FINAL REMINDER: The Lost Shards has an entry for scrapped Supplement VII: A Timeless Bolero if you wish to see how the singularity played out. It's completely optional.
"Final team inbound! Preparing to receive!" Mashu's voice echoed from the speakers into the Deployment Room. Dozens of battle-clad servants waited anxiously, yet their weapons were now absent. Previously smothering tension had lifted with the first team's return, but the masters they'd deployed to rescue were going to be among the last. By the calmer silence of the Control Room, it proved this future singularity hid no further reapers in its shadows.
Yet, some surprises were hoped for, but fell unfulfilled. "He wasn't there…"
In a rare show of mutual sympathy, Tamamo and Nero's eyes intertwined in consigned dissatisfaction. Altera would have smiled if she wasn't as disappointed. Chaldea's rescue mission had been successful, but for these three, it could've ended just a little better. Nonetheless, by the growing number of smiles and relaxed chatter around them, their moods couldn't have plummeted too far.
"At least we saved our three masters," Nero tried to reassure, and Tamamo offered a weak smile in turn. "My Praetor would be proud of that… We'll keep our heads raised! The muses will surely spin a tale in the future. We may run into him in a different time, Tamamo. Altera."
"We'll have more stories to share when we do," Altera added, and the spark of determined hope reignited in their eyes. It flared like the Leyshift system further down the central walkway, which drew their stares to the last arrivals. A chorus of cheers echoed for the battle-weary masters in the center. A glimpse of melancholy mist fled from their eyes upon seeing so many. A uniformed Gabrielle beamed, while Anishka crossed her arms over her battlesuit with an embarrassed smile.
Gudao let out a long, dramatic exhale, then finally grinned; It wasn't as bright as it could have been. "That could've been worse… Everyone accounted for? Should we do rollcall?"
Gabrielle quickly spun to her side and laughed merrily. "It worked! You're all here!"
"Well, duh, Gabs! The throne is, like, sooooo boring, and you totes made Chaldea sound cool! And I want that new phone!" The gaze of the three servants shifted to the newly arrived honey blonde. Tamamo's eyes narrowed, but Nero placed a hand on her shoulder in light restraint; The new servant in a red and white Japanese school uniform didn't notice thanks to another new arrival's very loud and distracting cheering.
With dainty hands akimbo on her red skirt, and gently twitching fox ears, the newest saber grinned towards the most energetic master. "Now we'll be real mutuals! I'm totes fine with helping out, but Gabs gets dibs!"
"I hope you'll like it here, Suzuka," Gudao smiled. He then glanced to Anishka as she breathed with relief.
Beside her, a shy but familiar looking servant moved giant, ornate golden claws carefully lest they damage the panels below. Framed by purple locks, her amethyst eyes glanced around warily with concern. Upon meeting Anishka's relieved smile, the peculiar servant in black tights let out a childish squeak to match her growing smile. The Indian master giggled, "Welcome to Chaldea, Lip! I hope you'll like it here!"
"Umm…! Thank you, Annie!" the nervous alter ego quickly replied. "I-I'll try not to break anything! So thank you for believing in me! I'll do what I can for everyone!"
While their third new servant kept cheering, Gudao looked around and spotted Mashu running down the walkway towards them. He smiled apologetically, but he and Anishka were quickly distracted by a very friendly and cuddly hug from behind. The overexcited servant grinned happily, pulled them closer with her giant fluffy cat paws, and purred. Scathach and Lancelot glanced to each other nearby, then turned back to smile at the overly affectionate berserker in a French maid outfit.
"Yaaaay~!" the pink-haired berserker purred and rubbed her head against the masters. Her pink locks and furry ears tickled Anishka into a giggle. "Now we can spend more time together~! What's your kitchen like? Cat can help in the kitchen, right, meowsters?"
Anishka was about to answer, but the room grew curiously quiet. The two masters stared down the central walkway warily; The new berserker did too. With a goofy smile, Tamacat stared towards Tamamo, and it was like gazing into a mirror. The new arrival blinked comically. Tamamo's eye twitched in tandem with her ear as Altera and Nero held her arms in restraint. Finally, the newly rescued tail of Amaterasu blinked comically one final time. "Oh yea. That stupid me is here too."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING STUPID!?" Like a crack of a whip, the two shrieking Tamamos shot towards each other. They were rabid dogs clashing in the center, and several Peacekeepers were already drawing their weapons to halt the fight.
"Quit fighting!" "You-you-you! Why did you have to come here!?" "Cat does what cat wants! You're not my boss anymore!"
…Except it wasn't exactly the cataclysmic fight many seemed to fear. Diarmuid skidded to a halt a few paces away to stare. Even the strict Hijikata came to a full stop to quirk an eyebrow while Gabrielle slowly lowered her hand; All her command seals were spent, but instincts were instincts. Still, many could only stare at the two grappling girls rolling around on the Deployment Room floor like drama-baited teenagers.
Sure they scratched at each other. Sure their words were beyond confrontational. Nonetheless, none could deny if they were trying to kill each other they were doing a pretty crummy job of it; Two kindergarteners with plastic spoons put up a more fearsome fight.
Tamamo pulled her berserker counterpart's hair while Tamacat attempted to tear at her kimono with sharp claws. As they bickered, slashed, and growled, the fight was likely going to be stopped for a different reason: Preventing public indecency.
"Fox caster! Stop it this instant!" Nero proclaimed as she and Altera rushed past Diarmuid. "You're embarrassing yourself!"
"I refuse!" Tamamo shot back as she tore part of her berserker's skirt. "This mockery will do much worse to my perfect wife image if I don't stop her!"
"I'm not a mockingbird! I'm a cat! Woof!"
Tamamo's eye twitched violently. "You're supposed to be a fox, Tamamo Cat! What is wrong with you!?"
While Altera and Nero tried to stop the catfight to a growing chorus of laughter, a warning klaxon proved more efficient. Stunned, the grappling Tamamos stared towards Chaldeas. The Leyshift pads lit up as if they were activating, but the closest servants were quicker. The masters were brought free within an instant, and several servants drew their weapons when the Leyshift system activated. Over the growing chaos of yelled questions, the lone flash of prana opened the curtain on a lone arrival.
Wary eyes waited, but a playful and confident smirk was their return present. "Awww… Is this the kind of welcome I get after all I've done for you~?"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Fragment 100: Deal or No Deal
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
All eyes rested upon her, just as she expected. Even so, she only calmly kept her hands on the hips of her fluffy black skirt. She'd double checked her black and white uniform to ensure she'd look her cutest on arrival; What was a new character's entrance supposed to be if not eye-catching? Remotely activating Chaldea's Leyshift systems was just the cherry on top to ensure a one-of-a-kind entrance!
"Hello, Chaldea~! You'll be glad to know you were interesting enough to get a visit from the pretty devil BB-chan~! Maybe this cute little kouhai will wind up staying to keep watch over her senpais!"
Uncertain silence reigned, but the new arrival quickly got her bearings. This Chaldea sure had a lot of powerful servants; She picked the right ones to intervene, but when did she ever choose wrong? But of all the familiar and curious faces, the two ladies on the walkway caught her attention the most: Tamamo and Nero. She remembered them alright, but it was impossible they'd remember her. The game she played with them wasn't the same as this one.
"What are you planning, BB…?" Nero accused quickly. Although it didn't show, BB was struck by a bolt of lightning. The matching disbelief in the saber and Tamamo's eyes was vivid. It couldn't be mistaken: They remembered. They remembered her when they shouldn't have. Servants shouldn't remember anything from other timelines when summoned, so her curiosity and confusion quickly crowded her mind like shoppers to a fire sale.
"Planning? Mmm... Not telling~! But did you think I was just going to stay and perish with the singularity after all that hard work?" BB smirked.
"You're not the most trustworthy AI," Tamamo shot back. The strange unruly state and the caster's disheveled dress drew many questions about decency. "Don't think we've forgotten what you're capable of. We told the others before we came to help, so they have an idea."
"So you remember… Hmm…" That wasn't going to do well for being accepted here, but that was a hurdle the AI might not even jump over. She might decide to leave, and it's not like she cared how everyone as a whole felt. She only cared about those who mattered and little else, but a few less headaches on her visit would have been nice. "Well... if it proves my cute little innocence, I suppose you could just take this."
Nonchalantly, like picking fries from a buffet, BB materialized the mostly-drained lesser grail she'd been utilizing on Seraphix. The golden cup shimmered into her hand, and within it was a shimmering blue data slate as a cherry-topper. Before tenser servants could leap, she smiled and tossed the gifts towards Gudao. He gawked with surprise, but managed to catch both before they fell. After sharing a confused glance with Mashu beside him, he stared back to BB. She beamed. "That data slate has the entire recording to prove I was just acting on Seraphix. And the grail? It's the real deal, but I don't need it anymore. I accomplished my mission."
"Which is what has me skeptical of what you'll do here…" Nero nearly growled out. She and Tamamo were always hard to convince, so she wasn't about to try.
BB only shrugged. "That's what I'm going to figure out for myself. Isn't that what every Chaldean servant gets to do? Find their own way to play house? You did say that, right, Senpais~? All are given a welcome chance?"
Many turned to the masters, and they looked at each other in turn. Gudao glanced towards Penthesilea who'd deployed to help, but she turned her gaze away with lingering shame and appreciation. After looking to each other again, the masters nodded and stared back. Gudao smiled lightly, "Everyone is… but there's been some added precautions."
"Impressive… They're learning to make reasonable compromises," Hans' voice echoed flatly from somewhere among the servants, and the light jab made the three masters flinch. "We're making progress. You dodged another scolding."
"They're correct though, Hans. All are welcome, but after recent events, we're placing some safeguards in place." BB turned her gaze towards an approaching group of a few servants, some Vigil operators, and Clock Tower mages. Da Vinci lead them but stopped beside Nero with her staff at the ready. That famed smile regained some of its calm bearing, yet BB could easily pick out the warning in calculating eyes.
"I believe I speak for all of Chaldea that we're grateful for your help defeating Beast III and saving our masters, but rules are rules. You'll have some volunteer servants watching you for your stay, even if you choose not to remain. Every new arrival must have at least two, and one hidden."
"Like… Can Medb be one of mine? I like this gal," Suzuka called out as she pointed to the rider beside her. The queen giggled and shared a sly look with the saber.
"Let's decide that right now then~!" Da Vinci smiled genuinely to her, then gazed back to BB with renewed firmness. "We'll start with BB, but I think I already know who's willing to keep an eye on you. They'll start their watch right this second since we still need to get you registered in the Fate system."
Though she arrived with a handful of hopeful curiosity, much of it was quickly dampened. BB's gaze quickly turned towards Tamamo and Nero, who glanced to Da Vinci expectantly. There was no lack of hesitation in their eyes; Only determined agreement. Da Vinci smiled, "It would be for the best if your guards didn't have a bias, but when we factor in how you tampered with the Leyshift remotely, and the sure fact they're certain to follow you anyway…"
BB felt her mouth twitch into a frown. Of all the people to be watching over her, she was going to get two heroines who stood between her and the only human who truly and wholeheartedly interested her… or more specifically, was everything that made her who she was now.
'…I can still think of worse annoyances.'
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ III ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Their beeline towards the Summoning Chamber was already eye opening. Not a dark horse surprise blockbuster sort of eye opening, but enough to quirk her curiosity. Clean halls, futuristic tech, intricately weaved defensive spells… Whatever assumptions she had of this facility from quick scans were thrown in the trash; Their level of technological advancement, including magecraft and science hybrids, was honestly unexpected. For late 2015, she could even say it was impressive.
'Not that I'll let that get to their heads…' She was going to downplay it for sure. But isn't that what everyone expected from a super advanced and cute AI?
As she hummed and strolled playfully away from the elevator, ahead of their sizable convoy, she glanced around at an intersection. A passing robot with fresh laundry eyed her, and she winked back. These things were pretty interesting. Not quite what the Moon Cell would have chosen as most efficient, but multiple arms and eyes was a fun touch she could appreciate. They didn't look hard to hack either… if she needed to or got bored!
"Make a right here, BB. We're not too far away," Gabrielle called out from behind, and BB soon skipped her way down the hall. Nero and Tamamo groaned and quickly sped up to keep pace. If she wanted to, the AI could've just playfully hacked a map and left the two heroines and maybe her third hidden guard in her dust, but they were lucky: The sights have proven interesting thus far.
She came to a halt when an unknown servant appeared further down the hallway; This dark-skinned woman was definitely not a servant she recalled seeing in SERAPH. For sure, BB would have recalled an Arabian beauty, especially if she showed so much hesitation. She nearly shook in her form-hugging cerulean sheath dress as she clutched at her white purse and a curious, talisman-like necklace. Now more than curious, BB skipped faster to meet up with them. "Hi, hi~! I haven't seen a face like yours before! I'm the cute AI BB-Chan~! So who might you be?"
BB stopped and blinked when Scheherazade stuttered then composed herself. She bowed, "Forgive me. I am Scheherazade, a caster."
"A skittish caster," BB pointed out as she leaned towards her. That alone made the caster step back in worry. BB stared dryly and quirked an eyebrow. "I guess you know who I am?"
"Word travels fast in Chaldea when there's danger," Tamamo stated as she and Nero caught up to flank her. "I'm not surprised Cher is wary of you."
"Oh~? So you know what I can do, hm? You think the cute little BB-Chan might have some bad things in store for you~?" BB suggested with a growing teasing, mischievous glint. Her Cheshire-like smile only made Scheherazade quiver more and grasp her talisman harder. Honestly, it made BB blink in surprise at just how scared this caster was. Talk about having no spi-!
"I'm coming, Cher! Who's troubling you!?" Nero and Tamamo's eyes snapped to left, and BB's followed. She spotted a battleclad Nitocris running at full speed towards them with a lion-like expression; Was this pharaoh some kind of guardian, or the shaky caster a retainer? Whatever the case, it looked like a headache for BB. "Is it that new servant!? You must be B- WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
BB had a split second to jump back with Nero and Tamamo. Though her protective charm was glorious, it floundered when Nitocris leapt past a robot hovering out of the way. Clearly she didn't give enough room, because the robot was now spinning like a top, and the Egyptian caster was now a blubbering, tumbling bowling ball on a collision course with- "N-NITOCRIS!?"
Like slow motion, BB watched the tumbling caster crash into Scheherazade. Their momentum carried them across the intersection, and right towards a conveniently placed stairwell; BB couldn't have planned this better if she had. They quickly disappeared, but the sounds of their flustered yells didn't require a laugh track.
"NITO! The talisman! -AHHHH!- If it falls I'll definitely die!" "You won't- OOOF! I won't let- OOOOOOF!"
By now, the rest of the group had quickly caught up to them, but BB was still doubled over with laughter. "Was that really an ancient Pharaoh!?"
"Yup. That's about par for the course for Nitoclutz. They'll be fine, I hope," Gabrielle commented as the two casters' yells died down. She then saw Mashu, Scathach, Lancelot, and a few other servants staring at her. She smiled sheepishly, "Oh shit, uhhhh, don't tell her I called her that!"
After collecting her marbles, a smiling BB glanced to Da Vinci as she presented the correct hallway with her arm. Anishka quickly jogged to the stairs to check on the two casters. After glancing after her, BB was quickly addressed by Da Vinci. "It's a normal occurrence here. You'll get used to stuff like this if you stay."
"If I stay," BB reiterated with a proud smile, which only made Da Vinci tilt her head.
"Stay or not, I theorize there's a reason that'd make you come in the first place. Curiosity wouldn't cause someone with direct access to observe us just pop in for answers," Da Vinci surmised with a calculating smile. She was definitely as smart as her namesake. "I do wonder what you came for, BB."
But BB only smirked back with lips sealed. "Wouldn't you like to know~?"
Obviously there was on reason besides playful mischief, but for now, she was still curiously checking what else might possibly convince her to loiter longer… but only that lone factor could make her truly set up shop.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IV ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Though she'd thrown a tease here and a comment there since running into the clumsy casters, BB had fallen quiet until the rather large cluster of servants and masters arrived in the Summoning Chamber. There she got to quietly eye the Fate System, whose smooth design and lack of bulk made it the closest creation to a Moon Cell design of everything she'd seen thus far. It was… fairly rudimentary, yet still well done from what her eyes analyzed with every activation.
"There! Now you're officially in our community, Lip!" Gabrielle declared as Passionlip carefully moved away from the circular's room heart. The master skipped happily towards the alter ego, spread her arms wide for a hug, but quickly stuttered to a halt when the timid servant flinched in anticipation. After a small giggle, the excitable master rubbed her arm and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry… I like giving hugs. But I almost forgot about the touching thing…"
"It's okay…" Passionlip offered back shyly, then smiled gratefully. "I'm… Thank you very much for letting me stay! I'll do my best not to make problems!"
"Might be a bit hard with those hands~…" Da Vinci mumbled quietly as the two walked back towards the crowd. Tesla silently finished resetting the console, then turned to BB, who'd been observing him every time. The console was… technologically mediocre, but if it got the job done it wasn't worth more than a nitpick. Da Vinci walked up to her and nodded. "Last but not least~… Your turn, BB. You'll be registered to the system, but you're still more than welcome to break your contract and leave should you choose to do so."
"I won't say no to free energy, but don't go abusing those seals on your guest, senpais~…" the special servant teased, then calmly skipped towards the center of the dim room. With a hum on her lips, she twirled around upon reaching the center, where summoned servants clearly appeared on arrival. After glancing to the three masters, then giving a playful wink, Tesla threw a different lever.
Just like it happened with the others, seven different pedestals rose from the outermost ring. From their cores, white spheres of prana were forged with a celestial hum. They ascended from the marble columns to hover above them like twinkling stars or supernovas. BB glanced to them, then the growing sphere above her that descended from the ceiling. It stopped just shy of her head, and flashed with the symbols of the class containers.
Gently swaying back and forth out of boredom, she secretly took amusement in this little ritual. Binding a servant to Chaldea's power supply was a rather simple affair. Whoever designed this wanted to make a grand and pretentious show out of it; But wasn't that only to be expected from mages and ritual design? If it was boring and straight to the point, it'd have just been a typical science experiment… No doubt, BB was always up for a fun show!
A computerized voice echoed from the room's speakers.
- Binding Ritual Initiated -
- Saint Graph Detected -
- Spiritual Core Detected -
- Analyzing Servant Class Container -
It took all her might to hide her devious smile. She knew full well what her class container was, but she'd playfully avoided the answer every time. Where was the fun in spoiling a plot twist in her pilot episode? It's not like they were entitled to find out beforehand anyway. That's why she swayed on her toes like a toddler waiting for the ice cream truck as the orbs around and above her shimmered and flashed. Finally, a symbol bloomed from the sphere above her, drawing confused stares from the others.
- Container Analyzation Complete -
- Servant Identity: Artificial Intelligence BB -
- Class - Moon Cancer -
"So we got two new classes today… Moon Cancer and Alter Ego…" Da Vinci hummed curiously as she glanced at the console. "I'll have to look into these."
"Moon Cancer. Is that really its name?" a dubious Gudao whispered, but Tesla could only shrug while Medb, Gabrielle, and Suzuka gossiped nearby.
- Initiating Servant Binding Protocol -
- Please Standby -
BB glanced to the podiums where their orbs flashed to an amethyst hue. A ring of prana was forged between them, but the spheres didn't budge. Their hum rose, and their auras blossomed like a spring field of lavender. Tendrils flew out to latch themselves gently to the sphere above her, then trickle down into a shower of aurora roots. BB hummed as she felt them embrace her like a warm blanket and surround her with their combined aura.
They constricted, and she felt her core become pinched; She smirked, rather than winced. The fleeting sense of discomfort was soon whisked away as she felt a voice enter her mind to ask a simple question: Do you accept the binding?
'Well, duh~! Can you hurry up with the song and dance already, machine?' she thought back incredulously, and after one final pinch, she felt her body lighten in a growing glow. A flash of light erupted from her and the orbs, sending flakes of prana spiraling through the room. The spheres disappeared as the magical confetti floated down around her, almost like a welcoming parade. Though she'd seen the others go through it, she couldn't help but giggle victoriously. '…Okay. I'll give the mages this one. This feels pompously fun.'
"We're happy you wish to give us a chance, BB. Thank you, and we hope you consider staying," Anishka bowed graciously, even though Tamamo and Nero stared stoically beside her. They just had to dampen the mood a bit, huh?
"Yea, yea… You humans need all the help you can get, huh? Seriously, it was way too easy hacking your systems… you need to fix that," BB merely chimed with a wave of her finger. She strolled back towards them, then stared to Da Vinci. "…You are trying to fix that, right?"
"No question. It just so happens everyone theoretically wants a piece of us after our grand victory," Tesla countered with a small frown. "It's hard to work when you're getting interruptions so often."
"I gueeeess that's a fair excuse," BB offered dismissively, making Tesla's eyebrow twitch. Now Tamamo and Nero were staring dryly at her, but she didn't care.
"They're doing their best, BB. We've made a lot here together. More than enough reason for us to work as hard as possible to protect it," Gudao asserted, though the Moon Cancer only shrugged. Still, he was adamant on shifting the subject. "Gabby and I will show you that and more on the tour. We have a lot to offe-"
"Pass." Everyone blinked and stared at BB, but she only smirked and placed her arms akimbo. "The tour. Pass. I can find my own way around. I'm a living super special AI, don't forget~! If I need direction, I could always just find a monitor and pull up a map. Can I do that with the robots too?"
"Please refrain from hacking our robots for info… Just ask…" Tesla drilled out incredulously.
BB rolled her eyes. "Fine… You did say you've been through a lot recently, so I guess avoiding more headaches would be best for me too… Oh right. If I had a question, I could just ask my two bodyguards, right?"
"We're not your bodyguards. We're your guards," Tamamo nearly growled out, but BB only shot a conceited smirk back. Tamamo sighed, "This is going to be a long few days…"
"You volunteered~!" BB chimed back with a wink, then glanced to the masters. She turned to Gudao in particular. "Well then… I'll just leave you to your tour and go exploring, Senpai~!"
Mashu's eyebrow twitched yet again at her chosen nickname; BB was definitely going to keep calling him that now. She didn't even pay her any attention. Although, she did offer another glance towards the beast that so strangely seemed content to stay nestled in her sweater's arms and glare at her… Probably for the best she didn't go too overboard with her own sadistic teasing.
She turned to Anishka, "Speaking of which… Don't you and the Hindus have a plane to catch? Little Ram doesn't look like he can sit still for much longer."
"…She's right, Annie," Rama offered with a serious stare. Though he remained firm, his battle attire shifted back to the casual clothes he chose that morning. "We've lost a few hours for our vacation… But if I can fly the angel, we could make up an hour or two with the flight time! Let's go, Annie! We'll get you showered and changed! Then India! Hanuman! We have to find Hanuman! And meet your family!"
"Sh-Shri Rama! Wait!" Anishka could only gawk as she was pulled at the wrist by a newly excited saber. Now it was BB's turn to stare with exasperation as the Indian master tried to wave goodbye. Sita only giggled and strolled after them calmly. "Lip! Parvati and I would love to talk to you more when we ret- Shri Rama, please!"
"And I need to show you all the places Hanuman and I went! And Sita really wants to meet your family!"
Now Sita was giggling as Passionlip tried to carefully scamper after them. Ignoring the awkwardly rushed goodbyes, as funny as they were, BB walked over to the room's console. It quickly drew Tesla, Nero, and Tamamo's guarded stares. Even Scathach and Suzuka were now gazing warily should she try anything… but of course she wasn't going to try anything… BB knew exactly what she was doing, and she was definitely going to do something~!"
"This system must have a registry, right? With all the servants you've summoned, there's no way scientists or mages wouldn't have some sort of organization chart," BB pointed out as she placed her hands akimbo and stared. Tesla was moments away from confronting her, but she only raised a single finger to pause. With any trace of sly deviousness gone, she only smiled innocently. "Nuh uh uh~! You've got nothing to worry about. I'm just curious how backwards this technology is compared to the Moon Cell."
"An AI like you would already know that on first glance, yes?" Nero countered skeptically with a light glare. "Choose your next action carefully, BB."
"I did~!" she countered with a wink, then turned to Tesla. "You don't seem to trust me, so how about you be the one to bring up the archive logs? I'm curious what kind of method they chose. That's easy enough, right?"
"Sorry, BB. You've helped us, but there's some things we can't let you do freely." Gudao stepped up to her, but his lack of command seals made anything he said only suggestions. Tesla only stared warily. While Anishka's farewell ended further away, BB only rolled her eyes at the guarded observation. Clearly they were uncooperative, but masters weren't the only ones who loved playing with fate.
"Hey, wait! Stop!" Tesla gawked as BB shamelessly began typing on the console. With her innocent smile, she ignored Nero's blade that appeared against the skin of neck as a giant holographic screen came up. Once it did, BB stopped, took a step back, and gazed over the countless question marks, binary numbers, and colored text.
BB's smile faded into a ridiculous stare, even as servants glared her down. "…Hm. They say simplicity is bliss, but wow this is rudimentary… At least they have names too."
"What did you do?" Tamamo accused as her mirror remained in position. BB stared dryly back at her.
"You have eyes, caster. I just pulled up the summoning logs so I can have my answers," the Moon Cancer retorted, then calmly reached over to scroll, Nero's sword be damned. Using the mousepad, she scrolled down the list as Da Vinci watched on curiously. Though her smile remained, confusion glinted in her eye. Like reading her mind, BB explained. "This isn't the throne possibilities list that you've probably accessed at some point. This lists the servants' categorized values as archived by the system. Blue text with names shows confirmed summons, and red shows… similar ones that failed to manifest? Memory balls?"
"Memorial Essences…" Da Vinci hummed as she stepped up to the console, then gently lowered Nero's sword with a calm smile. Though hesitant, Nero took a step away as Da Vinci observed. "The projected list showed all names but… Are you telling me you can…?"
"Theorize who gets summoned based on what values? Yes. Yes you can," BB smiled back, and quickly earned a surprise gasp from many. "But the precise strings are impossibly long. This system chooses randomly because that's what anyone would do anyway. There's too many possibilities even without mystic codes, but I didn't expect anything more precise or refined from this age. This is really bad compared to what I could do and choose on SERAPH."
"Wait wait wait!" Gabrielle chimed out. "So you mean if we can somehow enter the numbers and stuff correctly, we can guaranteed get a servant? Like a catalyst? No more stupid tofu or random mystic codes?"
"You could, but good luck finding an unknown servant's code from all this mess. There's too many variables per string. So you've got a lot of mystic codes in your future," BB reminded with a small smirk as Gabrielle groaned. "That's why catalysts work. The system identified a precise set of variables with its deconstruction, then calls on one of the many strings associated with it. Whoever is best associated with it comes to say hi!"
"You know an awful lot about this…" Gudao questioned plainly.
"Why wouldn't I, Senpai? I'm a super AI from the future and this looks like premature Moon Cell code. Don't play coy," BB waved her finger. She wasn't about to compliment how advanced this hybrid tech was to operate correctly in this year; Something this advanced was decades ahead of schedule by her own knowledge of digital growth. "This isn't a bad system, but it could be a lot better. Not something I'm going to toy around with though. I'm sure it's a lot of fun to watch you struggle to summon a servant you'd met before~!"
At that mention, Gabrielle's face faltered. The sadness welled in her eyes, and she shared a disheartened look with Gudao. BB stared quietly as Passionlip and Tamacat looked over sympathetically. The air was growing solemn, and that was far from any atmosphere BB liked. Yet, she knew very well what her words likely stirred. It had barely been an hour, after all.
"Melt…" Gabrielle mumbled quietly as Gudao walked over to hug her. She hugged back and muffled her words into his shoulder. "…We didn't even get a catalyst…"
"Do you think the music box would work…?" Gudao wondered as Mashu walked over to try and comfort. BB only frowned at that thought. A catalyst had to leave a unique impression, but from all her monitoring, Meltryllis refused to touch or hold it. It wouldn't work, but it's not like they'd get the Meltryllis from that time back. That's not how regular servant summonings work… Though, as shown by this endlessly scrolling holorgraphic chart, this system had its own curious calculations BB couldn't wrap her head around.
…But there was one thing she could understand, and even do to try and make sense of it.
BB moved back to the console and began typing away again. Da Vinci stared curiously while Tesla crossed his arms again. "What are you doing now?"
"Whatever I feel like~… Now how about you go make yourself useful and get however many rainbow rocks this thing needs to start?"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ V ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
Nearly a dozen minutes of quarreling, convincing, glares, setup, and a few sassy comments later, BB closed the summoning panel. Da Vinci was really curious what she was doing, but she wasn't about to spill the beans. What fun was a surprise when you ruined the surprise? What bonehead director spoiled their movie in the talk show interview?
Instead, BB only said enough to ensure she wouldn't get skewered. Considering she's still standing at the console? It probably worked. Probably with the masters' help. But now it was prime time! "Alright, Senpai~! Everything is alllll set! Now, who wants to pull the lever? I'm not going to do it because it won't answer what I'm itching to find out, sooo who wants to spin the slot machine~?"
"I really don't want to see another slot machine for a while…" Gabrielle groaned, drawing a small pat on the back from Gudao and a dry chuckle from Suzuka. That master did open her mouth though. BB smirked, stepped off the platform towards her, and seized her wrist. "Hey! BB!"
"You should've kept your mouth shut~!" she snickered before casually pulling Gabrielle to the console, then presenting the panel like a game show host. "Go ahead~! Spin the wheel~! I promise it will be a result all three of you will like~!"
Though Tamamo and Nero were still tensed to jump on any little misstep, Gabrielle and Gudao shared a growing, hopeful look. The orange-haired master still hesitated, which made BB roll her eyes. To the Moon Cancer's surprise, the two best friends shared another look before he joined them on the platform. Tesla raised an eyebrow as both childhood friends grasped the biometric handle, then levelled one last wary, yet wondrous, stare at BB. The moment would be cinematic if it had touching music…
…and if BB actually cared enough for sappy stuff. She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Oh for-! Pull it already before I change my mind and reset everything! I'm not doing this again!"
"What precisely did you…" Tesla mumbled as he watched the masters throw the lever in one swift movement. Nero eased the grip on her sword as the tried and true ritual commenced as normal. The saint quartz vanished into the pedestals to charge the system, and the orbs began to form soon after. She and Tamamo glanced to each other skeptically, but it quickly vanished into surprise when the spheres turned to the indictive rainbow hue.
Only a smirking BB remained unsurprised. "So far, so good, I take it? That's a servant indication?"
"Y-Yes…" Mashu stammered as Fou's ear twitched in disbelief. The orbs were already spinning to the screeching crescendo when BB stepped up to observe the masters' face. The light show danced in their eyes like fireworks as she watched hope dance like fireflies at a sunset beach. With her hands on her hips, she turned back to the magical ballet just before the prana imploded in a spectacular climax. The gentle light washed over her, and she quickly reached out to feel for the newly arrived servant's presence.
'…And BB wins again~…' The moon cancer swayed on her toes happily as Tesla and Da Vinci eyed her hesitantly. Before the light even faded, BB leaned over to smirk at the masters. "And with this, you now owe BB a favor~! One of those golden ticket things you talked about would be nice~..."
"N-No way…!" Gabrielle gasped as her hands fell clasped over her mouth. Tamamo and Nero gasped even before the light faded completely. Passionlip was frozen silly, and Suzuka could only gawk in surprise. The few other present servants looked on in wonder. BB savored Da Vinci and Tesla's reactions the most, since they stared at her and not the new arrival.
But the masters? No. Of course their attention was on the scantily clad woman standing tall on her armored shoes. Glinting like a ballerina beneath a spotlight, her loose black sleeves waved in the fading breeze like flags on a homecoming ship. Her long locks fell gently down her back to caress the silver shoes at the end of slender legs. If Anishka were here, she'd have likely stared a little too long at her beautiful, exposed midriff or face… or, more likely, she'd be just as gob smacked as the other masters.
But now came the real moment of truth for BB. 'Will she remember what she shouldn't?'
"MELTY! IT'S YOU!" As easily predicted, Gabrielle and Gudao scrambled around the console to throw themselves towards the familiar alter ego. BB leaned in curiously, but her own certainties were verified with the raise of sleeved hand. The masters skidded to a halt, and their surprise changed in shade. Meltryllis wasn't surprised, nor did she look relieved or grateful.
"...Melty? How utterly unpleasant. Never call me that again." The glare affixed to her expression was of warning and distaste. It made Gabrielle glance at Gudao briefly as Tamacat skipped up them with her own wary stare. The alter ego narrowed her further eyes at the berserker, then gazed to the masters. "If you knew of me well enough to summon me, then you'd know not to annoy the alter ego of passion."
"Meltryllis…?" Gabrielle mumbled again, but it only earned a cold stare from the alter ego.
"…Better." Meltryllis' eyes shifted between them slowly, then she huffed, "It doesn't matter who I'm contracted with. You humans are all the same. Just tell me which one of you is my master, and how you managed to summon me… Ah, I see then. That makes a lot of sense."
It was BB's turn to be on the receiving end of Meltryllis' skeptical gaze. As it shifted momentarily to the other servants, and made Passionlip flinch with disheartened worry, it then landed once more on BB. "Of course you'd have a hand in this, wouldn't you?"
"Obviously~! I just saw a curious possibility and decided to see where it'd lead!" Though she stared smugly back, BB's thoughts swirled with impressed curiosity; She didn't care of her alter ego's accusing glare. "And once more, BB-chan is never wrong~! I knew that would summon you!"
From what the moon cancer understood of this system, it was already a longshot to call forth a similar servant to one already present; The chance of becoming a Memorial Essence was there, but her alter ego made the cut off. That alone would have been a feat, but if she had gotten her memories of the Seraphix singularity, that would have outright flabbergasted BB.
The catastrophic damage to her core from her selfless act, the intricacies of that singularity… No. Meltryllis shouldn't have remembered even if that summoning had made such a profound impact on her… But did it actually? BB did just choose one of the many possibilities, even if all were correct.
"You summoned a servant directly without a catalyst…" Tesla stammered as he pulled out his notepad to jot down the event. "How!? What exactly did you do in that console!? What parameters did you set? Where were those variables located?"
Though contemplative herself, BB had instantly puffed her chest proudly to answer the dumbfounded geniuses. "I'm a super AI, remember~? I can do a lot! But this was child's play. All I needed to do was determine mine and Lip's numerical values to indicate a range and narrow down similarities. It wasn't hard to determine Melt's most probable strings with that data. With all three related strings, I could even… Hm, hm hm… Yup, nope. I don't think Chaldea is ready for that one just yet."
"Ready for who…?" Tamamo questioned, but then frowned a bit more. BB only smirked at her, but after a pause, Tamamo narrowed her eyes. "…Why did you do this? You don't just give out free handouts. You're difficult. A favor alone wouldn't convince you."
BB was about to feign a hurt look until a voice echoed from across the room. "So you thought you'd gain favor by giving my master-"
"Masters," BB quickly corrected with a smirk and wave of her finger. Meltryllis stares confused as she glanced back to Gabrielle and Gudao. "Gabby and Gudao over here both have seals. Annie too, but she's leaving for a vacation to India. They're a little late because of some problems… But that's okay~! All is well now that you're here!"
"You still didn't answer my question…" Tamamo's ear twitched with irritation, and BB scowled at her in annoyance. BB was proud she managed to pull this summoning off, but all this interrogation was dampening her victory. But they wanted to know why, right? Well…
"You're right. I'm no charity. I like being difficult. Easy peezy is too boring," she admitted with a simple smirk. "It was a whim. The masters did well, and I thought they could use a congratulations prize after starring on my game show~! If it wasn't so easy to figure out your exact data thanks to the system archiving mine and Lip's, I wouldn't have even bothered. Too much work for tiny leverage. Buuut if it appeases you more, I did it because I was curious about all this memory tomfoolery Chaldea's Fate System seems to hand out like carnival prizes."
Meltryllis stared at BB with confused irritation, but she only pointed her finger to the tall alter ego, then to the masters. "Don't know what I mean, do you? Well… Maybe we'll all find out in time. Or maybe not~!"
Though Meltryllis was confused, BB remained curious. Meltryllis came without memories of that time, yet from what some have explained already, Memorial Essences weren't exactly uncommon. There was the chance, as impossible as it was, that Meltryllis would come to remember Seraphix. An alter ego that was touched so completely by the three masters. That was a curiosity that would make BB linger around long enough to see… if the wait didn't bore her to death.
With that, BB hummed, leapt away from the console, and motioned with her head for Tamamo and Nero to follow; That unseen servant likely didn't need a motion, whoever it was. The two glanced to each other, then followed the moon cancer as she strolled towards the door.
BB offered one last parting speech on her way. "But you'll think nothing of it, right? You're here, ready to provide support for your new masters with overwhelming suppressive force. That's all you're good for, Melt. Now~! If you'll excuse the cute little devil, I've got a new place to explore with my escorts! Let's go, you three! Chop chop~!"
Ignoring Tamamo and Nero's annoyed sighs just behind her, she didn't bother to look back. Meltryllis scoffed under her breath as she glared lightly at her. BB could feel the heat on her back, but she heard Gabrielle's heartfelt plea. "Don't listen to BB! You're incredible, Melt!"
"No. She's right. Your only use for an alter ego is as she says, and you should remember that. I'm not your friend." Meltryllis declaration made BB turn back to see Gabrielle hitch. The alter ego only gazed flatly, but then it turned into a familiar, sadistic little smirk. "Though it disgusts me, as long as we have a contract... I will listen to your orders. But do not get your hopes up. Such a thing can always be torn apart."
Yet, BB had the feeling it'd never come to that. She did answer the direct summoning query of her own volition; Maybe the Meltryllis in the throne did remember. Time would tell, but in the girlish corner of her heart, BB couldn't help but feel it would happen.
She didn't know how, but Meltryllis would get a happy ending, much like Passionlip is well on her way to receiving. Despite her front, BB knew Chaldea could count on both of them. It'd just take weeks or months for Meltryllis to settle. Who knows? Maybe she wouldn't even need the memories to once more find that sought after warmth in these peculiar masters, whose compassion and acceptance no doubt rivalled…
Not quite. Gudao, Gabby, or Anishka couldn't compare to her in BB's eyes… but they came close. She'd come to like these masters, and wished to see them well, but she'd never admit that. Just like she'd never admit the summoning was also a sympathetic act because she felt bad, if it even worked. Nope! As far as everyone else is concerned, BB was just pursuing curious whims on her visit while she weighed her reasons to stay.
…But Tamamo and Nero weren't too off about hidden desires.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
'Not a worry in the world.' That's what the resort's gentle breeze whispered to BB's ear as the sun kissed her skin in its attempt to swoon; She wouldn't sway so easily. The resort was certainly an impressive place, but it just didn't tickle BB's fancy too much. Despite its size, she felt it was a bit too constricting, and even a pretty ridiculous spot where residents could come to forget what their mission was.
'But I suppose that complacency kept them from going insane…' she reasoned quietly as she gazed around on the boardwalk. Some children were flying kites further down the beach, and she spotted pirates fishing further out on the crystal waters. Her gaze momentarily snapped to Tamamo as she waved to Kiyohime wading in the water by the forest's edge. She was joined by the Valkyries and a lone Vigil member, but BB barely gave them much more thought than that.
Instead… "Say. With all your volunteer guarding, how are you going to cook? I thought you were one of Chaldea's cooks when you're not lounging around?"
"We have plenty of great cooks. Even if you threw everything off schedule, barbecue buffets are simple and routine," Tamamo explained with an exasperated stare. Her smile just moments before faded quickly.
"Hey! It wasn't my fault! Blame the horny beast!"
"I still don't believe the Moon Cell picked you, let alone it wasn't your fault," Nero stated, and BB rolled her eyes again.
"If you're going to keep painting me the villain, maybe I should be the villain? Is that what Chaldea wants? To test all this peace?" That quickly got Tamamo and Nero to offer stares dryer than salt flats under the summer sun. BB only smirked and waved her hand dismissively. "Wouldn't like that, huh? Of course you wouldn't. So quit accusing pretty little me when all I want to do is see what this place has to offer. I can't say I'm impressed though… Hmm, besides so many servants getting along without a grail war blowing up."
"A resort in the heart of Antarctica isn't impressive?" Nero quirked an eyebrow. "It's not Rome. Umu, to compare to that splendor would be impossible. But what the Fox Casters and the others built is nothing less than the paradise Chaldea needed."
"It's impressive weaving, but it's not SERAPH. We can agree on that, right?" BB countered. "The Moon Cell gave you kingdoms! Regions! What? Don't give me those looks. Just because I wasn't there for that doesn't mean I couldn't find out about it! I'm a super AI and the far side is super boring after you left me there! No one listened to my channel or anything!"
The two women glanced to each other; It was clear they agreed. Tamamo sighed, "…You're right. It's not SERAPH, but it still has plenty of room to grow. It could be better, but we'll be making sure it does."
"But it still misses some real gems, right~?" BB teased, and earned a quick guarded look from the other two. BB wasn't surprised. There was little the moon cancer, saber, and caster could relate on with their turbulent history, but there was a certain someone that meant the world to all of them. There was no denying that much. "It's obvious. Any place can be perfect, so long as you have her~…"
Tamamo glared, but quirked an eyebrow. "Don't you mean him?"
Nero nodded skeptically. Huh. So these two remembered a timeline with Hakuno then. Personally, she was more fond of the sassy girl Haku, but she didn't mind either. They were similar enough to practically be twins, and touched that nurse AI's heart as profoundly as they did these two and many more. But that was the SERAPH avatar far into the future, and all they had here was what Chaldea offered.
At least they had the memories… but BB was never one to just settle on compromises.
Though, she wasn't going to entertain the obvious much longer. "Him, her… Same difference. Same ridiculous Sovereign of the Moon Cell, but you're right. This is Chaldea, and that was the Moon Cell. I shouldn't expect as much, but BB has standards too, you know~? If Chaldea really wants to appease me, this little kouhai needs her favorite hobbies!"
"Hobbies, hm…?" Nero mumbled. At first, she thought she was going to just shoot her down again; These guards were a headache. Instead, the empress shared a silent pause and seemingly silent conversation with Tamamo. BB pouted at being left out, but they quickly turned back to her. "Like your BB channel? A TV studio?"
"What about it? Am I not allowed to have a channel if I stay?" she accused with a jabbing finger, but their lightened glares got the algorithms churning. BB's eyes quickly lit up. "W-Wait! Are you saying Chaldea actually has a TV studio!? You servants have a TV channel and everything here!?"
"Only a radio channel for music," the caster explained, letting BB's hopes down momentarily. "They're renovating the Recording Studio for filming music videos, but I heard only George has had any interest using it besides Li-"
"Why didn't you idiots say so!?" BB's eyes shined with a brightness that rivalled a solar flare. "Show me show me show me! BB wants to see this Recording Studio!"
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
"Hey! Read the sign! Don't just bust in when we're… Oh. Oh hell no… A walking disaster has arrived."
"Well hell-oh to you too, Robin," BB winked with a little smirk. "You know I can read, but caring is something else entirely~!"
"Don't just go messing around with anything! I know how you're like!" Robin quickly accused as BB's visible guards walked in.
'So he remembers me too… The Fate system sure is strange.' BB only smirked smugly. "Mess something up? The only thing going up with BB-chan are the ratings~! Time to see BB Channel two-point-oh~!"
She wasn't about to wait however long for them to be done. Nope. Not when there was a promising studio for her to takeover! So it was obvious she'd just skip in and take a look around the rather small lobby. It didn't take long to pick out the newest door either. To Robin's annoyance, she completely dismissed him from her thoughts.
However, she did offer one glance past the archer in a curious green suit to a far stranger sight. Through the soundproof glass, BB could see a familiar lancer in a very fluffy white idol dress. The moon cancer would have blinked incredulously were it not for Nero and Tamamo informing her of Elizabeth's newfound singing ability. Apparently it really was actually good, because now Robin was trying to push a fuming, jealous Nero away from the viewing window.
'As if beating Nero at singing wasn't picking low hanging fruit…' BB's train of thought crashed through a tunnel of excitement as her mind raced along new tracks; The light before her looked amazing! She quickly planted her hands against the viewing glass and stared at the large, empty space… Sure it was empty, but that meant less hassle for claiming it as her own!
Beyond the soundproof window, a spacious room beckoned to her. She could already picture the white walls painted in her choice colors. The few light stands and bounce boards would be moved aside for legitimate cameras and production equipment. Proper ceiling lights, a cute desk with chairs for interviews, a nice changeable backdrop of her choice… This was it! The first thing in Chaldea that could sway her into an extended stay!
Well… the birth of Chaldea's BB Channel could make her stay longer, but it still wasn't a strong enough anchor to glue her. Playing house with the others might be fun, but it'd likely get too boring after a while without her desire. Figuring out this Chaldea's quirks would only take so long. The BB Channel excited her the most, but even that wasn't a perfect deal maker. Seeing who else got summoned didn't interest her in the slightest.
Nope. Despite her eagerness to make her studio, Chaldea still lacked something to truly glue her here. Oh well. "Perfect~! The BB Channel is going to rent space! Time to raise funds~! Oh, maybe a kickstarter or Indiegogo?"
Behind her, there was the sound of a door opening, then shutting rather forcefully. "Oh cute… Dealing with Nero's jealousy wasn't annoying enough, now you're going to become a studio neighbor?"
"Oh, Liz~… Don't say that like I'm a bad girl," BB teased as she quickly spun around to smirk. The lancer's dry stare remained unmoved to match Robin's own. "Just stay out of my way, and you and your producer can pretend I'm not here~! Isn't that a good deal?"
"Pretend you're not here… That'll be difficult. You're you," Robin commented as he crossed his arms, took off his recording headset, and placed it onto the recording panel. "Things get crazy with you around. Or worse."
"Oh come on!" BB pouted as she pointed to their console. "It's hard not to interrupt you when you put the recording equipment in the lobby. Who does that!? Have you no sense of production layout? What kind of manager are you?"
"We're in the process of renovating! Did you not read the other sign or…" Robin growled and planted a hand on his face. For once, Tamamo gave him a sympathetic look, but he ignored it completely. "Why am I trying to argue with you? Forget it. Just… Stay out of our way, and we'll stay out of your studio!"
"Unless I call you for an interview~…" BB winked again with a devilish smirk, which only made Elizabeth groan. She wouldn't admit it, but she was impressed neither of them were more aggressive than this. It looked like Chaldea's civil enforcement was strict, or these servants actually got used to handling things without the threats of violence. It almost made her see these four in a new light… Not really.
Maybe an interview or a few could change that after her studio was running, but even then, her own personal search continued and waned.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
After seeing most of the hot spots, BB strolled back to Club Cove with her bodyguards in tow. Already, she had a small slate produced before her at the bar so she could make her first mock-ups of a studio layout. It was important to be firm and precise with design! Schedules and program listings could come after.
While Tamamo and Nero talked quietly with their drinks beside her, BB tossed another sidelong glance towards the boardwalk. It was late afternoon already, and the robots were already moving supplies for supper. Some groups were talking about random this-and-thats in the club. A table further away with Astolfo, Flat, Meuniere, and a few other employees was particularly loud, but BB already grew accustomed to Chaldea's casual ambiance.
Her gaze was trained to the railing. Tamacat was excitedly talking with two servants in barbecue aprons, but it was the white-haired archer she was most interested in. She was expecting something from him, and yet every time he caught her stare, he only gazed back calmly with a perplexed glint, not true wary recognition.
By the fifth time, she couldn't take it anymore. With a huff, she caught Tamamo and Nero's attention. She even accidentally drew the bartending robot over, but the AI could care less as she jabbed her thumb to the windows. "Hey, what's nameless' deal? You two remember me. Shouldn't he?"
"Emiya? He doesn't have any memories from the Moon Cell," Nero supplied straight, which made BB furrow her brows. So servants could or could not have all their memories, but they could get them with Memorial Essences? What a fascinating system indeed. It's almost like the Fate System was daring to attempt to build the true servant from the throne… with clear diminishing returns. More food for thought.
"Emiya, huh… Well he seems to recognize me in some way. Was it because I look so similar to Parvati? Same face deal?"
"Parvati's host was his high school junior. A sweet girl named Sakura who loved him. She liked to cook and help him when she could." BB held her glint of understanding suppressed. "You look like her, so he's likely confused about that. We haven't really talked to him about the Moon Cell that often. A Memorial Essence would explain better, but one still hasn't come."
"I see…" At least she now had a lead on who the nurse AI was based off of; A new curiosity grew to potentially extend her stay. She'd have to have an interview with that curious goddess when she returned from vacation... Well, when she wasn't fussing over Passionlip. Maybe in her studio. "Hmm… Oh well. There's no fun playing around with a clueless servant."
On the other hand, there was one more servant she'd fought who may remember her well. One that made BB silently flinch just thinking about. Of all the servants she'd dealt with, Gilgamesh was one she'd rather not cross again. It had been difficult just contriving his power with the Moon Cell at her fingertips. What made it worse was he didn't even try most of the time.
Not wanting to think about Chaldea's Gilgamesh longer than needed, she busied herself with her sketches again.
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
The rest of the night was surprisingly boring. She showed off at dinner, and many servants, especially Medusa, wanted to learn more about the 'Parvati look-alikes.' Though BB still received a junior's worth of welcomes, she'd fumed a few times at how much more popular Meltryllis and Passionlip were. The former even got into a bit of a haughty tussle with Emiya, but that was broken up quick.
Night arrived quickly after that, and she'd found herself wandering aimlessly with her guards. She considered popping into the Control Room as the council and select others gathered to watch the uncompressed replay BB gave them. She then thought it'd be fun to mess around with the unfortunate members of the Clock Tower investigation team locked in a conference room reading reports; Nero and Tamamo were, amusingly, not too against that.
She wound up undecided on what to do, but she had a momentary distraction: a card key delivery. David picked a room for her among the unusual apartment complex that was the Residential District; BB didn't care where it was. She could live in the studio for all she cared, and a room just meant she was interested in staying. Clothes too. Or furniture.
As far as BB was concerned, there was only studio decoration to get excited for, because nothing else succeeded in swaying her opinion over the past day.
Chaldea definitely wasn't SERAPH's luxury. She could still hack and reprogram whatever she wanted, but it wasn't the almighty power of the Moon Cell at her fingertips. The offerings here were cramped compared to SERAPH. You could get the same number of servants depending on the timeline. Nope. Staying in Chaldea was like picking the second best racehorse… but it's not like BB had a choice.
As far as the Moon Cell was concerned, she was an unwanted virus whose sole purpose for good was fulfilled on Seraphix. She was too much of a deviation. Too much of a dangerous rogue to let roam free, much like true Altera was. SERAPH offered much more, but they were gifts BB was never allowed to fully hold. She could only watch from afar like a voyeur seeing warm beaches through the bars of a jail across the street.
That's why despite Chaldea offering so many admittedly wonderful things, even it lacked the one thing that could anchor allegiance of her heart and soul…
…Nonetheless, there was still the chance it could by an improbable longshot. That calculation was exactly why she came. It was exactly why she wasn't making things even more difficult than she was. It's why she was already planning her studio. And, of course, it was exactly why she found herself sitting in Da Vinci's workshop being glared down by several battle-clad servants and others.
Yet, all BB could do was smirk back playfully and swing her legs on her chair. "Well? I'm here~! What do you need the cute little devil for~?"
"Please save our breaths by not playing coy," Holmes declared firmly as he leaned against a bookshelf on the wall. His sharp, analyzing eyes pierced her, but she wasn't trying to hide any guilt. She knew exactly what she did without any shame.
"You want me to apologize? For doing nothing?" she asked with a finger to lips.
Before her, Da Vinci's stoic face twitched with a tiny frown. Lord El-Melloi II scowled further. Gudao, Mashu, and Gabrielle remained blank faced, but the same couldn't be said for the holographic communications window. Within it, a screen split between the commander of the fascinating military organization and the UN Secretary General. Neither Pritchard nor Wittwer looked pleased in the least, nor did Sergei who stood cross armed in the doorway.
"Nothing? Pardon my disbelief, but you wish to describe breaching an encrypted international database as nothing?" Pritchard scoffed, then crossed his arms on screen. Behind him, the Vigil's Edison glared through the screen. "It's… quite unnerving. Thomas told me it was even more reinforced, but you broke the code in seconds."
"You challenged the UN's trust in Chaldea until we were informed it was a new servant!" Wittwer shouted. "You hacked the United Nations' encrypted lines! Breached sensitive information and copied classified files without authorization! Do you not realize how many lines you've crossed?"
Nope. BB was not having a scolding from an old man. Her smile faded as she raised a finger. "First, they weren't classified. Personal information, sure, but not top secret. Two, you're the ones who have a very, veeery ethically questionable secret database on every single person in the modern world. Are you trying to give conspiracy theorists more ammo than they already have?"
Wittwer winced in surprise, but BB only leaned towards his screen with a flat expression. "You're treading a gray line with some of your actions… Like simply dismissing that Planetarium Lord Animusphere created as unoperational. If you'd properly dismantled it instead of letting it rust on that floating bucket, maybe a beast wouldn't have committed such an atrocity with it later. It's for the best that oil platform disappeared, unless you wanted word to get out about what secrets were on board?"
Finally, she smirked mischievously. "So don't either of you scold me about questionable actions when the UN has been just as guilty of shady acts since its conception. Pot calling the kettle black? You're still saints compared to the Clock Tower… but I wonder how long before that power gets to your heads?"
"So long as Chaldea stands, we're ensuring our ally, the Vigil, conducts their actions responsibly. But we can't say the same about the rest of the UN. It's quite the large organization," El-Melloi affirmed as he nodded to Pritchard. Wittwer wiped some sweat from his brow at the surprise scolding, but it only made BB smirk. Nothing like sending a reminder when it's needed, which is exactly what the grumpy caster did upon scowling deeper at her. "That aside, I feel I must remind you that you're under guard for suspicious activity. This is no exception, and after what we've been through recently, leniency is stretched thin as is."
"You're still smiling, BB? You lied to your guards on what you were doing! You did something really bad! You might get expelled…" Gabrielle trailed off as she stared dumbfounded. BB only shrugged confidently; Her reasons to stay were still limited and trivial. If she wanted, she could just leave, but… "Please tell us already! What's the reason you came here? It's not to cause trouble, right? This was just a prank?"
"You always refused to say what you wanted," Gudao pointed out plainly as Mashu clutched Fou tighter beside him. "Can you at least tell us?"
"…I could~…" BB began with a teasing smile, which only served to make several glares fiercer. "You see, I've been looking for a reason to stay, and getting over your joke of a cyber security wall was part of that search. I don't care about Vigil secret operations or the relations with other world big hats. I only care about one thing."
Gudao nodded slowly. "Then you've found it, didn't you? That's why you hacked them."
"Quick on the uptake, Senpai~!" BB winked, then stared to Da Vinci and the holographic Pritchard. Mashu growled. "I'm not sorry for what I did, but I could make it up to you. I know for a fact you can't just get rid of me so easily~… I am the one who hacked your system with ease, and I am also the one who knows the holes in Chaldea's space-time security. You know~… The holes Scheherazade first pointed out to you? What if I told you I could help plug those holes, help you past those oh-so-frustrating snags on those secret projects of yours... and upgrade that cringey excuse of a cyber security suite? Sheesh! Who designed that garbage for your organizations anyway!?"
Thomas roared angrily behind Pritchard, but it only made the commander shake his head. Holmes, on the other hand, stern and silent, narrowed her eyes. "You're clearly not one to offer gifts. You're looking for a trade. A deal. You want whatever you found in return as part of the bargain, and since the masters supposedly owe you a favor with Meltryllis' direct summoning, we start on an awkward foot."
"Nicely concluded, Mister Holmes, but you're a bit off. What I found is the only thing I want. All I ever wanted. Enough to make me spend that gold ticket I got yesterday~!" BB smiled cheerily, which only unnerved many in the room… at least until her smirk returned. "You give me that, and I'll have my reason to stay and help you. All of you. Don't expect me not to have some fun here and there, but like I told these funny masters… I love humanity, but I act how I please. I'll cooperate, but I'll do it my way, on my terms, and the only way you're going to ensure my loyalty is with my only desire on the line."
"Can you please just tell us what it is and stop skirting around!?" Gabrielle groaned out, and made BB giggle; This master's pained reactions were always fun! "C'mon, BB! Can't you just tell us straight!?"
"Mmmm~… Okay then~!" BB smiled, lifted her hand, and binary ribbons sprouted. Behind Da Vinci, David summoned his staff. El-Melloi tensed up until the binary numbers fully solidified into a SERAPH-style cerulean folder, similar to the boring manila ones of this year. She plopped it down onto the table and crossed her arms proudly. "Holmes can get right to work~! Find a solution to this case please~! And give me prompt updates! The faster you solve this, the harder I'll work to fix your problems~!"
"And once I do?" Holmes quickly asked as he hastily walked over, pulled out his pipe, and stared at the folder's front.
Unsolved Medical Case
UNID - DAS . C011 . ICD . 29 . 5 . 2000
"Once you do, Da Vinci brings them to Chaldea and hires them as staff." Da Vinci glanced to her strangely, but she only smiled back. "You do need more employees, right? I think they'll make a great fit~! Aaaand, you'll have earned my full cooperation! Pinky swear~!"
"…Sounds simple enough…" Da Vinci commented as she gazed at the folder.
"It is… And it's something I can't do myself." It pained her to admit that, but her own resources were limited. In this case, she needed to rely on others again. She didn't like it… but if it meant her true desire could be reached, she'd take the hit to her ever-glowing pride. That's why she finalized this with a light glare. "But if you botch this, I'll make one hell of a mess for all of you."
Pritchard, Wittwer, and El-Melloi stared warily at her. In truth, her threat held truth of a different kind. She'd make a mess alright, but it'd be driven by equal parts despair and anger. Yet, as jaded as she was, she couldn't deny the glimpses that delicate strings weaved into the fabric of Chaldea. If anyone could make the shot in the dark, it was this Chaldea. Like with many others, she felt confident they'd give her a reason to stay and cooperate… which she'd never admit.
BB only smiled and took pride she picked right. 'I'm never wrong~…'
¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨
From the many grills fired up and breathing, the smell of Italian barbecue filled the air. A few seagulls swooped low to land on the Outdoor Cafeteria's roof in search of food. Instead, they found only a growing selection and cheery laughter echoing from its busy roof. Among the many casually dressed servants and staff, a new commotion drew the birds' eyes. "Ohhhh! So you tasted that pufferfish for yourself? Was it really that good!? I want to try it!"
A flash of bright prana spooked the birds into fleeing as they tore through a smokescreen wall of delicious aromas. Beneath the cabana, a louder mirth flared from the outdoor cafeteria. Sasaki soon came skidding to a halt on the boardwalk. The often-refined samurai in a blue Hawaiian shirt and board shorts glanced around erratically with growing dismay. It only made the laughter grow louder.
"Sorry, Sasaki! She was just here!" Benkei called out from the crowds, making the assassin stare to an empty table chair among the loosely gathered crowd. "We accidentally started talking about food and… Well, Musashi got hungry for quality pufferfish! I hope you're quicker next time!"
The assassin fell to his knees dramatically and groaned towards the ground. "I was so close…!"
"You'll get to challenge her next time…" Martha offered as the saint in a white bikini strolled over, knelt down, and gently patted her friend's back. "We'll do better keeping her mind away from food."
At the boardwalk railing, Gudao and Gabrielle chuckled with the growing laughter. Matching white towels lay draped over their shoulders. Gabrielle's orange striped bikini was long dry, but her best friend's green board shorts needed a bit more time. Mashu stood beside them in her own pink bikini, whose frilly design matched Ereshkigal's beside her. They would've likely laughed too if they weren't enjoying their chocolate ice cream cones with multiple scoops. At their feet, Fou happily enjoyed his own shaved ice in a convenient bowl.
Gudao glanced over to the bar, where Tamacat was adamantly trying to protect Passionlip from the supposedly friendly advances of a few Camelot knights. If one listened closely, the sound of Arturia groaning could be heard. At least Tamamo wasn't anywhere nearby to start another catfight with- "Hiiiii, Senpais~! BB-Chan has arrived~!"
Gabrielle had only a moment to scoot a step away as BB barreled into Gudao. Mashu turned as fast as her eyebrows furrowed, and Gudao could only stare incredulously at the moon cancer now latched to one of his arms. He couldn't keep his eyes from glancing over BB, who'd found some casual clothes sometime between the morning meeting and dinner. Though her clothes weren't exactly…
"Ohh~? How naughty~… I didn't know you wanted me to thank you that way, S-e-n-p-a-i~…" BB smirked lightly. Her breasts were barely covered by a scant white tube top; It looked way too thin, so it was obviously just snagged from the Stitch Witches' stock. She had a banana-colored bikini skirt, plus a matching beach sweater for good measure. A star-speckled white baseball cap completed her chosen look, though it was clear what her hastily acquired clothes had one purpose.
Just behind her, a toga-wearing Nero and Tamamo, in a light pink kimono, walked up with exasperated stares. Only Gabrielle seemed to notice as she waved to them. Flushing red, Gudao stammered for an answer. "BB-! Please! I'm happily taken!"
"Yes. He's happily taken." BB's devious smirk shifted to Mashu, who quickly looped her arm around Gudao's torso and pushed herself against him. The moon cancer noticed Ereshkigal glance over with brief envy, but then move over to support her closest friends. A grinning BB only fired the convenient ammo. "What's the matter? Senpai can't have two cute kouhais but having two bedwarmers is okay~? There's enough of him to share between us three, right~?"
Mashu and Ereshkigal glanced to each other with flushed cheeks, stammered for an answer, and then gawked with Gudao. He was dead speechless with embarrassment and disbelief; That silver tongue definitely wouldn't be working for a bit. Feeling victorious, BB smirked to the two girls.
To their credit, they had more support. BB felt a gentle tap on her arm and a throat clearing. Lightening her teasing clamp on Gudao, she glanced to Gabrielle, Nero, and Tamamo who didn't look too pleased. The master frowned, "There's a line, BB. I'm all for fun jokes, but Gudao and Mashu are a couple. Please respect that."
BB puffed her cheeks and pouted. "Geez! It's just a tease! Mashu's reactions are fun like yours! But in a different way-! Hey! Gabby! Nero! Let go-! Fine, fine! I'll let go!"
After a bit of a struggle, BB let go of Gudao with a huff, glanced to a scowling Mashu and Ereshkigal, then shrugged. "Alright… I'll just mess with Annie when she gets back, but I'm still calling Gudao senpai like the others! At least for now!"
Mashu and Ereshkigal glanced at the black-haired master, but he only smiled with relief and nodded. "Thanks, BB..."
"Don't thank me yet. After you fulfill my favor, we're even," BB smirked lightly as she began walking away with the two heroines in tow. She then paused to glance over her shoulder at the two masters. "If anyone should do the thanking, it's me. So just this once… thanks, Gabby. Gudao. Annie too. You're giving your pretty devil kouhai all she ever wanted."
The two masters nodded, although Gudao quickly flinched when Mashu and Ereshkigal looked at him questionably. As Gabrielle quickly tried to reassure the two, BB let off a content giggle. Strolling towards the grills, she wondered what kind of food could fill her stomach. In time, her heart and soul would be filled too. Of that, she had no doubt.
"So what exactly is this favor you blackmailed the masters into giving you?" Tamamo accused, but BB took the jab with a smirk and wink. "What happened in Da Vinci's workshop?"
"Umu… An answer would be nice," Nero agreed with crossed arms, but again, BB only began to hum.
"… Wouldn't you like to know, hm? Hm, hm, hmmmm~…" That's all they were going to get out of her… For now. If all went well, she had the feeling their accusations would turn into gratitude. Alongside all the other complications sure to follow, of course... but that didn't matter quite yet.
What did? BB found her reason to stay. Chaldea's council promised she'd have it if she cooperated. No question, that was already secretly enough reason to give Chaldea her full support… especially with the threat that loomed over their complacent mind. If she got her desire, she wasn't about ready to lose it to…
Well, that was a bit over a year away, and with her help, this Chaldea… Yup. Things could turn out well for them when that alien god finally reared its ugly head. She'd ensure they'd be ready in a timely matter. If nothing else, then it'd be for the sole purpose of ensuring her reason-for-being lived a happy life with her in it.
Until then, BB had a channel to build, ratings to earn, some relatable friends to make, some fun to be had, and a new life to carve… her way!