"Well done, Janice," Paracelsus commended as his apprentice handed the vial to Jekyll.
The male caster took out a notepad from his battle attire to note the changes as Jekyll began the test. Janice stood to the side, fiddling with the hem of her uniform's skirt. Unlike his servant companion, the assassin wore a pair of tan slacks and a black polo. His casual state was mirrored by Medea, who had only recently arrived after helping Naomi with a recent order from Chaldea's ever needy fashionista duo. The blue-haired servant casually tied an apron to prevent any accidental spills onto her flowing, purple dress.
Though not in the room as often as the other two, his background due to his elixir allowed him to aid them from time to time. Ever the philanthropist, he still looked for ways to help around Chaldea, though it was often in the Medical Bay with checkups since Roman had more important matters. Helping the two casters from time to time allowed a small friendship to form between them, which was only expedited by the assassin's pleasant demeanor. As Medea smoother her apron, Paracelsus turned his attention to her briefly while Jekyll started the first test process.
"Medea, you were saying Kiyohime still has both of her tickets after her request yesterday?"
She chuckled and nodded. "Gabby was hesitant about using a command seal for such an order, but Hans openly agreed that if it was Kiyohime's request, he would reluctantly accept. Before she could make the command, Gudao beat her to the punch and spent one of his to give the order."
"So she still has two requests she can make from our dear master," Paracelsus mused as he watched Jekyll work the nearby machine.
"While Hans has to be Kiyohime's butler for this weekend as repercussion for stepping out of line," Medea added, just as the machine beeped several times.
"That didn't work either," Jekyll affirmed as he looked at their latest concoction. Flashing indicators across the top of the test-bed were red, signifying the simulated living being had died. The machine was one of the newer pieces of techmaturgy gifted to Alchemical Room, and provided data on how a living being, of limited chosen variety, would be affected by different potions. It was Da Vinci's gift to all of them, mainly in hopes of not having any accidental potion side effects in the foreseeable future. At the very least, it meant no live specimens were needed for experimentation since the machine could give data readings based on probability and calculations.
How Da Vinci even made it, no one even questioned at this point; She was a genius after all.
"I'll start work on the next mixture," Medea sighed and quickly took another, careful sample of the poison in question. She needed it as a base reference to work the possible cure, meanwhile Paracelsus quickly began to do the same.
"Jekyll, thanks for helping us. We can take it from here, so please enjoy your time before your first appointment," Paracelsus requested with a smile.
Jekyll nodded back. "Alright. I shall take me leave then, thank you. I'll see you at lunch, if not sooner."
He didn't bother Medea since she was already busy with the concoction, but silently wished them the best. There was no questioning the motives of this antidote, and he sincerely wished it would finally come to fruition for the Hassan's sake. There was still the distaste in his mouth, but there was nothing he could do about the subdued mad enhancement any longer. What's done was done, though it didn't stop him from overthinking the possibilities and unknown implications as usual. Most of all, despite only being the deliverer of the concoction and an occasional assistant, it still weighed heavily on his mind that he went behind an allied servant's back.
It was that fine, gray area that always put the virtuous Jekyll into making difficult decisions. He could only reassure himself he did what was right in the end.
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Fragment 31: Finding Proper Balance
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"… Nothing else seems out of the ordinary, and the Saint Graph check earlier showed no change in parameters. You're as healthy as ever."
"That's good to hear," Kiyohime nodded back silently as she sat on his examination table. Her hands rested gently on the hygienic, recyclable cover.
Jekyll filled out the last blanks in the form, occasionally shooting fast glances at the berserker in a vibrant, blue kimono. Her eyes wandered the space quietly, noting the new decorations in his personal examination room. As she stared at the landscape photo of London, now hung above the forest painting near his eye chart, he allowed himself to look at her a bit longer. He quietly sighed and went back to the form, chastising himself for his insecurities. She was clearly in good spirits, and continued stares were only rude at this point.
It still bothered Jekyll greatly that he had volunteered to help when Gabrielle asked. Quite a number had helped since it was for the better of Chaldea; Kiyohime was a ticking time bomb in regards to Gudao's relationship. Unknown to them, he had volunteered to help with the elixir even though he was internally split on acting. He always had a strong sense of morals, and any act even remotely against his virtues bothered him to no end. As a respectable gentleman, he only sought the best for people, which was why this gray area had been such a difficult decision. Kiyohime had been helped, but she had also been betrayed.
And in helping them, he had also betrayed himself… his own beliefs. But has that not already been the case?
He unconsciously frowned as he kept writing. This was hardly the first time he's done something questionable to his own ideals and standards, which is what bothered him the most. It had been happening more frequently in Chaldea, though he would never place the blame on anyone. Much to his chagrin, Jekyll could only point fault at his own integrity and thoughts. That was what he believed though, especially after all his research and experimentation. In the end, it was almost always a person's own decisions that chose whether or not-
"You're still blaming yourself."
"I would question the conscious of anyone who wouldn't," he admitted with a sigh as he looked at the mint-haired berserker. "What we did-"
"Wasn't right, but it was for the best in the end," Kiyohime finished quietly. "I'm over it, Jekyll, but if you keep bringing it up, you will irritate the scar."
A small pause filled the room as he clicked his pen.
He nodded slowly and sighed. "Right. My mistake. I will endeavor not to do that, for your sake. Thank you for coming to the checkup, Kiyohime."
Kiyohime smiled back. "I'm glad nothing else was changed. Now, if that's all, I must be on my way... Oh Butler!"
The door to the room quietly creaked open to allow Tamamo to peer inside. Her curious gaze moved from Jekyll to Kiyohime before forming into a smile. She opened the door further with one hand before returning it to a pocket of her pink and white zipped sweater. Black short-shorts and matching leggings completed one of her more recognizable outfits, though Jekyll never checked her out despite how suggestive it always looked; He had his integrity to uphold after all. He did look when she casually hummed and stepped to the side of the doorway, allowing the three of them to eye Hans.
Never in his entire stay did Jekyll ever think he would see such mix of dejection and irritation from the male caster. It was nearly humorous to him considering the circumstances, and it certainly was for the girls as he entered with a full, black suit and obnoxiously large, polka-dotted bow tie. The offending blue accessory would likely touch his chin, which was the likely reason he wasn't shaking his head as Jekyll shot him a sympathetic smile. As utterly embarrassing as his situation currently was, he did deserve it for stepping so far out of line. At the very least, it gave Kiyohime quite the radiant smile just now.
"Ah. My wonderful, little butler… Please place my slippers on for me," the berserker feigned in a coy tone. "I'm afraid if I reached down, I may stress myself."
"How dreadful… We can't have that," Tamamo agreed with a snicker.
Hans sighed and started walking to the slippers at the base of the examination table. "Right away then…"
Kiyohime cleared her throat with a smirk as Tamamo leaned against the wall in a giggle fit. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
"…Yes, Beautiful Maiden Kiyohime…" Hans looked absolutely defeated, and it was only Saturday morning.
"Much better. You are forgiven," she nodded in content, as even Jekyll attempted to withhold a chuckle.
With narrowed eyes and some grumbling, he quickly yet delicately placed the white, comfortable slippers onto her bare feet. The berserker hummed as she gently stood up and ensured her kimono was wrinkle free. Satisfied at her inspection, she nodded towards Jekyll with a sincere smile. "Well, we will be off then. I wish you a good day, Doctor Jekyll."
"To you as well, Lady Kiyohime."
Hans begrudgingly moved to the door and pushed it open further for the two girls to exit. They started their own quiet conversation as they disappeared into the hallway. Hans looked to the doctor, but raised his hand to stop any sympathetic remark. "I openly agreed to this even before the command seal's influence. It was simply part of her request as a safety measure... Though, I was expecting it to be for a day only… I wish you an uneventful day."
"Good day to you too, Hans. I hope she's not too demanding of you."
With one final exasperated glance, Hans sighed and closed the door. The trio's footsteps retreated down the hallway, giving Jekyll the security he needed to openly chuckle at what transpired. Medea would definitely love to hear about this if she wasn't able to witness it herself, and Paracelsus would likely find humor in it as well. At least Hans did seem somewhat regretful at what he did, though it was hard to tell considering his truth was always wielded like a sledgehammer against a dry wall.
As the assassin hummed quietly to himself and organized Kiyohime's folder, he noted his own mood and worries had both lifted.
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Jekyll quietly checked his schedule for the next week as he laid it rested on the counter. With any personal uncertainty finally cleared up thanks to the checkup, he had enjoyed simply talking with David and Roman near the monitoring counter. The archer handled most of the reorganizing, so Jekyll soon found himself back in his examination room to check for any schedule changes for the month's appointments. Between him and Nightingale, checkups this month were handled in an orderly and relaxed fashion, though it did tend to change on the fly.
Quickly glancing at his watch, he noted there was still plenty of time before lunch. His next appointment would be afterward, which made today unusual since one a day was the normal occurrence. Placing the schedule back into a folder, he wondered what he could-
"Henry? Do you need to do anything else right now?" Well, that's one way to suddenly fill time.
The servant blinked in surprise before turning around at the familiar, yet surprising, voice. The blonde knight quickly materialized in the room, with her own, red presence concealment cape wrapped around her. Jekyll stared curiously at Mordred as she peeked out of the patient window. With a studious gaze, he observed the small motions and signs of anxiety in the saber as she returned her glance towards him. Just based on that, and her mention of his first name, he knew this was far more serious than Arturia being exasperated at her for another one of her son's occasional antics.
The doctor had gotten used to the idea of Mordred being far more open around him, especially after the major singularity when they became best friends. Even so, this show of uncertainty and nervousness was exceptionally rare. Usually she was enthusiastic or irritated about something, so whenever she was like this he took things seriously. Even with her newfound, strong bond with her father, he was still the one she came to involving a lot of personal grievances or worries. With that in mind, he quickly pushed aside the notion of playfully chastising the saber for her rude entry, which she loved doing, to do what he did best for her.
"I'm free. I'm listening… What happened?" he asked with a reassuring voice as he casually placed the folder on the counter behind him without looking.
"Um… is it okay if we talk in my room?" She asked quietly as she played with her fingers under the rather oversized cloak.
'Alright. Very serious it seems,' he mentally noted. Before he could answer, the sound of footsteps approached the door startled Mordred. Judging by the feint signature, it was clearly a human, which made her jump even more unsettling; What could possibly have Mordred this on edge? Jekyll held his hand up before she could go into spirit form, and approached the door calmly. Quickly, he opened the door to reveal the unofficial director in his typical uniform. Roman was clearly about to knock on the door with his raised fist, but simply blinked in surprise.
"I presume you're here to see who just appeared?" Jekyll inquired with a small smile.
"David told me he sensed someone… I should have known it was just Mordred again," Roman chuckled as he looked into the room at the saber. He stared a little longer upon noticing the obvious look of relief and partial uncertainty. "…Are you alright, Mordred? You look like a lost girl in that oversize-"
Jekyll's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Roman instantly clamped both hands over his mouth in complete horror. With wide eyes, Jekyll felt a shiver shoot through his spine at potentially putting the knight into an even worse mood. To his surprise, there was no sudden increase of bloodlust. He turned to her, noting the glare now etched in her expression, but the absolute lack of her usual retort made him worry. Before he could curiously observe the quick reversion to anxiety, he noticed another servant signature approaching. He turned to look as Roman took an unconscious step back into the hallway.
"Oh heavens! Mordred, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! It was a mistake!" he panicked as he quickly backpedaled further into the hallway. He had his eyes closed, expecting the worse, but Mordred clearly wasn't making any move with the approaching servant signature. The doctor whimpered, and opened his eyes to run away. "Someone save me from Mordred!"
The doctor turned to run, but he quickly froze. Jekyll watched in amusement as Roman's eyes widened, and the look of fear on his face quickly turned sheepish. The newly arrived servant stopped in front of Roman holding his laptop open in one hand. Da Vinci's other arm was on her hip on her blue sundress. Seeing the inventor not in her favorite, replicated attire was unusual, but easily not as rare as the incredulous glare aimed right at Roman. If anything, Jekyll believed that was practically her greeting for her friend half the time.
"Oh… hi, Da Vinci! …Why do you have my laptop?" He chuckled nervously. Without speaking a word, she turned the laptop around so he, and even Jekyll, could read the screen. This only caused the doctor to grow pale as Jekyll suppressed his own amusement.
Oh my~! How very daring of you, Mister Roman!
Asking an idol if she has any summer pictures to share! Tsk tsk!
How very forward! But maybe I'll reward you this year!
~Live and Love, Magi*Mari (^_^) Heart!Emote
"Someone save me from Da Vinci!" He shrieked in pure terror. An iron grip quickly seized his ponytail as he attempted to run the other way.
"Save you~? Oh, but Roman… I have a reward for you too! Now… Come with me…" Da Vinci practically seethed as she dragged him down the hallway.
"Ouch, Da Vinci! This really hurts! At least grab my collar! It hurts you know!"
As Mordred quietly walked towards the door, Jekyll heard the sound of a door cracking open further down. He could not see it, but the voice quickly made him chuckle. "I knew I heard someone in pain just now. Doctor Roman, I will administer anesthetic for you. Hold still or I will have to use force."
"No! I take that back! I'm fine, Nightingale, I swear!"
Jekyll slowly closed the door with a final shake of his head, before all enthusiasm quickly faded away. He stared at the saber next to him as his eyes met her own. With a sigh, he quickly nodded. "With that over, let's get to your room. I won't inquire who you're trying to hide from, but I'm theorizing that's what has you troubled."
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Twenty minutes passed before Mordred completed venting; It was a comfortable process for her after months of doing so.
The assassin should have made the connection earlier, but his concern for Mordred admittedly distracted him. The new residential wing was now half complete. Even with the larger berserkers moving into a newly constructed, shared suite, there were plenty of new rooms to begin summoning servants again. Coupled with a surplus of saint quartz generated from the lack of activity, the masters decided to do a celebratory summoning earlier this morning to welcome the first servant; There was a supply sortie later that afternoon in the usual summoning time slot. That had been nearly an hour ago to give plenty of space for an introductory tour before lunch.
It only made sense the newest arrival was what made the saber so concerned.
Mordred exhaled again as she sat on her bed with the cloak still draped on her shoulders. She hugged her bare legs as she gazed forward at her armor, letting Jekyll observe her quietly while he sat at the foot of her bed. Her toes occasionally fidgeted, but the embrace on her legs remained tight as her bare arms held their grip. They sat in silence as Jekyll casually eyed her, patiently waiting to see if she had anything else to say before he began his input. At first it would always take longer to convince her, but he's had a considerably easier time since November. He took the flat silence as the signal she was ready to listen to him now.
"It was only a matter of time, I guess," he sighed as he undid the button on his collar to get more comfortable. "I think you're over thinking things."
She frowned and stretched her legs out, revealing denim hot pants and a black tank top. "That's your thing, as you like to remind me so often."
"Which is why I can recognize it, because you're doing it more often, which is surprising. Are you certain Tristan's going to be gunning for your neck?"
"I'm the Knight of Treachery… of course he is," she scoffed like it was as clear as day. "I think he'll even go for Lancelot too."
"Not if your father is the first one to meet him and explain everything," Jekyll concluded as he smiled reassuringly at her. She turned to look away, and her gaze fell upon the many pictures that now hung on her wall. No longer were there empty ones, but plenty of her with those who enjoyed her company. Among the pictures with him, the knights, Iskandar, and a few others, her gaze rested solely on the one of Arturia giving her a piggy back ride. He noted the small upwards tugs on the side of her mouth as she stared.
"Father probably did already…" To his surprise, her brows furrowed further into her signature scowl. "But did he listen? Tristan wasn't fond of father."
"You say you weren't either, yet what lay beneath? It took a singularity, but you two are certainly one of Chaldea's shining examples of redemption. If he sees the current knights reunited and cordial, I think he'll come around faster than you think… and that includes you. Delaying this conversation will only make things worse, Mordred. You know exactly how wrong thoughts can evolve if someone is left to assume."
With a huff, Mordred remained silent, but Jekyll was used to this. Occasionally they would have this serious conversation when she had a problem to vent about, or so she claimed. She never admitted she would want an answer, and always pushed back against his suggestions and encouragement when he offered it. In the end, she would begrudgingly accept that he was right, as usual, and they'd soon find themselves talking about other things. Even when she was wandering around Chaldea alone, he was the one she would always come to like a security blanket.
Perhaps it was because of their time in the London Singularity. He had been rather grateful his summoning somehow included memories from the incident, since some others had required a memorial essence to do so. Through their endeavors helping Gudao, they had forged a very unusual basis for a friendship that grew to where they were now. While not openly displayed for everyone, though not quite a secret, they were best friends who could go to each other about anything. Or at least, Mordred could come to him about anything since he-
Jekyll dodged and caught the first pillow, making her pout. She growled and tossed a second pillow at him, causing him to chuckle. "Why are you always right, Jekyll!?"
"I'm not always right! You just need to think properly when you-"
"Are you calling me stupid!?" she accused playfully as she grabbed the deflected second pillow and swung it at him.
"Mordred! Oh for-" A swing of the pillow knocked his glasses off, causing Mordred to grin and chuckle-
She yelped as his pillow struck her side, knocking the cloak off her shoulders and making her laugh louder. "I'll get you for that!"
"For what? It is every individual's right to self-defense against unwarranted attack!"
"Tch, you should know better than to challenge one of the best sabers in formal combat, Assassin!" She laughed as she began to pummel him swiftly onto the bed.
This was hardly their first play fight, though Jekyll was silently glad it was just a pillow and she wasn't using any grappling moves on him. As great as it was to get Mordred so quickly cheered up, he always preferred it didn't involve him being turned into a non-consensual ragdoll; He never stood a chance against the much stronger saber. It was a very unique friendship indeed, though he would be a tad happier with it if she chose less… violent means to get even with him. Sometimes he wondered if the King Arthur from the other dimension had a son as crazy as this Mordred. The pillow struck him hard for the last time, he groaned in defeat as he laid back on her bed, arms up in surrender.
"I beg you, miss… please cease your assault on this poor bystander."
She snickered; He was the only one besides Arturia allowed to get away with calling her a girl within earshot. Not even the masters held that rare right, though the two of them didn't do it in public for her sake. "Thanks… I needed that."
"Just glad you're cheered up," he smiled at her. She casually hopped off her bed, and in one swift movement tossed his glasses into the air. He swiftly caught it and put them on, glad that they would always self-repair any scratches due to their spiritual nature. As they looked at each other, Mordred chuckled before the two fell into simultaneous laughter. Unaware if there was even a joke or reason, and not caring at the potential lack of, they simply laughed as they sat on her bed.
Slowly, they both stopped as they felt the presence. The pair turned towards the door as footsteps and a servant signature approached. To his relief, Mordred's eyes only filled with slight uncertainty as a knock quickly rapped on the door. After a quick glance to Jekyll, she looked back at the door calmly. "Who is it?"
"It's Gawain. May I enter, Mordred?"
The female saber quickly walked to the door and unlocked it, allowing it to quickly slide open and reveal the taller knight. He eyed the smaller blonde in a moment of concern, before flashing a small smile. "Your father's been looking for you. She wants you to properly greet Tristan."
"I figured…" She admitted quietly as she eyed his outfit. White slacks and a tucked, blue collared shirt were a tad fancy even for him. Coupled with the glossy belt and a white tie, it caused a frown to slowly form on her face. "…I don't have to dress up, do I?"
He chuckled as Jekyll walked over to the pair. "Of course not. As if you would listen anyway."
Mordred flashed her signature grin at him, and Jekyll took in the scene quietly after waving to Gawain. The two had come a long way thanks to the major singularity, but it never grew tiring to see the results. Progress had been expedited with the taller knight's observations as they escorted Holmes within Atlas, or so he heard; The assassin would have loved to see him again. If anything, the knights had collectively grown more protective of each other since the events transpired, which surprised much of Chaldea. Though as close as they would get, Jekyll took some silent pride knowing he was still the one Mordred would come to regarding almost anything.
As she hopped onto the floor to put on her sandals, she looked towards him curiously. "Do you want to come?"
"Oh? You're asking instead of dragging me somewhere this time? How strangely polite." He teased. She grumbled and scowled at him as the two men chuckled.
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"You're getting nervous again."
"I am not!" She definitely was. Jekyll rolled his eyes while Gawain simply shot an amused stare at them as he followed close behind.
"Your shoulders are tense… Irregular breaths too. Right hand's fingers are slightly clenched, and-"
"Okay, I get it! You read me like a damn book!" She growled as she stuck her tongue out at the assassin walking beside her.
Hands raised in surrender, once more, he simply sighed and shook his head. He watched Mordred cross her arms as she dropped the façade, subtly showing she was feeling anxious once more. She looked at him and spoke quietly. "I just don't want to make a scene…"
Jekyll considered quipping about how she usually did in some way, but decided against it since she dared to be honest. Gawain beat him to responding. "I believe you'll be surprised about Tristan's attitude, Mordred. Upon laying eyes on the King, it had taken some time to convince him to stop kneeling and apologizing profusely."
Mordred looked back at him hopefully as they approached the Camelot Room. They stopped just out of sight of the door, allowing her to turn back to see his reassuring smile. "There was some hesitation involving trusting Lancelot again, but he's willing to try since we have. We will have your back on this as well."
Some laughter erupted from around the corner before she heard Tristan's voice. Quietly shifting from Gawain to the room, and occasionally to Jekyll, her eyes were a mix of uncertainty and concern. The assassin sighed as he watched her slowly creep up to the corner, instantly making up his mind to act. Quietly, he glanced into the nearby Salon to make sure no one else was looking, and walked behind Mordred as she tried to peek around the corner carefully. Gawain watched curiously as the Knight of Treachery's best friend quickly closed the distance-
Mordred yelped in surprise as Jekyll shoved her out of the safety of the corner. Her eyes flashed back towards him in total anger, only to see him crossing his arms with a small, reassuring smile. Her anger quickly faded as she realized the Camelot Room had grown eerily quiet, and she was in the open. "…Sir Mordred?"
At the call of her name, she slowly turned her eyes and gazed into the room. With one last, irritated look at Jekyll, she walked out of sight as the assassin sighed and nodded his head. Glancing towards Gawain, he noted the knight's equally surprised and amused look. The assassin smiled back. "The best way to get Mordred out of her daze is by making her angry. That said, this doctor does not recommend that prescription be given by anyone else."
"You have the bravery of a knight to attempt that, Mister Jekyll," Gawain chuckled. "Best brace yourself to endure the wrath later."
"Oh, undeniably… but I would much rather she be angry at me than filled with a moment of doubt and insecurity. That's not the Mordred we know."
Gawain nodded with a smile. "That is true. It's best we do not keep them waiting, else your punishment may get worse."
"Right," he agreed with a motion to lead the way. Gawain began walking towards the room as Jekyll quietly sighed. Spending time with the knights was always an interesting affair, though inspiring to say the least. He always quietly wondered if the male Arthur's situation could have come to the same conclusion, though he could never inquire since it appeared only those involved in that grail war remembered the particular hero. With a small nod as he followed Gawain, he made a note to ask Arash about the curiosity. It was simply just another rampant train of thought, and one he would slide to the side.
What was most important now was making sure his best friend reached a positive situation.
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'I'll never get used to that…'
With a small sigh, Jekyll rubbed the side of his neck. He had been expecting retaliation, but he felt the headlock with accompanying noogie had been a little more aggressive than usual. Maybe he did deserve it for pushing the Knight of Treachery so casually into unknown waters, though he would not regret it. Her genuine smile and thanks upon finding civil ground with Tristan had been worth it. The last thing he wanted for her was to have a pseudo-repeat of avoiding particular knights, especially when they were all currently on the same supply sortie after the archer volunteered to help.
Quickly checking a few more boxes on his clipboard, he turned his attention to the second patient of the day. Gilles sat casually on the edge of the examination table, still wearing his silver-styled salon outfit; He was likely working again once his checkup was over. Checkups were usually with staff, and some servants who got injured in some way. As of late, he was more content and concerned with handling servant cases than regular people. Far from hating the staff, it was simply due to most cases being carbon copies these months since a cold and fever were rotating around the facility.
Gilles' case in particular resonated closely with Jekyll. "Have the whispers in increasing or decreasing this past week?"
"Decreasing, thankfully…" Gilles smiled, before his face turned pensive and disturbed. "Though I still worry if that memorial essence should appear."
'I can only imagine.' It was one thing to acknowledge a different personality, and another entirely to accept its existence. Jekyll faced that very notion himself, and was very thankful he couldn't hear the whispers of his darker half like Gilles did. Through some sheer luck, he was only able to talk to Jekyll during his sleep, and only if that dreaded existence decided it was worth the effort. Gone were the days in his real life where they could hear each other in his mind, and thankfully there were no episodes of waking up as the other. It was horrifying enough for him to have that happen once in his past life, but to have it happen here?
"Doctor Jekyll… Do you think it will try to wrest control? I believe it best I do not accept that dreaded thing if it arrives."
Jekyll stared quietly at the worried Gilles and sighed. "If it's anything like what I experienced, it may try. The only case in Chaldea of a servant having two mentalities fighting for control was when Vlad first arrived. A memorial essence has yet to do that, but we are unsure if it has the chance to."
"I do not appreciate that side of me. I wish nothing to do with that evil any longer. I have more than enough within me that I want to be rid of."
"Whether or not we want it is not our decision. It is the simple duality of human nature, Gilles," Jekyll relented with a solemn smile. "I experimented with that arrogantly myself… and tried to get rid of it, yet I made it worse. I refused to acknowledge it was really a part of me, and thus helped it sever itself to become its own horrendous identity. Whether I wanted it or not, Hyde was a facet of myself I had long since buried and refused to acknowledge."
"Are you saying I should accept it?" Gilles asked incredulously. "Accept a child murdering… fiendish personality in my head?"
"If it arrives… it is only your choice. It is a burden I wouldn't wish on anyone," Jekyll stated calmly as Gilles listened carefully. "If It is any solace, we have many fine examples of inspiration. The avengers in particular have shown us that even if they embody hatred and retribution, they can still be who they desire to become."
The saber remained silent as he thought over the words carefully. Jekyll smiled reassuringly. "But we only have the absolute worst in mind… What if you only get memories, and use them to be a better person? Good cannot exist without evil to measure it, but we can use it as a way to redeem in the future."
Silence. Gilles chuckled and shook his head. "I hope it comes to that then. Thank you, Jekyll."
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"Sorry to hear about Leonidas and Tota throwing that vending machine."
"It is what it is. Had I been unfortunate enough to hear Elizabeth's rendition of My Heart Will Go On, I may have helped them throw it too. Good night, Doctor Jekyll."
"Pleasant evening, Miss Delaqua."
Jekyll continued to casually walked back to his room, waving good night to the supervisor as they parted. He did the same for every other employee and servant he passed, though of no mention to yesterday's surprise sing off between the two idol rivals. They were supposed to be keeping their challenges to a secluded area, but unfortunately for some that was hardly the case the other day. At least today had been rather uneventful in terms of Chaldea's crazy antics.
Dinner with Arash and Paracelsus had been rather ordinary, and even mediocre compared to watching Jeanne drag her little sister into a forceful duet with her three nights ago; It was less of an ensemble, and more an unintentional comedy act. Advances on the apple experiment for the masters was progressing smoothly, albeit at a slow pace. Left to his own evening since Mordred was watching a gifted movie with the rest of the knights, he simply decided to retire early. The rest of his day had been rather mundane, with the last highlight being the deep talk with Gilles.
The rest of the appointment had progressed well, though it did occasionally revert back to the question of duality. The doctor had answered as best and optimistically as he could for Gilles, helping to point him in the direction that let him stay fixed on the goodness in his soul. He was aware, more so than most, of the consequences of peering into that darkness. It should have been obvious something was staring back, yet he did not acknowledge it. Not until it was too late did he realize his folly, and to his chagrin, it was the likely very reason he became a helpful heroic spirit in Chaldea.
He doubted a small-time collaborator for Holmes would have sufficed for a heroic spirit, especially compared to Watson.
Though perhaps, no matter how much he liked to overthink it… it was because of Hyde that he was able to help much more. Had he not made that grave error even after Watson's thorough recommendations not to involve himself in such matters… Had he not found the thrill of helping Holmes chase down the evils of London, he may never have found himself on the road to that potion. As much as he hated to admit it, there was the truth that the evil Hyde was the reason he had been allowed this second life to help others through his own mistakes.
As he approached his door, he sighed. That was one thought that unsettled him, no matter if he overthought it or not.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Jekyll awoke to find himself sitting on a plush, elegant chair in a dimly lit room. A gas lighting fixture hung from the center, giving a soft glow to the surrounding, luxurious room. From the yellow-tinted, floral wallpaper to the ornate rug, everything was familiar and comfortable to the assassin. There was no other furniture in the room save for the chair he sat on and its opposite a scant few meters away by a warm, lit fireplace. He didn't need to look to know the lone windows of the room were behind him, closed with fine red curtains and flanked by elegant bookshelves.
Rubbing a hand on his temple, and finding himself sitting in his favorite, formal outfit, Jekyll sighed. Appearing in this room after falling asleep only meant one thing. This was their meeting place whenever he wanted to discuss something in whatever brutish vocabulary he pleased. There had been some variation to the place he met him, but this was the illusionary façade he had decided on after trying different venues for them. It was a far cry from the opium dens, bars, and brothels Hyde liked to frequent in the past… but it was this suitable, small study within a perfect home that birthed him. Their home.
With a flicker of the flame, Jekyll felt his presence but was not disturbed. He felt the rough hand ruffle his hair, and heard the cackle from his left, though he still did not turn. With another sigh, the refined gentleman simple rolled his eyes as a near exact opposite walked into the light. Their outfits were perfect, yet their faces told the true story. Jekyll's composed eyes met the red, crazed expression of the snickering existence. Even with his hair now in partial disarray, the assassin's appearance was far less disheveled than how Hyde appeared.
The berserker identity simply shook his head with a smirk, before crudely flopping onto the opposing chair. "Why… good evening to you too, Mister Jekyll! Thanks for being so kind as to welcome me back into our lovely home after so long. A fine evening for a little talk, right, mate? How about some whiskey?"
"I will pass on the pleasantries with you, as always, Hyde…" Jekyll stated with a blank expression. "What do you want now?"
With an exaggerated expression, Hyde placed a hand over his heart and feigned being shot. He continued his act, gripping onto the arm of the rich furniture as a brace while making pained noises. Jekyll was unmoved. "How could you! So much aggression, yet I've only been disgustingly kind!"
Hyde stopped his illustration and smirked. He glared right at Jekyll and cackled once more. "Yet you're becoming more and more assertive… I like it. A far and welcome change from the doormat I have to gag at every single day. It's a splendid show seeing a spine and balls grow, I assure you!"
"If you just brought me here to insult me, then I'll just remain quiet and bore you to silence."
"But, that would be rude! Such an affront! After not talking to me for over a month even! I'm appalled and aghast you would treat me as such!"
Jekyll remained calm, ignoring his rising irritation as Hyde continued to goad him into a verbal spat. This was how it was every time they would meet, and he would always fall silent until he woke up. Meetings became more scarce as Hyde became more bored with tempting a reaction out of Jekyll, and he was almost positive it would have stopped completely. Had the checkup with Gilles finally pushed him into talking again? The gears in his head turned, though unfortunately, Hyde snickered; He could gleam long thought trains, but not the swift flickers made before speaking.
"If it was because of that boring saber, I would have contacted you the first time he had a checkup. You may be losing your touch, doctor," Hyde teased while waving his finger. To Jekyll's sudden surprise, the crazed expression slowly left the berserker before him. A blank expression formed, which was something Jekyll had never seen before. As his eyes studied him, Jekyll suddenly felt nervous in front of his alternate identity. "You've had quite an eventful month, haven't you, Henry."
The teasing was long gone now, and it unnerved him greatly. "And you don't know this?"
"Don't get smart with me. May I not state the obvious?" Hyde retorted, yet his voice remained disconcertingly calm and even. "A lot has changed since coming back from that singularity, yet you only seem to recognize the mere surface. How embarrassing… and you call yourself an overthinker and an intellectual."
"What are you referring to, Hyde? There's a lot-"
"Do I really need to spell it out?" Hyde snapped with a roll of his eyes and a growl. "For christ's sake, Henry, just watching you bumble around the obvious is driving me crazy. Prove you have a god damn sack and fuck Mordred before you lose your chance, you bloody muppet!"
Jekyll eyes turned incredulous for a split second. He quickly glared back as his anger rose. "I don't see Mordred like that, you unrefined animal! I should have known this was just another one of your blind accusations to get under my skin-"
"My lord you are a total, bloody buffoon!" Hyde roared as he swiftly stood up. He ruffled his own hair in aggravation as he began to pace by the fireplace. "Why are the intelligent types always so dense with connecting the dots!? She lets you call her a girl without ripping your balls off for heaven's sake!"
"Can you not tell the difference between sincere trust? You're over-blowing everything just to make your point seem viable. We're only best friends!"
"Maybe with that ridiculous attitude. You never were good with women like I was," Hyde chuckled yet still glared at the offending assassin.
Jekyll met the angered gaze equally. It had been a long time since Hyde had managed to get under his skin, but this was always how it was under the surface. Acceptance was only a simple generalization for what was between them. They played each other like a vicious, silent chess game, with the possibility of things spilling ever present. Their hatred for one another was clear, and would suffocate anyone within the vicinity. Chaldea was ignorant of the battle within, and it was probably best it stayed that way.
Hyde suddenly grinned maliciously and chuckled. With a shrug, he sat back in the chair with a satisfied grin and closed eyes. "And here I thought maybe you did know what you have in your hands… oh well. Hopefully something happens and I can actually get control for once, and you're the one who has to watch from the back. If you don't want her, hell, I'll give her a go. That attitude must carry over into the sack, and she'll probably be one loud, wild ri-"
"Be quiet!" Jekyll roared as he punched the berserker. His hands quickly grasped Hyde's collar. Completely unfazed, Hyde simply smirked back as the assassin continued his intense glare. The doctor shook him roughly. "Don't even think about doing something like that to her! I won't let you!"
"Won't let me what? Think it? Do it? And what exactly are you going to do to stop me from simply thinking, mate?"
Jekyll's eyes widened as the berserker sat up in a sudden, explosive burst. A knee rammed into the refined identity's chest, causing the air to shoot out of his lungs and his glasses to fall. Gasping for breath, he could do nothing as Hyde rammed him back into the original chair, causing it so tip over with the pair in tow. Now straddling the assassin, Hyde simply gripped Jekyll with both hands around the neck with a snicker, taking cackling enjoyment at watching the weaker identity struggle. The assassin coughed, causing a trickle of blood to leak from the side of his mouth.
Panic flooded the assassin's body as he realized his predicament. Never once did it cross his mind he could be attacked by Hyde in this mental meeting. Precedent now set thanks to his impulsive strike, the doctor cursed as his vision went dizzy at the lack of oxygen. He struggled, but knew Hyde was considerably stronger and it carried over to this place. With a panic, the thought crossed his mind of what would happen if he fell unconscious here. Would they trade places and he could wander the halls as he pleased? As Hyde's eyes widened in enthusiasm, Jekyll's panic multiplied immeasurably.
He would not let that happen. No. He will never let that happen!
Filled with sudden adrenaline and strength, Jekyll twisted his body and practically threw Hyde off of him. Gasping for breath, but anger now fueling his resolve, the assassin dove at the startled berserker. A punch connected with Hyde's jaw with an audible crack, before two more landed in quick succession. Still quickly taking deep breaths, the assassin continued to growl as he struck the berserker repeatedly. He did not realize Hyde had stopped resisting and was just letting him strike. Punch after punch, his attack slowly lost its momentum as his own fists began bleeding beneath his black gloves.
With labored breaths, Jekyll collapsed backwards, but caught himself with his arms. He sat on the ground near Hyde's legs, observing the berserker angrily as he groaned on the ground and felt his face. Blood trickled from the nose and mouth, but to the assassin's dismay, it appears he was otherwise fine save for the superficial wounds. Yet what surprised him was he did not counter attack, nor did he get up at all. Hyde simply laid on his back and breathed slowly, allowing his legs to stretch out now that there were no longer any obstructions.
Glare met glare as they stared at each other. Jekyll did not waver, but neither did Hyde. Minutes passed in silence with only their labored breaths accompanying the room's ambience. The crackling of the fireplace seemed distance compared to the anger that boiled within Jekyll against his hated identity. The berserker's glare intensified slightly as his breathing slowed, and Jekyll braced for the worst.
What he got instead was a quiet chuckle. Jekyll watched as Hyde slowly began roaring with laughter, but it was not his signature cackle. It was something he never heard before from the maniac, and it intrigued and unnerved him all at once. The hearty laugh continued as the berserker occasionally pointed a finger at the doctor, only for his fit to intensify. Slowly, it grated further on the gentleman's nerves as the brutish man continued basking in this unknown pleasure.
"I didn't think you saw me as that much of a joke," Jekyll spat in disgust and irritation.
"Most of the time, Henry… but not now," Hyde retorted while slowly sitting up. He did not make a move to attack as he snickered at his companion. Jekyll's glare met his amused gaze. "That was easy enough... just had to use Mordred to pry the truth out. Do you see it now? Do you see what I truly find so amusing?"
The doctor didn't even blink. Hyde sighed and rolled his eyed. "Fine. I'll humor you and point it out, genius. Do you really not see how much more… aggressive and interesting you're becoming, my dear refined and philanthropic gentleman? I thought you would rather discuss things in a civil manner, yet you so hastily assaulted me first. To disregard your proper, virtuous conduct so readily these days… how very interesting to see what you've become."
Slowly, Jekyll's glare faltered as he realized the implications. Hyde chuckled again. "Oh yes. Being open with others felt great, didn't it? Now you have a taste."
"I… I really did hit first," Jekyll relented as he looked at his own bloody hands. The virtuous gentleman had finally struck a first blow that wasn't in self-defense, or in servant-related combat. As churlish and disgusting as Hyde was being, that hardly warranted physical aggression.
Hyde shook his head and clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Now, now, Mister Jekyll… No need to be so ashamed of that. I'm proud of you for becoming more like me. I really am… and we have good old Mordred to thank for having some of her overly assertive attitude rub off on you!"
"No. This isn't Mordred's fault," Jekyll shook his head, making Hyde frown. "I am the one responsible for my own actions."
"Face it, mate. She's influenced you unintentionally, just like you have her. She thinks harder now, and you're more assertive. She's kinder, and you're willing to attack someone to defend what you care about," Hyde groaned out in annoyance. "I don't see a problem here. You two opposites are making each other better. The only problem is you're too absurdly stupid to acknowledge it, just like you did me… and they say Mordred's the dumb one. What a damn joke."
Jekyll glared at his mental counterpart, though noted how unusually reflective he was suddenly being. The normal case was just a bunch of rudimentary observations on his actions, and unpolished insults to pass the time. "Why do you care so much what I become? You hate me."
"Oh, don't get me wrong… I still abhor your useless guts. All other servants have far more value than you as far as I'm concerned, but at least you're not as worthless anymore. It's nice not having to cringe every minute. Every other minute is much more bearable. Maybe it will be once an hour if I'm hopeful?"
Hyde stared back at Jekyll incredulously as he gazed back in slight confusion. The berserker rolled his eyes again. "Look, Henry. I'll only say this only once, so listen good. We share the same body. Just because I hate you doesn't mean I don't care what happens. You do let me out every now and then, and I get to go on a merry little slaughter of countless enemies. Believe me or not, I relish in those moments and respectfully keep myself restricted so you don't get into serious trouble… So I may do it again sometime. If you die, I die, and vice versa. I can't continue to have guaranteed fun back in that damn throne… you get my case, doctor?"
"You look out for me for your own sake…"
"As if that's a new concept these days," Hyde grunted and punched Jekyll in the arm roughly. "At least you get the idea for once..."
Reluctantly agreeing with the reasoning, Jekyll internally sighed. He silently hoped Gilles would never have to deal with something like this, and wondered if this was his burden alone. As much as the thought still made him cringe, at least he knew whenever he let Hyde take the helm, he was being rather controlled, if only to keep them anchored here. He entertained a rare idea, that maybe he would find a way to coexist with this identity in some way. Judging by the recent raise of an eyebrow from the berserker, who likely just read that long thought, the possibility at least existed.
With a slowly lifting glare, Jekyll actually dared to chuckle, making Hyde confused. "If you don't want to die, screwing Mordred is probably your worst idea."
Hyde blinked, before he started cackling. "Well shit. You're right! That was practically suicide I was asking for. Guess I was too wrapped up in the possibilities…"
"Don't ever lay a hand on her," the doctor spat quickly with a return of his glare.
"Tch, fine… The wild one's all yours mate. She'll probably just dominate you anyway and leave me laughing," Hyde chuckled as Jekyll rolled his eyes in aggravation; That's not what he meant. The maniac stood up, but didn't bother offering a hand to his mental counterpart. Jekyll could not have cared less. "But hey, tell you what. All those times watching me bed women will finally pay off for you! At least you know what to do thanks to the real master here. You took notes, right, muppet?"
Jekyll groaned in disgust and annoyance. Hyde simply cackled again. "Hoy… How about you let me out again sometime soon? Let off some steam… through violence, numbnuts, don't give me that look. Arrange a fight with one of the other berserkers. I might be less harsh next time we meet… might!"
While the maniac laughed, he quickly stopped upon seeing the blank, yet musing, expression on Jekyll's face. His eyes shot wide. "Wait… really?"
"If you promise to be respectable when we meet… I might think about it… might."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
With a sigh, Jekyll adjusted the tie for his suit based on the aesthetics of his formal battle attire. He waited patiently with Paracelsus and Medea as the simulation machine ran its test in the Alchemical Room, beeping as it processed. The male caster waited with arms crossed over a white button up. A clipboard was attached to the glossy belt on his tan pants, hanging casually in preparation. Medea shifted her weight onto her other leg as she kept her arms akimbo on the loose cloth of her battle robe. Several beeps and clicks continued to sound within the room, making them initially worried of another failure.
Yet the lights turned green.
"We got it," Jekyll sighed in relief as Medea and Paracelsus flashed each other small smiles. The lights on the simulation machine were blinking green, as opposed to turning off. They had initially been red after applying the potion, with only a thirty second window to deliver the antidote before the simulated victim perished. After many tries over several weeks, they finally had something that worked. With only a small window, there needed to be a way to deliver it immediately, but it was far better than nothing at all.
"I'm sure Serenity and the master will be very happy," Paracelsus noted as he put the notepad down. He placed the ingredients list alongside it with a content nod. Their endeavor had been rather expensive since it used up some of the ascension materials as well. "It's still a little costly, but hopefully we can mix an actual method to preventing the poisoning in the future."
"I could inform Gabby now," Medea offered as she made a quick glance around the room. It was still early morning the next day, and many of the alchemical mages were taking the day to themselves. The only ones who didn't were coming in later, but it helped to be sure there weren't any surprise, prying ears for her next statement. "She did say she would be at the Party Cave at nine, right?"
"She should be there, yes," Jekyll confirmed with a small smile. Medea glanced around the room one last time before nodding.
"Then it's best I do it. I am to help Da Vinci there anyway," she replied quietly before waving goodbye to the two companions.
They watched her quietly leave as Paracelsus swirled the remainder of the concoction. Jekyll sighed as he kept Da Vinci's little project in mind, though it didn't weigh as heavily as the plan for Kiyohime. In fact, it wasn't fair to compare them, but he did anyway. "I still don't feel good about keeping another secret."
"To be fair, good Doctor, it is less of a devious secret, and more of a surprise present when it's finished… Now, as for that apple project…"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Jekyll! Let me go, he called me a girl! You heard him!"
Ah, the number one mistake for anyone to do with Mordred. He really did appreciate that privilege of being able to use feminine pronouns. For the sake of the poor employee who had a tongue slip, Jekyll quickly grabbed onto Mordred's arm to prevent her hasty aggression. The red headed employee quickly stuttered backwards and away from the angry blonde, though the blunder was reasonable considering what she usually wears. Her classic white tube top and denim hot pants didn't help the image, though at least the gruff leather jacket helped cover most of her.
"It was a slip of the tongue, I'm sure," Jekyll replied casually with a chuckle. Thankfully, he was holding the smaller servant with both arms now locking her right one securely. As he did so, he casually looked to the male employee with a sympathetic smile and mouth quietly, "Run. Really fast."
Nodding swiftly, the employee bolted for the nearest corner faster than Jekyll thought the man could run. Mordred growled under the hold before finally shaking herself loose. She turned on Jekyll and grumbled before crossing her arms over her chest. She glared at him, though he met it evenly with a small smile as he crossed his own arms. The seconds ticked by before Mordred groaned in annoyance and lightly pushed him, making the assassin chuckle.
"Why do you have to ruin my fun…"
"Beating employees for forgetting your preferred form of gender identification is hardly-"
"Yea, yea… Same old, same old," she waved him off with a chuckle as he sighed. Already she was over it. "Come on! Let's get lunch!"
Jekyll blinked. "I thought you were eating with the other knights today."
"Nope, that's dinner! You're stuck with me for lunch whether you like it or not!" She cheered happily before grabbing his hand. "I got a lot to tell you about the movie we watched! Father surprisingly found it funny, but you should have seen Gawain! He's easily startled by Fou now! It's hilarious!"
Yet again, Jekyll blinked. "Wait… that movie? Arturia was actually alright with the British comedians acting as-"
Mordred's laughter cut him off. "I'll tell you more when we get lunch!"
The doctor learned a long time ago that whenever Mordred dragged him anywhere, it was best just to let her do as she pleased. As much as Hyde chastised him for being such a submissive gentleman, it's not like he had much of an option. Irritating Mordred was hardly the best idea, and that was all that would ever happen if he tried to resist. Though to be honest, he did playfully irritate her from time to time in the past few weeks. He did find the pout she gives him cute, though the trick was getting that and not a headlock.
As she high fived a robot, causing it to spin uncontrollably, she laughed happily as Jekyll doubled back on his recent thought. Had he really just said that? With a slight curse, he started pondering about whether or not Hyde was actually being honest and not just using it to entice the changing demeanor out of him. Her blonde hair waved in his vision, and he saw her smiling face turn to him, yet his mind remained lost in thought. Her expression faded to curiosity as she stared at him, while he thoughtfully considered the girl who dragged him around with her. Perhaps… Just perhaps…
Mordred blinked but kept pulling him forward. "Hoy, Jekyll? You alright? Why are you staring?"
"Ah… nothing, Mordred. Perhaps I'm just overthinking some things. You know me."