Edelgard's 2021 Birthday

 A fan fiction for the birthday of one of my favorite fictitious characters:

It was June 22nd, Edelgard’s Birthday, and activity was abuzz in the Adrestian Castle.  The birthday woman was sitting on a comfy chair, Caspar and Fleche standing before her.  “Caspar, glad you could make it.  And who’s this?” asked Edelgard.

“Fleche von Bergliez, Caspar wanted me to come.” Smiled Fleche.

“Aw, you remind me of those adoptive sisters I met in Askr from Hoshido and Nohr, such a cute, brave little soldier.” Smiled Edelgard.  Fleche giggled a little.

“Don’t take Fleche lightly, she’s even shown me a thing or two.” Smirked Caspar.  Edelgard smiled broadly at both.  All those she had known through the Black Eagles Strike Force, her friends Samus, Zelda, Joker and Makoto through Smash Bros., as well as Joker and Makoto's friends Ichinose and Sophia, were gathered under her roof, giving her wrapped parcels.

“So, it’s your birthday?” asked Makoto.

“Yes, how nice of you and Joker to return the favor of us coming to yours.” Smiled Byleth.  Makoto smiled softly.

“Well, you guys do so much for me.  It almost feels like a third family after Sae and the Phantom Thieves.” Chuckled Makoto.  Edelgard chuckled softly.

“I’m glad you feel comfortable here.” She smiled.  Joker and Makoto headed off to talk to Samus and Zelda, Ichinose approaching the Empress and her wife while holding her smartphone with Sophia looking out of the screen eagerly.

"Happy Birthday, Edelgard!" smiled Sophia.

"Thank you.  I'm still not entirely sure how all this technology works." replied Edelgard. 

"You can think of it as magic, if you like." stated Ichinose.

"I'm more familiar with elemental magic than creating whole beings from nothing with magic." replied Edelgard.  "I did hear something about you from Makoto, Miss.  She said you and she both lost your parents at a young age?"

"Um, I'd rather not..." began Ichinose. 

"I understand, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.  I had ten siblings, eight older and two younger...none of them are here anymore." stated Edelgard, getting downcast towards the end. 

"I'm so sorry." said Sophia as Ichinose frowned.

"I just want both you and Makoto to know...I've been through something similar to what you did and I know only Byleth kept me from spiraling into insanity." said Edelgard.  "If you need to, both of you can contact us, we won't judge."

"Thank you, we've been fortunate with Joker thus far, but if we ever need more help, we'll talk to you." said Sophia, Ichinose nodding and wiping a tear from her eye.

"Thank you, Edelgard." she said softly, walking off.  Meanwhile, Joker and Makoto were talking with Samus and Zelda.

"So, I heard your Power Suit got wrecked." said Makoto. 

"I actually just received a new, sleeker one for a new mission, the first one I've been on in a while." replied Samus.  "It combines aspects of both my fusion suit and my Power Suit, while having a new, white color scheme."  She showed them images on her smartphone.

"Looks rather impressive." commented Joker.

"They say the main opponents will be robots this time, so I've been sparring with ROB and the Mii Gunner of Android 18 to prepare." added Samus. 

"Sounds like a good plan, hope it works." replied Makoto. 

"I hope so, too." nodded Samus.  Joker and Makoto went off with Ichinose and Sophia while Dorothea and Annette walked in to stand before Edelgard on her comfy chair.

"Hi, Edie." smiled Dorothea.

"Hello, Dorothea." said Edelgard.  "I see my favorite chef in Faerghus is joining you for my special day, you two have something special planned, then?"

“Yes, we do.  Annette and I prepared a little song for your special day, Edie.” Smiled Dorothea.  She took out a pitch-pipe and blew a note.  “I may not live to see our glory,” began Dorothea, Annette echoing her with each line, “but I will gladly join the fight, and when our children tell our story…they’ll tell the story of tonight.”

“Let’s have another round tonight!” agreed Byleth.

“Let’s have another round tonight…” sang Edelgard, while she rarely did so, she had poise in her voice, keeping her in-tune and on-key. “Raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you...”

“Raise a glass to the four of us!” sang Annette.

“Five!” shouted Petra behind her, not wanting to be left away from Dorothea.  Dorothea chuckled, placing her hand in the small of Petra’s back.

“Tomorrow, there’ll be more of us!” sang Edelgard, Byleth, Dorothea, Petra and Annette, Dorothea and Annette letting Petra step between them, “Telling the story of tonight.”

“They’ll tell the story of tonight.” Smiled Samus in the corner, joining in.  This had been one of her and Zelda’s favorite plays, so the two approached the small circle of five.

“Raise a glass to freedom.” Replied Edelgard, smiling at Samus and Zelda.

“Let’s have another round tonight.” Said Dorothea.

“Let’s have another round tonight.” Echoed Annette, her, Dorothea, Petra, Edelgard and Byleth putting their hands together in solidarity.

“We’ll tell the story of tonight…” sang Samus and Zelda, watching with a smile, adding the “we” since they would tell of the birthday in their kingdom of Hyrule.

“How’d you know that was my favorite song that wasn’t yours, Dorothea?” asked Edelgard.

“Because you’re one of my best friends.” Smiled Dorothea.  Edelgard bowed her head, smiling.

“We’re not merely friends, we are family, all of us.” Smiled Edelgard softly.  “I lost my family to Rhea’s carelessness and the brutality of those who slither in the dark…” she paused and frowned briefly, “even my last chosen brother…” she then looked up and smiled again, “but I gained friends who stand with me every day, no matter how distant they are physically.  You, Petra, Annette, Bernadetta, Shamir, Leonie, Lysithea, Caspar, Bernadetta, Linhardt, Fleche, Hubert, Ferdinand, even Samus, Zelda, Joker, Makoto, Ichinose, Sophia…and of course, our gentle, loving professor, my wife Byleth…we have become the family I always needed after that.”  Annette wiped a tear from her face.

“I’ve just been here in the last two years, and no one ever said anything even a fragment so nice in all my years fighting.” She whispered.

“Edie’s been through a lot as a kid, but she’s risen through it.  We have Byleth to thank for that.” Smiled Dorothea at her.

“Byleth is a gentle, virtuous soul who sees our needs deep within.” Agreed Petra, seeing Byleth and Edelgard smile and laugh together.  “You should’ve seen her place her blade before Edelgard in defense, declaring she needed love rather than condemnation back then.”

“You’re getting good at Foldan basic.” Smiled Dorothea.

“Your time back on the continent made me want to re-learn more.” Replied Petra.  “I…if I can…may you teach me to sing with you?”  Dorothea softly kissed Petra’s cheek.

“Of course, my beautiful Brigid blossom.” She whispered.

“You know, I hear Byleth’s birthday is exactly one week after mine.” Said Annette.

“Your birthday is on May the 9th?” asked Petra.  

“Yes, exactly.” Replied Annette.  

“Fun, we should celebrate both of yours together next year.” Said Dorothea, her and Petra smiling at her, Annette returning the expression.  Shamir and Leonie walked up to Edelgard and Byleth.

“Edelgard, Byleth, is it going well today?” asked Shamir.

“Fine, fine.  I hear someone fitting your description is doing some good vigilante work in the forest.” Smiled Edelgard.

“Um, uh…” muttered Shamir.  "I've been giving Leonie some pointers..."

"Shamir, Caspar saw Leonie fire arrows at the beach last weekend, he described her bow as being made of sunflowers." replied Byleth.

“It’s fine, Shamir, we need to redistribute wealth after the rich hoarding so much under Rhea’s rule, just enough so poverty’s not a problem.” Said Edelgard.  “I don’t want anyone to starve while others are well off enough to waste their food.”

“Well said.” Smiled Byleth, kissing Edelgard’s cheek.

“Then yeah, it’s me.” Replied Shamir.

“I’m so glad all my friends are doing good and justice throughout their lives.  I’ve chosen you all well.” Smiled Edelgard.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Smiled Byleth.

“Agreed!” smiled Samus, raising a glass in toast.  Zelda, Dorothea, Petra and Caspar hit their glasses with hers in a toast.

“I want you all to call me El, as my family did.” Smiled Edelgard, a tear of sentiment rolling down her cheek.  “You…you have rescued me from a fate worse than death, loneliness.  If I had achieved all I have without you…it would be worth nothing.  Power is but a thing, you…you are the people who make me stand up…when I’m down.”  The men, the women, all gathered around Edelgard in a group hug, Samus snapped a picture on her smartphone for the occasion.  And it had been many years, but she now felt less alone than she had felt in all the years since losing her treasured siblings.  Edelgard could only weep in joy, glad her days of pain now seemed far behind her.  Byleth kissed her treasured wife once more, Edelgard smiling the joyous, open-mouthed smile of a little girl and Samus taking one more picture of the happy couple.

“I’ll print that out and you can post it on the wall.” Smirked Samus.

“Thank you.” Smiled Byleth.

“And, once again, thank you all.” Smiled Edelgard, weeping tears of joy.

The End

Music Releases for 6/18/2021

 

               “Method” and “Tomorrow’s Grave” on Sleater-Kinney’s album were two really great grunge/alternative rock songs, one soothing and the other aggressive, and K.Flay released her “Inside Voices” EP, 5 tracks showcasing her feelings and frustrations through the five different major areas of the brain/rooms of the house.  I liked every track and look forward to her touring the album next year, last week was a good week for lesbians and bisexual women in music.  There was also a nice Pop track called “Princess Peach” by Ruth B. that was fun for me as a Mario Bros. fan.

 

There are two albums I’m looking forward to this week, both Hard Rock.

 

Caleb Johnson-Mountain Mojo Vol. 1: A heavy Southern Rock album with drums provided by Jason Bonham of Black Country Communion and Sammy Hagar and the Circle fame.  This also features guest appearances by Damon Johnson (Black Star Riders), Audley Freed (The Black Crowes, Gov’t Mule guest), and Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown.  The singles thus far have been gorgeous Southern Rock performances reminiscent of Black Stone Cherry with a Gospel Choir singing back-up, some of my favorite songs so far this year, and I look forward to the full album.  There is also a cover of “Drift Away” on the album, marking the fourth version of the song after The Nylons, Rod Stewart and Ringo Starr with Tom Petty and Alanis Morrisette.

 

Restless Bones-Captured By The Roots: I don’t know much about the band and very little about the album, but Spotify showed me their single for it, a cover of “Sail Away” by Deep Purple with Don Airey on keyboards and it was excellent and darn good enough to make me want to hear more.  This is also, according to iTunes, the band’s first full-length album, which makes me wonder how they got ahold of an established veteran like Don Airey for it.

 

               I’m thinking I need to change how I use Spotify; the app keeps crashing on me this week when I’m listening to a playlist and decide to get my phone out of “idle mode” to move the just-played song to a new playlist or remove it because I heard it for the first time and it wasn’t enough to make me want to hear it again.  It also upsets me that Whitesnake’s Purple Album, an album of Deep Purple Mark III and IV covers, disappeared from Spotify and I can’t play Chris Cornell, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament and Matt Cameron’s version of “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” the trio of the Japanese voice actresses of Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet and Wendy Marvell of Fairy Tail or the Rock Star soundtrack that featured Bon Jovi, Zakk Wylde, Jeff Pilson, Jason Bonham and Jeff Scott Soto.  This is why I still buy music, and I’m trying to just buy the absolute best stuff, because I get worried that someday, it’ll just be unavailable on Spotify and even if I’m premium, I won’t be able to listen to it.

 

            Tomorrow is also Paul McCartney's birthday, turning 79 years young, so go ahead and listen to your favorite Beatles tracks and covers penned and sung by "the cute one."  Some of my personal favorites are "Yesterday," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Long Tall Sally," "I'm Down," "The Night Before," "Drive My Car," "You Won't See Me," "I'm Looking Through You," "Paperback Writer," "For No One," "Got To Get You Into My Life," "Helter Skelter," "Let It Be," "The Long And Winding Road (Naked and Live versions only)" and "Oh! Darling."  The day after is Ann Wilson's birthday and Juneteenth, so listen to some Heart and some of your favorite African-American musicians, like Jimi Hendrix, Gary Clark Jr., Eric Gales, Alicia Keys, Victoria Monet and Outkast.

6/10 Music Releases

 Here’s some info about some music releases tonight at 9:00 I’m looking forward to.

 

In The Heights Soundtrack: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first movie that isn’t a play on demand!  A film adaptation of an earlier musical featuring Anthony Ramos in a major role.  I don’t know much about this, but the singles showcase what I liked about Hamilton, so it should be good.  There is also a cover of “Wait For It” by Jennifer Nettles out now, with the full album to drop in two weeks.  Also, Anthony Ramos will release an album in two weeks, as well.

 

Sleater-Kinney-Path of Wellness: A return from Carrie Brownstein of Bellingham, Olympia and Portlandia fame!  This new album features a good song called “High in the Grass.”  Yes, the band is named after the location in Olympia, that was the place for a surge of “riot grrl” music in the early 90s, the most famous of which was Bikini Kill, whose song “Rebel Girl” Miley Cyrus covered live at her Superbowl performance.  It wasn’t the halftime show, obviously, but both the song and Miley were on the Joan Jett Bad Reputation documentary soundtrack.

 

Joe Bonamassa-Now Serving Royal Tea Live at the Ryman: Another live blues album with a cover of “Walk In My Shadow,” originally by Free (the Paul Rodgers band before Bad Company that made “All Right Now!”)  Bonamassa is also the guitarist for Black Country Communion, a band lead-sung by Glenn Hughes.  With Hughes busy with The Dead Daisies (going on tour this fall), Bonamassa’s got some back catalogue to keep fans entertained, featuring a lot of live recordings.  Bonamassa has also collaborated with Sammy Hagar, Orianthi and Robby Krieger, this release features Jimmy Hall on two songs.  Also, the Free song was covered by Hughes’ guitar brother Tommy Bolin live before Bolin joined Deep Purple, this release is exclusive to Spotify and paid monthly Amazon Music members on a “1974 Ebbets Field” album.  This release is also notably less bluesy, more of a Hard Rock performance, similar to the original song.  Both covers might be a tribute to the late Paul Kossoff, the guitarist for Free whose look inspired Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

Rolling Stone also listed their top 80 Bob Dylan covers (since he turned 80 last month) and while I agree Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower” should be #1 and that Adele’s cover of “Make You Feel My Love” should be present, I felt it lacked Sinead O’Connor’s cover of “Property of Jesus” from the Amnesty International album.  I’d also say I think Miley’s “You’re Going To Make Me Lonesome When You Go” should’ve been on there, but I don’t think Rolling Stone considers artists who were on Hollywood Records and aren’t Queen musicians.

6/9 Update

 I don’t feel like letting people know what’s coming out tomorrow right now, but I will say Rod Stewart and Mark Collie were fantastic.  I’d rather people know what makes me feel good this month, stuff I’ve had for years and gained new appreciation for.

 

“Edge of Dawn” by AmaLee-A cover of the end credits song from Fire Emblem; Three Houses.  This game made me proud to be an ally, for one of the few times in my gaming history, I engineered at least two same-gender couples.  I keep going back to this game in fan fiction because of the relationship between the player character “Byleth” and Edelgard, empress of the fictitious Adrestian Empire.  Edelgard was one of eleven children and lost all her siblings in a torturous “science experiment” that implanted a second crest (magic power-enhancing device) in her and her siblings.  The only known survivors are herself and the character Lysithea in the same game, and from the childish behaviors Edelgard exhibits (wanted to “gorge herself on sweets” and imitating one of her best friends), I’m guessing it happened somewhere between 5-8 years old, causing part of her development to shut down and become buried in a rigid, hurting exterior bent on making things right.  Without Byleth, she is damned to fail and lose her mind in the process, dying a depressing, almost pointless death.  With Byleth, she succeeds and finds the relationship her soul has been lacking; a close, personal friend she can be fully honest with and thoroughly enjoys.

 

“The Story of Tonight” from Hamilton-This song reminds me of the revolutionary aspects of the above game, you are effectively bringing the bill of rights and freedoms of speech and religion to the continent, freedoms we must not take for granted in the wake of the political rampage of the last five-plus years.  This was why I chose the path, to create restoration in my own mind.  What I found was worth more than freedom, the ability to help and heal a damaged life.  Only Persona 5 Strikers has allowed that since with the characters Makoto Niijima and Kuon Ichinose, both of whom come from pasts where their close relatives died and they were unsure how to progress.  It is an aspect I love in gaming and want to see more of.

 

“Critical Role Theme Song” by Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson and Sam Riegel-This played on Spotify after I played the first two.  Laura Bailey and fellow show members Marisha Ray and Matt Mercer have played roles in the Fire Emblem series (Bailey and Mercer are also in the Persona series) and this isn’t the first time Bailey and Mercer have had “Falchions and cunning,” since they played Chrom and his daughter Lucina in Fire Emblem; Awakening and the Smash Bros series.  A glorious celebration of nerd-dom.

 

Bmblb by Jeff and Casey Lee Williams-This may have been the first same-gender love song I ever heard, debuting in 2017 for the web series RWBY.  Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long, the “BY” in the title phrase, have a same-gender relationship; Blake and her voice actress are bisexual.  Also, Blake’s Mom is voiced by Tara Platt, who voices Edelgard.  Yang and Blake have a different story, of course, they are huntresses against monsters known as Grimm spawned by the immortal witch Salem, defending people from them.  Blake and her family are also faunus, humans with animal traits; Blake and her Mom both have cat ears and quick reflexes, which allows the story to stand against all kinds of discriminations and intolerances in the real world and in its own world of Remnant.

 

She’s Not Him by Miley Cyrus-This could also be the first same-gender love song I’ve ever heard, Miley addressing her pansexuality and her desire for women partners, but inability to let go of male partners.  It was a bold move that paid off, mainly due to the song’s tender nature and soft touch.

 

I Burn by Jeff and Casey Lee Williams and Lamar Hall-The theme song of Yang Xiao Long in season 1 of RWBY.  Yang was introduced as a rough and powerful punching phenomenon who can deal out everything thrown at her.  She is an icon to the LGBTQ+ community, the only time I recall her sad is when Blake was distant, which she openly wept about in front of her other teammates.  She even forlornly gazed at a stack of books (Blake’s favorite pastime is to read) before this, showcasing that though she can take physical pain like no one else, emotions cut even deeper.  The true definition of “badass.”

 

Same Love by Macklemore-Released in 2012 to support the gay marriage campaign in Washington State, dealing frankly with the pain of stereotypes and our online presence.  Macklemore even calls out, “at Church they taught me something else/if you preach hate at the service/those words aren’t anointed/the Holy Water you soak in has been poisoned.”  Like him, I may not be the same, but that’s not important.  No freedom until we’re equal, damn right that’s important.

 

She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert-This started as a refrain in the previous, Mary, a Seattle lesbian who has collaborated with K.Flay and Julien Baker, displays the truth of same-gender relationships, the innocent compassion between two lives.  It honestly makes me feel better every time.

 

The Story by Brandi Carlile-Mary isn’t the only Seattle-area LGBTQ+ singer-songwriter, Brandi Carlile has been releasing music since 2005 and been married to a woman for several years.  This song was even covered by Dolly Parton in 2017 for a tribute to the original album and when I’ve seen Bumbleby fanart these days, all I can think of is the line “Even when I was flat broke/you made me feel like a million bucks.”

 

Again Today by Pearl Jam-Part of the 2017 tribute, this actually originated from a letter Brandi sent to lead singer Eddie Vedder, asking for a “Seattle sound” on the album.  The band knocks it out of the park and Matt Cameron does an especially good job on drums, Eddie Vedder singing the vocals in his trademark, low-slung style.  Highly recommended for fans of the Grunge sound.

 

Last Hope by Paramore-While looking at art of singers the other day, I saw a drawing of Hayley Williams and was brought back to hearing this at the KeyArena (now renamed the Climate Pledge Arena by amazon.com)  It’s about persevering in adversity, with the lyrics “It’s just a spark, but it’s enough to keep me going” and “The salt in my wounds isn’t hurting any more than it used to/It’s not that I don’t feel the pain, it’s just I’m not afraid of hurting anymore.”  Feel tailor-made for the struggles this month means for those in the community and those like me who just want to support the belief of equality we wrote down almost 250 years ago and don’t feel like we’ve ever displayed.  And all the art and songs are just a spark, but enough to keep me going.