Supports: Chapter 20

Well, while Ike's sulking and we're preparing for one moment in particular coming up this map, let's check in on the army.

Today's Supports:

• Reyson/Tanith C
• Soren/Stefan C 
• Shinon/Janaff C
• Boyd/Ulki C
• Astrid/Gatrie B
• Mordecai/Stefan B
• Rhys/Mia A
• Rhys/Kieran A
  

C Supports

Reyson/Tanith C

Tanith: Do you have a moment, Prince Reyson?
Reyson: Oh, you’re the apostle’s…
Tanith: Yes, Your Highness. My name is Tanith, and I lead Begnion’s holy guard of pegasus knights.
Reyson: What brings you here?
Tanith: I wanted to let you know that the apostle has ordered me to keep you safe. She is quite sincere in her desire to help.
Reyson: She seeks redemption for what happened all those years ago, does she? I have no need for bodyguards. I can protect myself.
Tanith: I mean no disrespect, Your Highness, but even the youngest child in Begnion knows the heron clan abhors fighting. If you refuse to fight, how will you protect yourself?
Reyson: That is my own concern. Not yours.
Tanith: I beg to differ. I am under imperial orders. I cannot abandon my duty, and so your safety is very much my concern.
Reyson: Your beorc orders do not affect me. I have wasted enough time with you. Now excuse me.
Tanith: His body seems so frail, but his will is strong. He’s not going to make it easy for me to protect him. What am I to do?

Respect his wishes? Joking aside, this is very definitely a realistic grounds for friction, but all I can think of for solutions is to continue talking it over and try and hash out what compromises there can be. All in all, I guess that makes it a standard C Support?

Soren/Stefan C

Stefan: …
Soren: Who goes there?
Stefan: Don’t be so alarmed. I’m… one of yours.
Soren: One of ours? Unlikely.
Stefan: Yes, one of your kind. I see that you pretend to be something you aren’t and have lived among foreigners.
Soren: … I, I…
Stefan: Hmmm… I see that I’ve puzzled you. I’ll let you stew on what I have said. Let’s sit and talk next time our paths cross.
Soren: …

And on the exact opposite end, a very esoteric one that invites you to ask questions about what Soren and Stefan have in common... and what they don't have in common with the rest of the army.

Shinon/Janaff C

Janaff: Ho! You there! Halt!
Shinon: …
Janaff: Hey, did you hear me? I said halt!
Shinon: Who are you?
Janaff: I’ll ask the questions, thanks. Hmmm… I haven’t seen your face around here before. Are you a new recruit? State your name and unit.
Shinon: I don’t have time to answer questions from ignorant half-breeds.
Janaff: W-what? What did you call me!? Hey! I’m talking to you, jerk!
Shinon: Say that again… Go ahead. It’ll be the last thing you ever say.
Janaff: I’m not afraid of you, human! Crossing me is the worst decision you’ll ever make.
Shinon: …
Janaff: …
Shinon: You’re lucky, half-breed. I’ll let you go this time.
Janaff: Pah! It’s me who’s letting you go. And don’t forget it, human!

 Yeah, these characters are definitely a pair who'd instantly go to loggerheads. I find it strange that Janaff thinks Shinon is a new recruit when they got recruited in the same chapter.

Boyd/Ulki C

Boyd: Hey, there’s that big hawk laguz that joined our party. What’s his name again?
Ulki: …
Boyd: Oh! Hey there.
Ulki: Can I help you?
Boyd: Huh?
Ulki: I thought you called me. Is that not the case?
Boyd: Wha–? Are you talking about what I just said? You heard that?
Ulki: Clearly.
Boyd: Th-that’s incredible! I was just mumbling, and you were all the way over there!
Ulki: So. What do you want from me?
Boyd: Nothing. I was just noticing your features. You have such an interesting face!
Ulki: … Do you have a problem with my face? There’s nothing special about it.
Boyd: No, no problem! It’s so tough! Manly! It’s the best! I wish it was my face! Um…
Ulki: …
Boyd: …
Ulki: Well, you seem… healthy. And you have good hair. For a beorc. I also like your large arms.
Boyd: Really?
Ulki: Oh, I have an errand to run. Good-bye.
Boyd: Yeah, my arms are pretty tough, huh? You know what? I bet I’ll get along with these laguz just fine! Yeah.

Boyd's trying so hard. He has no idea how to interact with Ulki and is failing miserably, but as long as no one gets called a sub-human, it's funny and not horrifying.

...How I hate social interaction.

B Supports

Astrid/Gatrie B

Astrid: Gatrie? I’m here for my lesson. Are you ready?
Gatrie: Of course, of course! Er… ahem. All right then. Let’s begin!
Astrid: I’m eagerly awaiting your first instruction.
Gatrie: Er… Every soldier has a role, and it’s important that everyone does what everyone is best at. With the right strategy, three soldiers can fight with the strength of ten!
Astrid: I see… So everyone must fight to their strength. All right, I got it.
Gatrie: My job as a knight is to bravely step up and shield my allies from vicious, marauding attackers! I’m like an armored wall! Then, the others can launch an attack from behind my impenetrable frame. Archers wait safely behind me and strike from a distance, while mounted units can ride in and crush the enemy. Well, that’s what I hear… Er, I mean… that’s pretty much how it all goes down in the heat of combat!
Astrid: I see, but…
Gatrie: Don’t worry! You can stay safely behind me. It’s far too dangerous for you to venture away from me. Stay close… Yes, VEEERY close! Go on, don’t be shy!
Astrid: All right… I’ll stay close. Oh, may I ask you just one more question?
Gatrie: Ask anything!
Astrid: Since I’m on horseback and you’re on foot, won’t we move at different speeds? What should I do?
Gatrie: Hmmm… In that case… Um… Yaaaaa! I can’t remember what Titania said…
Astrid: Pardon me?
Gatrie: Oh, nothing! Nothing at all. Hah! Just talking to myself! We’ll get into that in your next lesson.
Astrid: Right, of course. I sure learned a lot today. You’ll coach me again, won’t you? Thank you, Gatrie! Good-bye.
Gatrie: She wants to me to teach her again! I knew she was crazy about me! And why not… these muscles are breathtaking! I can’t wait to see her again!

Credit where credit is due, Gatrie is teaching her true facts. Astrid is definitely thinking more critically about things, though. Incidentally, what happens in the case of Astrid moving so much faster than Gatrie is that Astrid becomes a high Def unit and Gatrie forges an ass groove in the bench.

Mordecai/Stefan B

Mordecai: Stefan!
Stefan: What is it, Mordecai? You seem upset.
Mordecai: Detest means hatred. Ignorant means dumb. Why do you hate your country? Why do you insult me?
Stefan: You’ve been studying? Impressive. Listen, I didn’t mean to say you were dumb. I just meant that sometimes, it’s better not to know some things… Like what it means to hate…
Mordecai: Stefan, you do not answer my questions.
Stefan: Since you’ve been studying so much, I’ve got another thing for you to look up. I’m one of the Branded. Perhaps that will explain why I detest my country and why ignorant laguz detest me.
Mordecai: Laguz…hate you? Because you are… branded? Stefan, your words confuse me.

This might start answering a few questions about Stefan, as well as raising several more. Mordecai, though, I have to tell you, Stefan has been answering your questions satisfactorily. I'm not sure if my standards have been lowered by question avoidance strategies, but yes, if I asked those questions and received that answer, I'd be satisfied.

A Supports

Rhys/Mia A

Mia: Uhhh… look, I’m really sorry. It looks like I pushed you a little hard.
Rhys: No… I wanted to be a myrmidon. And I had fun… Well… before the cramps started. Oooh, the cramps… Yaaaaa…
Mia: Are you sure you’re well? You’ve been running a fever for days! Are you really going to battle like this?
Rhys: It’ll be fine. I’m not overdoing it. I’ll just support everyone from the rearguard. And I’ll have you looking out for me, right?
Mia: Of course! I feel responsible for your safety. I always try to look out for you and make sure you’re holding up. You know, I’ve been thinking for a bit… And… Um… And I’ve decided to stop believing in fortune-telling.
Rhys: Well… maybe the fortune’s meaning was just mixed up–
Mia: Hogwash! No more excuses! It’s all a bunch of hooey! But hey, wait a second… “With white robes flowing in the breeze, your archrival rides toward you…” …RIDES toward you… Could he be a mounted soldier and not a myrmidon?
Rhys: Huh?
Mia: You may be horse-riding material, Rhys. Yeah, that’s it! Marching is a lot easier on horseback. Wouldn’t that be better for you?
Rhys: What!? Me on h-horseback!?
Mia: Yeah! You wear white, too! Don’t you think you’d look dashing on horseback!? Swing your staff from the top of a horse and I’ll fight in style beside you!
Rhys: Whoa… hold it right there, Mia…
Mia: All right! It’s settled, then! We’ve got to get you training!
Rhys: Hold it! You’ve got the wrong guy…
Mia: No, I don’t. We’re destined to meet!
Rhys: We are?
Mia: Yes! I can’t think of anyone else that could be the man of my destiny!
Rhys: D-destiny!? Wait a second… I thought I was your archrival!
Mia: Never mind the details! I am counting on you, Rhys!

Mia continues to be utterly confused as to what her fortune means, and Rhys continues to be completely at sea as to why he is being put in this situation. The idea that Mia is reading this fortune incorrectly is a particularly relevant one to my pet theory, but we'll need another Support for that.

Also, apparently people ship Mia/Rhys, and honestly, I think that might be missing the point of this chain a little. It's also a bit of "he's a boy, she's a girl", too, I guess...

Rhys/Kieran A

Rhys: Are you… training again, Kieran?
Kieran: Oh, Rhys! Say, thanks for helping me out the other day! Who knew that head wounds bled so much? Of course, this one time a sellsword tried to jam hot coals inside my–
Rhys: Please, Kieran! Stop! You have to think about your own safety!
Kieran: Safety? Ha ha ha! I’m not a coward! Crimean knights fear nothing! Never! Why, not even the threat of merciless–
Rhys: I know! I know, but… If something happens to you, it will ruin your reputation.
Kieran: My reputation?
Rhys: Your gravestone is going to say: “Here lies Kieran the knight! He suffered a massive hemorrhage in training and died cold and alone.” Are you all right with that?
Kieran: Hmm… Y-yes, that could be bad… Why, no one would ever remember the time that I fought the Mad Crocodile of Upper–
Rhys: Please! Promise me that you won’t do any more dangerous training.
Kieran: Wha–?! Oh, that’s a hard pill to swallow! But if I die in training before hitting the battlefield, it would be a shame… Oh, what to do…
Rhys: We’d be in trouble if we lose you, Kieran! Er… Oh! Yes! You see, we can’t achieve victory without our greatest soldier– that would be you– in our army!
Kieran: I see. Yes, you’re right! You’re absolutely right! Our army’s finest warrior cannot afford to push it too far! Very well. I’m not sure how this will work, but I will take better care of myself! From now on… simple training!
Rhys: Phew… Thanks for your understanding. I’ll come check on you from time to time. Remember! Take it easy!
Kieran: Sure, no problem! Hmmm… I guess I’ll just… sit down here and… knit…something… Ooo, look! A bear!
Rhys: No, Kieran! Noooooooo!

Another Rhys Support that ends with the other person learning nothing. Right next to one another, too. I think we have to put Kieran in a straightjacket, but then he might choke himself on it somehow.