1stknight | PSL (closed)

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?

[Bedivere opted for the strawberry, because he did like strawberries. And as it turned out, the popsicle was a fair bit sweeter than the berries he was familiar with. Carefully he held the stick with his gloved hand, inspecting the popsicle closely before holding it close to his mouth to give it an experimental lick.]

Oh, it's very sweet! And cold.

[He sounded both surprised and interested. It was good, but how did he eat it? Was it like that one fruit, the banana?

He stuck the end of the popsicle in his mouth and tried to bite it, but it was too cold to bite and chew. So all he could do was suck on it a bit, letting the popsicle melt into his mouth so he could swallow down the juices.

Oh, but his hair was going to stick to the part of the popsicle that wasn't in his mouth! So he reached up with his free hand to tuck his hair behind his ear, holding it back as he ate.

The whole scene took maybe five seconds. Bedivere did not know just how suggestive it all looked.]

You like it?

[That surprise? Very cute. Dazai had to quash the sudden urge to smoosh Bedivere's cheeks and held himself back by starting on his own popsicle -]

[- except Bedivere looked like he was giving his ice cream head and oh god, it was already red, Bedivere's attractive lips were stained red, the only way this could be more obscene was if the popsicle was the fleshy-pink of something peach flavored.

Something cold and solid hit his chin. He missed his mouth in spite of his jaw dropping as he made a strangled choke.

If he survived this, could he become the popsicle?

Someone behind him - the vendor, probably - cleared his throat.

The sound made him jump and jarred him into action. Dazai gripped Bedivere's free arm by the wrist and power-walked to the far end of the sidewalk, his face still red red red, determined to not look at Bedivere until they reached a spot secluded behind a thick tree trunk.]

From the side. [Still not looking. Dazai had yet to let go of Bedivere's wrist. He sounded like a dying frog.] Easier to eat from the side. If you're learning. Yes.

Edited 2020-10-27 15:26 (UTC)

[Bedivere didn't notice Dazai's staring at first, because he was so focused on his own treat. Even if it was odd to eat, it tasted good. Bedivere suspected that it wasn't very filling, though, and that it was more meant to end a heartier meal.

His train of thought was interrupted by the cleared throat, and then Dazai suddenly grabbing him. Dragging him off was easy, because he was surprised by the action in the first place. What had happened? Why was Dazai so red?]

Ah? Dazai, are you alright?

[The explanation of 'from the side' made sense, but he would try that in a moment. If his Master was suddenly ill, then they needed to return home immediately.]

Me? Absolutely fine.

[He laughed a bit. Okay, maybe he sounded a bit strained. The popsicle was dripping on his knuckles, and his grin felt all wobbly.]

Just interested. [He turned his head a fraction of an inch. How much could he see Bedivere's expression? This was a mistake, he realized, when it gave him more time to stare at Bedivere's colored mouth.] Haven't tried your flavor before.

[Welp.]

Or the one I got, either!

[That was an absolute lie, but who needed to know?

Dazai shoved his own popsicle in his mouth to shut himself up and fuck that turned out to be a mistake because the non-melty chunk of popsicle was cold and his nerve endings were doing all the screaming he couldn't do, focused as he was in arranging his lips into his best innocent dumbass smile before turning to Bedivere.

This was not the best way to cool his face.

In fact, it was the absolute worst.]

My flavor...?

[That didn't sound like it was about popsicles. Was Dazai being lewd again? He probably was, but Bedivere couldn't figure out what he meant, and thus he wasn't sure if he should be offended.

Maybe he meant mouth crimes, Bedivere figured. If you kissed someone, you would taste them.]

I think I would taste like strawberry right now.

[Speaking of which, Bedivere finally tipped the popsicle sideways to eat it. Or, well. Lick a long strip up it, going from base to tip. That probably didn't help with the mental images, huh?]

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