A chilling breeze broke the silence of the beautiful night. Darkness shrouded the snow-covered landscape, leaving only dim silhouettes of distant mountains. A cluster of lights in the distance marked the city of Anchorage where the Chaldean teams combed for information. It rested beneath the vibrant, star-speckled sky that was kissed by the aurora borealis. Those tendrils waved with lime and cerulean hues that reflected dimly off of the ocean on the horizon. It was a beautiful night, but a haunting singularity.
With hands crossed over his vibrant red attire, Li stared off once more at the growing yet troubled American town as they settled in for the night. Compared to other malignant singularities, the actions of this one's offender were discreet. The only information they started with was the understanding there were rampant child kidnappings on an unnerving scale; Atalanta had quickly become invested in its resolution. Despite the three-day search, it was only by the second night that Geronimo picked up a trail.
The teams were hidden nearby while Geronimo and Hundred Face scouted a promising cave network; Some rune traps at the entrance ensured this. With his innate abilities, Li would have been a flawless scout to join them, but the masters deemed otherwise. He didn't argue, and merely waited for the proper time to let himself run free against the enemy. After all, it was in his blood to seek worthy opponents to fight with their lives on the line.
One would have thought all the opponents he'd met and battled after the Moon Cell War would have sated his appetite, but that would never be the case for Li Shuwen. To defeat an opponent using true skill was a prestigious honor he'd never relinquish, for there was no greater thrill than comparing chi. Even in Chaldea, this remained, but he understood it needed to be tempered and withheld. There were many worthy opponents there, but they could never go all out.
It had been rough and aggravating at first, for it was a strange catch-22 for him. He desired to fight to the death, but if he were to do that in Chaldean spars, he would be killed and robbed of his chance to fight more. After the first week, especially thanks to his friend Cu Chulainn, he had managed a balance since the situation provided a perfect answer: Though he could not fight his Chaldean allies to the death, the opponents that threatened humanity were fair game.
While he smiled as he gazed over the beautiful landscape, which even the battle-lusting man could enjoy, he looked forward to the battle ahead. It had been two weeks since he had last been deployed, and he had his own desires to meet. He had waited easily and patiently, though his friends and newfound lifestyle helped that. All bets were off once in the singularity, however, for he was always eager to engage at the masters' command.
Snow-crunching footsteps signaled and approach from behind, which caused Li to smirk. The other servant called, "Hey, Li! The two are returning. It's time to have some fun!"
"That's what I like to hear!" the Chinese lancer chuckled with his signature laugh. He turned around and strolled up the mountainside towards Cu whose expression was graced with his usual smirk. Gae Bolg rested firmly across his shoulders with one hand holding it in place while the other rested on his hip. As Li approached, Cu held his free hand out casually. Li clasped their hands and shook, which caused them both to chuckle excitedly. "I've had enough of the run around!"
"You're not the only one!" Cu noted as his smirk faded. He motioned with his head towards the group. Though it was dim, Li could see their little singularity ally, Jeanne, and Gabrielle as they attempted to calm Atalanta. "Can't say I blame her. Abducting children is a surefire way to get her mad."
"Then I guess I'll have to race her to the opponent," Li noted as he summoned his spear into one hand. "Or whoever's strongest among them. I don't mind."
As they hyped themselves up and returned to the hidden group, Li smirked eagerly. In his short tenure with Chaldea, he'd gotten to see and fight so much, but it offered more than just that. It granted him a changing outlooked that shifted between deployments and Chaldean life. It was a unique balance he had acquired through understanding himself, his needs, and the possibilities this summoning provided. With it, he'd forged a new existence to help him cope with the slower life in Chaldea, but if he were honest…?
Li was also enjoying a mundane servant life far more than he thought possible.
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Fragment 67: Tempered Duality
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Sunlight streamed in from the general store's windows and mixed with the amber from bright overhead bulbs. Innumerable products packed the many shelves of a dozen aisles. Though the store was mostly empty in the late hours of the second day, the sounds of muffled Christmas cheer and loud vintage cars helped break the silence; They joined a small radio at the main counter playing holiday tunes.
'Maybe Jing would get a laugh or two if I bring this back for her…'
Alone in his aisle, Li remained crouched and stared at a pair of classic electric hair clippers. They were joined by the manual variety and several pairs of barber scissors that formed part of a grooming section. On most occasions, he would have passed a simple glance before walking away. If he even needed any of them, he would have just grabbed one and left since he hated wasting time.
However, he had nothing better to do since Gudao and Gabrielle made others scout. It was not a decision he would argue anyway. Hundred Face alone covered significantly more ground at once, and Geronimo was far more adept at picking up invisible trails. He was the best for following any target, but that didn't help when the singularity opponent was somehow extremely good at staying hidden.
Despite this, Chaldea's search was still going terribly. Nearly two entire days spent searching the area for the enemy proved fruitless. Even with the aid of their surprise allied servant, the enemy servant's new base was nowhere to be found. At least they knew the identity of the main culprit, but they remained unaware if he had attempted to summon more after their ally ran away. Sadly, the maddened Gilles de Rais did not seem like a worthy opponent in true combat, so he hoped there were others that offered more value.
Speaking of value, the pair of scissors he looked at looked like a fair price. He plucked it from the aisle to stare at it, and he knew if either Ushiwakamaru or Jing Ke were here they'd be giggling at him; He would have rolled his eyes. Li Shuwen, famed teacher of Bājíquán, browsed around town without getting impatient. He had to wonder if his students had time to do anything so mundane when protecting China's future leaders.
Li heard the store clerk giggle merrily as the allied servant approached. Though Jeanne and Atalanta were also in the store, the light jingle of bells were telltale signs who it was. He glanced over and spotted the little servant who leaned and peeked into his aisle with daffodil-colored eyes. The white-haired, pale servant looked at the various products while her two hands clutched the side of the aisle. Her fluffy white coat was still wrapped firmly around her torso, as ensured endlessly by Jeanne, and the tiny bells on her iconic headpiece jingled lightly.
Though many quickly recognized her, they remained just as surprised by Li. No one believed she could be summoned, but they'd encountered stranger and more unusual things in the past few months; Speaking about that 'thing' from the last minor singularity still gave Gabrielle nightmares. But this little product of the mad servant's botched summoning? The little lancer probably rested on the other exact opposite end of the spectrum.
She quietly mumbled. "The bookstore had more stuff…"
Apparently, she still acted very similar to the little Joan of a past incident dubbed, The Tiny Christmas Miracle. Whatever the case, it made Jeanne extremely happy, and helped keep Atalanta's mood fairly stable. He asked, "More interested in reading? You're surprisingly mature for a child."
The little servant, which Jeanne called Janna, puffed her chest proudly and smirked. "Of course! I never got any education, so I want to change that and be a knowledgeable lady!"
"Sis? Would you like cookies? There's some fresh ones for sale."
Like a spotlight, her eyes quickly shined with excitement that made Li laugh. She ran off as her bells jingled all the way, "Can I really?"
It was good to see her smiling after they found her crying at the shoreline. Even if she had proven hostile, Li wasn't too sure if that would have actually stopped Jeanne and Atalanta from rushing to her side. Needless to say, she grew attached to the older Holy Maiden very quickly, to the point many feared what would happen when the time came to leave. At the rate things went, that wouldn't be anytime soon.
He turned back to the grooming products and distracted himself from possible impatience and overexcitement; The promised battle would come, but he had to wait. In the meantime, the simple task of accompanying this trio served well as a distraction. Summoned as a servant, the last thing he believed he'd be doing were everyday tasks like he had in his past life. While not what he really wanted to do, he minded less with every passing day.
It had gotten to the point simple shopping served as partial meditation. Who would have thought?
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Cu, Li, and Scathach, who led the Chaldean formation, exited the winding caves first to find themselves in the chosen battleground. Li stopped his eyes from narrowing in disgust, but several gasps and growls ripped through the formation behind him. The same could not be said for the 'servant' in the center, who laughed maniacally. "After two weeks…! You've finally come back to me, Jeanne! And you've brought friends! …What interesting friends!"
The child servant quivered with a mix of horror and revulsion as she gripper her lance, but quickly shouted, "Gilles! What is the meaning of this!?"
"Oh! This? It's Christmas! It was difficult gathering these toys for the celebration without you… but it's ready! What do you think? How's my gift for god?"
Though Li's expression remained composed and even, part of him shared in the repulsion, anger, and shock that ran through the teams. As a martial artist, one is taught early that situational awareness and perception are keys to victory; He purposefully tried to limit it due to the circumstances of his surroundings. He understood all that was necessary for now.
They were in a massive artificial cavern that was cut from the bedrock like a perfect dome. It served as an abominable workshop for the grotesque servant at its center. Even if parts of his tattered silver armor and purple cloth were still visible, he was hardly the saber they knew in Chaldea. The bulging eyed, greasy-haired madman had no lower half, and his hair flailed wildly to match the cacophony of writhing tentacles in sickly greens and purple. The four-meter mass of ever-shifting repugnance, which was all that was left of the former saber's legs, squelched as his crazed grin widened.
Li imagined many wanted to rip that smile off his face, were he not surrounded by an equally grotesque prana barrier that groaned with dark whispers.
The opponent was sickening to look at, but the surrounding walls were worse. A few hundred children, taken from various towns across the area, were chained to the walls. There was no blood or gore, but this sight even disturbed the mentally and emotionally hardened lancer. Trapped in a trance with thousand-yard stares, the children were alive… for now. Just the thought of what this corrupted saber had planned unconsciously made Li's eye twitch. This thing's behavior offended him.
Feet shuffled from behind him, and there was no doubt which three servants approached the front of their formation. Though the three lead lancers adopted battle stances, Jeanne and the little Janna walked between them and stopped. They were soon joined by the surprisingly calm stomps of their Gilles, who emitted an aura of shame and silent fury. Though he glared and frowned, he drew his sword calmly and declared, "This is unforgiveable! I demand you release these children at once! They are innocent!"
"That's what makes them perfect to show God never cared!" the abomination exclaimed eagerly. "Of course, of course! You agree don't you, Gilles?"
"No." His response was so firm, simple, yet resolute, it made the maddened version squint his eyes incredulously. Jeanne gave him a warm smile as he raised his sword to point it at the abomination. If there were any signs of his occasional headache, they did not show. "I was foolish to ever think he didn't!"
"If he cared so much, why is he allowing me to do this!?" the opposing abomination spat, then quickly laughed. With blackened sword in one hand and spellbook in the other, he leveled a resolved, crazed gaze at his Chaldean counterpart. "God won't save them from my plans! You know this! Deep down, you-"
"We won't let you kill them! We'll stop you!" the little Janna declared valiantly, though her arms quivered slightly. Li felt her signature was nowhere near the strength of her counterpart. The adversary had apparently tried to create a special corrupted version of Jeanne to help enslave children, but it backfired spectacularly since he was no caster. This alter wound up mixed and mismatched to such an extent, she didn't even understand what her own abilities were… yet she wanted to help. It was admirable, and the teacher in him wanted to at least give her a few more pointers…
…but more of him was too disappointed that his simple wish would not be provided here.
When summoned as a servant, it was almost guaranteed one would have to fight another. It was this comparison of Chi with one's life on the line that Li looked forward to. The night before he deployed, he would properly psyche himself up and shifted his relaxed and wise mentality of his later days back to the energetic passion of his youth.
Any thoughts of the relaxed Chaldean life were far from reach, replaced with the familiar urges to battle fiercely with a worthy opponent. Yes, he had come to enjoy Chaldean life, but it played no part in his truest desire. It would only serve as a distraction, which is why he separated the two mentalities and shifted them accordingly.
Gudao's telepathic message echoed through his mind. "Everyone. Please stall for time. Delay combat. Helena's working the situation in our favor."
Li would have to trust the others with that. Though he could make idle chatter, in his sharpened state, his words would likely incite action. They would be tinged with excited banter that urged the opponent into combat. He would let the others stall so that his fists and spear could talk louder afterward.
The abomination frowned. "You were supposed to help me, little Jeanne. God had abandoned you to the fires! Yet why!? Why do you still wish to follow his word when he does not listen!? Come to me! I will always forgive you! Help me make the screams of these children reach his deaf ears!"
Li could hear Atalanta's patience as it threatened to crack, but she held firm and merely growled angrily. Jeanne gripped her flag tighter, but Gilles shouted before she could. "God abandoned no one! The lord has always guided us in his own unseen ways! He gives light to those who open their eyes to see it!"
"He has not! He's done nothing for us after leading all of us on a doomed crusade! He gave France a light only to laugh as it was taken away!"
"Yet she still stands here!" Gilles spat back as he motioned to Jeanne by his side. "God has reunited me with the Holy Maiden! It is a gift I didn't deserve after all I've done, yet he blessed me with another chance! A chance I will use to redeem myself as many times as it takes! To believe once more in his grand design!"
As it writhed, the tentacled abomination shrieked. The personal religious argument continued, but Li held no patience for the entire situation. The Chinese lancer knew full well to trust in the masters' coordination and planning, but that didn't quell his discontent. Incredulous anger tugged at his being for more than the potential atrocity in this room. There was no doubt this stage was sick, but that's not what riled him most.
Of all his deployments, this was the only one that had failed to deliver. He relished fighting powerful opponents with their life on the line. There was no greater satisfaction of a delivered, decisive blow that crushed a worthy opponent's soul. Some called it murder, but it was far more to him than such a simplistic term someone tried to term. Two opponents in a mutual duel who fought with everything they've got was the epitome of glory for the martial artist. It was a test of skill that surpassed the flow of time itself.
…and here Li was, robbed of that chance to fight another, possibly new opponent in an honorable and unrestricted show of force.
This singularity was a flat disappointment, and by now most of him just wanted it to be over. He'd simply cut through any enemies like the lifeless clusters of the Moon Cell Wars without any satisfaction. He'd let his frustrations escape through fist and spear in an attempt to crush his disappointment that melded with enthusiasm built over the past days. Yet, there still remained a part of him that hoped this servant abomination had secretly summoned servants that weren't in sight… a final reserve that would grant him the fight he sought.
"Just about ready. Give me a bit more," Helena's voice echoed, which cause Li to glance to Cu. He glanced back, and they shared a small nod while Scathach kept her focus on the only opponent in sight.
"One last time! Release the children, Gilles!" Jeanne cried out valiantly. "If ours can find the light once more, then so can you! You can still be forgiven!"
"No!" The abomination in the center shrieked and writhed. "God deserved to be punished for his reckless sins! He must answer his wrongs!"
"I won't let you do anything to these children! You won't ruin this Christmas!" the little alter yelled. "If you have a problem with God, then you settle it with him by yourself! Don't get anyone else involved, Gilles!"
"He should have thought about that before he involved you!" the demented servant cackled, as the writhing mass began to glow. Li heard Cu curse under his breath; Helena still needed more time, yet bloody circles began appearing all across the cavern grounds. "Torment awaits! Get the children! Get them all, my pets! Show how much that worthless god cares by slaughtering them with ease!"
Circle after circle shattered in gory explosions as sickening screeches echoed through the cavern. One by one, small tentacle creatures that resembled mutated starfish and octopi appeared from their cultist summoning symbols. They multiplied quickly, but did not wait for further orders from their overlord. While they shrieked and writhed, they charged towards the outer walls to claim their prizes. There were too many to stop even if they all charg-
The outer walls of the cavern flashed with a blinding light, making the corrupted saber shriek with its minions. When it faded, and Li lowered his arm, he stared in delighted surprise with the rest of the Chaldeans. Helena successfully forged a large barrier encompassing the cavern walls, forming an impassable rainbow wall between the children and the monsters. All of the comatose captives were safe on the other side; The battlesuit-clad masters, three casters, Hundred Face, and Atalanta were separated too.
Helena's actions left the remainder of the team sealed in with the abomination, but that likely suited everyone just fine. There was nowhere for the despicable servant to run, and Li smirked lightly when Gabrielle's order finally came through. "Helena's working on his barrier! Until then, clean this filth!"
Li, Scathach, and Cu disappeared in the blink of an eye. Letting his resentment and disappointment roar, Li quickly skewered two of the minions with a swift lunge. He vanished again and reappeared within a cluster as he spun his pear around him. Many were sliced in half, and one that charged him was quickly dispatched by an incoming strike from Xuanzang's monk spade. An arrow from Tota sent two more to the grave, yet the abomination only summoned more.
They made little progress, but that failed to stop Gilles, Jeanne, and the little Janna from charging towards the adversary. They tore a warpath with the help of the three leading lancers as they worked in silent tandem. Jeanne would spear one tentacled beast, while Gilles sliced through several more with an angry battle roar. The tiny alter's flames, which were blue instead of the malicious black, burned through more, yet their progress slowed. Even with the assistance from the others, the rather easy fight dragged on.
While the children were being quickly freed by the separate group, Li sighed in irritation. "How much longer for the barrier? I'm tiring of this mess."
"A few minutes more! It's a tough one! The grail is bolstering it!"
This fight was effortless for Li. There was no challenge to be had, and nothing remotely placed him in danger. He grew bored fast, but found at least some amusement in watching the little alter attacking so wildly and crudely. She clearly had no idea what she was doing, and coupled with her already lowered attributes, made for quite an amusing flailing session; At least Gabrielle's temporary contract with the little lancer gave her more energy to use.
As he moved almost completely by basic and automatic instinct, Li jumped to a different cluster of the annoying creatures to hopefully burn more agitation. It did a fair job, at least. This deployment would still be the first to disrupt his routine of defeating a wor- "Get them! Kill these blinded fools!"
A loud roar tore through the cavern. His eyes widened as he spun swiftly. His spear flew up to bat away the slash of a massive demonic axe. Red lines cracked its blackened surface and matched the eyes and misty aura of its wielder as it growled at him.
Li felt exhilarated as a grin quickly grew on his face. Even as he effortlessly dismissed any opportunistic minion that continued to lunge, he laughed happily as he stared down the bare-chested man. He was covered with powerful muscles, and darkened armor on his legs rattled as he charged again. The horned brunette servant roared in a blinded, maddened state and swung his massive axe at him again.
Once more, Li deflected it, killed another minion, and then dodged another powerful strike. The axe slammed into the earth and shook the cavern, making Li chuckle with rising enthusiasm; It took a lot of effort just to deflect one of this servant's attacks! "Yes…! YES! Where have you been hiding!?"
The servant did not answer, but he didn't need to; This new challenger for him was the answer! Even if he could not speak, and they could not trade words, the Chinese Lancer was pleased. This was the wish he always sought in singularities! This was what he silently craved like a rampant addiction with no cure!
"Cu! I hope you do not mind! I'm taking this one for myself!" Li happily exclaimed as he leapt clean over a vicious swipe that killed many of the corrupted servant's allies.
An explosion of earth further away, followed by Cu's laughter, made Li's smirk grow. "That's fine, buddy! I found one for myself too!"
Just like that, all the disappointment in the past few minutes evaporated. His muscles threatened to burst with overwhelming excitement, but there would be no worry. With every precise and well-honed strike, the flames of his youth surged forward and talked with the opponent. With a proud, feral grin, Li even dematerialized his spear to indulge further. He vanished and reappeared behind the muscular man, throwing his palm forward only to have it countered by a quick swing of an axe. This opponent wasn't easy, but it made him more excited!
He vanished once more and reappeared swiftly. Even if the opponent couldn't sense him properly, his instincts were great! The axe-wielder deflected his swift lunge with his spear, but Li felt no irritation. He had found an opponent he never fought before, and they proved themselves worthy. His muscles shook with thrilled satisfaction. To crush this enemy's life was all he wished for at this moment!
As he chuckled happily while he killed some nearby minions and cleared space, the Chinese Lancer presented a feral smirk.
Li was alive again.
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"…This was the most unexpected gift from God. I feel… better. Even accomplished."
Though the foul stench of the abomination remained, the enemy Gilles had been killed. Jeanne and child lancer, with Fou cradled in her arms, smiled as the Chaldean Gilles happily laughed; He had personally severed the abomination's head as the final strike. Li smirked too, because he was honestly glad his ally found their own satisfaction.
Li glanced at his hands that no longer trembled with excitement. The enthusiasm for battle had been sated once more. He could return to Chaldea without any lingering regret or disappointment. He'd transition back to his mundane, daily routine with everyone else as soon as they finished the final tasks.
At the cavern's exit, Geronimo, Mashu, and Atalanta helped Hundred Face's many forms usher the last of the children outside. With the singularity newly resolved, the world would attempt to repair the damage as soon as Nitocris and Helena successfully destroyed the pulsing, corrupted grail; Gudao supervised nearby. It remained at the center of the room shielded by a malevolent shield they worked to disarm. It shouldn't be much longer now.
As Gabrielle skipped over to hug the little alter from behind, Cu, wearing a million-dollar grin, happily strolled over to Li while Scathach followed. "So! How'd you like fighting Bloodaxe?"
"Was that his name?" he pondered. Erik Bloodaxe, the famous Viking, had been his opponent. That had turned out very fun, though not one of his most memorable battles by a fair stretch. "I'd like to fight him again without any interfering madness… but he was just what I needed!"
"Good to hear!" Cu stated as he clasped a friendly hand on the fellow lancer's shoulder. "I guess we can put off the spar for a few days?"
Li chuckled. "We would have needed to be more aggressive if those other servants hadn't been hiding. Maybe Medb would have loved that!"
"That's a given," Scathach sighed as Li and Cu chuckled. He was glad the Irish legends were as exhilarated for battle as him; They made for great companions and excellent sparring buddies, especially Cu. Even before Chaldea, their friendship was founded in the Moon Cell during Nero's campaigns, yet it held firm to this day. It only grew stronger.
As Tota chatted with Xuanzang nearby, Atalanta calmly walked back towards the masters with a warm smile on her face. Jeanne turned back and quickly matched the expression with her own. With Fou now by her feet, the little Janna watched the two walk up to each other while being gently rocked in Gabrielle's arms. The Holy Maiden sighed in satisfaction, "I'm relieved everything went well."
"That goes double for me… Thank you for helping keep my temper under control," the archer admitted, but Jeanne only happily smiled back.
"Of course. I made you a promise back then, didn't I? I wouldn't want you losing faith in me again," the blonde replied.
Though Atalanta's smile faltered ever so slightly with some lasting regret, she giggled, "Thank you… Saint."
While Jeanne fidgeted at the title, the little alter giggled happily. Li and Cu strolled over silently to give them their moment. Since he just wanted to return, he paid only mild attention to the conversations around him. Strange as it seemed, he had come to enjoy his unusual Chaldean life. Between rather mundane moments and newfound experiences with friends, he had more than enough to keep his days occupied between deployments.
Their return would not be delayed. The grail shattered with a loud explosion as Nitocris squeaked loudly in surprise. Helena and Gudao looked over at the pharaoh with amused snickers. With only a slight delay, Nitocris straightened her posture, pouted, and made a show of dusting off what little clothing she had as battle attire. It failed to stop the rest of the present Chaldeans from chuckling, which caused her to flush and the pout to deepen. "So rude! I wasn't expecting it to crumble with the barrier!"
"Well done, everyone! The corrupted grail has been confirmed as destroyed!" Roman's voice echoed over Gudao's wrist intercom. "We're considering pulling you out early to save you some sleep. It's already past midnight as is! I hope you've said your goodbyes to- Ow! Da Vinci! What was… oh… OH."
Oh was correct. Though it was easy for Li since they talked only a few times, everyone had kept the little alter from thinking about the eventual parting. For the lancer, farewells were just a simple affair, but this was definitely not going to be the case. Already, the little alter's eyes were filled with despair as she glanced between Gabrielle, Gilles, and Jeanne. "Wait… What? Goodbye…? You're… You're leaving me…?"
Sheesh… the way she whispered that even tugged at him. Mashu quickly jogged over while Hundred Face and Geronimo took their time. Scathach shared a stoic glance with the heartbroken Gabrielle as Jeanne quietly dropped to her knees. She gazed at the little alter, who was already tearing up as she stared back at the sad ruler. "No! No! Stop! Don't leave me! I want to go home with you!"
Atalanta's ears drooped with her visible sadness as Jeanne pulled the little alter into a hug. Fou tried pawing gently at her leg. The child sobbed loudly now, "I've been so alone! That beach was s-so cold until you came! Don't leave m-me! Gilles! Gabby…! I want to go home with my big s-sister! …I wanna g-go home!"
"But we don't know how. It's only happened once…" Nitocris mumbled under her breath regretfully while Gilles struggled to hold himself firm.
"I'm sorry… We shouldn't have…" Gabrielle frowned as she wiped her own tear from her eye. Mashu walked over to Gudao and quietly whispered to him as he put an arm around her. Still, Jeanne only whispered soft apologies and reassurance as she held the alter tightly.
That was definitely the reason he never grew attached to too many people, even if that changed slightly in Chaldea. It kept parting a simple act when one was distant, and he had that much less people to let down when it did happen. But alas, Chaldea often spent so much time with allied servants that bonds became inevitable. Once more, they had a difficult farewell, because letting a child down so heavily was never a glorious moment.
"I'm sorry… I want you to come home with us too…" Jeanne whispered. She failed to keep her own tears in check. "But I can't lie to you… We don't know…"
"…Well. There are some variables I want to confirm~…" Da Vinci's voice hummed over Gudao's intercom. As hope seemed to blossom in the saddened eyes, the inventor chuckled. "Oh, I do love experiment- Ahem! Right! We need to be quick about this! Everyone, get the leyshift ready! Now! We're pulling them out manually! Gudao! Gabby! Have someone hold on to our little ally! Make sure it's a nice, tight, and cozy hug~!"
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The spacious deployment room was silent when they returned… for all of five seconds.
For the first time, Jeanne's voice made Li's ears hurt, but it wasn't caused by her singing. Truthfully, she could keep that prize, along with the bundle of joy that now happily sobbed into her shoulder. It was hard not to smile at the success. Two singularities in a row they had managed to bring an allied servant home with them to shatter a year of failure. In celebration, Jeanne happily spun around with her sister in her arms while Gilles started an applause.
"I'm home! I'm home!" the little alter happily cried and laughed as the Holy Maiden stopped spinning and tightened her embrace.
"We need to have her registered like Paula!" Gabrielle quickly called out as she ran over and pointed to the door. "She needs a proper connection to the system!"
"You just got here! I'm not letting my little sister disappear!" Jeanne quickly declared, but Fou was already scurrying towards the main exit doors. "Let's go, Janna!"
After placing her down, the smiling saint quickly grasped her hand and bolted after Fou, followed closely by Gabrielle. Gilles quickly followed after with a pleased expression that couldn't be matched. The three girls laughed and ran excitedly as the large doors slid open. Da Vinci and Roman quickly sidestepped in the large entryway while the small group approached. The inventor crossed her arms over her blue evening dress and waved at the group. A happy little lancer waved back, "Hi!"
"Well hello there~!" Da Vinci beamed, but quickly giggled. "I'll introduce myself later. You've got somewhere to be~!"
Roman smiled and lightly clapped as Jeanne shouted quickly, "Thank you, Da Vinci! Sorry! We're in a rush but I'll thank you properly after!"
"Gudao will give you the report!" Gabrielle quickly supplied as she ran past. "No, I didn't ask him to! But he'll definitely do it!"
Even as they bolted past and down the hallway, their mirth could be heard in the deployment room. The remaining group remained silent until Scathach sighed with a tiny smile on her lips. "…Those three will wake everyone up at this rate."
"I'm sure my girls will be really happy but… I wonder how Joan is going to take this," Atalanta mused with a tiny smirk, making Tota and Xuanzang laugh loudly.
As Mashu dematerialized her shield, she gently grasped Gudao's hand as he yawned into his other. He smiled with exhaustion. "Well… Report. Shower. Sleep… That order."
While most quietly agreed, Li was feeling extra energetic. That battle with Bloodaxe had gotten his blood pumping, and he needed a cooldown of some sort; He only imagined what kind of relaxer he'd need after they defeated Solomon. While he could meditate, doing some Bājíquán forms served the dual purpose of continued discipline and focus. Contrary to popular joking belief, he wasn't only interested in sparring as a way to release energy.
As Da Vinci and Roman approached, Li waved towards Cu and Scathach. While Scathach nodded, Cu waved back. Their partings were simple, and no further words needed to be exchanged. He'd leave the master and other servants to go over the finer details of the singularity; Da Vinci would likely be more interested in sharing her hypothesis on servant retrieval, but he honestly wasn't interested. He'd likely hear about it at one point or another anyway.
With nothing more to do, Li headed to the Training Grounds for some conditioning. Maybe he'd even see 'Ghost Shiki' on the way there.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Snowflakes fell gently with only a mild, artic breeze. The Training Grounds were bone-chilling at night, but servant or not, Li would not have cared. In his past life, very rarely did weather stop his outdoor training. It was merely part of his endeavor.
As his arms and legs moved beautifully like flowing water, he went through the stages of the current form. An energetic palm strike would break the tranquility of the previous moves, only for it to return to a state of harmonious flow. His expression remained calm and relaxed, only to sharpen with focus when the next strike in the form was released with a firm grunt. Once more, he'd return to graceful tranquility even as the current form came to an end.
He merely started the next, which mirrored the ebb and flow of tranquility and aggression. The forms were like his current Chaldean life that changed depending on the circumstances. When home, he was in a state of relaxation and ease when going about his usually lax routine. If a spar or deployment approached, he would quickly hype himself up with the necessary energy required for the glorious moments he relished. Once more, he'd then calm down to a tranquil state with its conclusion, only for the process to repeat as needed.
His form continued amid the dark night, with only the distant light of Chaldea illuminating stray snowflakes around him. He was only mildly aware of his movements in the dim light, but he always moved with habitual purpose. It was a duality he had grown accustomed to with the serene wisdom of old age that mixed with the vibrant passion of his youth. It was a swirling force, a yin and yang, that was constantly melded to form the harmony of Divine Spear Li Shuwen.
"Ha!" His open palm surged forward, and released lingering excitement from the deployment.
Though he practiced them often and dutifully, the forms also served as his transition between deployments. The tranquil moments between the strike would either help build energy and anticipation or dissipate them; The event that followed after decided its purpose. Now that he was home, the lingering energy vanished with every strike to prepare him for the tranquil lull between promised duels. Form after form, he relaxed himself for the days ahead.
Only when he was finally in a calm state of mind, a disposition he often relished in his older days, would Li truly return home.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
A breeze blew through the outdoor cafeteria the next morning. Occasional, loud caws from the top of the cabana roof marked the location of resting macaws. Despite that, it was peaceful in the ever-warm resort. Since breakfast had just ended at the cafeteria, the resort was mostly empty save for the distant sounds of sporadic activity. Feint music from three string players could be heard from the forests between loud yells from the beach.
"Don't falter, Gudao! A leader never falters!"
While Leonidas barked commands to his morning exercise group, the two friends sat down at one of the tables. It was a relaxed meeting for Li and Gawain that was often agreed upon a day or two in advance, but this one was planned for the day after he returned. Though the Camelot group had some sort of portrait session in an hour, the saber in a white suit and blue-dress shirt had enough time for their usual, relaxed chat. By contrast to the knight, Li was extremely casual with his open, red tropical shirt and black board shorts.
"I'm proud you didn't give any excuse! Lack of sleep is irrelevant! Keep working!"
"You think they stayed up a little later?" Li asked plainly.
Gawain chuckled and shook his head. "You arrived late… and Lady Mashu has been very keen about our master's sleep since they moved in together."
"I don't blame her. Sleep is important for managing one's natural Chi." The lancer passed a quick glance towards the beach as the group started exercises in cadence. There was a small, comfortable silence as Gawain glanced over too. "I miss anything interesting?"
"I thought Lady Ke would have filled you in by now."
Li smirked. "Maybe after she goes over all the new drinks she's discovered."
"A fair point," the saber conceded. "You missed nothing. The most curios sight was a dismayed Shakespeare."
Most of his backstage crew was gone for a few days, so that was probably another hit to his play's schedule. Li chuckled, "I bet humanity will be saved before his play is performed."
"I think he'll manage. He's Shakespeare," Gawain countered with a small smile. "What would you even wager for this bet?"
The lancer shrugged. "A handful of my allowance. Any amount, really. It's not like I use any of it."
"I don't think Lady Jing would like you wagering off funds in her personal bank," Gawain teased with a chuckle.
Li laughed with him. "It's Shuten and Ushi's bank too sometimes. I feel like I should just buy the alcohol to save them the effort."
"Ah, but if Queen Marie catches word, you'll have your first wild rumor," the knight pointed out with a tiny smirk.
"…That's true. I've dodged her attacks well so far…" The same couldn't be said for almost all of Chaldea; Even the masters weren't safe. Li nodded sagely. "Thanks for the advice. Guess I'm still a bank."
"Glad I could be of service," the saber answered and dipped his head honorably. The knight habitually checked his watch, but Li knew they still had more than enough time for their friendly meeting. Though there were occasional, comfortable pauses like this one, their small talk would resume soon enough.
Their rather stable friendship could be seen as unusual at best, even if they were former comrades under Nero's Moon Cell banner. His sense of morality clashed against Gawain's righteousness. Although he wasn't an assassin, his quick and devious fighting style with bare fists could be described as cowardly compared to the knight's straightforward valiance. Their civility should have remained solely because of alliance, and nothing more than that.
Yet, here they were in Chaldea during the first week of July... talking like old friends and simply skirting away from any potentially conflicting topics. Occasionally they would argue, but nothing would go out of control. Gawain wished to be a proper knight once more, and strayed away from any seemingly churlish behavior when he could. Li likewise did not find any amusement in verbal spats, for the true luxury always rested with talking to potential opponents.
While Gawain was no enemy, he did wish for the day he'd one day fight a rogue one to truly test his mettle. Until then, the simple talking was more than enough to suffice. Leonidas' indiscernible yells of encouragement broke their silence and sent them into light laughter. Li then gently cleared his throat to draw Gawain's attention. "I've been meaning to ask you something important."
The saber leaned in curiously as Li took a slightly more serious expression… but it was only to throw the saber off guard as he smirked. "Jing keeps rambling about your hair… Does it shine normally like that or is it just your sun power? A special shampoo? Ushi and I don't know why she doesn't just ask you."
Gawain blinked, but quickly laughed as he ran a hand through his pristine hair. This talk was bound to stay calm and friendly as usual.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Li had made his way to the sanctuary of the shrine to enjoy the remainder of the quiet morning. While he sat on his knees, the lancer let the scent of freshly cut Bonsai trees tickle his nose, but he kept his eyes closed with hands in his lap. Soft, oriental music quietly hummed in the air as he finished up his internal, spiritual inspection. His Chi flowed smoothly and uninhibited as he balanced himself within.
Across from him in the large dojo room, Benkei also sat in a similar posture. As opposed to Li's casual attire, the Japanese lancer was dressed in his favorite, traditional style. His brown kimono and covering white hakama looked newly pressed and cleaned. He breathed in gently and quietly, much like Li did.
The Chinese martial artists slowly opened his eyes. He had established his inner peace, which was his only structured routine until the afternoon. He was free to do as he wished, but he decided against sparring or anything overly social. Silently, he got up and carefully walked over to one of the walls. Once there, he sat down beside one of the Bonsai plant sections.
Li committed himself to a new meditation, which was to simply sit in calm serenity. He gazed over to the nearest section, which had three glass shelves to display the separate plants. This juniper trio in particular had been trimmed by him that morning, as part of his offerings of respect to the others. Though Benkei was usually the one tending to the Shrine, he felt it was only right to show some gratitude however he could.
In his past life, penjing, the origin of bonsai, had been a sporadic interest of his. It was only after he became a servant, with almost nothing better to do, that he picked it up as another way to pass the time in solitude; He even got one for his room, but just a tiny one. His precision with martial arts translated well to such a peaceful hobby, and he often got some strange looks when others first saw him doing it.
Benkei never seemed to care, and merely thanked him for his occasional help.
His gaze turned towards the dojo's entrance as soft footsteps approached. After a few moments, George appeared from the hallway wearing a white Hawaiian shirt and khakis. His bare feet paused in the entrance as he waved silently to Li. After he returned the gesture, Benkei opened his eyes and looked towards the rider while he took off his small black camera bag. "Is it that time already, George?"
"Perhaps a minute early. Forgive me if I interrupted your meditation," he appeased with a small smile.
Benkei merely shook his head and smiled back. "It's no trouble. Feel free to go about your task. Neither of us should mind."
The other lancer turned to him, but Li merely nodded in compliance. He was informed that George would swing by for a personal project of his. Apparently the rider intended to create an album showcasing Chaldea so he could practice real estate photography. Li recalled Nero and Tamamo had hired dozens of Moon Cell NPCs to do that for their combined territory, so he had glimpsed them working before. That said, he did his best to avoid them because he was never fond of photographs.
Thankfully, George was keenly aware of this. With a tripod in one hand and camera in the other, he approached the sitting lancer. Li merely nodded and stood up. George smiled apologetically, "I'll be quick. Sorry to disturb you."
"I'm fine so long as I'm not in your camera lens," the assassin replied easily with a small smirk. George chuckled lightly and quickly set up the gray tripod.
Though he disliked being in photos, he found the whole procedure interesting to watch. George aimed his DSLR and moved himself in a seemingly erratic fashion. Finally, he stopped in a specific place, nodded, and reached for the mini tripod nearby. After a few clicks and swift movements, the device went from compact to fully deployed with little noise. The camera was attached quickly, and after some slight adjustments, he snapped the first pictures.
If it were him, Li would have just snapped the shot, but he at least understood there was a reason for every act; A punch was not simply a punch either. Every motion and action had its purpose and value. Though an outsider or student wouldn't notice a difference, a master knew far better.
Truth be told, he grew a little more respect for photos after seeing how far they've come since his era. That said, though they pleased the eye, he still disliked being in them save for two separate instances. If he was not the focus of the photograph, he would get over it. Li also enjoyed the few photographs George and Mashu took when he was sparring someone though. Those had been the ones to shift his opinion on the visual medium.
The rider picked up his tripod and moved on to the nearby armor stand. Li simply walked over and sat back in his spot, "I hope it turned out well."
George chuckled. "Thanks. I never know until I get it onto a computer."
Li leaned back against the wall and exhaled quietly. Though George's camera snapped away, it was hardly a distraction. It was barely audible over the gentle flute that played within the Shrine. Getting settled back with his thoughts, he contemplated whether he should do more forms tonight or have a practice spar with anyone willing. Training was always good for the body and soul.
Quick footsteps snapped him from his potential schedule. He turned to the main hall as Ibaraki appeared in a white one-piece swimsuit. One hand happily rested on the yellow innertube that looked like a rubber ducky, while the other held a giant rainbow lollipop to her mouth. Her eyes gazed quickly around the room before she looked down a side hallway. Her eyes lit up and she waved. "Shuten! Beach time!"
The sultry laugh of her friend echoed down the hall and heralded her arrival. The Oni appeared, clad in a black beach cardigan that remained open at the front. She showed no shame since she sported a dangerously tiny black bikini without any real cover, but that had always been her style. Li merely turned away and went back to his meditation as the two Onis fell into light chatter and disappeared towards the front door. They were surprisingly civil here, so he hardly batted an eyelash whenever the-
"Oh... It's the annoying flies." He didn't need to move in order to know who the Onis just encountered before they left. Benkei sighed, but stayed relaxed as tension rose at the front door. George gazed in concern, but Li didn't even blink. He did roll his eyes lightly, however.
"It's alright, George. They're just going to argue… maybe an hour at worse." Benkei reassured as he opened his eyes. He sighed again. "It was a good meditation while it lasted."
"You're certain it won't escalate?" the Peacekeeper saint asked quietly as the bickering grew louder.
The two lancers merely nodded without showing even an ounce of concern. It had been bad on the first day, but Kintoki and Anishka had incredible sway over the berserker woman. It still didn't stop the bickering, but that was much better than a repeat of their pasts. Li wasn't a Peacekeeper himself, but he was certainly going to stop a childish fight if it was annoying him. Unfortunately, judging by their escalation of subtle taunts, it might appear that way.
'So much for a relaxed morning in relaxed Zen…'
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Li walked down the hall casually and enjoyed the calmness of the mid-afternoon. With a bottle of sake in one hand, he strolled down the rather empty hallway. Save for the fight in the morning, the day was surprisingly peaceful. He would have expected a prank bomb or two to break the silence, but there was a ceasefire agreement brokered between the warring parties while he was deployed.
He walked past the busy Clothing Department towards a nearby, small room that was formerly only occupied by robots. It was an insignificant space that saw rather frequent use, but only by the employees. That had changed only recently, and the mechanical workforce no longer held a monopoly in that sector. Now Chaldea had actual barbers instead of relying completely on robotic precision, and curiously enough, he was one of them.
After the doors slid open, Li walked in and paused in the doorway. The average-sized room featured the same modernistic design Chaldea wore. On one side were some couches and magazine racks for entertainment as anyone waited; This was mainly for visitors who came by to chat.
On the other side, there was a row of mirrors and barber chairs on one side. A host of newly installed hair clippers, brushes, trimmers, and more were supplied on the counter tops by sinks. There were only five stations, and two were currently occupied by blanket-covered employees. At the far end, a robot was taking care of a black-haired engineer while a slightly-flushed Jing Ke styled Delaqua's medium-length hair, which was rarely out of its bun.
The assassin, wearing a white apron over her red dress, paused to wave at him. Her long hair was unbound and styled tastefully with curly ends; The assassin still left it simple and rough for combat. She smiled when she spotted the bottle, "Well hey there~! You sure know how to treat a woman!"
"It's yours after you finish the supervisor's hair," Li stated as he walked over and placed it on one of the couches.
Jing Ke clicked her tongue playfully, making Delaqua chuckle. "Tell that to my client… I don't do my best when I'm sober."
"Right, right... Miss Jing Ke. Chaldea's premier functional alcoholic," Li reiterated with a small smirk as he strolled over to the last unoccupied station.
"I still say there's something special strange about that," the robot haircutter named Trish hummed. Two of its arms were haircutting utensils it could rotate and adjust on command. She used to be one of five robots giving employees haircuts, but that changed after a surprising conversation over some drinks.
The assassin giggled happily. "Nothing special. Just a girl who can hold her drink."
A drunken Ibaraki had teased Jing about being a failed assassin, and they quickly fell into a verbal spat over it. The Chinese woman had nursed her dampened mood over a new sake bottle while she complained about getting close enough to shave him. Ibaraki offhandedly suggested it'd be an even worse idea that she'd give anyone a real shave, 'Else you'll kill someone by accident.'
Gabrielle quickly suggested otherwise, and that she might make a good hair stylist. No one expected her to actually try to do some haircuts to confirm Gabrielle's belief… but she did. She was actually excellent at it even when drunk. It quickly became a conversation topic to have your hair styled by the drunken woman.
Jing Ke found out Li was good at it too simply by association with his other hobby. If he was precise and careful with the bonsai trees, then surely he could also be a good haircutter. It turned out she was right, though it took him a bit to actually like the idea; He mainly did it because he had Jing Ke and Ushiwakamaru for company, but the latter didn't have a client today.
When he was not training, doing forms, or meditating, there was a high chance he was with one of them. Sure he could be found in the company of the battle-loving Irish or having a conversation with other worthy opponents, but these five were like a family. Everything felt at ease and relaxed. It was a hard contrast to vicious test of battle, but it was an aspect he did appreciate in his other life as he grew older. It was just a matter of his older self's life wisdom holding true even in his summoned, younger form.
The robot quickly brushed off the male employee and untied his smock. After he exchanged thanks and walked to the door, the robot eyed Jing Ke. "I wish I would have thought of a uniform layer cut for you, Miss Delaqua. It's got a sensible sharpness to it that matches your inner fighter."
"Does it? I just wanted Jing to surprise me. I wanted something new," the supervisor stated as she eyed herself in the mirror. She probably wouldn't need the bun anymore either.
The door opened and caused Li to glance over. Gudao, dressed in a white polo and khakis, peered inside curiously. Li smirked, "Right on time."
Jing Ke turned around and blinked as Gudao waved to them. The bags under his eyes were pretty noticeable. "…Need a drink to put you out after this?"
"A shower and nap are definitely in order," Gudao agreed with a defeated chuckle as Li spun the barber chair for him to sit. "Thanks, Li."
"Is Mashu joining you for this nap? It might not end up as much of a nap," Jing Ke gently teased as Delaqua chuckled.
"It'd still be refreshing," Gudao slyly tossed back so make the two girls laugh. "But she's busy playing board games with Arturia, Jeanne, and Janna."
"She's such a little sweetheart," Delaqua commented with a small smile. "You should have seen how shy she was asking for furniture. It was adorable!"
Jing Ke and Delaqua quickly fell into lively chatter as Li spun Gudao's chair towards the mirror. Li carefully wrapped the young man's neck with paper towels before attaching the smock. He eyed Gudao's slightly longer hair then his tired, but otherwise calm, expression. "Just a trim, Gudao?"
"Or you can surprise me. I trust you," he replied simply, but stifled his mouth as he yawned. It almost made Li want to yawn, but he chuckled instead.
"You trust all of us, but a trim it is," the lancer replied. He quickly reached for one of the scissors, comb, and squirt bottle. It would be a somewhat difficult task, but he imagined cutting hair like trimming the tray plants. It also helped he thoroughly memorized Gudao's hair; At least he didn't have to constantly reference the hair charts in style albums to keep a mental picture. It would be just another form of light meditation to pass the time.
"Just don't fall asleep on me." Li chuckled as Gudao suppressed another yawn.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
That night, Club Cove was empty save for the bar patrons. The sun had long since set outside and left them in the dim yet inviting lighting of the room. An artificial cricket chirped outside over the soft club music that played over the speakers. Lex hovered over with new bottles of sake as laugher tore through the air.
Despite Shuten and Ibaraki's curious and sunny mood at dinner, they waited until they met up for drinks to spill the goods. Though he found it pretty amusing, his fellow barber still rolled with amusement minutes later. Jing Ke snorted with drunken laughter at the very center barstool where the quintet sat. "Oh, her face! I wish I could've seen it!"
"Ibaraki and I bathed in her anguish… but alas, a piece of mine heart felt simple sorrow for her," Shuten giggled happily. Clad in a blue kimono, she sat to Jing Ke's left and sipped on her glass of sake. Ibaraki sat on the Oni's other side in her favorite yellow kimono. Li was on Jing Ke's right while Shiki, in a simple teal kimono, remained relatively quiet beside him. Her favorite red jacket rested on the stool beside her.
Between him and the pseudo-servant, they made up the quiet duo of the drinking group. They even refrained from alcohol and opted for simple glasses of ice water instead; For Li, alcohol was just another possible interference for his Chi, and no doubt ruined the harmony within. Still, he enjoyed the rather lighthearted drinking sessions filled with mirth and entertainment. He presumed the same applied to Shiki since she kept coming too.
The door to the club opened and closed quickly. Ushiwakamaru briskly jogged over as Jing Ke raised an open bottle of sake; It was about that time she started drinking straight from the bottle as usual. "Hey, hey, looks who's late! Tripped over paperwork about the crying mom? We were just talking about it!"
"There wasn't much to write about. I was actually helping Okita rearrange some paintings," Ushiwakamaru replied with a chuckle as she sat down beside Ibaraki. Her long hair was loose and styled by Jing Ke, making her look fairly unrecognizable at first glance when paired with her white wrap dress. The Oni quickly pushed an empty cup to her and started pouring some sake. The rider offered a tiny smile, "Thanks."
"We heard Kintoki is still trying to console her," Ibaraki added before she took a quick bite of her chocolate bar.
Ushiwakamaru leaned in. "Yea, he is, but… Was he really the one to say it? I thought it would be Shuten who spilled the wasabi."
Shuten nodded with a fond smile. "The boy desired our love to be a secret longer, but the frustration welled within him."
Jing Ke rolled her eyes playfully and chuckled. "As if your love was a secret from most…"
"A near complete lack of concealment," Li added with a chuckle. If someone spent any amount of time around Shuten and Kintoki, it was nearly obvious they were a couple with the subtle hints of affection. It was only a matter of time until it finally pierced the berserker's denial, but then Kintoki flat out told her before dinner during this day's second confrontation; It seemed the week since Raikou's arrival had been very difficult for him. Maybe she'd be much less abrasive to the Onis after knowing that… or maybe it'd get worse for Shuten. Time would tell.
"Oh? Shall mine affection drink him more readily then?" Shuten teased with a small lick of her lips.
"As long as you don't assassinate him in public," Li commented to send the girls into laughter. He glanced towards Shiki, and felt some pride he was able to draw even a small smirk out of her. She was usually reserved and quiet, but there was always that glint of loss and frustration that lingered in her eyes. Despite how close a few, like this group, had gotten to her, she'd only revealed so much about herself.
Though the two sometimes sparred and talked, she still kept to herself. That was fine to him. Regardless if he wanted to relish the luxury of getting to know another, he would not pressure for it. Maybe she'd open up a bit more in time, but for the most part, he was content having a relatively reserved drinking partner who also avoided alcohol.
He looked to her glass of ice water and noticed it was mostly untouched. As she stared at him curiously, he pointed. "The taste will sour if you let the ice melt."
Li wanted to believe she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the lame joke, but at least her smirk grew just a bit. "Ah, right. Wouldn't want my water to go bad, huh?"
They chuckled, but it was outmatched by more raucous laughter as the main doors slid open. Li glanced back as Chaldea's most famous drinking trio approached the bar. It was no surprise to any of them, since they often shared company on some nights. Fergus, wearing only a pair of jeans, was the first to approach the bar with a friendly wave. "Hey! If it isn't Li and the girls!"
Though the others exchanged greetings, Li watched Fergus briefly eye Shiki's jacket. The assassin eyed him as he took the seat next to it with a reassuring smile, though she still placed her favorite jacket on her lap instead. Fergus raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, no worries! Wasn't planning on touching!"
"I got this, Shiki! I'll make sure of that!" Drake happily chimed in as she took the now vacant stool. She grinned happily in her designer jeans and white button-up shirt as Shiki mouthed a quiet thank you to the pirate. Robin soon sat on Fergus' other side in a green tank top and gray sweatpants.
Lex floated over to take the rowdy group's orders as Jing Ke elbowed Li lightly. He turned to look at the intoxicated assassin as she asked, "You and Shiki hungry? I was going to grab mixed nuts. Should I get two?"
"Isn't it a few drinks too early for you to be reaching for nuts?" Li prodded with a sly smile, making the assassin smack his shoulder as Shiki lightly smirked.
"Thanks, smartass! I'll order two then!" She rolled her eyes, but laughed. "Hey, Lex! Two bowls of the gourmet nuts please!"
"Received. One-minute estimate!" the robot beeped back as it simultaneously poured three beers at once.
"Hey, Shuten! Bring out your alcohol fruit! Let's make it a real party tonight!" Drake hollered over Shiki, making her wince slightly.
The Oni assassin giggled. "Mine mind hath been read with ease. Allow me to indulge!"
Li tossed a sympathetic look to Shiki, though she seemed to be weathering the rowdier environment just fine. He turned back to Jing Ke to see her downing the entire sake bottle by herself. He chuckled, "Do the masters need to plan another sortie to Japan because of you?"
She merely waved it off with a smile. "Chaldea's fine! Let me drown in the bottles I brought back for myself!"
With a shrug, he let her be. They were great friends, and had a unique sort of brother-and-sister relationship of all things. He knew no one would ever get her to control her drinking, but he just kept his eyes peeled in case she did it to drown out less savory emotions. Thankfully, it was done with the mirth of good company in mind as usual. With a smirk and a small shake of his head, he raised his glass to meet her newly opened bottle.
They clinked together and laughed, and he repeated the gesture with Shiki before they took a sip. The snacks would be delivered soon, but they were just sprinkles on the moment. Even if he never sought to be the center of attention, these social moments were memorable. They were another anchor on his tranquil life in Chaldea that he'd come to appreciate. It was mundane, but that's what helped make the glorious duels that much brighter when they arrived.
These were just the enjoyable shows between bouts.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ XI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Snowflakes fell at an angle thanks to the harsh, artic gale at the Training Grounds. The blizzard was picking up that evening, but the battle-clad Li was undeterred. As the wind howled and roared around him, his arms and legs moved like tranquil water. Even as the hard night prodded at his resolve, it was met with no equal answer. Li merely kept practicing his forms with perfect grace and precision.
"Ha!" His open palm surged forward, and released any accumulated enthusiasm that sought the warmth of a worthy duel. The lancer would not be deployed in the days to come, so the forms were used to subdue any growing impatience. Hopefully soon, another night would arrive when the forms would be used to psyche himself up. His Chi would shake with excitement, and he would ignite the passionate flame of his combat mentality... but that would be then, and not now.
Tonight, after a satisfying impromptu party at the club, he was winding down yet again. He had perfected his routine, and tempered his soul. He had acquired a balance that brought harmony to his new existence, and nothing could threaten that. As his form moved smoothly within the thrashing, airborne snow, Li's expression was firm, yet calm, in the hazy light of the night.
Even still, Li ensured a calm mentality for tomorrow's ordinary day, and patiently awaited the next time his battle-hungry youth could run free again.