Golden Poem Arc C3: Battle Begins

Cherry Blossom Confessionals


OoOoO


They are in the Millennium Capital, crossing a great wooden bridge of red and gold. The sky is awash with the pinks and purples of a perfect sunset. A light breeze plucks at loose strands of brown and gold, and cherry blossom petals flutter down around them in a never-ending dance.

It's very different from their Rome, but it has its own sort of charm.

Saber stops in the middle of the bridge and raises her hand with a smile. A delicate pink petal comes to a rest upon the centre of her palm. "This must be what they call 'sakura'..."

"A city where the flowers of the Far East bloom…" Saber closes her eyes and the smile on her face twitches. "That damned Caster has made such a picturesque scene… Umu! Despite myself, I must commend her sense of beauty!"

Eyes opening once more, Saber tilts her hand and lets the petal flutter from her palm to join its brethren. Head raised, she takes a deep breath of the sweet scent upon the air and takes a moment to gaze out at the scenery, face serene. "Look, it's as if a pink… No, a cherry blossom-colored wind blows through here."

Saber hums, then adds almost as an afterthought, "By the way, my Praetor. I'm thinking of calling this city of the sakura the 'Tamamo Domain' for now." Saber nods decisively to herself at her rather clever idea. "Is that easy enough to understand? Communication must always be swift and clear when it comes to battle."

"Hm?" Saber looks over to Hakuno with a light frown when she doesn't immediately receive a response. "Um. Praetor…?"

Hakuno absently passes right by Saber, one hand cupping her chin in thought while the other holds her elbow aloft. Her mind is a whirlwind of thought.

"…We have to consolidate the Regalia as fast as we can. That, at least, is unwaveringly true." Hakuno absently mutters to herself under her breath, a deeply pensive frown on her face. The power of the Zero Dark… Already, the forces of the Umbral Star have had a fair amount of time to coalesce around Altera.

"If everything is going as the record says, Altera is strengthening her forces as we speak." Hakuno hums and taps her cheek. Her low voice wavers between hope and doubt. "We might still be able to confront them before any powerful Servants join their side if we can merge Caster's Regalia with ours soon enough."

Saber watches Hakuno continue on without her, green eyes wide with disbelief. When it becomes clear that Hakuno has no intention of stopping, she blurts out, "Are you leaving me behind?!"

Saber swiftly closes the distance between them, yet Hakuno keeps on walking, oblivious to her presence. Appalled, Saber comes to a stop and just barely restrains herself from stomping her foot. She does not like the feeling welling up within her–she does not like it one bit.

"...Hmph. Why do you walk ahead of me? It's dangerous for you to leave my side." Saber takes a calming breath, and vaguely gestures as she tries to appeal to Hakuno. "Worry not. I know our time is fleeting, but 'haste makes chase,' or whatever it is they say."

"…What would the Body do?" Hakuno absently muses aloud while lost in her own world. "She was hungry to win and keep on living. Maybe we should go after Altera's future generals first, one by one, and leave peace with Caster for later, even if that does lower our chance of success."

Saber once again closes the distance between them, and once again Hakuno keeps walking without noticing her red-clad Servant's attempts to get her attention. Saber's brows furrow, her frown deepens, and she lets out a small sound of displeasure as she comes to a stop. She watches Hakuno's back continue to get farther away for a long moment, an ugly feeling rising within her chest, until she can finally take no more.

"...Praetor." Saber speaks, but Hakuno continues to ignore her. Face firmly set in a scowl, Saber stands her ground and, hands on her hips, lets out a loud yell. "...PRAETOR!"

And still, incredibly, there is no answer.

"Ugh, I told you to wait!" Growling, Saber finally gives in and stomps her foot in frustration. "...So be it, then. Know that you brought this upon yourself. Forgive me for this!"

"Ow!" Hakuno comes to an abrupt stop as the feeling of something hitting her in the back of the head has her momentarily seeing stars. Clutching her wounded head, she turns to look up at a scowling Saber in shock and bewilderment. "What happened? Something just hit me in the back of the head!"

"I know. I finally had the chance to use this!" One hand on her hip, Saber nods in satisfaction as she uses her other hand to proudly display her weapon of choice. "This is a Roman Squeaky Stick. It also makes an excellent back scratcher–but never mind that!"

Hakuno rubs the back of her head. The blow didn't truly hurt, but the shock of actually being struck–and from behind, no less–makes her continue to eye the golden rod still clutched in Saber's hand warily.

Saber's hand falls from her hip, the Roman Squeaky Stick dissolving into motes of data as it is placed back into storage with a simple thought. Her expression is severe, voice stern. "Praetor."

Hakuno stops rubbing her head and instantly straightens up at the sudden change. Alarmed–and wondering just what she had missed–she finally gives Saber her complete attention.

"It's not only the Moon at stake. All that every human holds dear is under the threat from the Umbral Star." Saber states seriously. "You know that already, even if you have merely seen it in a dream."

There is a moment of silence, before one of Saber's hands reaches across her middle to clutch at her other arm. She hugs herself and suddenly averts her gaze. "Be that as it may…"

"For both you and I, everything…" Saber's voice has lost its stern edge and has become something altogether more vulnerable. She fidgets slightly, and a light flush dusts her cheeks. "Everything yet to transpire will be ours to experience for the first time."

Oh… Hakuno's eyes widen as Saber's words register. That's… That's what she had missed. Guilt begins churning in her gut.

Saber releases her arm, takes a deep breath, and looks up into the brown eyes of the one she holds deerest to her heart. Her voice turns shy, but she finally has Hakuno's undivided attention and so she soldiers on. "I want to feel our journey together. As we move through that journey, I want to experience every part of it with the wholeness of my being."

"I know everything is urgent. I know how little time we have. But…" Saber admits aloud. But. She wants–desperately, fervently–and she's not ashamed of that fact. Her words turn bittersweet. "I've always been greedy. I freely admit that, but even still…"

"I pray you give me the time to go with you. When you ignore me, I…" Saber's expression becomes something heartbreakingly fragile, while her voice lowers into a barely there whisper. "It…leaves me lonely, my Praetor."

"I'm so sorry, Saber. I-I didn't mean to…" Hakuno shakes her head, stricken as she hears Saber's voice actually crack. She's so far beyond disappointed in herself. She can't believe she…

"I had been so intent on the contents of a barely remembered dream, that I must have started confusing the alternate Body's path as my own." Hakuno starts, voice dripping with guilt. "But that's not true at all. She may have sacrificed everything to send me her story, but she isn't me–she was an entirely different Hakuno Kishinami." She was a Hakuno whose most important person was Altera, and she had given up everything for a chance to save the one she loved.

"Would it be conceited of me to say that I respect her?" Hakuno looks down at her hands as she threads and unthreads her fingers. "I understand why she did what she did, because I know that if it had been me in her shoes…"

Hakuno knows without a shadow of a doubt that she would do anything and everything for Saber. Which is why she can't believe she… Hakuno shakes her head and clearly states, "I won't deny the Body her final wish. I'm committed to stopping Archimedes and the Umbral Star, and I'll do all I can to save Altera in the end."

Here Hakuno pauses, lifts her gaze once more, and stares straight into Saber's captivating emeralds. She wills Saber to hear the sincerity of her words. "...But not at the expense of myself and the people I care most about. Not at the expense of you, and your happiness."

"Saber, the time I have with you is infinitely precious to me." Hakuno's voice softens, and she bows her head in remorse. "Thank you for telling me how I was making you feel. Even if we're in a life-or-death battle, even if the fate of the world depends on us, I don't want to waste a single second with you either. No matter what may happen. I'm so very sorry that I let my mind get so preoccupied that I lost sight of that simple fact. Can you ever forgive me?"

There is a moment of complete silence, before Saber reaches her hand out and delicately lifts Hakuno's chin. Their eyes meet, and shining green can see the guilt staring back at her from pools of brown just as easily as she can feel it through their bond.

"Umu, I do not mean to cry for your attention." Saber explains seriously, only to pause and backtrack somewhat. "That is, I do crave your attention, but…"

Saber's expression gentles into one of naked affection. She smiles, emerald eyes glittering, and softly says, "Most of all, I wish for you to remain true to yourself. Do not simply retrace the steps of another, but follow the path you yourself know to be right."

Saber's smile brightens as she steps back and gestures grandly. "No matter how hard that path may seem, fear not. After all, you are the victor of the Moon's Holy Grail War, conqueror of all in your way! Be true to yourself, and know that I will always stand beside you. No matter what we may face, we will face it together as one."

Hakuno smiles and nods firmly at Saber's declaration. She's almost hesitant to ask, but… "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

Saber raises her hand, the symbol of their greatest victory proudly on display for one shining moment, before she reaches out and clasps Hakuno's hand. Though only their hands touch, the embrace is soft and warm and utterly comforting. Their fingers intertwine, like it is the most natural thing in the world.

"I forgive you, my Praetor. Of course I do." Saber softly squeezes the hand held so gently in hers.

Hakuno lets out a sigh of relief. She apologised, and had been forgiven for her transgressions, but…well, she still feels like she has to do something more. Gazing into Saber's beautiful green eyes, she comes to a sudden decision. "I have two things to say before we continue forward."

"Oh?" Saber's brow rises in curiosity.

"First, I give you permission to use your Roman Squeaky Stick if I'm ever this stupid again." Hakuno declares decisively.

"You are many things, my Praetor, but stupid is not one of them. I would kindly ask that you not disparage yourself so in my presence." Saber frowns as she lightly scolds her Praetor. She adds, almost as an afterthought, "As for the use of my Roman Squeaky Stick, I appreciate your blanket permission…however I find it rather amusing that you believe I needed to be given permission to use it in the first place."

Hakuno pauses, thinks for a moment, then ultimately nods in both acceptance and agreement.

"Good, I'm glad that we are on the same page." Saber nods in satisfaction. "And the second thing you needed to tell me?"

Taking a fortifying breath, Hakuno looks deeply into Saber's eyes and clearly proclaims as she takes a step forward, "I love you…Nero."

Saber's green eyes blow wide at the sudden and unexpected declaration, and her cheeks instantly flush pinker than the cherry blossom petals swirling around them. "I-I…"

"I am in love with you, Nero Claudius," Hakuno clarifies as she takes another step forward. "Truly and deeply in love with you." The corners of Hakuno's mouth quirk up into a smile. "I'm sure you already knew, but…well, I just felt like it needed to be said."

"I-I… Praetor, I…" Saber stutters as she gazes up into the brown eyes of her beloved Praetor. Her mind scrambles to construct a suitable response even as her heart feels ready to explode at the sheer amount of joy she is currently experiencing. Her voice escapes her in a breathless whisper as she latches on to the first response to cross her mind, even if it is not perhaps the most important one. "D-Did I not say that I wish for my True Name to bless your lips while in the throes of a most wonderfully blissful performance, and in those moments only?"

"Though, I suppose if there were to be any exceptions…" Saber's eyes darken, her confidence swiftly returning as her body thrums with her rising passion. "I do not mind hearing my name fall from your lips while you are declaring your undying love for me, either."

Hakuno isn't sure if it's her own feelings of giddy relief spilling out of her, or if the emotions she is feeling are originating from Saber's end of the bond, but her smile is uncontrollable as she obliges. "I love you, Nero."

Saber's breath hitches. Their hands are still clasped, and their bodies are close enough to share their warmth. Unable to bear it any longer, Saber surges upwards. Their lips are a hairsbreadth from connecting in a fiery clash when Saber abruptly twirls around and throws an arm out protectively in front of her unsteady Master.

Enemy programs flash into being, and within moments they are surrounded.

"The timing is no coincidence. This is no doubt that fox-eared harlot's doing." Saber growls loudly and stomps her foot in frustration. "Trying to ruin the moment between me and my Praetor, right when we were about to... Hmph. Only she would have the audacity..."

"So be it. I accept your challenge." Scowl still firmly in place, Saber holds her head up high and declares, "I care not for your interruption. I hold the love of my Praetor, and that alone has been enough to bring me joy!"

Saber lifts her hand, and the Regalia shines brilliantly. In a flash, Hakuno is safely ensconced within, and she takes a moment to enjoy the feeling of her Praetor so closely entwined with her once more. "I came not to do battle, but… Ah, you have no ears to hear me. Very well, then!"

With a flick of her arms, her crimson sword and golden shield appear. Heart beating in sync with her beloved as the residual passion and the anticipation of battle energises them, Saber points her sword at the closest enemy. "Forward, my Praetor! Let us give them the battle they seek."

"And once I am through with all of you," Saber mutters darkly under her breath, "I will be having some rather pointed words with that thrice-damned Caster."


OoOoO


A/N: When I got to this scene in the game [Golden Poem C3: Battle Begins] I knew I had to write something for it. Not much has changed, truthfully, it's just been fleshed out and tweaked. That being said, the plan was for it to set up the next story, [Golden Poem C4: My Room Before Battle] which will have at least one very noticeable change.

Disclaimer: I own a copy of the game. That is all.