FATE\Deus Decipit

Chapter 33: What Comes Next

2:08 am, The Streets of Athens

Heping hobbled through the foggy streets. Beside her, Lancer walked as well. He had specifically asked to, and she wasn't one to complain, though it did strike her as odd. His normally cowardly demeanor had left him somewhat, and while she struggled along, one hand bracing her spine which, according to Rider, had apparently been bruised to the bone, Lancer walked with quiet stoicism, each step restrained but forceful. He kept his rake manifested, apparently ready for an attack at any moment.

Under normal circumstances, the walk to her hotel would've taken around ten minutes, but her pain directly impacted their pace, and they had already been walking for about fifteen. Before that, she had been unconscious on the top of the Acropolis. Apparently, while she was out, Rider had come to her side and performed some light healing magic. According to him, -or, more accurately, Lancer's translation of his diagnosis- she would be more-or-less recovered by morning, but should be careful, and not take on any more labor than necessary.

Or, as Pigsy put it, "Take it easy, eh?"

"Excuse me... Pigsy?"

"What?" He spoke quickly and with agitation.

-"And don't call me Pigsy."

There was a bench up ahead, on a street corner, "May I take a rest? I am exhausted."

"Eh? You can put yer butt down when we get back. Now chop-chop! -oink-"

"Really... I need to stop. Please."

Lancer paused, his small, pudgy body seeming to compress with some type of anger, before stomping his foot in frustration, "Fine! Five minutes and no more, got it!?"

Heping approached the bench and began to sit down, "Pigs- ahem- Lancer, why are you in such a hurry?"

As she raised her eyes back to the street, she saw him twirling his rake with a form far too impressive for his toddler-like body.

"Pigs-?"

Lancer leaped in the air and released the head of the rake from the chain, raking it across the pavement as it surrounded itself with mystic winds. When he landed, he turned around and repeated the action, this time with fire instead. He continued on like this for several moments, tearing apart the earth with blasts of wind, fire, and light, until there was nothing left of the pavement except for scattered asphalt.

She couldn't help but be taken aback. While her Servant was known for his emotion, he was also, to put it bluntly, something of a pushover. While a tantrum, even of this caliber, was certainly possible to consider, the idea of its possibility was far from her mind.

When he finally stopped, he just stood there in the crater, facing away from her, before falling back onto his bottom. He sat there, away from her, in silence.

"Pigsy..?"

"-oink- Don't call me Pigsy."

"Did I do something wrong?"

He paused. His expression couldn't be seen, but his body appeared to tense, before finally relaxing. He responded calmly and softly, his words barely audible, "And what the Hell woulda given you that idea? -sniff- You didn't do a thing wrong."

"Then-"

"I'm just pissed. Couldn't do a damn thing, ya know? If Monkey were here-"

An unfamiliar voice spoke from down the street. "Um.. Excuse me."

They both turned anxiously to the direction of the voice.

There, about twenty feet away, was a boy, or perhaps he was better described as a young man. He was fit, athletic but not necessarily muscular, with pale skin and clean-cut if somewhat long pink hair. He wore a black jacket and jeans with a yellow t-shirt. There was a golden earring and an equally golden chain on his belt buckle. He waved slowly with an equally cautious smile, keeping his distance.