[video: week twenty, friday]

[growingwild]

[The image that appears is of Briar, sitting on the grass just outside the ship and frowning at the device in front of him. Settled next to him is a potted miniature pine tree. But the most striking thing about him is the intricate leafy vine tattoos on his hands and forearms - which if you look closely at, you might be realise are actually moving.

When Briar starts talking, he seems to be addressing the mirror itself rather than anyone on the other end]

You can't be working, you know. I've never been able to scry - and besides, you don't even have any magic anyway, so I don't see how I'm supposed to talk to anyone with this.

[Not that Briar's all that sure he wants to talk who whoever brought him here. But magical objects without any magic is just plain bizarre, so his frown deepens]

Comments

[Video]

[growingwild]

And what about when they catch the disease too? [Briar shook his head at the madness of it] Plagues don't care what side you're on.

[Voice]

[evervarying]

History begs to differ on that one. Good biohazard control, sufficient distance - hell, even having a cure produced means annihilating yourself isn't guaranteed unless someone screws up.

[Voice]

[growingwild]

It's still despicable.

Re: [Voice]

[evervarying]

Of course it is. Any attack on a civilian population is. That doesn't mean there aren't people who'll do it if they think they can get away with it.

It's just too bad the people who dreamed this up have been dead too long to learn otherwise.

[Video]

[growingwild]

Typical.

But someone must be dealing with this one, right? Is there a quarantine?

[Video]

[evervarying]

There are roadblocks up to keep travellers out, but it hit too fast for that to be a reasonable tactic within the city. If I understand the doctors right, it was engineered to spread like wildfire.

If you stick to the ship or the hills, you should be safe. From the plague, at least. There are still thugs with guns to watch out for.

[Video]

[growingwild]

Guns? What are they?

Re: [Video]

[evervarying]

Seriously?

[So much disbelief.]

They're a kind of projectile weapon. Very deadly.

[Video]

[growingwild]

Yes, seriously. I wouldn't be asking if I knew the answer, would I?

So are they like a kind of bow, or crossbow?

[evervarying]

For all I know, you're playing up the whole magic hermit thing for fun. And no, they're not. They have a lot more power and precision.

[growingwild]

Hermit?! I'm no hermit!

[evervarying]

If you avoid the plague by hiding in the hills, you will be. Technically.

It doesn't sound so bad. You'd get to smack heroes with a cane.

[growingwild]

Well I won't be, will I'll? I'll be going off with Haruka to look at someplace that had an explosion. You'll have to keep that cane for yourself.