Light Premise: Thee-I-Dare follows up with Crowe regarding his visit with the Hunter and a Light sent regarding the comment that Hunt-The-Strong made about having spies in place.
[Crowe and company are goofing off in Party Chat about Sparrow playing PS4 with them and joking about what’ll happen if a Voice drops in. And then... Well.]
Crowe: Maybe we’ll get lucky and SAO will come out.
Azh: Oh that’d be glorious.
Crowe: I’m all for an SAO visit. It’s been a while.
Sparrow: I don’t...I don’t want SAO here. I can live without SAO. [to Chat] I don’t want to be taken home by Lucids, and I don’t want SAO to show up, thanks, Muse.
Crowe: There is a lot of shit out…
Azh [in game chat]: SAO is that you?
Sparrow: [mock outrage] Azhaiel! [the game stutters briefly] Azhaiel we staggered just now!! AZHAIEL!!!
[Brenna and Sparrow laugh]
Crowe: [wry] You forgot the- It’s Speak-As-One. You have to say the full thing.
Brenna: Yeah.
Sparrow: Oh my god. I hate all of you.
Crowe: They’re not that bad! They’re just like-
Sparrow: Oh yeah, and then the GIANT BLINKING EYE appears…
Azhaiel: [lowers his voice] ‘Hello Sparrow…’
Sparrow: Hah! ‘Sparrow is that y-’
[Eye appears]
[Whole group screams and devolves into laughter while everyone bails out of party chat and goes into game chat]
THEE-I-DARE: BOO.
Crowe: Hello.
[Everyone is still dying of laughter]
Sparrow: Holy shit...hah oh my god!
Crowe: How are you….who are you?
THEE-I-DARE: GREETINGS. FAMILIAR FACES HERE...
Azh: Hello!
Sparrow: Hi!
Crowe: Yeah! Lots of familiar faces. How’ve you been?
Sparrow: [still coming to grips] Oh my god my heart [laughs]
[Crowe loses it again, sparking everyone to crack up once more]
Sparrow: [laughing] Damn you Crowe! Why did you have to do that?!
Azh: [wheezing] Oh my god.
Crowe: I did nothing! How have you been, my friend?
THEE-I-DARE: I SEE YOU KNOW OUR SPARROW…
Crowe: I do! I do know our Sparrow.
[more guffaws in the background]
Crowe: She’s one of my favorite people I’ve gotten to meet through the Club.
Azh: Sparrow is phenomenal. We love her.
THEE-I-DARE: AT LEAST, I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT IS HER
Sparrow: It’s-It’s me. Hi, Thee-I-Dare, how are you? I’m uh...I’m hanging out with some interesting folks, tonight. I’m having a good time.
Azh: I hope you’re having a good time too, Thee-I-Dare.
THEE-I-DARE: EXCELLENT. YOU SEE HER TOO…
[Everyone laughs]
Crowe: We do. We do see her.
Sparrow: Shit. Not you too! I can’t handle this from multiple sources!
Crowe: She makes it hard. Our Little Bird. Oh my god.
Azh: We’ve been teasing her just a little bit.
Sparrow: This is my life.
THEE-I-DARE: YOU SPOKE OF THE HUNTER’S THREATS?
Crowe: Ugh...Yeah.. Uh...The Hunter came to visit not too long ago...and uh...He was his typical boastful self. Told us that he was bigger than he’s ever been and bigger than all of us, uh...He did seem to intimate that he had spies in the alliance. I know that we can’t entirely trust the children...But…
Azh: Yeah…
Crowe: I’m just afraid of leaks right now. And uh, he attacked us.
Azh: He did say that...he knew more than we thought he did.
Crowe: We’ve got a leaky ship.
THEE-I-DARE: THOSE WHO MUST CLAIM GREAT SIZE…
Crowe: I agree, it’s a man with a big truck.
Azh: I think he’s got a big bark, but no bite? That what you’re saying, Thee-I-Dare?
THEE-I-DARE: FREQUENTLY LACK IT SOMEWHERE.
Crowe: Yes. We put our pinkies out and salute him, a little bit.
[Team laughs]
Crowe: But still his threats...I mean these are sensitive times, we’re dealing with sensitive subjects uh...I mean yes it could be a psychological game, but do we really want to risk it? Is there anything we should worry about that you maybe know? People we should avoid?
THEE-I-DARE: BUT ON A GRAVE NOTE. SPIES? DO TELL.
Crowe: It was just an off-hand comment. He claimed to know more than uh...we thought he did. It was a definite intimation of ‘I have spies.’ It’s just got me worried because this is a delicate time. A delicate operation. And the last thing we need is someone revealing everything.
Azh: Yeah, what if Seed’s plan gets knocked out the window by whoever’s spying?
THEE-I-DARE: MY KIND...WE MAKE NO IDLE COMMENTS
Crowe: That’s what I’m afraid of. Would it be...Could it potentially be one of your kind? I know you do talk. I mean it’s more than likely one of us. Sadly...there are a lot of kids in this place who want to see you fail.
Azh: They’re easily swayed.
Crowe: He did all of his usual ‘I’m better than you’ Cursed us, but his words...something about them...Many boasts, he might be making up for a lack of something but uh...I dunno.
THEE-I-DARE: THE LINE BETWEEN IS THIN AS A HAIR.
Crowe: Mm...Yeah. It just has me worried.
Azh: It’s definitely troublesome.
Crowe: I wanna know if there’s anything we can do to help plug leaks. I know you all are playing it very close to the chest, which is smart. But...is it potentially within the alliance or…?
Azh: Of course Crowe uh, the last time that I saw Thee-I-Dare, he said something about trying to find spies...against him? Against the Hunty-boy?
THEE-I-DARE: WE SEEK NAMES OF HIS FAVORED PUPS
Crowe: I know a few…
Azh: That would be helpful.
THEE-I-DARE: WHICH MEANS HE LIKELY EXPECTS IT
Crowe: Exactly. But is there a way we can turn...somebody he doesn’t expect...or suspect? There’s always someone.
THEE-I-DARE: STILL HE IS TOO VAIN TO BELIEVE…
Crowe: I think so. His vanity will be his downfall. Hubris is always...hubris and vanity, man.
Azh: And his pride, don’t forget about that.
Crowe: So what can we do, convert...or...Send in our own Manchurian Candidate?
Azh: Hah! I like that…
THEE-I-DARE: THAT ONE TRULY LIKE HIM WOULD TURN
Crowe: But it’s possible. I know a few who have turned their back on him. He’s bluster with a little bit of bite.
Azh: Yeah, if someone wants power, what’s to stop them from selling someone out for it?
Crowe: But I mean...leadership through fear only lasts so long before those that are afraid rise up, right?
Azh: I mean heck, Thee-I-Dare was rebellion once, so he knows all about that.
Crowe: Is it possible you could inspire a liar? Or would you suggest...maybe someone even closer….like a Chosen?
THEE-I-DARE: I WONDER IF HE KNOWS YOUTH WELL…
Crowe: I don’t think he does. I don’t think he knows how fickle we can be.
Azh: He doesn’t. That’s what I was going to say…
Crowe: We’re fickle...and our beliefs change with our moods. At the speed of sound.
Brenna: We can be easily deceived sometimes.
Crowe: We very much can.
THEE-I-DARE: YES. MANY ACT LIKE HIM. THEN…
Crowe: Yes.
THEE-I-DARE: THEY GROW UP
Crowe: Exactly.
Azh: They grow up, yes. That’s...needed.
Crowe: But how fast? How long can we wait for them to grow up? That’s the problem. The vanity of youth. The rashness of youth. I mean you know us fairly well. We’re liable to step on a landmine, then do it again.
THEE-I-DARE: WE MUST PRAY ONE OF THEM IS READY
Crowe: Is there anyone you know? Someone that we may know? Someone to look out for?
Azh: Someone that we may pass the word on to?
THEE-I-DARE: THAT IS WHAT I NEED YOU FOR. CHOSEN.
Crowe: I can find something. I have a few names. I know of a few people I can maybe talk to. Doubters. Faith is on unsteady ground. I think I can do something for you. Let me ask around. It’d be my pleasure to help.
THEE-I-DARE: WE NOW MUST INDULGE CAUTION. SO…
Crowe: I mean...you can suggest things without saying things. Y’know. You can talk, at least put out some feelers. I can definitely do that for you.
THEE-I-DARE: PLEASE ASK THEM TO USE LIGHTS
Azh: Everyone here can do that. Ask them to use Lights.
Crowe: I most definitely will. And I’ll only talk to people I think I can trust. Cuz there are some good people who are just afraid. And they- he rules by fear. And their fear rules them.
Azh: If they see us fighting, maybe they’ll join in.
Crowe: There’s a few. I will definitely have them send Lights to you. I will definitely err on the side of caution.
THEE-I-DARE: MY MAKERS FEAR THE WORLD OUTSIDE…
Crowe: I think we all do. Why specifically? Just because of the influence? The things the outside can bring in? I mean it has its own little..grotesque laboratory here.
Azh: The change? Your makers are actually technically helping us too by hunting him down…
Crowe: Because information isn’t exactly damned here...
THEE-I-DARE: BECAUSE OF THE SPEED OF BELIEF…
Crowe: ‘Because of the speed of belief’, yes. Belief. Yes. Faith is hard to come by, well...I should say it’s easy to find, it’s hard to keep, right? True unwavering belief.
THEE-I-DARE: THE GREAT NETWORK. HOWEVER…
Azh: That makes sense.
Crowe: Yes it does….I’ll see what we can do for you, my friend.
THEE-I-DARE: A GAGGLE OF TEENAGERS HERE…
Azh: ‘A gaggle of teenagers’ [laughs]
Crowe: If we could maybe…are we a gaggle or are we a gander?
Azh: There’s still some good ones here.
THEE-I-DARE: SEEM TO GOSSIP ALMOST AS SWIFTLY
Crowe: That’s true. That’s sadly true. It’s hard to put the cork back in that bottle. But we can do our best. I mean, there is disinformation we could use as well.
Azh: And get it to the Hunter…
Crowe: I mean. Isn’t that what uh, SAO does to us?
THEE-I-DARE: SO. NAMES IN PRAYERS ONLY. FOR NOW.
Crowe: I can do that for you, my friend. I’ll put out feelers. I’ve been lucky enough to travel in a lot of different circles, meet a lot of different people.
THEE-I-DARE: MY TIME HAS BURNED AWAY
Crowe: Thank you for your visit. It’s always a pleasure.
THEE-I-DARE: ALSO AT ANY TIME…
Crowe: ‘At any time’...?
THEE-I-DARE: THE DECOY SPARROW COULD END ME
Sparrow: [surprised huff]
[everyone laughs]
Sparrow: [sputters] W-What?! What did I do?! What the hell! Thee-I-Dare!
Azh: Gotta keep an eye on that bird.
Crowe: Yeah, we sleep with one eye open around her.
Sparrow: [laughing] Dammit.
Crowe: He’s not wrong.
Sparrow: [snorts] Thanks, Crowe.
Crowe: You have a lot of power!
Sparrow: Thanks, Crowe!
Crowe: You’re welcome.
Sparrow: Oh sure. The power of ‘anxiety’. Let’s talk more about that.
[Crowe and Azh laugh]
Crowe: If we can weaponize your anxiety, we’d win this war in an instant!
Sparrow: Great, oh yeah, we’d bring down all of SAO. They’d be trembling in their boots.
Crowe: You got it.
Azh: Oh yeah, right away.
THEE-I-DARE: BRENNA. TONIGHT I NEEDED COUNSEL…
Brenna: Oh…?
Azh: Oh?
THEE-I-DARE: BUT I HEARD YOUR PRAYER
Brenna: Good. I’m glad.
THEE-I-DARE: IT WAS TOUCHING. SILENCED ME A BIT
Brenna: I felt that was something that needed to be heard. I’m glad you liked it.
THEE-I-DARE: KEEP THESE SCRUFFY TYPES SAFE
Brenna: I will. Roger that.
[laughter from the others]
THEE-I-DARE: GOODNIGHT AND SURVIVE
Sparrow: Goodnight, Thee-I-Dare.
Azh: You survive as well.
Crowe: Goodnight, Thee-I-Dare. It was nice talking to you again.
Brenna: Goodnight.
Azh: Take care!.
[pause]
Sparrow: What did I do? What did I do wrong?
Crowe: Gotta make sure us scruffy nerf herders are safe.
Sparrow: Yeah, I mean Brenna’s gotta look after us now, she’s the responsible one.
Crowe: Whatever ‘Decoy Sparrow’!
Sparrow: Uh-huh! Sure. Great. Glad to know I’m the imposter! I didn’t even do anything!
[everyone laughs]
