video/action - unseelie;

[madeover]

[ When Eggsy starts up the video broadcast, he's standing in an outdoor area of the Station, in front of one of its restaurants. He'd come close to his place during his scouting mission last month, but he hadn't had time to investigate back then. It sounds like they've got some hell coming their way, but there's not much they can do before those mechanical creations appear except for prepare.

Right now, he's planning to kill two birds with one stone. ]

So what's with this place? It's like a tiny slice of home.

[ Despite the modern surroundings, Eggsy's puca is milling around in the background, a dark and nasty creature that he somehow managed to tame -- sort of. ]

Are we allowed to stay here? Then again, might not be the best idea. There's been some earthquakes... I think.

[ They don't get them in London, so he's not that familiar with what they feel like, but still. The ground shaking for a few seconds without any warning... what else could it be?

He draws a hand over his mouth as he runs through his mental list of what else he wanted to ask. ]

Oh, also. Battle's comin' up, I need a teacher for sword fighting and magic and archery. I know there's loads of different kinds of magic, but if you wanna tell me what you specialize in, it might help me figure out where to start.

[ This whole thing is kind of awkward, talking to no one and everyone at the same time, so he finishes off abruptly. ]

Think that's it. Thanks in advance. Cheers.

[ Once he's done with that, Eggsy pockets his locket and starts to explore the rest of the Station, so he's primed to run into anyone who might call it home -- or anyone who's there for a visit. ]

Comments

Video

[withbite]

Look who's still alive. Good for you, junior.

I'm not entirely bad at sword fighting, but Fernando's probably better. My... advantages aren't exactly teachable -- unless you feel like losing your shard and becoming undead. Loads of perks.

Video

[madeover]

Are you that surprised?

[ Eggsy's almost tempted to be offended by that. He can take care of himself, even if he doesn't have the skills yet to fight like some age-old knight. He'll get there. ]

Who the fuck's Hernando? And look, I told you before, ain't really interested in the vampire thing.

[ He doesn't look upset to see Damon, though. He'd been helpful during their first conversation and he's easy to talk to, probably because he's from a modern world -- even if he is a vampire. ]

[withbite]

These days? Who knows?

[The war was getting louder, angrier, like a milling beast that was taking on a life of its own. Casualties were more noticeable than they'd once been.]

Fernando. He's one of mine and he's more than proficient with sword work. If you want to learn, he can teach you -- the human way, since you're so against the fun parts of life.

[He didn't actually expect anyone to take him up on his offers, but he still made them. One day, he might get surprised.]

[madeover]

[ Damon makes a good point. It sounds like shit is about to really hit the fan here, and even someone like Saber had ended up dead. So even something as simple as confirmation that someone's still kicking can be a relief.

Fernando, right. He frowns at Damon's word usage, that this guy is his, because people aren't property. ]

It depends on whether he wants to teach me. [ It strikes Eggsy as odd that Damon is speaking on this guy's behalf, so he wants to make sure there's nothing shady going on here. ]

[withbite]

He'll teach you.

[Fernando was Damon's bodyguard, not that he needed one, along with his right hand man, majordomo, valet, adjutant, and whatever else Damon needed, including a snack. Don't expect Fernando to ever say no to anything Damon asks.]

[madeover]

Why, because you tell him to? [ Eggsy frowns and shakes his head. ] Don't want it to be like that.

[ He's only going to accept a teacher who decides he's worth the effort, not as a favor for someone else. Then it would just leave a bad taste in his mouth. ]

[withbite]

... You realize that if I 'ask' any guard if they want to teach you, they'll say yes. I could be the most sugary sweet version of myself and dance around it with all this 'only if you want to' crap, and they're all going to say yes. Because I'm the boss. Short and sweet, no one's really going to say no unless it goes against some moral code or something.

Fernando...

[Damon turned the locket towards the man in question.]

Would you teach this sprat here how to use a sword and avoid winding up dead?

[Fernando hid a smile with a quirk of his lips, then gave the locket, and Eggsy, a bow of his head.]

It would be my honor, shardbearer, to teach any friend of My Lord's how to keep existing and continuing to be a friend of My Lord's.

[Damon turned the locket back to himself, grinning.]

See? All good.

[madeover]

[ Eggsy watches the entire interaction play out, a little stunned to realize that Damon commands that sort of loyalty among the people who serve under him. It's still a bit medieval for his taste, this whole pledging one's sword thing, but then again, is Kingsman really so different? He'd do whatever Merlin or Arthur (not the old one, but whoever might be chosen to replace him) told him to do.

Even so, Eggsy drags out his response, running his tongue around the inside of his mouth as he thinks it over.

Not dying is what he has in mind, and if accepting Damon's offer is how he does that, then so be it. ]

... So what do I have to do?

[withbite]

[He paid them. He kept them as safe as he could in their little area. And he had a few names that they called him behind his back that led to a little awe and curiosity -- not all of them having to do with his prowess behind closed doors, even.

He watches the younger man think it over, then ask the question, like he expected the vampire to ask for part of his soul. He grinned.]

Show up. You can either stay here for the duration of it or pop in via the handy little rings. Schedule a block of time with Fernando and whatever else happens is between you two.

[madeover]

[ Moving around is a lot easier for Eggsy these days, so it would be possible for him to shift around from spire to spire depending on what he's training in that day. His schedule is going to fill up pretty fast at this rate. ]

Which spire are you in charge of again?

[ It's hard to keep track, okay. ]

[withbite]

Five, but you can call out Raven's Wing now. Either will get you here.

[As all the spires that had their own name grew in power and bodies, the imps and fairies changed the rings accordingly. Wasn't that so helpful of them?]

[madeover]

[ Trying to keep both the numbers and names straight in his head is going to be a challenge, but Eggsy's sure he'll get the hang of it eventually.

So he nods. ] Right. And I can just come whenever? [ It feels a little rude to just show up, since the spires are sort of like these people's homes. ]

[withbite]

[The ring would drop him off outside the base of the spire and there was a bustling town around it. There was always a guard at the ready near the ring on the off chance one was needed, but otherwise, traffic came and went as traffic tended to. Not many shardbearers came out this way, though more seemed to lately with the Oasis not far from there.]

If you want to send a message on the locket first, feel free. Or a raven. Or whatever other way of communication they have here. Sparkle letters in the sky.

[Hear the tone, Eggsy. Love it.]

Otherwise, whoever you talk to will direct you to where you can find Fernando.

[madeover]

[ Sparkle letters in the sky. Yeah, Eggsy hears that tone and while part of him wants to roll his eyes at it, part of him thinks that they all need a little more humor around here. ]

Fresh out of ravens and sparkle letters, so I think the locket will do.

[ Still, it all sounds simple enough, so he nods. ]

Thanks for all this. [ He glances down as he says it. ] Know you don't got to do any of it, but you went outta your way, so -- yeah, thanks.

[withbite]

[Damon waved the sentiment away.]

I don't know about you, but I want to go home. Which means there needs to be a home to go to. Which means... our side needs to win. So if that means offering services to keep more of us alive, that's literally the bare minimum I can do.

[madeover]

[ Well, Eggsy can't argue with that logic. It's a little easier to accept what Damon's offering him when he's aware that there's a selfish aspect to it too. It's hard for him to believe that there are many people out there who do others favors out of the goodness of their hearts. ]

Makes sense. Suppose I'll be seeing more of you soon, then.

[ And he'll get a glimpse of that Oasis place too, though Eggsy doesn't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. ]

[withbite]

Most likely. Try to keep yourself alive until then.

[Probably a little of column a and a little of column b. Mostly column a, but... hey. It was what Eggsy would make of it.]

[madeover]

[ That's such a common sentiment at this point that Eggsy barely blinks at it. ] Yeah, you too. [ Though it shouldn't be a problem for a vampire.

With that said, Eggsy gives a lazy salute and then ends the transmission. ]