solas_ion | ☘ 017; [video/action]

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.

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...Why?

[ Because it is what Rin would have wanted her to do. ]

Do not concern yourself with my actions until you sort through your own behavior.

M'not concerned. I'm askin' because I want to know.

Then you will have to earn it with good behavior.

...Now you're just messin' with my head.

If I wanted to do that, there are more creative ways of handling it. You are not the first knight who has drunken themselves silly before.

Nope, but I'm the best at it.

... Is that a challenge?

Would be, if I was sober. As it is, s'hardly fair.

Giving up before it ever starts. Typical.

Hey. Hey. Hey.

Who th'hell you think you're talkin' to? I don't give up.

Is our challenge on now or not? You are making it difficult to determine.

....eh, I'll owe you one next time. I'm too damn tired to outdrink anyone tonight.

I accept this victory then.

[ Easiest and cheapest way to win... ]

Whatever.

[Nope, too drunk to care.]

[ Munching on the snack food he bought for her, Saber falls into silence once more. Sure was difficult cheering people up. Why was she even trying to do this again? ]

...

Y'know what? I think I figured out the answer to that question.

I shall listen if it would please you.

If I didn' know better--and I think I do--I'd say the stupid kid was lonely.

Even if he got friends or family...he'd just have t' say goodbye to them in the end. S'what a hero does, isn't it?

But I mean, y'know...even if someone's a hero, they're still human. Kinda. And people can only really be so selfless, can't they? Eventually it's gonna get to them. Even the best hero's gonna be in pain if he loses everything.

That kid... Setanta, was it not? [ Placing the food down, she walks towards Lancer with the grace that only a Nasu Heroine can have. ] I think he ought to stop focusing on the goodbye and instead turn his attention to what he has before him.

...sure. It'd be easy to do that, and he'd be stupid if he hadn' tried. But he'd still know they were gone. An' every time he thought of them it'd still hurt like hell.

Then I, Arturia Pendragon, hereby swear to never part ways from you. If you even think of trying to leave, I shall hunt you down as a lion seeks it's prey.

...

[He stared at her for a minute or two, as if processing this.]

M'not goin' anywhere. It's everyone else that's running off.

I will not stray from your side. When you decide you want to leave, then I will follow. Please just be considerate enough to respect my wishes. [ That is Shirou and Merlin. ] Is that not suitable enough? I will be your flame within the shadows.

It'd be suitable enough, sure. If I believed it was your choice. Nobody plans out leavin' this place, even I can see that. Y'really think Connla left because he wanted to? An' there's no way Rin just packed up and walked off without tellin' anyone.

So just...don't start sayin' things like that. You're gonna make me start to believe it, and then what? One of us disappears, and that's it.

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