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WHO: Magilou and Artoria
WHERE: Deep within the forest
WHEN: Mid-June, pre-event
WHAT: Magilou and Artoria go in the forest for hunting. They get more than they bargained for.
WARNINGS: Monsters and the usual spooky forest shenanigans
[ When Magilou suggested that she and Saber take a trip through the forest for hunting, it's not as though she was expecting a welcome party. This is the barrier that keeps them enclosed in their fairytale prison; to call it foreboding would be an understatement. An endless expanse of colorless trees leading only to darkness, the mysterious quests for slaying monsters deep within - it's almost sinister in its simplicity, but this isn't the first abyss that Magilou has stared down.
After they've walked past the edges and into the deep thickets of gray beyond, Magilou looks behind her, only to see an unfamiliar maze of trees. It's impossible to see if the thought affects her at all, with her usual carefree mask plastered on. If it weren't for her efforts to keep her footfalls light and her voice low - and the fact that she'd triple-checked her Guardians and strung the journal she arrived with around her waist - she'd seem almost completely unprepared for what they might face. ]
I was hoping there'd be something exciting for the main course... but it's been so silent so far. If this is meant to be a trap, they could have made it more subtle.
[ It's silent. Silent, when there were animals to hunt at the fringes before, as if it was meant to drag them deeper in. It's... strange, unnatural, and even though that means everything bad and nothing good, Magilou doesn't stop walking. They've already come this far. ]
WHERE: Deep within the forest
WHEN: Mid-June, pre-event
WHAT: Magilou and Artoria go in the forest for hunting. They get more than they bargained for.
WARNINGS: Monsters and the usual spooky forest shenanigans
[ When Magilou suggested that she and Saber take a trip through the forest for hunting, it's not as though she was expecting a welcome party. This is the barrier that keeps them enclosed in their fairytale prison; to call it foreboding would be an understatement. An endless expanse of colorless trees leading only to darkness, the mysterious quests for slaying monsters deep within - it's almost sinister in its simplicity, but this isn't the first abyss that Magilou has stared down.
After they've walked past the edges and into the deep thickets of gray beyond, Magilou looks behind her, only to see an unfamiliar maze of trees. It's impossible to see if the thought affects her at all, with her usual carefree mask plastered on. If it weren't for her efforts to keep her footfalls light and her voice low - and the fact that she'd triple-checked her Guardians and strung the journal she arrived with around her waist - she'd seem almost completely unprepared for what they might face. ]
I was hoping there'd be something exciting for the main course... but it's been so silent so far. If this is meant to be a trap, they could have made it more subtle.
[ It's silent. Silent, when there were animals to hunt at the fringes before, as if it was meant to drag them deeper in. It's... strange, unnatural, and even though that means everything bad and nothing good, Magilou doesn't stop walking. They've already come this far. ]
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Satisfied that the tree is going to return Saber safe and sound, Magilou waits and Saber to come slashing out of the tree, probably with her bare fists or something, but then - ]
Whoa whoa whoa - hey!
[ Getting a very sticky, sap-coated Saber collapsing on top of her wasn't part of the plan. Magilou thrashes in surprise as the weight hits her, but she's tossed down to the ground like a domino falling over with a flick, her slight frame not enough to support Saber in full armor. She taps Saber on the shoulder to try and shake her awake, but her hand just ends up getting stuck on the sap.
This is... that's fine. It's fine. She was planning to blast the tree to high heaven once Saber was free from its clutches, but since she's stuck on the ground, that might be impossible now. She's hoping the tree doesn't disappear immediately (come on, she secretly wants Saber to see her being cool or something! she's a witch, let her perform, tree!), but since all she can do is writhe on the ground, she sighs and taps her non-stuck hand against the ground like she's tapping out of a wrestling match. ]
Saber! You in there? Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey, I'm going to - [ A whisper, in case the tree is still listening - ] set this old gnarled waste of wood ablazey!
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In the meantime, Saber is highly mortified. As the sap slowly oozes off of her, sensation begins to return to her body. Her limbs are slow to respond though, and the stickiness doesn't help at all. She stirs, and then with slothlike speed, slaps an armored hand onto the ground so that she can try and lift herself up. ]
I--ptooh.
[ Sap in her mouth -- she spits it out (not on Magilou) rather inelegantly before trying again. ]
Yes... Give me... one moment...
[ She attempts to enunciate even through her slurring as she regains the feeling of her mouth. Summoning all of her strength, she rooolllllls off of Magilou, leaving a puddle of sap in her wake. (She is so sorry.) From there she struggles to rise, only to tip over the other way in a heavy clatter of metal. She should probably wait a while longer before trying again.
... But as is the lesson today, Saber doesn't always listen to her better reason, because she'll attempt to get up a third time. If Magilou plans on torching the tree, Saber needs to be on standby in case anything (else) happens... ]
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It was harrowing, but Saber is free! So she'll take the victory proudly, putting her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest. You're welcome, she won't say, because that would be implying that she thinks she deserves any sort of thanks - which would, in turn, imply she feels any sense of attachment. She doesn't, obviously!? (She does.) Her voice drops to a soft whisper, just in case the trees can... somehow hear her. ]
Phew. You all right over there, o sticky soldier? I've got a tree to blast apart.
[ That being said, she'll give Saber time. But her Guardian is out - it has, thankfully, avoided the sapocalypse - and there's a bounce in her step nonetheless. It'll just take a quick chant of spells from her lips, and this entire clearing could go up in flames. ]
You see any indication in there that it would be opening some sort of Pandora's box to just blast this thing to high heaven? I've had enough of its maiden-stealing ways. It didn't even try and kidnap me - how rude!
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I am fine...
[ Sort of. And because she can still feel the attention of the tree emanating toward them, she too drops to a whisper. ]
I will thank you... not to refer to me as a maiden. And no, there should be no complications... with your plan.
[ She stands up a bit straighter and nods to Magilou. Saber has her back probably! ]
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Magilou gives Saber a wink and a slight nod, but once her attention is on the tree, her expression changes to something more playful, her lips quirking up in a malicious smile. Now that Saber is out of its clutches, this tree is going down, and she's going to enjoy every moment of it. It takes just a few seconds of setup - a trick of the light, almost, because when Magilou snaps her fingers, there are four larger copies of her Guardian weapon dancing around the offending tree with gleeful abandon. Magilou keeps up a rhythm with them, her feet tapping in time to the beat of the drum in her head. ]
Hey, tree - you can keep the journal, but I've got one more gift to give you, special delivery!
[ The Guardians keep up their dance, speeding up with every full rotation, until Magilou deems it fast enough - it's a good thing that her opponent is rooted to the ground, because it gives her ample time to prepare. With a twirl, a snap of her fingers and a flick of her wrist, her index finger points to the center of the tree, the point where Saber was swallowed whole by the insatiable beast. Immediately, the card floating above Magilou's finger shoots out like a bullet as the dancers converge, colliding together in a burst of magical light that blooms like a firework above them. It's a controlled explosion to keep from setting the entire forest on fire, but when compressed, the power multiplies.
When the starbursts fade, the tree is charred nearly in half: smoldering, ashen, but with just a sliver of its bark remaining attached. It's intentional: Saber's the one with a bigger bone to pick, after all. ]
Oh, dear. Seems I've accidentally left a splinter alive! I'm all for doing the deed, but if my partner would like a taste of the action - [ And here, she gives a gracious bow. ] - then I'll gladly let someone else clean up this mess.
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The explosion at the end of it lights up the forest with a fury, even the stray hair atop Saber's head blown back with the force of it before gently settling back into its usual forward droop. Saber blinks and observes the wreckage. For Magilou to have left that small bit of trunk intact on purpose -- and Saber has no doubt that she did -- is a display of control almost as dramatic as the spell itself.
This was all so needless... ]
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I would never dream of stealing the finishing act from you, and I have tasted more than my fair share. The finale is yours.
[ She bears no grudge against the tree, as embarrassing and gross as it is to be covered in sap. She was the one who invaded its territory, after all. ]
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[ With her grandiose explosion still fresh in mind, the sparks leaving a faint scent of ash mixed with something magical, the power that she uses for her last strike isn't nearly as grand. A few moments after readying her spell, the energy whipping her hair behind her, she unleashes her power toward the last sliver of charred bark. It's a controlled explosion: it hits its target with ease, expands to engulf the remaining pieces of the tree in its flames, and then bursts, the blaze evaporating like it was never there.
Where the tree once stood only remains a patch of seared earth: no bark, no sap, and no offered journal to speak of. Good.
Magilou salutes the tree goodbye as if waving to a ship pulling out of the harbor, puts her Guardian away, and turns to Saber. She seems more recovered now, in better spirits, which is what Magilou was hoping for deep down. ]
Phew! Well, that's one gnawing knot done and over with. There's definitely no way that could come back to bite us.
[ Or her, as the case may be, since she was the one who destroyed the angry tree. But still. ]
So what was the experience of being swallowed by a tree like? Any stories from its past victims to speak of, perhaps? Spooky, scary stories?
[ With the tree defeated, it seems like the atmosphere has decided all at once to lighten, as if the tree was the source of the malevolence. It might not be that simple... But it's easier to stand here and chat now, at least. There's a last meadow of light just a bit ahead, but Magilou isn't planning on walking before Saber has fully prepared. ]
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Yes, it was an arduous experience. The souls of those consumed before me were bound within its wooden walls and sought to possess my body as a means of escape. There followed a dire struggle for dominance among our five souls, which I fought with no certain victory. Had your rescue come five seconds later, I may have stood before you not as myself, but a dreadful old lech wearing the guise of my skin.
[ Of course, none of this happened. But Saber's smile stays firmly in place as she looks closely at Magilou as if expecting something. What is she expecting? Who can say... ]
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Egads! Don't tell me - I might be speaking with the soul of another without even realizing? You slippery snail...! Your slyness knows no bounds! Perhaps if I washed away that sap with my water magic, your true form will be revealed...!
[ She walks a short distance away, stopping when she notices - the meadow they're standing in is brighter now. The atmosphere has lightened, but beneath their feet, flowers start to crop up, blooming in small, colorful patches. Amidst the gloom of the rest of the forest, the bright hue of the flowers is more breathtaking than it should be. Even for Magilou, who normally schools her expression into uncharacteristic neutrality when flowers are involved, can't help but feel more relaxed now. She switches gears from her usual jokester to something more lowkey. It's a nice moment, and even she can revel in it every once in a while. ]
...But really, are you hanging in there okay? I mean, if that tree did anything, I can't rightfully make it more burned or anything, but it'd be real difficult to walk back without being in tiptop shape.
[ Saber looks vaguely expectant, so Magilou is assuming the atmosphere could both do them some good. Maybe this is an opportunity for being honest with each other. In which case, she probably could have started with admitting she's curious about Saber's condition, but she's not ever a great example. ]
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Magilou may believe the story, or she may not, but isn't that the magic of conversation with Magilou? Accepting everything even if it isn't believable, understanding things that aren't said. Truth and image not always aligning but always present together, neither completely without the other. ]
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In that moment, Saber feels hopelessly nostalgic. She can only assume that Merlin looks as radiant in the garden of Avalon, as natural among the flowers of his prison as Magilou does among these. Thinking of him raises an unexpected swell of emotion. Unexpected, because even it's been months since she's seen him, she's been without him for much longer in the past. Maybe it's the thought that she might never see him again before she dies, truly dies, that feels bittersweet, and indescribably sad.
Saber hears Magilou's question, but she sets it aside. After taking a moment to survey the clearing, watching the flowers as they delicately settle, she looks back to Magilou and speaks softly and warmly. ]
Magilou, I ask of you: Will you be my Master?
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The irony of it almost makes her laugh. The person that Magilou was long ago - the one she might have written of in the journal she sacrificed, memories that exist only as recollections and smoldering remains now - survived because of a man who loved flowers. And now, the Magilou that was born from those ashes stands in a garden of flowers not unlike how her original self ended, about to open herself up instead of locking more of herself away. She knows she'll go back to her own world at some point, but humans are fraught with the curse of caring for another. For now, the needy, worthless human that she is wants to seize the moment, however fleeting. ]
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Heh. Well, I'd be pretty heartless to turn down a request like that.
[ Her next remark is almost, almost more flippant: it would be something like, your wish is my command for the humor of it, or something casual, like thought you'd never ask. But Magilou knows the gravity of what Saber's asking: that Saber wouldn't be asking if she didn't have faith in her. Later, Magilou might be reminded in how misguided that faith might be, but she doesn't plan to disappoint Saber from the beginning.
Magilou turns to face Saber, smiling. For the first time, it's not a smirk, or a grin; it's genuine. Her voice is soft, quiet, matching Saber's. ]
Yeah. For as long as you'll have me... I'll be your Master.
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She feels no relief at Magilou's acceptance, taking it instead as the natural answer. Magilou is a whimsical enough soul that these things hardly faze her -- but thoughtful enough that she wouldn't accept this contract lightly. If she says she's willing to be Saber's Master, Saber is certain she'll be equal to the task. ]
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Know that Masters and Servants can sometimes see visions of each other's pasts while asleep. As I do not need sleep, there will be little occasion for me to receive visions of your past. However, it is a risk that may arise if I am ever knocked unconscious.
Meanwhile, you will have little choice in the matter. My life was not always pleasant. Your dreams may become unrestful. Knowing all this, do you still accept me as your Servant?
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I travel alongside someone who calls herself the Lord of Calamity. I hear angsty antiquities and dramatic diatribes on the regular. If my dreams were restful, I'd be thrown off by the sheer strangeness of it!
[ Sleeping soundly and knowing people without traumas? That's the foreign concept here.
So instead of walking away, Magilou steps closer. She doesn't really know exactly how this whole shindig gets started, and whether it's a different method from her own pactmaking history, so she'll defer to Saber on this one and let her take the lead. Even if she is becoming a Master - which, really, she'd think of herself more as a bystander than a Master with a Servant proper, but it's all semantics - she'll let someone else do the difficult stuff. Even if it's only because she'd rather not mess this up. ]
I'll let you lay it on me, and pick it up along the way.
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The ceremony that forms a contract between a Master and Servant requires very little. In some cases, it's hardly a ceremony at all: a simple, no-frills verbal agreement of intent that takes about five seconds. Magi from high families like to dress up their ceremonies, crafting elaborate vows, complicated language, and a showy backdrop, but it's all just pomp in the end. In Saber's opinion, the scenery around them is more than enough decoration. ]
My name is Artoria Pendragon. In life, I was known as King Arthur, rightful ruler of Britain. Your fate is my fate. My sword is your sword. As long as I am your Servant, you will never stand alone.
[ And that's it on Saber's end! She waits for Magilou to respond in kind. ]
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In that way, maybe she's different from Artoria, too, but that's what makes a partnership a partnership. Working together to cover the weak spots and augment their strengths. ]
Geez, you're gonna show me up here! A humble witch can't compete with a real king! [ And apparently not queen, but hey, if she was badass enough to rule a full kingdom, Magilou figures she can be whatever she wants. ] But... fine. We've already fought side-by-side, so we can make it. As long as you can keep up, I'll be counting on you to watch my back, and I'll keep an eye on yours.
[ As soon as the words come forth, there's a sharp sensation on the back of her right hand that she can't quite place. It feels as though she's holding it on top of hot coals, but more concentrated: like there's a brand searing itself onto her. It's a stinging pain, and she can't help the way that her face scrunches up in confusion more than from the pain. And then, as soon as she looks at the source of the sting to make sure she wasn't bit by some strange bug or something... what stares back at her is a curious rune. The strokes flow in the way her magic runs through her with every cast: a concentrated point that expands outward like a flower blooming, just as the ones beneath their feet do now. ]
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At the same time, Saber can feel a drastically increased flow of magical energy pouring into her. As expected, Magilou makes a fine magical battery. ]
Our contract is now complete. The markings on your hand are your three Command Spells, which stand as proof of our connection. As long as they remain on your hand, you need not worry about my condition.
[ That last bit is slightly overconfident since Saber would already be gone by the time the Command Spells disappeared, but she prefers not to be worried over. She'll be fine, it'll be fine. She hasn't forgotten how Magilou sounded through the walls of the tree; Saber would like to avoid any replications of that going forward. ]
Now then, shall we commemorate the occasion?
[ Her eyes wander briefly, and then she bends to pick a few choice flowers. ]
I thought we might press these into the books around your waist.
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Those thoughts, contrasted with the sight of Saber picking flowers and the goal of pressing them as a memory, is... sort of funny in its simplicity. It's not something Magilou expected her to say. Flowers have never carried a positive association for her, but with her journal burned and a reason to unshackle herself from that past, it's an opportunity to overwrite things she no longer needs.
She smiles. ]
A present of pressed pansies to get in my good graces so I don't force you into something unsavory, hmm? The things I could make you do with these Spells... Imagine the possibilities! The comedy routines! Unparalleled performances!
[ She's bluffing, and she knows Saber knows it, too - Saber once said "you would not use the Command Spells for evil". It might be more faith than Magilou thinks she deserves, but she doesn't plan on betraying that. Saber should be free to do as she wishes; her having more magical energy just opens possibilities. ]
But more importantly - you said that a Master provides you with a stream of magic, right? How does the ever-gracious witch compare to what this dreadful town was giving you?
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She's a casual appreciator of flowers at best, so the names and meanings of the flowers she chooses are completely lost on her. They're only the simplest and brightest ones, so that their brilliance might be preserved most faithfully. Once she has a handful of them gathered delicately in one steel-tipped hand, she straightens and looks to Magilou expectantly for one of her books. ]
Your output is more than satisfactory. The direct link between us is a much more efficient channel than the ambient energy I received before. Your personal capacity for magic is also excellent, so I will be able to expend much more magical energy before needing to conserve.
[ Saber is an expensive Servant to maintain at full power, especially with Excalibur as completely over-the-top as it is. Only once in the last Holy Grail War was she able to deliver a blow at full power before disappearing shortly thereafter. But now, things should be a little less drastic... ]
However, this should not be a one-sided partnership. Please feel free to call on me for any reason, whether it is a monster attack or a stubborn jar lid. In fact, I insist on it. There is no task too big or small for me.
[ Let her be a good Servant!! ]
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Wouldn't even dream of leaving you out of it.
[ For as carefree as her normal attitude is, Magilou is surprisingly firm on this point, her voice low and even. She's not intending on making this an unequal partnership, regardless of the titles of Master and Servant. She doesn't like debts, and she's fickle on the best of days, but she walked into this prepared. She doesn't make her decisions lightly, and she's not going to use Saber like a tool. If she did... she's no better than the Abbey.
And as soon as it appeared, the seriousness is gone. ]
You know, it's a shame this clearing is stuck in the middle of a forest that tried to murder us. I could get used to this place. If you've ever got too much of my energy to expend, and we're in need of some tree sap, at least we have something interesting to find, I guess.
[ And hopefully without... trees that are happy to gobble Saber up. Though, perhaps, with Saber's enhanced strength, maybe that wouldn't be a problem any longer... ]
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She allows her sword to dissipate before taking Magilou's book and opening to the middle. It surprises her, yet doesn't surprise her, to see that the pages are blank. She thought they might have been spellbooks or reference materials, but evidently not. It makes sense, as much as an empty book can get; Magilou doesn't seem like the type to refer back to the conventions of other people.
Saber carefully places each flower in different sections of the book, fussing with the petals so that they'll be pressed evenly. ]
It truly is a shame. This would be a wonderful place to have a picnic...
[ Any food they tried to bring might get smashed by all the fighting along the way. Alas. But Saber wouldn't be opposed to a little field trip to reach this place again someday in the future. ]
Magilou, now that you are my Master, there is one other topic I feel I should bring up. I do not think it will overly concern you, but I do not want you to be taken unawares. Are you familiar with an individual here named Mordred?
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But then Saber says something that sounds suspiciously like the opening to a warning. Somehow - perhaps luckily - Magilou has not heard hide or hair of this mysterious Mordred. From the way that Saber brings up the name, she has a feeling that might be a good thing. "I do not want you to be taken unawares," she says, as if Magilou could be surprised by many things any longer. She shakes her head and shrugs. ]
Nnnnope. I'm guessing they're of some concern to you, though?
[ Especially if it's relevant because she's a Master now. Has she walked into something she hasn't? It won't make her take the vow back or anything, but if someone's going to want to know about this arrangement, she needs to know who's going to be throwing her a parade for helping Saber.
Or who's going to clobber her. Either way. ]
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