victory_road | Video; UN: CheckTheSyllabus

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Video; UN: CheckTheSyllabus

[ Hey it's the Mint Professor and his dead-eyed companion Espurr. He's sitting outside in the sunshine, a few of his pokemon can be seen frolicking behind him. ]

Hello. Byleth here.

I have just returned from the optimist.

Sorry. The optimus. Opti-

[ Frown. ]

Op. Tom. E. Trist?

[ SIGH. ]

The eye doctor.

Anyways, they suggested that as apparently my eyesight is actually, as they put it "astonishingly bad", that I try the glasses they prescribed for me outside for the first time and document my experience. So here I am. But they did allow me to choose my favorite color.

[ He presents the glasses to the screen, they're rectangular blue frame is very simple, and very boring. Just like him. He gently puts them on and looks around. It takes him a couple moments before he actually startles, a hand going to the frames as he takes them off, and puts them back on again a few times. ]

WHAT THE-

[ Anyone watching will get to see him go and touch some grass, and then run over to look at a few trees, and then his own pokemon before he returns to look at his Espurr. ]

Oh Breakfast. We're really in it now.

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[ Sorry Dimitri, he's going to look his fill of you for another moment. He releases his wrist at least. ]

Sorry, I didn't mean to fluster you. I'm just... trying to get better at expressing how I feel. If that makes sense.

You're in luck though, because I'm all out of jokes.

[ He tilts his head at the suggestion. ]

What is there? Myself? I... suppose it would be different. Dad always said I looked more like my mother. Hm. I suppose we could go look in a mirror. Would you like to accompany me?

[Trying to better express how he feels... Well, Dimitri can understand that much at least. The Professor was so often hard to read, back in school, and possibly even five years after the war started. Taking steps to properly express himself... That isn't a bad thing to want to accomplish, especially if perhaps it will help him adjust to the energetic nature of his heart.]

[Well, at least he can take a breath of relief that Byleth is leaving the matter of him laughing alone for now... It really does feel terribly embarrassing to have someone focus on him in such a way like that.]

Well... If you would like, Professor. [so long as he can be good company.] How you look with glasses on is also quite different from how you normally look.

[ Honestly he'd love to be around Dimitri all the damn time if he could help it. He's starting to honestly get annoyed with the seemingly intensifying infatuation. Maybe it's because of his heart now? Who's to say. Perhaps just being around him again after being separated for so long. He's never been one to be lovesick before.

Hm. He moves towards the house again to go stand and look in the small mirror that hung in the kitchen. ]

Do I really look that different? I was worried they might make me look silly.

[ Ahh yes, but sprinting around at top speed to do normal things around the monastery was totally a normal cool guy thing to do.

When he stands in front of the mirror at last, he tips his head this way and that, examining himself with decent vision for the first time. ]

Hm. I look like my mother, huh?

My face is a lot colder than I thought. Do I look like this all the time?

[The Professor was worried that he would look silly.... That has Dimitri smiling a little bit, while Byleth's back is turned to him. Certainly the Professor had never seemed to worry about looking silly when he ran full sprint throughout Garreg Mach for whatever reason, or that time not long ago when he shoved the entirety of a whole cheeseburger into his mouth.]

[Glasses hardly make a dent, compared to all of that.]

You have always been a little bit difficult to read, at least upon initial meetings, I cannot deny that, Professor. However, while it may not be clear now as you take such care to inspect yourself, you have a light within that shines brightly when you are engaged in something.

Ab-huh! [ Well. THAT makes him fumble a little, setting the glasses askew on his face before he clears his throat and adjusts them. Well now he's blushing for sure. There's absolutely no hiding it this time. ]

Is that so?

I'm glad there is something there then. Even if it is only you that sees it perhaps. That-

Ah. That would be enough for me.

[ Oh he's. Very red. Now that he can really see the absolute warmth in Dimitri's face too. He is... extremely attractive, though as always, it's that sincerity that mows Byleth down and steals his lunch money. ]

[Ah. It seems that Byleth's heart is acting up too much again. That is what the flush on his face tells Dimitri. Perhaps he will have to be a lot more careful, giving compliments to Byleth... Something to know for the future.]

I am positive that others agree, Professor, and you'd only need to ask Claude to learn that truth.

But, ah, I can understand if that would be a little much right now. [With the clearly overactive heart and all that.] Would you like to sit down for a cup of tea so that you could adjust to everything a bit more, Professor...?

Claude? What do you mean?

[ That does pique his curiosity, but the offer of tea does too. ]

You know, that's a wonderful idea. I'll put a kettle on.

[ Even if Dimitri was offering to take care of the tea, Byleth automatically just starts setting things up. It's what he does. It's his thing. One of his things anyways. He always plays mum for tea. ]

Hmm. I think we still have some of those cheese tarts in the freezer. Oh! Look at that! I can read the text all the way from here! Can you believe it?

[ A small, green Rowlet comes flapping in through the open window to perch on Byleth's head, peeping happily. ]

Ah, do you mind of Owley joins us too?

[ Yeah. Owley. ]

[Well... He supposes if Byleth is going to take over tea duty, then Dimitri isn't entirely sure if he can stop him. Byleth is hard to stop, Dimitri has found.]

Well, if there is anyone who is aware of your good points, and good at reading people, then it is certainly Claude... e

[Ah, a friend. Dimitri smiles a little bit as the Rowlet flutters in, and isn't surprised at all by Byleth's choice of name. Sometimes, it's just... it's a good name, okay?]

Hello, Owley. I hope you won't mind joining us for tea.

Oh... I didn't know he liked me that much. [ Well, Claude IS good at reading people, but he wonders what his experience with his Byleth was like. ]

[ Owley peeps twice at Dimitri, and Byleth takes off his glasses to perch them on on the Rowlet's beak. ]

What do you think? He looks just like me right?

[ With his mint green coloration he does match Byleth almost perfectly. Owley shakes the glasses off, ruffling his feathers as Byleth catches them. The tea is set up, and when the kettle whistles he sets a pot of chamomile to brew on the table, taking a seat and pouring a cup for the both of them. ]

How are you doing lately, by the way? Feeling all right?

You are an incredible tactician, and a mystery. I promise that Claude has always been interested in you, even if perhaps he did not have the way to indulge in that interest as he would like.

[And he means this in an absolutely no homo way. Probably.]

[Besides, he's more interested in the owl, and chuckles at the little bird shaking off the glasses.]

Quite a spitting image. But you look fine on your own, Owley. And, ah... [Excuse him as he takes his own cup carefully in hand. Even without his strength here, he hands teacups gingerly.] I have been doing well, Professor. Mostly recovering from everything I planned on doing for this month.

[You know, the Valentines dates. They took quite a bit of preparation, targeting so many people and all.]

I think I will be going to challenge one of the gym leaders here in Kanto soon, however, should we all have a chance to get prepared properly. I hope I will not disappoint you, Professor.

[And maybe if he's been taking the time to sneak out in the dead of night, well, that's no one's business but his own, now, is it?]

Ah, fair enough. It really is a shame I did not get to know Claude as much as I would have liked in Garreg Mach. I should take this chance to correct that.

[ He takes a hesitant sip of his own tea. Chamomile of course, something that he originally had grown accustomed to because of Dimitri, now it had evolved into his own preference. ]

Well I hope you take some time to rest up before then. I know you, and I know you push yourself beyond your means.

[ Look, he's not going to get away without a bit of gentle fussing. The mention of a gym challenge does catch his attention. ]

You could never disappoint me, but I'll look forward to seeing it. How exciting- I've never seen one in person. I really enjoyed battling with you on our trip, so I can't wait to see what you do.

[ Ah, but valentines day, that's right! ]

Oh! I've been meaning to say- I hope this isn't too invasive, but Grant told me about the nature of your current... romantic situation? I know it's not really my business, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad, and I'm proud of you. That's all. You deserve all of that love and more.

[It's hard to argue against something true like that, so, well, Dimitri doesn't, instead just taking a sip of his tea so that he has an excuse.]

There was Eri's battle in Violet, but all of the gym leaders have their own differences. And the Elite Teams are quite different.

[Before he can go into those differences, however, Byleth brings up his romantic life, and Dimitri nearly chokes on his tea. Ignore the flush across his face.]

Oh - that - Professor, you.... [What does he even say to that?]

Apologies. I know it's odd, but I guess there was never a good time to bring it up. I just wanted you to know that I'm glad for it, in case you were worried about it.

[ Because look. He knows Dimitri and his catholic dragon guilt. ]

And you know, I'm the archbishop now, and also technically a little bit Sothis too? So I guess you could say that you literally have my blessing.

[ Ha! Don't quit your day job Byleth. ]

[Dimitri's dragon catholic guilt doesn't know how to handle this kind of thing, honestly. A strange noise forms in the back of his throat, unsure on if it's allowed to be a laugh or maybe horrified.]

Professor... I do not think that is how it works.

[Prob...ably]

[Although... He left it alone, when Byleth first told him of his peculiar circumstances, but now that some time has passed... Dimitri hesitates, rubbing his fingers against the porcelain of his cup.]

...Why did Sothis... make our world as it was?

And who says that? Rhea? She was duplicitous to say the least. There is no reason for such stringent practices outside of satisfying pear-clutching nobles and controlling people with guilt.

If I am to be made to lead the church I intend to do so with a focus on compassion, love, and the uplifting of all people.

[ He takes a rather pointed sip of tea. He has some strong feelings about that clearly. ]

Ah... that is a question. I can't say for sure. Sothis was- as I knew her, she did not retain much memory from before. From what I understand, she had very little to do with the current state of our world. That was primarily Rhea.

Before we... merged in the way we did, Sothis was very much learning as I was, but having spent so much time with her- she would share the same compassionate approach.

[Well. Dimitri isn't going to argue with that, since that was what he also thought for quite some time. It was something he once thought he would have to deal with when he would be crowned king, struggling to entangle the Kingdom from whatever overbearing demands the church made of it. So there's nothing to really say there, besides perhaps mild surprise that Byleth is so open about it.]

[More important is the information that Byleth gives about Sothis, and Dimitri falls silent as he stares down into his tea.]

I... see. It is a strange thing, to think of a Goddess falling to such human things such as amnesia.

More or less yes.

Sothis, from what I understand, was in essence... dead. For a long time. Since the beginning of the existence of crests and the church.

My existence was the product of Rhea's attempts to bring her back. As was my mother. An empty vessel to contain her. She did not count on Sothis taking a personal liking to me. Instead of taking over this body, as Rhea intended... she gave herself up so that we could both live.

[ He takes a moment to really examine the cup he's been given. The mug that Ashe provided him when he arrived, covered in cute little cat pokemon. Thumbing at the slightly raised printed pictures. ]

It's strange to think about. Dad raised me outside of the church, but now I end up in charge of it. I know he'd probably have hated that, but I think I can do some good this way.

If I had really had my way though, I would have gone back to Fhirdiad with you.

[A Goddess, dead... and a holy figure tossing aside who knows how many people in pursuit of bringing her back.]

[Dimitri cannot bear to look up, as he considers that. He has never entirely trusted Rhea, bristled at the yoke the church wound tight around the Kingdom. Still, he had wanted to think she had some good intentions for people.]

[But this... to waste precious human lives, all for a Goddess that...]

[Dimitri takes another sip of tea, forcing his hands to be gentle. He needs to stop this. He cannot think so ill of someone that Byleth clearly thinks well of. And even if his relationship to the Goddess the church spoke of is complicated, to politely say it, clearly she cared about Byleth.]

[That is enough to think some good of her. They have something in common, then.]

...Is Seteth well? Could he not help you with such things?

[Seteth, at least, seemed more approachable, down to earth, and quite frankly sensible than Rhea. A benefit, perhaps, of approaching the rest of them more frequently.]

I'm sorry you have to learn this. I know that the church is... important to many people. My plan is to gently try to lessen that influence over time.

Edelgard simply wanted to pull the rug out. I understand why, but she did not think of the bigger picture, and how it is not so simple as to yank an entire religious system out from under people who genuinely believe.

Nor is it okay to sacrifice anyone's life for it.

[ He sets his cup down and rubs his hands over his face. It shows that when it comes to this- he feels out of his depth. ]

It could take A couple hundred years to fully hobble it... but I intend to commit myself to that. Oversee it until it is done. [ Boy this went places. He clears his throat, finally picking his cup back up. ]

Seteth is all right. He was helping me a lot back home. He's stressed, and I know he has some mixed feelings towards Rhea now, after learning the depths of what she was doing.

I think he's relieved to be able to pursue something solid and ethical though.

Edited 2022-02-25 21:30 (UTC)

[Ah - ]

[Just like that, just hearing her name, is enough for Dimitri's hand to jerk slightly, spilling some tea over the rim and onto his hand. It's hot, but doesn't burn him. At least, Dimitri hardly notices if it burns him or not.]

[All he can focus on... is the dark twist of feelings inside of his chest, the bitterness in the back of his throat. Something he calls hatred.]

[Dimitri doesn't speak of it, however. All he does is gingerly place the teacup back down, and gently wipe at his hand.]

That is good to hear. But, even to hear that sort of thing... I suppose even Seteth would be opposed to such extreme measures against the church.

Yes... I also prefer that Seteth focus on spending time with Flayn anyways.

[ He notices the flinch, and a pang of guilt sweeps over him. Right. Not the same memories. Damn it. It feels like he keeps screwing things up, oddly. Honesty is usually the best way to go with things but... Dimitri doesn't need burdened with all of this. He reaches across the table to touch his wrist, just briefly.

It's also a reminder that he needs to start perhaps trying to move past his romantic feelings. Dimitri truly does have enough to worry about in his life, another person to look after is likely the last thing he needs. ]

Apologies. We don't really need to worry about all of that right now. Tell me a bit more about those gym challenges?

Then I suppose you would be opposed to having him take up the mantle... [Which is an option, although one that he knows that Byleth wouldn't be completely down for. Still, it is always good to acknowledge that different options on the table.] I will try to...

[Ah, but then Byleth is apologizing, and Dimitri blinks up at him.]

Hm? Ah, I just wanted to help, Professor... But, very well.

It is a national pasttime in both Johto and Kanto, it seems, and many other countries as well. By now, you are more than familiar with battling.... So gym challenges are where you put your Palien's strength and your own experience to the test.

Each gym tends to favor a particular type, showing off both the strengths of that typing, and also occasionally challenging what you thought you knew. For example, while many Bug types are weak to flying, not all of them are, so you may put yourself at a disadvantage if you try to rely solely on that.

[Or sometimes you take your fire-fighting mega-pig in, not realizing the 4x weakness a steel bug will have, it's fine]

And each gym challenge also has two types of teams available for people to challenge. The most commonly known ones are usually compromised of a team of three on the gym leader's side - you can take a full team with you if you like. I have noticed that they tend to keep to a certain level around where they are... Falkner's gym over in Violet City in Johto, the first I encountered, was rather low level in comparison to Clair's over in Blackthorn City, which is traditionally considered the last stop in that particular circuit. I suppose it is meant to be there alongside you as you grow...

Ah, and then there are their elite teams. They are as strong as a Palien can get, and compromise a full team. They are considerably more challenging.

Oh, you help plenty. Trust me. Just having me here- I'm quite happy for it. You don't need to worry about the things back home all that much.

That said, if you ever want to know or ask about anything please feel free.

[ He's content to listen to Dimitri talk about the gym challenges. He's passionate about it clearly, and knowledgeable. It reminds him of how Dimitri took him around and explained things about the monastery when he had first arrived. ~~Thank you for the tutorials, Dimitri.~~ ]

Hmm. I admit I am becoming more and more interested in battling. I may begin to challenge them soon... the strategy that I'm looking into for battles is honestly quite fun to learn about.

It's nice to be able to strategize without people's lives being at stake. Instead it's just... fun.

[Hearing that Byleth will be taking part in the gym challenges has Dimitri perk up, and he smiles a bit.]

I would be excited to see how you approach them, Professor! There are a great deal of factors to consider, and even I sometimes need Claude's help in managing a challenge... I cannot even begin to recall everything otherwise.

[Abilities and moves and everything else... He can recall type advantages, at least, although he doesn't like to lean into them too hard for his challenges. It doesn't seem as fair, exciting, or sporting to take an entire fire type team to a grass gym, after all.]

I will admit that I have been growing fond of it as well, for quite some time... In particular, I like teaching my companions how to work with one another, and what best suits their teamwork. In gym battles, that mostly interacts with setting things up for the Palien that will follow after them in the match, although a few things do interact directly.... Fraldariend knows an ability that, in exchange for his own ability to participate in the match, fully recovers another.

Still... I most often like to have them work as a team during wild battles, where no rules apply. A shame that most battles among trainers or against gym leaders is not often inclined to such things...

[He wants a 6v6 match.... Just go wild.]

[ How lovely it is that he is so passionate about this. It's nice to see him excited about something fun. Byleth leans his chin in his hand and listens, happy to let the man explain. ]

I agree, I like the idea of cooperative battle, like those duo-battles! It is a shame that it's not more focused. But I'd love to do that kind of thing with you, if you'd like. We can either battle together or battle against each other.

[ He pours himself more tea, offering a warm-up to Dimitri as well. ]

I saw a few people open up gyms. Maybe you could have your own with that as the focus. I'm happy to help you with it... I just need to train and get stronger.

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