1stknight | PSL (closed)

That implies you already think we won't cooperate, doesn't it? Besides, how do you know I'll like him?

[And he didn't think he knew anyone Ability Users who fought with wire, outside of Kunikida having a wire gun.

In any case - this Servant was a pirate, and pirates weren't strangers to playing dirty. That sounded like an invitation of sorts, too. So if Bedivere was focused on keeping the other Servant from harming him, Dazai would use that to his advantage by walking around, keeping Bedivere between himself and the other Servant. By having Bedivere push the pirate away from Dazai by default, he hoped the other Servant would backstep into an inconvenient location.

Now, was there any chance Mr. Pirate was generous enough to trip over a tree root or one of the stupid wires and traps he set up?]

Edited 2020-10-15 06:09 (UTC)

That's because he talks too much.

[Now that voice was one Dazai might recognize. It came at just the right time too, right as Bedivere and Rider ended up with their swords clashed, each trying to keep the other from breaking off.

The man of the hour stepped out from behind a tree, carefully regarding Dazai. After a few moments, he tilted his head to the side slightly.]

The Agency wasn't invited to this. Why do you have a servant, Dazai?

Rider did not trip, nor did Bedivere, but both would be occupied for a few moments.

[Steinbeck, getting right to the point that day.]

Edited 2020-10-15 23:38 (UTC)

Well, hello to you, too.

[So Steinbeck knew and colluded with whoever else was supposed to be in this?

Dazai gave him a keen look from the corner of his eye, still pleasant but without his earlier levity. This guy was pretty ruthless, and there was a grim edge to him that hadn't been present before he split off from Fitzgerald.

Well then. If he was willing to talk while the Servant - Rider - kept Bedivere busy, Dazai would take up that offer.]

You probably already know this, but tracking down unusual business is part of a detective's job description. Getting these command spells, however, was entirely unintentional.

What do you want from the grail, Steinbeck, that you can't accomplish for yourself? You've done well to build yourself up while avoiding Dostoevsky's active interference.

[Or so he assumed. Steinbeck didn't strike him as the type who'd ally with Dostoevsky, and Dostoevsky would've at least considered Steinbeck's half of the guild as additional pawns to dismantle Yokohama.]

I think you know what I want, Dazai.

[A home. Allies who would stand by him. Enough money to keep everyone fed and happy. As dark as the Guild got at points, he still cherished his co-workers, and he missed their presence in his life. Especially Lovecraft's.

Whether by Book or by Grail, Steinbecks's wish was a simple one. That made him a dangerous opponent.]

You should be careful uttering that man's name. He's involved in all of this too, you know.

[Steinbeck glanced over to where Rider and Bedivere fought. the two were still parrying each other's attacks, and there was no clear winner yet.]

He's the most dangerous one here. How about we agree on a truce until the Rats are gone, hmm?

[So nothing much has changed then from the time Steinbeck dropped off the radar. That was somewhat reassuring.

Dazai was about to nod when the warning about Dostoevsky's name came up, and he couldn't help but burst out in laughter. Look, it wasn't as if he didn't know how much of a headache the guy was, but -]

Is his name so cursed now that he's the devil that shall appear? [Using actual magic this time, and not with someone's Ability.] It's a given that he'll find a way to involve himself if he hasn't already. But why stop with the Rats, when he's known to join multiple organizations?

[The Decay of Angels was still fresh in his mind - hell, Dazai went to jail because of their scheming. He was inclined to agree to Steinbeck's proposal if the scope broadened beyond just the Rats to cover the known pies Dostoevsky's stuck his fingers in, so to speak. Moreover, he couldn't fail but notice that the scope could be interpreted as something that went beyond the duration of this Grail War should both Steinbeck and Dostoevsky stick around after.]

You joke, but it'd be just like him to show up like that if you dare speak his name. Plus 'Rats' sound more derogatory than 'Angels'.

[Steinbeck still had a hint of humor too, at least?

Still Steinbeck looked to Rider and called out something else.]

Pin him down, Rider, but don't kill him. We could use them.

[Rider gave a little salute before returning to the fight. It was a fight Bedivere was steadily losing, too. He was better suited for quick bursts of action, and as the fight went on, weight of his arm and armor dragged him down. Heroic Spirits didn't get tired, exactly, but he was losing energy. And since he didn't want to kill Rider yet, not until Dazai gave him the command (or he had no choice but to kill), he was stuck.

After a firm strike, Bedivere backed up a couple steps, and called out to Dazai:]

Master?

[He didn't want to get caught and pinned, but he also wouldn't move to kill without the word from Dazai.]

We can refer to his collection of groups as something else, you know.

[As much as he'd like to list off the silliest names, now was not the time. Rider might laugh, but Steinbeck's focus might've killed off his sense of humor. And speaking of now not being the time -]

Come to me, Saber.

[To both Steinbeck and Rider:] If we are to make a truce, let's not waste any more energy than we need to, hmm?

[He wasn't about to let Bedivere lose face. Moreover, knowing that they were up against Steinbeck made staying in this forest unappealing: areas with plants and trees rooted to the earth were now effectively less secure for them. Finally, this was a concession to Dazai's own competitiveness: while he could see the tiredness in Bedivere's form and he had his reasons to not order Bedivere to win at the moment, Dazai rather disliked how Steinbeck seemed to underestimate his Servant.]

By the way, Steinbeck. How did you end up participating instead of a magus?

[Bedivere was right by Dazai's side as soon as Dazai called for him. Ever loyal, he could follow directions without complaint. He was also insistent on protecting Dazai, for reasons he would explain later.

Rider clucked his tongue at the sudden end of fighting, and he moved to stand just behind Steinbeck. His sword was still drawn, though, and his free hand was resting on the pistol at his hip. He would listen to Steinbeck, for now, but he was ready to attack at a moment's notice.]

It's funny you ask. I hadn't even heard of mages until a few days ago. A couple of them came over from England, but they were having a hard time because they didn't speak Japanese. So I played 'dumb American' and offered to translate for them. They ended up being blabbermouths, so I just took their materials and summoned Rider on my own. If they're going to be idiots and leave stuff around, then they better expect to be stolen from.

[Rider's eyes shined with approval at what Steinbeck was saying, too. That might not be unexpected from a pirate though.]

[Dazai couldn't help but chuckle. That was more or less the same mistake the Guild made when they landed in Yokohama. Now Fitzgerald's had to rebuild his empire, and Steinbeck's tapping into his potential for guerilla warfare.]

They believe only Magi are a threat to them, hmm? Might've worked if they didn't pick Yokohama.

[The mention of England, though - Dazai glanced at Bedivere, then at Rider. Recalled the leather scrap that Q used as a catalyst. An empire on which the sun never sets - Britain might no longer have its colonies, but the results of their pillaging were, in part, still contained in museums and private collections.

Mages invested in the Grail War would pay attention to historical artefacts, but certain organizations had other uses for symbols of prestige.]

If the Order of the Clock Tower is involved, we'll have more to worry about than that man. The Dame is very crafty and well-funded.

Perhaps the latter will be beneficial for you, given the occupation of your Servant.

They really underestimated this city, if two of their spots got taken.

[Steinbeck did sound amused, though. How many more spots were taken by people involved in the affairs of Yokohama? It was like all of the previous conflicts all over again, though perhaps with less property destruction.

Rider did chuckle at the mention of his profession. That was when he spoke up.]

Oh~? Is this Dame someone who likes a dashing man such as myself?

At least three. [This wasn't information he was comfortable disclosing given what happened the last time, but a gesture of goodwill might yet be interpreted as a debt owed.] Don't grow another nightmare forest using Port Mafia's Hallucinations Jr., hmm? As the de facto off switch, I'll be obligated to stop a widespread public health hazard like that, alliance or no.

As for the Dame - [he chuckled at Rider. To live in and for the moment was a remarkable quality.] I'm not familiar with her romantic inclinations, but you can say she holds the Empire in the palm of one hand and plays chess with the Devil [Dostoevsky] using the other. Anyone planning to pursue her has a lot to keep up with.

Edited 2020-10-21 04:22 (UTC)

Three, then? So the one down by the port wasn't them?

[That, indeed, was new information. And hearing that it was Q just made Steinbeck's smile sharpen. Steinbeck wouldn't do a repeat of what happened last time- he wasn't aiming to destroy the city, nor was he being ordered to do so- but having that kid as an enemy would make it all the harder for him.]

So that's why you're willing to listen. That kid will go after me first.

[It was a lighthearted comment more than an accusation. After all, Steinbeck had offered cooperation first, so it wasn't like Dazai had started that play. But getting played by what he thought was his own actions, well. That made him remember what a serious threat Dazai was.]

Any clue about what Servants either of them have? Rider said that some classes are stronger than others.

If he doesn't have nightmares about being strapped to a plant, sure.

[Who knew what kind of hurt that kid learned to not fear? Having a high pain tolerance didn't justify using barbed wire on every assignment.

Whatever the case, Dazai wouldn't mention his talk with Kouyou for now.]

Saber saw the catalyst they used at the port. Boar leather used for clothing, pre-AD, possibly from the Mediterranean. We've ruled out Assassin and Caster.

There was another incident outside the train station yesterday. It's hard to confirm if that was the work of a Servant. [Yokohama's crime rate was Up There compared to the rest of the country for a reason] If it is, however, the Master is a tall, aristocratic woman who was too far away for me to get a proper look of. Her Servant is most likely of the Lancer or Archer classes.

Not Assassin, not Caster...The other one is either Lancer or Archer...that means that kid has either Berserker or the other of Lancer or Archer that wasn't at the train station.

[Both were dangerous. Bedivere knew so as well. If it was Archer, Bedivere would be at a disadvantage. If it were Berserker, everyone would be at a disadvantage. The only positive outcome was if Q's servant was Lancer and the one from the train station was Archer. It was going to be a tough battle, unless they convinced Steinbeck to handle it.

But even that came with risks. If Steinbeck and Rider won either of those fights, they could reap the benefits of an early win, as well as deciding that their truce wasn't beneficial if Dazai and Bedivere weren't going to fight. So, Bedivere decided to speak up then and suggest a plan.]

We should strike at the same time. I fight one of the Servants, Rider fights the other. If we attack at the same time, at different parts of the city, it increases our chances of success. Pairs are reluctant to draw first blood at times, because the first victor of a battle usually loses the War to those who step in to sweep them up after the fact. But if we attack at the same time, attention will be divided between us, and we each will have a better chance of making it to a base to recover after the fight.

[To be fair, it's a sound plan. An burden shared and all that.

The problem was that there was a fifty-fifty chance they'd have to deal with Q. Or seventy-thirty, given the outcome of their talk. While Dazai would've had to step in at some point, he wasn't looking forward to having this fight so early in the game.]

Might as well get it over with.

Or do you or Rider have a way to get around Dogra Magra, Steinbeck?

We don't. So we'll leave that fight up to you. The classy lady will be our target.

[Was Steinbeck being honest, or was he hiding Rider's skills? Only time would tell. For now, though, it was probably best to part ways and regroup. They didn't need other mages seeing them interacting.]

We'll be in touch after the fight.

Very well.

[If that lady was part of the Order and should she not succumb to the folly of underestimation, both Rider and Steinbeck might be forced to show their hand earlier than expected. Christie had a wealth of resources and talent at her disposal: the Order was, after all, more powerful than the Guild had been at its prime.

From that perspective, Dazai and Bedivere hadn't picked the shorter straw. However, that didn't mean going against Q was going to be easy.]

Shall we trade numbers?

[Or Dazai could visit the nearest tree for a one-sided talk, but whatever.

After parting ways from Steinbeck - hopefully without coming across any wires this time - Dazai would lead Bedivere to a food cart near the train station. Getting back to Yokohama soon would've been preferable, but he couldn't afford to not replenish his energy in case that lady issued another open invite.]

Good job back there.

[Numbers could be exchanged! Steinbeck had a burner phone, so they could be in contact.

Later, when they were leaving the forest, Bedivere seemed dissatisfied. Even praise from Dazai and a meal didn't pick up his mood at all.]

I wasn't careful. If you hadn't struck a deal with that Master, he would have overwhelmed me. And if they hadn't been going for a capture instead of a kill, I would have been eliminated. My skills have gotten rusty.

[It seemed he was his own worst critic. Even takoyaki didn't help his mood.]

[Perfect. Now to figure out how to break the news to the Agency later. Maybe it was good thing Tanizaki wasn't involved - that kid probably still held a grudge against Steinbeck.

Bedivere's reaction? Not perfect. Dazai poked him between the eyebrows. This spot here? No creases allowed! And it's a good thing Dazai's had practice on holding back his old harshness thanks to Atsushi.]

Well, yes, we both walked into a bad spot. As a strategist, finding myself in such a disadvantageous spot can be taken as a mark against me. As far as your participation ties into that, however - is your assessment really all that there is?

I don't know how much your journey has affected your fighting style, but the matter of fact is that your fundamentals are based on formal training. [Something, Dazai suspected, wasn't forgotten easily given how being a knight was tightly wound into Bedivere's identity.] The same probably goes for most of the wars you've fought in, and even then you wouldn't have had to deal with individual mercenaries for extended periods of time.

In contrast, a pirate wouldn't have plenty of constraints in what tools they used to win. Rider's a good swordsman from the looks of it, but he's also likely had more exposure to people who'd bring something like a broken bottle and a whip to a sword fight.

At least we now have a better idea of what we're up against, yes? Next time you meet Rider in a match, you can give him your own surprise.

[Bedivere blinked in surprise, pulling his head back slightly from the poke. He glanced upwards and rubbed at that spot while he listened to Dazai talk. He wasn't wrong, though: in a clash between the formal training of a knight and the more chaotic fighting skills of a pirate, the pirate could win if they had the element of surprise. Bedivere had also held back on his true strength, which was a quick, decisive victory. He was not suited to long battles, and that was part of why he had suggested stockpiling mana last night. Having a Noble Phantasm ready to use in emergency was always good.

Dazai's thoughts on the fight were also good. That he accepted their stalemate results that could have been a defeat, also good. Dazai had a caring heart, it seemed, which helped put Bedivere's mind at ease. Those creases really did melt away from his face.

But still, Bedivere couldn't help remembering the dream last night, or the display Dazai had given before. Just how genuine were those kind words?]

...

[It was best not to worry about them right now, maybe.]

I feel lucky, to have such an accepting strategist as a Master.

You are right, though. We can take this time to better prepare for our next fight. Even if we don't know Rider's identity, we know he's a pirate, and as such we can prepare surprises for dealing with him.

Thank you.

[For both accepting the results without ridiculing Bedivere, and for pulling Bedivere out of his spiral of overthinking.]

What for? This is merely laying out an assessment of the situation.

[If Bedivere stuck around long enough with the Agency, he might see the ways Dazai tended to pull away from getting too close to others. Dodging thanks was one of them, partly because he didn't view himself as a kind person.

Nor did he, in his own opinion, have a caring heart. Whatever affections he held for other people were best left unspoken or never directly referenced.]

Anyway - were you able to get a good look at his sword earlier? Or the butt of his pistol, for that matter. Their make is a good start in identifying what century he's possibly from.

[Someone with that particular look, after all, might be from the European Age of Exploration.

This was a good topic as any to recollect themselves before dipping back into the unsavory topic that was having to handle Q.]

[They would have to agree to disagree on opinions about Dazai's character. Bedivere was already fond of what he saw, even if the shadows cast here and there did worry him. Ironically, that was a trait he shared with Atsushi, and it was funny that Dazai hadn't made the connection yet.

But weapons. Yes, Bedivere had seen the weapons.]

I believe it was a type of cutlass? It had the curve to it, and it was a bit too thick to be a sabre. That would fit for a pirate too, it was a common weapon out at sea. The pistol was flintlock, which also fits the time period.

Getting the jump on a pirate won't be easy. An Assassin's help would be preferable, they even have an advantage over Riders. Ahh, but making so many alliances may not be a good idea, depending on who Assassin's Master ends up being.

[He paused there, though, because a particular food vendor caught his eye. It was one selling ice cream bars on sticks. The curious look on Bedivere's face gave him away, he wanted to know what those things were.]

[Bedivere would have every right to make fun of Dazai for missing the obvious clues. In Dazai's defense, however, the height and arm changes were pretty significant.]

Indeed. And Rider's master can be pretty ruthless when push comes to shove.

[In other words, he didn't expect this arrangement to stick if Steinbeck decided there was another Master out there who'd give him better chances for victory. In fact, leaving Q alone for a while longer might artificially extend the duration of their partnership.

Whatever the case: no hard feelings.

But what's this - Bedivere, distracted? Dazai followed Saber's gaze and had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from grinning too much. Such childlike wonder was refreshing to watch.]

Ice cream. As the name implies, it's cold and creamy. [He tipped his head in the direction of the vendor and began to walk in that direction, expecting Bedivere to follow.] There's also the frozen fruit juice variety.

Which one would you like to try?

Ah- is it alright?

[It was a silly question, Bedivere was sure. And he had certainly heard of cold fruit desserts before. But this was a different shape and consistency than anything he had seen before, and he was almost mystified by it.

He followed after Dazai, though. Even if he was unsure of the ice cream, he would still trust Dazai not to lead him astray.]

Maybe the fruit one?

[Just to have something that would actually taste familiar.]

Sure.

[Maybe Bedivere had the right idea. Something nice and cool was great after all that walking.

There were several flavors to pick from, not just the standard strawberry or melon because this was Japan. Yoghurt, matcha, grape, kiwi, soda, choco banana, yuzu - there was even a pasta-flavored one released a few years ago, and wasn't that a monstrosity?

Dazai waited for Bedivere to pick, grinning unabashedly while he watched, before getting a ramune pop for himself, paying for the both of them, and ripping off the wrapper to demonstrate.]

How is it?

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