Once again, the avatar is named Rain in this story.

A fic I started writing when I noticed how Frederick's suspicions of the avatar just drop off the face of the earth very early on in the story. A small line at the beginning of chapter 3 is the last time the point is brought up. Wanted to focus on that, and Phila managed to sneak into this fic in a big way.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rain was ready to depart the palace. The man was going to go visit the palace town, it would do him good to walk the streets, as well as take some time to learn about Ylisse's culture. He had already learned much about Ylisse's military, particularly the Shepherd branch, but had precious little knowledge about the culture or the people of the nation.

It was good that he wanted to know more about Ylisse. After all, he was now a Ylissean for all extents and purposes, living in the country with the blessings of the royal family. No one, outside a few cautious individuals, seemed too concerned about what his actual ethnicity was.

While he could have learned about Ylisse in general from books alone, he felt that walking the streets himself would be an ultimately better idea. At the suggestion of the Exalt, Emmeryn, Rain would be going with a guard by his side. He felt that Emmeryn was overestimating the potential dangers, but conceded to the suggestion. The palace town had its share of dangers, of course, but the worst physical danger was probably a pickpocket at best. And all Rain would need to handle that was a single Thunder tome.

Rain was walking toward a side exit of the castle, the front gate would be a little too extravagant to use for this. He had no intention of making the prince's personal tactician visiting the town to be an event of any consequence to the average Ylissean citizen, and by and large he was still unknown in Ylisse. He just hoped that his bodyguard wouldn't draw too much attention.

"Phila." Rain addressed who would be his companion for today, to his surprise. When Emmeryn asked him to have some manner of guard, just in case, he expected he'd spend the day with Frederick. He wouldn't have been too surprised to have been guarded by Stahl or Sully, even Miriel wouldn't have been entirely unexpected. Phila's request to be his escort had come completely out of nowhere. "Is there any particular reason you volunteered to do this?"

"You have the Exalt's good faith." Phila answered, in a manner that seemed more like an excuse then a reason. "There are more soldiers then usual in the palace today, there will be no threat to the Exalt's life just because I'm not by her side for one day. I can spend one day in the town."

Rain looked at Phila with a searching expression. Phila was stoic against the gaze, but felt a touch of unease. There were few things that could easily get past this man. "I know that Emmeryn is well protected today, Chrom and Frederick are both going to be with her. But, unless I've misread you, that wouldn't convince you to be away from her for even one day. Did… Emmeryn herself ask you to do this?"

Phila was silent, and tried very hard to not move, she couldn't risk her facial expression changing. Oh, someone did ask her to do this, but it wasn't the Exalt.

"He's proven himself enough times." Phila said, a slight touch of irritation in her voice. "We shouldn't have to spy on him. And he's already earned the Exalt's good faith."

Frederick shook his head to disagree. "Even those who prove themselves time and again can have hidden plans. We must address every possible doubt. The chance that Rain is an assassin after the Exalt, or is here to otherwise undermine the nation, is too real to ignore."

"I am well versed in reading body language. One of my duties is to watch everyone who approaches the Exalt, and I have seen nothing from Rain that I feel would signify an ulterior motive. And in light of that, I cannot do something so graceless as to spy on someone who the Exalt holds in high regard."

"I understand your willingness to trust him, but we have to remain practical about this. He claims to have no memory, but that's possibly a cover story. His obliviousness to Ylissean culture would be easy to fake. No, I need someone to scrutinize his every action. Unfortunately, I'm to be with the prince and the Exalt today, and everyone else thinks too well of him. You are yet free to choose to guard the Exalt or be elsewhere today, and you're the only person left who I can expect to think rationally about this. Remember, this is about the safety of the Exalt, and the security of Ylisse."

That last comment got Phila. She sighed. "He wants to see more of the palace town first-hand, to learn more about the nation. It would be simple to be with him when he goes. I will watch him if you feel this needs to be done, even if I have no taste for actively looking for character flaws in someone the Exalt trusts."

"Good. This must be done, Phila. Take careful note of everything he does. Until any suspicions are put to rest, not even the slightest movement from him should be given the benefit of the doubt. Watch him closely."

Frederick's reasoning was sound. It didn't make Phila feel any better about this. And Rain had realized almost immediately that something was off. If he just followed the trail, he would easily surmise-

"Never mind. If it's a personal reason, I won't force it out of you." Rain said, dropping the conversation. Phila felt almost shamed that Rain decided to not try to poke into her business, while she was agreeing to Frederick's suggestion to poke into Rain's. "We should move. I would like to see the majority of the town before the sun sets."

"Of course, Rain. Please lead the way."

The town was less vibrant then it was the day Rain first walked down the streets. Most likely because Emmeryn wasn't visiting the town today. As Rain and Phila walked down the road, Rain was somewhat surprised that the two of them weren't drawing any second glances. Even if Emmeryn's bodyguard wasn't specifically known, she was wearing the uniform of a Pegasus Knight. Yet no one they passed seemed to spare Phila a thought.

Phila almost smiled as Rain walked around, this was like body guarding a tourist. Her slight amusement was dented by the memory that she agreed to watch Rain very closely for any possible ugly motive. For now, Phila tried to relax her posture without relaxing her concentration, and not obviously look like a guard as she followed Rain.

"Ylisse lacks in elegant beauty." Phila noted as they walked, looking at some of the plain, not quite featureless but rather undecorated buildings. They were remarkably 'dull', at least compared to the buildings of most other nations. "The Exalt does not believe that wealth should be flaunted with complicated designs and jewelry. The palace is the only location in miles where grandiose designs are in place. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I take pride in this choice, and find the marble statues of other nations to be an eyesore."

Rain listened to Phila, and nodded. "I would never recommend spending an obscene amount of money just to show off."

Phila smiled. "Very few places in Ylisse actively try to be majestic. I believe the nation is served by appearing as humble as possible. Even the Exalt's garb is muted compared to what rulers of other country's wear."

"How would you feel if Ylisse became a more extravagant nation?"

"I would continue to serve the Exalt faithfully, no matter what happens." She looked over her shoulder, back at the palace. "But I know that as long as the Exalt holds power, Ylisse will never be a nation that shamelessly flaunts its wealth. Should circumstances cause the prince to take the throne, he wouldn't be the sort who enjoys such displays either."

Rain knew Chrom well enough to know that that was the truth. The two continued to walk. Their conversation shifted to other things, Ylissean entertainment, dress customs, and food. In accordance to Frederick's request, Phila carefully considered if an enemy of Ylisse might ask any of these questions. Yet she couldn't picture a spy asking what Rain seemed content to ask right now. If the questions were intended to make her lower her guard before he began to ask more suspicious questions, he didn't seem to be in an hurry to start asking them.

His responses, and his opinions of Ylisse, seemed just as innocent. No carefully crafted insults disguised as an inconspicuous comment. No comparisons to other nations and acting as if Ylisse was inferior. It seemed likely Rain wasn't familiar enough with other nations to make a proper comparison. The more he talked, the more groundless Frederick's suspicions seemed to become.

She wanted to get these suspicions out of the way once and for all. Phila decided to speak to Rain in a way that would be as blunt about Frederick's suspicions as possible without implicating the knight. Depending on his answer, she would either be able to stop trying to analyze his every twitch, or she would have something to bring to Frederick's attention.

"Rain." Phila grabbed the man by his shoulder to ensure that she had his undivided attention. "There's something I want to talk to you about, Rain, in regards to certain… rumors, I've been hearing."

"…Rumors?" Rain tilted his head. The look in Phila's face made it clear that this was a serious issue. He waited for her to continue.

She didn't, not immediately. She needed a moment to figure out how to word this. Phila inhaled, she would have to stretch the truth somewhat, but she needed some way to say it. "Yes, Rain. There are some rumors going on about you. Some are whispering that you're seeding yourself into an influential position for your own personal reasons." She studied Rain as she spoke. She didn't see any part of him growing tense, like a worm placed into enemy ranks who realized that his cover was being torn away. He looked bothered by the words, but nothing that would condemn him.

"Some suggest that you're a spy, or an assassin." Rain's eyes widened, Phila continued. "They believe that you are here with the mission to kill the Exalt and her family, and then possibly reveal Ylisse's weaknesses to a foreign nation."

"What?" Rain advanced a step toward Phila, who instinctively braced herself, but Rain instead chose to talk rather then do anything physical. "I… I've just been sort of… thrown into this position since meeting Chrom. I don't know who I was before Chrom woke me up, but… I've never thought about exploiting the position I suddenly found myself in, and I could never harm Chrom or his sisters."

Phila took careful note of Rain's answer, his body language. Not that of an assassin who was panicking upon the realization that he was being found out. More of a man who was sincerely disturbed that the honest relationship he had with his friends was being slandered by gossip. It was all Phila needed to see and hear.

"I believe you, Rain." Phila said calmly, hoping to diffuse Rain's passionate response. She was now convinced that the man was loyal to Chrom and the rest of Ylisse, and undeserving of any kind of suspicion.

Rain looked at her for a moment. "Confronting me about that was the entire reason you asked to escort me, wasn't it?"

Phila flinched. "You… are a perceptive man, indeed. Yes, I wanted to watch you and confront you about this. Believe me, it wasn't my wish to actively look for anything that could be used to suspect you, but… suspicions must be quelled."

"Suddenly asking to be my escort seemed out of character enough for me to assume there was some other reason you wanted to this. I suppose the suspicion is understandable, but believe me when I say that I have no intention of acting in self-interest."

"I do, Rain. You've convinced me with all of your actions today. I'll work to try and quell the rumors about you, and I'm sorry that I had to watch you like that."

"Let's just forget about it." Rain suggested, forgiving Phila with a smile.

"You forgive easily, Rain." She looked over her shoulder toward the sun, rapidly going down. She readopted her stance as the loyal guard. "We have an hour at best to remain in the town. Is there some last thing you would want to see?"

It was a thought provoking question. There were a lot of things, really, that he wanted to see before the sun went down. Far more then he could expect to see in one day. He turned to his escort.

"Well… what would you want to do?"

"Rain, this trip to the town is dictated entirely by you. I'm just a guard."

"I doubt this town is so dangerous as to require constant protection. You could stand to unwind a little. This was supposed to be a day that isn't taken too seriously."

Phila twisted her lips. "I… feel more comfortable when I'm the efficient guard and soldier. This is my element."

"Yes, well." Rain crossed his arms. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, but I can't have you acting so overwhelmingly soldierly if I want us to become friends."

Phila opened her mouth to again try to justify her not giving an opinion. Before the first syllable could come out, what Rain just said properly registered. "Rain you… want to befriend me?"

"Of course." Rain nodded. "I've made a lot of friends among the Shepherds and in the palace, but I'm always open to another."

Phila exhaled. "Rain, this is, very sudden. I-"

"Is the girl under the soldier the shy sort?"

"I am not being shy, Rain." Phila said almost curtly. "I'm just… surprised. I have friends and trusted comrades among the Ylissean Pegasus Knights, but I have no friends outside those ranks. And, you're the prince's own tactician, it would feel like I'm trying to make friends in high places."

Rain would have thought that being the bodyguard of the Exalt meant that Phila already had plenty of strings to pull. Being his friend couldn't have meant that much. Yet Phila seemed to be having a moral struggle over what her answer should be. Rain nonchalantly put out an arm. "Why don't we just shake hands? Taking my hand is the same as saying 'yes'."

"Don't make fun of me, Rain." Phila looked down at the hand. She was feeling completely out of her element, but slowly started to reach for it. Finally, she grasped Rain's hand, giving it a firm shake.

"Now then." Rain said. "How should two new friends spend an hour together?"

Phila hesitated to speak, but then offered her thoughts. "Even before I joined the Pegasus Knights, I did not approve of wild living. However, to speak personally, perhaps we could-"

Phila felt oddly refreshed as they returned to the palace. Though, ultimately, she and Rain had just spent the last hour sitting down and drinking Ylissean tea, and talking. Now Rain was speaking privately to prince Chrom and the Exalt behind a closed door. Phila's last duty of the day would be to escort Rain to his room in preparation for an early rise tomorrow.

Phila was rather surprised to find herself dealing with mixed emotions, and the desire to talk to her new friend again. He undoubtedly had more questions about Ylisse he wanted to ask. Phila could answer what she could, and if he asked something that Phila didn't know, they could find the answer together. At the very least, Rain should get to know her and her capabilities better, in case he ever commanded her in battle.

She heard the metallic clanking of a knight walking in armor, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turned, knowing before the knight came into view that it would be Frederick. The man walked up to her, and started the conversation Phila expected she would be having with the man.

"Did he do anything suspicious today?" Frederick began, not wasting time with pleasantries. "Reach for knowledge that he could use against Ylisse?"

"He did nothing like that." Phila said frankly. "After letting him ask his own questions for a time, I confronted him about your suspicions."

Frederick blinked. "…A rather blunt way to go about it. What was his reaction?"

"Not the reaction of a spy, whose muscles tense as they're uncovered. He was upset, maybe even hurt, that someone would think that he had an ulterior motive. In no way did I see him react like a guilty man. In light of what I saw, I cannot hold any suspicion toward him."

The knight nodded, slowly. "I see. Even so, when the safety of the realm or the royal family is at stake, no one is entitled to the benefit of the doubt."

"Fredrick, I should bridle on his behalf for your continued suspicions." Phila said plainly. "I do not feel that there is anything to suspect about the man who the Exalt herself holds in high regard."

Frederick was silent for a moment. "Still, he still needs to be examined further. Plots can be hidden behind innocent facades for a long time."

Phila kept her face stoic. Frederick's words were sound and logical, and yet it felt as though Frederick was just determined to be suspicious of Rain, and that… was irritating Phila. "The Exalt feels that we should be quicker to trust, Frederick. Skepticism of people we just met is wise, but Rain has been known for weeks now. If he had a plot, I would have seen it by now."

"You seem intent on defending him. More so then you were when I suggested this. Is there something more then just the fact that he has the Exalt's good faith now at play?"

"Yes." Phila kept her face stoic, but it slowly cracked to reveal a slightly victorious expression. "He's now my friend. And I do not appreciate my friends being the subject of groundless suspicions."

Frederick's facial expression didn't change. "There are still too many mysteries surrounding him. I hope your new friend is truly worthy of the trust everyone puts in him." He shook his head, looking disappointed in Phila, then walked on.

My only hope is that I'll be there when his loyalty to Ylisse is proven. Phila watched Frederick until he was out of sight. Because I should be there to celebrate my friend's victories.

She wouldn't be the only one to celebrate Rain's achievements. He collected friends so easily, Phila was one of many. A position she would be happy to have for as long as she knew the man.

I first envisioned this story to have Frederick being the one going to the town with Rain. An odd little fondness for Phila seemed to ultimately change that idea.

I did like having Rain and Phila interact with each other. Think that chapter 7 is the only time in the game the two talk, and it's just Phila answering the Avatar's question as to who Cordelia was.

Considering my apparent thing for the first-generation Pegasus Knights, I'd have liked to have given Phila a shot at being Rain's wife. Kind of odd that she's the only named good guy who actually dies in the story. (Well, one of two good guys, since the Yen'Fay of the Spotpass chapter isn't the one seen in the main story.) I'd have personally been completely okay to trade away the Aversa Spotpass chapter, or maybe the Priam Spotpass chapter, for a Phila Spotpass chapter.

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