[X] Figure something else out. Chaldea's got plenty to offer for leisure, and you're pretty sure a little time at the gym wouldn't go amiss. Sure, you won't get an opportunity to talk with your Servants, but that might be for the best. You'll probably be more relaxed going into the meeting, at least.
[X] See if you can figure out where Circe is. You're reasonably sure she won't have moved from her room while setting up her workshop, and you'll have to call her anyway for whatever Olga's got in mind. You've no particular reason to need to speak with her, but if you're being honest, you're starting to just flat out enjoy her company. Dangerous, sure, but you can indulge yourself a little, right?
[X] See if you can figure out where Circe is. You're reasonably sure she won't have moved from her room while setting up her workshop, and you'll have to call her anyway for whatever Olga's got in mind. You've no particular reason to need to speak with her, but if you're being honest, you're starting to just flat out enjoy her company. Dangerous, sure, but you can indulge yourself a little, right?
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] See if you can figure out where Circe is. You're reasonably sure she won't have moved from her room while setting up her workshop, and you'll have to call her anyway for whatever Olga's got in mind. You've no particular reason to need to speak with her, but if you're being honest, you're starting to just flat out enjoy her company. Dangerous, sure, but you can indulge yourself a little, right?
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[x] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] Grit your teeth and find out what happened to Goemon. You can still feel that thread at the back of your mind that connects you to him, so he's certainly still around. Getting to chat with him and lay down some ground rules would probably be healthy for the both of you, in that it'll stop your inevitable attempt at strangling him.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
Archer is the only servant whose name we don't even know, it's probably in our best interests to change that as quickly as possible. Besides with her enhanced senses we'll likely find the other servants faster, and we can play bad cop worse cop with any pesky servants.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[x] Figure something else out. Chaldea's got plenty to offer for leisure, and you're pretty sure a little time at the gym wouldn't go amiss. Sure, you won't get an opportunity to talk with your Servants, but that might be for the best. You'll probably be more relaxed going into the meeting, at least.
You're not dealing with this right now, not dealing with this shithead thief fleecing the employees. If they're stupid enough to gamble with a Servant then they deserve everything that's coming to them and more, and you know that if you go to Goemon now you're likely to say or do something you'll regret. All at once there's this terrible, burning frustration inside your chest from the littlest bit of annoyance and you know that you just need to let it die. Lashing out would feel better for a moment, but you can't. Just...suck it up and let it go.
And then Ed dissociated and started whipping Goemon with bladed chains right there in the cafeteria.
It's a wonderful minute or two where you can just gorge yourself on your food and, well, it's damn good actually, you don't have much experience with cafeterias but Olga's clearly kept the power of a good meal in mind when it comes to morale. Part of you wants to scoff at her for the obvious manipulation, but as it happens ground beef in tomato sauce with some sharp cheese on top is a pretty good argument that sometimes manipulation is perfectly alright.
I choose to believe that this is Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker rules, and due to being so understaffed by the bombings and being a hero unit with good stats in basically everything plus a universally applicable passive Olga Marie is literally working in the kitchens right now, everyone's just too scared to acknowledge it.
"I get it. You've been through a lot over the last while, everyone has. We're all putting on a brave face, but what happened wasn't easy to deal with." You take another deep breath as Da Vinci trails off, pushing away the memory of the few hours you spent with the bastard who'd pretended to be Roman. Stupid Origin. She's looking at you a little more sympathetically now, and you'd rail against it if you weren't so wrung out already. "Edward...you and Olga are a lot alike, you know?"
Leo: "You look great in stockings too."
Ed: *JJBA style colour-shifted reaction shot*
"Hear me out! I've worked with Olga for the last few years, I know how she responds to crises. She doubles down and acts like nothing is wrong and that everything just bounces off her, but it doesn't. People don't work like that, you know? She gets tired and upset and afraid like anyone else, especially after...well, after everything that happened." She looks a little more sad than you'd expect, but if she's really been around for years then it's not completely impossible she and Olga could have grown close. Just because before you'd have preferred to jump out a window than speak with a Servant for very long doesn't mean everyone shares your good sense.
"My point is that she acts like she's not human like the rest of us. And you...you walked out of your bed after Fuyuki and started working right off the bat. You didn't even sit down to eat until just now." She looks more serious now, and you're a little transfixed. You haven't known her very long, but it already seems weird to see her without a smile. "I've been trying for years to make sure Olga takes better care of herself. I'll do it for you too, if you're going to go down the same road as her. That's all."
Leo: "I'm just saying you should try to incorporate more self-care into your schedule!"
Ed: "what's self-care"
Leo:
Ed: "is that when you shower every day"
Leo: "(cazzo di idiota...)"
A loud guffaw from the other side of the room breaks through the awkward silence and you both turn to watch Goemon punch his fist in the air as the staff he'd been gambling with curse and reluctantly hand over whatever it was they'd bet, and apparently Da Vinci's content with your lack of response, because she gives another smile, this time confident and proud. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'll handle him."
"Uh..."
"Like I said, don't worry. I can get Olga to behave when she's in one of her moods, Goemon's gonna be a piece of cake. Just leave it to me!"
But seriously, this is nice! It's heartening to see Leo getting in there early with the "you know humans should look after themselves and value their own wellbeing right?" flag to wave before Ed's dumb ass because he's got a whole lot of learned habits to deal with in this story.
Your good mood, if you could call it that, lasts long enough for you to return to your room when you've finished your meal. It's only once the door hisses shut that the cheer bleeds out of you like an open wound. Last time you were here, it was with Bael after you'd seen your sister for the first time in years. That alone is enough to twist your stomach, even with the exhaustion weighing on you like a boulder, and you glance at the ashtray on the bedside table, the lighter and cigarettes beside it, and you know you're not going to be able to resist. Your armor clanks slightly as you sit on the bed, and in seconds you're inhaling the familiar scent of smoke, bringing it to your lips and waiting for that first hit of nicotine to relax you.
You wait, and you wait, and you wait, but nothing happens. The scent is comforting, sure, but you know what you should feel like and this isn't it. All it is is a bad taste in the back of your throat. You take another pull in the desperate hope that something was wrong, but already you're pretty sure you know what's happening. A few seconds of nothing happening is enough to confirm it to you, and with a low growl you viciously stub the stupid stick of chemicals out in the ashtray and leave it there. You're a Demi-Servant now, and you've got a Servant's resistance. If it takes magical poisons to do serious damage, then of course mortal poisons would just wash right over you. You want to- you want to kick something, to just let out the frustration you feel building, but there's no point to it, no point to any tantrum you could throw. Are you really going to complain that some miracle that saved your life and gave you the power to fight back stops you from poisoning yourself?
Oof. I mean, good on Galahad for being anti smoking but probably not the right time to go cold turkey when he's in such a high-stress environment. We'd better hope the fusion dance includes Protection From Cravings EX too otherwise Ed might just start putting holes in the walls.
The door to your room hisses open.
Your body floods with magical energy as you burst out of the room, your awareness connecting to your chains as they snap to life and wind around your arm, your fingers curling around the familiar weight of the blade at the end as you point it towards the intruder. Already you're berating yourself for having forgotten to lock the damn thing, a snarl coming to your lips directed towards-
"Fou!"
Fou?
The little catdog thing is sitting there in front of your door as it hisses closed, staring up at you like you're the one intruding. A moment passes and he raises his paw to lick at the back of it
Fou's moved onto your bed, and to his credit, he at least focuses on grooming himself on top of your sheets as you find the provided pajamas and pull them on. Not exactly your preference, but even though you're sure he's not a familiar...
Well, it can't hurt. And the clothes are comfy.
"You're a little bastard, you know that?" You grumble as you nudge Fou out of the very center of your bed, flicking the lightswitch after you've dumped your chains onto the bedside table. The sudden darkness provokes a squeaky "Fou!" from your uninvited guest, and you can just make out the shape of the fuzzy intruder before he plops himself down on your chest once you're lying down. You'd expected it to be a bit more uncomfortable, but it's...well, it's kind of nice. You reach down to scratch behind his ears and you're rewarded with a sleepy repetition of his name, and it's almost like a trigger for your own exhaustion to come crashing down on you. You're warm, clean, comfortable, fed, and so, so tired.
Sleep comes like a kiss in the night, and you're only too happy to succumb.
And yeah, stuff like this suspiciously well-timed 'and then suddenly Ed felt extremely sleepy and passed TF out the second he touched the cute animal we know is deeply connected to Merlin the incubus' moment combined with all the seriously-implied-to-be-merlin narration creeping into the text makes me believe Four is primarily going to be here in his function as an extension of The Original Flordia 'Penis Man' than as the Fourth Beast.
Anyhoo
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
As much as Leo just gave Ed a speech about the importance of self-care, he has a cute fluffy animal wrapped around his neck like a fur scarf, so in my book that's already covered. More important to me right now is unravelling the mystery of Archer, who clearly has a lot of baggage wrapped up in seeking approval from others and feeling like she has to hide her oni side with an almost yandere-esque anti-thot policy which, granted, may come in handy to repel Niamh in a pinch but it's best to understand how Archer ticks before we go around weaponising her against family members. The sooner Ed starts to pick at the threads the better.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
[X] Find out where Archer is and have a chat with her. She seemed shaken yesterday from something as simple as not rooming near you, and everything before that has given you some concerning vibes. If you can tease out just why she's so obsessed with proving herself to you, it'd be much more helpful going forward.
Circe's probably fine and you're not really in the mood for her playful act right before this meeting, and with any luck Goemon's still dealing with whatever punishment Da Vinci dreamed up for him. That only leaves your first and strangest Servant, who refuses to tell you her name like it's some kind of regular Grail War. She's Japanese, you're sure about that, and she's some kind of oni. Besides that, how much do you really know? She's got some kind of problem with her identity, but that doesn't narrow things down. Shuten-douji comes to mind, but you dismiss it just as quickly. Shapeshifter or not, you can't imagine them putting on an act for this long from everything you've heard, and if you're being honest the name only came to mind because they're the most famous oni you know.
No, you're not going to be able to puzzle this out yourself. You'll need to talk with her to figure it out, and...well, you need to talk with her anyway. It's clear she values your safety more than normal for a Master and Servant, but from now on these are going to be controlled missions, not a desperate Hail Mary to try and snatch salvation from disaster. You need to make sure she can play nice with the others.
Like you do with Niamh?
You strangle that bitter, mocking thought before it can take purchase and sigh, starting to walk down the hallway as you finish off the last of your pastry. You're able to enjoy the scent of buttery breakfast for a few moments more before the sterile non-scent of Chaldea re-asserts itself, and as soon as it does you make the decision. Reaching out with your mind isn't anything new for a magus, but it's still strange to feel those little threads tied to your soul and nudge at them until you can speak regardless of the distance.
<"Archer, where are you? I want to talk for a bit-">
"Of course, Master."
It's only the complete lack of response from your supernatural Instinct that calms your regular instincts down enough that you don't whirl on Archer with your chains out when she materializes a respectful distance behind you. To her credit, she at least seems to notice that you're less than pleased with the shock judging by how she immediately bows her head, but the damage has already been done. Fou gives an indignant cry before leaping down from your neck, then turning his nose up and padding away. It honestly stung a little more than you'd expected.
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to startle you." She spoke after a few moments of bowing, and you force down the sigh that she'd no doubt take badly.
"Were you following me?" You hadn't noticed, but then again you hadn't exactly been expecting it. You'd thought she'd be in her room, not right there.
She waits for a moment before looking up, her head tilting a tiny bit in confusion before she stops, as if catching herself before she could finish the gesture.
"Of course. When I saw you leaving your room, I came with you. I am your Servant." She's composed, but you can already see the cogs turning in her head while she speaks, and you have to cut her off before she can begin the apology you know is coming. You don't want her upset before you even start talking.
"Right, right, yeah. Just...going forward, if you want to walk with me, you can do it out of spiritual form, alright? It's easier for everyone if we can see you." She nods slightly, and you think you can see the ghost of a smile in the twitch of her mouth, but an instant later it's gone and she's back to that same docile mask she wears when she's not agitated. You've seen that mask twisted into a furious roar, rivulets of black blood spilling from her lips as her ears bleed from self-inflicted wounds, just so she could keep fighting better. It's unsettling, knowing just how much of an act it could be.
"Anyway, I...mm." You glance around quickly, but the corridor is empty and you can't hear anything except the omnipresent vague hum of running machinery somewhere around you. It feels awkward to talk with her outside of somewhere private, but you've got a feeling that if you asked her to wait until you were back in either your room or hers, the anxiety would have her shaking herself apart before you opened the door. You only barely hold back the sigh when you turn to face her again and start speaking.
"Okay, Archer...I'm not upset with you, alright? You've done everything perfectly so far. I wouldn't be alive if you hadn't saved me." It's a truth that's as disconcerting to admit the second time as it was the first. Relying on your own Servants is still a strange feeling. "I just wanted to ask you...why are you so worried about what I think?"
She freezes like you'd just struck her, and you have to hold back a wince. For all she's able to keep a straight face most of the time, it's painfully obvious when something sneaks past it. Even her voice is a little shakier than it was when she responds, though she does make certain to look you in the eye.
Had she blinked since you started speaking? You're not sure.
"I am your Servant and I wish to prove myself to you without bias, Master." It's robotic almost, rote recitation that she may as well have practiced in her head a hundred times before. It's a deflection without explanation, and as much as you understand how uncomfortable it can be to talk about this, you've got the fate of the world on your shoulders. You can't let this be a problem.
"Archer...if you've done something in your past, then it's..." Fine? Is it really? It has to be, in this situation. And it's not like you're any better. Doesn't she deserve to know that? Does she, if she won't tell you?
You kind of hate having to ask these questions. You've worked alone long enough that you're no good at them, if you ever were in the first place.
"I'm not perfect either, Archer." You speak again, sighing softly and privately hoping whatever surveillance is going on can't hear you. "I'm an Enforcer. A bounty hunter....I've killed people before too. If it's something like that-"
"Master." Archer's sharp tone makes you trail off, but the look on her face borders distraught for a moment before she gets it back under control. "I'm sor- ah...I apologise, Master, for speaking in such a way. I just wanted...may I speak, Master?"
It's almost painful to watch her struggling to balance her discomfort with her unnatural deference. You're not sure what else you can do besides wordlessly nod, and even then she hesitates for a moment, biting her lip just long enough for you to see a flash of her pale white fangs before she catches herself.
"Killing is the way of the world for warriors, Master. That you hunt those worthy of being hunted doesn't matter to me. I...I simply wish to prove myself to you. I strive for perfection and I always have, I swear it. That is all."
It's infuriatingly vague, but you can't let it show. She hasn't done anything wrong, as far as she's willing to admit, but she's cavalier about killing when it's someone "worthy" so...what? You can't figure it out and you're not willing to push any harder after her reaction, but that doesn't stop you feeling frustrated. You got a little more insight and that's all you're going to get for the moment.
"Okay. Just..." You roll the words around in your head for a few moments, trying to figure out how to phrase things to be constructive without being cruel. "I appreciate it, Archer, but just remember that you need to focus on the mission, not on me. Alright?"
"Ah. Yes, of course." She sounds far more certain than she looks, but it'll have to do. "Is there anything else you require of me, Master?"
You almost reply before you remember exactly what she was doing before you called for her. "...Will you just go back to following me if I say no?"
"Of course." She almost seems confused by the question, and it's all you can do to sigh in response.
"Then...go find Circe, please. Goemon too, if you can. We've got a meeting in less than an hour."
"Of course, Master." She gives you another bow before disappearing, and you wait a few seconds to make sure she's gone before you close your eyes and lean against the wall for a few seconds. You'd hoped that Archer would explain herself after Fuyuki, but whatever she felt "proving herself" was, she clearly wasn't satisfied with herself yet. Once again, the thought of ordering her flits through your mind, and you smother it before it can gain any purchase. Binding someone's will is a slippery slope you're not going to go down anytime soon if you can help it, not when you've got your chains wrapped around you right now. Besides, if Olga or the others realised that your Mystic Code's curse could go far deeper than just the body, you're fairly sure they'd insist on taking it away from you unless you were in the field, and you're not letting that happen. The metal links tighten around you just a bit, and the sensation calms you down a little. Becoming a Demi-Servant might have killed one comfort you had, but at least you've still got this one, pathetic it may be. You always feel more comfortable when you've got your Code at hand.
For a few moments you just stay there, trying not to think about how you'll balance Archer, Circe, and now Goemon too, but you can't keep it up forever. If nothing else, Archer might end up finding them too soon and coming back, and you could do with something to focus your mind that isn't the oni who's terrified of upsetting you in any way. Niamh was never one for being early, so the meeting is the best bet.
It doesn't take long to reach the command room and you don't run into Goemon hustling staff on the way, so you'll take that as a victory. There are no guards, but you notice the cameras positioned around the hallway to make sure that there's not a single blind spot, and when you reach out to tap the panel that opens the door, you catch a faint smell of ozone when your finger makes contact, along with a little tingle in your hand. You almost take the time to consider what kind of defenses you could make if you had Leonardo da Vinci as a Servant, before you decide that you really don't want to imagine them if you can help it. At the very least, smell or no smell, they didn't activate on you. The doors hiss open as soon as you withdraw your hand, and you finally get your first look at the command room.
The first thing you notice is the massive window directly across from you, as wide and tall as the room itself and overlooking the gentle blue glow of CHALDEAS itself. There are stairs to the right and left down to the base of the window, connecting the three separate tiers of workstations. Long metal wedges packed with holographic screens and dashboards fill each tier, most of the workstations seating workers that don't even acknowledge the door opening. Out of curiosity you squint down at one of the screens, but you've overestimated yourself a little. Being a Demi-Servant might have enhanced your vision, but that doesn't actually mean you can parse the graphs and rows of text and diagrams that are flying up without cease.
Directly across from you on the same level is a larger workstation with a bigger chair, so you can only assume that's where Olga's meant to be, and between you and it is some sort of machine, made out of the same grey steel as the room's floor and walls. It raises up to about your waist, and the flat surface is covered in some kind of screen made of thousands of crisscrossing black squares. There's a panel on the opposite side that you can only assume is meant to control it, but beyond that there's nothing else going on. Olga isn't there yet, which had been your whole reason for coming here, so...
The door hisses behind you and for a moment your heart leaps into your chest, but instead of intense red you see a flash of soft lavender, followed by a familiar, smiling face.
"Hey, Edward. You're here early." Matthew's wearing a white coat over the same uniform as the others, a light teal shirt with black sleeves and teal cuffs and some white slacks, and you have to admit it suits him. He takes a moment to set his coffee down on one of the flat parts of probably-Olga's desk, before walking back to stand by you. "Making a good impression?"
"Something like that." It's hard not to meet his smile with one of your own, and you end up giving him a flicker of one before you force yourself back to business mode. Just because he's charming doesn't mean that you can let yourself relax. "Woke up early enough that I didn't have much to do, so I figured I might show up early. Why are you...?"
"Honestly, I don't really know myself. It's not like I'm in charge of the ward or anything. Da Vinci just sent me a message earlier. I guess I was the one who examined you after you got back, but..." He shrugs, but it doesn't seem like it's bothering him too much. "Well, anyway, it's good to see you! Did you sleep alright?"
You're drawn into the conversation despite yourself, and as much as every hesitation and less-than-enthusiastic response you give makes you certain he'll take the hint and be quiet, nothing seems to stop him. He's like a relentless train of positivity, bowling over any halfhearted attempt to cut off the conversation, and you don't...hate it. On some level, you know it's forced, it has to be after what happened with R- with Bael. You don't just shrug off your surrogate father turning out to be a demon who's trying to destroy all of human history. But he's still smiling and still joking around and still drawing out responses from you, even though you're sure it must feel like squeezing water out of a stone for him. You should be discussing the mission, but instead you're just talking like you're regular co-workers, not two of, potentially, the last remaining humans in existence.
He's halfway through a story about teaching some of the younger employees from the magus side of things about Exalted when the distinctive hiss of the door interrupts him, and you turn in unison to see Olga and Da Vinci walking into the room together. Olga gives you a short, sharp nod before stepping around you, her heels clicking against the floor, but Da Vinci instead stops and claps her hands together in front of the both of you before starting to speak.
"Ah, I'm glad you two are getting along well! Thanks for coming, Matthew. I hope I didn't pull you away from anything too pressing?" Her smile is as dazzling as ever, but at the very least now that you've got an audience not glued to their screens you're a little better able to keep hold of your composure.
"Oh, no, everything's basically under control at this point now that the Coffins are stable, we got lucky in terms of injuries to everyone else." It's the first time you've heard him speak about work for the day, and to his credit he doesn't let it affect him, at least visibly. At the very least, it's good to hear that things weren't as bad as they could have been.
"Excellent! I wish we had some time to do an examination for you, Edward, but unfortunately things are a bit busier than we'd thought. At least you two had some time to chat?" She gives you another brilliant smile, and you blink. She wouldn't have brought Matthew there just for your benefit, would she? That's...you're a little insulted, honestly, but it's not like you hated the conversation...
"Leo. Come on, we need to get to work." You can't help but shoot an incredulous look towards Olga at hearing her use a nickname of all things, but she doesn't react. "Dempsey, Servants. Kyrielight, get your coffee off of my desk."
Matthew's face turns about as pink as his hair as he remembers where he left his drink, and he bolts around the machine in the center of the floor to take it away. You watch his face fall as he raises it to his lips and realises it's gone stone cold during your conversation, and it's only Da Vinci's presence in the corner of your vision that stops you from smiling. He still catches your impressively impassive face and damn near pouts, and you allow yourself a moment to enjoy the sight before casting your awareness outwards, feeling out for those threads at the corner of your mind that tie you to your Servants. You're not sure exactly how it works and you're still kind of floundering, but at the very least-
"Finally. You know, for going around calling yourself "Master" you really don't do much, you know?"
You're moving before you can stop yourself, your fist cutting through the air fast enough that you can hear a whistle, and you get a split-second view of Goemon's eyes widening before he sways out of the way.
Both of you freeze before Matthew can even finish his yelp, and you slowly pull back your arm and fix him with a withering glare that seems to sail right over his head for all the good it does.
"What? C'mon, take a joke. It's not my fault you didn't notice me."
You're almost ready to explode at him before Da Vinci steps between you, smiling like she's got a knife behind her back and she's ready to slide it between Goemon's ribs at any second. "No pranks in the command room, Goemon. Or do you want to help me on clean-up duty again for the rest of your time in Chaldea?"
You wouldn't have thought the threat would work but Goemon's smirk falters a bit, and he gives a theatrical sigh before stepping back and folding his arms. "Fine, fine...no one here has any idea how to be funny."
"Shut up." You're nowhere near in mood to deal with him grumbling, but at the very least, you're certain about his class now. It's one thing for you to miss it, but for all the sensors in the command room and another Servant to miss it too? That's Presence Concealment, without a doubt.
Class: Assassin
True Name: Ishikawa Goemon
Stats:- STR: D END: B+ AGI: B MAG: E LUK: C
Skills:-
Presence Concealment: A
Class Skill of the Assassin class, allowing the wielder in question to hide their presence as a Servant, increasing their ability to perform clandestine operations such as espionage and assassination. At this Rank, Assassin is capable of near-completely erasing his presence while disappearing entirely from view, though this Skill drops severely in rank once an attack is launched. Assassin was formally trained as a ninja, a master of stealth and concealment, and made use of that training throughout his life to engage in many successful instances of thievery. It is even said he was only able to be detected during an assassination attempt by a mystical incense burner.
Further details are hidden.
Circe and Archer materialize a few moments later once you've reached out to them, and you spend a moment reassuring Archer that she doesn't need to apologise for missing an Assassin. Circe, blessedly, seems to pick up on the fact that this is important, because all she does is smile at you with a nod before reclining back and sitting down in midair, her staff hovering beside her. A stray glance at your communicator tells you that you're just a few seconds away from 10 AM, and the instant the numbers shift, the door hisses open once again. The sight of your sister still makes your stomach twist like there's a ghostly hand squeezing it, but at the very least Olga steps forward to interrupt before Niamh can do more than beam at you.
The surface of the machine bursts alight, and after a moment the fuzzy lighting sharpens into an image. It's a larger hologram than for the screens used below, and after a moment the perfect sphere shimmers and turns from a blank slate into a globe. Da Vinci taps at it again as Olga returns to stand beside her, and the globe turns to display a glowing red spot, right in the center of France. The image zooms and distorts, shifting to a flat plane that's displaying a map of the country, the blinking red light labelled this time.
Rouen.
"We've known the general physical location of the second Singularity for about a month now. Fuyuki and France were both easy enough to map out, but as far as we can tell they're interfering with each other. We only managed to nail down the calculations and co-ordinates for this one after the Fuyuki Singularity collapsed completely." Olga's the picture of professionalism, and now that things are down to business so are you. Matthew's still there, but he's tapping away at his tablet and you can't pay any more attention to him than that. "We managed to complete a perfect formula for Rayshifting to this location last night, which means we also know when it takes place, as well as the general location of the Holy Grail being used to anchor it. SHEBA was also able to capture a few images before the interference got too bad."
The map shrinks into the corner of the display, and a handful of images take its place. You've been to France before, but none of what you've seen looks remotely similar. There's a forest with trees that seem to be growing a hundred feet or more into the air, drowning the space below them in darkness. There's a shot of mangled bodies, bloody furrows torn by claws and teeth with dark fur mixed in with the blood. Finally, a shot of some kind of enormous pyre, blazing in the middle of an empty plain. For some reason, it makes you shiver to look at it.
"We've narrowed down the date. It's the first of June, 1431. Given that, and the fact that the Holy Grail appears to be in Rouen, we're working under the assumption that whatever alternate history is being used for this Singularity, it has something to do with Jeanne d'Arc." The images of the Singularity fade away and return to the map, before the lights return to full brightness and the hologram disappears. Olga looks you in the eye with her hands on her hips, and you meet her gaze evenly. "Have you had experience with this Heroic Spirit before?"
"No. We had scattered reports of a War in Romania where she appeared as a Ruler, but the Association magi involved were killed and we couldn't verify it. By the time the Enforcers arrived, the Grail had vanished."
"Damn. Alright. Leo, handle the briefing. Kyrielight, I want you running the diagnostics on Dempsey's Klein Coffin. Díomasaigh, get yourself ready to move out. Everyone else, begin preparations for Rayshifting to the Second Singularity! I want us to be ready half an hour ago!" No one replies, but by the way the low buzz of work intensifies at her orders, they're clearly obeying. Niamh, on the other hand, steps forward towards you.
"Oh, Edward! I didn't realise you'd be here early, I was looking for you! It's kind of exciting, don't you think?" She's wearing the same uniform you are, with the single difference being that instead of black trousers she's got black skirt and tights. Archer hasn't summoned her bow yet, but you can feel the way she winds herself tighter as Niamh gets closer. "How're you feeling?"
You're saved from having to quickly put on the act you did yesterday by the sound of Olga's clicking heels, and before either of you can say another word she's reached out to grab Niamh's chin with her thumb and forefinger, turning her head as she blinks in confusion to meet Olga's withering glare.
"Díomasaigh. I said get ready. That was not a suggestion."
Goddamn, but it feels good watching it happen to someone else.
Niamh pulls away from Olga and sputters, staring at the slightly shorter woman in disbelief before raising a hand to her chin. She doesn't respond, turning to glance at you for a moment, and you chance a nod, hoping your expression isn't as amused as you feel. She swallows and turns back to Olga, finally seeming to regain some measure of composure as she tilts her head up and speaks. "Fine. But do not touch me again, or-"
"Leo, escort her out, please."
Niamh gives a quick noise of surprise as she notices Da Vinci standing beside her, offering her a beatific smile, and finally gets the hint. She looks distinctly miserable as she leaves, casting a glance back at you, and you can't hold back the sigh of relief you give. Olga's already back to her console so you don't have to force yourself to acknowledge her help, but Da Vinci...she knew, you're sure of it, and you're speaking before you can stop.
"I, uh...thanks."
"Don't mention it. Remember, we look out for each other here!" She gives you one last smile before it's back to business, turning to your Servants and addressing them for the first time. "Any thoughts, you three? Anything familiar stood out?"
"Nothing. I am ready to begin whenever my Master is." Archer's the first to reply, unsurprisingly, though her voice has a little more bite to it than normal. You can't blame her, considering Niamh.
"Woods looked nasty. Definitely something mean hiding in them, but if you're asking the Japanese hero if he noticed anything about France...?" Circe rolls her eyes at Goemon's comment, before raising her hand to her chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm...that pyre was definitely not normal. I could tell just by looking at it. If I had to guess...it's some heavy duty magecraft. I'd need to see it in person to be sure about anything else." Da Vinci nods, turning to face you before speaking again.
"Alright. I'll be blunt, the only area we could establish a Rayshift with 100% success was in those woods. They're a little east of Orléans, so it'll be a trip from there to Rouen, but you should be fine. Unfortunately...Niamh isn't trained for combat the same way you were. She can handle herself, but we're not certain about dropping her directly into an active combat situation, if it turns out to be one. Basically...we want your opinion, since you're the one who'll be handling things down there. Either she can Rayshift with you now, or we'll send her in a second Rayshift once you've established a connection to the Leylines outside of the forest. It's your call."
You can't stop the bitter thought that there's no option to leave her behind entirely from flitting through your mind.
[ ] Bring her with you from the start. As much as you hate her, you need all hands on deck for this, and you know better than anyone how powerful Niamh can be. With less civilization to deal with and having traveled back a couple centuries, her magecraft and her unique qualities will be more potent than ever before. Sure, it'll be dangerous to drop into an unknown, potentially dangerous forest that could be filled with monsters, but at the end of the day with four Servants she should be fine. It'd also avoid any problems from leaving her behind at first, and much as you'll refuse to admit it to anyone else, you'd rather keep her happy than risk her wrath.
[ ] Wait until you're connected to a Leyline. She'll balk at being left behind, and it'd definitely sour her relationship with the rest of Chaldea, but at the end of the day it's common sense. You need everyone you can get after the bombings, and as powerful as she is she's just not a combat magus. All it'd take is someone managing to get past her familiars and she'd be dead, and that's more likely to happen if she drops into those woods. The thought isn't exactly something you hate, not after that awful visit yesterday, but this is bigger than you. You'll just deal with the consequences as they come, and Olga will have to as well.
[X] Wait until you're connected to a Leyline. She'll balk at being left behind, and it'd definitely sour her relationship with the rest of Chaldea, but at the end of the day it's common sense. You need everyone you can get after the bombings, and as powerful as she is she's just not a combat magus. All it'd take is someone managing to get past her familiars and she'd be dead, and that's more likely to happen if she drops into those woods. The thought isn't exactly something you hate, not after that awful visit yesterday, but this is bigger than you. You'll just deal with the consequences as they come, and Olga will have to as well.
[X] Bring her with you from the start. As much as you hate her, you need all hands on deck for this, and you know better than anyone how powerful Niamh can be. With less civilization to deal with and having traveled back a couple centuries, her magecraft and her unique qualities will be more potent than ever before. Sure, it'll be dangerous to drop into an unknown, potentially dangerous forest that could be filled with monsters, but at the end of the day with four Servants she should be fine. It'd also avoid any problems from leaving her behind at first, and much as you'll refuse to admit it to anyone else, you'd rather keep her happy than risk her wrath.
[X] Bring her with you from the start. As much as you hate her, you need all hands on deck for this, and you know better than anyone how powerful Niamh can be. With less civilization to deal with and having traveled back a couple centuries, her magecraft and her unique qualities will be more potent than ever before. Sure, it'll be dangerous to drop into an unknown, potentially dangerous forest that could be filled with monsters, but at the end of the day with four Servants she should be fine. It'd also avoid any problems from leaving her behind at first, and much as you'll refuse to admit it to anyone else, you'd rather keep her happy than risk her wrath.
[X] Bring her with you from the start. As much as you hate her, you need all hands on deck for this, and you know better than anyone how powerful Niamh can be. With less civilization to deal with and having traveled back a couple centuries, her magecraft and her unique qualities will be more potent than ever before. Sure, it'll be dangerous to drop into an unknown, potentially dangerous forest that could be filled with monsters, but at the end of the day with four Servants she should be fine. It'd also avoid any problems from leaving her behind at first, and much as you'll refuse to admit it to anyone else, you'd rather keep her happy than risk her wrath.
No, you're not going to be able to puzzle this out yourself. You'll need to talk with her to figure it out, and...well, you need to talk with her anyway. It's clear she values your safety more than normal for a Master and Servant, but from now on these are going to be controlled missions, not a desperate Hail Mary to try and snatch salvation from disaster. You need to make sure she can play nice with the others.
Nah, Archer isn't a sociopath. Her problem is caring too much about what other people think of her, Niamh just knows she's perfect
<"Archer, where are you? I want to talk for a bit-">
"Of course, Master."
It's only the complete lack of response from your supernatural Instinct that calms your regular instincts down enough that you don't whirl on Archer with your chains out when she materializes a respectful distance behind you.
"Archer are you ever not following me?"
"Never, Master."
"Even when I shower?"
"Never, Master."
"Even when I go to the-"
"Never, Master."
"I just wanted to ask you...why are you so worried about what I think?"
She freezes like you'd just struck her, and you have to hold back a wince. For all she's able to keep a straight face most of the time, it's painfully obvious when something sneaks past it. Even her voice is a little shakier than it was when she responds, though she does make certain to look you in the eye.
Had she blinked since you started speaking? You're not sure.
"I am your Servant and I wish to prove myself to you without bias, Master." It's robotic almost, rote recitation that she may as well have practiced in her head a hundred times before. It's a deflection without explanation, and as much as you understand how uncomfortable it can be to talk about this, you've got the fate of the world on your shoulders. You can't let this be a problem.
"Archer...if you've done something in your past, then it's..." Fine? Is it really? It has to be, in this situation. And it's not like you're any better. Doesn't she deserve to know that? Does she, if she won't tell you?
You kind of hate having to ask these questions. You've worked alone long enough that you're no good at them, if you ever were in the first place.
"I'm not perfect either, Archer." You speak again, sighing softly and privately hoping whatever surveillance is going on can't hear you. "I'm an Enforcer. A bounty hunter....I've killed people before too. If it's something like that-"
"Master." Archer's sharp tone makes you trail off, but the look on her face borders distraught for a moment before she gets it back under control. "I'm sor- ah...I apologise, Master, for speaking in such a way. I just wanted...may I speak, Master?"
It's almost painful to watch her struggling to balance her discomfort with her unnatural deference. You're not sure what else you can do besides wordlessly nod, and even then she hesitates for a moment, biting her lip just long enough for you to see a flash of her pale white fangs before she catches herself.
"Killing is the way of the world for warriors, Master. That you hunt those worthy of being hunted doesn't matter to me. I...I simply wish to prove myself to you. I strive for perfection and I always have, I swear it. That is all."
It's infuriatingly vague, but you can't let it show. She hasn't done anything wrong, as far as she's willing to admit, but she's cavalier about killing when it's someone "worthy" so...what? You can't figure it out and you're not willing to push any harder after her reaction, but that doesn't stop you feeling frustrated. You got a little more insight and that's all you're going to get for the moment.
Hmmm. Not much, but a few morsels to chew over. Archer clearly has a bodycount behind her, and more to the point I think a not insignificant number were innocent people/civillians for whatever reason. Or maybe more than that she... hm. She draws a very clear line between who it's Okay To Kill and Not Okay To Kill and longs to be the bestest killer of mans who threaten Edward while simultaneously being twitchy and nervous and all inferior about her past. I'm gonna shoot my shot and say she's Ushi Gozen, since I doublechecked her description in the previous chapters and it's pretty clearly based on FGO Yorimitsu, only in that depiction she was merged with her evil oni brother so it became a split personality thing (or something idfk). That would explain a lot about how Archer's acting. She's throwing herself wholeheartedly into how she perceives the Samurai-Lord dynamic and holding herself to an impossibly high standard in the hopes that maybe just maybe she can prove that even an oni has the right to exist and serve.
He's halfway through a story about teaching some of the younger employees from the magus side of things about Exalted when the distinctive hiss of the door interrupts him
such a shame, if they could only have held out longer matthew could be teaching everyone essence instead of third edition smh
You're not sure exactly how it works and you're still kind of floundering, but at the very least-
"Finally. You know, for going around calling yourself "Master" you really don't do much, you know?"
You're moving before you can stop yourself, your fist cutting through the air fast enough that you can hear a whistle, and you get a split-second view of Goemon's eyes widening before he sways out of the way.
Both of you freeze before Matthew can even finish his yelp, and you slowly pull back your arm and fix him with a withering glare that seems to sail right over his head for all the good it does.
"What? C'mon, take a joke. It's not my fault you didn't notice me."
You're almost ready to explode at him before Da Vinci steps between you, smiling like she's got a knife behind her back and she's ready to slide it between Goemon's ribs at any second. "No pranks in the command room, Goemon. Or do you want to help me on clean-up duty again for the rest of your time in Chaldea?"
Now I don't know what I wish I'd seen more, Goemon getting laid the fuck out because he pranked someone too jumpy or Edward accidentally haymakering a 15-year-old.
also 'clean-up duty' is code for 'cock and ball torture'.
The surface of the machine bursts alight, and after a moment the fuzzy lighting sharpens into an image. It's a larger hologram than for the screens used below, and after a moment the perfect sphere shimmers and turns from a blank slate into a globe. Da Vinci taps at it again as Olga returns to stand beside her, and the globe turns to display a glowing red spot, right in the center of France. The image zooms and distorts, shifting to a flat plane that's displaying a map of the country, the blinking red light labelled this time.
Rouen.
"We've known the general physical location of the second Singularity for about a month now. Fuyuki and France were both easy enough to map out, but as far as we can tell they're interfering with each other. We only managed to nail down the calculations and co-ordinates for this one after the Fuyuki Singularity collapsed completely." Olga's the picture of professionalism, and now that things are down to business so are you. Matthew's still there, but he's tapping away at his tablet and you can't pay any more attention to him than that. "We managed to complete a perfect formula for Rayshifting to this location last night, which means we also know when it takes place, as well as the general location of the Holy Grail being used to anchor it. SHEBA was also able to capture a few images before the interference got too bad."
The map shrinks into the corner of the display, and a handful of images take its place. You've been to France before, but none of what you've seen looks remotely similar. There's a forest with trees that seem to be growing a hundred feet or more into the air, drowning the space below them in darkness. There's a shot of mangled bodies, bloody furrows torn by claws and teeth with dark fur mixed in with the blood. Finally, a shot of some kind of enormous pyre, blazing in the middle of an empty plain. For some reason, it makes you shiver to look at it.
"We've narrowed down the date. It's the first of June, 1431. Given that, and the fact that the Holy Grail appears to be in Rouen, we're working under the assumption that whatever alternate history is being used for this Singularity, it has something to do with Jeanne d'Arc."
So fun story, 1st of June 1431 is apparently the literal day after Jeanne was burned at the stake, so that's gonna be real fun. The pyre could mean anything considering even in canon Jalter has fire powers (I mean for obvious reasons it's a slamdunk theme) but the horribly mangled corpses taken from a Bloodborne level and the huge forest are bigger questionmarks. It goes without saying of course that this is a very canon quest with no deviations whatsoever but it's worth thinking about.
"Damn. Alright. Leo, handle the briefing. Kyrielight, I want you running the diagnostics on Dempsey's Klein Coffin. Díomasaigh, get yourself ready to move out. Everyone else, begin preparations for Rayshifting to the Second Singularity! I want us to be ready half an hour ago!" No one replies, but by the way the low buzz of work intensifies at her orders, they're clearly obeying. Niamh, on the other hand, steps forward towards you.
"Oh, Edward! I didn't realise you'd be here early, I was looking for you! It's kind of exciting, don't you think?" She's wearing the same uniform you are, with the single difference being that instead of black trousers she's got black skirt and tights. Archer hasn't summoned her bow yet, but you can feel the way she winds herself tighter as Niamh gets closer. "How're you feeling?"
You're saved from having to quickly put on the act you did yesterday by the sound of Olga's clicking heels, and before either of you can say another word she's reached out to grab Niamh's chin with her thumb and forefinger, turning her head as she blinks in confusion to meet Olga's withering glare.
"Díomasaigh. I said get ready. That was not a suggestion."
Goddamn, but it feels good watching it happen to someone else.
Niamh pulls away from Olga and sputters, staring at the slightly shorter woman in disbelief before raising a hand to her chin. She doesn't respond, turning to glance at you for a moment, and you chance a nod, hoping your expression isn't as amused as you feel. She swallows and turns back to Olga, finally seeming to regain some measure of composure as she tilts her head up and speaks. "Fine. But do not touch me again, or-"
"Leo, escort her out, please."
Niamh gives a quick noise of surprise as she notices Da Vinci standing beside her, offering her a beatific smile, and finally gets the hint. She looks distinctly miserable as she leaves, casting a glance back at you, and you can't hold back the sigh of relief you give.
Lmao I am so glad you kept Olga alive in this very canon no deviations quest and she's definitely not coming back as an alien god with a stupid outfit. This exchange reminds me a lot of the rare times in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina when Zelda takes Sabrina's side on something and that potent Karen Energy is channeled toward something positive.
And speaking of which!
[X] Wait until you're connected to a Leyline. She'll balk at being left behind, and it'd definitely sour her relationship with the rest of Chaldea, but at the end of the day it's common sense. You need everyone you can get after the bombings, and as powerful as she is she's just not a combat magus. All it'd take is someone managing to get past her familiars and she'd be dead, and that's more likely to happen if she drops into those woods. The thought isn't exactly something you hate, not after that awful visit yesterday, but this is bigger than you. You'll just deal with the consequences as they come, and Olga will have to as well.
This is the part of a Telltale game where you pick your least favourite character and just troll them relentlessly. Or more specifically, this is the part where I get to picture Niamh absolutely losing her shit furious with being stuck at mission control. The longer she stays behind the more Olga gets to bounce basketballs off the back of her head going "BLOCK, BLOCK WHITE GIRL, BLOCK". Not to mention it's more fodder for everyone else who isn't Ed to start coming to the consensus that "oh yeah that's a real fuckin problem with that Nimah girl and we have to do something about it before everybody finds out why her theme song is What Angel Wakes Me".
"Killing is the way of the world for warriors, Master. That you hunt those worthy of being hunted doesn't matter to me. I...I simply wish to prove myself to you. I strive for perfection and I always have, I swear it. That is all."
"Finally. You know, for going around calling yourself "Master" you really don't do much, you know?"
You're moving before you can stop yourself, your fist cutting through the air fast enough that you can hear a whistle, and you get a split-second view of Goemon's eyes widening before he sways out of the way.
Both of you freeze before Matthew can even finish his yelp, and you slowly pull back your arm and fix him with a withering glare that seems to sail right over his head for all the good it does.
"What? C'mon, take a joke. It's not my fault you didn't notice me."
here's a forest with trees that seem to be growing a hundred feet or more into the air, drowning the space below them in darkness. There's a shot of mangled bodies, bloody furrows torn by claws and teeth with dark fur mixed in with the blood. Finally, a shot of some kind of enormous pyre, blazing in the middle of an empty plain. For some reason, it makes you shiver to look at it.
Bonfire is - well, obvious call is Jeanne, but could be a curveball, who knows.
The mangled bodies, by animal with fur - the Beast of Gevaudan? The trees, I can't be sure about.
[X] Wait until you're connected to a Leyline. She'll balk at being left behind, and it'd definitely sour her relationship with the rest of Chaldea, but at the end of the day it's common sense. You need everyone you can get after the bombings, and as powerful as she is she's just not a combat magus. All it'd take is someone managing to get past her familiars and she'd be dead, and that's more likely to happen if she drops into those woods. The thought isn't exactly something you hate, not after that awful visit yesterday, but this is bigger than you. You'll just deal with the consequences as they come, and Olga will have to as well.
Zerban makes an interesting argument, and I'm curious to see how it turns out.
