"Heh, whatever do ya mean Zuki?" Anne asks, as if not knowing what she had insuated. "I was just sayin' Jim was a right good host before the winds changed."
At that same time Genessa looks over at Grimm, and knows from her short time with the man he has to be very bored with all this. She thinks about going out on a hunt for something special for the night's dinner after this is done.
Benjie's impassioned (almost berating) speech captures everyone's attention. Fergus the bird retreats more into the brim of Anne's hat being affected by his emotions. Anne scrunches her brow, almost like she was about to fire back with something, but holds her tongue. Genessa is very much surprised at this outburst. Leonidas looks from Benjie to Yuzuki and back but says nothing, and gives none of his thoughts on the matter. Dean is the most understanding in his knowing look and nod.
When Houdini takes his turn to say his piece, Anne looks at the empty beer bottle at ' Each of us has our own set of troubles in our hearts and minds. ' and frowns. Genessa places her hand over the flask in her pocket, looks down at it, and around at everyone. Dean looks at Yuzuki and out the door where Benjie had just left.
"Oh yes, by all means, if Albert tries to kill any of us then he's gotta go." Anne admits first when Harry is done.
"I agree, except-" Genessa raises a finger "if this Hizashi can be, we
absolutely must take him alive if it can be helped. Sparing his life, if temporarily, could save many more." She rationalizes. When asked by Burton to get the location of Jim's camp, she is a little confused but decides to ask Anne and Yuzuki later.
Many are thankful that the tone of the meeting is shifted from the personal to focus on the mission at hand, and Leonidas in particular listens intently.
"I would have liked to have you planning our battles, Mr. Burton." Leonidas commends the other veteran soldier. "I agree with this plan. The days of training as well. The iron weapons will take some adjustment for me."
"Grimm and I, we could go hunting for the food we will need." Genessa offers. "I would like to teach him anything unique to our world he may not recognize, to make him an even better tracker."
"I can lead us right to where Jim's camp had been." Anne says to Burton tipping her hat. Fergus comes out from the brim and resumes his perch atop the hat. "Will even have us a teeny scout this time round." She points up at Fergus, whose little green head darts around at everyone, wondering why he is suddenly getting attention but not distressed by it at the same time.
"I...look forward to hearing all about it." Dean says looking down at his shackled feet. He ponders a moment then asks himself aloud "Maybe take up a little hobby. Bird watching? I dunno, I'll find somethin' to kill time while you're all off kicking ass."
And so it was The Liberators took two days to train, and prepare for their next mission all in their own ways.
Anne the Pirate spent her time training her feathered companion. People would see her on the ramparts of the fort, pointing in a direction the little bird would fly off towards, and in the time of four drinks of ale would return to chirp at her. To listen to Anne you would surmise that a full conversation was taking place; the bird describing the area he had been sent to fly over and around. When not training, Anne would engage her fellow Liberators in some light to medium sparring. With Yuzuki it was swords, and while the pirate lacked the same finesse with a blade, she was still able to keep on par with the samurai woman with her unorthodox swordplay. Fergus meanwhile would try to be more friendly to Niji, the unicorn he had threatened when first meeting her. Though the bird remained protective of Anne's/His hat.
Leonidas would train all day adjusting to the added heft and power of his new iron shield, short sword, and spear. One would think his age might affect the man, but the life of a Spartan proved to have added at least twenty more years of prime health to the man's life. Only the keenest of observers would catch that he controls his breathing more than a younger man would.
Genessa made good on her plans with Grimm. The two explored the area around the fort extensively, often crossing paths with Fergus. In that time Genessa would show Grimm how while she was of the nobility, she was no less knowledgeable about the wilderness than he, and did not shy from dirtying her hands with earth, or blood and guts to clean the kill of the day. In fact, one would see the woman was...oddly comfortable with blood; even being caught licking it from her hands at least once by her hunting companion.
James Dean would be kept to his rooms for the most part, thought visitors were allowed and very welcomed by the man.
When the day to disembark on their mission came, The Liberators would leave in the same manner and groups as they had arrived with a meeting planned at a point outside York where Anne, Yuzuki and Benji had first spotted the city from a distance. And the journey would be uneventful, very quiet.
One would say, almost
too quiet...
END OF STRANGERS: GATECIA
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STRANGERS: THE HUNT!