Book Four – Prologue – Part Four – Home Sweet Home

After stepping from the concrete alley to the tiled floor, it was like Momo had passed through a portal. She discovered the office was smaller than she expected. The lack of stairs meant it was a one-floor affair, and if her eyes could be trusted, Fisher’s office consisted of two rooms.

She was in the living room, which consisted of the door, a couch, a table, a few reclining chairs, and a weapon rack. There were a couple of shelves here and there. Those were occupied by fluffy stuffed bears and rabbits. When Momo looked to the left, she saw an oddly shaped archway leading to what seemed to be a living quarter. There was the bed, of course, with pink and red blankets neatly folded near its edge. The dresser next to it contained a portrait of Fisher and his family during a festival. He had paid an artist to draw a reminder of the perfect night. Well, he had a good number of them. One for each office around town, his office at headquarters, his house, and one to keep in his Dimensional Storage.

With a total lack of windows, the only light came from a set of candles, a series of lightbulbs powered by Skill Energy, and the open door behind Momo. However, the former two were extinguished and out of juice.

Fisher noticed Momo’s surprise instantly, doing his best to explain why his office looked like a girl’s bedroom while charging the lightbulbs with Skill Energy. It was the same process as configuring a Wash Stone, except the lights were connected via a single grid hidden behind the wall. The office then slowly illuminated until darkness had faded away. “Just let me say it was a mistake bringing my daughters here. They took one look at the dreary setup I had and wouldn’t leave until I let them decorate it. And uhh….” Uncharacteristically, Fisher nervously scratched his head as a faint warmth heated his cheeks. “My wife helped them out, and I can’t bring myself to throw any of this away after they worked so hard on it.”

“Pfpff Hahaha!” Momo laughed so hard she nearly lost her balance.

“Is it really that funny?” Fisher chuckled. He closed the door and turned the deadbolt, locking it.

“A little bit. I guess you don’t really use this place that much?”

“Yeah. I figured it might be nice to have a few offices around town. Just in case I needed them, you know? This is actually the third time I’ve used this one. That’s why I had completely forgotten about the ‘decorations.' Oh, you can lay Servi on the couch.” Fisher walked around Momo, who nodded. She stumbled forward and gently repositioned Servi from her back to her new temporary place of rest. Her black hair somehow melded into the obsidian couch. Momo then sat down, leaning against the furniture while grasping Servi’s dangling hand. The tile Momo sat on was chillier than she thought when accounting for the temperature.

“You can sit on the chair. There’s no need to stay on the floor,” Fisher said, taking a seat in a recliner.

“Thank you, but I’m fine right here. If I was over there, I couldn’t hold Servy's hand… Ah, I have to check it!” Momo maneuvered to her knees and turned around, facing the sleeping Servi. The Singi gently pried open Servi’s free hand, smiling when she saw the metal coin held within.

“Is everything okay? Are you thirsty or hungry?” Fisher asked.

“Yep! Everything’s going to be just fine. I just wanted to make sure Servy still had the dupla I gave her. Oh, and thank you for the offer, but we already ate lunch not that long ago.”

“I see… Well, take this.” Fisher stood up and walked to the bedroom. When he emerged back, he had two white handkerchiefs in his armored hands. “You two have a little dirt on your faces,” he said.

Momo took them, thanking Fisher as she cleaned Servi’s sleeping face. Like a mother, she dabbed around Servi’s nose, gently rubbing under her closed eyes and wiping away a stubborn stain on her chin. Then Momo moved to her friend’s arms. Since Servi wore a blouse, she had nothing protecting her upper limbs, and they were somewhat filthy. Long streaks of brown lines plagued Servi’s forearms like a cowardly curse threatening to take her life.

Even so, Servi’s chaste skin didn’t even have the tiniest scratch or wound. Momo found it odd since her friend’s skin was so smooth to the touch. When she ran the cloth between Servi’s fingers, it almost appeared as if it was floating, like it didn’t want to dare make contact. Then again, that could’ve been Momo’s overactive mind assigning traits to non-living things.

Don’t you worry, Servy. While I can’t wash your body, I can definitely make sure your face, arms, and hands are clean from dirt. There... How does that feel? Being clean feels good, doesn’t it?

As Momo tidied up Servi, she ran the second cloth down her own face. It held far more gunk and filth than her friend, which was to be expected since Momo had taken on a far more active role these past few days.  She had an apologetic look when she presented the soiled cloths. It was hard to believe, but the brown handkerchiefs in her outstretched hand used to be as white as snow. “Umm… Sorry about that,” Momo said.

“Don’t worry about,” Fisher said, easing Momo’s worries. He took the soiled handkerchiefs and tossed them in his Dimensional Storage. “To be honest, it’s almost time to do laundry anyways. They were going to get cleaned regardless.” He took a seat and folded his arms across his chest as Momo returned to her position leaning against the couch.

“Hehe! Servy, you should feel a lot better now that our hands are cleaned. And be sure to hold on to that dupla, okay?” Momo hooked her fingers through the one hand dangling down. “I’m sorry if that’s uncomfortable. I promise to make it up to you. I’ll do anything you want to do.”

After Momo spoke her last sentence, the air went deathly quiet as time seemed to stop. Fisher, a man who left a murderous rampage of death in his wake, was all alone with Momo. She knew the truth about Fisher, but she wasn’t scared or frightened. He tried ten different times, but he never knew how to properly start a conversation.

Momo was much the same. There was so much that had happened in such a short amount of time that it was almost overwhelming. After suffering from an obnoxious tranquility lasting well-over two minutes, she started speaking at random while hoping the right words came to her mind in the correct order. It was much like what she did with Servi-- when she would ramble on for hours and hours.

That made it a little easier.

“The things that happened to me and Servy almost feel like a dream. Sometimes, I even wish it was a dream. If it was, then it would make everything that much easier to bear because I’d only have to wake up. But I’m not saying it’s a nightmare. No—I’d never say that. Being with Servy is the furthest thing from a bad dream. It might seem like it, but I know it isn’t. There are a lot of things I want to say, and I don’t quite know how to do it in a way that doesn’t seem like I’m rambling. Grampy used to say that there’s no better place to start from the beginning. It seems kinda obvious, but obvious things are often hidden in plain sight.”

And thus, Momo began to recant the tale of terror that lasted a week. She didn’t spare any of the details. The Singi was explicit in her words she used to detail her experience as a prisoner of the Mafia, Servi’s bloody life as a member of the horrible organization, Arcton’s devastation, and the truth about the massive battle that left a gigantic crater in its wake. But her words didn’t stop there. She then explained the veracity about Servi, her lost memories, and Itarr’s status as a Goddess.

Fisher Jin was a man that was hard to surprise, but that mask of stoicism was broken many times. Even when he thought he had a grasp on his emotions, something else would come along and shatter it. He had a life very few desired, which allowed him to have experiences equal to a man many times his age. Thanks to that, it took a lot to shake him from his usually stoic way-of-life.

And he was shocked many, many, many times by Momo’s unbelievable story, starting from Servi’s brutality, which led to her running away and her eventual capture by the Mafia. He didn’t think they were real, but hearing it from her mouth, he found himself shaking. Her words, her fears... Momo clearly conveyed them in a way that struck his core. If Fisher was surprised by that, his entire existence nearly fractured when Momo spoke of Sakdu and his past. The captain tried to keep them hidden, but the faint movements he made revealed the truth to the storyteller. Sweat poured down his face, leaving behind the taste of salt. His hands gripped the chair, and his feet subtly started to tap the floor.

Fisher’s definitely the one from Sakdu’s past... Momo had thought.

As focused as he was, Canary’s Captain managed to keep it together as Momo continued her tale of Servi’s war upon the Mafia. Hearing how she killed hundreds with Venti Aqua, throwing her enemies through buildings, and even twisting and turning a warehouse-like canopy into a sword brought utter disbelief. When Momo had to describe the incident with the babies in the RASP buildings Servi destroyed, vomit nearly spewed up through his mouth.

The men, the women... The children... The innocent and guilty... Hearing all of those Servi had slaughtered, either on purpose or by accident from her rampage, resonated deep within Fisher. He could relate to that because he used to do that. Horrific memories bubbled to the edge of his mind, but he held them back from tainting his thoughts.

But what managed to push it all over the edge was when Momo revealed the truth of the crater that would be known as Lando’s Scar.

“Are... Are you telling me Servi wiped out an army?! One that’s 15 thousand strong? And full of Rank 1s?!” Fisher had said, nearly jumping out of his chair. “I’ve seen her strength, so I’m sure she’s capable of using Fulgur Spike, but using it a thousand times? And using Metal Wall? To cover that large an area?!?! How did she survive? No, how was there an army?! Momo, we have scouts that should have told us if there was an army approaching us!” Fisher stood up; he couldn’t handle sitting down. His whole body shook with fear, and the first thing that came to his mind was his family’s safety.

Canary was a large city, but they didn’t have anywhere near 15,000 battle-ready soldiers. And that included those affiliated with Warden. Some of them would probably fight, but quite a few would flee. In his mind, he saw the battle play out... He saw the city walls crumbling, the streets flooding with crimson and the dead, the beautiful buildings being blessed with flame, and the very end...

The horrifying torture of his family…and being forced to watch it. Being forced to listen to his children’s fearful cries as a group of heartless monsters corrupted their innocent purity. Having no choice but to gaze as a hundred men brutally violate his wife. And then at the very end… Watching as his family’s limbs were being plucked from their bodies like stems from an apple. And in his mind, he was powerless to do anything but stare as the life drained from broken, sad faces.

It was…horrible. Just so, so, horrible to imagine, and it was no small wonder Fisher didn’t immediately break down and weep for what could have been. It pained him, but he did his utmost best to forcibly delete that horrifying potential possibility from his mind.

Had Servi not been there, Canary would have definitely been a smoldering pile of rubble, and Fisher’s life, and the lives of his loved ones, would have come to an end. Even as strong as he was, he couldn’t defeat 15,000 warriors who had reached Warden’s second-highest rank.

It didn’t happen… It didn’t happen… That didn’t come to pass… He told himself over and over.

“Fisher, Arcton was under the Mafia’s control. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had men working in Canary whose loyalty was to him. They could’ve altered the reports... But Sakdu’s dead... And I don’t think they would remain loyal to him...” Momo had replied.

Then it all clicked. It wasn’t unnatural for the scouts to send in late reports. And yes, they were four days late. The timeline all added up, and Fisher had to face the truth. Either he had traitors in his midst, or those men he sent out had died.

But there was something else... If Servi was the cause of that crater, then how was she alive? And how and why was she in her current state of mind? Momo hadn’t mentioned anything about that.

The Singi had to bring her tale back to when Servi joined the Mafia by describing that she had to tear out an eye and scalp herself to fit in. That only brought about more questions, and it wasn’t until Momo revealed Servi’s immortality and Itarr’s status as a Goddess did the blocks fit into the puzzle.

That was it... That was how it all connected. A mortal could not achieve what Servi had accomplished. But a Goddess? Or a mortal with the combined soul of a Goddess? That would explain it all.

But that didn’t mean it was easy to understand. And Momo just revealed these facts with as much effort as it took to breathe, something that she acknowledged by simply saying that Servi was Servi. She’d always be Servi. That meant Momo would always be her friend, companion, and traveling partner. Her story continued for a few more minutes as she talked about Servi’s precarious state of mind, which was in the midst of some sort of healing process, and the valuable promise the two shared to unlock the secrets of Necromancy to bring those that didn’t deserve to die back to life. Finally, she ended her long, detailed account with Jeri’s and Sea’s harassment.

“And that’s it... That’s everything that happened since we left,” Momo said. At the end of her recount, she found it hard to swallow the whimpers in her throat. The tears she had held back started to flow, leaving twin stains that trailed down her cheeks. The strong girl managed to keep it all in until the end.

Gasping, Fisher fell back to his seat and buried his head in his hands. The situation in Arcton? He had no knowledge of anything at all... If someone had asked him a few days ago if it had turned into a drug den for Monotonia, he’d have chuckled and gone on his way, thinking that Monotonia was some sort of fad the youths of the world were into.

Momo gave him the time he needed to process it all, which gave her the chance to get her emotions under control. And he needed the time, too. It took around fifteen minutes to lower his hands and another ten minutes to speak.

“I... I find it impossible to believe, but... I don’t think I have any choice but to believe it...” he whispered.

“It’s all true, Fisher... Every bit of it.”

A few more minutes passed, and it seemed like Fisher had finally managed to absorb the incredible tale Momo had told him. The color had drained from his face, but it was back now. The anxiousness he felt was still there, but he managed to hold it back since there were  other things to take care of. And like Momo, he did say that Servi would always be Servi. It didn’t matter if she was sharing a soul with a Goddess or not. And as for Servi’s destructive rage, which sought the lives of thousands and thousands of people, he almost felt something of a kinship with her.

They both had done horrible things...killing mothers, fathers, and children with reckless abandon while under the curse of a hateful rage. Apologies were useless when so many lives were taken because words wouldn’t bring back what was lost. It wouldn’t dull the sadness. It wouldn’t lessen the regret they felt. The only thing they could do, and one could certainly argue it wasn’t enough, was to work and dedicate their lives to make up for their sins. However, it wasn’t that simple. At the end of the day, the dead were dead, and their killers were alive and well.

Bringing them back to life... Could Servi really do something like that? Could I... Would it be possible to... Surely... If it’s possible to bring the dead back, I owe it to my victims to do that... It wouldn’t lessen the pain, but they deserve the chance to live the life they want and deserve... A life that wasn’t cut short by my recklessness and blind hatred.

After a couple more minutes, Momo managed to swerve the conversation to something much more light-hearted. She did it so effortlessly, too, which even surprised her.

I guess those long days and nights of talking to Servy are paying off... That’s good.

It eventually swirled back to Servi. Fisher stated that when she woke up, things should be more pleasant. For most of their relationship, he was synonymous with ‘hatred’ and ‘anger,’ and he explained that was a reason why she attacked him on sight after they had settled everything.

“I guess that’s possible. It could be Servi’s memories linking themselves to her former emotions or something like that. I wish I knew more about it.”

Around fifteen minutes of conversations later, Fisher reached inside his Dimensional Storage. He pulled out a folder marked ‘Orphanage Project,’ then gave it to the confused Singi.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Servi and I had an agreement about an orphanage. I brought it up to her the day we talked things out, and she agreed to fund it. I guess now isn’t the best time to hand it over, but I don’t want to forget about it.” The sorrowful tone Fisher had been using was still there.

“Servy really offered to do that?” Momo’s contained pure adoration towards her best friend. She stood up and stared at her sleeping face, then sat right back down.

“I had them made a few days ago. When Servi's better, could you get her to look at them?”

“Yep!” Momo said as she stored the plans in her bag. The folder was hefty and thick. Unquestionably, a lot of care went into designing the perfect place for Canary’s orphans. “Servy, I’m even prouder of you, and I didn’t know if that was possible! See, you do have a good heart... Deep down, you’re a good person...”

Momo then went quiet and asked a question that dangled on the tip of her tongue. “Umm… Are…are you religious?”

“Me? No, I don’t believe in that anymore. There was a time when I did, but it’s long since passed. Marissa doesn’t care much for it, either. It’s the same with Mari and Meri. If they want to know about the church and religion, it’s up to them. I won’t deny them the thirst for knowledge, but they’re only children. Kids should just be kids. They don’t need to worry about anything else. But as I say that, there isn’t anything inherently wrong with religion, either. We know the Gods and Goddess exist—and if I was doubting man, I’m not one any longer because of Itarr—but people shouldn’t use their names to spread hate. Believe in it, worship them, I don’t care, but don’t inconvenience people and force them to take your beliefs as the ultimate truth.”

Momo thought about Fisher's words for a few seconds and turned back to her best friend. “I wonder if Servy believes in anything? She doesn’t have any memories. She even said seeing Singi and Kobolds was an eye-opening experience because she had never laid eyes on them before. Heck, she couldn’t even speak the language until she met Itarr. I don’t even want to imagine that… Being alone in the world when everyone else is speaking a different tongue… Servy had to face brand-new things every day—experiencing otherworldly sights while doing her best to avoid sticking out.

“I guess she didn’t really stick to the shadows considering she helped all those slaves escape. That’s a good thing, and I’m proud she helped them, but that’s the complete opposite of keeping a low profile.” Momo ended with a soft whisper as a million things tunneled through her mind.

“Jeri and Sea... They weren't the religious type. I have no idea what happened to them, but I swear I’ll get to the bottom of it,” Fisher said.

“Fisher, what’s going to happen to them?” Momo asked.

“Jeri and Sea will be punished, obviously. They went against their vow when they tried to attack you and Servi. They’re supposed to be keeping the peace, not causing mayhem and undue stress. That’s the last thing this city needs. Momo, if you don’t mind, can I use part of what you told me as your statement? I swear I won’t put in any information about the other things we talked about. It’s only going to be relevant to the incident.”

Momo shook her head up and down. “Yeah, that’s fine. Umm… I think that’s about all… I’ve told you what happened in Arcton, and about who Servi really is… If I think of something else, Servy and I will drop by the headquarters, okay?” Momo stood up, keeping a gentle grasp on Servi’s hand.

Fisher stood up out of his chair as well, stretching his neck and arms. “That’s fine. Are you two about to head out?”

“Yeah. I wanna get to Warden, so Servy can lay in a bed. I also have to talk to Claire… I don’t wanna lie, but I have to tell her something.”

“If I were you, I’d say some people attacked, and Servi defended you. She couldn’t take robbing someone’s life, and you’re taking care of her until she comes to terms with it. It’s technically not a lie. When Servi does get better, you two can decide on if you want to tell Claire the whole truth.”

Momo started to transfer Servi from the couch to her back. “That’s a good idea. Honestly, I’ll probably do that. Hold on, Servy, I—wahhh!!!” Servi suddenly opened her eyes and leaned up. Momo panicked and fell to the ground on her stomach. “Servy?!”

Servi mindlessly blinked and crawled off of Momo’s back. The Singi stood up, turned around, and stared at two red eyes.

“Servy!!!” Momo shouted with glee as she tackled her friend to the floor. A quick hugging session later, the friends stood side by side with their hands enfolded. Momo practically danced on her toes while carrying the biggest smile across her face.