☘ 017; [video/action]

[solas_ion]

You know, I really should be...y'know, angry. I don't lose fights. I don't lose anything. I'm the guy that never lost so much as a goddamned fidchell match in thirty years. So I should be angry I lost that tournament.

[Goldenrod City. 11:30 PM. Saturday night.]

[Lancer is, as any medieval Irishman coping with problems, thoroughly drunk. As evidenced by the half-empty bottle of what the hell ever in clear sight onscreen. Lancer himself is sitting on the floor with his back to the wall, snickering. At his side is a baby Squirtle, rocking back and forth on its shell and playing with its tail.]

But nope. I don't get angry. I ain't exactly stupid, I know what used to happen when I got angry. Who cares? As long as I'm alive, I'll just keep improving until I'm the best there is. Just like home. Dammit, this feels like I'm starting over from scratch.

. . .

[And then he srs'd.]

Hey. Hey. Johto. Sit the hell down and shut the hell up, 'm gonna tell you a story.

So this legend begins in-...shit, what century was it? I bet Saber knows. Pretty sure I came along before she did, though. Probably not by much. Couple hundred years? Eh, who the hell cares.

So there was this kid, once. Tiny little smartmouth named Setanta. Setanta mac Sualtam. When this kid was seven, he decided 'hey, screw staying at home, I'm gonna run off and be famous.' And his mother was all 'shit I raised a crazy bastard, door's right over there.'

Oh, yeah, and this kid was kinda royalty. Big goddamn deal. Actually, that probably made it a bigger deal when he almost got eaten by a blacksmith's wolfhound. _{That'd probably explain those weird panicked looks they were giving me.} So this little kid's got a huge watchdog with a mouth full of teeth running right at him.

Without gettin' a scratch, he kills it and freaks everyone out. 'parently the thing was really damn good at its job until that kid strolled on by. The wolfhound's owner, a druid, and the king were all standing around freaking out because apparently the son of a princess almost getting his face chewed off is a big deal. While they're flipping out, this kid Setanta pretty much says 'calm the fuck down, if you need a watchdog that badly then I'll do it.'

That's how he changed his name.

His life kind of sucked after that. He met a great teacher, but once he left her he could never see her again. Crazy bullshit divine magic, don't ask me how it works. Oh, and he had a really good friend--close as any brother. Ended up having to kill him, so that sucked all around.

Wait, hang on. No. It didn't all suck. See, the girl he liked--her father didn't like him. So he trained for a year to improve his skills--came back, killed like twenty guards, stole all his shit, and eloped with his daughter. Because screw her father, they were gonna get married if it killed this stupid kid.

[He took a drink from the bottle at his side, laughing bitterly.]

...So--so this kid, right...he grows up to be a huge goddamn deal. Stands alone against an army, kills everythin' that's out to get him, best knight that ever lived and all that shit. Prince of Light, some people called him. Stupid name, always hated that one. Prince of Light. Sounds like some kinda faerie's title. Do I look like a goddamn sidhe to you people--hang...hang on. I had a point. I think. What was I doin' here?

Oh...yeah. Stupid Setanta got everythin' he wanted, in the end. Almost everythin'. He's famous, still is. And where that idiot is right now? Might as well be paradise compared to where he came from.

Got a question for ya, if you're still listenin'. Why isn't he happy, Johto?

[Lancer scowled faintly, though it was halfhearted at best. He pulled his knees to his chest and leaned his head on folded arms, looking oddly deadpan. His Squirtle rolled off of its back and curled up against his feet, looking worried.]

...wonder if Connla would know.

Comments

[video]

[paladinlost]

...Because he could never see his teacher again. Because he had to kill his dear friend. Because what you want is not always what you need. Because the world can be terribly unfair, when it wants to be.

[Even if Cecil tries to ignore that most of the time.]

[video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

The world sucks. Anybody s'lived in it long enough knows that.

[Video]

[eatsyouout]

Oh, oh! I know!

It's because he wasn't the strongest, so no matter what he did, he still couldn't succeed!

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Hey.

Screw you too.

[DO NOT ANTAGONIZE A DRUNK IRISHMAN]

[Video]

[usedfeint.livejournal.com]

Because this place is a-- a cage, or something. Oh, it's a pretty cage with lots to do, and lots of distractions, but when smart people stop moving, stop looking at the toys whatever-it-is threw at us? We start to see the bars. We start to see the fact that we don't know when we're going home, or who we're going home with, or even if we're ever going to make it "home" at all.

We start to see that there's very little with real meaning we can do here. It's a dream-world- the rules it plays by won't change no matter how hard you try. I just came from another kind of like it, so I'd know.

Worst of all, this place gives us new friends- real friends- friends we know we won't get to see again after we go home. [Ritz is just going quiet and hugging her Espeon close. The fact that this upsets her this much is not something she exactly wants to advertise to Kuja.]

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

I got nothin' for me at home, kid. So even a really goddamn big cage is gonna look appealing to some of us.

[Video]

[killer-sweets.livejournal.com]

He's become the best and there is no one to stand against him. No worthy challenges left, no comrades, and no rival to get his blood pumping.

It's funny how they never say what happens to the heroes after the story ends. [He really shouldn't understand this so well.]

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Nah, that isn't really true. Not where he is right now.

Listen up. I'll tell y' what happens. Heroes die. All of 'em, whether they want to or not.

[Video]

[wontdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Okay, yeah, he took that all in. But still, first things first.]

I think you've had enough to drink tonight, Lancer.

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Don't make me come over there an' kick your ass.

[purinsuzarippa.livejournal.com]

I only heard a few seconds of that.

[ Dozing off in the middle of a story-- definitely the best of things to do. ]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Too bad I'm too goddamn drunk to repeat myself.

[Action]

[silver-lucifer.livejournal.com]

[]

[]

At least 'Prince of Light' gets less weapons aimed at you than 'Angel of Death'. [] Ever thought about what you actually want now?

[Action]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Think I'd rather have weapons aimed at me. S' a goddamn stupid title.

...no idea. Somethin'. Somethin' I don't have, probably.

video;

[bewilding.livejournal.com]

He's had to say goodbye a fair bit. [ she's quiet, thoughtful. ] Not many people would be happy after that.

video;

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Everybody says goodbye a lot, kid. Doesn't get easier, sure, but it happens.

[video]

[hackedhome.livejournal.com]

Because... he didn't choose to be here?

[video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Hm....nope, don't think that's it.

[action]

[cockinthecrown.livejournal.com]

[ Normally, he wouldn't even bother paying any mind to such stories but it's hard to brood over your drink alone when others so close by are talking so loudly.

He glances over.]

Because happiness is unattainable.

[action]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Says you.

video;

[ex_cashcow493]

Lancer.

[ In a "don't cross me tonight" tone. ]

Where are you?

video;

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Did you know there was a bar in the hotel? Because I sure as hell didn't.

[Video]

[fulcrumania.livejournal.com]

Because no matter what happened, life has ended up treating him unfairly in the end, just like it tends to treat others that way, right?

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Life sucks. Ain't exactly news, kid. Even he knew that.

video;

[parkour]

[He could answer the question, but he chooses not to for the time being.]

A bit different than I originally heard the tale, but interesting nonetheless.

video;

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Nobody asked ya, kid. I think I know the damn story.

{Action} this will end well, just saiyan'

[used-glare.livejournal.com]

{Guess who's also at the bar, gently nursing a tumbler still half-full some sort of incredibly alcoholic combination. She's not drunk yet, but she's sloooowly getting there. This tipsy state also has the unfortunate consequence of loosening her tongue. A lot.}

I'd say it's because his only son vanished a few months back.

{She takes another sip, hops down from her barstool, and makes her slightly wobbly way over to one next to Lancer.}

And aren't you a demi-god, or something? Why shouldn't you have a faerie's title?

{Action} awwww yes

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

Who the hell knows. Maybe it's that. Maybe it's that he keeps losin' everyone he's stupid enough to call friends.

...s' a stupid title.

[Video]

[afieldofswords.livejournal.com]

[...well then. Archer was THIS close to thinking Lancer wasn't the type to drunk-dial an entire populace.]

[Cough.]

[Video]

[solas-ion.livejournal.com]

[The best part is that he's done it before.]

Hey, if it ain't the shield-throwin' bastard himself!

[the latest action]

[swordofimpulse.livejournal.com]

Look, I'm sorry for your loss and all that jazz but...

[/RECORD SCRATCH]

You're in my room.

[on the wrong journal, even]

[riastrad-ridire.livejournal.com]

. . .

Am not.