Chapter 6
A little while later, somewhere in the depths of The Flag; Katrina, Leona and Mickle examine the bulldrome carcass. Katrina closely inspects the tusks, and gives the sides of the body a few nudges.
"So then Katrina; do you reckon this is our kind of work, or just a boar with gigantism?"
"It's pretty safe to say this here porker's a bulldrome Leona; those tusks are something regular old piggies can't even come close to packing."
"…Something's a bit off mind; I've worked with more than me fair share of bulldrome parts before and somethings; well, kind of different about this one."
"It's probably a new sub species Mickel. The ones that roam the misty peaks around Yukumo are pretty renown for having short, dark, bristly fur and pot bellies; while those native to Pokke have got long, paler coats and tend to have their body fat more evenly distributed."
"I get where you're coming from Katrina. Now that you mention it the tusks are a bit of a different shape, and it's got longer legs than either the Yukumo or Pokke breeds."
"Given that most of the flora and fauna of this land pretty different from those on the other side of the ocean, it's probably adapted to cater for those differences."
"Credit where credit's due to whoever brought it down though; the body's almost completely intact. All of the damage was done precisely to its vitals; I haven't seen marksmanship like this since Saul retired."
"That's no coincidence Leona; that is Saul's handiwork. He's decided to pull his hunting boots back on again."
"…."
"What's wrong?"
"…I should be happy for him really…but…there's something sad about a hunter who just can't let go Mickel."
"Thinking about Old Man Vangis?"
"A little. I've yet to meet anyone quite as batshit insane as grandpa though."
"Well don't worry so much about Saul. He's got some of the same fire; hell, after what he went through during the Dire Miralis incident we didn't think he'd ever walk again let alone return to the hunt; but I can tell he's still pretty set on living."
At that point Saul interrupts the conversation.
"Too bloody right. I ain't planning on dying any time soon; my bucket list's a long way from complete."
"Sigh; so, be honest with me; how well did you hold up out there?"
"…The cold makes the old injuries sting a bit, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting back on form Katrina."
"That's good to hear, but please don't take things too quickly."
"Heh, Manny said the same thing; but it sounds a lot more convincing coming from you."
"Don't tell Manny's planning on getting back out there as well?"
"Nah, I'm pretty sure he's happy with what he's doing now. Besides, he's always been a social creature; his gig of choice was arena work."
"We're pretty far from being at the stage where we can even think about setting up an arena in terms of our finances though. If Hodges can work some haggling magic down in Rabona we might be in a position to get a second branch of The Flag up and running, but without a grant from the guild that's about as much as we can manage."
"That said I reckon sending them some choice cuts off that bulldrome along with a write up of all our findings so far ought to be enough to convince them to improve our cashflow situation."
"That ain't gonna leave anything left on it that I could make use of in the forge though."
"Bad luck this time Mickle; I'm sure you'll get to work your magic after the next hunt though."
"I guess this time it's gonna be Gaston's turn shine."
"Ah, do I hear my name being called?"
The new voice belongs to what initially appears to be an oversized housecat balancing on its back legs and wearing a chef's hat and apron. On closer inspection its gait suggests its naturally bipedal, and it clearly has a considerably more substantial musculature than a domestic feline. It has an interesting almost leopard like coat, but with a more vivid shade of yellow, and large, very circular black spots; giving a faint suggestion of swiss cheese. It also sports a spectacular upturned handlebar moustache, reminiscent of that once displayed by Salvador Dali.
"Well, well; for all that this land has offered me many new challenges in the fields of culinary exploration, it would seem you have found me some familiar territory; although I must admit this does appear to be a truly fine specimen."
"So, what have you got in mind?"
"Many things Leona, but perhaps we could narrow down the selection by establishing your preferred form of gastronomic artistry."
"You make it sound like you're planning something that'd belong in a gallery rather than on a dinner plate."
"For the meal to have any true value it must be consumed Katrina; its very transience is an essential aspect of the experience; but moving back to the subject of genre, what best suits your mood? Classical? Surreal? Impressionist?"
"You can do surreal cooking?"
"Absolutely Mickle! While it can be something of an acquired taste, there are many who find delight in having the expectations of their taste buds subverted."
"Best keep it classical this time; it looks like we're gonna have a lot of hungry mouths today."
"Very well Leona, I shall play it safe; the centrepiece of today's feast shall be my famous bully bacon pot roast."
"Can't go wrong with that Gaston."
Gaston snaps his fingers and a number of feylines and humans dressed in chef's attire enter the chamber. They take hold of some chains; which are attached to a trolley that the bulldrome has been placed on; and start to haul it away.
"Oh, don't forget to save the head, trotters, some of the hide, and some of the larger bones. The guild should accept them as proof."
"Don't worry Leona I won't forget; none of those would form a part of the typical recipe either, so expect nothing less than perfection when it's done."
A large vertical door slides open leading to the kitchens, and Gaston and his crew exit the chamber.
"How's our guest doing Katrina?"
"Mai? Last time I checked she was tucked up in one of our guest rooms, sound asleep and cuddling a woolly Zinogre."
"Might as well let her rest until the foods ready then. When's the next ship due?"
"Assuming all's well and good the Argosy's due to make port in the next few days."
"…Hang on a minute; the concealed harbour's in the middle of an ice field! I know the captain's pretty handy at the wheel, but navigating that in a ship the size of the Argosy's not a realistic prospect no matter how skilled the helmsman is. We'd better send out a boat to warn them."
"No need; the Argosy underwent a major retrofit about the same time you retired Saul. It's now got an armoured hull; complete with an icebreaker bow."
"Heh, well I knew the old bugger had a talent for business, but how'd he manage to get the cash together for a job of that scale?"
"A combination of reward money and insurance. I don't know if you remember, but the Argosy made port at Tanzia as Dire Miralis made its attack; and got stuck in without hesitation."
"Ah, so that's why I remember it getting blasted with cannon fire. I always thought I'd imagined that bit."
"By the time everything was over the ship was in a pretty similar state to the port; not quite gone but pretty much every part of it needing repairs."
"I'm still amazed we made it out of that insanity alive Leona."
"We were lucky that time; there were at least two dozen more G ranked hunters about, and two S ranked hunters as well."
"Two? Old Man Vangis is the only one I know of; who's the other?"
"Big Sally; formerly known as Fangster Blue. She was going freelance by then though; had a bit of falling out with them after a few too many of them humiliated themselves by bailing missions after talking big."
"I remember her now; about the same size as Mickel, fond of hammers, and something of a Brachydios specialist."
"Yeah, that's her Katrina. I met up with her briefly before we all set out on this job; she said she had some unfinished business with a mutant Brachydios that'd laid waste to just about everyone else who'd tried their luck with it. She reckoned it'd settled on Ingle Isle, so she'd signed up with the watch team."
"Bloody hell. You only normally end up on the Ingle Isle watch if you've seriously pissed off the guild management. It's the one place where Akantor reliably show up; so nothing even thinks about trying to move in on that patch unless it's pretty bloody certain it mix it up with an Akantor and come out on top."
"Well look at it this way Mickle; she'll have done their morale the world of good. By now I'll bet she's finished her business there though."
"Unless that beastie got the better her Leona."
"Not bloody likely Katrina; if Big Sally had bought the farm it'd be pretty serious news; precisely the sort of thing that'd show up in an update from the guild. I know it's a bit of a morbid habit, but I check the obituaries each time and they've been reassuringly barren since we started out over here."
"Well, I guess no news is good news then. Still, if that's the case the guild should have manpower to spare; so, we might need to make some preparations of our own."
"I get ya Saul, once the goods make it back to the mainland I'll bet there'll be more than a couple of hunters that'll apply to join us."
"Hence why I asked Hodges to scout for property in Rabona Mickel."
"Keeping a low profile's gonna get tougher from here onwards though."
"All the better if you ask me Saul. That senseless war has dragged on for generations; and while I can admire the guild's decision to refuse to pick a side; I feel we should've intervened somehow."
"You think word from the organisation might cause problems back home Leona?"
"We're not outright muscling in on their business Katrina, and much as they have their affiliation, they technically don't call any shots in the war itself; and given that making an enemy of guild could be enough to tip the balance unfavourably I doubt our actions would have any serious repercussions in that respect; as long as we stick to our operational plan."
"I get the impression Rise'll try and smooth things over for us wherever possible anyway; and think we left a pretty good impression on every Claymore we've met with so far as well, so that ought to count for something."
"Speaking of which I'm surprised they haven't dropped by yet Saul."
"Hauling a Barioth's no joke with just three pairs of hands, and chances are they're having to give a report to the organisation as well, so they'll probably be tied up until this evening."
"Well, we ought to at least save them some food then; that aberrant Barioth can't have been easy to take down, and considering some of the lads on your team were rookies I doubt they'd all have come back in good health if you'd had to deal with it."
"I got a bit of a gander at what it was capable of; and to be frank I wouldn't have let a rookie anywhere near it even before it turned nasty. As for after it took its gloves off; I think could've even made your hit list boss."
Leona gives everyone present a wide, and somewhat wild smile.
"Sounds like I might have get my snow shoes dusted off then. This management gig's okay; but you're welcome to call me a hypocrite for what I said earlier Saul; because now I'm spoiling for a rumble with something at the top of the food chain."
A little while later, back at the organisation lodge, with Kammy, Lena and Rise…
"That went smoother than I expected it to, we got a few funny looks but no awkward questions; in fact, I think some of the people were looking at us in awe rather than the usual fear and revulsion."
"Heh, I think they might have been staring at your tits Lena."
"Really Kammy? I know they're a bit on the large side, but my uniform doesn't usually show them off to any great extent."
"Well let's just say a combination of damp fabric being pulled tight across you, combined with some of the usual physiological effects of cold air on the body resulted in a display that left very little to the imagination."
Lena blushes ever so slightly.
"…Oops; ah well, no point worrying about it now."
"Just make you sure you change into something dry before we head out again."
"Actually, you might want to do that as soon as possible; I've got the feeling Rubel's going to show up soon."
"Rise's got a point; it wouldn't do to give the pint-sized cue ball a free show."
"Fair enough, I'll go and get changed; but the two of you should consider changing your attire as well, your uniforms aren't exactly in pristine condition."
Lena makes her way into an adjoining room to change. Rise looks down at her uniform and notices a few tears here and there, and Kammy notices a large bloodstain around her abdomen.
"Whoa, are you okay Kammy?"
"Fine Rise; that last hit I took struck directly on my stigma so it's to be expected."
"You want me to take a closer look? I mean, it's better safe than sorry when it comes to stitching."
"The stitching's fine; it just cut into the surrounding flesh, that's all."
Rise pulls out a roll of bandages from a nearby storage trunk.
"Best wrap some of these around yourself to be on the safe side; and it wouldn't do to get blood on your clean clothes."
"Thanks…hey, how come you didn't end up with any cuts? You took quite a bit more punishment than I did."
"Remember what I said before about thinking ahead? I'll give you clue…"
Rise pulls her cloak off and passes it to Kammy.
"…Ah, very clever; there's chainmail hidden in the fabric isn't there?"
"Indeed, and not just in the cloak; I've modified most of my uniform."
A tirade of blue language suddenly bursts forth from the next room.
"What's the matter Lena?"
"You're not going to believe this, but none of the spare uniforms are in my size."
"Ah, somebody only packed the standard fit, didn't they? I guess I'm in the same boat then."
"Huh, what are you two talking about?"
"The regular uniform we have is supposed to be a one size fits all item of dress Kammy; but in practice it just isn't. Part of the reason I have a modified uniform in the first place is that I'm too tall for the standard one."
"That explains Rise's situation, but why's it a problem for you Lena?"
"Let's just say it's unacceptably tight across the chest; in fact, I think you're the only one of us it'll fit properly, since it's too big for Mai."
"So, what have we got in terms of clothing options?"
Rise and Kammy investigate the contents of the cupboards and storage trunks.
"Looks like we've got plenty of spare civvy wear; and in a good variety of sizes as well. I guess we're gonna be okay after all."
"This might actually be pretty useful, since we clearly don't have any suitable replacement uniforms the management won't have solid ground to twist their faces if we get ourselves outfitted at The Flag."
"How much would that cost us Rise?"
"Don't worry about expenses, I've already got it covered."
At that moment the sound of the front door of the building unlocking and opening echoes through the room.
"Hey! At least give us a chance to get some clothes on you little bastard!"
The door to the room opens to reveal another Claymore, although she has quite a distinctive appearance with an extremely pronounced musculature, and has two swords sheathed on her back.
"Oi; who're you calling little, ya skinny bint."
"Oh, hi Undine. Sorry about that; I thought Rubel had just got the drop on us."
"No problem Kammy, you probably won't be seeing him for a while anyway; he's been re-assigned to watch number 47."
"Really? I wonder who we'll get instead then…oh, and how come you're here Undine? I thought the management were keeping you close to headquarters?"
"I got a weird job up at the highland forests; you know, the ones that haven't been explored properly."
"Yeah, I know about them; so, what do you mean by weird?"
"I suspect a similar sort of weird to whatever that thing is that you've got stashed in the cart shed Rise."
"Ah; by the looks of things you didn't have any trouble though."
"It wasn't a Yoma, so I figured it wasn't really my business."
"You didn't sense any yoki from it?"
"None whatsoever; and by the sounds of things you seem to know a little more about what's going on than I do, so I hope you'll be polite enough to enlighten me."
"Well, it's not like we've got an awful lot of definitive information; but I'll tell you what we've found out so far."
Kammy, Lena and Rise explain to Undine what happened on their last job, and tell her about the ensuing fight with the Barioth.
"Damn, sounds to me like things are gonna get an awful lot more complicated for us."
"I reckon this is the tip of the iceberg so to speak Undine, but still; if that giant wolf thing you ran into didn't have any yoki, then that probably means it hasn't encountered any yoma, which is good news."
"When I got the job I honestly thought it was a prank; there's never been any reports of yoma activity in that area before, which makes even more sense when you consider there're no settlements anywhere near it."
"Look on the bright side; considering how much of a fight that Barioth put up, if whatever it was that you ran into had turned nasty, the chances are you'd have come off second best."
"Normally I'd consider those fightin' words; but in all fairness, you're probably right Kammy. I even put on a bit of a display releasing my yoki and it wasn't impressed…hang on, what happened to the pixie? Shouldn't she be with you?"
"Mai's recovering in more comfortable surroundings. I know we're not exactly delicate, but the beds in here are crap, and the building doesn't do a great job of keeping the cold out."
"You shouldn't spoil her Rise. She needs to toughen up fast if she's gonna cope."
"It's not like that Undine; she's actually pretty conscientious when it comes to making sure she's putting in her fair share of effort, in fact out of all of us she probably did the most damage to that Barioth. Right now, what's most important is making sure she recovers as fast possible; there's no telling when we're going to have to deal with another weird event; and we need to be in the best shape possible when the time comes."
"Interesting chain of thought you've got Rise; it's at odds with how the organisation tend to handle things, but it does make sense."
"Put it this way; we're the ones who do the dirty work Undine, so if in doubt trust your own judgement over theirs."
"I'll keep that in mind; but don't forget that Rubel's probably the most flexible of our handlers; so, chances are you're gonna have to deal with someone who'll get arsy if don't do things by the book for a while."
"Have you got any idea who's the closest to Pieta right now Undine?"
"Yeah Kammy, Gallatea's got some work not that far from Pieta, so chances are Ermita's gonna show up."
"Shite; he's a slimy little bastard, and real stickler for playing by the rules. He's not quite as bad as Orsay was, but we're definitely going to have to keep up appearances while he's about."
"Orsay…who was he again Rise?"
"He used to be Terresa's handler; he ordered her execution without hesitation as well."
"Nasty piece of work by the sounds of things; and judging from how you're referring to him in past tense I'm guessing he's dead."
"Oh yes Lena. Karma caught up with him. Let's just say he used to do 'recruiting' as well as working as a handler, and he got found out."
"So, Undine, what are your plans now?"
"Plans Kammy? The only real plan I've got is hitting the sack. I've spent the last few days on the move, so I've had bugger all by the way of sleep."
"…Hang on, you travelled all the way by foot?"
Undine gradually removes the armoured parts of her uniform while she talks.
"Didn't have much of a choice; that forest isn't anywhere near any settlements, and there aren't even any major roads nearby, so hitching a ride's out of the question. By the looks of your clothes you three are planning on doing some undercover work though."
"Ah, not exactly; it's more a case of not having any spare uniforms that fit."
"Yawn…ah well, I guess you'll be needing to head out to get hold of some gear to modify them then. You might as well get yourselves sorted out; I can hold the fort while you're gone, and if a handler does show up I'll be able to give them the gist of what's happened; and since it is technically their responsibility to make sure we get replacement uniforms I don't think they'll have any room to gripe about it."
"Cheers Undine. Oh, there's some food in the pantry if you're hungry."
"Thanks, I think sleep comes first though."
Instead of propping herself up against one of her swords Undine slumps onto one of the beds.
"…You weren't joking, these beds are crap."
The three of them leave Undine to get some rest and head out into Pieta.
"Are we heading straight for The Flag Lena?"
"I think we should take Undine's suggestion to be on the safe side and stop off at a tailor along the way Rise."
"…."
"You okay Kammy?"
"A bit uncomfortable; these clothes are awfully tight around my arms and legs. I don't think whoever made them considered the possibility of a fair maiden packing some serious muscle."
"You think that's bad? I had to wear a corset the last time I went undercover. It could have been worse mind you; I can distort my frame a bit with yoki manipulation."
"That must've been a sight for sore eyes Lena."
"It was pretty funny seeing how many people tripped over the furniture while trying to get an eyeful Kammy, but the best bit was their reaction when I took out the disguised Yoma; fifteen spilt drinks, nine sets of soiled underwear, five swooning episodes, and two marriage proposals."
"Hang on, how'd you manage to sneak your claymore in?"
"I didn't need to; the target was known for being smart rather than powerful, so my bare hands turned out to be all I needed; or to be more precise, it turns out a regular yoma skull comes off second best in a high impact collision with a marble bust."
"Nice that you actually can disguise yourself as a noble lady Lena; the last time I went undercover I had to masquerade as a bloke; although I have to admit, that highwayman outfit did have a certain charm to it."
"I wonder why I've never had any undercover jobs Rise?"
"You've got the sort of physique a girl just doesn't get outside of being some kind of professional warrior Kammy, and you're just that bit too slender, curvaceous and pretty to convincingly pass yourself off as a fellah. Still, I think you would make a pretty good sailor, pirate, bandit or soldier."
"The Yoma prefer easy prey though Rise, and pretty much all of those can put up a fight. Has Mai had any undercover work?"
"No Kammy, she hasn't been in active service for long enough; although we have discussed plans on the off chance such a job turns up."
"Let me guess Rise, she'll play the role of your daughter?"
"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up Lena."
"Heh, she'll barely even need to act then. The two of you come across as family even when you're in uniform."
"Hey, hey; you're embarrassing me…"
The three of them stop off at tailor and purchase a variety of clothing materials, before heading over to The Flag. Rise knocks on the door; there's a muffled yawn from the other side before the observation slit slides open.
"Uhhh…Hi Rise; much as I'd like to I can't just let you in straight away; the boss'll have me bollocks for a bow tie if I don't do this properly.
"What's the problem this time Gillespie? Let me guess, you lost a bet at a dockside bar and had to fellate a monkey?"
"…And that's the passcode spot on yet again. I'll have this open in a jiffy."
After a few moments of the sounds of sliding bolts and turning latches, the door slides open.
"Good timing; Gaston and the kitchen crew are cooking up a storm right now, so you'll get to sample the results shortly."
The three of them make their way down the stairs; this time the air is heavily permeated with the smell of cooking.
"…why am I getting hungry all of a sudden? warriors like us aren't supposed to get hungry."
"You ended up tapping into your yoki during the fight Kammy; and one thing that will speed up your recovery after that is some good food."
"Really Rise? That's the first I've heard of that."
"That reminds me of something; I seem to remember a rumour that we're supposed to end up with increased appetites if we push ourselves close to our limits."
"Both are effectively true Lena. I don't know why the organisation doesn't make this common knowledge; but eating properly actually helps us to control our yoki; and aids recovery if we've had to tap into it during a battle."
"I'll bet Mai's gonna be ravenous then Rise. Maybe we should order big for a change then; I know I'm up for it, how about you two?"
"I must confess to feeling somewhat peckish myself Kammy, how's your appetite Rise?"
"I…"
Rise doesn't get chance to answer, as a deep growl from her stomach cuts into the conversation.
"I think that roughly translates as 'feed me Seymour!'"
The three of them make their way into the main hall of The Flag. The atmosphere amongst many of the patrons is clearly quite jovial, and significant number of them are noticeably inebriated. The stage is empty, but someone appears to be writing up a set list on a board next to it.
"So, what's our first port of call Lena?"
"We'd best meet up with Mai again first Rise; if we're going to be making any further plans she needs to be part of the discussion."
"Once we're all back together I reckon we ought to have a chat with Mickel; see if he can get us some armour sorted out. We shouldn't forget to give him the good news about how his weapons held up either; they survived the battle, and they definitely made the grade for use against Yoma."
"I take it you're gonna need to have a word with boss of this place again Rise?"
"Yeah Kammy; I know Saul will have given her a rough update, but I think it'd be best to make sure she's got the full picture of what happened from our perspective."
"Sounds to me like you're quite familiar with this boss Rise."
"I reckon you'll get to meet her in the not so distant future Lena. Not sure if I mentioned it before; but her full name's Leona Vangis."
The three of them make their way over to the bar.
"Heya Manny; how's Mai doing?"
"She's up and about now; not sure exactly where she is though. The last I heard Katrina wanted to give her a medical examination to be on the safe side, but she might be done by now; in which case she'll probably be with Mickel."
"Cheers, good to hear she's recovering well."
"While you're here do want to put in an order for some food? Gaston's doing his bully bacon pot roast; and if my memory isn't failing me, it should be done pretty soon."
"That sounds like just the ticket! Shall we make that four orders with all the trimmings?"
"Can't argue with that Kammy."
Manny calls back to the kitchens.
"Hey Gaston! Another four orders of today's special; with every accompaniment."
"Gotcha Manny; do you want some drinks with that?"
"Sure; what's good right now?"
"I'd recommend the spiced apple punch Lena; it is slightly alcoholic, but it's just the ticket with pork or bacon."
"We'll have four of those as well then please."
"Aye, there's a table for four at the forge end of the hall; is that okay?"
"That'll be perfect Manny."
"I'll get it reserved for you."
The three of them head towards the forge end of the hall to look for Mai. They find her attentively watching Mickel working on some kind of mechanism consisting of cogs, springs and cables; although rather than her uniform she's now wearing what appears to be a slightly oversized set of pink pyjamas, with a print consisting of various chibified monsters.
"…and that's the rough gist of the standard switch mechanism in a switch axe. There are some weird and wonderful models that are a bit different mind you, but this is sort system you'll see most of the time."
"Heya Mickel."
"Hi Rise; glad to see you're all safe and sound now."
Kammy stares intently at Mai for a moment.
"…some real cute nightclothes you've got there Mai."
"Katrina was kind enough to lend me one of her spares; they're a little bit big but they've got a drawstring waist so they won't fall off."
"I seem to remember your uniform got pretty badly shredded in the fight."
"Afraid so Lena; I've saved what's left of it, but I don't think its salvageable."
"Well, no need to worry about that now Mai; one of the things we plan to do while we're here is get outfitted with some proper armour. Besides, as it turned out none of the spare uniforms back at the lodge would've been in your size."
"Never mind the uniform, how're you holding up Mai?"
"Pretty good Rise; the bruising's settling quickly, and Katrina gave me a check over and confirmed all my joints are okay now. Physically I'll probably be recovered by tomorrow morning; but I don't think I'll be able to fully tap into my yoki for another couple of days though."
"I doubt that'll be an issue; no handlers have shown up yet, so we've yet be assigned any more work. I reckon they'll probably end up delaying even further while they figure out what to make of that Barioth anyway."
"Oh, and before we forget Mickel, those weapons of yours passed with flying colours."
"Nice to know I'm not getting rusty Kammy; it's been a while since I've had the chance to put together some heavy-duty stuff; and did my ears deceive me or did mention something about armour earlier?"
"Oh yes; in fact, we may need to collaborate with you, since we're going to need something that'll provide a good degree of protection, whilst still being passable as an organisation uniform."
Mai's eyes suddenly start to sparkle, and Mickel notices.
"Heh, looks like you're gonna get an in depth forging lesson; although I seem to remember your uniforms have got some fairly intricate details on the fabric, so I'll probably need a hand for that bit. I don't doubt you've noticed I'm a pretty big fellah, and while that's great for many of the rigours of forge work; it does mean fine embroidery can prove to be a wee bit fiddly."
"You got it Mickel!...uh, is that okay?"
"It's fine Mai; we won't let your enthusiasm go to waste."
"Thanks Lena."
"I'm guessing you put an order for some food with Manny a little earlier."
"Aye, that we did Mickel."
"Well you might want to head to a table; I reckon Gaston and the kitchen crew will be ready to serve any minute now, and that'll include my dinner."
"Cheers; Manny's booked us a table, so we'll catch you a little later."
The four of them make their way to their table.
"Let's see…Rise, party of four; yep, this is our table."
"The atmosphere seems a bit; how best to put it Rise; expectant, for some reason."
"Maybe this meal is some kind of special occasion Lena?"
"We'll find out in a few moments Kammy."
The sound of someone battering a pan with a ladle echoes throughout the hall for a few seconds.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! I have an important announcement to make!"
Everyone present turns their attention to the source of the voice, which turns out to be none other than Gaston, stood in the middle of the bar top. A small portion of the people present are clearly somewhat shocked by his appearance, while many others are clearly pleased to see him.
"Today has turned out to be a very important day; it does appear that true mission of The Flag can finally commence…"
A huge cheer goes up amongst a large group of people; all of who are notably heavily armed and armoured; and clearly in the know.
"…ah, it would seem that some of you here are somewhat perplexed as to the nature of what is unfolding. Well, no need for anxiety; doubtless your first question will be regarding the nature of my being; and to that I answer…I am Gaston; feyline cook extraordinaire, a friend to humans; and sworn enemy of hunger and mediocre food!..."
Another cheer fills the hall.
"…And as for your next question; we, the crew of The Flag; are in fact hunters, first and foremost; but the prey we trained ourselves to pursue is of a very particular nature. So particular in fact, that many amongst us were unsure this land held our quarry; but that uncertainty has come to an end today, for the centrepiece of today's feast is none other than a bulldrome pot roast!..."
Yet another huge cheer goes up.
"…And we have confirmed the presence of beasts of a far more formidable nature that also share the wilds of this land. So, with no shortage of pleasure I can announce, that once again…"
The entire crew of The Flag join in the speech.
"…We. Are. Monster Hunters!"
The atmosphere of The Flag positively ignites with merriment. After a minute or so of jubilation a chef quickly sticks their head around the kitchen door behind the bar and signals to Gaston.
"Ah, it is time people! Please; be seated, for the food is ready to be served…but with that, I suppose it's only appropriate I once again display the time-honoured slogan of the chefs of hunters."
Gaston punches one of the posts supporting the upper part of the bar; the shock causes the latch on a previously concealed hoarding to come lose, revealing its message; spelled out in large, red letters on a dark green background.
EAT! OR BE EATEN!
