CHAPTER 11:

MAYHEM AND MEETINGS

Atalanta found Berserker and Achilles with contemptuous ease. Once she got within range, it was ridiculously simple to listen for Berserker loping through the forest, howling about oppressors and his love. She sighed in annoyance. While Berserkers were meant to be insane, it didn't mean she liked dealing with them. If they were merely filled with rage or had some monomaniacal focus that nonetheless left them relatively lucid, she could cope. But someone who was this utterly delusional?

Instead, she began searching for Achilles, and found him readily. She leapt onto a branch near where he was going to land, and as he did, she aimed her bow at him, allowing enough noise to alert him to her presence. "You seem a mite slow without your steeds, Rider," she said.

Achilles scoffed. "Hey, you try driving a chariot through a forest," he said, turning to face her, only to blink in startled recognition. She had met him only a couple of times, when he was young, the last time while he was receiving instruction from the centaur Chiron. Even then, it was only because she had known his father, Peleus, one of the few on the Argo she liked. "Hey, it's you, Missy!"

"Don't call me that. It is Archer of Red if you must address me. Do not use that nickname or my real name," Atalanta said sternly.

"Whatever you say, Missy," Achilles said with his habitual cocky grin. Even as a kid, he had that. Came from being a demigod, she reckoned. His father was one too, son of a mortal man and a mountain nymph. Achilles' mother was a sea nymph, Thetis, meaning that the cocksure hero was three-quarters divine. No wonder he was such an arrogant little shit, even without the near-complete invincibility.

"What's the status?" Atalanta asked. "Other than Berserker going AWOL?"

"AWOL? You're picking up modern slang well, Missy. But not much news. I'm guessing the priest told you what was up. I heard Archer got summoned by someone claiming to be Artemis' adopted kid. When I heard the descriptions, well, I hoped it'd be you. Anyway, Berserker there seems to have gotten it into his head, thanks to our Caster, that Yggdmillennia was filled with oppressors. Retrieving him is going to be virtually impossible, and I've seen enough bird golems to know that Yggdmillennia knows we're coming."

"Hmm. If things get too hairy, my Master wishes for me to withdraw instead of being dragged down with Berserker in any suicidal charge."

"I hear that. But…speaking of Masters…there's something weird going on, Missy. I mean, you know where your Master is, right? Well, the weird thing is…I haven't met my Master since being summoned. I hear his voice through our link giving me orders, to say nothing of his mana, but…I've only met the priest and the other Servants of Red."

Atalanta frowned. Thankfully, Berserker had stopped moving for the time being, instead bellowing his nonsensical declarations to the sky. "He claims that the other Masters are working offsite. Many Magi would consider us familiars, giving orders, and treating us like tools, but still…" She kept most of her thoughts internal, as she didn't know whether Semiramis was still watching. For all she knew, Semiramis knew how to speak Ancient Greek, and not just her native tongue, so she couldn't use that to conceal any voicing of her suspicions. But it only solidified her suspicions about the priest and Semiramis.

Over their mental link, she spoke to Harry, explaining what she learned from Achilles. Is that right? Then the priest is looking more and more suspicious. You're right to conceal this from Achilles, just in case Semiramis is watching. Anyway, I've sent a Patronus to Kairi Sisigou, Harry said. We'll see if he has anything else to add. Hopefully, he'll be a good ally. Just play along for now.

Understood.

"Incidentally, Missy, dunno whether that priest briefed you properly, but I know who the Berserker is, thanks to my Master's brother," Achilles said, before whispering it into her ear. "Spartacus."

Spartacus. The Thracian gladiator who lead an armed rebellion against the might of Rome, freeing his fellow slaves, only to be brutally executed via crucifixion. "I see," Atalanta said. "Do you know anything about his Noble Phantasm?"

"Only that if it goes too far, we've got to run like hell," Achilles said. He looked into the distance, at Spartacus' hulking form beginning to lope away. "Welp, there he goes. You wanna take point or let me do that, Missy?"

"I'll take point. And don't call me that, Twinkleheels(1)."

The look on his face brought a small smirk to her own. One thing living with Harry and Artemis taught her was finding the humour in the little things. And putting Peleus' brat in his place helped…

Soon after finishing his own conversation with Atalanta, and relaying this to Reika, Harry's phone trilled, and he answered it. "Harry Jaeger speaking."

"Hey. This is Kairi Sisigou," replied a gruff voice. "You were the one who sent the Patronus, right?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd contact you, as the priest said you've been working independently of the rest of the Red Faction. Archer's currently trying to hunt down Berserker of Red, but we've got concerns about the priest and his Servant, and I'm guessing you do too."

"…Yeah, I guess you could say that. I've heard a lot about you, Jaeger. And we have our own issues with Kotomine. Plus, we heard from Rocco Belfeban that you're allied with the Master of Assassin of Black. Now, I generally work best on my own, but if you're open to sharing information and forming an alliance, I'm happy to do so. Hell, you could stay here at Casa de Sisigou if you wanted and didn't cause trouble. Saber's getting bored, I think she could use some company."

Distantly, he heard what sounded like a teenaged girl snarl sulkily, "I do not need company."

"We'll consider it, but first, I'd rather wait until Archer is finished on her errand. That being said…do you think it's out of character for Feend vor Sembren to send his Lancer against Ruler?"

"…Well, yeah. I only met him once before this little debacle began, but I don't think he'd do that. I can't be sure, though. You saying you saw it happen?"

"I was there. Lancer, real name Karna, claimed he was acting on the orders of his Master. We're more worried about the priest. Something about him and his Servant worries me."

"Yeah, Assassin reminded Saber of someone she knew in life. She got me outta there PDQ. So I guess we're not the only ones worried."

"Yep. We'll come over later, once the night's events have passed."

After a brief exchange of details, Harry hung up, before looking at Reika and Jackie, who, having finished their meal, were perusing the small display case he had of wands, Mystic Codes, and Magic Crests. The macabre trophies of his profession. "Enjoying yourselves there?"

"Somewhat," Reika said, holding up Jackie to look at the collection. "These are all magical artifacts?"

"The wands and Mystic Codes are. Mystic Codes, in fact, would count wands, though most Magi wouldn't be seen dead with one. Magic Crests are basically what you could call family heirlooms, passed down to firstborn children within Magi family to strengthen their connection to magic, as well as their research to build on. Magic Crests are more abstract than solid, but there are ways of transferring them to solid media. That being said, you need to have some magical potential in order to have them transplanted to you so you can use them. At the moment, while you have Jackie's Command Seals, Mum's providing the mana. Anyway, there's only a few of those I've claimed there. Most of them are wands from idiot wizards who wanted me dead. Clock Tower or the next of kin usually reclaim Mystic Codes and Magic Crests."

"Hmm. An assassin?"

"Bounty hunter, for the most part, emphasis on the 'hunter' part. I usually bring them back alive. It keeps my skills sharp. But I do kill. Usually Dead Apostles, vampires to you, and rogue Magi and wizards who have crossed the line. And as keeping heads mounted on walls is a touch too macabre…" He indicated the display case.

"I see. What do you think, Jackie?"

"I think Big Brother Harry's collection is great!"

Harry blinked. "…Big Brother?" Harry asked in an uncertain tone.

"…Well, yes," Jackie said, looking at him as if he was stupid. "I have Mummy Reika and Mummy Artemis, and as Mummy Artemis is your mummy as well, that makes you our big brother!"

"…I guess I can't refute that logic," Harry said, ruffling the Assassin's hair. "My little sister, Jack the Ripper. That sentence should be so wrong, and yet…oh well. Now, Jackie, I'd like to, with Reika's permission, ask you to do something."

"What's that?" Jackie asked.

"Assassin Servants are best at two things: killing enemy Masters, and scouting. This situation calls for the second one. I'd like you to go to where Atalanta is and look for the Servants of Black if they move to intercept Berserker. I don't want you to fight them or even linger if things get too heated, but I'd like you to listen in and find out more about our enemy, see if they divulge their names or their Noble Phantasms. Do you think you can do that, please?"

Jackie looked to Reika, who nodded. "Sure!" the Assassin chirped.

"Great! Now, as I told you, don't linger if things are getting dangerous, understand? Neither of us want to see you getting hurt."

"Nuh-uh! We won't stick around!" Jackie said, shaking her head.

"Then it's settled," Reika said with her usual smile, the unnerving one. "Do you know where to go?"

"Yep! Should we go now?"

"Why not? Just don't get hurt, Jackie."

"We won't," Jackie said, before changing into her battle clothes, her cloak hanging around her as she dashed out.

"She's so eager," Harry muttered. "She reminds me a little of myself, once Mum drew me out of my shell. Her hunting grounds are one hell of a playground. It's hard to believe that's really an infamous serial killer."

"Hmm. I never thought I'd be a mother, unless it was to some rich fool who bought me out," Reika remarked. "I have to say…it's better than I thought. Then again, I've bypassed the crying and diaper-changing phase."

"You mean nappy."

Reika shrugged. "In any case…I find myself enjoying being her mother. Though I'm no older than you are, so I find it irritating that she calls you Big Brother and calls me Mummy."

"…Just roll with it. Would you like some tea or something?"

"Tea would be nice, thank you."

As Harry put the kettle on, Reika remarked, "The Grail grants two wishes, right? One to the Master and one to the Servant. Is there anything that prevents the wishes being granted to two Servants?"

"Maybe. The whole point of the Grail War is that six Servants are needed to prime it for a wish. With fourteen Servants, not counting Ruler, between the two sides, maybe that might help. I think I know what you're getting at. You don't have a wish?"

"It'd be the same as Jackie's. She wants love and warmth, a mother, and I reciprocate. As for Atalanta…well, you two make a cute couple."

"It's not as simple as that. Mum told me her wish, and we discussed it, but we agreed to disagree on the issue," Harry said. "In truth, it'll take her a bit to realise what she really wants. I guess if I have a wish, it's to make her truly alive in this world again. I could revive my parents, but I don't know them, and I want Atalanta to find her own happiness. She wants to ensure the children of the world are loved and happy. How the Grail can do that…well, like I said, we agreed to disagree. Then again, maybe we could give both of them new bodies with the same wish. The Greater Grail is connected to Heaven's Feel, after all. Another problem is…well, I don't want to rush Atalanta into a relationship."

"I can understand why, given what you two have told me of her myth," Reika remarked. "Still…you two seem made for each other. I have to say, I'm more than a little envious. Both of you have received love in some form or another, but until Jackie came along, I did not."

"Maybe you can find it one day. I mean, someone who will view you other than a sex object."

"Hmm. A shame you're already taken," Reika said. "Still…Jackie should be enough. In any case, I hope we find out some more about Yggdmillennia. I feel sorry for that Saber, Siegfried, for having to put up with such a belligerent walrus of a Master."

"Eh, he could have been more like my uncle. Thank your lucky stars you never met him. In any case, I think we're going to be having a busy night…"

CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:

Yes, you are, though your Servants are going to be doing more of the heavy lifting, so to speak. Plus, Atalanta and Achilles have reunited.

Review-answering time! For those who brought up Shakespeare's lines, I will be plundering from Wikiquote and my own hard copy of his works if need be, modified to suit the situation.

Dragon Man 180: Yes, Jackie has tried McDonald's, and while not as good as home cooking, she still liked it. Though as you may have guessed, she preferred the toy.

1. Atalanta calls Achilles this in Episode 2 of Fate/Apocrabridged, much to his chagrin.