Interlude: Reunions
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Interlude: Reunions
Ritsuka marched out of the portal, head held high. She might be down a ship, but she was still the Master of Chaldea. She still had a Saber, a Ruler, and a Shielder.
What she did not have was an honest clue of what she was getting into. It was painfully obvious that Mattias meant well, and believed what he said about his home.
Which was the only reason she didn't fly into a shrieking panic when she realized she'd stepped into Ozymandias' Ramesseum Tentyris, his Grand Temple Complex with a metric fuckton of divine mysteries from the Age of Gods. Including the fuck-off light bulb. Her name, not his.
As she surveyed the room she'd entered, she became acutely aware of the amount of forbearance Ozymandias had to have for Mattias and the Guild to let them set up Research and Development inside his Noble Phantasm, not to mention their bureaucracy.
"Senpai?" Mash said faintly.
"Buh-huh?"
"How is Ozymandias able to keep this up consistently? There's no Holy Grail."
Sherlock gave both of them a disappointed look. "The First Magician can create energy ad infinitum. If he hasn't created a battery to support Servants en masse, I would be surprised."
"So like what Merlin sort-of did?" Fergus asked, taking stock of their surroundings.
"Merlin took over supporting us directly with power from Avalon. The instant we arrived here, we were disconnected." Sherlock gazed at the rest of the group. "I feel no difference. We are in an area sufficiently mystic that we are self-sustaining."
Ritsuka let out a soft squeaking sound. "The fuck?"
"Welcome!" A woman in a shimmering green dress approached them with a bright smile. "My name is Theresa Richter. You can call me Tess, or Dragon. Mattias told me you were on the way, and rooms at the Island Manor have been prepared."
"The where now?" Ritsuka asked, trying to regain some control of the situation.
"Taylor created a… I believe the description was 'somewhere between a Reality Marble and Marble Phantasm, but permanent'. Essentially, we have very limited control over reality within the bounds of the island. That control is superceded by Taylor." Tess shrugged. "Mostly we use it to produce desired creature comforts within its boundaries, and keep a safe haven to relax in."
"Ah." Ritsuka inhaled, then exhaled. "So. Where are Leona and Roman?"
"Da Vinci is in her workshop; we weren't able to alert her due to the timing of one of her projects," Tess said. "Roman is aware and available in their shared office at Castle Einzbern."
"You want me to go to Germany?" Ritsuka asked with a grimace.
"Ah, no, Rin and Mattias teleported Castle Einzbern here for Illyasviel to look after the rest of the Einzbern family. It's the initial campus for the Earth-Bet Clocktower Academy," Tess replied.
Ritsuka's mouth opened and shut. She blinked rapidly. "I'm not sure what I was expecting."
"No wonder senpai liked him," Ritsuka faintly heard Mash whisper. "They have a lot in common."
"Part of me wonders if Ritsuka ever got up to anything this large," Sherlock muttered.
"In all fairness, he summoned the Servants and pointed them and their Masters in vague directions. He just kicks pebbles that start avalanches," Tess said wryly. "Though I've yet to be actively disappointed in the results."
Ritsuka rubbed her face. "Right. Take Mash and I to see Roman, and we'll see Leona when she's available. Fergus, go to this Manor. Don't hit on anyone until you're sure they're single."
"What if their partner's willing to share? Or better yet, join in?" the man boomed with a wide smile.
"I will not be held responsible for these hypothetical people's life choices," Ritsuka said with a shrug.
"...perhaps I should follow along so there isn't an impromptu orgy," Sherlock commented with a displeased look.
Tess stared at the newcomers. "Yeah, no, you'll all fit in fine. I really don't know why I was worried."
Ritsuka exchanged a look with Mash.
That… sounded ominous.
____________________________________________________________________________
To Fergus' mild disappointment, he and Sherlock were dragged along to Castle Einzbern.
To Ritsuka's mild irritation, Roman had been called away to help Vice-Director Waver Velvet handle a literal fire in the classroom.
So to save time, they found themselves in the office of the school's Alchemy expert. Illyasviel von Einzbern, the Third Magician.
"Okay. This is a spirit core. I plug this in, and you're autonomous. It makes enough energy to keep you running at top performance, including Noble Phantasms. Mattias left plenty behind, and I'm one of the three people who can install them safely in a Servant." The pre-teen homunculus crossed her arms with an imperious look. "Any questions?" She hefted the white, fist-sized sphere in her hand.
"Nope," Fergus said, stepping forward.
Sherlock held a hand up and opened his mouth just as the orb began to glow and Illyasviel slipped it into Fergus' chest. Well, around his abs. She was too short to reach his chest.
"Done. Next?" She looked over Mash. "Your connection to your powers is weird, so I'd want to give you several checkups first. Myself, Morphosis, and Grail at the least, Khepri if we're being thorough."
"Um?" Mash blinked rapidly. "Who are these people?"
Illyasviel slapped her forehead. "Right, cape names. Morphosis is Amy Laverre. Her power is tactile Biokinesis. Basically, she touches you and she can do whatever to your body, from healing to degeneration to enhancements. This applies to all living matter. Grail is Mattias; him you've met. Khepri is Taylor Hebert."
"Oh yeah, the Fourth Magician," Ritsuka said. "What's her power?"
"Insect control. Total manipulation, sensory reading, multitasking, and a range of several city blocks." Illyasviel ticked off each aspect on a different finger.
"Hhhuh." Ritsuka grimaced. "Okay then."
"And her Magic took insects and made it 'everything in a sixteen-foot radius'. Which she can project from her insects, and insect-shaped construct familiars. And overlap and piggyback." Illyasviel gave Ritsuka a long look. "She's only limited by stamina, and she has a direct line to an infinite well of magical energy. She and Mattias are our scariest members for a reason."
Ritsuka nodded. "I see."
She wasn't screaming inside, no sir.
Why couldn't I have had one of her during the Orders!?
"Hey!"
Ritsuka jolted as Sherlock scowled darkly, rubbing his chest.
Illyasviel looked supremely unconcerned. "There. Tune-up done."
"Illya, have you seen- oh!"
Da Vinci stared into the room, her hands over her mouth.
"I'm not responsible for this. Blame Grail. See you!" Illyasviel bolted out the door, dodging around Da Vinci.
Fergus cleared his throat. "I'll just…"
Sherlock nodded. "Quite."
The two Servants vanished into thin air.
Ritsuka stepped forward, reaching out her hand. She was dimly aware of Mash doing the same.
Slowly, Da Vinci lowered her hands, and threw her arms around the two women as soon as they stepped close.
"You're really here," Ritsuka choked out.
"Leona…!" Mash sniffled.
"You two… I'm so glad…!"
"Hey- oh. Well, you found out."
Ritsuka and Mash looked over Da Vinci's shoulders.
Roman smiled warmly back. "Hey you two. Sorry, Flat had a mishap with one of Grail's throwaway artifacts. Apparently he decided to make a disposable necklace of fireball beads on a whim."
"You knew?" Da Vinci's voice was dangerously calm.
"To be fair, I found out while you were in your lab. And you were in your lab when Tess found out that Mattias sent them here after getting access to the Shadow Border," Roman said quickly.
Da Vinci relaxed. "Okay. You get to live."
Ritsuka giggled. "Not going to 'straight-up murder' him?" she teased. She let out a squawk as Da Vinci picked up her and Mash, and spun them around.
"Roman!"
"Yes, yes," the doctor said in amusement. He wrapped his arms around the group.
Mash sobbed quietly, shaking.
"Hey, it's okay. We're okay," Roman said soothingly.
"...happy…"
"Hm?" Roman frowned a little.
"She said she's happy," Ritsuka answered with a little laugh. "I can't… this is real?"
"Real as it gets. Let's go find somewhere to sit and catch up, okay?" Da Vinci said softly.
"Yeah." Ritsuka smiled. "Sounds good."
____________________________________________________________________________
"Holy shit." Ritsuka stared at Leona as she sipped her tea. "You guys did all that?"
The two Servants had taken Ritsuka and Mash back to the Island Manor, or as it was originally named, 'the House'.
(Privately, Ritsuka didn't think the name was much of an improvement.)
"I came in near the end, really," Roman said with a sheepish smile. "I'll need to introduce you to Rain at some point. He's a good kid, despite being born into an apocalypse cult."
"A what?" Ritsuka blinked.
"The Fallen venerated the Endbringers. They were also more or less bigots, depending on the branch. Plenty of virulent homophobia at the least," Da Vinci explained. "Which is amusing seeing as how one of Rain's best friends is openly gay."
"I'm a little sad we missed it all." Mash folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sure we would have been of some help."
"Possibly, but you both deserved the break. You'd saved the world several times over." Da Vinci smiled. "It was fine to let Grail, Khepri, and the rest handle this run."
Ritsuka gazed into her drink. "That's true. Maybe we can help this time, though."
"Well, you might deploy sometimes. Earth Bet is surprisingly quiet after last month," Roman commented.
"How so?" asked Mash.
"Well, we had a fairly large push into Africa over the past few months. We managed to depose a few warlords and get the communities set up with our tech." Leona set her cup down. "So far, they've been self-sustaining and growing. We've kept in touch with them, and to the best of our knowledge they've gotten governments not based on parahuman brute force in place. Some of the former warlords were talked down and moved to roles as protectors. Those were the less murderous ones, naturally."
"Oh." Ritsuka rubbed her chin. "So… crime? Conflicts between countries?"
"Crime is as it's ever been. Brockton Bay is something of an experiment in that it has first access to the tech and innovations we produce. Other cities don't have that access yet due to those in power answering to various companies and interests." Da Vinci's smile took on an edge. "We make the offer regardless."
"And then the people in power get voted out for people who say they'll accept the tech, and life goes on." Roman shrugged. "It's a slow process, and we're spreading out slowly. The Protectorate and Guild are the main refuges for parahumans nowadays. The major crime syndicates are snuffed out. The Clock Tower provides a refuge for people to explore and learn magecraft. Things are pretty good."
"Yeah. Yeah, they are." Ritsuka smiled. "It sounds like you guys have really fulfilling work."
Mash perked up, looking around.
"What's up, kouhai mine?" Ritsuka asked, laying an arm around her shoulders.
"I could have sworn I heard…" Mash murmured.
Da Vinci picked her cup up and took a sip. "And three."
"Two." Roman hid a smile behind a fist as his eyes squinted shut.
"What?" Ritsuka scowled crossly.
"ASSHOLE!"
A pair of powerful arms wrapped around her neck from behind, and Ritsuka found the back of her head squashed into someone's bosom.
"Joan!" Mash exclaimed in shock and happiness.
Ritsuka stared up at the Avenger, a smile appearing on her face. "Hey Joanie."
The woman growled. "Don't you fucking 'Joanie' me, you jerk! Why weren't you at the gate!?"
"In all fairness, Mattias didn't warn anyone we were coming back," a new voice said in quiet amusement.
Ritsuka turned her head, and saw a woman in an outfit with too many belts. She had blue hair and eyes, and looked exhausted, but happy.
"Aqua!" Tess called, walking into the parlor. She paused. "Oh, you found her. Good." She smiled. "You sure seem happy to see her."
"WHAT."
"Well, with the hug-"
"I'M THROTTLING HER."
"Harder, Mommy," Ritsuka simpered. "Ow!"
Joan immediately recoiled, letting Ritsuka's head fall on the couch's back.
"And all was well," Leona mused before finishing her tea. She smiled at Aqua. "So. You're Joan's… hm. What should we call you?"
"Combat partner?" Aqua offered.
"That'll work," Joan said brusquely. She leaned on the back of the couch. "Well. At least you didn't fuckin' die when I was away."
Mash giggled. "We missed you too, Joan."
Joan's lips twitched. "Fuck off." There was less heat than usual.
"So-" Ritsuka began.
"Was in a dark-based hellworld for a year keeping her alive. Creepy-quiet, lots of shadow creatures. Zero out of ten, don't recommend." Joan pinched Ritsuka's cheek and tugged it.
"Arg."
"I'll just let you…" Aqua trailed off.
"Come on. I'll introduce you to some more people." Tess put a hand on Aqua's arm. "It'll do you good to be outside a bit more, anyways."
Ritsuka saw Aqua nod as Joan dropped her chin on top of her head. "Hey, we should talk later," Ritsuka said, voice slurred by Joan's grip on her cheek. "Especially if Joan's gonna keep helping you."
Aqua smiled. "I'd like that."
Mash gave a cheery wave as the woman walked out of the room, Tess at her side.
"Please let go of my face."
In retaliation, Joan placed both hands on Ritsuka's cheeks and began to knead.
"Bluhh."
"Just like the old days," Roman remarked dryly.
Leona giggled as Mash shrugged.
Ritsuka just sat back and 'tolerated' the face massage.
It was nice to have her Joanie back.
Now where were Sherlock and Fergus…?
____________________________________________________________________________
Aqua stared at the white clouds rolling across the sky. Tess had her in a different part of the Temple Complex that served as the Guild's base, one with open air.
"You alright?"
She startled and looked at Tess. "I'm fine! It's just been a while since I've seen natural light."
"How long?"
"Um. I don't know." Aqua rubbed her fingers together self-consciously. "I don't even know if… I have a lot of questions for Mattias when I get back."
"And thus you're smarter than most of us," Tess said dryly. "If we'd asked more than just assumed he'd say something, we might have been a little more prepared for some of what we ran into. Of course, he wouldn't shut up. And some things happened that he couldn't remotely account for."
Aqua laughed a little.
"So I'm going to introduce you to someone, and you'll be in regular contact with them to discuss what's been happening to you," Tess continued. "We have a fair few therapists now, given the number of Parahumans in the Guild."
"Parahumans?" Aqua asked.
"People with powers. Not magic. The entire explanation is complex, but up until almost a year ago, people would sometimes trigger with superpowers during a traumatic incident in their lives. Now powers come more easily, but pre-Grail capes tend to have more baggage," Tess explained.
"Pre-Grail?"
"Grail is Mattias' code name."
Aqua nodded. "So he's important."
"One of the most important people in the world, though getting him to act it is impossible. He's a big puppy of a man, and if he wasn't capable of being so earnest and endearing he'd be a walking Public Relations disaster." Tess shook her head with a fond smile. She began to walk away, and Aqua followed.
"So… a therapist? What's that?"
"They help you work through your traumas, problems, and assorted issues. Teach you skills to cope with your emotional and mental concerns." Tess opened a door. "Jessica! New arrival!"
A woman with dark hair looked up from her desk, a set of files in front of her alongside a phone. "Hello. Jessica Yamada," she said with a small smile.
"Aqua. Just Aqua." Aqua folded her hands. "Um…?"
"Jessica is in charge of our mental health division. She used to work with Mattias, and another hero named Eidolon who works for the Protectorate." Tess paused. "That's another hero team. The division is mostly academic at this point."
Jessica nodded. "Right. My specialty is juvenile parahumans, which is why I'm finally handing those two off to people I've personally vetted." She stretched her arms. "And it seems Mattias has a child with him who is in dire need of a session whenever I can make the time. I might have to tackle this one personally past intake, and it looks long-term."
"Who?" Aqua asked with a small frown. "He mentioned someone I would need to train to use a Keyblade…"
Jessica raised an eyebrow but didn't ask whatever question she had. "According to him the child went through a protracted equivalent of a 'trigger event', with at least three components if not more. I quote: 'His best friend was devoured by shadows in a teleportation event, another dissolved into light in his arms and sealed her spiritual heart in his body, and his entire homeworld got vacuumed into a giant red-black vortex in the sky. He's experiencing some mild distress.'" Jessica's smile turned wry. "One must admire the man's talent for understatement."
Aqua took a sharp breath. "Oh."
"I'll be assigning the person looking after you to him as well. He already knows, for all he's disappointed." Jessica leaned back.
"Kate, then?" Tess asked.
"Kate," Jessica agreed. She stood up. "Thankfully I finished my check-in with Riley earlier, so I can walk you to her office."
Aqua followed the two women as they walked outside. "Why would he be disappointed?"
"He's developed a rapport with me. I do care about all my patients, but I can maintain a professional distance. That's getting difficult for me with him, not only because adults of his age are outside of my wheelhouse, but because I consider him a personal friend."
"Is that bad?" Aqua asked.
"It makes it difficult to treat him," Tess said. "Any doctor needs emotional distance from their patient so they can be impartial when diagnosing their problems and treating them."
"Caring is good - and somewhat encouraged - but when it becomes personal, then judgement can be clouded," Jessica concluded.
"I think I understand."
They came to a stop outside a door. Jessica knocked.
"Come in!" a voice called.
Tess opened the door, and the three women walked in.
The room had massive windows to let in light, and seemed to lack ceiling-mounted light sources. There was what appeared to be a small zen garden to the side, and a table with two chairs. Off towards the back, there was a desk.
The desk was covered in papers and one bonsai tree. Behind it sat a woman with short-cut dark hair and dark eyes. She wore a baggy beige sweater and long, flowing skirt. If she wore makeup, it was subtle and subdued.
"Kate, this is Aqua," Jessia said without preamble. "Aqua, this is Kate Sato. She'll be your therapist, assuming she can be of help to you."
Kate smiled. "I'm fairly good at what I do, but we'll reserve judgement until we know what we're working with." She stood.
"So you're not just being assigned to me?" Aqua asked.
Kate shook her head. "If I can't help you, then I pass on what notes I have and we keep this up until we find someone who can. After all, why stick with a therapist who can't help you get results?" She paused. "That said, any therapy will require effort on your own behalf to truly be effective. Mental health is hard work for both practitioners and patients."
Aqua smiled. "I understand. A lot has happened lately."
"Then let's see if getting it off your chest helps," Kate said warmly. She looked to Jessica and Tess. "I have the rest of the day free, so I can take it from here for an hour or so. I'll get her to the quick-travel to the House after we're done, and you can see about her getting lodging?"
Tess nodded in agreement. "Thanks for doing this on short notice, Kate. Glad to have you with us."
"Glad to be here," Kate responded.
Jessica smiled. "We'll get out of your way, then."
Aqua waved as the two women left.
"Alright, take a seat." Kate gestured at the chairs and table.
Aqua moved over and sat in a chair while Kate took the other.
"So. You look like a woman who's had a long few days. Want to get it off your chest?" Kate offered.
"I…" She inhaled. "I was trapped in a world without light for an immense amount of time. It was definitely months at the least, years at most. I don't know how long, because our years might not match yours. Beforehand, the boy I considered a younger brother had his Heart shattered destroying a weapon that threatened our universe and subduing his dark half. At the same time, someone I cared for deeply was possessed by an evil old man looking for a younger body. And before all that, my Master, who was the closest thing I had to a father, was killed by that old man."
Kate's face was calm. "I see. I might need some background for reference on how your universe functions, but it sounds like you've been through severe trauma."
"Perhaps I have," Aqua said with a bitter laugh.
"Well, I'll do what I can to help you manage that, and take control of your life back." Kate folded her hands in her lap. "Will you be in the field often?"
"Most likely. I'm going to travel with Mattias - Grail - and help train a young man who's just lost a lot. Also Taylor and their Servants."
Kate hummed. "Alright. So we'll set a weekly session, and I'll clear the day so you can show up when you can. If you can't make it, I'll be informed." She smiled. "Sound good?"
Aqua nodded, smiling slightly. "Alright. So… where should I start?"
"Wherever you like."
____________________________________________________________________________
"Okay, found you," Ritsuka said with hands on her hips. "So where's Fergus?"
Holmes shrugged elegantly. "I'm sure he's off being a pest to someone."
"Good riddance," Joan scoffed. "The man's a pig."
"He's also loyal, friendly, brave," Ritsuka reminded her.
"And he has appointments with five women and three men for… heavens' sake!" Holmes recoiled and dropped the little black book in his hand. "Where did that come from?" His eyes narrowed.
"Sup."
A dark-skinned girl appeared with a shit-eating grin.
"Name's Aisha. Call me Imp, or Hassan of Empty Spaces. I figured someone oughta keep track of your man; he's hit on most everyone over eighteen he's run into. That almost got ugly when he hit on Rebecca - she didn't care and turned him down, but then he hit on Clark."
"Uh," Mash said intelligently.
"Which, her mans, her right. Serenity, Gramps, and I have been following him and taking notes."
"Gramps?" Joan echoed with a scowl.
GREETINGS.
Ritsuka stared up at the First Hassan.
IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME, FORMER SUMMONER.
"Hey, Aisha!" A young man with pale skin and dark hair wandered in. "I have good news and bad news."
"Good news first," Aisha said. "This is Alec, by the by. He's mine."
Ritsuka waved a hand in irritation. "He's like, twelve. Keep him."
"Sixteen!"
"ANYWAYS," Joan boomed.
Holmes rubbed his forehead. "You were saying?"
"Right. So good: he's stopped hitting on people on sight," Alec said conversationally.
"Damn. So much for following him around and tallying up his fuck schedule," Aisha said with a snap of her fingers.
Mash looked mildly ill. "Yay?"
FIE.
Ritsuka, Joan, Holmes, and Mash shot the Hassan a collective look of disbelief.
I HAVE AN INKLING OF WHAT OCCURED.
Ritsuka peered in the direction Gramps was looking, and her breath caught in her throat.
"Bad news, he found Olly," Alec continued with a pleasant smile.
The utterly mortified blond man slung across Fergus' bare shoulders was the most beautiful she'd ever seen - and she'd seen Heroic Spirits!
"So Oliver is from Texas. He's a member of the Travelers, a pro gaming team," Aisha said conversationally. "His superpower is he's good at learning skills and stuff. Also being supernaturally hot." She paused. "That isn't a joke, by the way."
Ritsuka made a faint burbling noise.
"No," Joan said flatly.
"So, uh." Ritsuka tugged her collar.
Mash sighed. "Here we go again…"
Holmes groaned.
Fergus came to a stop in front of them with a wide grin. "So! Can we keep him?"
The man - Oliver - blinked owlishly. "H-hello?" he said timidly.
Ritsuka folded her hands in front of her. "Hello, Oliver." She gave her sweetest smile.
The rest of her family exchanged exasperated looks as Fergus' smile grew.
"I have a proposition for you."
"Pay up, told you she was his Master," Aisha said gleefully.
Alec sighed and began fishing in his pockets.
I BELIEVE I HAVE BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. GOOD DAY. And with that, Gramps vanished into thin air.
Ritsuka stared at Oliver expectantly.
"Erm…"
Her smile grew. "Well, Mattias was right about one thing."
Mash shot her a confused look.
"I do like Earth-Bet."
Aisha began to howl with laughter.
Ritsuka marched out of the portal, head held high. She might be down a ship, but she was still the Master of Chaldea. She still had a Saber, a Ruler, and a Shielder.
What she did not have was an honest clue of what she was getting into. It was painfully obvious that Mattias meant well, and believed what he said about his home.
Which was the only reason she didn't fly into a shrieking panic when she realized she'd stepped into Ozymandias' Ramesseum Tentyris, his Grand Temple Complex with a metric fuckton of divine mysteries from the Age of Gods. Including the fuck-off light bulb. Her name, not his.
As she surveyed the room she'd entered, she became acutely aware of the amount of forbearance Ozymandias had to have for Mattias and the Guild to let them set up Research and Development inside his Noble Phantasm, not to mention their bureaucracy.
"Senpai?" Mash said faintly.
"Buh-huh?"
"How is Ozymandias able to keep this up consistently? There's no Holy Grail."
Sherlock gave both of them a disappointed look. "The First Magician can create energy ad infinitum. If he hasn't created a battery to support Servants en masse, I would be surprised."
"So like what Merlin sort-of did?" Fergus asked, taking stock of their surroundings.
"Merlin took over supporting us directly with power from Avalon. The instant we arrived here, we were disconnected." Sherlock gazed at the rest of the group. "I feel no difference. We are in an area sufficiently mystic that we are self-sustaining."
Ritsuka let out a soft squeaking sound. "The fuck?"
"Welcome!" A woman in a shimmering green dress approached them with a bright smile. "My name is Theresa Richter. You can call me Tess, or Dragon. Mattias told me you were on the way, and rooms at the Island Manor have been prepared."
"The where now?" Ritsuka asked, trying to regain some control of the situation.
"Taylor created a… I believe the description was 'somewhere between a Reality Marble and Marble Phantasm, but permanent'. Essentially, we have very limited control over reality within the bounds of the island. That control is superceded by Taylor." Tess shrugged. "Mostly we use it to produce desired creature comforts within its boundaries, and keep a safe haven to relax in."
"Ah." Ritsuka inhaled, then exhaled. "So. Where are Leona and Roman?"
"Da Vinci is in her workshop; we weren't able to alert her due to the timing of one of her projects," Tess said. "Roman is aware and available in their shared office at Castle Einzbern."
"You want me to go to Germany?" Ritsuka asked with a grimace.
"Ah, no, Rin and Mattias teleported Castle Einzbern here for Illyasviel to look after the rest of the Einzbern family. It's the initial campus for the Earth-Bet Clocktower Academy," Tess replied.
Ritsuka's mouth opened and shut. She blinked rapidly. "I'm not sure what I was expecting."
"No wonder senpai liked him," Ritsuka faintly heard Mash whisper. "They have a lot in common."
"Part of me wonders if Ritsuka ever got up to anything this large," Sherlock muttered.
"In all fairness, he summoned the Servants and pointed them and their Masters in vague directions. He just kicks pebbles that start avalanches," Tess said wryly. "Though I've yet to be actively disappointed in the results."
Ritsuka rubbed her face. "Right. Take Mash and I to see Roman, and we'll see Leona when she's available. Fergus, go to this Manor. Don't hit on anyone until you're sure they're single."
"What if their partner's willing to share? Or better yet, join in?" the man boomed with a wide smile.
"I will not be held responsible for these hypothetical people's life choices," Ritsuka said with a shrug.
"...perhaps I should follow along so there isn't an impromptu orgy," Sherlock commented with a displeased look.
Tess stared at the newcomers. "Yeah, no, you'll all fit in fine. I really don't know why I was worried."
Ritsuka exchanged a look with Mash.
That… sounded ominous.
____________________________________________________________________________
To Fergus' mild disappointment, he and Sherlock were dragged along to Castle Einzbern.
To Ritsuka's mild irritation, Roman had been called away to help Vice-Director Waver Velvet handle a literal fire in the classroom.
So to save time, they found themselves in the office of the school's Alchemy expert. Illyasviel von Einzbern, the Third Magician.
"Okay. This is a spirit core. I plug this in, and you're autonomous. It makes enough energy to keep you running at top performance, including Noble Phantasms. Mattias left plenty behind, and I'm one of the three people who can install them safely in a Servant." The pre-teen homunculus crossed her arms with an imperious look. "Any questions?" She hefted the white, fist-sized sphere in her hand.
"Nope," Fergus said, stepping forward.
Sherlock held a hand up and opened his mouth just as the orb began to glow and Illyasviel slipped it into Fergus' chest. Well, around his abs. She was too short to reach his chest.
"Done. Next?" She looked over Mash. "Your connection to your powers is weird, so I'd want to give you several checkups first. Myself, Morphosis, and Grail at the least, Khepri if we're being thorough."
"Um?" Mash blinked rapidly. "Who are these people?"
Illyasviel slapped her forehead. "Right, cape names. Morphosis is Amy Laverre. Her power is tactile Biokinesis. Basically, she touches you and she can do whatever to your body, from healing to degeneration to enhancements. This applies to all living matter. Grail is Mattias; him you've met. Khepri is Taylor Hebert."
"Oh yeah, the Fourth Magician," Ritsuka said. "What's her power?"
"Insect control. Total manipulation, sensory reading, multitasking, and a range of several city blocks." Illyasviel ticked off each aspect on a different finger.
"Hhhuh." Ritsuka grimaced. "Okay then."
"And her Magic took insects and made it 'everything in a sixteen-foot radius'. Which she can project from her insects, and insect-shaped construct familiars. And overlap and piggyback." Illyasviel gave Ritsuka a long look. "She's only limited by stamina, and she has a direct line to an infinite well of magical energy. She and Mattias are our scariest members for a reason."
Ritsuka nodded. "I see."
She wasn't screaming inside, no sir.
Why couldn't I have had one of her during the Orders!?
"Hey!"
Ritsuka jolted as Sherlock scowled darkly, rubbing his chest.
Illyasviel looked supremely unconcerned. "There. Tune-up done."
"Illya, have you seen- oh!"
Da Vinci stared into the room, her hands over her mouth.
"I'm not responsible for this. Blame Grail. See you!" Illyasviel bolted out the door, dodging around Da Vinci.
Fergus cleared his throat. "I'll just…"
Sherlock nodded. "Quite."
The two Servants vanished into thin air.
Ritsuka stepped forward, reaching out her hand. She was dimly aware of Mash doing the same.
Slowly, Da Vinci lowered her hands, and threw her arms around the two women as soon as they stepped close.
"You're really here," Ritsuka choked out.
"Leona…!" Mash sniffled.
"You two… I'm so glad…!"
"Hey- oh. Well, you found out."
Ritsuka and Mash looked over Da Vinci's shoulders.
Roman smiled warmly back. "Hey you two. Sorry, Flat had a mishap with one of Grail's throwaway artifacts. Apparently he decided to make a disposable necklace of fireball beads on a whim."
"You knew?" Da Vinci's voice was dangerously calm.
"To be fair, I found out while you were in your lab. And you were in your lab when Tess found out that Mattias sent them here after getting access to the Shadow Border," Roman said quickly.
Da Vinci relaxed. "Okay. You get to live."
Ritsuka giggled. "Not going to 'straight-up murder' him?" she teased. She let out a squawk as Da Vinci picked up her and Mash, and spun them around.
"Roman!"
"Yes, yes," the doctor said in amusement. He wrapped his arms around the group.
Mash sobbed quietly, shaking.
"Hey, it's okay. We're okay," Roman said soothingly.
"...happy…"
"Hm?" Roman frowned a little.
"She said she's happy," Ritsuka answered with a little laugh. "I can't… this is real?"
"Real as it gets. Let's go find somewhere to sit and catch up, okay?" Da Vinci said softly.
"Yeah." Ritsuka smiled. "Sounds good."
____________________________________________________________________________
"Holy shit." Ritsuka stared at Leona as she sipped her tea. "You guys did all that?"
The two Servants had taken Ritsuka and Mash back to the Island Manor, or as it was originally named, 'the House'.
(Privately, Ritsuka didn't think the name was much of an improvement.)
"I came in near the end, really," Roman said with a sheepish smile. "I'll need to introduce you to Rain at some point. He's a good kid, despite being born into an apocalypse cult."
"A what?" Ritsuka blinked.
"The Fallen venerated the Endbringers. They were also more or less bigots, depending on the branch. Plenty of virulent homophobia at the least," Da Vinci explained. "Which is amusing seeing as how one of Rain's best friends is openly gay."
"I'm a little sad we missed it all." Mash folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sure we would have been of some help."
"Possibly, but you both deserved the break. You'd saved the world several times over." Da Vinci smiled. "It was fine to let Grail, Khepri, and the rest handle this run."
Ritsuka gazed into her drink. "That's true. Maybe we can help this time, though."
"Well, you might deploy sometimes. Earth Bet is surprisingly quiet after last month," Roman commented.
"How so?" asked Mash.
"Well, we had a fairly large push into Africa over the past few months. We managed to depose a few warlords and get the communities set up with our tech." Leona set her cup down. "So far, they've been self-sustaining and growing. We've kept in touch with them, and to the best of our knowledge they've gotten governments not based on parahuman brute force in place. Some of the former warlords were talked down and moved to roles as protectors. Those were the less murderous ones, naturally."
"Oh." Ritsuka rubbed her chin. "So… crime? Conflicts between countries?"
"Crime is as it's ever been. Brockton Bay is something of an experiment in that it has first access to the tech and innovations we produce. Other cities don't have that access yet due to those in power answering to various companies and interests." Da Vinci's smile took on an edge. "We make the offer regardless."
"And then the people in power get voted out for people who say they'll accept the tech, and life goes on." Roman shrugged. "It's a slow process, and we're spreading out slowly. The Protectorate and Guild are the main refuges for parahumans nowadays. The major crime syndicates are snuffed out. The Clock Tower provides a refuge for people to explore and learn magecraft. Things are pretty good."
"Yeah. Yeah, they are." Ritsuka smiled. "It sounds like you guys have really fulfilling work."
Mash perked up, looking around.
"What's up, kouhai mine?" Ritsuka asked, laying an arm around her shoulders.
"I could have sworn I heard…" Mash murmured.
Da Vinci picked her cup up and took a sip. "And three."
"Two." Roman hid a smile behind a fist as his eyes squinted shut.
"What?" Ritsuka scowled crossly.
"ASSHOLE!"
A pair of powerful arms wrapped around her neck from behind, and Ritsuka found the back of her head squashed into someone's bosom.
"Joan!" Mash exclaimed in shock and happiness.
Ritsuka stared up at the Avenger, a smile appearing on her face. "Hey Joanie."
The woman growled. "Don't you fucking 'Joanie' me, you jerk! Why weren't you at the gate!?"
"In all fairness, Mattias didn't warn anyone we were coming back," a new voice said in quiet amusement.
Ritsuka turned her head, and saw a woman in an outfit with too many belts. She had blue hair and eyes, and looked exhausted, but happy.
"Aqua!" Tess called, walking into the parlor. She paused. "Oh, you found her. Good." She smiled. "You sure seem happy to see her."
"WHAT."
"Well, with the hug-"
"I'M THROTTLING HER."
"Harder, Mommy," Ritsuka simpered. "Ow!"
Joan immediately recoiled, letting Ritsuka's head fall on the couch's back.
"And all was well," Leona mused before finishing her tea. She smiled at Aqua. "So. You're Joan's… hm. What should we call you?"
"Combat partner?" Aqua offered.
"That'll work," Joan said brusquely. She leaned on the back of the couch. "Well. At least you didn't fuckin' die when I was away."
Mash giggled. "We missed you too, Joan."
Joan's lips twitched. "Fuck off." There was less heat than usual.
"So-" Ritsuka began.
"Was in a dark-based hellworld for a year keeping her alive. Creepy-quiet, lots of shadow creatures. Zero out of ten, don't recommend." Joan pinched Ritsuka's cheek and tugged it.
"Arg."
"I'll just let you…" Aqua trailed off.
"Come on. I'll introduce you to some more people." Tess put a hand on Aqua's arm. "It'll do you good to be outside a bit more, anyways."
Ritsuka saw Aqua nod as Joan dropped her chin on top of her head. "Hey, we should talk later," Ritsuka said, voice slurred by Joan's grip on her cheek. "Especially if Joan's gonna keep helping you."
Aqua smiled. "I'd like that."
Mash gave a cheery wave as the woman walked out of the room, Tess at her side.
"Please let go of my face."
In retaliation, Joan placed both hands on Ritsuka's cheeks and began to knead.
"Bluhh."
"Just like the old days," Roman remarked dryly.
Leona giggled as Mash shrugged.
Ritsuka just sat back and 'tolerated' the face massage.
It was nice to have her Joanie back.
Now where were Sherlock and Fergus…?
____________________________________________________________________________
Aqua stared at the white clouds rolling across the sky. Tess had her in a different part of the Temple Complex that served as the Guild's base, one with open air.
"You alright?"
She startled and looked at Tess. "I'm fine! It's just been a while since I've seen natural light."
"How long?"
"Um. I don't know." Aqua rubbed her fingers together self-consciously. "I don't even know if… I have a lot of questions for Mattias when I get back."
"And thus you're smarter than most of us," Tess said dryly. "If we'd asked more than just assumed he'd say something, we might have been a little more prepared for some of what we ran into. Of course, he wouldn't shut up. And some things happened that he couldn't remotely account for."
Aqua laughed a little.
"So I'm going to introduce you to someone, and you'll be in regular contact with them to discuss what's been happening to you," Tess continued. "We have a fair few therapists now, given the number of Parahumans in the Guild."
"Parahumans?" Aqua asked.
"People with powers. Not magic. The entire explanation is complex, but up until almost a year ago, people would sometimes trigger with superpowers during a traumatic incident in their lives. Now powers come more easily, but pre-Grail capes tend to have more baggage," Tess explained.
"Pre-Grail?"
"Grail is Mattias' code name."
Aqua nodded. "So he's important."
"One of the most important people in the world, though getting him to act it is impossible. He's a big puppy of a man, and if he wasn't capable of being so earnest and endearing he'd be a walking Public Relations disaster." Tess shook her head with a fond smile. She began to walk away, and Aqua followed.
"So… a therapist? What's that?"
"They help you work through your traumas, problems, and assorted issues. Teach you skills to cope with your emotional and mental concerns." Tess opened a door. "Jessica! New arrival!"
A woman with dark hair looked up from her desk, a set of files in front of her alongside a phone. "Hello. Jessica Yamada," she said with a small smile.
"Aqua. Just Aqua." Aqua folded her hands. "Um…?"
"Jessica is in charge of our mental health division. She used to work with Mattias, and another hero named Eidolon who works for the Protectorate." Tess paused. "That's another hero team. The division is mostly academic at this point."
Jessica nodded. "Right. My specialty is juvenile parahumans, which is why I'm finally handing those two off to people I've personally vetted." She stretched her arms. "And it seems Mattias has a child with him who is in dire need of a session whenever I can make the time. I might have to tackle this one personally past intake, and it looks long-term."
"Who?" Aqua asked with a small frown. "He mentioned someone I would need to train to use a Keyblade…"
Jessica raised an eyebrow but didn't ask whatever question she had. "According to him the child went through a protracted equivalent of a 'trigger event', with at least three components if not more. I quote: 'His best friend was devoured by shadows in a teleportation event, another dissolved into light in his arms and sealed her spiritual heart in his body, and his entire homeworld got vacuumed into a giant red-black vortex in the sky. He's experiencing some mild distress.'" Jessica's smile turned wry. "One must admire the man's talent for understatement."
Aqua took a sharp breath. "Oh."
"I'll be assigning the person looking after you to him as well. He already knows, for all he's disappointed." Jessica leaned back.
"Kate, then?" Tess asked.
"Kate," Jessica agreed. She stood up. "Thankfully I finished my check-in with Riley earlier, so I can walk you to her office."
Aqua followed the two women as they walked outside. "Why would he be disappointed?"
"He's developed a rapport with me. I do care about all my patients, but I can maintain a professional distance. That's getting difficult for me with him, not only because adults of his age are outside of my wheelhouse, but because I consider him a personal friend."
"Is that bad?" Aqua asked.
"It makes it difficult to treat him," Tess said. "Any doctor needs emotional distance from their patient so they can be impartial when diagnosing their problems and treating them."
"Caring is good - and somewhat encouraged - but when it becomes personal, then judgement can be clouded," Jessica concluded.
"I think I understand."
They came to a stop outside a door. Jessica knocked.
"Come in!" a voice called.
Tess opened the door, and the three women walked in.
The room had massive windows to let in light, and seemed to lack ceiling-mounted light sources. There was what appeared to be a small zen garden to the side, and a table with two chairs. Off towards the back, there was a desk.
The desk was covered in papers and one bonsai tree. Behind it sat a woman with short-cut dark hair and dark eyes. She wore a baggy beige sweater and long, flowing skirt. If she wore makeup, it was subtle and subdued.
"Kate, this is Aqua," Jessia said without preamble. "Aqua, this is Kate Sato. She'll be your therapist, assuming she can be of help to you."
Kate smiled. "I'm fairly good at what I do, but we'll reserve judgement until we know what we're working with." She stood.
"So you're not just being assigned to me?" Aqua asked.
Kate shook her head. "If I can't help you, then I pass on what notes I have and we keep this up until we find someone who can. After all, why stick with a therapist who can't help you get results?" She paused. "That said, any therapy will require effort on your own behalf to truly be effective. Mental health is hard work for both practitioners and patients."
Aqua smiled. "I understand. A lot has happened lately."
"Then let's see if getting it off your chest helps," Kate said warmly. She looked to Jessica and Tess. "I have the rest of the day free, so I can take it from here for an hour or so. I'll get her to the quick-travel to the House after we're done, and you can see about her getting lodging?"
Tess nodded in agreement. "Thanks for doing this on short notice, Kate. Glad to have you with us."
"Glad to be here," Kate responded.
Jessica smiled. "We'll get out of your way, then."
Aqua waved as the two women left.
"Alright, take a seat." Kate gestured at the chairs and table.
Aqua moved over and sat in a chair while Kate took the other.
"So. You look like a woman who's had a long few days. Want to get it off your chest?" Kate offered.
"I…" She inhaled. "I was trapped in a world without light for an immense amount of time. It was definitely months at the least, years at most. I don't know how long, because our years might not match yours. Beforehand, the boy I considered a younger brother had his Heart shattered destroying a weapon that threatened our universe and subduing his dark half. At the same time, someone I cared for deeply was possessed by an evil old man looking for a younger body. And before all that, my Master, who was the closest thing I had to a father, was killed by that old man."
Kate's face was calm. "I see. I might need some background for reference on how your universe functions, but it sounds like you've been through severe trauma."
"Perhaps I have," Aqua said with a bitter laugh.
"Well, I'll do what I can to help you manage that, and take control of your life back." Kate folded her hands in her lap. "Will you be in the field often?"
"Most likely. I'm going to travel with Mattias - Grail - and help train a young man who's just lost a lot. Also Taylor and their Servants."
Kate hummed. "Alright. So we'll set a weekly session, and I'll clear the day so you can show up when you can. If you can't make it, I'll be informed." She smiled. "Sound good?"
Aqua nodded, smiling slightly. "Alright. So… where should I start?"
"Wherever you like."
____________________________________________________________________________
"Okay, found you," Ritsuka said with hands on her hips. "So where's Fergus?"
Holmes shrugged elegantly. "I'm sure he's off being a pest to someone."
"Good riddance," Joan scoffed. "The man's a pig."
"He's also loyal, friendly, brave," Ritsuka reminded her.
"And he has appointments with five women and three men for… heavens' sake!" Holmes recoiled and dropped the little black book in his hand. "Where did that come from?" His eyes narrowed.
"Sup."
A dark-skinned girl appeared with a shit-eating grin.
"Name's Aisha. Call me Imp, or Hassan of Empty Spaces. I figured someone oughta keep track of your man; he's hit on most everyone over eighteen he's run into. That almost got ugly when he hit on Rebecca - she didn't care and turned him down, but then he hit on Clark."
"Uh," Mash said intelligently.
"Which, her mans, her right. Serenity, Gramps, and I have been following him and taking notes."
"Gramps?" Joan echoed with a scowl.
GREETINGS.
Ritsuka stared up at the First Hassan.
IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME, FORMER SUMMONER.
"Hey, Aisha!" A young man with pale skin and dark hair wandered in. "I have good news and bad news."
"Good news first," Aisha said. "This is Alec, by the by. He's mine."
Ritsuka waved a hand in irritation. "He's like, twelve. Keep him."
"Sixteen!"
"ANYWAYS," Joan boomed.
Holmes rubbed his forehead. "You were saying?"
"Right. So good: he's stopped hitting on people on sight," Alec said conversationally.
"Damn. So much for following him around and tallying up his fuck schedule," Aisha said with a snap of her fingers.
Mash looked mildly ill. "Yay?"
FIE.
Ritsuka, Joan, Holmes, and Mash shot the Hassan a collective look of disbelief.
I HAVE AN INKLING OF WHAT OCCURED.
Ritsuka peered in the direction Gramps was looking, and her breath caught in her throat.
"Bad news, he found Olly," Alec continued with a pleasant smile.
The utterly mortified blond man slung across Fergus' bare shoulders was the most beautiful she'd ever seen - and she'd seen Heroic Spirits!
"So Oliver is from Texas. He's a member of the Travelers, a pro gaming team," Aisha said conversationally. "His superpower is he's good at learning skills and stuff. Also being supernaturally hot." She paused. "That isn't a joke, by the way."
Ritsuka made a faint burbling noise.
"No," Joan said flatly.
"So, uh." Ritsuka tugged her collar.
Mash sighed. "Here we go again…"
Holmes groaned.
Fergus came to a stop in front of them with a wide grin. "So! Can we keep him?"
The man - Oliver - blinked owlishly. "H-hello?" he said timidly.
Ritsuka folded her hands in front of her. "Hello, Oliver." She gave her sweetest smile.
The rest of her family exchanged exasperated looks as Fergus' smile grew.
"I have a proposition for you."
"Pay up, told you she was his Master," Aisha said gleefully.
Alec sighed and began fishing in his pockets.
I BELIEVE I HAVE BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. GOOD DAY. And with that, Gramps vanished into thin air.
Ritsuka stared at Oliver expectantly.
"Erm…"
Her smile grew. "Well, Mattias was right about one thing."
Mash shot her a confused look.
"I do like Earth-Bet."
Aisha began to howl with laughter.