1stknight | PSL (closed)

[Too fukken late, they're parking slot neighbors now. What, does Ango expect Dazai to not spare himself a few more steps?

Plus, well. he has to babysit. Not that he gave Ango a heads up ahead of time.

In any case, Dazai still looks a bit ruffled from the earlier encounter with Q. More importantly, he's obviously not wearing his usual coat when he steps out of the car - how's that for maybe not having things up his sleeve?]

Yo.

[Ango looks vaguely displeased at this, bu the doesn't comment on the parking job. Instead, it's Dazai's state of dress that gets a comment.]

It looks like you've been busy today. New case?

[Guess who doesn't yet know about Dazai's involvement in the Grail War.]

Something like that. [He tips his head at the backseat of the car, where Q's still bundled up. Using a Command Spell after needing to sustain that Noble Phantasm for how long, on top of an emotional outburst - that should be enough to make sure he sleeps a while longer.] It's a day for unconventional encounters.

So, why did you call?

[Not Knowing is mutual, in this instance.

A certain Caster is also hanging around in Spirit Form. Talented as she may be, she doesn't have the magecraft equivalent of x-ray vision to see through the bandages around Dazai's hand.]

[And Bedivere is too tired to notice the presence of another servant. Otherwise he would have come out to protect Dazai immediately.

Q was sleeping soundly in the back seat of the car, and would be out for some time yet. Sheer exhaustion from maintaining the Minotaur for so long meant nap time was liable to be several hours long.

Ango glanced to the car, and he frowned slightly. Just what had Dazai been up to?]

Dazai-kun, did you kidnap a child?

Nope! [Yes.] Just borrowing him for safe keeping and my peace of mind. I'm doing this as a public service, you know!

[Caster, on the other hand, sees tell-tale strokes of red peeking out from beneath the coat, one line smudged, and she'll immediately inform Ango via telepathy.

This boy's an enemy Master. I can't detect his Servant anywhere nearby, but please be careful!]

A public service-

[For a brief moment there, right when Caster spoke in his mind and he happened to catch sight of those lines on Q's hand, Ango's mask slipped. His eyes widened slightly in recognition, before immediately narrowing back down to calculation. Did Dazai know? Was Dazai involved? Or had he happened across Q after a battle?]

Is- Is that Q?!

[The shock that it was Q was real, but it wasn't the primary thing that had caught Ango's attention. Most would not notice the slight delay there, but Dazai was Dazai so of course he would notice. Ango may have had the ability to pull the wool over Dazai's eyes in the past, but that skill was no longer sharp.

So yes. Ango knew about the Grail War, and he recognized the marks on Q's hand. The fact that he was wearing gloves that day might suddenly have become much more relevant.

Ango is also moving to open the car door and actually get to Q, but that is less 'nefarious plot' and 'holy shit he's not dead right???']

[Oh ye of little faith.

Dazai steps aside anyway, bracing his left elbow on the hood of the car and letting Ango check for himself the state of Q's health. His right hand, with the command seals, he places in his pocket.

That pause was curious, yes - not because Dazai could tell that Q's fancy tattoo was peeking out from the coat, but the delay between the way Ango's eyes widened and the moment he asked questions wasn't smooth.]

I found him passed out at the Port Mafia's warehouses. Before that, the Agency received reports of possible occult activity, and the destruction of one of the older buildings in the area was too conveniently timed.

[At this point, he's fishing for information before deciding what to do. The gloves are a huge clue, of course, but Dazai's also interested in knowing just why Ango called him here, and what his next question might be about Q.]

On that note, I really only have so much time until Mori-san discovers his tyke bomb's missing. So if you're done looking him over..?

[Ango was absolutely about to reach out and touch Q's hand and see just what had happened up to that point. But when Dazai said that last part, Ango sighed and pulled his hand back. No peeking for now, Dazai would know exactly what he was doing. And if Dazai was hiding something, he would not hesitate to off Ango to keep it a secret.

Coincidentally, those thoughts were accidentally sent to Caster too. He was so used to being alone in his own head that he hadn't yet learned how to not broadcast his rapid-fire thoughts.]

True. We're short on time here.

[So he stood up and adjusted his glasses, recovering from the shock of a few moments ago.]

I believe I may know what Q has been up to. And if I'm correct, I must ask the Agency for assistance.

You heard of the strange occurrences around the city in the last week, yes? The occult symbols, a handful of dead bodies, some destroyed buildings?

[Oh, Master's friend is that kind of secretive? If she wasn't in spirit form, Caster would stand up straighter, staff clutched in both hands, and squint at Dazai. And the hand Dazai has in his pocket. Hmm.

Dazai, unaware of the second person scrutinizing him, is just. Looking at that movement from the corner of his eye. He doesn't think Ango checking someone's pulse is out of place, but even with the circumstances he doesn't think that the guy would forget just what Q typically has up his sleeve. Even with Dazai around, he shouldn't be this distracted - which means there's something pressing going on.

And when Ango starts talking, a sinking feeling starts to form at the pit of his stomach.]

That's what we're investigating, yes. Anee-san also told me to steer clear of whatever's going on and to keep Kyouka-chan away. [No harm in mentioning that at this point, and it might continue the impression that Dazai has no idea about what's happening.] What have you found?

[Caster please, Dazai wasn't someone to square off against. Even if Ango tried to protect her from him, he could still be an absolute menace. Especially to pretty women.

(Ango may have been Very Gay but he could still recognize Caster as pretty. And he could still worry.)

And to answer Dazai's question, Ango just held up hand. To anyone else, it might look like he was telling Dazai to 'slow down'. But anyone who knew Ango well would know he was indicating the use of his Ability.]

Quite a bit. We found four different sites throughout the city, and I was able to see the identity of three of the parties involved in the ritual. As well as the fact that it is indeed a ritual and not some Ability.

But the fourth site, it was troublesome. I was unable to get anything useful.

[Really, Master. If Caster's survived her teacher's antics, surely Master's friend can't be too bad.

(Still, Ango's worry is appreciated!)

The mention of a fourth site - well. Dazai tips his head.]

I've seen three sites so far: one's a burnt down warehouse, another's a forest. The last is an old building. Anee-san, for obvious reasons, found me near the first.

[At this point, it might be a game of who slips up first..? Though he does wonder if the corpse of Bedivere's original summoner is still there of if some kind of cleanup crew found it.]

The forest was one spot we found as well. There was also a spot at a hotel and one near the beach. The warehouse we had suspected as being another location, but I was unable to go near it due to Mafia activity.

[Which left the last one. The old building. Ango absolutely knew that Dazai was involved somehow there, but didn't know if Dazai was a participant or covering up for someone else or if he just happened to stumble upon this mystery without knowing the full extent of what was going on. And given Dazai's reluctance to tip his hand, Ango couldn't just ask him if he knew anything. How frustrating.

(Caster would get a sense of nostalgia and longing from Ango. All he really wanted was to protect his friend, even if his friend didn't accept help that easily.)]

I believe this is a situation where exchanging information would be beneficial. I already know that the magic is summoning people to this city, Dazai-kun. I've seen at least some of the people doing it, and I'm sure knowing their identities will be helpful in whatever the Agency is investigating. But what I can see is limited to what anyone says, and any further information on what is going on would be helpful.

[Ango was toeing the line carefully. He couldn't lie and claim to know nothing, Dazai knew how nosy Ango was. But Ango also couldn't give away just how much he knew, because he didn't want anyone knowing just how involved he was in the situation, or that he managed to recreate the ritual and summon the last servant after watching other people do the same thing and trying to recreate what they had done.]

[And here it is. Even if Ango isn't a Master, his Ability would give him enough clues to get the gist about the Grail War that's going on.

Dazai gives him an even look. If this meeting was between him and anyone else, Dazai can admit he'd act more hostile. This isn't because he's fully forgiven Ango or that he knows how much Ango lets his guilt influence some of his choices. Rather, Ango will always act for Yokohama's benefit, so an alliance however temporary, is feasible. And should they be unable to end all this in a stalemate of sorts...

He ends up mentally reaching for Bedivere without any specific question or command in mind.]

I know the identities of three Masters and suspect a fourth. [You, he doesn't even have to say.] There's a fifth somewhere - the one who attacked the subway station a few days ago. A tall foreign woman in an elegant dress. She tried following me back to the Agency.

[Bedivere has been kind of asleep for most of this, but when he feels Dazai reach out for him then Dazai will get the mental equivalent of a sleepy questioning noise from him. Is everything okay? Nobody's attacking, right?

And Ango, well. He hears that accusation, but he's not going to admit to it. They can keep dancing around the issue for longer. If it were anyone else, Ango would have already found 12 ways to eliminate them and their servant. But Dazai has always been a weak point for him. So ignoring the obvious is what he is choosing to do here.]

That is one of the ones I found. I know what she looks like, but not her name. We're already working on tracking down who she is. Since you found the forest one then you probably know who that person is already, so I will spare you. I'm assuming Q is involved-

[Ango glances back to the car again.]

But that wasn't one of the ones I knew about. The other one I know is a man, but it isn't someone I am familiar with. He's not Japanese, nor is he from the area.

[He hesitates here, but after a moment he looks back to Dazai and continues.]

There is one other that I have been made aware of through other means. And they are the reason why I need to seek outside help, rather than going through the government.

[The insinuation is clear as day: someone in the government is involved, and Ango doesn't think the guy's good news.

This just makes things more difficult, given the Agency's reliance on a certain government-issued permit. Moreover, Ango revealing this is a very good indicator of just what kind of personal risk he's taking.

...there really is only one ~~optimal~~ choice here, isn't there? And they'll just have to deal with the fallout afterward.

Sighing, Dazai runs a hand through his hair.]

Then I suppose it's a good thing the President authorized me to conduct this investigation independently.

[He presses down on the bandages with the tip of his fingernail, just enough to show the tip of his Command Seal.]

Before you ask, we weren't invited. I just happened to stumble across the guy who died after completing the ritual.

[Caster, at this point, is Very Curious. Ango might get the impression that she's close to Dazai's hand - yep, that's what she thinks it is. She definitely noticed the echo of nostalgia earlier and wonders if this might help her Master lighten that burden.]

[Ango's eyes instantly trail down to that bit of red showing. He doesn't look too surprised by it, though. He had already suspected that someone in the Agency was a Master, and this just confirms that.]

I was expecting Kunikida-san, perhaps. I didn't think you could be involved at all, not with your Ability.

[Now that is a true mystery. This magic must be strong to not be nullified by No Longer Human.

Also, Ango is moving to adjust his gloves, pulling down the edge of it, showing off just a little bit of his own Command Seal.]

I was the last. I had seen some of the others involved, and I was able to piece together the ritual from that. I had information on who the seventh was supposed to be, and I wanted to prevent that from coming to fruition. There is no need for a certain gaudy American to be involved in any of this, after all.

[Ango took on Caster to keep Fitzgerald from being involved.

Somehow, knowing Dazai is involved doesn't lighten the burden as much as he had hoped it would.]

But nobody else knows that I am so closely involved. Not even my superiors. My orders were to investigate, not to get involved. And as far as they know, that's all I have been doing.

Edited 2021-01-24 16:02 (UTC)

[He can't help but snort - yeah, that unusual non-interaction with his Ability surprised him, too.

Ango being the seventh master does lessen the burden, especially if he snagged the spot from someone like Fitzgerald. Dazai returns to stuffing his hand in his pocket as his fatigue chooses such an inconvenient time to steadily make itself known.

Or maybe this just has to do with what this meeting reminds him of. Q, for how difficult that encounter with him was, is a known quantity. It's the other three that will prove tiring, four if one includes Rider and Steinbeck's tendencies towards sneakiness.]

Taking one for the team, are you..? [That sounds less bitter than he expected, and he chalks it up to having this conversation after a long day.] Then I'll tell you this: Rider's Master and I currently have a non-aggression pact for however long it lasts. I don't see any issue if we are to cooperate in a similar manner.

[Also, Bedivere, sorry for not responding until this point. Everything's fine, are you well enough to make a very brief appearance in case it's needed?

...actually yes, it might be needed. If only to extend proof of cooperation.]

For the record, I ended up with Saber.

Who's yours?

[Will Ango want Caster to pop up now?]

Caster.

[He won't force Caster to appear, but he leaves an opening for her to pop up if she wants to.]

I would caution against trusting that Master for long. As soon as the pact isn't useful to him, he will be looking for ways to break it.

[Don't get knifed in the back, Dazai. Even the thought of it is enough to make Ango adjust his glasses.]

And by process of elimination, we can safely say that the last remaining participant has Assassin, which is even more of a reason to exercise caution.

[Caster's going to appear, yes - neatly materializing next to Ango with a pleasant smile and a curtsy because she wasn't looking too close at her Master's friend, nope!

To anyone familiar with a certain Magus - the design of her staff might also look a little familiar.

The unexpected greeting, of course, throws Dazai a little off a quip he was supposed to return with - something along the lines of knowing Steinbeck's history. He's seen Bedivere, the Minotaur, and Rider - Caster certainly stands out thanks to her apparent age and cheer.

He raises a pointed eyebrow at Ango.]

Agreed. Stealthy surprises aren't good for the heart.

[If Dazai didn't know any better, he'd say the Servant's optimism clashed with the Master's gloom. Nonetheless - he can't decide if he's looking at a young girl from a private school accompanied by her secretary, or at a man getting along with his estranged ex's teenaged child after she showed up on his doorstep one day and said her recently deceased father talked about him a lot...

~~There are plenty of other story lines he can come up with just to tease Ango.~~]

[Any quips Dazai could have made for the purposes of teasing would have to wait anyway. Because as soon as Caster appears, Dazai is going to feel the mental equivalent of a gasp from Bedivere.

Even if Caster hadn't given her name, Bedivere instantly recognizes her. And he will also instantly manifest right in front of Dazai too, looking exhausted, shocked, and crushed all at the same time.]

My King-

[Where does he even start? Does an Artoria this young even remember him?

Ango, for his part, is immediately stepping in and moving to stand between Caster and Bedivere. Even if Caster is the one who should be protecting him, old habits die hard. And once he's got an arm out as a barrier of sorts between Caster and Bedivere, Ango gives Dazai a firm look.]

I take it this is your servant, Dazai-kun?

Yes.

[Dazai might pretend at being calm, but he wasn't fast enough to cover his shock, caught off-guard as he was by that intense wave of emotions, before schooling his features into something neutral, and the hand he places on Bedivere's shoulder might be telling for anyone who knows him too well.]

Saber?

[Behind Ango - well, not now, because Caster sees just who it is and ducks under Ango's arm, sending him a smile with a helpless shrug.]

It's alright.

[She takes a step closer to Saber - not too close to get into his personal space, but enough to notice how tall he is, and she has to crane her neck with her head tipped to the side. Caster's smile is halfway between gentleness and recall. Where has she...

Her eyes alight on his metal arm, and she makes a soft sound of recognition. Yes.]

I'm not King yet. Actually, you can beat me in a sword fight because I'm still in training.

[Oh, wait - that's the kind of thing she can't say in a Grail War, right? Caster sends a sheepish mental apology to her Master - she'd be rubbing the back of her neck right now, if she wasn't paying attention to her future self's knight.

...the look he's giving her is rather painful, isn't it? She extends her hand towards him - not as a sovereign might, but as a new friend.]

But! That doesn't mean I won't do my best with magic.

I might not be my older self, but I know of you. So if you don't mind working with a normal village girl - let's do our best together, okay?

Edited 2021-01-27 17:44 (UTC)

[She's just as sweet and kind as he remembers. That realization breaks through all of the anxiety and negative thoughts and fills him with a warm nostalgia. There's no mistaking it: this girl is Arturia, back when she was still on her journey to becoming king.]

It feels like it's been ages since I've seen you like this, my king.

[Even if she says she's not the king yet, she will always be his king.

He wants to close that gap and pull her into a tight hug, but he doesn't. He keeps himself where he is, though his hands tremble slightly and his face is starting to get wet.]

I thought I would never see you again. Normally you're a Saber, so we couldn't both be summoned at once.

[As this touching reunion is happening, Ango is definitely glancing to Dazai with an unsure look. What do they do now?]

[Oh no.

Caster - well, she's not good at dealing with tears, really, because being around Merlin isn't helpful in learning how to deal with human emotions - but she fishes out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and.

And Bedivere's really tall. She reaches up to touch his and of flesh, ready to dab away any tears that might slip past the gap of his fingers.]

Merlin's training me to be a mage, you see. [She sounds faintly apologetic that she isn't exactly the King he's looking for.] I hear that's not what I usually start with?

[Dazai shrugs back at Ango and clears his throat.]

Perhaps we better take this someplace else? Or in one of the vehicles. At this point, I think it's safe to assume that revealing your True Names is a formality.

[For Ango's sake, however, since there's more than one Knight of the Round Table - he sends a pointed look at Bedivere's metal arm before looking back at Ango and mouthing prosthetic.

He has no doubt the man's already looked up what he could about the Once and Future King.]

[It takes him a moment, but he does take that handkerchief and hold it up to dry his eyes. How long has it been since someone has done something like that for him? That just makes him want to cry all over again.]

My apologies. I didn't expect to get so emotional here.

[He means it too, it's so unsightly of a knight. He will need to work through those feelings in order to finally be honest with his heart.]

You normally start out learning swordsmanship, yes. But I think you will make a fine mage too.

[Or she could, if not for the fact that this is a grail war and there can only be one survivor.

Wow, Bedivere's depressed again. He hasn't felt this low in a while.

Ango will break up the awkwardness by going along with Dazai's intervention, though. They definitely don't need this tearful reunion.]

Indeed. Though perhaps rest for today and meeting another day would be for the best? We don't want to prolong the conversation when there could be ears around here. Especially since your Servant doesn't look to be in fighting shape right now.

[Ango might not be planning to backstab Dazai, but if that Assassin is around they might get some ideas.

Also, meeting again in a day or two gives Ango time to do more research and Bedivere time to be rested and in fighting shape.]

[Winning the war, actually, isn't something Caster has any particular attachment to. On this matter, she's said little to her Master - she supports him, yes, and she likes that what he's doing is for the good of the people, but there's something at the back of her mind, a whisper of a memory, that tells her that being the last Servant this time isn't the only way to win.

Seeing Bedivere - it feels like taking a half step. There's something else missing in order for her foot to touch the ground.]

Thank you. [She gently squeezes his wrist before pulling back, and leaves him with her handkerchief.] You bet I'll do my best. And you shouldn't hold back on feeling, you know? It's long past the time for formalities.

[--- she knows with certainty. One day, she will have to draw the Sword of Selection and become the perfect king. But until that time comes, she'll carry on with the cheer of a normal studious girl who sleeps in on weekends - or as much as she can do that, because her Master's a busy one!

Thanks to all of that, she's happy to remind the knight of her other self that openly showing his tears is okay.

When her Master suggests retiring for the day, she takes a few steps backward to join him.

Dazai takes that as his cue to squeeze Bedivere's shoulder. He, too, would have to look into why King Arthur is the way she is - it hasn't sunk in that she's a girl? And claims to be a village girl. With a talent for spell casting. Oh boy.]

Sure. I'll wait for your text.

...Saber?

[I'll make sure you two have time to catch up, he communicates.]

Edited 2021-01-28 05:07 (UTC)

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