In Morgan's eyes, all she was, was a Weapon to wield against Artoria. An offspring created to overthrow King Arthur. Why bother with making her last? And yet she held a great deal of admiration for her, and a wish to prove herself capable to the King.
Had Artoria had more empathy, had she been just a little bit more human, Camlann would have been averted. Mordred's reaction, lashing out, corresponds to the emotional reaction of a child fitting her real age.
And even at the end, her body struck Artoria because of Morgan's magic, right after Mordred's passing.
Was re-reading the thread and I saw this, and I felt I needed to weigh in on this post. My opinion on the whole Mordred pronoun thing is similar to my opinion on most 'shipping communities'; that it's people latching onto small details that 'prove' their opinions correct rather than a reasonable standard of what is actually stated and supported as a part of the original text.
In this case, Mordred is a fairly realistic example of what would have been a medieval tomboy; that being a girl who idealises her male role models rather than her female role models (understandably, what with Morgan being a good example of what 'toxic femininity' would be in practice, if not really fitting the ideal theoretical motivations). This leads her to a mildly warped view of 'good' behaviour that emphasises traditionally masculine virtues and delegitimises traditionally feminine virtues, since they initially appear to correspond to whats viewed to be failings in men, since she never really saw the good side of traditional femininity, only it's failings. Combined with her isolation (she appears to have not had any of the Orkney siblings around when she was raised, which makes sense I doubt Gawain would have left his younger siblings alone with Morgan if at all possible) leading to stunted social skills, Mordred's character makes sense if you remember that in her experience, kindness is masking condescension and the core of traditional femininity is empathic compassion.
TDLR: Mordred views traditional femininity as weakness and a character flaw as she has only has really experienced the toxic side of femininity and idolises a masculine role model, but doesn't reject her identity. Or more simply, Tomboys aren't Trans.
While this turned into an effort post, I do think it was rewarding, at least for me.
I'd like to interject here- no matter what their legitimate gender identity may be, it's also very explicitly stated that they don't like being referred to as a girl. So much that they would fly into a murderous rage against anyone who would. Even if they aren't trans or nonbinary, Mordred's pronoun preferences are still something to respect. Whether it's because of their less-than-optimal upbringing, the period-typical sexism, both, or any reason at all, that doesn't diminish anything.
The game's approach to this, after looking it up, is constantly switching between Female and Male pronuns, going for Female for the Higher Bond levels as she becomes more comfortable at Chaldea, and for her Summer form, but Male still being utilized in some scenarios/events. It's a bit all over the place, but both however seem to be equally valid after a while.
The game's approach to this, after looking it up, is constantly switching between Female and Male pronuns, going for Female for the Higher Bond levels as she becomes more comfortable at Chaldea, and for her Summer form, but Male still being utilized in some scenarios/events. It's a bit all over the place, but both however seem to be equally valid after a while.
I might go with this, then. Starting with male pronouns and having Mordred consider what their gender means to them with help from Chaldea's Bodhisattva on Retainer. The topic would get a good chapter or two dedicated to it, and I'd most likely angle for it to come to a head during Camelot/Jerusalem (like so much else). As for the ultimate endpoint, the game's approach seems legitimate - 'pronouns: any' works for me.
It's definitely not going to start with calling Mordred a girl, though. Whoever did would get a Clarent to the face, per canon.
(To be honest my larger concern is making that scene with Mordred in a suit and Fran in a dress happen from one of the PVs. Gender has less impact on that than you'd think.)
It was more the misconception about Mordred being Trans annoyed me and that caused me to post. It was a case of me seeing what I would consider 'rabid shipper logic' level logic and going full rabid amateur-intellectual.
This incredibly late chapter is brought to you by: back to back Summer Events, levelling my new Merlin and Summer Musashi, discovering the joy of new Metroidvania called Ender Lilies, and work going through utter upheaval. Also pandemic.
Content notes:
Matthew loses his shit at Kirschtaria and recounts the many sins of Chaldea. News at eleven.
The scene right before the end implies Cu and Matthew slept together (shock!) but has nothing graphic or even remotely described. Basically, pillow talk with minimal context of what came before and no description of how much or little clothing they have.
________________________________________________
The King observed.
Another potential crisis defused, another asset acquired. Chaldea was doing fairly well for itself. Not through any fault of its own, but by chance and choice. Chance of discovery, and choice of outside help.
Help he could not perceive directly, which meant it came from without the confines of the 'world' as understood. If it came from outside the solar system, he would have seen the traits manifest upon the chosen terminal. So if not outside, within. Something close to Origin.
Ah, fascinating. His artist was a nexus of fascinating events. But with the potential there…
Yes. Gilgamesh had misstepped. He had made a cursory judgement without bothering to look deeper. Few things in the modern day required it, but the young man was wrapped in something nearly as ancient as he. This 'Morgan' was starkly different to that which he recognized.
If this 'inside influence' was of similar caliber, he could be a newborn Mystic the likes of unseen since his own time.
Ensconced in his own lounge, the King sipped his wine and pondered. Where were the lines drawn? He had only half the picture. Something in Matthew Kyrielight's depths was obscured. Hidden by his crown, no doubt.
Few things could obscure his sight. That artifact was one of them. The other was the location outside his purview.
Fascinating, fascinating. Even if all he appeared to be was all he was, that still promised entertainment. The fluttering between extremes, the slowly escaping malice… yes, he was Awakened, Aware, and being denied part of his complete nature.
If all signs were accurate, it had been so for many years. Short of a decade, but not much. Only small fragments of the 'debt' had slipped through, but Gilgamesh wanted to see what that darkness would make of the world.
And then once unleashed? Assuming everything… it could go so far as a full personality shift. Not permanent - the 'current' Kyrielight had existed since his inception as a Servant. It was not so much that he was an Alter or divided persona, but that his soul and heart had been mutilated. After a time, the two would rejoin.
Until then?
Fascinating, fascinating. The same person down to their bones, but different mannerisms. Different circumstances. Still undeniably him, with similar priorities and bonds and talents. And yet.
Each person presented a different face in different circumstances. Even the King was not exempt. He had a face for judgement, for war, for courting and consummation, for the quietude he shared with one above all others. Though the core remained constant, the exterior was malleable by circumstance.
And Matthew Kyrielight had eight years of putting his lighter impulses to work in darker circumstances.
Small wonder he was so twisted. Small wonder he took to kindness with gratitude and joy when allowed. Small wonder that someone who was - at his core - selfish could be prone to bursts of selflessness. His persona was finally allowed to do what it was crafted to.
Gilgamesh was a connoisseur of humanity. Their hopes, dreams, thoughts.
This man, fresh out of boyhood, had never had a chance to truly grow. Stumbling into adulthood with guides who could barely keep him afloat, he leaned further and further away from humanity(being human) but further and further into loving this small group of humans.
"Will you keep this soft, human love as you mature? Or will you run the gamut to another shape entirely?" Gilgamesh stared at the ripples in his wine. "Hmph. A foolish question. 'To love as I wish to be loved' is a core part of you. And it is all too plain what sorts of love you were denied and now revel in."
The king smiled.
"And it all began with… him. Them. I see. I see."
Hmph. Even when obscured, the king's sight was unparalleled.
Gilgamesh had been careless, that much was true - but he was as far from failure as ever.
And if sufficiently compensated, he was not above compromise.
____________________________________________________________________________
Hinako slowly cracked her door open. Light spilled into her room as she squinted darkly at the interloper. "What."
Matthew slumped against the wall, fist raised to knock again. "...are you busy?"
As it so happened, no. Xiang Yu was curious about their new comrades, so had begun to wander. (He'd taken a particular interest in Sanzang and Wukong, as they were countrymen after a fashion.) So she was left to her own devices in privacy.
"I could be pulled away," Hinako grumbled. "What is it."
"Just need to get away from everyone," Matthew muttered. "It's. A lot."
This was familiar ground, though different in location. He often sought her out when Chaldea's eyes became too prying, if only for her knack in evading confrontation. That was before.
With a flick of her hand, the light switched on. "Come in." Hinako stepped back, granting him passage into her chambers. Chamber. The bathroom was hardly opulent enough to count as a 'chamber'- not that she had a chance to indulge in such luxuries. She went on campaign with Xiang Yu, after all.
"What is it this time?" she asked preemptively. He'd tell her eventually. It took time, but he usually did regardless if she cared to hear it.
Matthew flopped onto her bed with a gusty sigh. "Wodime's going to go summon. Everyone's in high spirits. And I feel completely evil so I'm trying to avoid them."
"But not me," Hinako clarified. She raised an eyebrow, pulling the chair out from her furnished desk and taking a seat. "I'm touched. Truly."
"You've been through worse than my temper," Matthew shot back with a low glare. "As though you're in danger from me at all."
"Hm." Hinako neither agreed nor disagreed verbally, though he had a point.
"...I'm almost scared to ask what exactly happened to you. Sanzang made it pretty clear you weren't human like them, so I can imagine it fucking sucked."
Considering Matthew was an embodiment of every fear she had of the modern day, he wasn't far off the mark. Dying might be complicated for her, but Hinako could still feel pain. She had no interest in appearing on an operating table for the rest of her natural life. ...if she had her old power, she wouldn't need to fear such things. But she hadn't fed on that level of mana for what felt like an eternity.
Speaking of…
"Tell me. How did you concentrate this much mana without murdering every human here? It's been at least since the mid-Tang dynasty since the world felt this alive to me." Hinako crossed her legs.
"It's tied up in the Temple." Matthew sat up and folded his legs under him, simultaneously turning to face Hinako in an inhumanly smooth motion. "This field can block divine clairvoyance, resist the incineration of human history, defend against dimensional assault, and any other number of small works I put in for future convenience. The main criterion was that I needed the power to keep it going. Morgan fixed that by using my Noble Phantasm to create a link to Avalon. They have a surplus of the stuff, so it's going to keeping this running."
"A Noble Phantasm? You?" Hinako narrowed her eyes. "Really."
"Really. I have two. One is my armor. It'd take someone on par with Heracles to get through it enough to do lasting damage, among other things. My other is opening a door to Avalon." Matthew perked up. "I used it to nuke a Demon God, once!"
"...fascinating." Hinako exhaled through her nose.
"Though I do have other powers, apparently. Or something." Matthew hunched his shoulders. Then he perked up. "Hey, you didn't answer my question!"
"Noted," Hinako responded dryly. "I'm a spirit of the World. I can drink blood, but I don't need it. It's just a convenient medium for me to absorb mana."
"Oh! Like a True Ancestor!" Matthew's eyes sparkled. "So you're an Elder Fairy, like Baobhan Sidhe but doesn't have bloodlust! We're related!"
Hinako choked. "We most certainly are not," she snapped in offense.
"We're family," Matthew continued, grinning with mischief. "Should I call you Big Sis Hinako?"
"I will punt you through the floor if you try," Hinako retorted, voice slipping into a growl.
Matthew cackled, causing Hinako to narrow her eyes.
"At least your mood seems to have improved."
"...yeah." Matthew's smile turned wry.
Hinako considered the situation, then decided to speak honestly. "If you think people will turn their backs on you, I wouldn't be concerned. They knew what you were from the start, or learned." She frowned. "Not to mention, Team A was hardly a monolith or happy family."
Matthew looked up at her and tilted his head in visible confusion. The invitation to explain was implicit.
"We were each specialists in our fields, but we didn't know each other. Nor did we trust each other. That still holds true for myself." Hinako closed her eyes. "However. Ritsuka Tohsaka has provided what Team A lacked, what I believe it may well have needed to succeed."
"Hm?"
"An emotional core. Not moral, necessarily," she clarified, wrinkling her nose. "But an anchor for attachments. Kadoc took him under his wing, and even now he and Ophelia become closer." Hinako shifted, trying to make herself comfortable. "I find myself curious as to what you see in him."
"He protected Mash. Even if he doesn't yell it from the rooftops, he doesn't forgive Marisbilly. Well, he doesn't not forgive him, he just…" Matthew trailed off. "He acknowledges what he did to us was wrong. He treats me like a person. Like a friend."
"Hm. I wonder if you would have recognized that if not for Peperoncino and Kadoc."
"Or you. And probably not," Matthew admitted easily. "But he was kind from the start. It's… it was refreshing. Something I needed, even if I didn't know at the beginning. He's honest, gentle, and warm. I've never met a mage like him."
"And likely never will, given their culture," Hinako corrected in a harsh tone. "His sister is still a child, so her experiences here will either push her further into those ways or away. But he is at most a spellcaster. That much I can tell even with my limited interactions."
Matthew chuckled. "Good point."
Hinako observed him for a long moment. "Your mood's improved."
"Guess so." Matthew gripped his ankles lightly, rocking to and fro.
"In a general sense, as well. Getting a Master, getting… whatever is going on with those other Servants." She wasn't going to get into the details of that relationship. "Was that really enough to set you at ease?"
Matthew paused. He visibly considered the question.
Hinako waited.
"Cu was patient with me from the word go. And he… he was interested in me for me. The more time we spent, the more we just seemed to click. We're still figuring it out, but I haven't found anything bad about us yet. Medusa was, um. A little more aggressive, but she's kind of like that? But not always? And Musashi was flustered until she found her footing. They're all just…" Matthew trailed off. "What do you call it when people who aren't necessarily 'good' are good to you, and you don't care about how they treated others too much?"
"Relatable," Hinako droned monotonously.
Matthew cocked his head again.
She offered no further explanation.
"Okay. But they also aren't interested in repeating past crimes or whatever, so it's fine." Matthew paused, then a small, vicious grin stole onto his face. "And then there's the other part."
Hinako narrowed her eyes. "Other part?" she echoed.
"Everyone left alive who hurt me went up in smoke, and all organized attempts to keep me down vanished." Matthew's expression was darkly smug. "That did wonders for my mood."
Hinako blinked. "...that would do it." She schooled her expression, keeping a small smile hidden.
...so less a change in personality than in circumstances. She could work with that.
____________________________________________________________________________
"Alright. The catalyst is loaded, and we're ready." Roman's voice echoed over the intercom through the summoning chamber.
Mash set the shield down and the automated locks clenched around it, integrating it into the FATE system once more. Ritsuka noticed the unusually composed look she wore as she stepped back.
She was back in her black-and-purple armor, but Raphael remained as a silent sentinel.
"It's good to see you harnessed the power of the Heroic Spirit, Mash," Kirschtaria offered with a small smile.
Mash's eyes flicked towards him for a moment before she dismissed him entirely. "The circle is set, Master. The former Director's pupil should begin his summoning sooner than later." Her voice was deeper than the norm, almost detached.
Ritsuka blinked rapidly, realizing what was going on. "Ah. Galahad."
'Mash' nodded. "When Lord Camelot is in use, I come to the fore. Evalach belongs to her, now."
Kirschtaria cleared his throat, but otherwise didn't indicate anything else.
The other Masters present were doing their best to show a united front. Given Kirschtaria was the former leader of Team A, there was some ceremony where his summoning contract was concerned. He'd set a catalyst aside, much like Ophelia had.
Ritsuka had no idea what it was or who it was meant to call.
They formed a crescent around the circle. Kadoc and Anastasia. Ophelia, Sigurd, and Brynhildr. To Ritsuka's left was Asako, with Touko and their father. Mash (or Galahad) stood at Ritsuka's side.
Only Hinako Akuta and Matthew were absent - and though Cu Chulainn would have stood in as one of Ritsuka's Servants, Scathach had dragged him off for more training.
To that end, Fou had decided that Ritsuka would be an appropriate perch for the time being. Heterochromatic eyes blinked lazily from the Master's shoulder, silent yet judging. Always judging. (Ritsuka might not know all of Fou's secrets, but he knew enough.)
In the center stood Kirschtaria.
"Let silver and steel be the essence-"
"What do you think?" Ritsuka murmured.
Galahad's gaze turned upon him, peering through Mash's eyes. "Mash remembers that Kirschtaria had a fondness for what the West calls 'Classical Myth'. Expect a power from the Hellenic cultures, I would say."
Which made sense.
"Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall."
Ritsuka watched the motes of light gather, illuminating the circle's symbols. The feathers, visibly weathered by time yet preserved enough to retain some golden sheen, sat unmoved. "Should I have made Matthew attend?"
Galahad huffed quietly. "A better question is if you could. The answer to both is no, by the way. The boy's mental state is fragile enough." He paused. "And yes, this assumes the use of a command seal."
"Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom."
Ritsuka opened his mouth again.
"Shh!" Raphael scolded. "It's happening!"
"-Guardian of the Balance!"
The light whipped into a familiar vortex, casting Kirschtaria into silhouette. Ritsuka flung an arm over his eyes, shielding them from the light while keeping his gaze forward.
"Huh. So you're my 'Master', then? Tch. Pampered-looking little man." The voice was rough, and even at an even tone it was loud. One couldn't help but pay attention to the words. "Still, if you knew enough to call me… you might be worth my time." There was a depth to it, too. And throughout, a pressure resonated through the room. It reminded Ritsuka of the power Raphael kept bundled within themselves, if lessened.
"...welp."
Ritsuka chanced a look at Raphael as the light dimmed. The emblem that represented their face showed nothing. He looked forward once more.
The man that walked down from the circle was of middling height. He was lithe, built like a sprinter with whipcord muscle. Eyes of clear aqua observed the gathered Masters and heroes with neither derision nor awe. His skin was darkened from the mediterranean sun, clashing against the shock of white hair sprouting from his skull. Golden armor adorned his body, leaving his chest and biceps bare. His arms, legs, and abdomen were all covered.
"Lancer. Caeneus." His lip twitched. "So what's the play here, then?"
Caeneus… it wasn't a name Ritsuka recognized. He looked askance at Galahad, but the knight's attention was fully on the new Servant. Mash's eyes were lowered in contemplation, though no other signs of what her possessor thought showed on her face.
"Welcome to Chaldea, Caeneus. I am Kirschtaria Wodime, a Master striving to protect humanity alongside my comrades." Kirschtaria planted his cane on the ground, leaning on it out of what Ritsuka assumed to be habit.
"No shit. Despite doing the same song and dance as a Grail War, the way we're summoned gives us that much information." Caeneus narrowed his eyes. "So. What kind of fight am I looking at?"
Kirschtaria drummed his fingers on his cane.
Ritsuka tensed. They hadn't had a lot of time to debrief him, so-
"Our first enemy was Francois Prelati, a madman who used the Holy Grail to wreath the world in eternal darkness through which even the stars couldn't reach. He used the bodies of innocents to forge a tree from which abominations from beyond this world spawned. Eventually, he enlisted the aid of the poisoner Catherine Monvoison to warp it into a mobile colossus. Beyond that, he also unleashed the vampire Dracula upon the world. A Demon God known as Bael appeared at the end, yet even he did not thwart us."
Ritsuka turned to look at Kadoc, who just shrugged with a smirk.
"The second enemy was fourfold. The Queen of Victory was corrupted by Flauros, Duke of Flame and Savagery. Remus, brother of Romulus, took the power of the divine wolf Fenrir and enacted an unending winter upon Rome. He was in turn attended by Daji, the Beast of Treasuring and Accumulation. Between these four, they drove the people of the empire to huddle beneath the protection of the Lancer of the Crown - Romulus-Quirinus - and a wide array of allies."
Caeneus raised a single eyebrow. "Huh. Sounds like fun," he remarked with a smirk.
"Indeed. Once we take the field, you and I will have much to live up to." Kirschtaria returned the smirk with a peaceful smile.
"Hah?" Caeneus blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I am not the leader. For much of this, I was not even conscious. Flauros struck a blow against us, leaving our forces devastated. Roughly a quarter of our personnel survived, and it is only by the grace of Avalon's Prince that multiple members of my Team are available." Kirschtaria turned to face both Caeneus and Ritsuka. "This is Ritsuka Tohsaka, the Master of both said prince and the knight whose shield enables the FATE system to function. He led the missions to fight these foes alongside my teammates who were prioritized for a variety of reasons."
Ritsuka stiffened, suddenly under the regard of the Greek hero.
"That so?" Caeneus folded his arms across his chest. He glanced at Mash, now once more in her red-white armor. His eyes flit to Raphael, and his lip curled in distaste. "The fuck is that."
"I'm Raphie! I'm shaped like a-!" Raphael squeaked, pitching their voice as cute as Ritsuka had ever heard it.
"Nevermind." Caeneus rolled his eyes. "You. Girl. Who're you?"
"Mash Kyrielight. Servant of the shield, wielder of Evalach. I share my body with the Heroic Spirit Galahad, whose shield serves as the FATE system's core." Mash was far more confident than in the past, shoulders straight and only the faintest tremor in her voice.
Caeneus' gaze returned to Ritsuka. "Huh. Strong names." He looked to Kirschtaria. "And you're willing to follow him?"
"In the field, yes. At the least I'll be evaluating him."
Fou sneezed, then leveled an unimpressed look.
Caeneus snorted himself. "Fine. I'll learn the rest of your names later. Maybe." He waved a hand in the air. "Depends on if it's worth my time. So Master." He grinned. "What sort of entertainment you got here? Food, alcohol, fights, women? Or boys, if options are sparse."
Anastasia wrinkled her nose, but Kadoc shook his head at her.
Ritsuka looked at the other two Masters.
Ophelia watched with a pensive frown. Brynhildr and Sigurd at least appeared unworried and unoffended.
Asako squinted at Caeneus curiously, tilting her head before turning to Ritsuka and mouthing 'Really?' Shotaro's peaceful smile twitched around the corner of his mouth. Touko placed a finger on the bridge of her nose, applying visible pressure.
...Ritsuka felt an urge to run to the library and do research. This was a Primary Servant, and he wanted to be aware of any potential pitfalls he could fall into. Or worse, that Matthew might jump into.
The thought alone sent shudders down Ritsuka's spine.
____________________________________________________________________________
Inhale. Exhale.
With a shout, I flung my hand forward. The handle materialized in my grip, and the blade of a longsword cut through air in a horizontal swipe. I put all my speed and strength into the strike, Reinforcing my eyes so I could track its path. The air split in its path, gusting behind it-
And it was halted effortlessly, only the clash of metal rewarding the effort. The sound echoed through the training room as the phantom weapon was stopped by a thinner blade.
Musashi raised an unimpressed eyebrow at me, holding one sword out to her side with the blade pointed at the floor.
I immediately opened my free hand, and a spear bloomed in her direction point-first. I leaned into it while pulling the longsword back, dissolving it as I did so. I saw the knee coming towards me when she twisted out of the way, and rolled with the counter while turning the stab into a sweep of the polearm.
Musashi flipped backwards over the shaft of the weapon, and I took my chance. Forcing prana into my bracers, in the span of a second I replaced the spear with a shorter-hafted battleaxe. With the edge pointing up, surely she had to-
And she twisted over it in a sideways flip, knocking the heavier weapon upwards with her single drawn sword. In the blink of an eye, the point of her blade was at my throat.
"...so did you draw that out on purpose, or was there actual progress?" I asked after a few seconds.
"You figured out that when it comes to your weapons, your strength is in being a journeyman in each of their applications and the ability to almost-instantly swap between them." Musashi lowered her sword and sheathed it in two smooth motions. "That said, there's still enough of a delay that a Servant with better reactions can dodge."
"Meaning any Knight," I muttered, crossing my arms with a pout.
"Ahh, maybe?" Musashi scratched her cheek with a sheepish smile. "You might get the drop on some Archers and slower Berserkers. With a Rider it depends on their innate agility or if they're dependent on their mounts." Her eyes opened and she gave me a serious look. "But the majority of Sabers, Lancers, and Assassins won't be so easily caught by that trick if you use it outright. I knew about it beforehand, but if you'd waited to switch things around until the axe, you'd have gotten some blood."
"Ugh." I dropped my arms and folded them behind my head. "Maybe I should stick to the back and keep up spells…"
"Oh, I won't argue that," Musashi agreed cheerfully. "Your magecraft packs a punch offensively, and it's great support. But having weapons as a backup is valuable. Turning a duel of spells into planting an axe into the other guy's face is valid if they're gonna outclass you otherwise." She shrugged. "I'll pick a fight to test my mettle, then do everything in my power to survive. Technique, raw power, dirty fighting, exploiting weaknesses- it's all on the table. I'll cut down someone mid-sentence, but there's good odds they'll see it coming."
"So… use my illusions to distract people and levy weapons and physical effects under them?" I mused. "It'd take a decent amount of energy, but I could refine the amount and minimize excess…"
"Didn't you go wild against that weird Lancer in Seraphix? You managed a whole bunch of spells at once. If you just dealt with him by letting people fight around the spears and killed him by inches with your dagger, it would have worked." Musashi hummed, rubbing her chin. "That Gawain's pretty tough, and the red Archer is decent at not getting hit. Though there were a couple sitting ducks I guess…"
"Hans and that human for example," I pointed out.
"Named…?" Musashi prompted.
I shrugged. "I unno. Not like she matters now."
Musashi's eyebrow twitched as she gave me an exasperated smile. "Ah. I see."
A familiar hand landed on top of my head with rough affection. "It's a work in progress," Cu Chulainn drawled in amusement. He ruffled my hair. "Even if I never see 'em again, if I meet a person and don't kill them I try to remember their names for a little while."
"Okay?" I frowned, confused. "Good for… you?"
Musashi's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Work in progress?" she echoed tiredly.
"Work in progress," Cu agreed. His hand dropped from my head to loop his arm around my shoulders. "The good doctor was looking for you, by the way. Something about meeting our newest coworker in a controlled environment?"
"Pff. 'Coworker', he says. What, do we get to get around a water cooler and bitch about management? I always wanted to be a salarywoman. Modern-day samurai, or something?" Musashi broke down, snickering.
"If we had any alcohol left we could drink the night away," Cu grumbled. "Wouldn't mind that part."
Memo to me: never bring up my little bargain with Gilgamesh and Fou. Ever. Addendum: see if I can manipulate Roman into authorizing a 'shopping' trip to Fuyuki to snatch up as much booze as I can carry.
I think I remember a bar from the memories I shared with Red…
"Testing, testing? Chaldea to Matthew?" Musashi pinched my cheek and pulled.
"Wat."
"Doc Romani wanted me to grab you for lunch." Cu flexed his arm, pinning me to his side. "Sounded like it was pretty heavily suggested."
I squinted at Cu.
He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?"
"I'm gonna have to play nice with Wodime, aren't I." Like hell. No way. Leave me alone.
"Probably," he agreed.
"And whoever he summoned too." Nope, nope, nope!
"Most likely."
I let out a low whine. "I dun wanna." You people vastly overestimate my self-control!
"Tough. Master needs you and Wodime to work together, so you work together. If he acts a fool, I won't stand in your way." I felt Cu's shrug from behind me.
Musashi shook her head. "Well, you have fun with that. Rubbing elbows with nobles gives me hives."
"Really?" Cu drawled.
"Only when there's awkward drama involved!" She flashed a pair of finger-guns at him and winked.
"Grr… I bet he summoned some uptight noble bastard. All 'pip pip honey nut cheerios' or something." I scowled.
Cu coughed. "I, uh. Don't think that's how that works," he rasped, bodily shaking.
"Matthew, you put up with Gilgamesh." Musashi gave me a deadpan look.
"I can bribe Gilgamesh! And he bribes me! It's mutual bribery!" I retorted.
Is that what they call it nowadays? the voice mused.
"POINT BEING, whoever he called is probably going to be some insufferable prettyboy or uptight secretary! Just watch!" I pointed an accusing finger at Musashi. I looked at Cu as my irritation and nerves gave way to concern. "Are you ok? Servants can't get sick, right? Did you piss off LaVoisin?"
Cu continued to wheeze, covering his mouth with a fist and his eyes screwed up.
"He'll live." Musashi smiled. "Now off you guys go! Let me know how it all turns out!"
Too worried about Cu Chulainn's welfare to argue, I put my arm around the middle of his back as his breathing slowly evened out despite the shakes. We managed to make it out the door...
And then he bit his lip and it started all over again!
____________________________________________________________________________
"You're not a noodly nobleman or British schoolmarm," Matthew said accusingly.
Ritsuka felt his heart plummet into his stomach.
Caeneus stared at him in incredulous stupefaction. "Say what?" The words were low, blunt, and almost slurred together.
"Wodime would totally summon a stuck-up shit if he relied on compatibility!" Matthew pointed at Caeneus' face, arm slightly raised so his finger was within range of the Lancer's nose. "He had to use a catalyst to get a tall drink of water like you!"
Mash gently began to massage Ritsuka's shoulders, but he didn't know if even that could take the edge off. Even Fou was giving him a look of abject pity!
"Well, you are correct about myself utilizing a catalyst at any rate," Kirschtaria cut in with a slightly strained smile. "Matthew, this is Caeneus, my Lancer."
Roman and Ritsuka's eyes met, a frission of terror cascading down the latter's spine.
"I've never heard of you," Matthew said flatly.
Cu Chulainn planted his face into his palm.
"Never heard of you. 'Less you're that gospel guy from 'round Jerusalem?" Caeneus raised an eyebrow.
"Matthew Kyrielight. Prince of Avalon, Son of Morgan le Fay, and Caster-class Servant of Ritsuka Tohsaka." The shorter man puffed his chest out.
Caeneus' gaze slipped to Kirschtaria, then back to Matthew. "Huh. So how's that work?"
A demonic smile crossed Matthew's face. "Oh! That's a great story! Don't you think? Kirsch?"
The dread, which had lessened, returned hundredfold. "Ah-" Ritsuka tried to interrupt.
Kirschtaria, heedless of the danger, plowed onward. "Ah, yes. Matthew is one of our Demi-Servants. Morgan was summoned into his body and he can access her power accordingly." He continued to smile. "To the best of my knowledge, he was born and raised here in Chaldea. He's been of great help, and a valuable asset for some time."
"You forgot the experiments," Matthew added sweetly.
Kirscthara's composure slipped, the only sign of it being a few short blinks. "Hm?"
"You know. The alchemic infusions - lots of mercury there. Riiiight into my bloodstream. Oh, and how Mash and I were engineered to only live to eighteen, twenty at most?"
Roman started to pale, but Ritsuka watched Kirschtaria.
The man's eyelids began to fall ever so slightly, narrowing his gaze.
"They mutilated my circuits, treated me like a weapon… honestly, it was hell. Isolation, dehumanization, the way they'd cut me open to add and subtract as needed..." Matthew gave an absent hum, swaying out of reach from Cu Chulainn.
Oh. Oh damn it all. The feelings that screamed up their bond - the fear, the spite, the resentment. He'd wanted to stay clear, but now that was denied he wanted an excuse - one Kirschtaria had accidentally provided.
Kirschtaria's brows drew together. "That…"
Ritsuka cleared his throat, trying to stop the onslaught.
"I mean, was it any surprise I knifed your mentor when he threatened to do the same to Mash?" Matthew fluttered his eyelashes in the direction of Master and Servant. "She's my little sister. Though, I did hear the wound stank horribly from the curse rotting his flesh all the time. Sorry about that." His smile didn't hold a hint of apology.
"I-" Kirschtaria's jaw worked silently, and Ritsuka could envision the wheels spinning in the older man's head.
Oh fuck. He didn't know any of this. He didn't know.
"Oh! And you remember the whole… thing with Beryl?" Matthew didn't smile. He bared his teeth. "He almost killed me. Would have done that and worse if Da Vinci and Morgan hadn't intervened."
"Worse?" Kirschtaria whispered, already fair skin paling visibly.
"Oh, even at fifteen I was rather pretty if I say so myself. I'm sure you could draw the right conclusions." Matthew vanished, reappearing in Kirschtaria's space. His hand wrapped around the man's cravat in a clawed grip, dragging him nose-to-nose. "If you didn't already know."
Black haze leaked from Matthew's body, but the truly fearsome thing wasn't that. No, Matthew's eyes, which had flickered from red to green and back during past episodes - they were unchanging.
A flat, crystalline blue.
Matthew's hair began to bleach. "So. We're all caught up now, yes? Just wanted to keep everyone current. After all, it's important for a Master and Servant to understand each other."
"Return to my side!"
In a flash of red, the command seal burned away. The absolute order echoed through the hall, empty of all but the two Masters, Servants, and doctor.
With a gust of displaced air Matthew vanished, appearing next to Ritsuka - several paces from Kirschtaria. Ritsuka immediately grabbed his hand, wrapping it in his own.
The man's composure had shattered. He stared at Matthew as though he'd never seen him before, a look that could only be called haunted on his face.
Caeneus' lip curled, eyes flicking from Kirschtaria to Matthew. An indecipherable look crossed his visage before it was tamped down under a less cheerful indifference than prior.
"I…" Kirschtaria slowly stood back up.
Matthew didn't approach him again. He blinked rapidly, and when he was done his eyes were green once more. He looked as though nothing had changed whatsoever.
"So?" Roman interjected with forceful cheer. "Lunch?" He clapped his hands together.
Cu Chulainn stared at him, dumbfounded. "Y' still have an appetite after that?" He looked over at Matthew, and for the first time Ritsuka saw disappointment on his Lancer's face.
Matthew flinched, baring his teeth in a snarl.
Mash's hands felt heavy on Ritsuka's shoulders, and he caught the pained look on her face out of the corner of his eye.
Kirschtaria's mask slid back into place, sealing the man away once more. Only the magus remained. "I understand." His tone was distant, but not unkind.
Matthew lifted his chin. "Good. I wouldn't want the understudy to a monstrous bastard like Marisbilly to forget his place. You live because the people I care about want you here. The instant all of them abandon you is the instant you stop breathing."
"That so?" Caeneus drawled.
"Well I'm not going to torture him. What do I look like, a magus?"
"Enough."
The word rolled through the hall like the edict of royalty. All eyes snapped to Roman.
He stepped forward slowly, deliberately. "Matthew."
Matthew's hackles went up. "It's his fault that Pepe can't come back! He took all the energy from the Shroud!"
Roman said nothing.
"And you're taking his side! Just like you did with Marisbilly!" Matthew tried to tear his hand away, but Ritsuka firmed his grip with Reinforcement and held on. "You are!"
"We didn't know the whole story," Roman said softly. "I knew terrible things had been done to you and Mash, and I did my best to do right by you both. I was able to do more for your sister for various reasons."
Matthew's breathing turned ragged, his eyes darting and looking for escape.
Cu Chulainn stirred, and concern filled his eyes.
"Why… he's just like him. He has to be. That's why he chose him over Olga - because Olga was a good person who just needed someone to support her. Right? He's a magus, like all the rest." A pleading note entered Matthew's voice, begging for- something. Ritsuka didn't know what.
"While I will agree that former Director Olga Marie was not without ethics," Roman said slowly, "she would have done what was needed to accomplish Chaldea's mission. What was done to you went well beyond necessity. It was wrong. But the people responsible for it are dead." He placed a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "Matthew, you're projecting Marisbilly's sins onto someone who wasn't involved. Just like you did with Olga Marie."
"Can't blame him," Caeneus said, interrupting whatever Matthew might have said in response. He shrugged. "Even if he wasn't involved, Master here's still connected. That said, if he did decide to raise a hand in violence…" The Servant shrugged, but Ritsuka still felt the coil of bloodlust in the air like a choking noose. "Well. I've got my duties."
Against all odds, Matthew started to relax. "So you agree? That he's scum?"
"The men you dealt with were scum," Caeneus agreed easily. "Didn't say shit about Master. I haven't seen enough of him to decide. Have you?" He raised an eyebrow.
Matthew stilled.
Cu Chulainn walked forward, making eye contact with Ritsuka.
Should I…? he asked silently.
Ritsuka thought. The immediate danger was past, and from the looks of things Caeneus at least was willing to pitch in to salvage it. From his character that Ritsuka observed, it wasn't common. Something in Matthew's rant must have touched a nerve.
Mash squeezed Ritsuka's shoulder, and he looked at her. She gave him a small, supportive smile. He relaxed a little, but Matthew didn't pull his hand away.
Roman stepped back. "There's a lot to catch everyone up on, and we'll need everyone here to do it." He looked at everyone gathered. "What Matthew said happened to him is true. We have access to records and eyewitness accounts." He looked over at Kirschtaria. "Is it safe to assume you were in the dark regarding this information?"
For a moment, Ritsuka tensed. This would make or break the situation. Matthew was still teetering on the edge of a knife, and the wrong thing would…
"Lord Animusphere wished me to focus more on Team A itself than the Demi-Servant program. He must have decided that such things were unrelated to the scope of my duties."
Ritsuka let out a long breath.
A glimmer of steel entered Kirschtaria's gaze. "Given the circumstances, I would have to disagree with his assessment. I'll be accessing my terminal within the day to see what I can pull from the unredacted records. Lord Animusphere gave me a high degree of clearance. It seems appropriate that I use it to inform myself of such things."
"Oh. So he didn't tell you that Beryl Gut was a merc recruited to travel along with you guys not only as a second fighter-type, but as a hired gun to assassinate anyone who tried to desert?"
Everyone's head whipped to stare at Matthew, even Kirschtaria and Caeneus.
He blinked slowly. "The voice in my head told me so."
"...lunch it is," Roman decided with forced cheer.
Ritsuka wasn't very hungry at that point.
____________________________________________________________________________
Mash fiddled with her fork, prodding at her food.
Matthew sat between her and Ritsuka, firmly sandwiched in place. Fou had remained after all was said and done and claimed his lap.
Caeneus was halfway through a frankly terrifying slice of cake, shoveling piece after piece into his mouth with gusto.
Roman sat next to Kirschtaria, who remained between Caeneus and the doctor. Cu Chulainn stood, leaning his hip against the table and keeping an eye on the room while appearing otherwise relaxed.
Raphael was nowhere to be seen, though that was understandable.
Caeneus has no love for anything of the sea, for valid reasons. Offer him not sympathy nor pity; merely accept him as he is.
Thank you, Galahad.
Mash glanced at Ritsuka, who stared at his uneaten food. He looked less tired, but the wear was starting to show again.
She frowned. He needed to keep his strength up. She understood the effect nerves could have on the body, but… Hm.
You could do worse than ask.
She leaned over. "Matthew?" she whispered.
Her brother glanced over.
"Can you help Senpai?" She nodded at the cooling plate in front of Ritsuka.
Matthew's gaze sharpened, coming back to himself for the first time since he sat down. He turned. "Hey. Eat already."
Ritsuka gave a wan smile. "Ah, in a minute. My stomach's a little…"
Matthew's hand darted out, causing Kirschtaria's head to snap upwards with wide eyes.
Pale fingers wrapped around Ritsuka's hand, and soft gold light flowed between Caster and Master at point of contact. Vine-like patterns of white-gold traced over skin, fading as they were painted on.
Ritsuka blinked rapidly a few times, and Mash saw the tension seep rapidly from his shoulders. "Huh? What did…?" He flushed when his stomach gave a loud growl.
"Anxiety, stress, depression. It's all chemicals, right? I just poked your brain chemistry. It's not that different from medicine, but I can be more precise. And it's not exactly habit-forming." Matthew shrugged, letting go. "It falls under healing magic. Bad brain chemistry can be as debilitating as poor joints or organs, even if it takes longer to leave lasting damage sometimes."
Roman raised an eyebrow. "So you can treat mental illness?"
"Ehh. I can rebalance the chemicals temporarily, but I'd need to get invasive to make permanent changes. Rits is dealing with a lot emotionally, so I was able to alleviate the physical aspects of things for a bit. He'd be better off talking to Kiara than relying on my powers. I'm hardly a specialist." Matthew paused, tapping his fork against his plate rhythmically. "But like I said, it's mostly stress. He's pretty resilient on his own."
Mash looked over to where Ritsuka was digging into his meal, determinedly avoiding the eyes of the rest of the group.
"Thank you," Mash said, since Ritsuka was occupied.
Matthew huffed. "Of course. He's my Master, and more importantly my friend. I wasn't going to sit back and let things get worse."
Kirschtaria's eyes softened at those words. "You're friends, then?"
Matthew bristled. "Yeah. And?"
"It's good. Bonds aren't impossible to form in places like the Clock Tower, but given how political things are…" Kirschtaria mused.
"Feh. Wishy-washy feelings bullshit," Caeneus scoffed. "The only person you can count on is yourself when you're in a bind."
"With a shining personality like yours, no wonder you came to that conclusion," Matthew muttered.
"I said you're an asshole and it's no wonder nobody likes you," Matthew shot back. "At least I can be nice if nobody picks a fight first!"
"Though what counts as 'picking a fight' with you may vary," Cu Chulainn drawled with a teasing grin.
"Wh- Blue!" Matthew flushed in mortification. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"I am. Just pointing out you're touchier around certain people than others," the Celt replied breezily.
Caeneus snorted. "Well, it's not like I aim to be liked. I'm a tyrant first, you know? Even on the Argo, I wasn't too popular. We worked fine together under Jason, but I wasn't too close to anyone."
"Huh. That's funny, Medea has an ex named Jason. He was a real prick." Matthew nodded decisively.
Kirschtaria's eyes widened. "Medea of Colchis is here?"
Matthew grinned.
"Yes. She's friends with Matthew and seems to be working in concert with him, Da Vinci, and Grand Magus Aozaki on some sort of project," Roman explained. "To the best of our observations she's loyal to the cause and looks favorably upon the Masters here, if somewhat dismissive of their capabilities."
"If I recall, Medea chopped her kid brother into pieces to distract her father when Jason made a break for it with the Golden Fleece," Caeneus drawled.
Mash tensed. If Matthew didn't know-
"Didn't Aphrodite curse the shit out of her? Like royally fuck her head up?" Matthew asked.
Caeneus paused. "True. That's true," he agreed slowly.
"Geez. I can't believe the others didn't stop her. Are the Greek gods just awful as a whole, or what?"
Oh dear.
Caeneus gave a vicious grin. "They're fuckin' worthless to a one." He paused, smile slipping slightly as he considered. "Only ones I would consider close to 'alright' are Hestia because she didn't do shit, and Hades and Persephone because they were more focused on doing their damn jobs than screwin' around. But even they're shit because they're gods. They're not human, but close enough to make shit worse."
"Right. Don't rely on Greek gods for anything, and if they try to sell snake oil I stab 'em."
Kirschtaria's gaze flicked back and forth between Caeneus and Matthew.
Caeneus tilted his head at Cu Chulainn. "Your eromenos is a quick study," he offered with a smirk.
Cu's eyes lowered despite his smile. "Matthew's of age, actually." Despite his casual tone, he leaned forward slightly with arms crossed over his middle. "And I'd rather he not pick fights with gods."
"If they pick a fight with me, Fou can take 'em." Matthew lifted the small animal up under his front legs.
Fou idly paddled the air with his hind legs. "Fou."
Caeneus raised his eyebrows. "I see." His tone implied anything but, along with a heaping of subdued scorn.
"He took on a Beast-class and won," Cu noted.
Roman's smile, which had been nearly beatific at the peaceful conversation, turned to a rictus grin.
"No shit?" Caeneus gave Cu Chulainn a disbelieving look.
"Yup! Sent her flying, too. It took Gilgamesh, Romulus, and Amaterasu to take her down later." Matthew tapped his forehead against Fou's. "That's my Fou, though!"
Fou accepted the affection with due grace before staring at the remains of Caeneus' cake.
Mash placed her own dessert, a small flan, in front of Fou to dissuade him.
Roman gave her a grateful look as Fou began to daintily bite at the confection.
"So gods. I only know about Aphrodite because of Medea, but I remember reading about a few others. Was Thetis a goddess?" Matthew tilted his head.
"Sea nymph. Also weird you know about her and not the Olympians." Caeneus leaned on an elbow and prodded his cake, scooping another bite into his mouth.
"The Olympians include Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis. The males include Apollo, Ares, Hermes, Dionysus, Hades, Zeus, and their brother," Kirschtaria explained.
"I know about Zeus because everyone knows about Heracles," Matthew said.
"Naturally." Caeneus shrugged. "The big guy was more a force of nature than anything else. Only Jason seemed to really click with him."
"I liked him. He seemed like a nice guy, if not much for talking." Matthew pouted.
"Matthew can speak with Berserkers and enable communication," Mash clarified.
"You don't say." Caeneus huffed. "So what brought up Thetis?"
"...she'sAchilles'mom."
"Hah?"
Kirschtaria rubbed his chin pensively.
"Ah. Da Vinci said she'd given you 'The Song of Achilles' when you were asking questions about certain topics. That and some more modern treatises." Roman nodded sagely, fully recovered.
Ritsuka looked up. "I remember hearing about that."
"So you're a fan of the Greatest of the Greeks, huh?" Caeneus mocked. "Was it his battle prowess? How he lived and died for glory?"
"No?" Matthew frowned. "It was because he was like me, and loved someone. Though I think if he'd listened and taken better care of the both of them, their lives would have ended more happily."
Caeneus stared. "What."
"Hm?" Matthew tilted his head.
"It's not how he mowed down an army, or how he slew hero after hero that makes you admire him? It's that he and Patroclus…" Caeneus waved a hand in a circle aimlessly.
"I mean, being strong is a charm point, I guess. But being capable of love is more important, you know?" Matthew grinned. "And knowing there were people like me helped resolve the whole 'bi crisis' thing."
Cu Chulainn gave Matthew a look of fond amusement.
"Weird-ass Caster," Caeneus muttered before turning away with a thoughtful frown. Mash noticed he wasn't angry or disgusted - just confused.
Kirschtaria hummed. "I suppose, given… recent revelations… you'd have no patience for petty and capricious gods."
"Nope! Only I'm allowed to be petty and capricious! No one else!" Matthew folded his arms and pouted, earlier malice nonexistent. At least on the surface.
"Not even Morgan?" Ritsuka asked with a raised eyebrow. "Faeries aren't known for being constant from what little I know."
"Eh. She can be petty, sure. But capricious? You can tell what'll set her off easy, and everything else you can see from a mile away." Matthew shrugged and dropped his arms. He ducked his head when Cu Chulainn ruffled his hair fondly.
Mash looked downwards, hiding a smile. Things weren't 'fixed', not by a long shot. But the doctor knew what he was doing when he sat everyone down.
Wait. Where did Fou go?
Slowly, she looked up.
Oh damn it all.
She agreed with Galahad wordlessly as Fou deliberately plowed through Caeneus' cake, staring the Lancer dead in the face.
Caeneus reached out to stop him, irritation clear in his eyes-
"I wouldn't," Kirschtaria interjected mildly.
That got everyone's attention.
"The creature identified as 'Fou' is known as the 'Privileged Beast of Chaldea'." The nobleman took a slow drink before continuing. "What is lesser-known is how that privilege came about."
Caeneus gave him a flat stare.
Kirschtaria shrugged. "All I will say on the matter is there are reasons I believe Matthew and Cu Chulainn when they say he forced an Evil of Humanity from the field." He frowned. "That much, at least, I was informed of."
And that rather killed the conversation.
____________________________________________________________________________
"So… a 'tall glass of water', huh?" Cu propped his head up on one arm, laying on his side.
"Don't read too much into it. He's good-looking but I wouldn't go there more than once." I folded my arms behind my head, kicking my legs against the bed lightly.
"You're not denying you'd sleep with him," Cu needled playfully.
"It's not his personality I'd be riding into the sunset, Blue."
Fun detail: Servants can, in fact, choke on their own spit.
"Are you trying to kill me?" he said, finally catching his breath. He'd fallen over onto his back, and now we were both staring at the ceiling.
"If I was trying to kill you, there'd be more clothing and more fire." I sighed through my nose. "...sorry for flipping out on you guys. I just… not that I was ever 'over it,' but. Even less 'over it' than I thought, I guess."
"You worried me." Cu Chulainn was blunt and to the point. "I've seen whatever that was leak out before, but this was the first time it started to crystallize into something. I've always wondered about that part of you, I'll admit. You've been through a lot, and some of your behavior doesn't track." He paused. "Not that there's constants when it comes to dealing with that kind of shit, but there's common threads you don't share."
I waited for him to continue.
"You were kind of leery at first, but you dropped your suspicion way faster than I'd expect. Especially-" Cu cut himself off. "You took up with me sooner than I would have assumed, if I knew what I know now. And even with the friendships you had beforehand to soften you up, you fell in step with Master pretty quick."
...I didn't really have an answer for that.
I do, but you wouldn't like it. Mostly because said answer would incapacitate you with agony until I stopped trying to verbalize it.
...please tell me you just started paying attention.
I've less than no interest in your amorous pursuits; we've covered this already.
"Weird faerie stuff, I guess," I muttered aloud. I couldn't help but smile when the heavy arm fell across my ribs, or when I felt Cu's nose brush the top of my head.
"It's been a long couple days. Get some rest. I'll spoil you more in the morning."
"So like harassing Archer into making me breakfast, or-"
Cu Chulainn smiled, and I felt the movement of his lips against my hair. "I'll leave that to your discretion." He let out a short breath. "Just… try to keep that black stuff angled at the enemy, hey? Even if I know you wouldn't aim it at Master or the rest of us, it's still unsettling."
I frowned sleepily, drifting off. "Is it?" It was, but for him to say that…
"Aye. I know I'm in no danger because you don't fundamentally change - not that I'd spook if I was or if you did. The power just reminds me of a certain death goddess, if removed a few degrees." Cu tucked me closer with a grunt of effort, pulling me into his chest.
Huh. Wonder what that's about. But… not the time to worry about that.
I rolled over into Cu, flung an arm and leg over him, and closed my eyes.
____________________________________________________________________________
Da Vinci stared at the expanse of blue. The ocean, stretching as far as the eye could see beyond a ring of islands. The mana in the air alone was near toxic levels according to her gauges, and any attempt for closer scrutiny failed.
The FATE system was already displaying numerous Servants in 'sleep' mode, likely pertaining to whoever was sent ahead to pave the way - much like in Fuyuki or Seraphix.
After checking the list, Da Vinci swore to herself.
"Oh, nobody's going to be happy about this," she whispered. She ran a quick diagnostic, and decided that the situations each were in were stable enough that she could wait for her human and Demi-Servant compatriots to finish their nightly rest - merely an hour or two.
With a deep breath, the universal genius folded her hands. "Now however are we to interpret this?"
The distant waves, far below her line of sight, offered no answer - though the tracery of red feathers offered a clue she lacked context to decipher.
____________________________________________________________________________
"...Medusa?"
AD 1573
Humanity Foundation Value: A
Enclosed Sea of Serpents and Sail: Okeanos
Great Blue of Reunion
... No offence, but I think Matthew needs a lesson in Humility. Not that I'm denying his trauma is valid, but he's the kind of person who needs to learn Humility. And I say that when he's in the presence of people like Caenus and Gilgamesh. Actually I say that because he's in their presence, because if he won't take anything from them, why should anyone take anything from him.
... No offence, but I think Matthew needs a lesson in Humility. Not that I'm denying his trauma is valid, but he's the kind of person who needs to learn Humility. And I say that when he's in the presence of people like Caenus and Gilgamesh. Actually I say that because he's in their presence, because if he won't take anything from them, why should anyone take anything from him.
I mean to give an example, Medea even beyond Aphrodite's curse was always one to be ruthless (even Lily if you remember the Demon God Pancake), so I doubt it affected her to the point of warping her beyond recognition and excusing her actions under it like Matthew implied.
The difference is he knows her and therefore can sympathise with her. Caenus meanwhile is summoned by someone he holds a grudge on so he's less willing to make excuses.
I totally agree with you on that point. And I'll direct you to his conversation with Hinako: he's aware Medea's done some heinous shit, but he just doesn't care.
His morals are not human morals. If I had to phrase it, it'd be like Morgan's LB version where 'evil' is incompatible with her rule and 'good' is compatible, along with what she 'hates'.
For Matthew, 'good' is people who are kind to him and his, and 'evil' are those who malign them.
If I recall the description used for the LB fairies, it was something like 'pure enough to do good, innocent enough to revel in evil'. Now, given the most traumatized versions of those we see are Baobahn Sith and LB!Morgan, we're lucky Matthew didn't turn out worse.
He is just human enough to almost understand humans, but is in no way, shape or form just that. He's an intersection between the humans of today and Gaia of yesteryear. What is reasonable to him, especially with the crown mutilating his psyche (which I've spelled out in text), is not necessarily reasonable to us.
And all of that said, I have set the stage for his development. He's learning to be kinder, and once he is able to finally break stasis and grow (points at the arc post New-Year), he will be a better person. Whether that's more or less human is debatable.
A pretty intense thing. By the summary at the start I was expecting Wodime to try and talk to Matthew causing an outburst, not this.
"The men you dealt with were scum," Caeneus agreed easily. "Didn't say shit about Master. I haven't seen enough of him to decide. Have you?" He raised an eyebrow.
Wodime feels like he was really, truly set up to be a "perfect leader" by Animusphere, like a molded clay figure untouched by dirty influences like Chaldea's sins.
Pale fingers wrapped around Ritsuka's hand, and soft gold light flowed between Caster and Master at point of contact. Vine-like patterns of white-gold traced over skin, fading as they were painted on.
Can I assume the other Casters also have moments of using their magic to solve little problems? The question is prompted by how Matthew is the only one who seems to flippantly use it to solve problems, but then I realized that is more a result of us mostly seeing him compared to other Casters.
Can I assume the other Casters also have moments of using their magic to solve little problems? question is prompted by how Matthew is the only one who seems to flippantly use it to solve problems, but then I realized that is more a result of us mostly seeing him compared to other Casters.
Definitely, and at least in LaVoisin's case I implied it. She uses her familiars to collect gossip in the vents (which Fou permits because he mirrors his master and thus finds it funny).
Offscreen, Medea uses telekinesis to do delicate needlework and hold cloth in place. Touko lights her cigs with runes. Da Vinci's life is her tech so she does a lot with that. Mozart doesn't, but his music is borderline Magecraft anyway.
Beyond that, Medea is the Hail Mary of the physical aspect of medical, and though she's a Saver Kiara plays that role for mental health.
BB abuses her power like it's going out of style, and Hakuno is prone to poking around the remnants of the internet with her mind.
So yeah, if a Servant has mundane uses for a skill or power (not NP unless passive)? It gets used.
I totally agree with you on that point. And I'll direct you to his conversation with Hinako: he's aware Medea's done some heinous shit, but he just doesn't care.
His morals are not human morals. If I had to phrase it, it'd be like Morgan's LB version where 'evil' is incompatible with her rule and 'good' is compatible, along with what she 'hates'.
For Matthew, 'good' is people who are kind to him and his, and 'evil' are those who malign them.
If I recall the description used for the LB fairies, it was something like 'pure enough to do good, innocent enough to revel in evil'. Now, given the most traumatized versions of those we see are Baobahn Sith and LB!Morgan, we're lucky Matthew didn't turn out worse.
He is just human enough to almost understand humans, but is in no way, shape or form just that. He's an intersection between the humans of today and Gaia of yesteryear. What is reasonable to him, especially with the crown mutilating his psyche (which I've spelled out in text), is not necessarily reasonable to us.
And all of that said, I have set the stage for his development. He's learning to be kinder, and once he is able to finally break stasis and grow (points at the arc post New-Year), he will be a better person. Whether that's more or less human is debatable.
Ah, but here's the thing. He tried to use an excuse to justify Medea's actions, even though it doesn't matter to him, implying on some level that he's trying to pretend to Humans that he has similar values, and feels the need to justify their actions, to Humans. Which means he has some self awareness of just how bad his way of thinking is.
Ah, but here's the thing. He tried to use an excuse to justify Medea's actions, even though it doesn't matter to him, implying on some level that he's trying to pretend to Humans that he has similar values, and feels the need to justify their actions, to Humans. Which means he has some self awareness of just how bad his way of thinking is.
It's rather like Merlin at that point. Merlin makes little concessions here and there and eats feelings/thoughts to mimic human behavior. That doesn't change his actual thoughts, just makes him more palatable to his company.
It's not so much he realizes it's bad as 'Okay. And?' is kind of a conversation-killer when someone points out a friend of yours dismembered a sibling.
You know? Knowing Morgan can be summoned as a Berseker, now I can't help but imagine her acting like Linda Mitchell when her children are on the line.....hehehhehe "I am Morgan LeFay, Mother of six. Look upon me and FEAR!" " Too late to ask for mercy now, Scumbags!...Now hold on thigh sweetie, Momma's got you *smooch* AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!" proceeds to go to town on the opposition
I'm just hoping we see some new servants as we set sail. And a few less pirates, please. As much as I love Blackbeard, Drake, Ann, and Mary, there have to be some better Admirals and Captains with legendary status who could help out. (Besides Jason.) Yi Sun-sin? Magellan? Lief Erickson?
Hippolyta was a simple but interesting Servant. I have an unusual fondness for herHelps she looks surprisingly gorgeous. And showed what it means to truly having Riding as a Skill in terms of absurdity.
I took it out; you raise a good point. I didn't need the addendum to make the point that London isn't ending with anyone unscathed.
Hippolyta was a simple but interesting Servant. I have an unusual fondness for herHelps she looks surprisingly gorgeous. And showed what it means to truly having Riding as a Skill in terms of absurdity.
