Despite the grave circumstances surrounding her Jeanne couldn't help but feel amused at the childish Saber's antics, even with Mordred excitedly dragging her towards the knight's supposed Master. The Saint didn't feel threatened despite the possibility she was being led into a cleverly constructed trap created by the Red Faction, cold logic dictated that would be the case but in her heart Jeanne d'Arc knew that Mordred was trustworthy in fact she doubted the rambunctious Saber knew the meaning of subtle.
"Hey, we gotta hurry up we're already wasting time as it is!" Mordred called from ahead, it seemed that she also lacked patience, the woman known as the Saint of Orleans wondered if this is what minding a child felt like, she never really had the chance…
Jeanne shook her head, there was no time for that, so she obliged her companion and set her careful jog into a full speed sprint, somehow Mordred still kept her lead despite Jeanne's best efforts.
"Yeah that's more like it, we're almost there." Mordred announced, In spite of her heavy armor the Saber seemed like she was wearing the lightest cloth in the world Jeanne thought a bit enviously, her musings broke when she nearly crashed into the suddenly still Saber.
Looking over the knight's shoulder Jeanne caught a glimpse of a rugged looking man wearing black sunglasses which was odd considering the sun had set a while ago leaving the whole area with barely any light to see bar the stars and moon, so that begged the question why did he wear them?
"Yo Master, I brought the Servant I was talking about." The man merely sighed removing the cigarrete from between his lips before responding "Saber you brought an unknown Servant to me, how do you even know she won't attack us?"
Mordred for her part simply shrugged while giving a carefree smile "She's not like that, uhhh she's uhm ruler, right?"
Well that threw any notion of this being a trap out of Jeanne's mind or this would be the sloppiest one she's ever beared witness to, that still left building relations firmly in her lap though as Mordred didn't seem to care much for her Master's suspicions.
Clearing her throat Jeanne tried to assuage the man's concerns "I am Servant Ruler Jeanne d'Arc, I am a neutral party with no desire for the Grail, we don't have any cause for conflict, so I hope that we can work together to know what exactly is happening in the Grail War." Her tone was clear and concise leaving no room for misunderstandings as that was the last thing Jeanne wanted.
The man glanced at his Servant who simply gave him a sly grin in return, his gaze turned finally met Jeanne's after a moment, but she couldn't tell if he was actually looking at her because of those sunglasses.
"Right and I suppose you have proof that you are a neutral party other than your word?" Jeanne didn't frown but it was a close thing, she had no way to truly prove that she was neutral other than her class container, or did she?
"If I truly had any desire for the Grail winning it would be child's play, I as Ruler have been granted two Command Seals for each Servant participating in this war if I truly wasn't neutral then the Holy Grail War would've already ended." While her statement seemed like a threat, it wasn't. Jeanne regrettably didn't have any other way she could think of that could prove her neutrality, but perhaps it would only serve to set the two on edge instead of allaying their fears.
It was a mistake Jeanne admitted to herself in hindsight, she tensed in expectation as she looked at the pair's reaction, she couldn't help but relax as she saw that instead of fear or anger all the Master expressed was curiosity while Mordred had a pout on her face.
"That's no fair, how are we supposed to have a good match if you can pull something like that?" Mordred whined, breaking the silence that nearly settled on the trio, leave it to Saber to defuse the uncomfortable atmosphere so easily.
"I am not meant to fight and beat Servants, my purpose in this war is merely to investigate the anomalies that the Grail has perceived."
"Boorrringg, ughh what's the point of that?" Jeanne couldn't help but bristle when she heard Saber's remark, but it was beneath her to respond in kind to such a childish display.
Her Master on the other hand gave a placating gesture, "Now, now Saber we should get along our goals align after all." Jeanne looks at the man before nodding with a smile gracing her face, it seems her efforts have paid off.
"So, we are in agreement then?" Both of her new companions smiled in return, it seems they also wanted an ally in these uncertain times.
"Hell yeah let's go to the castle now I bet there's some strong fighters there!" Her master frowns in return. "Oi, oi that's the reason why I'm not rushing to go there Saber."
"But I'm bored! I was promised a huge battle and all I've been getting is a whole lot of nothing… besides how am I supposed to earn my wish if all I do is sit around twiddling my thumbs?"
Her master gave an interesting expression at Saber's suddenly somber mood while Jeanne gave it some thought, she knew that Saber was Mordred, a knight infamously known for her betrayal and the destruction of a kingdom. The Saint couldn't help but feel that wasn't what Mordred was at all, yet at the same time could she say she knew the rambunctious Saber well enough to know so?
"Alright let's head out we can't afford to waste time." The voice of Saber's Master broke Jeanne out of her thoughts making her look towards the pair that looked sort of laughable right now.
"Does it have to be like this though?!" The man questioned Saber as she quickly picked him up into a princess carry, Mordred for her part quickly answered him "You're too slow Master, this is the best way!"
The knight in shining armor doesn't even give a warning before she's rocketing off towards the Yggdmillenia Castle her insane speed giving Jeanne a tough time keeping up even though she was also a Servant of no small physical ability.
"Saaaaaberr slooow Dooooowwwnn" The Master's words were distorted by the speeds Mordred ran at, but the energetic Servant didn't bother responding except for giving a mischievous smile and picking up her pace.
It only took a few scant minutes for the rubble to pop into view and even half that time to arrive, Jeanne eyed the ruins of the former Black Faction stronghold warily trying to not let a single detail escape her, it was a bit hard considering the commotion right by her though.
"Sa,Saber when… when I say slow down… please slow…" Saber's Master was gasping for breath his wheezing clearly audible, Saber for her part looked down guiltily.
"Mmm, sorry." She mumbled, her words could barely be heard yet her Master didn't let them escape his attention as he gave a wry smile "It's… Fine Saber Just… not next time."
Jeanne would've paid more attention to the adorable pair of Master and Servant if she didn't receive a revelation at that moment.
She saw a massacre, depravities defiling the castle then a white garbed princess stormed in and cleansed the taint until all that was left were ashes. Then a golden prince lifted a giant orb before they both vanished into a cloud of golden mist.
It was an odd vision that Jeanne didn't know how to make heads or tails of, it did give her a general idea of what happened here, but it seemed a tad outlandish, a white princess and a golden prince of all things?
It seems the other two did their own investigations while Jeanne was caught up in her vision if the sounds of Mordred's disappointment were anything to go by though, they didn't find anything substantial. It was understandable considering all that was left was dust in the wind and a few pieces of stone scattered about.
"Ughh there's nothing here! Where is everybody!!!" Mordred was screaming at the air her frustration clear as day Jeanne didn't comment on it instead inspecting the Saber's Master.
"Do I have something on my face?" It seems he caught her though, Jeanne merely shook her head "I was just thinking how the two of you were surprisingly compatible despite being so different."
The man scratched his cheek with a bit of a flush on his face, was he perhaps embarrassed? Jeanne didn't know why her statement elicited such a response but she payed in no mind as she listened to his response. "I guess we are"
It was short and sweet he seemed about to continue before an expression of realization dawned on his face "Right almost forgot, names Kairi Sisigou pleasure to meet you Jeanne."
The saint gave a smile and was about to respond before an overwhelming sight caught her attention, it was just like the last time except the falling pieces of heaven were colored every imaginable shade and then some while being far more numerous. While she was no expert in magecraft she knew something of that power was capable of wiping all of Europe off the map not to mention Asia and Africa…
Then something mind breaking happened a titanic inferno that felt like the judgement of god himself exploded beneath the falling stars before ascending and consuming them whole, continuing into the heavens unimpeded. While her mind's comprehension did the scene no justice Jeanne felt like the scale of such a clash short circuited her understanding of reality.
"Ohhh COME ON!!! We just get here and boom! Everyone's somewhere else!" Mordred was furious, why was it so hard to get near the action?
"Saber what are you talking about?" The Saber in question gave Kairi a glare before deflating "You can't be serious Master."
Kairi blinked before he realized what just happened "I just somehow missed something really impressive didn't I?"
Saber for her part just gave a curt nod, she looked at her Master's lost expression then sighed "We're going to need to get you something to resist whatever magecraft is blocking your perception, I don't want to be fighting for my life while you walk right past me Master…"
Kairi for his part looked bashful as his Servant's words hammered right into his ego doubly so since he also recognized this as a budding problem. "That's quite insightful Saber but how are we supposed to do that?"
Mordred looked at him, seemingly at a loss she was spared the need to answer by a deep voice interrupting their conversation.
"I too would like to know something, what exactly is happening in this town." A stranger slowly walked into Kairi's view as Saber bristled at their thinly veiled demand. It was a man wearing a trench coat that covered most of his body.
"You! I killed you, how hell are you still alive bastard?!" The intruder gave a toothy grin his reply coldly amused "While I admit your attack was formidable for a human it was nothing to a true predator, now answer me and I just might spare you."
Jeanne who finally snapped to her senses at this unwelcome intrusion defaulted to her instinctive response "We shall not aid a vile beast such as yourself monster!" Mordred couldn't help but nod her head and respond in kind. "Yeah we beat you before and we'll do it again you ugly gorrilla!"
The man twisted his neck at an impossible angle towards Jeanne giving a slight frown before it was replaced by a horrible maw of fangs. "Hahaha yes, I will simply learn your secrets once you become one with Chaos, behold the 999'th Beast!"
Kairi's eyes widened in surprise as he paled a slight sheen of sweat forming on his brow, the two Servants noticed his reaction and Mordred was the first to capitalize on this "Master you know who this freakshow is?"
Kairi didn't look away from the cackling and convulsing man as he responded, "I have an Idea but if that man is who I think he is, then we're all in load of trouble, he's Nrvnqsr Chaos a."
Before Kairi could continue the man in question lunged, his form shifting and twisting until it enlarged into something that barely resembled a man anymore now what stood in place was a hulking gray monster.
Mordred braced herself but was caught off guard when in an instant the huge monster crossed the distance between them, somehow Chaos' speed now far surpassed her own, his strike slammed her into the ground causing the earth she landed on to crater as she picked herself back up she couldn't help but think that even with Jeanne's help this would be a difficult battle, well at least she got a good fight…
A/N: Pretty tired so I'll Edit this later for more stuff ughh the votes of the previous chapter are still open, This might be rushed idk just tell me if anything seems out of place.