Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Hope you've all been doing well. As for myself, I have found that most of my time has been consumed with playing through Engage. During the course of my first-time adventure through Elyos alongside Alear and Co., I have made a grand discovery:
A DISTURBING number of people in Elyos have little-to-no knowledge/regard for conventional societal norms!
Now, if it were just toward Alear (the poor lad/lass), everyone's lack of manners/common sense could be somewhat understandable based on their status, though still not excusable. But no, most of the people behave just as bad with each other (and even to civilians!) as they do with Alear! And some of these people are royalty/nobility! If it weren't for the fact that everyone was occupied with trying to stop the literal destruction of the world at the hands (claws?) of a giant cobra with legs, I'd recommend the entire cast be enrolled in an intensive course on proper social etiquette (especially respecting personal space!).
Phew. Anyways, ranting aside, I'm still enjoying Engage and cannot wait to get through my first playthrough so I can begin my second run with the DLC rings. That all said, I hope you all enjoy this new entry and have a wonderful day!
Also, special shout-outs to Brian303 for the prompt which this entry is lightly adapted from (Fjorm overhearing another Hero confess to Kiran), as well to Purple Zero for being on the same creative wavelength as I was when writing this!
FireEmblemMaster101: I'd like to head-canon that whenever Kiran is involved - barring life or death scenarios - a significant portion of Fjorm's rationality and level-headedness goes out the window. Also, I now have the desire to see art of F!Morgan wearing an oversized summoner cloak!
I feel you on getting wrapped up in other games; I would like to get back to TMS soon, perhaps as a palette cleanser once I complete Engage for the first time.
Purple Zero: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the previous entry! I knew from the moment I summoned Alear in Heroes and saw one of her home screen quotes about engaging with the summoner - as well as the shenanigans with Marth in Forging Bonds - I knew what had to be done. And this entry is the result.
Culture Shock
"Hm? Hello, Chloé. What are you doing?"
Turning her head, the recently summoned pegasus knight smiled warmly as Fjorm approached her wearing an expression of curiosity. "Hello, Princess Fjorm. I'm just admiring this beautiful garden." The royal knight of the kingdom of Firene was sitting comfortably on a bench outside of Askr's castle, gazing intently a small outdoor garden of flower beds and decorative hedges when the Nifl princess caught her attention. "It's a lovely location for people watching as well!"
"People…watching?" Fjorm repeated, her curious expression shifting into one of confusion. "Might I ask what you mean?"
Chloé nodded patiently as she explained, "Of course! You see, it's something of a hobby of mine to seek out picturesque venues such as this garden. I enjoy observing nature, but every so often I'm privileged to witness human interactions as well!" A dreamy look overtook Chloé's face as she said, "Whether it be a knight escorting his lady on a midday stroll, or perhaps a village maiden happening across a wandering pegasus and caring for it…" The knight sighed wistfully. "I simply adore such fairy-tale interactions!"
"I see…" Fjorm wasn't sure she quite understood the Firenese knight's pastime, but she nodded politely nonetheless. "Well, today is a pleasant day for sightseeing and…people watching, I suppose. Have you witnessed anything so far?"
Chloé shook her head. "Not yet unfortunately. However, I am certain someone will show up sooner or later." As if on cue, both young women faintly heard faint voices approaching from the other end of the garden. With a look of excitement, Chloé said, "Ooh, here comes some people now! Won't you join me, Princess Fjorm?"
"Erm…" Fjorm hesitated, not sure she felt comfortable participating with Chloé on what many might consider eavesdropping. She was about to gently decline the pegasus knight's offer when the voices became slightly more distinct.
"I think it's worth a try, don't you?"
The voice was feminine, though not one Fjorm was immediately familiar with. Chloé, on the other hand, recognized it immediately. "Oh my! It's the Divine Dragon!" She squealed in excitement. "I wonder who she could be speaking with? Prince Alfred, perhaps? Or maybe Princess Céline?"
Fjorm hummed in thought as she took in Chloé's words. She had heard of the Divine Dragon of Elyos – Alear, if she remembered correctly – being summoned recently by Kiran, though she had not yet had the chance to properly introduce herself to her. Not wanting her first impression to be that of an eavesdropper, Fjorm once again prepared herself to decline Chloé's earlier invitation when she heard another voice answer the first.
"Er, I don't know, Alear. I just don't think it'd work out."
Fjorm paused, any words she was about to speak catching in her throat. This second voice was male, and one Fjorm instantly recognized. "Kiran?" She couldn't help but whisper.
"The summoner?" Chloé said in awe, her smile growing brighter by the second. "Oh, my! A conversation between the mysterious summoner of Askr and the Divine One! We're really lucky, Princess Fjorm!" Fjorm remained silent, finding herself just as engaged as Chloé was with what Kiran and Alear could be discussing.
"Well, we won't know unless we try!" Fjorm heard Alear chirp in the distance, the Nifl princess' view of the young woman and Kiran slightly obscured by some of the hedges within the garden. "Now, come on! Let's engage!"
Fjorm's mind ground to a halt, her eyes going wide as she attempted to process what she just heard. Surely, she just misheard, right? There was no way Fjorm heard Alear just…propose to Kiran, right?
Beside her, Chloé's hand flew to her mouth as her own eyes widened with intrigue. "Oh! Is the Divine Dragon going to engage with Kiran? How interesting!" Fjorm snapped her head toward Chloé in shock; how could she act so nonchalant about this?! In the distance, the voices began speaking again.
"Seriously, Alear. I really don't think it'd work between us." Upon hearing that, some of the tension eased off Fjorm. It was a comfort to her to know that Kiran wasn't being receptive to Alear's bold advances. However, that comfort was instantly shattered upon hearing the summoner's next words. "Besides, we need a ring first before we do this, right?"
"A ring?!" Fjorm shrieked in her mind as she took an unconscious step forward, the air beginning to chill around her.
Beside her, Chloé nodded with an eager smile, oblivious to both the cooling temperature as well as the princess' inner turmoil. "Good idea, Princess Fjorm! Let's get a closer look." Fjorm said nothing, hardly even acknowledging Chloé rising from her seat to follow Fjorm as they made their way closer to the conversing duo.
"Well, yes, you're right. Back in Elyos, we would need a ring first in order to engage." Alear conceded to Kiran's earlier statement before quickly responding, "But, maybe things are different here in Askr. Maybe we don't need a ring to engage!"
Fjorm nearly choked in shock. How could this girl, the supposed 'Divine Dragon', be so shameless?!
As Fjorm and Chloé drew nearer, a row of hedges being the only thing separating them between the objects of their interest, they heard Kiran sigh. "Well, alright. I see no reason to argue further if you're going to be so persistent about this."
"K-Kiran, no…" Fjorm couldn't believe what she was hearing, her heart aching within her. How could Kiran agree so easily to this? Alear and her allies had only been in Askr for no more than a week at most, so how could she have enticed the summoner so quickly, without Fjorm's knowledge? Was she really so charming and captivating of a woman as the other Heroes from Elyos proclaimed her to be? Fjorm shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to hear any more of the conversation.
"Great! Thank you so much, Kiran." Alear said cheerfully, and Fjorm's heart ached all the more at hearing the brightness in Alear's voice.
Breathing out a quiet, shaky sigh, Fjorm attempted to reconcile her thoughts. If choosing Alear was what made Kiran happy then…Fjorm would stand by his decision. So long as Kiran was happy, Fjorm would resolve herself to be content with that.
"I can't wait to see what will happen when we join together!"
Ok, THAT'S it!
"Wait!" Fjorm cried, pushing her way through the hedges, intent on giving Alear a piece of her mind, when…
"Emblem! Engage!"
"…huh?"
Fjorm blinked as she stood stock still where she was. Behind her, Chloé also made her way through the hedges to witness was before them. In front of them stood Kiran and Alear, their hands locked together and raised in the air, a look of mild disappointment on Alear's face while Kiran's gaze was turned toward the eavesdropping young women with a look of surprise.
"Hm, nothing. Guess we can't engage after all." Alear murmured before turning to face Fjorm and Chloé with her own look of surprise. "Oh! Chloé! And...Princess Fjorm?"
It took a few seconds for Fjorm to find her voice. "What…are you two doing?" The Nifl princess asked meekly, her earlier fury now brought to a simmer in the wake of the now awkward atmosphere.
"Um," Kiran began, still a bit stunned by the surprise entry of the two women as he answered. "Alear and I were…attempting to engage, just like she does with the Emblems from her own world." He shrugged as he shook his head. "I told her it probably wouldn't work, but she was pretty pushy about the subject."
"Well, it was worth a try!" Alear insisted with a pout. Meanwhile, Fjorm stood rooted in place, her mind processing the information she received.
"S-So…" The Nifl princess began, her thoughts unintentionally spilling out in her attempt to make sense of everything. "Alear…you weren't…when you said you wanted to engage with Kiran…you meant…"
"Hm?" Alear hummed. "Oh, I suppose I haven't explained it to you yet, Princess Fjorm. In Elyos, my allies and I can harness the powers of Emblems – great heroes from other worlds – through the use of special rings called Emblem Rings." The red-and-blue haired girl shrugged. "I had thought based on what Kiran explained to me about how he summons Heroes, I could attempt a form of engaging with those summoned. Or, more specifically, if Kiran and I had the potential to engage with each other. But I suppose not."
Fjorm blinked as her gaze panned between Kiran and Alear, her cheeks beginning to faintly warm in embarrassment. "S-So, when you mentioned 'engaging' and 'rings', you actually meant…"
"Princess Fjorm? Whatever's the matter?" Chloé spoke up, close enough to notice Fjorm's gradually increasing blush. Alear also stepped forward in concern. Meanwhile, Kiran stared at Fjorm with an initial look of concern, before his eyes widened with a look of sudden realization.
"Wait a sec…" All eyes turned to Kiran, a feeling of uneasiness building up in Fjorm as Kiran spoke again. "Fjorm, did you…" The corner of the summoner's mouth twitched faintly upward, a ghost of a grin beginning to form. "Did you think Alear was proposing to me?"
The silence that filled the area, as well as the now not-so-subtle rouging of Fjorm's face, was all the answer any of them needed. Said silence proceeded to be shattered by Kiran doubling over, his hearty laughter echoing throughout the garden.
At first concerned, Fjorm rushed to Kiran's side, only for him to wave off her concern in between his laughing fit. Making the mistake of looking back toward Alear and Chloé, Fjorm was met with the pegasus knight's grinning face, her eyes sparkling in wonder and amusement. Beside Chloé, Alear stared at Fjorm with a questioning expression. Mortified, Fjorm briefly covered her face with her hands before quickly turning around, attempting to mask her embarrassment by attending to a still giggling Kiran.
"Oh, my! A budding romance between a timid princess and the mysterious but charming summoner," Chloé sighed as she clasped her hands together in delight. "Just like in my fairy tales! Oh, I can't wait to share this with Princess Céline over tea!"
Beside her, Alear scratched her head in confusion. "I feel like I'm missing something."