-Clocktower 2018-
"Zelretch, what did you do?" calmly asked the Second Lord El-Melloi, Waver Velvet.
"Oh, I don't know what you mean." the True Ancestor in question responded innocently… with a grin.
"Zelretch, an important Mystic Code has gone missing, and we have not just the entire Clocktower mobilized to find it, but the Church is looking for it." the Magus told the Troll, his face scrunched in annoyance. Worse part was that the new game he ordered was supposed to be here soon.
"Oh, you mean the Grand Grail System? The thing that the Tohsaka girl was working on? The system that would allow for a mana battery to freely generate mana and allow someone to summon multiple Servants?" the Red-Eyed immortal asked coyly. "Never heard of it."
This subsequently had the effect of Lord El-Melloi II to flip the old vampire's desk.
"...Oh, you mean that delightful Light bulb? Yeah, I traded it for an exact replica." Zelretch admitted.
"That same replica that nearly blinded Rin?" Waver asked, a twitch forming.
"Yes." Zelretch stated with a straight face, "I mean, that kid was heading to a bad future, and I saw a chance to be altru-"
Waver had slammed the door as he left, already done with the one who fought the Type-Moon.
"Well, maybe I shouldn't tell him about the fact that the one the kid has can summon one Servant a day..." he murmured.
-In past London, with Niko-
It was cold, miserable, and worse of all snowing. Okay maybe the snow wasn't so bad. But, the girl was still hugging the Lightbulb and Niko was shivering as he stood next to her as the Berserker followed them, looking worried.
Normally, winters like this weren't brutal for them. Happens once, twice, or even thrice during a year, but that's about it. Plus, they range in short times where the snow doesn't blanket the pathways and a bit of snow comes in. Easy enough to traverse through, even on the coldest of days. Going through more snow than possible to them where it levels below their knees, and still rising, was possibly a problem.
They were having a bit of a hard time keeping up with the two as they walked the sidewalks of London.
"Um, Jack, would you happen to know of a place we could stay?" Raikou asked after slowing down to pick up Niko and hold them on her left shoulder with ease.
"Hm" the Ripper though for a moment before nodding "We know of a nice house, though it's empty" she told the older women.
Niko settles with this placement. At least falling behind wouldn't be a problem until they find the mentioned shelter. "I think that would be a good idea to go there." They piped up.
Jack smiled and nodded before running towards an alley. With practiced ease, she stepped lightly on the snow as she traversed the back alleys of London, Raikou making sure to keep up. "We're here!" Jack stopped suddenly, at the back of a small home that not only looked abandoned, but also falling apart.
"Um, are you sure little one?" The Berserker asked as she looked at the structure.
The living killer nodded.
"It may be better than being out here in the cold…" Niko replied with some hesitation in their voice. They weren't sure about being within the vicinity of a nearly collapsing residence, having gotten to see how it's done when watching a barn being teared down with their mother.
The other two seemed to agree as Jack handed the Berserker the Lightbulb and pulled out a hairpin from her pocket. She then proceeded to quickly pick the lock and open the back door.
The Berserker walked in behind her, Niko on her shoulder still and looked around. It was definitely an old building, with part of the roof having a sizable hole in the far left corner, and the stairs missing multiple steps, and a pillar seemed to have fallen through the second floor and connect all the floors, and the basement, together.
"This… could be durable until we find the next one…" The cat-child spoke quietly as they looked around, worried that something could happen to this place to make it collapse.
"I'm worried this might be our best option, Kitten." Raikou told them as Jack balanced on the wooden pillar "Oh, if only I was a Caster" she murmured regrettably.
"We spent nights in worse, we'll be fine" Jack told them with a smile.
"If you say so…" They hesitantly replied before nudging the fabric on the Berserker's clothing. "May I be put down, please, Miss?"
"Oh, of course" the Berserker told them as she gently placed them on the floor. "I'll try and find some food, and blankets… and water…" she told them as she suddenly disappeared into blue particles.
Niko blinks at the Berserker's spot in surprise. "Whoa…"
"Did the nice lady leave?" Jack asked curiously.
"She did to get some supplies. It wouldn't be long until she comes back, I think." Niko replies.
"Oh okay… Do you think she'd our mother?" she asked in her strange verbal tic.
"In a sense that she's an adult and looks to being a caring type, I would assume so for now." A little smile came into being.
Jack smiled "We hope so, we always wanted a mother" she told Niko.
A nod of agreement was returned before they idly waited for their current caretaker to come back.
It was about an hour later when Raikou returned. Jack had found a little mouse that was living in the house, and was playing with it, so she didn't notice the Berserker come in.
Niko, however, did when hearing footsteps on the old wood. They sat with criss-crossed legs by the wall while watching Jack playing with the mouse. "Welcome back, Miss." They greeted her.
"Hello, Kitten." Raikou greeted, carrying a large blanket, and some bread rolls, as well as a glass bottle filled with water.
Jack was holding the mouse. "Hello Miss!" she greeted cheerfully.
"I found supplies" she told them as she laid everything down "We have bread for the next week, and water for a few days" she told them.
"That'll be alright for now." Niko replied in acceptance. "When it gets too low, we can stock up again."
"Hopefully" Raikou murmured.
"Um, miss Raikou, can we ask you something?" Jack asked with a tilt of her head.
"Hm, yes you may Jackie" she told her affectionately, almost motherly.
"Can we call you mother?" she asked sweetly, before she knew it she was being suffocated from the Berserkers… assets, as Raikou suddenly hugged her.
"Yes, you may. In fact, I'd love it if you both called me Mom" she told them with a blush.
"That would be fine with me." The cat-child replied, but didn't look up from their clenched hands that were placed on their lap. They already have a mother back home. To say that this woman who they barely know so far and call her their mother… It was both nice, yet hard to decide on.
Suddenly, Raikou had pulled Niko into the hug, her Madness Enchantment causing her not to see the body language, she seemed to let out a small squeal as she hugged them both.
Another little smile came onto their face as they hugged back. They'll have to get used to her being their caretaker.
Hours passed eventually, and it was nightfall, the Lightbulb was now glowing again, though not as brightly as the beginning of this whole ordeal, Jack had curled up by it for the night, and was already sleeping. Raikou, meanwhile has put a blanket on the Living Assassin and had Jack's head on her lap. She seemed to be humming a lullaby, but it didn't sound familiar.
For Niko, they sat halfway through the window sill, watching snowflakes fall from the darkened, cloudy sky. They weren't quite tired due to replaying the events that happened in their head. A nearby street lamp casts its glow at the opening. Since the window couldn't be closed, as it doesn't have board or another pane of glass to block the outside, the chill came at them and through the opening. They shivered, but nearly used to it.
"Kitten, it's pretty late, why don't you join Jackie in bed?" Raikou asked softly, almost like their mother when she would ask Niko to go to bed.
"I'm not tired yet, Miss…" They quietly replied as they turn their head to her direction. "Just, still excited from today."
"Hm, you know, you remind me of my adopted son from when I was alive. He always stayed awake after he played with this girl he liked" she told the child, sugar coating the truth… immensely. It was less playing and more fighting… and less of a girl and more of an oni. "But, you know what helped him fall asleep?"
A tilt of the head was their questioning reply. "What did help him fall asleep?"
"I would always tell him a story of my childhood" she explained, patting the floor beside her, gesturing Niko to sit.
They shifted their leg to come inside, then walked towards the Berserker woman. Now sitting beside her, the child crossed their legs and looked at her. A bit of curiousness fluttered in their eyes.
"There was once an emperor who wanted a son very much," she began. And throughout the night, Niko would eventually fall asleep.