[open] (jenna marbles voice) no one can stop me

[fujimaru]

[[ I don't have a musebox because I only play one or two characters at a time and also thinking up usernames is hard. So let's call this an open post to function as a CMO for Ritsuka, such as people may want it. (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ ]]

Comments

[shortforever]

Close enough.

[He will put the bullet back in his pocket though.]

So I guess we're working together, huh? Think you're up for it?

[Go team short redheads!]

[fujimaru]

I'm tougher than I look.

[ She gives him a critical once-over in assessment. While Ritsuka might not be a mage, and there's no real way for her to actually tell power levels or abilities with a look, she has gotten good at reading Servants, especially before they start taking her seriously. ]

What about you? You think you'll be able to keep up?

[shortforever]

[He reads as cocky and sure of himself. Whether those feelings are misplaced or not remains to be seen.]

I think I'll do just fine with that. Chuuya's the name. But you can call me Archer if you don't wanna be too personal about it.

[fujimaru]

...Chuuya-kun.

[ Please. She knows so many Archers. It'd be fine if this was a completely 1:1 partnership, but she has no doubt that there will be others popping up at some point, whether they're hers or not. ]

So, do you know what's going on?

[shortforever]

[He won't say it but he is happy to hear her use his name instead of 'Archer'.]

As far as I've figured out? Some book nut summoned a bunch of authors as servants. A lot of 'em ended up as Casters, but a few lucky ones- like me- got other classes. I think they messed up with me though. They summoned me as a teenager instead of an adult.

[Chuuya Lily...]

But now all the authors have grouped up based on nation of origin and they're all fighting it out. The American writers are fighting the British, who are also duking it out with the Japanese, And Russia and China are involved in there too. There might be others as well but those were the ones I recognized. The Americans have a pretty nasty berserker too, and the Russians have an Assassin.

[fujimaru]

[ Chuuya Lily...

She thinks it, but she doesn't say it; instead she listens to his report, nodding along, a small thoughtful frown forming on her face. ]

So, is someone trying to make this a Holy Grail War properly? Though if there's more than seven of you, that already throws things off... but I'm gonna guess that if you're all fighting, no one knows where the Grail is yet.

[shortforever]

There's a ton more than seven of us. I think each faction could run its own grail war. And I don't know where it is. I was trying to get Dazai to cooperate with me, but he said he can't hear short people.

[Chuuya is only 160cm. He is short people.]

[fujimaru]

[ He's still taller than her, (by like 2cm) ]

Dazai...

[ This is the face of someone who knows she probably should recognize the name. It feels like it should be familiar. Is it? Did she pay attention at all in any of her literature classes? No, and no. ]

Is it worth getting his cooperation, or should we try and work without him?

[shortforever]

It's worth it. He's an adult here, but he and I met when we were the age I am now and have been work partners for years. He's just a huge asshole and we need to butter him up to get him to cooperate.

He can also nullify Noble Phantasms, which is definitely worth it.

[fujimaru]

Nullify, huh...

[ Her first thought is Edison, with his "copyright" trick, but she nods slowly. ]

So, what does he like? Snacks? Fancy drinks? I'm underage to buy alcohol, but I'd look the other way if we had to rob a liquor store.

[shortforever]

Canned crab and booze are the ticket items. So it looks like robbing is what we'll do.

We're gonna piss off some of the other Japanese writers, but that's fine.

[fujimaru]

Canned crab...

[ We are an ISLAND COUNTRY Dazai are you KIDDING HER. ]

Why are they going to be mad?

[shortforever]

Some of 'em are sticklers for rules. You'll see. C'mon.

[He offers a hand out to her. Come along?]

[fujimaru]

Oh, we're gonna have problems with that...

[ She takes his hand without hesitation; her expression is mostly solemn, but there's the hint of a laugh in her voice. ]

You've gotta be willing to win, not just play by the rules. That's what I've learned.

[shortforever]

Then you're a smart Master who might be able to win this. The rule-sticklers are gonna die quick even if they don't know it yet.

[It's not always the strongest who wins, but in those cases it is always the craftiest who does.]

[fujimaru]

I'm not interested in dying.

[ She likes to think that she's a good person; she's certainly been called that by Servants before. But she's also a person who prefers to make her own decisions about things. Her way has always been the better to beg forgiveness than ask permission approach. ]

C'mon, let's see if we can steal what we need and go bully this guy.

[shortforever]

Right, let's go.

[Off they go! This is probably where the title card for this singularity goes. Also something something temporary 4-star unit, finish the singularity to get him permanently.

Off into the city they go! If Ritsuka has ever been to Yokohama, she would recognize this place immediately. There's some extra buildings looming in the distance, as well as an extra peninsula-area that has a crater in it, but it's probably fine.

Their first stop is a convenience store. Time to act not suspicious at all while walking through the aisles. Chuuya will whisper to her as they walk.]

You know how to steal stuff without getting caught, right?

[fujimaru]

[ She probably has been to Yokohama, but it's been years. There's a certain sense of bittersweet nostalgia in looking at the parts that do fit in her memories, and the parts that don't... well, either it's something she'll have to worry about later, or it's just that she remembers less than she realized. For the most part, she is good at acting casual, her posture easy as they walk. ]

Depends on how good the cameras are. I'm best at playing dumb, to be honest.

[shortforever]

Okay, good.

[He shoves two tokens in her hand. It's the singularity currency! I am not creative enough to make stuff up here.]

Go bother the cashier and ask questions about stuff at the counter, I'll go steal stuff.

[fujimaru]

On it.

[ She considers a moment, then clears her throat, traipsing up to the counter. ]

Mister~~~ excuse me, I'm a little bit lost, can you help me?

[ The cashier is probably some teenager on a work license, bored and confused and not sure how to handle a bubbly girl bringing the full force of Personality on him. It's at least enough to be a distraction, and this is without Ritsuka doing anything overtly flirtatious. He'll have a good window to grab whatever he needs. ]

[shortforever]

[This is exactly right, the cashier is a teenager who seems a bit baffled by Ritsuka. Her being cute doesn't help either, he's nervous now.]

"Uh...yeah? What do you need?"

[Chuuya is taking advantage of both the moment and his short height to grab goodies and shove them into his coat. He makes sure to grab a few cans of crab meat, but also some real food like chips and cookies and even a small bento box. Even if they're bribing Dazai, they can also eat too.]

[fujimaru]

[ She will appreciate this later. For now, she's putting her elbows on the counter, beaming, 100% the oblivious airhead. Normally, she's a bad actor, but this is enough like her normal mode of operation that she can get away with it. ]

I got kinda lost, honestly! I'm looking for the train station, and my phone battery is just dead. Sucks, huh?

[ The poor cashier sputters for a moment, stammering an apology without seeming to understand why he's apologizing at all. He offers directions, tripping over his words, especially as Ritsuka leans a little more over the counter. ]

Oh! And I want some mints. They can't be that expensive, riiiight?