Woods Surrounding Camelot, Wednesday Morning

[bitchprince]

After the feasts of a few weeks back, Arthur had fallen into the routine he preferred above all. Training, training, and more training, interspersed with some talks about minor adjustments in grain dispersion and the occasional audience for the public, as well as the odd hunt.

But he was hunting for something else today; he was hunting for contact with Fandom, or rather, his friends both on and off it.

As it turned out, having his old routine back made his thoughts about the island far kinder than they used to be.

[[ for phone calls, yes! ]]

Comments

[bitchprince]

"Reno did," Arthur confirmed, "As did Katchoo. I suppose it's too much to ask you didn't do anything profoundly stupid?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"If I did, all witnesses have been bribed to be quiet," Dinah said, thinking of Karla going out on her own at the same time Dinah had. "I didn't get hurt, and there was no way I was going out in that mess alone...." After a while. "Too many people disappeared that way. You guys aren't taking on any armies or monsters alone lately, are you?"

[bitchprince]

"Just a few bands of bandits," Arthur said, idly. "I mean, there's always wars going on, of course. Our diplomatic ties with the surrounding countries are... rocky."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"What, they don't think you guys are way cool?" Dinah teased lightly. "Or are they just jealous that you have all the best knights ever, and Merlin to make dinner?"

[bitchprince]

"No, Dinah," Arthur said, sounding thoroughly annoyed. "Border disputes, our soldiers accidentally killing theirs or vice-versa, arguments over local resources, all that lot. Sometimes, ancient bloodfueds. They're not fifteen year old girls."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Blood feuds," well, Dinah knew about those personally, and her voice lost all trace of humor. "Sorry to hear that..." They'd never gotten into much about his neighbors, really. There'd been so many other things to talk about. "And how are the local resources holding up?" Thinking of Reno's home, and all that was missing, she added, "You're not in the middle of a famine or anything, are you?"

[bitchprince]

"Our resources are fine, we're well-stocked and the harvests are looking good this year," he rattled off, rolling his eyes a bit. "Trying to spy on Camelot, Dinah?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah eye-rolled back at him, and said, "Yes, Arthur. My concern that you guys are okay is concealing my secret plan to stage an economic takeover of a city a thousand years in my past. I want to get in on the ground floor."

[bitchprince]

"You could try, but you wouldn't have the faculties," he said, dryly. "So what have you been doing this past week?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah stuck out her tongue at the phone, even though he couldn't see her, and said, "In between the giant cockroaches, and the skinless crazy dogs, and ... other freakier things," Little burning kids, gah, "trying to keep Momoko and Karla and other people from being stupid. And before and after all that, training. On my own, with a few of the new people. Trying to get Jaime and Momoko more trained before I go. With Azula again. I think she's lightening up."

No she's not, Dinah.

[bitchprince]

"Azula?" he asked, one eyebrow raising. "I find that somewhat hard to believe." He'd touch on the rest of it soon enough.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"She had to go home for a couple months, and she was bored out of her mind. Her brother's troops aren't enough of a challenge. I think she was just glad to be back," Dinah had to admit. "Plus I've gotten better. Still not doing that with powers, though." What, was she crazy?

[bitchprince]

Yes.

"You'd better not," Arthur replied, glancing aside. Then: "What exactly invaded you lot? That sounds like quite a bit."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"The device that's under the island, that moves it around? Like last year, with the vampires and Iceland? It broke. So stuff from three or more different worlds was leaking in. People who'd mutated and had hooks for hands, giant insects and scorpions, other stuff." Dinah grimaced. "And huge chunks of the island were just gone, which made it even harder."

[bitchprince]

"Christ," Arthur breathed, thunking his head against the back of the tree. "The island doesn't let up, I can tell."

Arthur Pendragon: possibly the only person on the planet who was glad most of his friends were graduating and getting the hell off that island.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"August sucks," Dinah had to agree. She sighed. "But. I didn't hear about anyone getting seriously hurt. Just kind of traumatized and exhausted. On the island, or wherever they disappeared to for two days." She was quiet, then admitted, "I tried to think what you'd do, but there was no place to put a barricade, and everyone was cooperating well already, sooo... you know. Just kept going."

[bitchprince]

"Suppose at least the new generation is keeping it up," he muttered. "When are you planning to leave?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Two weeks from Friday. Probably going to visit a couple people for a week, but classes start in New Gotham, a week and a half after that." Dinah was quiet a minute, squinting into the sunlight. "It's going to be weird. Not being a part of this place any more. Not every day, I mean."