middaeg | The Harsh Reality of Questing

[ Caster sure has his reasons for deciding to hermit it up instead the moment the moving-out of Coven happened. If not for Cwyld, he'd prefer to camp in the woods. Stay in town for business, part-time jobs, and other assignments, then return to the campsite later. But sadly, that's impossible and he had to choose abandoned silent places- until the guards caught a whiff of him (or got enough reports).

And so here he is, packing and leaving (and maybe a bit shouting) as another person joins the fray ]

Piss off Archer, not your business.

[ `Hey, do you know him?` one of the guards catches on their "first name" basis. ]

I do. [Archer adresses the guard, ignoring the "warm welcome" he gets from the other Servant. He's still keeping an eye on Caster to not let him get away. Not like that.] What happened?

He's a vagabond, sir, we've had several reports of him camping on others' property. [guard informs him, glancing forth and back.] Sir?

[Wonderful. Now he can feel a beginning of a headache, which is the last thing he needs. Seriously, what was the idiot thinking? Gardens rarely are abandoned, he'd have much more luck in Haven.]

Caster, you know you can camp in my garden, right?

[ Caster's not the one to hiss but he surely is close to that right now ]

Listen, I told you— [ Wait, he's being presented with a way out. It pisses him off it's Archer who is offering it, but he's just not in a mood for getting into more arguing right now. He has that short moment of pinching the bridge of the nose to calm down and then he walks past Archer and just grumbles ] Sure, sure, whatever lead the way

[ There is "lawful" part in his alignment for a reason. Getting in conflict with the guards was never on his list of "plans-to-do" Once they will be out of sight he can just, uh, choose his next location more carefully. ]

[What Archer wants to avoid is a pissing match with Caster in presence of the guards. He's well aware that soldiers love gossip and spread it around better than anyone else.]

I'll take care of it. [he informs the guard curtly and almost turns around to follow Caster when the man stops him.]

Thank you, sir. And sir, please keep an eye on your- [a pause] friend.

[Great. Not that he's averse to responsibility, but it definitely flares his irritation. Archer nods and hurries after Caster, catching up to him soon. He waits until he turns into deserted alley, out of the earshot of the guards and possible passerbyes.]

You'd have more luck around the Haven.

[ Archer, no, you don't have to "take care of it" ugh. ]

I'll take it— [ Caster agrees and keeps walking. He is prickly and annoyed but not without manners so at some moment he stops and turns to Archer, finally acknowledging his presence ]

Thanks for the help, but I could deal with them myself. [ They would lecture, yell a bit, he would go somewhere else. Now that they're heading to Haven maybe he should really contemplate finding there an actual place, like an apartment or such— Right now his part-time job fills all the socializing needs though. ] You don't have to follow me around now.

[ A beat ]

Or were you serious about your garden?

[ Turning down invitation would be a bad idea, even if it's the last place he would want to be. ]

Edited 2019-05-23 17:18 (UTC)

[Archer huffs and finally manages to keep his emotions under control. The last thing he needs right now is being affected by the full moon and the change it brings. He's still not sure how to deal with becoming a monster, but that's not something he can risk talking about.]

I have a cottage with garden big enough for two camps. [he raises a hand.] You're under a geas to never refuse hospitality, so I'd rather not force you into accepting.

[Even if for some odd reason he wants to keep Caster close. Honestly, Archer has enough problems with his own emotions to find out where is this urge coming from.]

[ Too late, that's not how it works. Caster just sighs resigned. The last thing he is going to is to explain how obligation spells/vows work. But hey at least for a night he won't have to worry about being kicked again. On the other hand, he is not really fond of sleeping. ]

A garden, really? [ Cottage probably means amenities like bath. Not in a mood for a public one, a private one would do better. He'll be gone in the morning or something. But hey he has to let an airy complaint. ] If you're not willing to let someone into your house don't half-ass it like that.

[ Not your garden gnome. ]

Cottage is part of the garden, so you get a free access to my whole humble abode. Including kitchen and the icebox. [Archer fills his voice with sarcasm adding eyeroll for a good measure, because what kind of a host he would be to not include bath and food with his offer.]

First thing you get is a bath and fresh clothes.

[It's not that far from the Haven, first row of houses showing in the distance. Archer isn't going to stop there, though, leading through the aristocratic part of the district until the houses get smaller and much less fashinable.]

[ Caster is unusually silent, he lost interest in the arguing for now. Antagonizing your host is in poor taste after all. Plus there are other reasons why he's tired. The weight of the encounter in the Dream he had still fresh on his mind. ]

Say Archer, how do your dreams look like? [ Being Servants they both are not really accustomed to having to deal with them again. But the first time he was in a Dream with a bunch of people he ended meeting some of them here. He never had a gift to look into the future, so it didn't make much sense... He wouldn't think much of it, if not for the fact that it happened again ]

[Reaction those words cause is unmistakeable - Archer slows down noticeably, but after the first glance he doesn't look at Caster again. He's silent, speaking in a quieter voice when they approach a small cottage, shadowed from the street by an old tree.]

That depends. Sometimes I dream of my past, while sometimes I dream about the oddest things. [pushing the gate open he nods at Caster. The garden at first glance seems rather wild, crossed by several paths. Only at a second glance it's clear that shrubs provide cover only closest to the cottage, and all plants and herbs growing there are cultivated in such unkempt appearance on purpose.]

Edited 2019-05-23 21:10 (UTC)

[ Huh, cozy. Way greener than Caster expected. Archer surely did found himself a nice place. ]

So just like regular dreams, nothing strange. [ Until people from his dream start appearing on the streets of this city it is best to assume that yes, his dreams are just dreams. Sometimes they are crazier, that's all. But Archer's answer could easily be seen as evasive, that there is more to dig into it— ]

I'll start with that bath. [ Yeah, no digging for now. ]

[There is indeed more that Archer isn't telling. He's not really lying, merely omitting several details of his oddest dreams. It's something he wants to analyze later. He leads Caster to the living room, furnished simply but tastefully in earthy tones and muted greens.]

Drop your stuff here. Bath is at the end of corridor, I'll bring you fresh clothes in a moment.

[ Oh sure, nice furnishing. Wonder how the previous owners felt about it leaving it behind— Not like Caster will comment on that, he did help with the clean-up after all.

He actually liked staying at the Coven even if it was cramped.

Wordlessly he drops his stuff in the designated spot and heads to the bath. Of course, the water needs to be heated first, but that can be that one time when he uses a bit of magic to help with that. It's no Ansuz, and he's still surprised how annoying it is not having his normal runes, but it does the trick.

He is going to take his sweet time and will exit late. ]

[The furnishing comes from aristocratic houses, from the upstanding citizens that have more than they can spend. Cottages were mostly abandoned and forgotten - it's too close o the Bright Wall to aristocratic tastes.

Archer gives Caster all the time he needs, although he does bring him fresh clothes. Only when he hears the other finish the bath he starts preparing food so it's ready. Scent of fresh food wafts through the house. The table is set in the kitchen, no fancy porcelain or decorative cutlery, everything is simple. Freshly brewed tea in the kettle, pancake wraps with veggie and meat filling serve as light meal.]

Sit and be my guest.

[ Ah yes, the unmistakable "Today's Menu in Emiya's household-" moment. Not that this particular Archer knows it, but he had been a presence in Chaldea's kitchen. It should not be a surprise that even here, in a different world, he can still conjure food that smells so delicious it soothes the soul.

Shit, that and relaxation from the bath truly makes him lower his guard. They probably will end at each other's throat over some stupid thing again soon, but for now, it's S H R U G - F O O D. ]

Kitchen is your natural habitat, isn't it? [ Yeah, he says as if that's something he is very familiar with. Curious thing. It's followed by a very content sigh and humm as Caster bites into the prepared food. ]

[Archer sends him a sharp glance. He does remember a completely unfamiliar guy asking if he's related to Chaldea cafeteria man. If Caster, who actually knows him, makes a similar remark. Oh well, there will be time to ask about his future. Right now there are more pressing concerns. Namely the one sitting opposite to him and devouring prepared food.]

I suppose so. [Archer replies with a shrug. He's not really in the mood for idle chit-chat, so if Caster won't poke the meal will pass in silence. After the dishes are washed (most likely with help of his guest) and Archer sits down with cup of hot tea he adresses Caster.]

You're bursting with mana. Have you been practicing spells?

[ Caster is normally more chatty, but this time he doesn't mind a silent meal. And yes he does help with the washing, he's not a total freeloader. When everything is done he sits on the window, to catch the chiller breeze (it's really warm these days) and stifles a yawn, but Archer's question ends the relaxing times.

His gaze immediately sharpens and a toothy, lopsided grin plays on his lips. ]

How can you tell?

I can feel it even from here. [perhaps his remark was wrong and it was better to keep his mouth shut. There's no turning back, though, so Archer continues.] I don't think I've seen a witch so full of mana.

[From what he's heard witches need to drain their mana by casting spells to not allow such mana overload to happen. Caster has felt similar before, during their meeting on errand. Now it intensifies to the point Archer can almost taste mana in the air around. Too much unfiltered mana makes witch irritable and emotional.

Is that the reason Caster is camping outside?]

That does not answer my question. [ Caster response is a bit snappish, and annoyed. Perhaps more than the situation calls for it, but the build-up of magical energy is indeed part of what made him so irritable. A small part, tho. ]

I asked, "how"? [ There is a certain answer that could follow, and briefly he remembers the delicate, reddish scales framing the eyes of the man before him. Somewhere in a Dream, once. ]

[There is, indeed, a certain answer. Archer narrows his eyes and looks straight into red eyes of the other Servant.]

I'm a monster, not a witch.

[He accepted the result of Coven's test without many questions. It's not like the witches were able to answer any, being as surprised by this turn of events as the newcomers were. While he's had his own doubts, there was one important fact in favor of what he's been told - the vessel his spirit resides in now is different. If the vessel is bound by the rules of the world he's been brought into, there's no reason to ignore it.

So far Archer haven't noticed any changes outside. Inside is the other matter - these past days he's been aggravated and restless.]

[ Oh boy. Another one. Yeah, Caster did notice the flurry on the network with people starting to, well, change. But that puts a different spin on why Archer invited him, doesn't it? Always the most pragmatic one. ]

I see. Guess that makes sense .[ Monsters feed on magic, don't they? But it's even more curious how everyone arriving are adapted to fit into the system of how this world operates. ]

I'm practicing my spells just enough, you don't have to worry about it. Skipped a few days of lectures— [ Shrug ] —but I needed a break. I'm not going to set your cute little house on fire.

[It's more than just pragmatic reason. Archer would invite him if he's been monster all the same, reasons notwithstanding.]

That's actually the last thing on my mind. [a snort suffices as an answer. Quick rummaging on the shelf produces the item he's been looking for that Archer throws at his companion.] Here.

[Wooden cigarette case adorned with intricate carving of an oak tree, a bit worn on the edges. It's definitely not new, in fact being one of the trinkets that Archer picked during the Haven clean up. Given the place it's been found in, the attic with various relicts of current citizens' predecessors, it's been forgoten for at least a century. Archer cleaned it and filled with cigarettes.]

[ Ifs that so, then why do you even bring it up, man? —Is what Caster is tempted to ask, but then he is handed the case he opens it with a mix of curiosity and suspicion and...

Can Servants get addicted? Because he seriously had missed the nicotine. He opens the window next to him, and flicks a small flame with his fingers. No Ansuz rune but a flame is a flame. It's gone as soon as it appeared while Caster is finally allowed to indulge in this little unhealthy habit.

He lets the smoke out with a soft puff, and then raises the box in his hand and looks at Archer questioningly ]

'kay, I see you're trying to be friends. [ They're not really enemies— Without a Grail War there really is no reason to bash heads. But their personality clashes, and being apparently "cursed" to run into each other forever and ever means they're not exactly friends either. They can work as allies, but this is more than just that. ] Is that for benefit of our Master appearing here someday, or what?

[ He knows you're a cheat! Luckily he's not the UBW Lancer, tho 8) that one would also know you're a schemer ]

Edited 2019-05-26 19:54 (UTC)

['Our Master', huh. So one day he will be summoned to work alongside Caster under the same Master. It's good to know there's something to look forward to.]

There's no reason for us to be enemies. [he glances to the side.] I don't mind your company, and it's better to have someone I can trust nearby.

[Both are schemers, just check how Lancer played Archer into cooking in "Today's Menu in Emiya's household". That's like pot calling the kettle black.]

[ That was a part-time job warranted necessity 8') but yes, also, well-played ]

That I only agree with— [ Same side, means no enemies. Surely no one is going to hold a grudge here for being killed or something? ] —I'm just surprised.

[ "Trust" can Servants really trust each other? That's a loaded question. But yeah, in circumstances they're in, a known devil is probably better than unknown. Not to mention Archer always did strike him as someone not very social. Some people of this type do gravitate towards familiar faces ]

Where did you get that? [ Caster traces the engravings on the box. It looks expensive, even if not new. There could be a question, since when Archer smokes here, but it is not. ]

you can say you wanna adoption during full moon b-baka

full moon for extra flavour

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