[ to think that things would end in such a manner...
end may perhaps be an inaccurate term: every ending is, after all, merely another beginning. the end of the reign of the King of Heroes, the first of all kings, had been followed by the beginning of a new king's rule, and the end of Gilgamesh's mortal existence had preceded his reincarnation as the first of all Servants. when the King had died, had Ereshkigal, the dark queen cute though she may be of Kur, at last claimed his soul for her own? if so, the Throne had claimed it more fully, and Gilgamesh had returned again and again, always in his prime: a future his clairvoyance had allowed him to glimpse, even during his life. an end preceded newness, like winter shading into spring.
the Calamity hanging in the sky promises the cessation of existence, but so had Tiamat as she descended upon Uruk, the literal end of the world. humanity had survived, though Gilgamesh's kingdom was burnt to cinders, his citizens rendered corpses. perhaps Avalon shall survive this calamity. or perhaps it shall not. perhaps this is the true End, not unlike that final prophesied heat death of the universe. if it is so... if it is unavoidable, at long last, then at least their feet have taken them on many journeys.
or, rather, Gilgamesh has had many a journey, all of which he holds valuable to himself, each footstep having been one more note in his legend. the future may ceast to exist, but the past can never be undone, and as he learned that day at the ancient spring, one must live only for the present.
so the King of Heroes is upon the island with Ereshkigal -- one whose existence has been far more spatially circumscribed than his own, the woman who lived only with the shades and the shadows for untold years. had came to rescue her from her own foolishness, but now the two of them are simply trying to make their way out together, and it is night, a single candle between them rather than a proper campfire. ]
Hm-- [ he folds one leg over as he sits, as he did on his throne in Uruk. ] -- when facing the end of the universe, I had rather do so on the field of battle. Yet...
[ at the moment, he has little say in the matter. he is here, in this strangely quiet scenario, with a companion he could not have anticipated. he had never thought to have this goddess of all beings for company, at such a time. yet by now, he seems to have accepted her presence, and the words are not spoken in the tone of a complaint, nor is there grim resignation there. what shall be shall be, as goes another timeless saying. ]
[ Ereshkigal had recovered her powers- More than that, she had absorbed those of the stone giant. They were now a part of her, powers that preceded even the existence of Morganna. Why, with that power boost she might even be more powerful than Ishtar now, regardless of her location! It had been unexpected, but it wasn't the first time she had taken the divine authority of another god for the good of the underworld.
And yet, here she was, in a place and time when none of those powers she held were of any help. Worse, she was stuck with that rude king. Well, he was a bit wiser than his Archer counterpart, but still... ]
Not all battles are won on the battlefield, King of Heroes.
[ Ereshkigal was standing still. Mostly because she wasn't sure how to sit down by a candle like that. She'd done camping with Ritsuka when she'd borrowed Ishtar's body, but... No way she was going to make a fool of herself in front of him. She looked up at the Calamity in the skies. ]
It will be stopped. Have faith. [She paused.] If not by us, by humans who have strength of will to.
[ at present, it is a time of great peril for Uruk, and all citizens have been called by the King to enact their roles to the best of their abilities: soldiers, craftsmen, priests and priestesses, scribes -- each attends to his or her duty in a manner that shall benefit the war effort and the kingdom as a whole. even if one is not a soldier or a Servant, not directly involved in the conflict, one must act with respect to the greater good.
just as Gilgamesh had foreseen, the last of humanity's Masters, Ritsuka, and her companion, Mashu, had arrived within his kingdom. he had tested them both, of course -- and had found them wanting, though that, too, he had expected.
yet the King of Heroes was magnanimous enough to grant Ritsuka and Mashu another chance to prove themselves. or, rather, a series of smaller chances: tasks, duties wherein they could show their valor. eventually, once his fondness for them had grown somewhat, he ordered them removed from the peasants' quarters and brought to his own -- for this, too, was a task, a duty: to service him, the King of Uruk, the first of all kings.
would they oppose such a challenge, or would they recognize it as making a stand as part of a larger cause -- the survival of humanity itself?
regardless, now Mashu and Ritsuka are brought before the throne and placed on their knees, kneeling before Gilgamesh. ]
Are you prepared, mongrels?
[ he is deliberately perfunctory: Siduri should have filled the girls in on the details of what to expect, and Gilgamesh has no intention of going easy on either of them. ]
[ As Ritsuka knelt besides Mashu before Gilgamesh, she had made up her mind. When she had been told that the two of them had been given a new duty by the King, after all of their hard work to regain her favor, the red-haired girl had been ecstatic that their hard work and determination had paid off. That didn't last long, as they were informed by Siduri just what was to be expected of them, her cheeks flushing red and eyes growing wide in shock.
But Ritsuka knows that they can't refuse - not when he had so graciously offered them a second chance, with the fate of humanity resting on their shoulders. And she can't help but feel responsible, that because she had been lacking as a Master in the first place that they had failed to meet Gilgamesh's expectations. It wasn't fair to Mashu, not when she had put herself on the front lines of danger so many times even though she knew so little of the world outside of Chaldea, to have to go through this when it was her fault.
This time, she'll be the one to protect her. ]
Your highness... [ She raises her gaze towards the shining king on his throne, hoping that he wouldn't be angered by her audacity, before continuing on. ] We are, but... I beg you, let me also take on Mashu's work too! As Shielder's Master, it's my fault that she couldn't utilize her full strength to overcome her trial, and I should take responsibility for that...!
[ there are times when Gilgamesh does not know whether he should count himself fortunate or deeply the opposite of that in having been summoned (in this incarnation) by a being who is ostensibly one of the Dead Apostles: a vampire, in another word and according to other lore.
the world of humans had problems enough of its own, and the world of divine spirits (of which his own era had many) had its share as well, but the undead were a separate category from either humans or divinity, and not a category with which he had especial dealings... not until now, at least. truly, such beings were more often relegated to the Executors of the Church, or so he had gleaned from his exploration of the modern world. to have a Dead Apostle for a Master meant having a Master with considerable stamina, strength, and some abilities of her own that might be equal to or superior to conventional magecraft. yet there were vulnerabilities as well: said Executors, for example, should one also be a Master, which was entirely probable given the Church's frequent association with and oversight of the Holy Grail War.
the King of Heroes might acknowledge by now that his Master had a certain sort of ... "grit," one might say, yet it was also apparent that there were eyes upon them. they were targets, him for his status and golden presentation, and her for her heritage. thus far, they have dispatched of such threats easily enough, but during their last battle, his Master took a strike from an assailant lurking in the shadows -- perhaps atop one of the houses in the nearby residential district, for their enemy at hand had been a Rider class, but the strike had all the tell-tale marks of an Assassin, one whose Master was likely lurking about in the shadows nearby. the battle had to be prematurely ended (though, had it not been so, Gilgamesh knows the victory would have been theirs), as the King's erstwhile Master had fallen, and he had departed with her body at rest atop a certain aircraft of legend. had it been him, alone, he should have instead departed with a flurry of golden dust, but... such a dissipation was not so easily possible for one who lacked a Servant's ability to turn non-corporeal.
now she lies in the bed at the manor, whilst he stands in the corner, in the shadows, arms folded and brows knit. ]
To think that I, with my majesty, should be playing nursemaid.
[ if she awakens, if she overhears, that is akin to saying, you owe me one, Master. ]
And I used not one, but multiple of my treasures, in seeing to your rescue.
[ a sword to fend off Assassin, a flurry of swords to put distance between them and the other Servants -- both the visible ones and the hidden ones -- to give them the space to escape. and, ah, yes, that too was another indignation: he was hardly one to flee.
a troublesome Master, indeed... quite a mongrel. though is she still in the absolute darkness of unconsciousness? and when shall she awaken? such an irksome situation... ]
HGW meme featuring Bishop as Master -- continued from meme
[ Gilgamesh tilts his head and his gaze -- the latter red and sharp, eyes that forgive no insult.
it would seem that he may be debating whether to engage the intruding mongrel at all, if only to demand his silence.
his eyes flit back to Bishop, expression hard -- ]
Well?
[ it is of course Bishop's choice whether to intercede at such a moment or wait to see what plays out, but the Servant has not addressed the patriarch -- Bishop's instincts in this situation being quite apt and correct -- and for the King of Heroes, his original inquiry remains unaddressed; his temper and attitude being what they are, it might be in his Master's best interest to diffuse the situation if he is to have anything remotely resembling a cooperative Servant.
that look says: do not make me ask of you again, mongrel. ]
[ The feeling in his chest tightened. Instincts screaming, burning at their hottest and brightest, telling him this is going to end in a bloodbath if he didn't interfere, but this was also his client and he was only paid to fight and win no matter the cost, no matter the method. Getting rid of entitled fools who'll screw up his plans is an appropriate method, and they have already paid him.
He stepped past the old fool and knelt before the Servant. ]
My sincere apologies, your highness.
[ Immediately his hand shot up and grabbed the old man, effortlessly dragging him onto his hands and knees. ]
This man's head was much too high.
[ Then he shot a look back to the other family members and servants behind him to get on their knees as well or deal with him later. They followed but more out of fear of Bishop himself rather than Gilgamesh, a sad mark of just how far their family had fallen. ]
I'm the one who performed the summoning. [ Raising his hand to show the seals emblazoned on the back of his hand. ] I'm called Bishop.
From a student to a man of the academy, is it? How times have changed.
[ though it is not exactly surprising that Waver would end up in such a profession, tbh. ]
Mundane though it may be, someone must see to the task of preparing the young for the world. [ look, he had educational institutions in Uruk. the first in human history, in point of fact. ] Though with that modern and undisciplined lot of yours, I am surprised you keep your sanity or life in so doing.
Edited 2022-10-16 14:02 (UTC)
Thanks for the capture escape, and I apologize for the wait! Work kicked my butt.
[ Though Gil actually put it more kindly than Waver would. He’d had to grow up from an insufferable brat one day. But moving on to a prickly professor was truthfully unsurprising in hindsight. ]
We are in agreement on that much, then. [ He will take this topic over the prior and run with it. ] It’s touch and go some days, if I’m being honest… But impulsive and trying on the nerves as they may be, they also show a lot of promise. It’s a worthwhile challenge. [ Even when it stung every time they move ahead of him. ]
Well, I practice mostly a form of Sumeran dance - it's sort of a mix of sword-dancing, ballet, and bellydancing - but I've learned other forms of dance from other places outside of my home city as well.
[ Wait. And actual no face or ..just a metaphor..? ]
Oh... dear. Well then I think it would be kind to say - or at least simple truth..? I have to say I've never met someone without a face...especially if you mean that literally.
[ the mansion belonging to Gilgamesh's current Master has not changed overly since the last time he occupied it, when it belonged to a different Master -- a patriarch and an avatar of the old ways of the magi. in those days, he had complained about the ugliness of the modern world, no matter the obvious affluence and the scent of old money within this residence.
now, it was the same mansion, but a new generation and a new Master.
though this latest Tohsaka may have admired her father and the ways of magi which he had imparted unto her, she was... dissimilar in other ways, or so the King of Heroes believed, and his was a level of sight above ordinary mortals. for one thing, Rin had a kind of ingenuity, a sort of spark of cleverness which her father, dull as he was, had seemed to lack altogether. though he may have dealt in strategy, thinking himself one step ahead of others with his plans, such hard work had ultimately fallen apart when he had been unable to change course in the face of challenges that presented themselves in defiance of his plans and calculations. this was what happened when a human was committed to a certain way of thinking.
Rin, bright though she may be, always tended to miscalculate some detail or another in her plans. she stumbled over her own brilliance, perhaps because of how quickly her mind raced through ideas. however, the girl had an extraordinary trait in that she could change or reverse course in an instant when presented with a new obstacle. it was this genuine spur-of-the-moment creativity which had thus far saved her life in conflicts or dangerous situations.
tonight, of course, is a different sort of scenario: Gilgamesh is a Servant who requires considerable mana, even with this physical form he has obtained, and his Master has been gracious enough to consent to an exchange thereof.
thus he is back within that mansion, the source of his original summoning, standing in the bedroom with her as they prepare to undertake... the ritual, shall it be said. another from the one which summoned him.
truthfully, Gilgamesh does not act over-eager in any way, for that might go to Rin's head. rather, he sees the matter as a challenge for her -- he is curious what this Master will do, what she is capable of. ]
Hm... are you prepared, Master?
[ they have attained enough of a dynamic for him to address her thusly. there is a little twinkle in his eye.
such an event is likely to be her first, and he has no intention of going easy on his expectations of her. ]
[Tohsaka speaks with false confidence. No matter how prepared she is it is unlikely she'll ever truly be ready until it's behind her. Especially with her little 'curse' of fumbling at the last minute for nearly everything. However he is right — her failures have forced her to become resourceful and creative.
At the very least she has read magazines and familiarized herself with the concept. As it is a way of extracting mana from others she felt like it was necessary to know at least the mechanics of it.]
Are you stalling with such a question?
[Rin situates herself on the edge of her mattress and pushes a thick lock of hair over her shoulder.]
[ although, at present, all is going according to the plans they have laid out and everything is moving along smoothly with respect to the necessary course for the future which the King has foreseen with his clairvoyance, the current situation might not be described as entirely optimal, or, rather than judging on such a basis, it might rather be said that present events render circumstances which are outside of even Gilgamesh's conventional purview and experience.
the summoning of the Servants had been a great success. they were each well-equipped and disciplined allies who were already proving of great assistance in safeguarding Uruk's Absolute Front in preparation for the arrival of the last of humanity's Masters. a triplicate goddess alliance would prove an almost unthinkably formidable opponent, and even with all their powers combined, hope for victory was a flickering and fragile flame. yet, supervising his summoned allies, Gilgamesh was not one to focus upon the odds against him (them), but rather on the necessity of preparations, on what must be done. he could be pleased with their willingness to engage in the cause at hand. and in any case, his own days and nights were so busy, so full of preparations and planning that he could scarcely fixate upon grim possibilities. all energies were devoted, instead, to action -- to the necessity of the moment.
where the strangeness of the circumstances come into play lay not with the battles nor the preparations for the greater war, the training and testing of mettle, but rather with what might be seen as downtime. of course, the first of all kings cannot fail to be a grandiose host -- not even if his had been the reputation of a tyrant. he would still demonstrate the majesty of his kingdom in how he conducted guest rites, and this extended to this he summoned. after hours, most of them preferred to scout the walls of the city or to retire to the alehouses, but there was one who had quite the especial appetite.
the ghostly-pale Servant, a version of Saber -- incredibly strong, and also incredibly requiring of mana. it took quite a bit even for Gilgamesh to sustain her. when she arrives within his ziggurat after the latest foray, he already has an inkling as to what she is thinking, and what she desires. but as King, it is his duty to put the matter forth. so he does -- ]
Servant Saber. [ from his throne, he nods in acknowledgment, then rises to approach. ] In compensation for your accomplishments, you may state your desire, that it shall be fulfilled.
[ Her existence is a strange thing; she knows that in some ways she is merely a possibility. A possible future for humanity (or its end) and to some extent she is like that famous cat - neither dead nor alive, but trapped in between until time unwinds itself. Or perhaps her timeline is real to her but to no one else. Regardless, she has been brought to another time and another place - Babylonia. The dawn of humanity. And with it one of the original heroes. The King of Heroes, in point of fact, who she remembers differently from her own time.
How strange. How amusing.
But she will serve. That is her purpose. That is why she is here. She is a weapon and she will unsheathe her blade for the one called Gilgamesh. He is not Archer, after all. In some respects it reminds her of the differences between herself and... her other self. The one unconsumed by darkness. How mysterious.
In the end, fighting is what she does best.
She stands before him, expression flat, her pale golden eyes regarding him with detached interest. ]
Food. [ She gestures carelessly. ] Mana. I cannot be expected to slay your enemies if I remain weak.
the problems with Chaldea are numerous at this moment, and the King of Heroes has an itch to urge some changes, but there is the matter of where to even begin. after all, he has only just arrived.
presently, he seeks out Ritsuka and stands at the door of her quarters, after a brief knock. a tour of the facilities would seem to be in order, and she had previously offered as much at the moment he came, so he is here to make good on that claim.
not that he has any desire to see that mongrel or any gratitude for the things she did for him and his kingdom during the Singularity or anything. obviously not.
in any case, he does show up... almost as though he is bored and in need of entertainment. ]
[ There's a thumping noise inside the room, a muted crash and a yelp, and then the door opens. In spite of the sounds, Ritsuka is (mostly) presentable--a bit ruffled, in her usual black and white uniform, but more curious than concerned as she peers out at him. There is tinny filtered music blaring in the background; if he looks over her shoulder, he can see a pair of headphones lying discarded on the floor for the moment. ]
A heroic spirit summoned from the Throne of Heroes is no longer a mortal. Though they are mongrels to me, nonetheless, many were heroes and kings of renown in life.
[ actually, Gilgamesh has no objection to maidens. in fact, he has been known to have quite the preference for them. well, in his youth, at least. ya boi don't got time or energy for that life nowadays, his focus being elsewhere (alas for the ladies of Uruk). ]
Oh? Are you certain it is not merely because you are the governess of a land of shades and your chastity is preserved by the eternal solitude of the grave?
Laugh as you may, I take pride in my purity (￣︿￣)
You may have given up on romantic notions, but I believe in quality over quantity. The intense tale of love and passion me and my destined soulmate are to know shall eclipse any of your numerous and forgettable stories.
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DREAM+MEMSHARE for Ereshkigal /o/
end may perhaps be an inaccurate term: every ending is, after all, merely another beginning. the end of the reign of the King of Heroes, the first of all kings, had been followed by the beginning of a new king's rule, and the end of Gilgamesh's mortal existence had preceded his reincarnation as the first of all Servants. when the King had died, had Ereshkigal, the dark queen
cute though she may beof Kur, at last claimed his soul for her own? if so, the Throne had claimed it more fully, and Gilgamesh had returned again and again, always in his prime: a future his clairvoyance had allowed him to glimpse, even during his life. an end preceded newness, like winter shading into spring.the Calamity hanging in the sky promises the cessation of existence, but so had Tiamat as she descended upon Uruk, the literal end of the world. humanity had survived, though Gilgamesh's kingdom was burnt to cinders, his citizens rendered corpses. perhaps Avalon shall survive this calamity. or perhaps it shall not. perhaps this is the true End, not unlike that final prophesied heat death of the universe. if it is so... if it is unavoidable, at long last, then at least their feet have taken them on many journeys.
or, rather, Gilgamesh has had many a journey, all of which he holds valuable to himself, each footstep having been one more note in his legend. the future may ceast to exist, but the past can never be undone, and as he learned that day at the ancient spring, one must live only for the present.
so the King of Heroes is upon the island with Ereshkigal -- one whose existence has been far more spatially circumscribed than his own, the woman who lived only with the shades and the shadows for untold years. had came to rescue her from her own foolishness, but now the two of them are simply trying to make their way out together, and it is night, a single candle between them rather than a proper campfire. ]
Hm-- [ he folds one leg over as he sits, as he did on his throne in Uruk. ] -- when facing the end of the universe, I had rather do so on the field of battle. Yet...
[ at the moment, he has little say in the matter. he is here, in this strangely quiet scenario, with a companion he could not have anticipated. he had never thought to have this goddess of all beings for company, at such a time. yet by now, he seems to have accepted her presence, and the words are not spoken in the tone of a complaint, nor is there grim resignation there. what shall be shall be, as goes another timeless saying. ]
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And yet, here she was, in a place and time when none of those powers she held were of any help. Worse, she was stuck with that rude king. Well, he was a bit wiser than his Archer counterpart, but still... ]
Not all battles are won on the battlefield, King of Heroes.
[ Ereshkigal was standing still. Mostly because she wasn't sure how to sit down by a candle like that. She'd done camping with Ritsuka when she'd borrowed Ishtar's body, but... No way she was going to make a fool of herself in front of him. She looked up at the Calamity in the skies. ]
It will be stopped. Have faith. [She paused.] If not by us, by humans who have strength of will to.
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PSL w/Ritsuka... this one is going to get nsfw eventually... so WARNINGS
just as Gilgamesh had foreseen, the last of humanity's Masters, Ritsuka, and her companion, Mashu, had arrived within his kingdom. he had tested them both, of course -- and had found them wanting, though that, too, he had expected.
yet the King of Heroes was magnanimous enough to grant Ritsuka and Mashu another chance to prove themselves. or, rather, a series of smaller chances: tasks, duties wherein they could show their valor. eventually, once his fondness for them had grown somewhat, he ordered them removed from the peasants' quarters and brought to his own -- for this, too, was a task, a duty: to service him, the King of Uruk, the first of all kings.
would they oppose such a challenge, or would they recognize it as making a stand as part of a larger cause -- the survival of humanity itself?
regardless, now Mashu and Ritsuka are brought before the throne and placed on their knees, kneeling before Gilgamesh. ]
Are you prepared, mongrels?
[ he is deliberately perfunctory: Siduri should have filled the girls in on the details of what to expect, and Gilgamesh has no intention of going easy on either of them. ]
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But Ritsuka knows that they can't refuse - not when he had so graciously offered them a second chance, with the fate of humanity resting on their shoulders. And she can't help but feel responsible, that because she had been lacking as a Master in the first place that they had failed to meet Gilgamesh's expectations. It wasn't fair to Mashu, not when she had put herself on the front lines of danger so many times even though she knew so little of the world outside of Chaldea, to have to go through this when it was her fault.
This time, she'll be the one to protect her. ]
Your highness... [ She raises her gaze towards the shining king on his throne, hoping that he wouldn't be angered by her audacity, before continuing on. ] We are, but... I beg you, let me also take on Mashu's work too! As Shielder's Master, it's my fault that she couldn't utilize her full strength to overcome her trial, and I should take responsibility for that...!
lool it has been a while since i played gil in Bad Hentai Tropes mode... smh.
give me all of the bad hentai trope gil, yessss
BAD HENTAI TROPE intensifies
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Odette / VtM x-over
the world of humans had problems enough of its own, and the world of divine spirits (of which his own era had many) had its share as well, but the undead were a separate category from either humans or divinity, and not a category with which he had especial dealings... not until now, at least. truly, such beings were more often relegated to the Executors of the Church, or so he had gleaned from his exploration of the modern world. to have a Dead Apostle for a Master meant having a Master with considerable stamina, strength, and some abilities of her own that might be equal to or superior to conventional magecraft. yet there were vulnerabilities as well: said Executors, for example, should one also be a Master, which was entirely probable given the Church's frequent association with and oversight of the Holy Grail War.
the King of Heroes might acknowledge by now that his Master had a certain sort of ... "grit," one might say, yet it was also apparent that there were eyes upon them. they were targets, him for his status and golden presentation, and her for her heritage. thus far, they have dispatched of such threats easily enough, but during their last battle, his Master took a strike from an assailant lurking in the shadows -- perhaps atop one of the houses in the nearby residential district, for their enemy at hand had been a Rider class, but the strike had all the tell-tale marks of an Assassin, one whose Master was likely lurking about in the shadows nearby. the battle had to be prematurely ended (though, had it not been so, Gilgamesh knows the victory would have been theirs), as the King's erstwhile Master had fallen, and he had departed with her body at rest atop a certain aircraft of legend. had it been him, alone, he should have instead departed with a flurry of golden dust, but... such a dissipation was not so easily possible for one who lacked a Servant's ability to turn non-corporeal.
now she lies in the bed at the manor, whilst he stands in the corner, in the shadows, arms folded and brows knit. ]
To think that I, with my majesty, should be playing nursemaid.
[ if she awakens, if she overhears, that is akin to saying, you owe me one, Master. ]
And I used not one, but multiple of my treasures, in seeing to your rescue.
[ a sword to fend off Assassin, a flurry of swords to put distance between them and the other Servants -- both the visible ones and the hidden ones -- to give them the space to escape. and, ah, yes, that too was another indignation: he was hardly one to flee.
a troublesome Master, indeed... quite a mongrel. though is she still in the absolute darkness of unconsciousness? and when shall she awaken? such an irksome situation... ]
HGW meme featuring Bishop as Master -- continued from meme
it would seem that he may be debating whether to engage the intruding mongrel at all, if only to demand his silence.
his eyes flit back to Bishop, expression hard -- ]
Well?
[ it is of course Bishop's choice whether to intercede at such a moment or wait to see what plays out, but the Servant has not addressed the patriarch -- Bishop's instincts in this situation being quite apt and correct -- and for the King of Heroes, his original inquiry remains unaddressed; his temper and attitude being what they are, it might be in his Master's best interest to diffuse the situation if he is to have anything remotely resembling a cooperative Servant.
that look says: do not make me ask of you again, mongrel. ]
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He stepped past the old fool and knelt before the Servant. ]
My sincere apologies, your highness.
[ Immediately his hand shot up and grabbed the old man, effortlessly dragging him onto his hands and knees. ]
This man's head was much too high.
[ Then he shot a look back to the other family members and servants behind him to get on their knees as well or deal with him later. They followed but more out of fear of Bishop himself rather than Gilgamesh, a sad mark of just how far their family had fallen. ]
I'm the one who performed the summoning. [ Raising his hand to show the seals emblazoned on the back of his hand. ] I'm called Bishop.
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TFLN 10/16 --- Wavuhhh
[ though it is not exactly surprising that Waver would end up in such a profession, tbh. ]
Mundane though it may be, someone must see to the task of preparing the young for the world. [ look, he had educational institutions in Uruk. the first in human history, in point of fact. ] Though with that modern and undisciplined lot of yours, I am surprised you keep your sanity or life in so doing.
Thanks for the capture escape, and I apologize for the wait! Work kicked my butt.
[ Though Gil actually put it more kindly than Waver would. He’d had to grow up from an insufferable brat one day. But moving on to
a pricklyprofessor was truthfully unsurprising in hindsight. ]We are in agreement on that much, then. [ He will take this topic over the prior and run with it. ] It’s touch and go some days, if I’m being honest… But impulsive and trying on the nerves as they may be, they also show a lot of promise. It’s a worthwhile challenge. [ Even when it stung every time they move ahead of him. ]
no problem. i'm a slow turtle myself. also loool @ running from the prior topic; don't blame him
Then we can both be turtles! :D
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TFLN 10/16 -- Trash Mage
[ the audacity...
granted, he is probably entirely right. but still. ]
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The frequency is ever at your discretion.
[or, y'know, indiscretion as the case probably was (so he guesses.)]
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TFLN 10/29 -- a wild clay
I was merely asking your use of it.
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TFLN 10/29 -- Nilou lo lo lo
[ there is a pause between texts, and then, seemingly casually, he adds -- ]
As to that other inquiry of yours, suppose the individual in question had been a figure without a face.
[ like, for example, a certain notorious clan of the Assassin class --
he only drops such a hint because she was such a nice sport, after all. ]
It is quite unfortunate, yet for some, the mask itself is what must pass for the visage.
Re: TFLN 10/29 -- Nilou lo lo lo
[ Wait. And actual no face or ..just a metaphor..? ]
Oh... dear. Well then I think it would be kind to say - or at least simple truth..? I have to say I've never met someone without a face...especially if you mean that literally.
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tfln 10/29
well, they are not wrong, however. ]
Yet for my legend to persist until time's end is sufficient to satisfy my present desires.
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Naught more can be attained presently or otherwise. Even the gods cannot ask for more.
gil/rin psl (will be nsfw so do not read if that bothers... WARNINGs and such for eventual loods...)
now, it was the same mansion, but a new generation and a new Master.
though this latest Tohsaka may have admired her father and the ways of magi which he had imparted unto her, she was... dissimilar in other ways, or so the King of Heroes believed, and his was a level of sight above ordinary mortals. for one thing, Rin had a kind of ingenuity, a sort of spark of cleverness which her father, dull as he was, had seemed to lack altogether. though he may have dealt in strategy, thinking himself one step ahead of others with his plans, such hard work had ultimately fallen apart when he had been unable to change course in the face of challenges that presented themselves in defiance of his plans and calculations. this was what happened when a human was committed to a certain way of thinking.
Rin, bright though she may be, always tended to miscalculate some detail or another in her plans. she stumbled over her own brilliance, perhaps because of how quickly her mind raced through ideas. however, the girl had an extraordinary trait in that she could change or reverse course in an instant when presented with a new obstacle. it was this genuine spur-of-the-moment creativity which had thus far saved her life in conflicts or dangerous situations.
tonight, of course, is a different sort of scenario: Gilgamesh is a Servant who requires considerable mana, even with this physical form he has obtained, and his Master has been gracious enough to consent to an exchange thereof.
thus he is back within that mansion, the source of his original summoning, standing in the bedroom with her as they prepare to undertake... the ritual, shall it be said. another from the one which summoned him.
truthfully, Gilgamesh does not act over-eager in any way, for that might go to Rin's head. rather, he sees the matter as a challenge for her -- he is curious what this Master will do, what she is capable of. ]
Hm... are you prepared, Master?
[ they have attained enough of a dynamic for him to address her thusly. there is a little twinkle in his eye.
such an event is likely to be her first, and he has no intention of going easy on his expectations of her. ]
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[Tohsaka speaks with false confidence. No matter how prepared she is it is unlikely she'll ever truly be ready until it's behind her. Especially with her little 'curse' of fumbling at the last minute for nearly everything. However he is right — her failures have forced her to become resourceful and creative.
At the very least she has read magazines and familiarized herself with the concept. As it is a way of extracting mana from others she felt like it was necessary to know at least the mechanics of it.]
Are you stalling with such a question?
[Rin situates herself on the edge of her mattress and pushes a thick lock of hair over her shoulder.]
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Babylonia AU PSL w/Salter
the summoning of the Servants had been a great success. they were each well-equipped and disciplined allies who were already proving of great assistance in safeguarding Uruk's Absolute Front in preparation for the arrival of the last of humanity's Masters. a triplicate goddess alliance would prove an almost unthinkably formidable opponent, and even with all their powers combined, hope for victory was a flickering and fragile flame. yet, supervising his summoned allies, Gilgamesh was not one to focus upon the odds against him (them), but rather on the necessity of preparations, on what must be done. he could be pleased with their willingness to engage in the cause at hand. and in any case, his own days and nights were so busy, so full of preparations and planning that he could scarcely fixate upon grim possibilities. all energies were devoted, instead, to action -- to the necessity of the moment.
where the strangeness of the circumstances come into play lay not with the battles nor the preparations for the greater war, the training and testing of mettle, but rather with what might be seen as downtime. of course, the first of all kings cannot fail to be a grandiose host -- not even if his had been the reputation of a tyrant. he would still demonstrate the majesty of his kingdom in how he conducted guest rites, and this extended to this he summoned. after hours, most of them preferred to scout the walls of the city or to retire to the alehouses, but there was one who had quite the especial appetite.
the ghostly-pale Servant, a version of Saber -- incredibly strong, and also incredibly requiring of mana. it took quite a bit even for Gilgamesh to sustain her. when she arrives within his ziggurat after the latest foray, he already has an inkling as to what she is thinking, and what she desires. but as King, it is his duty to put the matter forth. so he does -- ]
Servant Saber. [ from his throne, he nods in acknowledgment, then rises to approach. ] In compensation for your accomplishments, you may state your desire, that it shall be fulfilled.
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How strange. How amusing.
But she will serve. That is her purpose. That is why she is here. She is a weapon and she will unsheathe her blade for the one called Gilgamesh. He is not Archer, after all. In some respects it reminds her of the differences between herself and... her other self. The one unconsumed by darkness. How mysterious.
In the end, fighting is what she does best.
She stands before him, expression flat, her pale golden eyes regarding him with detached interest. ]
Food. [ She gestures carelessly. ] Mana. I cannot be expected to slay your enemies if I remain weak.
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PSL for Terra!Ritsuka... probably nsfw eventually as well lbr
the problems with Chaldea are numerous at this moment, and the King of Heroes has an itch to urge some changes, but there is the matter of where to even begin. after all, he has only just arrived.
presently, he seeks out Ritsuka and stands at the door of her quarters, after a brief knock. a tour of the facilities would seem to be in order, and she had previously offered as much at the moment he came, so he is here to make good on that claim.
not that he has any desire to see that mongrel or any gratitude for the things she did for him and his kingdom during the Singularity or anything. obviously not.
in any case, he does show up... almost as though he is bored and in need of entertainment. ]
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[ There's a thumping noise inside the room, a muted crash and a yelp, and then the door opens. In spite of the sounds, Ritsuka is (mostly) presentable--a bit ruffled, in her usual black and white uniform, but more curious than concerned as she peers out at him. There is tinny filtered music blaring in the background; if he looks over her shoulder, he can see a pair of headphones lying discarded on the floor for the moment. ]
--Your Majesty? What's up?
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A very bad take on halfway decent tales.
[ But now he's intrigued by this talk of Servants. ]
And are they useful tools? I've often found mortals mostly helpless.
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TFLN 1/21 -- that sad fuccboi
[ what you doin, Emiya? trying to steal his man or something? smh. ]
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That has nothing to do with Kirei.
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Make haste? Is a meteorite hurtling towards the earth not quick enough for the King of Uruk now?
[That is to say, they will bound on over with that wild, effortless grace and their shapeless clothes. Barefoot, as is typical.]
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do place an order and take a seat with him, perhaps?
or try to drag him out, as it were.](no subject)
Rin tfln
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TFLN 3/5 Ereshkigal
Oh? Are you certain it is not merely because you are the governess of a land of shades and your chastity is preserved by the eternal solitude of the grave?
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If I really wanted, Dumuzid is here.
[ Hear: she's not that desperate. ]
Laugh as you may, I take pride in my purity (￣︿￣)
You may have given up on romantic notions, but I believe in quality over quantity. The intense tale of love and passion me and my destined soulmate are to know shall eclipse any of your numerous and forgettable stories.
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