[Week 3, Thursday: Shirou]

[fallbymyhands]

[sometime late afternoon, after Mitsuru finishes practicing her fencing skills, but well before the sun sets, Mitsuru makes her way back to cabin one to prepare for her post-curfew patrol. it's a good thing she and Shirou share a cabin, because she probably runs into him as she's headed that way]

Ah-- hello again, Emiya. We keep meeting like this.

[DESTINY]

[or it's b/c the camp is a small area and they share a living space]

Comments

[diesifkilled]

We were. He wasn't a perfect parent or anything, he was away a lot, but to me he was a real hero.

[fallbymyhands]

[it's sweet, but there is something Mitsuru picks up on in the way he writes about his father]

"Was?" Did he pass away?

[diesifkilled]

[He doesn't usually bring up the fact that he's an orphan - people get weird about it - but since it came up naturally...]

He did, five years ago. I've been living with a guardian since then.

[fallbymyhands]

[it's okay, Mitsuru is asking for a reason. she isn't quite an orphan, but as someone who was close to her father and completely estranged from her mother. . .]

I see. You have my condolences. I. . . know what it's like, to lose a father.

[diesifkilled]

[Oh, whoops. Accidentally bringing up bad memories for the hot girl is no good.

He gives an apologetic wave of his hands as he hands over the next note.]

It's okay. Of course I miss him, but I've learned to live with it. I'm sorry if it's a painful subject, though.

[Man, it's hard to express condolences through just text. He hopes his expression carries the meaning across sufficiently.]

[fallbymyhands]

[it's okay, she stepped on his bad memories, too]

No no, it's all right. I asked the question.

[a small, rare smile]

And I understand. I've learned to live with the loss of my father as well, as much as I also miss him.

He was a great man.

[diesifkilled]

My dad was

Well, he was a great man to me. I always saw him as a superhero who could save everyone.

[fallbymyhands]

[oh, Shirou]

I'm glad it sounded as though you two were close. Those memories must be some of your most cherished moments.

[diesifkilled]

Yeah, there were some good times.

How about you and your dad? Were you close?

[fallbymyhands]

[a pause]

. . . no.

[oh]

He was distant, but caring. He only wished for the best for me.

[diesifkilled]

[oh

shit]

Still, it sounds like you cared about him a lot.

[fallbymyhands]

I did.

And I intend to carry on his legacy, though through my own terms, and not his. Just as he wished for me to do.

[diesifkilled]

[That reminds him of Tohsaka so much it makes him stop in his tracks for a moment. Mitsuru might have plenty of differences from Rin, but some of the similarities are really striking.

After recovering from that thought, he smiles.]

You know, you're a really admirable person, Kirijo.

[fallbymyhands]

[she starts a bit when she hears that, and despite her best efforts, a tiny dash of pink appears on her features]

. . . thank you.

[she was always taught to accept compliments in stride]

[diesifkilled]

[He gives her a smile and takes a moment to think. Why did they start talking about dads to begin with?

Oh, right.]

Anyway, did you have any other questions about magic?

[fallbymyhands]

Hm? Oh, no. Not at this moment. I suppose I was just curious how your magic compared to the magic of a Persona.

[diesifkilled]

[Oh, right. The Persona.]

Actually, would you mind telling me a bit about how that works? I heard some from Ren, but didn't really understand it.

[fallbymyhands]

[hm. . . well]

What did Amamiya tell you? I can pick up where he left off.