mallowhallow | oo1 || Video

[The feed clicks on and the first thing visible is hay strewn about on the ground- upon closer inspection, the hay is spattered with blood.

After the Scroll is set down to start recording, a fucking dragon comes into view- small enough to fit in the stables, apparently, but her wings are folded down and she's curled up tight. Around her are three of the knights of Highcrest, currently on the ground and moaning in pain- two are bleeding openly, the third is completely passed out.

And amongst it all is a man with pitch-black riding armor and a mask that covers half of his face. The axe in his hand is large, stained with blood, and Gerome hefts it to his shoulder for added effect.]

If anyone else so much as thinks of touching my wyvern-

[The lizard lifts her head slightly, slitted eyes staring curiously into the camera from over Gerome's other shoulder. The rider kicks at one of the knights with an armored boot and the man groans out in pain.]

-then next time, I won't hold back.

[He reaches forward and shuts off the feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nice to meet you too, Gerry! I've never made friends with someone in a mask before.

...Gerome.

Are you a hero?

[ she nicknames because she cares. ]

[~~No, but he was briefly reclassed into one~~.]

I- what?

[The question sort of catches him off guard, and Gerome opens his mouth to reply, before closing it again and glancing away.]

...no, I suppose I'm not.

[ ~~if only she knew how to trickster~~ ]

I thought the mask was a dead giveaway... but I guess there are phantom thieves who wear 'em too.

Ah, but you saved your dr-- wyvern, right? That's heroic!

She's important to me. I wouldn't do the same for just anyone.

[Or anyone at all, really.

...eeexcept he would. Maybe.]

So you're her hero, then! The mask still works!

[ don't ask why she looks so happy. ]

...I- suppose.

[If you sort of twist it around and look at it another way.]

My mask works, regardless.

I'll say! If I was the type of thief who could get away with big flashy entrances, I'd want to wear one too!

...you're a thief?

I'm not a thief, I'm the greatest of the great! The irrepressible Yatagarasu!

Why would you advertise it? Now everyone who loses something will know you stole it.

[ Kay outright snorts at that, somewhat derisively. ]

I like treasure and trinkets as much as the next girl, but I'm not that kind of thief. I'm only interested in one thing!

And... what is that?

The truth.

...I don't think that's something you can steal.

[ she grins, though she sobers up within the start of her explanation. ]

There are a lot of people who do a lot of bad things behind the scenes, and they do it so well that it's hard to catch them.

So the Yatagarasu's job is to steal incriminating evidence - proof of what they've been doing - and leave it with the people who can take care of it and shut those guys down. It's something the authorities can't do on their own.

[While Gerome would say that that's totally illegal and would be thrown out of any respectable trial, Gerome also exists a few hundred years before courts technically happen so he just sort of nods in understanding.]

A necessary evil, then. I understand.

[ she still frowns a little at the thought of being considered 'evil', but if Kay had to be perfectly honest and face the facts-- well, she's already had to accept some pretty painful truths about the Yatagarasu.

It still hurts, though. She smiles anyway. ]

Well, it's my goal to make a world that doesn't need the Yatagarasu anymore, so I'll keep fighting until then!

The world will never be just. It's in our hands to do what we can on a small scale.

I think things can change, if you stay at it long enough. I don't mind working as hard as I can for as long as it takes!

I'm sure my dad would have felt the same way.

You would have to be immortal- and even then, you are only one person.

I never said I'd do it on my own! The Yatagarasu's a three-legged raven, after all!

A... what?

Yatagarasu. It's a legendary raven that has three legs.

So it can't stand alone.

[video]

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