Keep the change, ya filthy animal!

[wolfehawke]

Who: Whoever's on planet and happens by; also one prompt closed to Anders
Broadcast: No
Action: Yes
When: Before, during, and after the attack on the cannibals
Warning: Use of dead bodies as "decor"


A. On the eve of battle

[The Tourist has had some repair work done to her in the weeks she's been stranded on the planet's surface. Whether she's space worthy is debatable, but she's certainly livable at least. Just lacking in defenses what with most of her crew off to fight for the freedom and survival of the Fleet. Hawke and Anders though, they're still not recovered quite enough to go fighting in the knock-down drag-out battle that's going to ensue which means they're left to stand guard over the silent hulk of the ship.

Even if they're injured though, they still need to defend their home, and with some discussion and careful planning, they're able to do just that.

If anyone passes by on their way to confront the Vizeri or otherwise, the Tourist is less inviting than usual. Fenris' handiwork in killing any cannibal that came within 100 yards of her has proven very helpful in Hawke and Anders' redecorating efforts. Bodies with fatal and nasty wounds are displayed all along the hull at irregular intervals, some with red smears underneath to show where they were dragged along the plating. The main hatch is shut, but before it are rows of sharpened wooden spikes, carved crudely but effectively and lashed together to form barriers. They're not difficult to navigate for a single person, but any group would be forced into single file to get at the entrance.

The hatch on the side of the ship is less formidable to look at. True, a corpse is pegged on either side like eerie sentinels, but at least there's no spikes? It's through this hatch that Wolfe can be seen moving in and out of the ship, lugging more sharp stakes out or wood in or walking around the ship using his magic to position fortifications and even summon walls of magical ice around other areas of the ship. Wolfe's face is set in a determined frown but there's a bit of a manic glint in his eyes, something that belays a mischief about this whole display.

Just be careful if you approach; there's more magic set up here than just what's used to build walls.]



B. Wet Bandits - Closed to Anders

[Twas a night on Hell Planet, and all through the ship
the consoles were quiet, without even a blip.
The corpses were hung on the hull plating with care
in the hopes that the cannibals would know to beware;
the mages were nestled and hidden in corners
biting their tongues lest their witty rejoinders
allow the trespassers in their humble abode
to find where the mages were secretly stowed.

The Vizeri were here and their boots made a clomp
giving away just right where they'd stomp
and so the two mages with spells at the ready
jumped from their places to cast spells like confetti!
Anders fried a handful with a huge burst of lightning
that the deafening sound was no short of frightening.
And Wolfe's spells hit the eyes of their cannibal foes
and a good number of warriors were were easily froze.

The two looked at each other and admired their work
but this job wasn't over so they couldn't shirk.
Further into the ship the two mages did skiff
the cannibals following, unaware of the glyph
that the healer and champion had arranged in the hall
so one by one their enemies would tumble and fall.
Paralysis, weakness, and runes to slow gait
the traps they had laid were really first rate.

The night is not over and the day is not won
there's a long way to go before work is done.
But Anders and Adalwolfe have experience in spades
of making their enemies regret running raids.]



C. "Because my staff is buried in his nervous system!"

[With so much effort put into their traps and fortifications and the battle that followed, Adalwolfe is exhausted, but happy. It all went rather well if you ask him. Neither he nor Anders ended up with any new injuries, neither passed out from using too much mana. All in all, a successful defense of their home.

There's a lot of cleanup to do, but after clearing the bodies from the halls of the ship, Wolfe is taking a snack break before starting a pyre. The bodies of dead cannibals may not be the most comfortable perch but Wolfe takes a great deal of satisfaction in getting back at the bastards who not only took several bites out of him some time ago but nearly killed his lover. He thinks he's earned his moment of vindication.

If anyone passes by on their way back from the Vizeri stronghold, he can be spotted sitting on a rock with his boot firmly planted on two bodies at his feet and another pile of at least six behind him. He waves with his free hand, the other casually stuffing a sandwich in his face like he's not sitting in the middle of the corpses of his enemies.]

Hey, how'd it go?

[Chill as you please.]

Comments

[wolfehawke]

[Look, if you've ever been to Darktown, this is akin to a sweet spring breeze.]

Someone had to watch the ship. We just got her put back together.

[He stands up and goes to meet her, clomping across the pile of bodies without much of a care.]

Think with your victory we can get off this shithole soon?

[Even as he talks, he's taking a moment to glance her over, making sure she's not too terribly injured or anything. If she is, Anders is just inside.]

[bryces_pup]

[Sadly, she's never been. They wouldn't let her go to Kirkwall. Alistair went instead. Boo.]

Ah. Defenders of the mighty Tourist. I'm sure Kirk and Fenris will be glad you kept the ship safe while they were out.

[Along with the rest of the ship, of course, but given they're the captain and first mate, they needed to take the entire ship and crew's safety into account.]

I think so. Once all the ships are repaired and the Vieziri fleet are taken care of, I think we should be good to go.

[wolfehawke]

I'm sure.

["Kirk and Fenris." He's not sure how to take that knowing they're an "and" in an official capacity. He's been sitting on that for now.]

Good. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait to get back into space.

[bryces_pup]

[There's a tonal undercurrent to his words that almost make Riona pause. Or maybe she's just imagining it, or projecting her own feelings about Fenris and Kirk. She says nothing, chalking it up as overanalyzing it.]

You and me both. Who'd have thought that the boring, cold stretch of space would be a welcome sight?

[wolfehawke]

I wish I thought about it how you do.

[He gives a small smile at that, but he's not sure he can ever think of space as less than the actual literal Void trying to swallow their souls into oblivion.]

Maybe with time? I'm not sure.

[bryces_pup]

Not a fan of the endless stretch of dark, scary void that is outer space?

[It's unnerving, looking out there sometimes and seeing just nothing upon nothing. But there's so much beauty in space, too. All those stars and nebula and whatever colorful things are out there that she hasn't heard of.]

[wolfehawke]

Look, I did go to Chantry services growing up. "Passing out of the world, in that Void shall they wander; O unrepentant, faithless, treacherous, They who are judged and found wanting.". That sort of stuff doesn't exactly leave you even when you're grown enough to know it's metaphorical hogwash.

[Or is it? After all, the Black City is real, the ancient magisters are real, so then the Void is just as real as any of it. Not for the first time, Adalwolfe wonders if they're all dead and wandering the Void because they've been found wanting...

He has to suppress a shudder and shake it from his mind. Let's change the subject entirely, shall we?]

So, right, how did it go? I mean in terms of glorious battle. Are they going to write songs about this one or was it just another day of being a commander?

[bryces_pup]

If this is the Void the Chantry warned us about, then the Maker's an odder fellow than I took him for. Because being stuck together in flying contraptions with people from other worlds is not quite how I pictured the afterlife going.

[That isn't to say she's dismissing Wolfe's words. But it's meant as a reassurance, or at least, an attempt at it. And the Void might be vast and it might be cold, but it is beautiful in certain spots. It seems an odd addition to put into a place that's meant to be a punishment.]

Can't really claim being a commander anymore, given how my taint is gone, at least while I'm here. But it was quite a fight. Lots of blood and close calls. I managed to come out relatively unharmed, which is a minor miracle given that I had no armor and I was occupied with making sure Alistair was all right.

[wolfehawke]

[She has a point, but it's still an interpretation of their situation he can't quite shake. Of course there's beauty, because without the beauty you don't know what ugliness is. Of course there's new friends and interesting faces, they're all being punished too for whatever slight the Chant says is wrong, and what's worse suffering than watching others suffer needlessly. Everything is relative. He'll just not talk about it anymore though. He prefers her reasoning.

That and he gets distracted by what she says next.]

Alistair?

[Wolfe raises a tentative eyebrow.]

Your Alistair?

[bryces_pup]

[Well, that answers her question of whether or not he heard the news. Apparently not. She smiles widely and nods.]

Yes, my Alistair. He showed up about a week or so ago.

[Thank the Maker he'd run into Rowan and that he'd pointed Alistair in the right direction. She's loathe to think of what would have happened if Alistair had been left wandering these woods alone. Of course, if he hadn't heard about her being in the fleet, it could have taken days before they ran into each other.]

[wolfehawke]

That's fantastic!

[Excuse but he's just going to wrap his arms around her in a bear hug.]

It's about bloody time!

[bryces_pup]

[Why does she know so many giants? Here she is, at 5'5" getting smooshed by a man who's at least 6', if not taller. It's perpetually unfair.

Despite being a little smooshed, Riona's still grinning as she pats Wolfe on the back.]

I never thought it'd happen, honestly. [She must have said those words a hundred times by now, but it's true. If she'd allowed herself to hope, she feared the despair would swallow her.] He's from a different point in time, so of course there's a complication to all of it.

[wolfehawke]

At least he knows you, right?

[She wouldn't know he was hers otherwise it stands to reason. What would make it difficult is if Alistair was from before they'd ever met, like when Anders was first in the Fleet ten years too young. He's very glad that Riona doesn't have to go through that.]

[bryces_pup]

Yes, and that's what matters. We can deal with everything else as it comes.

[Hopefully. She's not sure how Alistair is going to react to some of what she needs to tell him, but all the same, she knows they'll work through it somehow.]

Now I finally have someone to snuggle at night.

[wolfehawke]

And there is no one more deserving than you, Ri.

[He grins broadly again and squeezes the hug a second time before withdrawing and letting her breathe.]

If you need help with any of it, let me know. I'm not sure how exactly, but a lot of other people seem to be under the impression that I'm good at explaining things.

[bryces_pup]

[Oh gosh. Now she's getting the smooshy feels. Darn it Wolfe you're really spreading the smoosh everywhere!]

Aww. Thank you. You keep this up I'm going to start getting teary-eyed and sentimental.

[It takes a lot of willpower to not inhale dramatically when he lets her go. (Okay no the hug was really nice but she hates how much shorter she is than everyone sometimes)]

I'll let you know. Most of it will have to come from me, given the circumstances, but I appreciate the offer.

[wolfehawke]

[Look he had a hit to his deepest seated belief about no harm ever coming from love. This is a win he needs too. Not as much as she does, but he does need it.]

Of course, that makes perfect sense.

[He smiles warmly at her, containing himself from giving her another hug even though it's all he wants to do. Clearly she was made a bit claustrophobic by the first one.]

This is just so wonderful! I'm sorry, that sounds like all I can say!

[There's laughter in his voice, mingled with relief.]

[bryces_pup]

[Hey, she's glad to spread the happiness around. He's genuinely glad for her and it makes her gooey on the inside. Certainly better than someone rolling her eyes at her happiness or muttering something about calling her a sap.]

You're so sweet. Though you might feel a bit differently before long. [She's clearly teasing as she continues.] We've been told we're rather sappy and tend to make people want to vomit. Okay, that was mostly Morrigan, but the sentiment was shared by many.

[wolfehawke]

Oh Riona, my dear sweet Highness, have you met Anders and I? I'm fairly sure you could sweeten your tea and frost desserts with us when we're in a mood.

[He's teasing too, but what's a little friendly competition if their significant others benefit from it?]

[bryces_pup]

Mmm, I'm afraid I haven't seen much of this tooth-rotting sweetness you claim to have. [She grins widely. To be fair, she hasn't gotten to hang out with them both at the same time; it's usually separately.] Not that I doubt it, but I'm confident Alistair and I can give you both a run for your coin.

[wolfehawke]

Then I propose a challenge. On the next planet we visit that has such things, we'll go on a double date. A nice dinner, fancy clothes, really wine and dine our respective lovers, and then we'll see who's more disgustingly soppy. How's that?

[bryces_pup]

[This is the best contest ever.]

Oh, I will absolutely take you up on it. And no telling our others that we're trying to outdo the other. I want to see both of their reactions as the night goes on.

[wolfehawke]

[Right? Everyone wins.]

Of course; if they were in on it it would ruin the game.

[Hopefully Anders doesn't get cold feet being a ridiculously romantic sop in front of his former commander because as sappy as Adalwolfe can be, Anders is ten-thousand times worse and Adalwolfe's plan to win this thing rides on him.]

[bryces_pup]

Then it's agreed.

[This is going to be amazing. Alistair will have no idea, but he's naturally super sappy with her, so she hopes that'll kick in when they're out. Of course, he's also a private person...

eh, either way they win. Double date with husband and friends.]

[wolfehawke]

We do need to set some stakes, though. What would you like in the oh-so-unlikely event that you win?

[Lets make this more interesting.]