Scene #2356: A Diplomatic Approach

Owner	Pose
Archer of Brown	Any tourist can rattle off a few of DC's landmarks, and most of them involve a president. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial. Still others may be iconic locales famous for their frequent appearance in cinema: the Capitol Building, the White House, the Reflecting Pool. All of these attractions communicate the nation's values to its citizens and its outside observers, but there are some local attractions that don't make the headlines, even though they proudly proclaim themselves "A WASHINGTON LANDMARK" beneath cartoon depictions of food. 1213 U Street boasts Ben's Chili Bowl, as authentic a sight as any of the capital's ivory structures, if not as particularly majestic. Compared to more up-tempo places, the restaurant is absolutely tiny, but there's no better place for chili dogs, milkshakes, or half-smokes (ask a local). Don't let the greasy-spoon aesthetic fool you, either--Ben's has served presidents and celebrities. It's weathered the riots of '68, economic decline, and the construction of the Metro Green Line, all with most of its original 50s furniture. Today, the restaurant will be serving a senator, a multi-millionaire, at least one Heroic Spirit, and a handful of Elites beside! The aforementioned Elites have been invited to eat with the senator on his dime, under the auspice of thanking them for their continued assistance in his Grail War. However, his other guest, the prolific Samuel Haight, owner of Haight Enterprises, happens to be a fellow Master in this war, who has come to discuss an alliance, or at least, the possibility of one. Needless to say, being the host of this event, Mason is the first to arrive, and has taken the liberty of politely inquiring after seating arrangements for his party of guests this evening. There should be enough seats for everyone, even if Haight brings his Servant (as is custom) and if... a certain other master decides to show up with his. Archer is in the seat beside him, dressed in contemporary clothes and waiting patiently with his hands folded in his lap. He's taken a seat with its back to the wall.
Seto Kaiba	This is not in fact the sort of place Kaiba normally would do business at. But, it is not something completely alien to him, either. Occasionally, one encounters one of those businessmen who considers themselves more eccentric, and likes cheesy places like this. Kaiba, usually, views the type who'd use this sort of resteraunt as a meeting place as a fool who is trying to be far too casual and connect too much to the 'normal people'. But, he doesn't think Senator Mason, or any other member of the Grail War, is a fool. Kaiba walks in, wearing his normal stylish outfit. He stands tall and straight, and walks in with an air of confidence that most don't possess. Following him at his side is a young child with wild and long black hair, wearing normal kid's clothing. This is Kaiba's younger brother, Mokuba. The younger Kaiba is not one to underestimate, even if his older brother has a significantly better reputation. Mokuba can be a shrewed businessman. But that's not his reason for coming today. Mokuba begged to come along because he wanted a chili dog and a milkshake. The two of them sit down next to eachother. Kaiba simply nods to the others present in greeting.
Riva Banari	Riva is totally here, and has a plate of chili dogs which she is demoilishing with aplomb. Her ravenous repast aside, she's keeping an eye on what's going on. Judging her Templar uniform a little /too/ standout today, she's wearing a professional-looking black suit. But professionalism is in the person, not the clothing, as it were. She'll probably look better once she's done eating, honest.
Emiya Shirou	It's been a while since Shirou heard from the Senator and his cowboy Servant, so he's just slightly surprised by the request. When he arrives, he's wearing a white jacket over his casual street clothes. by all accounts a completely mundane civilian person! Why's he got anything to do with a senator? Who knows. Who knows indeed. "Yo. It's been a month or more, hasn't it?" His tone betrays a little bit of worry, given the dangerous mess the man's in. His expression turns a bit pinched upon noticing that Kaiba's here, but he returns the nod and wipes away his irritation. As is pretty normal for him. Then he notices Ria and how much gusto she's chowing down with and makes a mental note: 'be ready if Riva's ever over to eat.'
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa is here, she finds it interesing to visit an version of the United States of America, that hasn't exploded into fragmented successor states. Well that was a bonus she was here to help first and formost really right? She was invited on over and she's shown up and she's current picking way at her food at a slower rate than Riva. "IT has been Shirou."
Kyra Hyral	Kyra's also here. Fortunately, her table manners are a little bit better than can be expected out of a teenage punk. At the very least she has also pushed her hoodie down from off of her head though thus far she's remained a silent observer in this whole dinner, offering very little commentary and merely soaking in the knowledge of the Grail War. She also seems a little unnerved to be around Kaiba again.
Archer of Brown	"I'd like to thank everyone for coming," says Senator Mason. "If you haven't ordered yet, please don't be discouraged. This evening's meal is on me. Think of it as my way of thanking you--not only for your assistance in our little public works project, but for your input. Building a better future for the multiverse couldn't be done without it." Archer, as usual, regards Mason's words with respectful skepticism. The senator seems to think you can write Shakespeare with a room full of chimpanzees. He remains quiet, though, offering Shirou in particular a quiet gesture of greeting. "Mr. Kaiba, and... Mr. Kaiba, I presume?" asks the old man with a grin. "You must be Mokuba, if I'm not mistaken? After hearing you on the radio, it's nice to meet you in person." He beams at Mokuba in that way that only people who are grandparents can manage, then turns his attention to Shirou. Mason is amused by the informal greeting, but certainly not offended. "Hello, Shirou. It's been a while since our last meeting, yes. I've been more secluded than I'd like to be, but I haven't stopped listening to current affairs. Quite the contrary, actually, which is why I think you'll be in for quite the surprise in just a few minutes." Archer gives him an unreadable glance at that moment, but the old mage doesn't have any response. "Miss Yamakawa, Miss Banari, Miss Hyral--so glad you could make it." He pauses, observing Riva's eating habits. Archer takes the bait. "Do they feed you where you're from? Mercy sakes alive, woman." Mason clears his throat. "In /any/ case, we've only got a few guests left to come." And then, as if on cue, there enter two men. One of them appears to be a businessman himself. He's got the same walk as Kaiba, that confident, straight-backed stride, reinforced with fine clothing. A black man in a subdued business suit with a tastefully muted green tie, he appears somewhere in his forties. He has a strong jaw, and has a look in his eye that'd make him perfect for the cover of some finance magazine. Hell, he's probably been on one, with that smile of his. But with him... With him is Rider of Brown, a figure who is undoubtedly... familiar, somehow. His hair is grey, tied back in a ponytail not unlike Archer's. He's average in height, but anyone who can sense prana will see his magical power is anything but. He wears a dress shirt and khaki pants, hands clasped behind his back as he follows along with his Master towards the gathering. "Good evening," he says. "I'm Rider of Brown. The man with me is Samuel Haight, CEO of Haight Enterprises, who has summoned me for the purposes of this War. We've come to discuss the possibility of a temporary alliance." Rider and Haight both take a seat.
Seto Kaiba	The older Kaiba remains fairly quiet during the introductions. But Mokuba speaks up, rather cheerfully, "Yeeeep! I'm Mokuba! Nice to meet you, too!" But, even as Mokuba is introducing himself, he's eyeing the waiter. Of course, he orders his food soon after his introduction. Not a /ton/, but more than a kid his age would normally be eating. Kaiba, for his part, remains rather calm. He'll admonish Mokuba for this later. As the others come out, though? Seto leans forward a little. His elbows rest on the table, his hands clasped to eachother. And he just looks straight at the pair. Kaiba's poker face remains on, but he can tell from the very way these two walk, the way these two are presenting themselves: They're both figures to watch out for. An alliance, though? He ponders, weighing the options on that. It takes him almost no time to decide his own answer on it. But, he remains quiet. He'll wait to hear what the others have to say. After all... It's a good way to judge what sort of mentality the others here have.
Emiya Shirou	"Well, being out of touch a bit's better than being buried by the job." Shirou's probably alluding to getting KILLED in the damn Grail War, and it does take him a moment to come up with that wording. He orders some food too. Not a heck of a lot. He's not a pig, after all, like someone here. Two someone's. Riva gets a peering, but he's not about to bring it up if the Senator doesn't... But then something does get him MUCH closer to speaking up. The unmistakable presence of a Servant a mere dozen feet away has him freezing inh is seat, tensing... and then looking worriedly over a shoulder. But oh, they're guests? That sure helps. "Emiya Shirou. Good to meet you, if that's so." Allies? Allies are great. But just to be on the saef side he glances out a window to make sure nobody's DRIVING A BUS into the diner this time...
Riva Banari	Riva, to her credit, doesn't talk with her mouth full. This time. "Ever heard of a starting artist?" She asks. "Besides, this place is /amaaaaaaaaziiing~/." NOMF. She begins devouring another chili dog while Mason does his speeching, and the arrivals cause her to look up and pause in her consumption. She squints a little at Rider of Brown, and nods, waving to them both. "Nice to meet you both! So what's involved in this, uhhh... Temporary alliance?" She peers back at Shirou, one eyebrow arched in a classic 'what?'.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa is enjoying food quite a bit and she's been otherwise pretty quiet just listening. Seto being here gets notice along with his younger brother. She now ponders what been going on here in the last month. "She goes through a lot, you should see Riva on Tacos. I think she's make a Ghoul nervous with how quick she goes through them. Still it's good to catch up on things."
Kyra Hyral	Kyra lifts a hand, offering a casual wave at the invited businessman. "Kyra Hyral, professional meddler." she offers in a nonchalant fashion, inwardly chafing just a little at being called 'miss hyral'. It was moments like these that made her wish she'd gotten her name changed. "You must be his Servant." Kyra looks directly at Rider of Brown, easily able to pick up on his large prana store.
Archer of Brown	Kaiba will notice that there is something familiar about Rider. His smile, maybe, or the crook of his nose? It's infuriating, as if the knowledge is dancing just on the edges of his mind. That small, subtle smile, speaking silently of plans still formulating. It's iconic, but the red-haired Servant looks so plain it's hard to put it anywhere. When Shirou introduces himself, Master and Servant both share a look. Haight thinks that perhaps this boy might be related to a more famous Emiya, but the resemblance isn't there. Rider seems to be of similar mind. Either way, they're both pleasantly surprised to meet the young mage. "Once," says Rider, "I was a Servant to more than just one person. But in the parlance of the Grail War, you'd be correct." He smiles his subtle, wan little smile at Kyra, then allows Haight to answer Riva's question. "The same thing any Grail War alliance entails," answers the businessman plainly. "A mutual cessation of hostilities, until such time as there are no other opposing Servants." "A Grail War is ultimately a competition," notes Senator Mason with a nod of his head. "Ordinarily, Archer and I would be more than interested. An alliance would help the both of us get to our goal faster, at which point..." "The best man wins," interjects Archer. "Precisely," agrees the senator. "But, being as advantageous as they are, I've already made an alliance with a very powerful Servant and his master--to say nothing of all the assistance I have from my friends, here. Breaking a contract I've already made would only hinder my ability to depend on allies when I need them the most."
Seto Kaiba	Kaiba is having trouble placing why the Rider is familiar. His eyes remain on the servant for a moment, and he focuses in, honing onto Rider's words more than anything. But, there is one bit that he says which causes an eyebrow to raise on Kaiba's face. 'I was once a Servant to more than just one person' For some reason, that line strikes him as familiar. Some ideas are forming. Some of which he isn't sure are possible. But, there is one thing Kaiba /does/ know, mostly about himself. He is not overly familiar with the past. The past should stay in the past. So why should he recognize something from it? His eyes turn to Senator Mason for a moment, before turning back to Rider and Haight. He speaks, with the air of one who is more than used to these sort of high stake deals. "There might be some way in which the alliances already formed could work together. Our main goal in the alliances isn't to increase our chance of victory, although that is a secondary cause. It's to minimize the number of deaths and civilian involvement, I believe. A temporary alliance might be beneficial to all involved." "But. By allying with us, you have far more to gain than we do. You are a single opponent in this war. Senator Mason has, quite wisely, formed connections with many others outside the war. So, we'll have some demands before we make this agreement." Kaiba looks directly at Rider, "And the first will be determining your true identity."
Riva Banari	"I guess he does have a lot of backup." Riva replies, nodding. "That's a hell of a power base to argue from. But I dunno." She thinks, and then looks to Haight and the Rider. "Why are you competing in this? Is it for the wish? What are you guys going to do with it?" Riva gestures. "Frankly, if you guys want to have your battle that's fine. Why can't you guys just go fight it out in some special area for it instead of getting innocent people involved? There's way too many gas main explosions going on for my liking here."
Fake Avenger	"Because there are no innocents in the Holy Grail War." How long Kojirou Sasaki has been there, leaning against the wall of the establishment juust behind Rider's Master, is impossible to say. The air ripples around Avenger as he talks, the black tattoos/scars/markings all over his body wriggling furiously into new positions - though of course that's impossible, scars don't move. Avenger is almost criminally casual. His arms are crossed over his chest, with a look of absolute apathy etched onto his face. The distant, mysterious smile betrays nothing of his thoughts, but his closed eyes suggest that he has not a care in the world, even being surrounded by multiple Servants and multiple Elites. His purple kimono looks surprisingly new, as if it had been handmade - perhaps by Caster's own hands. Monohoshi Zao remains sheathed upon his back, too long to make sense for any swordsman but Kojirou. "The Wish affects everyone. Even those who do not participate...no, especially those who do not participate...may be affected by its power. Why, then, should you worry about who may get caught up in the battlefield? This is how mages think." Kojirou's eyes open. His smile remains peaceful, but it doesn't match his words. "Besides-which, there are always soft-hearted Masters unwilling to take advantage of the tools set upon the table, and cold-hearted Masters who will use that, too, to their advantage." Caster of Brown enters a moment later, forming out of Spirit Form next to Kojirou. He, at least, is easy to detect. He doffs his hat politely and smiles from behind his mask. "Pleasure to see you again, ladies," Caster offers in his thick accent as he straightens, winking, "I hope you doin' fine as ever." "Even this alliance," Kojirou continues, as if he didn't hear Caster at all, or even acknowledge his existence, "Is a tool. The battlefield is a tool. The world is a tool, in the Holy Grail War." "How you use those tools is the measure of a magus, as well."
Emiya Shirou	What with the bombshell Kaiba jsut dropped, Shirou makes a choked-off gasp noise. That's one of the few things no Servant should be expected to answer after all! So Shirou gives Kaiba a disapproving peer. But he offers his own opinion shortly afterwards. "The Holy Grail War's a competition, but I'm hoping the prize isn't tainted like Fuyuki's. I'm here to prevent disasters." In which case, he might wonder - if he really wanted to absolutely ensure no casualties, ending the war ASAP would be better. Logically, going after all the masters and taking them out would stop all Servants and ensure nobody touches the grail.... A few moments after this thought pings him he squashes it, leaving it utterly buried. It didn't even occur to him. NOPE. "It's a competition but the Grail's supposedly omnipotent. If it can grant any wish then granting two, three, maybe four shouldn't be any trouble. If people are forward about wishes we can not only work together but there's a chance everyone will get what they want." ... Such simple logic, but it's also pretty solid!
Kyra Hyral	"Grail War terms seem to be the most relevant here." Kyra returns that wan smile to Rider. "Hello again Caster." Kyra says, looking up from her extended silence. She does not greet Kojiro, having fallen into a mutal unacknowledgement with the Avenger for some time now.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa has finished up her food at this point. "I think I see where this is going. Make an alliance and it ends when everyone else is down. Yes it is for a dangerous prize. I'd rather you win Senator than someone else to be perfectly honest." She goes back to the last of her food at this point. She tilts her head for a moment and pauses at Caster who gets a nod. Avenger? Well? Kotone is gvery uneasy at this point, very uneasy at this point. Still she's behaving right? "Still you did mention some of your goals Senator and I agreed with this."
Archer of Brown	"Rider, Mr. Haight, allow me to introduce another two members of my convention. Mr. Kojirou Sasaki, and of course, the impeccable Caster of Brown. I'm pleased you gentlemen could make it today." Senator Mason nods congenially to both Caster and Avenger. "How do you do?" asks Rider. Haight nods towards the both of them, clearly not expecting the arrival of two more Servants, or at least, a Servant and a thing as powerful or more so than a Servant. "Mr. Kojirou has highlighted exactly the reason why it's crucial for me to win this War," begins Haight. "I represent an organization with a vested interest in reaching Akasha. It's /not/ however the Mages' Association. They've had their chances, and they've ruined it with startling arrogance and a shocking disregard for human life. It was one of their Grails that caused the Fuyuki disaster. We've taken precautions against that, made improvements to the original design. It's time for the Mages Association to be put in their place... Enlightenment will be reached by American mages, with American ideals, using American magecraft and science." "Very few mages would agree to a controlled fight, Miss Banari. It's much the same reason soldiers don't fight today the same way they did with muskets." Mason steeples his hands. "I'd certainly agree to it, but that leaves six other Masters unaccounted for." Haight, of course, hasn't forgotten about Kaiba's demand. He seems quite amused by the request, in fact. "That's a very valuable piece of information you're asking for," says the businessman. "Do you think I might be able to offer a campaign contribution instead?" Haight reaches for his wallet, while Rider makes a distasteful face. "I'm listening," says Mason in a way that conveys skepticism. He pauses to give Kotone a grateful nod, then looks back to Haight. Haight smiles, pulls out one dollar bill and places it on the table. "One dollar." Rider eyes the bill and his wan, mysterious little smile reappears. It's exactly the same smile as the smile of the man on the bill.
Seto Kaiba	Kaiba pauses as the dollar bill is pulled out. Well, that narrows it down significantly. His mind /was/ wandering to a different and admittedly wrong conclusion. But, at least, his bargaining was able to clear things up. He also pointedly ignores the glare from Shirou. Yes, it is noticed. Yes, he can guess why it was given. But, he really cares little what some amateur mage who can barely match his intellect thinks. Kaiba also shows little reaction to Kojirou's arrival. Most of it seems to be explaining concerns of others. While he speaks of things Kaiba didn't explicitly know, many of the explanations for why the War is as it is are in line with his own thinking. Everything is a tool. This is also simply a game as well. And one must do anything possible to win. Kaiba speaks, still calmly. He looks towards Mason. "I suggest an alliance, for now. As long as both of them give their word on not breaking the alliance until the very end." He actually entirely suspects they'll break their word. But, from what American history he does know? George Washington can never tell a lie. He is unsure if this might be something that actually is true of the Servant, though. He'll simply have to prepare in case Rider and Haight do turn against them early.
Emiya Shirou	WHO INVITED AVENGER?! Shirou simply didn't notice him. And why would he, given the methods used to hide? But here's an interesting piece of information. "I'm not convined about the Grail until I see it... that kind of disaster should never happen again." Unfortunately being ignorant of muh of American history and culture, he doesn't get what Haight's gettin at. Except.... after a glance, he does spot the resemblance and it gets his face scrunching up. "This war has a lot more 'modern' Heroic Spirits than I expected. That's good. Lots of the old warriors are a handful." He's not about to disrespect them. That's not his style.
Fake Avenger	"The validity of the Holy Grail War is not yours to decide, Emiya Shirou," Kojirou observes distantly, as if he's barely paying attention. Indeed, he might be. Whatever revelation he has about Rider is kept internal, and silent. Whatever he feels for Rider's ultimate goal is kept to himself. His eyes flick over to Samuel Haight, then to Rider. "I do not care what your goals are. I apologize, but the moment I entered this war, it was no longer within your capacity to win it. I am not here for an alliance. I have neither interest nor need." "You will surrender to me immediately, and you will live, or you will struggle against me, and you will die." Kojirou's distant gaze seems to focus on Haight for a moment, as if he's not staring past him but through him, and then he pushes off the table. "Whatever alliances you wish to make in the interim do not concern me. This war's ending has already been written. If you wish for there to be no further deaths, then convince the other Masters to surrender their Servants to me immediately." "Otherwise," Kojirou's eyes suddenly take a frightening expression, as his smile widens just a bit, "I am afraid that I won't be able to let you live." Caster frowns and crosses his arms, looking away from his Master. He looks suddenly shrewd and thoughtful, and heavily uncomfortable. Kojirou's fingers brush against the window. "This is...the kindness permitted to me. Although, I think the death of your dreams, without even putting up a fight..." Kojirou's mysterious smile turns wistful. "I think that that may be a cruelty all the greater than simply claiming your lives, don't you?" "But then, I suppose that even the kindness permitted to me must be cruel." "Please think over...which of these kindnesses you prefer."
Riva Banari	Riva suddenly freezes at the sound of Kojirou's arrival. She looks over at the man. When did he get there? There is a hissed intake of breath, and her whimsical expression suddenly goes stony. Her behavior is an open book to those present. She always wore her heart on her sleeve. She does not like this man one bit. "Even so Sasaki Kojirou, that doesn't make them not innocent. That just makes them /victims/." She says. She looks between Mason and Haight, and then the two Servants present. The donation of the dollar causes her another moment of surprise, as she looks down at the dollar, and then up at the Rider. She is quiet for several moments... And then her hands grip the side of the table. "This is the same old story. Powerful men fighting for more power. Enlightenment, Mr. Haight? You say you want to prove them wrong... But aren't you just doing the same thing they did? You're letting loose this war in the middle of a bunch of people who have nothing to do with it." She scoots back in her chair, looking them all over. "They don't have to /like/ it. You want a wish? You want ultimate power? You get the hell in there and keep it clean. You say you're going to establish American ideals in this stupid death game, but I remember something about those ideals. I'm an American too. Something about inalienable rights to /life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness/. If you people don't get this under control, you're already becoming damn liars." She points at Kojirou, then. "And I /know/ he doesn't care." And then Kojirou proves her right. There is a creak in the table as her hands dig into the side, her fingernails cracking from the pressure. "I don't care how strong you are, Sasaki. It's people like you that I can't accept. Your 'kindness', just as you said, is just another cruelty." She looks over to Caster, and gestures. "How can you even put up with this asshole?" She exclaims, gesticulating in frustration. She looks back to the others. "We all have bigger problems than each other. And it's standing right over there." She points at Kojirou. "If you think you're going to win this, you've got another thing coming, swordsman."
Fake Avenger	"Because I want to win, pretty lady," Caster replies, a frown on his face, "You put up with anything to win the wish." "My method," Kojirou observes distantly, "Is the safest. No one dies. No innocents die. The war ends. I do not particularly care that it is, but as results go, it is the safest and the fastest means to the end you desire." "It is a cruelty," he admits again, "But so is any result in this war. The dreams of six Masters will be extinguished no matter who wins. Supporting me ensures that they live to fight another day. Supporting either of them..." Kojirou looks Riva dead in the eyes. His eyes are cold and dead. It's like gazing into a stillwater pond: there's nothing in them but Riva's own reflection. No emotion. Nothing but a serenity that cannot possibly be human. "Do you trust in their strength that they can say the same? That all six Masters will live if either of them fights?"
Seto Kaiba	Kaiba pulls the collar of his coat closer to his mouth. He whispers into it. "Stay on guard. Someone, bring my Duel Disk inside, just in case." His eyes are, currently, focused /entirely/ on Avenger's. Piercing straight at him.
Archer of Brown	"Go ahead and kill him. You'll find that I'll be perfectly fine," says Rider. "And I'll be able to confirm the suspicion I've had since I arrived--that you're only a tool. A particularly powerful and frightening one, but the same was said about the British Empire." And now it's /Haight's/ turn to smile creepily. He doesn't just smile... he laughs! "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess you're not in on the joke." He turns his back on Kojirou and pulls down the collar of his suit. It's reveals his neck... and a tattooed barcode on the back. "Remember the homunculi you saw when you went sniffing around after Lancer and Assassin's little tiff? That was us, too. The /real/ Samuel Haight wouldn't risk his life coming here. Man, isn't it amazing what you can do when you apply the laws of biology to magecraft? Don't get me wrong, though--we had some Multiversal help, too." He turns and faces Senator Mason. "Sorry, Al! I guess you thought you were the only one who'd stacked the deck coming here. You thought wrong!" The clone raises his hands up and shrugs. "So, Mr. Swordsman. Wanna kill me and piss off the First President of the United States in his own fucking capital city? I mean, with a head as fat as yours I figured you were stupid, but man. Or--hey, maybe you'd like to save some Mysterious Badass face and just stick me with your sword and twist it around some. I'll scream real good for you, honest! Hey, if you feel like wasting time you could just come looking for the real Haight." "Shut up for a minute, you bothersome thing." This comes, surprisingly, from the usually genteel Senator Mason. "Mr. Kojirou, if you were to have the Grail, what would you ask of it?" Archer snorts. "Does it matter?" "Of course it matters. Suppose he wishes for global thermonuclear war?"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa gets why Mason is making nice with Avenger but damn the guy scares the hell out of her. She can almost still feel the strike she took from him and that was one blow. A single stirke. What sort of monster is he? She's not sure she wants the answer to day. She's got ohter things to focus upon Avenger for a moment. She listens to what he has to say. She does not like much of what Avenger has to say at all. She's neutral about the whole thing with Rider for the most par but wel she's feeling about as worked upa s Riva but is not finding her. Then Rider and their master start talking and she's less nuetral on this. Something is boiling up in her and she's not sure if she can hold it back. Though those paying attention to Kotone could tell she's clearly fuming and looking like she may go off shortly.
Emiya Shirou	"Don't start any violence here!" Shirou exclaims insistently. Though for some reason, Kojirou's demeanor has succeeded only in frightening him for a few moments. After all, Shirou's not scared of the swordsman for himself. But for others. Thankfully, someone asks the most relevant question first. Shirou clamps down on the fear and instead focuses his attention on Sasaki, entirely. The information about Rider's Master is filed away for now, he'll have to ponder it later. "Sasaki Kojirou. Are you saying none of us here are a threat to you and your Servant, even all together? I'm counting two Servants, two Masters, at least four others. I get you're brave and skilled, and Caster's got some good tricks, but you're failing at simple math here." His delivery is blunt and, strangely, without the usual fire of defiance he'd normally deliver such a message with. After all, he doesn't want to provoke a fight right in the middle of this place. "Also, if it was as simple as you said, aren't you in the same position? Why name yourself the victor if it's a pooled wish?" Only then does a little anger spark into his tone.
Seto Kaiba	A giant of a man walks into the room. He wears a black suit and shades. But, the most noticable part of him is not his suit. Instead, it is the extremely large spike of hair pointing up from his head. He's quiet as he enters, but he stays near Mokuba and Seto. He also slides Seto a metal briefcase. A briefcase containing his Duel Disk. Mokuba, for the record, is ignoring the crazy drama and still chewing on his chili dog. Though he does occasionally look up and glance at it. He's sort of treating it like dinner and a show. That's a kid for you. Kaiba's eyes continue to pierce at Avenger for a bit. But, this has at least revealed one thing: Haight doesn't trust them at all. Kaiba actually puts this as a significant point in Haight's favor. It's also another reason, in his mind, to side with Haight. He might slip up. Give them more information. He gives a glance to Shirou, and Riva. Both of them are... so naive. "You two have admirable ideals," Kaiba says. It's hard to tell if he actually believes they are admirable or not. But, he continues anyways, "But don't let your emotions get in the way now. Trying to call out Kojirou here will only lead to civilian deaths, ruin our chances of allying with Rider by making him go into hiding, and most importantly, make the Senator and his allies, meaning us, look like foolish children." Kaiba leans back in his chair. His arms cross in front of him. He looks towards Mason, and Archer. He mutters, under his breath, "At least two of you can stay calm under pressure."
Fake Avenger	Kojirou looks at Haight for a long moment. The drawing of Monohoshi Zao and the movement of the sword are one. It's a draw so perfect as to be called a masterpiece of the art. The blade emerges, begins its arc...and the next instant it's already through the arc, and the intervening point is...impossible to determine. As always, Kojirou's attacks are so fluid, it seems as if they go from A to B without ever passing through the line on the way. He looks at Washington. "If the destruction of your tool is enough to anger you or your Master," Kojirou observes, his voice still as perfectly still and perfectly calm as a pond, "Then I have already won this war." Kojirou's gaze flicks to Mason. "Absolutely nothing," he responds, "I have no wish for it to grant." With a flick, Monohoshi Zao returns to its sheathe on Kojirou's back. His eyes turn back to Shirou. "You are not a threat to my victory."
Archer of Brown	Despite the cackling mockery from Haight's clone, Washington doesn't seem too broken up about it. "Why would we be upset?" he asks openly and without rancor. "The fact that Samuel brought a clone in the first place should make you aware of both his trust in Senator Mason and his level of preparedness. As you said, it was only a tool. A tool with a surprising degree of versimilitude, but a tool nonetheless. No, we're not upset, but I think this has spoiled the chances for peace between us." Washington places his left hand behind his back, preparing to make an offer. He stands confidently, without arrogance, his head turned upwards, his right hand free to gesticulate. As he speaks, some sort of anti-tampering mechanism in the clone's body causes it first to dissolve into a blood-red mud, then to evaporate. All of this is seemingly accepted by the diners without so much as a peep. Senator Mason appears to be... shaking. Washington makes a proposal. "Mr. Kojirou, while we don't intend to surrender, we do wish to offer the same courtesy to you. Seeing as you have nothing to ask of the Grail, it should be all the more easy for you to concede victory. If you choose not to accept our offer, you may come and find us at your convenience." He glances from Kojirou to Caster, then to Archer. "And please, enjoy your stay in our nation's capital." With that, he dematerializes. Mason is sweating, and no one in the restaurant seems to care that a man has been decapitated and evaporated. These two occurrences are related, as anyone who can sense magecraft will be able to tell. The sunlight outside is fine, but when it hits the windows, it refracts into hundreds of prismatic rays, which have captivated the non-Elite diners. Like robots, they continue along their previous actions, until Mason sees the last bit of the clone vanish. "Ugh..." He leans on the cane after he ceases his magecraft, panting heavily. Affecting that many minds must have taken a toll on the old man. "Well," says Archer. "I'll give you boys credit." He nods to Shirou and Kaiba. "Ya tried yer hardest to make it work. Too bad the deck was stacked against ya." His eyes turn to Avenger. "And you... you better not die before I get a chance to slap leather with you." "Archer, help me up." Mason is helped by his Servant, and he leans on his cane once he's on his feet. "Here we are..." Mason pays for everyone's meals--everyone's, even Riva's and Mokuba's. He tips, too! He makes to leave, but pauses near Shirou. The old man outstretches a shaky hand, patting the youth on the shoulder and whispering something to him. Archer quirks a brow, but makes no mention of it. The two quietly make an exit, with Mason relying heavily on his cane.
Riva Banari	Riva stares at Caster with an expression of disbelief. "Is that all you've got? Where the hell is your dignity? You're the Lord of Saturday, and this is what you're willing to accept?" Riva throws up her hands in frustration. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE COOL, MAN!" She's about to turn away and rail at Kojirou again when she catches the gaze. That dead, empty expression. Something about it causes her voice to die in her throat, choking as she almost visibly stumbles back. She searches for her voice, but it costs her valuable time. When the homunculus of Haight melts, Riva watches with a clear, sick revulsion. The words of Kaiba cause her to look up at the businessman, however, and spits. "I don't care what I look like. I don't care about this stupid death game. I don't care about alliances or traditions. I care about protecting people. I'm not going to fight him here. I am not an idiot. But you bet your ass I will do so elsewhere." She looks to Mason. "And if I have to go after every single one of you myself in order to make you remember the reason why we're all here, I will. I will work with you or I will work against you. But you're going to understand that before all else, I am a Knight Templar. And that means my first job is protection." At that point, she heads out, leaving the rest of her food behind. For some reason, it just doesn't taste so good anymore.
Seto Kaiba	Kaiba ignores Riva as she rants at him. He, at the moment, is simply onsidering the situation. He doesn't even look at Mason or Archer as they leave. Instead, he just keeps considering. But, after a few more minutes (while also waiting for Mokuba to finish his meal)? Kaiba stands up. Mokuba lets out a big burp, and then stands up as well. And Kaiba silently leaves the resteraunt, waving with the back of his hand as he heads out the resteraunt.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa thinks it was for the best she keto her mouth shut on everything. She sees the guy pulled basically a remote on them all. She sighs as thing settle down and she looks over to Washington for a moment before he vanishes. She looks to help the others and seems to be this was a wsh but they did try for what it was worth. It's really time to be going.
Emiya Shirou	The moment Avenger's hand reaches his weapon, Shirou's own appears under the table - Kanshou in one, Bakuya in another. Though... he's far too late it turns out. The boy's frozen in his seat momentarily, eyes wide - and then... down goes Haight's clone. It takes him a moment to realize just why nobody ELSE in the place is freaking out at this incredibly huge display of unnatural everything. All his instincts ready for a fight - or, probably, a flight... but nothing ends up happening. Instead... there goes Avenger and his Servant off on their merry way, leaving Shirou to make one hell of an irritated expression at Kaiba of all people. "/I'm/ the one spoiling chances?"