amber ♠ 02

[steelmyself]

I really have to wonder at how quickly we're destroying this place.

[ Archer announces himself over the amber with that casual and dire remark. His tone is bored. ]

First of all, we've upset the balance of nature by killing a predator and allowing defenseless prey animals to multiply unchecked. Those rabbits will probably suffer once they meet the cruel reality of life beyond this tree, you know.

And now we've nearly destroyed the tree itself with our meddling. Isn't that impressive?

[ Now his voice is just dripping sarcasm. ]

Well done, everyone. Whoever brought us all here should really have expected these results. It's exactly what human beings do, after all.

Comments

( amber )

[knight_king]

Hm. Where are these rabbits you speak about, Archer?

[ She has not noticed those yet, Archer. But she does not have the keen gaze of a bowman.

She feels guilty she could not do much when the tree started to shake, she could not reach those with their fragments on the gems in time. ]

[steelmyself]

Oh, do you wish to pledge your sword to their defense, Saber? The rabbit kittens are currently nestled inside a small burrow dug by their mother.

[knight_king]

Who do you take me for? [ If they were lion cubs... ] Rabbits can be potential pests to our food supplies if they multiply without population control.

[steelmyself]

Agreed.

There are five of them. I believe we should cull two and let three live for now. Not until they've grown a little, of course. There's no sense wasting potential meat.

[knight_king]

I have another idea until then, perhaps it is a riskier one. Though it would require someone with experience in domesticating cattle animals.

[ And an environment they could control their breeding. ]

Korra and I were speaking about the winter. I thought it was too faraway to be an immediate concern, but a month has passed since our conversation and we should not grow so certain about the future.

[ Relying on foraging and hunting would only work during the warm seasons, after that they will be trusting blindly the tree generosity to provide food. ]

[steelmyself]

[ He blinks. The thought of being in this tree long enough for seasons to pass is a strange one. He doesn't know whether to be dismayed at seeing his pointless existence prolonged, or oddly grateful for the chance to spend time together in a small home with Rin. He tries to push both thoughts away. ]

Hmm. You're right. Winter would really pose a problem. Everyone you're sworn to protect might freeze and die, Saber.

[knight_king]

[ It is unsettling. She wishes she could help these people to leave and slay the fiend who brought them here, though it seems that her plans have been foiled. A month and weeks passed.

She is still here, so is Archer, Illyasviel, Shirou and Rin. Kuh-

A brief frown crosses her features when he mentions that, but she immediately dismisses it. ]

The fireflies apparently are more than enough to keep them, at least, those who have the sense of remaining inside.

[ Korra told her about the cold when she arrived. She's a Servant, that doesn't faze her, but other people... ]

If we are able to domesticate these rabbits, we could have an access to fresh meat and pelts to endure the upcoming winter. In case we still linger, of course.

[steelmyself]

Perhaps we could find a way to convince their mother to bring other rabbits and form a warren here. Then we could pick off one or two without scaring away them all.

[knight_king]

How do you propose we persuade the mother? I do not possess Animal Dialogue as a Personal Skill.

[steelmyself]

No doubt there's someone here who can coax small, stupid animals. After all, Shirou gets along with people.

[knight_king]

You may have a point, Archer.

[ She will never not agree that Shirou can be foolish. ]

[steelmyself]

I have many points.

--I wonder. If you can't speak with the animals...

[knight_king]

I already told you I do not possess that Skill.

[ It'll be amazing if she did. ]

And frankly, if they were sentient, I would not wish to partake on their meat. [ Would she be any different from the likes of Caster or Rider if she did that? ]

[steelmyself]

Yeah, but I thought that perhaps your use could be parting the mists instead. A holy light might do that.

[knight_king]

[ Oh Archer. ]

I am afraid that my holy sword will not be used to lure animals.

[steelmyself]

Lure animals?

I was thinking it might part the way for us all to leave and go home, guided by your beautiful ideals. It might really be that easy.

[ His voice is quite mocking. ]

[knight_king]

Archer. Are you proposing that I should use Excalibur against the barrier?

[steelmyself]

[ His smirk fades quickly. ]

No. You're already using too much prana as it is. It's too much of a risk.

[knight_king]

...

[ He's right. It is because unlike Archer, she cannot cancel her materialization to give it a rest. Her attacks are also all prana intensive. ]

Even so, if that is what it takes to set these people free, I would not mind to give it a try.

[steelmyself]

If that's what it comes to, perhaps that's your fate in this place, but let's pursue other avenues for now.