Fire Emblem Fates Rewrite

(HF) Chapter Twenty: Aquaria's Grave

(Kana, Kanaya, Lyci, and Shigure open the chapter standing together in front of the castle of Valla.)

Shigure: We're here... The palace of Valla. 

Lyci: In there, we can find Thalone... After we get rid of him, everything will come to an end... 

Kana: When you say it like that, it sounds so easy, but... I know it won't be. 

Kanaya: We've been fighting for so long... All I want is for it to be over, but I know it's going to take a lot more than a wish to get rid of Thalone. 

Shigure: We're not far from entering the castle, so we can probably expect a final group of guards... I just wish I knew where they would be coming from. An ambush would not be the best way to end our travels to the palace. 

Lyci: Well, it looks like we're going to see our enemy soon enough. Look over there. 

(The group follows Lyci's direction and sees a trio of people standing nearby. Two of them are identical copies of Mikoto while the other is a man with blue hair.)

Kana: Who are those people?

Kanaya: They seem oddly familiar... 

Shigure: The man with blue hair... He's made of flesh and blood. 

Lyci: That means that... 

Kana: That must be Thalone!

Kanaya: Who's that woman that he's talking to though? There are two of her, so they must be from the different timelines. 

Shigure: Let's listen for a moment. It doesn't look like they've noticed us yet, so we might as well use it to our advantage. 

(The four hide behind a nearby building, though it is only halfway standing. Regardless, it gets the job done and allows them to listen in on the conversation between Thalone and Mikoto. The two copies speak in unison when addressing the blue-haired man.)

Mikoto: Thalone, you don't need to do this. 

Thalone: I am doing this for everyone... For us. 

Mikoto: I understand why you hate Nohr and Hoshido so. Hoshido started the war that destroyed our nation. Nohr attacked and desecrated the land that we called home once... But is war truly the best option?

Thalone: They shouldn't have gone to such lengths to hurt others. If they wanted to survive, then they should have made better choices. 

Mikoto: Thalone, this isn't the way to go about this. Revenge won't bring back your people. Fighting will not reverse the harm that was done years ago. 

Thalone: The fighters who stopped me from destroying those two nations years ago have died. I killed them for the sake of furthering my own ambitions. They didn't understand the harm done by their countries, but they will soon enough. 

Mikoto: It was not their fault that Valla fell. They were not even alive at that point. 

Thalone: I want to destroy those pathetic nations regardless of who lives there. My hatred of them will never be tempered. 

Mikoto: Thalone, I beg of you--

Thalone: I poured all my power into resurrecting you, Aquaria. I wanted us to be together as we once were. I wanted to be able to speak with you again, but I didn't ask for you to pester me over such things. 

Mikoto: You gave more of your power to allow us to speak in this way, but... I only wish to use it to steer you away from revenge. It's hurting you more than you are willing to admit.