Rome was a bit of an experience, for all the wrong reasons. After the disaster that was France, we were ready for anything to happen. Rome promised to be a greater fight. Rome was where Duke Flauros swore to make his stand.
Rome would make or break Chaldea. It would make or break us.
So why…
----
Leyshift Complete
Destination: Rome, 0060
He opens his eyes and sees the classical architecture of the Roman Empire - a garden, exposed to the warm afternoon sun and cooled by gentle winds, surrounded by greenery. He sees the tiger rug on the ground, fearsome and lively despite quite clearly being dead. He sees a petite woman standing before them, hands on her hips and grinning brightly, as smug as smug can be. Pale blonde bangs frame her features, accentuated by a large cowlick that refuses to settle, and wearing only a toga there is very little hiding the body that lies underneath.
That said, Ritsuka Tohsaka is not paying attention to this woman's body. He is more concerned with her eyes. Because that face is familiar and he does not like where this road promises to lead.
"Greetings, my mighty servants!" She opens her big emerald-green eyes, her smile never once faltering - and just like that, Ritsuka's fears are confirmed. "With your strength, Rome is UNASSAILABLE! Mm, yes! Today is a good day!"
"...Wait hold on," Kana says, rubbing her eyes. "Is… Is that Aunt Saber?"
"That's concerning," Archer notes dryly, spectral beside Kana.
"But I'm right here," says the King of Knights beside her, her voice hollow in spiritual form.
"Ah yes, of course!" The doppelganger of the King of Knights snaps her fingers and rubs at her temple briefly, lips curled as she struggles through a migraine - or perhaps a complicated thought. Honestly Ritsuka can't be sure of anything anymore. "Introductions… Yes, introductions are in order! I am Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Agustus Germanicus, but you may address me as--"
The world twists. Sound vanishes, replaced by a roaring void. Ritsuka feels adrift for an instant as shockwaves send him reeling. Kana soundlessly screams as she is blown aside before the inexorable charge of their second Saber. Attila the Hun moves like lightning, her prismatic sword aimed straight at Nero's face.
It stops an inch short from her left eye, held in the sizzling grip of Herakles. The obsidian giant grunts as he holds the Scourge of God back, but even with his divine strength it is a struggle. Undeterred, Attila throws a punch - one just as easily caught by the God of Strength.
The wind gushes back into the garden after that and Ritsuka finally catches his breath. Quickly, Mashu moves into position between him and their berserking Saber, while Nero, without missing a beat, steps past the Servant who nearly blew her head off and claps her hands together.
"You may address me as Master," she concludes with a grin. "What say you?! Hero!"
"Shielder, Rome is bad civilisation," Attila says, her tone blank and apathetic despite her titanic struggle against Berserker. "Destroy Rome and Master's shirt will also be bad civilisation."
Mashu wavers for an instant - but Ritsuka notices. "Mashu…"
"I-I wasn't considering it, senpai!" She insists, cheeks flushed red. Ritsuka continues to frown at her and she turns redder. "I wasn't!"
"Bad civilisation, Shielder!" Attila insists. "Destroy bad civilisation! Rome is not cute!"
"Attila what the fuck," Kana hisses as she picks herself up from a palm tree and runs up to her. "Bad Attila! Bad! We're supposed to be PROTECTING him! Her!" She glances back at Nero. Nero waves and adjusts her posture so Kana may admire her body further. Kana, cheeks red, glares back at her errant Saber. "T-The Emperor! WHATEVER! No stabbing our VIP!"
"But Rome is not cute," Attila retorts with a whine, like a child throwing a tantrum. "Master, Rome is bad civilisation! We need to destroy bad civilisation!" She flexes again, struggling harder against Herakles, but the black giant just holds her tighter. "W-Why Master protect bad civilisation," Attila asks, eyes watering.
"...Yeah, Emperor Nero?" Ritsuka responds coolly. "We're not your servants. You didn't summon anything, we just happened to show up here. How did you even know we were coming? At least Jeanne had God on her side."
Shaking her head, Nero waves her hand here and there. "You speak of one god. Yet, I have many! Jupiter came to me in a dream, promising me the strength of Hercules and the sword of Mars, and many allies besides! And then I woke up knowing you would come - and lo, here you are! As promised, no?"
"...Yeah that's just a coincidence," Ritsuka sighs.
"Fate has strange methods!" Nero says cheerfully. "So, tell me! Are you Hercules? Looks can be deceiving, I would know!"
The notion that he could be Herakles is so ridiculous that he might laugh. And Ritsuka almost does. But over Nero's shoulder, Attila jolts suddenly against Herakles' grasp and forces the obsidian giant slightly back. So instead, Ritsuka jumps in his skin and points. "Herk, throw her away! Far, far away! And then follow her!"
Herakles grunts. One hand on the Sword of Mars, the other around her clenched fist, he simply flips her up over his head and with a mighty roar throws her towards the horizon. With a mighty leap he follows, disappearing just as quickly into the sky.
Suddenly the tension drops and Kana flops with an exhausted sigh. Archer and Saber finally shows their faces now, Archer stepping out of spiritual form to catch his other Master. Arturia spots the dirty look Ritsuka shoots at him and averts her eyes, saying nothing as she looks incredulously at the inexplicably feminine and oddly familiar Emperor Nero.
"...An obsidian giant with muscles on his muscles, of course!" The Emperor slaps her forehead like she made an actual, insightful discovery. "That must be Hercules, Son of Jupiter!" She holds Ritsuka's hands, looking into his eyes with glee. Beside him, Mashu almost growls. "Then you must be Jason the Argonaut!"
Kana turns a laugh into a scoff and Ritsuka rolls his eyes. "Actually I'm from the future," he says bluntly. "This is my Shielder, Mashu, that's my sister Kana, that is King Arthur and the guy in red is a Counter Guardian." No point explaining the complexities of Archer EMIYA just yet. That would take energy Ritsuka has no energy for right now.
Nero blinks her big green eyes. "King Arthur?" She looks at Saber, looking back with equally quizzical aqua-green eyes. "I know not why, but she looks very familiar. And very beautiful! Mm, yes! She must have inherited the beauty of an Emperor!" Saber blinks, which lets Nero blindside her when she takes Arturia's hands suddenly. "Stay with me, noble King Arthur! Your company will be well rewarded!"
Arturia sputters, so Ritsuka steps in again. "Before that. What's going on in Rome? We're here to solve this snarl in history and you are at the center of it."
"Mm, mmhm," Nero nods. She grins. "Then come with me! As I said, I have been expecting you, and a tale like this must be told in the right setting!"
