Scene #4702: Grandpa's Crazy Stories

Owner	Pose
Anne Blakely	So, excepting Raquna, everyone here knows what's going on. There's talk about the Middletons in one particular inn... a famous and oddly-named inn in the country named 'The Intrepid Inn.' Seems kind of generic and weird at first... but seeing the building makes it all clear. The sign just says 'Inn' but it's underneath the name of the airship. A grounded airship, these days, which has been converted into a bit of an inn and tavern. No wonder beds are at a premium! But drinks? That's a thing everyone can enjoy, and the reason it's popular. Right now, most of the patrons are gathered around the stand set up for music and performers, and a man who looks to be in his 80's if he's a day is talking with a jovial spryness counter to his age. Must be the proprieter, known for all sorts of wild tales... sometimes about Middleton. "...hanging there by the literal seat of my pants, with troops coming in from one side and angry natives the other, holding a bomb that might or might not go off at any moment. Right then, my pants finally give and down I go. Arthur, of course, was having none of it and was already running, damn the bullets whizzing by him. He grabs me by what's left of my britches and heaves me back to the crew, right at Beth!" He takes a long swig of his mug, then laughs, "Beth had none of that! She stepped aside and I crashed right into James! Beth steps out with her six shooter and I swear the natives wilt then and there, and then POWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOW! Seven troops go down neat as can be! And I'm left staring upside down at her dress hoping she isn't looking back, after that display of shootin'!"
Ariel	Ariel is wearing her usual cloak and trying to blend in with people as much as a tiny four foot unicorn on two legs can. Not to mention Al, who is dressed more casually but pretty young to be hitting a tavern, at least in appearance. As is Ariel. The story makes her blink. Then blink again. "How could a six shooter... never mind." She's going to approach the man, waiting for a lull in the story when people are drinking, or the story seems complete. "Excuse me, sir. Excuse me. Could we have a moment of your time? We heard you might know someone who could help us."
Raquna Sheldon	What's Raquna even doing here in the first place? Pure coincidence, really. The Protector's been doing her job at exploring the Multiverse diligently, but even she needs a respite everyone once in a while. It just so happens that the place she's chosen for the night's rest was the Intrepid Inn of all places, not entirely because of the intriguing name and the decor outside. Of course, with all the stories going around on stage, there's no way she's just going to head to bed first thing. No, she's going to be listening, taking in all the local lore, maybe finding some new leads on where to look next... If nothing else, it might be a fun way to pass the time. She raises an eyebrow curiously as a small horned girl approaches the old man, taking a swig from a mug and keeping her ears open for the time being.
Staren	Staren is there, too! He's the right age to be a young pub-goer, and he's even shifted the labcoat into a blue cloth jacket so it looks less weird. "Obviously, one of the bullets went through two of them." He replies to Ariel.
Staren	Staren rubs his chin. "Come to think of it, my uncle says one of his adventuring buddies has pulled that off, too. He's not sure /how/ he's able to do that with a gun, my uncle thinks maybe he's some sort of savant with an instinctive techno-wizard power or something..."
Duet Fortuna	Duet is as usual here in casual clothes and her ever-present mask. The sword at her side is Affida, but that's OBVIOUSLY decorative so she doesn't even bother to hide it. She looks half in costume. Deciding to risk at least a little, she steps up behind Ariel, with an amused look at Staren for some reason. Raquna misses her gaze mostly because she hasn't interacted much with her, though she might note they don't look native. Still, an inn with travellers? Not unreasonable. To the man, she adds, "Specifically concerning the Middleton family. A Jason Middleton, if you knew them."
Setsuko Kaminagi	Much as the others, Setsuko finds the most notable part of that story to be 'seven shots from a six-shooter', but much like her adoptive niece, the demigod chooses to remain silent on the matter. She's a soldier, after all. She can appreciate a good yarn. Unlike the others, though, she's not approaching overly much; her appearance alone, tall, scarred, muscled and armed with a katana, would be enough to set people on edge, and on top of that she's got a semi-divine presence that tends to draw attention even from perfectly ordinary people. So she's standing at the far back of the room, leaned against a wall. If she has a question, she'll probably speak it, but for now she remains silent.
Emiya Shirou	Although now of age to drink in plenty of places, Emiya Shirou's not interested in alcohol. Never liked what little he's tasted. So he sure ain't here for the booze. The stories, though, he likes what he hears so far! The man's gotten his attention. As always though, Shirou's not even so much as smiling, as interested as he is. The fact of the matter is, he's not exactly a world-traveling socialite and he's not sure how to broach the subject of why they're here, so he'll wait until the moment's right... probably a moment someone else creates.
Anne Blakely	Some of the crowd does pay attention to the newcomers, but... this world knows the Multiverse by now. Ariel is a curiosity, not someone to panic over, and Setsuko is much like the big dude walking into the tavern to get everyone's attention long enough for them to realize he means no trouble. Only this is a big woman with a sword, not a huge bruiser. There's some muttering about the young ages, but they seem to be here for the stories, and apparently a few of the youths are here for just that, including smaller tables nearby and some non-alcoholic beverages. The man, sitting up and prepping to step down from the stage, looks up at Ariel. "Heh... polite little one, aren't you. I'll see what I can do, I guess?" Then Elliana says Middletons, and at first his smile brightens some. "Ah?" Then JASON is mentioned, and he grows a little more quiet. "Heh, was a bit before even my time, unless you want the tales I heard as a kid. If you're doing some kind of research project, you're better off just going somewhere else. I don't know nuthin' important." Yeah that isn't suspicious at all. Even some of the locals glance this way when he says that.
Raquna Sheldon	Middleton? That's... Well, it's not a particularly unique name, but it's not exactly a ocmmon one, either. What gets Raquna's attention more than that, though, is the fact that it appears like so many people have gathered to inquire about this matter. Even more curious is how the locals are behaving. A trigger word, perhaps? Something that could lead to a fun brawl to get into? Raquna's not wearing her armor today, but she does look rather amused already as she turns in her seat at the bar to keep watch over the group (Ariel, Staren, and Setsuko in particular by virtue of speaking). For the time being, however, she's content to just nudge her seat a little closer and take another swig from her mug.
Ariel	Yeah, Ariel is going to get some stares. She looks disappointed for a moment, but a prompting from Duet makes her squeak and realize the guy is taking them for a ride. "Ah! Well um... we really just heard that there was something to do with Miss Blakely and him, and we kind of are investigating Miss Blakely, if you know her. Anything you do know about Mister Middleton could help though! If you please."
Setsuko Kaminagi	Those who know her can probably tell by Setsuko's relaxed demeanor that no real danger is impending. There's a telltale sort of tension about her when she senses potential conflict in the near future, and none of that is in her mannerisms at the moment. She is, however, watching the man with a keen, appraising eye, especially now that Ariel has dropped the Blakely Bomb. That name always tends to prompt /some/ sort of reaction or other.
Staren	Staren's ears rotate to focus on the old man. He's hiding something. But how do you get someone reticent to open up? Staren's probably the last person to ask, unless you want to resort to the 'truth' card. He waits to see if any of the others have something... and yeah, Ariel's playing the truth card. He nods in agreement with her. "We're going to find her and stop her." he adds. Knowing that encouraged people to talk last time!
Anne Blakely	If Ariel was expecting a reaction... she gets one. It isn't a violent one, just a sudden tension and stare. The man glances around the bar, then gestures over to a table in the corner of the upper deck, which is reserved. The 'bar' is on the deck of the ship, so it's easy to see. "You go up there where we can talk, I'll tell you a private story, all right? You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine, fair?" After directing them upward, he drops down and waves to the crowd, "That's it from me tonight, folks. I have some guests here that just offered a tale of their own. Gonna see if there's anything useful." He starts over, then turns back to the group... which is a little closer to Raquna's table. "You want to stop Blakely, I'm all for it. Been a few decades since I've heard that name. Let's hope this one ends better than the last." He turns around and heads into the cabin area, muttering, "Gotta get something."
Duet Fortuna	Interesting. Very interesting reaction. Duet looks toward Setsuko, but if the woman is relaxed they are probably fine. If the man is a danger that warps prophetic senses like battle sense, then... well, they'll just have to deal. Duet doesn't think that's the case, though. She mns, patting Ariel to make up for the little smack she gave the unicorn a moment before, and then makes her way over to the table.
Emiya Shirou	Well hot damn, this time someone's EAGER to talk about this bombshell topic?! Shirou goes wide-eyed and quickly - kinda clumsily even - hops to his feet from the stool. He shoots an appreciative look Ariel's way - and a bit impressed. A bit of a smile, but as always it's a smile for someone else... not himself. He's quick to return to his typical ponderous, neutral look - young Mr. Smilenot that he is. Shirou heads with the group. This is the opportunity to speak he was waiting for!
Setsuko Kaminagi	Here, Setsuko finally leans away from the wall to stand up straight, and gives Duet a brief nod. At the very least, he seems to share their dislike for Blakely. It's good that he's willing, at least. Still choosing not to speak for the moment, she looks upward to the indicated deck for a few seconds, before apparently deciding against something. She then heads for the stairs, walking her way up to find another wall to lean against - this time close to the indicated table.
Raquna Sheldon	Raising an eyebrow, Raquna nudges her seat just a little bit closer to the group as the old man seems to be directing the group to head elsewhere to speak about... "Blakely? Heard that name a few times before..." The redhead muses aloud to herself and, without bothering as much with the subtlety, just gets right up out of her seat to follow that group upstairs. It might lead to something more interesting than sitting at the bar and getting drunk with the locals, at least!
Ariel	"Yeah," Ariel agrees. "We know she's dangerous. That's why we're looking into her. Thanks for anything you can provide." The little unicorn trots over, sparing a glance to Raquna... could she be a SPY? Actually Ariel thinks nothing like that and just waves. "Ah... don't mind us, we're sorry if we spoiled your storytime, miss!"
Anne Blakely	Well it's nice that everyone is gathering together for this. There are no actual walls, but there are railings on this deck to lean on and that keeps the back relatively safe. There's enough room for Raquna, too, easily. And it isn't that long before the man returns, looking a little more nervous but a little more friendly. "Right, right. Sorry for the delay." He has a music box with him, oddly. "I think it's just best if you hear this. I've... it's been a long time since I played it." The music box? Well, yes. But the side slides open, and he removes a small cylinder from it. A carefully-wrapped duplicate is tugged from his shirt pocket, one that looks a bit dusty or dirty like it was in storage. He unwraps that, slides it in, and winds the box before sitting down. "This... is everything I know about Blakely. William Hornhold, by the way." He holds out his hand awaiting introductions.
Duet Fortuna	"Duet Fortuna," Duet says in introduction. She eyes Raquna, then murmurs, "You've heard the name, too? That's something. I suppose I'm not surprised. She's been active in a lot of places lately. Made some big splashes. Or it could be a coincidence. Let's hope the latter." To William, she speaks a little more plainly, "Ariel here is more familiar with her, but she's done some... things that we find unpleasant, and we've been looking into her background for hints of what she can do, and weaknesses."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"Setsuko Kaminagi," the swordswoman replies, taking a step forward to offer the man a shake. "We owe you a great deal for helping." She pauses for a moment, then offers, "...if you'd like, when you're done, pick a scar, and I'll tell you its tale."
Ariel	Ariel offers her name as well. "Kuklos ka Ariel Schmendrick-Fortuna, but everyone calls me Ariel," she says. "I've run into her a few times. She's travelling with two beings called Geppetto and Penelope, too, if you know anything about them." Raquna sitting here doesn't bother her, but she does warn, "She's kind of dangerous."
Anne Blakely	"Geppetto and Penelope... don't know them," William replies. "I ran into her once, and got out of it alive, but... I've been around the block for adventuring, and had a stroke of luck. I'll tell you about it later." He taps the box. "This was left for me. The box and the message. Didn't hear it for years though." He smiles grimly to Setsuko. "Sure... a story for a story. I'll let you decide if this is worth much." When he opens the box, it beings to 'play,' but not music. It's a pre-recorded message in a man's voice, slightly distorted by the means of storage. "If you're hearing this, William, then I've finally had a trip go too far, and couldn't come back. I'm very sorry. You deserve to know the truth someday, so here it is. By now you should have gotten the deed to the Intrepid, to do with as you want. Sell it, adventure like we did, or keep it in storage... I won't be disappointed no matter what you do. I always regret not spending more time at home with you and your ma, but it wasn't really the call of adventure that drove me out. We told you that, but that wasn't it. It was duty. Obligation. There's an unfinished job, and Middleton needed my help. See, we didn't tell the whole truth about some things on our adventures. On some, we outright lied. "Thing is, William, there are many things in this world. Fantastic things. But you knew that, didn't you? There are also horrible things. Those stories of monsters, of things in the shadows? They're real. And we're hunting one. Because it's our fault it's out there. "Let me back up. It all started with that Blakely girl. You know, the pretty redhead? She wasn't just our mechanic and medic, she was a witch. Not those little hedge magicians that wave their arms and maybe make a breeze, but the real thing. She was also Middleton's fiancee, just like we said... but they didn't have a falling out, not like we told it. Jason... he was always a bit rough around the edges, you know? Still is, I guess, but he's a lot mellower around most people these days. Brooding, some. But Anne... they were meant for each other. No matter how riled up he got, or how impetuous or gung-ho, Anne could always calm him down with a few words. She was the sweetest girl you ever met, always making toys for the kids - just like the ones we gave you - and so polite and quiet about it. The word 'witch' does her a disservice. Or did, I guess."
Emiya Shirou	"Emiya Shirou." Speaks the sword-magus upon realizing introduction time now is now! He goes to find a seat. He can't help but glance at Raquna with some suspicion. "If you're not involved in this, it's better to just stay away. It'll be nothing but pain and trouble." He warns, genuinely concerned for Raquna's... existence, and sanity.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Setsuko gives a little nod, and then falls quiet again, listening.
Raquna Sheldon	Raquna holds a breath as Ariel greets her, staring at her for a few moments before laughing broadly and shaking her head. "Ah, don't worry about it. Whatever's going on over here sounds a lot more interesting, eh?" Play it cool, Raquna. Don't freak out the cute unicorn kid, especially when she's got so many friends around. They don't seem hostile, at least, and the Protector even nods in response to Duet's query and confirmation before bringing her hand up in a light wave to William and the rest of the group. "Raquna Sheldon. Nice to meetcha." She offers them a friendly smile, and then it's time to listen to the voice in the box! "I've only heard her name mentioned in a couple of places, but nothing like this. Sounds like there's a lot more to it than just 'crazy witch', though." Settling back in a seat, Raquna furrows her brow while trying to take mental notes on all of it. Shirou's concern draws a quiet chuckle from her, and she eventually shakes her head after a few moments. "Safer, probably, but where's the fun in that? Besides, this sounds like it could be getting more interesting soon."
Duet Fortuna	"Now this sounds promising," Duet murmurs. When there's a lull, she asks, "How old is this message?" Raquna's joviality is... actually understood. "Well, I suppose forewarned is forearmed."
Ariel	Ariel is more into listening now, but her loppy ears perk up. "So she wasn't always like the way she is now..." Uh oh. Don't give her hope, William!
Staren	Staren follows. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Hornhold. I'm Staren." He shakes the hand offered, then listens to the story. His ears and tale droop slightly. A farewell message from this man's friend (or more-than-a-friend?) That's just a sad thing to think about any way you slice it... He listens to the story. Anne as a kind girl who is the only one who keeps this 'Jason' calm in his worst moments. It sounds familiar. Maybe she was once kind. So was the woman who became the Archmagister, who ruled a country with manipulation and fear, experimenting on people, raising her own race above others. He hangs his head. People sure can change...
Anne Blakely	"I uh," William starts, then shakes his head. "Just listen. The message is about sixty years old, but the events they're talking about... turn of the century stuff. Before I was born. I'd guess Blakely's at least a hundred by now, maybe older if her aging didn't stop with... this." He taps the box and lets it resume playing. "We told you she fell ill and we left her behind after a fight. Not really true. Jason was the one who fell ill, and not from influenza or tuberculosis. It was a cursed thorn, worming its way to his heart and eating at his life. He was almost dead when we got him back to the ship. We tried everything, every tincture and potion and treatment. Anne worked herself until she was dead on her feet, but he just kept getting weaker. "Then she said she couldn't live without him and took him into her workshop. She was there for an entire day, and there were... screams, hers and his. We were afraid to open the door, I'm ashamed to admit. At least, at first. Once it was quiet for a few hours, we finally did. What we saw... the room was covered in blood, and parts were everywhere. Mechanical parts I mean. Anne was asleep in the chair, a bandage across her chest. Middleton was asleep too... and he had a bandage soaked with blood. But he was alive. He looked better than he had in days. We thought she'd saved him. And... I guess she did. We didn't know the price until later. "It was subtle at first. She wasn't as cheerful. Not as friendly. Snapped at people. Anne kept withdrawing more and more, and we thought it was just the strain of what she'd done. Middleton was recovering fast, and in no time he was even more energetic than before the incident. Anne was still distant though. They'd both gained scars, and I don't mean the mental kinds. Matching scars, right across the chest. Neither seemed to mind. "Then... one night in a village we'd been staying in - the natives were friendly but this fascinating shade of blue that glowed - we found her vivisecting a young woman, completely without squeamishness or remorse. That was when we realized this wasn't the first disappearance that was linked to us. To her. We confronted her, and that's when we learned just how deadly those contraptions of hers could be. Thing is, she couldn't hurt Middleton, even then. Did a number on the rest of us, but those things just fell apart when he touched or shot them. Maybe that's why she ran. We've been chasing her ever since. That trip was supposed to have been the last trip before they were married, but Jason... he felt responsible. Like he needed to fix this. "So that's it. She's slippery, and getting better about dodging us all the time, but we have to try. Whatever happened in that workshop... it killed her. Not physically, but she's dead inside. Somehow, she used some power she wasn't supposed to, made a deal with something she shouldn't have, I don't know. It made her a monster, and we need to fix it. You ever see her, you send word to the Middletons. Don't try to get close, don't say you know her. Just run. We don't need more lives lost on this. "Sorry for the deception. We love you, don't forget that. I just wish I could have told you in person." William closes the box lid with a frown. "That's what I learned when dad disappeared. I didn't run into her myself for a few years."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"...so she gave her heart to her true love to save his life. But it carried with it a price." Her fingers absently brush against the grip of the sword at her side. "Such things always do." As if setting that thought aside, she shakes her head faintly. "You've already told us a great deal about Blakely just by playing that, and for that, I thank you. If you have anything more, we would appreciate it. Otherwise, I'm willing to share in return, as offered."
Staren	Staren listens. From the bit about the cursed thorn slowly killing Jason, he knows where this is going. By the end of the tale, his eyes are watering a bit. For a moment he struggles to get words out, but once they come, they keep coming. "Did... did she know. What she'd become. What she was doing to herself. She should have... planned something to stop herself. That's what I'd do. Maybe there wasn't time." He brightens up at that thought, lifting his head again. "That's... that might be it! What if she did? What if she left something behind, that can defeat what she's become?"
Raquna Sheldon	"It's my job to find out about these things. Can't warn everyone else back home not to come through certain places if someone doesn't find out why first." Raquna offers Duet a light grin, and then she goes silent again as William continues. Once he finishes, a light whistle comes from her. "That's rough, eh? Something like that shouldn't even be possible with a full on heart transplant, but if there's something else in there keeping her alive..." More brow furrowing. "No wonder she's made a name for herself."
Ariel	It's quite a tale, and Ariel isn't quite so savvy as to know from the cursed thorn bit, but when it gets to the 'saving' bit she starts to guess. "A literal heart transplant. Probably magical." Al, previously silent, speaks up, "Messing with curses like that is dangerous. That she could manage it at all is impressive. She probably knew that there was some risk... but maybe not all of it. Maybe she was supposed to die and getting around that is why she's like this."
Duet Fortuna	Setsuko beats Duet to saying the obvious. "Always a price... maybe she didn't know. Maybe she did know but she thought she could control it. Or tell him and he'd decide. Interesting that she couldn't hurt him, though..." Duet looks up suddenly, nodding at Raquna. "That's what we mean. That's what we're after. And Staren has me wondering if maybe there's a weakness there. Middleton's blood, perhaps. As in, the bloodline, not the literal blood."
Staren	"Noone's 'supposed to' anything, but trying to stay alive and messing it up can do all sorts of things." Staren replies to Ariel.
Emiya Shirou	"We already know what she replaced her own heart with then." Emiya Shirou points out as if this explains everything. He's shaking in his seat, hands gripping the chair's edge and knuckles going white. Seething inside. How.... how can such a noble and sincere effort have gone so wrong? It pisses him off. DEEPLY. People who sacrifice so much for good causes should be rewarded, right?! And look at what happened to Anne. She's gone monstrous... and now being hunted. It doesn't sit well with him. He can't accept it. But what can be done?! For now, he's just sitting there, grinding his teeth in consternation.
Anne Blakely	William nods, and does seem interested in hearing a story, but first... "There's one more thing," he says. "About weaknesses. I lucked out, like I said. Ran into her, and she spotted me as a relative of someone after her. This... slashing clockwork monster came after me, and started carving up the village too. I knew I was dead, my bullets just bounced off of it. But then..." He hesitates, growing even more serious. "There were these two girls. Young things... teens. One of them stumbled, and it went right for her. The other one stepped in front to protect her... not that it'd do much good. She had to know she would die... I saw her eyes close and everything. Bravest thing I ever saw." He tucks the cylinder back into its wrapping. "Thing is... the monster paused. And when I shot it, the thing's arm blew off and it retreated. Something about those girls weakened it. I had to get out of town fast, though, so I couldn't really ask them. It's a start, I guess. Maybe like the young lady in the mask said... maybe the girl was a cousin or something. Maybe it was the self-sacrifice. I don't know, but that's the best I got."
Staren	"Weaponized courage. The Union's done it before... I wonder if we could find a way to do it again..." Staren comments. "...Thank you for telling us all this."
Setsuko Kaminagi	"Agreed," Setsuko says, nodding to Staren. "I'm grateful. We all are."
Raquna Sheldon	Raquna remains silent for a while as she keeps listening to the back and forth between William and the rest of the group, taking particular notice of the idea that the whole thing could have been induced by magic. "If she didn't know the risks, then... Yeah, maybe that's why she never told anyone. Might've figured that she could handle it, but couldn't once everything happened." Nodding in agreement with Ariel (and once again resisting the urge to pat her head), she soon moves over to Shirou and gives him a firm pat on the shoulder when she notices that tension. "Breathe." She reminds him, then goes silent again until the revelation of... A potential weakness in the constructs, perhaps? Raquna raises an eyebrow at the talk of weaponized courage, but nods in agreement with him and Setsuko soon after. "Thanks for the information, mister. This place is just getting more and more interesting..."
Ariel	Ariel ponders. She has another idea... but first she taps Shirou on the shoulder. "Hey. At least we know now that she wasn't always like this." That's a pretty awful price though, she has to admit. Speaking of prices... "... Is this airship flyable?"
Duet Fortuna	Duet looks more lost in thought, but Ariel's question makes her smile. "Thinking about reviving it for the hunt? Poetic, but perhaps not practical. And it's his inn."
Anne Blakely	William nods, "It's not a fun story, so I don't tell it. There's no way to make it funny or inspiring. Sorry you folks had to deal with it." Ariel does make him crack a smile though. "The Intrepid? Well... the engines still start, but you'd need to do a full overhaul of her frame. Keel's solid, though... and she's one of the finest airships ever made. Those new aeroplanes might be faster, but load her up with guns and the Intrepid's still an air power. You'd need to pay an awful lot to buy it from me, though. I mean, I'm not using her, so we'll talk, kid." He's probably just humoring her. Staren gets a chuckle, "Maybe that's it. Good luck either way. If I were ten years younger maybe I'd dash off and help. Hope you're all prepared a little better... or at all." He looks at Raquna pointedly, obviously the newbie in the group. "Now then... that one on your neck there, it looks an awful lot like someone got their canines in you," He says pointedly to Setsuko...
Staren	Staren wipes his eyes on his jacket sleeve. And when William makes that innocent comment about joining them, his eyes widen slightly. From his bag he pulls what appears to be a simple pair of glasses, peering at the old man through them. It couldn't hurt to check...
Setsuko Kaminagi	"You have a good eye," Setsuko replies, the faintest hints of a smile tugging at her lips. "So, I will tell you the tale of a man who's walked the Earth for thousands of years, on the razor's edge of darkness and light. Of a sword that pushed him into the dark..." She rests a hand on Zanjintou. "...and one that brought him back."