The girl opens her eyes, gasping. Chocolate pupils darting around anxiously, she immediately gets up, before she soon realises that she is in a familiar dimly lit room full of papers. The musty smell of books accompanied by the strong scent of black ink, the girl finds that she had fallen asleep on the couch.
A shaky breath soon releases from her mouth, as she places a hand to her forehead to wipe off the stray beads of sweat that had formed. Again, yet another nightmare again. How much longer would she continued to be plagued by these terrible bad dreams night after night?
"Are you alright, Hakuno?" Her eyes slowly glance up to see a man placing a stack of papers down onto the table as he slowly approaches her, a concerned look gracing his features. The little girl stares at him in silence for a moment, before she slowly nods her head.
"Another nightmare I presume?" He certainly hit the bull's eye, as Hakuno flinches slightly at his question, suddenly finding it awkward to look at him straight in the eye. The man shakes his head, letting out a quiet sigh that nonetheless echoes throughout the relatively empty room. He bends down so that he is now at eye level with her, slowly placing a hand onto hers.
"You need to tell me about these things rather than keep them to yourself. It's bad enough that you haven't gotten enough rest lately." The girl almost wanted to roll her eyes at him if not for the seriousness of the situation. Him of all people saying that was ironic. "...I could say the same for you."
The man could only respond with a chuckle as he rises back to his feet, returning back to the papers he left on the table. "Unlike me, you're still a growing girl. You need your rest if you want to grow taller you know." The girl frowns at his statement, pouting and crossing her arms over her chest. She knew she wasn't all that mature yet but...she wished he wouldn't keep treating her like a toddler, especially at times like this.
The atmosphere suddenly grows quiet, with Hakuno focusing on the sound of the clock ticking nearby. It had certainly been a while since both of them had left this room. Her eyes slowly glaze over the room, noting the dust that had been collecting around the corners and edges, as well as the tiny cobwebs that laced the bookshelves.
"...Will we truly be alright staying here?" Her question posed the unease and slight fear in her voice as she bit down on her bottom lip. She had been trying to feign ignorance these past few days but...
The man looks back at her, pausing midway from writing something before he flashes her what appears to be a smile. A field of static begins obscuring her vision as she could barely make out what the man was saying. "...Who knows? Only time will tell, though I do hope for the best." The static around her thickens, and soon enough, a blanket of black folds over her eyes.
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The female master slowly opens her eyes, blinking at the ceiling. It had been a while since she was able to wake up peacefully. And again...another one of those odd dreams she had, though its contents were fading away from her memory fast. She doesn't know why she's having these dreams, or what the dreams detail of, but knows that they come naturally to her in her sleep.
Getting into a sitting position, the girl remains quiet until her eyes come in contact with Archer's. She stares at him silently for a moment, eyeing his unique posture and the way he rested upon his throne of chairs (she still wonders how he is able to sleep like that every night without suffering from severe back and neck pain) before her lips open, and she greets him like usual. "Good morning, Archer."
The man tips his head in response, stretching his arms before he too, greets her back. "Good morning, Master. I can see that you've woken up with no issues today. Did you have a good dream for once?" A good dream...did she have a good dream? Frankly, she can't really remember at this point. But she's still grateful that she wasn't experiencing nightmares for once.
That isn't to say that Shinji and Nagisa's deaths are gone from her mind though. In fact, they still weigh on her, a harsh reminder of the virtual world and deadly war she was in. But she's chosen to go forward, she has to. The dead cannot continue to pull and chain her down so long as she's a master and participant in the Holy Grail War.
On that note, it was pleasant waking up to these greetings. Although short, it was nice to know that Archer still cared for his master's wellbeing. And it was these small moments too, that gave her just that bit of energy to start her day. Rising from her bed, she makes her way to the bathroom to wash up and prepare, yet another day of the preparation period to face.
Stepping out of her private room later, Hakuno walks down the hallway, only to stop a moment later, her eyes narrowing. The voices she heard were clearly familiar. The girl decides to hide...or well, hide to the best of her abilities given that there were little to no hiding locations from where she was standing. Slowing down her breathing, Hakuno heightens her hearing and listens in on the conversation taking place.
"Greetings, Sir Dan Blackmore. It is an honour to meet a knight of such renown, and here in the Holy Grail War no less." The first voice she instantly recognises to be Leo's, especially given the refined greeting. Leo's servant Gawain is at his usual post behind him, looming there like a silver shadow.
It seems that he really is unconcerned with appearances and his identity as a heroic spirit, or his need to materialise into astral form unlike the other servants here in this war. She didn't know whether to consider that overconfidence or not. That aside, Gawain preserves his silence, so the other voice speaking is definitely not his, but rather, that of a man near Leo.
"The honour is all mine. To meet the lord successor to the Harways in a place such as this..." As Leo had already mentioned earlier, the person he speaks to is none other than her second round opponent. So the two of them knew each other? Well...since Dan used to serve the Harways...that was probably a given. Then again, from the formalities in their greetings, it seems that they've never met and talked face to face before until now.
The atmosphere around them seems so much more different from the way the two of them converse, almost as if they were celebrities. Leo continues to offer an all too pleasant smile as he speaks, like a king addressing his subject. "Certainly you're not surprised. I am just here to retrieve what's rightfully ours. I am a novice to the battlefield, but my family decided that I was to be the one to go. It's an embarassing confession to make to such a seasoned knight."
Was that considered a compliment for Dan? Granted...the first part sounded more like an insult, but Dan surprisingly doesn't look the least bit offended. Leo talks as if he's saying the obvious truth, but the female master feels that the situation is more complicated than it seems on the surface.
That being said...he mentioned that he was a novice to the battlefield, but Hakuno doesn't believe it for one second, especially when Gawain is standing around in plain sight for every master to see and analyze. And Leo also mentioned that his family had chosen him...that meant that he had no choice but to participate in this war then? But Leo doesn't even seem bothered about it, rather, the blond master appears to be relaxed if anything.
"The almighty grail...the Holy Grail is to be yours?" Dan again doesn't look angry, but perplexed at Leo's statement instead. Well, that's to be expected given that he too was probably pursuing the grail for his own gain. "Of course. We Harways must have under our control, especially if its guardianship is vacant." Leo's smile grows wider as he says this.
"Something so divine does not belong in the hands of a normal man, but in the divine embrace of a king." So he calls himself a king, though Hakuno couldn't find much fault in what Leo says given his commanding and powerful aura, his words alone deliver authority. "This Holy Grail War is annoying, but what can you do?"
Sighing, Leo shrugs his shoulders. He's saying that he's not all that happy to be a master here in this war, but that smile on his face says otherwise. It's almost as if Leo is silently giving Dan a threat, warning him and all the other masters of his status.
"You speak of the divine right of kings. Yes, I can see that's where you're coming from." Rather than arguing with Leo, Dan chooses the calm approach, trying to understand Leo's reasoning instead. This was a stark contrast with Shinji, as Hakuno suddenly couldn't help but recall the whole incident in the cafeteria, with El Draque even having to take care of Shinji's mess. "So, the Holy Grail is legitimate. To tell the truth, I was rather dubious on the whole..." Hakuno had to agree with Dan there.
She too was doubting the Holy Grail's actual existence when the war first began after all. Even now, she's still not entirely convinced, but then again, a lot of masters had already perished in the first round fighting for the grail, so it's probably somewhere out there.
"Oh no, I feel unsuitably roused. To think that at this age I would see the honour in questing for the Holy Grail!" For once since she's met him, Hakuno witnesses what appears to be a small smile gracing her opponent's usually stern face, an inkling of happiness present in his voice followed by what appears to be a tint of embarassment in discovering the truth that it throws her off guard momentarily. So like everyone else, Dan too has a wish he really wants granted. Unlike her...she hasn't...
"Of course the Holy Grail is real. To your country most of all." Leo beams at the old man, finding mild amusement in his joy. What he said causes both Hakuno and Dan to perk up, as Hakuno continues to listen onto their conversation. "Oh? And how have you arrived at that conclusion?" Compared to before, Dan now seems quite intrigued in listening to Leo, a little excited too if she may add.
"Because of you, Sir Blackmore. You are not only a veteran, but a knight decorated by the Queen herself. The fact that a man of your rank has been dispatched is proof that the grail is real." That was a revelation Hakuno was not expecting. She knew and had a hunch that Dan was not only highly experienced but also a big shot in the army, but to think that even the Queen acknowleged him was a shocking fact to learn about.
Dan goes bashful at the compliment, contrary to the confident aura he usually exudes. "What are you saying, young king? I am just an old soldier. The Queen could not spare a young life for this battle royale, so I was called upon." Hakuno couldn't help but sweatdrop; Dan was humbling himself way too much.
Old soldier or not, she was pretty sure he was stronger than a lot of the other masters around here with his experience. That being said, it was the Queen that told him to participate in the Holy Grail War? That too was unexpected. It seems that she's learning more about Dan's background just by listening in, not that she's complaining.
"You're close to the Queen, so you must've heard her displeasure at a certain allied organization." From his tone of voice and gestures, could Leo be indirectly referring to...Rin? She did remember him mentioning something about Rin interferring with Harway's Asia branch...although she has no idea what that was all about, and there was some bad blood going on between the two as well.
It's clear that Rin doesn't want Leo to obtain the grail however, and will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening. Now that Hakuno ponders on more about it, she realises that she doesn't have a clue about Rin's origins, or her motives for the war either. Despite talking with her a number of times, Rin's identity is pretty much a mystery to the amnesiac master, and her reasons for pursuing the grail too, aside from not allowing it to fall into the hands of the Harways.
Dan quirks an eyebrow at Leo, seemingly confused but interested at the topic that's been brought to the table. "Well, the Queen's intentions do not reach a simple soldier's ears." 'Simple soldier' is stretching it a bit far, but it is surprising to know that even a high ranked soldier such as Dan didn't know about the Harways' plans, or this organization that Leo spoke of, especially when Leo claims that Dan has a close relationship to the Queen too.
Leo looks at Dan, as if analyzing to see if he was speaking the truth or not. Finding no deceit in the old man's eyes, the blond master gives out a hearty chuckle in response, retracting his statement. "Ah, I see. I beg your pardon." That tone of his now...it is evident that Leo wishes not to speak any further or disclose any information to Dan recklessly, especially now that the soldier was retired.
Putting an end to the conversation, Leo glances back at the tall servant standing behind him, as if the two were having some sort of silent exchange. After a while, his eyes are back on Dan, and yet another smile returns to his lips. "I shall take my leave. It was pleasant getting to talk with you, Sir Blackmore. Let us be off, Gawain." The servant straightens his already taut posture, nodding his head firmly at his master's command. "As you wish," is all he says, before the two start walking off, with Dan giving a bow towards the blond master.
After bidding farewell to Dan, Leo notices Hakuno and stops. The female master in response almost jumps out of her hiding spot, now embarassed at getting found out. "Oh, it's been a while, Kishinami-san...ever since that day the first round had ended, isn't it? I forgot to congratulate you that day." Of course he had to give her a dark reminder of that day too. And that look he was giving her...he surely was aware the whole time that she was listening in on the conversation earlier.
"Are you ready for the second round? I'd wish you luck, but...it's strange." Leo pauses to stare at Hakuno, as if trying to determine something by looking at her blank and slightly confused face. "The black knight's lance has splintered. No, maybe he has exchanged it for a sword."
The man's lips twitch upwards, and Hakuno has a hard time figuring out if he was now smiling or smirking at her instead. "If his conviction is no longer what it used to be, then perhaps...you have a genuine shot of victory." Without elaborating any further, he leaves, and Hakuno is left standing in place, dumbstruck. What on earth was that all about? What was Leo trying to convey to her before he left? The black knight...was that a reference for Dan?
Looking around, she realizes that Dan has apparently also vanished into thin air. Maybe he had already left while she wasn't paying attention and was focusing more on Leo? Still...Hakuno still has so many questions left unanswered from their conversation, but unfortunately is left hanging. It doesn't seem like she can just chase after Leo and demand for answers too anyway.
The harder she tried to understand, the less of it makes sense to her. But that aside, it is clear that they both really want the Holy Grail. Again, she isn't 100% convinced that a magic dream-granting cup exists, but if they're both convinced...
Her terminal beeps and vibrates in her pocket, the usual signal that classes were about to start. The female master could only sigh aloud to herself, slowly making her way to the classroom nearby. So many questions...and not enough answers. She doubts that her servant would know the answers to all the questions now plaguing her mind, but it's clear that she needs more information, and she hopes she can get it as time went on.
Dan Blackmore. The whole conversation between him and Leo only made him out to be an even scarier foe than she initially realised. And after what happened yesterday, she definitely needed to keep her guard up around him at all times.
Speaking of Dan, she wondered if Dan's servant was present when the conversation transpired earlier. After the stunt he tried to pull yesterday in school and at the Arena too, Hakuno wanted to be anywhere but near him. She could only imagine the chaos that would occur if he tries something similar a second time.
She still hadn't gotten any answers out of her servant concerning why he was so pissed over the incident in the gardens, but she assumed it was just because he was worried she would be manipulated or something into accepting the proposal? Not that she would know what goes on inside the mind of her mysterious servant sometimes.
Twirling the pencil in her hand, Hakuno snaps back to reality and tries to focus on Taiga's lectures. Right...she should be paying attention and taking notes down now. Whatever questions she currently had in her head could be dealt with later after classes had ended.
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Hakuno could already feel her head pounding after the lecture had finally ended. It would certainly take some time to absorb all the information Taiga dumped out today, that's for sure. Quickly going through her notes, the master soon stands from her seat.
She glances up to take a quick look around the masters around her, or at least the few that were still present inside the classroom. A numb feeling fills out her senses as the master couldn't help but reminisce about the first round. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss the times she spent chatting with Nagisa...but the girl was now gone forever.
She was glad that her servant was by her side almost all the time, so she still had someone to chat with at the very least. Although strict and somewhat questionable at times too, Archer still made for a decent chatting partner that she could confide in. It was interesting to hear his opinion on things too, so she supposed that was a bonus.
"Ignore their infighting for now; a bigger problem is that old knight's skills are beyond doubt." Her servant's voice grabs her attention as she looks up at him. "So that you don't get slaughtered when it's time to face him, why don't we go and train a little in the Arena?" Hakuno raises an eyebrow at his dark humour, but nonetheless agrees with his suggestion. She supposed this was his way of getting her to take her mind off of all the weird questions she had in her head. She should give him some brownie points for that at least.
But anyway, Archer was right. Focus on training and gaining more information on Dan's servant first, worry about other matters later. If she didn't get her abilities up to par, she has no chance at winning. Nodding, she heads out the door and was about to walk downstairs to the commissary to get some supplies when she is stopped by someone down the hallway.
Hakuno pauses as her chocolate orbs make contact with deep violet ones behind a thin frame of lenses. She blinks once, twice, three times. The girl who was standing before her now wore a stark white lab coat over some more questionable white attire beneath the coat, stockings and shoes along with other accessories a flashy purple and yellow to highlight her outfit as a whole.
How should she put it...? Her outfit...it was honestly a mixture of bizarre, exotic, revealing but formal all in one. Hakuno hadn't quite seen anything like it, and the girl definitely stood out from the other masters because of the way she dressed.
For one thing, the outfit exposed quite a bit of her chest with the front chest window that consisted of a low v cut, exposing the girl's tanned skin that Hakuno almost blushed at the sight. She certainly had no issues with...showing some skin at least, given her rather brazen outfit.
A soft but short purple scarf loosely wrapped around the girl's neck, giving a pop of colour to compliment the otherwise mostly white outfit. Her skirt (was it a skirt? It too seemed quite exotic...and...quite short...even for a skirt) was bright yellow and shone slightly under the light. The thigh high stockings, although mismatched and were white and purple respectively, somewhat made sense along with her chunky purple shoes in this strange getup she had overall.
For some reason...this girl managed to make it work, especially given her tanned complexion, very thin build and pretty face. She certainly gave quite the first impression from her clothes alone, that's for sure. Hakuno wasn't sure what to think of it, especially given her rather boring and dull appearance which was just the school's uniform in comparison. She had to applaud the girl for having the guts to wear such an outfit though. Hakuno wouldn't be caught dead walking around the campus with that much of her chest exposed.
The girl doesn't seem fazed at all with Hakuno staring at her and looking bewildered, instead tilting her head into a bow. "Good day." Her long, violet wavy hair, a shade slightly lighter than her eyes, swayed in motion with her head as she bowed. Those eyes...and even those clothes...where had she seen this girl before? She could've sworn that she seemed quite familiar-
"Ah." Hakuno couldn't help but emit a sound of realisation, finally remembering. That's right...this girl...she had seen her in the hallway during the final day of the prelims! The girl back then didn't say a word, and honestly gave her the creeps with the menacing stare she directed at Hakuno, but looking at her now, she seemed more approachable at least.
Hakuno takes a moment to realise that she hasn't responded to the girl's greeting, fumbling with her words. "Oh, ah- um...g-good day to you...too?" Well that came out weirder than she imagined. As usual, Hakuno had fantastically awkward social skills when it came to interacting with strangers. She resisted the urge to cringe as the girl continued to stare at her, as if examining a specimen.
The seconds passed, and she's still staring at her with that same mechanical expression. Hakuno feels even more awkward than she was earlier. Who, or what could this girl possibly be? She didn't know why, but something about this girl just seemed...off, and rubbed her the wrong way.
"I believe this is our first time to actually converse like normal people, is it not?" Uh...what? Hakuno is thrown off guard by the odd question she asked, blinking at her in confusion. How exactly...should she answer that? And the way this girl was speaking, it was certainly abnormal. "Um...yes? And sorry but...you are...?"
Recognition crosses the girl's eyes as she adjusts her spectacles, her hands clothed in thin white gloves that matched her coat. "I am Rani. Rani VIII. Like you, I am here for the purpose of obtaining the Holy Grail." Rani...VIII? What an odd surname, though Hakuno decided not to question it too much.
Just the robotic way she spoke irked her. And yet...she wasn't giving off the same aura as Sakura who's an AI, or Taiga or Kotomine who were overseers, or even the sisters at the chapel. Her voice also still possessed some emotion at least, unlike some of the NPCs Hakuno has encountered on campus.
And she also spoke about obtaining the Holy Grail...a master then. She certainly didn't dress like any regular NPC or master. But what was her reason for approaching Hakuno like this? Sure, she's seen this beautiful and exotic girl before, but this is the first time they've spoken. That aside, she supposed she had her motives.
"I have been scanning the stars for clues about you. Unlike the other masters, you are an enigma. Your star...your existence...it appears hazy, compared to the composed stars of the other participants." Scanning the stars? What on earth was this girl talking about? And- wait, hold up a second. 'Scanning the stars for clues about you'?
Was this girl telling Hakuno in some roundabout way that she had been stalking her?! Rather than be flattered about her compliment as an...enigma(?? Was that even a good thing?), she didn't know why...but something was just very suspicious and off putting about her first statement. And...her existence being called hazy...she supposed it had something to do with her having amnesia.
"So I wish to ask you directly, and please answer honestly, this question: what are you?" Rani's sudden question once again throws Hakuno off guard. What was she? How on earth was she supposed to respond to that?
"Huh? Um...I'm sorry but...I don't quite understand the question. Perhaps you can rephrase that?" Rani cocks her head to the side. "Is my question not simple enough for you to understand? There is no other way to simplify it...I mean exactly what I ask: what are you?" Ok, this girl had to be planning some sorta mind game with her now. How was she supposed to interpret that question??
It seems that Rani is expecting a reply, and doesn't appear to want to back down or leave her alone any time soon, so Hakuno is faced with no other option but to answer. "Um...I'm...Hakuno Kishinami, a master in this Holy Grail War." Seeing that Rani was expecting more of an answer, Hakuno racked her brain for anything else to say.
"Uhh...I also happen to be...a second year student at Tsukumihara High." This was all too awkward. Just what on earth did Rani want with her? And why was she asking her this odd question with no context to begin with??
Rani shakes her head, seemingly disappointed at her answer despite her lack of expression, although it still feels physically painful to witness. "I was afraid that's how you'd respond. Your answer is of course, incorrect." How was it supposed to be incorrect?! Granted, school life now isn't anything it used to be during the prelims, but what Hakuno had stated was the truth, unless Rani was expecting something else as an answer...not that she would know.
Then again, what came out after was probably an automatic reply of her own, almost like a Pavlovian response. It was like her mind had been conditioned to say this fact, when truthfully, she could've said something else. In fact, perhaps she had something else in mind, but what came out was this instead.
"...So you choose to hide your identity? Even after exposing yourself to Blackmore's servant yesterday?" Hakuno's eyes widened at that. Wait...someone saw her?! But...there shouldn't be anyone else in the Arena besides her and her opponent. Unless...was she referring to that exchange she had with Dan's servant in the gardens?? But even so, she was certain that there was no one around to witness it. So then...how...?
"No need to be suspicious. I am not your enemy." Gee, funny of her to be saying this when she started off with asking her a weird question, and she being a master in this war too. For starters, how can Hakuno trust this odd girl before her now? She could be talking strangely to get her to drop her guard and-
"If you are worried, I did not physically witness any exchange you had with your opponent, or their servant yesterday. Rather...I am simply relaying what it is that the stars say about you." Again, she mentions about the stars.
Hakuno still doesn't quite get what she's saying though. What was this about the stars? Was there some secret code or spell she didn't know about as a novice or something...? Either way, she didn't appreciate her privacy being compromised like this without her consent.
"I am looking for the newborn chick my professor spoke of. The stars have aided me in that task." At this point, Hakuno is starting to wonder if Rani is intentionally speaking to her in riddles to try and confuse her. Heck, the girl doesn't even seem to realise or even care about Hakuno's growing confusion.
That being said, she was not used to Rani's way of speaking. 'Newborn chick her professor spoke of'? 'Stars have aided her in that task'? What was going on? Was this chick she's referring to be her?? Rani continues to stare at her, unfazed. "I am not sure if you are who I seek, but..."
It definitely takes a while, but Hakuno manages to connect the dots and understand a moment later. These stars she keeps on bringing up...was she referring to astrology? Then that meant that this girl...Rani...she was probably an astrologist then. However, Hakuno is still have a hard time comprehending her. All she knows is...from the way Rani is trying to converse with her...she seems mostly harmless...for now.
Rani adjusts her spectacles once more, a determined glint now in her eyes. "I must study the heavens even further. But I must ask you to tell me more about Blackmore's star." Blackmore's star...which meant...she wanted more information about Dan then?What would Hakuno gain out of telling Rani information about her opponent though?
"It may seem like I'm asking for a lot, but the knowledge revealed will benefit you too, I think." Now this bit perks Hakuno's interest. Does this mean...Rani was willing to help her out then? But why though?
Was this all for the sake of 'studying the heavens more' and learning about the 'newborn chick that her professor spoke of'? Somehow, Hakuno found it hard to believe that Rani was so willing to extend a helping hand just like that. It seemed a little too coincidental and convenient.
"It is more so...a bargain, a deal between the two of us if you may. As per Atlas, I wish to show you the true value of my knowledge and will share my findings." She clasps her hands together, her violet eyes staring hard into Hakuno's. "I'll use you, and you'll use me. So what do you think? Will you accept my request?"
Rani is saying that both of them will mutually benefit from this deal of hers, but how can she be so sure? They've only just met, and frankly, Hakuno's not too convinced on her astrology powers just yet. So she decides to probe a little more, just so that she could learn a bit more about this interesting master that appeared before her.
"You mentioned that you scanned the stars for clues about me. Does that mean that you discovered me on your own?" In addition to investigating Dan, it seems that Rani already knew about her in advance...and quite a fair bit too...which was a terrifying thought. So she supposed she should ask more about how Rani came to discover her through the stars and whatnot.
"Why are you so surprised that our enemies are studying us? This war is all about information after all." Her servant communicates with her silently through telepathy, Hakuno not missing the hint of sarcasm laced in his voice. She almost wanted to frown at him.
C'mon, couldn't she be surprised about this at least? After all, Rani had apparently learned more about her through interacting with the stars. She doesn't know much about astrology and how it works...but that alone was still astonishing to discover. Hence, she figured she had the right and need to ask too.
"*sigh* That's not what I'm concerned about here Master. To be blunt, you are far too open about yourself. Think of this as a warning to be more cautious in the future." Hakuno's eyebrow twitched at that. Well...when he puts it that way...
Rani doesn't seem to read the whole mood of the situation, because she just...stares. Her eyes are blank, with her face almost devoid of emotion. However, even she must've realised that Hakuno was looking a tad bit uncomfortable by now.
"Yes, I learned more about your existence through the stars. I apologize. But to understand my professor's words, I must first understand humanity." Her irises now have a faraway look, as if she was recalling something important. "This is what he said: As a doll, you must find someone that is truly alive and observe them."
She nods to herself, somewhat determined and keeping that saying close to her heart. "I believe that he wants me to find out, by watching humans, what it means to be alive." The way she phrases this makes Hakuno even more confused. Understand humanity? A doll? What it means to be truly alive? Again, she's finding it difficult to pinpoint Rani's exact reason for coming to her like this in the first place.
Did this meant that Rani chose her to be the object of her uh...observation...or something? Hakuno couldn't exactly tell...but that seems to be the case. Why her specifically though? She didn't think she stood out, at least not when compared to all the other masters, especially those like Rin and Leo. She was definitely not the best person to play this role, given her amnesia as well. As such, she doubts that Rani would be able to 'learn what it means to be alive' or whatever she meant by observing her of all people.
Rani shakes her head, clarifying what she meant. "I don't know if you are the one, but perhaps...your star will shine apart from the others." Yeah, she doubts that too...but if that's what Rani supposedly saw through her study of the stars, then she probably has to tag along with this whole idea of hers. Besides, seeing that Rani was eager to help, it would be useful to get more information on Dan and his servant, and perhaps even on Rani herself as well.
"Yes, I must observe...other people. You, and Blackmore as well. That is why I need your help." Finally getting down to business, Rani's monotone voice drops to a slightly lower and softer one, as if not wanting the other masters around them to hear of her plan. "Please bring me a relic of his. I will be waiting at the far end of the third floor hallway." A relic of Dan's servant? What did she mean by that? Rani isn't being too clear on the details of what she wants Hakuno to find.
The violet-haired girl however, doesn't elaborate further, seemingly wanting Hakuno to figure it out herself. "When you come to see me, we will gaze into the heavens together." Yeah...sure...whatever she meant by that.
Hakuno at this point is just trying to follow along with the flow of the conversation, much less try to comprehend this girl. Do all astrologists talk like this? She'll just assume that Rani had her ways of 'looking more into Blackmore's star' using her astrology abilities or something.
"I'm sure you see the value in learning what Blackmore's star will have to say, right?" Well...yes, of course she did. Rani's bargain strikes as a very tempting offer if anything, and Hakuno will take whatever chances she can get at grabbing more information on that hooded man. Rani tips her head, somewhat pleased at Hakuno's response. "Thank you for cooperating with me. The best time to read his star will come in three days. Please find a relic of his by then."
Hakuno strikes this as odd, but the way Rani talks, it was almost as if...she wasn't...human, at least not with the way Rani talked and stared at her. Understanding humans...and the doll she mentioned...could Rani be referring to herself?
Rani puts an end to the conversation with a final "Until we meet again", giving Hakuno a brief last smile before she slowly walks down the hallway, stopping by a window to gaze up at the sky intently. Um...was she...resuming her study of the stars or something? Even though it's still daytime...? Yeah, she should probably stop questioning about it. She was no expert in astrology after all.
This girl...a girl of many mysteries. But oddly enough, Hakuno couldn't seem to detect any animosity from her. At any rate, if it'll help her to know more about Dan's servant, she'll be sure to find something and bring it to the third floor.
Upon walking up the stairs from the commissary a moment later, she almost runs into a small group of masters, one of them excited talking aloud. "Oh my gosh, you're not going to believe this! My enemy master for this round dropped something in the Arena yesterday, and I picked it up! Lucky me!"
Hakuno's ears snap at attention as she pauses at the stairs, walking slower to try and listen in on the conversation. She wasn't exactly a nosy busybody that liked to poke into other people's business, but in this war, gaining information was essential. That, and this conversation seemed to be linked to what Rani was talking about earlier.
"Ooh, that's great! That means that you can potentially learn more about your opponent with that item!" another one of them chimes in. The first female master who spoke nods her head excitedly, eyes twinkling. "Yep! I have to find out more about it right away! And who knows, maybe I'll find something else today when I head into the Arena later!"
Hmm...interesting. So she found the item in the Arena then? Perhaps Hakuno could do the same, and probe around the first floor of the Arena as well. She already had an idea where to look first.
The brown-haired master was about to head to the training grounds when she is yanked backwards by a hand, almost stumbling over her own feet. Surprised, she whirls around only to meet none other than Taiga Fujimura. "Heya Kishinami-san! Hope you aren't too busy! Well, even if you are, I have a favour to ask of you! It's an emergency, so do you think you can help me?"
Wow, this was the third time and she wasn't even bothering to ask her anymore, instead demanding that she fulfilled her request. Hakuno holds in a sigh as she laughs sheepishly, taking a few steps back. She needed to focus on the task Rani gave, since that was obviously more important than whatever Taiga wanted her to do. "Um...I'd love to Fujimura-sensei, but I really gotta-"
The iron grip around her hand tightened considerably at that, preventing the girl from escaping as Taiga clamps her other hand down firmly on her shoulder. "Oh? What was that? Hahaha, how silly of you Kishinami-san. For a moment there I almost thought you were going to reject my request. You wouldn't ignore someone in need of help now, would you? Especially if that person was your dear teacher."
The master now sweatdrops, trying to wriggle out of the teacher's grasp. Alas, it is useless, and she finds that she isn't able to get away. "Um...not that I don't want to but-" "You will help me, yes?" "Well...I mean-" "You WILL help me out, right?" "But-" "RIGHT??" Hakuno's shoulders finally slump in defeat, acknowledging her fate as she numbly nods her head. Guess there really is no winning against Taiga Fujimura.
What follows after is a bone crushing hug as Taiga practically suffocates her in her bear-like embrace. "Yayyyy, thank you oh so very much Kishinami-san! I mean it! I knew I can always count on my favourite student to not let me down!" Funny, because Taiga's never called her the "favourite student" of hers back during the prelims. "Um...so what do you need help with this time, Fujimura-sensei?"
Releasing her from her hold, Taiga beams brightly at the master before she elaborates on her request. "Well, you see...a box of persimmons that a friend gave to me as a gift got sent to the Arena by mistake." Hakuno raises an eyebrow at that. ...How did the persimmons even end up getting sent to the Arena of all places?? And by mistake too??
"And the thing is...I have no idea whose Arena it was sent to. So I'm throwing up the Taiga signal to all students." Oh? So she wasn't the only poor student that got involved in one of Taiga's odd requests this time around then? She roughly knew where this was going now from the flow of the conversation.
"So, do you think you could help me by searching through your Arena?" Hakuno tilts her head to the side at that. It was exactly a difficult task to do, but it was still incredibly random...and bizarre too. "Um...sure, I don't mind. But what happens if I don't find anything?"
Taiga waves a hand dismissively at that. "Oh don't be so pessimistic! I'm sure you'll find it somewhere if you look hard enough! Even if you don't, that just means that another student has probably found it in their own Arena then!" Ok...Hakuno guessed she had a point. "Uh...ok then. I'll check out the Arena and make sure to scan the area for a persimmon in that case."
The teacher gives her a hard slap on the back like always, causing a wince to emit from her lips as Taiga's smile grows wider. "Thanks a ton Kishinami-san! Oh, but I do have to tell you. It'll be two days befor the lost persimmons gets reported as a system error...and most likely deleted, so please try to find and retrieve it by then!"
So she had two days...shouldn't be too hard. She should probably treat this request as a side quest of some sort like scouring for the relic Rani mentioned. With no more to be said, Taiga zooms away back to the faculty room, leaving Hakuno standing awkwardly near the staircase. Well...she should probably get going and head to the Arena now. Without wasting any more time, the amnesiac master and her servant swiftly heads for the Arena.
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Once the duo had entered the familiar training grounds, Hakuno paused to think for a moment, placing a finger to her chin. So they had to look for evidence to present to Rani. Well...Rani didn't specify on what relic she was looking for though...but she supposed she should get to searching around the Arena carefully while training.
"Master, I don't necessarily trust what Rani has to say, but looking for evidence is a good idea nonetheless." Her servant pipes up to voice his opinion, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn't wrong for not trusting Rani; after all, she was a fellow enemy master. "I would advise that we proceed with caution as we find this relic she was talking about. After all, the enemy servant lives to exploit weaknesses."
Right...even with the task at hand, Hakuno shouldn't forget about the possibility of running into the enemy servant, or any traps he may have laid out around in the Arena. After encountering that poisonous mist, the two needed to be on high alert at all times. Agreeing with her servant, the two begin to head down a hallway. The first place they should probably check is where that troublesome tree was.
After fighting through several enemy programs, the two eventually reach the place where the Yew Tree once was. A dull flash catches the master's eyes as she bends down to take a better look. "This is...an arrowhead?"
"Yes, it seems to be part of an arrow. From the looks of it, this arrow...I can sense traces of the Yew Tree from it. If we get Rani to take a look at the entire arrow, we may be able to learn something about that man's past." Noting her servant's observation, she carefully picks up the item to examine it closely, the arrowhead giving off a rusty, antique feel. If Archer was right...then this must be part of the relic that Rani wanted her to look for.
"But then...what happened to the rest of the arrow?" Looking around, she doesn't see the remains of the arrow, at least around the area they were in. "Hmm...maybe that servant came into the Arena in advance and smashed the arrow to pieces? He may have an idea that we're onto him by giving this arrow to Rani."
Now that was problematic. If that hooded stranger had came and destroyed the arrow in advance, how were they going to give the relic to Rani? She doubted that Rani would be able to make use of just an arrowhead. As if sensing his master's displeasure, he speaks up once again.
"It's alright, Master. Perhaps we should look around and expand our search bit more. Who knows...the servant may have scattered the rest of the arrow around the other areas in the Arena. We just need to spend a bit more time looking for them." Yeah...she should probably follow her servant's advice. There could be more of the arrow around the Arena, so they should keel searching.
Advancing further into the Arena, Hakuno soon feels like she's stepped on something. Looking down at her feet, she sees a rod lying there on the floor. Wait a second...judging from its appearance...this must be...
"This is definitely part of the arrow." Her servant chimes in, picking up the rod for her. Looking at it closely, the two of them do confirm that while broken, it was a piece of the relic they were searching for. So that meant that Archer's assumption earlier was spot on.
"This rod...it appears that the arrow is made from the Yew Tree itself." Well that was fascinating. An arrow crafted using the Yew Tree...it seemed quite resilient and long-lasting too, despite being broken apart. "Let's keep going Master. I have a feeling that sooner or later, we'll be able to find the entire arrow to present to Rani," her servant suggests, giving the rod to her.
It was somewhere along the way that they encountered a special red item folder, the folder opening to reveal a box filled with ripe persimmons. Hakuno couldn't help but shake her head. So the missing permissions ended up in her Arena after all. Well...at least she was done with Taiga's task now. Although tempting, Hakuno resisted the urge to steal a persimmon for herself, quickly storing the box of fruit inside her terminal as they continued on.
They were pretty much close to the Arena's exit when they finally encounter the third piece of the evidence. The final piece to complete the entire arrow: some magnificent feather fletchings. Picking it up, Hakuno holds it against the light, twirling it around to examine it in closer detail.
They've finally found all the pieces to complete the arrow. With this, Hakuno felt that they were a few steps further to identifying that servant's True Name. Now with both Rani and Taiga's tasks done, the two of them could properly focus on training and getting stronger.
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Hakuno sighs, finally being able to rest in their private room after yet another long and tiring day. They had managed to get quite a few hours of training in after finding the arrow, leaving the master completely exhausted after returning to the school.
"Good job today Master. Your use of code casts has certainly improved compared to when you first started out. We also managed to get a lot done today." Glancing up at her servant, she sees him giving her his signature smirk. All that training done and he doesn't look the least bit tired. Really...her servant must secretly be invincible or something. That, or he had unlimited energy and stamina.
But anyway, this wasn't everyday that Archer complimented her, so she guessed she should gladly accept it. "Thanks Archer. Although...are servants unable to feel tired or something? After all, you've been doing most of the fighting for us both...and..." She quirks and eyebrow at him suspiciously as he plops down onto his throne of chairs, frowning at her in return.
"Hmm...well servants are definitely built different, as I mentioned before. We as heroic spirits possess bodies capable of fighting for long periods of time. Accompanied by the fact that we relatively have large reserves of prana to make use of, makes us a lot stronger and resilient than the ordinary man or mage."
The man folds a leg over the other as he continues. "That...and I guess it varies from servant to servant. I would say generally... Casters tend to exhaust themselves faster, given that they're constantly relying on and using a lot of prana in their attacks. It also depends on what the heroic spirit has gone through in the past when they were still alive." The Caster class...well they certainly relied on magic-based attacks to fight and defend against their enemies, so that point makes sense.
The man turns serious, knitting his eyebrows together. "For my case, I fought countless battles and took part in many wars that lasted for days...weeks...months even. There was barely any time for me to rest, and I could be on the battlefield fighting for days without any sleep too. I guess that part got ingrained in me even as I became a servant."
Huh...that was interesting to know about. So similar to Dan...Archer was probably a war veteran too when he was still alive...possibly even stronger and more experienced in the field than Dan was too given that he managed to become a heroic spirit.
Archer shakes his head, getting into a more comfortable position. "You think too highly of me, Master. Really...compared to the other Legendary Souls, I'm not that impressive of a servant. My past is nothing interesting or impressive to know about." There he goes again.
Archer did mention when she first woke up in the Nurse's Office after the prelims that she probably wouldn't know of him and his legend even if he were to reveal his True Name, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't want to know more about her servant at all. The thing is...she wants to know.
She wants to know and learn more about this man that is constantly by her side fighting and protecting her, even if he claims he isn't that spectacular of a Legendary Soul. He's still done a lot for her, and so she finds it a tad bit unfair that he's still choosing to hold back his past from her.
Whatever he went through in the past...she wasn't going to ridicule him. After all, she knows of the good person Archer is under the stoic mask he tries to put up. It had only been a little over a week, but with the time spent with him so far, Hakuno knows that she can trust him.
How much was she able to ask without him keeping the truth to himself? How many steps would she be able to take without him backing away? How long would she need to wait before he eventually tells her about his identity? She doesn't know, and she isn't told when either.
Why does she want to know more about him? The question sometime comes to mind, and while Hakuno justifies that it is mostly because...well...he is her servant after all, she feels that it has more to do than just that. She doesn't know the exact reason why, but wishes she does.
...What about her? Granted, Archer probably doesn't know a lot about her too, but that just meant that technically, she was being selfish by not telling him anything as well. What can she tell him though? She had lost her memories, and hence didn't have much to say regarding her past. What places did she go to...what were her favourite foods...what music she used to love...all of those details were unknown even to her.
Will she ever gain back her memories? She doesn't know, and she has no way of knowing. All she can do is wait and hope, praying that one day, her memories would eventually return to her, and she'll be able to recall what she had gone through in the past...and perhaps even share some details with her servant too if that time ever came.
And so, the master goes quiet, once again resigning to not pushing the topic any further. She's told herself before, that she wasn't going to force Archer to tell her about his past, and she was going to stick with it. Although unsatisfied, she knows it's for the best. She didn't want their master-servant relationship to sour because of her selfishness after all.
"...One day." She blinks at her servant who had spoken, eyes wide. He shifts awkwardly in his spot, scratching the back of his head. "...One day, if we make it further down the war and survive, I'll be sure to tell you about my past...properly. I can't guarantee you when...but this to you...I can promise, Master."
Hakuno opens her mouth, closing it again a moment later. There he goes, making vague promises to her. But still, she is glad that he promises that to her...and so she makes it a goal to try and stay alive in this war...together, so that she may live not only to breathe and be able to go through another day, but live to hear his tale...and hopefully share her tale too. That is the promise shared between the two of them.
"Okay, I understand. I'll hold you to that promise then." She nods her head firmly, a smile on her face. Her servant let's out a cough, seemingly embarassed as he looks away from her. "It's getting late. We should turn in for tonight, Master. We need to collect more information on Dan and his servant, so it's best if you get as much rest as possible for tomorrow."
Was it just her...or was he trying to change the topic...while also trying not to show that he was embarassed too? Hakuno chuckles at that, not saying anything more but a 'Good night Archer' as she tucks herself into bed. Like most of the other nights, the last thing her eyes see is Archer's face before she eventually falls asleep, her ears registering a quiet 'Good night Master' as her eyes drifted close.
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Afternoon hasn't even rolled around, and they had already encountered their opponent. Really, the school must be a pretty small place for his master to constantly run into her opponent and other familiar enemy masters so many times.
Archer quietly watched in his astral form as his master listened in on the conversation. It appears that their second round opponent Dan is now chatting with Leo. He must say...his master's come a long way with gathering information compared to the beginning of the first round, where she was fumbling around and didn't have a clue on what to do.
The conversation itself touched more upon Dan's ties with the Harways as a soldier to the Queen, but apart from that, nothing was mentioned about Dan's servant unfortunately. No matter...he supposed they would have to find other ways to get information on that hooded bastard.
His master had surprisingly managed to get through the morning with little to no issues. It was nice knowing that she could pick herself up and handle her wellbeing fine while on school grounds. And although he could see the momentary dejection flash by in her eyes every now and then, she was quick to get back on her feet and focus on the current round.
Other than that, he supposed he could give her the occasional encouragement and motivation just to help with pushing her along and get through the day. His master was certainly trying her best to remain calm and level headed even after the events of the Elimination Battle, so he should be grateful with that at least.
Archer couldn't help but frown upon seeing Rani. With how monotonous her voice sounded and her blank expressions, even he couldn't tell what exactly her motives were for approaching his master all of a sudden. She appeared before her proclaiming that she was an astrologist that studied the stars and whatnot...and while Archer wasn't exactly an expert on the field himself, he knew he couldn't trust this girl just yet...and so should his master.
And now here they were in the Arena, scouring intently through every nook and cranny in hopes of finding this relic for Rani to look into. It thankfully didn't take forever to find, and ironically, the relic turned out to be a broken arrow made from the Yew Tree too. The servant could only hope that Rani wasn't lying about helping them get more information on Dan's servant, lest this search up end becoming a whole waste of time and effort instead.
He didn't know why his master had some odd fascination with knowing more about his past, but he wasn't really sugarcoating anything by admitting that his past wasn't all that great or legendary. And yet there she was, looking at him with those big brown eyes of hers, curious and wanting to learn more about him. He always didn't know how to react or what to do when confronted by those eyes, those eyes that can tell he's hiding, that he chooses to keep his past to himself.
Yet again, those eyes neither back away nor push at him, his master keeping her silent agreement that she won't probe him for more until he told her himself. However, the guilt still manages to bite at him, so he finally gives in and compromises to tell her at some point. He knows how empty and vague the promise seems, but can't understand why his master appears happy when he does it anyway. She's dead set on finding out his True Name, that's for sure.
Archer now stares at his sleeping master, something he's done a number of times since the war began. But there was just something about looking at her while she slept that felt...serene sometimes, as odd as it seemed. He felt that here in this private room, with only his master around that was fast asleep, could he allow himself to be more relaxed and at ease, or at least allow him a moment of silence to compose his thoughts.
Now that he thought about it, there was still so much he didn't know about his master. Granted, being stuck in this hellish war didn't offer much time to get to know his contractor, and given that she also has amnesia, Archer doesn't expect to know much about her even as time went by.
...Does he want to get to know her better though? He couldn't deny that he was curious about her past life and what she went through as well, but knew better than to ask such personal questions that she probably wouldn't be able to remember much less answer anyway. So he can only watch his master, silent pick up any traits she had, and eventually form his own opinion about her.
The man chooses to continue silently looking at his master, having occasional glances at the window to gaze at the blue moon outside before exhaustion begins tugging at his bones. Even with that explanation he offered to his master, he assumed the exhaustion mostly came with the mental aspects of dealing with his master.
This was different than having battle after battle with little rest, or fighting for hours without stopping. This was something new that he hadn't quite experienced...even back when she was his master instead. Was this a bad thing then? ...He thought so in the beginning...but now...
His eyes hover lazily at the sleeping girl at the other end of the room, quietly sighing to himself before he closes his eyes. He supposed he had a more different perspective of his current master and the whole master-servant situation now. He was experiencing a much more different environment and dealing with a much more bizarre master this time around, that's for sure.
While he could list out a bunch of things he was worried about while being her servant, there was no doubt that she had improved, and showed potential for improving even further. He could tell that underneath the layers of fear and unease, there was determination...and a fire that burned ever so brightly despite being a small flame. This master of his was somewhat...unique...and different. She was still weak, that was certain, and yet...she was a fighter all the same.
As for whether he found it to be 'bad' or not...he can't quite say just yet. Only time will tell. There was still much to fret about since she was still a novice magus after all. But...oh alright...having a master like her wasn't entirely bad, at least that's what the servant thought...for now.