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[onblackwings]

[ This lady's looking a little different, for anyone that's spoken with her before. Not any older, but there's a sort of crooked quality to her nose, like it'd been broken and healed some time ago. She's lounging in the Initiative apartments, looking like she's recently made friends with a superiority complex. ]

I want to speak to those of you who have seen a war before. Not the skirmishes that the Initiative sends us on here, but actual war.

And failing that, I'll take anyone that knows magic — and can teach it. That part is important. Don't waste my time if all you can do is cast it.

Comments

[sharpe]

If you know anything of war, ma'am, you know it's not 'exciting' at all.

[onblackwings]

I have the collected stories of a veteran from my own world to prove you wrong.

Maybe it's just your wars that aren't exciting.

[sharpe]

Aye? That so.

[onblackwings]

Well, it must be. I'd have been able to tell you for myself, but I was brought back here again too soon.

[sharpe]

Tell me then. Those grand stories you've been told.

[onblackwings]

[ She pauses here, frowning a little. To relate any of these stories to him would make it clear that her war veteran was a dragon, which humans don't often make friends of. Is there any way she could alter them? Maybe... ah, now she has it. A small smile. ]

He rode a dragon into battle. A young black, I'd heard. Would you like the time he ambushed and tore the throat from a copper, or the time he used his magic to confound an entire flight of bronzes?

[ A fool-proof plan. She looks smug. ]

[sharpe]

[ He bursts out laughter. ]

Tell me 'bout the one when he tore out the throat. That at least I know.

[onblackwings]

Both of them had been left behind, I'd heard. Pteros-- that is, my friend's dragon-- had been wounded at his shoulder, and was unable to keep up with the rest of the flight. The copper had been burned, which was probably a red's work. Pteros heard the copper before it was in sight, and had time to dive into a cloudbank for cover. [ She pauses, smirks. Racial pride, man. ] I'm told the copper never saw it coming, and was dead before hitting the ground.

[sharpe]

Wars fought with dragons in the air. Now I've heard of everything. [ He chuckles softly. ]

Aye, it'd sound glorious if that's what yer war is.

[onblackwings]

It is, I'm sure. And whenever I leave this place again, I'll join its ranks for myself.

[sharpe]

And have yer throat torn out like that copper of yers?

[onblackwings]

Please. I'm better than that.