Demi-Servant

Mashu Kyrielite | Shielder Fate/Grand Order Affiliated with Novadelirium

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Most of the journey was silent, except when she spoke up a couple of times.

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

Couple of hours walking, Carbuncle soon lead them to the beach. Barely anyone seemed to be around so it could be a decent place for some peace without interruption. Somewhere they can talk further with little background noise. Their previous discussion could continue later, but for now, something more cheerful might be ideal for both of them.

A quick run along and he climbs up to perch himself onto a high rock to avoid getting sand on or in his clothes. He waited patiently for Shielder to catch up and presumably attempt to hoist herself up beside him. Which should be interesting to see in all that armor, considering it could probably easily get scratched with too much friction.

“You coming up?”

Now to see how she’d do to keep everything looking as pristine as it always has, but if the agility she had shown before was anything to go by, she could most likely manage it very easily.

The sight alone of a sandy shore washed away some of the lingering sorrows wriggling around Mashu's heart. The soundtrack was one she was familiar with, having found applications which replicated such sounds for a calming effect, which she had taken full advantage of during her time in Chaldea before seeing anything beyond its thick windows. She'd imagine herself out on the edge of any mass of land, watching the waters sway to the ends of the Earth.

To have actually experienced it with her Master and fellow Servants was one of her fonder memories. It warmed her inside faster than the summer sun could with its furious heat. On her lips, the same gentle smile wove itself that had been missing for days.

Apparently, sand wasn't on the menu today, as Noctis had taken the chance to start rock-climbing, carrying himself to a makeshift seat well above the shore, and then asked of Mashu's decision. She had expected them to sit on the beach itself, though she had no qualms with a higher resting point - the beach during the previous summer had no such place, not before the girls had made themselves at home.

"Ah, sure".

She backed up briefly, heels grinding themselves into the ground and her frame crouched as if ready to pounce on an enemy. But instead, when she sprang, her body flew upwards, and onto the rock-face, grasping the rough face with both hands to hoist herself the rest of the way. Her body had always felt much lighter after Galahad's contract; and certainly fitter.

With a quick brushing down, Mashu took her place beside Noctis and looked out to the sea, in awe of its subtle splendor. "Do you come to places such as this often to clear your head?"

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Shielder’s story sounded partially similar to his with the way she explained it. To think she suffered just as much as he did and went through so many hardships. But to him, her life seemed worse than his could ever be. He took note of the grasp she had on her ring, looking down towards his shortly after. Maybe hers had a similar meaning to his as well. Either way, both seemed to have a fair amount in common.

“I’m sorry…”

He felt so overwhelmed from hearing about the situation she had, just like he had when hearing that Insomnia had fallen. By word of the newspaper, no less. It was difficult for him. A disaster on such a scale. But if she needed a shoulder to cry on, he’d be there for her. For as long as this place would allow.

But enough of the sour feelings. He learned from his past mistakes of moping about it all day. What to distract her with though. Maybe a walk around to find a beach, if there was one.

A quick push upward and he returned to his feet, holding his hand out to motion for her to follow his example. Hopefully she wouldn’t be too upset to go for a quiet stroll to find somewhere nicer to talk about something else.

“Come on. Let’s find something to do. Can’t sit around all day getting upset about the past.”

With little hesitation, he rose. Noctis had prompted her after him by a gentle quip, and though she was still in the process of grieving for Roman, as well as her surviving family whom she'd been separated from, Mashu watched only briefly with bemusement before lifting herself up. And stayed close to him as they traversed the route he'd chosen

She was quiet, uncertain what to say. It was his decision to focus on whatever lay ahead for them both, but on her mind was the fact that, while Chaldea's mission had concluded, Insomnia's plight was far from. But if she continued on the topic, that would only disobey his suggestion, made out of concern for the both of them. Still, her chest ached in contemplation and dread, glancing at him now and again.

"Thank you".

Her voice was faint, almost strained, and uneasy. What was there to say? She wasn't quite sure.

But having him there, hearing her out and sharing the same, strangely similar tale of his history, it gave her some feeling of closeness which grew, bridging the gap that the time between their last day out together and their current had carved.

"I will pray... that everything works out for you and your home".

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

It was incredibly kind of her to consider his feelings over her curiosity, but still, no time would be a good one to tell her the exact details. Better to get it over with and then move on. That way, at least they could get on with things as normal as possible in a different environment.

“Doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”

With no way back as far as they’d known so far, there wasn’t much point in keeping things hushed and shut away to fester and potentially do more harm by staying silent.

“My home. It’s called Insomnia. Also known as the Crown City. Where… the king and his son lived. After me and my friends left, Niflheim and their forces invaded. Was supposed to be a treaty signing that day, but we didn’t find out until later. They betrayed the king and killed him… then took control of the city. We tried to go back, but the road got blocked off.”

Truthfully, it felt as if it was only happening yesterday. Everything went by so fast he couldn’t keep up mentally. It wore him down so much, he barely had a chance to breathe. Sure, he still had a lot of fun with his friends inbetween the rush of the dangers they faced so suddenly.

Still, he shared a piece of his story, now it was her turn.

“Your turn…”

A difficult story to hear, much less endure. Mashu’s imagination couldn’t hold a candle to the hardships through which he and his friends had been through, and somehow come out on the other side of. She hoped.

Though it was more wishful thinking than truly believing it to be the case; not after his outburst on the previous occasion. Chances were they were still embroiled in the middle of the whole terrible affair.

Not to mention, the countless others who suffered. The king who perished protecting his people, as was his duty. Betrayal, slaughter and royal dealings, they weren’t entirely a foreign concept for her, but never did that numb how terrible it was to learn of, or even witness the fall of a good, earnest leader.

“I... I apologize. That’s terrible... It says something of your strength... to still be standing in one piece. A testament to your friends, also. I’m sorry... that your home has been treated so harshly and dealt such pain”.

It took a couple of minutes to compose herself enough to even consider how to begin her own history. In a manner that wouldn’t complicate the explanation and only leave the poor man confused. There were so many circuits which made the design of her life intricate.

“I... I was born in the headquarters of an organization known as Chaldea. It was nestled away safely so that we could prepare for a foreseen destruction of humanity by the year of 2017.

To counter that, we would call upon Servants - those who I briefly informed you of previously. Like the half of myself who served as a knight to King Arthur’s legacy. With their power, we intended to fend off whatever threat was to lay waste to humanity. Although before we had the chance, there was a quake which devastated headquarters, when the knight in me contracted me as his vessel wholly. Senpai, my Master, and I were thrown into a singularity in which history was deviating, along with Chaldea’s director.

During that time... the destruction foretold began to strip away the humanity of 2016, and the damage was largely done by the time Senpai and I returned... without the director.

We strived for months to help repair the singularities gone awry and gather the Holy Grails which were always close to the epicentre of such distortions. Eight in total. However, we met with out enemy along the way - the King of Magic; Solomon, from the Age of Gods.

It was his Temple of Time which served as our final stand against his scheme, as he set it on a collision course with Chaldea in the final days of December. 72 demon pillars awaited us, and attacked our home. There were many twists of fate, hurdles of which we struggled to climb over, many lives dear to us which we lost throughout our journey to the deadline for our efforts”.

Her chest grew tight, fingers clasping the silver ring hugging her finger, and began once more the battle to suppress her grief just to speak the tale. Noctis deserved it, Roman deserved his story told.

“The last was one dearest to me; the man who I considered the closest I had to a father. The man who was revealed to us as the true King of Magic, Solomon. As it appears, his corpse left after his rebirth as human ten years before had been taken and used against him.

It was a decade of fighting on his part, and a great deal for us, of varying lengths. And we were able to seize the future, for ourselves and mankind, but at such great costs. I was never expected to see it through, it was a miracle which spared me, and granted me a future which Doctor Roman surrendered for our sake”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Although the short problems were in the past, she continued on the subject, but he didn’t particularly want to be reminded. He made sure to note avoiding another moment of weakness though. Another upset of his could damage any remaining friendship they had left. Seemed as if he might need to brace himself in case she had any further questions in mind.

“Don’t really care. My business is probably none of your concern, but… I’m not gonna be rude about it if you wanna ask. Even if I’d rather not talk about it.”

While asking would most likely lead a sour wound to re-open, he didn’t want to make her feel like she was wrong to ask about his life or home. A third wouldn’t sit right with him, so the least he could do was to make it up to her somehow by giving her an answer to something, even if small.

“Guess we could share our stories if that’s any better for you.”

That suggestion would be entirely her decision, depending on whether Shielder wanted to disclose any information about the disasters she and the people she knew faced. He wasn’t too sure he wanted to talk about the invasion properly unless she insisted. Always a first for everything. Maybe he owed it to her. After all, she basically knew nothing about him. There is one thing he wouldn’t let on though: his royal upbringing. She didn’t need to know. And it wasn’t that important in this place anyway.

"It would be disrespectful - to you and your wishes - to press after you’ve made it clear you’d rather the matter be left. I’d rather not cause you anymore pain”.

Her silence hung heavily in the air afterwards, uncertain in what direction was appropriate to move, or how they were meant to proceed to another topic altogether. Everything seemed to circulate around the hapless intrusion of his past and homeland.

“If... you feel able to, it’s a possibility we can enact in the future. However, please don’t feel the need to if it remains a sore subject. It clearly has a great impact upon you and your reasons must be understood, so if we continue without speaking of the past, that is well with me”.

Gloved hands resting atop her lap squeezed one another, trembling with unease and hollow bitterness to her apparently lack of coordination since venturing into the strange Order; a singularity in which she was alone, even if not physically. But there was none to guide her along in how to approach any given situation.

Heavy shoulders sagged. “If you wish to speak about Chaldea, even without us discussing your own story, I have no qualms with it. You have no obligation to explain yourself, all the more if it would cause you pain to do so”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

The first thing to come from her was an apology. But for what? The previous upsets? It was all over and done with. He wouldn’t hold a grudge against her knowing she intended no harm. Besides, she never would have known about the trouble his home had. Would be pointless to be upset at her for something that wasn’t her fault.

“I’m good.”

Now for the main question.

“…So why are you sitting by yourself?”

If she missed home then being alone for too long would only make it worse. Maybe if he asked her preference for some kind of activity, as long as it didn’t involve anything too strenuous. He didn’t want to tire his legs or something worse should he have any stupid accidents that could have been avoided.

From where he stood, it was all done and dusted; in the past, where it should have been. A trivial matter which weighed heavily on her heart, more so because it hadn’t just been the once. However, even if he brushed it off as something from which he had moved on, it was a matter she wished to resolve properly.

It was important, after all. Home to her, as it was to him. Only fair she respect that.

“Are you no longer distressed by my careless prying? I do apologize for what happened... I had no idea... that what you have behind you is so much turmoil. Though it cannot justify or make it any better, I understand. We, at Chaldea, faced quite high stakes”.

A pause, lengthy and stagnant, as her heart quivered with the worry what she might say could undermine her assurances to the man.

“Although for us, it is in the past. We were not without cost though”.

Her sights fixated once more on the ring which she wore religiously; her one remaining relic of Roman. So far beyond reach no matter how much she wished for him to return. Even if he would... she was nowhere within sight or reach.

“I came here hoping to clear my head; it  has remained cluttered since causing you further upset. Though it seems the time has been ineffective and wasted. I don’t mean to trouble you”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

It might have just been him, but she seemed a lot more quieter than usual, only uttering his name and the usual honorific. Obviously it sent alarm bells ringing at that instant. Something here was definitely wrong. Maybe it would be better for him to retreat and yet, he couldn’t exactly keep setting a trend of leaving Shielder by herself. Instead, he moved around and seated himself next to her. But not too close to cause both of them discomfort. Probably enough room for another person to sit between them.

Considering the time passed since he last saw her, anyone else would assume she had been avoiding him on purpose, but he never though her as the type so it never really crossed his mind that he could be intruding. Still, he remained oblivious to the current situation she was in.

“…What?”

You could say she acted surprised to see him again, but he didn’t pay too much attention to it. Not when there were other things to think about.

He seemed so... unfazed by their time apart, and treated her the same as usual. Was that an indication that he had moved past their most recent slip-up? Perhaps it was wishful thinking to believe so, and she daren’t make assumptions when that appeared to be a root cause of trouble.

No, instead she wished to tread carefully, cautiously. Even if it might make stumbling ahead a slow and bumpy process.

What was she to say to him? What in response to his singular, brief questioning of her actions? Or to assure him that she was genuinely sorry for the distress, anything which might smooth the air between them.

With an exhale, both soft and weighted, her sights realigned themselves around, hanging low as to avoid any wandering eyes of children frolicking in the park on the other side of the dirt path and steel fencing.

“Sorry... that was careless of me... A- Are you doing well? You seem in good spirits, thankfully”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

A daily walk, or more like a daily routine of Carbuncle leading him astray, until spotting a familiar face sitting at the nearby park. Anyone could recognize her attire as being very different from the rest. He takes his time wandering over though because she looks more than a little bit upset and he couldn’t figure out why. Other than the obvious, of course.

When he finally reaches her chosen seating, he decides to lean on the back with his head rested on his arms, staring directly at her.

“What’s up?”

The question felt more stupid than something of concern, as if he should have known the problem in case he’d done something wrong. For a start, he ran out on her… twice. And whenever they seemed to be getting along, he’d get upset over the situation at home, something now out of his control.

Except, now, coming over was probably more of a bad idea than good. He wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted him to leave for the trouble he’d caused her so far.

It hadn’t fully registered with her that he had crept up behind her; the hairs down the back of Mashu’s neck standing on end and sent her spinning around, bringing her face-to-face with the man whom she had been avoiding. As terrible as it sounded.

She’d no idea what to do, or to say, now that they were in one another’s company again. After touching upon such raw nerves before, the remainder of their time together had been strained and awkward. Such time had passed that she wasn’t entirely sure what, if anything, was appropriate.

However, she was desperately lonely. And he was the one familiar face whom she could turn to, about anything.

She needed to apologize, for setting his feelings off with her carelessness.

“N- Noctis-san--”

After that, her mind went blank. He asked a question, but... what was it again? Failing to pay attention was really biting her in the backside all of a sudden.

[munimentum]

@noxluxcaelum

Not once, but twice, Mashu had tripped into such sensitive territory which resulted in backlash and a rather discouraged Noctis. Afraid of a third, perhaps fatal, encounter with the matters, Mashu had spent the time since busying herself. Learning to adapt to an ordinary city lifestyle, with no apparent clues or answers as to what more there was lurking in the shadows of such a strange place.

Bothersome, and it had been much more tolerable with company to endure it with. Ultimately... she was homesick, and there was nothing to keep herself busy enough to ignore that sensation.

Which only made the void grow larger and deeper, in so many respects. Finding herself alone after a life monitored by people was proving difficult to endure.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Barely even given the chance to step any further than just clearing the door, he should have expected Mashu would give chase after the last time. She was trying and he appreciated it. At least she cared. And without even knowing him that well. It was obvious that her personality was naturally no less than the kindest he could come across.

“Sorry. That’s the second time…”

Of course he felt bad. She did nothing wrong, it was simply a returning effort to continue the conversation rather than talking about herself too much. That made her an ideal friend for him. Someone he could trust to keep their talks unique and be there to help, should he need it. The least she deserved was to know something about him instead of being so secretive.

“….A war started after I left home with my friends. The capital was taken by the army. Hasn’t been the same since. They killed innocent people, in the city and outside the wall. But it’s not the only threat we’re facing.

That’s the situation. And why I needed to leave.”

He felt guilty for dumping so much onto Mashu at once, but what else could he do. Eventually he’d have to explain things to her. Better sooner than later.

She could understand why even loose reference had him so distressed, no wonder he had gotten up to leave so swiftly. His friends and family... so many people in peril and he could do nothing to see how they were doing.

The massacre of civilians and multiple threats... it reminded her of the siege at Babylonia, to watch Gilgamesh’s citizens slain by monstrosities. And not the first time, as the king informed her, any across the eight singularities who had perished would remain as such.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, and to imagine that Noctis would be in the same position as any of those civilians or Servants within any of those Orders... it was heartwrenching. Her chest ached to consider, her sights honed in on the ring once more; the closest she had to turning to Roman for advice.

If only he were still there...

“I- I understand... It’s such an enormous weight upon your shoulders. Anyone would find such a plight unbearable... I truly hope... that everyone is alright, and that the resolution of it is in your favour.

I wish... there was something, anything at all, I could do that could help you, all of you. We’ve... seen and experienced the same, but I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in the thick of it in the way you are. I’m sorry..."

There was no number of times she could apologize and it would feel enough, or how deeply her feelings went in emitting the message. It was unfair, cruel; why someone like he and those around him should have to suffer such a devastating event.

If only he didn’t have to experience the same variety of hardships they had, and be spared. She would gladly go through much more of the same to grant him that peace.

[mashu-kyrielite-is-love]

Made by: たん462

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Her intentions were good, he knew that, but the mention of loved ones still left a bitter sting. No matter how long it had been. It was something he’d probably never move on from. Those darkest moments of his life, completely destroying any pleasant feeling he had beforehand. They were something he didn’t particularly want to think about. Not right now, at least.

“Honestly? I don’t know how well it’s going right now. Things were pretty bad when I left… we’ve been here a while, so who knows what it’s like now. Probably a lot worse.”

To think; everyone there would be doing their best to fight as hard as they could, trying to survive for as long as possible until he returned. It saddened him. When they needed him the most, he wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing. This made his anger flare, his annoyance clearly obvious to anyone within the establishment. Maybe now would be a good time to take his leave before his temper got worse. Which he soon acted upon, quickly making his exit to get some fresh air.

“…Damn it.”

Here, his presence was useless. There wasn’t any real use for him. Other than being an errand boy yet again. Perhaps a few friends here and there. But that’s all.

What was the point.

In an instant, it became apparent that bringing up the subject of home and those around him had been a bad move. She was chocked full of them, apparently. Her heart sank to hear that things were rough, and more so that they were likely deteriorating. But when Noctis rose and began to leave, Mashu fumbled, slamming her knees against the table in a frantic effort to get up on her feet and chase after him before they could get separated.

“Wait--!”

She couldn’t catch up until they were on the other side of the door, when she seized a handful of his jacket and tugged, as if anchoring him to the spot. Her hair hung low, masking her eyes of guilt and preventing them from meeting his. She was ashamed, it was such a careless thing to do.

“I apologize... I had no idea... it wasn’t the intention to upset you. It was a stupid thing to say...”

Her throat grew tight, biting down on her lip so not to vent out her self-hatred in the heat of the moment or burst out the sadness which welled inside of her, for both his sake and her’s.

A light tremble, but she held on, reluctant to let go, like it might cause him to vanish before her eyes. And leave her alone once again.

“I’m sorry... I wish I could help... if there was a way you could get back to them...” Then, she might gladly be alone, so he could hold them again.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

“Seems like way too much for one person to memorize. Even for someone with good memory.”

What an explanation. Not something he expected there to be so much to it that it might take all day for her to tell him more. Sure, he assumed there’d be a sufficient quantity, but that much? It was kind of incredible. Whatever it was like where she came from, it sounded like she had it rough. Raised for fighting, and from the way she spoke, left without a proper childhood. How could anyone do that to a kid.

From the corner of his vision, he observed her. Merely out of curiosity. How it felt for her to go from all that to this. Being unable to fight constantly. Tossed into a place where she was essentially forced into living a normal life, just like every regular person.

“…..Just a lucky guess. I’ve seen something similar.”

Only half the truth. If she were to inquire further, that would be the time to consider whether he’d tell her or not. The news probably would cause some surprise at first. But it wasn’t as if he could help where he came from. He loved his family, of course; it was just unfortunate that they were involved in such a high risk life from the beginning. More often than not, he would find himself wishing they could have lived normally like most, although he knew it’d be impossible.

Fate’s cruel hand always played havoc wherever it saw fit, apparently. Never limited to Eos. Worlds besides his own existed and presumably they all suffered as much as the next. The thought alone could be enough to drive anyone insane.

His admission was surprising, to some degree, but then there was nothing which she could truly pin as an element to his homeland which she could imagine with certainty. There was next to nothing she knew of him, but she was eager to learn, if he was prepared to divulge his story.

By likening her history to his own, that insinuated to her that he just might be. That said, she wasn’t about to push the subject if it was sensitive. With a soft smile, she spoke, hoping his tale was nowhere near as high-octane as her own. Their similarities grew with each day, it seemed, and she embraced that. But in regards to their pasts and the circumstances of their homelands were concerned, she couldn’t wish any harder for his own to be a polar opposite.

“Really? I would have never imagined. You always seemed quite calm about the situation, though I hope that you’re able to see your loved ones soon”. Her fingertips brushed against the ring, stealing another glance at his. “If there has been a threat lingering, I’m certain they’ll hold the fort for you to get back to.

But... they’re lucky to have you in their lives, I’m a little jealous”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Again, another expression of uncertainty. Not in a manner of disapproval. Simply a moment of confusion.

“It’s a lot to take in. Surprised anyone understands it.”

How she managed to remain so calm towards the entire arrangement was beyond comprehension. Honestly, she was a saint for remembering so much information in regards to it. Who knows how much more there could be to what she’s involved with. Either way, it clearly ran deeper than how she explained it. Anything too complex and he probably wouldn’t be able to grasp the basic concept of a single thing.

“King Arthur, huh…”

A quick final sip of his drink and he was finished, but wouldn’t dare rush her to do the same. Instead he’d settle for leaning back in the seat until she indicated when it was time to leave. It could be a brief few moments to relax and make conversation before moving on.

“So, it’s like having the power of a King to use for yourself – that kinda thing?”

Based on what it sounded like, it seemed to be fairly similar to his position, but he could be completely misinterpreting it. Mashu would surely correct any mistaken assumptions on his part.

“Yes, it’s... quite complicated. If I were to attempt to fill in all the blanks, we could be here all day. And I cant imagine you’d much like that. At least, you’d have good food to enjoy in the mean time”. She set the burger down, clasping her hands briefly; talking of the plight Chaldea faced in the past tense was still so... unusual, surreal. It was all she knew in life, the threat of the prophecy that mankind would be eliminated before 2017, and now... it was an entirely new world. She had an entire life to think of all of a sudden.

“Chaldea was were I was born and raised. It was my life, preparing for the battle and whatever might come at us. It was plenty of time to wrap my head around it all, learn and understand, then experience. Now that it’s over, as strange as it must sound, I’m at a loss what to do. The future still seems so uncertain”.

With his plate cleaned, she reached once more for the delicacy and took the moment which he had chosen to propose his interpretation to steal another bite.

“Yes, that would be correct. There are many kings among the spirits who reside in the Throne. The spirit within me is that of a knight, one who served within the Arthurian legend”.

She could only hope that her explanation had been sufficient for a starting dialogue, and something to expand upon another time, if he were to ask again, or for further detail.

“For someone who is only learning this now, you’re grasping the concept well”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

She seemed so confused by his actions which he’d soon explain. After food. His appetite comes first. Opting for a simple burger and some water would be enough for now. If hunger should pass again, he’d grab another bite when the time came.

Like clockwork, off came the top of the bun; the lettuce and tomato discarded onto the tray. As always. During which, he was certain Mashu would probably be watching his strange antics. But hey, there had to be worse habits than his. As he tucked in, the small appreciation felt, it would seem ridiculous to some, but it was nice.

“Don’t like vegetables.”

The reasoning behind his previous distaste came out of nowhere. At least she now knew why though. Eventually was better than never at all. If she weren’t to know, there could be some difficulties with choices of venues to eat in future.

“I was thinking…

You willing to explain the whole ‘Servant’ thing?”

It came to mind that he hadn’t really bothered asking properly about her situation. If they were to be presumably good friends, he’d need to know more about her before they could go any further. Just as, in time, she’d need the same from him. However, his life wasn’t exactly something anyone would be fascinated by. Not with everything he endured up to his point of removal.

It was a peculiar ritual. But she held her tongue. His reasoning was perfectly understandable. So she had no qualms with him removing certain elements of his burger, and looked down to her own; the same as his, as it had been his suggestion that she try something different. Her own battle was squashing the bun down enough that she could take a bite out of it without some alarming popping from her jaw.

“That’s perfectly fine; it’s unimaginable to think that there could be anyone who likes all foods. You needn’t worry about hiding something so small like it’s shameful to you”.

That said, she hesitated when he brought up the subject of Servants. And in that moment, her eyes travelled to the ring which she wore, with great caution not to get it dirty by the food. Violet hues were fixated on the silver ring, the only physical reminder of Roman... Solomon...

“Sure...” she murmured, a litlte uneasy.

“To shorten a long story; Servants are the heroic spirits of legends, both true and fictional, who reside within the Throne. They are legendary names, each with a wish they have yet unfulfilled; they may be heroes such as the King of Uruk and King Arthur to villainous or misunderstood figures, like Jack the Ripper or Vlad the Impailer. From the Throne, they may be contracted by a human who summons them for a ritual known as the Holy Grail War. Those mages become the Servant’s Master.

Chaldea, where I live, was an organization aiming to resolve singularities of history which had become distorted; the Servants we met along the way, and whom Senpai could summon, helped us through it. I’m not like them, however... there was an accident,and the reason I was able to continue on was because of someone important to me. A heroic spirit whom has be joined with me for some years now. It’s his power and our connection which makes me a Demi-Servant - without him, I am simply human like Senpai”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

Healthy implied vegetables. Vegetables were a big no. 

“Healthy food…”

His words accompanied with an extremely displeased noise and expression. Even as a child, he never ate anything of the sort. It also meant he didn’t plan to start any time soon. Not if he could help it – which, for now, he could. So begins operation junk food. Obviously not for Mashu, though she could do with treating herself a little, even if it was just the once. Considering everything they’d both been through so far, he decided they deserve the most fattening dish on the menu. Probably the biggest burger stack or sweetest dessert.

“Try something else for once. You can run it off later or something.”

Truer words have never been spoken. To him, at least. She probably just thought he was crazy by this point. Especially if her figure could be anything to go by. You don’t get that fit overnight.

Along the way, a fairly small café sat, not particularly one that normally stood out from the other places, but it did to him. Of course, he’d be quick to grab her by the arm and pull her inside. The interior felt cozy and incredibly inviting. He already had their table picked out as soon as they stepped through the door, thus making his way over to seat himself right on the corner seat.

At first, she had no comprehension what precisely his response was; a mixture of repulsion and apprehension. Was there something wrong with the choice she had proposed? That had been the reason why she wanted it open-ended, however she hadn’t actually anticipated that it could be that much of a problem for him.

So she was taken aback by the gestures and noises, and only when he spoke up in words did it click in her mind. She wasn’t about to push him into a situation or menu he was uncomfortable with, although she did think it somewhat strange he would be so resistant to a meal aimed towards keeping fit.

“Oh-- Yes, I don’t see the harm in that”.

There were good cooks and a vast array of palettes within the Servant population of Chaldea, and with them, all cultures and tastes which she had been able to sample.

It dwelled on her mind what precisely had been wrong, and if there could be a remedy for his problem. And once he grabbed her, she snapped out of it, thrust back violently into reality and into shock to have found him hauling her along so suddenly. He hadn’t been the type to seize and move her without prior notice before.

There was no objection or questioning, she followed with stunned muteness; into the snug establishment and right towards a table of his choosing. Prompted by his boldness, she seated herself around the corner from him, slowly plucking the laminated menus from the wooden nest they had been propped in and handed one to him.

“Was this somewhere you’d found before? You could have said so if you wanted to come”.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

“Not really, I’m fine just following. If you wanna move on though… food sounds good. I’m starving.”

There were plenty of eligible candidates in terms of places to eat. Where would be her choice though; his treat. Thankfully, some of the natives were generous enough to offer the city’s currency in exchange for something in return. Sometimes it would be a simple delivery, others passing on a message or two. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t already done in the past, so he had no major objections.

“Choice is yours.”

Shielder was always so polite with him, even without knowing his background. It seemed more like her general personality than anything else. Her whole aura and attitude were nothing less than respectable. Nice to see someone like that for a change compared to some he’d met previously. Plus, he enjoyed her company whenever she was around. And she soon proved to be an invaluable friend to him.

Her fluffy friend couldn’t be forgotten, of course. Crouching down, a hand extended out towards the creature to delicately pat it’s head without being too invasive.

If that wasn’t a cue to hustle along, she wouldn’t know what would.

"The we should find somewhere. Fasting will do no good”.

With arms coiled around the fox, one fingertip tapped her chin, lips pursed in wonder. “There must be somewhere close by with a good, healthy selection. I haven’t come across a station in which to train and keep my fitness, as Chaldea would offer. However, that doesn't offer an excuse for slacking; sticking to the healthiest options would be the easiest means of compensating".

Purple hues wandered to the other, curious about what he might input to the direction. Making a call was fine, however she couldn't do it at his expense - and there was no way of knowing his preferences or dislikes. So it was more cooperatively that she spoke, as if lending a suggestion that could be met with another, to open a discussion rather than make a decision single-handedly.

"There's still quite some terrain we must cover and learn of, it seems. But surely there will be somewhere in the vicinity". She watched with a bright smile to the young man turning his attention to Fou, who clearlty appreciated the petting with a few chirps of his name.

[munimentum]

noxluxcaelum:

How the hell do you teach someone to be good at arcade games? Guess he’d have to figure that one out along the way.

“Uh, sure. Might take a while though.”

Shielder looked more than pleased with her new plush and he couldn’t help but smile. It felt good to be able to help someone, no matter how small the requirements.

“Yeah, no problem.

–So, where to next?”

If she had any plans, he’d be sure to tag along closely just in case she spotted something she liked. And he could be ready to get it for her. Not like it was a big deal to him – he was just naturally good at games. Well… most of them. Still, he’d do his best to lend her some tips where he felt necessary.

But if she didn’t have anything in mind at the time, they could always just stop by a place for some food then find somewhere quiet to sit and talk.

“Thank you,” she chimed. Arms tight around the fox, cradling it securely with shoulders raised. Purple hues scanned their surroundings; a venue with so much stimulation it was almost overwhelming. Stations with seat inside and a monitor aglow with coloured pixels caught her attention, and then the plastic racing car seats lined up beside.

What an array; it was astounding.

On her heels, Mashu spun to face Noctis once more. “Are there any games you wish to play? It wouldn’t feel right to solely make the calls, even if you insist you don’t mind. How about another game you’d master?

If you’d rather move on, I’ve no qualms. We could perhaps find a place for dinner; I’ve not the opportunity to experience many delicacies outside of what Chaldea offered. It’s been some time since we could afford anything luxurious”.

Her glance caught the ring on his finger - a decoration which she had noticed while he’d been playing the claw game. Had he always been wearing it? She wondered... but also reflected on a treasure which she had been blessed with in the past days.

“Is there anywhere you’d wish to eat... if you’re not eyeing up any games, that is?