Gudao never set his alarm last night, but he found himself awake nonetheless.
With a gratified sigh, he gently tightened his embrace around Mashu in his dark room. With experienced care, he slowly readjusted their position while she slept, making sure to keep the warm blanket in proper place; It was all that clothed them. Resting his head on the pillow, he touched his lips to her forehead and contemplated rejoining his girlfriend in dreaming bliss. The thought was brushed aside as the demi-servant stirred, slowly opening her warm, violet eyes to gaze at him. They both smiled.
"I'm sorry," Gudao sighed, but Mashu put a finger to his lips and shook her head.
"I've been awake," she murmured softly. With a charmed smile, she tightened her cuddle while savoring their coupled forms. After taking a quick peek at the video intercom's time, she sighed pleasantly, tickling his neck with her warm breath. She smiled at him with smitten orbs. "I love you, Gudao."
Though he was curious by her spontaneous declaration, he never grew tired hearing it. "I love you too, Mashu."
Gudao smiled warmly and rested his head back onto the pillow, being especially glad Mashu wished to sleep over the night before Chaldea's break weekend. While it worried the master that there may have been too many breaks recently, the staff had been working unbelievably hard. Many of the researchers working on the leyshift upgrades were getting frustrated at the lack of progress, and even Da Vinci seemed a tad more agitatable than usual. The newfound tension in the halls from many new arrivals didn't help either. If it kept morale from degrading terribly, he supposed more vacation time was preferable.
It was certainly a lot better than being overworked like he was during the earlier months. They should have checked if Gabrielle could have been a master sooner.
Mashu tightened her embrace further, though it was still far from uncomfortable. If there was anything he could be extra thankful for, it was the strange but enjoyable surprise that they could fall asleep in each other's arms. A few of his old friends had plenty of experiences about nighttime battles that were waged to conquer real estate space on a shared bed. Thankfully it did not seem to be the case for him and Mashu, which was yet another fact of life that warmed-
His eyes shot open as the building shook.
If the lights had been on, they would have flickered in the minor quake. Gudao sat up abruptly, though the endeavor was answered by the tremors vanishing eerily. With slight panic and plenty of bewilderment, Gudao stared in the direction he sensed the massive amounts of prana. While Medea and other casters sometimes teased the masters about not being able to sense many things, there was no mistaking the magnitude of this eruption. Nevertheless, it was still very unusual… yet also suspicious.
Chaldea's announcement system blared to life instead of the alarm klaxons.
Good morning, Chaldea! Sorry for the early wakeup call~!
I didn't think it would be that… obnoxious, would be an apt description!
Please feel free to sleep in further since it is our rest weekend~!
However… Mashu, Gudao, and Roman, please come to the Party Cave after breakfast if you please~!
He chuckled at the confirmation to his inquiry. "…is it even still there?"
Gudao slowly looked back to see Mashu clutching the blanket to her chest to cover herself, all while smiling bashfully. With a comforting hand, she reached out and caressed his back. Gudao sighed and smiled back at her with an unconvinced, yet very amused, face. "Alright, love… What was Da Vinci doing?"
"Nothing too dangerous… It was a bigger test involving her usual experimentation. She would have sounded the alarm if something went wrong," Mashu giggled as he relaxed further. She remained quiet, as she coaxed him to lie back down in the bed. She joined him as he gently ran his hand soothingly on her bare back. "We still have an hour before we should get ready. Can we cuddle more? I'd like that, Senpai."
With a content sigh, Gudao nodded with a knowing smile. "Sure… but are you going to tell me anything else, or will I learn the hard way?"
She giggled as her sheepish smile grew. "It's better if you see the surprise for yourself... Um, you should also wear that swimsuit I got for you."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Fragment 38: Graced by Eternal Summer
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
After walking through two sets of newly installed, large air-sealed doors, it was plain to see the Party Cave ceased to exist.
Upon walking through the expanded entrance, one would instantly recognize the bar had been replaced with a small lobby of sorts. There was no front desk, but there were a few wicker couches for relaxations and many potted plants not previously seen in Chaldea. An access elevator to a storage level was still in place, though it was now flanked by small tiki totems. The walls were plastered over with a warm, tan stucco design, and newly fashioned doors led to bathrooms. Any trace a bar had been here was gone, and even Lex was nowhere to be found.
Though the newfound, briny fragrances could not be mistaken for anything.
Going through the former entrance to the dance area, instead of a second archway further within the spacious lobby, revealed it had been seriously renovated. It was much less of a dance floor, and more akin to a night club. Though there were wooden-shutter separators to show it was separate from the area beyond, it was mostly open air. Blue neon lights, which were currently on for testing, were sprinkled across the ceiling. It had the modernistic tones of Chaldea, but in a darker vibe. A raised stage had been added for performances, and the booths from the Party Cave were placed around the outskirts of the floor.
Club Cove would easily become an ideal place to hold parties.
Lex hovered in the new, rounded bar with fish tank counter. The coral decorations within were new, though the shelving for the alcohol was not. The large disco ball in the center spun, drizzling rainbow sphere across the room. It was clear the room was prepared for nightlife, and combined both of the old rooms gorgeously. While larger than the previous dance floor, it was still too small to warrant its own lobby and additional bathrooms. It was only when Da Vinci, clad in a frilly red bikini with see-through waist sash, lead the trio from Club Cove onto the wooden boardwalk, did everything become clear.
Roman's mouth was hinged open as he stared forward. His lab coat suddenly felt several layers too hot. "…Is …Is this a dream? A reality marble?"
Gudao couldn't answer as he gawked with him, though Mashu only giggled as she held his hand. The top of her white bikini, with pink accents, showed under her open gray sweater. Gudao's borrowed board shorts concealed her bottoms, which matched the color of the male master's green-patterned swim shorts. For Gudao, it clearly clicked why Mashu insisted he also wear the button up white shirt as opposed to the black he originally wanted. He could already feel the makeshift sunlight heating him up.
"Da Vinci," He merely began, making the happily smiling inventor turn to him. "How did you…"
"It was a team effort!" Da Vinci laughed as she walked to the edge of the birch wood boardwalk, only to spread her arms wide under the bright blue faux sky. "I personally need to make a few checks as it functions, but this space is ready to enjoy~! Well, what do you two think?"
Both blinked, but the girls giggled. It was hard for anyone to think when first confronted with this revelation. Clouds flew across the simulated sky, mimicking the trade winds that caressed the group's face as the generated wind blew. While the bright, warm sun shined down to provide the real light, the two males could only stare in bewilderment at the sight of the cresting waves near the beautiful beach before them. Sprinkled with a few palm trees and moveable, wooden beach chairs, Gudao had to resist the urge to disregard his concerns and ask for a Pina Colada.
The quaint, but thin, boardwalk they stood on stretched to the sides evenly, providing a boundary between newly built accommodations and the picturesque, white sand beach. Along its curved length, reminiscent of a waxing crescent moon, there were a scant few raised speakers for Chaldean announcements, or its own private notifications. Soft music that sang odes of an ocean paradise graced the air to combine with the gentle crashing of small waves by the shoreline. Trash cans, benches, and unlit tiki torches lined the railing of the Ipe-crafted walkway.
Palm trees clustered densely in a small forest at the far-left end of the boardwalk, coupled with shoreline rocks, a few plastic water slides, and illusionary mountains at the edge of this massive, dome-like space. Smaller cabana-styled structures made up few of it accommodations, while a large part of the space behind its boardwalk consisted of blooming hibiscus and other wild flowers. Coupled with a large, sparkling blue sea that seemed to stretch forever thanks to the illusion, Tropicana Sector truly felt like a natural, ocean paradise.
To their right, Marina Sector resembled more of a tiny Carribean resort. Cabana-styled, open-air structures filled most of its real estate space, with some room given to a lush, grassy stretch that was shaded by palm trees. Changing rooms, an outdoor refreshment stand, shaded cafeteria, and even a small pier at the far end entranced the viewer into believing they had left Chaldea completely. Unlike the fake mountains, a rocky outcrop with a visualized forest formed the right's boundary. Adjacent to it, sat a tiny pier with a few small boats from what they could see.
With everything present, the greatest feat was the sheer size; The servants did not play around with its creation.
The makeshift dome creation, hidden in the center of Chaldea's large, supporting mountain, was roughly one and a half kilometers in diameter. Its height was considerably less at only one hundred and thirty meters. There was no doubt to either of them this new construction was larger than Chaldea itself, and it brought some serious questions that needed to be asked. Gudao almost didn't want to ask them considering how much he was enjoying the cool breeze and the salty sea air.
"This was the cause of the tremor earlier? It didn't destabilize the mountain, did it?"
"Please, Gudao… A genius always plans ahead," Da Vinci winked as she tapped a finger to her mouth. "Between magical and physical reinforcements, the mountain may actually be stronger than it used to be. We merely doubled the size of a pre-existing caldera. This cavity was here the entire time."
"So this isn't some illusion by magecraft… or a reality marble…" Roman muttered as he took a few more steps to the wooden railing. He braced himself against it as the wind blew his hair. "But that explosion of prana… Da Vinci, what was that?"
"I activated one of the lesser grails," she answered flatly, nearly flooring the doctor. Mashu sighed at her blunt response.
"You what!?" He roared, partially in disbelief but mostly in outrage. "You used a grail to make this!? Do you have any idea how much danger you could have placed Chaldea in!?"
"Roman."
"No, Da Vinci! You should have notified me before doing anything involving them! Have that respect for my-!"
"Roman!"
Gudao and Mashu quietly watched as Da Vinci quickly rounded on the director with an unamused glare, making him flinch and double backwards, only to fall ungracefully onto his back. As he groaned, Da Vinci stepped towards him and leaned down into the taller man's face. To the amusement of the watching couple, his attention was torn between keeping his eyes locked on her… and staring at her gorgeous pair of tools. He gulped as her face inched closer to his, but he managed to regain his glare.
He was understandably upset and concerned. "I mean it, Da Vinci! You could have put all of us in danger!"
"I'm frustrated you still don't trust me," Da Vinci grumbled as she flicked Roman on the nose with her finger. He groaned as she sighed and leaned back. "I didn't activate the grail to make this. As I said, this was a team effort. I cautiously, and controllably, used it to jump start the many systems we have in place to keep this running separate from the rest of Chaldea. We now have a tropical paradise, linked to the leyline, and running off its own energy."
Roman opened his mouth to counter, but Da Vinci quickly leaned back in and placed her finger on his mouth. "I also needed a way to test using a lesser grail, and thus, I proved my theory. These are only large source of mana we could harness when needed, but not even capable of performing acts themselves. We have a stockpile of them that are doing nothing productive, so I only sought to learn their qualities to harness their potential to fight, Solomon."
Da Vinci had spoken the last part quickly and creatively so it didn't raise attention for the other two. Roman scoffed and crossed his arms. She had fair points; At least it went well. "I'll look over this… incredible and breathtaking breach of conduct… Please just inform me next time, gift project or not."
"Fine, fine, Director~," Da Vinci teased as she helped pick him up. She caught him as he looked her over quickly, though he didn't seem to notice. She didn't seem to mind either as her smile returned. "Any other questions before you explore this new place?"
"We were monitoring everyone in leyshifts... How did you sneak the materials in?" Roman inquired quickly. "Sand can be transmuted, and I assume the water can be melted… but palm trees? When did you bring in coconuts and seeds?"
"I created more bags of holding than I revealed. They were instrumental in acquiring all necessary materials," Da Vinci answered. Roman slowly nodded.
"You said there were systems? Is there an upkeep to running this?" Gudao pondered quickly.
"The massive leyline powers most of this. From Edison's wave generator, to Nitocris' makeshift sun, all the way down to Helena's wind system… the leyline takes care of all of it after the initial power surge to start everything at once," Da Vinci added as a small gust of wind blew her hair wildly. "We planned to minimize its consumption since it has water filters, briny fragrance emitters, an illusionary bounded field... You understand the overall idea. It's cost heavy, but it can support itself after the required initial torrent."
Roman stared out across the large beach as several servants finished up with some personal checks, though it looked like they were enjoying their success rather than analyzing. "It explains the spikes in the party cave area… Two months you kept this secret, huh? Quite the impressive bounded field you all set up to conceal this."
"A little over three, in fact~," She corrected, making Roman shake his head in disbelief. "Some kind little servants brainstormed the idea for us in October."
"We just thought it'd be a fun idea that the staff could enjoy too!"
The group turned to Illya as she touched down onto the boardwalk. She smoother her magical girl attire as Kuro vaulted over the railing, landing gracefully as she placed her hands akimbo on her own battle clothes. The sisters turned to each other and smiled as Da Vinci came up to pat their heads. The older caster laughed. "You have Illya, Kuro… and Gilgamesh, to thank for this idea."
Mashu giggled as she looked at Gudao and Roman's completely stupefied expressions. Who could blame them?
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ III ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Salon de Marie was rather quiet that evening. Dinner had come and gone, leaving the robots to clean the room for the evening. Only three servants remained, choosing one of the lounge couches near the window to relax for the evening. With the minutes slowly ticking to ten at night, two of the child servants only had a little time remaining in their nightly conversation. The third didn't have a curfew issue, as he casually answered or ignored whichever questions they asked him.
This one felt particularly amusing for him. "You owned your own waterpark!?"
"Of course I did! Is it so surprising for the King of Heroes?" the child Gilgamesh asked with an expression split between curiosity and exasperation. His white socks rested casually on the arm of one of the salon's sofas. His white sweater was zipped up, and both hands sat in the pockets of his black shorts as he rested on the sofa. He tilted his head up to look at Illya, who sat on the couch beside him.
Both Einzbern girls were staring in shock at the child king, who simply smiled back in amusement. Kuro's striped yellow tank top was more conservative than the one she was accustomed to, partially because of their Chaldean mother. Her hands rested on her knees as she leaned forward so she could see Gilgamesh past her pink-dress wearing sister. Illya had both hands grasping Ruby's wings after the wand made too many unique comments this evening. Even the Kaleidostick had stopped struggling as they stared at the now chuckling male archer.
"Well… truthfully, it was something like a coincidence, but it was one of my more entertaining treasures! …For me at least."
Illya sighed. "Your older self sounds so cranky about everything."
"You're not wrong," Gilgamesh stated with a frown. "I'm really depressed I would turn out like that… I don't like him at all."
Illya and Kuro couldn't imagine it in the least. They had arrived after Astolfo's little event involving the arguing kings, so they only ever knew this one. Illya quietly wondered if the attitude he had when combined with that grotesque, corrupted monstrosity was a close match. Nearly everyone who mentioned the older Gilgamesh never did it with kind words. It made her glad they only had to deal with this child version, who was much friendlier evidently.
She had found this child Gilgamesh had quite a few differences with the one she knew. They both still seemed to do as they please, but at least this one didn't appear to require a similar agenda before forming a friendship; Not that this version likely needed to retrieve his treasury to begin with. With all the experiences with the other one during the Ainsworth War, she was already accustomed to dealing with the child king. Even so, this one seemed friendlier, even compared to the rather generous one from the parallel world. Maybe he would be willing to indulge further about the waterpark rather than keep things vague and unrevealed?
Gilgamesh stopped her with a seemingly new topic. "Now that I think of it… do you girls think the Chaldean staff are restless?"
Illya tilted her head in slight thought, releasing Ruby as she did. "They get a lot of free time too."
"I bet they're still stressed. Are you talking about Cabin Fever?" Kuro asked while crossing her arms. Gilgamesh smiled a bit brighter and nodded at her quick connection. She frowned. "Servants and the masters can leyshift, but the staff are always stuck in this building doing the same thing repeatedly. It'd drive me crazy!"
"Chaldea has a few leisure rooms and some holiday events, but that's not enough recreational activities. What about something that gets them outside of this place?" Gilgamesh began as he fixed his seating posture. He brought a hand to his mouth in thought. "They made Salon de Marie… could they make a waterpark too?"
Kuro laughed. "Make the whole facility waterproof and add some slides? Like those engineers have the time for something like that."
"They'd work extra hard if they knew what sights awaited them~!" Ruby chimed in, with what appeared to be a blush. Illya sighed.
Gilgamesh shook his head. "It was just a thought. I do think the staff deserve some reward to take their minds off their lost families and work. When I was ruling Uruk, I made sure that no one got too stressed or they would falter. I feel it is just as deadly then as it is now, even more so with humanity at risk."
As ludicrous as it sounded, Kuro really was liking the idea. She grinned. "Hey… do you think the bigger casters could do something like that?"
"Thanks for excluding me…" Illya deadpanned as Ruby chuckled. Kuro merely stuck her tongue out at her.
"That's some of my payback for excluding me out of the Chili Cooking Contest this afternoon!" the female archer snapped back with a huff. Illya looked at her with extreme guilt, making Kuro sigh. "I get it. I spend too much time with Onii-chan compared to you… but his fighting style is my unrefined one. I'm learning a lot from him… and we're getting off track. The waterpark. Can the casters make something? The three families made a large chamber under Mount Enzou, would a water park with slides be so difficult with Chaldea's gigantic mountain?"
Illya fiddled with her fingers in thought. "Does it have to be a waterpark though? It might be too similar to the public baths."
"Are you saying it should be a beach or something?" Kuro asked with a raised eyebrow as Gilgamesh laughed at the thought. Kuro's eyes slowly widened as she thought of the idea. "I'd really go for a beach again if that's the case. Maybe a beach and waterpark? Why not combine them?"
"This is starting to sound like something Lluvia would have constructed…" Illya sighed with a small giggle. She really missed her and Rin… though not so much their arguing. She's sure she could live without that, as could Kuro for that matter.
"We will ask then," Gilgamesh declared with a small smile. "Da Vinci does like projects, right? That Renaissance woman can work out the details."
Kuro and Illya blinked before turning to each other. Was there really any harm by just asking?
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Gudao still marveled at everything accomplished. The geothermal activity under the mountain was harnessed to heat the unsalted water gathered from snow melt. Additional Chaldean robots with Rena's prototype thrusters were secretly built as janitors since they wouldn't blow sand like tornados. Hot springs were hidden away in part of the palm forests at the end of the boardwalk. There were numerous pieces, and all had been thoughtfully chosen and expertly integrated. Even with the amount of extensions and expansions requested by the many servants, they managed to compromise and make it all work.
Thus, Project Eternity came to an end with the birth of Fantasia Resort.
"Six weeks of planning, and then two months of execution... and now Chaldea has an underground beach that wouldn't be out of place in Dubai," Gudao murmured as he laid peacefully on a wooden beach chair. He chuckled. "… As if I could say no to this."
"She knew you couldn't," Mashu laughed as she gently fanned him with a palm leaf from her adjacent chair. They really were pulling all the stops to convince them, but the idea was already sold. Gudao simply relaxed under the red-striped beach umbrella as his girlfriend continued to playfully treat him like royalty.
"The water looks even clearer with the sun working! Let's play, Kuro!"
"Mama! We're going in!" Kuro yelled happily as she threw off her white t-shirt nearby, unveiling her yellow bikini as she ran to the waves. Illya followed soon after in a turquoise, frilly one piece. Ruby flew through the air above them in delight as Kuro made the final dash down the slightly angled beach.
"Oh, honestly, those girls…" Irisviel mumbled half-heartedly as she picked up their discarded white shirt. She smiled and waved pleasantly at Mashu and Gudao as she clenched the shirts under her free arm. Her large straw-hat kept the faux sun off of her face, but it made her yellow sundress extra vibrant. The pair could see the strings from her floral-patterned biking top as she turned to Kiritsugu and Emiya nearby.
Emiya's red Hawaiian shirt was styled exactly like his father's black one. They both wore black swim trunks, though the younger Emiya would have worn something more risqué had his mother not caught on to it. He couldn't argue with the notion he should save those sights for Arturia only, and relented to his mother's orders without argument. They set different colored beach blankets on chairs and the sand for the group as Arturia approached in a blue sundress and a picnic basket in each hand.
"Irisviel, where should I place the snacks?"
"Anywhere is fine, Arturia," the older Einzbern smiled. The saber nodded and placed them gently on one of the blankets Emiya had finished placing neatly. The archer simply smirked at her before returning to straightening the next blanket, making her blush lightly and-
Emiya grumbled and rubbed the top of his loose hair. Arturia had swiftly drawn one of the discarded beach umbrellas and gently smacked him on the head with it. He sighed and shot her an amused smile. "I didn't say anything, Saber."
"You were thinking it," she grumbled lightly with a small pout. She knew well enough when he was about to make a food joke.
"Hey, Arturia," Gudao called lightly as he sat up. The saber turned to the master as Mashu stopped fanning momentarily. She smiled at him as they exchanged waves. "Where's your entourage or the knights? And your… daughter for that matter."
Arturia chuckled when Gudao made a quick scan to make sure she wouldn't hear him. "Mordred will be coming in a bit with Jekyll. I gave her permission to borrow the gifted surfboard after she wouldn't take no for an answer... I'll just have to try surfing another time. Jeanne and Diarmuid are helping with tours."
"My dad and the other knights are likely taking a boat into the ocean later. They're not personally leading orientation groups," Mashu noted as she looked near the Marina Sector's small pier. Though the knights were there, they were still making some final preparations on the dock. The small inlet, complete with a dozen small dinghies and a breakwater, was busy with several servants attending to different pieces. There was even a tour group of employees currently receiving an introduction lecture.
Gudao couldn't help but smile. The servants sure were efficient and dedicated to this spectacular gift.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ V ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Since her department had a critical role to play, Naomi was the only employee who was informed of the gift beforehand. In between the sporadic orders for clothing, she worked with her friends to adjust different swimsuits to match different employees' style and preference. This was in addition to the swimwear and clothing for servants. It was only due to her now practiced efficiency with her companions that the orders were completed on time. Thankfully, it was limited to a towel and swimsuit each.
She was currently helping to hand out the packages to each group as they completed the orientation tour. Their table with boxes was set up in the center boardwalk, in front of Club Cove. "Here's yours, Val. I hope it's too your liking."
The supervisor stared into the clear packaging at the black bikini with matching towel. She couldn't help but laugh. "Down to the color... Thank you very much. You're always so unbelievably efficient, Naomi. I wish I could run my department like you operate yours."
"I try, but I have great staff and friends who help," she nodded with a small smile. As opposed to the uniformed supervisor walking away, the tailor had a green, backless one piece with a blue towel covering her from the waist down. She adjusted Olga's crocheted flower in her hair as the final group exited Club Cove and began their introduction tour.
"It is my pleasure to introduce you to Fantasia Resort. It is the largest addition to Chaldea I hope you will all appreciate in your free time."
Atalanta started her small speech for the quadra of engineers, though the two males had been fairly distracted by the beauty's personal attire. Her transparent, burgundy shawl that was draped over her shoulder did nothing to conceal her cerulean bikini. The top's matching accents and white veil only added to her personal allure, though if she noticed them staring, the archer never brought it up. She was more concerned her children were enjoying themselves while she gave tours.
Naomi waited patiently, though was nudged by Boudica at her side. "Only a few more groups before we're free."
"Then it's beach time for us too," Naomi chuckled as the two females at her side joined her. If Atalanta's outfit caught attention, then Boudica's was like a blaring spotlight. Her white bikini was incredibly daring and attention grabbing. Coupled with large breasts that were barely contained in the top, it even made Naomi a little jealous of her confidence and sex appeal.
Medea's purple shawl covered her lilac one piece with exposed stomach. It was a rather fancy and extravagant design that accentuated her own body, but it remained fashionable and appropriate. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, though two bangs remained to frame her face. It was similar to how Vlad also wore a ponytail at their insistence to 'loosen up.' His black tropical shirt with vibrant flowers that ran the spectrum of colors, and matching swim trunks, only delighted his companions since he usually dressed old-fashioned, regal, and composed.
Boudica taped a finger to her mouth. "I wonder when Marie's group will be done."
"She loves going on colorful tangents. Even Mozart and D'Eon won't be able to keep that rider on track for long," Medea added with amusement.
"It is likely a similar situation with Nero and Altera," Vlad added with a small chuckle. "It may be a good idea to request Caesar and Cleopatra to usher her along when they finish."
"They can take their time. This beach isn't going anywhere," Naomi added with a small smile. Medea smiled at her, always fascinated about how much less stringent and regimented she was compared to when they first met. To be fair, the caster had also come a long way too.
Vlad nodded and looked towards the ocean. He could see Jack trying to coax Nursery Rhyme into simply wading while his niece simply charged in with an inner tube grasped by her tail. Blackbeard was nearby creating a rather intricate sand castle. It was a peculiar sight, seeing all these servants visibly enjoying themselves as if they were on vacation. Truth be told, that's exactly the atmosphere they were attempting to recreate. It was simply just a matter of time before Chaldea's usual antics appeared once many felt comfortable enough.
Honestly, he quietly looked forward to how those would happen, but he'd never admit it.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Can't have the pirates controlling the seas!" "Pirate infested waters? How sad…" "They're just having fun too." "As long as they don't board us!"
The four knights laughed as Lancelot unfurled the sail on their small dinghy. It was one of a handful of recreational boats that were suitable for the spacious environment; Da Vinci was not keen on making anything larger. As the white boat gently caught the wind, it slowly pushed out towards the center of the makeshift ocean through the gap in the breakwater. It gently rocked with the sea breeze as Bedivere leaned over the side of the boat to let his left hand gently plow through the warm, fresh waters.
With a smile, he gazed into the crystal depths. While mostly forged sand, there were added aquatic life in the form of faux coral, anemones, and other decorative underwater pieces. They were placed starting at ten meters depth, but the lowest point was only at twenty meters at the far end. There was even an actual shipwreck in the center after a few servants attempted to make a larger boat; Fantasia simply did not have the room to sail a schooner. Discussion about mana forged fish was still under consideration, but live aquatic life was not allowed to Cu and several fishers' disappointment.
Bedivere stuck his arm in further since the sleeve of his double-breasted sailor top was short. Like the rest of his companions, it had dark blue accents at the collar, sleeves, and matching belt, identical to their white vessel in design. The silver chords that adorned their chest, as well as the matching captain's hats, had been Arturia's and Gabrielle's combined idea. Bedivere pulled his arm out of the water with a smile as Tristan double checked the restraints on an oar.
Thankfully there was enough room to move around since it was made for seven. "I was afraid you would have fallen in. We may have lost you as we did Galahad to Castle Anthrax."
Lancelot groaned, making Gawain chuckle. "That event never occurred!"
"It was just a movie," Bedivere laughed before turning back to the red-haired knight. "Now… are you going to reveal what you smuggled on board when you thought no one was looking?"
"I can never seem to hide anything from you," Tristan joked as he reached under one of the benches. He pulled out a small sack, opened it, and took out a ukulele. The remaining knights' smiles grew as he began tuning the instrument. "I hope you will bear with me. I'm quite new at learning how to play this."
Lancelot raised his personal binoculars to his eyes as Tristan began strumming. Though it was basic chords stitched into a repeating melody, the ukulele quickly sang of exotic shores and sun-kissed waters; An atmosphere perfectly mimicked by the Chaldean casters. Gawain sat down and followed the gazing knight's line of sight. A small smirk appeared as he shook his head. "Your daughter can take care of herself, Lancelot."
"As a proper father, I am just making sure no one is eyeing her inappropriately. It would be a smear on her and Gudao's happiness," he noted, making Bedivere chuckle at his resolute stance. Adjusting his vision slightly, Lancelot nodded. "Her majesty is also spending quality time with Emiya. All is well."
"Let's leave them be. If anyone commits to unsavory acts, our king shall surely call us," Gawain noted as he gazed with a smile towards the fake sun. He turned back to Lancelot, who was still staring towards the bea- "Lancelot, are you eyeing scantily clad maidens?"
"Ye- I mean no!" he quickly corrected, though the rest of the boat was already in stitches. With a slight blush, he scratched the back of his head. "...Please don't tell Mashu."
Gawain snickered, much to his growing dread. "No promises, my friend."
"Then onwards we shall sail! To the islands that dot the horizons!" Bedivere proclaimed as the other three laughed. "Er… I mean to say, as close as we can get to the illusionary bounded field hiding the cavern's lining. I think it best we don't damage her majesty's Prydwen II on its maiden voyage."
Lancelot adjusted the sail slightly, turning their course towards the other boats that sailed around the center.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"No!" "Bu!" No!" "Bu!" No!" "Bu!"
Nobunaga grinned happily in her seat at the front of their plain wood canoe. It was rudimentary in design, but its aesthetics were inspired by Polynesian influences. It was good enough for the warlord, who happily sat cross legged in her orange bikini. She wore her signature, peaked cap to help keep the sun out of her eyes. Okita sat just behind her, but faced backwards to watch the chibi Nobus, wearing exactly what their real counterpart wore, rowing in tandem. She had a cerulean towel around her waist which hid the matching bottom to her cyan and white bikini with identical hair tie.
"It's nice to see a sun in Chaldea," Okita hummed as she put on a pair of blue sunglasses.
"The sun shines on my future conquest!" Nobunaga exclaimed happily, causing the chibi Nobus to jump and cheer as well. Okita giggled-
"Nobu!" one yelled in a panic. One of the four oars quickly slipped into the water unrestrained, taking two of the small automata with it. Nobunaga turned around as Okita watched the end of the oar vanish over the side. Alarm surged through the remaining automata as they began attempting to turn the boat to save them. Okita and Nobunaga were far less worried as they looked at the floating wooden oar. The saber raised her sunglasses partially to make sure she was seeing things correctly. The two chibis were clearly having an incomprehensible conversation of some sort.
"Nobu Nobu!" One of the Nobus was lying on the oar, holding on to the other one as it floated next to it in the water.
"Nobu…" It treaded its little feet. The two stared at each other as the rowboat came around.
"Nobu… Nobunobuuu! Nobu!" the one on the oar said as the eyes of the swimming Nobu playfully began to close… until Nobunaga quickly plucked the two of them out of the water from her position at the bow. "Nobuh!?"
"No, Nobus! You are not re-enacting that stupid movie scene! That oar had enough room for both! Don't make me punish you with my own hands!"
"Nobu…" The two wet chibis relented as they sat glumly on the floor of the boat. Okita reached down and pet their heads, cheering them up.
"Don't be so hard on them. They were having fun like us!" Okita chastised lightly with a smile. The two Nobus cheered as she pet them.
"Okita! Stop spoiling my troops!" Nobunaga complained, causing her friend to giggle. The warlord huffed before she fished the oar out of the water.
"Ahoy! I see a briefly disabled, Japanese vessel ripe for plundering, aye girls!?" "Yaarrr, Captain!"
Nobunaga and Okita turned to each other and blinked upon hearing the laughter. They gazed towards the source of the voice as a small, red dinghy sailed towards them with a black jolly roger displayed proudly. At the bow was Drake, sporting a new, navy-blue pirate hat with lilac plumage. Her uniquely designed bikini accentuated her curvaceous figure, though the more interesting sight were the two water guns strapped to her side on makeshift holsters. The water in their tanks rocked with the motion of the waves as the ship's sails were quickly hoisted to cut movement.
"Avast, Japanese ship!" Drake smirked and crossed her arms as Anne and Mary finished tying the sail in expert fashion. Anne also sported a pirate hat to match her intricate, black bikini top. A water gun was strapped to the side of her tiny jean shorts, which matched the small one looped to the black belt of her equally unique, white bikini. A brightly colored, rainbow pool sword was gripped lightly in the smaller rider's hand, and a small container near the mast held more of them. Mary pointed her blade at Nobunaga and grinned.
"Awfully far from shore, land lubbers," Mary joked as Anne and Drake laughed. "Be a shame if we were to take your booty and send you to the bottom!"
"Oh!?" Nobunaga chuckled and shook her head. "Mighty brave of you pirates to try and take on the strength of the Oda Clan's Navy!"
"Wouldn't be the first time I sent a mighty nation's armada to Davy Jones' locker!" Drake cried out as she drew both of her pistols.
"A declaration of war, is it!?" Nobunaga laughed in her demonic tone. Okita giggled as she slowly undid her towel and slid it under a bench, hoping it would stay dry after what was about to happen. It appears she was also in the mood for some fun. "Nobus! Battlestations!"
"Get em, girls!" Anne yelled as she drew an obnoxiously large, green water gun from its hiding spot near her feet. Nobunaga was drawing her own small super soaker from the bow when the taller rider slammed Okita with a jet from the large weapon. The saber yelped at the surprisingly cold water.
"Okita! Attacking my unarmed, prestigious guest… have you no honor, pirates!?" Nobunaga jokingly yelled as the she pulled out her water rifle to attack drake. The two of them laughed as they sprayed each other with streams of water.
While controlling her laughter, and keeping her eyes closed as she was sprayed by Anne and Mary, Okita looked around at the bottom of the canoe for any spare water guns. The chibi Nobus were firing tiny replicas of their prana rifles, though the bullets were small projectiles of water that splashed against their targets, courtesy of Helena's elemental upgrade. Anne turned her gun onto two of the Nobus, sending them flying from their firing positions into the center of the canoe. Okita looked up and sighed, not finding any extra weapon in the canoe-
She quickly caught the flying pool sword. As she looked towards the pirates, she noticed they had attached their boats by a line and were pulling themselves closer. Mary waved to her with a happy grin. "It's no fun when our prey can't fight back!"
"It was your mistake to arm the Captain of the Peacekeepers with her best weapon!" Okita teased with an enthusiastic grin as she swung it at Mary. The smaller pirate parried her blow as the water war continued.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Sorry, but I'll have to bring you girls back to the pier in an hour. Your mother wants to have lunch with you two, and I'd rather not make her angry."
"It's okay! Thanks for being our rower, Mister Teach," Nursery Rhyme cheered as she looked over the side into crystal clear waters. She smiled at her feint reflection as her white ponytail flickered in the wind. She wore a black one piece swimsuit, with a matching towel wrapped around her waist. Her sister sat beside her wearing large, black sunglasses and a blue and white striped one piece. She enjoyed the blue-ice popsicle that Blackbeard got for her before they boarded the rowboat.
"Anytime, girls. A pirate is the best guide in tropical waters!" Blackbeard noted with a proud grin as he operated the oars of the wooden rowboat. His white Hawaiian shirt was left open, and was decorated with pink hibiscus. They were coupled with red swim trunks and sandals, which were planted firmly on the bottom of the boat. He watched the girls, glad they were enjoying themselves before turning towards their two friends swimming among the waves nearby.
"Jackie… do you really think I can swim?" Nursery Rhyme asked seriously. Blackbeard and Jack chuckled, making her pout. "It's not funny! I'm a book! If my pages get wet, I'll be ruined!"
"But rain is alright?" the rider inquired. She paused in realization, before blushing in embarrassment. Jack giggled at her expense. "If you can't swim, that's fine too. I can teach you with your mother's permission. But that can wait. We'll pick up your swimming friends as soon as-"
"A two on three fight in international waters!? Okita-taichou! I'm coming to assist!"
The trio looked to the pier in confusion, only to see Ushiwakamaru running at blinding speed down its length. Her white bikini, with an almost too traditional Asian bottom, clung to her form as she bolted with a lifeguard tube in one hand. The few, newly changed employees didn't need to make room as she gracefully jumped over them. With one final crouch, she vanished in a gust of wind before reappearing on a boat nearby. She took a step on the rowboat's bow, startling the two employees on it, before vanishing again.
"Hi Ushi!" the sisters greeted happily.
"Good morning, girls!" the rider greeted with a smile in the brief seconds of pause she took on the bow of their boat. She then vanished once more to reappear on the Prydwen II's mast, making the knights stare up at her in surprise. In one final bound, she flew graciously through the air, bringing the lifeguard tube down-
Slam! Anne blocked her attacked with a grin with the water gun she held. Ushi smiled back as she landed on the back of their boat.
Blackbeard blinked as the rider joined in the water fight before scratching his chin. "If she can use her noble phantasm… I wonder if…"
A pop sounded on the boat as Jack pulled the popsicle from her mouth. "I think the Queen Anne's Revenge will ground itself."
"Aye, that's a mighty fine way to get keelhauled. I'd rather not be forced to walk my own plank on the first day."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Finally finished giving the tours?"
"Why, thanks for the welcome back, Gudork," Gabrielle giggled as she sat down with him and Mashu on their newly placed beach blanket, only for Gudao to rub his hand in her hair playfully. Both empty chairs behind the couple held their discarded clothes so they could sunbathe in their swimsuits. The female master had the top of her denim short shorts undone, revealing her orange and white striped bikini bottoms. The tube-styled top with neck strings came into view as she unbuttoned her white beach shirt. She took it off and quietly thanked Mashu as she took it to fold.
"I'm glad everything is taken care of now! It's time to enjoy the delicious, tropical fruits of our labors~!"
"Mhmm… Fun in the sun," Kiyohime mumbled with a small smile as she and Tamamo began setting up their own beach towels nearby. The berserker had a few swimsuits and accompanying outfits, but she opted for just a simple yellow bikini and a translucent, white beach skirt. The tied orange strings of Tamamo's bikini bottoms could be seen under the bottom of her oversize, white shirt. A striped inner tube rested on her tail as she set up the pair's umbrella. Gudao and Mashu could only stare in amusement at her custom straw hat, which had holes cut for her fluffy ears.
Kiyohime looked towards the trio and nodded with a smile, before waving at the Emiya family nearby. There was plenty of room on the beach to setup their own spots in relative privacy, but Kiyohime was continuing to show serious effort in forming a better, trustworthy friendship with Gabrielle. The berserker sat down on her towel, and Gabrielle quickly scooted over to her to begin a small conversation. Gudao and Mashu smiled warmly at the sight as another pair of footsteps approached in the sand.
The pair turned to see who approached, only for Gudao to flinch momentarily. He quickly reached for Mashu's hand and held it gently in a show of reassurance to her, which she appreciated. Honestly, she couldn't blame Gudao for the double take on the approaching lancer since she did too. Scathach was already attractive enough, but the hot pink and purple accented bikini she wore, coupled with the translucent, matching cloth that hung from her waist, demanded attention. It was a surprising choice for the conservative Scathach, though it was likely from all of Gabrielle's influence.
Combined with the lovely hibiscus in her hair, she truly became one of the beach flowers of Chaldea.
Scathach smiled at the pair before placing her own blanket down, and beginning to set up her umbrella. "Good morning, you two. I apologize we had to keep you in the dark, Gudao. Gabrielle was merely the first master to stumble upon this after Roman began to suspect something."
He waved it off with a smile. "It's okay! This was an awesome surprise. I'm sure the employees love this gift as much as everyone. Uh, speaking of which… where's your fellow Irishmen?"
"They're getting the volleyball equipment from the gymnasium to move here permanently."
Gabrielle quickly spun around with a sinful glint in her eye. "Did you infer Irish volleyball!?"
Scathach rolled her eyes and sighed as the rest of their small blanket collective laughed. "Yes, Gabby… They'll be coming without shirts, ready for you to stare shamelessly to your heart's content. As always."
Gabrielle pumped her fist in excitement as Kiyohime unfurled her personal fan to wave on herself while giggling. Gudao took the moment to look around briefly, noticing the number of male and female staff around the area trying hard not to take glances at the many attractive sights. Gudao couldn't blame them for having those thoughts considering the amount of sexual tension that has risen due to their trapped situation. Having a beach with lots of eye candy certainly didn't help. He could even feel a few servant's eyes on them, but he paid it no heed.
The male master simply leaned back onto the towel with Mashu to catch some rays before swimming.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"California Girls? What makes California girls a specific theme? There's two songs with that name."
"Maybe play it and we'll see?" Serenity asked as she gently played with her necklace charm. The robot shrugged with its eyes and began playing it.
Serenity sighed blissfully on her beach towel. Her blue bikini had black accents and a few extra frills, though it still retained its full functionality as a swimsuit rather than beach attire. She lay on her cerulean towel, not too keen on opening up the beach umbrella Cursed Arm set down just yet. She obviously didn't need a tan, but she didn't feel like getting up until he and Hundred Face returned with the ice cream cones. The feeling of the cool sea breeze on her back and Rena at her side playing with her personal soundtracks was enough for her.
"Be sure to wear sunscreen! There are many hazards on summer days. Though this is a fake sun, it still carries its dangers. Do not get sunburned!"
Serenity turned her head curiously to see Nightingale talking to a male and female employee. The two staff were wearing swimsuits newly acquired from the temporary clothing department setup in the Club Cove. Nightingale had a large, wide-brimmed hat and a yellow bikini that looked a tad too small for her based on her assets. To the female employee's silent chagrin, the male would occasionally make glances at them when Nightingale wasn't looking. After her safety briefing was complete, the employees left as the day's Head Lifeguard went up to the next employee.
While she was sure taking her job seriously as usual, Serenity did feel a little concerned. Would she get sunburned? Servants could still be affected by the environment in certain ways, aside from temperature differences unless you were Xuanzang. Nevertheless, this was Nightingale, and she always had a habit of being far more health concerned, and extreme, than most. The assassin had been lazing on her stomach for a bit now under a sun Nitocris said was only a mimicry; Would anyone get sunburned?
"Hey Rena, do you know anything about sunburn?"
"That I can't get it cause I'm metal, but my chassis probably feels like a frying pan?" the robot joked, making her giggle. It shook its eyes apologetically. "Sorry… that's not some of the info I know about yet since Da Vinci wants me to learn things the real way…"
"Huh. I thought she'd give you some basic health wisdom at least. That's a bummer."
The pair turned to look at Tyler as he quietly approached. He had a white shirt that had a teardrop shaped logo on the front, with words underneath that read 'Assassin's Creed'. A basic pair of blue swim trunks rounded out the attire, which he likely received along with the other employees; Naomi had that all planned exceptionally well. He gave a signature, friendly smile of his and waved. "Yo! Quite the surprise you servants had for us."
"Isn't it great~!?" Rena asked happily as it shoved itself right in Tyler's face. He laughed and took a step back.
"Easy there, Rena! Yea, it's awesome! I'm not going to question it with mathematics, but it's just really cool it all worked out."
"You're not with your friends?" Serenity asked quietly while tilting her head.
"But you're also my friend, right?" he chuckled, making her smile. "They're getting early drinks at the Cove, and I'm not much of a drinker myself… I just came to see what was happening around the beach and found you first. Where's your fellow mafia members?"
Serenity giggled at the title. "Getting ice cream. I'm just waiting for them to return. Care to join us? They're bringing a few back."
"If you don't mind, I could spare time. You four are fun to hang around."
"Of course we are~!" Rena chimed in as it parked itself on the blanket by Serenity's side.
The assassin smiled and nodded. Her eyes widened slightly upon remembering. "Um, Tyler… could I ask a favor?"
"I'm all ears."
"… Do you mind rubbing sunscreen on my back? I can't reach, and I don't want Rena's mechanical hands getting too dirty."
With a simple nod and a shrug, he walked over to her opposing side and knelt down. "Thank you."
Rena sifted through its attached backpack and pulled out the sunscreen with its three-pronged hand; It wasn't designed for evenly spreading something like this. It handed it to Tyler who simply took the bottle and poured some into his hand as Serenity undid the string holding her bikini in place. She blushed lightly as the straps fell to the sides in small embarrassment. Tyler didn't seem to mind as he simply got to work as Rena's internal music player switched to the next song.
As he rubbed the sunscreen in gently, there was a whistle. He turned back around as Rena and Serenity looked at him in confusion. They noticed the feint silhouettes of Iskandar, El-Melloi, and Kintoki in the relatively close shade of Club Cove waving and grinning. Tyler quickly shook his head and rolled his eyes before returning to his work. "Ah, just ignore 'em."
Serenity took on an amused expression. "Do they still think that we're…"
"Hell yea they do. I never hear the end of it," Tyler chuckled, making Rena and Serenity giggle. "I mean, you are unbelievably cute, that goes without saying… like Fergus is ripped, or Astolfo is too enthusiastic. That said, has Gabby noticed yet or are you still being shy about the whole thing?"
"I… just don't want to risk losing the friendship. She's been so nice and affectionate to me…" Serenity admitted as she turned her head to the side. She gazed at the distant master as she happily tickled Mashu into submission in their group. "I want to but… I'm worried things will be different if she doesn't feel-"
"She'll always be your friend no matter what happens. That's just who she is. Only one way to find out if it can turn into something more, right?" Tyler asked with a small smirk, making Serenity turn back to him. "That's just my way of seeing it though. Take your time. This is something you shouldn't rush, you know? You'll feel when it's right, and you'll see it through. It will be far better than living with uncertainty and regret. I believe in ya."
"…Thanks, Tyler," Serenity blushed with a small smile. He flashed her a grin and a thumbs up.
"Your back is all done. I think you'd rather do the rest, right?" he joked, making her giggle. He turned to see Rena was a lot more in his personal space than he anticipated. "Woah! Something on my face or something?"
"I'm so jealous of you!" the robot cried out in a slightly sad tone. "I want to be able to rub sunscreen on Serenity's back too!"
"Aight, aight! I'll tell Da Vinci to work on my realistic hands for you! I swear!"
"Yay! You're the second best~!" Rena cried happily as it rubbed against Tyler's face. He winced as the hot metal pressed against him, but it didn't burn. He only groaned as the robot continued in its excitement. "Can I have cute decals too? Like a unicorn? Oh! Oh! Two unicorns!?"
"I'll see what I can do so long as you stop grinding against my face!" His expression caused Serenity to laugh hysterically as she retied the back of her bikini top. She reached for the bottle of sunscreen to apply the rest herself, just as her fellow Hassans appeared further up the boardwalk with plenty of ice cream snacks. Serenity took one last glance at Gabrielle, before looking at her two bickering friends and laughing once more.
She had never been so happy with her life.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The faux sun's position had begun a descent towards the far horizon of the dome in the late afternoon. Judging by its path, it would make a wonderful sunset over the ocean that would blanket the beach and its accommodations in warm, golden hues. Inspired by the miniature sun contained in Gawain's sword, it took Nitocris considerable effort, with the help of other casters, to complete the work. Save for the wave generator machine, which was still at its low settings, the sun was the true necessity for activating a grail since it required an expensive jumpstart.
Helena appreciated its warm touch as she strolled towards Club Cove from the Tropicana Sector of the boardwalk. The battle attire wearing servant was still doing checks to ensure everything was working as calculated, which thankfully they were. Hot springs, not-currently-operational outdoor spa, and water slides didn't require any maintenance checks, but it was delightful to see a few servants and employees enjoying them over the actual beach. The tropical flower garden provided a serene resting spot, and she wasn't surprised to see Asterios sitting among them. Her final, assigned checks by Da Vinci were nearly done.
All that remained on this end was the playground. Sitting between the flower garden and Club Cove, it was a quaint little addition made with the children in mind, though adults could enjoy it too. Styled in the tropical cabana theme, it had almost everything standard in its sand covered perimeter. A large swing set, jungle gym, sea saw, and sprawling climber playset were the main attractions. Each had its own unique design with some extra, personalized flair. A lone slide in particular was shaped like a colorful elephant with its trunk in the ground.
To her amusement, it had the only other occupant of the playground. She smiled as she placed her arms akimbo. "Enjoying the slide, Karna?"
"Yes. It is very soothing," the lancer replied as he sat casually at the top. His legs rested straight along the slide, covered in a gold-tinted dhoti. His hands rested on his thigs as he breathed out gently, simply appreciating the breeze as it shook the collar of his white shirt. "It reminds me of home."
"Not as much as a live elephant would," Helena noted as she walked over. Her battle attire vanished into golden dust, revealing a lavender sundress and matching flip flops. One of her Colonel Olcotts flew by as it checked the surrounding equipment. The caster simply took a seat on a nearby banana swing.
Karna picked up his radio from beside him to check it was on. He placed it back. "It's been very peaceful."
"Don't curse it," Helena warned with a small smile, making him chuckle. "I already had to stop Edison and Tesla bickering over how to prepare coconut drinks. One would think making the wave generator together might have changed their impressions. I was obviously hoping for too much."
Helena sighed as she gripped the ropes of the swing, letting her legs gently sway her. The gently breeze blew her hair gently across her sight, but she didn't mind in the least. A small smile appeared, matching the content one that graced Karna's face. Thankfully, this project had not come to the same conclusion as her hopes.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Many spectators still enjoyed the Irish and Roman volleyball game that took place in the center of the beach, but some found another sight more entertaining. A few employees watched at a relatively safe distance as Jeanne was slowly but steadily dragging Joan towards the water's edge. Wearing matching black bikinis, one could easily see just how identical they truly were in physical appearance. Many watching the scene and appreciating their bodies were conflicted considering they were both technically saints; Would they get struck by lightning? Their light bickering made for a more appropriate and humorous focus, as it always did.
"Joan! Why are you being so difficult? You can't lie to me! I know you love the ocean as much as I do!"
"I can walk on my own, Jeanne!" Joan growled with an irritated scowl. "I was considering swimming later! Let me get back to my drink!"
"Please, Joan! I just want to enjoy a small swim with my little sister~! Is that so bad?"
"It can be! But I want to enjoy my drink with my friends first!" the avenger grumbled, only to fall silent and confused as Jeanne stopped dragging her. Confused, the alter looked towards Jeanne, only to see her blue eyes sparkling with glee and excitement. She scowled. "What? What's with that damn look?"
"You didn't deny it this time!" Jeanne cheered happily as she took Joan's hand with both of hers. "I got to call you my little sister without any denial!"
Joan quickly fell flabbergasted and embarrassed. Jeanne didn't care if the avenger began turning several shades redder. She simply dragged her once more, with noticeably less effort, towards the water's edge. "N-No! You got it all wrong! I-I was just not paying attention, that's all!"
"You've made your older sister so happy! Thank you, Joan!"
Jeanne giggled as her alter covered her face with one hand in shame. She really did just reveal that, and with a bunch of spectators watching too. Why couldn't they have been more interested in the nearby game? Why couldn't she just scorch all her troubles to ash? In defeat, she allowed her sister to drag her to the ocean. She cursed her luck, only to realize others might have embarrassment of higher degrees as she spotted Frankenstein walking towards the lapping waves only a few meters away.
The berserker wore a frilly, strapless one piece similarly tailored after her wedding dress. She smiled happily as she walked towards the water, unlike the employee currently held in her arms bridal style. Anton kept his red face covered in complete embarrassment. Clad only in white swim trunks, it exposed his prosthetic leg, which was likely the reason he was being carried. Though built to be waterproof and dirty environment capable, sand had this wonderful ability to get in the most annoying places.
"Fran… this is embarrassing to an unfathomable degree…"
"I love you…" She responded easily, making him groan into his hands. The berserker giggled in response.
"Hi you two~!" Astolfo called happily as he skipped over. His braided hair swung with his motions, and the white ribbons flapped like seagulls. He still chose to wear a pink, satin bikini, with frills on the bottom piece, much to the couple's berserker's exasperation. Sand clung to his wet lower legs as he closed the final distance. The Sphinx kitten clutched to his chest had pink bows on its headdress as personalization, and one on the end of its tail too.
The kitten in his arms gently pawing towards them as they met, he chuckled. "You too look so cute~!"
"Thank… you…" Frankenstein smiled back. Truthfully, it had taken the berserker a month to actually learn to like Astolfo after he arrived. She had found the strange rider to be annoying during the last war, but with all the leisure time and exposure she's had in Chaldea, she was far more willing to give a chance. Soon enough, she found his charm likeable, though the dress style still bothered her. She wondered if the kitten thought the same as it pawed at the rider's neck string.
"Ah, no! Not that!" Astolfo giggled as he readjusted the kitten in his grasp. It stopped pawing to stare curiously at the couple from its trapped position. In the tiny lull in the conversation, as Anton reached out to let the kitten paw his finger, Astolfo sighed. "Um… do either of you know why Mister Sprinkles doesn't want to go in the water?"
Anton blinked as it pawed his outstretched finger. "It is widely accepted as a mostly true fact that cats don't appreciate water."
Astolfo pouted. "So that's why he wouldn't get in the bath either…"
"Watch out! Viva la summer~!" A beach ball landed near them, causing the trio to turn to its owner as she ran towards them with Martha in tow. The saint wore a large brimmed black hat while the French queen wore a much smaller, straw variant. While Martha's hair remained loose in the breeze, Marie's was decorated with shells and starfish. Her red, frilly one piece matched one of the colors on the saint's tied waist cloth that concealed the bottoms of her frilly black bikini. With a smile, the two waved at the trio as Marie picked her ball back up.
"Why so pouty, Astolfo? You should be having fun~!" Marie cheered as she quickly stepped over to play with his kitten. It mewled, making Marie squirm in delight.
"I just want Mister Sprinkles to enjoy the beach too," Astolfo smiled back as the kitten squirmed in his grasp. It gently pawed towards Marie's beach ball.
"It looks like he wants to play with the ball. Is that right, mon amie~? You want to play with my beach ball~?" Marie cooed.
The kitten mewled again as it continued to reach for the ball. Marie and Astolfo squirmed at its adorable sight, and even Martha didn't bother holding back her own squeal of delight. Astolfo quickly grinned once more. "Let's play with the ball then! You two should join us after your swim!"
"Okay…" Frankenstein nodded with a small smile as she readjusted her boyfriend's position in her arms.
Martha stared at the couple and giggled. "Anton. You know tradition dictates you are supposed to carry your bride, right?"
Frankenstein giggled happily as Anton covered his embarrassed face again.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"You could've warned me before you took your top off!"
"I did warn you, bean sprout! I was face down and everything! Do you and Nightingale really need to make a big deal out of putting on sunscreen!?"
"Nightingale nearly entered her phase had I not pressured you into it! I only ever look out for you! Additionally, why are you using that nickname again!?"
Mordred huffed and didn't answer as she sat on the golden surfboard her father ordered. Blue lines streaked across its surface in the same colorful design as Excalibur and its sheath. The Knight of Rebellion uncrossed her arms to reveal her small, red bikini top with attaching black strings. She adjusted her damp ponytail while glancing back at her companion with newfound amusement. Her feet gently kicked in the crystal-clear waters to hold position, unlike the assassin next to her as he struggled to do the same with his board.
"Is it really that hard?" Mordred questioned with a teasing smirk, causing Jekyll to look back at her incredulously.
"I don't have B Rank Riding…" he mumbled back as his white surfboard shifted more erratically than hers. The doctor only had a black swimsuit with white vertical stripes to accent, and they clung to his legs as he resisted the light push of low, passing waves. His glasses were dematerialized, and his hair was a tad unrulier due to a harder time pushing past the initial surf. With a slightly irritated sigh, he ran his hand through the messy hair and closed his eyes in slight irritation.
Mordred slowly trailed down his body. He was fit, but he was hardly an athlete of any kind. Compared to her lightly toned body, he was fairly bland. His stomach was flat but lacked any definition, but she still found her eyes drifting slowly across his form. She mumbled to herself, and managed to subdue the embarrassment before it manifested on her cheeks. Still, she shot another glance at how unusually… captivating he looked with his hair just a touch damp and unruly. She faced the distant beach again with an evident blush.
He didn't see it. As she let herself drift forward a touch, Jekyll opened his eyes and allowed them to run down her nearly uncovered and alluring back. His heartbeat increased as it glided past her waist to her buns; Quite the scientific word he just allowed himself to think. As she leaned forward and sighed in boredom, he eyed her possibly suggestive posture for far longer than he'd ever admit. If the sigh wasn't enough to rattle his composure, then the way she straddled the surfboard with a slightly arched-
'Stop that, Henry. Mordred would never feel that way about you… She's a wild child.'
Jekyll sighed and faced forward, before attempting to push his board closer to hers. It was unpracticed and difficult. She had no idea how wonderful she had it with her ranked riding ability as a knight. He simply shook his head and edged himself closer, while taking occasional peeks towards the third surfer in the distance who also waited for the wave machine to amplify.
Unknowingly to the pair of best friends, Medusa had not been simply sunbathing on her purple surfboard. As she adjusted a strap on her intricate, black bikini, she chuckled quietly. While laying on her front, letting her feet gently soak in the pleasantly warm waters, she quietly smirked towards the two. She had eyed all of their appreciative glances at each other in amusement, glad there was some form of entertainment while waiting; The beach activities were a tad too far compared to them. She was also opposed to the idea of bringing a book out here, though she chose her reading glasses over shades.
Medusa merely enjoyed the quiet scene while eagerly awaiting the first wave to see how exciting surfing truly was.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XIV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The Marina Sector of the boardwalk was more bustling than the peaceful Tropicana side. Besides the cabana changing rooms, bathroom, and showers that sat adjacent to Club Cove, there was the palm leaf shaded cafeteria. The minimalistic barbecue grills sat towards the side of the open-air sitting area, forming a small boundary between it and the stretch of grass and sporadic palm trees for relaxation. As with everything else, the concerns about the smoke generated from the grills was taken into consideration as well.
A cool breeze blew through wicker chairs and tables of the room, bringing the fading smells of the former buffet lunch from the now dormant grills. Nightingale placed her hat on the back of her chair before sitting down with a new, ice cold water. She chuckled and clinked her glass against her two companions own before sipping the refreshing beverage. Beowulf sat back askew to rest an arm on the back of his chair, and scratched his bare chest with his opposite hand. His yellow swim trunks had long since dried from the swim.
It was not the same case for Dantes, who was not interested in swimming by the looks of it. With a hand on his wine glass, he gazed out towards the beach at a group of playing French women as one left. His hair blew unencumbered in the breeze as his black tropical shirt fluttered lightly. Similarly colored board shorts rounded out his attire, making this the most casual many have ever seen the avenger. He smirked lightly, with his two friends, as their fourth member soon climbed onto the boardwalk barefoot; Her clothes remained at her seat.
"Here she comes."
"Heh… she's trying hard to hide her little smile now."
Nightingale chuckled. "She tries far too hard to keep up appearances."
Joan walked up to the table and picked up her nearby towel as Danted chuckled. "You seemed particularly joyful."
"Shut up," Joan groaned as she wrapped a white towel around her damp form. She stood in front of a table as Beowulf and Dantes smirked at her, while Nightingale smiled. She gave a half-hearted scowl in return as she sat down on one of the wooden chairs and picked up her wine glass. Dantes picked up his own, though nearly empty, and presented it for his fellow alter. Joan quickly redirected her glass to gently clink against his. They both sipped together.
A waiter robot floated by and Dantes signaled to it. "A refill, sir? Right away."
The robot took the glass in one of its arms before quietly hovering over to the small bar. While Lex operated the club's bar, this one was only temporarily open and served mainly refreshments. It had a second, identical stand in the Tropicana sector, though it had a smaller, uncovered eating area. The robot placed the glass on the tropical style table. "Mister Dantes would like a second Eye of the Hurricane."
"As soon as I finish with this new experiment," Paracelsus replied with a small smile. The robot nodded in acknowledgement and floated away.
The caster's hair was pinned up from behind, so it did not get in the way as he mixed drinks and created frozen delights. He had found this activity rather entertaining and enjoyable since it was roughly similar to mixing alchemical ingredients. Fou was perched on top of his blue, V neck shirt as it watched him work. Black board shorts swung with his motions as he quickly finished his current task. He took a nearby vial and began pouring some purple liquid onto the wine glass filled with shaved ice.
It quickly started to emit a soft glow as tiny wisps of fog came off of the delicacy, making the servant sitting at one of the bar stools uncomfortable. Hector stared skeptically at the frozen delight before his eyes wandered onto the vial. His hair was tied back and was slightly damp, like his black Hawaiian shirt, after a recent swim. He waved a fan with his hands slowly to keep a breeze on him, though he shifted his arms to the side as Paracelsus happily passed the delicacy. Still, he could only stare at it.
"When I said surprise me, I wasn't expecting something like this."
"It's nothing deadly, I assure you, Hector," Paracelsus chuckled as Fou hopped onto the countertop to stare at it. "I call it, Ice of the Void."
"That name is very reassuring…" the lancer sighed as he plunged his spoon into the ice. He pulled out a small bit, and noticed Fou was still staring inquisitively. He offered it to the small familiar who sniffed it curiously. It took another sniff, followed by a lick. Its eyes lit up before it rammed its face happily into his shaved ice concoction. Hector could only blink in further disbelief as Fou assaulted his tasty treat. The two men soon began laughing. "Looks sure are deceiving."
"I'll just make you another one."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Marie slid across the sand but managed to hit the ball back into the air. "Oof~!"
Boudica was about to miss the return volley, but Xuanzang managed to dive for the hit. She cheered as the ball flew over the net. Martha and Jeanne collided as the ball sailed between them, making the two saints pout at each other before laughing. Boudica quickly high fived the allied caster, who wore a bikini variation of her white and gold battle attire's undergarments; Some thought she was simply wearing that, but she insisted it was an almost exact copy.
"Great hit!" Boudica chuckled as Xuanzang laughed enthusiastically. The rider quickly dove forward to counter the next serve.
"Mine!" Marie called as she jumped towards the net and slammed the ball on a path towards an open-
Smack! Xuanzang had done a backflip to send the ball into the air. It flew up high before coming down towards their third member. Tota's muscles tensed slightly under his white tank top in anticipation. He knelt down so the edges of his red swim trunks touched the sand, before he jumped up with an eager grin. He slammed the ball hard, sending it over the net and into the sand right before the boundary between Astolfo and Jeanne.
"Yay! Well done, my disciple!" Xuanzang cheered as she bounced and clapped for him. Between her and Boudica, many males liked watching their side.
"My turn to serve!" The male rider stated happily. Astolfo tossed the beach ball up. His sphinx kitten ran up his back, jumped off his head, and grabbed it for itself.
"Mister Sprinkles!" Astolfo cried out in surprise as the kitten quickly attempted to run off with the ball, making the others laugh as the rider gave chase. The kitten almost made it into the crowd with its prize, but was stopped by Nitocris as she gently picked up the celestial pet. She held it to the chest of her vary daring gold bikini, causing it to paw at her large ponytail in an attempt to escape. She giggled in delight as Astolfo grabbed the ball at her feet.
"I shall watch over your pet. There is no better temporary custodian for a sphinx than a kind pharaoh," Nitocris declared, attempting to keep a proud tone. Her small giggles and squeals ruined the effect as she played with the little kitten. Astolfo only grinned back and chuckled.
"Okay! Be nice to Nitocris, Mister Sprinkles!"
Before the rider could run back, a loud beeping came over the speaker systems on the boardwalk, interrupting the previously played music. Cheers and clapping soon flowed through the group as Astolfo and Nitocris turned their attention towards the ocean. They were soon joined by the other players as the wave machine at the far end kicked into high gear. Unseen thanks to the barrier, the machine made a single, exaggerated motion to launch a larger wave than usual towards the spectators. It was at the far end, yet the larger rogue wave could already be seen as it approached the five surfers in the water.
Sand erosion and the beach's angle were designed with the waves in mind, but the designers still wished to create surfing waves at chosen intervals. This allowed people to either enjoy some boat activities or wave oriented ones depending on the majority. Since today was the test run for almost everything, they split it evenly, though there was a near unanimous decision that surfing would be in the morning from then on.
As the wave started to take proper shape for the surfers positioned at the center, Astolfo turned his gaze towards Mordred and Jekyll. The saber was practically hopping on her board in total excitement, while Jekyll was likely considering how he got dragged into that situation. He waved happily towards them for a bit before finally being noticed by Mordred. With a toothy grin, she waved back towards the crowd as the wave reached them.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XVI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Alright! Wahoooo!" Mordred cheered happily as the moving wall of water pushed them forward. Jekyll struggled to shakily get onto his board, while Mordred hopped on both feet like a total natural. She grinned happily as the wave reached its apex.
She turned to her best friend as he finally stabilized himself. She laughed as her board flew along the wave's length. "Catch ya' later, Henry!"
"Mordred, wait for-" It suddenly hit him, or more specifically, the cresting wave did. The force of the water threw him off his board.
The saber, though feeling bad for him, was not worried in the least; As a servant, he'd be fine against simple water. She could only laugh happily as she flew by an employee surfer who lost balance and fell victim to the wave. The cresting wave closed above her, forming a tunnel as she surfed just before its crushing embrace. With a hum, she simply pushed herself towards the crest of the crashing wave to see what riding at the top felt like.
That's when she looked behind her, and her mouth fell open in envious admiration.
Medusa flew through the tunnel on her surfboard, spiraling within the thinner, crashing portion before speeding along the wave itself. She casually smashed through the roof of the crashing wave, only to spin in the air gracefully in a stunning flip. Her board landed atop the wave as she casually rode it home with a thrilled smile gracing her face. The rider had just found something far more amusing than riding a bicycle to its limits.
Sadly, Mordred was far too inspired to bother paying attention as the wave crashed onto her. She yelped in dismay. "Nooo!"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XVII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Medusa rode out the wave to its end before casually coming to a stop onto the angled beach. She laughed happily as the crowd, and other beach groups, cheered from further away, praising the only surfer to remain standing. A few servants and Gabrielle ran up to her as she picked up her surfboard, with Astolfo leading the way with an enthusiastic grin.
"You were so beautiful! Rider Domination!" Astolfo cried out happily as Medusa blushed lightly.
"I believe I'll be surfing more often," Medusa noted quietly with a smile. "This is very enjoyable."
Gabrielle politely made her way to the front with a grin. "Riding upside down was crazy! You should make up new moves like that! Maybe become a surf instructor?"
The happy rider was about to respond when two simultaneous calls came from afar. "Not bad, Meduseless!"
"…Was that your sisters' way of complimenting that?" Gabrielle asked quietly, only to be met with an embarrassed nod from the rider. Her gaze turned towards the water a few dozen meters away. As her head tilted, the gathered group turned to the water to see Mordred staring at them with a small pout and a light blush. Gabrielle giggled. "Oh come on, Mordred. I'll praise you too! You did well for your first-time surfing."
"Eheh… thanks…" she replied with a tiny smile, but the blush remained and she stayed buried in the water to her neck as the small waves lapped her. Her father's surfboard was pushed and pulled with the waves, though she didn't bother controlling it. Mordred simply sat there.
The group turned to each other in confusion before Boudica stepped forward with a playful smirk. "Mordred… where's your top?"
Mordred's blush turned into an inferno as she tried to hide herself further under the water. The small crowd laughed at her misfortune, causing her to glare at them in total embarrassment. "Sh-Shut up! Don't laugh at this! It's not funny!"
Boudica laughed harder as she pointed towards the approaching Jekyll. With her red top in hand, the assassin advanced with a slightly amused smile. He shook his head as she stared in total relief at her savior. "I found it while swimming back. You should tie a better knot next time."
As the group laughed, Mordred, with arms crossed and covering herself, quickly waded through the water to close the gap. Jekyll handed her the top, only for her to quickly snatch it with a mouthed thank you. Carefully, she worked the top under her covering arm without anybody seeing. She held it there with one arm as she attempted to tie the strings with one hand. It was difficult enough just getting the strings behind her, and she growled in frustration.
"Jekyll! Hold still!" she commanded as she pushed herself against him. "Don't move or I'll kill you! I need to tie this!"
He stuttered in disbelief as the watching group made teasing noises. Mordred, using his chest to pin the top to her breasts, reached back to properly tie the swimsuit again. Her blush remained, though Jekyll now sported one too as he covered his face in embarrassment. Silently, he appreciated the feeling of the saber pressed against him and her breath on his skin, and quietly cursed Hyde for bringing this all to attention. To his relief, Mordred finally pulled away, though he was also disappointed to be honest. His blush remained as deep as Mordred's, as she crossed her arms and huffed.
"Stop overreacting… it wasn't that big of a deal…" Mordred muttered as she eyed him.
Jekyll groaned and rolled his eyes. "You could have asked me to tie it for you while you held it! Maybe changed into your armor until you got to a changing room? There were others methods to handle that situation besides what you chose."
Mordred blinked. With a quiet mumble, her blush intensified upon the realization as the group only laughed louder. She quickly began splashing him with water out of sheer embarrassment. "W-Why didn't you say anything! St-Stupid! Stupid Henry!"
"You didn't give me an oppor- Will you kindly cease splashing me!?"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XVIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Cheers~!"
The knitting group clinked their glasses together and laughed lightly as the setting sun basked the beach in warm light. Boudica now wore a white shawl as she lounged on the beach chair and sipped her drink. Naomi slowly savored her Pina Colada with her companions. With a satisfied sigh, she placed the drink on her shared wooden side table with Medea. Only a few appetizers remained on their plates, though the wonderful smells from the cooks only made them anticipate the incoming buffet with delight.
"Would anyone be interested in a nighttime swim? We are privileged with a break weekend," Vlad inquired as he speared an hors d'oeuvre with a toothpick.
"Night swimming? How scandalous of you, Prince of Wallachia," Medea teased, earning a half-hearted glare from the lounging berserker. They both smirked before laughing. "I would love to. I only have… unfortunate memories when I did previously, and I would like them replaced with better ones."
"That's a good attitude~!" Boudica complimented as she offered Vlad one of her appetizers. He nodded his head and took one.
Approaching laughter caused the group to fall silent and eye their newest groupmate. Boudica sighed and slowly put her plate down as the Romans approached, wearing full togas as they waltzed barefoot through the beach. Their conversation was as loud as ever, since they usually made themselves the center of attention. It was only when Altera, wearing a beautiful, white summer dress, gently tapped on Nero's shoulder and motioned to the group did they quiet down… and begin their approach. Boudica remained calm as she locked eyes with Nero, and they both took on unusually blank expressions.
"Good evening, Romans," Naomi broke the awkward silence for everyone as the stopped before their small gathering.
The Romans, with an absent Caesar, turned to Nero as she gently nodded and smiled. "Good evening, Chaldea's beloved tailors! What a beautiful sunset we have this evening! The muses could surely sing songs of it for months!"
Usually Romulus would chime in with a signature cry, but he surprisingly remained quiet and respectful. Boudica looked at him curiously as he simply smiled and nodded. "It is a wonderful evening to spend with good company."
"No finer way could be met. Shall we toast to Chaldea's greatest gift?" Vlad asked with a raise of his wine glass.
"Prince Vlad, it is a spectacular gift, but small compared to the beauty we are all here together," Nero proclaimed with a raise of her own glass. "What makes it truly beautiful is we are all present to enjoy it, and not in a more brutal grail war! Let these moments, past, present, and future, be forever engraved on our hearts!"
"…I can drink to that!" Naomi cheered as the collected group laughed. They began clinking glasses with each other, though there were some glances towards Boudica as she tapped her own against the Romans' with a pleasant smile. She finally came to Nero, and the group watched carefully.
"I know you'll never forgive me for what I did, Queen Boudica…" Nero started with a small, sad smile. "But I wish you the most pleasant of memories from now on."
Boudica sighed, but smiled back as she raised her glass. "…Thank you, Empress Nero. To you as well."
Their glances clinked to some cheers, before everyone took a sip from their drinks. After waving goodbye, the Romans continued their stroll down the beach towards the next group as Caesar and Cleopatra approached them from the boardwalk. Boudica's friends turned to her as she sighed and watched them leave, before turning back to them with a small smile. She giggled before taking a sip from her drink again.
Medea shook her head with a smile. "You're inspiring. You proved again why Dantes got so irritated trying to understand you."
"Ugh… please don't bring him up either," Boudica rolled her eyes as her friends laughed. She giggled again before simply enjoying her drink in wonderful company. There was too much in her heart for her to simply forgive Rome for what happened, but she could at least appreciate how considerate and respectful they were… around her at least. They would still Chaldea's most boisterous group, but she wouldn't ask them to change, and they've apologized more than enough. But today wasn't a day for thinking about that stuff.
It was for celebrating life. She sipped her drink as the setting sun's rays pierced her glass.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XIX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Mashu and Gudao lay beneath the replicated stars of the night sky, eagerly awaiting the moon rise.
Their beach blanket rested among many others on the sandy shore as many calmly enjoyed the stars above. Gabrielle's giggles could be heard by the Irish heroes' blanket conglomeration nearby, while Tamamo and Kiyohime's unhindered laughter resonated from a small beach fire. Conversation or not, for most individuals, their focus remained on the unencumbered stars, free from the light pollution and endless clouds. Though he had appreciated moon and star gazing many times on deployments, Chaldean staff finally experienced it again after far too long.
Da Vinci, now clad in her battle attire, quietly sat down behind the couple. She was joined by Roman, wearing a pair of white shorts and a turquoise shirt the caster forced him to wear. David stood behind them in a green tropical shirt and black board shorts. They silently joined the two in staring at the stars. Mashu looked back to them and smiled. She received a tiny, friendly wave of Da Vinci's fingers in response.
Gudao looked back with a grin. "I'm sure there's a lot of curiosities about how you managed some things but… thanks. I don't care how it works, only that it does."
"She's already filled me in on any potential quirks during her final checks," Roman muttered with a smile as he scratched the back of his head. "Don't worry about any of it, Gudao. It'll just be another of our projects to worry about… yes, that includes the paperwork. I'm not burying you anymore."
At his enthusiastic, but quiet, cheers, his companions laughed. After all, what was a permanent vacation spot if it came with paperwork?