Chapter 15
Home at long last. Or at least a place they can call home.
It was as that man who for some reason called himself Junior said. A place that didn't have too many people around, and is secluded from other areas. Not small either, and appeared to be good enough for all of them to fit in to. The perfect place to start their beginnings.
"Aw man." Jason suddenly moaned upon seeing the complex dissatisfied with it already. "I thought this would be a cool apartment not some crummy one."
"It looks fine to me." Atalanta said with the other two agreeing.
"Maybe because you all have bad tastes." Jason counted back. Then huffing while crossing his arms with a frown on his face. "Can't believe I gave that guy those healing potions. I shouldn't have been so generous."
The three who weren't whining just gave each other a look. They sighed while shaking their heads. Of course Jason would whine about this apartment. He always had an extravagant taste of riches. He would have whined no matter what.
"Just move on already." The Archer criticized. "If anybody should be complaining, it's me." After all, she wanted to stay and live in the forest. But with those Grimm everywhere and lack of animals to hunt, it'd be stupid. She wished she could have lived on an island instead.
"I think it looks very comfy." Medea (Lily), always the chipper one, said with a smile. She then faced Hercules. "Don't you think so to?"
"▂▅▅!" Seems the big guy agreed.
"You guys really have no taste." He pitied them. "Ah whatever, at least we can stay here, eat, relax, and rule Vale! Hahahaha!" Jason then began laughing like a mad man, the same way he did when he once faced the Master during that Singularity. Oh yes, he remembered that time.
"And how-no-why would we want to run this place?" Atalanta gave a criticizing glare.
"It does seem like a lot of work." Medea (Lily) nodded seeing no benefit in ruling some city.
"▅▂!" Hercules rather be fighting that doing paperwork. Those muscles weren't meant for the pen.
"Oh come on. It could be fun." Jason tried telling them. "I mean. I was once a ruler, and I had a grand time."
"Until your death." Medea (Lily) then reminded him in that jolly tone of hers.
"...Right, right. Death." Jason tried ignoring that part of his old life. Or the other him anyway, since Servants weren't the originals anyway, but copies of said original. Still hurt to think about it. The burning ship and being crushed. He then coughed pretending he didn't hear that remark.
"Look guys. Think of it like this." He then waved his arm across the city and beyond. Standing as tall as he could to impress them. "Right now, this is a golden opportunity. An opportunity to live life. Life without them."
His allies glanced at him a bit confused. Something Jason would be glad to clear up. Ready to tell him his thoughts of this situation.
"Listen. I'll admit, when I first came here to this era, it was to off myself so I no longer had to be used as cannon fodder by the Masters." So it really was self-interest after all. Typical. While a bit upset, the crew of the Argo listened nonetheless.
"Yet after spending some time here I realized, that despite our inability to use our greater powers, isn't that a good thing?" Medea (Lily), Atalanta, Hercules, all three were now becoming a bit more interested in seeing what Jason was trying to say. "Think of it like this." Jason continued on.
"Up until now, we would only be summoned by the Holy Grail only to end up being the servants to some jackass mage. A person who's more likely to see us as tools and nothing more." Yes, that's what a life as a Heroic Spirit is. Being summon but then used as a tool to have their Master win to get them a wish. Yet other than that, nothing more as on the off chance their Master won, they'd just be thrown away while all their hard work got them nothing.
"For an unknown amount of times, even if we don't remember it, we've been summoned over and over getting killed all while being a tool." The three couldn't exactly...deny that. While there were a few exceptional mages out there, the chances of getting such a kind Master is rare. "Heck. Think of it like this." Jason then looked serious. "Even if we met a good man, we'd vanish eventually and that's it. No memory in the next life, just summoned again like that."
Jason then grabbed something from his pocket, and took out an item.
"Is that," Medea (Lily) eyes widened as she felt she recognized the thing in Jason's hand. Something he confirmed.
A small communicator to Chaldea.
"Yep." He told them. "However before you say anything, it doesn't work. But that's not my point. My point is, that Chaldea in its own way...isn't any different from our other Masters across time and space."
Now this was getting interested. The three leaning in just a bit closer as Jason explains his own thoughts on Chaldea.
"Listen, I admit it. Chaldea isn't entirely so bad." He says confessing that the organization they work for wasn't a nightmare compared to being a Servant in a Holy Grail War. "It treats us well, we get to relax, speak with other Servants without killing each other to the death-most of the time." He whispered that last part. "Yet, even then we're still confined in that place. Trapped."
Trapped?
"Because of our dispositions, our personalities forged from our own era, we have a different mindset than most people." He then proceeded to turn and point at each and every one of them.
Atalanta. "You have a mentality of the strong live and the weak die. Protecting the children. Loving the forest." He says to her. "But in modern society, you'd be banished from a forest if your aught. Your mentality frowned upon. And you won't be able to protect the kids, maybe some...but not all of them."
Atalanta clenched her fist. Recalling one Holy Grail War involving a serial killer Servant...and her failure in helping them.
Medea (Lily). "You are-and I hate to say this-an exceptional person with mass magical powers and ability. And in this state, you can heal all you can." He then narrowed his eyes. "Yet in the end, you can't really trust people, at least deep down. Not to mention in the real world, you'd be constantly stalked by those who wish to abuse your abilities. Not to mention with your age, you'd be put in foster over and over again."
Medea (Lily) can't deny that. Unlike her adult self a child couldn't live in the real world at all. They'd just be bugged, and if she ever showed her powers, she would indeed be a target.
Hercules. "Finally you big guy." Jason walked up to him. "I don't like bad mouthing you, but I still have to say it." Jason said actually feeling a bit bad. Sighing at what had to be done. "You..are a great man, a strong warrior, and a dear friend. Yet...the current you would be nothing but a loon in the eyes of society. A man to be imprisoned. A monster that while misunderstood, people have good reason to do so. As you are summoned in your weakest Class, and are unable to live a normal life at all."
Hercules said nothing, not even a grunt. While the front of his mind didn't comprehend what was said, somewhere a part of it understood. Understood even through the Mad Enchantment that Jason is right. Even in Chaldea most stayed away from him, not out of cruelty or offensive manner, but simply because he scared them. Something he didn't like.
"I'm not trying to get you all to hate Chaldea.' Jason then tells them. "Like I said, they have treated us better than any other place compared to most people. The Masters themselves being a rare kind people that treat us like normal people."
Jason then turned away, facing the blue sky.
"However, to me they felt like a chain. While I can't say I hate them, I never liked how in the end, at the end of the day we still have to listen to Chaldea's orders." Chaldea summoned them with kind smiles and a warm hug, yet Jason knew that in a way, they only summoned them not because they wanted to talk at the time, but just more muscle to use in battle.
In a sense, can't one say that they were only ever summoned just to obey?
Like Jason said, he didn't hate Chaldea. In truth he did enjoy some of his time there. Yet always, always they were confined, unable to see the real world. What the earth has become after their time. Not to mention the only reason most Servants like Chaldea is because of the Masters themselves.
Because if they weren't there, the kind Masters that treated them like humans, would they even like Chaldea?
"And yet, look where we are now." This time the three listened, unconsciously looking at the sky and the city beyond it. "While by complete accident, and with some determinants to ourselves, can't you see that for the first time in forever that we're no longer chained. No longer told to obey things. No world threat to suddenly stop."
It was then the other three also realized this to.
While they can't deny they missed Chaldea, a part of them-a small part-always did wish to be free. Walk around without consequence. Not be confined to one place. Somewhat disliking their only travels was through Singularities they couldn't 100% enjoy as they had an immediate threat to stop.
Yet here, they had none of that pressure at all.
"That's right, we're free." Jason softly told them. "If you wish to continue missing Chaldea, then go ahead. I understand if they're are some Servants you miss, or even the Masters. Yet think on this, now that we obey nobody, now that we aren't in modern society to cause disorder, and now that we aren't tied to restrictions...what will you do?"
For a moment, none of them thought of anything.
Then ideas and thoughts came to mind. Choices they could make. Places they could see.
No more Demon God Pillars, constant battling, or silly rules to stop them from releasing their own desires.
At long last they could possibly indulge themselves into acting on their own desires.
Yes they would miss Chaldea. The Masters. Yet in a way, couldn't they also be happy just being free?
"In any case, I know what I'm planning on doing." Jason said snapping them out of their thoughts. "While it might seem silly to you all, I still want to make a place where people can be happy under my rule. To get that second chance I never could in Chaldea. A wish I can make not through some stupid Grail, but through my own power."
Who says he needs that stupid artifact. Last he heard they caused nothing but trouble. Especially how he heard rumors of one in Fuyuki which was corrupted or something. The point is, he'll make his dream kingdom on his own with his bare hands if he has two.
He may not have his full Servant powers, but he'll be damned if he lets that stop him. He then faced his former Argo crew members. Then said one thing. "So, you with me?"
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Finally the silence broke by one.
"Of course." Medea (Lily) smiled beautifully. "Who said I wouldn't be with you."
Atalanta groaned. "Well ...someone has to stop you from going to far. Knowing you, you'll get into something dangerous and you'll need me to pull your ass out of it." She then scratched the back of her head, but smiled. "Why not. But if you do anything stupid, I'll kill you myslelf."
"▄▄▅▅▂▂▃▃!" Hercules was in.
"Haha!" Jason smiled as he saw his former friends were indeed with him. "In that case," He then pulled out his sword and held it high in the air. "Let our adventures continue!"
"Now then, let us end the adventures of all that stand in my way." somewhere far away, beyond Vale and most of the world, there lies a place that was corrupt, dying, and full of malice. Standing in the middle of it all is a large dark castle, where inside numerous people are inside.
A man who was once a great scientist in the city of the sky, only to be disgraced.
A man who cherishes his sister, only to be taken by another and led to death.
A man who once only killed for pleasure, now killed for the woman he held high.
Then finally the one leading them is a woman who looked human yet was not. Red eyes, black veins, pale skin, and irradiated aura of darkness that can be recognized as something...Grimm.
"It seems our dear Cinder has finally gathered a few pawns to move against the fool in the tower." The lady of Grimm told her audience at the table. All of them listening closely. "However be warned, as I have told her some time ago. A strange new presence has come, with many that may just choose on the side of the wizard."
Her eyes then looked to the side. Her lips then smiling. "At the very least, we have new allies of our own."
"Yeah you do." Avenger chuckled. "Been awhile since I caused some killing." His hands morphing into claws. "Always wanted to cause some chaos and death. Hahaha!"
"Just stay out of my way." A beautiful woman in black clothing said. "For my mission is to help the Hassan and hope they no longer chase that false God called the Grail. I may be a fake Assassin, but I have my pride in worshiping the Hassans God."
"And I will be happy to help." The lady of Grimm said. "It's also nice to hear that Cinder also found another ally just like you two. A rather violent one who's mastery of the spear is ever so savage with a thirst for battle I have never seen. And while that strange presence in Vaccuo is worrisome, it can be dealt with in time."
The pieces of the board has been set. While not all the pieces obeyed the Wizard and Witch, that didn't mean it would be the end of either of their plans. They would just have to be wary of the pieces trying to get in the way of their own, or hers specifically. Because if any piece tried getting in her way, she'll break them.
And so ends that. And while I technically said it before, I'd like to think this is the true end of the Prologue so to say. Or maybe Act 1. In any case, time to reveal the Servants that have come to Remnant.
The Dream Team: Jason, Medea (Lily), Hercules, and Atalanta.
The Fifteen Servants: Abigail Williams, Angra Mainyu, Asterois, Saber (Lily), Cursed Arm, Hundred Personas, Serenity, Medusa (Lancer), Jeanne Alter Santa Lily, Sigurd, Ishtar/Ereshkigal, No Name Assassin, Xuanzang Sanzang, Cú Chulainn (Alter).
Man are they all over the place. Who knows, maybe I'll have more come. However for now, I have a problem. As you can see, I already have so many Servants here. So it makes things a bit difficult to decide who to focus on. Don't be mistaken, I did like making Jason, but a part of me also felt that wouldn't it be interesting to see the other Servants and their respective partners.
Granted you have probably noticed none of them seem to be with RWBY, Beacon, or whatever, but I always felt that it was a bit overused to have Servants usually be with the side of good. Don't get me wrong, I love the teams there and all-and I will show them, but I also enjoy having the Servants on the other end of the law. That's just my thing.
In any case, I'll be setting up a Poll and it'll last for about until the end of the New Year, maybe sooner give or take. Here all of you will decide on who I can possibly focus on. The choices will be on the upcoming Poll I'll have up soon on my profile. I hope you've all enjoyed this story, because once this Poll is done, time to begin Act 2-canon storyline. Oh what things will change. And don't worry, even if you choose one choice I'll still show how the other characters are doing from time to time. They just won't get to much screen time, but don't let that scare you.
Until Next Time. And happy holidays.