...who let him even use the network, honestly

[deconsecrate]

[ Travelers, remember when you were recently informed about a terrifyingly organized group of dragons? And how this information was imparted in a manner grave, suitably solemn and noble and stuff?

...this probably won't be anything like that, just as a precaution. ]

Not to interrupt anyone's plans for the evening, but--

[ Hawke does not have any of them fancy image-sharing skills, so you're all just going to have to take his word on this. ]

I probably should let someone know there's herd of dragons on the move here, making a terrible mess of the tournament-grounds between Rivergard & Westgard. Bit bigger than the last ones, although not as many! Thank the Maker for small favors.

Does anyone know what you call a venery of dragons, by the way? I've always wondered*.

*[ no he hasn't ]

Comments

[hakodate]

"Mess" as in killing people, or "mess" as in nesting?

It's gonna be the difference between "a lot of people are fucked" and "everyone is fucked."

[deconsecrate]

I thought they were just digging, but I've been told that's nesting.

[hakodate]

Everyone is fucked.

[deconsecrate]

Wonderful.

I don't suppose killing a lot of them would help?

[hakodate]

The knights here have told me that even one nest could be enough to take this kingdom down from the inside.

So, if by "a lot" you mean "all," then sure, you might be onto something.

[moredakka]

Hijikata-samaaaa....

[By which she means, didja have a chance to rethink the cannon ban yet??]

[hakodate]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

Can you get there in time to break out the big guns personally, or are we going to have to put them in the locals' hands?

[Worst case scenario, he'll accept the latter, given that if the kingdom gets nuked by dragons it won't matter how they're nuking each other...but really, tiny armies with medieval technology, especially after that shit Snow pulled, don't exactly get a confidence vote from him for "not doing anything stupid after the dragons are taken care of."]

[moredakka]

I-I'm just one big gun! And I can't do the portal trick either, so...

[She thinks, though. Actually stops and thinks. The Snow affair did enlighten her somewhat about other potential outcomes of having cannons around, other than the obvious delight of shooting fucking dragons out of the sky.]

We won't have time to make anything anyway. It's got to be us. Can we... um, you're a Veteran so, you know who else has got really strong offensive powers...

[Okay yes. Here's your alternative plan:]

... I'm gonna need a squad.

[hakodate]

Problem is, I'm not sure who else is close enough, or will be able to get there fast enough.

LeBeau was around Westgard before he decided to take care of the dungeon portal. If he gets back in time...

[God, who else can make things explode? So many of them are perfectly deadly but don't have the kind of range that would really be useful here.]

[moredakka]

I need just one person who can open portals. We'll do precision strikes...

[Her hesitation and slight panic even out into thoughtful confidence, bit by bit. This is what she's good at. What she's for. Except she has no idea about half the variables she's working with and none of whether Hijikata is going to be remotely okay with letting her do what she wants...]

Doesn't have to be ranged fighters. We'll borrow gryphons. We just need to be really really fast. They can't be expecting us to be able to strike everywhere!

[hakodate]

There weren't a ton of us left after Belljar who can open portals. Neria, Verreuil, LeBeau, Okita... [By which he means not his, because his is just Souji. Shit gets confusing.]

...wouldn't be surprised if a few more have learned, recently - I did, before this jaunt started - but I'm not sure who else we're looking at, then.

[moredakka]

[See this is why you need a chain of command. She isn't about to go on about that, though, not now. Now it's time to improvise wildly.]

Neria-san and Okita-san were here in Greengard so... I'll try to round up a team from here. If I can...

[This is the weak link in the plan, alas, rounding up her team. She's a tactician not a recruitment officer.]

[hakodate]

I don't know if I can get out there in time or not. Depends on shit here, but I'll try.

[moredakka]

[Sounds like she's on her own for a while there. She takes a deep breath.]

It can't be helped. [The voice that thinks that... may not be entirely Sio.]

I will... do my best.

[hakodate]

[Wow, that doesn't sound ominous at all.]

[deconsecrate]

All does sound preferable, but I thought I'd start modestly.

[hakodate]

You got experience with killing these things?

[deconsecrate]

Oh, some.

[ Is 'nail-buffing' a thing that can be conveyed audibly? ]

[hakodate]

You're ahead of most of us, then. Anything you need over there aside from back-up?

[Not that Hijikata's in a position to supply it, but hey. Messages are easy enough to spread around this group.]

[deconsecrate]

A cannon would be nice.

[It is total coincidence that he is mentioning this, it's just ...true.] Maybe a trebuchet! If you've got one of those lying around.

[40% saracasm, 60% genuine enthusiasm. Who wouldn't want a trebuchet or a cannon? No one with a sense of fun, that's for sure.]

[hakodate]

[Well, hey, ignoring the sarcasm for a moment -]

Ogura might actually be able to help you out with that.

[She'd probably also be happy to have someone sharing her enthusiasm for big guns instead of someone going NO DON'T USE THAT HERE.]

[deconsecrate]

Really.

[ ...that amount of interest should probably be a caution. Then again, they are talking about like, fucking dragons here, so what are they doing to do, kill them too much? ]

[hakodate]

Not sure if she's got time to pull much together, but she's in the area and trying to get shit done, so - you two ought to find each other.

[And try not to blow up the kingdom in the process, for the love of all that's sacred.]

[deconsecrate]

[ ...so for the love of like, five or six things, in Hawke's case. ]

Brilliant. Beats collecting dust behind this barrel.

[ He's not really hiding behind a barrel. ]













[or is he ]

[hakodate]

What's in the barrel?

[Because wow, he hopes Hawke isn't hiding behind anything too flammable.

Like a big cask of booze or something.

That could be problematic.]