"Weiss, calm the hell down, okay?" She scratches at one of Weiss's ears. "She wants to help. She gets very passionate about injustice, especially if she feels guilty. We'll work with you. Weiss, you're the boss, more or less. What is the ideal end state for you?"

"...All of the Eyerarchy's people are home safe. All the kitsune are safe. We know who did it. We intimidate whoever did it so they won't try again. We think of defenses so it doesn't happen again. We're not in trouble with the city law. We get reparations for the Eyerarchy's pain and suffering and the destruction of the shrine- That was good cedar!- Uhh. And we don't have to do anything really evil, like hurt bystanders. And we don't reveal more of our capabilities than we have to. That's the ideal."

Pause.

"And things the Eyerarchy wants happen too."

”Trouble with the city law not worrying. As the philosopher says, violence is not monopolized it is an open market.”

"I can sure do some violence. If it's justified and, uh, precise."

“I am similar. Precise and very good aim. If we pass through hex protected by great power, I have words of warning of being careful with violence.”

"I have divination magic. I can ask a question about someone willing to touch me and get an answer that is almost always true in three to six words. It can do stuff like 'where is this person's husband' just fine, too. It's best about the near future and current time. I can do it once more right now and I'd need to have a lot of sex or rest a long time or drink and eat a lot of the good stuff or all of the above to keep doing it. Weiss, you're gonna owe me, like, a ton of the good wine if I get hurt, okay? I'm not going to fight. Weiss can be invisible and do crazy complicated illusions. Favorite trick is attaching a cloud of silence and darkness to enemies' heads. She might be low on energy right now and the usual solution for that's not really an option for her."

(Weiss blushes and looks away.)

"Megi and Mati," (she points.) "Probably don't want to fight, but I think Mati would be willing to be a lookout, at least, and Megi can heal people. Slowly."

Mati gives a determined yip.

They nod along and explain their own capabilities in return. Their abilities are mostly ‘two eyes mean depth perception which means accuracy when using projectile weapons’. They’re very proud of this. The captain also has three silver arrows that paralyze whoever is struck with them, bought from the elves. 

“Understanding. We will not presume all are combatant despite correct number of eyes. Noncombatant may hide in our homes if better than exposed in flat ground.”

"Yeah, we probably should hide inside. Thank you. What do you already know about who took your people?"

The captain summarizes the situation:

The Cronash, a people who own both the shiny tower and factory, wanted a mercenary force to protect their holdings. They brought in an outfit called the Brotherhood of the Cold Iron Shell. These mercenaries decided that, while they’re here, all nearby hexes should also be paying them for protection. Anyone who doesn’t pay also gets this kind of treatment. 

The elves in the forest don’t pay tribute because bad things happen to anyone who goes into the forest without permission. The apartment buildings are generally safe because the Cold Iron Shell don’t want to anger the magnate who owns the buildings. It seems that doesn’t apply to Eyerarchy workers on a job site right here. 

The note says that there will be no construction until arrangements for protection money are made. It promises that the captives are uninjured and will be adequately sustained, but not released until ransom is paid.

Weiss says, "The three obvious ideas are to attack the Cold Iron Shell, to sneak invisibly to where they are holding the hostages and take them home through the Spirit World, and to attack the people who are paying the Cold Iron Shell, to force them to act, but that last thing could get... Messy."

The captain adds, “I possess temporary authority for rescuing hostages. A war against the Cronash requires consulting higher orders.”

"I think by far the cleanest and fastest thing would be to rescue the hostages, if that seems likely to work, and then defend our hex going forward. It minimizes risk to the Eyerarchy, which I think is what you want, Weiss? We could also just, just pay them, if they have a reputation for sticking to this kind of deal, and get our bearings for now... It'd sting the pride but pride isn't everything. Anyway. Let's go inside now and discuss the details?"

The Brotherhood of the Cold Iron Shell are professionals, they do return prisoners when paid ransom and actually protect those paying for protection. The trouble is just how they treat anyone they think should be paying them. 

The group can head inside the apartment buildings, and quickly find a family willing to take guests “in the spirit of neighborliness”. A parent shoos a couple kids to play outside for a bit, so the captain and the guests can sit at dinner table and make plans. 

One of the archers has a suggestion, which the captain refuses to say. The two are now arguing over borrowing the translation amulet.

She closes her eyes and meditates for a bit.

How much does she have in her... Not a whole lot, right now.

She confers with her sisters. "D'you think we can find some ice cream? Handmade cake or the like? And then I can hug Megi and Mati for a while. Cuddles and sweets, you know... And then have enough oomph to sneak into the place with a two-eye who can navigate it and talk to people, and then get everyone out through the Woods. I don't think I could go back home from anywhere but our hex, but you know, my woods are pretty centralized on me. Or waiting until tomorrow, so I can dance all night, if the moon here counts- If there is a moon here-"

"The problem with your daring rescue plan is not knowing where they're being held or under what kind of scrutiny or how you're going to get there through however many layers of security. We should be taking notes, honestly. No illusioning them! And I decree that you should be hugging Megi while we talk! You need to be saving your energy. Have you got any paper in your tail?"

(Weiss shakes her head at the paper, and smiles and softly hugs Megi's fox form.)

The younger archer manages to get the translation amulet from the captain, who looks annoyed. 

“Hello. I ask for a decree of pardon if words are inaccurate. Would a feast of celebration be helpful? We possess excellent fruits and the drink of excellent fruits. We also possess… the procedures which the thousand eyed being dares not look upon.”

”I once again ask for a decree of pardon if the amulet incorrectly brought the words or if I engage in misunderstanding of the energy of your magic. I have but two eyes and know not the power of sorcerers.”

"Mmh... Weiss, you really think we should be open, here? Ugh, fine, fine... Talking through this is a little bit difficult, isn't it? Humu... Much like you might have different number of eyes from your fellows, Kitsune have different sets of abilities and traits. I can divinate, the others can't, for example. That one is uncommon. We have a lot of them in common, but not all of them. And yes, there are options to give us more energy, since the journey here was a little bit exhausting. For all of us, resting in quadruped form helps slowly, and the thing I think you're referring to with the 'procedures', if I'm correct in my inference that it is typically between men and women and leads to children - we do not reproduce that way - helps quickly, but it's a bit of a bummer to use that tactically unless you really really have to, we shouldn't plan on that being necessary at the current urgency level. But it's good to examine all the options."

A brief pause for a yawn.

"For Weiss and myself, excellent fruits prepared into sweet treats by those who care a lot about cooking and want to make people happy with them- The caring is the important part, it's emotional- Can help a lot. Weiss and Megi can get more energy from comforting each other like they are right now. Weiss can get more energy overnight, from the moon. Mati can't get extra power from anything but the first two things. I think the two biggest tactical factors are my energy, for divination magic, and Weiss's energy, since she's the one of us willing and able to fight directly. So, a feast... A public feast, I don't think so. Maybe a small private one would end up helpful."

“Understanding. A quest is declared. I will return with sweet fruits prepared with heat and skill and emotion, or I will not return.”

Looking somewhat uncomfortable, that archer gives the translation amulet back to the captain and nearly runs out of the room. 

The captain seems supremely annoyed. Hand to forehead, and a groan that the amulet translates as, “Frustration.”

”The words are theatre. Bringing sweets is not a quest. Disregard. We return to strategy.”

"-Okay, I want to say, I know you might not believe us but that is, in fact, the absolute truth? We're not fucking around- I mean, being silly, here. We're weird, I know. Also, yes, don't go rushing off now probably, strategy before implementation of any 'bright ideas'." She gives an annoyed glance at Tessa.

The captain holds hands up in a gesture of conciliation. “We do not disbelieve. Truly we lack the eye to understand and question matters of energy and powers. The one who did question is fresh and retreated after realization of foolish words.”

"I don't understand-" Tessa starts.

"They're shy, you airhead. Like me."

"Right, and I was circumspect."

"This is a distraction. Forget it! We should write down all the plans we can think of and good and bad things about them, to choose the best one. What ransom are Cold Iron Shell asking for? That's one possible plan. Just pay the protection."

Someone hands the captain a slate and some chalk for writing. “Demand is money, sun disc or dragon. We possess not enough money but possibility of loans.”

They all seem unenthusiastic about this possibility, but would accept it.