Author Note: Sorry, everyone. IRL distractions and all that, the Digital Human Series has been on the slow crawl.
Engineer4Ever: Quite possible, Rin would definitely like to experiment with Falna.
WindbornesWord: Yes, Rin and Ereshkigal has growth potential.
King of Fans: Thanks. And Attilia and Brynhilder aren't sisters, but the Valkeries were based off of Attila's body. And the Umbral Star is starting to pick up on controlling the Dungeon.
Oscar Ye: Keep in mind, that was from Rin's perspective. Hakuno likely knows differently. These stories are written purposely with information that the character know, not what the fans know.
Guy2506: See above my reply to Oscar.
Janitor: Thank you for the constructive criticism. I admit, I can do more with Bell. It's not his story, however, it's Hakuno's, but I understand your point and consider it. As for no inferred direction, I don't really plan too far ahead, mostly winging it as I go along, and while it works a lot, it does have its faults, so thanks for pointing it out.
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 35: A Date True to Her Word
"Little lady, you need to calm down."
Rin Tohsaka glared at Archer, Robin Hood, a scowl shown on her face as she voiced her disagreement, "There is a possible Assassin Class Servant after Hakuno and you want me to calm down? Why aren't you protecting her?"
"Cause the Master told me to watch you instead, not that I think you need it, but let's say I owe her," The green-hooded Heroic Spirit replied, standing in front of Rin, blocking her exit.
She swore under her breath, her friend would do this. No, frankly, Hakuno would place her friend's safety over her own, not that she would carelessly place herself in danger.
"Besides, the small missy has two Sabers with her, Assassin or not, harming her with either nearby is suicidal," Archer explained.
He made a solid point. Whether the enemy was an Assassin Servant or otherwise, with Saber or Altera always nearby it would prove exceedingly difficult to so much as a scratch towards their Master. Rin had let her emotions get the best of her and she internally reprimanded herself for that.
She wasn't some young girl blinded by feelings, disillusioned by love.
"You do love her." Ereshkigal spoke in Rin's head. While the Heroic Spirit had restrained from delving into Rin's personal thoughts too much, the goddess of the underworld lit slip a comment now and then.
"Fine," Rin relented. "Then we'll proceed to solve the other issues. Kishinami is in the spotlight for Orario, particularly in the gaze of its 'deities'," She air-quoted the term, as they were certainly not like any Divine Spirits. "You will help me in solving issues that she would have no experiences in."
"You want me to poison rival gods?" Archer questioned. "Have to say, not something I thought I'd ever have the chance to do."
"Not poison, but if it comes to that, maybe," Rin responded. "No, we're gathering information and sending messages."
Robin Hood grinned, "Getting dirty? Any first leads?"
"Artemis," She answered. "I don't know what relationship she had with Hakuno, but knowing she's a deity to the moon in Greek Mythology already places her in my distrustful list."
"And what about short-stuff?"
"Hestia is… Well, not really the type of person. Hakuno already has her around her finger, even if she doesn't know it."
Now that it came to mind, examining the other members in Hestia's Familia, aside from Hakuno Kishinami, might prove beneficial in understanding Adventurers and Falna. She would check them out at a later date, the current order of business is dealing with the enemy Servant and potential rogue elements such as the gods.
However, the fact that there was a Servant not contracted with Hakuno outside of the Dungeon could mean three different scenarios.
One, there was another Master that had summoned the Heroic Spirit. Highly unlikely, if not impossible, as there wasn't anything akin to a Holy Grail or a connection to the Moon Cell outside the Regalia.
Two, the Servant had force summoned themselves in the Dungeon but did not become altered, maintaining free will but on a limited time to remain manifested. This was also improbable, as self-summoning is outside most Servants' capabilities, even inside the Moon Cell.
Finally, Velber, the extraterrestrial distant star, had finally managed to call forth a Servant with a skill or Noble Phantasm that allowed them to circumvent the Moon Cell's protective boundaries on the floors conquered.
That last one was the most likely scenario.
"Coin for your thoughts?" Archer said.
"Just hypothesizing a few thoughts," Rin replied. "You get to work on info concerning Artemis. I'll deal with clarifying a few other things."
Robin brought his hood over his head and his presence vanished completely akin to invisibility but more potent. It was rather impressive how he had such a Noble Phantasm identical to Presence Concealment Skill.
"What are you going to do, Rin?" Ereshkigal asked.
"Before anything, I'm going to practice shifting between my human and Demi-Servant state," Rin answered. "Until the point where I can shift at a moment's notice because currently there is a notable lag that can be exploited."
"Training? I can see the wisdom in it. Do you need any help?"
"Just watch my od reserves, I don't have a solid grasp as to the cost it takes to change into an active state."
"This Demi-Servant phenomenon is rather new, so I shall endeavor to aid you the best I can as both a goddess and your Servant!"
Rin smiled, "So now you admit that you're my Servant?"
"Wha- No! I mean, uh… Just start!"
The Spirit Hacker laughed before beginning.
Hakuno Kishinami felt her heart beat audibly in her chest, she was going to take Altera out for what was, by all means, a date. It was honestly just her fulfilling a promise that she made to the Servant, but the modern-day implications of her false high school memories provided enough cultural knowledge that it made her emotions feel warm.
While Hakuno had eaten out with Saber this afternoon, that felt more like a friendly outing than the nightly dinner that implied a more romantic subplot. The thought of it made her feel fuzzy, like butterflies in her stomach, her own confused mind at these human emotions only added fuel to the flame.
She was going on a date while barely knowing what that was.
Which only made her anxious.
Hakuno took a deep breath, calming herself. The young girl looked herself over through the mirror, her apparel remained the same, a brown schoolgirl's uniform with a blue neck ribbon and black pantyhose up towards her upper thighs. Her long wavy hair had been washed and brushed, it felt soft to the touch. The Regalia remained on her finger, glimmering with a beauty that gave a luxurious viewpoint on her otherwise plain attire.
Her companion, Altera, was upstairs.
Nodding to herself in confidence, Hakuno turned and left the bedroom, heading towards the stairway leading to the base floor.
"Ah! My Hakuno is being a young girl going out on a date~!" Hestia appeared seemingly out of a hiding spot beneath the couch's top.
Hakuno froze, feeling as if she's been caught, a strange sensation that the Digital Human couldn't fathom why she even reacted like this.
"Hestia…?" Hakuno found it hard to say anything but felt inwardly glad that Bell and Liliruca were out.
"Of course I'd notice, Hakuno~!" The goddess of the hearth practically sang in uncontained excitement. "This is the first time you ever put any effort into your personal appearance! To see you acting in such a way… Don't worry! As a fellow woman, I understand your feelings of liking someone!"
"It's not… Not like that…" Hakuno denied; though Hestia's statement was true. Outside of personal hygiene, Hakuno had never minded her looks from the eyes of others unless praised by individuals close to her.
"So who is it?" Hestia pressed for answers.
"Altera," She answered.
"Oh?" Hestia's curiosity grew. "Not surprised that's it was a girl, all things considered, but your own Servant?" She was giddy.
Hakuno felt her cheeks flush.
The goddess bounced on top of the couch, standing tall, "Then I'm rooting for you! Gosh, I never thought I'd be very interested in this but I can't help but want you to experience something like this!"
The magus tilted her head, "Thanks?"
"Cute!" Hestia squealed. "Perfect! Go get her, Hakuno!"
Now undoubtedly having the approval of Hestia; Hakuno Kishinami traveled up the staircase, feeling each step make her heart beat increasingly louder in her ears, even if logically it wasn't the case. Still, Hakuno hadn't felt so emotionally driven in this way since the Holy Grail War, the time spent with her Servants towards the ending weeks.
Such a reminder dragged her back to reality.
She released a quick breath and forced her thoughts away from the past and instead focus on the present. Finally climbing up to the base floor, Hakuno spotted the tanned warrior Heroic Spirit standing in the midst of the church, looking upward towards the windows. No moonlight shone through, the church was lit up mostly candlelight, which was still far better than the darkness it used to only be, before the Hestia Familia's financial situation improved.
"Altera," Hakuno spoke up.
The Servant drew her attention away from the mirror, "Hello, Master."
"Do…" Hakuno began. "Do you remember what I promised you while in the Dungeon?"
Altera stared at her, there was a silent pause, then she said, "Yes."
The Digital Human gathered her courage, walked up to the Servant, then grasped her hand. "Then let's go, I know a place, somewhere more private to eat." She didn't wait for an answer this time, knowing that Altera was rather indecisive when concerning actions outside her comfort zone of warfare. Hakuno gently pulled Altera along, knowing that the woman was allowing her Master to do this, as it would be very easy to escape Hakuno's grasp.
But she didn't, which meant Altera was wanted this to happen. It made Hakuno feel brighter, to know that Altera wasn't denying her invitation. They left the interior of the church, passing by Saber who glanced at Hakuno then merely nodded.
Like some sort of approval.
Regardless, Hakuno Kishinami knew where she was heading. What she had promised Altera was an experience to eat somewhere, but the magus girl did not want a pack-filled place such as the same restaurant she and Saber ate at in the afternoon. Rather, Hakuno wanted a more peaceful setting, not quite overly fancy, but not so popular with common adventurers.
Fortunately, Hakuno had asked Liliruca yesterday about places to visit in Orario. So the magus girl knew of a particular restaurant beside the Hostess of Fertility, which is where she and Saber ate, and the one where she had tea with Hestia, Cafe Wishe.
It was a quiet, peaceful walk if a bit chilly. Altera walked close to Hakuno, still holding the brown-haired girl's hand in a gentle grip. Contrary to how it may initially appear, the abandoned church of the Hestia Familia wasn't that far from the other districts, the illusion of the run-down ruins created a sense of perspective that made it seem far off from the Babel Tower. Not that it was a simple short walk, Orario was large in scale, but it was closer than it appeared.
As such, it wasn't too long until Hakuno and Altera left the mostly unlit abandoned district and into a brightly lit area with citizen and adventurer alike traveling through it. Hakuno was relieved at the fact that the nightly hours seemed to hide her presence, as nobody seemed to pay attention to her or Altera outside of a few curious glances.
Hakuno Kishinami turned the corner and stopped in front of her destination.
"We're eating here," Hakuno said to Altera.
Restaurant Ambrosia.
It was not a cheap location, but neither was it expensive. The restaurant catered to citizens but didn't reject adventurers. But, most importantly, Ambrosia would not have the loud atmosphere as the Hostess' pub. That is what Hakuno felt was the most deciding factor, she assumed that Altera wouldn't appreciate such publicity in their date, especially now that they were known in Orario.
Altera simply glanced top to bottom the restaurant's entrance, Hakuno smiled and brought her along inside. Quickly, they were immediately given a table of their own on the second floor, which had a balcony overlooking the district. They sat across from one another at a small table, only an arm's length, a single candle lit in the center.
Hakuno felt her heart skip a beat at the romantic-implying setting. If it were Caster here, the foxy Servant would have definitely commented a few strange worded sentences, but Altera sat instead, not even taking a glance at the menu placed in front of her. In the candlelight, Altera's complexion had a deep tone, which emphasized her extraordinary beauty.
The Master forced herself away from staring at Altera and tried to find a distraction aside from the blissful eye-candy of the warrioress' apparel.
"Um…" Hakuno tried to find words to say. "Are you going to look in the menu?"
Altera blankly looked at the folded booklet, then casually picked it up, opened, and seemed to skim through its contents.
Hakuno looked at her own, the language would have been completely unfamiliar, but it seems that the written language had somehow been shoved into her head, likely by the Regalia. And as a Heroic Spirit, Altera would have been summoned with the knowledge anyhow, granted by the Moon Cell.
"Which is good?" Altera finally broke the ice of silence.
"I suppose it is all good? Do you have any particular taste, Altera?" Hakuno asked.
"No horse," She replied.
Horse…? Oh…
"Me either," The magus girl agreed. "How about a poultry dish?" She pointed out a few menu items. "We can also share some of the appetizers."
"Share… Yes," Altera nodded to herself. "We can share meals."
"Share these meals, then?" Hakuno questioned, pinpointing not just appetizers but the courses.
Altera closed the menu, "I'm comfortable with that."
Hakuno realized that they were going to split everything between them, and not just the starting items. Well, she didn't mind particularly, it just made her feel even fuzzier at the thought. The waiter took the orders, and tea was supplied instead of alcohol, which was by choice.
"It's a quiet night," Hakuno began a conversation. "Do you like the night stars, Altera?"
"No, I do not enjoy the night stars so much… But, the moon is… Appealing," Altera answered, looking at her. "There are a set of stars I do find enjoying to watch, though."
Hakuno blinked, it took a bit for her to understand what the Servant actually meant, her face warmed up in realization, "Thank- Thank you…" She stuttered in reply. "I like the markings on your skin, it really adds to your beauty," She felt so embarrassed saying that.
Altera glanced at her arm, "Never appreciated it, but if you say so, then perhaps they have more worth than a reminder," Altera let loose a small smile, her hand seems to hesitate in reaching over the table, but Hakuno caught the action, before the Servant could pull away, her Master grasped onto the hand once again.
"You know, when I held your hand earlier, it was surprisingly soft," Hakuno said.
The tanned warrioress opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come out, So instead, she remained silent, eyes glancing back and forth between their hand hands and Hakuno's face.
Seeing how her Servant wouldn't speak, Hakuno continued, "Altera, you're more quiet than usual."
"No," Altera replied with a sudden increase in confidence. "Not… Are you not terrified?"
"Terrified? Why?" Hakuno questioned.
"I am a vessel for destruction, Master," Altera began. "I have destroyed civilizations, caused ruin for many, been proclaimed a Scourge of God in many cases. Even now, an innate compulsion within tempts me to decimate all of Orario."
"But you're still my Servant, Altera, my partner," Hakuno replied simply. "Even if you decided to destroy all of Orario, eliminate all the gods, and conquer the land, you will still remain such." Although she would likely voice her immense disagreement against such actions, Hakuno Kishinami would still follow her Servant, though not without trying to convince and dissuade Altera to do otherwise.
"My Master is a strange one," Altera comments with closed eyes. Then reopens them, "Worry not, only your enemies shall feel the power of my blade. The dungeon shall suffice in being my target of destruction."
Hakuno had the feeling that, if Altera wasn't restricted by her Master's Od reserves, she would have destroyed the entirety of the Dungeon is but a few days. There was nothing that could match the Heroic Spirit, even Saber wouldn't be able to defeat Altera, the tanned warrioress exceeded her in combat skill.
"We'll get to clearing the Dungeon," Hakuno said. "But, Altera, we can do more than just fight. We can spend time together like we are now."
"I… I see,"
It was cute how Altera could speak so boldly when it came to combat, yet so shy when outside of it.
When the food arrived, Hakuno had to let go of Altera's hand, much to what seemed like the Servant's disappointment, though Altera tried hard to hide it. They proceeded to eat in a relaxed manner, splitting the appetizers between each other.
"You should try it, it's good," Hakuno said.
"I'll determine whether it's from a good or bad civilization," Altera spoke, bringing a forkful to her mouth and munching on the contents. After a few seconds, she swallowed and said, "Good."
"So, it's from a good civilization?" Hakuno questioned with an amused expression.
"Mhm," Altera mumbled in response, "Delectable."
Hakuno resisted the urge to chuckle, "With that face, it looks like you want to quickly eat it all."
"Do not mock my desire," Altera frowned at her.
"Okay," Hakuno replied with a bright smile, inwardly thinking on how adorable the frown on Altera's face was.
What a pleasant night.