( closed. )

[fakers]

Who: kotomine kirei (congratulating) & archer (fakers), with some special guest cameos
What: just two guys hanging out, being buds (disclaimer: this may be slightly inaccurate)
When: shortly after the beach event
Where: olympia after dark
Warning(s): violence, gratuitous typemoon power level babbling

[ closed log for confrontation between archer and kotomine, and the ensuing aftermath. starters below. ]

Comments

[fakers]

[ her words don't sound like empty confidence. there's a weariness there that betrays her. while he might not know what she's had to endure, it's clear she's faced much suffering in her life.

his eyes focus on the flower on her face, drawn to it. of course, she's always wondered what it signifies; it's perhaps her most striking feature. it's never particularly alarmed him, as it might some (*cough*), but he senses there is something more it than a simple decoration. her power is difficult for him to understand, but he feels it keenly now. something more than human, even approaching the realm of minor divinity... perhaps that's why she'd have disciples who follow her. ]

It may not work.

[ it's not really a warning, but a statement of fact. her magical energy is different than what he knows, even if his body is drawn to it just as it would the mana of a magus. ]

But if you are certain, simply announce the terms of your contract. If I accept... that should be that.

[ though its faint, the outlines of a magical circle have already begun to form underneath them both. he's always been uncertain what called him forth here, but perhaps even the greater grail remains somewhere in stasis aboard thesa: an unsettling thought, but convenient enough at the moment. ]

[offtune]

If it doesn't work, you die. That's all.

[ just like his isn't a warning, hers isn't much of remorse. both of them know that archer doesn't have much of a choice now, but it isn't as though zero is bleeding for a disciple. she realizes then that she's doing this for the sake of the dying man rather than her own good, but that's something she can explore when certain time restraints are lifted.

zero barely notices the illumination of the magic circle under them, but she can sense what it means. there's nothing so fancy when it comes to disciples; in fact, the extravagance comes only after each individual intoner figured how to summon their respective beasts. zero feels it's tacky in every way, and yet all of the disciples - dito, decadus, octa, and cent - they'd all called forth their beasts the same way. which is why she is at a loss when archer tells her to name the terms of the contract.

how the hell is she supposed to know something like that.

she glances down at the circle below them, then closes her eye. unfortunately, she only has the flower as guidance, and when her eye open again, there's force of song magic that bursts from her person. she places a hand on his chest. ] Heed my call!

[ the flower is dormant, so nothing is necessarily being drawn from it, but she continues regardless. the light below them illuminates further despite the conflicting chants. ]

By the power of my song, I hereby forge a pact, to make this Servant a Disciple of my own. Gods of the East, Goddesses of the West; I hereby offer the flames of my life in order to protect his—

[ the ritual as she knows it is complete, and she doesn't know if this will suffice, but... she observes archer, seeing if he would accept after all. ]

[fakers]

[ while he opens his lips to try and make some snappy comeback, he finds he no longer has the ability to do even that. instead, all he can do is quietly listen.

though he'd realized at some point she was capable of feats of magic, the power radiating from her manages to surprise him. it's more raw than anything he's felt before, yet at the same time somehow personal. he knows she's merely improvising, but the form of the contract truly doesn't matter: instead, it's the sentiment behind the words that creates the bond between master and servant.

offer the flames of my life... though the pact is hardly complete, he can feel connections beginning to form. mana begins to slowly flow from her to him, trickling through the hand she's placed on his chest. it's enough to at least begin stabilizing him; his wounds, which had until then simply remained bleeding, begin to close.

whether its because her magical power is more potent than that of others, or just because he's forced himself to go for so long with so little, the effects are nearly instantaneous. he's hardly fully recovered, but it's enough that he can lift himself up once more, moving his body somewhat freely. while her hand remains on his chest, he goes to one knee.

it's almost awkward, forcing himself into a gesture of respect, but in this moment he cannot deny that she is his savior. for that, at the very least, she deserves the same consideration she's shown him thus far. ]

I accept your oath under the name of Archer. My bow shall target your enemies, my blades shall safeguard your domain. I entrust my fate to your will.

I accept you as my master, Zero.

[ the second the words are said, the connection between them solidifies. though it isn't an entirely new sensation for archer, it's nonetheless gratifying - only now can he truly appreciate just how weakened he had been before now. the fully extent of the contract is still unclear, but for now it's enough to keep him anchored to this world a while longer.

and in return, three red seals appear upon zero's hand. he probably should have mentioned something about that sooner, but oh well... ]

[offtune]

[ it isn't lost to her to see how quickly his wounds are healing. the ritual she does is one that roots from the flower, and it surprises her that it translates so fluidly despite the fundamental differences. the light continues to glow, eventually doming over them. normally, this would have been something that is great concern to zero, but she is only channeling what she has rather than using the flower entirely.

as archer gets on his knee, she slowly rises to her feet, hand still extended toward him as the song magic intertwines with and soars archer's person, effectively reviving and giving him strength to accept the contract.

in that instant, she feels a small connection between them intially. she doesn't know if it had started with the beating of his heart or otherwise, but a bond is being forged, completely strengthened by the time he calls her master. she finds herself gasping when it's complete, uncertain what she was expecting, but the sensation of being directly connected to someone is strange to her. she didn't know what to expect.

the back of her hand stings as an outline of a flower appears upon it, and as much as she resents another symbol upon her, she knows it's related to whatever this master business is.

the light surrounding them fades, thus completing the ritual. she brings her hand closer to herself, taking a look at the seal curiously. ]

So that's it, huh? I'm your Master. [ she sound amused by this revelation, despite being the one to suggest it in the first place. ] You live to fight another day.

[fakers]

[ although they've already gone through the motions and he's said the words, the reality of what's happened doesn't sink in until he hears that final phrase. "I'm your Master." until then, there remained some slight possibility that this hadn't truly worked; that something could still go wrong. he isn't even sure how a contract is formed in this world, only that others have done it... so it stood to reason that it was possible for him to do so as well.

he remains on one knee for some time, simply allowing his body to slowly soak in the fact that, for the first time in a long time, it's receiving the magical power it needs in order to stay alive.

there will surely be complications to this decision. it isn't one he'd thought out, and it's hardly ideal. there were probably others in this place better suited to being his Master. people that would would be easier to work with. he finally turns his gaze back upwards, transfixing it on the girl he's now sworn an oath to protect. ]

It seems that way. I suppose thanks are in order.

[ for better or worse, he never was the type to choose the easy path. while he already foresees headaches to come, serving her doesn't seem such a terrible fate. he finally raises himself back up to his feet, though his balance is still unsteady. his wounds remain serious, even if they are healing. ]

Though this isn't quite what I expected, I look forward to fighting alongside you.

[ it's not often that he lets himself smile a true, genuine smile. but pretense seems pointless now... he is genuinely happy to still be alive, and there's no harm in showing that. ]

[offtune]

Right... save it.

[ the thanks, she means. as far as she's concerned, this just makes them even. but now that the dust has settled, the reality of their contract is dawning down on her. it doesn't scare her by any means, but it does make her wonder what will happen onward. what it means for the two of them, who barely know each other, who barely understand one another's motivations. now they'll "fight alongside" one another. she leans down and nonchalantly picks up her sword, sheathing it behind her shortly after.

zero supposes this is the kind of gamble he has to make every time he "contracts" a new master.

she'd taken disciples after she killed their respective intoners. they had no choice but to stay by her side in order to keep their form and their wills. archer is in a similar situation; he has chosen her as a master because he was dying, because he still wants to live, because he has things (or people) he wishes to protect. while he's under oath to protect her, it's obvious that it's not the reason... so she sees no reason to fake it. it's not like anyone is policing it, right?

but it makes her curious. would someone else have found him, or would he have chosen death regardless?

zero finds herself furrowing her brows when he smiles. it's strange, after becoming so accustomed to his disapproval. she was in a more vulnerable position when he was dying in her arms, and she was struct by rare sentiment inspired by events from home. it was different when she didn't know that it'd work. but now that he stands before her, smiling, her walls are back in place. she clicks her tongue and turns the other way. ]

Go get some rest. You can explain this Master business with me when you've recovered completely. [ she begins walking away before turning back, only to say: ] Keep your ass out of trouble in the meantime, will you?

[fakers]

[ the change in attitude is hardly unexpected. now that they're no longer in a life or death situation, both are quick to settle back into their... more customary demeanor. but there is a difference now. whereas before he couldn't be sure what to make of zero's bravado and curtness, now it makes more sense to him. a defense mechanism. it's not like being rude to others in order to keep them at a distance is a foreign concept to him. ]

Very well. I'll find some other way to show my appreciation.

[ while the sentiment is still genuine, there's more than a hint of mocking back in his tone now. as if the magical energy rejuvenating him has brought him back to his normal state, beyond simply healing his injuries.

back when death seemed certain, he'd allowed his guard to mostly drop. and now the best he can do is play that off as a fluke; something to be disregarded. fortunately, she seems to be mostly of the same mind. it's difficult dealing with a Master that has trouble expressing herself, but it's not like he's inexperienced with that either. ]

I'll do my best to avoid getting myself killed in the near future. I wouldn't want to waste your efforts.

[ with that said, he slowly fades back into spirit form, now that he's more readily able to do so. though she can sense he's still there, to anyone it would simply seem like he had disappeared entirely into the night. ]