Supports: Chapter 22

On to Palmeni Temple. A small mission with a limited squad. Time for everyone to start bending everyone's ears off!

Today's Supports:

• Tormod/Calill C
• Rhys/Ulki C
• Sothe/Tormod B
• Lethe/Muarim B
• Nephenee/Devdan B
• Zihark/Muarim B
• Gatrie/Ilyana B
• Brom/Nephenee A
  
• Boyd/Brom A
• Marcia/Kieran A

C Supports

Tormod/Calill C

Tormod: Excuse me, ma’am?
Calill: …
Tormod: Um… Excuse me, Calill?
Calill: Hmph! I won’t answer unless you call me… A lady. A pretty lady!
Tormod: Nuts to that!
Calill: Well then, you can just forget it. I won’t waste my time teaching magic to a brat like you.
Tormod: Hey, pretty lady! Beautiful lady? Would you please teach me magic?
Calill: What a selfish brat! What about the spells I taught you last week? I won’t teach you anything new until you’ve mastered those.
Tormod: Those? Pshaw! I aced them! Heck, I aced everything in this book! I’m a magic genius!
Calill: Boastfulness does not become you, dear. And your brash tongue won’t make me teach you any faster.
Tormod: Yeah? I’ll show you! Um… I mean… Can you make sure I’m doing them right? Please? Pretty lady?
Calill: Fine, fine. Show me what you can do. Sigh… So much work and so little time…

Tormod's very impatient to get going on his magical education. I think Tormod is just being a kid here, but this Support does wind up exploring something entirely unique to it. To my moderate annoyance.

Rhys/Ulki C

Rhys: Um… H-hello! Hello there!
Ulki: Mmm?
Rhys: Er… I’m… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you mad! I just wanted to talk to–
Ulki: I’m not mad. Can I help you with something?
Rhys: Ooh! Oooooh! I’m so glad! I’m Rhys! N-nice to meet you!
Ulki: Er… hello. I am Ulki.
Rhys: Er… Well… Say, you can really fly with those wings, huh?! I saw you turn into a hawk before… It was amazing! I envy you!
Ulki: Mrrr?
Rhys: Oh, sorry… That probably sounds weird. I’ve always been sickly. When I was little, I spent a lot of time in bed. So… I used to gaze out the window and see all the little birds flying around the sky… It must be fantastic! Flying wherever you want, whenever you want?!
Ulki: Um… Fantastic. Yes. I suppose. I never thought of it.
Rhys: Oh, I don’t blame you! After all, you’ve been flying since you were born… Soaring through the skies like a puffy cloud!
Ulki: Mmm? Clouds do not soar… I am confused.

Rhys joins Oscar and Boyd in the "nervously talking to Tibarn's aides" club. He seems to have a bit more of a goal, though.

B Supports

Sothe/Tormod B

Tormod: Hello, Sothe!
Sothe: …
Tormod: I was thinking… We’re both lethal mercenaries and we’re both about the same age, so we should be friends!
Sothe: I don’t think so.
Tormod: No? Well, you can say that, but I’m still going to be your friend. You’ll see!
Sothe: You’re insane.
Tormod: Yeah…? Well… maybe I am! But it’s not like being my friend is going to hurt you!

Short as Tormod himself. Sothe just really doesn't want to be friends with this dork.

Lethe/Muarim B

Lethe: How are you, Muarim?
Muarim: I’m starting to feel more at home with this army. And I’ve finally gotten used to the curious looks from other laguz.
Lethe: Curious looks? Muarim… you’re hauling crates around! You should leave the supply carrying to the other soldiers.
Muarim: I guess it’s just in my nature. I don’t want to leave the work to the beorc.
Lethe: Why not?
Muarim: They’re just like us.
Lethe: I see…
Muarim: So you think I have no pride as a laguz?
Lethe: No… There was a time when I wouldn’t have cared if they all fell off a cliff. But after joining Ike and his crew, I’ve learned that beorc and laguz can get along.
Muarim: …
Lethe: I don’t know what to tell you. It seems like you’ve already given up.
Muarim: Given up?!
Lethe: I can’t say I don’t understand why. You must have led a difficult life. But… I just can’t understand how you’ve abandoned your laguz heritage.
Muarim: …

Huh, that's a bit of an odd direction to go with that, Lethe. Lethe might not understand where Muarim comes from as a slave, but she seems to think he's still got a few too many traits from that part of his life.

Nephenee/Devdan B

Devdan: I have something to tell you, Nephenee.
Nephenee: AAAAH! Um… y-yes, Devdan?
Devdan: You have that stern look again… You had better start to smile more… Or else! Remember what Devdan taught you the other day? You can laugh for no reason at all!
Nephenee: I’m trying! I promise! I really am… See? Um… Heh heh…
Devdan: Trying? Oh, little one! All you have to do is to laugh like Devdan. Like this! Mua ha har hee ho hee hoo!
Nephenee: Well, it’s… it’s hard to laugh when you’re sad… and… terribly frightened.
Devdan: Nephenee always says things like that. Talking in such a quiet voice. It makes Devdan sad… and upset!
Nephenee: Eep!
Devdan: But more sad. Devdan once visited a village that was home to a girl like you. She was so good to poor Devdan… But one day, bandits came to the village… and they killed her.
Nephenee: T-that’s terrible!
Devdan: She took herself too seriously. She should have stayed hidden with everyone else. Instead, she came out from hiding while Devdan was fighting the bandits. She thought she had to do something herself… That’s why Devdan wants you to talk more, and smile more, too! One day… poof! It could be too late for poor Nephenee!
Nephenee: Um… C-Commander Ike! Titania? Anyone…?

I can't say anything other than "holy fuck why is this man still in our army?" I don't even know if his story is really relevant. Does this help?

Zihark/Muarim B

Muarim: Zihark.
Zihark: Oh, Muarim. What brings you here?
Muarim: Did you find the sword powder?
Zihark: Unfortunately, no. I’ll need to replace it, I think. I hate to keep borrowing from the others.
Muarim: Can you use this?
Zihark: What’s this? Oh, wow… This sword powder looks expensive… You’re a laguz. How did you come to have this?
Muarim: Force of habit.
Zihark: I don’t follow you.
Muarim: I was once a slave. The nobleman who was my master made me sharpen his blades for him. I was quite adept at it. He would bring them to me unannounced. If I did not have the proper materials to sharpen his swords, he would beat me. I still do not feel comfortable unless I have these materials near me.
Zihark: I’m sorry to have brought up such a painful memory.
Muarim: It is in the past now. Would you like me to sharpen your sword?
Zihark: Thank you, but a true swordsman takes care of his own blade. I appreciate your offer, though.
Muarim: Then at least take this powder. I no longer have any use for it.
Zihark: Muarim… Thanks. You saved me. I’m not just saying this out of gratitude, but…would you care to join me for dinner?
Muarim: I would like that very much.

Zihark is a lot better match for Muarim and his painful past. He's also helpfully demonstrating how a proper beorc behaves in addition to forming a good friendship with him. I wonder how long it will take Muarim until he sources some more sword powder to satisfy his discomfort, though.

Gatrie/Ilyana B

Gatrie: Ilyana!
Ilyana: Oh, hello…
Gatrie: I picked these beautiful flowers just for you!
Ilyana: Oh…
Gatrie: W-what? You don’t like them?
Ilyana: Well…
Gatrie: Oh, good! So you DO like them!
Ilyana: It’s just that… Um…
Gatrie: …No good, eh? Then what about this brooch? Isn’t it fashionable? I picked it up at a quaint little curio shop I stumbled upon.
Ilyana: Oh…
Gatrie: That’s no good, either? Are you sure you won’t take it?
Ilyana: Well… It’s nice, but…
Gatrie: … Oh! So you love it, right? Just like you love big, strong knights?
Ilyana: Excuse me…
Gatrie: Hmmm. She’s a tough one to swoon. I’ll just have to pour it on even thicker! There’s no way I’m going to let such a gorgeous girl slip away!

As much as this normally comes off as creepy, I see and appreciate the joke that is being made here: For all the things Gatrie is giving Ilyana, note that a nice meal is not one of them.

A Support

Brom/Nephenee A

Brom: Howdy, Nephenee.
Nephenee: Well, hello there, Brom.
Brom: I was just talking to one of those younger fellas. He said you don’t talk much to other people.
Nephenee: Th-that’s because I’m a country girl and… I’m embarrassed.
Brom: What are you embarrassed about? There’s nothing wrong with country!
Nephenee: You know I have a heavy accent! They’ll make fun of me. I can’t talk well like you, Brom.
Brom: Oh, that’s cow plop and you know it! Everyone in this army is so danged nice! They wouldn’t ever laugh at you! Don’t be so uptight. Just pretend you’re back in your own village.
Nephenee: …
Brom: You smile whenever we talk, right? Aw, you have a beautiful smile. It’s a shame that you hide it. Come on, try smiling now.
Nephenee: Um… all… All right.
Brom: Come on now, smile… Smiiiiile…
Nephenee: Aw, Brom! It’s embarrassing. Like… like this?
Brom: That’s right! That’s it! Yee haw! That’s the smile I want to see. You’re a good-looking girl, Nephenee! The young fellas in the company won’t leave you alone if you keep doing that! Say, why don’t you find a nice guy here and take him back to the village!
Nephenee: S-stop Brom! I’m embarrassed!

And Brom falls into the same pitfall that Devdan and Calill do of being very insistent that Nephenee start smiling and find a husband. There's a good character in what we already have, why do you have to try and change it?

Boyd/Brom A

Brom: Whew! Aw, shucks! I give up! You got me! Phew! You’re too much for me, Boyd.
Boyd: You were close this time, pops. You’ve gotten a lot better. I think we can wrap up training soon.
Brom: I’ve gotten better, huh? You really think so?
Boyd: You’re like a full-fledged soldier! There’s not an enemy around that wouldn’t be afraid of you!
Brom: Oh, I’m so happy to hear that! I just didn’t want to be a huge burden on everyone anymore.
Boyd: Oh, stop it. Keep this up, and you could even be a royal guard after the war.
Brom: No thank you! I’m done fighting. When this war is over, I’m going back to farming.
Boyd: Listen, pops. Tell me the truth… How do we mercenaries seem to you? I mean, to farmers? Simple people.
Brom: What? I don’t get you, Boyd.
Boyd: Well, the world is full of mercenaries, but most of them are just scoundrels who can’t hold any other job, right? So when there’s no war to fight, they wander the countryside without honest work. A lot of them end up stealing from villagers or just turn into common cutthroats.
Brom: Boyd, you’re not–
Boyd: Nah, we’re not like them. I know that. But… you can’t tell that just by looking at us. I hear it when I walk through towns. “Careful! The mercenaries are back.” “They’re scrounging for money.” It kinda hurts, you know? I mean, I don’t care what you say about me, but when you talk bad about my family…
Brom: Well, Boyd. Here’s what I think. Folks always judge, and they’re usually wrong. That’s just how they are, you know? You can’t worry about it too much. But I like you. And I respect you, too. Shucks, everyone in this company has been just great! Anyway, that’s what I think.
Boyd: Thanks, pops. That’s… good to hear. All right! Back to the training! Let’s go the extra mile this time!
Brom: Huh!? A-again? G-give me a second, Boyd! Phew! Huff… puff…

See how good Brom is here? His heart is really in the right place, but dangit, poor Neph.

Marcia/Kieran A

Marcia: Kieran!
Kieran: Oh, Marcia!
Marcia: Your horse looks completely healed! I’m so glad.
Kieran: Yes, thanks to you. Let me thank you again! I, Crimean Roy–
Marcia: Oh, jerky! Not again! Stop doing that! Sheesh… Say, what’s with the bucket?
Kieran: I was going to wash my horse. He hasn’t been scrubbed down in a while, and he could use it. Besides, with all of my amazing adventures, my poor horse gets quite the workout. I try to treat him well.
Marcia: Aw, that’s sweet!
Kieran: What is?
Marcia: You love your horse! That’s so nice! I figured you’d be too busy flexing or something to notice…
Kieran: He is more than just a simple horse… He is my brother-in-arms! Some knights, some Crimean knights even, treat their horses like mere transportation… but I don’t feel that way. And it’s not just horses. Armor! Axes! Gauntlets! Boots! Er… this canteen! All fighting tools are my brothers-in-arms!
Marcia: How admirable.
Kieran: No, Marcia, it is not admirable. It is simply common sense.
Marcia: Ha ha! I wasn’t sure that you had common sense! You’re always so forgetful and distracted when it comes to other things…
Kieran: Huh! Well, I can’t say that I can agree! In fact, once while I was fighting the Giant Whippoorwill of Southern Crimea–
Marcia: Good-bye, Kieran!

Kieran does have two brain cells to rub together in there after all. Never let it be said that his high rank (ish) in the Crimean army is contrived. With that said, though, he's still an idiot.