Nov 17, 2011 18:03
1. Outside of 1130 Taylor Road
[In hindsight, Bazett should have known better than to try to make breakfast, especially not with the mushrooms on the counter. Her drone husband had apparently cultivated them in the garden. Although they were purple and white, she had assumed that they were edible. Why else would her drone husband have suggested that she cook some food using them? Though she disliked his tone, she still decided to follow his suggestion. As long as she was stuck here and had no immediate means of leaving, she might as well as eat actual meals. Since she doubted the cooking ability of the drones and her "son," she would have to cook for herself.]
[While she had gotten used to cooking microwaved meals (she's glad that she has mastered that bit of technology, at least--it was convenient for when she was on missions) or buying ready-made food, she can still cook some simple things. In this case, it was omlettes. Omlette made with peppers, mushrooms, and American sausage. She had first made one for herself, and then after some consideration, made others for the drones and the strange boy who shared her house because there was still egg left over.]
[At this point, everything would have been fine if she had stopped there. But she just had to eat the omlette too. Afterwards, like always, she had headed out, seeing how there was no reason for her to remain in the house. She's wearing one of her drone husband's suits because, for some reason, the town has only provided her with ugly flower-print dresses.]
[She is going to try to speak with Garviel or Tohsaka again. They are the closest thing that she has to allies in this town. Even if Tohsaka has some issues with Bazett where her Servant is concerned. Perhaps she wants to go speak Lancer too...just a little.]
[She doesn't take many steps outside before the effects of the mushrooms hit. In her eyes, the landscape distorts into a familiar scene--the pocket universe created by the Class Cards.]
So they've finally appeared here...
[She braces herself. Which one would it be? Archer? Berserker? A hitherto unknown card?]
[Her eyes widen in disbelief as she sees the all too familiar figure approaching.]
No. Not you. Not again.
[She closes her eyes and opens them again. The form does not change. It is Lancer, or at least the copy of him created by the cards. The only change is that he is dressed in blue and white armor instead of blue and black.]
Why did it have to be you? Isn't it enough that I've had to kill you once?
[The figure steps closer. Her muscles tense as she prepares to attack. Though her powers are still supressed, she will do everything in her power to take him down. It hurts her to have to kill the copy once again; her only consolation is that the real Lancer is still safe somewhere else in this town.]
[They are within arm's length of each other. Lancer's copy stops and aims its spear at her. However, it does not attack. She's not sure what it is trying to do, but she decides that offense is the best defense. Therefore, she throws a punch at its torso. It easily steps aside and rushes at her, thrusting with its spear. She ducks down and raises her arm to attack again.]
[That's when she notices its eyes. They are not the eyes of a thoughtless killing machine. Instead, they seem so sad and angry, like it doesn't want to fight her.]
It's sentient this time?
[Its thrusts are so quick that she only has time to duck. Not only is she weaker than usual, but it seems stronger than the last time that they had fought. Finally, one strike nicks her shoulder. She clearly hears it say "I'm sorry."]
You can talk? Wait, aren't you just a--
[This wasn't right. Copies were copies. They were twisted and mindless. So why was this Lancer able to talk?]
[It all becomes clear when the girl steps out from inside the mirror world school building.]
Tohsaka...
[Tohsaka smiles and wordlessly holds up her arm. What Bazett thought had been a copy continues his offensive. It is even harder to dodge this time, and to a degree, she does not want to dodge. She has realized that she is fighting the real Lancer, acting under Tohsaka's command spells.]
Why, Tohsaka? Why are you doing this?
[Had Tohsaka's jealousy motivated her to try to kill her competition? If so, why was she making Lancer do it? He was clearly unhappy about having to kill a version of his former master, so why would Tohsaka make him suffer like this? Was this a test of his loyalty? For all of Tohsaka's assertions that Lancer was her friend, did she really care so little for him?]
Stop it, Tohsaka! I already told you--I have no intention of taking Lancer from you!
[Tohsaka does not seem to hear her. Instead, the girl just orders Lancer to hurry up.]
Did you forget what you said to me when last we met? Tohsaka?
[She's still dodging, but she knows she will run out of room soon. She is approaching the edge of the pocket universe. This means she will either have to fight and possibly kill Lancer, or she would be killed by him. She wonders if she should choose the second option after all. She had felt so much pain at killing a copy that she did not even want to imagine how she would feel if she killed the real Lancer.]
[It wasn't fair. After all these years of what she thought were impossible dreams, she had finally met her childhood hero. Now, she was facing him in battle because his Master refused to listen to reason.]
[She finally decides to stand and fight. She still had a mission waiting for her, so she could not just die like this. As a Sealing Designation Enforcer, she could not allow her personal feelings to interfere with her duty. Therefore, even if she regretted this for the rest of her life, she would fight him and possibly kill him if she had to. She does not have her magecraft right now, but she still has years of physical conditioning.]
[She does a quick analysis of the fight. Lancer is much stronger than her at this point. She would have to fight strategically; try to find his weak spots and then strike. His Master, Tohsaka, is standing to the side. Perfect. Perhaps there would be a way to end the fight without harming him after all. If she secures his Master, he would have to stop.]
Tohsaka. I see that I am unable to reason with you. As a Church First Rank Combat Specialist and a Sealing Designation Enforcer, I will stop both of you.
[She pauses before adding on the last bit since it comes from her rarely acknowledged emotional side.]
I cannot forgive you for this, Tohsaka. I see that you are not worthy to act as his master after all.
2. The Bar
[Bazett stumbles into what she believes to be her superior's church. She searches for the strange priest as she takes deep breaths. In her mind, she has been wounded. To the sober observers, she is physically unhurt, but she is panting, sweating, and obviouly delusional. Her clothes, originally loose, are now dishelved and her collar is undone.]
Father Kotomine? Father Kotomine! I am Bazett Fraga McRemitz. I need help. Please...
harsher in hindsight,
shroomfield,
1130 taylor road