Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection
Prologue:
"A Purple colored miracle from the sky."
I can feel it.
The rush of air that a living being can feel as they fall down from a very tall height, or in my case, an endless, dark void…
Fear gripped my heart, despite the fact that I could see no land below, nor have any reason to fear death. All that I see…is just an endless void, and all I feel is my body falling, falling, falling down endlessly…
"Young man…can you hear my voice…?"
A bright, purple ball of light descends from above, calling out to me.
"Please…please help me. I…do not have anywhere else to go to. Will you…reach out to me?"
I looked at the ball of light.
"For me, it doesn't matter what you are. Please…let me hold onto you…"
The ball of light says once again…
I can understand how it feels too. I…want someone to hold on too, right now…
"I…will help you…." I said as I reached out my hand to the purple ball of light…
A hand bursts out of the ball of light, and grabs the one I reached out, glowing with purple light in the process…
"Thank you…I shall make sure to thank your kindness when we meet. Don't worry…I shall be by your side soon…"
The voice says in a warm, happy tone of voice. Now that I think about it, the voice…resembles that of a mature, young lady…
However, before I could ponder any further, everything around me, including the endless dark void and the ball of light, dissipates into a white, empty background…
I opened my eyes.
Sunlight was already streaming through the gaps between the curtains, indicating that morning has come. Warmth caresses the entirety of my body as my sleepy senses steadily spark to awakening.
My bed…really is the best sanctuary in the planet. If it could turn into a cute girl complete with a functioning biological body, I'd marry it. Although, obviously, that is just wishful thinking. And besides, considering all the…atrocities I've done alone in my room, bedtime would be awkward. Something like my anthromorphic bed asking me if I'm about to take out the tissues and start my eroge marathon would definitely count.
Oh, lord, the horror.
Before I could continue with snuggling myself in my warm sanctuary, the alarm beside my futon rang out suddenly and loudly, that I slightly jumped into sitting up. Damn it, why didn't I turn off the alarm function yesterday?! Especially, since my summer break from has just started today! I…I was supposed to linger in this warm sanctuary more longer! Please, don't let either of my parents hear that alarm! I don't want to leave yet!
Oh, right, you might be wondering why I would think like that. Well…let's see…
I live in a large, Japanese style house, with only about three people living in it, namely me, my mother, and father. Although, occasionally, a 'freeloader' would come in and eat with us. She's a good person, though, although she has so much energy for someone her age…
Due to the lack of chattering noises inside this place, even just a single crashing of a porcelain plate can be heard till the other half of the house. And my alarm clock is no exception.
Father once told me that this house once belonged to grandfather, from his side of the family, who passed it to my father after he died of some sort of sickness at a somewhat early age. As a result, father had to take care of the house alone. However, as time passed, two people were visiting him almost every day, and are even helping him with the house chores…well, one of them anyway. Life was like that…till he met mother, an exchange student from Wales.
Slamming down the snooze button on the alarm clock, I proceeded to quickly cover myself under the cover of my blanket, as if a miracle will occur if I did so. However…
"Hikaru, are you awake in there? I'm pretty sure I heard your alarm clock…"
The voice of a familiar person rings from behind the sliding door of my room. I quickly soften and slow down my breath whilst making it deep, in the similar way a sleeping person would. As expected, it took three seconds of silence before she, my mother, slides open the door. I quickly closed my eyes as I hear her footsteps approach.
"Oh? Still asleep? Really? Then how come…" Mother's footsteps head towards the direction where my alarm clock is, "…The alarm clock has been snoozed? Hmm…" In a playful tone, or whatever counts as playful for her, mother proceeds to speak the phrase I have been fearing for so long, the phrase that she'll spout when she finds out about a mischief of mine, or that time when she discovered the Medieval Genre Female Knight H-Doujin beneath my futon a few months ago…
"…Maybe I should be a little more strict with the sword training this afternoon?" Mother declares in a devilishly evil tone, to which, of course, I reacted predictably…
"WHOA! I'm up, I'm up!"
I sat up quickly, hoping to avert a disaster born from the anger of a mother whose son kept napping his ass off despite being caught red-handed that his alarm clock went off. Goodbye, extra 4 hours of sleep. I shall catch up to you…tomorrow.
What faced me as I turned my full attention in front of me is the warmly smiling face of my Mother. She has bright, golden hair whose bangs framed the sides of her face and down to her upper chests, and was tied in a stylish braid behind her head. She has a pair of emerald eyes, so bright that they put actual emeralds to shame. Her skin is of a healthy variation of ivory, the one that's of the not too pale kind. Her facial features make her look like someone in their mid-twenties, or even younger. She has the very same face I inherited, and something that feels jarring to me even till now. She wears a white, long sleeved shirt and a knee-length blue dress.
This person, ladies and gentlemen, is my mother, Emiya Arturia. Although, for some reason everyone won't tell me, anyone who knows her, even father, calls her "Saber".
"Good morning, Hikaru. Did you sleep well?" Mother asks me, with her smiling expression unfading, and her voice now warm and kind, unlike the voice of the terminator that she had while I was trying to evade her earlier.
Nodding to her words, I replied, with not a hint of sleepiness in my voice, as all of that tiredness went away for the hills when Mother almost went terminator mode a few minutes ago.
"Yes, I did."
Seemingly satisfied with my reply, Mother stands up, and speaks, "I see. That's good then. Your father is almost done with the cooking, so be done with your morning routine and get changed." With her smile still unfading and sincere, Mother gives me a small nod, before heading fully heading out of the room and closing the sliding door. I stood up as well, and went out as well, heading for the house's bathroom…
After getting in, I headed towards the sink, which had a mirror above it. I ended up facing the mirror, and saw my own face.
My facial features are exactly the same as mother's, except for a few parts. Like the shape of the hair. Although just as similar in style and blond as mother's, it's slightly more spikier on the bangs that frame my face, and instead of a styled braid, the back of my hair is simply of short length that befits a boy like me, and is spikey too. There's this…strange cowlick hair atop my head as well, which won't go down no matter how I combed it. It won't even go down with hair gel. My mother has the same case with that strange strand of hair.
Despite the obvious physical differences, some of father's friends, especially Tohsaka-san, would sometimes call me 'Little Saber-face', and Rider-san even would comment sometimes that 'there's so many of them in that one Online Game, and an entire franchise is even making a cash cow from them'. The last one really confused me, and I decided not to probe further on that.
However, remembering that I shouldn't be wasting time thinking about trivial things and that father really dislikes it when you eat his cooking when it's already cold, I shook myself to my senses. After all, he would always tell me 'food is bad when it's cold'. And I totally agree with that.
With a splash of water, I continue my morning routine…
Damn, the air's a little cold.
I headed for the dining room, which was a few walks away from my own room. It can be accessed by a long hallway from the door of my room, and I would end up passing through some of the guest's room doors on the way. And sometimes, when Tohsaka-san is staying over, I would hear malevolent giggling when I pass through the room she was staying at, especially at night when I would sneak out some to "hijack" desserts from the fridge.
As a precaution of safety, I never mentioned any of Tohsaka-san's malevolent giggling to the person herself nor to my parents, as an impending doom warned itself to me if I were to inform the former and I just might lose all rights to the sweets in the fridge if I were to inform the latter. I saved my rights to my beloved strawberry yogurt that way.
I arrived at the sliding door that led to the kitchen and dining room. I opened it, revealing two people inside.
-BGM: "Signs of Love" from Persona 4-
One was my mother, sitting on the floor just right beside the lowered table.
Meanwhile, on the kitchen, which was just right beside the dining room itself, is my father, Emiya Shirou, who seems to be checking the rice if it's finished cooking.
He has red, spiky hair, and a pair of burning amber eyes. His skin color is somewhere close to being tan, but not too browned. He wears a white shirt, with blue-colored long sleeves, and a pair of gray colored pants, all beneath a brown colored apron. He seems to have heard me go through the door, and faces my direction. A smile on his face is very visible as he greets me.
"Ah, good morning, Hikaru. The rice should be ready around a minute now, so wait for a bit, okay?" Father says as he returns his attention to the rice cooker.
"Good morning too, father." I said as I proceeded to sit on the floor on the other side of the table. Judging from the smell coming from the kitchen, we're having fish, stir fried vegetables, soup, and rice for breakfast. Nice.
"Hikaru, do you have anything to do today? Like any activities with your friends or something of the sort?" Mother asks me from the other side of the table. Hmm, hanging out with my friends, huh? I have around...the entire class as "friends", although I'm really close to only 4 of my classmates, and they're the ones I frequently hang out with most of the time, as a result.
First of all, is my childhood friend and neighbour, Carigiri Jinako. She and her family moved in the neighboring house years ago, although by family, I would mean her caretaker, Hong Meiling, and…Jinako herself. Her parents are busy working overseas, so they are rarely home, even during occasions like Christmas, New Years, etc. Thus, my family would invite Jinako and Meiling-san for these events, as the two of them had no one to celebrate with. That's actually how I met Jinako in the first place, as she rarely would leave her house due to playing videogames…a lot.
Me and Jinako continuously talked to each other a lot during the celebrations where my family would invite hers, and eventually, she introduced me to videogames, I introduced her to exercise and physical activity, and we became friends. During the days where there are no classes, I would either hang out at her home and play videogames with her, or sometimes take her outside and just go around Fuyuki, or visit Akihabara. There's rarely a time where the two of us are not doing things together.
Now that I think about it, she DID texted me yesterday night that I should head over at her house later today. We are to discuss and plan out what we are supposed to buy and do for another one of our trips to Akihabara tomorrow, last time I checked.
I picked up my rice bowl and my chopsticks as I spoke to mother about my plans, "Well…Jinako and I have some planning to do, since we are going to Akihabara tomorrow. Oh, and concerning that, can I go tomorrow, Mother and Father?" I asked with the most polite, and of course, the most subtle version of a pleading voice. Hearing what came out of my mouth, my father simply gave a small, but approving smile, while my mother gave only a short sigh, as if saying "That was it"?
"Oh? With Jinako-chan again? Well, I'm okay with that. But be sure to be careful, and take good care of her as well, alright?" Father declared with a sincere, approving voice. Is it just me, or is he misunderstanding something?
"…Hmph, make sure to come home for our sword training later. And, I'm on the same boat with your father, Hikaru. Be cautious, and make sure to watch over Jinako-chan, understand? Oh, and no love hotels, either. You're both underage. But you can hold hands." Mother tells me with a straight face. I was happy she approved, but the moment I understood the last part of her sentence, I spit my rice.
"W-What are you even talking about, Mother?! I would never do such a thing! Especially to my childhood friend!" I retorted, expecting a lecture on the topic. However, what happened next was not what I expected.
Father simply laughed his heart out. Mother, at the same time, let out a very amused smile, as if something she predicted really just happened. It was the same kind of teasing smile Tohsaka-san would wear when she and Rider-san would start teasing me and treating me like a little kid.
…Wait, did my own parents just made fun of me?
"Now, now, Hikaru, do not blow a vein. I was simply teasing you. And it worked it seems."
Ah, I realized it just now. These rather…subtly vulgar jokes. I only know of one person who'd throw them at me.
"Mother, did you ask Tohsaka-san for that joke?"
At my question, Mother swiftly turned her head away in another direction before she answers, "Of course not. Why would I need to do so? I may not look like it, but I too, have a sense of humor."
"…Oh really?" I asked with doubt dripping at every syllable. To think that the evil witch, Tohsaka-san, had infected my mother with such…unfunny sense of humor! Wait, didn't they hang out together so many times, even before I was born? Ah, I'm too late! My dignified, charismatic mother has just been turned into another Tohsaka clone!
"Now, now, everyone, if we keep arguing like this, we'll get the food cold, you know? How about we-"
Before Father could finish his sentence, me and Mother quickly raced against each other in nabbing the viand on the table, leaving barely nothing for our Father, whose eyes looked like they were about to tear up. But Mother and I couldn't care less, as the table filled with food is and has always been a battlefield, which only had one rule…
…And that is 'You snooze, you lose'.
-BGM fades-
"Haaah…Man, the sun sure is pretty nice today. I'd go as far as to say I'm feeling so grossly incandescent!"
I took a deep breath as I walked out of the gates of my home. Man, father's cooking never really gets old. I might be his son, but I have no aptitude for cooking. No matter how hard I try, the results are always abominations that are out of this world. It's like I can turn identified creatures into unidentified substances. Everything I touch becomes dark matter. I am also banned from the kitchen.
Not to brag or anything, but, in compensation for my horrid cooking, I at least got the compatibility for the sword, as Mother said so herself, who's already a master with them. Coming from her, that's already a pretty big deal. I can say as much, remembering all of our trainings and every time she beats the crap outta me in a spar. In turn, however, it readied me for all of my Kendo matches, and is pretty much the reason I won the Interschool Kendo Competition, and I'm now heading for the Regional Level Fights. I really should find a way to thank Mother and Father for all their help someday…
Cold air brushes my faces as I turned to the direction opposite my house. Sunlight was lighting up everything in my sight. Some children are running around, carrying nets which they would use to catch stag beetles. I used to do that alone a lot during summers when I was younger, since Jinako won't join me. She…really dislikes stag beetles. I mean, what's wrong with those cool looking little things?
I sighed, and looked in front of me. On the other side of the road, stood a large, two-storey western style mansion behind a green painted steel gate. A small, red button is present beside the large gate of steel. I approached it, and pressed it twice, ringing the doorbell.
"Jinakoooo! Meiling-san! Are you in there? It's me, Hikaru." I slightly raised my voice as I called. Knowing Jinako, she might still be slugging off her arse in bed this time of the day. I would be too, had mother not decided to wake me up. And since I did not get that extra few hours of sleep…so will Jinako too.
Yes, I am a very evil person. Time to make Jinako cry again! Fufufufu…
…I sounded like Tohsaka-san there. I should stop that line of thought.
Now, I guess I should wait for Meiling-san to answer.
After a few seconds of waiting, the gate opens, revealing a woman in her early twenties, with aqua colored eyes that felt as calm as a sea with no waves, long red hair redder than any flame, and fair skin. She wears maid clothing, with some chinese elements mixed in, like the design and the placement of the buttons, and with the overall coloring of her maid outfit being a combination of white and green.
A bright smile on her face is very visible as soon as she saw me.
"Good morning, Meiling-san. Is Jinako inside?" I asked the red-headed maid.
"Good morning to you too. And yup, Jin-chan's inside! And it looks like she needs one of your waking techniques again, Hikaru-kun. She won't budge from her bed again!" Meiling-san says with a cheerful, energetic voice. If you know her working habits, you'd find it ironic that this cheerful chinese maid in front of me is actually the type that likes to sleep…a lot.
"I see. I understand what must be done, Meiling-san. Leave it to me!" I answered with vigor. Like a general bidding a soldier his last goodbye, Meiling-san salutes and pats my back and leads me inside to the mansion.
"Well, then, brave one, I bid thee luck, and my permission for you to enter her room! May thou survive the wrath of the Shut-In of the western hemisphere!" Meiling-san jokingly says as we proceeded through the front door of the mansion, leading to a wide, round hall with a large wooden double door in the middle, and a set of stairs that lead to a second floor on each side. The entirety of the hall, including the stairs, are made of white, shiny marble, a trademark of those people who has deep, full pockets.
You wouldn't guess that only a shut-in videogame otaku and a chinese maid with a bad case of oversleeping are the residents in this rather ridiculously fabulous mansion.
Having already been given the okay earlier, Meiling-san just gave me a thumbs up and goes back outside, to head for the mansion's garden, where she would tend to the many different plants in there as she usually would do every day. Meanwhile, I proceeded to take the stairs leading to the second floor.
The sound of my footsteps echo as I pass though the wide hallway of the second floor. The air around here seems…a little chilly, just like last time. It's as if the house is expressing its emptiness from having little to no one living in it.
Eventually, I reached a brown, wooden door, with a large name tag hanging on the middle, upper part that says 'Jinako'. Taking a deep breath, I began to knock and call out to the owner of that room…
"Oi, Jinako! It's me, Hikaru. I'm going in, okay?"
I softly opened the door, causing a gentle wave of literal cold wind to blast through me, so cold that I shivered rather much on the spot. Damn it, Jinako, raise that temperature setting a bit, would you?! You can magically grow penguins and polar bears in your room at this rate!
"Brrr…looks like I'm gonna have to drag her out for some sun after this."
Mist comes out of my mouth as I breath, before taking a good look around. The room is pretty wide, able to keep a ps4 and a large flat-screen tv, an entire gaming PC, and a king sized bed. The bed is set in the middle if the room, with the PS4 on the wall a few walks onto the left, and the gaming PC a few walks onto the right. A large, glass double window with thick blue curtains is set at the wall where the king sized bed sat.
-BGM: "Mass Destruction" from Persona 3-
"All right…time for some vitamin D, you sun-hating otaku!" I muttered before heading straight for the blue curtains near the bed. The light sound of snoring can be heard from the thick blankets. Heh, looks like somebody's been staying up late a little bit too much, and as a proper, functioning member of society, it is my duty to wake my friend up during proper morning time! Ufufufu…
"Praise the sun!"
With that sudden warning, I proceeded to slide open the curtains, allowing a lot of sunlight to come in, before opening the windows themselves. After that, I went for the air-conditioner, and turned it off. Now, the cold air should disperse. With all the preparations done, I headed towards the sleeping otaku…
"Rise from your grave, you damn otaku!" I roared before pulling off the thick blanket, revealing Jinako, in her pajamas, awake and surprised on the bed. She has messy, brown wavy hair, and a pair of bright, brown eyes, and an almost pale skin tone too, which is the result of hiding in her bat cave-I mean, her room most of the time.
"Wha-?! This again?! You…you jerk! Give me back the blanket!" Jinako, with fierce, burning rage written all over her now reddened face, demands me to give her back the blanket that's currently rolled in my hands. Heh, that face is all that I need for the next phase of her morning routine!
"Good morning to you too, best friend. And no, you want your blanket? Come and get it!" With that, I ran as fast as I can!
"Hey, get back here, Hikaru! I swear, when I get my hands on you, you heartless prick…!" I hear Jinako shout as I reached the door, and opened it.
I dashed through the door, then slamming it close, and ran towards the stairs at the bright end of the hallway. I could hear the door slam open, followed by angry, heavy footsteps and an otaku cursing like an angry sailor far behind me as I reached the staircases. I ran towards the middle of said stairs, before jumping over the railings, landing smoothly on my feet right in front of the double doors leading to the dining room.
If I remember correctly, there is a door leading to the gardens in the kitchen, which in turn, is just right through the dining room itself. Without wasting time, I open the double doors, pass through them and closed them up quick. Inside the dining room is one large, oval shaped wooden table, with 10 surrounding chairs, one on each end of the oval and four on each side. I ran for other end of the room, heading for the door that led to the kitchen. As I grabbed the door knob, the double doors from far behind open up, revealing Jinako, who's obviously still pissed…and is panting heavily, proof of her lacking stamina from lack of exercise.
"Hah…hah…hah…I found…you…" Jinako says between breaths, pointing at me as she continues, "Just…stop over there already!"
"Then how about grinding some skill points for STAMINA and ENDURANCE one of these days, you DEX fag?" I say as I open the door leading to the kitchen, "Stop hiding in your room and get good, scrub!" I finish before slamming the door close.
"Damn you, Emiya Hikaru! Stop cheesing with your cheap physical build, damn it!" I can hear Jinako scream as I slammed the kitchen room's door close. Looking around as quickly as I can, I see the door to the gardens. I ran towards it, opened it, and ran through!
-BGM fades-
"Phew…looks like I lost her. That should give her a few minutes of moving her body, at least." I muttered to myself as I sat down on a bench in the middle of the garden. Geez, for someone who doesn't even exercise that much, Jinako sure can put up a chase. Oh well, at least she's woken up now.
"Ah, Hikaru-kun!" Meiling-san calls out from somewhere behind me. I looked back, as she appears to be carrying a water hose. Ah, she must be watering the plants right now.
"I take it that you succeeded, considering that lump of cloth beside you?" Meiling-san points to the rolled blanket beside me. I looked at her in the eyes and gave her an affirmative nod and a thumbs up. She makes a relieved sigh and a big smile again.
"Whew. That saved me a lot of trouble. Thank you, Hikaru-kun. As thanks, I'll make some extra good breakfast today, with you included, of course." Meiling-san says in a happy tone of voice. Wait, did she say breakfast?
"I'm sorry, Meiling-san. I've already had breakfast back home, so…"
"I'll whip up a nice dessert, then!" Meiling-san cuts me off. A grin makes itself known on my face as I digested her words…
"Count me in, Meiling-san. Thanks for the food!" I said with all the happiness in my heart. Meiling-san, hearing this, just smiled and pointed at the path that led to the kitchen's door from the gardens.
"Got it, Hikaru-kun. Wait for me in the dining room, ok? I'll make a breakfast and dessert set so good that Saber-san would smell it all the way from your home! Oh, and leave that blanket on the bench. I'll take care of that one." Meiling-san says with great pride and a thumbs up. I nod as I reply before heading for the kitchen door, walking through the gardens…
…Now that I think about it, this is one large garden they have.
How the hell does Meiling-san maintain all these plants and flowers…all by herself?!
Haaah…I should just save my energy for the walk…and Jinako's ranting later. No doubt she'll be waiting at the dining room. I mean, she magically arrives there every time I would know that Meiling-san would prepare food…
"So…you sure have guts appearing in the dining room, Hikaru, you blond prick!" Jinako exclaims while giving me the death glare. In turn, I simply gave her the good old smirk before giving my answer…
"Well…not my fault you suck at running nowadays…I mean, look at those flabs, Jinako. Can you not hear the disturbance in the force of your stomach?" I pointed to her stomach as I spoke. In turn, Jinako's face went red she and also covered her stomach with her hands…although she's clothed.
"W-w-well, I've been doing sit-ups every afternoon! They're not as fat as you think they are!" Jinako quickly defends, while looking at me in the eye…with her face still red.
"Oh, my, good job then. By the way…" An evil smirk plants itself unto my face as I reveal to Jinako today's part of the cuisine, "Meiling-san told me there would be desserts along with the breakfast today."
At the mention of desserts, Jinako's eyes went wide, and after a few seconds, they start tearing up.
"You…evil little bastard! I…won't fall for that little trick. I will NOT eat whatever what Meiling will serve!" Jinako says, with her breaking resolve obviously showing as the scent of the leche flan is already invading the dining room. Meanwhile, I spend a few seconds laughing in victory…
"Can you smell it Jinako? The smell…of victory! And desserts!"
"Stop it…"
"Ah…that creamy, delicious…jelly like texture…"
"Shut up…"
"That sweet, sweet, sweeeeet sauce…"
"WAAAH! I give up! I give up!"
With that argument, I won…
After eating breakfast and desserts, me and Jinako headed for her room.
No, it's not anything suspicious at all. We're just discussing our plans for our trip tomorrow.
I sat on the soft, desk chair while Jinako sat in her bed. On the floor, one the bed's left side and visible to me, is a knapsack filled most likely with food, water, and other provisions for tomorrows trip. Damn, Jinako works fast when it comes to this. Now that I think about it…
…I didn't prepare shit.
"Alright, I'm actually done all my preparations for tomorrow! I've even got our train tickets. Say, Hikaru, what about on your part?" Jinako asks as she goes to lay on her bed, making a comfortable sigh.
"Well, I've…readied my things as well…" I said, looking away as Jinako sits back up.
"Lies. I know you're not the type to prepare until the last minute. So spill it already, ufufufu." Jinako says in a victorious tone, complete with standing up on her bed and pounding her chest like someone who just won the pachinko. Meanwhile, I could only give her a look of embarassment. Well, she hit the nail on the head, as much I'd hate to admit it. Damn it.
Jinako sees my face and quickly goes to be smug about it.
"Ohohoho, so the mighty Hikaru actually needs my help? Oh my…But my morning mood just got ruined, so…"
"Please let me join your expedition, Jinako-sama!" I cut her off with that sentence while prostrating on the floor like an idiot. Damn it, brain, why is it that you suck when it comes to preparing our provisions?!
"Well, well, since I, the all-mighty Jinako-sama is a generous goddess, I shall reveal to thee that I have also prepared an extra bag of provisions and stuff as usual, and thus, you will have no worries for tomorrow's trip…you poor casual. Ufufufufu!" Jinako proudly declares as she mockingly sits on her bed like it's a throne of sorts.
She has the last laugh…for today!
"Hmm…Now that I think about it, you're still training for your Kendo matches, right Hikaru?" Jinako asks. I gave her a nod first, before I gave my answer.
"Well, yeah. I actually have one this afternoon with mother, at my home's dojo."
"Ohh…I'll go watch! Because, after all, the mighty Jinako-sama must make sure that her minion can at least defend himself with a wooden stick." Jinako, in her pride-filled, smug tone, declares while going back to laying down on her bed.
"By the way, Jinako, can I resume my material farming on Drag*n Nest here? The internet back home is currently messing up, you see…" I said. Well, thanks to Tohsaka-san discovering the internet and the Internet Download Manager application, she started downloading movies non-stop. And then, mother ends doing the same thing too. And thus, on every non-working day, the house internet is basically useless. For gaming, anyway.
"Yeah, go ahead. By the way, can you have my lancer complete the daily quest for today? It's just some duels at the colloseum…" Jinako asks me before letting out a large yawn. Man, she must have really stayed up really late yesterday. That's a hardcore gamer for you.
"All right, on it." I said as I spun the desk chair around, and booted on the gaming PC in the room…
Man, I sure got a little engrossed there. If it wasn't for Jinako waking up in time, I would've played all afternoon. Whew, I actually owe her for that one. Mother would've went full terminator had I been a little bit later.
"Wow…your family's dojo always would look so big, no matter how many times I'd visit here…" Jinako comments as we open the sliding door of the dojo, and enter inside. Waiting for us is Mother, who appears to have been sitting here for quite some time, with her eyes closed.
"So, Jinako-chan is here to watch today." Mother spoke, without opening her eyes.
I headed for the stack of wooden swords on one side of the dojo and picked two up before answering, "Yeah, she'll be watching today. Is today alright for that, Mother?"
Mother opens her eyes as I stood a few steps away from her. She looks at Jinako and gives the otaku a small smile, before returning her attention to me and replying, "Yes, I do not mind. She has always watched us for a long time now, so there's not much of a problem with her presence. Now, pass me that blade."
I obeyed, and chucked the wooden sword up in the air towards Mother's direction. She catches it, and puts on a battle stance. I do the same as well, with my blade held by both hands and faces forward, with the tip diagonally facing upward, and with my left foot placed a bit more forward than my right foot.
Meanwhile, Jinako goes to one side of the dojo, and sits on the floor to watch.
However, instead of a warning of an incoming attack from her, Mother spoke of something else first.
"Me and your father have an important business to tend to. A business that will take us at least till midnight tonight at the Tohsaka manor. As it would appear, I am pressed for time, son. So, for now, we shall have a quick spar instead. I'm sorry." Mother declares, with sincere regret in her voice.
"It's alright. I'm sure that whatever your business with Tohsaka-san is, it sure is of grave importance if it takes till midnight. Let's just make use of our time as much as possible, mother." I declare, not letting go of my battle stance even for a second. Meanwhile, Mother made a relieved sigh.
"That's good to hear. Very well…En Garde!" Mother shouts as she suddenly bursts forward.
-BGM: "Mighty Wind" from Fate/Stay Night Realta Nua OST-
The foot that made the first step…the way she held her sword…
I can see it!
A charging diagonal slash, from the left!
I quickly set my stance in a defensive mode, setting my blade's tip facing my lower left side.
*CLANG*
The sounds of wooden swords echoed throughout the room. I managed to lock mother's sword with my block. The wooden swords tremble in our contest of strength…
"Haaaaaah!"
With a burst of strength, I pushed Mother back a few steps, putting her on a defensive stance as well.
I charge forward, setting my hold of the sword in my hand to look like I was about to launch a thrusting attack. Mother does not change her stance.
…Just as planned!
I thrust my sword forward, causing Mother to quickly attempt to parry my incoming attack with a diagonal slash from her left side. However, I already expected this.
The moment she launches her swing, I quickly pull back my blade, and consecutively launch a horizontal swing of my own.
However, instead of hitting its target, my sword hit blank air, as Mother had quickly back-stepped right before my blade made contact. However, this was what I wanted it to be.
You won't escape my next blow!
The moment her feet landed, I charged forward, and launched a fast, thrusting attack aimed at her lower stomach. If there was one thing she taught me herself, two of the moments that an enemy would be open is when he or she is recovering from a successful dodge from my own attack…and during the time they would launch their own counter from that missed attack.
"Your reflexes are slow, Hikaru!"
Mother declares as she effortlessly side-steps my sudden attack before launching an overhead swing which I barely made in time to dodge with a back step of my own, with the floor of the dojo making a loud, slightly deafening sound from mother's attack landing on it. In fact, I even felt the floor shake.
If there was one example of tough love I'm asked to point out, it would be when Mother is training me…and beating the crap out of me in that training. Damn, she's pretty scary when she's in the dojo. Even father would wholeheartedly agree.
This time, Mother charges forward again, with her sword held ready for a swing from her left side. Ah, I think I remember this stance…
I put myself on the defensive right after.
As soon as Mother was in sword range, I launched a counter attack of my own with a neck-aimed horizontal slash, attempting to land a blow before she can. However she quickly ducked, as I thought, and twists her body towards her left side, which means that…
…It's a spin slash from my left!
I quickly made a gap between my hands on my sword's handle…and used that gap to guard against mother's blow!
*CLANG*
"What?! Irregular guarding?!"
Taking advantage of her surprise, I pushed sideward with all my force, causing Mother's sword to be pushed backwards…and leaving her body open for a split second.
"HAAAH!"
I roared, launching an overhead strike towards Mother…
"GAH!"
The sensation of my wooden sword hitting something and Mother grunting in pain shook me out of my focus, making me look carefully in what's in front of me…
…I can't believe it…
For the first time in 8 months…I…
…Managed to land a blow on Mother! On her shoulder, no less!
I seriously can't believe it!
Before I could mentally celebrate, however…
I quickly back pedaled as Mother quickly regained her composure, with a smirk on her face…
Wait, that look is…pretty familiar…
Oh…HELL NO-
"Well, well, I'm actually joyful. That makes it your…12th successful strike, yes? I am truly glad for that progress. Good job, my son." Mother warmly and lovingly declares, before putting on a battle stance, "Now then…let's see if you can land another one!" Mother excitedly exclaims aloud, with that rather happy look on her face, right before charging with a renewed vigor…
When she gets like this, that means she's really happy with my progress…
...And loses all the reasons to hold back.
God, have mercy on my soul! Please let my body wake up in one piece, too!
*CLANG*
The last thing I saw…is Jinako laughing her ass out, and Father having a face palm at the door...
-BGM stops-
-BGM: "Emil -Despair-" from NieR Automata-
Here it is once again.
The dream occurs once more.
A giant being, larger than all the tallest mountains of the planet combined, stands tall and intimidating, its height piercing through the forever blood red skies of the dead planet. This being, the scourge of all the dead planet's survivors, remained unmatched against as it arrived and fought. No living being of that planet dared resist, for they have no hope of winning. However, all hope was not lost…
That hope which lies in the form of the single purple armored knight that floats up the skies, facing the colossus defiantly upfront. In his hand is wielded a velvet demonic sword, a symbol of hope for all that remained of humanity, despite its dark and evil appearance.
The knight raises his sword as the dark colossus takes a step forward, the single step causing an aftershock with the strength of what would be a full-powered nuclear blast. The Knight is not deterred, and kept his position as his demonic sword devoured and drained the energy all around him, the continent he was in, and the whole world, causing the dead planet to lose a portion of itself once more.
Three more gigantic blasts roared. The gigantic invader approaches, its shadow now visible to the purple armored knight, whose demonic sword has caught up to the size of the gigantic enemy.
"I shall show you humanity's true strength! Come to my hands, and bring back the blue skies…"
The moment the giant invader's eyes glowed a deep red, the purple knight swings down his demonic sword, with the enemy now in reach and the red skies torn apart as the demonic sword sliced through, revealing the beautiful, blue skies once more…
-BGM Fades-
I opened my eyes.
That white ceiling I'm seeing…ah, I'm back in my room. The bright light of the study lamp from my study table…It's already evening?
Mother really didn't hold back. I'm surprised I woke at night instead of tomorrow noon, like how it would be usually. The only usual thing left is the pain I'm all around my body, obviously from Mother's blows. Geez, can't she at least not knock me unconscious next time? It's not like I'm not used to it, but…man, isn't there going to be a time she does not go nuts with excitement when I score a hit?
I sat up, with the pain on my stinging from just that. I bear it, and went off my bed to head for the kitchen. The lights in the hallways and the dining room are on.
I entered the dining room, and found a pair of Tupperware on the table. I opened them, and found a tasty beef steak in one, and a bunch of fried shrimp tempura in the other. Looking at how it's still smelling nicely cooked, Father must have cooked these before they left for Tohsaka-san's home. I should thank them with something when I return from Akihabara tomorrow.
Hmmm…I guess the rice is at the rice cooker, as usual.
It took a few moments till I've finally set the table, ready for dinner. However, before I could start, the dining room's door slides open…
…revealing Jinako, carrying a plastic bag containing what looked like to be canned drinks.
"Ah…hey there. I was about to start. Didn't think you'd arrive. I don't know if the rice and the viand are going to be enough for both of us, though…" I said as I watched Jinako place the drinks on the table, and headed for the kitchen part of the dining room to get her plates and glass. She is a regular at my home, as I am to hers, so the both of us pretty much knows about almost every crook and cranny of each other's houses.
"Are you serious?! The amount of food and rice your dad cooked can feed four to six people. You actually eat that much for solo?" I hear Jinako say while heading for the table, plate and glass in hand.
"Yeah, I am. I thought you'd know already, considering that you and Meiling-san joined me and my family during the holiday celebrations." I said with an amused voice, as Jinako sets her utensils on the table.
"I saw how you and your mom would devour the main dish, you know. I'm even surprised there's still enough for everyone!" Jinako laughed lightly as she said the last part. I also laughed in return.
"That's my Father's cooking for you. Well then, without further ado…" I started…
"Thanks for the food!" Me and Jinako said at the same time, before wolfing down on the viand and rice set on the table…
After dinner, Jinako reminded of our schedule tomorrow, which is early morning, right before sunrise. The trip to Akihabara is a 5-hour round trip, which means that it will take 2 and a half hour to get there by bus, and vice versa. After discussing the schedule a bit more and Jinako leaving me the second bag of provisions for tomorrow's trip, I bade Jinako goodbye and she left for her house, while I go back to my room and check for my possible preparations that I need.
…Nah, Jinako pretty got everything in the knapsack. Maybe I'll just put some extra clothing and I'll be done.
After 10 minutes of half-assed preparations…
Finally…I'm in my futon. I guess I should call it a day now. A good night's sleep is all I need!
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes…
…And then…
"Help me…please…"
A familiar voice rings in my head.
The frigging hell?!
I sat up. Damn, someone must have sneaked in? Or-
"Please…the courtyard…I can see it from up here!"
Courtyard?!
My home's courtyard is the only thing that comes to mind. However…considering that my life certainly isn't some damn shonen manga story, it's not far-fetched to think of this voice calling out to me as…suspicious. I headed for the futon, and grabbed the wooden sword I hid underneath the pillow…
Well, a wooden sword would be just fine, yeah? Here's hoping it's not some magical tentacle monster waiting out there!
…On second thought, make it a cute, moe monster girl, please! With cat ears too, preferably!
I slammed my room's door open, looked around the halls, and ran out of my room. Wooden sword in hand, I ran all the way to the house's courtyard, where…
…There was nothing waiting.
"Must have been my imagination. I should stop drinking energy at night, seriously."
Muttering that to myself, I turned my back and-
"I TOLD YOU TO WAIT YOU BLOND TWAAAAAAT!"
*BOOM*
The sound of something crashing onto the ground from behind made me jump in surprise.
Damn it, quit this crap already!
I looked back at the courtyard, and saw…
A girl, who's appears to be a bit older than the 15 years old me, maybe by around 2 years or so.
She has wavy, stylishly spiky purple hair with bangs that frames the sides of her face, and is tied in a long twin braids style that reaches almost below her waist. She has a pair of bright blue eyes with…a power symbol for pupils. Her skin is pretty damn bright too, as shown by her face and her…slender legs.
…Hey, I'm a guy, and I can't help but notice those bits first!
As for the purple haired girl's attire, she…wears some sort of black body suit that's separated on the area between the thighs, and, uh, the knees…And there's those the purple colored transparent bits that show her arms, and…stomach area.
I could feel heat rising up my face as I looked at the…cute cosplayer.
…Anyone would be like that in the face of overwhelming stimulation, alright?!
The girl looks at me, and makes a deep, relieved sigh…
"You really do look the same as you did in the dream. I'm glad…that your prayers of reaching out to me really did reach me. I am truly grateful, for something horrible might have happened, had you not accepted my plea." The purple haired girl then makes a surprised look, as if remembering something, "Oh, right, where are my manners. My name is…Purple Heart, the Goddess of Planeptune, the land of Purple Progress. Now, may I know your name, dear citizen?"
She's…a Goddess?!
…
HAHAHAHA!
Damn, she's nuts! Didn't think they'd allow cosplays for people at the funny farm! They even had to literally drop her at my house, those pricks. She might be cute, but I'd really rather not stick my nose to the crazy businesses of crazy people.
And she's called Purple Heart? Sounds like a reject from the cast of Precure!
I guess it's time to call the Mental Asylum for patient number 22!
But first…I should at least be polite enough to introduce myself. She might be nuts, but I should at least be respectful of her as a person. Even if I'm really working hard right now to stop myself from laughing my heart out.
"Um, hello there, Purple…Heart-san. I'm Emiya Hikaru. And I'll be calling the Mental Asylum to pick you up in a jiffy, okay?"
'Purple Heart' made a shocked face at my words, with her jaw dropping like she just got insulted…real hard.
"How dare you! I am a Goddess, one who has answered your prayer! What did I do for you to treat me like this?!" Purple Nuts complained.
"Well, then, if you really are a Goddess, then could you grant my wish to get a perfect waifu? You know, pink hair, emerald eyes, fair skin, and has the nice girl-next-door kind of personality? And of course, she must not be a trap in disguise!"
After I said that, Purple Peanut Gallery had a look of pure disbelief and annoyance on her face, giving me something that's equivalent to a death glare. Yup, totally gonna call the Asylum on you.
I was about to turn my back, when…
The sound of something being crushed made itself known from above, causing me and Purple Nuts to look up…
…And see for ourselves a large black hole up in the sky.
"Holy crap! What the hell's that?! Please tell me that's part of your crazy nutbar antics!" I told Purple Nuts. However, she only had a look of calmness and…slightly more annoyance as she looks at me, and replies.
"No, it isn't a parlor trick, unfortunately. Not by my hand either, Hikaru-kun."
After she said that, something jumped out of the black hole in the sky and it is…
"A freaking dragon?!"
I pointed to the sky as I said that. Purple Nuts just palmed her face.
"Yes, yes, it is a dragon, captain obvious." Purple Nuts retorted, while not losing the cool, composed tone of voice she has, as if seeing this things were part of her daily life. Yup, totally an asylum resident.
The dragon up in the sky, seemingly have seen us, roars aloud and charges towards…in our direction.
Oh.
IT'S REAL?!
"Move aside, Hikaru-kun…" Purple Nuts speaks, gently pushing me to the side, before…floating all the way to the middle of the courtyard?!
The hell?! I didn't see any strings on her, nor any cranes around!
"Despite your rude treatment of me, I shall pay my debts of prayer by protecting you, Hikaru-kun. Allow me…to show you the power of a true Goddess!" A bright purple light explodes from Purple Heart's right hand, and leaves a sword.
The metal clank that it made when it came in contact with the ground…
It's a real sword, too?!
However, before I could add any more complaints, the dragon hovers over, aiming to charge against Purple Heart!
Oh joy…
Mother, Father, wherever you are…
Come home, please.
Notes:
The Fate-Verse of this fic is an AU modeled after the one in Ataraxia, where almost all of the cast is alive…Except for Kirei, who is gone in this fic for...spoiler reasons. A bit of Fate/Extra CCC is here as well, if you've at least played the game and encountered a certain otaku with a Lancer Servant in there.
Also, Saber's appearance in this fic is the same one she has as "Artoria Pendragon Lancer". No, not the Alter one, but the NOT ALTER Artoria Lancer that was recently released in Fate/Grand Order. Well…basically a grown-up Artoria.
Shirou is also nearing Archer's appearance here, especially on the skin department. Should be pretty easy to know why…
As for the Neptunia Side, this fic takes place somewhere in the middle of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 1.
The events of Fate/Grand Order are also tied into this fic's story, and that's all. Any more info would be spoilers for this fic.
That would be all.