Cherche

"Might I join, sire? This may not be my country, but it is my cause."

- Cherche

Cherche (セルジュ - Seruju, Serge in the Japanese version and Zelcher in the Non-English European versions) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Awakening.

She is voiced by Kana Akutsu in the Japanese version and by Amanda C. Miller in the English version.

Profile
Cherche is a former vassal of House Virion from Rosanne, and the mother of Gerome. Her wyvern mount is named Minerva. Despite her domestic nature, she is surprisingly strong as she gained her vicious dragon mount by defeating her and surviving her fire breath, only getting a bald spot from the encounter--all when she was only nine years old. Her support with Gaius reveals that she detests fighting, but the only reason she does is so she can live to see her family again. In her support with Gregor, it is revealed that he betrayed his friends in Wyvern Valley to save Minerva from being killed.

Two years after the defeat of Gangrel, Walhart has all but completed his conquest of Valm and is preparing to invade Ferox. Chrom is summoned by Flavia to meet Virion, who delivers the news of the impending invasion. However due to his personality and lack of urgency, Cherche intervenes and quickly explains the situation to speed things up. At Port Ferox, Cherche joins the fray and decides to fight alongside Chrom's army.

In the epilogue, should Cherche remain unmarried, Cherche returns to Rosanne to reclaim the country that Virion lost. Cherche and Minerva were never seen apart.

Personality
Cherche is a domestic woman raised on simple values who is good at cooking and sewing, in contrast to her vicious wyvern. She has a bizarre sense of aesthetics, referring to monsters and bugs as cute. Cherche shares an extremely close bond with her wyvern and has developed an ability to tell what Minerva is feeling or saying by her shrieks. She is the scariest person in the army to anger as she tends to threaten people by implying that she will make Minerva eat them all with a smile on her face. Her birthday is October 17th.

Normal Mode
Tantivy Hammer
 * Wyvern Rider
 * 12
 * 30
 * 14+2
 * 1
 * 12
 * 11
 * 8
 * 15
 * 2
 * 7
 * Strength2icon.pnggth +2
 * AxeIconFE13.png - C
 * [[File:Steel Axe FE13 Icon.png]]Steel Axe
 * }

Hard Mode
Tantivy Hammer
 * Wyvern Rider
 * 12
 * 31
 * 15+2
 * 1
 * 13
 * 12
 * 9
 * 16
 * 2
 * 7
 * Strength2icon.pnggth +2
 * AxeIconFE13.png - C
 * [[File:Steel Axe FE13 Icon.png]]Steel Axe
 * }

Lunatic Mode
Tantivy Hammer
 * Wyvern Rider
 * 12
 * 33
 * 16+2
 * 1
 * 14
 * 13
 * 10
 * 17
 * 2
 * 7
 * Strength2icon.pnggth +2
 * AxeIconFE13.png - C
 * [[File:Steel Axe FE13 Icon.png]]Steel Axe
 * }

Growth Rates

 * 100%
 * 70%
 * 20%
 * 55%
 * 50%
 * 50%
 * 55%
 * 15%
 * }

Max Stat Modifers

 * +3
 * 0
 * -1
 * -1
 * 0
 * +2
 * -2
 * }

Supports
Romantic Supports
 * The Avatar (Male)
 * Frederick
 * Virion
 * Stahl
 * Vaike
 * Kellam
 * Donnel
 * Lon'qu
 * Ricken
 * Gaius
 * Gregor
 * Libra
 * Henry

Other Supports
 * The Avatar (Female)
 * Miriel
 * Nowi
 * Gerome
 * Morgan (Only if Cherche is her mother)

Class Sets

 * Wyvern Rider - Promotes to Wyvern Lord or Griffon Rider
 * Cleric - Promotes to War Cleric or Sage
 * Troubadour - Promotes to Valkyrie or War Cleric
 * Bride - Requires Wedding Bouquet

Base Class
Cherche is essentially a flying, physical tank: her HP grows with each level due to her 100% growth rate in HP, and her good 50% growth rate in defense. Her high strength also allows her to smash opposing lance users. Her skill and speed all grow at a pace that keeps Cherche from falling behind. She may join a tad underleveled, but with a little bit of effort, and she will catch up.

Cherche fares better as a Wyvern Lord because she acquires access to lances to help her get past sword users, while acquiring Swordbreaker to enforce that further as well. Quick Burn also assists her with her lesser hit and avoid ratings, since most maps take less than 15 turns. The stat caps also fit her growth rates better. However, if Cherche spends some time as a Griffon Rider, she can acquire some utility skills in Deliverer, which can give her extended movement range while paired up, or Lancebreaker, which can make her an anti-lance unit. Although Cherche's glaring weaknesses to bows and magic can be problematic, Cherche can still be a very useful unit once she starts gaining levels.

Reclassing
Cherche fares best in her base class because her other classes have some orientation with magic, which is not one of Cherche's strong points. However, some of the skills from these other classes can be rather useful for her overall. Perhaps the most notable option is the Renewal skill from the War Cleric class, which can make Cherche difficult to take down in her base class. It is also a good skill for Cherche to pass down to her son Gerome. Cherche's high movement also compliments the three rally skills she gets: Rally Luck, Rally Resistance, and Rally Magic. As a Troubadour, Cherche can acquire Resistance +2 if magic users have become a big issue for her. Overall, Cherche is more built to be a Wyvern unit, but the skills she can acquire in her alternate classes can be quite useful for her.

Event Tiles

 * "Did you find something Minerva? Here, let me see it." (item)
 * "I have mended everyone's tattered clothes. They should feel as good as new." (exp)

Asking - Normal

 * "We need dreams to sustain us. What are yours?" (dreams)
 * "Why so cheerful? Did you stumble upon a cute little caterpillar?" (happy)
 * "Oh! Where have you been? I haven't seen you for a while." (free time)
 * "How are you holding up? I was wondering if we could fight together for a change." (team up)

Replying - Normal

 * "Well, I would love to see Minerva's child one day. Wouldn't that be magical?" (dreams)
 * "No, I just got to watch my dear Minerva shed her skin. It was incredible!" (happy)
 * "I try to wash and mend our clothes. Fashion like this is hard to come by!" (free time)
 * "If it pleases you. Together, we can face any opponent without fear." (team up)

Asking - Married

 * "Please be careful, (name). I am so scared I might lose you." (promise)
 * "Is it just me, or do you get more handsome with each passing day?" (compliment)
 * "I adore you, (name). Never forget that." (love)
 * "What do you have there, my love? Hardly something you would need in battle, no?" (gift)

Replying - Married

 * "I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. You need someone to look after you." (promise)
 * "You know the right things to say to a lady. But you’re the nicer one to look at." (compliment)
 * "I love you, too. ...Now say that again." (love)
 * "It’s a cookbook. I take pride in broiling more than my foes, I’ll have you know." (gift)

Asking - Child

 * "Come practice with me, Gerome/Morgan. It will be good for you." (train)
 * "Do you need anything, Gerome/Morgan? Your journey here must have been difficult." (gift)
 * "How are you feeling, Gerome/Morgan? You look a bit pale today." (concern)
 * "Tell me, Gerome/Morgan, What was your day-to-day life in the future like?" (story)

Replying - Child

 * "Very well. For my darling child, anything!" (train)
 * "Thank you, but just the thought is more than enough, my dear." (gift)
 * "Don’t worry. I can deal with any problems that arise." (concern)
 * "You are the first to ask me that in a while. Well, why don’t we talk over tea? And soon—before you go off on your own again. Promise? Otherwise I will have to send Minerva to hunt you down." (story)

Level Up

 * "I feel invigorated! How about you, Minerva?" (6+ stats up)
 * "I’d say I’ve made quite a bit of progress." (4-5 stats up)
 * "All in a day’s work." (2-3 stats up)
 * "Oh! Shame on me." (0-1 stat up)
 * "Oh my...these muscles! None of my dresses fit." (0-1 stat up, most stats capped)

Class Change

 * "I have always been fairly adaptable."

Armory

 * "What a charming little establishment they run here." (buying)
 * "Oh, am I holding surplus? I had no idea." (selling)
 * "I'll let Minerva decide if you did a good job." (forging)

Alone

 * "Is there something in the air today? I feel so invigorated!" (surge)

Greetings-Normal

 * "Good morning, Avatar. Come take a load off." (morning)
 * "Hello, Avatar. Here for a break, I see." (day)
 * "Evening, Avatar. Oh! Don’t move! A cute little bug is on you!" (evening)
 * "Don’t stay up too late, Avatar. You’ll be sorry tomorrow." (night)

Greetings-Married

 * "Hello, Avatar. I do love the morning." (morning)
 * "Hello, Avatar. Another day full of surprises!" (day)
 * "Hello, Avatar. Is it nighttime already?" (evening)
 * "Hello, Avatar. Time to go to sleep." (night)

Confession
"Hm, it's funny, being close like this just feels...right. It's as if it was always meant to be."

- Cherche's confession quote

Final Chapter
"Minerva wants you back, and so do I!"

- Cherche's final chapter quote.

"Whew! Quite a battle... Perhaps time to settle down for a spell."

- Cherche's quote after Grima was defeated by the Avatar

"Minerva would be heartbroken to lose you... All right... I... Would be heartbroken to lose you..."

- Cherche reassuring the Avatar for their choice if she is his wife.

"Minerva says she still feels Avatar is of this world... Also that he/she smells delicious, but that's neither here nor there..."

- Cherche's quote after the Avatar's sacrifice of killing Grima

Dual Support

 * "Time to tidy up!"
 * "Stay with me!"
 * "Where to begin?"
 * "This one's ours!"
 * "Best of luck!"
 * "Don't worry!"
 * "Shall we?"
 * "How charming..."
 * "Get ready."
 * "I'm right here."

Dual Strike

 * "Forgetting someone?"
 * "I have you!"
 * "And one from me!"
 * "Pardon me!"
 * "Allow me!"

Dual Guard

 * "Look out, you!"
 * "Still standing?"
 * "Guard up now."

Critical

 * “Rest in pieces!”
 * “If you don’t mind!”
 * “Think you can get away?”
 * "I bid you farewell!"
 * "It has been a pleasure!"

Partner Defeated Enemy

 * "How sloppy of me."

Defeated Enemy

 * "Moving on."
 * "Poor you!"

Death/Retreat Quote
"Damn... This is not my time... Sorry, but I'm pulling out. Today is not my day to die..."

- Cherche's defeat quote

Etymology
Serge is a masculine name of French origin. It is also a Latin word meaning "servant". The latter probably represents her status as one of Virion's former vassals.

Cherche is a variation of the French verb "chercher", which means "to look". In this case, Cherche translates into "looking" or into "look", as an imperative. "Cherchez la femme," or "look for the woman" is a phrase in classic French novels that points to a woman being the source of trouble in any man's life, a clever joke on her relationship with her master.

Trivia

 * Cherche's dragon mount, was named after Minerva, as revealed if Cherche fights Minerva in Lost Bloodlines 2.
 * Cherche shares her English voice actress, Amanda C. Miller, with Sully.
 * Cherche's official artwork depicts her wielding the Helswath.
 * Cherche's birthday is the same day that Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was first released in North America.