370/Friends In The Faith

Friends In The Faith
Date of Scene:	08 August 2014
Location:	Akita-954 <954>
Synopsis:	Jeanne d'Arc invites some of her new allies to come meet her in person.
Cast of Characters:	Tomoe, 346, 369, 482, Ziggy Grover, 536

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Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     Jeanne d'Arc was evidently popular.

     The saint has slowly walked the streets of Akita, faithfully memorizing where her home... that is, Shizune's place... was, so she would not get lost. After a few frights and scares, she's managed to find a small, out of the way park, where the very confused Heroic Spirit takes a seat on the grass. She has forgone her sword at this time, out of a courtesy and her own personal honor. She is not hard to find.

     Jeanne does let everyone know where she is. She expects people will want to come visit her, and as she is not yet comfortable exploring the multiverse, has invited them over.

Saber (346) has posed:
     The King of Knights was certainly not going to complain about travel to a much warmer location than D�n Re�lta�. Temporary home though it may be, it was /cold/, hardly the ideal setting for a certain newly-made lord to recover from over five years worth of physical and mental wounds. The previous time she had made a social attempt for Bedivere, it had ended with a bit of disaster, and so Arturia was a tad reluctant to do so again...at least, when it came to planning something like a c�ilidh. However, this time it could simply be said that the two Knights of the Round Table could represent their part of the Union welcoming committee.

     For it was a rather unusual occasion to meet a saint, one that they could hardly pass up.

     But beyond that, it had been fairly clear that Jeanne was as lost as Bedivere had been, in many respects. And that had kicked her knightly side into overdrive, and by extension, Bedivere was probably feeling much the same, not to mention more than a little empathetic. In all, as good an excuse as any to get him away from work for a little while.

     Dressed in her business attire of a black three-piece suit, gloves, and tie with a grey dress shirt and brown loafers, the Servant Saber of the Fourth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki City led her loyal marshal to the appointed place. it was fairly easy to spot the young Frenchwoman, given the nature of the location.

     Rendering a proper knightly bow upon her arrival, Arturia hailed her politely as one knight to another, with a faint smile befitting a proper knight. "Greetings, my lady. I am the Servant Saber of the Fourth Holy Grail War. By the dictates of chivalry, I name myself as Arturia Pendragon, King of Britain. It is an honour to make your acquaintance."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Much as the king he serves, Bedivere arrives not as a knight in shining armour (in reality his armour is somewhat scratched and scored, and quite a bit dented still, having seen quite a lot of practical use), but in a three-piece suit not unlike that worn by the Servant Saber.

Unlike hers, his is more of a charcoal grey, as are his gloves; his dress shirt is grey, but his tie is the same soft blue-grey as the mantle of his knightly cloak; his loafers are polished black.

It probably wouldn't do to show up here in mediaeval attire.

Bedivere likewise bows, but his is much more stiff and slow, and something about the movement seems as though he's trying to be careful. His right arm is tucked tight against his side as though it pained him, and the thin set of his mouth suggests the same.

Still, he straightens once he's shown the proper respect, perhaps following his king's example. She is, as a saint, perhaps one of the very few he would kneel before that were /not/ his king.

"And I am Sir Bedivere of the Round Table, also of Britain." It isn't what he actually says, but the multiverse seems to translate into something sensible to all involved. His voice is soft, so soft that some had once mistaken it for a woman's, and his presence seems likewise mild and unassuming; likewise, his hair is long, gathered back in two meticulously half-braided queues, while longer portions frame a face very slightly angular. His left ear bears a round red stone stud in it.

In spite of his broad shoulders, he does not seem much a warrior or a knight, by appearances alone.

Fortunately, appearances are rarely trustworthy.

It seems he's trying to watch Jeanne without actually staring, for that would be rude, but he has never before seen a living saint. She is after his time, or he would have known of her; but she certainly seems unassuming, and certainly has the proper bearing for such a calling.

"The honour is mine," he murmurs, head inclining politely. "I thank the Lord God for the opportunity to make your acquaintance, my lady. If there is aught you would wish of us, we are your humble servants." Only not, you know, Servants. He's pretty darned mortal. It's only proper to offer, though. The Knights of the Round were as attentive to clergy matters as they were to the secular... as is proper.

Ziggy Grover has posed:
He'd been sitting there prowling around the place getting the feel for the layout, when Jeanne d'Arc announces that she's at the park. "Hey, someone new just invited people to visit her. Jeanne d'Arc. I'm not up to date on my history, you know, on account of being busy fighting for our lives, but isn't that..." Ziggy comments to his rev morpher communicator. He was close enough to the vicinity that he could walk over, thankful he could remember the general direction of things. Besides, he'd been in this park earlier, hadn't he?

"It is safer for all concerned if you remained ignorant," Dr. K replies over the morpher, safe in Corinth, as she keeps an eye on his readings.

"Oh come on, I should know..."

"Hush up. Just do what you do best."

"Prattle on and make conversation? At least you -acknowledge- I can do -something-!"

One could practically feel the eyeroll from the rev morpher as Dr. K replies, "That you have a modicum of ability to make foolish running commentary, I have no doubt. Whether it will extract anything useful, Ranger Green, is debatable."

Opening his mouth, Ziggy decides to just not pursue that line of thought any further. Instead, he hops over the bench, rather casually where the Frenchwoman is, and seats himself, attempting to apply rule of cool by stretching his arms across the back of the bench and putting his foot on his knee. "Hi! So you're as lost as I am, right? Name's Ziggy Grover. I've heard about you. And uh... Arthuria. Wow, you sound a lot like Sir Gawain, only I would have sworn King Arthur was less... you know... shaped like..." Hands go up to start a gesture, before there was a loud cough from the morpher. "Uh, right, right, alternate universe?"

"Very good, Ranger Green," Dr. K says flatly. Perhaps she -didn't- need to build in a Pavlovian electric charge into the morpher, after all...

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe had actually brought some modern clothing that would fit herbody in this form for a very good reason. IT also helped to have a friend such as Frederica. So here she was far less of a diversion however the Salmander would still stand out from being over six feet in height she was a very tall lady. For the moment her ears did stand out but that was about the best she could do at the moment. She seemed casual enough as she comes upon Saber and Jeanne. She looks a bit nervous but she speaks up after she's certain she's not going to distupt Sabre. Also there's several round table knights and a saint here, Tomoe is feeling very tiny today all things considered.

"Good day, I'm commonly known as Tomoe."

She doesn't even use the title/nicknam she'd ended up with in SAO and ALO.

She looks over at Ziggy and looks at him for a moment, she wasn't sure what to make of him.

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     Jeanne stands, then turns. Simply put, she bows back to Arturia, although it's a slight more of a curtsey considering her armored dress. "Greetings, Saber of the Fourth Holy Grail War. I am Servant Saber of the Fifth Holy Grail War, and I name myself as Jeanne d'Arc, Maid of Orleans."

She turns, doing that same respect to everyone else. "Greetings, Sir Bedivere, Sir Grover, Lady Tomoe. It is a pleasure to meet you all in person."

Saber (346) has posed:
     A mild expression of surprise flickered across Arturia's face. "Fifth War, you say? Most curious...in the time-line I had found myself in upon finding myself in the multiverse, the Fifth War had been concluded."

     Arturia clasped her chin between her thumb and index finger, her habitual gesture of thought. Her eyes flicked to Bedivere; this was likely a quirk of the multiverse he had yet to encounter, as well. She really didn't fancy giving him even /more/ headaches, but better that she ease him into it now rather than stare in horror as some other oddity presented itself over the band. "This would probably be a good time to discuss the rather peculiar issue of alternative time-lines, where differing versions of events happen in what would otherwise be the same world."

     She crossed her arms, contemplating. "As of this moment, there appreat to have been several different Holy Grail Wars occurring at different points in time. Some Servants, such as myself, are no longer competitors in it. For others, it would seem their own respective Wars are either ongoing or have yet to begin."

     Saber regarded Ziggy for a moment, briefly internally debated relating at least something of the story of just why history had remembered King Arthur as a man. After a second, she decided that it was best left for another time. "It...is a rather long story."

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe actually looks a bit intomdated by Jeanne and all these round table knights. She wonders what Saber means about the a long story she won't pry however unless the ruler of Camelot wishes to share.

"Knights of the Round Table, Saints, this is I admit a lot to take in I admit."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
It seems there are quite a number of Grail Wars! And quite a number of Saber-class Servants among the Union, too. In spite of the confusion, the silver-haired knight seems to be taking this reasonably well, and by his thoughtful expression, he may in fact be wondering if he shouldn't make himself some kind of chart to keep all the variables straight.

Blood and damnation, that's a lot of Servants, Wars, and divergent timelines.

His right arm remains tucked at his side, hand absently holding the elbow of his left arm; his left hand rises to tug absently at the bloodstone stud in his ear. It seems a gesture of contemplation, as much as Arturia clasps her chin between thumb and forefinger.

"Mmn." It's a sound of vague agreement, perhaps acknowledgement, but he seems not to have much to say. It was always his way to observe.

Violet eyes flick to Arturia, though, when she mentions her disinvolvement in the Grail War. That may be truth, but he can only hope that the other Servants believe that. It wouldn't do to be drawn into the conflict when neither Servant nor Master had any interest in it. Such would be a war well beyond his formidable knowledge of tactics, and on some level, he knows it...

He simply shifts his weight, standing at Saber's left side; the position of the loyal aide-de-camp.

Honestly, if one didn't know better, they might assume that the quiet, obedient Bedivere were the Servant, and the regal Arturia the Master...

Ziggy Grover has posed:
Whatever Holy Grail Wars were, Ziggy knew nothing of, and Dr. K wasn't volunteering information, judging by the blissful silence coming from his morpher.

That Sir Gawain had apparently brought him to a place full of holy knights and talking cats... well, this was -fantastic-.

The look Tomoe darts at him has Ziggy looking down at himself, uncrossing his legs and lowering his arms to his side. "Well, long stories are excellent," Ziggy responds to Arthuria, holding his hands up in a 'whoa there' gesture. "But, you know, speaking as a newcomer to this whole... multiverse concept, it's like pouring a whole bucket of water onto someone's head. All it does is just get the person wet and it doesn't improve their disposition. So, uh... since you put out a hello and an invitation, I'm guessing you're not looking for answers?"

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
"I believe it is the Fifth, as that is what the Grail has informed me." Jeanne says with a nod. "My Master attempted to summon me last night, but unfortunately, there were red-team Magus' that were lying in wait, and the injured him very badly. He would not have been able to sustain both of us, so Assassin of Black did some -- surgery, I suppose the word is, and bound Lady Nakumara as my Master."

     "This is a -- concept, I suppose, of a ... multiverse...?" She asks, hedging her words carefully. She has a soft French accent, and speaks French which the Multiverse is translating happily. "I see. I have had to ask my Master to explain many things to myself already, as I seem to have lacked the normal Servant capability to understand the timeline I have come into, as well as the language, but she said that the Multiverse made up for the second."

     She then looks at Ziggy. "I have many questions. Some of them you all cannot answer, and I have already put them up to god in my morning Mass and prayers." She responds, simply. "I do not understand this radio, and prefer to have many conversations in person."

Saber (346) has posed:
     Arturia listened, nodding slowly. "Hm... Assassin of Black...I believe that would be...Jack?"

     She had encountered the former terror of Whitechapel two times previously, though the second time she was fighting alongside the Assassin rather than against her. And their mutual opponent had been Arturia's own homunculus 'son', no less.

     "It is a great deal to take in, admittedly," she conceded, glancing once more at the knight beside her. She did frown in puzzlement, however, at the revelation that Jeanne lacked the usual information that even the British Saber had been granted. "That is quite strange...all Servants should have had some knowledge of the era into which they are summoned, as well as the language of one's Master. it is most fortunate the multiverse possesses this translation effect."

     She paused, contemplating once more. "There is a great deal to cover, and even the best of Masters could not divulge it all in a single day."

     She bowed again, her right arm to her chest, hand over her heart. "But we of the Union, and the Knights of the Round Table, shall do our best to assist you in this. Ask of me anything; I shall do my best to answer."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Bedivere seems unconcerned, regarding the others somewhat obliquely with violet eyes half-lidded. The shadows under his eyes help to paint the picture of a man desperately overworked and under-rested, and it may seem like he's just zoning out... but in reality, he's paying very close attention. Now that he bears that mark on his left hand, it would behoove him to pay attention to these matters.

The War of the Holy Grail is not a conflict fought amongst thousands on the battlefield as he may be used to, but more like a game of chess, relying on anticipation and cunning.

Fortuantely, he is a frighteningly good chess-player. Keeping ahead if a hostile Servant were to target Arturia would not be beyond his means, though it would require all of his concentration and cunning.

Situational awareness, misdirection, underestimation; anticipation... using those skills honourably are his only real advantages in such a situation. He has no hope of standing toe to toe with a Servant, and perhaps little hope of even facing a hostile Master on even terms.

So he must make his own advantage. And in this case, knowledge is power.

All that to say, damn straight he's listening, even if he looks exhausted.

"She is correct, on that point," Bedivere offers softly, to Jeanne. "My king and I speak what some of you would call... Welsh, I think, but we are not misunderstood. But it does not encompass all things. The written word is not included. I can make no sense of things written in the modern era," he admits, with a sigh.

His arm drops, both folding over his chest. Rather than standoffish, the gesture seems simply one of contemplation, with the way his head tilts slightly. His focus returns to Jeanne when Arturia delivers her promise; his head bows, eyes momentarily closing.

"Indeed. It is our duty to assist those in need of such. Similarly, please; ask of me anything, have you need of an answer, though my king is much more knowledgeable in the matter of the War of the Holy Grail."

Ziggy Grover has posed:
"Wait, so everyone speaks different languages," Ziggy interrupts, holding up a finger, before he begins to wrangle his hands. "But the multiverse translates it all?"

He tilts his head, before looking back at Tomoe. "It's strange, though... I mean, I hear these things, I get that they're talking about people I probably haven't met, but I'm having a hard time understanding why people do not understand radio. It's just a way of talking over long distances, right, Doc?"

There is silence. "Doc?" Ziggy begins shaking his wrist, tapping the morpher. "Hello? Anyone there? K? Doc K?"

A frown, then, and Ziggy looks up with wide eyes. "Um... well, I guess I'm going to have a lot of conversations in person for now. So... Saints, knights... and you?" The last statement is addressed to Tomoe.

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe says "Well that's fornate for the launaguue issue. Even if one's used to a time period that may seem more advanced? I found there's always another to make one's home look like your banging a rock and flint together to get fire. She pauses for a moment. Yes Jack the ripper, that had always made Tomoe /squirm/ a little bit and feel more than a little dread but so far nothing had happened. So she's just going to leave things at that and maybe one day buy her ice cream. God only knows if that will happen or not.

"I know the feeling, but have you seen some the people who are from worlds where they can play around with matter, go faster than light, or things along that line?

"I'm just a lady who got stuck in a death VR game."

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     "Yes, that would be Jack." Jeanne says with a nod. "I am unsure how people deal with names 'round here, not that I see the point in it, but... that is not necessarily here nor there." She gives a low sigh, before she gives a slight nod to Saber. "This is true. I am not sure why such a thing happened, but I will take it for what it is. I have given myself to God, and he shall guide me."

     "It is alright, Sir Bedivere. I cannot make sense of writing even in my own era." She informs the knight quietly. "The only thing I know how to do is to write my own name. I had aides and the like that I could ask to write for me when I dictated. I was a peasant - as the word goes - so I was not formally educated like that."

     She then turns to Ziggy.

     "I was born over six hundred years ago, thanks to the math that someone was able to do for me. In my time, we did not have such things. If I wanted to speak to someone who was far away, I'd either tavel and speak with them, or in cases like myself where I cannot read or write, someone would write a letter for us. Do you understand that? You grew up with such things. I grew up following the faith of God and learning how to be a housewife. A meal I can cook, and I can knit with great skill, and with the blessings of God and the visions of his angels and saints, I turned the tide of a war behind."

     "I know nothing but what He has given me to see, and what my mother has taught me, and the little of what I have learned so far. Do not wonder why people are confused, especially when one Lady Saber has explained about multiple time- time lines? and worlds." Jeanne says this extremely softly, her voice warm. "I will be confused for awhile. So be it."

Saber (346) has posed:
     "Speaking on my own behalf, I was quite careful, at first," Arturia mused. "My own War had ended, but I was, due to some unfortunate circumstances, rather cautious."

     She flicked a glance again to Bedivere -- she was sure he would want to know the details at a better time -- before the sea-green eyes returned to the Maid of Orleans. "I maintain some reserve, though in truth, it is probably unnecessary. At least, among the Servants of the Union." In fact, the only reason she had really maintained her caution with the Saber of Silver was because the other Servant had maintained hers.

     The King of Knights nodded her assent. "Indeed, my lady."

     From what little she could remember of what knowledge had been imparted to her by the Holy Grail, the Holy Maiden had been a simple country girl, just as Arturia herself had been. However, she had been trained and educated by her adopted father Sir Ector, alongside his own son, Kay. In retrospect, it was a rather curious education for an abandoned bastard girl, though she hadn't realised it until her ascension. Once more, her eyes turned to her marshal; the both of them had a soft spot for the common people; and the knight himself had once been a commoner.

     Saber nodded to Ziggy. "That is correct, yes. However, the radios are not as common a device as you understand it." The Servant paused for a moment, trying to think of an example, though the best she could come up with was an aspect of their own world. "For example, if your world does not possess magic, I would gather you might find even the most common of spells to be strange, perhaps even unnatural. But for us of the Holy Grail War, magic is what we are, in essence."

     And that fact had demanded a lot of patience on the part of her marshal, who distrusted such things on account of her tutor, a most mischievous of wizards.

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe says "You left quite the legacy either way Jeanne, and that's a decent way to look at things I think. I'm just nothing special really, it's strnge to hear first hand accounts that we now only have surivoring records to go off I admit. You have a good point Saber, my world doe snot have magic at all, there are no super humans, nothing even like what Ziggy there can do. I and the few like me are abberations caused due to the multiverse and nothing more."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
As for the marshal, he stands patiently at Arturia's left side, listening in silence to the matters being discussed. Some of the details elude him, such as the time Arturia spoke of. He briefly meets her eyes in silent acknowledgement. He would not have asked her the details here, in any case.

He's silent through the other Servant's speech, at least until she confesses to be of common origins. Something in those violet eyes softens.

Bedivere, himself, had once been a commoner. Worse yet, he had been a foreigner in King Arthur's court, from the D�l Riata kingdom, northwest of Camelot. He can understand perhaps being viewed through an unsavoury lens; few had afforded him the time of day, and what he had earned, he had earned by his own tenacity.

"Would you like to learn?" Those violet eyes settle on the Frenchwoman, and his offer is quiet, spoken just as softly as the rest of his words; softer, perhaps, as though sensitive over any shame she may feel over her lack of education. "I am lettered, and out of necessity learned such skills, that I might better serve my king. I am fortunate enough to have had the education of a noble, but I too am of common blood, and I would be honoured to offer you tutoring, if you should wish it."

Well, not quite, as the fili were a step down from royalty and a step up from the lowest classes, but he isn't necessarily lying. Bedivere had never had a very high opinion of himself, at least not when it came to the social strata of his day. The bards and storytellers of D�l Riata were not nobility, however well-respected they may have been in the bounds of their own kingdom.

Still, his offer is given quietly; he would not intrude on the conversations of the others. He is quiet and unassuming, which would certainly not surprising at all to Arturia. It was always his way.

He even manages a faint half-smile to Jeanne, as though sympathetic to her situation. He had been lost adrift in the multiverse not so long ago, himself...

Ziggy Grover has posed:
"Magic... really?" Now Ziggy's eyes goes wide, before he tilts his head to the side, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish as his hand goes up to make a 'wait-a-minute' gesture, before his hands shakes about. "Whoa. And I thought the stories about Excalibur were just, you know... legends. I mean, there's nothing magic about Jeanne d'Arc, but Arthur..."

Bringing his hands to his temples, Ziggy mouths, "Whoa. Do you know what this means? Magic's real -here-!" Mind. Blown.

"So, can you do magic tricks?" Ziggy asks, as he makes a gesture with his hands, and then produces... a fake flower out of his hands, which he offers to Jeanne. "I mean, real magic, not this."

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     "It seems my own war has just begun." The Maiden replies to the King of Knights for a soft moment, flicking her own violet eyes to meet Bediveres' for a few minutes. It's a good thing they don't share the same hair color, too. She gives him a smile, her first one since she got summoned.

     "Thank you very much for your offer, Sir Bedivere." She bows to him again, as a show of thanks. "I am sure that He has granted me this path so that you may help me learn His teachings even further. You are a blessing, and I greatly honored to accept your offer."

     There is a mention of magic and witchcraft and Jeanne stirs, an uneasy look in her eyes. She looks at the flower, then at Ziggy, her mouth tightening. "I do not do /magic/." She says. The last word comes out like a curse, Jeanne lifting her head proudly. "I swore myself to Him, and gave my body to God, so that I would not be accused of witchcraft as well as heresy." Whoops. That's a can of worms.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Arturia was not surprised that the gentle-hearted Bedivere would offer to teach the Frenchwoman reading and writing, a fact she approved of and nodded her assent. That is, if he could manage to get enough rest between that and his other duties, in which case she would have to step into that role, which she didn't mind either. Jeanne might not have been one of her Knights of the Round, but she was the King of Knights and therefore felt somewhat responsible for fellow knights, especially holy ones. At least, now that she was no longer a participant in Heaven's Feel, anyway.

     Saber went back to regarding Ziggy with a shake of her head. "Excalibur very real...it is a holy sword, bestowed upon me by the Lady of the Lake. However, it would take too long to explain what it is to me as a Servant...at least, for now."

     Hmm...it seemed the Holy Maiden was wary, and for good reason. It would probably behove Arturia to try to defuse the situation. "Magic is not really the proper term for it, as it is rather superstitious. It is a holy power, the very life-force of the world itself granted by God. We Servants possess bodies formed of this holy power, and we are capable of feats far beyond those of mortals. As Sabers, we are among the strongest of Servants. And among Sabers, Dame Jeanne is among the most powerful; her holy power is without peer."

     Like Bedivere, the humble Maid might chafe under such praise, but there it was. Honesty was, after all, one of the Eight Chivalric Virtues, even if she was forced sometimes to obfuscate the truth on occasion.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"You are most welcome," the quiet knight responds, inclining his head in humble respect. Truly, to be offering some kind of help to another Heroic Spirit, and one who is a living saint? "The honour is mine. But... please, good lady; you do me too much honour. I serve. No more than that."

As expected, he chafes under the praise given to him, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

Bedivere falls silent when talk turns to witchcraft. He is of a slightly more open mind, thanks to the workings of Merlin, but he is not much more trusting. He would never let his life depend on such a thing. Better still to rely on the oak and iron of a kite shield, or the solid steel of his blade.

He does not presume to add anything to Arturia's explanation, either; while he may have knowledge of such things, he is merely her loyal bodyguard and servant. Of the non-capitalised variety.

Ziggy Grover has posed:
That Ziggy has no real idea what is perturbing Jeanne d'Arc can be traced back all the way to that world history class he failed, before everything went to hell when Venjix attacked.

So when Jeanne d'Arc gives him that -look-, and swears that she has given her body to God, Ziggy's face falls. "But it's only a magic trick. Look, see..."

Hand moves, and the fake flower disappear, only to re-appear. "See? It's only sleight of hand. I don't mean to insult you or anything." Ziggy's expression now takes on a hang-dog look.

And just to add the extra kick to the hang-dog expression...

The flower wilts in his hand too.

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     "... Mmm." Jeanne says, uncertainly. She knows what she does is not magic. She, however, accepts it as Saber has phrased it; when it is a gift from God, after all, one cannot truly argue it. So instead, she slightly bows in acceptance of her words and explanation, trying to keep her face calm so she does not start protesting that all she is doing is God's work.

     (She does that a lot.)

     She flicks Bedivere a look as he goes and chafes under her praise like she just did, before shaking her head slightly. "My apologies, Sir Grover. I have... had a hard lfe with people accusing me of such things as heresy and witchcraft. I do nothing but follow the words of my God and His saints and angels. May the Archangel Michael and Saints Catherine and Margaret look over you as they have so guided me."

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe looks at Ziggy for a moment nearly wanting to put her hed in her hands somewhere in another Japan? She may actually be facepalming and not even aware her real body is doing this. She just looks to Ziggy and stares for a moment.

"Err Ziggy you might want to back off there."

she's lookign quite ... umm nervous, hey it's not too public but Sheena is Catholic and this is ... quite umm the odd situation for her. Though at the mention of meer mortals she kinda shrinks back a little bit. She knows what she really is after all.

"Her drive and faith is still well known centuries later on my world."

Shje looks at Ziggy for a moment. She knows he doesn't mean any harm but he's hit a hot button.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Crisis averted for now. Still, there was much work to be done. And that was when it occurred to Arturia; she had recognised the name of Jeanne's Master. "Ah...pardon me if the question is too bold, however...did you say that your new Master is Lady Nakamura? I believe you would be her second Servant, if I remember correctly..."

     And the last Servant Shizune had, Saber did not envy her at all. The Holy Maiden would certainly have been far preferable.

     Certainly, she never would have genuflected at words spoken by the insufferable and arrogant King of Heroes as she had at Jeanne's piety. "So say we all." The words were in a language that the three knights and Tomoe needed little multiversal translation for, the tongue of their Church: Latin.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"So say we all," Bedivere echoes solemnly, in Latin. His words are soft, though, and may even be missed over the words of the others present. He makes little effort to be heard, and does not raise his voice; he has no real need to.

He falls silent, though, glancing sidelong when Arturia asks about Lady Nakamura's previous Servant. Curious indeed.

Honestly, he seems happiest when he's out of the limelight.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    The city of Akita has only a small population of supernatural beings, but they do live in this city; there are about nine of them in Shizune's school alone, so it's not impossible to find them here and there. As a result, while a French-speaking foreigner in strange armor is looked at with some curiosity - especially when she's surrounded by a handful of other foreigners in a public park - she is probably not bothered overmuch.

    Those present may even hear murmurs including the words '...that Nakamura girl?...' now and then as people pass.

    But it is a far more familiar voice that answers Saber. "You remember correctly," Shizune calls out, her own form of greeting. Dressed comfortably in a set of loose-fit clothes, she looks as if she's been out jogging. "My apologies for being a little late. I was visiting my dojo. Welcome to my city, all of you."

Ziggy Grover has posed:
"Oh well..." With a flourish, the flower pops back up, and then is offered to Arthuria. "I promise you, that is not witchcraft. But a good magician should never reveal his secrets." A bright smile crosses the face of the wild-haired young man, before his attention shifts towards Shizune. Oh... finally! Someone who dresses just about normally. "You're from around here?"

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     "Yes, Lady Shizune is around ... somewhere? I believe she might be available soon." Jeanne then pauses, and then smiles again, as she murmurs the words, "So say we all." In soft Latin with the two Knights and Tomoe. She then looks up and over.

     "Lady Shizune! I am sorry if I should not have invited them to come visit me, but I was not sure how... to... go anywhere else." Jeanne looks slightly embarassed at this. At least she can admit her embarassment! She's clueless!

     Poor Holy Maiden.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Arturia rendered another proper knightly bow to Shizune. "Greetings, my lady. And I thank you."

     When she straightened, however, her otherwise faint smile turned subtly sympathetic. And she would certainly know to whom the King of Knights alluded. "It gladdens me to see that you have taken in a much more pleasant Servant."

     Drat. For a split second, jade eyes darted to her marshal. While she had ranted a little about Gilgamesh before in his presence, he still had yet to learn of the full extent of a rage she reserved strictly for the golden Archer.

     Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she considered something else, looking back at the other Saber again. "Have you both had the opportunity to purchase clothing appropriate for this era?"

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Bedivere looks up, his focus suddenly somewhere further distant as he focuses on the surrounding crowd. No, not the crowd itself, but someone's approach. His senses are honed; observation was his singular greatest skill in Camelot's courts, and it serves him well even in the multiverse.

Violet eyes flick sidelong as he hears footsteps approaching, followed by the voice of Shizune Nakamura. His head twists to regard her as she joins the gathering, and even as she approaches, his eyes never quite leave her.

So, this is the one who had borne another Servant? It seems anyone involved in the War of the Holy Grail is reason for Bedivere to suspect them; but perhaps that is to be expected, given how concerned he seems for Arturia's personal safety. There are other reasons, of course, but that is perhaps the msot obvious.

Bedivere is a guest in her city, and he is bound by Brehon Law to show every proper courtesy. He can remain watchful, but he need not be uncivil to do so. Keeping his right arm folded against his side, he inclines forward in a formal bow, though the faint twist of his mouth suggests the movement pains him.

"I greet you as a guest in your city, Lady Nakamura." His voice, however, remains even. Thus bound, named as a guest, he would be helpless to raise arms against her even if she did prove to be treacherous -- but something tells him he need not worry. Arturia doesn't seem tense, therefore, neither is her loyal knight. He catches that look from Arturia, but the way his eyes slide away, returning to Shizune, is a simple enough answer for her. /We will speak on it later./

The silver-haired knight shifts his weight, which may or may not be a thinly-veiled excuse to shift a little closer to the shorter knight. Little gestures, perhaps, but Arturia might notice that he seems slightly uncomfortable, flexing his left hand and absently rubbing at the top of it.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    "You have nothing to apologize for," Shizune replies to Jeanne, first and foremost. "As long as you're my Servant, this is your city as much as it is mine. There's more than three-hundred thousand people living here, after all." Then to Saber, she gives a bow in greeting. "Of course. It's always good to have visitors." And to Bedivere in turn; there's a pause as she listens to his greeting, and perhaps surprisingly, she bows in response, a deeper and more formal gesture for a more formal exchange of words. "And I welcome you as a citizen of Akita, sir." She seems more than distantly aware of the unspoken promise the knight has made.

    Ziggy, however, gets a more curious look, tinged with amusement. "I am, yes. Shizune Nakamura. I'm a member of the Union. I don't think we've met."

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe is pausing iat the Latin and she only knows snippies without the multiverse. It's been several generations since a Pope came out and made it so mass was said in the local lanuage of the region of where the Mass was held. So it's kind of a lost thing to her. She's somehow semeing small even when she's over six feet tall. She looks top Shizune and smiles a bit at her.

"Thank you for the welcome Shizune."

She looks to Sir Bedi for a moment longer.

"Shizune I think this is the first time we have met in person. Well kinda of given I'm not entirely really here."

Ziggy Grover has posed:
Checking his rev morpher for a brief instance to see if Dr K was still listening or if she'd shut him off in a fit of pique, Ziggy's attention shifts back towards the others. They're -extremely- polite. So very polite. Huh. Chivalry wasn't dead. Then again, it was more like it time-travelled to the future, so to speak.

Being uncertain who the newcomer was, and given that his magic plastic flower hadn't been accepted by Arthuria, he instead spins around and offers it to Shizune. "Ziggy. Ziggy Grover. I'm a visitor here. Sir Gawain brought me over here when I, uh, had a teleporting issue."

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     "Yes, I had... thought you had a second Servant before I, Lady Shizune, but I did not press for details. They were not one from the same Grail War I am participating in, were they? Might I inquire as to whom?" Not that Jeanne is going to know /who/ Gilgamesh is, even with the stories of who he is in her day and age, but... it'll help when people start making references.

     This done, her violet eyes flicker back to Arturia and then over to Bedivere for a few long moments, reading their faces, and while most knights can do a pretty darn good poker face - can't let your fellows know that 'dang, that arrow to the shoulder really hurt' - she does understand some subtle things, like the way he shifts closer. Jeanne hmms, tapping her chin with a finger for a moment.

"Ah-- shopping? No, no we have not. This is what the Grail provided me with." She admits. "Normally, I would try to make my own clothes, but I am not sure my methods from so long ago would be so well." She steps closer to Shizune herself.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Although he's doing his best to listen, the silver-haired knight is hard pressed to ignore the growing discomfort in his side. Perhaps a Servant may shrug off a near-mortal wound with little to no problem, but he is not a Servant; he, alone among the Round Table, is a mortal man.

And being mortal kind of sucks when an angry bard tries to shove a greatsword into the vicinity of your ribs. He's lucky it wasn't a lethal blow, but the end result is that even now, so long after the fact, it still troubles him a great deal. That, and pushing himself so hard to finish repairs in the castle he had had uncerimoniously dumped into his lap...

Bedivere is fading, and Arturia is sure to notice that. Perhaps surprisingly, he takes another half-step closer to her, glancing down at her as though he were trying to signal for her attention; a silent entreaty. He's in pain, and the idea of going somewhere warm to lie down for a while is an attractive notion.

Also, if he tells her about it before it becomes more of a problem, she won't embarrass him in public fussing over him. Win!

He dips his head beside her, murmuring something into her ear, very quietly. Enough so that the others wouldn't notice the content; though it's obvious that he's telling her /something/ in a conspirational manner.

Straightening, and still clutching his right side, he offers a slightly strained smile to the gathering.

"Please accept my apologies. I... must be going, but I should be honoured to visit with you soon. My lady, you are welcome any time in the lands I have been made steward of, and I should be honoured to offer you tutoring; please, do not hesitate to contact me. But for the time being, I must beg my leave." He offers a faint, abbreviated bow, and the twist of his mouth suggests that he'd be bowing more deeply if it didn't hurt. "Good eve to you all."

With that, he moves to take his leave, setting off somewhat stiffly in the direction of the nearest warpgate.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Arturia understood Bedivere's concerns well; even if he were not her new Master, the two shared an almost preternatural method of communication where spoken words were unnecessary. It made the two knights a deadly cohesive unit both on and off the battlefield. Hence, she caught his unspoken statement fully. She wasn't exactly happy to have to think about Gilgamesh again -- explaining just how insufferably *lewd* he had been would be bad enough -- but more so given that the violet-eyed knight was probably not going to take it well.

     She suppressed a reluctant sigh, though he would easily catch that reluctance. /Very well./

     Likewise, she could easily notice that those persistent injuries were taking their toll. While she wasn't going to fuss at him in front of others, she would have to find some way to politely excuse themselves so she could help him limp back home to rest. Fortunately, the marshal took care of that problem with about as much elegance as one could hope for in their situation.

     One final smile and knightly bow are offered to those present. "It was a pleasure," she added. "I hope that we shall meet again in the near future. Keep yourselves well."

     And without further ado, followed shortly after her marshal, making sure he could maintain his dignity to the warpgate.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    "I believe you're right," Shizune replies to Tomoe, before bowing to her as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Ziggy gets another nod, and a warm, "Welcome to the city, then. If there's anything I can help with, let me know."

    To Jeanne, she nods her head lightly, her expression growing somewhat sour. "I did. Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. A Servant of the Archer class. He caused me no end of vexation, I can tell you that." She lets out a faint breath. "But at the very least, he meant me well, in his own extremely arrogant way. I..."

    It is here Shizune trails off, because Bedivere is asking their leave. "It's quite all right. If you ever have reason to be in Akita again, I'd be glad to have both of you as guests."

Ziggy Grover has posed:
"Well, making your own clothes can be a lot of work. I mean, really... needles and me don't get along, and trying to put that thread through the eye..." Shaking his head, throwing his whole body into the shudder, Ziggy winces sympathically, before patting Jeanne on the shoulder. "Finding a tailor can be a little tricky, but I'm sure when you have the multiverse to pick from, you can probably find -someone-. Maybe, uh... hopping through one of these gates, there's got to be like..." Making a hand gesture that roughly looks like he's trying to describe -someone- from 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy', if such a thing existed in -this- universe... "Maybe it'll work for you?"

"Ranger Green..." a voice crackles over his morpher.

"Doc! You're alive!" Now Ziggy clutches his wrist like it's a lifeline. "What happened?"

"I was tending to the other Rangers. And please do not subject Jeanne d'Arc to your unique fashion taste."

"Right. So how do I get home, Doc?"

"... weren't you listening when they were explaining the warpgates?"

FLASHBACK: "... and this is how to use the warpgate to return home." Ziggy... is busy looking at the giant robot going "So let me get this straight, you -don't- have to have a little girl at the keyboard to let you -morph-? Boy, you are -so- lucky..."

"...Um. No?"

"... how do you -manage- to remember to breathe?"

"Um... I have to get going, guys," Ziggy manages a smile, and a wave of his hand, before he starts running for the warpgates, in a considerably -less- dignified manner than the people before him.

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
     Jeanne knows the sign of pain, and she allows Saber and Bedivere to get further away from the group, before she turns. "One moment, please." She requests of her master and the rest before she then moves to catch up with them, gesturing them to stop for the briefest moment. "Please. May I?"

     She takes a deep breath, then gestures from Bedivere's head to his chest, then from his right shoulder to his left shoulder. "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, may He watch over you and make your healing swift." She then murmurs something into his ear alone, before she breaks back to the group. Perhaps she shouldn'tve stopped him while in pain, but - part of what she did was for that.

     She comes back, then looks at them. "Good by, sir ... Ziggy." Then she turns to Shizune.

     "I'm hungry." Oh no.

Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe looks at Ziggy as he depart and sdhe wves to him. however as Jeanne seems to say she's hungry. Well that's something she cna do for her.

"Hungry? I can cover a meal for you if you like."

No she has no idea what she's in for, no idea /at/ all.