#alt title is the one where achilles falls for the dumbest trick in the book

[hakhub]

(short story) 閃光 (Flash)

Fandom: Fate Grand Order

Pairing: Hako (DFAB NB Mastersona) / Achilles (an asshole)

Word Count: 5.4k

Content Warnings: Nothing really, just your classic fanfic cringe.

I’ve wanted to write the Mastersona Hako/Achilles meeting for ages, so here it is. In all its unedited, disgusting, comma splice abusing glory. I’ve been trying to write this stupid fic for six fucking months and you can tell because it’s bloated as hell and I can’t stand to look at it any longer lmao. It needs a lot of overhaul. If it doesn’t make any sense I am not shocked in the slightest, just apologetic to your senses. (sorry)

The song referenced is 閃光 by Alexandros. English version available here.

The cover artist that best reaches Hako’s vocal range is this one if you like immersion.

@exmeowstic since you wanted to be tagged here you go!

“Master, what are you doing?” Jeanne called out gently, hoping that by doing so she wouldn’t startle her Master from their seated position on the floor, “Mash says the observation room is ready.”

Hako turned their head blithely, “praying. What else?”

“Oh! I didn’t know you were praying- erm, but I thought you weren’t a Christian.”

“I’m not openly religious, but sometimes you gotta.”

“Who were you praying to, then?”

Hako’s eyes were focused on the Summoning Chamber just a handful of feet away. They watched the unoccupied platform and the dozens of machines steadily beeping and reading away for whatever, or whomever, would come through the other side. There was stillness in the air, the same kind of eerie stillness as a calm lake before an inevitable storm.

“No one in particular,” they answered, slipping their hands into their pockets and turning on their feet to face the observation deck, “let’s go.”

Jeanne opted to avoid prying further,  “Are you hopeful for a particular class this time?”

“A Rider.”

“I see…it would be very beneficial for us to have one.”

“A strong one, yeah. One experienced in war.”

“Experienced in war?”

“We’re fighting one, aren’t we?”

“I suppose we are, yes,” Jeanne nodded slowly, absorbing Hako’s perspective. In all their time together traveling from one Singularity to the next, and now contending with Lostbelts, Chaldea was effectively at war. She hadn’t wanted to see matters in such a blunt, almost barbarous way, but then again Hako’s upbringing had made them the way they were; all endeavour boiled down to life or death, victory or defeat, and their tenure as Chaldea’s Unintended Last Master was no exception.

“Chiron suggested Odysseus would line up nicely with the others,” Hako added as they ascended the stairs, their expression stoic and unreadable, “at the end of the day we need a leader on the Rider front. We’re not going to win if we don’t.”

“Master…” Jeanne slowed her gait and watched Hako continue to walk up the steps in silence. She couldn’t think of something apt to quell the worries she knew were present. They weren’t always the most emotionally open, even around her (despite her being their most trusted Servant). It was clear that the weight of not having a robust Rider to round out the roster was a sore weak spot; she had done her best to hold the line and compensate, but there were more than enough close scrapes with defeat that only seemed to make Hako bottle up their inadequacies even more.

They rounded the last set of stairs and entered the observation deck to get greeted by Mash.

“Readings are clear, Senpai,” she nodded affirmatively to the nearby Hako, “are we ready to start?”

Hako nodded, and the first switches were pulled to start the process. The machines surrounding them whirred louder in life, energies pulsating rhythmically. Their hands ducked deeper into their pockets, their eyes sparing a quick glance to Jeanne and Mash, who were both watching the monitors diligently.

Their thoughts fell back to their last disastrous battle; fire licked at their heels and the sky went black with a rain of molten death rushing toward them. They remembered their pupils shrinking and shouting for Jeanne, the latter struggling to hold her flag skyward even with them standing at her side to assist. They felt the last seal on their hand peel from them, running out of breathable air amidst a wave of choking heat burning past Jeanne’s protection, barely bolstered by Mash risking her life yet again.  Hako met the ground, unable to stand as the flood of furious sound and unbearable fire buckled their knees, fighting with what rapidly diminishing strength they had to give Ishtar the mana needed to fire her last arrow, one that luckily beheaded the fire-spewing beast that besieged them. They remembered being helped up by Mash to see a smoldering ruin all around them, with their two strongest fighters labouring just to stand. They remembered gritting their teeth and clenching their fists, knowing deep down that if they could only be stronger, that if they had a Rider that broke through enemy defenses as a swift vanguard first before committing to a full scale assault like this, that the mission would not have ended in barely achieved, battered victory. That perhaps their Servants wouldn't have to suffer for their sake.

Hako released an inaudible sigh, unclenching their hands in their pockets. They hadn’t realized they were unconsciously making fists while reminiscing. They focused on the monitors briefly before they closed their eyes to try something different in earnest.

They were hopeful that Jeanne and Mash wouldn’t try to tune into what they were about to telepathically utter for the sake of privacy, let alone embarrassment. They weren’t the type to pray for something, even during summonings, but just this once considering how dire affairs were turning out, they would give it a try. After all, they were already caught praying once before the summoning began.

“Whoever you are, I need your help. After everything I’ve tried I’m at my limit. I’ve lived my whole life thinking I could do everything on my own, but I can't do this alone. There are so many people that are depending on me…I thought I wouldn’t care, that I could leave this mess but I can't leave now. I can't leave them behind. I can't have them believe in me only to fail them and come up short- I have to get stronger, and I need your help to do it. So please... please… please answer me.”

They hadn’t noticed at first but the monitors had caught a reading that rapidly grew in strength. They only stopped mumbling when Mash yelped and shot out of her chair, a brilliant flash of green bursting from the platform below. The sound rang out loud and clear, violent and quick like a gunshot at dawn.

“It’s a big reading!” Mash exclaimed, grabbing the stunned Hako, “get back, Senpai!”

They didn’t move.

Hako’s breath froze in the back of their throat; their attention was completely transfixed on the electricity firing off in all directions on the platform below, the excess power flooding through the machinery in a dazzling array of emerald light that arced and burst all along the floor. Instead of fleeing they leaned forward to see more, breath abated and heart pounding to a complete standstill. The protective glass of the observation window buckled and rattled, threatening to shatter but they didn’t move from their spot despite warnings from both Jeanne and Mash to get out of the way. 

They had to know.

They had to know for certain.

Out of all the Servants in the entire population that could have heard them, was it really going to be-

He landed with both boots on the ground and an unceremonious thud, turning his head in an instant to the observation chamber he somehow knew his new Master was standing in.

“You just hit the Servant summoning jackpot!” he gave them a flash of teeth, a show of confidence that hit as fast as his fabled myth said he would.

Mash frantically looked to Hako, who was still completely motionless, “S-Senpai? Are you going to say something?”

They didn’t say a word.

“You shy or something?” his voice was booming, hollering at full volume to let himself be known to half the base. He was, after all, the type to invite fanfare.

Mash awkwardly prompted them again, “S-senpai. Senpai. I think he’s- I think Achilles is talking to you-“

As if called to action Hako’s hand flicked the PA system switch and their reply came barreling out without a moment’s thought, “You’re not Odysseus.”

Achilles put his hands on his hips, incredulous, “wha- you were hoping for that dandy in tights?” he scoffed, waving his hand dismissively, “Tch. You ought to work on your judgement a little, since you were hoping for the wrong man. See, I’m the best Rider around by leagues. You know who I am, don’t you?”

Their eyebrow twitched, and Jeanne and Mash exchanged nervous glances.

Uh oh.

They snatched the nearby microphone, immediately irate.

“Listen here you Greek dingus- if you even think you’re the best around think again. I was praying for a leader, not some Trojan War yuppie whose most famous accomplishment was making a complete ass of himself and getting shot in the foot.”

“What did you just call me!?” Achilles shot back, instantly offended from even being called such a name from someone he was supposed to work with.

“A dingus and a yuppie whose had everything handed to him from gods and people alike-“

“Hey I earned my gifts, shortstack!”

“Don’t you EVER call me a shortstack!”

“Oh yeah? And why shouldn’t I?” he narrowed his eyes, his mood flipping from angrily defensive to insufferably coy, “all I see is a little Master who thinks they can boss me around. You ought to familiarize yourself with my background.”

Hako's grip on the microphone loosened only the slightest.

“I know plenty about you, and I know plenty about your type. And it’s that you can’t lead an army even if someone handed it to you!”

“It’s your turn to think again. I can lead. I just don’t take lip from shortstacks, let alone kings or commanders.”

“T-take lip…?” they were silent for a solid second until all at once they ignited in a violent burst of outrage, their excess mana causing a nearby monitor to overload, “I don’t give lip you ignorant fuck! I back up what I have to fucking say! Unlike you, a mealy-mouthed dingus with a tiny-“

“Don’t you call me a dingus!”

“Fuck you!”

“Fuck YOU!”

Mash squirmed in her seat, frantically glancing at Jeanne who could only wave her hands to signify she had no idea what would be best to do now that Hako was properly angry and  Achilles was already more than a little incensed for violence.

“Senpai? M-maybe you don’t have to say something so harsh…?” she quipped meekly.

Achilles clearly didn’t hear any of Mash’s soft protests, since he roared back, “Say that to my face, you shortstack brat!”

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of hesitation in the manner Hako turned on their heels, grabbed a nearby folding chair, and marched out of the observation doors. Mash and Jeanne had scrambled after them, unsure of what was about to unfold as Hako descended the stairs onto the main deck where Achilles had effectively challenged them to insult him in person.

“Tch, you really are short,” he sneered at first before contorting to a frown, seeing that his comment didn’t deter the much smaller Hako. Their expression was stone cold and unreadable, dragging a folding chair behind them with nothing but malicious intent, “what are you doing with that thing?”

Hako cut off his question by unfolding the chair in front of him, turning it so the backrest faced him, “You said I needed to tell you to your face, huh? Think I’m scared of you?"

They punctuated their remark by shoving the chair forwards half a foot, positioning it directly in front of him.

“I guess not,” he crossed his arms and took a daring step forward, smacking his hand on the back of the chair for emphasis.

With two sound claps of their sneakers they were standing on a metal seat and glaring at him from eye level. Their expression didn’t change but their voice lowered in volume to maximize just how intimidating a Master a foot shorter than him could actually be.

“Let’s get one thing clear. I don’t give lip. I give orders,” Hako leaned forwards directly into his eyes, their cadence dry yet pointed, “and I expect you to obey them.”

He didn’t flinch from their statement, meeting them head on with his own retort, “Then you need to understand that I don’t take orders from anyone.”

Their reflective irises sparked before narrowing, “I don’t particularly care for my authority getting undermined.”

He smirked, bobbing his eyebrows up once to rub in his perceived victory, “You’d better get used to it.”

“You challenged the wrong Master, jackass,” their hands left their pockets and they pointed their finger at his throat, “every horse can be broken.”

He was obviously amused from their audacity, “try me.”

Mash could have sworn she was seeing Hako and Achilles exude genuine battle auras that made the air grow thick with a paralyzing tension; she bit her lip, panicking about when she should try to intervene and if intervening would even save what was snowballing into a duel between a very temperamental Master and a very brash, newly summoned Servant.

“Fine by me. But before we throw down,” Hako scoffed, standing straighter at first before adding lowly with an accompanying creak from the chair they were standing on, “your shoe is untied.”

Achilles’ concentration broke and his posture corrected, breaking his immersion while he balked from their left-field non sequitur. He blinked and then predictably glanced down at his footwear.

WH-CRACK.

He was only met with Hako’s fist to his jaw, snapping his head back and his teeth clattering against each other. He stumbled backwards a half-step, cradling the spot they had just uppercutted him with one hand while Hako was rubbing their injured knuckles.

Their eyes met and he was incredulous, while Hako changed from stern to mischievous.

“Oldest trick in the book, and you fucking fell for it!” they burst out laughing, deep and guttural guffaws rumbling their entire frame.

“What the hell was that for!?”

“For being a disrespectful fuckbag!” they snapped, “and for not being Odysseus!”

“Why you little-!” he lunged and clutched both ends of their jacket collar, knocking the chair forwards to the floor and shaking his future murder victim, “try taking me on fair and square!”

“You afraid of getting your ass kicked by someone half your size?” Hako rasped, still struggling in his grip, their feet cycling between kicking the air and punting his knee, “I’ll make it happen!”

“We’ll see if you can keep talking like that when I’m through with you-“

“Not if I kick you in the heel first!”

“I’ll kick you into the sun first!”

“That’s enough, Achilles,” Chiron had appeared from behind, yanking his former student backwards with enough force that Hako was relinquished at once and recovered by Jeanne and Mash.

“Did you see what that little brat did?! Are you seriously gonna let them get away with that?” he shot back.

Hako was still shouting at him while Jeanne and Mash were dragging them away, “Your threats are weak, ponyboy! I’ll shitkick you any day of the fucking week!”

Achilles’ face was so flustered his ears were reddened, “Who’re you calling a ponyboy!?”

“You, dumbass!” They flicked their middle finger up at him before Mash gasped and promptly restrained them again, “as if I’d ever insult your much cooler teacher!”

“As if I’d insult someone who actually knows their ass from a hole in the ground!”

“I’ll PUT you in a hole in the ground!” their parting words were probably followed by more insults, muffled only by the doors being swiftly shut behind them.

“You- you shit-eating little brat!” he shouted after them, feeling the sides of his throat grow hoarse from strain.

Chiron chuckled and simply held Achilles in a stronger hold to prevent the latter from conjuring his chariot, “they may be little, Achilles, but they are our Master. Whether you like it or not.”

Achilles sighed, getting released when he at last carried the appearance of being calm again, “how can a brat like that be a Master?”

“That brat is more competent than you may think. …And, they had a point.” Achilles cast a pointed glance to his former teacher.

Chiron gave him a parting pat on the shoulder before leaving for a different exit, “you don’t even have laces. I taught you better than that.”

Achilles’ chin stung remarkably less. He scoffed at Chiron’s statement and turned on his heel to follow, “tch. Whatever.”

================================

The doors slid shut in front of Hako while they were dragged another handful of feet down the Achilles-less corridor.

“Ugh he’s the WORST!” they slammed their foot against the closed doors until Jeanne had dragged them back far enough away so they couldn’t reach, “he’s still shouting slander over there- I ought to boot the door down and kick his ass!”

“Senpai please don’t try to fight him…”

“I second Mash’s opinion, Master,” Jeanne added, “maybe designing some training exercises will take your mind off of things?”

Hako took a long breath inward and slumped their shoulders to clearly communicate to the others that they could be released. Once they could move their arms again they adjusted their jacket, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep busy and all that.”

They turned their back to the sealed door before them to instead head towards their room, “Besides. Like hell I’d give that jackass the welcoming tour.”

Despite their grumpy demeanor, Jeanne was prompted to smile seeing that Hako had become much less agitated. She followed along with her Master, clasping her hands by her front, “I’m sure his former teacher will take it upon himself to.”

“It was quite kind of Chiron to step in when he did,” Mash chimed in.

“I’ll thank him later I guess,” Hako murmured, fidgeting with the keypad for their private room, “anyway. I’ll see you two later. I’m gonna work on those training regimens again."

Their expression soured as they muttered disdainfully, “since Odysseus isn’t here.”

Their bedroom door slid shut and it wasn’t even a handful of seconds later that music was blasting through their speakers, coming out in muffled quality to any onlookers outside.

Mash let out an exasperated sigh, allowing her shoulders to sink down, “Miss D’Arc? How are you not worn out from all that?"

Jeanne blinked plainly and replied, “Hmm, well, I suppose with time one can be quite used to Master Hako’s capriciousness.”

“Was Senpai really that upset to summon Achilles? I had thought that…maybe they would be happy to see him again. But they were really mad.”

Jeanne scratched the corner of her cheek sheepishly, “Perhaps Master Hako has a unique way of expressing how happy they are?"

Mash furrowed her brow, keeping in step with Jeanne as the pair made their way to the cafeteria, “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“Consider their history with Achilles. They were very nervous as a new Master back then, do you remember?”

“That was ages ago, yes. Senpai was pretty withdrawn back then…”

“He left quite the impression on them, don’t you think? They may have some complicated feelings from that time.”

“Gosh…do you think Senpai thinks of that time often?”

Jeanne shrugged, opting to not postulate much further beyond her next statement, “I think when we meet someone important, we value every moment we share with them, however short-lived it may be."

Of course, Jeanne didn’t choose to mention she recognized the tune Hako had chosen to play from their stereo to Mash; it wasn’t her secret to tell, but the thought that Hako would even remember such a song for such a specific context only prompted her to smile knowingly.

It was so long ago, after all. Her Master was only a fledgling at the time, a nervous wreck of a girl without the slightest clue on how to command an army and a comical contrast to the Master she knew presently. Yet, even though Hako was once shy and withdrawn, there were always hints of a more fiery individual underneath, one that just needed the right context to fully awaken and express themselves.

She and the other Servants built a  the modest campfire to watch over, knowing it was their last night before it was time to leave the following morning. Hako had remained rather quiet, staring into the flames while the others idly chatted about what they would do now that their time was coming to an end.

“Ah, I know!” Mash clapped her hands together, “Senpai, why don’t we sing a campfire song? This is a good time for one of those right?”

Hako stiffened like a board, “wha- but I- I don’t even know what song to sing.”

“You’ve been dragging around that guitar case for days, and now you’re saying you don’t even know how to play?” Mordred retorted, “what, is it like your pet dog or something?”

“I do know how to play, I just…I don’t know, I’m not that good-“

“But Mommy, you sing super pretty,” Jack plopped herself down next to Hako, eagerly tugging at their sleeve as if doing so would prompt them to play, “you sung a pretty song after you put me to bed earlier.”

Hako had been thankful that the warm hue of the fire made it harder to see how hot their face was getting, “you weren’t supposed to hear that Jack...”

“Why not sing that one?” Jeanne suggested, being the only servant present that was actually contracted with Hako, “it’s the one you’re focusing on learning correct? Performing with other people might help you play it better.”

It was easy to tell Hako was grimacing at the thought that Jeanne was making a perfectly reasonable statement, since they relented and started unbuckling the case to present their worn out instrument.

In a pitiful attempt to stall they nervously added, “this is um…not exactly a great campfire song. Sorry.”

Jeanne nodded to them to start, noting with a pang of guilt how much Hako’s arm trembled before picking the first set of notes. She glanced towards the other Servants that were all watching intently, some seeming impressed that Hako could actually play somewhat skillfully on guitar, others starting to clap along once they got a feel for the tempo.

Hako’s voice on the other hand barely carried at first, as if working up the nerve during the relatively hushed verses.

I’m scared to death and it’s so cold all the time I know I’ve made mistakes, you know what it takes                                          Now I’m facing all the demons that are inside me                                              Take the sword and get prepared for the fight Now I feel awake, this is my escape Inspired by the change of a world that I never knew

She watched how Hako braced themselves inwardly and then strummed a little faster with each passing measure, their lips tightly pressed together. But she could see a spark, however subtle it was, intensify gradually with every pass they made on the strings. They always cared so much about every song they found on their journey, and the ones that they actually were trying to play were on another level of importance. Jeanne could see how much it had meant to them simply through the resolve building in their voice, leading all at once when she heard them project perfectly on key to the profound surprise of their audience.

Teach me how to fly So that I won’t have to cry

Their voice betrayed an honesty, a vulnerability, that Hako worked hard to obscure. When they sang, they sang wholeheartedly and with everything they had; for someone so small it was impressive they could hold notes the way they could, shaping lyrics from simple words into something evocative.

Jeanne could see from half a measure into the chorus, the light that Hako was so ashamed of showing carrying through in the care they put into every note. She smiled wider when everyone else in the impromptu audience were cheering and singing along by the second refrain, clapping their hands or tapping their feet. She watched her Master closely, taking in the details of how they could channel themselves into a performance, throwing their true self out into the limelight without a hint of hesitation once the music they valued so much had propelled them with enough momentum to stop being self-conscious. By the bridge of their first song they leaped to a log for some height, pretending it was a stage and slamming their foot in place of a kick drum to enthusiastic applause. She was relieved to see how easily her Master could perform another song after finishing their first, then going for several more and getting some of the rowdier friends they had made to join along in a genuine circle of music by firelight. They clearly bristled a little from so much chattering and especially Mordred’s excitement to learn how to play guitar, but took the positive attention they received with a decent degree of stride.

She got up from her seat to make her way to Hako, who had reverted back to sitting further away from everyone else while Mordred seemed to be leading conversation. Conspicuously, they had given away their instrument to Mordred's care, as if doing so allowed them to withdraw once more.

She bent over to help pry a sleepy (and clingy) Jack off of Hako's lap, "taking a break, Master?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I have it in me to do a full set like all the big stars do. It's so overwhelming, getting lost in a performance,” they laughed at their own expense and rubbed the side of their neck, "I feel like my head is spinning just trying to come down from it."

"I thought you performed wonderfully," Jeanne reassured them.

Hako mumbled quickly and incoherently in their pitiful attempt to accept Jeanne's praise, then added, "also, um, thanks for picking up Jack. My legs were starting to go numb and I didn't have the heart to wake her."

Jeanne giggled softly, tucking Jack's slumbering body into her arms.

“That kid’s taken quite the shine to you,” Achilles sauntered by, nonchalantly sitting down next to Hako while Jeanne wordlessly turned on her heel to carry Jack elsewhere.

“Me? I don’t know…” Hako nervously picked at the collar of their uniform, “Jack is like that with everybody.”

He snorted, “she calls you Mommy.”

“…True,” they mumbled awkwardly, staring at their knees tucked towards their chest.

There was a brief silence between them while Hako watched the others continue to chat, sing, and dance the night away, and Achilles was more focused on the firelight. They cast a quick glance to him, noting how his features were perfectly cut from the gleaming orange hues of the campfire, getting a little too distracted from how the gold in his eyes went amber at certain angles.

By the time he looked back at them, they were staring at their knees again.

He wasn’t subtle in the way he rolled his eyes, but his playful sneer betrayed his nature more, “you know, every time I think I've got you figured out, you do something to surprise me.”

“Like what?”

“You’re all withdrawn until somebody gives you an instrument and a song to play apparently. Then it’s like you get all outgoing and expressive- you're a completely different person.”

Hako blushed and scrunched up tighter protectively, “It’s- it’s just my dumb hobby, it’s really not-”

“It’s a compliment,” he flashed them a grin, “not only are you cute, but you can sing too.”

Their posture straightened and they balked at him in a nervous stammer, “who- who calls me cute? I’m not cute! I’m- I’m weird looking- I mean, that’s so…that’s so weird to say that-”

Achilles cracked a laugh, “you’re so bad at taking compliments! You really gotta work on that. Have a little bounce in your step.”

“That’s easy for someone like you to say! You’re always so confident, and…optimistic, and debonair, you know? It’s hard for me to do that.”

“See how I’m not reacting negatively even though you just called me debonair?”

“Debonair is a good thing to call someone, isn’t it?”

“It is, and I’m flattered,” he hardly seemed affected by their words, likely because he had heard it before, “all I’m saying is, it’d do you a lot of good to be more confident with what you’re doing.”

Hako glanced again at him with a concerned look on their face before looking gloomily at their lap again, “I’ll try. To be honest though, it’s still really hard for me to seem cheerful about all of this. I’m really sad that we’ll be saying goodbye soon.”

“It’s not that bad is it? You’ve learned a lot haven’t you?”

“Yeah, but,” they averted eye contact and balled their hands up on their lap, “after tonight it’ll just be me, Jeanne, Mash, and Sieg. When will I…will I ever get to-“

The sound of him slapping his hand on his leg snapped them out of their clumsy admission and saved them the embarrassment, “tell you what.”

He shot them an easy-going glance and added, “you find yourself in trouble, let me know. I’ll come running.”

“How am I going to-“

“Just do it. I promise I’ll come running.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yup.”

“Are you sure?”

“Do you need me to swear on my mother or something? Come on! It’s a promise. Don’t think about it any further than that.”

Hako blinked several times to consider his words, unclenching their hands from their lap to smooth out the bottom half of their uniform, “…Okay. Maybe I will then. Am I supposed to do something in return?”

“Yeah. Be more confident next time I see you,” he teased, playfully flicking his finger at their forehead, “and maybe less of a nervous rookie.”

They were smiling when they swatted his hand away, “Hey I won’t be a rookie forever!”

“That’s the spirit.”

================================

Hako clicked a few commands on their keyboard to change the equalizer setting on the song playing in their room, nodding with approval once their desired result came through. They knew every word of the track since they had mastered it months ago, mouthing the lyrics while the frantic beat showed up on the display.

I’m gonna scream out those empty words and promises I’m gonna hold on to my own soul no one can ever touch I’m gonna see the rise of a brand new world light up the dark

They had wondered for the years and some seasons that had passed if there was anything that could come close to expressing even an iota of what that night had meant to them. There were simply too many reasons to count; to be genuinely accepted amidst strangers, to not feel like a government asset whose only worth was as a mana fleshbag, to not be seen as a filthy street rat, to not be solely a child of undesirable blood. Clinging to their brief handful of weeks in a place that was conjured completely by fluke felt childish- yet for all its contrived existence those handful of weeks had strengthened their resolve. They tucked their hands behind their head and reclined, resting their feet on their desk and unable to fight a growing smile as the song marched to its final refrain.

As we soldier into dust I’m remembering to trust And taking flight into the light

Their mind rewound a distinct moment from a time long past, of a fledgling Master terrified of the overwhelming odds against them and facing down an army they couldn’t hope to triumph against. They remembered trying to patch up Mash’s wounds desperately  to help her fight, and knowing that at any second their last defenses would fall. They remembered the powerlessness of being unable to save anyone, closing their eyes to brace themselves for the savage end they were going to meet until a single stream of light shot out across the night sky. They remembered the gleam of a comet, its emerald tail cutting through the darkness and illuminating everyone and everything around them as it passed in a brilliant flash of colour.  They remembered reaching out, the haze of its incandescent glow just barely brushing their fingertips amidst a sea of dispatched opponents, hoping to shine even half as bright, to be half as brave, someday.

Hako started to laugh, "What a show off. What kind of person introduces themselves by flying green explosion? Hah!"

They changed positions to sit cross legged in their chair, putting their attention back to their incomplete training exercises. They held back another laugh and reached out to their keyboard to enter Achilles’ name over the slot Odysseus was meant for, unable to stop snickering even as the track faded out.

"Even still. After all this time, you sure did come running, didn’t you?”