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[babbylon]

Who: Gilgamesh and you!
When: First Bloom Festival (February 7th—10th)
Where: Town Plaza
What: Gilgamesh celebrates the holiday in his own "special" way.
Rating: It's Gilgamesh. Anything could happen.

FLOWER CHILD.

[Gilgamesh had little use for flowers, though he did take the time to admire them on occasion within his own gardens. Here, they're all but forced upon him, shoved into his arms, spelled into his hair against his wishes for the sake of advertisement, they'd said, and as a result he looks like a very silly tyrant stamping his feet in the streets and grumbling about once again being bullied into menial tasks. It's a bit difficult to take him seriously with snowy white lilies falling off his ears, though.

And somehow they'd insisted it was for the good of all Heroes that he do this, and he didn't know about the rest of them but for the good of himself at least he was willing to hand out a few roses and smile like he meant it. He didn't. Admittedly after awhile he finds he doesn't mind it so much, and even decides to use the flowers to his advantage, wooing pretty girls and flirting with gorgeous men and wasting the hours away holding onto those beautiful bouquets.

Eventually, Gilgamesh may even give you a rose... with the sincerest hopes you may choose to tip him generously with your colle, of course.]

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT.

[Gilgamesh settles down in the evenings to enjoy the lions on parade. The fireworks are mostly a bonus; he's fascinated by the mechanical animals, mostly, watching them move and dance, and he's reminded of home. It puts him in a very purposeful sort of mood, and thus Gilgamesh goes out seeking a member of crowd—anyone, really, whoever was nearest—to join him in the upcoming festivities.]

Come with me! Let us enjoy the rest together!

[And assuming they didn't protest too much, or even if they did, Gilgamesh finds a quiet spot in the snow to observe. In this case, he really did mean well. It just seemed awfully sad to indulge in this sort of thing alone, and Gilgamesh refused to appear as anything short of what he was: a splendid and beloved King.]

YOU AIN'T LION.

[Gilgamesh was taken enough with the mechanical lions, so imagine his great joy when the real ones come parading out. He cheers! He waves! He practically wriggles with excitement, in the best mood he's been since arriving. Lions were more than mere pets for the King. They were a symbol of his station, representative of all that he was—glorious, majestic, and strong. It takes some finagling, but once the demonstration ends he bribes one of the tamers for some private time with the animal.

And Gilgamesh looks ecstatic. He buries his face into the animal's mane and sighs, content. The lion appears comfortable; apparently he had a way with them.]

Such a beautiful beast. You were meant for more than this, you know.

[So a softer side to the tyrant reveals itself. Anyone happening by will see him utterly in his element. For the moment, he's much easier to approach.]

MONKEY BUSINESS.

H... hey! Get back here! Get back here this instant, you filthy mongrel!

[See that frantic blur of blonde hair rushing past? That was Gilgamesh, and he's currently engaged in a high speed pursuit with one of the finely dressed monkeys in town. It's made off with his wallet and Gilgamesh caught them right in the act, contrary to common rumor that oh, they're entirely harmless. Unfortunately, he's not quite fast enough to catch up and the clever thing just leads him around in circles, chittering in amusement to itself all the way.

Gilgamesh, needless to say, does not look amused at all. Out of breath, he winds up stumbling into you. But while you're there, maybe you can help?]

Assist me! If it's the two of us, we can certainly corner it!

[Give him a hand, or laugh at his misfortune? It's up to you.]

(( Got another prompt in mind? Come at me! Feel free to PM with any questions or ideas. ))

Comments

[babbylon]

[Regardless of the face Setsuna shows to the world, Gilgamesh knows that warmth exists within that body. He'd felt it for himself. He was drawn to it, would pursue it until Setsuna revealed everything to him, until all was exposed to his hands. Such was the nature of a predator who could stalk quietly as well as it bellowed. Such was the slippery charisma of the great King of Heroes.

Gilgamesh's lip quirk into an amused smile hearing Setsuna's answer. Of course, nothing would ever be for fun. Only for his goal. For his mission. Gilgamesh respects it with a quiet hum though a teasing lilt slips into his words regardless.]

I see, I see. And no doubt you'll be ceaseless with your efforts until you turn up something.

[Munch, munch, munch into his apple, though always he keeps a watchful eye on Setsuna.]

I can admire that sort of attitude, but you should remember to relax once in a while. All work and no play, so they say...

[quaria]

[ Relaxing and playing are completely different things. Setsuna understands the need to relax once in a while, as it's necessary for good health. But he never once saw the necessity to play. He's lived all this time without doing so, he can continue without doing so. He doesn't react to the statement, not wanting to debate over a small thing. If Gilgamesh wants to play around, that's his choice.

Instead, Setsuna is back to looking down to the flower. There's mana flowing through it... It's just like what the King told him at their meeting. Even this small flower has mana. He does wonder if his mana is transferring to it, too. It would be nice if that was the case... ]

I... wish to plant this flower.

[ There's still a way to extend its life. If he does so now, it has a chance of living a bit longer. Setsuna doesn't have a particular reason for wanting to do it, but... He wants to. ]

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh stops, abruptly.]

What?

[He must've misheard him. Roses, once plucked, were for giving to others as gifts, for placing in vases to sit on tables. For pretty bouquets, like the ones in his arms. Not for planting back into the earth. That was truly the silliest thing he's heard all day, and honestly, he's feel like he's scolding a child. He feels like he's dealing with a child in some regards, stunted and unsure of the world around him.

It strikes him all of a sudden that there may be a very serious reason Setsuna kept quiet. As with Alice, who acted up the instant anyone drew close and was so frightened she made childish forts for herself in the dark, Gilgamesh now becomes aware of a degree of offness—of something that was not quite right with this young man.

It disturbs him as much as it fascinates him. At once he resolves to learn more.]

It will simply wilt in this sort of weather, Setsuna. Are you so certain?

[Though he has a feeling he already knows the answer. Children were also known for being very stubborn.]

[quaria]

[ It will wilt... Setsuna knows that very well. But there is one thing about flowers that makes him admire them so deeply. That even though the harsh conditions of deserts and flames, a flower can still grow on the ground... He doesn't flinch when he heard the cruel words; it is reality after all, though in his heart he knew sadness. It's sad, just like the life of humans.

But just as Gilgamesh thought, Setsuna's resolve doesn't change. He wants to plant it... He wants the flower to return to its rightful place. To return to the earth, as it's too tragic for it to die all alone elsewhere. ]

Yes.

[ One day... Maybe when spring comes, another bud will come to life from the same place. It's a thought he'd like to have. ]

[babbylon]

You are being foolish.

[But Gilgamesh has no heart to stop him, so pure and noble is the sentiment. Thankfully a group of children bumble on past and he's able to dump the remainder of the bouquets on them to free up his arms; he then tosses his apple core in the nearest trash bin so he can properly face Setsuna with his hands on his hips, expression on the poutier side but nonetheless determined.

Setsuna's softspoken earnestness may have won him over. He looks pretty serious about something he was condemning a few seconds ago.]

If we are committed to this trifling task, then, I will at least see it done correctly. Let us find some undisturbed space away from here.

[Gilgamesh goes marching off, and now he does have a set destination in mind. Somewhere apart from the festivities, where the flower wouldn't get trampled on.]

[quaria]

[ —Huh? This time around, the unexpected assistance causes Setsuna to pause in his steps. Gilgamesh's tone was obviously ridiculing him not long ago, yet the King's now willing to aid him with the same endeavor he looked down upon? A light blink leaves him, but soon follows after the other man.

Setsuna was actually planning to do it by himself after they part. He still can't quite grasp the reasons of why such a proud, mighty King is willing to accompany him. On a task completely unfitting of his image, too. Curious eyes subtly move up, observing the profile of the King beside him. ... What is he thinking, exactly?

He doesn't really know nor can he make a guess. But... he's thankful, as odd as this scene may be. It's certainly strange for sure. He's wordless as he follows along. ]

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh isn't quite sure why he's bothering with this, either. It's far beneath his station and indeed, if anyone caught him in the act, they'd have no reason to believe him some high and mighty King. Then again, nobody tended to believe that anyway. Arriving in this world without his strength and without his Gate had proven a humbling experience, even for such a sky high ego.

Maybe it was that firm resolution he'd heard in I wish that moved him. He could respect a strong heart, even if it was far too soft. He could respect a man that was committed to his ideals, even if they would only ever lead him to ruin. The flower will be dead within a day; can't Setsuna see that?

He can see it, Gilgamesh eventually concludes. He simply does not care.]

You have the hands of a soldier and the soul of a saint.

[Is it disparaging? That's for Setsuna to decide. His tone stays strictly neutral.]

I've not seen its like before. It is curious to me.

[quaria]

[ A saint? ... That's not true at all. Setsuna knows the extent of his nature, he's committed unspeakable actions in the past. He undoubtedly disagrees with the thought of him considered a saint. Rather than retort though, his head simply lowers. Though, he keeps his gaze at front... Staring at the distance, at nowhere in particular.

He doesn't even feel like asking why. He knows he will simply disagree with each reason cited. Instead, he allows the continuous light snow to speak for him. It falls against the surroundings, covering more and more... In a way, it's no different from him. No matter how beautiful, his appearance is a cover for something else. Yes, he's a soldier; yes, he's killed... He's killed so much, he's taken and stricken life to the point he froze his heart. ]

Hm.

[ And he doesn't believe in that last comment, either. People like him... It's more common that one would think. There are many others who are like him, all from the result of war or similar events. ]

[babbylon]

[Perhaps saint was not the right word. But if this man had killed—and he knows that he has, those who fought would always recognize each other in some form or fashion—he doubts it was with any sort of gleefulness, with genuine thirst for blood. One who respected life so highly could not revel in death, rather, saw it as an inevitability. If he had killed, and if there had been death, there had also been regrets along the way.

Not even Gilgamesh spoke lightly of such things. It's why he doesn't ask at all.

He comes to a small spot upon a lonely hill, hidden from sight and overshadowed by buildings. He kneels to brush the snow back. The grass was all gone underneath, so it was just a matter of pushing the dirt away. However, Gilgamesh drew the line there. He would not soil his hands like this.

Instead, he gestures for Setsuna to join him. It's bothersome that someone would be considered his equal, but if it's only for a moment...]

Plant it yourself. With your own will.

[That's what he told him back when they went for tea. He remembers.]

[quaria]

[ To hear his words be remembered... Setsuna feels the faintest honor from it. To live with one's own will, that is at least a phrase that he wants to extend to others. He wouldn't preach it openly; it's just something that he hopes will be remembered, even by at least one person... It's one proof that he was able to make the smallest difference when he was alive.

Lowering his eyes and knees, Setsuna sits against the soft snow as he begins to dig the cold ground. He's doing it carefully, moving aside the dirt so he'd be able to make a decent enough gap. Before he plants the actual rose however, he makes sure to prepare the soil first. He can't leave it in frozen dirt... So he takes out his drinking flask, then places just enough water to dampen the soil. While waiting for it to be absorbed, he looks towards the evening view of the city... All while still holding the flower itself, wanting it to give as much mana as possible before letting it go. ]

... Sorry.

[ He just felt like saying that for some reason. He knows that he's bad company, yet this person insists on staying with him whenever he can. He doesn't really know what the King gains from doing it, which is probably why he felt the need to say that at least once. He isn't quite used to this... It likely shows. ]

[babbylon]

[It doesn't really bring him any sense of joy or fulfillment. In fact, Gilgamesh was quite certain his time was much better off spent doing something else—anything else. But he feels compelled to stay and watch all the same, because Setsuna had made it sound so important. Being the childish King he was, he'd feel envious being left out. As he said, if they had to do it, he would make certain it was done up to his impeccable standards, and that was that.]

I hope you are satisfied. We look like a pair of bleeding hearts.

[Though there's not much fire to his words as he says it, and he leans over, and touches the flower, brushing Setsuna's fingers in the process. There. Mana to spare. He'd have to be thankful for it now. At least the rose looks the slightest bit brighter for their efforts, even if it didn't matter at all.]

Honestly, worrying over such meaningless things... you'll only cause concern for your comrades.

[Probably had, in the past. But again, Gilgamesh's chiding comes more gently than usual, to the point it sounds more like commiserating than anything else.]

[quaria]

[ If it's so meaningless, then why... Setsuna wants to ask, but he probably won't understand it even he does so. He opts to accept the situation for what it is, lowering his head again as silent gratitude. The flower surely appreciated it. ... And now, it's time to say goodbye.

The dirt is now moist, any more exposure to winter will only freeze it again. Setsuna raises the flower to his face one last time, leaning his forehead against it as he closes his eyes. He remains like that for several seconds before bringing it down. He plants the rose properly, making sure that it's deep enough for the ground to wrap its own mana against the fragile blossom. Perhaps one day, they'll meet again.

When that's done, the Meister lifts himself up and wordlessly uses the remaining water from the flask to wash away the lingering ice from his fingers. What ever warmth left in his hands is surely gone at this point. Was everything truly pointless? Maybe it was; but for him, it's not. Again, he doesn't expect anyone to understand. ]

There is nothing to be concerned about.

[ And with those equally cold words, he turns back to the direction of the city. He doesn't walk forward yet, waiting to see what the King will do now. ]

[babbylon]

You are so soft with the world.

[It is earnest observation, and one that escapes him before he can think to stop himself. He'd gripped that hand before. He knew what it held in the past. A gun. A knife. Worse. He could see the strength in his body, though it was comparatively small to everything and everyone else around him. There was no waste in his movements, no mistaken extensions of energy. Every step was purposeful, like he knew exactly where he was going—even if he definitively did not.

It intrigues him more than he cares to let on, beyond simply chasing after a pretty face. Gilgamesh was bored of humans, bored of their whims, but Setsuna was interesting. He was different. And that was enough to pursue him, just to see where he'd lead him, what he'd do.

That is why when he says you are so soft it doesn't quite sound as scathing as it should.]

But to fill it with beauty, one flower at a time... even if it is meaningless, even if that world remained a cold and heartless place...

[Gilgamesh rises to his feet. He doesn't move to follow. He just watches Setsuna's back, subdued.]

You could wish for worse, I suppose.

[quaria]

It is not meaningless.

[ Setsuna finally said it... He understands that the King is aware of his feelings, but saying it with a clear voice will solidify his stance. Knowing that Gilgamesh's gaze continues to linger, he can sense the other male's curiosity. Exactly what is this person expecting from him? Why does he keep trying to see through him? But that's probably wrong. No, this King isn't necessarily trying to know him. He's seeking something else entirely... The Meister doesn't know what, but he determines it as so. Why else would this person be so interested? He felt nothing for any of those flowers he held not long ago, yet here he is.

Did they have similar goals, are they both searching for answers? Even if this is the case, it's unlikely to be the same end. Setsuna is fully aware of how contrasting they are. Should their paths will cross more than once or twice, their direction will ultimately never be the same. It makes him wonder... So, what does he have to draw this attention? It likely didn't matter. He didn't need to figure it out. He's not here to question himself, what is more important is to never lose sight of himself. But as someone who isn't one with words, he has to resort to something else to set his emotions across properly. ]

King, I wish to fight you.

[ Through battle, Setsuna is able to say so much more. If Gilgamesh is seeking something from him, then he will display it through force. This isn't a fight for domination, it's a fight to reach understanding. His heart, his motivation...

"I will show you the meaning of life that I have found," these are the unsaid words that came through from Setsuna's eyes. He turns around, facing the King again with a sharper look. ]

[babbylon]

[But it is, Gilgamesh would tell him; all you know and love will disappear someday, just like this flower. Cruelty beats in his heart. It rests on the tip of his tongue, urges defiance. And ordinarily he would deliver it without prejudice. Ordinarily he would scold this man and tell him just how wrong he was. That was his nature, after all, to deliver a swift hand of judgment whenever it was required.

Yet he's stopped just shy of doing so when Setsuna issues his challenge. Gilgamesh feels himself standing all the straighter just to hear it, responding on instinct. Setsuna has struck true with at least one assumption: facing a Servant in combat was arguably the best way to understand them. It was what they lived for. It was all they knew.

Gilgamesh's hands were smooth, perfect, and divine. But they too had held weapons, had been bloodied and dirty with the lives of others. And when Gilgamesh looks back at Setsuna now, when he faces those sharp eyes, Setsuna can rest assured that he has been understood. That he will be understood. Gilgamesh was no warrior, but he could and he would fight, as King among his kind.]

I accept.

[Life lost meaning for me long ago, Gilgamesh's gaze answers. This would be the true test of that so-called will.]

Come find me in the courtyard tomorrow. Early morning, just before sunrise, when we might be alone. I will wait for you.

[He will wait and he will win and he will show Setsuna the meaning of his own battle.]

[quaria]

[ How tragic... Setsuna didn't fail to catch the meaning of that empty gaze. He never once forgot, either. He remembers the King's words from before; how he lives, breathes, and glories in battle. Although he shares a similar fate, there's a significant boundary between the two of them. Is this... the reason why the King wants to seek him? This evident clash of ideologies... Regardless, everything be made clear tomorrow.

He will not be deterred with such ridicule, unsaid or otherwise. Thus he will not waver; his distant eyes narrow, his lips remain closed, unaffected by the harsh winter and the King's aura. Eventually, those eyes of his close as he turns away once more. And this time, his feet doesn't stop. He walks forward, just as he has always done. Despite the other man's confidence, no one can truly predict what can transpire. Because he has no intention of holding back when it comes to proving his own resolve.

There's something Setsuna must do... This fight and the upcoming war, he regards them both as a necessity to be a step closer to true understanding. ]