text 💎 un: Tohsaka Rin

[defenceless]

[shortly after the storm clears on may 11th and the network connection between both sides of the group is reestablished, the following post appears:]

We're fine, as far as I know. I don't think anyone's dead, at least.

The storm that separated us was brought about by a Dakal named Pomarr. Some of you may remember her as our feline friend who sold her soul to Ryba—or whatever it is she did—to continue to live on after death.

She swept us to an island that looked like it was raised from the seafloor. It wasn't a vacation, but there were definitely remnants of what those big cats must have called home.

Her plan is to revive her entire race, in the same way Ryba "revived" her. As if life-or-death deals with shady goddesses aren't concerning enough, she wants to grant Ryba the power to carry out this mass revival by having her suck Nalanni dry. Pomarr understandably doesn't care much for Nalanni after she drowned everyone she loved; in fact, she showed us this in morbid detail. She's taken Nalanni. Hence, all the Nalawi losing their Gifts and all of this inconvenience we have to deal with.

Pomarr knows where Nalanni is, but she's asking us not to interfere, and she wouldn't give us the opportunity to speak with Nalanni when I requested it. For some reason, she didn't expect that we would be suffering like the Nalawi are. She's promised to try to fix that.

What do we do now, ALASTAIR? I can share anything else you want to know about our meeting with Pomarr, or Yukimura Sanada-san or Mr. Keats can, but this is most of it. We have a situation where the balance of this whole world might be upended if we sit and twiddle our thumbs.

I don't think I need to remind anyone of the potential consequences of messing with either goddess. Or a litter of zombie cats roaming free.

(( ooc: infodump for rin, yukimura, and keats' conversation with a dakal npc, for one of the plot slots! feel free to handwave your character (in either the marooned group or the left behind group) learned this info by reading the post or talking with rin/yukimura/keats/another recruit. yukimura and keats may also be replying to tags! ))

Comments

[babbylon]

That is correct.

[Really, what could he even disagree with there? He even looks smug about it.]

I am already the greatest among all Heroes; I've no need to concern myself with status. Unless you'd claim otherwise?

[defenceless]

[this son of a...]

It's not status I was talking about, you idiot.

[she bows her head, so her bangs cover her face.]

private;

[babbylon]

[Alright. Okay. Fine. She's trying. She's trying for his sake. She's trying very, very hard for his sake, and she doesn't have to, she's under no obligation to do so, so in recognition of that... he's willing to have a heart to heart.

Well, willing to do more than what they're doing now, at least. It's a start.]

...I will make a deal with you. About this battle, regarding my involvement.

private;

[defenceless]

[he's wrong: she is under an obligation to do so, because he's her servant. this is what she intended when she stated he belonged to her.

he would have to put up with this.

rin raises her chin, and her eyes are fierce.]

There will be no deals as long as you treat the battle like a certainty, Gilgamesh.

[but that doesn't mean she has to be easy on him. and she's not wasting her breath.]

[babbylon]

If I somehow find my life truly and immediately threatened in this battle, if absolutely no hope exists for victory and certain doom awaits... I will retreat.

[There's a reason why they're discussing this in private now. It's an offer he makes in sincere shame.]

[defenceless]

I won't comfort you if you come limping back.

[yes, she will.

she knows this is special for him—this isn't usual, this isn't what he would say to any old person, save perhaps his master.]

That's not good enough. Even if you engage a goddess, she could become enraged to the point of catastrophe.

[a beat, and,]

I'll only accept it if you promise to act with the utmost caution and restraint. Nothing else. If you die, I'll kill you.

[babbylon]

I promise.

1/2

[defenceless]

[... wow.]

2/2

[defenceless]

Thank you.

[babbylon]

Welcome me back with open arms, Rin Tohsaka.

I return to you safely, and in victory.

[defenceless]

I-I'm not your woman or anything!

[she means stop talking about her like she is.

maybe.]

[babbylon]

My queen.

[That may very well be worse.]

[defenceless]

[yeah, that is worse.]

Don't let your mind wander on the connotations of that...

You'll have no bed sprinkled with rose petals awaiting you. You're lucky if I even pat you on the shoulder, as far as I'm concerned.

[babbylon]

It won't. Any queen of mine would not be nearly so fussy.

[Note: this is a lie. Gilgamesh digs the fuss.]

[defenceless]

Which I guess explains why you have the women just lining up to wed you.

[ouch.]

[babbylon]

Certainly so. My memory is impeccable, but I cannot even begin to recall how many wives I've taken.

[That didn't go quite as planned.]

[defenceless]

[oh... maybe not.]

I meant in ALASTAIR. You better not have called any other woman your queen.

[babbylon]

Why? Is that a hint of jealousy I detect?

[defenceless]

N-No...!

[probably.]

I told you before. You can't just call me something you call every woman. I refuse it. As your second Master, I see it fit for you to address me like that.

[like his "queen".]

It will remind you how short the leash is.

[there's actually more than a hint of practicality to it. a king like him would only really respect someone equally on his level, right? hence, a queen. gilgamesh is too vain and... frankly, into it he's horny to deny her that title, she thinks.]

[babbylon]

I tell you once, and only once. Do not let it go to your head.

You are a special sort of woman, Rin.

[defenceless]

I know that.

[firm. even. as though he just told her the sky was blue.]

[babbylon]

Then you also know the circumstances surrounding my recent "servitude" were special.

[As in, not to be repeated. ...probably.]

[defenceless]

What are you implying...?

[what is he trying to say to her?]

[babbylon]

I am not your Servant. I do not belong to you in any shape or form. I will repeat this as many times as necessary... you stubborn girl.

[And yet she remains his queen, whether she likes it or not. Something seems a little off here.]

[defenceless]

[oh, that.]

We've been over this. You can say it as much as you like, and I still won't change my mind.

[stubborn to the end. although, thinking of it...]

Are you embarrassed?