Chapter Text
C
"Hmm..."
Well, what do you know? The Divine One stands by himself out in the open, lost in thought. He has his chin in his hand and his brow furrowed like he's considering something serious.
"Let me guess," Griss speaks up, "peace talks? The whole Zero Emblem fiasco? Or are you trying to think of ways to restrict our movement to ease tensions between our forces?"
"Oh, hello, Griss. Actually, you weren't too far off with that last guess," Alear admits, immediately lighting a fire in Griss.
"Good! Then I have a suggestion. Let me serve as an example, yeah? You can punish me however you want in front of everyone, so they can all know what'll happen if they disobey you. So, what were you thinking? Drawn and quartered, maybe?"
"Wh-what?!" Alear blanches. "No, nothing like that! I was trying to figure out a way to... ah, how do I put this? Increase rapport?"
"Huh. So you want us all to get along, is that it? Not interested."
"The other Hounds don't seem interested in playing nice either..." Alear laments. "Well, except for Mauvier."
"Yeah, yeah, goody two-shoes is the black sheep of the bunch. I don't need to hear about how much better he is than the rest of us."
"I wasn't... have people been saying that?"
"Way I heard it, Mauvier ended up on your side in a bunch of timelines. Marni too, in some. Me and Zephia are the ones who can't be trusted no matter what and everyone knows it, thanks to your storytelling."
"That wasn't my intention..."
The guilty look on his face isn't the kind of pain Griss is into.
"Whatever, not like we care. It's better if people don't wanna get all buddy-buddy with us. I really can't even promise I won't stab you in the back, honestly."
The guilt disappears, replaced with a tender conviction.
"I'm choosing to trust you anyway, Griss."
"Uh-huh. Just don't start crying when I make you regret it."
B
"Griss, I was wondering."
"Here we go again. What is it, Divine One?"
"Well... is there anything you like other than pain?"
"Sure. Puppies and dandelions and the sound of children's laughter."
"Um... really?"
"No. What's wrong with you?"
He looks so dejected. What's the point of trying to get close to Griss when they're only tentative allies at best? He knows that if he asks, he'll just get the same answer as always, that they need to work together and that liking each other makes it easier. Griss doesn't really buy that.
"I can't force you to get along with everyone. I'd just like it if the two of us could get to know each other," Alear insists, all kindness and sunshine. Griss isn't impressed.
"You already know everything about me. Guess you can tell me about yourself, if you want."
"About that... I know now what happened in the past, before I slept for a thousand years, but I still don't exactly remember it for myself. I consider the past me and my current self to be two completely different people. So, on that note... there isn't much to say about me."
"Not much to say? Aren't you a Fell Dragon slash Divine Dragon hybrid? Probably the only one ever."
"Yes, but... despite my blood, I really am just a person. But, Griss, you said I already know everything about you?"
"Yeah. I like pain, I serve Lord Sombron. That's all you need to know."
"That can't really be all there is to you."
"Why not? You need to know what I eat for breakfast that bad?"
"That wasn't really what I meant..."
"Then there's nothing else, okay?"
Alear doesn't seem at all convinced, but Griss is admittedly starting to get agitated. They silently agree to leave the conversation for dead.
A
"Griss..."
"Divine One. For what reason could you possibly have need of me today?"
He seems reluctant to speak. Maybe he's out of ideas on how to get along with Griss.
"I suppose I should confess. I have information from you that I learned from other timelines."
Right. That only makes sense, doesn't it?
"Questions, then? Demands? "How could you do this?", "Worship me instead!", and such and such and so and so..."
"No. All this time that I've been trying to get closer to you, I guess I was sort of... playing catch-up. I just wanted us to be on the same page, and I thought we could reach an understanding if we were."
"Great." Griss shakes his head. "Well, for starters, what did you learn about me?"
Alear chooses his words carefully.
"I learned that there are things you hold dear, even if you pretend you don't. The only times I'd ever seen you genuinely angry were when I had called your loyalty into question, after all. I don't understand why you try so hard to hide these things..."
"What's not to get? Want me to parade around with all my weaknesses written all over my skin? I like physical pain, thanks. So you keep whatever you learned about me to yourself."
"I just wanted you to know that you don't have to hide from me," Alear tries to assure him, so damn earnest. "Even if we end up enemies again, I'll only fight you fairly. I won't ever use the people you care about against you."
"Pretty big "if". Big enough to be a "when", if you ask me. And I know you'll probably keep that promise yourself, but didn't I kill the Brodian king in one of those other timelines?"
"Well... no, not directly, but--"
"Even if it was indirectly or whatever, those Brodian princes sure seem to hate me from whatever you must have told them. What's stopping them from breaking that promise on your behalf?"
"Griss... are you that afraid of getting hurt?"
What Alear said doesn't even register for a good few seconds. What a thing to say! He finds the situation so absurd that he just has to laugh.
"Wh... what's so funny?"
"Heh, nobody's ever thought to accuse me of being afraid of pain before. Thanks for the laugh, Divine One. But mind your own business from now on, yeah?"
"... Just know that I'm here if you need me," Alear relents sadly.
"I gotcha. If I ever do want those puppies and flowers, I'll come running straight to you."