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[ The memories come and sink into Hermione's consciousness like whiplash, striking her down and making her feel weak and vulnerable. There's nothing she can do; they swirl around in her mind and she can't stop it, can't fight back, can only watch as Caster is killed time and time again, hundreds of times, playing out like a grotesque picture show for her and her alone. The only relief that comes is tinged with sadness and pain as the Master breaks their contract, abandoning Caster back to the Cell that she was trapped into, and she feels...

Broken.

When Hermione wakes up she breathes out a sharp noise, shivering a little before she pushes herself to her feet. She looks around but can't stop - she slides out of her bed and along to where she knows Caster will be (her Servant doesn't sleep with her unless asked, and Hermione doesn't ask often).

It's easy, then, to slip up and lay on the bed beside Tamamo, to reach out and put a hand on her head, gently, stroking through her hair. When she speaks, her voice is a low, quiet whisper. ]

It's okay. I'm here.

[It's at Hermione's touch that Caster opens her eyes. Unlike normal, when she always tries to project a larger-than-life atmosphere, cheery and bright, this time it's obvious how she's really feeling. She's curled up tight in her bed, tail wrapped around herself, her normally upright ears pressed flat against her head, and her face for the first time shows her looking... well, crushed. She hasn't been crying, at least, but her expression is one of despair and sadness.]

Master... Why are you here?

Because you needed me.

[ She shifts, making herself a little more comfortable, leaning close so she can press her forehead against Tamamo's gently. There's no point pretending that she wasn't a witness to the dream, and she reaches out, wrapping one arm around the other woman before she closes her eyes. She might not be able to offer much, but at least she can offer a gentle touch and kindness. ]

[Normally, she'd either be a blushing mess at this kind of contact, or making some sort of stupid flirtatious line to ruin the mood. But for some reason, her normal flirting seems impossible right now, like her usual meaningless words are nowhere to be found. She just closes her own eyes, curling in close, focusing on the feeling of arms around her.]

... So you saw all of that... I am deeply sorry.

Don't be sorry. It's not your fault, Tamamo.

[ None of it is her fault - the memories being shared, the fact that she hadn't been strong enough... The fact is that she kept trying. She tried so hard, so many times, knowing the outcome. Tamamo was so brave, so strong, so wonderful and she probably couldn't even see it - and all Hermione can do is hold her close, gentle and soft. ]

[She wonders if that's really true. After all, under her last Master, she was able to win the War. What does that mean about all her losses under that man?

She hates showing weakness, and she hates feeling weak. But right now, victor of the Moon Cell or not, she can only feel her past weakness like a curse- Weakness of body, of magic, and of her own emotions. But with that weakness in her voice and words, she can only ask one thing.]

... It won't happen again, right?

[Hermione will never abandon her like that... But she thought the same thing about Emperor Toba, and her first Master.]

[ Hermione is used to being the one to care and be concerned, and she moves closer, wrapping her arms around Tamamo and letting herself lean against her. She softens, tilting her head up, pressing a sweet kiss against her forehead, letting her fingers brush through her hair. ]

I'm not letting you go until you want to leave, Tamamo.

[ And, tilting her head up, she begins to sing quietly. It's the same song that Diarmuid sang to her, once, and it made her feel so much better when she was sad and alone - and she hopes it does the same for Tamamo. ]

[Oh, no. The song, the kiss, the love and warmth she feels right now... Despite her surge of sadness and loneliness, she's happy. That someone could care about her so much... That someone else could come to care for Tamamo-no-Mae.

... And that is the crux of it all. She is, no matter what, still Tamamo-no-Mae. The legendary betrayer.

She shakes her head, pulling back from Hermione, and interrupting even that song with surprising force in her voice.

(the song did make her feel better. That is the entire problem.)]

Master, I- No, Hermione. There's something I have to tell you, before anything else...

[ She's startled at the interruption and it's obvious, and Hermione leans back, blinking for a moment before she breathes out.

When Tamamo tells her things they're usually important, matters that have to be taken seriously, and she nods her head, shifting back so she can look at her Partner properly. ]

Alright. Tell me.

[She wants to apologize. Tamamo is not a brave person, and she knows it. She wants to run away, like she always does. Maybe if she hadn't run from the Heian court, she would have been okay. Maybe if she had responded to her Master's second summoning, if she hadn't run away from that, things would have gone better.

She wants to run away from this. To just tell her she likes the song, to not say anything else, so nothing will change.

But she can't. She must not do that. If she did...

She takes a deep breath.]

You've now seen both of my previous Masters. They had a lot in common. They were kind people, unsuited to fighting. They wanted to help and save everyone. Humanity had done them great harm, and they both still loved people.

... And... And I killed both of them.

[ Hermione doesn't know what to do with the information when it's laid bare in front of her. She hesitates because she's afraid, and she turns her head to look at Tamamo with an uncertainty she can't hide.

The fear she feels isn't towards her Caster, not really. It's the memory of a great, blond King, a King of Heroes, who was meant to protect her and almost murdered her. Who would have killed her friend. Who would have betrayed her quite easily, and who's love she now doubts in the blackest, cruellest way, the thing she has been dwelling on for far too long.

It's not Tamamo's fault. Hermione is scarred by Gilgamesh, by Harry, by the people she cared about and loved. It settles in her chest, and she breathes out quietly before she looks up at Tamamo, trying not to let on how nervous she is. ]

Do you intend to kill me?

[ She says it bluntly, as if she's used to the idea of someone wanting her dead - and, unsurprisingly, she is. ]

Edited 2016-10-16 22:45 (UTC)

[She was expecting the question, but still flinches.]

No-! I don't ever want to hurt you!

[Her voice is raised, a thousand years of hurt piled behind it, but she gets herself under control quickly enough.]

I... I'm telling you this so you know. Because I don't ever want to hurt you. If you wish to null our contract... You have to have that choice, so that doesn't happen again...

Then I don't see the problem.

[ Hermione shakes her head, reaching out for Tamamo's hand, sitting up a little. ]

I trust you. As my friend, and as my partner. If you tell me you don't want me dead, if you have no desire to kill me, then I believe that. I don't think we need to dissolve our contract unless that's what you want.

[She seems conflicted, but she doesn't pull her hand away.]

I don't... I don't want that at all. But I am still a Heroic Spirit burdened with the legend of being a traitor to those I serve.

Knowing that, and knowing the fate that met those two, you're still okay with that...?

Of course.

[ Hermione smiles, her fingers brushing over Tamamo's. ]

You're Tamamo, my Partner, not just a legend. I think it's about time we made a name for ourselves, not going off what people think might happen. Right?

Uwaaa, you just casually said something so unbelievable! As expected of my....

[She tries to force her normal cheer and airhead routine in, but it doesn't stick well at all, dropping off entirely when she trails off. What even should she call Hermione? Master... Is not right. She prefers to have a Master- She wants to serve. But her Masters... well, she killed Twice, and she couldn't save Hakuno, and as good as killed her by leading her to the Moon Cell's core.

Legends are fickle things. They're hard to change, the stories repeating themselves over and over until they're engraved into the framework of the world. Merodach became Gram became Caliburn, repetitions of the same story. Her own story repeats itself, as well, causing the deaths of those she served. So maybe... If she isn't serving, then...

She turns her hand, to meet Hermione's fingers with her own.]

My "Partner", right?

[The word feels strange on her lips, but maybe this is the right route for her, after all.]

[ The way that Hermione's face lights up at the agreement is obvious, and she shifts forward, wrapping her arms around Tamamo as she laughs, bright and happy. It feels as though they've come a long way and, truly, they have - from the ideal of Master and Servant, from serving and being controlled, to the beginning of a path together, as allies rather than something unbalanced and cruel...

Well, isn't it what she had always wanted for her and her Caster? Her friend - her partner? ]

That's right. Partners.

[That gets a smile out of her, too. It's not exactly what she wanted- We all know Tamamo's desires here, thirstiest fox alive, etc- But seeing Hermione's face light up like that is enough to make her feel happy. She's making her happy, and that's what's most important to her.]

And maybe one day, more than that!

[... Of course, she's basically allergic to serious scenes, so she has to ruin it at least a little.

But she doesn't seem to pay her own flirting any mind anymore, dropping it to become a bit more subdued again.]

... I might not be very good at this "Partners" thing at first, but please bear with me, okay? I'll try my hardest.

[She'll try hard. Even if Hermione won't abandon her, she has to meet the kindness she's being given with all of her efforts.]

[ There's no need for her to go out of her way to correct Tamamo - she can see, already, that the other woman has accepted the fact that it's not likely to happen. Hermione just accepts it as something that is a part of her relationship with her Partner, and she can't help but smile. ]

I'll bear with you for as long as it takes, don't worry.

[ Leaning forward, she shifts, cuddling herself around Tamamo. ]

I had a very good teacher, remember?

[She may have accepted it, but she's literally never going to stop flirting. She just likes doing that, apparently.]

You mean Diarmuid?

That's right.

[ Hermione smiles, wiggling a little to make herself comfortable. ]

I'd never been a Master before him, obviously, so I didn't know.

I bet you took to it quickly, though.

[After all, for all of Eachdraich's troubles, it sounds like there was no Holy Grail War there. She isn't sure how well Hermione would actually handle the real thing...]

Maybe. I don't know. I never really commanded him, and I never used these up, so...

[ She flexes her left hand, awkwardly. ]

... That might be a good thing. Those can bring about a lot of problems if they're not used carefully.

[Like ending her contract. She doesn't have good memories of Command Seals.]

I know. I already told you I got to use one before and... I didn't like having that kind of power. Maybe that makes me a bad Master.

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