[ Gray decides to just... sit on Rin's other side, close but not quite touching, making this some pseudo shoulder angel and devil scenario. Here she has two thoughts: first that Rin's cute when she's embarrassed, and second that this must be what Mordred meant when she said she likes taming women...?? She looks like she's enjoying herself.
Gray thinks a bit more about what the best course of action is. What would her mentor do...? Dismantle the Mystery surrounding Rin's condition, of course. Gray isn't capable of going that far, but it's still a good direction to take. ]
Rin, could you explain what happened? It looked like your personality changed suddenly...
[Ugh. She just curls up as best she can. Defensively. Like a pill bug.]
It's difficult to say whether it's the changes Aetos made to me, or the increased Discord. Either way I've been having urges to use my magecraft on people. Doesn't matter if it is my own power, or if it's the skills I've gotten from harmonizing.
Huh. [ Mordred offers, helpfully. ] Like I thought, magecraft is no good. Sucks to be you.
[ She watches Gray for a few seconds, making sure nothing's happening yet, and then occupies herself by poking one of Rin's horns. Annoyingly. Like everything else she ever does. ]
If it gets to be too much... hell, even if it's just painful to hold yourself back, go ahead and take it out on me. I doubt you'd be able to get through my armour, anyway.
[Groaning she pinches the bridge of her nose. Is this some kind of fever dream? To be surrounded by them both? To have them both worried over her in their own ways?]
Weren't you both busy with something when I showed up?
[ Gray wouldn't want to divulge anything Mordred wouldn't want divulged, so she'll keep mum about the Master bit. But she feels that she can at least say a little bit about her personal business. She picks at the blonde lock of hair above her left eye, figuring Rin will be curious about it sooner or later. ]
We were talking about this. Um, essentially it happened because of a rare incident, but I don't think it'll get any bigger.
[ Unless Rin feels like doing a Servant summoning at some point. Or god forbid, King Arthur shows up as a Servant someday. ]
[Of course it is. It's her hair. Without thinking about it, Rin reaches to Gray. Her hand taking hold of her chin so that she can face her directly. Eye-to-eye despite the unsetting black sclera Rin is plagued with.]
[ But, since Gray seems comfortable talking about it, Mordred relents on her silence. ]
I dunno about reversing it, but she said it won't progress unless King Arthur gets summoned again. I'm sure you see why that could be a problem, though.
[ The only protest Gray gives is a small noise as Rin takes hold of her chin. Having a difficult time with all that face-to-face scrutiny, she's stiff as Rin has her way, hands clenched on her knee and on the ground between them to keep herself from falling onto Rin. Meekly, ]
I don't think it's any more reversible than...
[ ... the rest of her condition, the one she's been resigned to since she was a child. But she hasn't spoken about that with Rin, and it's a bit much to dump on her now. ]
Um. It's a bit complicated, but even if King Arthur were to be summoned and my body changed even further, I would still have my soul. So it might only be a cosmetic difference in the end...
[ Which is still a problem, and an essential one where Gray is concerned, but with both Mordred and Rin now fussing over her, she rushes to de-escalate. ]
[ If Mordred was a more sensitive person, she'd probably flinch at Rin's words — considering that she, even moreso than Gray, has neither of those things to call her own. Instead, she merely raises an eyebrow at the other girl's attempt to stand up; tightening her grip meaningfully. ]
Oh, no you don't. You ain't goin' anywhere yet.
[ If Gray says otherwise, she'll reconsider, but for now she's not risking letting Rin run off again. ]
For the record, I told her the same thing before you showed up. Even if gettin' angry won't fix anything, she still has the right to be mad. No; it's more like she's damn well obligated to be, after all the shit that's happened to her.
And if she won't, then I'll get mad instead! More than I am right now! Get lost, King Arthur!
[ There was nobody to be mad on Mordred's behalf, back when it might have made a difference, so she'll make damn sure there's somebody for Gray. ]
[ Gray does not say otherwise, so it looks like Mordred's tyranny will remain unchecked. Instead Gray is busy being tongue-tied, taken aback by the indignation of not just Mordred (expected) but Rin as well. This is a far cry from the usual heavy silences and grudging acceptances she's used to when this topic comes up.
Rin and Mordred are angry where Gray has never felt allowed to be angry. Even now she can't find it in her to join them. What she feels instead is a swell of emotion that tickles her throat. As much as she laments her lost appearance, she's already given it up as that: lost. Like a beggar, she clings to what she has instead — her mind, soul, and the bonds she's made of her own free will. They're modest treasures, but just enough for her. ]
Thank you... both of you. I know I should be angrier. I know it isn't really "okay." If King Arthur ever appears, I'll fight as much as I need to, but until then... I think Rin's condition is a little more urgent.
[ She definitely noticed Rin steering the conversation away from herself. Two can play at that game... ]
[ Oh... Rin is starting to understand. Gray nods firmly twice, the stray hair atop her head bobbing because I forgot to have her put her hood back on. ]
[Tch. Mordred crying out like a dog attempting to grab the attention away from its companion. Honestly... they're both idiots. Gray is an opposing faction, Mordred should want her dead for what she said about King Arthur, and yet...
Rin's arms slip back behind them. Her hands rest on the outer shoulder of each of them, and with a shove she brings the two girls in. The intent is to squish them together in front of her, over her lap, so that Rin can rest her forehead on the back of their heads. They'll even feel the slope of her before the protrusion of her horns' base is felt. Truly she just wishes to hide her face.]
Very well. I will consider your wishes.
[Is this pain? The way that her heart feels like it might burst. Does it hurt? Is it normal to feel this way when someone insists on supporting you?
It doesn't matter. Her grip on the two tightens, but not terrifyingly so.]
[ If only Rin had a nice big hood, she wouldn't have to resort to tactical maneuvering to hide her face...
Gray tips sideways at Mordred over Rin's lap with muted surprise, her back stiffening when she feels Rin's head resting partially on the back of hers. Gray supposes this counts as a hug. It's a bit of a bizarre arrangement, but mages do so like to be bizarre.
She needs to brace her forearm on one of Rin's legs to keep from toppling over completely. With how close her and Mordred's heads are now, Gray only needs to move hers a fraction to try to gauge Mordred's reaction. ]
Ah... thank you.
[ She didn't expect Rin to give in so quickly, honestly. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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And don't worry. I'll take real good care of her if anything weird happens again. [ She mimes bonking Rin on the head with her fist. ]
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Gray thinks a bit more about what the best course of action is. What would her mentor do...? Dismantle the Mystery surrounding Rin's condition, of course. Gray isn't capable of going that far, but it's still a good direction to take. ]
Rin, could you explain what happened? It looked like your personality changed suddenly...
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It's difficult to say whether it's the changes Aetos made to me, or the increased Discord. Either way I've been having urges to use my magecraft on people. Doesn't matter if it is my own power, or if it's the skills I've gotten from harmonizing.
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Huh. [ Mordred offers, helpfully. ] Like I thought, magecraft is no good. Sucks to be you.
[ She watches Gray for a few seconds, making sure nothing's happening yet, and then occupies herself by poking one of Rin's horns. Annoyingly. Like everything else she ever does. ]
If it gets to be too much... hell, even if it's just painful to hold yourself back, go ahead and take it out on me. I doubt you'd be able to get through my armour, anyway.
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It felt more like you were spreading Discord than doing magecraft, but even that isn't terribly dangerous.
[ Just unpleasant. ]
Maybe Mordred could be your punchbag. Isn't it better to try to understand what's happening to you?
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Weren't you both busy with something when I showed up?
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[ Sure it's a "fever" dream you're thinking of, Rin? ]
We were talking about you. ... Well, there was some other stuff after that, but it's none of your business. [ She's not going to doxx Gray. ]
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We were talking about this. Um, essentially it happened because of a rare incident, but I don't think it'll get any bigger.
[ Unless Rin feels like doing a Servant summoning at some point. Or god forbid, King Arthur shows up as a Servant someday. ]
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[Of course it is. It's her hair. Without thinking about it, Rin reaches to Gray. Her hand taking hold of her chin so that she can face her directly. Eye-to-eye despite the unsetting black sclera Rin is plagued with.]
Is there a way to stop or revers this?
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[ But, since Gray seems comfortable talking about it, Mordred relents on her silence. ]
I dunno about reversing it, but she said it won't progress unless King Arthur gets summoned again. I'm sure you see why that could be a problem, though.
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I don't think it's any more reversible than...
[ ... the rest of her condition, the one she's been resigned to since she was a child. But she hasn't spoken about that with Rin, and it's a bit much to dump on her now. ]
Um. It's a bit complicated, but even if King Arthur were to be summoned and my body changed even further, I would still have my soul. So it might only be a cosmetic difference in the end...
[ Which is still a problem, and an essential one where Gray is concerned, but with both Mordred and Rin now fussing over her, she rushes to de-escalate. ]
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[Tohsaka allows Gray to have her chin back. Instead she'll put her efforts into standing back up.]
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Oh, no you don't. You ain't goin' anywhere yet.
[ If Gray says otherwise, she'll reconsider, but for now she's not risking letting Rin run off again. ]
For the record, I told her the same thing before you showed up. Even if gettin' angry won't fix anything, she still has the right to be mad. No; it's more like she's damn well obligated to be, after all the shit that's happened to her.
And if she won't, then I'll get mad instead! More than I am right now! Get lost, King Arthur!
[ There was nobody to be mad on Mordred's behalf, back when it might have made a difference, so she'll make damn sure there's somebody for Gray. ]
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Rin and Mordred are angry where Gray has never felt allowed to be angry. Even now she can't find it in her to join them. What she feels instead is a swell of emotion that tickles her throat. As much as she laments her lost appearance, she's already given it up as that: lost. Like a beggar, she clings to what she has instead — her mind, soul, and the bonds she's made of her own free will. They're modest treasures, but just enough for her. ]
Thank you... both of you. I know I should be angrier. I know it isn't really "okay." If King Arthur ever appears, I'll fight as much as I need to, but until then... I think Rin's condition is a little more urgent.
[ She definitely noticed Rin steering the conversation away from herself. Two can play at that game... ]
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[Fine she'll settle back down, but reluctantly so. And with a frown. The stupidest of frowns.]
Unless you like to be depended on?
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because I forgot to have her put her hood back on. ]Yes. Please rely on me.
[ Firmly! ]
i lied
Aren't you both forgetting someone? I'm reliable too!
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Rin's arms slip back behind them. Her hands rest on the outer shoulder of each of them, and with a shove she brings the two girls in. The intent is to squish them together in front of her, over her lap, so that Rin can rest her forehead on the back of their heads. They'll even feel the slope of her before the protrusion of her horns' base is felt. Truly she just wishes to hide her face.]
Very well. I will consider your wishes.
[Is this pain? The way that her heart feels like it might burst. Does it hurt? Is it normal to feel this way when someone insists on supporting you?
It doesn't matter. Her grip on the two tightens, but not terrifyingly so.]
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Gray tips sideways at Mordred over Rin's lap with muted surprise, her back stiffening when she feels Rin's head resting partially on the back of hers. Gray supposes this counts as a hug. It's a bit of a bizarre arrangement, but mages do so like to be bizarre.
She needs to brace her forearm on one of Rin's legs to keep from toppling over completely. With how close her and Mordred's heads are now, Gray only needs to move hers a fraction to try to gauge Mordred's reaction. ]
Ah... thank you.
[ She didn't expect Rin to give in so quickly, honestly. ]