ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon

[formidable]

Private AU/PSL RP, set in the Fate/stay night universe. Multiple Servants of each class are being summoned or are rogue and appear from mysterious rifts along with shadow-like monsters, threatening to tear apart this unstable and distorted alternate reality. ➢ FSN AU Lien Kha. ➤ FSN AU Ai Thao Kha. ➢ Fate/ALT.distortion Playlist.

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[onoir]

[ Domesticity should be on the lower rung of his ladder of "Things To Do", but for tonight, Diarmuid'd taken to cleaning up after the remnants of dinner— idle hands are useless hands, etc.

The relative peace of his relatively mundane duties are broken quite literally, however, at the sound of fracturing glass, and it's a small miracle that he doesn't do the same to the porcelain in his hands. He's on instant alert at the sound of his Master's call, hand cast to the side to summon at least one of his twin lances: Gae Dearg manifests in a glow of vivid red, and Diarmuid fixes a sharp gaze towards the direction of incoming footsteps...

...before he boggles, slightly, at Ai Thao's general state of undress. ]

—Accounted for.

[ He says, to indicate that he's here and he's alert... but not without first tugging his nice V-neck shirt off of himself to try to hand it over to Ai. ]

[emotive]

There was something or someone who got past the Field and...

[She notices that he didn't reply right away at first and then feels a draft... Then she looks down at herself and then her head snaps back up with a nod.]

I'll change first!! Please scope out the area from the roof!

[She... Is blushing, but instead of a verbal and embarrassed reaction, she simply moves to the side where her head is peeking through.]

There's a disturbance of some sort and it may have come from afar.

[Well, if anything she's a surprisingly resilient girl.]

[onoir]

[ Now he feels awkward in return, his offering of his shirt hanging limply in his hands like an unwaved white flag. Shirtless, he blinks momentarily at his master before snapping back into attention. It's one thing to be taken off-guard, another thing entirely to continue to stand there like a big lump.

The shirt is discarded to the side, settled on a nearby chair while a bright light casts itself over Diarmuid's body to leave him in his usual attire. ]

Understood. I'll take the vantage point on the roof.

[ And then, after a beat: ]

—Take your time.

[ HE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...HE PROMISES ]

[emotive]

[IT'S OKAY THERE'S BUSINESS TO BE HAD... and don't lie she was standing RIGHT THERE

Outside, the disturbance that Ai had mentioned has more clarity, specifically in the direction of Shinto where the bridge that connects Miyama Town and the big city is located. It's far off in the distance, but a cloud of something is apparent...

Ai has went outside completely clothed and going once around the house trying to find the source that had made her react so after she fixes the broken bathroom window with a simple spell. Her Field has been meddled with, but it's nothing she can't fix and reinforce.

She calls up to Diarmuid:]

Anything of note?

[onoir]

[ It takes him a second— a precious second— to turn his head and fix those brilliant golds on Ai, still trying to shake off the thought of her appearing in front of him without anything on. But when he does, he doesn't let his apprehension show, and makes his report as he always does: calmly, and steadily. ]

A disturbance on the bridge to Shinto. Most likely a fight between Servants and Masters, judging from the amount of prana, but it's mostly dissipated for now.

[ Meaning that the fight is over and that there's not much either of them can do. ]

...Please, go back inside. The wind is strong tonight.

[emotive]

I shall! The Bounded Field has been disturbed though, but I'll deal with it when my hair is completely dry.

[She's avoiding his gaze and as if reconfirming something in her head, Ai nods to herself and walks back in.]

[onoir]

I doubt that the enemy will be making any more movements tonight. Please, be at ease.

[ And if she thought he'd follow her inside, he...doesn't... and, almost as if in self-punishment, he settles himself on the roof and takes a deep breath of cold air.

Better to leave some distance; he feels like he's made her uncomfortable, and he's never been particularly good at deflecting when it comes to these things. ]

[emotive]

[She did something stupid again. But this time it was absolutely, and positively silly. Ai Thao can practically hear her sister laugh at her over an incident like this (god forbid she actually picks up on the past events of this household).

But as goes back into the entrance, she stops. Her back is still turned, but her voice calls out to say:]

Lancer? I apologize. I acted rashly again.

[onoir]

[ Oh my god... now he feels properly stupid, how unknightly of him?! Why is she apologizing when he's the one that... well, he didn't technically do anything, but Ai shouldn't be apologizing, either. She acted with due diligence!

If he looks mildly sheepish, well. She won't be able to see, with her back turned, but it reflects in his tone, even if it remains clear. ]

If acting within your jurisdiction is considered rash, then we'd all be acting rashly. I apologize, in turn, for my overreaction.

[ Considering all the other things that have most probably happened to him, this should have been harmless. Right. ]

[emotive]

[OH RIGHT SHE SHOULD CLARIFY. So she takes a deep breath and it all comes tumbling out]

Er, yes! About that! I wouldn't have ran out in that state in any other circumstance, but there was something watching me in the bathroom, which was most likely what got past the Field, and so I panicked, wanting to alert you first!

[BREATHE GIRL]

Now that we know that more enemies are on the move, we'll plan accordingly so I don't get caught off guard again!

And now I'll remain inside!!

[IN SHE GOES, AT LEAST THAT CLEARED THE AIR. KIND OF.]

[onoir]

[ There's a stretch of silence where he's fishing for words, but Ai is already gone by then, and...


...he runs a hand through his hair, slicking back already pulled-back strands, to whisper a low: ]

...Someone was watching you bathe.

[ It's a low groan, almost exasperated, but with a tinge of something reminiscent of "I'll never win". ]

1/2

[emotive]

[She refuses to let the incident haunt her. It's unseemly and she needs to recover her composure around him, or at least that's what Ai Thao tells herself. He may have said that he accepted her as his Master, but then you had times like these that made the waters testy...

An hour or two passes before the phone rings. Ai goes to pick it up and of course it's none other then...!]

Chị? I'm feeling better, thank you. That aside, I suppose you're calling because...??? [A pause. She's being filled in about what had just occurred on the big bridge and she's been warned...

That's all well and good, but it's the last part that gets her attention.]

Yes, I noticed. My Servant and I have already started to take caution and...

[Lien has said something and Ai has fallen quiet.]

... I'm fine. I'll remember not to cross the bridge. Mm. Goodbye.

[emotive]

[SO NOW SHE KNOWS WHAT AND WHO WAS OUTSIDE OF HER WINDOW.

Ai opens the door sharply and marches outside with the intention of fixing up the Bounded Field. It's clear to see that she's FUMING.]

[onoir]

[ He's taken a moment to cool down on the roof, when he sees that Ai is out and about again. Normally, he'd let her do her thing, but something seems amiss; her mood, for one.

Now that he's gotten it together, he hops off from his perch and lands quietly a few feet away, head cant slightly to the side to indicate his curiosity. ]

Is everything alright, Master?

[emotive]

[She turns to face him to reply]

My sister just called. You were right about what had occurred on the bridge. [And it goes without saying who was doing the battling.]

A Rider has appeared, but they couldn't defeat him completely. His presence has lessened, but remains.

[onoir]

Then we could be his prospective next target.

[ It's likely— the other duo know too much about Rider's ability now, he assumes. Unless they're dealing with a Heroic Spirit with some sense of honor, enough to want to finish what they started, but...

...well. If they're dealing with someone who watches people bathe, Diarmuid is doubtful. ]

It does rankle a bit, to be regarded so lightly.

[emotive]

[And she mutters in an uncharacteristically dark manner]

A decapitated HEAD...

[onoir]

...?

[ A blink. ]

You want to "get ahead"?

[emotive]

[almost chokes because oops unintentional pun she clears her throat and shakes her head.]

Rider's identity is The Headless Horseman. He gave both Cu Chulainn and Lien a hard time apparently.

[onoir]

The Headless Horseman....a dullahan?

[ Again, he recognizes the Irish version before the other one, but he gets the general idea. ]

An interesting opponent, but one that won't give us too much trouble as long as we're not playing on his terms.

[emotive]

Lien mentioned that his head was missing... It probably materialized on accident here...

[SIGH. She stands up with some renewed purpose.]

Basically, we can't cross the bridge to Shinto for now. That doesn't mean our work's slowed down though!

Tomorrow, let's make a visit to Ryuudou Temple.

[onoir]

Ryuudou Temple.

[ He parrots, and looks a little intrigued by the prospect of going there. ]

A traditional Japanese house of worship?

[ That sounds a little tourist-y, but he's curious... ]

[emotive]

Correct! It's an important landmark as well as the keystone to all of the leylines in the city. If anything happens, there are plenty of woods surrounding the exterior for us to engage in battle.

[She pats herself across the chest.]

As far as my health is concerned, I've completely recovered so the trip will be a non-issue.

[onoir]

[ stop patting your chest??? how inappropriate

There's a beat, where he almost teases: something about how she should be careful that her hair's dried properly before saying anything about being in good health...

...but instead, he just laughs under his breath and brushes by her, gently. ]

I have every faith in my Master's abilities. You hardly need to explain.

[ He lets his finger sift lightly through a stray strand of her hair, though, to make sure that it's not damp. ]

These legs will go anywhere you direct them.

[emotive]

... Mm.

[why are you doing this to her, she's calm on the outside, but there is silent yelling goddammit also she smells like lavender, it's kind of nice Ai gives him a nod, looking humbled by what he said (and now focusing on idly pushing her fingers together)]

Then tomorrow... Let's both do our best.