1stknight | PSL (closed)

[He meaningfully placed his right hand on the table.]

My ability is absolute when it comes to countering others - something you've experienced for yourself. [In other words: receiving a physical mark of what should've been an ability-based contact was highly irregular.] They'll work out the rest for themselves. We can't be held accountable for any actions they choose to undertake independently.

[Dazai was an interloper in this situation: he wasn't the Master those other families were expecting.

Besides, Fukuzawa and Kunikida would be familiar with Dazai's terrible habit of not disclosing the full story. That much should become apparent in their later discussion.

Those two layers, of course, didn't address Dazai's reluctance in mentioning that his own death might be seen as a win condition for the other parties involved. Sure, a conflict like this was far from his preferred way to die, and a chance to revive Odasaku - his deepest, most selfish wish that outweighed everything else - was actually a good incentive for him to keep breathing.

Rather, this was simply how he'd become used to operating. The Agency's policy of operating in pairs might have helped him improve, but it was a hard pattern to shake off.]

That sounds suspiciously like "someone is going to do something stupid and I don't want them to have enough information to get hurt."

[He. He knew that type of person, ok? Bedivere's comment came from a place of understanding, even if he didn't quite agree with Dazai's methods.

(Likewise, he wouldn't agree with some of Dazai's personality quirks, once he found out about them.)

Soon Bedivere's bowl was empty, and he sat it down on the table. He wouldn't ask for more, even though the food made him feel warm.]

Is it time, then?

[He burst out laughing - how delightfully blunt!]

Would its degree of stupidity matter if it all works out in the end?

[That, right there, was a mark of how Dazai had somewhat mellowed out: if his teenage self were here, that boy would be vastly irritated with such a glib response.

After settling the check - this wasn't a place he had a tab at, and today was a special occasion - Dazai stood up and gestured at the door.]

Shall we?

[Walking to the Agency wouldn't take much time. As expected, only few of the lights were turned on, and Dazai poked his head through the doorway.]

Knock knock.

I don't know, you're the one deciding to withhold information. Does it matter?

[Despite turning Dazai's words back around on him, Bedivere still was smiling. That smile turned much more polite by the time they reached the Agency, however. For as much bluntness as he could give his master, he was still a gentleman, and he would behave properly when meeting new people.

Kunikida and Fukuzawa were the only two remaining in the office at that hour. Even the secretaries had gone home for the day by then. Kunikida was busy brewing some tea for everyone to drink, though he had only prepared three cups for the time being. He hadn't known Dazai would be bringing a guest.]

There you are! What's with you, taking your time to get here?

Showing him around.

[Before Kunikida could complain about Bedivere's presence, Dazai held up the packet of documents he retrieved from the mage. This, he placed on the table once they were both in the office, and gestured at Bedivere.]

Saber here was kind enough to explain why someone might be drawing complex magic circles using chicken blood in abandoned buildings. [Did someone find the body yet? Or did the other participants get to it first? If it was the former, the report was likely to be sent straight to the Agency.] Did you both know that someone's hunting for the Holy Grail right under our noses?

[He looked at Fukuzawa as he mentioned the last part. Hi Boss. Surprise?

[Both men gave Dazai a confused look. They believed him, neither man thought that Dazai would lie about work like that, especially not when it involved bringing someone else in. Unless this was some massive 5-D chess move to trap his guest in something, he was probably being honest. But they both had absolutely no idea what Dazai was talking about when he said 'holy grail.'

Well. They knew OF the Holy Grail, in the sense of 'it's a story from bible times'. But other than that, they knew nothing.

Fukuzawa was quiet and listened, as he usually did. He nodded to Kunikida, who turned to Dazai to start asking questions. His notebook and pen were out and ready to go too.]

Someone is doing cult-like rituals in Yokohama in hopes of finding this 'Holy Grail'? Surely you have more information than that.

[Bedivere had all the information on that, but he stayed quiet, just as Dazai had instructed. He would trust his master here.]

[Honestly, Dazai's penchant for building up a good story could be blamed for that intro. Sure, this was actually a serious situation once he got over the sense of absurdity that came with landing himself in this situation, but they weren't yet at the point that he needed to skip the small pleasantries.]

The human participants normally consist of mages, or so I'm told. Ordinarily, we might be able to mistake their magic as an ability to summon heroic spirits from the past. Imagine my surprise when the original owner of those documents made that circle glow before dying of exhaustion and... well. See for yourself.

[He unraveled the bandages covering his right hand. Lookit - a fancy new tattoo!]

There should be six other circles in the area unless their makers erased them. All seven participating pairs are meant to fight over the Holy Grail, which can grant one a single wish.

[That last part should sound familiar to Kunikida and Fukuzawa, even if the object was different.

While he held his hand up for their inspection, he glanced at Bedivere.]

Come to think of it - are there actually any restrictions for that? Because I'd hate to think that one day, I could wake up to a world where dinosaurs existed in this day and age and be utterly unaware that things were originally different.

[Yeah, that mark definitely got their attention. Kunikida even grabbed for Dazai's hand, so he could look at the mark more closely. He would have accused Dazai of getting a tattoo, but tattoos didn't glow.

Bedivere did tense up when Kunikida moved, though. He didn't have his sword to draw, but his hand twitched like it was going for a sword at his side. And in response, Fukuzawa's eyes narrowed, and he placed his own hand on his sword. Bedivere saw that movement, and he relented, relaxing his hand. He had to trust Dazai, he reminded himself. Even if he didn't know these people, Dazai trusted them.

That whole exchange took a couple seconds tops, and Kunikida definitely missed it because he was busy trying to stare at Dazai's markings.]

Ah...not as far as I know of, no. The winner of the Grail War could ask for anything. Though technically it grants two wishes, since the winning servant and master both get a wish.

[Fukuzawa was still on guard, and his eyes were on Bedivere. But after a moment, he spoke.]

Three circles have been reported in this city. One of them is likely the one you encountered, which leaves two other ones found.

Hah. Yes, that's true.

[Dazai could guess where Bedivere had placed his hand. Even if he knew that his new companion wouldn't cut him down, it was still oddly comforting to know how Fukuzawa was prepared to strike.

...truly, he was fortunate to have found such reliable people.

Now, if Kunikida was done committing his callouses to memory, Dazai would like to take his hand back now. Had it been anyone else, Dazai would've tried to communicate with a glance that there wasn't a need to be this tense around Bedivere, but he knew that Fukuzawa would prefer to come to his own conclusions about that.]

Then four more have either yet to be summoned, or the ritual was done in private.

Whatever the case, it's conventionally disadvantageous for a spirit to betray the person they're contracted to. [This was also a reminder to himself given that enticing a valued asset to switch sides was a valid tactic during conflict. If there was any loophole to accommodate this in the grail war, he wasn't aware of it.] I should also mention that while the scale for potential collateral damage is still an unknown until we find out who we're up against, there's no accounting for desperation.

[Dazai could have his hand back. Kunikida was still puzzling over the marks, though, and he drew a sketch of Dazai's hand with the marks on it to commit it to memory.]

Summoning, and strange marks...are you saying that Saber here is what was summoned?

[Upon saying that, Kunikida glanced to Bedivere. The young man certainly didn't look like anything special. But with a strange name like that, he had to be hiding something.

Bedivere, for his part, waited to let Dazai answer that question.]

Yep.

[Back the bandages went to his hand! And while that was going on, he nodded at Bedivere.]

Mind changing back to your armor?

Of course.

[Look, he even left the 'master' off that time!

Though the change back to his previous armor did end up being a bit flashy. Literally. There was definitely a bright flash of light in the Agency office, which was probably extremely noticeable at night. Whoops.

But it dissipated after a few seconds, leaving Bedivere standing there in his armor, with his silver arm visible.

Kunikida had scrambled back as soon as the light show had started, but Fukuzawa stood firm, watching it all without turning away. Though once it was done, both men were left staring in wonder at Bedivere.

And then, slowly, they both turned their heads to look at Dazai. Explanation plz?]

[He clapped with the smugness of a magician who just pulled a rabbit out of a hat. Never mind that he didn't actually do any work.

Time for a few introductions!]

Fukuzawa-sachou, Kunikida-kun. He'll be going by the name 'Ellis' outside of this room.

[Smile, smile. Not the immediate explanation they were looking for, and he briefly touched Bedivere's shoulder. It felt odd given the height difference.]

No Longer Human won't make him disappear. He probably doesn't have the alternative form of a twenty-foot eldritch squid, although my ability messes with his very decorative arm.

As you may have already guessed, he's a genuine knight in shiny armor, complete with an honorable disposition that'll make him popular with the elderly, kids, and fragile egos. Given the circumstances, he'll have to accompany me until this Grail War has reached its conclusion.

[Here, he looked at Fukuzawa with a silent request for permission.]

Edited 2020-09-15 04:28 (UTC)

...it feels like you're teasing me...

[That was all Bedivere said in the moment, though. He could tell this was an appeal to authority, and he wasn't about to ruin Dazai's chances at whatever approval he was looking to get. But he still had to point that out, because while everything Dazai said was true, it still did feel like he was being teased.

Fukuzawa, meanwhile, took his time to consider the options. This was far, far beyond anything the Agency had ever come across before. Some magic ritual for a relic that could grant wishes? People being summoned to fight for that purpose? It all sounded like danger for the city, and Fukuzawa was inclined to think that it was a problem too large for the Agency on their own.

But who could he go to for assistance? A free, unconditional wish was a powerful motivator. Anyone he might have thought of to ask for help would be tempted to go for that wish. No, there was no help to be had, not even from the government. They would need to shut this down, and quietly.

So finally, Fukuzawa nodded to Dazai.]

Understood. We will take this case, then. Our goal will be to end this 'Grail War' as quickly as possible, with the fewest number of casualties that we can manage.

[Waiting for Fukuzawa's reply was a very convenient excuse to not answer Bedivere. If anything, Dazai looked suspiciously innocent.

They did get that approval, though, and he dipped his head in acknowledgment.]

Of course, sachou.

['Thank you,' his tone said. Minimizing the collateral damage was already a given.]

Now, do you have any questions for Saber? And, Saber - anything you'd like to add?

Just that I plan to be by your side throughout all of this, and I will keep you safe. Grail Wars can be dangerous, though, so it is for the best to be discreet.

[Of course a knight would insist on protecting their Master. He was too good to not.

But the fact that he could make such declarations with a straight face said a lot about him. Fukuzawa wasn't sure if he was impressed or bemused.]

No questions for now. We're going to run this where the Grail War is primarily your duty, Dazai-kun. Call on the Agency as you need help, but until the resources are needed, we will act as if we are not involved. That way the others underestimate your capabilities, if they discover who you are.

[Dazai might or might not be beaming, somewhere in that fine line of amusement and delight. It was a similar expression to the one he wore when he heard Atsushi make similar declarations during non-serious circumstances, or in the few seconds after announcing that he was pulling Kunikida's leg.

Ah, the joys of finding pockets of sincerity.

To Fukuzawa:]

Got it.

[It was nice having a boss who was on the same page.

If there was nothing else - time to head back to the dorm after saying their goodbyes, and he hummed once the elevator doors closed.]

Well? What do you think?

[Bedivere was sure he was still being teased. But he also didn't sense any malice, so he could handle the teasing.

By the time they were back at the dorm, Bedivere was back in his borrowed clothes and following after Dazai a bit too obediently to be written off as 'just a friendship'. He really needed to work on the whole 'acting casual' part. But he was trying.

He did notice a certain someone peeking out of one of the other dorm apartments as they stepped into Dazai's, though. He made a note to remember those yellow and purple eyes.]

I think your neighbor is suspicious of me.

[Ah, but that didn't answer Dazai's question.]

Your boss seems like an honorable man. He also has a keen eye, so I don't think anything will slip his notice. You can trust him to warn you if something happens.

You mean Atsushi-kun? [Yeah, he noticed that too. Talking to Kyouka was definitely on the table tomorrow.] I'd like to say he's just curious given that I've never brought anyone else over to the dorms, but he has been acting strange today.

[The cleaning incident from earlier was on his mind. Though, to be fair, Atsushi had a very obvious pull - or was yearning the right word here? - in getting to know Dazai in spite of Dazai's slippery ways.

While Bedivere shared his thoughts, Dazai gestured for the guy to sit at the low table while he made made tea and brought out a sake bottle. Grail War or no, nothing short of being out on the field or ending up in prison would keep him from his usual night cap.]

That he is. Fukuzawa-sachou's a level-headed and reliable man, and I don't say that lightly. In the unlikely but not improbable event that we get separated, look for him or Atsushi-kun.

[After the Grail War was settled, that last part might become something of an inside joke.]

[Oh, these low tables were interesting. It was not the kind of table Bedivere had grown up using, but in his travels he had seen them from time to time. Sitting seiza-style was very difficult, though, so he opted to sit cross-legged.

Though Dazai's proposition was a problem for several reasons. Bedivere realized that he had much to explain still, so while Dazai worked on making the drinks he started to talk again.]

I will keep that in mind, though it may not be too helpful. I can't actually go that far away from you. We're bound together, you and I. Where you go, I go.

Some servants can travel further on their own- Archers, for example, are known for this- but I am not one of those who can. So you are, unfortunately, stuck with me.

[News to him!

He looked at Bedivere in consideration from where he was pouring hot water from an electric kettle to the teapot.]

That is awfully convenient, unless our opponent has some type of vehicle. ['Rider' was one of the classes mentioned, after all. After asking for an estimated maximum distance that they can be apart in case of battle, his next question was:] Would you know if there's another Servant nearby? Or if four more have already been summoned, for that matter.

Some do have vehicles, but hopefully the Rider in this grail war doesn't. Machines are harder to stop than living creatures.

[Ishtar and her moped, for example. Bedivere preferred live horses for his own use. He was still unfamiliar with technology, as the way he watched the electric kettle heat up water may have given away. But he could at least answer Dazai's question before letting curiosity get the better of him.]

I can sense them if they're not hiding, yes. Remember when I went into spirit form? That is how Servants can avoid detection.

But Master, how did you hear up the water without putting the kettle over fire?

-- machines? [He rubbed his chin.] You mean like a tank?

[That was way too unsubtle.

So was a chariot, actually, but there was a chance that might be mistaken as a spectacle instead of something that needed the military's attention.

That extra bit of usefulness about Bedivere staying in spirit form, he filed for later. See, that new question was innocent to a tooth-rotting degree, and Dazai wondered how much of Bedivere's overall appearance influenced that impression.]

With electricity. [Speaking of which - don't think he forgot that talk over dinner earlier. Dazai pointed at the base of the kettle.] It heats a metal coil hidden in here, which, in turn, boils the water in the compartment above it.

I'd normally use a stove, but this is much faster.

Or a...motorcycle? The one with two wheels in a row.

[There was no end to what a Rider could ride. Bedivere was still hoping it was a more traditional Rider, that would be easier to deal with.

While Dazai explained the kettle, Bedivere watched closely. Luckily he didn't completely lack the context to understand what Dazai was saying, so he was able to grasp the way it worked. At the end of it, he nodded once to show his understanding.]

It must be easier, too, than managing the level of fire in a stove. But it sounds so fantastical, like it must be one of Da Vinci's inventions.

[Her 'car' came to mind when he said that.]

Those, too, though I'm hard-pressed to remember any legendary figures who own motorcycles.

[That was the main reason he suggested tanks: war heroes were aplenty in a world that just got through a war ten years ago. ~~Just ask Fukuchi.~~

Now that the tea was done, it took him two trips to first bring the teapot and cups to the table, followed by the sake.]

You're not wrong: there are thermometers and whatnot built-in.

How do you know of Leonardo Da Vinci, anyway? [There was only one famous inventor with that name.] Didn't he live a few centuries after your time? Or do well-known historical figures have this afterlife mingling room if they have the potential to become Servants?

Edited 2020-09-16 15:50 (UTC)

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this is so weird to be playing them both

v different energy

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