Phoenix glares daggers at the ground as his stubby little legs take him to who knows where. Those fools! How could they give up on normin independence so easily?! The minute a pretty fire seraph steps into the picture, all of his idiotic brethren had transformed into gooey, smooshy fluff. Phoenix gritted his teeth, remembering the last exchange he had with Attak.

"Big brother Phoenix, don't you think it's about time you settled down?"

Settle down?! Settle down?! Just what kind of -

There was a loud thump as Phoenix felt himself collide against a large…something. He looked up, tiny paws balled into fists in what he assumed was a fearful fighting stance.

"Oops! Sorry, didn't see you there, little guy."

Phoenix hesitantly lowered his fists. He doesn't seem to have any hidden agenda…

The earth seraph crouched down, meeting him at eye level. "You okay there, little guy? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

"Of course not! A proud normin such as myself would never fall down to such a weak attack!"

"Just what part of that was an attack. He was literally just standing there."

Phoenix looked up in surprise at the second voice. Emerging from behind his attacker(?), a younger earth seraph strolled tactlessly towards him. She looked him over before turning to the other seraph, "Eizen, he's fine. Can we go now?"

Eizen chuckled, affectionately ruffling the younger seraph's head as he stood up. "Well, Edna's diagnostics are almost never wrong, so I'll take her word for it."

"What do you mean almost." The younger - Edna - lightly bopped Eizen's head with her parasol. Eizen chuckled in response, smile as bright as sunshine. Despite seemingly taking offense, Edna was wearing a small smile herself.

Phoenix felt his normin blood boil. Now this…This is what true brotherhood looks like!

"Excuse me!"

Eizen turned his attention back to him, smile still plastered on his face. "Yes?"

"My name is Phoenix, the eldest of all the normin brothers. By any chance, are you this earth seraph's older brother?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"The kinship you have so beautifully displayed in my presence can only be enacted by the truest of siblings!"

"Oooh! You've got a keen eye!"

"Or maybe he figured it out because we have the exact same hair and eye color." Edna deadpanned, moving in front of her brother; as if protecting him from catching the little normin's stupidity.

"Come now, Edna." Eizen side stepped his sister, moving toward Phoenix with renewed interest. "So? What's this about brethren?"

Phoenix blinked before beaming brightly and relaying his tales of normin revolutions and his courageous fights for normin independence. Eizen listened patiently to it all, with Edna begrudgingly listening from her self-made rock-seat. When Phoenix finished, Eizen closed his eyes and "hmmm'd" in deep thought.

"So basically, you want to be able to reconnect with your family?"

"Wha?! No! I want them to join me on the path of revolution!"

"Exactly. But to lead an army, you need to be able to connect with them."

Phoenix's eyes widened in realization. "Y-you're right!" He looked up at Eizen, awestruck.

"Yup!" Eizen chuckled, "How's about this? I'll help you find a way to reconnect with your brothers and…" He turned to his sister, who had long since fallen asleep after Phoenix entered the second hour of his life's story, "In return…I want to ask for a favor…"

—

"Observe your younger sister?"

"Yeah! That way, you can kind of get a feel of what it's like to see through the eyes of a younger sibling. Maybe you'll figure out how to relate with your younger brothers."

"I see! Genius!"

"So, um…I'm planning to go on a trip for a little while."

"A trip?"

"Yeah…There's something…I have to do. And I can't drag Edna into it. So, if it's not too much trouble…"

"I understand. You would like me to keep a watchful eye on your sister, correct?"

"Y-yeah. Is that alright?"

"Of course it's alright! You have lent me a kind ear, given me a grand plan for rekindling my relationship with my brethren, and saved me from the depths of loneliness and despair."

"I think that last one is stretching it a bit…But thanks, Phoenix. I really owe you. And, about this trip…I'll explain it all to you when I return."

"Perish the thought! I will not ask what your trip entails, your eyes speak more than enough words. All I ask…Is that you return to your sister safely."

"Ha ha! Well, I'll have to relieve you from your babysitting job at some point! I'll be sure to bring you back a nice souvenier!"

—

Phoenix was always watching. He was watching when the Shepherd enlisted Edna's aid in his quest to purify malevolence. He sees the way Edna's eyes widen the slightest bit, her shoulders tighten, mouth slightly quivering. He notices how she looks at him the same way she used to look at Eizen, and it pains her to see the earth seraph try to suppress the tears that threaten to fall…But the flood gates never open. Instead, Edna straightens her shoulders, puts on her best poker face, and agrees to go along with the Shepherd and his friends.

Phoenix was watching when Sorey lost his ability to see the seraphs. He was watching as Lailah covered her mouth in shock and fear, as Mikleo endlessly cried out to his best friend, and Edna…Edna stood stock still, gripping the handle of her parasol tighter as she clenched her teeth and furrowed her brow in frustration. Phoenix hadn't seen her wear that expression since the day her brother turned into a dragon.

Phoenix was watching when Edna fearlessly led the Shepherd's posse through the Earth temple, solving the dungeon's puzzles and blasting through enemies using her seraphic rates with ease. That centaur had every right to be afraid of her. Edna had truly grown into an exceptionally strong earth seraph. If only Eizen could see her now…

Phoenix was watching when Dezel gave up his life to save Rose. The wind seraph was cold and aloof, but Phoenix knew a good guy when he saw one, however hard he attempted to hide that innate kindness. He's not sure how, but Dezel somehow figured out that Phoenix wasn't the plush toy he masqueraded himself to be and often snuck him scraps of food when no one was looking. He saw the way Dezel was always careful with the group's surroundings, how he smiled ever so slightly at Rose's antics and how he would begrudgingly go along with Edna's little pranks on an unsuspecting Mikleo.

Now one seraph short, Phoenix watched as the party all mourned silently throughout the night. He watched as Lailah gazed forlornly towards the night sky, as Mikleo stood shoulder to shoulder with Sorey, whose shoulders shook with each choked sob, as Rose excused herself to the inn room and cried her heart out into the bed covers, and as Edna sat silently on the bench, listlessly twirling her parasol as streams of tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

Phoenix was watching when Edna, Sorey, everyone valiantly fought a dragon and lived. He watched as Sorey and Rose stubbornly fought on, never giving up. He watched as the seraphs provided endless support. He watched as the knights overcame their fear, touched by the Sorey and Rose's determination. He watched as a losing battle turned into an overwhelming victory. And he watched as a flash of realization overcame Edna, if only for a second. A realization of her brother's fate.

Phoenix was watching when Edna had to say farewell to her brother a second time. It took all of Phoenix's will power not to cry lest his cover be blown, but Edna finally letting loose all of the anguish she'd bottled up for years made that task so much harder. Sorey and Zaveid stood by her sobbing, crouched figure, silent and understanding. Rose, Lailah, and Mikleo took up the rear, gazes turned away in order to give Edna some privacy in her mourning.

—

Phoenix yelled for order as his siblings chattered amongst themselves excitedly. They were in front of the Great Tree, eagerly awaiting the return of the Shepherd. Edna was the first to arrive, with Lailah trailing shortly behind. "Lady Lailah!" Attak yelled excitedly, inciting a chorus of "Lady Lailah!'s" from his other siblings. Phoenix watched his infatuated brothers with disdain, nearly clumsily toppling over as Edna nudged him with her boot.

"Hey."

"Ah, young Edna. It's good see you."

"I'm centuries old, and you're still calling me 'young'"?

"W-well- that's-"

"Relax, I'm not mad. You should know by know that calling a lady 'young' is the best compliment she can receive."

"Why, yes, of course!"

"Yo! Phoenix!"

The oldest normin turned to fix his hardest glare at the approaching wind seraph.

"Woah! What's with this hostility I'm sensing?!"

Edna scoffed. "Where's Meebo and Sorey? Didn't you promise to escort them? What happened to 'Mr. Always There When You Need Him'? Did he take a vacation?"

"Ouch! Your words cut as deep as ever. Anyway, Mickey boy wanted to take a little detour before bringing Sheps back. Probably just wanted to show him some ancient monolith or something."

"He's over a hundred years old now, and he's still getting excited over stuff like that? Hmph. Immature Mikleo. Immatureo."

"Will you stop with the nicknames?!"

And once again, Phoenix watched. He watched as his brothers excitedly ran up to the previous Shepherd and clung to his ankles. He watched as Lailah rushed to warmly embrace her old friend. He watched as Zaveid affectionately ruffled the Sorey's hair. He watched as Edna lightly bumped Sorey's side with her umbrella. He watched as she offered a small smile, and without a moment's hesitation, he watched as Sorey crouched and enveloped the smaller girl in an embrace. And it was then that tears, happy tears, were shed. And for a split second, Phoenix could have sworn that he could see Eizen smiling fondly at them all.

Eizen had always been there watching.

—

"Hey, Edna! I've got something for you!"

"What's this?"

"It's a normin plush!"

"…Isn't this Phoenix?"

"Wh-what?! Of course not! He's made of 100% pure cotton!"

"Is he now?"

"Yup!"

"So you wouldn't mind if I hung him from my umbrella?"

"Of course no- wait, are you planning to hang him upside down?"

"Yes. That's not a problem, right? He is just a plush toy."

Eizen looked nervously to Phoenix. The normin locked eyes with him, solemnly closed his eyes, and gave a slight nod. Eizen couldn't help but think; So manly!

Edna continued to stare at him, waiting for a response.

"Y-yes, it's fine! Completely fine! But! You have to promise me to always keep that plush close to you!"

"Why?"

"Because…I won't always be around to watch over you. So -"

"You're not gonna ask me to treat it like it's you or something, are you?"

"No, of course not! It's just, well…I have to…"

"I'll keep it."

"Huh?"

"I said I 'll keep it. But in return, whatever you plan to do, make sure you come back as soon as possible. Or else I'm turning this 'plush' into my next art project."

"Edna!"

Eizen enveloped his sister into a warm embrace, laughing in that goofy way of his. Edna smiled one of her rare, genuine, non-condescending smiles; "Jeez, what would you do without me."