[Video]

[crouching_sin]

[Normally Naoya wouldn't bother with a post like this, but he's at his wit's end. He's done his best to try to solve it himself, but it's not working... so it's a rather frazzled-looking Naoya who appears on the screen, barely holding on to a very frightened-looking Ralts.]

[The Ralts in question is making tiny squeaking noises and looks like she wants to cry and hide rather than be anywhere in the area. Any Pokémon watching can probably hear her squeaking 'he is a bad and scary man'.]

Most of my Pokémon are rather well behaved. This one, however... doesn't seem to want to be anywhere near me. I haven't done anything to scare her. She just hatched a few days ago.

Has anyone else had problems with a Ralts that... doesn't seem to like them?

[He just... turns the video off. He'll put her back in her Pokeball now because... he doesn't know what else to do.]

Comments

[video]

[solas_ion]

I'm just sayin', you start a naming trend like that and I might think you're out to kill me or somethin'.

[lancer has a habit of occasionally forgetting he hasn't told his name to everyone he knows]

[he is not always a smart man]

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

[That... makes him suspicious, and he flicks the video to private.]

Possibly an usual question, but you wouldn't happen to have some... deep connection to Celtic mythology, would you?

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

...huh? Did I never say anything? I mean it ain't exactly a secret anymore.

I'm Cu Chulainn. I only go by Lancer 'cause it's an old habit and nobody can pronounce my damn name.

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

[... He's silent for a moment, before he starts laughing. It takes him a few moments to calm down, and then he switches into Old Irish.]

I know you. At least, I know the you in my world - not personally, but indirectly. I never met you before you were passed into legend, but I remember writing the code to summon you into the program that I made.

I'm curious... how familiar are you with the early stories that people call the Bible?

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

[Lancer raised an eyebrow at that--that was a new one. It reminded him of Walter and Souji--he was a demon to one and to the other...what was it, a Persona? Something weird like that. Either way, it had been one hell of a long time since he'd heard that language from anyone but himself, so he answered in the same way.]

I'm familiar enough with the more modern world--don't ask me why, it's a long story. And I used to deal with this really aggravating priest, on top of that.

Couldn't tell you details of the damn thing, but I know the general idea. What about it?

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

Heh. You're not the only mythological figure floating around. Have you heard the story of Cain and Abel, perhaps?

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

Hm...hang on, let me think.

[It had been a while since he'd had the information from the Grail's whole system running through his head, but knowing legends attached to a legendary figure's true name was the most important part of it. Lancer frowned, thinking carefully as though trying to recall a chapter of a book that wasn't open in front of him.]

That's...the one about the first murderer, right? [Beat.] So which one are you?

[Whether that meant 'which brother' or Lancer assumed he was fro another war and was asking 'which Servant' was probably up for debate. He didn't seem to recognize 'Lancer' as a class name, so the latter was highly unlikely.]

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

That's right.

[... He just snickers. As if he could ever be Abel.]

And... I'm the former.

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

...Huh. I wouldn't have guessed.

[he's not really one to judge murder, let's be real.]

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

Mm. Reincarnation helps with that.

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

Reincarnation, huh? Sounds like a rough time.

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

You have no idea. Most people get a blank slate when they reincarnate... and I remember every life.

[video][private]

[solas_ion]

...

I'm startin' to think I might know why that Ralts is terrified of you.

[video][private]

[crouching_sin]

It does make sense, yes. ... But I don't intend to hurt her. I really only want to break this curse, and she has nothing to do with it.

[A shiny Honedge peeks his hilt into the frame, 'smiling' at Lancer. Hello!]