Fifth Snapshot [Video]

[expertonshutters]

[Hayato is an oddly somber individual when he turns on the feed. His expression is calm but serious when he finally speaks.]

So, with the upcoming fight, I just wanted to wish everyone luck. If we can pull this off-- and I know we will-- there's going to be a whole city of people that are going to have their lives and freedom back.

That said... I know Union is a pretty peaceful town. While it's admirable you guys have done so well by not resorting to violence, and I mean that, I do, don't forget that ...this is very much a war. Gigas isn't going to care about a thing like that. They'll shoot to kill, and if they take you alive.

Well.

Hope that they don't.

That's ...all I really wanted to say. I want to see everyone one of you make it back here. I don't want a single person landing on an MIA list, I mean it.

[And he does. His expression is much more grave this time. He likes this place and he likes the people and he doesn't want to see another body count. He ends the feed.]

[Locked to Mission Eight.]

[His drops the grave expression for something much more resembling a smile.]

Ah, Hey! Everyone assigned to Mission Eight! We should talk or get together before we set out. I don't know some of you very well and we should change that if we're going to be relying on each other to watch our backs.

If you don't already know who I am, my name's Hayato Ichimonji. Nice to meet you.

Departure

[bravenewmods]

The time has come.

At General Ironborn’s direction, the assorted troops of Caldera, Citadel, Refuge, and Union begin to roll out of the gates of the city. It would be a long trip – Sanctuary lay far to the west of Caldera, beyond any of the territory currently known to Union. Crossing the perhaps now-familiar desert would be merely the first leg of this journey. The atmosphere, as they depart from the gates, seems chipper. There are high hopes for the reclamation of territory from Gigas, and the people of the Sanctuary Resistance, especially, begin to entertain the appealing notion that their city might be free once more for the first time in decades, exchanging wide smiles and congenial laughter.

They do not travel light, of course. Caravans pulled by Ponyta and Tauros accompany them, stocked to the brim with food and supplies to last their small army for weeks. Their efforts hopefully wouldn’t last much longer than that, but they are assured by the Sanctuary natives that so long as they were able to reclaim a portion of the city, the people would happily provide them with what they needed. Other wagons are stocked with odd-looking machinery and gadgets – those sitting inside will spend the majority of the journey fiddling with equipment. Anyone who inquires will be informed that the technicians are making preparations to highjack Sanctuary’s communications network for their missions – perhaps they would care to assist? Still others are filled with armor and weaponry, useful Enhanced Items hurriedly crafted by the artisans of Union, and a few even tote heavier Pokémon who wouldn’t be up to the task of traveling the distance alone.

As it turns out, war is very troublesome to wage.

Over the course of the journey, there is plenty of time for idle conversation and brief side excursions or rest stops. The caravan eventually elongates and stretches out such that the furthest travelers are several miles in front of the rear – still, it is simple enough to go between wagons. In a pinch, the Valkyries swooping in the sky are always happy to take on a passenger for a short ride.

Eventually, word would spread that they were only a day’s travel from Sanctuary, and the mood will become somber, serious. But in the meantime, why not chat up your fellow travelers?