hopeled

[hopeled]

" Weeeell as of right now there aren't really any normal kids back home, but there are child Servants and they like it, I think! No, more like every year someone new is picked to be Santa by the previous Santas to bring holiday cheer to everyone which usually involves travelling to a different place to help them out with this."

"Having ten Santas kinda makes it hard to explain to kids, doesn't it? Are they all, like, on a parade float or something?"

[hopeled]

" Honestly, it's kind of a good thing that there's not a whole lot of Servants here. Imagine having to explain why there's like almost ten different Santa's." she laughs because the idea of explaining the Chaldean tradition is far more amusing than seven (and counting!) Santa's.

[hopeled]

because i know picking an activity can be hard and love leaving the choice up to the Wheel Of Fate (see what I did there) I made a shareable version for people to use if they wish! you can find it here and it has all 28 winterfes activities on it

[hopeled]

" A Singularity is pretty much what you're thinking of. In my world, it also means that a point in history has become unobservable and needs to be fixed before it causes history to collapse. Not too different from how a singularity in space turns into a black hole." it's not hard to notice the way her eyes light up somewhat, almost delighted to find someone she can talk to this about.

" As for a Lostbelt, imagine history as is. Then, imagine a decision made that differs from what you know, leading that history to end up running into a 'dead end' and thus ends up needing to be pruned to keep things running smoothly. I don't think that's the case here, especially with how different everyone is that's brought here."

" It's strange, though. These Stars have abilities beyond some of the gods i've seen and fought, but there doesn't seem to be an anchor of sorts here that keeps the stability of the world from going haywire." no holy grail that any servant has sensed or something of the same ilk. " True, but Lost World feels as close as I can get to describing this place. The way time, memories, and even death work here....."

His ears perk as he listens to her, eyes glancing over to the creature, and then back up to the woman who was talking. "While I don't know what a 'Lostbelt' is, I have heard of Singularities - I'm not physicist, but I have heard about theories of time and space." Such was the time he spent at the Akademiya.

"I agree with you, for the most part - but I think the idea of turning fantasy into reality requires more of a mechanism than a burst of energy. Although, likely both." Crunching on his own snacks while waiting for his food, he shrugs. "Lost World almost seems most accurate."

[hopeled]

" Well I know that! If I got too caught up on the details then I doubt I would have been able to deal with that 'Fantasy Tree' from a few years back." which, at times, still bugged her ever so often. was it really all fake....? just more dream nonsense? " Besides, like you said, it doesn't hurt to think about it every so--"

pause.

" Did you just sniff around me?! "

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hmm... There are many theories that make a fair comparison of the island's circumstances. I suppose it's fine to entertain such ideas every now and then. But... do be careful to not become lost to the details. At times, details are meaningless and offer no true answers or comfort."

⠀⠀... Did he just sniff the air to make sure there was no smell of alcohol on her breath? Hard to say.

[hopeled]

oh, that was sweet to offer. ritsuka knew what she said wouldn't always be understood by others and the woman's assumption she lost a belt wasn't a silly one. the mage laughs softly before shaking her head.

" Thanks, but it's not that kind of belt. Think of a Lostbelt as.....a different history. Something that could exist if you made a different choice."

that was the most simplest way of explaining it. "A Lost World is like if fantasy became reality. A Singularity is....imagine there's a scroll listing the history of a planet and suddenly, there's a hole at a certain point there you can't observe that needs to be fixed."

yor hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but nonetheless she overhears the girl's musings to herself (and her cat?), and her curiosity outweighs her good sense.

"i don't think you are drunk." or, at least, she was of the opinion that the girl did not sound drunk.

a pause, then she sheepishly adds: "but then again, i don't think i've ever heard of a lost world or a singularity... maybe i could help you find the belt?" she feels compelled to be useful after interrupting a stranger.

[hopeled]

" Yes. It's a consumerism thing– by the time Halloween has ended, everyone is more eager for Christmas over turkey day. Just like how by the time Christmas is around the corner, stores are already selling stuff for New Year's and Valentines!" as the owner of a cafe, it did making procuring decorations in advance easier.

and that......wasn't exactly wrong or too far off from the mark. Santa did technically break into houses every night to deliver gifts according to the myth.

" Right again. They're both separate and considered more 'festive' than other holidays because of winter. For example, Santa sorta came to be from the legend of a bishop known as St. Nicholas, who did a lot of secret gift giving."

"Santa Claus, for Christmas - but they sell his wares during the Thanksgiving holiday." He clarifies this, allowing his memories to overwrite the incorrect information he had been given.

"So the strange man who breaks into people's houses once a year is not involved in the thanks giving." While he is fairly certain that it's metaphorical, he is curious about how such a mythology came to be.

"Interesting that the 'holiday season' is not interconnected, I imagine they were sourced from various different places."

[hopeled]

" Well, no, not exclusively though people tend to save it for that specific holiday. Probably to make it a bit easier, I guess?"

" As for that....no. That's Santa Claus and he's more of the Christmas guy but they start selling that stuff as soon as Halloween is over."

"Question: I have seen decorations for a holiday referred to as 'Thanksgiving'. Can thanks exclusively be given around the dinner table as we eat? Additionally:"

"Is the large man with the white beard dressed in vibrant red the one who collects the thanks? He seems to be everywhere."

[hopeled]

" Sometimes I wonder if this place is more of a Lost World than something like a Singularity or Lostbelt." a very loud crunch from the chocolate sticks in her hands.

" It'd take a lot of power to turn something from 'fantasy' into reality.....and considering how this place works, it isn't too impossible. "

there's a sharp, resounding 'dafou!' from the small creature on her shoulder.

" No, I am not drunk, thank you very much!"

[hopeled]

for those who knew her, or were close to the master, her time in the Abyss was no secret. it's been years since the island was clouded in mist, years since ghosts of the past came to haunt and years since a desperate attempt to save a friend went so wrong. Ritsuka likes to think she's gotten over it for the most part. as backwards as it was.....no longer being plagued by nightmares, her soul free from Cagliostro's influence, played a big part in it. flashes of bright red eyes and a maniacal giggle no longer chased her, lingering in every shadow, following in every step.

as for the Abyss.....that time, at least, was far more easier to speak about. maybe it's because she's already died a few times that the question doesn't earn a shocked look, maybe not, who is to say?

" The Abyss......well, first off, it's like a replica of the city but there's no color. Everything is dim, lifeless. Sometimes the buildings are fine but you blink and everything is in ruins. Nothing feels right down there. You don't feel safe which goes hand in hand with the place you go when you die. "

arms fold atop the railing as Ritsuka leans forward, her gaze turning from Lumine to focus on the cityscape. " I was down there for two weeks but after the first four or five days.....it got worse. I felt like I was being watched, I swear I saw things but when I looked they weren't there. And sometimes, when I passed by a mirror, I saw a shadow. The longer I spent in there, the more these things started to happen. I felt like I was going to go crazy if I didn't get out soon but....I couldn't leave until things were settled above."

the master sighs softly, shaking her head a few times, ignoring the pointed ache in the scar running down her spine. "Why do you ask?"

the confidence with which the other stood her ground told the tale, and Ritsuka was just terribly observant. a glance surveyed the customers abuzz with idle chatter and adoration of the critters under the cafe's care. the conversation would not happen here. "roof," was all the Traveler faintly demanded whilst passing by, leaving the innocents to their tranquillity.

in contrast to the comfortable heat, autumn's air soothed her throat with fresh cool in way the surface would offer relief after diving underwater momentarily. a weighted release parted her throat, figuring sooner or later, someone would be audience to the story — but she would not be the only one to speak. this was a conversation, not an interrogation, and Lumine would not have control wrested from her yet again. a firm shine blazed in gold as they set upon the Master.

"Ritsuka, you are the only person I know who has set foot in the Abyss of this world — first, tell me everything about it".

[hopeled]

oh here is my bsky!

[hopeled]

there was no shortage of colorful figures that ritsuka has come to know over the years. from your less-than-known characters in stories and novels to beings as grand as the cosmos itself. it's a good thing that she never thought to treat them as anything different– not from a lack of respect or from a place of hardly caring but because that simply is how she approaches it.

it mattered not if they were the villain of a tale, a tragic hero, or a deity with a fleeting existence. if they were willing to help her, to lend their aid to that almost impossible goal, then she would gladly take their hand in return.

and she knows she cannot change how they behave towards her. even so, it's still odd to be bowed to– she was just a normal human, a third-rate mage with a mission too heavy for her shoulders. don't think i'll ever get used to this.....

" It's good to see you as well." truly, it was. heroic spirits by nature were ephemeral, here for a purpose and gone when it was fulfilled. she knew this but ritsuka could never truly stop the sadness that would fill her when their time came. it's one of the strange silver lining's of this place.

even if it was only for a short period of time, she got to see a familiar face once more.

" Yes, I've....been here a few years now. It's a long story." and thankfully not a too confusing one. " No, it isn't a Singularity....I've yet to come across a grail nor have any of the other Servants sensed one. There's no Fantasy Tree here either. I think it's just a different world altogether."

After Olympus, Quirinus had stared into the heart of Chaos and relinquished all that he was. It was the fate of all Grand Servants, wasn't it? He had done what the world needed- opened a path to the future. In the end, that was what he had always wanted, even in life.

Had he not built a shining empire for that very reason? ⎛ Sometimes, he wondered if Remus had been watching. It was the dream they both had, and how sad it was that it was built on blood! ⎠ Somehow, he'd continued to exist- and it was then that he had made the choice.

Like the Grand Servants before him, to continue on the path to the future, he was to relinquish that title. He would never regret that choice.

❝ It is good to see you, Master, ❞ Since when did the gods bow to mortals? Ritsuka was a peculiar case. If it was for the sake of the future, then ... he couldn't really complain.

❝ I suppose it's been some time ... but I hope you've been well. ❞ It's his way of showing that he cares, because he does. In a divine way, at least. His bonds with humanity, his love for them, was rooted in old myths and prayers. Somewhere along the way, he'd forgotten mortal bonds- but he only ever wished for others to act naturally around him. As if it would remind him how to be that way for them.

❝ This place is rather interesting- I have yet to know its light, ❞ as it has yet to know mine is left unspoken, ❝ but you seem ... familiar with it. Is it a singularity? A lostbelt? I have met many people who feel out of place while also feeling right at home. ❞

❲ @hopeled ❳

[hopeled]

talking about your feelings is SO important I won’t do it but u guys definitely should

[hopeled]

"Hey! I'll have you know my acting is good enough when the situation calls for it!" which isn't too often but that's perfectly fine with her. contrary to appearances, Ritsuka wasn't fond of being in the spotlight so much, preferring to be in something more of a supporting role. but this wasn't like that dance she was forced to do back in Shinjuku, and as such, she could afford to be a little more loose. " ....Though I don't know how people back then could wear this all the time. If it wasn't the fall, I'd be sweating buckets by now."

but it wasn't so bad. asides from having a chance to let the worry and stress go for a night....it made it a bit easier to deal with the pain. it was unavoidable– this complicated ball of feelings she kept hidden deep down towards the Count. she loved him, more than anything to be quite frank. nothing could ever change that and yet, she must handle this mess on her own. it would be unfair to him otherwise.

and she didn't want to ruin the time she had now, the time this place afforded her, to be near what she couldn't any longer back home.

" Are you enjoying yourself, though?" a much more important question. even if it felt silly at ask. he wouldn't be here right now if he wasn't to some degree. " If not, don't worry. Soon, they'll leave for the night and it'll be quiet once more."

⠀⠀Her mask joined a fractured one of a dark ebony shade on that table, the pair taking a break from socializing while the guests continue to enjoy themselves in peace. The dark and gloomy atmosphere of the Chateau has greatly receded each time enough people gathered on the property, as if the teeming signs of life and joy were strong enough to subdue the natural aura of the estate. Wispy trails of smoke come from the depleted stub of his cigarette, quick to fade away after a firm trap of the finger. He presses the smouldering end into the glass ashtray after turning away from the balcony, intent to keep his property clean like any gentleman should.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"At the very least, one of us spent many years blending into the 'stuffy noble' lifestyle, as you put it." A light chuckle stays in his throat after he glances towards his mistress, the Count feeling content to bask in the brightest light of the evening. "You adapt rather well, at least. You're certainly not a stranger to blending in when a situation calls for it— though your acting isn't quite perfect yet. At the very least, I can keep the facade going for the both of us."

[hopeled]

the title wasn't too surprising, as there were a few in this city who used it towards her. it was just the voice attached to it that had the master staring wide-eyed at the woman on the other side of the cafe glass for a few moments. a myriad of emotions coursed through her, the most prominent being a bittersweet sort of joy.

ever since the spring, it happened every time she laid her eyes on the Count. it's not the sort of thing she could just.....talk about, let alone explain. it's a lingering pain, an hole inside of her chest that no amount of time could ever heal. she wonders if this is how Saber or Goetia felt– having to look at someone they love, knowing what was to come yet being unable to say a single word. some futile attempt at sparing an unavoidable pain.

and now, it seems, she'll experience the same each time her eyes come across Jalter.

like clockwork, she falls back into step. surprise turns into a wide smile (because even with the pain, she's happy to see Avenger) as she sets aside the new menus on the counter. approaching the glass, Ritsuka merely gestures towards the door with her head. " It's unlocked, you can come on in!"

@hopeled

how big is this damn city?

she'd been walking for what felt like hours at this point, taking trains and busses and all manner of transportation. at this point she seemed to be in a completely different part of the city, though from the map on her phone it looked like she was the complete opposite direction from where her living quarters were.

i knew i took the wrong train maybe i should have stayed with melusine

a long, drawn out sigh as she's resigned to her fate, about to turn around and head back to the train station before she noticed something, someone, familiar. it was the hair that was a dead giveaway, and a color she knew to recognize instantly. melusine had said master was in this city, but jalter hadn't the slightest idea on how she was going to find her.

must be my lucky day

she almost sprints to the other side of the road, peaking into the window of the cafe to confirm her eyes were not deceiving her. her look of disbelief soon turned to one of joy, and before she could calm herself down to look like her cool and normal self she found herself blurting out loud enough for anyone behind the glass to hear.

' master?! '

[hopeled]

" Paimon is attached to you. You and I both know that it would take a lot for her to willingly be away from you for long."

yes, it was that out of the ordinary. whenever the blonde traveler came around, her presence wasn't the first felt but her flying companion who always announced herself in whatever colorful way she decided to that day. and yes, perhaps it shouldn't be that surprising, but something is off. call it intuition or a result of Ritsuka having experienced what this city does for years now, but she knows. no amount of a brave face could save Lumine from the mage's keen observation. " He decided to spend the day with the Count. But Fou is different than Paimon."

and not important right now. she could beat around the bush, try to bring it up gently, but Ritsuka knows that look in the other's eyes. " What happened, Lumine? And don't try to say nothing– you can't fool me."

@hopeled

"is it that out of the ordinary? Paimon's just feeling under the weather, so I promised her some snacks on the way home".

technically, none of it were a lie. before parting, as fingers ran over her partner's hair, Lumine muttered the offer — a brief and fragile ray of light before clouds could smother it back into shade. she knew Ritsuka to be perceptive, aware the mage had experienced a tremendous amount herself, but putting on a brave face had long been second nature to the Traveler. most would accept her calm act and consider her fine, though if Ritsuka had suspicions, it must have been from first-hand experience. which made the extent of her tale all the more troubling.

"she's better off resting than getting your customers sick. besides, its not like Fou is glued to you or Mashu. where is he anyway?"

[hopeled]

gives u the sad lost puppy-dog jalter eyes

wow, it's been a hot minute since she's seen that look!

"....................fine, here." is what the avenger was after a piece of her cake? maybe, maybe not, but cake cheers everyone up!