Almost Weekly Santa Alter: VI
She stepped back to avoid getting knocked down by the rushing blur of light grey fur, though her annoyance was virtually nonexistent on account of the pair of laughing children on the back of the giant wolf. Sif had taken to quickly giving the two young girls a ride on his back the moment they had asked him to.
"Careful now." Nudd waved his hand as he stepped back, the blonde had his arms folded over his chest and a big smile on his lips. "We don't want anyone falling off."
Bringing his arm up, he waved Sif to slow down, the wolf turned their head to him and slowed their pace to a gentle plodding through the snow, keeping the riders moving but slow enough and in a circle so that they could actually converse.
"Thanks, Sif." Nudd nodded to the pair as he approached the wolf and stopped. "Now then, the two of you will need to get off so that we can get around to-" he trailed off as several things happened at once.
Sif's face blanked and their panting ended, the tail stopped wagging at the same time the wolf came to an abrupt stop. The two younger Servants looked at the man with pleading expressions. Boudica suppressed a chuckle at the face that Nudd made, the clear physical effort that it took for him to speak before he eventually sagged his shoulders and dropped his head. "Alright, fine, you can all go for another run around the camp but make sure not to hit anyone."
Saddened frowns inverted immediately into pleased grins, Boudica rolled her eyes as the wolf took off in another sprint once more. Bounding away through the camp and jumping in between the other Servants who were working, narrowly avoiding running down Andre who was in the middle of what looked to her like sculpting ice. The man visibly grumbled at them before he went back to work.
Nudd turned and looked at her, his expression froze for a moment before he flattened his features and unfolded his arms. "...What?"
She raised an eyebrow. "You folded."
"I did no such thing."
"Yes, you did." With a smirk, she leaned back and crossed her own arms, giving the man a knowing look all while he tried to deny the obvious.
"No. I was merely giving them some extra time to enjoy themselves." Nudd defended with a wave of the hand and with confidence that didn't quite match his earlier actions with the pair of them. Try as he might, there was certainly no way that Boudica was going to forget the face he had been making earlier. She let her true feelings show, given the way that Nudd looked increasingly uneasy. "How often will they get the chance to ride a giant wolf? It's a holiday. They can have their fun."
While she did agree with his sentiment, she certainly knew that wasn't the reason that he let them carry on with riding the wolf. If only because Sif looked as though he had been having just as much fun as Jack and Nursery, the two of them having ingratiated themselves well into the camp.
"You were going to ask them something and then you folded and let them have their fun." She repeated with a shake of the head. "There's no shame in admitting it. I probably would have done the same thing as well."
"I didn't fold!" Boudica would have accused him of pouting, even accompanied by the childish whine that didn't fit the image of a God in the least, though Nudd was a far cry from the other Gods around Chaldea in that he was rather down to earth, so to speak. He certainly wasn't showing his divine heritage now though.
She gave him an amused look before calling over her shoulder. "Siegward?"
"I am afraid you did indeed fold, my good sir." The man naturally responded without even hesitating. Nudd's expression fell at the rather damning verdict he received from the Catarinan knight. "You folded like an omelette. Not that I would have done anything other than try and join in, mind you! Hahahaha!"
Boudica suppressed a laugh at the blatant admission, Nudd remained silent before he sighed and nodded his head at the pair of them.
"I had wished to ask if they wanted to help make some of the gingerbread men but I can let them have some more time messing around with Sif." He brought his right arm up, rubbing the back of his neck and giving a faint chuckle as he did so. Glancing to the direction of the playing children with an indulgent smile. "You can't deny that this is the sort of holiday that exists for those types of girls…I would say it was Jack's face that did me in. I'm…I'm a little weak to that."
She was as well.
It was the sort of thing only a parent could be weak to. "How many?"
"Hm?" He blinked at her, faint confusion painting his face as he did so.
"Children." She repeated, "How many did you have?"
Nudd paused for a brief moment, then slowly moved his arms down and tilted his head, his lips pulled into a smile a moment later, a chuckle came free of his lips as he pointed to her. "I suppose this is one of those, takes one to know one type of situation…and I had a fair few children but I wasn't really around for them."
He exhaled, shaking his head from side to side. "I died before they really had a chance to know me and when I was alive they were all too interested in doing their own things…I think the loss affected me more than it did them, really."
The saddened smile remained on his face for only a moment before it brightened again, clapping his hands together. "No reason for letting that stop me now though. I can at least make sure that these little ones enjoy their holidays that they couldn't in life. There's no call in making it all miserable the whole way through, right?"
"Hmmm." A hum from Siegward, the man stepped up to her side and was wiping down his hands with a tea towel. "Well said, my good man. Well said indeed. Myself and Boudica can set aside all the ingredients you need for those gingerbread men." he continued on, pointing behind himself. "I am certain I can whip up some icing for you to use. What gingerbread man would be complete without them?"
Boudica turned to him in surprise "You know about gingerbread men?"
A hum from Siegward. "There was a rather similar type of baked goods in one of the little towns I visited. Though they were in the shape of little weapons rather than men." a wide smile from him. "I remember it was attached to one of the harvest festivals of a neighbouring country we actually got the sugar from in the first place."
He leaned backwards and put on a thoughtful face. "Hmmm, we got a few tourists from them during the time. Those were some rather lovely people and very happy with all the work we were putting into it…I believe they even offered some money for the recipe at the end of the day." the grin returned.
Nudd laughed "Then I know who to speak with if I need an expert on that sort of thing, don't I?"
"Oh, I'm sure Archer would know a couple of tricks." Siegward deflected with a shake of the head, gesturing over to the man in question who was busy cooking the turkey. The man looked up at the mention of his class and raised an eyebrow. "He would likely know just as much about bakery as me, wouldn't you Archer?"
Boudica expected a comment, instead she got a smile and a shake of the head from a man. "I'd say you're better than me in that regard, Siegward. I would say that when it comes to bakery you're certainly without equal so far. My skill in cooking lies in other sorts of meals." he paused for a moment and then chuckled. "You should be a little more happy at getting your skills acknowledged by a God…or worried. It depends on the Gods."
Nudd snorted and shook his head. "I'm no Athena and I make no claim to being anything more than a novice in the art of cooking of any sort. Really, as long as those girls get a chance I would be fine with anyone teaching them."
Boudica paused for a moment, then rolled her head from side to side before she smirked and looked the man dead in the eyes. "I think it would be wonderful if you had the chance to cook with them. You're the one who came up with the idea and besides, I think that you would be really well suited for it in another way. Right, Siegward?" once more calling upon the support of the man beside her.
"Of course." Siegward sounded just as she did. "I would not dare steal you away from a chance such as this. The taste of food is only heightened with company and I dare say those little ones could not get greater company than yourself right now." bringing his right hand up, made a shooing motion towards the man in a rather playful manner. "Don't tarry now, good sir. You best be on your way to those ingredients. Novice or not, I have every reason to believe you will make them the perfect gingerbread men!"
Nudd actually looked rather abashed as he turned his head, red dancing across his cheeks at the blatant support he was receiving. Bringing his hand up and rubbing the back of his neck once again, blowing air out of his mouth before he let out a wry chuckle. "Alright then, lad. You've managed to convince me with that much. Dear me, with this much confidence in me I don't think I could stomach trying to turn it down now."
Siegward gave a knowing nod of the head. "I am afraid I was much the same with my brother and nephew. He and his wife would hound me for being something of a vulture parent about them all. A talent I appear to have taken to the grave with me."
"Hmmm." Nudd folded his arms once more, raising an eyebrow at the man and giving a smirk. "A fearsome Noble Phantasm to be sure, one that I have no conceptual defence against in the least." With a pause, he glanced in her direction and she didn't quite like the way his eyes twinkled as though he was seeing something that she wasn't, rubbing his chin in a mischievous way. "I would say it's rather effective against parents, wouldn't you say, Boudica?"
She rolled her lips inwards and looked down, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head from side to side. Knowing exactly what he was insinuating and couldn't quite believe he had gone there. Bringing her eyes back up, she gave him a raised brow and silently challenged him to try and repeat the comment, his smile remained plastered on his face and made it clear he wasn't going to take it back.
Rolling her eyes, she waved her own hand. "Just get out of here and make those biscuits already."
Nudd raised his hands in surrender. "Of course, I shall leave you two alone."
She gave him a rather sharp look, one he responded to with a chuckle, a second voice joined in the laughter and she whipped around to the direction of Archer, the man quietly laughing to himself while glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Facing him, she squinted hard and opened her mouth. "Something funny, mister?"
"Was someone laughing? I couldn't tell." Archer gave an innocent shrug of the shoulders. "I was merely immersing myself in the festive spirit and might have let my humour slip out. I apologise profusely if her grace is disgruntled by my enjoyment of the festivities though, I shall glare at everyone if that would please her-"
He ducked underneath her snowball without even looking at her.
Damned Independent Action, letting him keep his agility.
A faint disturbance tickled her ears, she turned in the direction of raised voices and promptly sighed, bringing her hand up to cover her face. Because of course those two were going to be at it all over again.
"Keep your damnable reptilian based toes away from the bowl, haven't you even the slightest hint of basic hygiene?" He growled towards the offender of his person, it was through nothing more than sheer boredom that dragged him to this Singularity in the first place, that and several other factors which might have played a small role in this.
However, whatever motivation he might have had initially he was now debating whether it was seriously worth going through all of this trouble in the first place. Especially when he was being loomed over by a certain troublesome little serpent.
"Your thoughts are worthless if you voice them aloud." The snide comment from the halfwitted outcast barely registered with him beyond the fact they had spoken at all.
"Is that so? Perhaps I intended to voice out my conniptions then. Not all of us wish to hide away our true feelings on certain matters." He avoided stabbing the knife towards the direction of Gwyndolin, no matter how much he might have been tempted to do so, it wasn't even because he was currently stronger. Merely because he wasn't going to reward him with the effort. "But perhaps I should take after your father and just hide them all away for fear they might embarrass someone. Though I'm sad that my thoughts do not take on a personification."
His hand blurred, slapping the table near him and having the giant snap their arm back from where they had been reaching towards the diced vegetables. He wasn't even certain why the Chaos Demon was going for the vegetables in the first place. "I'm in the middle of cooking and I can hardly do that with any real success if I have an entire Pantheon crowding over my shoulder!"
Whipping his head up, he glared at the offending Gods and their pet, the trio of Gorgon sisters and Gwyndolin, his 'eyes' lingered on Medusa for a moment longer than the others before he lowered his attention back to the cutting board. Where he was once again finding himself being glared at by several of the feet snakes. At this point he was debating whether it would be worth it to just take a swing at them.
"I know your parents tossed you into the proverbial bin at birth but didn't they at least teach you some basic manners?" He snarled towards Gwyndolin. "At the very least Yorshka understood that one did not put their feet on the table where the cook was preparing the food. Or do you consider something such as that to be beneath your godly identities? Perhaps you eat off the floor like the savage beast you look."
Gwyndolin's eyes narrowed at him, drawing up their arms and folding them over their chest. "I am merely ensuring that you are not sabotaging the food of Ritsuka."
Sulyvahn stared at him in silence.
It was the only thing he could do after hearing such an utterly braindead response.
"Are you slow of mind? If I wanted Ritsuka dead, do you really think I would kill him with the exact same method that I used when I poisoned you?" It was an absurd line of reasoning which made little to no sense. The views on him aside, he had made it abundantly clear by now that he was actually on the side of Chaldea.
The palpable irony of Gwyndolin thinking of accusing him of treachery when he, the expected deceiver, had proven himself to be more loyal to the cause than either one of his main detractors. It would have been funny if it didn't bring him out in an aneurysm every single time he actually thought of it in the first place. Well, they were related so perhaps it was telling that they were an equal pain in his backside.
Gwyndolin smirked. "What I was truly worried about were splinters."
He stopped moving, drawing his arms to his sides and straightening himself out completely. Remaining completely silent as he stared at the God. He really didn't have to do it, he could have just let the comment slide and all would be well. Though he would do it anyway. His skin shifted and pulsed, reverting back to the form he once held so many years ago. Light skin and fiery red hair, eyes of dull amber and chiselled features. "Now you no longer have a reason to-what in the name of the pits are you looking at?"
He directed the question to Medusa, who was now staring at him with wide eyes as though she had seen something surprising. Between getting harassed by Gwyndolin and being ganged up on by the trio of snakes plus one chaos demon, he was certain that this day could not possibly get any worse.
"Eugh. Who let this guy near the food?" That gratingly familiar voice rang through his ears, he felt his lips curl down within a moment and his eyes narrow in frustration. He turned towards a slightly shorter redhead with more or less matching features to his own. "Someone make sure he doesn't put anything in it."
His younger self approached with a scowl, coming to a stop and then folding his arms over his chest. The two of them sent matching glares at one another. "What are you even doing here in the first place? This is the sort of holiday that is about spreading joy and cheer."
Scoffing at the young idiot, he shook his head from side to side. "I see no reason to speak of my reasons with an uneducated brat such as yourself. Why don't you spare the rest of us from your hopeless naivety and find a cat stuck in a tree to save. You'll find this holiday has as much to do with eating good food as it does with happiness and the like, and I have yet to see noble intentions fill the stomach of a starving child. So please, continue to hurl insults at me while I do the actual work of this holiday."
Glancing up, he smirked at the look of irritation that swept over the eyes of 'Sully' before they unfolded their arms and shook their heads from side to side. "If, by actual work, you mean that you decided to just show up and do the bare minimum required then yes, I would say you have passed with flying colours." a smirk. "Not that I would ever expect for you to care about anyone other than yourself for more than ten full seconds. Between the two of us, I actually care about making sure people partaking in the holiday are happy rather than just throwing some food at them and expecting gratitude."
"Oh please, spare me this rant for the goodness of our hearts." Rolling his eyes, he leaned back and this time he did point the knife at his younger self. "The only thing you're good for at the moment is making some ice sculptures and smiling like an imbecile. You're walking around and doing tricks like a clown, though they would have better fashion sense than such a primitive robe."
Waving a hand to them, he made a noise of disgust. "You stroll around with the confidence of someone who dresses your better a dozen times over. But please, regale me with how you intend to spread cheer and happiness while looking as though you're wearing the pelt of Rudolf."
Sully frowned back at him. "You've never even had an interest in a holiday before, I'll wager that you don't even care about the people here. You're just doing this for the bragging rights of saying you were here to help."
He met the accusation with a half-lidded look, there was no need to dignify such a thing with an answer in the first place. Something caught his eye, he turned to see Medusa was now darting her head between the two of them with something related to shock and stupefaction, he sighed at the display and returned to his work of making the food. He only came down here for the simple reason of doing something and he couldn't even make a single meal without getting hounded.
"What are you even making anyway?"
"You wouldn't even understand if I told you." He responded to his younger self without even hesitating. "It would be much too difficult for your simple brain to understand."
"You're insulting yourself, you idiot."
"Everyone looks back on their youth and feels naught but embarrassment." Shrugging his shoulders, he chuckled to himself as he sent a challenging look to his younger self. "To my shame, I am no exception to this trend."
Sully just scowled deeply at him, yet he was not so blind as to fail to notice Gwyndolin once more leering over his cooking ingredients once more. He turned on the God with a snarl and waved the knife to shoo him away. "What are you playing at? I'm not going to poison him! Nor am I a terrible cook. You can attest to my quality in the culinary arts. So what are you actually doing here beyond being a general nuisance."
Gwyndolin huffed indignantly, jutting his chin away. "I am merely watching you every step of the way to ensure that all is prepared as it should be with no unwelcome additions."
"You are an unwelcome addition." He seethed at the God. "You don't know the first thing when it comes to cooking. I could sprinkle some poison berries into the soup and then tell you it's just an ingredient and you would be none the wiser. If you are so desperate to be of assistance then you can march yourself and your menagerie of serpentine animals and their mongrel pet away from my line of sight so that I can actually work."
He could feel the irritation from the other two Goddesses, but he spared them not even a lick of attention and tuned out whatever comment they were going to make. He doubted it would be worthwhile and in the first place, looking at them just felt disgusting to him. A gift of his eyes, no doubt, but he could not stand the sight of them beyond his personal preference. Delighted in pointless sadism, what a pair of fools.
"Perhaps I could do everyone a favour and just string you up like a tree." Gwyndolin snarled back at him, dropping the veneer of polite language and fully showing his hatred. It was almost an improvement. "I understand that this holiday requires one and I would certainly find humour in rooting you to the ground and setting fire to your head."
"Listen closely to me you jumped up replaceable little-"
"Hey!"
The sudden voice at his side gave him pause, turning his head at the pace of a snail towards the direction it had come from. He blinked twice as he now found himself staring into the squared black helm of a dark plate clad knight with their arms folded over their chest, a gentle voice which did not at all fit their large stature.
The knight brought their hand up and pointed at him. "That's a very rude comment, Mister!"
Outstanding.
He now had to deal with an actual simpleton.
Truly, this was the fates working against him.
Mozart figured as though some days were better than others when it came to being a musician, on the one hand it would work out when it came to showing off his talents to others and - on occasion - touching the hearts and minds of those who came to listen to his serenades. Truly, those were some of the better times when it came to being an appreciator of music.
Of course, there were times such as these when he debated whether or not being a genius in regards to music was actually worth it at all if he became the subject of interest between two screeching harpies such as the pair who now bickered in front of him, all he could do was sit still and hope that enough time would pass and they would eventually forget he existed and move on. Attempts of escape had failed twice and none had tried to rescue him.
"It is only natural that I would be the grand singer for this occasion." The boast from one Nero Claudius was coupled with the woman throwing her head back and pressing her right hand against her heart - and the generous amount of mass in front of them - and smiling with absolute confidence. "As the great flower of Rome who understands the concept of theatre and has experienced their entire life with it, there should be no doubt that my expertise trumps one who has only just learned to dabble within it."
"Dabble!?" Elizabeth Bathroy screeched back in a tone of voice that was positively aghast with the comment. "I'll have you know that I've become an absolute idol! There are dozens of Servants who would let themselves get summoned right now if they thought it would be a chance for them to hear one of my hit singles."
He'd much rather one of those Servants summon themselves right now and hit him with a single punch. Hopefully hard enough to knock him out.
"You mean that ghastly shrill screeching that you bellowed out at my theatre when you hijacked it?" Nero accused with narrowed eyes, Mozart shuddered at the thought of it as his mind darted back to memories of the previous summon, he was presented with the image of a knight slumped over the railings and bleeding from the ears. "Ha! As if one who makes a noise such as that would understand anything in regards to talent in music!"
"Haaaa!?" Naturally, Elizabeth didn't take that lying down. "I don't know what planet you're living on, Empress Delusion, but all those were adoring fans who couldn't contain their love for my voice. In fact, I know of at least three Servants who couldn't help but jump down to try and get autographs from me personally!" she paused for a moment before putting on a thoughtful expression. "Well…I never got to give them their autographs but that's beside the point!"
Three Servants?
Was she referring to the hulking Dragon Slayer who had been charging down the stands for the sole purpose of trying to kill her and the two Knights who had put themselves in the path of the walking boulder to try and stop them? Because if she was, then she was an optimist for the ages. Or she had selective memory and he wasn't sure which was more lethal right now.
"Truly, you have a selective memory. Regardless, after that affair where you stole away my debut it is only fair that I return the favour and become the one to sing the hymns of this night instead." Nero proclaimed with a voice that tried to brook no argument, though Mozart had quite a lot of arguments against either one of them. "Though I am not without my generosity, you are free to bask in my glorious singing and perhaps you will win fortune enough to be labelled as a background singer for me."
Bringing his hands up, he cradled his head at the thought of them singing together and at the same time.
"A collab? No way! This Idol works alone, thank you very much!" Elizabeth huffed back "Besides, if anything the fact that I have performed more often than you just means that I am more popular, so maybe it should be me offering to turn you into a background singer?"
"You believe that mere quantity can best quality? Ha! What a laughable notion that you preach!" Throwing back her head once more, Nero unleashed a rather boisterous and ear ringing laughter that had him grimace just a touch at it. Glancing between the two women once more before he sighed and rubbed his hands along his forehead once more. "There have been many Roman Emperors, but none have ever come close to my own dazzling beauty, a perfection that even the Gods themselves cannot boast of!"
Why on earth would she say something so stupid within earshot of actual Gods? Not to mention the fact that he knew there was an actual God of Beauty in Chaldea at the moment and if there was one thing he learned it was not to tempt fate by making such-
Something moved in the corner of his eye, he frowned and turned towards the direction of it while the two harpies continued to bicker at one another in regards to something. The frown deepened as he leaned forwards and squinted to get a better look at it. Though he could not see much of anything, it looked as though there was a shadow moving across the surface of the snow.
Yet when he glanced upwards, he could see nothing to cast the shadow and no source of light that would make it as it was. A rather bewildering conundrum. His eyes returned back to it and he found himself slowly rising from his seated position on one of the borrowed chairs. The creaking wood likely alerted the attention of the two women but he wasn't all that fussed about that, more with the shadow that was now rapidly approaching them at rather impressive - and terrifying - speeds.
"Where are you going?" Nero demanded with a puzzled voice "We still need you here for when it is decided that I am most fit to-" she cut herself off when he silently brought his hand up and pointed in the direction of the shadow. "Hmmm? What are you pointing-that does not look right to me."
At least her eyes worked.
"No, it does not." Mozart replied sweetly as he started to take a couple of steps backwards, none of the Servants who had been designated as guards had actually shown up and he could not sense an ounce of presence from the shadow, though he hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end and his breath felt a bit sharper than usual. "I would suggest we make a hasty-"
The shadow abruptly came to a halt only a couple metres from them, a rough orb where the surface of it seemed to twist and turn like that of water, then it rose up without warning. Stretching and bulging outwards as though something was rising up from beneath it, he blanched at the human skull that burst to the surface and then twisted in their direction, the darkness draped itself over the rest of the body but through patches he could still see bleached bones slapped together to make a rough body underneath it.
The chill remained present as ever.
Once they obtained their full height, which was well over a head his greater, the skulled monster swept their head across all of them before taking a couple of steps forwards at an almost casual pace, the front of their body - which wasn't covered with the cloak of shadow - was a patchwork assembly of a multitude of assorted bones and skulls of different sizes.
A brief intake of breath before a voice rang clear and true from the skull, though it did not so much as open its jaw to speak. "A melody of discontent and envy earned my interest, in a time where the notes are to be tuned to perfection I find disharmony within the symphony. For what reason is it that the two of you are so out of tune with the others?"
He was rather surprised by the voice, the pitch was deep but not unbearably so with the words flowing at just the right speed. A song without music but the type of deep operatic singer that one would find. Rather ironic given that they didn't seem to have any vocal cords at all but that was beside the point.
It took Mozart less than a second to understand what the skull had been saying, he blinked a couple of times before he slowly relaxed. They were literally just asking why these two were kicking up a fuss in the middle of the holidays.
"U-umu?" Nero looked rather bewildered as she stared the new arrival up and down, she and Ezliabeth shared a look with the other before returning their attention back to the skeletal Servant. "I…I am not quite sure I follow your words."
"Are my words truly so challenging to follow?" The skeleton mused for a moment, seemingly falling back in thought before Mozart got the distinct impression that it was looking at him. "This one understands well the words with which I speak, he has gleaned their true meanings."
The two women turned to him with expectant expressions, he silently cursed at the skeleton for sadling him with this job. "He just wants to know why the two of you are hissing and spitting at each other like stray cats."
Both of them stared at him for a moment before they both turned to indignant glares, opening their mouths to say something before Nero stepped up and held her hand directly into the face of Elizabeth, looking as though she was very nearly going to slap her with how close the palm was. It might have been funny so he couldn't be blamed for cracking a smile at the display of the dragon girl violently leaning backwards to avoid the hand like it was on fire or something.
"I'll have you know that even when I am furious, my voice is akin to the great Gods of Olympia."
"Hmmmm." The deep hum from the skeleton once more. "To make such boasts when in the presence of a God, truly you mortals have an abundance of confidence that would make even Gwyn envious." The name registered with him and he suddenly became a lot more wary of the being in front of him, not just because they had outed themselves as a God as though they were trying to tell someone they took the rubbish out.
"Is it not natural for a flower such as I to bloom so that all might see?" Nero asked with a raised eyebrow directed to the God, pressing a hand against her chest and grinning from ear to ear. "Umu! Indeed, the beauty of the rose does not wilt until it has been plucked. Though now I understand your words, I might answer them. It is nothing more than a discussion as to who the greatest singer for Chaldea might be, naturally it is myself."
"A conundrum on the topic of music itself? So I see…Now I understand the reason for my summoning." The God straightened themselves upwards, their voice taking on a more intriguing note to it. "I am something of an expert in the art of music and song, the symphony of this holiday intrigued me and I am now in need of witnessing the songs of the time."
He was a music fan and he was just here for Christmas carols.
Nero paused for a moment, then she turned and looked at Elizabeth before the pair of them turned in the direction of the God, wearing similar grins on their faces. "Umu! In that case, perhaps it is indeed fortunate that you would happen by! Who better could be a judge of the performance between us than a God themselves? Well…aside from my own opinion but there is never a harm in seeking out one who would agree with you."
Mozart grimaced, then sent a pitying look to the newly arrived God before he turned on his heels and started to walk away. Barely making it a step before hands grasped both of his shoulders and held him in place, his head dropped as the voices behind him called out.
"Hey, where do you think you're going? You've got to be here for me when I beat that hack Empress and become the lead singer."
"You are needed here, composer, for when I prove the obvious and become the soother of hearts."
Incredible how a holiday centred around happiness could bring him so much misery.
There was a contradiction in their logic, one that would not correct itself without an answer. Perhaps a curiosity of the times and the individuals.
"Inquiry: This is a festival dedicated to the birth of Christ." The question earned him the look of those around him. The white mask of the target turned on him and tilted to the side, in clear intrigue. "You are of Islamic Faith. Conundrum: Is it acceptable for you to participate in the celebration of Christmas without breaking word with your faith?"
Hassan of the Cursed Arm stared at him in silence, a hum emerged from the Assassin before he returned himself to his work, stringing lights across the nearby trees in a pattern to create a lightshow for the area. Unsuitable for proper lighting but enough for the celebration at hand. He was best suited for this role on account of his agility.
"I suppose I can understand this, indeed, a festival celebrating an idol of sorts." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Though what I am celebrating is not the birth of the Prophet Isa, what I am aiding is the celebration of a festival that speaks highly of the joining of family and gatherings. In such things, I can respect those who might think of this as the time of Christ, but that is not what I am here for."
A pause from the Assassin, then they turned down and looked towards him. "I was not expecting this manner of question from you, however."
"The information of the throne and your presence here contradict one another. I required further information to correct it." He replied without much inflection in his tone of voice, turning his optics elsewhere to where others were busy with their own decorations and the like. It was a novel concept for him as well, on account of Japan not celebrating Christmas when he was still active. "This is my first recorded experience with this holiday. It would be illogical if it was celebrated at the cultural discomfort of others."
Hassan remained silent for a moment longer. "I thank you for your concern on my behalf."
"Our Master would express similar discomfort, I have concluded."
A chuckle from the Assassin this time. "He most likely would indeed, a young man who seems to trouble himself with the feelings of others. An unusual but well meaning youngster if nothing else." they turned back and wrapped the lights around the next branch before stopping and pulling their arm back. Nodding once to themselves and dropping down to the ground almost silently.
He was impressed at their skill in agility, even a weakened Servant container.
"Everything looking good over here?"
Turning to the voice, he registered the approach of Archer Servant Arash Kamangir and Caster Servant Beatrice, the latter appearing physically discomforted as she examined him. Unusual but understandable within his known information regarding their experience with being such as himself.
"Indeed, Arash." Hassan nodded to him as he rose back up from his crouched position, a light tone of voice. "Even spacing along the woodlands will mean a rather suitable display for the Master and the others when they arrive. On that note, I understand there is supposed to be a grand tree to decorate that has yet to materialise?"
Arash nodded his head "Yeah, Berserker and Torin went out to look for one and still haven't come back." a chuckle from the man. "I would wager that Torin is something of a picky customer and Berserker would just be looking for the biggest tree he stumbles across. I would have given them another five or so minutes before I went out to look for them myself."
A shrug. "Decorations are good but it would feel a little empty without a tree, given that's the first sort of image that pops into your head when you think of Christmas."
"Acknowledged." He replied to his fellow Archer, the Caster jolted at his voice. "I am prepared to extract a suitable tree in the event the time elapses. I shall bear the grudge of Berserker and Caster if they have disagreements."
Caster Beatrice pulled her hat down over her head, turning towards Arash and speaking in a low tone. His audio receptors still caught onto what she was saying, however. "Is this another one of those Christmas things you were talking about? Does it have to be a special sort of tree because there's tree's all over the place."
Archer Arash nodded his head. "Some sort of pine tree or something, I don't actually know all that much about it in the first place beyond whatever information the throne gave me. Just that it has to be some sort of pine tree or something. Or a fern or…I'm not actually the sort of guy who knows about trees."
"The traditional species used for Christmas is the Norway Spruce." He provided the information, Caster jolted and turned towards him for a moment. "Several other species are also viable for use. This Singularity is not likely to contain the first, ergo they will search for another. Preferences of size will also factor into the decision."
He paused for a moment, then elaborated. "Selection of a Christmas tree is also a matter of importance as it stands at the centre of decorations."
Caster Beatrice remained silent following his words, then gradually nodded her head up and down as she registered the information and understood it, or so he assumed. They were much alike when it came to ignorance regarding the traditions of Christmas. He was only operating on basic information provided by the Holy Grail and little else.
"So we just need a nice tree to decorate then?" She ventured before humming to herself. "Alright then…I'm feeling a little embarrassed now because I spent most of my time in the woods but-um…I-I don't know all that much about trees." A nervous chuckle from her, posture shuffling with clear discomfort and unease. More than likely ashamed at her lack of understanding.
Unfortunate.
"The task has been passed along to one with more understanding than either one of us on the subject matter. Shame is unnecessary." He reassured her as best he could, turning his head towards another direction and narrowing his optics just a touch, his audio receptors were also picking up an elevation of volume at a rate that would be unacceptable to humans - like himself - and with a fluctuation in pitch and tone that was untalented.
Someone was singing and it was not very good.
"Alert: I have registered the presence of unskilled carolers."
A wince from Archer Arash. "Ah…that might be little miss dragon." he looked over his shoulder and squinted, then made a noise nearer to a cough. "And looks as though she's accompanied by Nero…not sure who the giant skull man is though. What about you, Hassan?"
Indeed, the figure bore a strong resemblance to Hassan of the Cursed Arm, though there was a clear difference in the body shape and posture. One bore the mask of a skull while the other was a skull and one was draped in black fabric while the other was shrouded in shadows. It was an interesting feature that would give the appearance of imitation on part of Cursed Arm.
Assassin Hassan made a small noise. "I can say nothing of them beyond…there is a clear aura of death which surrounds them. One I can comfortably say would be greater than any of the Hassan. I can only assume they are some manner of God…assumedly with an authority over death." a brief moment of silence before a chuckle from the Assassin. "But I shall not deny our similar appearances."
"Ah, figured as such." Archer Arash nodded his head and then shrugged "I figured it was worth asking anyway. Not sure what's going on or why he's getting sung to by both Nero and Elizabeth but I'm not going over there to find out."
He concurred.
This was a pointless waste of time.
His arms folded over his chest and he could barely hold back snarling at watching this assortment of traitors, fools and vermin. His eyes lingered on that damned dragon crossbreed trying to sing their cursed hymns to Nito, he could not count on the Gravelord to put the lizard down, he would have tried himself but he would not last long if he did on account of the actual Servants.
Then there was whatever was running around doing all this in the first place. The Berserker who positively reeked of being of the dragon, more than likely another sort of crossbreed. Repugnant creature, how he had even been persuaded to come to this pathetic festival when Seath was still roaming the world and contaminating it with his cursed existence was only proof of his own class poisoning his mind.
It was nothing shy of madness which dragged him down here in the first place.
"I can sense the idea that you're glaring." His violent thoughts were curbed when he glanced to the side and noticed that Caffrey was returning to him. Hovering a couple of inches off the ground and with her head angled to one side in clear bemusement. "Is there something you would have enjoyed partaking in?"
"No." He replied back and returned to glaring.
The pout she was sending his way was all but audible, fighting back a groan he lowered his head and shook it from side to side. "Too. Many. Dragons. Could. Spend. Time. Better. Elsewhere."
Caffrey just huffed. "So you say, but I for one am rather pleased to be allowed to partake in such a grand festival such as this. A time where I might fully demonstrate my prowess as a Goddess…" a brief moment of silence before she let out a sigh and shook her head from side to side. "Though to think how my siblings would approach this brings naught but a headache. Hanleth would have just found a tree and fallen asleep while expecting someone to bring her food…and Nahr would have tried to convince the guests to start killing one another."
Havel felt his brows furrow at the rather great leap between being lazy and sounding homicidal.
"Well, I suppose it is for something else. The humans always did have some rather interesting customs at any rate." Caffrey dismissed a moment later with a wave of her hand as she glanced around. "Though I'm sure that mother will be along soon to help around with this, she liked to be where there was most joy in the world…Perhaps I also wish that father was present as well. He might not have been the most involved in this sort of thing but I'm sure he would have appreciated it as well."
Flann?
Flann was an idiot.
But that wasn't the point she was trying to make-
"I'm telling you, Sammy. My gut never lies to me and this is going to be the best sort of thing we can really sniff out and…" Havel whipped around in an instant, clenching his hands into fists and finding himself staring at the edge of the woods as a pair of figures emerged from it, though his eyes barely lingered on the admittedly tall human and instead focused on the blue skinned angel that accompanied them.
He remembered these two well.
"Oh my…" Edward Teach, the human by the name of Blackbeard, froze on the spot the second he saw them before his eyes swivelled towards the direction of Caffrey and he promptly widened them to the point they looked like they would drop out of his skull, whipping his head in the direction of the angel and then gesturing wildly towards the general location of the Goddess. "See? That's the sort of thing I'm talking about Sammy! That's exactly the sort of thing you picture when you think of an Angel!"
The cloaked angel silently turned their head for a moment before it turned back to them, Blackbeard's expression twitched for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders and made a dismissive noise. "I mean, fair enough she's a Goddess but she has golden wings and is related to divinity. She's either going to be a Goddess Angel or she's going to be a Valkyrie and she isn't exactly looking to be the warrior type."
More silence from the Angel.
"No, Sammy you have rippling muscles and four arms. You can make a sword of light and throw fireballs around." Blackbeard exhaled and shook his head from side to side. "You're like the sort of silent but badass henchman who accompanies the boss. You know when he's trying to be all diplomatic but then just snaps his hands and the henchman just lays the smackdown, you know?"
A twist of the head and a wave of the arm.
"Yeah, yeah. I know that's exactly what you were when you served but that's just how things are!" Blackbeard exclaimed before he stopped and lowered his arms back to his side and let out a breath. "Look, the point is that that Goddess over there is literally the picture perfect representation of what a Goddess or Angel should look like. She's got a gentle aura around her, a sweet and innocent face without appearing too childish, she dresses elegantly without being too over the top or fanservice and her wings are the right sort of golden without feeling as though you're staring into the surface of the sun."
He paused for a moment, then looked back and frowned, cupping his chin and tilting his head once more, squinting his eyes thoughtfully. "I mean…she could do with a halo above her head but I guess it also just adds to the charm at that point. A halo isn't really necessary per-say but you can just add that in later or something."
Havel curled his lip at the display before glancing down to Caffrey and-why was she puffing out her chest and grinning ear to ear. Why would she look so happy at being spoken to like that?
"I see that you have a keen eye, mortal." Caffrey declared rather boastfully, bringing the attention of Blackbeard and 'Sammy' to her as she spread her arms wide. "Indeed, you have the fortune of standing before Caffrey, the Goddess of luck and chance. I am the one who foresees all the fortune of mankind and bestows them equally. In praising my appearance so clearly, you have earned yourself a token of my appreciation!"
She waved her hand only to freeze a moment later, Havel closed his eyes and raised his hand to cover the front of his helm, chancing a look only to see the face of the young Goddess slowly turn scarlet as she no doubt realised that she wasn't able to do all of her regular powers on account of not being in full Servant container.
A moment or two passed, then she cleared her throat and spoke again. "W-which you shall receive when you come to Chaldea and join the ranks of the esteemed members there. B-because that is clearly what is expected of those who join us. Naturally. That's what I meant." another second of silence. "Because giving it to you right now would be silly because you aren't a member of Chaldea so that's…u-uhm…that's just not fair on them."
Blackbeard brought his hands up to cover his mouth, then whispered quietly. "She's an bakadere ojou-sama!" the way in which the words were spoken with such reverence made Havel grunt in discomfort.
"H-hey! That better have been another compliment!" Caffrey called out, having heard him speak and stomp her foot in the air. Though it was mostly just her swinging her leg up and down like a hammer and thrusting her arms down into fists as she did so, a pout on her face as she squinted suspiciously at the two Servants.
Blackbeard clapped his hands together and leaned forwards. "Thank you very much for blessing me with this encounter."
Havel just groaned a little louder.
"The heck do you mean he hasn't shown up since? What was the point of coming down here if he's just going to go marching off into the middle of the woods with no real indication of where he's going!"
He could already feel the irritation building up inside of him at the thought of having to deal with this screaming idiot, they should have just left them where they found them in the first place. It would have worked out for everyone if they never put up with those Noblites ever and just ousted everything related to them from Chaldea.
Arkon turned himself around and leaned over the table that was set up for himself and Okita, he was leaving this mess for her to figure out. Especially because it was now her job as he was relegated to simply guardsman. Nostalgic in his own way and rather comforting that he wasn't trusted with so many lives.
Okita was also more patient with Nobunaga.
Sometimes.
"Because he told everyone that is what he was going to be doing on account of being the one who made the Singularity in the first place." Okita tiredly explained, for what had to have been the third time. "Because he only ever shows up when he's either teleporting a Servant here or is just showing up to check on progress and literally nothing else. Because he told everyone that is what he was going to be doing."
Nobunaga, expectedly, didn't take that very well and just growled in annoyance like the animal she was. "This isn't even-he's literally hunting down Krampus and you're telling me that Man-slayer over here who is in charge of the head of security just said 'okay, bye' and then let him wander off by himself?"
"You have independent action you idiot!" Okita accused and pointed at her "I don't! There's very little I would actually be able to do if we ran into them and sending away the guards we have around here to help him would be a waste of resources. Ash can take care of himself unless you believe that some goat monster is going to be more dangerous than actual Gods."
Arkon gradually turned around and called back. "The Demons of Chaos repelled our assault on Izalith, we lost thousands to the campaigns and they were able to rebuff even Lord Gwyn himself with their numbers and power…many of their common soldiers happened to be 'goat monsters' so I would be less inclined to underestimate them."
He regretted speaking up the moment Nobunaga pointed to him with vindication. "You see? This is like something out of a horror trope. He's basically walked off and said 'I can handle this' when he actually can't."
Arkon furrowed his brows and turned back around to face her. "I thought you selected him as your retainer? Would that not mean you regard your retainer as an incompetent?"
Nobunaga paused and then clamped her jaw shut. "Now hang on, I didn't say that."
"He will be fine." Okita exhaled with a shake of her head. "You're just complaining because he went hunting for Krampus without inviting you or because he didn't decide to summon you to try and delay Master and the others from arriving."
Several different expressions cycled across the face of the woman, hand raised and opening and closing her mouth as she tried and failed to start a sentence a few times before she just blurted out a string of words. "Nuh-uh!"
Okita squinted. "What do you mean 'nuh-uh'!?"
"I mean no way! I'm not jealous that he's doing all this interesting stuff while I'm here!"
"He's just walking through the snow! It's not that interesting! There's nothing interesting out there!"
"I'm telling you, I saw it! I saw a dragon!" Arkon piqued at the shout that was rapidly approaching him, turning his head towards the direction of the speaker only to grimace as he caught sight of a mop of pink hair, the insane paladin bounding towards him and jumping up and down as he did so.
"What?" He turned to the Rider Servant. "What is it now, Astolfo?"
"It was as big as the mountain, as black as night! It flew right over us!" The pink haired servant raved as they threw their arms around to make comparisons. All he did was stare at them in silence before he felt himself frown. A dragon? The chances of a dragon appearing around here without any of them noticing were virtually impossible. Especially since he wasn't getting charged by the keepers of Astolfo speaking the same thing.
"Did anyone else see this dragon?" He felt the need to ask, Astolfo stopped and stared at him for a half second before he rolled his lips inwards. "...Fantastic."
He turned to Okita. "Do you want to-where did the demon halfwit go?"
"Huh?" Okita blinked and then turned to the empty space where Nobunaga had been, they both looked down to see a trail of footprints moving away from them and towards the woods with no sign of the Archer around, Okita soon flattening her features a moment later. "Well…that is just brilliant, isn't it?"
He was inclined to agree with her.
At least until he watched Nobunaga reappear from the woods, the scruff of her neck being gripped by someone who he had not expected to see at all. The face of Gwynevere was set in a flat expression as the dazed look of the Archer was contently staring off into space, he bowed his head as the Goddess approached them, setting the Archer down on the floor once more and pulling her hand back.
"...I trust it was not authorised for this one to go charging into the woods?" Her grace asked, but by her tone she knew the answer already. "Well, I shall leave you all to it. In the meantime…I shall see about some of these decorations. It looks to be quite the interesting little task I can aid with."
And just like that, she was away.
It was at times like this that he really missed some of his comrades, when they organised a festival they could have it done without all this drama.
