[no memories]

Joker couldn’t help from narrowing his eyes slightly when Goro so casually approached and revealed himself to another Master and Servant pair, but he remained by his Master’s side regardless as he spoke. He didn’t say anything aloud, but made sure that Goro was well aware of his disapproval for how easily he’d revealed his identity through their mental connection.

Rather than introduce himself, or start asking questions, Joker contented himself with sizing up the other duo. The girl didn’t seem like anything special….if anything, he might have mistaken her for an NPC if he’d seen her in a crowd in Utopia…not that he could say much regarding that considering his own passive ability….As to the Servant…

Joker could already tell that they weren’t going to get along. Something about the way he held himself, the look in his eyes….they reminded him far too much of the shitty adults that he had devoted his life as a Phantom Thief to punishing. Finally, after a moment of staring, he spoke up.

“…Crow, this isn’t the best place for introductions. We should get out of the open.”

@elusivemaster​ > @rexauream​ > @kougaown​

With Gilgamesh’s explanation, bits of Hakuno’s memories pop up regarding with that knight that he slain. It was similar to the puppets that Hakuno was first contacted with when she was entering the preliminary rounds of the Holy Grail War on SE.RA.PH, similar but they still spill blood everywhere. However, his comment about her being able to slay them was surely a jest and he knows it, so the brunette couldn’t help but roll her eyes. 

“Yes yes, I would surely be able to slay something that can so easily kill me, Great King.” 

Regardless, if he believed that Hakuno could truly defend herself, there would be no need for Gilgamesh’s treasury to protect her during that moment. Crossing her arms, Hakuno just stared at the corpse and watched the spear slowly disappeared into golden dust. Strange how she was so used to seeing dead bodies yet the sight her surroundings made her feel sick. Perhaps it was part of her missing past, but that wasn’t something Hakuno herself wasn’t too interested in. 

Hearing a familiar voice, Hakuno turned around to see Goro taking off his mask, she won’t question his choice of outfit, in fact, it looked rather good on him. Glancing behind the person behind Goro, Hakuno can only guess that person was his Servant, she could feel his eyes sizing her up, that was only natural. She was a Master who can be a potential enemy and Hakuno couldn’t help but do the same thing, it was something that was an instinct than an actual intention. She could see the clear disapproval on his face as Goro approached them, she couldn’t blame him after all, Hakuno didn’t really tell Gilgamesh about her interactions in the city and how she was getting friendly with other Masters but...no, that was an excuse. 

“Well....I wasn’t expecting to be running into you either, Goro, but I’m glad anyway.” She gave him a small smile and stood in front of Gilgamesh, she’s unsure if she’s shielding her own Servant or trying to cover for her new friend. 

Though Hakuno felt like that was a pointless endeavor, her Servant was too much to even cover up properly. “Well, I’ll make this quick. Gilgamesh, this is my friend, Akechi Goro. Goro, this is my Servant, Gilgamesh.” 

It wasn’t that Hakuno trusted Goro enough to reveal her Servant’s name, no, it was actually the fact that there was no absolutely no reason to hide Gilgamesh’s name, status, and power as a Servant. He was the strongest, a Top Servant one might say. However, Goro’s Servant’s words cut through sharply, his disapproval was still strong. 

Crow? It was a strange nickname yet looking at Goro’s mask it makes sense. Hakuno didn’t really ask what Goro did in his own world, their relationship didn’t pry that deep where they need to learn of each other’s histories. “You have a point, um...Goro’s Servant,” what to call him, “let’s move on to a different loca---”

clank clank clank

A sound oh so familiar to Hakuno, she had to listen to Gilgamesh run around his his own armor after all as the brunette turned her head around to see a large army of enemies coming, not their direction per say but their general direction. Pressing her lips, Hakuno couldn’t help but sigh as she looked at Gilgamesh and then back at Goro. She can’t make Gilgamesh fight without reason and Hakuno cannot force him to do her bidding that easily. 

“Gilgamesh, is my life truly going to circle around fighting trash and Servants?” 

“ you choose to cower in face of those before us? raise your head higher than it is before i lop it off and do the honor for you. before us are remnants, beings less valuable than any given life with only one dialect, and that’s to rob us. “ removing his arm from her grasp, gilgamesh stepped forward as he allowed the saint fragments to sink into the floor below. unknown to those keen on the appearance, the ripples beneath sent them into his treasury, isolated for now until they would actually be needed. as for the npcs before him, he let out a scoff at the idea of not killing them. no more were they anything but reminiscent memories of bb’s own viruses that killing them would mean little, if anything in the final outcome.

⧼ ‟♕’’ ⧽ HIS OWN MASTER’S hesitation towards the idea of killing them gave him brief respite to reconsider his stance on the matter, but he thought she was responsible enough to choose how she would die. so be it, if all he had to do was throw them off for their fragments and keep them away from hakuno, so be it. he thought there wouldn’t be any necessity in wasting TOO many weapons, after all. 

⧼ ‟♕’’ ⧽ WAVING HIS HAND, behind him would appear several ripples appearing in the air before him. similar to when one would touch a still pond, what would slowly come from them would be treasures. weapons of variety, all that could be imaginable and then some with a value of wealth almost immeasurable would come out. most notably would be the count. it seemed that he chose one weapon per pairing. were these npcs even remotely a threat he would maybe consider opening more, but that was unnecessary. before any of them could make any movement, gil would throw his hand out. not in a manner of direct command or even full scale offense, but rather an off hand gesture as if doing so to simply command the armaments to fly. and so they would, each finding a separate limb to hold them to the ground. the pain was, naturally, almost unthinkable when actually done to them but gilgamesh saw naught of the pain they endured for the matter, but the prize in their hands. he turned his head towards hakuno. “ well? go claim your prizes. “ 

Cower? Yes that was probably the best way to describe Hakuno’s stance upon this, she was closer to an NPC than anything else, which is why she thought it was a gamble. If she were to step out of their apartment today, there was no doubt that Hakuno could be injured or worse, dead. Which is why she needed Gilgamesh, but she didn’t want to kill these NPCs, they did nothing wrong, absolutely nothing wrong and it wasn’t her place to kill them. Right now, she needed to only gather Saint Fragments, not kill anybody for her own survival. It was really as simple as that. 

Watching Gilgamesh, Hakuno just held her breath and stared at the golden Archer. She finally released her breath as she saw that Gilgamesh only used enough force to shake them off and run away in fear. It made her relieved. It was true that Gilgamesh was a devil of a Servant and that she would have no control over his actions, but something as small as not killing because she request it made the Master very happy. 

“Thank you, Gil.” It was a very small gesture of gratitude that Hakuno would rarely to give her own Servant. Yes, any sort of gratitude that she would give him would only make him prouder and more haughtier. After all, Hakuno’s own goal towards Gilgamesh is to win a single point over. Quickly pressing her lips into a thin lip, Hakuno doesn’t want to face Gilgamesh’s expression so she quickly trotted over to where the Saint Fragments fell and pick them up. 

But still, she told him not to kill but he pinned them down instead. Well, that’s better than nothing. The NPCs will recover, she was unsure if they were able to feel pain here like the NPCs back in the Moon Cell but for now Hakuno has to focus on her goal, gather as much and get that prize money. Why does she desire that much, very simple. So she doesn’t have to rely on her own stupid Servant for her own finances. 

Turning around, Hakuno went back to Gilgamesh. 

“ life could provide each mongrel residing within this war a thousand lifetimes and over and to even entertain the thought that they could even hope to accumulate any kind of wealth comparable to mind fills me with a unique sense of both entertainment and being insulted. bravo, a new accomplishment even for you. “ despite even that, the look on his face quickly returned to that of a smile at seeing hakuno. the line she crossed was already over into his absolute field of treasures that would rain through and pierce her body like wet tissue without problem. however, that persistence amused even him, going so far to call him a weapon. 

⧼ ‟♕’’ ⧽ SWIRLING THE cup of wine in his hand with some look of interest on his face now, he’d take a small sip as he listened to her speak on that regard. looking back up, he even went as far as putting it down simply to speak. “ very well. you’ve made your case to me how much you desire for me to take part in this. that amicable means of speaking you present to even such as someone as myself shows your worth in seeking something out of this. “ standing up and displacing his goblet of wine back into the gates, he would walk past her and towards the door before stopping in place for but one second. 

“ but, to call me a weapon is a dangerous thing. that would mean you would have me unleash the full front of my treasury to remove the competition. while i would like to preserve my treasures, i suppose you being my master and wielding me like this gives me no choice but to cut down all that stand before us. “ turning back and giving her a sinister grin, he’d let out a quick laugh before turning back and stepping out. it was really more so the irony of the situation, how now hakuno was willing to do what it took to win. internally, he knew that her humanity would never allow him to crush everyone in their path for such a trivial matter, and that she was effectively putting up a front. but, the fact she would do so like that to him gave him at least enough drive to participate in such a meaningless play. 

⧼ ‟♕’’ ⧽ ONCE OUTSIDE gilgamesh would look around the cityscape before him, sticking his nose back up at the disheveled sights of what looked like masters already going at picking up those strange saint graph fragments littered all around the city. really, the easiest method of doing this would simply be culling the masters now and presenting the bloodied pieces back to hakuno. however, part of him knew she’d actually expect him to go out of his way to gather them. 

Yes, perhaps calling Gilgamesh a weapon was too bold of a move but that was the truth. For Hakuno to admit that Gilgamesh was a person in her eyes, he will gain that right as a person to easily kill her, which is why it’s better to refer to him as a weapon that she will dangerously wield. Pressing her lips together, the brunette just followed the golden king as he gave her that smile. If that was the case, then so be it. If Gilgamesh has to cut down everybody, then let hell run loose but Hakuno prays that wouldn’t be the case, there will be no reason for blood to be shed upon them. 

“The moment they stand before you, I don’t know if they want to live or not.”

Ask that question back right back at yourself, Hakuno. You keep throwing yourself out in front of Gilgamesh in hopes that he will listen to you and comply with your request. 

Once outside of their Room, Hakuno stuck close to Gilgamesh and as her theory was correct, Saint Fragments were slowly coming by Gilgamesh’s way. She wasn’t going to question it or doubt it, but this was the other gamble Hakuno was making after she managed to convinced Gilgamesh to do her bidding. “...!” She was pleased with the results nonetheless. She never thought that stepping foot outside of their home would amass them this much, but like her conversation with Goro earlier, she was unsure how many she would actually need. 

So best to gather as much as she could in a short period of time less the King of Heroes’ goodwill vanished into thin air. 

However, as the duo continued to stroll peacefully in the city and picking up Fragments, Hakuno couldn’t help but feel the tension in the air towards her. NPCs held Saint Fragments. Masters and Servants were advised not to kill the NPCs but if they do, they should keep that event quiet. “...” The Master had a bad feeling as she took a light hold of Gilgamesh’s arm, she could sense her Servant looking at her.

“So....I’m not saying to kill or anything...” Deep breath. “But please don’t let them near me.” 

A refund for that ootoro would definitely be appreciated, especially if he had to spend some of his money for a dental checkup. Fortunately for Goro however, a quick inspection of his cheek seemed to indicate that no teeth were broken in the process. Pain numbing down, he received the cup from Hakuno with a grateful smile.

“Haha…It’s alright, I seem to be – is this a saint fragment?”

Indeed, what glinted in his tissue paper seemed to be an iridescent pyramid. It was small, but there was no way it could probably be disintegrated with normal means. If one managed to find its way towards his meal, who knows where else they could find them? He wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out there were more saint fragments hiding inside the restaurant.

Five million SSR. That was the top prize. And while it did seem too much for any individual to posses, Goro had other plans in mind. He and his Servant already had an idea on what they wanted to do, and how they wanted to do it… And in order for them for succeed, that outrageous amount of money might just be what they need.

He stared at Hakuno for a full moment. She was smiling, and she meant every word of what she said. But in her eyes she could also see the determination she had in completing this mission and to take the top prize. Goro will have to choose his words carefully.

He could lie. He could say that he would be glad to help her, while making sure the saint fragments ended up in his hands by the end of the day. He could also choose to help her in earnest, putting aside his personal goal for her own. But she was worth his honesty. Goro has lied and deceived many others in the past, and he will continue to lie and deceive many others more, but he didn’t want to do this to Hakuno. It’s the least amount of respect he can give to her.

“You are a good friend, Hakuno. And I really mean it. I didn’t have a lot of good friends back in my world, and the friends I did have…I failed them. That’s why I was so glad to have met you. I want our days to continue like this, where we can go around and try out different kinds of food together.“

He’s being genuine too, but there is a remarkable sorrow in his smile, this time. A far cry from the ones he showed Hakuno in the past. His mind, unfortunately, has been made up.

“That’s why I want to be honest with you… I need this money as well. So I’m afraid I cannot help you.”

“...”

Judging his words, his expressions, Hakuno felt part of her heart feeling relieved. She can’t deny it, some part of Goro’s words made her feel uneasy, as if some part of his personality was unnatural. Naturally, it was none of Hakuno’s business to even discuss that with Goro. Hakuno would like to become closer to the detective, but they weren’t on any sort of close terms yet or never to even get to that point. Neither of them have revealed their past to each other to warrant any sort of passing friendship. It seems hollow almost and Hakuno does not wish for that at all. 

Which was why, despite her complaints about the city and the Holy Grail that she was forced upon once more, she felt like she could redeem herself and the people around her. But her sins won’t disappear and the fact remains that out of the 372 combatants on the Holy Grail War in SE.RA.PH and the Sentinels on the Far Side, Hakuno had to step over them in order to simply survive. 

However that was another story for a different day. 

For now, Hakuno gave Goro a reassuring smile. Almost pleased with his reaction. Gilgamesh really influenced part of her personality and judgement on people. 

“ ‘How human,’ is what my Servant would say to you if he was here.” It was true. For Hakuno, to be human is the only thing she can do. She wasn’t human but despite that Gilgamesh said that she was the most human he has ever seen. She wasn’t the representation of humanity or anything, she was simply the truest she can be. Whether she was cruel or naive, that doesn’t matter. 

“But now you just show me a part of your ‘true’ nature.” The brunette grinned, some of mischief sparkled in her eyes. Hakuno Kishinami only has one wish and one wish that can only be obtained while being alive, to live her life to the fullest, through any sort of experience she can get. “However, that’s what it means to be a Master, having allies isn’t bad but by the end of the day, you are a Master of your own right and having your own goal is what ensures your survival in the Holy Grail War.”

That was a fact, Hakuno herself did not a have a wish to obtain simply because she had no memory but she didn’t want to die, she wanted to survive in order to find some sort of truth about herself and the world she was living in. 

“But this place isn’t a bloody battlefield so I don’t have to worry about fighting you nor do I wish to fight against you.” Hakuno does not wish to reenact the Holy War again or fighting against the people she knows and respect, this is why she wished this city would be a peaceful one even with its goals and what not.