Pine Garden

[Aiden]

Mira

Wait, wait, wait. "Wait. What are you doing? Why are you about to try to gut him?" Mira turned from Lulu, who had been so reasonable if ever so slightly nasty, to Vega, who was kind of a prick but one she was cool with. "Why is she about to gut you?"

She didn't get up, not seeing the need to actually involve herself yet unless the blonde tried to decapitate the blond.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

The air somehow turned even more tense.

"That is what I'd like to find out, darling." He answered sweetly, stopped short by the massive blade. Curious, wasn't she the one talking about using size to overcompensate? Despite such pleasant thoughts, his hand was trembling ever so slightly. He didn't even bother looking at Lulu, instead he just admired the make of it and his own reflection upon the metal.

"It's an exquisite sword. It's a shame really. And here I was, opening my own home to you. I suppose even I can be a fool."

He slapped the sword carelessly, and the impact formed a cut that reached about a third into the blade. He raised an eyebrow at that, and pointed at Lulu with clear intent. However, his hand did not tremble now.

"Let me ask you one question! What did you do to my actual maids? I wouldn't believe you'd have beaten them both without me noticing!"

As if he'd care about anything else.

[Bern]

Lulu

O heavens above, thy divine radiance is a blessing for all who walk the path. Thy kindness will bring salvation

Even as he postured about, and even going as far as to fight the holy judgement itself, the shining blade did not yield. No for it stood, stood for the heavens themselves and it's power was the power of all the heavenly hosts. The damage it had sustained was fleeting at best and even before he had finished levering his accusations, the divine light had filled it up once more and restored its shape.

"I believe they are in the basement, keeping your other guest company. And what do you imply by saying actual maids? Don't you remember hiring me? You were so dashing back then, when you were dancing over the fires of those who had fallen before you."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

A sudden chill filled the air. No, it was almost like a fire. A dark determination in his eyes.

"Are they hurt?"

[Bern]

Lulu

"What?....." She stared blankly at him wondering what he was yapping about all of a sudden. So she stretched her mental threads out, entangling him in her web.

Oh... Oh heavens no, they're cleaning, why would you even accuse me of such a thing? We have a contract, and as head maid, I thought it would be bad if he got the flu and died while you were snoozing. "

[Aiden]

Mira

"Other guest...?" Mira looked between them again, and tried to wrap her head around everything the two were saying, but from the look on her face she was still baffled. So she did the only thing she coudl do - stand up from her chair and stretch. "Well, this has all been really interesting, but looks like the two of you have something ya need to deal with."

She began circling around the room and heading for the door. "If you wanna talk later, I'll be at the dojo district."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"Yes, thank you." His answer to Mira was curt, but there was genuine gratefulness in his gaze. Which was more than could be said for that pretentious sow. Even wench was too good for that filth, he would rather share his house with a rotting mule than that woman. He wanted her out of his sight as soon as possible.

So he did the one thing that a sane man would do in this insane situation. He grabbed the bottle and gulped it down. All of it. Some of it dripped down his lips like blood. Of course, he entertained the notion that this was poison. But he cared not. The whole time he drank, he gazed right at Lulu.

And then he put the empty bottle down, only to wipe his lips with his large toned arm. He took his time. To hell with it, he would drink all the venom in this city if it meant being rid of her. Or perhaps it would be more amusing to force it all down her throat like a goose. He covered his face with his hand in a sort of glamorous pose, hiding a cold expression beneath a shadow.

"That was unamusing. But I suppose you must've found it fun to mock me in my own home, to make a farce of yourself before my guest and to brandish a sword before me. No matter, I'll have my fun soon enough."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and sighed. Then he laid his hand to rest, he smiled that same brilliant smile. There was absolutely no deceit to it.

"But all of this, I can forgive. What I will not is deceit. You say you did not do them harm? Good! Very good. Then perhaps we have some small future, under my terms."

[Bern]

Lulu

Lulu just stood there and patiently waited for him to finish the wine bottle and his little speech before coming up with a response of her own. But it was something unexpected, and was it really an answer?

"My work here is done."

She spun around and vanished into thin air before even completing a full turn.

[Bern]

Lulu

"Nothing compares to sweet tea in the afternoon."

The angelic maid now found herself lounging on a couch in another room of Vega's mansion. While waiting to see how long it would take them to figure out she hadn't actually left. Naturally, she'd prepared more cups for all of them when they'd inevitably show up.

Yiu can't possibly have important discussions in a bedroom after all, it just wasn't proper.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"...Very well." He bowed, if only out of theatrical respect. With that, he headed towards the basement...


The large, thick metal door slid open with a rumble, unveiling an underground cavern stretching downward. The cave wouldn't look out of place in a comic book or a superhero movie, what with the walls being made of stone only to be interrupted with high tech gadgetry and advanced medical facilities.

"Master! What are you doing?! Your wounds... you shouldn't have gotten up so soon!" A voice suddenly called out. It was the usually stoic and mute maid, who was just now preoccupied.tending to their precious guest. And seeing that, he understood. Of course.

Seeing as their lovely houseguest was in a critical condition, they must have panicked and headed downstairs to tend to him. While they left that opening, the vixen used this to slip through the crack and sour him with that farce. But seeing them hard at work, no, seeing them...

He smiled. This time, genuinely. "Ill be fine. Do not worry, such an expression does not suit your beauty." He walked up to the silver haired girl and raised his hand. For a moment, she seemed scared, but all that came was a gentle pat on the head. "It's alright. You have done your job, and done it well."

"...Master." Was all she could say. The other maid looked, incredulously.

For a moment, despite how much he was hurting, Vega relaxed. And the words he spoke, they were something they could not have dreamed of. "You know, I believe it is ripe time we had a vacation."

The quieter one was the first one to, shockingly, object. "That is impossible. You shouldn't waste your time with lowly maids such as ourselves. We are just furniture after all. You... this is too much."

"Nonsense. You are not just maids, property to be merely used and displayed. You are my possessions, treasures to be cherished like all else, and I promise I will not throw you away. That makes you something far more special than common rabble. And I will have you two enjoy yourselves tonight. Is that clear?"

His mind was already set. As for their guest in the room...


7:00 PM

The young man strutted up the stairs, already donning a new attire.  Tight bright blue pants gripped against his flesh, accentuating his curves while his flamboyantly coloured vacation shirt was barely buttoned across his chest, the sleeves rolled up his elbows - he wielded color much like how a knight would brandish a sword. A smooth ponytail flew behind him as he walked up to the front door with a near sensual sway of his hips to his stride. He looked at his golden watch and flashed a smiled, before adjusting his sunglasses. Yes, still plenty of time...

His two maids followed behind. Their attire was only slightly more modest, at least in the color department. Simple white and bright blue. Still, there was no doubt these were marvellous dresses, tailored perfectly for them. One of them was helping a woman up the stairs, whose hair was as white as her eyes were dull. Yet that woman's smile was brilliant all the same, even as she was carried by her wheelchair. The other maid carried a strangely large suitcase, but nothing out of the ordinary.

And then, surprisingly, he came by that person by the living room, just as they were heading out. But he didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he smiled as he played with the house keys, dangling the car key just in the middle.

You know, the one who sought me out was you. I have no need for more hindrances, get out of my house. Or don't. It makes no difference to me.

[Bern]

Lulu

"I'm terribly sorry for how I acted earlier."

A voice that sounded like Lulu's suddenly rang in his head.

"Would you like to have some tea with me? I promise I'll behave now, You'd probably be interested in what I have to offer you...." All while this voice was talking directly to him, Lulu was still sitting on the couch and sipping her tea.

"Oh and I'm afraid burning your house down won't be as helpful as you think!" This time her voice came from the living room.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Despite being dead set the moment he began, despite his resolve, something made him stop. His gaze was now travelling to that pretense maid, icy as ever. But it was nowhere near as icy as the chill down his spine. How did she...

He closed his eyes, and chuckled a little. He turned to his two maids with a look as candid as ever. "Will you two be dears and wait for me in the car? Take good care of mother for a bit."

The two looked confused, glancing at themselves with a concerned look. Just as they were about to speak, he interrupted. "Shhhh. Your voices are not to be wasted on other ears. Don't worry, it won't be long."

With that, they bowed and nodded before leaving. Once the door closed, his eyes did too; However, when he turned to Lulu, there was no trace of that gentle demeanour. It was as if that man had two sides to him. Fire and water, love and hate, light and shadow...

He sat down right in front of her, still as ice. But his gaze burned. He took a sip of the tea. It was good tea, he had to give her that, but he didn't like tea.

"What." He set down the cup tensely and just stared right through her...

[Bern]

Lulu

"Oh my, that is some good fire in your eyes, I like it. But rest assured there's no spies here, I simply read your mind like an open book, it's a bit hard to stop honestly given how powerful my ability is. Didn't I tell you so in that lets say unique dream of yours? Perhaps I didn't, I can be quite incoherent, comes with always hearing the bustle of the city." She put down her cup like him and glanced at him.

"You don't like tea." It wasn't a question. "I suppose I should have prepared something more palatable but it was the only thing I had on hand. You may want to call them in from the car as this will take more than five minutes to unpack, since I want you to have a clear a picture as possible before we proceed. Actually no, it won't even work in the first place unless you know all the details." She breathed in, it was more for the sake of inserting a pause to her monologue so that he'd have an easier time comprehending it, than a need for her to actually breathe.

"As you might have figured out, I'm not a human and my purpose here is to put bluntly, make a contract with you for my amusement but you would benefit too both immediately and in the long run."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

His eyes should have widened at that absurd revelation. However, all he could do was look on, determined as ever. So she could read thoughts... this would explain everything. Yes, perhaps he'd test this little theory then.

"They will wait. They are loyal subjects."

I will not forgive anyone who threatens my eternal throne. Not you, nor anyone. "You say you seek to aid me for your own amusement? What a gorgeous ideal. What is life without joy, or a world without laughter? Yes, I can sympathize..." But who do you think you're speaking to? I am not some clown to be dressed in motley for your entertainment.

I am Vega. And you seem to misunderstand our roles.

"So go on? Tell me dear, why should I accept?" If you think I'm interested in a dog's honeyed tongue, you are mistaken. Or is wagging it all you can do?

[Bern]

Lulu

"And how would helping you actually realize that eternal throne make you a clown? It's your journey I want to see, the beauty of your peerless being as you reach the top, not some cheap act from a bad play."

She leaned forward slightly at the next part. "Ah yes I'm beneath you, everyone is beneath you, especially that girl who beat you up and had to carry you back home earlier. Your pride far exceeds your current capabilities, it's your biggest weakness."