I’m imagining Parian making the bunny do something in Vista’s hand before they leave, just as a little funny prank or gesture. 😛

“I’ll look forward to it,” Parian replied. She turned to Vista, “Here.”

Vista accepted her gift.  A stuffed rabbit, made in the last-minute or so.

Ooh, nice!

It was finely detailed, wearing a fancy dress with lace trim.  The fur had a softness that indicated high quality material, despite being wet.  She would have been delighted with the gift, were she four years younger.

Hehe. Yeah, I suppose it could come across as a bit patronizing.

In general, not just emotionally, Vista has shown herself to be quite mature. It’s not far-fetched to think that she’s a little tired of being patronized. See also Clocky’s attempts to avoid swearing in front of Vista despite her clearly being comfortable with Weld’s swearing (and with repeating what he said) in 9.1.

It was still a really nice gesture.

Yeah. I think I would’ve appreciated it if I were in Vista’s place. 🙂

She hurried back to Flechette’s side and waited a few seconds for a break in the conversation.  When none was forthcoming, she put a hand on Flechette’s arm.

They really got the flow going. Flechette doesn’t even seem to have noticed Weld in her ear at all.

❤

“What’s up?”

“Weld wants us back asap.”

A look of disappointment crossed Flechette’s face.

Aw.

Seriously, Flechette, if you’re trying to hide how you feel about Parian, you’re not doing a good job of it.

And given that Vista has proven herself to be quite emotionally mature over the course of this Arc, and good at understanding how others feel… I don’t think it’s gonna be much longer before she has this all figured out, if she doesn’t already. 😉

“I’ll see you later?” Parian asked.

“I’ll stop by later, unless I’m done with patrols for the night,” Flechette shrugged.

Especially when you go ahead and do this. 🙂

Every so often I feel like shortening Flechette’s name, then change my mind due to how I’d pronounce “Flechy” as “fleshy”.

“I suppose we’re lucky to have this haven, here.  So far.  I dunno how long before someone I can’t scare off comes through.”

Someone like Hookwolf and his Chosen, perhaps. Or, hell, the Slaughterhouse Nine, cod forbid.

…suddenly I’m scared for Vista’s life.

“You have my number.”

Vista turned away as a third voice sounded in her ear.  She stepped away from the conversation, shook her head a little to shake off the water that the steady rain was depositing on her.

Did we reach the meeting call?

Vista squeezed the earbud, “Sorry?  I didn’t catch that?”

“Weld here.  Kid Win has something to report, asked everyone to come in.  Can you make it back here quickly?”

“Okay.”

We did. Time to wrap this up, I suppose.

But yeah, I’m legitimately worried that the Slaughterhouse Nine might attack the neighborhood Parian is guarding by the end of this Arc.

Which we may want a name for, by the way. Plush Paradise? Needlehaven? Yellowline?

“It’s basic stuff,” Flechette said, “But it’ll hold you for a little while.”

“Thank you,” Parian spoke, reaching over the makeshift yellow line for the bag.  She held it behind her back with both hands.

🙂

Just over her right shoulder, cloth formed into a rough shape, a trio of needles with attached spools of thread weaving in and around it, a razor cutting at pieces of it.

Oh nice. Is she embedding the bag into a stuffed creature so she can have it walk on its own?

“How are you managing?”  Flechette asked.

“Some kids came through around noon, roughed up the mother of one of my friends.”

Ouch.

“I told you to call me if there was trouble!”

“I handled it.  Kind of.  They ran when they saw my rabbit.

A pirate boxer rabbit might not be all that scary in its own right, but when it’s nine feet tall and chasing you, pretty much anything can be scary.

According to my friend’s mom, they were trying to get someone to tell them where they could get food, and she was afraid they’d take everything if she told them where we have our stuff.  I think they were more hungry than dangerous.  Not enough food going around.”

Scavengers, I suppose you could call them.

The cloth took on a rough shape with arms and legs.  “Erm, that makes it sound like I’m blaming you guys-”

Ah, right, since the PRT is in charge of protecting incoming resources. I don’t think Flechette and Vista are taking it like that, though.

“You’re right,” Flechette interrupted.  “We’re not doing a good job of getting supplies to everyone.  We can’t.  Any time we try to distribute it, a group like Hookwolf’s gang or the Merchants try to seize it.

Huh. I wasn’t expecting her to agree. Fair enough!

Even if the heroes on duty fend them off, the citizens get scared away.”

Yeeah, it’s a risky waterhole to visit.

A metaphorical waterhole, that is. The entire city is a “risky waterhole" in a more literal sense, especially a little south of here.

“It’s cute!” Vista smiled.

“Hi Vista,” Parian greeted her.  “Hi Flechette.”

Sounds like Parian and Vista didn’t part on bad terms, at least.

“Hey,” Flechette smiled, “We come bearing gifts.”

Vista stepped forward and held out a shopping bag, “A dozen gallons of water, some rice, some tins of beans, multivitamins and first aid supplies.  My power will wear off pretty soon, so get the bag somewhere safe before then.”

Oh, nice, she turned it into a bag of holding. That, or she shrunk the stuff inside.

It also seems like whatever she did made the bag lighter, or Vista’s stronger than she looks.

“Don’t cross the yellow line,” Flechette spoke.

Ooh, did Flechette bring Vista to see Parian on their patrol?

“Right,” Vista agreed, “I got the message the last time I came this way.”

I wonder how that went.

Also, I think we might’ve rewinded a bit. This patrol might be happening around the same time as Kid’s recruitment mission, which means this scene will probably end with Flechette and Vista being called back to HQ for discussing Chariot. That’d make for a fairly good transition, and fits with how Wildbow has done such things in the past.

Flechette leaned forward, found a string, beaded with water from the rain.  She plucked it twice.

The secret knock… or should I say pluck?

Parian sloshed out from a nearby alley.  A nine-foot tall rabbit with an eyepatch and boxing gloves followed a few feet behind her, moving on two legs, swaggering forward like it had a chip on its shoulder.

Hiya!

That’s a cool pirate boxer rabbit you’ve got there. (Is there fanart of it?)