DUNGEON ♛ GISELA TOWERS

[boardmaster]

GISELA TOWERS
20 MAY (VALLARIA) 2016

High in the skies, the howling winds tangled around the Gisela Towers make it difficult to hear anything. The monolithic structures believed to exist only in legend or harpy memories loom over you. The thick ropes of ivy crawling up the length of each tower is the only sign of life. Every now and then, shadow seems to pass overhead. It might just be a trick of the light.

Instead of the usual suspects, another familiar face comes forward to greet our Heroes: the devil-may-care Lei, captain and commander supreme of the Airy.

Lei Nervous that your commanders ain’t here? Don’t worry, you’re in good hands. So! Here we are at this… thing. Something something tragic romantic tale about a dragon and a phoenix. Anyway, it’s stupid and you don’t gotta know. Ask one of your commanders later or bribe me with a drink. Now for something more important— [ the winds roars loudly, muting lei’s voice. but heroes can watch his hand gestures and actions as he teaches them how to use the grappling hook: aim and shoot the gun. maybe twirl it with a fancy flourish first ] —did you get that? All right, good! I don’t have enough hooks, so you’re gonna have to share. And take good care of them, I want them back! Now get in there and clear it ASAP! I ain’t got all day to fly you all back home!

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙
One does not simply walk into the Gisela Towers. The only way in is up the long and weathered staircase that wraps around the structure. However, the thing is riddled with missing steps, weak stones and slippery condensation from the cloud cover, so you’re going to need a little help. Should you attempt to climb the stairs, they will crumble beneath your feet at best and bury you beneath their rubble at worst.

This is where Lei’s newfangled(?) contraptions will come in handy! The pockmarks and small ledges created by weathering in the first tower’s structure could prove useful. There are, of course, a limited number of grappling hooks available, so you’ll have to partner up if you want your party to get anywhere. Parties of four are given two of these guns, while the poor souls with less party members get one.

Gisela’s gale-force winds will knock you around and make it seem like the towers are close to toppling over. However, as you make your way up you’ll see that the towers are actually far from abandoned.

MONSTER ♟ Ocypete
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Wind	Immune to None
Regarded as abominations of the avian world, ocypetes are BIRDS the size of horses, which would be incredibly advantageous if they had wings. The offspring of a human and a harpy, ocypetes have HUMAN ARMS that they use to scale surfaces and strong TALONS that can crush rock. They don’t fly, but they do RIDE THE WIND with the use of their long tail feathers, which possess magical wind properties and are nearly twice as long as they are tall. They would look almost elegant if they didn’t have a tendency to flap their arms while gliding. Legend has it that when the phoenix left the towers, the ocypetes were accidentally left behind because dragons plucked their wing feathers, making them look kind of funny. Now with a few millennia’s worth of abandonment issues on their semi-feathered shoulders, they’ll seek to prevent Heroes from ascending the towers by any means necessary with an odd variation of Airy MARTIAL ARTS. Their TAILFEATHERS may be acquired as loot.

What will Heroes encounter once they finally make it inside? More broken staircases, more monsters, even stronger winds blowing in from cracks in the walls and the foot of the tower (which is open to the air), and no floor whatsoever. Gisela’s Towers are hollow! The only footing to be found is on small ledges: some similar to those outside the tower, some that look more artificial; and intact sections of the stairs winding around the walls. You’ll need magic or some ingenuity to stay on your toes—literally! If you lose your grip or footing, it’s a several thousand foot drop back to Gresser. The quickest way down… and the deadliest.


TWO ♙
The treacherous and exhausting climb brings you to a more sturdy area that looks a little less like a wrecking ball just passed through and more like some kind of hive. Blocking your way are dozens of sturdy-looking nests suspended like particularly ugly balls of twine from the walls. These are home to the insectoid Aellos. Tearing the nests apart for loot is only a good idea if you want angry swarms after you.

MONSTER ♟ Aello
Weak against Fire, Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind
Aellos resemble large eagles more than the DRAGONFLIES they’re supposed to be. Mature Aellos can fly, but the flightless and fuzzier larvae are just as formidable. They can HYPNOTIZE with their dozen kaleidoscope-like eyes, rendering targets IMMOBILE but still aware of their surroundings. In order to free them, a fellow Hero must gaze deeply into their eyes for at least 15 seconds. These monsters are also able to SPIT a gelatin-like substance that will stick Heroes to any and every surface and also each other. FIRE will reduce its stickiness. The larvae use hit-and-run tactics: they hunker down in their nests, peek over the edge and launch gobs of spit. The flying aello like to drop their SPIT BOMBS from above and occasionally also release a POWDER that ruins visibility and makes you sneeze. Feeling adventurous? Why don’t you give the spit a lick? It’s actually totally EDIBLE, tastes like jello, and is filled with mana. Just be sure to heat it up so you don’t get your mouth stuck shut. Their GELATIN SPIT and INSECT PARTS may be acquired as loot.

The staircases at this altitude are in better shape than the ones you have—or haven’t—been using. That doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous. Not only do the Aellos chase you down here; traps are hidden in the steps as well. Some may act like quicksand, trapping an unwary Hero halfway into the stone. Others are enchanted with wind spells that can toss you up in the air, the long way back down to the ground, or blow your skirt upward. There might even be some that provoke the pesky bugs even more!

This floor has flowers and trees creeping their way in from the outside and covering every inch of the place, including treacherous weaknesses in the path. Behind these overgrown plants is a mural depicting a sensual dance between a dragon and a harpy. In order to advance, at least two Heroes will have to mimic the dance painted on the walls to open the door.


THREE ♙
A barrier prevents you from progressing any further. Magic, physical attacks or sheer willpower will do nothing. To dissolve it, you must create a concoction from the random ingredients available on the table and splash it on the barrier. There is no set recipe, so trial and error and a little creativity will be your friends! Along with your trusty party Bishop, of course. (You did bring one, didn’t you?) Those not well-versed in alchemy may end up with potions that explode upon completion, splashing party members standing too close with a variety of strange side effects ranging from mild body horror to a bad case of halitosis. The unfortunate effects seem to differ from Hero to Hero, and they last for a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Once your party crosses the barrier, you will find yourselves outside. The skies are darkening, but you’re still able to discern another tower wrapped in the clouds. A bridge once connected the two structures, but most of it is missing. Use those grappling hooks!

Upon entering the second tower, a marble floor at odds with everything from the last tower will greet you. Lift your head and you’ll find that the rest of the tower is also hollow all the way up; those heights allow room for fountains and waterfalls. It’s a suitable area to replenish mana and rest. Parched throats can be quenched with the sparkling water all around you, but approach any waterfalls and they will start moving in a very unwaterlike way.

MONSTER ♟ Celaeno
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Fire, Earth	Immune to Water
Possessed by pride and cursed by the phoenix’s wrath, these dragons are nothing like the ones you encountered before. Celaeno resemble huge snakes made of water and possess ENCHANTED SCALES that float through their bodies and render them extremely RESISTANT to both magical and physical attacks. You will have to find WEAK POINTS in their protective aura. Hopefully you have a Knight or Bishop on your team to find those weaknesses as soon as possible! Each dragon’s weak points differ. Fortunately, all Celaenos go down easily once you find that soft spot. They use their long, slender tails like WATER WHIPS to knock down or douse their targets; the force of a tail may equal that of a fire hose at full blast! The only time it sheds its armor is to shapeshift into a WATER PRISON that can trap one or more enemies. Try not to attack it while a Hero is trapped inside; it will hurt your friend as well! Use STATUS EFFECTS to confuse or distract them so the prison loses shape. Their ENCHANTED SCALES, SMALL GEMS, and DRAGON WATER may be acquired as loot.

Without any stairs in sight, the way up lies in those dragons. After their defeat, their magical scales can be put together to form a boat that can ride the waterfalls upwards to the top floors.


FOUR ♙
The skies continue to change once you reach the top. Black clouds begin to close in, stray bits of land that have broken off from the main island hover nearby, and a sudden torrent of powerful mana may disorient your party. A storm is approaching.

Just as the first chunk of hail falls from the sky, a mighty roar reverberates through the darkness. Something very large lands on the walls of the tower and causes a tremor that whittles chunks from the tower and actually rolls the clouds back; is that the toll of thunder, or just more roaring?

Finally, an impressive three-headed dragon emerges from below. Once it has perched itself on the tower, one head speaks in a rumbling growl.

BOSS ♟ Tianya the Thrice-Scorned
Weak against Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind, Fire
“Did that phoenix send you?! Tell her she cannot return! Not even over my dead body!” Unsurprisingly, Tianya ─the dragon once wed to the phoenix─ is more than just a legend. He lowers his heads and another loud, guttural cry fills the skies. For now, he remains STATIONARY at the top of the tower. All three heads attempt to SWALLOW a Hero whole if they get too close. Should you go on the offensive, you may be able to chop off at least one head before he’s pissed off enough to move. The fallen head writhes in agony as it moans: “It hurts… it burns…” At this point, Tianya takes flight. The strong GUSTS from those wings can launch a Hero right off the tower. Use your grappling hook(s) to play floating island hopscotch: evade devastating dive attacks and run from the MANA BEAMS shot from his mouths. “You’ll never understand! I never wanted her!” As you travel from island to island trying to get close enough to deal some real damage, Tianya hides in the CLOUDS to launch ambush attacks. Eventually, a PHOENIX descends from the heavens in a burst of fiery light. However, it’s not the phoenix of legend; it’s actually one of Tianya’s spells, and it will burn away most of your mana if any of its flames make contact. MANA EXCHANGE may be the only way to continue this battle... Once Tianya is down to one head, he will immediately rise higher into the sky. “My last words are for her and her alone.” After Tianya is defeated, the storm clears; Enprise’s twin suns shine once more. That precious DUNGEON CORE floats down, blanketed by a SINGLE LARGE FEATHER, golden and shining in the light. “It’s warm… She was always warm…” A SCORNED DRAGON HEART and a MYSTICAL PHOENIX FEATHER may be acquired as loot.

As soon as both core and feather touch the tower, an ominous rumbling and shaking begins. The Gisela Towers are falling apart and it’s now a race to escape before you’re buried under the rubble.

And don’t forget the grappling hook(s); Lei wants them back.


FIVE ♙
All that’s left of the Gisela Towers is rubble. The dungeon has been conquered, the island reclaimed, and the ruins of the old regime can now become the foundations for something new: the site of the harpies’ homecoming after hundreds of years.

LOCATION ♟ Gisela

An ancient sky island that has existed since time immemorial. What enables Gisela to RIDE THE CLOUDS may be an even greater mystery than the mechanisms powering the Airy. The island appears most frequently above Gresser, though its extraordinary altitude makes it DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. The landscape of Gisela is overgrown with JEWEL-GREEN FORESTS, crisscrossed with gorges and dotted with networks of small caverns. But its crowning glory is the THIN GLEAMING WATERFALLS that flow from its edges and into the sky beyond. The water is embraced by RAINBOWS and condenses into CLOUDS when Gisela is high enough, lending to its unusual weather patterns. Although the island initially seems largely uninhabited apart from the Gisela Towers, there is a SEALED OFF AREA that, when viewed from the air, looks suspiciously like LUSH, TILLED FIELDS. Should you ask Lei about this, he will only give you an unusually stern warning against disturbing it. Looks like you’ve solved the mystery behind the pai tiles. Now that the menacing Towers have been demolished, a variety of animal life — usually airborne — will begin to appear on the island. Some of them you’ve never seen before! The fall of the Towers also uncovered the existence of HOT SPRINGS below; newspapers speculate wildly about the source, but most agree that it must have something to do with the renewed vows between phoenix and dragon. The few structures already in place on the island have been speedily converted into BAZAARS manned by Airy harpies. Most specialize in legal alchemical gimmicks, but there’s always another side to these things. Everyone’s here to soak in the breeze, and by that we do mean everyone. In response to the tourism boom, NEW AEROPORTS have also opened in both Gisela and Gresser to provide reliable transportation between the two locations.

Comments

[armorial]

[ Yes, she's still good for putting a dent into a small army at least. With the injured Ocypetes only being able to motion their arms (if they can), she easily fends off what's left with one or two strikes each. These are fairly easy to deal with now that they're not carried by the wind, but... their form of martial arts is worth noting. It brings memories, but she does not dwell on them long.

Whatever plumage they have is scattered across this platform, scathing them for the meantime. Saber, however, does not put down her sword. Still on high alert, she stays where she is to guard the other two. A large gust flows down their direction, blasting the feathers into their faces. It can practically carry Saber and Adra if it was any stronger, but she somehow finds herself still grounded onto their ledge. No makeshift harpies dive during that gale, but she does hear their faint (also bad) cawing in the distance. ]

Have you two found a way? [ She can't check herself for obvious reasons; her focus is sharp on fending off horse-sized bird humans. The next squall and the second wave are soon to come, a soft breeze brushes against them as a warning. ]

[hymnals]

[ As an elf, Adra's eyesight is naturally sharper than the average, and it's become even more so as his body adjusts to this world's particular magical flow. He squints through the gusts of wind, quickly assessing their nearest options. There's a likely ledge some distance away--far, but not too far for the hook to handle. He gestures towards it, his voice confident. ]

There! If we hit that ledge, we'll only need a few more jumps to the top.

[babbylon]

[There's quite a lot of distance to cover and not a lot of time to do it. Even once Adra has spotted and suggested their plan of escape, more of the buzzards have descended to harass Saber. Saber's will was strong enough to hold off just about anything, but her body would give out far sooner. Gilgamesh has an idea... and she may not like the idea... but it's the best he's got on short notice.]

If you must, then punish me later!

[At first, it seems like an odd command without context, but it soon becomes apparent just what he means. Gilgamesh aims and fires the gun with Adra in tow, as well as Saber—by way of grabbing her with the end of the chains and hauling her behind them, hanging down below. At least he managed to wind them around her waist first.

They land on the ledge, just as before, yet Gilgamesh may or may not be scooting away from Saber for some inexplicable reason. Perhaps he can smell the indignation.]

[armorial]

What are you planning--[ Ommph. Her interrogation desists as she feels a tug around her waste. She's sure that it was originally around her ankle, but has little time to question. You see, Saber was never born to envy birds for flying, so she feels rather helpless being dragged through the air like a dangling ornament.

This is...

Humiliating.

Once they land, she's quiet. It's hard to tell if she's seething or now, eyes still wide as if still in shock either from such insolence or fright. Whichever it is, she sharply turns her head to several directions, looking for the next ledge they should use, without giving a second glance to either of them. He had to do it she tells herself. They're pressed for time she thinks to herself.

Gilgamesh is right to scoot away. Still, she points to the next promising ledge. ]

There. [ Don't dare speak to her right now. ]

[hymnals]

[ Light fucking help him. Adra looks from Gil to Saber, feeling his hair just about stand on end. He's an empathetic, sympathetic person; the burgeoning tension between these two has now reached tangible levels. He remembers how Saber had described Gil--a formidable adversary--and wonders what precisely passed between them.

Not his business, though. His business is getting through this place with everyone still alive.

So he follows the line of her gaze and nods, already bracing himself for the next leap. ]

There's an intact stairwell beyond that next ledge, I think. We're nearly inside.

[ Though the gathering Ocypetes are pretty unhappy about it. ]

[babbylon]

[Alright. So. Situational analysis: not as bad as it could've been. Saber's mad, of course, but not brutally, sadistically, sword-swingingly mad. She'll get over it, maybe even forget it, because of course she was reasonable enough to understand why he'd done it. Of course.

He's doomed once they're out of here, isn't he?

Moving past that, Gilgamesh assesses the ledge. The Ocypetes seem to have figured their strategy out, as they've decided to land and occupy it and thus prevent further passage. Firing the gun now would be suicide; they'd have to attack from a distance, or else draw them in closer. Thankfully, they had a very gifted Queen in their party, so a plethora of ranged magic was at their disposal.

The Ocypetes stand their ground, but so does Gilgamesh.]

I'm going to catch them with the chains and reel them in.

[That's it. That's the plan, and it's already underway by the time he finishes explaining. His eyes flicker to Saber—]

Once they're here, butcher them.

[armorial]

[ i said don't even talk to her?! Luckily, she doesn't put on a face of disgust. Rather, she's determined to make herself useful and forget entirely what happened for now. Gripping onto her sword, she readies herself. ]

Of course. [ There's nothing enjoyable about killing, but with all this pent up anger, maybe it'll do good to down their enemies... as she imagines them to have Gilgamesh's face and chortle his obnoxious laugh.

She doesn't need to be level-headed to eviscerate the Ocypetes, so her wrath shines well once the poor avians are pulled towards them. Unfortunately, those occupying the edge are not alone. From the back, there are possibly two diving down with threatening talons, attempting to flank their formation once they implement their plan. ]

[hymnals]

[ It's a healer's job to be completely aware of the environment at all times. Adra's good at it, had years of practice, both on wide-ranging battlefields and in the cramped, dark quarters of many dungeons, citadels, prisons, et cetera. But he makes mistakes. He misjudges. And, like everyone, he gets distracted.

He's distracted now, worrying over the antagonistic spark between Gil and Saber, wondering if it will come to more as they progress. His shields for the two of them are impeccable, encircling both of their bodies, deflecting the angry, shrieking attacks of the Ocypetes. But he's not considering himself, and he's not considering the two monsters diving at them from behind.

One goes for Saber, slashing at her barrier.

But the other goes for him, and its huge talons rake deep into his back, tearing through his uniform, biting into soft muscle and skin. He cries out--the barriers pop--and he stumbles forward. Slipping, quickly, off of the ledge. ]

[babbylon]

[In all fairness, Gilgamesh had been distracted, too. Though not exactly one to worry over group opinion, Gilgamesh still recognizes would need to act in relative sync with each other in order to triumph. When it came down to it, would Saber really protect him? Could he really protect her, knowing no gratitude would likely await, but perhaps even further scorn? Even Gilgamesh's pride could only withstand so much insult.

It distracts him long enough to disregard the vulnerable healer beside him. Just as he runs the second of the rear Ocypetes through the heart with his blade, he hears a slip and a sudden cry; thankfully, he reacts just in time to grab the falling elf by the hand and hoist him up again. Of course, that does nothing for his wounds, and as such he's forced to cradle him while Saber takes care of the remaining enemies.

This is, perhaps, the first of many painful lessons that being a leader didn't just mean barking commands and hoping for the best. Gilgamesh winces, for Adra's sake as well as his own. He looked incredibly foolish here, and rather than try to shout the situation down some more, he owns up to it.]

Worry not. I shall fix this.

[And he does, chanting a healing spell to tend the nasty claw marks. Gilgamesh rubs soothingly on his back throughout.]

...even for a King, I acted too boldly, too brashly. Forgive me.

[armorial]

[ Saber isn't one to abandon a comrade even if they're detestable. They have worked together before, and they will now. Even if there may be repressed resentment, she also has to think of Adra. After dealing with the last Ocypetes that lingered on their ledge, she quickly goes to their side with her Grail in hand. She throws the water in the air and it falls gracefully into a barrier. It's not as large or impeccable as Adra's, but there's enough for the two to get comfortable.

It holds well against the one that fell Adra, but another comes to its aid almost instantly. She worries over their healer... Unfortunately, it's not the time to question his state. Her barrier can only last as long as her small mana pool, even less as the extra Ocypete high knee kicks it relentlessly. It seems to be attracted to beautiful, blond men. How tragic.

She can't afford to dawdle, so she slays one and goes after the other, but has to release the barrier. It glides away, but soars above them, circling as if it'll heighten its imposing threat. Luckily, there is only one left and there are no other shrieks or caws to be heard. ]

Are you all right? [ She steals a brief glance to Adra, obviously worried, but urgency leaves a lot to be desired from her gestures. Her eyes are back onto the bird with only one goal in mind, to them alive. It's strange to see that Gilgamesh is the consoling one in comparison. ]

[hymnals]

[ Hot blood runs down his spine, drips onto the ledge beneath them. The pain is terrible, like so many stinging, piercing knives all jabbing into him at once. He groans in reply to Saber, his head down, blood flecking his mouth. But Gil's healing does its work: he feels the wounds mend, the skin regenerating. As soon as he has the strength to stand, he does so, though he's a few shades paler than before. ]

I'm -- I'm fine, Saber.

[ He looks gratefully to Gilgamesh. ]

Thanks, Gil--but there's nothing to forgive; it was my fault. I was distracted.

[ He glances up at the circling Ocypete, immediately recasting all of his barriers as he does so. ]

It's all right. It's good. Let's finish this.

[ This floor, anyway. ]

[babbylon]

[Concern has turned to anger for Gilgamesh. Not against either of his companions, but against that ugly thing lingering in the sky, taunting all of them. Maybe he hadn't looked after Adra as well as he could have, but as far as smiting enemies went, there was absolutely no excuse to hold back. Rather than waste even more mana, Gilgamesh unhooks his bow from his back and takes aim at the smug creature.

He lets loose a trio of arrows, and while the first misses, the other two hit their mark. The Ocypete goes plummeting, and will trouble them no more. Gilgamesh spits on the ground, then sheathes his bow again. To Adra, he nods; to Saber, he turns.]

A King should have better command of the men he's protecting.

[As always, it's never quite an apology with Gilgamesh, but it amounts to the same. He seems to be telling both of them I will do better, I must do better. He readies the gun and waits for both of them to attach themselves accordingly as they head to the final ledge that will lead them inside.]

[armorial]

[ She doesn't reply to him and instead sheathes her sword while stowing her Grail, but it's obvious that she agrees. They could have done better. As servants, they should be used to protecting their own--well, at least Saber is. It's a little bit hard when it's two others she must look out for in such an unfavorable position. They, as a team, can do better is a better way of seeing it. It's a team effort.

Despite her cool exterior, she's exhausted having cast a barrier taking so many blows. Maybe that's another reason to her silence, so she walks over to Gilgamesh and carefully latches onto him without a word. The surge of mana is relieving at least... She doesn't like this, but at least she's not voicing her complaints.

Her eyes do wander to Adra, waiting for him to join in their weird cuddle pile. ]

[hymnals]

[ Adra's too frustrated with himself to ask any questions about kings and commands and so forth. It's not relevant right now. He has to focus. Whatever's between these two is between them; it's nothing to do with him, and he can't waste energy worrying over it. For everyone's sake.

So he loops an arm around Gil, taking up the same position as before, and he takes a steadying breath. ]

Let's go.

[babbylon]

[Weird cuddle pile is right. But if nothing else, Gilgamesh's will has doubled to see this matter through, with all of them in one piece. Though he was the sort of King who was an army onto himself, it was up to him to pave the way to victory—together, with his charges. And perhaps it was best to view them as such, as physically both were weaker than himself and in need of oversight.

They catapult themselves to the next, and final, ledge without incident. Spotting a doorway, he signals for the other two to wait before scouting what lies ahead... or rather, what lies below. There's a whole lot of space and a whole lack of floor going on and he can tell already it's going to take even more effort on their part to conquer this particular challenge.

There's enough room on the ledge to do so, so Gilgamesh plops down to take a breather.]

Come. Let us regain our strength before we proceed.

[Of course, the question remains... who's going to cuddle up to Gilgamesh first?]

[armorial]

[ It's definitely not her. She had enough with holding onto him for so long already, on top of that being dragged around like a rag doll. However, she does sit down seiza style out of habit. Posture straight, form refined, she still falls silent. This is probably how she is in most battles, to be honest.

She only waits to be referred to before speaking. It's only proper, especially with how tiring that must have been for Adra, stressing for Gilgamesh...

Goddamnit, she's hungry, so she takes out a small snack from her bag as if unfazed by all that has happened. She has seen worse, really. ]

[hymnals]

[ Adra's been training quite hard these past couple of months, so he's in better shape than one might expect. Still, he is not what anyone would call physically robust. He sinks down against the wall, drawing his knees up to his chest. For a moment, he doesn't say anything. But then he sees Saber pull out a snack, and he remembers. ]

Oh. Here.

[ He reaches into one of the packs hanging from his belt, and pulls out tiny boxes for each of them. ]

I learned how to make these recently. Brought a bunch.

[ He hands them over -- they're small bento boxes; these contain a little piece of cold, albeit sweetly glazed and well cooked, chicken; sticky rice; and several fresh slices of red apple.

(And chopsticks, which he also just recently learned how to use.) ]

[babbylon]

[Adrasteius for the save! Gilgamesh lights up at once, spying the little box, and claims one for himself. He digs in eagerly with the chopsticks and—under the guise of eating together—sneaks into a spot beside Saber. He may be their self-appointed leader, but in this single gesture it's clear that their healer is their heart. Just the right thing for just the right occasion.]

Saber! You must come to our home after this. Adrasteius makes the best meals; he can outcook anyone you've ever known, I guarantee it.

[And maybe he just wants an excuse to have her in his house. At any rate, as is typical of the volatile Gilgamesh, his mood has flipped completely on its head.]

He is going to show me his culinary expertise as well! See, I am a man of many talents!

[armorial]

Thank you, Adrasteius. [ Per usual, she gives Adra the respect and appreciation he deserves as healer and their food dispenser. Nodding once as a sign of reverence as she takes the box. For once, she doesn't inch away when Gilgamesh comes closer. ]

I've had some of his pastries before. [ Agreeing without a second though. She doesn't go into detail about that thought, instead opening her respective bento box and eating with much grace despite her ravenous appetite. It's obvious that she's overwhelmed by Gilgamesh's energy, quiet until he stops. She doesn't bat an eyelash at the fact they are living together, but it does make her curious. Either way, it's none of her business.

Also, Shirou will always be the cook for her, but she doesn't disclose that either. No point in raining down on anyone's parade no matter how obnoxious they are. There's a heavy sigh, not agreeing to the invitation nor rejecting it. She just finds a handkerchief in her pocket and offers it to the King of Heroes because you have crumbs on your face, mister. ]

Will you not be eating? [ She's watching Adra with a careful eye now. Does he remember this gaze? It's familiar, isn't it? ]

[hymnals]

[ His eartips might turn a little pink at the effusive compliments. Still, he can tell that Gil is putting on a little show here, like a kid trying to impress a crush.

Ah, he thinks, so that's what this is.

He smiles a little as he takes a bite of rice. His own box, of course, being simply that and the apples. No meat. ]

No need for that stare, Saber. I know I'm here to work. I'll do what I have to.

[ In this case: eat.

He goes on, mildly. ]

You should visit, though. I'll make whatever you want.

[ He jabs a thumb at Gil. ]

And he'll help.

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh takes the handkerchief and looks all the more enthused for it; too much more energy and he may very well implode. But Saber's handkerchief! Most certainly, he was working up the ranks of her heart, he tells himself. And of course, Adra was so fond already, it might even be said his party was more like his very own harem.

...best not announce that aloud. He still doesn't put shoving him off the ledge past this proud woman.]

Of course, of course. I used to think cooking strictly a woman's work, but apparently it can be an arena of sincere competition.

[And, of course, of course...]

Therefore, I intend to win! Each and every time, I shall triumph! It is the way of a proper King to excel in all they do!

[armorial]

[ Her ahoge practically twitches (just kidding, hair doesn't move). While she doesn't smile or change her position, merely feeding herself small bites at a time, she is.. anticipating and excited over food. She hasn't shown Adra her glutton yet and doesn't plan to, but she desire so much. It's an offer she can't deny. ]

I will definitely consider it. [ THIS ANSWER WILL DO. ]

Woman's work, is it...? [ Of course, she isn't offended, really. She has been raised a man, a king, and a knight before a girl. However, she's well aware that it might imply that he expects her to know how to cook.

... She doesn't.

She thinks over how she lacks a feminine touch of any kind once more. Not only does she not have breasts, she doesn't even hold skills that would compensate. It's a little depressing now that she dwells on it a bit. Unconsciously, she's eating in bigger bites and in a faster pace. It may or may not be obvious that she's extremely frustrated right now. ]

[hymnals]

[ Her frustration is absolutely clear to Adra, so much so that he has to stifle a groan. Come on, G, he was trying to wingman for you. ]

Cooking is just work.

[ He glances sidelong at Gil as he finishes the last of his snack. ]

Which, trust me: you'll find out soon enough.

[babbylon]

[Trying to play wingman to Gilgamesh is rather like trying to play wingman to a plane that's crashing to the ground nosefirst. Continually. And even when it manages to hit the ground it just keeps going and going anyway, and you just want to die already because you're all bloody and on fire, but the captain keeps insisting no, everyone, it's fine, he's totally got this, everything's completely under control...

You know, that sort of wingman.

Gilgamesh once more fails at reading the air and mistakes that aggravated body language for genuine gusto. He slaps her on the back with a hearty WAHAHAHAHAHA and shoots Adra a thumbs up, clearly approving of his plan. Which may as well have been his plan.

Yep. Totally his plan.]

I shall work up a sweat most admirable! Guide me well in this mysterious domain of the kitchen, so I may rule it accordingly in the name of the King!

[He's just seeing it as another territory to conquer... this man is truly hopeless.]

[armorial]

[ HACK--she almost coughs up the food she's trying to eat. Lurching forward, she's lucky to have kept it all in, but her eyes are wide and eyebrows knitted fiercely... Still, her expression also asks the question why? What did you do to deserve this? Is it because she placed her hand on Gilgamesh's shoulder this one time? Is this karma?

She slowly sits back up, cheeks filled with food, but she gulps it down. Eyes dart so fast over to the man beside her, but she does nothing for a moment.

Saber, Artoria Pendragon, is a knight--a king. While the King of Heroes enjoys dawdling in such casual mannerisms, she cannot fall into such behavior so easily. She's level-headed, mature, and elegant!! Adra knows she is a noble person, so she must present herself as such. Some time passes as she continues to give Gilgamesh an incredulous glower.

Fuck it. She smacks Gilgamesh's shoulder back. It's light, but makes a deafening noise that echoes in the air. Okay, maybe it wasn't so light, but it definitely won't injure him. ]

It was a delicious meal, Adrasteius. [ She turns to the elf, now giving him her undivided attention and easily forgetting about the other king. She places the chopsticks neatly back into the box before returning it to him, showing her utmost gratitude. ]