[ Closed ] May Catch-all!

[noholdsbard]

WHO: Tristan & various
WHERE: Wherever
WHEN: All month long
WHAT: Catch-all post for the month of May
WARNINGS: None; will update

[ Starters below. If you want shenanigans with this guy, feel free to PM me or hit me up on Plurk at yautja! ]

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Quest 58

[noholdsbard]

[ He has no illusions about being able to make the Philosopher’s Stone. Indeed, he’d dismissed the quest as nonsense. #FFFFFF can find Paracelsus or whoever if they want the stone so badly, but Tristan for his part has no talent for magecraft.

Indeed, the only thing he knows he’s really good for is the town’s defense—a task which he takes quite seriously, and one which has brought him to Fran’s path. The forest, he feels, is edging a little too close to that lovely patch of flowers she’s currently enjoying, but he decides on a more oblique approach to warning her about it: ]

What a lovely sight it is indeed, to see a lovely young maiden among the spring flowers. How are you today, Berserker?

[uuuh]

[This one, again? She lifts her head before he speaks, acutely listening for him to come any closer.

She knows well enough about the threat of the forest, but at least for once she isn't trying to chase the menacing presence that lurks inside it.]

Uuh. [She's doing fine, really.

Then she bends her head down again, hunched over a flower that's just about been accidentally uprooted from the earth and carefully attempting to pack it back in again.

[noholdsbard]

[ He’ll maintain a polite distance and refrain from trampling the flowers, if nothing else. It would be very sad if he accidentally ruined them… ]

Oh? Has anything emerged from the forest as of late?

[ He frowns with concern, not at all missing what she’s trying to do. ]

If something is disturbing the flowers…

[uuuh]

Uhh... [She shakes her head. Nothing came out an attacked; this one seems to have just been pushed aside by accident or some stray force of nature.

But then, the suggestion sinks into the back of her mind and simmers a little. Memories of running for the forest last month when she couldn't control herself stir.

She lifts her head, quickly looking back towards the darkened treeline. She's suddenly very alert, eyes seeming to narrow behind her bangs. Is there something?]

[noholdsbard]

Yes, it is good to remain alert.

[ And she has developed a healthy wariness for the place, which is definitely good sign. Especially with how close the woods feel. ]

When I first arrived here, one of the first things I saw in this world was a patch of flowers like this one, their colors all restored to their vibrant state. It was…beautiful, but how sad that they too must grow so close to such a perilous place. It is as if the forest is tempting us ever inward…

[uuuh]

Uuh. [It really is a problem to know the danger is so close. She hasn't been here long, but even Berserker is suspicious that the trees seem to be coming ever closer.

She growls a little bit. It isn't the frenzy she felt last month, but she still knows that place needs to be handled.

She'll hunt down the dangerous source of energy that's in there and take care of it.

But for right now, really, she's focused on replanting this flower.]

[noholdsbard]

[ At least they seem to have something of an understanding here—Mash isn’t allowed to translate for him, though, so he’s just bumbling along on Berserker-speak. ]

Well, I have some matters to settle in that place as well.

[ Exterminating monsters in there seems like a good idea. Hell, even some of the quests require it! But for the moment, he kneels down to inspect the edge of that patch of flowers. ]

But for now…will you be needing assistance, Berserker? Perhaps I can help you relocate that poor flower, that it might bloom away from the dark shadow of that place.

[uuuh]

Uh-uh. [It isn't that she doesn't appreciate Archer's offer, but who knows if he'll actually do the job well enough? She still does not feel as if she knows him enough to make that judgment, and this is a personal enough task for her already.

That said...] Uuhh? [She looks to to the forest, then back to him, then jerks her head in the forest's direction again. What sort of unfinished business is he talking about? She hates the place too, after all, even with her gloved hands cupping a fistful of dirt around the delicate flower in her hand.]

Quest 56

[noholdsbard]

“I am grateful that you would take the time to spar with me, my friend.”

It had been at his invitation, sure, but it had come at short notice. And now here they are, at some isolated open field where they can fight without any obstacles or passerby in the way. He doesn’t intend to go all out, but neither does he want to disturb anyone with the noise of battle when the town so desperately needs some peace right now.

Drawing his own sword—“You do not have any objections to using naked steel, I take it?” After all, this isn’t that one time anymore. They can just as easily go with practice swords if that’s what Tonbokiri wants.

“I find my swordplay a bit lacking as of late, and I can think of no better way to sharpen it than by testing it against your spear.”

[youwillbeunequaled]

He shakes his head, quietly saying once again, "Any time." Short notice doesn't matter; he is simply pleased to be useful to his friend.

He eyes Archer's sword appraiseingly as the man draws it. It seems to be a fine, if ordinary, blade. He hasn't seen it used since that one time... A time he is both embarrassed to remember, but thankful for.

"Naked steel is fine, but I must warn you, you may come away cut." He unsheathes his spear and naturally sets his stance. "I am pleased that one specializing in archery would also choose to refine their sword skills. To that end, I shall lend you my chest. So come!"

[noholdsbard]

A curious expression, but not unfamiliar—he might have heard echoes of it in the hallways of the Chaldea observatory, in what feels like many months ago. Regardless, he smiles a grateful smile. Leave it to Tonbokiri to take everything seriously—including this. But how far will he go?

“It is a knight’s duty to excel at all manner of weaponry and—” He cocks his head to the side with a smile—“endure a few cuts, besides. So you need not hold back.”

[youwillbeunequaled]

Archer says it is his duty, but why now? Did something happen to suddenly give him reason for perusing the sword?
Either way, Tonbokiri has no time to mull that over now.

"Understood." He is indeed taking this seriously, but he still gives a small smile and nod to acknowledge the invitation to not hold back. Then his expression falls back into complete seriousness as he bends his knees slightly before he springs forward. He recalls Archer's dexterity and fearlessness in that first bout, so he shall attack straight-forwardly.

To start, a swipe at the man's torso to push him back, and follow up with a stab.

[noholdsbard]

With that spear’s wide reach, he knows he’s already at a disadvantage in terms of range. But this is precisely the sort of thing he wants to correct in this bout. Tonbokiri might not fight similarly to a certain someone, but that brute strength…

He’s definitely avoiding that swipe, raising his sword as if for a parry instead. But this position reminds him a little too much of his earlier bout with Mordred, and he quickly springs back.

With a gasp, “Too close…!”

[youwillbeunequaled]

His eyebrows rising is the only outward indication of surprise that Tonbokiri gives to that abrupt change in Archer's stance. 'Too close?' He'll have to get closer if he wants to reach with his sword.

Pressing his advantage, Tonbokiri takes a wide stride forward and stabs towards Archer's torso again, aiming for that small opening in his armour.

[noholdsbard]

This was never about just swordplay. If his life (and death) aren’t so damned complicated they would have been enjoying some tea or relaxing in the baths by now, but such are the whims of fate. As Tonbokiri advances, Tristan merely dodges where he can, and parries what he cannot. At this rate, keeping on the defensive isn’t getting him anywhere. And his hooded gaze—such as it is—continually glances at Tonbokiri’s legs, as if he might be expecting something to come of it.

By now though, Tristan’s seen enough of Tonbokiri’s fighting to know that the man favors his upper body strength above all else. Furthermore, he knows that Tonbokiri is an honorable man who will never fight dirty.

But then again, is it really Tonbokiri he’s fighting here? He’s distracted enough that Tonbokiri will likely find an opening in his defenses soon enough. After all, he did let himself get backed into a corner like this.

[youwillbeunequaled]

At least the man does start parrying him, which while consistent with their previous bout, does not seem to fit the man's intentions in asking for this sparring today.

It doesn't take Tonbokiri long to notice that Archer is paying particular attention to his legs, and again he has a fleeting moment of wondering 'why'. This level of distraction is unbecoming of the knight.

... Perhaps he'll see if he can snap Archer's attention a bit.

Although his body is human, it is also supernatural. Therefore, he is capable of jumping higher than the height of an Ootachi and striking it from above.
Now, he leaps back as if taking a moment to gather himself for the next thrust of his spear, but instead jumps up. In an instant, Tonbokiri is bearing down on Archer from this unusual angle with not only his own weight and power behind his spear, but the boon of gravity as well.

Quest 59

[noholdsbard]

Please be careful with that…!

[ Look, he doesn’t mind cleaning up and helping to clean up in general, especially after the dragon thing, but it’s precisely because of what happened after the dragon thing that he’s much more wary of Xie Lian trying to…fix things.

And his room’s gathered quite the bit of dust—mostly because he doesn’t actually sleep or do much in it, save maybe to play something painfully melodramatic on his harp or stare at that snowglobe of his on the bedside table. Possibly both. But Xie Lian is veering a tad too close to the breakables and Tristan now regrets not putting that thing away. ]

[holycurse]

Don't you worry, I'm being as careful as I can! [says Xie Lian as he goes around the room with a wet cloth and a broom. This is Extreme Spring Cleaning! And he's not leaving until the entire room is sparkling clean.]

Honestly, I realize you may not need to sleep, but that's no reason to leave your room in such a state--have you dusted this place at all since you first moved in?

[Being stuck in a foreign land is not an excuse for uncleanliness! He ducks down to try to get under the bed, the handle of his broom getting dangerously close to knocking into that table as he sweeps out whatever debris he can find....]

[noholdsbard]

Well, I have, but—

[ He knows excuse aren’t going to cut it—Xie Lian seems absorbed in Extreme Cleaning Mode, and Tristan fears an even greater disaster should he attempt to quell this whirlwind now attempting to sweep up all the dust in his room.

And more importantly, he gently snatches that broom from Xie Lian’s grasp. He’s not gonna need it down there. ]

But…are you perhaps… [ how to put this delicately— ] making some attempt to distance yourself from…certain events? This feels rather sudden…

[ And it hasn’t been long since his wedding’s been called off—Tristan of all people knows that people can do some pretty crazy shit because of thwarted love. ]

1/2

[holycurse]

[He doesn't argue the theft of his broom, wiping a bit with the increasingly dirty cloth in his hands instead.]

Certain events? What events are you--

[holycurse]

[That broken-off sentence is immediately followed by him smacking his head extra hard against the bed because he just realized what he was talking about--

Which causes him to twist around a bit, his leg catching against the leg of that unlucky bedside table--

Aaaand something appears to be falling. Guess what it is!]

1/2

[noholdsbard]

I meant the—

[ Crap—he’d thought he was safe when he’d taken the broom out, once again forgetting that Xie Lian is a lot stronger than he looks. He realizes too late that the table’s been knocked over, and his hand flies out…his fingers just barely brushing the surface of the unfortunate snowglobe before… ]

[noholdsbard]

[ …it crashes to the ground, shattering into pieces like his heart just did. Whoops. ]

[holycurse]

[There's a moment's silence on Xie Lian's end - on one hand he bumped his head pretty hard, but on the other hand that crash behind him sounded...kind of ominous......what did he break...........

Eventually the latter wins out and he slowly pulls himself back out from under the bed.]

....I, er. Hope that wasn't anything important.

[noholdsbard]

[ Well…it’s handy that he’s taken the broom then. But now he’s resisting the urge to cry. First things first though, he kneels down to where Xie Lian is, carefully blocking his view of the shattered snowglobe because the last thing he wants is for his well-meaning roommate to feel bad about it. ]

Some sacrifices are inevitable.

[ His voice might sound a little too tight as he says it, though he’s not mad or even remotely upset at Xie Lian at all. ]

But are you all right? I fear that you might have hit yourself too hard under there.