AnnetheCatDetective

I mean, all I want is to be able to play through all of the Tellius arc on my DS... but yeah, I'm sure they'll go in order and I'll have to wait for it.

Fic here.

Thanks-- I've never been on a forum with a separate feedback thread board for fics, so until you mentioned not cluttering up the thread, it didn't even occur to me why that would be helpful. I'll get that set up . And as for Greil, that wait is over, chapter two is when he comes in. And-- apologies, I was without the internet a couple of days! But now I'm back, and so is the fic. EDIT: Feedback thread is over here! Chapter 2: Part of the Swing of Things ---/-/--- They had all returned home exhausted to some degree, from the long walk as much as from the fight for some, having mostly been on foot. Even with Titania appointing herself his guardian for the return trip and putting him on her horse for a couple of stretches, Rhys had felt near collapse more times than he'd have cared to admit. In the end, he'd fallen into bed without a thought to having a proper meal. He'd long been used to exhaustion outweighing hunger. He does feel hunger's gnaw in the morning, however, waking to the sharp pang of an empty stomach-- and the far more pleasant chorus of birdsong. There was something he's happy to get used to waking to. He could do without the hunger pains, the still-throbbing legs and aching feet, the saddle-soreness of an inexperienced rider who'd found himself astride two different warhorses in the course of one afternoon and evening... but the birdsong is nice. It makes the whole notion of living in the woods with a band of mercenaries feel a romantic one, something out of a storybook. Little larks and finches and sparrows out his window, flitting between tree branches and filling the air with music. At least, so long as there wasn't training going on too nearby. The sound of different chores being cheerfully and efficiently done, indoors and out, the friendly shouts. And the scent, the green scent of pine needles and of broad leaves, and sap and grass... the way the forest smelled after an autumn rain, or under the full heat of summer, or in crisp midwinter, he would get to experience those changes all for himself, and the way they changed the air. He's sure he looks a fright, pale and mussed and dressed in yesterday's rumpled clothes, but his stomach won't wait for him to make himself presentable-- and the standards are not so high that he thinks it will matter. He's decent, and he can wash and change after he's eaten, when he's sure he won't feel so woozy. Oscar is in the kitchen, when he arrives, and Rhys barely has time to say 'good morning' before a bowl of thick porridge is pushed into his hands, and at Oscar's directing, Boyd steers Rhys to a seat while Rolf hurries to bring him a cup of tea, and he has to thank all three of them in a tumbled rush. Boyd and Rolf both match Oscar's smile, at that, and Boyd waits until Rhys has had the chance to get a few bites down, before asking him all about the battle. "Oscar leaves out all the exciting parts." He complains. "I've got to be prepared, you know-- I'm going to be out there with the two of you pretty soon!" "Oscar doesn't want Rolf worrying." Oscar tuts, though he doesn't really frown at his brother. "You may be nearly ready to become a proper mercenary yourself, and I'm sure I couldn't stop you, but I won't have Rolf scared-- and he doesn't have to be. It all happened like I told you. Didn't it, Rhys?" "Of course." Rhys nods, a little amused, returning to his breakfast-- grateful to be spared from having to stop long enough to play storyteller. "Hey, now, but you don't even know what he told us!" Boyd is indignant, and perhaps sharper than his brother had given him credit for, and Rhys shrugs and smiles at him. "Well, I'm still quite sure Oscar told you the truth." "Come on, Rolf." Boyd just huffs and shakes his head. "Now everyone's got breakfast, I'm sure we've got more important things to do than be treated like kids. Real work!" "Yeah." Rolf laughs, trailing after him. "We do have real work-- I'm going to go and help with the garden!" "Am I really the last up?" Rhys asks, as Oscar sits opposite him, finally settling down with his own breakfast. "I haven't seen Shinon..." Oscar says, though it's up in the air whether it's due to sleep or unsociability. "It's odd, isn't it, to think of mercenaries gardening? But it's a nice garden, and it gives Rolf something to do to be helpful... and it means having some fresh things on hand." "Well... a little odd." He chuckles. "But then, it used to be odd to think of mercenaries doing anything really domestic, before. And then you wind up as one yourself, and you realize it's just like living anywhere. There are still chores to be done. Water needs drawing from the well, horses need looking after, people need to eat, floors need to be swept... and lots of people keep a little garden, or just a couple of chickens, to have something they don't need to go past their own land for." Oscar nods, humming thoughtfully around a swallow of tea, eyes closed behind the wispy veil of steam. "It makes it all so... idyllic. And it is odd, to me, but it's nice, too. It means however bloody a battle might be, as long as I come home, I'm coming home to my brothers. To a warm place to sleep at night, to fresh food and a place to cook it. I've never cooked for quite so many before, though." He laughs. "You've really risen to the challenge." "Well, thank you. You know... I'm really glad for Gatrie and Shinon." Rhys raises his eyebrows-- he hopes Oscar will take it as a reaction to the non-sequitor, and not as a personal condemnation of Shinon, being so surprised that anyone would be grateful for him. He is a bit surprised, but it feels uncharitable. "Being new, I mean." Oscar goes on. "With so many of the old guard focusing on training up replacements-- fair, really, I don't think any are in the same shape as the Commander, after long careers doing mercenary work. But-- Well, I only mean-- Because... Well, being outsiders, and both of us just starting, I don't know. Suppose I worried a bit, about whether we'd be liked or not. Or if any of the well-established members resenting us. But it is everyone at once. Well, not everyone, but... But there's a good group of us younger members around the same time. So we'll likely be working with Gatrie and Shinon, and they haven't been working long with anyone that we're replacing, so... no resentment." There's a gruff chuckle from the doorway, and Rhys and Oscar turn together, to see Greil himself leaning in the doorframe. "Believe me, no one who's been in this line of work long is going to resent any new member who can cook, and cook well." "Sir!" He waves for Oscar to drop the salute, taking a seat down the table from him. "Titania's finished briefing me on your first mission. Sounds like it was quite a success. Rhys, she'd done her best to impress upon me that you'd be a good man to have. I'm glad to hear you could keep your head in battle." Rhys nods, silent. He hadn't felt like he was keeping his head... but then, he'd still done his job. They had all come home alive and well, and he'd been the only healer to be out in the thick of it. He'd done it on his own, kept them all in one piece. "Oscar, I was pleased to hear of your performance as well-- though I didn't have many worries hiring on a former Crimean knight. You'll be pleased, by the way, to hear your brothers are making themselves useful." "Oh-- yes. Rolf told me he was helping in the garden." He nods as well. "Mm, he sticks close to Mist most of the time. They get through things twice as fast as a team. But Boyd-- yesterday I'd wager he chopped us a month's worth of firewood, considering the weather. If I didn't set him to sparring with Ike, he'd run through the forest by the month's end. It's good training for the both of them, anyway. He's a hard worker. Brash, young, but a hard worker." "Yes, Sir. He's used to handling a lot of chores." "Well, only time will tell, if he grows up to be your match, but I'd keep on my toes. He certainly intends to." Greil smiles, rising. "Spend today how you see fit-- you'll want to be prepared, if jobs come in tomorrow. You might be called back out. But if work comes in today, I'll be taking out those who weren't on yesterday's job, and if I need more men than that, those with enough experience to handle back-to-back jobs. That's not you two-- not yet. But don't get too comfortable, if you stick it out long enough, it will be." "Yes, Sir." Oscar salutes again, turning to smile over at Rhys as soon as they're alone in the kitchen. "Are you really looking forward to back-to-back jobs, Oscar?" Rhys teases. "I'm looking forward to being a seasoned member of the team. That means taking the good with the bad, and the easy with the hard." "Fair enough." "What preparations do priests need to make? I mean-- I have weapons and armor that need caring for, and a horse to look after as well. A lot of equipment to maintain, all in all." "Nothing so complicated." Rhys gives a little laugh. "Some prayer and mediation, but that's a part of my daily routine whether or not I think I'll be going into battle to heal people as they fight. As long as I have a good stave on hand, there's really very little for me to do. Resting up, mostly-- I mean, I... I need a lot of rest sometimes. I haven't got the strength of a knight, I'm afraid." It's the truth, if not the truth at its plainest. It's hard to admit to the full extent of his weakness, how easy it is to become worn out... and while he and Oscar have hit it off well enough as comrades, it isn't really the sort of conversation you have with someone over the breakfast table, Rhys doesn't think. Not unless you've known each other a while, at any rate. "Well... you're welcome to tag along to the stables if you like, then." Oscar offers. After a little thought, Rhys agrees. There's the chance of seeing Titania there, if she's seeing to her own mount at the same time, and the stables are nice enough. Cool and quiet compared to sitting and watching sparring going on out in the yard, and the horses are calm and gentle creatures, when the battle isn't raging around them. They're powerful animals, but they're fragile ones as well, in their own ways, He supposes he can understand them there. And maybe later on, after a little rest, Rolf will want to show him around the garden.

Definitely agree on the 'more gay characters'-- and with being able to pair whatever two units have the best chemistry, not just 'here's one same-sex relationship possible for your avatar'. But then, that's been what I've wanted since PoR... I've noticed that while sometimes I do ship something that, yeah, definitely other fans are seeing, I also have at least one 'literally no one else is into this' ship... so my emotions on the 'anyone can support anyone' are mixed. Because I do recall the heartache of shipping something based on a really early cutscene interaction only to learn that those two characters had no supports, like, I get different people want to throw different units together, but... in practice, yeah, I can also see the downside.

Despite NOT being good at platformers in general, I was really good at Cool Spot back on the Genesis. I tend to do best at Strategy, RPG, and SRPG, just because that's what I tend to enjoy most/spend the most time on, though, and I don't really consider myself anything super special at most. ... well, okay, there are trivia games on either PC or handheld systems that I do well at, but that's not really about any gaming skill. I just know one guy who's frequently impressed by my random useless knowledge when he needs to crowdsource an answer on his trivia game.

Quick Author's notes: Timeline of the fic starts pre-canon and up through the start of the game itself. Focus is mostly on Rhys, Oscar, and then Titania, Mist, Boyd, and Rolf. The relationship focus is more 'found family' (or in the case of the brothers, family-family) than 'shippy. Just a look at how characters go from joining the band as young, raw recruits, to how it becomes their home and family. Because it starts a little ways before the events of the game, there are some OCs thrown in at the beginning, who are not really important as more than background. Feedback is welcome here. Chapter One: First Day ---/-/--- It's a simple enough job, just escorting a small caravan from one town to the next, along a rather notorious stretch of road. The mere presence of armed mercenaries might be enough to put off any bandits. The more established members of the group had certainly prepared them with enough stories of what such routine jobs were like. Oscar has something of an advantage. It might be his first time riding out with the Greil Mercenaries, but he had the training of a Crimean knight behind him, that was sort of experience. Rhys isn't sure if he should feel envious or not-- well, he's certain he shouldn't feel envious, but he isn't sure if he does anyway. He has experience, with healing, but never on the battlefield. He patched people up after training accidents, or if Alberich had been over-taxed and anyone returned from a job bearing injuries. Sometimes he suspects the old bishop sometimes left one or two small ones on purpose, just so that he could improve his skills. Alberich is looking to retire, though-- he and Irakliy both, an armor knight that had been with the company since some time in Gallia, which is all Rhys really knows about him. He's never even seen Irakliy out of his armor, though he's sure someone must have done, they all live and eat and work together. Irakliy already has a trusty replacement in the form of Gatrie, but he'd gone on several missions just to see it would work out, and though he won't be on this one, Alberich will. It's some comfort. Rhys won't have to carry the well-being of his friends alone. And if he's hurt himself, he'll have someone to turn to. Should any of their employers and charges be injured in a sudden attack, Alberich could stay behind and see to them while Rhys charged out just behind the mercenaries. He can think of a lot of situations in which it would be useful to have the older man along, and not only because he doesn't know how ready he is to handle the duties of a healer solo. When they set out, Titania rides to the front right of the caravan, with Alberich and another fighter behind her, and Rhys follows behind Oscar at the left, breathing a little easier knowing that they have a more seasoned warrior protecting him from any attacks from the rear. It had been Titania's suggestion that he and Oscar stick together at the start of it-- if there was to be trouble, she'd said, Oscar may have some experience under his belt from before his time with the mercenaries, but he was still likely to be thrown in harm's way, and to receive a blow or two. If he made certain he would always be able to ride back as far as Rhys could reach, he would be able to be healed. And if they got themselves surrounded and Rhys was in danger, it would be easy enough for Oscar to pull him up onto his horse and carry him to safety. The words 'easy enough' don't fill Rhys with a sense of confidence, exactly, but Titania's tone had. She'd been calm, confident, almost breezy about things that sounded difficult and dangerous to him. And Oscar certainly hadn't seemed rattled by the suggestion. Rhys had interrupted then, once, to ask if they oughtn't be paired differently, newcomer to experienced mercenary, but she'd told him that if there was trouble, she was going to be riding out into the thick of it ahead of Oscar, and if she found herself in danger, Alberich would be able to reach her with a Physic staff, without having to put himself in the line of fire. 'Besides,' she had added, 'you and Oscar will get along nicely, I'm sure you'll be great friends'. He'd stammered, and blushed, and apologized-- to Titania, for questioning her judgment when he still had so much to learn, and to Oscar, for any accidental slight. By the time they were ready to go, however, even if Rhys had not forgotten his own embarrassment, Titania and Oscar both seemed to have. He thinks back to it a few times, as they walk alongside the caravan, resolving each time to put it out of his mind. He won't be green forever, after all. Now he knows that even if he can't see them from his inexperienced perspective, Titania has reasons for the decisions she makes, and the commander wouldn't put her in charge of a small unit of her own if he didn't trust her to bring them all home safely. And Oscar... Oscar is good-natured and friendly and not the type to hold a grudge, especially not over an imagined insult. The horses plod along slowly, to allow everyone on foot to keep pace. The sound of hooves is steady and grounding, and the smell of sun-warmed grass growing along the sides of the road is sweet like summer afternoons... There's little chatter-- there had been some, when they'd first started out, and it had died away naturally, to leave the sound of the turning wheels, the horses' hooves against hard-packed earth, the whoop and whistle of birdsong in the trees... Slowly but surely, Rhys feels his nerves ebb away. The trees they pass, single or in little clusters, are not what he had once imagined-- twisty trunks and widespread branches and bright, cheery leaves, leaves the color of Oscar's hair, really. Not the thick, dark woods he'd first pictured, with bandits lurking behind each one. Here and there, scattered wildflowers dot the verge. It's true they pass no farms, no friendly settlements or posted guards of any official capacity to keep the road safe, but it hardly feels like it deserves its reputation. The caravan comes to a halt, on Titania's orders, before they can reach a blind corner, where rocky outcroppings and thick trees obscure the bridge ahead, and they wait for her to ride ahead and scout things, and that's when the nerves make their return. It still isn't as bad as imagining what might be, before even setting out. Rhys feels in control of his fears, trusting Titania's leadership, and the skill of all his companions. He feels ready to take on the duties of a healer on the battlefield, if that's what it comes to-- to face the clash of weapons and the tang of copper in the air should enough blood spill. To be responsible for his friends' lives, as they will be for his. She orders Alberich to stay back with the caravan, when she returns-- if it is a trap, he's capable of going on the offense as well as healing, and even from over the trees and boulders, they'll see his light magic as sure as any beacon, they'd be able to ride back to his side. But, she tells them, she doubts the bandits are clever enough to spring a trap on two levels like that-- they're just hoping to catch a whole caravan unawares turning the corner, to spring out at the bridge where maneuvering will be difficult. It's unlikely they plan to draw the caravan's guard forward only to come out of hiding at the rear. The best hiding places are all ahead, or too far behind to be of any good. They move forward slowly, in a tight group up until they reach the bridge itself, the riders keeping their horses to the same slow pace as the caravan had gone. It makes it easy for Rhys to stay close behind Oscar, shielded from trouble that way. The clamor is worse than he could have anticipated-- when the bandits do leap out of hiding on hearing Titania's horse clatter across the wooden bridge, they shout at the top of their lungs, one even knocks weapons together to add to the noise, and once the fighting really starts, there's no escape from the ringing of lances hitting armor, of sword against sword, of Titania's axe cleaving straight through the wood handle of an enemy javelin only to hit against a vambrance on the next swing-- or the quieter, but more sickening sound, of weapons sinking into flesh and scraping bone. There are shouts, on both sides, but Rhys can't focus to make them out. He can only focus on Oscar, and on anyone else who falls back to his side, either to shield him from an enemy or to be healed. He feels like there ought to be a sense of guilt or shame, at using Oscar like a human shield. Oscar has two younger brothers he's responsible for, after all, isn't it a bit heartless? But Alberich had strongly recommended the practice of staying behind someone at all times, he'd even mentioned using Irakliy as a human shield, used those exact words, and Rhys knows Alberich had been anything but dismissive of Irakliy's worth. If anything, he thinks, the old bishop saw the man as a brother. The years they spent together with the Greil Mercenaries overshadowed the separate lives they had led before joining. The battles fought side by side forged a bond. It's a bond Rhys still can't fathom, when all his work so far had been back at base. But feeling it for himself is a big part of the draw of graduating to a real member of the band. Knowing firsthand what it is to put your lives in someone's hands like this is immense, perhaps as immense as the first lure of a life in the clergy had been. It was a brotherhood on par with what he might have found at a monastery, even before taking to the field of battle himself. Now... Now, provided they all make it back in one piece, it might be something greater. It isn't as big as faith itself, it doesn't overshadow that calling... no, but it is not overshadowed by it, either. It's complemented. Raised up. After all, his duties are the same, in the broadest sense. He may be just a novice, but whether he is a mercenary or not, his lot is to heal the wounded, to offer spiritual counsel, to do his best to understand what is needed from him as a servant of Ashera. It's exhilarating and overwhelming, and he feels like he might faint at times, even being kept back from the front lines. With the narrow bridge, and the surprisingly large number of bandits, it's difficult for anyone to break forward-- it seems almost as if when one foe falls, another takes his place, though Rhys tells himself that can't be, that he must be exaggerating it all to himself, his dizzied senses and inexperience blowing the fight out of proportion. It's Titania out in the front, seemingly in no need of him, and Oscar holding the line at their end of the bridge, should any bandits slip past her. They do have one fighter moving between the two when he can, and an archer standing to the side of the bridge, armed with a longbow should any bandits try fording the narrowest point rather than taking the bridge. Rhys is completely unprepared, when Oscar does pull him up onto the back of his horse, but he holds on as tight as he can, as an arrow whizzes past them, a bandit making it far enough forward to attack him despite his largely protected position. Luckily, it's a move that leaves him open to Oscar in mere moments, and no one needs Rhys' skills too immediately until it's all over. It feels so sudden, after how long it had all seemed to stretch on when it was happening, and Rhys wonders if that's normal, or if he only needs to get used to the tide of battle. It's a shock, to have things feel so quiet and still again, and it's only the fact that his arms have gone rigid where they're locked around Oscar that keeps him from swooning right off the horse when he finally takes in the bodies of the bandits. The sniper suggests pushing the one off of the bridge and into the creek, perhaps kicking the rest after him even if their bodies lie further from the bank, but Titania wrinkles her nose at the suggestion. "We'll cover them. Even bandits deserve that much. Oscar, take Rhys back to the caravan. I'll call you forward in a moment, but let them know the danger's passed." She orders, and Rhys feels so detached from things that it's almost a surprise when he feels the horse move. Oscar passes her message to the caravan, before carefully prying Rhys' arms off and helping him down from the horse, following after. "You're looking a little green around the gills. Are you all right?" He asks, his smile kind-- if a bit cheery for someone fresh from a battle. Rhys decides to find it reassuring. "I-- I will be, thank you. It was my first time out there... and I've never seen-- I'll do better." "I'm sure you will." Oscar nods. "We both will." "Did you see much action, with the knights?" "Much? No. No, not much. But it was good training. Enough to prepare me for this. Well-- during my time, things were just so peaceful anyway. Little border skirmishes here and there, or bandits like these, that would be the worst of it, really. But-- never another real army, of course, so... About like this, at the worst. I'm sorry I almost let you get hit-- I didn't see him until he was so close. I'd thought there was no one who could get to you." "But you did see him in time. You really have nothing to apologize for." "It's the one thing the knights didn't prepare me for-- I never had to guard a priest before. I learned to go back to back with another knight, back before they put me on a horse, and how to guard a partner's weak side while he guarded yours, and... lots of things, but-- Like I said, we'll both do better." "Yes. Yes, of course we will." Rhys agrees. Oscar mounts his horse again, before Titania beckons them all forward, and the caravan resumes its slow, steady pace, crossing the bridge in peace. The bodies had been moved to the side of the road, covered with branches in lieu of a proper burial. Rhys supposes it's the best that could really be done, but he still feels a little sick, just seeing their feet all lined up. A part of him wishes he could have saved them, even though they were the enemy. They hadn't been evil men, necessarily, only desperate ones... Perhaps it would be easier to think of them as evil, and to say it couldn't be helped, but if they'd just surrendered before it was too late, he might have healed them. Desperate and stubborn, then. But not all jobs will be that way, nor all bandits. And even if there was nothing he could do for his enemies, he'd healed his friends, and looking around at them, at Titania and at Oscar, and even at Alberich, with whom he'd never shared the battlefield, Rhys could begin to understand that special bond.

I'd stick with Brom-- you can do a lot with him in the time it takes to get Gatrie back, and he can grow into a really good unit. I mean, if you're lucky with his growths, he can get to be a nigh-unstoppable tank. And yeah, you do definitely want to train up Mist so that by the time she's forced, she'll be really capable backup, but honestly it never hurts to have two healers on the field, so you might not want to dump Rhys. (and you can have her run away when you get to that point, if you really don't want to use her, but she is awesome when she promotes) There's really no wrong answer between your myrmidons, so go with whoever you like watching more I guess.

When I stand still for too long, I break into the robot. Just, like, randomly. Even in public-- though I do try to keep it pretty small and controlled when I'm, like, standing in the cereal aisle waiting on someone or whatever.

Thanks much!

Let's see... in no particular order; - Rhys (Tellius). I dunno, I always like red hair, and he's got a sweet, gentle look to him. -Frederick (Awakening). I don't know, I just... I like him. -Seth (Sacred Stones). Well come on, of course I like him. -Rutger (Elibe). Plus I like his name. -Takumi (Fates). -Shinon (Tellius). Too bad he's a jerk. -Jakob (Fates). -Wolf -Joshua (Sacred Stones). Again with the (long) red hair... plus his outfit is so cool, everything about Joshua is cool. -Midayle (Jugdral). -Kaden (Fates). Foxy! -Xane -Elphin (Elibe). Sometimes I just like them ill and pretty. -Niles (Fates). -Etzel -Volke (Tellius). I mean, if you look at my love for TF2's Spy, like, clearly I love shady masked mercenaries. -Azel (Jugdral). Me and gingers, man. -Ignatius (Fates). -Zihark (Tellius). Hot myrmidon. -Virion (Awakening). Fancy lad. -Reyson (Tellius). So pretty. So, so pretty. Like... Tolkein elf-pretty. -Tibarn (Tellius). Physically like the opposite of Reyson, wings aside, but you know. Bases covered between super manly muscles and willowy femme fellas. -Laurent (Awakening). I mean basically he's the male version of his mother, and they both hit the things I like in characters regardless of gender. -Lyon (Sacred Stones). He might be the 'bad' friend, but I find him attractive. -Libra (Awakening). He pretty. Oops, I let this list get long.

Thanks for the welcome! And yeah, I'm keeping my fingers crossed on Nintendo's virtual console to get with the program on that... Though at least for now, I can get into some new games while I wait.

pfft yeah, that was me misreading. Which is weird, because I didn't misread it the first time... This is what happens with chronic insomnia, though, just rampant mis-reading of things at three AM. My bad, sorry.

Hi! I filled out the little thing, earlier, to sort of introduce myself, but I didn't really... properly do the introduction thing. So I've been on the forum a couple of days already, getting a feel for things and chiming in here and there. I'm AnnetheCatDetective most places, or CatDetective in places where there are character limits... though a couple places I've been on I have other handles. But anyway, at least on steam and tumblr you can find me as AnnetheCatDetective. My non-FE special interests include: Pacific Rim, cats (natch), Star Trek, space stuff in general, a bunch of rotating fandoms... TF2, though I don't really play it nowadays and haven't been active in the fandom for a long time, I met a few good friends through it and enjoy the comics when they come out. Non-FE favorite games include Civ V, Rune Factory Frontier, and a variety of mostly-RPGs (the Suikoden series I was quite into and I was obsessed with Rogue Galaxy for a while... and more recently, DA Inquisition). Oh, and Katamari Damacy. I also love and collect tabletop RPGs, board games, and various toys. I'm an artist, and I particularly enjoy working in watercolors, though I like several media. Right now I live in the central valley of California, though sometime in the next few months I'll be moving up to Oregon to be nearer to family (especially a six-year-old cousin, as I want to be there for his big moments). My first FE game was Path of Radiance, I got super into it but was never able to get my hands on a copy of Radiant Dawn (currently watching a Let's Play of PoR as a refresher course before watching the RD LP so I can finally see the end of the Tellius story). And... I don't really know what else to say about myself, but I mean, I'll answer questions, generally, if I've forgotten something important.

I don't hold out too much hope for my very favorite Disney movies getting their own themes, since I tend to reserve my most obsessive love for... like, the least-marketed/merchandise-laden movies. But since there is a good amount of Marie stuff, Aristocats isn't as much a longshot as, say, The Great Mouse Detective. A Tsum Tsum theme I can see happening, with how big the whole Tsum Tsum craze is. The toys, some little animated bits that run between Disney Channel/Disney Junior programs, the app game... why not a 3DS theme? (and even if Aristocats or, like, Winnie the Pooh or whatever didn't get their own themes, they could show up as tsums) Toy Story or Alice in Wonderland I wouldn't be surprised to see-- like, I'm surprised Bambi got a theme before those two.

Both the warehouse job and the dishwashing one could be sensory hell-- a professional kitchen is loud and chaotic enough for a neurotypical who isn't used to working in that environment, and even if the job you're doing isn't a high-pressure one, the environment sure is. It's kind of a terrible place to be for most people on the autism spectrum, I'm afraid. For many, sensory processing issues can be as bad or worse than communication. The library is an ideal work environment for many because libraries tend to be quiet, and if there is a position available, that would be great, but sometimes the 'right' job just doesn't exist, or the right job exists, but it goes to someone who already has connections and experience. The job market and the ways in which people can go out and job-hunt has fundamentally changed over the years, and it can be really hard for anyone to navigate. This is why I'd suggested looking for an organization that specifically works to place disabled adults in the workforce, because they can help with the confusing aspects, can take into account which things would make working in a certain environment good or bad, and can provide the connections that so many of us lack, but that are so important. Like, for me, I'm on disability right now because the jobs that there are in my area are jobs that I just can't do, the job hunt I went on was a source not only of anxiety but of frustration, and... well, some of the jobs that existed when I started were places that went out of business since anyway, but that also doesn't mean I plan on never working-- it just means that until I can find something that works for me, I'm not a financial drain on my family. And I think it's another great thing to look into and shouldn't be regarded with shame or seen as 'giving up', because sometimes you just need to have some financial security temporarily, but it doesn't mean you can't ever be employed and productive, if that's important to you. If going on disability doesn't work out, you can look into SNAP as a way of being able to contribute financially where food is concerned, but that wouldn't work as a path to independence since it can only pay for food, and can't help you move out. Threatening your (adult) child with violence is never an okay way of trying to motivate you, and is one hundred percent not reasonable. It's reasonable to worry about an adult child without a job, it's reasonable to be frustrated, and it's reasonable to make mistakes in trying to handle the situation, but it is not reasonable to make physical threats.

I know I never saw any advertising for PoR-- I stumbled upon it on the shelf at Blockbuster and rented it, and got pretty darn into it. It certainly didn't seem too hard, even without prior FE experience. When RD came out, there was a cardboard standee or a poster or something at the game store to advertise it, but what killed it for me was that, because the Gamecube we had was still functioning, and money being what it was, there was no upgrading to the Wii at the time, and by the time we did, there were no copies to be found, unless you wanted to drop a hundred bucks online somewhere.

Tellius. I dig the different countries, the path through them that lets us see a bunch of different places and people, and I really like the various Laguz nations, having a wider variety of sentient races. And the pace at which we get the history of the continent and the relationships between the nations worked for me.

I'd basically throw all my money at Nintendo in exchange for being able to play the Tellius games on my 3DS. Or, like... getting to finish the Tellius games at all, since I never got my hands on 10, even though 9 currently remains my absolute favorite. I mean, eventually I would love to be able to have all the old FE games on my current handheld, I'd go for that, get into all the games I missed out on early on-- I grew up in a very rural area without a lot of access to... well, anything, really. So I didn't get into the series until moving to a city with a Blockbuster and a Gamestop, I missed out on quite a lot of Fire Emblem that it's basically impossible to get hold of now, at least legally (and I really do prefer to keep my gaming above-board there)

I really wish that there was more merch... keychains or figures or any little tiny thing like that, I'm always a sucker for fandom goodies. But yeah, I can't see myself buying any 'sexy' figurines! A character having a curvy figure or a revealing outfit in-game doesn't necessarily turn me off-- I love Camilla's look, but I don't want a little statue of her in a cheesecake pose with cleavage in my face. A figure of her in a badass battle-ready pose would be different, or a chibi figurine on a keychain that didn't feel overly 'sexy'. I just don't like the stuff that's clearly... like, 'oh, here's something for pervy fanboys'-- in part because I'm not one, and in part because I like to put my figures out on my bookshelves and such and have them on display, and I'd like to not have a bunch of plastic T&A to shove in the closet when company comes over. ... merch of Lilith, though, that I'd go for. A keychain of her in her dragon form would be ADORABLE. And I mean, I'd always be excited for more amiibos from older games. For a cosplay... if I was going to go through the trouble of creating armor, Titania (the question being, would I even bother with getting a red wig the same length as my hair or would I just braid what I've got and deal with the color being too natural a red?). If I wasn't going to do armor, Miriel (I mean, I'd need a wig to shove my thigh-length hair under, but I'd be able to wear my glasses, and a giant brimmed hat would protect me from the sun... plus I like the idea of making a bag that looks like a great big book)

I haven't played-- well, nearly enough of the games, because I got into the series late, and wasn't able to catch up with all the prior GBA games. I do think FE9 was the easiest, in my experience... at least, because I didn't go in and try to set it to a harder mode, since it was my introduction to the series and all-- and then going back to FE8, it felt harder at the time... But yeah, that's not taking into account going in and saying 'hey, give me the hard mode!' or 'give me the easy mode!', or imposing specific challenges upon myself, that's just the first two games I played. (although, then after that, playing Lyn felt easy, so maybe my experience with the series is informing my feelings more than the games themselves) I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Conquest, which I anticipate will make 8 and 9 both look like a total cakewalk. (although, for me, I don't think easy/hard has anything to do with good/bad-- some days I don't want a challenge because I just want to unwind, after all. Other times I want to challenge myself, either by picking a harder game/mode or by limiting myself to not using certain favorite powerhouses)

I do appreciate a lot of the character designs... In no particular order; Cute: Lethe (Tellius) Sakura (Fates) Mia (Tellius) Ilyana (Tellius) Anna (Awakening) Florina (Elibe) Myrrh (Sacred Stones) Priscilla (Elibe) Beautiful: Titania (Tellius) Ismaire (Sacred Stones) Miriel (Awakening) Elincia (Tellius) Caeldori (Fates) Cherche (Awakening) Karla (Elibe) Severa (Awakening) Athena (Akaneia) Deirdre (Jugdral) Natasha (Sacred Stones)

I'm still in the middle of Watership Down (well, not the middle-- I'm closer to the end than that)... I can't remember exactly what the last book I finished was because I think I was reading, like, three at once... and I know I abandoned a couple of re-reads of things just because priorities... got through a bunch of short stories, which were a mixed bag. And I read through as much of 'Small Sacrifices' as I could get online for free when I couldn't get to the library, because someone recommended it (to people who enjoy true crime, I should add-- it's not a lighthearted read).

Honestly, I like my heroes to be 'goody two shoes'-- I want them to be kind-hearted and constantly in pursuit of virtue. That doesn't mean without flaw-- in fact, depending on the story and villains, or even the deuteragonist and other party members, that can be a flaw-- putting their established allies at risk by taking in strangers who could be lying about their motives, having a quixotic idea of 'good'/'purity' that isn't realistic and leads to soul-searching/internal crisis when they fall short of their own lofty ideals... having to re-examine themselves critically when faced for the first time with the idea that the people they fight are not all bad people... but instead of flipping to 'well then nothing matters', having to carve out a more realistic kind of virtue and accept that there's balance in everyone, and that falling short of the goals they set themselves doesn't make them bad, but they can still aim for that. I'd also prefer a close relationship between the two main characters... something to build on, instead of just two people who fall into working together. Best friends, or a couple... or a protective older sibling/headstrong younger sibling duo. Maybe having your second character be the more pragmatic older sibling trying to warn their younger brother or sister about letting their big heart and lack of thinking ahead get them into trouble. I could get behind the idea of having your antagonist be into some sort of eugenics program... I mean, that's pretty high on the list of things that would make me want to take someone down.

Oh man... yeah, I'd play other stories in that universe for sure. And with how much the main character looks like he belongs in KH, they could capitalize on the fans of that series... I'd also play through an entire game about Kou.

Hmm... Joshua. Or Titania. I guess either way, red hair.