towerofanimus | Midsummer Bash

Midsummer Bash

Characters: Lancer, the people he invited to the party, and everyone else who wants to stumble in
Setting: Floor 25, July 5, afternoon
Format: Open
Summary: Lancer throws a party for midsummer, since the Tower obviously needs a breather.
Warnings: None so far.

[To be honest, Lancer wanted to have the party in the evening, sometime around twilight. That would have been the most romantic time for it. Unfortunately, when in the Tower, one had to account for things like monsters. As a result, he had to hold it during the afternoon. But it wasn't too bad of a compromise.]

[This was, of course, a more simple affair than Diarmuid's birthday. For food, he had hauled a couple of tables up here and lined the table with dinner food. The centerpiece was a cake which had a heart drawn on it in red frosting. In one corner of the meadow, he had used some boxes and tarp to make some sort of booth where people could hide from the sun (and steal kisses off of each other). In the center of the meadow, he had piled a large stack of wood, perfect for lighting a bonfire by the party's end. The structures had all been surrounded with wreaths made from the meadow's flowers.]

[As soon as he's done with the setup, Lancer will sit down next to the firewood pile, waiting for people to come.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes.

[She only speaks casually of it because she does not know how else to speak about it. She does not want to speak about it but she cannot come up with any other explanation for her absence. Even if she had been here and they had not spoken much, Diarmuid would have at least passed her by in the halls or seen her eating with Shirou in the cafeteria or any number of small things that she could be doing in a tower that, while expansive, was only the size of a small town.]

But that does not matter for now. What has happened here?

[Despite her desire to talk of other things, she did seem so very tired, as tired as Diarmuid is, anyhow.]

I'm sorry...

[Diarmuid doesn't miss how tired she looks, and he cannot blame her for looking so after something like that. While he has not been sent back, he does know several people who have been--some for months--and it's a fate he would wish on no one for even a short amount of time.

Especially not on her.

He respects her wish not to speak of things, though and instead of asking more simply moves onto answering her question.]

I spent most of this last month helping others fight off the monsters that Ruana unleashed on us, so it is possible I missed some things. Can you tell me what the last important thing that happened was before you left? Were you here for the start of Ruana's game?

I was helping fight off those monsters where a number of us had barricaded to protect ourselves and lure the monsters away from others.... a couple weeks after its start, I believe?

[That's the last she remembers clearly. Leaving here and her first few days back in her homeworld were hazy, at best, like she had been walking in a dream. Even moreso than when she had acted as the World's Sword.]

[Diarmuid nods.]

The barricade, yes. I recall it. I mostly stayed away from it because it seemed a good many fighters were already protecting those within. I decided it might be best to try and assist those who were not already within its walls. I am sorry because of that I cannot tell you much of what went on there after you left. Ruana continued to throw her 'hints' to us throughout the month, though I do not know if they lead to anyone correctly being identified as a monster or not.

[Here his expression both saddens and darkens.]

I know it lead to innocents being killed because others incorrectly though them the danger they themselves were. I expect that was her purpose. To sew pain and distrust amongst us.

It worked. There are some I wonder if will ever be the same again...

They won't. Not after their time in this Tower, regardless of Ruana's latest game.

[Of that, Arturia is certain. While she is grateful for the chance at having her freedom and her own will once more, she is also very aware her circumstances are the reason she can tolerate the horrors of this Tower. Even then, it still wears on her and she does not know what will happen if she ever manages to restore her world. Will she be her own person still? The world's sword once more?

But that is something she chooses not to think of and, so, she pushes the thought from her mind.]

I apologize. I wonder if she would have been less vicious that month if I and my companions had not done what we did. [They did not know what the results would be, but she still holds herself responsible for not taking into consideration such a possibility and the effects it would have on the residents of the Tower.]

[Diarmuid glances at her out of the corners of his eyes and when he speaks, his voice is suddenly much softer. He knows she will have no trouble hearing him. It is just others who might be nearby he would rather not hear.]

You have no need to apologize. If you speak of what I think you do, then it is not just you and your companions who wonder that. I wonder it as well, for my hands were also busy that month.

[He could say more or be more direct, but as much as he might dislike secrecy he is starting to realize it has its uses.]

What I did not like was how others so openly taunted her knowing she could make things worse for everyone on a whim. Did she alter her plans in that last bit of time after the failure but before the experiment started? We have no way of knowing, but it is possible.

[He sighs.]

I do understand their pride and wish to gloat, but at the same time, that was only one battle won in a very long war. A war we cannot fight if we anger her so much that she locks down our abilities to do anything at all.

[She gives him a brief smile to let him know she got the message. Arturia had not been so secretive since that happened. Given how much pain people had been in because of it, she had been open about being one of the people who had placed the chips around the Tower.]

I do not know. She is mad and for all we know, she had planned the same game from the start.

[Every month Ruana is involved in had a 'game' of some sort happen as far as Arturia is aware of. As to the mention of their abilities, well....]

She can lock down our powers, but our minds are still our own. If we wish to free ourselves, it might be best to try to approach the fight from the perspective of being completely powerless at her whim. [Hence her plan to look into expanding her skillset soon and hone using a sword without the aid of prana burst, as well as any other weapons she had learned to use growing up.]

There are many people here with a wide variety of skills. I am thinking of learning from them to prepare for anything that might happen when the time comes to face Ruana face on.

[Diarmuid would be more open about things--after all while he has come to learn the benefits of secrecy it doesn't mean he likes it--but a great many of the people he knows are tied to the Resistance already have friends that follow too many of their moves. He can't help but think that it is important that at least some people remain untailed for as long as possible to make things easier should complete secrecy be needed again.]

I agree with you. There is a reason I made it a point to acquire some weapons that were non-magical in nature and have been practicing with them just as much as I have practiced with my spear. I believe it a very likely possibility that if we continue on our rebellious course, we will find ourselves without any of our special abilities to count on. As servants, we are luckier than most. Before we became what we are now, we all knew how to fight and fight at a level unmatched by many others. Most people in the Tower will not be so lucky.

[Here he pauses a moment to look out over the fire.]

I have decided to get the information we have been gathering about the dangers of the Tower floors out to everyone this month before things can become crazier than they already have become. I hope that is all right with you. After that... Two of the people I know who were sent from the Tower recently had been trying to organizing training lessons for others. I don't want to see their efforts die just because they were sent away so I am going to try and see what I can do about getting those lessons started again. And I would like their focus to be on fighting without the aid of magical abilities just to be safe.

[Diarmuid looks back toward her with concern in his eyes.]

My main worry is not that we will lose our powers, though. My main worry is that we will lose the ability to use these bodies. The administrators control so much about us. What is to keep them from shutting down the bodies they have given us to use? Our minds can do much, but if they cannot move at all...

We will have to cross that bridge when we get there. [When it comes to their bodies being shut down. She doubts this will happen, as Ruana seems to enjoy them moving around, and she is very sure Zo would be horrified by the thought. There's also the fact the bodies were still able to function despite the power in the Tower having been well and truly shut down. However, the systems of the Tower are so intricate, she has no idea what to think of it.]

It is all right that information gets out. I should have seen to it getting out before, but everything got away from me. It's hard for me to keep track of time lately.

[Mostly because she spent so long fighting an endless battle, then was brought to a place where days and nights truly did exist.]

Let me know if you wish to have aid in teaching people to use a sword. I am not a good teacher, but I will do my best to get someone to think on their feet.

[Diarmuid gives her a gentle look.]

It's not your fault. This place works in a way that makes it extremely easy to forget how much times passes. I am just as much at fault for letting things sit as long as they have. However, I don't think it's wise to allow them to sit any longer. There is really no way of knowing just how bad things might get in the next few months. If this information can help even a little, then it needs to be out there. Besides, with Zo in charge this month, it is likely the posting will go, if not unnoticed, then untampered with.

[Her offer of help makes him smile.]

I would love to have your aid in this. If you think your other responsibilities will leave you time and energy to help, I would be glad to have your assistance. With so many gone from the tower... I will be likely starting from ground zero on this. I have no way of knowing if any of the people who were interested in helping before are still here.

It's not even this place. It's.... before that. My duties as a Guardian It's impossible to keep track of time. But, yes, we should get this out there as soon as possible and I will help you with the lessons. My other responsibilities are my own to choose and tend to be rare in between.

[Diarmuid nods in response to her words. It brings him joy to know she is so willing to help even though it is unknown just how busy Resistance activities might make either of them in the coming months.]

As unpredictable as things may get in this place, it is nice to know you will never be one of those unpredictable things. I have always been glad to be able to fight at your side and that doesn't change no matter how the fight we face has.

Are there anymore questions you would like to ask about what happened during the time you were gone?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Midsummer Bash

In the Tower and in my other game. Both of them exploded over the last week.

X.x Ouch...

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