"I spy a playwright with newfound inspiration."
"Ah! But a chance stroke of luck has led to the flight of my pen!"
Helena chuckled lightly as she walked past the front desk of the library. She took another cautious bite of her granola bar, being extra careful not to get any crumbs on her black, strapless sundress. Her hair swung in a lone ponytail as she made her way to the window seats. Even after grabbing the snack from the cafeteria, she still had most of the hour to herself as break. Since the library had four volunteer servants, there was far more relaxation to make nearly every day felt like a vacation.
The caster lightly placed her stack of coursework on the coffee table of her chosen suite. Though she never expected to take up this position, Atalanta and Irisviel found she was quite the teacher for servant children. While Illya and Kuro weren't as enthusiastic about the idea of new classwork, their mothers had argued that the question of humanity's future is no excuse to discard an education; Truly a comical statement, with or without context. It would still be an hour before she met up with them for their fourth ever Chaldean class.
As she took another bite of her bar, one of her floating automaton carried its item to her as she sat down gingerly. Casually yet carefully, the Colonel Olcott placed the closed purple thermos onto the table within arm's reach. Another floated by with a newly acquired book from the shelves. It discarded the book on top of the pile, bringing a small smile to the caster's lips. Helena casually picked up the book she had been putting off for far too long, letting her eyes grace its front cover with interest.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
While there was apparently a movie adaptation, she wished to read this comedy first. It had been recommended by Medusa after they had a rather in-depth conversation about interests. It wound up leading to Theosophy, and the peculiarity of her noble phantasm. Since that object reminded many of the staff about what they consider aliens, it led the youngest Gorgon sister to recommend a book that's highly regarded among the scientific community in Chaldea. Though it was summarized mostly as comedy, she presumed they held it highly because of its entertainment value rather than logic.
There was only one way to find out as she opened the cov-
A high pitched shrill that would be commonplace in a high school tore through the library's closed door. "It's you~! You're here, oh how I've missed you~!"
As the loud chattering continued from the female, Hans' irritation began boiling as indicated by the guttural growl from a nearby shelf. With a sigh, Helena closed the book and stood up calmly, letting an automaton place it back onto her pile. "I'll handle this, Andersen."
"You have my thanks, Madam Blavatsky…" Hans snarled, not within sight, as another girlish squeal echoed through the room, followed by a groan from a male and female.
Helena merely giggled and walked quickly towards the door.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Fragment 42: Always Something to Learn
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
'I thought that voice sounded familiar,' Helena sighed as she quietly closed the door behind her.
Gabrielle and Scathach were standing to one side of the hallway, though the lancer looked displeased. The rare and barely discernible scowl was coupled with crossed arms over her black turtleneck sweater. She stood rigid in her denims, as opposed to the female master who was rocking back and forth in her master attire while watching the situation with a pleased expression. Helena turned back to the commotion itself and cleared her throat in a calm, yet exaggerated, gesture.
It failed completely. "I was so excited when I found out I got summoned here! No hard feelings, right? Oh~! I hope we get to pick up where we left off!"
"We didn't leave off anywhere…" Cu groaned as he struggled under the newly arrived servants vice grip. It definitely failed too.
Scathach's poor pupil was currently locked in a one-sided hug with one servant that made both lancers a tad wary, and for this exact reason. As the suit wearing male lancer rolled his eyes, he tried once more to pry the pink-haired rider's face off of his chest. Her flowing hair was the only splash of color when compared to her porcelain skin and overly fluffy battle attire. A dash of her white, cultural skirt was visible beneath the furry coat, but besides her white opera gloves, this was all one could see. Everything else nearly resembled a cotton ball clinging to the blue-haired lancer.
"Oh, you don't think we left off anywhere, but I certainly do~! Now, stop playing hard to get and be mine~!"
Helena cleared her throat again, but the small servant kept her eyes shut and face pressed into the lancer's chest.
"Alright. That's more than enough out of you, Medb," Scathach nearly growled as she looped both of her arms beneath the small rider's shoulders. Her golden eyes flipped open in annoyance as she began flailing, letting Cu finally break away with a relieved sigh.
The disappointed rider turned to her holder. "Scathach! Unhand me this instant! I am a queen and the subject of my adoration is within reach!"
"Not anymore," Scathach noted with the hints of a smirk on the tips of her lips.
Medb blinked as Gabrielle giggled. The female rider turned around and noted Cu had quickly disappeared, putting his insane agility to ideal use. Her jaw dropped, and even Helena had to openly laugh at the sight. Upon breaking free of Scathach's loosened hold, the rider turned her head upwards in a scoff before glaring at the offender. The lancer merely crossed her arms and leveled a glare back, making Helena wonder if the Chaldea's first Peacekeeper would start an incident by herself.
"The loving charm might have worked if you didn't interrupt me... Oh well, maybe I'll try again tomorrow."
"Just leave my student alone."
The glaring session ended as Medb huffed and turned her head to the side. She blinked upon noticing Helena. "Oh. It's you again. Edison and Karna with you too?"
"It is nice to see you on friendlier circumstances, Medb," Helena answered politely, completely ignoring the nearly dismissive tone. She did just lose Cu after all.
"Yes, well… I suppose we can get along better this time," she replied offhandedly with a rather blank expression.
It seemed the Queen of Cannacht was still going to be as obsessed with Cu as always, even though she seems to have her memories from the American Singularity. Helena thought that having a wish granted by the grail to have her own version of Cu at arm's length would have been enough to settle her appetite. Clearly, as much as she hated the man who would almost always reject her, she would only be further baited into a chase. What she saw in that monstrosity compared to the real Cu was another thing altogether.
If it was Cu, she supposed Medb would just jump at it regardless. Could a decoy pillow or automaton work?
Issues involving her obsession with men's hearts aside, she was at least friendlier this time around; Being on the same side tended to help with that. Though she would be interested in learning more about her, it was still her first day here. She could always approach another time, especially when Scathach already had her hands full trying to keep her in line. Gabrielle seemed much more accepting, which was strange considering Medb ordered Gudao's death on several occasions. The female master was well known for pre-judging new arrivals based on that-
Medb's sudden smile shocked Helena. "Well, maybe we can talk again some other time. There's plenty more to meet and see in this facility, but I bid you farewell. Oh, Gabby~! You said you were going to take me to Fergus and then show me this beach? Oh~! And you said there was a clothing store or something?"
The master giggled as Medb hopped over to her and looped her arm with hers. With both now giggling, the orange-haired master grinned. "Of course! Let's go then! If you don't want to chase Cu that is."
"Oh~, don't you worry. He's not going anywhere and neither am I. There's thrill in the chase, and I love when he plays hard to get!" Medb chimed as they began walking, practically step for step. She leaned in and whispered a little too loudly. "But is the hag coming too?"
"I heard that," Scathach stated plainly, only to earn a classic gesture of appreciation from the rider: Closed eyes and a stuck-out tongue of defiance.
As the master and rider walked down the hallway, Scathach sighed in disappointment as the gears clicked into place in Helena's mind. She walked over to the lancer and gave her a comforting rub on the back. While she had become relatively close with the lancer being mutual teachers, of sorts, they had originally become much more acquainted when the caster dealt with two of her in the singularity. Since then Scathach had divulged a surprising amount to her, which she gladly and respectfully kept secret.
Which is why she wasn't surprised when she openly stated her grievance. "I'm worried Medb will ruin all my hard efforts…"
"Gabby won't forget everything you've taught her. I'm just astonishes she's getting along so well with the Queen of Connacht."
"I wonder if anyone could have seen it coming. Maybe Gabby will keep her in check, or perhaps she'll make the master's perverted tendencies worse," Scathach grumbled in a whisper. "I was far more concerned for Cu that I didn't think of this possibility. I have to keep watch for both now."
"You could always pass word to Okita to keep a few extra eyes open," Helena suggested. As the lancer turned to her, she quickly interjected. "Unless you'd rather handle it yourself. 'Irish Pride' and all that... unless I am somehow mistaken."
Scathach chuckled and shook her head. "You're not entirely wrong, Madam Blavatsky. I guess I do have a little Irish pride in me these days."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ III ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"So we know what A and B are, so we can use them to find C. First, we replace the letter with the known numbers for each, okay, everyone?"
Helena was quietly teaching her students at one of the salon's tables. While she stood with a small, created chalkboard that two of her automaton held, she kept a notepad in one hand and a piece of chalk in the other. Her students sat within one of the rounded booths with notebooks, calculators, and colored pencils scattered before them. They all wore a navy-blue, school sailor uniform that were retailored after they were obtained in a supply sortie. With the navy blouse, matching skirt, and complimenting red tie, they perfectly resembled a small class from Japan.
The Japanese uniform had been a suggestion by Kuro and Illya since they were used to it.
To the silent enjoyment of Marie and her resting staff, all but one had adapted to the uniform and situation. Helena paid them no attention as she continued her lecture, letting them watch from the nearby table since the room was otherwise empty with dinner still two hours away. "By squaring the two numbers, we can then add them together to find the value for C. This is one possible way to use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the missing part of a right triangle."
D'Eon returned to his seat after obtaining a pitcher of ice cold lemonade for his table. He began pouring glasses for his work-dressed companions, starting with Sanson who quietly thanked the saber. Marie kept her attention locked on the adorable children as they tried to answer a problem Helena newly wrote on the board. With both hands elegantly placed on her lap, the white evening dress clad servant resisted the urge to squeal on seeing Jack stick her tongue partially out in concentration.
Her control nearly shattered as Nursery Rhyme summoned a small, cartoonish unicorn to use as an eraser since her colored pencil didn't have one. Kuro was doing the work herself, though there was the hint of displeasure since she couldn't copy from Illya with Helena constantly observing. The archer's sister was already finished, and was quietly watching Ruby float about in the center of the table, while making glances at the fifth member of their class who joined last session; She was the real focus of the salon's staff.
Helena observed how seriously Jeanne was taking this Mathematics class. She was aware that she had been taught some pieces after attempting to learn some things herself, though the person responsible was not here. To see her continue to try and learn things that interested her was both surprising and inspiring for the caster, who acknowledged there was always something new to discover. She took the longest to solve the current problem, if only because she kept making embarrassed glances towards both her close friend and father figure who watched nearby.
"All set, Jeanne? Would you like to answer this one?" Helena offered with a small smile. The ruler nodded politely.
"If A was six, and B was seven… then C was nine point two?" Jeanne asked hopefully. The caster was well aware she was still uncertain with decimals they learned last week, but at least it didn't stop her from trying. The calculators certainly helped.
She sighed in relief when Helena smiled. "That's correct. You even rounded it right. Well done!"
"Bravo, Jeanne!" Gilles and Marie complimented together.
While Helena withheld her own giggles, the four child servants did no such thing as they clapped for the terribly red ruler. Jeanne hid her face in both of her hands. "Why are there no salon visitors right now…"
"At least your little sister isn't here to see this," Helena mentioned with a reassuring smile. She glanced at the rest of her students hopefully. "Now, does anyone have any questions about the answer?"
She was answered by the children's shaking heads. She visually checked their present work just to make sure no one was embarrassed to speak up, but all had right answers. Pleased with her pupils, Helena turned back to the chalkboard as her automata turned it for her to erase. With quick strokes, the board was clear for her to write the next problem, though she was only going to do one more since the girls seemed to pick this lesson up quickly.
She began drawing a new triangle in a different orientation while silently contemplating her newfound life. Her previous one had been in the endless pursuit of knowledge, and it caused her to be chased by the Mage's Association. Holmes was only able to help her so much before the mages finally caught her. All she wanted was to understand, yet her success had caused great jealousy from that organization. She'd be lying if she said she didn't have a slight grudge against them, and even initially judged Gudao upon learning of his connection during the American Singularity.
Though that was in the past.
This new change of pace was both curious and relaxing. She could bestow knowledge, no matter how basic, to those who were willing to open their eyes and understand. Discussing ideas of higher philosophy and concept could be done with others such as Lord El-Melloi II, but here she was their teacher. The smiles of children, and Jeanne's embarrassed reactions, brought a sense of pride and joy to her heart that helped fill each day.
Maybe her class would grow in the future to have more young smiles, though she quietly hoped new children wouldn't be childishly troublesome.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Though Helena had to help with a Chaldean event later that afternoon, it didn't bother her at breakfast the next day. It was going to be another repeat of the wrestling show Kiyohime had prototyped, though this one had all the kinks removed and much better rules. Thankfully she now had some more experience with directing her spotlight-wielding automaton, which gave her enough freedom to help Cu with referee duties; Hopefully Medb wouldn't be clinging to him later.
With a clear mind to deal with Edison's usual boisterous boasting in the early morning, she sat at their cafeteria table with a pleasant smile. She fixed the knot on her casual black halter dress and her twin hair ties before glancing at Karna and Edison beside her. Edison sported a full formal suit, though it looked a tad puffier because of his unique physical nature. The tie was loose and the white collar popped, though he kept a rigid posture like the lancer. Karna wore an ornate red achkan sherwani and occasionally taking polite bites of his dosa breakfast.
After waiting patiently for a pause, she nodded towards the two of them as their conversation broke. "Good morning you two."
"A great one indeed! Did you sleep well, Madam Blavatsky?" Edison asked with a proud smile.
"Absolutely," Karna answered for her, making the two casters turn to him as his mouth tipped ever so slightly in a subtle smile. "She did not have to deal with your snoring."
"I do not snore here! I only snored in that singularity because of the influence of the presidents! I blame Theodore Roosevelt in particular!" Edison shot back incredulously, though it was a terrible attempt to defend himself. Karna only chuckled as Hector shot a tired glare at him from a nearby table.
Helena giggled. "You know, Edison, if you'd allow me to make the soundproofing-"
"I can do that myself, Madam Blavatsky! Not that I do not appreciate help from my wonderful friend." He puffed his chest slightly, making his companions chuckle. He didn't realize he acknowledged the issue. "For my pride as a glorious and famous inventor, I would surely be able to accomplish that task-"
A clicking tongue of annoyance replaced the male caster's pride with pure irritation. "Inventor? Will you ever admit the true origins of your work, you con?"
Helena was about to take a bite of her omelet before she casually dropped the fork back onto her plate. She groaned into her hands as Edison stood up to face the approaching Tesla. Their heads nearly slammed together as the caster leaned towards the archer, who wore his own three-piece suit but in a navy-blue color. Nearby conversations already quieted down to enjoy one of Chaldea's most entertaining rivalries.
With a huff, she turned in her chair to stare at the two growling servants. She would begrudgingly admit it was considerate they kept things from getting physical, since they both wanted to be seen as gentleman. However, upon sight they would turn any little thing into an argument, and she would almost always be the one to be forced to break them apart. Karna would help on occasion, but he was more of the mindset that civil arguments helped people develop.
The only thing that ever developed with their arguments was her newfound, chronic migraine… due to them bickering like children, of course.
Already she could feel the onset of the first wave as she groaned in her seat. Tesla scoffed. "Won't even admit you snore… Do you ever admit anything?"
"I admit I should have done a better job showing the gap in skill between us!" Edison shot back, making a few nearby tables start the traditional, responsive sounds. Oh's were just the staple noise, while some would dare make instigating comments.
Tesla smirked. "Skill gap? I didn't think you could go any lower to begin with."
Edison smirked back. "It's only proper for a gentleman to lower himself to the level of another to keep things fair and balanced."
With renewed glares, they growled as the nearby tables clapped at the speedy comebacks. Laughing filtered in as Helena reached up and latched her small hands on to both of their faces. They kept their expressions as she began prying them apart, which was something they let her do as a Peacekeeper. With growls and crossed arms, they kept their newfound distance as Helena groaned in discontent. "Alright. Save it for later, please? I want to eat in mild peace."
"Fine by me, Madam Blavatsky," Tesla relented, though he turned his head away in dismissal. "I'll just grab my toast and be on my way."
"It's an untoasted bread, isn't it? You uncultured archer! Learn proper terminology!" Edison spat, making Helena turn to him with a pleading expression.
"What was that!?" Tesla rounded on him again, nearly sandwiching the poor female caster between the two of them. "I prefer untoasted to your burnt-to-a-crisp bagel!"
"The bagel is far superior and improved to the ordinary slice of bread! You wouldn't know innovation if it tripped you at the door!"
Helena's roar was the cause of the next wave of laughter. "Will you two please just stop!?"
With a sigh of relief, Helena saw Karna stand up to assist. At least her headache wouldn't last much longer.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ V ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Would I really be that popular, you theorize?"
"You're lion faced, which is like a cat. Like Gudao and Gabby just said, you'd be famous on the internet since modern humans love cats. Ozymandias proved that last month."
Edison nodded thoughtfully as he continued to tinker on an item. He pushed his tiny set of bifocals up the bridge of his nose before musing out loud. "I find it interesting that people would have a device in the palm of their hands that grants them access to the entire spectrum of culminated human knowledge, not withheld by the governments mind you… yet they use it to argue meaninglessly with others and look at cat videos. The loss of potential is quite absurd."
"It's not like we're any better," Helena noted as she looked up from her device with a smile. "We're a secret organization dedicated to the preservation of humanity's future, and a collection of the greatest figures mankind has ever known… yet how much wacky vocabulary could be used to describe what are nearly every day occurrences? How would you describe the feared and infamous Blackebard's tendencies? Nobunaga's little army?"
There was a pause of silence. Edison sighed and shook his head. "…You have a fair and irredeemable point, Madam Blavatsky."
She merely shrugged with a reassuring giggle. "Nothing may work exactly as intended, but humans will find a way to succeed and improve it."
The pair nodded before returning to their work within Da Vinci's workshop. Though the male caster had quite a self-confident personality of his own, he still had the calm and serious side many didn't see too much. Helena saw it almost daily, even when he was being influenced in the singularity. Now that he was free of any lingering control, he was even more studious and made for a great working partner. He could hold theoretical conversations with her on different levels of sophistication, and it made their tinkering feel more like relaxation than any sort of chore.
The quiet stillness of Da Vinci's workshop only benefited this notion, especially with the possibly loud and rambunctious offerings Chaldea could present as another daily occurrence. The famous inventor would only allow certain authorized individuals into her sanctuary, and they were two of the foremost. Helena's vast knowledge and Edison's ingenuity to improve and mass produce had sped up several projects since their arrival. For the Penta of Chaldea's creators, which begrudgingly included Tesla for Edison, the stars were within reach.
They had been busily helping Da Vinci with her latest prototype which the female inventor hoped would be a deployment changing addition. With the help of her assisting automaton, Helena was ensuring the prana-fueled circuitry would work at peak efficiency when the device activated. Edison was taking notes on the different adjustments on each variation of prototype, being sure to gauge how he could adapt the designs to be mass produced without weakening its integrity. This had to be done perfectly for everyone's safety, but if it worked, Chaldea would have a new asset.
In addition to the lighter, magical energy refueling apples tested a few weeks ago, these disposable beacons would open new strategic avenues.
Helena closed the top on the third variation and held it in her hand. The black disc was roughly the size of a Frisbee, but weight three kilos due to its sophisticated mechanism. It had a lone bulb on one side to indicate activation, and variable attachment options on the back to secure to different surfaces. Closed, it looked rather mundane, but opened it was a mess of circuitry and runic conglomeration. Regardless of what it looked like, it would be a new trump card for Chaldea.
"Has Da Vinci thought of a name for this device yet?" Edison asked as Helena handed him the third copy. He began noting the external differences.
"I don't believe so," the female caster shrugged. The door behind her opened to reveal the inventor in her formal battle attire. Helena smiled as she glanced back. "Da Vinci. Edison is curious if you have a name picked out for these yet?"
"The masters want me to keep it simple," she sighed in response. She was still miffed they went for Lorry instead of Orinthopter Sphinx. Truthfully, she couldn't blame them. "I thought something symbolic would be nice at first, but 'Angel's Landing' or 'Intervention' sound more befitting for an order to use rather than a device."
"Maybe someone will figure a name for it after it works the first time?" Helena offered as she picked up the first, closed copy she adapted. She handed it to the original creator as she approached their wooden table. "The name isn't as important as the function. So long as it's able to leyshift a team directly onto its position like Mashu's Shield, that's all that matters in the end."
Da Vinci nodded with a smile. "Of course. You're certain you'll be able to manufacture this easily, Edison?"
"This will be far more manageable compared to the robots I mass produced against the Celts. My only hesitation is the production materials. Chaldea barely has a surplus of some items."
"That can be remedied in supply sorties. We'll just note the extra items~!" Da Vinci chimed, making the other two smile. Her mood was easily uplifted upon good news involving her inventions. "I'll be sure to make the shopping list for Gabby since she loves getting supplies like they're Easter egg hunts."
"She gets really personally involved, that's for sure," Helena giggled. The child servants loved her for how much fun she made the task of gathering supplies. Her smile partially faded. "Almost too involved sometimes. Those two risk their security a lot sometimes."
Da Vinci nodded, since there was no denying even the cautious Gudao crossed the line at times. Masters should stay in the backline when so many servants and conflicts were involved, yet both would occasionally become more directly involved for key strikes. Helena had been present for one of those in the American Singularity, and it had cost Gudao his connection to Chaldea and his servants by her own hands and magecraft. Though he obviously restored it, that was just one example of the extraordinary risk that shadowed the masters.
Helena didn't like that. "I realize I'm harping by bringing this up again… but are there no other masters in Chaldea?"
"All wounded masters perished before we had a proper caster to heal them," Da Vinci restated as Edison listened while working. She placed the prototype onto the table carefully. "Lev had set up a delayed explosion to ensure the wounded masters would not live through cryo."
"I do not mean this in offense, Da Vinci, but you've told us before," Edison mentioned as he fixed his glasses once more. "One of the backup generators was rigged from within. We understand that none of the former masters lived because of that momentary power failure in addition to a final bomb in their holding chamber. What I believe Madam Blavatsky is asking, is if there are no other candidates possible in Chaldea. Gabrielle was chosen after, correct?"
"That's correct, but she was one of the last arrivals," the female inventor thought out loud. Suddenly her pupils were jittery, and Helena noted that was a clear sign of racing thoughts. She didn't notice the door open. "Marisbilly had screened everyone prior to their arrival, so there shouldn't be any with leyshift potential in Chaldea after Gabrielle's master papers were disqualified. She was also the only one of the new wave to survive the Fuyuki-"
"Um, actually, Da Vinci… I think I should mention what's wrong with the Marisbilly statement."
Da Vinci's thoughts crashed to a halt. Her eyes slowly narrowed as she turned to the suddenly sheepish Doctor Roman as he tried to back out of the room. The door locked with a click at the female inventor's silent command, making the unofficial director scratch his head in concern. His doctor's coat fluttered gently as he looked around pointlessly for another escape route, making Edison and Helena chuckle. Da Vinci was not as amused.
"More you're not telling me of Chaldea's past, Roman?" Da Vinci spoke flatly.
"In the doctor's defense, it doesn't qualify for regular conversation," Helena mentioned, earning a small thank you and relieved smile from Roman.
"Notwithstanding… What are you getting at? Don't leave us hanging."
Thankfully, he did cut right to the chase. His expression turned calm yet serious. "Former Director Marisbilly informed the staff, and in writing, they had been screened for leyshift potential. While Lev had the system operating in its prototype stages, no one had actually been screened because he was... killed... The screening by Lev was only a decontamination exam to remove foreign contaminants."
"So what you're saying is there could still be potential masters in Chaldea and you didn't inform anyone this was the case," Helena asked before Da Vinci could pinch his cheek in annoyance. She still did, making him squirm as the smaller female caster giggled.
"The chance is extremely low... It took over ten thousand compatibility checks outside Chaldea before we got to forty eight masters," Roman muttered as he rubbed his cheek. "Master potential is fairly uncommon, but I'm against leyshifting anyone under the one hundred percent Gabby and Gudao possess. That's the real insurance check. Anything less than a hundred is a chance for instant death upon shifting."
"I guess we'll just scan to see if any of our remaining staff has a hundred percent and master potential. I'll get to work reconstructing a compatibility scanning machine, because I know you're not the only concerned servant about losing a master," Da Vinci mentioned as she looked back at Helena.
"Lev destroyed the blueprints for that," Roman added with a frown. Da Vinci simply shrugged.
"Then it will have to wait a while longer, but I'm a genius caster, surrounded by other genius casters. We will find a way," she noted with pride. Roman nodded and smiled back hopefully. "Well, for now at least, I agreed to help Leonidas and Delaqua's staff set up the ring early. So! I'll see you all there~! Don't get distracted, Roman~!"
Da Vinci's suddenly cheerful demeanor was no longer jarring for anyone, except Roman. He flinched as she passed him to exit, making everyone else laugh. It was never clear when she might take advantage of the disarming attitude to reprimand or tease the doctor in some way. She had him well conditioned at this point. The unofficial director sighed as Helena walked over to rub his back reassuringly.
"There, there, Doctor Roman. She means well."
"I know she does, but the teasing can be toned down a bit," Roman sighed before he turned around. "I'll just go and scrap together what notes and info we have on leyshifting."
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The gymnasium lights dimmed, causing the crowd to erupt into cheers. Helena's automata floated above the arena in refined patterns, moving the spotlights among bleachers and ring to excite the crowd. Helena herself stood at one side of the arena to ensure everything was going well with lighting, and in case she was needed for emergency medical situations. Hopefully it would not turn out like last time.
"The human festival starts. I hope Chaldea's lively event doth well to peak mine interest."
"Oh, I hope too, but thank the stars they dimmed the lights!" a female voice called from behind her. Helena giggled and glanced back. She fixed the pattern to subtly avoid them.
"Thine words hold truth," a signature tone replied, followed by giggling and muffled chuckling. "Jing Ke. Would thoust care for further gifts of mine indulgence?"
"What kind of question is that, Shuten!? Pass the sake!" the pale skinned woman laughed.
Her long, black hair was loose and well combed to present its beauty in full. Jing Ke's turquoise eyes clearly showed she was inebriated, but her experience with alcohol made her act only slightly tipsy. This was different compared to the smaller Oni girl beside her. She poured a fresh cup of sake for her drinking friend as her neck-length black hair swung gently with her motions. The pale skinned Shuten brushed the flower on one of her horns before lifting her own cup to drink.
Jing Ke's new laughter was quickly joined by Shuten's giggles after their sip. Ibaraki's laughter was still muffled by her stuffed mouth. If everything was in moderation, the two girls were well past that limit in alcohol… or candy bars in Ibaraki's case. The three wore similarly designed kimonos in white, black, and yellow for comfort. Surprisingly, the obi-ages were all a floral pattern of matching red. Like many of their Asian counterparts, they favored wearing Eastern attire around Chaldea.
Though she only greeted the Oni a few times, Helena was partially responsible for helping make that interesting antidote to prevent others from getting intoxicated in her presence. It was definitely one of the more unique signatures around Chaldea, but at least her feasting and indulgence in alcohol was being kept in check. Even if Kintoki was likely with his buddies at this moment, the Oni had become quite good friends, from what it appears, with Jing Ke. She was also fairly certain Drake's drinking group invited her several times since she can brew alcohol on demand, which was a god send to the drunkards.
So long as she wasn't planning on getting her bleacher section wasted, she imagined Okita would be fine with the pair's impromptu drinking session.
Helena smoothed her dress as the sound system started blaring some choice music. Though at any other time Tyler's taste in music would be questionable to most, past heroes, it was very fitting for exciting events like this. The beat picked up, and even Helena unconsciously found herself slightly moving her head to the rhythm. It wasn't as noticeable as it was with Cu, who was tapping his foot as he rested against one of the ring's boundaries in his referee outfit.
"Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome to Chaldea Fight Niiiiiiiiiiight!"
Hans' voice boomed over the circling spotlights. Helena tossed a glance his way and smiled, nothing the genuine, confident grin that made his expression shine. She had no idea what happened, but the blue-haired caster had taken an enthusiastic liking to seemingly newfound hobby of being an announcer. Without a doubt in anyone's mind, he did extraordinarily last time, but this was already sounding better.
"Before we bring out the main fighters for this afternoon's extravaganza, we have a surprise warmup fight for everyone!" Hans declared as Helena observed the curious murmurs from the crowd. Only a few had been informed of the extra warmup. "Ladies and Gentleman! Put your hands together for Chaldea's Titan of the Ring as she returns to the fighting arena! There's no need for another introduction to the indomitable, mighty supervisor, Valeria Delaqua!"
To her relief, no one seemed to have lingering negativity regarding the past event. The crowd cheered as a pair of shadowy figures leapt from behind a set of bleachers together. The battle clad Leonidas landed gracefully, yet mightily, in the center of the arena with his arm around Delaqua's waist. While both of them laughed, partially ruining the badass entrance they made, the Spartan took her covering robe off to reveal her black sports bra and Muay Thai shorts. After a high five to her dear friend, she turned to the audience and raised both hands with a grin.
The crowd's cheering grew as she made room at the center of the arena for her competitor. "A spectacular entrance from the power duo! But can it, and Delaqua's fighting prowess, be matched by the challenger? The one who dares to accept the invitation for a fighter?"
"Hailing from the urban jungle of Chicago in the United States, this employee is well known by most of Chaldea for his carefree, friendly attitude!" Helena giggled, knowing full well what to expect next. "Ladies and Gentleman, please give it up for the daring engineer who accepted the challenge! Give it up, for Tyler Fields!"
Not bothering to hide her laughter, she and Cu chuckled as the crowd fell into serious confusion. While many were cheering, they were also equally perplexed as a flash of prana-forged smoke appeared in the center of the arena. The blue mist quickly dissipated to reveal Lord El-Melloi II wearing his red-robed battle attire, though the scowl looked a little deeper today. Beside him was Chaldea's famed staff gamer, who wore matching black gym shorts and T-shirt, though the top had the picture of a lime mushroom with '1-up' underneath.
The employee was beyond enthusiastic as he laughed happily. "Oh MAN! That was so cool! You guys do that all the time!? You Magicians are awesome!"
The crowd began cheering louder, coupled with newfound laughter, as Tyler waved to them. Delaqua chuckled while El-Melloi groaned. "Mages. We're called Mages, remember."
"Right, right. My bad, Waver. Thanks for the badass entrance!"
"Good luck, Tyler," El-Melloi smirked as they high fived then quickly fist bumped. The employee let one final chuckle go before he met with Cu and Delaqua at the center.
"The referee, Cu Chulainn, will now go over the rules of this fight." Hans declared as one of Helena's automaton floated down to deliver a microphone.
"Oh yea! Give em' the rules, you Irish stallion~!" Medb hollered from the sidelines, making Cu cringe and many in the audience laugh.
Cu sighed and brushed it off. Delaqua was getting her gloves on, but was curiously gazing at Tyler who didn't. Instead, he was wrapping his wrists with a wrap, but leaving his hands alone. Cu noticed as well while El-Melloi took a position at the side of the arena next to Helena. Noting their confusion, the male caster simply shrugged to his female class companion.
"He said he didn't want gloves," El-Melloi yelled into the arena.
"That means you can't throw hits, Tyler," Cu pointed out, but the employee simply shrugged.
"That's cool. I wasn't going to throw a punch anyway. My mama made me promise never to punch a girl."
"You were always such a respectable mama's boy, I love it," Delaqua chuckled as Tyler bowed back. "I miss being your supervisor."
"You were always a great one, but I hope that doesn't mean you go easy on me!" He shot back with a grin. "So Cu, what're the rules?"
Shrugging at Tyler's seeming confidence, and noting the mic picked up all of the previous conversation, the lancer cleared his throat. "This will be a basic fighting match. There are no restrictions on fancy moves, punches, elbow and knee strikes, or kicks, but grappling is not allowed. I'll hit the bell if things get too hairy. Tyler, since you are not wearing gloves, you are forbidden from striking with your fists, but blocking is acceptable. Just… don't break your hand or anything."
"Wasn't planning on it," he replied casually. Delaqua rolled her eyes but chuckled.
Cu nodded towards Hans at the dimmed table, who acknowledged it back in the darkness. "With the rules laid out, fighters, take your positions!"
Helena took that cue to walk to the music player to begin the soundtrack. El-Melloi followed her so they could continue their hushed conversation when she was finished. The female caster knelt down, started up the soundtrack, and tilted her head curiously at the sound of guitar music playing. "Tyler didn't choose techno?"
"That's unusual for him," he noted as he looked into the arena. "Usually he always choose some genre of-"
"Nickelback!?" Tyler roared from the arena. The laughter from one section of the bleachers made him turn towards the dark silhouettes of his friendly gamers. Two employees stood up to claim responsibility while Iskandar laughed beside them. Tyler shook his head and grinned. "Ohhh you guys! Hold on, Val. I gotta fix this before we all die of horrendous music."
"It's your music that's horrendous!" Mozart shouted from another set of bleachers.
Delaqua could only laugh as Tyler shook his head in dismissal as he walked over to Helena.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Several minutes of what might as well have been a comedy skit later, Tyler was walking back to the center of the Arena as Delaqua struggled to keep her chuckling in check. Even Helena was having issues holding her laughter after the bickering between Tyler and Mozart, mixed in with El-Melloi trying to play negotiator. With that over, the new music's beat kicked in as Helena hit play, bringing the familiar boom of bass into the gymnasium.
"As soothing as classical is, it doesn't fit fighting on most occasions," El-Melloi murmured to Helena.
"I haven't seen many movies yet, but I understand your point. Music choice makes a difference," the female caster replied as Tyler and Delaqua touched fists in the center.
"Fighters! At the ring of the bell, the stage is yours!"
Tyler held a clam yet confident look, while Delaqua was firm and energized. The crowd cheered as the bell rang, watching as the two began moving. To the audience's curiosity, Tyler did not have his guard up and was practically inviting an attack. Compared to the supervisor's firm and stable stance, he was also lightly bouncing on his toes. There was not a hint of arrogance, but of an enthusiastic expression ready for what was coming next.
The audience was not prepared when Delaqua threw her first punch.
In a swift movement, even faster than Gabrielle's maneuvers, Tyler's body bent beneath the attack and to the side. At the same time, he threw the momentum of his movement into his legs as they rocketed towards her. With one hand balancing his upper body, one powerful kick spun into her hastily raised and alarmed guard. It impacted, sending her staggering backwards from the blow, though she successfully defended the strike to her side torso. As Tyler continued the spin to right himself, the crowd fell silent as Delaqua stared in surprise.
"Like I said, it's best you don't go easy on me, Val," Tyler grinned as he began making unusual sweeping motions with his legs.
El-Melloi stared in shock, but Helena was much less surprised. Through everything she has come to learn, she had a natural inquisitiveness to certain foreign concepts. She also heard a lot of other ideas in her search for answers involving her curiosities, and this was vaguely familiar. Any shock was less about that strike, and more regarding the person who threw it. Tyler Fields never appeared to be a fighter, but neither did she.
Yet as the seconds turned to minutes, he was proving exactly that with every dodge and attack.
"Unbelievable! Tyler's movements are not just flash with no substance! The dark horse is managing to stun the powerhouse that is Delaqua!"
Hans had not exaggerated. With each maneuver, Delaqua was struggling to land a hit just on the basis his fighting style was hard to predict. With every kick he sent, and only kicks, he staggered her, even if he never made a successful, wounding strike. The crowd was going wild as he nimbly dodged every one of her hits, whether by dropping to his hands, shifting his feet, or pulling an acrobatic maneuver. El-Melloi was completely taken back by what he was seeing, so Helena was not likely to find an answer from him.
It appears Tyler's secret was even kept from those he considered close. "Tyler is going strike for strike and holding the lead over Delaqua! Will we be seeing a grand upset today!?"
As the fight wore on, it clicked with Helena. She had heard of this fighting style before, and it was more commonplace in modern times than when it was first created. Tyler fell to his hands as Delaqua attempted a snap kick, only for the employee to land his first successful hit in the form of a sweeping strike. Helena slowly nodded her head in understanding as his kick took Delaqua to the ground while the momentum brought him to his feet. He bounced back to give her room to get up as the crowd cheered, and Helena nodded to herself in acknowledgement.
"So you've figured it out too?" El-Melloi asked rhetorically as he smirked and shook his head.
"It's not every day you see someone using it, so it took a bit to understand. It helps I've heard of it in my travels."
Delaqua landed a punch against Tyler's arm, which made him flinch. It seemed she understood too as he backed up to give space. Delaqua had been mostly observing, but now seemed to have a handle on his telegraphs and motions. Still, his grin remained. "Dang. Got me."
"You got me first," Delaqua laughed as she shook her head in amusement. "I never thought I'd even see a Capoeirista. I didn't think you were even one."
"Can you blame me? It's like dancing. It's fun, and it doubles as a martial art."
Delaqua laughed as Hans' voice boomed over the new information. "What a treat, Ladies and Gentleman! The supervisor goes against a rare practitioner of a flashy martial art! But will the unpredictable nature of Capoeira be enough for Tyler to beat Delaqua? Or will the titan stand?"
"You don't have to tune in next time to find out!" Tyler yelled eagerly, making many in the crowd laugh as he began stepping up his rhythm. "Let's kick this up a notch, Val!"
Delaqua pounded her gloves together in excitement. "I like the way you think! I'm glad I don't have to hold back against you!"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Go get her, Tyler!" the Hassans shouted in unison.
"You got this, Delaqua!" some staff yelled from another set of bleachers. The crowd was going nuts.
"Another signature hit from Delaqua! But it fails to stagger the nimble machine that is Tyler!" Thirty minutes had passed, with several bell breaks, yet they were still going strong.
Helena wasn't even too sure if the crowd remembered there was a fight after this one. They were going nuts over the two fighting employees who had been pulling some very interesting maneuvers. Tyler's powerful kicks were doing more than just winding the iron supervisor, while Delaqua's carefully timed strikes made sure the dark-skinned employee stayed wary. This fight was going back and forth between the two, where interesting technique and hardened experience went head to head.
"Nice hit, Val!"
"Same to you. Your kicks are monstrous."
If there was anything more admirable, it was how openly friendly they remained. There were no taunts or choice expressions and gestures. They kept calm and focused on the fight itself without any additional flare. Kicks, strikes and maneuvers did all the talking, and Helena was making sure to emphasize all of it. If anything, it had become a fun and involved fight for her as well.
An automaton, under her telepathic direction, perfectly lit Tyler's handstand dodge as the crowd cheered. "Another flashy dodge! How much stamina does the agile Tyler have!?"
Though she was a powerful caster in her own right, Helena knew she shined in supporting the others with her abilities. Though it had never occurred to her during Gabrielle's fight, she took the cue from Hans' understanding of being a great announcer. By directing the automata correctly, she could perfectly showcase the fight in the dim gymnasium for Mashu and George who were taking pictures. It would also make the two look far more impressive, but she had to ensure they didn't get in the way of the audience.
Like Tyler's dancing, it was a dance of her own, and she was mastering it. Lighting something never occurred to her before, but learning to defeat this challenge was enjoyable and engaging. Her eyes darted between the arena and her automata, constantly making adjustments on the fly for the unpredictable fight. It was definitely more interesting than letting them point the spotlights lazily like before, and she quietly pondered if Shakespeare would be interested to have her lighting his play.
"A swift strike from Delaqua-" Tyler pulled a handstand to attempt a kick on her head, which made her raise her guard. He smiled as she fell for the bait, before swinging his legs down and around in a fast and powerful sweep. "Oh! A swift retaliation by Tyler that brings the colossus to the Earth!"
"I've got new respect for you, buddy!" Cu cheered from the sideline as Tyler made room for Delaqua to get to her feet. They close distance. He laughed with the audience in a sheer display of audacity as Tyler spun on his head to strike Delaqua twice while dodging a powerful hook.
"Is there such a thing as too much flash for one person? Apparently not for Tyler! But will it spell his demise in the end?"
Move after move, she used her servant abilities in a way she never considered. She analyzed their moves, predicting their trajectories, and adjusting her automata' lighting accordingly. It had been rough at first, but if she loved anything, it was expanding her knowledge and experience. Theosopy had been founded with help from her wisdom, but there was always something new to discover to adjust her perception. This lighting gig was just another, but it was one of the more amusing ones to date.
As she predicted the next move and their movement paths, she saw it before most others. Her mouth fell open even as she redirected the automata to perfectly light Tyler as he righted himself. He had overestimated the distance he was from Delaqua after performing a fancy low kick. He was blindly swinging his upper body upwards as the supervisor kept her guard raised, anticipating a rare elbow strike he occasionally fired. That elbow strike would not come.
Smack!
Delaqua blinked as the audience collectively cringed, while some laughed. With her raised guard, she did not see Tyler's movement, but she heard him collapse to the ring in a heap. Helena remained stunned even as her automata spotlighted the fallen employee, who was groaning on the ground flat on his back. Delaqua lowered her guard as the laughter in the audience grew, allowing her to see Tyler on the ground. She was completely confused as she looked around, and even wary if it was a trap until Cu rang the bell.
Hans, finally shaken from his own laughter and surprise, turned his microphone back on. "What a shocking turn of events, ladies and gentleman! It seems even Tyler's dance was just as confusing to him since he slammed his own face into Delaqua's guard! Cu is walking over to begin the down count!"
Cu, still trying to withhold his laughter, began smacking the mat with his hand as Delaqua stood completely aghast. "Three…! Four…!"
With no one holding their breath Cu continued the count, only to slap the mat gently. "…Nine and a half?"
Tyler groaned in response to the number, but remained on his back. Cu chuckled and gave an apologetic smile to Delaqua. "Sorry, Miss. Seems the show is over for my friend."
"There's the call! Tyler Fields has been knocked out, by himself of all people! How completely humiliating, but it couldn't have happened to a more carefree individual!"
The supervisor quickly took to her knees beside the employee as she observed his dazed face. "Tyler! Tyler, hey! What was that!? You can't knock yourself out on me!"
"This guy..." the male caster sighed, making Helena giggle as they entered the arena.
Iskandar, wearing a matching outfit to Tyler, was barely keeping his laughter in as he walked with the pair to access the fallen employee. The female caster knelt on the other side of the fallen employee while Helena kept them lit. Slowly, Helena checked his vitals with a few, quick spells and was certain he was alright. His eyelids fluttered open, removing any concern; Like true friends, there didn't seem to be any worry in the eyes of Iskandar or El-Melloi.
"Hey. Tyler. Snap out of it," El-Melloi stated plainly as he knelt down and slapped him lightly, causing those nearby to laugh. Thankfully Helena lowered a microphone so the audience could listen to the potentially humorous conversation too. Judging by Tyler's sudden, random murmurings, they would not be disappointed with the results.
"Momma…? Momma… is that you?" he asked as he looked at Helena. The female caster blinked before giggling.
El-Melloi deadpanned. "She's not your mom, Tyler."
"I never had a child named Tyler before running away from my husband," Helena admitted shamelessly. Her laughing intensified with Delaqua's at his look of confusion.
Iskandar's chuckling boomed as El-Melloi held his hands up. "Now, how many fingers am I holding up?"
Tyler stared at the hand and blinked. "…Pineapple."
"Okay, good enough, he'll be fine," El-Melloi rolled his eyes as Iskandar gently picked up the dazed employee. Helena stood up, glad she didn't need to do an emergency treatment for the fallen employee. She simply lit the scene perfectly as Iskandar shifted the employee comfortably on his shoulders.
Tyler started to protest as they began exiting the arena. "Wait…! No! I don't want to leave Six Flags yet!"
"Oh bloody hell…" El-Melloi murmured with a scowl, though it failed to hide his own laughter over the audience's own booming roars.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Now that the exhilarating comedy hour is over, it's time for the main event!" Hans declared, causing the crowd to erupt into loud cheering. It was well deserved.
Helena sighed as she straightened her own referee outfit. Instead of black pants, her striped shirt was accompanied by a small skirt. Though the outfit didn't matter much, it was the idea she would help Cu observe the fight while simultaneously lighting that proved to be the exciting challenge. She would argue, with the added lightning hobby, that she was more invested in the next fight than any other besides the two fighters.
It would be the first time two servants would be duking it out in an organized spectacle within Chaldea, but this was inevitable.
"Ladies and Gentleman! Are you ready for the fight of the century!? The fight we've all been waiting for!?" Hans questions were met with the roar of applause, louder than any previously. "Then without further delay! In the Red Corner, weighing in at eighty kilograms, stands the man who has gifted humanity with the power of the gods! The legendary inventor himself, give it up, for Nikola, the Thunder God, Teslaaaaa!"
With a roar of cheers, Tesla descended from the ceiling in an obnoxious display of crackling lightning. His muscular torso was on full display since he wore nothing but well-made, purple boxing shorts. He raised both of his boxing glove clad arms into the air to the roar of excitement. He waved to the audience before striking a powerful stance with his hands on his hips.
"In the Blue Corner, weighing in at eighty-eight kilograms, is the man whose inventions have graced mankind with their innovation and quality of life! The rivalling legendary inventor, let's have a round of applause for the Wizard of Menlo Park! Thomas Alva Edisooooon!"
Unlike Tesla, Edison appeared from spiritual form with an American Flag draped over one shoulder. He carefully lifted it to reveal a matching outfit that made Tesla grimace in annoyance. The flag disappeared into golden dust, fully unveiling his red and white striped tank top and American flag boxing shorts, much to the cheers and laughter to many in the audience. To his delight, he laughed heartily as a chant of 'USA' began in the audience started by a few, partially inebriated countryman.
"As obnoxious as always…" Tesla glowered, making Helena sigh from the sidelines.
"Says the man who came down like an imitation of Zeus. I thought you said I was the one who was a copycat," Edison shot back, earning some laughter from the audience. "I can't wait to end this today with your smirk on the floor!"
"Maybe after I've cracked your pride like one of your flimsy little lightbulbs!"
"Hey, save it for the real fight, you two!" Helena snapped as she met the two in the middle. To her surprise, they both chuckled as she huffed with arms akimbo. A microphone lowered to her height thanks to one automaton. "This is a traditional boxing match! Punching only and above the belt! Keep it clean and listen to the bell! I'll be keeping automata nearby if you two want to keep bickering."
"Perfect! I get to tear him down in two ways."
"Keep talking, Edison. That's all you're good for when you can't hide behind your patents!"
Helena groaned and walked to the sidelines. With crossed arms, she joined Cu against the ropes as he chuckled at her dismay. Hans' voice flared over the excited audience. "The fight of the century begins! Fighters! Touch gloves, and at the sound of the bell, let your fists write the conclusion of your rivalry!"
"As if that would just stop them from bickering…" Helena mumbled, making Cu laugh.
"Hey, they're getting their outlet, right? Honestly, I've been waiting to see this myself."
The two touched gloves as Tesla smirked at Edison. "I'm going to knock that smile off your stupid lying face."
Edison was momentarily confused if he meant that as a pun. "I know you love your lightning, but don't be so shocked when I put you in your place today!"
The bell rang.
She had seen many things, through both messages and visions from Mahatma. Glancing ways to the Root had been among many of the possibilities she had received, and countless revelations had been more spectacular and mysterious than the last. All her visions and messages, and even instinctual feelings, would never prepare her for what came next. To her horror, it happened anyway, and she was too late to prevent any of it.
They threw a very fierce jab at the same time, and both didn't bother to dodge. The attacks connected.
With a snap, both servants' heads whipped to the side and their bodies fell limp. With groans, both Edison and Tesla fell to the ring in a heap, stunning the entire audience. Even Hans was at a loss for words at how to describe the utterly pathetic spectacle; That's what Helena believed he would say, because even she thought that.
Cu and Helena ran over to the fallen servants as the crowd began laughing. With quick checks, Helena confirmed they were both fine, but knocked out. With hands now covering her face, she groaned in dismay as Cu laughed. "This is not how this was supposed to happen!"
"Incredible! In a show of completely outrageous stupidity, they've both knocked each other out! Of all the possible epilogues, they've written a children's comedy!"
"Do you think this will only make them louder?" Cu asked as Helena dropped her hands to her lap. It revealed her twitching eyebrow.
"I'm not going to let that happen… They need to let this out of their system," she grumbled under her breath.
"What an interesting turn! It seems even Helena is disappointed with that atrocious outcome! We may yet see a real fight, ladies and gentleman!"
Swiftly spoken words ignited her spells, and she healed the two servants as swiftly as possible. Soon, both servants had their eyes open once more and sat up. Upon taking note of the situation, they realized what happened and got to their feet as the two referees got out of the way. Cu shot Helena a curious glance since she didn't move fast enough. The caster, who was preoccupied with moving her automaton, had been shoved out of the way by the revived servants.
They roared over each other. "That was a cheap shot!" "I'll get you for that!" "Let's go! Right now!" "Ring the bell again!"
"And just like that, they're at it again! Let's hope they last longer this time to live up to their title as heroes!"
Helena sighed in aggravation as Cu helped her up as Hans rang his bell. "That was rather kind of them."
"I'll let it slide," Helena huffed as she dusted herself off. "They need this, and so does my sanity. If I ever hear them argue about how to properly grill salmon again…"
The two bickering servants began their real fight to the roar of the crowd. A jab was received, while a hook was blocked. Two swift strikes to the head were followed by a retaliatory uppercut that also connected. Verbal jabs joined the actual ones as the two servants finally had their outlet. The crowd's excitement only grew.
Helena sighed. At least she wouldn't have to heal them so soon again… hopefully. She concentrated once more on lighting as Edison landed a vicious haymaker. "What a hit! Tesla's feeling the brunt of more than just Edison's signature patents!"
The bell rang, and Helena rushed forward to break the two apart before Cu could even move; He sat back and watched with a smirk. Laughter erupted from the audience at the sight of the much smaller woman pushing apart two frustrated, powerful servants with ease. She would have found it as amusing if she didn't have to do this almost every single day. Experience made the job easier at least.
"You just got lucky on that last hit!" "Oh? Just like you only got lucky creating AC?"
"Break it up and sit in your corners! Wait for the bell and then you can go at it again!"
If anything she learned was a pleasant surprise, it's how much control she had over them when she was just a tad more forceful than usual. They went to their corners for the first time out of several dozen that afternoon. Helena sighed again as they growled in their corners. Her chosen solution for their bickering was working, at least.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The salon's empty air made for a wonderful reading environment.
Helena sat comfortably on one of the couches by the window in her halter dress, content to forgo sleep if it meant completing the recommended book. With the chandelier at a quarter of their power, she had to use an automaton with a small light for adequate brightness. The Colonel Olcott sat on the couch's back, which was a far cry from the intricate dance of illumination she had to fulfill earlier. Though the fight was long, and only as exciting as the previous one, it was their back and forth bickering that made it shine. Words held quite the power on their own.
With a giggle, Helena turned to the next page. "Human poetry is worse? Maybe I should show Shakespeare these lines."
As her eyes glances across the book's words, imagery forged within her mind like spells with the wave of her hand. Visual representation of what the Vogons would look like danced through her mind coupled with the curiosity if her interpretation was right; The film would provide the answer later. Though even as the poetry tickled her intrigue, she found she couldn't concentrate as well as she hoped.
The silence of the salon made it far easier to think than she would like. Normally she loved the silence, which gave her a window for a possible message from Mahatma. Today, after the long fight between Edison and Tesla, it would never yield such a result. Images of the final strike of the fight echoed in her mind, interrupting scenes of the book like a jarringly forced product placement. Arthur's torture by Vogon poetry was likened to her torture by their final hit, which mirrored the first.
Helena groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. With eyes shut, she sighed in exasperation. 'Why did they have to knock each other out… again!'
Though she hoped for it, reaching the answer to life, the universe, and everything would not be achieved that night.