[X] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[X] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
[X] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[X] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
I am wondering what the deeper impact of the second vote is, considering that the first one is about our connection to others.
It would feel strange for the lie to lack any connection to the truth or deeper themes so the question is what is the connection, is the maid because we come from a evil noble family, the village because we where warmongers? Or is it the other way around and the lie is the reverse , the village symbolising our family that fell to a attack, the maid a symbol of a intrigue bringing ruin to our once noble house?
[x] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[x] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
Had some trouble on the second choice, went with this one since it seems the least typical of the three.
Personally I found the idea of choosing between three kinds of swords more meaningful than three entirely different weapons. The idea is that all swords are taught, but some simply fit better in hand, reflecting a lot more personality.
[X] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[X] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
[X] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[ ] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[ ] You grew up in an orphanage. There was no future for you there, so you had to leave as soon as you could walk upright.
[ ] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
Definitely thinking of how each of these is a lie. the village offers some immediate stuff - it was destroyed another way, by something else, or aria wasn't left alone.
The maid one feels like aria could have been in the family and run away for other reasons? Perhaps she used to mistreat servants, or maybe she ignored a brother as he abused people until the guilt got to her.
But I can't think of anything in the orphanage one. Maybe the wrinkle there is that it's entirely a lie, a simpler pat answer that doesn't reveal anything at all. An orphanage means not coming from any family at all, not needing to give details of a relationship she used to have?
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
I am picking that one because I can smell the drama that comes from this , where we are also in the same action as we emphase our closeness to our we can only watch the rift open up between us and go wider by our own choices
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
Definitely thinking of how each of these is a lie. the village offers some immediate stuff - it was destroyed another way, by something else, or aria wasn't left alone.
The maid one feels like aria could have been in the family and run away for other reasons? Perhaps she used to mistreat servants, or maybe she ignored a brother as he abused people until the guilt got to her.
But I can't think of anything in the orphanage one. Maybe the wrinkle there is that it's entirely a lie, a simpler pat answer that doesn't reveal anything at all. An orphanage means not coming from any family at all, not needing to give details of a relationship she used to have?
I feel that the orphanage might also imply that the whole family or order from which we hailed gave us a expectations that we could never live up to , and did not want to. Versus for example being promised to someone that we did not want to.
I am not sure on it but I like that it implies that the maid lie means that we had Agency in how we ended up in this ditch, and so we can be blamed for our current situation also which should engage well with when it comes up again.
And furthermore we might have remaining family which the other two options make more unlikely.
TBF "promised to the wrong person " could be part of both lies, but it is also a idea that I feel is more unlikely because of our age when we where found.
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
It doesn't take that long to whip up a meal. It's impressive, for someone who seems to maladjusted to fighting, her ability to wield a knife compares to that of your—
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[X] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
The update came in at a, mildly funny time for it to have, but I'm finally locked in again, let's see how Ruby and Lissy fold into the byplay here and now for New Allies!
The group you find yourself with can not be more different. Being the first to ask let you choose the ones you wanted to take on the task with, and now you have teamed up with Ruby and Lissy.
Ruby is short. No, that's not quite accurate. They're average, when compared to you. As tall as you means average, right? That's how measurements work. But Ruby makes themselves small. In their heart, they lack courage to face the world, and you can sympathize with that. The world is full of things that scare you, full of things that make no sense, and full of people who carry no kindness in their heart.
Aria threads the line between being really poetic and just.
Ruby is short. No, that's not quite accurate. They're average, when compared to you. As tall as you means average, right? That's how measurements work.
"T-thank you," they say, stuttering just for a moment before gathering themselves. "For partnering up with me."
You open your mouth to say that you don't require thanks for something like this, but Skiddle has already grabbed a mouthful of your cloak. You settle on a short "You're welcome".
SKIDDLE LITERALLY BEING ARIA'S SOCIAL COMPETENCE. FANTASTIC.
Skiddle: Bah, bah, baaaaaah.
Aria: So I'm supposed to take gratitude at face value instead of trying to assert specific semantics when people are sensitive? I'm not sure I get that, but I'll take you at your word Skiddle.
Red hair and red eyes. Their parents weren't that creative when picking their name, but somehow you can't imagine someone with such striking features having another name. For a moment you want to ask if there are other gemstones in their family.
In stark contrast, the girl that stands at the edge of the arena makes for a grim sight.
Lissy is possibly one of the tallest members of the aspirants. She towers over you by a solid head, her uniform modified slightly in ways you know most other knights look down on. She needs 'the freedom of movement' she says, 'to kick ass and take names'.
You don't know what names she wants to take, but so far you know she kicks a lot of ass. The practice swords are heavy, but she swings the two-handed one like it's made of parchment.
And you realize, though you've spent so much time with all kinds of different aspirants, that you barely know each other. You don't know why, if it's the focus on your own tasks and improvement, or if you've failed to develop an interest in people that aren't Drake and Capella—
But there's nothing stopping you now. These are people you will fight side by side with.
There's something interesting about Aria's "it's weird that I don't know these guys better", you get the sense that it's an effort to make the learning process of the character introductions more diegetic, when anyone out of the five wildly different Aspirants could've been picked, but the way it's verbalized in text alongside Aria feeling like there's no reason not to forge connections now...I wonder if there's more to this coincidental isolation.
"You're one of Commander Drake's, right?" Lissy asks. You can tell she means nothing by it. To her, it's not an insult, or some sort of spiteful remark. It's a matter of fact, and you cannot really deny it. "One of the two, the favorite child."
...I'm just. Alright damn just saying the quiet part out loud.
Lissy is going to be fun.
But no like, okay, jeez, the way Lissy blatantly lays this out, and it's obvious who the unfavorite is, mmmmmmhm. You can see why there's no love lost between her and Capellla.
"There is a letter that must arrive," he says, putting a hand on your shoulder. "Too important for Carrier-Pidgeys."
"You honor me." Too important to be intercepted, but not important enough to send with a proper knight? A feeling spreads in your gut.
The unspoken truth is not well hidden: you are a nobody, and nobody will wonder if you might carry something important with you. You raise your head when he pushes against you, forcing the deep bow to end. His eyes reflect the morning sun.
"He is the one responsible for me, yes," you say. "And I was taken in by him with Capella, but I don't know if that makes us his favorites. He's stern and fair."
Lissy shrugs. "Whatever you say, I know Pelly gets real mad when I say this, but I guess you're a bit more coolheaded."
Pelly, of course. Capella hates every nickname, any attempt to shorten her name is met with a fight-and-fight reflex. Lissy is strong, and there's no doubt in your mind that fights with her do not end well.
"I don't know if that makes us his favorites" Aria, honey, Lissy didn't save favorite children.
Definitely gaining Perspective in the blatant Capella Otome Villainess Complex, including more on how nicknaming bitches get stitches.
"Pelly" is striking when it's from a girl everyone calls Lissy. Like it's clear that she was expecting some kind of fight even if she wasn't deliberately jonesing for it, but it's pretty easy to guess that Lissy probably calls Capella that because she thinks of everyone she likes by cute diminutives.
"I can't agree or disagree," you say, crossing your arms. Ruby looks ready to jump behind a dummy to hide when Lissy spoke up, but has calmed down when you didn't rise to her challenge. "Commander Drake is my benefactor. He helped me when I was in a bad place, and I work every day to repay the debt I owe him."
Lissy thinks for a moment, then grins. Her teeth look dangerous. "I think we'll get along well, favorite child."
"Aria," you say, raising your hand. You try to smile as well, but it feels stiff and wrong to force it. She takes it, giving you a nod. "Please take care of me."
Ruby's hand joins on top of the handshake. You turn to them, giving a nod when you notice they're about to pull back.
"Wow you're weird and obtuse, I like that." "Thank you?"
Lissy is fun because she likes being straight up with her opinions and she likes push back the same amount, and Ruby is fun because they're a skittish prey animal.
"We don't have long to really get to know each other, the carriages will pick us up tomorrow," Lissy says. She lets go of your hand, turning to her own partner. "Perseus, come here and introduce yourself.
Perseus the Scraggy walks up with slow steps. His eyes are not on you, but on Skiddle, giving her a once over. Skiddle, in return, meets his gaze without trepidation. Perseus looks like the typical Scraggy, yellow all over and with a red belly. His eyes, however, matched the dark blue of Lissy. After a moment of thought, he reaches out his own hand much like you did to Lissy earlier.
Opal the Buneary dares to reveal herself. She takes a few steps forward, red eyes shining in the sunlight. Though her fur is the typical brown, you notice that her ears have small streaks of blue and green in the yellow fluff.
Opal hides its face behind the ears, but still reaches out with her paws to greet Skiddle and Perseus. Skiddle bah's happily. Scraggy grunts in approval. It seems there's not going to be much of an issue on that front. Though Ruby and Lissy are practically opposites, you have the feeling this choice was a good one. If not for personalities, then the way your partners get along.
"For me, there's only one way to get to know someone else," Lissy says, the sword on her shoulders twitching as she flexes her arm. "Aria, let's spar!"
Trainers usually have to fight it out with each other while their Pokemon fight, and whoever loses will certainly lose the Pokemon battle as well, unable to observe the fight from the outside and give commands.
You don't refuse. Even if you want to, your legs have already carried you to the side of the arena in front of the practice weapons. You want to match her, and your hand grasps the two-handed practice blade. It is heavy in your hand—
Aria is also FIGHTY but that's maybe just because she's clinically incapable of not responding to people's expectations.
Going out of the gate with how Trainers are expected to fight mano a mano is good for setting the bar, like in every circumstance that isn't a clean sanctioned duel you gotta treat everyone like fair game to beat on.
[ ] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[ ] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[ ] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
These options are really interesting, more precisely because of the connecting implications they thread in.
Between Drake's weapon (that she sees in her mind's eye every day she remembers their meeting), the weapon she hobbled on (that she's never let go of for all this time), and Capella's weapon (that was there when they journeyed together for the first time), how each pick will emphasize Aria's history...
I don't have a pick, so I'm interested if any of the comments had interesting arguments in the thread.
You shake your head. All aspirants study every weapon, though of course everyone has their preferences. Though you know Lissy is by far the strongest in your group, she's not fighting you as a show of force.
Love that. Winning isn't the aim (because Lissy can factually kick her ass), it's just a means of small talk, getting into each other's heads as prep for working together.
I'm curious, is this spar something that only happens with Lissy on the team, or does any team combination involve someone pushing for it?
If it's the former, I'm interested in if Ruby will bring something onto the table that only happens if they were one of the teammates.
Ruby and the three Pokemon go to the side. Skiddle bah's in encouragement. Perseus says something, and she turns to him and bah's right in his ear. He grunts back, and she bah's louder.
There's little reason to delay. You raise the sword, and watch as she does the same. Your forms are mirrors, and so are the first movements. With two steps, you both cross the distance toward each other. With a single swing, the swords meet in the middle with such a loud crack, it makes Ruby shout in surprise. Your hands are numb.
But she does not relent. While the swords are knocked away from each other, her grip tightens, her right foot sliding over the ground as her upper body adjusts for another swing. You can't do the same, squaring up and spreading your feet apart, lowering your center of gravity—
You raise the sword just time. She swings with a force that makes you wonder if she's even human, kicking up dust and whipping the air around her into a frenzy. You block with the broad side of the blade.
Fat lot of good that did. You grunt as you're forced back, your entire body sliding meters away as your arms shake from the impact.
"You good?" she asks. You shake your right arm, feeling the numbness give way to pain as the cold air touches the new bruises on your hands.
"Never been better," you say. You close your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. You remember the Murkrow. You remember the joy of winning a fight, truly winning something so much more important than a spar.
And somehow you would hate to lose right now when Skiddle did such a great job fighting for you.
The way the sportsmanship brushes against Aria realizing that no, she actually wants to win this, she wants Skiddle to be as proud of her as she is in return, it's a good way of pumping up the stakes while keeping us in mind that this is all in good fun.
You open your eyes when you hear her steps, dirt kicking up behind her. You don't raise the sword to defend with this time, you wait for the right moment, you wait for her to overextend in the ways you know Capella is prone to.
She does, though the tip of her sword manages to catch your shoulder on the way down as you twist out of the way. You stab forward, the sword's length catching Lissy in the stomach. She turns, also barely inconvenienced by the attack.
"Pelly once said you have a heart twice the size of mine," Lissy said. The exchange of blows has given way to a stalemate. A moment to catch your breath. "I'm inclined to agree."
"She also said," you say, stopping to cough for a second, "that you have nothing in your head but swords."
"Yeah, and?" she asks, unapologetic and almost proud of that summary. "I want to become a legend, Aria. And I will not stand here and apologize for wanting that!"
"Your less favorite maybe sister maybe girlfriend said I was a heartless bitch empty of everything nice in you."
"Capella also said you're dumb and only think of stabbing people."
"Aw, really? That's sweet."
Is Lissy. Doing good?
I mean obviously she's going to be the next Kael (who I'm curious about, is that our Link reference?), but that's actually the quietly meanest thing you could pull out from whatever the hell is going on between her and Capella, like it feels like these two tap danced on a minefield and somehow didn't explode just because they vibe.
She takes a few steps back, the distance between you allowing both of you to recover. Skiddle and Perseus are cheering from the side, their cries growing louder and louder. Even Opal joins in. Ruby is still looking worried. You notice that some of the knights on the other training grounds have started to watch the spar. You swear you catch a glimpse of green hair in a window.
Definitely nothing weird going on with your girl best friend watching you beat up or be beaten up by her rival who is also a girl now that you've stolen the march on the position you've both been training for all this time. Definitely.
"The Sunsinger will call my name in the Elysian fields!" Lissy boasts. Somehow, with the cold sun above you shining those blue rays through frosted clouds, it does not seem so farfetched. "So come, Aria, this might be your only chance to face a future legend!"
You can't help it. When you see that joy on her face, your earlier forced smile is already forgotten. You smile back, showing just as many teeth.
You change your grip. You aren't sure if this kind of move would even be possible with a real sword, but you force your body to obey. You force the sword to obey.
You drag the sword across the ground with both hands, running up to her. She swings again, but this time you're able to dodge. The blunt blade passes to your side, the tip sinking into the dirt, forcing her to move out of the way as you swing up diagonally. For just one moment, you let go of the sword—
—Skiddle uses a crooked tree as leverage.
Her attempt to dodge leaves the flat of the blade toward you, still low enough to the ground as she tries to raise it.
You step onto her sword. The audacity of the movement stuns Lissy for just a moment. Jumping up, you reach out and change your grip once again.
You stop the blade's ascent and whip it down. She can't dodge this time, forced to block just as you were moments ago. She lifts the sword in that short moment, for once holding it up with both hands. The momentum and angle help, her footing not quite as solid as she wants it to be. The blades meet again, and a crack like thunder echoes over the entire arena. She's forced to her knees to avoid eating dirt. You find yourself unable to hold the grip on the sword, watching helplessly as it flies through the air and lands behind you.
The fact that, even though this move was so cool, it really didn't mean anything because Lissy is Built Different, but it mean everything because she thought it was dope as hell and worth giving her the W is just a really great way to cap things off.
Ohhhh, the way this entire fight is quick, evocative choreography that pays attention to the physics of human anatomy in a sword fight, sticking to minimalistic narration until you pinch color into the prose for the action font like videogame parry timing, and then, and then, the big guns just 100% blow out the scale for that [Chef's Kiss] kinography delicioso.
You collapse onto your knees as well, your vision blurring. There's not enough air in your lungs, and trying to steady your breathing is a herculean task. Ruby rushes over, flasks of water in their hands. You try to take it, but your fingers won't keep hold of it.
Attempts of saying 'thank you' come out garbled. Lissy laughs at you, and you can't help but join in. It starts slow and becomes a disgusting mix of coughs and giggles. Ruby looks lost for a moment, but there must be something in the air, because they join in later.
With that out of the way, Ruby invites you two to the kitchens. They help out there a lot, they say, and that means they also have a key to enter after the normal hours.
It doesn't take that long to whip up a meal. It's impressive, for someone who seems so maladjusted to fighting, their ability to wield a knife compares to that of your—
Skiddle looks very excited at the prospect of more food. You know from your own studies about her species that she doesn't actually need to eat that much as long as there's sunlight and water around, but Skiddle likes to eat for the sake of eating.
Not that you're unfamiliar with that. The smell of spices makes your stomach growl much harder than usual. Lissy has been passing time by letting Perseus punch her hands, then swiping at him to force him to dodge.
"Ruby," you say, ignoring the jump the mere mention of their name causes. "Are you sure you want to be a knight?"
The question is perhaps callous. Certainly, it's unexpected enough that even Lissy stops in her tracks and looks over to you, Perseus' fist in her cheek after that moment of inattention.
"I'm sorry," you say, perhaps too quickly. It's a question you have trouble answering sometimes, but in the context toward someone like Ruby, it is clear what your words are truly asking.
"There's a village," they say, and their voice neither quiet nor loud. "At the edge of the kingdom, to the west."
"Regis' Pass." You know it. Few don't. Back in the days of the Gilderan founding, the people of the lands to the west did not bow down to the first queen. The queen did not want to steal lands, so she granted them citizenship and promised her armies will never touch the mountains where they live.
Unfortunately, that agreement lasted only for three more rulers. While the modern royal family has dialed back laws and expansions, returning to the days of their founding mother to keep the peace at the western border—
Damage has been done that no amount of time can heal.
We've had a history lesson or two in the quest so far, but this is the most stark one, and a great way to reframe Aria for real opening like this.
Regis' Pass is suggestive as a name when this is a setting that's made it clear Legendaries are relevant to international politics, but what's most important here is that Gildera has some dirty business that it's trying to move past, and Ruby is bringing those coat closet skeletons with them.
"If you're from that village, that question doesn't change, but the meaning does," you continue. "The Order may be under the Duke, but the Duke still obeys the Gilderan royal family."
"Ambitions do not end with a blade in hand." For the first time ever, you can see Ruby's eyes clearly. They reflect the candlelight, a red so deep it reminds you of an autumn sunrise. "If I become stronger than I am now, if my work becomes indispensable to the crown—"
"You'll be a noble," Lissy says, scoffing. "With land, that the crown is sworn to protect. That no other noble can exploit."
Ruby nods. Suddenly, calling Ruby fearful or jumpy feels wrong. The image in your head flips, and you come to realize, more so now than in all those years before, that there are myriad reasons to pick up the sword. Even reasons that you haven't even fathomed.
"Suddenly, my reasons feel inadequate." You don't feel much appetite anymore, but Ruby still sets the plate in front of you and you'll never refuse a free meal.
"What are your reasons," Lissy asks, polite enough not to speak with a full mouth. "You don't really talk much with anyone that's not Pelly, so nobody knows what you're about."
There's no doubt in your mind as to your answer: "I want to repay the debt I owe Commander Drake."
"Well, that is kinda boring," Lissy says. Ruby nods for a moment before shaking their head way too fast. "What, without ambition, you're just going through the motions? Drake's not gonna live forever—"
"Lissy!" Ruby shouts.
"So when is that debt repaid? Are you going to live for someone else the entire time?"
You draw your lips into a thin line. Again, your image of Lissy begins to shift a little. She's not quite the dumb brute that Capella presents her as, but short bursts of insights don't make a genius yet.
Nevertheless, the question is completely valid.
"I don't know," you admit. "When he brought me here, I had given up on a lot of things. I didn't expect to get this far."
RUBY NODDING BEFORE THEY HAVE TO PRETEND THEY DIDN'T! UNBELIEVABLE!
I love how Aria is included among the everyone who's like "That's a little bit nothing girl", she's self-aware like that.
Lissy is already Aria's problematic fav. I think Capella is gonna hate that.
But really, the fact that Aria really, threw just about everything about herself away, chunks of her name included (which...When I think about how that exists next to Capella refusing to let anyone butcher her name, hm), and she really has lived longer and better than she had ever assumed, it just gnaws at you. She never even knew she'd gain more to live for than a debt to repay.
Ahhhh, to be the Prodigal Daughter turned Dutiful Child...
"Everyone got their own reasons," Lissy says, shrugging, "but those got to be your reasons. Did the commander ever say he expects you to follow in his footsteps?"
You shake your head. "It is my reason, but I don't disagree. I know that there's much more out there than the Order. I want to see more of Gildera. I want to keep staying with Skiddle and winning fights. I want to make a name for myself. All of these are me."
Lissy hits the table with her fist. She smiles at you. "Well, until you find something big, that's more than enough, ain't that right, Ruby?"
"Y-yes!" Ruby says, shouting to meet Lissy's cadence. "We're g-going to protect people soon, that's one step of many!"
The three partners shout in agreement. You don't raise your voice, but you find your heart beats louder.
If you stand for nothing, Aria, what will you fall for?
I love. Knights Supporting Knights. Chivalry Buddies.
Lissy really will except any disagreement if someone is putting their belly into saying it, and Ruby is the one reminding us this is all about protecting people because they believe in protecting people.
Wonderful moment with their pokemon echoing their resolve, I don't even hear the ominous musical cue of that last line.
It's already dark by the time you return to the dorms. Your arms still ache from the sparring, though Ruby's meal is far above what the kitchens usually produce and almost makes up for it again.
You open the door slowly, careful not to wake anyone. Two of the beds are empty, though, and the third—
"Did you have fun?" Capella asks, sitting on the bed. You can barely make out her face in the darkness.
"Yes," you say. That must be the wrong answer. Even in the darkness, you can see her frown. You try again. "No?"
"They're at the camp training," Capella answers the unasked question when your eyes move to the empty beds again. "So we have time to talk for once."
"For once?" you ask, tilting your head. You know that tone, and you're certain your night has barely started. "We just saw each other this morning, Capella."
"Barely," she says, standing up. She walks up to you, and you notice it. The way her skin has paled even more, the way her shoulders shake. There is anger in her every movement, and for once you do not understand anything.
People are hard, but not Capella. Capella is easy. You know how to calm her down when she gets too excited, you know the foods that make her happy, you know the gestures that she appreciates. For four years, she's been your constant companion.
So why is that feeling in your gut telling you to dodge.
She does not lash out, though the way her hair bounces when she turns her head away makes your teeth clench.
HM YEAH DEFINITELY GIRLS WITHOUT POSSESSIVENESS ISSUES OR PTSD FROM FAMILIAL ABUSE NO SIR.
Love how Aria and Lissy at two separate points go "Wow it's so weird you don't hang out with anyone besides Capella" and hm here we are seeing how Capella is like when Aria hangs out with anyone besides Capella.
You know when you're colorblind red flags look just like green flags.
You open your mouth. You close it. You think, and open it again, your hands moving up to grasp the air as if the right words will fall out of thin air. Skiddle bounces in the ball, snapping you back to the conversation.
"I don't know what I can say here that will make you happy," you admit. Capella reels back, her right hand reaching for her left arm. You want to reach out, soften her grip on her own arm as you see the nails dig deep into the fabric. She takes another step back, as if reading your mind.
"I'm not some problem to solve, Aria," she says, and for the first time you find yourself speechless at how bitter your name sounds in her mouth. "You said you'd always be by my side, but now you're leaving me behind. Just like my family did."
WELL THAT'S A SKIDDLE SOCIAL REROLL THAT DIDN'T HELP.
The fuckingggggg. Aria trying to stop Capella from digging nails in herself like she just lets her do to her, and Capella retreating from that to keep hurting herself. I've never seen a metaphor in my life.
Unlike you, Capella has never made a secret out of her past. A rich family, a terrible accident, and an uncle who gambled the entire inheritance away before Capella's boarding school kicked her out due to the lack of tuition.
It's a story you've heard so often, you can recite it from memory, and therein lies a difference between the two of you. Capella claws her way out of that mire and stands tall, using her history as a stepping stone to motivate herself; you run from it.
And you will keep running from those eight letters of which you retain only four.
There's something. Profound about the way Capella apparently regularly reiterates her backstory, and Aria has never spoken about hers, and she clearly thinks that's her own cowardice at work.
It's uh. Like there are things being pointed to here. Not good things.
"A day or two, a month or many, a year longer." You try to be diplomatic, but it's difficult. Capella isn't looking for a solution that you can offer, she's not even looking for words of comfort. She wants to be upset, and it is her right to feel that way. "Whether you have a partner now or later, that changes nothing between us. Drake trusts us."
"He trusts you enough to give you a partner," she says, her grip loosening enough that you breathe out in relief, "and then you are on lesson after lesson without me. Training without me. And the distance between us keeps growing, I can't even spend time with him because the second he bestows that gift on you he's gone again."
Capella always takes it hard when Drake is gone, today is no different. Usually you find yourself being her focus for that time, but this week you can't be. This week, you have to fulfill your duty. And in that duty, you try to see the best.
Two girls who have the same father figure who are not sisters and are soooooooo normal about the different brands of familial hell trauma they're bringing into this.
Capella has a scary amount of separation anxiety, like a "You Can't Fucking Win With It Because She Self-Destructs Instantlt If She Doesn't Have The Exactly Two People She's Latched Onto" level of it.
Honestly, I am wondering what's going to be the reason Drake gave Aria her shot now, because if it isn't something that has to do with the other 4/8 letters she left behind, the main reason is that Capella, probably needs way better coping mechanisms to be trusted with a pokemon.
"We're more than what we are to each other," you say. Capella's mouth shuts so quickly, her teeth snap together and make a sound. "I've been friendly with people around the academy, but I've never made friends. Maybe this is the time for us to meet others, expand our horizons."
"Fuck," she says, and it's by far the harshest word she curses with. "Fuck."
Again, you don't know what to say, so you say nothing.
"How about we see other people?" - Aria, not knowing how the fuck that comes across.
Watching Capella fumble a girl with purple hair and pronouns shaking my head because I can't even tell her that she wouldn't be fumbling her if she knew how to get a social life.
"What makes us different?" she asks, knowing you can't truly answer a question like that. Her broken voice. Her pleading eyes. "Why does Drake trust you and not me, even though I've been with him longer?"
You open your mouth, and close it again. You have suspicions, but without Drake here to confirm them you can't tell for certain if that behavior is born from his assumptions about your past.
You turn around, shuddering a breath as you speak up. Whatever you say now will never build trust between you, because as much as you consider Capella the closest person to your heart—
There are things you cannot share with her, just as there are things she cannot share with you.
Capella being openly emotional and Aria being stoically restrained and them both being so very damaged and maybe that has nothing to do with this but maybe it has Everything to do with this.
It has to do said.
If all you can think to say to mollify someone's feelings of being untrusted is a lie, do you really trust them at all?
[ ] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[ ] You grew up in an orphanage. There was no future for you there, so you had to leave as soon as you could walk upright.
[ ] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
...Hm, so the thing that's interesting here is that, of course, all of these are in no way Aria's backstory, not even in the simplest terms we were told:
You are Aria. When Commander Drake found you, you were holding a sword like one would a slab of metal, with no grace and no strength.
And to most others, your past is shrouded in mystery. It really matters little in the grand scheme of things. Is your blood not red if you are cut? Does your voice not break when you cry out in pain? Aspirations and ambitions are what defines us, but you never would let your past define your future.
Regardless, if you have to indulge the curiosity of the masses: Once, your blood was blue when cut. Once, your voice had to be mute when your hands were struck.
But, lies are always, in some form, telling of the truth they wish to conceal, which must be all the more true here, because why then would there be a point in picking which Aria presents Capella?
So, I wonder, what's the negative space of these options?
Aria definitely wasn't a maid, but did a son of, bad character, stoke her wish to leave?
She wasn't raised in an orphanage, but it's without doubt she felt she had no future; indeed, who's to say she wasn't an orphan, irregardless of where she lived?
And a village...That's likely not where Aria was born, but I wonder, if a wild pokemon attack, any kind of pokemon attack, was what shattered the life she led and forced her (gave her the opportunity) to leave?
These are all Very fascinating, and I don't have a pick among them, so I'll simply enjoy wherever the chips fall.
So, to cap off, allow me to mark down the character sheet changes!
Your Pokemon and your Skills share the same slot. As one grows in power, the other will too.
They're graded loosely adapted from We Stand In Awe's and But Not Forgotten's skill levels. Everything runs purely on a narrative basis, with your capability in a skill deciding the paths that become available to you rather than rolls which decide their outcomes.
1: ??? the Skiddo: Wisdom [Student]: There are many ways of persuasion. Knowing when to apply the right kind of force, knowing when to ease up, such is the way of a Knight. During lessons, the stories of those generals who set enemies up to fail with strategy and wit were always much more interesting to you.
Skiddo isn't the strongest, but she has a nose for things that she shares with you. Somehow, you feel like you can understand others a little better with her around.
Important Characters:
Capella is a year younger than you. She has spent a lot of time with Drake before he returned to the Caer after picking you up. She is your best friend. The only one who truly understands you.
The man who took you in. A bald Commander whose name makes many tremble in fear. To you, he's your savior and mentor. His trusty Partner is a Dragonite as scarred as him.
A member of the last natives in Western Gildera. They hail from Regis' Pass, a village where the last survivors do not know what their future looks like. Ruby wishes to become a noble to protect their people.
Their Buneary is named Opal.
A girl who wants to become a hero. She knows all the tales and stories of those who now dwell in the Elysian fields. Her ability to fight in close combat is enough to make even some older knights cower.
The Mountain Child and Future Legend, I really love those epithets.
Ruby is like, very clarifying to the fact Regis' Pass Is Doing Bad, and they aim to rise up the ladder to make sure their people are safe, with the complicated rub that they're doing it by gaining prestige in the system that did the brutalizing. What will come of pursuing that dissonance to its end?
Lissy is just here to fuck shit up and live out every story she's ever read, which she certainly has the muscle to accomplish, but is that dream the only thing she intends to face the reality of her duty with? Does she believe in anything about being a hero besides being a strong guy who wins? This is something time will tell.
Lissy is very cool, love the art. Cannot believe this is her opener though, wild. Really really strong character establishment right from the get go, you hit the ground running with Lissy (and also Ruby but I'll get to that in a moment). I love the sleeveless uniform. Fun jock with a dream who is also sharper than she looks.
Trainers usually have to fight it out with each other while their Pokemon fight, and whoever loses will certainly lose the Pokemon battle as well, unable to observe the fight from the outside and give commands.
Ahah, I've been waiting for this ever since weapons were mentioned. Getting into what makes a knight different from a trainer.
[X] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
Anyways. The sword thing was amazing and I'd have to make an entirely separate post to gush about it. So cool. Stomping the foe's weapon into the ground is always cool. Lissy's reaction to it too, that won Aria so many points immediately.
With that out of the way, Ruby invites you two to the kitchens. They help out there a lot, they say, and that means they also have a key to enter after the normal hours.
It doesn't take that long to whip up a meal. It's impressive, for someone who seems so maladjusted to fighting, their ability to wield a knife compares to that of your—
"Ambitions do not end with a blade in hand." For the first time ever, you can see Ruby's eyes clearly. They reflect the candlelight, a red so deep it reminds you of an autumn sunrise.
Ruby....!!! they're very cool. The key to the kitchen, the knife-work, ambitions do not end with a blade in hand, all so good. I said as much about Lissy as well, but this is just some really impressive character writing and pacing. Immediately get a good feel for the rest of the trio in basically the first focus scenes, but with plenty left to explore. Many delicious meals await in the future. I wonder if Buneary's base friendship stat thing applies in universe here, and if so what that means. Opal is delightful either way, and I appreciate the gemstone theme.
Oh hey, my favorite line from Hamilton (I have only heard two songs from Hamilton). Very fitting for the Aria we've seen so far. Love the picture of Aria coming together here. I'm a huge sucker for stories about people who have spent so long running that they're only just trying to find something to live for. That "I didn't expect to get this far" is so painfully telling, though.
People are hard, but not Capella. Capella is easy. You know how to calm her down when she gets too excited, you know the foods that make her happy, you know the gestures that she appreciates. For four years, she's been your constant companion.
So why is that feeling in your gut telling you to dodge.
She does not lash out, though the way her hair bounces when she turns her head away makes your teeth clench.
Interesting that Aria's instincts sat 'dodge', but Capella doesn't actually attack. Then again, something constant and understood suddenly becoming unpredictable would be more than enough to set off every fight or flight.
OOF. Don't worry Aria I've failed that exact dialogue prompt, I know how it is. This is so heartrending though. I don't think Capella wants to resent Aria for having fun leaving her behind, but she definitely does. Being mad about being mad.
Equally so there's definitely a kind of bitterness from someone trying to soothe your feelings instead of actually talk about what you're mad about. I love the dynamic between these two in this moment where it gets upended. Playing into the conversation about reasons for wanting to be a knight, so much of Aria is about avoidance and mitigation rather than growth.
This is such a banger line!! Those missing letters... I want to know the full story very badly, even as more pieces of it are already starting to come together.
INCREDIBLE VOTE CHOICE, my goodness. Chilling. This entire scene was a lot. As for the options, hmm... I kind of want this to be a lie Capella will unravel, either now or later. That may happen regardless, mind, but that's why I'm choosing:
[X] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
The character the first interlude focuses on. It's not a very long one, but I don't know where to insert it yet. Current plan is end of arc 1. I even have a sketch of him, but I don't usually draw men and it looks a bit sketchy
Any of the other three picks would've ended up sparring with Aria for some reason or another. Aria would have won against Pam and Adrian, she would've tied with Bryan.
The conversation about ambitions wouldn't have happened this early without Ruby, but it would have made an appearance later.
Hey now. Maybe it did help, because whatever else she would have said there could have been way, way worse
Thank you so much for reading and commenting on this. Your insights and enjoyment of the characters really makes it easy for me to motivate myself and continue the story I want to tell and reach the spot I've been planning from the start.
There's a lot of Aria's story already put down that I try to weave into the quest so nothing comes at a surprise
To everyone who hasn't already y'all should check out my best friend's quest, Arsonist's Lullaby: An Azula Timeloop Quest in which I also do cute art in that everyone must praise me for (and also praise Magery)
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[X] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run
There's truth in every effective lie. I think this has the most interesting potential truth that can come out.
I also like the idea of our sword suggeting we're running away from our old identity, especially with Aria's remarka about her own goals this chapter. I think these two options work together the best to commit to that.
[x] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[x] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[X] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
Gotta go with that sword and shield. Not so inclined to choose a lie but fascinated to see where it goes.
[X ] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
[X ] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
