Once more, a newly written page was crumpled.
Hans withheld his smirk as he slouched on the sofa with his nose buried in a book. Opting for darker formal attire, his navy pants and vest clashed with the upholstery of the library's couch. Quietly, he pushed his glasses up with a finger, before covering his mouth with the sleeve of his white dress shirt. The cough never came while the scribbling on paper restarted across from him. With a simple glance, he eyed the unusually tense expression of Shakespeare.
With his nose in the notepad, and his pen writing furiously, the playwright kept scribbling while Hans paid him no obvious heed. The bearded man's eyes never left the notepad, though Hans would occasionally shoot the green suited man more glances. Shakespeare put the jotter down for a second to remove his emerald suit jacket. As an equally colored vest came into view, Hans mentally remarked the man wore green ensembles far too often. As he crossed one jade pant leg over the other, Shakespeare picked the notepad up and began writing once more.
It was the pleasant morning peace the library enjoyed in the morning, where the scratching of the playwright's pen was the only discernible noise. Hans preferred it this way, though there was admittedly a novelty with having some servants breaching proper conduct. As much as he would hate to admit it, the occasional distraction did make things less mundane. He even dared to entertain the notion Astolfo should make a visit.
He quietly reprimanded himself.
One of Helena's Colonel Olcotts floated into view briefly before returning to the front desk. Her familiars made doing inventory checks a breeze, which gave the original librarians more flexibility. Even Medusa was barely visible from her spot on the second floor, browsing for something to read rather than organizing. These rare breaks were becoming more frequent, and he didn't mind in the least. It was a nice way to end the last week of January, especially with the unfortunate rise of tensions from new arrivals. February was still a few days away, but it was already looking promising.
Shakespeare clicked his tongue, before crumpling up yet another piece of paper. He discarded it onto the couch next to him as Hans eyed him over the book. The playwright still gave him no visual acknowledgement as his writing hand worked across the notepad with vigor. Soon it stopped, as quickly as the endeavor began, as the taller caster simply tapped the tip of his pen against the black pad. It was at this point, Hans could no longer hold back his chuckle, earning an irritated glare from the English playwright.
"To think the day would come I would witness the great William Shakespeare… suffering from writer's block."
"This is no laughing matter, Andersen…" Shakespeare growled as he dropped the notebook to the table. "It is a travesty. I, who was always overflowing with inspiration… at a constant loss of words. To think, my first work in centuries is kept from the stage of Chaldea, by my own hand and fault no less!"
"Maybe you should write the play about that. It's a basis for a tragedy, I'd say," he chuckled, earning a scoff and a glare. "You still have time."
That play in March should turn out interesting, if only because he doubted Chaldea actually had any viable actors. As a scrutinizing judge of character, he would have noticed if there were any. Serenity and a few others came close due to their pasts, but there was only one real way to see if it translated to stage performance. There was still plenty of time before he had to assist his fellow writer with the production, and plenty of other tasks to do until then.
Hans could never complain about the writing work. It was his source of plain contentment.
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Fragment 36: Matters of Perspective
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"Ready for this afternoon, Andersen?"
"I would imagine. The task isn't demanding," he replied while sipping on some hot tea from a thermos. Reasonable food and beverages were now allowed after a unanimous vote from the librarians, though they hoped they wouldn't come to regret that decision with damaged books.
He placed the thermos back onto the center of the table. For his break, Shakespeare had disappeared in an attempt to find inspiration around Chaldea. In his place sat Atalanta, pleasantly enjoying the morning glow from the snowy library windows. Her hands rested on her lap atop her black sheath dress, with most of her arms covered by the loose, emerald throw over sweater. There were a few thermoses on her side of the table, all of which contained hot chocolate that still steamed lightly. A small bag rested beside them, from which the archer happily took her first treat.
Hans glanced over from writing in his notebook to see the Greek hero fish a vibrant red apple from her bag. Though everyone knew her love for the fruit, it was the unusually colored ones in the bag that really caught his attention. With a raised eyebrow, he slowly lowered his pad as he stared at the bronze, silver, and gold apples. He had almost mistaken the last one for a golden delicious, but it was clearly more vibrant and shined like a gem. After taking a bite and chewing quietly, she followed the caster's gaze to her bag.
He simply smirked and raised his notebook again. "You would be the first servant to volunteer for the apple project. Do we know what they do?"
Atalanta smiled. "Paracelsus hopes they should recover magical energy on our own. If it works, the masters won't have to carry saint quartz, and we'll all have delicious snacks instead. I'm testing them in the training grounds before lunch when Irisiviel and I do reaction training."
"How convenient…" Hans mused as he stared at the unusual apples once more. There had to be some sort of creation cost, but their benefit was beyond doubt. Saint quartz had a terrible size to weight ratio, plus they were the only means of activating the summoning system. His gaze turned to the side as the gentle pitter patter of returning servants ran towards them. He long since gave up telling the children not to run here.
Jack and Nursery Rhyme soon clambered onto the couch across from him with happy smiles. Fou appeared shortly, jumping from the floor to the ornate frills of the caster's black princess dress. With another leap, it pounced onto Jack's jeans before curling into a comfortable ball as the assassin pet it. She pulled the sleeves back on her black turtleneck before plucking one of the thermoses off the table to drink. As she did so, Nursery Rhyme handed their chosen book to Atalanta over Jack's head. With a small smile, the archer scooched herself closer and wrapped an arm around Jack.
With a soft giggle, Nursery Rhyme squeezed in tighter towards Jack and Atalanta so the archer's free arm could wrap around both of them. Jack helped hold one end of the book while Nursery Rhyme plucked Fou from his seat on the assassin's lap. It protested at first, but soon found the comfort of the caster's frilly dress much more preferable; It should have stayed on her lap in the first place.
Hans watched the entire scene with minimal interest. It was adorable; There was no denying that. They were a happy family that has come together thanks to Chaldea, and one of the earlier feel-good stories to happen within the organization. As a wonderful source of inspiration, there was no denying they helped make Chaldea slightly brighter just by being present. Fulfilling, bright lives were nice to look at, but they were just part of the scenery for him.
Hans Christian Andersen just doesn't appreciate happy things as most people would.
After all this time, Hans still has lukewarm regards about indulging in anything remotely pleasing. He'd find companionship in his fellow writers, or spend his time purposefully in the library as opposed to somewhere else. He'd also take some enjoyment about being blunt in his observation of others, as he especially loved chastising Dantes. There was also that one time he burned books in London with Shakespeare, and that had been rather pleasant in its absolute heresy. Despite the small things he'd appreciate, he would never let himself past that.
As Atalanta began reading quietly to her children and Fou, Andersen simply returned to his book with a small frown. He had a small bias against women, though he refused to make light of it since his first week. He had learned the hard way that was not the best idea when he set off an already irritated Medea. It had taken months for them to be able to work together on neutral terms again, but he didn't care. Being liked by others was not on his second bucket list of things to do, not that any of his previous desires in life had ever been answered in the first place-
He just realized Atalanta had stopped reading. Curious, though bracing for what he knew was coming, he stopped casually writing and looked up. Just as expected, Jack and Atalanta were looking at Nursery Rhyme… who was glaring at him. "Are you writing another terrible fairy tale again?"
With a sigh, and a pinch of his nose, he glared back. "I am not… We've been over this twice, Alice."
"You have that cranky old man look again! It doesn't suit a young boy!" she chastised, making Jack and Atalanta giggle. The other two women were used to her squabbling with the other caster, and to his chagrin, simply let her loose when she pleased. "It has another dark ending too, doesn't it!?"
His irritation grew when he realized she wasn't listening… again. "For the last time, Alice, I'm trying to write a non-fiction. It's a corrected history book about the real heroes and their legends, as desired by several servants. Shakespeare and I write it on occasion as our project."
Nursery Rhyme pouted and crossed her arms. Her glare remained while Fou's attention shot between the two. "You didn't say anything about it being a revised history book… are you making your entry as gloomy as always? There had to be something that made you happy!"
No. No there truly wasn't. Except for his young adolescence that was filled with quickly crushed hope, his life was filled with nothing but trampled desires. He didn't need to look through a book to know this. It was simply a fact he knew without a doubt. Despite what his fellow librarians occasionally recommended, including a new addition, he avoided it all. There was nothing a book or archive could do to change that, so he didn't bother to glance anything regarding his own name. His life was tragedy worthy of Shakespeare.
He scoffed. "My life was always gloomy. Death was the only salvation I had in that lonely, miserable existence."
"Death as salvation is wrong! You always write like it is, but that's wrong!"
"I wouldn't state it's entirely wrong… Most have a compensatory and rewarding 'afterlife' of sorts. Your family is a suitable example, is it not?" He asked flatly, taking the female caster by surprise. Even Atalanta and Jack now looked at him in small surprise, with appreciative smiles, at the extremely rare compliment.
Yes. Despite what many would say about him, Hans could still be a relatively decent person on occasion.
It was simply if what he said was the truth or not, and by his observations, this second life was proving far more rewarding than his real one. He still wouldn't let up his guard with Solomon running amok through the timeline, nor would he consider trying to life his new circumstance to its full potential. That didn't mean he was going to let this chance go to waste though, as he simply considered it a time to just live a regular existence and assist the masters should they require anything.
"I still think you should make it uplifting! Write some promising undertones!" It appears she still wanted the last word. He groaned as Atalanta and Jack giggled. Only Nursery Rhyme would suggest placing inspirational messages in an emotionless, non-fictional history book…
"Don't ignore me! You always do that! Why are you such a scrooge!?" she pouted more, only to be pinched by her adopted mother.
"Alice, dear, I think that's enough. Let's leave Andersen alone and go back to reading," Atalanta suggested with a smile, but a motherly twinkle in her eye. It was that authoritative glint of both amusement and warning she had mastered, which left no room for argument from her children. Nursery Rhyme sighed.
"Sorry, mother," she relented before leaning back into Jack. She tossed one final, spiteful pout at Hans, who simply rolled his eyes.
He went back to brainstorming this current fairy tale. He had grown bored of writing the history entry an hour ago, but she didn't need to know that.
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"Is there a reason you requested for me specifically, Da Vinci?" Hans asked as he stared around her workshop with crossed arms. "I was helping Hector find a book in the library before I was called down here."
"What? It couldn't possibly be because you're blunt and truthful~!" Da Vinci joked as she fiddled with something on a nearby table. The caster didn't bother to try and look around her black pencil skirt and red blouse to see what it was. It was likely the reason… or just another last-minute tinker from her part.
"You require an honest opinion?" Hans simply rolled his eyes. "If that's the case, Karna would have been more acceptable. Point aside, I am present. What is this about? If this is another pitch about that biography again…"
The inventor shook her head as she casually turned around and fixed her glasses with one hand, making him raise an eyebrow in curiosity. Without missing a beat, the humming caster casually placed one of the liberated grails onto the table in front of him. Hans blinked as he stared at the golden chalice. His eyes glanced over the elaborate etchings and its rather basic design, only to return to the inventor with boredom. Da Vinci giggled and nodded in approval.
"That's part of the reason I requested you. You're one of the least likely to be tempted by it."
"Of course that's the case. I have no wish. I don't even care about this worthless, gaudy cup besides being one of Solomon's gears to abolishing humanity."
"Precisely," Da Vinci smiled. "Though wish or not, this lesser grail isn't capable of creating the grand miracles most think it can."
"You're saying it's even more worthless?" Hans rolled his eyes and scoffed. "So you're informing me first, after all your research, we've been bringing back glorified punch bowls that can't activate properly? How dreadfully delightful of us."
Da Vinci shook her finger in the air, drawing his curiosity once more. "Not exactly. They can't perform the powerful mysteries a greater grail can, but they're still capable of utilizing what magical energy they store to activate smaller scale ones. Nothing truly tide turning, but enough to give some leaps forward."
The male caster deadpanned. "I presume you have more specific examples as opposed to figurative language."
"Let me have my fun, Andersen~!" She chastised playfully before tapping on the rim of the grail. "I have been theorizing the possible uses of these grails, but I need to experiment with activating one before I can make absolute claims. They contain vast amounts of stored magical energy, but I hypothesize they only release it for something else to utilize. In that case, using them for wishes is pointless, but using them as power sources is plausible."
He raised a curious eyebrow at the last statement, and quickly drew a wild connection. "You're asking if useless, average me wishes to be a test dummy for this little magical energy absorption? An unfounded test to forge me into a decent heroic spirit? A pseudo-ascension?"
It was Da Vinci's turn to deadpan, though it turned incredulous quickly. "Andersen. I thought you finally got over that self-demeaning phase."
"It wasn't a phase, it was the very definition of my life. I simply speak of it less," Hans replied casually with a shrug. "I'm nowhere near as vital as many others. Even Shakespeare has more use when upgrading some of the mystic codes with his abilities."
"Enough. It's irritating you still won't stop berating yourself, even while having valued healing and support abilities. Your… "uselessness" … is not why you're here. I told you before, I need a blunt an honest opinion about what I'm going to do with this."
Hans calmly stared at the irritated inventor as she calmed herself down. He was used to a fair number of conversations degrading to such a manner, but he never did care if others liked him, after all. He did try to be at least cordial, if only so that this small solace of a stay didn't turn out as bad as his life did. With all the burns, scales, and other unsightly aspects hiding beneath his clothes, divine spirits be damned it was already difficult enough. It would be nice if others stopped insisting he find happiness.
It was an appreciative gesture, but he simply just wants to exist, or at least, that's what he told himself. Happiness was just a luxury.
"Alright. Tangent aside… What are you preparing the grail for that necessitates… vast…"
It clicked, and Da Vinci knew it did. She smiled and giggled while he sighed in exasperation. "Already figured it out, huh~?"
"You deem Project Eternity to be a suitable test focus to experiment with grail activation," he sighed. He should have guessed it was a gamble.
"Helena, Edison, and I calculated it needs a massive prana burst for its initial generation, and only a steady stream of prana afterwards. It would also mean no servant is cannon fodder should activating one backfire." As he ran a hand down his face, Da Vinci simply smiled in patient waiting. "Well?"
Hans looked at the chalice again. Free of any discernible corruption, the grails only served to sit inside Da Vinci's hidden vault, wherever that rested. A use had to be found for them sooner or later, though the task of activating one had gone untested for a long time. The recently stated purpose would be a decent way to experiment with what one of these magical constructs could do without theorizing. If it truly worked, then their collaborative present could be presented early. If something bad happened, at least it was in an area they could hopefully control the collateral damage.
"Honestly? …That's not a bad idea in concept. Besides what you cited, no servant should be opposed to doing it since it's for the community as a whole. Gilgamesh will likely appear and rant, but the ruffian has no right to any of these silverware, let alone a claim that he's a king of any hero. Roman and Gudao, however-"
Da Vinci interrupted. "Would not be pleased I nonchalantly activated a magical artifact for a 'trivial' purpose while keeping them uninformed. They will be convinced after, and that is a rather simple task compared to activating the grail itself."
"Further than that, Servants will undoubtedly be inquisitive about other applications. Like flies to an unguarded cake, they will swarm you with questions," Hans noted with a shake of his head. "These may not be wish granting devices, but they contribute power. Power corrupts. Servants fighting over who holds the deed to a grail is not an idea Chaldea would find enjoyable considering how far our collective presence has risen in its overall civility. Okita will suffer further migraines."
"Though it is thanks to how far many servants have come that make it a possibility," she casually noted with a wink. He stared blankly at her. "Many have received more than they could hope for just being here. Therefore, there's that much less to worry about with possible repercussions."
Hans scoffed and shook his head. "The perils of activation? You could be prying open Pandora's box. Everything we've discussed is theory."
"Mankind does not advance without risk. I've calculated the odds, and they're in our favor," Da Vinci smiled before patting the grail. "If the reaction is negative, I have confidence we will solve the issues it brings forth. If it's positive, which it will be, I will have enough info to discern how to properly use these grails to help us win humanity's future. To advance, man must risk."
"While I perceive no better way of testing an activation… we play with the integrity of our hull against a raging storm, simply to light a fire to read."
She giggled. "The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."
That settled it. He's said everything he could to dissuade her, but doing so was an impossibility from the start. She wasn't weighing the reasons to attempt it, rather she was seeing what repercussions she would have to manage. It would be far from the first time Da Vinci did as she pleased, and it was only to be expected from her. There was no lie in her words in needing a true opinion, which she received. It was just a matter of wanting increased perspective as opposed to validation. All he could do was wish Chaldea wasn't consumed in a horrendous accident.
"You are Leonardo Da Vinci, after all," Hans groaned as he uncrossed his arms in defeat. "I would have greater luck drinking the Atlantic Ocean than convincing you of your pursuit. As long as you are aware of what may come to pass, do as you will. You are the project lead, of course."
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Hans glanced around the gymnasium with mild interest. Setup for the main elevated platform was nearly completed, though some engineers were taking their sweet time connecting the ropes since they were told to complete it early. All they honestly had to do was loop them through the support poles on the outside of the platform since the event began in an hour. It wasn't like they needed that much time to construct this simple octagon, considering it was a far cry from the conventional cages displayed in the magazine the Furniture Department's Supervisor showed him.
At least the bleachers were already erected.
With crossed arms, he stood on a slightly elevated stage next to the roped area, choosing to stand as Da Vinci arranged two microphones on a small table. He had been requested by Kiyohime to help as a second announcer and commentator for the event. Even though he was done being her butler, and it truthfully wasn't too terrible, he had agreed when she gave her reasons. While there were many with ideal observation skills or a proper, deep voice, he had both.
So he agreed, if partially because he couldn't imagine some of the other candidates doing as well of a job on the fly. He knew he would without a doubt, for it was a matter of whatever pride he had. As a writer, the readers must be entertained. He was an announcer and commentator, which was the equivalent of penning a living story of the event. The fight will be his book, and he will ensure the audience gets the enjoyment they wish out of this. Still, he couldn't help but feel things would not go as planned for the parties involved.
In his peripheral, Hans glanced Kiyohime casually making her way towards them wearing a white lily-patterned, black-kimono. He had to admit, the change the berserker was subtle, but rather pleasant. Since the incident and following plan, of sorts, she had more or less retained her identity… except far less possessive and psychotic. She was still the woman who lived for love, and searched for it, but at least she wasn't trying to destroy anyone selfishly to do so. Not that he was anything redeemable for that matter, but at least she had proven herself as an individual by rising from the tribulation.
"You're here early, Hans," Kiyohime noted as she walked onto their small platform. The berserker fanned herself and observed as Da Vinci had moved to check that the elastic ropes were properly secured. "Thank you for agreeing to this. I know you don't owe me anything anymore."
"After what I did, it is debatable," he shrugged, drawing a curious glance from the woman. She simply returned to fanning herself. They had become quite civil. He stared to the entrance of the gym as a few employees and servants peeked in early. "You're making quite a show out of this. Are you certain this will perform accordingly?"
"I hope so. Gabby has apologized, and her actions had good reason, but I wish to teach her a lesson. I hope this does what I desire," Kiyohime stated without any hesitation. A small smile formed on her face. "It is also a wonderful opportunity for Supervisor Delaqua as well, do not forget."
"I did not… but I fail to see why the Furniture Department's Supervisor is involved specifically."
"It's not well known. Tamamo informed me of it when she learned it from Nero. You know how talkative Miss Empress can be," the berserker noted as she gracefully sat down on the chair with a small sigh. "The real reason I promised to keep secret for her… but otherwise, Gabby had a habit of ordering furniture for servants she thought they would like. Arturia's Round Table… A hieroglyphic table for Ozymandias… Many are used now, but the supervisor prefers the servants to order for themselves instead of hit-or-miss gifts."
Upon seeing Hans' questioning look, she simply continued. "That's the top of the iceberg though. She's annoyed by her personality, especially her shameless ogling at any half-naked male servant that comes within sight. She considers that disrespectful to humanity's most famous people."
"Her bottomless sociability with us is a merit and fault. She's a puppy among new visitors in the house, and while it's welcoming for some, it's hardly a ladder to respect for others," Hans noted, making Kiyohime partially frown behind her fan. She obviously still didn't like listening to any of his blunt analyzations, but who did?
"But that's the reason many like her, no~? I find it fitting she was one of the first faces. Usually makes everyone feel welcome," Da Vinci noted with a smile as she returned. Yes, that was a fair point to consider. She had been on shaky legs through her first deployments, but so had Gudao. It was only with Camelot that she finally found solid ground, even after the rough start with heat exhaustion. At least she was now a respectable master, though her combat tactics could use work.
Da Vinci nodded to Kiyohime. "Everything is set. We just need the two stars of your little match, the popcorn vendor, and the audience."
The berserker nodded with a small smile. "Wonderful. Thank you, Da Vinci. I look forward to how this turns out."
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By Okita's estimates, nearly everyone within Chaldea was present for this rare event. There were still many more bleachers than necessary, but it gave adequate space for the nearly two hundred present. Servants and employees alike waited the final minutes for the event to start, placing complete trust in the robotics workforce to keep the facility in proper order. Truthfully, there was only cleaning and monitoring to be done between now and dinner, so there was little to be worried about. Only curious excitement adorned the faces of the crowd as Hans glanced around quietly.
"Nob… Nob… Nob… Bu! Nob... Nob... Nob... Bu!"
The male caster rearranged the script before him, then looked behind his chair. Kiyohime found the sight amusing and smiled at the passing troops. In perfect order, the small chibis marched with their treasures. Nobunaga's squad of little automata was filing towards their leader, coordinated into small groups as they carried large buckets of popcorn from the nearby vendor. Nobunaga clapped eagerly next to Okita as the pair sat near the announcers.
Though only the saber needed to be close in case there was a security issue that needed to be addressed, Nobunaga seemed keen to keep her company. Anishka stood nearby as the staff liason for Okita, though she kept a respectable distance unlike Nobunaga, who was practically rubbing shoulders. The beauty talked quietly with an employee next to her, while Nobunaga cheered her squadron forward. The four buckets of popcorn were likely for them and her little army to enjoy.
The alarm on the timer between them clicked, and Hans quickly reset it to the match timer. Kiyohime nodded to him as he turned on the microphone. The slight, ensuing feedback and the dimming of the auditorium lights quickly silenced the crowd. A large ball of glowing prana illuminated the center arena as a makeshift spotlight while Hans' deep voice boomed. "Ladies and Gentleman, Servants and Staff! Welcome to Chaldea's First Wrestling Match!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Kiyohime nodded to Tyler. He quickly started the music track, letting a slow and steady beat begin to play over the excitement. While most were pumped further from the sound, Mozart rolled his eyes and crossed his arms upon hearing what was apparently another dreaded remix. Marie sat next to the man in his salon uniform, trying her best to hold her giggles at his reaction. The musician simply tossed the red sundress wearing servant an unimpressed look, causing her to laugh openly.
"We are your announcers this afternoon, Kiyohime and Hans Andersen!" the berserker read the lines easily from her own script. She looked into the cage as spotlights began dancing. "Refereeing this match will be the Hound of Ulster, Cu Chulainn!"
The crowd's cheers rose once more as Helena's floating automata shined bright spotlights from several angles. After circling the ring, the lights landed on Cu as he leaned against one side of the roped octagon. Wearing a black shirt that clung tightly to his body and a pair of pristine white pants, he grinned as the crowd's clapping intensified. Hans rolled his eyes as he jumped onto the ropes behind him and moved pointed fingers across the crowd. He laughed as he milked the audience, before he jumped to the center of the arena.
"Details of the match have been withheld for your suspense, but they remain hidden no longer! The debut wrestling matchup is not between servant, but staff members! A fight that has long since been rumored now takes to the Arena!" Hans proclaimed as he read off the script in front of him. He didn't like how plain the wording wound up, but it still drew excitement from the audience. Kiyohime seemed pleased with their rough, joint work at least.
"In the blue corner, we have the first fighter! This outgoing girl has split Irish and British heritage, but is one hundred percent singularity hardened! Ladies and gentlemen! Please help me in welcoming the second master of Chaldea! Gabrielle Rutherford!" The male caster declared as the crowd's cheers boomed.
The spotlights shifted to shine on a red carpet leading to the arena. They illuminated Gabrielle with a nervous smile, followed closely by Scathach in her battle attire. The female master had opted for a regular ponytail, coupled with a matching set of sky blue boy shorts and sports bra. With a grip on the white towel thrown around her neck, she made her way into the ring and giggled upon hearing some playful cat calls. She and Scathach began talking quietly as Cu shot them a thumbs up while they approached.
"In the red corner, we have the second fighter! Russian in origin, but hailing from Australia, this beast of a staff member will be facing the female master in a mixed martial arts match! Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the Supervisor of the Furniture Department! Valeria Delaqua!"
Spotlights returned to the carpet as cheering erupted once more, though slightly less than what Gabrielle received. Murmurs began as the covered supervisor came into the light, escorted by Leonidas wearing only black track pants. The employee walked calmly to the arena hidden beneath a glossy red robe with white frilled collar. Fiery, natural red hair was tied into a tight bun. She glanced powerfully with green eyes towards Gabrielle, and clearly took pride when she noticeably flinched at the gaze. As she made her way to the center past the ropes, she still remained covered.
Hans glanced around at the murmuring audience as they gossiped about the stern supervisor. While she was fair in her management, and very honest in conversation, there was little else known about her. She wasn't as much of a stunning beauty like Anishka or an outgoing, sunny smile like Gabrielle. If anything, she was reserved and respectful, and only showed a modest personality when business was not involved. This was likely the reason why everyone was so shocked when Leonidas removed her robe as Scathach helped Gabrielle don her Muay Thai gloves.
Even with a slight bias against women, Hans had to admit… he was as impressed and shocked as Gabrielle. The crowd was now much more lively upon seeing the woman's physique that her black sports bra and Muay Thai shorts exposed. With a slightly open mouth, the female master could only stare at the overwhelming confident yet small smile the supervisor now wore as she placed her red-gloved arms akimbo. From her six pack, to her muscular arms and legs, the supervisor likely rivaled Hundred Face Hassan for body sculpture. Her smile grew as Leonidas patted her on the shoulder. He then backed away while simultaneously mouthing a good luck to Gabrielle.
"Fighters! Please touch gloves in front of the referee! Cu will then explain the rules," Kiyohime commanded over the microphone in a surprisingly firm voice. Hans noted the eager look of satisfaction on the berserker's face. There was no longer any doubt why this could be considered revenge for her.
The spotlights followed as Delaqua and Gabrielle approached. They touched gloves, though the supervisor put a little extra emphasis in hers. Gabrielle didn't flinch, but kept a determined yet nervous stare on the slightly taller female. Delaqua simply chuckled as she looked to Cu. One of Helena's automata brought a cordless microphone for the lancer, who nodded in appreciation.
"Alright, ladies. Let's make this a good fight. No magecraft or weaponry are allowed. If either one taps the mat twice, the match is officially over and they've admitted defeat. Until then, or someone is knocked out, the fight will simply continue," Cu nodded to both of them. They nodded back while the crowd's excited murmuring continued. "I will break you two up to keep things interesting, or if things get too chaotic. A get up count starts if you make no effort to get up. That's all, ladies. Make it a hell of a fight!"
As Cu backed away, the supervisor tossed a tiny smirk to Gabrielle. "I've been looking forward to this. I hope you put up a good fight."
"I will!" Gabrielle shot back, though the nervousness did show through. Delaqua raised an eyebrow but slowly nodded her head with a content smile.
The two broke apart as the crowd began cheering. Hans cleared his throat, now free of the rather mundane script. "Fighters! At the tolling of the bell, write your story for all to witness!"
As they stood in their respective starting spots under the crowd's thunder of anticipation, Hans couldn't help but notice the difference. Gabrielle was mostly assured and determined, but he couldn't ignore the overall anxiety that coursed through her. Delaque was a wall of pride and sheer confidence, whose calm and collected stance contrasted with the master's fidgety own. As he glanced around the arena, noting the look of worry on a few faces like Gudao, Serenity, and Mashu, he noted he wasn't the only one with reservations.
This could be an outright landslide, but Gabrielle did know how to fight. Scathach was her teacher in lance training, so he could only wager if this would be a complete beat down or not. He's seen enough overconfidence and bravado be torn to shreds upon the first hits, and this could likely turn into another portrayal of David and Goliath; He wondered what the archer thought of this. While he didn't know much about Delaqua, he still had faith Gabrielle would at least be alright. She was their master, and had proven herself respectable of that belief, at least.
"Residents of Chaldea! The fight you've all been waiting for!" Hans began, only for the next song Tyler played to kick in with loud lyrics. He was about to curse at the interruption, only to realize they were perfect for the situation. With a scoff of disbelief, he chuckled and placed his hand over the bell.
~~LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUMBLEEEEEEEE!~~
Hans slammed on the bell. The audience erupted into cheers as the two fighters began circling each other. Already, many spectators were standing in eager anticipation. Okita was squabbling with Nobunaga about hogging all the popcorn while Anishka watched Gabrielle with eyes glinting in interest and silent wishes. Cu was strolling around the outside of the roped arena with an eager grin, excited at the possibilities of this fight.
Scathach and Leonidas, however, looked concerned.
"The fighters turn like the clock. They may both be prey and predator, but the first lash of aggression will define the opening pace!" Hans described, making Kiyohime turn to him with an amused raise of the eyebrow. He didn't care, for the readers needed to be entertained, and he was good at descriptions.
"Going to make your move, little mouse?" Delaqua taunted with a small smile.
"I'm not falling for that!" Gabrielle snapped back with a determined glare.
"Was worth a shot," Delaqua shrugged, only to stomp forward with one foot, making Gabrielle flinch. She laughed.
"Gabby looks panicked. A mere kitten pitted against the Russian Jaguar! With only a light show of antagonism, Valeria has forced the Chaldean master to flinch! Is her confidence a façade? Is she strangled by fear? Or will she let that renowned Irish temper flare into an inferno?"
Hans groaned as Gabrielle's eyes flashed to him momentarily. Her frustration amplified, as she quickly fell to the announcer's taunts over her opponent's. With a shake of his head, Hans watched as the master approached the supervisor, causing the audience to erupt into cheers.
"Gabby goes in for the first strike!" Kiyohime declared over the microphone, watching eagerly as the master got within striking range. With grit teeth, the master threw a jab towards the muscular female's stomach. To her surprise, matched by some dumbfounded gasps from the audience, Gabrielle's jab connected. The supervisor didn't bother to dodge, but simply smiled a predatory expression instead. One of Gabrielle's strongest jabs connected with her stomach, and didn't even make her grunt.
"Astounding!" Hans cried out candidly. "Valeria allows two jabs to the stomach in a theatrical display of audacity! But the attack is meaningless! Like stones thrown asunder against a mighty fortress, Valeria is phased only by her own laughter!"
"You've gotta be kidding me-" Gabrielle couldn't finish her sentence as she was forced to dodge a lightning quick jab. Her eyes widened upon realization that she didn't just look strong, but she had agility as well. She dodged two more jabs and an uppercut, surprising the supervisor.
"Impressive. And here I thought I would be ending it on the first throw," the supervisor noted with a nod of approval. "Maybe you're not just for show."
"Of course I'm not! Don't judge me by the cover!" she retorted as she threw a punch to the exposed-
It was a trap. With a simply deflection with her right, the supervisor followed up with a swinging uppercut from her left. It connected with Gabrielle's face, causing the crowd to react in turn. The slightly amused smile on the supervisor's face was now gone, replaced with a blank expression. She huffed as she threw a jab into Gabrielle's chest as she righted herself. "Funny. You had no problem doing that to me when you first arrived…"
Gabrielle grit her teeth. "I'm sorry I-"
A quick jab took the air out of her lungs as she stumbled backwards. The supervisor huffed. "You're months late for that. Focus on the fight."
Kiyohime sat in surprise, though Hans kept commentating. He paused to sigh. So much for David and Goliath.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"A vicious kick to the knee! Gabby feels the mighty fangs of Delaqua's powerful legs once more!" For nearly thirty minutes, the fight raged on.
To the crowd's excitement, being arguably one sided did not make for an uninteresting fight. She may have been at a serious disadvantage, but she proved she wasn't a pushover. Gabrielle had been brought to the ground repeatedly, only for her to keep rising to the occasion as Cu broke them apart. Round after round, they expressed themselves more through attacks than vocally. Taunts had long since ended, allowing Hans to describe the situation with flowery language as they continued. This had gone on far longer than anyone had anticipated since the first round, and he wondered if anyone was as impressed as him.
In his eyes, Gabrielle had gone from respectable to admirable. Though he wouldn't say it to her face outright, the master has done significantly more in thirty minutes to amaze him than he could have ever expected. She landed punches, kicks, and grapples, and though they were ineffective, she still kept trying. The master had quickly learned how to dodge most of the supervisor's attacks to stay in the fight longer. She was faster than Delaqua, and she used it. The titan that was her opponent had dealt significantly more damage physically and mentally, but still she kept engaging.
"The phoenix rises up once more! Battle Continuation at its finest! Is this performance enough for the Throne of Heroes?" Kiyohime looked at him in slight amusement, though her expression seemed anxious. He simply shrugged. At some point, he started decorating his commentary in more interesting ways. The crowd loved it at least.
It was baffling that she would take this so seriously, but it made sense. Gabrielle was fighting in front of her peers and servants. Should she falter here and give up too quickly, that would have sent the wrong messages to everyone. For thirty minutes, she's endured what is essentially an impossible fight, just like they did for humanity's sake. With every strike and taken blow, she continued to hold her ground even as it diminished with ever second. It was beyond admirable, and even inspiring. Perhaps Shakespeare was trying to get a spark out of this, just like he did.
In some ways, she reminded Hans of himself. Though he kept his emotions to himself, there was one woman in life who he could never get over. He sent many letters and wrote many poems for Riborg Voigt, unknown whether or not she ever noticed his unrequited love; He didn't dare find out. Still, he kept trying, and even had the last letter upon his chest when cancer took his life. He was summoned with the first letter, as a symbolic manifestation of his own stalwart determination and devotion. He would never admit it, but he found Gabrielle's stubbornness to continue sang volumes louder to him in that moment.
But it did not show on his face as he commentated. "Another savage hook by the seemingly invincible Delaqua! Are there no gaps in this warship's armor?"
"Still getting up? Allow me to be the one to apologize to you now," Delaqua stated as she allowed Gabrielle space to stagger to her feet. Her breathing was noticeably ragged, coupled with a noticeable black eye. Bruises littered her exposed skin, but still she stood. "I've misjudged you. I'm sorry."
"I guess… we've even now," Gabrielle said in a strained voice between deep breaths. It was a miracle she was still standing against the winded supervisor.
"I suggest we end this here. I'll say again, please tap out, and we'll call it-"
"No!" She yelled with surprising force, even subtly drawing a smile from Hans' face. Kiyohime noticed but made no mention. Gabrielle threw a fury of jabs, and some had connected. There was no noticeable effect, but there was also no return punch. "I'm not… giving up! You have… to knock me out! I won't… give up!"
"Gabby, please!" Serenity called from the sidelines over the cheers of excitement from the audience. Her hands were gripped together in worry in front of her blue dress as Rena rubbed against her side in attempted comfort. She looked next to her in worry as Gudao returned the expression. The uniform clad master was no doubt troubled. Mashu held his hand and rubbed it in reassurance, though it wasn't soothing his nerves over his best friend's condition. Still, he gently closed it around her hand and smiled in apprehension at his blue retro-dress wearing demi-servant.
"She's so stubborn," Okita muttered in total surprise. Nobunaga was cheering wildly next to her for the master to make a great comeback.
"The war drags on! Gabrielle refuses to sing the swan song!" Hans commentated as Kiyohime stared with a faltering expression into the arena. Hans switched off his microphone briefly to turn to her. "You getting everything you wanted out of this?"
She remained speechless, much to his curiosity. She simply stared forward as he turned his microphone back on, just as Delaqua landed a cringe worthy jab to Gabrielle's bleeding nose. Cu whistled for a temporary break as he helped the master to her feet. "Like lightning, she strikes Gabby down once more!"
As Cu backed away and whistled for them to continue, Gabrielle approached, though the sway in her stance was now noticeable. Her superior agility was at its end. Delaqua eyed her curiously with a shake of her head. "You need to tap out, Gabrielle. Don't make me have to force you to. There's no shame in admittance, as my coach used to say."
"You need… to knock… me out," she grunted back, earning an exasperated sigh from the supervisor. "I won't… surrender! I won't surrender!"
"Don't say I never warned you then," Delaqua replied with a shake of her head. She quickly dodged three of Gabrielle's punches to circle around the slowly maneuvering master. Gabrielle winced as she tried to turn, but soon found both of the supervisor's arms wrapped around her torso.
"With a change of focus, Valeria has switched to grappling instead of her usual-" Hans cringed and hissed into the microphone, along with most of the audience. With practiced ease, the supervisor had used her firm grip on the master to throw her over her body. The master arced and came down brutally onto her shoulders while the supervisor maintained her hold, completing the fierce suplex. With a loud yell of pain, Gabrielle's exposed back fell to the top of the arena as Delaqua released and stood upright.
"I… won't… give…" Gabrielle muttered as she guarded her head with her arms, making the supervisor sigh in disappointment.
Without waiting, she casually walked to the nearby ropes and began climbing to the top. With impressive balance, she stood on the final rope as Cu observed Gabrielle. She was trying to push herself into a sitting position, but her grit teeth and hissing proved it was problematic and painful. Hans eyed the supervisor as the crowd was mostly roaring excitement, but there were plenty concerned. She faced Gabrielle, while she looked back at her with slightly blurred vision. Most of the crowd knew what was coming next.
Hans had no idea. "Is her bravado getting to her? Delaqua's dominance is assured, but what does she plan next? Will she claim the flag of absolute victory?"
"Last warning, Gabrielle! Tap! Out!" she yelled while balancing atop the ring's rope. Her arms remained crossed, which made it quite the display.
"…No!" Gabrielle managed to hiss out loudly, making Gudao shake his head slowly in disbelief. Hans sighed in exasperation.
"…No hard feelings, then. I'm ending this," the supervisor shook her head. With the grace of a swan, but the power of a grizzly bear, she leapt from the top rope and spun in the air perfectly. She completed her aerial position and began her fall, an elbow prepped for the final attack. Having seen enough, Hans quietly muttered a quick spell under his breath. He may feel he was often useless compared to other casters, but at this moment, anything was better than seeing the outcome at face value.
The reinforcing spell coursed unseen through the master's body, steeling her for the impact to come. He wagered all servants and mages noticed, but no one voiced a complaint as the supervisor's elbow drilled into Gabrielle's stomach. Even with the light reinforcement, all the air shot out of Gabrielle's lungs, but no injuries would be dealt. The supervisor has surprisingly held back at the last minute, making it more of a show move from wrestling than an actual strike. Regardless, as Gabrielle coughed from her spot on the ground, the supervisor stood up and noted she was still not knocked out.
After all the hits to the head, stomach, and holds… she still refused to surrender.
Hans turned to his side to expect Kiyohime to be angry with him for interfering, but instead he found a terribly guilty expression on the berserker's face. He followed her gaze to see the shocked and concerned expression of the supervisor and Cu as they looked down. Gabrielle, who had managed the hit better with Hans' secret spell, was trying to sit up again, even as she coughed violently. She soon winced and collapsed onto her back once more, letting her hair fall to the sides to reveal her face in the spotlights.
Even after visibly trying to hold back her emotions, the first tear fell from her eyes as her stomach hitched noticeably. Losing control of herself, the sobbing could clearly be heard with his enhanced hearing over the crowd, and he knew this was it. He began motions to call an end to the match, just as Cu and Kiyohime did as well to his surprise. But before any of them could speak, Delaqua beat them all to it as she shook her head upon noticing the trickle of blood from her mouth.
"No! That's it! This is going too far, Gabrielle! Your tenacity is undeniable, but this match is over!" she cried out as she motioned for Leonidas and Scathach to enter the arena.
Delaqua swiftly tore her Muay Thai gloves off. The pair or lancers quickly entered the arena as the excitement of the audience quickly died down at the sight of the crying master. Mashu, Gudao, and Serenity began scrambling onto the arena in a panic. Delaqua ran over to Leonidas to retrieve her water bottle and towel, only to rush back quickly to the master. Cu helped her into a sitting position as she openly cried, allowing the employee to throw the towel around her shoulders and offer her the water bottle. She began gently wiping the blood that trickled from her mouth with the cloth.
"W-Why… did y-you…" Gabrielle stammered out, only to be met with an unbelieving shake of the supervisor's head.
"You need to know when to quit," she groaned as Gudao took Cu's place to hold the downed master upright. Okita and Roman were calling for Irisviel while the silhouettes of Beowulf, Joan, and Dantes could be seen holding Nightingale back at the top of a set of bleachers.
Hans simply stared in numb astonishment. She was stupid. Gabrielle was absolutely stupid for allowing this to happen. He could chastise her for allowing such a spectacle to occur, but it would not diminish the newfound respect he had for her. She was stupid, but that tenacity was what a master fighting for humanity's sake needed.
It was clear, by the look of guilt on Kiyohime's face as she rushed to the arena, that he wasn't the only one to see her in a new light. As the master cried in the center of the arena, and the murmurs of the audience continued as servants reacted, he could only watch in numb recognition. Gabrielle couldn't win, but she still fought on for that tiny slither that she, just maybe, she could. It was only a slither, but she struggled against insurmountable odds for just a chance.
He felt weak compared to her for giving up so easily on anything optimistic for himself.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"I shouldn't have kept my promise... I should have stopped it."
"You only did what I asked..."
"I didn't think it would go this far! Do you know how painful that was to watch!? I hate seeing you get hurt!" He raised his voice. Mashu placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while passing a cup of water carefully to his solemn, bedridden best friend. He sighed and mouthed a quiet apology.
"I'm sorry…" Gabrielle whispered underneath her blanket as she sat on her bed. She handed the cup of water back to Mashu, who placed it on her night stand. This was the first-time Hans ever saw her look so weak and fragile. Several extra pillows allowed her to sit upright, though her knees were tucked in and the blanket covered her body in its warm embrace. Thanks to Irisviel's help, swelling and bruises had diminished significantly, though it did little for her spirits as her eyes remained on her covered knees.
Fou quietly snuggled into the pillow pile supporting the female master, gazing intently on the redhead.
Gudao and Mashu sat on the far side of her bed while Serenity sat on the other, and they never broke eye contact with the distressed female master. Serenity held Gabrielle's hand underneath the blanket, giving reassuring smiles when she could while holding Rena in her lap. Scathach leaned against the nearby wall with a subtly soft expression, while Kiyohime and Hans stood a respectable distance from the bed. The berserker had yet to look up, as she kept her eyes locked on the new rug polka dotted rug on her floor. Hans had only entered after Irisiviel requested he keep watch while she got something to make her feel better.
Roman and Da Vinci should also be back soon, and hopefully they would distract him from the rough train of thought.
Nowhere in his memory could he recall anyone mentioning or hearing Gabrielle openly cry like that in public. There were occasions where a few happy or sad tears fell, but nothing as openly heart wrenching as that. Even if he was used to such dramatic and sorrowful ideas, it still affected him on some level. Gabrielle had always shown a confident, happy, and outgoing persona, so for her to completely break down in front of everyone… he couldn't imagine what she was feeling. He did see her more vividly now.
Everything she did was with appearances in mind. With renewed clarity, he realized she was openly emotional only to an extent. She refused to show weakness, because she didn't want to appear weak in front of anyone. It was now obvious how much she wanted others to see she could be relied upon, and the lengths she went to show it were reckless. Her crying had increased in intensity when she knew everyone was witnessing it, signifying to him she really did care about how others perceived her. She definitely cared far too much, whereas he didn't care at all.
It reminded him of his actual childhood which brimmed with inspiration and hopes people would see him the way he desired. They only saw his stories.
Kiyohime broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Master… I didn't think it would go this far. I'm at fault for this. I'm sorry."
"You didn't know…" Gabrielle's voice was barely a whisper, though her eyes didn't move.
"I should have… Valeria and I got so carried away at the idea of getting even that… That was horrible to do to you. We humiliated you. You were embarrassed in front of the whole organization because of my stupid wish for petty revenge… I… I haven't learned anything."
Gudao and Mashu looked at Kiyohime as she approached with a terribly guilt ridden face. She reached into her lovely kimono and extracted the golden ticket, the last one she had yet to use. She discarded it onto the bed, catching Gabrielle's gaze as she stared at it with dim eyes. "I can't… Take it. We're more than even. If anything, you-"
"No… I won't continue the cycle," She whispered as she adamantly shook her head. "It's done. Nothing more needs to be said… I just hope you're happy now."
"I can't be happy after seeing that," Kiyohime admitted in a soft voice. She looked to Gudao and Mashu quietly. Slowly, the pair nodded to each other before calmly getting up and giving her space. She moved past them to gently sit on the bed. As Gabrielle turned to look at her, Kiyohime hesitated. Seconds passed, and she dared. The berserker leaned in and hugged the beleaguered master. Her eyes widened in surprise before the redhead simply leaned into the embrace, letting a whimper escape her lips.
"I'm sorry," Gabrielle whispered into her ear as she felt tears forming again. "I'm sorry I made you feel so terrible…"
Kiyohime shook her head and tightened her embrace. "That's my line… Let's just forget these events happened."
"… I would like that."
Hans shifted on his feet, feeling completely awkward in this situation. It was agreeable mental closure to watch these two feel alleviated of any lingering frustrations, but he felt out of place. He was rather distant compared to most servants. While seeing happy people was usually a mundane activity for him, seeing specific scenes like this was different. It brought a well of various emotions including appreciation, satisfaction, and slight irritation. Human emotion was simply running its course, and while enjoyable to witness, he didn't want to see it any longer.
"If you will excuse me, this is clearly a personal moment," Hans noted with a small nod of his head, earning the stares of the others. "It is obvious Gabrielle is in recovered health, so I shall wait outside for Irisviel to return. Should you need me, call through the door."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Hans released a sigh as he leaned against the wall outside. "How irritating…"
Many had suspected Hans hated mankind, or held some sort of grudge against it as a whole. The latter leaned closer to the truth, which was why he couldn't stand to watch that scene any longer. Witnessing depressing and frustrating events was far easier since that's what he dealt with constantly in his life. To observe scenes like that, however, brought feelings he didn't want to deal with. Though he could bat away the accusations and put up a front himself, even stronger than Gabrielle could, or even that baffling Arjuna… No. There was simply no denying it.
Yes. He was envious of what he could never have.
Happy reunions. Apologetic exchanges. They were two of the countless examples of what he had come to be so envious of. He, who had never been rewarded with what he desired most in life, was doomed to go without. All he had ever lived to appreciate was the simple acknowledgement and euphoria upon completing a new work, only to dive into another. There was nothing else to look forward to besides the cycle's end with the sweet release of death.
How ironic it was for a writer who wished nothing more than his suffering to end would wind up being written into the throne to be tormented in forced fights. Compared to the different grail wars, however, this was not a bad exchange. He fought for a noble cause while being able to work on his work in his free time, with only the deadline of humanity's fate lingering months down the road. Like many, he had built something for himself in the form of a content routine. Yes, he was content to call this place a home.
But with the number of happy stories being written between the book ends, there was simply no escape from the envious desire to have his own piece.
"Is Gabby alright?" Irisviel asked as she came up to him. He had not noticed her approach until her signature Dress of Heaven showed in his peripherals. How many times had he mentally scoffed at that ritualistic wardrobe being so terribly suggestive? As his eyes turned to her, he noticed Atalanta and her girls following close behind. The girls had a rainbow of balloon colors with a few smiley face designs in the mix. Their adopted mother had a tray of freshly made and frosted cupcakes in her arms.
"Master Gabrielle is doing alright. A conversation turned personal, so I requested to wait outside if needed."
"I understand. Thank you for watching her for me, Hans," Irisviel nodded before moving to the door. "Have my daughters arrived yet?"
"I was not aware they would be coming as well."
"No table for now then," Irisviel sighed lightly and nodded to Atalanta's family. "I hope you don't mind holding on to the cupcakes for now, Atalanta."
"But they're so heavy…" she playfully joked to lighten the mood, making her girls giggle as the door slid open. Irisviel quietly greeted the occupants as she walked in, followed by Jack with half a dozen balloons. Atalanta smiled and nodded to Hans before entering as well. That only left Nursery Rhyme.
He sighed and crossed his arms. She was in his face staring right at him. The female caster huffed. "Aren't you going in too?"
"Am I that necessary?" He asked with a raise of an eyebrow. "Parties are hardly my thing."
"Enjoying anything is hardly your thing," she mocked, trying to match his voice. He rolled his eyes, but raised his eyebrow again upon noticing her expression soften. "But… thank you for the reinforcement spell. Me and Auntie Tamamo were afraid our casts wouldn't have made it in time…"
Hans looked at the caster in front of him as she fidgeted on one of her feet. The remaining balloons waved in the air above her as she held them, though he remained quiet. Finally, he decided to break the silence with a small smirk. "Auntie Tamamo and I, you mean. For a living book, your lack of grammar etiquette is astounding."
"Must you turn everything into an argument!?" She pouted, making him chuckle. "It was a compliment, genius! I was trying to thank you for the nice gest-"
"But you're welcome," he nodded before uncrossing his arms. "Your family is waiting in there for you. I doubt you want to miss the party. Give them my best regards."
"You can do that yourself," she huffed. Nursery Rhyme grabbed his wrist and attempted to tug him towards the door. Upon failing miserably, she groaned and stomped her feet, though it only looked cute in a princess dress. He simply shook his head with a scowl. "Come on! Come in and help us cheer her up!"
"I'm one of the worst for cheering people up. Possibly as bad as Gilgamesh," he stated as he easily tore himself from her grip. He turned and began walking. "Now if you'll excuse me, there are other-."
"You hate seeing people happy but that's all you really want, you big meanie hypocrite!"
Hans stopped in his tracks. He had an inkling that Nursery Rhyme, Shakespere, and Medusa knew of his quiet desire. To be fair, anyone who knew of his past likely could tell it would be a small hope of his. It wasn't enough to be a wish, or anything more than a tiny slither of optimism in his ocean of pessimistic beliefs… but with so many enjoying themselves in these walls, that envy does tend to make hope grow again. Though by his estimate, that seedling was barely a sprout, and its chances of drying out were inconceivably high. He's surprised it even grew to begin with.
But it was there. "…So be it."
With a sigh, he turned around, making Nursery Rhyme giggle in success as she walked into the room. As Roman and Da Vinci turned a corner further down with a fold-able table, followed by the Einzbern sisters, the caster simply sighed to himself. If his fellow librarians ever caught wind of him at a cheer up party, and they definitely would, he would not hear the end of it. Burying his head in his work wouldn't even drown out the knowing smirks and glances. He would just have to deal with it when it happened, or find some way to cope. There was always a way to deal with everything.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
At night, the library was always empty. The lights were dimmed since it was supposed to be closed, yet Hans didn't mind. He had browsed through a part of the library where a new book had been shelved weeks ago. His fellow librarians had teasingly insisted he should read one section, but he had only scoffed. Seeing the title of the book made it easy enough to tell what they may have wanted him to see, but he had no interest. It was only after all of the day's events, that he decided to entertain a quick skim.
After spending two hours cheering up his beleaguered master, he found himself on one of the sofas with a line, drying tear trail on his cheek.
Yes. He shed a tear. He had finally glanced into that book of culminated information, and wound up speechless thanks to what he found under his listed entry. Of course there would be those searching for more information regarding one of the three great writers. Though he would gladly chastise these pursuers in finding something more rewarding to do with their time, that would only make him a greater hypocrite. If anything, he was glad they unknowingly gave him a revelation with their results.
For the first time, Hans Christian Andersen could appreciate a happy moment, and it was his own. "To think you did..."
Though mixed with regret and guilt, he felt beyond satisfied, as if he completed all his works in a single night. With a sigh filled with palpable emotion he had long since abandoned, he reached into his suit. Brushing past the unsightly scales and burn marks beneath, he extracted a simple pendant. Upon pouring prana into it, the necklace centerpiece enlarged into a letter, closed and sealed. It was one he had delivered a long time ago, but had frustratingly materialized with him. How many times had he held this letter close?
He would do so once more.
With hazy eyes, he stared upwards and breathed deeply. An answer he had never thought would be true had been delivered to him, simply by gracing the words on a page. How often had he done so with his own work or others, diving deep into hidden meanings to extract an honest revelation? A rare, soft expression graced his face as he unconsciously fiddled with the letter. With only a few simple lines, delivered bluntly without hidden meaning, his perspective on his past life shifted ever so slightly.
Therefore, he smiled, musing fondly how he finally arrived in this long overdue yet gratifying moment. "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale."