school: mandricardo

[shaft]

Comments

[shaft]

[ Claude wiggles off his shoes as he nods, catching his breath. ]

Yes. Let's return from where we started. 3... 2... 1...

[ Go!! And he goes! ]

[duranduel]

Alright-!

[And he's grinning as he goes, which is almost uncharacteristic of his usual deadpan gloomy expression.]

Try to keep up!

[shaft]

[ Mandricardo's energy is contagious, and Claude finds himself laughing as he chases after him, a little faster without his dress shoes, but still not quite quick enough.

He doesn't mind losing the race though, nor the next one. Soundly defeated as he collapses on the grass, tugging at the collar of his shirt. ]

Ah... so I am paying for my hubris...

[duranduel]

[He laughs as Claude collapses, but its more good-natured than anything - and then regrets it a little as he has to bend over to catch his breath.]

Ha...ha... [He wipes his head with a sleeve.] You did good, though. Hubris and all.

[shaft]

[ He collapses down fully onto the grass then, feeling both refreshed and lazy from the run. ]

That certainly brought some life back into me.

[duranduel]

You sound like an old man...come on.

[But Mandricardo also moves to sit on the grass, drawing his knees up.]

...I guess its fun to have...well, fun every now and then.

[shaft]

[ Claude gives him an amused look. ]

How old do you think I am?

[duranduel]

Ah....hm.

[SQUINTING]

Maybe around my age back then...? No, I was probably older...

[mandy your age]

[shaft]

And your age was...?

[duranduel]

I think I was...maybe in my early thirties? When I died. So you look younger than that.

[shaft]

You do not look like you're in your thirties.

[ ????????? ]

[duranduel]

Well, this body is definitely younger. I mean...I guess the Throne of Heroes was like, hey, why not...make the guy young...

[shaft]

[ Interesting. ]

I'm sure you're impressive, regardless of age. It could be a tactic to disarm your opponents by facing them against a young boy.

[duranduel]

[He squawks.]

Boy?! No!! I'm definitely an adult!! Young adult!

[shaft]

Well, on the inside are wizened with age surely. But on the outside... You look about 18?

[duranduel]

That's still not a "boy"...

[SIGHS]

Being a Servant is weird...

[shaft]

A servant? Why would you call yourself that?

[duranduel]

No, that's the official term. Servant with a capital S. That's what Heroic Spirits are also called.

[shaft]

Oh, is that so. I assume that means you also have a corresponding master...?

[duranduel]

Yep. That's how it works. And in general, Masters allow Servants to survive. So it's like...a mutual relationship.

[shaft]

"Allow"? [ That kind of ticks him off a little, but-

He guesses that maybe people who are dead don't quite have the same right to existing. ]

Interesting. And what is this relationship for?

[duranduel]

Yeah. They provide mana to continue our existence. I think that a Master can break a contract with a Servant whenever they want, though...I don't think that's wise. Servants can kill Masters, too, but they'll just disappear...

[A low huff.]

Typically? We're summoned for a certain kind of war.

[shaft]

[ Mana?? Ok... ]

I see. Do you enjoy it?

[duranduel]

...Well, that's hard to say. I mean, I guess its okay to be alive like this. And I get to be my Master's strength. That counts for something. But in general...well, it wasn't like I applied to be a Servant.

[shaft]

It is a difficult balance. The joy of once again tasting the sweetness of life, dampened by the inevitability of battle...

I'd be tired of fighting.