Fomonar Workshop; Release the hounds
Archer approached the map and stood behind Mercedes as she worked. As she re-read her notes, skimming her hand over section of the map and speaking aloud her plans, the Servant was examining the map in greater detail over her shoulder. The idea of setting up additional bases was an appealing one, because as comfortable and this base was compared to being in the centre of the city it was also impractical. A number of locations dotted around the city, less full bases and more like small rest stops, would allow them greater mobility around the battlefield than having to start on the city outskirts each night; they were both hunters after all, they shouldn’t tie themselves down to one location and instead treat the entire city as their hunting grounds.
As for a perch, I was never the kind of Archer who would use that kind of thing. A good vantage point may make spotting or hitting a target easier, but a hunter can’t track their prey if they are stuck in a tree now can they? Instead they should focus on locations that would allow for quick movement to and from their safehouses; places that were connected to or near major routes of travel like motorways or subways, even rivers. If they happened to be located near tall buildings or areas with good line of sight then that was a bonus, but not necessary; with a hundred extra eyes at his disposal he didn’t need to be able to see a target himself to strike at it.
Mercedes stopped suddenly and it took Archer a moment to realise why. A slip of the tongue and an unfortunate bit of wording had brought the subject of his lack of speech back into focus and the mage turned and walked away from him, presumably out of embarrassment or awkwardness or something else. His Master returned to the table and picked up the journal she had been writing in earlier before turning around and extending a hand towards him.
With a smile and a nod he took the notepad and pen from her, immediately flipping it open to a fresh page and writing down his thoughts from before. When he was down he held the journal out to her, his hasty but neat handwriting visible on the page.
No perches. Routes of travel. Well connected. Hub Areas.Although she still smiled at him, there was a subtle shift in the enforcer’s demeanour as she looked at Archer. Though the mage wasn’t exactly messing around earlier, the seriousness she showed now was a marked change that showed the importance of the question she was asking.
Ah, I guess that’s a fair question. My Noble Phantasm isn’t the type to have a true name however; it isn’t a flashy, magical weapon or a powerful technique as most heroes have. They are just my hounds, nothing more or less than my companions in the hunt. I don’t need to speak to fight alongside them, we have that level of understanding between us.Archer locked eyes with Mercedes, trying to convey the same level of seriousness as his Master was showing him as he nodded in response.
Speaking of which, it seems they have found our enemies already.@Yankee
Hibiya Park Field, Chiyoda Ward
Two hounds stood at the edge of what was left of the park field, manifesting physically in the world in order to better witness the end of the skirmish between Rider and Lancer. The fight had come to an abrupt end as the mounted archer drove the knight of the spear into the frozen dirt below with a mighty punch before flying away from his opponent.
It was fortuitous that they had arrived in time to see this spectacle, relaying brief images of the fight to their master, having rushed towards this location as soon as they had seen the flare of ice in the distance. Had it not been for that, or if they had not been as close as they had been when they had seen it, they would have missed their opportunity to learn something of Rider’s capabilities.
As Rider left, one of the hounds left with him, the two trained hunters coming to a consensus without any need for communication as Pterelas raced after the departing horse. The hound would follow the airborne Servant for as long as he could, attempting to keep pace with the flying steed and likely failing, but hopefully keeping pace long enough to learn which direction they were heading before he lost sight of them.
The other hound meanwhile stayed at the park, keeping a watchful eye and a keen ear out for any approaching danger as she waited to see what Lancer would do.
@Cu Chulainn@Reflection@Yukitamas
Laelap’s slinked through the alleyways surrounding the Tokyo Tower plaza, nose to the ground and following an interesting scent trail a short distance away from a fight between Servants. He daren’t get any close than this after what had happened to Dromas, the hunting party quickly learning of the danger of Berserker’s aura as the swift hound had fallen, tripping over his feet as soon as the man had become visible to them; unconscious, fainted rather than dead, but forced to unsummon himself as he took the brunt of the Servant’s skill. If they hadn’t been so far away, if they had been closer to the source of the aura he might not have been so fortunate; as it was he still served as a warning to the rest of them.
Following the scent all the way to the rear entrance of a building, the scent of a familiar and mage both, the hound pushed the door open and let himself inside quietly. Now that he was past that barrier he could smell more scents, two mage and many more familiars, inside the building. He sent this information back to her master before proceeding further into the building in search of the scent’s source.
@KoL@Duoya
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