Augustus E. Bahamut's Misadventurs

Part 5: A Midnight Moment

Sometime around midnight, Okita Alter woke up, having been woken up from her sleep. She didn't know why, so she slowly and quietly rose up from lying in bed.

But then she recalled that she had decided to join her master Augustus in bed after he fell asleep.

She had done so out of a sense of gratitude, believing that her master deserved a reward for being generous and kind.

Sure, it had started with a lap pillow during his midday nap the day before. He hadn't minded this.

But her gratitude had deepened after Augustus had lead them on another mission the next day;

It had startes simply enough, with some monster having to be slain and so on. But things had taken a turn for the worse after Hassan had taken heavy damage. Augustus had tried to heal him, but after that, she and Jeanne Alter had also taken some heavy damage.

As a result, he had fought off the remaining monsters by himself in an act that would have risked all of their lives, if not for the fact that his measly gun was able to damage the monsters.

This act of bravery had not been left unnoticed by her or the two other servants, with Hassan almost immediately rushing to his master's side due to a nasty injury Augustus had received during his scuffle with the monsters. Jeanne had scolded him for his recklessness, but Augustus had replied;

"And what do you suppose I should've done? Let all of us die due to some bad luck? Do you honestly think I would've taken on the duty of a master just to watch my servants die due to something I couldn't stop? No. I'm not intent on losing any of you anytime soon. You're important to me for fuck's sake! So just let me make sure that everyone stays alive!"

This had managed to shock Jeanne, hearing her master speak his mind so boldly.

Okita Alter had acknowledged her admiration for Augustus' willingness to risk his wellbeing just to ensure their wellbeing.

After tending to their injuries, he had become exhausted, and had to be helped back to Chaldea due to the blood loss he had suffered, which had weakened him on top of using plenty of mana to heal and re-energize the servants.

There hadn't been the slightest hesitation when Okita Alter dashed to Augustus' side to help him. And even after his injuries had been tended to, she stayed beside him until he fell asleep.

But her sense of gratitude had urged her to stay by his side as he slept, just to make sure he got the same amount of care in return. So that had led her to share the bed with him.

But now, in the middle of the night, she had been woken up to her unfalteringly fearless master having a nightmare

He was tossing, turning, shaking and shivering all over.

Okita chose to do the one thing she hoped could help Augustus calm down.

She gently took hold of him by the shoulders and took him in for a warm, soothing hug, even placing his head into her hefty bosom to ensure he was warm.

The nightmare seemed to cease bothering Augustus as he calmed down, eventually even hugging Okita Alter back, which made her slightly flustered as he even nuzzled against her ever-so-gently.

'I wonder what he's dreaming of now...' Okita Alter thought to herself as she slowly fell asleep.

As she dreamed, she found herself at a peaceful shoreline. Looking around, she noticed Augustus standing closer to the tides next to a mysterious black entity.

"It feels like we're not alone in this dream." Augustus stated.

"We aren't." Greencube said, "Looks like Okita Alter here managed to hitch a ride onto this telepathic connection I managed to establish. I think she's the reason your nightmare ended so fast."

"Who are you?" Okita said as she moved her hand to her sword's scabbard.

"No need to be hostile. I am the one who created Augustus here. He is all my remaining humanity in a single cohesive form." Greencube said calmly.

"... I suppose I can trust you on that. You sound the same." Okita Alter stated, "But what is your intention with master?"

"Talk. Evaluate if he's being successful in his task of becoming a good, responsible master who actively takes care of himself and those around him." Greencube stated.

"So, he was summoned to be my master for a reason?" She asked, slightly in disbelief.

"Yes, but his life is his own. I just gave him a goal." The omnipotent entity stated, "I only wish that the last of my humanity has a place to belong. Unlike me and my Servant  Fragments. My non-human fragments and I have no true purpose until we choose one. Even then, we don't age, so we must constantly seek purpose to no avail."

"Ah. A fate like mine, doomed to have no lasting purpose." Okita said, feeling a strange empathy towards the Ascended entity.

"Indeed. I hope you two can treasure your time together. I have no certain idea when Augustus will die, or will he ever do so, but I hope you two could cherish your shared time as long as it lasts." Greencube said, "Either way, until the situation calls for me to intervene, goodbye."

With that, Augustus and Okita Alter woke up, with Augustus noticing his positioning.

"...Awkward." He said, "Didn't consider this situation."

Okita remained silent, but gently stroked his hair.

"I suppose I should treasure this time we have together." Okita Alter said, "You are a good master, after all."

"I appreciate you saying that." Augustus said to her.

"Anything for you, master." She told him.

After a moment of staying there, the two got up and left for the kitchen.

But as Okita Alter stepped outside after Augustus, she froze.

While Hassan didn't seem to think much of the situation, Jeanne had a smug look on her face.

"So, already sleeping with your servants? Pathetic." The Berserker said.

"He had a nightmare. I comforted him, unlike you." Okita said, "You don't seem to care about anyone except yourself."

"Oh, I bet it wasn't something so innocent. I bet you two did all sorts of lewd things like you were out of some sorta doujin. In fact I bet you're thinking of raping m-"

Jeanne was cut off by Augustus reaching out and grabbing her by the throat in a display of uncharacteristic anger and hostility.

"Listen here you scantily-clad lil' bitch... If you want me to start getting mad, you're doing it." Augustus snarled, "I could just crush your throat and watch you bleed..."

A toothy frown itself visible from under the shade of Augustus's trilby. The way the lips had practically pulled themselves away to show the gums and teeth, the canines oddly pronounced. It was almost inhuman.

Jeanne struggled to breathe in the growingly tight vice grip of her master, each inhale becoming harder than the last.

"I believe that is enough, Lord Mage." Hassan said as he placed a hand on his master's shoulder.

The assassin took note of the black veins forming from the Command Spell and down the magus' arm, reaching to the elbow.

Just as that, the toothy frown faded and Augustus's eyes calmed down.

He set the Berserker down before walking back to his room and closing the door. The lock clicked a few seconds later.

Then, the sound of something banging against a table could be heard. Six bangs in total.

Then quiet.

"Master?" Okita asked, knocking on the door.

But Augustus didn't respond.

TO BE CONTINUED...