unknowntodeath | [Avalon] IC Inbox

Shirou was sent back home.

[Archer has an initial reaction to just say "good" but he know he shouldn't say that. Besides, he's pretty sure Rin knows how he feels about this.

And besides, it's complicated. In a way, he didn't mind Shirou being around.]

Do you need company?

[She's mosstly sending that message just so he can be like "good" wherever he happens to be, when he sees it because yes, she knows...

Feelings are often complicated.]

I don't need anyone or anything. But I won't mind company.

Maybe asking if you wanted company would have made more sense.
I'll cook you dinner.

[Caster may or may not have been following Archer around since getting shot by his cupid arrow- or at least, it seemed she kept popping up where he was, demanding his affections. Because, you know, he accidentally made her part of his harem.

Strangely enough, it had now been two whole days since she had last pestered him! So that meant the affects had worn off, right...?

Well, hopefully he wasn't getting too comfortable, as on the ~~dawn of the final day~~ third day, Caster will be knocking happily on the front door of his house, carrying some containers lovingly wrapped up in foil and towels to keep them hot.]

Emiya-sama~~ Are you home?

[...Maybe don't ask how she found out where you live, Archer.]

[Why and how were the questions on Archer's mind. You'd think the effects would have worn off by now and yet here she was.

He quietly wondered if he could pretend he's not home. It might be the best option he had.]

[...Nope, she wasn't giving up! Caster knocked again, a little louder this time.]

Emiya-sama! You're in, aren't you?

[It would be just her luck that he wouldn't be in, today... no, she couldn't give up hope!]

[Archer is definitely trying to pretend he's not there and not moving at all from where he's currently standing. If Caster pays enough attention though, or peeks through the keyhole, there is definitely light in the room.]

[Her eyes narrow a little as she stared at the keyhole, and then peered a little closer...ah! The light was on!]

Emiya-sama!! Let me in now- all this food will go to waste if it gets cold, and- I spent so much time trying to get it right...

[Well her voice started off angry, and then she almost sounded upset.]

[The tiniest (and only) Caster-Class Servant in Avalon had just about gotten her bearings- she'd even met a nice lady who let her stay with her until she could be reunited with her beloved Jason!

Although every inclination told her to stay close to her temporary home, a hesitant venture into town soon found her smelling the delicious cooked food from Fortune Panda- she'd never smelt food quite like that before!!

And so, Caster wandered over to the restaurant to take a look...]

Um- excuse me? Could I ask what you are cooking, please??

Edited 2021-10-03 23:41 (UTC)

[ For both Archer and Rin; a box of homemade truffles, a variety of such, as well as a jeweled ring for Rin baring a well cut ruby (she's been practicing her alchemy!) and a hand stitched, monogrammed apron for Archer! ]

[Emiya-san, Emiya-san... alongside your Santa care package, you get one from Belgium herself. Since he seems to be the type to enjoy edgy coats. So he gets... a decidedly not very edgy, red hoodie.]

So, while we don't know each other all that well I thought youd still like this.

Merry Christmas,

Anri, The Koninkrijk België

Archer~ Have you heard about the Solstice dance?

Yes. And I won't be participating.

Ah, but why not? It's the start of the return to summer! And a way to win over the locals.

I don't want to win over any locals and I quite enjoy winter, thanks.

Are you worried about baring it all?

You can wear one of the robes.

It's not about that, I could be naked if I wanted to.

But why don't you want to?

Are you hiding something~?

No. I'm just not a crazy Celtic person like you are.

You're being so nice to me~

I still think you're hiding something. Or are shy of something.

Hmm. What could it be?

Neither of those. I'm just not into public nudity.

[HE ACTUALLY DOES KNOW WHAT TO GET EMIYA. A new knife set. Also, he's getting one of these so he doesn't feel left out. The tag just says from Beowulf.]

[No gift? A little disappointing, perhaps but it does not mean things are not worth her time...yet.]

Well?

[It is just one word but it carries with it the tone of 'I don't have all day'. You want something, so better get to the point quickly.]

[Well, it worked. Archer was unsure if it would, without something to offer.]

Lady Morganna, I summoned you because I was cursed with the lycanthrope curse and I wish to get rid of it.

[Straight to the point with no smalltalk.]

[She can appreciate the lack of small talk but this request...how does one put it?

It's rather trivial, isn't it? Still, is she going to mention all the easier, probably less costly ways to fix this problem of his?

Of course not.

She smiles.]

And what have you brought me as payment for this request?

[It may seem trivial to her, but for Archer is a bit more serious. Almost dying due to it... he doesn't want to wait much longer or to look for siphoners to do the job. He wants to make sure the curse leaves and Morganna is one that would definitely get it out in one try.]

I did think of the payment... but I figured nothing material I possess is enough for a Goddess of your status. Surely you have other ideas of what I could pay you with... that is what I put my trust on.

[He is willing to pay a prize she sets. That speaks for what he's willing to do to get rid of this curse.]

[Oh, this is delightful. Letting the dealer set the stakes...is this one brave or foolish? Perhaps the answer will depend on the perspective of the one judging.

Morganna doesn't quite care which it were. All that matters is that this is an opportunity.]

I am certainly not short on ideas. [She reaches out to touch the underside of his chin with a finger.] Tell me, what drives you to such lengths? For what reason does this curse bother you so?

[She wants to know so she can find the best price.]

[There is a slight shiver down his spine at her touch. He really never imagined being this close to Morganna, let alone anything else about this situation.]

I wish to protect the people dear to me. The curse is unpredictable and it already almost took my life and someone else's. I don't want to one day wake up and find someone I love gravely injured or dead instead.

So it is for love.

[A selfless love even, to risk a higher price for the security of keeping someone safe.

Well, then!

She smiled and stepped back, let her hand drop.]

Then I have just the thing. [She pulled out a small bottle with a pale coloured potion.] Drink.

[The potion, when he uncorks has a smell like an evening in the woods, wet and damp...but overlaid over that, a smell like a memory, something beloved or dear.

Drinking it will put him into a trance though he will not realize that is what it is. Then an illusion: evening turning to day, wolf features fading into human...covered in blood. His worst nightmare come to life: someone he cared, wounded because of him.

A tear would be enough, but it is not the only thing she can catch in the bottle. She will have to see what this will yield.

She explains none of this though she may elaborate, if he refused or if eh asked. Maybe.]

[Archer accepted the bottle. The scent was pleasant, even if he was slightly skeptical about drinking a random potion.

Yet he didn't hesitate to drink it. He had come this far. This was the decision he had made and the one he would see through.

What he sees immediately feels wrong. It also feels familiar. It had happened before already. The reason he was here in the first place.

But what breaks him is seeing Rin lying there, covered in wounds and blood that were clearly caused by a wolf. Rin, who had sworn to protect and who was always so strong to protect herself, wounded so badly. Because of him. Because of his decision to not go to the party back then.

It's enough to bring him to tears. The very thought of hurting Rin this badly.]

[She watched and waited.

When the tears come, she reaches out to catch one on her fingertip, the tips of her nails brushing against his skin. It beads there on her finger, not being absorbed into the skin. As she pulls back, any other tears that might fall follow her motion, as if drawn along by an invisible thread. This she lets slide into a small bottle she had in her hands.

Once she's corked it, she waits. The price has been paid and the illusion will break soon. When it does, she holds up the bottle before letting it flicker out of existence.]

Tears of tragedy and true love. I have received your payment.

[A wave of relief washes over him when the illusion ends. The image of Rin still stung in his mind, but it wasn't in his sight anymore. It was just a reminder that he took the right route, even if a drastic one. He closes his eyes for a moment, breathing a sigh of relief before looking at Morganna.]

And with this... the curse is gone?

Yes. A cure and a ways to extract payment...is that not efficient?

[She smiles.]

Now, was there anything else?

Yes... I must agree it really is.

[Why go through the trouble of doing them separately.]

No, this was all I had in mind. Thank you, Lady Morganna.

Hi!
I'm Rosa, and I'm new. But Gareth told me that you do recruiting for a restaurant? Are you looking for any staff now?

Gareth would be right. I'm Archer, one of the owners of Fortune Panda.

We are looking for some staff, yes. Mainly servers or cleaners.

Nice to meet you, Archer!
I don't mind doing either of those. Or both, if you want! I don't have any real experience in a restaurant, but I help with family dinners and cleaning up afterwards, so I can handle it.

( her family is big ok. )

We can always do a week at first to see how it goes and you can test which (or if both) are okay jobs for you. If it goes well, we'll hire you permanently. Would that be alright with you?

Yeah, that sounds great!
So, where is this restaurant and when should I start?

The address is [address]. How about starting on Monday?

Sure! I can do Monday. Put me to work, boss!

What caused that?

[Of course he'd ask.]

If you come to my room I'll explain in person.

[Look, that isn't something you just broadcast Archer....Emiya. Whatever.]

Fine

[And within a few minutes, there's tapping at his window. Because this is Lancer.]

[Of course it's the window. Archer rolls his eyes as he opens it.]

I have a door you know.

Doors are boring.

[He hops in from the window.]

What's in your head? You don't normally drop things like that.

[Archer's boring, you know this.]

I've been struggling with a... I suppose an identity crisis is a good word for it. Enough to do dark web quests and get involved with bad crowds that way. I told both Rin and Saber about it and they gave me talks both and... I decided to try be "myself" rather than hide behind Archer.

[That's what he has Lancer for. To keep it interesting.]

Well then. It's atonement.

What even got you into the dark web quests to begin with? I doubt it was Saber, or Rin.

[And don't look at him.]

... that's all on me.

[Definitely not anyone else's fault.]

At first I just wanted to keep an eye on it, just to see what was going on. Then somehow I decided it was a good way to make myself different from Shirou.

[Sigh]

[He uses Gae Bolg to tap him on his shoulder before shouldering it again.]

Archer. No matter what, we can't separate ourselves from the people we were before we died. You'll still be Shirou as much as I'm still Cu. We can't separate that from us.

[Wow, when can he be so serious?]

[At least it was just a tab and not a stab.]

I know. I guess I just needed to be reminded of that.

[And ... accept the fact.]

But I'm not the same as the Emiya Shirou you know anymore either. Just a version of the same person.

[He smirks.]

You aren't much like your former self.

We're not the same person as the Servant who gets summoned at the beginning of the war. Considering everything. [A gesture around.] Especially this, you know?

Do you feel like you've changed a lot?

[That's surprising, to say at least.]

Other than being a literal wolf now.

I've changed enough.

[He laughs]

Especially the wolf part.

But, I can say I'm not the same Lancer I was when I arrived. Or when I was summoned back during the war anyway.

I guess we change depending on the place we end up in. Had we been summoned to some other kind of place we might have been different from now.

Found this really neat restaurant. Want to try it sometime? Yes/no?

[Oh great. Dialing the wrong number happened even in other worlds.]

Wrong number.

Ah -- sorry about that! Note to self, don't half sleep sleep and try to message Jane.

Thanks! I'm Hypnos, you have earned a favor from the god of sleep.

Good for when we get out of here.

[Unexpectly, a familiar name appears.]

I'm Emiya, a... friend of Jane's. [He supposes he can call himself her friend? It seems like they got along.]

Greek pantheon?

I'm Greek, yes.

How did you guess?

[ pause ]

Just kidding.

Any friend of Jane's is a friend of mine. She is important to me. So its good to meet people she likes.

If she didn't like you, I'd say that is a you problem.

[Well, if he says just kidding he won't explain. Then again, anyone could know about different mythologies and google exists.]

She's a good person. I owe her a lot.

[Mostly for stictching him up after a werewoof fight.]

I'm mostly assuming she likes my company since she comes to talk to me and doesn't avoid me.

She's not just good - she's the best. I'd say I'm biased but it's simply the truth.

[ s i m p ]

That's a good sign she likes you. She's not shy! It's part of why I adore her.

What did she do for you?

Sounds like you care about her a lot.

[If he knew and understood the word simp he would call him that in his mind.]

I was injured in a fight so she healed me. That wasn't how we met, but it's definitely something I will remember and strive to repay... Even if I doubt she expects me to.

She's one of the most important people.

[ He doesn't say just to him, but it's obviously the intent of his words. ]

I'm certain she doesn't expect it, but it's kind of you to think of her. I'm sure as long as however you plan to repay is thoughtful.

Are you two dating?

[It's just a conclusion he came to.]

That's the thing, I'm running into a slight problem with that. Do you think you could give me some ideas? Seeing as you know her so well.

How'd you guess?

[ it's obvious ]

Something thoughtful - a nice lunch or something like that is always good. Something that can also say "just because" rather than "I owe you".

[Caster had been doing a lot of...thinking, recently- her last post to the network attested to that. And as she often did when she was thinking too much, her mind went back to the Grail War. Whether she could have done anything different, if Archer showed any signs he would betray her-...wait a moment. Something didn't add up.]

am i supposed to believe you were trying to kill your past self the entire time

Good evening to you too, Caster.

[He's not surprised by what she says not the hour they're said. He was wondering when she'd realize what went on in the war.]

Yes. I betrayed Rin because she used a command seal on me that stopped me from attacking him.

[Simple as that.]

then
you were using my power and my noble phantasm

just for your own whims

so you could destroy your past self

what were you possibly hoping to get out of this farce
???

[As someone who, despite all her hardships, had fought with everything she had to live her happy life- she couldn't make sense of his ridiculous plan.]

What do you think would have happened had I successfully destroyed Shirou Emiya?

I wanted to stop myself from ever coming into existence. To stop myself from becoming a counter guardian or a heroic spirit. The things I regretted the most.

then this was some overly elaborate plan to destroy yourself
or at least the you that would come into being

if it were me
if i had the chance to go back and confront my naive past self before she could be twisted into a witch

i doubt i would choose to kill the girl

[Avalon] IC Inbox

Text; somewhere around the 1st of February

un: bladeworks

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Action; About a week after Trollworks

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Action! Backdated to early Sept (lemme know if this works)

dec 25th gift delivery

Xmas gift delivery

Text (backdated to Solstice)

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Jól gift

Morganna Summon

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Now actually from the NPC account...

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text; un: crashtestdummy

un: bladeworks

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five years later, pretend it was on time

totally was

Text; After his Network Post

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audio; un: hypnos

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Text : Un; Caster (some awful hour of the night, pre-event)

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tw suicide mention