Season 1: Persepolis/Round 2 Thread 2
Nat 30-Oct-20 04:08 AM
Takoda Mori 29-Nov-20 10:30 AM
A line of half a dozen black cars pulled around the corner and came to a silent stop in front of the Rossum place. Seeming to barely break the silence of the street as they arrived, the quiet atmosphere undisturbed.
Takoda sat in the center car, gazing up at the buildings before him, his eyes narrowing as he considered the different ways the coming... engagement... could go.
Thoughts wandered back to the orders he had received...
Mori... the Toveksy family is perhaps the most important name in the coming times. That the mafia may need them to stay out of the conflict, if not aid the Families is a given, but better would be if they were alligned alongside the Kaeru. Best if indebted. You know the stories about the last patriarch of the Tovesky line, it's time to clear the Kaeru of any involvement understand...
This was risky, Takoda was expecting a fight if he was being honest so Claudius was hidden nearby ready to be called, with a heavy sigh he straightened his collar, and swung the car door open stepping out into the sunlight. As he did it was like a switch had been thrown and men clad in black suits stepped out of each car in the line as the Devil's Left Hand moved up the steps towards the front door six of the dozen and a half men followed in his shadow, flanking three on each of his sides one of them clutching a steel suit case in his arms. When they came to a stop before the doors one of the Yakuza reached forward, ringing the bell.
And with that they waited patiently.
Takoda didn't know much about the Matriarch of the family, the Daughter of a dead man who had spent years abroad, her return had been silent, but it going unnoticed was an impossibility. But she was an unknown, rumors were abound that she sympathized with the people, others that she was plotting... well best not to rely on rumor and gossip for the coming meeting. He needed to get her agreement, not make an enemy today...
WafflesofWar 29-Nov-20 10:31 AM
Kari Tovesky 30-Nov-20 01:27 AM
Rossum Place was no stranger to the ebb and flow of visitors and customers due to its unique niche within the economy of Persepolis. Indeed a great many stores and businesses received part of their alchemical supplies and mana batteries from the Toveskys' workshops within and kept them loyal with the quality goods once demanded by the old Republic testing facilities.
However, they did not last as long as they did without a degree of caution, any orders had to be made by way of appointment and unannounced guests would be turned away by locked doors and cold stares. Any contact would have to be established remotely. As such, a long, still silence filled the void between the six black cars and the wide complex.
"Miss Tovesky, we have a few visitors at our doorstep," the measured voice of one homunculus' buzzed over the intercom for her personal office. Unlike most businesses, it did not have any windows to look out over the streets or even the interior factories. Rather it was a repurposed storage room that she had quickly refurbished to her taste.
"Yeah I can see them on the screen, can you see any tags or signs of affiliation on them?"
"No but they do seem to be carrying silver cases with them and I can get you a better view of who their representative is..."
"There's no need for that, I have better methods to take care of that. Just wait for now," Kari would say before she swiveled around in her chair to two brass bars spaced a meter apart vertically and waved her hand in-between them. A silver screen of mist lazily rolled down into the bottom bar and an image slowly began to organize itself on the vapor. Bit by bit, Kari could begin to make out the figure of a well-dressed enforcer, her fingers tapping impatiently as the image coalesced. She needed to know who she was facing and quick.
Unfortunately, her anxiety about sudden guests was confirmed when the image solidified into that of a well-dressed man with a distinctive confident but cold stare. It was one she had seen many times in her studies of the mafia of Persepolis, the infamous Devil's Left Hand of the Yakuza. No man had inspired more fear in the crime syndicates than his appearance as it could only mean you had done something very wrong and were about to pay for it severely. Kari could feel her heart start to tumble into a dead spin of emotion and struck out at the misty screen, sending it away in a entropic stream. She leaned against the wall and stuck it a few times before forcing herself to take a deep breath.
- Alright deep breaths, Kari. Think through this before you get yourself killed for something stupid. Why would that bastard show up at your door unannounced? If he wanted you dead, he would have gotten you when you took a trip out, so can't be that. Here to intimidate? No, they had more creative ways for that... Ok how about a bribe or some business deal to sully your business and the family honor... hmm, that could be money in those cases... I could let them in to find them out but hell if I'm just going to let them face me alone *
"Maria, if you so kindly could, please fetch Mr. Lovelace for me right away. I will need his consultation for a surprise customer," she said, just barely hiding the wild spring of emotions dancing around inside her caged heart. "Also make sure the halls from the entrance are lined with security and combat forms."
"Yes ma'am, right away" came back the curt voice of the homunculus from earlier.
It was time to give those glorified bouncers just as much of a fright as they had given them...
___
The mobsters would be greeted at the door by a single well-dressed individual with distinct silver hair and golden pupils.
"Welcome to Rossum Place. With the current protocols in place, I must ask that only your representative and one guard may enter. Once you choose, please follow me inside."
Once inside, they would be lead at a brisk pace through a series of winding corridors, all doors blocked by steely eyed guards, some human, most artificial in make until they reached a set of wooden doors that seemed out of place with the industrial look around them.
And once again they would have to wait...
Eagan 30-Nov-20 04:06 AM
Ada Lovelace 30-Nov-20 04:24 AM
'-should get me to her hideout. Thank you, homunculus. Now, would Ms. Tovesky steer clear of the space around the intercom, please.'
The space around the intercom began to warp. A gloved hand emerged from the device, followed by an arm, then Ada's silver grey hair that was almost indistinguishable from the rest of the homunculus roaming the building. Ada climbed out of the comically small intercom as if it had always been able to accommodate his size, landing in front of Kari with a thunk from his mechanized boots.
'You have visitors.' He reiterated as if the Mafia's arrival was still news to Kari, and that his Master did not just summon for him because of it. 'Am I safe to assume that you called for me because you need backup, or am I here as a piece of merchandize for you to flaunt at a fellow business competitor?'
Ah, yes. The Ada Lovelace brand of greeting that had been accompanying Kari's daily life ever since her Servant had found out about Kari's family business. A provider of mana batteries, a type of sustenance for S.E.R.V.A.N.T. mystic codes, one which he currently occupied. Replacing the batteries was as simple as replacing a normal battery in an electronic gadget, at which point one would start to wonder just how fundamentally different a Servant was to a remote controlled toy car.
Of course, Ada Lovelace would never stoop so low as to be upfront about his dismay.
Not yet.
Kari Tovesky 30-Nov-20 05:19 AM
The sudden arrival of Ada still managed to catch Kari by surprise, even if days had gone by since she had first summoned the unruly Archer. Of course her heart was the more unruly element at the time as she could feel it pound against the magical metal cage she had cursed herself with. Already, it seemed her own ambitions for taking down the mafia had caught up with her and the Yakuza had sensed that she was ripe for the picking in their own nefarious plans
“Yeah I can see that already, genius. However, unlike you, I know who we are dealing with and they’re certainly not some half-blind old man from the Ritz. Instead, its a pack of the worst people in this city and I think they already know what I want to do and are here to put a stop to it before I even begin,” Kari said, her blue eyes attempting to skewer the snarky tongue of her servant. She was now pacing back and forth with a certain nervous energy, like a rabbit trying to get out of a trap.
“I summoned you here not because I think you’d make a great show model, but because I really don’t want them to get the wrong idea about me. Its going to be the first time they see me and I want to make sure they know not to fuck with me. You will be there to show I have the means to end them right there and now if they disrespect me, because the last thing you want to do is act like a puppy and roll over for them,” Kari kept going, her tone becoming more charged and vulgar as she spoke.
“You know what happens if you do that, they see you as their bitch and then they never leave you alone. There would go any shot I have at finding the truth, I can’t have that happen ever, and you will be there to make sure of it. Got it?”
She was cursing herself even moreso mentally as she was showing her own nervous state to the servant so early on in their contract. This wouldn’t be happening if those slick assholes in suits had decided to knock on her door today and she doubted the day was going to get better…
Eagan 30-Nov-20 05:19 AM
Claudius Smith 30-Nov-20 12:32 PM
Claudius sat amongst the few trees that resided to the sides of the Rossum Place. His eyes peered through the brush studying his master and his men. Claudius scoffed to himself. Their approach was head on; his master came knowing negotiation was the second option, so why give the enemy a chance to see them coming? Claudius would have done things in a much more chaotic matter, but he wasn't the boss here.
Furthermore, Claudius couldn't help but find his alignment amusing. Had Claudius been alive today, he figured he'd be siding with their current target, but that didn't matter now. That wasn't why he was here.
All Claudius could do now was wait and see what happened, and if a fight broke out, well, maybe then he could do things his way.
Takoda Mori 01-Dec-20 08:34 AM
Takoda gave a curt nod in initial response to the Homunculi's request and simply walked forwards, he didn't need to speak to appoint who would enter, only one guard followed, the one holding the steel briefcase. He didn't speak, after all who really spoke to Homunculi if they didn't need to, it was like talking to a pidgeon or stray dog.
Rossum Place was grand to be sure, though Takoda's head remained rigidly straight gazing ahead, he observed the ornate halls from his periphery's.
Ms. Tovesky had certainly rolled out the welcome wagon, doing the exact same as them he supposed. Flexing a bit of muscle as a preface to the discussion ahead, showing the different authority each had in the situation. The Kaeru had power outside this place, in the city there was not really a place the Mafia couldn't reach when the Families worked together. But inside her, she was in charge. While it was true this put him at a disadvantage Takoda was thankful for it, he found that in such negotiations clear understanding of where each party stood helped avoid... unnecessary action.
He didn't come here to kill a young woman who had already been wronged after all. He hoped today would go without any death dealing on either parties side.
Oh how his servant would be undoubtedly disappointed, he'd tried to learn more about his Servant, research who he was where he was from, Takoda had found actually nothing. So either Claudius had lied about his identity or he was apart of lose history, he was curious of course but aside from talking to one of the Kaeru mages on how it could affect a Servant to be essentially unknown, forgotten, he hadn't pushed the subject to hard. Wasn't important right now.
When they came to a stop before a final door and were left to wait he stood straight and held his posture firm, reaching down and undoing before refitting his cuff links. The time was now.
WafflesofWar 01-Dec-20 08:34 AM
Ada Lovelace 01-Dec-20 02:54 PM
'You got me there, Ms. Tovesky! I am, after all, rather uninformed about the major powers of this newfound city.' Ada threw up his hands lazily in a gesture of defeat. 'Though in your case, knowledge seems more trouble than it's worth.' He added, but didn't press on the matter once he noticed the frantic air about his Master. Kari seemed ready to set off with a spark, and he really didn't need to keep adding fuel to a fire that was waiting to happen.
Instead, he picked his way to a couch in front of Kari's work desk and sunk into the cushion, settling into a comfortable position with a few groans from the struggling furniture.
'Relax! Persuasion comes in two flavors. If words fail you, rest assured that I can arrange for a flair should you need it. How well it'd work on a member of a Mafia, however, is really up to our guest of honor. Speaking of which.' He nodded towards the door, where a series of footsteps could be heard.
Kari Tovesky 06-Dec-20 02:43 AM
Ada's assessment of his master was more true then he knew, as Kari felt like a dog trapped in a cage. She didn't want to talk face to face with such notorious mobsters but if she didn't who was to say they wouldn't just bust in and force demands on her. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't and unfortunately there was no third option she could exercise at the time.
The only comfort she found in the situation was if the whole thing went south, at least she could fight her way out of this, that she knew very well how to do. She still had to calm down before she let their guest in and Ada's submission to her was already steeling her nerves. It was a relief to see such a troublesome man start to fall in line behind her will.
Taking a liquid shot of courage from the flask hidden in the inner pocket of her coat, Kari let out a deep sigh and sat down in her chair. She would tap her gloved fingers on her desk for a few seconds before she finally pushed the speaker.
"Alright Edmund, you can let the guests into my office. We're all clear in here and let me know if Maria or the others notice the other members of his party start to act up," Kari would say, marshalling what few grains of professionalism she had in her in preparation with the Yakuza's most powerful enforcer. "Oh and Ada, to better conceal your identity, I will be referring to you as Mr. Lexington for this meeting." That wild spark in her eyes now clouded over by a new sheet of icy resolve.
The first thing Takoda would notice when he entered the office was that he was greeted with a wave or rather a wall of cold air as the temperature dropped by several degrees. Was it possible the heating was broke in this seemingly repurposed room or was it the preference of its occupants? Hard to tell as the young woman seated at the rather large and ornate desk was bound in a long red coat, black leather gloves and a white turtleneck. Was it the cold that bothered her or something more personal?
"So you are Takoda Mori of the Kaeru families, yes? I have heard much about you and your line of work. It makes me wonder why you came here with a briefcase no less..." Kari said, leaning forward and resting her chin on the top of her crossed hands, her eyes attempting to pierce the gangster's head, a faint glimmer hidden within. "You some type of businessman now?"
Takoda Mori 07-Dec-20 07:44 AM
As the doors swung open to allow him entrance the wave of cold air was sudden and unexpected, while the bitter cold bit at his bare skin the temperature was no colder than the general atmosphere this place oozed. Sparse and empty, devoid warmth, filled with tools and purpose rather.
Takoda didn't dislike it.
That he was dealing with someone who held to a purpose, and was devoted to it so much that it echoed through the halls and air of their home was reassuring, he was dealing with someone who was perhaps a kindred spirit in a manner of words.
As he entered the room his instincts honed through years as an Enforcer for the Kaeru Family kicked in as he observed the two occupants, the man relaxing within the room was undoubtedly a body guard of some kind, possibly a Servant, it wouldn't be surprising, but there was no guaranteeing that off of a first glance. Still, it would be worth keeping the man in the corner of his eye.
But Kari was a different story, while the temperature was low there was no doubt this was through some form of mage craft, meaning she was doing it to intimidate him, or she preferred the cold. As he couldn't spot any obvious mage craft that would require the cold and she was dressed in such warm clothing, he could guess this cold was to intimidate him and that this woman didn't simply enjoy the cold. From this he drew one conclusion-
She was a green horn in these situations, but probably volatile and prepared for the worst. If he was unlucky, she was one of those that felt she needed to prove herself to this stranger, or worse, prove something to herself. He'd have to approach her delicately.
"My business has, and always will be what is needed of me. Today is no different. My name is Tadoka Mori of the Kaeru yes." he confirmed curtly and politely his eyes not leaving her now that he spoke. "I've been sent here with a diplomatic offer of a kind from my Boss, relating with your Father's death... may I sit?"
WafflesofWar 07-Dec-20 07:45 AM
Don't know why it double posted like that sorry. anyway
Kari Tovesky 10-Dec-20 03:34 PM
"Maybe, but first tell me right now if that suitcase is part of some deal to pay for my silence or some kind of peace offering. If it isn't, then we can talk. If not, well then you're wasting my time and I'll force you to leave," Kari would say, the glimmer in her eye now taking on a wolfish sheen and hungry for action. Takoda was true in his assessment, the new head of Tovesky Industries and Rossum Place was more than eager to start proving herself and subtlety would be far from her tool of choice. Nor was she particularly polite, Kari did not see a reason for her to say something the man in front of her already knew, a waste of air for her, a waste of time for them and a tradition she would leave in waste.
True, the possibility of learning something about her father's death made her curious as to what the mobster had to say but what could would it be if it meant bowing down to the interests of one of the very groups likely involved in her father's death. No, a far more satisfying way would be him spilling it out from busted lips and a bruised face. That would be justice, that would be the proper vengence for her father. But these thoughts would only simmer far away from the cold air of the room.
Now it was Takoda's choice on what path to pick, both likely as easy to navigate as the other for a man in his line of work.
Eagan 10-Dec-20 10:33 PM
- Correction, third sentence should start "And if so, well then..." Not "If not"
Takoda Mori 11-Dec-20 04:51 AM
She was direct, and honestly, adorable. She had the look of someone that wanted to be respected, wanted to intimidate but she didn't fool him. Kari was ready, she thought herself willing, however she didn't have the experience to project an aura of intimidation.
Well not on her charisma at least.
Takoda had to admit to one thing though, while he wasn't intimidated, she was trigger happy. Looking for a reason, she'd seen it before in negotiations held hoping they'd fall apart. In those that felt they held the cards or had something to prove, or worst yet- felt they held the cards. He'd seen confidence and pride end conflicts far bloodier than they needed to be.
Still standing he answered, honestly and directly. "The briefcase was given to me from the Boss, under orders to bring it here. It contains the evidence, the proof that we have, of the Kaeru's Family's lack of involvement of your Father's death. What our own members were doing, the financial benefit the status quo had, and the damage in its change after your Father's demise. The Kaeru had no motive, nor any wish to see him dead, and while you don't know the Boss, he is one for tradition, for blood lines. His words were 'It is a matter of honor to see justice done, over do as it is.'" he was silent for a moment but spoke again before she could answer.
"A death must be repaid with a death. That is justice, honor must be satisfied and I am here as my bosses heart felt plea to work together to obtain it. Persepolis is teetering, it traditions and foundations about to be cast aside as its ruling heritages battle. I'm not one to understand it all, only pass on the words of those above me, but 'The Old Guard must step up to preserve 'balance'."
The words of his Boss were well memorized, and he delivered them with strength and conviction, their deeper meanings lost to Takoda.
That in mage craft 'balance' and 'justice' were one in the same conceptual, that in a manner of speaking 'a death must be repaid with a death' could easily be his Boss offering the Enforcer's life to the Tovesky heir. The Boss was asking for aid in maintaining the status quo that benefited him, in exchange for aid in catching the men that killed Kari's father. Men the Boss had worked with for years, and was now willing to sniff out, and snuff out now that the situation called for it. Takoda Mori was man of honor, delivering honorable words- words which held dishonest, and brazenly spoke of betrayal for a profit.
WafflesofWar 11-Dec-20 04:52 AM
Kari Tovesky 12-Dec-20 02:59 PM
There was much to process from Takoda and his boss's speech as he delivered them with such earnest belief in words that were not even his. Kari shifted around as he spoke, waiting for the authentic Takoda to return from the impassioned speaker through which his boss spoke remotely. She had heard many such speeches before, reformist platforms from the streets of her youth, the eulogies delivered at her father's funeral, deans and professors giving platitudes to the students, and businessmen giving pitches. They were all the same, saying the same old things to protect the same old order, perpetuate the same cycle.
"Do you hear yourself, Mr. Takoda? It's like you're nothing more than a mouthpiece for your boss, a tool to be used and tossed when your time is up. We have homunculi here that serve the same purpose. What your boss proposes, this balance, its nothing more than a rouse, a cover to preserve the same status quo that caused my father to end up with a bullet in his head," Kari said, slamming her hand on the desk and pointing at the side of her head.
"What your boss obviously wants is more time to profit from the rot that has infested this city for years now, a glorified leech feeding on the desperation of the people with a spare bit of change to gamble away and then go out and steal more. He knows I and the company i own stand to profit just the same from the situation, prolonging the cycle to squeeze money from it. Yet if we keep the status quo, more fathers will die, more people will steal and the more this warfare is going to come up," Kari was now up and pacing behind the desk.
"Tell me, Takoda, is this really how things should be? Where is the justice in such a system? Where is the honor you hold in this cycle of rot?" Kari said, the ice in her eyes completely gone and replaced with a crystal blue fire of passion. "I don't think I could ever accept your boss's offer if that's what is in the future. I'd be complicit in the death of some other child's poor father and no way for me to pursue true justice."
Takoda Mori 13-Dec-20 04:06 AM
Tokado had come here bearing an olive branch, he did, he had wanted to end this peacefully.
But this child was as ignorant and blind as every other aristocrat that ruled this city. Here she sat inside this mansion, safe and warm. Everything she ever wanted, ever needed at her finger tips. And she accused his Boss of such a corruption of spirit. A man who had stood tall against those that oppressed and cast the people down.
A man who had carried so many up from the dirt of the slums, including Tokado himself.
"You don't know a thing..." his hands balled into fists. This girl had lacked all tact, all form of manner or graciousness as a host. He hadn't even been invited to sit.
"You don't know the Boss, and you've been out of Persepolis so long what do you know about the status quo, about the state of the city!" He was angry now, the kindly smiling visage of the Elderly man that was his Boss danced across his visage. The only truely honorable man in this city, maybe left in the world in the Enforcer's eye.
"Your asking where is the justice when you haven't had yours yet with all your friends and family sitting atop their towers looking down on the people like their gods. People die, father's die, the only difference is out side is willing to rat out the ones that do the killing. I've brought the only justice that exists in this world, the justice we get for ourselves. So I'll have you take back your words before I make you. Little. Girl."
WafflesofWar 13-Dec-20 04:07 AM
Kari Tovesky 15-Dec-20 01:24 AM
Kari was not surprised at what Takoda had to say, rather she had been expecting it. Someone who had worked their way so far up in the mafia was either a professional cynic or a true believer who could never be swayed from their doglike devotion to their boss. Sure, the man had come here with a sincere hope for peace and cooperation but he had failed to realize Kari only wanted to make an example to the mafia, regardless of their innocence.
For the first time in the meeting, Kari smiled with the same type of a grin an arsonist had the moment before everything burned or that of a wolf who had found their target. Her hands slipped out of view and into her coat pockets as she addressed Takoda’s threats. “I believe it’s the other way around, I’ve had enough time away from this city to realize how damned it really is. Mafia, aristocrats, both have been milking this walking corpse of a city dry just so it can milk them a few more years of profit, blind of the consequences that it’s had on everyone. And your boss is one of the worst.”
“And I won’t have one of the status quo’s most loyal dogs tell me otherwise. Go choke on your boss’s words!” Kari would yell at Takoda, thumbing the activation rune on a thin vial she held in her pocket before tossing it at the mobster. In mid-air, the canister burst and sent a dense cloud of moist, freezing air at Takoda, threatening to freeze his body in an instant. “Now, Mr. Lexington, help me remove this man from our home!”
___
Kari leaned against the wall, panting as she waited for her overactive heart and surrounding circuits cooled down. The fight had taken more out of her than she cared to admit. She hadn’t expected the fight against Takoda to be easy but the addition of an enemy servant made the skirmish far more intense as the busted water main above could attest.
“Miss Tovesky, we can confirm the last of the Kaeru cars have left the vicinity. Overall damage to Rossum Place is estimated to be 20% and heavily localized,” the firm form of Maria would say in a rather sing song way. Kari nodded as she slumped further down on the wall, the rapier of ice in her right hand slowly melting and dripping in time like a metronome.
“A little worse than I thought, how about casualties? Anyone from our side?”
“Miss? Two homunculi in critical condition, five more wounded. Three combat golems disabled. I can not confirm Mr. Lovelace’s condition however he should be coming your way shortly. Do you wish me to assist you back to your quarters or begin repairs to the pipe above you?”
“No, just let me rest here for a bit. I can handle myself. Go make sure the others are alright, the human employees too. Now, go,” Kari said, her voice a little weaker, and gave the assistant a dismissive wave before resting her head against the wall and watched the diminishing cascade tumble down from the water main.
Ada Lovelace 16-Dec-20 04:00 AM
A phone ran inside a room somewhere down the hallway. A homunculus went to pick it up, and the sound of something heavy crash landing onto the floor preceded anything they could utter into it. 'Mr. Lexington' invited himself back into the mansion much like he had done so earlier, this time through an old-fashioned telephone instead of the intercom. He cast the artificial humanoid a warning glance before they could approach, then opened the door and excused himself onto the busted hallway.
It didn't take him long to discern Kari's mana among the traces left behind from the fight. He followed the trail, causing a few more cracks in the floorboard as he saunter up to his Master.
thunk, thunk...
Even in Kari's weakened state, Archer's uneven footsteps were impossible to overhear. As he got closer and caught the light above Kari's head, so too did the large gaping hole where his left shoulder and chest should've been catch her eye.
Ada was missing almost the entire left half of his torso.
Yet, as she realized in disgust (and perhaps, fascination?), her Servant wasn't bleeding as heavily as his wound had suggested. Bundles of thin wires extruded from the flesh, a faint glow of green and gold occasionally running through them like blood through blood vessels. The actual blood seemed to have dried up a while ago in singed patches.
Ada noticed Kari staring and used his right hand, which was still intact, to take off his glasses.
'This S.E.R.V.A.N.T. frame you have procured is defective.' He had the gall to open with an allegation while casually wiping the dirtied lenses on the good part of his shirt. 'Rather than allowing me to activate my Noble Phantasm, it has decided to take more of an interest in short circuiting my arm instead.' As if it wasn't already evident, he gestured towards the cavity on his left side with a flick of his wrist. 'I had to detach it to prevent it from interfering with the rest of my functions.'
Ada spoke as if he were talking about a product rather than a part of himself. He didn't make any indication that he was suffering from pain or discomfort either, even though the part of him that was missing was supposed to contain his 'heart', the S.E.R.V.A.N.T. core. In that moment, he felt more machine than man and almost impossible to discern from the rest of the humanoid creations roaming Kari's mansion.
Kari Tovesky 17-Dec-20 02:19 AM
Compared to how she was before the fight, the Kari sitting there at Ada's robotic feet had an oddly peaceful expression on her bruised face. The icy rapier in her hand was now little more than a puddle of slush and her body oddly positioned as if to prevent putting too much pressure on her back. Most notably, that antagonistic spark in her eyes had been doused and replaced with something humble instead.
She looked up to see her servant in poor shape as well and she soon bore a curious expression on her face, neither the disgust or morbid fascination Ada had been expecting. She did not even stare much at the bundles of wire and exposed machinery but focused on her servant's face. She didn’t even bite back at the servant’s whining but just nodded along.
“I guess I should have seen this coming,” she said softly, keeping her voice gentle as if not to agitate her lungs for some reason. This was nothing like the blunt and ambitious young woman Ada had seen before. “My father made some of the prototype suits so probably was a safety switch in there that stopped you. Sorry about that, Ada.”
“Defective, you said? Heh, that reminds me of something I thought about myself once…” She stared up at him a bit more before the device on her wrist started beeping incessantly. She glanced down at it and frowned. “Ah that’s right. I don’t mean to ask too much of you with the state that you are in but I would really appreciate it if you could fix something on my back for me. I believe that is within your abilities, right?”
She did her best to get up, rising slowly to her feet and then making a cursory look around to be sure no one else was watching. Satisfied, she turned to where her back was facing Ada and took off her coat. The white turtleneck underneath was stained dark red and torn in some areas while damp with some liquid that was incredibly dense in mana byproducts. She looked back at Ada and sighed before taking that off too and revealing the mangled mess that her back was.
The slopes between her spine and shoulder blades were incredibly bruised and stained with blood and that aforementioned liquid but also thin slices of black metal were jutting out, shattered and oozing what appeared to be coolant. Other fins seemed to be nestled right underneath the skin. The parts of her back not battered from the fight were dotted with silver ports or what appeared to be something akin to branching pipes and wires, not unlike a second circulatory system. Though they might also resemble that circuitry found among the homunculi that wandered the halls to Ada.
“Tell me, how bad is it? If there’s anything sticking out, just try to fix it. If not, I can always have it replaced. I imagine you can fix machines just as easy as people, right?” Kari said as if nothing was out of the ordinary though Ada would catch a bit of embarrassment in her tone as she left her augmented back to the mercy of her servant. “And don’t worry about hurting me, can’t really feel anything back there anyway. A bunch of the nerves were deadened when they put all that in three years ago. Back when I had decided something rather foolishly after my father’s death..”
Ada Lovelace 19-Dec-20 04:51 AM
Kari's candidness made Ada raise an eyebrow. This was the first time his nitpicking hadn't been met with a flare up of some kind, and it took him by surprise. And if this wasn't enough, what she did next simply astounded him. As the grotesque landscape on her back unfurled in front of him, blood blossoming around the metal fins and wires lining her back, Ada felt the corner of his eye twitch in response. Not at the macabre sight, but at what the sight would imply.
Kari was exposing her weakness to a Servant she hadn't even bonded with, let alone been able to control. Sure, Ada had been following Kari's orders with passing grade since the summoning, but how much of it was out of goodwill, and how much of it was out of necessity because he needed the mana batteries?
Augustus Ada Lovelace was an efficient Servant, not a benevolent Servant. Weakness in a Master would only lead to an early death for their Servant. If a fight with a Mafia goon could take much out of her - not to mention the ridiculous safety measures imposed on his S.E.R.V.A.N.T. frame, which turned out to be useless in combat - who's to say that she could survive a Holy Grail War long enough to grant him his wish?
The silence stretched on long enough for it to become awkward. Kari could almost feel her Servant's gaze on her back. Was he studying her back like a painting? She hadn't summoned an artist type Servant by mistake, had she?
But just when she was about to turn around again, Ada moved. Black wires manifested along the ports lining the glove on his good hand, whipping about in the air for a brief moment before the tendrils sought out their target. In this case, the various mutilations on Kari's back. The end of the wires buried themselves under her skin, the sensation not dissimilar to needle pricks - if she could even feel them.
Soon, the skin on Kari's back was stabbed with at least a dozen of those wires, while a machine resembling a modern laptop floated next to Ada, who started typing on it as strings of letters scrolled through its screen. It took guts to entrust her back to a Servant she could barely call her own. Did she make a mistake? Was Ada tending to her wounds, or was he brewing something far more sinister?
'I hope you were true to your word when you said you can't feel anything. Because fixing a wreckage of this scale will hurt.'
Then the wires fizzed. Mana currents in sparks of gold and emerald flushed through them, sending pulses directly into mangled flesh. At once Kari found herself breathing more easily, while her body temperature immediately stabilized. Were she to have a mirror, she would see that while the flesh part of her body did not in fact knit together like magic, the mechanical parts of her cooling system had somehow repaired itself and reverted to its old, functional state.
But that wasn't all. After a night's sleep, she would no doubt find herself back on her feet, free of injuries faster than all the times she had tried to heal herself before. It would almost feel as if her body had gone through a temporary upgrade in terms of its natural reparative capabilities, but that would be a rather subtle change she would discover on her own at a later time...
Kari felt her shoulders slump against the weight of her coat.
'I'd think twice about showing my back to any Servant if I were you, Miss Tovesky. If that was a test, then you have failed. But then again, I did freeload in your residence and gorge on mana batteries like there's no tomorrow. So, as one entrepreneur to another, I'd call it even.'
Ada laughed some, but it sounded forced. It was forced. He could feel strength slipping from even his vocal cords as the S.E.R.V.A.N.T. frame housing his spirit core started to shut down. That impromptu 'surgery' just now had taken more than what was left in the mana batteries currently installed in the frame. He had to dip into his own Spirit Core, which only hastened the deterioration of the S.E.R.V.A.N.T. frame. Quite unfortunate, really, considering that he had only answered the summon because he had wanted to do so much more.
But let's not forget that Augustus Ada Lovelace was an efficient servant.
Rather than rotting away in a malfunctioning S.E.R.V.A.N.T. frame, it would be indisputably more beneficial to simply deactivate himself and hope for better luck next time. And what better way to do that than to use up every drop of mana in his reserves, not for grudges, but for passion?
Though that wasn't to say he was going to leave without a single complaint.
'Miss Tovesky. For the sake of both our sanity, please strive to not summon me again. I'd sooner erase my spirit origin from the Throne of Heroes than get summoned into a subpar Mystic Code. It has been quite the interesting experience, I will admit that much, but it is more restrictive and humiliating than a genius such as myself could endure. I would prefer if you do not share with anyone that Ada Lovelace has graced this island. Not now, not when you become a senile grandma oversharing their life's adventure with their grandkids...'
It took effort to gesture as he spoke, so Ada did his best to conjure up a cordial, diplomatic smile that was reminiscent of his and Kari's first meeting. The kind that made Kari want to slap him because frankly, he was doing a rather poor job of it as his body started shutting down.
Kari Tovesky 18-Jan-21 04:22 PM
Even in her weakened state and the precarious situation she put herself into, Kari felt satisfaction at Ada’s pause. In her moment of weakness, there was strength in it, a strength of trust she was extending to Ada even if it was only to last a moment. She had already done the impossible in making the dreaded enforcer of the Yakuza turn tail and run, what was something like the little stunt she pulled now in comparison.
Like all things she did, it was a risk she took and yet again it bore fruit. Sure her back felt like a thousand needles were pricking her every second but it was accompanied by a sweet relief as she could feel the coolant course freely through her body once more and breathe unencumbered. She carefully turned around to face her surgeon with a gentle smile on her face, a true rarity for a woman defined by her vengeance.
“It was a risk well worth taking, Ada. A simple exchange of services, I needed a repair and you needed reassurance you’re not the only half mechanical person around,” she said, doing her best to be friendly in word as she came to notice how Ada was gradually fading away even as his physical form stuck. “Heh, and then as entrepreneurs, guess it’s for the best we end on a settled tab, eh?”
That goodwill would fade as the surly cyborg in front of her decided to spite her even as he began to return to the Throne. In that moment, the gentle smile from a moment before subtly shifted to something more in line with her aggressive instincts and laced with a sinister intent.
“Oh that’s rather misplaced, Ada. Even on your death bed, you can’t let me have the last word, can you? So let me say this in response, this will not be the last time we talk. No, we’ll likely be seeing each other plenty in the future and you will not be able to hide your identity then. People will be speaking of our actions for a long time, I’ll make sure of that. Only when we have accomplished everything, that’s when I’ll let you have the final word. Think about that as you go back to the Throne, don’t worry I’ll help you get there…”
Kari would say, a familiar fire already starting to kindle itself in her cerulean eyes that were glaring at the servant as she brought a gloved hand to rest on Ada’s mouth. With the other, Kari would bring it to touch Ada’s abdomen for a second before sliding into it like water. While his senses were quickly failing, Ada would still be able to feel Kari’s hand swirling up his insides like a paint can, causing the SERVANT suit to rapidly degrade and collapse in on itself.
When Ada finally left Persepolis, Kari looked up to see the form of an armored and alien maid stare down at her, holding a rather curious mechanism in its stained glove.
“Alert, Miss Tovesky. I have acquired the Spirit Core of Servant Ada Lovelace. Its integrity holds at 90%. Do you wish me to store it until an unspecified date?”
“Oh yes, Marie, keep it safe for me, I’m not quite done with that man…”