PSL (closed)

[1stknight]

[Honestly, being summoned was quite the surprise to Bedivere. Being a saber, he knew he was at a disadvantage. After all, there were so many more sabers even just from the Round Table who were much more famous, so surely they would have been summoned over him. In fact, he was sure it had happened countless times before. That one master he had met, the one from Chaldea, they had spoken of singularities and grail wars to span several worlds and timelines. And with so many fine Sabers to choose from, he was sure that he hadn't ever been summoned before. The short time between the 'creation of his legend' and 'now' notwithstanding.

It made him feel a touch inadequate, if he was being truthful. After all, he was a simple knight. The master who had summoned him, he deserved better than someone like him. But if he was the one who was summoned, then he would fulfill his duty to this new master. Nothing would be done in half-steps, never again.

So as his form solidified in the summoning circle, Bedivere offered his new master a warm smile. Once again, his life was sworn to someone else's. Whatever his master wished for, Bedivere would help him achieve it.]

Saber, Bedivere. I am honored to be summoned by you. From now on, I shall be your Servant.

['I am honored to be summoned at all' was the truth, but he didn't speak that.

Then he paused, and he took a survey of the situation. The summoning circle was expertly made, but this man in front of him...well. He didn't look like a mage. He looked like a normal person. Perhaps it was a disguise? Or maybe there was more to this situation than he could see immediately. He would have to wait for his new master to respond in order to find out more.]

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[1stknight]

[The enemy was not in pursuit yet, because he was struggling to get back to his feet after getting knocked down by sudden door. One turn of stun! That gave them time to flee.

To the park they went, with Bedivere leading Dazai to a shaded area under some trees. He didn't really want to call it 'hiding', since it was a tactical retreat, but that was basically what it was. They needed to stay out of sight long enough for Archer to leave the area looking for them, and concealing his presence by touching Dazai was the best way to do it.

Bedivere glanced to Dazai, checking on him. He wanted to make sure his Master was holding up fine under the pressure.]

Archer will likely be alone here. Archers can move further away from their Masters without suffering ill effects.

[A quick bit of whispered advice, before a hail of gunfire took out one of the trash cans nearby. Locals were scared away, which was good for limiting casualties, but bad for giving Bedivere and Dazai cover to hide in. Bedivere flinched away from the gunfire, and then spoke to Dazai again.]

If I use my Noble Phantasm, I might be able to injure him enough to get him to leave. But it will leave us vulnerable for at least a day, and we will have to hide.

[neverwashere]

[In the process, Bedivere's identity would be exposed. Now that Dazai thought about it, however, it wasn't the worst idea.

He might not be aware that conceptual weaknesses were actually a thing, but the point was that when he looked up the scant details available, Bedivere's legend had no equivalent of an Achilles heel. No - Bedivere was a good-looking knight loyal to King Arthur, helped the guy fight a giant and several battles, survived Camlann, and had to be convinced to toss Excalibur into the lake.

He supposedly lost a hand or an arm at some point, so unless Bedivere announced his identity, people might still confuse him for someone else.

Right. Now the only issue was having other Servants know how his Noble Phantasm worked, which would only become an actual problem if they were alive to worry about it.

(Incidentally, Bedivere might notice how quickly Dazai recovered from being shot at or having his life put at risk. Turns out being a detective's a dangerous job amirite?)]

We can plan while we recover.

Do it.

[1stknight]

[Right as Dazai gave the order, the tree across the path from them exploded from gunfire. Within moments, the Archer would find them and shred them to bits with whatever hail of bullets they were using.

Time to act.

Letting go of Dazai, Bedivere sprung out of their hiding place, running through the trees and ducking around to Archer's side. He knew the Archer would shoot in response, and Bedivere didn't want Dazai to get hit in the middle of the fight. Even if he had recovered quickly earlier, he would need longer to recover from actual bullet wounds.

Once he was out on the path that went through the trees, Archer in his sights, Bedivere began his chant.]

Devour my soul and come forth, o silver shooting star.

[His silver arm began to glow, and the Archer visibly blanched as he realized what Bedivere was doing. He turned and tried to shoot at Bedivere with his cane-gun, but the bullets bounced off harmlessly. That silver arm, it could protect Bedivere while also being used as a weapon. And the way it glowed made it look like a brilliant golden sword.]

...Dead end, Airgetlam!

[He dove in, slashing his arm in a wide motion. It was like he was using his arm as a sword, and the glow seemed to match that use. The raw energy cut into the Archer, making a bit slash across his chest.

Not enough to kill. It wouldn't be enough, not with the class advantage Bedivere was facing. But it was enough to stagger his foe and make him reconsider his actions.

Bedivere stood up properly, taking care to hide just how much that attack had drained him. Dazai would be able to feel it, though. Bedivere had used up most of the mana they had stockpiled last night, and wasn't in a place to fight further. Still, he stood strong and acted like he was uninjured.]

Stand down, Archer. The War hasn't begun in earnest yet. You don't want to be defeated before the final servants are summoned, do you?

[Archer, for his part, made a soft 'che!' sound. Perhaps he would accept retreat for that day.]

[neverwashere]

[Now that was draining, and Dazai leaned back on a tree, a picture of nonchalance to hide his sudden exhaustion. Even then, he had to whistle - what a brilliant shooting star that arm was, complete with an unexpectedly grim chant. A sign of what lengths Bedivere would go to act on his loyalty, perhaps..?

Ah, now wasn't the time to speculate. Archer might have more leeway to move about, but that in itself wasn't a guarantee that his Master decided to come along.

He clapped, keeping his weight on the tree behind him, a faint smile on his lips. There was a charade they still had to play as long as their enemy was still on the field. How much could he possibly reverse the situation and let Archer think Bedivere just fired off his Noble Phantasm because his Master had mana to spare?]

Well done.

Fancy pistol you've got there, Archer. I know men who'd kill to shave off the time it takes to reload a weapon.

Incidentally: is that productivity also why you have no qualms in taking out the competition as soon as possible?

[Insinuating that Archer might think he had better places to be seemed like a good start. People who preferred the efficiency of striking first - i.e., Mori - tended to be rather ruthless.]

[1stknight]

[Even though he knew Dazai was quick on the uptake, Bedivere was still happy to see just how quickly Dazai joined in on the facade. No explanations needed, he just knew what he had to do. There was a hint of fondness to the small smile on his face, for the moment he allowed his emotions to be more genuine.

Archer scoffed as he leaned back against a tree. He may have been hamming it up a bit, but he definitely was bleeding from a large cut on his chest. Only a Servant would be left standing after a blow like that, and Archer seemed a touch annoyed to be hit so easily. Still, he spoke with a cheerful (albeit slightly pained) voice.]

I'm sure you do! And you two certainly make for a good show. Here I thought I would be able to take out an opponent easily right after another fight, but I suppose you two had mana held back in reserves.

[The Archer's words turned a touch darker and his cheerful look became a more sinister grin, though.]

But if the lad here used his Noble Phantasm already, then you two must be spent, hmm?

[neverwashere]

[Ahh, well. It was a good effort. Still might be. If Archer chose the outfit he did instead of something more battle-worthy, wouldn't that mean his preferred image was that of a gentleman or an aristocrat?

Not that it mattered too much when people like F. Scott 'I'll punch you with the power of money' Fitzgerald existed, but.

Mirroring that smile was simple enough. Dazai's had a lot of practice doing it while pacing his breath.]

Are you saying you'd care to test that? [He drew himself up to his full height and took a step forward.] Even as someone as hardy as a Servant can't afford to linger with your wound. Your Master won't have a pleasant time patching you up.

[1stknight]

Can there be reward without risk?

[He was bleeding a lot, though. And though Bedivere was spent, he at least looked physically alright. The bluff was still working, somewhat, and Archer was considering his options.

Finally, the man made a scoffing noise, and he jumped back towards the trees. Out of sight, presumably leaving the area. The risk was not worth it to him, it seemed. Perhaps the threat of his Master being upset was enough to get him to listen.

Regardless, Bedivere wasn't going to stay around and see what happened. As soon as Archer had run off, Bedivere quickly turned to Dazai.]

We need to leave this place immediately.

[Not 'let's go back', because there was still a chance of being followed. But they needed to hide somewhere for at least a couple hours, until it was safe to return to their base.]

[neverwashere]

[Dazai figured the bluff might only have worked because Archer was injured.

Ah well. Better for them to figure out how to deal with the downtime this early on, rather than in the middle of something like a three-way fight.]

Of course.

[He kept his steps steady as he reached Bedivere.]

You'll have to let me see your arm up close, hmm? I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to properly appreciate the handiwork.

[It was the flimsiest excuse for him to lean onto Bedivere and vice versa, if Bedivere so chose, as he brought them to the park's exit and hailed a cab. Might as well be comfortable on the ride home.]

Will facing normal bullets also be an issue for you?

[1stknight]

No more than a stab wound would be. I can heal from it, given enough time.

[That was the nice part about being a Servant: one-hit kills didn't really exist.

Dazai was free to lean, though Bedivere didn't comment on the fact that Dazai wanted to inspect his arm. The two of them could lean on each other and act like they weren't at all involved in the gunfight that had just burst out in a park. It was a good thing they were leaving, as the cops were definitely on their way.]

You didn't get hit, did you?

[neverwashere]

[Hmm. This sure reminded him of something.]

Once you've rested enough, I'm having you dodge rubber bullets.

Archer isn't the only Servant with a gun. Rider as a pistol, and Q's boss isn't adverse to sending in snipers.

[Better get used to gunfire while you're in Yokohama, Bedivere.

Dazai continued to hold on to that arm after they settled in the cab, tracing the strange lines and glyphs. He'd still do the same if Bedivere chose to transform back into more casual clothing.]

No, no hits here. Like I said, you did well.

[1stknight]

[What.]

Rubber bullets? What are those?

[Not a bad idea though. Bedivere needed to learn how to dodge. He was too used to his armor protecting him and just worrying about his head. Too many gun-users put Bedivere at risk.

They could ride in the cab quietly though, keeping talk of the War to a minimum while they rode. Being overheard would do no good. Instead, Bedivere watched Dazai trace those lines on his arm. He couldn't feel them- even transformed back, touching Dazai blocked the magic that allowed his metal arm to function like a normal one- but he was curious about the motions.]

I'm glad you're alright. It is my duty to protect you, after all.

[neverwashere]

Your introduction to modern warfare. [For a moment, his smile turned grim.] You'd think people would stop romanticizing murder after such impersonal methods became commonplace, but no. Ideologies stick.

[A point he won't elaborate on after they got into the cab. There were nicer things to focus on, because this kind of intricate metalwork? If there was one thing he could say about Bedivere's age, it's that they made their killing implements pretty.]

So you have.

Tell me, as you're an expert in that area of history: what were knights rewarded with?

[Time to pretend they were discussing secondhand information from scholars instead of Bedivere's actual life experiences.]

[1stknight]

[That certainly was an odd sentiment to hear, or at least it was to Bedivere who was guilty of romanticizing knighthood. But he didn't question it, since they were in the cab and all.

That question was one he took at face value, not catching the innuendo behind it. He did step into the role of 'scholarly expert' easily though, so the cab driver wouldn't suspect anything.]

It depends on what they accomplished. For a victory in battle, they might be granted lands, or a monetary reward. For loyalty, positions of power in a kingdom. Sometimes betrothal offers were made as well, but those were rare. A king couldn't force a noblewoman to marry, you see, and princesses were usually married off to other princes.

[neverwashere]

I see.

[Too bad his ability cancelled out everything. Dazai would've wanted to find out if the way he traced the grooves on the silver arm would've affected Bedivere.]

For the sake of discussion, let's say you're one at the present time. What would you like as a reward for your good effort?

[1stknight]

[Ah, so there it was. The corner of Bedivere's mouth twitched in amusement.]

I would like to see you eat a healthy meal and get some rest. It's been quite a long day.

[And they would absolutely need to hold hands again all night. Something else would have been preferable, given how much mana Bedivere blew on trying to get Archer to run away, but after their conversation in the phone booth Bedivere had his doubts on if his Master would even want to do that.]

[neverwashere]

That's a direct-to-me thing and doesn't count.

[He rapped his knuckles on Bedivere's shoulder. Dazai had every intention of picking up their earlier conversation in a direct fashion once they weren't in a cab, but this would have to do for now.]

[1stknight]

A meal shared together, then.

[They would definitely have to pick it up later, though. Because once they were safely inside Dazai's little apartment, Bedivere was immediately sitting down and leaning his back against the wall. In the privacy of their little base, Bedivere could let himself be tired.

His arm turned back to metal, too. No more wasting mana to keep up appearances.]

[neverwashere]

Oh, fine.

[The first thing Dazai did once the door was closed was to shrug off his coat and carelessly toss it over the back of a chair. The second was to fish out a few tins of canned crab. He wasn't in the mood for anything fancy, he wanted to have his usual comfort food for a change, and the rice cooker can bother with the rice.]

So what were you saying earlier, before Archer rudely interrupted?

[1stknight]

[Eew, crab. Bedivere was too tired to argue over the health qualities of canned crab. Instead, he waved for Dazai to come over and sit next to him.]

I need mana from you. The more physical contact, the faster I get it.

[neverwashere]

[Nutritional quality is irrelevant in the face of exhaustion.

Exhibit A: Dazai snacking directly from the can while waiting for the rice to cook. At least he was using chopsticks?]

And we can clearly agree that the faster we can get over from our downtime, the better it will be for us.

Which brings me to the next topic: you declared earlier you'd rather exclude sex as a means of recovery. Is that correct?

[1stknight]

[Ah, there it was. Bedivere sighed at the crab-eating, but he tried to keep an even voice as he answered.]

I have no personal experience in such matters, but I have seen close relations like that destroy friendships and fracture kingdoms. And...I don't want to get my hopes and expectations up. That wouldn't be fair to you.

[neverwashere]

"Hopes and expectations?"

[The rest was understandable, but not that. Was Dazai missing something here? Or did Bedivere really have performance anxiety?]

I don't care if you're a virgin, Saber, if that's the issue. We all have to start from somewhere. The way you said it, however - by any chance, were you an avid reader of romantic stories? The horizontal tango can be messier than they make it sound.

[1stknight]

That is not it! The amount of romance stories I have read have nothing to do with this!

[Yep. He was an avid reader of romance stories and had mental images of what would happen during sex. Mental images that he couldn't see himself fitting into, because he didn't see himself as a desirable partner.

His expression absolutely gave him away too.]

[neverwashere]

[Oh boy. That face.]

Okay then.

[Dazai's pretty sure that's it, but -]

Then what kind of hopes are you expecting to be dashed? Just so you know, I only flirt with people I find attractive, though I will be toning that down given that you seem to be attracted to someone else entirely.

[1stknight]

I-I'm not attracted to anyone, Dazai!

[Really, he wasn't. He just deeply admired his king and had his first naughty dream the previous night and didn't know what to do about that.

Mortified, Bedivere reached up to cover his face with his hand.]

I'm not even sure why you insist on calling me attractive. You know that I am a plain knight, yes? Tristan or Gawain are far more attractive than me.

[He didn't mention Arturia because his attraction to her had more to do with her personality than her looks, and he was talking more about looks currently. Tristan and Gawain had no shortage of women fawning over their looks, so they could be considered attractive.]