Dedication Through Hymmnos

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written by: wrathie

Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto

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Author's Notes: A Casual One-shot(?) for AT III. I originally wanted to have the title in Hymmnos, but I can't manage it. While playing the game, the phrase: HE IS NOT EMIYA SHIROU, keep popping in...

Aoto does not have UBW, so he is not as gar.


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It would be an understatement to say that Saki, an endless optimistic girl decked out in a pinkish sundress liked the boy named Aoto, a steeplejack who is wearing a ridiculously red outfit topped off with white hair. 3

If anyone, anyone at all would to spend one day with the group that has been pursued from Eternus Shaft, Archia to Claustania, mostly due to Saki being a wanted person, they would label them as husband and wife.

Such was their obvious liking for each other, made worst when Aoto spend so much time with her even at night, that the other members of the group had long became accustomed to it.

The only person that seemed to be upset about it is of course, the other heroine in the story, Finnel, the endlessly pessimistic girl in a blue and white outfit of her own customization. She has, unfortunately, not been able to make much leeway in increasing their relationship points together.

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Yes, they had moments together... yes, Aoto has always been quick and selfless in his protection of her. He was the first person to stand up for her, to back her up besides her good friend Akane.

But that was all there was to it, there had been nothing special beside the 'Master and Servant' relationship that they had.

It was enough for her to pull and chew at her pillow in frustration.

The other members of the party or entourage, Cocona, Hikari Gojo and Tyria simply closed one eye to the increasing and hidden tension between Finnel and Aoto's relationship with Saki.

It was not that they were not worried, but they simply did not want to intervene with something that might blow up in their faces...

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For Hikari Gojo, or sensei as he is affectionately known to the group, his expert opinion, both as a doctor, a senior to everyone else and finally, as a person who is engaged, is that he should not get involved.

Matters of the heart cannot be simply explained by logical arguments or by analysing the interactions between the party.

The heart, houses unlimited possibilities and equations for anyone to figure out the formula for love.

Besides, he has his own worries to worry about.

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For Cocona, a 16(?) year old girl, also formerly known as XXXXX, and a good friend of Aoto, this kind of situation was all too familiar to her as she had witnessed first hand what happened with Cro and the two holy maidens from where she had came from.

The situation here was perhaps a little better as 'Cro', a name she called her adopted big brother, was totally a blockhead and dense as heck.

She once believed that he would not recognize romance unless the girl printed the words on her shirt while confessing to him about it... but that was proved wrong, sort of anyway in the end...

But the reason the situation here was better was that at least Aoto was shamelessly behaving like a boy his age, that is, all perverted while liking to hit on girls.

That and he is not ashamed of showing the close bond he shared with Saki. Yes, he would jump in and defend her too as she was an important friend of his, but it wouldn't be the same as how he defended Saki... or in some aspect, Finnel.

That was one reason, she decided, that allowed Finnel to have a little bit of hope about her chances.

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That, was the main reason that Aoto was making it difficult for himself as well... he was like a weaker version of her Cro, in that he still cannot stop defending those girls that had an affection for him with all his heart... but at the same time showing favouritism for just one of them.

'... Aoto is so boo...'

She muttered as she prepared to rest for the night, closing the room's door after seeing Aoto make her way into Saki's room in the Eulark Inn.

With her was a surprise guest, Tyria.

Tyria was the third Origin Reyvateil and the newest member of the entourage... as an origin who has been sleeping for so many years, she has developed a weird and blunt personality that more than once had caused her to be reminded of Mir...

'Is there something the matter about Aoto?'

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But she, like many of the girls that had been around Cro when she was travelling with him, had developed small, subtle feelings of affection for the boy in the center of this crisis.

Yes, she had not known that she would be dragged into another ridiculous mess to decide Ar Ceil's fate so soon after the last disaster that rocked her world.

But now that she had, she was still surprised to this day that the center of the story was Aoto, a boy she had met a month after coming to this new tower. He had seemed so unreliable and hot blooded and so different from her Cro that she could not imagine him being a 'hero'.

Guess there are many different kinds of heroes after all... his stubbornness, hot-bloodedness, rashness but pure feelings for the things he viewed as wrong had touched her immensely and had been a source of strength for her in times of crisis.

'No, he's in Saki's room again, Tyria-san. Speaking of which... he had visited your room frequently after you joined us, desho?'

Smiling, she spotted the look of surprise in her eyes as she laid down on her bed. They were both girls, so it was easier for them to talk about things like this.

She did do the same with Cloche-sama and Luca-san when travelling with Cro too~

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'I was the one who barged into his room that first night. I was keen to know more about the things of this world. Is it bad for me to do so?'

Tilting her head, Cocona smiled at the way she tried to explain why she did that and Tyria caught on almost immediately.

'What is with that all-knowing smile, Cocona. Are you depicting and summarizing my actions in your mind? If so, I demand that you seize and desist immediately.'

Throwing a little temper, Cocona appeased the Original Reyvateil by saying she was not doing that.

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'It is just that, don't you feel that Aoto is really really very close to Saki-chan?'

'... that I have to agree. The time they spent together far exceeds the time he spends with the two of us combined.'

'Ahaha~ I'm not complaining too much about that, but what about you, Tyria-san?'

'Me? Why would I be concerned about that...'

Cocona simply shrugged and turned her body so that she could look at the Reyvateil Origin with a straight face.

'Well, I do know that Finnel is upset about that... but what about you?'

'... I do not care either way. But I do admit that I would miss the things he can teach me.'

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There was a slight pause in the way she admitted the last sentence and Cocona sighed. Looks like this was going to be a triangle all over again. The world sure works in odd ways...

'I think, Tyria-san would just miss Aoto diving into your Binary Field, Desho?'

The reaction she got from Tyria reminded her of the time Cro had dived into Jacqli and the subsequent development of her interest in him.

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It was the same cycle all over again and Cocona felt a growing headache at the possible developments in the near future if Aoto does not make a stand soon.

Still, she was certain that the group can handle any possible fall out reasonably well.

Each of them have gained something in this journey... and although the bond she shared with Aoto was not as strong as the bonds with Aoto, she cannot help but admit that bonds had definitely been build up between her and the group.

Yes, it is hugely different from her previous journey, but she was happy to meet Saki-chan, to learn more about Finnel, to discuss matters with Hikari Gojo sensei that she would normally not been able to and of course, speak with Katene and Tyria and to learn things she would not have at home.

She was grateful for all of that, and that is why she will help to ease the burden for the maidens involved this time.

Luca-san and Cloche-sama's fallout at the start of their journey had taught her to forever cherish the bonds that they had build together.

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Even if they are not aware of it initially, all of them had started to rely on each other.

The two of them on Sensei to provide backup and to watch their back while they do battle with other hostile Antibodies.

Her on Aoto to deal with the physically stronger and larger foes and Aoto on her to intercept and to corner those quicker foes that might hurt the three Reyvateils when they are singing their hymmnos.

It is a delicate chain of friendship and companionship that was born from going through so many adventures together that she did not wish it to break so easily with no warning at all.

'P-perhaps... I would be disappointed if he did not dive into me after all.'

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Cocona sighed, the Reyvateil could not help herself as well after all. It was going to be hard work, but at the least, they were not denying it as venomously as Cloche-sama did initially.

'Even so, Tyria-san... Aoto and Saki-chan had been through a lot together... that means, whatever your expectations are... you have to be ready for the consequences.'

She tried to phrase it as vaguely as she could, Tyria really only showed emotions at the weirdest of times. She had became accustomed to Jaqli-san's erratic behavior and thus it was easy for her to get the measure of this Origin Reyvatiel in comparison to the others.

Thus, besides Aoto, she was her most common companion... with Finnel and Saki taking most of Aoto's time if they were not battling, Sensei with Richa, Tyria had only her to speak to.

'... You are implying something, Cocona. I am unsure if I should know the rest of the conversation.'

Bluntly, she said her thoughts to Cocona and the younger girl simply giggled as she rolled around on the bed, unsure as to whether she should be blunt with her as well.

'well, it all depends on you, Tyria-san. Although I do believe that you and Ar Ru-san have realized that fact deep within your conscious, regardless of you accepting it or not.'

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Winking, she smiled sadly when she remembered that it was the same in her previous journey too. Having to see Cro make a hard decision regarding the three girls he was close to at the end of the journey was hard for her.

It was even harder when Cro said he did not want her to go on her journey...

But it was probably for the best, she really really liked Cro... and he could perhaps be using her as an excuse to not hurt the three girls that obviously mattered so much to the two of them.

If she did not force him to make a decision, who knows what would happen in the future.

It is painful... but it has to be done.

She believed that rather than leaving the hope and longing of the girls to develop further, she would want it to be decided as soon as possible to avoid the pain from having that same growth hurt create a deeper gash in their soul.

All of them had gone through so much. Gained so much strength after sacrificing so much that she reckoned their soulspace was intricately woven with each other...

They depended on each other to comfort, to give everyone strength to be able to tide through the darkest hour.

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It is the same reason that 'betrayal' would hurt so much...

Thus, she had to go, for them and for herself.

Time can heal wounds, but that depends on how deeps those wounds were. The last thing she wanted to do was to make the situation worst by making Cro be slow in his decision.

She was sure Aoto would be unlike Cro, he, at least knew exactly who his affections lie.

It was up to the girls to decide whether it was alright to give him up so easily.

But, perhaps Saki's innocence played an important factor. It is hard for anyone to betray her without feeling a little guilt inside her heart.

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While she was pondering that fact, to her surprise the other personality of Tyria emerged as simply as that, poofing into existence right in front of her.

Cocona shivered without helping it. This personae was known as Ar Ru, or one of the creator/mother of the Antibodies that had plagued Ar Ciel for so long. She had almost wiped out the whole party when they first met her... the minions of Antibody carriers has contributed to that brutal beatdown that almost killed her.

Almost, they had gotten away just in the nick of time..

To think that the innocent little girl with orangey pink hair , purple wings and dressed in a purplish tunic could be so powerful was mindbogglingly...

But then again... she was a Reyvatiel who survived a surprise ambush that would have killed a normal human after all...

And she was part of the entourage responsible for driving back antibodies, which are known as the bane of humanity, defeating many of Claustania and Archian defences up till now... looks can be deceiving indeed. Not mentioning that she had a hand in saving another world before this incident...

(Note, I believe Reyvatiel are normally sorta, weaker than normal humans in terms of being able to withstand hits. Cocona is... unique)

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'What are you implying, Cocona.'

Addressing her as if she was a mere child, Cocona let it slide as compared to this devilish loli, she was indeed younger than her and she smiled patiently at her.

'I am not implying anything. I am only ascertaining the facts that you do indeed feel for Aoto, desho?'

The quick flushed face and the resulting spluttering response was all she needed to justify the triumphant smirk on her face as she winked at her.

'Oh, did I make you imply anything too, Ar Ru-chan~'


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Author's Notes: It got kinda out of hand to be a One shot.. so we'll see what it would end like...