Fate: Totem

Doom and Fae

Our mall shopping trip came to an end when the cops came.  

Johny stayed behind to help the F4 come up with an explanation to the situation. MJ accompanied me back to the base, while Saber stayed behind with Susan Storm

"Gala is coming up tomorrow, you just worry about getting some rest, and I think MJ picked out the perfect dress, so we gotta keep it a surprise!"

"Surprise?" I grunted as I web swung me and MJ onto the top of the Baxter building. "You guys barely had time to pick anything after Assassin left."

"Oh I already had something in mind, after all she's King Arthur, there was only one dress in there that truly really fit her. She needed something royal. "

"But this whole surprise thing? Its not a surprise if she's trying it on-."

"Pete, it's not a surprise for her tiger.. its for you." said MJ, rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.  "My God, are you an anime protagonist?"

I sighed. "Look, MJ, she's not interested in-."

"She IS interested in you!" MJ exclaimed. "Have you SEEN how stubborn and challenging she gets around me? To her I'm competition!"

"She's always competetive." I said. "Like she acts the calm quiet honorable knight pretty well, but deep down I know she takes every task like a challenge." 

"But have you ever seen her treat anything else more like a challenge?" MJ asked. 

"N.. no." I admitted. 

"She gets nervous when you touch her.  YOU get nervous when she touches you.."

"I LIKE HER I admit it! Doesn't mean she likes-."

"You two share a hero complex, but her hero complex is more practical while your hero complex is more fantastical.. its like you both share a goal and hope for a peaceful world, but also iron out each other's flaws on those views!" said MJ. 

I froze. "J-just how would you know THAT much?"

"We had a lot of time to talk even if we didn't have a lot of time to shop." said MJ. "She might see me as a challenge, but I think she really craves a girl friend she can talk to. Remember, she's spent her entire life being the Fair Ruler of a Round Table of Jocks in Shining Armor.  And if half the myths about them are true, some of them really are Boy's Locker Room types in a way.. while a few others were faultless, pure innocent Prince Charmings who must've been real boring to hang out with at the dinner table.."

"God imagine having to be the King of a bunch of Flash Thompsons.." I muttered. "Without the prince charming parts.. "

"I don't think it was THAT bad, but I'm glad you get the general point." said MJ. "Anyways. Point is, I doubt Artoria's ever been a normal girl in her life, whether its normal farm girl in Tintagal Britain, or normal Modern Girl here in New York.  So.. when the chance came to talk to me, she didn't realize how much of her beans she spilled.  She thinks she told me nothing, but I can pretty much tell, whether she likes it or not, she LOVES you. If somebody stabbed you with a knife, that gal would hunt them down."

"That's a bit much. "I said. 

"Oh yeah?" MJ looked at me with a a cool glare. "Rin was trying to STEAL Saber from you.. make Artoria her own servant.. how does that make you feel?"

Immediately my fists clenched and I felt my jaw grit my teeth in anger.  "That bi-... oh."

"You get  it.. stop skirting around it and just.. try and make it work." said MJ. 

"You.. really think I should try?" I muttered. 

"Couldn't hurt. I mean.. we made it work didn't we?" MJ said, smiling wistfully at me. "But it just wasn't in the stars for us unfortunately. I still feel guilty about that, cause you honestly deserve a win man. She does too."