1;

[twofoldfury]

WHO: Diarmuid and Waver, then Diarmuid and YOU WITH THE FACE!!
WHERE: A Labyrinth, The Network, Around Town, particularly the outskirts
WHEN: 7/20, 7/21, Generally late July
WHAT: Arrival
WARNINGS: Stuff being on fire and warped reality, this will change.


i. lost in your own mind (locked to Waver)

[His star faded. He returned to the Throne of Heroes. No thought remained in the oblivion of non-existence.

And yet Diarmuid’s eyes shot open, seeing the sky filled with ash and tinged orange and red. The atmosphere unbearably warm while he jolted to a sitting position, necessitating him to get onto his feet as fire spread around him.

It was like a nightmare. And the more he sprinted through, lances in hand, the more the layout returned to his memory. Or rather, parts of the layout as it seemed warped beyond measure.

Fuyuki. Excalibur. Enuma Elish.

Do as you believe is right.

A star worth chasing.

The last thing he remembered hearing from his Master. Everything rushed back but he could not afford to hesitate here. The deeper into Fuyuki’s forest parts of it, assumedly in his haste, looked familiar in a different way. Familiar from his life as a human.

From Ireland. From his hunt all those years ago. Diarmuid blinked once before it returned to Fuyuki. A trick of the light? Something to shake him on purpose?

No… no it didn’t matter. It shook him to his very core. But he needed to move out of this fire.

He needed to find his Master.]

Master...! Can you hear me?!

ii. voice; un: goldenrose

[A dignified and smooth voice is on your feed today, Libra app! Only his voice, though that alone gave the veneer of a face that matched. Of someone very handsome.]


I’m told this Libra network is how most communications are handled easily. I’ve never encountered this technology before, I ask for patience while I fumble with it. Nevertheless, I thought I would take the time to introduce myself and lay my cards on the table.

I am Diarmuid ua Duibhne, first spear of the Fianna.

I’d like to know more about this city from the perspectives of you all. I’d be grateful if you could tell me something you find noteworthy, or perhaps something you find interesting. Anything you have to say is worthy of contribution and I shall bear it all in my mind. I have a second opportunity at life here and I want to make the most of it.

Thank you all kindly.

iii. the other option

[At some point between his texting endeavor and his labyrinth, Diarmuid is literally going to take all the time he needs to painstakingly make a mental map of what parts of the city he can. Even as night fell on occasion within some days of his arrival he can be found just about anywhere.

At just about any altitude as well, check your rooftops cryptids.

During any downpours, however, he will be found taking shelter in establishments or under awnings.

Also, he's wearing sunglasses.]

Comments

voice | un: blackbirdtarot

[drewthetower]

...do you know Waver Velvet?

voice

[twofoldfury]

[Fondly:]

As a matter of fact, I do. He is my Master. [Context, Dia.]

[drewthetower]

[Context August thankfully has.]

Well, he's gonna lose his shit. August Villareal, friend and coworker and the guy making the idiot take fucking breaks.

[twofoldfury]

He found me first, actually. [Shit was, in fact, lost. On both ends.]

A friend of his? I see. The pleasure is mine, August. Let me extend my thanks for seeing to my Master's health. We wouldn't want him working himself to exhaustion.

i

[fionnuisce]

[One of these days, Waver would learn to stop wandering into random labyrinths. But...well, he'd been perched in a tree near Jun's apartment building, and the flicker of the supernatural in the air a distance away was hard to ignore. The orange-feathered bird cast a look back towards the window--the building was noisy as all hell, and he hadn't noticed anything suspicious outside just yet. Leaving for now wouldn't hurt, and he did have to go home and sleep eventually. He fluttered off down the street before shifting back into his normal form to take a closer look-]

[-and immediately threw caution out the window at hearing a voice that felt like a bucket of ice water abruptly dumped over him. Moving before he could even think, barely even registering the burning field of the worst night of his life, because whether this was an elaborate illusion or not didn't matter. If Saber was here, if that was his Servant calling for him, then-]

Di-?!

[The sight before him twisted in his chest like thorns growing around his heart, ached with a heavy and painful nostalgia and a thousand other emotions he never dared truly name. The knight before him, that Servant could be mistaken for no other.]

[...But that wasn't Saber. There was no cobalt armor, paired spears in his grasp rather than blades--everything about him was ever so subtly different and yet the same, in the same uncertain surreality he had felt upon seeing the knight summoned again in the Fifth War.]

[As Fuyuki's ruins burned around them, a branded right hand was raised uncertainly to his heart.]

Lan...cer...?

bap

[twofoldfury]

[No sign of his Saber armor or aforementioned weapons. Gae Dearg and Gae Buidhe in his hands as debris falling in his bath that he could not evade he pierced and knocked away, few they may have been.

The hint at a voice, that voice, that cut through the fire caught his attention and in the blink of an eye Diarmuid turned to approach it.]

Mas--?! [Only to be stunned into stillness while the world burned around them. Another trick of the light, and yet this one was so effective.

As the man that stood before him with those seals branded in his right hand. Those were his Master's. Those were

Waver's.]

--...ter...? [Was this part of the nightmare? He left the world with no regret to see his Master live on and shine. And here Diarmuid stood before someone with the most uncanny resemblance. No... it wasn't a resemblance. This presence and those seals.

That shock painting his features that would remain a constant no matter how tall he grew or how old. This was him, wasn't it. This was Waver Velvet.

But how...?]

owwww

[fionnuisce]

[Diarmuid was Diarmuid no matter what class he was summoned into--this fact was undeniable in Waver's mind. it was memory that was the crux of the issue; 'Saber' could see fragments of Waver's memory, but that wasn't the same as having those experiences from either side. In that respect, 'Lancer' was dead and gone...and had been so for a decade.]

I-I...

[But that was really him, wasn't it?]

[Not Ritsuka's, and god fucking forbid not Kayneth's, but his Lancer. The same knight who had answered his summoning ten years ago, the same one who had fought and died for him. Who remembered everything about who he had been, who recognized him even years later and thirty centimeters taller. Waver's left hand gripped his cane so tightly he thought something might break, eyes locked on the knight as if afraid he would disappear.]

I...need you to trust me right now. I'll--I'll explain everything, I swear it, but let's get out of here first.

iii

[prunedworlds]

Kaisou is a big city, but there's some areas that, for whatever reason, those who have the.... dubious honor of being app-users tend to frequent. Probably has something to do with the spirit gates or whatever.

But the point is, Ritsuka's happened to spot someone terribly familiar-looking, enough to make her stop and double-take.

"... Diarmuid?"

The outfit throws her a little, especially given her experience meeting Gil, so while she's sure of who it is she still isn't sure. But hey, that sure is someone with visible command spells on her right hand recognizing him!

[twofoldfury]

The birds of a feather and all that, be they aware of one another or not. In which case, Diarmuid is very not familiar with the young lady who recognized him. For a moment he was set on edge, both at the fact that it was a girl that did so and called him by his true name openly to boot.

Knowing the Servant classes were moot here quelled that knee-jerk reaction quickly, however he did take the time to ensure the sunglasses he wore were on as they should be before he responded. Old habits died hard.

"I, well, ... yes." He cleared his throat. "I-I apologize for my rudeness, but... do I know you?" It was then that his eyes drifted to the command seals on her hand.

"You're a Master."

[prunedworlds]

Given the trouble at least one summoning of him ran into, the precaution of the sunglasses was probably pretty wise.

"Oh--yeah, I am." Ritsuka was very well-acquainted with the fact that Servants she met summoned outside Chaldea typically had no memory of any prior experience there. That was just how the system worked, after all. So if she was feeling a little disappointed, she did a pretty good job not showing it.

"My name's Ritsuka. I'm from a place called Chaldea, and you were summoned there before, so I guess I know you even if you don't know me." A brief pause, before she remembered to clarify. "Ah, and Chaldea doesn't have to do with any of the Holy Grail Wars, so you don't have to worry about that."

All of that said, there was something nagging at the back of her mind. Hadn't she seen sunglasses just like that somewhere before....?

video; un: freelancer

[lapislazily]

[Local history and myth nerd checking in. He recognizes the name. An old Irish legend, if memory serves.]

Diarmuid, you said? As in the wielder of the Gáe Buidhe and Gáe Dearg? Such a thing ought not to be possible, and yet I've heard stranger in my time. Welcome to Kaisou.

To answer your question... I find a great many things interesting about this city, but the one place that consistently surprises me is the park. The flowers there are growing rather uncontrollably as of late; I'm told it's due to the influence of the fae, who have long since departed. I must also recommend the library if you're looking to learn about the world around you.

[Demigods can read, right?]

voice

[twofoldfury]

The very same. My tale precedes me even here, it seems. [Said opting to stay with voice for the time.]

... The Fae have a presence here as well. [There was apprehension at the edge of his tone. His personal experience with them led him to a life of heartbreak and breaking hearts. Beyond that, he knew damned well the chaos they wrought.]

They've left but their influence persists, you say? I see. It's not unheard of, how long ago did they depart?

[Demigods can, in fact, read. Wow!]

I am, in fact. This world is mostly similar to where I hail from, I would like to learn what remains the same and what's different myself.

[lapislazily]

I've always enjoyed listening to stories, and your tale hails from a much simpler time here on Earth. I think you'll find most people are relatively clueless when it comes to the past, however.

[He needs to do a better job as a history teacher next school year.]

It's safe to assume that some of the fae live among us, but they keep to themselves like others of a supernatural nature: werewolves, vampires, and the like. They can all live relatively normal lives here if given a chance and prefer to be left alone.

The fae visited before my deployment here, so that makes it about four months ago.

[He touches his chin, thinking.] Hmm... information can be shared with one another almost instantly, which you've figured out. Medicine has advanced considerably in the past two thousand years, and travel across the sea takes hours instead of months.

Voice | un: makeitaventi

[venti_late]

[Oh shit this is someone Venti never thought he'd meet in his lifetime.]

Nice to meet you, Diarmuid! I must say, I truly wasn't expecting to see a living legend here. You can call me Venti!

[He hums softly in thought.]

Something noteworthy or interesting, you say.... Well! I did see that there's a climbing wall that shakes and spews lava. A fine test for any warriors wanting to keep their skills sharp. If you're at all interested in music and shows, then I must suggest The Vogue! Several Libra users work there, including yours truly as a musician, and it's a great place to be if you want a fun time.

[twofoldfury]

[Surprise, figures of myth are real! Wow! Mr. Was Definitely Merlin In This Life.]

Likewise, Venti. For the unexpected circumstances that brought me here, I've been receiving very warm welcomes.

[It's nice! An interested hum of his own came out at the things of note Venti mentioned.]

Shakes and spews lava? That seems like a risky obstacle course to have in a regular city, but I won't decline the challenge it brings to the table. It has technically been a while since I've tested my strength and skill. [HE'S GONNA CLIMB THE WALL.]

The Vogue? I'll keep that in mind as well if it will let me see your surely lovely performances.

[venti_late]

[Listen here you little shit--]

That's good! Kaisou has a good bunch of friendly people. I've only just moved here a couple months ago, and it's been a lovely community here!

[It's also made him remember his past life in awful ways, and turned him into a god like in his past life, so. Mixed bag!]

I think the people unaware of the Underground is basically totally under the impression that it's just a normal climbing wall. I haven't gone to it myself, though. It's not quite my style.

[Oh, that's smooth.]

Why, thank you! I'll have to make doubly sure that my performances are unforgettable.

I would say I'm sorry but I'm not sorry at all

[poisontippedcure]

[It's a rainy day, and Rose doesn't like getting wet. She's darting from shelter to shelter as she makes her way home, and for once, it seems like the journey home isn't fraught with peril.]

[Until the very end, anyway. The last awning she ducks under happens to have someone else standing under it. For reasons she can't quite place, her hairs stand on end and her blood runs cold. Eventually, the gears click into place. She'd tried to erase everything that happened in April from her mind, but she wasn't successful. She recognizes this stranger from Waver's palace.]

You. What are you doing here?

[She's about ready to draw her scythe. Your move, Lancer.]

EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.GIF

[twofoldfury]

[Nothing is perilous today, not even the man Rose recognized. Seeing a woman come up for shelter, Diarmuid immediately adjusted the familiar sunglasses he had on to secure them properly but when she came at him with hostility his muscles tensed.

She couldn't possibly know him from... a past rejection, he just got here. So what in the world?]

I beg your pardon--? Do I know you from somewhere?

[poisontippedcure]

[Implying Rose is the type that would fall for any sort of womanizer, or the type that would fall for a handsome man with a lance. Never. Never!!!!]

Perhaps you don't know me, but I know you.

[She does not.]

And I'm here to tell you, I don't care what it takes. I won't let you lay a hand on Waver.

voice: UN: hotgoss

[bebest]

Oooooh, you've got a fancy title and everything! Love that for you. I think I'm gonna call you Diddy.

[Is he getting an option in this? Absolutely not.]

ANYway, if you want the best place in town, look only as far as The Vogue! That's my theatre and it's AHmazing. Definitely noteworthy! Worthy of ALL the notes!!

[twofoldfury]

... Didd--?

[SIR, THAT DOES NOT COME ANYWHERE NEAR...]

It's, uh, it's Diarmuid. [Pronounced slowly, trying to help but he feels like he does, in fact, not have the option here. He cleared his throat, sorry you REALLY fucking threw ya boi here Zules.]

Right, well, I've carried a number of titles however was the one I held the most pride in during my life. [Very pointed word choice.]

I see. So you're the owner of the Vogue. It was recommended to me by someone named Venti. I'll be certain to make a stop there as I learn the roads of this city.

[bebest]

Diddy!

[Does he even listen to how it's pronounced? Nope. He's Diddy now and forever. ]

Ooooh? Do tell! What other titles have you got? Enquiring minds need to know. It's me, I'm the enquiring mind.

I sure am! And Venti's a JOY, he's my resident bard. We're in the entertainment district, feel free to drop by any time. We got a production of Mamma Mia this month to DIE for.

ii

[makura]

Hold up

Diarmuid as in the Diarmuid Prof Waver [ as a once in a lifetime treat, Sei's Tact Centers fire up from their centuries long slumber and it occurs to her that she should reword her intended message into something..... not loaded. ] knows?

[ nailed it ]

[twofoldfury]

[uh oh it's time to type now]

Yes, that would be me. Could you be another friend that he's made?

[this poor bastard doesn't know the hell he's unleashing.]

[makura]

You bet I am!!! OMG I can't believe you actually ended up here lol. Maybe this will kick Prof in the butt and get him to quit pining!!

[ girl you CANNOT just say that shit ]

We've been kind of hanging out and watching each others back while we're here. Don't worry tho!! I haven't stepped on your turf or anything. I'm a Servant but I don't have a contract with him or anything like that.