[psl] if we shadows have offended
Dec. 17th, 2023 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fujimaru[ There's no easy mending for this, though.
As far as missions go, it's all bog standard to start with: a blip on the sensors, a minute Singularity that is taking form under the blanket of the bleached texture overlaying the world and could, if allowed to fester, cause greater trouble down the line.
"It might just be the ripple effect of clearing out the British Lostbelt," Da Vinci tells Ritsuka, as she flicks through the notes on her tablet. The problem area is actually more in what would be modern-day Germany rather than the British Isles, but it's the current working theory. That's hardly the part that's important, in the end--more concerning is the fact that every time Chaldea tries to scan for more information on the time period, the area, and any unnaturally high magical signatures, the Singularity just seems to... blip briefly. It vanishes entirely for a short time, no longer than eight hours, and then reappears, slightly stronger and more established than before.
"Try not to get yourself caught in one of those blinks," Da Vinci adds, entirely too cheerful. "We don't actually know what it'll do to you if you are!"
The other odd thing is that when the database is checked for Servants who have the right Rayshift compatibility to go with Ritsuka, two names come up: Merlin, and Oberon. Even as far as strained situations go, only having two to start with sits uneasily with her--
--haha, did you really think there'd be two? Merlin is nowhere to be found in Chaldea for the moment, and in the privacy of her own mind, Ritsuka promises herself that if he is somehow involved in this Singularity, she WILL give herself permission to deck him just once.
So in the end, it ends on this: Ritsuka wandering through an idyllic field at early dusk, when the light has already halfway faded out of the sky. She can't see any lights in the distance, and it's silent except for her footsteps and the song of insects; whenever this is, it's definitely not anywhere in the modern era. To her left is a dense forest, the trees tangled here and there with blooming wild roses. It's warm shading into hot, a summery warmth that lingers even after the sun has set. All and all, this is the kind of setting that would make for a lovely vacation for someone.
After about fifteen minutes of walking in thoughtful silence, she turns to her companion, and she says: ]
I'm pretty sure we've passed that yellow rose bush like three times already. Do you think we're lost, or is someone trying to keep us here?
As far as missions go, it's all bog standard to start with: a blip on the sensors, a minute Singularity that is taking form under the blanket of the bleached texture overlaying the world and could, if allowed to fester, cause greater trouble down the line.
"It might just be the ripple effect of clearing out the British Lostbelt," Da Vinci tells Ritsuka, as she flicks through the notes on her tablet. The problem area is actually more in what would be modern-day Germany rather than the British Isles, but it's the current working theory. That's hardly the part that's important, in the end--more concerning is the fact that every time Chaldea tries to scan for more information on the time period, the area, and any unnaturally high magical signatures, the Singularity just seems to... blip briefly. It vanishes entirely for a short time, no longer than eight hours, and then reappears, slightly stronger and more established than before.
"Try not to get yourself caught in one of those blinks," Da Vinci adds, entirely too cheerful. "We don't actually know what it'll do to you if you are!"
The other odd thing is that when the database is checked for Servants who have the right Rayshift compatibility to go with Ritsuka, two names come up: Merlin, and Oberon. Even as far as strained situations go, only having two to start with sits uneasily with her--
--haha, did you really think there'd be two? Merlin is nowhere to be found in Chaldea for the moment, and in the privacy of her own mind, Ritsuka promises herself that if he is somehow involved in this Singularity, she WILL give herself permission to deck him just once.
So in the end, it ends on this: Ritsuka wandering through an idyllic field at early dusk, when the light has already halfway faded out of the sky. She can't see any lights in the distance, and it's silent except for her footsteps and the song of insects; whenever this is, it's definitely not anywhere in the modern era. To her left is a dense forest, the trees tangled here and there with blooming wild roses. It's warm shading into hot, a summery warmth that lingers even after the sun has set. All and all, this is the kind of setting that would make for a lovely vacation for someone.
After about fifteen minutes of walking in thoughtful silence, she turns to her companion, and she says: ]
I'm pretty sure we've passed that yellow rose bush like three times already. Do you think we're lost, or is someone trying to keep us here?
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Date: 2023-12-23 11:59 pm (UTC)Oberon had been banking on a fifth pass by the rose bush before deigning to speak up, so this is a nice step in the right direction (ha. ha). Less work on his end! And maybe now he can make a play at having not been petty for the last fifteen minutes.
Proverbial gun to his head, it's unfair of him, he admits; a trip into a Singularity does much to cut up the boring drivel that manages to pervade even the last remnants of humanity. His abysmal luck even managed to hold, so that he would avoid a duo mission with Merlin of all people. With the information that'd been provided, there hadn't been any indication that he should avoid his contractual obligations (as if he had a choice in the matter), so he had rayshifted with grace and charm to spare.
And yet... now that he is here, his smile remains edged, sharpened like it might cut whatever unsightly visitors they'll eventually run into. Is it beautiful? Yes, naturally. Befitting of a picnic, of laidback holidays. Of a date, if the very idea didn't make him wanna hurl.
The problem is it smells faintly of a lie in here. His nose twitches to keep from wrinkling on full.]
If it's the latter, I'm a bit underwhelmed by the reception here.
[Taking Ritsuka's comment as permission to halt, Oberon turns to glance at the bush, then ticks his eyes up for the forest that they will eventually have to truck into. Why?
Because that's how a good story goes. Obviously.]
Mmm, that leaves us in a bit of a pickle, doesn't it? We might have already lost the element of surprise, and we don't even have a destination in mind yet.
[Spoken pointed, cheerfully, indicating that this sucks and even he's used to working with a bit more material.]
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Date: 2023-12-24 05:56 am (UTC)[ It's been so long since the element of surprise has been something Ritsuka has had the luxury of having. To be honest, it might even go as far back as her pre-Chaldea days, when she'd at least occasionally been able to get the jump on a friend now and then. These days, the only way she can surprise anyone is by her inability to give up. Fall down a thousand times, get up a thousand and one: the Fujimaru Ritsuka story.
When he stops, she does too, leaning to the side to peer around him at the forest. Her eyes are nowhere near good enough to make out more than the vague shapes of the trees and underbrush. She's just as aware as he is that they'll have to enter the forest at some point, but there's still a part of her that had hoped, pointlessly, fruitlessly, that it could be put off. The third time could have been the charm! Whoever is responsible for all of this might've gotten bored and let them go! Hope springs eternal, right?
She gives herself a second to contemplate how the roads of her life have led her to this moment, and then she sighs and starts to walk towards the forest this time.
And like she'd half-expected, the thick bushes shift, slow but steady, to start revealing a path ahead of her. It's as blatant an invitation (furi: trap) as anything else she's ever encountered. ]
Anyway, dibs on a bed if--
[ If we find one, except there is definitely something crashing through the words, towards them. To Ritsuka, it just looks like a large bulky shape moving in the evening dimness, but to someone with better vision, it looks like a tall, broad-shouldered man...
...just, you know, with a donkey's head. ]
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Date: 2023-12-25 01:04 am (UTC)[No discussion, no plan of attack, not even a beat of hesitation. She just marches straight in, like the string of fate is pulling her by the nose. Technically, it isn't the wrong call -- they both know that forest will require attention at some point -- but he can only blow a put-upon sigh as he watches her gain the lead by a couple of steps.
Predictably, the forest greets them with a path premade, an invitation for foolishness.
... Less predictably is the donkey-headed abomination that has Oberon snatching Ritsuka by the collar and yanking her backwards with a seemingly uncharacteristic hiss.]
Discretion, please! A tiny bit!
[Unlike the Britain Lostbelt, there is no Muramasa for them to hide behind. Not even Castoria in a pinch. It's just him in all of his E-strength glory, with no information to twist to his leverage and no current target for the abysmal worm's appetite. They are, in a word, fucked sideways if things go poorly. Even Da Vinci will find some way to twist his head off like a bottle cap if he rayshifts back to base without Ritsuka in tow.
It is outside his usual plays, but there's no helping it -- once he's got a decent grip on her, Oberon shimmies his Master behind him with a spear brandished for a fight... only to realize a moment later that their equine-headed fellow has tripped himself over a stray root.
Or perhaps he's just unaccustomed to holding that huge head of his aloft and has toppled over. The silence is almost comical in how deafening it is.]
... My strange fellow, that was a little rude, rushing up to a lady like that.
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Date: 2023-12-25 03:37 am (UTC)...and then the thing falls over, and when he's lying still, half in the open, Ritsuka can finally make out the shape of their new companion(?). She leans around Oberon for a moment, then ducks away to find a long stick. With this, she reaches out to prod gingerly at the fallen shape. ]
Are you okay...?
[ Poke. Poke poke. The third time she prods him, he sits up with a loud gasp, and then nearly falls over again. He blinks wildly at the both of them for a moment, and then he lets out a loud guffaw, something that sounds like a terrible cross between a human belly laugh and a donkey's braying, but something about the voice is weirdly familiar. At least it's friendly, in spite of how otherwise grating the sound is. ]
"Gyahahaha! Sorry, sorry! I was distracted remembering the list that the Lady gave me! I just didn't see you there at all!"
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Date: 2023-12-25 04:00 am (UTC)[The strange familiarity of that laugh is not wasted on Oberon, whose own voice has dipped into conspiratorial awe that only Ritsuka will pick up on. Regardless, their newest "friend" does not seem the dangerous sort. He allows his weapon to melt like tar into the soil, and straightens.]
It's alright, no harm done. [Pay no mind that Oberon had meant to skewer him through the abdomen. All in the past! A new, willing participant has walked onto the stage, after all, and seeing as neither he nor Ritsuka have much information to work with yet...]
Your "Lady", is it? She must be of great importance if you're rushing about in such a hurry.
[Angling a glance down at his companion, brows arched. She's no novice to these sorts of situations, obviously; time to get started with the friendly interrogations.
The sooner the better. Loathe as he is to dwell on it, his nose has not stopped twitching, and there is something about the cut of that donkey's face that nearly has his shoulders bunching up]
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Date: 2023-12-25 05:00 am (UTC)Their new friend(?) doesn't seem worried, though. If he'd noticed at all how close he'd come to death, it doesn't reflect in his voice or his body language; instead, he puffs up, chest out, not unlike a kid about to show off. ]
"The Lady rules over this whole territory! She's like a queen from a story or something, though..." [ he leans forward and lowers his voice, trying for conspiratorial; it's really the difference between near-shouting and just talking loudly ] "You didn't hear it from me, but she's having a bit of a tiff with the Lord. One of the things I'm doing is delivering a message for her."
[ Saying this, he pulls an envelope from his vest, brandishing it. It's a fancy, delicate thing, sealed with a dollop of gold wax. The crest, for the moment it's visible, looks awfully similar to the shape of a Holy Grail.
Ritsuka glances at Oberon again, then clears her throat. She pitches her voice up a little when she talks, something that makes her sound a little smaller, a little younger, less a woman used to whatever bizarre curveballs life pitches at her and more a girl who's gotten just a teensy weensy bit lost with her escort. ]
She must also trust you a lot, asking you to do things like that for her. But it's getting late, you know? Wouldn't you like some help with those errands? My friend and I would be happy to lend you a hand.
[ Ideally, she'd like to get her hands on that envelope above anything else, but maybe with some encouragement, he'll spill more information. She holds out a hand, friendly and casual, like anyone might when introducing themselves. ]
I'm Ritsuka. Nice to meet you...?
[ The man guffaws again, grabbing her hand and shaking with a force that has her rattling. He might not be the size and bulk of Red Hare, but he's still a big guy, and he clearly doesn't know how to regulate his strength any more than he does his volume. He's probably Berserker-coded. ]
"Gyaahaha! The name's Bottom. Nick Bottom, at your service!"
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Date: 2023-12-25 05:52 pm (UTC)[All at once, Oberon's smile is too wide, too sharp. Barely held together by years of falsehoods and experience. He doesn't dare look at his Master, but instead repositions a hand on his hip, to better keep it from conjuring up a new weapon. Those vague premonitions of disaster from earlier finally choose now to ring alarm bells in his ears.]
A fine name, I should say. And such a pleasure to meet your acquaintance!
[Sticking to his cheerful demeanor, not at all certain if Ritsuka has picked up the tell. God, he hopes not. Then he'd have to contend with her having ever familiarized herself with Shakespeare's filth. Enough to make his skin crawl. For now, he waits until Ritsuka's poor arm is probably good and numb before interjecting, freeing her of Bottom's handshake so that he might take her place with a firm, hearty grip.]
And -- ah, don't worry, we've heard a bit about your poor Lady's troubles. [Voice lowering again, a few blessed decibels below whatever Bottom thinks is natural.] Obviously it's no business of ours what the lords of this land do, but my heart does ache for a woman of such standing. The Lady... Titania, is her name, yes?
[Still smiling]
Well, regardless! My companion here means what she says. If there's any way we can help you on your errands, we've the time.
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Date: 2023-12-26 03:54 am (UTC)The thing is, Ritsuka herself has not actually read any of Shakespeare's works. The translation magic and technology that works in Chaldea and between her and her Servants is a wonderous thing, and certainly life would be significantly more difficult as a result, but the fact is that she's not really a reader. She reads comics and trashy romance novels (most of which she keeps as hidden as possible under her mattress; she doubts that they're actually a secret, but she uses the act of hiding them as an implied declaration of please pretend they're not here). She'll watch movies and hang out when Tomoe gets a video game tournament going, but she's not a reader.
On the other hand, Mash definitely is one. In the space of time between returning from fairy Britain and before Oberon had been summoned, Mash had given her the cliff's notes. She doesn't really remember the details, but...
But. It's not Nick Bottom's name that has her freezing. She just barely manages to keep from blurting Oberon's name; he'd warned her to have discretion, after all. Instead she just bites her lip, trying her best not to simply vibrate into space.
And at least Bottom doesn't seem to notice, his face--well, if he were fully human, he'd probably be beaming from ear to ear. As it is, his lips peel back from his teeth and his long ears swivel forward. ]
"That'd be her! It ain't for no one else that I'd be doing something like this! At this time of night, I'd be at the pub with my friends, but..."
[ His good mood starts to fade, like the realization that he's missing out on drinking because of work is sinking in. His ears pin back. ]
"...but I was trusted to do this by the Lady... I'll be in trouble otherwise..."
[ Ritsuka's hand shoots up, exactly like a kid in class. ]
It'd help us too, honestly. We've also got business with the Lord of the area. [ It's not even a lie! She's pretty sure! ] So, if you want, we'd be happy to carry the message for you.
[ She tries to make herself sound as earnest as possible. It's not hard. And Bottom is clearly wavering; as proud as he'd clearly been to be entrusted with the request, he's also apparently willing to be convinced to pass it off. ]
"Are you sure...?"
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Date: 2023-12-26 11:49 pm (UTC)Maybe because he isn't sure that he'll ever stop once the cackling begins. Bravo. So this is the play that he's forced to see through! No wonder everything in this Singularity struck him as foul. Is there a Shakespeare-equivalent here, too, much like their dear Red Hare? Oh, if there is any justice in this universe, Oberon will find him soon, dig his hands straight into that bastard's chest to scrape out his heart, and--
Perspiration gathers at his temples like dew, until Oberon hisses out a quiet breath with his smile still intact. Right. Right.
No reason be losing his cool like this. Loosen up the shoulders. Breathe through the nose. Frankly? This is nothing compared to the pressure of trying to dismantle an entire Lostbelt under the thumb of both a tyrant queen and a long-dead god. Besides -- he's on the clock with his Master, and he just knows she's probably looking at him with a barely held grimace.
Loathsome as the job is, he does have some measure of pride on the line. Especially if...]
Trust us, we'll be meeting up with this Lord very soon. [Holding out his hand, coaching himself not to snatch that letter out of Bottom's grip. The wings on his back give a faint shimmer.]
Go on. We'll finish your errand so that you might go have a drink in our honor!
And a toast for your fair Lady as well.
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Date: 2023-12-27 11:28 pm (UTC)[ Ritsuka, for her part, manages to squeak an agreement. To her own ears it sounds more like some small animal choking, but Bottom does hand the letter over, his gaze cutting over to the side. It really is like some kid knowing he's about to play hooky from his assignments.
And in fact, as once he's handed the letter over, he's off, headed across the field that Ritsuka and Oberon had been wandering fruitlessly before; now, it seems, there's the warm scattered lights of a small town suddenly visible where there was none before. He sings as he goes, an off-key braying thing, and it's hard to say whether it's because of his head or if he's just that bad of a singer.
For a few long seconds after he's gone, she stays very still, holding her breath a little. There are plenty of things that she doesn't mind sniping at or with Oberon over, but there is one topic she tries to give a respectful distance. Most Servants have one or two lines that she never, ever crosses first, and some have more blatant flags than others.
Oh boy. Oh heck. Heckie and heckers. She glances at Oberon sidelong, then clears her throat. ]
So... how about that, huh... what do you think?
[ She wants to ask: do you think it's real? do you think it's a trap? is it another version of you? did he make his own Titania with the Grail, or is it something else? but she doesn't. Even if she could trust any answer he gives her, it just feels... unkind. It's too early to need to force those questions yet. ]
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Date: 2023-12-28 02:30 am (UTC)that Oberon smacks the letter against her nose.]
Oh, we're in for a treat, I'd say!
[Characteristically dishonest when not two seconds ago he was ready to raze the earth? Yes, of course. Because he refuses. Not another moment will be spared on what could be perceived as his despondent fury. Even for the girl who bested him in combat, who saw his final ambitions scattered like stardust, who pried some measure of truth from him inside of a dying dream ... no. Oberon cannot cede this ground.
The curtain falls back in place, with an vaguely irritable jester back on the stage.]
How familiar are you with Shakespeare's works? Well, no matter. Seeing as we have a natural expert here--
[Listen, he's not wrong]
At best? A certain Lord already knows that we're here. He was an immature scoundrel wanting his wife's attention, but he singlehandedly commanded the destinies of everyone in the play.
[Does that sound familiar? It should, unfortunately, sound very familiar. Absolutely no good comes about when you have a vengeful fairy at the wheel. And Oberon will not speak his name, no, lest he vomit on his own shoes. A second Fairy King? Hellish. The worst sort of punishment.
Excuse him as he starts ripping open the letter as if it personally insulted him.]
Normally I'd suggest using this letter as leverage, but somehow I doubt he'd bargain with us. So instead, let us see what one side of our quarreling couple has to say.
[In a voice that forces itself to remain airy, shutting down all potential discussion of the Lady Titania. Whoever she is, she is not his, and that? That is all that matters.
He'll repeat it to himself as many times as it takes to believe it.]
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Date: 2023-12-28 06:22 am (UTC)[ She lets out a little kitten sneeze when he whaps her, then immediately sticks her tongue out at him. Fine! See if she'll keep worrying about you, jerk!
(She'll still worry. She knows she will, and she knows he knows, but whatever. That can be something put aside for later. As long as he can function, she can let it rest; shaking any details out of him--or, worse still, trying to see if he needs to talk--can wait. If she has to enlist help, she will.)
Instead, she rubs her nose and sighs. ]
...do you think he's the one who kept us here?
[ It's a fairly blatant move, but whether this other Oberon is still a Pretender or just a garden-variety pretender, he'd probably still want to direct them somehow. To what ends, though, she can't yet guess. Commanding everyone's destinies, huh...?
Well. She's got some experience in cutting through stuff like that, at least. If it's Oberon, then--
...wait. ]
No, wait, wait, before we do that--what do I even call you? Even if this guy's a fake, if he's "Oberon," then...
[ Does she use the other name? Or does she give him a dumb nickname? Even though she knows he's looking, and she probably deserves another smack, she mouths Obie?? and does her best not to grimace. ]
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Date: 2024-01-04 02:31 am (UTC)[He hasn't even gotten to reading the letter yet when she brings up that cursed topic -- the one that Oberon was quietly hoping to circumvent because yes, yes, it would indeed be easiest to come up with a nickname, lest anyone start accusing Ritsuka's Servant of being the asshole behind this entire scheme.
And yet.
The smile he serves her suggests he'll break both his Servant contract and her kneecaps if he ever sees her forming those specific syllables again.]
Is there a reason why we can't call him something else?
[His entire existence is built on a series of precariously balanced lies, that much is true; at least around her, he's long since stopped hiding it. But he is Oberon. That name was sewn into his skin and Saint Graph against his will, leaving him with no choice but to claim it. So no one best expect him to give it up without a fight, not even around one who could be the genuine article.
-- Gods, but now he feels the fatigue of his own grumpiness gathering behind his eyelids. Again. Without waiting to hear what hellish nickname she might give their adversary, Oberon rakes his stare across the unfolded paper, prepared to summarize the contents as he sees fit (until his companion inevitably wrestles the letter away and sees the actual truth)--
Except a few beats of silence later and that doesn't matter. The suddenly tight grip of his thumb against the paper tells more than his words ever could.
And it's because he knows that the questions are coming that he decides there's no point in delaying the inevitable; with a sigh, he angles the paper closer to her gaze... and begins to read.]
Dearest,
I hope this letter finds you well. And might I just ask early that you spare my messenger. He is a simple sort, and there was no other willing to cross the fields to deliver this letter to you. Show some decorum. I know you have it in you.
You still occupy the northern woods, correct? That is acceptable, so long as you leave the southern lands to me. But do keep in mind that I have not changed my mind about our visitor. The red-haired child is under my protection. Attack her, take her from me, and you will see your lands set fire, if I am gracious.
Should you or your messengers find her first, send her to my fairy woods. Do so, and all shall be forgiven between us.
Do not test my patience on this matter, Oberon.
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Date: 2024-01-04 05:13 am (UTC)[ Wait? Hello? Hello?!
She had, in fact, been about ready to come out with some potential (very bad) nicknames, either for him or the other Oberon. And she'll never say so aloud, but she's kind of proud of Vortwogen, even if it's near-impossible for the exact same combination of Spirit Origins to exist in this little Singularity. If, and that is a big fat if, this other really is Oberon in some fashion, he's either fused with someone else, or a completely independent existence. Which isn't unheard of, among Servants, though thinking about it for too hard or too long makes her head hurt. His existence might be lies piled upon exaggerations mixed with falsehoods, but to her, he's Oberon. No one else.
But when he lets her see the words and reads, it feels like there's a whole recordscratch moment in her brain. A large part of her wants to just laugh the whole thing off as coincidence; when Servants and other natives of Singularities are aware of her, it's always in grandly vague terms. The Master of Chaldea, the Final Human, the Stargazer of Chaldea, things like that. Not even Solomon had known what she'd look like, if Arthur's casual implication of their one conversation had been true. And it's not like red hair is that uncommon, right? She can think of at least three Servants right off the top of her head with red (or red-ish) hair! And who would believe that some mysterious and powerful fairy queen would have any interest in little old her--
Ha. Yeah. As long as she is that aforementioned Master of Chaldea, it's a lot more possible than if she were just plain Fujimaru Ritsuka. Oh dear.
After a few more seconds to digest that, she says, slowly: ]
So... if we don't go into the woods, we'd probably make things harder for the Faker, right?
[ Faker, rather than Pretender. She's a genius.
Faker isn't out in English yet, it's fine.]no subject
Date: 2024-01-05 12:10 am (UTC)[-- Faker? Really? What a straightforward, on-the-nose, silly little nickname.
Oberon rolls his eyes and gives it a vague snort of approval.]
So I'd assume. I can't imagine what good it would do us to deliver both this letter and his current target.
[Liar. He can imagine a good many things that might happen, especially by anyone claiming themselves a Fairy King. It's why he switches from reading to herding -- shooing Ritsuka with the hem of his robe in the direction of the town, still glowing in the distance. At a leisurely pace, it'll take them an hour or so to cross the field and reach it by foot.
Perfect time for a story.]
Much as it pains me to say as much, I would not put our faith in the Lady Titania's protection.
[It's for all the reasons that Ritsuka could easily come up with herself: they don't currently know why Titania wants to protect this "red-haired child", or that a conflict won't break out between the monarchs regardless. And if that were all, Oberon would hardly be fussed with their circumstances. Fairy Britain had required him to juggle at least three ongoing disasters at a time, if he were lucky. Morgan counted for at least five complications on a good day.
That's not why his brows can't quite stop from furrowing as they walk, why he adjusts his gait so that Ritsuka remains always at arm's length.]
In the play, Titania and her husband are also quarreling -- over a child, no less. The king demands she hand him over, and when rejected, spends most of his time meddling in the lives of others as punishment.
[A petty fairy king's shenanigans are no laughing matter. So Oberon doesn't even crack a smile when detailing one of the "sources" that interfered with his Spirit Origin.]
A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays for its comedy, but even putting that aside... The king gets his way in the end. Titania relents in the last act, and the child is given to him.
[Before, he would have been content with Ritsuka's ignorance, even planned for the reveal of how much knowledge he'd been keeping in his pocket. Well, that's a pipedream now. While there's no telling if the letter refers to his Master, he needs her aware that this land is somewhat based off a Shakespearean play where the closest thing to a villain has his victory.]
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Date: 2024-01-05 02:20 am (UTC)[ It's easier to just make it a rhetorical question about fictional characters, rather than take the half-step sideways and ask it of him: what did you want a kid for? Setting aside the complications of having Oberon's Saint Graph, she's learned that asking that sort of question from a Servant always gets a vague answer. An "I don't know what it was like for me in life, but..."
She lets herself be shepherded along, though she tilts her head back to look at him and not where she's walking. It's a minor miracle she doesn't trip over something in the dusk.
And after a second, she just has to ask: ]
...you don't think they're actually talking about me, do you? I'm technically not a kid anymore.
[ Just barely. It probably depends on local laws, and if this is some Shakespearean-era thing, she'd certainly count. But she's tried to keep track as best she could, over the years, and she's reasonably sure that even by modern standards, she's an adult. Though compared to a Servant, or to any other timeless being, she probably does register as a child.
Still. It's a weird thought. Almost as weird as the idea of a stranger putting any sort of dibs on her. ]
For one thing, I've definitely never met this lady. How can I be hers if we've never spoken?
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Date: 2024-01-06 04:54 am (UTC)Fairies technically have little need of anything, y'know.
[Even if it's meant to be rhetorical, Oberon still hears that underlying question, and in reply just states what he believes is the obvious, dressed up in a chiding glance. It doesn't matter if there's an actual reason for wanting the child -- the want becomes the need, simply because fairies don't know how else to live their lives. He can't claim it was much different for him in the stories, either. Titania had a kid, Oberon wanted it in retaliation, and that was the crux of their estrangement.
Shakespeare truly was a pro at writing insufferable nuisances.
Also? It is almost adorable how Ritsuka would think that fairies care much for the particulars of consent, especially when humans are involved. Especially concerning monarchs who have never been told "no" in their near immortal lives. Still, the nature of her inquiries put him on the spot, prompting his own eyes to glide away, trailing up after the sky that is tinged orange by the evening glow.]
Mmm? My only expectations are that we'd best avoid getting caught in the middle of their drama.
[Stated like a business exchange, stripped free of any worry or concern for her safety. Because god knows that this is just a contractual obligation; he's only here as the one Singularity-compatible Servant willing to do his job. If she thinks he's overthinking this, no. Absolutely not. He doesn't care all that much in the first place.]
We'll get a clearer picture of how things work here once we're in town. [Looking back to her now, expression relaxed as if he's cleared himself of some sin]
With any luck, it'll only be a pale shadow of Shakespeare's story, and nothing else we need concern ourselves with.
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Date: 2024-01-06 06:34 am (UTC)[ From his lips to the ears of fate. In fact, now that he's spoken those words into being, Ritsuka actually turns to look forward again, to actually pay attention to where she's putting her feet. It could even be wyverns.
But she does glance at him sidelong, now and then, though she's relieved to see that it at least seems like they're making progress to that little village. For now, whatever loop was keeping them in the forest seems to be broken... she hopes. It'd be nice if this could be some sort of straightforward adventure, some kind of 'meet the guy pretending to be the fairy king, knock him on the head and get the Grail from him, and be home in time for dinner tomorrow evening,' and that's another reason why she's convinced that's not how it'll happen.
In the end, though, it's not her own safety she's worried about. If Oberon is the consummate liar, then Ritsuka simply trusts--not blindly, not (always) carelessly, but she's not worried about herself. Things will work out, one way or another.
She knows better than to voice her real concerns aloud, though. ]
Think fast. If you don't want me calling you by name by the time we run into other people, you'd better say so now.
[ He could still be Obie. She'd do it. ]
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Date: 2024-01-06 07:04 pm (UTC)[Oh.
... Oh ho ho.
The unholy grin of delight should be all the warning Ritsuka needs that she's probably won't enjoy what response comes out of his mouth.]
Come now! That's hardly necessary. It's not like we're visibly going in together.
[What]
Though since you've got me on the spot, we'll just pretend I'm a travelling lord from distant lands and you are my squire of sorts! Delivering the letter to the resident Fairy King was of such great import that I sent you to handle discussion with the local townfolk and wait for my return. [With a wink that should be illegal in its insincerity, he just. continues to spin the grandest tale of bullshit.]
Let's see, what to call me... Oh, how about your Lord V? Rolls off the tongue, paints a dashing image, and has just enough mystique that all eyes will be on me whenever I do make my grand entrance!
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Date: 2024-01-07 12:44 am (UTC)[ What had started as a confused outburst (even now, even after everything, Ritsuka still gets surprised) trails off into just a dead-eyed look. She should have just said the nickname aloud and cut him off at the knees. It probably would've been worth the dunking she'd've gotten from it.
Ritsuka gives him the best are you serious? look she can muster, drawing upon years of instinctive knowledge as a Teenager* Versus Adults**
* She might actually be twenty at this point. She's still not sure.
** He might be a fully-grown adult, but he is also surely five years old. She has to believel. ]
...Fine. We'll do it your way. I'll do the mingling, and you're not allowed to complain about anything I have to come up on the fly--
[ and here, she pitches her voice up, up, out of its normal register and straight into nightmarish cutesy-sugary little-girl uwu horror: ]
--Lord V-sama.
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Date: 2024-01-07 01:09 am (UTC)[Ugh.
Pulling back in revulsion the moment his prank falls to shambles, like a insect hit with bug spray... or maybe a demon doused in holy water. Deep down, he hasn't the stomach for such frivolities; demanding that others use a title is only funny if someone's mad, and Ritsuka's gone and made a poor showing for his troubles.
But if she think she's getting the last laugh, take heed; they both know that Oberon has gone to his literal grave petty. Once he's done scrunching up his nose, he shoots a faint glare out the corner of his eyes:
And then there is a pop!, a conjuring of smoke where he was once standing. The lying king has seemingly disappeared -- save for the sudden weight that Ritsuka is going to be feeling right on top of her head.]
That's mean! Mean! No fair!
[His tiny legs kick up a fuss amongst her hair, rudely sending strands every which way.]
I'm working hard, you know! And searching the entire town might take a while! You have to send me off nicely!
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Date: 2024-01-08 12:31 am (UTC)[ She staggers a little at the sudden weight, lifting a hand to swat at one of his legs, even if she doesn't try to shove him off. By this point, she's used to Servants making free with her personal space, and her complaints are really more performative than actually protest. And as dangerous as she knows Oberon is, even when he does this, he's no Kiyohime. It's frankly a relief. ]
You were the one who came up with the name! I'm the one who's gonna have to look people in the eyes and call you that!
[ Not that Obie really would've been any better, but at least Ritsuka could only blame herself for that one. She makes another groping swipe at him, trying to get him around the waist to at least lift him off her head. ]
Look, we'll just--I'll talk around it, okay? There's probably an inn or something, so I'll see if I can get rooms or something--would you stop that, you're gonna rip all my hair out!
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Date: 2024-01-08 01:25 am (UTC)[Hmph. And who says retribution isn't sweet?
The complaints about her hair only serves to egg Oberon on, at some point even grabbing at the girl's poor ahoge like it might grant him the power to pilot her. Just like those mechs he's seen some of the Greek Servants parading around as Noble Phantasms. Super cool.
Is he snickering? Yes, yes he is.
He'll be kind enough to cede some ground, at least, in the form of allowing his Master to pluck him off her head. While he could turn back into his proper form, the amusement he gets from being a literal tiny gremlin is too fun to pass up.
Still smirking, his feet kick in the air, leaning his small elbows into the meat of her fist and resting his pudgy face in his hands. Thank goodness he's too airheaded to realize he might as well be a plush toy.]
I want a soft bed! Extra pillows! Or I'll steal yours!
[And who said Oberon the Liar couldn't tell the truth every once in a while.]
Don't worry! Call for me if things get dicey!
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Date: 2024-01-08 07:31 am (UTC)[ She gives him a few little squeezes for good measure as she says it. Maybe like a plush toy, or maybe like a stress ball, who knows.
But that done, she opens her hands to give him the freedom to leave them. There's a 75-25 chance that she'll call him if things go wrong; in the end, Ritsuka does always circle back to trust. Maybe Oberon would cheerfully see her thrown off a cliff someday--but he wouldn't want anyone else to have that honor. ]
You go and do your... uh, your you-thing. Do not run up any tabs.
[ She already has to figure out how to get a room with the limited funds she was provided; they do not need to add any debtors to the mix. As long as he behaves himself, they'll be fine.
Or maybe that's just famous last words. The problem is that while Bottom hadn't been paying much attention to either of them once he'd realized he could play hooky from his assignment, it doesn't mean everyone else in that little village is at the same level of unobservant. It might turn out that the tiff between the Lord and the Lady is well-known enough that a strange redhead wandering into town might cause a stir.
Or maybe not! Either way, it's time for Ritsuka to fuck around and find out as she waves him off and heads into the village on her own. ]
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Date: 2024-01-13 10:21 pm (UTC)She'll have likely understood the truth of his underhanded tactic; it was a favorite of his in Britain. Which is why he does not bother with guilt as he takes to the air on his summoned hawk moth, shooting for the village like a streak of light. What his Master requires is a baseline to work with. An understanding of how this world conducts itself. Every singularity -- no, every reality -- ticks to the beat of its own internal logic.
He'll take responsibility if she happens to get scraped up along the way, but he will see those questions answered first. Until then (and perhaps a bit after), Ritsuka isn't allowed to die.
Not that the town seems to be of much help, initially. It's quaint and homey in its build, yet heavy with its foot-traffic. The type of place that visitors frequent without lingering around for too long. Of course, the busiest sections contain the markets and the pub, with all of the villagers, even at this late evening, lost in spritely discussions about some wedding between a Duke and an Amazon.
-- Not the news he'd hoped to hear (damn you, Shakespeare), and that alone nearly pivots Oberon away, but a knight in portly armor insists that the wedding's off until some youngsters from a nearby city return. There's whispers of angry fairies 'bout the area, see, stealing off couples left and right until they find some redheaded kid that the King of Fairies is interested in. Normally the human and fairy realm don't mix, but the occasion's special, this time.
Tis a replacement for the Fairy King's estranged wife, is what they're saying! He's so pissed off at her that he's gonna take a human partner outta spite.]
--What.
[The knight's head turns -- so does the elderly fisherman and the town drunk -- only to see dimming sky and no one in sight. All three scratch at their heads before resuming the gossip.
A few meters in the air, Oberon curses out a list of obscenities into the hawk's wings]
That was not in the play! Even Shakespeare knew better than to be that uncouth!
[Guess it's time to head to the bar and make sure his Master didn't get kidnapped for a wedding? What in the world]
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Date: 2024-01-15 04:35 am (UTC)...is not actually what Ritsuka says to anyone, especially not when she first starts trying to chat people up. Her memories of those cliff notes from Mash about Shakespeare's play are still fuzzy at best, but the part about the wedding does at least sound a little familiar. It was supposed to be a romantic comedy, right? So that part makes sense, at least. She learns about a pretty fancy wedding that is being postponed, and the rash of missing people: all established couples rather than people flirting with the idea, all at the point of engagement or newlyweds. One old woman tells her that her neighbor's cousin's daughter's best friend had complained of strange dreams that had followed her even into waking, shortly before she'd vanished, and then trails off staring hard at Ritsuka's... forehead? The little upswept ahoge bang? Something? She certainly won't meet Ritsuka's eyes after a certain point.
Which is weird, but whatever. Some people get distracted easily. Ritsuka herself can be one of them.
Except it happens again.
And then again.
It's only after the fourth person starts giving her speculative looks that it really starts to register that something else might be going on.
Which is not her fault, okay? Her best defense mechanism against certain Servants (not naming names) (that means you, Kiyohime) is to play dumb when someone looks at her in a certain way. And while she's pretty sure these townsfolk aren't actually flirting with her, but there is a certain feeling of being... sized up. Studied. It feels less like they're about to start anything weird and more like she's been--recognized, somehow. Which is a deeply unnerving feeling for her; she's so used to introducing herself, being unknown or forgotten and having to build things up from scratch.
It's while she's contemplating whether she has enough money to get dinner and rooms for herself and Oberon when a couple of men--finely dressed, out of place in a working-class bar--step up to flank her. They act nice enough, asking for her name and promptly butchering the pronunciation, solicitous as they draw her into conversation. How old is she? Ah, old enough to be settling down soon, eh? Oh, she's hoping to establish herself in a profession before she thinks about finding anyone? Certainly, certainly, how impressive. Quite commendable, really. And who might be her employer? "Lord V"?* Interesting, but perhaps, if she was amenable, their own lord might be interested in seeing if her skills were applicable to his service?
* She panicked on the spot. Oberon will simply have to live with that for now.
By that last question, though, Ritsuka realizes that she's been chivvied into a literal corner--not to the door, thankfully; she'd at least managed to avoid being lured outside--and fenced in. No one else is giving them a second glance, though it feels more like a deliberate thing and less that people just haven't noticed.
So to reiterate: what the heckie, and also oh no. Ritsuka holds up both hands in a weak sort of Stop Please gesture, her voice going higher, a little faster, and boy does she get the feeling everyone in the place is listening to her increasing protests. ]
That's, uh, that's really nice of you and all, but, uh, well, to be honest, I've already signed a contract and everything, sooooo--sorry, but I'm really not in the market right now--!
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Date: 2024-02-03 06:04 pm (UTC)[All the men's heads swerve, backs iron rod-straight and faintly unnerved by the introduction of this well-dressed stranger they did not hear approach -- and apparently Oberon means business today, having abandoned his "cognito" ascension for the flair and edge of his robes. And his wings.
Fairy wings.
There is not a person in the bar who does not gasp and mutter and very quickly pretend they saw nothing.]
Goodness, I look into every crevice this desolate town has to offer, and here I find you, entertaining some gentleman.
[Voice clipped in fake humor as his gaze rounds back to the men, daring each of them to hold his stare for as long as they're able. Truth be told, all of them just barely edge him out in height and girth, not only well-dressed but sporting rapiers hanging off their hips -- without a doubt, they came prepared to handle any complications that would stand between them and their redheaded prize.
But apparently Oberon's play is a good one. They either expected some washed-up noble who'd be willing to pay for the girl, or at least a human.
It is much like the knight by the port had gossiped: the humans here would much rather avoid dealing with fae if they've the chance. Especially should the fae in question seem the petty and abrasive sort, liable to curse everyone within his field of vision just for breathing out of tempo.
So he smiles again, pleased to know he can relax his lies enough to not bother with looking friendly. The bloodlust in his eyes need not be fiction today. When he steps forward, the men reluctantly part like a sea until he stands in front of Ritsuka. He taps his fingertips against his waist]
You were going to try and weasel out of my contract, were you? And after all the good I've provided! Safety, a warm bed, ten course meals every night... [with a faint, disappointed shake of his head] Well, I'll deal with you later.
[Another round of whispers, the bar's occupants peering over the rims of their mugs at the free show. Oh, the poor lamb. She's dead, dead. If the man is indeed a fairy, no one ever survives their ill-tempers. Should they intervene? Gods, of course not -- elsewise maybe this fairy man will steal their brides and grooms, too. Best to play the same tune as always, and pretend they saw nothing of import. (damn tho, those free meals, perhaps they should ask to be spirited away themselves--)
Only the men still hovered nearby seem like they take issue with Oberon's behavior -- or perhaps more accurate, that he's silently commanded everyone to shut their mouths and avert their eyes on penalty of doom. Puts them in quite a tight position, doesn't it? They can't start a brawl without condemning the town to a fairy's temper.
The faintest tips of his smile sharpen into a shark's grin. Him? Having fun? Perish the thought, this is a business trip.]
Let us be off, then! You better have at least gotten us the rooms I requested, or no supper for you!
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Date: 2024-02-04 06:56 pm (UTC)[ Ritsuka grits the words out through clenched teeth; she's also smiling, but it's significantly more forced, and blatantly obvious. She's never been good at any lies that aren't little white ones of omission, and right now, she isn't even trying. Right now, she's staring at Oberon with all of her unblinking tiny fury, promising retribution in some fashion soon. Eventually. If you think I'm NOT going to let your niece know about this, you've got a whole 'nother think coming, mister.
But as annoyed as she is, she doesn't particularly want to throw a wrench into the act. Not yet.
Not until she can physically put her elbow in his gut while she does it.So instead, she bobs forward in a half-bow, catches herself, and does an awkward curtsy instead. She has no idea how to do one properly, but that can only help the illusion of her being a helpless little girl who is caught up in the grip of some great and terrible creature, utterly in his thrall. Right?
At least for now. And then later, she's going to throw him out a window. She's going to talk loudly enough about what happened that the story will get back to Morgan and let that play out with no intervention on her part. She's going to ban melon from the dining hall for a week. A month. Years. She's going to blow a command spell just to make him clean up his goddamn room. She's--
--going to pitch her voice up a little, not quite to the same Obnoxious Cutesy level she'd used before, but still something higher, sweeter. A Customer Service Voice, even if she can't remember most of the keigo she'd been taught as a little kid. If it still comes out partly through her teeth at first, well, who could blame her? ]
My apologies, Lord V-sama. I wasn't trying to do anything of the sort, I promise. You know me, I'm just so easily overwhelmed. I couldn't help getting confused.
[ "I'm going to hang you off the Storm Border by your ankles." ]
Unfortunately, the rooms here are a little... rough for your tastes. I think it'll take your money to, uh, sweeten the pot. [ That's a thing people say, right? Right?! ] But then, you're ever so much more charming than I am. I can only pretend to be a quarter as good as you.
[ There's a low ripple of murmuring from the further edges of the crowd, the ones who can't see the look on her face. Ritsuka might be a terrible actor, but she's from a society that knows all about extremely polite passive aggression. What's obvious in her face is less obvious in her voice, and now there's more murmurings of sympathies: poor thing, poor child, she's clearly been swept off her feet by this fairy. There won't even be bones left for her parents to bury, when he's done with her...
But that's only if she leaves anything of him behind, first, when they get home. ]
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:56 pm (UTC)And he knew the risks pinning her to the spotlight. Ritsuka, bless her straightforward heart, couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag if you paid her, and watching the girl flounder for her lines has Oberon's gut clenching in an effort to hold back his snickers. His chin tilts -- to the audience, a regal man assessing the honesty of his charge -- when in reality he's angling to hide how desperately he bites into his bottom lip.
Death will probably find him the moment he steps back in Chaldea, either by Castoria's rage or Morgan's opportunistic cruelty -- but damn, he cannot say it's not worth watching his Master's smile coil into what she thinks is a polite grin. You cannot buy this kind of entertainment.]
So I'm to use my charms to ensure you don't end up sleeping on the floor again, huh? [Arms sweeping out with a grand gesture to his chest, trailing glitter and dust about his form. Spooked, the men draw back another step] Very well! I shall see to it.
All I ask is that you properly adore your lord from here on out! It is the least I deserve for taking you in!
Don't be shy, now.
Who is it that you serve, hmm?
[Speak clearly, Ritsuka! So that the gentlemen still hovering nearby will know, and not a townsfolk will come looking after this newest redheaded girl.
Not at all because Oberon finds it funny. Of course not.]
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Date: 2024-02-06 08:35 pm (UTC)In spite of herself and the audience, Ritsuka puffs up as best she can, going up onto her toes in sheer outrage. It doesn't do much to add to her height, especially when he has those stupid pointy heels on, but she has to try. Unfortunately for her, she can never not try. A different person could probably have pulled off simpering sweetness, but her words instead come out clipped, disjointed, like some early era text-to-speech processor: ] You. Of course. Lord V. Sama. You're just the... theeeeee... [ AAAAAHHHHHHH ] the very bestest of. The best. Wow. So cool. And great. Amazing.
[ Someone else could have probably pulled off properly simpering. Certainly there are people in the audience considering Ritsuka twisting like a worm on a hook and thinking: I could do better. I have done better. One doesn't live so close to the fae without learning proper flattery, and how to do it sweetly. It's enough to certainly enough to earn her some pity points, at least. Clearly, she hasn't been broken yet. She'll learn.
(She will break his nose with her fist, she has decided in her own head.) ]
I apologize for my, uh, my failures as a what is it--a servant. I'll do better next time.
[ She does at least duck her head as she says it, which makes for a better picture of contrition... but Oberon is the only one close enough to see her one visible eye glaring at him, fit to burn. Her lips move silently, but deliberately enough to be read: you're gonna pay for that.
That might be more impressive if she'd flounced away, or made some kind of rude hand gesture, but as much as Ritsuka dislikes the audience, she hasn't forgotten them, and especially the group that had been looking to recruit her for--whatever. Maybe for the faker Oberon, maybe for something worse. Better the monster she's familiar with, than the complete unsavory unknown. ]
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Date: 2024-02-11 07:55 pm (UTC)He coughs into his fist -- the only visible tell that he's losing the battle to maintain his haughty expression. Maybe it's a blessing that they've reached the point of absurdity, where even the audience is getting a glimpse of the backstage. Time to finally wrap up this ghastly performance.
Preferably before he starts guffawing on the floor.]
Yes, yes, that's what you always say. But I am feeling benevolent, somewhat... [Dropping his arms back down to his sides with a faint sigh, as if impressed with his own kindness] -- raise your head, girl. All is forgiven.
[Some of the tension bleeds away from the bystanders (gosh, they were so certain she'd at least lose an eye for that terrible performance). But seeing as the fairy is appeased, it means the show is over. She'll live on, made a slave by poor circumstance, and the fairy will keep his prize, as fairies are wont to do when they've found an interesting human to terrorize.
And the audience, of course, will pretend they saw not a bit of the drama once anyone comes knocking for information (unless the price is right.)]
Come now, let us be off -- [With a shooing motion for the door, before his eyes creep over the nobles that still linger nearby. Eyes sharpening into slits of amusement, before a little nod, a slight, mocking bow] Oh, do excuse us, gentlemen.
[yeah... yeah. Not a one of the men meets his eyes, having long since decided that they would prefer dealings with this kind of fairy. Feet shuffle backwards to grant both Oberon and Ritsuka passage for the outdoors.
At which point, Oberon steps sideways with a quickness, ensuring that there's a bit of space between himself and his Master, voice immediately turned cheery]
That was fun! Dragged a little in the middle -- Master, we must get you some acting lessons, if I may -- but we learned a few things, didn't we?
[now, now. Ritsuka.
Don't be mad.
😊 Twas just a bit of fun from your local Fairy King]
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Date: 2024-02-16 12:36 am (UTC)[ Now that they're free from an audience, Ritsuka straightens up fully: head up, shoulders squared, outright striding as she follows him. She has absolutely learned how to channel the thought of murder into a walk, even if she'd never be the sort of person who'd do that directly. But it's definitely the walk of a hunter, even if she has to delay catching him until after they get back to Chaldea. They've got a date with his room and some cleaning supplies after this. ]
If you ask me, the real question is whether or not we'll take anything from those lessons.
[ She picks up the pace a little to catch up with him; if her boots catch at the edge of his cloak or his stupid froufy little shoes, she's not going to avoid the prospect. This is probably the moment where someone taller and stronger than her would do a wall slam, but instead, she has to be content with simply radiating her disapproval. Someone could probably see her from space at this point. ]
So did we? 'Cause if we have to do that again, I'm gonna take my chances with the weird thug crowd.
[ That's a lie. Ritsuka, by nature and by choice, isn't much of a liar, which is part of why she's so terrible at acting. But you know, sometimes, you say something that is both a lie and the truth at the same time, because you have every confidence you can at least handle a bunch of human captors. Maybe not well, maybe not gracefully, but it's hardly the first time she's been grabbed as collateral. She might not be able to hold her own against a proper mage, or a Servant, but she has at least learned how to deal with more garden variety kidnappings: how to hold her hands when being tied so she can wiggle them free later, where and how to hit a man to break his hold, and most of all, when to run and when to bide her time.
Would they have sold her to the faker? Or to the queen? She doesn't know. But right now, she's too annoyed to be afraid of the possibilities.
(Better the devil you know than the one you don't, but sometimes, the devil you know is just so deeply smug that you have to consider the what-ifs.) ]
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Date: 2024-02-25 12:57 am (UTC)And it's a bit like a lamb trying to bare her teeth at a dragon, so absurd that it inspires amusement rather than any real concern. When her shoes catch against the fringes of his cape, only practice keeps him from rolling his eyes or sharply pulling it out from under her heels.
It's not her anger that he has cause to avoid; this temper tantrum he can handle, and will even admit is just desserts for his dirty little trick. No, what gives him pause is that there might be any truth to her diving headfirst into a thunderstorm he cannot manipulate. Ritsuka is far from a fool -- rather, she is foolish, in the way that any great protagonist is required to be upon the stage. Fate has seen fit to force her stumbling towards a happy ending that might not even exist, fighting forces much larger than any one person should be expected to handle.
That is her role. That is her curse.
So that he can imagine a number of scenarios that would see her whisked off outside of his control, delivered to threats he's yet to fully perceive...
Fine then; he'll acknowledge that his performance dragged on a little longer than was necessary. The edge of his humor dims into a sigh, slowing down his pace so that she might easily match his stride.]
Master, you know very well I can't allow your capture, even in jest. And I thought it'd please you to see me handle the situation with tact rather than bloodshed.
[Smiling perking up as he throws a glance her way, as if he had just not insinuated that he'd considered murdering the entire tavern.]
Well, regardless! You needn't worry about an encore. I've planted enough seeds that it's unlikely any of those gentlemen will test their luck tonight... Or.
[A great pause]
They will make their attempt anyway, because your value to them is greater than a threat to their lives.
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Date: 2024-02-28 05:04 am (UTC)[ She subsides a little at that. The annoyance is still there, small and petty and unsatisfied, but she takes a breath and sets it aside. For now. There'll be time to have revenge later, on some small inconsequential scale. Ritsuka doesn't have the heart for grand violence, even when her hand is forced, and even if those guys had been coming on strong... well. So far, this place is only at Singularity-level; there's a chance, at least, that they'll all come through fine.
After another few seconds, she sighs, scrubbing a quick hand through her hair. ]
I guess we'll know how scary that Faker is, depending on what they do. Do they think you're worse than he is? You're a stranger and they were definitely nervous, but...
[ But hadn't she thought the same? Better to trust in the threat you know, the one whose knives you're familiar with, whose jaws have been at your throat before, rather than wonder about the unknown quantity. To those men, Oberon is just a passing faerie lord, capricious and hinting cruelty--but ultimately not set to linger. The quarreling couple, on the other hand, looms as a significant part of their daily lives.
And as much as Ritsuka likes people, and wants to trust and believe in their ultimate worthiness, she's well-aware how those priorities might manifest. She crosses her arms and glances back at the inn. No one has come out after them yet, but that yet feels pretty significant to her. ]
I mean, maybe we should consider it? If we have to investigate this guy, that'd at least be a shortcut to getting close to him. Probably.
[ It is equally likely she'll be tossed into a dungeon to rot, but the odds are probably like, 70-30. Maybe even 60-40. Not bad, right? ]
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Date: 2024-02-28 05:54 pm (UTC)Maybe.]
I believe in that moment, I was an unexpected roadblock they weren't sure how to circumvent...
[But said moment has passed, is the unspoken implication. With their performances having ended, the tavern and this quaint village will return to their status quo, and that's where the real test lies. So he cannot blame his Master's question; frankly, Oberon has already considered it himself, and might have even let the men make off with her partway to their destination.
The only wrinkle in the plan was that he hadn't been certain he'd resist killing them for the privilege, and his ambiguous silence from earlier aside -- he believes with his full chest that Ritsuka would stay his hand with a command seal, if pressed.
It's too messy a plot twist, even for him. Best to avoid it all-together.]
There are a few things I want to test before we consider that route. [All the sudden, shooing the girl closer -- pulling at her wrist if that's what it takes -- so that his cloak hangs loose over one of her shoulders and the space between them turns trivial on their way to the inn]
And we're being followed anyway. No, don't bother looking -- you won't be able to see him, the little sneak. [clucking his tongue]
Forgive me, Master, but it seems I must keep up my performance for a bit. Don't worry, you won't be expected to speak for any of this. Let's just get to our room, quickly.
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Date: 2024-03-03 05:08 am (UTC)[ She trips a little at his tug, catching herself before it's an actual stumble. There's no resistance to being directed; she's so used to Servants manhandling her this way and that most of the time that the most she does is flex her wrist in his grip once, then relax.
To be honest, she's bird bones in a too-thin frame. It's easier to just go with the flow.
Her protest dies before she can really articulate it, though, but she takes a quick glance around in spite of herself. At least this time around, she manages to project a general air of jittery anxiety: something suitable for a young girl who might not know what lies ahead, but knows she won't like it.
For one thing, it's not an act, and that makes it easy as breathing.
It's not really a surprise that they're already being followed, except on the most basic instinctive level, the seriously? already? feeling. And if she walks a little closer to Oberon than she would normally--well. He'd invited that, right? They can snipe and argue about it later. He'll mock her for it, she'll complain right back, and it'll be just another step in their odd equilibrium. That's fine. Ritsuka trusts that Oberon won't let anyone else kill her.
When they reach the inn, she risks another glance over her shoulder. It's another near-genuine response, the anxious gesture of a human in an unfamiliar town under fairy governance. The more things change, huh?
Under the shelter of Oberon's cloak, she grabs his sleeve and gives it a small tug, her gaze coming to meet his, before darting back out into the shadows behind them. It's too dark for her to see too clearly, but she can almost make their pursuer out: a slightly darker blob, man-shaped, an oddly familiar silhouette. Not outwardly threatening, at least, but certainly unafraid to show himself at this last second. ]
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Date: 2024-04-07 09:53 pm (UTC)And, with pointed resolve, shuts the same door behind them with a resounding thump that startles the poor inn-keeper from his rocking chair.
Given that entrance, it's no surprise that the same inn-keeper takes one look at Oberon's robe and wings and reacts accordingly: with a simpering, unnerved display, hands clutched as if in reverence to such a distinguished guest while pretending his eyes are not nervously darting away from the fairy's face. It isn't often that they have one of the fae folk visit such a quaint little village! Naturally, Oberon and his charge will be offered only the best room in the house at a steep discount.
They can pay tomorrow, if that pleases them -- no, no, the inn-keeper insists, especially upon watching Oberon's brows arch in faint surprise. They just seem the busy sort, and he's a man who isn't one for trouble, if they understand his concerns...]
Hm, well! If you insist, my good fellow! [With a gracious grin, a slight tilt of his head. He sneaks the keys of their room into his palm and nudges Ritsuka to again walk with him.
The inn-keeper's unspoken wishes are clear: out of sight, out of mind. Just don't put a hex on the room and he'll consider that payment enough. Truly, no one messes with fairies in this strange Singularity.]
Let's get to our room first. Unlikely our visitor will be deterred by a door, but this way--
[With a wide, chipper grin]
I can greet him properly.
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Date: 2024-04-11 12:23 am (UTC)But also unfortunately, she doesn't have that much money on her, so instead, she bobs in a quick half-bow to the poor innkeeper before following Oberon, still so close that she's in danger of stepping on his cloak. At least she isn't trying to do it on purpose this time. ]
"Greet him," huh... so, are you expecting a fight? Can we avoid it?
[ In better circumstances, she would have tried to project authority in her voice; as it is, she's more resigned than anything. Honestly, it'd be more of a surprise if they actually manage to sidestep a skirmish.
...And, also, before she forgets: ]
Dibs on the bed.
1/2
Date: 2024-04-11 03:47 pm (UTC)The swiftness with which Oberon twists his head like it might pop off, glowering down at her]
-- I do recall you promising me the softest bed along with decedent pillows for my troubles!
[Oberon: will lie through his teeth at every opportunity while keeping hostage every promise given to him, all on the off-chance to make a quick buck. Or get the best shit in the house.]
2/3
Date: 2024-04-11 04:22 pm (UTC)And, without bothering to answer his Master's resigned question, Oberon gets to work.
Their time in Fairy Britain likely painted a strange picture of his abilities, his magecraft. To Castoria, he foisted upon most of the heavy-lifting; every bounded field, every spell (concerningly explosive or otherwise) was the responsibility of the Child of Prophecy. Only once the final curtain call was imminent did he slowly show his hand, and by that time, everyone's focus had been successfully diverted towards a certain evil queen.
Frankly, he's not about to flash his entire deck of tricks where Ritsuka can see -- where's the fun in that? -- but there is a curve of delightment to his smile as he flicks a finger toward the door. Translucent butterflies break into vision, fluttering in the stale air before they form a circle of light: the basis of some unspoken magecraft the would likely give Morgan hives.]
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Date: 2024-04-11 04:49 pm (UTC)The trap is cast, working as intended. They've only to wait for their guest to appear. Yet the light of the circling butterflies is overly vibrant in a way only he will catch, so bright as to sting the eyes. Which is... unexpected, to him, this boost in potency.
Strange. As Vortigern, his duty is to bring dusk to a forever twilight. As Oberon, his presence is an insect hidden in the morning lark's feathers. The only place where both his aspects hold absolute power are in--
"Shit--!"
Something -- or more likely, someone -- cracks against the door with such force that even the circle of light pulses. But quick as a flicker, that same light dissolves through the wood, and then there's an unholy round of swearing on the other side in the hallway. Frown vanishing, the Fairy King begins to snicker and rounds his smile at Ritsuka]
Wonderful! Looks like our friend is ready to greet us.
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Date: 2024-04-15 06:05 am (UTC)[ She jumps a little at the crash, though she doesn't move from the spot, blinking slowly a couple of times. Frankly, in spite of the best efforts of multiple Servants, the actual theory and mechanics of magecraft works all goes right over Ritsuka's head. To some degree, she still just has a child's understanding: the way someone with limited understanding might see the way a TV works and just take it for granted that it does. It happens because it's supposed to happen, and the people who know better can handle the how.
So she doesn't particularly know what's happened, or what Oberon has realized; she only knows that he's pleased about something, and it's not all the anticipation of making her life difficult over the bed. Maybe he's just looking forward to having another victim to torment. She'd believe it. ]
Do you even need to sleep? Like for real, not just because you're bored or something.
[ "Or something," furigana: you're a depressed bastard.
As she asks it, though, she trots over to the door, then pauses with her hand on the lock, glancing back at him. Let him in? Or let him try his luck again? ]
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Date: 2024-04-20 08:15 pm (UTC)[Says the man who did not sleep a wink when he had the British Isles to destroy.
As for her inquisitive look, he sends an encouraging hand-flap of his own: yes, yes, go ahead and open it. No troubles (well, not the physical sort) will befall her while he remains stationed at her side. Given the tormented cursing that's still happening on the other side of that door, Oberon would bet all his loaned fortunes that they won't have to worry about retaliation.
And trust -- when that door opens, he's correct. Bowled over on the floor with his arms pinned to his sides, firmly trapped by the golden circle of butterflies--
A very familiar, green-clad hunter of the forest scowls at the both.]
-- Ah.
[Robin... Hood...]
Wait.
[No, no. Too obvious. He can't be anymore the Chaldean Servant than that "Red Hare" was. So what is it then? Robin? Robin... Robin Goodfellow...]
-- No.
[From behind Ritsuka, pointing an accusing finger over her shoulder, name flying off his tongue like a slur:]
PUCK!
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Date: 2024-04-22 02:37 am (UTC)[ It's an automatic echo of the confused noise, Ritsuka blinking at the latest familiar face. In some ways, it's more jarring than the last; she's known Robin for longer. And there's a moment where she thinks, nonsensically, Did you just swear flat-out? Isn't that out of character?
But then: ]
"In the flesh. Bastard."
[ He squirms as he speaks, like he's trying to test the strength of his bindings, and the sharpness of his tone, the edge in his expression, make his unfamiliar features into something strange. Ritsuka considers for a moment, then very carefully takes a couple steps back, away from the door and the trapped--man? Fairy? Someone--to sidle closer to Oberon again.
And then, under her breath, to Oberon alone: ]
Good thing Raikou's not here. She'd be so mad about your manners.
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Date: 2024-05-26 07:21 pm (UTC)Puck, however.
This newest cast member is offered a sneer of displeasure that only a certain pink-haired Beast has ever been privy to, as if something truly foul has caught his scent. The implications aren't lost. Depending on how they play their cards, this could either be a great boon or a huge affront to their overall goals.
Which, to be fair, is usually how interacting with fairies goes... but still...
Hm.]
Oberon's right-hand fairy has seen fit to grace us with his presence, though doubtfully done of his own accord.
[Spoken to the fairy, whose eyes are quick to find a piece of lint on the floor to glower at, but truthfully a statement meant for his Master's benefit. A crash-course introduction into the politics at play, and just why Puck tailing them could be a problem.]
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Date: 2024-08-04 07:19 pm (UTC)[ She mutters it low under her breath, thinking back to what little she remembers of the play.
You really should read it, Senpai, Mash had said. There's probably a lot that doesn't directly apply, but it's good to know, she had said. After all, if Oberon exists, that means that we might someday meet the others--never say never, Senpai, you know how these things go--
But when English isn't your first language and you're a mediocre student at best, and A Midsummer Night's Dream wasn't the most popular thing to be translated, of course she'd just kind of picked at it idly at best. Which means that it really is time for Ritsuka's true skill to shine:
Bullshitting her way into success.
She still stays half-behind Oberon, because that seems like the smarter thing to do, but she does tilt a little to get a better look at the stranger-nonstranger, trying for her best Stern Expression. ]
So, uh, what he said. What are you doing here?
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Date: 2024-08-11 10:56 pm (UTC)“‘What am I doing here?’ Simple.” A lazy, uncommitted grin. “Just looking for someone, is all.”
— A sentence that ends on a note of foreboding, and Oberon himself cannot help but steel his shoulders, biting on the inside of his cheek. That falls in line with their experiences; that Ritsuka, for whatever reason, is highly sought after and valued. A popular girl to the very end. The weight of his stare darkens until Puck, feigning innocence, looks away with his silence kept to his chest As if to dare the pair to bleed him dry for information if they have the balls.
And if that’s how the annoying brat wants to play it — fine then. Oberon’s got time to test a theory or two. He snorts, unimpressed, and angles his head closer to Ritsuka and speaks to her in a false whisper]
Oh, he won’t tell us much. Even if he was willing, his loyalty to the Fairy King will suck the soul right out of his chest if he goes the betrayal route.
[… Smiling, suddenly, the edges of his grin simpering with restrained amusement, and even Puck, still pretending he’s above their gossip, gives a cold shudder at the sight. Like he’s sensed the electricity of a particularly foul thunderstorm on the horizon]
That’s right, isn’t it — Puck? You’ve sworn yourself to Oberon. Right?
[— Yes. Please. Do say it. Swear that loyalty out in the open.]
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Date: 2024-10-13 09:12 pm (UTC)She raises an eyebrow, crossing her own arms, tilting her head Oberon's way. Even though she'll never be a mastermind herself, she's more than happy to play along. She actually feels a little bad for Puck--the poor guy has no idea what he's being led into. How could he? Even in Chaldea, it's still a little weird whenever an alternate version of someone she already knows shows up.
It does seem to imply to her, though, that this world's Oberon looks nothing like the one next to her.
But--
"Of course," Puck says, rolling his eyes as if exasperated. Like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "His righthand man, that's me."
And in the silence that follows, Ritsuka lifts a hand to her mouth, trying to emulate the kind of wide-eyed look she's seen drama actresses do on TV. It's probably a good thing no one wants her for her acting skills, but at least she's still got enough of a baby face to pull it off. ]
Sounds like he's really loyal after all... pretty impressive, huh? That's pretty lucky for us.
[ "Lucky?!" Puck sputters, for a moment more exasperated than annoyed or nervous. "What's that supposed to mean?!" ]
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Date: 2024-10-20 12:14 am (UTC)Oberon’s already sly smirk turns into a rainbow of sinister delight, and the color slowly begins to drain from Puck’s expression. Oh… no—]
Isn’t it lucky? [Riding off of Ritsuka’s quip, he bends down at the hip, arms folded. A snap of his fingers and the butterflies dissipate as his magecraft loosens its grip — only for the golden ring to reappear around Puck’s neck before he can react, tightened into a choker. With a howl, the fairy scratches at the light, which seems to sink into his skin and vanish from sight] Let’s put you to work, then!
[“O-Oberon!!”]
Oh? Impressive! You truly must be Puck if you’re this quick on the uptake!
[No surprise that the fairy gurgles out a string of curses while he struggles on the floor like he’s being strangled, legs kicking with the heat of an angry stag. Still snickering, Oberon shoos Ritsuka back a couple of steps; no need for her to accidentally get her ribcage caved in.]
Now, now, stop fussing. You’re going to make it look like I’m torturing you or something. [Did that golden ring of light have any malicious properties built in? A Fairy King will never tell. But if nothing else, the look upon Puck’s face is not exactly pain so much as despondent fury at being given twice the workload (and trust and believe, back in Chaldea, a certain purple-haired kouhai feels a faint shudder of displeasure, mad that one of her favorite targets is being loaned out for someone else’s mean spirited delight.)]
Listen now, we’re not nearly as unreasonable as your other King. [Tilting his head with another flash of a smile] He asked you to bring him a red-haired fiancé to him before Titania intervenes, hmm? Probably under pain of torment for a few hundred years.
[Hm, upon inspection — this is the first time Ritsuka is probably hearing about that fiancé part, isn’t she?]