She shoots Gray a thumbs up as the water starts to swell, already working out how best to position herself to catch the next wave. But first: ]
Alright, you're on my anti-King Arthur surf squad! Get ready to ride into battle with me!
[ With casual ease, Mordred pops up onto her feet after a few seconds of paddling; looking back only to make a come on! gesture before committing fully to the breaking wave, and riding down the line with a loud whoop of joy. ]
[ Anti-King Arthur surf squad?? Gray isn't sure she's ready to be an Arthur-hating hardliner, but it looks like she's one by association now.
She hurries to paddle to a prime spot as well, popping up to her feet just in time. Mordred's joyful hollering leads the charge, and it brings a smile to Gray's face in turn. With her focus relaxed, her stance is already more confident than before. She's always picked up physical skills more intuitively than the average person, and the same is true now; as she follows Mordred through the roaring cavern of a wave, she automatically adopts much of Mordred's technique into her own.
As they come out the other side, Gray is swallowed up at the last second by the tailing crush of whitewater, and she disappears briefly. When she surfaces it's with an exultant smile, still riding that high. ]
I did it!
[ She was technically already doing it before, but this time was much better. ]
[ There's no real way for Mordred to know if she's actually being followed, but she has faith in Gray('s ability to follow orders). She cuts back at the end of her ride, just in time to see her new squadmate emerge from the water nearby, brimming with a huge smile.
The elation is apparently contagious: Mordred's answering grin is equally as jubilant, lacking any trace of her usual cynicism or arrogance. Gray's seen her happy before, sure, but this is more than that. It's pride in the accomplishment of someone else. It's joy for the sake of joy, a winner without a loser.
(For just a moment — and despite her earlier proclamation — King Arthur is the furthest thing from her mind.) ]
As expected of my squire! [ Kneeling on her board, she paddles up to Gray's side and extends her fist. ] Put it there, mouse!
[ For the moment, Mordred's grin is more dazzling than the sun overhead. Gray soaks that in, wondering if her own face could ever be that radiant. She snaps out of it when Mordred thrusts her fist out in an unmistakable gesture.
A bit shyly but still swept up in the pleasure of success, Gray reaches to plant a square bump of her fist to Mordred's. It's her first time engaging in this type of gesture; it feels a bit silly, but somehow cool at the same time. ]
I couldn't have done it without you showing me the way.
[ Though maybe she could have. Just more slowly. ]
[ Perhaps surprisingly, Mordred's quick to point that out before Gray moves on. It's not that she's modest about praise (obviously...), but she hates when people don't give themselves enough credit. ]
Nah, you definitely could've. Maybe not as awesomely, but the success was all yours. Be proud of it!
That's why I want you to lead this time. I won't always be around, so I need to make sure you can handle yourself without me. If you can conquer a wave, you can conquer pretty much anything — except me, of course! [ Please shut up. ]
[ The awesomness was the bulk of the success, in Gray's opinion... but if Mordred insists, then she won't argue.
Mention of Mordred not always being here is a prick to Gray's consciousness. It isn't an unreasonable statement; more Aions and Shard-Bearers have disappeared from Gray's life than she can count, and Mordred has already been absent for a spell. It's logical to expect that it will happen again — doubly so for a Ghost Liner, an entity not meant for the world of the living. ]
... Okay. I'll do my best.
[ She isn't overly nervous about things like this; not like she's nervous about a lot of other things. She looks out over the water, trying to get a sense of the next big wave, and decides that they have a second to spare. A bit of a non sequitur, she asks: ]
You don't have any more problems with your mana, do you?
[ She'd hope not with how much surfing vigor Mordred has. ]
[ Said with humour, because the idea of anyone worrying about her is laughable. She gazes out over the water as well — though it's less a hunt for any waves, and more just because she finds the view soothing. ]
If you're hopin' for an easy kill, you're shit outta luck, 'cause I'm not using any mana for this. It's true that I normally wouldn't be able to exist at all without a Master, but I guess being a Shard-Bearer gives me enough to get by.
Still a pain in the ass, though. Feels like forever since I've been able to go all-out, even just for fun.
[ All-out, like blowing up Eustace's house? Gray doesn't say this out loud, and in fact doesn't say anything at all, falling into thought until the signs of a good wave begin to form. ]
... Alright. Let's go with that one.
[ She begins to paddle out to a better position. ]
Yeah, but what's that got to do with you? You're not my...
W-wait a sec. Wait! A! Sec! Does this mean you actually want me as your Servant? I thought all that stuff about being slow and cowardly and indecisive [ damn let her fucking live???????? ] and weak [ she didn't even SAY that ] was you trying to get out of it! Stop being so confusing!
[ She's so distracted by yelling that she gets tipped off her board by the rising water, and disappears under the surface with a muted splash. RIP. ]
[ Gray silently watches her go under before returning her attention to the forming wave. She pops up on her board; why waste a perfectly good surf opportunity? Off she shreds, disappearing past the first crash of whitewater.
By the time the wave dies down, Gray is on the other side of it, quietly satisfied with her performance. She comes paddling back to Mordred. Anyway. ]
[ By the time Gray makes her way over, Mordred has managed to clamber back onto her board and sprawl out on her stomach. She fixes the other girl with a reproachful glare, looking every bit like a grumpy wet cat with her fur (hair) completely matted against her head. Way to help ://// (Spoilers: if Gray had actually stopped and offered her a hand, she would have taken even more offense.) ]
Compared to our personal feud, the divide between Meridian and Zenith is nothing but meaningless dross. But, I have one more condition before I accept you as a Master worth listening to, rather than just a convenient source of magical energy.
[ The statement loses some impact when she currently looks like this. ]
[ Knowing that ghosts can't drown, Gray simply couldn't be convinced to worry...
She says nothing to the assertion that Meridian or Zenith, it makes little difference; most days Gray feels the same. She tips her head when Mordred mentions another condition. ]
... Not now, obviously. That crazy chick will throw us out if she sees. But later!
I'm gonna push your body to its limit, and if you survive... then, and only then, will I even think about calling you "Master". So train hard! Because if you run, I'll never forgive you!
[ For the record, Mordred has plainly already thought of calling Gray Master because Mordred was the one who brought it up in the first place, but Gray keeps that to herself.
The prospect of fighting Mordred seriously is daunting -- triply so without Add. Not just because of Mordred's personality, but because of the reality of a Servant's superhuman power. Even if Gray's become more potent lately and Mordred is limited without a Master, Gray expects a fight with Mordred to be a David vs. Goliath scenario.
But Gray has been working hard all this time. Without a mentor to encourage her intellectual growth, she's leaned into becoming a better fighter instead -- and at moving away from her old, anxious self. She gently kills the side of her that doesn't want to believe in herself with a nod. ]
All right. We'll fight... and I won't run.
[ Later. At an undetermined, non-Diane-moderated time. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
She shoots Gray a thumbs up as the water starts to swell, already working out how best to position herself to catch the next wave. But first: ]
Alright, you're on my anti-King Arthur surf squad! Get ready to ride into battle with me!
[ With casual ease, Mordred pops up onto her feet after a few seconds of paddling; looking back only to make a come on! gesture before committing fully to the breaking wave, and riding down the line with a loud whoop of joy. ]
no subject
She hurries to paddle to a prime spot as well, popping up to her feet just in time. Mordred's joyful hollering leads the charge, and it brings a smile to Gray's face in turn. With her focus relaxed, her stance is already more confident than before. She's always picked up physical skills more intuitively than the average person, and the same is true now; as she follows Mordred through the roaring cavern of a wave, she automatically adopts much of Mordred's technique into her own.
As they come out the other side, Gray is swallowed up at the last second by the tailing crush of whitewater, and she disappears briefly. When she surfaces it's with an exultant smile, still riding that high. ]
I did it!
[ She was technically already doing it before, but this time was much better. ]
no subject
The elation is apparently contagious: Mordred's answering grin is equally as jubilant, lacking any trace of her usual cynicism or arrogance. Gray's seen her happy before, sure, but this is more than that. It's pride in the accomplishment of someone else. It's joy for the sake of joy, a winner without a loser.
(For just a moment — and despite her earlier proclamation — King Arthur is the furthest thing from her mind.) ]
As expected of my squire! [ Kneeling on her board, she paddles up to Gray's side and extends her fist. ] Put it there, mouse!
no subject
A bit shyly but still swept up in the pleasure of success, Gray reaches to plant a square bump of her fist to Mordred's. It's her first time engaging in this type of gesture; it feels a bit silly, but somehow cool at the same time. ]
I couldn't have done it without you showing me the way.
[ Though maybe she could have. Just more slowly. ]
Can we... do a bigger one?
no subject
Nah, you definitely could've. Maybe not as awesomely, but the success was all yours. Be proud of it!
That's why I want you to lead this time. I won't always be around, so I need to make sure you can handle yourself without me. If you can conquer a wave, you can conquer pretty much anything — except me, of course! [ Please shut up. ]
no subject
Mention of Mordred not always being here is a prick to Gray's consciousness. It isn't an unreasonable statement; more Aions and Shard-Bearers have disappeared from Gray's life than she can count, and Mordred has already been absent for a spell. It's logical to expect that it will happen again — doubly so for a Ghost Liner, an entity not meant for the world of the living. ]
... Okay. I'll do my best.
[ She isn't overly nervous about things like this; not like she's nervous about a lot of other things. She looks out over the water, trying to get a sense of the next big wave, and decides that they have a second to spare. A bit of a non sequitur, she asks: ]
You don't have any more problems with your mana, do you?
[ She'd hope not with how much surfing vigor Mordred has. ]
no subject
[ Said with humour, because the idea of anyone worrying about her is laughable. She gazes out over the water as well — though it's less a hunt for any waves, and more just because she finds the view soothing. ]
If you're hopin' for an easy kill, you're shit outta luck, 'cause I'm not using any mana for this. It's true that I normally wouldn't be able to exist at all without a Master, but I guess being a Shard-Bearer gives me enough to get by.
Still a pain in the ass, though. Feels like forever since I've been able to go all-out, even just for fun.
no subject
... Alright. Let's go with that one.
[ She begins to paddle out to a better position. ]
no subject
As she paddles after Gray: ]
You're so weird... did you even have a plan for if I said "yes"? Or do you have a thing for asking stupid questions?
no subject
You said a Master would be able to sustain you.
[ The water begins to lift them, a promising swell. ]
no subject
W-wait a sec. Wait! A! Sec! Does this mean you actually want me as your Servant? I thought all that stuff about being slow and cowardly and indecisive [ damn let her fucking live???????? ] and weak [ she didn't even SAY that ] was you trying to get out of it! Stop being so confusing!
[ She's so distracted by yelling that she gets tipped off her board by the rising water, and disappears under the surface with a muted splash. RIP. ]
1/2
[ Gray silently watches her go under before returning her attention to the forming wave. She pops up on her board; why waste a perfectly good surf opportunity? Off she shreds, disappearing past the first crash of whitewater.
By the time the wave dies down, Gray is on the other side of it, quietly satisfied with her performance. She comes paddling back to Mordred. Anyway. ]
no subject
I still think all of those things are true. And I still think you could find a better Master. We aren't even on the same side.
[ she has a point she's getting to, probably ]
no subject
Compared to our personal feud, the divide between Meridian and Zenith is nothing but meaningless dross. But, I have one more condition before I accept you as a Master worth listening to, rather than just a convenient source of magical energy.
[ The statement loses some impact when she currently looks like this. ]
no subject
She says nothing to the assertion that Meridian or Zenith, it makes little difference; most days Gray feels the same. She tips her head when Mordred mentions another condition. ]
What is it?
no subject
[ What did she expect...................... ]
... Not now, obviously. That crazy chick will throw us out if she sees. But later!
I'm gonna push your body to its limit, and if you survive... then, and only then, will I even think about calling you "Master". So train hard! Because if you run, I'll never forgive you!
no subject
The prospect of fighting Mordred seriously is daunting -- triply so without Add. Not just because of Mordred's personality, but because of the reality of a Servant's superhuman power. Even if Gray's become more potent lately and Mordred is limited without a Master, Gray expects a fight with Mordred to be a David vs. Goliath scenario.
But Gray has been working hard all this time. Without a mentor to encourage her intellectual growth, she's leaned into becoming a better fighter instead -- and at moving away from her old, anxious self. She gently kills the side of her that doesn't want to believe in herself with a nod. ]
All right. We'll fight... and I won't run.
[ Later. At an undetermined, non-Diane-moderated time. ]