Now, now... There's no need to be so modest, my dear.
[Kotarou walks over and puts a supportive hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. He's wearing a calm and rather dignified smile right now. (*Note: Tennouji Kotarou is neither of those things.)]
As a pursuer of the truth, I need to use every tool at my disposal to help me with the results I need. That's why I'm betting on the infamous Fujimaru Effect to assist me with this ordeal. [A beat.] The worst that I'm expecting is a few scuff marks, so we won't die doing this. Probably.
[ She gives him a long, unblinking, unimpressed look. But she doesn't try to shrug his hand off his shoulder, because she does at least understand a bit when it's happening. ]
If you're using me as a guinea pig, you at least owe me dinner for it.
It's a phenomena that's still in progress on researching. I might write a book on it someday.
[He can't help and look rather smug as he pulls out a necklace with a vial attached to it from his pocket.]
Now I wouldn't call you a guinea pig! That's just too cynical! I'd prefer something along the lines of a magical wish machine or a magic eight ball. [He clears his throat.] Anyway... I think that's a fair trade. You'll get one free ticket to dinner from yours truly.
Oh, c'mon... It's the same as tomatos and tomahtos! It's not that big of a deal!
[That being said, he decides to hold out the necklace to her.]
I got this little trinket from the fae whenever I woke up, so I'm not sure what to do with it. That's why I figure that I'd give it to you. Since I heard that the fae tend to play pranks on people, it's a bit of a coin toss on if it's gonna work or not.
Then you'll get some free jewelry! I think it's a pretty raw deal!
[Don't mind Kotarou as he's also leaning in close to get a look at the necklace.]
According to the note, it was mentioned that the user was supposed to put it on... Then you whisper "Please light the way." [A beat.] And it also said to make sure that you add a bit of a sensuality to it.
Here's a thing for him to notice, though: because of the size of her sweater, it's slipping a little bit on her shoulders, in the way that deliberately oversized clothing does... but also, it's not the mystic code she normally wears. There is the beginning of a fairly jagged scar that starts just below her collarbone and disappears out of sight.
But whether he's looking or not, that's not the reason why Ritsuka flicks his forehead with a finger. ]
Right, like I believe that. Okay, so-- uh-- "please light the way"?
[ She does not whisper it. It's probably a toss-up how much faerie magic relies on obeying the full letter of the law. ]
[Was this the legendary seductive sweater look!? It's certainly enough to get him excited since he's a healthy young man. Maybe with luck, it would just tilt just a little lower...! Maybe not enough to see something, but enough to feed his imagination. Just a little bit of cleavage! Though it was because that he was looking so intensely that he ends up seeing something that he didn't expect...
Huh? Was that the hint of a scar? That looked a little too deep to be a normal scratch mark... It wasn't a turn off, but it definitely caught him off guard. Ritsuka's forehead flick snaps him back into reality, though.]
Ow! [He feels a bit embarrassed for peeking now. Ahem.] C-C'mon now... You're practically using an RPG item. Put a little more 'oompf' into it!
[So far, nothing was happening! He even turns around to look at the forest to see if there were any changes at all. If video game knowledge told him anything, there should've been a fairy summon or something like that that would've popped out of the necklace.]
"Light the way", though... Unless you become a nightlight, then I'm guessing that we'll find some kind of path. I'm gonna be suing some fairy asses if this thing is defective!
[ She holds the necklace up a little higher, just in case. Maybe it's one of those things where it illuminates the right path? Though, given that they're only really at the edge of the forest... that might be the problem. ]
Maybe we need to go deeper? It's not like we're lost right now, so there's nothing it really needs to show us. We'd just need to turn right around to actually find our way.
Haaah... Well, it is getting dark as hell out here! Still, I was expecting something amazing from the get-go!
[Shutting his eyes, he turns around and throws his arms over his head with an annoyed sigh. He couldn't help and feel more frustrated at himself more than the necklace. All glitter, but no substance... What a piece of crap! You're making me look like an idiot, necklace!
As Kotarou is walking ahead and in the middle of his rant... There's an interesting sight that occurs. Right under his feet, there's going to be flowers spouting from the ground and the petals start to glow. Light particles are floating off the flower petals up into the air to light the darkness. Is it the flowers making the path? Or it is Kotarou making the path for the flowers? That's up to anyone's guess, but it's quite a beautiful sight!
Though it would be improved if he wasn't talking, though.]
--Like c'mon! It's the night of Valentine's Day! We gotta have some fireworks to happen around here!
[ Kotarou might be ranting and distracted, but Ritsuka notices, and she watches wide-eyed, trailing after him. She is still listening to some degree, but she's also fascinated by those flowers. She's been here for months, and part of Chaldea and its wonders for even longer, but that doesn't mean she isn't any less fascinated by seeing magic like this actually happening right in front of her. Some part of her is still a complete mundane normie who can't help but be drawn in by the sight.
After a couple of seconds, she reaches out to grab Kotarou's sleeve, giving it a small tug. ]
[Feeling Ritsuka tugging at his sleeve, Kotarou finally opens his eyes and notices the glowing flowers around them. He blinks not once or twice, but three times...! The look on his face is a mix of surprise and embarrassment for even trash talking the necklace in his thoughts. Even he who has seen a lot of incredible things couldn't help and be taken back at this sight. He was sure that Kotori would be in her gardener's heaven right now.]
Wait... You're seeing this, right? The flowers are seriously blooming! They're blooming! And they're glowing like something you'd see out of a Disney movie!
[ She's still holding onto his sleeve as she says it, sounding purely delighted. While she isn't much of a gardener, personally, she's still the kind of girl that is (semi-secretly) charmed by flowers. Obligation White Day presents aside, she's never gotten flowers, but she still appreciates them! They might be even nicer, honestly, being allowed to grow wild like this, even if they're only temporary magical constructs. ]
I guess this thing worked after all, huh? You've gotta give them credit for style.
And as expected... I had absolute faith that this thing would work all along. You should really put more faith in my experiments, Fuji-tan. You were shaking in your boots this whole time.
[In the flip of a switch, Kotarou looks completely confident and composed as if he wasn't just ranting about how he was going to "shove the jewelry down a fairy's throat" or something along those lines. The angry and immature Kotarou was replaced with a cooler Kotarou... By about a few seconds. Who knows how long this would even last? He feels her holding onto his sleeve, but he doesn't reject it at all.]
We should name these flowers, you know. Even if they're only made of magic and they might not last long... They're still living, so they deserve that.
[There's a hint of sentimentality in his tone. While he couldn't call himself an eco activist or anything, Kotarou had learned the importance of taking care of nature and appreciating it. After all, humanity was on the edge of extinction in his world... And one of the reasons why is because humans had ben abusing the Earth's resources. If he didn't play his cards right, then humanity wouldn't get a second chance to survive.]
[ Ah, no. Moment over. Good job. She lets go of his sleeve, giving him a flat-eyed look. ]
Who was shaking in their boots? Think about your answer carefully.
[ For one thing, when had this been a test of courage?! Don't just go making up stories about her in your head, Kotarou!! She might not be slapstick levels of annoyed just yet, but if there's one thing she dislikes, it's having the narrative changed on her to her face. ]
...I don't know much about flowers in general, and the one guy I'd ask isn't here. But we're not naming it after either of us, that's for sure.
My floral expert isn't here either, so that makes two of us. Still, I think I know enough to pass a conversation by.
[Mainly because Kotori has drilled her knowledge about flowers into his brain. Not all of it stuck, but Kotarou considered it handy to know if he wanted to make small talk with someone. Sometimes, the most random of subjects helped killed dead air and broken down invisible walls.]
What? Do you wanna call our beautiful flower children something like "Fujitarous"? I think it has a nice ring to it.
Uuu... I'm getting the distinct impression that you're embarrassed of me.
[That stings! His naming sense was that bad! Right? Right?! Granted, he's feeling some second hand embarrassment over what he just said. Another day where he wishes that he could go back in time and erase what he just said.
But more importantly, Kotarou is more curious about Ritsuka's idea. Naming after another person in memory didn't sound like a bad idea.]
And who's that? [A beat.] Actually, that raises another question. How many connections do you have?!
It's not being embarrassed. You just didn't listen to what I said, so I've gotta respond accordingly.
[ She reaches out to touch a fingertip to one of the flowers, then rocks back on her heels to look up at him. ]
...I'll tell you, but you've gotta promise not to freak out. Okay? Consider where we are in the big picture, and how weird everything is here, and keep your calm.
[Hm? She sounded rather serious all of the sudden. Kotarou had a habit of treating everything in a rather half-assed manner, but Ritsuka sounded like she really wanted him to pay attention here. This is one of those times where he decides to focus really hard to try not to damper her expectations.
He's rebuilt himself to be a more sociable person, didn't he? The last thing that he wanted to do was hurt her feelings by being an insensitive klutz as always. So he's going to bend down to meet Ritsuka's gaze with a very determined look.]
... Alright. I'll do my best here. [Deep breath.] I'm listening.
[ She's still not sure he might not freak out--or it's possible he won't even believe her. To be honest, she isn't sure which she'd feel is the more preferable thing; she doesn't really want him to laugh or to disbelieve her, but she knows how that might sound... especially in this alternate Camelot. ]
Honestly, I haven't talked to the one here, but they're not totally different. But the one I know is a lot more... I dunno. He's the one I think of as the real thing.
--Ohhhhhh! Could this be Hugh Everett's multiverse theory come to life!?
[Kotarou couldn't help and lean in rather fascinated as his inner nerd comes out. Believe it or not, he's read a lot of books about various subjects. And spending time on occult forums where the strange and surreal was discussed was a hobby for him too.
One could see the sparkles in his eyes as he's not freaking out... But geeking out instead.]
Please tell me more about your Merlin! We're talking about the same Merlin from Arthurian legends, right? I-I mean... There has to be some small differences between the one here and yours, but it's still the same person!
One and the same. Merlin, the Magus of Flowers, Grand Caster, court mage of King Arthur, and an all-round weirdo.
[ But she can't help but say it fondly. As exasperated as she sometimes is about Merlin's... everything, she does like him. He's been a huge help in a lot of ways, even if he's caused a fair share of headaches at the same time. ]
They don't look anything alike, though. The Merlin I know is a lot more...
[ ...but even if she does like him, she doesn't necessarily want to praise his looks, so... ]
Hehe... Y'know, it's kinda like whenever you hear a rumor about someone at school. At first, it starts off pretty grounded. Then as word spreads, people tend to put their own interpretations on who that person is or what they did. The more people believe in a rumor, then the more 'real' it becomes.
[Kotarou actually wants to meet this guy for himself. Though if he likes flowers, then he'd have to make sure that he doesn't try to sweet talk Kotori into doing something strange. She had a weakness for flowers, hot guys and money. If Ritsuka's Merlin was two of those three things, then it's a recipe for trouble.]
The truth is always subjective. That's why I don't think you're strange for saying that your Merlin is some kind of weird flowery dude.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fujimaru
no subject
Date: 2022-02-16 12:58 am (UTC)[Kotarou walks over and puts a supportive hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. He's wearing a calm and rather dignified smile right now. (*Note: Tennouji Kotarou is neither of those things.)]
As a pursuer of the truth, I need to use every tool at my disposal to help me with the results I need. That's why I'm betting on the infamous Fujimaru Effect to assist me with this ordeal. [A beat.] The worst that I'm expecting is a few scuff marks, so we won't die doing this. Probably.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-17 07:51 pm (UTC)[ She gives him a long, unblinking, unimpressed look. But she doesn't try to shrug his hand off his shoulder, because she does at least understand a bit when it's happening. ]
If you're using me as a guinea pig, you at least owe me dinner for it.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-18 11:37 pm (UTC)[He can't help and look rather smug as he pulls out a necklace with a vial attached to it from his pocket.]
Now I wouldn't call you a guinea pig! That's just too cynical! I'd prefer something along the lines of a magical wish machine or a magic eight ball. [He clears his throat.] Anyway... I think that's a fair trade. You'll get one free ticket to dinner from yours truly.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-19 01:46 am (UTC)[ She starts tapping a finger on her still-crossed arms, raising an expectant eyebrow at him. ]
And also, a guinea pig is a guinea pig, Kotarou-kun, no matter how much you wanna fancy it up.
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Date: 2022-02-19 09:29 pm (UTC)[That being said, he decides to hold out the necklace to her.]
I got this little trinket from the fae whenever I woke up, so I'm not sure what to do with it. That's why I figure that I'd give it to you. Since I heard that the fae tend to play pranks on people, it's a bit of a coin toss on if it's gonna work or not.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-22 03:56 am (UTC)[ Even as she says that, she accepts the necklace, holding it up to get a better look at it. ]
Do I just put it on? What if it's not supposed to do anything at all?
no subject
Date: 2022-02-25 11:18 pm (UTC)[Don't mind Kotarou as he's also leaning in close to get a look at the necklace.]
According to the note, it was mentioned that the user was supposed to put it on... Then you whisper "Please light the way." [A beat.] And it also said to make sure that you add a bit of a sensuality to it.
[Now that part wasn't in the note.]
no subject
Date: 2022-03-01 04:02 am (UTC)Here's a thing for him to notice, though: because of the size of her sweater, it's slipping a little bit on her shoulders, in the way that deliberately oversized clothing does... but also, it's not the mystic code she normally wears. There is the beginning of a fairly jagged scar that starts just below her collarbone and disappears out of sight.
But whether he's looking or not, that's not the reason why Ritsuka flicks his forehead with a finger. ]
Right, like I believe that. Okay, so-- uh-- "please light the way"?
[ She does not whisper it. It's probably a toss-up how much faerie magic relies on obeying the full letter of the law. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-03-04 05:21 am (UTC)Huh? Was that the hint of a scar? That looked a little too deep to be a normal scratch mark... It wasn't a turn off, but it definitely caught him off guard. Ritsuka's forehead flick snaps him back into reality, though.]
Ow! [He feels a bit embarrassed for peeking now. Ahem.] C-C'mon now... You're practically using an RPG item. Put a little more 'oompf' into it!
[So far, nothing was happening! He even turns around to look at the forest to see if there were any changes at all. If video game knowledge told him anything, there should've been a fairy summon or something like that that would've popped out of the necklace.]
"Light the way", though... Unless you become a nightlight, then I'm guessing that we'll find some kind of path. I'm gonna be suing some fairy asses if this thing is defective!
no subject
Date: 2022-03-13 01:09 am (UTC)[ She holds the necklace up a little higher, just in case. Maybe it's one of those things where it illuminates the right path? Though, given that they're only really at the edge of the forest... that might be the problem. ]
Maybe we need to go deeper? It's not like we're lost right now, so there's nothing it really needs to show us. We'd just need to turn right around to actually find our way.
no subject
Date: 2022-03-16 01:22 am (UTC)[Shutting his eyes, he turns around and throws his arms over his head with an annoyed sigh. He couldn't help and feel more frustrated at himself more than the necklace. All glitter, but no substance... What a piece of crap! You're making me look like an idiot, necklace!
As Kotarou is walking ahead and in the middle of his rant... There's an interesting sight that occurs. Right under his feet, there's going to be flowers spouting from the ground and the petals start to glow. Light particles are floating off the flower petals up into the air to light the darkness. Is it the flowers making the path? Or it is Kotarou making the path for the flowers? That's up to anyone's guess, but it's quite a beautiful sight!
Though it would be improved if he wasn't talking, though.]
--Like c'mon! It's the night of Valentine's Day! We gotta have some fireworks to happen around here!
no subject
Date: 2022-03-19 02:44 am (UTC)[ Kotarou might be ranting and distracted, but Ritsuka notices, and she watches wide-eyed, trailing after him. She is still listening to some degree, but she's also fascinated by those flowers. She's been here for months, and part of Chaldea and its wonders for even longer, but that doesn't mean she isn't any less fascinated by seeing magic like this actually happening right in front of her. Some part of her is still a complete mundane normie who can't help but be drawn in by the sight.
After a couple of seconds, she reaches out to grab Kotarou's sleeve, giving it a small tug. ]
Kotarou-kun, look.
no subject
Date: 2022-03-20 11:42 pm (UTC)[Feeling Ritsuka tugging at his sleeve, Kotarou finally opens his eyes and notices the glowing flowers around them. He blinks not once or twice, but three times...! The look on his face is a mix of surprise and embarrassment for even trash talking the necklace in his thoughts. Even he who has seen a lot of incredible things couldn't help and be taken back at this sight. He was sure that Kotori would be in her gardener's heaven right now.]
Wait... You're seeing this, right? The flowers are seriously blooming! They're blooming! And they're glowing like something you'd see out of a Disney movie!
no subject
Date: 2022-03-23 01:54 am (UTC)[ She's still holding onto his sleeve as she says it, sounding purely delighted. While she isn't much of a gardener, personally, she's still the kind of girl that is (semi-secretly) charmed by flowers. Obligation White Day presents aside, she's never gotten flowers, but she still appreciates them! They might be even nicer, honestly, being allowed to grow wild like this, even if they're only temporary magical constructs. ]
I guess this thing worked after all, huh? You've gotta give them credit for style.
no subject
Date: 2022-03-25 04:48 am (UTC)[In the flip of a switch, Kotarou looks completely confident and composed as if he wasn't just ranting about how he was going to "shove the jewelry down a fairy's throat" or something along those lines. The angry and immature Kotarou was replaced with a cooler Kotarou... By about a few seconds. Who knows how long this would even last? He feels her holding onto his sleeve, but he doesn't reject it at all.]
We should name these flowers, you know. Even if they're only made of magic and they might not last long... They're still living, so they deserve that.
[There's a hint of sentimentality in his tone. While he couldn't call himself an eco activist or anything, Kotarou had learned the importance of taking care of nature and appreciating it. After all, humanity was on the edge of extinction in his world... And one of the reasons why is because humans had ben abusing the Earth's resources. If he didn't play his cards right, then humanity wouldn't get a second chance to survive.]
no subject
Date: 2022-03-28 02:52 am (UTC)Who was shaking in their boots? Think about your answer carefully.
[ For one thing, when had this been a test of courage?! Don't just go making up stories about her in your head, Kotarou!! She might not be slapstick levels of annoyed just yet, but if there's one thing she dislikes, it's having the narrative changed on her to her face. ]
...I don't know much about flowers in general, and the one guy I'd ask isn't here. But we're not naming it after either of us, that's for sure.
no subject
Date: 2022-03-28 11:29 pm (UTC)[Mainly because Kotori has drilled her knowledge about flowers into his brain. Not all of it stuck, but Kotarou considered it handy to know if he wanted to make small talk with someone. Sometimes, the most random of subjects helped killed dead air and broken down invisible walls.]
What? Do you wanna call our beautiful flower children something like "Fujitarous"? I think it has a nice ring to it.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-04 01:32 am (UTC)[ He can try to flip things as much as he wants, but Ritsuka has already said her piece. She's not interested in having anything named after her.
But she does crouch down to get a better look at the flowers, her hands on her knees. ]
...honestly, they kind of remind me of flowers that a guy I know grows. So if I were going to name them after anyone, it'd be him.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-06 10:30 pm (UTC)[That stings! His naming sense was that bad! Right? Right?! Granted, he's feeling some second hand embarrassment over what he just said. Another day where he wishes that he could go back in time and erase what he just said.
But more importantly, Kotarou is more curious about Ritsuka's idea. Naming after another person in memory didn't sound like a bad idea.]
And who's that? [A beat.] Actually, that raises another question. How many connections do you have?!
no subject
Date: 2022-04-07 04:28 am (UTC)[ She reaches out to touch a fingertip to one of the flowers, then rocks back on her heels to look up at him. ]
...I'll tell you, but you've gotta promise not to freak out. Okay? Consider where we are in the big picture, and how weird everything is here, and keep your calm.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-07 09:49 pm (UTC)He's rebuilt himself to be a more sociable person, didn't he? The last thing that he wanted to do was hurt her feelings by being an insensitive klutz as always. So he's going to bend down to meet Ritsuka's gaze with a very determined look.]
... Alright. I'll do my best here. [Deep breath.] I'm listening.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-08 02:43 am (UTC)Merlin. It's Merlin I'm thinking about.
[ She's still not sure he might not freak out--or it's possible he won't even believe her. To be honest, she isn't sure which she'd feel is the more preferable thing; she doesn't really want him to laugh or to disbelieve her, but she knows how that might sound... especially in this alternate Camelot. ]
Honestly, I haven't talked to the one here, but they're not totally different. But the one I know is a lot more... I dunno. He's the one I think of as the real thing.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-08 03:45 am (UTC)[Kotarou couldn't help and lean in rather fascinated as his inner nerd comes out. Believe it or not, he's read a lot of books about various subjects. And spending time on occult forums where the strange and surreal was discussed was a hobby for him too.
One could see the sparkles in his eyes as he's not freaking out... But geeking out instead.]
Please tell me more about your Merlin! We're talking about the same Merlin from Arthurian legends, right? I-I mean... There has to be some small differences between the one here and yours, but it's still the same person!
no subject
Date: 2022-04-09 03:18 am (UTC)[ But she can't help but say it fondly. As exasperated as she sometimes is about Merlin's... everything, she does like him. He's been a huge help in a lot of ways, even if he's caused a fair share of headaches at the same time. ]
They don't look anything alike, though. The Merlin I know is a lot more...
[ ...but even if she does like him, she doesn't necessarily want to praise his looks, so... ]
...fluffy.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-09 04:35 am (UTC)[Kotarou actually wants to meet this guy for himself. Though if he likes flowers, then he'd have to make sure that he doesn't try to sweet talk Kotori into doing something strange. She had a weakness for flowers, hot guys and money. If Ritsuka's Merlin was two of those three things, then it's a recipe for trouble.]
The truth is always subjective. That's why I don't think you're strange for saying that your Merlin is some kind of weird flowery dude.
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