Girlzilla Author Note: Just Monika. Jokes, aside, Monika won't be one of the main protagonists. This is still Hakuno and Shepard's story, I just thought adding a non-Servant addition would be neat, especially as another AI.
Impstar: She's not an OC, character from a different game.
Sakaewmatsui: Thanks! I thought the dynamic interesting!
Axel Fones: Haha, it was a funny image.
Starlight's Poet: Indeed! Hahaha! I thought it would give the story an interesting spin.
Ravenext: Thanks!
Frozen Flame: Yeah, Shepard' Servant status gives quite the scenes sometimes.
Yuukikiya: Oh yeah! I saw that on Game Theory Live!
Sakatsuki Nozomi: Hakuno seems to attract all the Yandere.
Student: Musical Combat! Begin! AI's everywhere! Everybody wanting Hakuno-chan!
Shadowham: Monika is still a dangerous individual, though not as much as Hakuno can be. Monika is limited, Hakuno not so much.
7thManiac: Indeed, more the merrier! More AI!
Leonardo Castro: JUST MONIKA
Persona13: I'm leaving the past a bit vague, so your theory might be or might not be the truth.
Hooddies: Thanks! I also like Boyzilla's Digital Human series. I hope mine does it justice!
King of Fans: Yep, Guardians of the Galaxy inspired me a bit on that, and the song lyrics themselves.
To push beyond oneself, break apart the void none dares to, can a lone lunar light shine hope to a universe destined for despair?
Digital/Galaxy
Chapter 14: Unexpected
After Commander Jane Shepard had Jacob direct Mordin to where the Salarian Scientist would be working on the Normandy, she remained in the debriefing room until alone. The Heroic Spirit was going to have a conversation with the Illusive Man before they headed to the Citadel, besides, the leader of Cerberus had called her first.
"EDI, open the channel," Shepard spoke.
"Opening communication with the Illusive Man," EDI stated and the room's light cut, the technological holographic displays went to work as the walls and space were decorated into an open room in front of a blazing star.
The Illusive Man sat in his usual spot, cigarette smoke rising from his mouth as he drew the item away and rested both hands on the chair arms, one leg crossed over the other.
"Shepard," He spoke in a crisp, clear tone. "First, allow me to congratulate you on successful retrievals of your newest teammates. I'm confident you'll use their talents well against the Collectors and their mastermind."
"Why thank you for the compliment," Shepard's laced it with as much sarcasm as she could muster.
"Your combination of the Normandy's AI as well as the Spirit Hacker's talents were quite impressive. While your latest mission had an unforeseen instance, it has inadvertently caused a major interest in humanity's culture," He seemed almost pleased at what Shepard knew to be Hakuno's skill at broadcasting the music earlier.
Of course, he had to find a way to ruin Shepard's fun.
It had been an accident on Hakuno's part, the knowledge that someone with the capabilities to hack Omega Station that had occurred the same exact time that the Normandy had docked rose suspicion. Thankfully, Hakuno was quite fortunate that EDI covered her tracks, so it won't pinpoint back to the magus girl.
"Someone had to show them that there was better music," Shepard took the fault for it, framing it like it was her idea in the first place, rather than her Admiral. "Get straight to the point."
Still, the defacto leader of Omega, Aria, would be cautious right now because of that.
Thankfully they would leave for a bit for the Citadel, let the situation cool itself down.
The Illusive Man smoked his cigarette for a few silent seconds then spoke, "Cerberus Agents have pinpointed an area of interest that you can investigate. It is your choice whether to take on this mission," He tapped away on his personalized device and Shepard received a notification on her Omni-Tool.
Shepard took a brief glance at it, her brow furrowed as she noticed the subject body involve mentions of Spirit Hackers. It might involve the Atlas Institution, but they could be freelancers. Whichever the case, these were the magus of the era, so Shepard would have to look into it.
"I'll check it out," Shepard said. "Mordin is working on the Collector data, so until he developed a countermeasure to the seeker swarm paralysis I'll be reinforcing the Normandy and crew."
"We're looking into possible targets for the Collector's next abduction, until we can pinpoint their moves I've expanded the potential roster for additional crew members," The Illusive Man said. "Applicants that will benefit your team. The Reapers are cunning and you will need a diverse set of skills to combat them."
She'll have to check out those dossiers later.
As a Heroic Spirit, combat scenarios wouldn't prove too much of a problem in the majority of cases. That didn't imply she had skills in other areas, besides, more teammates would provide more protection for Hakuno and better deployment options.
Also, somewhere out there, another Servant lies.
"I'm going to assume the Council and the Alliance isn't going to help," Shepard crossed her arms.
"The Council is ignoring the problem, they think it has been swept under the rug. We both know otherwise," He smothered his tobacco product in an ashtray. "The Alliance is spread thin, they are building up but it will take time. There are a few projects in the background aimed at reaching Sovereign's capabilities but those will take time."
So another problem is the lack of military spacecraft.
Perhaps she'll ask Anderson about it.
"Fine, give me a call if you find something about the Collectors or Reapers," Shepard stated.
With that, the communication ended and the hologram displays vanished from sight, leaving Shepard in the meeting room alone. She turned her attention to EDI's display, "Tell Joker to headway to the Citadel."
EDI acknowledged, "Yes, Commander."
There was quite a number of things needing doing at the Citadel, two which were on the top priority, converse with David Anderson and purchase the best Kinetic Barriers for her Admiral Hakuno.
Also, show the girl around, didn't want to make her feel stuck in the Normandy.
Hakuno Kishinami had quickly learned that Monika was desperate for some company; since the magus girl was the only person to talk to her in more than a century made the mysterious AI possessive of her newfound companion. At first, Hakuno thought that Monika would have known that she was a digital magus, a Spirit Hacker, since she had used Code Cast to convert Monika's data into Shepard's private terminal in the Captain Quarters. It became apparent, however, that Monika didn't know that Spirit Hackers even existed but admitted to confusing the strange 'sensation' that was actually Hakuno's magic circuits interacting with her for Player.
Hakuno hadn't told Monika about the Moon Cell, her origins, or the current situation with Rider and the Reapers. But, the magus did briefly explain the basics as to what a Spirit Hacker is.
So, with that information, Hakuno knew that whoever 'Player' was had magic circuits and was likely a Spirit Hacker themselves, but had been unable to help Monika, who might have accidentally become self-aware as a byproduct of player's magecraft interacting with her media.
It wasn't too farfetched, magus had developed artificial humans for centuries.
They were called homunculi.
That reminded her of her homunculus friend, Rani VIII, created by her teacher who was apart of the Altas Institution.
Hakuno felt a bit down knowing that with the Moon Cell's change of timeline any possibility of Rani living this long would be for naught considering she wouldn't know who Hakuno was.
["Oh, Hakuno, you're crying. Did I say something offensive?"] Monika's voice came through the terminal's audio outlets.
Hakuno blinked in surprise as she wiped away a few stray tears with her sleeve, "No, you didn't," She replied simply. "Just remembering someone who's not with me anymore."
["That's sad to hear, I'm sorry,"] Monika sounded genuinely worried. ["I know, how about we do something together! Ever written a poem before, Hakuno?"] She suggested.
The magus had the knowledge on how to write poems, but not the memories of ever doing so, of course, since she hadn't any memories before the Holy Grail War outside of the vague high school student ones provide by the Moon Cell that was to be expected.
"No, but I know how to write basic ones," The Digital Human replied.
["That's plenty! You know, a lot of people don't actually remember how to write poems from their school days,"] Monika explained. ["We should select a topic, something familiar to you, like your military profession or surroundings."]
"I'm not really part of the military, even if this is a garb related to it," Hakuno relayed, brushing her hand against her Admiral-like uniform. "But I guess I can talk about the Normandy…"
[The way you've said that must mean it's not a region in France,"] The program-bound AI said.
"It's the spacecraft we're in," The magus explained.
Monika's face was in complete shock, her mouth agape in utter astonishment.
Hakuno tilted her head, "Monika…?"
That expression completely shifted to bright pink cheeks and the reply, ["Adorable! Ah, I can't believe I said that so quickly!"] She recovered herself. ["Ahem, we're in space… Space! I could only imagine what it looks like from a window. Do you think you can show me sometime? No wait, I'm getting distracted, we can choose that as our topic.]
What occurred in the next few minutes was Hakuno's amateurish attempts at creating a poem, she couldn't think on much to put into it, so decided to share her experiences aboard the Normandy so far instead. It proved to be easier to type subject material when references what she'd seen and read.
Just as when she was ready to present it, EDI appeared on the nearby holographic display, it's position was just in the line of sight of Monika's screen.
"Admiral Hakuno, Shepard wants you on CIC floor," EDI said. "We'll be arriving at the Citadel shortly."
"Alright, I'll be down shortly" Hakuno answered back. "Thanks, EDI."
The Ship AI vanished a second after, Hakuno Kishinami wondered why EDI didn't detect Monika's presence, perhaps it had something to do with the method Hakuno used along with the Regalia? Well, it should be fine.
["Who was that?"] Monika asked curiously.
"That was the ship AI, EDI," She answered. "She keeps the ship safe and helps Shepard."
["Shepard?"]
"My- She's like my guardian," Hakuno explained.
No need to talk about Servants.
["Your adopted mother? I'm sure she cares very deeply about you, Hakuno. But do you have to go?"] Monika had a sorrowful look.
"I'll come back," Hakuno answered. "You can catch up on events like I am by reading what's the terminal… That you're in."
Besides, if Shepard needed her, it might be something related to their Master-Servant relationship. As Rider's Master, it's her responsibility to guide her Servant… Even if most of Hakuno's time as a Master had been the complete opposite case.
Monika seemed to accept the fact that this would happen, ["Be back soon. And stay safe!"]
The Citadel Station was very impressive for something not created by the Moon Cell, it was over forty kilometers in size and looked akin to a metropolis over four large panels held together by artificial gravity. The largest object that Hakuno Kishinami had ever seen, barring the
Moon Cell Core, which even then it was smaller in visual scope. It was actually a bit difficult to describe it with words alone, even a still frame picture couldn't grasp the concept.
However, the Moon Cell could recreate a world, larger than the Citadel would ever be.
Hakuno, Shepard, and Tali'Zorah disembarked the SR2 Normandy and took a shuttle to a higher ward, the latter joining them to help in picking out useful equipment and supplies. The shuttle landed in the Zakera Ward, Hakuno stepped out to see the place dimly lit but clearly visible in grays, blues, and glowing electronic reddish lines across the walls. There were a few advertisements, most of which passed right by Hakuno's understanding, it was a barrage of alien languages.
But, by fortune, the Regalia translated the language for her with remarkable clarity, seemingly aware of its wearer's need for a translation.
English, at that, though she'd rather much prefer Japanese, it was her native language.
An odd occurrence happened right after they exited the shuttlecraft, one of the standing advertisements was addressing Rider specifically, or Shepard as it were. Her Servant didn't seem surprised by this outcome, so Hakuno went along with it.
They approached it, Rider didn't seem surprised so Hakuno presumed that her Servant expected this-
-Her life felt in peril as the sensation of death hung over her. The Command Seals stung with pain and the feeling of magical energy thrummed in the air.
Hakuno tensed up, her eyes darted around the ward in a frantic pursuit to spot their enemy. Rider restrained herself from drawing her weapon but she had noticeably stepped in a protective stance before her Admiral.
"Shit," Shepard whispered under her breath, "Didn't expect a Servant here."
However, the unknown Servant's presence vanished quickly, nobody except Hakuno and Rider had noticed the death that had loomed over them in that brief instant.
The victor of the Moon Holy Grail only knew of one particular Servant Class capable of the skill Presence Concealment.
"Assassin," Hakuno said.
"Thought the same," Shepard spoke only audibly enough for her Admiral to hear. "This is a prime target for any assassin, but a Servant? We can't let this be."
There was an Assassin-Class Heroic Spirit on the Citadel and both Master and Servant had to stop it.