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Post by Thaddeus Adeodatus on Mar 14, 2016 3:13:07 GMT
Thaddeus Adeodatus had traveled many lands, high and lo, hot and cold, in pursuit of truth and the clarity of his faith. With the wisdom of those more virtuous than him, wiser and older than him, he'd pieced together the words he holds at his heart, his beliefs, the very core of his being. And without the many trials needed to be overcome to reach this nirvana of self-realization, such efforts would've been largely meaningless. Thus, every moment of hunger, of pain, of the suffocating hot and the bone-chilling cold was just as fond a memory as drinks shared over a fireplace to him.
But what in the blazing hells is this?!
For once in his life, Thaddeus would've felt warmer outside, in the mountains. Whatever stone Chaldeas had built its own facility out of, it seemed to absorb the chill wind from outside and exhale it in a breezeless manner, more like microwaves than anything else, an unbearable cold that crept to his very bone. In this entirely miserable state, where one would simply grab warmer clothes, a man whose faith so often likes to lay challenges to himself had dared to survive this wretched landscape with his chest bare save for the cross that lay around it.
And thus he sat, wearing solely black pants and a crucifix, pondering on the many things that swirled about his mind, soft brushes of his ponytail against the bare, fair skin of his back. The world around him seemed to cease as his eyelids lay close in front of a beautiful view of the outside mountain range through a large glass panel, having chosen his meditation spot in a comfortable lounge disconnected from the many important hallways of Chaldea. This place is quiet, yet brimming with sound. The symphony made from the soft whirring of the coffee and soda machine, abandoned there long ago by an employee who didn't account for staff transit. The distant echoes of the intercom system, announcing some important experiment a mile in the other direction of the complex. The muffled wind outside, howling as it clawed against the glass. The harmonic buzz of the lights who'd stay on day and night. The near-whisper of his own breathing.
Oh, but yes. True silence is found in the song of stillness. He'd learnt that to be true long ago.
Yet but the electricity falters, circuits who'd been working for far too many months on end reaching their breaking point before rapidly coming back on, resulting in the deathly change of his newfound, auditory peace. This slip of his mind was all the cold needed, cruel as it is, as the cross around his neck laid being the only comfort his body had as the chill ran its down through his entire being, resulting in a visible shiver and the clack of his teeth.
A visible moment of weakness. The shame, even if unseen, is present. He'd grown sloppy.
Silently, he thanked the desolation of his chosen location.
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Post by chingshih on Mar 14, 2016 18:11:42 GMT
Perhaps it was typical of a Servant whom was not quite able to measure up to the legendary figures of mythology around her, but unlike many of her cohorts Ching Shih had not gotten so lost in learning about her comrades from the Throne; instead marvelling at the modern world. It seemed to her that most of the other Heroic Spirits merely judged the new world’s feats and advances as something of a novelty; too intoxicated on their own legends and comparing them to those of others to recognise how much had changed. She could certainly have just followed their example and relied on the knowledge Chaldea had showered them with upon being summoned with and then leaving it to the humans around her to fill in the gaps, but that seemed like no fun at all. It was certainly true that she was a selfish, arrogant hedonist with only room in her heart for her son and whatever money she could scrounge away for herself, but… there wasn’t any reason to tie herself to her time, so progress was as thrilling to her as it would be to any Master or human of the present. She was excited… for bombs, and guns; and so much more!
Unfortunately, for some reason Chaldea wasn’t quite so keen on letting the commander play with firearms in any hurry, so she’d have to make do with sniffing around for any scrap of culture and technology she could within the organisation’s walls. A world of metal was exciting to begin with; but all these screens and speakers and strange glasses and machines was just incredible! The things you could do with such wonderful inventions… and this was just a pinch of the new world! A ship made from this technology… she could practically make her own island from this era’s new crafts! As the blonde sauntered through the halls, her head was filled with all kinds of malicious plans for the future… after all, what came after all this saving the world business? Chaldea was leaving time itself in her hands! She couldn’t pass up a chance like that, as much as she’d enjoyed her old age.
And as she explored with a smirk on her face, she happened to come upon a particularly exciting treat – she was a bit chilly even in her naval coat, and yet these was this curious lad who was happy to wear just pants. Now, she could hardly complain with such a view to begin with, but in this atmosphere it was very interesting. Was this a strangely modest Servant, or a strangely durable Master? Or, maybe another of Chaldea’s pet projects? She couldn’t see the appeal in all that homunculus business, but if it worked out like this… well, maybe it had its benefits.
With those thoughts on the Rider’s mind, Thaddeus’ symphony of silence was interrupted by the rhythm of the pirate’s grandiose boots trotting towards him; as if he couldn’t hear them from a mile away to begin with in these metal halls. Meditation, it looked like… she’d been lectured on that nonsense plenty of times; but she didn’t see any better way to clear one’s head than a stiff drink. But, she spied that shiver on her way by the room, too... so, he was young, surely. That was good. She liked young people…
”Well now! Hidden away like this, you’re certainly asking for attention.” crooned the lady, unable to help herself but endeavour for some mischief – ah, but she wasn’t so ill-intended this time, honest! Just curious! This person looked like someone a bit more on her level… or, at least someone a bit more understandable for her. Science was… not her strong point, as much as she liked technology. Sauntering over, Ching Shih would lean over her new catch; seeming relatively friendly if a little bit smug – well, as much as she could seem so unthreatening given her height and presence as a Servant. At least she didn’t go wearing battle armour all the time like some of her kind? ”Okay, you’ve got it! What’s got you crying in the corner, my boy?”
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Post by Thaddeus Adeodatus on Mar 15, 2016 2:25:28 GMT
He'd heard the steps, yet the marbled halls of Chaldeas had echoed them in such a manner that they seemed much too far away, someone with an Origin in Resonance and Reverberation more than aware he couldn't accurately deduce distance from the approaching object if he did not have accurate knowledge of the schematics of the many corridors of the facility, information Thaddeus accurately assumed he would not be granted access to simply by asking. A guild with such obscure backers and of such obscene size was sure to have some secrets, after all, and thus he'd chosen to assume the reasonable and that whoever approached would simply pass by such an unremarkable location.
Even still, the agent of the Faith would have realized his mistake much sooner if not for the tense shiver he'd allowed to have run its way through his spine, distracting his senses from the disarray of being entirely knocked off his perfected meditative state. Thus a woman sneaks up behind him, earning a sight rarely seen by those that did not meet him during his childhood years - Thaddeus jumping in the spot, muffling a yelp of surprise at being so easily caught off guard. Quickly regaining composure, he adjusts his sitting position once more as he examines the intruder.
Her appearance is odd. Sharp eyes, slit in the manner of the peoples of the East he'd spent so much time with, with the same silk-like hair texture, too - yet the colors of both leaned heavily towards the caucasian end of said spectrum, resulting in an odd sight that dazzled the eyes with befuddlement. Furthermore, she exhibited the exact opposite of the normal expectation upon an asian's height, standing a good few inches taller than him.
A short burst of prana relayed off the ground like the shockwave of a stone upon a lake, faint circles of gold originating from his location, refracting in a seemingly invisible square around the woman. Strong mana signature, but a link rather than a vessel. Thus, a Servant. Can't identify any significant pointers to her identity, and thus further visual analysis is useless. If he was any weaker of mind, harmful. Distracting, perhaps.
And last but not least, a brief amount of reflection upon her words. Her intentions were clear. She was awfully bored. This location, no matter how deserted, could still be found by the incredibly unoccupied, something that seemed common in these facilities. Furthermore, what she said had been purposefully nonsensical, indicating a lack of care for rhyme and reason, seeking only to establish contact.
Dark irises shot up to look at hers, his expression unchanging, sparing nary a thought to the fact she'd seen him shiver a moment before.
"My eyes are dry." He pointed out, blinking as if to show the fact. "And this isn't a corner. It is the front of a window. My reason is meditation, and the passing of time. I am not currently assigned to any task."
His words showed a control that had taken a lifetime to perfect. Not a breath was wasted, nearly no emotion shown but an overwhelming sense of politeness as his pitch stayed perfectly straight throughout the whole discourse.
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Post by chingshih on Mar 20, 2016 7:44:32 GMT
The jolt from the boy made the lady smile; just what she wanted! So cute! Ah, but then he regained his composure in a hurry; so cold! No, that was no good – she wanted loud reactions, all the attention; everything! But, thankfully she’d earn a bit of attention all the same as he clearly looked her up and down… naturally, Ching Shih would pose a little bit as he watched; not at all bothered by the observation; leaning to one side with her hands on her hips and that obnoxious smirk still plastered across her face. Another causality of her good looks, no doubt… it was about damn time! All those stupid Servants never gave her the time of day! They were too busy jacking off each other’s legends to care for a girl anyway, so maybe it was for the best…
”Ufufu; you’re right, you’re right. Well observed!” cheered the lady in reply, blatantly condescending in her tone. As if she was going to let him get away with that kind of attitude towards a lady of her standing. ”But, if you want ‘the passing of time’, then you’ve asked the right person, my dear! ‘I am not currently assigned to any task’ as well, so we should certainly aim for ‘the passing of time’ together, right? I’m glad you’re not shy, at least! I can appreciate a man who’s so straightforward.”
And with that, the tall woman would plonk herself down right beside her stoic compatriot; albeit sitting far too close for his comfort as her hip brushed his legs. ”Oh, I saw you shiver before, too; and now I see why! You’re awfully chilly down here.” remarked Ching Shih, still in her condescending tone of voice – like a teacher playfully scolding a student, or a mom trying to dote on someone else’s child. But in a manner quite unlike those comparisons, Thaddeus would suddenly find an arm looping around his waist and dragging him close. ”No need to be worried! Madam Ching will take good care of you! A shipmate can hardly do their job in a condition like this!”
But with that, a nefarious smirk would colour her face as she further analysed her newest toy – a man of religion, of course! How had she not spotted that earlier? Ooh, this was very interesting indeed. Unsurprisingly, Ching Shih could not care less for religion herself; and never spared a thought for those on her crew whom did treasure it so much – and cared far less still for those on the opposite side of her guns who also respected it. But, to think it was still around today. Well, it was around when she was young too, but… ah, who cared? History was a drag. ”Tsk tsk, shouldn’t a man like you be out spreading the good word, anyway? Aren’t some of these Servants fans of your, err, Father, Son and the, uh, other one? The spook? I know to all those fucking stupid magi Servants are just another novelty of the job, but surely to a guy like you this has got to be more exciting.”
”I mean, I find it pretty interesting myself, but… eh, there’s only so many times you can hear someone tell you their own ridiculous tale. But I guess to you I probably seem like the same story, hm?” mused Ching Shih with a hint of resignation; albeit seeming more eager to talk to herself than give her new partner much of a say in their choice of topic. ”I guess in a lot of ways this isn’t the place for a priest. Well, don’t sweat it around me, at least; I couldn’t give a shit about my religion; so I won’t go surprising you with tales of my own godhood or any of that garbage.”
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Post by Thaddeus Adeodatus on Apr 3, 2016 5:08:10 GMT
Servant. The mana signature made it more than clear, if the attitude hadn't tipped him off before. Self-centered, perhaps even self-obsessed. Much too focused on the now. Intrinsically bored. Quick to establish intimate contact, possible sexual frustration. Maybe just depraved. Thinking... an Asian figure that could fit the definition of being half-caucasian, and whose behavior correlated to that of this woman. Unfortunately, most of his knowledge comes from Buddhist monks, who'd seldom mention someone of this type. Nothing for now.
"My state of undress is neither unintentional nor meant to entice you, woman." His response is cold and calculated, as is his body temperature. Even against her touch, it seems to struggle against her warmth, as if his very flesh denied her. Whether this was taken as a refusal or merely a challenge, largely depended on the Chinese Pirate Queen's personality. "I know not if the intention was to mock my faith or merely make mention of your ignorance of its intricacies, and as such I will take no hostility upon your words. Still, I am not a priest. I am simply a man of faith."
Notably, Thaddeus hasn't budget an inch. Neither winced from her touch, nor shuffled uncomfortably, nor done any other stray movement. It's like he existed in another plane, the presence in this world merely an afterimage. Should Ching Shih have been born a mage, his mana signature would be most unsettling to feel, like it was a completely still lake.
"If you wish to talk of your own beliefs, I would be very much pleased to hear them and share in such a discussion, for I find there is much to be learned in such topics - yet you seem, as you yourself admit, to be a rather godless person." He said as an idle observation, not an offense nor a compliment, a statement, if you would. "Thus, I fear you have no interest in such a possibly productive line of dialogue. Your interests, so it seems, lie elsewhere." Boredom. Nothing to do. Maybe a useless Servant. A mis-summon?
"If you require talk to soothe your nerves, you require only to ask of me to indulge in such dialogue. As a Master, it is my responsibility to keep Servants performing in their best state, nary we think of the consequences of one of you running about dissatisfied. Surely, the damage would be considerable, no matter how minor the Spirit." Thaddeus was nothing if not kind. Walking away from one of these types would more often than not incur wrath and other unneeded types of attention and retribution, something that would surely waste more time than an exchange of words. "Yet, given your touch..."
Dead, black irises locked on hers.
"Do you desire this body?"
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Post by chingshih on Apr 9, 2016 9:40:12 GMT
Thaddeus’ continuing cold reception earned a raised eyebrow from the Servant – what a troublesome kid. It reminded her of the tough guys in her employ… well, at least it was a rather effective demeanour for actual work. But at times like these; it wasn’t any fun! ”Oh, don’t worry; I don’t mock faith like that – everyone’s gotta have a hobby.” replied the blonde, probably not doing her defence any favours with her choice in explanation; even though she was honest. ”I’m definitely godless, though! No doubt about that. Being a spirit-thing like this kinda sinks the whole religion bit, but I wasn’t ever a huge fan. I mean, I kinda see the appeal, but… hm, I guess I just never had the time. Heheh.”
But, her idle musings were cut off by his suddenly intense question – her eyes locked on his in return; half-lidded with amusement. ”Well, well, well. Now I am interested. That’s quite the ego you have there, hm?” mused Ching Shih, leaning down to stick her face right in front of Thaddeus, a malicious smirk on her face. Now, this was fun. ”What if I said yes? Is there something on your mind, boy? Are you excited? Or are you jealous?” purred the Servant, beginning to loom over her unfortunate compatriot – someone was having a bit too much fun.
Leaning an arm onto the front of his chest, Ching Shih would begin to push Thaddeus back; attempting to gradually force him onto the ground… probably not a very pleasant situation to be in, given the freezing cold steel and his lack of a shirt. ”As a Servant, it is my responsibility to keep Masters performing in their best state; I’d rather not imagine what’d happen if one of you were running about… dissatisfied. Surely, the damage would be considerable, no matter how… minor, the Master…”
Drawing closer, the lady would give a lecherous wink… only to simply give an obnoxious grin and sit upright again. ”Alright, fun’s over, boy; let’s talk religion. So what’s it all about?” asked Ching Shih bluntly, albeit at least seeming eager to listen – information was information, and she had nothing better to do. He’d earnt her attention, so she could hardly complain now. ”I used to do a bit of druidy stuff, but I never caught onto the Catholic and Christian sensibilities around my time. Though I didn’t really care for ‘sensibilities’ as a whole…”
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