Author's Note: Here's another chapter for you all! I've made the decision on which Servant(s) that Hakuno will summon, I'm sure it'll be very interesting! And remember, this may be a Godzilla story, but it's not Godzilla's story, it's Hakuno's story!
Enjoy the chapter everybody! A mistaken wish that leads to consequences, that which inadvertently brings either salvation or demise to mankind by a creature who knows rage against them; The King of Monsters.
Digital/Kaiju
Chapter 9: One Step off the Kingdom Road
Hakuno Kishinami thought the plane trip had been very tiring, nearly an entire day of air travel left a drowsiness in her, an exhaustion. But, finally, after two flights, they arrived in the United States' California. The trip wasn't entirely so bad, she had alleviated her boredom by watching nearly the entirety of the animated show, Digimon Adventure. An entertaining piece of media, its concepts were very much like human virtues and the overall exploration of the friendship between different individuals, even if its fictional elements seemed ludicrous at times.
Seriously, those 'Perfect' and 'Ultimate' levels had insane descriptions that didn't accurately match the show's usage of them.
Nia Tatopoulos and Miki Saegusa made amused faces at Hakuno liking the show, she didn't understand why, but Nia mentioned something about her being more childish than most her age.
She could see where the American's point came from, but ignored it. Hakuno hadn't the luxury to explore modern human culture outside of bits and pieces she knew from the fake student memories provided by the Moon Cell, so the show had been interesting.
Still, the magus looked forward to seeing more Disney films, perhaps visiting the original 'Disneyland' theme park while they were in California? Though, she wouldn't mind visiting Tokyo Disneyland back in Japan.
There was so many things to see and explore!
If only there wasn't the whole Kaiju issue going on.
Hakuno also wondered what kind of culinary culture she could try in the United States… The plane meals had been alright, Miki had given her a few snacks during it too, but it couldn't match a truly cooked meal.
Miki Saegusa and Nia Tatopoulos approached her with the suitcases and bags, the former checking over their luggage a brief moment before nodding and facing the girl.
"You have everything, Hakuno?" She asked in Japanese. "Especially your passport, you can't lose that."
"I have it," Hakuno replied, patting her uniform's pocket to indicate her possession of it. "Do we need to speak in English while here?"
"When it's just us three you can talk in Japanese," Miki answered. "But yes, for the most part, we'll be speaking English."
"Alright," Hakuno said as her gaze trailed over the airport's interior. It certainly was something, not to mention, filled with people going to and fro. It reminded her of the first two weeks in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, where the number of participants had been one-hundred and twenty-eight then sixty-four Masters. That had the school lively and crowded…
It didn't last as half of them were killed each following week.
"Hey," Miki said to Hakuno, catching her attention. "Listen, try to keep to yourself."
"You said so before," The teenager responded, remembering the woman's minor warning concerning the people they were meeting. "Are they enemies?"
Nia raised a brow but replied, "No, Japan and America are allies, just politics and military interest tend to go hand in hand at times."
"This is one of those," Miki continued. "But don't worry, they'd want my expertise, so you can relax as they'll leave you alone." She took a moment to yawn, "Not that the time zone change will help any… It's afternoon here but practically midnight back home."
Hakuno Kishinami had to agree, she was also tired and could use sleep, but they had to adjust to the new time zone.
They started walking out of baggage claim when Hakuno spotted a resolute man adorn in a military officer's outfit holding a white sign with the words 'K.R.D. Miki Saegusa' sketched on it. Not a moment later, all three of them were walking towards the officer who took notice of their approach.
Miki pulled out her K.R.D Identification Badge, "Miki Saegusa," She introduced herself in the western fashion then pointed a finger towards the rest. "Nia Tatopoulos, Hakuno Kishinami."
Hakuno also had an ID Badge, it was pocketed in her uniform, but the soldier only looked interested in Miki and Nia specifically, Hakuno was an afterthought.
That was fine, she was used to that, most of the weeks in the Holy Grail War had Masters treating her as a wayside individual… Well, until the latter weeks, their opinions had changed radically after she defeated Shinji, Dan, and Alice.
Remembering being responsible for their deaths didn't help her.
She decided to move on from that thought.
The soldier gave her a brief salute before saying, "Lieutenant Dagerhold, ma'am. If you and your companions would follow me we have a helicopter available to take you directly to the base, Miss Saegusa," He nearly butchered the English pronunciation of her name.
But Miki let it slide, perhaps sympathizing with Nia Tatopoulos own mispronunciation by her countrymen, regardless the United States Lieutenant guided them through a restricted passageway in the Airport and outside, where a transport helicopter of some militant make lay in wait.
Hakuno Kishinami didn't have the knowledge or background concerning military specifics, let alone those belonging to a certain nation, she had some information about tactics and strategic assets from brief conversations with Rin Tohsaka, who did have experience with those, but nothing with concrete detail.
In any case, her primary concern is related to potential Kaiju threats or enemy Servants, the latter which hopefully never appeared. While Berserker was powerful, he had his limits. Gaining information about approaching Kaiju and understanding their weaknesses would help Berserker not only fight them but perhaps develop some level of trust between herself and the King of Monsters.
Even if Godzilla despised her…
However, for now, best let Miki handle this trip to spend it along as quickly as possible before Berserker decided to show up in the United States.
Nia Tatopoulos was the only child of Audrey Timmons and Dr. Niko Tatopoulos, the latter who was instrumental in solving many Kaiju incidents throughout the North American continent. Nia's psychic gift did not develop until her teenage years when she had a breakdown from the sudden mental backlash caused by the MUTO pair in early 2001. Her father, Niko, known as Nick, was excited and proud that his daughter had the ability in a new potential field of science… Audrey did not share this sentiment.
Her mother downright despised it, already arguing and growing distant from Nia's father by his interest in science and Kaiju than supposedly his own wife, Audrey divorced and attempted custody over Nia.
Audrey lost that case, partially because of Nia's growing dislike of her mother, but the majority reason being Nick's connections with the government, notably the military. But that was a double-edged blade, knowing they had a psychic, a potential method of predicting Kaiju ahead of time kept them having a close eye on her. Even protected by Constitutional Laws, she was a shoe-horn candidate for a draft because of that.
So, her military life began, but as a non-combatant.
She grew to resent the United States a bit, but never to an extreme, Nia was understanding enough to know the reasons and had her father to thank for keeping her head calm. Later, Nia was transferred over to the KRD under the US-Japanese Treaty into the Kaiju Prediction Unit.
But, even an idiot can see it was just a way to get information and possibly sway some of Japan's psychics to the United States… And it seemed to have eventually worked in their favor, the de facto candidate for strongest psychic Miki Saegusa and her first recommended individual, Hakuno Kishinami.
Luckily, Hakuno was still considered a minor, and current psychic research related to human growth depicted that even though the abilities manifest in teenage years, they don't stabilize into reliable accounts or predictions until adulthood.
Hence explained Hakuno's incident a few days prior with her near collapse, the poor girl's abilities had probably not settled down yet due to her age. However, because of those facts, the higher-ups should ignore Hakuno in favor for Miki instead.
Nia Tatopoulos sympathized with Hakuno's breakdown that day, it's rough when it occurs before maturity.
At least Miki can talk around stung up military personnel as like she does it for a hobby. Nia wished she had that sort of skill.
Miki Saegusa, Hakuno Kishinami, and Nia Tatopoulos arrived in a military facility near San Francisco, originally a reserve army camp, it had been refitted to serve as a United States' Kaiju Response Division (KRD). All United Nation Members had their own KRD branches under the Guidelines created to deal with the monsters, but even with a supposed unified front, many nations served their own interests.
A man stepped forward, his uniform and emblems indicated a higher rank than those around the team.
"Japanese Self Defense Force KRD Division, Miki Saegusa, Predictive Analysis," He began. "I'm Colonel Anthony Hicks until this mess has been sorted out you'll be under my care." His words were firm and authoritative but had an understanding tone that implied agreement with a headache that politics wove.
Miki smiled, "Colonel Hicks, I'm thankful for taking us in. Your actions against the Kaiju Clover alongside Mothra's intervention are praiseworthy in having saved countless lives."
"It's my job, ma'am, Clover was tricky with its parasites but quick action kept it contained and eliminated," He replied, before introducing another man with cut blond hair, "This is Sergeant O'Neill, he'll lead you to your place of residence. The change in time zones can be a hassle so rest up." Colonel Hicks finished, he glanced towards Nia and gave a curt nod of welcome, he knew her father well, and she knew him too.
He also acknowledges Hakuno Kishinami before leaving.
"Follow me," Sergeant O'Neill stated as he started guiding them.
Nia clutched her head, it was pounding.
Hakuno Kishinami glanced to her with an adorably confused expression.
Then it hit.
A large bipedal iguana-like creature dug through the earth, its gray scales wet with mud and seawater, hands pushing along underground as it made its way by instinct to a location whereby it will achieve the goal of life. A flame rests within the monster, but it was dim and low, unable to bring forth potential…
"Nia?" Hakuno spoke her name aloud and it brought her back to reality.
"It's nothing," She replied and continued walking.
Tatopoulos knew, however, that a Kaiju was nearby, and it was heading this way.
She would need to speak with Miki soon.
Hakuno Kishinami collapsed on the bunk bed in exhaustion, between flights, helicopter rides, military personnel, and the daily magical energy requirement for Berserker, it all piled up to make the magus girl very tired and wanting to take a nap. The sun was still high in the sky, its light beamed through the windows, yet she logical knew it was night back in Japan.
There was also her hunger, she hadn't eaten since the first plane.
Miki Saegusa and Nia Tatopoulos had left the room to speak privately, leaving Hakuno alone.
The Digital Human sat up, back relaxed against the wall and pillow. Her eyes glanced towards the red sigils on her upper hand, the Command Spells, which led to her thoughts returning to the Servant she had a Contract with.
Godzilla.
A tense Master-Servant relationship of give-and-take was all that kept Hakuno and Berserker from outright ignoring the other. Hakuno didn't like her Servant, she didn't hate him, but his devastating actions caused the death of many lives and destruction on a scale that had an eerily resemblance to her original counterpart's memory. On the other side, Godzilla despised her entirely and wanted nothing to do with her, but was forced to by the restrictions of being a Servant requiring a Master to remain.
Not to mention, Godzilla didn't have the same cognitive functions of human or similar sentient being. He was animalistic, while he did have enough intelligence to think and plan, all sentience was submerged in an ocean of primal instinct and rage.
Whether that anger came from him being a Berserker, Madness Enhancement, Hakuno began to doubt.
Had Berserker ever switched on Madness Enhancement during battle? How would Hakuno manage the drain caused by that?
Also…
Hakuno raised her hand wearing the Regalia.
She hadn't the chance to use the object, though Hakuno theorized it aided her in managing and supplying magical energy concerning Berserker. It's an object granted unto her by the Moon Cell, for a reason unknown, though it might be related to her as its Victor of the Holy Grail War. It might have functionalities similar to the Portable Terminal, or on a more grand scale, similar authority as to SERAPH, the Serial Phantasm.
A daunting thought given the sheer reality-shaping power the Moon Cell had, Hakuno Kishinami felt nearly overwhelmed at the prospect of having it at her command. That sort of responsibility pushed onto a single person never tends to end well.
What… What was she doing anyway?
So far, somewhat similar to the Holy Grail War, she had been going along with events, however, since that cruel tournament-style deathmatch there was no driving force for her. It had been simple within the Moon Cell, Hakuno wanted to survive, later she also wanted her newfound friends to survive… But only one of them remained… Even her Servant vanished.
Hakuno Kishinami stuck to Miki Saegusa's side because the woman offered her aid… She offered Hakuno help… Just like Rin Tohsaka and Rani VIII throughout the conflict.
But she didn't want to feel like a freeloader.
So, what can she do to help, presumably when returning to Japan after this trip in the United States?
Well, Hakuno had her capability as a Spirit Hacker and given her unique origins, was the most powerful hacker on the planet, provided security didn't match the Moon Cell's level. In theory, she could bypass any and all military systems, networks, security, frankly anything electronic.
She laid back down entirely on the bed.
Of course, Hakuno hadn't tried using a Code Cast yet, she didn't know whether the magecraft would function outside of a digital medium. She could try using a simple one to see but hadn't the opportunity too.
Her eyes kept trying to close themselves, best hold off on experimenting with Code Casts and the Regalia, her body needed sleep… A nap… At least…
Hakuno fell into slumber.
Miki Saegusa bit her lip, then promptly said.
"Shit," It was the only English word to describe the incoming situation. Nia Tatopoulos had a psychic prediction, to further elaborate, for an individual to have a psychic prediction the source or coming cause must be near in time and of a closing proximity. Which meant, in simple terms, the Kaiju that Nia had 'predicted' would be closing in on the western seaboard of the United States very soon or already arrived.
If they were in Japan, it would be simple to inform the Self Defense Force's Kaiju Response Division.
The problem is, they were in the United States, and that carried with it a political weight that if they were to prove to the nation that it was indeed worth keeping their own psychic branch, which means they could theoretically pull members from Japan… Which normally meant just Nia… But considering that Hakuno Kishinami didn't actually have records of being a Japanese National, it could be argued she was a 'American' citizen.
A headache.
"Well?" Nia asked in Japanese, she had explained it all in that language so that passing soldiers couldn't understand their private conversation.
And since Hakuno was young, they didn't want to burden the girl with worries.
Miki… Well, she agreed with that, but also thought that considering Hakuno Kishinami's origins, the girl may very well be drawn into it at some point.
"Alright, first we'll-" That's as far as Miki got before her own powers activated.
A collapse of a building. Humvee moving at great speeds. Nia and Hakuno in a building, surrounded by monsters measuring nearly 2 meters tall. It's a moonlit night, they're trapped in an elevator. Mystic Eyes. The King defends the throne.
Once Miki Saegusa caught her breath from the sudden vision, she looked up to Nia who understood what occurred.
Miki said, "Nevermind… We're informing them."