* minor crest

@lionknightess· gets this trash starter !!

&&  — MAYBE IT IS SOME SORT OF GOOD THING THAT THEY MANAGED TO BUMP INTO INGRID AT SETH’S HOUSE , but right now as they stare at her from down the hall , it feels like anything of the sort. it’s the simple sight of her that makes them feel sick to their stomach , like they could pass out any minute as a heavy weight begins to fall on their shoulders. they can’t run though - not from her , not from everything they’ve been through , and all they want to do is apologize , to take back their actions but… how ?? carefully , they close the front door behind themself , clearing their throat as they begin to walk towards her , hesitantly at that. if she wants them to go , they’ll go - they don’t want her feeling cornered. “ ingrid… ” goddess , their voice doesn’t even sound like it’s coming out of their body - meeker than normal , a subtle softness to it as they lean against the door frame and cross their arms. “ i completely understand that you don’t want to talk to me , but we need to at some point. i’m not … about to lose one of my closest friends because of something so dumb. ”

          OF ALL PEOPLE SHE EXPECTED  to run into at seth’s house ,  they were definitely not very high on the list  ---  in fact ,  the blonde could do without this encounter .  the new year had started off terribly for isolde ;  after all ,  how does one recover from  betrayal  by the hand of two of their best friends ?   it is even worse when one of those friends is no short of family to you ,  and yet ...  well ,  here they were .  when she wasn’t keeping herself busy with work or any other duties  ( like dodie rehearsals for examples ) ,  isolde would find refuge in owen .  for the moment ,  he seemed to be the only person she could count on  ---  at least until dimitri regained his memories ,  or annette decided to return her calls .  all in all ,  despite the many ways she had attempt to avoid thinking about them ,  there was nowhere to run right now and even then ,  she had  never  been one to run and hide .

   — WHENEVER ISOLDE SPEAKS , OWEN MAKES IT A POINT to listen to everything she says with more attention than he’s physically capable of giving. In other words , his eyes never leave her form , his ears are only tuned to her words , and the smile on his face is one that he hasn’t shown to many as of late. It’s GENUINE ; there is a genuine admiration for such an amazing person , such an otherworldly & extraordinary individual … He’d be a fool to waste any time with her. And while Owen is certainly colorful in every aspect to where it teeters on being foolish , he could never exercise such in her presence. He considers himself lucky - unworthy , even.

   ❝ You were a pegasus knight ?? ❞ He asked as the smile upon his lips grew wider and wider , thinking back to Sumia & Cynthia & Cordelia - and he imaged HER upon a snow white , winged steed , leveling battlefields with a halo of light surrounding her crown. She’d effortlessly take down her foes , careful precision in every wave of the lance : the KNIGHT of all knights , a heroine greater than any other being told of in the epics … He lost himself just thinking about it.❝ That’s so … amazing , ❞ he mused , sitting back with his hand tucking back a lock of hair.❝ And no - no , we didn’t. Half the formal TRAINING STUFF was leveled before I was even born … I-I come from a place where bad things happened and ruined everything for me ; and then I had to go to a good place , but I couldn’t really value my time in the good place because … well … War does that to you. Does that make sense ?? ❞

         THE REACTION HE GIVES HER  makes the blonde nod assuringly ,  lips curling into a smile that conveyed something between pride and a bit of melancholy .  though there were many incredible things about this new life she’d been given ,  isolde couldn’t help but miss the company of a pegasus by her side .  there were only so many things that could compare to the feeling of seeing the world from above  ---  even a battleground was easier on the eyes from such great heights .  ❝  i was ,  yes ...  and  thank you .  i don’t think anyone has ever complimented me on that ,  ❞  a chuckle .  ❝  i was the only one amongst my peers ,  but that’s alright .  though becoming a cavalier wouldn’t have been bad ,  a pegasus seemed like a better option for keeping an eye on and  protecting  my friends ...  not to mention ,  pegasi are very docile creatures .  i’m guessing you  like horses ,  too ?  ❞  

                    SHE  SPEEDS  DOWN  the  street  as  fast  as  her  legs  can  carry  her,  weaving  in  and  out  of  the  crowd  as  her  gaze  remains  fixated  on  the  animal  escaping  her  at  this  very  moment.  ❝  quick  !!  someone  catch  that  frog  !!  ❞  she  doesn’t  actually  expect  anyone  to  help  her,  but  it’s  worth  a  shot,  she  thinks,  especially  as  the  frog  hops  between  spaces  that  she  can’t  get  through.  she  lets  out  a  loud  groan  as  the  frog  leaps  into  the  park,  making  a  sharp  turn  to  get  through  the  entrance.  she’s  barely  gone  two  steps  before  she’s  tripping  over  litter  someone  left  lying  on  the  grass,  and  she  falls  face-first  on  the  ground  with  a  screech.  a  moment  later  and  the  frog  is  sitting  on  her  head.  ❝  you’ve  got  to  be  kidding  me,  ❞  she  mumbles  into  the  grass.

Inigo: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 🥳 🥳

Inigo: owen mentioned u guys r spending the day together so i wont interfere

Inigo: (unless he's not treating u right in which case call me)

Inigo: BUT

Inigo: can i drop by for a few?

isolde: thanks inigo! what a nice surprise!

isolde: haha yes, we are! i think he wanted to take me to see the new star wars, but apparently it isn't a good idea.

isolde: he couldn't treat me wrong even if he tried, but thank you for your concern! he is a gentleman.

owen: No it's okay - are you okay??

owen: You're a great thing to wake up to!! A mesmerizing sight that a simple human such as myself - a peasant in the presence of a radiant pegasus knight goddess of battle - would give a thousand lifetimes to witness. I am forever grateful that I am bequeathed with the presence to talk to the likes of you!

owen: ...idk lol I tried to see if I could get something nice together but. Yeah.

owen: I'll be more tolerable once I wake up a bit, I promise. :)

owen: Did you find your friend?

isolde: i will be, yes. i just feel as if i've lost two people who were very dear to me ...

isolde: i'm no stranger to the feeling, but i was hoping to never feel it again. at least not this way.

isolde: oh? i thought it was great. it made me smile. 😊 are you sure you're not a bard in disguise?

isolde: you say that as if i "tolerate" you. being around you is no chore, owen. there's nothing to tolerate. i promise that, on my honor as a knight!

isolde: no, not yet ... i messaged her and left voicemails, but have yet to hear from her.

owen: so

owen: i was gonna surprise you with tickets to see tros but then i heard it sucks so im not gonna deal w/ that but like

owen: ,,,,hi??? hello???

owen: i had a really good time last night n um. i liked it. ur really cool. n maybe i just woke up but youUUUUU are,,,,,

owen: wow.

owen: ignore me i'm not at all thinking straight right now just

owen: how are you doing????

isolde: ( ... )

isolde: tros?

isolde: oh the rise of skywalker, yes? sorry, my mind is a bit all over the place.

isolde: but it's very sweet that you meant to surprise me. you didn't have to bother with that.

isolde: don't worry, it's alright. i'm sorry i had to leave all of a sudden, i was looking for a friend.

isolde: but the time i got spend with you was the best part of my night.

isolde: i feel ... um, i've been better, that much i can say for certain. how about you?

annie: oh dw isolde i just wanted to give you and owen some time alone ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

annie: but happy new year !!

annie: no not nevermind !! don't tease us like that !!

annie: you're evil felix :(((

dimitri: be nice, annette. they're not evil.

dimitri: i like the idea of spending time together.

sylvain: happy new year!

sylvain: i knew u guys would miss my face eventually 😳

sylvain: anyway, what's this abt a get together?

isolde: the time alone was appreciated, but you shouldn't have bothered. truly!

isolde: the purpose of this group chat isn't your face, sylvain.🙄

isolde: a get together would be great ... so long as everyone is up for it! and annie if you see this, please do let me know where you went!

finn: you know haha no fuck that

finn has left the gc

finn: [...]

finn: [...]

finn: [...]

finn: oh, i'm pulling the joke? really?

finn: wow that's really fucking hilarious of a joke ingrid

finn: have you been gearing up for that one the entire fucking time? did you just want me to fucking admit what i'd done? i can do it; i've had to deal with this for a while now. i can fucking admit my sins no fucking problem.

finn: i fucking sided with edelgard and the professor. there was no four of us fighting together. it was us on opposite sides of the battle field.

finn: you told me i had gone against everything. that i had gone against glenn, dimitri, and my father. sylvain and i fucking killed you that day.

finn: i watched dimitri die that day, too.

finn: edelgard killed him. it's what she had to do.

finn: and sylvain and i had a future. i thought.

finn: actually that doesn't even matter. none of that matters because if i'd known that was happening, i wouldn't have been so fucking foolish.

finn: [...]

finn: is that what you wanted to hear?

finn: because it's not going to help you sleep better at night.

finn: it's never helped me.

finn: and frankly i get you're mad, you have every right to, but what the fuck. i would have just admitted it.

isolde: ...

isolde: what the hell, felix.

isolde: i don't understand what you're saying or where that is all coming from, but don't act as if i pressured you to admit what ever it is you claim to have done.

isolde: or did, since you are so sure of it.

isolde: none of this makes sense, but considering this world as a whole, i shouldn't be surprised.

isolde: to think you would say such things as if they're meaningless, or even do them.

isolde: i see now you did become as strong as you always wanted to be.

finn: no. no we.... we didn't. do that. we never did that. you're not recalling it

finn: [...]

finn: what fucking agreement? what the fuck does that mean? stop being cryptic.

finn: [...]

finn: rhea died. edel and byleth killed rhea.

finn: you wouldn't be able to know that but no, rhea didn't. . . make it.

finn: we weren't together.

finn: [...]

finn: [...]

finn: [...]

finn: do you not remember everything?

isolde: you're entitled to your wrong opinion.

isolde: sylvain and i agreed that once the war ended, we would, you know ... become an item, to put it simply. i must have forgotten to tell you.

isolde: ... pardon?

isolde: how can you say that about the professor?

isolde: edelgard died, felix. dimitri killed her.

finn: ah, thanks.

finn: you know, if you guys are up for it, we could do something today

finn: [...]

finn: actually, nevermind.

annie: oh dw isolde i just wanted to give you and owen some time alone ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

annie: but happy new year !!

annie: no not nevermind !! don't tease us like that !!

annie: you're evil felix :(((

dimitri: be nice, annette. they're not evil.

dimitri: i like the idea of spending time together.

sylvain: happy new year!

sylvain: i knew u guys would miss my face eventually 😳

sylvain: anyway, what's this abt a get together?

isolde: the time alone was appreciated, but you shouldn't have bothered. truly!

isolde: the purpose of this group chat isn't your face, sylvain.🙄

finn: he wasn't. how could you even think that? you weren't there, you should know you couldn't have been there. i don't know if this is some sort of fucked up afterlife you had or something, but none of that happened. sylvain was with me, too. he was always with me?

finn: yeah, i'm fine, are YOU alright? this isn't making any sense.

finn: sylvain physically could not have been with you? he was with me.

finn: her... good graces?

finn: i'm confused.

finn: [...]

finn: no, that question can fucking wait.

finn: what the fuck are you on about?

isolde: how could i not? we were all fighting together, felix. the three of us returned to the monastery together to find dimitri for goodness sake!

isolde: i know it isn't, which is why i must ask you to try and recall the events correctly!

isolde: he was with me. he was with me quite a bit, actually ... strangely enough, it is odd that he doesn't recall an agreement we made.

isolde: yes, of course. i know we didn't actually find lady rhea, but it is not as if we were attempting to harm her either. i wonder what she came to be.

finn: yeah, gilbert.

finn: he. . . more present after the war? for who? it definitely wasn't for annette. sylvain and i were the ones with her, not him, and he made it very clear he did not give a fuck within one fucking second of us being near him.

finn: if she remembers that part, i just fear it'll tear her apart. you don't recover from that knowledge. you just... you don't.

finn: you're right.

finn: rhea though. . . i haven't seen her yet. i don't think i want to, after all of that though.

finn: i mean, i'm shocked seteth even wants to speak to me, too. but yeah. he works at. . . the hq, i think? i think that's where owain works. how do you not know what it's called?

finn: letting me win? please. he's still quite competitive. it's part of his charm.

finn: just a part of it though. he's... great.

isolde: what do you mean? i am certain he promised to be there for her, he was with us all along. i don't remember any of that, especially considering sylvain was with me.

isolde: not to mention, it would be unlike mercedes not to have been with annette too ... are you alright, felix?

isolde: i suppose seeing her would cause ... a commotion, to say the least. though i'm certain we're in her good graces.

isolde: you are making no sense. why wouldn't he? he fought alongside us the whole time, he should have no ill intent towards any of us. and i know what it is called!

isolde: i was only wondering if you were familiar with the place. speaking of that, i was with him when i messaged you all.

finn: i'm just going to ignore that comment.

finn: all of those comments, actually.

finn: i hope, for her sake, it's just good things. all she needs to remember right now are good things

finn: and honestly, edelgard and the others are the least of her worries. i'm more worried about what her reaction is going to be when it comes to gilbert.

finn: [ . . . ]

finn: he's a good host? honestly, i'm not shocked. he probably was behind all of the events rhea would create in garreg mach.

finn: dimitri is doing fine. we're just playing board games.

isolde: :)

isolde: wait, what do you mean gilbert? i thought things were fine between them now, and that he would be present after the war.

isolde: or perhaps after his highness's ascension, i suppose. i don't know the specifics.

isolde: i am certain he was. though rhea was the face of the church, we cannot deny that he did quite a large part of the work. that requires a lot of dedication.

isolde: isn't he the owner of that ... interesting store here in town?

finn: it's almost like it's because clearly i would have read it before answering you as it was sent first

finn: i don't like a bunch of unread messages wtf that's so cluttery

finn: also new year's aren't a thing. but anyways, not my fucking point.

finn: though a slip up... are you implying she's a robot that just malfunctioned or something?

finn: which even if she was (which she's not, this is annette we're talking about), that's a big slip up. that is... my fucking name. she's said that exact thing to me. we were at garreg mach and she said it.

finn: yeah, do that. make sure she's okay i. . . i don't want her suffering if she does know.

finn: oh it's fine. it's just dimitri and me. how's seth's?

isolde: you're not that good with following orders, so i guess i just assumed. have it your way.

isolde: that is something we can agree on. i will say i also don't like knowing when a person has or hasn't read a message. it seems very invasive ...

isolde: it's the intention that counts, felix. please don't make such a huge deal out of this.

isolde: what?! of course not! i'm saying that maybe the part of her that remembers slipped your name into the part that does not ... you know, conscious and unconscious.

isolde: then my theory isn't too long of a shot. maybe her memories of you are starting to resurface!

isolde: she will be fine, annette is incredibly strong. plus, she has us. but i do wonder how she will feel once she realizes that edelgard and others are here and very much alive.

finn: "did i see that" oh no i'm clearly just fucking blind.

finn: but i don't know. i texted her but she just sent me this image.

finn: [attachment: https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/631/825/7a6.jpg] so i mean.

finn: i feel like if she knew she would have said something more than just that.

finn: though fuck she's said those exact words to me before.

isolde: how was i supposed to know you've already read the message, felix?

isolde: it's a new year and yet, you are as rude as ever! and that is ... that is a strange reaction.

isolde: i'll see if i can find her around here and ask if everything is okay. maybe it was just a slip, though i find that hard to believe.