#sweet anankos this is long

[nozoomie]

Azura's eyes drift shut as she settles herself in bed, cup of tea cradled in her hands. She brings the cup up to her mouth, inhaling deeply to savor its earthy aroma. A smile teases at her lips as she acknowledges Corrin's marked improvement. She tilts up the cup, taking her first sip and feeling the warmth begin to diffuse through her body, banishing the morning chill. 

It's a poor substitute for her wife, but being a generous queen, she manages to find it in herself to forgive Corrin for her early absence. The kids had wanted to do something special today, and Corrin was needed to supervise. 

The smile on her face breaks out in full at the thought. It wasn't that long ago that Azura had resigned herself to her fate, heir to a dying kingdom, destined to fade away along with its memory. 

Until Corrin crashed into her life and grabbed her hand, turning all she knew as truth on its head. 

Anankos is defeated. The curse on Valla is broken. Hoshido and Nohr have ceased hostilities. 

And perhaps most miraculous of all, Azura is happy. Truly, incredibly happy.

She had never dared to hope for any one of those things coming to pass, let alone all four. 

At first she even had trouble believing it. Azura would wake up in a cold sweat, convinced that it was all nothing but a wishful dream, that Anankos' claws were still sunk into the world.

And Corrin was there too, holding her through it all, whispering sweet reassurances to her and banishing the doubts with every kiss, every embrace. 

She was rescuer and protector both, her knight and her dragon. 

She takes another long sip, rubbing the silver band on her finger fondly, when the pitter patter of two excited sets of feet sound through the door. 

Azura perks up at the noise, excitement bubbling, she quickly downs the rest of the tea, apologizing to the Corrin in her head.  She sets the empty cup on the nightstand, before mussing up her bed head to legendary status, and throwing the covers over herself, feigning sleep.

Soon enough, the sound of Corrin's familiar gait joins her family's rhythm.

"Okay you two, ready to wake Mama?"

Giggles ensue and Azura has to fight to keep her face from splitting into a grin as she tries to maintain a calm sleeping expression. The door creaks open and the trio take slow, careful steps towards the bed. 

"Be quiet Kana!"

"Nuh-uh! That was you Shicchan!"

"Shh!"

The children immediately freeze and pipe down as her wife shushes them, and a moment of absolute stillness passes before the kids brave another step. 

Azura has to pinch herself to school herself into submission. It has mixed results if Corrin's snort is anything to go by. 

"Shh!!!"

Azura purses her lips as Corrin takes her scolding, but thankfully she manages to persevere.

Another  pregnant pause before the advance resumes. Finally, the kids come to a stop next to her head.

"Is she asleep?"

The proximity of the hushed whisper forces Azura to use every drop of experience she's had in performing on stage to remain stock-still as her children inspect her.

"Check her breathing! Auntie 'Ruka says that's what she does when she puts people to sleep."

A tiny hand hovers in front of her nose for a few seconds before it retreats.

"Mmm... I think so..."

"Did you do it right?"

"Of course I did it right!"

"Kids..."

Kana and Shigure gasp, ceasing their bickering. Azura can feel their stares boring into her, trying to see if they woke her up. Eventually, they exhale in unison, seemingly satisfied.

"... Okay, on 3, alright Kana?"

"Mhm!"

"1..."

Azura's hands grab the covers as subtly as she can manage.

"2..."

She swallows thickly as her body tenses, getting ready.

"3!"

When Shigure gives the signal, Azura bursts out of the covers with a shout, throwing the blanket around Kana and Shigure, who gasp in surprise. She scoops her wrapped up children up into her arms, spinning them around, delighting in the giggles that fill the room as she does. 

"Mama!"

"See! You didn't do it right!"

At last, she lets her own laughter spill out to join them, as she slows to a stop and setting them back down. She kneels down, pressing a kiss against their cheeks. "Good morning, my treasures!"

"Morning Mama!" They say in unison.

Azura beams, hugging them close. "Good morning, beloved."

Corrin steps closer, a content smile on her face, carrying a tray in her hands, stacked high with pancakes and strawberries. She sets it down on the nightstand, pushing aside the empty teacup before she bends down and presses a kiss against Azura's forehead, to which the singer lets out a pleased hum. 

"Happy birthday, Azura."

Azura's cheeks might very well break at this point. "Thank you, dear."

The kids start to squirm and whine in her arms at that.

"Mom! No fair!"

"We were gonna say it first!"

Corrin huffs a laugh, before wrapping up all three of them into a hug and pulling them down into the bed. "Hey, you had your chance!" 

Azura chortles, pressing a kiss against the tops of the kids heads. "Even if you weren't the first, may I still hear it, my lovelies?"

The two tufts of hair in her arms nod vigorously and wriggle their way out from between their parents, "Happy birthday, Mama! We love you!" 

Five years after the war, Azura enjoys a life she never dared to dream of. 

A peaceful world, a full heart, and her own kingdom that is anything but silent. 

[cornytheclown]

It’s late at night and I’m thinking about the villain trio from FE Fates. The one in particular that I love so much (Iago, Hans, Zola)

They’re not the most developed, especially compared to other villains in the series. Some would even say that they are mostly 2 Dimensional! And they’re correct!

But despite that, they all got this sort of unique vibe to them, and through the interpretations of their text and actions in Fates + Heroes + other media that I find them in, plus some personal headcanons, I feel like I could give a decent read on the three of them.

I’m gonna segment these out into different posts so that they’re not too long winded. Also I don’t know the word limit on Tumblr posts, I’ve never made a post this long before.

Iago

Right off the bat, it can be agreed upon by everyone in the jury today - Iago is a asshole. Not just any asshole though - but a smart ass. A smug ass smart ass. He would lord over someone about his intellect and capabilities, taking great pride in it.

He’s incredibly gifted in strategy and intelligence, one of Nohr’s best tacticians. However, he’s also incredibly paranoid and over analyzing. Almost like he’s constantly strategizing both on and off the playing field. Which, given that he’s the head advisor to the King, and having a very key role in the court, makes sense. You never wanna let your guard down in that kind of environment.

But he takes things to a whole new level. He’s paranoid and distrusting of everyone whose not King Garon. He’s the kind of guy who plans out how to kill whoever he meets. And while surely he has his formalities (natural of someone in the court like him), he looks down upon just about everyone and suspects everyone around him of suspicious behavior by almost every action they take.

He has little respect for anyone who isn’t above him in some kind of way. Peasants are as good as dead in his eyes, just simple casualties in war (even if they’re not apart of it). Hell, it wouldn’t even be surprising if he used some of them as experiments for his Faceless. Everyone else who works under him or is below him in power is simply just to control or monitor with suspicion. And anyone who steps out of line for him is as good as gone (unless stated otherwise by his King)

Honestly, he’s just such a hater, he would be more than happy just to cruelly toy with someone he was spiteful against in particular. Not the kind of guy you’d want to be on the bad side of, as he certainly seems to take glee in the misery of others.

Anyone who seems like they could overpower him or be of a higher status however (such as a King), he seems willing to follow along with. So as long as he knows they’re on his side - and unless it’s King Garon - he’s still always a step ahead in case they inevitably betray him in his mind. Or better yet - he’ll be the first to betray them.

Hence why he’s so weirdly nice to Kiran in Heroes. Because his King is now under contract with Kiran, by extension, Iago now also serves Kiran. It’s easy to forget that Kiran, in the circumstances designed by the Order, is in charge of everyone. Including Gods. It’s stated in a Forging Bonds event that they literally cannot kill each other due to the magic of their binding contract to Kiran. The same would most likely apply to being unable to harm Kiran.

So Iago is doing what he can to kiss up to Kiran and give helpful advice for strategy, as a fellow Tactician. I don’t think much of it is anymore than sweet talk and advice to improve. At least until their Lvl 40 conversation, where Kiran earns his respect. Even offering to aid them, if they so wish to do evil.

Now I keep mentioning Iago’s constant devotion to Garon. I actually have a personal headcanon that’s probably not canon but I’m going to make it my canon, because Fates is a complete mess (affectionate). There’s gonna be spoilers btw.

My theory is that Iago’s devotion actually lies within Anankos more than anyone. Who, as you know, is possessing Garon the whole damn time. I don’t think Iago lacks devotion to Garon, but his heart is for Anankos.

I actually am in the camp that believes Iago is related to Mikoto, possibly her brother. And he is from Valla. And a devoted follower of Anankos, who might be a little bit extremely bitter about him choosing Mikoto. And having a child - Corrin. The reason why he has such a vendetta against Corrin is because they are the child of Mikoto and Anankos, and given their softer, kind nature growing up, he sees a bit of her sister in them (whom he hates). And doesn’t see them fit to be Anankos’ heir because of their softer nature.

Despite his spite, he follows Anankos to the bitter end, by all of his orders given. Being too blinded to realize just how far gone his God has become due to their madness, brought about by the death of their close friend (the original King of Valla). Or possibly even not caring about morals and such, and just doing what his beloved God asks of him, regardless of consequence. Probably a mix of both.

Iago is a bitter, spiteful, manipulative snake of a man who needs to have everything masterfully under his control, and following the orders of both his King and his God. He serves the higher powers, and spits at those below him. Happily willing to let innocents die if it suits him. He will do anything if it means getting one up in a situation. He knows how to manipulate others and does so happily for his goals. He won’t hesitate to backstab almost anyone whose not above him. He’s smarmy and strategic, always planning his next move and watching everyone else’s every move to ensure that he’s always ahead of them.

There’s not much that’s very likable about him and I think he enjoys that! He wakes up every day extra early Just to be a hater. I also headcanon him to be a Theater Nerd, a lover of theatrics and literature. A classy, cultured man who brings out the same energy of a Musical Villain into his daily life.

Honestly, being the way that he is, naturally he has very few real friends. Between being sus of everyone and just being a generally nasty person, I think it’s kind of why he leans into the whole “cartoon villain” vibe. He has power over almost everyone, he’s an advisor to the King! And in the environment that he’s from, Nohr especially, as well as because of his status, it’s no wonder why he’s on edge and calculating. There’s bound to be a lot of targets on his head from those from opposing sides, or even others who would want to get ahead of him and take over.

Rather than risk something terrible to come out of putting his trust into someone, or even being anywhere near vulnerable with anyone, it’s much safer and easier to push everyone else away and become an infamously unpleasant sort. What does it matter if everyone hates you? You’re the King’s advisor! You have the power and you can control how everything goes, and you’ll always be a step ahead!

And when he’s lost that control…in the moment where he is at the mercy of the Heroes…he becomes a begging, pathetic mess! The man is a cowardly weasel! There’s a good reason why he wouldn’t scoff off Hans, and other then a mutual love of being horrible people and killing others, that’s because Hans could happily break him like a KitKat.

When you take Iago out of his element, where he’s Not ahead of the game like he thinks he is, and he’s left in a powerless state, he’s not too proud to beg for his life or flee if he can. If things are getting out of hand; he’s quick to get the hell out of dodge. Screw everyone else. And if he can’t do that, then well…best he can do is cry and beg and give fake apologies, hoping the other party won’t beat his ass.

Which is another reason why he’s most likely as nice as he is to Kiran - he’s at Kiran’s mercy! He can be sent home and back into his timeline whenever they want him gone. Best to avoid that by being a kiss ass and doing well for them.

Some other Misc. HCs about Iago:

Mentioned it before, but he’s a Theater and Literature Geek. And a terribly pretentious one at that.

The mask he wears, aside from being an aforementioned Theater Nerd, is meant to represent Anankos, and is from Valla. A bit of his golden accents are also common from there.

Being Mikoto’s twin brother, he is also Corrin and Azura’s evil uncle. Is in his mid 40’s, and despite being the same age, he looks 10 years older than Mikoto.

It was that thing of like, he felt like everyone liked his sister Mikoto more, because she was sweet and openly friendly. And when even the God he worshipped for so long favored her more, that’s where he crossed the line into pure hatred for her.

He joined the court and became Garon’s advisor not too long after Mikoto had Corrin. It was very tempting to want to kill baby Corrin, but by his King’s orders, he refrained. But he’s held contempt for them even when they were very young.

I HC him to be Gay, but I don’t think he’s devoted to anyone more than Garon and Anankos (neither one share those feelings).

With that being said, I firmly believe that he and Hans have something going on.

[duskofendflame]

Corrin, Professor of the Academy

GENDER. Transgender Male (He/They)

AGE. 23

HEIGHT. 5’6” (168 cm)

BIRTHDATE. August 25th

CREST/HOLY BLOOD. None 

CLASS. Blue Lions Professor

AFFILIATION. Kingdom of Valla

BIOGRAPHY. Hailing from Nohr, he considers himself the child of three places, each of them distinct in his background and upbringing. He has become the King of Valla, but he wishes to know more about who he truly is. Venturing out of the few lands he has spent his entire life will do him good. He wants to see more of the world anyway and this is a great oppourtunity!

PERSONAL HISTORY

??? - Born to Princess Mikoto of Valla and Anankos

??? - Taken with his mother as she fled Valla

??? - Kidnapped by King Garon of Nohr to live as his son

??? - Found out his true heritage, and resolved to dig deeper to find the truth

??? - Became King of Valla

Halp Years - Arrived at Garreg Mach Academy

INTERESTS. Reading, exploring new places LIKES. His family, the outdoors DISLIKES. Garon, wearing shoes, Anankos (?) STATUS. Current reigning king of Valla CLOSE ALLIES: Elise, Sakura, Niles

DINING HALL PREFERENCES

LIKES. Sweet Bun Trio, Peach Sorbet, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Gronder Meat Skewers, Grilled Herring, Fruit and Herring Tart, Sauteed Jerky, Sweet and Salty Whitefish Saute, Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Gautier Cheese Gartin

DISLIKES. Vegetable Pasta Salad, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Super-Spicy Fish Dango

DINING HALL NOTES

FAVORITE DISH.  ✧

"Oh! Did you make this just for me? You didn’t have to go to all of that trouble."

LEAST FAVORITE DISH.  ✧

"Er… I’m sorry but, I don’t think I can eat that…"

TEA TIME GUIDE

FAVORITE TEA. Lavender Blend

CONVERSATION TOPICS. A place you’d like to visit, a word of advice, children at the market, cute monks, equipment upkeep, evaluating allies, exploring the monastery, mighty weapons, overcoming weaknesses, past laughs, reliable allies, someone you look up to, sturdy weapons, the library’s collection, the view from the bridge, your ambitions, capable comrades, the ideal relationship, cats, books you’ve read recently, first crushes, hopes for your future, things you find romantic, dreamy knights

TEA TIME QUOTES

GREETING.  ✧

(1) "Hello! Please do sit down, I would quite like to enjoy your company."

(2) “It was my pleasure to meet you.” 

(3) “Sorry if I kept you waiting for long.”

FAVORITE TEA.  ✧

“Oh my! Did you prepare this with me in mind?”

FIVE STAR TEA.  ✧

“So fancy… even though I grew up as a prince, I’ve always preferred simpler things…”

BEING OBSERVED.  ✧

(1) "Please don’t look at me like that, it makes me so embarrassed…" 

(2) “You know, not many people find it fit to observe me so closely… that’s something that makes you special.” 

(3) “Am I truly that interesting?”

QUIPS.  ✧

"Like what you see?" 

“I’m sorry…” 

“The sky is quite beautiful today…” 

“(Soft laugh)”

“Windy today…” 

“I do so like tea.”

ENDING.  ✧

"Thank you! I had a wonderful time!"

FINAL COMMENTS.  ✧

(1) Say, do you like it here at the academy? I certainly do, with all of the people around, I don’t feel quite so lonely.

ANSWER. Nod. Commend.

(2) Sometimes, I feel as though I do not fit in anywhere in this world… like I am the only one by my side…

ANSWER. Disagree.

(3) The sky is quite beautiful today. I never got to see such a blue sky when I was a child, so being here now is quite the gift.

ANSWER. Nod. Chat. 

(I couldn’t think of five 🙁)

MISCELLANEOUS DIALOGUE.

GIFT GUIDE

FAVORITE GIFTS. Ancient Coin, Board Game, Gemstone Beads, History of Fodlan, Rose, Forget-me-nots

DISLIKED GIFTS. Arithmetic Textbook, Dapper Handkerchief, Monarch Studies Book

GIFT QUOTES

DISLIKED GIFT.  ✧

"At least… it’s the thought that counts…?"

LIKED GIFT.  ✧

"Oh…! Thank you so much!"

FAVORITE GIFT.  ✧

"Thank you for the present! You know me so well…"

LOST ITEMS

STRANGE BLUE STONE. It sparkles in the sunlight, and sends a strange power coursing through whoever picks it up. Though, it seems that it won’t do anything unless you have a certain power. It probably belongs to someone who isn’t completely human.

Location found: Dining Hall Gardens.

THE SACRED SWORD: YATO. A divine sword that you probably should return to its owner posthaste. It doesn’t belong in the hands of someone who cannot wield it, and such a precious thing shouldn’t be left out just anywhere anyway. It probably belongs to a noble with a bit of an absent mind.

Location found: Knight’s Hall. 

CHILDREN’S STORYBOOK. A childish fairytale, the stuff of dreams that young kids like to make their parents tell them. Its pages are well worn, like someone has read it to their child a hundred times over. It probably belongs to someone who writes home to their daughter often.

Location found: 1st Floor Dormitories.

LOST ITEM QUOTES 

OWNER.  ✧

"Oh thank you so much! I’ve been looking all over the place for this, I thought I might have lost it forever!"

NOT OWNER.  ✧

"Sorry, that isn’t mine. But I can help you look for who it belongs to."

BATTLE QUOTES

MOCK BATTLE RETREAT.  ✧

“My apologies! It seems your professor wasn’t good enough this time!” 

FIRST KILL.  ✧

"How much more blood must be shed for peace to be achieved…?"

MONASTERY QUOTES

CHOIR PRACTICE.  ✧

(1) "Hah… I am far from a good singer…"

(2) "(Humming) I hope this makes someone happy…"

COOKING.  ✧

(1) "Eeep! Is the fire supposed to be that hot?"

(2) "I’ve never been too good at cooking… now’s as good a time to learn as any!"

(3) "Do you think my butler would be proud of me for making something edible…?"

TUTORING

INSTRUCT

N/A (Is the instructor)

TASKS

STABLE DUTY. ✧

“I’ve never had to do this before! How exciting!”

WEEDING.  ✧

"What a waste of perfectly good weeds… perhaps they are better to eat…?"

SKY WATCH.  ✧

“Ahaha…! Isn’t it fun to be all the way up here?!”

CERTIFICATION EXAMS FAILED.  ✧

"I… didn’t expect this outcome…"

PASSED.  ✧

"I continue to grow!"

LEVEL UP

0 TO 1 STATS UP .  ✧

“I wonder how much I’ve changed…”

2 TO 3 STATS UP .  ✧

“Looks like the training’s paying off!”

4-5 STATS UP .  ✧

“Good. I’ll be able to help more folks now.”

6+ STATS UP .  ✧

“I must become even stronger. I must.”

UPON REACHING LEVEL 99 .  ✧

“Is this truly the peak of my abilities? Surely it can’t be…”

BUDDING TALENT

“So this is what I’m capable of…”

NEW SKILL

“My talents continue to grow!”

RECLASSING .  ✧

“Let’s see what I can do now!”

BATTLE QUOTES

WHEN SELECTED

FULL/HIGH HP .  ✧

“I’m with you.”

MEDIUM HP .  ✧

“Here I am.”

LOW HP .  ✧

“How could this… happen?”

ENEMY DEALS 1 OR NO DAMAGE OR MISSES .  ✧

“Not a chance!”

CRITICAL ATTACK .  ✧

“I won’t surrender!” 

“You won’t stop me!” 

“This ends now!” 

“I make my own fate!” 

GAMBIT .  ✧

“We won’t give up.”

GAMBIT BOOST .  ✧

“We’re not done yet!”

DEFEATED ENEMY .  ✧

“Huh, I guess I did it right.” 

“It’s over!” 

“Sorry…”

ALLY DEFEATS ENEMY .  ✧

“I can always count on you.” 

“Thank you.” 

“How did you do that?”

ALLY HEALS/RALLIES .  ✧

“I can always count on you.” 

“I won’t give up.”

“Thank you.”

DEFEAT QUOTE

CASUAL .  ✧

“This wasn’t supposed to happen… I’m sorry everyone. I’ve let you down. I need to fall back…”

CLASSIC .  ✧

"So this… is the end… Forgive me everyone… I didn’t… accomplish anything…”

THE ADVICE BOX

"Say… how often is TOO often to write to your own daughter? I hope she understands that I am only worried about her, but I am also worried that she may think I’m being too overbearing."

> Why not just stop writing then?

> Are you really that lonely?

> Just write to her whenever something comes to your mind, I’m sure she’d love to hear about what you’re getting up to here. (Correct Answer)

[grimstalkr]

OMG Hi! - closed thread

The moment Tharja returned from the mission she locked herself away to regain her strength. Then emerged from her month of solitude to bake up a storm to keep her mind off of everything. It wasn't until she finished that she realized she had no one to really give the pies she made to. Then she had a brilliant idea. Surely Anankos was just as tired and frazzled as she was by everything. So she packed two up in a bandana to carry and started to head down to Abyss. She had found Anankos before simply by chasing after a strange feeling. Surely she could do that again. Off she went, chasing any sense of Anankos that she could.

It wasn't until she finally saw that familiar white coat that she breathed a sigh of relief. She had almost worried that she would never find the old dragon again. Anankos had told her that he was no longer a dragon in a normal sense but she couldn't shake the thought. If Tharja somehow lost herself like that she'd still consider herself human and nothing else. It was definitely more complicated for Anankos.

"Anankos," Tharja said, standing quietly in his view. She didn't want to startle the poor thing after all. They were so twitchy the last time they spoke. "You went on that mission with the rest of us. Have you been gaining your strength back after our bodies lay there for so long?"

Tharja waited a moment before holding up the bandana-tied pies. Her usual ominous way of speaking made her sound so threatening.

"... I baked these. One is Shepherd's pie. The other is Rhubarb. They're... Pies I've baked often. Here. A savory and a sweet one depending on your mood." Tharja continued to hold the pies out. She seemed so stiff and tense. Though that was normal for her. She only hoped Anankos would take them and not deny them.

@anankelotus

[dirtyoldmanhole]

time for analyzing the absolute most freak-ass set of supports i have ever seen nintendo handle (affectionately)

A-support first since this got overly long, and i also touch on the JP versions as well.

half meta analysis, half lengthy shitpost because.

well ~

Last time in the Gunter/Corrin support train, we learned that Gunter used a little toy ball to coax Corrin out from her shell post the mind wipes when she was as skittish as a kitten, and then in the B support, Gunter/Corrin played catch again for the first time.

A little odd, but fairly tame. Here though ..... :')

(pardon me for the different "Corrin" look -- i ripped these screenshots off of a youtube version b/c i was lazy about not getting into the game proper) god do you know how many random ass files i have as reference for gunter JP/EN voicelines, JP/EN my room bits, transcripts, sprites, etc ... after this fic is done i'm totally making that fanshrine if only to stick all this shit in one place lol

anyway, corrin starts this bright and peppy and eager for more.

eyebrow waggle-/shot

cute. :D

(the stretching's cute, too. like, more seriously, this isn't just wind-down/playtime, you can tell he's always incorporated this subtly as part of her training, likely modifying some soldier's training in a manner a little bit more befitting of her.)

they keep going...

Corrin: Ready as I'll ever be! There's no way I'm missing one of your throws! Gunter: All right, then. Here we go. Corrin: And easily caught. I have to say, Gunter, you have excellent form and follow-through. You know, I just remembered… Wasn't this ball made from a whip? Gunter: It was indeed. A pretty odd choice for material, I know… Corrin: Gunter… Would you be willing to tell me a few stories from when I was growing up? I still have a lot of holes in my memory from when I was little. Gunter: Of course. But you'll have to pay attention to the ball at the same time!

i do find it interesting garon was keeping tabs enough on corrin to have opinions on how she was being raised, but not close enough that she has any recollection of him.

now for an absolutely wtf level of fridge horror: there's a part of the same JP lines above that made me sit way the fuck up.

Gunther: Of course. Then, as we’re playing… On that day, King Garon was in an incredibly terrible mood… He handed me this whip. He told me that until you were obedient, I was to continue whipping you.

"continue whipping" [record scratch] wait what the fuck

... i think that implies that garon was whipping corrin before she was she was sent to the tower?? man what the hell kind of life did corrin have between being kidnapped out of hoshido and before ending up in the northern fortress under gunter's aegis.

gunter's no saint, not in the least bit (i have sooooooo many issues with the side of fandom who thinks he's just a sweet wholesome old grandpa lmao lol looooooooooooool no), but damn did he sure protect her from the worst of krakenburg.

okay this is interesting

a) she doesn't trust her memory like, at all. it's wild to think that gunter's literally likely the one dude that remembers her early lived life the best considering her other retainers (jakob/flora/felicia) were kids even slightly younger than she was, the hoshidan siblings were really young as well, and no other playable nohrian character was around much other than the occasional visit, post her kidnapping.

it's a little terrifying to think about how (i guess, if you interpret the game that way?) anankos was possessing him way back when and had free reign around corrin. that's kind of why i'm not totally in love with that interpretation (that'd be the perfect time for anankos to take out/corrupt corrin. why didn't he?).

anyway

b) that 'closed off' line says a lot from him, considering Gunter's hardly a socialite, either. in fact their whole support chain was framed around corrin seeking him out because he starkly seeks out alone time so much that it's a little ... isolating.

so like, if mister 'nah i don't need to be around people' is saying that, sheesh. i dabble in it with this slowburn fic, but i could almost see corrin being selectively mute at times, and hiding from people days at a time.

their dynamic ain't normal by any means but you can see how that kind of early-stage trauma bonding on both of their sides would influence [gestures at] everything, you know?

gunter's not just a father("figure"). or just a combat instructor. or just a mentor, or later, just a lover -- he's something that's more, even all combined. there's a hardwired sense of trust and codependency that's seared into them from the get-go.

(it's fucked up! god it's fun to write though.)

so i ambled away from my computer at this line while screenshotting these and only afterwards realized that this out of context sounds like a goddamn porno LMAO

[whispers] what in the fuckity fuck nintendo

corrin, sweetie.....

...................how in the fuck are we supposed to read that with a straight face sjkhshajhjhjjh

lol. lmao.

okay [drags hands down face and cackles]

so this is right about where i really have to say i genuinely cannot see their (romantic) relationship being anything but a kink relationship. (and i say this in the fic notes but it's not the 'bdsm acronym pasta garbage' sense, and it's not in the 50 shades of grey cliche 24/7 M/s sense either, god i cannot fucking stand the cliche version of that shit. shoot me if i ever write that.)

and i say that for several reasons.

one - if you're shipping them, their mutual power dynamics are so hopelessly tangled between them and it's the one language -- in a way -- that they both "speak" later on that is uniquely equipped to handle a lot of that and the trauma junk from both of them in a private, loving, dignifying way. i genuinely mean that, too. rev's possession arc with him, corrin recovering from the mind wipes, etc. they're gonna have to face a lot of unpleasant shit together, and actively grappling at and mutually playing with those realities is, in a complex way, hell of a lot healthier than simply pretending it doesn't exist in the first place.

(two - metatextually i think nintendo intentionally encouraged a kink flavor to gunter/corrin because this ship does squick the fuck out of most other people and i'm not totally unsympathetic to that, so i think it's a way of quickly weeding out everyone except the folks who are genuinely here for this in an unironic sense. )

three - i already wrote up kink analysis re: gunter here lol (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ

four - and sorta on this note, what's interesting is... with a lot of kinksters i know, they knew they vibed differently in that way really early on, even as kids. like even in stupid silly make believe play games they'll tie up barbies in random ass ways or discover in a genuinely innocent way that they like specific sensations of pain they can control. later on as adults, a lot of times the brain wires go [bzzt] and suddenly the world of power or sensation play makes a hell of a lot more sense, and frankly, is a lot more fun in certian sexy arenas of life. sometimes it comes along with trauma junk, sometimes it doesn't, it's not a binary thing (as basically everything isn't).

THAT IS A LOT OF WORDS TO SAY corrin also inadvertently being wired that way and having these little semi-accidental lines doesn't actually surprise me that much. (i can also see this specific line being a little bit of a 'hrmm' flag for gunter in that she's not going to run away instantly screaming at the idea of playing these specific kinds of games, later on once when/if they're romantic)

am i projecting a little? fuck yes, that's what we're here for

Gunter: Indeed. I knew that striking you wouldn't ever get you to open up to anyone. So I came up with a different method - one that used this ball. I returned to your room sometime later, and I rolled the ball over to you. Corrin: Which I immediately picked up, examined, and threw back to you. Gunter: Oh, you remember this part? Good.

that actually is incredibly wholesome she remembers this part. ;a; you know gunter was always probably lowkey sad at her not remembering key parts of her childhood, regardless or not if it was moments between them or not.

wheeze

so did you know, treehouse actually neutered this down from the JP version which was straight up, i shit you not:

Gunther: …It’s nostalgic… It really is. Kamui: …How long has it been since? I’ve always considered you like my real father, Gunther-san.

l u l "real father"""""

i'm dying man

every single goddamn time i think this ship can't possibly get more fucked up IT DOES

YOU STRAIGHT UP MARRY YOUR DAD IN THE JP VERSION LMAO

it would be hilarious enough just knowing the whole existence of a (married) S-support coming up but coming right after the heels of that THE BALL WAS A WHAT realization.... hee

anyway here's the last chunk:

Gunter: You… You are much too kind. Ah, now look at what you've made me do. Corrin: Gunter! It's rare that you miss a catch. Gunter: My sincerest apologies. There was… something in my eye. Corrin: Getting sentimental in your old age? Hang on, I'll get you a handkerchief.

damn girl, 'sentimental in your old age'. you vicious! :D

it is horrible of me but every time i think about the end of this support i bust out HYSTERICALLY LAUGHING for a completely different reason since if you headcanon Gunter as always holding a flame for/romantically harboring feelings for Corrin-

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT HIS THOUGHTS WERE TO THAT ""FATHER" LINE LMAO

on one hand: 'i'm special to her :'))))'

on the other: [ O H K O ]

anyway half of what makes the A-support peak fridge-[everything] is the S-support right after ~ coming soon!

[anankelotus]

🎂

"Happy birthday to the most beautiful and lovable person I've ever met"

Anankos did not think that he deserves to be the most 'beautiful and lovable' person in her life, but he appreciates the sentiment nevertheless. She's a sweet girl, to have cared about a date that so little did, including himself. Why! He has almost forgotten it was his birthday altogether. Not like it mattered all that much when you were many thousands of years old.

The birthdays were just going to pass him by in the end, but Sakura once again reminds him of her mother, who had religiously wished him a happy birthday in all of the years they had spent together, even when he had forgotten it or decided that he didn't care about it anymore.

"Haha... thank you so much Sakura. That means a lot to me, you're incredibly sweet, dear girl. If you would indulge me, I'd certainly enjoy spending some time with you on such a special day, telling stories from my birthdays long past."

[hellish-summoner]

One dragon for another...

Today marked the five day mark; the day Kana would succumb to the curse given to him for trying to protect his mother. A day that would see a child die for no reason.

Like hell Kaga was going to let Hel steal away a child without a fight. So she stayed close to Kana in her fox form, the nine-tails wanting to be ready for when Hel showed up to try to claim the dragon child. And also just to keep the poor boy calm; the nine-tails assumed that having at least one of his parents with him during this would be a good idea, and Vallite is busy helping with the search for the Summoner...

And when the time came for Hel to appear, the fox wasted no time in getting aggressive towards the death ruler, who seemed unphased by the angry fox.

“Move. His time has come.”

“No. You will not take this child!” Cue the kitsune’s tails to flare up, before she tried to charge towards Hel and attack her....Which seemed to have no effect. “Grrr.....” Cue the fox to attack again, only earning a slash from Hel’s scythe in the process, which knocked Kaga away and left the fox with a noticeable wound that stained part of her white fur and made it hurt to put any weight on one of her legs.

“Your effort and your breath - they are both wasted. Your time has come, child of dragons.”

Kana stares at Hel....before starting to growl just like Kaga did, despite not really being able to breathe; he is trying to refuse to go down without a fight...But that isn’t going to stop the scythe coming down upon him-

Well, perhaps a scaled arm taking the blow instead can stop it for now. Vallite hissed in pain, but the half-transformed dragon just glared at Hel. 

“You....shielded him.”

Vallite made no motion to even show any interest in Hel’s words, or of her bleeding arm, simply standing between Hel and the child. She knows she cannot chase the embodiment of death away....but she won’t allow Kana to face death just because he protected her.

“Move.”

“...” The dragon just shakes her head, before staring at Hel, thinking over something. “....I’ll.....face death....before you take him......” Vallite starts to cough from using her voice, but still looking right at what is basically Death.

“.....Very well. You can take his place then.” Hel raised her scythe, and was quick to strike down the dragon before Vallite could even attempt to voice any opinion.

The dragon didn’t even get a chance to scream, though a growl came from Kana as he finally regained the ability to breathe easily, while Kaga was stunned silent, the downed fox just staring at Vallite’s body as she fell. Hel seemed to disappear as quickly as she appeared, leaving the foxes and dead dragon in silence.

“.......Mama...?” Kana was about to approach Vallite’s body, but paused and simply looked over at Kaga, who was silent, the fox slowly finding her way onto her paws, limping towards the dead dragon before laying down next to Vallite and just laying her head down on the dragon’s chest.

“...Mom, you’re bleeding.....” “.......” “.......” Kana is now rather concerned since the fox made no sign that she heard him, beyond looking towards him before closing her eyes. Causing Kana to choose to simply transform into his own beast form and run off to go seek a healer to treat Kaga.

-----------------

A couple hours later....

Kana had left his kitsune mother in the hands of the healers for now, not wanting to get in their way. The boy needed time to process what had happened.

He thought he was going to die.

To protect him, one of his mothers took a blow while trying to get Hel to leave. And the other......died due to taking his place without realizing that it was an option.

“.....Mama...” The dragon/fox child was quick to find a place to hide away from most other heroes before letting himself cry. He just lost one parent, and the other seems to have had something break given her silence after Vallite’s death. This wasn’t fair in his mind; neither was losing his own life, but after the past five days, he had partly accepted it. He didn’t expect anything that happened. He didn’t want to lose either of them; yes, they were not the versions of his mothers he knew back in his world....but he still didn’t want to see one die in front of him.

That’s why he took a risk and protected Vallite in the first place, even if it seems to have ended causing quite the mess.

Meanwhile, Kaga was back in her usual form, her left shoulder and arm wrapped up in bandages where she had been wounded. But she could care less about her own wound; she was still in shock from what happened.

She didn’t want Kana to die; she didn’t expect Vallite to go down instead. The nine-tails was grateful for their son evading death, but she wanted both of them to live, not for one to die in the place of the other.

......Though she was ready to face Death just to protect Kana. So maybe she has no room to judge Vallite’s choices, though it seemed like the dragon was unaware of the option. Kaga just sighed before taking her leave from the medical wing in the Order of Heroes, not wanting to wait around for a healer to clear her to leave; even if her wound still hurt, it was at least covered up now and treated besides a lack of magical healing for now, so it could heal on its own.

Besides, Kaga wanted to check on someone. After all, what would of been the point of trying to protect Kana if she didn’t make sure he was alright after that?

---------

The nine-tails found Kana hiding away from the main hall in the Order of Heroes, noting how sad the boy looked; understandable given that he just lost his mother. So instead of trying to speak to him right away, Kaga just walked over and sat down beside him, wanting to allow Kana the choice of saying anything or not. But after sitting there a moment, and actually seeing the younger kitsune hug one of her tails, she just sighed before choosing to speak first.

“......I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect her. You didn’t deserve to see what happened.”

“......I’m ok.....It’s fine....” Kana tries to wipe away his tears and stop his crying, before feeling Kaga pat his back.

“No, you’re not; trust me, it’s better to cry than to act like you are not hurting.”

“But I need to be strong like yo-”

“Kana. Even the strong cry; just let it out, you will feel better once you get it out.” Kaga just wrapped a few more of her tails around Kana, before humming a bit to herself, only to stop when she felt the young kitsune hug her. 

“......You’re sad too, right...? You were really quiet when Mama died.....”

“.....Of course I am; I envy your strength to cry honestly, and your bravery in growling at Hel, even if you were only just regaining your breath.” The nine-tails said in a quiet voice, returning the hug.

“....I didn’t want to go; and I wanted her to leave you and Mama alone, Mom.....”

Kaga smiles a bit at this. “Well thank you for trying to protect us; it takes a lot of strength to try to intimidate death itself.”

“.......Do you think that if we were able to use our strength together, we could of stopped her...?”

“......No.”

“Oh.......”

“That’s not because we aren’t strong however; Hel did not allow any of us to show our strength.”

“......She was cheating?”

“Clearly; which angers me. She didn’t even give Vallite a fair chance.....”

“.......Hey Mom?” Cue Kana to look up at Kaga’s face, still holding onto one of the nine-tails’ tails.

Cue Kaga to just get a questioning look on her face, saying nothing for now.

“.......Didn’t you sink once?”

“Yes......What’s your point?”

“If you can come back from that, can Mama come back too...?”

“.....” Kaga was silent for a few moments, before getting a smile on her face. “Hehehe.....Hel’s final struggles will be entertaining....”

“....Mom? What does that mean lady have to do with it?”

“Ah, simple; to rescue people like me and my sister, we had to be retrieved from where we sank. Since Hel stole her, perhaps we must retrieve Vallite from Hel’s realm.”

“And the final struggles....?” Kana is not too shocked by Kaga’s wording, but he is confused as to why she mentions that when Hel couldn’t be harmed by her.

“A fight will likely be involved in order to retrieve anyone from that realm. And I don’t intend on letting Hel go unscathed for what she did to you and Vallite.”

Kana thinks over Kaga’s words before looking determined. “I want to help! That way, I can try to make sure she can’t cheat!”

“.....Are you sure, Kana, even after what happened to you..?”

“Yeah! You said I was strong too, so that means I can help!”

“....You are your mother’s son; always eager to help even when it’s not your duty to do so. Very well; but stay close to me the whole time we are there, and if I tell you to retreat, you will retreat, got it?”

“Alright! Oh hey, maybe the others can help us find a way to where we need to go!”

“I think they are all busy looking for the summoner.....”

“Oh.....Well, maybe one of the other Askrs can help?”

“It’s worth a try....” Cue Kaga to look around, noting the lack of sunlight coming through the closest window. “But first....I think it’s your bedtime. We can start our search in the morning.”

“Awww.....But I want to start trying to find Mama now....” Kana complained as Kaga stood up, helping the young fox dragon up onto his feet.

“I get your eagerness, but you will only keep your strength if you get enough rest; I give you permission to wake me up tomorrow so we can get ready to start searching without you needing to wait for me to wake up by myself.”

Cue Kana to let out a fox-like whine and let his ears fold back. “......Can you tell me a bedtime story at least...?”

“If it will help you sleep, then of course.”

Granted, by the time Kaga led Kana to his room, the fox child was already yawning, but promised he could stay awake as Kaga told him a story. He was wrong, as he ended up falling asleep around the middle of it, but all the nine-tails did was quietly laugh and simply leave the room to let the boy sleep.

Kaga didn’t much enjoy returning to her own room for the night, given that she normally shared a bed with Vallite, but the kitsune simply buried those emotions for now.

It would just be for a few days hopefully. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about it, since Vallite would be back.

She just had to figure out how to kick Hel’s ass......

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

I kind of want Garon to be a boss fight in the Corrin Dies AU - I know we keep flipping through who would greet the gang on their arrival in the castle as the “king of Valla” the way Gunter does, but shit, maybe that’s Garon there.

An actual fight with Garon would be interesting because of the way that Arete, Sumeragi, and Mikoto all “wake up” from Anankos’ control in Revelation, and even Takumi at the end of Conquest has a moment of peace... but in both Birthright and Conquest, Garon’s last words to Corrin are just variations on “I should’ve killed you sooner”:

(Birthright, after Garon’s defeat):

Garon: I should have killed you when I had the chance. When you were a mere child...

Corrin: And why didn't you, King Garon? Why... Tell me why, Father!

Garon: Because you were my most precious pawn. I knew I could use you to get Queen Mikoto. No matter. I feel at peace now. How long has it been since I felt like this? Perhaps this is what I wanted all along... The sweet release of death... My...my body was destroyed. My mind...lost... Ever since that moment...I became something... Something...

(Conquest, when Corrin engages Garon in combat, because Garon has no dialogue following the battle):

Garon: I should have killed you... even if it meant... disobeying the Great Anankos... 

Like...is that the real Garon, or is that still an Anankos-twisted Garon who has just enough of his own mind that’s still full of hatred and bitterness for him to be chill with child-murder but not chill with Anankos? What the fuck’s up with that.

While in Conquest, Camilla, Leo, and Elise are reluctant to stand against Garon even after he’s been revealed as a goo monster, that’s in Conquest where Garon pretends to be mostly chill with Corrin, and nobody’s been eavesdropping on his rambling about how he wants the whole world to burn. In this AU, where he admits to their faces that Corrin was just a pawn for him to get killed in trying to get at Mikoto...

The group walk into the Valla Castle throne room and the Hoshidans and Azura have barely enough time to ask “Wait, Garon?” before Camilla has flung a handaxe into her father’s face.

It would also be rather tragic for the Nohrian siblings to be expecting Garon to show a shred of his original self on his deathbed, the way they saw happen with Arete/Sumeragi/Corrin, and they strike him down only for him to be like “If it was Corrin’s death that drove you away from me...and Corrin couldn’t even get to Mikoto for me...then I should have killed them as a child...before any of you ever loved them...”

And they’re like. Wait what the fuck. Why is he still a monster. Like sure, before he was possessed he was still a serial philanderer who let his mistresses kill each other and their families and he turned a blind eye to his mistresses’ child abuse and also everyone’s neglect/isolation of Azura even before Arete died and he got possessed, but he wasn’t going around starting wars and surely he wouldn’t have condoned child murder... right...?

Anyway then Anankos eats Garon and those questions go forever unanswered.

[fatesdeepdive]

Entry 33: Dawn Breaks

No Supports or castle stuff today. It’s time to end things.

Birthright Chapter 27: King Garon

Corrin enters the throne room to fight Garon, who stands up from his throne wielding a massive axe. Garon compliments us for making it so far. When Corrin mentions the deaths of Xander and Elise, Garon calls Xander a pawn, showing no remorse. You know, I like Xander as a villian, but goddamn did he get the short end of the stick in terms of parents to die fighting for.

Corrin attacks Garon, doing no damage. Azura begins singing and Garon grabs her by the throat. What are you doing, stepdad? Garon orders Corrin to stand down, using Azura as a hostage.

Ryoma attempts to negotiate an end to the war and Garon asks Ryoma to hand over all of Hoshido. And also kill himself. Then Garon attacks Ryoma with a fireball. I don’t think Garon’s good at negotiations.

Ranjito, Ryoma’s sword, begins glowing for some reason. Like Fujin Yumi before, it upgrades Yato, this time into a cool curved sword with a white glow. Wielding the new Blazing Yato, which is really OP, Corrin manages to hurt Garon.

This chapter sees us charging through the throne room, taking on an army of tough enemies who my high leveled units cut through like butter. Wait a minute, didn’t we fight Iago in the throne room? Does Garon have two throne rooms? Yeah, that tracks.

Garon has powerful stats, as well as skills that stop criticals and reduce the stats of units who attack him. But also Corrin and Ryoma are really strong and killed him easily.

Then Garon gets back up and trunks into an ugly dragon that demolishes Corrin and shatters Yato. Ryoma and Takumi run in to protect Corrin and also get taken out. Garon attempts to breath fire on the princes and Corrin jumps in front of them, T-Posing to block the attack. Corrin falls over, presumably dead.

Birthright Endgame: Dawn Breaks

The final chapter of Birthright, which has a name that is far too close to that of the fourth Twilight book for my liking, begins with Corrin floating in a black void. She wakes up back at the start of the game, in her bedroom, with Flora and Lilith standing over her, telling her to wake up. Either we’re in hell, or the entire game was a flashforward.

Corrin doesn’t remember anything and acts like everything is fine. Xander and Elise walk in and tell Corrin to wake up. Corrin says she’s happy, as long as everyone is with her. Then she remembers everything bad that happened to her. Xander tells her she can either remain in the afterlife, or go back and fight. Corrin hears echoes of Ryoma and Azura being attacked by Garon and Corrin decides to keep fighting.

All of the units we brought into the final battle shout cheers of encouragement; all of them are nice, but kinda generic, with two exceptions. Yukimura begs for Mikoto to lead Corrin back to the world of the living, which is really nice. And Azama says that Corrin isn’t destined to die for another 72 years and 19 days, which implies he knows exactly when each of my units will die. Which explains a lot.

Overall, this scene is great. It’s blatantly reused from Awakening with less narrative connection, but it’s still good.

Corrin says goodbye to her fallen friends, with scene shifting between the Frost Village, Training Grounds, and Dueling Grounds. Also, now that I think about it, where the fuck is Gunter? Did he have something more important going on? I know that Conquest and Revelations reveal he’s still alive, but I’m pretty sure he’s dead in this story path. Dick.

Corrin awakens, wielding a repaired Blazing Yato. Somehow. The repaired version of Yato, despite having the same stats, can now block Dragon Garon’s attacks. Neat.

We aren’t given an opportunity to head back to Fort Kenshi between chapters, but that’s fine. This battle has us charging through the ruins of the throne room to take out Garon. Again.

At the start of the battle, Azura begins singing her magic song, weakening Garon. LITWAA leads into the final battle theme, which is great. I don’t praise this game’s music enough; all of it is good and this battle theme in particular is amazing. As Garon begins to weaken, he begs for Anankos to give him strength. I wonder if that’ll end up being important.

Garon hits hard enough to one-shot most of our units and has fantastic defensive stats. Unlike the last round, he doesn’t wield an axe, meaning we can’t take him out by abusing the weapon triangle. This battle would genuinely be very hard...on hard mode. On normal I can just bum rush him and end the battle in two turns. Fittingly, Corrin ended up with the final blow.

Garon transforms back into a human and tells us he should have killed us as a child. As he dies, he says that perhaps this is what he wanted all along, the sweet release of death. He mumbles about how he lost his mind and became something, then dissolves into bubbles. Corrin wonders about what Garon’s deal was. Unfortunately, we need to buy some DLC to find out.

Azura faints, having pushed herself too far to stop Garon. Azura says that she can die in peace, knowing that everyone else will be safe. As Azura fades away, she asks Corrin to smile for her, one last time.

I know I compare this game negatively to Awakening a lot, which it definitely deserves, but I’d like to praise it for using its anime cutscenes in the final chapters, something Awakening didn’t. It really helps the dramatic moments hit hard.

Ryoma is crowned king of Hoshido, promising to bring the world into a new age of peace. Ryoma upholds his promise and helps rebuild Nohr with Hoshido’s resources. Everyone cries tears of joy.

Corrin meets with Leo and Camilla, who mourn the deaths of their siblings, and finds out that Leo is now king. Afterwards, she heads to the lake where she met Azura. Azura’s ghost tells Corrin to look into the lake, to find something hidden deep, before disappearing. The final cutscene shows the Hoshidan royals, happy together, meeting at a statue of Mikoto.

The credits roll, giving epilogues for all of our units and showing their battles/kills. I’ll be going through all the epilogues in bulk at the end of Revelations, but I would like to note my top units: Kaze, Silas, Mozu, Ryoma, and surprisingly, Azama. Who had close to 2000 battles because I sent him and Azura alone into a battle to build Support and unlock a Paralogue and just let enemies beat the shit out of him for a while.

As well as my least used units: Selkie, Caeldori, and Rhajat. Which isn’t surprising, considering I used them so rarely that I haven’t even mentioned recruiting them yet. My worst non Paralogue unit was Yukimura, followed by Shura and Izana. My least used actual units were...Sakura and Jakob. Sigh.

Saizo. The unit with the least real battles was Saizo. That’s what I was getting at. Followed by Kaden and Takumi. That’s not to say any of them were bad, Takumi in particular is insanely overpowered; I just didn’t need to feed him kills to keep him useful.

After the credits, the game gave me the option to select a few units to keep and recruit in later playthroughs. I only chose one, my max strength, eight movement Blacksmith: Kenshi. We’ll be seeing him again, eventually.

Closing Thoughts

Replaying Birthright has given me a new appreciation for Fire Emblem Fates. It’s a very flawed game, but to be honest, I had a great time. I’ve focussed on the writing, primarily, but the gameplay in Fates is fantastic. It’s a solid Fire Emblem game and I like Fire Emblem. Hell, things like personal skills, the rebuilt weapon triangle, and fixing pair-up make it a fantastic Fire Emblem game. My only complaint is that it’s a bit easy at times. Part of this stems from me playing Normal/Casual for this blog; I started a Hard/Classic playthrough in my spare time and it fixes most of the issues. The maps, although not as phenomenal as Conquest, are still varied and creative.

And then we have the writing, which is very hit or miss. I’ve explained my problems with this game before (black and white morality, incest, half of the Supports are forgettable), but to be honest, I do enjoy a lot of Birthright’s writing. It’s rarely anything special, but it gets the job done and occasionally has these fantastic moments of drama.

Birthright is a solid game that deserves a spot in the Fire Emblem series. If you haven’t played Fates before, I would recommend playing it.

Now comes Conquest, which has even better gameplay and also...even worse writing. Yay. But first, I’m going to be going through some of the DLC and Paralogues for Birthright.

[thesilenceddragon]

Anankos vs Hydra

The difference between the two is both day and night but not, and made all the more complicated by the fact that they are somewhat the same person in two physical bodies. Anankos most resembles his old self from before he sought humanity’s destruction, he still loves them as he always did and he knows somewhere, Hydra feels the same way. Anankos wishes for peace and to be freed from his other self’s influence, as no matter how sweet his personality can be, so long as Hydra lives he can’t be free from the possibility of corruption.

The two despise eachother for their difference in viewing humanity, but even at a distance they somewhat share a mind. In much the same way that Hydra’s plans started as mere whispers in King Garon’s ear, so long as he’s around he will do the same to his other self. Reminding him of humanity’s betrayal of them, of how it would be so easy for every positive connection he makes to be severed if they knew who he really is deep inside. Hydra does not truly go by the name Hydra as he feels that he is the true form of the original Silent Dragon, whether this is true or not is yet to be seen. But if Anankos won’t bend to Hydra’s demands he wants him dead, no matter how much it takes to be sure that positive fragment is finally snuffed out for good.

[markoftheasphodel]

FE Conquest Part 2 (Chapters 5-7 + Mozu Paralogue)

So Mikoto has a plan that involves having Corrin sit on a magic throne to get her memories back, and since I played FE16 before playing this one I already know that’s not gonna work. :P

…and now that I’ve detected a parallel between Mikoto and Rhea, I notice that Yukimura with his green hair, stubble, and strategizing appears to be a dry run for Seteth. Hmm.

1) So Mikoto goes BOOM because of course she does and then Corrin turns into a legendary Pokemon, which is a more effective moment for having been foreshadowed when Gunter got thrown off the bridge. And then we get to fight a battle as Dragon!Corrin against enemies packing Wyrmslayers which is pretty cool tbh.

2) There’s just so many moments in which it’s obvious this could’ve been better/stronger/more engaging. Mikoto’s death making Corrin go feral makes sense as the climax of a very, very, very fucked-up week, but not so much as an event in itself. Like, she’s known Gunter for HOW long compared to Mikoto? Whatever.

3) And then Corrin ends up with her memories, the Yato Sword, and a Dragonstone. It’s chapter five. On one hand I appreciate how since FE13 we get holy weapons pretty damn quick and it’s not like poor Roy waiting ’til endgame for the Binding Blade, on the other… WHAT. Too much, too fast. Again, this seems to be a structural thing built around having a route split at this precise juncture but it’s still poorly paced IMO.

4) So now Corrin gets to make The Decision, which is framed in terms that I already know to be bullshit. In terms of characterization, Takumi being hateful makes a hell of a lot more sense than anyone else on the scene in Hoshido. Let’s see…your “sister” just showed up after many years under sketchy circumstances and now your mom’s dead following an incident involving said sister, who by the way turns into a dragon, is absconding with your kingdom’s holy weapon, and has an immediate bond with the Nohr hostage girl you don’t like. Yes, I think going ballistic is absolutely called for. Small wonder Takumi and Leo got a fanbase as they each stand out immediately as Actual Characters instead of IDK cardboard cutouts.

5) The less said about Ryoma the better. God.

6) So then we fight Yukimura and the Hoshido sibs, Azura bids us farewell… and then the opening credit sequence plays again? HUH?

7) Wow, I wasn’t expecting Anankos to be name-dropped this early. Huh. That was kinda interesting TBH. Nice stunt, Garon.

8) And now we go on our “solo” mission against the Ice Tribe, which can’t possibly go well…

9) Oh hey, an entire level of Faceless, who as opponents are boring af but they sure can grind you down, especially when they Pair Up on your ass. So yeah, that was challenging and I ended up breaking Elise’s Freeze staff to get through that level… which was kinda screwed up because the portraits covered the map to an extent I couldn’t see what units she was even targeting! Was definitely pleased to have a wave of reinforcements on my side.

10) The contrast between Mozu’s Paralogue in which this poor child watches her entire village get slaughtered and the hijinks of Elise&Arthur&Effie is tonal dissonance whiplash on a grand scale. OW.

I have to say, despite finding the writing pretty abysmal, Nohrrin is unexpectedly charming as a protagonist. Everything is so cartoonish and over the top that her sweetness and innocence almost succeeds as a contrast, like a small child presenting a plan for World Peace or Stopping Climate Change that might actually work except People Suck. Now we get to finish this Ice Tribe mission, which I’m sure will go just fine...

[kimium]

Hello everyone!!

So, in light of today being Fanfic Writer’s Appreciation Day I decided to talk about some of my more “low key” fics, the ones that in my mind don’t get a lot of traffic but are just as special in my heart. These are the fics that I don’t usually get to say a lot about and I feel deserve some attention. I’ll keep the rest of this under a cut because this is going to be a long post. I’m also adding links to each fic in case you want to check them out. Now in order of posting...

1. Some Things Never Change (FE Awakening/Fates Fic)

A gift fic to my lovely friend and co-writer, @someobscurereference I wrote this story following Owain and Inigo’s friendship, revolving around the idea of them patching each other’s wounds up. What I liked best about writing this story was how it explored their friendship in a streamlined way, following a motif (of injuries). The story is soft, quiet, and focuses on a topic just as important as love: Friendship.

2. Monochrome and Lavender (KHR Fic)

I’ve written a few 10051 (or Byakuran/Shouichi) fics, but this one is probably my most favourite if not it’s in my top two. What I love the most about this fic is the horror and terror of what Byakuran has done to Shouichi all while remaining subtle and hidden. The unspoken lead up to Byakuran taking Shouichi’s colour vision floats in my brain from time to time but I really like keeping that ambiguous. Also, the added outsider perspective with Kikyo really was a joy to write. Normally I’m so focused on what Shouichi or Byakuran are thinking/feeling that I forget what their relationship appears to others. It’s an idea I may tackle more in the future.

3. The First Murders Always are the Most Haunting (DR 1 Fic)

The idea behind this fic steamed from me realising I don’t write as Makoto Naegi enough. Once I decided to write as him, I wanted to explore his thoughts and feelings. One of the parts in DR1 that has always stuck with me is Naegi’s relations with Maizono and how that ultimately turned out. I think about the impact Maizono had on Naegi (to the point he even makes 11037 the password in SDR2) on a daily basis. I’m a fan of events/people haunting a character and that idea spurred into “what haunts Naegi?” as a question I wanted this fic to answer.

4. You Didn’t See That (FE Fates Fic)

Also a gift fic for @someobscurereference this fic tackled her prompt/idea, "someone continue my Immortal Trio AU for me and get me that Nina Sees Odin Not Die When He Should Have And Has to Deal with That". This fic was a challenge for me because I shy away from writing the Fates kids. Writing as Nina ended up being a lot of fun and expanding on the idea of Immortal Odin having his secret blown out of the water was one I couldn’t pass up.

5. You Cannot Escape Me (My Sweet) (FE Fates Fic)

A part of my “Bad Things Happen Bingo” fill, this fic, in my opinion is one of the more “terrifying” ones simply due to the modern setting and the kidnapping (and stalking) that happens within the story. Writing this story felt like a gamble due to how I portrayed Anankos and the Trio’s relationship. Normally I have a filter of fantasy or the Trio somewhat liking Anankos, but in this fic there was no such filter. Still, I really like this fic and I find myself thinking up more from time to time. Whether or not I’ll write any more remains to be seen.

6. An Anchor of Years (SDR2 Fic)

This fic holds a very special place in my heart because it was an idea I had in my mind for years. I always wanted to write a fic where Hinata and Komaeda are partners in some sort of supernatural fighting way. What made this fic special for me was the decision to write Kamukura instead of Hinata as the partner to Komaeda. Again, I think about this fic’s premise every so often but if I write any more remains unknown.

7. Rings and Sakura Blossoms (DR1 Fic)

Prompted by my friend, Yuki, this fic follows the very first ship I ever had in the Danganronpa franchise (that being Asahina and Sakura). I adore this story. It’s soft, sweet, warm, and allowed me to write one of my favouite ships. I really enjoyed writing Asahina with both Sakura and her friendship with Owada. The fluffier tone of this fic felt very justified for the couple I just want to have a happy life together.

8. Lost Advice (That Can’t Be Retrieved) (DR3 Fic)

The best part of this fic for me was finally writing Kirigiri and her thoughts regarding her father. I really like Kirigiri as a character and her relationship with both her father and Kizakura was very enjoyable to explore. Adding in the subversion of proposal expectations was also a lot of fun. (I also got to add in the rare DR3 headcanon of mine which was also a blast to write.)

9. Human is Okay Too (D Grayman Fic)

Probably the most surprising fic I’ve written (at least to me) this was especially special to write because I love DGM so much. I love it with all my heart. There are so many ideas/imagery that haunts me from this series so finally writing an introspective look into Kanda’s character was a joy. Plus I was able to add in my favourite idea of Kanda/Allen/Lavi/Lenalee as best poly whatever-you-want-to-see-them-as into the fic.

10. Acceptance (SDR2 Fic)

What I like the best about this fic was the chance to write someone else besides Komaeda or Hinata. I’ve sprinkled writing other SDR2 characters in the past but this one is purely a look into Tsumiki and Saionji. I really liked the idea of giving the two of them a voice/look into their thoughts and feelings. I also haven’t written a lot of “Post SDR2 and people need to apologise for basically up and murdering the others”, an idea that would be fun to write more of in the future.

[misskikuwrites]

Fire Emblem Fates: Rebirth

Chapter 49: Into Steel

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

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

Spoilers for all routes.

It wasn’t long before word spread around that Corrin’s Yato had changed once more. Despite the hazy morning light and the sleepy chill in the air, there was a buzz of hope rippling through the camp. A heavy, churning weight settled in Corrin’s stomach. The hopes of her allies – no, the world – were resting on her. On her ability to swallow her grudges, her selfish inclination to bite back at her eldest brothers, and restore their fragile relationship. The hum of the Yato a constant reminder of her failings.

Corrin pushed that matter aside as they began to break camp and got ready to move. With the help of Sakura and Elise, Corrin donned her armour and they strapped her disabled arm across her chest in a makeshift sling. It was strange. Rigid. It made her disability gapingly obvious, not only to her allies but any enemies they would surely come across. It made her a target.

“Now… now it won’t get in your way,” Sakura reassured Corrin again as they sat down to eat.

Corrin forced the scowl off her face and gave Sakura a relenting smile. “I know, I know. I’m just not used to it. It feels strange.”

“I think it was a very wise decision, milady,” Jakob said, handing Corrin her meagre breakfast and claiming his spot beside her as usual. “It certainly won’t do to have your own arm impede you during battle.”

“It’s not like I had much of a choice,” Corrin sighed. She forced herself to eat despite her appetite waning, and her concentration began to drift. Her broken sleep last night left her eyelids heavy.

“Do we have a long j-journey ahead of us today, Azura?” Sakura asked, turning to the Songstress beside her. “I w-would be glad if we got out of this forest soon. It’s… it’s kind of creepy.”

Azura gave Sakura a gentle smile. “You don’t have to worry. I believe we are near the edge of the forest, and should be out of it by noon.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Sakura sighed in relief.

Their conversation faded in Corrin’s ears as her mind wandered. They were getting closer to the end of their journey with every passing day. Closer and closer with every step. Her confrontation with Anankos was looming on the horizon.

Anankos.    

Corrin’s stomach sank heavily. Her chest tightened at the thought of him. A thought that had no image, a man – a monster – that had no form in her mind. She knew nothing about him. Nothing about what he looked like, how he sounded, how he fought. The figure in her mind was a looming beast, a shadow, a whisper of darkness in the night that was always out of sight.

And yet… there must have been something human about him at one point. After all, Anankos was…

Corrin’s jaw clenched. A fire rose in her throat, burning at the thought that almost formed. She still couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to accept it. Not now. Perhaps not ever. Not until she could stand face-to-face with him and stare him down. Not until she saw him for the monster he is, not until she cut him down and ended this once and for all.

Corrin shook off that thought and let her gaze wonder until she met someone’s eyes – someone who was looking right at her.

Takumi.

He stole his eyes away the instant they met from across the camp. A rush of heat flooded Corrin’s veins. How long had he been looking at her? Her heart felt strangely light. A flutter rose in her stomach as she let her eyes linger on him for a moment longer, appreciating the cut of his jaw from the side, the angle of his nose and the rounded pout of his lips… until he glanced back at her.

Their eyes locked. There was half a world between them and all it took was a single glance for Takumi to steal her breath away. Heat trickled across Corrin’s cheeks. There was a sweet warmth to his gaze that reached her, a soft longing in his eyes that spoke volumes above the murmur of camp that surrounded them. Corrin wondered what he saw in her eyes, if they were speaking to him the same way.

“Milady, are you finished already?” Jakob asked, snatching Corrin’s attention and snapping her out of her stupor.

“I – what?”

“Your breakfast. You have not eaten much at all and we have a long journey ahead of us. I implore you to try and eat a bit more. Especially as you are still recovering.” The concern in Jakob’s voice was well deserved, but it hit a sour note in Corrin’s chest. She met his eyes and nodded, though her stomach still felt like lead, heavy and sickly. It didn’t help that most of their food was dried and stiff, salted and preserved and tasteless.  

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” Corrin said, tearing off a small portion of dried meat and nibbling it, “but I’ll try.” She stole a quick glance over to Takumi, where he was saying something to his retainers. His eyes flicked to hers for barely a second but it was enough to send her heart flustering again.

“That’s all I can ask,” Jakob replied, not entirely reassured. “But you must try not to push yourself too hard again.”

Corrin sighed, resting her chin in her hand, her elbow propped on her knees, using her feigned annoyance over Jakob’s nagging to shift and hide her steadily reddening cheeks with her hand. Her heart was pounding harder and harder with every passing glance she made at Takumi, every time their eyes locked. It was becoming a game. Secret, stolen glances as the world continued on around them. It definitely helped that Corrin shifted so that her view of Takumi was just to the right of Jakob’s shoulder.

Corrin swallowed thickly as Takumi looked away to speak to Hinata, and she took the moment to answer Jakob. “I know. You don’t have to tell me twice.”

“You say that, milady, but I feel as if I must. After all, it was hardly an hour after you threw up that you were challenging Prince Xander to a fight.”

Corrin grimaced beneath Jakob’s disapproving frown. “Where… where did you hear that?”

“Princess Elise told me.”

Of course. Corrin shrunk, her mind tripping over a way to explain it. “I know how it sounds, but there was a reason behind it…”

“I understand that,” Jakob said, his voice laced with a sigh. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. All I wish is that you would take care of yourself as well as you do the rest of us.”

“S-So do I,” Sakura chimed in. “You’re… you’re always asking how we are and… and making sure we’re okay but you don’t do the same for yourself.”

Azura nodded. “I agree. You tend to take things on by yourself, even though you’re surrounded by friends and allies who would help you at a single moment’s notice.”

“You are quite stubborn when it comes to your safety and health, Milady,” Jakob sighed in agreement.

“I think she is quite stubborn in general,” Azura said with a pointed smile directed straight at Corrin.

“All right, I get it!” Corrin relented, holding her hand up in surrender. “But you know how it is in a battle – I just forget everything else and go on instinct. It’s hard to suddenly switch to self-preservation just like that.”

“Which is what we’re here for,” Jakob said.

“E-Exactly!” Sakura nodded, determined. Leo’s words from this morning rang in Corrin’s mind.

Princess Sakura is stronger than she looks.      

Azura met Corrin’s eyes and gave her a knowing, understanding smile. They both knew what it was like to carry a heavy burden in silence, a burden that had now been lifted from them both, even if only slightly.

“Thank you,” Corrin said. “I’ll definitely be needed help in the future, the way things are going. I’m glad to have you guys by my side.”

With what felt like an interrogation finally easing up, Corrin stole a furtive glance over to Takumi, only to find him gone. Her heart remained light, however, and she finished the remainder of her breakfast without a struggle.

With a few moments to spare before they departed, Corrin walked a few rounds of the camp, making sure to check in with the remainder of her allies. A small part of her mind niggled at her for deliberately avoided Ryoma and Xander, but she ignored it as she found Gunter and Silas in the middle of training.

Corrin stood back and watched as they clashed, finding herself intrigued. Silas was younger, full of energy and determination, lunging and dashing forward with quick strides, his sword a flash of biting steel. But with Gunter’s age came a world of experience that soon became evident as he stood his ground and met each of Silas’ strikes with his own. Corrin’s heart raced as the fight progressed, Gunter quickly stealing the advantage. Just as soon as it had begun, Gunter ended the battle, sending Silas sprawling onto his back with a well-timed parry.

“Aw,” Corrin cried, expecting the fight to continue for longer. “But it was just getting good!”

“Milady.” Gunter greeted Corrin with a curt nod.

“C-Corrin!” Silas exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. “You were watching?!” He dusted himself off, clearly embarrassed that his loss had been witnessed.

“Only towards the end. You did well to last that long against Gunter! I’m impressed.”

“Thanks.” Silas laughed sheepishly at Corrin’s praise.

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting into, challenging Gunter?” Corrin teased. “He’s not exactly a gentle teacher – and I should know. Gunter was my main combat instructor.”

Gunter nodded with a smile. “That I was. Though, now it feels as though that was a lifetime ago.”

Silas’ eyes sparkled with determination. “Of course I know what I’m doing! It’s my dream to be a knight and now I have the chance to fight against one of the best! I’m not going to let this opportunity get away from me!”

“He was very persistent,” Gunter chuckled.

Corrin laughed. “Sounds like it.”

She left the two of them to spar in peace and made sure the rest of her allies were about ready to leave. The party they’d sent out to collect water had returned successful, the fire pits put out and covered. Corrin surveyed the remains of their camp one last time, readying herself mentally for what lay ahead.

“Corrin! There you are!” Camilla cried with breathless urgency, rushing up to Corrin before she could react. Ryoma was right behind her. “We need you to settle this for us at once!” Camilla took Corrin’s hand, pleading with her.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Corrin’s heart thundered in her chest as her mind sped. She looked between Camilla and Ryoma, their expressions grave. “Did something happen?”

“You’re the only one who can put an end to this,” Ryoma said, folding his arms stiffly. He shot a heated look towards Camilla. “Not that I don’t already know the answer.”

Corrin stared at the two of them in utter confusion. “Know what?”

“That I’m the one who knows you the best,” Ryoma said.

Camilla said at the same time, “That I know you the best!”

Their voices rang in her ears, an echo of each other, and they waited, staring, for Corrin’s reply. She blinked at them for a moment. Then two. Slowly, it dawned on her what they were asking.

“…What?”  

“Of course, I know you better than Prince Ryoma here thinks he does,” Camilla said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “After all, I’ve spent the most time with you, haven’t I? And he has no match for our sisterly bond.” Camilla drew closer to Corrin, hugging onto her arm with a sickly sweet smile aimed at Ryoma.

Corrin couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“You say that, but Corrin was brought to Hoshido as an infant,” Ryoma countered, “and I spent those precious first years of her life with her. Not to mention that she returned to Hoshido. The relationship I have with her is more natural than the overbearing protection that you dote on her.”

“Enough – we agreed that Corrin was going to settle this,” Camilla huffed.

“Fine.” Ryoma turned to Corrin. He nodded at her as if he expected her to understand what on earth was going on. “It’s your decision, Corrin.”

“You can’t be serious.” Corrin’s words rang out flat. Hollow.

“Of course we’re serious!” both Ryoma and Camilla chimed.

“No.”

A beat passed.

“No?” Ryoma asked.

Camilla pouted. “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean, no.” Corrin yanked her arm out of Camilla’s hug. “No, I’m not going to answer you. No, I’m not going to fuel whatever this is. I thought– I thought something serious had happened and you want to ask me who knows me the best?” the heat in Corrin’s voice grew and burned and erupted as it coated her words.

Camilla reached for Corrin. “Corrin–”

“Don’t!” Corrin shot out of Camilla’s reach, her tone seething. “I don’t want any part of this. At all. Don’t ask me again!” She whirled on her feet and stormed off, her throat burning as if she’d swallowed venom. The concern she’d had at their urgency had boiled into anger and frustration, scorching her veins with every thundering beat of her heart.

By the time Corrin had reached Azura, the fire in her veins had tempered enough for her to work the scowl off her face. She unclenched her fist and breathed out a sharp, frustrated sigh before addressing Azura.

“Do you know which way we’re heading?” Corrin asked. “I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit turned around in this forest. I’m not sure which way is which.”

Azura smiled gently. “We’re heading north. The Royal Castle of Valla should be almost directly north from here.”

Corrin nodded slowly, allowing that to process. “How long  will it take?”

“A few days. Less than a week at most.”

It wasn’t enough.  

Corrin smiled and held her head up high. “I’ll get everyone ready. Let’s head out.”

One foot in front of the other, Corrin reminded herself as they headed north through the forest. The further they went, the more the darkness seemed to creep in on them. The air grew humid and thick. The path narrowed as if the trees were drawing towards them. Large roots tripped up their path, winding across and through the rugged path, hidden in the undergrowth.

“Ah!” Sakura tumbled forward, her foot catching on a winding root. Takumi shot his arm out in time, catching her before she fell.

“Are you okay?” Takumi asked. “You really need to watch your step here.”

“Th-Thanks,” Sakura mumbled quietly. Her cheeks flushed bright red in embarrassment as she hung her head.

“That was close,” Corrin sighed in relief. “It’s hard to see where we’re stepping.”

The canopy above them had grown thick and closed in over the path. They didn’t want to risk exposing themselves with lanterns or light and so were guiding themselves using the faint beams of light trickling through the small gaps in the leaves.

“I doubt this path has been traversed in a long time,” Leo noted, “which plays to our advantage. We’re less likely to stumble across any Vallites on a path rarely taken.”

“That explains why it’s so overgrown and dark,” Takumi huffed. “I can barely see my own feet.”

“Ah, right, I suppose you’re not used to darkness like this, whereas I feel rather at home. I can see just fine,” Leo said, a smug lilt to his voice.

“That explains why I haven’t seen a single Nohrian trip,” Takumi grumbled.

“It’s still quite dark to me,” Corrin offered, though she seemed to be doing better at finding her way than the Hoshidans.

“It’s too quiet… and c-creepy…” Sakura said quietly, nervously glancing around.

Takumi held out his hand to Sakura. “You can hold my hand… if you want. If it’ll make you feel better.”

Sakura lifted her head and accepted Takumi’s hand eagerly. “Th-Thank you!”

Corrin’s heart softened and a smile erupted across her face at the sight. Takumi glanced at her, to see her grinning widely at him, and flushed. It was so cute to see him act like a big brother towards Sakura that Corrin couldn’t help the bubble of laughter swelling in her chest.

Takumi cleared his throat. “J-Just be careful where you step, all right?” he said to Sakura.

“O-Okay!”

“Leo!” Elise called his name in a sing-song tone. “Can I hold your hand too? I don’t want to trip!”

Leo stifled his sigh, holding out his hand to her. “Fine, go ahead.”

“Yay!” Elise took Leo’s hand, swinging their hands between them.

Corrin held back her giggle at the double display.

So cute.  

She glanced towards Takumi, her eyes drifting towards his free hand as they walked. Sakura was holding onto Takumi’s right hand, leaving his left to hang free by his side. Corrin’s right hand, now feeling strangely empty, flexed as she walked. If she stepped in time with Takumi, all she’d have to do is move over a bit she’d be able to take his hand. Her face warmed at the thought, at how easy it would be to intertwine her fingers with his.

But she didn’t.

It was a welcome relief when the path opened up and they reached the edge of the forest. The sun, streaming overhead, was a warm and pleasant on their skin. Corrin shielded her eyes for a moment as she stepped out into the light, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When they did, Corrin gasped in awe at the landscape before them.

What would’ve been an ordinary grassy plain anywhere else was broken and scattered in chunks of earth for miles ahead. Slabs of rock and ground formed a floating bridge of earth from the base of the hill they were on to the mountains and ruins in the distance. It was as if a giant beast had torn apart the landscape. Between chunks of rocks the size of buildings, Corrin could see the sky below. Piercing blue cutting between the earth like light through the trees. And on the horizon, towering above the ruins, stood a lone castle. Gyges.

“Whoa! Are you sure we went the right way, Azura?” Hinoka exclaimed. “There’s no way that’s safe to cross. If I had my Pegasus it’d be easy, but on foot…”

“This is the quickest way,” Azura said curtly.

“She is right,” Ryoma said, though he folded his arms in dismay. “However, I too don’t like the look of it. We’d be exposed to attack with nowhere to shelter. Is there no way around?”

“There is another passage, but it is a week’s journey west from here.”

“Then we have no choice,” Corrin said firmly. “We’ll just have to be careful. Stay close to one another and help each other out. We can do it.”

Takumi nodded. “All right. I’m with you.”

“I can close some of the gaps with Brynhildr,” Leo offered, brandishing his tome.

“Thanks Leo, that’d be a lot of help.” Corrin nodded. “Keaton and Kaden can help ferry people across in their beast forms.”

“Sounds like fun!” Kaden cheered.

“Sure, I can help. If that’s what you want,” Keaton agreed, however bashfully.

Corrin turned and addressed the rest of her allies. “We need to get across there as fast as we can but be careful. That’s the most important thing. Look out for each other and get across safely. The Vallites don’t know we’re here but that won’t last for long, so we only have a short window of time to cross before they notice us.” She let her words sink in for a moment. “See you on the other side!”

It wasn’t much of a motivational speech but it was all Corrin could muster in the short time she had. It seemed to work, as they began the crossing without any sign of incident. Ryoma and Xander, with their retainers, took the lead with Azura, finding a path for others to follow across the wayward rocks. Leo followed close behind, Brynhildr in hand, closing any gaps that could lead to trouble, and the rest of their allies quickly followed.

With one last look at the forest behind her, Corrin made a short leap onto the first of many slabs of earth. The ground was hard and rough in parts, jagged and uneven, where other facets were covered in lush grass and flowers. Corrin opted to stand on the rough ground, lest her feet slip on the grass. The view of the sky beneath her feet made her stomach churn and her vision swirl for a moment, before she forced herself to look ahead and not at the never-ending blue.

She didn’t want to think about what would happen if she fell.

It was slow at first, finding a path across the floating chunks of earth, but Corrin soon found her confidence building with every step, learning how to balance herself with only one arm available. It helped that Jakob and Kaze were at her sides.

They were almost halfway across when the alarm sounded.

“Vallites!”

A wave of panic shot washed over Corrin’s army at the figures speeding towards them through the air. Tiny figures the size of pinpricks steadily increasing in size, barrelling towards them on Kinshi and Pegasi. It would be seconds before the Vallites would be upon them. Corrin’s allies looked to her for orders and she made the decision in a split second.

“Go!” Corrin cried. “Keep going!”

They couldn’t go back. Not now.

“Archers, mages, take out as many as you can!” Corrin called, “but keep moving! Get to the other side! Follow Azura!” She shot a quick glance around her allies, scanning those behind her, those struggling and faltering. Setsuna wobbled from one rock to another, Hinoka taking her hand and coaxing her along. They were falling behind.

“Kaden! Assist Setsuna!” Corrin called, and in a flash the Kitsune had zigzagged his way over to Setsuna and Hinoka helped her retainer onto his back.

“Lady Corrin, we need to keep moving,” Jakob insisted.

“I know–”

A thwack! by Corrin’s feet snapped her attention back to the Vallites. An arrow had just missed her, sinking deep into the grass a few feet from her. A flash of blue light shot past her into the sky, striking one of the Kinshi Knights down.

“Corrin, are you okay?!” Takumi asked, reading his Fujin Yumi again with another blazing blue arrow.

“I-I’m fine. Just go!” Corrin replied, the near miss jolting her into action. She followed her allies in a mad dash across the broken plain as it descended into chaos. Arrows and flashes of magic exchanged through the sky. Walls of earth thrust up as barriers by Leo, tangles of branches and roots forming barriers and shields as arrows rained down. Corrin ducked behind one of Leo’s barriers as a blast of lighting coursed towards her and her feet skidded across the slick grass and came out from beneath her. Unbalanced, Corrin tumbled to her left, and had no hand to catch herself. The blue sky was all she saw before strong arms caught her, sweeping her up against a solid chest.

“Pardon me, Lady Corrin,” Kaze apologised. “I’ll take it from here.”

Corrin had no words to protest with, fear caught in her throat, as Kaze leapt to and fro across the slabs of earth with nimble feet and envious grace. She held tight to Kaze, unabashedly clinging to his shoulders as he made ground more than twice as fast as she ever could.

“This way!” came Azura’s voice from up ahead.

“We’re almost there,” Kaze assured Corrin, ducking for cover behind an upturned slab of earth. The remainder of her allies that had stopped to fight what Vallites they could soon abandoned the effort as more and more seemed to come from thin air. They followed Azura’s instructions, her voice, into the caves and the darkness.

With the last of their allies dashing into the cave, Leo sealed the entrance with a powerful earthquake, casting them into darkness once again.

For a moment, there was silence. A pensive silence that was only broken when light filled the caves as mages cast simple fire spells, and the cave erupted with a roar of noise and conversation.

Cries of “what now?” and “how did they find us?” and “are we trapped?” filled the thick air. Questions that Corrin couldn’t answer with her mind spinning. Kaze lowered her down slowly, making sure she could stand before releasing her completely. She went straight to Azura, ignoring the thrum of questions threatening to swallow her.

“Do you know where this goes?” Corrin asked.

Azura nodded. “Yes. It’s a detour, but will lead us closer to Gyges.”

“All right. Then lead the way.”

The cave was filled with tunnels and paths that were narrow and cramped. Overhanging rocks were a constant hazard, and though their path was light by mages and lanterns it was still uncomfortably dark. Dancing shadows cast along the walls as they moved. The humid air made it difficult to breathe as they descended deeper and deeper into the earth. Corrin stayed close behind Azura at the front, Camilla right behind them lighting the way with a small flame flickering in her palm.

“How much further?” Corrin asked, swallowing thickly. Her lungs heaved as the air grew thin, each breath coming quicker than the last. Despite her deep breaths, it felt as if there wasn’t enough air in the tunnels, her lungs feeling full yet empty. Out of breath. Bracing herself against the slick cavern wall, it felt as if the darkness would swallow her at any moment.

“We’ve almost made it to the main system of tunnels,” Azura said. She ducked and weaved her way around a wedge of rock jutting down from the ceiling with ease. “The passage should widen soon.”

Corrin steeled her complaints and clambered after Azura. Keep moving, she told herself again and again as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Just keep moving.

The mess of tunnels felt endless. They could’ve been marching into a never-ending spiral for all Corrin knew as they climbed over fallen boulders the size of horses, between spears of earth that came together like teeth from the floor and ceiling. In some places the walls and floor of the cave had been smoothed away over the years, making it impossible to get a grip. Still, Azura kept going and Corrin kept following. She knew nothing about what was going on behind her, save for the fact that Camilla stayed right on her heel. A blur of footsteps and voices echoed through the cave behind her.

Not for the first time did Corrin wish Leo could’ve done something about the tunnels. Except for the entrance, the rest of the system of caves was too fragile for that kind of magic. They couldn’t risk a collapse.

It felt like they had been trudging through the caves for hours when the passage finally widened and Corrin could stand up straight without fear of cracking her head on the ceiling. An open space the size of an amphitheatre opened up before them, with smooth walls and man-made tunnels leading to the surface. A glimmer of light filtered down into the cavern and Corrin breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“We should rest here for now,” Corrin said as she stepped into the open space, her voice echoing back. “We’ve come a long way and still have ways to go yet. We’ll need to gather our strength for what’s to come.”

“Agreed.” Azura nodded. She rested her lantern on the ground and rolled out her shoulders. “That sounds like a welcome idea. I’m sure the others will agree.”

“I know I would like to put up my feet for a few hours,” Camilla agreed. “Whoever made those tunnels certainly didn’t consider how tall its occupants would be.”

Azura laughed lightly. “The tunnels we just came out of were made naturally. I doubt they ever expected anyone to pass through.”

“Well, that explains it,” Camilla huffed, trying desperately to smooth down her hair as it frizzed wildly from the damp, humid air. She soon gave up and pulled it up into a neat ponytail. “These conditions are horrid for my hair.”

“If that’s the extent of our problems then I think we’re doing all right,” Corrin said as the rest of her allies emptied into the cavern and it erupted into a torrent of noise. Their collective relief was clear as everyone quickly made themselves comfortable and started tending to their multitude of bruises and light injuries from their skirmish outside the cave and their journey through the cramped tunnels. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, the worst being a shallow burn on the tip of Kaden’s tail, the fur blackened and scorched, though anyone would’ve thought he’d lost his tail completely with the way he was carrying on about it.

“We were lucky to get through this without anything worse,” Corrin commented as she watched over the triage set up by Sakura and Elise. There were a few scrapes and bumps, Mozu having rolled her ankle and Hayato needing a small nick on his arm healing from a close encounter with an arrow. The rest of the injuries would heal with the help of healing balms, salves, and rest.

“I’m not sure if luck has to do with it,” Ryoma said, coming over to Corrin. His expression was serious.

“I believe we’ve come to the same conclusion, Prince Ryoma,” Gunter agreed.

Corrin turned to face them. “What do you mean?”

“We need to talk. Follow me,” Ryoma said, cryptically refusing to answer Corrin’s question straight. He nodded for her and Gunter to follow him, leading them off into a side passage where Xander was waiting. It was a small nook in the tunnel where they wouldn’t be disturbed or overheard. They didn’t have to worry about their voices echoing throughout the whole chamber as well.

Corrin knew the moment she saw Xander where the conversation was going. “This is about the ‘traitor,’ isn’t it?” She forced her expression to remain neutral, forced her tone of voice to calm, to quell the spark that threatened to ignite inside her chest. She wanted to deny it. To fight their accusations.

She didn’t want it to be true.

“Don’t you think the Vallites spotted us way too soon?” Ryoma asked. “It can’t have been a coincidence. Not with that amount of soldiers waiting for us.”

Corrin’s stomach plummeted. “You think it was an ambush?”

“It’s a possibility we’re not willing to discount,” Xander said, “and given the circumstances that have already occurred, it’s becoming more and more likely that someone is trying to sabotage our efforts.”

“They’ve made it clear that their target is Lady Corrin,” Gunter added.

Corrin took a moment, a breath, to let the heat his words caused to fade before she answered. “I know what you’re saying, but isn’t it also possible that there are just more Vallites here, closer to the capital? They know where we’re going, so it makes sense that Anankos would prepare for that.”

Ryoma nodded. “You’re right, which is why it’s only a possibility for now.”

A possibility. The way Ryoma said it, it was clear he thought it more than just that.

Corrin sighed, not willing to argue about it. “Do you have any more leads on who you think the traitor might be?” She was reluctant to ask, the question tasting foul on her tongue, but she needed to know. “Do you… still believe that they’re from Hoshido?”

“Yes, I do.” Ryoma’s answer was clear. Firm. “But we’re no closer to finding out who it is.”

Corrin nodded slowly as Ryoma’s words sank in, weighing heavily in her stomach.

“How do you think we should proceed?” Xander asked.

Corrin stared at him blankly. “You’re… asking me?”

Xander nodded. “Yes. Although I can certainly offer my opinion, where we go from here is entirely your decision.”                

“Right. Thank you.” Corrin let her nerves settle for a moment. She hadn’t expected this. Hadn’t expected them to suddenly place their trust in her to make this decision. “I think… we shouldn’t make it obvious that we’re looking for a traitor. For all we know, they think we’re oblivious to their existence. But, from now on, make sure no one is ever alone. Keep an eye out but do so in a way that won’t rouse suspicion. For now, I think that’s all we can do until we’re certain.”

“A good idea,” Ryoma agreed. “Although Corrin has been their main target, we can’t be sure that they won’t attack anyone else.”

“Simple enough.” Xander nodded. “I’ll let my retainers and my siblings know they need to up their guard. It won’t seem out of place considering that we’re getting closer to the capital.”

Corrin nodded her agreeance and turned to Gunter. “Keep an eye out too. Let everyone know we need to be careful.”

“As you wish, Lady Corrin.”  

Even after they separated, that conversation rang in Corrin’s mind. She kept seeing visions of the one who attacked her, the supposed traitor, cloaked in a veil of shadows. She kept hearing their voice. A great boom that she’d felt right in her chest, through her entire body as they spoke. A voice like nothing she’d ever heard.

Their form was one of darkness, ever flickering and faulting like a flame. It was impossible to tell their height, if they were taller or shorter than Corrin or if they had somehow masked that too. There were no obvious signs of their gender, nothing that gave away any sense of their identity. Whoever they were, they had the perfect disguise.

With that weighing on Corrin’s mind, she sought out the only other people who knew the past like she did.

Laslow’s smile was dazzling as always. “Ah, Lady Corrin. What a delight to see you again.”

“Do you need something from us?” Selena asked, raising a sharp eyebrow. Suspicion lingered in her eyes.

“Are you sending us on a daring quest? On a dangerous, secret mission which only us three heroes can prevail?” Odin asked dramatically, drawing his hand in front of his face in his standard pose. “Fear not! Odin Dark stands forever at the ready to fight at any given moment!”

Corrin laughed gently at Odin’s familiar antics. “That… wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to ask you guys something.”

Selena shrugged. “Sure, whatever.” She seemed unbothered by this request, her tone flat as she folded her arms and glanced elsewhere.

“You wish to delve into the dark knowledge of the Great Odin Dark? Proceed if you dare!”

“Ask away,” Laslow said. “I’m at your service.”

“Thanks.” Corrin was relieved that the first part was now over. She just didn’t know how they’d respond to her question. “Now, this might be a weird question but… has anyone been acting strange or different lately? Different from… last time, I mean.”

Selena, Laslow and Odin exchanged glances, a hint of confusion drifting between them.

“Not that I’ve noticed,” Laslow replied.

“What’s this about, really?” Selena probed. “Just come out and ask directly. We’re not going to get anywhere if you dance around the issue.”

Odin nodded. “You can tell us! We’ll keep your secret to our very last breaths if you so require.”

“I know,” Corrin sighed. “I just didn’t want to raise suspicions unless I had to.”

“Suspicions about what?” Odin asked. “Or who?”

“A traitor.” Corrin deflated as she said it. Putting it into words made it feel more… real. Definite. “Ryoma and Xander believe that there’s a traitor amongst us. I wanted to know if you’d seen anything that would give us any idea of who it was. You three are the one ones who remember what it was like last time, too. But… if you haven’t seen anyone acting strange, then I guess we’re no closer to figuring out who it is.”

“A traitor… you mean someone working for Anankos?” Laslow asked. He looked to Selena, then Odin. “Then… there’s a chance that even they don’t know themselves.”

Corrin frowned. Something in the back of her mind began to nudge her. “What do you mean?”

“If they’re possessed…” Selena offered, trailing off as she sent a worried glance to Laslow and Odin.

Possessed.

“What… what are you saying?” Corrin’s heart stopped dead. Her blood ran cold, draining through her veins until she felt numb.

“We’re not saying anything for certain,” Laslow began cautiously. “But if someone was possessed, then Anankos could exact his will on them without their knowing. If he had complete control over them, it’s possible you wouldn’t be able to tell at face value.”

“Our memories remained intact from that other life. Perhaps… something else did too,” Selena said, mincing her words for Corrin’s sake. Dancing around the subject just as Corrin had earlier.

“No.” Corrin shook her head. Her heart beat like a heavy drum in her ears. Thud. Thud. Thud.

“We’re just saying it’s a possibility,” Laslow said, his voice calm and soothing, trying to ease the panic off Corrin’s face. “If there’s any chance Prince Takumi is still possessed–”

“He’s not–” the words came out in a desperate gasp. A breathless denial. “He’s not possessed.” Her heart thundered as memories flooded her mind. Takumi’s smile. The burning flush on his cheeks as he confessed his feelings to her. The longing in his eyes as they exchanged furtive glances this morning. His sweet laughter. Their easy banter that filled the archery room as he taught her, day after day. The gentle way he called her name, sounding precious on his tongue.

The burning crimson in his eyes as he screamed for her death.

“He’s not possessed,” Corrin said again. Firmer this time.

“How do you know for sure?” Laslow asked. “We know how much you care for him. Is there any possibility–”

“No. There’s not. Azura said so herself – she sang and… and cured his possession. I’m sure of it.”

Corrin felt that heavy dread once again descend over her like a thick curtain. A panic that seized her throat. She remembered the way he stumbled out of the forest. His movements jerking and stiff, words mumbled under his breath, his gaze forever shifting. She remembered how he was in that previous life, a searing fire in his eyes that she hadn’t recognised. A burning fury erupting from within, the source of which Corrin hadn’t realised in time. The wound she had inflicted by turning away from Hoshido had become its foothold, growing and growing until it overtook him. Until there was nothing left but hatred.

Silence fell after Corrin’s denial. A biting moment passed, no one willing to break the silence, to question her any further. Laslow looked between Selena and Odin and decided enough was enough.

“All right,” Laslow said finally. “I didn’t plan on arguing with you, nor was it my intention to reopen old wounds. It was just a possibility we’d thought of, that’s all.”

It took Corrin a quiet moment to gather the strength to nod and accept that was all they were saying. A possibility.

She didn’t want to accept that.

Their words stewed and churning and spun in her mind as she left them and sought out the one person she thought could alleviate her fears.

Takumi was seated with his retainers in a secluded corner of the cave. Corrin’s heart, despite how it sank deep into her chest, lifted at the sight of him. Even just seeing him there eased her fears and made it easier to breathe, for her mind to think clearly. She approached him in time to catch his conversation with Hinata and Oboro.

“I’m fine,” Takumi brushed off his retainers worries. “It’s just… a headache. Nothing serious.” He hissed out a sigh, rubbing his temples with his fingers.

Takumi’s words hit Corrin like a blast of blinding magic.

“My head… why does it hurt so much…?”    

A memory of Takumi wincing, cradling his head in pain, flashing into her mind.

“If you die… the pain… the pain will stop… if I kill you!”

Corrin whirled on her feet without a word. She powered through the cave, her legs driving her forward, driving her away, away, away, anywhere else but here. She saw nothing. She saw no one, not the concern on their face as she rushed passed, as they caught a glimpse of the horror behind her eyes. She heard nothing. Not the people calling her name.

She found herself outside the cave without knowing how she got there. Her feet kept moving. Onward. Away. Further and further as the world blurred around her until she tripped and crashed to her knees. She dropped to the ground as if her legs had been cut from beneath her. Her body curled as a ripple of pain tore from her as a scream. A wail. A cry that burned her throat and tore her lungs as she doubled over and roared. A scream barely human. Her dragonstone stung against her chest, glowing with blinding magic, as a devastating anguish seized her body. It thrummed and burned as it fought against her dragon blood, the pain, the animalistic instinct screaming through her veins as she cried. Her willpower shattered. Her fingers, tearing into the ground, sharpened into silver claws. Her body bathed in bright light as two large wings spouted from her back, jagged horns rising from her head.

In the depth of her mind, through the whirlwind of pain and anguish and distress, she heard someone call her name. It was faint. As if lost in the wind, blown away before it could reach her, before it had meaning.

Arms wrapped around her but it meant nothing. All she felt was pain. A burning, burning pain in the centre of her chest that cut right through the centre of her body. A pain that lanced through her heart.

And then – a song reached her ears. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, the song slowly rippled through her mind, through her body, her soul, and the heat began to ease. The surging pain, the blinding agony, began to fade. Her claws drew back until only her fingers remained. Her horns, her wings, retracted in a pale wash of light. The song continued until she was human. Until her scream became a cry and she accepted the embrace and her dragonstone settled.

“It’s all right,” Azura’s calming voice sounded by her ears. “You’ll be okay.”

It hurt.

The pain was numb and hollow but it reached into her very core. Spread throughout her veins until her entire body ached. Her lungs burned as if scorched by magic. Every sob, every breath and cry hurt as if her voice had torn her throat to shreds. She couldn’t stop the tears even if she tried. Even if she cared who saw her, who’d followed her from the cave.

She couldn’t care about anything at all.

When the tears finally dried, Corrin’s heart felt empty. She lifted her head from Azura’s shoulder to see Jakob and Kaze beside her. By the entrance to the cave, Hinoka and Camilla looked on with concern.

“Are you all right, Lady Corrin?” Jakob asked softy, offering Corrin a clean handkerchief. Corrin took it, letting the soft fabric sit in her palm, and stared at it.

She felt nothing.

Tears welled up in her eyes again, falling when she blinked. She looked up when Camilla took her hand, not having heard her approach. With a gentle, caring smile, Camilla took the handkerchief from Corrin and softly dabbed at the tears falling down her cheeks.

A sob leapt from Corrin’s throat.

“It’s all right, my darling. We’re here,” Camilla said soothingly.

Corrin’s vision blurred with tears.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Hinoka knelt in front of Corrin, beside Camilla. “You’ll be all right, okay? I promise.”

Corrin managed to nod. Managed to dry her tears and let her sisters help her to stand. Her legs felt heavy. They dragged behind her as if made of lead as they walked back to the cave, both Hinoka and Camilla wrapping an arm around her.

At Camilla and Hinoka’s instructions, Corrin nestled in the corner of the cavern, away from prying eyes and the overwhelming noise. She curled up in a mound of blankets, resting her head against the cool stone wall. Azura, Camilla and Hinoka remained by her side, Jakob and Kaze not far away either. Despite the company, Corrin felt alone. Isolated. Her heart ached. Her body, her eyes, her throat, ached. A fear had seeped into her bones, poisoning her mind with paralysing doubt.

After her tears dried and her body numbed, a cold collectedness washed over Corrin. Her heart hardened. Turned to steel. She got to her feet and forced everything else into the back of her mind.

Keep moving forward.  

Corrin ignored her sisters’ concern with a curt, “I’m fine,” and rallied the rest of her allies to move out. They had to keep moving. Even if it meant swallowing her fears deep, even if it meant steeling her heart until she felt nothing.

They had to keep moving.

[iturbide]

For the ask meme: I'm tempted to ask for a platonic O for the Kanas and Grampa 'Nankos. Actually, can I ask for that? (Heck, instead of doing what you expect of Anankos calming a Kana who had a nightmare, have a Kana or both trying to help their grandpa calm down after a bad dream.) ((If you do not wish to write Anankos, then platonic O with Fae and her Papa[Grima] because that sounds equally if not more adorable.))

that sounds so sweet oh gods my heart and honestly I am always game to try writing a new character so ;D 

Calming them down when they have a bad dream

Anankos stared across the crumbling waste of what had once been a thriving city.  Hoshido had fallen to the Faceless masses, and the remnants of their army still roved the silent streets in search of survivors.  But any who might have escaped the initial assault were long gone, either fled or dead, and he knew in his aching heart that the vast majority had not reached the city walls alive.  Turning from the balcony, he stared at the ruined castle behind him, yet more monsters shambling through its deserted rooms and hallways – but they scattered before him as he strode toward the deepest heart of the palace. 

The doors did not budge when he tested them.  He forced them open even still, a terrible dread filling the pit of his stomach like a leaden weight…

The room opened, and the stench of dust and rot washed over him.  This had once been the Castle Shirasagi throne room – but now it was a tomb, the fallen bodies of four…five…six warriors scattered across the floor, their armor crumbling, mummified flesh clinging to their bones.  He nearly tripped over a blessed lance abandoned near the doorway as he made his way toward the throne, glancing at each corpse he passed: a young girl with a staff, a woman with an axe, a boy with a tome, a man with a dark blade, all Nohrian to judge from their black armor…crumpled atop the dais itself he saw a Hoshidan archer with a cracked bow, an ominous aura still clinging to it and pulsing in time with Anankos own heart…

But it was the body at his feet that commanded his attention.  The pale grey plate was Nohrian in appearance, but the dull gold blade beside them was ancient.  Familiar.  

Yato. 

He knew, in that moment, whose corpse he stood over. 

And he knew, too, who had orchestrated their death. 

His cry echoed through the chamber as he fell to his knees before his child’s body…

“Grampa ‘Nankos?”

He jolted awake, gasping for breath as he searched the room.  No throne.  No dust.  No bodies.  Simply a bright ballroom, crowded with sleeping children– 

“What’s the matter, Grampa ‘Nankos?”

He looked down at the two young dragons on either side of him.  His grandchildren, safe and well, just as their parents were somewhere in this castle – and it took every ounce of willpower to fight back tears at the sight of them, and to find the voice to speak around his heart lodged in his throat.  “I’m fine,” he managed after a few moments.  “What is it you need, little ones?”

The Kanas looked doubtfully at him, and then at each other.  And in the next moment, they crawled into his lap, each one wrapping their arms around him in a tight embrace.  “It’s okay, Grampa ‘Nankos,” the little boy mumbled, snuggling close as he peered up at his grandfather.  “We have bad dreams, too, sometimes.”

“But it’ll be okay,” the young girl promised, smiling up at him.  “We’ll be right here.  It always makes it better when you’re not alone, right?”  The boy nodded firmly in agreement while she nestled in beside him. 

The tears nearly choked him as he curled his arms around his grandchildren.  “Thank you,” he whispered thickly.  “Thank you both.”

They giggled, both settling comfortably into his embrace.  They drifted off to sleep, one after the other…but rather than join them, he remained awake, unwilling to let sleep claim him again for fear of missing even a moment of this closeness that he had once only dreamed of. 

and because i am a sap i’m doing the other one too

Sleep had never come easy for Robin, in his time.  Grima knew this well, for it haunted the both of them now, and they often stalked the halls in the dead of night, patrolling not to fulfill an order but to exhaust the restless energy that kept them from sleep (though the insomnia rarely cooperated in that regard).

“How many days?” Grima muttered under his breath as he made his way through the corridors, glancing at the rooms lining the passage. 

Three, the presence at the back of his mind sighed.  Are you as tired as I am?

“Quite,” the fell dragon growled.  At least his true form atop the castle was able to sleep peacefully, but he loathed the fact that the piece of his consciousness locked in this vessel could not find such relief.

It’s not my fault you’re stuck here, Robin pointed out. 

“It is not,” Grima agreed.  “But I have not slept in three days.  I feel entitled to a momentary complaint.”

…that seems fair.  The faintest trace of a smile tugged at his mouth as he continued his aimless pacing, wandering past his own quarters and continuing without pause.  You know, if we get desperate we could always ask Henry for help.  Lissa mentioned a sleeping hex that he used on her a few times – it needs a live bird, but at some point it’s going to be either it or us.

A daunting prospect.  All the more for the fact that he was forced to give it serious thought.  He would be useless to the Order at this rate, and though he knew Kiran would forgive an error he refused to leave others to clean up his messes or pull his weight–

He stopped, tilting his head as a familiar sound caught his attention.  Small, soft, coming from somewhere nearby.  He followed it, weaving from one side of the corridor to the other as it grew louder…and something in his chest tightened as he found himself outside the room where the creche spent their nights.  

He had not known it before, but he recognized it now: a child’s cry.  Wasting no time, he opened the door and closed it quietly behind him, allowing his eyes a moment to adjust before attempting to pick his way through the chaotic mess of pillows and stuffed animals littering the floor and toward the beds clustered on the far side of the room.  Muffled as that whimper had been, he could only guess who it was – perhaps one of the Kanas, or Tiki, or–

“Papa!”

He nearly lunged toward the sound of Fae’s trembling voice, sitting on the edge of the bed and gathering her up in his arms.  “I’m here, Fae,” he murmured.  “I’m right here.  It’s alright, it’s alright…”

She sobbed, clinging tight to his shirt as he held her.  “W-w-where did you g-go-o?”

“I was patrolling–”

“N-n-no, y-you were ri-ight the-e-ere, a-an’ I ca-alled and called a-a-and called b-but you di-idn’t sto-op a-and you neve-e-er came ba-ack a-and…”

He breathed a slow sigh, feeling the crushing guilt ease off his shoulders.  “That was a dream, nothing more,” he murmured.  “I am here, tiny one…and I will not leave you.”

“Promi-ise?” she whimpered, peering up at him with red-rimmed eyes. 

“I swear it,” he replied; shrugging awkwardly out of his coat without putting Fae down, Grima gently bundled her up in it, cradling her against him and leaning comfortably against the headboard.  Her hand remained tightly fisted in his shirt even as her sobs and shivering eased…but as he began to hum, softly, the tips of his fingers running through her fluffy hair, her trembling fingers finally relaxed.

He smiled as she snuggled down into his embrace with a sleepy mumble.  Her breaths began to slow and even…and soon enough, he had trouble keeping his own eyes open.  Leaning his head back, he settled in as best he could on a bed far too small for him, and soon enough joined Fae in sleep. 

[dirtyoldmanhole]

gunter slowburn fic excerpt~

have some unbearably sweet hurt/comfort post-possession. he's spent a while in the healer's tents a bit touch-and-go, and corrin's taken him to her private quarters the night before the final battle with anankos.

unedited.

---

Corrin gently closed the door behind him, and watched as her old man took in the same space as always.

She had brewed some of his tea for him, discretely placed on the bedside table within reach. Neither one of them wanted anything that night save the quiet comfort of skin to skin intimacy.

"Do you know, all of my happiest moments have been here with ..."

He trailed off, lost in memories. She knew without looking that there were unshed tears in his eyes, and that her old knight was deeply moved.

Gunter stood there just past the threshold for a very long time, with her supporting him lightly for stability. She wouldn't breathe a word about it to him, but his newly acquired limp worried her.

'What would you like to do, Gunter?"

For a while, she thought he didn't hear her, as his eyes were closed. But then came the softest response, his voice scratchy.

"To listen to your heartbeat, Corrin."

She smiled, leaning her cheek against his bicep in an affirmative.

With gentle and slow steps, she guided him to her bed, her heart squeezing as he groaned with relief at being off his feet. Corrin set her hands to work, helping him take the borrowed shirt and trousers off. She could see the quiet gratitude in his eyes as he leaned his head against hers, still profoundly exhausted from the recovery and the ... everything.

It felt like a shared nightmare that they had both awoken from.

Eventually they would--have to--talk about it in this world, but not this night. Not when he still felt far too fragile and could crumble to bloodied dust, and not when she desperately craved the comfort of his arms to steel her for the coming battle. The last battle, one way or another.

She wanted to be selfish with him this night.

His own vein-laced hands made short, efficient work of her own clothes in contrast. Yet it was not the frenzied rush of new lovers exploring the dips and creases for the first time, but with the slow mastery of an artist and his tenderness savoring a muse - she breathed a pleasurable sigh as his thumb-pad brushed against the underside of her breast with a lover's precision.

Nearly nude at last, they both worked their way ungracefully under the covers, her taking great care not to strain his wounds by guiding his gnarled shoulders up to where she was partially propped by a mound of pillows near the headboard. After shifting over her for a few moments, he sank the side of his worn cheek to the curves of her bared clavicle, one muscled arm wrapped around her back, and pulling her to him.

They laid there for a while, him taking the occasional sip of the prepared tea, with Corrin stroking his hair.

"This takes me back." He murmured wryly. "That first time in the healer's tents ..."

"I believe you called it our flagrant scene..."

"Where, my dear, is the lie?"

She snorted with terrible fondness, and his eyes twinkled up at her. After a moment, his hand drifted down to her hip, fingertips lightly touching her skin so it prickled, and she savored each of his callouses.

As she knew he would do, that same hand slid languidly down her curves, fingering her panties that he was oh so fond of. Corrin couldn't help but smirk.

"You haven't changed one bit - still endeared to them, aren't you."

"Ever since I stole a pair from you in our castle, so long ago. You've married a panty-thief as well as a black-heart; horror of horrors."

"Gunter!"

He chuckled deeply against her flesh, his thin nose trailing an odd semicircle pattern, and she realized he was tracing her heart's position.

"No more secrets."

Corrin suddenly ached at the bone-deep regret in those three words echoed back to her.

[yukiwrites]

Back Together, At Last

For Corrianderweek, Day 5: I Missed You So Much. This one also has some of the kissing prompts requests, so thank you all for sending them! Get ready for a heartfelt sin! I love them so much asçkjdlamsd

Part 1 - Part 2

The sun was setting, or at least that was what everyone's inner clocks were telling them -- With the skies between Nohr and Hoshido changing as they were, it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night; dusk or dawn.

Regardless of how much time left of 'today' there was, the soldiers fought on for hours to end, being ambushed time and again by seemingly immortal enemies and never-ending Faceless. They needed their rest before quite literally jumping into yet another fight.

Kamui ordered the camp to be raised so they all could get as much rest as they could before the phenomenon in the sky ceased and their entrance to the World Below was closed forever.

She spoke in the middle of the tired soldiers, some still working menial tasks nearby, but always keeping an eye in their leader.

"I want to thank all of you for fighting valiantly today. The battle was won not only thanks to our hoshidan allies, who hurried to our side and whose help was inevitable to our victory," she glanced to her forgotten family, who nodded in response, all of them wearing proud smiles. "But especially to our nohrian allies, led by none other than the next King of Nohr and my future husband, Xander." She took a step back so the Crown Prince himself could join her in her speech.

They exchanged knowing glances, the deep trust they shared calming even the most agitated hoshidan soldiers.

The smiles on the hoshidan family's faces disappeared.

"Since our clash at Cyrkensia, I have kept constant communication with him through our retainers, and was aware of his plans to overthrow the evil forces rooting and roosting in our beloved homeland."

"I have brought the finest soldiers from Nohr with me; those who kept their loyalty to me instead to the warmongering rule deceived by our true enemy." Xander opened both hands, as though aplacating a fight, despite the public remaining in an uncomfortable silence, save from the aforementioned nohrians themselves. He looked bitter for a moment, understanding the deep distrust seeping through the hoshidans towards himself. "It is not as though Kamui distrusted all of you -- she simply trusted my judgement in the matter regarding the secrecy. Iago had eyes and ears at every single corner of the land, surely spurred by Anankos."

A murmur started rising amongst the ranks, heads turning and hands waving. "We DID get ambushed a lot didn't we?" could be heard, "it was like someone was watching our steps," someone also said. "Do you think there was a traitor?" Someone dare speak, but was quickly shut off by their teammate. "There's no such thing! Lady Kamui trusted us and has always been open with us!"

The dragon princess' shoulders sagged with the words of approval, taking one hand to her heart. She felt warm fingers criss-crossing her free hand and looked up to find her husband-to-be smiling confidently at her, urging her to go on.

"I must thank you all once again for your trust and your loyalty." She bowed her head, then lifted it with refreshed conviction. "Tomorrow, we will jump to our fate -- to finally start the real battle against our true enemy, Anankos. He has been soiling the airs between our kingdoms for long enough! Tomorrow, we will fight for our lives!" She raised her free hand, stealing a roar from the soldiers.

"We'll win this, by the gods!" They yelled, quickly getting on their feet to clap. "For Lady Kamui!" Clamoring, their own spirits were renewed, morale rising to an all-time high.

Kamui's smile widened and she couldn't help but look to the man beside her; to the man she promised herself to. They squeezed their handhold and felt their feelings overflow amidst the thundering enthusiasm of the troops all around them. The princess closed her eyes and rested her forehead on Xander's armored chest, feeling a slight pat on her head in response.

She was at home, finally.

Oh, she couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life beside him! Starting from that very moment.

What happened next was somewhat of a blur: Walking as though she were in the clouds, the smile never left her face as she talked with her surprised younger siblings, who were never aware of Kamui and Xander's feelings. Camilla laughed beside them, finally able to openly show her support for their relationship.

The hoshidan family sans Sakura decided to keep their distance and talk with her in private at a later time.

Kamui didn't remember much, honestly, only the constant warmth of her beloved's hand on hers. They never let go, not until they reached Kamui's tent, and walked in a comfortable silence familiar only to the both of them.

For her entire journey, that tent had been a lonely place for Kamui to cry herself to sleep into, or to simply try and fail to forget how cold the cot beside her was.

Not anymore.

Oh, by the gods, it would never be cold at night anymore.

She scooted closer to Xander, closing her eyes so as to absorb his scent into that lonely tent, filling it with his presence. On the other hand, Xander breathed in deeply, taking in all of his beloved's smell that lingered from the flapping entrance to the depths of her bed sheets.

He looked around, taking his time to observe how his wife fit in every corner of that tent: how she must've worried about strategies over the map table; how she must've spent nights on end reading studying to sleep so she could better lead the people who trusted her.

How she spent the nights alone on a too-big of a bed, holding onto the pillows so as to remind herself of him.

His eyes trailed slowly, finally falling on the beloved woman beside him. Their eyes met, and he could see a slight frown sprouting over her brow, her deep red eyes watering with tears.

How much he had missed such beauty! He felt the breath escape his body.

"Oh, Xander... Kiss me! Kiss me!" She pleaded, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him to her short height.

"...! Little Princess...!" He almost sniveled, his legs feeling weak all of sudden, the rush of emotions flooding through him with such strenght he had to tightly wrap both arms around her waist.

Finally, finally, at last their lips touched, their love sparking through the whole room as they lost themselves in one another's taste. Xander desperately bent down to Kamui, his body curving around hers, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

Kamui felt hot tears itching down her cheeks as she opened her mouth for a deeper kiss, inviting his hungry tongue in. She turned her head to the side, exploring that oh so familiar mouth, her hands trembling over her beloved's neck.

"Kamui, my Little Princess..." he bemoaned for the short second they took to breathe, diving back into her lips. Her own trembled in emotion, unable to hold so much love, feeling it overflow through her eyes.

"I missed you so much, Xander...! So, so very much!" She sobbed, their deep kiss turning into countless smaller pecks.

Xander's brow flickered in emotion, his eyes ready to cry in a way he had never before. "So have I, my love. So have I... So fervently I felt dead to a world without you." He brushed their noses together, cupping her small and drenched face with the smallest of strengths.

She gripped into his hand with one hand, using the other one to shakily caress his face.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head to enjoy her touch, an uninvited tear falling down his cheek. Kamui herself felt not only her tears but her love bubbling up in her chest, loving that man so intently she could but cry.

Slowly did she approach, their rasped breaths intertwining before she brushed their lips together. She went up and down, letting their mouths invite each other into a kiss, their tongues so very used to each other yet so very hungry for more.

As Xander once again bent down to his beloved, they felt their armors clanking between themselves. "What a burden," he murmured by Kamui's lips, unwilling to move from their hug as he unbuckled her armor behind her back.

"Mhm," she licked his lower lip in response, doing the same to the armor on his shoulders. "Soon will come the day that these will be the only burdens we'll carry."

He gurgled a laughter, brushing their foreheads together. "Taking off each other's clothes?" He took half a step back, pulling Kamui's armor up from her arms. "I look forward to such day with vigor."

Chuckling, Kamui did the same to him, putting his heavy armor over a nearby table. They each undid their bracers and greaves, throwing them over the pile once they were finally done.

With only the heavy fabric of their under-armor clothes left, they could finally throw themselves into one another's arms fully. Each other's body warmth sagged their shoulders, their fumbled steps trailing for the bed.

"My Little Princess... How much I've longed for this," he exhaled with difficulty, slowly placing her over the bed, kneeling atop of her.

She felt his shaky breath steal kisses from her lips to her jawline and pointy ears, moans she hadn't let out in so long filling the silence in their love cot.

"X-Xander..." she sniffled gripping at his scalp once he finished unknotting and opening her shirt. A cold draft over her nude nipples made her tremble, but she knew it. She knew that he would warm her up -- he would warm every inch of her body.

Immediately did he trail down his kisses to her bosom, taking one nipple and sucking it gently, massaging the other.

"Ah... hahh...!" Kamui brushed her legs against one another, opening them to invite him in.

How much they had missed this! Her taste hadn't changed at all after so long, and her voice -- oh, her sweet and alluring voice calling his name! He was already hard under his pants, and hungered for the moment they would finally conjoin in pleasure.

He moved to the other nipple, licking it slowly, savoring it fully. Kamui arched her back in pleasure, calling his name, practically begging for more, more, more...!

One of his impatient hands brushed down her abdomen towards her pants, pulling them down with her eager help.

"X-Xander, I can't wait anymoreah..." She dug her nails over his back, breathing heavily. Her eyes spun with pleasure, the prospect of feeling him, in the flesh and not in a happy dream, inside of her again drying her throat.

"Oh, my Little Princess, are you sure? I must prepare you-mmph...!" He lifted his face towards her, one hand teasingly tapping over her underwear. She stole a kiss immediately, impatient and hungry.

"P-please, hurry... Give it to me!" She pleaded, letting out a long moan under his hot breath.

Once again did he kiss her, both of them rolling their eyes in pleasure as he freed his erection, prodding it over her underwear.

He felt her jolt in response, her trembling legs rubbing against his hips, silently begging for his entrance.

"Hahh... hahh..." They couldn't get enough of one another's tastes, each kiss lasting longer than the last, their bodies already moving in sync -- back and forth, back and forth... -- moments before he pulled her underwear to the side.

Once he did, she held her breath in anticipation, her insides pulsating with desire.

He pressed their foreheads together, taking a deep breath before slowly putting it in. He watched as her expression changed with each inch he put inside: from surprise to pleasure to delight and back to pleasure, tears rushing down her face.

"H-how... I, ahn... missed this!" She cried, once he put everything in, feeling him rub at her sensitive spot.

She was so very tight -- it had been several months since they had shared their last night of pleasure, after all -- and so, oh so very good. She twitched and sucked him in, wanting him so much as he wanted her. So much he almost didn't feel like moving, wanting to savor that moment for eternity.

They kissed again, out of breath and sweaty, unable to stay away from each other's tastes any longer.

Once he moved, he could feel the moans dying in her throat amidst their kisses, his name sounding the most sweet in her pleasure-driven voice.

He thrusted deep and hard, making her entire body shake in pleasure and beg for more as he took it all out and shoved it back in with vigor. She bit his left ear the moment they took to breathe, making a shock of stamina run through his body -- immediately did his movements become faster and stronger, stealing low and high moans from Kamui.

"X-Xandeahh...!" She called his name over and over, digging her nails over his broad, broad back, wanting him to do her until she passed out.

She begged for more, and Xander was a weak man -- he couldn't deny his Little Princess' plea, pounding her as hungrily as he wanted to for so, so long.

He could feel her twitching in pleasure, closing herself around him as she was about to be hit by an orgasm. They both wanted to look at each other's faces during that time, but their bodies -- they pulled themselves into one another.

They felt a rush of pleasure wash over their bodies at the same time, exchanging a kiss as his own fluids spurted inside of her. She squeezed him so strongly he was unable to leave, their mouths refusing to end their kiss.

"I love you so much, Xander... Thank you for coming back to me..." She panted, her eyes closed and their noses brushing together so as to take a breather.

He once again dove into her lips, the slight movement making him hyper-aware of his erection coming back while still inside of her. "I love you as well, my Little Princess; my future Queen. We shan't part ever again."

Kamui rolled her eyes in pleasure, not wanting the night to end. They had almost a year of bedding each other to catch up to, after all.