Andy stood before a sea, a dark sea of mud. The crashing waves drowned her ears.
-on't go-
-Don't go-
-on't leave-
-Don't leave me-
-Alone again-
-Don't leave me again-
"This is?"
Come back… Come back… Once more to me…
Once more… Just once more…
No… No…
Never again… Ever…
...love...me...again…
And the sea swallowed Andy, and she fell into the abyss.
"What is this…?"
…It is original sin. This is mankind's original sin.
There are different kinds of sin. To harm others. To deceive others. To envy others. To take the lives of others.
These are all evils that mankind holds. These are all toxins that affect only mankind.
However… this is the oldest evil of them all—the Original Sin II… the sin of parting from -, and leaving paradise.
"Aah, but…"
Life was born from the sea: the primaeval sea, Nammu, the goddess of the beginning.
To mankind, the goddess is the sea itself. The roaring of the waves became a voice to expose your sins.
Never forget that.
That voice is your original sin. This name shall become your saviour.
That name is-
[Aa, Aa… Aaaaaaaaaaaaa-]
"How sad…"
Xxx
December 8
"Morning Senpai, did you sleep well?" Mash asked Andy as she came downstairs, her dear Kouhai in full swing prepping breakfast.
"Yeah, but I had a really weird dream," Andy admitted. "Did you have a weird dream last night Kouhai? It felt like, mystical, in the way the you-dreams usually do."
"No, I did not Senpai," She replied.
"Huh. Weird." Andy said as she hugged Mash from behind. "Well, doesn't matter much. I've got my Kouhai right here after all."
"Senpai, if you continue to do that I am going to turn into smashy Mash," She said in a joking tone.
"Morning you two lovebirds," Ritsuka said. "Correcting that to three."
And that was when Andy felt a certain Stolf hug her back.
"Mornin," Andy said as she proceeded to melt a bit from being sandwiched between her bf and gf. "This is nice."
"Morning," Astolfo replied.
"And morning to you to Astolfo," Mash said.
"So, what do you think we're going to do today?" Ritsuka asked.
"I hope we can get some proper action soon, Master," Nobu complained as she sat down in one of the chairs.
"If it is action you wish for Lady Nobunaga, then perhaps this next job might interest you," Siduri said as she entered the Embassy.
"Lady Siduri, welcome. Would you like some breakfast?" Andy greeted, still sandwiched but doing so nonetheless.
"I would like that," She responded as she took her seat.
"So what is the job?" Ritsuka asked.
"I do not know, but King Gilgamesh wishes to personally give to you, so it probably involves leaving Uruk and going on an expedition," She said.
"Oh, the King's going to actually speak to us? Excellent." Andy said completely sincerely, since while they'd been seeing Gilgamesh quite a bit to report on Missions Completed, the King had not spoken one word to them since the first day.
"Yes, your helping of the people has been recognised, which is a great honour indeed," Siduri replied.
"Nice," Andy said as she reluctantly let go of Mash to help her finish breakfast and bring it to the table. "How are you doing, by the way, Lady Siduri?"
"I am more tired than normal, but these are trying times, and everyone is working hard to make life as normal as possible," She answered.
"I understand, I understand. But while you're here, take your time, enjoy the meal. Everyone deserves a break every now and then." Andy said as she distributed plates so everyone could dig in, though a few had already started going at the spread laid out even without a plate.
"I will do that, thank you for your gracious hospitality," Siduri thanked them as they let her pick first.
"Of course, of course. You and the King were gracious enough to give us this place, it's only right that we return the favour." Andy said.
"And I still say thank you, this tastes good," She said.
"I still like butter cake the best," Came Ana's comment as she joined the table alongside Merlin the parasite. As he spent most of the time just leeching off of them and not helping with the jobs preferring instead to hit on the women of Uruk.
"Just wait till you try my honey cake, Ana, you'll at least have to think about that statement. Which yes, is different from the pancakes I've been making." Andy said, since she'd basically been making pancakes every other day, Paul dropping by each time as soon as she started making them.
"I take your word for it," She replied.
As breakfast continued to be eaten.
Xxx
"Mongrels, I have heard of the assistance you've lent the people of Uruk, so I believe you're now tired of the menial tasks you've been dealing with so far?" Gilgamesh asked as he sat upon his throne.
"Frankly, yes, since we have a rather literal deadline," Andy said in a respectful tone despite the snark of the words.
"Understandable, but your trip to my Era will finish before that. Now the mission I have for you is to go to the city of Ur, and see if you can discover anything about the Jungle Goddess, my men have failed, and I've lost one Servant to her, so I am pulling on you now. And here these are passes that will allow you to exit and enter Uruk," Gilgamesh said as he threw the purse of passes at Andy.
"We won't let you down," Andy said as she caught them. "...But, uh, do you have a map or something we could borrow?"
"Merlin and Bunyan will be your guides, I see you in the evening if you're fast enough," Gilgamesh replied. "Now be off Masters of Chaldea."
"Yes, your majesty," Ritsuka replied, and they left the Throne Room.
"Ah, Lord Ritsuka, Lord Andy, I see that you have been given passes to leave the city?" Ushiwakamaru asked as they passed by her and Benkei as they exited the Ziggurat.
"Yup, we're finally going to do something useful. Hopefully, when we get back tonight, the Jungle Goddess will be no more." Andy explained cheerily.
"Ah, so you're heading for the Jungle then?" She asked. "Then I wish you good fortune and may the Kamis and the Holy Grail of Uruk bless you with a victory."
"Thank you, and good luck with whatever you're doing as well Ushi."
"We're being called to the Northern Wall, if we had not we would have joined you," She said back.
"Ah okay, well good luck, hopefully, we'll see each other again soon."
"We will," She said and the two Japanese Servants left.
"Wait, did she say Holy Grail of Uruk?" Ritsuka asked in a questioning tone. "As in the Grail we know is here in Uruk, is not Solomon's but Uruk's?"
"...Thank God you're here Ritsuka because I did not pick up on that at all," Andy said as she realised. "Shit. Well, there went my understanding of what the fu-heck is going on." Andy complained, censoring herself since Ana was still present and Andy had been really bad about not swearing in front of children.
"I don't think much has changed, the Goddesses are still fighting for the grail that Gil has, it does not matter if it is Solomon's or not so long as they believe it is. Okay, I think Merlin has on a few occasions called Fakeidu a servant of the King of Mages. So my current theory is that Fakeidu has the Solomon Grail, used it to summon up the goddesses that would want to destroy mankind and gave them a target as they probably would need a bit of initiative to do so," Ritsuka theorised.
"...Yeah, that works, for now, let's go with that." Andy agreed with a nod. "Let's get going though, it's better if we move and think instead of standing and thinking."
"Then let's go and find Bunyan and Merlin, we do need them for navigation," Parvati said as she materialised.
"Right, right. Let's go!"
Xxx
"Did they transplant the freaking Amazon into Sumer?" Ritsuka as they landed in front of the jungle to scout off the edge a bit before they flew directly to Ur.
"Oh great, the one area whose mythology I'm weak on…" Andy griped for a moment. "Though I suppose this means we have two options, depending on what's actually in here. Either A, we fly over and stealth our way there like we planned, or B, Paul gets to go ham."
"Don't know about the Amazon, but the genus that is making up that jungle is not something that can be found natively in this part of the world, or any part of the world in this Era, these are very extinct plants that had been inserted. It is if someone just deployed a Reality Marble as the Ether in the air is very, very dense and it is also producing a lot of heat that fits more in the tropical climate it would originate from. The abilities of a fully powered Divine Spirit is something to behold," Roman exposited. "I suggest the Bunyan approach."
"Alrighty then, you heard the bossman, Bunyan, do yo thang," Andy said, eager to see the tiny giant do what she did best.
"Okay, Miss Andy, here we go Marvelous Exploits!" She shouted, and she stomped on the plants and trees and began to create a path towards Ur.
"...You know, I thought she would use the axe," Andy commented as the massive little girl stomp through the jungle.
"Always expected the unexpected Andy," Merlin said as he followed the devastation the giant girl was making. "And now we don't have to deal with mosquitoes and flies."
"True, true."
But Bunyan's Berserker rampage was brought to an end as she was knocked to the ground. Which meant they had to quickly move to the side so as to not get crushed by the giant girl.
"Hey, who did that?" Mash shouted as she summoned forth her shield. "Paul Bunyan are you okay?"
"Ahh, my head is spinning, why are there three suns?" The concussed giant asked.
"I was me purretty girl, that was meowvelous attack was it not?" A female voice responded, it echoed from the trees. "Because I can not have you trashing up Kuku's territory or else she is going to be so mad at me. Now behold the wrath of the mighty Jaguar Warrior!" And before them landed Taiga in a tiger Onee-sie.
Andy made a noise reminiscent of a paper shredder as whatever last remaining vestiges of sanity she had been desperately clinging to for so long left her completely, evaporating into the aether like a dead god.
"Eh, Fuji-nee!" Came the shocked response from Parvarti as a little bit of Sakura broke through. Or rather woke up as he had explained it as Sakura being asleep as she could not handle sharing her mind with that of a god, and doing it like this harmed her the least.
"Hello, there purple-haired girl, who I definitely do not recognise," Jaguar Warrior said in response.
"Ku…"
"What the fuck am I looking at?" Ritsuka asked.
"You're looking at the mighty Jaguar Warrior, boy, I am the one that guards this forest, and followed along when Kuku got summoned to this land, now apologise for the mess or I send Green Peace on you," She replied.
"Kuha…"
"Hmm, Senpai?"
"Ah, Master?"
"You think this funny girl? This is a very serious-."
"...KuahahahahahhahahahaHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" Andy laughed, and laughed, and laughed and laughed, and laughed.
"Okay, girl you are crazy?"
"Well, it seems that Andy has joined the depths of insanity," Merlin said as he walked over to Andy who was still in the middle of laughing.
"And now,
Sleep."
Xxx
"Senpai are you okay now?" Mash asked Andy as she woke up after Merlin had knocked her out.
"What happened?" Andy asked blearily, her mind not connecting anything at the moment.
"Well, you kinda went coco for Coco Puffs, after we ran into Jaguar Warrior," Astolfo said.
"Yes, we were quite concerned for you," Parvati added.
"But what happened," Andy repeated. "Brain not filling in, what happen after slep?"
"We fought her for a bit," Ritsuka said. "Strong for what looked to be a walking joke character, she walked away, and we went to Ur, found out the people have been making human sacrifices to the Jungle God, one man a day, and then we left as they didn't want our help in dealing with their problem. Right now we're outside of the jungle which is when you woke up."
"So Taiga-Taiga is a threat, the people of Ur are being forced to Lottery their own people, and you couldn't do anything about it without my social expertise. Got it." Andy said with a nod.
"We accomplished our job, find out what is happening in Ur and we did," Merlin said.
"Oh yeah. Merlin, what the fuck." Andy said as much as asked. "I would have probably been fine with just a slap to the face, but instead you knocked me out in the middle of a battle? The fuck is wrong with you? There was a strong enemy in front of us who could have very well been Surprise! Goddess for all we knew and killed us all because you took out our side's commander."
"Ah, sorry that is what I always do with Arturia when she gets like this," He said in a way that sounded like he didn't understand what he had done wrong.
"...We are going to have a long talk about personal boundaries of allies Mister Dicks-for-Brains." Andy said sternly, not immediately going for the throat because she remembered Merlin wasn't fully human and probably didn't think standardly.
"You have my full permission to hit him, mother," Came Arturia's voice from the armband.
"Thank you, sweetie, but I don't want to solve all my problems with violence, or else I might turn out worse than Mister 'Sword'-of-Certain-Dickery over here."
"I feel like I am being ganged up on here," Merlin said in a downer tone.
"You deserve it," Ana commented.
"Anyway, for now, do you guys think if we went back to Ur, we could Trojan Horse our way through the sacrifice-thing to get to the Jungle Goddess?" Andy asked, putting Marlin on the back-burner for now.
"I think that is an unnecessary risk, and again even if we do have Servants with an affinity towards anti-divine damage. These Goddesses have full use of their Authorities, and that is outside of whatever Noble Phantasms and Skills they might possess. We should report back to his Majesty, and he can make a plan regarding the Jungle Goddess after he knows the situation in Ur, and the same that is probably going on in Eridu," Merlin said. "And Paul Bunyan is still hurt."
"Wait what where is big baby?" Andy asked, immediately looking around frantically for the apparently injured Paul.
"Here Miss Andy," Bunyan said from her position on the ground, she was smaller now(But still three meters high) and had a large bandaid on her forehead.
"Oh come here sweetie I'll make it all better," Andy said, immediately forgetting everything else as she gently started applying her Mystic Code's Regeneration Acceleration, using a bit more of her own Mana to fuel the healing.
"Thank you," She replied.
"Oh, it's no problem," Andy said softly, already having adopted Paul in her mind at this point. "Anytime you need anything, just ask."
"Okay," Bunyan said with a smile.
"Alright, anyone else need any healing?" Andy asked. "If not, I guess we're heading back to Uruk, and I'm having a talk with Nilrem on the way back."
"No."
Xxx
"...So that's your field report?" Gilgamesh asked as they stood before him.
"Yes."
"You ran into a crazy Jaguar Servant, and she lost her mind?"
"She called herself a Jaguar, but all the signs point to Tiger instead, and I suppose so? I think it may have just been an episode, Your Ab-jesty." Andy elaborated, not even realising what she said.
"...Why do you get to see all of the funny stuff, I would have liked to see this hilarious Jaguar Warrior, while I am stuck here? I am a peaceful man, but I just can't sit here forever!" He complained.
"Your Majesty you sound like a kid who has been left out," Siduri admonished him.
"Anyway, thank you for the report on Ur, also Merlin from Ur could you see Eridu was the axe fine?" Gilgamesh asked.
"No, the jungle was too obscuring, so I could not see Marduk's Axe, but I could sense its presence," Merlin replied.
"Ah, that is fine, that means that is still present," Gilgamesh replied. "That means I have to start making the carts for transport."
"How big of an axe is it that you need carts to transport it?" Andy pondered aloud, mind-boggling at the size required considering they had a Bunyan.
"Marduk's axe is the size of the Ziggurat and weighs as much as Uruk," Gilgamesh replied. "Even Paul would have trouble carrying it."
"Holy shit, what are you expecting to kill with that, the entire Jungle in one fell swoop?"
"It was the weapon that split open Tiamat's throat if the Goddess of Demonic Beasts has stolen her Authority, then it will become a very effective weapon against her, or at the very least it could be used to destroy her temple," Gilgamesh explained.
"I see, I see I see," Andy said repetitively. "So, what now?"
"You rest. I have another assignment for you tomorrow," Gilgamesh responded.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, we'll see you on the morrow," Andy said with a bow.
Xxx
December 9
"I'm coming in. Is this your dwelling? Uh-huh. For a latrine, it looks spacious," Gilgamesh said as she entered the Chaldean Embassy while they ate breakfast.
"Awauhawhawahuhawhuwu." Andy sputtered at Gilgamesh, entering without any warning. "W-welcome, your Majesty." She managed to get out coherently at the end.
"King Gilga-!"
"Be quiet Kyrielight, do you want Siduri to come running?" He asked her.
"Ah, Your Majesty, we are surprised to see you here this fine morning," Mash said in a much quieter tone of voice.
"Yes, I wanted to change things up a bit, so I came to personally give you and your Master your next assignment, the two of you will be joining on me an expedition to the Gulf, I need to check on my men assigned there, and you shall serve as my bodyguards," Gilgamesh told them.
"Just the two of us, or also my boi and Parvati?" Andy asked.
"I thought I was clear in words, just you and whatever equipment you wish to bring along, now hurry up the wagon is ready to be boarded," He said.
"Uh, uh, okay," Andy said, before scarfing down the rest of her breakfast. "Parvati, you stay here and hold down the fort in case someone needs your help, Astolfo, you're with us."
"Yeah!"
"Well, have fun you three," Ritsuka said.
"Good now hurry along we need to leave before Siduri finds out what I've done," Gilgamesh said as he exited the Embassy.
"Better to ask forgiveness than permission, I understand," Andy said as she quickly got her actual scarf on.
Xxx
"What a mighty steed, it will definitely get us to the gulf in a few hours," Gilgamesh said with a laugh.
"Yeah, Hippy's the fastest horse I've ever heard of and twice as cool too." Andy agreed, sitting opposite the King, Mash sitting directly in front of her, not in Andy's lap since her legs were spread out, but definitely leaning back against Andy and pinning her to the wall of the cart.
"Yes it is quite fast, and what a nice day it is, the clouds moving from the Zagros Mountains makes me want to speak words of wisdom: 'Far-off sea of clouds. 'Round atop the white peak hill. Mountain of cedar.'... that sounded much better in my head. Guess playing mage is not my forte," Gilgamesh muttered.
"Did that rhyme in Babylonian?" Andy asked Mash telepathically, since the Babylon Fragment didn't typically keep those kinds of details for what Andy heard.
"He didn't get the rhyme right," Mash replied.
"Oof," Andy said back as she hugged her Kouhai a little closer. "I thought it was pretty good." She said aloud.
"Hmm."
"So kingy I guess you came along because you were bored and wanted to waste some time?" Astolfo asked from his steed.
"Fool! What makes you think I'd have any? Or even time to have fun! It is precisely the reason I need to go on a trip like this!... Oh, what is it with those faces?" Gilgamesh asked as both Andy and Mash were giving him a flat look. "Just so you know I am not doing this I'm exhausted from my duties, I am definitely not doing it because I want some entertainment. Now regal me with your adventures, until we arrive and then we go back," He ordered them.
"Weelll," Andy said as she pulled a thermos (still warm) from storage. "Where to start...oh, and would you like some tea?"
"Yes," He replied.
She handed the whole thing over and then thought more. "Well, let's see, adventures… do you want the good stuff, the funny stuff, or the sad stuff first?"
"The funny," He replied as he drank the tea.
"Well in that case… This one time, I got reverse summoned and stuck under a mountain…"
Xxx
"We have arrived it seems," Gilgamesh said as he woke up as the wagon and Hippo came to a stop at the cliff.
"Neat. You said this is an observatory right? Is that like for the stars in particular or just like, everywhere?" Andy asked.
"They observe the sea, now I will be having a talk with them, in the meantime, you can go down to the beach if you want, this could take a little bit," Gilgamesh told them.
"Oh, okay nice," Andy said, before having a thought. "Azzy, no skinny dipping."
"Aww," He said as he looked down.
"We can still head down tho, and I think I have a change of clothes for you if need be." Andy continued. "I just don't want the King seeing your Thing."
"Ah, okay."
And so, the three ended up stripping down to their skivvies and jumping into the (cold) water and playing around like the rowdy teenage couple (triple?) they were.
Xxx
"Ah, that was fun," Mash said as they sat on the sand now fully clothed and looked onto the sea.
"Ayup," Andy said, still drying her hair since unlike Astolfo she couldn't just astralize to dry or like Mash with her shorter hair. "Cold, but fun."
"Yeah," Astolfo added.
For a long moment, the three simply basked in each other's presences, all sitting hip-to-hip to warm up, watching the sea together.
"The ocean is quite soothing," Mash said. "To think just a little further out is the vast Indian Ocean."
"Yeah," Andy said, her mind drifting towards the times she'd been to the beach with her family. "Only ever been in the Atlantic before."
"Don't forget our trip to Okeanos Senpai."
"In mine humble opinion, that doth not count due to being of mystical origins."
"Sorry to interrupt your moment guys but a thing is flying towards your position at five-hundred kilometres an hour," Da Vinci's voice said from the armband.
And in that instant Mash stood up and slammed her shield down as said object or rather a person punched the wall of pure determination that was Mash Kyrielight.
"That is a tough shield," Enkidu spoke as he jumped away from them.
"My Kouhai's will is unbreakable, Faker," Andy said as she immediately shot runestone bullets at Fakidu.
But it did nothing. "Faker? You speak like I am some sort of imposter?"
"Sorry, do you prefer parasite? Corpse-stealer? Puppeteer?" Andy asked, each question punctuated by another explosion louder than the last, with one of the shots going wide and moving well past Fakidu before exploding.
"Ooh, scathing, but don't worry such comments won't make me extend your suffering, the death I shall deliver to you shall be brief for unlike the gods I am merciful, and in all honesty, I have to ask why you're all the way out here? Are you so assured in your own luck, to be bad you came at a time when Ishtar was not present, and now unlike last time you won't have anyone to protect you," Fakidu said as he manifested and launched various weapons made from the ground and his own body.
But they were stopped by fireballs colliding with them. "You think them alone?" Came Gilgamesh's voice as he landed on the sand.
"Gilgamesh!" Fakidu growled as he looked at the golden King.
"Of course it is me who else would I be, fool?" He asked.
"Your Majesty, that is not the real Enkidu!" Mash shouted at him.
"I see, but it is a convincing one nonetheless," Gilgamesh said as he opened up the Gate and various staves appeared out of the golden portals that launched various spells at Fakidu. Who retaliated by again launching weapons at the golden King once more. "And what is with the way you fight? Didn't you call me ludicrous when I started doing it?"
"You're the one copying me, this is simply the most effective way of fighting with this body!" He shouted as his arm lit up with magical energy and he rushed at Gilgamesh. Who pulled out a golden axe and the two clashed.
A shockwave spread from the impact of the two weapons colliding, which pushed Andy and others a bit back.
"Anger is unbecoming of you, what happened to the calm and collected Enkidu that wasted no energy? Well if you're an imposter guess that makes sense. I even say you're even more powerful than the original, you must have a fine magical reactor serving as your core," Gilgamesh said as he pushed Fakidu away.
"Urgh, shut…your... mouth. Your voice irritates me," Fakidu said back with a pained expression on his face. "I am the most powerful creation on this planet. There is no need for a defective demigod like you. Gilgamesh… Fool of a king, enemy of my mother I will kill you! Never forget that, I will end you and this world. But will have to postpone that for later, mother is calling me back." Fakidu said as his eyes twitched wildly. Then he jumped off the ground and flew away.
As he did, Andy fired one last time, though this slug didn't explode as Fakidu shot past at speeds even Andy's enhanced processing power couldn't account for. "Damn," Andy swore as the tracking round fell into the ocean.
"Well, at least today brought a little bit of excitement," Gilgamesh said as he stared into the horizon, Fakidu had left for.
"I suppose so." Andy agreed. "Are we heading back now, your Majesty?"
"Yes, I have another task for you today, you and others are to go to the city of Kutha, for it is there I now remember I left the Tablet of Destinies," He said.
"Understood. We're still going back together, right? I can tell more stories if you'd like."
"Of course! You're my ride back if you left now, I would have to walk!" He shouted at them.
"Yes, that would take a few more hours than the three the wagon ride would take," Mash said as she looked up at the noon sun.
"I am glad you understand now regal me with more of your adventures," Gilgamesh said as they began to head up the cliff.
"Okay then, in that case… a counterfeit was counterfeiting counterfeits to make her counterpart throw a fit…"
Xxx
"So did you have a fun trip?" Ritsuka asked as they now all stood in Gilgamesh's throne room.
"Yup!" Andy said cheerily, before whispering conspiratorially to Ritsuka. "I managed to put King Bling to sleep twice while we were out." She said mischievously.
"That sounds like an automatic death sentence."
"Still standing, right?"
"You have extreme luck, you know."
"Not as much as you, Mister-Born-Stand-User-AND-Handsome."
"Well, if we want to argue about who is winning the game that is life… yeah that is me," Ritsuka said with a smirk.
"Be silent, you two," Echoed Gilgamesh's voice as he sat down on the throne. His right ear throbbing red after having it be pulled on by Siduri while she scolded him.
"Right away, your Majesty," Andy responded verbally and indirectly defying the order she was agreeing to.
"So you have another job for all of us, your Majesty?" Merlin asked.
"Yes, and I have already told Andy and Mash about it, but I have remembered that the Tablet of Destinies is located in Kutha and you're to get it."
"In Kutha?" The wizard asked.
"Yes, it was there I inscribed the vision of the future I saw after I had returned from my trip to the underworld," Gilgamesh said.
"So I guess you don't remember what that vision was about?" Ritsuka asked.
"Of course, why would I remember any vision of the future that is not related to me, they are worthless to myself, but many others find them valuable. This one's for you Chaldeans," Gilgamesh responded.
"Alright, so Kutha it is then. Who are we taking with us? Just Merlin and Ana?" Andy asked.
"He is sadly the only one of my Servants I can spare, thankfully, and Ana can do whatever. Also, find out what Ishtar has been up to. I've been getting reports of her causing damages to various ranches in the area," Gilgamesh said.
"We'll do our best!"
"Good to hear."
