Author's Note: Hey, everyone. Good God I'm apparently off the hook on my graduation day, and guess what? I'm off in my mini- hiatus so I'm back as new again! But apparently, I forgot my writing style and I think I might forgot something that I'm making here, so it might change a little bit, and I'll make it more tame than the last ones, if I can limit my work into 10,000 words or less.
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[Player]: the [Main Character] of the world, where the story circles and achieved hardships and goals.
[Root]: the actual history (P.S: Our real world) where that main character came from.
[Branch]: the alternative Universe, written or divergent that brings coils of different pattern of routes that the [Player] might do.
[Collision]: where two different branches collide to form one straight line and create impossible feats between two universes.
[Limit]: the end of the story- the game over.
[Role]: the actions and the position of the [Players] in the story. Same as the [Character].
[Main Branch]: the branch where the [Player] or [Character]first came to be, before jumping into another world.
[Substitute Character]: a person particularly possible to exchange role with the [Main Character].
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Hypothetical theories are the standard bases of new worlds in every possibilities- creating branches and evolving another route to fill the hole of alternative realities.
Hypothetical questions, unsubstantiated wondering and a flicker of curiosity not only did result as small variable in formulas that may branched out or enact a new tree of story. In fact, it is feasible in every reason- stories diverging into the stem they are appealed to come into- submerging and coiling in different paths; creating an inevitable uniqueness derive from its choices, chances and opportunities passed or obtain by the [Player] of its fate..
The great scheme of worlds- of alternative worlds- can be fractured and molded by its character- the main protagonist spinning the wheels of fortune. They may be one and the same person, or they can be different altogether. Mordred- as she sees it- is a character divergent to her [Root]. Her history. Where she came to be.
She sees herself as a protagonist of her life; but not the universe she is in. With the standard base of hypothetical theory; anything is infinite- but similarities changes.
Mordred, as she is now, is a human capsule born out of her past's Heart, shaped as a container to accept the Mind, and to sully and find what is left of her memories in another Universe- where she is the main cast.
Parallel worlds- who knew it exist?
But Mordred is a living proof- burden by the memories she once forgotten, as she succumbed into the Law of Nature- to keep the barrier between worlds intact. However, when the barrier was broke down, and the main protagonist exceeds and claws its way to bring a message to another world; Collision happens, and shakes the apparent route of the branch which might affect its universe's [Limit].
With this collision, in the demi- servant's case, took a toll of her sanity- a bridge of her reality, the specks of what she can truly be. The world will not fall apart, but her role to the World will forever be broken, shattered by her denial of the message from different plane.
First and foremost, with all she knew- she is but a human with no memories from her childhood, with an ability to endure many pains and cure herself from any harm. And yet, she was send into a dimension, where she met people from the Past, and emerged enlightened that it was not the world she once believed it was.
Then, she met herself, a despicable Servant- bearing the same face as her own, the same root she is in- and the same name she was given; with all propriety stumbling out the window- shaking the epicenter of herself, radiating like a broken leaf that may burn in fire.
The world will not adjust to the hilarity of meeting oneself, but the [Character] must adjust to it- to keep remain intact as a person. The real question is; how will Mordred pursue her newly found memories?
Memories of future that will occur, of a world within the Cyber Space, of a woman who sacrificed her own to save hers?
She does know….. but she is afraid to let go of what she have before.
Hakuno… the only person she loved better than she ever did to herself; a human person with the same chaotic amnesia like her, now, as it turned out is her Master, from a Grail War, unlike Mordred heard before.
She liked to laughed, to bury the sorrow of the upcoming days in their lives, to pound the agony into dust….. but nothing.
She transverse into a new whole world out of her [Main Branch], to continue the postponed future she dearly wanted to avoid with all her might.
But she can't. Whether she likes it or not, while Mordred is a part of the [Branch], she is not the [Main Character] that will change the world.
No.
The responsibility befell in her lover, Hakuno Kishinami- as the [Player] of the Universe. Mordred could only shut her eyes in prayer, looking at the blue cyber sky, hoping; praying…. That everything will be just fine.
Yet….. Mordred could not help a single tear to fall unseen in her cheek…. For she knew what will happen in the future.
And while she might be some kind of a King Knight or a Servant powerful, her heart could not take the secret of her lover's demise for too long.
After all, she was weak to stop it….
Too weak to be a [Substitute Character] to fill the role.
"Mordred?" a voice whispers in the dead of night, stopping her thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"... It's so quiet." Hakuno sighs, extracting herself out of Mordred's vice grip in her stomach, foot battling to find some warm.
They are in their previous bed in the Holy Grail, still baring its white pillows and red diamond pattern sheets a certain AI teacher rewarded in exchange of their service. The room did not change either, to the smooth blue barrier walls and table and chairs neatly piled on the other side next to the window, a small shower and a door for personal luxuries, and a pretty much playing station that they used for stress reliefs.
"Mordred... does some fleeting doubts cross your mind…. That these memories are sometimes revised?" Hakuno whispers at the digital dawn, eyes train thoughtlessly in front, a deep swell of her eye retains its redness indicating her lack of sleep.
"... I think it's better than being completely ignorant about what's happening. Who would know we're completely bad asses at the future?" Mordred kissed her sleep goodbye, turning on her side to hold Hakuno in her arms. She pushed her face in Hakuno's honey scented hair, sprawled gorgeously for Mordred. She then took a peek at her lover's nape, conjuring a façade of calm and tranquility to quell the fear radiating within Hakuno.
"… Even if we can never make it back alive?"
"Now hold up just a second," Mordred interrupted, pinching Hakuno's waist in warning. "What is that all about?"
"Nothing," the brunette shook her head in contemplation; too quick for her own good, turning back to face the blonde eye to eye. "It was nothing…. Just a slip of tongue." The residual doubt lingers, and Hakuno close her eyes. Mordred wished she can share the pain within those orbs, just like they used to when they are as innocent as a common human, without any secrets keeping them apart.
"You know how to share that monster doubt, right?"
"I know." Liar.
"I know I'll be here by your side, every day and night. You… know that, right? Hakuno?"
"I know."
"Then, why do you shut me out?"
"I…. don't know." Liar.
Yet, she knew how much they can sacrifice for one another, that even a small secret granted by the memories are well kept into their hearts. For Mordred, it is the worst pain unimaginable to betray her trust, and she knew Hakuno done it before, will do it sooner, and did it without pause.
Such as the love that is surrounded by thorns; beautiful, and so selfishly predictable.
"We can pull this through, Hakuno. I know we will." …. But Hakuno did not reply, and Mordred was left to hold her closer than the silence that engulfs their time.
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Jeanne Alter is not a good person, as she always told many of her kin and companion. She was told to latch of hateful emotions; greed. Envy. Lust. Rage. Fury. Yet, the world can be a great liar in all things.
She did not associate herself with love, nor a close relationship to her Masters in the realm she was forced into.
She knew she is destined for greater things; things that might contradict to what she is, who she is, and how she was summoned out with a façade that speaks of ulterior obliviousness.
In fact, Jeanne Alter, or Joan, implies that she have been waiting for something out from the world to Gudao and Gudako, but not in a way they were involved, let alone expected to give it to her in a single platter.
Joan, once said at their first meeting at the Summoning Chamber, that 'she is summoned to pay a debt for a dear friend'. Of course, it was phrase differently with threats- and so the real message is hidden in a vale of fallacies woven to cover the meaning.
Yet, what is the debt?
Joan is a pessimist, a soldier that walks a path on her own, avenging her unrewarded faithfulness to her Lord, and what of a debt she told that made her acceptable to change the world?
But most importantly; who is Joan D' Arc?
She has no history; no background. Yet she is created, plunge into a whole new ground, where alternate personalities comes about.
She is vengeance; she is Hate. She is the sorrow of the human retaliation- the doubt of a mortal being to her immortal Lord. She is the emotion. She is her own death.
Yet, she was summoned as a Lancer, in a competition for the Holy Grail War. She bears the darkness of the world, obtained and contracted to a young man which she barely talks to.
She was her own agent, she can absorbed power without her Master as a container for mana to create her noblest hidden phantasm.
Joan is the void- where when in vicinity, all participants of the Grail will crumble, not including the Servants who will defend their oath to their Masters. Joan bares no concern, as the negative emotions fill her power, obtainable in the presence of the weaklings, making her strong. They will fled and leave her and her Master alone, which the young man will disagreed upon, arguing that it is wrong.
Yet why did her Master irks her so? Did he not know that Joan is derived from the very definition of what is not right to the world?
Her Master- 'Fid', he is called- disapprove that it was not the case; 'not right' and 'wrong' are two different words that are mistaken as one.
"Not right' is a meaning that contradicts the virtues of a human person, and 'wrong' is the deed that differentiates certain actions to make it uncommon." Her Master once said, taking their example of isolation from the other people as 'wrong', since they are not meant to be always alone. They need companionship, information that conversations can provide. While Fid takes an example of 'not right', when they first killed their first enemy; the heart wrenching decision he must do only to survive, even if it is in his person to not kill someone.
And with that in mind, Joan was intrigued. She grew accustomed on being lectured by her Master, and the connection between them remains strong. While her Master was uncomfortable to learn that she has no history that he may see in their dreams, Fid had been her first friend that she walks with dignity and protect with all she had.
While she may not express her feelings openly, with her sarcastic remarks and undeserving rudeness that she shown upon her Master, she knows that her actual message was delivered, and accepted by her Master with a glorious smile and cheerful glee.
And with that, Joan became something new, something real; something that will start a history untold. Joan of the Holy Grail War will be the root of her tree, where branches will bloom, and dig a great sophisticated adventure that follows.
And then, the anomaly came to cross paths with their life in the Holy Grail- Hakuno Kishinami, and her Servant Saber had step up with their undeniable achievements to pursue and win against the most fearsome Masters in the game they were in.
Joan sees it as a competition at first, until she met face to face with the reincarnation of Death itself; the hollow chain in Hakuno Kishinami's heart.
"Dead Face." She whispered back then, taking into account she not only define it as that the enigmatic Master is a container of hate herself, but of a capsule that is more powerful to conjure up with that speaks of never ending demise on her part. The Dead Face's capsule is not only a container for everything that screams hate to the world- but she is far more fragile, so broken… so doomed.
She told her Master what she garners about Hakuno Kishinami, and instead of backing down, Fid had been quite friendly to the anomaly, making the Lancer definitely competitive to the boastful Saber of the neutral brunette.
Days and weeks had gone, and the end comes near and fast. The bond within the Masters was unbreakable, and Joan could not help but to love the anomaly as she loved her Master- her dear friend. Fortunately, they did not compete with one another- but fortunate circumstances had its unlucky ends. Joan and her Master were defeated by Leonardo Harway on the Sixth Preliminary Battle, which crushed the heart of Joan in the most painful way possible.
She could not help but be perturbed and accept her defeat, but seeing her Master hopeless, with an apologetic smile and tears on his face, seems to make it more unbearable to her hurt pride.
And so, she vows to resurrect again. To avenge her Master, to bring justice to the fair battle they were in. She could not accept it; the emotions swirling on her head….
Until it happens, and she looks in the face of her Master, cupping her cheeks affectionately. "Listen, Joan," the voice of her proud Master brings her to her knees. Fid did what he could do to last long enough to not immobilize his tongue, to proclaim his outstanding betrayal."Far until I'm forgotten, you will bear the command that will last in infinite times; sail across different worlds, and will shape of what you are,"
She knew it, very well. How his corrupted hand lit up, how the three unused command seals brighten the whole arena. She knew very well the undeniable power flowing in her body, protecting her from being deleted by her Master's last words. She knew it; she knew it all along.
How his Master favored Hakuno.
How much he loves her with all his heart; that he will use this day to make it happen, to protect her from harm.
"By my command, you are to live a life of service. To live with friends, to serve in 'her' orders, to create love on your own. You are to live with this burden, live as long as she lives across different universe, and you will die with her, breathe with her…. And pay the debt I could not give."
"What debt, Master? What debt that you could not give?" she asked, and was rewarded with the most loving smile. A smile that will swoon thousands, if only Joan knows how to love him like a lover should be.
"My debt for her by making you safe in the future, Joan… a debt that I knew she will do without this dying vow. By doing so, this debt will be my redemption….. the rewriting of your future with her."
And just like that, the world renew. She is unbound to the rules of any infinite universe, as long as she is with Hakuno, paying the debt of her Master- perfectly sabotaging any threats that comes in her way. With a few tricks here and there, she had taken a liking in protecting Hakuno from afar, supporting in the background, without entering in any major events.
And just like that, the world changes. The stage had set up, and she was rewarded as a great protector of the Victor of the Holy Grail War, and the savior of S. E. R. A. P. H.
Joan could asked no more, but the happy ending is just beginning of another story- and she was summoned, not after, the world gave her the opportunity to meet Hakuno and Mordred again.
Yet, after all those times of separation…. After all the things they had forgotten, Joan could not help but sighs, as she drew blankets into two distinct person after tucking them comfortably in the bed.
After all the time that runs, they are still together, bonded; forge….
She smiles, kissing Hakuno's forehead and Mordred's cheek.
"One way or another.'She thought, before leaving the private room the two are in, closing the door between her and them.
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"Oh, here you are Senpai!" Soul barely moved from her position, looking at the fake stars in the sky.
"Sakura," she greeted, giving a small smile to the approaching AI. She is at the building's rooftop, contemplating whether or not to the happenings in life.
"I've been searching all over the place for you, senpai."
"Why haven't you simply tapped with my terminal then?"
"I find it as a violation of privacy, senpai."
"Sakura, sometimes- you have no proper timing when it comes to all of those stuffs."
"How would I know? I'm an AI, senpai- human behavior is unique in every way, I cannot decipher what would be the most appropriate."
"Oh, Sakura." Soul giggles, smiling at the approaching AI. "Did I tell you how much you act as a human than I?"
"Many times, senpai. Many times." The AI sits down next to her, to the rail her dear friend- Rin, loved to sit so much. Sakura suit herself, and lean close to her as she offers an embrace to lull the genetic air busting in and about. They just hang out there; perfectly silent and comfortable to the serenity of the place…. Well, as serene as it can be.
Hakuno's Soul could never be more grateful; to be wash ashore and find closure with the AIs whom simply found her after Hakuno Kishinami was shattered, bitten without any concrete nature- like the frizzle of magic running out. They grew to be the most reliable companion, taking what prove to be vital- and simply a remarkable teachers, that finds and help her at any cost; maintaining relationship than can traverse worlds, even if they do not know the cause of what happen to her… Of what will come to the S. E. R. A. P. H. that succumbs to the impending danger for all of them 'living' inside the Moon Cell.
Of course, she remembered them quite well, with her blurry dreams it spoke; their adventures, how her Servants save them- how she grew fond of Sakura… the stuffs that made it quite grandeur. However, she will not ignore the flaw of her person, how she always thought she was afloat, like in a restless dreams and nightmares- where everything is just as lucid as a walk to memories; that in fact, told true.
She dreamt of events, never been placed close to the timeline. Of Servants different and powerful, of a magnificent city of castles and whites and stones.
She ignored it, like she always does- taking all of it in the deepest recess of her mind, so long as she can help the AIs protect the Moon Cell as best as she can…. Until she reached a confusing controversial hole in the Eye; the viruses. She keeps a cautious eye to the hole, and no sooner that she did, cracks have formed, and the Moon Cell is filled with blackness voids. The malfunctions was so terrible they need to guard every single one that appears, more so than the prospect that it damage the NPCs themselves. And so, with the help of the undetectable and stealthiest AI, Meltlilith- they journey to insect the Void closely, and so found out what was buried.
And that's when it happened, the place she came to, the dream with all Pieces wanting to be close and come through. She is part of a person broken apart; a person who will do everything to bond herself yet could sacrifice her life. She is the Soul of Hakuno Kishinami, and she could not be more proud than she can be.
"Is she home yet?" Soul breaks the silence, voice normally indifferent lace with concern for her missing friend.
She is talking about Meltlilith, the Alter Ego who she request to obtain an information and connections knotted to her source- which the girl willingly obliged, enthusiastic even. Yet, days have passed and no sign of a blue ribboned Alter Ego had come to contact them, and it troubles Soul greatly.
"Still negative," Sakura sadly whispers, tightening her hold to her arm. ", but I believe in her…. My little sister… I believe she will return to us, senpai."
"She will," Soul consoled, nuzzling the side of Sakura's face in an affectionate way. "We just have to patiently wait for her arrival."
Sakura nodded, staring to a faraway thought. Soul looks at her far too long, before she sighs herself, seeing the debate going on in those magenta orbs. "…. You're not here to accompany me, are you?" Soul chuckled weakly, followed by Sakura's small pout.
"Indeed. I have disturbing news."
"Spill it, Sakura. You're worse than Passionlip on hiding secrets."
"…. There's an anomaly that went in and disperse in my Labyrinth."
"….." the brunette looks at her companion silently, taken aback like a deer caught in the headlight for a split second. "… Come again?" dumbstruck, she asked.
"An anomaly, senpai." Sakura slowly punctured, sighing in defeat as she work her way out of her seat, walking back and forth as the AI turns her back at her, continuing her speech. "A familiar anomaly have wandered in my Labyrinth not a little while ago."
"Familiar on what account?"
"[Friends]."
"…..Who?" sadly, the Soul stops in her scuffle, gripping her arms to hide her painful thoughts. Sensing the anguish, Sakura bowed down for forgiveness, whispering the name in the cold air.
".. Miss Tohsaka."
"….." the silence is deafening when it was slice by the sharp breath of the Soul.
"Does everyone know?"
Sakura shakes her head negatively, "I came to you as soon as I discovered."
"Then. we have no time to waste hiding it, BB and everyone else have the right to know."
"Actually…." Sakura drawled, shuffling unconsciously as the brown orbs of her senior pierce her back in concentration. "It's possible that we are not qualified to approach the anomaly ourselves, senpai."
"Please, it's Rin. It doesn't mean she's tainted with-….." the Soul cut herself off, looking at the crestfallen face of the AI. Gulping her fear, she breathe deeply again, hardening her voice as she looks at anything but the AI. "Okay… okay."
"I'm sorry, senpai."
"There's no time to cry over spilled milk. We have to tell the others, like- right now."
"Mind if I provide an alternative, senpai?"
Frowning, Hakuno's soul crossed her arms, nodding at the AI. "Alright Sakura.. What do you have in mind?"
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It's so mellow, how the world looks so fake, yet it felt so real.
Inside the walls of cyber space, into a building as a ground for duel- none would imagine some peace and quiet can actually be an asylum for the raging thoughts of a burdened human.
Mordred tried to keep everything at bay, to mingle with the others before she can break again and sought the warm of her lover beneath her arms. She truly tried, and she achieved a good damning act that lasted for a whole week, seeping the demons away, as soon as the thing progress far more fortunate in their side.
The Servants who are with them are taken care of by a familiar nurse who Hakuno befriended with in their time at the Holy Grail War. More so, the AI acted as if she was nothing but a human with feelings, condemningly absurd to show general concern and actual emotions, especially to the wounded, and to those she hold dear in the past. Sakura is happy to see them of course, with the huge embrace they are greeted with and the smile that can put the fake sun in shame itself.
She take care of everything and anything they are bound to cannot do, willingly helping them protect the hallway and chain formulas of barriers to prevent the Monsters from coming out on the labyrinth area. She is all of what a good host she is, but the lingering smiles- the obscured gleam in her eyes are the indication of secret, that she revealed not long before she and the others had felt comfortable enough to loosen up their guard to Sakura.
Mordred remembered it clearly, how the room was stunned in silence, as another familiar face of Passionlip emerge in the quite banquet they had, carrying a certain and absolutely familiar form of her lover- with the same eyes- same hair- same name.
Mordred's Hakuno welcome the [Soul] with open arms, like meeting an old friend after a destructive battle, hugging with all they have….. like a single person trying to salvage what is left of herself. Unlike the forceful entrance the Mind had done to Mordred, her Hakuno and her Soul did not imply to initiate anything that may gave them form and knowledge greater than they had- and instead, use the quantity over quality strategy, to put place immaculate plans and broader attributes for a defense if need be, and theories bordering close to what is happening at hand.
However, not everything is at their fortune, for they encounter a grievous danger coming. It came not a surprise, but as a warning from the S. E. R. A. P. H.. itself. The building grew cracks and statics, like shards breaking in tantamount pressure below. The Virus keeps eating and doing everything it can to claim the Cyber Space they were in, and they are unprepared- they are too few even if they are confident enough in their abilities. Not only that, but they knew there's worse coming after that, and so their odd behavior to keep the building secured as little as Sakura willed them to be.
Moreover, Sakura was determined to stop the Virus in this building, due to the reason of defending the stairs connecting the building to the Labyrinth where her relative AI- BB was stationed, protecting hundreds of NPC from succumbing into the Virus's command.
They still have no proper meeting with all of them attending, but they will have to stick around in any moment, after the brown haired girls whom they always treasured appeared with a plan in their acute but genius little brains-
"Morrrrdrreeeed~~~!" A shriek broke her reverie, nearly making Mordred jump as the Rider, blasted out the door after slamming it quickly.
"I did not ask for this, y'know…" Mordred grumbled, stretching up from her short nap after a big squeal bust her eardrums out from her self- deprecation Starting to harbor bad feelings to the pink Rider, she stands up at her post out of the water fountain just outside the door next to the Infirmary, before they can take the path to the deserted church from afar.
"Oh, come on now~! I have the right to get worried~!"
"Just who the heck are you to worry about me, dude!?"
"Duh! I'm Astolfo! I'm the one who return your sword, remember~?" the Rider wink at the obviously irritated blonde. Mordred gave a side glance at the sword at her side, sighing as the Rider pokes her intimately in her cheeks.
"Neh, neh~! Mordred- kun, are you okay~!?"
"Will you cut that out!?" Mordred growled, slapping the little limbs, trying to keep the distance at the pink haired boy.
"Cut what out exactly~? My limbs, my junior, or my hair~?" the noob asked, innocently, sporting a cross dress shirt that compliments his natural beauty as a pseudo- female. Mordred takes no risk, but she ground her palm to her head in frustration.
"If I tell you all of the above, will you do it then?"
"Nope!"
"Ugh, figures. Just what the hell are you doing here?" the blonde snapped. She have a lot to sort through her head, she might want to avoid confusing herself more identifying if the block head is as stupid as he can be or not.
"Aw~, don't be like that~!" the Rider cooed, slinging an arm at the disinterested blonde. "I felt a lonely soul with my lovey dovey sense and then I found you~!"
"Lovey dovey-? What the hell, are you nuts?" Mordred grumbled in anger, huffing as the silly grin in the Rider's face shook another level of nauseating bile in her mouth. She might find the pink boy riddance, but the smile he gave her blew some of her steams away. She tried to ease the crease of her brows, but tried as she willed; the pain in her head gets heavier and difficult to concentrate on the nuisance at hand.
"Well, I'm halfway across being nuts and anyone knows that~!" Astolfo hmmed slyly, making Mordred's eyes twitch at his dismissal.
"I will kill you." Mordred warned. "Roughly. Non- stop."
"Oh, it's alright~! I like it rough, anyway~!" The Rider teased, barely dodging a stray punch. "And fast~!, If you know what I'm saying~!"
"Seriously, out with it! What the hell are you doing here?" Mordred harshly rebutted, earning a confused tilt of head from Astolfo. They both stared at one another, opting to make them surrender to their ire; yet, Astolfo is the first one to sigh in defeat, shaking his head to shrug the stubbornness running in the blonde's attitude.
"Fine!" Astolfo huffed, pouting at the blonde nodding in triumph. "Sakura says that she has no intention to leave the wounded, but she's also has to return back to the Labyrinth so she can secure that the others are safe."
"So? What's my connection to it?"
"She's asking us if we can go there in her behalf, duh~!" the Rider comebacks, wiggling his brows playfully at the infuriated Mordred. "You know~, just you and me…. Walking in those labyrinth~… eheheh~ do you get what I'm saying~?"
"I'm so going to disregard what you said about walking shit." Mordred deadpanned, ignoring a whine of 'no fun' from the pink haired. "Your shitty words aside, why does she need to secure the Other Side anyway? Isn't BB's in there?"
"Well, yes~! But Sakura didn't elaborate~!"
"Why? Can't BB handle it?"
"That's the thing, mikon~!" another voice interrupted, emerging at the virtual bushes with a scent of cherry blossoms wafting the air. Tamamo walked into their field of vision, combing her tail with her fingers. Mordred opt to snub the scandalous pink clothes of the wolf, so she stays silent as Tamamo continues.
"BB- with all the inventive wanton filth she did with husband could not disseminate the fact that she could not do anything without the other's support."
Mordred faintly cease her frown, looking at the fox girl with mild interest. "BB can't do anything without what now?"
"Isn't obvious?!" Astolfo laughed at her expression, coyly straightening up to insist at the poorly unfriendly glare. "Passionlip's guarding the entrance to the Arena. Sakura's assisting our friends in the Infirmary. BB's operating the other side of the S. E. R. A. P. H. What do you think is missing~?"
"I don't know, Meltlilith?" Mordred quirked, earning a scowl from Tamamo and a confused hum by Astolfo.
"Meltlilith?" the boy pipe out, clearly out of the loop as the fox girl grumble in her tail.
"Another Alter Ego, Passionlip's sister," Mordred explained, obviously not in the mood to argue with the airheaded bimbo. "She's far more convenient and familiar with to the Other Side. I can tell she's in there, or else she will be here to take away Hakuno." she drawled out, sighing. Painfully aware how obsess the Alter Egos are with Hakuno.
"Anyway, is it really that important? Can't we just contact Meltlilith?" she added, looking at Tamamo.
"I'm afraid, that's the problem," Tamamo's face is painted with a wince, her concern sips into her swishing tail, making it fluffier. "Sakura insist that we must depart immediately, It's been days since Meltlilith had contacted them while patrolling the walls. With her sudden disappearance, BB believe it would be wise to bring a chivalry to sedate or inspect the last location that buffoon was in, mikon."
"Days?!" Mordred gawked, raising her voice. "How long is that days!? Do you know how fast corrupted viruses can consume without any proper security!?"
"Hmmm~ I don't know how fast it is~, but I believe its two days before we appeared- Wah! Mordred!" Astolfo did not finish his sentence as the blonde grasp the back of his jacket, and the arm of a fuming fox.
"Just what in tarnation are you doing pulling a lady without any proper request!?" Tamamo growled out, pissing the impatient blonde and pulling the poor Servant even harder.
"Off with jokes and sassiness!" Mordred bellowed, running at the path towards the Church, where the entrance of the Labyrinth is formed. "Do you have any idea what will happen if we get there too late!?"
"Uh…. The BB- chan will get mad~?" Astolfo lightly jabbed, but was silence as the blonde roared with the anger she can have.
"NO YOU IDIOT! The Other Side is the remaining part of S. E. R. A. P. H that is guarded with AIs and the safe zone for NPCs! Without any AI's, there's no firewall! Without a firewall, the Virus will spread! And if the Virus spread, it means the base will be destroyed! And if that was destroyed, we'll be god damn waiting for our end like a sitting ducks! SO MOVE!"
The two dragged Servants look at one another. They do not have the will to add gasoline to the fire, and so, they stayed quiet.
Surely Mordred will find the anomaly as a surprise….. right?
00100001 (Fate Extra: Grand Order) 00100001
It's all in due short patience that Joan did not pluck every strand of her hair in anger as she sees the room she left. The two Hakuno- which they just randomly called, Hakuno and the Soul- are still nose deep in their plans, tapping and rewriting formulas in their terminal, looking visibly tired in how their eyes will blink rapidly, once and twice in every moment.
With all that is happening in the Infirmary- with two fathers arguing, one Maids of Orleans cautiously examining her every move, one ungrateful Roman singing horribly and an uncomfortable patient sleeping in between two arguing dragons and an apologetic and defeated breathes of the nurse- Joan could not help but leave it in disarray, forcibly pushing herself out in the open to prevent impaling anyone she sees.
Yet, as she moved to check upstairs on Hakuno, she could not help but slammed her head to the door in anger, completely ignored as the two conversed.
"Times up?"
"No, I have a lot to sort through. I filed a corrupted code in my formula and it mess things up."
"Oh… mine was blocked, and I can't access forward to the sixth Arena. There's an alternate route but… I don't know how deep it was."
"Alternate….? Oh, you mean the Coliseum?"
"Yes… I saved some Cast but…?"
"Why not try it out? Maybe it-,"
"Okay!" Joan sighs in exaggeration, as two pair of brown eyes locks on her own in surprise. She rubbed her head, tangling her hair more as hours went by with her just looking at two replicas of Hakuno Kishinami talking back and forth. "I have enough of this squabbling! You two, out!"
The two gaze at her confusedly, as though she was never there in the first place.
"Why?" simultaneously, the brunettes inquired, but they shortly relented as the yellow daggers brim with so much repressed ire. They nod slowly, albeit reluctant to let go of their terminal. They then meekly went out of the room, with Joan hot on their tail as they pass by the doorway.
However, before she can breathe a sigh of relief and prevent the clashing sadistic tendencies of hers to ground those mongrels to dust,, the two Hakuno grasp her hands with resolute, dragging her downstairs.
"Where will you take me, you scumbags?" Joan irritably huff, jaw tense and dragging her feet sulkily; taking the rear position as the two drag her into the hall, down the stairs and to the ground corridor, destination still unknown. Hakuno simply tighten her hold to her hand and the Soul did the same, never letting go and keenly gazing to the blurred cracks of data close to the Arena they overpassed days before.
As for Joan, she remains convincingly bored. She fleetingly looks back at the Nurse Office and sighs as a hard tug makes her lose her balance and fell in the Soul's back. She hoped the others would lighten up and not make any things worse, but the way the air shifts and how she can sympathetically taste bad curses in the air, those wished are not meant to be granted shortly.
"Now what?" she asked, looking passed the room next to the school locker, threshold by locks and warnings that could not be access to.
"Do you remember this place, Joan?"
"Of course I did. Who am I to forget the resting place of my previous Master?" Joan hissed, answering the sarcastic question of the Soul. She trains her eyes inside the locked door, and could not help but remember her times with her former Master, and the Arena beneath. "What will you do here, anyway?"
"Just checking if the codes sufficient to break the locks."
"And why are you breaking the inaccessible?"
"Trying to take a peek, of course," Hakuno explained, accessing her terminal and pushing it to the door to untangle the locks with her Code Cast. "I think we might find the way back to the Arena, and dwell in further to the Seventh. I think there's something there that Mordred and Nero missed, if my instinct proved factual."
"What will you gain from searching for it, anyway?"
"Answers, Joan." Soul suddenly spoke, like a knife through butter. Neither spoke, silence engulfing their breaths. Hakuno looks at Joan sideways, feigning thinking deeply amidst the unlocking spell. When the terminal crackled, producing a red hue, Hakuno placed it in her pocket, failing to unlock the door.
"It must have been weird to you, seeing different me here," Soul gestures at Hakuno who put two fingers in the air as a sign of peace, "And I can assure you, everything has it's reasons, it's just simply loss or gain. Me, on the other hand, has to put my… self back together, before I can grasp what I do to deserve being torn into four pieces."
"Like Mordred is any better." The Soul murmured, hiding a soft giggle as Hakuno looks at her, indifferent.
"As I was saying," Hakuno continues, the amusement in her eyes vanished as she locks gaze with the Avenger. "I have to find the answer on why this is happening first, mainly; I need to find my remaining pieces, and then- hopefully, the root of all."
"But why the Coliseum?" Joan demanded, earning a quirk of brows into two brunettes.
"Tell me Joan, what's the use of a Coliseum?" the soul started, crossing her arms playfully on her chest.
"For Elimination Battle."
"And what is the rule of an Elimination Battle?"
"There are no rules. The last one standing is the winner, cheats or none- the surviving participant will be spared and will advance to the next round. and… Oh," Joan hushed a small 'huh', looking at the satisfied brunettes in question. "What's your point?"
"Our point is, Coliseum is an area between pre- aligned dimensions, Joan." Hakuno mumble, dragging the two with measured pace. "It is where multiple elimination battle takes place at once. Tell me, do you remember how we will enter at the same time, but will not see each other at the other side?"
"Clearly." Joan responded, thinking back the absurdity of entering the same door with different Servants, yet they will be transferred elsewhere, with their nemesis in tow.
"It is because we are prepared by the Moon Cell- we are walking at the same line of dimension with the location in mind. Two contingent competitors will see each other's cyber form, but not the other challengers, as they have their different route. A few undoubtedly used this knowledge in the Holy Grail War. So to prove my point, we believe that the Coliseum is a gate pass to any location possibly processed by the Eye. And by simply tweaking it like an old, friend of mine," Soul chuckles, whispering a quite 'pig tails' adoringly. "We can absolutely have our personal transportation spell without using any of your powers or meeting unwanted visitors at any Arena." She concluded, as they stopped in front of the Infirmary with their minds at ease.
However, when Joan opens the door and saw the damage the rioting Servants had done to the room; she could not help it, and did what she likes to do for many instance.
She pulls her hair out and screams bloody murder to the world, joining into the fray- liking the discombobulated thoughts of slicing the two fighting dragons in half.
Sakura sheepishly smiles at the frozen shocked Masters, stunned at the clashing metal and noises no Infirmary should have. With the broken table in front, and a small cup on her hand; she raise it, and sweetly asked,
"Hakuno- senpai, would you like some tea?"