what even is this

[fujimaru]

Comment with a Servant* and I will write an IC Servant-shaming sign for them, as provided by Master. YOU CAN RESPOND OR NOT, but I'll do it.

* Servants do not have to actually be canon as long as we've threaded before/I'm familiar with the canon.

Comments

[weiyingdown]

It's bad when I do it but I don't care about that. It isn't bad when you do it, because every time you try to slack off someone barges in and drags you off to do something.

[fujimaru]

That stuff is important too! Even the parts that aren't, you know, "Hey, Ritsuka, the world is about to end again, come fix it."

[ She takes her job seriously! Okay! She might not be the most powerful Master, but she'll be the most available one to everyone that she can!! ]

[weiyingdown]

Do you know what else is important? Taking some time for yourself!

[his tone doesn't leave much room for argument, as he pushes her into a bar and plops her down at a table. he's gone for less than thirty seconds before he reappears with a large jar of alcohol in one hand and a plate of bar snacks in the other. he sets them both down on the table and helps himself, picking up the conversation right where he left it.]

I'm not saying that they mean it badly. But it's okay to put your foot down if you don't want to do something. Otherwise it's like they're taking advantage of you.

[fujimaru]

You make it sound like I don't take a break at all...

[ And he would be right, but listen, she isn't going to admit that. Nor is she actually going to protest when he makes her sit, folding her arms on the table and leaning onto them. ]

And anyway, I don't mind doing things for people. That's one of my best traits, you know? Being helpful to others.

[weiyingdown]

[he grins and waves a hand as she protests; no argument from him, but she's getting a big "yeah, suuuuure" look as he takes another sip of his drink]

It's one of your most admirable traits. One of your best traits is your stubbornness.

[fujimaru]

...My best, or my worst?

[ She says it weakly, rubbing the back of her neck. ]

If things have to get done, someone has to do them. If it ends up being me, that's just how it goes, right?

[weiyingdown]

Definitely best. Stubbornness is good for people; it means that they have something they're willing to fight others for.

[reaching over the table to ruffle her hair]

I'm not scolding you, Master, no need to look so put out! I already know this is how you are. The ever-diligent Master, always willing to help out. When I was your age I spent more time trying to get kicked out of class and mess around. You're putting my past self to shame.

[fujimaru]

[ She swats at his hand idly, without much strength behind it. ]

I put my own past self to shame! I wasn't really that good at sticking with things before I came here. ...I didn't skip or anything, but I just kind of... coasted. I got by.

[weiyingdown]

[pushes a bowl of snacks in front of her]

Is that you're way of saying that you're happy here, now that you have a purpose for yourself?

[fujimaru]

Yeah, what gave that away?

[ Drinks are still a no-go, but snacks are nice. She doesn't just dig in, but she does take one cracker, fiddling with it. ]

I guess... a lot of people think it's scary when someone knows you, right? But I'm kind of relieved. I used to wonder if there was any sort of substance to me at all.

But if this many people know me and believe in me-- that says a lot, doesn't it?

[weiyingdown]

It might say more about us, pushing so much responsibility onto a kid. But it says only good things about you.

That part of you didn't just appear because we asked it to, either. Wasn't it always there? Haha, so you've always been a good kid.

[fujimaru]

I was a lazy kid.

I still am, probably. If you leave me alone for too long I'll just take root somewhere and start growing mushrooms.

[weiyingdown]

That's alright. We could become mushroom farmers. You'd just have to sit there long enough for us to be able to sell all of the mushrooms that sprout on you!

[fujimaru]

That's just starting to sound weird!

[ But she's laughing now. Good job. ]

[weiyingdown]

[success!]

No weirder than anything else you've done!

[fujimaru]

Everything weird I've done has been for you people. I was driven to it!

[weiyingdown]

You were certainly driven to it, but the only one who can make you do those things is you!

[a beat, and then he feels compelled to add,]

And Miss Kiyohime, of course.

[fujimaru]

...It's not like I WANT her to go crazy and burn anything down.

Including myself.

[weiyingdown]

And yet, she does it anyways. It she could at least see reason it would be easier to deal with.

[fujimaru]

You could say that about any of the Berserkers. It's just that she's specifically focused on me.

[ Raikou, at least, can be distracted by Kintoki, and sometimes Jack when the maternal instinct is particularly worked up. But Kiyohime is... Kiyohime. ]

Or I say that, but even when she had a class shift she's still pretty single-minded...

[weiyingdown]

I would hate to make disparaging remarks about her character when she isn't here to defend herself, but it's possible that it's simply just her personality. Being a Berserker or not has nothing to do with it. Or at least, not as much to do with it as you'd expect...

[fujimaru]

No, it's definitely her personality. You weren't here the summer she switched classes... she's still absolutely just like that.

I'm honestly not sure she even needed Madness Enhancement to be a Berserker, let's say.

[weiyingdown]

[that's terrifying]

Master, stop summoning Servants that are that terrifying. You might be able to survive them, but I don't know if the rest of us can.

[fujimaru]

You're saying that like I do it on purpose. They just show up, okay?

...And most of them aren't THAT bad...

[weiyingdown]

Get rid of the ones that are that bad! You can get rid of them. You don't have to keep all of them.

[he says it with all of the seriousness that he can muster, but there's no heat behind it]