Roman folds his arms. Maybe Lord El Melloi II's right and he's being rash. But, if he's still got the faint hope to find a solid clue that helps them solve their desperate situation before more history vanishes.
Regardless, it's different from what they seem to have faced so far.
"...Thank you, ah, I suppose I need to teach you how to operate this first," he says in sudden realization. He feels his hands tremble a little, but he doesn't want to show it. It's scary to go there alone, but he needs to do it for the sake of everyone.
"...What was that?" Roman asks, paling to think the damage that sort of person could do to Chaldea. No, that walking curse would need to be isolated from all the premises if they existed.
He suppresses a shudder at the mental image of a wreckage under this mysterious magus feet and rolls his chair to a side to welcome the new operator. "All right," he gestures at the console, "These panels control SHEBA Lenses." So it begins the long session about how to insert coordinates, how to adjust the observation to avoid the dispersion phenomena of the rayshifted person and other essential information. Most important one would be emergency rayshifting and how to perform them.
sounds good nerdy version of eye of the tiger plays in the bg
"...Inside joke," he demurs, before they begin in earnest.
It's computers. Lord El-Melloi II understands them, but then he begins to think about all of it as a video game, and everything tumbles into place far faster. This approach, this approach is right. And while he may not master everything immediately, he gets the logic. When there's mistakes, he corrects quickly and almost always locates the right buttons to press before Roman can tell him what to do instead.
He's not DaVinci or any of the normal staff, but after a while, he's skilled enough to at least manage this simple thing before them both.
"One of these days you'll have to explain me all the punchlines I'm missing out," he laughs a little wistful. It's that or pouting, and he really wants to believe there'll be a tomorrow he could meet his kids in the Clock Tower. He grumbles but he knows he misses them.
He's relieved that Lord El Melloi II seems to catch up quickly. Many magus seem to be too proud and too caught in their archaic ways. He lets him navigate the panel without interference, just stepping in if some button shouldn't be pressed. Learning by doing is the best course. He knows this in the flesh.
"Do you feel certain?" he asks after what seems like hours have passed.
"When we're back in Clock Tower, you'll meet them," he says. Because Rin and Flat should meet Roman, if only for Roman to understand all the snickers and asides. And Gray needs to meet him for her usual reasons, since Roman's one of the reasons El-Melloi II is still alive.
Hitting weird buttons is a video game tradition, Roman! Duh of course he's going to figure this one out.
With confidence to spare too. When Roman asks if he's ready, El-Melloi II nods firmly.
"If anything goes absolutely wrong, I'll get DaVinci in here. But we shouldn't need to do that."
"I look forward that," Roman says with a hopeful smile. He really wants to meet Waver's prized students, and entrust them the future. He feels old, despite his supposed 30s, but it's probably one of those days the stress and the pressure are slowly getting him. This mission makes him nervous. He has really grown comfortable behind the screen.
Avoid the red, big ones, and he's good. At least, he hopes Chaldea wouldn't accidentally self-destruct by leaving him in charge.
"...Fine," he heaves a sigh, unsure if he wants Leonardo to yell at him by his recklessness, but he knows is for the best. "All right, I guess is my turn to make myself ready."
You're good also LOOK SOLOMON DIDN'T RUIN NA CHRISTMAS!
The mission is the mission. Lord El-Melloi II can fake total confidence because he has had to do so for years at Clock Tower now. A little scowling, a little grumping, and a lot of talking until it was clear he was the master of whatever the situation was.
That's less so here, but Roman deserves that same confidence. If only for Roman's trust.
"Do whatever you need to do," Lord El-Melloi II says, sitting at the control panel like it is the most natural place in the world for him. His fingers rest on the appropriate buttons, ready and waiting.
"I should try to look for a Mystic Code," Roman mumbles, looking at what he's wearing. At least to not be walking around who knows where completely unprotected. But he wonders if he can find one of his size.
Leonardo must be in her studio at the time, so he can avoid her. Why did most of Master Candidates have to be teenagers?
thank you i want to thank fgo dollars for giving me Flat fucking up a porsche and soccer mom waver
Wordlessly, Lord El-Melloi II reaches into his coat pocket, and what he pulls out is a cigar case that's as fine as his title suggests such a thing should be. The cigar he takes out is one of the ones laced with his own mystic code. He hasn't had need for them lately, and so to give Roman one is a good idea.
"Take a lighter with you. The code won't function otherwise."
Easy solution. Even if he'll get scolded for encouraging smoking.
lmao fgo dollars are the best dollars, btw I'm on a trip for a week at least
Roman blinds, following his actions in confusion when he offers the case and the cigar. Then it dawns it, it's a mystic code. Do I have to smoke? He hasn't seen Lord El Melloi II use it, so he can always speculate.
"Oh, thank you," he takes the offered code and its cigar. "Leonardo's going to get mad at me when I return smelling to tobacco." He says that to cheer himself up over the idea of wandering to something unknown and dangerous.
Lord El-Melloi II doesn't quite smile, but he imagines that his head nod is more than enough. And willingness to take a bullet for Roman with DaVinci firing. That must count for something.
Everything else is going to be on the fly.
"You're as ready as you're ever going to be. Let us begin."
"That sounds convincing," Roman says, after considering his suggestion, "I would have gotten in a stupid amount of trouble if I get bribed with idol merchandising from the other side of the bet." He has to light the tension, or he wouldn't be able to do this.
He walks toward the coffin, aptly named, it feels like he's heading to his grave.
"Yes, I think so," he says, opening one to slip inside.
Lord El-Melloi II grins, just slightly. "And we both know I can't comment because of my own enjoyment of video games. It's DaVinic-proof."
Foolproof ain't nothing on DaVinci proof, truly. As Roman prepares himself, Waver's focus returns to the screens. He starts to go through the sequence of operations as Roman instructed him (referring to his own notes once or twice). Waits until he's heard the coffin door shut, and then gives Roman a few more moments to settle.
"I'm ready when you are," Lord El-Melloi II says with a calm he doesn't feel at all.
"DaVinci-proof," Roman repeats, blinking. Hey, he likes it. Lord El Melloi II, you're a genius! He shelves the concept to his vocabulary and braces himself for the rayshift.
He'll probably materialize on the sky somewhere, he hopes he won't be too far up or he'll just, well, he'll just break his neck before this adventure starts.
Lord El-Melloi II's voice is so much calmer than he is. He consults his notes as he begins the process. Does everything in order, repeating the instructions under his breath. He does not tell himself any lies to make it easier - such as it's a video game cheat coat - because that makes any mistake made easier to forgive. He is using a system that Roman has spent so little time training him on, and possibly sending the acting director of Chaldea into death. No pressure.
He finishes the last few buttons. Looks over to the coffin.
After ten minutes of static buzz, Roman's image flickers on the screen of the control. He looks pale, looking bewildered by the surroundings. There are white pillars amidst a beautiful dropout of starlight and swirling nebulae.
"I'm fine... I think," Roman answers, after a moment he's lost in his thoughts and the painful nostalgia. "I know what this is," he mentions quietly. It's impossible, but he knows this place, it resembles.
"I was waiting for you, Romani Archaman." Another voice interjects, Roman immediately looks at the source off-screen.
Impossible. He-, he looks pale, as his eyes grow bigger. "Professor Lev?"
In those ten mintues, Lord El-Melloi II simply waits. He's good at that, he's patient enough. He has promised himself that panic can't start until half an hour in. Then it's fine to freak out that he lost the acting director because they did something that they shouldn't have been doing in the first place.
So when Roman's face lights up the screen, there's nothing but relief on Lord El-Melloi II's face.
"Where is..." he trails off.
"What the hell?!" he replaces the lost words with instead. Lev was dead. Dead as a doornail.
"Oh, so we are being observed? I confess we did not think that Chaldea would make it this far, but it was a small possibility and we took it with the approval of the Control Office," the disembodied voice hums sounding amused.
"Lev..." Roman still stares at the pitch darkness and on that moment the familiar man clad in green appears, tipping his hat to the man in greeting.
"Greetings, Lord El Melloi II, it's rather surprising to see you like that," Lev smiles humorlessly then turns his gaze at Romani's direction, opening his eyes slightly. "And to you too, Romani Archaman. No, I guess that is incorrect, isn't it? Your Majesty, my King Solomon." His voice shakes, as does the ground beneath them briefly, of course, Romani entrusted Lev his secret once, opening a path untreated before. The grudge still remains but they were able to observe their King and understand a single human being. "I am Lev Lainur Flauros."
Lord El-Melloi II is watching as Lev makes himself known. His fingers hover over the control panels, worried for what might come next. Emergency evacuation. That's all he can think, all his mind mutters over and over again as Lev talks. Keep talking.
Flauros he says, and there is a very loud string of swears.
"Roman, retreat," he spits out, far too tense. "Right fucking now, we're getting you out of there."
"Fla...Flaurous," Roman repeats stunned, his eyes widen in disbelief. Just how. Why? Why is he like this at all? Lev, meanwhile, bows in his direction, tipping his hat respectfully. He straightens in a second, giving a harsh glare at Waver's blue hologram.
"Now don't annoy us, Lord El Melloi II. We will not harm the King. We've brought him here to protect him," he says scathingly. Originally the grudge they felt blinded them but now, after watching him gain a human heart, that has changed.
"Save me....? Hold on, what's going on? You know something, Flauros?" Roman asks, shaking away his initial bewilderment.
"I'm the one sitting at the control panel, you're not exactly in a position to tell me what to do or not do!"
Lord El-Melloi II yelling at a demon is very stupid. However, if anyone thought it was unexpected did not know the man at all. There is a very annoyed noise from the Servant, the kind that usually got thrown at Flat, and his attention goes to Roman.
Flauros is playing the same game, ignoring the impudent Pseudo Servant and turning to the nervous looking doctor. "Yes, my King. What would you do?"
Roman glances at him and then to the blue hologram. "Um," he starts, not his most eloquent ice-breaker, but these decision making at the heat of the moment is difficult. "Wait a moment, Lord El Melloi II. I... I want to hear what he has to say." Besides if they sought to hurt him, they wouldn't have allowed any transmission. His questions about why he's in a human body, in Lev, can wait. "So. What is coming on?"
There's nothing good about doing the same thing as a demon, but that's where life has lead Lord El-Melloi II in this moment. His fingers drum on the control panel, the tapping carrying over.
"If...if you're sure," he says after Roman's made a decision. He tries not to think something about how long it takes him to make a decision, something something wisdom of Solomon. Roman wouldn't like that.
Flauros frowns at the interruption. "We the Information Center shall only speak with our King." Roman shakes his head in response, holding a hand up.
I'm no your King, he wants to correct him, but fear of being in an unknown and familiar place made it stay in his tongue, unspoken. "He'll hear it from me if not from you. What is this all about? Why are you in Lev?" Roman's eyes narrow. They weren't supposed to go around possessing people!
"The latter... I refuse to answer without the Control Center's Authorization but the former," Flauros pauses, "The Beast of Gaia was lost in the Sands of Times. That is the source of your crisis."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ff sorry for the delay
Regardless, it's different from what they seem to have faced so far.
"...Thank you, ah, I suppose I need to teach you how to operate this first," he says in sudden realization. He feels his hands tremble a little, but he doesn't want to show it. It's scary to go there alone, but he needs to do it for the sake of everyone.
you're totally fine!
There's a look on Lord El-Melloi II's face, a smug grin, and it means he's laughing at a very, very specific inside joke. And for him, it's hilarious.
In a moment, the rolling chair that sat so leisurely across from Roman is beside him, the chair of a junior colleague ready to learn.
"Let's begin."
let's do the training off screen because I have NO IDEA (damn Nasu not showing this)
He suppresses a shudder at the mental image of a wreckage under this mysterious magus feet and rolls his chair to a side to welcome the new operator. "All right," he gestures at the console, "These panels control SHEBA Lenses." So it begins the long session about how to insert coordinates, how to adjust the observation to avoid the dispersion phenomena of the rayshifted person and other essential information. Most important one would be emergency rayshifting and how to perform them.
sounds good nerdy version of eye of the tiger plays in the bg
It's computers. Lord El-Melloi II understands them, but then he begins to think about all of it as a video game, and everything tumbles into place far faster. This approach, this approach is right. And while he may not master everything immediately, he gets the logic. When there's mistakes, he corrects quickly and almost always locates the right buttons to press before Roman can tell him what to do instead.
He's not DaVinci or any of the normal staff, but after a while, he's skilled enough to at least manage this simple thing before them both.
no subject
He's relieved that Lord El Melloi II seems to catch up quickly. Many magus seem to be too proud and too caught in their archaic ways. He lets him navigate the panel without interference, just stepping in if some button shouldn't be pressed. Learning by doing is the best course. He knows this in the flesh.
"Do you feel certain?" he asks after what seems like hours have passed.
no subject
Hitting weird buttons is a video game tradition, Roman! Duh of course he's going to figure this one out.
With confidence to spare too. When Roman asks if he's ready, El-Melloi II nods firmly.
"If anything goes absolutely wrong, I'll get DaVinci in here. But we shouldn't need to do that."
SORRY FOR THE DELAY, HOLIDAYS MADNESS
Avoid the red, big ones, and he's good. At least, he hopes Chaldea wouldn't accidentally self-destruct by leaving him in charge.
"...Fine," he heaves a sigh, unsure if he wants Leonardo to yell at him by his recklessness, but he knows is for the best. "All right, I guess is my turn to make myself ready."
You're good also LOOK SOLOMON DIDN'T RUIN NA CHRISTMAS!
That's less so here, but Roman deserves that same confidence. If only for Roman's trust.
"Do whatever you need to do," Lord El-Melloi II says, sitting at the control panel like it is the most natural place in the world for him. His fingers rest on the appropriate buttons, ready and waiting.
CONGRATS ON THE ANIME BTW! /POMS POMS/
Leonardo must be in her studio at the time, so he can avoid her. Why did most of Master Candidates have to be teenagers?
thank you i want to thank fgo dollars for giving me Flat fucking up a porsche and soccer mom waver
"Take a lighter with you. The code won't function otherwise."
Easy solution. Even if he'll get scolded for encouraging smoking.
lmao fgo dollars are the best dollars, btw I'm on a trip for a week at least
"Oh, thank you," he takes the offered code and its cigar. "Leonardo's going to get mad at me when I return smelling to tobacco." He says that to cheer himself up over the idea of wandering to something unknown and dangerous.
they fund soccer mom waver. also ok gotcha
Lord El-Melloi II doesn't quite smile, but he imagines that his head nod is more than enough. And willingness to take a bullet for Roman with DaVinci firing. That must count for something.
Everything else is going to be on the fly.
"You're as ready as you're ever going to be. Let us begin."
no subject
He walks toward the coffin, aptly named, it feels like he's heading to his grave.
"Yes, I think so," he says, opening one to slip inside.
no subject
Foolproof ain't nothing on DaVinci proof, truly. As Roman prepares himself, Waver's focus returns to the screens. He starts to go through the sequence of operations as Roman instructed him (referring to his own notes once or twice). Waits until he's heard the coffin door shut, and then gives Roman a few more moments to settle.
"I'm ready when you are," Lord El-Melloi II says with a calm he doesn't feel at all.
no subject
He'll probably materialize on the sky somewhere, he hopes he won't be too far up or he'll just, well, he'll just break his neck before this adventure starts.
"I'm ready." Beat. "I hope."
no subject
Lord El-Melloi II's voice is so much calmer than he is. He consults his notes as he begins the process. Does everything in order, repeating the instructions under his breath. He does not tell himself any lies to make it easier - such as it's a video game cheat coat - because that makes any mistake made easier to forgive. He is using a system that Roman has spent so little time training him on, and possibly sending the acting director of Chaldea into death. No pressure.
He finishes the last few buttons. Looks over to the coffin.
No more Roman.
Which means turning on transmission.
"...Doctor?"
He's quiet. Nervous.
no subject
"I'm fine... I think," Roman answers, after a moment he's lost in his thoughts and the painful nostalgia. "I know what this is," he mentions quietly. It's impossible, but he knows this place, it resembles.
"I was waiting for you, Romani Archaman." Another voice interjects, Roman immediately looks at the source off-screen.
Impossible. He-, he looks pale, as his eyes grow bigger. "Professor Lev?"
no subject
So when Roman's face lights up the screen, there's nothing but relief on Lord El-Melloi II's face.
"Where is..." he trails off.
"What the hell?!" he replaces the lost words with instead. Lev was dead. Dead as a doornail.
no subject
"Lev..." Roman still stares at the pitch darkness and on that moment the familiar man clad in green appears, tipping his hat to the man in greeting.
"Greetings, Lord El Melloi II, it's rather surprising to see you like that," Lev smiles humorlessly then turns his gaze at Romani's direction, opening his eyes slightly. "And to you too, Romani Archaman. No, I guess that is incorrect, isn't it? Your Majesty, my King Solomon." His voice shakes, as does the ground beneath them briefly, of course, Romani entrusted Lev his secret once, opening a path untreated before. The grudge still remains but they were able to observe their King and understand a single human being. "I am Lev Lainur Flauros."
no subject
Flauros he says, and there is a very loud string of swears.
"Roman, retreat," he spits out, far too tense. "Right fucking now, we're getting you out of there."
no subject
"Now don't annoy us, Lord El Melloi II. We will not harm the King. We've brought him here to protect him," he says scathingly. Originally the grudge they felt blinded them but now, after watching him gain a human heart, that has changed.
"Save me....? Hold on, what's going on? You know something, Flauros?" Roman asks, shaking away his initial bewilderment.
no subject
Lord El-Melloi II yelling at a demon is very stupid. However, if anyone thought it was unexpected did not know the man at all. There is a very annoyed noise from the Servant, the kind that usually got thrown at Flat, and his attention goes to Roman.
"Roman. Your orders, please."
no subject
Roman glances at him and then to the blue hologram. "Um," he starts, not his most eloquent ice-breaker, but these decision making at the heat of the moment is difficult. "Wait a moment, Lord El Melloi II. I... I want to hear what he has to say." Besides if they sought to hurt him, they wouldn't have allowed any transmission. His questions about why he's in a human body, in Lev, can wait. "So. What is coming on?"
no subject
"If...if you're sure," he says after Roman's made a decision. He tries not to think something about how long it takes him to make a decision, something something wisdom of Solomon. Roman wouldn't like that.
"But I'm listening in."
sorry lifeeeee got hard
I'm no your King, he wants to correct him, but fear of being in an unknown and familiar place made it stay in his tongue, unspoken. "He'll hear it from me if not from you. What is this all about? Why are you in Lev?" Roman's eyes narrow. They weren't supposed to go around possessing people!
"The latter... I refuse to answer without the Control Center's Authorization but the former," Flauros pauses, "The Beast of Gaia was lost in the Sands of Times. That is the source of your crisis."
don't ever worry i know you will always return!