Fate/Fucking Xehanorts

[Grue]

The Lingering Spirit chose the first statue on her left to start her investigation at. It was the statue of an old man, dressed in a robe not unlike the Black Coat in design. Bandages obscured one half of his face, save for an eye filled with hatred and loathing.

It was the other half of his face that revealed his identity to the ancient keybearer. The deep wisdom and caring were engraved by time on his features, and his smile was the only one out of all the decorations that was one of genuine kindness. She had only met this man once, but his words had given her hope again, despite the literal hell they'd been trapped in. His face had been partially obscured by shadows, but she'd seen it depicted often enough in the momentous legacy he'd left behind.
There was no doubt about it. This was the King of Light, later known as the elusive Red Sage: Ansem The Wise.

What was his likeness doing here?

Click to shrink...

Ansem. Though she'd never met him in the form he was currently depicted in, the tales from the Keybladers of Light meant she could at least identify him. The Lingering Spirit was sure that if she checked the other statues, she'd find the likeness of others from the fight against Xehanort. Ven, recovering over there in the church. King Mickey. Sora. That and other factors, like the Keyblade Graveyard's depiction, painted a picture of a place that knew of the first fight against the dark. Why, then, had Xehanort chosen to start his new plan somewhere with those who could stop it? Was he just repeating the mistakes of the past, or was this something more sinister?

In any case, most everyone was still fatigued from the fight with Braig. Explaining the true threat of Xehanort and the past relevant to it would likely wait until the γ-faction had rested.

 

[Azecreth]

Lancer groaned, putting his hands over his ears at the snap.

"Five more minutes, dad." He groaned. But then a voice started talking, and the hungover Servant opened his eyes a bit.

"Why's everything so bright?" He asked, immediately closing them again. Then, his nose sniffed a bit. "And what smells like pork?"

Click to shrink...

Firo was persistent, and persistence seemed to be rewarded as Lancer finally woke up. The fact that he seemed oblivious to his situation wasn't entirely unusual, he supposed, given that he had been unconscious for basically the entire fight and the flight afterwards. They'd just have to work through it fairly rapidly if they could.

"It's probably bright because you're hung over," Firo explained. "And it smells like pork because up until a minute or go you were on fire, and soundly asleep too. Does that usually happen when you're drunk?"

 

[Mortifer]

"It's probably bright because you're hung over," Firo explained. "And it smells like pork because up until a minute or go you were on fire, and soundly asleep too. Does that usually happen when you're drunk?"

Click to shrink...

"'m not usually drunk." Lancer slurred out. "But being hungover sucks. Need to stay drunk so when I pass out I can wake up still drunk."

Lancer then took a moment to look down at his burnt arm, putting it to his face and taking a deep breath in through his nose.

"...I smell delicious." He declared, arm collapsing back to the ground. "So, what did you want? Even if I taste great, I'm not worth eating. You don't know where I've been, I'm probably full of diseases..."

 

[Azecreth]

"'m not usually drunk." Lancer slurred out. "But being hungover sucks. Need to stay drunk so when I pass out I can wake up still drunk."

Lancer then took a moment to look down at his burnt arm, putting it to his face and taking a deep breath in through his nose.

"...I smell delicious." He declared, arm collapsing back to the ground. "So, what did you want? Even if I taste great, I'm not worth eating. You don't know where I've been, I'm probably full of diseases..."

Click to shrink...

Firo had to wonder about the mindset of a person who could smell themselves and decide that they seemed delicious, especially since he wasn't much one for that kind of diet anyway. Then again, expecting a reasonable mindset from a Heroic Spirit might be a bit much, leaving him lucky that Assassin had come out so well (the old Assassin. He wasn't sure about the new one just yet)

With the delay that had been involved, it took a moment for Firo to remember that he was supposed to propose a deal to Lancer, so he should probably go doing that. "Well, I'm here to offer you a deal on behalf of your master. Specifically, if you stop hurting the nice lady inside the Church, then once we can leave here I'll go into the city and help you get some quality drinks."

With a grin, Firo offered his hand to the Servant. "Sound good?"

 

[Mortifer]

With the delay that had been involved, it took a moment for Firo to remember that he was supposed to propose a deal to Lancer, so he should probably go doing that. "Well, I'm here to offer you a deal on behalf of your master. Specifically, if you stop hurting the nice lady inside the Church, then once we can leave here I'll go into the city and help you get some quality drinks."

Click to shrink...

"Like the offer of more alcohol." Lancer commented. "But I'm not hurting nobody. Unless this is the whole 'Blah blah responsible for everything bad to ever happen' thing which people keep doing, but if years of malnutrition and being stoned on sight couldn't make me figure out how I was doing that, offering booze doesn't seem like it'll do it either."

 

[Azecreth]

"Like the offer of more alcohol." Lancer commented. "But I'm not hurting nobody. Unless this is the whole 'Blah blah responsible for everything bad to ever happen' thing which people keep doing, but if years of malnutrition and being stoned on sight couldn't make me figure out how I was doing that, offering booze doesn't seem like it'll do it either."

Click to shrink...

Firo shrugged, aware as much as Lancer was that there was no reasonable explanation, but magic always seemed to fill in that niche where reasonable ended but stuff happened anyways. "I don't think it's intentional," he admitted after a moment. "But apparently her illness kicked up around the time we arrived, and she was definitely trying to move away from you specifically. Seems like a pretty big coincidence to me." There wasn't much they could do about it, so this seemed like the best option for all involved.

 

[Mortifer]

Firo shrugged, aware as much as Lancer was that there was no reasonable explanation, but magic always seemed to fill in that niche where reasonable ended but stuff happened anyways. "I don't think it's intentional," he admitted after a moment. "But apparently her illness kicked up around the time we arrived, and she was definitely trying to move away from you specifically. Seems like a pretty big coincidence to me." There wasn't much they could do about it, so this seemed like the best option for all involved.

Click to shrink...

Lancer shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Help me up and I'll wander off somewhere, I suppose."

A moment later, he seemed to consider something.

"...I don't suppose you have any spears? Or vaguely pointy long sticks? I seem to have misplaced mine, through no fault of my own."

 

[Azecreth]

Lancer shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Help me up and I'll wander off somewhere, I suppose."

A moment later, he seemed to consider something.

"...I don't suppose you have any spears? Or vaguely pointy long sticks? I seem to have misplaced mine, through no fault of my own."

Click to shrink...

An eyebrow rose in slight confusion at the request, even though there was nothing particularly objectionable about it on the surface. There was just this concerning bit about the Lancer on their team needing to be given a lance to use, which was perhaps more worrisome than his general attitude and whatever he had done to Caren back inside.

"Not at the moment," he admitted with a look around just to make sure he wasn't missing anything before reaching down to help Lancer get up. "I'll see if they have something you could use in the Church though." At the very least he could probably fashion something with his Alchemy, though it might not be suitable for however Lancer tended to fight. But it would be better than nothing.

 

[Ψυχή]

Satisfied with Assassin's treatment and Rider's double-check, the pirate captain rose from the pew and sauntered over to his peer and his prodigal Servant — the other in tow atop Slow Dancer.

"...I don't suppose you have any spears? Or vaguely pointy long sticks? I seem to have misplaced mine, through no fault of my own."

Click to shrink...

"I don't believe 'I completely missed a stone-still avian and sent it down to Davy Jones' counts as 'through no fault of your own'," Jack called out as he approached, "but you also said it was 'worth less than nothing and the two of us are now even wealthier for not having it in our presence', if I recall correctly. Come to think of it, maybe old squid-face will make something more useful of it — he always had quite the interest in old junk."

Turning to Rider for a moment, the Master of two Servants went on. "Think he can get it back if he phases out and in, Rider? A replacement may be in order, but I doubt it would hurt to be able to throw and bring the thing back."

The horse-riding Servant scoffed, still smiling at the captain's cavalier attitude. "Certainly sounds like a 'minus' to me."

"Ah, but even still the poor lad said he'd miss the thing," he replied with a smirk as he stood betwixt the two, both visible if he so turned his eyes one way or the other, "and who would I be to not indulge a man in his comforts? You'd be surprised what some people find comforting despite the unusual detriments." At that Sparrow shifted his attentions to their floor-bound companion, while Rider made a nervous glance away at the statement unnoticed. "Think you can give it a go, Lancer?"

 

[Mortifer]

"I don't believe 'I completely missed a stone-still avian and sent it down to Davy Jones' counts as 'through no fault of your own'," Jack called out as he approached, "but you also said it was 'worth less than nothing and the two of us are now even wealthier for not having it in our presence', if I recall correctly. Come to think of it, maybe old squid-face will make something more useful of it — he always had quite the interest in old junk."

Click to shrink...

Lancer put a finger to his lips.

"Shushushshush, Master." He whispered. "We can't let people know how big a disappointment I am right off the bat. Ruins the surprise."

Turning to Rider for a moment, the Master of two Servants went on. "Think he can get it back if he phases out and in, Rider? A replacement may be in order, but I doubt it would hurt to be able to throw and bring the thing back."

The horse-riding Servant scoffed, still smiling at the captain's cavalier attitude. "Certainly sounds like a 'minus' to me."

"Ah, but even still the poor lad said he'd miss the thing," he replied with a smirk as he stood betwixt the two, both visible if he so turned his eyes one way or the other, "and who would I be to not indulge a man in his comforts? You'd be surprised what some people find comforting despite the unusual detriments." At that Sparrow shifted his attentions to their floor-bound companion, while Rider made a nervous glance away at the statement unnoticed. "Think you can give it a go, Lancer?"

Click to shrink...

"...Oh, right, I can do that." Lancer noted. "Anything else I'm forgetting? Servants can do something else I'm forgetting, I think..."

But without waiting for an answer, Lancer closed his eyes, and held a closed fist in front of him.

"Come, spear!" He commanded.

Nothing happened.

"...Wait, wait, no, I got to do it like this-"

Lancer opened his palm slightly, and the spear suddenly manifested atop of it. Surprised, Lancer's hand jerks, tilting the spear and causing it to fall, point-first, into his foot.

"...Ow." Lancer grumbled. "Ah, that's gonna hurt to pull it back out. Anyone got some bandages, or am I going to have to bleed my way to the corner store to steal some?"

 

[Ψυχή]

Lancer put a finger to his lips.

"Shushushshush, Master." He whispered. "We can't let people know how big a disappointment I am right off the bat. Ruins the surprise."

Click to shrink...

Lancer's Master simply shrugged at that jovially, as if it wasn't really much of a disappointment to him — whether that said something about past company or simply another quirk of his upbeat attitude was anyone's guess.

"...Oh, right, I can do that." Lancer noted. "Anything else I'm forgetting? Servants can do something else I'm forgetting, I think..."

But without waiting for an answer, Lancer closed his eyes, and held a closed fist in front of him.

"Come, spear!" He commanded.

Nothing happened.

"...Wait, wait, no, I got to do it like this-"

Lancer opened his palm slightly, and the spear suddenly manifested atop of it. Surprised, Lancer's hand jerks, tilting the spear and causing it to fall, point-first, into his foot.

"...Ow." Lancer grumbled. "Ah, that's gonna hurt to pull it back out. Anyone got some bandages, or am I going to have to bleed my way to the corner store to steal some?"

Click to shrink...

Rider glared harshly at the back of their shared Master's head. "...I'm not healing that."

"Now now, no need to be hasty..." Jack waved down his mounted Servant without turning around as he started rummaging around his coat for something, "Well, you've got your weapon back; one less problem there... Ah, this'll do."

Pulling out the letter he'd received earlier that night, he gestured to Lancer's spear. "Pull it out then, and I'll wrap it up. Unless present company can offer you better?" Raising his voice at that, he jerked his head back towards Rider (who rolled his eyes again), his fellow Master, and anyone else close enough to catch his words.

 

[Azecreth]

"Now now, no need to be hasty..." Jack waved down his mounted Servant without turning around as he started rummaging around his coat for something, "Well, you've got your weapon back; one less problem there... Ah, this'll do."

Pulling out the letter he'd received earlier that night, he gestured to Lancer's spear. "Pull it out then, and I'll wrap it up. Unless present company can offer you better?" Raising his voice at that, he jerked his head back towards Rider (who rolled his eyes again), his fellow Master, and anyone else close enough to catch his words.

Click to shrink...

Firo had almost made it back to the church when he heard the sound of the captain calling with voice raised, indicating that he needed some help. Looking back he was surprised to find that Lancer had managed to produce his weapon, albeit at the cost of getting it stuck in his foot. He definitely seemed to be different compared to the usual norm for Servants.

"I got it," he reassured Jack as he returned to the scene, dropping to a knee next to Lancer. "Well, if it isn't a cursed wound or anything. It's something of a specialty of mine, besides alchemy." Sure he might not have developed all that knowledge himself, but if he had it he was going to use it.

With that he lifted his hands, positioning them near Lancer's foot. "Alright, when you're ready," he said, looking to the Servant. Once it was out of the way he would focus, tapping into his mana. "Riparazione ferita," he muttered, and a light would spring into exist, a dull glow as flesh and muscle knit itself back together. In a minute or so Lancer would be fine, as if he had never been injured.

"There you go," Firo said with a grin as he got back to his feet.

@Mortifer

 

[Mortifer]

With that he lifted his hands, positioning them near Lancer's foot. "Alright, when you're ready," he said, looking to the Servant. Once it was out of the way he would focus, tapping into his mana. "Riparazione ferita," he muttered, and a light would spring into exist, a dull glow as flesh and muscle knit itself back together. In a minute or so Lancer would be fine, as if he had never been injured.

"There you go," Firo said with a grin as he got back to his feet.

Click to shrink...

A minute passed. And then another. And then a third.

"Don't feel too bad if it doesn't work." Lancer said. "Performance issues. Happens to everyone. Nothin' to be ashamed of."

Spoiler: Wise Up!

Magic Resistance: E-
A pathetic skill, which does not oppose enemy magecraft. Instead, all it does is increase the costs of any beneficial Magecraft, such as reinforcement or healing.

Halfway through the fourth minute, the spell began to take effect, though at a snail-like pace.

"Oh, hey, that'll work eventually." Lancer noted. "Uh, though I hope the spell doesn't run out of mana before it heals me up properly..."

He considered that for a moment.

"...Eh, it'll be fine, I've had worse."