DOMINATION

@shikotei

“OHHH. SO THOU ART HERE TODAY TOO … TO OVERSEE OUR EFFORT, HM? AND I SEE THOU HAST PUT UP THAT SHOP AFTER ALL.“

tagged by: woken from a mercury nap by @tzarov tagging: uhhhhhh everyone! umu

You're A Narcissistic Monster

“ It’s ‘El Draque!’”  Clearly the difference was enough to address first and foremost. The slight distinction made all the difference when carved into the hearts and terrors of the Spanish Armada!  She closed the door behind her. No escape for the familiar stranger.  She waddled in to get a better look, then pointed harshly.  “That hat you’re fiddling with has seen more blood than what you’ll spill if you mess up its feathers. Respect the hat.” Settling the groceries on her hip she shifted her weight to hold them up. There was no way she could sneak away all the snacks and fruity drinks she bought with them here. “ –but aye, I am.  That’s not a reason to be up in my things, though. Whaddaya want?”

Oof. Called out so easily, and it’s not even like they know each other that well, that deeply. We know simply by looking at you. It’s hard to tell whether that’s a good or bad thing. That kindness of his, as he is often told, is both his strength and his weakness. – But yes, on pause. For such a thing, such depth, such feelings do not belong in a conversation between a Master and a Servant at such low bond. Perhaps, in the future, it would be more worth it.

 So he hopes.

“Hmmm… I’m glad you like the–” Wait a minute? “Eh– Mashu gave you clothes?! For Christmas???” Rather, Mashu knows the Emperor?! He knows that ( this ) Mashu hasn’t experienced the Lostbelts like he has - or even the Sub-Singularities, for he had to confess all of it to her, but… So they’ve met. There’s a ting of worry, that perhaps Qin would’ve told something unnecessary to his kouhai, but… No. They wouldn’t be the kind to spoil her future, would they? “I… I see. I’ll be out in a second…–”

Ritsuka’s choice of clothing, too, are unusual, despite how much better he suits the modern age. Rather, from how average he looks, the clothing definitely helps him look more “popular”. Boots, torn black jeans, a varsity jacket with a rather intricate design. It’s completely out of his league. “Woah– I almost didn’t recognize you, Your Majesty!” It’s a joke. “Uhm, doesn’t this actually suit you a lot?! You look really cool.” More so than he’d have expected. Something something, Qin Shi Huang’s perfect body surely would match any kind of clothing. “If anything, you look too cool, like one of those popular kids someone like me would never get the chance to hang out with.” Because they are an Emperor, and Ritsuka is just… Ritsuka. “H… How do I look?”

“Indeed! When We arrived during Christmas, she was the first We ran into. We went shopping for sweaters. It was a liberating experience.” And the sweater wasn’t half-bad, either. It lit up! Pan-human history was truly interesting, if only because of the rate at which their technology evolved. They’d gone so far as to include it in clothing, too. The Emperor would praise them for that, at the very least. 

Not a thought was spared to the wavering sound of their retainers voice, nor the implications of meeting the girl named Mashu. They were momentary concerns in the grand scheme of shopping. Soon enough, the entire mention of their arrival and Mashu were forgotten, replaced instead by the slow opening of the stall door and the expression on Ritsuka’s face.

Cool was a modern expression, wasn’t it? Well, they’d take it in their stride regardless. Qin struck pose to flaunt their magnificence, and to get their retainer a better look at things. “Truly? Umu, then it is indeed fitting for Us!” It seemed that, even in the modern world, they still had it. “But, really, anything We wear is fitting. That is the nature of Our being! Haha!”

“Oh, you’ve heard of it? Mhm, today is Valentine’s Day. A holiday to celebrate those you are fond of by giving them sweets!” That’s the gist of it; it runs a lot deeper, with the different kind of chocolates you can give a person, but Chaldea has always had its own little tradition. The female Servants give their Masters chocolate, the Masters give the male Servants chocolate, and they give a gift back just like that, before White Day. It took a while to get used to it, but now it’s fun. 

It’s a bit unexpected to see the First Emperor of China speaking with a full mouth, but hey. There’s something cute about it. “Hopefully it’s not too sweet?” Ritsuka has experience in sweet-making, but every Servant has their own preferences.

“Hm? Of course! Gudako and I always make sweets for everyone in Chaldea; staff and Servants alike! It’s a way to thank everyone for their support and help. You’re no exception, even if you’re new here, your Majesty! … I hope it’s not too intrusive?”

“A festival that fosters bonds through treats?” Hadn’t they heard something similar, about another holiday but with spirits? Pan-human history seemed to enjoy a copious amount of free time. How it managed to retain position as correct history stumped them still.  

"Ah, We haven’t had something sweet in two centuries or so. Well, no, it’s not simply that... Certainly all the years you’ve worked on making these sweets have given you a talent for it! That is to say, it’s good. Yes, it’s very good. You may consider this a compliment from Us!” Behold, a compliment! A gift onto itself, or so Qin would claim.

COLOR TRICKLED INTO THE PICTURE. Overlaying the existing buildings, ads and constructions foreign to the real world popped into their view as the two unlikely users of the Intranet continued their way. He raised his head to the sky when shadows flew over them, expecting birds but instead seeing a group of people levitate at great speeds around the corner of a building. 

But he listened with split attention, absorbing the information about ‘Sacred Frame’ and rift between the pruned timeline and pan-human history like a chronicler following a dictate, writing it into memory. “…  FOR SOMETHING CALLED GREATER HISTORY, THEIR TENDENCY TO PRODUCE SMALL OBJECTS IS REMARKABLE INDEED. HOWEVER, IT IS AS IT IS: BIGGER IS BETTER. SURELY THEY CAN USE THEIR SLY WAYS TO CREATE LARGE COMMUNICATION DEVICES TOO.  I TIRE OF SQUINTING AT THESE ‘MOBILE PHONES’. A FRAIL SPECIES DOTH NOT NEED TO CARRY ON THEMSELVES FRAIL COMMUNICATION DEVICES. THEY COULD BE ROBUST.”  The rant about size was unavoidable, but they truly did break too quickly! What were they thinking, making its controls touch-based, yet they could break by being dropped on the ground? “THEY WOULD NOT EVEN FIT INTO MY PALMS IF I WERE HUMAN… ” The complaint a murmur, he recalled this being the case ‘back then’.

It faded all into the background once they arrived at the sign. He would raise a brow if he had one, but a simple “HMPH.” also brought across his mood. “AND HERE I THOUGHT THOU WOULD TAKE ME TO AN ARENA… NOW WHAT IS THIS… ” He entered the area, a sort of terminal appearing before him. Everything here looked… experimental. The virtual terminal before him greeted with the promising phrase of a cyber-playground that allowed them to create to their heart’s content, but it would be reset by tomorrow. Peering over its main menu at the other Emperor, his inflection changed.  “I SEE… I TAKE IT BACK, RULER. THAT MIGHT BE FUN.”

“Indeed! We knew you would agree with Us! Bigger is truly better! In fact, We were the largest thing in Our Lostbelt! All things were small beneath Our gaze. Yet, here, We find ourselves dwarfed. Inconceivable!” It was perhaps the only downside of obtaining a human form - perfect though it was. At least they had a tongue again. “... More so when We stand next to you, but this is something many feel when near you, Thunder Emperor.”

Somehow they foresaw the arena being mentioned. A premonition, or simply intuition regarding the other King (or those pesky floating banners hanging around every corner). Instead, Qin simply waved their hand. “The Arena is currently occupied. However, We found this to be far more suitable for Our needs! Did you know the Sims is a brand in Greater History? Fascinating.” And it was, truly. What a strange marvel the modern world was becoming. Their Sacred Frame was the only thing capable of such simulations, yet here it was all but common-place. No doubt it was a point of pride and envy for many - something that fostered negatively within the hearts of many - but, well. It was a level of technicality that even the Emperor had to bow to.

@shikotei

Drake shuffled the bag of groceries on her hip. A day to herself! booze! snacks! movies! A quick juggle for her keys, she pressed forward but…the front door was already ajar.  She was the only one due to be in the apartment today.Did the others forget to lock the door?   Squinting, and holding her goods close, she nudged her way in. Nothing off, until she came into view of the common area.  Her face twisted in surprise at the stranger– no, that wasn’t quite correct, she knew them, vaguely but their name didn’t matter; they were messing with her hat!

“ Eh! What are you doing here!?”

Thanks to a set of false memories, it took little effort to locate the apartment in question. Opening the door was hardly worth noting (though they managed to avoid taking it off the hinges). With the pirate gone, they took to studying (see: not rifling) the apartment (especially the fridge) in question until she finally returned.

“Qin…? Qin….Qin- ah. I’m always drawn to nobles when it comes to that girl. It’s like you’re all fatally attracted to your own anathema.”

Al sighed, her surprise mixing with her exasperation. She’d love to pick the stranger’s brain, poking and prodding about the world they came from. She had heard the name, but the figure before her couldn’t have been more different than the image she had learned about. However, her tourism would have to wait.

Her benefactor had a proposal in regards to her offer, so she had no reason to turn them down. Her own apprehensions aside, she knew how clumsy she could be without proper company. There were certainly worse ways to travel in desperate situations.

“Very well my fantastical emperor. Follow along as I give that girl a talking to, but I have to warn you, her bullets are the bane of your existence. Do be careful, won’t you?”

“You know of Us? Excellent!” So excellent, in fact, it elevated the girl several positions over others. Not that Qin knew many within the city outside of Chaldea, but it was still an auspicious occasion. How she knew was completely secondary, as were her oddly cryptic words. 

Instead they smiled, whimsical as ever. “This is more acceptable. Good! Truly there are few things We fear in this world, but We are not so insidious to ignore your words. Very well.” Again, those cryptic words. But they were not so foolish as to dismiss them. This girl, in spite of things, knew what she was talking about. 

And so, the mysterious girl and mysterious emperor set off in search of the young girl. Which, in all honest, didn’t take that long. They had gone a block before rapid footsteps echoed in the distance; a shadowy figure approaching quickly. 

THAT LAUGHTER RESOUNDED inside his head like a police siren, with the contrived feeling of unsureness between the feeling to run and the one of relief that he wasn’t abandoned after all. He turned back to that jolly fellow, and there was a subtle twitch when he spoke of curiosity about his integrity. With these vague memories of a false life, he had enough of being an experiment for Qin.

His sight swayed around the replicated buildings some until setting again on his companion. “THAT GREATER HISTORY WOULD POSSESS SUCH MAGIC IS OF NO SURPRISE. THIS IS THE SAME AS CHALDEA’S SIMULATOR, JUDGING BY WHAT I CAN SEE.” Which was everyone gestured at this moment. Emulated wind caused his cloak to flutter and even the sound of the breeze was mimicked with meticulous detail: not too loud, not too quiet. Exciting, unsettling and nothing out of the norm of training and staying in the simulator room for his own reasons as far as he was concerned. “WE CAN TALK AS WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO… WHERE-EVER IT MAY BE THOU HAST IN MIND. BUT SUCH TECHNOLOGY WAS ALSO PRESENT IN THY LOSTBELT, FROM WHAT THOU HAST SAID BEFORE. HOW DOTH IT DIFFER FROM HERE?”

“That Chaldea possesses similar instruments is of no surprise to Us. Their Shadow Border was of a similar make. Truly a sight to behold!” And equally fun to take apart. Once things in the strange city were settled, they would finally see the inner workings of Chaldea proper. Thus far, all Qin could gather was from word of mouth, though the picture it painted was as colourful as well-built as the machine that had carried them into their Lostbelt.

“Umu! Certainly, nothing from Greater History comes close to the beauty of Our Sacred Frame. However! There is a level of ingenuity to Greater History. We will give them that much, at least.” Onwards, to the second surprise they had in mind. A turn down a virtual street, past neon holograms for MMO’s and Online Adventures. 

Target ( @shikotei ) spotted! “Ah– Your Majesty!” 

Nevermind whatever looks he’s getting for calling out such a title out in a crowd. There’s no time for that, catching up to the Emperor is first priority! “I hope you’re not too busy. I’m not going to take much of your time…” Ritsuka reaches into his bag, and hands a nicely wrapped heart-shaped box to the Ruler. “This is for you. I made it myself, so I hope it’s within your tastes.”

“We are always busy.” Not really; Ritsuka had caught them at a perfectly fine time. But this was Qin, after all. “But, We suppose We can make an exception just this once.” There was a certain level of expectation placed on their retainer. None of which lasted long, when he gifted them with, well, a gift. Under the lid was confectionery, of all things.

“Ho? A tribute? Hm. It has something to do with the current ritual known as Valentines, correct?” Certainly, they weren’t blind - though the meaning of the holiday had skimmed their notice for the most part. What was so interesting about all these festivals? Oh well. A pop of the lid and a bite of the food inside. “We appreciate the... mm, efforts... nm, but... ah! Sweet! It’s sweet!” 

AT THE PROMPT, he reluctantly stepped back. He didn’t like surprises, but “VERY WELL…” in the soft rumbling tone that rolled out, he conceded. For a short while the tapping of their nails was all there was, and that only added to the tension. Then the beep, a release?

Or just seguing into another order. “… LETS SEE THEN. HERE?” The scanners blinked in curious green lights once he stepped between them. From each of them, a light formed in a circle to reach the other until enveloping him in 360°. “NOW WH-”

Before he could finish it, he disappeared in a flash from where he just was a moment ago. At the same time, his frame reappeared reconstructed in the cyber-space replica of their current location. “…AT?” There was a quiet moment of unseen worry and panic, looking around wondering where Qin went and why he could see 0s and 1s in the air. help

Help arrived not thirty seconds later (though if one could consider Qin help but another thing entirely). “Fuhahaha! Success!” Another welcomed puff of pride. “We were curious if the scanners would fully convert you or not. Wonderful! It seems not a hair or chunk of ice is out of place! We must congratulate the makers of this area, when We have the time.” But that would have to wait for now.

@shikotei

“SO THIS IS A ‘CONNECTION TERMINAL?’“ He looked over to the other sovereign, watching them tip and motion at an incredible speed over its touchpad surface. Over there were two bars, emitting faint electrical reactions. It said ‘scanner’ on each of them. “I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THOU ART DOING THERE… “ He peeked over them at it.

“Umu! We had discovered it during that crisis last month. Truly, a curious thing.” But what sort of thing was left a mystery, no more a vague wave of the Emperor’s hand. It was a surprise, after all. One that shouldn’t be ruined by idle peeking! “Cease! Thunder Emperor, that curiosity of yours is most welcome at all times but now. Give Us one moment and it will be made clear.”

THE CURVE FROM IMMORTALITY TO HUMANITY TO HIMSELF was stunning, like precisely drawn brush strokes on a canvas, but spoken. With tremendous charisma and ease, China’s emperor addressed him like he was a ten-thousand people looking up to the sky for guidance. There was no difference to be felt and he concluded: yes, that arrogance was natural. The nail in the coffin, this was the sort of person to never doubt until butting heads.  Despite physically looking down on them, for this moment’s notice the Tzar felt like they were on eye-level. And he didn’t like that much. “SO SUCH IS THY STORY. THE FRAME OF TIME IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THAT OF THINE OWN SPIRIT … I FIND THAT IMPRESSIVE.” Admirable, that was no lie. “BUT NEITHER THE WORLD NOR I AGREE. TO TITLE ME A MERE HUMAN IS EQUAL IN UNDERMINING MY SACRIFICING HUMANITY. “

On the monarch’s cold breath, every word was a strike of lightning regardless how slow his diction was. Everything was overwhelming, hard to ignore. There was a stubbornness present in it, a different kind of delusion than the Ruler’s. “BY THAT, I DO NOT MEAN MY FLESH NOR DO I REFER TO THIS FACE OF MINE NO LONGER THERE. I SPEAK OF THE WARMTH I ABANDONED. MY RESPONSIBILITIES NEVER CHANGED. WE ARE NOT EQUAL, THOU AND I. THESE IMMORTAL ARTS DID NOT CHANGE THINE INSIDE. THE WAY I REASON AND FEEL IS ALSO NO LONGER A HUMAN’S … BUT THINK NOT I AM LESSER. FOR WHAT I ABANDONED, I AM MORE THAN HUMAN.“

The King before them was truly a sight to behold. Tall as a mountain, as harsh and weathering as the Russian winters had he survived and made his own. But even so, that meant nothing to them. Physical body, a lacking face, a voice deep as a chasm; whilst impressive in its own right, meant nothing. They were Kings, and thus they stood eye-to-eye. Truly, what a glorious thing it was. 

Even the denial was splendid - not something to frown at, but to smile over. “Hmm, We had considered as much.” Even if they saw the heart of a human, they weren’t blind to the creature that stood before them.

It really is quite something, that outfit. Something he wouldn’t ever been able to imagine Qin Shi Huang of all people wearing, especially when they look like… well, that. But that’s the fun of it, in the end, so of course Ritsuka happily fetches a pair of each clothing the mannequin exposed close to what he assumes is the Emperor’s size, and they head to the changing room - Ritsuka doing his utmost best not to let anything fall from the pile of clothes in his hands.

“Well, I guess I could use a few new clothes…” Even if it sounded like Qin had just totally insulted him. You’re lucky he’s in a good mood, you damn moth.

“Alright, here.” Truth be told, handing the First Emperor of China half of those clothes, at their current bond level, doesn’t sound quite recommendable. So instead, Ritsu hangs their share in the stall - both the outfit they had their eyes on, and the Master’s own picks. “I’ll be in the stall right next to yours, so we can still talk. Make sure you separate what you like and what you don’t, okay?” It’s almooost like talking to a child, but well… that’s a normal feeling when it comes to teaching Servants about modern things.

“Ha, indeed! We know simply by looking at you. Retainer, you are the kind to spend things on others and not himself, aren’t you? As one equal to Us, you must learn to take better care of yourself. Indulgences are permitted! That is Our kindness.” A small huff, as if the conversation were to be put on pause for the time being. 

Instead, Qin turned to the stall, stopping near the door frame for a moment. “There is no need to mention it, We are aware of what to do. Despite Our sacred frame, We were human once, too.” Then, like that, the door to the change room closed with an uneasy creak. The sound of the lock followed shortly after. At the very least, they seemed to know what to do with door locks in the modern era. 

They took their time picking from those Ritsuka had left. Perhaps too much time, but they were the Emperor, after all. Eventually, Qin emerged dressed and different - perhaps even a little modern. All thanks to Ritsuka’s choices, of course.