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. ]

[gandere]

There's no need to be a jerk about these things, Archer. [ Look at her trying to be nice and defensive of all the people here. ]

Human beings can't help what they are after all.

[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.

[steelmyself]

Then do you think I can help what I am, Rin?

[gandere]

[ Fortunately for him, she's not clumsy enough to point out that he's not human over the amber where everyone can see. ]

No, but I can help you keep your mouth shut if you've run out of things to hold your attention. I have a long list of chores that need doing now that the tree shook up everything in my little home.

[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]

Naturally I've already done most of them.

[ He has, but he also deliberately left a few things out of place just to give Rin something to do in setting them right. ]

[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.

[gandere]

Then you can help me with gathering supplies. [ Hmph. ]

I can't carry much so you'll have to be my arms for a little while longer until I have good health.

[steelmyself]

Of course, Rin. That is my purpose.

But what supplies are you seeking out now? I'm already busy gathering herbs and fruits to make tea with.

[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. ]

[gandere]

I already asked Emiya to help me with gathering flowers... [ Of course she asks the boy closer in her age to pick her flowers. ]

It'd be good to gather some of the toadstools and roots within the earth to grind up into powders just to have on backup provided I can identify if they're any good as herbal remedies. Plus if I could get more grass, I could weave baskets and make something to welcome new additions with.

[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.

[steelmyself]

He'll probably pick you the ugliest and most wilted flowers, Rin. That's just his nature.

[ It's not that he's jealous. He just can't help picking on Shirou, like rubbing salt into his own wounds. ]

I don't believe the mushrooms around here are edible, but I'll look for some roots.

[gandere]

Really? I always thought mushrooms were good for fighting off infections, but that's older medicine which never really was my specialty. [ What a terrible magus she is. ]

It'd be good to experiment regardless, so please humor me.

Oh, but do you think he would? I told him they were for clothing... [ Now she's worried about Shirou bringing her ugly flowers, good job. ]

[steelmyself]

Clothing?

[ The image of Rin dressed in nothing but flower petals steals into his head before he can stop it. He blinks a few times, his thoughts suddenly destroyed.

But he has more control than he once did. He can, at least, keep himself from blushing. ]

[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.

[gandere]

Yes, clothing. I can't go around wearing the same outfit every day.

[ Even if she's from a visual novel and does so normally. ] My clothes are starting to wear thin from being washed and worn so much so I'll need to alternate them. Besides that, it isn't healthy for me to wear the same thing while I'm recovering or else I'll risk infection.

I'm not sure how I'll fashion it into something I can wear, but I have a few ideas from mending my own clothes.

[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.

[steelmyself]

Hmph. A brilliant magus like yourself shouldn't concern herself with clothing.

Nor should you trust it to someone as embarrassingly inept as Shirou Emiya.

No, Rin. I'll make you new clothes.

[gandere]

..? [ Good job on stunning her into silence because she's not sure what she can say to that.

The thought of Archer creating her clothes to wear is nice, but is it really a good use of his time? He could be patrolling the outskirts of the tree looking for those responsible for bringing them here or hunting fiendish insects. ]

[steelmyself]

Yeah, I'll make you new clothes.

[ It's almost as if he's off in his own little world, now, as he briefly sinks into a self-indulgent fantasy of tending to Rin's needs. It's gotten altogether too easy to begin to harbor such dreams after months of taking care of her here in the tree. ]

I'll weave yellow dandelion petals together over some bark for an armored top, and pluck red tulip petals for a skirt. It'll suit you, Rin.

[gandere]

Why would I need an armored top? [ She doesn't understand how vulnerable she is in this world or how vulnerable she's behaved as of late. ]

It seems unnecessary.

[steelmyself]

[ And just like that, he snaps out of it. ]

I am your Servant, Rin, and it's my duty to protect you. I won't see you injured again.

[gandere]

... I'm hurt because I chose to be, not because of your lack of protection. Even if you were there, you wouldn't have been able to stop this.

[ That's what happens when you decide last minute to not stab someone. ]