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NeroHaku is the non-binary ship between Nero Cladius and Hakuno Kishinami from the Fate fandom.
Canon[]
Fate/Extra[]
In the original Fate/Extra game, Hakuno is an unwitting and amnesiac participant in the Holy Grail War within the Moon Cell supercomputer. Their gender and name can be changed by the player. Nero, the former Emperor of Rome, is one of three potential servant partners for Hakuno. She represents the Saber class.
Nero answers Hakuno's summons, though she seems unimpressed by them. Nero's name has been tarnished by her actions against Christianity, and she is rarely summoned. Nero's motive for helping Hakuno is, at this point, largely the desire for glory. She refuses to tell Hakuno her true name, and generally keeps their relationship distant for the first few rounds. Nero does, however, give Hakuno a nickname. In Japanese, she refers to Hakuno as "soshiyo", or maestro. She compares herself to a fine instrument, and Hakuno to her player. In English, this is translated as "praetor", an honorary title for a general or official in the Roman Empire.
Hakuno summons Nero
As the story continues, their bond grows. Nero finds beauty in Hakuno's drive to continue fighting throughout the Holy Grail War and growth as a master. She gradually opens up to them, admitting her true name, and becomes more concerned with fighting to protect Hakuno in particular. Nero considers their bond to be akin to a relationship, and devotes herself to winning Hakuno's love and approval. While Hakuno's opinion in turn is left up to interpretation - particularly if Hakuno's affections are for Nero or their ally Rin/Rani - it is stated that, as their constant companion, Nero means more to Hakuno than "anything or anyone". With Nero never having been loved and Hakuno lacking any past but the traumas of the Grail War, their partnership is the first genuine affection either has known.
Eventually, Hakuno is discovered to not be a real person, but rather an AI copy. With their victory in the Grail War, Hakuno willingly deletes himself/herself in order to allow the original Hakuno to reawaken and begin life anew.
Fate/Extra CCC[]
Fate/Extra CCC is a side story that takes place after the 5th round of Fate/Extra. Unlike in the original Extra game, Hakuno's relationship with their servant is more central. Once again, Nero is one of the potential servant choices.
In this sequence of events, BB, a rouge AI, transports the masters from the Holy Grail War to the Far Side of the Moon. The masters, including Hakuno, lose much of their memories from prior to this. Nero's memory is less effected, and she is saddened that Hakuno only faintly recalls her. Still, some semblance of their bond remains, and she vows to renew their relationship again. Nero also finds herself clad in a garment similar to a wedding gown. She gradually confesses a desire to get married, which Hakuno can promise to fulfill. Once the masters regain their memories, Nero asks Hakuno if he/she recalls her now. If Hakuno affirms, the two embrace. From this point, Nero and Hakuno's relationship becomes more physically intimate.
Later, BB attempts to delete both Nero and Hakuno from the Moon Cell. Though she fails in this, Nero is stuck in a comatose state, and Hakuno must dive into a manifestation of her subconscious to reawaken her. There, Hakuno meets an inner version of Nero who does not recall them. This alternate Nero is put-off by the suggestion she would be the servant of someone as plain as Hakuno. Still, Hakuno moves forward to reawaken Nero, earning the ire of the inner Nero. BB orders Hakuno to leave, and when Hakuno refuses, she causes Hakuno to disintegrate with every step forward. Watching Hakuno struggle so desperately to reunite with her causes inner Nero to have a change of heart, and she declares she has fallen for Hakuno and defends them from BB. Nero is then reawakened with her memories, overjoyed that Hakuno fought so hard for her.
Nero and Hakuno's wedding
In Nero's ending, the pair loses most of their memories of the events of the game, except for their promise to marry. Cutting back to the original Extra ending, Nero is able to save Hakuno from deletion. The two then marry, with Nero using her servant Noble Phantasm ability to create a church for the ceremony.
Fate/Extra: Last Encore[]
The spin-off anime Fate/Extra: Last Encore is a loose adaptation of Fate/Extra featuring male Hakuno and Nero. Hakuno is much more sullen in this version, while Nero starts off as the more outgoing self she later developed into. Their relationship also progresses much faster when compared to their initial distance in Extra. The pair are relaxed and intimate with one another, such as when Hakuno kisses Nero to transfer mana to her, or when they interlock arms and help each other stretch. Nero is able to bring out a warmer side of Hakuno.
Nero and Hakuno stretch together
It is later revealed that Last Encore is actually a "what if" sequel to Extra. In this set of events, the original, female Hakuno summoned Nero and made it to the final battle before being killed by Twice, the antagonist of the original game. The male Hakuno is actually a collection of spirits of regretful masters who merged with the original Hakuno. The bond between the original Hakuno and Nero was what caused the spirit Hakuno and Nero to warm to each other so quickly.
At the end, spirit Hakuno and Nero defeat Twice and restore the Moon Cell to normal. They must sacrifice themselves to do so, however. As the two fade, Hakuno is returned to their original self, allowing her and Nero to be together one final time.
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star[]
According to series creator Kinko Nasu, Fate/Extella continues primarily off the Nero route of Extra and ending of CCC. However, other aspects of the previous games were altered to create a storyline which saw Hakuno also later recruit the Caster servant, Tamamo-No-Mae, to their side, and win control over the Moon Cell.
Nero awakens Hakuno
At the start of the game, Hakuno has been split into three: mind, soul, and body. Mind Hakuno, the original, remains with Nero and retains most of their old memories, while soul and body Hakuno suffer from amnesia. Tamamo has taken soul Hakuno while Altera has taken body Hakuno, giving them each control over some part of the Moon Cell. In the first route, Nero seeks to defeat Tamamo's forces and reunite mind Hakuno with soul Hakuno. However, she has a change of heart when soul Hakuno attempts to defend Tamamo. Sensing soul Hakuno's affection for Tamamo, Nero allows the two to escape. Unfortunately, this ultimately leads to Hakuno becoming comatose, and the route ends with Nero begging Hakuno to awaken.
The second route is largely a swap of the first, with Tamamo as the protagonist instead of Nero. In this scenario, Tamamo and soul Hakuno emerge victorious. However, like Nero in the previous route, Tamamo allows Nero to escape with mind Hakuno, after mind Hakuno attempts to defend Nero. In the third route, Altera is the heroine, and she instead kills Nero and Tamamo, only to be later killed herself.
Nero returns as the heroine of the fourth and final/true route of the game. With Hakuno retaining memories from the previous route with Altera, he/she convinces Nero to form an alliance with Tamamo that sees mind and soul Hakuno safely reunite. Nero is thus able to save Hakuno from the comatose state of the previous route. Hakuno tells Nero about their bond with Altera in the previous timeline, and Nero becomes equally determined to help save Altera. The two are successful, and Altera is reborn as a child, who Nero and Hakuno care for. The story ends with Nero and Tamamo peacefully competing over which of the two is a better wife, as Tamamo dreams of marriage and wants Hakuno to fill that role.
Fate/Extella Link[]
Nero's Bond 1 Line in Extella Link
In Fate/Extella Link, the sequel to Fate/Extella, Nero's relationship with Hakuno plays a minor role. Tamamo is still insistent that she is Hakuno's true wife, but her and Nero co-exist begrudgingly. Both work with Hakuno to assist Charlemagne, with Nero taking the apparent position as Hakuno's co-ruler and lover. Like in Extella, there are multiple warm or comedic bond events between Nero and Hakuno. If the player has a servant other than Nero equipped, Nero can sometimes be found waiting just outside of Hakuno's room with a rose.
Fate/Grand Order[]
Although Hakuno is not featured in Fate/Grand Order, it has been confirmed by Nasu that the normal Nero of the game still recalls and holds feelings for Hakuno.[2] As such, Nero does not have romantic interest in the Grand Order protagonist, nor does she refer to them as "soshiyo" like she does Hakuno. Rather, Bridal Nero is meant to be an alternative version of Nero who never met Hakuno, and thus falls for the Grand Order protagonist instead. The description for Bridal Nero notes that she is the version of Nero who did not meet her "fated spouse" even after becoming a servant - namely, she was never summoned to the Moon Cell, and thus never met Hakuno.
Hakuno does appear in one Grand Order event, Lilim Harlot. Queen Draco, a tainted alternate version of Nero, is unwillingly contracted to the Grand Order protagonist. The protagonist is thus forced to help redeem Draco. Hakuno makes a cameo towards the conclusion of the event, where it is revealed that they were the ones to tie the protagonist and Draco. Hakuno tells the protagonist that though Draco isn't the Nero they bonded to, they believe Draco's connection to Nero was reason enough not to abandon Draco. Once Draco is redeemed, Hakuno appears for a final time, and Draco and Hakuno smile at one another.
Quotes[]
- “That's right. I'm a failure as a master because I couldn't give a damn about the Moon Cell. If I were forced to choose between the Holy Grail and [Nero], I would pick [Nero] without hesitation. As my constant companion throughout the war, she means more to me than anyone or anything.”
- — Hakuno, Fate/Extra
- “I smile unwittingly at [Nero]. Always so prideful. I want to protect her smile, even though she is the one who always defends me.”
- — Hakuno, Fate/Extra
- “For me, who has never been loved, our time together has been precious. It is truly wonderful to be foremost in the thoughts of another. You, who mean the world to me, let's go! May you defeat all who oppose you!”
- — Nero to Hakuno, Fate/Extra
- “A woman in red stands proudly in front of me. From the bottom of my heart, I feel a sigh of relief. Her golden hair. Her slender body...this beloved woman, together with whom I have overcome so many battles...She's the most important person in the world to me.”
- — Hakuno, Fate/Extella
- “When I see her smile, I can feel the enjoyment from deep within her heart. That feeling flows through me and starts to clear the fog from my head...As long as she's by my side, I know I'll never have to fear or doubt a thing.”
- — Hakuno, Fate/Extella
- “Even if I live another 14,000 years, I will never meet another like you. I shall treasure and protect you even more than the world itself.”
- — Nero to Hakuno, Fate/Extella
- “Can you hear me Praetor? My beloved, my only...It's alright. Rest all you want. Wake up whenever you want...I will fight for you forever.”
- — Nero, First Ending, Fate/Extella
- “I will say it again - soshiyo, I love you!”
- — Repeated in-game quote, Nero, Fate/Extella
Fanon[]
Fan reaction to NeroHaku has been largely split between fans of Nero and fans of Tamamo. Fans of Nero typically praise the relationship for giving Nero a softer, sweeter side, and for her devotion to Hakuno. The femslash version of the pairing is more popular, though both have their fans.
On the other hand, the merging of the previously chosen routes from Extella onward turned some against the pairing. Fans of Tamamo consider Nero to be a spotlight stealer, and criticize the decision to make Nero Hakuno's true servant/lover in Extella and Last Encore. Similarly, the choice to give Nero an alternative timeline version to pair with the protagonist of Fate/Grand Order is sometimes negatively contrasted with Tamamo, who falls for the protagonist of that game despite remembering Hakuno.
Nero is thus often criticized as being given favoritism by the writers. Some fans try to reconcile this by claiming that Hakuno is polygamous with both Nero and Tamamo, though there is little evidence in canon for this past Nero and Hakuno's general reluctant acceptance of Tamamo in the ending of Extella and Extella Link. Indeed, Tamamo's assertion over Hakuno is treated as fantasy by the other characters of Extella Link, contrasting Nero and Hakuno's bond.
Currently, it would seem that NeroHaku is a slightly more popular pairing. AO3 lists 101 NeroHaku works as opposed to 69 TamaHaku.
Gallery[]
Fandom[]
FAN FICTION
- Hakuno Kishinami/Nero tag on AO3
References[]
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| Fate Ships • Fate Characters | |||
| SHIPS | het | Cleosar • Diarturia • Gilturia • KirIri • OdyCirce • ShiRin • ShiSaber • ShiSaku | |
| slash | Patrochilles | ||
| femslash | AnneMary | ||
| non-binary | NeroHaku • TamaHaku | ||
| CHARACTERS | male | Arthur Pendragon • Henry Jekyll • Heracles • Merlin • Odysseus • Robin Hood | |