Have a Doggy Valentine

[puppy_lancer]

Characters: Lancer and everybody. Strings characters welcome!

Setting: February 12-14, various floors

Format: Up to you

Summary: Lancer is unaffected by the event, but he's still celebrating! Time for him to make Valentines for everyone he knows.

Warnings: Nothing so far

Floor 99

[Lancer is hacking off chunks of crystals with his spear. They give him a headache if he looks at them for too long, but they make great materials for presents. He weighs them in his hand, wondering if they'll be able to stand his methods of working them into charms or other things.]

Floor 76

[He stares at the arrangement of flowers and herbs and wonders which ones are purely medicinal. The large amount of pollen in the air makes his nose itch, and he disturbs the relative peace of the floor with several loud sneezes.]

Floor 62

[He's strolling along the beach, scooping up shells, sea stars, and pebbles washed smooth by the waves. The pockets of his suit have been stuffed full and are weighing down on his legs. His hands are being quickly filled as well. Perhaps he should have brought a bag.]

Floor 51

[He's finally sewing a bag to carry all his supplies in. Every so often, he has to stop and curse as he stings his finger with the needle. Sewing is supposed to be women's work, so he never learned it.]

Floor 15

[With his supplies gathered, Lancer is sitting in the workshop, trying to work the shells, crystals, and other things into gifts to give to the people he knows. He's rather caught up in his work, so it would be easy for someone to sneak up on him.]

Floor 60 (14th only)

[Given the recent influx of people and the fact that so many food gifts were being given, the kitchens were rather busy. This is why Lancer only comes into the kitchen relatively late into the day. Right now, he's scratching his head at some of the recipes, trying to pick out the ingredients he needs from the huge stockpile of food that Kasumi had brought up to this floor.]

Floor 58

[Lancer has quite a big sack thrown over his shoulder. He's currently stuffing presents into the mail boxes of everyone whose names he knows.]

Room 01-01

[Catarina was one of those who didn't have a mailbox, so Lancer just knocks on her door and places his (awkward shaped) chocolates by her door along with a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. Got you chocolate. We need to talk, though.

Room 01-09

[Saber's chocolate too is left by her door alongside a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. I hope these taste good.

Room 02-17

[Ayaka's gift is a bag of cookies (again misshapen because Lancer couldn't use a mold properly) and a crystal charm carved with runes that spelled out a blessing of good fortune. Again, he's written a note.]

Happy Valentine's Day. Sorry Saber couldn't get his ass over here. Ah well. Guess I'm giving you presents on his behalf too.

Comments

[puppy_lancer]

...

[His expression is oddly solemn.]

...Give it some time. Either you'll find a way back or you'll...adjust.

[proteusmoon]

[ A searing pain slashes its way across Cecil's forehead, from between her eyes to her hairline. She flinches and raises the back of her hand to press against the center of the pain and pressure, her brow furrowing. She doesn't mention it though. Seeing Lancer's demeanor change so drastically has her attention and she feels sadder for it. ]

Does anyone truly adapt? ...I'm sorry; I disturbed your work for such a depressing subject matter.

[puppy_lancer]

[He notices her reaction. He has to wonder if she's alright.]

Having friends around makes it easier.

[proteusmoon]

[ She may be suffering from a migraine now, but she still tries to lighten the conversation a little. ]

Even ones who think you're a beautiful princess?

[puppy_lancer]

Especially ones who think you're a beautiful princess. Every soldier needs to take some time to relax now and then.

[He looks toward the staircase.]

You wanna go to another floor or something? Or at least sit down?

[He knows that these crystals can cause headaches, which is why he's tried hard not to look directly at them.]

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil isn't sure if she should laugh or not at the implication that dealing with such a person is relaxing, but in the end, she does give a why giggle just the same, accompanied by more light blushing of course. Well, at least he can make her laugh and remind her to not take herself so seriously all the time in the middle of such cold misery. ]

That may be a wise decision. I suddenly have a strong pain in my head, behind my eyes.

[puppy_lancer]

[He offers her a hand.]

Then you can lean on me a little bit. So you don't trip. Just think of it as one knight's courtesy to another.

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil thanks him with a smile and takes the proffered hand. ]

So you are a knight as well. I should have guessed by your weapon, Lancer.

[puppy_lancer]

...So spear wielders were also knights in your world?

[What a coincidence.]

I dunno how much I match up to someone's perceptions of knights, though.

[proteusmoon]

Not all, but usually, yes. It takes much rigorous training to wield such a large and powerful weapon.

[ Her mind dares to think of home again. She thinks of learning what it meant to be a warrior alongside Kain, of holding hands with Rose just for the closeness, for the assurance of friendship— and later, of more. It hurts worse than the pain in her head, but she tries to ignore that. ]

My childhood friend was what we called a dragoon; they were an order of knights dedicated to the spear and special techniques involving it.

[ She sighs quietly. ]

As for what a knight should be... honor, nobility... but I suppose it depends on how one defines these things. Above all else, I would say a knight must be dedicated to a cause, a purpose.

[ She smiles up at him again. ]

If you are dedicated to your friends, surely that is enough.

[puppy_lancer]

[His friends...his Master...they are indeed the most important things to him. His smile grows wider.]

Well, I'd like to think I fill that requirement, at least.

[proteusmoon]

I would say so. You've been kind to me, after all.

[puppy_lancer]

Then you'd say we're friends now?

[proteusmoon]

I don't see why we couldn't be.

[ Then again, Cecil is as easy on strangers as she is on their eyes. ]

[puppy_lancer]

[He chuckles.]

Great. Always nice to get a new friend. Especially one who I can get in a spar with now and then.

[proteusmoon]

[ At that, Cecil laughs too. Her head still hurts, but not staring at the crystals anymore is helping. What a shame... Something that reminds her so much of home and comforts her would of course be destined to do more harm than good. ]

I look forward to it. If I'm to be here for an indefinite period, I will need to keep my skills sharp, as I imagine you do.

[puppy_lancer]

Of course. I'm lucky to know a few guys I can spar with. And if they're not around, there's always the monsters.

[proteusmoon]

Are there places where the monsters are more numerous and frequent than others?

[puppy_lancer]

This one floor. Thirty, I think? It's always dark and there's a lot of monsters. And then there's clowns all over floor 80. Try to stay away from them when you watch the show.

[proteusmoon]

[ She'll keep that in mind, about floor thirty. ]

...What is a clown?

[puppy_lancer]

A...sort of actor. They dress in bright costumes and paint their faces and do funny tricks. At least, they're supposed to.

[proteusmoon]

A jester of sorts then? I take it these are not amusing though...

[puppy_lancer]

They are if you just watch. If you get too close, they try to tear you to pieces.

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil looks a little unnerved by that. Violent jesters? It doesn't seem like something she could ever find funny. ]

I see. I've been attacked by cursed dolls and puppets before, but never... clowns.

[puppy_lancer]

Cursed...dolls?

[He doesn't think the Tower has those, but he has yet to see all the floors.]

Like, actual moving ones?