event pt 1 | full moon & litha

[moustre]

Event Log: June, A Midsummer Night's Dream

I. IUNERIL 17TH - THE FULL MOONS The days leading up to the full moons are the same as last month: Monsters are a little itchier and a little easier to agitate, whether they mean to be or not, which becomes increasingly noticeable the day before the full moons. But of particular note is that this may be the second full moons that some arrivals have experienced, and with that comes greater risks, greater agitation, and further reminders to take care of themselves. Weather fair, despite the worries of the city, Monsters will find that the Sisters aren't blocked away by clouds this night. The moons cast their light down on the city, and the pull is strong for even the veteran natives that call the city home. The Coven is offering potions and charms, in an attempt to encourage those without a Bond to ensure that they will be able to keep their wits about them throughout the entire stretch of the Sisters' time in the sky at their fullest. They're always allowed to reject the offer, but it's with a warning: if they let their newfound instincts overtake them, then they might find themselves back in the Coven under worse conditions. But the Sisters rise framed in stark red skies, even as evening falls across Aefenglom, much to the discontent of the city. Streets that are rarely dim are lit up even moreso, now, in the face of this omen, lanterns and candles leading all the way to the Harbor District. Their colors flicker with shades of blue, green, violet - anything to offset the red. Boats that come and go along the river also carry a lantern or two with the same intent, and ships in the harbor are decorated with magical faerylights, strung across hulls, masts, the works. There's no place in the Harbor District untouched by light, with nary a sign of red in the midst of their goods. Tensions are already high, between the humans and Monsters of Aefenglom. It's especially noticeable on this night: full moons already cause everyone to be a little jumpy, but with the red tidings for Litha, they're more on edge than ever. Some blame the new arrivals, though never directly to their face, especially when they don't know who, or what, someone might be. It's always a there-and-gone whisper, it seems like. Gossip. Distrust. Unease. It doesn't lend well to the full moons, but there are still those that want to help. Many will notice that there's already activities and decorations up for Litha, some of them still under construction despite the fast approaching festival. The most notable of all are the hedge mazes that have been constructed, both by hand and with magic to encourage their growth. Behind the festival organizers' backs, a group of people - both man and beast - are offering Monsters a chance to burn off some of their energy by embracing their instincts in a more... constructive manner, with native Witches and Monsters alike prepared to intervene if things get a little too violent. In a sort of mockery of Litha's traditions, they're partnering Monsters up with a willing participant to run the mazes, with a variety of options that they will list. The partner - or partners, if there is a party looking to go in together - can be either Witch or Monster, and the people organizing this won't judge as they inform the interested individuals of their options: a. A-HUNTING WE WILL GO, allowing the Monster to either hunt a small livestock or game animal (a piglet, fowls, rabbits, the like) or to hunt down their partner through the maze they've chosen. This need not end violently, and can become more of a game of hide and seek meets tag. b. EVERYBODY WAS FIGHTING, where one maze in particular has been devoted to a makeshift fight ring at the very heart of it. The organizers hope, somewhat, that by making the Monster(s) in question run the maze first they'll be a little tired out already when reaching the ring. c. UNDER THE PALE MOONLIGHT, because instincts don't always call for violence, the organizers offer a more intimate experience here, whether it's sexual or nonsexual. Maybe you just want a good cuddle..? The organizers emphasize the idea of consent, and will not force anyone against their will into the hedge mazes, no matter which one it is. They also want to make sure that they will step in to help if called upon, in case someone gets a little too overeager. Witches looking to use magic this night will, peculiarly, find that their magic is a little less... cooperative. Many of the Coven Witches speak of how they specifically wait to cast powerful spells on the night of the full moons, to ensure that they have the greatest chances of success with the help of the Sisters. However, Witches of the new arrival persuasion are much weaker on full moons. Their magic is still there, and they can still draw upon it for spells, but they'll have to put greater effort if they want to cast a spell with any significant amount of power. Overexerting oneself while doing this is entirely possible, so it's best to try and find some sort of balance, lest you find yourself exhausted and without a means to defend yourself. We ask that any and all NSFW threads be marked accordingly, or otherwise moved to a locked post on the log community or an entry/inbox on a character journal. Remember to please be excellent to each other, and respect all limits that your threadmates might have, if you explore the more sexual or violent aspects of the offered prompts. If things get OOCly out of hand, please let us know; if things get ICly out of hand, please let Nessie and Mhairi know.

II. LITHA - IUNERIL 21ST TO 23RD Despite what chaos there might have been on the night of the full moons, and the subsequent day after as things began to calm, Litha still arrives as scheduled on Iuneril 21st, as the sun begins to set. The summer solstice reaches its peak the following night, and the festivities wind down the third dusk. While certainly still lively, it isn't as completely festive as Boaltinn, most certainly because of the red skies, and the natives are obviously trying to make the best they can of what they perceive as a poor situation. To say that the natives are on edge would certainly be an understatement. Whatever happened in those hedge mazes is untraceable, now, and everything looks pristine. Faerylights decorate every awning, overhang, and eave, magical and twinkling with colors to offset the red skies. There are no bonfires, this go around, but much like the fires it seems that the lights all lead to the primary area of celebration: in contrast to Boaltinn, Litha is celebrated in the Entertainment, Shopping, and Harbor Districts. Doors to businesses are wide open (with many even having large signs indicating VAMPIRES WELCOME HERE - those that don't make a clear statement), and stalls offering wares and foods and activities alike are set up at nearly every corner alongside preestablished businesses in the market. The harbor is especially lively, with many sailors coming and going as they prepare for setting sail. While ships themselves are always coming and going in the port, Litha is an important time for the more longterm voyages and those meant to carry some significance, and each ship departing is bid farewell with equal fanfare. Fireworks and celebration that is, at least in some part, genuine, but does carry a certain level of enthusiasm that borders on force of will. a. ASKING FOR A LITTLE COMPANY Though all businesses in the Entertainment District open their doors for the festivals of Aefenglom, the brothels of the city in particular are offering a warm welcome this Litha to anyone who might be interested in spending some time with someone - or, multiple someones. They have open rooms for mingling, lounges with floor pillows and low tables where customers can partake in spiced and unspiced drinks alike, where the unspiced are lacking in the potions and near-aphrodisiacs of the spiced drinks. Private rooms are also available for those seeking a more... intimate experience, however one may take that to mean. The brothel workers are more than happy to attend to any interested parties, but also aren't against randomly pairing individuals up, based on their specifications. And, after a little misunderstanding regarding their classes, the Head Madame of the guild has decided that they will be offering chances for individuals to perform at their establishments. She was rather charmed by the mishap, bless your souls, as were the rest of the guild, so the new arrivals have endeared themselves to the brothel workers. Dances, conversation, assorted busking - whatever skills that their quest-takers learned, whether it be of the more sexual nature or not, they'll provide whatever they might need to put on a show and attract or entertain clientele. b. I'M WISHING FOR THE ONE I LOVE Anyone interested in making their way into the Shopping District will find just as many open doors, as well as numerous stalls interspersed where they weren't before. Vendors hawking their wares and goods like always call out with Litha specials, and businesses set up temporary stalls to draw attention to themselves, with promise of greater bargains and products to be found at their main establishment. There are many that sell spiced foods and drinks, with varying degrees of strength depending on how one wants to feel. Others are selling candles and lanterns, offering a magitech version of a lighter at a steal, depending on how much you purchase otherwise. The largest stalls, and the biggest displays at storefronts, are the flowers though. Every single flower shop in Aefenglom has come out full force, practically painting the district in a myriad of non-red colors as they put their stock on full display. They offer deals for those who wish to buy bouquets for a sweetheart or someone they admire, as well as anyone wanting to make flower crowns for those they care for. Each of the seven largest shops are also handing out a single flower for those partaking in festivities to place under their pillow to dream of future partners, the flower they're typically most well known for; this varies from shop to shop, but the up and coming Rose Bush certainly isn't going to let superstition stop them, and are handing out red roses. It's a bold move, but one that causes the tizzy that they were intending it to. And if one is feeling particularly whimsical, they can go to any well at night, looking into the depths in a bid to see their future spouse and true love within. Perhaps making an offering of a flower would bring good luck..? Just don't linger for too long, as there's a rumor that someone is pushing unfamiliar faces into the well, likely targeting those they think are new arrivals. c. GET LOST WITH ME Though the Harbor District has some bleedover from the Shopping District in terms of festivities, their streets and warehouses are where the most room is available for the hedge mazes. Some are sprawling as they fill the streets and alleys, spilling into the towering buildings that have been empty to load the contents onto waiting ships. They create their own environments, with flowers from the flower shops blooming in the rows and creating archways at entrances and exits. Some are enchanted to seem neverending, although there always is an exit, if one can only figure out the puzzle. Each maze has a different method to its madness, and arrangements that those running them have decided on. (Some faces may seem familiar, to those that encountered them on the full moons; they'll feign otherwise, focused only on the now and refusing to draw attention to any recognition.) Some mazes send in the partners together, randomly selected and tasked with figuring out how to reach the end of the maze together. Others will send the partners in from different ends, with the instructions to find one another, whether in the center of the maze or in its winding path. Another variety offers something reminiscent of the hide and seek meets tag game, tasking one as the hunter and the other as the hunted, a game of pursuit meant to replicate the "playing hard to get" variety of courtship. There's no restrictions on how many times one can enter the maze, as it allows one to forge many bonds - and possibly Bonds - and replicates the process of finding your true love. Or, loves; no one here is going to judge anyone. They certainly won't judge, either, if participants opt to take a swig of something for luck in love before they go in. However, some mazes have been tampered with: rather than opening out into somewhere safe on the street or in a building, they empty out unaware participants into the port itself. Hopefully you know how to swim. Once again, we ask that if any threads take on a NSFW nature that they be marked as such, or otherwise moved to a locked post in the log community or an entry/inbox in a character journal.

Welcome to the event log, part I! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. As ever, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know, and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

ozymandias | closed starters (by request!)

[fulgency]

((i'm trying to mostly tag out for this event, but if we made plans and you don't have a top-level, i'm down for writing a closed starter here for you! even if you have a top-level, still feel free to request a closed starter tho! and if we didn't connect, but you're interested in something, feel free to also hit me up. best way to get in touch is either via PM or at rebreather!))

waver.

[fulgency]

At the beginning, he was told that the maze would, indeed, but it would be a challenge to find, especially when attempting to evade the other within the maze. Ozymandias didn't really believe it would be much of a challenge to solve the maze itself. He believed himself to possess more than enough spatial reasoning and memory to hold in his mind dead ends and false turns. He also believed he was perceptive enough to see through any trickery. All in all, that seemed fairly boring. Not an awful way to spend his time, but not neither entertaining nor exciting.

The additional challenge of moving carefully and undetected caught his attention, however.

If you ask him, it's nigh impossible for Ozymandias to not be seen, known, and felt everywhere he goes. Much as the sun is unforgettable and not particularly easy to ignore in its place above, so too is Ozymandias. He thinks it would prove to be a real challenge to make it through the maze without being seen.

And so, here he is within the maze. He has not run into many dead ends yet, but he doesn't believe that to be a sign he's on the correct path. It carries on far too long in the same, straight direction for him to feel particularly confident in it. It also feels like he should have arrived already at the split in the path and yet, in some ways, it appears no closer. (He assumes it to be an enchantment.) While some might feel compelled to pick up the pace and sprint forward either out of frustration or concern for vulnerability with nowhere to duck off into, Ozymandias does neither.

He thinks it's better to keep at his pace now rather than give away his position with more noticeable footsteps. So far, he hasn't seen any hint that his partner's managed to track him and he had warned at the beginning prior to taking his allotted head start that he wouldn't make it easy.

Eventually, he comes to the split and pauses a moment to consider his choices before choosing the left path. Perhaps it will provide him the opportunity to double back without having to take the path he was just on. Perhaps not. Regardless, he carries on with his leisurely pace.

[tryhard]

Thankfully, it's been a couple days since the full moon and the mazes specifically geared for Monsters to indulge in their instincts for hunting and chasing, or whatever other bestial indulgences they needed help with at that time. Still, even with the moons starting to wane at their edges, the innate desire to give into his new, animal nature hasn't completely left Waver. What's worse, he's somehow managed to indulge in a bit more than letting a little of his wild side out.

He hadn't known the drink was spiked with some sort of infatuation concoction. Maybe it had been given to him on accident, or maybe on purpose by someone among the many residents who hadn't taken well to the wave of newcomers. Whatever the case, the result is the same: Waver ends up in the maze with his fellow offworlder, trying to find both each other and their mutual escape.

His ears -- dark, furred triangles that part the curtain of his hair on either side just above where his human ears had recently been -- perk up at the sound of footsteps nearby. He raises his head, scenting the air automatically, and rushes to follow.

The long path Ozymandias had taken doesn't seem nearly so long this time. Waver spots him just up ahead, broad back and sun-tanned skin. He smells so... good.

Waver dashes forward with an eager growl. He may be fast, but he's really not that stealthy.

[fulgency]

Ozymandias manages only a few steps before he hears the fast-approaching telltale signs he's been found. He only glances over his shoulder to confirm before he sets off. There's no danger in being caught, but it would be a shame if he made no attempt to escape. Of course, his speed as a Servant would be helpful in keeping more distance between the two of them (as would a sphinx or two in clearing the path ahead by moving through rather than around topiaries), but his longer stride buys him a little time in delaying the distance being closed.

Because there is no danger to this chase, Ozymandias is able to remain mindful of the path he takes. Trouble is, there still isn't much time to really assess any direction for the likelihood in which it will lead towards the exit or a dead end. In fact, sometimes Ozymandias needs to make the choice to take the sharp right and then follow the winding path to the left before he even reaches the choice point.

Eventually, though, he finds his dead end. While his larger size than Waver made it possible to maintain some of the distance between the two of them long enough to come to this point, it inhibits escape through the greenery. The growth is too thick and doesn't allow enough space from the ground for him to even crawl his way out. He runs to the end, skidding to a halt and turning back to face Waver.

"It seems my luck's run out," he says with a breathless laugh. Now that he's still, he can feel himself being a little out of breath. Being reduced to human speed and trying to outrun someone capable of faster has its consequences, it would seem. Gradually, Ozymandias begins willing his breath to slow once more.

[tryhard]

The chase is exhilarating. Waver bolts after his quarry, just a few steps behind with every turn, and it's a good thing Ozymandius is at least trying to keep track of where they're going because Waver is single-mindedly now focused on him and only him without minding the paths at all.

Whatever is affecting him, it seems only to aid further in the loss of control as he lets go of a bit more of his more human nature to give into the call of the hunt. The result is a flushed and excited young man when he finally corners his would-be prey, curled black dog-tail wagging and ears perked up. Despite the claws and fangs also visible glinting in the moonlight, his posture is unmistakably playful, not violent.

"Nowhere left to run, huh?" he teases, not nearly as breathless as he should have been.

"That's what you get for running away so stubbornly without knowing where to go." He says, sounding smug as if he knows where the exit is. He absolutely does not.

And then it occurs to him that the goal had been to reach and catch his maze-partner, but now...? Now, he has no idea what to do. Except unsubtly stare up at the man, now that he's gotten a good look from the front. He certainly doesn't hate what he sees.

[fulgency]

The staring is noticed, of course, but Ozymandias thinks little of it. Who hasn't stared at least a little in his presence? What merits more of his attention is this young man's tone. He speaks as though he had the time to find both it and Ozymandias, but that seems entirely unlikely if not impossible. His unearned confidence is amusing.

"Oh?" he says with a grin. That grin is an unspoken challenge. "Then I suppose I shall allow you to lead the way out. Unless, of course, I've managed to make you lose your way."

As far as finding the exit is concerned, it's probably not in Ozymandias' best interest to let him lead the way out of the maze. It would be wiser to let Ozymandias lead their way back from where he was spotted and work together from there, but he's not in any more rush than he was before and it could be entertaining to see how long he's able to keep that confidence up.

"Or would that be too boring and you'd like to find me again?" Ozymandias asks, walking towards Waver and stops in front of him. "Which will it be?"

[tryhard]

When the handsome stranger begins walking toward him, Waver's breath quickens slightly, his shoulders tensing up with a mix of anxiety and excitement. The closer he gets, the longer Waver's eyes remain fixed on his confident smile, the faster his heart beats too. He's too pale to hide the the color in his cheeks even in the darkness of night, not with the glow of the moons above and the faerie-lights wound through the hedges. They almost seem to make the stranger's eyes glow, bright and self-assured-- and Waver can't help but feel drawn in.

He realizes belatedly he's gaping, mouth half open, and attempts to recover with a smirk of his own, a soft snort as if to say this is hardly a challenge at all.

"You're right. That would be boring." Besides, he has no idea where the exit is, but even if he did... suddenly he's not so sure he wants to go to it immediately either. "I bet I can find you again. I'll even give you a head start."

Unearned confidence, indeed.

[fulgency]

It truly is unearned, Ozymandias thinks, if he's so easily flustered. Though Ozymandias couldn't exactly say what it is that caused him to be so flustered in the first place. No matter, the challenge has been accepted and the confidence returns albeit somewhat shakily. Ozymandias laughs more fully now that his breath has returned to him.

"How generous." Ozymandias steps around him, forcing him to turn around if he wants to keep his eyes on Ozymandias. He stops just behind him though and doesn't begin his head start just yet. "If you fail to catch me before I find the exit, I win and you owe me drinks afterward. But if I fail to find the exit before you catch me, you win and can have a prize of your choosing."

Ozymandias looks down over his shoulder at him.

"What do you say? Five minutes headstart as before?"

[tryhard]

He turns, clearly fixated, chin lifting as Ozymandius steps closer so Waver has to look up at him, considering how much taller he is than the newly-changed Monster trying to chase him. Without even realizing it, Waver's made a full turn just watching him, and grinning like an idiot at the excitement of the challenge.

It feels oddly... flirtatious, almost. Or is that his imagination? (Or the drinks speaking, more likely?) Whatever the case, the warmth that floods him when his would-be 'prey' looks down at him like that feels real enough. It draws a shiver down his spine, leaves his blood racing.

He nods, pointed ears perked up and forward eagerly. The effect kind of ruins his attempt to act cool.

"If you need five whole minutes, then sure, go ahead."

giorno.

[fulgency]

[It seems a safe assumption that Giorno has been weaving flower crowns for a considerable length of time. Although Ozymandias has himself improved in technique, speed, and finished product, he knows it would take him close to an hour or more to put together so many so finely. But looking from the pile of flower crowns to the boy making them it becomes obvious that he's easily taken half of the time it would take Ozymandias. His movements seem routine and yet are not half-hearted. If anything, they are extremely precise.]

[Ozymandias almost leaves him to it because although he's seen Giorno around every now and again, he often seemed...restless. He's polite enough, of course, (or else Ozymandias wouldn't bother much beyond a blase acknowledgment of the boy's existence), but it's as though he's acutely aware there's something that needs doing, but he cannot for the life of him remember what that something was. Or perhaps is? Whatever the case may be, it's obvious Giorno is consistently on edge and quick to frustration and irritation.]

[Here with his flower crowns, however, he seems far more at peace. Less bothered by whatever it is that lingers at the edges of his attention. He's not exactly relaxed, but it's the closest Ozymandias has ever seen him be. Ozymandias can't help but wonder if it's the repetition movements, the planning in design, or simply the sight of something as vibrant as the flowers he's weaving.]

[Curiosity wins the day in the end. He picks up one of the crowns from the pile, inspecting it for a moment.]

You're quite skilled in making these. In fact, I would consider these worthy of being gifts for those closest to me.

[digiorno]

[It helps to have so much experience with braiding. Weaving flower crowns isn't exactly the same, but the principle is similar enough that it's essentially a combination of two pastimes he enjoys, messing with flowers and idly braiding things. It's meditative in a way nothing he's done here so far has been.]

[This isn't to say Ozymandias startles him, exactly; he's aware of the man's presence for a while before he speaks, he's an imposing enough figure, but he doesn't feel the need to speak. He's not sure why that is. Something about him has seemed inexplicably nonthreatening from their first meeting. Maybe it's a trick. Right now, he's not in the mood to care.]

[Once Ozymandias does speak, he blinks up at him in uncertain acknowledgment.]

Thank . . . you? [He's trying to do some mental math here.] Are you offering to buy them or just complimenting me?

[It's really hard to know with you, Ozwald.]

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias makes a slight face as he returns the crown back to the pile. He's not offended, but he would assume that any offer of patronage on his part would serve as both a compliment and a means of monetary gain. He's more perplexed than offended.]

Would they be mutually exclusive? [He shakes his head a little.] Regardless, in this instance, it was meant more as a compliment.

[There's no one here he's feels particularly compelled to shower in gifts in any case.]

[digiorno]

Not necessarily. I just wanted clarification.

[It's important to be clear. More than that, it's important not to make assumptions, even with people who most likely aren't a threat. As it stands, he relaxes slightly and smiles at the eyes.]

You can sit if you want. What colors do you like?

[Wow, he didn't even say thank you. How rude.]

[fulgency]

[A little expressed gratitude would be nice as it is not every day that Ozymandias offers his praise.* He also doesn't exactly require permission from anyone to do what he wants either. But the boy is clearly unused to be in the presence of royalty and so, there's room for forgiveness.]

[Ozymandias takes the offered seat.]

Gold and blue are my favorites. [His tone likely indicates that these are givens. They somewhat are because of both personal preference the meaning they bear.] I also admire the colors green and turqoise. Why do you ask?



[*He actually offers a lot of praise. It's fine.]

[digiorno]

[Giorno wrinkles his nose again, more playfully than anything this time.]

Why do you think?

[Pawing gently through his pile of flowers (which are already largely color-coordinated, although his organization is slightly fucked up due to the process of putting together so many crowns already), he picks out a few different types of flowers, scrutinizing them before putting them back where he got them. In the end, he picks two blooms of very different size: big blue morning glories and small bunches of yellow yarrow.]

You said you liked them, so I'm making you one. These are good, I think.

[He holds a morning glory up and twirls it slightly by its stem, pointing at its golden center.]

The sun.

[fulgency]

[As Giorno likely anticipated, Ozymandias is amused by that comparison and laughs.]

It's a little small for the sun, but it does shine brilliantly within its "sky." [He nods, approvingly.] These are suitable choices for a crown meant for a pharaoh!

[holyswordwielder]

( ooc ; five million years late to the party, but... are you still interested in doing that thing we talked about orrr would you want to plot something more recent? i'm up for either, just let me know! )

[fulgency]

((hey there! i'm def still interested and would love to, but i leave it more up to you if you would like to do the thing or not this go-around.

i'm having a ton of rl drama, unfortunately, and i'm gonna be hiatused for the month of july to sort things out. i fully am planning on backtagging june threads to completion; i will just probably be moving very slowly until things settle down and i have more space for more frequent tagging.

but that being said, i totally get it if you wanna hold off and wait until i'm back to plot and do a thing, want to handwave, etc. 'cause i totally get wanting to keep things moving along while people are away. i'm flexible with whatever you decide works best for you!))

[holyswordwielder]

( ooc ; oh no, i'm sorry to hear that! i hope everything smooths over for you soon. but to answer, i'm good with starting a thing now if you're sure it won't add too much to your plate right now. i completely understand needing some time so i'm willing to slowly backtag with you of course. i suffered a small injury this month in a car incident and i was really swamped with work suddenly, so i wasn't able to juggle rp with work and healing, and i'm just now getting around to tagging anyway. feel free to add me on plurk at moonlitscents. )

[fulgency]

((ah man, i'm sorry to hear all that happened! i hope everything is okay for you now and you're doing alright. i'm definitely okay with starting something now though. i can't commit to rp as much as i would, but i'm worse off if i don't make any room whatsoever for things that aren't related to aforementioned drama. my hope is that i can get you a starter by the end of the weekend at the latest, but will definitely add you in the meantime! c:))

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias completed the maze a number of times with different partners, different varieties. Slight magical alterations notwithstanding, he had more or less memorized all the paths by now, but never particularly rushed through it. However, he still found himself at the center of the maze, waiting for whoever his partner was to reach the center.]

[Imagine his delight upon seeing an old, familiar face.]

[Ozymandias notices the reluctance in return, of course. He takes no offense at its presence, recognizing that it doesn't stem from a place of disdain, but there's no mistaking that Arthur would like to recede into the nearby topiary never to be seen or heard from again. But there's no such escape and Ozymandias doesn't rush things along either, taking the maze at a leisurely pace until they reach the exit.]

[Before Arthur can get very far, Ozymandias claps him on the shoulder.]

Come! This night is still young and there's plenty to do.

[holyswordwielder]

[ The last thing Arthur ever expected, when he found himself roped into entering yet another maze just a few days after his first experience, was coming face-to-face with someone from his past. Seeing the proud, confident pharaoh emerge from the queue to take his place as Arthur's partner, the knight-king felt himself shudder and his heart leaped into his throat, the onslaught of memories triggered by laying eyes on that noble face hitting him hard. But the striking features of Ramses II displayed nothing but delight upon seeing him and Arthur, for the life of him, couldn't understand why.

Even now that they've exited the maze and are free to go their separate ways, the friendly demeanor of the other Servant baffles Arthur, the hand on his shoulder feeling heavier than it actually is. Green eyes turn to meet golden ones and Arthur finally reaches his limit, shrugging the Rider's grip off of him firmly. ]

Stop it. Why are you doing this?

[ The patience of the other man as they walked the maze surprised Arthur then. Not once did Ozymandias make a remark or seem offended by Arthur's obvious discomfort at being paired together. Not once did he even ask about the transformations, the pale gold scales. Not once did he have anything at all to say about the past. It makes no sense to Arthur, for whom the past still weighs heavily. He owes Ozymandias and the others so many apologies for everything that happened in those wars for the Grail... He can't understand now why the pharaoh approaches him like a friend. If it hadn't been for his foolish indecisiveness, Manaka never would have been able to do what she'd done. ]

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias' hand hangs for a moment in the air where it's shrugged off, fingers curling lightly before lowering a loose fist back down to his side. His light-hearted expression fades, but he doesn't look at Arthur with confusion or irritation at the action or the question. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and more likely sooner rather than later. So, he regards Arthur calmly for a moment.]

The past is something different to you and me.

[He lacks the other's penchant for self-flagellation over mistakes. He understands why Saber does it, understands how it guides him to always move forward in attempts to rectify his mistakes, but Ozymandias doesn't ascribe to such practices. He doesn't partially because he doesn't perceive many of his actions to be mistakes and partially because he finds the practice tedious. He's far more comfortable with taking what may have been learned and pressing on ahead. The results in some ways are the same, but the driving force behind it differs drastically.]

Is that truly such a surprise? Were you anticipating that I would meet you with scorn? That I would desire to issue divine retribution upon you the moment I saw you again?

[Ozymandias hums in light amusement, folding his arms.]

I see no reason.

[holyswordwielder]

[ The other Servant's words take all the bluster out of Arthur's demeanor. His shoulders sag, his face crumples, and his voice softens, the edge completely gone. ]

Some would say even either of those are more gracious responses than I deserve.

[ "The past is something different to you and me", "I see no reason". Arthur feels sick to his stomach. Ozymandias only says that because he doesn't know; he doesn't know that that Beast has risen again and Arthur can't tell him, even though he wants to. He can't give him half an explanation as to why he isn't in Avalon like he should be. He owes Ozymandias and the rest of the Servants from his world more than that. He has more investigating to do on the matter and Arthur isn't even sure he can still do any of it. He's never been stuck in one place for more than a few hours and it's already been days since he came out of the mirror. While here, he can't even work on lifting the final seal on Excalibur because the sword has lots all its power, just like he has. ]

Even the past aside, I am not like you, Rider. I have my own mission to fulfill with Chaldea and once it is done, I will leave that world. I can't leave any lasting imprints on it because of that.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias scoffs at the mention of what some would say, stopping short of rolling his eyes. He's never concerned himself with the opinions of others, but he knows the others in this case really is only Arthur. He has even less interest in that opinion on this matter when he knows there is so little objectivity.]

Enough.

[He has no throne to sit upon here, but his tone would make it seem otherwise. It is severe. Final. His posture matches it for a moment until he draws a breath, exhaling sharply through his nose with his eyes closed a moment. He is no less the pharaoh that he always is when he opens his eyes again, but Ozymandias softens with the exhale.]

I understand you have your reasons for your own opinions and your mission. I imagine because of those reasons, it would be easier for you if I resented you or simply ignored you. However, my judgments are absolute. It is a waste of your energy trying to change my opinion of you. I will continue to respect you as a warrior who once managed the impossible and bested me, and as a fellow king.

But regardless of all that, there is little difference between us in this place. Your Excalibur is little more than sharpened steel and neither Mesektet nor the Sphinx of Abu el-Hol answers my call any longer. [Never mind there are no Egyptian temple complexes that have suddenly appeared anywhere in the city.] Neither of us can return right now to where or what we once were.

It is your choice if you wish to forge ahead in this afflicted world alone, but I would ask you to consider otherwise, Arthur Pendragon. [He offers his hand to the other Servant and grins despite the serious look in his eyes.] You must admit an alliance between us would be formidable.

[Perhaps, Ozymandias thinks, that will make it easier to accept. If he thinks of this as a gesture rooted in tactics and strength rather than one embedded with sentimentality. Regardless of Arthur's choice though, Ozymandias still won't change his mind. He will carry on and proceed as though Arthur said yes all along.]