SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Well, I do admire the Princess' gumption, even if she's reached the wrong conclusions.
Tengu Reporter Quest (Touhou) (World 7 - Wheel of Time)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
- Crossover
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X] Stick with Piña as much as you can.
- [X] Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
- [X] Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
[X] Stick with Piña as much as you can.
- [X] Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
- [X] Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
EDIT: Votes are locked.
Last edited:
Tournament I
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Stick with Piña as much as you can.
- Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
You guide your horse after them, keeping half an eye on the beast so it doesn't try to push ahead. "Have you had much riding experience?" Bozes looks back at you, eyes flicking down to take in your side-saddle seating, and you smile and shake your head.
"Not really. I know a bit about it, but actually doing it isn't something I've had much reason for. We live in an area that isn't suited for large cavalry actions, anyway." The rest of the knights give you looks of surprise, and Hamilton simply gawks at you as you look around idly. Of course, the pace Piña set was restricted by the horses' ability to actually run that far, and an hour isn't a particularly long time to be mounted without a break, so it really isn't impossible for humans. All you've done is make them realize that you aren't soft and weak. Beefeater dances her horse back and looks you over more closely, but neither your charming smile nor Hatate's resigned sigh show her anything new.
"Beefeater, stop being rude." She stiffens, sitting up, and wheels her horse back into position.
"Yes, Your Highness! My apologies." You keep an eye on Piña, but the girls are all quiet as your party moves through the forest – wait. The other girls were waiting, there's a tournament ready, and no one is acting as though Piña is late or delaying things. So the princess simply brought you along whimsically on a trip she was planning? Is she a fool or simply extremely confident? True, neither you nor Hatate have shown any particular hostility or threat, but as high-ranking a person as she seems to be should be more concerned with their safety – taking no other guards and bringing along two strangers is simply incredibly risky for mere humans. Or … does she have some kind of charm or artifact that would protect her or call for help? No, probably not; Cicero did imply that magical items used by normal people weren't possible. Although a member of the ruling family would be someone most likely to have an exceptional item that wasn't known of by most people, it's also not something you should assign a high priority to; paranoid thoughts lead to paranoid inclinations, and if the Apostles didn't have protective charms like that, they probably aren't things you need to concern yourself with.
You encounter a second patrol of guards – all seeming to be normal troopers going by their armor and relative lack of decoration compared to Beefeater and Bozes – and half of them file in around your group while the other half ride ahead. You and Hatate get a few looks, but they seem to accept their superiors' acceptance of you without comment. Smiling, you guide the wind ahead, higher than any of the riders and wide enough to catch sounds in general, and you catch the hurried sounds of people rushing around. Ah, a reception for Piña when she arrived … but with only a few minutes' warning? Either there was a very precise time they expected her to arrive, which she made, or they've been keeping themselves in the general area in expectation. If the latter, then it indicates a high level of discipline among even the less high-born troops. … Assuming there are any knights who aren't high-ranking nobles. You'll have to remember to ask Piña about that.
The forest ends abruptly, but your group continues forward in the sunshine as the well-maintained goes up a gentle slope. You can make out two large flags that must be planted along the road, but not what they depict. Probably a rose. Piña takes a deep breath and nods before looking around, studying the terrain; you have a hard time believing that there could be any kind of trouble this close to the capital, but if these knights haven't had the chance to go on a real campaign, they would probably want to keep up dangerous area conditions just to keep it from getting dull. Your group reaches the top of the hill, and you finally see the assembled Rose Order of Knights. It is very majority female, and also quite young on average; there are a handful of men, and a few older members, but most of the members you can see look even younger than Piña, not having reached their full growth yet. You find it difficult to fault Godasen for refusing to utilize this organization, particularly in unknown territory, especially if these girls are all members of at least lesser nobility ….
Piña, Hamilton Bozes, and Beefeater hurry ahead to meet what seems to be her command group, but the guards close around you and Hatate – you must not be invited. Oh, no, however will you learn what they're talking about? … Just saying hello, asking about the tournament and the Gate, and Piña informing everyone that you and Hatate are spies from Diabo. You sigh as Hatate looks at you – there are reasons you don't lie, apart from it being wrong for a reporter to do. One of the few men in the order, and looking to be well into middle age, turns to frown at you, and you wave back. He sighs and shakes his head, but Piña refuses before he can say anything: she would rather keep you under observation where you can't get into trouble than let you run loose in the capital. Her knights seem divided about that, either agreeing are thinking that your being here is riskier than just sending you back to Diabo – but she merely has to cross her arms and glare sternly at them and they all relent. And then Piña finally formally greets her knights. Her voice is confident and strong, loud and clear enough to reach all the members – between three and four hundred by a quick count, probably toward the middle of the range – yet not too loud or shrill. Beefeater looks shocked and betrayed by the princess's announcement that she would not be participating in the melee event, but you're pretty sure that Piña's words don't forbid her from becoming an obstacle to the top-ranking fighter.
Once the cheering dies down and everyone starts dismounting, you hop off your horse and walk up the hill toward Piña. Two of the guards take your and Hatate's horses, two of them escort you, and the others move away to sentry positions at the crest of the hill. "A marvelous speech, Your Highness. They really seem to like you." She smiles happily for a moment, then gestures to the short-haired woman at her side.
"This is Panache, another of my squadron commanders along with Bozes." She nods curtly at you, and your eyes dart to the dispersing groups: organized under red, white, and yellow flags. Well, that's convenient for you. Not sure how it'll work out in the long run for them, but there are plenty of colors for roses, even without youkai meddling. "And this is Grey, my advisor and our first instructor – who still has many lessons to teach us." You bow to the man; a handful of fading scars and a peculiar look in his eyes suggest that he is quite experienced. For a human, at least. "And I've already told them about you, so you don't need to worry about that." You smile at the faces surrounding you, Piña's aides and their assistants.
"A pleasure to meet you all. I do hope our presence here won't disrupt your activities in any way." Piña claps her hands together, looking almost surprised.
"Ah, that's right! We should get moving." She whirls and starts walking toward the orderly camp. You follow only after a confirmatory glance at the officers, to make sure you aren't committing some social transgression, but although they watch you like wary dogs, it seems like they're really going to obey the princess. "... You two don't need to stay with me, you know." You smile at Piña's response to your catching up to her and Hamilton.
"I understand," you begin, glancing at Hatate, who nods absently while looking around. "But there are some things I'd like to get your view of first." She shakes her head.
"I don't have any particular desire to see either Zorzal or Diabo succeed Father. My concern is entirely for the good of the Empire." You smile politely.
"I'm pleased to hear that, but that actually wasn't what I wanted to ask you about. I was curious about the history of your order – you know, how it came about, what it's accomplishments are. With how devoted everyone is, surely there must be some story behind it." Piña is rather quiet at that, and Hamilton shoots you a confused look. Piña turns, heading not toward the large clearing where the tournament is presumably taking place, but to a tent with the flag of the red rose posted next to the entrance. More important are the two large tables with scraps of metal – no, those are pieces of armor, and four assistants. Of course, Piña and Hamilton need to be fully 'dressed' to oversee the tournament. The two knights stand waiting, and the assistants spring into action, fitting the armor carefully from the feet up. You pay close attention, keeping in mind the vulnerabilities and gaps of the suits for possible later use. Once they're armored, Piña takes a deep breath and shakes herself, the armor jingling discordantly. You have to wonder how heavy it is – although it certainly would be much easier with a horse carrying them, which is probably why the armor of the infantry you've seen is so different. Cheaper and much lighter, particularly with much less emphasis on total protection.
"... The history of the Rose Order, hm? Well, there isn't much to tell, unfortunately. I only managed to create it seven years ago." Your eyebrows rise in surprise – she couldn't have been much more than a child even by human standards! Hamilton sighs resignedly.
"Yes, after you saw that work at the theater. And then you forced Sir Grey to assist you." Piña laughs.
"Of course! I am the princess, after all. But even then, we could barely do anything for another two years." She sighs wistfully as she walks to the tournament grounds, oblivious to your hurried recording of her words. "I had to make sure that everyone else was invested, that people wouldn't just … leave the moment things started getting a little uncomfortable. I had to prove that women could defend the Empire just as well as men could, and having to wait two whole years just to make sure that everyone else would stay …!" You titter quietly.
"It was probably for the best; you simply cannot seriously train people until they start growing well themselves. Rigorous training before they start to mature will actually damage children. If you had managed to keep everyone even while training harshly from the very beginning, your current forces would probably be weaker, thereby weakening the premise you hope to prove." Piña glares at you for a moment, but then she sighs and looks away.
"... You are probably right that the more rigorous training would have been … counterproductive if started earlier …. Still, everyone almost did leave." Hamilton smiles, a refreshingly natural expression on her face compared to her prior nervousness..
"Yes, and then you decided to have a tournament! Just like this one!" The princess smiles as well, and you fall back slightly next to Hamilton and Grey as she walks up the podium to begin the event. After welcoming and thanking her knights, Piña announces the beginning of the tournament with a joust between Panache and a knight called Norma, who turns out to be one of the few men in the unit. Panache receives far more cheers, but a small but vocal minority calls out support for the young man. They salute their commander and each other, then ride their horses at each other, seemingly aiming for the heavy shields each rider wears on the left side of their armor. "The goal is to unseat the other knight, which can be dangerous. Most knights actually aren't allowed to joust at all, but Norma and Panache have been at it since the beginning. They opened the very first tournament we had, too." Grey chuckles.
"Ah, I remember that. Poor Norma went down on the first pass, didn't he?" Piña laughs and nods.
"Yes, and later he ended up confessing that Herm had convinced him to lose purposely, just like I suspected – but that it wouldn't have mattered, because he just wasn't good enough then to beat Panache. Now see how far he's come." You nod at her proud words as the knights charge each other for the third time, neither rider having managed to solidly strike their opponent – and Panache catches the edge of the shield, knocking him sideways onto the ground. Gasps echo across the field and Panache yanks her mount to a halt, but Norma climbs to his feet and rests one hand on the sword at his waist … then stumbles forward and falls to his knees, shaking his head in defeat. Panache seems relieved as her supporters cheer her victory.
As the knights remove themselves from the field – after again saluting each other and Piña – others carry targets into the arena, placing them in a clump in the center and at the eight compass points of the field. A dozen knights walk their horses to edge of the arena, carrying bows, and you nod as you realize what the unusual configuration is for. Hatate inhales sharply and leans forward eagerly. "Heh, do you think anyone will come close to Suissesse's score this time?" Piña merely shakes her head at Hamilton's question as Grey laughs. The first knight takes her place, bow lowered and arrows in her quiver, then spurs her horse to a gallop. You're not exactly good at archery – most tengu are only passable, really, because it's just so unnecessary for beings like you – but you can tell that the girl is a well-practiced master, firing at the same point in her mount's rhythm and keeping it equidistant between the two rows of targets. And not one of her arrows miss; not a one even comes outside the perfect target zone, even on her second pass. "... Why did you tell Beefeater she couldn't participate in the melee, but you still let Suissesse participate in the archery contests, Your Highness?" Piña smiles.
"Beefeater gets stronger the more she fights. Letting her fight throughout the melee instead of making her wait until the end for her match makes things harder for her. Besides, Nikolasha might make it to the end this way." You watch the superbly talented archer wait for her arrows to be collected before retiring to the other side of the field to wait for the next contestant. Hatate looks at you pleadingly and you shrug before glancing at Piña.
"Um, Your Highness? You said – you said we didn't have to stay around you, right? Um, could – could I go see her?" They don't seem as surprised as you are at Hatate's request, and the princess nods.
"Of course. She doesn't talk much, though." Hatate's smile grows wider and she nods excitedly before darting away, quickly enough that you almost scold her to keep her speed down. "Is your companion an archer?" You watch the knight-archer gratefully take a glass of something from a retainer and sit down on a bench. You'll have to ask Hatate about it later ….
"I don't know, Your Highness. It's really not something that's come up before. I don't know what else she could be wanting to talk with her about, though." You watch the next couple knights make their own attempts at the archery course, and while they're still quite good, they aren't in quite the same league as the first girl. "If we could continue with my previous question, however? Has your order really never gotten even a single combat assignment? Considering the potential even I can see, it seems like it would be a waste for the families to have had all these suits of armor made for nothing more than showing off their daughters." Piña's face darkens.
"Really. Not once, no matter how many times I've asked, almost begged! It's like no one believes that we can help protect the Empire, and they only treat the order like some kind of – of fancy social club they can send their daughters to!" Grey clears his throat carefully.
"That might have something to do with that little 'training camp' you had us go on after that first tournament, Your Highness." You aren't the only one to show him a puzzled look, and he nods at you. "It wasn't so bad at first, but after a slight mishap when I fell into a river, Princess Piña led a small group of the trainee knights against a horde of escaped goblin slaves. The rest of the trainees arrived before things got too bad, and no one died, but I imagine that when word got back to the Emperor he made some decisions. Your Highness, you know he has been supportive of you, but he has also never really fully agreed with your conclusion, and he does want to keep you safe. You are his daughter, after all." Piña scowls at her advisor, who shrugs helplessly, then turns her attention back to the archers. You revise your estimate of the princess: she is definitely reckless, if not foolhardy. Very intelligent, yes, but … probably not prone to considering what isn't immediately before her. Hamilton nods solemnly.
"And it has only been a couple years since we finally graduated, and the Order is growing. Maybe, once we have a few more of the important families involved, we can accompany an army on a patrol of a … sort of dangerous area. I-It would be nice to get away from all the … well, standing around and being fancy bodyguards at important events." Amusingly, Piña smiles at her assistant.
"Why, Hamilton! You've finally come around, haven't you?" The poor girl blushes and shakes her head, but Piña just laughs. "I knew you had it in you. You didn't think I made you my page just because you were conveniently there, did you?" From the look in the young knight's eyes, she probably did, and the princess's hearty laugh makes it obvious that she sees that look, too.
"So, how does this tournament proceed after the archery event?" Piña leans back in her seat.
"Hmm … well, the individual combats will be next, with each knight wielding their weapon of choice. Depending on the number of participants, there will be a meal either in the middle of the combats or after they finish. Then come the two team combat events – one that is entirely mounted, where the teams will attempt to capture the opponent's flag while protecting their own, and the other is more simulated combat, where the teams start mounted and attempt to capture their opponents. Like the joust, that event is only open to those with more skill and experience, because it is very easy for injuries or deaths to occur. Some orders have had more significant deaths in tournaments than in actual combat, because leaders don't consider them dangerous enough." You nod, then look down toward Hatate and the leading knight-archer. They seem to be having a spirited discussion – at least, Hatate looks like she's chattering interestedly, and the knight is certainly paying attention. No real point to eavesdropping, and actually going down to listen probably wouldn't help much, if at all. Hmm ….
What do you do?
[ ] Find Beafeater.
- [ ] See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
[ ] Stay with Piña and keep watching the events.
[ ] Other?
Note: Sometime today/tonight I am going to try to write up short character bios for the people Aya and Hatate have met so far. Just a few sentences each about who they are and what Aya thinks about them.
- Ask her about the history of the knighthood.
You guide your horse after them, keeping half an eye on the beast so it doesn't try to push ahead. "Have you had much riding experience?" Bozes looks back at you, eyes flicking down to take in your side-saddle seating, and you smile and shake your head.
"Not really. I know a bit about it, but actually doing it isn't something I've had much reason for. We live in an area that isn't suited for large cavalry actions, anyway." The rest of the knights give you looks of surprise, and Hamilton simply gawks at you as you look around idly. Of course, the pace Piña set was restricted by the horses' ability to actually run that far, and an hour isn't a particularly long time to be mounted without a break, so it really isn't impossible for humans. All you've done is make them realize that you aren't soft and weak. Beefeater dances her horse back and looks you over more closely, but neither your charming smile nor Hatate's resigned sigh show her anything new.
"Beefeater, stop being rude." She stiffens, sitting up, and wheels her horse back into position.
"Yes, Your Highness! My apologies." You keep an eye on Piña, but the girls are all quiet as your party moves through the forest – wait. The other girls were waiting, there's a tournament ready, and no one is acting as though Piña is late or delaying things. So the princess simply brought you along whimsically on a trip she was planning? Is she a fool or simply extremely confident? True, neither you nor Hatate have shown any particular hostility or threat, but as high-ranking a person as she seems to be should be more concerned with their safety – taking no other guards and bringing along two strangers is simply incredibly risky for mere humans. Or … does she have some kind of charm or artifact that would protect her or call for help? No, probably not; Cicero did imply that magical items used by normal people weren't possible. Although a member of the ruling family would be someone most likely to have an exceptional item that wasn't known of by most people, it's also not something you should assign a high priority to; paranoid thoughts lead to paranoid inclinations, and if the Apostles didn't have protective charms like that, they probably aren't things you need to concern yourself with.
You encounter a second patrol of guards – all seeming to be normal troopers going by their armor and relative lack of decoration compared to Beefeater and Bozes – and half of them file in around your group while the other half ride ahead. You and Hatate get a few looks, but they seem to accept their superiors' acceptance of you without comment. Smiling, you guide the wind ahead, higher than any of the riders and wide enough to catch sounds in general, and you catch the hurried sounds of people rushing around. Ah, a reception for Piña when she arrived … but with only a few minutes' warning? Either there was a very precise time they expected her to arrive, which she made, or they've been keeping themselves in the general area in expectation. If the latter, then it indicates a high level of discipline among even the less high-born troops. … Assuming there are any knights who aren't high-ranking nobles. You'll have to remember to ask Piña about that.
The forest ends abruptly, but your group continues forward in the sunshine as the well-maintained goes up a gentle slope. You can make out two large flags that must be planted along the road, but not what they depict. Probably a rose. Piña takes a deep breath and nods before looking around, studying the terrain; you have a hard time believing that there could be any kind of trouble this close to the capital, but if these knights haven't had the chance to go on a real campaign, they would probably want to keep up dangerous area conditions just to keep it from getting dull. Your group reaches the top of the hill, and you finally see the assembled Rose Order of Knights. It is very majority female, and also quite young on average; there are a handful of men, and a few older members, but most of the members you can see look even younger than Piña, not having reached their full growth yet. You find it difficult to fault Godasen for refusing to utilize this organization, particularly in unknown territory, especially if these girls are all members of at least lesser nobility ….
Piña, Hamilton Bozes, and Beefeater hurry ahead to meet what seems to be her command group, but the guards close around you and Hatate – you must not be invited. Oh, no, however will you learn what they're talking about? … Just saying hello, asking about the tournament and the Gate, and Piña informing everyone that you and Hatate are spies from Diabo. You sigh as Hatate looks at you – there are reasons you don't lie, apart from it being wrong for a reporter to do. One of the few men in the order, and looking to be well into middle age, turns to frown at you, and you wave back. He sighs and shakes his head, but Piña refuses before he can say anything: she would rather keep you under observation where you can't get into trouble than let you run loose in the capital. Her knights seem divided about that, either agreeing are thinking that your being here is riskier than just sending you back to Diabo – but she merely has to cross her arms and glare sternly at them and they all relent. And then Piña finally formally greets her knights. Her voice is confident and strong, loud and clear enough to reach all the members – between three and four hundred by a quick count, probably toward the middle of the range – yet not too loud or shrill. Beefeater looks shocked and betrayed by the princess's announcement that she would not be participating in the melee event, but you're pretty sure that Piña's words don't forbid her from becoming an obstacle to the top-ranking fighter.
Once the cheering dies down and everyone starts dismounting, you hop off your horse and walk up the hill toward Piña. Two of the guards take your and Hatate's horses, two of them escort you, and the others move away to sentry positions at the crest of the hill. "A marvelous speech, Your Highness. They really seem to like you." She smiles happily for a moment, then gestures to the short-haired woman at her side.
"This is Panache, another of my squadron commanders along with Bozes." She nods curtly at you, and your eyes dart to the dispersing groups: organized under red, white, and yellow flags. Well, that's convenient for you. Not sure how it'll work out in the long run for them, but there are plenty of colors for roses, even without youkai meddling. "And this is Grey, my advisor and our first instructor – who still has many lessons to teach us." You bow to the man; a handful of fading scars and a peculiar look in his eyes suggest that he is quite experienced. For a human, at least. "And I've already told them about you, so you don't need to worry about that." You smile at the faces surrounding you, Piña's aides and their assistants.
"A pleasure to meet you all. I do hope our presence here won't disrupt your activities in any way." Piña claps her hands together, looking almost surprised.
"Ah, that's right! We should get moving." She whirls and starts walking toward the orderly camp. You follow only after a confirmatory glance at the officers, to make sure you aren't committing some social transgression, but although they watch you like wary dogs, it seems like they're really going to obey the princess. "... You two don't need to stay with me, you know." You smile at Piña's response to your catching up to her and Hamilton.
"I understand," you begin, glancing at Hatate, who nods absently while looking around. "But there are some things I'd like to get your view of first." She shakes her head.
"I don't have any particular desire to see either Zorzal or Diabo succeed Father. My concern is entirely for the good of the Empire." You smile politely.
"I'm pleased to hear that, but that actually wasn't what I wanted to ask you about. I was curious about the history of your order – you know, how it came about, what it's accomplishments are. With how devoted everyone is, surely there must be some story behind it." Piña is rather quiet at that, and Hamilton shoots you a confused look. Piña turns, heading not toward the large clearing where the tournament is presumably taking place, but to a tent with the flag of the red rose posted next to the entrance. More important are the two large tables with scraps of metal – no, those are pieces of armor, and four assistants. Of course, Piña and Hamilton need to be fully 'dressed' to oversee the tournament. The two knights stand waiting, and the assistants spring into action, fitting the armor carefully from the feet up. You pay close attention, keeping in mind the vulnerabilities and gaps of the suits for possible later use. Once they're armored, Piña takes a deep breath and shakes herself, the armor jingling discordantly. You have to wonder how heavy it is – although it certainly would be much easier with a horse carrying them, which is probably why the armor of the infantry you've seen is so different. Cheaper and much lighter, particularly with much less emphasis on total protection.
"... The history of the Rose Order, hm? Well, there isn't much to tell, unfortunately. I only managed to create it seven years ago." Your eyebrows rise in surprise – she couldn't have been much more than a child even by human standards! Hamilton sighs resignedly.
"Yes, after you saw that work at the theater. And then you forced Sir Grey to assist you." Piña laughs.
"Of course! I am the princess, after all. But even then, we could barely do anything for another two years." She sighs wistfully as she walks to the tournament grounds, oblivious to your hurried recording of her words. "I had to make sure that everyone else was invested, that people wouldn't just … leave the moment things started getting a little uncomfortable. I had to prove that women could defend the Empire just as well as men could, and having to wait two whole years just to make sure that everyone else would stay …!" You titter quietly.
"It was probably for the best; you simply cannot seriously train people until they start growing well themselves. Rigorous training before they start to mature will actually damage children. If you had managed to keep everyone even while training harshly from the very beginning, your current forces would probably be weaker, thereby weakening the premise you hope to prove." Piña glares at you for a moment, but then she sighs and looks away.
"... You are probably right that the more rigorous training would have been … counterproductive if started earlier …. Still, everyone almost did leave." Hamilton smiles, a refreshingly natural expression on her face compared to her prior nervousness..
"Yes, and then you decided to have a tournament! Just like this one!" The princess smiles as well, and you fall back slightly next to Hamilton and Grey as she walks up the podium to begin the event. After welcoming and thanking her knights, Piña announces the beginning of the tournament with a joust between Panache and a knight called Norma, who turns out to be one of the few men in the unit. Panache receives far more cheers, but a small but vocal minority calls out support for the young man. They salute their commander and each other, then ride their horses at each other, seemingly aiming for the heavy shields each rider wears on the left side of their armor. "The goal is to unseat the other knight, which can be dangerous. Most knights actually aren't allowed to joust at all, but Norma and Panache have been at it since the beginning. They opened the very first tournament we had, too." Grey chuckles.
"Ah, I remember that. Poor Norma went down on the first pass, didn't he?" Piña laughs and nods.
"Yes, and later he ended up confessing that Herm had convinced him to lose purposely, just like I suspected – but that it wouldn't have mattered, because he just wasn't good enough then to beat Panache. Now see how far he's come." You nod at her proud words as the knights charge each other for the third time, neither rider having managed to solidly strike their opponent – and Panache catches the edge of the shield, knocking him sideways onto the ground. Gasps echo across the field and Panache yanks her mount to a halt, but Norma climbs to his feet and rests one hand on the sword at his waist … then stumbles forward and falls to his knees, shaking his head in defeat. Panache seems relieved as her supporters cheer her victory.
As the knights remove themselves from the field – after again saluting each other and Piña – others carry targets into the arena, placing them in a clump in the center and at the eight compass points of the field. A dozen knights walk their horses to edge of the arena, carrying bows, and you nod as you realize what the unusual configuration is for. Hatate inhales sharply and leans forward eagerly. "Heh, do you think anyone will come close to Suissesse's score this time?" Piña merely shakes her head at Hamilton's question as Grey laughs. The first knight takes her place, bow lowered and arrows in her quiver, then spurs her horse to a gallop. You're not exactly good at archery – most tengu are only passable, really, because it's just so unnecessary for beings like you – but you can tell that the girl is a well-practiced master, firing at the same point in her mount's rhythm and keeping it equidistant between the two rows of targets. And not one of her arrows miss; not a one even comes outside the perfect target zone, even on her second pass. "... Why did you tell Beefeater she couldn't participate in the melee, but you still let Suissesse participate in the archery contests, Your Highness?" Piña smiles.
"Beefeater gets stronger the more she fights. Letting her fight throughout the melee instead of making her wait until the end for her match makes things harder for her. Besides, Nikolasha might make it to the end this way." You watch the superbly talented archer wait for her arrows to be collected before retiring to the other side of the field to wait for the next contestant. Hatate looks at you pleadingly and you shrug before glancing at Piña.
"Um, Your Highness? You said – you said we didn't have to stay around you, right? Um, could – could I go see her?" They don't seem as surprised as you are at Hatate's request, and the princess nods.
"Of course. She doesn't talk much, though." Hatate's smile grows wider and she nods excitedly before darting away, quickly enough that you almost scold her to keep her speed down. "Is your companion an archer?" You watch the knight-archer gratefully take a glass of something from a retainer and sit down on a bench. You'll have to ask Hatate about it later ….
"I don't know, Your Highness. It's really not something that's come up before. I don't know what else she could be wanting to talk with her about, though." You watch the next couple knights make their own attempts at the archery course, and while they're still quite good, they aren't in quite the same league as the first girl. "If we could continue with my previous question, however? Has your order really never gotten even a single combat assignment? Considering the potential even I can see, it seems like it would be a waste for the families to have had all these suits of armor made for nothing more than showing off their daughters." Piña's face darkens.
"Really. Not once, no matter how many times I've asked, almost begged! It's like no one believes that we can help protect the Empire, and they only treat the order like some kind of – of fancy social club they can send their daughters to!" Grey clears his throat carefully.
"That might have something to do with that little 'training camp' you had us go on after that first tournament, Your Highness." You aren't the only one to show him a puzzled look, and he nods at you. "It wasn't so bad at first, but after a slight mishap when I fell into a river, Princess Piña led a small group of the trainee knights against a horde of escaped goblin slaves. The rest of the trainees arrived before things got too bad, and no one died, but I imagine that when word got back to the Emperor he made some decisions. Your Highness, you know he has been supportive of you, but he has also never really fully agreed with your conclusion, and he does want to keep you safe. You are his daughter, after all." Piña scowls at her advisor, who shrugs helplessly, then turns her attention back to the archers. You revise your estimate of the princess: she is definitely reckless, if not foolhardy. Very intelligent, yes, but … probably not prone to considering what isn't immediately before her. Hamilton nods solemnly.
"And it has only been a couple years since we finally graduated, and the Order is growing. Maybe, once we have a few more of the important families involved, we can accompany an army on a patrol of a … sort of dangerous area. I-It would be nice to get away from all the … well, standing around and being fancy bodyguards at important events." Amusingly, Piña smiles at her assistant.
"Why, Hamilton! You've finally come around, haven't you?" The poor girl blushes and shakes her head, but Piña just laughs. "I knew you had it in you. You didn't think I made you my page just because you were conveniently there, did you?" From the look in the young knight's eyes, she probably did, and the princess's hearty laugh makes it obvious that she sees that look, too.
"So, how does this tournament proceed after the archery event?" Piña leans back in her seat.
"Hmm … well, the individual combats will be next, with each knight wielding their weapon of choice. Depending on the number of participants, there will be a meal either in the middle of the combats or after they finish. Then come the two team combat events – one that is entirely mounted, where the teams will attempt to capture the opponent's flag while protecting their own, and the other is more simulated combat, where the teams start mounted and attempt to capture their opponents. Like the joust, that event is only open to those with more skill and experience, because it is very easy for injuries or deaths to occur. Some orders have had more significant deaths in tournaments than in actual combat, because leaders don't consider them dangerous enough." You nod, then look down toward Hatate and the leading knight-archer. They seem to be having a spirited discussion – at least, Hatate looks like she's chattering interestedly, and the knight is certainly paying attention. No real point to eavesdropping, and actually going down to listen probably wouldn't help much, if at all. Hmm ….
What do you do?
[ ] Find Beafeater.
- [ ] See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
[ ] Stay with Piña and keep watching the events.
[ ] Other?
Note: Sometime today/tonight I am going to try to write up short character bios for the people Aya and Hatate have met so far. Just a few sentences each about who they are and what Aya thinks about them.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X] Find Beafeater.
- [X] See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
Can't think of much else to ask Piña right now, let's learn more about her other knights, then hit her up for some follow up questions based on what we find out.
- [X] See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
Can't think of much else to ask Piña right now, let's learn more about her other knights, then hit her up for some follow up questions based on what we find out.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Mmm … I don't think it would work. From Piña's point of view, it's too much risk of Aya/Hatate getting hurt or killed, which she would interpret as being interpreted by Diabo as a hostile action on her part, since she invited his spies to her camp.
Would this be sneaking away and flying so you don't get caught, or saying goodbye to Piña and heading back to the city to continue doing things in the city?
Falmart Characters
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Gate Characters So Far:
Gregor: A one-handed innkeeper in Italica. Fairly taciturn and secretive, but still rather good-hearted.
Shah: Catgirl waitress at Gregor's Catspaw Inn. Cheery and curious. Likes card games. Knows someone in the Formal Mansion.
Ruth: Warrior Bunny waitress at Gregor's Catspaw Inn. Former slave, with clipped ear. Reserved, but helpful and honest.
Hardy: God of the underworld, the dead, and things in the ground. Willing to make deals, and doesn't seem particularly powerful outside her domain. Requires a mortal host to properly affect the physical world.
Giselle: Dragonoid Apostle of Hardy. Uses a great scythe, and has two dragons she works with. Has little personal initiative.
Wincarnis: Priest of Emroy at Belnago. Obsessed with Rory Mercury, and possibly a little mad besides.
Bubbles: High Priest of Wareharun at Belnago. Some kind of water elemental from another world, trapped by the closing of the Gate long ago. Frequently asleep.
Rory Mercury: Apostle of Emroy who is only a few decades away from becoming a full deity. Wields a tremendous axe. Enjoys fighting and watching the struggles of mortals. Hates Hardy, but has been defeated and brought to Belnago to marry her.
Tyuwal: Siren prostitute in the slum district of Sadera. Nervous, but friendly and helpful.
Cicero: Sage in Sadera. Overprotective father. Possibly has illegal connections.
Hostus Cassius: Imperial Captain in Sadera. Honest. Suspects Cicero of something and monitors his activities.
Pina Co Lada: Imperial Princess and head of the Rose Order of Knights. Intelligent and quick-thinking, but reckless, and tends to assume her reading of a situation is correct.
Gregor: A one-handed innkeeper in Italica. Fairly taciturn and secretive, but still rather good-hearted.
Shah: Catgirl waitress at Gregor's Catspaw Inn. Cheery and curious. Likes card games. Knows someone in the Formal Mansion.
Ruth: Warrior Bunny waitress at Gregor's Catspaw Inn. Former slave, with clipped ear. Reserved, but helpful and honest.
Hardy: God of the underworld, the dead, and things in the ground. Willing to make deals, and doesn't seem particularly powerful outside her domain. Requires a mortal host to properly affect the physical world.
Giselle: Dragonoid Apostle of Hardy. Uses a great scythe, and has two dragons she works with. Has little personal initiative.
Wincarnis: Priest of Emroy at Belnago. Obsessed with Rory Mercury, and possibly a little mad besides.
Bubbles: High Priest of Wareharun at Belnago. Some kind of water elemental from another world, trapped by the closing of the Gate long ago. Frequently asleep.
Rory Mercury: Apostle of Emroy who is only a few decades away from becoming a full deity. Wields a tremendous axe. Enjoys fighting and watching the struggles of mortals. Hates Hardy, but has been defeated and brought to Belnago to marry her.
Tyuwal: Siren prostitute in the slum district of Sadera. Nervous, but friendly and helpful.
Cicero: Sage in Sadera. Overprotective father. Possibly has illegal connections.
Hostus Cassius: Imperial Captain in Sadera. Honest. Suspects Cicero of something and monitors his activities.
Pina Co Lada: Imperial Princess and head of the Rose Order of Knights. Intelligent and quick-thinking, but reckless, and tends to assume her reading of a situation is correct.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Tournament II
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Find Beafeater.
- See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
"Hmm. You said it's fine if I look around, right?" Piña nods.
"It is. You aren't interested in the tournament?"
"No, it isn't that. But I've seen the best of your archers, and I'm a bit more comfortable in one-on-one situations, anyway, so instead of watching the individual combat events, I was thinking I might just try to track down Miss Beefeater and talk with her for a while. I am certainly interested in the two group events, which will show the valor of your order, compared to the events showcasing the skills of individual knights." The princess's face relaxes and smiles. You look across the field, where Hatate is still talking with the leading knight-archer.
"Beefeater, hm? She's a bit rowdy, but she's a good girl. Do you want assistance finding her?" You smile and shake your head as you stand.
"No, no, it's alright. I'd feel like I'm losing my touch if someone helped me. Thank you for the offer, however." Piña watches as you make your way out of the reviewing stand, and you nod to Grey, Hamilton, and the guards as you pass them and step onto the grass. You take a deep breath and let it out slowly, then start walking to your left, around the arena. The wind drifts lazily toward your ears, letting you hear bits of sound without causing any real changes in wind speed or direction, and your head keeps turning from side to side, searching for the knight. A pair of birds fly over your head, but they're sparrows of some kind so you don't pay them any mind. If only you could fly without care of being caught or getting into trouble, you could find her easily ….
Fortunately, however, it only takes you a few more minutes of walking to catch the sound of a single person walking around, and as the wind focuses the sounds around your ears you turn to follow them. You find the knight – and it is Beefeater – pacing near a small stable, occasionally stopping to look at the dozen horses running in the paddock before shaking her head and returning to her walking. You smile and quietly take a few pictures of the girl before returning the camera to your pouch and stepping out from behind a tent. When she notices your approach, she whirls toward you, an excited grin on her face, but it falls when she realizes who you are. "Oh, it's you. Are you lost?" You put on a smile.
"I was looking for you, actually. I had a few things I wanted to ask you." She stares at you for a moment, then waves dismissively.
"Sounds boring. I don't want to." You chuckle as she resumes pacing, more slowly now that you're here – trying to hide her anxiety, probably.
"Well, I can see how you might not want to tell me about your comrades, but I was also kind of hoping you might be able to tell me a bit about your fighting style. You seem to be an excellent warrior." Beefeater swells with pride and grins at you.
"Yep! I'm one of the best here. Well, on foot, anyway." The she frowns and takes a step back, almost settling into a fighting stance. "Why do you want to know about how I fight?" You spread your arms, shrugging.
"Because it's something that's part of you. How orthodox or unorthodox your technique is, your weapon choice, whether you're offensive or defensive, all those help determine the reality behind Beefeater … I'm sorry, the princess hasn't been giving me full names. I'm sure I can just look them up later, but if you don't mind telling me yours right now …?" She shrugs carelessly.
"Beefeater E Caty. Not that my name matters much; my father may be a marquis, but I'm not a legitimate child. Not that I care that much about any of that – a good fight, strength, that's what matters. Who your parents are doesn't matter in a fight, not how proud you are of your pedigree. If I fight, I want to win, and if I want to win, then I'll win!" You smile at her pride in herself – the oni would like her. A lot of youkai would like her, although most would like her just so they could savor her defeat, but oni would like her just for herself. A good fight, not holding back, not caring about who your opponent is ….
"A very admirable mindset," you say, and Beefeater grins fiercely. "I don't suppose you could show me how you fight? Maybe we could find a couple practice weapons -"
"No," she says firmly, her grin disappearing. "I don't use practice weapons anymore, not since … oh, five or six years ago. They feel too different from the real thing. I only use real weapons." Your faltering smile recovers and you nod.
"Well, that's fine, too. I'm sure you're a good enough swordswoman to keep from injuring me too badly if I can't actually block any of your attacks." She still frowns at you, lips pressed tightly together, and you raise your hands helplessly. "I have had some sword training, too, although it's been a while and I don't think I used the same kind of sword, so it's not like you'd be beating up on a post or anything like that." You can see the thoughts turning over in her head – whether she can accept fighting you, because Piña has put you under her protection, even though you're the one requesting the fight. Whether it will be worth it, whether fighting you will be worth the possible repercussions from Piña if anything happens. You wait patiently, and after a moment she grins.
"Fine, fine, I'll show you what to do a bit, and then I'll come at you. Don't make me regret this, though!" She hurries over to the stable and draws two swords that were leaning against the building. She hands one to you and you work it around a little. The handle is shorter than you'd like, without enough room for a second hand, and the double-edged blade is shorter and lighter than you're used to, but it's not so wildly different that your experience counts for nothing. Beefeater waits for you to look back up at her. "If I'm on foot, I usually fight with two swords like this, but that's hard to do mounted. And I'm not gonna show you things like the basic drill stuff – you can go ask Panache or Niko or Hami if you want that. Me, I just go right for the enemy: beat 'em down and move on. No wasting time, just get it done and move on." She sweeps her sword around, direct chops and simple thrusts. If you take her at her word, then she's the type to favor unrelenting assaults, with little attention paid to defensive actions … although, wearing full armor as she is, she can afford to pay a bit less attention to protecting herself. You wave the sword in your hand slightly, feeling for the balance of it, and it seems to reinforce that. The sword wants to pitch forward, its balance farther up the blade than the one-handed swords you've used, which makes it great for aggressive chopping attacks, not so much for defensive maneuvering. You nod to yourself and take off the pouch with your journalism equipment, setting it on a stool with your fan. You put a few lengths' distance between yourself and Beefeater and settle yourself into the general defensive stance. Beefeater frowns at your positioning, your left hand on your wrist, and seems to finally notice your geta, then shakes herself, and when she looks at you again, her eyes are bright.
She dashes forward, sword chopping down in an overhead swing. You raise your blade, relatively slowly, and her weapon's edge hacks into the flat of yours – but Beefeater herself doesn't slow, and if her left hand is empty instead of holding a weapon, her shoulder is lowered to power into you. You imitate a mad scramble out of the way, the edge of your sword skittering off her helmet, and she spins against the grain of her dash, skidding to a halt and whirling to her right to launch an unanticipated strike. You recover almost as quickly as she does, your attention focused on gleaning what information you can from her movements despite the armor covering everything except her face, and barely manage to deflect her attack upward before retreating. Once her footing is mostly stable, Beefeater charges toward you again, but you're more prepared this time, and you dart toward her, blocking her sword before slipping past her to gain a few moments. But the reckless knight doesn't even slow down. Instead, she keeps running, then jumps to the upper railing of the fence. As her knees contract, she turns to catch sight of you, and then she leaps toward you, blade arcing upward, a mad grin on her face. You keep your own expression blank as she hurtles toward you, loosening your legs and body as your arms raise the sword up to block her strike – and the mad knight collides with you, knocking you to the ground and landing on top of you.
You run through your thoughts on the knight: she's probably perfectly capable of dealing with trash-tier youkai, and if she had a magic sword and armor that could protect her, she might even be able to deal with weaker ones. But her reckless fighting style, so similar to that of youkai who do have the durability to ignore having limbs lopped off, would get her killed against anything stronger. Of course, on a horse and with several hundred companions, that might change, but not to the degree that they could make a real difference if someone wanted them dead. Just the sort of heroes that youkai like. Beefeater blinks as you work a new expression onto your face, an amusing sight just a hand's breadth from your own. As long as Hatate isn't around ….
"... I've probably got grass stains on my shirt now," you say. "Do you know a good way to get them out quickly?" She blinks again, then laughs happily and rolls off you before standing and pulling you to your feet. You look around quickly. No Hatate in sight. Good.
What do you do?
[ ] Stay with Beefeater and talk with her about the other knights.
[ ] Thank Beefeater for her time and return to Piña.
[ ] Find Hatate and see what she's learned so far.
[ ] Other?
- See if you can get her to 'teach' you.
"Hmm. You said it's fine if I look around, right?" Piña nods.
"It is. You aren't interested in the tournament?"
"No, it isn't that. But I've seen the best of your archers, and I'm a bit more comfortable in one-on-one situations, anyway, so instead of watching the individual combat events, I was thinking I might just try to track down Miss Beefeater and talk with her for a while. I am certainly interested in the two group events, which will show the valor of your order, compared to the events showcasing the skills of individual knights." The princess's face relaxes and smiles. You look across the field, where Hatate is still talking with the leading knight-archer.
"Beefeater, hm? She's a bit rowdy, but she's a good girl. Do you want assistance finding her?" You smile and shake your head as you stand.
"No, no, it's alright. I'd feel like I'm losing my touch if someone helped me. Thank you for the offer, however." Piña watches as you make your way out of the reviewing stand, and you nod to Grey, Hamilton, and the guards as you pass them and step onto the grass. You take a deep breath and let it out slowly, then start walking to your left, around the arena. The wind drifts lazily toward your ears, letting you hear bits of sound without causing any real changes in wind speed or direction, and your head keeps turning from side to side, searching for the knight. A pair of birds fly over your head, but they're sparrows of some kind so you don't pay them any mind. If only you could fly without care of being caught or getting into trouble, you could find her easily ….
Fortunately, however, it only takes you a few more minutes of walking to catch the sound of a single person walking around, and as the wind focuses the sounds around your ears you turn to follow them. You find the knight – and it is Beefeater – pacing near a small stable, occasionally stopping to look at the dozen horses running in the paddock before shaking her head and returning to her walking. You smile and quietly take a few pictures of the girl before returning the camera to your pouch and stepping out from behind a tent. When she notices your approach, she whirls toward you, an excited grin on her face, but it falls when she realizes who you are. "Oh, it's you. Are you lost?" You put on a smile.
"I was looking for you, actually. I had a few things I wanted to ask you." She stares at you for a moment, then waves dismissively.
"Sounds boring. I don't want to." You chuckle as she resumes pacing, more slowly now that you're here – trying to hide her anxiety, probably.
"Well, I can see how you might not want to tell me about your comrades, but I was also kind of hoping you might be able to tell me a bit about your fighting style. You seem to be an excellent warrior." Beefeater swells with pride and grins at you.
"Yep! I'm one of the best here. Well, on foot, anyway." The she frowns and takes a step back, almost settling into a fighting stance. "Why do you want to know about how I fight?" You spread your arms, shrugging.
"Because it's something that's part of you. How orthodox or unorthodox your technique is, your weapon choice, whether you're offensive or defensive, all those help determine the reality behind Beefeater … I'm sorry, the princess hasn't been giving me full names. I'm sure I can just look them up later, but if you don't mind telling me yours right now …?" She shrugs carelessly.
"Beefeater E Caty. Not that my name matters much; my father may be a marquis, but I'm not a legitimate child. Not that I care that much about any of that – a good fight, strength, that's what matters. Who your parents are doesn't matter in a fight, not how proud you are of your pedigree. If I fight, I want to win, and if I want to win, then I'll win!" You smile at her pride in herself – the oni would like her. A lot of youkai would like her, although most would like her just so they could savor her defeat, but oni would like her just for herself. A good fight, not holding back, not caring about who your opponent is ….
"A very admirable mindset," you say, and Beefeater grins fiercely. "I don't suppose you could show me how you fight? Maybe we could find a couple practice weapons -"
"No," she says firmly, her grin disappearing. "I don't use practice weapons anymore, not since … oh, five or six years ago. They feel too different from the real thing. I only use real weapons." Your faltering smile recovers and you nod.
"Well, that's fine, too. I'm sure you're a good enough swordswoman to keep from injuring me too badly if I can't actually block any of your attacks." She still frowns at you, lips pressed tightly together, and you raise your hands helplessly. "I have had some sword training, too, although it's been a while and I don't think I used the same kind of sword, so it's not like you'd be beating up on a post or anything like that." You can see the thoughts turning over in her head – whether she can accept fighting you, because Piña has put you under her protection, even though you're the one requesting the fight. Whether it will be worth it, whether fighting you will be worth the possible repercussions from Piña if anything happens. You wait patiently, and after a moment she grins.
"Fine, fine, I'll show you what to do a bit, and then I'll come at you. Don't make me regret this, though!" She hurries over to the stable and draws two swords that were leaning against the building. She hands one to you and you work it around a little. The handle is shorter than you'd like, without enough room for a second hand, and the double-edged blade is shorter and lighter than you're used to, but it's not so wildly different that your experience counts for nothing. Beefeater waits for you to look back up at her. "If I'm on foot, I usually fight with two swords like this, but that's hard to do mounted. And I'm not gonna show you things like the basic drill stuff – you can go ask Panache or Niko or Hami if you want that. Me, I just go right for the enemy: beat 'em down and move on. No wasting time, just get it done and move on." She sweeps her sword around, direct chops and simple thrusts. If you take her at her word, then she's the type to favor unrelenting assaults, with little attention paid to defensive actions … although, wearing full armor as she is, she can afford to pay a bit less attention to protecting herself. You wave the sword in your hand slightly, feeling for the balance of it, and it seems to reinforce that. The sword wants to pitch forward, its balance farther up the blade than the one-handed swords you've used, which makes it great for aggressive chopping attacks, not so much for defensive maneuvering. You nod to yourself and take off the pouch with your journalism equipment, setting it on a stool with your fan. You put a few lengths' distance between yourself and Beefeater and settle yourself into the general defensive stance. Beefeater frowns at your positioning, your left hand on your wrist, and seems to finally notice your geta, then shakes herself, and when she looks at you again, her eyes are bright.
She dashes forward, sword chopping down in an overhead swing. You raise your blade, relatively slowly, and her weapon's edge hacks into the flat of yours – but Beefeater herself doesn't slow, and if her left hand is empty instead of holding a weapon, her shoulder is lowered to power into you. You imitate a mad scramble out of the way, the edge of your sword skittering off her helmet, and she spins against the grain of her dash, skidding to a halt and whirling to her right to launch an unanticipated strike. You recover almost as quickly as she does, your attention focused on gleaning what information you can from her movements despite the armor covering everything except her face, and barely manage to deflect her attack upward before retreating. Once her footing is mostly stable, Beefeater charges toward you again, but you're more prepared this time, and you dart toward her, blocking her sword before slipping past her to gain a few moments. But the reckless knight doesn't even slow down. Instead, she keeps running, then jumps to the upper railing of the fence. As her knees contract, she turns to catch sight of you, and then she leaps toward you, blade arcing upward, a mad grin on her face. You keep your own expression blank as she hurtles toward you, loosening your legs and body as your arms raise the sword up to block her strike – and the mad knight collides with you, knocking you to the ground and landing on top of you.
You run through your thoughts on the knight: she's probably perfectly capable of dealing with trash-tier youkai, and if she had a magic sword and armor that could protect her, she might even be able to deal with weaker ones. But her reckless fighting style, so similar to that of youkai who do have the durability to ignore having limbs lopped off, would get her killed against anything stronger. Of course, on a horse and with several hundred companions, that might change, but not to the degree that they could make a real difference if someone wanted them dead. Just the sort of heroes that youkai like. Beefeater blinks as you work a new expression onto your face, an amusing sight just a hand's breadth from your own. As long as Hatate isn't around ….
"... I've probably got grass stains on my shirt now," you say. "Do you know a good way to get them out quickly?" She blinks again, then laughs happily and rolls off you before standing and pulling you to your feet. You look around quickly. No Hatate in sight. Good.
What do you do?
[ ] Stay with Beefeater and talk with her about the other knights.
[ ] Thank Beefeater for her time and return to Piña.
[ ] Find Hatate and see what she's learned so far.
[ ] Other?
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X] Stay with Beefeater and talk with her about the other knights.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
I assume if Hatate was around she'd be making comments about Aya having Beefeater on top of her. Or thinking them but not having the confidence to say them.