[Not far are other members of the Golden Deer; the ones Claude will recognize as those who stayed on his side to the end. Slashing through one enemy, Hilda turns to look at him, frowning.]
Come on, Claude—I finally mustered up the effort to work, and you're already telling me to call it quits? It's seriously going to kill the groove...
[There's Ignatz, sniping the enemy, and Raphael by his side to punch anyone who gets too close o his friend. Lorenz and Leonie are out further, on the front lines. Marianne, meanwhile, isn't far from Hilda, clutching her staff.]
All right, I get it!
[... But Claude isn't wrong. This isn't a fight they can win. Claude and the others can do their best to kill as many of the Empire's soldiers as they can, but the enemy is clearly too powerful. Whether it's the whispers of the Ashen Demon, or Lysithea's magic, or Edelgard herself, they're cutting through Leicester's forces.
The first ripple, coming through the soldiers reporting to Claude, comes in the news of Lorenz and Leonie's deaths as the first to fall.
Hilda falters for a moment, before she cuts down another enemy.]
[ His skin goes cold at the news. He'd thought about this fight a million times since he'd fallen—even before, looking at angles that he might've missed. He can't help but wonder now, perhaps if he redirected his forces, or if he moved the Almyran troops to a different formation. Maybe he could salvage this.
He wants Edelgard to suffer defeat like he did. To regret bringing them all into this war. He almost issues the order, when he hears the cry of another infantryman across the canal.
He can't. Victory was never destined for them. ]
Hilda, we need to retreat. [ He steps toward the Empire forces, ready to clear a path. ] I'll cover you. Go. Now.
You, cover me? Don't be stupid, Claude. You know I'm way better suited for that than you?
[Hilda doesn't leave him, instead continuing to fend off more enemies as they begin to swarm what remains of Claude's forces. Raphael and Ignatz are the next to go, Raphael taking out as many as he can before they can reach Ignatz, who then becomes defenceless once his friend falls.
[ His throat feels tight, jaw clenching when he hears about Raphael, who wanted nothing more than to provide for his little sister. Ignatz who had never wanted to fight. Who was the only person in Fódlan who wanted to see what existed beyond its borders.
He can't do this, grabbing Hilda by the shoulder and shoving her roughly in the direction of the Almyran ship. ]
Just go! If we wait any longer, the ships won't be able to leave before the Empire seizes them!
[She looks surprised to be manhandled here, though she at least takes a step towards the ship, even as she swivels back to look at Claude. But then her eyes widen, and—
The thing is, with Claude preoccupied with shoving Hilda, two enemies had the chance to approach, weapons at the ready. Immediately, Hilda dashes forward, blocking the attack of one—an attack meant for Claude's head. However, preoccupied with that, she's defenceless when the second enemy proceeds to stab her through the chest.
Marianne screams. Then, she quickly readies her staff.
But it's too late. One can't heal someone already dead, after all, as Hilda slumps on the enemy's sword.]
[ Claude can't quite remember the sight when Hilda had fallen the first time. He'd been preoccupied with commanding the troops, defending himself and surveying the Almyran support. He'd looked over when another soldier had screamed her name, and it was chaos, but he can't quite remember it.
But he remembers this: the shock, the disbelief, the betrayal because why hadn't she fled like he'd told her to? He remembers the rip of grief, and the realization that he was truly alone, despite never having understood the companionship he'd had.
He still doesn't understand why someone would give their life like this. ]
Hil—
[ It's hard to breathe against the sudden panic of his heart. He wants to take her, not let this place be her final resting place but his gaze cuts to Marianne. ]
[Marianne looks to be in shock, her gaze flickering from Hilda's corpse to Claude in fear and despair. Then, her expression shifts.]
Claude, watch out—!
[—but it's too late. Even should he try to defend himself, he'll find himself a moment too slow. In the end, even he's no match for Byleth, whose Sword of Creation slashes across his chest. Frantically, Marianne tries to heal him, but then Byleth goes for a stab through his heart—immediately fatal.
... Looks like Claude won't get to bury Hilda elsewhere, after all. And then, of course, all goes dark to the sound of Marianne's scream.
And then, once more, he wakes up. It's a familiar sight, given that it happened not just long ago.
He'll find himself in Fodlan, on a battlefield. By him are the rest of the Golden Deer, fighting off the Empire's forces.
Hilda stands out, her pink hair dancing in the wind as she whirls her axe around, refusing to let a single enemy near Claude.]
[She lets him drag her for a few moments, mainly out of surprise—but I'm pretty sure Hilda had a higher STR stat than Claude, so she easily yanks herself out of his grasp.]
What is going on with you? The fighting just started.
You need to get out on that ship and out of here. Just trust me. I need you to do this.
[ And what about the others? Will he leave them to die in this battle? He could force Hilda onto that ship, but how would he save the rest? Was there even a point to surviving this battle? There's no chance that he'd have any success in Almyra after being disgraced in Fódlan. ]
I got us into this mess. I need to see it through to the end.
[ His gaze catches Nader, hoping to convey his request of looking after her.
But he turns back, running back to the field with the intent of finding Edelgard. It kills his pride to seek her out, but maybe he can stop this battle prematurely. ]
[Hilda's yell echoes as she's taken away, to safety. Claude has succeeded in that, at least.
He goes to seek Edeglard out, but as he approaches, suddenly everything is on fire. Like, literally. Clearly someone—whether it was Edelgard herself, Byleth, or any mage on the Empire—blasted a fire spell at him, setting him ablaze. Yikes!
Burning to death is a terrible way to go, but thankfully, it seems his enemy has some mercy for him. Again, amidst the flames, he'll see the flash of the Sword of Creation. It pierces him, ending his life.
In the dark, he'll hear a few notes of that song again. Then, when he opens his eyes, he'll find himself back on the battlefield, at the start again. Hilda, fending off enemies like nothing happened.
And here, faced once more with his failures, he'll hear a voice echo. It comes from somewhere inside of him, ambiguous as to whether it's someone speaking to him or a question he asks himself.]
[ Waking up again, Claude thinks he might be having a panic attack. He's not sure his breath is making it past his throat, staring at Hilda's back again, the searing pain of the fire a ghost over his skin.
He doesn't have a plan in his head this time. The question a punishment when faced with all that he couldn't accomplish.
There's so much worth protecting. There are so many dreams that he had—the orphans and slaves with no protection left at Fódlan's Throat. The ostracized and oppressed. All those who's lives are dictated by the make up of their blood—he'd had so many ambitions that he'd abandoned, running away after from them after the events of Wiwaldi.
No longer his problem. He'd given his life for this country, and he wouldn't give anything else.
But now, he just makes his way to Hilda, slumping forward to press his forehead against her shoulder. ]
Far more good than I'm capable of. Just save them.
[Hilda seems confused at Claude's actions, unaware of everything he's just been through.
Around them, the battle continues. Lorenz and Leonie haven't fallen yet, but enemies have broken through their line. One of them points an arrow at Claude's back, as Hilda shouts out a warning. It's too late for any of them to do anything, however—]
[And then Tsuru emerges, as if out of thin air. His spell activates for him, re-summoning his blade in his hand, whole once more. He drops in the middle of the battlefield, between Claude and the archer about to take fire, were they not caught off-guard by this newcomer.]
[ he says this as if he isn't also completely fucking surprised by these turn of events
but it's fine, because tsurumaru has quick reflexes-- you have to be able to quickly reposition yourself in the middle of battle. he runs, as quickly as he can, to strike down the archer.
excuse you.... that's HIS boyfriend (as of this cyoa after claude murdered jiji) that you're trying to shoot ]
[ Claude is so glad he did not start crying, that would've been so embarrassing now that Tsuru is here.
He's still pretty taken aback by the sudden appearance, feeling a little bit off-kilter by the sight of this Japanese swordsman in the whitest country known to man. ]
Wh- what're you— [ Actually, nevermind. They don't have time when the city is under attack. ] Attack the redcoats! The others are my people!
[ He turns to Hilda. ]
That's an ally of mine, you can trust him. Also, surprise, but I've called in a favour with the Almyran to bring reinforcements. They'll appear at the port, so spread the message to move Edelgard's forces that way and we can catch them in a pincer attack.
[ And then he lifts his bow, feeling a strange mix of desperation and hope as he takes back to the battlefield. ]
[Well, Tsuru has his orders, knows who to protect. Claude has his reinforcements, even if they didn't come in the form he was probably expecting.
Hilda looks utterly baffled by this turn of events, but she nods and begins to carry out Claude's directive.
Should one swordsman alone turn the tides of battle? Maybe not, but at the end of the day, what Tsuru has going for him that not all of the enemy soldiers do is that he is a tool of war, forged for it. He and Claude cut and shoot their way through the battlefield, and finally, Claude doesn't hear news of his friends' deaths. Of course, he can't entirely avoid casualties, but at the very least, the Golden Deer's names are not spoken.
Still, they don't win the battle. That would be near impossible, when Edelgard has Byleth on her side.
—But this time, they don't lose, either. Edelgard calls for a retreat, taking her forces back. For now, Claude and co. are afforded a moment of respite.
Claude's soldiers surround Tsuru, not in the least because he really, really stands out, but also because... well. They can tell.]
Thank you, sir! If it weren't for you, who knows how things would've turned out... I thought we were goners for sure. We owe you our lives!
[Meanwhile, Hilda taps Claude on the shoulder, giving him a surprisingly gentle smile.]
... It's over, Claude. A part of you knows, don't you? There's no need to think about what-ifs any longer. The future is ahead of you now, so please—live it.
but tsuru blinks in surprise at their gratitude. honestly, a part of him is internally scolding himself for messing up and breaking cover, until he remembers that this isn't one of his expeditions. ]
No need to thank me! You all fought admirably, stand proud. [ a pause. ] And... anything for a friend, I suppose.
[ he gayly looks over to where claude is having a moment with a homophobe. ]
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guestservices) wrote2022-06-26 04:17 pm
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Come on, Claude—I finally mustered up the effort to work, and you're already telling me to call it quits? It's seriously going to kill the groove...
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[ He takes a breath, taking a second to really look at his surroundings. The battle is near its start?
There's no winning, not with Byleth and her ability to move time on Edelgard's side, but if he can just keep them alive...
He fires another volley. ]
I just like to be prepared. I'm just saying, if it looks rough, we get on one of the ships and regroup to fight another day.
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All right, I get it!
[... But Claude isn't wrong. This isn't a fight they can win. Claude and the others can do their best to kill as many of the Empire's soldiers as they can, but the enemy is clearly too powerful. Whether it's the whispers of the Ashen Demon, or Lysithea's magic, or Edelgard herself, they're cutting through Leicester's forces.
The first ripple, coming through the soldiers reporting to Claude, comes in the news of Lorenz and Leonie's deaths as the first to fall.
Hilda falters for a moment, before she cuts down another enemy.]
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He wants Edelgard to suffer defeat like he did. To regret bringing them all into this war. He almost issues the order, when he hears the cry of another infantryman across the canal.
He can't. Victory was never destined for them. ]
Hilda, we need to retreat. [ He steps toward the Empire forces, ready to clear a path. ] I'll cover you. Go. Now.
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[Hilda doesn't leave him, instead continuing to fend off more enemies as they begin to swarm what remains of Claude's forces. Raphael and Ignatz are the next to go, Raphael taking out as many as he can before they can reach Ignatz, who then becomes defenceless once his friend falls.
Still, Hilda doesn't leave.]
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He can't do this, grabbing Hilda by the shoulder and shoving her roughly in the direction of the Almyran ship. ]
Just go! If we wait any longer, the ships won't be able to leave before the Empire seizes them!
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[She looks surprised to be manhandled here, though she at least takes a step towards the ship, even as she swivels back to look at Claude. But then her eyes widen, and—
The thing is, with Claude preoccupied with shoving Hilda, two enemies had the chance to approach, weapons at the ready. Immediately, Hilda dashes forward, blocking the attack of one—an attack meant for Claude's head. However, preoccupied with that, she's defenceless when the second enemy proceeds to stab her through the chest.
Marianne screams. Then, she quickly readies her staff.
But it's too late. One can't heal someone already dead, after all, as Hilda slumps on the enemy's sword.]
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But he remembers this: the shock, the disbelief, the betrayal because why hadn't she fled like he'd told her to? He remembers the rip of grief, and the realization that he was truly alone, despite never having understood the companionship he'd had.
He still doesn't understand why someone would give their life like this. ]
Hil—
[ It's hard to breathe against the sudden panic of his heart. He wants to take her, not let this place be her final resting place but his gaze cuts to Marianne. ]
Marianne! Retreat!
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[Marianne looks to be in shock, her gaze flickering from Hilda's corpse to Claude in fear and despair. Then, her expression shifts.]
Claude, watch out—!
[—but it's too late. Even should he try to defend himself, he'll find himself a moment too slow. In the end, even he's no match for Byleth, whose Sword of Creation slashes across his chest. Frantically, Marianne tries to heal him, but then Byleth goes for a stab through his heart—immediately fatal.
... Looks like Claude won't get to bury Hilda elsewhere, after all. And then, of course, all goes dark to the sound of Marianne's scream.
And then, once more, he wakes up. It's a familiar sight, given that it happened not just long ago.
He'll find himself in Fodlan, on a battlefield. By him are the rest of the Golden Deer, fighting off the Empire's forces.
Hilda stands out, her pink hair dancing in the wind as she whirls her axe around, refusing to let a single enemy near Claude.]
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[ This time, he doesn't wait. He doesn't want any of the Deer to— but Hilda. If he can save Hilda.
He grabs her arm, dragging her backward and toward the relative safety of the Almyran ships. ]
We need to go. Now.
[ Just run. As fast as he can toward the ship to get her out of here.
He'll stay though. He can't abandon the fight. ]
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[She lets him drag her for a few moments, mainly out of surprise—but I'm pretty sure Hilda had a higher STR stat than Claude, so she easily yanks herself out of his grasp.]
What is going on with you? The fighting just started.
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He grabs her again, continuing to pull her. ]
You need to get out on that ship and out of here. Just trust me. I need you to do this.
[ And what about the others? Will he leave them to die in this battle? He could force Hilda onto that ship, but how would he save the rest? Was there even a point to surviving this battle? There's no chance that he'd have any success in Almyra after being disgraced in Fódlan. ]
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... I trust you, Claude. But you're acting pretty weird—seriously, what is up?
[Not far from them, Ignatz cries out. Lorenz and Leonie are down. Hilda's head swerves in his direction, Claude momentarily forgotten.]
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[ Okay, Claude isn't that strong, but he can at least yank her when she's distracted. He shoves her toward one of the Almyran navy. ]
Tell the Almyran reinforcements to return to the port, take her with you.
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[The navy takes Hilda, but still, she reaches out with her free hand for Claude.]
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I got us into this mess. I need to see it through to the end.
[ His gaze catches Nader, hoping to convey his request of looking after her.
But he turns back, running back to the field with the intent of finding Edelgard. It kills his pride to seek her out, but maybe he can stop this battle prematurely. ]
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[Hilda's yell echoes as she's taken away, to safety. Claude has succeeded in that, at least.
He goes to seek Edeglard out, but as he approaches, suddenly everything is on fire. Like, literally. Clearly someone—whether it was Edelgard herself, Byleth, or any mage on the Empire—blasted a fire spell at him, setting him ablaze. Yikes!
Burning to death is a terrible way to go, but thankfully, it seems his enemy has some mercy for him. Again, amidst the flames, he'll see the flash of the Sword of Creation. It pierces him, ending his life.
In the dark, he'll hear a few notes of that song again. Then, when he opens his eyes, he'll find himself back on the battlefield, at the start again. Hilda, fending off enemies like nothing happened.
And here, faced once more with his failures, he'll hear a voice echo. It comes from somewhere inside of him, ambiguous as to whether it's someone speaking to him or a question he asks himself.]
[He feels as though he should answer.]
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He doesn't have a plan in his head this time. The question a punishment when faced with all that he couldn't accomplish.
There's so much worth protecting. There are so many dreams that he had—the orphans and slaves with no protection left at Fódlan's Throat. The ostracized and oppressed. All those who's lives are dictated by the make up of their blood—he'd had so many ambitions that he'd abandoned, running away after from them after the events of Wiwaldi.
No longer his problem. He'd given his life for this country, and he wouldn't give anything else.
But now, he just makes his way to Hilda, slumping forward to press his forehead against her shoulder. ]
Far more good than I'm capable of. Just save them.
[1/2]
[Hilda seems confused at Claude's actions, unaware of everything he's just been through.
Around them, the battle continues. Lorenz and Leonie haven't fallen yet, but enemies have broken through their line. One of them points an arrow at Claude's back, as Hilda shouts out a warning. It's too late for any of them to do anything, however—]
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[ he says this as if he isn't also completely fucking surprised by these turn of events
but it's fine, because tsurumaru has quick reflexes-- you have to be able to quickly reposition yourself in the middle of battle. he runs, as quickly as he can, to strike down the archer.
excuse you.... that's HIS boyfriend (as of this cyoa after claude murdered jiji) that you're trying to shoot ]
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He's still pretty taken aback by the sudden appearance, feeling a little bit off-kilter by the sight of this Japanese swordsman in the whitest country known to man. ]
Wh- what're you— [ Actually, nevermind. They don't have time when the city is under attack. ] Attack the redcoats! The others are my people!
[ He turns to Hilda. ]
That's an ally of mine, you can trust him. Also, surprise, but I've called in a favour with the Almyran to bring reinforcements. They'll appear at the port, so spread the message to move Edelgard's forces that way and we can catch them in a pincer attack.
[ And then he lifts his bow, feeling a strange mix of desperation and hope as he takes back to the battlefield. ]
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Hilda looks utterly baffled by this turn of events, but she nods and begins to carry out Claude's directive.
Should one swordsman alone turn the tides of battle? Maybe not, but at the end of the day, what Tsuru has going for him that not all of the enemy soldiers do is that he is a tool of war, forged for it. He and Claude cut and shoot their way through the battlefield, and finally, Claude doesn't hear news of his friends' deaths. Of course, he can't entirely avoid casualties, but at the very least, the Golden Deer's names are not spoken.
Still, they don't win the battle. That would be near impossible, when Edelgard has Byleth on her side.
—But this time, they don't lose, either. Edelgard calls for a retreat, taking her forces back. For now, Claude and co. are afforded a moment of respite.
Claude's soldiers surround Tsuru, not in the least because he really, really stands out, but also because... well. They can tell.]
Thank you, sir! If it weren't for you, who knows how things would've turned out... I thought we were goners for sure. We owe you our lives!
[Meanwhile, Hilda taps Claude on the shoulder, giving him a surprisingly gentle smile.]
... It's over, Claude. A part of you knows, don't you? There's no need to think about what-ifs any longer. The future is ahead of you now, so please—live it.
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but tsuru blinks in surprise at their gratitude. honestly, a part of him is internally scolding himself for messing up and breaking cover, until he remembers that this isn't one of his expeditions. ]
No need to thank me! You all fought admirably, stand proud. [ a pause. ] And... anything for a friend, I suppose.
[ he gayly looks over to where claude is having a moment with a homophobe. ]
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He feels pretty exhausted by everything, but manages a smile for her. ]
I know. I don't want to give you any more reasons to worry about me, so I better get to it.
[ He'll take her hand, squeezing it gently. ]
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