s eyes. Faye doesn’t have as much writing either, but there’s at least enough to headcanon why she’s obsessed with Alm. She might’ve had a regular old crush on Alm as a child, but then Slayde comes to Ram Village ready to kill Kliff, Gray, and Tobin as well as her, though it’s implied in his dialogue and the dialogue of his men that she was also considered a target for rape! Because God knows the women can’t be spared in pre-Tellius Fire Emblem stories.That would naturally be a very traumatic experience that was delayed long enough for Mycen to come save them by Alm acting like this brave hero, charging out and punching Slayde in the face despite the fact that it would’ve cost both him and Celica dearly if Mycen didn’t show when he did. Psychologically speaking, Faye could very well see Alm as an anchoring point, something comforting to her now scarred psyche, and thus that dependency manifested itself into an obsessive desire that causes her to become more and more unhinged when she goes into battle alongside Alm and the others in the name of the Deliverance. But if I keep going on about how much I like Faye and how much I wish she’d gotten more development, we’ll lose the topic completely, so onto the final reason I hate Tharja.

You know what all of these characters I like do that Tharja doesn’t? They respect their children. Camilla loves children. Faye doesn’t have children as far as I know, but I imagine she would love them even if she does disappear for days on end because of that mangled psyche of her’s. Henry and Peri both end up surprisingly good parents despite their usual disturbing behavior. Even Niles, whom I stated above I do not like, is a good father... well as good as a Fates parent can be. Tharja, however? Tharja openly experiments with magic on her daughter. And here’s the thing. We’re not counting the Tharja in the future who went mad with grief and started experimenting on Noire to “make her stronger” or whatever. In Noire’s support with her father, she’s come down with a runny nose and it’s Tharja who cursed her with it. Progressing further reveals that he tried to get her to undo the hex only for her to move it to him as well. Noire gets upset because that was how it was even in the future and thus it seemed to her that nothing was changing, so by their A-Support, her father goes balls to the wall and takes all of Tharja’s cursing implements, which makes Tharja chase him around violently and this... lifts Noire’s spirits because it’s different. I’ve seen people try to defend this by saying “it’ll make Noire stronger,” but that is often used as an excuse by abusers to defend what they do to their children in real life. It hits too close to home and I find it absolutely disgusting that this is used by some of her fans to excuse her actions. A few others have mentioned it should be taken as goofy, but again this is a character who seemingly values tradition over mischief. I doubt that she meant her anger to be taken as if in jest. So as far as I’m concerned, she did it because she knew she could, because she knew Noire had taken it before, and because she figured Noire made an easy guinea pig, making her a shitty mother and a disgusting human being.

I can forgive a psychotic personality in fiction. I can forgive obsessiveness. I can forgive violence, especially since I can be quite an aggressive person myself. I can forgive a lot of things in fiction as long as the characters are entertaining. I don’t expect to make people like Peri or Camilla if they hate them. If either of those two were real, I imagine the former would need to be put to death immediately and the latter put in a psyche ward at least if not put to death as well. But Tharja isn’t just dull, uninteresting, and morally bankrupt. She also represents how disgusting some people will get in order to defend her. You can tell me how disgusting I am for liking Peri because “I’m woobifying a serial murderer,” even though I haven’t called her anything short of disturbed and monstrous, but I won’t try to turn around and convince you that it’s not her fault since her father raised her to kill people and encouraged her as a child to murder her butlers and maids since it made her happy. He should be put to death too, sure, but Peri is far too broken to realistically save and only Fates’ stock writing could even hope to try. I’m not gonna tell you to dislike Tharja if you’re reading this and like her. I only hope you have proper reasons to like her whilst accepting that she isn’t a hero, she isn’t a nice person, and she isn’t morally just in her actions.

Or you could like her because she has big tits, I guess. Seems to be the go-to reason for Tharja/Camilla fans.

#ooc #michele rants #character hate #not gonna tag the character's name #but it is in the title #sorry to all the fans if it shows up regardless

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grandsonoflightike · 5 years

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Warrior Great Sea Saga Chapter 1: A New Warrior Disturbance

Dana The Writer: Welcome To The Branders Series 96 of the tAll3Shyguy Timeline BU 400 Years Era called "Warrior Great Sea Saga". This will have fates characters in it and 1 lesbian couple and 1 gay couple. The Gay Couple is Warrior-Arthur-X-Warrior-Kaden. The Lesbian Couple is Warrior-Elise-X-Warrior-Sakura who are stars of this story.

Warrior Sakura: Wait, how a-are W-warrior E-elise and I-I stars of the W-warrior G-great S-sea S-saga?

Warrior Elise: I also am wondering that.

Light Lucina: I am too.

Light Male Robin: That's not to be revealed until chapter 2. The thing is we actually learn of the Gay couple being together during fates but the lesbian couple as their wifes to produce their children with Warrior Percy have Warrior Kaden's hair color and Warrior Selkie having Warrior Arthur's Hair color which confused Warrior Elise and Warrior Sakura until this chapter when the gay couple is revealed.

Light Lucina: So basically Warrior Arthur broke Warrior Elise's Heart and Warrior Kaden broke Warrior Sakura's Heart?

Warrior Kaden: Yeah, that's true. We are truly sorry for that.

Warrior Arthur: If Lady Warrior Elise can forgive me, I hope Lady Warrior Camilla can too.

Warrior Elise: I talk her down so that she doesn't hurt you. I also mention to both her and you about a certain other feelings for someone else.

Warrior Kaden: Well I hope Warrior Hinoka doesn't hurt me for breaking Warrior Sakura's Heart.

Warrior Sakura: I do to W-warrior H-hinoka what W-warrior E-elise does to W-warrior C-camilla for y-you as well. I also m-mention to b-both W-warrior H-hinoka and y-you about c-certain o-other f-feelings for s-someone el-else a-as well.

Warrior Camilla and Warrior Hinoka: Wait you both mentioned certain other feelings for someone else. Do you tell us sisters who you're talking about or what those feelings are?

Warrior Sakura: N-nope.

Warrior Elise: Thinking about what happens later, we probably should have.

Light Male Robin: Another thing to blame on the villain because the gay couple being revealed is thanks to him to.

Warrior Sakura: Well, one good thing is t-that the T-temple Of W-warrior Hy-hylia is built because of h-him.

Warrior Ryoma: I am going to speed this up. All Branders Characters Of The BU and Emblem Warriors Outrealm Characters © tAll3Shyguy On DA Or tAll3Shyguy Skull Land On Fan-fiction / YouTube / Tumblr or tAll3Shyguy_Skull_Land On Archive Of Our Own or DavidTWr On Miiverse or Skulkerman On PSN or Kallig Legacy on Discord.

Dana The Writer: Thank you for the Disclaimer, Warrior Ryoma. Background song is Title+Dragon (LOZ Wind Waker Title+Dragon) from Hyrule Warriors Legends. Now On With The Story.

Warrior Great Sea Saga Chapter 1: A New Warrior Disturbance

At Windmire Castle, Warrior Elise and Warrior Sakura are surprised to find their husbands kissing each other.

Warrior Elise shouts "What is going on here?"

Their Husbands, Warrior Arthur and Warrior Kaden, turn around to see their wives.

Warrior Arthur And Warrior Kaden say together "I can explain."

Warrior Elise says "which one of you first?"

Warrior Arthur says "I think I can answer for both of us, Lady Warrior Elise. Still don't why I feel the urge to include Warrior. The thing is I actually have been in a relationship since the middle of Corrin's Campaign against Anakos. That is why our son, Warrior Percy, has Warrior Kaden's Hair Color."

Warrior Kaden says "That is also why Our Daughter, Warrior Selkie, has Warrior Arthur's Hair Color on her streak, Warrior Sakura. I am truly sorry for doing this to you. The truth is we actually just needed you two to create children for us. We wanted kids but couldn't get them together."

"S-so that justifies a r-reason to pretend to love us?!" Warrior Sakura shouts.

"Warrior Sakura, calm down. It is not like they weren't going to tell us eventually. Right, you two?" Warrior Elise says/

"Indeed, Lady Warrior Elise. Though this was not how we intended to tell you. There was a plan for it. Then somehow you two were able to find us making out." Warrior Arthur says.

"Warrior Sakura, Please Forgive us." Warrior Kaden says.

Warrior Sakura responds "I will but I don't know if Warrior Hinoka will."

Warrior Kaden gulps.

"Same thing with Warrior Camilla." Warrior Elise Says.

Warrior Arthur gulps.

Warrior Kaden says "Please can I talk to you alone, Warrior Sakura?"

Warrior Arthur says "I want to Speak to Warrior Elise Alone."

Both Of The Girls respond that they will talk to their unloving spouse.

"Warrior Elise, can you please talk to Warrior Camilla? Make sure she doesn't chop off my head for breaking your heart." Warrior Arthur asks.

"You know I always thought something was up when you two would go off on your own to think it was because you were a couple." Warrior Elise says "But, I am actually glad that to be the case."

Warrior Arthur says, questionly, "Huh?"

"There is someone else who I have certain feelings for. I just don't know if they will accept them." Warrior Elise says.

Warrior Elise then walks away. A Similar Situation happened with Warrior Kaden and Warrior Sakura with Warrior Sakura Tripping over her words. After that she also walks away. The youngest princess tell their older sisters about the truth of their relationships with their unloving husbands and mention again that There is someone else who they have certain feelings for but just don't know if they will accept them. A Day later, all The Warrior Fates Characters except for the Awakening Trio are pulled from their world to The Great Sea Era Rift in Hyrule just appeared at the moment they were pulled.

"I'm Sensing another rift between the eras. Will you inspect it for us?" Warrior Impa says.

Light Male Robin says "The Warrior Shepherds, Light Lucina, Light Morgan, Light Marc, and I are going with you Warrior Link, if you do."

Warrior Link says "I am going. These rifts have got to be stopped."

Warrior Owain says "I'm sensing strange powerful magic pulling the world to this one as well as another Area as well."

Warrior Lissa says "Don't listen to him. He's just being overdramatic."

Warrior Severa whispers "Do you sense Warrior Corrin and Warrior Azura in that other area, Warrior Owain?"

Warrior Inigo whispers "You can't be seriously believing that he can sense Warrior Corrin and Warrior Azura."

"No, I think he can sense Warrior Leo Though. After all, he was Warrior Leo's Retainer." Warrior Severa whispers.

"You strikes a point." Warrior Inigo whispers. Warrior Inigo whispers "So Do you sense Warrior Leo?"

"I do." Warrior Owain whispers.

"This can't be good that we have that world colliding with ours." Warrior Severa says.

Suddenly An Outrealm Power opens and Light Male Robin, Light Lucina, Light Morgan, and Light Marc come out of it.

"You guys won't be alone. We are coming as well." Light Lucina says.

Warrior Impa says "Why must you guys come as well?"

"Because the Writers ordered my wife, my children, and me to help out warrior Link and the Warrior Shepherds in this saga for some reason." Light Male Robin says.

Warrior Zelda says "I should Go as well."

Warrior Impa says "No, you're needed here, as am I. Warrior Link, Warrior Shepherds and our BU Allies, we must ask you to look into this for us."

In The Warrior Great Sea Era, Warrior Tetra says "What... Just Happened?"

Though peace was expected to return to Warrior Hyrule after Warrior Ganon's Fall, something rather ominous happened instead. New World Appeared--a world of a different dimension. Warrior Impa had summoned Warrior Link and The Warrior Shepherds to Warrior Hyrule Castle where they also met up with Light Male Robin, Light Lucina, Light Morgan, and Light Marc. Warrior Impa asked all of the summoned characters and 4 outrealmers to investigation this strange happening. Once the preparations for his adventure were complete, The Ones going to investigate set off. They entered this strange new world. It was a vast, mysterious dimension with an unfamiliar landscape. There They met a girl who was battling monsters. Her name was Warrior Tetra. She was the leader of a gang of pirates. But she had been separated from her crew during the recent dimensional event. Though Strangers, everyone could agree on one thing: The Monsters Warrior Tetra was battling had to be defeated. They joined forces to take on the enemy.

Warrior Proxi shouts "Oh no! That town is being attacked by monsters! We have to do something!"

Warrior Tetra says "The Enemies are coming from the Warrior Forsaken Fortress. I bet their leader is in there."

Light Male Robin says "Probably a good bet."

Light Morgan says "Father, I feel the presence of Fire Emblem Characters besides the ones who came with us. They are in the dock area."

"Take The Bomb Shop to get to the docks." Warrior Tetra says.

Warrior Link working with Warrior Owain Take the Bomb Shop. The Bomb Shop door to the docks opens and out pop the Warrior Fates Characters.

First one who appears is Warrior Leo who says "Warrior Odin, is that you?"

Warrior Xander then appears and sees Warrior Inigo making him say "Warrior Laslow, what are you doing here?"

Warrior Camilla then appears and sees Warrior Severa making her say "Warrior Selena, How in the world..."

Warrior Corrin appears and says "I also see Warrior Refleto, what is this place?"

"Milord Warrior Corrin..." Warrior Reflet says "The Four Of Us can tell you this now this is the world we came from. You're in a nation connected to our homeworld distorted by A Portal of Sorts."

Warrior Felicia appears "Everyone, I think she is telling the truth because I see the land around and there is water and then strange purple liquid connecting the water to patches of grass."

"Let's Get through this battle and then we see what's going on here." Warrior Elise says.

Warrior Sakura says "V-very much agreed to that s-since this l-looks like a b-battle is g-going on."

Warrior Tetra says "Time to defeat these monsters coming from the Warrior Forsaken Fortress."

Warrior Boss Blin says "If we drive out this accursed bird, the fortress will be ours!"

"They Want More Territory, huh? Don't give them an inch of Windfall Island!" Warrior Tetra says.

Warrior Xander says "I would have to say this island, as it once was, must be important so Warrior Nohrians, Join The Warrior People in driving back the monsters."

"As will we Warrior Hoshidians Join The Battlefield." Ryoma says.

"Warrior Valla is helping to end this war and will have Warrior Lilith prepare the Astral Castle For Us." Warrior Kamui who just so happens to be Male Corrin says.

Warrior Corrin says "This is something we must do."

"We know little about who linked Warrior Tetra's Great Sea Era with our main era of our world. You guys helping us will help achieve finding it." Warrior Chrom says.

"Hmm..." Light Male Robin says "I know of two of the Nohrian and Hoshidian couples here had a little disagreement that was actually the truth."

"You do?" Warrior Elise says "How?"

"I-I got to a-ask that as well." Warrior Sakura stammers out.

"Because I have the outrealm power so I can see everything that happens in any outrealm." Light Male Robin says "Plus I am a chosen one of my Universe's Gods. True fact. In my Universe, People are chosen to watch over planets as each planet has very different people. The Reason you new additions are called Warrior and then your name is because your world is an outrealm to my main one."

"Interesting. I wonder what caused us to be a outrealm." Warrior Leo says.

"Simply Put The Warrior Shepherds were part of a failed timeline of our universe that failed to defeat Tabuu, a Writer who eats Universes by Absorbing them into his subspace one. This guy was defeated in ours but we have learned that he was just a pawn of the true enemy." Light Lucina explains.

"Interesting." Warrior Takumi says.

They move out toward the Forsaken Fortress and find head shaped rocks in the way.

"Oh Man, head shaped boulders block our path." Warrior Takumi says

"The Hammer can help with that if we can find out where we need to use it." Warrior Proxi says.

"Those foul humans are up to something! Go find out what!" Warrior Boss Blin says.

"They're closing in from three different directions. We need to divide and conquer to drive them back!" Warrior Proxi says.

Warrior Hylian Captain says "We strike at the monsters at the east if you can handle the ones in the center!"

"I command Warrior Elise and Warrior Sakura to pair up and go after the ones in the center and Warrior Link go with them. The Rest of you fates characters and Warrior Tetra, go with the Warrior Hylian Soldiers. I am betting they will need our help. I want the Warrior Awakening Characters and The BU People to head after The the West." Light Male Robin says.

"Who died and made you the one who decides that?" Warrior Takumi says.

"Lord Warrior Takumi, Light Male Robin is a skilled tactician and the one who leads his own Chrom who look like a yellow version of Warrior Chrom into battle and is the reason we won against Tabuu as it was his Grima half that defeat Tabuu and Light Male Robin covered for his Grima Half." Warrior Owain says.

"That's good to know. Alright then, we need to do his tactic." Warrior Takumi says. "I just don't get why he is sending Warrior Elise and my little sister together with Warrior Link."

Light Male Robin says "My Gods of My Universe told me to. They are directly linked to all conflict connected to my universe including this one as they write it up as the history of each world. We 4 BU Selves are like The Guardians of them so we know a lot about especially since we live on their world."

"Okay then." Warrior Takumi says.

"Never thought that would get a Takumi to shut up." Light Male Robin thinks.

Warrior Boss Blin says "If you trust in your strength...come at me!"

"He's mocking us!" Warrior Takumi says "Don't go."

"Too Late for Warrior Elise and Warrior Sakura... They are charging toward him with Warrior Sakura riding the back of Warrior Elise's Horse." Warrior Chrom says.

"Wait they trust in their strength? Why? They're healers." Warrior Ryoma says.

"Something ticked them off." Warrior Xander says "Let's go save them."

Warrior Boss Blin says "You healers have come to come at me? I will take you down."

Suddenly a flash happens.

"What the-?" Warrior Ryoma says.

"What's going on?" Warrior Xander says.

"I can't do this alone!" Warrior Sakura says as she fires off a whole bunch of arrows.

"I'll fight with you, Warrior Sakura!" Warrior Elise says as she casts random spells and then says "Warrior Gigunnagap!" Unleashing a Warrior Gigunnagap spell on The Warrior Boss Blin, defeating him.

"Wait a minute, Where's Warrior Tetra?" Warrior Proxi says.

In the new world, Warrior Link, The Warrior Shepherds, and the 4 BU Selves met the pirate leader, Warrior Tetra, and The Warrior Fates Characters and they fought valiantly together as allies. But it would seem their enemies were stronger and craftier than they had imagined... After Claiming Victory, Everyone looked up into the sky to see a monstrous bird flying off into the distance. Squinting to get a better view, Warrior Link saw that the giant bird was carrying something in its talons. Not something--someone! It was Warrior Tetra! Warrior Link and his allies had to do something, or she would be lost forever. Warrior Link and his allies prepared to dash off to save her without a second thought except for Warrior Corrin.

"Wait, If Warrior Lilith can configure the astra realm right, we can teleport right to where Warrior Tetra is going." Warrior Kamui says.

"It will take time in the astra realm but the Astra Realm's time is not the same as the normal world." Warrior Corrin says.

Warrior Proxi says "If what you say is true, I suggest Warrior Link take that idea and use it."

Light Male Robin says "Actually The Gods Of My Universe Command it be done that way."

"Wait, the Writers aka gods of your universe command that be done. They must trust it." Warrior Chrom says.

Warrior Reflet says "Yes, which means we must as well."

So They Headed to Warrior Astra Castle. There they met up and started planning their offensive. At That place, it seemed Light Male Robin was the one controlling what happened with the cursor at first and will be for the next chapter.

TBC...

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misskikuwrites · 7 years

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Fire Emblem Fates: Rebirth

Chapter 35: Divided We Fall

Also known as: The Path We Chose

After dying at the hands of a possessed Takumi, Corrin wakes up before Hoshido and Nohr are at war.

Determinded to undo all her regrets, Corrin sets out to save Ryoma and Takumi, unaware of their true, hidden enemy.

Spoilers for all routes.

Corrin was still fuming when footsteps sounded behind her. She sucked in a sharp breath of the frosty air and folded her arms. She focused her glare at the horizon, the setting sun casting a blinding glare across the sky. Whoever followed her from the cavern stood just behind her in silence. Corrin internally dared them to speak. To tell her off, to chide her for being childish and naïve. She imagined Ryoma or Xander, disappointment in their eyes. Or Leo, shaking his head with a click of his tongue.

She thought, with a start, what she would do if it was Takumi behind her. She didn’t know how she’d face him. How she’d deal with the hurt in his eyes.

Whoever it was, they stayed silent, and Corrin forced herself to look over her shoulder. Camilla gave her a warm smile, full of love and understanding that doused Corrin’s frustration. A wave of relief washed over her. Her arms dropped to her sides as her tension fled.

“Camilla…” Corrin didn’t know what to say. She turned to face her sister fully, suddenly feeling fragile. The walls she’d drawn around herself had cracked over time, again and again, tiny faults building until one touch would be all it took for it to break again. She’d turned to anger instead, too frustrated at herself to cry.

“I’ve missed you, my darling Corrin,” Camilla said, drawing closer a step. Her smile was as gentle as it was familiar. As it had always been, brimming with unconditional love that Corrin had never felt she deserved. Camilla’s shoes crunched the loose rocks as she stepped forward slowly, her long legs closing the distance with ease. She raised a hand up, cupped Corrin’s cheek. Her gaze softened and Corrin felt herself splintering beneath her sister’s gaze.

“I missed you too,” Corrin said, forcing the words from her tight throat. She stepped into Camilla’s embrace, dropping her head to her sister’s shoulder. This was nothing like the last time they’d hugged. There would be no sharp ending, no cutting blade, no painful rejection and heartache. She was safe, here, in Camilla’s arms.

That was how it had always been. Unconditional. Camilla had loved her no matter what. Even if she’d failed her training, her studies. Even when she’d abandoned them and been labelled a traitor. Camilla had loved her through and through.

When Corrin stepped back from her sister, she felt warmer. No longer teetering on the edge of frustrating tears. She was sick of crying. Of falling to pieces.

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Camilla said, still smiling. “I had a… talk with Xander and Prince Ryoma.” There was an unsettling glint in her eyes, a sharpness to her smile. “You needn’t worry about them.”

Corrin leant against the rock face and stared off at nothing. She sighed with a tight huff of air. “They weren’t wrong. Maybe I am too trusting.”

“That’s what makes you so loveable,” Camilla said. “It’s what makes people want to trust you, what makes you a good leader. You see the best in people. That’s more than I can say for some.”

Corrin didn’t know how to feel. With her frustration gone she just felt empty. The truth in what she had said was finally hitting her. The families that she’d thought she belonged to were just lies. Illusions. Every time she’d been called sister, every time she’d called them back in return, it had been a lie.

She had no family here. She was surrounded by allies and friends but had never felt so alone.

“I thought I had a place in Nohr,” Corrin said finally. She withdrew into herself, wrapping her arms around her middle. “A family. And then I thought the same of Hoshido.” She shrugged, as if the motion would make it sting less. As if she could shuck off this weight like one would and old coat. The heaviness remained as it always would. “Now, I don’t know where I belong.”

“You’ll always have a place in Nohr,” Camilla said. She drew up beside Corrin, their shoulders almost touching. “And if anyone says otherwise they can answer to me.”

She sounded so sure of herself Corrin almost laughed.

“Thank you,” Corrin said softly. She didn’t trust herself to raise her voice above a whisper lest it crack or falter and reveal what she so desperately wanted to hide. She felt weak. That something so obvious should affect her like this. She’d known they weren’t related. She’d known for a long time that her family in Nohr was only in name, but to suddenly be told that her ties to Hoshido had been the same was like having the world ripped out from under her feet.

She was disoriented. She’d had all this guilt, all this regret, from destroying what she thought was her birth family. The guilt was still there but now it felt numb. Like it was out of place, like it didn’t fit with the rest of her guilt and regret. And with it came a niggling fear. One she couldn’t shake, one that kept resurfacing.

Would she have gone down this path if she’d known they weren’t her family?

She didn’t know. And it terrified her.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Corrin said. “That you came with me.”

“Of course I’d come with you,” Camilla said, as if that had never been in any doubt. “The depths of the Bottomless Canyon wouldn’t keep me from you. We all have your back, even if we’re not related by blood. You’re still family.”

Family. Corrin didn’t know what that meant any more. She nodded, the movement heavy. She could still feel a sliver of anger in her heart. The weight of her dragonstone around her neck was cold. She could see its cracks in her mind, staring, glaring at her. Her fingers itched, she clenched them into fists.

Corrin glanced into the darkness of the cavern. “I… need to speak with Azura,” Corrin said, not entirely wanting to leave Camilla and enter the tunnels again. If anyone knew about dragonstones it would be Azura. She would know if the cracks meant anything. If it had anything to do with the churning turmoil in her gut.

“Of course,” Camilla said. “Don’t let me hold you up.”

Corrin gave her a tight nod and headed back into the cavern. Instead of heading straight to Azura, Corrin found herself drifting towards Elise and Sakura by their makeshift infirmary. Blankets and coats were laid out across the hard rock. Those that were injured got tended to quickly with salves, bandages and a wave of magic. Corrin barely registered the dull throb in her arm anymore. She was sure that she’d reinjured it during the battle and silently drew up to Sakura and Elise. She was suddenly glad they weren’t there to witness her outburst. Glad she didn’t have to witness the heartache, the pain that would flash in their eyes.

Corrin was glad she hadn’t done that to them, though the anger in her heart hadn’t faded.

“Elise, Sakura,” Corrin began, bringing a smile to her face. The two Princesses turned to her and brightened. “Which one of you can tend to my arm?” She held up her injured arm with a shrug. “Told you I wouldn’t be able to rest,” she said to Sakura.

“A-And you were on Healer’s Orders too,” she said, forcing a pout. Her cheeks flushed, she tried so hard to bite back a smile. “Let me see.”

At Sakura’s direction, Corrin sat down a blanket and watched as her two sister’s worked in tandem. Gauntlet removed, the nasty bruising Sakura had healed away previously was now back with a vengeance. The sight where she’d caught a sword was puffy and swollen, bruised with violent purples and blues.

“Ooh, that looks nasty,” Elise noted, eyes wide. She didn’t shy away from injuries but instead took them in stride, with great interest. She gave Corrin’s arm a prod, earning a wince from her.

“You might have re-fractured it,” Sakura said. She held Corrin’s arm delicately, running a finger down the length of the bone. “What did you do to it this time?”

“What I did last time,” Corrin huffed. “I caught a sword with it.”

“Sounds painful.” Elise took out her staff, holding it high with a grin. “I’ll have it healed up in a jiffy.”

“I’ll get some salves to help with the swelling,” Sakura said. She rummaged through their supplies, digging through various jars and container of various sizes and contents. They fell into silence as Elise worked magic over Corrin’s arm. The strange sensations it brought were just as uncomfortable the second time around. The rush of heat, the weird buzzing of her skin from the magic. And then the retreat of the warmth, the dull, cold ache as it began to numb. Corrin doubted she would ever get used to it.

“How hard is it to learn how to heal?” Corrin found herself asking. She stared down at her arm as the bruises changed colour. They blurred from purple and blue to yellow and green. The swelling was just as prominent this time from having reinjured it.

“It’s totally easy,” Elise said. She smiled down at her handiwork. “I’ve been doing it forever.”

“It… didn’t take me that long to learn,” Sakura replied, casting her mind back. “Why do you want to know?”

Corrin paused as Sakura applied the cool salve to her arm and wrapped it lightly in bandages. She stared down at it, forcing images of Scarlet’s body from her mind. The way she’d felt in that moment, powerless, incompetent, hopeless, resurfaced with a heavy sickness. She never wanted to feel that way again.

“I want to learn,” Corrin said softly. She didn’t let herself meet either of her sisters’ eyes. The memory was too painful, too fresh in her mind, she couldn’t bare them asking about it. She knew it showed in her eyes. It wasn’t something you could hide.

“Really?” Elise beamed eagerly. A bright sparkle filled her eyes as she flashed a smile. “Let me teach you!”

Corrin pursed a smile. “Just the basics for now. I don’t want to hold you up for too long.”

That didn’t damper Elise’s smile. “It’s super easy,” she boasted with a grin. “The staff channels your magic; all you have to do is aim and presto!”

Sakura giggled. “It’s not exactly like that. It just takes a lot of practice to get it right so you don’t leave a scar.”

“Sakura’s amazing at it! She doesn’t even leave a mark!”

Sakura pinked, her cheeks dimpling as she flushed. “I-I’m not that amazing… but thank you.”

The friendly display between the two Princesses had Corrin genuinely smiling. To see them get alone so easily, so naturally, was a relief. They’d manage to broker a friendship despite the differences in culture, despite everything they’d grown up to believe about the other country. It was the beginning of something. The very first ripple that Corrin hoped would spread. The two Princesses were so beloved that she hoped others would see them and follow their lead. Closing the gap between Hoshido and Nohr had never seemed more possible.

Corrin pushed away her smile as Sakura gave her a staff and called Subaki over. The sky knight had a small gash to his upper arm that had yet to be tended to. He seated himself before Corrin with a flourished bow, giving her a charming smile.

“I’m at your service, Lady Corrin,” he said. “It’s an honour to be your first patient.”

Corrin swallowed, her throat constricting. She did as Sakura and Elise instructed, holding the staff with two hands over the injury. She gripped it tightly lest her hands shake. She focused on the injury, the small slice of red across Subaki’s pale skin. It ran the length a hand but was more of a scrape that a proper injury. It was the perfect wound to practice on. Not life threatening, less than likely to leave a mark or scar.

And yet Corrin felt ill. Her stomach churned, her heart thundering heavily in her chest. When she focused her magic, the first tug it gave almost made her drop the staff. She flinched, gripped the staff tighter. It was like her energy was bleeding through the staff. A warm light spilled over them, over Subaki’s arm, and slowly, ever so slowly, the scrape began to close.

Corrin snatched the staff away from Subaki’s arm when the job was done. Her body was alight with nerves for no reason. The staff hadn’t done anything to her. Hadn’t taken anything from her. It was just so strange, so foreign, she hadn’t expected it to feel like that.

She wondered if that was what it was like to weave magic. It was almost…exhilarating in a way. Her hands had buzzed with energy like nothing she’d ever felt before.

“Perfect,” Subaki mused, glancing at his freshly healed arm. “I didn’t expect anything less.” Corrin met his smile, forced one of her own in return.

“Thank you for being my guinea pig,” Corrin said. “I guess I’ll need more practice before I work on any real injuries though.”

“Don’t tell anyone that or they’ll be lining up to injure themselves,” Subaki said with a laugh. He stood and excused himself with a curt bow. Corrin followed him with her eyes for a moment before turning back to her sisters. They looked up at her with expectant eyes, glimmering excitedly.

Corrin held up the staff in her hands. “May I keep this? I might find some time to practice later.”

As much as she wanted to learn, the prospect of needing another injured person to practice on weighed harshly in her stomach.

“Of course,” Sakura said, nodding happily.

“We have heaps of staffs,” Elise agreed. She was still grinning, bouncing on her feet energetically. “I’m just so happy I got to teach you. This is all so exciting!”

Corrin held the staff listlessly in her hands, feeling its weight, the way it hung in her grip. It was lighter than her sword. Much lighter, and not just because its purpose was the exact opposite of her Yato.

She gave her sisters a final, stiff smile and bid them a quick goodbye before searching for Azura. She hated the way she cased the cavern for the rest of her siblings. Every fibre of her being wished to ignore them, to avoid them, both out of shame and frustration. She still burned inside from their argument. If it could be called an argument. It wasn’t like they’d fought. She’d just snapped at them, sick and tired and exhausted from everything.

She wondered, not for the first time, if the state of her dragonstone had anything to do with it.

Corrin felt small shred of relief when she found Azura by herself. She approached cautiously, a hand going to her dragonstone around her neck. Azura gave her a gentle smile. She tilted her head curiously, watching Corrin approach, only speaking when there was an amicable distance between them.

“Hello, Corrin,” Azura said. A question lingered in her gaze but after a moment and a brief pause, she didn’t give it a voice.

“Azura.” Corrin gave her a nod, stiffer than she’d like. “I need your advice.”

Azura’s eyes widened fractionally. As always, that gentle smile of hers settled Corrin’s nerves. There was nothing expectant in her eyes. Azura didn’t expect Corrin to be something greater than she was.

“What is it?” Azura asked. She politely lowered her voice to keep their conversation between only them. It was as much privacy as they could get in a crowded set of tunnels.

“It’s about my dragon’s blood,” Corrin began, “and my dragonstone.” She sighed, forcing the air out as she clenched her hand tightly around the fractured stone that hung from her neck. She drew it out, slowly, and opened her fingers to reveal it to Azura. She stifled a gasp with her hand at the sight.

“Oh my.” Azura reached out as if to touch it, her fingers stilling in the air. She retracted her hand in a heartbeat and worried her lip. “How long has it been like that?”

“I don’t know,” Corrin answered. Her eyes lingered on the stone before she stole it back into her hand and out of sight. “I only noticed earlier today. Do you think– is it a problem?” She couldn’t settle on just one question to ask.

Azura’s expression turned grim. “I believe so. In the state that it’s in, it can’t properly contain your dragon side.”

Corrin sighed again. Her heart sank into her stomach. “That’s what I was afraid you’d say. Earlier today, I… hadn’t realised to the extent that I’d transformed. And I’ve had this lust for battle, this anger, this frustration…” She wanted to sigh again. To huff, to complain properly, loudly, outright. Instead, she took a sharp breath. “I can feel the dragon inside me longing to get out. And, honestly, sometimes I wonder if I should just let it.”

Azura softened at Corrin’s admission, her honesty in expressing this fear. “You’ve been using your dragonstone heavily as of late. With it broken, your dragon side is bleeding out. You mustn’t let it take over.”

If only it was that easy. “Is there anything we can do?” Corrin asked. “Some way to fix it?”

Azura shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Once a dragonstone has broken it’s impossible to fix. However, it might be possible to find a replacement.”

“Where would we find one?” It wasn’t like they could just pop off to a market stall and buy one. You didn’t just find dragonstones lying around.

“It’s possible that we might find one in Valla somewhere,” Azura said, “though I wouldn’t know where.”

“I know someone who might,” Corrin said. She didn’t have to think about it and sought him out across the cavern. Anthony wasn’t hard to spot. He sat by himself in a lone corner, brightening when Corrin and Azura approached.

Corrin got straight to the point, pursing a smile, feeling her nerves light up. “Anthony, we– or rather, I need your help.” She tried to drown out the noise filling the cavern. The amicable conversations around them, the laughter, the chatter. It was a needless buzz in her head.

Corrin drew out her dragonstone, holding it out for Anthony’s eyes only. She cupped it in her hand, still holding it close to her body. The sight of the fractured stone churned her stomach. She couldn’t let anyone else see it. She couldn’t let anyone else think she was incapable of leading them. As if she was incapacitated by something so slight. “Have you ever seen a stone like this before?” she asked, lowering her voice to a gentle tone.

Anthony leant forward and studied her dragonstone. “I think I have, actually.” He raised his eyes to Corrin’s, she could’ve hugged him as he continued and said, “I believe there’s some in a nearby village. I don’t know what it is, though. I’ve never seen one with a crack like that before.”

Corrin stole her dragonstone out of sight and gave him a dry laugh. “That’s probably a good thing,” she said. “Do you remember where the village is? Can you lead me there?”

He nodded. “Of course. It’s about half a day’s journey east from here.”

Not the kind of distance Corrin wanted to be traveling away from her allies anytime soon. She shook off that thought and called Jakob and Kaze over. She filled them in as quickly as she could, before ordering them to find Keaton and Kaden. For this journey they needed a small group. No more than ten. Keaton and Kaden could act like scouts, tell them if any hostiles were nearby. Jakob and Kaze would come, of course, along with Azura, Anthony as their guide.

Corrin just wanted to slip out without argument but as her group prepared to leave, fate had other plans. She was cornered by Xander and Ryoma. She bit her lip, forcing down a sigh, as Takumi approached, with Leo and Elise not far behind.

Corrin hadn’t wanted to make a big deal of this. Optimally, she didn’t want anyone else to know about her dragonstone. But Xander and Ryoma eyed her and her team ready to leave, and Corrin knew she was stuck.

“Planning on going somewhere?” Ryoma asked. He raised an eyebrow at her before sending a glance over her small team.

“I hope you weren’t planning on leaving without saying anything,” Xander said pointedly.

Corrin swallowed dryly and forced herself to ignore the furrow on Takumi’s brow, the way he was watching her with his arms folded. “I was going to tell you,” Corrin said. She felt out the words in her head before giving them a voice. She touched the dragonstone around her neck. The groove, the crack in the shiny surface, felt like a fracture in her confidence. Her hand froze as she began to draw it out. As if revealing the crack would somehow change how her allies, her friends and family, saw her.

Slowly, Corrin pulled out her dragonstone and held it in her palm, the crack staring up into the waiting eyes of her siblings.

“That’s your dragonstone,” Ryoma noted. A frown came across his features. “It’s cracked.”

Corrin’s heart was in her throat. She nodded stiffly. “It’s breaking. And can’t contain my dragon blood.” She looked to Azura now, to Anthony, as if meeting their gazes would instil some confidence in her. “There’s a village not a half-day’s journey from here where I can find a replacement.” Her eyes fell to her dragonstone as her throat tightened. She hated this. Having to explain herself. It was as if she was back in Nohr, trapped in a castle again. Unable to leave, under constant watch… it only made her want to flee.

“Then we should mobilise our forces and make our way there together,” Xander said. “For something so important as this.”

“I don’t want this to make a big deal,” Corrin said. She shook her head, clenched her fists, heart sinking in her chest. “And some of our allies are still injured and need rest. If I take a small team we can manoeuvre easily to the village and back without any trouble. It’ll be harder to move undetected with such a large group.”

Xander seemed to ponder this for a moment, before sighing. “All right, if that’s what you feel is right.” A slight smile came across his face, gentle and surprising. “However, I implore you to take Elise and Leo with you. In case you need another healer.” He cased his eyes over Corrin’s group once more. “And I noticed you don’t have anyone adverse in magic. You never know what you might face.” He gave a nod to Leo, who sighed.

“Fine,” Leo said. “I’ll tag along. If only to make sure Elise stays out of trouble.”

“Hey!” Elise balked.

Corrin gave them both a tight smile. “I guess that’s all right. It’ll be nice to spend some time with you both. I haven’t been able to recently.” She nodded to them before turning back to her group. “Are we all ready, then?” She was met with nods and grunts of approval in return and within minutes they were heading out of the cavern and into the night.

Corrin stepped out of the cavern, relishing the cool, fresh air, when someone called her name.

“Corrin!”

She turned, to find Takumi slip out of the cavern, Fujin Yumi in hand. He stalked up to her quickly, shooting a glance behind him to the cave as he approached.

“Takumi? What are you doing?” Corrin asked. She followed his glance to the cave, only finding darkness.

“I’m coming with you,” he said defiantly. Corrin blinked at him in return.

“What?”

He folded his arms, unfolded them, and frowned. “You… don’t really have someone who can take out an enemy from afar,” he said. “So… I thought I’d join you.” He couldn’t hold her gaze and tore his eyes away. He scratched listlessly at his cheek as a flush coloured his face. He couldn’t just tell her that he wanted to come. That he wanted to fight alongside her, that he was worried about her dragonstone.

He was worried about her.

His flush darkened when she smiled at him and said, “Thank you, Takumi. I appreciate it.” She turned and fell in step with her group, completely unaware that Takumi had smouldered from her smile and words.

She had that effect on him.

The journey to the nearby village soon became a chore. They walked in an almost silence, in the dark, scattered up and down the path. The moonlight above was the only thing illuminating their path. They’d decided to forgo torches and lanterns, anything that would make them a beacon in the night. Azura and Anthony took the lead, with Keaton and Kaden darting in and out of the brush, out of trees and rocks as they scouted the nearby area. Kaze and Jakob stood on the outside of their group, always on alert.

Somehow, Corrin found herself walking alongside Takumi, who made a point to glare daggers at Leo’s back. The Nohrian Prince walked beside Elise a few metres ahead.

You know,” Corrin began. Her voice sounded so loud in the darkness. “You don’t have to fight with Leo all the time. You’re not going to die if you agree on something once in a while.”

“Me?” Takumi scoffed. She could hear the disdain in his voice. “I’m not the one who starts it. Maybe I wouldn’t hate him so much if he didn’t act like he’s so superior.” Corrin refrained from rolling her eyes, and glanced ahead to Leo. She wondered if he could hear them, and decidedly lowered her voice.

“Maybe if you spoke to each other for more ten seconds you’d find that you’re not so different.”

“Not so different? To him?” He sounded almost amused through the layer of disgust in his voice.

“You’re both the youngest Prince. That’s got to count for something.”

“Not much.”

“All right, then you both chose different weapons than your elder brothers.”

“And?”

“Well, you chose the bow, and Leo chose magic. They both require concentration and a fine hand. I’m sure you’ll find that wielding magic is as challenging as wielding a bow.”

Takumi grew silent at that, as if thinking. After a moment, he asked, “Why do you care if we get along?”

Corrin swallowed the sting she felt at his question. Why do you care? “From my experience, you’re hard to get along with at first, Takumi,” Corrin said pointedly. “If I didn’t put in the effort, things would’ve been different.”

“That’s because–!” Takumi stumbled through his words. “That’s different!” His voice faltered and Corrin wished she could see his face in the dark. She could imagine the blush on his cheeks, the indignant look in his eyes.

She chuckled. “Is it?”

“Yes!” Takumi squawked, making her laugh again. “I didn’t… I didn’t hate you. I just… you were so different. I didn’t think we’d have anything in common, I didn’t know how to approach you.”

“There’s more to a getting to know a person than just what you have in common,” Corrin said, and bumped his shoulder with hers. “If you talk to Leo, you might just get along.”

She heard Takumi huff, and fell into silence again.

“Is it that hard?” Corrin probed.

“No.”

“Then…?”

“Why are you making such a big deal out of it?” Takumi huffed again. “It doesn’t matter if we get along or not.”

“You haven’t even put in any effort.”

“I’ve put in enough! Is it that hard for you to understand that I have no intention on being friends, or anything, with him?”

“Yes, it is!” Corrin balked. Anger was building in her hands, her skin tingling, hands flexing into fists. She knew it was her dragon blood. She knew the stone around her neck was faltering again. Frustration burned into tears in her eyes. She clenched her jaw and bit them back.

“Fine,” she huffed through gritted teeth. “Be stubborn. Don’t get along with Leo, or any Nohrian for that matter. I just hope you don’t regret it.” With that, she stormed away, and joined Azura at the front of the group.

Corrin avoided Takumi for a while after that, making herself busy with catching up with Kaze and Jakob, talking with Keaton and Kaden when they came back from their rounds. Soon, she fell into step besides Leo, who carried a sleeping Elise in his arms.

“Do you want me to take her?” Corrin asked, smiling at the content on Elise’s face.

“I’m fine,” Leo said. “And aren’t you supposed to rest your arm? I heard you fractured it again.”

Corrin huffed, feeling her cheeks heat in embarrassment. “What? Did Elise tell you?” she grumbled and rubbed the offending arm. “It’s not that bad. Really.”

“Hmm, really?” He raised a coy eyebrow. “Should I test it to make sure?”

“No!” Corrin stole her injured arm away, and took a wide step to the side. “Don’t you dare!”

Leo chuckled. “I think your reaction says enough.” He hefted Elise higher in his arms; she mumbled something in her sleep and snuggled her head into his chest.

“You’re horrible,” Corrin said through her smile, and poked her tongue out at him.

“If I couldn’t see through your lies, what kind of brother would that make me?” He had a smirk on his face, the kind that showed in his eyes, in the way the moonlight coloured his features. His words should have made Corrin happy. Instead, her heart faltered, her smile fell from her face.

Leo’s smile followed suit. “When did you find out?” he asked gently, lowering his voice. “That you weren’t truly related?”

Corrin’s eyes fell to the path, to the patches of grass and weeds they trampled. Their footsteps became a steady rhythm in the quiet night, broken only by the occasional conversation.

“A few days ago,” Corrin said.

Leo let out a low breath through his teeth. “I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

Corrin sighed. “I’m sure you can. It felt the same to find out we weren’t siblings.” Her eyes felt heavy, as if weights were tied to her eyes, pulling them down in her head. “Maybe I am too trusting. But I don’t regret any of it. I don’t regret trusting anyone, because I know what it’s like to be alone, to be labelled a traitor.”

“That’s because you have a kind heart,” Leo said. “You know, being near you has a sort of unexplainable soothing effect.”

Corrin huffed a short beat of laughter that left a terrible aftertaste in her mouth. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s a compliment, Corrin.” Leo huffed lightly, shaking his head. “Something about you just draws people in and makes them trust you. And I’m not saying that as if it’s a bad thing.”

Corrin mulled over his words as they walked. “You think so?”

“I do. It’s why, despite your lack of experience, you’re such a natural leader.”

“I have more experience than people think,” Corrin said dryly.

That made Leo pause. “That’s true.”

“I wouldn’t have made it so far if I’d been alone through all of this,” Corrin admitted. “I had Jakob with me from the start. He was the first person I told.” She sought him out now with her eyes, feeling her heart settle at the familiar sight. “I owe a lot to him, to all my allies and friends.” She turned to Leo with a gentle smile. “To you, as well. If you hadn’t convinced Xander or shown him the crystal… I owe you a lot.”

“Too true,” Leo said, giving her a smirk. “In fact, showing a bit more gratitude wouldn’t be out of line.”

“Leo!” Corrin scoffed. “You’re the worst!” she laughed then, finding herself relaxing, and elbowed her brother.

He laughed in return for a moment, before sobering and saying, “You know, I always thought that true strength comes from standing alone, from enduing hardships with your own power. But now… I see that was a misunderstanding born of my own arrogance.”

“Leo…”

“You’re one of the strongest people I know, Corrin. And it’s your strength that allows you to depend on others.” When a smile returned to his face, it was soft, one Corrin had never seen him wear before. “It’s also what makes you incredibly nosy.”

Corrin scoffed. “And here I thought you were complimenting me.”

Leo laughed. “Perhaps. I just happened to overhear you talking with Prince Takumi earlier.”

“Don’t remind me.” Corrin sighed in frustration. “I just thought it’d be nice if you two got along, that’s all. I mean, just look at Elise and Sakura. They get along as if there wasn’t even a war!”

Leo smiled down at Elise in his arms. “I suppose we could take a page out of their book.”

“Even Xander and Ryoma don’t act like they’re about to tear each other’s heads off,” Corrin said. “Is that really too much to ask?”

“Allegiances aren’t forged in a day,” Leo said. “Neither are friendships.”

“Could you at least try? For me?”

“I can’t make any promises,” Leo sighed. “But I will try, at least. For you.”

His assurance wasn’t enough to make her smile, or ease the worry in her gut. She only nodded, and focused on the journey ahead.

The scenery changed as they neared the beginnings of dawn, the fractured sky slowly awakening above them. Great chasms cut the ground into separate floating islands, with frail suspension bridges strung between them. The village they were after sat across a great cleft in the land, a single bridge spanning the gap.

“We have to cross this bridge to get to the village,” Anthony said. They came to a stop before the bridge, before the deep canyon that split the earth. Corrin leant over it, peering down and expecting darkness, only to find an expanse of sky and white clouds below.

“That bridge looks fairly old,” Jakob noted. He studied the ropes, the wooden planks, all with a stern look on his face. Corrin glanced to the bridge, to her allies, to Anthony.

“We’ll be all right!” Anthony beamed with a smile. “Probably.”

“Very encouraging,” Kaze remarked, raising an eyebrow. Leo sighed, before gently rousing Elise from sleep. He lowered her to the ground, making sure she could stand before pulling back his hands. Elise rubbed the sleep from her eyes, blinking blearily at the pre-dawn sky.

“Is this the only way over?” Takumi asked. He folded his arms, frowning at the bridge, at Anthony. He met Corrin’s eyes for barely a moment, before looking away.

“There’s another bridge like this one,” Anthony said. “But it’s a few hours from here. If it will reassure you all, I’ll cross first! I know it’s safe, so I’ll prove it to you!” Without another word, Anthony bolted for the bridge.

“Hey!” Takumi cried after him. “Get back here! Don’t run off!”

The bridge shook and wobbled as the young man ran across, but Anthony crossed it without fault. He stood on the other side, waving with a smile on his face. “Look, everyone! It’s fine!” The bridge swayed for a moment longer before stilling.

“Hmm,” Leo sounded. “I suppose it looks all right.”

“We don’t really have another option,” Corrin said and stepped onto the first plank. She took hold of the rope railings as the bridge swayed. She glanced back to her allies, forcing a smile. “Let’s go.”

Kaze and Jakob were right behind her, followed by Keaton and Kaden. The wolfskin bristled at the height and tugged on Kaden’s sleeve as they crossed. Kaden seemed to enjoy the view, leaning over the ropes to the shock of many.

Elise, still sleepy, crossed ahead of Leo. She yawned softly, covering her open mouth with a hand, the other gripping the rope. Behind them, Takumi stepped onto the bridge, staring off into the distance.

The bridge itself was relatively stable, save for when rouge gusts of wind rattled and swayed it beneath their feet. Though there were wooden planks missing, and many creaked beneath their weight, it held fast as Corrin reached the other side. She couldn’t help but sigh in relief as her feet touched solid ground. Anthony smiled up at her, eyes glinting brightly.

“See? I told you it was safe,” he said, and Corrin gave him a short smile in return.

“Is that the village we’re after?” Jakob asked as he stepped off the bridge. His gaze shot past Corrin and Anthony, to the worn buildings on the horizon.

“Yup,” Anthony said with a nod. “We’re almost there.”

“If all goes well, we should be back before nightfall,” Kaze said. He stepped off the bridge and came beside Corrin. Keaton dashed the remaining distance, skidding to a halt a great ways from the chasm.

“If you were scared I could’ve held your hand,” Kaden said, cocking his head.

“I-I wasn’t scared!” Keaton huffed defiantly. “I wasn’t scared at all!” The pink on his cheeks said otherwise.

Elise giggled as she stepped off, skipping onto solid ground. Leo followed with a brief shake of his head, a smile curling his lips. Corrin glanced back to the bridge, to Takumi, and caught the moment panic rushed over his face.

A sickening crunch sounded from the planks beneath his feet. He caught her eyes, wide with blatant fear, mouth opening with a cry. The ropes slackened. The wooden poles holding the bridge bent and cracked. Panic reared up Corrin’s throat as a scream.

“Takumi!” He was barely a few steps from the end of the bridge. A few steps too many. Leo turned at Corrin’s cry, Elise gasping as the planks beneath Takumi buckled and broke.

The bridge, and Takumi, fell from view.

Corrin screamed. She shot past Jakob, bolted between Elise and Leo, and sank to her knees at the edge of the cliff. All she saw was the faint light reflecting from the sky below. The remains of the bridge disappearing into the white clouds.

She couldn’t breathe. Air froze in her lungs, tainted with the metallic scent of magic, and burned. She tilted forward. Wished to fall, to follow her brother, as hot, hot tears filled her eyes.

A groan split the silence. A groan she knew, one so vivid that it shattered her panic and her heart sped. She leant further over the cliff, fingers holding firm onto the earth, no longer wishing to fall. When she saw him, her heart screamed with joy. A hand clasped her shoulder and she glanced up, to see Leo smiling with relief at her.

Takumi hung in a tangle of branches a few metres down the cliff. He sat awkwardly, the thick, dark branches weaving through his legs and arms like a misshapen net.

“Oh my Gods,” Corrin breathed, grateful that she was kneeling, as all her strength left her with a flood of relief. “Leo, you genius.”

He gave a short laugh. “It’s nice to be recognised sometimes.”

Takumi grunted. “Can we put off those thanks until I’m no longer hanging over an abyss?”

Corrin leant over the chasm again, unable to hold back her smile. “Let’s get you out of there.”

It took a few more clever spells from Leo to get Takumi up on solid ground again. Corrin promptly hugged him, quickly pulling him into her arms, wrapping her own around his neck.

“I thought I lost you,” she said into his ear, only loud enough so he could hear. She pulled him tightly against her, ignoring the stares, smiles and knowing looks her friends were giving her. Takumi flustered in her arms. His cheeks burned brightly for all to see and he squeezed his eyes shut as if that could block out their pointed stares.

“W-Well, I’m fine now,” he said, cursing the way his voice wobbled. His heart was thundering in his ears, seemingly pumping all his blood to his cheeks, ears, and neck. He gave her back a gentle, curt pat. How he wished he could just hug her back, bury his nose into her neck, her hair, and fully enjoy this moment. How he wanted to wrap his arms around her, to pull her close enough so she could feel the rapid pace of his heart and know how he felt.

Instead, he stood still, and let only a single hand reassure her with a gentle pat. When she stepped away and smiled brightly at him, he wished he could drain the blood from his face. His blush was in full view, from his neck to his ears. He coughed into his hand to clear his throat. It felt too tight. Too dry.

Takumi forced himself to turn to Leo without a scowl, without frowning. “I guess… I owe you one,” he said, albeit sheepishly. “You saved my life.”

Leo tilted his head, a smug glint in his eyes. “Of course. There was nothing to it.”

“That would’ve been a long drop,” Anthony remarked. His tone was light-hearted, as if Takumi didn’t just have a near-death experience.

“How are you so calm after what just happened?” Jakob questioned, coming to stand beside Corrin with his arms folded. “That bridge could’ve collapsed with Milady on it! She could have very well been harmed.”

“Just ignoring the fact that I was on it when it collapsed…” Takumi muttered. “But I agree with Jakob. And how do we know it wasn’t you that made it collapse in the first place?”

“Why would I do that?” Anthony blanched. “You all saved my life before!”

“You’re could be a spy for the Vallite forces,” Takumi said, cutting him a glare.

“Takumi!” Corrin chided. “That bridge was old and worn. It could’ve collapsed at any time. You can blame that on Anthony.”

“You’re protecting him?” Takumi scoffed.

“Yes!” Corrin folded her arms, stood up to Takumi. “Someone has to.”

“Corrin,” Azura said softly, touching her arm. “We can discuss this later. For now, we should focus on finding you a dragonstone.”

Corrin met Takumi’s eyes for a moment longer before cutting away with a sharp sigh. “Fine. Let’s head to the village.”

They were met with resistance as soon as they approached the village. Vallite soldiers spilled from the buildings, from the surrounding hills. Corrin was glad she made the decision to include Leo and Elise in her group now, as well as Takumi.

“Get ready,” Corrin called, drawing her Yato. “We’re in for a fight.”

Elise brought forth a fire tome, holding the book up with a grin. “I’m ready!”

Corrin blinked down at her, stunned, and couldn’t help but wonder when Elise had started training with magic. That thought was quickly swallowed as the first Vallite soldiers reached them. Corrin focused on her sword, not the burning of her dragonstone against her chest, and lunged.

The sounds of battle drowned everything out. The tang of metal, of magic and blood, filled the air. Corrin met steel with fury, fighting back-to-back with her allies. She had Jakob by her side, Kaze not far off. Keaton and Kaden fought in tandem, a flurry of teeth and claws. Any fear she had of the Kitsune had faded completely, even as he tackled a soldier by her flank, digging razor-sharp teeth into their neck. Corrin hardly blinked at the spray of blood, that final gurgle, and continued fighting.

When the fighting calmed and only the fizzle of magic remained, Corrin sheathed her sword to find her allies staring.

“What?” she asked, frowning, and caught their eyes shooting to the top of her head, to just behind her legs. She turned to see a large silver tail swish behind her. Corrin huffed, reaching up to find two pointed horns sticking up from her head. “Seriously? And I didn’t even use my dragonstone.” Corrin stole her attention from her allies and looked around the remains of the village. The buildings had no windows. There were doors and roofs missing. Some only had three walls, the other collapsed and crushing everything inside.

The sight did nothing to instil any hope in her.

Corrin sighed and turned back to her allies. “Is anyone injured?” She noted both Keaton and Kaden had flecks of blood in their fur, but only Kaden was limping. Leo was unharmed, as was Elise, but Kaze had sustained a small graze to his thigh. “Elise, if you wouldn’t mind?”

Elise beamed a smile. “Just leave it to me!”

Corrin returned the smile as Takumi came up beside her. His eyes went straight to her horns, before flicking to her eyes. Corrin swallowed and willed her body to return to normal. She waited a breath, glanced back to see her tail still here. When she reached up to find her horns still in place, she sighed again.

Her stomach flopped when she tried again and nothing happened. She felt no pull from her dragonstone, only a numb coldness. Her body disobeyed her. She tried again and again to return to normal, only to find that her hands had patches of silver scales scattered over her skin. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. It wasn’t working.

Corrin stole away from her group, calling back to them, “I’m going to search for a dragonstone. Anyone who’s not injured, please help.”

They ended up scattered throughout the village, digging through piles of rubble and the remains of buildings. Corrin found a range of interesting trinkets, a few dolls, shattered plates, torn clothes, some jewellery, but no dragonstones. She went from building to building, lifting planks of wood, crouching beneath slanted walls, to no avail.

Soon, the dawn sun cut across the sky, and Corrin had run out of hope. She sat in the shade of a half-collapsed building, in sight of her allies, and stared down at her hands. She raised one up, catching the light, and the scales sparkled. More scales had spread across her hand, reaching down past her wrist. Soon, it wouldn’t be long until she had claws instead of hands.

She heard Takumi approach before she saw him. He came up beside her, just in the edge of her vision, and stood silently in the quiet morning. She glanced at him, to see a patch of blood on his right shoulder.

“Takumi, is that…? Are you injured?” she asked, sitting straighter, taller. He didn’t meet her eyes and she huffed, knowing she was right. “If you won’t let Elise heal you, then I guess I can try.”

“You?” Takumi blinked down at her, sitting when she motioned for him to. Corrin drew forth a staff, giving him an eager, gentle smile.

“Elise and Sakura taught me,” she said bashfully. “I’m not very good at it, though.”

“As long as you don’t turn my skin purple or something,” Takumi teased.

Corrin scoffed in mock offence. “If you say that again I just might. Take off your shirt.”

Takumi stared at her, cheeks colouring, before he worked off his clothing to reveal a jagged gash on his shoulder. It was right where she’d clawed at his skin before. Corrin sucked in a tight breath at the sight. Beneath the flap of skin she could see the tell-tale red of muscle. Whatever had done this to him had torn through his skin into the muscle. Her hands tightened around the staff as she brought it closer to the open wound. All she’d healed before was a tiny scrape. Nothing of this magnitude. Nothing this serious.

“Maybe… maybe Jakob should have a look at this,” Corrin offered, biting down on her bottom lip. She winced as her fangs dug into it instead of teeth.

“It’s fine,” Takumi said. “Just do what you can.”

Corrin clenched her jaw, focused on the wound, and wove her magic. A soft light fell over them, brushing over Takumi’s skin, forcing the two ends together. There was nothing neat about her fix. The torn flesh was red and puckered, and Corrin knew that what she’d healed had been superficial and nothing more. She focused again, bringing herself and the staff closer to Takumi’s shoulder. Takumi stiffened and Corrin retracted her staff quickly.

“Sorry, did that hurt?” she asked, searching his eyes for any discomfort. He didn’t meet her eyes for the first moment, but when he did, she noticed the red colouring his cheeks. “Takumi?”

“It didn’t hurt,” he said stiffly. “Just continue.” He hung his head, stealing his gaze from her as she continued. She touched the wound as she worked, feeling the stiff edges come together, feeling the muscle beneath weave itself back into place.

Soon enough, Corrin knew both she and Takumi were at their limits. She put away her staff and began wrapping his shoulder in the fine, white bandages she’d packed before they left. She felt Takumi’s eyes on her now, but kept her own trained on his shoulder. She tried not to touch his bare skin but whenever she did, whenever her fingers brushed his shoulder or arm, she wished she could ignore the buzz that erupted inside her.

She couldn’t ignore the fact that they were alone. That it was quiet, not a breath of conversation happening between them, and that her allies were barely in sight. And Takumi was watching her.

When she finished bandaging his arm, she leant back and met his gaze. Her hands slipped from his shoulder and she drew a finger down his bicep slowly, deliberately. He jolted beneath her touch.

“What?” he gaped, brushing where her finger had touched.

Corrin suppressed a smile. “Nothing,” she sang teasingly. “I’ve just never seen you like this before. All exposed.”

Takumi scowled, as if that would steal the heat from his face.

“You’re very lean,” Corrin remarked.

Takumi was desperately trying not to splutter, to fluster under her gaze. “I-I know I don’t have a lot of muscle. So what?”

“You have enough,” Corrin laughed. She poked his bicep, before giving it a teasing squeeze. “Right here.”

“H-Hey!” Takumi yanked his arm out of her reach. He glared at her now, though it didn’t have the effect he wanted as his cheeks were still a stunning crimson.

“Sorry,” Corrin laughed again. “Couldn’t help myself.”

Takumi grumbled and pulled his clothes back on. As he did, his hands dug around in his pocket. “So… I found this, but I’m not sure if it’s what you’re looking for,” he said, holding out a small, blue stone. It was half the size of his palm and dazzled, even in the shade.

Corrin’s breath left her lungs. She snatched it up, instantly feeling a pull of magic, a feather-light touch that flooded her body. A soft light wove around her hands, her horns and tail, as they faded away and she returned to normal. Her eyes, wide and full of tears, rose to meet his.

She breathed a beat of laughter, of complete and utter surprise. “You found one.” Her voice was so light, so full of life, it stole Takumi’s breath. All he could do was nod. All he could do was stare into her eyes as she laughed. She replaced the dragonstone around her neck with the one he’d found, and stood.

“We have to let everyone know,” she said, still smiling. A new light had come to her face, to her eyes. It had Takumi’s heart fluttering in his chest. “Thank you,” she said and pulled him into a quick hug, before skipping over to the rest of her allies.

She didn’t see that she’d left Takumi standing there, frozen, with a brilliant, burning flush on his cheeks. And he was smiling, even as he hid it from the world behind a hand.

The journey back felt just as long, if not longer. Corrin found that she didn’t mind, that everything felt easier, lighter, with the new dragonstone snuggly around her neck. She kept touching it, drawing it out into the open just to stare. As if it was just a dream. And every time, the sight had her smiling.

When they reached the caverns again, it wasn’t long until they were to set out again. This time, their destination would be Gyges, the Vallite capital, where Anankos would be. Their path took them into the mouth of a valley, the mountains on either side rising tall and thick with trees. A thin ridge ran along one of the mountain. The most direct route would be straight through the valley, but there were already signs of Vallite soldiers.

It was too quiet. No birds or insects sounded in the afternoon light. Corrin and her allies stopped behind the remains of a building as some soldiers came into view. They headed into the valley from the mountain on the opposite side. Flickers of purple, a tell-tale sign of more soliders, appeared between the trees.

“They’re in the trees as well,” Corrin noted, slipping back behind cover. “If we take the valley path we’ll be sitting ducks.”

“Then we take the mountain path,” Hinoka offered. “And throw down anyone who gets in our way.”

“The path is too narrow,” Leo said. He folded his arms, deep in thought. “We’d have to go single-file, and with an army this large we’d be just as vulnerable.”

“How about we do both?” Corrin said, working through the plan in her mind. “We send some people up the mountain path. Those with range, who can attack from afar. Like Leo, Elise, Takumi, Niles. Any mages or archers. The rest of us take the valley path. Those up the mountain can give us cover.”

“We’re going to split up?” Takumi blanched.

“That does sound like our best option,” Xander agreed.

“I think so too,” Ryoma said, nodding. “Kagero and Saizo can scout the mountain path and help with cover.”

“Then it’s decided,” Corrin said, cementing it with a nod. “Let’s get ready to move out.”

Those who were heading up the mountain path consisted of the archers, Takumi, Niles, Mozu, Shura and Setsuna; the mages, Leo, Nyx, Odin, Hayato, Elise and Orochi. Azama would join them to give them an extra healer. As Ryoma had ordered, Saizo and Kagero were to take the mountain path as well.

The rest would follow Corrin through the valley.

Before they departed, Corrin found Takumi scowling at the opening to the valley.

“You can glare at it all you want, it’s not going away,” she said as she approached. His scowl faded into a forlorn glaze.

“I don’t like any of this,” Takumi huffed. “I don’t see why I have to go up the mountain as well.

“We need you up there,” Corrin said. “I need you up there. You’re the best marksman we have.” She gave his shoulder a nudge, but he shook off the gesture.

“Still…” he glanced at her. He wanted to tell her that it was her he wanted to be with. That he didn’t want to go up there, away from her, unable to be by her side, unable to fight by her side. He sighed, knowing how pathetic that sounded. He could protect her just as well up there.

He would protect her just as well, if not better, from up there.

“Takumi,” Corrin said, catching his attention. “I want you to have this.” She held out her dragonstone – her old one, with the fracture glaring up at him as expansive as always.

“What? Why?” Takumi asked, but held out his hands, their fingers brushing as she handed it over.

“No reason,” Corrin said, shrugging. “I just… felt like I needed to give you something. Like a charm.” She laughed. “Stay safe, okay? I’ll see you at the other side.”

She gave him a final wave and hurried off to her team. Takumi stared at her retreating figure, the dragonstone in his hand. It held a faint warmth, a remnant of her body heat. He cupped his fingers around it and slipped it into his pocket.

At Corrin’s order, their group split, and a moment later were under attack. Arrows and magic burst from the trees as Corrin had predicted, and the Vallite soldiers they saw heading into the valley turned around to fight.

As soon as their enemies in the trees outed their positions when they attacked, Corrin’s allies hit back from the mountain path. Those in the valley fought their way through, over rocks and fallen trees, under a hail of arrows and magic. The terrain was rough but with Corrin’s new dragonstone around her neck, she took to it in her dragon form like a fish to water. Keaton and Kaden seemed just as at home, shooting around the valley in their Kitsune and Wolfskin forms.

Corrin’s muscles and blood sung with battle. Her movements felt lighter than ever. She fought alongside Ryoma and Xander, as the line between Hoshidan and Nohrian blurred through the fight. They fought as one. As allies. As friends.

And her plan was working. Vibrant arrows of a blazing blue shot down enemies in the trees, alongside bursts of magic. The end of the valley was in sight. She called out their victory before a thunderous rumble tore through the earth. The ground shook beneath them. It was jarring, as if the very earth was alive.

And then the mountains began to rain boulders. Chunks of earth split from the side of the mountains. The path they’d come from vanished under colossal boulders.

“Run!” Corrin cried, shielding herself as fist-sized rocks rained down over them. “Get to the end of the valley!”

She bolted for the wedge of sky before them, casting a quick, final glance over her shoulder to her allies on the mountain path, just in time to see them swallowed by a wave of rocks and trees. She cried out, skidding to a halt as she scanned the path. Or what was left of it. Clouds of rubble, of sand and dirt, filled the air, blocking it from sight.

They were gone.

And she had to run. She turned as an arrow flew dangerously close to her shoulder, and made for the end of the valley.

She couldn’t look back. Not even as tears blurred her vision, as a sob tore from her throat.

She couldn’t look back.

#fire emblem #takumi #corrin #takukamu #takurrin #rebirth #fire emblem fates #misskikuwrites #HAPPY THIRTIETH CHAPTER #can't believe we got this far lmao #WHAT AM I DOING WITH THIS STORY

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fatesdeepdive · 3 years

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Entry 16: I Really Hate Camilla

First off, castle stuff. In addition to a bunch of new statues, we can upgrade a few old buildings. It’s nice, but not super interesting and not really worth devoting the first several lines of this entry to. On to the supports.

Support: Azama/Mozu

C: Azama tries to talk to Mozu and she immediately runs away, because she’s heard rumors about Azama being awful.

B: Mozu runs away again, screaming that she’s afraid Azama will make fun of her clothes or accent. Azama revels in knowing all of Mozu’s insecurities.

A: Azama catches Mozu, but doesn’t make fun of her, because it was more fun watching her freak out and run away.

S: Mozu talked to other townsfolk about Azama being awful, making new friends along the way. Which makes Azama tormenting her good, I guess. Azama tells her he finds her weirdly irresistible and they get together.

Review: This is the worst S-Rank I’ve seen thus far. Setting that aside, this conversation is fine. Mozu treating Azama like a normal person would is fun and Azama reveling in her fear is in character.

Support: Hinoka/Kaden

C: Kaden grooms the army’s pegasi. He is very good at it, impressing Hinoka.

B: Kaden teaches Hinoka pegasi grooming, emphasizing the importance of love.

A: Hinoka offers Kaden a ride on her pegasus.

S: Hinoka gives Kaden a brush made from her pegasus’s hair. The two of them get together because they’re both kind people.

Review: This one is okay, but a bit bland because it has no conflict.

Birthright Chapter 13: Another Hope

The gang arrives in Cheve. Camilla shows up and hugs Corrin. The camera...makes some decisions during this cutscene that made me realize that I hate Camilla’s design even more. First off, I just realized that she doesn’t wear pants. She rides around on dragons in her underwear, which must be incredibly uncomfortable. Secondly, why is there a random strap between her breasts?

Camilla acts nice for like ten seconds before attacking us. She rants about how the Hoshidans stole Corrin, ignoring the fact that Corrin told her ten seconds ago that she left because Garon is evil. Hans runs in and the battle begins. From her boss perch, Camilla mentions that she loves Corrin and wants to hold her body like a baby after she murders her.

So, are you starting to understand why I hate Camilla? Xander’s a prick, but at least he isn’t creepy. Every single line from Camilla is this obsessive, uncomfortable, incestuous horseshit. I don’t want Corrin to go near her, even in Conquest, because Camilla’s treatment of Corrin makes my skin crawl. And don’t pretend it’s supposed to be maternal and not sexual, when the anime cutscene that starts this chapter cuts between her ass, crotch, and boobs before showing her face. Camilla is supposed to be the mommy dom fanservice waifu for the player to jerk off to, and Corrin is supposed to be an extension of the player. I really, really, do not like Camilla.

This chapter is filled with houses the player can visit to get short bits of dialogue and good items. The villagers the player speaks to mention a resistance leader named Scarlet and her powerful new recruit. The chapter also features Dragon Veins which can be used to call down lightning on enemies; one can be used to make fighting Hans easier, but I didn’t see it and just took him out with Corrin and Takumi. Hans’s defeat quote is actually “Not again...”, which is fitting because he already died like ten chapters ago. Twice, if I remember correctly. And he shows up again after this, because Hans is apparently immortal.

Camilla is accompanied by her two retainers, an assassin named Beruka and Severa from Fire Emblem Awakening, because apparently all of Lucina’s crew work for Nohr now. Can’t wait for the chapter where Cynthia helps Leo burn down a children's hospital. Camilla actually used one of the Dragon Veins and almost killed two of my units, which is a nice bit of design. She ultimately went down to Setsuna and I beat the chapter with little effort.

After the battle, Camilla insists that Corrin be the one to kill her, because Camilla exists for the sole purpose of making Corrin uncomfortable. Corrin spares her and explains that Garon tried to blow her up, something that I guess Xander kept a secret, because he’s an asshole. Camilla is about to turn sides when Leo shows up and tells us to stop trying to gaslight her. Camilla protects Corrin from Hans and Leo shouts that he will erase Corrin from his heart. If Corrin is a boy, he actually gets a really nice line where he refers to himself as Camilla’s only younger brother, cutting Corrin out for betraying Nohr.

A random general shows up and kicks Leo’s ass. The game tries to keep his identity secret by covering his face and having his name by ???, but he is very clearly voiced by Matt Mercer, meaning that it's obvious that he’s actually Azama in disguise. Scarlet and the other members of the resistance show up and scare off Leo, Hans, and Camilla. The chapter ends with the general unmasking himself, revealing that he’s actually Ryoma. Who would be a terrible general because of his poor defense growths.

#camilla fire emblem #corrin fire emblem #corrin x camilla #fire emblem #Fire Emblem Fates #fe 14 #fire emblem birthright #ryoma fire emblem

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adashofstarshine · 8 years

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Fire Emblem Fates Conquest - A Review

As promised on the outset of this game, for every criticism I have, I’m going to make a positive comment too. However, as not expected on the outset of this game, there are a few more positive comments that perhaps I would have thought. Either way, this is a long post of me trying to get everything down before my brain starts its sieve like tendency of losing everything that isn’t immediately relevant to my interests.

I’m going to split this bulletpoint style review into two sections: Gameplay and Story. The first will cover everything mechanic, and the second includes my thoughts on the plot and characters!

Just a note: I got very few supports on this playthrough but I will fix that on my second, which I will be calling SmoochQuest like the mature adult I am. Anyway, on with the review, spoilers ahead!

Gameplay

Positives

Level Design. Probably the game’s strongest feature and the reason the game was enjoyable to play. The variation in level design was great, from the appearance of the levels themselves (Special Mentions to the Opera House and Little Rooms and Stairs levels) to the variety of things you had to do to complete them. It wasn’t all sieze/defeat enemy, which I remember disliking in FE13.

Dragon Veins. For a while they felt distinctly un-Fire Emblem, but I must admit warping the landscape is fun, especially as any of your royals can do it, not just special Corrin.

Different units, weapons and magic for different cultures. Liked that a lot, even if I forgot what some of the Hoshido weapons were occasionally.

Location pictures. I liked the fact that we got pictures of the locations when they were introduced. I also liked some of the music, the boss battle rendition of Azura’s song probably being my favourite (but the battle music is nowhere near as iconic as the GBA games.)

The Castle. Useful to have everything in one place, and there were a few unexpected shopkeeper laughs. (Mostly from Odin.)

Negatives

Weird voice clips. I’d prefer if they narrated the whole line or didn’t. Having a character say a random word at me that’s only semi-relevant at most is confusing at best, annoying at worst.

Only the protagonist is allowed to have a same-sex relationship. This has probably been said a thousand times, but here’s my go. If there are characters who feel attraction to the same gender, why is that attraction only allowed to be directed at the MU? Dragon Pheromones? Who knows.

Fliers wielding bows. That’s not how fliers work, please, how is a FE veteran with an awful memory supposed to keep remembering they have bows now. Also add not being able to attack at melee range with Tomahawks to my weapon quibbles I’m too used to Titania being able to and it cost Camilla a lot. A nitpick perhaps but important to me.

No post-game content. My last save is before I fought Garon, and I would have liked to wander round Corrin’s castle thing and see what everyone thought post-coronation. However FE doesn’t usually have post-content so that’s not too unexpected. I’m not that tempted by the DLC.

Promotion Issues. Put back Auto-Promote pretty please. Also I’m confused as to why Keaton promotes (Laguz didn’t) but maids don’t when it would sort of be fitting for the heroic maid to rise above her station.

Story

Positives

Corrin was ok. I didn’t particularly love them overall, but I didn’t dislike them either. Sometimes I felt sorry for them and there were some rather nice supports.

Nohr Siblings. I found all the Nohr Siblings very interesting and wished I got all their supports, I’ll try again in SmoochQuest but if not then, I’ll look them up online.

Royals and Retainers. I’m interested in the dynamics and stories behind all the siblings and their retainers. Though like Corrin I do wonder why everyone siblings and retainers, seem to be a fresh sort of peculiar. (If I see the comic about the discount retainer store again I will have to reblog it.)

I am genuinely curious about Revelations. How can this be resolved without one family getting its children slaughtered?

Leo.

I also like Niles. (I’m scraping the barrel of positive comments here) Also the potential of Niles and Lep being together. It’s hard for me to ship things these days but I like the potential for these two.

I might think of more things I like later, I’m currently in a post-game head whir so I’ll see what’s left after my brain has calmed down.

Negatives

What the heck was possessing Garon and Takumi? Going to explain that to me ever? Could whatever it was become a wider issue? Well who knows, not me.

What about the Dragon God. Why did only not!Garon worship it? Was it actually ever saying anything. No explanation there.

The Great Trouser Shortage of Fate(s). Enough people have complained about outfit designs so you know what I’m talking about.

Limited character interest. Whilst I liked the Nohr siblings very few other characters immediately gripped me as someone I would want to know more about. These uninteresting characters got shelved immediately so I saw very little of Peri, Laslow, Nyx, Mozu, Benny, Charlotte, Keaton (for a while but then I needed good units), Flora, Izana, Jakob and there might be more I’ve forgotten. Therefore I got few supports and no children from these people.

Lack of Tragedy. They clearly tried to make the deaths tragic but when you’ve only seen a character for one of two cutscenes their death isn’t that tragic, even if they are Corrin’s mother.

Flat plot. I’m not entirely sure this is an overall criticism, but there was nothing in plot that seemed like a shocking twist and turn, nothing made me go ‘oh’. There were surprises but I didn’t care enough about the people involved to be invested enough to be enthralled by it. I kept going for the characters and their interactions, not the plot itself. It was very ‘we must get invade and the throne to reveal the bad thing’ and then we did that for many chapters, there wasn’t much else to it.

Why is there no religion in this world? Bar Garon’s mysterious dragon god. I’m curious as it’s been a mainstay of all FE games.

Well my brain is now forgetting everything as I type. Maybe I will remember more when I replay on SmoochQuest. For now, I would love to chat about the game with anyone who feels like it!

#Dash plays FE:Conquest

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fatesdeepdive · 3 years

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Entry 22: Leo the Edgelord

I’ve been clearing out the Paralogues between updates, which means that all of my units are overpowered now. I actually ran out of Master Seals to promote them. This isn’t a big deal, though, because you can just buy them at other people’s castles. Really, there’s little reason to upgrade your own castle besides convenience, because with a little time investment you can get everything you need from other players.

Support: Hinata/Kagero

C: Hinata sees Kagero sneaking around. When he questions her, she runs away.

B: Hinata spots a sketchbook Kagero is hiding behind her back. Kagero’s drawings are nightmarish and surreal. Hinata says he likes them and recommends Kagero share them. Kagero assumes he is lying to her.

A: Hinata explains that he genuinely likes Kagero’s weird art. It’s a nice moment. Him telling her she should smile more isn’t.

S: Kagero, thanks to Hinata’s encouragement, has begun drawing more. The two of them love each other now I guess.

Review: Overall, not bad. Hinata is a bit womanizing at times, but him liking Kagero’s Junji Ito ass art is fun.

Support: Mozu/Ryoma

C: Ryoma finds Mozu making soup, She explains that she’s cooking because it’s the only thing she’s good at. Ryoma offers to train her.

B: Ryoma and Mozu train together. Mozu is in awe over getting personal attention from the goddamn crown prince, but Ryoma explains that social standing isn’t important. How progressive for a guy who also believes he should have absolute power because he belongs to a special bloodline. Ryoma also says that Mozu could become stronger than him someday, which sounds a bit shaky; Mozu has good growths, but Ryoma is notoriously broken in this game.

A: Mozu makes Ryoma some soup and says she wants to open a restaurant after the war.

S: Mozu makes a giant pot of soup, Ryoma offers to help, and Mozu says she can’t ask a prince for help. Ryoma says that he likes Mozu for her passion, despite their class differences.

Review: Not bad, but lacking a real oomph of drama or comedy. I do like the idea of Mozu marrying Ryoma and becoming queen of Hoshido like a Disney princess.

Support: Hana/Saizo

C: Hana skips breakfast to train and begs Saizo for food. He explains that he’s an asshole and tells her to go away. Hana keeps bothering him and he gives her a steamed bun he keeps in his pocket, which Hana enjoys.

B: Hana bugs Saizo for another bun. He explains that his buns are gross, bland battle provisions and Hana is weird for liking them.

A: Hana asks Saizo how she can repay him for the food. Saizo tells her to stop annoying him.

S: Saizo checks in on Hana, worried that she’s hurt because she’s stopped pestering him. Saizo asks Hana out; she says yes, but only if he gives her more buns.

Review: Not bad. Two things about this are weird, though: Hana acts differently in this Support than any other I’ve read, and it never confirms which of them has weird taste buds.

Support: Azama/Sakura

C: Azama asks Sakura why she’s so nice and selfless, pointing that, as a princess, Sakura could get away with being a spoiled brat.

B: Azama continues to mock Sakura until she snaps, yells at him, and snaps her staff in two.

A: Sakura gives Azama the silent treatment, so Azama gives her an expensive amulet to apologize.

S: Azama reveals that the amulet was actually a proposal, and that he’s tricked Sakura into marrying him. Now, if this Support ended with sakura telling him to fuck off for trying to weasel his way to power, I would like it. But no it ends with the obligatory “I was actually mean because I love you” bullshit.

Review: This game keeps giving me things that make me like Azama then wasting them. If this entire Support Line was him manipulating Sakura into growing a backbone, as a trickster mentor, I would actually really like it. But no, it goes with the classic Azama is an asshole but not really but also yes really.

Support: Hayato/Orochi

C: Orochi lures Hayato into a competition about who owns the rarest herb.

B: The two of them continue competing, this time in making potions.

A: After going 100 rounds and making too many potions to store, Orochi and Hayato call it quits. The two of them reflect on how having a rival pushes them to be better.

S: The two of them confess to one another. They argue about who fell in love first.

Review: Overall, not a bad Support. The S-Rank especially features the two of them bouncing off each other really well.

Birthright Chapter 18: Leo

As the gang head towards the capital through a dark swamp called the Woods of the Forlorn, Felicia mourns the loss of Flora. Corrin says that they’re all there for her and then Felicia doesn’t speak for the rest of the chapter.

Corrin and Ryoma come across a bunch of mysterious blue flames and realize that they’re standing in a graveyard. Faceless spawn in above the graves, because I guess they’re zombies. Ryoma realizes that the faceless are being controlled by someone and Leo walks out of a cloud of purple smoke. In an anime cutscene that is actually pretty cool, he says that the punishment for traitors is death. Leo, in a line that is both edgy and pretty cool, explains that he’s going to kill Corrin in a graveyard because the sister he loved is already dead.

Takumi threatens Leo, then almost faints because the poison swamp he’s standing in is poisonous. Shortly after, the rest of the royals begin to get sink. Corrin is immune to the effects of the bog, because she grew up in Nohr. In the actual map, Felicia, Jaob, Silas, and Scarlet are also immune to the bog, which is a nice bit of gameplay integration.

Leo whines about how he hates Corrin because Xander and Camilla loved her more than him, immediately destroying any coolness he built up. Leo is accompanied by his two retainers: a sadistic adventurer named Niles and Owain from Fire Emblem Awakening. If you fight Leo with Corrin, she asks if he really always hated her, because she loves him. He responds that there’s no point in answering her.

After Leo is defeated, Corrin refuses to kill him. Leo explains that if Nohr surrenders, the Hoshidans will destroy their culture and kill their families. Except, they won’t, because this is a game that tries to be morally complex but still has one side be cartoonishly evil and the other be annoyingly good. Leo tells Corrin that the Hoshidans will kill her the moment it benefits them, and again, no, no they will not.

Leo tells Corrin that she should execute him before he attacks her with magic and Corrin points out he could have done that at any time, meaning that he’s still a good person deep down. Leo tells Corrin to shut up. Corrin says that they’re still family and that she loves Leo.

Leo admits that he never hated Corrin. Corrin asks him to join her in ending the war and Leo says no. He justifies it by saying that he doesn’t want to fight Xander and Camilla, but also he attacked us five minutes ago which is a bit hypocritical. Azura gives Leo a weird crystal to help clarify his thoughts.

Leo asks if he and Azura are related and she says no, because she’s mysterious. Leo asks if she’s from Nohr and she keeps being mysterious.

Leo warns that Xander has grown far stronger and that the only way for Corrin to defeat him is to visit a nation called Notre Sagesse. There lives a man named the Rainbow Sage, who helped Xander reach incredible power. Because Notre Sagesse is a long way away, Leo gives us a convenient warp tome that he has for some reason.

#leo fire emblem #fire emblem fates #fire emblem #fe fates #fe 14

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fatesdeepdive · 3 years

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Entry 14: Groans of Increasing Discomfort

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

Support: Lady Corrin/Reina

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

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

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

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

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

Support: Lord Corrin/Reina

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

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

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

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

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

Support: Hinata/Takumi

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

B: Hinata beats people up.

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

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

Support: Kagero/Saizo

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

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

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

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

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

Birthright Chapter 12: Dark Reunion

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

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

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

Kaden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#xander fe #azura fe #corrin fe #kaden fe #garon fe #elise fe #takumi x hinata #saizo x fe #corrin x reina #saizo fe #kagero fe #wifi sucks so late

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