Author's Note: Welcome back everybody! And hello to all those joining us. It makes me very happy to know so many are enjoying this. I hope Lunar Hearth and others in my 'Digital Human' series continue to go well!
This Chapter is dedicated to my Uncle, who passed away yesterday. He had always supported me. May he rest in peace.
Starlight's Poet: Bell plus Saber teaching equals OP stat growth.
Daureod: Thank you for the compliment! I really do have a lot of experience writing Hakuno-chan.
Dxhologram: The third Servant will take a little longer to get here.
Takei Daloui: Hey, Fate Extra is awesome! The PPSSPP Emulator and play with a controller, great fun! And thanks for the compliments, and yeah, they're basically dotting her like a little sister already!
furukawa023: Artemis most likely hasn't given up on Hakuno just yet!
Student: Nice Pokemon quote. Sabers ARE utterly molestable, too bad Hakuno doesn't know squat about such methods... Yet... Keke.
Saru: It's Hakuno! Everyone must dot on her! She's adorable! And a third Servant will come eventually.
sakaewmatsui: Thanks, I do try to take care of myself.
King of Fans: Thank you, thank you. Good arguments, Altera can definitely enter the place, as she technically did in the astral state. Hehe, that would be a funny skill for Hakuno to get. And dates! Yes, Bond moments we need!
1idontcare: You're not alone, we need to see those sisterly overreactions!
Enjoy the chapter everybody! The tale of a different wish, a story that changes the predetermined outcome, the journey, the Extra that pushed the world of gods into Extella!
Digital/Lunar Hearth
Chapter 14: Personality Shift
A young woman stepped forth, resolute, without doubt, boots trailing against the flourishing golden grass as the teenager trekked upward towards a slightly elevated hill. Her eyes focused on the target ahead, a sizable stone anvil that shines brilliantly as the sunlight glared upon it.
She approached it, the surroundings becoming naught but a blur, as this lone rock had an object embedded within that gleaned with an almost holy radiance. This was the purpose she had come here for, to retrieve this magical blade decorated in ceremonial hues of gold and blue, an interdict design pattern engraved along the base.
She knew the inscription, the tale, the myth, and legend.
There was a cloaked figure in white, a man whom she was familiar with, and he spoke of the words, the passage, a quote of what it meant.
"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."
A hand grasps the handle, the sword of selection, many before have tried and failed in their endeavor to claim this blade of kings.
"Before you so choose to do this, Artoria, you should once more think carefully before you take it. You shall no longer be human if you do," The man spoke.
An awareness that she had known for most of her life leading to this moment. But, to be King is to not be human. She believed this fervently.
"I have chosen to take this sword for it is my desire to do so," She replied and without hesitation, drew forth the sword from the stone.
The area was enveloped by the light the sword emitted as it was drawn.
At this very moment, she was no longer human.
Hakuno Kishinami opened her eyes, staring at the stone ceiling above. She shifted out of bed and noticed that Bell and Hestia were still sound asleep. The Digital Human must have awoken quite early in the morning, and so stepped outside the room and quietly prepared herself, dressing into the familiar brown uniform before brushing her long strands of hair.
A few short minutes passed as Hakuno routinely brushed, her thoughts trailing back to the vivid memory that had occupied her sleep.
The Dream Cycle.
A phenomenon that normally occurs in the Holy Grail War between contracted Servants and their Master. The important memories of the Servant's past life would filter into their Master through dreams, as would the Master's own to a slumbering Servant.
This did not occur in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, at least, for Hakuno it did not. Likely, her unique nature and ineptitude as a Master prevented a proper contract from being form. However, it seems that the summoning of her current Servants happened to be properly formatted to her.
In the case of the recent dream, she had nearly all but forgotten most of the others, it was clearly linked to Saber. Unfortunately, Hakuno was unfamiliar with whatever scene in history or legend it represented, a side effect for her being created without memories save for general educational knowledge and small bits of cultural mannerism typical of high school students within Japan during the 2030s.
As such, another mystery to the pile.
She placed the tool down and made her way upstairs to the first floor, Hakuno glanced back for a second but saw nobody awake.
Alone in a cleaned, well-cared for church, Hakuno assumed that Saber was right outside the entryway.
But…
"Altera," Hakuno spoke.
In a display of magical motes of blue light, Altera's physical body appeared. The woman was taller than Hakuno Kishinami by half a head, likely due to Hakuno's young age. She wasn't facing her Master, and the Digital Human assumed that something was bothering her.
"We are heading to the Dungeon today," Altera spoke in a tone of voice unlike any she had said before. It was an authoritative expression, and Hakuno was nearly forced by Altera's commanding presence to follow the Servant's orders.
However, Hakuno Kishinami was the Master, not Altera, and she had dealt with such outstanding force of personality many times prior.
Hakuno opened her mouth to speak-
And was immediately silenced by a blade of multiple hues directly pointed right at her heart, its tip just a centimeter away from piercing through cloth and flesh, just a bit of strength and Hakuno would be dead without a fight.
"You are in no position to speak, Master," Altera stated. "In observing you, and your past deeds, you lack the drive to progress into the Dungeon to retrieve the other half of the Regalia."
She wasn't wrong, Hakuno did not want to fight, in the lax atmosphere of the Hestia Familia, it had been easy to dissuade herself from pushing deeper underground.
A sense of dangerous caution crept into Hakuno's mind.
"The other Servant will not be able to save you in time before I pierce your heart and destroy it alongside your life," Altera spoke with a glare.
Hakuno was still, the slightest movement would spell her demise. But, even in this drastic situation, the magus girl was concerned for Altera rather than herself.
What had happened? Why is Altera suddenly so different from before? Was this the Servant's true personality? Or perhaps, there was another factor at hand that caused her to act this way?
"D-Don't look at me with those eyes," Altera stuttered, slightly shake, if only for a moment, out of the authoritative facade by Hakuno's starlit irises.
"Are you angry at me?" Hakuno questioned.
"No," Altera replied. "But… I am not meant to… I only destroy all I touch, and by staying and following you, I will eventually eliminate all that around me."
"That's not-"
The blade's tip pressed against her chest, stopping Hakuno from speaking once again.
She was afraid of death, but not of her Servant.
"I bring only destruction," Altera spoke in an emotionless tone, almost robotic. "I am a tool to be used not sheathed, so take me where I may bring to ruin everything without taking all you know away."
Hakuno nodded, "We'll go to the Dungeon today, Altera. I won't bring any others aside from you and Saber."
Altera's weapon retracted, lowered down and faced the floor, no longer on its path to the young magus' beating heart, the organ of life. The sense of danger and caution vanished, and Hakuno Kishinami released a breath of relief.
Looks like she's going to the Dungeon today.
She'd best leave a note so that Hestia knows, and take the quarterstaff that had been returned to her by the Artemis Familia. Also, a pouch, for those Magic Stones that can be exchanged for currency and perhaps experimented a little with to see if they're a suitable solution to some mana problems.
Though, Hakuno wondered what was Altera's true personality. This authoritative warrior, or the more shy swordswoman?
Frustration.
That was the expression adorned on Hestia's face; an irritated, annoying feeling directed at her absent Second Child, Hakuno Kishinami. The brown-headed girl had left the premise of the Familia Household in favor of heading to the Dungeon in the early morning hours, likely at the behest of Saber.
She should've known that no-good 'Lady Hakuno' acting Knight at something planned for her sweet, innocent mage girl! Her opinion of the pseudo-Spirit woman was one of neither positive or negative remark, but some middle ground of acceptance.
Last night upon returning home, Hestia had pulled aside Hakuno to speak concerning the Command Seals and the Contract it represents.
"Alright, Hakuno," Hestia spoke as she closed the doorway to the rest of the rooms under the church, both Hakuno and her now alone in the bedroom chamber.
The fourteen-year-old human girl sat comfortably on the couch. "You wanted to talk?" She questioned in a monotone voice.
"Start explaining," Hestia's normal bubbly expression took a sharp shift, a serious, focused one taking its place. "The Contract that you formed, who or what is Saber, and how are you affected by those Command Seals thing?"
"Master-Servant Contract, Heroic Spirit, they are absolute orders that represent the Contract and can be used on Saber," Hakuno spoke clearly and straightforwardly.
"Slow down," The Goddess of the Hearth spoke up. "Master-Servant? Don't tell me you became her servant, Hakuno…" She trailed off in a bit of disbelief, did Hakuno have to give up herself to escape Artemis mansion? To become a slave?
"No, she's my Servant," Hakuno replied. "It's a different term than you think, more aligned with a partnership."
"Oh, I think I need more context… Heroic Spirit?" Hestia asked.
"It's what Saber is," Hakuno replied. "A magical familiar representing the body and soul of a hero that is deceased summoned and contracted with a magus. She's the spirit of a hero taken form in a body made of mana."
"Wha…" Hestia trailed off, eyes blinking numerous times as her brain tried to register the fact that Hakuno was apparently summoned and contracted the soul of a deceased hero that was the Saber right outside the doorway.
Not to mention, she'd never heard of a hero named Saber.
"The Command Seals represent this contract, I give magical energy to sustain her body, she protects me in exchange. Each marking represents a Command Seal Seal containing a consumable Command Spell, which are absolute orders I can force upon Saber."
So they were an assurance of loyalty, that's why it's called Master-Servant, and not Partner-Partner.
"Alright then, next question is-"
That was when Bell had interrupted.
Hestia loved Bell, but he had the worst timing! She needed to know more about Hakuno! How can she help the girl make important decisions for her own safety if she kept keeping secrets?
Well, actually, it was less keeping secrets and more like Hakuno never said anything unless asked. She seemed like a truthful character, and her answers were always straightforward and to the point, but it lacked that additional context when she did so.
Ask Bell a question and he'll answer to the best of his ability while providing additional insight.
Ask Hakuno a question and she'll reply with a short sentence that, while answered it, did not further elaborate.
She had to put off questioning her mage girl, as the information that the Goddess learned so far was not something her other Child should be worried about… That's her job!
It's the Hestia Familia and she's Hestia! The Goddess of it! It's her responsibility to care for her Children.
Not to mention, the conservation with Artemis, but she can handle that at a later point!
"Mou! Hakuno! Why does someone so adorable like you have to cause me so many headaches!"
Hakuno Kishinami looked down the straight hall that made the Dungeon's First Floor. A sense of unease crept up her spine, there was an uncertainty that plagued her thoughts about the decision to enter the underground caverns. But, she had little choice, Altera had been quite insisted.
"My Lady, shall I head forth ahead?" Saber questioned.
The Digital Human shook her head, "We'll explore together," She replied.
Altera materialized into view, there were no adventurers around to see her switch into the physical plane from the astral state. Saber's eyes furrowed, displeased at the tanned warrior that forced her Master to do this.
The white-marked warrior spoke, "Until you've reached a level I deem suitable, you will not leave the Dungeon."
"You cannot tell our Master such, that is what amounts to imprisonment in these caverns." Saber retorted.
"Indeed," Altera turned to Hakuno. "Best get moving, my prisoner."
She vanished into motes of magical energy right after, disappearing from sight into the astral state. The Servant could still be felt, but it seemed like she was only observing, gauging whether or not Hakuno would be worthy.
So, was this Altera's true personality?
Hakuno Kishinami glanced to Saber, "It's fine. I trust that we can do this, Saber." She said.
"I have no doubts about my own skill to protect you," Saber responded. "But I dislike… Altera's forced pressure on you," She explained.
"Altera is concerned about me," Hakuno said, "She might believe that the surface is more dangerous than the Dungeon."
"I will admit that to my knowledge she is not entirely incorrect," Saber nodded to this. "The Artemis Familia had kidnapped you, and while it may seem like they are trying to make amends, do keep in mind their goddess may attempt trickery to persuade you over."
Hakuno nodded, "And the assassin…" She trailed off. "Let's start exploring."
"Lead the way, Lady Hakuno," Saber's grip tightened slightly on an invisible weapon.
The Digital Human took a deep breath then stepped forward, beginning her first lone exploration of the Dungeon without Bell or Liliruca. In what seemed to be just an instant, the floor gave way to a digital format, the cavern walls became the background of a dark underwater sea, the Dungeon turned into the Arena…
The Lunar Chimeric Sea.
Then, all reverted, as her memories blurred back to reality and she continued forth.