psa [video]

[whichend]

[ Arya sits in a grassy patch outside one of the spires. She keeps one hand on the sword in her lap, and every so often, looks fretfully up at the sky. ]

The dragons have come. I am guessing most of you have never seen a dragon, so you might be afraid of them. And want to kill them.

[ Arya frowns. A loud, powerful roar sounds from off-camera. Arya sighs. The roar doesn't help her make the point she's trying for. ]

And I understand your fear.

[ She leans into the camera. This is serious. ]

But you must not kill them. They could very well be the last of their kind. Dragons are dangerous creatures, but impressive ones. Killing these dragons could not only mean their deaths, but the death of all dragons. So keep yourself safe. But let them be safe, too.

[ Suddenly, the lighting becomes brighter. In the distance is a red-hot flame. ]

Shit.

[ Arya mutters, and cuts the video there. ]

Comments

video;

[closerift]

[ It's been a difficult few weeks. Cullen vanished, dragons appeared. ... This, though... may be the first thing to almost (almost) bring a teeny-tiny smile to her face. ]

I always knew you were wise beyond your years. [ Comes the soft chuckle. It's true, Cecily has killed dragons with other members of the Inquisition, but only if they were a threat to locals. ] Have you seen any dragonlings, or are they all full-grown?

[ Also: fuck. Dragons. The Iron Bull would be thrilled, were he here. ]

[whichend]

[ Arya shrugs. ]

I'm not wise, just smart. I'm not old enough to be wise. And I've only seen grown ones. But they could make dragonlings if they wanted. I think we have man and woman dragons.

[video]

[dogsanddaughters]

But what if they try to eat us!

[This is a real concern for Miriam. She doesn't want to be dragon-chow.]

I mean, fuck those guys. If they try to eat my dog I'm making barrel bombs.

[video]

[whichend]

You can fight them. Just don't kill them. You don't have to be a brute about it.

[video]

[infinite1up]

You're not going to win any games by refusing to kill the bosses.

[video]

[whichend]

I don't play games.

text;

[verinumeri]

1) The people may have no choice. The dragons may not intend to permit cohabitation.

2) Given the nature of their arrival, I think we may safely estimate the probability that they are the last of their kind to be low. Such is the Door: there is likely more where they came from, or another world, or universe.

While your sentiment is understandable, I do not know that it is appropriate to transfer it to these circumstances.

[whichend]

1) There is always a choice.

2) In my world, they were hunted until each and every one of them were dead. There were rumors of a handful of survivors, though. I think these dragons are the survivors.

I don't care. If I cared about what was appropriate, I'd have died years ago.

video

[casperdisaster]

Can you talk to them? Is talking to them some magical power of yours?

video

[whichend]

[ Arya tenses briefly. Does Noah know? Did Adam tell him what she could do? Anxiety twists in the pit of her stomach. That was supposed to be a secret. ]

Not exactly. But I think I can become them.

[ The cat's out of the bag now. ]

But it'd be terribly difficult.

audio

[unitas]

[ Sharon sounds a little amused. ] You do know they'd starve down here, right? [ after they eat them all, of course. ]

audio

[whichend]

All creatures must die. [ Arya says, simply. ] I just don't want us to be the ones killing them.

[Video]

[saltrock_imp]

[Flick had been keeping to himself the first few weeks. Adjusting was hard. Adjusting to technology you hadn't used since you were human was also really weird.]

I'd really rather not kill anyone. But the world --or worlds as the case may be-- are filled with people who disagree. It's not a kind place, no matter how much I would like to pretend otherwise.

[Video]

[whichend]

I know that.

[ Arya says, icily. She's offended that he would assume otherwise, that he would think her a foolish child. She hasn't been one of those in a long time. ]

If they kill us, that's the way of things. If we kill them, we've become the monsters. Their race is dying.

video

[murderpotato]

Are you fuckin' serious right now, kid?

[Things that are not on Gren's to-do list today: get eaten by dragons, get set on fire by dragons-- fuck, maybe he shouldn't have drank this morning?-- literally anything involving dragons.]

Look, I get the whole 'save the whales' shit, but I'm pretty sure there's a fuckin' line to be drawn and you usually draw it when people get fuckin' eaten or some shit.

[YOU WOULD KNOW, GREN, HOW MANY GUYS DID YOU EAT?]

video

[whichend]

[ Arya frowns. Is Gren really asking this question? Of course she's serious. Arya's sense of humor died in the war. ]

I don't care about whales. But dragons are important. And if I were to kill everything that killed people, I'd have to kill most people in the world. We're far worse than the beasts.

video

[beautyis]

I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!!!

[Papyrus announces his response very loudly, and the camera is going wild as he shakes it around in furtive agreement. After a bit, it calms a little so that the skeleton is in plain view, smile wide.]

You are absolutely right!!! There is no need to do a violence on them! I am certain that they are very scared, hungry, and confused from being taken from their home world! And they may try to lash out because of that, but it is much better to reach an understanding with them than to hurt them! You, human, are so smart and brave to come out and say so to everyone! I am very proud of you!!!

video

[whichend]

[ Arya just...stares. For a while. She can't remember when she last someone so energetic. Or loud. That's the kind of behavior that attracts attention, usually the unwanted kind that gets a person killed.

The only person she knows who was that full of, well, life was herself. But Arya killed that person years ago. But maybe that's why, when she answers, Arya's voice is soft, almost tender. ]

I'm sure they are. We all were, when we came here.

[ Then the skeleton says he's proud of her, and Arya blushes a deep red of surprise. She doesn't hear that often, perhaps not ever. When her parents were alive, Arya was a disappointment, and now that they're dead, no one cares. Arya isn't even proud of herself. She's a monster, a killer who couldn't even save what matters. Hearing those words directed at her is a jarring thing, and once again, Arya finds herself at a loss for words. ]

Thank you.

[ She says demurely. ]

But how would you reach an understanding? I don't speak dragon.

Video

[knifecollecting]

Let me get this straight. You want us to not kill them just because they might be the last of their kind?

Good, I'd hate to have more dragons here. [This is ridiculous.]

Video

[whichend]

That's right. I'm not going to be a murderer of the worst kind.

[ Arya regards Jo disdainfully. It's clear what kind of person she is. ]

Video

[benumbing]

Many of the things in this cave might be the last of their kind. When they attack, we kill or be killed.

video

[whichend]

I don't think so. Most things here come in dozens. These dragons are only four.

It hasn't been so terrible yet. I've been in bigger danger from people than dragons.

text

[oversear]

Perhaps you'll feel differently once we become the last of the humans due to their hunger.

text

[whichend]

Dragons eat other things, you know. And there are too many humans for the dragons to kill anyway.

video.

[gymnast]

[ Allison saw that flash of what she's assuming is fire and while she wants to address the actual message in the video, she needs to know one thing first: ]

Are you okay? How close are you to one of them?

video.

[whichend]

[ This time, the video is taken underneath some rubble. There's some soot on her face, but otherwise, Arya is unscathed. ]

I'm fine. Close enough to be safe. I'm too fast and too careful.

video

[skelebro]

[He might not've expected that from Arya of all people, but he finds it admirable in any case. There's almost a note of pride to the low rumble of his voice when he switches on the video, and talks to her like the memory of watchin' her die ain't unspooling in his head in high-definition technicolor.]

That's real gracious of you, kid.

video

[whichend]

[ Arya shrugs. ]

People forget about mercy, sometimes.

[ It was her name once. She didn't give mercy to the Hound, but she gave mercy to the dying, rotting men in the cage. She's still not sure if there was a difference between the two situations. She's not sure if mercy is smart. But it's all she's got that's keeping her from being as beastly as the dragons. ]

But thank you.

[ The thank you is for more than just Sans' message here. Her voice is solemn, and it's not hard to figure out what Arya is talking about. ]

[silvercrusader]

You okay, kid?

[I mean, presumably. But it never hurts to make sure.]

[whichend]

I'm fine.

[ There's some dirt and soot on her face, but otherwise, Arya looks just fine. ]

See? They're not bad at all.

voice

[seventyeight]

You have experience with--

[There's a moment of pause, as he weighs his words.]

With the last of things? Or with dragons?

voice

[whichend]

The last of things.

[ Arya says, quietly. This man is smart, to pick up on that. ]

[Video]

[dragoon_pride]

[It's shaky video as he's on the move... loud roars can be heard in the background.]

Believe me, I wish it were otherwise... but these dragons pose a threat, and we must defend ourselves. I've seen nothing to suggest these mean anything but harm.

[Dragoons like himself may be skilled at fighting dragons, but they also hold a lot of respect for them too. Admiration even.]

Wild dragons cannot be underestimated.

[Video]

[whichend]

[ Arya doesn't notice the shaky camerawork -- it's not like hers is much better. She huffs. ]

I know that. You don't understand. I don't care about any of that.

[pellameno]

[ Pell is smeared with dirt and soot from searching the rubble of collapsed spires for survivors. He's not really able to fight dragons in the first place, but hasn't thought of them as much besides more monsters that came through the door. Much bigger, smarter, more dangerous monsters. Arya's post gives him pause, but doesn't convince him just yet. ]

Do you know of any way to communicate with them? They're not only dangerous to get near, but terribly destructive. People are getting hurt without fighting them.

[whichend]

[ People keep saying that the dragons are causing terrible injuries, but so far, Arya hasn't seen any. They're not much worse than the usual monthly crop of monsters -- and they're definitely more impressive. So why kill them? ]

I can speak to some animals. [ Arya says, deliberately vague for her own safety. She's not about to broadcast her powers on a public network. ]

But I haven't tried it with the dragons.

[Video]

[notjustinthemirror]

What happens if they eat you?

Do they chew or do they swallow you whole?

Asking for myself.

Video

[ushahin]

It is good to see that at least one person here has wisdom.

[Ushahin agrees wholeheartedly with the sentiment of not killing the beasts simply because they are giant predators that can cause destruction. He's been inside the mind of a dragon before and understands their ways better than most. They deserve respect, and one should never turn their back on a hungry one, but death seems a cruel fate to such magnificent beasts.]

There is but one dragon left in my world. Calanthrang the Eldest. When she is gone, Urulat will be a poorer place.

[audio]

[onlyanautomaton]

Could it be that you have studied these creatures?