mayfield_rpg | 1st Code [Action] [Warning for Fate/Extra spoilers in comments!]

[Action - 505 Ricardo Street]

[Hakuno practically jumps out of bed when the alarms blare out across town. Alarm floods her first... but then, confusion. It seemed like just a second ago that, with adrenaline still pumping through her after the final battle, she had reached out, fingertips an inch away from the the Moon Cell...

... And then she woke up here. But... where was here? Was this some other construction by the Moon Cell?

Only one way to find out! She slid out of bed, exiting the room and looking around. Is this... someone else's house?]

Hello? Is anybody here?

[Action - Outside]

[Some time later, Hakuno is dressed and outside, looking up at the midnight sky, inky-black and dotted with stars.]

Huh... I almost forgot what this looked like... [Her voice doesn't sound wistful or contemplative of anything like that... she's simply stating a fact. She was so used to the strange digital sky surrounding the school, or the harsh artificial sun of the various levels of the arena. But this... this was different.] ... Considering everything, though, I guess that doesn't really mean much.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The diminutive emperor's face trembled, expression unable to keep up with the rapidly-swirling emotional vortex that they were meant to reflect. She could have handled this, after all; if Hakuno had responded as Saber had expected, she would have simply offered the girl a crushing hug, content - no... ecstatic, not content - simply that, in some sense, she still lived.

But she hadn't. She hadn't been confused; not really. She'd known, from a glance, who she was.

She remembered. She remembered, even though the Moon Cell should have purged every last remnant of her consciousness; even though the only Hakuno that should exist anymore oughtn't know a thing about the Grail War.

There was only one possibility, then, impossible though it might actually be: this was not a Kishinami Hakuno; this was the Kishinami Hakuno. Not the template, the original... but hers. Her foolish, thick-headed, beloved Master.

Saber was - had always been - prideful, boastful, prone to bluster... but, when it came to her emotions, she was starkly honest. When she was happy, there was no hope of keeping a smile off her face; when someone aroused her ire, the merest mention of them would likely provoke a venomous rant, deserved or otherwise.

And, when she was relieved? Really, truly, cathartically relieved?

Well, she wasn't too proud to cry, when the situation warranted it... and, this one? Certainly did.

Saber dashed forward, throwing her arms around Hakuno, as if trying to keep her from slipping away again.]

Idiot! Buffoon! [saber that is not a very nice greeting]

That you would allow me to believe it was truly the end... do not expect my forgiveness to come easily!

[There was no anger in her words, not really; they were born of panic, and nothing more. As she spoke, the first of many hot tears spilled out, soaking into shirt her "daughter" was wearing.

Hope you didn't want to go anywhere for a while, Hakuno. She isn't letting you out of her grasp for a bit, much less her sight.]

[The hug takes her by surprise for only a second before she wraps Saber in one equally as tight. She tries to laugh at the scolding - like with Rin, she's just so used to that attitude that it doesn't really bother her - but considering the tears quickly forming in her eyes, it comes out as more of a choked sob.]

I'm sorry... I didn't want to leave. [Leave you. Leave Rani. As accepting as she was about her imminent death, it was still terrifying knowing that she was going to be completely erased, and she did have her regrets.] But I had to do it...

[She knew that; really, she did. If Hakuno hadn't done what she'd done... if she hadn't sacrificed herself to break that meaningless cycle...

Well, she wouldn't have been herself; she wouldn't have been the girl that Saber fell in love with. And, really, it went without saying that the tiny emperor wouldn't legitimately berate her for staying true to her beliefs...

It was just...

...

She'd been prepared. Content, maybe? It had seemed a fitting, beautiful end; shielding her Master from the Moon Cell's purge, to give her as much time to leave her mark on the world as possible. They'd been doing something good, something righteous; it wasn't a death to be complained about.

But, then? It wasn't the end. Her contentment had been shattered, and the fear - the fear that had always been there, but... pushed aside, in favour of more immediate concerns - had been allowed to run its course.

She should be happy - she is happy - and yet... the only thing she can feel at the moment is that pent-up fear.

You aren't leaving her again, Hakuno. She's already lost you once, and she'll cleave the heavens before she lets it happen again.]

Fool... I know that...

Your nobility will [...awkward pause; wow she definitely almost said "be the death of you" WHOOPS] ...never cease to make trouble for the both of us.

[This time she does manage to laugh, as weak as it sounds. A small part of her wonders just what might be wrong with her, to have missed Saber's scolding and Rin's verbal abuse. But it's part of what made Rin and Saber... well. Rin and Saber. It's a reminder that they're really here with her, and she's with them. They're alive, so maybe everything will be okay now.]

Trouble just seems to find me, no matter where I go. [She smiles fondly.] I'm glad you're still here to watch my back.

[Saber smiles back, despite her best attempts at looking stern; for some reason, she always found Hakuno's smiles infectious.]

Of course. Troublesome or not, it goes without saying that I would gladly take an arrow to the [knee] heart before I would allow a foe to leave even a scratch on you.

[The fact that they were Master and Servant was incidental, at best; the true explanation was even simpler, after all.

It was natural for a noble, knightly sort to give her all in defending the person she loves, right?]

[It's... almost scary, how fiercely Saber says that. Oh, it's touching, of course, knowing that someone cares so much about her that they'll be willing to go to the extremes. But... knowing one stupid move from her might cause Saber to take a deathblow for her is. A little intimidating.]

I hope things don't come to that. [Despite the somewhat morbid topic, Hakuno is still smiling.] We've been given a second chance... I don't want to waste it.

[Saber nods, catching her meaning.]

Of course; I have no intention of dying. [Did that twice. It sucked both times.] Your life is not all I wish to protect, Praetor. [She touches Hakuno's cheek, as her smile turns fond... soft, almost.] Protecting your smile is just as worthy.

[There it is again. That little flutter in her chest. It happened whenever Saber would say things like that. She wasn't sure why, but it always made her really happy...]

I want to protect you as well... I know you're my Servant, but you're also my friend. [She reaches up to place her hand over Saber's, ignoring another brief flutter of her heart.] We're in this together, so I have to do what I can.

[...ahhh, she was doomed from the start, wasn't she? Her heart was taken the moment they first met. Hakuno hadn't impressed her then, not really, but... she'd seen potential. The potential for strength, for beauty, for majesty beyond measure; a dull rock, with a gemstone hiding just below the surface.

Saber's cheeks redden almost imperceptibly, as she gives Hakuno an enthusiastic nod.]

Naturally. If I am watching your back, and you mine, then there is no way we can be taken by surprise... and, you already know that I am undefeatable in open combat. [...her smile turns back towards arrogant.] This town may do its worst, and it will still not be enough. Not with you by my side.

1st Code [Action] [Warning for Fate/Extra spoilers in comments!]

action; it's certainly the most coherent one i've ever written... which isn't actually saying much

action;

action; itt: kevin babbles forever about internal conflicts :||||

action; babble to me forever bb, I'll just sit here and feel inadequate

action; /doesn't abandon this thread!!! also you are the opposite of inadequate GOSH!!!!

action; this thread will never die awww yeah

action; a week and a half between tags every time I THINK I'VE HIT A NEW LOW sob

action; NO SOBBING ALLOWED, GOT IT

action; IT'S NOT MY PARTY BUT I'LL STILL CRY IF I WANT TO