Passing the First Milestone
2009
"Ah, it's getting so cold." Ayako remarked, seeing the autumn leaves wither and fall, as they open the door to winter. She huddled up closer to the taller woman beside her, wrapping her arms around the woman's waist.
"You were the one who wanted to eat out, Ayako." Her mother said with a smirk, bringing the young Puppeteer even closer.
She shivered from the cool air. Touko knew that Ayako preferred it over the warmer weathers, but she understood that it could get uncomfortable if they weren't prepared for it. "I know." She said simply.
"You sure you don't want anything else?" Touko asked, trying to share the warmth between them.
Ayako shook her head, digging her head into Touko's coat. "I like it this way." She answered, her smile hidden in the coat. "It's more intimate."
The older redhead chuckled in amusement. "Well then let's hurry up. We're almost going to be late for the reservation."
"Hm!" with that confirmation, the both of them hurried in their pace, eager to reach the restaurant they were making their way towards to. Their arrival was met with little fanfare, aside from being welcomed and escorted to their private table, with just the two of them.
The private table, an intimate dinner between mother and daughter, proceeded throughout the evening, Ayako's childish excitement bringing a wide and content smile on Touko's face. It was a great, and very real reminder to why she chose this, walking down this aberrant path that she took. Seeing that innocent smile, that was becoming rarer as the time goes on, solidified her already erected faith that she had on this point. She would never trade this for anything else, and there was nothing anyone could offer to her, to take this away.
"Excuse me, Aozaki-san." She glanced to her side, seeing one of the waiters arrive as they were nearing the end of their night. "Your… scheduled item is ready."
"Good." She replied, noticing the confused look Ayako was giving her. "Bring it here, promptly."
"Yes, ma'am." The waiter nodded, before turning again to leave the table.
"What was that?" Ayako asked, leaning a bit closer, her red hair barely touching the almost empty plate on her side of the table.
"A little surprise." Touko said, placating the young Ayako with a smile of her own. "You didn't think I wasn't going to give you something for your birthday, didn't you? I wasn't going to let Aoko get all your love and attention."
"Aa-chan's not gonna get all my attention!" Ayako cried out, scandalized. "You'll always be number one, mom!"
"And I'm glad to hear it." Touko smirked, her hand reaching out to grab Ayako's. "Finish your dinner dear."
"Hai." Ayako nodded, before letting her hand go and went to finish the last of her dinner.
A few minutes later, the waiter reappeared, bringing with him their dessert for the night. A chocolate soufflé with strawberry gelato accompanying it. Ayako clapped her little hands excitedly, already reaching for the tiny spoon and fork that came with it. Her eyes then flickered to Touko's side of the table, noticing the older woman's dessert put aside as the waiter placed a wrapped gift. Her eyes widened with glee as she clapped her hands rapidly.
As the waited once again left them alone, Touko pushed the yellow-wrapped gift. "Happy birthday, dear."
"Aaaaahhhhh!" Ayako took the gift into her hands. "Thank you, mom!" the young Puppeteer smiled brightly, her hands feeling the gift carefully. "It's soft, so… is it fabric? It feels like fabric." She was silent for a few seconds, before she gasped with widened eyes. "You didn't!"
"I did." She admitted with a knowing nod.
"Aaaaahhhhh!" her hands were vibrating with anticipation, before she calmed herself down. With a quick breath, she carefully undid the giftwrap. A few minutes passed, before her golden eyes were alight with tears straining them.
A deep black kimono, the deepest color she had ever seen, so beautiful in her hands. The obi, simple in design, but so eye opening to them. And the patterns on the lower side of the kimono, emblazoned upon it an elegant 10, sitting upon a bed of roses on a calm river, with the occasional koi fish popping out. Ayako could only look upon it with her jaw wide open, before eventually looking up to meet Touko's eyes.
"I remembered the way you were looking at it. Or, a kimono similar to it. You've never eyed anything like it before." Touko commented with a soft smile that she only showed her daughter.
Ayako's smile was blinding, before it quivered, as tears began streaming down her face. She placed the kimono to the side of the table, and rushed to Touko's side, almost barreling into the older Puppeteer. Whatever her response was, it was muffled with her face buried into her mother's clothes. She wrapped her arms around her daughter, putting her chin atop the red of Ayako's hair, and sighed with content and relief.
She wondered how well she was doing, in raising her beautiful daughter.
Rare moments like this, reminded her that whatever she was doing, it was quite alright in that regard. And she only needed to stay on this path.
2017
She had to give them props. Culinary didn't have to, but they still provided some good old chocolate milk for people like her. How long has it been since she's had a glass, probably before all the shit happened. And here she was, nursing a small glass of it, leaning on the wall as she surveyed the crowded room, filled with the most relaxed air Chaldea has ever experienced. With the way she was presenting herself, people would certainly thought that Ayako was far older than she actually was.
Especially with how much she was treating this glass of chocolate milk like she was some kind of alcoholic who was craving a long sought after drink.
She chuckled at the thought, taking another sip of the drink, bumping shoulders with Kiyohime. The Berserker was content to stay by her side, for many reasons Ayako was sure. "You're not gonna mingle?" she asked the Servant, smirking at the way Kiyohime turned away with a blush.
"I have no one to mingle with, Master." She replied, though Ayako found those words hard to believe.
"Is that so?" Ayako remarked with a knowing smile, nudging the Berserker with her shoulder. "Then who is that?" she gestured, with the hand that was holding the glass of milk.
Kiyohime followed her direction with her eyes, and they widened along with a sharp gasp.
Running along the polished wooden floor, with her clawed hands clinging to the skirt of her puffy light pink dress. A more neutral pink long glove reached to her elbows, with her tail swishing around behind her, seemingly careful to not disturb other people. Her smile was wide, as she made her way towards them.
"You two look so good!" Elizabeth said, her hands that were clutching her skirt grabbing onto their respective hands. The Lancer was almost crying in envy. "Ah, I want to wear a kimono too! The three of us could've been a cute trio!"
"Would you even want to wear black?" Kiyohime responded, going for a derisive tone, though Ayako could note the softness to her voice.
"Hey! My normal wear is black with pink! I can pull off black!" the Lancer said with a small scowl, her hands akimbo on her hips. Her puffy dress moving like a wave. "Birdie, you told Kiyo to socialize right?"
"Where are you going with this?" the Berserker attempted to interject as worry creeped within her.
"I did, Liz." Ayako gave a long glance to Kiyohime. "You wanna help Kiyo-chan out?"
"Sure!" Elizabeth's hands shot out, latching onto Kiyohime's. "There's a lot of people that you can be friends with!"
"A-a…uh." Kiyohime turned to glance the Puppeteer, only to be met with an encouraging smile. The Berserker sighed, reluctantly leaving herself to the whims of the Lancer. "Alright. Lead the way, Elizabeth."
"Okay, let's go!" without waiting another second, the Lancer pulled the Berserker along, deeper into the mess of people within the now crowded hall.
Ayako smiled, waving at their backs as they disappeared from her field of vision. She then, with her glass in hand, made her way towards the buffet table. With a quick refill of her milk, she got her plate and proceeded to join the line of people. Buffets tended to have a bad reputation, but high end establishments often had the best kinds of food. And with the chefs in Culinary, along with EMIYA cooking the food, there was no doubt to the quality and taste.
"So how're you enjoying the party, Mother Superior?" she asked to the person in front of her, a smirk worming its way onto her face.
The person in question, garbed in a complete and properly worn nun's habit, turned to face her. Her normally blue eyes were closed but furrowed, her smile shaking at Ayako's words. "It is quite the lovely evening, Ayako." Martha replied, with a white plate in her hand. Ayako noticed that the Ruler had also forgone her gauntlets, showing her delicate hands. The Puppeteer could say that she was enraptured by Martha's clean nails. She wouldn't have expected it, considering the Saint's rough lifestyle.
"So what brought this on?" she asked with a gesture, hiding her smile behind the glass of milk.
The Saint sighed, as she plucked the assortment of foods on the table onto her plate. "Medea had, suggested that it would be unbecoming if I were to come as I were, and offered to make a dress for me. I declined. So instead we reached a compromise and she offered to finish the set."
"Of course she did." Ayako said with an amused laugh. "Well, you are the very picture of a nun right now."
"Someone has to be." Martha said with a shared giggle. Her eyes then glanced behind Ayako. "You are alone, Helix?"
The Puppeteer turned around facing one of her first friends in Chaldea, seeing his sharply dressed form wearing a clean white long sleeve button up shirt. His glasses looked new, unworn throughout his tenure within the base. He chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just grabbing something for the both of us."
"The both of you, hm?" Ayako smirked at his words, glancing to the table that he no doubt sat. She saw Violet sitting there, a glass of wine in hand. The both of them caught each other's eyes, and gave a nod to one another. "She's a lucky lady."
"Ah, I don't want to rush things." The Technician said nervously. "These are, trying times. And, we don't want to seem like we're, being pulled by the heat of the moment."
"A very mature stance, Helix." Martha nodded approvingly with a smile on her face. "When this all settles, perhaps you would entertain the idea of a more, long term relationship."
"Maybe…" he nodded, breathing carefully to himself. "Hopefully…"
Ayako placed a wrist on his shoulder, what with the hand that was holding the glass of milk. "I think you two'll make a great couple."
"Ahahahahahahaaaaa…" his nervous laugh trailed onward, before he shook his head to regather himself. His eyes then trialed downward, focusing on her body. "You're wearing a kimono."
"Mhm." She nodded, as the three of them went down the line. "People thought that I'd be wearing like a ball gown or something."
"Count me as one of those people." Helix said with a light chuckle. "You honestly don't show much of your… Japaneseness."
"I save it for important occasions. Just like this." She said somewhat proudly. She twirled around, though the tightness of her kimono meant that it mostly kept its shape. "Makes my hair stand out even more."
"We've noticed." He commented, eyes going back up to her hair. "Some of the boys and girls almost forgot that your kimono's black."
"Hahaha, you guys are so ridiculous." She said with a light blush, the back of her hand subconsciously feeling the tight bun her hair was in. She had put in extra care in making sure that it stood out more than usual.
"Could you move please? We'd like to eat." The three quickly glanced behind them, seeing another person waiting, prompting them to move down the line.
"So has Da Vinci made you guys do anything crazy yet?" Ayako asked as she began filling her plate, leaving her emptied glass behind on the table.
"No, the woman's been busy with some weird shit." The Technician replied with shrug. "I heard Medea's involved."
"Our Puppeteer is also involved, once she's done with her own business." Martha commented, and though neither of them could see, there was no doubt a smirk on her face.
A light groan and sigh left him, understanding dawning in his mind. "So it's some puppet thing then."
"Most likely." Ayako said with a smirk of her own.
"Should we be worried?"
"As with anything involving magi, yes." She replied with a seriousness to her tone.
"That should be the default stance one should take when dealing with magi." Martha further added.
"Guess I'll try to be more careful around them then." Felix remarked with a shudder.
"You have Violet there to help you out." Ayako said, nodding towards the other woman. "It'll keep you alive, especially if we ever get out of here."
"It's worse out there?" he asked, his voice carrying a timbre to it.
"Now that you know the world you're walking in?" she turned around briefly to glance towards him, her usual smile absent from her face. "Absolutely."
"I'm surprised these things are not disturbing the party." The black haired nurse said, seeing the dragon tooth warriors take out her plate from her table. She was wearing a dark green long sleeved gown, her normally stringy hair wrapped around her head in a tight braid, looking at the conjuration with wide eyed awe.
"People have probably gotten used to it." Her fellow nurse said, leaning back into the chair she was sitting on. She was wearing a lighter sleeveless green dress, though her skirt only reached to her knees. A yellow flower hair pin kept her usually messy hair together. "I know I certainly have."
"For a lot of these people, this is really nothing." The bespectacled doctor added, covering his upper face with both his hands, sighing tiredly. His ensemble was the most expensive of the bunch, even if it didn't stand out much, brought down by the drab brown and his sour demeanor. "They should though, considering who these things belong to."
"She doesn't seem so bad." Aleksis commented, glancing to him for a second, before turning her eyes back to the retreating skeletons. "I wonder how she became, how the books say she is."
"You could just ask her, you know?" Aine suggested, nudging the other nurse with her elbow.
"I'd refrain for now." the Servant among the said, taking a sip of the wine that was brought to him. Sanson wore a far cleaner version of his outfit, though lacking his large brown overcoat, with his white hair untouched. "It's a very sensitive topic for her."
"Still?" the orange haired woman asked, turning back to the Servant with wide eyes.
"If Atalante ever stops wearing that mask, then you can ask her." Kagiso added, taking a bite of the large piece of grilled chicken he brought. He had sat himself with the rest of the Medical staff after parting ways with the Ground Team, choosing for a moment to take his time to be with these people for this shared moment. "The mask serves as a reminder, for the both of them."
"They seem so amiable with one another though." Aleksis commented with a frown, glancing towards the Grecian Witch and the Huntress, standing at the impromptu bar, chatting with one another. The Greek Witch was adorned in a deep purple gown that hugged her figure, turning the heads of men and women as they pass her, as expected of a magus from the Age of Gods. Her conversation companion wore a more modest lemon green dress, with her tail swishing underneath her skirt.
"A face they put on for everyone." Kagiso said, supported by Sanson nodding beside him. "Also functions as a semblance of normalcy between them, lest they be awkward with one another."
"The mask helps in that regard." Sanson said, interjecting with another sip of the drink in his hand. "The less Medea is reminded of, her history, the easier it is for her to interact with Atalante."
Light frowns formed on the two nurses' face, glancing to one another in their shared sympathy for the Caster. The black haired nurse then suddenly scowled, turning to the rest of the table. "This is why the Greek Gods suck."
"No one's denying that." Adrian said, finally looking up to them, placing his glasses back on his face. "Least of all, her. Honestly, I don't think even the most praised Greek Hero would have anything nice to say of them."
"That's not true." Aine turned to him, brows furrowed in denial. "Atalante still worships Artemis, and has nothing but good things to say of her."
"Even that view has been tempered, in the last Singularity." Kagiso added for them, chuckling to himself. "Seeing the goddess act like a, to borrow the word: floozy, really ruined Atalante's perceptions of her patron deity."
"Not too much, since Atalante still worships the goddess." Sanson said in support.
"She doted on Atalante like a mother, so I guess that helped alleviate the image from completely shattering." The Shaman said, carefully dabbing the napkin on his mouth, making sure that his sleeves weren't getting dirtied.
"Can we talk about something else?" Adrian complained with a heavy sigh. The man looked completely out of place inside this hall, hiding behind a crumbling veneer.
"Alright, alright." Aine clicked her tongue, shaking her head at the doctor, before she turned her attention to the Assassin. "Has anyone seen Setanta?"
"I haven't." Kagiso said, with Aleksis shaking her head as well.
"He said he was with Security." Sanson replied with a nod to the orange haired nurse. "Saying something to the effect of keeping them company while all of this is going on."
"Aw, really?" her shoulders slumped, as a pout formed on her face. "I wanted to see him."
"You could just go to Security right now." Aleksis suggested with a shrug of her shoulders.
"That's a great idea!" Aine exclaimed, her hands not exactly slamming on the table, though coming close to. "Leksy, let's head out!"
"I'll hang back, Aine." The Russian-Canadian replied with a light smile on her face. "Remember, we roped in this guy right here to go along with this. It would be in bad taste if we just left him."
"Yaaaaay." Adrian's deadpan reply sent the nurses into light giggling hysterics.
"Then I'll catch up with you later, Leksy!" she waved to the rest of the table, before she stood up and made her way through the crowd, no doubt to leave and find the Irish Hero.
With the Irish nurse's back disappearing from view, Kagiso turned to the rest of the table with a light smirk. "So, are the both of you just going to sit here, until the party ends?"
"I'll leave when the ball drops." Aleksis answered with a smile of her own. "Figuratively speaking, of course."
"I'll wait and see if the Director has anything to say." Adrian replied, placing an elbow on the table and leaning his head into it. "Usually, these big heads would, in these types of celebrations."
"I can attest to that, at least." The nurse said with an agreeing nod, no doubt speaking of her own experiences. Her eyes, a light blue that conveyed a tiredness now that her friend had left, centered itself on Kagiso. "What about you, Kagiso?"
"I will mingle with the rest of the room." he told her. "Probably see where the rest of the Ground Team had found themselves at." His eyebrow rose as a question formed at the tip of his tongue. "I'd offer you to come along with me, but…"
"Yeah, I already said that I'm going to keep him company." She gestured with a nod to Adrian.
"You could leave if you want." The aforementioned doctor groaned out, shaking his head. "Sanson will still be here too."
The Servant eyed the doctor with a raised brow, the glass of wine close to his lips. "Sure, I'll be here to make sure Adrian is around."
"Well that settles it then." Aleksis said with a smile. "Now that my date's run off for greener pastures, hope you won't mind accompanying this old maid." She raised her hand for the Shaman, in an almost delicate manner.
"Ha." Kagiso scoffed lightheartedly, standing up himself as he reached for the nurse's hand. "Get to my age, and then you can call yourself an old maid."
"Let's see what the rest of the party has in store." Aleksis smirked in amusement, as she stood up herself to join the tall Shaman.
"Is this the first sort of party you've been to, Koleen?" El-Melloi asked, as the Witch approached him with a tired posture on her body.
"Yes, it is." She replied, stopping beside him with a long sigh. "How do people do this?" she said, her hand moving to tidy up the frays of her hair, with her crown braid almost loosening itself.
"For reasons I myself do not understand." The Clock Tower Lord replied, though he scoffed at his own words. "That's a lie, I do understand, though I myself try not to engage in these events." His own bespectacled eyes looked towards the center of the hall, where two Servants were engaged in a dance that enraptured most of the room. "Unlike the King herself."
Koleen turned to where his gaze landed, and smiled at the performance. The young King wearing a beautiful white dress, far simpler than her usual Servant getup and yet it made her stand out even more, with her blonde hair held in a tight bun with a simple black bow. Contrasting that, the tall Knight was wearing a dark purple dress suit, almost to a black, with his own hair tied into a ponytail. And the both of them were dancing in their own world. The King so lost in the heat of the moment, while the Knight did his best to accommodate her as he could. If there were scheduled performances for the party, these two would have no doubt stolen the spotlight without even trying.
"You'd almost forget that she could be far… colder than she is now." Koleen remarked, the smile thinning into a neutral expression.
"Hm." He nodded, remembering his own experiences with her. He shook his head when he felt the onset of a headache. One that he has been getting far more often, ever since he was summoned in this unusual circumstance. "Has there been talk on when Chaldea will try and summon more Servants?"
"Ayako's been planning on more excursions after the new year." The blonde replied, turning to face him once more. "Supplies for at least a few summonings. Whether or not we actually summon, that's another matter entirely."
"Just another run to further prepare ourselves. I see, understandable." He noted with a nod. "Any particular type of Servant you're hoping?"
"I'm fine with any, really." She replied with a shrug. "They answered our call. That's more than enough, to have people who will commit to save the Human Order." She mulled over her answer, before letting out a light chuckle. "Ayako will want a Rider, though."
"That I can understand." He said in agreement, partly laughing and partly sighing. "Fortunately, the Servants we have are able to easily take the roll of a Rider Class Servant."
"That they could." She agreed, glancing to the side where Martha was, conversing quietly with Ayako. "Is membership with the Clock Tower crucial?"
His brows furrowed at the sudden question, almost shaking his head. "It opens doors, and it serves as higher education for many young magi, especially those without the backing of an old family. In a sense, I guess you could say it is, especially for those who have nothing." He placed his hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her. "I'm sure, when this is all over, your supposed membership is all but guaranteed."
She looked to him with a confused expression. "It's that easy?"
"This is after all a joint project between the UN and the Mage's Association." He said with a confirming nod. "For you, and Ritsuka, you will no doubt be considered a magus of the Clock Tower."
"What about Kagiso?"
"His Mentor was apparently a Clock Tower graduate, so I'm sure he's considered at least a freelancer by them." The Lord said with a shrug. "He's never elaborated much, other than the fact that his Mentor was of the Clock Tower, and the fact that he is very much familiar with the ensuing politics."
"Yeah, that always surprised me." The Witch said, her pink eyes searching the room for the Shaman. "He always seemed to know a lot, for someone who was so disconnected with the whole system."
"My advice for you, assuming I'm understanding this train of thought of yours, is to just do your own thing." He told her, sincerely. Her pink eyes were almost like a vortex, pulling him as he spoke. "You do not have the predisposition to deal with those within the Clock Tower. Ayako did, and it shows."
"And even then, it seemed like she wasn't a huge fan of the Clock Tower, and its politics."
"No, she was not. She often aired her grievances to us." And that was something that became a lot more frequent nearing the end of her tenure within the Clock Tower. And yet despite that, he knew Reines enjoyed this moment of reprieve, especially with someone who didn't fit within their social circle. "It was always interesting that she would turn to us, Lords of the Clock Tower."
"I guess that shows how much she trusted you then." Koleen said, her smile returning to her face.
I smile that he matched, as he straightened his glasses. "I guess it did."
"Ah, you'd make your father so proud, Mash!" Da Vinci exclaimed, as she moved around the Demi Servant. The Caster herself was wearing a rich blue gown that accentuated her figure, with deep blue gloves reaching to her elbow. "Romani, compliment her, for God's sakes man!" she called out with a frown, gesturing at the man.
The Doctor let out a chuckling sigh, shaking his head at the Caster's antics. He straightened his white coat that he wore over his clothes, giving him a more professional air than he is usually known for. He smiled at Mash, a sense of fatherly pride welling up inside of him. "You look great, Mash."
"Thank you, Doctor." Mash replied with a blushing face. Fujimaru was beside her, holding Fou in his arms with a supporting look on his face. "Da Vinci went all out for me."
"As she should. It was a favor after all." He gave Da Vinci a dirty glance, shifting his eyes back to Mash. "How are you enjoying the party?"
"It's… quite overwhelming." Mash replied with a shudder. "I've, never experienced something like this."
"Yeah, I was also overwhelmed in my first party." Fujimaru commented, shaking his head at the memory. "I was way younger then too. It was too much for me."
"I can see, you're not really the type to enjoy this sort of gathering." Da Vinci said with a nod, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Must've been daunting for a child."
"It sure was." He said with a chuckle. He turned to his side, where a woman had been silent throughout the night. "How about you, Director?"
"What about me?" the white haired woman responded, her golden eyes piercing back into him. Her white hair was wrapped in a tight braided bun, with a large orange flower adorning it. She wore an orange/white strapless dress, with flowers running down the fabric. A more extravagant version of Mash's dress. "I've been to plenty of these… parties. Though rarely to celebrate such a thing as New Year's."
"Well, considering our situation, it's not exactly to celebrate that as well, even." Romani said with a strained smile.
Olga sighed, taking a sip of the wine she had in her hand. "How do you think its going?" she asked them.
"Quite well, Director." Da Vinci replied without pause. "Morale is through the roof, even with people not in this room."
"It was a steady rise, leading up to this party." Romani added in further support. "Everyone was anticipating this. A chance to, unwind after all that we've been through."
Olga sighed, slight relief washing over her. "Thank god." She muttered beneath her breath. "Thank god." She repeated, slightly louder for all of them to hear. "What time is it?"
The Doctor brought his hand up, glancing to it. "10 to midnight." He answered with a nod. "Are you ready?"
She breathed in, 4 full seconds, and breathed out, matching the rhythm. "Yes."
He smiled at her, nodding to her before turning away from her. "Then I will prepare the room."
She nodded, and made to follow him, as the both of them made their way to the small platform that was built exactly for this. His steps carried him, while she dragged behind, reciting the words she had prepared in her mind. She noticed a few heads turn to him the moment he stepped on the platform, quickly taking notice of his appearance. Even fewer noticed her standing to the side. He coughed into the mic, the wine glass with a piece of fork. All heads in the room turned to him.
"Excuse me everyone, hope you all have been having a great time?" light chuckles and laughter erupted around the room. "Yeah, it sure is nice, to be able to put our worries to the side, even if for just a second." She noticed a few nods of agreement, oddly enough coming from those of noble birth. "Well, the clock's going to strike, any moment now. So, before we get to that moment, a special word from our Director." He stepped aside, granting her the stage.
She took the spotlight that he gave her. The ensuing celebrations were paused as their eyes were trained on her. She noticed the rest of the Ground Team; Aozaki, Bertrand, Kagiso; joining Mash and Fujimaru, standing so close to the platform. She felt at ease, seeing them there.
She closed her eyes, her golden orbs blind to all, for a few seconds.
She opened them again, confident and determined. Assured of herself, for the first time in a long while.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. I thank you all, for being here today, as we all greet the New Year." She started, noticing that she the people of Chaldea were already enraptured by her words. "This moment of reprieve was unprecedented, as it was something that we at Chaldea had barely even cared for, even after I took over. Yet, it was one that we all needed, to ensure that we do not crash after our wave of grief and guilt. Especially considering what we have all achieved here, together."
"It has been six months, since that fateful day, where we were all betrayed by a sleeper agent of the enemy. And for those six months, we have been working, nonstop. Observing the Human Order, and doing all that we could in making sure everything we do, that we can put a stop to the madness around us. To fix the mess, before it takes hold and solidifies itself." She paused for a brief second, gathering her breath. "For those six months, we have done many, with all but a handful. Our numbers have thinned drastically, culled by our enemy, but we have not slowed down."
She noticed a few of the people listening to her straightening their backs. She nodded to herself. "We have had to fill in the gaps of the people we lost, but we persevered. And we will no doubt grow from this, as we already have."
She breathed in again, trying to calm her nerves before they could take hold of her. "The whole world, the Human Order. Humanity itself, is relying on us. To save them, and bring them back, to erase the incineration that had occurred. We, as Chaldea, are but observers. And yet, here and now, we stand as the last line of defense."
"And with everyone here, every single one of you, whether you are a Master or a crew. Whether you are a noble, or a commoner. Regardless of your own backgrounds, or your skills and talents. Of your leanings, and interests." She grabbed the mic, holding it tighter. "We, are Chaldea."
"And we, stand, as one."
Her hand relaxed, letting the mic go, as she breathed as if she was gasping for air. A clap resounded in the filled hall. She looked up, just as another clap reached her ears. And another, followed by more, and more. Within a few seconds, the hall erupted in a chorus of applause. She heard the occasional cheer coming from them, from those who were strangers to the etiquette of such gatherings. But no one minded. No one cared. All she could feel, inside this heavy heart of hers, was pride, as a smile formed on her face.
She left the small platform, letting Romani take the stage once more, no doubt to give his own closing thoughts, as she made her way towards the Ground Team.
Da Vinci closed the distance, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. Never had the Caster been this approachable. "You did great, Director. I think morale will be at an all-time high, for the coming months."
"They needed that." She said simply, nodding along as the Ground Team encircled. She also noticed Lord El-Melloi and Saint Martha standing a bit further back, along with Morozov.
"We all needed it, Olgs." Aozaki said, arms crossed inside the sleeves of her black kimono.
"I wouldn't have been able to come up with a better speech." Kagiso said with a deep chuckle, slowly clapping himself.
"It make sense why you set up the party then. You needed everyone to be here." Bertrand commented with an approving nod.
"Don't worry, Director." Fujimaru stepped forward, a comforting smile on his face. "We will succeed."
"Of course you will." Olga said back, standing up with her back straight. "I have my utmost confidence in all of you."
"And we, to you, Olga." Mash said, with her words echoed by the small creature on her shoulder.
Just hearing those words said to her, by these people who match into the fire without hesitation, puts her heart at ease.
Whatever Chaldea meant to her father, it will mean something different under her.
Something better.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
alright, first of all, let's address the elephant in the room.
yeah, sorry for the sudden hiatus (though thankfully this wasn't as long as the last one, which so happened to occur around the same time last year. and no, it's not a coincidence). after last chapter, halfway through writing this chapter, i decided to take a short break. just for 2 weeks, because i was close to being burnt out. and i didn't want to be burnt out, especially since i really love this hobby of mine. and it was great! those two weeks really helped clear my mind.
but, then i remembered that there was something else i needed to take care of. the new school year. and being a former college dropout who's trying to finish school in his late 20s, i can't afford to screw this up, so i was head first in all the bureaucracy and all that nonsense, just getting paperwork done for the new year. and that took all the time i had, including getting situated in the new classes i'm taking.
that sure sucked.
but, i managed to squeeze in some time to get this out!
unfortunately, because of my hectic schedule, my updates will be a bit more sporadic. they might get out within the next week (if i'm feeling especially inspired), they might be in 3 weeks. i'm not exactly sure.
but, just know that Princess of the Puppeteer is not abandoned. hell, as much as i have other fics that haven't been updated in years, i wouldn't classify them as abandoned. they're just on an indefinite hiatus. unlike this one, so, don't worry! PotP ain't going anywhere!
now, let's get on with the story!
i took this moment to also bring back a few of the people of Chaldea, to remind ourselves that the Masters are not alone. i honestly enjoy writing them too, a glimpse of Chaldea from mostly mundane eyes. the nurses especially, since they haven't really gotten a moment for themselves as well (hell even Adrian's got more screen time than them).
we also got a moment for Olga to shine. she's gonna need it.
i also was able to at least mention all the Servants available, except one. and yeah, we're gonna be getting new ones soon! i don't have an idea as to who yet, so keep on to your pants!
also, with the hiatus, we've also got a slew of new shit going on in FGO (and other games, but that doens't matter here). the biggest thing to me, is Nobukatsu!
holy shit balls, i can't believe they got him in, and holy hell how is his ascension fucking top tier? those are 5 star ascensions dude, there are 5 stars who will envy him. honestly, i can't wait for the new bronze Servants to hit Global, i really want to write them in.
(on a completely unrelated note, i have fallen into the Hololive rabbit hole. send help)
well, with that out of the way, let's get to the reviews!
GrandBlue203: i do have an idea on which Master for Edmond to be contracted to, and it's not Ritsuka. I'll not elaborate more on it, so to keep it as a surprise.
Ho4qin: oh, Chiyome is interesting, and i do have her. we'll see down the line (they really do need an actual Assassin)
Plague bird: thank you, dude!
Addicted2fanfics: yeah, let's hope Kiyo can further improve!
Thekiller7: oh yeah, i can't wait for it too. and yeah, George as a Ruler, that'll be crazy.
TalonScythe: the Storm King is so underappreciated, it's insanity. don't get me started on the constant boob jokes as well for her.
Ichigo Oga: the runes are simple Elder Futhark. they're a more modernized runes. as for how they become spells, speaking in a meta sense i take the appropriate Icelandic word (since i'm basing this off of Icelandic runes), see what letters are used and what rune can be used to convey the meaning of the spell/word.
well, hopefully, though we are slowed down, we can get back moving!
thanks again everyone for sticking around, especially with the sudden hiatus!
leave another review if you guys don't mind, and i'll see you all next time!