“ Hey, I resent that! They’re not that scrawny– okay, maybe they are, but that doesn’t mean you should say it. “ and she rolls her eyes, laughing softly at the Saber’s attempt at showing off.
ah...that’s right. she was so caught up in the moment, of simply having fun and talking with Musashi, enjoying her presence, that she had forgotten: she wasn’t going to be there anymore. back home, in her world. the Servant known as Musashi Miyamoto was gone, now marked as ‘unknown’ by Chaldea. even thought her words were meant to be uplifting and comforting, it also served as a sobering reminder.
she wasn’t going to cry, of course, despite the sudden and intense urge to. this was supposed to be a fun occasion and Ritsuka had no intentions of bringing it down or worrying the other with her tears. she’s done enough crying already. but, even so, there’s still that tug at her heart, the familiar ache when she thought of those in her life now gone.
“Musashi– “ quickly does the mage pause in her steps, only to step in front of the Servant and wrap her arounds around her middle, grip tightening in a hug. Musashi was always a reliable one, someone Ritsuka knew she could always count on and believe in, no matter what. nothing would ever change that and even if that pain of losing her would always linger, she would believe in her words. “ ….Thank you. “
“...? whoa!?” they actually hadn’t talked about it yet. the events of █ █ █ █ █ █ █, not since arriving here on their own. musashi hadn’t pressed it with anyone, not knowing what anyone remembered. she had plenty to be sad about, but for the sake of everyone else - for ritsuka, for mashu? saber had decided she would hide it for their sake. even now, as the master tightly hugged her, she was shocked but continued to smile even as she held the girl back.
“i never confided this in anyone, but do you remember shortly after you arrived in shimousa? you fell from the sky! that was such a huge shock, especially since i wasn’t even a servant yet! but shortly after when we were attacked by berserker and rider right? you would have died then and there if not for inshun saving you. i... realized in that moment that my blades were useless if i couldn’t protect what was important to me.”
musashi’s breaths were notably erratic. it was understandably since she was revisiting painful memories. even her right eye ached just thinking about shimousa.
“so what happened with chaos... i don’t regret that. i don’t regret being able to protect what was important to me in the end. you, the others of chaldea... i was just a punk ass girl that was tossed aside by her own father for the sin of being born a woman. i never really had a home before i met you, a family. i was just a brat cursed to wander time and space.” she suddenly dipped, holding the master a little closer against her body. “so don’t feel guilty. i was able to defend my home at the very end.”
musashi pulled away very suddenly and gave her biggest smile, still holding ritsuka’s shoulders. it was clear the servant had sneakily wiped away some tears. “i’ll always be with you no matter what. this smile? it’s only for the people i truly love. it’s just for you and chaldea.”
