Post "The Hope Of Winter"

[themomentoftherose]

[1/Network]

Hello White Chalice. I'm very happy to announce several things to you right now, the results of our mission against the mountain base.

First of all, The Stalker Fang is dead, permanently this time. Unfortunately it took her original personality, as Anna Fang, reasserting itself for this to happen. For a little while, she was the kind person the history books tell us she was. She rammed Requiem Vortext into Harrowbarrow, saving us and killing Wolf Kobold.

Second, Harrowbarrow contained the enormous, city-powered beam gun MEDUSA. It has been taken aboard.

Third, it also had plans for quick conversion of a large static city to a mobile one, derived from observation of the Yapan Exodus.

Fourth, both of the above were to be sold to an interested third party who would then have taken one of the world's greatest cities mobile and spread Municipal Darwinism at MEDUSA-point. Fortunately that does not seem like it will happen now.

Fifth, more secret documents were recovered from the base. Apparently they were developing a mag-lev system large enough for cities to use. We will be broadcasting this to any city that will listen. With mag-lev, there will be no need for cities to devour each other for fuel. Municipal Darwinism will soon pass into history.

White Chalice, I want to thank all of you for helping us get this far. General Naga has ordered that everyone who accompanied us is to be awarded the Wind Flower's Petals, Crimson Class, one of our more prestigious medals, and a cabin and forty acres of farmable land within our territory, if you ever decide to retire.

[2]

After sending that message, Oenone sits back in the arboretum, leaning against a tree trunk, her head tilted back. Something wet spills over and traces a line down her cheek, then another. It's tears of relief, for something that she'd been fighting for most of her life. And now it's over. Her brother and Stalker Fang can both rest in peace.

She feels lightheaded, empty, sweet. Where next? There are so many possibilities. The net is wide and infinite.

Comments

2

[poorgirlsarcee]

Mira doesn't say anything as she walks up, two bottles in hand. She holds one out to the doc.

"After that mission, you probably could use something stronger..." She notices the tears as she sits next to her. "Doc?"

Re: 2

[themomentoftherose]

She wipes the tears away with some embarrassment and takes the bottle. "Thank you. I'm OK."

Re: 2

[poorgirlsarcee]

Mira chuckled. "Yeah if things went that way for me out there, I'd be cryin' tears of joy too. Don't worry I won't tell Kensuke."

[themomentoftherose]

"Thanks. I suppose that would make me one of those embarrassing parents people are always talking about." She holds the bottle up to examine it. "What's this?"

[poorgirlsarcee]

"Just root beer. Wasn't sure if you'd drink real beer so went the carbonated route." She grinned a little. "Naw, you're not that bad. Trust me... My parents were worse on the embarrassing scale." She pulled a leg up to her hest sipping her soda. Though doesn't elaborate on her parents.

[themomentoftherose]

"I..." She unconsciously fingered the cross around her neck, perhaps wondering what ol' JC would think. "I never got a chance to try. Do you think that would be alright? It is an appropriate time to celebrate..."

[bloodedsakura]

"If you want sure. With the tea, I just thought you didn't drink." She grinned. "Though you know it's not a party until there's good music playing right?"

[themomentoftherose]

"I never have, but i'd like to try and I trust you to make sure I don't get into...trouble." She stood, all smiles. "I don't know, you're the expert."

[bloodedsakura]

Mira chuckled. "I'll make sure you don't get too drunk." She laughed a little more. "I'm no expert."

[themomentoftherose]

"That is, ah, an expert at parties, not on drinking." She said, a little embarrassed. "It'll be just like having a hanami picnic." She remembered for a moment the flower picnics of her childhood. During the brief Alaskan spring, they'd picnic under the wildly blooming trees.

[bloodedsakura]

"Flower viewing right?" She grinned. "I prefer cookouts myself."

She took another drink. "Give me an hour and I'll bring lunch and booze."

[themomentoftherose]

She waits that exact hour, contenting herself with reading TS Eliot in the grass in the meantime. Hopefully nothing happens in that hour...right?

[bloodedsakura]

When Mira returns she has snacks and a cold bottle that's red at the bottom and gradually shifts to blue then white.

"Brought fire and ice and ham sandwiches... That's okay isn't it? Because really you should eat first before drinking, helps so you don't get as bad a hangover."