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[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

{In a flash of light and an outpouring of rather massive magical energy, a cloaked woman appears on the Plane. She face is mostly obscured by the hood of her cloak, but she seems surprised or even possibly upset}

---This is not possible. There is no Master. But that cannot be...

{Quietly,} How can I be here? Is this my punishment for losing the War? No...No, I have been summoned, but it's incomplete. But I...can't exist independently...

{But her muttering is interrupted as a small card falls from nowhere, which she snatches from the air. After reading it, the mysterious woman crumples it in her hand, smiling tightly.}

So that's it. The luxury of choosing one's own Master is quite an opportunity, but there is hardly any magic here at all. There are only remnants and simple humans here.

{Laughs} What a cruel joke! To summon Caster without a magus in sight! Ha, O gracious summoner, if you can hear this Caster, I must say that you have even less subtlety than the old gods! Ten days of life before returning to that miserable existence of nothingness, to oblivion! And you summon me within a Reality Marble, no less. No, I shall not die again. I refuse to relive my fate over and over again!

Comments

[collector]

Oh, I doubt they would bring you here only to discard you. They seem to enjoy storing subjects for a fairly long time. [a pause] Sorry, but the only sort of 'reality marble' I'm acquainted with is the toy of some---people I know, used to store miniature universes for rather engaging games of Stern-Halma. So what might you be referring to?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

More importantly, who are you, sir?

[collector]

[he smiles] Irving Braxiatel. How do you do?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Not well. Tell me, do you know anything of the War for the Holy Grail?

[collector]

No, no, I haven't any idea about such a thing. Which is rather unusual for me.

But then, it's perfectly possible we're from different universes, isn't it?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Such a thing...I should not be here at all. It is not possible for me to be he---

{And again a card falls out of the air and Caster grabs it quickly to read it. And after she has, she laughs, slightly}

Different universes indeed. Who is it that has summoned me here without a Master?

[collector]

I couldn't say with any absolute certainty, but I would suggest that it would be the twins, Lapis and Lazuli, and that young woman, Meredith Sault. You may have seen them on your way in? They seem to be staging this performance.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

There is no way in for one such as myself. I am a Servant who is to fight in the War for the Holy Grail. Without a Master, I...

The card says I have ten days to find one, but within such a place, it would be...impossible.

[collector]

[dryly] I have the misfortune of knowing two.

[but he looks at her with interest] You need magic, correct?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I...yes. I need a Master to exist in this world at all.

[collector]

Would lapsit exillis be able to extend your time here? Give you longer to look for a Master, whatever your requirements are.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

It might be scary now, but I don't think you have that much to fear. Our hosts wouldn't bring you here that cruelly.

[pauses]

Ah, but I'm sorry, did you say you're magic?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I have never been one for optimism, boy.

{She pauses, but nods} I am a magus.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

Then I can be optimistic for the both of us.

[curiously] A magus?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

A practitioner of magic. Have you no knowledge of such a thing?

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

[shakes his head no]

Ah, but Kaoru was telling me about some magical people he's met since he's been here! Does that count?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I do not know. Obviously I have met no others.

[hostclubdaddy.livejournal.com]

I guess you wouldn't!

Oh. But if you're magic...does that mean you can do tricks?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I do not do tricks, boy.

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

[watches the card fall]

Never seen them passing notes about like that before. You all right though, you need to sit down or something?

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Your kindness is misplaced. I am in no need of assistance.

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

You sure about that? Usually talking about getting stuck in oblivion isn't that all right.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

That is especially of no concern. That has little to do with this place, I would hope.

[shewalks-away.livejournal.com]

Yeah, except that isn't right either, because of all the things that have got to be a big concern, oblivion's gotta at least be in the top five.

Wouldn't be so quick to assume anything though. This place is completely mental, like it's got a mind of it's own or something.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Explain.