FINALY COMPLETED CHAPTER
AND SO FOR THE LAST TIME THE SAME HORRIBLE FRIDAY BEGIN ONCE MORE FOR THE THIRD PROTAGONIST
THE HOMUNCULUS II
aaaaahhh nights of peaceful sleep: a familiar well-being that heralds a beautiful day. It was such a pity I have never had a peaceful night of sleep for the past nine years because between my heart, my servant and Madoka Magica all my dreams could have put on the run Freddy Krueger.
"Angra Mainyu to all the squads in the areas B and D retire, Clock Tower has set an ambush, repeat Clock Tower has set an ambush. All the other Squads within the area A provide cover, I'm talking to you Dynamite I want you to set fire to the rain"
"Squad Teta to Angra Mainyu : roger, and terrible moment to make a musical quote"
"Squad Epsilon to Angra Mainyu: roger and we agree with squad Teta"
"Dynamite to Angra Mainyu, you should really read the mood better
"Angra Mainyu to everybody, Fuck you and do your damn job! over and out"
"Ehm Ehm, Okay, the operation Damocles was a flop, otouto-kun, Kasumi you and the rest of our squad retire, I will act as a decoy until you're a kilometre away then...I'll go all out"
"Nii-san don't. You're saying you will go alone against an army of Golems and Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, h-he is the user of the Second Magic"
"Nice Kyotaka! Tell me something I don't already know...Listen: Clock Tower employed much more power and equipment than we expected to stop us, a mistake from our part. It's already miracle none died...I'm the leader I take the responsibility"
"Bu-"
"please stop Kyotaka... I know it's disgusting but leaving Hachiman alone is the only chance we have to win. Except you, me and the rest of the squad there aren't any other allies in a kilometre radius..."
"If I don't have anybody to worry about I can release at full power three battle oriented Marble spells. It will drain all my and the jewels' mana, but I can shot down all the golems and force Zelretch to retire: he might be able to draw energy from other dimensions, but my energy output is bigger than his."
"that's not the problem, the true is that you'll go berserk after releasing so much power, last time it happened you turned in a mindless skeleton for a week!"
"We don't have time for this... Ayanokoji Kyotaka, Chigusa Kasumi retire immediately...That's an order"
"yes...sir"
"hey Hachiman please...Don't die"
"Don't worry Kasumi it's not on my plans, still, delete my browser history if anything bad happens"
" just do it yourself idiot"
"Never a time in which you left me the last word uh?"
"only because you always start talking like a wimp in critical moments. Just show to Clock Tower who the hell Angra Mainyu is and turn this place into ashes...your browser history can wait"
"pff you brats will be my ruin, but you're right the moonlight world will know why the head of Oroboro must be feared!"
"Finally you speak my language...you might want to dodge those spells though"
"...OOOHHHH SSSSHHHIIITTTTT"
BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
"And another night burned in battlefield flash backs...Dammit old-man!"
I thought waking up from another episode of "the dangerous life of Hikigaya Hachiman"
"I wonder if he can still pull out spells like that"
I scratched out of my eyes the imagine of an entire kilometre square destroyed by the wrath of a dark god.
"7:30 mmm I woke up again later than usual... replenishing Jeanne's mana every night kills me"
I muttered staring at the alarm after realizing that for the senveth morning this week I couldn't feel my legs.
"Okay first thing first"
I said pulling a diary, a pen and reading glasses out of the bedside table.
Hachiman's flashback number 2427
I began to write with elegant calligraphy
I would like to debut on this page with a proud statement... I FINALLY SAW WHAT HAPPENEeD DURING OPERATION DAMOCLES! AH SUCK IT ASSASSIN! All those half assetted stories I have heard in nine years about this mission were fake! There weren't wiverns, flying whales or killer marmots, only a bunch of Golems, ordinary wolf-like familiars and thousands harpies of the Himalayas (...now that I'm writing it down it sounds kinda of disappointing). The mission started at 3 AM near liverpool and employed around the ninty percent of Oroboro's personel. The objective was simple assaulting the sailing ship of Clock Tower and kidnapping a few vips as decoy, while four stealth teams broke in the secret harbor of Clock Tower to tamper with the largest load of magical ingredients in modern history.
at 3:45 AM the sailing ship was under Oroboro's control and a distracted agent very much "casually" let a prisoner send a SOS signal. 4:10 the harbor had only half of the personel left. 4:25 all the four teams infiltrated. 4:35 the loead of magical ingredients is much smaller than expected, someone had moved it away. 4:40 the sailing ship suddnely blows up injuring 59 agents 6 severely. 4:41 The Fullmetal Alchemist does the admiral Ackbar and orders the retreat of all the agents afloat. 4:46 the Helicarrier arrive to retrive the agents. 4:47 Hachiman orders the retreat in the harbour. 4:59 Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg and the twelve lords of Clock Tower appear on the escape route of the ground teams. 5:03 an army of disposable Golems and familiars, goes down on the battlefield ( personal theory the army was summoned with the load that was supposed to be in the harbour). 5:06 the twelve Lords retire from the battlefield. 5:15 Hachiman is left alone...5:26 Hachiman releases a combination of Nox fulminis nuntiat (herald of a night of lightning), mortiferum terrae (deathly ground), somnus assiderante (glacial sleep).
I don't know what happened next must investigate.
I closed my diary and put all the other sruff back in its place...It was nearly incredible. Nine years together and there was still so much I had to discover about my servant, slash, fatherly figure, slash, pain in my butt.
Sure the fact that I summoned Assassin with the rare offer: pay one summon eight was an important factor... (geez I think I have seen the Easter of 2035 six times) Still Assassin lived truly a freaking insane life: he had founded a secret organization at eleven, trained those that have becomen the most dangerous people on the planet, manipulated the world to make it move like he wanted and... well he went on until the end...never refusing to pay the price of his actions.
To be honest I had quite a hard time at first seeing Hachiman memories and stuff was scary. See all the darkness he had encountered and absorbed to get stronger, yet most important to me it felt wrong to pry into his mind... the only place he really felt safe in. After all Assassin was a broken person, no, not just broken, he was a pulverized person that kept himself together through pure power will and some help here and there from those who loved him.
"you've always been a hopeless idiot Hachiman always extending your hand towards someone else, always pushing away who wanted to help you...If I didn't see it every day, I wouldn't believe you managed to change"
I said standing up from my bed as the smell of a nutrient breakfast stimulated my appetite.
or at least trying to stand up: as I tried to move my feet on the floor two ropes bound to my ankles tugged me on the mattress.
"Right, yesterday's play..."
I muttered leaning forward to free my legs.
For the past week, since my fight with Sasaki Koujiro, every night I have been ehm... focused to satisy my wife's needs, mana needs and I can truly proclaim it's an enjoyable activity, Still it squeezed me dry, hell sometimes I woke up and had so little mana and sugars in my body that Assassin thought I was dead!
But it does not end there! Now thanks to my "peculiar body" (A/N coff coff E.D. coff) I needed particular attentions to "work" properly and so my wife came out with the idea of experimenting various scenarios to understand how to raise my proficency...AND TO BE CLEAR BEING WIPPED DOESN'T HELP ME IN ANY WAY!
"...hell It's depressing, I need to discover a fetish of some sorts."
I grunted avoiding to think to much about my masculinity...and definitely not crying
Getting down my bed immediately a bunch of craps came to greet my sore body, since now I had to start every day with half of my normal mana reserves and my magic circuits tried to replenish themselves absorbing energy from my body.
"Damn in my next life I want to be the protagonist of some trashy Isekai to have an easy life full of power fantasies"
I thought imitating a background actor of The walking dead.
"Uh Good morning"
I said walking in the kitchen with my eyes semi-closed.
Gosh there was too much light difference between my room and the kitchen, I could only see random stains of color and evem moving with the whippy pace of a tortoise I couldn't get a clear sight of anything. undecided about where to go I headed for a blurred thing in my field of view that smelled nice
"...probably the dining table."
I told myself grasping it was suspiciously warm
"Good morning Sieg, how a're you feeling?"
Said the dining table with my wife's voice once I reached it
"...tables shouldn't speak"
I thought realizing I had probably done a mistake
"hey Jen, still a bit sleepy"
I answered moving my arms to perform a hug and sink my face in Jeanne's back.
"Coconut, She has changed Shampoo"
I thought while my sense sight returned to work properly.
"pff, I can see you have still to wake up properly"
Responded Jeanne while a light-pink shirt I've never seen before filled my field of vision.
"...hell no, this isn't Jeanne"
I muttered as an adrenaline rush went through my blood stream.
"Brat, what did we say about explicit affective demonstrations"
Said the croaking voice of ...Assassin, damn this friday was going to suck
"We are manly men, we don't display feelings"
I squeaked in high pitch voice paralyzed by fear
"right, then unglue away from me before I spill my coffee and I'm forced to kill you"
Whispered my servant posing very convincing arguments.
Moving like a tin soldier I mechanically escaped by Hachiman and reached the true dining table. There Jeanne surrounded by the usual buffet was barely able to suppress a laugh puffing her cheeks and covering her mouth with a hand. Apparently this morning I had won the prize for the early morning fool ousting the nine-time champion Jeanne and her morning hairstyles.
"wow today is going to suck"
I told myself taking a seat
"So...when did you return at home Hachiman, last night you went in a hotel right?"
I asked buttering a slice of bread and trying to find a comfortable spot on my chair.
"let's buy furniture of design" said Jeanne and Hachiman while we were furnishing this attic... the result: everything save for the sofa was too damn uncomfortable. Next time Ikea.
"I returned a hour ago brat, you were still sleeping while gamine...was already assaulting the fridge"
responded Hachiman sipping his morning cappuccino.
"you promised not to tell him"
Erupted Jeanne still in her celestial night gown.
Red like a tomato, my wife faced me and moved her hands to hide herself starting to mutter things like "it's not like that, I was just having a morning snack".
"I guess the champion still holds her crown"
I thought while the "heheheh Kawaii" feeling was bubbling in my chest
"Good Lord you're such a glutton"
I said leaning forward to kiss her forehead.
it was quite the challenge... I kinda had to slalom between boxes of cookies, empty plates and bowls where sugary cereals were melting before reaching my wife.
(yes Jeanne's part of that un-holy faction of people who must wait until the sugar of the cereals melt in the milk before eating them).
"S-sieg"
She muttered as my lips touched her
"By the way she also ate the Ichigo's mask shaped pancakes you and I cooked, left from the shounen jump night"
Informed me Assassin with the usual "I don't give a f***" vibes
Suddenly I felt my lips becoming dry and really if I have had a sharingan my eyes would have begun to shine of red...sadly as it is I was quite acquaintanced with this sour emotion, it was annoyance
"Jen you know that I love you"
I nearly singed with calm voice
"Y-yes"
she responded vaguely worried
"BUT...what did we agree about my otaku stuff?"
I asked glacial like an iceberg.
"Do not eat them"
"So..."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll do the dishes for the next month"
Jeanne's reaction was immediate
"...good. (even though we have a dishwasher)"
I responded quieting down on my uncomfortable chair.
There were three things none could mess up with: my otaku stuff, my sword and my wife...maybe not in that specific order.
"okay Assassin has Oroboro done any movement in this area?"
I said moving onto more pragmatic topics
"As far as I managed to investigate the past few days, Not yet. Yesterday I stole across Fuyuki all the radio beacons hidden in the shadow companies of Oroboro."
Responded Assassin taking out from under the table a gym bag filled with weird antennae.
"we must still disable the young you's phone and pc otherwise we risk to have your entire organization involved in the war"
I commented eating butter and jam
"not necessarily the entire organization. He probably just need: his battle suit, 58 jewels filled with mana, a rocket launcher...better two rocket launchers, enchanted chains, plus a lot ammunitions then two high ranked operative agents, one from the medical squad, three spell casters and Kasumi Chigusa"
responded Hachiman emptying his cup of coffee
"Kasumi Chigusa, Kasumi Chigusa...Number 2, the sniper right?"
"right him...unless this was the period of time in which we didn't talk to each other"
scratched his chin Assassin while the purple "III" in his eyes glittered playfully
"...okay not important right now, we have still to do everything possible in order to avoid your past self enters in this war. Jeanne as a Ruler can you prevent someone is chosen as a Master?"
I asked considering various possibilities
"unfortunately no, if the Grail sees Hikigaya Hachiman as a worthy individual nothing can stop him from becoming a Master"
Responded Jen making me discard plan one
"I think we should be worried more about the old me getting involved with a Master than ending up chosen as one."
Said Assassin
"why?"
asked my wife
"Well the Grail is literally a wish granting artifact and as such it's heavily influenced by the desires of the people it sees as potential Masters: for example when Sieg summoned me the wish dwelling in your heart was to live a genuine life, the Holy Grail reacted to that wish and gave him the opportunity to fulfill it summoning me to be his servant because I was the most compatible with that desire...The past me is not so linear as a person, everything he desires it's the diametral opposite of what he wants."
"Assassin I can't understand"
I butted into the converastion
"efff when I was younger (and even now) I wished to become a house-husband:a life surrounded by familiar love and no worlds to worry about...Yet if the chance to have this wish fulfilled fell into my hands, I would throw it away, my desires embody the luxuries I could never or wanted to obtain. if when I was twenty five ended up becoming a house-husband...hell I don't want to imagine how many would have died because I was more worried about some curry than the riots that exploded before the Ham revolution. The point is: the grail won't give me the possibility to achieve my dreams because I don't desire for it, it'd be a useless temptation.
And of course there's the fact that the young me with his magic circuits and negative powers would have hard time sustaining a servant"
" okay but let's make this assumption: with a good reason would the young Hikigaya Hachiman become a Master? "
I inquired
" I don't think even in that case, sustaining both a servant and a costant healing spell to suvive would reduce the young me mana reserves of the 70 percent"
"..."
"..."
"eehhhhmmm...I don't see your point here what's the deal with being low on mana?"
"entrusting my safety to someone else. Brat you have known me for nine years, do you seriously believe I would trust the first spirit that pops out of a magical circle?"
"Okay I said something stupid, let's move forward, Youngchiman won't become a Master that's positive. We still have to avoid he inderectly joins the battle...any ideas"
I scratched my eyes
"What about we directly speak to him and convince him to leave Fuyuki?"
Offered Jeanne, always the pacifist
"that's probably the easiest way, but to convince him I'd have to reveal my identity and disclose different information, it would affect the future and likely also my already unstable summoning"
retorted Assassin.
"define affect Hachiman"
I asked captivated by this new option that involved some back to the future plot twists
"entire versions of me that could suddenly stop to exist"
Commented drily Assassin
"...so your number of Noble Phantasm would decrease, tsk that's bad , but wait wouldn't this let your summoning be more focused and stable?"
I snapped my finger positively.
this was a very good solution, not only it could decrease the number of troubling concerns I had to face, but it could also improve the general performance of Assassin in the war. No more times in which Hachiman is unable to return from his spirit form, where his eyes start to glow like a in rave party and he begins to have convulsions, or when he suddenly calls out his wives names in the middle of night.
"Reducing Hachiman's lives, why I never thought about it"
I told myself elated, but then Jeanne's hand reached my shoulder
confused I stared at her shaking face and sad amethyst eyes...I know the look in those eyes, it was the "why don't you understand" stare...what was I missing
"probably it would be for the best but...Sieg...Master, I don't want to forget any of them, I want to remember all my lives, all my families"
Whispered my servant while the numbers in his eye seemed to fade away.
For a moment I must say I felt a red-hot scream rise from my throat and I didn't have to reason to know it was rage: "we are your family" I wanted to shout with how much breath I had in my lungs. Weren't we enough for him, speaking about his wives his children, didn't Hachiman see Jeanne and mostly I were like his children... did he forget it was us three against the world?
still it was just a moment because I managed to see a rare side of Hikigaya Hachiman...the weak one, the part of himself he kept hidden from everyone, the one he tried to leave behind by moving forward all his life.
"Com'on Sieg, what's wrong with you, he said he wants to remember all his families...it's natural would you throw away entire lives for people you met just nine years ago?"
I told myself while an attack of nausea hit me.
I couldn't quite catch what kind of emotion I was feeling: it reminded me sadness, but it was more bitter and less delicate...like a hard blow on the head.
unable as usual to easily identify new emotions I boxed them up and left them in a corner of my mind. I'd try to understand them another time.
"okay then we stick to what we have done until now: observe, from our researches Hikigaya Hachiman is currently living with Shiro Emiya in the residential area of Fuyuki right?"
I massaged my nose bridge
"Right Master, we have already kept an eye on Emiya for a while now, we confirmed he possesses magical circuits, but he is too much of a novice to be chosen as Master. At least the past me won't have the Holy Grail War directly fought in the house he's staying at"
responded Assassin leaving the table to wash his cup.
"I guess we must be content of this for now. Let's just hope he doesn't meet random servants or piss off any Master"
concluded our meeting Jeanne moving out of the table what remained of her buffet
"...knowing myself it'll be hard. Oh right Sieg the special package we ordered the other day arrived this morning"
chuckled Assassin helping Jeanne to put a few cereals boxes on the higher shelves
"Finally! Now we can confront the other servant at open face, but most importantly stop to delay the re-match with Caster."
I rubbed my hands wickedly.
the package I ordered on Maguszone the last month (delivery in one day, MY ASS), the last piece in my machiavellic plan to win the Holy Grail War had at last combined with my paraphernalia MUAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAH
"Sieg.."
muttered my wife slightly worried by my ominous aura
"Oh don't worry sweety, Assassin and I won't Leroy Jeggins all the servants we encounter"
I said in with my best smile trying to make my Jeanne relax
"Good, but don't you dare to die on me or I swear I'm going to take you back from hell, kill you again for having died on me and bring you back once more "
She pointed her index at me with a grim look
hell she was too cute, when she pretended to be angry: a dimple always appeared on her left cheek.
Unable to suppress my urges to release all the Moe I was absorbing from the air, I stood up to face her, then I hardened my facial expression as much as I could and said solemn
"you know that even with annoyed voice you're cute"
"SSSIIEEGG I'm trying to sound serious and intimidatory"
she retorted puffing her cheeks
"I know, I know...hey Hachiman I'd like to go with our morning spar after breakfast, after my fight with Sasaki Kojiro Siegfried's muscle memory kicked into gear more strongly than usual, I want to toughen my reflex before they get corrupted by Siegfried's ones."
"AAWWWW I wanted to read this morning, but it's okay. If your body returns to think you're a tanker instead of the quick and deathly type I don't want to imagine what will happen to all the techniques I taught you. Let's meet in the gym of the fifth floor in twenty minutes"
(twenty minutes later)
"Old man I'm here, I brought my bokken"
I said entering in a wide room with the floor covered in rubber and two walls covered by wide mirrors
Assassin was in a corner doing push ups with his earphones plugged near all the gym equipment piled up
"Damn he never hears me when he uses those things"
I muttered reaching him, what the hell was he singing
" I came in like a wrecking ball
Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung
Left me crouching in a blaze and fall"
"oh please this is ridiculous"
I groaned raising my bokken on his head
"All you ever did was break me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
Yeah, y-
*SWWOSH
FUCK"
"yeah I wreck youuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUU...really Assassin I thought you went past your Miely Cyrus phase, I mean leaving aside your body your mind is what fifty?"
I exibited an awesome falsetto
"Thirty-nine actually"
"Suurreeee you've been saying you're thirty-nine since the first time I met you"
"don't sweat over details brat. Start doing warm ups, today we won't fight much we are re-getting through all the basis"
said Assassin standing up.
Something was weird with him today, Hachiman was way quieter and less violent than usual, Sure he was in his mildest mode, Yuigahama's one. Still I felt something was off with him.
"well better make out the most out of this situation"
I told myself starting to stretch my arms
"Hey Assassin do you know what I dreamed tonight?"
I asked in the most casual way possible
"Please tell me it's not my honeymoon"
"WHAT? NO! Hachiman God I have tried to forget the events of your love life for years now, EEWWW Dammit I always look at you as an asexual creature"
I erupted totally blowing up my casual facade
"Brat I had been young too you know."
"Yes I know, I saw him the other day"
"ahah right, then what did you dream about my past?"
Asked Hachiman warmly giving me a fillip on my forehead
"Oww It hurts! I dreamed about your fight with Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, I never knew you fought against the head of Clock Tower"
I said massaging my forehead, hell Assassin was too strong it was going to remain a bruise
"Two times actually. The first time I lost and the second time...well I'd like to say I won, but N1 Kyotaka Ayanokouji had already done all the job by the time I arrived, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahah I still remember the face of the old vampire when he got tied and thrown to my feet "
Hachiman laughed snapping his back and neck
"All I got to see was you giving some orders and then an explosion"
I lied doing few jumps on the spot to warm up my legs.
If Assassin din't know how much I knew he'd be less hesitant to reveal embarassing details
"I see, so you missed the part where I got my ass kicked"
responded my servant caressing a scar on the back of his neck
"How did it happen?"
I asked pretty amazed it had been so easy.
"err it was during operation Damocles...everything went south during operation Damocles. Wait do you know what the operation Damocles was "
"yes I know...ew I-I, I mean of course I know! For all the first year we were together I believed a guy named Damocles would come to kidnap me if I didn't brush my teeth!"
"hey how many times did you have to go to the dentist in your life? three that's how many, you should thank me for your perfect white teeth and for being such a skilled parental figure."
"Yeah not going to happen"
"unrespectful brat, well the story is: I had to block around a thousand units composed by golems and familiars, plus Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I waited until I was the only person left from Ororboro's side and then unleashed the strongest battlefield rape spell I had to my disposal, gosh it was the first time I released so much power at once. I manged to wipe out all the Golems, but Zelretch used two strange mystic codes named Ruby and Sapphire and protected himself with an incredibly powerful barrier. Totally out of mana I went berserk and fought until my body was literally falling into pieces... I was at his mercy, Zelretch started to shoot random spells and well I don't know how many wounds he left on me. I guess that was also the first time I went so close to die on action..."
"..."
"..."
"AAANNNDDD"
"And then nothing. I was bleeding to death on the ground, Hiccup went down with his jet on Zelretch like if it was a oversized rocket. Then the Elric brothers showed up and turned the battlefield in a maze of rock towers creating the ideal area for Levi, Kyotaka, Kasumi and Ashua to attack Zelretch with all their might. Megumi, who was supposed to handle the cover fire, went to rescue me and Hiccup with the help of Winry...who should have remained in stand-by.
In the end Levi managed to cut down Zelretch's mystic codes forcing him to flee.
After that operation I stayed in intensive care for two weeks, Hiccup lost a leg while all the others had hard time too and worst of all Blank had total control of Oroboro for an entire month...I spent years to discover and eliminate all the financial holes that those two created. I have told them a million times: "Oroboro won't sponsor the developement of Half Life three it's just a fake news!" "
"it's surprising you can talk about that so easily"
I spoke genuinely impressed by how calmly my servant could tell me the stories of his near-death/ proof-of-incompetemce experiences
"Time Sieg, give everything the right amount of time and attentions. That's the trick to recover from every wound...Now let's start with your training"
concluded the conversation Hachiman all warmed up and ready to train me.
"yes"
I responded hinting a little smile...
"Time heals all wounds uh?"
I thought unconsciously touching the scar above my draconic heart and Assassin's neck
"Hachiman why you lie to me... we both know that's not true"
Today there was definitely something off about Hachiman.
"Okay I think it's a good time to develope your own version of the snake bares its fangs"
Said Assassin materializing in his hand a short sword.
It was the Noble Phanstasm of his mode number three: Connection (yui) a paloscio 75 centimetres long with a slightly bent peach-coloured blade, guard less and with the handle covered in red strings.
"oh dear what's in his mind now?"
I thought squaring my servant dressed with black shorts and technical t-shirt of the same color
"sorry old man but you always say that the snake bares its fangs is a move with little practical use and the most advanced among all the techniques you created...how can this be a revision of the basis?"
I asked tapping my bokken
"brat the snake bares its fangs is a very personal and unique technique that can only be performed by those who have mastered all the base movement of Oroboro's fighting style based on the idea of bringing out all the power inside yourself. True it's unpractical as an attack, but it's perfect to fully understand your body's strength and weaknesses."
Explained Assassin stepping beside me
"In this way Siegfried's muscle memory will stop to modify mine..."
I said uncertain
"I don't think it's a process that is going to stop. Until that heart keeps beating in your chest you'll always have a part of Siegfried that tries to resuscitate inside yourself. All the seals Ruler put on you and the valve around your aorta have avoided your mind memories and mana got corrupted by Siegfried, still his existence lies within you and none of us can predict what's going to happen"
"wow such reassuring words Assassin..."
I retorted letting my sarcasm gene free
"better a harsh truth than a reassuring lie"
concluded the conversation Assassin assuming his fighting stance.
it was a bit different from the usual since he was using a weapon.
"Okay brat, first I'm going to show you how I perform the bladed version of the Snakes's fangs"
Said Assassin starting to do slow motions.
Following Hachiman's orders I immediately focused on him and before I knew it I had turned in some kind of snake hypnotized by a piper. Greedily I studied every detail of my servant's moves as he performed the first thirty steps of that fearsome technique.
To be honest when the first time I saw Hachiman performing the the snake bares its fangs at rallenty I thought... he looks like an idiot. And actually even now he seemed just an ungraceful dancer that makes a juggler with a sword to a casual watcher, but to me...well, I was amazed by the control of his my servant was displaying. Executing a technique developed to accumulate speed without accelerating was incredibly difficult and tiresome.
"the old man is in great shape today"
I thought after he urged me to mimic his movements.
Needless to say I failed worse than Vegeta when he tries to kill a main villan in Dragonball. I just managed to follow the first five steps before tripping into my own feet like an idiot.
"Ouch"
I grunted as my nose collided with the ground
"pfff nice job Brat, this goes directly in the album little Sieg's fails "
chuckled Assassin taking a picture of me on his smartphone
"Why do you always take pictures whenever you can?!"
I asked rolling on my right side (my best side) sticking out my tongue
"A skill I acquired as a kid that I kept owning. Now get back on your feet, per se I can see you have grasped how to charge speed even with a sword in your hand, you just are too inexperienced to do it so slowly... That's why you will keep doing these steps until they're perfect"
Snapped his fingers Assassin giving me the signal to repeat all the steps of the technique.
Swallowing my pride I did as my servant wanted performing over and over the same thirty steps. After the twentieth repetition my arms began to ache under the weight of my bokken, yet I just clenched my teeth and kept dancing over the same steps again, again and again. As the time progressed I felt my movements get more more fluid,it was like my body was eliminating the rough and hard style of Siegfried and replace it with my swift and serpentine one.
I was once again affirming my control over my existence. I was Sieg and Sieg was going to fight like SIEG wanted...wow using the third person was so much fun.
Doing a few changes to Assassin's movement I adapted all the thirty steps to my fighting style achieving after 134 repetitions perfection.
"good job Master you learned the first steps in only an hour... nine years of training must have worth something. Now then we are going to test a few variations of the last twenty steps of the technique in order to find what's the best way to land the strike...let's see if you are more proficient with a descending cut, a salient one or a thrust.
Don't worry about the first thirty steps though, I'll give you a hand"
Said Hachiman first clapping his hand a bit and then pouring mana inside his sword.
"what are you doing?"
I stood up on my feet
"Do you know Connection's powers brat?"
"connecting two or more people spirits and...plagiarize Bleach when you call its true name"
I responded combining my homunculus and otaku natures
"for the last time I'm not plagiarizing Bleach only because the blade turns into peach petals! Besides those petals can't cut anything the opposite, they make thing fuse together "
"so you're plagiarizing both Bleach and Crazy Diamond from Jojo part four..."
"Give me a single reason not to beat the living shit out of you in this precise moment"
"I'M EXTREMELY SORRY ALL YOUR WEAPONS ARE ORIGINAL AND TOTALLY NOT RIP-OFFS"
I went dogeza as my barely functional survival instincts kicked into gear...I just hoped I didn't sound sarcastic, other wise *gulp it was going to hurt
"Nice"
said Assassin bringing me back on my feet
"Ara?"
did it work?
*Stab
"ah I knew it"
I thought while my servant's blade sank into my stomach
oddly enough I didn't feel any pain, just a warm fuzzy feeling
"okay now we are connected for the next twenty minutes"
told me Assassin while a red string appeared around my wrist, it was exactly like those around the handle of his weapon.
"how are we connected ? I don't feel any difference"
I said as the pink sword came out from my body without leaving traces
"I wouldn't be so sure"
muttered Hachiman punching me too fast for me to react.
like an harmless imotou-chan I remained immobile seeing the incoming fist aiming to my face, yet before a world treasure was ruined my right hand unconsciously dashed to block Assassin's attack.
"what the hell just happened"
I said shocked holding Hachiman's fist in my hand
"the spiritual connection on physical plane I created between us: unconsciously you knew what I was going to do before I did it."
Answered in monotone my servant while his death eyes were fixed in mine.
"pretty cool"
I whispered letting go Assassin
"yeah I know, ready to create your own finishing move even if it is going to be useless in a fight?
"until it's cool...YES, YES YES YES! (Jotaro's voice)"
"perfect now move here "
Said Hachiman tracing an X on the floor with a plaster... where did he pull it out from?.
"Okay"
I said without a hint of hesitation...okay maybe a bit of hesitation.
Hachiman always took revenge on people in the sickest way possible: exploding phones, super glue inside the socks and other similar things. The signature of all his misdeeds was a X on the ground you "casually" stomped on the moment right before Hachiman striked. Just a few days ago a person who stole Assassin's coffee (I don't want to make any names ehm ehm Jeanne ehm ehm) walked upon one of those Xs and received a shower of quick-setting cement and mandrake resin...it took me three hours and nine circular saws to free her from that shell.
"assume the defensive pose number eight"
commanded my servant moving a few steps behind me
"yes"
I responded grasping my bokken with only the right hand.
With surgical precision I moved my left foot and arm forward, lowered my knees, brought my right arm bent to eighty-four degrees back at shoulder height and shifted my weight forward.
"okay now?"
I asked vaguely anxious
"now we are doing the two manned version of the snake bares its fangs. I charge speed with the first thirty steps and pass it to you then, try let's see what you will come out with for the next twenty"
responded Hachiman starting to gather kinetic energy.
"Sure, wait sure my ass! how am I supposed to do it?"
I squeaked ready to have a panic attack
"Trust the connection between the two of us and your instincts...just avoid to trip at sound speed. 3, 2, 1 GO!"
Retorted Assassin dashing towards me at mad speed.
"STOP STOP I don't want to do this any moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
In the blink of an eye Hachiman precisely pushed the back of my right arm and the low left side of my back transferring all his kinetic energy to me, propelling me forward
*CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
And sending me to crash against a wall...needless to say I was knocked out for good
When I regained consciousness I was still stuck in the wall, thank God I managed to reinforce myself before I turned just into a stain.
"thirty minutes you fainted for thirty minutes brat, I'm disappointed "
Greeted Assassin turning the page of Fuyuki's news paper without even stare at me.
"that long?"
I asked coming out of the wall.
Ouch
my body was aching everywhere, yet I didn't have any serious injuries only a lot of bruises and split lip.
"what was that for?"
I asked limping to fetch my bokken that had flow in a corner of the gym.
"the blow on my head before"
responded Hachiman continuing to read his news paper
"weren't you fine with that?"
"I was but I wasn't"
said Hachiman facing me staring in my eyes.
"Oh not that number! Please tell me it's a joke not her not now!"
I grunted pulling my hair.
"she entered in the building when I was ready to pass my speed to you, Connection deactivated, you and I weren't in sync anymore so you couldn't anticipate me and well...I let myself go. Not sorry by the way"
muttered Assassin pointing at the cracks I left in the wall
"That's why I hate your seventh mode, your already thorny personality becomes... becomes... dammit you become so annoying I can't even do a proper syllogism "
I groaned watching the "VII"s in my servants eyes
"Master stop whining, you won't be able to handle her if you don't steel yourself"
reached me Hachiman offering his shoulder as a crutch.
"uff the seventh mode the kindest and the most annoying "
I thought accepting his help.
And so with the happiness of a dead-man I limped with my servant towards the elevator...I hoped none entered in the gym before I fixed the wall
"Ready to put on that mask Assassin?"
I asked him once we entered in that metal cabin
"...yeah I can face her, after all I'm the only one who ever managed to keep her in check"
said Hachiman wearing a black balaclava
Suddenly his face started to become more european, his body turned skinnier while his hair and eyes turned white and red. In a second my servant had transformed in a homunculs butler.
*DILN
the elevator stopped, the metallic doors opened and before us a beautiful japanese woman appeared in front of our eyes.
"Sempai!"
She exclaimed overly joyful
"Haruno. WHAT. A. PLEASURE. TO. SEE. YOU."
I forced out a smile while only one thought afflicted my mind
"is it too late to return in my wall?
Apparently it was.
Finding myself face to face with Haruno Yukinoshita while completely unaware of why the hell was she here! Was a situation so unpleasant that every single cell of my body seemed to scream "this must be a nightmare"
"Sigh sempai it's been so long, how are you?"
Smiled my Kohai acting way overly cheerful.
"I felt fantastic until I saw you and drop that nickname it's horrible"
I responded imitating the happiness of the girl in front of me
"oh how meeeeaaannnn! Aren't you even a bit happy of seeing me"
Tried again Haruno acting like a spoiled child
"Oh God this's getting ridiculous"
I fixing secretly the skin colored glove I always wear to cover my command seals
...damn I really hoped Jeanne was wearing her blue eye contact
"No, because when you are this cheerful you want to drag me in some mess"
I said displaying my real emotionless voice and deadpanned face.
"Oh you know me so well"
told me the Yukinoshita dropping her facade
"so why you here?"
I asked coming out from the elevator while Hachiman followed me disguised as a butler.
"To offer a proficient deal, but why don't we talk about it inside your home with Jen sempai while your doll makes some tea"
"Yukinoshita Haruno: age 20, birth day 7 July, labelled in personal classification with the word Bet"
What should a person do when faced with a potentially lethal danger?
"Here is the tea for my Master, two for his Lady and there on the floor jug of apple juice for the bitch"
said Assassin disguised as albino butler
Fight?
"Artificial butler-san I see you're still a defective product, why don't you go trash yourself"
responded with her passive aggressive gaiety my kohai Haruno Yukinoshita.
Run away?
"I don't see how can I be considered defective my only purpose is delight my masters and their guest, in fact I choose an apple juice to satisfy the childish tastes you're secretly fond of and appeal you with the epithet of bitch in order to pleasure your inner masochistic nature...by the way stop to emit hormones of arousal it's making me uncomfortable."
Or play a fun game me and my wife called "what's less threatening than this".
"juggling with burning sticks of dynamite"
I whispered in Jeanne's ear starting to play
I was really tired of paying attention to the flirty and threatening interactions between my servant and his future...or maybe past wife, well it didn't really matter right now but I was pretty sure that if they went on for other ten minutes or Haruno tried to stab Assassin with a tea spoon, or they started to make out on the table... hopefully the first one.
"swim among the sharks dressed as tuna"
Jeanne accepted my challenge, wow today she was creative!
"stealing Assassin's coffee"
I retorted moving on the next level our game
"Going against british army brandishing only a broom"
my wife launched the counter attack
dammit I was losing ground I had to use one of my secret techniques
"Touching Jotaro Kujo's family"
ahah I have won!
"leaving my signature on the Death Note"
Ara?
*blinkblink
"Sweety, did you just said what I think you have said"
"you always declaim praises of the show so I thought I could give it a try while you and Assassin were fighting the other day...by the way L best boy and I win"
"...have I ever told you I love you?"
"1459 times now"
"you counted them?
"N-noo... that would be too weird...right?"
"I love you when you look embarrassed"
" 1460...Dammit"
"aahahahah, by the way should we stop them?"
"not yet, you now how troublesome Haruno is if Hachiman doesn't tire her out enough"
muttered Jeanne observing the Yukinoshita losing bit by bit her playful and sharp attitude.
"I can almost pity her..."
I said with thin voice as my servant with another sarcastic yet extremely precise description of Haruno's hobby of peeling the faces on fruits before eating them.
"you know I'm pretty curious about how their marriage managed to work out... "
confided to me Jeanne right before Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't endure Assassin verbal abuses anymore and tried to impale his eye with a tea spoon.
and just to be clear I called it!
"Okay I guess Hachiman has completed his job"
I thought while a bubbling feeling known as amusement made me rise my lips into a thin smile...then my smile immediately dropped down as my Kohai realized a spoon wasn't exactly the mightiest among the weapons at her disposal.
"Haruno-chan not the tea dish of my best service!"
*crash
"Okay I sent our butler-dono to do some chores"
I said after accompanying Assassin out of the attic and secretly high five him.
Really the fact Hachiman had fifty years on his back worth of experience to deal with Haruno Yukinoshita was truly a blessing. A. N. D. I could sincerely say that because my last year in highschool for multiple reasons (that definitely didn't involve me making easy cash selling fake Yu-gi-ou cards) I entered in a business relationship with a casual Kohai of mine... a.k.a Haruno and spent a lot of energy and money trying to figure out how to interact with her without being manipulated; until I discovered she was one of my old man's wife...Then I received some tips.
For example I didn't know that when Haruno winks with her left eye instead of her right one, it means she's doing something she doesn't want to do.
Ultimately I liked Haruno Yukinoshita, she was one of the few people I genuinely considered a friend despite...the unorthodox ways she display affection and all the masks she crafts to keep every person she deals with in check. After all even while I was going to the engineering university we met every Tuesday. Why? BECAUSE it was time to D-d-d-d-duel.
Still since whenever I have to unexpectedly interact with her every situation turned into a BET that could only lead me towards great profits or towards the loss of my magnificent artificial ass: I usually and wisely employed Assassin conjugal experience to debuff Haruno's manipulatory skills in order to avoid to get dragged in some messes.
"so now that her health bar is red... let's hear what the hell is she going to offer this time?"
I thought while in front of the laments of the weak Jeanne's One-chan mode activated
"Haru-chan calm down and breathe Sebastian is not here anymore, let your One-chan spoil you a bit to relax"
Said my wife giving a light message to the stiff shoulders of my Kohai... suddenly I felt envious
When it came to massages Jeanne had really magic hands... I mean literally her fingers were like a C rank healing spell...yeah I could still remember the awkward high school skin-ship after the two of us had after my trainings.
geez my back now felt seriously stiff.
Oh and yes Sebastian was Assassin's butler name because... how else was I supposed to call him when he was dressed like an aristocratic penguin.
"okay... I'm calm, I'm calm, sorry for the dish Jen-chan...wow your really good at this"
"eheh I know, want me to go on for a bit longer?"
"please...it is just GOD I can't deal with your butler! it is like he do everything he can to to to"
muttered my Kohai blushing a little...pfff I was pretty sure there were four maybe five people in the world who knew how an embarrassed Haruno Yukinoshita looked like.
"completely annoy your soul and speak out loud your most embarrassing secrets, yeah our butler is like this"
Completed the sentence Jeanne
"yes, it beats me why you two still keep him around"
said Haruno finally letting her shoulders loose
"well that's a legitimate question"
I butted in the conversation scratching my back...matte it has very seriously became sore very seriously now!
"But you now which question is even more legitimate?"
I asked forcing out a smile
"Why am I here?"
"Why are you her-...Dammit Haruno why you always ruin my cool moments"
I erupted after that viper turned my incredibly intense question into a terribly anti-climatic moment.
" because it's funny, Sempai you always act emotionless and get worked up only if someone insult anime ooooooooorrrrrrrrrrr"
responded mischievous Haruno rising both her index towards Jeanne
"when someone interrupt a cuuuru scene you imagined differently in your mind"
winked my wife
*SILENCE
"...I suddenly remembered why you two should never stay in the same room"
I muttered holding my face and staring my feet.
for those who didn't understand it, I was completely depressed...how could I be so easy to read?
"Com'on Haru-chan apologize, now my poor little husbando is going to be sad all day and won't prepare me his special hot chocolate...unleeeeeeess amazon prime doesn't have some special edition figure with same day delivery hhhhmmmmm"
Jeanne shook gently Haruno before muttering something incomprhensible.
"and already that there are parts with explanations is almost noon"
I said finding the strength to look those two devilish women in the eyes
"Fine, fine, I'm sorry Senpai for having teased you too much"
joined her hands and bent a little forward that pain of a female
"aaannnnddd"
"and for the various explanations I want to take you two in another spot"
*dubious stare (or geeeeeeeeeee for the weeeeeeeeebbbbbbbbb)
"Com'on I'll treat you lunch"
continued Haruno winking with her left eye.
exhaling deeply I stood up, cursed that double-edged sword called feelings and gave my wife the "She's in trouble" stare. Then I waited until Jeanne amethyst eyes started to glitter with her usual "can we keep it?" stare. (Back in Chiba we had like five cats because not me nor Assassin could do anything against those eyes)
"dammit... let me grab my jacket, but remember I want some to eat in some classy place, take me to a Saize or anything similar and...Jen say something intimidatory for me "
I grunted massaging my nose bridge and moving to take my and Jeanne's winter coats
"I'll bore you to death explaining why Reboot of Evannnn-Evan... How was it yeah Evagelion sucks in comparison to the original "
"Yeah... wait did I bore you to death?"
"What? nooooooooo I had candy crush on my smartphone to help me in that occasion"
" oh! That's what those sounds were"
I realized going behind Haurno's chair reaching my wife's back.
then as true gentleman I helped her to wear her usual coat.
to be honest normally I would have just thrown the coat to her, yet since Haruno was present I showed my gallant side.
why? You might ask
well the answer is simple...because it pissed off my Kohai seeing couples doing lovely-dovely stuff. AHAHAHAHHA that vixen despite she being the I can have all the boys I wish under my foot, actually never had a boyfriend lol! Yeah I knew it was a personal choise most likely dictated by the fact that Haruno knew herself, her personality pleasant as an alarm clock at four in the morning and didn't like to let anyone close enough to understand her whole nature; still once I noticed the "subtle" spite/ jealousy / IDon'tKnowI'MNotInHerMind my Kohai felt for couples, I as a Homunculus grown under the attentions of Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't ignore that weakness to annoy her back.
In fact while Jeanne stretched her arms to let me put on her the coat, I swept her feet with a delicate kick and stole her lips in improvised caschè.
"ten points Husbando obtained"
I thought tasting my wife's lip stick...I see cherry
"Dear...surprise attack are not fair"
my wife puffed her cheek not bothering to move from my arms, since she was fully aware of the game I was playing
now I just had to see if I got any reaction
"Senpais you're so sweet... please stop, you're giving me diabetes"
snorted Haruno
"mission complete"
"mission complete"
Chorally chanted the Servant-Homunculus team instinctively high-fiving
ladies and gentlemen maximum level marital complicity.
"sure, I can't still belive it took you all highschool to start dating, now let's go Sigh senpai if you have to tease me at least let me avoid your butler"
groaned the Yukinoshita
"...did Haruno just admit a weakness...?"
I thought widening my red eyes
"can you repeat please, I don't think I have understood well"
"I can't belive I'm doing it... now let's go Sigh senpai if you have to tease me at least let me avoid your butler"
oh I understood well the first time
...
...
... FFFFUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK
"Haruno... what the hell is happening"
"I suppose you two know what the Holy Grail War is, right?"
...God why do hate me so much?
Nearly a hour later I was seating in the most expensive restaurant in new Fuyuki, a place that I've tried to reserve for a month accomplishing no results. I should have been happy no joyous but unfortunately after Haruno mentioned the war and refused to add details about that slightly concerning Murder death kill battle (.cit) my stomach had shrieked to subatomic level and even in front of a prime class filet I couldn't find appetite
"Dear please relax a little"
Said Jeanne with concerned voice while I was cutting my steak
"what are you talking about honey?"
I asked emotionless continuing my task
"Senpai you have cut your filet and the dish under it in half, if you keep going you'll split the table"
"wha-Dammit!"
"Jen-senpai just to remind you I'll treat you lunch, not all the... extra damage"
clapped her hands Haruno while I tried to hide from the inquisitive eyes of a waiter
"oh shut up you filthy Kohai and just start talking"
I erupted enraged
"Sigh senpai you're sending conflicting messages here"
retorted the girl touching all the right buttons to piss me off
"Breathe Sieg breathe. Just explain why you came here before I consider the hypothesis of binding you and let you in the basement for the next month"
I said keeping my cool for miracle.
"Senpai since when are you in Kinky stuff? Did Jen-chan attach you one of her fetishes?"
"Uh Nani? really Jeanne has that kind of passion? and wait fetisheS there are more?"
I erupted since all the late-night whippings started to make much more sense.
unfortunately before I could get in the depths of the topic my wife "kindly" reached my hand and squeeze it until it turned red as much as her cheeks.
"Dear you probably are going broke somethin- Ah You're breaking something, You're breaking something"
I grunted high pitched voice trying to free myself from that iron grip.
"Haruno enough with these games. If you want help just be honest"
hissed coldly Jeanne fixing her her contact-blue eyes on Haruno
"Sweety what did we say about the Honesty topic with Haruno"
I tried to smile giving up on my unnaturally blue hand.
Apparently my dear Jeanne D'arc had forgotten a tiny detail
"Honest ahaha really? that's rich coming from you two...pfff you speak about honesty, yet Jennete Dubois and Sigurd Satou are still the only names you let me know"
Retorted the Yukinoshita unsheating her worst smile... the enraged one.
We never told Haruno our real names...
"Ooooohhhhh shit, trust issues storm incoming,"
I thought fathoming the mental manual about how to communicate with Haruno I had in my brain
...it was right next to the box of suppressed emotions and above the file cabinet of easy recipes to cook when I was home alone.
"Dear Kohai how many times we had this conversation? 29 "
I started as Oni-chany as I could
"28"
she responded
"with this 29. My wife and I have a secret. You know we have a secret. This doesn't prejudice our relationship. Case closed"
I exposed while my hand was at last set free...and had begun to inflate Fuck.
Fortunately my words had the wanted effect and Haruno calmed a bit down, she just rolled her eyes in annoyance and snorted like a child
"you know one day I'll extort those information from you right?"
my Kohai then whispered playing with her fork
"yeah... I wouldn't expect not less from you"
I smirked lightly, the environment had finally calmed down
"Pfff you know senpai in the last time I met a guy with dead eyes that's jerkish just like you, One day you have to meet him"
Laughed Haruno putting a hand in her handbag
"well no thanks"
I responded staring intensely Haruno's hand, with an almost sensual fluid movement the girl exposed a card depicting a person tied to her knees.
"Now let's talk about business, this is the Avenger card and I need your help to activate it"
(That afternoon in Sieg and Jeanne's attic)
*clank (sound of a door being closed with depression)
"Sieg..."
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THAT WOMAN ONLY BRINGS TROUBLES!"
(the same afternoon in a dirty halley where a servant and a Loner teenager had just finished to beat the living shit out of each other and were currently)
Drin Drin
*swishshs(sound of a pocket being searched inside)
"moschi moschi"
"ah Oni-chan you finally picked up you I tried to reach you for ages"
"eh, sniff* sniff* sorry Komachi, are you missing Oni-chan?"
"not at all, with you far from home I have less things to worry about...besides don't use third person it's creepy"
"ah-sniff*- ah-sniff* you hurt my feelings imotou-chan"
"ssuuurrre wait are you crying did you miss me that much?"
"no baka it's been just a week right not ten years, it's just that something got into my nose"
"okay, also did you get a cold your voice is like way deeper than usual, you sound older"
"yeah in fact I'm a future version of your brother that's currently looking your real brother who's engaging a battle of stares with some sort of...bondage slave"
"what? "
"Nothing, more importantly are you keeping up with your studies the entrance exam is gonna been soon"
"of course, oh and right! Mom and Dad said in the city you're staying there is a magical ritual in course don't go out at night"
"okay (even though it's kind of late for that)"
"bye bye Oni-chan and seriously eat some honey or something to turn your voice back to normal you sound like..."
"an Assassin"
"yeah, Komachi OUT"
"...mmm I guess my luck should be F a servant so defenselss yet I can't take her down because she's connected to my younger self...dammit! Well at least let's get this phone out of the way...Sorry Hachiman, but I can't have you interfere with this war"
*swiiiirrzrzzzrr ( sound of a phone getting stabbed by a knife)
*swushshshshs (sound of a damaged telephone put back in a pocket)
"because not you nor me are ready for what could happen"
AND THAT WAS THE HOMUNCULUS II WITH THE ARRIVAL OF HARUNO. I HOPE YOU ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT SHE WAS DIFFERENT FROM USUAL BECAUSE UNLIKE IT USUALLY HAPPEN SHE WASN'T IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. ALLOW ME TO REPHRAISE IN MY OPINION HARUNO IS A MISCHIEVOUS THRILL LOVER PERSON, WITH SEVERE TRUST ISSUES THAT PUSH HER TO HIDE ALL HER WEAKNESSES BEHIND MASKS CRAFTED TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL EVERYBODY (HERSELF INCLUDED). HARUNO IS NATURALLY BOTH SCARED AND ATTRACTED BY THE PEOPLE SHE CAN'T DECEIVE WITH HER MASKS BECAUSE THEY MAY BE THE ONLY SHE CAN REALLY TRUST (ex Sieg) OR HATE (ex butler 8man)
Tiny remainder about Assassin's modes:
When 8man was summoned by Sieg, the grail had problems to grant him a physical manifestation because Hikigaya Hachiman existed as an heroic spirt in multiple future timelines and since all of them were equally possible The grail couldn't just summon one version of 8man.
in order to aggirate the issue 8 Hachimans were summoned as a single Rider/Assassin servant with a seal that keeps divided his egos and trash Noble Phantasms(that embody the relationships with the people 8man loved in his life). Thus creating 8man's eight modes numbered from 0 to 7
(The Max coffee can it's Komachi NP and convert Max coffee in mana and enchant physical power)
0 -Still unknown powers EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH: ?
1- pain magic, mysterious axe shaped stick, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH: ?.
2- one handed japanese sword with ice powers, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH Yukino
3- Connection (european hunt sword) connects spirits and objects, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH Yui
4- Still unknown, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH Iroha
5- Silent coat (enchanted lab coat) defensive and offensive empowerment, Max coffee can,EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH Shizuka sensei
6- still unknown, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ?
7- mask that hides identity, Max coffee can EMBODY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH Haruno