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."
It's nice, being backed up by a superior. Since becoming a Lord, it has happened a little more often, but not enough that Lord El-Melloi II isn't not shocked when it happens.
Luckily it's easy to tamp down any surprised or even delighted reactions to that fact, because as Not-Lev speaks, keeps speaking, everything about this situation continues to get worse.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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."
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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.
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"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."
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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.
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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."
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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!
Luckily it's easy to tamp down any surprised or even delighted reactions to that fact, because as Not-Lev speaks, keeps speaking, everything about this situation continues to get worse.
"So we're looking at a stability issue?"