Chapter 10

"So, you believe we should help the monster that was sent here to destroy us and all of humanity?"

Hakuno rolled her eyes at Archer's tone. She knew it well. It was the same tone he used when she had him save Rin. He still didn't let her live that down.

"Haven't you been listening?" Hakuno asked, "She doesn't want to destroy anything. In the alternate timeline she was going to spare the moon, but Archimedes destroyed her for it."

"She was like that in an alternate world master," Archer said, "We cannot know if she's like that in this world."

"We should at least try," Hakuno said.

"The world, possibly humanity is at risk and you want to stop the titan, by 'trying' to reason with it?"

"Yes," Hakuno stood her ground. She wasn't going to budge on this. This caused a bit of a starring contest between her and her servant. Neither was willing to back down. Until Archer sighed.

"Fine, we'll try it your way… first," he said, "But if she can't be reasoned with, we take her down. End of discussion."

Hakuno sighed. She knew that the only way to get him to agree to her idea, is if she agreed to his as a back-up. She remembered the peaceful giant and the happy master. She really hoped they could come to an agreement.

"Master we have a problem," Astolfo ran into the room in a panic, "Saber's army is attacking Caster's palace."

"What?" Hakuno asked.

"It seems our 'ally' has other plans," Archer said.

"No," Hakuno cried remembering the message, "This is what Archimedes wants. To wear down one side so that they can steal their regalia and give it to Elizabeth."

That caught Archer's attention, "He wants to give that idiot a regalia?"

"Either it will reject her, or she'll eat it and absorb its power," Hakuno recalled from the message. Then she thought she saw a vein pulsing on Archer's head for just a minute.

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"We need to go and stop them from fighting," Hakuno said.

"Why should we?" Archer asked, "Wouldn't the loss of part of the regalia be beneficial."

"No, it wouldn't," Hakuno argued, "We'd have a better chance at defeating Archimedes if we have two whole regalia's."

"Trying to convince them to make peace would be a waste of time," Archer said.

"Archer," Hakuno pleaded, "You said we'd try things my way first."

"With the titan," Archer clarified, "Not between two mad women fighting over a man."

"How is that harder?" Hakuno asked, "Never mind. Archer this is what Archimedes wants."

"I'm aware," Archer said, "But we don't owe those two anything."

Hakuno raised her balled fist, not to punch her servant. She was positive hitting him would only injure her fist. No, she was intending to use a command seal, but decided against it. She decided a long time ago, she would only use them to increase his strength or teleport him to her if she was ever separated from him. And although the thought of using the command seal to make him pay for making her angry, was greatly tempting, she decided against.

Besides she thought of something, "Well, what about your back-up plan?" Hakuno asked smirking.

"What about it?"

"What if the Titan can't be reasoned with?" Hakuno got up to wonder to a pillar to pretend to admire it, trying to be coy, "I have nothing but faith in our army, but what if they aren't enough?"

"We have the regalia," Archer reminded, "It might be strong enough."

"Might be?" Hakuno feigned shock, "You're going to risk a plan on a 'might be?' I thought you went with the greater chance of success."

Archer raised his eyebrow, where was she going with this, "I do."

"Well," Hakuno went to her throne to run her hand up and down the arm, "It's just, it would be so much easier, if we had a bigger army and more servants."

Rider realized what was going on and joined, "Yeah Archer, it would be so much easier."

"I mean our victory would be all but assured," Hakuno said, "But that would mean stopping the war between Saber and Caster peacefully. If we joined forces, we'd win."

"As former soldier, I speak from experience," Rider smiled, "That plan would most definitely work."

"I mean, stopping a war seems like a small price to pay for the chance to greater success," Hakuno said, "I mean I think, after all I am a hopeless master."

She grinned, and then Astolfo appeared next to her and grinned.

"It would also be good for you to help the male master," Everyone turned to see Merlin, entering the room.

"Why?" Archer asked.

"Well, he's basically your master's family," Merlin said.

That caught Hakuno's attention as she straightened up, "What do you mean?"

"The person you're based off of is still alive," Merlin reminded.

Hakuno couldn't help but rub her arm. She knew, she knew that she was basically just a copy of girl still alive on Earth. Sleeping, waiting for the day a doctor would appear and cure her of her disease.

Hakuno still remembered the day she was told that, she wasn't really human. It felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped onto her. Then she learned the person she was based off of was still alive, just in stasis.

Hakuno still didn't know how she felt about that? Was she mad that she wasn't the original, guilty for basically stealing the identity of another? Sometimes she would look in the mirror and see her face, a voice in the back of her head would say, "You're just a clone." That everything about her, came from someone else.

"What about her?" Hakuno finally asked.

"Well, what your records didn't show you was, she had a brother."

Hakuno blinked, a brother?

"I has-… I mean, she has a brother?" Hakuno asked.

"Had," Merlin corrected, "Like the original, he had the same memory condition. They were put in stasis; however, something went wrong. His pod, was damaged, perhaps during the attack on the city, but he didn't survive."

"Oh," Hakuno couldn't help but feel sad. Now the other Hakuno really didn't have any family left. Hopefully Rin could find her and help her.

"So that boy is an NPC that's based off the original Hikari Kishinami?" Archer asked.

"No, he's is Hikari Kishinami," Merlin explained, "He's a cyber ghost."

"What?"

"When his physical body died, his soul went to the only place it could go to, cyberspace, which eventually led him to the Moon Cell."

"You knew this how long?" Archer asked annoyed.

"Well, I've known… since the beginning."

While Archer and Merlin started to yell at each other Hakuno began to think so she could process the new information. Now she understood, why Hikari was still on the Moon Cell. He had nowhere else to go. He developed a relationship with his servant. He… just wants to live, make a home with the special person he met in that horrible game of death.

She looked at Archer as he was saying something snarky to Merlin. She couldn't help but think back to a point in the war.

Hakuno walked up the stairs to the second floor. She had just won another fight, she got to live another week. But this time was different, her opponent was different: Rani.

She won a fight against Rani… she killed Rani.

Hakuno felt numb. She didn't feel anything. It must had been shock. However, it was wearing off, with every step she felt an ache in her chest grow.

Rani didn't hold any resentment at the end. She even gave her a small smile. That probably wounded Hakuno more than any words of hatred ever could. She killed someone who didn't hate her. She killed a friend. The pain in her chest was getting more and more intense, she… she needed to get to her room.

She opened the door and closed it behind her. Without missing a beat, she walked over to her bed. She picked up the covers to pull them aside so she could climb in, but she stopped. Her hand trembled, her whole body trembled, her legs collapsed.

She crumbled onto the floor her head thrown unto her bed as she sobbed. This was the hardest battle thus far. Not because Berserker was a difficult opponent, because Rani was gone. Her friend was gone.

It stung worse than with Shinji, all the pain and frustration she had accumulated over the war just broke through. Being thrown into a game of death, no real past, it was as if she was made just to experience suffering. Maybe she should have just thrown the fight with Rani. Then it all would had been over.

She heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Archer wasn't on his throne like he usually was. Hakuno, knew he wouldn't say anything. Not because he was cruel, because he simply wasn't good at comforting words. She could hear him crouching down, maybe he was going to place a hand on her shoulder, at least try to comfort her.

Her sobbing was cut short, when Archer's arm wrapped around waist and pulled her away. He took her into his arms and carried her to his throne. There he sat, positioning her so that she sat across his lap and her head rested on his shoulder. He still didn't say anything.

Hakuno was, surprised to say the least. Archer was acting strange even for him. She did know he did care, he just had a… unique way of showing it. Despite her shock, she did feel a little better. It was comforting, being in this man's embrace. She wasn't sobbing anymore, but tears still dripped from her eyes.

Still tired, she closed her eyes, safe in the embrace of her servant.

She and Hikari were extremely similar. She understood him, and if things had gone a little differently, she might had been the one who got split up instead. She curled her fists as determination ran through her.

"Listen up," she shouted getting everyone's attention, "I know what we need to do!"

Yep it's true, Hikari is the brother of the original Hakuno Kishinami. I've been saving that for a long time.

I have social media accounts now. I never had one before, NEVER.

On Tumbler and Twitter, I even used my pen name. TalkingSalad for Twitter and TalkingSalad Books on Tumbler. I also have Facebook, but it's under my real name and I'm not comfortable using it on Fanfiction. Not that it matters, I announced my secret identity on both accounts, so if any of you wish to see the writer behind the salad, go ahead. Check me out or not. It's your call.