[ Don't tell her Mordred is jealous... Gray looks at her in all her pouty glory. She isn't really clear on this, but as a Master, should it be her job to appease her Servant's insecurities no matter what? ]
I was also grateful to him because he responded when I needed to release the Restraints of the Round Table on the lance...
[ Narrator voice: Mordred did not respond when Gray needed to release the Restraints of the Round Table. Oblingingly, she continues. ]
I think you're cool too.
[ Granted, she thinks all of the knights are cool until proven otherwise. ]
[ No matter how much Gray appreciates Mordred, she isn't excitable enough to jump up and start showering her with fanatic praise out of nowhere. Nor is Gray willing to forsake Kay or Add, whom she owes so much to. So Mordred will just have to get the pout out of her system. One of the cats pads around to peek at Mordred, perhaps curious about the sudden about-face.
But Gray is curious about something, now that Mordred mentions it. ]
What's your requirement? Only five knights answered, so I don't know the rest.
[ Having invoked the Seals Thirteen only once, she doesn't even know if five knights answering is a lot or a little. Maybe a little, since it wasn't even half. ]
[ Then she'll continue being unreasonably sore about it. The cat at least helps, if only to give her an excuse to not turn around. ]
It was somethin' like... "the battle must be one against evil". [ More "exactly like", but maybe this way Gray won't question why the worst knight apparently has standards. ] Obviously, whatever fight you went and picked didn't quality.
[ It's a surprisingly idealistic condition next to Kay's, which was that "the battle must be one for survival." Did Mordred place so much weight on morality? Maybe it was something that used to matter to her, before she trod the path of treachery. Gray thinks about asking her, but she also thinks that the answer might unfold naturally as she continues to see more of Mordred's memories.
More importantly, Gray thinks that maybe she should try to address Mordred's unhappiness after all. There's a brief silence as she considers what the root of the issue might be. ]
I would still choose you as a Servant over Sir Kay.
[ Mordred glances over her shoulder, face scrunched, trying to tell whether or not Gray is bullshitting her. Normally she'd be more doubtful, but if Gray's willing to say it in front of not!Kay... ]
You'd be an idiot not to. A sharp tongue always gets cut off by a sharper sword. [ She returns her attention to the cat, faking nonchalance. ] As long as you understand that much, then I guess I can keep being your Servant.
[ "I guess." As if she'd have any choice in the matter if Gray really wanted to be an asshole. ]
[ Mordred will find Gray looking at her with her usual mild expression. The act of actively spreading bullshit is foreign to her. That said, she can see that Mordred is wary about it. Maybe it's like how someone who often lies will also assume that everyone else lies too.
Gray rests her hands on top of Add's cage and looks out the window at where the chickens (Tristans) are milling about. Somehow, despite being two worlds away from home, her life has only become more saturated by the Round Table. ]
Either way, you would still be better for me.
[ She does believe that, despite all of the Mordred-shaped problems that Mordred happens to bring. And though it may seem like a non sequitur, she continues. ]
Yeah? Then make sure Subtract over there knows it.
[ Deep down, underneath all the bluster, Mordred has a hard time imagining herself as the better choice for anyone... but good luck getting that out of her. ]
I'll help train you if you want. If I don't have the strongest Master, then people won't know I'm the strongest Servant. [ The arrogance of this, when there's a literal god running around... ] But remember that strength isn't just physical. Keep looking forward, but give yourself credit for the growin' you've already done, too.
[ Thankfully, Add isn't prone to jealousy... as far as Gray knows. Even if he can be a pain in the neck with his remarks, he's always been understanding of her choices and needs. He's unconditionally supportive of her, in his own abrasive way.
At Mordred's advice, Gray looks back to her, a bit flat-footed. It can be easy to forget that Mordred is in a position to give life advice after she's emulated a cat and pouted mightily in your living room. Nevertheless, to Gray it has meaning. ]
... I know. Even if I still have a long way to go, the me of two years ago would have been surprised to see me now.
[ Especially if the younger Gray could see the current Gray lounging around with Mordred with nary a death threat to be heard. ]
Training together... I'd like that. I can't be a proper Master like a mage would, so physical strength is all I can work on.
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Date: 2023-12-06 01:14 am (UTC)I was also grateful to him because he responded when I needed to release the Restraints of the Round Table on the lance...
[ Narrator voice: Mordred did not respond when Gray needed to release the Restraints of the Round Table. Oblingingly, she continues. ]
I think you're cool too.
[ Granted, she thinks all of the knights are cool until proven otherwise. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 03:02 am (UTC)[ Still!! Grumpy!! She literally turns away from Gray to hide her pout, which does approximately nothing to help her.
Muttered: ] Stupid freakin' lance... stupid freakin' seals... why the hell's he getting all the credit? Mine's totally reasonable!
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 04:10 am (UTC)But Gray is curious about something, now that Mordred mentions it. ]
What's your requirement? Only five knights answered, so I don't know the rest.
[ Having invoked the Seals Thirteen only once, she doesn't even know if five knights answering is a lot or a little. Maybe a little, since it wasn't even half. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 07:02 am (UTC)It was somethin' like... "the battle must be one against evil". [ More "exactly like", but maybe this way Gray won't question why the worst knight apparently has standards. ] Obviously, whatever fight you went and picked didn't quality.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 10:54 am (UTC)[ It's a surprisingly idealistic condition next to Kay's, which was that "the battle must be one for survival." Did Mordred place so much weight on morality? Maybe it was something that used to matter to her, before she trod the path of treachery. Gray thinks about asking her, but she also thinks that the answer might unfold naturally as she continues to see more of Mordred's memories.
More importantly, Gray thinks that maybe she should try to address Mordred's unhappiness after all. There's a brief silence as she considers what the root of the issue might be. ]
I would still choose you as a Servant over Sir Kay.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 04:11 pm (UTC)You'd be an idiot not to. A sharp tongue always gets cut off by a sharper sword. [ She returns her attention to the cat, faking nonchalance. ] As long as you understand that much, then I guess I can keep being your Servant.
[ "I guess." As if she'd have any choice in the matter if Gray really wanted to be an asshole. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 09:30 pm (UTC)Gray rests her hands on top of Add's cage and looks out the window at where the chickens (Tristans) are milling about. Somehow, despite being two worlds away from home, her life has only become more saturated by the Round Table. ]
Either way, you would still be better for me.
[ She does believe that, despite all of the Mordred-shaped problems that Mordred happens to bring. And though it may seem like a non sequitur, she continues. ]
I've been thinking that I want to get stronger.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-07 06:40 am (UTC)[ Deep down, underneath all the bluster, Mordred has a hard time imagining herself as the better choice for anyone... but good luck getting that out of her. ]
I'll help train you if you want. If I don't have the strongest Master, then people won't know I'm the strongest Servant. [ The arrogance of this, when there's a literal god running around... ] But remember that strength isn't just physical. Keep looking forward, but give yourself credit for the growin' you've already done, too.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-08 12:33 pm (UTC)At Mordred's advice, Gray looks back to her, a bit flat-footed. It can be easy to forget that Mordred is in a position to give life advice after she's emulated a cat and pouted mightily in your living room. Nevertheless, to Gray it has meaning. ]
... I know. Even if I still have a long way to go, the me of two years ago would have been surprised to see me now.
[ Especially if the younger Gray could see the current Gray lounging around with Mordred with nary a death threat to be heard. ]
Training together... I'd like that. I can't be a proper Master like a mage would, so physical strength is all I can work on.