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Ashitaka to Mordred: You're beautiful
WHO? Achilles, Mordred, and eventually Ashitaka.
WHAT? Achilles and Mordred have this brilliant idea of stealing all the food in the palace.
WHEN? After feminism is saved in Paris 1792.
ANYTHING ELSE? This will be so dumb
WHAT? Achilles and Mordred have this brilliant idea of stealing all the food in the palace.
WHEN? After feminism is saved in Paris 1792.
ANYTHING ELSE? This will be so dumb
[ The Palace of Versailles is a massive structure, even for these two heroes, whose egos are mutually just as large if not larger. Getting in was no problem; it was just a matter of phasing through the walls as spiritual energy and materializing once they were inside. Finding the cold storage and the kitchen, however? Is turning out to be more of a lengthy process than they might have expected.
It's going to take a bit of trial and error.
At least they've found themselves in the Hall of Mirrors, which is breathtakingly beautiful. Of course, Achilles takes a bit of time to admire the decor, but he ends up being mostly preoccupied with fixing his hair in one of the mirrors as Mordred proceeds past him. ]
Hey, Saber. [ Girl, come here... ] Have you thought about what we should do if we run into the royal guard?
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[He can't believe he's doing this. (And is she serious? They have full sides of beef in the cellar. Where would it fit... where does it go...)
Somehow the man still seemed to be doing something for her cause, however, even past his apparent help up until this point - though, right now, it's mostly because it's making the woman seem more palatable to deal with in comparison (though this opinion might change once she starts eating him out of house and home, literally).]
You have a strange idea of a "hero." [It's a tone about as derisive as Ashitaka could manage, accompanied by a cool look. In his experience, self-aggrandizing braggarts weren't even worth it, and even the pride of gods could lead to their corruption and eventual fall. But he's not really looking for a fight, so he doesn't want to push it.]
I have no power over your actions, as you have told me several times. I will take you to the food stores, supervise, and then make sure you leave the palace grounds without causing a commotion. All else is your own decision.
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Don't get him started.
[ Nobody wants to listen to Achilles brag about his heroism for ten hours. Least of all her. ]
Leaving won't be a problem. I don't want you to lose your position here. [ There's... something less than charitable in her expression. Something that says she's only saying as much because she can get food out of him this way. In fact: ] I'll let you know when I'm coming next time, so there won't be any fuss like before.
[ How many assumptions can someone make in one sentence? ]
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Well, enjoy having your fill, Saber.
[ LEAVES IN A CLOUD OF MANA PARTICLES. ]
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The man bids his farewell and... well, when he disappears, Ashitaka begins to understand how they had gotten in here in the first place. It's both a worry that such things were possible and a relief that the guard wasn't as incompetent as he had thought.]
I see what you mean. [About leaving, that is.
It's nice to hear that she at least has some considerations about his position here, but he nearly misses a step when she continues. Next time?]
I... [He's without words for a moment. Congratulations, Mordred. That doesn't happen to him very often. He shakes his head, hoping to clear it.] No. There cannot be a "next time."
[He would like to get this hammered out soon because they're almost to where the food stores are... so close to no turning back.]
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Probably not. ]
You heard what he said. [ Yeah, he sure did. ] This won't sustain me forever. If we're here longer than a few days, I'll need to eat a lot again.
There's not much food outside here. Not a lot that's easy to get to, anyway. [ Implying this was easy to get to... but she means all in once place. She'd have to raid ten, a hundred houses, to get the kind of supplies gathered here. ] I don't care about humans, but coming here is a lot more practical than taking from some starving peasant.
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Ashitaka is too busy being frustrated at COST for finding initiates who require so much to just exist. Perhaps the sacrifice was worth it and they were truly useful assets (being able to fly through walls was already pretty useful, he would have to admit), but as he was juggling his own mission and trying not to stand out any more than a Japanese man already did in the French royal palace, it was a headache he didn't really need right now.
But here he was, leading her to the storerooms, so there's no getting out of it now.
He supposes he understands her position and her point, he's just frustrated about the necessity of this at all.
The hallway widens, and he leads them to a wide set of heavy wooden doors. Inside is the kitchen in one of the few, rare hours were the fires have died down and all of the workers have been permitted to rest.] This way. [He circumvents the maze of tables and preparation equipment by following the perimeter of the room to the right, taking them to a smaller door.
Through this one, down a cramped and slightly creaky staircase, and they're in the cool storeroom. It's dark enough that he can't see very well what's all in it, but the echo to his voice when he speaks implies it's expansive.] Please leave enough food for breakfast tomorrow, at the very least.
[He's trying not to think too much about "I don't care about humans" and how caustic it felt to him.
But taking from the exorbitant probably was better than stealing from those struggling to feed their families.]
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She grins in the darkness, laughing softly, but quiets a little at his request. ]
... Well, I'll try. [ Even if her tone says she probably won't try at all. She claps a hand against Ashitaka's back, remembering how he'd dodged her arm earlier. ] Thanks. What's your name? I'll pay you back sometime.
[ Maybe. ]
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This time when she reaches out to clap him on the back he doesn't dodge out of it. He doesn't really respond, however, standing stock still and just regarding her with a vaguely troubled expression. I'll try. It's not much, but he knows it's all he'll get.
He's at first unsure what to say about his name, as he had been reminded by the sergeant to be more cautious with it. But she was also with COST, so there was no harm in truth here.] Ashitaka. [Pause.] You can pay me back now by showing good judgment and not causing a commotion.
[He steps away from her, towards the stairs leading back up to the kitchens.] I should return to my patrol. You will be fine from here?
[He mostly just gets the feeling he doesn't really want to be here for whatever's about to happen, regardless of the shred of human curiosity he has to see if she'd been telling the truth about that appetite...]
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Totally fine. [ And, since he was nice enough to let her clap him on the back, she reaches to (jokingly) push him up the stairs. ] I'll leave the same way Rider did, so don't worry. Your boring patrol won't get interrupted again.
[ He'll just be left with the aftermath, which is.............. well.
Hope they don't need any meat tomorrow. ]
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He sighs.]
Just be sure to contact me ahead of time if you really must return.
[So he can mentally prepare himself...
And then he trudges up the stairs and back to his patrol, trying his best not to think of how much of an uproar the kitchen is going to be in the following morning.]