A Ballad for Icarus - A Historical Pokemon Quest

[Touch Dom]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.

 

[sheep-dodger]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.

 

[barty]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.

here's hoping the first step of that revolution is to get back a good girl from a marquioness' family.

 

[Magery]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding.
You have lost too much. You will not lose anything again. If you want to protect what is precious to you, you must stand against the most powerful and hold your ground. No one is invincible, but you can become close to it.

This is my favourite option, in part because it leads to one of my favourite character archetypes (where a character's ability to do violence is simultaneously incredibly notable and incredibly unlikely to solve any of the problems they truly care about) and in part because, like…

…can you imagine Capella, who is very clearly in her own "You will not lose anything again." arc, meeting this Aria down the line? An Aria who has doubled down on everything Capella probably wants to be like while at the same time being the Aria who turned away from Capella partly because Capella was like that?

It will be so toxic.

I can't wait.

 

[bookwyrm]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.

 

[Lyosha]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding.
You have lost too much. You will not lose anything again. If you want to protect what is precious to you, you must stand against the most powerful and hold your ground. No one is invincible, but you can become close to it.

 

[BlueNine]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding.
You have lost too much. You will not lose anything again. If you want to protect what is precious to you, you must stand against the most powerful and hold your ground. No one is invincible, but you can become close to it.

 

[spiderhellian]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding

 

[Pawn Lelouch]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.

 

[NemoMarx]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding.

Kinda blown away by how fast things unravelled at the end there, and just when we had a trio forming...

I think I believe in the Aria who would take this as one more loss that she can't abide and start clinging to things harder more than the others.

 

[AmberGimlet]

Skiddle is at your side like usual. She hasn't been staying in her Pokeball very often in the last few days, instead keeping to your side and helping you walk. Whenever you thank her, she smiles at you. Whenever you rely on her, she glows so radiant.

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Love that Skiddle is an outside the pokeball 'mon, it makes complete sense.

You know that some scholars have observed the empathy of Gogoats, their ability to read minds with their horns despite their lack of other psychic abilities.

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Wait they do?

You miss her, that Growlithe you used to call your own, and yet somehow you can't recall her name. You interacted so little with her in the end, you tried your best to raise her in between your mother's attempts to stop frivolities. It was your mother that taught you to fear affection.

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The fact that she had a name that Aria can't remember is so much worse than just not bothering to give her a name. It really speaks to how much her mother stifled her human connections.

You shake your head. No. The Flambergs were a different kind of beast. Even among nobility, as much as you dislike the concept, they are so much worse.

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The fact that even with Aria's kneejerk dislike of nobility, even she recognizes that her family was a special kind of hell. There's no way this won't be a confrontation later.

Skiddle thinks. You can see those beautiful, intelligent eyes—that reflect your own in such a way it makes you wonder just how people see you—and you can see the connections forming. You can see the internal dialogue that must be happening, and you can see her realize that just because she seems to be quite capable at reading people's emotions, there's no way to truly understand what is happening inside another person.

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Can I just say how much I love the absolutely lavish affection and admiration Aria has for Skiddle? It's so good and soothing. Very, very 'pokemon...!' moment.

Skiddle bah's.

You bah back.

Skiddle baah's. You think before you respond, then shrug your shoulders.

"This is this," you say, "and that is that."

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The conversation in bah's followed by the Roland line absolutely laid me out hjhfgjd. Love love love this recurring bit with Skiddle.

"I don't think it's wrong to be upset when people you like get hurt, Skiddle," you say, once again patting her head. "I think that in the circumstance I found myself in, as an aspirant and you, too, as a Pokemon partner of an aspirant—do you not think, for a moment, that it's just… normal? Are we supposed to never get hurt in the line of duty?"
'I think if we become powerful enough, nothing will hurt us,' Skiddle's eyes seem to say, 'and if nothing can hurt us, then we can be upset at each other for being hurt.'.

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The conversations with her pokemon where she's making up half the words, maybe, possibly. Interesting look at how Aria sees the rest of her life, and at the world. Feels like a conversation that will come back later.

Skiddle dances around you, bah'ing happily. You smile, your worries almost forgotten.

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SKIDDLE!!!!! That is all.

How apt the name of Princess is for her. You've never been a fan of royalty, so the apprehension at the term is not something that you can blame the Captain for, so you swallow the discomfort when it rises up like bile in your throat.

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The way that any mention of nobility at all makes Aria disgusted... I don't have to ask who hurt her or what happened, but still. Damn.

Ruby does give you a knowing look, though. You stick your tongue out at them.

"Do you truly think that war is inevitable?" you ask.

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These two lines one after the other are a feint into a gutpunch, goodness gracious.

Skiddle bah's, riding on top of Princess while Opal rides on her. Opal is holding… a Carrier-Pidgey? It looks slightly irritated but also not annoyed enough to actively fight back.

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Skiddle is cute though. Very important. Love the pokemon stack.

"No," Redwood answers eventually, shaking his head. "I think that war is the most avoidable thing we humans have control over."

"But you still believe there will be one within our lifetime," you say, tensing up. Redwood nods, not taking as long to think. "For specific reasons, or because there has not been a period this long without one?"

"The second verse is the same as the first," Redwood summarizes.

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Love the philosophical political talk here, it's so good.

The Calyrex Guard.

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The kind of people who would look at a bloodied pair of children and try to take them back to their family when they beg for help.

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Perhaps there's more to your kinship with Ruby than you initially thought.

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Adore the bitterness here, the hints at the fucked up power structure, and of course the ways in which Ruby and Aria are similar. Cannot wait to see more of this dynamic, I love Ruby, and they and Aria trying to achieve their goals in this world is going to be such a fascinating struggle.
This is also such a biting indictment, I love it. I don't know about the gens they're from, but Calyrex is the rider of the three elemental horses, that Aria's order is named after, right? I suppose I'll look that up later, but I don't want to get sidetrack for now.

"Duke van Kesteren wanted the throne," you say. Redwood's fist slams on the table, and Ruby jumps out of their chair with such force that the chair flies over.

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"You should be very careful with guesses," Redwood says.

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Christ. Spooky moment.

The political situation becomes much, much more complicated once human emotions outside of greed and hatred become part of it.

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This is just a really banger line, I love it.

"Politics," you spit. Ruby starts again, though not as badly. The poison in your voice even gives Redwood reason to pause. "Formality and etiquette."

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Love that Aria is so damn mad even Redwood is taken aback briefly. We've already seen some of the visceral rage she keeps tucked away, and I can't wait to see more come out.

Redwood smiles, his hand reaching out to Ruby's hair and patting them. "Then you must sit on the Skywrath Throne or the Sunbound One to truly change the faces of these nations, child."

You grit your teeth. If human nature could change as easily as a royal decree, perhaps the life you've lived could have been different.

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I'm sure this isn't foreshadowing for anything at all!

You laugh when you remember her bah'ing at the woman who handed you the sword. 'Give me something too,' she demanded. She got a berry for her troubles, which satisfied her enough to continue the routine.

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Skiddle is unspeakably cute. Knocks it out of the park in every scene.

Lissy scoffs, though she also holds something in her hands. You can't say a word before she shoves it into your chest, forcing you to raise your hands to catch it. It's… a book? "You can read?"

Lissy scowls, punching your arm. You laugh, though the punch definitely hurts. Her face tightens up, and it feels so strange to get such a goodbye from her. You won't be gone long, after all. Next month, you'll all be knights worthy of the name.

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Daww, they're friends and mean to each other, but in a way that isn't made out of razor blades like Capella. That was so rude though Aria fdhjgfhjfs. It IS interesting that Lissy is handing over a book though...

"It's my good luck charm," she says. You hold it up, reading the cover. Ancient Elysian Legends. A children's book that looks both used and taken care of with such a meticulous hand. "I don't need it where I'm going, so I thought you should have it."

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Oh. Lissy....

"Yeah yeah," she says, her own cheeks turning red. "Just stop crying, will you? It's really not that big of a deal."

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Lissy is good people.

Lissy raises her fist toward you. Ruby joins in, and you smile brightly as you follow suit. Your fists come together—to new friendships forged, to future comrades to stand by your side.

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FRIENDS!!!!! ARIA HAS FRIENDS!! Aaah I love this trio.

Skiddle and you make your way toward the small shed. It is often used for naps by the guards, you know, but never this early in the morning. It sits in between a few trees, the roof is pure white with snow, the door slightly ajar.

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'The door slightly ajar' well that's not suspicious at all...

You knock on the door, but there is no answer, so you walk in. It is dark, the windows barred shut with planks of wood. Something smells… wrong. Skiddle suddenly lets out a strange screech, a sound you've never heard from her before.

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Oh no.

Drake is sitting there, his back against the wall, his sword sticking through his chest. The amount of blood is ridiculous, it pools under him and has already started to freeze at the edges from the cold winter air. You try to reach out, wave your arms in front of you to dispel the illusion, but Skiddle's deafening voice kicks you straight back to reality.

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Noooooooooooo! We only just got art for him! You monster!

She baaah's and your feet catapult you forward, giving out as you're about to reach him and skidding across the floor, blood drenching your trousers and hands.

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Covered in the blood of her Dad, goddamn.

You can see cages around the Pokeballs on his waist, a trusted and tried method to avoid accidentally releasing them in places that would rather not have an 8 foot tall dragon stomping around. Would his Pokemon have saved him if that weren't the case? Did he seal them for a purpose?

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This is a neat bit of worldbuilding I would love to poke at but DRAKE IS DEAD WHAT HOW!

...

Okay briefly pausing here to admire the descriptions in this scene, they're incredible, Elpis. The way this scene starts with the crisp cold morning, the way she smiles at the guards but the narration doesn't tell us what expressions they make back, the door being slightly ajar as the first innocuous hint something is wrong? It does such a good job building up a crisp, chipper anticipation for a completely different scene than what happens. Then the smell and a sound from Skiddle Aria has never heard before is such a good way of putting the horror into it. Describing the blood as 'ridiculous' feels so very Aria, I love the mention that it is already starting to freeze, that she tries to dispel an illusion. And then runs across the room, just instantly soaked in blood? It is so evocative. And then the cages... as a worldbuilding detail they're a sensible safety measure, but a cafe in this context... aah it's a really good scene and I'm not even all the way through it.

Now resuming the horrors and agonies...

Something sticks out of his pocket. A letter, almost untouched by the blood. Whoever killed the man was not after any correspondence, or they would have looked for this. You reach out, inching ever closer with your fingers until you find it within your grasp, pulling slowly because you can't trust your grip.

To Marchioness Reichert it is penned, sealed with wax and the emblem of the Arcanine. Though you know little of what that family looks like now, you would recognize your grandmother's handwriting anywhere.

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Her grandmother's writing, the Arcanine... What is going onnnnn! I love Aria though, I love how analytical she is even in this moment, in the way someone who has felt that stunning horror once before and can shake it off slightly quicker at second blush, or at least that's the impression I'm getting here.

Easy, he said. Whoever killed him must've been someone he trusted. The attack came fast, faster than even his own Pokemon would've reacted.

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The internal monologue is decadently sublime, in a way that is pure agony. Drake...
Hahah, I'm cheering at how good this twist is and also losing my mind over Drake and Aria at the same time.

So here are the details you do know. With all that wisdom you have honed to this point, the image in front of you becomes clear:

Someone knew Drake would be here to meet you today. They were not just willing, but capable of killing the man, which narrows the amount of people in the Caer to the Captains if someone from the Caer was responsible at all. The man was old, sure, but he was still one of the strongest knights of Gildera.

And now you're drenched in his blood. Now you are holding that letter he felt was too important to entrust to anyone but you.

Now you can hear the door behind you open up as Skiddle stands in defense of you, bah'ing at the person entering—

You turn your head, your eyes wide as you stare up at the face of a guardsman. He doesn't look surprised at all. His eyes do not deceive his intentions, entirely focused on your bloodied appearance rather than Drake's corpse.

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She gets it instantly, good on her. Says terrible things about her life that she pieces it together instantly. We knew that already of course. Interesting to go over the criteria, if it was someone from the Caer it would have to be one of the Captains. And then clearly they're in on it because---

You can see three more men who have secured the perimeter, likely there to back up the treacherous guardsman.

They all wear those blue and white uniforms, they are all knights who have passed their trials, who grew up with the Order.

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--Grabbing this here out of chronological order for the purposes of this line of thought, it's interesting that Aria specifically mentions, puts specific emphasis on the idea it wasn't someone from the order, when what follows seems to scream that it was all the order. A red herring due to Aria just being thorough in her calculations, or foreshadowing? Well we certainly won't know for now.

"You'll be hanged for this, girl," he says. "The poor orphan, killing her own mentor!"

You don't even try to deny it, because you know it will not work. He already has a narrative ready, and if you lose this fight that will be your end.

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Not to say she isn't still reeling, but some kind of switch got flipped and she's into survival mode, it seems. Already written off the help of anyone from the place that had become her real home of a sort. Really really satisfying, Aria's analytical nature shines well without the bloody horror and speed of the situation ever fading.

But a noise behind you stops you both. A click, a whirr. A metal cage opens up around Drake's Pokeballs, one of them loosening from his belt. It shakes violently, cracking slowly. The mechanism of the cage struggles to hold it inside as the lock breaks down.

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Pokemon coming out of their pokeballs on their own was already something that could be very dramatic, but breaking the locking cage to force their way out takes it to a whole knew level. If you made that worldbuilding detail just to make this bit hit harder, well. I would do the same in a heartbeat, this rules.

He roars again, wind whipped up around his body. It becomes visible to the naked eye, streaks of white and blue forming a furious storm. You shield your eyes, but when your feet leave the ground you realize there is nothing you can do.

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I'm quoting this bit for no other reason than to mentiont hat I love the detail of magical winds becoming visible streaks of white and blue. That's so cool and fun. Stopping in the middle of pacing and worrying to point and cheer at that, now back to the awe and horror.

You are Aria.

A traitor to your Order, in the eyes of those who used to call you comrade just a day ago.

Run.

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Cannot believe you Volume 3'd us, I'm stunned and delighted. In the interest of honesty, I absolutely did not see it coming until the door being ajar.

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

Also love how each of the three votes echo lines earlier in the chapter! Unyielding for that conversation with Skiddle, Revolutionary for that mention of having to sit on the throne to change things, and then Pathstriding for the conversation with her friends as she was seen off.

 

[argentorum]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.

 

[NMS]

Calyrex is the rider of the three elemental horses, that Aria's order is named after, right? I suppose I'll look that up later, but I don't want to get sidetrack for now.

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Yes, but there are only two legendary horses that Calyrex rides.

 

[Wobblegonnabe]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

 

[Dubious Wisdom]

[X ] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

 

[Reji8627]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

 

[SaberFail]

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

 

[RiceRockRekt]

I had to debate on if I should use my available timeslot for this or And you will still be among the stars., but the speed this quest operates on means there's a stronger risk of falling behind if I don't keep on it, so here I am (please check out Aywsbats btw, it starts off strong with that "Former Protag getting slammed with the political burden of being the most powerful trainer in a country and also her preteen girlcrush coming back" SUMO vibe).

I got something of an infection on my eye and a messed up wrist so I can't draw atm ;-;

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Rough, rough, hope you get better king.

Now! It's what we've all been waiting all quest for! Aria's Trial begins.

Deep winter is fast approaching at the Caer, the fifth season in between 'early' and 'late' winter finds itself knocking with the fury of your order's namesake.

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One day we're gonna figure out if Glastrier cursed this place or something.

You stand on the tower again, staring down at the point in front of the gates where you saw the young knight aspirant and her new partner take on their trial just a few weeks ago. Just last week you saw her again, standing proud with one stripe less, and one radiant smile.

She is a junior now. And soon, you will be too. While Drake's summary of how 'easy' your trial should be does sound strange, it does not dissuade you from the knowledge that there is going to be an opportunity soon that will take you even further among the Order.

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The sense of bookending is even stronger, with the reminder of the Aspirant we started the fic witnessing:

Dawn breaks over the rugged hills of Gildera, casting a pale light on the stone battlements of Caer Rivenhold. Beneath the towering walls, a lone knight aspirant stands, her armor gleaming with the cold sheen of iron.

If only you had her chance.

You are not quite good enough, yet.

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I wonder, does Aria suspect what she's "good enough" for now? How far will her trial take her...

Skiddle is at your side like usual. She hasn't been staying in her Pokeball very often in the last few days, instead keeping to your side and helping you walk. Whenever you thank her, she smiles at you. Whenever you rely on her, she glows so radiant.

In hindsight, it all changed with her. You know that some scholars have observed the empathy of Gogoats, their ability to read minds with their horns despite their lack of other psychic abilities. Perhaps that kind of power, no matter how dormant, bleeds over into you. Pokemon are, as one of the ancient texts once said, the best of us. Though humans have the intelligence and ability to build civilizations like no other, invent tools to conquer nature, and wage war that can change the face of continents, there is nothing that can truly surpass the ability to empathize and cooperate with nature that claims so much more space in the world than you.

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Dawwwww. These two are sweet on each other.

Oh but this is lore I hadn't known about the Skiddo-Line, and such a natural explanation for why Skiddle is the Wisdom Partner to boot! There's something so magical about the way Aria weighs everything humans are capable of and says "But no, compassion is the answer."

Not two months ago you might have found fault in that kind of affection and empathy. You miss her, that Growlithe you used to call your own, and yet somehow you can't recall her name. You interacted so little with her in the end, you tried your best to raise her in between your mother's attempts to stop frivolities. It was your mother that taught you to fear affection.

It is such a difficult concept to put into words to the point where you don't even attempt to do it. To feel affection for someone who has done you nothing but harm, to want their lack of affection to mean something.

To think that it is your mistake, even though years later, you realize that perhaps it is the way they were raised and they don't truly know how to express themselves—

You shake your head. No. The Flambergs were a different kind of beast. Even among nobility, as much as you dislike the concept, they are so much worse.

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Ever think about how we still don't know how bad things got with the Flambergs? No? Now you do.

Aria: Maybe I should consider how the cycles of abuse might have impacted my mother's ability to act on her emotions in a healthy—
Aria:
Aria: Actually no. Fuck her.

Wonder what's going on with her old Growlithe. That missing name's a gun on the mantelpiece.

One day, you know you will come to face them again. But now, you have the cold wind at your back—you who is without a doubt the strongest version of yourself. You are Aria, and behind you there is no symphony. All you truly need is your own voice, and the melody of the winter winds in between the Gilderan pines.

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"you who is without a doubt the strongest version of yourself" Aria you chuuni piece of shit I love you.

Really good paragraph.

"Skiddle," you say, your voice as soft as it was when you spoke to the flowers in your grandmother's garden; full of color and affection that you dig out of your heart—the soil which has given birth to the worst and the best of you. Skiddle looks up, meh-ing. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

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Love how with any other pokemon it'd be like "Why are you asking a baby farm animal to be your therapist" but with Skiddle specifically it's like no yeah of course, this little goat DOES have a psychology degree, Aria is making the right call on who has the braincell here.

Aria: [Pouring out all the aching gentleness that was ever borne from her poisoned childhood]
Skiddle: [Baaahhhhhhh]

Laughing. Crying. Laugh whilst crying.

Skiddle tilts her head. You smile, your hand touching her head. She's grown so much already, reaching above your waist. With a proper saddle, you should be able to ride her soon. She leans into your hand, warmth spreading across your body as she nods.

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Baby's getting bigger! Baby can carry this, 15 to 17 year old physically and emotionally!

Capella's anger is understandable, and so is your own dissatisfaction. You can't say she's like a sister to you, there is—or was—only one sibling in your life. Capella is so much more, and somehow less. You don't know what word you can use, because those were not words ever taught to you.

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And here we see that Aria doesn't know gay people exist!

...Does. Does Capella know gay people exist.

Capella praying in front of an unmarked grave: Please grant me your blessing in marrying my girl best friend brother-in-law.
The Ghost of Zacharias Flamberg moaning in the distance: She can do better than yoooooooooooou...
Capella:
Capella pulling out a salt shaker she's about to dump over the dirt: I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that, can you speak up.

"I'm not so sure myself," you admit. Skiddle bah's. "No, I mean, I think it was something I had to say."

Skiddle bah's again, shaking her head.

"Let me rephrase," you say, bending down to meet Skiddle's gaze. "If you are injured, would you be happy if I was upset at you? Blamed myself for it?"

Skiddle thinks. You can see those beautiful, intelligent eyes—that reflect your own in such a way it makes you wonder just how people see you—and you can see the connections forming. You can see the internal dialogue that must be happening, and you can see her realize that just because she seems to be quite capable at reading people's emotions, there's no way to truly understand what is happening inside another person.

Skiddle bah's.

You bah back.

Skiddle baah's. You think before you respond, then shrug your shoulders.

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Goat Dialogue.

Insane.

The high and low prose of this fic is just phenomenally placed Elpis.

OKAY BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH KNIGHTS AND THEIR PARTNERS SHARING THE SAME EYES. EXPLAIN THIS TO ME. EXPLAIN IT.

"This is this," you say, "and that is that."

Skiddle gives you a look. You don't like it, but after a moment she just shrugs her own shoulders, as much as she can, considering most of those are hidden under thick brush of green and blue.

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Aria that is not a line you should use, it will come back to you in the worst possible way Aria, you will get it baaahhh'd at you Aria.

"I don't think it's wrong to be upset when people you like get hurt, Skiddle," you say, once again patting her head. "I think that in the circumstance I found myself in, as an aspirant and you, too, as a Pokemon partner of an aspirant—do you not think, for a moment, that it's just… normal? Are we supposed to never get hurt in the line of duty?"
'I think if we become powerful enough, nothing will hurt us,' Skiddle's eyes seem to say, 'and if nothing can hurt us, then we can be upset at each other for being hurt.'.

"Nobody is invincible," you murmur. Your hand reaches for her horn, your fingers tracing over the feather. "Not even us two. Maybe Lissy is. She's thick enough in the head that she probably can't get hurt."

'Maybe you should learn from her.'

"I am not going to trade what intelligence I have left for a constitution like hers," you say, crossing your arms. "After all, we're going to be fighting together next time."

Next time. It's such a strange emotion that wells up in you as you say it. There will be a next time, after all. You are going to be fighting again. You will be strong, and carry on even if you don't truly want to hurt anyone.

Skiddle dances around you, bah'ing happily. You smile, your worries almost forgotten.

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This is so...Like what keeps being interesting is that Aria focuses on "Being bothered that she's hurt" when it's like, the surrounding context, that she can't handle the way Capella presses on her wounds and tries to have her all to herself, but it's like, for all the really profound way Aria and Skiddle are able to communication their considerations in depth with each other, they're beginners when it comes to...

Really it comes back to the fact Aria doesn't vocalize "Capella treats me like a doll she doesn't want to get scuffed" and how that reflect everything about her relationship with her mother, in what comes across about not wanting to get too high concept with Skiddle (because Skiddle literally hasn't been alive long enough to put together that level of complex human trauma), but also just that Aria still hasn't gotten to a place where she can expose that level of internal reality to anyone.

"Drake found me in the woods," you say, trying to form into words what thoughts sit in your heart. "My family probably assumes I've died, so I decided to let them think that. Now, I'm just Aria."

"Yeah, well," Lissy says, her hand moving from your fingers to your shoulder. "Nobles are a bunch of stuck up assholes anyway. No need to mourn them."

"I didn't say I was a noble," you say. She shrugs.

"You didn't need to," she says. Lissy's voice is as soft as the morning breeze. You didn't think she'd be capable of speaking so gently. "But we all got our own circumstances, so who the fuck cares where you came from, right?"

Capella cares. Because Capella has even stronger opinions on nobility than you do, though you were the one who had to suffer them as family.

"You're right," you say. You're by far not the first noble that joined the Order. Besides Adrian, there are dozens of those from big families that seek glory in the sword, instead of trying to fight for positions in their estates. "If you're going to continue being this insightful, we'll have to tell Silvia."

"You wouldn't dare," she says, hissing through grit teeth. There's no fire in her eyes, but you can tell she welcomes the distraction. "It's enough she's gonna have me take etiquette lessons—"

You flinch. Your knuckles sting. She stops speaking so abruptly that even Skiddle startles at the sudden silence.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asks. You nod, then shake your head, then nod again.

"I don't know," you say.

Click to shrink...

"Is everything alright with her?" he asks. You shrug. It's not a topic you want to discuss with him, though he might be the only person who truly understands. This is not something you want a mediation on, or some sort of advice.

You are Aria.

And Capella is your friend.

Or maybe she was. You don't know anymore; today you pushed every button you could. Sure, it was for a purpose, but does that really make it right? Is it truly your job to fix whatever is wrong with this friendship?

Is it your job to fix Capella? Is she even in need of fixing?

You want to say it is you who is wrong here, but even the friendship in its infancy that you've built with Lissy and Ruby is much more healthy and rather than wanting to replace her, you want that kind of friendship with Capella instead.

One where you can take a few days of distance and not feel like you've been thrown into a pit.

Click to shrink...

She thinks a lot, and has even worked up to say several tiers of it lately, even! But there are still fathoms unspoken in the depths of Aria's heart.

'I think if we become powerful enough, nothing will hurt us,' Skiddle's eyes seem to say, 'and if nothing can hurt us, then we can be upset at each other for being hurt.'.

"Nobody is invincible," you murmur. Your hand reaches for her horn, your fingers tracing over the feather. "Not even us two. Maybe Lissy is. She's thick enough in the head that she probably can't get hurt."

'Maybe you should learn from her.'

"I am not going to trade what intelligence I have left for a constitution like hers," you say, crossing your arms. "After all, we're going to be fighting together next time."

Next time. It's such a strange emotion that wells up in you as you say it. There will be a next time, after all. You are going to be fighting again. You will be strong, and carry on even if you don't truly want to hurt anyone.

Click to shrink...

This is like. Cute and tragic and funny wrapped up in a bow.

Skiddle: [Baahs in the speculative implication that Aria could do to be like Lissy]
Aria: Please, I'm already dumb enough, I can't give up the meager IQ I have to spend on that.

It is once again the kitchen that becomes Ruby's place to meet up with you. This time, however, they're aided by Captain Redwood, who is wearing an apron and cloth over his hair. The kitchens are huge, ready to be filled with dozens of cooks at once to serve the nearly one thousand knights that call the Caer home.

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Cooking with redheads! I wonder if they use ginger.

This also makes it big enough for Redwood's own partner to make her appearance. The Ursaluna which shares its fur color with Redwood's own hair wears a small crown on her head that looks like it must have been made for a Tediursa.

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Oh my fucking god.

This is precious.

Also has striking implications given how the Caroleo mission made sure to emphasize "Oh yeah, no one's allowed to risk catching a Teddiursa unless they have permission and are willing to tango with Ursaring hordes", because uh. Yeah. Ursaluna.

The same shade as Redwood's hair...A Shiny? Thinking about it, Bolt's fur shade is pretty close to the GSC Shiny Raichu color scheme, though this all might just random color changes for the vibe, I'm really curious about if this is meant to come back to how Weird Knight Partners are.

How apt the name of Princess is for her. You've never been a fan of royalty, so the apprehension at the term is not something that you can blame the Captain for, so you swallow the discomfort when it rises up like bile in your throat.

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Oof. Ouch. Yikes. Tragic that childhood trauma ruins how absolutely adorable this bear being named "Princess" is.

You've never been a fan of royalty

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[ ] Pamela, a fan of the royals.

Click to shrink...

Girl Pamela is going to GET YOU.

Thinking about how Aria's beef with Lissy doesn't even compare to what would've happened if these two were stuck in a carriage together.

"Ruby speaks highly of you, Aria," Redwood says, shoving what looks like an entire roast into the oven. You start at the sudden attention, your eyes moving from the three Pokemon to the captain's face. "Though it seems you have some issues with your performance."
You frown. You know Ruby wouldn't share your worries with him so easily. "Did Drake tell you?"

"The commander entrusted me with keeping an eye on you while he was gone," he says, laughing. "Though I admit you surprised me in the classes, your attitude always seems very blasé but you're quite an earnest student."

Your frown melts away. Sure, earnest. Maybe you have had some previous lessons on the politics of the kingdom, but he surely wouldn't think that considering your circumstances.

Ruby does give you a knowing look, though. You stick your tongue out at them.

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Pfffft.

Aria burdened with her teacher's pet crimes.

Love how much of a dad Drake is and Redwood being like "Wow no wonder the commander and Ruby like you!"

"Do you truly think that war is inevitable?" you ask. Redwood pauses, the question itself is not so easily answered but the way his eyes widen makes you wonder if there's more to it. Skiddle bah's, riding on top of Princess while Opal rides on her. Opal is holding… a Carrier-Pidgey? It looks slightly irritated but also not annoyed enough to actively fight back. It is not holding a letter, at least, so it must be off duty.

"No," Redwood answers eventually, shaking his head. "I think that war is the most avoidable thing we humans have control over."

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Wow. Incredible line my man.

Also what the fuck Opal is holding a wait.

Why, they can even get practice in as a Skiddo/Buneary/Spearow already! Buneary could probably just barely tuck Spearow under its arm in bird loafing position.

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The Prophecy???

Elpis. I can't believe.

Clapping like a seal.

"But you still believe there will be one within our lifetime," you say, tensing up. Redwood nods, not taking as long to think. "For specific reasons, or because there has not been a period this long without one?"

"The second verse is the same as the first," Redwood summarizes. For a man who is usually so jolly, the grave expression on his face makes for a grim reminder that he, too, is a man who has fought in war. Captain Redwood is one of the people who was on the frontlines during the last Solian-Gilderan war before the princess' marriage united the continent. A war hero, for all that is worth. "It is human nature to want what one does not."

"But you said it is avoidable," Ruby says, joining the conversation after finishing their own task at the stove. "So why is it going to happen?"

"Because to defy that nature takes a strong character," Redwood says. You nod along. There's no such thing as a strong character among those craven nobles who have never seen the bloodshed with their own eyes. While men like Duke van Kesteren have fought and bled alongside their own knights, the capital nobles who most benefit from war do not even have to send their sons.

It is begrudging respect, but respect nonetheless, for those who have fought and bled for crown and country. While the world is a place you cannot change with your own two hands, those who are born to circumstances like these can only strive to make the best of it. You have not joined the Order out of a sense of naivete, after all, you knew that one day you would fight.

The throbbing in your leg and that crutch leaning against the table are not rewards for lying around and doing nothing.

Click to shrink...

This is an interesting topic, and it's where the political viewpoints of ABfI shine; does war have to happen? Of course not. Is it really easy when people have too much powerful and no reason to worry about the consequences? Obviously.

Aria's own, unspoken sentiments bleed at the edges, because she really does want every opportunity she can get to assert how little she and nobles are alike, which, is probably the most blueblood she ever is.

"Ah," Redwood says, raising his finger to his cheek. "The lesson that was planned for the week of your trip with Silvia. It would have been next week instead, but your trials are at that time, right?"

"Yes," you say. He whistles low and Princess stands up, reaching into the giant bag that sits around her waist and pulls out a large piece of parchment. He takes it from her, laying it on the table and spreading it out. A map. "A map of the continent?"

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Holy shit??? Bear Fanny Pack???

Redwood's just a man ready to start a lesson plan anywhere he goes.

Ancient Elysium it used to be called. Nowadays it is the Imperial Continent. Though beyond it exist many other nations and cultures, often with conflicts of their own, here only four nations truly find their home. Sol to the east, Gildera landlocked between it and two nations beyond the mountains. While they call themselves the 'Twin Kingdoms', their royal families hate each other more than any Solian noble could ever hate the Gilderans themselves.

Fortunately, due to the rather problematic wall between them and you, and some remnants of the ancestral people that live on those mountains, they are too busy with each other to make any real attempt to invade across the mountains.

They say the ancestors of the Gilderans hail from there, Girallia and Titania— where the Union once formed to take over the continent a thousand years ago.

You wonder what they're like, the people and the Pokemon there.

Click to shrink...

Okay so this is lore on the scale of the setting we're on, and it's finally telling us what Elysium is!

Wonder what the hell is up with the Twin Kingdoms (which definitely is never gonna be relevant in the grand scheme of things, no sir).

"Three duchies that defend the crown," Redwood says, lifting his finger. "The Kesteren Duchy I won't need to explain, it is the biggest of the three by territory, though the population is quite spread out. The other two…"

He looks at the map, then puts his finger on the capital in central Gildera.

"Duke Lambert rules no territory at all. Bound to the crown, his family occupies the seat of the prime minister, first advisor to the king. Though individuals of that family own land here and there, they delegate most of the tasks to lower ranking nobles and spend most of their time in high society."

You purse your lips. You know at least one of those families the prime minister has delegated tasks to, and you do not wish to see the capital anytime soon.

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Mm. Mhm. Lambert is a guy to watch out for.

It is Ruby who speaks up next, their own finger touching the western part of the map. "Duke Tristan is responsible for the western border. The previous Duke was a dangerously unstable individual, prone to outbursts. His knights often came to harass us even though the king had been tightening the leash."

You nod. The three great families which protect the crown, spread across the map in such a way to avoid ever meeting if it isn't necessary. It is in the history of Gildera that unification may prove dangerous, and it is under the decree of the Skywrath Throne that these families may not marry among each other.

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Oh, we're getting more history on the estate occupying Regis' Pass. Last guy was a piece of shit apparently!

Ruby giving this loredump, while Aria is silently contemplating the express intent of keeping the Duchies from intersecting with their peers...

"The current Duke is kind," Ruby continues. You can see it in their eyes, how much it pains them to say something kind about the man. "Though he can't give back some things that have been taken, he has tried to uphold the king's edict. He does not travel to Regis' Pass, none of his knights are to come near it closer than half a day's travel on foot. The Calyrex Guard is still filled with loyalists of the late Duke Tristan, but none defy him right now."

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THE CALYREX GUARD???

Huh.

You know I would've assumed we'd hear about a Spectrier Order first!

That it specifically belongs to another duke...I wonder if that implies anything about Lambert and certain. Cloaks and daggers.

"The man who's holding the lash over our heads at present hasn't yet struck us with it" Ruby states as if the words don't make their teeth bleed.

Duke Tristan is gonna be a character to run into, for sure.

The Calyrex Guard.

While the western border is protected by steep and dangerous mountains, and thus requires no real presence, the kingdom as a whole requires a policing force. The Royal Knights protect only the capital and the royal family, and so the rest of the country that is not under the protection of the Glastrier Order or the Spectrier Border Guard, has to deal with the joyful faces of those blackguards.

The kind of people who would look at a bloodied pair of children and try to take them back to their family when they beg for help.

Perhaps there's more to your kinship with Ruby than you initially thought.

Click to shrink...

. Huh.

Well that answers a question immediately.

Aria. Definitely has a list she's checking twice.

"Why is it that things in Gildera always come in threes," you ask, leaning back into the chair and staring up at the ceiling. "The king had three children, three great duchies, three knight orders. Why not two? Why not four?"

"Well, if it were something like a meeting, where everyone held the same authority," Redwood says, mirroring you, though he smiles rather than staring into nothing. "Two or four could disagree and never come to a consensus, in a binary choice means two can outvote the third."
"And five would be too much authority going around," you surmise. He nods, though whether it is truly the only reason you can't say. Gildera and Sol are intrinsically tied together, their histories occupy the same span of time.

But that can't truly be it, can it? The king himself sits on the throne because he was the only heir of the previous queen. The previous queen had a sister, who became a holy woman. These are all history lessons you're intimately familiar with.

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"Why does everything come back to the number 3?" "Have you ever heard of metanarrative resonance?"

Aria chewing through the walls because she's starting to breach the fact she's in a Story and Rule of 3 is a Typical Story Pattern.

"So everything else," you say, tapping the table, "is mostly a coincidence?"

"Either that or fate," Redwood says, his smile betraying his joy at getting to teach one last time before your trials. "And to be honest with you, Aria, I don't believe in fate."
Yeah, you think to yourself, me neither.

Click to shrink...

I really do cherish Redwood's excitement at being a teacher.

Bear at the gay bar eager to pass on life lessons as a woman who isn't Quite certain what a lesbian is chugs an entire vodka bottle because she just does not believe in a higher power up there.

"The king is too old, the crown prince too young," Ruby says, pressing their lips together in thought before shaking their head. They speak up again, their eyes reflecting the candle light. "If the king passes before the prince is old enough, the prime minister will become regent. The other dukes will not accept this so easily."

"Though there is little one can do to truly understand the mind of men, the young Duke Tristan and the Duke van Kesteren are both not people who would challenge the authority of the crown to strengthen their own." Redwood's voice betrays some doubt, though what exactly you can't tell. When his brow furrows and his shoulders tense, he does not just look like a physical wall; you cannot give him any kind of read either. "It is more likely that the Solian emperor will decide that we are weak enough to attack, but the presence of Marquess Reichert stays his hand. There are so many moving parts, Ruby, I could not name them all in one lifetime."

Click to shrink...

Ruby picking up the needle on the upper echelons of Gildera being liable to turn on each other if the rather shaky line of succession falls through is a strong contrast to Redwood's arguments that Sol is a greater concern with the minds of the other dukes at play, though, what caveats are hiding in his mind shed doubts...

"Duke van Kesteren wanted the throne," you say. Redwood's fist slams on the table, and Ruby jumps out of their chair with such force that the chair flies over. The trio of partners look over, Skiddle so tense you can see her horns shake toward Redwood. You blink, then tilt your head. "I'm sorry, I just… remembered something from an earlier lesson. He was engaged to Crown Princess Isabella, I guessed that…"
"You should be very careful with guesses," Redwood says. Though his reaction was violent for a moment, his demeanor is not changing from the usual kind scholar, nor does his voice sound tense and annoyed at your disrespect toward his liege. "Listen up, lass, while I do not teach aspirants before they receive a partner, I do know that none of the knights in our Order would mention that engagement. Regardless of where you've heard it, do not repeat it outside of this room."

You nod, and watch as Ruby raises their chair up and tries to sit down again, though their hands are still shaking at the sudden scare. You wave at Skiddle, and she calms down, sitting next to Princess but continuing to observe Redwood.

Click to shrink...

Okay damn! That's uh. A sore point.

Here we see knowledge Aria took from her past with the Flambergs go. Less good. I wonder what that suggests of the rest of the nobility's perspective on Kesteren...

"Yeah, he's old," Lissy says. "Of course he's visited everything. I heard he used to be captain of the royal guard."

"A long time ago," you say. More than twenty, if you remember right. He stopped and moved on to the Duke's Order after the first princess got married. "He doesn't talk much about those days, the one thing I remember clearly is how much he hated court politics."

Click to shrink...

...And, as his old liege's fiance, this gives Certain Implications of Drake joining the Glastrier Knights after she left.

"I know curiosity, and I know that it will not be the end of it," he continues, "so let me explain quickly. The Duke was not the heir at the time, he stepped down to marry the woman he loved."

"Did she love him?" you and Ruby ask at the same time. Redwood closes his eyes, breathing out of his nose.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that when she married the Crown Prince Aurelius, she did not respond to any of his letters. Though the Duke has moved on since then, one does not forget their first love."

And so there's another moving part in the whole equation. The political situation becomes much, much more complicated once human emotions outside of greed and hatred become part of it.

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Hm. Yeah. When the Games of Power become a substitute for desire once all the more innocent, that's when the High Regicide Drama starts.

Love that Aria and Ruby are both like "But did she tho???" like they are invested, Redwood trying to express this all delicately makes it funnier.

"So the Emperor's love for his late wife stays his hand at the border, because her sister reigns there—" you try to summarize everything, though it still eludes you just how ridiculous this situation must've become in a mere sixteen years since the assassination of the Empress. "While the Kingdom raises a young child born to replace two much more qualified candidates as heir and leaves the administration to three men who together wield as much power as the crown regardless?"

"Just so," Redwood says. You nod, your fist clenching over the map. "War is inevitable, I know this in my bones. Love, greed, revenge, vanity…"

"Politics," you spit. Ruby starts again, though not as badly. The poison in your voice even gives Redwood reason to pause. "Formality and etiquette."

Click to shrink...

Ruby has been getting so much fire ideological Ws it's made me forget that they're like. Fragile. Makes me feel bad.

AND THIS WAS AN ASSASSINATION. OKAY.

...16 years.

Hey what had Aria's age range been again?

The way "Formality and Etiquette" are more repulsive sins than any other Redwood could list.

"That is the burden we have chosen to bear," he says. "Just as ancient Atlas, who still today carries the sins of the stars on his shoulders to protect us, we are sworn to protect our country, and our master, whether the war is fought for good or bad reasons."

"And if those reasons are truly that bad?" Ruby asks. They realize, of course, that knighthood is not a walk in the park. And yet, doubts are normal. You cannot fault them. You have your own doubts to wrestle.

Redwood smiles, his hand reaching out to Ruby's hair and patting them. "Then you must sit on the Skywrath Throne or the Sunbound One to truly change the faces of these nations, child."

You grit your teeth. If human nature could change as easily as a royal decree, perhaps the life you've lived could have been different.

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Ruby being the one to ask that is good.

They're really fucking close to starting a wholeass insurrection if someone gives them cause.

Redwood's an interesting guy, everything that's coming out of his mouth is an echo of some earthshaking weight that he's trying to turn into a teachable moment, regardless of what he actually feels.

Atlas, indeed.

The dinner is set in silence. Ruby does not look very happy with the news, however certain you are that they know military success in a war is the fastest way to be granted a noble title.

The meal tastes like ashes and autumn rain.

Click to shrink...

Some. Realass setup of the stakes.

How high must the bodies pile for prestige that will protect the meek from the sky...

The wind bites through cloth and fur, carving glaciers into your blood and bone. Snow sits on your eyelash, blurring your vision as you try to look at the too-clear sky. Once, that sky felt like the ceiling in a prison you were born into, now you can see the freedom that it promises.

Though the sun is already rising the distance, some stars are still visible, glaring down at you from far above.

Click to shrink...

I always need to say this, the imagery you paint with words is a fine match for your artistry in colors and linework Elpis, the way the cold roof of the world has become an ocean of possibilities...

You no longer need the crutch to walk. Unfortunately, Skiddle's saddle will not be ready for the trial, but you know you can walk any distance with her at your side. She remains at your side throughout the morning, watching as you prepare, as you grab your weapon from requisition—

You laugh when you remember her bah'ing at the woman who handed you the sword. 'Give me something too,' she demanded. She got a berry for her troubles, which satisfied her enough to continue the routine.

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Skiddle. I love you.

Aria's healed up and ready to rock! Unfortunate that she can't take part in Goat Jousting yet.

It is Ruby and Lissy who see you off.

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Ah. Friends, but not the first.

"First light's not far," Ruby says, holding up a bag with supplies. You blink, unsure if you can take it. "It's fine, Redwood prepared one for each of us, it's not that I'm giving you anything I need."

You smile at them, your hand reaching out gently to take the bag, slinging it over your shoulder. It smells of home-cooked food, preserving spices, and something familiar you can't quite name.

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Awwww, this is sweet, on Ruby AND Redwood's part.

Wonder what Ruby snuck in from themself.

"Thank you, Ruby," you say. Lissy scoffs, though she also holds something in her hands. You can't say a word before she shoves it into your chest, forcing you to raise your hands to catch it. It's… a book? "You can read?"

Lissy scowls, punching your arm. You laugh, though the punch definitely hurts. Her face tightens up, and it feels so strange to get such a goodbye from her. You won't be gone long, after all. Next month, you'll all be knights worthy of the name.

"It's my good luck charm," she says. You hold it up, reading the cover. Ancient Elysian Legends. A children's book that looks both used and taken care of with such a meticulous hand. "I don't need it where I'm going, so I thought you should have it."

"I…" you begin. You aren't sure what to say to that, it might be the most meaningful thing anyone has ever given you. Something so precious the weight feels like holding a Geodude all of the sudden. "I don't know if I can, Lissy. What if it gets wet? Or it is torn?"

"It's a book," she says, her hands pushing your own back as you try to give it back. "If it's torn, it's torn. If you need it for a fire, burn it. I got everything of value out of it. But… when you come back, and you still don't want it, you can give it back to me."

You swallow, your shaking hands holding the book up to your chin. Your tears sting in the cold air, and for once you make no effort to wipe them away.

"Thank you." You hunch over, half bowing and half trying to hide your face. Drops of water hit the ground and freeze to ice in the snow under your feet. "I'll be sure to bring it back, Lissy! We can read it together, then!"

"Yeah yeah," she says, her own cheeks turning red. "Just stop crying, will you? It's really not that big of a deal."

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Oh wow, Aria starting off all snarky and then getting gutted by the sincerity, amazing.

Lissy you class fucking act you are LITERALLY signing the "Aria is gonna get kicked out of her home of four years" flags and also Capella is gonna kill you for showing her up on the fields of Woman Chivalry.

This is really great. OH WAIT ALSO THIS IS DEFINITELY MEANT TO MAKE UP FOR ARIA NOT KNOWING JACK AND SHIT ABOUT THE LORE. Elpis you are really deadset on people seeing your funny medieval lore, mad respect.

Ruby laughs, and laughs, and laughs. After a moment, they start to hold their belly, the laughter growing louder and louder. You can't help but smile at them, and Lissy herself finds it hard to stop herself from joining. You raise your head again, pocketing the book into the bag that Drake gave you last month.

"Ruby, Lissy!" you say, your voice cracking only slightly. "I'll be off! See you soon!"

Lissy raises her fist toward you. Ruby joins in, and you smile brightly as you follow suit. Your fists come together—to new friendships forged, to future comrades to stand by your side.

A is for Atlas—who protects us from the stars.

B is for Bellerophon—

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I love this trio.

Ohhhhhhhhh Ruby being the one to crack up laughing first this is radiant magical I'm so happy you get this Aria even though everything is about to get Real Shit I'm pretty sure.

That book's how Lissy learned the alphabet, huh...

It is time. You walk out of the gate, greeting the guards with a bright smile on your face. Your breath becomes visible in the morning light as the sun illuminates the Caer in beautiful blue rays. The stars are gone now, replaced by the endless blue.

Skiddle and you make your way toward the small shed. It is often used for naps by the guards, you know, but never this early in the morning. It sits in between a few trees, the roof is pure white with snow, the door slightly ajar.

You knock on the door, but there is no answer, so you walk in. It is dark, the windows barred shut with planks of wood. Something smells… wrong. Skiddle suddenly lets out a strange screech, a sound you've never heard from her before. You tense up, one hand on your sword, the other reaching into your bag. Small pieces of fire stones—a short crush and they make for an excellent light source in the dark. They light the shed up like the sun itself.

The sight in front of you is a nightmare, yet despite your best efforts to wake up there it does not work.

Drake is sitting there, his back against the wall, his sword sticking through his chest. The amount of blood is ridiculous, it pools under him and has already started to freeze at the edges from the cold winter air. You try to reach out, wave your arms in front of you to dispel the illusion, but Skiddle's deafening voice kicks you straight back to reality.

Click to shrink...

.

OH.

I SEE.

LIKE THAT HUH.

I can't fucking believe this Elpis you took her dad. You rat bastard.

The blood turning to ice in the cold air...

She baaah's and your feet catapult you forward, giving out as you're about to reach him and skidding across the floor, blood drenching your trousers and hands.

But life is not like those stories your grandmother used to tell you. There is no heroic last stand, no final words of wisdom or encouragement. No hope to heal a wound such as this and powering through to a happy ending.

Drake is dead.

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Oh so Aria's gonna have to live with this on her mind for the rest of time okay alright sure thing.

And the blood on your hands feels both like fire and fresh snow. Your voiceless cries become heaves, your shoulders shaking as you try to find something wrong with the scene. Something that can prove you're just not seeing right.

You can see cages around the Pokeballs on his waist, a trusted and tried method to avoid accidentally releasing them in places that would rather not have an 8 foot tall dragon stomping around. Would his Pokemon have saved him if that weren't the case? Did he seal them for a purpose?

A prank, a strange trick, maybe this is a test—

Something sticks out of his pocket. A letter, almost untouched by the blood. Whoever killed the man was not after any correspondence, or they would have looked for this. You reach out, inching ever closer with your fingers until you find it within your grasp, pulling slowly because you can't trust your grip.

To Marchioness Reichert it is penned, sealed with wax and the emblem of the Arcanine. Though you know little of what that family looks like now, you would recognize your grandmother's handwriting anywhere.

The world under you collapses. Drake knew all along, didn't he? You sob, your bloodied hands drenching the letter and leaving streaks of red all over the damn seal as you contemplate ripping it open to read the stupid thing.

But you can't.

It was his request, it was his trial to you, it was—

Easy, he said. Whoever killed him must've been someone he trusted. The attack came fast, faster than even his own Pokemon would've reacted.

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Oh the way this is all SO bad and...Constructed.

Drake's pokemon are caged. Whoever did it managed to take Drake's sword and didn't do anything with the letter sticking out of his pocket, even though knowing Drake was here to give Aria a letter would have been the only way to know he'd be there...

...There's an obvious suspect, and yet, there's an equally heavy implication, that more than betrayal...

And Grandma Flamberg. Drake had to have been prepared to give Aria this letter since before she even left the Flambergs. Which uh. Feeds fires I definitely had already been thinking of.

So yeah! All bad! All sad!

"Drake," you say, your voice does not travel far. Skiddle is behind you, her horns poking into your back, her teeth grabbing your coat and trying to pull you away from the shed. "Drake, what am I supposed to do?"

You should call for help. You should run into the Caer, and scream about this murder. You should find any captain and beg them to find the person responsible—

Skiddle bah's into your ear with such a force you lose your train of thought once more. There are too many moving parts, there are so many unknowns, and once again your hands are full of the blood of someone you loved.

Click to shrink...

Ariaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Skiddle you are fighting SO HARD for your girl and you are the only light in this darkness.

Oh god the way this is Zack all over again. Fuck.

So here are the details you do know. With all that wisdom you have honed to this point, the image in front of you becomes clear:

Someone knew Drake would be here to meet you today. They were not just willing, but capable of killing the man, which narrows the amount of people in the Caer to the Captains if someone from the Caer was responsible at all. The man was old, sure, but he was still one of the strongest knights of Gildera.

And now you're drenched in his blood. Now you are holding that letter he felt was too important to entrust to anyone but you.

Now you can hear the door behind you open up as Skiddle stands in defense of you, bah'ing at the person entering—

You turn your head, your eyes wide as you stare up at the face of a guardsman. He doesn't look surprised at all. His eyes do not deceive his intentions, entirely focused on your bloodied appearance rather than Drake's corpse.

So he does not shout anything, or accuse you of anything. He does not point or try to call for backup. Instead, the man lunges at you with all the confidence of a trained and experienced knight. If he kills you, he won't have to argue about your guilt. Dead women tell no tales, after all.

Click to shrink...

OKAY WE'RE NOT EVEN GIVING HER TIME TO GO IN CIRCLES OVER THE MYSTERY SOME BITCH IS IMMEDIATELY HERE TO KILL ARIA. AIGHT.

Ohhhhhhhh this actually explains SO MUCH about the plot structure so far, like I expected Aria's trial to go out of control and leave her without access to Caer Rivenhold, but the whole "Make two friends you can DEFINITELY trust among the Aspirants" is like. Like it definitely clears up the shape of the Whodunnit that's getting setup.

Whoever's responsible, there are only two pairs of hands in Gildera Aria can trust.

You roll out of the way only for him to grab his Pokeball.

The man summons his own Pokemon, the Dodrio immediately moving towards you before Skiddle blocks it.

"Skiddle, attack!"

Skiddle's horns grab one of Dodrio's heads in between them. She jumps, twisting her body in the air and slamming the taller Pokemon into the ground. It might have worked, were it weaker, but Dodrio recovers swiftly and slams Skiddle into the ground in return. The guardsman approaches with his own blade drawn, and you can't do nothing.

You draw your own sword.

"You'll be hanged for this, girl," he says. "The poor orphan, killing her own mentor!"

You don't even try to deny it, because you know it will not work. He already has a narrative ready, and if you lose this fight that will be your end. He swings his sword, you block with your own. Skiddle jumps at the wall and off it to slam Dodrio away.

Click to shrink...

My dude, I want you to eat shit and die.

Love how Skiddle is doing like. A fucking Tiger Drop on a fully evolved Flying-Type. Clearly an enemy of birds for life.

Well, at the very least you know one thing as your grief is washed away by adrenaline and anger. A man who swings his sword so sloppily could never have hurt Drake. You clench your teeth, pushing him away, readying another swing right at his neck.

But a noise behind you stops you both. A click, a whirr. A metal cage opens up around Drake's Pokeballs, one of them loosening from his belt. It shakes violently, cracking slowly. The mechanism of the cage struggles to hold it inside as the lock breaks down.

Click to shrink...

Oh. Boy.

I guess we're not gonna get to have this fight, huh!

The Pokeball opens up, and out of it comes Typhon, the Dragonite that fought with Drake for the entirety of his career. It looks old, for sure, almost human in the way the age shows as lines on its face, scars on its body, and pale antennae. His eyes are out of focus, and in his frenzy he does not even listen to Skiddle who is trying to communicate. The sight of Drake's corpse makes him roar with a ferocity that paralyzes you and the guardsman both. Dodrio runs out of the door and away from the shed. Skiddle does not. Skiddle takes slow steps toward Typhon and bah's, but Typhon is not listening.

He roars again, wind whipped up around his body. It becomes visible to the naked eye, streaks of white and blue forming a furious storm. You shield your eyes, but when your feet leave the ground you realize there is nothing you can do. The ceiling of the shed blows up and away, and suddenly that beautiful clear sky feels like a cage once again.

Click to shrink...

OH BOY.

TYPHON THE DRAGONITE.

Skiddle you are the BRAVEST baby girl goat and that Dodrio will eat SHIT in the halls of legend (of course it's probably more its trainer's fault for being weakshit so).

Insane to me that a Dragonite looks this damn old for being like. In a human lifespan's age, but he sure is putting the fear of god into the fucking stratosphere.

THAT BEAUTIFUL CLEAR SKY FEELS LIKE A CAGE ONCE MORE.

You try to hold onto Skiddle, but the hurricane separates you with such a force—

Typhon grabs hold of you and drags you into the sky. This is it, you think. This must be where it ends.

But it's not. Typhon spins around, more and more wind whipping up as you can feel your body lighten up and begin to float. It glares at you, roaring loudly, and yet you can hear it. The voice in its heart. That last bit of soul-wrenching sanity aware that decades spent with the man he called his best friend are now over. You can see Skiddle on the ground, calling out to you. You can see three more men who have secured the perimeter, likely there to back up the treacherous guardsman.

They all wear those blue and white uniforms, they are all knights who have passed their trials, who grew up with the Order.

Typhon's grip tightens around your arm, forcing you to look at him.

He says something. And then—

—you black out for a moment. A streak of green fills your vision—

You are Aria.

A traitor to your Order, in the eyes of those who used to call you comrade just a day ago.

Run.

Click to shrink...

...Typhon is hurt, and sad, but he's a knowing player in this game the way Aria has yet to become.

This is a very genuine breakdown but it's also definitely to protect Aria, so...

I wonder, I wonder. What's Skiddle gonna do, separated from her partner as she is?

You who is filled with wisdom, awareness and love—
The way ahead of you is full of treachery and peril.

So choose your path.

[ ] You are Aria, Unyielding.
You have lost too much. You will not lose anything again. If you want to protect what is precious to you, you must stand against the most powerful and hold your ground. No one is invincible, but you can become close to it.

[ ] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

[ ] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

Click to shrink...

...Okay, damn.

The paths available to us!

This is a question of story direction I can't say I was expecting, it's almost surprising clarity and obfuscation at once.

To set a goal, and idea of where we want to take Aria...

I'm gonna chew on this as I make commentary on some stuff that got tucked into the thread in meantime!

very quick and dirty sketch.

Click to shrink...

Love this art. It's fascinatingly three-dimensional, I love how you got the shadow laid down, the blood split by Aria's snarling teeth!

Zack, Aria's Champion



Marchioness von Reichert, Once-Heir to the Throne



Some quick drawings for the final dawn of the vote. There's a tie, this better not be there when the vote closes tomorrow

Click to shrink...

Ugh. Zack and Kael.

He was his little sister's champion...

Cherish how even tho they're "not really siblings", he has the same eyebrows as Aria. Definitely more of a cocky smirk though, heh.

And we have a face for Reichert! Nothing that points to any overall importance for a character we've yet to meet, no siree, I can't even fathom a resemblance to the only person in the case who has purple eyes besides the goat.

Let it not go unsaid that Kael is a Creature. Squishy.

...Actually, I had this thought before, is he a small Arcanine because, uh. The Flambergs gave their (actual) child a Fire Stone way earlier in life than most Growlithe get?

?: ??? the Growlithe: Love. You are someone capable of great empathy and affection.

Click to shrink...

The fact Aria's Growlithe is on her sheet now...

So, the choices, the choiiiiiiiiices.

[ ] You are Aria, Unyielding.
You have lost too much. You will not lose anything again. If you want to protect what is precious to you, you must stand against the most powerful and hold your ground. No one is invincible, but you can become close to it.

Click to shrink...

The Power to protect all you love.

[ ] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

Click to shrink...

The Courage to change the hearts and minds.

[ ] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

Click to shrink...

The Wisdom to expand your definition of the world.

It's not always the case that the votes are evenly split among "Which part of the Triforce does this option lean towards", but it's pretty intuitive here.

I'm reaaaaaaally super poleaxed here, because, like, all good, but what do I want to see most.

...I can't decide! Fuck!

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

But, I do think about, Aria never knowing her path in life. What she does anything for, if it's not for the sake of clearing her debt to Drake?

Maybe it's time, with that price to repay forever out of reach, to discover what it is she must live for, herself.

So yeah, excellent chapter Elpis, really peak work!

 

[Elpis]

Love that Skiddle is an outside the pokeball 'mon, it makes complete sense.


Wait they do?


The fact that she had a name that Aria can't remember is so much worse than just not bothering to give her a name. It really speaks to how much her mother stifled her human connections.


The fact that even with Aria's kneejerk dislike of nobility, even she recognizes that her family was a special kind of hell. There's no way this won't be a confrontation later.


Can I just say how much I love the absolutely lavish affection and admiration Aria has for Skiddle? It's so good and soothing. Very, very 'pokemon...!' moment.


The conversation in bah's followed by the Roland line absolutely laid me out hjhfgjd. Love love love this recurring bit with Skiddle.


The conversations with her pokemon where she's making up half the words, maybe, possibly. Interesting look at how Aria sees the rest of her life, and at the world. Feels like a conversation that will come back later.


SKIDDLE!!!!! That is all.


The way that any mention of nobility at all makes Aria disgusted... I don't have to ask who hurt her or what happened, but still. Damn.


These two lines one after the other are a feint into a gutpunch, goodness gracious.


Skiddle is cute though. Very important. Love the pokemon stack.


Love the philosophical political talk here, it's so good.




Adore the bitterness here, the hints at the fucked up power structure, and of course the ways in which Ruby and Aria are similar. Cannot wait to see more of this dynamic, I love Ruby, and they and Aria trying to achieve their goals in this world is going to be such a fascinating struggle.
This is also such a biting indictment, I love it. I don't know about the gens they're from, but Calyrex is the rider of the three elemental horses, that Aria's order is named after, right? I suppose I'll look that up later, but I don't want to get sidetrack for now.



Christ. Spooky moment.


This is just a really banger line, I love it.


Love that Aria is so damn mad even Redwood is taken aback briefly. We've already seen some of the visceral rage she keeps tucked away, and I can't wait to see more come out.


I'm sure this isn't foreshadowing for anything at all!


Skiddle is unspeakably cute. Knocks it out of the park in every scene.


Daww, they're friends and mean to each other, but in a way that isn't made out of razor blades like Capella. That was so rude though Aria fdhjgfhjfs. It IS interesting that Lissy is handing over a book though...


Oh. Lissy....


Lissy is good people.


FRIENDS!!!!! ARIA HAS FRIENDS!! Aaah I love this trio.


'The door slightly ajar' well that's not suspicious at all...


Oh no.


Noooooooooooo! We only just got art for him! You monster!


Covered in the blood of her Dad, goddamn.


This is a neat bit of worldbuilding I would love to poke at but DRAKE IS DEAD WHAT HOW!

...

Okay briefly pausing here to admire the descriptions in this scene, they're incredible, Elpis. The way this scene starts with the crisp cold morning, the way she smiles at the guards but the narration doesn't tell us what expressions they make back, the door being slightly ajar as the first innocuous hint something is wrong? It does such a good job building up a crisp, chipper anticipation for a completely different scene than what happens. Then the smell and a sound from Skiddle Aria has never heard before is such a good way of putting the horror into it. Describing the blood as 'ridiculous' feels so very Aria, I love the mention that it is already starting to freeze, that she tries to dispel an illusion. And then runs across the room, just instantly soaked in blood? It is so evocative. And then the cages... as a worldbuilding detail they're a sensible safety measure, but a cafe in this context... aah it's a really good scene and I'm not even all the way through it.

Now resuming the horrors and agonies...


Her grandmother's writing, the Arcanine... What is going onnnnn! I love Aria though, I love how analytical she is even in this moment, in the way someone who has felt that stunning horror once before and can shake it off slightly quicker at second blush, or at least that's the impression I'm getting here.


The internal monologue is decadently sublime, in a way that is pure agony. Drake...
Hahah, I'm cheering at how good this twist is and also losing my mind over Drake and Aria at the same time.


She gets it instantly, good on her. Says terrible things about her life that she pieces it together instantly. We knew that already of course. Interesting to go over the criteria, if it was someone from the Caer it would have to be one of the Captains. And then clearly they're in on it because---

--Grabbing this here out of chronological order for the purposes of this line of thought, it's interesting that Aria specifically mentions, puts specific emphasis on the idea it wasn't someone from the order, when what follows seems to scream that it was all the order. A red herring due to Aria just being thorough in her calculations, or foreshadowing? Well we certainly won't know for now.


Not to say she isn't still reeling, but some kind of switch got flipped and she's into survival mode, it seems. Already written off the help of anyone from the place that had become her real home of a sort. Really really satisfying, Aria's analytical nature shines well without the bloody horror and speed of the situation ever fading.


Pokemon coming out of their pokeballs on their own was already something that could be very dramatic, but breaking the locking cage to force their way out takes it to a whole knew level. If you made that worldbuilding detail just to make this bit hit harder, well. I would do the same in a heartbeat, this rules.


I'm quoting this bit for no other reason than to mentiont hat I love the detail of magical winds becoming visible streaks of white and blue. That's so cool and fun. Stopping in the middle of pacing and worrying to point and cheer at that, now back to the awe and horror.


Cannot believe you Volume 3'd us, I'm stunned and delighted. In the interest of honesty, I absolutely did not see it coming until the door being ajar.

[X] You are Aria, Revolutionary.
The world will continue to take from you unless you change it. Ideas are powerful, but unless they become reality they remain only ideas. You must root out what is wrong, and you must fight to set it right.

Also love how each of the three votes echo lines earlier in the chapter! Unyielding for that conversation with Skiddle, Revolutionary for that mention of having to sit on the throne to change things, and then Pathstriding for the conversation with her friends as she was seen off.

Click to shrink...

I had to debate on if I should use my available timeslot for this or And you will still be among the stars., but the speed this quest operates on means there's a stronger risk of falling behind if I don't keep on it, so here I am (please check out Aywsbats btw, it starts off strong with that "Former Protag getting slammed with the political burden of being the most powerful trainer in a country and also her preteen girlcrush coming back" SUMO vibe).



Rough, rough, hope you get better king.

Now! It's what we've all been waiting all quest for! Aria's Trial begins.



One day we're gonna figure out if Glastrier cursed this place or something.



The sense of bookending is even stronger, with the reminder of the Aspirant we started the fic witnessing:



I wonder, does Aria suspect what she's "good enough" for now? How far will her trial take her...



Dawwwww. These two are sweet on each other.

Oh but this is lore I hadn't known about the Skiddo-Line, and such a natural explanation for why Skiddle is the Wisdom Partner to boot! There's something so magical about the way Aria weighs everything humans are capable of and says "But no, compassion is the answer."



Ever think about how we still don't know how bad things got with the Flambergs? No? Now you do.

Aria: Maybe I should consider how the cycles of abuse might have impacted my mother's ability to act on her emotions in a healthy—
Aria:
Aria: Actually no. Fuck her.

Wonder what's going on with her old Growlithe. That missing name's a gun on the mantelpiece.



"you who is without a doubt the strongest version of yourself" Aria you chuuni piece of shit I love you.

Really good paragraph.



Love how with any other pokemon it'd be like "Why are you asking a baby farm animal to be your therapist" but with Skiddle specifically it's like no yeah of course, this little goat DOES have a psychology degree, Aria is making the right call on who has the braincell here.

Aria: [Pouring out all the aching gentleness that was ever borne from her poisoned childhood]
Skiddle: [Baaahhhhhhh]

Laughing. Crying. Laugh whilst crying.



Baby's getting bigger! Baby can carry this, 15 to 17 year old physically and emotionally!



And here we see that Aria doesn't know gay people exist!

...Does. Does Capella know gay people exist.

Capella praying in front of an unmarked grave: Please grant me your blessing in marrying my girl best friend brother-in-law.
The Ghost of Zacharias Flamberg moaning in the distance: She can do better than yoooooooooooou...
Capella:
Capella pulling out a salt shaker she's about to dump over the dirt: I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that, can you speak up.



Goat Dialogue.

Insane.

The high and low prose of this fic is just phenomenally placed Elpis.

OKAY BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH KNIGHTS AND THEIR PARTNERS SHARING THE SAME EYES. EXPLAIN THIS TO ME. EXPLAIN IT.



Aria that is not a line you should use, it will come back to you in the worst possible way Aria, you will get it baaahhh'd at you Aria.



This is so...Like what keeps being interesting is that Aria focuses on "Being bothered that she's hurt" when it's like, the surrounding context, that she can't handle the way Capella presses on her wounds and tries to have her all to herself, but it's like, for all the really profound way Aria and Skiddle are able to communication their considerations in depth with each other, they're beginners when it comes to...

Really it comes back to the fact Aria doesn't vocalize "Capella treats me like a doll she doesn't want to get scuffed" and how that reflect everything about her relationship with her mother, in what comes across about not wanting to get too high concept with Skiddle (because Skiddle literally hasn't been alive long enough to put together that level of complex human trauma), but also just that Aria still hasn't gotten to a place where she can expose that level of internal reality to anyone.




She thinks a lot, and has even worked up to say several tiers of it lately, even! But there are still fathoms unspoken in the depths of Aria's heart.



This is like. Cute and tragic and funny wrapped up in a bow.

Skiddle: [Baahs in the speculative implication that Aria could do to be like Lissy]
Aria: Please, I'm already dumb enough, I can't give up the meager IQ I have to spend on that.



Cooking with redheads! I wonder if they use ginger.



Oh my fucking god.

This is precious.

Also has striking implications given how the Caroleo mission made sure to emphasize "Oh yeah, no one's allowed to risk catching a Teddiursa unless they have permission and are willing to tango with Ursaring hordes", because uh. Yeah. Ursaluna.

The same shade as Redwood's hair...A Shiny? Thinking about it, Bolt's fur shade is pretty close to the GSC Shiny Raichu color scheme, though this all might just random color changes for the vibe, I'm really curious about if this is meant to come back to how Weird Knight Partners are.



Oof. Ouch. Yikes. Tragic that childhood trauma ruins how absolutely adorable this bear being named "Princess" is.




Girl Pamela is going to GET YOU.

Thinking about how Aria's beef with Lissy doesn't even compare to what would've happened if these two were stuck in a carriage together.



Pfffft.

Aria burdened with her teacher's pet crimes.

Love how much of a dad Drake is and Redwood being like "Wow no wonder the commander and Ruby like you!"



Wow. Incredible line my man.

Also what the fuck Opal is holding a wait.



The Prophecy???

Elpis. I can't believe.

Clapping like a seal.



This is an interesting topic, and it's where the political viewpoints of ABfI shine; does war have to happen? Of course not. Is it really easy when people have too much powerful and no reason to worry about the consequences? Obviously.

Aria's own, unspoken sentiments bleed at the edges, because she really does want every opportunity she can get to assert how little she and nobles are alike, which, is probably the most blueblood she ever is.



Holy shit??? Bear Fanny Pack???

Redwood's just a man ready to start a lesson plan anywhere he goes.



Okay so this is lore on the scale of the setting we're on, and it's finally telling us what Elysium is!

Wonder what the hell is up with the Twin Kingdoms (which definitely is never gonna be relevant in the grand scheme of things, no sir).



Mm. Mhm. Lambert is a guy to watch out for.



Oh, we're getting more history on the estate occupying Regis' Pass. Last guy was a piece of shit apparently!

Ruby giving this loredump, while Aria is silently contemplating the express intent of keeping the Duchies from intersecting with their peers...



THE CALYREX GUARD???

Huh.

You know I would've assumed we'd hear about a Spectrier Order first!

That it specifically belongs to another duke...I wonder if that implies anything about Lambert and certain. Cloaks and daggers.

"The man who's holding the lash over our heads at present hasn't yet struck us with it" Ruby states as if the words don't make their teeth bleed.

Duke Tristan is gonna be a character to run into, for sure.



. Huh.

Well that answers a question immediately.

Aria. Definitely has a list she's checking twice.



"Why does everything come back to the number 3?" "Have you ever heard of metanarrative resonance?"

Aria chewing through the walls because she's starting to breach the fact she's in a Story and Rule of 3 is a Typical Story Pattern.



I really do cherish Redwood's excitement at being a teacher.

Bear at the gay bar eager to pass on life lessons as a woman who isn't Quite certain what a lesbian is chugs an entire vodka bottle because she just does not believe in a higher power up there.



Ruby picking up the needle on the upper echelons of Gildera being liable to turn on each other if the rather shaky line of succession falls through is a strong contrast to Redwood's arguments that Sol is a greater concern with the minds of the other dukes at play, though, what caveats are hiding in his mind shed doubts...



Okay damn! That's uh. A sore point.

Here we see knowledge Aria took from her past with the Flambergs go. Less good. I wonder what that suggests of the rest of the nobility's perspective on Kesteren...



...And, as his old liege's fiance, this gives Certain Implications of Drake joining the Glastrier Knights after she left.



Hm. Yeah. When the Games of Power become a substitute for desire once all the more innocent, that's when the High Regicide Drama starts.

Love that Aria and Ruby are both like "But did she tho???" like they are invested, Redwood trying to express this all delicately makes it funnier.



Ruby has been getting so much fire ideological Ws it's made me forget that they're like. Fragile. Makes me feel bad.

AND THIS WAS AN ASSASSINATION. OKAY.

...16 years.

Hey what had Aria's age range been again?

The way "Formality and Etiquette" are more repulsive sins than any other Redwood could list.



Ruby being the one to ask that is good.

They're really fucking close to starting a wholeass insurrection if someone gives them cause.

Redwood's an interesting guy, everything that's coming out of his mouth is an echo of some earthshaking weight that he's trying to turn into a teachable moment, regardless of what he actually feels.

Atlas, indeed.



Some. Realass setup of the stakes.

How high must the bodies pile for prestige that will protect the meek from the sky...



I always need to say this, the imagery you paint with words is a fine match for your artistry in colors and linework Elpis, the way the cold roof of the world has become an ocean of possibilities...



Skiddle. I love you.

Aria's healed up and ready to rock! Unfortunate that she can't take part in Goat Jousting yet.



Ah. Friends, but not the first.



Awwww, this is sweet, on Ruby AND Redwood's part.

Wonder what Ruby snuck in from themself.



Oh wow, Aria starting off all snarky and then getting gutted by the sincerity, amazing.

Lissy you class fucking act you are LITERALLY signing the "Aria is gonna get kicked out of her home of four years" flags and also Capella is gonna kill you for showing her up on the fields of Woman Chivalry.

This is really great. OH WAIT ALSO THIS IS DEFINITELY MEANT TO MAKE UP FOR ARIA NOT KNOWING JACK AND SHIT ABOUT THE LORE. Elpis you are really deadset on people seeing your funny medieval lore, mad respect.



I love this trio.

Ohhhhhhhhh Ruby being the one to crack up laughing first this is radiant magical I'm so happy you get this Aria even though everything is about to get Real Shit I'm pretty sure.

That book's how Lissy learned the alphabet, huh...



.

OH.

I SEE.

LIKE THAT HUH.

I can't fucking believe this Elpis you took her dad. You rat bastard.

The blood turning to ice in the cold air...



Oh so Aria's gonna have to live with this on her mind for the rest of time okay alright sure thing.



Oh the way this is all SO bad and...Constructed.

Drake's pokemon are caged. Whoever did it managed to take Drake's sword and didn't do anything with the letter sticking out of his pocket, even though knowing Drake was here to give Aria a letter would have been the only way to know he'd be there...

...There's an obvious suspect, and yet, there's an equally heavy implication, that more than betrayal...

And Grandma Flamberg. Drake had to have been prepared to give Aria this letter since before she even left the Flambergs. Which uh. Feeds fires I definitely had already been thinking of.

So yeah! All bad! All sad!



Ariaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Skiddle you are fighting SO HARD for your girl and you are the only light in this darkness.

Oh god the way this is Zack all over again. Fuck.



OKAY WE'RE NOT EVEN GIVING HER TIME TO GO IN CIRCLES OVER THE MYSTERY SOME BITCH IS IMMEDIATELY HERE TO KILL ARIA. AIGHT.

Ohhhhhhhh this actually explains SO MUCH about the plot structure so far, like I expected Aria's trial to go out of control and leave her without access to Caer Rivenhold, but the whole "Make two friends you can DEFINITELY trust among the Aspirants" is like. Like it definitely clears up the shape of the Whodunnit that's getting setup.

Whoever's responsible, there are only two pairs of hands in Gildera Aria can trust.



My dude, I want you to eat shit and die.

Love how Skiddle is doing like. A fucking Tiger Drop on a fully evolved Flying-Type. Clearly an enemy of birds for life.



Oh. Boy.

I guess we're not gonna get to have this fight, huh!



OH BOY.

TYPHON THE DRAGONITE.

Skiddle you are the BRAVEST baby girl goat and that Dodrio will eat SHIT in the halls of legend (of course it's probably more its trainer's fault for being weakshit so).

Insane to me that a Dragonite looks this damn old for being like. In a human lifespan's age, but he sure is putting the fear of god into the fucking stratosphere.

THAT BEAUTIFUL CLEAR SKY FEELS LIKE A CAGE ONCE MORE.


...Typhon is hurt, and sad, but he's a knowing player in this game the way Aria has yet to become.

This is a very genuine breakdown but it's also definitely to protect Aria, so...

I wonder, I wonder. What's Skiddle gonna do, separated from her partner as she is?



...Okay, damn.

The paths available to us!

This is a question of story direction I can't say I was expecting, it's almost surprising clarity and obfuscation at once.

To set a goal, and idea of where we want to take Aria...

I'm gonna chew on this as I make commentary on some stuff that got tucked into the thread in meantime!



Love this art. It's fascinatingly three-dimensional, I love how you got the shadow laid down, the blood split by Aria's snarling teeth!



Ugh. Zack and Kael.

He was his little sister's champion...

Cherish how even tho they're "not really siblings", he has the same eyebrows as Aria. Definitely more of a cocky smirk though, heh.

And we have a face for Reichert! Nothing that points to any overall importance for a character we've yet to meet, no siree, I can't even fathom a resemblance to the only person in the case who has purple eyes besides the goat.

Let it not go unsaid that Kael is a Creature. Squishy.

...Actually, I had this thought before, is he a small Arcanine because, uh. The Flambergs gave their (actual) child a Fire Stone way earlier in life than most Growlithe get?



The fact Aria's Growlithe is on her sheet now...

So, the choices, the choiiiiiiiiices.



The Power to protect all you love.



The Courage to change the hearts and minds.



The Wisdom to expand your definition of the world.

It's not always the case that the votes are evenly split among "Which part of the Triforce does this option lean towards", but it's pretty intuitive here.

I'm reaaaaaaally super poleaxed here, because, like, all good, but what do I want to see most.

...I can't decide! Fuck!

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.
The Order was never your home. Drake and Capella were, Lissy and Ruby were. The world is larger, more complicated than a single Duchy. To find the truth that hides in the winds of war, your feet must touch unknown ground.

But, I do think about, Aria never knowing her path in life. What she does anything for, if it's not for the sake of clearing her debt to Drake?

Maybe it's time, with that price to repay forever out of reach, to discover what it is she must live for, herself.

So yeah, excellent chapter Elpis, really peak work!

Click to shrink...

First of all thank you very much for the comments, they're always wonderful to read and make working on the next update much easier.

Elpis you are really deadset on people seeing your funny medieval lore, mad respect.

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That is that and this is this!
(It's also funny Empire Era lore and a lot of ancient Greece)


I will drop the interlude I wrote (it's short) together with the next update's vote closing before arc 2 begins (the next update is the end of arc 1) to go into a little bit of lore and then have votes occasionally on who the next interlude should focus on (Atlas, Inana, etc.)

I did, as I wrote the arc, come to really love some of the characters as I wrote them and I was just about to abandon my plan for it before Tempera said I have to close my heart and not show weakness ;-;

I think in the end it remains the most inspired I've ever been to continue writing a setting not because the Pokemon aspect makes it more digestible for me (as Fanfic is always easier than Original stuff to me) but also because the characters are plain fun and their interactions with each other make for an easy 1000 words in an hour writing. Also the help I get from Tempera, Magery, Skippy, and Blue Nine has been really worth their weight in gold, so I do expect to at least finish another arc before my update rate slows down significantly.

Once more, thank you for reading Icarus. I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations and those of the other voters in thread.

 

[Walker]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding.

Well, that escalated quickly.

 

[Dragonlord Seth]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.

 

[Toaster cult]

[X] You are Aria, Unyielding

 

[veekie]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.

 

[Casmii]

[X] You are Aria, Pathstriding.