C
Annika: Hey, me and some friends were going to head downtown and see if there was anything we could buy for Taren. She seems a bit stressed out.
Simon: And?
Annika: Well, I thought that maybe you could come with us?
Simon: Why? What benefits would I reap by waltzing around with ditzy young girls and shopping?
Annika: If we find the right present, we could really get Taren’s spirits up.
Simon: So what? Who cares how she feels?
Annika: She’s our friend.
Simon: She’s YOUR friend. Not mine. You go buy her a present on your own accord. I have no interest in expending my time for a stranger’s well-being.
Annika: Simon, she isn’t a stranger.
Simon: I don’t expect you socialites to understand my reasoning for declining your offer, but my decision isn’t changing anytime soon.
Annika: Whatever. But I’m not letting you off the hook next time.
Simon: Right, like you can tell me to do anything.

B
Annika: Simon.
Simon: …
Annika: Simon.
Simon: …
Annika: Simon!
Simon: …
Annika: SIMON!!
Simon: Eh?
Annika: Taren wants me to tell you you’re a huge jerk.
Simon: Oh. Alright.
Annika: ​That's it? You don't even look the slightest bit bothered.
Simon: That is because I'm not.
Annika: So is this what you do all day? Read?
Simon: Is it any of your business?
Annika: What's the book about? Who wrote it?
Simon: Give it back! You and your grimy paws shouldn't be on my book!
Annika: This is-
Simon: It's mine, that's what it is!
Annika: Simon, I-
Simon: I don't care what you think about what I read, I don't care what you think about what I do, and I don't care about you, so buzz off!
Annika: Fine. But don't expect me to apologize.
Simon: I don't. I expect you to leave.
Annika: Whatever.
Simon: ...

A
Annika: Simon?
Simon: Ahhhg... oww.
Annika: Here-
Simon: Don't touch me! Stop that!
Annika: How did you get all the way out here?
Simon: What?
Annika: You're so far from camp. What happened?
Simon: I don't know.
Annika: Did it have to do with that book?
Simon: No.
Annika: You're lying.
Simon: I am not.
Annika: Simon, my mother wrote that book. And the curses in it aren't safe. They are only to be used with years of magic experience. You aren't even old enough to do basic spells in there.
Simon: Ugh. Why don't you leave me alone?
Annika: It was supposed to help you stop fainting, wasn't it?
Simon: How do you know about that?
Annika: ...Your sister told me about it. She said you get tired in high altitudes and that you can't do much physical labor without passing out, that-
Simon: I- it isn't- rrggh! So what if I was up here to try and get rid of it! It isn't like it worked! Here I was thinking for once things would go my way and I could be normal! And here you are looking at me like I'm a diseased puppy or something, I don't need your pity!
Annika: It's okay to admit you're upset-
Simon: I don't have time for this! I'm going back down to camp alone! I'll just put one foot here, and then the other one- there. 
Annika: Let me just be your crutch, until we get to camp.
Simon: I can manage, cleric.
Annika: ...
Simon: ...Fine. If you must. But I don't want anyone seeing me with you, we separate as soon as we get close.
Annika: I'll drop you off, then. Literally.
Simon: Don't drop me. That isn't funny.

C
Annika: I want you to be more careful.
Taren: Oh. Where is this coming from?
Annika: Taren, I want you to be more careful because I don't think you realize how much you mean to me.
Taren: Of course I do, Annika, but you can patch me up if I get too hurt, right?
Annika: If that was always the case, then there would be no death on the battlefield. But there is.
Taren: Why are you so tense?
Annika: Because you don't listen to me!
Taren: Annika, calm down-
Annika: Don't tell me to calm down! You took a hit and you shrugged it off without getting me to help!
Taren: That's what this is about? Annika, if I go to you every time I get a scratch, I'll never get anywhere on the battlefield, I'll be next to you like a forlorn puppy.
Annika: It wasn't a scratch, and what's so wrong with being closer to my side?
Taren: We'll talk about this later. Right now, I need to- be anywhere else doing anything else.
Annika: We'd better talk about this later!
B
Annika: You ready to talk now?
Taren: Now that you're not freaking out, I am perfectly okay with talking to you.
Annika: I'm sorry, it's just, we were the only girls our age in Hawkinson. I grew up with you, and I don't want you to... die.
Taren: I won't. I told you that I won't.
Annika: That doesn't mean anything and you know it.
Taren: So then what do you want from me?
Annika: I want you to take this more seriously! I know you, so I can tell you from experience that you have a problem with comprehending the gravity of a situation.
Taren: What?
Annika: You don't get serious when everything around you does. Almost never is there a time where you understand that something could go wrong and most likely will. You just make dumb promises you might not be able to keep.
Taren: Maybe you are taking things too seriously.
Annika: You can't take war too seriously, Taren.
Taren: I can be serious. I've been serious.
Annika: I know, serious isn't the word I'm looking for. It's more like you're reckless. And that scares me.
Taren: You know what? I don't need you to lecture me.
Annika: That isn't what this is?
Taren: Sure sounds like it.
A
Taren: I'm-
Annika: I'm sorry.
Taren: No, you shouldn't be sorry, cuz' I'm sorry.
Annika: You are?
Taren: I am totally sorry. I don't think enough about the consequences of my actions in combat. It's always the last thing on my mind. The first thing on my mind is keeping everyone I care about safe. That's always first.
Annika: I know. And that's why I had to apologize. I keep saying I know you, and I do, but that's why I should have realized you keep strict priorities. You've always considered me more important than you, but to me- it's just the opposite. So don't get yourself killed. Please.
Taren: I won't. I really won't. I pro-
Annika: Just don't do it.
Taren: Uh...right.
Annika: And one more thing.
Taren: Yes?
Annika: Your braids are messy. Let me fix it, it's been bothering me since this morning.
Taren: Sure, mom.
​Annika: Hardy har har.

The spotlight for this week is on Annika, the healer with passion and fire! Her character description is as follows:​

Annika is the army's only cleric, which would be an issue if you didn't receive Schall, a troubadour you recruit only a chapter ahead of Annika, and Harley, who is recruited in Chapter 9. As a cleric, Annika has no means to defend herself, and she has fragile defensive stats, along with low HP. She also has serious competition as a healer, as Harley and Schall can both counterattack and absorb damage better than Annika. However, Annika has a few advantages over them:

• Her magic growth: Annika's magic growth is actually the highest in the game, at 80%. This growth is drastically higher than Schall and Harley's 50% and 45%, respectively, making Annika the superior healer.
• Peppy: Annika's personal skill, Peppy, allows adjacent units to heal 20% more, and not just from her staff uses. Vunleraries, regenerative skills, HP stealing spells like Nosferatu, all of them are affected, meaning Annika is excellent support for those who need quick healing, even if her turn is already over.
• Promotion: Because of Annika's monstrous magic growth, she has high potential as a Sage. Her magic growth becomes 90%, which is devastatingly high.
• Reclass: If you don't feel the need for another healer or Annika has fallen behind and needs experience faster, Annika's reclass option, dark mage, suits her very well. Because it is an offensive magic class, she can go on the offense instead of serving a supportive role.
• Evasion: Annika has nice speed and good luck as well, making her evasive.

Now, saying these things, Annika has some glaring flaws that need to be addressed:

• Strength: Because weapon weight is factored similarly to the Tellius series, it's harder to double enemies and evade when the tome you hold is a higher weight than your strength. Annika is plagued by a strength growth of 0% unless boosted by class growths, making it extremely difficult for a promoted Annika to lug around tomes and not be doubled often.
•  Bulk: Annika has mediocre bulk. An HP growth of 30%, a defense growth of 20%, and a resistance growth of 55% as a cleric means she must be constantly guarded, because she can be dispatched quite easily. The other two healers of the game have better HP and defense, but lower resistance.
• Can't Go Into Combat: As a cleric, Annika's high growths are counterbalanced by how difficult it is to raise her to promotion level. Annika cannot gain high amounts of experience from defeating a foe because she can't participate in combat. This also distinguishes her from the other two base healing classes of the game, which are capable of initiating combat and counterattacking.
• Promotion Competition: Sages are powerful units, but even with Annika's nuclear magic, it's debatable if she's even worth the seal in comparison to Gwenivere, who has an 85% magic growth and a higher weapon rank in tomes, or Tyken, who has lower magic, but has more weapon experience, more mixed bulk, and higher skill.

Annika is a unit you get at the same time as Taren, Tenn, and Tyken, and because of her loyalty to the army, you may feel the obligation to keep her away from the bench. If you do, be aware that she, like most fragile healers, can make or break your strategy, and cannot be relied on to take hits.

Quick Note: I will post three other unit spotlights very soon, possibly all today, but normally, Unit Spotlight will be weekly. The three protagonists should have spotlight pages, so I'm going to get on that.