IT'S THAT VERY SPECIAL TIME AGAIN.

[goodburger]

Time for.......


THE GODDAMN TEST DRIVE MEME

1. COMMENT WITH A JOURNAL OF A CHARACTER YOU'VE THOUGHT OF APPING/WOULD LIKE TO APP AS THOUGH THEY'RE ALREADY IN C&C
2. TAG AROUND WITH NEW JOURNALS OR OLD!
3. APP THEM ALL NOW!
4. IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BE LATE SO DON'T YOU EVEN GO THERE
5. LINK THIS POST TO ATP ADS YOU POST LATER
6. THIS TEXT HAS BEEN RECYCLED AT LEAST 25 TIMES
7. HAVE SOME FUCKING FUN

Comments

[swordedpast]

Are you serious?

[He's trying his hardest to be off-putting. But he can't quite muster up a full sneer. Not when Kiritsugu is smiling at him like that.]

Give up my name like that?

Call me Archer.

[--he says, as if it explains everything, rather than raises more questions.]

[failedprotagonist]

I'm quite serious.

[Kiritsugu bends carefully to pick up another fallen box, not bothered at all.]

Wouldn't you say it's only fair? [After all, his name is already a known quantity here.] But that's up to you. [He's not going to press, but the name that's given does provide some explanation for the reason that he'd choose to keep his true name a secret.]

Archer.

[He frowns, slightly. A Servant? Yes, it's possible. Without any magecraft, it's not as if he can detect a Servant. The idea does bring up a lot of questions. What is a Servant doing here, and why is he working in a grocery store, for a start. Kiritsugu doesn't want much of anything to do with the Grail War or those things associated with it, but at this point, it doesn't seem like he can extricate himself, regardless of what he wants.]

How do you know the name Kiritsugu Emiya, Archer?

[If he is a Servant, he's not the Archer Kiritsugu knew of. It's not as if he expects Archer to be forthcoming, but oh well, why not ask?]

[swordedpast]

[His hands tighten on the box of cake mix he holds.

How do you know the name Kiritsugu Emiya?

There are so many true things he could say.

He picks the most confusing one.]

How could I not? I have shared all your ideals.

[He's still trying to keep his face stony.]

[failedprotagonist]

[He isn't sure what kind of answer he was expecting, but it wasn't that one. Shared his ideals? He's confused, and it shows. How many people know of his ideals, let alone think enough of them to follow them? This is--strange. He has the idea that there's something he should know here, but he can't figure it out yet. He blinks, and what he says next is startled out of him rather than a product of careful thought.]

Why would you do a thing like that?

[There's no scorn or cynicism in the question, just honest curiosity. He knows very well what his ideals brought him, and it isn't something he'd wish on someone else.

Although, if someone could succeed where he'd failed...]

[swordedpast]

Because--

[He means to drop some grave, serious comment. He means to continue to be cold and almost sinister.

Instead, his voice catches in his throat, and he gives Kiritsugu a plaintive look.]

--you couldn't finish them.

[failedprotagonist]

No, I couldn't. That's true enough.

[There's no sense denying that fact, when it's the plain truth, and a truth he's accepted. But how many people know about that? Most of the people who knew him back then are either dead or gone, and none of them are this person.

He regards Archer steadily. He's still confused, but there's a softness in his expression, a faint smileon his lips.]

So you're going to finish them? [He's not sure how he feels about that. Glad? Guilty? Conflicted is a good word for it.]

Who are you, Archer?

[swordedpast]

"Going to" finish them?

[He tries to keep his gaze remote. It's working about as well as his attempt to be grave and serious did. He keeps stealing awkward glances at Kiritsugu's face instead.]

You're speaking to a heroic spirit. Of course, I have already done that.

[He shrugs and looks away.]

How stupid. They're stupid goals.

[failedprotagonist]

Right. Yes. [Of course, he would have already done what he'd set out to do.] A heroic spirit.

[It's just, why would a heroic spirit take on his goals and carry them out?] So you did it, then...

[The "stupid" comment surprises a rueful laugh out of him. Archer will get no arguments from Kiritsugu.] They are stupid, yes. They didn't do me any good, in the end. I should have told you that, if I was going to give you these ideas.

I'm sorry.

[swordedpast]

[But "I'm sorry" wasn't what he wanted. It's not as if it's Kiritsugu's fault, anyway, everything that happened, everything he regrets--it was his own foolish choice to take on that dream.

Archer isn't sure what he wanted when he began this conversation, actually.]

What are you doing with those boxes?

[So he changes the subject.]

It's my job to pick them up, not yours.

[failedprotagonist]

But if you succeeded where I failed, then--I'm glad. Thank you.

Ah--

[Kiritsugu smiles and scratches the back of his head when he's questioned, his serious manner fading for the moment.]

I knocked them down, didn't I? Helping pick them up is the least I can do.

[At this, he slowly and stubbornly bends to pick up another. He's fine, really!]