➤ FORTUNE.

[gudakesa-blog]

( arsnova‌: )

It’s not strange to see Servants stop by. The opposite, really - Roman enjoys seeing them, chatting about how life’s being handled without war or glory. So, he’s hardly surprised to see Arjuna waiting in the hall, and yet there was something off. 

His face said it all; sombre and soft and so unlike the hero he’d come to know. “Arjuna? I didn’t expect to see you today. Are you… alright? Do you need anything?”

     Arjuna paused before speaking, as if the subject itself was going to be a tad taboo. He then lifted his head and a clenched hand awkwardly, as if something were still holding him back from asking.

     It’s all a little dramatic, but -- did anyone expect anything less from one of the world’s oldest heroes?

     “You’ll have to forgive me for holding up your clinic past hours. It’s just... that I have a favor to ask of you.” He’s being polite, which isn’t anything new. “... something I felt that I couldn’t ask of anyone else. It may sound a little strange, but I was wondering if you could teach me, Arjuna... -- teach me a bit more about... average etiquette.”

[causerank-blog]

There’s a flash, and then a printing sound.

It’s his first time using one, so both things came unexpectedly. The polaroid slowly prints the picture he had taken in secret, and there’s only hoping the other person hadn’t noticed him. It… would probably be a bit awkward to explain why he’s taking uninvited pictures like that…

[gudakesa-blog]

    “There’s no need to be so secretive, Ritsuka.” He’s trying to bridge that gap of familiarity again... at the worst possible time, maybe. “I’m more than willing to pose for a photo if you’re that in need of it.” 

[gudakesa-blog]

     “And yet, no matter how hard we protest, therein lies the problem -- the simple fact that there’s truth to her claim.”

   “We Heroic Spirits are ultimately tools used to eliminate threats. There’s no guarantee that our future here will be without such... an unfortunate conclusion. It’s quite all right for others to learn of and be wary of us. Hopefully such a thing will not come to pass, at least.”

[gudakesa-blog]

@arsnova​

      While most had already gone home long before evening could pull back a curtain of fuschia to make way for darkness and stars, a certain guest remained.

      It was a hero, solemn and statute. Yes, Arjuna sat quietly in the lobby, hands folded neatly over his lap -- and luckily without the company of another who would’ve goaded him into acting up just by being himself.

[gudakesa-blog]

128th‌:

     “… But was there any other option?”

     Yes, to kill them, but what would that do? They should be people no one understands better than themselves, their original selves. Hakuno is a copy herself, a mirror image of someone who once existed on Earth - she understands them better than anyone. “They were going to die if they stayed here, and if we killed them… or even ourselves, it wouldn’t help anyone. But not giving them the right to live would be too cruel. They may be us, but they’re also their own person. They deserve to continue living too. And…” She pauses, the musing thought a bit too scary. Scary, but a possibility nonetheless. “– if they ever come back wanting revenge, or to take back what they lost, then… then I would still try to talk things out. You wouldn’t?”

     Soft. It’s nice to know there are such kind-hearted people in the city, and something pricks lightly at the back of his neck -- a strange, foreboding feeling, like they’ve met before. Her presence is calming even when placed next to the heavy atmosphere that often followed the warrior.

     “Unfortunately, no. Like most of our circumstances, everything is given an ultimatum we simply can’t refuse. We play neatly into the hands of the storyteller in order to save ourselves... -- and yet I found myself wondering if it were even true.” He supposed they did wish to live, but with their states altered... it was hard to tell for some he’d seen scrambling around. “Still, you’re correct. We have no choice... -- and as my destiny is to mend fate regardless, I suppose there’s no need to fret over the result.” 

[gudakesa-blog]

danashura replied to your post:      It’s a shock of white and blue as baubles and...

bro thats #deep

shut up 

[gudakesa-blog]

     It’s a shock of white and blue as baubles and trinkets hang solemn around a hand, the air thick with the energy he’d just cast away. Arjuna found the chase to be mere child’s play. Before him was the pit, wide and vast and as empty-looking as the day that they’d arrived. When he sensed someone behind him, he spoke without turning -- 

     “... not often do I find myself asking others such things, but do you truly believe this all ends here when we have no way to confirm it? This encounter... -- to seal away the copies of ourselves in a realm we can’t access... -- is it the right thing to do when they’re unable to act of their own free will?”

[gudakesa-blog]

possidere replied to your post: It's a small, black box that he hands Arjuna a bit...

i still love u dont worry

[gudakesa-blog]

It's a small, black box that he hands Arjuna a bit too excitedly. Inside is quite an expensive-looking wrist-watch in faux silver and black. "I thought this could be appropriate, since you're working now, right? Hopefully it can be helpful, and I thought it would suit you. Merry Christmas, Arjuna."

     The gift is gorgeous and thoughtful. Such was expected of the boy he’d known for years and hopefully years to come, and Arjuna flashed the warmest smile he could muster. He did it, but he hoped beyond everything that he wouldn’t notice the tiny thread of unease sticking out of the calm. Don’t notice. Don’t look. Don’t notice.

    “Thank you, Master.” All smiles. Don’t look. Smiles that were becoming and expected and cooler than the far side of the moon. He clasped on the watch and showed it off. “I see... it’s quite the thoughtful gift. I hope that spending this much on me wasn’t an inconvenience to you... -- if so, then I’ll gladly work with you salvage a difference in cost.”

    But when they parted it was like a sigh, like some truth that he’d kept hidden was allowed to crumple and escape... some sort of -- guilt. Yes. That’s what it was. Guilt. Arjuna pressed gloved hands against his face tightly, until even the faintest shred of light that Gudao had left behind vanished from sight.

     I’m sorry.

[coquettishcath]

❥ ▬ While her shriek had been loud enough to catch the attention of many passersby, only a single one had bothered acknowledging her and rather than express her gratitude to the stranger, the blonde simply cowers behind them and hurls out demands instead.

“Don’t just stand there!”

Before allowing an adequate amount of time to pass for any sort of action to be taken Catherine plants the palms of her hands onto the stranger’s back, giving them a gentle, yet firm shove; urging the other to get closer to the large, unsightly insect that has successfully blocked off her path.

“Hurry up and do something!”

[gudakesa-blog]

     To shove one of his status was bold. Likely, she had no idea, but... -- in any case, Arjuna tilted forward with the best of intentions, thankful that the disgruntled expression on his face was hidden. This was certainly the last thing he expected to be doing on an afternoon like this, what with a forthcoming meeting and all over a precious investment of the family. 

     Arjuna planted a foot forward ( Testoni )  and then sent the creature sailing off to the side and into some bushes.

    “There. Nothing to fear, now.” Such a small thing to get worked up over... 

[gudakesa-blog]

( roserider‌: )

“Hmmm.” He watched Arjuna with an appraising expression, his lips drawn into a tight frown. Monologuing was a definitive sign of villainy, right? He wasn’t offended so much as he was concerned. This Archer never shied away from putting him on blast if necessary, but something about his rant felt foreboding in a way he couldn’t ignore.

“Okay, but… Did something happen to you? I mean, you always say lots of stuff that I don’t understand, but you’re acting really weird right now.” Astolfo hopped one step closer, innocently inquisitive. “Maybe you ate something weird?”

     Simple chatter, simple questions. All of it no more than a path of stepping stones before the greater goal: the light that’d pervaded the depths of his desire for eternal solitude.The longer he stood here, the more this wasn’t worth Arjuna’s -- his time as far as he could tell. 

    “Not at all. In fact,” The growing suspicions were warranted. Only, Arjuna found himself wanting to care at this point. He could be here all day bouncing off Astolfo’s questions. “I’m feeling better than ever.” It was true. 

    And so he made to pass the other Servant by pushing him aside.

[gudakesa-blog]

( flodeuyn‌: )

    ≪❀≫ “Excuse me?”

       MERLIN’S VOICE EASILY cuts through the chaos of the small crowd – a bit of a people watcher, he couldn’t help but recognize the signs of distress beginning to form on the other’s appearance. His eyes were narrowed, he seemed… to be attempting to find help. He wasn’t the best person in the world for this sort of thing, however? When he spoke, the chatter ceased. He had an air about him, both mysterious and calming. The chatter would cease, and eyes would find their way towards him briefly… until he lifted a hand to indicate to the young woman that he was here to speak to the worker from the library. “I’m sorry, at this moment I’m a fair bit busy. Can I have a moment alone with him?”

      His half-incubus charm was magical when it came to things like this. He would calm them and manage to make them scatter. Of course, excited whispers took the place of the noisy chatter – but? He cared little about that.

      “… If I’m not mistaken,” he starts smiling at his “fellow servant”. “You were having some trouble?” He was hardly the GENTLEMAN or the chivalrous type that his friends of the Round Table had been, however? As an (Half)-Incubus who had fed on fragments of their dreams… KINDNESS was part of his default actions.

     Admit that he’d been careless enough to let himself be pushed back? Admit that he wasn’t exactly in the mood to shatter the hearts of those who’d taken solace in his presence for weeks now? This part-time work was more trouble that it was worth at times.

     It was embarrassing to say the least, but Arjuna could recover. Would recover, rather. Such was expected of him, and at the end of the day this was no more than the same sort of trifling matter he’d had in the past. A soft aroma of violet and petunia and who knows what else wafted from the man in front of him. That unmistakable aura... --

     Any Servant would notice it this intoxicatingly close. Magic.

    Arjuna brought a hand to his face, internally battling with whether he should confide or not. But then, after a moment’s pause -- “You have my thanks.” For shooing off the woman pestering him? His groupies were surely around the corner gossiping about such a handsome man taking up his time, but -- no matter. “... though it was not so much that I wouldn’t be able to handle it alone, truly. To which I ask... what is your true purpose here? Looking for a certain title? I can assist, of course.” A try at humor.

[gudakesa-blog]

( danashura‌: ) 

“She would not mind,” has never, and would never, because they were similar in that. But that doesn’t diminish Arjuna’s concern, he thinks. Not that Karna would generally care much what others thought of his behavior outside of the battlefield, or outside the servitude of a Master. That is not what he is summoned to do, after all. 

“You stand correct. However, that pride is something I choose to show in how I handle my spear. It should not be influenced in how I eat my food.” Though a Kshatriya at birth, he had lived most of his life as a Sutra, after all. In a way, it’s almost like it reflects both his caste. At the same time, however – what Karna does as a hobby should never truly be taken into consideration to such matters. “That mindset is something unique to you.”

    “Courtesy is a unique quality?” 

    Arjuna refrained from huffing about it any longer, but the distaste in his tone was still evident. Leave it to Karna to change the subject, to turn such a direct exclamation into more than it was. The line of rivalry 

    “I refuse to even entertain the idea. My responsible stance still stands -- we’re representatives as much as we are individuals. So take care when you eat, Karna.” Stubborn.

[gudakesa-blog]

SUBVERSION ;; notes.

- from an esteemed family ( wow who knew ) in the archimedes ward.  - raised with a specific set of expectations, and yet at the same time was given all sorts of status on a silver platter. so in that respect, he’s not too different from his fate self. just that dude you hate ‘cause he’s so lucky and privileged. - still talented. still skilled. still insecure over having obtained so much so effortlessly. - the pandava run a social welfare organization that encourages industrial development and employment in the ward. on the outside, that is. on the inside they’re a criminal society that deals underhanded to support their public image. - arjuna is used as the forefront for their more cordial and public interactions: a handsome mascot. a golden child. the shining diadem. he’s fairly popular. - involved in a longstanding turf war with the kaurava family that lies opposite of them in the ward. it’s not uncommon for people to clear out an area if agents from both are spotted in the same vicinity.

[isolaradiale]

Keep reading

[vr2]

i would like to contribute 1(one) padoru please kind sir

[gudakesa-blog]

@beannaigh

     This one was keen. Keen enough to catch on, maybe. Ultimately the cards had yet to be played, and so Arjuna was confident enough that there was nothing yet to glean from his actions. Still, he moved to sit at the table just opposite, frost clinging gently to the cloak that he removed and settled on a chair.

     “Just a game, then? Very well.” There were more pressing matters, but he supposed it wouldn’t take long to satisfy this Servant’s curiosity or suspicion. In another time and place Arjuna would’ve secretly abhorred the idea of even partaking in such a thing, what with how the gods loved to twist the hand of fate, but here there was less meddling. Less eyes watching. 

     On the table lay a chess board, its pieces neatly arranged in white and blue. He selected a pawn -- the more numerous and underrated piece.

    “I can’t say we’ve ever had the chance to talk at length. My apologies if this is at all awkward for you.” His words were cordial, but the delivery was like a sigh.