Xerxes
Justice demands no less
- Location
- Trifas
That's from the same datamine where Assassin EMIYA got Suwabe for VA lmao.
I'm Not a Regular Mom (FGO OC)
- Thread starter Blinktwice13
- Start date
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
I wouldn't know. I wasn't able to find the actual datamine.
In Which Love Blooms on the Battlefield
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
A/N: This is basically a setup chapter. I establish some things, clear up some lore, and make a lot of jokes. There's a couple of serious bits and the end is basically an outline for the event before the incredibly messy fight that's sure to come. Ended it where I did because it was getting long and trying to keep things a little snappier. No real warnings aside from Evil Tree Being Scary In Concept.
_______________________________________________________________________________
I stared Ritsuka down as he made the preparations for the Rayshift. He and the Doctor spoke in quiet tones, with Roman making the occasional glance at me.
I'd been asleep. Warm, safe - or so I'd assumed - and having had one of the better days of my life.
Then I woke up to my face hitting turf and both Medusa and Musashi at full alert.
We'd looked, I'd reached out to the land to find nothing. I didn't understand.
Cu Chulainn can take care of himself-
I know. I know, but that's beside the point.
The point being? Morgan's tone was curious, and slightly worried.
The point being that… it was my first time. Away from here, away from the fight, away from everything. And I was so, so happy. For the first time, I thought I was safe. We were safe. The world didn't exist, and it was just the four of us, laughing in the woods.
I jolted at a touch on my arm.
"Hey. You okay?" Musashi frowned a little, hand on my elbow. Medusa hovered behind her, a glint of concern in her eye - for all that she kept a stoic expression.
"I'll live. It- it was a shock. He's going to be fine. I- they wouldn't put him into a situation he couldn't survive." I hoped.
We wouldn't. He's with Nero, Tamamo-no-Mae, a capable Master, and two other mighty Servants. There are other powerful allies as well - one of whom I'm eager for you to meet! Morgan's voice pitched upwards in excitement.
I felt myself relax a little more.
Musashi gave me a long look, then pulled me into a hug. I leaned my chin on her shoulder as she gave a firm squeeze. "Alright. I'd go with you, but it sounds like the higher-ups have their sights on certain teams."
Right. And Mash wasn't- Hm.
"I guess Mash isn't ready to deploy yet, so… I don't think Ophelia or Kadoc would let anything happen to her, but-" I began.
"We'll look after her for you." Medusa gave a small smile. "Bring the oaf back to the rest of us, alright?"
I smiled a little, letting the tension seep away. "Right. And thank you. Both of you."
"Of course!" Musashi let go and stepped back once before puffing up proudly. "You can rely on us, you know that!"
I looked over to Ritsuka again, where Mash stood by him and they spoke quietly. "Um…"
"Go on. Say your goodbyes." Medusa gave a knowing smile. "It would be bad luck not to."
____________________________________________________________________________
Gilgamesh only just managed to bank his amusement.
The sheer fury and vitriol the craftsman exhibited on return was breathtaking. 'Love isn't like that', indeed. He was ready to carve through anything of no consequence in retaliation for the absence of what was his. Simply because the fury wasn't directed at those he loved didn't make him any less of a hypocrite.
Though the hypocrisy, too, was endearing. And was it hypocrisy? Or simply innocence? Even now the boy was still sheltered in comparison to those who answered from the Throne.
He observed as his craftsman hugged his sister tightly, and exchanged trite words with Ritsuka Tohsaka. Apologies for frightening him, of all things.
Given their Master had been exhibiting concern rather than fear, the idea that he would fear Matthew in the first place was absurd.
Finding himself in a rather pleasant mood, the King decided to grace the unsuspecting subjects with his presence.
"It would seem you misplaced something," Gilgamesh mused, stepping into solidity from thin air.
Matthew's gaze drifted upwards. "Something like that." A chill entered his voice, sparking even greater amusement. Rebellious as he was, he seemed to have warmed to Gilgamesh's affections. Testing the limits of Gilgamesh's patience, he would surely find that so long as he did not offer grave insult or true offense… well. Gilgamesh could indulge him. But the fear he held was diminished, if not outright dispelled.
"Whatever do you plan to do about it? The guard dog holds no small amount of favor with you, no?" Gilgamesh folded his arms, emphasizing the rebuilt armor he wore. He smirked downwards, savoring the dark flicker that lurked behind Matthew's eyes.
"We'll find him, and solve the Singularity," Ritsuka cut in firmly. "And we'll need your help to do it."
Matthew narrowed his eyes and exhaled. "Right. I guess even if it isn't your preferred role, we'd… appreciate it… if you could keep Ritsuka breathing. Since Mash is injured."
The girl looked away, downcast.
"Hmph." Gilgamesh closed his eyes. "Since you requested so kindly, I suppose I can withdraw some of my more defensive treasures on your behalf. This is, after all, in order to regain her powers."
Mash drew a sharp breath, and Matthew's grunt of surprise was gratifying.
The King opened a single eye. "Were you unaware? This 'Seraphix' we are to conquer is overlaid with echoes of Hakunon's timeline. With a link to the source of her power, the one known as BB claims that she can access a Codecast which would let her trespass on the realms of modern Magic." His smirk grew. "Of course, the full collision of timelines, especially given the transpatial nature of the miniature Singularity, is cause for concern."
"Transpatial?" Matthew asked. He lowered his arms, eyes wide in confusion.
"Of course. Human history in this timeline halts after the year 2020. The time we approach is 2030, but contains a landmark from said timeline. Further, the area known as SE.RA.PH is located within cyberspace on a server within the moon itself. And yet somehow it is reflected on this oil rig," Gilgamesh lectured.
"How did you find all this out?" Ritsuka asked, in an appropriate amount of awe.
"The question of time was simple, as the good doctor let it slip that the temporal coordinates were future-dated. I detected BB's presence not long ago, and naturally I kept an eye on her. Thus I understand… most of the situation." Gilgamesh gave an elegant shrug. "I may not have the whole of it, but deciphering the rest upon arrival should be child's play."
"And that concludes our session of 'Gilgamesh Explains It All'," joked the so-called 'Holy Roman Emperor'. Though, at the very least he dismissed the title himself- preventing the need for Gilgamesh to strip the audacity from him by force. That said, the name 'Charlie' was far too diminutive for him. His true name was a proper balance between the two.
"Charlemagne." Gilgamesh turned his gaze upon him. "So you will be accompanying Ritsuka Tohsaka, then."
"And myself." Hakunon made her appearance known, her black gown spilling around her. A black lace parasol dangled from elegant fingers.
"So… close combat striker with nuking capabilities, a total all-rounder with no physical weaknesses, defensive support with field control, and then there's me with environmental manipulation and esoteric versatility," Matthew mused. "It's not a bad setup. Wait, didn't Da Vinci call for…?" He frowned.
"And we're all here!" Asako Tohsaka, the younger sister to Ritsuka Tohsaka, dashed into the chamber. Her hair was tied into a short side tail, and she wore a feminine replica of her brother's uniform. "Don't worry, we'll definitely make short work of this!"
"Don't count victory before we've even seen the field, Asako." The redheaded magus followed her, Shotaro Tohsaka close behind. The bespectacled woman gave Gilgamesh a calculating glance before observing the others. "We have a balanced enough team, but we'll need the lay of the land to secure our objectives efficiently."
"Should I pack some familiars?" Matthew asked, curious.
"I have some in storage," Shotaro replied with a smile. "You focus on keeping Ritsuka and Asako safe."
"By liquifying anyone who looks at them funny, got it!"
Mash gave a long sigh. "Matthew…"
"Diplomacy first, wanton slaughter second," Ritsuka said flatly.
"Okay!"
Gilgamesh bit back a chuckle.
"Besides, it's harder to interrogate a corpse than a living person. According to Da Vinci, we'll be trying to rendezvous with Cu Chulainn," Touko pointed out. Lugh stuck his head out of her collar, blinking green feline eyes.
"Harder for you, maybe," Matthew muttered.
"He'll be fine. At the bare minimum he'll hold out until we're able to get there."
Gilgamesh felt his shoulders tighten in irritation. "Faker."
The man stepped around the corner and stood behind Asako and her retinue. "I was requested for the mission," he explained. To his wisdom, the faker didn't make eye contact. "As a general warning, Masters, Gilgamesh and I are fundamentally incompatible. It would be best if we were kept apart."
"If you're all quite done," the husk of Solomon forced out, "please proceed to the Rayshift coffins and assume position for transport." He looked up. "Da Vinci, are we ready?"
"Coordinates locked and stable. No sign of external interference," she said over the comm.
The small girl almost sprinted to the secondary coffin, sliding in. "Alright, ready to go!"
Gilgamesh eyed the young knight as Ritsuka gently grasped her shoulder. While the rest moved for Ritsuka to enter the coffin, he remained.
"Fear not."
Mash Kyrielight looked up, visible eye wide.
"Ritsuka Tohsaka has proven to be an acceptable Master. Replacing him would be far more trouble than it's worth. Under my watch, he will not come to harm."
"O-oh." She blinked, clearly in awe of the King's generosity. "Thank you, King Gilgamesh."
With a benevolent smile, he turned and made his way to the coffins. She had put her very being on the line to protect not only that which was hers, but what was his. Such devotion deserved some small reward.
____________________________________________________________________________
Cool, calm, collected.
Hakuno folded her hands over the handle of her parasol, standing to the right of Ritsuka's coffin as the lid shut with a pneumatic hiss.
To the left of her, Charlie stood with his hands folded behind him, eyes darting from the coffin to her and back. It would be different from when they'd last fought together, certainly. Though, having a friendly face helped her settle in at Chaldea. He'd provided a bridge for mingling with other Servants. His paladins had accepted her without question, and the strength of his reputation smoothed any potential edges before they displayed themselves.
Gilgamesh… counted as a friendly face. Somewhat. She knew him enough to know that his only occasional conversations with her were more a favor to her than anything. He held himself above everyone, herself included - the only one close to an exception was Matthew.
(It still amused her that he'd gone from tyrant king to schoolboy pulling pigtails. Not to mention that it was hardly the most efficient way of gaining his target's affections. For all his arrogance, the man was no idiot and would adapt eventually - but she wondered what the end result would look like.)
She deliberately had avoided Nameless - or as he was called here, Emiya. There was a different air to him, and most likely a different history. There was no point in agitating a man who was once one of her dearest friends (if in another life). ...still, if she had to choose a guy…
She didn't have much of an opinion one way or the other on Shotaro. He seemed like a good father, if a touch overeager to be present for his offspring. There was a history there, and probably something to atone for. But neither child held it against him, so it was complex enough to make it simple, in a way.
Touko Aozaki was as terrifying as ever, even younger and with red hair instead of silver. The 'tiny' elemental who decided to stay with her and the contained horrors she could sense on the woman's person spoke enough to that.
"Preparing for Rayshift!" Da Vinci's voice rang out, startling Hakuno from her reverie. "Counting down!"
Matthew stood at the foot of the coffin, spine rigid in anticipation. He'd already deployed his wings, and every line of him screamed readiness for battle. It was unsettling how easily he could flip from playfulness to extreme violence. That said, he was far from impossible to work with. If she could cooperate with the likes of Gilles de Rais, then she felt confident in her ability to do so with most people.
Hakuno tightened her grip. This was just like any other mission. Though instead of attack programs, it would be… well, she couldn't be quite sure. Septem was its own set of circumstances. ...it was the first time she'd seen 'Earth', even if it hadn't been the one from her time.
"Rayshifting now!"
The world erupted into a riot of color, but she still kept a link to Chaldea's computer systems. Thanks to the powers given her by the Moon Cell, she had long since stepped away from 'NPC' to a proper 'AI'. With the abilities she gained from Lovelace, she retained the ability to act and interact with the world around her while running another stream of parallel thought.
Meaning that even as the orb of light that was her Master fell through time alongside Hakuno and her compatriots, a part of her lingered in every connected system Chaldea harbored.
Partitioning the awareness until it was needed, Hakuno blinked as the world around her became solid.
"You've arrived in the year 2030, somehow. The coordinates were accurate." Da Vinci's voice echoed in her head, a synthetic edge to them. Hakuno's best assumption was that the communique was typed, rather than spoken. "How does everyone look?"
The scent of the sea roiled around her, or so she assumed. Salt and brine assaulted her senses, and spray-slicked metal remained sturdy beneath her feet. Hakuno cast her gaze about, taking stock of the environment.
They seemed to be in a shipping area, likely to receive supplies. Sealed wooden boxes stacked several meters high, and some just scattered around. Some were splintered open, torn by brute force.
Asako sat atop one that was untouched, swinging her legs idly. Touko stood from a kneeling position as a tiny bolt of gold dashed away, Emiya watching overhead with a sharp gaze and tension in his expression. Shotaro's hands dipped into a swirling disc of fire, eyes intently searching for something in it.
Matthew was already airborne, a faint veil covering his body from head to toe. His wings beat frantically as he gained altitude, searching for a vantage point.
Gilgamesh stood close to Ritsuka, arms folded and expression uncaring. However, Hakuno recognized the glint in his eyes as he slowly turned his head to survey their surroundings. He was very much aware of their surroundings, likely to a level she could barely hope to match. Ritsuka's eyes were closed and he held the hand bearing his command seals in a light grasp.
Charlie just looked up and tilted his head. "Hey guys?"
"Yes. I see it." Emiya clenched his fists. "We need a more defensible position."
Hakuno cast her awareness upwards, craning her neck as her mind broke down what she saw through the roiling cloud-cover.
Branches stretched down toward the platform. The dock had no roots, but Hakuno could trace them as they spread across the platform. Above the clouds was a canopy of dead and dying leaves, mottled brown and dissolving into mulch on the wind.
Matthew did a short loop immediately overhead, then plummeted back down to them.
"Something scared him," Gilgamesh murmured, eyes narrowing. "What manner of thing is this tree?"
Hakuno's breath caught.
"Hakunon?" Gilgamesh's attention came to fully rest upon her.
"No," she said softly, the slightest tremor in her voice. "That can't be real. It can't."
The ring that spiraled above. The brilliant points that bloomed from its heart. It was alone for now, but it could increase - could reach seven. The oppressive feeling finally set in, and it was all she could do to keep standing. The lack of expression outside of serenity, the emptiness of being that sat atop/beneath the tree-
Chakravartin spun indolently, dragging the branches of the massive fig tree beneath it.
Hakuno's mind raced, screaming impossibilities at her. She slowly touched her ring, the symbol that she had surpassed this before. She and Nero had struck this thing down. Had stopped Buddha, even when he acceded to Twice's insanity.
But why did she not remember the tree?
"Hakunon, snap out of it," Gilgamesh commanded in a dark tone. "You are above this."
"What is it?" Emiya mused, eyes narrowed.
"It's emitting incredible amounts of power. The output doesn't come remotely close to the halo phenomenon, but it's also mostly inactive. It supplies the tree with energy, but that seems to be the limit for now." Touko placed a hand to her chin.
"Bad, bad, bad, bad," Matthew babbled, landing near Hakuno. She stumbled as he brushed past her, only to latch onto Ritsuka's arm. "I couldn't read it at first, because- because- I don't know. But the longer I stayed, the more it spoke to me. It's a mirror from the Moon Cell, but it recognized it, kind of. It belongs to someone way, way, way out of our weight class!"
"A Beast did not provoke this reaction from you," Gilgamesh mused. "So what would?"
"Hey, Daji was terrifying too, but this-" Matthew flailed his arms upwards.
Hakuno took a deep breath and steadied herself. "He's right. This is Chakravartin. A Noble Phantasm belonging to a Saver-class Servant."
"A Saber? Looks more like the work of a Caster or Ruler," Asako mused.
"No, Saver. As in a Servant of Salvation, right?" Charlie's gaze turned determined. "But why would a messiah be against us?"
"Clearly that isn't the case. In terms of basic morality, preservation is preferred unless that being destroyed is beyond redemption. The nature of a Saver is to salvage and redeem, unless I miss my mark," Touko pointed out.
"You recognize this," Ritsuka said, finally speaking. His tone was firm, uncompromising.
"I do. Nero and I defeated its wielder and his Master. It's how I earned the powers I use." Hakuno held her hand up, lifting the finger which bore her ring. "Saver was the Buddha himself, and his Master was a man named Twice H. Pieceman." She gave a small, sardonic smile. "Or something like that."
"...so what you're saying is..." Shotaro whispered, looking up as he pulled his hands out of the flaming disc, letting it shut.
"Wait. Buddha? As in, Buddhism Buddha? That guy?" Asako stared. "What the hell!?"
Ritsuka clapped his hands once. "Alright, enough." He gave the gathered Servants a steady look. "No disrespect to Hakuno, but she managed to take on this guy with one Servant. We have multiple. While I doubt the situation is so easily simplified or handled, we do have a chance at victory. Let's do our best to make it a reality."
Matthew twitched, frowning. "Okay. Yeah. So this 'Twice' guy, is there any chance he's here?"
"It's…" Hakuno winced.
"Hakunon?" Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed.
"I remember up to a few days after we defeated Karl the Great," she said slowly. "Then I remember a lot of flowers. After that, I was in Septem, helping Nero and who I thought was Tamamo-no-Mae. There's a blank area that I can't account for."
"That bodes ill," Emiya commented, keeping an eye out. "Touko. Has your familiar found anything of note?"
"He mentioned catching a scent similar to Asako and Ritsuka's. Either Rin is here, or-"
"Rin!?" Hakuno's back straightened. "You know her?"
Ritsuka coughed, getting her attention. "...she's our mother."
Shotaro raised a hand. "I married her," he added helpfully.
"That- Right. Sorry. The Rin I know is younger, and unconnected." Hakuno paused. "Her real body is also blonde."
"Hah?" Asako goggled at Hakuno. "Mom? Blonde? I know we've got Edelfelt roots, but really!?"
Matthew jittered in place. "We're wasting time," he muttered. "We need more information, and that means heading belowdecks and finding what could have brought someone like Buddha here." He almost tasted the word, frowning. "What is a Saver, anyway…"
"Someone who saves humanity, and leads them on a road to enlightenment. Who raises them up and gives them a path to peace," Charlie explained, overhearing. "Buddha isn't the only example, but…"
Matthew gave him a deadpan look. "Really. Great job he's doing, huh."
"Matthew, no." Ritsuka shook his head. "You're right, we're dawdling too much. If Lugh sensed someone like Mom, then we have an ally. Aunt Touko-"
"I have a link and can lead you. He's gone into the halls and is closing in." She smirked. "We can likely reach them in a few minutes."
"But that means leaving cover and braving all this," Charlie warned. He waved at the turning ring. "That thing's going to start blasting the instant we make ourselves known."
"It's a good thing you hid yourself in an illusion, Matthew." Ritsuka paused. "Wouldn't Buddha be able to see through that?"
"Yes." Hakuno drummed her fingers on the grip of her parasol. "This is the Chakravartin - the turning wheel. But…" Something tickled the inside of her skull, a secret she could only chase with the tips of her fingers.
"Maybe it's held by a Psuedoservant, like El-Melloi II? Or parts were taken for an amalgam like Illya?" Matthew frowned, but shrugged. "If that's the case, I can keep us all hidden easily. We won't be able to fight, or the illusion would break - but. Well."
Everyone looked to Ritsuka.
"Your call, big bro." Asako folded her hands behind her.
He thought a moment more. "Alright. Aunt Touko, you take point and guide us. Charlie, watch her back. Asako, you're with me. Gilgamesh, Dad, you stay close to react to any attacks. Emiya, Hakuno, you guard the rear. Matthew, stay in the center and keep us hidden."
They began walking around the scattered boxes, a thin veil of fluctuating light covering them. To Hakuno, it looked like a heat shimmer just around the edges of their group. It only took scant moments for them to clear the area, leaving them out in the open.
And Hakuno saw the roots for the first time.
Twisting, the skin peeling back to reveal dark and oozing ichor, they curled like indolent constrictors across the platform. The scent of rotting plant matter filled the air even as the roots moved, slowly spreading across the metal. Vines hung from the crooked limbs, tendrils that sought and twitched through the air. The tree's trunk towered multiple stories high, branches varying from laden with leaves to sparse. Hakuno could see round, fat, teardrop-shaped pods dangling down. One opened.
In a shower of dark red juice the fruit split, gleaming metal carving it in twain. A figure in stained armor tumbled through the air, roaring in fury until it hit the ground. Even at the distance they stood, Hakuno could make out the hunched, defensive position it took. Seconds later it bolted, charging at another armed and armored figure, screaming as it raised its sword-
"What's happening?" Ritsuka whispered harshly. "Matthew? Hakuno? King Gilgamesh?"
"Dunno," Matthew said tersely, palms upraised and glowing slightly. "Little busy, and… well I'm not hearing anything good. Those were people once. Still are, but it's like if I sat someone down and told them to kill and grow with the Universal Tongue. Reverting the mental changes would be tricky, let alone the physical ones."
"That wasn't one of Saver's powers," Hakuno murmured. "Something took the symbolism of the fig tree he found enlightenment under and…" She exhaled. "Twice. It has to be Twice."
"So this was clearly before my time, but who was Twice?" Charlie asked, keeping a sharp eye out as they continued walking.
"I… did some investigation once I had the power to. The original Twice was a war orphan who trained in medicine. He was capable of treating a rare disease called amnesia syndrome, a true pioneer in his field. His life was… he hated war. But he also saw the heroism there, and concluded that war was a necessary evil for human growth." Hakuno swallowed.
"Conflict and competition maybe, but full-on war? That just brings death. It'd be a one-sided growth. Endless violence precludes a whole lot of the human existence," Asako muttered. "Where's the room for medicine, or prolonging natural life? Where's the art and science to leave behind and make things better? The only possible legacy there is a mountain of bodies. And that's before even examining common morality…"
"Twice died in a war zone where he was summoned to treat patients of Amnesia Syndrome. It…. it was a fatal disease, always without treatment. A degenerative disease of the brain that began with memory loss and lead to death." Hakuno steeled herself. "The Twice I met was an NPC in the Holy Grail War. He had gained awareness, but went further than the living Twice. He viewed war as humankind's only chance to avoid stagnation. He wanted to make his wish for an eternal war in which all people participated. A countdown to extinction."
"So a deluded piece of code," Emiya droned, unimpressed.
Hakuno flinched.
"Mind your words, Faker," Gilgamesh bit out in a frigid tone. "The Moon Cell is beyond human make, capable of enacting miracles. That which is made to follow routine but deviates can grow and evolve into something truly beautiful. Not all possibilities end in such bores as Twice Pieceman."
For a moment, everything was silent. Then Matthew stumbled.
"You alright?" Shotaro asked, looking back.
"Fine, fine! So you beat this guy, right?" Matthew asked, voice pitched a little too high.
"...we did." Hakuno gave Matthew a long look and then glanced around at her compatriots. More than a few of them looked confused, but…
Ritsuka nodded firmly. "Then we will stop him here." He smiled at Hakuno. "But there's other concerns. Do you think you can reclaim your memories? Or the sealed Codecasts?"
"If they're from the Moon Cell, then they're data-shaped, right?" Matthew waved a hand to get attention. "So it stands we need something terminal-shaped and important to get them."
"That would be my assumption, yes," Hakuno agreed. She closed her eyes. Pinging terminals was easier here. The sky was just showing signs of overlapping with SE.RA.PH, but belowdecks was rapidly changing into a datascape. Tracing lines was a matter of-
And she saw.
Tracing the path the familiar - Lugh - had taken, she found a grouping of signatures. Two she did not know. One she knew in passing, comparatively.
The other three she was deeply connected with. A friend.
And-
"We need to hurry," she said breathlessly, eyes burning at the back. "Please."
Gilgamesh looked back at her and nodded. "Matthew."
He stood tall (as he could) and saluted. "One 'get the fuck out of my way', coming up!" He paused and grinned. "And here… we… go!"
"What did you exactly ohboy." Asako reeled at the sound of an oncoming stampede.
An armored tide congealed, the scattered warriors coming together at the base of the tree. The violence was immediate, intense, and persisting.
More importantly, the way down was completely clear. Hakuno's heart picked up, excitement strangling her tongue.
"Matthew."
"Ya boss?"
"What did you do."
"Well Rits, I had a good long think," Matthew began.
"In the span of a handful of seconds," Touko droned.
"Hey, it's more thought than I usually give something without building a thing!"
"I'm not sure what's worse - that he said it or that it's true," Emiya muttered.
"ANYWAY. What would a bunch of war-obsessed morons love more than a Care Bears concert!?"
Hakuno and Charlie exchanged a look. "A what?" he asked helplessly. "I don't- what?"
"I saw it on the internet!"
Gilgamesh lightly pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Let us be on our way. Unlike the rest of you, I can perceive it. The discussion has run its course."
From the demented little smirk on Matthew's face, Hakuno wagered he knew Gilgamesh would be able to see and hear it.
Huh. It looked like the tyrant king wasn't the only one pulling pigtails.
____________________________________________________________________________
At that point, Ritsuka was used to his primary Servants. Both were reliable in their way. Mash was more the kind to stay by his side, a pillar to lean on. Matthew would flit in and out of view, focusing on tasks and leaving upheaval in his wake. More often than not it was to his benefit - Sieg's summoning, Brynhildr's recovery, the alliance with Illyasviel.
Lacking one was nerve-wracking, especially since they balanced each other out in a way. Mash wasn't stern, but she was solid and consistent - a second voice that between the two of them could reel in Matthew when he got too chaotic.
He was well-behaved for now, and Ritsuka didn't see a reason for that to change as they trudged through the shadowed halls of Seraphix.
However.
Ritsuka knew that Chaldea was no stranger to flouting ethics in pursuit of human preservation. Matthew was the more extreme example, but if Mash had been a 'success' as well it would have been unlikely that Doctor Roman would have been able to take her in and raise her as he did.
Point being: Seraphix was nominally an oil platform, but it still reported directly to Chadlea and was established by Marisbilly Animusphere. For it to be a staging area for an incursion by the Moon Cell, it had to have something unique. He didn't know what it could be, but he also knew better than to assume all was as it seemed. Nothing ever was, with Chaldea - for good or ill.
"Is it just me, or have we run into… a whole lot of nothing? Like, no complaints! But isn't this a little too easy?" Charlemagne tilted his head as they rounded a corner.
"Well, now that you mention it… we're probably going to deal with something awful in three, two, one-" Asako started.
The group fell silent.
"Honestly. As though such superstitions have a place here," Gilgamesh scoffed. "Though I suppose it is to be expected of a child."
Ritsuka stiffened at the feel of an arm around his shoulders in a companionable manner.
"Yeah! You should be ashamed of yourself," a new voice scolded.
Slowly, he looked to his right.
BB gave an impish grin. "Hiii~"
"You!" Hakuno whispered harshly. "What are you doing here?"
"Aw. Aren't you happy to see me?" BB pouted exaggeratedly. "And here I thought we had something special, Senpai."
"Didn't you?" Matthew asked absent-mindedly, clueless to any danger. "I mean, you did move heaven and earth to get her safely to Chaldea despite her not remembering you. Sure sounds like something you'd do for someone you love."
The silence had more of an edge to it this time.
"Did. Did you just." BB stared.
"Hm? I mean, you dragged me over half of Septem, were willing to enter a bargain with the Fair Folk to ensure her protection, and are most likely going to enter another one if I have a means to recall her memories that she can't do on her own. Am I wrong?" Matthew's tone was pleasant and light, as though discussing the weather.
Touko looked back over her shoulder. "We're closing in, if anyone cares." She faced forward again. "Though I doubt it, with this teenage melodrama going on."
Ritsuka chanced a look at Hakuno while BB performed an excellent nutcracker impression with her jaw moving silently.
Hakuno's eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open. 'Shock' was the only word Ritsuka could use to describe her reaction to the information.
Gilgamesh rubbed his jaw, covering what was undoubtedly a harsh smirk. "By all means, Matthew. Go on. I'm sure there's more of her innermost secrets you've yet to divulge."
"That's about it, actually. Saver and Twice have a basis on at least one of the 'Earths', so I can get a secondhand glimpse pertaining to what they were here. Hakuno… I can tell what she was like before her Grail War, but anything in the Moon Cell?" Matthew shrugged. "It's not part of the World at large. Now, I do know that eventually it connected to the internet and caused all sorts of fun. If I find something similar here, I might be able to access it through that link. But as it is?" He shook his head.
"Oh good. So your scary 'I know all if I know enough to ask about it' has a limit," Asako drawled darkly. "And here I was thinking you were going to blab the color of my underwear or something."
Matthew's face screwed up in revulsion. "Dude. You're like ten."
"I'm twelve! I turn thirteen in a few weeks!"
"You are little baby," Matthew stressed.
"Asako, behave. Matthew, thank you for…" Shotaro trailed off uncomfortably.
"Being halfway decent? Having something akin to standards, if not a concrete moral center?" Emiya offered dryly.
"Yes. That."
"It's one of the many services I offer! Including mystic code construction, terrifying illusions, and Murder! The Murder is capitalized, because it's important," Matthew added, sotto voice.
Ritsuka fell into the rhythm, if only to dissipate the awkwardness. "Looks like we have a budding Assassin," he remarked.
"Does he count as a Berserker? Because he drives me crazy!" BB hissed, finally finding her tongue.
"Well, Chaldea is in need of Berserkers," Shotaro mused absent-mindedly as he began to fiddle with a disc of flame once more, grasping something in its depths. "I think it's the only standard class we lack any of."
"Unga bunga. Hit thing with big stick." Matthew flicked one of his wrists, and a warhammer bloomed into existence as his arm-guards flickered with light.
"Um…"
Ritsuka slowly looked back to Hakuno.
She looked so… vulnerable. "BB?"
BB's expression froze, comical outrage replaced by something akin to dread.
"Who… are you to me? And who am I to you?"
Honestly, given Matthew's stirring display of emotional intelligence, Ritsuka was wholly unsurprised by what followed.
BB flung a handful of flower petals into the air and discorporated through the nearest wall.
____________________________________________________________________________
"Well, we're not going down that hallway," Meltryllis stated. "Lip won't fit."
"S-sorry…" The Alter Ego fidgeted. As much as she could, with arms of golden metal larger than said hall was wide. It ended up being her kicking her legs helplessly as she dangled from the massive prosthetics.
Cu Chulainn exhaled through his nose. "Master. I can scout these halls quickly enough on my own. Maintaining a central base isn't a bad idea - the conference room two doors back should work."
"And what if you run into trouble?" Rin asked in an accusing tone. "And I'm not talking about the poor people here," she continued, voice softening. "Just because you remember this 'Chaldea' place now can't mean you've forgotten what Twice and Astaroth are capable of. Or who else they would bring with them."
Cu grimaced. "No, I haven't forgotten. But I can also disengage if things become too cumbersome, and at absolute worst that's the reason for Command Seals."
Nero stood tall. "I can easily scout and gather information. Though I'm made for the spotlight, evading notice is a trifling matter for one as discrete as I!" She tilted her chin upward. "So with that in mind, I can easily map the layout of this place with Lancer as support."
This Nero was considerably haughtier than the one in Septem, Cu mused. Not to an unbearable point, but noticeably so. Most likely due to the absence of Romulus.
"...erm. Ladies, Lancer? Do any of you own a cat?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked.
"I fought a lion, once!" Nero replied cheerfully.
"...no." Meltryllis gave Tamamo a look that clearly questioned her sanity.
Before Passionlip could answer, Rin went from zero to bitch in three seconds flat.
"Caster, none of us have a cat. None of us would be so irresponsible as to bring a cat with us into an active warzone," Rin grit out. She paused. "Or so I assume."
"Assume away. It's stupid." Meltryllis waved one of her sleeved hands breezily.
"Um… why do you ask?" Passionlip inquired, breaking the budding roast.
Tamamo-no-Mae pointed directly downward with a flat look on her face.
The gathered peered at her ankles.
"Mew." A golden kitten wound around Tamamo's feet, rubbing against her legs. Cu Chulainn recognized it instantly from the fur and the brilliantly green eyes.
"Ah. Looks like my other Master brought his sister along," he remarked.
Rin shot him a look. "Is it her familiar?"
"No, her Servant's." Cu stood up, hands on his hips.
"...and?" Rin stared at him.
"Give it a moment," he said, holding a hand up. "If the puppetmaster's familiar is here, then… ah. Three, two, one-"
"Why are you counting-?" Rin's voice rose with each word until she was drowned out by a roar of wind.
"BLUE!"
Cu Chulainn smirked as he wrapped his arms around Matthew, the Caster's flailing limbs locking around his neck and waist while his chin found his shoulder.
"...what the hell." Meltryllis stared openly.
"Uh, hum, erm," Passionlip babbled.
"HOLY CRAP, SHE IS BLONDE!"
They turned.
Asako pointed directly at Rin, eyes wide in shock. With her was the uptight Archer, her father, and the cat's keeper. Ritsuka had brought his ancestor, Hakuno, and the King of Heroes.
"So. Nero Claudius and Tamamo-no-Mae." Gilgamesh folded his arms. "The Heroic Spirit and genuine article, this time." He smirked before going to continue his monologue, but-
"Praetor!" "Goshujin-sama!"
Matthew and Cu Chulainn let go of each other and he dropped in time to see the two Servants bull-rush Hakuno.
Tamamo flung her arms around Hakuno's neck, and Nero wrapped hers around the waist. Hakuno's eyes shone as she held them both tightly, their foreheads touching. One hand rested atop Tamamo's head, and the other at the small of Nero's back.
Matthew looked away from the reunion. "...I thought you were gone forever so I panicked."
"I think they can empathize," Cu ribbed good-naturedly, pulling Matthew to his side before nodding at the three women.
"Ah, hello," Ritsuka began.
"Wh- Hakuno? How? What?" Rin stared. Her eyes cut to Ritsuka. "Who are you people!?"
"I'm Charlie-"
Rin gave him a withering stare.
"Oh, ouch." Charlemagne wilted.
Shotaro cleared his throat, and Cu Chulainn grinned.
This was about to be good.
"My name is Shotaro Tohsaka, husband to Rin. These are our children, Ritsuka and Asako." He placed a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder and another on Asako's head - the latter had not moved from her dramatic pointing yet.
Rin's jaw swung open.
"Touko Aozaki." The redheaded magus smiled too-kindly. "That would be my Elemental which found you."
Lugh padded back over and immediately sat on Ritsuka's foot, mewing insistently. The lad picked him up and cradled him, causing the not-kitten to emanate an aura of smug that Cu was sure could be felt in Chaldea.
...it was probably for the best that Fou had remained there.
"...let's hold a moment," Nero said slowly, turning her head without disengaging from her three-way embrace. "Did you say you were her husband? And those are her children?" Her eyebrows rose past her bangs.
"This timeline! This timeline's Rin!" Ritsuka corrected in a strangled tone. "She's- uh-!"
Rin, finally having had enough, sliced her hand through the air.
Ritsuka went quiet.
She stepped forward, and stood in front of Hakuno. "My alternate's taste in men aside," she said tartly, "where have you been?" She loomed as best she could, despite the two Servants between her and her target.
Hakuno smiled a little. "I didn't think we'd meet again, after Earth and the Moon Cell were disconnected."
"Wait, what?" Matthew muttered, eyes wide.
Rin stared. "You- don't you remember? Any of it?"
Tamamo stepped back. "Go- Hakuno. What do you remember last?" she asked carefully.
"Well, Altera had a plan to make Karl and Charlie into attack programs so the Moon Cell would register them as separate Servants," Hakuno said slowly. "Then… there's a blank. I woke up in what must have been Avalon-"
"Probably," Matthew cut in with a shrug.
"Right, and I gained my authorities as Servant abilities through fusing with a former Caster Servant." Hakuno held her elbow with one hand and her chin with the other, eyes slightly raised. "After that, I helped this timeline's Nero protect Rome from a fusion of Remus and Fenrir, a facet of you that claimed to be Su Daji-"
Tamamo grimaced. "Ugh. Her."
"A maddened and corrupted Boudica, and an entity that claimed to be Flauros of the Ars Goetia."
Cu Chulainn saw the instant the survivors put the truth together.
"So that thing… that thing the girl left behind… was from here?" Rin whispered harshly.
"I don't understand?" Hakuno lowered her hands, confused.
"Do you remember BB, at least?" Meltryllis asked. "I won't ask if you remember me or Lip."
"Um. You look like BB, a little, but…" Hakuno shrugged apologetically.
Meltryllis gave a sardonic smirk. "Unsurprised." Her face returned to cool and impassive. "So you know her."
"She helped us in Septem, a little. Matthew…" Hakuno glanced at him hesitantly.
"I made her an offer she didn't refuse." He shrugged. "Apparently something happened between them, but when I tried to force a conversation she split."
"Yes. She did." Hakuno frowned at Matthew who just rolled his eyes.
Passionlip and Meltryllis exchanged a look.
"Yes. Something certainly happened." Meltryllis' eyes flickered. "So you don't remember what she did?"
"...no?" Hakuno folded her hands in front of her waist, fingers down.
"I'll keep this brief. The world - our world - is experiencing a catastrophic war influenced by the Moon Cell," Rin began, eyes hard. "Twice returned from deletion because of some psychotic fourteen-year-old who managed to access the Moon Cell's databanks and redeploy the NPC. She did something to him using trace data from Saver and something she had on her, and then left after-"
"Altera!" Nero interrupted. "Hakuno, the girl in the seafoam dress- she took Altera!"
Cu Chulainn had the memories of the Moon Cell alongside his current incarnation, and so he winced.
"Whomst?" Matthew blinked.
"She's… she was an enemy who became a friend. She reverted to a younger form, and the three of us took care of her." Hakuno was visibly stricken. "Why? Why would she…?"
"It gets worse." Tamamo folded her arms. "She tried to crack the Zero Dark. Failed, of course, but she tried. She didn't seem too broken up about it either."
Cu Chulainn felt his gaze drawn to Gilgamesh, whose eyes widened with each word.
"...do you think she knows?" Hakuno whispered.
"Definitely. Her response to being thwarted was a comment about going to Europe and finding 'workable materials' there." Nero looked downward. "I… fear for Altera."
"Is there anything we can do?" Ritsuka asked, stepping forward.
"Hakuno's missing the memories of it, but the conflict went on for months. After Twice was reborn, he and his partner went on a rampage. Anything that could be assimilated, was. After the first couple of Servants, anyone who was caught by the tree deleted themselves," Rin cut in. "That left more basic programs and NPCs. Several hackers tried to access the Moon Cell, but their consciousness was subsumed into the False Fig."
"False Fig?" Emiya echoed, speaking up.
"Yes. That's what we call it, for lack of another name." Rin sighed. "...we're all that's left. The other Servants have their data stored in the Moon Cell, but it refuses to deploy any of them. Out of the deployed agents of both the resistance and Harwey Conglomerate, only I survived. ...SE.RA.PH is a ruin. Everyone else is locked in an unending conflict, until we take Twice down."
Hakuno shook her head, eyes wide. Nero gently took her arm, while Tamamo placed a hand on her shoulder.
"How… everyone? Jeanne, Iskandar, Arjuna, Karna? Medusa, Drake, Elizabeth?" she whispered.
"Even worse. Karl fell. He was the first to self-delete rather than accept transformation," Passionlip murmured.
"And then there's us." Meltryllis gave a humorless smile. "The Sakura Five are down to two, now."
"Wait. Sakura?" Asako jerked upright. "What?"
"It's a long story. Suffice to say, BB was based on a medical AI named Sakura Matou. Or rather, was made by the AI and sealed away." Meltryllis shrugged, dragging a bladed limb across the ground. "In turn, she made us. She had taken in too much data of combined goddesses, so shed them as well as her emotions into us. And so we became individuals."
"Each of us were forged of different emotions. I was born of love and hate. Melt was made from lust and yearning. Compassion and affection, purity and chastity, joy and happiness…" Passionlip trailed off.
"They died." Meltryllis' eyes narrowed. "They were destroyed outright. An Alter-Ego like ourselves is pure personality; any attempt to overwrite or directly alter it will just eradicate it. Kingprotea, Violet, Kazuradrop - they're gone."
Cu looked down at Matthew.
Flecks of red swirled in his eyes.
"What are you thinking, I wonder?" Gilgamesh asked aloud.
"Well mostly, I'm just trying not to get killed," Meltryllis began.
"I'm thinking that something which destroys what a person is, down to their core, doesn't deserve to exist." Matthew flexed his fingers while Meltryllis gave him a speculative look. "So how do we kill this thing?"
"And you mentioned a partner that came from here," Ritsuka added. "What did you mean?"
"He calls himself Astaroth of the Ars Goetia," Rin explained. "He looks human, but he's anything but. Cunning, canny, and manipulative. His shadow summons some kind of snake-shaped familiars, and wherever Twice can't reach, he can."
"Which makes it suspicious that we haven't encountered any yet," Meltryllis noted.
In Ritsuka's arms, Lugh gave a loud purr.
Touko gave a razor-sharp smile. "There might be reasons for that."
"So another Goetic." Matthew crossed his arms. "Assuming we didn't intend to help in the first place, we at the bare minimum share a common enemy. And if you recognize any of our number, you know that we have plenty to bring to the table."
"You have Charlie, Gilgamesh, and Nameless at least," Nero agreed.
"Nameless?" Shotaro asked with a frown.
Tamamo pointed at Emiya.
"Hmph. Though I've no great love for it still, I do have a name." The Archer placed a hand on his hip. "Emiya."
"Right, timelines. This is going to get confusing, fast," Rin grumbled. She tugged on one of her pale twintails.
"And then we have an Alter-Ego of the forge and a Caster with plenty of puppets and familiars," Cu added, nodding at Shotaro and Touko.
"First things first." Hakuno's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "We need to set up a sanctuary as a base of operations. And I have just the thing."
____________________________________________________________________________
Hakuno followed along while I etched the bounded field to establish a temporary territory. I wouldn't need it to last long, I was told, only a few hours. What she would do would turn it into something defensible.
I traced the wand along the corners of the room, letters spilling in a cascade of golden light. I wrote of protection from possession, from plants, from flame and water and pressure. Even if the oil rig went under, as long as this lasted the people in the room would be safe.
"She probably saved you, I bet," I muttered aloud as I finished up.
Hakuno looked at me.
"BB. She doesn't care much about other people, but she loves you. I can… kind of relate. If something bad happened to the necessary magi I would be irritated at the inconvenience. Other employees I'd feel a little upset. Ritsuka, the Masters, or the Servants I care about…" I shook my head. "It would be bad. If these powers are new, you either were about to die or got caught. My money is that happened, and she took you away. Morgan found you guys like that, and somehow opened the door to here."
"Morgan Le Fay has that kind of power?" Hakuno murmured.
"Dunno. Don't think so. Cutting holes in time isn't something the Fair Folk are known for, but I… really don't know everything about her and her allies." I flipped my wand down and placed it along one of my greaves, where the armor warped and held it in place. "There's stories of people spending a short time in a fairy mound and it adding up to centuries, but that's not the same. Not really."
Hakuno exhaled. "Right. Do you think this is the right room?"
"Dunno. The office of the main guy seems pretty important, so you might be able to use the terminal to link up." I hummed to myself. "But you said it didn't feel like the epicenter of the Dimensional Fusion Phenomenon."
"No, it's deeper in a far more dangerous area." Hakuno paused, a considering look on her face. "...it's enough like the Moon Cell that I was able to do some initial sweeps, so I have tasks for us to accomplish at least. Ways for us to secure a better foothold to deal with Twice."
I stood, stretching. "Better take it to the Masters, then."
"Mm. You know, I'm still not quite used to not being the Master in the equation," Hakuno confessed.
"Eh. Rits is probably the most chill Master ever. If you work under him, the difference is negligible."
"Hmhm. You have a point." Hakuno gave a slight smile. Her eyes narrowed. "But… one thing."
I tilted my head.
"Next time, leave talking to BB to me. Okay?" She leaned towards me a little. "I'm not going to find anything out if you keep scaring her off."
"Alright, alright. I'll be good." I held my hands up and backed away to the center of the office. It was large and well-furnished, with plenty of seating and what looked to be a state-of-the-art computer for the personal terminal.
"You better," Hakuno teased. She stepped forward. "Ritsuka, Asako. We're ready." She held a palm up and a swarm of ones and zeroes fluttered around it.
Asako crossed her arms. "So what are we doing, exactly?"
"Establishing a base. This is the ability you used on Romulus' city, right?" Ritsuka asked, eyes sharp.
"I mean, we could always- actually, never mind." Charlie scratched the back of his head. "This is cool too, and way less risky than my idea."
"...flying island thing?" I asked after a moment.
"And then we'd be vulnerable to Chakravartin unless we gained higher altitude. Having fought beneath it, trust that it's an unenviable position." Nero frowned. "Were it not for Hakuno's support and a great deal of spiritual modification, I would have lost. Saver had slaughtered no shortage of Masters before."
"Because of course Twice of all people would be saved by an actual god," Tamamo muttered. "It's so cliche it's painful."
"You sound like you know the guy," Emiya pointed out.
"There's a history," she replied without much emotion in her voice. Her eyes darkened slightly.
"Right. Hakuno, let's get started before the bad-touch tree finds us, yeah?" I waved my hands. "I don't know about you guys, but I only needed to see the vines once - and I've been on the internet enough to know what comes after that."
"It's less tentacles, more vore," the girl with bladed legs droned. Meltryllis, right.
"...that makes it kind of worse, actually." I grimaced.
"It really does," Passionlip whispered.
Rin slapped her forehead and dragged her hand down her face. "Hakuno. Please. Before I lose what little mind I have left."
I looked at Cu and he just gave a sharp grin and a wink.
Hakuno nodded. Then, the air changed completely.
The binary illumination spilled from her upraised palm onto the ground, flowing like water. It dripped in a veiled curtain, rippling across the floor. Twin streams spiraled across the surface, dancing and twining around each other. The air in the room cooled slightly, comfortable but just below temperate.
"Beginning process. Firewall. Exclusion. Enclosure. Build a defense within the system."
The code reached my work along the molding of the room, turning the golden letters a soft blue on contact. As they spread, they rippled as though beneath gently moving water. Light flickered across the walls as though shone through the surface of a lake, pale and gentle - almost like moonlight shining on a clear lakebed. The wave climbed, reaching the ceiling.
"Entwined with this boundary, establish. Calm amongst the chaos. This is our sanctuary upon the lunar seas. Compile."
Hakuno's clothes floated upwards, the skirt of her dress revealing a pair of sensible shoes. Her hair, tied in a bun, still shifted gently as her bangs drifted on an invisible current. The irises of her eyes were replaced with brilliant blue binary, and she raised her hand high.
"Lacus Somniorum."
The enclosure was complete, and the air was still but not stale, cool but not cold. It was as though we rested in the embrace of a lake on a summer night, with no concern for air. Security, safety. The elements that had been overlooked because Romulus' city had outshone it all like the sun would the moon.
Asako stared in awe as the light rippled across her body. Ritsuka placed a hand on her shoulder.
"So. I heard you found targets for us to attend to?" He looked at Hakuno.
"I did." Her hair and clothes returned to normal, save for the new lighting. She made her way to the director's terminal. "My abilities allow me to function somewhat similarly to Matthew's use of the Universal Language. At least within these conditions."
"So what'd you find?" Asako asked, following her.
Hakuno seated herself behind the desk. "There are three major points of interest," she began. "We'll need to split into teams to address each one."
"And it just so happens we have three Masters," Rin noted, tapping her chin.
"...I would prefer you all stayed here. To minimize the danger to yourselves," Hakuno said quietly. "It would be more efficient if you did, under guard of a Servant or three."
"Doesn't using this Noble Phantasm tie you in place?" Ritsuka asked with a frown.
"It can, but not necessarily. The effects of the Territory are amplified and apply to me. Romulus could not leave his city, so neither could I." Hakuno looked to me.
"Oh, I was definitely going to head out so this is self-anchored. It ought to last a few days, but if we're here that long we're doing it wrong." I folded my hands behind my head.
"Well said," Gilgamesh agreed with a smirk. "It is a pity my craft wasn't repaired. The speed would be sufficient to carry myself and a team to this 'Twice', and we could end it there with ease."
"Unless he has Saver's ability to weaken heroes," Nero mused. "Then the ones most suited are those who aren't heroes."
"Which I can't access from down here," Hakuno agreed. "So we're flying blind." She paused. "And the Vimana is broken anyways, so it's academic."
"The objectives?" Touko interrupted.
"Right. There's three. First, the survivors." Hakuno raised a hand, and a small screen bloomed out of the air. A schematic of the oil rig appeared, and four glowing dots lit up. One was blue, and three were gold. Above the schematic was a single red dot. "There seems to be two Servants, and one… I want to say they're a Master, but that doesn't seem right. They could be a Servant, but I don't know."
"They could be some of the consumed Servants," Rin warned. "At least three were that I know of."
Hakuno shook her head. "I felt what the False Fig's effects were like. These three are clean of them." She tapped the light. "We'll need someone to rendezvous with them and bring them here. The more firepower we have, the easier it will be. And hopefully one of them might have a defense that will let us bypass Chakravartin's aerial bombardment."
I looked at Gilgamesh with narrowed eyes.
He tilted his head back. "I may have such a treasure, but I would need time to look." He smiled enigmatically.
Shotaro glanced up from where he was once more examining the inside of a fiery circle. "I have something that could defend, but it would render us immobile. How damaging are the projectiles?"
"They can be blocked, but it's difficult. They'll tear through a Servant's body like a strong arrow, but can be deflected with weaponry," Nero explained.
"Hm. I have a defense as well, but it also requires me to remain stationary." Emiya rubbed his chin.
"I managed to absorb some, but…" Meltryllis turned to Passionlip. "We might be able to intercept a barrage with your abilities."
Passionlip looked up. "Oh. Yes, I could do that." She gave a little smile.
"So there are measures once we're all together," Ritsuka noted. "The other two?"
"The roots plunged down here," Hakuno continued, pointing at the second dot. It was close to the bottom of the platform, and across from the third. "If we can damage them, then maybe it would reflect on the False Fig. If nothing happens, that team would have to withdraw."
"And the third one?" Asako asked.
"It appears to be some sort of… I can't make it out. But there's an immense concentration of mana there." Hakuno looked at me.
I grimaced. "Alright, I'll check."
What are we looking at?
Point of incursion.
It looked like… an observatory. I tried to peer at the walls, but my vision blurred around the edges.
Forbidden. Forbidden. Take the Guardian and End it. A pause. Enlist the saint.
A who now? We left Jeanne at home!
A flash. Golden eyes, long dark hair. A gentle smile.
Enlist the saint and the Guardian. Reconvene.
...any chance you could tell me what's up with the tree while we're at it?
Irrelevant. Access possible by direct inquiry.
Better than just a no, I guess.
I exhaled. "So uh. Apparently whatever's down there, Alaya wants it trashed."
Emiya stiffened, eyes blazing. "What."
"Yeah. Uh, we've been tapped." I shifted. "And so's this lady who's with the Servants."
"Let's take a step back and go over how you're on speaking terms with the Counter Force," Emiya growled, stepping forward.
"Enough." Ritsuka stepped between us. "We have the missions." He looked to Hakuno, then me.
"Apparently we should reconvene before tackling the Observatory down there," I added. "So maybe two teams?"
Asako bristled. "I didn't sign up to sit pretty! I'm going down there!"
"You'll do what helps the most," Ritsuka retorted. "If that's going in guns blazing, so be it. Likewise, if that's staying here, so be it."
"Uh… if the survivors were employees here, then I may or may not end up scaring them off," I noted sheepishly. "At least without a Master to say they can Command Seal me into the ground."
Ritsuka frowned.
"I did kinda stab Marisbilly live."
"You did what to who?" Rin raised a golden eyebrow.
"He misbehaved," Gilgamesh cut in with a secretive smile. "I personally find it endearing."
"You would," Cu muttered.
"Teams?" Touko prompted.
Ritsuka inhaled, then exhaled. "Right. For clearing out the roots… Charlie, you're in charge. Take Passionlip, Cu Chulainn, and my father."
Shotaro looked up. "Hm?"
"Cu Chulainn has fire runes, you have fire gods. Charlie's used to leading knights, and has holy energies." Ritsuka looked to Meltryllis and Passionlip. "Is it safe to assume that those claws of yours can dish out damage?"
Passionlip straightened as much as she could. "Yes, they can." Her expression turned serious.
Ritsuka closed his eyes. "For the extraction team, I want Asako to take point. Aunt Touko, Matthew, Emiya, Meltryllis, you follow her." He paused. "Also, Asako and I have a total of four Servant slots we can fill to give extra energy. Cu Chulainn should still be connected, I think."
A screen fizzed into existence. Da Vinci smiled from it, waving. "Actually, thanks to the excursion in Septem, we've enabled an ally slot for the second coffin too! So there's a total of five contracts that can be made."
Roman stepped next to her. "We have a full connection thanks to Hakuno setting up her defensive encampment. Even if it falls we'll still be in touch and able to monitor." He paused.
I wanted to ask how Mash was, but…
"If you can, please hurry. Mash is alright for now - Medusa and Musashi seem to have taken upon themselves the task of distracting her, and there's no shortage of others who would help. But sitting while you guys are in danger isn't like her," Roman said finally.
"We will be done before a second sunset," Gilgamesh said firmly.
"Right. Contract time!" Asako raised her hand. "Who wants to go first?"
Meltryllis stepped forward. "Lip and I will sign on with you." A slight smirk crossed her face. "I bet Hakuno's Master would be better off with Nero and Tamamo."
Ritsuka paled a little as Tamamo and Nero loomed over his shoulders with beatific smiles. Not threateningly, just… insistently.
He held up his hand, and the seals flared twice.
"Spirit Origins recorded! Nero Claudius and Tamamo-no-Mae!" Da Vinci reported.
"Okay, here we go~!" Asako held her hand out. The seals flashed.
"Recorded: Passionlip, AKA amalgam of Brynhildr, Durga, and Parvati!"
I blinked as several people paled.
"Recorded: Meltryllis, AKA amalgam of Artemis, Leviathan, and Saraswati!"
Hakuno's jaw dropped.
Meltryllis did a little twirl. "Well, then. Lip, you know your group?"
"Y-yes! Charlemagne, Cu Chulainn, and Mister Shotaro." She blushed a little. "I'll do my best to help!"
Meltryllis's smirk took on a slightly predatory cast as she skated by me. "And then I've got the cat lady, the hunk, short stack, and our new Master."
Slowly, I turned my head to look at Emiya and Touko.
Touko had the polite look that could either mean she was totally unruffled, or she was planning to kill us all.
Emiya had the look of someone who had a lot to say and I was sure I was about to hear it.
Asako looked like her birthday came early.
"...you sure I can't stay here?" I whined.
Ritsuka gave me a flat look as Rin shook her head in some sympathy.
"...that's what I thought."
_______________________________________________________________________________
I stared Ritsuka down as he made the preparations for the Rayshift. He and the Doctor spoke in quiet tones, with Roman making the occasional glance at me.
I'd been asleep. Warm, safe - or so I'd assumed - and having had one of the better days of my life.
Then I woke up to my face hitting turf and both Medusa and Musashi at full alert.
We'd looked, I'd reached out to the land to find nothing. I didn't understand.
Cu Chulainn can take care of himself-
I know. I know, but that's beside the point.
The point being? Morgan's tone was curious, and slightly worried.
The point being that… it was my first time. Away from here, away from the fight, away from everything. And I was so, so happy. For the first time, I thought I was safe. We were safe. The world didn't exist, and it was just the four of us, laughing in the woods.
I jolted at a touch on my arm.
"Hey. You okay?" Musashi frowned a little, hand on my elbow. Medusa hovered behind her, a glint of concern in her eye - for all that she kept a stoic expression.
"I'll live. It- it was a shock. He's going to be fine. I- they wouldn't put him into a situation he couldn't survive." I hoped.
We wouldn't. He's with Nero, Tamamo-no-Mae, a capable Master, and two other mighty Servants. There are other powerful allies as well - one of whom I'm eager for you to meet! Morgan's voice pitched upwards in excitement.
I felt myself relax a little more.
Musashi gave me a long look, then pulled me into a hug. I leaned my chin on her shoulder as she gave a firm squeeze. "Alright. I'd go with you, but it sounds like the higher-ups have their sights on certain teams."
Right. And Mash wasn't- Hm.
"I guess Mash isn't ready to deploy yet, so… I don't think Ophelia or Kadoc would let anything happen to her, but-" I began.
"We'll look after her for you." Medusa gave a small smile. "Bring the oaf back to the rest of us, alright?"
I smiled a little, letting the tension seep away. "Right. And thank you. Both of you."
"Of course!" Musashi let go and stepped back once before puffing up proudly. "You can rely on us, you know that!"
I looked over to Ritsuka again, where Mash stood by him and they spoke quietly. "Um…"
"Go on. Say your goodbyes." Medusa gave a knowing smile. "It would be bad luck not to."
____________________________________________________________________________
Gilgamesh only just managed to bank his amusement.
The sheer fury and vitriol the craftsman exhibited on return was breathtaking. 'Love isn't like that', indeed. He was ready to carve through anything of no consequence in retaliation for the absence of what was his. Simply because the fury wasn't directed at those he loved didn't make him any less of a hypocrite.
Though the hypocrisy, too, was endearing. And was it hypocrisy? Or simply innocence? Even now the boy was still sheltered in comparison to those who answered from the Throne.
He observed as his craftsman hugged his sister tightly, and exchanged trite words with Ritsuka Tohsaka. Apologies for frightening him, of all things.
Given their Master had been exhibiting concern rather than fear, the idea that he would fear Matthew in the first place was absurd.
Finding himself in a rather pleasant mood, the King decided to grace the unsuspecting subjects with his presence.
"It would seem you misplaced something," Gilgamesh mused, stepping into solidity from thin air.
Matthew's gaze drifted upwards. "Something like that." A chill entered his voice, sparking even greater amusement. Rebellious as he was, he seemed to have warmed to Gilgamesh's affections. Testing the limits of Gilgamesh's patience, he would surely find that so long as he did not offer grave insult or true offense… well. Gilgamesh could indulge him. But the fear he held was diminished, if not outright dispelled.
"Whatever do you plan to do about it? The guard dog holds no small amount of favor with you, no?" Gilgamesh folded his arms, emphasizing the rebuilt armor he wore. He smirked downwards, savoring the dark flicker that lurked behind Matthew's eyes.
"We'll find him, and solve the Singularity," Ritsuka cut in firmly. "And we'll need your help to do it."
Matthew narrowed his eyes and exhaled. "Right. I guess even if it isn't your preferred role, we'd… appreciate it… if you could keep Ritsuka breathing. Since Mash is injured."
The girl looked away, downcast.
"Hmph." Gilgamesh closed his eyes. "Since you requested so kindly, I suppose I can withdraw some of my more defensive treasures on your behalf. This is, after all, in order to regain her powers."
Mash drew a sharp breath, and Matthew's grunt of surprise was gratifying.
The King opened a single eye. "Were you unaware? This 'Seraphix' we are to conquer is overlaid with echoes of Hakunon's timeline. With a link to the source of her power, the one known as BB claims that she can access a Codecast which would let her trespass on the realms of modern Magic." His smirk grew. "Of course, the full collision of timelines, especially given the transpatial nature of the miniature Singularity, is cause for concern."
"Transpatial?" Matthew asked. He lowered his arms, eyes wide in confusion.
"Of course. Human history in this timeline halts after the year 2020. The time we approach is 2030, but contains a landmark from said timeline. Further, the area known as SE.RA.PH is located within cyberspace on a server within the moon itself. And yet somehow it is reflected on this oil rig," Gilgamesh lectured.
"How did you find all this out?" Ritsuka asked, in an appropriate amount of awe.
"The question of time was simple, as the good doctor let it slip that the temporal coordinates were future-dated. I detected BB's presence not long ago, and naturally I kept an eye on her. Thus I understand… most of the situation." Gilgamesh gave an elegant shrug. "I may not have the whole of it, but deciphering the rest upon arrival should be child's play."
"And that concludes our session of 'Gilgamesh Explains It All'," joked the so-called 'Holy Roman Emperor'. Though, at the very least he dismissed the title himself- preventing the need for Gilgamesh to strip the audacity from him by force. That said, the name 'Charlie' was far too diminutive for him. His true name was a proper balance between the two.
"Charlemagne." Gilgamesh turned his gaze upon him. "So you will be accompanying Ritsuka Tohsaka, then."
"And myself." Hakunon made her appearance known, her black gown spilling around her. A black lace parasol dangled from elegant fingers.
"So… close combat striker with nuking capabilities, a total all-rounder with no physical weaknesses, defensive support with field control, and then there's me with environmental manipulation and esoteric versatility," Matthew mused. "It's not a bad setup. Wait, didn't Da Vinci call for…?" He frowned.
"And we're all here!" Asako Tohsaka, the younger sister to Ritsuka Tohsaka, dashed into the chamber. Her hair was tied into a short side tail, and she wore a feminine replica of her brother's uniform. "Don't worry, we'll definitely make short work of this!"
"Don't count victory before we've even seen the field, Asako." The redheaded magus followed her, Shotaro Tohsaka close behind. The bespectacled woman gave Gilgamesh a calculating glance before observing the others. "We have a balanced enough team, but we'll need the lay of the land to secure our objectives efficiently."
"Should I pack some familiars?" Matthew asked, curious.
"I have some in storage," Shotaro replied with a smile. "You focus on keeping Ritsuka and Asako safe."
"By liquifying anyone who looks at them funny, got it!"
Mash gave a long sigh. "Matthew…"
"Diplomacy first, wanton slaughter second," Ritsuka said flatly.
"Okay!"
Gilgamesh bit back a chuckle.
"Besides, it's harder to interrogate a corpse than a living person. According to Da Vinci, we'll be trying to rendezvous with Cu Chulainn," Touko pointed out. Lugh stuck his head out of her collar, blinking green feline eyes.
"Harder for you, maybe," Matthew muttered.
"He'll be fine. At the bare minimum he'll hold out until we're able to get there."
Gilgamesh felt his shoulders tighten in irritation. "Faker."
The man stepped around the corner and stood behind Asako and her retinue. "I was requested for the mission," he explained. To his wisdom, the faker didn't make eye contact. "As a general warning, Masters, Gilgamesh and I are fundamentally incompatible. It would be best if we were kept apart."
"If you're all quite done," the husk of Solomon forced out, "please proceed to the Rayshift coffins and assume position for transport." He looked up. "Da Vinci, are we ready?"
"Coordinates locked and stable. No sign of external interference," she said over the comm.
The small girl almost sprinted to the secondary coffin, sliding in. "Alright, ready to go!"
Gilgamesh eyed the young knight as Ritsuka gently grasped her shoulder. While the rest moved for Ritsuka to enter the coffin, he remained.
"Fear not."
Mash Kyrielight looked up, visible eye wide.
"Ritsuka Tohsaka has proven to be an acceptable Master. Replacing him would be far more trouble than it's worth. Under my watch, he will not come to harm."
"O-oh." She blinked, clearly in awe of the King's generosity. "Thank you, King Gilgamesh."
With a benevolent smile, he turned and made his way to the coffins. She had put her very being on the line to protect not only that which was hers, but what was his. Such devotion deserved some small reward.
____________________________________________________________________________
Cool, calm, collected.
Hakuno folded her hands over the handle of her parasol, standing to the right of Ritsuka's coffin as the lid shut with a pneumatic hiss.
To the left of her, Charlie stood with his hands folded behind him, eyes darting from the coffin to her and back. It would be different from when they'd last fought together, certainly. Though, having a friendly face helped her settle in at Chaldea. He'd provided a bridge for mingling with other Servants. His paladins had accepted her without question, and the strength of his reputation smoothed any potential edges before they displayed themselves.
Gilgamesh… counted as a friendly face. Somewhat. She knew him enough to know that his only occasional conversations with her were more a favor to her than anything. He held himself above everyone, herself included - the only one close to an exception was Matthew.
(It still amused her that he'd gone from tyrant king to schoolboy pulling pigtails. Not to mention that it was hardly the most efficient way of gaining his target's affections. For all his arrogance, the man was no idiot and would adapt eventually - but she wondered what the end result would look like.)
She deliberately had avoided Nameless - or as he was called here, Emiya. There was a different air to him, and most likely a different history. There was no point in agitating a man who was once one of her dearest friends (if in another life). ...still, if she had to choose a guy…
She didn't have much of an opinion one way or the other on Shotaro. He seemed like a good father, if a touch overeager to be present for his offspring. There was a history there, and probably something to atone for. But neither child held it against him, so it was complex enough to make it simple, in a way.
Touko Aozaki was as terrifying as ever, even younger and with red hair instead of silver. The 'tiny' elemental who decided to stay with her and the contained horrors she could sense on the woman's person spoke enough to that.
"Preparing for Rayshift!" Da Vinci's voice rang out, startling Hakuno from her reverie. "Counting down!"
Matthew stood at the foot of the coffin, spine rigid in anticipation. He'd already deployed his wings, and every line of him screamed readiness for battle. It was unsettling how easily he could flip from playfulness to extreme violence. That said, he was far from impossible to work with. If she could cooperate with the likes of Gilles de Rais, then she felt confident in her ability to do so with most people.
Hakuno tightened her grip. This was just like any other mission. Though instead of attack programs, it would be… well, she couldn't be quite sure. Septem was its own set of circumstances. ...it was the first time she'd seen 'Earth', even if it hadn't been the one from her time.
"Rayshifting now!"
The world erupted into a riot of color, but she still kept a link to Chaldea's computer systems. Thanks to the powers given her by the Moon Cell, she had long since stepped away from 'NPC' to a proper 'AI'. With the abilities she gained from Lovelace, she retained the ability to act and interact with the world around her while running another stream of parallel thought.
Meaning that even as the orb of light that was her Master fell through time alongside Hakuno and her compatriots, a part of her lingered in every connected system Chaldea harbored.
Partitioning the awareness until it was needed, Hakuno blinked as the world around her became solid.
"You've arrived in the year 2030, somehow. The coordinates were accurate." Da Vinci's voice echoed in her head, a synthetic edge to them. Hakuno's best assumption was that the communique was typed, rather than spoken. "How does everyone look?"
The scent of the sea roiled around her, or so she assumed. Salt and brine assaulted her senses, and spray-slicked metal remained sturdy beneath her feet. Hakuno cast her gaze about, taking stock of the environment.
They seemed to be in a shipping area, likely to receive supplies. Sealed wooden boxes stacked several meters high, and some just scattered around. Some were splintered open, torn by brute force.
Asako sat atop one that was untouched, swinging her legs idly. Touko stood from a kneeling position as a tiny bolt of gold dashed away, Emiya watching overhead with a sharp gaze and tension in his expression. Shotaro's hands dipped into a swirling disc of fire, eyes intently searching for something in it.
Matthew was already airborne, a faint veil covering his body from head to toe. His wings beat frantically as he gained altitude, searching for a vantage point.
Gilgamesh stood close to Ritsuka, arms folded and expression uncaring. However, Hakuno recognized the glint in his eyes as he slowly turned his head to survey their surroundings. He was very much aware of their surroundings, likely to a level she could barely hope to match. Ritsuka's eyes were closed and he held the hand bearing his command seals in a light grasp.
Charlie just looked up and tilted his head. "Hey guys?"
"Yes. I see it." Emiya clenched his fists. "We need a more defensible position."
Hakuno cast her awareness upwards, craning her neck as her mind broke down what she saw through the roiling cloud-cover.
Branches stretched down toward the platform. The dock had no roots, but Hakuno could trace them as they spread across the platform. Above the clouds was a canopy of dead and dying leaves, mottled brown and dissolving into mulch on the wind.
Matthew did a short loop immediately overhead, then plummeted back down to them.
"Something scared him," Gilgamesh murmured, eyes narrowing. "What manner of thing is this tree?"
Hakuno's breath caught.
"Hakunon?" Gilgamesh's attention came to fully rest upon her.
"No," she said softly, the slightest tremor in her voice. "That can't be real. It can't."
The ring that spiraled above. The brilliant points that bloomed from its heart. It was alone for now, but it could increase - could reach seven. The oppressive feeling finally set in, and it was all she could do to keep standing. The lack of expression outside of serenity, the emptiness of being that sat atop/beneath the tree-
Chakravartin spun indolently, dragging the branches of the massive fig tree beneath it.
Hakuno's mind raced, screaming impossibilities at her. She slowly touched her ring, the symbol that she had surpassed this before. She and Nero had struck this thing down. Had stopped Buddha, even when he acceded to Twice's insanity.
But why did she not remember the tree?
"Hakunon, snap out of it," Gilgamesh commanded in a dark tone. "You are above this."
"What is it?" Emiya mused, eyes narrowed.
"It's emitting incredible amounts of power. The output doesn't come remotely close to the halo phenomenon, but it's also mostly inactive. It supplies the tree with energy, but that seems to be the limit for now." Touko placed a hand to her chin.
"Bad, bad, bad, bad," Matthew babbled, landing near Hakuno. She stumbled as he brushed past her, only to latch onto Ritsuka's arm. "I couldn't read it at first, because- because- I don't know. But the longer I stayed, the more it spoke to me. It's a mirror from the Moon Cell, but it recognized it, kind of. It belongs to someone way, way, way out of our weight class!"
"A Beast did not provoke this reaction from you," Gilgamesh mused. "So what would?"
"Hey, Daji was terrifying too, but this-" Matthew flailed his arms upwards.
Hakuno took a deep breath and steadied herself. "He's right. This is Chakravartin. A Noble Phantasm belonging to a Saver-class Servant."
"A Saber? Looks more like the work of a Caster or Ruler," Asako mused.
"No, Saver. As in a Servant of Salvation, right?" Charlie's gaze turned determined. "But why would a messiah be against us?"
"Clearly that isn't the case. In terms of basic morality, preservation is preferred unless that being destroyed is beyond redemption. The nature of a Saver is to salvage and redeem, unless I miss my mark," Touko pointed out.
"You recognize this," Ritsuka said, finally speaking. His tone was firm, uncompromising.
"I do. Nero and I defeated its wielder and his Master. It's how I earned the powers I use." Hakuno held her hand up, lifting the finger which bore her ring. "Saver was the Buddha himself, and his Master was a man named Twice H. Pieceman." She gave a small, sardonic smile. "Or something like that."
"...so what you're saying is..." Shotaro whispered, looking up as he pulled his hands out of the flaming disc, letting it shut.
"Wait. Buddha? As in, Buddhism Buddha? That guy?" Asako stared. "What the hell!?"
Ritsuka clapped his hands once. "Alright, enough." He gave the gathered Servants a steady look. "No disrespect to Hakuno, but she managed to take on this guy with one Servant. We have multiple. While I doubt the situation is so easily simplified or handled, we do have a chance at victory. Let's do our best to make it a reality."
Matthew twitched, frowning. "Okay. Yeah. So this 'Twice' guy, is there any chance he's here?"
"It's…" Hakuno winced.
"Hakunon?" Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed.
"I remember up to a few days after we defeated Karl the Great," she said slowly. "Then I remember a lot of flowers. After that, I was in Septem, helping Nero and who I thought was Tamamo-no-Mae. There's a blank area that I can't account for."
"That bodes ill," Emiya commented, keeping an eye out. "Touko. Has your familiar found anything of note?"
"He mentioned catching a scent similar to Asako and Ritsuka's. Either Rin is here, or-"
"Rin!?" Hakuno's back straightened. "You know her?"
Ritsuka coughed, getting her attention. "...she's our mother."
Shotaro raised a hand. "I married her," he added helpfully.
"That- Right. Sorry. The Rin I know is younger, and unconnected." Hakuno paused. "Her real body is also blonde."
"Hah?" Asako goggled at Hakuno. "Mom? Blonde? I know we've got Edelfelt roots, but really!?"
Matthew jittered in place. "We're wasting time," he muttered. "We need more information, and that means heading belowdecks and finding what could have brought someone like Buddha here." He almost tasted the word, frowning. "What is a Saver, anyway…"
"Someone who saves humanity, and leads them on a road to enlightenment. Who raises them up and gives them a path to peace," Charlie explained, overhearing. "Buddha isn't the only example, but…"
Matthew gave him a deadpan look. "Really. Great job he's doing, huh."
"Matthew, no." Ritsuka shook his head. "You're right, we're dawdling too much. If Lugh sensed someone like Mom, then we have an ally. Aunt Touko-"
"I have a link and can lead you. He's gone into the halls and is closing in." She smirked. "We can likely reach them in a few minutes."
"But that means leaving cover and braving all this," Charlie warned. He waved at the turning ring. "That thing's going to start blasting the instant we make ourselves known."
"It's a good thing you hid yourself in an illusion, Matthew." Ritsuka paused. "Wouldn't Buddha be able to see through that?"
"Yes." Hakuno drummed her fingers on the grip of her parasol. "This is the Chakravartin - the turning wheel. But…" Something tickled the inside of her skull, a secret she could only chase with the tips of her fingers.
"Maybe it's held by a Psuedoservant, like El-Melloi II? Or parts were taken for an amalgam like Illya?" Matthew frowned, but shrugged. "If that's the case, I can keep us all hidden easily. We won't be able to fight, or the illusion would break - but. Well."
Everyone looked to Ritsuka.
"Your call, big bro." Asako folded her hands behind her.
He thought a moment more. "Alright. Aunt Touko, you take point and guide us. Charlie, watch her back. Asako, you're with me. Gilgamesh, Dad, you stay close to react to any attacks. Emiya, Hakuno, you guard the rear. Matthew, stay in the center and keep us hidden."
They began walking around the scattered boxes, a thin veil of fluctuating light covering them. To Hakuno, it looked like a heat shimmer just around the edges of their group. It only took scant moments for them to clear the area, leaving them out in the open.
And Hakuno saw the roots for the first time.
Twisting, the skin peeling back to reveal dark and oozing ichor, they curled like indolent constrictors across the platform. The scent of rotting plant matter filled the air even as the roots moved, slowly spreading across the metal. Vines hung from the crooked limbs, tendrils that sought and twitched through the air. The tree's trunk towered multiple stories high, branches varying from laden with leaves to sparse. Hakuno could see round, fat, teardrop-shaped pods dangling down. One opened.
In a shower of dark red juice the fruit split, gleaming metal carving it in twain. A figure in stained armor tumbled through the air, roaring in fury until it hit the ground. Even at the distance they stood, Hakuno could make out the hunched, defensive position it took. Seconds later it bolted, charging at another armed and armored figure, screaming as it raised its sword-
"What's happening?" Ritsuka whispered harshly. "Matthew? Hakuno? King Gilgamesh?"
"Dunno," Matthew said tersely, palms upraised and glowing slightly. "Little busy, and… well I'm not hearing anything good. Those were people once. Still are, but it's like if I sat someone down and told them to kill and grow with the Universal Tongue. Reverting the mental changes would be tricky, let alone the physical ones."
"That wasn't one of Saver's powers," Hakuno murmured. "Something took the symbolism of the fig tree he found enlightenment under and…" She exhaled. "Twice. It has to be Twice."
"So this was clearly before my time, but who was Twice?" Charlie asked, keeping a sharp eye out as they continued walking.
"I… did some investigation once I had the power to. The original Twice was a war orphan who trained in medicine. He was capable of treating a rare disease called amnesia syndrome, a true pioneer in his field. His life was… he hated war. But he also saw the heroism there, and concluded that war was a necessary evil for human growth." Hakuno swallowed.
"Conflict and competition maybe, but full-on war? That just brings death. It'd be a one-sided growth. Endless violence precludes a whole lot of the human existence," Asako muttered. "Where's the room for medicine, or prolonging natural life? Where's the art and science to leave behind and make things better? The only possible legacy there is a mountain of bodies. And that's before even examining common morality…"
"Twice died in a war zone where he was summoned to treat patients of Amnesia Syndrome. It…. it was a fatal disease, always without treatment. A degenerative disease of the brain that began with memory loss and lead to death." Hakuno steeled herself. "The Twice I met was an NPC in the Holy Grail War. He had gained awareness, but went further than the living Twice. He viewed war as humankind's only chance to avoid stagnation. He wanted to make his wish for an eternal war in which all people participated. A countdown to extinction."
"So a deluded piece of code," Emiya droned, unimpressed.
Hakuno flinched.
"Mind your words, Faker," Gilgamesh bit out in a frigid tone. "The Moon Cell is beyond human make, capable of enacting miracles. That which is made to follow routine but deviates can grow and evolve into something truly beautiful. Not all possibilities end in such bores as Twice Pieceman."
For a moment, everything was silent. Then Matthew stumbled.
"You alright?" Shotaro asked, looking back.
"Fine, fine! So you beat this guy, right?" Matthew asked, voice pitched a little too high.
"...we did." Hakuno gave Matthew a long look and then glanced around at her compatriots. More than a few of them looked confused, but…
Ritsuka nodded firmly. "Then we will stop him here." He smiled at Hakuno. "But there's other concerns. Do you think you can reclaim your memories? Or the sealed Codecasts?"
"If they're from the Moon Cell, then they're data-shaped, right?" Matthew waved a hand to get attention. "So it stands we need something terminal-shaped and important to get them."
"That would be my assumption, yes," Hakuno agreed. She closed her eyes. Pinging terminals was easier here. The sky was just showing signs of overlapping with SE.RA.PH, but belowdecks was rapidly changing into a datascape. Tracing lines was a matter of-
And she saw.
Tracing the path the familiar - Lugh - had taken, she found a grouping of signatures. Two she did not know. One she knew in passing, comparatively.
The other three she was deeply connected with. A friend.
And-
"We need to hurry," she said breathlessly, eyes burning at the back. "Please."
Gilgamesh looked back at her and nodded. "Matthew."
He stood tall (as he could) and saluted. "One 'get the fuck out of my way', coming up!" He paused and grinned. "And here… we… go!"
"What did you exactly ohboy." Asako reeled at the sound of an oncoming stampede.
An armored tide congealed, the scattered warriors coming together at the base of the tree. The violence was immediate, intense, and persisting.
More importantly, the way down was completely clear. Hakuno's heart picked up, excitement strangling her tongue.
"Matthew."
"Ya boss?"
"What did you do."
"Well Rits, I had a good long think," Matthew began.
"In the span of a handful of seconds," Touko droned.
"Hey, it's more thought than I usually give something without building a thing!"
"I'm not sure what's worse - that he said it or that it's true," Emiya muttered.
"ANYWAY. What would a bunch of war-obsessed morons love more than a Care Bears concert!?"
Hakuno and Charlie exchanged a look. "A what?" he asked helplessly. "I don't- what?"
"I saw it on the internet!"
Gilgamesh lightly pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Let us be on our way. Unlike the rest of you, I can perceive it. The discussion has run its course."
From the demented little smirk on Matthew's face, Hakuno wagered he knew Gilgamesh would be able to see and hear it.
Huh. It looked like the tyrant king wasn't the only one pulling pigtails.
____________________________________________________________________________
At that point, Ritsuka was used to his primary Servants. Both were reliable in their way. Mash was more the kind to stay by his side, a pillar to lean on. Matthew would flit in and out of view, focusing on tasks and leaving upheaval in his wake. More often than not it was to his benefit - Sieg's summoning, Brynhildr's recovery, the alliance with Illyasviel.
Lacking one was nerve-wracking, especially since they balanced each other out in a way. Mash wasn't stern, but she was solid and consistent - a second voice that between the two of them could reel in Matthew when he got too chaotic.
He was well-behaved for now, and Ritsuka didn't see a reason for that to change as they trudged through the shadowed halls of Seraphix.
However.
Ritsuka knew that Chaldea was no stranger to flouting ethics in pursuit of human preservation. Matthew was the more extreme example, but if Mash had been a 'success' as well it would have been unlikely that Doctor Roman would have been able to take her in and raise her as he did.
Point being: Seraphix was nominally an oil platform, but it still reported directly to Chadlea and was established by Marisbilly Animusphere. For it to be a staging area for an incursion by the Moon Cell, it had to have something unique. He didn't know what it could be, but he also knew better than to assume all was as it seemed. Nothing ever was, with Chaldea - for good or ill.
"Is it just me, or have we run into… a whole lot of nothing? Like, no complaints! But isn't this a little too easy?" Charlemagne tilted his head as they rounded a corner.
"Well, now that you mention it… we're probably going to deal with something awful in three, two, one-" Asako started.
The group fell silent.
"Honestly. As though such superstitions have a place here," Gilgamesh scoffed. "Though I suppose it is to be expected of a child."
Ritsuka stiffened at the feel of an arm around his shoulders in a companionable manner.
"Yeah! You should be ashamed of yourself," a new voice scolded.
Slowly, he looked to his right.
BB gave an impish grin. "Hiii~"
"You!" Hakuno whispered harshly. "What are you doing here?"
"Aw. Aren't you happy to see me?" BB pouted exaggeratedly. "And here I thought we had something special, Senpai."
"Didn't you?" Matthew asked absent-mindedly, clueless to any danger. "I mean, you did move heaven and earth to get her safely to Chaldea despite her not remembering you. Sure sounds like something you'd do for someone you love."
The silence had more of an edge to it this time.
"Did. Did you just." BB stared.
"Hm? I mean, you dragged me over half of Septem, were willing to enter a bargain with the Fair Folk to ensure her protection, and are most likely going to enter another one if I have a means to recall her memories that she can't do on her own. Am I wrong?" Matthew's tone was pleasant and light, as though discussing the weather.
Touko looked back over her shoulder. "We're closing in, if anyone cares." She faced forward again. "Though I doubt it, with this teenage melodrama going on."
Ritsuka chanced a look at Hakuno while BB performed an excellent nutcracker impression with her jaw moving silently.
Hakuno's eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open. 'Shock' was the only word Ritsuka could use to describe her reaction to the information.
Gilgamesh rubbed his jaw, covering what was undoubtedly a harsh smirk. "By all means, Matthew. Go on. I'm sure there's more of her innermost secrets you've yet to divulge."
"That's about it, actually. Saver and Twice have a basis on at least one of the 'Earths', so I can get a secondhand glimpse pertaining to what they were here. Hakuno… I can tell what she was like before her Grail War, but anything in the Moon Cell?" Matthew shrugged. "It's not part of the World at large. Now, I do know that eventually it connected to the internet and caused all sorts of fun. If I find something similar here, I might be able to access it through that link. But as it is?" He shook his head.
"Oh good. So your scary 'I know all if I know enough to ask about it' has a limit," Asako drawled darkly. "And here I was thinking you were going to blab the color of my underwear or something."
Matthew's face screwed up in revulsion. "Dude. You're like ten."
"I'm twelve! I turn thirteen in a few weeks!"
"You are little baby," Matthew stressed.
"Asako, behave. Matthew, thank you for…" Shotaro trailed off uncomfortably.
"Being halfway decent? Having something akin to standards, if not a concrete moral center?" Emiya offered dryly.
"Yes. That."
"It's one of the many services I offer! Including mystic code construction, terrifying illusions, and Murder! The Murder is capitalized, because it's important," Matthew added, sotto voice.
Ritsuka fell into the rhythm, if only to dissipate the awkwardness. "Looks like we have a budding Assassin," he remarked.
"Does he count as a Berserker? Because he drives me crazy!" BB hissed, finally finding her tongue.
"Well, Chaldea is in need of Berserkers," Shotaro mused absent-mindedly as he began to fiddle with a disc of flame once more, grasping something in its depths. "I think it's the only standard class we lack any of."
"Unga bunga. Hit thing with big stick." Matthew flicked one of his wrists, and a warhammer bloomed into existence as his arm-guards flickered with light.
"Um…"
Ritsuka slowly looked back to Hakuno.
She looked so… vulnerable. "BB?"
BB's expression froze, comical outrage replaced by something akin to dread.
"Who… are you to me? And who am I to you?"
Honestly, given Matthew's stirring display of emotional intelligence, Ritsuka was wholly unsurprised by what followed.
BB flung a handful of flower petals into the air and discorporated through the nearest wall.
____________________________________________________________________________
"Well, we're not going down that hallway," Meltryllis stated. "Lip won't fit."
"S-sorry…" The Alter Ego fidgeted. As much as she could, with arms of golden metal larger than said hall was wide. It ended up being her kicking her legs helplessly as she dangled from the massive prosthetics.
Cu Chulainn exhaled through his nose. "Master. I can scout these halls quickly enough on my own. Maintaining a central base isn't a bad idea - the conference room two doors back should work."
"And what if you run into trouble?" Rin asked in an accusing tone. "And I'm not talking about the poor people here," she continued, voice softening. "Just because you remember this 'Chaldea' place now can't mean you've forgotten what Twice and Astaroth are capable of. Or who else they would bring with them."
Cu grimaced. "No, I haven't forgotten. But I can also disengage if things become too cumbersome, and at absolute worst that's the reason for Command Seals."
Nero stood tall. "I can easily scout and gather information. Though I'm made for the spotlight, evading notice is a trifling matter for one as discrete as I!" She tilted her chin upward. "So with that in mind, I can easily map the layout of this place with Lancer as support."
This Nero was considerably haughtier than the one in Septem, Cu mused. Not to an unbearable point, but noticeably so. Most likely due to the absence of Romulus.
"...erm. Ladies, Lancer? Do any of you own a cat?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked.
"I fought a lion, once!" Nero replied cheerfully.
"...no." Meltryllis gave Tamamo a look that clearly questioned her sanity.
Before Passionlip could answer, Rin went from zero to bitch in three seconds flat.
"Caster, none of us have a cat. None of us would be so irresponsible as to bring a cat with us into an active warzone," Rin grit out. She paused. "Or so I assume."
"Assume away. It's stupid." Meltryllis waved one of her sleeved hands breezily.
"Um… why do you ask?" Passionlip inquired, breaking the budding roast.
Tamamo-no-Mae pointed directly downward with a flat look on her face.
The gathered peered at her ankles.
"Mew." A golden kitten wound around Tamamo's feet, rubbing against her legs. Cu Chulainn recognized it instantly from the fur and the brilliantly green eyes.
"Ah. Looks like my other Master brought his sister along," he remarked.
Rin shot him a look. "Is it her familiar?"
"No, her Servant's." Cu stood up, hands on his hips.
"...and?" Rin stared at him.
"Give it a moment," he said, holding a hand up. "If the puppetmaster's familiar is here, then… ah. Three, two, one-"
"Why are you counting-?" Rin's voice rose with each word until she was drowned out by a roar of wind.
"BLUE!"
Cu Chulainn smirked as he wrapped his arms around Matthew, the Caster's flailing limbs locking around his neck and waist while his chin found his shoulder.
"...what the hell." Meltryllis stared openly.
"Uh, hum, erm," Passionlip babbled.
"HOLY CRAP, SHE IS BLONDE!"
They turned.
Asako pointed directly at Rin, eyes wide in shock. With her was the uptight Archer, her father, and the cat's keeper. Ritsuka had brought his ancestor, Hakuno, and the King of Heroes.
"So. Nero Claudius and Tamamo-no-Mae." Gilgamesh folded his arms. "The Heroic Spirit and genuine article, this time." He smirked before going to continue his monologue, but-
"Praetor!" "Goshujin-sama!"
Matthew and Cu Chulainn let go of each other and he dropped in time to see the two Servants bull-rush Hakuno.
Tamamo flung her arms around Hakuno's neck, and Nero wrapped hers around the waist. Hakuno's eyes shone as she held them both tightly, their foreheads touching. One hand rested atop Tamamo's head, and the other at the small of Nero's back.
Matthew looked away from the reunion. "...I thought you were gone forever so I panicked."
"I think they can empathize," Cu ribbed good-naturedly, pulling Matthew to his side before nodding at the three women.
"Ah, hello," Ritsuka began.
"Wh- Hakuno? How? What?" Rin stared. Her eyes cut to Ritsuka. "Who are you people!?"
"I'm Charlie-"
Rin gave him a withering stare.
"Oh, ouch." Charlemagne wilted.
Shotaro cleared his throat, and Cu Chulainn grinned.
This was about to be good.
"My name is Shotaro Tohsaka, husband to Rin. These are our children, Ritsuka and Asako." He placed a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder and another on Asako's head - the latter had not moved from her dramatic pointing yet.
Rin's jaw swung open.
"Touko Aozaki." The redheaded magus smiled too-kindly. "That would be my Elemental which found you."
Lugh padded back over and immediately sat on Ritsuka's foot, mewing insistently. The lad picked him up and cradled him, causing the not-kitten to emanate an aura of smug that Cu was sure could be felt in Chaldea.
...it was probably for the best that Fou had remained there.
"...let's hold a moment," Nero said slowly, turning her head without disengaging from her three-way embrace. "Did you say you were her husband? And those are her children?" Her eyebrows rose past her bangs.
"This timeline! This timeline's Rin!" Ritsuka corrected in a strangled tone. "She's- uh-!"
Rin, finally having had enough, sliced her hand through the air.
Ritsuka went quiet.
She stepped forward, and stood in front of Hakuno. "My alternate's taste in men aside," she said tartly, "where have you been?" She loomed as best she could, despite the two Servants between her and her target.
Hakuno smiled a little. "I didn't think we'd meet again, after Earth and the Moon Cell were disconnected."
"Wait, what?" Matthew muttered, eyes wide.
Rin stared. "You- don't you remember? Any of it?"
Tamamo stepped back. "Go- Hakuno. What do you remember last?" she asked carefully.
"Well, Altera had a plan to make Karl and Charlie into attack programs so the Moon Cell would register them as separate Servants," Hakuno said slowly. "Then… there's a blank. I woke up in what must have been Avalon-"
"Probably," Matthew cut in with a shrug.
"Right, and I gained my authorities as Servant abilities through fusing with a former Caster Servant." Hakuno held her elbow with one hand and her chin with the other, eyes slightly raised. "After that, I helped this timeline's Nero protect Rome from a fusion of Remus and Fenrir, a facet of you that claimed to be Su Daji-"
Tamamo grimaced. "Ugh. Her."
"A maddened and corrupted Boudica, and an entity that claimed to be Flauros of the Ars Goetia."
Cu Chulainn saw the instant the survivors put the truth together.
"So that thing… that thing the girl left behind… was from here?" Rin whispered harshly.
"I don't understand?" Hakuno lowered her hands, confused.
"Do you remember BB, at least?" Meltryllis asked. "I won't ask if you remember me or Lip."
"Um. You look like BB, a little, but…" Hakuno shrugged apologetically.
Meltryllis gave a sardonic smirk. "Unsurprised." Her face returned to cool and impassive. "So you know her."
"She helped us in Septem, a little. Matthew…" Hakuno glanced at him hesitantly.
"I made her an offer she didn't refuse." He shrugged. "Apparently something happened between them, but when I tried to force a conversation she split."
"Yes. She did." Hakuno frowned at Matthew who just rolled his eyes.
Passionlip and Meltryllis exchanged a look.
"Yes. Something certainly happened." Meltryllis' eyes flickered. "So you don't remember what she did?"
"...no?" Hakuno folded her hands in front of her waist, fingers down.
"I'll keep this brief. The world - our world - is experiencing a catastrophic war influenced by the Moon Cell," Rin began, eyes hard. "Twice returned from deletion because of some psychotic fourteen-year-old who managed to access the Moon Cell's databanks and redeploy the NPC. She did something to him using trace data from Saver and something she had on her, and then left after-"
"Altera!" Nero interrupted. "Hakuno, the girl in the seafoam dress- she took Altera!"
Cu Chulainn had the memories of the Moon Cell alongside his current incarnation, and so he winced.
"Whomst?" Matthew blinked.
"She's… she was an enemy who became a friend. She reverted to a younger form, and the three of us took care of her." Hakuno was visibly stricken. "Why? Why would she…?"
"It gets worse." Tamamo folded her arms. "She tried to crack the Zero Dark. Failed, of course, but she tried. She didn't seem too broken up about it either."
Cu Chulainn felt his gaze drawn to Gilgamesh, whose eyes widened with each word.
"...do you think she knows?" Hakuno whispered.
"Definitely. Her response to being thwarted was a comment about going to Europe and finding 'workable materials' there." Nero looked downward. "I… fear for Altera."
"Is there anything we can do?" Ritsuka asked, stepping forward.
"Hakuno's missing the memories of it, but the conflict went on for months. After Twice was reborn, he and his partner went on a rampage. Anything that could be assimilated, was. After the first couple of Servants, anyone who was caught by the tree deleted themselves," Rin cut in. "That left more basic programs and NPCs. Several hackers tried to access the Moon Cell, but their consciousness was subsumed into the False Fig."
"False Fig?" Emiya echoed, speaking up.
"Yes. That's what we call it, for lack of another name." Rin sighed. "...we're all that's left. The other Servants have their data stored in the Moon Cell, but it refuses to deploy any of them. Out of the deployed agents of both the resistance and Harwey Conglomerate, only I survived. ...SE.RA.PH is a ruin. Everyone else is locked in an unending conflict, until we take Twice down."
Hakuno shook her head, eyes wide. Nero gently took her arm, while Tamamo placed a hand on her shoulder.
"How… everyone? Jeanne, Iskandar, Arjuna, Karna? Medusa, Drake, Elizabeth?" she whispered.
"Even worse. Karl fell. He was the first to self-delete rather than accept transformation," Passionlip murmured.
"And then there's us." Meltryllis gave a humorless smile. "The Sakura Five are down to two, now."
"Wait. Sakura?" Asako jerked upright. "What?"
"It's a long story. Suffice to say, BB was based on a medical AI named Sakura Matou. Or rather, was made by the AI and sealed away." Meltryllis shrugged, dragging a bladed limb across the ground. "In turn, she made us. She had taken in too much data of combined goddesses, so shed them as well as her emotions into us. And so we became individuals."
"Each of us were forged of different emotions. I was born of love and hate. Melt was made from lust and yearning. Compassion and affection, purity and chastity, joy and happiness…" Passionlip trailed off.
"They died." Meltryllis' eyes narrowed. "They were destroyed outright. An Alter-Ego like ourselves is pure personality; any attempt to overwrite or directly alter it will just eradicate it. Kingprotea, Violet, Kazuradrop - they're gone."
Cu looked down at Matthew.
Flecks of red swirled in his eyes.
"What are you thinking, I wonder?" Gilgamesh asked aloud.
"Well mostly, I'm just trying not to get killed," Meltryllis began.
"I'm thinking that something which destroys what a person is, down to their core, doesn't deserve to exist." Matthew flexed his fingers while Meltryllis gave him a speculative look. "So how do we kill this thing?"
"And you mentioned a partner that came from here," Ritsuka added. "What did you mean?"
"He calls himself Astaroth of the Ars Goetia," Rin explained. "He looks human, but he's anything but. Cunning, canny, and manipulative. His shadow summons some kind of snake-shaped familiars, and wherever Twice can't reach, he can."
"Which makes it suspicious that we haven't encountered any yet," Meltryllis noted.
In Ritsuka's arms, Lugh gave a loud purr.
Touko gave a razor-sharp smile. "There might be reasons for that."
"So another Goetic." Matthew crossed his arms. "Assuming we didn't intend to help in the first place, we at the bare minimum share a common enemy. And if you recognize any of our number, you know that we have plenty to bring to the table."
"You have Charlie, Gilgamesh, and Nameless at least," Nero agreed.
"Nameless?" Shotaro asked with a frown.
Tamamo pointed at Emiya.
"Hmph. Though I've no great love for it still, I do have a name." The Archer placed a hand on his hip. "Emiya."
"Right, timelines. This is going to get confusing, fast," Rin grumbled. She tugged on one of her pale twintails.
"And then we have an Alter-Ego of the forge and a Caster with plenty of puppets and familiars," Cu added, nodding at Shotaro and Touko.
"First things first." Hakuno's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "We need to set up a sanctuary as a base of operations. And I have just the thing."
____________________________________________________________________________
Hakuno followed along while I etched the bounded field to establish a temporary territory. I wouldn't need it to last long, I was told, only a few hours. What she would do would turn it into something defensible.
I traced the wand along the corners of the room, letters spilling in a cascade of golden light. I wrote of protection from possession, from plants, from flame and water and pressure. Even if the oil rig went under, as long as this lasted the people in the room would be safe.
"She probably saved you, I bet," I muttered aloud as I finished up.
Hakuno looked at me.
"BB. She doesn't care much about other people, but she loves you. I can… kind of relate. If something bad happened to the necessary magi I would be irritated at the inconvenience. Other employees I'd feel a little upset. Ritsuka, the Masters, or the Servants I care about…" I shook my head. "It would be bad. If these powers are new, you either were about to die or got caught. My money is that happened, and she took you away. Morgan found you guys like that, and somehow opened the door to here."
"Morgan Le Fay has that kind of power?" Hakuno murmured.
"Dunno. Don't think so. Cutting holes in time isn't something the Fair Folk are known for, but I… really don't know everything about her and her allies." I flipped my wand down and placed it along one of my greaves, where the armor warped and held it in place. "There's stories of people spending a short time in a fairy mound and it adding up to centuries, but that's not the same. Not really."
Hakuno exhaled. "Right. Do you think this is the right room?"
"Dunno. The office of the main guy seems pretty important, so you might be able to use the terminal to link up." I hummed to myself. "But you said it didn't feel like the epicenter of the Dimensional Fusion Phenomenon."
"No, it's deeper in a far more dangerous area." Hakuno paused, a considering look on her face. "...it's enough like the Moon Cell that I was able to do some initial sweeps, so I have tasks for us to accomplish at least. Ways for us to secure a better foothold to deal with Twice."
I stood, stretching. "Better take it to the Masters, then."
"Mm. You know, I'm still not quite used to not being the Master in the equation," Hakuno confessed.
"Eh. Rits is probably the most chill Master ever. If you work under him, the difference is negligible."
"Hmhm. You have a point." Hakuno gave a slight smile. Her eyes narrowed. "But… one thing."
I tilted my head.
"Next time, leave talking to BB to me. Okay?" She leaned towards me a little. "I'm not going to find anything out if you keep scaring her off."
"Alright, alright. I'll be good." I held my hands up and backed away to the center of the office. It was large and well-furnished, with plenty of seating and what looked to be a state-of-the-art computer for the personal terminal.
"You better," Hakuno teased. She stepped forward. "Ritsuka, Asako. We're ready." She held a palm up and a swarm of ones and zeroes fluttered around it.
Asako crossed her arms. "So what are we doing, exactly?"
"Establishing a base. This is the ability you used on Romulus' city, right?" Ritsuka asked, eyes sharp.
"I mean, we could always- actually, never mind." Charlie scratched the back of his head. "This is cool too, and way less risky than my idea."
"...flying island thing?" I asked after a moment.
"And then we'd be vulnerable to Chakravartin unless we gained higher altitude. Having fought beneath it, trust that it's an unenviable position." Nero frowned. "Were it not for Hakuno's support and a great deal of spiritual modification, I would have lost. Saver had slaughtered no shortage of Masters before."
"Because of course Twice of all people would be saved by an actual god," Tamamo muttered. "It's so cliche it's painful."
"You sound like you know the guy," Emiya pointed out.
"There's a history," she replied without much emotion in her voice. Her eyes darkened slightly.
"Right. Hakuno, let's get started before the bad-touch tree finds us, yeah?" I waved my hands. "I don't know about you guys, but I only needed to see the vines once - and I've been on the internet enough to know what comes after that."
"It's less tentacles, more vore," the girl with bladed legs droned. Meltryllis, right.
"...that makes it kind of worse, actually." I grimaced.
"It really does," Passionlip whispered.
Rin slapped her forehead and dragged her hand down her face. "Hakuno. Please. Before I lose what little mind I have left."
I looked at Cu and he just gave a sharp grin and a wink.
Hakuno nodded. Then, the air changed completely.
The binary illumination spilled from her upraised palm onto the ground, flowing like water. It dripped in a veiled curtain, rippling across the floor. Twin streams spiraled across the surface, dancing and twining around each other. The air in the room cooled slightly, comfortable but just below temperate.
"Beginning process. Firewall. Exclusion. Enclosure. Build a defense within the system."
The code reached my work along the molding of the room, turning the golden letters a soft blue on contact. As they spread, they rippled as though beneath gently moving water. Light flickered across the walls as though shone through the surface of a lake, pale and gentle - almost like moonlight shining on a clear lakebed. The wave climbed, reaching the ceiling.
"Entwined with this boundary, establish. Calm amongst the chaos. This is our sanctuary upon the lunar seas. Compile."
Hakuno's clothes floated upwards, the skirt of her dress revealing a pair of sensible shoes. Her hair, tied in a bun, still shifted gently as her bangs drifted on an invisible current. The irises of her eyes were replaced with brilliant blue binary, and she raised her hand high.
"Lacus Somniorum."
The enclosure was complete, and the air was still but not stale, cool but not cold. It was as though we rested in the embrace of a lake on a summer night, with no concern for air. Security, safety. The elements that had been overlooked because Romulus' city had outshone it all like the sun would the moon.
Asako stared in awe as the light rippled across her body. Ritsuka placed a hand on her shoulder.
"So. I heard you found targets for us to attend to?" He looked at Hakuno.
"I did." Her hair and clothes returned to normal, save for the new lighting. She made her way to the director's terminal. "My abilities allow me to function somewhat similarly to Matthew's use of the Universal Language. At least within these conditions."
"So what'd you find?" Asako asked, following her.
Hakuno seated herself behind the desk. "There are three major points of interest," she began. "We'll need to split into teams to address each one."
"And it just so happens we have three Masters," Rin noted, tapping her chin.
"...I would prefer you all stayed here. To minimize the danger to yourselves," Hakuno said quietly. "It would be more efficient if you did, under guard of a Servant or three."
"Doesn't using this Noble Phantasm tie you in place?" Ritsuka asked with a frown.
"It can, but not necessarily. The effects of the Territory are amplified and apply to me. Romulus could not leave his city, so neither could I." Hakuno looked to me.
"Oh, I was definitely going to head out so this is self-anchored. It ought to last a few days, but if we're here that long we're doing it wrong." I folded my hands behind my head.
"Well said," Gilgamesh agreed with a smirk. "It is a pity my craft wasn't repaired. The speed would be sufficient to carry myself and a team to this 'Twice', and we could end it there with ease."
"Unless he has Saver's ability to weaken heroes," Nero mused. "Then the ones most suited are those who aren't heroes."
"Which I can't access from down here," Hakuno agreed. "So we're flying blind." She paused. "And the Vimana is broken anyways, so it's academic."
"The objectives?" Touko interrupted.
"Right. There's three. First, the survivors." Hakuno raised a hand, and a small screen bloomed out of the air. A schematic of the oil rig appeared, and four glowing dots lit up. One was blue, and three were gold. Above the schematic was a single red dot. "There seems to be two Servants, and one… I want to say they're a Master, but that doesn't seem right. They could be a Servant, but I don't know."
"They could be some of the consumed Servants," Rin warned. "At least three were that I know of."
Hakuno shook her head. "I felt what the False Fig's effects were like. These three are clean of them." She tapped the light. "We'll need someone to rendezvous with them and bring them here. The more firepower we have, the easier it will be. And hopefully one of them might have a defense that will let us bypass Chakravartin's aerial bombardment."
I looked at Gilgamesh with narrowed eyes.
He tilted his head back. "I may have such a treasure, but I would need time to look." He smiled enigmatically.
Shotaro glanced up from where he was once more examining the inside of a fiery circle. "I have something that could defend, but it would render us immobile. How damaging are the projectiles?"
"They can be blocked, but it's difficult. They'll tear through a Servant's body like a strong arrow, but can be deflected with weaponry," Nero explained.
"Hm. I have a defense as well, but it also requires me to remain stationary." Emiya rubbed his chin.
"I managed to absorb some, but…" Meltryllis turned to Passionlip. "We might be able to intercept a barrage with your abilities."
Passionlip looked up. "Oh. Yes, I could do that." She gave a little smile.
"So there are measures once we're all together," Ritsuka noted. "The other two?"
"The roots plunged down here," Hakuno continued, pointing at the second dot. It was close to the bottom of the platform, and across from the third. "If we can damage them, then maybe it would reflect on the False Fig. If nothing happens, that team would have to withdraw."
"And the third one?" Asako asked.
"It appears to be some sort of… I can't make it out. But there's an immense concentration of mana there." Hakuno looked at me.
I grimaced. "Alright, I'll check."
What are we looking at?
Point of incursion.
It looked like… an observatory. I tried to peer at the walls, but my vision blurred around the edges.
Forbidden. Forbidden. Take the Guardian and End it. A pause. Enlist the saint.
A who now? We left Jeanne at home!
A flash. Golden eyes, long dark hair. A gentle smile.
Enlist the saint and the Guardian. Reconvene.
...any chance you could tell me what's up with the tree while we're at it?
Irrelevant. Access possible by direct inquiry.
Better than just a no, I guess.
I exhaled. "So uh. Apparently whatever's down there, Alaya wants it trashed."
Emiya stiffened, eyes blazing. "What."
"Yeah. Uh, we've been tapped." I shifted. "And so's this lady who's with the Servants."
"Let's take a step back and go over how you're on speaking terms with the Counter Force," Emiya growled, stepping forward.
"Enough." Ritsuka stepped between us. "We have the missions." He looked to Hakuno, then me.
"Apparently we should reconvene before tackling the Observatory down there," I added. "So maybe two teams?"
Asako bristled. "I didn't sign up to sit pretty! I'm going down there!"
"You'll do what helps the most," Ritsuka retorted. "If that's going in guns blazing, so be it. Likewise, if that's staying here, so be it."
"Uh… if the survivors were employees here, then I may or may not end up scaring them off," I noted sheepishly. "At least without a Master to say they can Command Seal me into the ground."
Ritsuka frowned.
"I did kinda stab Marisbilly live."
"You did what to who?" Rin raised a golden eyebrow.
"He misbehaved," Gilgamesh cut in with a secretive smile. "I personally find it endearing."
"You would," Cu muttered.
"Teams?" Touko prompted.
Ritsuka inhaled, then exhaled. "Right. For clearing out the roots… Charlie, you're in charge. Take Passionlip, Cu Chulainn, and my father."
Shotaro looked up. "Hm?"
"Cu Chulainn has fire runes, you have fire gods. Charlie's used to leading knights, and has holy energies." Ritsuka looked to Meltryllis and Passionlip. "Is it safe to assume that those claws of yours can dish out damage?"
Passionlip straightened as much as she could. "Yes, they can." Her expression turned serious.
Ritsuka closed his eyes. "For the extraction team, I want Asako to take point. Aunt Touko, Matthew, Emiya, Meltryllis, you follow her." He paused. "Also, Asako and I have a total of four Servant slots we can fill to give extra energy. Cu Chulainn should still be connected, I think."
A screen fizzed into existence. Da Vinci smiled from it, waving. "Actually, thanks to the excursion in Septem, we've enabled an ally slot for the second coffin too! So there's a total of five contracts that can be made."
Roman stepped next to her. "We have a full connection thanks to Hakuno setting up her defensive encampment. Even if it falls we'll still be in touch and able to monitor." He paused.
I wanted to ask how Mash was, but…
"If you can, please hurry. Mash is alright for now - Medusa and Musashi seem to have taken upon themselves the task of distracting her, and there's no shortage of others who would help. But sitting while you guys are in danger isn't like her," Roman said finally.
"We will be done before a second sunset," Gilgamesh said firmly.
"Right. Contract time!" Asako raised her hand. "Who wants to go first?"
Meltryllis stepped forward. "Lip and I will sign on with you." A slight smirk crossed her face. "I bet Hakuno's Master would be better off with Nero and Tamamo."
Ritsuka paled a little as Tamamo and Nero loomed over his shoulders with beatific smiles. Not threateningly, just… insistently.
He held up his hand, and the seals flared twice.
"Spirit Origins recorded! Nero Claudius and Tamamo-no-Mae!" Da Vinci reported.
"Okay, here we go~!" Asako held her hand out. The seals flashed.
"Recorded: Passionlip, AKA amalgam of Brynhildr, Durga, and Parvati!"
I blinked as several people paled.
"Recorded: Meltryllis, AKA amalgam of Artemis, Leviathan, and Saraswati!"
Hakuno's jaw dropped.
Meltryllis did a little twirl. "Well, then. Lip, you know your group?"
"Y-yes! Charlemagne, Cu Chulainn, and Mister Shotaro." She blushed a little. "I'll do my best to help!"
Meltryllis's smirk took on a slightly predatory cast as she skated by me. "And then I've got the cat lady, the hunk, short stack, and our new Master."
Slowly, I turned my head to look at Emiya and Touko.
Touko had the polite look that could either mean she was totally unruffled, or she was planning to kill us all.
Emiya had the look of someone who had a lot to say and I was sure I was about to hear it.
Asako looked like her birthday came early.
"...you sure I can't stay here?" I whined.
Ritsuka gave me a flat look as Rin shook her head in some sympathy.
"...that's what I thought."
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Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That is a very good question! One I want people to ask!
...I am not subtle.
Zakara
Semi-Found Cat
- Location
- Chaldea, Bleached Airspace
Since I can't quite parse the deeper meaning here, you are apparently more subtle than me, who shall proceed to outright ask you if you caught my pun.
pearypie
microwaving some barbies in your microwave
- Location
- Silicon Valley
- Pronouns
- She/Her
In this, we are all Charlie.
If I remember correctly, Melt's the one made from lust and yearning. Joy and happiness is Kazuradrop.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Mmm, felt like an overt amount of dialogue. More tell than show, the atmosphere was a little nonexistent.
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
...oh. Now I see it! 😅 But yes: Manaka is involved, so assuming that Buddha is the only/primary source of data for Twice to run on is not a good idea.
The wiki strikes again. If you have source material or something, PM me and I'll make the edits.
I was having issues getting the characters all on the same page, so I felt the discussion was necessary. I'll rectify the atmosphere next chapter at least; I wanted to establish the players here.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
So, that's how Manaka plans to defeat Sefar; since she can't use Excalibur, and no wielder of Excalibur would ever help her, she'll just make her own bootleg Sefar and pit it against the original. No wonder Goetia's horrified. Good thing there are two versions of Excalibur recorded in the Throne; Arthur can blast the bootleg Sefar while Artoria blasts the original Sefar.
In theory, BB could recreate them from scratch, using the Moon Cell's databanks, if she was somehow able to regain the emotions used to make them. But they wouldn't have any memories of the ones who were destroyed. Alternatively, they may have been archived before this mess happened, in which case BB could restore them from backup once the infection is purged.
- Location
- Germany
so cute, maybe she should age down a bit for maximal moe.
she does seem to need a proper childhood
the hard questions
Devilish Kohai is rendered speechless
Every power, anything usefull, and I EVERY kind, can be abused.
Saver was ridiculusly OP, but also held back a lot in Fate/EXTRA
now with Manaka messing up things Gautama is no longer in control of that "OP PLZ Nerf"-powers
Twice is. Or rather NPC!Twice is, who I doubt is a perfect reproduction of the Human Twice.
Add the undoubtly bad influence of the Goetian Pillar and we get a nightmare of biblical propotions.
Always Late
Lacking in coffee, sleep, and brains
- Location
- Ohio
Oh please Emiya, you already know exactly why the woman you and Artoria sold your souls to is worming her way into Matthew's personal life.
... but I kinda don't want to say it, since it's not very flattering to the nice fairy boy.
- Location
- The Hub
Oh we all know Alaya is a Harem Antagonist.
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
A little bit of everything, really. I'm taking inspiration from Last Encore, but less tragic.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
I swear if this somehow shows up in game or in this fic, I won't be able to decide whether I should die laughing or blow my stack.
jwolfe_beta
Semi Genre-Savvy Overlord
- Location
- Canada
The hardest part would be convincing Mash to wear anything but her labcoats.
pearypie
microwaving some barbies in your microwave
- Location
- Silicon Valley
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Make it a DDLC-style psych horror, for flavor.I swear if this somehow shows up in game or in this fic, I won't be able to decide whether I should die laughing or blow my stack.
- Location
- USA
Bit surprised Melt didnt go with Ritsuka given that in canon she would up falling for him harder than Chixiclub.
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
This event went a little differently. In that one, Ritsuka found Melt and then
timeloop shenanigans happened, along with the return to the past bit.
Those things didn't happen, and instead of Kiara's... thing, instead there's a gradually spreading warzone thanks to Twice. The event is superficially similar but the circumstances are very different.
- Location
- USA
Yeah I get that. I just feel that among the servants I count as properly 'Ritsukas' in terms of direct bond with the protagonist, Melts well into the upper echelons.
It's nowhere near the kind of WTF I would feel if Ritsuka somehow missed out on Dantes or Gramps, but Melt is definitely one of the stronger bonds in canon.
- Location
- A never ending hell of Myoukous
Yes. Excellent. I've been looking forward to this reunion, and looking forward to the antics to come.
Good luck Ritsuka!
Garreon
Paldean Top Champion
- Location
- Mesagoza, Paldea
Which i pulled for mothman and i got the less, but still incredible, fabulous hair having vampire. I mean i dont care that she goes around naked, i just want to feel that luscious river of brown locks.
But its funny seeing as she is a crypter.
.......If they give us Vanilla Artoria then im going to be MAD. I mean, nothing wrong with the King of Knights vanilla....but Grand Servants are supposed to be big and Flashy. We got Reaper Assasin, Himbo Archer, Geminis Lancer and Merlin.
.....if you say Mara is around there in the spirit origin given to Twice then im going to laugh out of pity, she and Kama cant catch a break.
Please dont remind me that exists.....i was really hoping for an adaptation of the original timeline, i would have accepted deviations and new things.....but the ending just......i mean i wasnt as invested as i was with the game story and the ending just felt like a bucket of frozen water was poured over me....which means it felt like getting bashed by a bucket shaped ice boulder on the head. Really, it feels like Nasu cant make happy endings. The CCC and subsequent games have them, but apparently the anime cannot.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Excalibur IS big and flashy; it's the greatest Holy Sword of all, remember? And don't forget, we've never seen it at its' full power yet.
pearypie
microwaving some barbies in your microwave
- Location
- Silicon Valley
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Or the original Saber. Y'know, the one who yeeted Sefar with Excalibur.