Felix didn't take much stock in faith. He believed in the strength of his blade and his will to act, but he didn't think that anyone was predestined for greatness. Anyone could die at a moment's notice, no matter for great they seemed, in the end only you could determine your own survival.
He needed every skill he could acquire to ensure that he would live to achieve his goals, that was why he confronted Bernadetta during the march to the Rhodos Coast. One way or another, he would figure out that technique she had used to disarm him.
"You." Felix said.
"Ah! What'd I do? Am I in your way? I'm in your way. I know I get it. I'm sorry. I can't stand the sight of me either," Bernadetta jumped in place and replied nervously.
"I never said that. Stay right there. You're always running away. You must really find me irritating."
"Irritating, I know! I completely – What? No, I mean, I know I'm irritating, but – Huh?"
"Stop. Do you remember when you came up behind me and knocked the sword from my hands? I need you to teach me that technique."
"Sword? Teach? Technique!?"
"Yes, teach me that technique."
"I don't know what you're talking about. And it wasn't me. You must've dreamed it."
Felix sighed. This wasn't getting anywhere. If anything, though he could always just set up a situation where she'd be cornered by an enemy and use the technique again… no that wasn't right. Even he couldn't do that to the girl.
"I'll be keeping an eye on you in this mission," he decided instead.
"What!?"
"You heard me. I-"
"So, how was that cake I made you," Lysithea peaked her head over from the side and gave him an eager smile. "Delicious wasn't it?"
"Which one?" Felix asked annoyed by the interruption, among other things. Ever since he had said he had liked her baking the white-haired girl had been bombarding her with cakes. Not that they were bad, they were all admittedly delicious and suited his palate, but there was only so much cake one guy could handle.
Bernadetta at the very least hadn't run away but was now completely silent as he and Lysithea spoke to one another.
"The one with ginger, orange peel, and cinnamon. That one was influenced by some Almyran sweets Claude got me."
"It was great," Felix sighed before he felt someone tug on his right sleeve. He began to wonder about which Goddess he had to have pissed off when he turned his head to find Flayn standing next to him. Why would these girls not leave him alone?
"You'll eat her cake, but you won't eat any of the fish I prepare for you?" Flayn asked with a frown on her face.
"The last time I ate your food I got food poisoning."
"I'll have you know that I've been taking lessons from Chef Deddles since then!"
"Chef who?" Felix asked.
"Dedue! He's an excellent cook and a surprisingly patient teacher."
"If you can get Dedue to stand behind your dish then I'll eat it, but only then." Felix might not have been particularly fond of the man, but there was no denying his skill in the kitchen. Hopefully he would be enough to stop Flayn from sending him to the infirmary… again.
"Honestly the only person who's worse in the kitchen is Annette," Felix muttered to himself.
"What did you just say!?"
Felix bit back a curse and turned back toward Annette who had somehow snuck up on him. She was pouting, which was honestly sort of adorable but not what he needed right now.
"Look you are skilled in a lot of things. It's just that cooking isn't one of those things," Felix explained.
"I'll have you know that I've also been taking lessons with Flayn and Dedue!" Annette responded angrily.
"And how well has that been going?"
Annette's face turned pink like it normally would whenever they talked with one another. "Oh, you are the worst."
"Felix, why are you bothering Annette?" Lysithea accused.
"I'm not!" Felix replied.
"I believe he is just trying to be nice," Flayn responded. "He's much kinder than he lets on."
"No, that's not-"
"Oh, how kind could he actually be?" Annette asked. "He's always making fun of me."
"I'm not! You're an impressive person with a lot of things going for you," Felix argued
"Really? Like what?"
"You're the hardest worker I know-"
"Hey!" Lysithea shouted.
"Ok. One of the hardest workers I know," Felix continued. "You're great with magic, you're caring for your friends, and you have a pretty voice." He had realized his mistake just as the words had left his mouth, but by then it was too late.
Annette gripped her fists and turned absolutely crimson. "I told you to forget that!"
"I can't. It's hard to." Ok why was he saying these things? He knew that this was just going to make things worse. "Especially with that footwork of yours."
"YOU'RE EVIL, FELIX!" Annette shouted before running off.
"What did you do to her?" Lysithea asked him accusatorily .
"I don't know. She's been shouting at me like this ever since I watched her singing in the greenhouse!"
"You caught her singing by herself?"
"Yes."
"And you just happened to eavesdrop on her?"
"Not on purpose. I just happened to walk in as she was doing it."
Lysithea sighed. "Well that explains a few things."
"That explains what?" Felix asked
"That you have no idea how girls work."
"Now you're sounding like Ingrid. How am I supposed to tell what other people think or feel if they don't say it clearly?"
"Because there are some things that don't and shouldn't need to be said. Remember how I acted when you…" Lysithea glanced around before leaning in to whisper, "saw me eating cake."
He scoffed. "Hard not to. You freaked out for no reason."
"Well it might not be a big deal for you, but it was for me. It's embarrassing… and perhaps a bit intimate for me to do that in front of someone."
"That's… stupid. Why do it where someone might just walk in and see you?"
"Because I need to enjoy myself sometimes. Even if it's not at the most private location. Anyway, the point is the way I felt about eating cake is probably how Annette feels about her singing."
That… actually made a lot of sense. "Annette did act a lot like you did."
"Exactly. Her singing is likely very intimate for her. Even if it isn't your fault you happened to walk in on her, it would still be best if you apologized… and found a way to assure her that her secret is safe with you."
Felix stared at her firmly for a few seconds. "Tch. Alright I'll do that, but it's not like she has anything to be worried about. If anything, I enjoyed it."
"You enjoyed her singing?"
"I did. Her songs are catchy, and her voice is pleasant. I'm quite curious about how the library song will end."
"You want to hear more? Couldn't you just go to an opera or something?"
"I do like operas, but her singing is different. Is there a problem?"
"No problem… no problem at all," Lysithea replied. "Just good luck with her."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Um can I go now?" Bernadetta asked.
"I'll need to talk to you later once we set up camp," Lysithea told her.
"Why!?"
"I have to check up on everyone. Someone has to do it while the Professor's off fighting elsewhere."
"Oh, yea I heard about that… Y-you don't think he's in any trouble, do you?" Bernadetta asked with her voice trembling.
(Meanwhile at an arena located in the Abyss)
"We've got reinforcements on the left flank!"
"Claude, Constance, cover the Professor's flank!"
"I do not take orders from one such as you."
"Cover my flank."
"Of course, Professor I shall sally forth immediately."
"Damn it! Dimitri's hit. Lindhart we need you now!"
"One second… I'm already busy healing the brute here."
"Hey. I'm not a brute! I'm the king of grappling!"
"I was talking about Hilda."
"Hey! How could you talk like that to a delicate maiden!"
"Well you certainly don't act li- OW!"
"Don't hit the healer! He's the only one we've got!"
"Sigh. I knew we were all doomed anyway."
"Hapi no!"
"I thought I smelled fresh blood. The worms will feast tonight!"
"Why is the Death Knight here!?"
"Damn it Hapi why!?"
"Now more reinforcements! Everyone just regroup, regroup!"
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Felix replied.
The march toward the Rhodos Coast had been… interesting for Lysithea to say the least. It was a veritable gathering of students from all three houses and unlike most missions the Professor wasn't there to keep things together, nor were any of the House leaders there to stop their classmates from getting out of line. It was up to her now to keep things in order, even if it was much easier said than done.
It was for this reason that she finally decided to talk to Bernadetta once they had set up camp for the night. Normally she wouldn't really interact with someone like the recluse, but she was the one leading this mission and it was her responsibility to check up on everyone there. It was something the Professor would always do to great effect, his company on these marches would often build up morale and create a sense of cohesion with the group. He was just a very good and inspirational leader despite how emotionless he initially seemed. Of course, trying to replicate him was easier said than done.
"How have you been?" Lysithea attempted to initiate some small talk as she sat across from Bernadetta. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say, because the recluse immediately let out a small screech and started to cower away.
"Why are you doing this?"
"I just wanted to see how you were. How you felt about being on this mission?"
"Why would you care about me and why exactly did you bring me along?" Bernadetta asked Lysithea for what seemed like to be tenth time this march.
"Because you're capable and I need you," Lysithea replied promptly.
"You need me?... No you don't need me. This is all a trick isn't it? You, Seteth, and Hubert are working together to bring me out in the middle of nowhere and dispose of me aren't you!"
"For the love of- No I am not trying to kill you!" How paranoid could this girl get? It was absolutely insufferable.
"Eeep- you're mad!" the purple haired recluse immediately cowered away. "You're going set me on fire, burn me alive into a charred-up corpse that you wouldn't even have to bury. Just let the wind carry me ashes into the air."
"I can assure you are not going to be burned to death. I'm not out to hurt you."
"Then what about Claude or Sylvain?" Bernadetta accused her. "I've heard your threaten to burn them alive into a crisp."
"They're an exception and honestly they were asking for it. Besides didn't you threaten to burn Sylvain alive too?"
"How do you know about that?"
"Because he told me."
"He did?"
"Yes," Lysithea sighed. "He also told me about how much he loved that book of yours."
"You're l-lying."
"I'm not. I do lie and keep secrets about a lot of things admittedly, but I'm telling you the truth. He thinks you're a good writer. Just take the compliment and don't freak out about it."
"You should listen to her Bernie," Dorthea suddenly joined the two of them. "You're a very sweet girl with a lot of talent. You should be proud of that."
"P-proud? Me? But I'm just plain old Bernie…"
"Look," Lysithea shot Bernadetta a firm look that would've sent her running away had the Songstress not kept a firm grip on her. "You clearly have a lot troubles, but you're not the only one with their fair share of pain of suffering."
"Aren't you being a bit harsh there Lysithea?" Dorothea replied. "You don't understand some of the things that Bernie's been through."
"I'm a harsh person," Lysithea admitted. "I'm impatient and I have a temper, that doesn't mean I'm wrong though. We've all had terrible things happen to us. Raphael's parents were killed by monsters, Dimitri went through the Tragedy of Duscur, Dedue likewise went through the culling of nearly his entire people, I could write you a ten page thesis hypothesizing the things that plague Marianne, and I was captured, tortured, and subjected to a fate nearly worse than death on at least two separate occasions in my lifetime."
"Two? I thought it was just the one with the Death Knight," Dorothea commented.
"I was a child the first time, long story. The point is whatever it was that Bernadetta went through, I sympathize, but I'm not just going to stand idle while she vents her irrational fears on me when she could be doing something productive instead."
"Y-you're right," Bernadetta admitted. "I'm not the only one who had terrible things done to her, but I still can't do anything right. I'm useless and unmarr-"
"Bernie never say that again," Dorethea told her firmly.
"Bu-"
"Don't alright. For my sake. We're friends aren't we?"
"Ok…" Bernadetta conceded.
"Just be ready to fight alright?" Lysithea replied before promptly walking away. She wasn't very good at this and would just leave it to the Songstress to keep the recluse calm.