Early morning blues painted the skies, heralding the approach of the warm sun. The dim light poured through the rustic, log-cabin styled window frame to illuminate one of the expanded Residential Wing's rooms. Holm oak wood was central to the room's design, from the walls and flooring to the assorted furniture within. Coupled with a few potted flowers and plants, the living space felt far more natural than most.
That suited the home owner perfectly.
Gently breathing beneath the queen-sized oak bed's covers, the servant remained lightly asleep against her usual schedule. Usually she would have been up by now, but today was a special occasion and an excuse to sleep in. Underneath the warm fur blanket of a phantasmal beast, which the hunter killed herself, she finally stirred out of habit. With a light groan, originating near the two flurry ears that poked out from the bed's head, several fingers grasped the covers.
Atalanta pulled the blanket further over herself and smiled. She smoothed out her emerald silky nightgown to remove any uncomfortable wrinkles before sighing pleasantly. She decided against her usual morning run to enjoy some nice rest, and that was definitely going to be the case at this rate. Sleeping in was unusual for her, especially with Nitocris' newest, well-loved invention, but today would be the exception.
The Egyptian Caster, much to Ozymandias' endless praise, had come up with a unique lighting invention that now hung on her wall and ceiling. The makeshift windows were like the replicated skyscape of Fantasia Resort, except much smaller and could run on electricity thanks to Edison's tweaking. The essentially glorified televisions had quickly become a big hit since it allowed personal rooms to feel like small houses. To no one's surprise, Ozymandias' suite by Gilgamesh's own had a wall-sized one in each room.
In truth, since she was raised in the wilderness, there wasn't much in the way of furniture that actually caught her attention like Nitocris' Sunscape Window did. Her adopted children were the main reason she had a couch, coffee table, bookshelf loaded with pictures, and a bunch of other furniture; Upon first arrival, she was more than fine with just a bed and a few potted plants. By the time the new residential rooms were completed, Atalanta had a completely furnished room. She even had a minifridge to hold some ice cream if she felt particularly generous.
It made it a bit more difficult to relocate her room to the new section, but hardly anything was a ghastly chore for servants.
Atalanta peered over her bed covers to glance at the video intercom on the left wall by her bed. She smiled at the time and quickly buried herself again and fell into another comfortable slumber. Time slipped by in warm silence, a sequence told in tandem by the changing colors of the Sunscape Windows and the Chaldean video intercom system. Soon the twilight blues had vanished to be replaced by oranges highlighting the rims of passing clouds on the circular window overhead. The sun finally peered over the horizon, but Atalanta remained asleep.
In her slumber, she unconsciously turned herself towards the opposite side of the bed so the sunrays wouldn't bother her. The sun lit up her room further, revealing further decorations she acquired personally. A pure white coat of a particularly photogenic chimera was spread across the floor in front of a small faux fireplace that could produce a prana fire without smoke. Above its mantle were several pictures, but the biggest of which was the battle-clad family standing happily on a four-masted tall ship in a past singularity.
Atalanta stirred when she heard the third door in her room jingle. The wooden door sat beside the panoramic sunscape window. However, this one did not lead into the Chaldea hallway like the one on the opposite wall from her bed and couch nor her bathroom. This one led to her own little pieces of happiness, and was the main reason she was so invested in relocating from her former room. Her smile soon matched her own in the picture as the door hinged open, allowing her animalistic senses to pick up the first hints of delicious aromas.
As she gently pulled the blanket off her sleeping form, the light and tentative footsteps soon approached more confidently with relief for not disturbing her. Atalanta rubbed her eyes and smiled while her two children moved a metal diner cart towards her with happy smiles. Jack took the lead, pulling the cart in a set of white sweatpants and hooded sweatshirt. Nursery Rhyme pushed it gently from behind with loose tresses flowing gently down the back of her white princess dress.
With eyes twinkling with affection that brought a loving smile to Atalanta's lips, they chimed out, "Happy Mommy's Day!"
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Fragment 58: Maternal Instincts
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"Say ahh!" Jackie smiled as she held up the fork with a slice of a golden delicious apple.
"Ahhh," Atalanta happily responded, letting the little assassin place the fork carefully into her mouth. She took the bite as her girls giggled beside her in bed, though she was the only one warm and comfortable under the sheets. She sat perfectly upright while her children sat flanking the tray that rested upon her covered lap. An assortment of small dishes rested on it, perfectly balanced and secured by a few strategically placed stuffed animals her girls brought with them.
As she chewed quietly, Atalanta watched Nursery Rhyme carefully cutting up the pancakes with poured maple syrup. The slice of butter was already mostly melted, and she could already taste the delicious golden breakfast melting in her mouth. On the opposite side, with her favorite pale blue teddy bear 'Penny' in her lap, Jack finished cutting up the remainder of the yellow apple. The core was quickly discarded onto the cart by the bed, which kept her glass of water and pitcher safe from any potential accident.
While Nursery Rhyme hummed one of her favorite Disney songs, she paused upon seeing Atalanta looking between them curiously. "Do you need something, mommy?"
"Have you two eaten yet?" she quickly asked. It was nice she was getting the famous breakfast in bed treatment, but her girls also needed to-
They giggled, making her tilt her head as one of her ears twitched. Nursery Rhyme smiled sweetly at her. "Auntie Marie is bringing our waffles to our room!"
"Don't worry about us today! It's our turn to baby you!" Jack grinned as she speared another apple slice with her fork. She offered it to her mother, who gladly took it. As she chewed, she reached out with her hands to rub her daughters' shoulders, eliciting more happy smiles and little cheers.
"Once we're done, we want to show you our new book that we made!" Nursery Rhyme added while spreading her arms out wide. "We made it in secret!"
"Not past your bedtime, I hope," Atalanta smirked, then chuckled when her girls blushed; They were so painfully obvious around her, but she loved it. "Mom will forgive you this time."
As she hugged her small teddy bear, Jack speared one of the pancakes pieces carefully and grinned. "It's a story about a pretty huntress who saves a kingdom!"
"Oh, is it now?" Giggling with newfound mirth and warmth, she smiled at the assassin happily as she leaned over the tray to eat the speared pancake. She was looking forward to it already, and what her girls might have imagined for her homage's fairy tale exploits. Then again, she always looked forward to anything that involved her little angels.
Atalanta would have never imagined these two child servants would have made such a profound impact on her life. Upon arriving in Chaldea after they corrected the first singularity, she didn't quite know what to expect. She recalled glimpses of the singularity through her madness, but also her memories from her peculiar grail war in Romania. Compared to both of those, the chance to fight to save humanity from extinction, which went hand in hand with her own wish, felt like just another day as a servant... at first.
Nowhere in the countless possibilities did she imagine she'd become a mother, and wind up loving every moment of it. It had been one of her personal curiosities and a past life disappointment, but Chaldea had changed that with the idea of adoption. It had made her curious after seeing Nursery Rhyme wandering the halls with the glint of loneliness in her eyes; Servant or not, a child should never be unhappy when among so many. She had quickly befriended the little caster, but it was Marie who pointed out happily they looked like a wonderful family.
Though nervous at first since she treaded upon the unknown, she accepted the challenge and responsibility. It had been difficult, but she had managed to ignite her own maternal instincts with Nursery Rhyme's help, love, and eagerness; The idea of having a family intrigued her too. It became instinct to look after her daughter's interests first. This included the curious suggestions of adapting Nursery Rhyme's mimicry of her former master further to hide her doll joints, and honoring her name by using it.
The archer glanced at the caster, who smiled back happily and quickly. The mother smirked, "You've got some syrup on your cheek, Alice."
Nursery Rhyme blushed. Atalanta had caught her sneaking a bite of the pancakes, but she wasn't about to berate her. As Jack giggled, Atalanta reached out with her hand, brushed the offending spot off, and licked it for herself. Nursery Rhyme smiled sheepishly, "Sorry… I was a little hungry."
Without any doubt, Atalanta was happy that Nursery Rhyme was the one who helped her through those tentative days. If it had been the other way around, she wasn't sure if these little blissful moments would have happened.
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For weeks after the Fuyuki Incident, Chaldea had been a hub of chaos. Between reconstructing and getting an ever-growing host of servants cooperating, it was unadulterated anarchy more than anyone would like. There were times of peace, but it wasn't until after the correcting the second major singularity that the organization finally found its groove. By then, Roman was no longer glued to his work and Gudao wasn't a walking train wreck of mounting stress. Troubled times seemed to be few and far between thanks to the efforts of many servants.
Unfortunately, there was still the occasional issue, but that was always from newly arrived servants; The newest continued the occasional tradition. The nighttime silence was broken as bedlam poured from the master's open door. The battle-clad Atalanta jogged to the door with fair urgency, but the number of servants she sensed within eased her worry.
Her nerves were still tense, though it had decreasingly less to do with the master and more with the servant involved. It had been a spur of the moment decision to come this time, which was the third night in a row after that child's arrival. Had she not been passing by after a run in the woods, perhaps she would not have let the fleeting compulsion push her forward. It was too late to turn back now; As the loud cries escaped from the master's room, Atalanta turned the corner and entered.
"Jack! Stop this!" "Please calm down! Everything will be okay…" "Jack, I'm sorry, but I-!"
"No! W-We want mommy! We want to s-sleep with mommy!" the scantily clad Jack screamed through tears as she struggled against her captors' holds. The combat-ready Mashu and Scathach held firm, though the demi-servant continually whispered apologies to the crying assassin. The armored Leonidas also stood by the door, and nodded to Atalanta as she entered, but was clearly not needed. The two girls combined strength was more than enough to keep the crying assassin from doing anything.
Gudao sat on the bed with bloodshot eyes, but clearly awake. Atalanta sympathized with the master, who had to wake up to this incident multiple times since Jack's arrival; The little girl took to seeing him as a mother very seriously. He sat with legs thrown over the side of his bed, still wearing just his black boxers and a white shirt. Behind him, the blanket was an unkept mess with pillows strewn about the floor. He kept his eyes glued apologetically on Jack, who stared back with overflowing longing and distress.
"You can't keep doing this, Jack. Gudao needs proper sleep," Scthach scolded sternly with a small frown. Jack's response was to wail and struggle harder, making her groan.
Mashu tried to shush her gently, but the tear-stained girl was not buying it. "Jack, please… We don't want you to be sad either, but we-"
"Let us g-go b-back to m-mommy!" she shrieked, making Leonidas flinch. Atalanta remained still with eyes locked on the assassin, no emotion showing on her face. Within, the chaos of the room was a summer breeze compared to her mixed emotions. Her last encounter with this assassin was far from pleasant for both parties, and she was almost positive Jack remembered too. She had kept away from her, both out of respect and to prevent anything from potentially boiling over… yet she had finally come to see her.
After taking care of Nursery Rhyme for weeks, perhaps it was her newly awakened maternal instincts and drive to continue pursuing her seemingly impossible dream. While she held some lingering negativity for the servant's atrocities and actions, in the end, she was still a depressed and possibly misunderstood child before her. Staring at the crying girl on the ground was the final nail in the past several days of personal confusion. There was no easy solution to this terrible situation, but Atalanta made up her mind.
Throwing caution to the wind and ignoring half of her screaming instincts yelling at her to turn away, she walked towards Jack. Mashu and Scathach stared at her, even as the little assassin continued to try and break free. While the two were surprised, Jack finally managed to wrench her arm from Mashu's grip and used the momentum to leap out of Scathach's grasp. Before either could react, Jack landed on the ground to make a break for Gu-
A hand quickly grabbed her wrist, taking the assassin by momentary surprise. She glanced back with tear filled eyes, only to freeze in realization. Atalanta could see the recognition in her eyes, and the slowly forming hatred. Her whimpers and sniffles slowly turned into a glare and growl, but the archer still held onto her wrist with delicate firmness. Her eyes remained locked with the little assassin, careful not to show any emotion to prevent any further miscommunication.
"You…! You!" Jack yelled as she changed targets. In a flash, one of her daggers was in her hand, and she swung it quickly at Atalanta. Mashu gasped as it impaled the side of her stomach, but the archer barely winced; She did everything in her power not to scream. Her intestines throbbed in agony where the knife slid in, but Jack did not retract the blade. Scathach had the assassin's other arm secured, and Leonidas reached for her other. Gudao raised his hand, ready to- No! She had to stop this!
"Master! Do not use a command seal!" She yelled out quickly, stunning the occupants of the room, including Jack. As the assassin stared up at her with hatred and confusion, the pained archer glanced to Scathach and Leonidas. "…Please. Let her go."
Scathach stared at her incredulously. "She's going to kill-"
"Please." She spoke in an impossible blend of softness and stubborn resolution. Scathach stared down at Jack while Mashu looked uncertainly between the wounded archer and Gudao. Jack's grip on the blade did not falter, but she didn't move to make another strike as Scathach tentatively released her hold. The shocked assassin, still with tears in her eyes, gazed up at the archer. Slowly, Atalanta knelt down as blood seeped into her clothes, wincing as the offender watched.
Jack's eyes filled with irritation, disbelief, and confusion as Atalanta slowly wrapped her arms around her. As she closed the embrace, careful not to agitate her wound by pulling the child into her side, Jack's hold on the dagger loosened. Atalanta soothingly rubbed the girl's back with one hand, making new sniffles come out of the white-haired girl. Suppressing her pain, she whispered into her ear, "It's alright… I caused you great pain, so we're even now… Both your attack and seeing you cry again…"
"…What…? …Why…?" Jack was a stuttering mess. Her arms remained limp, but Atalanta kept her hold. She wasn't certain what this would do, because she hadn't made a plan for any of this. She was going on her new wild instincts and following her gut; How ironic it got her stabbed there, but she held her course.
Soon enough, she felt the first tears fall onto her shoulder as the girl's sniffles multiplied. Jack raised her hands and squeezed them between her and Atalanta. As her waterfall of tears started again, instead of trying to kill her, she was attempting to break free from the embrace. Jack was stronger compared to Atalanta… but the assassin couldn't break from her hold. It felt like she was only half trying through her crippling despair and confusion. She even tried banging her fists against her chest and neck, but she did not yield.
"Let us g-go!" she whimpered as her efforts continued wholeheartedly. Suppressing her stutters, she yelled, "You're not separating me from my mommy again!"
As her crying continued while the others watched in silence, her assault faded. There was no breaking out of the wounded archer's grasp. Scathach whispered about getting a caster before leaving, all while Jack's attempts to break free died completely. She cried onto Atalanta's shoulder, only for the archer to continue soothingly rubbing her back like she did whenever Nursery Rhyme cried. Thanks to the little caster, she had become quite natural at it, and she wanted to believe it helped here.
"…Let us go…" she whimpered. Her arms were limp within the archer's grasp again as Atalanta began rocking her slowly, confused about the whole turn of events. She had not expected it to come to this, but she did not know what to expect at all. All of this was a spur of the moment, and her logical mind and reason were finally managing to criticize her stupidity through the pain.
Jack had murdered many in Trifas, both mages and bystanders alike. One couldn't simply look past how carefree she was when committing the atrocities either. She was a murderer at heart, and they were former enemies. Atalanta had killed her master, her beloved mother, right before her eyes, starting the chain of events to follow. There was no denying the rift between them that reared its head as the strike to her still bleeding torso.
…Regardless, her heart wept for her, because she was still a crying child in Atalanta's arms.
The two images conflicted, and the realities blended. Jack was desperate for a mother, and that could never be denied. She would continue to do this night after night, seeking only the comfort she desperately wanted. Atalanta didn't know why she did, but she wanted to. Her newfound instincts wanted her to try and understand and attempt to find a solution. Though her mind was filled with confusion, she still rocked the crying child gently in her arms.
Atalanta whispered subconsciously like a soothing melody, "…I promise you… I promise you…"
…Jack the Ripper would find happiness no matter how difficult the obstacles ahead of her would be.
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No doubt, Atalanta was glad her instinct had won that day.
It was a long road, but the spontaneous move of taking Jack back with her to sleep in her arms had been the foundations for their glamorous bridge. Her distrust faded away slowly, and she still occasional called their master mommy, but the third singularity had changed that. After fighting constantly fighting alongside her and staying endlessly considerate to her, by the time they returned, her smile around her and Nursery Rhyme was never-ending; Atalanta formally adopted her a day later amongst cascading tears and endless apologies from both.
Since then it has been never-ending memories with her daughters. Through happy and sad times, they watched over each other with an idolization-worthy family bond. In truth, she never knew if she would be a good mother, but she did her best to ensure that just for them. Her little rays of sunshine were always coming first now, and she was having trouble suppressing that urge since it was Mother's Day; It was their turn to show their endless affection for her.
Then again, she always had a problem saying no to her little angels at all.
Atalanta sat on her bed, watching them finish cleaning up the last of their own breakfast that had been brought to them. The dirty dishes, clean of any scrap of food, were stacked neatly onto the food cart. Nursery Rhyme folded a napkin and skipped around the bed to help Jack. She smiled to the archer, "We'll be back! We're going to bring the cart back so Auntie Marie can enjoy the day too!"
Though she didn't have any of her former children in Chaldea, Marie, among other past-life mothers, were also celebrating the day alongside her and Irisviel. Atalanta smiled at their consideration, "I'll be here waiting. No need to rush, girls."
"But we want to show you the book so we're going to rush!" Jack countered with a grin as her sister giggled. While Atalanta chuckled, the girls pushed the cart towards the door, but stopped in curiosity. Upon sensing the fast approaching signature, the archer blinked in interest. They nearly rammed into the door, but stopped just in time to knock rather excitedly; It was a familiar rapping. Atalanta sighed as her children discarded the cart with happy cheers and raced for the door.
It slid open quickly, allowing white waterfall tresses and a beaming face to peer inside. With a happy squeal, Artemis dove for the children and wrapped them into a warm embrace. Clinging to the back of her form-fitting, white strapless dress, Orion looked Atalanta's way with an apologetic stare, making the archer smile back in knowing defeat. She expected Artemis to visit her sometime during the day, but certainly not this early… The green-and-gold-haired mother wasn't even changed out of her nightgown yet.
"How are my little cutie patooties doing~!? You're being wonderful little marshmallows for your beautiful mommy I hope~!" Artemis cooed as she rocked them lovingly in her arms. They giggled as Orion and Atalanta shared yet another exasperated glance without her knowledge.
"We gave her breakfast!" Jack cheered as the goddess kissed her on the forehead. She giggled happily. "We're going to return the cart-"
"Oh, no your pumpkins aren't! That's why I'm here!" the goddess proudly proclaimed as she stood up to place her arms akimbo. "I'm going to make sure Atalanta's morning goes wonderfully, and what better way than ensuring her children don't have to leave her side superfluously!"
"I'm surprised you know what that word even mea-" Orion got a quick pinch from the goddess to silence him.
Her grin remained as she faced the archer. Atalanta waved shyly while Artemis did so like she was leaving on a long voyage. "It's a happy Mother's Day, Atalanta! You should be smiling more~!"
With a strained giggle, the Archer forced a grin to please the now clapping goddess. If her girls were the sun that shined new warmth in her day, then Artemis was the moonlight that revealed an unexpected horror of the night. It was far too dramatic of a comparison, but that's often how she felt about learning who Artemis truly was. Meeting her counterpart during Okeanos would have been hectic enough, but then finding out the goddess she worshiped was essentially a… love-struck airhead…
Yeah… that was enough to knock all the wind from her ever-billowing sails…
"Oh! You got a splash of syrup on your dress there, dearie!" Artemis coddled as she quickly plucked the nearly empty water pitcher and a napkin from the cart. Kneeling down onto the wooden floor, she gently dabbed the napkin into the pitcher and thoroughly scrubbed the offending stain. With absolute attentiveness to detail, the syrup spot had been wiped clean, leaving only a damp area. "There! All better~! You should be a bit more careful! Your mother gets you such lovely dresses."
Nursery Rhyme blushed bashfully and fiddled with her fingers behind her back. "I'm sorry. I'm usually more careful, but I was more concerned making sure mommy was-"
Whatever she was going to say was left to the imagination, as a giggling and now levitating Artemis picked the little caster up in a warm hug. "It's okay~! Your goddessmother is just giving advice! I wouldn't be Artemis if I didn't look after you cuties, now would I?"
Atalanta watched happily as Artemis began gently flying Nursery Rhyme around the room in spontaneous play. Though she was not what she had expected the Goddess of Chastity to be, perhaps it actually turned out for the better. Her girls absolutely loved her, and she was unbelievably kind and considerate in nearly all matters concerning her own life. She would gladly take a friendly Greek deity over the commonly perceived indifferent and heartless ones. Artemis continued to be a grand influence in her life, even if Atalanta was a touch disappointed in some aspects.
The goddess was currently flying Jack around the room for her turn, while Orion clung onto her back. He growled incredulously, "Hey! The cart! We're supposed to be bringing back the cart! You can play with the kids later!"
Her knack for being easily distracted was one of them.
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Salon de Marie had significantly more patrons for lunch. Pleasant conversation filled the room alongside Mozart's piano melodies as Marie's staff meticulously catered to every motherly guests' needs with the help of some robots. Most enjoyed their treats at the tables, while the knitting group, with their two mother servants, opted for their normal cluster of ottomans. Atalanta and Irisviel preferred a seat on one of the sightseeing couches by the windows to enjoy the day's light snowfall.
Ever since Irisviel got her memorial essence from another timeline, the two mothers had become incredibly close. At first, it was mostly for advice on how to be a better parent. Soon, they were often meeting to talk about anything, large or small, at various places of their choosing. Today it was in the salon to enjoy the festivities while their children were kept entertained in the Game Room by a bunch of volunteers. While she loved being a mother, she appreciated these moments of mature serenity as little breaks on her road of life.
Atalanta sighed and reached for her cup of tea on the coffee table while keeping her other hand in the lap of her emerald strapless dress. Irisviel, wearing her signature Einzbern white and gold dress, took a sip of hers and giggled. "Then the typical fairy tale ending?"
She smirked. "With a perfect smile, the huntress shot the evil demon between the eyes and saved the prince, so they could live happily ever after."
"I wish my girls wrote a hero story based on me, but I guess the car will have to do," Irisviel giggled as Atalanta joined in. "Although… it sounds like your girls still hope for a daddy."
Atalanta sighed and placed her cup of tea down. "They have been asking more often lately..."
"And Mother Atalanta, who loves spoiling her children with everything under the sun, had yet to grant that present?" Irisviel asked teasingly with a tiny smirk.
She wasn't exactly wrong about the spoiling part; She was absolutely terrible at saying no to the girls. However, she sighed, "…I guess their mother isn't quite enough for them these days."
"Oh, nonsense, Atalanta," Irisviel quickly dismissed with a warm smile. "They're just hoping to have a full family sometime! More than a dozen aunts won't fill the father gap!"
Atalanta chuckled at the idea of a constantly growing extended family. There was no doubt being called 'Auntie' was a title of endearment from the girls, but it was a unique act of respect the children learned from one of the two remaining Filipino employees. In their culture, it was extremely common to use their titles of aunt and uncle towards older individuals as a sign of respect. Her girls just took it a step further where they considered Marie and Tamamo their first actual aunts, and it took off from there.
"Laugh all you want, but I heard from Marie there was a certain someone in your past war," Irisviel hummed with a wink.
Feeling nervous, but dreading the idea she knew the answer, she turned to the other Chaldean mother and dared to ask. "…and where did she hear this from?"
Irisviel took a sip of her tea, savored the taste before swallowing, and smiled. "Shakespeare."
Atalanta groaned loudly. Of course it was him, and she knew exactly who he was inferring. He even still had the gall to leave the 'offer' open about writing a love poem between her and Achilles; That prideful rider wasn't even here! Every time she thought about him, she could visualize his confident advances and haughty smirk, no matter how hard she turned him down. That guy was something else entirely, but she would always give him credit for being such an extraordinary fighter… along with his last act that remained ingrained in her mind.
There were also those last parting words he mentioned at the end… and though she was still uncertain how to feel, she was glad to hear them.
Irisviel soothingly rubbed the archer's shoulder with a hum as the diligent D'Eon approached with a tray full of warm scones. "We'll just chalk it up as Marie happily running off with another wild rumor then~!"
"Thank you…" she responded with a relieved smile as she eyed the deliciously treats. Her mouth practically watered when she smelled the hint of apple among them. As the saber placed the tray down on the coffee table for them, and produced napkins from his uniform, he paused to glance towards the door. Atalanta and Irisviel followed his gaze curiously towards the salon's entrance.
Her first glimpse of the master was seeing her orange sundress flutter as she walked through the door, though the second was the shade of disappointment on her face. Medb, wearing a white one-shoulder dress, skipped towards her best friend quickly, but slowed upon noticing the individual following her. The queen frowned, but continued her approach as Gabrielle waved towards Marie and Mata Hari by a nearby table. It was evident she came to check up on them as Gudao and Anishka did earlier, but she was not alone.
Wearing a rather fancy black tuxedo, which was his preferred garb around Chaldea, the rather new arrival remained politely behind and to Gabrielle's side. His white gloved hands were folded before him like a gentleman, and his expression was calm behind his pair of glasses. Even his shoulder-length hair was perfectly combed and prim, yet his looks were almost deceiving. His taut mystic code gloves and unusual red eyes hinted at something more surprising beneath.
"Welcome, Gabrielle and Erik," Paracelsus nodded from behind the bar with Sanson. Since Mata Hari was also enjoying Mother's Day, the caster in a white polo and tan slacks was temporarily substituting. He shined his glass, but made an occasional friendly glance towards the Phantom of the Opera. "Come to check up on all the mothers yourselves? Or you want a drink?"
"Both," Gabrielle responded with a giggle as she hugged Medb. The rider glanced towards Phantom, and he glanced back. Atalanta could almost feel both their disapprovals from here. Though they encountered him a few times, it was still unusual to see the Phantom of the Opera with such a rather attractive face as opposed to the mask he wore in combat. He was supposed to have a grotesque face beneath it, yet that was a trivial inquiry.
The real problem was that he believed Gabrielle was Christine. It was part of his mental pollution he manifested with, but Atalanta felt bad for both of them. Paracelsus and Medea had quickly prepared a countermeasure, but Erik was refusing to take the elixir to possibly clear his senses; Thankfully, they were not going to cross the line again and do what they did to Kiyohime. That did leave her in quite the predicament though, even if he was rather gentlemanly.
"Would you like to take a seat, Christine?" Phantom asked with a gesture with his hands. "You've been walking about a lot without rest. It's not good to overwork yourself."
"She's fine. She does it all the time. Gabby's a strong girl," Medb listed flatly, earning a harsher glance between the two while the master sighed.
He raised his chin slightly in disapproval. "I was just being polite to our master."
"Then you can be politer by leaving her alone and calling Gabby by the correct name," Medb spat back as she placed her arms akimbo.
The man was adamant though. "She is Christine. There is no doubt about that, from her elegance and beauty to the sound of her voice."
"As we have told you many times, you are sadly mistaken, Erik," Scathach replied as she approached with arms crossed over her fuchsia sweater dress. She walked up and stood beside Medb in one of the rare shows of cooperation between the two ever-bickering rivals. "Please give Gabby her space."
"But I am. I approach no closer than I have been and did so only to ensure she wasn't lonely," he replied with a frown. "Have I not been compliant? I made no moves by which to garner the attention of the Peacekeepers. Why does the world still show no compassion to me when I try to be reasonable?"
"I wouldn't call stalking her night and day reasonable…" Medb quickly scoffed, earning a light glare from the man. "If it wasn't for so many servants not appearing like how they're described, I would say Gabby doesn't even look like Christine. How can you say she's Christine when she hasn't even sung for you or anything? What if she proved she's not by that alone?"
Atalanta wasn't too sure if that would work. Truthfully, she wanted to help intervene, but Gabrielle's two closest servant friends had it covered, even if Medb was being verbally aggressive. Instead, she was just hoping there was another way to solve a servant's condition. The way manifested skills and saint graphs worked, however, almost guaranteed anything would be a failure. Then again, he never did see Gabrielle as Christine when they encountered him the last two times… so possibly…
"We'll try it. I'll sing for you, Erik," Gabrielle answered firmly, making the man's eyes sparkle with delight while Medb and Scathach turned to each other in surprise. Even Atalanta and Irisviel turned to each other with curiosity and anticipation, because no one had ever heard Gabrielle truly sing besides her closest friends.
Mozart finally stopped playing one of his own pieces to look around his piano's music stand. He adjusted the cuffs of his uniform and smiled. "What shall it be, master?"
She looked at him and smiled. "Don't Stop Believing, by Journey, please!"
At the mention of the song, some whistles and early applause erupted from the salon's patrons. Gilles stopped pushing a cart full of appetizers as Sanson and Paracelsus paused from cleaning glasses. Atalanta could hear Marie's excited cheers, though she couldn't see her, when Mozart began the first notes. Medb and Scathach turned to Gabrielle as she breathed in and out to calm herself, all while Phantom stood formally nearby. He offered one last advice quietly, "Remember my teachings, Christine, and your angelic voice shall always take flight."
~~Just a small town girl… Livin' in a lonely world~~
~~She took the midnight train goin' anywhere~~
Quietly, the two mothers turned to look at each other and nodded in knowing agreement.
~~Just a city boy… Born and raised in South Detroit~~
~~He took the midnight train goin' anywh-~~
Mozart abruptly stopped playing, and Atalanta couldn't blame him. She had tried to keep a pleasant smile on her face, but it had quickly dropped alongside Irisviel's beaming expression. Even Medb and Scathach were staring at the master with painfully forced smiles while the orange-haired girl's expression collapsed. In the suffocating silence, a pin could drop and probably deafen everyone. Atalanta and Irisviel looked to each other again briefly, but had no idea what to say… Did anyone know what to say?
Chuckling nervously with apologetic embarrassment, Medb attempted to start, "Gabby… that was… When you sing louder, it's not quite as… um…"
"…It wasn't too bad?" Marie chimed in, clearly trying her best to be kind and poli-
"You're as good as Nero." Then there was Mozart, the music critic with the background to support it. He quickly dodged a flying cushion that was obviously thrown by Marie, but kept his frown and apologetic stare locked on Gabrielle. "I'm sorry, Gabby… but it is best not to lie about this."
Clearing his throat loudly, Atalanta turned to gaze at Phantom along with the rest of the salon. The assassin stood there with a troubled expression on his face. As Gabrielle turned to look at him with slumped shoulders, looking like her dreams had been trampled, he stared at her apologetically. Atalanta frowned at his small, defeated smile, realizing the mental pollution would probably make her voice sound like an angeli- "…Sorry, Gabrielle… or may I call you Gabby? …I can see now how absolutely wrong I was…"
Atalanta blinked in confusion and glanced to an equally bewildered Irisviel. The assassin scratched his bowtie uncomfortably, and she could hear the underlying depression in his voice. "Yes… That sound was… was evidently not Christine's voice, as much as my questionable mental state tries to say otherwise… I apologize for the mistaken identity due to… my own desires and hopes."
As the master stared at him in a mix of shock, growing depression, and offense, Atalanta could sense he was hiding something more from them. In a likely act to prevent his strange feelings from being discovered, he turned to Paracelsus behind the bar to hide growing distress, but she could see the subtle signs clear as day. "Mister Paracelsus. If you wouldn't mind reinstating that offer, I would like to try out that elixir you have produced. It has no undesirable aftertaste or effects?"
Gabrielle whimpered, but Atalanta didn't know whether to feel sad or impressed for the master. On one hand, she had managed to pierce a servant's issues through incredibly simple action. On the other, Atalanta was almost positive no healing spell would heal the scar left on her singing confidence today. She had been expecting something decent like Gudao, which was neither good nor bad. This however… was not exactly the kind of surprise Mother's Day treat she had been expecting to witness.
Atalanta and Irisviel just looked to each other and nodded in silent agreement; This could not be brought up again… for the master's sake.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Hurting children was one of the many things Atalanta found unforgivable. Even if the circumstances left them no choice, the idea would anger her to no end. She was still even a bit frustrated with herself for hurting Jack during the war, and no number of apologies or forgiveness from her daughter could change that. It was heartbreaking, and she only wished for children to know happiness. It was why she was so absolutely unwilling to acknowledge Mephistopheles as he stood in the hallway before her.
No words were exchanged, but Atalanta wished to leave. She did not wish to mar her beautiful day any further by having this savage clown say anything. He had already done far too much by making Nursery Rhyme so terribly depressed not too long ago; Had Rama and Diarmuid not been nearby to help calm her, she would have likely attacked this man. She still contemplated it as she glared furiously at the caster before her, who admittedly looked pretty different from before.
Mephistopheles faced her with a blank expression while keeping one hand on a briefcase. He looked like a business man with his black suit with perfectly smoothed magenta tie. Even his hair was significantly shorter and well combed, giving off an air of professionalism that mixed with his unnerving aura. There wasn't even a hint of mischief in his eyes, or anything at all. He just stood there facing her, making the mother very suspicious until he cleared his throat.
"If you have something to say, make it quick," Atalanta spat as she crossed her arms.
"Then I'll cut to the point because you're in a reasonably foul mood," he started with a surprisingly smooth voice. Was this the tone he used on Faust? It was rather convincing and charismatic… had he not already done something to gravely offend her. "I come with a peace offering."
She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to forgive you for what you did to my daughter."
"I don't want you to," he responded flatly, making her glare lighten ever so slightly with astonishment. He placed his briefcase down and began opening it. "I'm doing this at Nobunaga's suggestion who says I've gone too far. I will admit, perhaps I have."
She narrowed her eyes at his seeming unwillingness to take fault, but braced for the worst. If this was Nobunaga's suggestion, knowing those two, there was a high chance this was another prank bom- She was wrong. He opened the briefcase, and her glare faltered completely. He pulled out a copy of a fairy tale compilation out alongside a VHS tape. While an older copy, the large compilation was pristine and no doubt matched the one he burned previously. The tape was another copy of Disney's Cinderella… but how did he-
"Nobunaga overheard that your girls' copy of Cinderella was stuttering and skipping. Perhaps this one works better. I found it perusing a store on yesterday's supply sortie," Mephistopheles explained evenly as he offered the two items. Atalanta stared at them hesitantly, making the caster roll his eyes and sigh; This was already a difficult act for him to do, she could tell. "They're not cleverly disguised traps, I promise that much. Would you just accept them already? I don't exactly have an interest in these things…"
Ignoring his rather poor sense of delivery, she cautiously took them in her hands. She peered through the book, acknowledging it definitely wasn't a lie. As she opened the case to check the tape, she quietly relented that it was also as he stated; There were no tricks here. Still, she kept her guard up and held her grudge stiff. This should solve her daughter's lingering bitterness, but it would not remove Atalanta's distrust and resentment of the caster for carelessly bullying her daughter for pure entertainment.
However, she would at least be civil about hiding it. "Thank you."
He waved it off and shrugged while closing his briefcase. "I'll admit I'm not very good at the whole human interaction thing, but Nobunaga said to give it a solid try. I'll trust my partner in crime's judgement that making too much of a mess with the neighbors is not a good idea. For what it's worth…"
She watched as he struggled with the words she guessed were coming. At least she was impressed he was trying to this extent, but he had a long way to go in her eyes. "…I apologize."
Atalanta merely nodded slowly in response, watching curiously as he looked around the otherwise empty hallways. Their conversation looked normal enough no one stopped to gawk. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to ensure said partner-"
There was an audible fizzle followed by the definitive sound of an explosion. Mephistopheles snickered as Nobunaga's laughter echoed down a nearby hallway followed by yelling from familiar servants. Since Chaldea's alarms didn't go off, it was definitely another one of the duo's ambushes, but it seemed Mephistopheles played no part in this one… directly. Already she could hear and sense Nobunaga bolting in their direction.
Nobunaga turned a corner further away to their right and ran towards them. The battle clad archer stared incredulously at Mephistopheles and yelled, "Hey! What about my escape path!?"
The caster scratched his head casually and looked around, making Atalanta scan for whatever he wanted to see. Behind Nobunaga, a battle clad Hector and Fionn were chasing the demon archer while covered in a tub's worth of silly string; Apparently, they attacked the cops directly this time. As the catlike archer moved herself to the side of the hallway, Mephistopheles yelled loudly, "Stop! You fiendish oppressors! Have you no shame!?"
A dumbfounded Atalanta gawked as she felt the familiar, charging presence of Chaldea's well-known rebel. The newly reinforced floor shook very lightly with each stomping footstep before Spartacus appeared from the intersection to their left, wearing an oversized pair of black gym shorts and a red shirt that said 'Live Free or Die Hard.' He looked down towards them as the caster pointed down the hallway, past a surprisingly frightened Nobunaga, at the now concerned pair of lancers. "Look how they chase Nobunaga who has done nothing wrong! Oh! Who will save her!?"
"OPPRESSORS!" Spartacus roared as he rampaged towards them. "The Peacekeepers have gone too far! I will teach you a lesson in fairness!"
Fionn was quick to panic. "Spartacus wait! You misunderstand! You misunderstand!"
"I knew I should have just taken that nap!" Hector groaned as he quickly backpedaled.
Fionn and Hector bolted back down the hallway they came as the blonde-haired lancer fumbled with his radio. An eagerly laughing Spartacus was closing the gap behind them as he passed a cowering Nobunaga. Yelling in panic, the lancers vanished down a corridor with the rampaging berserker on their heels. Once certain he was gone, Nobunaga dropped the scared act and ran towards Mephistopheles. The two burst into laughter, and the demon archer quickly high-fived him once she got close enough. "I thought you forgot! It was supposed to be the next hall over!"
"I saw Atalanta and got distracted," the laughing caster replied with a small motion her way. "I was making amends like you suggested."
The dumbfounded archer stared their way, but Nobunaga only nodded with a smile. "Sorry about this guy! I'm trying to show him fun ways to cause chaos without causing too muc-"
"YOU'RE STILL CAUSING TOO MUCH TROUBLE!"
Atalanta flinched, but the other two remained composed as they turned to the newest arrival; Nobunaga actually looked a little angry. Okita, battle-ready but without her katana drawn, appeared from spirit form with an aggravated expression. Judging by the stampede of tiny feet and chirping names, a group of her Peacekeeper Nobus would be arriving to morally support her soon. She didn't look like she needed any based on the sheer anger aimed at the demon archer. "Nobunaga! Why are you causing so much chaos in recent weeks!? Your pranks are out of control!"
"Oh, what? Complaining about your paperwork again!?" Nobunaga spat back as she crossed her arms. "That's your job, and not my problem!"
"Do you think I like being buried in paperwork!? No! You know I hate it!" Okita practically shrieked back. "Yet you keep piling it on for me! I fell asleep in my office twice in the past week!"
"I'm surprised you don't sleep there considering how often you prefer work!" the warlord countered. "You sure have more time for that than even talking with me!"
"What!? If I were to talk to you, it'd be to yell at you for all the problems you've been causing lately!"
As the back and forth continued, Atalanta stared awkwardly between the two bickering servants as a pile of Chibi Nobus rounded the corner. They approached quickly in a panic, making the Greek archer more uncomfortable amid the growing, personal dispute. Even Mephistopheles was looking like a fish out of water as he stood to the side, awkwardly holding his briefcase and looking around. They glanced to each other briefly and, though she resented him, shared a mutual sympathy amid the awkward standoff.
Surprisingly, Okita's glare lightened as disappointment leaked into her voice, "Why are you doing this!? Do you not care how badly you're troubling me!?"
"It's because you don't notice me anymore!" Nobunaga shot back with a frown. "It's like none of my previous pranks excited you like they used to! You don't come and stop me yourself anymore! It's like I don't matter to you! I thought we had something special!"
"Is that why you're with Mephistopheles!?" a crestfallen Okita exclaimed as the tension quickly collapsed. "…Is he replacing me? Is it because you think I don't care?"
"He gives me things you never did!" Nobunaga declared with frustration as her fists shook by her side. Atalanta was pretty sure she was referring to her new ease of acquiring bomb ingredients. "You don't put in the effort anymore! He has to play with me while all you do is paperwork and police management! It's like you forgot about me! Do you know how that makes me feel!? We're supposed to be best friends and rivals!"
Okay, this was getting much more awkward than even she could stomach. Even Mephistopheles was looking incredibly uncomfortable with how the conversation was turning, let alone the fact it sounded like a married couple's dispute. Atalanta decided to point out the obvious in hopes of being a voice of actual reason; She also had a massage with Medea she was looking for to because they haven't spent much time together in the past week.
"You know, Nobunaga… If you keeping burying Okita in paperwork, of course she can't come to stop you like she used to."
The warlord opened her mouth to retort, but her jaw remained lax in growing realization; Had she seriously not considered that!? Atalanta continued, though clearly more exasperated, "You two should have just talked out your problems. I'm sure Okita isn't staying away from you on purpose. She's very diligent with her job."
"...I've been bonding too much with the other Peacekeepers… and the paperwork… and…" Okita mumbled. Atalanta's ear twitched. Did she hear a sniffle? Oh, it was coming, and there was nothing stopping it. On the verge of tears, the saber's lip quivered as she kept one hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry! Nobu, I'm sorry! I didn't know! Oh no, I was ruining our friendship! I'm sorry!"
Nobunaga sighed with her own sad frown and approached. "Hoy, Okita... I'll admit it's not just your fault alon-"
Okita threw herself at Nobunaga, sending them both to the ground. Though the archer groaned at the new predicament, and looked like she was about to reprimand the saber, she stopped herself. After sighing, she smiled lightly and soothingly rubbed Okita's back while she cried into her uniform. Quickly, the Chibi Nobus surrounded them in total panic as Okita whimpered, "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you I promise!"
"Me too… I was being stupid…" Nobunaga admitted as she hugged her best friend back. Okita was still openly crying, so the demon archer comfortingly rubbed her back. Mephistopheles and Atalanta remained at the sides of the hallway watching the personal moment. Though Atalanta did find it rather touching in the end, Mephistopheles was standing there awkwardly while she contemplated whether to announce her leave or not. This Mother's Day was turning out quite unusual.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"You lucked out this time, Amakusa!" "But he's not out of the woods yet, Jackie!"
With a giggle, Atalanta curiously peeked into the Game Room upon hearing her children's excited cries. She was met with immediate gasps as her two girls dashed towards her. They latched onto her and she knelt down just enough to fondly return their embrace. "Are my little girls having fun?"
"I'd safely say so." Atalanta looked up and smiled towards Amakusa, who sat comfortably in a black robe with white accents. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed as the girls returned to the table eagerly. David also sat with them, though he looked a bit more dressed up in a white polo and tan slacks. Both the men had defeat glinting in their eyes, and she was willing to bet her daughters had quite the hand in that. It didn't help they were playing the rather well-known board game too.
"We played a lot of games today!" Jack answered before her mother could ask.
"So it's Monopoly now?" Atalanta asked as she walked up to the table. She blinked before smiling in total amusement. Amakusa and David's money stocks were dangerously low, meanwhile her children were filthy rich. Just glancing at the owned properties and the houses stacked on top of them, her girls were likely working together and had two entire sides of the board under their control. As much as Chaldea loved to coddle them and treat the girls like kids, there was no doubt they were very intelligent and rather crafty. She felt bad for her temporary caretakers.
"They're not going easy on you are they?" Atalanta asked with a small smirk.
David sighed and picked up the dice. "It was our fault for letting them play on a team."
"Too late for regrets~!" Nursery Rhyme hummed. Hers and Jack's eyes sparkled deviously as they eyed the dice shaking in his hand. David chuckled nervously, though Amakusa's was lighter.
"It's best to let fate decide, David," the ruler advised as the male archer finally released his roll. He rolled a three, but that safely put him on a railroad he owned. Atalanta and Amakusa laughed as her daughters clicked their tongues in equal disappointment.
Atalanta would let them finish their game since she knew how much her daughters grew to like Amakusa. Truth be told, she did too. Despite a few questionable beliefs of his, he was a rather kind-hearted individual and had good intentions. She was glad the masters remained undisputed at the helm, and that the ruler was rather content with that after his failed attempt to grasp a grail from Chaldea. She should honestly be more suspicious around him because of that, but he did seem to turn over a new leaf.
At the very least, he made quite the patient and surprisingly mellow friend.
The same went for David, who had been another volunteer to watch the kids. Thankfully he toned down his flirting since Okeanos, mainly because she had been rather assertive against his advances. He was a good ally and friend, but nothing more than that. She had made a vow of chastity after all… even if Artemis kept insisting she can freely drop it and everything would remain wonderful between them.
"It won't be too much longer, mommy," Nursery Rhyme reassured as she counted up a handful of hundreds. She casually placed them on the board for Amakusa. "I'd like six more houses please!"
Amakusa, clearly the banker, chuckled nervously as he made the trade. "Rather ruthless, Alice."
"No. Just efficient," she hummed with a devilish glint in her eyes as she placed the houses on the properties in front of Amakusa's piece to bolster his demise.
Atalanta chuckled. "Is there a prize if you win?"
Jack shook her head, but remained happy. "Just fun! We played a lot of games with Kintoki, Kuro, Illya, Martha, Jeanne-"
As Jack happily rambled and listed off the names, cheering erupted from the other side of the room. Judging by the laughter and hysteria, she wagered that's where Illya and Kuro were being kept entertained. The Einzbern archer seemed to be winning based on how excited her yelling was though. Atalanta giggled, "Rather lively too, aren't they?"
"It's relieving," Amakusa sighed, making the female archer turn to him in confusion. He smiled in exasperation at her. "Jeanne and Martha got into one of their heated rivalry moments again."
"It was when we were playing Mario Party," Nursery Rhyme explained casually as Amakusa picked up the dice. She puffed her chest happily. "Jackie and I still beat them."
"Speaking of beat…" David mentioned as Amakusa stared at his dice. Jack cheered and moved his piece for him… onto her loaded property. "I guess I didn't take last this round."
Taking it in stride, Amakusa smiled as Jack looked up how much he owed her. "I can't complain. It's been a fun day."
Atalanta smiled as Jack showed her how much he owed, which was definitely more than he had. "Thanks for taking care of my girls."
"You're more than welcome," Amakusa nodded as he quietly forked over his money. "I have to amend many mistakes and transgressions, so every little bit counts."
She could hardly argue with that. He'd done quite a lot for her girls, and was one of those who looked after Nursery Rhyme while she and Jack were in the sixth singularity. To be fair, Martha and George helped watch over her too, but her girls were always content with any temporary caretakers; They only ensured they got anything they needed. There was no question they were absolutely pampered, but she'd have it no other way.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
There was still the usual weekend dinner served at the resort, but a special one was being held at Salon de Marie for the holiday. Only select families and individuals were allowed entrance, of course, which brought a greater sense of privacy; Marie was already considering a room expansion after Solomon was dealt with. For now, it was a nice change of pace for Atalanta, who chose a gold and emerald gown for the occasion. She let her daughters dress how they want, but they still chose to flatter her with matching black children's gowns.
Since they arrived a bit early, there was still half an hour until appetizers would arrive. While Mata Hari and Marie played with her girls nearby, Atalanta stood at the bar besides a friend from her past life. Dressed in an ocean blue, backless halter dress, Medea took a sip from her wine glass as the archer flipped through the pages of a small paperback book. Atalanta glanced to her with a curious glint. "This has been in storage the whole time?"
"Helena found it behind other larger books when reorganizing the modern history section," the caster replied as she set her wine glass down. "They're going to look behind all the other books to see if they missed any."
"Maybe they'll find a grail," Atalanta chuckled and closed the book, letting her jade eyes skimmed across the cover again. Medea had talked about this book at the massage, and she had been curious to see it. Just based on the title, it made her a little curious of reading it too.
Not Without my Daughter
By Betty Mahmoody
"It's based on a true story about running away from an abusive husband," Medea pointed out as her smile dipped the tiniest bit. It no doubt brought up some bad memories with Jason. "It was… different from what I usually like."
Considering Medea secretly loved indulging in a particular genre of novels, that much was obvious. It was a bit of secret information Atalanta was privy to as one of the first servants to openly trust Medea in Chaldea. She knew her back when the Argonauts left for the Golden Fleece, but her impressions back then were wildly mixed and admittedly bias. Had the archer been aware of the horrible divine curse controlling Medea back then, her opinion of her wouldn't have flipped so quickly.
Now, though, she believed in the caster again. There was a renewed sense of comradery towards her, and that was also shared by Heracles. After hearing everything she went through, it was heartwarming to see glimpses of the bright-eyed girl whose beautiful hair she once brushed so long ago. She had also been one of the former mothers she went to for advice; Medea often teased her about having it easy since the early years were the true challenge.
Atalanta handed the book back to the caster. "I might have to read it sometime."
"I think you might like it, or at least be inspired to an extent," the caster commented before taking another sip from her wine.
She nodded in understanding. Not wanting to let the conversation die out, though they had talked a lot at the massage, Atalanta looked around to notice everyone else was preoccupied. Boudica had been with them before, so she wasn't able to ask. She smirked, "…So, Medea, how'd you like that new novel I found for you?"
Thankfully, she wasn't sipping on her wine, else she may have choked in surprise. Instead, she turned to the bar since Gilles was serving at the other end, and did her best to hide a tiny blush. She glanced around quickly and sighed, thankful no one had seemed to hear. Her reply was brief and prompt, "…It was great. A quick read."
"I see. Still not as up to par as the third one I found for you," Atalanta mused and shrugged. "Maybe the next one then."
Amusingly, there were some things Medea even hid from her closest companions. As a keen huntress adept at searching and someone who kept secrets well, she was entrusted with one of Medea's deepest secrets; It was a flattering thought, and a secret request she kept completely confidential as a self-administered penance for her harsh treatment of the caster during their voyage. It was still very funny to her that Medea was very adamant about keeping up appearance, so much so that she hid this hidden indulgence even from her new best friend and tailor partner, Naomi.
"…It was still good. I'm on my second read through," Medea responded as she turned back after recomposing herself. "Thank you for still doing this for me."
"You're welcome, Medea," she responded sincerely, but giggled lightly. She always did wonder what Naomi and Boudica would think if they found out just how much she loved erotic romance novels. That was something she wasn't going to test though; They had a good friendship now. "I'll keep my eye out for more, as always. I just hope you still have room in your closet."
Medea sighed with relief, but smiled. "Plenty… I made a new chest of holding to keep them organized."
Atalanta blinked. She never counted but… had she really gotten that many for the caster already?
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
A robot hovered past the family's booth as Mozart's piano music drifted through the air. The special dinner would be served soon, causing conversations to dip ever so slightly so some could enjoy the special supper. For most it was a more mundane selection, but that was hardly a downgrade considering the staff's usual five-star cuisine. The main difference was that any mother's treat was made with extra personalization and arrived with a delightful glass rose memento etched with the occasion.
To her, though, just enjoying her first Mother's Day as a parent was priceless. "Mommy! We have a final gift for you!"
Atalanta's furry ears perked up with her eyes. Taking a pause from savoring her delicious roasted boar with assorted herbs, she gazed across the small salon booth's table. Like well-oiled machines, her two daughters had devoured their dinner and emptied their plate, but their twinkling eyes and eager smiles remained on her. That's not what surprised her. On the table between them sat a medium-sized green present box wrapped with red ribbon, and she couldn't figure out when they snuck that onto the table.
Eyeing the colors, she smiled coyly, "But it's not Christmas."
While her girls giggled, she reached out and plucked the small box. She looked it over, noticing there was no card, and quickly unraveled it. Upon lifting the lid and shuffling through the tissue paper, she found the gift. Very carefully, she lifted the card sized mirror, framed with natural oak, and discarded the box to her side. She couldn't keep the smile from brightening the room, "Awww… my little girls…"
Holding the sides of the small framed mirror were small caricatures of Jack and Nursery Rhyme in black princess dresses. They had their arms stretched towards the mirror to act as a larger base for it to stand balanced, but held onto a small sign between them. The wooden board, which had a fairy tale look with butterflies and fairies, was etched with the words, 'The Best Mommy!' She looked at her reflection in the mirror as her girls giggled.
"I made the designs, but Jackie made the message and came up with the idea!" Nursery Rhyme cheered quietly. Upon hearing that, Atalanta quietly turned the mirror around to find that its wood backing held the words. As she read the lines, her smile grew warmer than Fantasia's beach.
Whenever we're sad you have a hug to share
And warm loving words that show you care
You give us everything even if you don't have to
Because we're happy just being loved by you
~Happy Mother's Day!~
As she smiled sweetly at the gift, she failed to notice Jack and Nursery Rhyme had made their move. The assassin quickly scampered under the booth's table while Nursery Rhyme ran around the outside. They closed in and hugged their mother, making the three of them laugh happily. As the flashes from George's camera, likely aimed their way, entered her peripherals, she merely smiled, placed the gift down, and hugged her two girls.
Their warm embrace didn't last too long. Though their family bond was unbreakable, that didn't stop the girls from shrilling with delight as a robot gently placed down a surprise sundae boat for her daughters. They hadn't been the only ones with a kind surprise tonight.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Her daughters' room had the same layout even after they moved. There was more space for toys and larger beds in the oak room. Some shelves had been moved around to accommodate the two Sunscape Windows Atalanta chose for them. With the added space, she even saw fit to give them a television in their room, though some Chaldean employees advised against spoiling them to that extent. In the end, her precious girls won out, as always, but she was happy to know they weren't glued to it.
The oak cabinet it sat on was filled with countless movies they loved watching. One of their favorites, Finding Nemo, was currently playing on the set this evening. It was drawing to a close amid the dark room while the family watched from the comfort of a pull-out sofa complete with countless pillows and stuffed animals. Atalanta had lost track of how many times she's seen this one in particular, but her girls definitely loved it. It was usually either watching a movie or her reading them a story before bed, but Mother's Day ensured she got the night off from speaking.
Instead, she was nestled into the soft pillows surrounded by many stuffed animals from her girls' ever-growing collection; She would have to ask the casters about that special holding chest to accommodate them. The three had changed into their white nightgowns prior to relaxing for the movie for added comfort. Atalanta ensured it was always done as a prerequisite to turning off the lights and starting the flick, because a vast majority of the time, it wound up being a warm trap.
With the remote in one hand, Atalanta looked to her sides where her girls had been eagerly watching. As per usual, the tuckered-out daughters had fallen asleep at her side and cuddled up to her in their sleep. In their hands were their favorite stuffed animals, pinned between the beloved girls and herself. With soft breathing and tiny smiles, they gently clutched onto their mother, making her sigh with only mild exasperation; This happened so often, but she never minded.
She quietly turned the television and attached DVD player off before doing her preemptive check to decide her next course of action. She gently tried sitting up, but giggled lightly when Jack's sleeping hold tightened. The assassin whimpered like a puppy, scooching herself ever closer to her mother while maintaining the loving, gentle, and needy grasp on her side. Atalanta laid back down, causing the squirming Jack to calm down and bury her tiny smile into the back of her clutched pale blue teddy bear.
There was definitely no slipping away from her daughters tonight.
Sighing again, she lightly tossed the remote onto one of the stacked bean bag chairs nearby. It landed with a soft plop as she reached behind her carefully to grab a folded blanket; Though months old, she often berated herself for not thinking of the idea sooner. With practiced ease, Atalanta opened the blanket and threw it over herself and her daughters. The two squirmed lightly and made pleased sounds as their mother carefully slipped her arms around the them. After soothingly rubbing their backs, she carefully readjusted her position before closing her eyes.
Though she preferred her warm bed, sleeping with her slices of heaven was practically a tie. "Thank you for another wonderful day, girls."
Her only response were soft breathing and tiny smiles.