"Well, according to the test results, you're healthier than you've ever been, so there is nothing to be concerned about."
"R-Really?" Mashu Kyrielight donned her sleeveless blouse as Leo tapped quickly on her tablet, whilst a clockwork eagle perched on the Renaissance Man's shoulder with her jacket draped over its head. "I strained myself in Singularity F again and again, and before that I got crushed by a pillar. I'm just worried that…"
With a light titter, Leonardo tossed her tablet behind her and cupped the young girl's cheek. "There's nothing to worry about, Mashu. You're healthy as a horse! Though," she noted with a giggle, "A better comparison now might be Bucephalus. Or perhaps Red Hare?"
Mashu frowned. She looked at her arms, slight but reasonably toned. She raised them, biceps flexed. "Leo, I'm not sure if a horse is the right analogy for me. A-And then what about--"
"Apapapap! None of that!" Leo pressed a finger against Mashu's lips and she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "No sense worrying about that, alright? It's better to find Rome in a month than to get lost in the desert for forty years."
"I'm… I'm sorry, Leo, but I don't understand what you're trying to say."
The Caster simply smiled gently. "That's the point, dear. You'll figure it out someday, I'm sure."
"...Alright, Leo." Mashu received her jacket from the eagle with a respectful bow, the mechanical bird trilling pleasantly as she wore her trademark attire. "Thanks."
Chaldea's Administrator tittered again, even as another of her clockwork eagles landed on her other shoulder and pecked her head irritably as it balanced her discarded tablet on its wings, saving Chaldea nearly two thousand dollars in expensive - and at the moment irreplaceable - electronics. "Such a silly girl, worrying about things like that," Leonardo sighed, a hand on her cheek. "We always knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. That's why Maris-Billy assembled an army, the silly boy."
Mashu nodded idly, her thoughts far away. Then reality suddenly snapped back together and she looked up with sudden fear. "Leo, how are my senpais? Are they… Are they okay? Kana-senpai was injured, and Singularity F was…"
"That isn't Fuyuki City, Mashu. Though, granted, Fuyuki likely looks like that right now, and they are just smart and silly enough to realise it, so it's a fair concern. Still," the great Inventor shrugged. "I'm sure they will be fine. A few broken bones and the odd chronic muscle ache, but nothing my genius cannot fix!"
With a flick of her wrist, Leonardo produced a pair of spectacles, and she donned them with a sharp nod. "If anything," she added with a too-bright smile, "I worry that they haven't been tested enough…"
"Leo, please don't--"
The door flew open suddenly. Wearing a fresh uniform and filled with more energy than a girl who broke several ribs and dislocated a hip two days ago should ever have, Kana strode in with a whistle on her lips. "Hello, Administrator of Chaldea! I'm Fujimaru Kana, and apparently I have a briefing?" She held her pose mid-step, arms locked. "Ah, Mashu! Sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"Senpai, this is--"
"Thank you, Mashu, you're excused. Would you mind sending Romani my love?" Another titter as Leonardo drummed her fingers on her thighs, to which Mashu quickly left the room, nodding quickly at Kana. At once, Kana's kinked eyebrows twitched, the slightest tell that would be meaningless to anyone else but told Leonardo Da Vinci a thousand words about the girl before her.
The great Inventor's smile grew. She's a sharp one. That's good, Chaldea always needs sharp ones. And they're always the most fun to play with.
"And I've heard so much about you! My name is Leonardo Da Vinci, but please, call me Leo." She gestured to a chair with a sweeping hand and Kana hopped into it, an act so audaciously casual it can't have been anything but a test of her boundaries. Ah, but such an amateur. "There are many responsibilities a Master has that I am obligated to inform you about, but before all that fussy work I would like to deepen our relationship! Please," the Caster said with a twinkle in her eye and a melodious titter. "Tell me about yourself, Miss Tohsaka."
----
With a heavy sigh, Dr. Romani Archaman laid his work tablet on his lap and clasped his hands together, one thumb over the other. "In my professional opinion, Ritsuka, you talk too much."
Ritsuka, who had been halfway through talking about the greater metaphysical implications of the apparent incineration of the modern day, halted abruptly. He wilted, head bowed, and averted his eyes. "Sorry. I, uh. Forget myself when talking about these kinds of topics."
"That's normal, I suppose, given that you're the more magically inclined of the two of you. I guess you're the heir?"
Ritsuka nodded. "I'm the oldest, so I was already the first choice, and after my Element got confirmed there wasn't anyone else. Kana doesn't care about Magecraft and mom and dad probably won't ever have more kids. They seem frazzled enough from the two of us."
The way he said it concerned Roman, but it was not anything he was equipped or prepared to deal with. Ritsuka clearly enjoyed learning and mastering Magecraft, but the way he spoke it felt like he was resigned to the responsibility. That despite enjoying it, he would have liked to have a choice in the matter. "Your parents love you, Ritsuka. That much is clear. You wouldn't be so worried for them otherwise. I'm sure if you talked to your mother, she would have let you do something else with your life."
Ritsuka frowned back at the doctor. "...I know. I'm happy being the Heir. Learning about the forces of nature is fun. That's… Doctor, do you think I resent being the Heir?" He leaned forward, resting his chin on his index fingers. "Do you think I resent Kana for not being the Heir?"
Ah, crap. He misread Ritsuka. Now it's going to be awkward and weird and an interrogation. This is why reaching out has never ended well. "...No?"
The boy sighed and he leaned back in the chair, arms crossed. "That's not the problem, and even if it were it's not her problem. Kana got gimped by the system, and no one blames her for not caring to learn anything more than the basics. There is nothing weird going on between us, Doctor. Besides her being a suicidal dummy."
"Seems to be a trend with the Tohsakas," Roman noted lightly, before mentally kicking himself. That's too familiar. He's only supposed to know them by reputation. Ah, to hell with it. He might as well know. "In fact--"
"You would not believe the argument mom had with Kana when she said she got scouted for Chaldea. Mom said that joining up was a waste of our life and, her words, 'Would literally be the death of me and your father.' Dad and I thought the house would catch fire." Ritsuka didn't blink for a long time as his eyes looked far, far away.
Roman blinked. On second thought, letting him know would be an awful idea.
"...Man, I suddenly feel really bad about myself."
"Mmhm."
Neither of them knew how to continue after that.
----
"--But considering who likely smuggled the both of you in, I'm sure there won't be any actual repercussions. Do remind me to arrange for some lessons on OpSec. Moving right on, I have to say that being a woman has been enticingly liberating! Tell me, do you have any insights I should keep in mind?"
Kana's mouth opened and closed, fish-like, but no words came out. She tried to put the many, many charges she technically faced for joining a UN-sanctioned project under a false identity, but somehow Leonardo Da Vinci not caring about it made her really care about it.
And the damndest thing was that she was enjoying watching her squirm. Terrible, simply terrible.
Add that Leonardo Da Vinci - who was now a woman, it should be noted, which is a bit of a swerve - is now asking her about private topics and blinking her big blue eyes and waving her long silky hair and oh dear she is off balance she is very off balance.
"...Uh. I mean, uh." Not even blushing, Kana's brain simply turned off. Too many neurons fired at too many different things for any coherent thoughts to emerge. She simply acted on instinct. "What's it like sitting down to pee?"
"Ah, that." Leonardo sniffed. "I figured it out."
"Yeah, gotta make sure to sweep out the back end of the skirt when you sit down on the--"
"Oh, not that. That is far too tedious."
Kana blinked. Leonardo blinked back, still beaming.
"Would you like to know more?" The Caster asked innocently.
Yes, part of Kana screamed, for it would save so much time. "No thanks," she replied, not sure what else she could really do. Quietly, she yearned for the sweet release of death. Or, failing that, a pillow to scream into.
Idly and innocuously - there was a trick there, Kana knew there was a trick there, but where - Leonardo Da Vinci adjusted the hem of her dress and just so happened to sweep her begloved hands across her lap. Her eyes never left Kana's.
The tension was so thick it would probably swallow all the knives that tried to cut it.
Clapping once, Leonardo finally broke the ice and pulled Kana out of her reverie. "All said and done, your responsibilities are rather simple - but simple isn't easy, as you should well know! Your main task is to maintain your bond with your Servant - or Servants, in this case - and to prepare for the trials to come."
Kana nodded. "Anything else?"
"Officially no, but considering the state of Chaldea…" Leonardo clicked her tongue and waved her hand. "No, I shouldn't say. Any overtime is optional and entirely voluntary! That's why I have automatons. Or, mm, will have automatons. That's all for me, young Master, you're free to go! Thank you for your time~"
Kana was already halfway through the door, more running than walking. As the door shut, she heard the Caster chuckle to herself and the soft whine of a projection being summoned.
"Now, how should I torment dear Gudao…"
----
Roman looked up as Kana entered his office, the girl's lower lip quivering. He sighed, because only Leonardo would find this sort of 'stress-testing' entertaining enough to, well, stress-test. "How was Leo?" He asked her.
"She's too powerful," Kana muttered, clearly sulking.
Romani shrugged. There was nothing else to it. Mere men like themselves had to make do. "There there. Shall we begin?"
Kana mumbled darkly but slid into her seat. At least this one won't steamroll over her.
----
All it took was seeing Kana sulk on her way out.
All his life, Ritsuka insisted that Kana was a sulker. She denied it, of course, and most people never really believed him. Those not familiar would ask but not believe, those on her side would claim he was just making stuff up, and his friends would laugh and play along. But the face that Kana showed the world - bright, bold, fierce - did not sulk.
The face she showed in private was another matter. But that was the thing, was it not? She only showed it in private.
That never, ever, included on the way out of an office, knowing people were around to notice. She was simply too mindful for that, and too controlled to ever slip.
Unless.
He sucked on his teeth, mentally preparing himself for terrible, terrible things. With a final prayer for the strength to not sob inconsolably, he stepped into the office.
And there she was. Cross-legged, smiling, lounging in her chair with what looked like a clockpunk eagle perched on her shoulder. Dressed in colourful dress that covered a shapely body, the woman exuded intense smug energies, which likely explained Kana's poor attitude - and bode poorly for his own chances.
Like a sucker, he only realised all of this after she bade him to sit down and seized control of the conversation.
"Hello! I am Leonardo Da Vinci, Administrator of the FATE System. Before we start, would you like a drink? Coffee, perhaps? Or do you prefer tea?"
Ritsuka blinked. Then he shook his head. Something was bad. Something was very bad. He felt like a mouse in a lion's den. "N-No, thank you. So… What do I need to know about my job, going forward?"
Then, the gears in his head finally clicked together. "Hold on, you're Leonardo Da Vinci?"
"Ah! So you've heard of me!" Clapping her hands together with a melodious laugh, Leonardo leaned forward with her hands clasped together. "I'm sure you have a great many questions, my dear Fujimura Gudao, but before we begin I need to ask: What type of fabric do you prefer?"
"U-Uh, I don't know?"
"Ah, that's something to work on then. Does wool irritate your skin? Do you have any allergies to any dyes?"
"Noooot to my knowledge?"
"Excellent, excellent! What do you think of bodysuits?"
His mind was already on autopilot. "They're great. I love them."
Leonardo Da Vinci's grin grew wider. "Oh, we'll get along very nicely, Mister Fujimaru."
Once again, it took several long seconds for the rest of Ritsuka to catch up. "...U-Uh, about that… There's something I need to clarify about my - er, our records. Me and Kana's."
"Ah, Miss Fujimaru Gudako? I think it's a nice name! Rather colloquial and endearing, in my expert opinion!"
Ritsuka clenched his jaw. "Uh, yeah… That is to say..." He thought for a moment, wondering if this was a good idea. Part of him wondered if he should just keep talking before Leo took control of the conversation again, but then he found that the woman looked right at him with her big, blue eyes in rapt attention.
"Take your time," she said. "There's much to do, but much to say as well."
Ritsuka nodded. Thinking on the matter, their identities had already been revealed to Roman and Olga-Marie in Singularity F, and over a day had passed since. Roman definitely had contact with the Administrator of the FATE System, which meant that their little spy game was already out in the open. The only reason she called him Fujimaru was to gauge his reaction. And, more than likely, because it amused her.
So the only real way forward was to take the L and go forward.
"...My name is Ritsuka Tohsaka, firstborn of Rin Tohsaka and heir to her magecraft. We joined Chaldea under false identities with help."
Leo's smile turned glassy. "Whose help?"
The contrast was so sharp it hurt, but Ritsuka was already committed. "Lady Luviagelita Edelfelt helped us in. It was a favour - or, I guess she'd call it an investment." Or a dowry, he noted with a tinge of worry. But that was between her and mom. Not his problem. Maybe Rags' problem, depending on which of them gets - no, focus. Focus, you idiot. "Either way, she said she'd handle the details."
"Except names and covers, I presume?" Leo asked.
"Yeah… We're not good at this. I overthink things, and Kana doesn't know what she wants for lunch, let alone how she's gonna keep up a spy cover indefinitely."
"Then why infiltrate Chaldea? Come to reclaim the secrets of the Grail War?"
He shook his head. "N-No! I know enough to know that it's a poison apple. We're only here because… Well, because we wanted to help. Kana has a thing about wanting to help people, and someone needs to make sure she doesn't die." Ritsuka shrugged with a small chuckle. "I-I mean, she drives me crazy, but she's my twin sister. I can't just leave her."
Leo nodded. Then, she smiled again, and all of her icy demeanour melted away. "That's fair. Good, at least one of you passed. Congratulations, Ritsuka! You understand the only thing that will keep us going forward!"
Ritsuka blinked. "Uh, trust?"
"Trust! But it's a bit of a double-edged sword sometimes, so don't extend your trust to everyone. But you need to understand that I'm on your side, so there can't be secrets. Which includes the fact that your mother doesn't want you here."
Ritsuka blinked again. "I-I mean, she doesn't… But how do you know that?"
With a titter, Leonardo flipped her hair. "Chaldea is backed by the Clocktower, Ritsuka. Why wouldn't I know about Rin Tohsaka's disdain for us?"
"...You know, I should be surprised that you know about her, but considering she's learning from the Wizard Marshal, I'm really not."
"Excellent, you're thinking. So think of the next step, Ritsuka. Why else did I do all this?"
Ritsuka frowned. He looked down at the ground, the gears of his mind grinding away. "You're testing us under pressure. Grand Order is going to be terrible so you're making sure we're up for it."
At this, Leonardo laughed. "Ah, Ritsuka, I did say trust was important, but it's important to be cautious too! No, I think surviving Singularity F is enough of a test."
Ritsuka frowned. Which left the only possibility too rude for polite company. "Then… I have no idea, you've lost me."
Here, Leonardo Da Vinci stood up and spread her arms for dramatic effect. "I did it to amuse myself, dear Ritsuka! For why else do we live but to amuse ourselves?"
Dammit, he was right. "So what do I need to know, anyways? Unless the briefing was just an excuse to have a little fun?"
Leonardo hummed for a moment. Then, with a theatrical snap of her fingers, she summoned a screen before Ritsuka. "Unfortunately not, my dear Ritsuka. Your briefing will need to be more substantial than your sister's."
Ritsuka visibly deflated. "Oh."
"You are a suitable Master, of course, don't ever doubt that. But you need direction, because you clearly have no idea about what it is like and don't have the shamelessness to pretend you do."
"Kana only pretends to be shameless," Ritsuka muttered grumpily. "You just need to know how to trigger her. Incidentally..."
"Oh, don't let me stop you! But besides needing instruction, the other responsibilities you will shoulder will likely be greater as well, because you are far more suited for them than she is. By my discerning eye, anyways."
This caught his attention. "Other responsibilities?"
Leonardo nodded. "Shall we begin the briefing?"
