"… But nothing's going to happen to your friendship, right?"
"No… Gabby would be devastated if something did. It will feel different for me though… Maybe I should ask Kiyohime or Brynhildr for some advice…"
The assassin was hugging her knees under the cover of the warm blankets to soothe her downcast mood. Rena sat on the pillow beside her, quietly switching attention between its friend and the visiting archer. At the opposite end, Arash sat politely in a newly laundered set of clothes. A jade tropical shirt was left unbuttoned at the top and covered part of his white swim trunks. Both hands were folded while he quietly observed the assassin gently rub the top of Rena's chassis as distraction.
Arash gave her a soft, reassuring smile as she turned back to him. They had been talking for the past half an hour about Gabrielle's gentle turndown. Serenity had been beyond grateful Arash had been doing what he could to keep eyes off of them when it turned south dramatically, but he wasn't sure if he did more harm than good. All he did know was they were in despair, and he had to do something to keep their privacy in a weakened moment.
Needless to say, he was beyond grateful for Mozart's sudden, spectacular idea of a pre-show distraction. Though it was only a temporary relief for the two affected girls, their snowballing tears had been halted for the night. He had silently kept tabs on the assassin, who he shared an even greater sense of comradery with ever since he got the memorial essence of the Jerusalem Singularity. They had already been friends due to his countless cordial gestures after Rena came into the picture, but the added memories only bolstered their connection.
Enough so, that Arash was one of only three males Serenity would gladly open up to. She shifted under her comforting covers. "I should have known it wasn't something more…"
"It's how Gabby is with everyone. Gudao likes to treat everyone with dignity and consideration, but Gabrielle will pick up on the small things… like how you love the feeling of being touched," Arash explained quietly. Serenity nodded in understanding. "It's no wonder she felt horrible. She felt she had led you on when you confessed, didn't she?"
"Yes… She was very upset about it and wouldn't stop apologizing… She lost a lot of friendships that way, but she can't help being who she is." Serenity whispered as she rubbed Rena's chassis again.
"It sounds like you're both very close."
"She thinks of me like a… little sister…" Serenity muttered with a depressed sigh. Arash fell silent at the painful admittance. "I know she prefers men but, I just thought I had a chance… There's more to it, but it's personal to her. Sorry, Arash."
"That's understandable. We'll leave it there."
To be honest, he was still a little surprised she chose him over the rest, even after her explanation. Her fellow Hassans were like family, like Rena, and Tyler was a tad too carefree. Though they did much to cheer her up, she needed a real conversation. She didn't want to bother Gudao about it for obvious reasons either, so that left their unique friend group. Though her friendship with Brynhildr was growing and blossoming, he was still the next closest.
"I'm just glad you felt comfortable enough to talk to me about this."
Serenity gave a soft smile. "Is there anyone in Chaldea who can't feel comfortable around you, Arash?"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Fragment 44: His Model Friendship
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Arash stood up. After an hour of talking, it was about time for him to leave, judging by the video intercom's numbers. Her next visitor would arrive any minute. She smiled as Rena bounced in her lap. "Thank you for checking up on me."
"Yea~! Thanks, Arash~!"
"You've confined yourself to your room enough already. I didn't want to see some sort of relapse if I could help in any way," he smiled back comfortingly.
"It's just for this morning, I promise…" Serenity whispered as she gently pet Rena.
The assassin giggled, surprising her two companions. Arash kept his smile though. "What's the joke?"
"Your compassion and consideration are hardly a joke," Serenity smiled back, though her eyes were only half as lit. "Thank you. I'm very happy we're friends."
"You're welcome, Serenity. I'd always do whatever I can for those in need," he grinned with a thumbs up.
The assassin giggled softly as he walked to the door, only to be surprised as it opened. Arash blinked as he stared at Gabrielle, who had her hands folded in front of her with a dim expression. Equally surprised, she looked up at the archer and seemed so much smaller than usual in her yellow sundress. She gave a faint smile to the archer, who returned it by making a quick and accurate rooster call. The female master blinked in confusion before she found herself giggling.
"Arash… what was that for?"
"I just felt the mood was low, that's all," the archer responded with a grin before stepping around the female master. She stepped into the room and looked back at the archer as he waved. "I hope it goes well, you two. You have some of the best smiles in Chaldea, and I'd hate to see them fade."
"Thanks, Arash," Serenity and Gabrielle chimed simultaneously in soft voices. With a final nod, the archer stepped away from the door as it slid closed.
As he walked away, he could still hear the conversation begin faintly, but quickly tuned it out. This was not something for him to listen to, and if Gabrielle wanted it public, she would have done so; She was already an open person. All he knew was that the female master has had tragically bad experiences in past relationships, as well as what Serenity recently told him… but he wasn't going to delve further into that.
What he was interested in pursuing was ensuring Serenity would be in good spirits again sooner, rather than later. As his own personal path as a hero, he tried his best to ensure as many as possible were safe and happy. Chaldea was no exception. Though adapting his wishes to a more relaxed environment had been rather enjoyable, it was hardly a challenge. He was used to making sure others were joyful, and it made his grin ever brighter.
Hopefully, the ticket to making Serenity's smile grow again would come to him soon. He just needed to think a bit longer.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ III ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The problems of the morning washed away with every wave that lapped against his legs.
Arash was running through the shallows of the beach. The bottom fringes of his trunks were wet, but his torso remained covered by his shirt. A bright smile was plastered on his face as he ran alongside Nursery Rhyme. Clad in a black one piece, her hair tails flapped in the wind as the caster kept up with the archer at her side. They were soon joined by Kuro in a red bikini as she landed in the shallows by them, splashing the crystal water onto them unintentionally.
"We're safe for now!" Kuro cried out happily as they stopped running. "She's going after the others!"
They turned around to carefully observe the trio further away. Illya, with Ruby clinging for dear life in her hair, was running as fast as she could. Behind the white one piece wearing caster was Jack in her blue striped variation. She lifted her sunglasses temporarily to gaze back in shock. The female archer in a jade green bikini had closed the gap, and her hand softly rubbed the top of the assassin's head. Jack whimpered in defeat as the offender laughed.
"You're it, Jackie!" Atalanta chimed as she sped past her adopted daughter. Jack pouted momentarily before turning her sights on Illya, who squeaked and ran towards the distant trio. The assassin giggled as she gave chase, while Kuro blanched.
"Hoy! Illya! Don't get us involved!" Kuro reprimanded playfully as they quickly split up to avoid the approaching duo.
Irisviel watched from the beach nearby, happily sunbathing in her own frilly maroon bikini. As she sat, propped up lightly with her elbows on the spacious mass of combined beach towels, she giggled as Jack managed to tag Illya. Irisviel leaned back down to sunbathe with closed eyes as her daughter turned to her closest target and gave chase. Arash bolted through the shallows with Illya close on his heels, though he held back purposefully.
There was always something different on Arash's schedule, and it was never the same routine every week. Regardless of what new order his itinerary might be in, he always made room to play with the children. The two mothers complimented his natural gift with them, saying he is an ideal uncle for the little servants. To him, he was just doing what he felt was right, and personally enjoyed making sure the children could laugh and smile genuinely. A child should have wonderful memories to keep.
"You can't get away!" Illya yelled happily as she chased the archer.
"You'll never catch me, Illyasviel von Einzbern!" Arash taunted teasingly with a big grin. Though he purposefully held back his speed, as did Atalanta, he decided to take it a step further. He feigned a faltering step as a large wave crashed into their legs.
Illya took the bait and leapt at him, but he dodged just enough to ensure he wouldn't get tagged. He regained his step and kept running. As Illya caught up again, he quickly changed his course to run past her, surprising the caster who reached out and failed to grasp him. "Ah! Get back here!"
"You have to do better than that to stop the legendary Arash!" he laughed heartily as he kept running. He quickly opened his eyes upon hearing footsteps, and feeling the presence, speed towards him from the front. Confused, he saw the splashing form of Kuro as she dashed towards him with that devious smirk of hers.
She tackled Arash at the legs, causing him to stop but he held his balance. Kuro looked up at him as the tactic registered in his mind. "Get him, Illya!"
"Thanks, Kuro! You're mine, Arash!" Illya cried out as she ran at him with her arm stretched out. A last minute, large wave slammed into her legs, causing her to lose balance. She quickly stumbled and collapsed against the male archer's back, combining with the wave and Kuro's hold to shatter his stance.
"Ah! Illya you're so clumsy!" Kuro cried out as the three of them fell into the shallow water. Arash ensured he landed on his side, and not the girls. The two Einzbern sisters landed on top of him, laughing with the older hero as he tried to right himself. They would not be getting up as soon as they thought.
"Dog pile!" Jack cried out happily as she and her sister jumped onto Arash's prone form, keeping him down. They all laughed as the archer kept his upper half upright; No sense in drowning when having fun with the children. Atalanta quietly approached with a warm smile as the archer checked the condition of his shirt.
"Looks like the girls got you wet after all," his fellow, older archer observed with a giggle. "I'm sorry about that."
"I knew it would happen eventually. It'll just dry off!" Arash laughed as the girls quickly got off of him. He considered possibly bringing Serenity to play with the kids next time since Rena enjoyed it the previous meeting. It was a possibility, and was very infectious for smiling. He picked himself up, and made a small joke about wringing the bottom of his soaked shirt to dry it. Jack and Illya laughed as he then pretended to dust himself off.
"That's not going to work," Nursery Rhyme withheld her giggles behind one hand as it covered her mouth.
"Not with that attitude it won't, Alice!" he joked as he rubbed the top of her head. He smiled brightly as her hold on giggling broke. "But you know what did work?"
Nursery Rhyme tilted her head as he kept gently rubbing. She was confused, though Atalanta let out a chuckle before she began running away. A giggling Jack, Illya, and Kuro soon followed the example as the confused caster's eyes widened. Arash only smiled brighter and chuckled as Nursery Rhyme pouted.
"Tag! You're it!"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Due to a small shift in schedule, the shooting range was open during the afternoon. It was a rare occasion, but one the ranged servants could appreciate. Less mages were needed to trace targets with Edison's arrival, who automated the production process as cheaply as possible; It was yet another positive improvement Tesla would begrudgingly admit. The sounds of whizzing arrows and forming spells filled the air, though there were only a few at the range compared to a morning session. Kiritsugu and Nightingale, who were supervising together, hardly minded the smaller crowd.
Even Nobunaga seemed calmer than usual as she attempted to coach her squad of chibi automaton to hit distant targets; It wasn't panning out well.
An arrow struck the center of a hardened target, different from the rest at the shooting range. Crafted by Da Vinci and replicated by Edison, these self-repairing targets were made to withstand the weakest projectiles a servant can possibly summon. Due to weight and size, these needed to be placed by servants manually, as opposed to robots. Anyone could destroy a target, but keeping one intact for precision improvement was different. Skills and strength were determined upon summoning, but the smallest of improvements to a mastered art was still possible.
However, the precision of the fired arrows was being measured differently this time. "Good strike, Arash, but I think my arrow did better this time."
"I don't know, Tota…" Arash grinned as he placed a hand on the hip of his battle attire. "I'm pretty sure mine's a fraction of a millimeter closer to perfect center."
"On to the third targets, then," his fellow, combat-clad servant laughed as they both trained their bows on the next furthest set of targets. Since the range did not have a mountain backing the shots, they could place them as far away as needed.
Their next set was further up a peak on one of the closer border mountains, nearly two kilometers away. They were hard to spot thanks to the snow, but hardly a chore for legendary archers. With serious faces depicting their hard concentration, the pair released their arrows at the same time. They sliced through the air, being manipulated by the elements due to their weakened state as opposed to their natural attacks; The targets needed to survive, which made for a greater challenge.
Their twin journeys were finished, striking both, meter-wide targets dead center once more. Like the ones before it, they were perfectly centered strikes.
With scrutinizing gazes, but competitive yet friendly smiles, Tota and Arash tried to discern any miniscule differences. Since they both had memorial essences from the last primary singularity, their friendship had grown significantly. Though Arash's duplicate had protected Cursed Arm's village the entire time, Tota had been wandering between them to assist. It was only when Xuanzang discovered him that his original, chosen task as a guardian had been curved to protect the rather energetic, and far too innocently minded, caster.
This only improved their friendship, and nearly doubled the respect for their own shooting prowess. As archers, they ranked highly with their tales, even if they were overshadowed among a few in Chaldea. Their respect was matched only by their genuine friendly dispositions, and if either had a best friend, they were likely the other. Between drinking, hanging out, relaxed conversations, and occasional excursions when deployed together, it was plain to see this was an association that could stand the test of time.
"Drat. This one's yours," Arash admitted with a chuckle. "I hit too many snowflakes this time."
"I thought I was going to lose," Tota chuckled back as he walked over to pat the fellow archer on the shoulder. "Nine to eight total. Another close match."
"I think we still have some time before the range closes. Care for another?"
At the thought, their latest, launched arrows dissipated to join the residual mana in the air. Their targets began self-repairing from their absence as Tota nodded. "Sure! That would be-"
"Disciple Tota~!"
"Or not…" Tota sighed as Arash chuckled at his exasperated face.
As her black hair flowed in the wind as she skipped, the shimmering, golden eyes of an excited Xuanzang were the first to catch Arash's attention. For many males in Chaldea, they'd usually be drawn to her bouncing assets that were barely contained in her white turtleneck sweater and matching yoga pants. Not that the follower of Buddha ever cared, if she even noticed or perceived how suggestive the caster often looked. She stopped before them and waved excitedly to Arash, who returned the gesture with a laugh.
"You're in good spirits, Xuanzang."
"Yes! I had a wonderful suggestion from Buddha, and I wish to follow it! It was recommended I bring one of my disciples as well, but Gudao is busy!" she smiled chipperly before turning to Tota. The archer only sighed. "Let's go, Tota! Buddha has spoken, and I have chosen!"
"Are you at least going to tell me what we're going to be doing this time?" the green haired archer asked as he dematerialized his bow.
"When we get inside! It's a little cold out here!" the caster noted as she shivered. She made a point to rub her thinly clothed legs in an attempt to warm them.
Tota only groaned as Arash laughed. "I don't understand how you're somehow sensitive to temperature, yet do nothing proper about-"
"But these clothes are comfy!" she cried out. Tota rolled his eyes.
"Not too warm considering the altitude, however," Arash pointed out with a smile. The caster pouted.
With another sigh, the muscular archer scratched the back of his head. "I'll go retrieve my targets then. Wait inside where it's warmer, Xuanzang."
"It's alright, Tota. I'll grab them for us," his fellow archer offered. Tota looked uncertain, though Arash remained firm and smiling. "The dashing back and forth is a fun jog."
"Yes! Thank you, Arash! Now we don't need to delay much longer!" Xuanzang cheered as she grabbed Tota's arm and began pulling him towards the door. He held firm, much to her displeasure, as she attempted in an exaggerated fashion to move a boulder from its spot. It was comical as she pouted.
"Thanks then, Arash. We shall make up for the last competition another time, and your kind gesture with some fine wine."
"Sounds great! Have fun, whatever it may be."
"I hope so…" Tota sighed with a bemused smile before finally allowing Xuanzang to drag him off. Her smile returned tenfold as she happily began a new conversation.
Arash merely watched the duo leave before beginning his task. As he dashed down the slope of the current mountain, he pondered about treating Serenity to a bit of drinking to raise her spirits since the children's schedule was full. Nothing too extensive, even though he knew she could handle her drink, but just enough to be happy. He was still uncertain how the more private talk with Gabrielle went, but he's hoping she would be interested in the idea nonetheless. As a hero, seeing anyone upset always caused him a great deal of sympathy.
The only way to repair that was to bring a smile back to their face through action. Already, as he jumped across mountain sides, his plan began to form.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ V ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Morning deployments were becoming the norm when Chaldea was responding to a malign, minor singularity. It gave enough time for the deployed teams to handle the situation effectively, while allowing the highest chance possible to arrive well before dinner. It meant no summoning for the day, but adding to the surplus was never such a bad idea. They were running short on saint quartz, but at least the advent of the mana apples cut their use for in-deployment needs.
Arash casually stretched his hands in front of him, enjoying the tautness of his familiar leather armor as he cracked a few joints. He enjoyed it almost as much as the two older Gorgon sisters playfully, but quietly, berating their older sister between them. He glanced to his left as Billy and Dantes walked to the other squad casually, while Arjuna stood patiently on the circle beside him. The Rayshift circle to his right remained unattended, and wasn't too sure who else would be the last-minute, substitute guard in Gudao's fire support squa-
He smiled as the servant in question approached. "Ah, so we're working together today. It's been a while since we were on the same team, Frankenstein!"
"Yes…" the berserker nodded happily as she took a spot on the Rayshift circle beside him. The veil on her wedding dress was longer, though the smile she wore was as constant as his friendliness these days.
"Here's hoping this doesn't drag on too long."
"So long as we fulfill our duty properly, that is what matters," Arjuna stated firmly as he stared forward.
"Agreed, but one can wish for nice dessert, no?" Arash asked with a grin.
Arjuna only glanced to him casually, but the passing, skipping Astolfo answered instead. "Ice cream is the best~!"
Arash chuckled before looking back to Frankenstein. She had materialized her weapon just in case the initial landing was rougher than anticipated. He felt a sympathetic connection with the berserker that a very rare few in Chaldea could have, but not on a personal level. They were friends, yes; Arash was on friendly terms with nearly every servant, which was an impressive feat by itself. No, this connection was something different compared to most, and one many didn't have to take into consideration.
They were among a few in Chaldea with restrictions on using a noble phantasm for various reasons.
Even though Frankenstein's power output for her noble phantasm could be controlled, it was as restricted as his own unless the situation absolutely called for an emergency with no other alternative. They had both followed Gudao's decision, who had declared outright, with no room for argument, that the concept sacrificing oneself meant you couldn't help anyone afterwards; The momentary gain was far outweighed by the lasting consequences.
He was almost certain Frankenstein was as flattered with the master's show of compassion, mixed with logical reasoning, as he was.
They had never argued that point since there were so many allies present to assist. The idea it was still an option likely unnerved Anton to no end, since the employee cherished Frankenstein beyond all measure of doubt. Though she could limit the power and completely diminish the chance of death, she still chose not to use it at all. Arash was not in the same boat since he had no limiting options.
If it came down to it, Arash would gladly forfeit his spiritual life to save the countless friends he's made in these halls. Technically, he already did it once in Jerusalem.
Many servants in Chaldea were famous for their heroism, first and foremost, and it is a duty he held close to his heart. His noble phantasm embodied his final action that brought peace, and if it would preserve future cherished memories forged in these halls, he would do it. Just as surely as his duplicate saved the deployed teams during the Jerusalem Singularity, he would do it too. However, he would remember the consequences, and weigh them heavily as he considered using the final attack.
After all, he had come to love this place like an irreplaceable home, and would like to return to it too. Yes, Da Vinci had rarely stated everyone's saint graphs were recorded by Chaldea's unique system. With that, it was theoretically possible to resummon a servant if they had already been here. However, the specifics weren't clear, and it had never been tested; No one wished to.
With the flare of the Deployment Room's klaxons, the room turned a shade of red. The command section's circles were suddenly ablaze with chatter. Gudao and Gabrielle turned to Lord El Melloi II, Mashu, and Scathach in confusion as they waited for Roman's announcement. Fou's attention shot to everyone, before landing curiously on Gudao's squad. Arjuna remained calm, though alert, while Arash and Frankenstein shared concerned looks. Even the Gorgon sisters had stopped the playful bickering to slightly panic, while Medusa remained calm in amusing contrast.
Perplexity also defined the atmosphere around Gabrielle's neighboring squad as Da Vinci's voice echoed over the intercom. "The singularity has suddenly increased in threat level! We'll be deploying you immediately while Roman brings up the new scans! If it gets any worse, the landing will only be more chaotic!"
It was rare to hear Da Vinci's voice so urgently serious. Arash followed Arjuna in summoning his weapon, just as the girls in front of him did as well. A malign singularity growing worse brought back unnerving memories of what happened when they encountered Ibaraki back in November, but this time they had an early warning about it. At worst, this could last multiple days like that one, but it was a sacrifice that they would make. He only felt bad Serenity's cheering-up party tonight would likely get delayed.
As the circles hummed beneath them, those thoughts could wait; He could be the considerate friend after he's finished being a hero that helps see everyone home safely.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The halls were relatively lively with the bustle of individuals returning to their rooms. A number of servants had gotten injured, but only a few decided to take temporary leave in the Medical Bay to speed up the process. The singularity had been dealt with aggressively, leading to a swift victory despite the unusual circumstances of the situation. With nearly two hours until dinner, it was almost guaranteed the wind-down would be smooth and stress free.
Arash, having been one of the luckier ones to return without a scratch, wore his usual, calm smile. He was the back end of the small group of five, with Mashu and Gudao leading the two between them. Roman, carrying a stack of papers, was currently answering some questions from the newly arrived servant beside him. It was rare they would bring back an individual, as was the case with Irisviel and her daughters, so Roman was a tad more excited than usual.
It was not the same case for the woman with black hair.
The new pseudo-servant in question seemed a tad bored as she gazed around, causing her shoulder-length hair to swing lightly. Her hands were buried in the pockets of her red leather jacket with white collar. It was a peculiar fashion statement when thrown so casually over her teal kimono and brown laced boots. Cleopatra had made some curious and dissatisfied comments about her style, but Arash could tell it fell on deaf ears for this woman with unusual male mannerisms. She only seemed set on the task at hand, and that had been an additional blessing in that complex singularity.
"We got lucky it lasted roughly eight hours. You definitely helped us with that," Gudao noted as the small group walked down the main hallway towards the residence area.
"I'm sincerely sorry you are not able to return to your proper timeline, but I along with the others in Chaldea look forward to working along with you." Roman kept his gaze calmly on the newest arrival, along with a sincere and remorseful smile. "Once we get you a room, would you want me to give you a tour before dinner? Gudao and Mashu could certainly use a rest, but I imagine you would enjoy some rest too."
"Do I need a tour? This place doesn't feel too difficult to navigate."
"It's not so bad, Miss Ryougi, but the tour is free anyway," Arash added with a small chuckle. Though she stayed relatively reserved, and even cold, he had been the one of the few to chip the ice besides Gabrielle and Gudao. She glanced at his offered smile, but only shrugged. It didn't bother him.
"We'll see," the new assassin responded plainly. She took another glance at the furniture magazine Gudao had given her. She had yet to even open it. "Yare, yare… for a world saving organization, you sure have a lot of luxuries. A furniture store and an artificial beach?"
"Gives a feeling of home. Helps relieve stress too," Arash stated, earning a small glance from the female. He smiled back, but she only blinked at first. He didn't mind.
"Always a touch cheery, aren't you?" she asked rhetorically which an amused smirk before glancing back at the magazine. Maybe she was actually considering it, but he doubted it.
She was an unusual individual, that's for certain. With quick farewells, he turned down one of the corridors towards his room. He casually ignored Okita and Nobunaga bickering in the middle of the hallway as the chibi Nobus, of both factions, attempted to pull them apart. He needed to get changed quickly and enact his heroic plan to save Serenity's mood. Thankfully, his other accomplice hadn't been seriously wounded in the fighting either, and would meet with him shortly.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Is she in her room?"
"Last I checked, yes. Jekyll and Paracelsus will meet us at the cove. What of Ozymandias?"
"Too short notice for him. The Egyptians and Romans had a small party planned ahead of time," Arash explained before chuckling. "Maybe next time, but tonight is for Serenity. If Ozymandias came, half of our party would have been about him too."
Brynhildr walked beside him and held her giggling back with one bare hand. Arash turned to her and smiled, which she gladly returned as they kept walking. Though the well-fit, turquoise polo tucked into white slacks drew occasional glances, he knew most were drawn by the lancer. Her long hair was the definition of combed perfection, and she walked with unbelievable grace in her lavender, tea-length dress. Its off-shoulder design, accented by sparkling silver earrings made her face appear to glow in celestial beauty.
To be fair, she was definitively divine.
Arash always appreciated seeing others find contentment or happiness, and it was nearly doubled for Brynhildr. Suffering from her own legend, he did everything he could to ease her acclimation to Chaldea ever since he helped separate her from Siegfried the first time. The sad, weary smile had lost much of its weight thanks to him and Paracelsus' combined efforts, much to his satisfaction. Introducing her to Tamamo and Kiyohime as some of her first friends outside their little grail group had also greatly helped. Slowly but surely, she found some enjoyment and happiness in her stay.
After running a hand delicately through her bang, they turned down the hallway towards Serenity's room. She giggled. "I hope she's changed."
"We're a minute late... or fashionably late, as Nero would say."
"Thirty minutes to do hair? Anishka is prompt yet has almost surreal beauty wherever she goes."
Arash chuckled. "Don't let the Empress of Roses hear you say it."
Brynhildr smiled back. "A light tease like that would not chink the armor of the ever haughty, but wonderfully compassionate, Nero."
"As long as it doesn't touch any of her beloved talents." They both laughed… and internally cringed.
The side thoughts were dropped there. They stopped before Serenity's door, and felt the presence of the assassin moving about within. They looked to each other and nodded as Serenity whispered something on the other side. Arash lifted his hand to casually knock on the door-
Arash and Brynhildr both, almost barely, flinched as the door slid open rather quickly. "Hello~!"
Robots never had a presence, and Rena's newly minted, quiet levitators made her nearly undetectable to servants. Thankfully, the childlike robot probably couldn't forge a deadly thought if it tried. Serenity's giggling, which was a relieving sound for the archer, could be heard as Arash took a slight step back to create some space between himself and Rena, who loves to ignore the concept of personal space. He and Brynhildr could only chuckle as the robot bounced in the air where it floated.
"Oh~! Oh~! Where are you taking Serenity~? I have to come too, you know~!"
"Someone's really excited about surprises," Arash stated, ignoring the question only to pat Rena on the side of her chassis. "You'll find out soon. Is Serenity ready?"
"I am," the assassin replied as she appeared in the doorway. The tone of her answer was relieving fresh air, and his worry slipped away.
Serenity had not been called with the reinforcements, likely out of courtesy and consideration, so Arash had been partially concerned of her unknown state. To his further relief, she wore a small smile, even if her eyes told of lingering disappointment; Their small sparkle had returned, at least. Her lilac sundress twirled lightly as she spun around to lock her room with the key card. She toyed with the small, yellow rose in her hair before nodding to her friends.
"You look so cute," Brynhildr complimented with a warm smile before pulling the smaller girl into a hug. Serenity gladly accepted the brief gesture before the lancer took a step back, but held one of her hands lightly. "Are you feeling alright? If you're not feeling up to it-"
"I'm okay, Bryn…" Serenity nodded, though her smile held the lingering disappointment of her eyes for a brief moment. "I just need some time to get over it. The second talk with Gabby answered a lot for me, and I feel a lot better after all we discussed. We'll always be close friends. We promised that much."
"I'm glad," Brynhildr smiled back. Arash quietly watched their exchange while quietly petting Rena; The robot definitely didn't mind. "Let's not keep our other friends waiting then. Everyone wants to make sure you're smiling again. You deserve happiness after all you've been through."
"The same could be said for you, Bryn," Arash chuckled as he motioned casually for them to start walking. The lancer smiled back at him, as did Serenity, upon noting his signature grin. "So! Let's all be happy together, yea? It's going to be a great night! Jekyll even agreed to his first drink!"
Serenity and Brynhildr tossed surprised glances at each other as Rena looked curiously between all of them. As the two girls gushed curiously to each other about the revelation, the robot's eyes locked onto Arash as it got in his face again. "Oh~! Drinking! Are there drinks for robots too?"
Arash only chuckled. "I'm sure there is, Rena! We'll just have to ask Lex when we get there!"
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Club Cove was empty except for the present servants and their private party. Though admittedly last minute, Arash had to thank his lucky stars everything lined up smoothly. Dinner was still being held in the salon as usual, but they were allowed to have dinner here in privacy thanks to Roman's help. Brynhildr had even managed to enlist Kiyohime's help from the kitchen, who was providing them with complimenting dishes to the drink list for the night.
There was going to be a large drink variety this evening, but one in particular wasn't getting their way, much to the amusement of the rest.
"What the -BLEEP- do you mean I'm too young for Petrol HL-533-P!?" Rena roared, causing the gathered group of servants to succumb to another wave of laughter. Thanks to a small, playful addition by Da Vinci to curb her unintentionally increased vocabulary through Tyler, her curse words were actually bleeped by her speakers. It shook in the air above the bar, but the bartending robot didn't even budge. "I want tasty oil!"
"Then you can have anything up to ML-110," Lex stated back in a resolute tone while waggling an arm at the smaller robot. "Your processors are too inexperienced to handle the HL series."
"This is an outrage! I demand to speak with your manager!"
"I am the manager, you upstart! Back In my day, the new metal on the network would show proper respect and conduct to the elder models! The software protocols are slipping!"
"No~! You're just jealous I'm a newer, sleeker model! Nyeeeeeeh~!" Rena enunciated, since the robot didn't actually have a tongue to stick out.
"Maybe another time, Rena," Serenity soothed as she got up from her stool to pull the robot into her lap. Though it looked downcast, it turned its eyes as the bartender robot held the small bottle of lower efficiency oil. Rena reached out with its mechanical arm and took it without further comments, but huffed. Serenity giggled as she rubbed the chassis. Brynhildr joined in to soothe the rejected robot.
"Cheer up, Rena. This night's about raising spirits!" Paracelsus declared with a friendly smile from behind the bar.
His white, button-up shirt was undone at the top, revealing the small golden necklace with a tiny alchemy bottle design for the pendant, made by his apprentice. His black slacks glowed, like his shirt, with the faint blue hues from the aquarium bar. Upon finishing tying his hair into a ponytail, he tossed a glance to Jekyll. "You're certain you want to take your first drinks, doctor?"
"It didn't kill Hyde, I doubt it will kill me. I'll do it among us friends," Jekyll chuckled with a smile. He also had a white button up, but it was paired with tan slacks. Sitting between Brynhildr and Arash, he passed a glance to both of them, causing them all to smile.
Paracelsus chuckled as he fiddled with a few drinks behind the counter. "Now that we're all in agreement for drinks, then… It's time to reveal that Jekyll isn't the only one with a surprise for the night! I hope you all enjoy this, because it's the first time I'm letting anyone witness!"
"Water into wine with the Philospher's stone?" Arash joked, making the caster shake his head as a new case of chuckles rushed through the group.
Paracelsus only flashed a smile that barely contained his surprising excitement as he lined up six hurricane drinking glasses on the small ledge attached to the bar. They were followed by six steel, open-topped mixing shakers presented on the bar itself in clear view. "Something better. Please don't blink."
With a fleeting glance to the robotic bartender and a nod, Lex changed the bar's music. The soft, classical music that had been playing screeched to a halt, and the familiar beat of modern electronic quickly formed. Curiously, Arash glanced at his seated friends who looked on in anticipation. As the beat picked up, and Paracelsus's leg tapped to the beat, Serenity and Brynhildr were whispering in excitement if he was going to dance, but he threw that idea out the window…
…by casually tossing an open bottle of blue Curaçao into the air. Rena's eye sensors shot wide to match the four servants.
"First drink of the night! A Blue Hawaii to start us all off!" Paracelsus chuckled as he casually reached behind him. The neck of the bottle was pinched between two fingers before he casually spun it to his front. Arash chuckled in excitement, matching the growing enthusiasm from the others.
As he lightly juggled the bottle, it was joined by an open bottle of rum as the music picked up. With a casual fling, the bottle of rum was sent spinning into the air above him as he reached back with one hand. With another casual toss, keeping his eyes on Serenity the whole time, he flicked his wrist. The bottle was shadow passed behind him and casually grabbed with the other hand before he twirled in place. Smooth and calculated, the free hand at his side opened casually to grab the falling rum bottle as he completed the second revolution.
Arash laughed and clapped loudly. Even though it was far easier as a servant, trick shows were always entertaining. "From alchemy to bar flaring?"
"It's a fun little hobby," Paracelsus replied as he stepped his game up. He spun the bottle of Curacao wildly on its side, making the five wary it would spray them. To their surprise and mystery, the liquid only poured out into the mixing cups as the neck passed over them. Their smiles grew.
"Now you're doing some magic tricks or something! Caster powers?" Rena asked in excitement as it bounced gently in Serenity's arms.
"Would you rather be sprayed?" Paracelsus asked with a chuckle, earning laughter as he tossed the now empty bottle into the air to land perfectly on one finger.
With a confident smile, he bounced the empty bottle on his finger while swinging the thin bottle of rum between them like a fan. It was perfected motion without any wobbling before he pulled his finger away. The bottle dropped out of sight, only for the caster to catch it on his foot, redirect its motion, and send it casually sailing above his head. It descended, landing on the bottom of the rum bottle as he changed its orientation to pour. Perfectly balanced, yet tilted, on the edge of the pouring bottle, Paracelsus moved the bottle along the mixing cups to pour the rum evenly.
Soon, the tiny audience was clapping to the beat as Paracelsus continued his little show. Bottles of vodka and pineapple juice were next as he continued his flare show. He alternated between tricks behind the back and spins, picking up one mixing glass at a time to increase the diversity. With every different cup, he poured the two a different way. As a show of skill, Serenity's was even done behind his back so they could see but the caster could not. As he poured the final ingredients into their drinks, he casually mixed each one.
"Sorry. I'm still working on making the shaking part fun," Paracelsus chuckled as he simply shook each one.
"Shake your hips with them?" Arash teased as the group laughed.
"Maybe not that far," Paracelsus noted as he began shaking Jekyll's drink. Soon enough, they were all poured into their respective glasses before he easily flicked different colored umbrellas into each. To the amusement of the watching servants, each umbrella had a small logo of their class drawn in marker.
Upon everyone receiving their glasses, Arash stood up and raised his glass. "To Serenity's happiness?"
Serenity giggled, but stood up as Rena floated out of the way. She shook her head. "To great friends!"
The remaining two stood up to join them, as Rena quickly obtained an empty glass to clink with them; Bumping oil with their drinks would be pretty rude. It held its glass up to join the servants. "Cheers to friendship!"
With clinking glasses, and content smiles, they took a sip of the first drink of the night. Arash relished in the comfortable atmosphere that had been created, and it was only the beginning of their little get together. It was not an uncomfortable silence, but one of pure appreciation between all present, including little Rena. If only Ozymandias could have joined them for the moment, they would nearly be together. Perhaps a heroic saber could have also joined in this moment, but alas, he would likely be a memorial essence for Arturia.
The silence was only broken when Jekyll finished his sip and covered his mouth as he coughed, earning teasing laughter from the rest.
"Easy, Jekyll. You haven't finished drink one yet," Arash joked as the male assassin shook his head with a smile. The archer grinned. "Handling it fine?"
"Very smooth. My compliments to the bartender," Jekyll stated as he nodded his appreciation with an accompanying raise of his glass.
"I rate it a nine," Brynhildr noted with a small smile as she relished the taste of her latest sip. Paracelsus nodded to her, before her smile grew as she turned to him. "Eleven with the show."
"I see. I guess I must try to make that a twelve or higher on the next drink," Paracelsus noted as their laughter continued. A few robots floated into view from the doorway, holding the appetizers to go with Paracelsus' chosen drink lineup. Arash grinned at the sight of warm bread rolls, but even more upon seeing any hint of disappointment had been erased from Serenity's eyes. At least for now, no lingering thoughts would cloud her mind.
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"You're far too kind, Arash… You shooodent- be dragging my inibree-ated self around…"
Arash shook his head and chuckled. "Quite a compliment coming from the gentleman philanthropist!"
"I'm- hardooly a gentool-men… in- this state… Good heavens… How do Hyde and Mordred drink so- much!?" At least the slurring was fairly minimal. They both laughed.
Jekyll's arm was tossed over the slightly taller man's shoulders, making it much harder to walk through the, thankfully, empty hallway. Their party had gone on for longer than they expected, and before they knew it, four hours had elapsed while spent in good company. The others, especially Serenity, had held their liquor just fine compared to Jekyll; For his sake, they all drank to tipsy levels so he 'wouldn't be alone.' Even after the dinner and taking his time drinking, the assassin found himself getting intoxicated fairly quickly. The last drinks towards the end pushed him closer to being drunk.
He didn't want to wind up like Hyde though, so he did a fair job of keeping himself from being fully intoxicated.
Arash couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. Serenity had completely enjoyed herself, and it feels the group as a whole has grown closer. With the actions of their personal grail war in the past, the road was clear for future meetings. Even little Rena was finding her own little niche with the group, though it was hard to turn down the bubbly floating orb. Arash's grin had reached its apex, even before Jekyll quickly excused a small belch.
"I think Mordred will be pretty excited to know you can drink with her now," Arash mentioned while Jekyll held his stomach and groaned. "Right after you handle your first hangover."
"I had hangovers because Hyde," he replied quietly with another groan. "Don't tell Mordred. Please. I don't- …need a new pet name from her."
"Oh? Pet names?" the archer joked. "… and here I thought you weren't acting on your feelings. When'd you start dating?"
"We haven't," he replied curtly with a frown. The sudden shift in mood caused Arash to slow his pace to stare at his friend. "She'd ne- never... She doesn't care. She's Mordred."
"Jekyll? Hey now… you know that's not true."
The assassin looked at him with disappointment and frustration, and it made Arash second guess what kind of drunk he was. In the company of their friends, he was quite the talkative and hilarious drinker, something many could appreciate. With the sudden shift in his mood, Arash noted that might not have been entirely accurate. It was likely the alcohol only amplified his current emotions, so if that was the case, then it was only right that he divert the subject quickly. There's no need to let the night end for him on a bad subject.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow. How about that?" Arash chuckled with a grin. "We need to get you back without tripping. We need to set the recor-!"
Jekyll only clicked his tongue and shook his head lightly. "Sometimes- I wonder… if I'm just a pin cooshun to her…"
Arash opened his mouth to interject, but was swiftly silenced by his groans. "I mean… she drags me ev-ery-where, makes me listen to her problems- …she can't figoor out how to solve on her own, goes way overboard- with the physical abuse… What do I ever- get out of it, huh?"
The archer would have been more amused by how much his slurring waned and waxed, had he not been concerned for his friend's thought train. "Hey, Jekyll-"
"Sheeeesh… she's so rash- and overentoosiastic… most of the time! It's like all the knighthood… disappears when the armor comes off… it's crazy sometimes."
In his own slightly hampered state, he couldn't tell if anyone else was listening, and he hoped not. This would be embarrassing for his friend. "Jekyll. Please."
"But I guess- that's just how she is… she'll always be troo-blesome, but that's… That's just-" He hiccuped and rubbed one eye furiously. Suddenly, he was scarcely a whisper, and the archer barely heard it. "… that's just… part of the charm of her, and it's a lot of the reason I keep falling further… Hyde's right. I guess Ima masoo-cheest..."
Arash fell silent, but kept listening to Jekyll. He inhaled quickly, and continued whispering with a small smile. "But that's fine… whatever, right? I'd do it for her. Every time. Gladly… I lo-… I just have- …have to deal with the idea it will remain unre… un-receee-peracatid…"
"Jekyll! Stop!" The assassin finally looked at Arash in confusion.
The archer wasn't staring at him, rather, he looked past the drunken man. He had even stopped walking and held firm eyes, though it didn't register with the assassin who remained perplexed. Jekyll had been heard alright, and Arash's tipsy mind was overclocked to figure out an immediate response. Most were usually asleep by now, but luck just had to leave a few awake to possibly overhear. It would be easy enough to explain for both, especially with Jekyll's drunken state, but sometimes the stars simply didn't align.
Rather, as Jekyll finally turned to look, Arash felt the poor man stiffen at the sight. "Is… is that how you really feel about me? Is it!?"
Arash glanced to Jekyll, whose eyes now looked significantly clearer than a few seconds ago upon landing on Mordred several dozen paces away. As she stood at the hallway intersection, her tightened fists shook at her sides and the vibrant green looked noticeably darker. The anger that emanated from the saber was enough to remind anyone nearby she wasn't just a girl in her signature white top and daisy dukes. She was Mordred, the former Knight of Treachery, and one of the most temperamental and potentially misunderstanding servants in Chaldea.
With renewed urgency, Arash finally found his voice. "Mordred, please! That's not what he-"
"Shut up, Arash! I heard it all clearly! But why!? Why couldn't you have just told me in private, Jekyll!? Why do this behind my back!?" Arash could see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she shook in place. It was evident she had not heard the last lines Jekyll muttered. "I trusted you! Aren't you going to say something!?"
Jekyll was at a clear loss of words as Arash glanced at his friend. He quickly turned back to Mordred to attempt to diffuse, but she had already shut her eyes. With sheer anger, she roared. "Fine then! I won't talk to you ever again! I hope that's what you wanted all this time!"
"Mordred wait!" Arash held out his free hand.
She didn't.
As fast as it began, it was over, and the saber disappeared in a cloud of golden dust before one of her concealed tears could race down her cheek. Arash stood numb, but not more so than Jekyll. Arash felt him grow several tons heavier, and quickly but carefully eased him to the ground. Slowly, he readjusted the servant to rest his back against the nearby wall as several servant presences approached. Arash paid them no heed, and only kept staring at his devastated friend.
"Jekyll... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made a joke about-"
"It's not your fault Arash…" Jekyll replied weakly. He only stared forward at the wall opposite them as one of the observing servants approached. "I… I should get to my room…"
Cursing himself for letting Jekyll get so intoxicated, and feeling responsible for the tragedy that just transpired, he failed to properly acknowledge Tota as he stopped at a comfortable distance. Only when he slowly turned to his battle-clad friend, did he realize the other present Peacekeepers likely had some inquiries, and Jekyll was in no mood to answer… let alone hear it again. Tota began hesitantly. "What happened here, Arash? Why was Mordred yelling?"
After a glance at Jekyll, who looked back at him pitifully, Arash stood up and motioned for Tota to walk off to the side for a quiet discussion.
Jekyll didn't need another reminder so soon.
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"I screwed up, Bryn, and I'm one of the few with clairvoyance…"
"It doesn't always work like that, Arash. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you feel responsible, then we all should for letting it get that far."
Arash sat across from the lancer at breakfast, idly poking his bagel with a fork. It was still warm, but it might not be much longer if he continued to brood. The archer was buried in his thoughts and guilt, and talking wasn't helping. He even only wore a plain black shirt and grey sweat pants since they required no extra thought. Brynhildr could only stare at him sadly with hands folded in her lap. She sat quietly in her white sundress, likely thinking of what to say next as Arash sighed.
"I have to do something to fix it."
"As guilty as you are, you should not interfere with love. This is between them," Brynhildr reminded with a solemn expression. "I know how you must feel… but please, Arash. You can't always be the hero for everyone."
"She's right, Arash… Please don't try, but thank you for the thought."
The two looked up in concern as Jekyll quietly approached with a blank expression. He looked as refined as always, save for the emotions written in his eyes. He placed his tray of food down next to the lancer, which had only a glass of water and one slice of toast. Even for servants who didn't need to eat, the sight of a limited platter pulled strings. As he sat down, Brynhildr gently rubbed his back, once more wearing the sad, tragic smile for a few moments.
Since he was sitting with them for breakfast unannounced, that really did mean…
Arash sighed and took a quiet bite of his bagel. His mind raced, but he silently quelled it. He could only watch in disappointment as Brynhildr tried to soothe Jekyll through quiet conversation, but even she likely acknowledged it did little for the assassin. As Paracelsus approached with a pleasant expression, he was at least content to know word had not spread fast; The last thing Jekyll needed was such a horrendous rumor from inebriated speech. As the caster approached, the archer could only stare back at his blonde friend with a remorseful yet hopeful smile when he glanced his way.
It was the only thing he could rightfully do, because the hardest part of being a hero… was acknowledging the moments you could do nothing to save someone.