ITP: 'Tis only a flesh wound

[no_longer_a_king]

Characters: Saber Lily; open
Setting: All throughout the tower.
Format: Prose. Will follow what you reply with.
Summary: Arturia is in D Group and being made to do things while screaming in her head the entire time. It's almost like being a Counter Guardian again.
Warnings: Brainwashing, violence character death, and so on.
Note: If you want your character to die please let me know in the subject header of your first comment.


[A: Various ]
Her body ached. Arturia had dealt with worse pain in her life: broken bones, stabbings, near disembowelment, the very surreal experience of Excalibur being stabbed through her own gut, the general exhaustion after a long war. This was different. This was her very skin being tugged on, pulled at, as if it were several sizes too small.

Which was true. She had armor grafted to her skin, black as Lancelot's had been in the war, and a sword sheathed at her side that was not Caliburn. The sensation was like her skin should rip itself off at any moment, but simply did not have the space to thanks to the armor holding it together. Painful, yes, but not the worst pain she had experienced. That part she could deal with. It was the fact she could not control her body at all that unsettled her.

Despite whatever Jason had done to her to make her body walk these halls her mind was still hers. For that she was grateful. At least she could still think, much as she despised the current situation. This hit too close to home, too close to those memories of screaming and ohgodmakeitstop in the back of her mind. If she'd been able to, she would have screamed when the first thing she'd done upon awakening had been to throw the piece of the Round Table she'd been given into the incinerator. Her one reminder, her one clue that she still existed somehow in her world was gone now. Was this why it'd been given to her in the first place? If so, then damn Jason. Damn him to hell.

What would be a true test would be if she came across someone else. If she were made to attack them, if she were once again little more than a killing machine with no will of her own, then this would truly be hell. Hopefully she could hold herself back long enough to keep from hurting anyone.

Spoilers: she won't

[B: Dormitories]
When she next came to, she was at the foot of someone's bed. Arturia started at the realization but found she could not move her feet. It was troubling, bringing up far too many memories of her time before the Tower, but at least she was not being forced to attack. At least she was not being forced to do anything she did not want to do.

Watching over someone at their bedside while they slept was fine. She found she could make tiny shifts in her stance to try to relieve the constant tug and pull of the metal grafted to her. It wasn't much, but at least she had some form of freedom. That might change when the person awoke, but for now she enjoyed the small reprieve she had from what had been done to her.

[Addendum: 4/21/2013. Event fallout to avoid spamming the main comm.]

[C: Dorm Hall, by the terminal]
For once, Arturia wanted to simply sleep, to lay still after being forced to move for so long against her will. Her body ached from the surgery, phantoms of pain lacing through her skin from where it had pulled. She never thought she would feel grateful for the lightness of the dress she'd been forced to wear, but after having that armor grafted to her skin.

But she at least had to check on the state of the Tower after so much chaos. The best way to do that was the Network. So Arturia heaved herself out of bed, did not bother to put on her shoes or do more to her hair than run a comb through it, and headed into the hall. The terminals were located at the end of the hallway. It wouldn't hurt to check.

....naturally, it turned out there was yet more sinister things going on with Jason's experiment. Arturia sighed wearily, her mind tired. Of course nothing would be that easy. Once she had a chance she would need to ask the others if the information they found down below had been compromised. No sense letting the resistance be discovered. She conversed with a few people for a moment, not quite wanting to move yet and enjoying her freedom yet again. When she finished she turned around to find someone a few feet away from her.

"I'm sorry. Do you wish to use the terminal?" Arturia really did enjoy being able to talk again, even if she sounded as weary as she felt.

[D: Dorm 3-17]

And then she spent the day languishing in bed, for once simply wishing to rest. She could check up on the others tomorrow, after she didn't feel ready to fall over. The only time she got up was when someone inevitably knocked on her door and she forced herself up to get it.

"Yes?"

[E: Various; Shortest prompts ever.]

And now that she had had her moment of rest, she dressed properly, put her hair in its now-customary tail, and began to walk the Tower to ensure those she cared about were safe.

Comments

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber nods. With Arturia possessing Caliburn, she isn't worried about whether her other self would be able to touch it. After all, she wasn't tainted like Saber.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Carefully, like the precious thing it is to her, she lifts it from the box, looking it over, heart simultaneously clenching in pain and rejoicing in the memories this sheathe held, the meaning behind it. Her smile becomes a strange mixture of sadness and fondness. To think, she'd only discovered its whereabouts the day before she made her mistake.

To think, her very presence had been what had saved Shirou's life when he made those stupid decisions when they first met.

To think, her presence may have been able to save Irisviel if she had found her sooner.

To think, that once upon a time this sheathe had protected her, kept her from aging, and kept her from being anything close to human.]

....you cannot use it anymore, can you?

[That is why it is here, instead of with the one Saber wishes to protect. Judging by Saber's unwillingness to hold Caliburn when Arturia had offered it to her, that is the only explanation she can think of for it.]

[scorchedchivalry]

I cannot even touch it. It rejects my prana. I am no longer connected to it.

[And there... there the pain and loneliness bleeds into her voice. She looks at Avalon and not her other self's eyes.]

Irisviel was holding onto it for me while she was here.

[no_longer_a_king]

I.... I see.

[The pain. The loneliness. She eases Avalon back into the case, paying extra attention to it not touching Saber's fingers. Irisviel. The mention of her name makes the smile fade from her face as she thinks of how the woman is either dead or wandering in a desolate world.

She who was among the many Arturia intended to save, if only she could find more information on how to do it.]

She is perhaps the most appropriate person to look after it.

[scorchedchivalry]

[When the sheath was back in the box, Saber closed the lid over it and stoked her fingers over the lid as she would the sheath itself.]

I will find her again.

[no_longer_a_king]

I will make sure you can.

[She will find a way to restore the worlds. She will find a way for Saber to have her happiness. Arturia's love was dead and gone by her own hand. There might be another like him in this world but the Shirou she had known and may have even loved was not among the living. There was no way he could be brought to this tower.

But Saber's love was out there wandering a dead world and Arturia's duty was to her World itself. That meant finding a way out of this Tower. That meant finding a way to restore the dead worlds. That meant doing whatever was in her power to keep the destruction from spreading.

And doing that would ultimately lead to Saber finding Irisviel.

Her hand goes over Saber's stroking the sheathe that the people they loved had once guarded within themselves, fingers curling just so.]

I swear this to you, on my very soul.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Her hand comes to a stop then, unsure how to respond. Comfort wasn't never their forte. At all. She did raise her eyes to meet her other self's.]

She is somewhere not far. Not here, but not far. Ganondorf spoke of it once before.

[no_longer_a_king]

[She isn't sure where to go from here, either. So her hand lingers over Saber's, simply for lack of an idea of what to do next.]

Oh? And where did Ganondorf say she is?

[scorchedchivalry]

I do not remember it all. I was not... in the right mind at the time. I think he said she was... 'lost' but only because the Administrators had given up looking for her, focusing on us and not on the 'lost'. That any who have been 'lost' can be brought back if found, as I believe I was when I thought I was in Fuyuki City.

I would need to ask for more information.

[ooc: as the thread got dropped.]

[no_longer_a_king]

Yes, there have been a few cases of such happening. I have spoken to several people who have been sent to their homeworlds and brought back, as well as heard from others of such things happening.

I believe the reason the Administrators are forced to give up is simply due to the limits of the boy called Zo. From what I understand, he is the one who brings us here and he is only a child, still learning just how to use his powers.

[scorchedchivalry]

That simply means he will grow in strength through the use of his power. If I must convince him personally to find her, I shall. If I must direct my blade to do so, I will.

[no_longer_a_king]

[She would willingly turn her blade on a child who has likely done nothing wrong? That gives Arturia pause that she does not hide from her face. What is the point when she is speaking with 'herself'?]

Then please, be patient. You know as well as I do that if magic is forced too early it can have disastrous consequences. I know neither of us want to risk Irisviel's safety in being brought back here.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber isn't convinced Zo actually is a child. Nor did she say exactly who she would turn her blade upon. Her other self is jumping to conclusions. Understandable, though. This is a war and they both know what they're capable of in war.]

Patience is something I have in quantities. I shall wait for the right moment.

[no_longer_a_king]

[Yes, Arturia is jumping to conclusions. She does not recognize this fact at the moment, but is relieved to hear of Saber's patience.]

Then I shall aid you when the time is right.

[And she withdraws her hand from Saber's. What had possessed her to do that? Spoilers: shipteasing Kiyuu.]

[scorchedchivalry]

[Rock walls should not try to comfort others. Only idiots cling to rock walls.]

I will count upon it. I do not know who else I would be able to rely upon other than Veigar and Sakura. [pause] Rin is too volatile to be relied upon.

[no_longer_a_king]

She is. [As much as she respects and has faith in the girl, Arturia did not know her well enough to consider her reliable just yet.]

Pardon me, but you know of Veigar?

[scorchedchivalry]

[She nods.]

He knew another of us - the silver knight neither us are any longer. He has the most adorable pet plant that I wish there was another of in the Tower.

[Yes, Saber did just slightly pout. She wants her own dandylion.]

We have become allies.

[no_longer_a_king]

I see. He considers me an ally as well now, though we have not spoken much. [It still unsettles her that the knight she used to be had been here once before, but she does not voice this thought. Instead she recognizes the slight traces of the POUT.

And if Saber is POUTING then she has to know the details of it.]

....what sort of plant? [And how does one keep a plant as a "pet"?]

[scorchedchivalry]

A dandylion. Danylions are carnivorous plants with petals that resemble the mane of a male lion. [She gives a hint of an affectionate smile.] Veigar's danylion is named Chompimus. He eats anything but is fond of snacking upon my prana.

[no_longer_a_king]

[....If this were an anime, Arturia's face would look something along the lines of this:



But this is not an anime, so her expression is more one of an almost too-wide smile and eager.]

He sounds amazing.

[She will be knocking on Veigar's door later asking to see Chompimus.]

[scorchedchivalry]

[Back off, other self! The dandylion is her not!pet.]

I tried to find another here, but was unable to.

[no_longer_a_king]

[Looks like a cat fight might be brewing over this thing.]

If it's a plant, wouldn't it be possible to ask Veigar for seeds to grow another?

[If so she is already considering the favors she will go to in order to obtain seeds from him.]

[scorchedchivalry]

He received Chompimus from another Tower resident who is no longer here. He does not have seeds.

[no_longer_a_king]

[Way to ruin her dreeeeeeeeeams, Alter!]

Oh. [And no. She is not hiding the disappointment from her voice.]

[scorchedchivalry]

I know.

[And there is that pout again.]