Fate/Grand Order story · Interludes, Interlude
What It Means to Think of You
Interlude. Interlude
5 scenes, 259 lines
1. Before the battle
7 linesLiving things who have some degree of conscious intelligence are capable of feelings.
We got feelings about ourselves, feelings about others. Sometimes those feelings are things like love; other times, hate.
Sometimes we're kind. Sometimes we're cruel. But it all comes from the same place.
For whatever reason, feelings are a part of human nature.
I definitely have feelings. I have feelings about Master, and I have feelings about...him.
The manMandricardowho bravely took up Durendal and sacrificed himself so that Master could live.
I have a lot of feelings about him...since I'm Mandricardo, too.
2. After the battle
62 lines
Excellent work. You've aptly demonstrated why a good offense is considered the best defense.
That said, the consequences of failure with this strategy are dire, so I would encourage you to think one or two steps ahead next time.
That was quite a tricky strategy, but also a very solid one.
Perhaps most crucially, it would never have worked without complete faith in Mandricardo to serve as your shield.
Phew...
Nice work out there.
What's up?
...!
I've been wondering about this for a long time.
I don't care about what I did. I'm just honored I could help at all.
Hell, the fact that I actually got to use Durendal is the kind of miracle that only happens once in a thousand summonings.
But none of that matters.
Well, no, it does... But it's not what matters the most.
No, what I've been wondering about is something way more important.
...Isn't it hard for you?
Sorry. I know this is real presumptuous of me, but...
You had to say a whole lot of goodbyes in Atlantis and Olympus, right?
And the fact that I was one of them's been nagging at me.
You know, maybe I shouldn't be saying this...
But there's a part of me that feels kind of, maybe, a tiiiny bit jealous of...well, myself...
Which is why I didn't feel like I could say anything sooner.
Master smiled at me, but I could tell he was conflicted.
Aha, I thought. It isn't hard for him after all.
I mean, it probably was. Maybe he grieved. Maybe he even cried.
But the thing is, that wound definitely healed.
Hell, if anything, there's a part of Master that leans on that experience for support.
And in that case, it's our job as his Servants to hold him up when he's about to collapse...
...or to reach out a hand and pull him up when he's on the verge of despair.
That's what that other Mandricardo did. And he did a damn good job of it.
...But it looks like you're doing okay now.
I don't know...
？！
Sure you are. Or you will be, anyway.
But hey, I probably shouldn't be bringing this up. I'm just your Servant, not your friend. I don't think I could ever be that.
...Why not?
？！
Well, you know... I'm not qualified to be your friend, and I'm not brave enough for it, either.
You don't need qualifications or courage to be my friend.
And that was the end of the conversation. Things stayed pretty awkward until I left the simulator.
I went back to my room by myself, and spent some time just staring into empty space.
Dammit... I really screwed up. I just... Ugh, I said everything wrong and just...screwed up.
But I can't help it. There's just no way I could be friends with him.
After all...I'm not the same Mandricardo from Atlantis.
And I don't want to do anything that seems like it might rob Master of his memories of him.
Just like how the memories of battles I've fought alongside Master are mine alone...
...the memories Master has of that Mandricardo belong to Master and that Mandricardo alone.
Still...saying that's the reason I wasn't qualified to be his friend...
...would've been arrogant, warped, and offensive as hell.
...Life's nothing if not full of regrets.
I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind.
What kind of relationship DO I want with Master, anyway?
3. Scene 2
34 linesS'up.
S'up!
Not the most eloquent greeting, I must say. I don't mind you copying him, Master, but
S'up!
S'up!
Aw, crap. Sorry, I wasn't thinking about the example I was setting for the kids. Good morning!
Much better.
Something on your mind?
？！
NawI mean, no, not really. I was just hoping you might be able to join me for my training today.
No problem!
？！
(...Phew, I managed a natural invitation, at least. So far so good. Now I just need to casually ask those questions!)
(...Crap. How the hell do you act casually when you're not feeling casual at all?)
(Looks like he's overthinking things again.)
Good day, everyone. I'll be overseeing today's combat simulation.
Normally, Lady Mash Kyrielight would be here instead, but I'm afraid she's indisposed with Ortinax maintenance today.
Now then, let's get right into hard mode, shall we?
Whoa, whoa! Don't I get a say in this!?
I mean, I don't actually mind since it's been feeling kinda routine lately anyway, but you could at least ask!
All right, let's do it!
Very well then, I'll fight in a way that matches your style.
Which manner of tactic will you employ? Primarily offense, or primarily defense?
Ummm... For the time being, I think I'll let Master handle that decision.
You know my moves and my Noble Phantasm and stuff, right? We could make the most of those...
Or I could be a decoy while you focus on supporting others.
Hmm. Which strategy will you employ, Master?
I'll focus on offense with Mandricardo as the central player.
I'll focus on defense with Mandricardo running interference.
？！
Got it. Okay, Let's give it a shot!
4. Before the battle
82 linesFooou.
Morning!
？！
Mornin'.
Morning.
？！
Hey, uh, Master?
Would you mind joining my training session again today?
There's also something I wanted to talk to you about regarding yesterda
Morning, Fujimaru. Hope I'm not interrupting anything.
Oh, Mandricardo's there, too? Perfect.
We just spotted another minute Singularity.
Even for a minute Singularity, it's...really tiny, so we might as well take it out quickly.
Got it!
？！
Got it.
Oh, sorry, you were saying something?
So what'd you want to talk about?
？！
...Uh, never mind. It's no big deal. Besides, we got more important stuff to worry about now.
...I wasn't running away, of course. I wasn't.
It's just...the timing never quite seems to work out...
Hrah!
Keep the pressure up, Mandricardo!
Got it! Will do!
Fall back for now, Mandricardo!
I'll finish this up! Yaaah!
There! That's all of them!
Sweet.
Way to go, team!
All right, it looks like it's going to take them a little while to adjust the settings they need to bring us back, so we'll need to sit tight for now.
Oh. Gotcha...
...Okay. This might be a good time to bring it up.
No, wait. Mash is here too, and it looks like she wants to talk to Master too...
...so it's probably better if I sit this one out.
Yeah, that's it. It's got nothing to do with me losing my nerve.
At least, that's what I told myself as I quietly put some distance between us.
...Hm?
Bloodlust!
Mandricardo!
(A Shadow Servant! And they got behind me! Shit! It must be an Assassin with Presence Concealment!)
Emergency Evade!
That was when it hit me like a ton of bricks.
This must be what people mean when they talk about a eureka moment.
I'll take the front line!
That's okay! What is it!?
...!
Both Master, and me...
...have way too much in our pasts to ever let us comfortably be friends.
Just like that other me was proud to have been able to become his friend...
...I have my own pride in the battles I've fought since being summoned to Chaldea.
And both those memories and records mean too much to just throw them out or take them away.
But that's okay!
'Cause being friends isn't the only way for people to care about each other!
I'm your Servant! I trust you implicitly, and I'll always fight by your side!
I'll never give that up for anything!
There. I finally managed to put my feelings into words.
Those feelings used to be like a mysterious, hazy monster, but now that I've talked about them, they're perfectly clear.
I don't have to be afraid any longer.
Not now that I managed to express what I wanted to say.
...Same here!
？！
Master smiled brightly and nodded in affirmation. He's got his eyes firmly fixed on what's ahead of us.
Man, people can be real inspiring sometimes.
Okay, Mandricardo, let's do this!
？！
Gotcha! Mash! I'm tagging in!
Understood. Go for it, Mandricardo!
Will do! Time for Chaldea's resident raid leader to show his stuff!
...Resident raid leader?
5. After the battle
74 linesAw yeah!
Nice one!
Right. Mission complete!
We're all set to go back, Senpai!
So, what's this about being our resident raid leader?
Anyway, when you get right down to it, this wasn't all that big a deal.
The point is, I chose to have a relationship with Master, without changing who I am.
And Master accepted it, without changing who he was.
That's all there is to it. Definitely nothing worthy of the history books.
Still, that said...
If, at some point in the future, Master finds himself thinking vaguely about the past and unable to sleep...
Maybe he'll also think "Oh yeah, there was that one weird Servant, wasn't there?"
"At one point, he was my friend. At another, a trusted companion."
As long as he remembers this downer of a Servant, even if only a little...
...No, wait. That's putting it too nicely. Make that "major downer."
Anyway... That's what my and Master's relationship is like now.
We may not be friends, but we are companions, and we've got each other's backs in combat.
I'm fine with that, and I'm pretty sure that other me would be, too.
Still...I don't see myself ever getting Durendal like he did.
That's a little depressing...but I'm way more proud that he pulled it off.
Wow, I had no idea about that.
...Yeah...
And then, for some reason...
I found myself recounting all this to Charlotte Corday.
For some reason... I felt like I just couldn't NOT answer her questions.
Still, it actually worked out nice, since I had some things I wanted to ask her about, too.
Wait. Weren't you in Atlantis, too?
Yes, I was. And of course I know all about what that other me did there.
Still...I don't want her to outdo me, so I don't mind being her replacement if that's what I am.
I'm still here, after all, so it's up to me to do my best to paint over those memories with my own.
I have no particular thoughts one way or another.
Damn, that's pretty gracious of you!
If I had to say something, I'd say I deserve a little better treatment around here!
I deserve credit for my own accomplishments, and for my other selves' accomplishments!
Hmm, he does have a point. After all, those Servants are still us.
Personally, I'd be happy with just a little more hidden-eye action...
No way! We don't deserve any credit for what our other selves did! Except maybe me, since it sounds like I was super badass out there!
Nah, you had it right the first time. They're them, and we're us.
For my part, as long as I went down fighting in a way I can be proud of, I'm good.
Ain't that right, Teacher?
Hahaha, indeed. Especially since it seems I sided with the enemy.
It sounds like I did, too, though I have absolutely no recollection of it.
...Anyway, that might be fine for us...
...But what about Fujimaru?
It's gotta be rough for him, having all this baggage he can't leave behind.
Especially since he's not the type to forget about the past.
...Don't worry about him. He'll be fine.
You think?
I trust Master implicitly, just like he trusts us.
That's what I told them.
Even though it was pretty embarrassing to just lay my feelings out for them like that.
... ...
... ...
... ...
... ...
...I never thought I would be so impressed by someone else, especially at this ripe old age.
I suppose it just goes to show there's always something new to learn.
H-huh? What's that mean?
Don't worry about it. He's praising the hell out of you.
And I agree with him. You're a damn good Servant!
I still have no idea what they're praising me for...
But hey, I'll happily take this over the alternative!
I still have strong feelings. I have feelings about Master...
...and I have feelings about you.
Whether we're dead, or shadows, or outright counterfeits...
If nothing else, I know these feelings I have are real.
And I'll always be at least a little proud of that.