![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
[open] based on the hit sondheim musical
WHO: Berserker/Frankenstein & open
WHERE: Flavo, the border of the woods
WHEN: Approximately the last 10-14 days of the month.
WHAT: A variety of spooky forest-based prompts both during Event 21 and outside it, for all of your being suspicious of the forest needs. It's a bad place and she doesn't trust it, and there's lots of things to do with places you don't trust.
WARNINGS: Nothing I can think of that needs a content warning. There could be some violence or self-overexertion depending on where things go.
i. the one during the event;
[Some time around the 25th or 26th, Berserker has gone so long without knowing what it is to feel calm that she has reached an untenable level of frenzy.
(And of course, there’s a fear there beneath the inability for her mind to rest. She cannot remember what calm is, so perhaps if she ever did experience it, it wasn’t real. A monstrous, fake emotion for a monstrous, fake form of life, a failure even at that.)
To her, the cause seems obvious. The forest is ominous and threatening and always has been. It feels…it smells…innately weird, a truly dangerous thing.
And that’s why, on one of these days late in the month, it is possible to encounter a very fast flutter of white launching into the trees with an angry howl as Berserker herself tries to run into the forest, without any mind paid to the danger and without any pausing to plan. There’s just yelling, and running, and slamming into the dangerous trees, repeated and repeated.
She can be followed, joined, or maybe even convinced to return to town, but she doesn’t seem to be paying attention to anything else at the moment, and it might take some trying to get through to her.]
((For this prompt, be aware she won’t be going too deep into the woods solely on account of not having a forest scenario, but she will be making an attempt.))
ii. the one outside of the event;
[This time, she’s having a staring contest with an opponent that can’t even stare back.
Even with no clear enemy to follow into the forest (and therefore no reason to go running in), it’s still just too suspicious for Berserker to deal with. And there’s nothing else for her to do, no one who needs her, and she is so often by herself anyway—
So even when everyone’s emotions are intact, her suspicions don’t wane. She spends hours staring into the colorless abyss, tense but otherwise immobile, her eyes expressionless and fixed. A small animal weaves its way between her legs, even, and Berserker doesn’t even move then.
The only thing that will make her react at all is if someone else approaches the border of the forest, either coming out or going in. Maybe she doesn’t make eye contact right away, but it’s obvious that’s where her attention is because after a moment, she lets out a sound.]
…Sto p.
iii. the one that can take place at either time;
[After so long of staring down an opponent that doesn’t even seem to exist, the danger of the forest has finally caught up with her. Berserker’s holding onto consciousness by a thread. Her sheer tenacity is probably the only thing that’s kept her from being overwhelmed.
As Servants go, she’s a rather weak one, isn’t she? It’s pretty pathetic…
She wants to go home. It isn’t the cottage in Flavo that she thinks of first as “home,” but that is where she’s going to have to go, isn’t it? Where is home? Ah, perhaps she never had one, but she’d come close enough when she was contracted to that boy.
She doesn’t make it to the cottage she shares with Riku and Mami. And that’s how it’s possible to stumble upon her sitting somewhere in the middle of road in Flavo, her eyes closed, still partially upright but slumping to the side like some discarded toy.]
iv. the improv one;
[For wildcards. Hit me up at![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
antiquating]
WHERE: Flavo, the border of the woods
WHEN: Approximately the last 10-14 days of the month.
WHAT: A variety of spooky forest-based prompts both during Event 21 and outside it, for all of your being suspicious of the forest needs. It's a bad place and she doesn't trust it, and there's lots of things to do with places you don't trust.
WARNINGS: Nothing I can think of that needs a content warning. There could be some violence or self-overexertion depending on where things go.
i. the one during the event;
[Some time around the 25th or 26th, Berserker has gone so long without knowing what it is to feel calm that she has reached an untenable level of frenzy.
(And of course, there’s a fear there beneath the inability for her mind to rest. She cannot remember what calm is, so perhaps if she ever did experience it, it wasn’t real. A monstrous, fake emotion for a monstrous, fake form of life, a failure even at that.)
To her, the cause seems obvious. The forest is ominous and threatening and always has been. It feels…it smells…innately weird, a truly dangerous thing.
And that’s why, on one of these days late in the month, it is possible to encounter a very fast flutter of white launching into the trees with an angry howl as Berserker herself tries to run into the forest, without any mind paid to the danger and without any pausing to plan. There’s just yelling, and running, and slamming into the dangerous trees, repeated and repeated.
She can be followed, joined, or maybe even convinced to return to town, but she doesn’t seem to be paying attention to anything else at the moment, and it might take some trying to get through to her.]
((For this prompt, be aware she won’t be going too deep into the woods solely on account of not having a forest scenario, but she will be making an attempt.))
ii. the one outside of the event;
[This time, she’s having a staring contest with an opponent that can’t even stare back.
Even with no clear enemy to follow into the forest (and therefore no reason to go running in), it’s still just too suspicious for Berserker to deal with. And there’s nothing else for her to do, no one who needs her, and she is so often by herself anyway—
So even when everyone’s emotions are intact, her suspicions don’t wane. She spends hours staring into the colorless abyss, tense but otherwise immobile, her eyes expressionless and fixed. A small animal weaves its way between her legs, even, and Berserker doesn’t even move then.
The only thing that will make her react at all is if someone else approaches the border of the forest, either coming out or going in. Maybe she doesn’t make eye contact right away, but it’s obvious that’s where her attention is because after a moment, she lets out a sound.]
…Sto p.
iii. the one that can take place at either time;
[After so long of staring down an opponent that doesn’t even seem to exist, the danger of the forest has finally caught up with her. Berserker’s holding onto consciousness by a thread. Her sheer tenacity is probably the only thing that’s kept her from being overwhelmed.
As Servants go, she’s a rather weak one, isn’t she? It’s pretty pathetic…
She wants to go home. It isn’t the cottage in Flavo that she thinks of first as “home,” but that is where she’s going to have to go, isn’t it? Where is home? Ah, perhaps she never had one, but she’d come close enough when she was contracted to that boy.
She doesn’t make it to the cottage she shares with Riku and Mami. And that’s how it’s possible to stumble upon her sitting somewhere in the middle of road in Flavo, her eyes closed, still partially upright but slumping to the side like some discarded toy.]
iv. the improv one;
[For wildcards. Hit me up at
iii
Don't just sit in the middle of the road, dummy.
[ Not that this place has cars, or anything that might pose a risk to her... but even so. Gently, she puts a hand on Berserker's shoulder and shakes her a little, as if making sure she's actually conscious, and not... dead? Switched off? (They might have at least one thing in common, but it occurs to Mordred that she doesn't know all that much about Berserker besides a name and an inhuman body.) ]
Come on, stand up. Did you get lost or something? If you're not busy, you can walk with me for a while.
[ She's fully expecting a rejection — but she's not asking for the sake of her own ego, but out of genuine concern for the other girl. If nobody does anything, Berserker will probably just sit there by herself for hours, and that's no good at all. ]
no subject
[The only thing that was keeping Berserker from continuing to pursue everything was exhaustion. Despite being on the brink of unconsciousness, she still hadn't been able to feel calm.
The voice speaking out from behind her brings a small, but almost instant change to her mindset. There's a little bit more clarity, a little less impulse to keep going and going, to struggle on with no peace or slowing.
It doesn't make any sense, to feel the calmest she has in a week around the Servant who could be called her mortal enemy. But maybe even that rivalry has some meaning.
She turns her head away with a soft, confused grunt. What did Saber do to her?]
no subject
Huh? I didn't do anything. [ Her confusion is clearly genuine. Thinking that Berserker is accusing her of something, she continues: ] I already told you, we aren't enemies here. I'm not gonna attack you.
[ Again, the fact she manages to interpret a few noises as full sentences doesn't even seem to register. She moves so she can look Berserker in the eyes again (as much as she can, anyway, with her bangs in the way), and crouches down to her height. ]
That's a promise from a knight, okay? So you don't have to worry. [ Idly, she gestures into the distance. ] In this place, we can do whatever we want, instead of acting as Servants. ... Well, I understand if you're still mad at me, though. [ lmao... ]
no subject
Finally, after a few moments of awkward shifting, she shakes her head 'no' just slightly.] Uhhh... [She isn't still angry. Really, how little anger she feels right now is just surprising. It's weird.
Though Berserker is still teetering weakly on the brink of consciousness after lingering too long near the forest, she has a sudden moment of energy. Her gaze jerks back toward the woods, then back toward Mordred, and though it's a struggle, she scrambles up to her feet quickly.]
Huu... [So it's still possible to feel calm like this.]
no subject
That's good. I'll try not to make you angry.
[ Which is pretty rare, considering she usually doesn't give a shit if people get mad at her or not. Quite the opposite. She's taken pride in it plenty of times, more prone to inspiring hate or fear with her reputation than anything positive.
When Berserker hurriedly gets to her feet, Mordred follows, staring at the woods as if trying to discern the problem. Nothing immediately presents itself, so she shrugs and moves on. ]
Are you tired? I can take you home if you want. ... Oh, but you'll have to show me which one is yours. I guess you might not be comfortable with that.
[ Again, she normally wouldn't give a damn — she found Artoria's house by
stalkingfollowing her, and if need be, would happily kick in random doors until she found the person she was looking for. But she doesn't feel like she has the right to intrude on Berserker's life (or death) any more than she already has. ]no subject
The all too sudden lack of distress makes the calm feel almost like an emptiness. It isn't unlike being ordered by her Master to calm down, a cool ice washing over her. Uncomfortable, but the clearest her head has been in days.
Dizzy and tired, but too stubborn to show the weakness, especially to Saber, Berserker doesn't give any indication as to where her "home" here is. But she does turn to the side, looking deeper into Flavo's quaint little pastoral house dotted around.]
Uuhhh... [They were enemies then. And she remembers as well as Saber does that it was Saber who ended her last life. She doesn't feel angry, but even then... Saber had seemed like a cruel person, then.]
no subject
Cruel, huh... yeah, you'd be an idiot to expect anything else. [ How can someone who was never shown kindness be expected to understand it? ] Most people are scared of me to start with. It's easier if they hate me, too.
[ After all, she's the knight who brought down a kingdom, the child who killed her father. All things worthy of being condemned for. If people hate her, fear her, she can be a bastard without any regrets.
She looks away. ]
... But this time is special. Just this once, I'll rebel against those expectations. [ The logic is... bad, but her tone seems genuine. ] Why don't you come to my place instead? That way, you can leave whenever you want. I swear on my sword that no harm will come to you.
no subject
Maybe it is easier, but maybe there's just not another option.
The offer surprises her, but if Mordred starts to lead the way, Berserker will obediently trail along behind her.]
...? [Why?
It could be about many things, but maybe Berserker herself does't even know which she means.]
no subject
Beats me. I just felt like it.
[ She's lying, but not for any malicious reason. After that, she falls silent for a bit, periodically checking over her shoulder to make sure Berserker is following along. Her pace is slow, as an acknowledgment of Berserker's tiredness, and to give herself more time to think.
Finally: ]
I'm gonna talk for a while, okay? You don't have to like it, or even listen, but there are some things I need to say. [ This time, she doesn't look back to note Berserker's expression. ] You and me... we're the same. Kind of, anyway. See, I'm not human either. I don't have parts like you do, but I'm a homunculus. Compared to all the other Servants, we have a special connection.
[ Mordred shrugs, still to afraid to check on Berserker's reaction, or if she's even still there. If she's not, then she knows she's making a fool of herself, but this is something she needs to get off her chest. ]
When I saw you again... even with what happened before, I decided things would be different this time. That it'd be fine if you ignored me, or hated me, or whatever, but I'd do my best to protect you. So I guess that's why I'm doing this.
[ She doesn't deserve forgiveness, she knows, but it isn't about that. It's about making amends, making sure Berserker doesn't suffer at the hands of anyone else like she did at Mordred's own. ]
no subject
(Though perhaps she was mistaken, knowing what she knows now about that boy, his fight.)
She's silent the entire time Saber is speaking, and she doesn't try to make eye contact when the other Servant does look back at her. She doesn't need protecting, probably not here and probably not by someone who has already defeated her. But it doesn't really see patronizing.]
Uhhh... [Saber didn't have to tell her all of that. It's really personal, so it must have taken a lot of energy to share.] ...Uuh. [But she understands. It's rare that they would ever meet again, unexpected. Strange. So maybe it really does make sense, whatever Saber's saying about a connection.]
no subject
If it's you, I don't mind saying it. Like I said, we're the same.
[ Even if she didn't have to, she wanted to. Mordred disparaged Berserker as an opponent, not just because of who or what she was; now, without that burning arrogance and hatred in her heart, she can take a different approach. A kinder one, if someone like her is capable of such a thing. ]
Oh, and... there are a lot of Sabers here, so it's okay if you just call me Mordred instead. That way, I can come running whenever you need me. [ She flashes a confident grin over her shoulder, clearly meaning every word she says. ] It's a lot less confusing, right?
no subject
Uhhh... [She seems...different, in a way that Berserker really can't name. It's not just a matter of kindness or temperament; she's not stupid or mean enough to point out something like that as if it's some major change. No, it's just...she's different, is all. She wonders if she ever smiled behind that helmet, the magic iron that sat between them during their short and one-sided encounter.]
H-humh. [A little caught off guard by her own thoughts, Berserker stammers, then nods. Okay, she can do that. To know her true name shouldn't be taken lightly.]
no subject
[ She didn't reveal her name to try and force Berserker into doing the same. Even if Mordred was the only Saber around, without a war to worry about, she'd probably have dropped the title just as fast. The Holy Grail barely matters to her anymore, except as an excuse for a fight.
A little later, she stops the two of them in front of a townhouse in Ruga. ]
This is it. I'll get the door for you. [ Basic knightly instinct has her holding said door open a moment later, indicating for Berserker to go in before her. ] My home is your home today. Maya... if she's here, she'll understand.