Little Ritsuka and her Loving Family (Fate/Grand Order)

[RBomber]

Has anyone see the new New Year new Servant?

****

It was a peaceful, typical scene of old style Japanese Onsen.

Goldorf, Meuniere, Lancer and Shirou (Muramasa) are enjoying their open air hot springs, when suddenly-

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT-DECHI?!?!?! WHAT DECHI SAI ABOUT UNDERCOOKING CHICKEN, YOU N@##$(=%¢LL?!?!?"

"...Who cooks today? Not the Landlady?"

"Well, definitely not me-"

That's when a pink haired... girl... boy suddenly splashed in the middle of the hot springs.

"AND DON'T YOU DARE TO SOIL THE ONSEN, YOUNG MAN-DECHI!!!!"

Meuniere, hands covering his nose, quickly leaves the onsen, his speed betraying his mass.

Then the others looks at Red Archer, who bring several sake bottles and some snacks. He blinks. And then he slumped down.

"Fine, I'll try to calm her and try to make something."

This word had effect of Enlightment to them.

"Eh, you'll be okay, it can't be worse than Young Medea."

"Please don't remind me of that."

****

"-And I know that womanly arts is beyond me. Challenge her on that ground is tactical suicide."

Saber, contently, sipped her tea.

In the other side, several female Servants was in state of catatonia. Tama-Cat was openly weeping. Kiyohime mumbles "ForgivemeAnchinsamaForgivemeAnchinsamaForgivemeAnchinsamaForgivemeAnchinsamaForgivemeAnchinsama-", while Tomoe Gozen mumbles "IamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwichIamidiotsandwich-".

In far corner in the onsen, around Caster and Circe and other female Greek, you can see the water bubbles in empty spot between them.

"Medea-chan, it's okay. She wasn't here anymore."

Slowly, the bubbles subsides, and then Medea Lily, Princess of Colchis, slowly rises, Kojiro Sasaki dakimakura tightly hugged-

"-Seriously-dechi, why you can't be more like that EMIYA guy-dechi. He's better cook than all of you combined-"

-and suddenly she's missing again.

The Witch of Betrayal can only sighed. Well, it's not like she can blame her....

****

"Okay, everyone is ready-dechi?"

"YESSSSSS!"

"All wearing clean apron-dechi?"

"YESSSSSS!"

"All tools cleaned and prepared-dechi?"

One hand raised.

"Um, I kinda forget, but I use the spoon for dessert the night bef-"

"Please clean them-dechi, Alice-san."

"Hai."

Another hand raised.

"I'm not sure, but Alter-nee-san might use my spoon to raid the fridge-"

"In doubt, clean them-dechi. That's for all of you-dechi."

"Hai."

Another hand raised.

"Our knives can clean themselves just-"

That's when the room turned dark and foreboding.

"Weunderstandweusenormalmundanecleanknivesokayforgiveus-"

Suddenly, the room lit again.

In the main table, a small girl, barely bigger than a sparrow smiles as she prepared her tools.

"Okay, everyone-dechi. Today we learn how to make a beef stew-"

****

"Soooo, she's a sparrow."

"Uhuh."

"And your technique is specifically to kill swallow."

"Uhuh."

"...She didn't fear you?"

"...Why she should fear me? I had nothing against her. Also, it's Swallow Reversal, not Sparrow Reversal."

"...You said dragon was just bigger swallow."

"Well, true. But in the other hand, she didn't go out her way to kill Master or our allies."

"...Well, Medea-chan-"

"Young Caster-dono tried to make pancakes made from Demon Pillar remain. Even after Red Archer-dono specifically asked her not to. I had no pity spared for her."

"...She used your figure, your body pillow as charm against Landlady."

"...To be honest, I never understand how Caster mind's work. I think you should just ask her."

"...Point."

"Also, Landlady-dono teaches me how to make sandwich. At the very minimal, I had to respect her."

"...You did?"

"She was quite harsh, but she's fair."

"...Can I have one?"

"Sure."

*****

Edited for dechi, dechi.

 

[kamenhero25]

Ritsuka clung to Arturia's shoulders as they rushed up the stairs. "Second staircase in the seventh hall…" Mash muttered from just ahead of them. "This is the fastest way to the throne room, right?"

"This place looks nothing like Camelot," Arturia muttered. "My castle was never this big."

Bedivere just nodded. "We're almost there. We have a straight shot to the Lion King." His ordinary hand absently reached across his body, clutching the base of his silver arm as they ran.

"Problem," Dr. Roman cut in, his image appearing in mid-air. "There's a powerful Spirit Origin coming up fast behind you! It's definitely one of the Knights of the Round Table, Gawain!"

"So he managed to get past King Hassan," Mash replied softly. "I hope he's alright."

"The King is strong!" Ritsuka interrupted. "Gawain must have done something clever to get by. He's fine!"

Arturia just grimaced as she drew her golden blade and set Ritsuka safely on the ground. "It matters not how he got here. He'll be on us soon enough. We have no choice but to fight."

"Indeed, your instincts are as sharp as ever." The group turned at the base of the stairs as the armor-clad figure of Sir Gawain appeared from the end of the hall. "You do not fail to disappoint, King of Knights."

"If you acknowledge me as King of Knights, why must we continue to fight?" Arturia didn't take her eyes from the silver knight, her hands clutched tight around the hilt of her blade. "If you know the king you serve is false, what is the point of this?"

"False?" Gawain's lips twitched, though it was impossible to tell if they were trying to form a grimace or a grin. "You misunderstand. We were all given a choice when the Lion King came to us. I was even told that I might strike the king down where they stood. Our world is ruined, but even if it might be self-righteous, our king has declared themself the guardian of what remains of mankind. Sir Bors, Sir Palamedes, Sir Geheris… not all of the Knights of the Round Table agreed with this. And they showed their loyalty to the King of Knights be rebelling then and there. And as the Knights of the Lion King, we struck them down."

Mash's eyes widened and Bedivere's jaw clenched so hard that his face paled. "You killed them?" the Shielder Servant said, shock evident in her voice. "But I thought the Crusaders…"

A bark of humorless laughter erupted from Gawain's lips. "You think a bunch of tomb robbers could defeat the Knights of the Round Table? Even splintered and broken as we are, they would be no match for us."

"I see," Arturia said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Your honor has not changed, even now, Sir Gawain."

"Indeed," Gawain answered. "I am a Knight of the Lion King to the bitter end."

"Then as the King of Knights, we can be nothing more than enemies." Her sword came up and her gaze was steady and hard. "Prepare yourself, Knight of the Sun."

"Indeed," Bedivere stepped forward, his arm beginning to glow. "You are not the only one with the ability to defeat your own comrades in arms. We shall defeat you together."

"Your arm," Ritsuka murmured, one of her small hands reaching out to catch the knight's sleeve.

Bedivere just smiled at her. "It's fine," he assured her. "I'm strong too."

"We don't have time to linger," Mash agreed. "We need everyone at full power to defeat him before the Lion King finishes absorbing everything."

Suddenly, there was a rumble beneath them and the floor shuddered under their feet. "What?" Gawain had just enough time to leap back as the floor cracked and exploded upward, one of the Enforcer Knights flying through the stone work and striking the ground, immobile and silent. "Who is interfering now?" he growled, frustration leaking into his voice.

There was a wordless roar from the bottom of the newly formed hole and a black blur leaped from below, landing on the floor in front of Gawain with enough force to add more cracks to the stone. "Aaaaarrttthurrrr!"

"Again?" Gawain snarled as the black knight turned to face him.. "This one again?! Who are you to interfere now of all times?"

Mash's eyes widened. "That's…"

"He's buying us time," Bedivere said, the silver glow fading from his arm. "We need to go."

Ritsuka watched the two knights facing each other down. "But…"

The black knight growled and looked back, a bloody glow shining through his visor. "Ggggooo." The girl looked at him for a moment longer before the group turned and ran for the stairs again.

"Damn you!" Gawain shouted, rushing forward. "I will not let you take this from me!"

A steely tendril lashed out from the black knight's back, wrapping around the halberd of the fallen Enforcer Knight and dragging it to its master's hands. The weapon crackled with red and black light as it met Galatine's blade, the air rippling from the impact force. "Gaaawaaaain!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" A low, rumbling growl echoed from the night's helmet in response. Then he roared and swung out with the polearm, throwing Gawain backward with brute force. The halberd clattered to the ground and he reached back, drawing forth a blade sheathed in darkness. Light swirled around him and the smoke that seemed to cover his armor vanished as the blade became clear.

Gawain's eyes widened. "It can't be…"

The black knight's helmet dissolved, revealing the wild eyes and matted hair of a very familiar face. "Gaaawaain."

"Lancelot." Gawain could feel the color fading from his cheeks. "What happened? What made you fall this low?"

"Arrrrthuuurr… Galahaad…." Lancelot replied. "Protect…"

The Knight of the Sun steeled his jaw. "Unbelievable. Even like this, you haven't changed. Fine. Then I'll just go through you to protect my king!"

The black knight just howled as he raised Arondight to meet Galatine again.

 

[kamenhero25]

A/N: So I finally have been blasting through LB 1 over the last couple days since it's on reduced AP now and god Kadoc is such a little bitch. This is mostly venting, so sorry if it's a shitty return to this thread.

------------------------------

"I see."

Kadoc cut himself off as the red-clan Archer interrupted him. "What?"

"I see why you do not qualify as Humanity's Master," EMIYA continued. "Aside from the obvious, of course."

"The obvious?!" The pale young man bristled and his fists clenched so hard that for a moment he was afraid he might start bleeding. "I trained for years. I gave up everything practicing to be better. Then some high born child comes along and does everything?! She's what, fucking six? Any of us could have done better!"

"You certainly gave up all of humanity for your own ego," EMIYA deadpanned. "You'd think it would be quite obvious that you being here trying to kill Humanity's defenders would be more than enough reason why you're not qualified to be one of them. And she's eleven, so please watch your language." Kadoc made a strangled noise that might have been a growl. "But I digress. As a nameless hero who only continues to exist as a thankless agent of the Counter Force, allow me to explain to you why you could never be humanity's protector. It's shockingly simple. Because every single desire you have is selfish."

Kadoc was actually at a loss for words for several very long moments. "What?"

"You're selfish. All of your ranting and raving ultimately comes back to your being jealous that you didn't get to be the big hero. Do you think Hercules wanted to take on his Twelve Labors that would leave him known as the single greatest hero of Greece? Or perhaps you should as your Grand Duchess if she asked to be murdered so the Soviet Union could be born." He pointed an accusing finger at the opposing Caster. "But I'm guessing that thought never crossed your mind. For all of your complaining about Ritsuka being born into a noble family, you're more of a 'proper' magus than she ever will be. Because she actually cares about people and you couldn't give less of a damn about humanity. This is one massive ego trip while you try to convince yourself that you're not an abject failure."

"Don't you fu..."

EMIYA cut him off again. "And you are. You and every single one of your so-called Crypters would have failed miserably attempting to save humanity. Because if they're even remotely like you, they would have gotten killed by one of your own Servants within a month and Chaldea would have collapsed. Because where Ritsuka is different from each and every one of you is that she listens, she understands, and she cares." The Counter Guardian laughed. "How does it feel to know an eleven year old has more social skills than you do?" Kadoc growled and his hand twitched like he was about to order Anastasia to attack. "Because I don't think there's a single one of you would could have gotten Ishtar and Gilgamesh to sit in the same room without killing each other. Or half the Knights of the Round Table. Or had Jack the Ripper decide that she wants to be your sister. You would have thrown them away like trash, just like you would have thrown Mash away. Or all of humanity away. Until one of them decided to take it out on you rather than being used."

The red-clad Archer calmly formed his bow in one hand. "You don't give a damn about anyone but you, much less about humanity as a whole. And that's exactly why you could never be qualified to save humanity. Olga-Marie has tried her best, but she made a mistake picking people like you." He raised his bow. "Now send your Servant at me, enemy of humanity. And I'll put you both down like I was meant to."