"Fou! Fou!" Romani Archaman looked up from his parfait as Fou jumped up on the bed and began to tug at his lab coat.
"What's wrong?" Roman asked, lowering the treat, "Can't find-?"
"Fou!" Fou dug his teeth into Roman's gloved hand, tugging rapidly. Last time…
Roman's face grew dark and he dropped his parfait, standing up as Fou jumped off the bed and ran towards the entrance of the room. He swore to God, and he didn't do that lightly when he had received direct visions from Him, if that shit was trying to hurt Mash again he didn't care about the Sirius Light, he was going to throw him out of Chaldea by his ear and leave him to die in the Antarctic. Damn what Olga and Lev wanted.
Rushing down the halls after Fou, Roman began to curl his hands into fists at his side. Keep calm, Romani, keep-
Roman stopped as Fou jumped onto the boy collapsed on the floor of the hallway wearing a black school uniform. The small white… actually, what the hell was Fou and where had he come from? He just showed up one day, and since Mash had just unofficially adopted the little guy (which significantly helped her move beyond the Tabula Rasa that Maris had kept her as at a decade old), Roman hadn't really thou-
"Fou! FOU!" Fou whipped around, jumping on the boy's chest. Right, now wasn't the time for that, he'd ask around later, for now…
Roman rushed to the boy's side, noticing the purple gel in his mouth. Turning him over and prying open the jaw as gently as possible, the doctor set his own jaw in place and began to work the substance out of the mouth with one hand, with the other, he raised his communicator to his mouth, "Da Vinci-Chan?"
"What's up, Romani?" Da Vinci asked.
"Can you bring a cot and an oxygen canister to my location?" Roman asked.
"Is Mash alright?" Da Vinci's voice got serious.
"It's not Mash," Roman said, "Why-?"
"You sound serious, Romani," Da Vinci said.
"Someone's sick," Roman said, " A Master Candidate named…"
Roman's voice trailed off as he realized the boy didn't have a communicator. Crap…
That made things a lot more complicated.
"And while you're at it," he said, "Check the reports from CHALDEAS at my location, and make sure nobody sees them. Ok?"
"Are you sure, Romani?"
"Yeah," Roman said, looking up and around. Nobody so far, "Yeah…"
Izuku came to with a shudder and a cough into the mask around his mouth. What…? Was he in the hospital? Why would he be there? Last thing, last thing…
Something viscous and disgusting had surged into his mouth and nose, choking him and… and… There had been a tunnel of swirling green with flecks of red.
And that was where everything ended.
Izuku tried to sit up, only for a beautiful, brown haired woman to place one hand over his chest, smiling at him, "Hello, I'm Leonardo Da Vinci!"
What…?
- X Inko X-
Inko stared down at Izuku with pursed lips, running her hand through his grey flecked hair. He looked… he looked so different at the moment. His hair was combed out so it was long, though the natural curliness he inherited from Hisashi was visibly starting to retake it. So someone had brushed his hair recently.
"You don't believe us," Dantès said.
"Can you blame me?" Inko said.
"It depends on what part you don't believe," he said, standing up and grabbing a silver lighter from the end table and stepping away from Izuku, lifting a cigarette, only to sigh at the glare Asclepius shot him. The white haired doctor was unwrapping a bandage from Izuku's leg, a fresh one resting on a tray next to it.
"I believe you care about him," Inko said. That was clear, from the way Kyrielight hovered around him and Jeanne watched him like a hawk to the fact that he was clearly being taken care of.
"But not much else," Dantès finished.
"No."
"Understandable," he said, "it would seem hard to believe. I should probably go face our friends in charge. Mash, Jeanne, would you show our guest around the Border in the meantime?"
"You don't believe us?" Jeanne said, voice cracking, "Pourquoi vous ne nous crois pas?"
"Lui donner le temps," Dantès said to her, "Ça ira."
Jeanne nodded, but her lip quivered gently and she buried her head in Kyrielight's side. The purple haired girl wrapped a hand around her shoulders.
Dantès stopped suddenly on the way to the door, staring at one of the maps on a corkboard before ripping it off and balling it up, black flames burning it to ash a second later as he muttered something in French under his breath, "Cela n'arrivera pas."
"And before I go," Dantès stopped in the doorway, finally lighting his cigarette before tossing the lighter at Asclepius, who caught it and placed it on the table, "Don't call me that name. Edmond Dantès is dead, I am the Count of Monte Cristo, Cavern King."
Inko pursed her lips, before squeezing Izuku's hand as she got a good look at the healing injury to his leg. Asclepius wasted no time beginning to wrap it back up.
"I'll have it repaired in time," Asclepius said to her, "but it had already healed improperly the first time, and I don't want to have to do it again."
"Thank you," Inko said.
"I am Izuku's physician," Asclepius repeated, "I may disagree with him about his actions, but I will care for him either way."
"Why's his hair greying?"
"Stress," Asclepius said, "You may not believe us on the matter, but the weight of the world is not an easy weight to bear once. Twice, it is even more so."
"In short," a voice said from the doorway, and a red headed man in a green suit stepped in, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crow-"
"Out," Asclepius said, standing and grabbing a staff with a high tech snake wrapped around it.
"My dear Asclepi-"
"I have not given you permission to enter," Asclepius snapped, "Now get out, Shakespeare, before I throw you out."
"Fine, fine," 'Shakespeare' sighed, "I'll help guide this tour of our wondrous organization. We'll start down the hall, if it's fine with you, Lady Midoriya."
- X Tomoe X-
Tomoe watched Raikou twitch as a woman with long green hair stepped into the Border's cafeteria. Emiya, Beni-Enma and Nemo Bakery were cooking Japanese style meals for everyone who wanted one, but…
Standing up, the part Oni pulled up her communicator, "Sir Lancelot? Sir Gawain?"
There was a heartbeat, and then Gawain's voice, "We hear you, Lady Gozen."
Despite the worry biting at her gut, she laughed for a moment, "Gozen is a title, Sir Gawain."
"My apologies, Lady Tomoe," Gawain said, "I'll endeavor to remember that. What did you need?"
"Your assistance. We have a very… special guest on the Border at the moment, and I fear she may accidentally provoke Raikou into action."
"By a special guest," Lancelot said, "Do you mean Lady Midoriya?"
"Yes," Tomoe said.
"We'll be right there," the Knight of the Lake said, "Where are you?"
"Cafeteria."
"It'll be nice to meet my future in-law," Lancelot said just lightly enough that Tomoe could catch the joke.
"Only if Anastasia's plots succeed," Tomoe replied.
-X Inko X-
Inko met the light purple eyes of the girl with ash grey skin, purple hair and wearing a skimpy leotard that exposed almost everything except her breasts. They were wide, mouth hanging open, she turned to Mash, "You didn't tell us you were bring Inko!"
"It was… a kinda spur of the moment thing," Mash said, "Mrs- Ah, Midoriya-s-"
"Call me what makes you comfortable," Inko said, offering Mash a small, sincere smile. She might doubt much of what she had been told, she did believe Mash's seeming reverence of her "Senpai". She seemed too earnest to be faking.
That was true for everyone, really. From Asclepius biting medical care (and she had ornamented too many light burns on Izuku to not know he had a point about Izuku's problems with sitting still and healing), to Dantès gruff demeanor, to Jeanne, who was holding Inko's hand like she was afraid Inko was going to run off. None of that felt false, at least.
"I would have put on something more modest if I knew she was coming," the girl said bashfully, blushing lightly before bowing, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Midoriya. I am one of the holders of the name Hassan-i-Sabbah, the Hassan of Serenity. Just call me Sereni- Anastasia!"
The last word was yelped as the elevator behind them opened as a girl with show white hair wearing the most regal dress, complete with a blue, mink lined cape and a golden hair bow, rushed out of it.
"I-" she huffed a gasp of air, clutching a stitch in her side, "Wow, we need to add automatic walkways to the Border-"
"Did you run here?" Serenity said, "Your Kremlin is on the other side of the ship!"
"Left when Viy told me she was here," Anastasia gasped, pointing a finger towards Inko who watched the conversation with a bemused expression. She must be out of shape, if running across the ship left her this out of breath, "Just came from Izuku's room. Anyways, ah, where would I be?"
"What's going on here?" A purple haired man said, stepping out of the elevator. He was wearing a dark militaristic dress uniform, though from what army Inko didn't know. Next to him, a blond haired man wearing a white version of the same uniform stood, eyes scanning the room before looking onto something.
"I'm going ahead," he said to the purple haired man, who nodded. The blonde man caught a sword from thin air, a massive blue and silver blade. Inko watched him go, nonplussed. Why would he…?
"I am Sir Lancelot Du Lac," the purple haired man said with a bow, taking Inko's hand and kissing it lightly, "My companion is Sir Gawain. It's a pleasure to meet my daughter's- Mash!"
The last word was yelped as Mash stepped on his foot and ground the sole of her own into it, "You're not my dad!"
"And I-" Anastasia coughed, drawing Inko away from the familial(?) strife to give a curtsey, "Am Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, Grand Duchess of Russia and loyal Servant of your so-"
There was a noise of crashing steel, and everyone's eyes jumped to where Gawain had gone. His sword, and a naginata from a white haired woman, were clashing with a katana of a purple haired woman with what were quite frankly the most comically large breasts Inko had ever seen on an otherwise proportionate human. The reactions to that clash was instantaneous. One second, Inko was blinking, and the next everyone, except a blond chef, in the room had bared weapons. Even the other two chefs were ready as their compatriot ducked into the larder, one holding a bow with a metal arrow and the other a large odachi for how small they were.
Swords, spears, bows, a gun. Mash had slid between her and the fight with determination in her eyes, while Lancelot caught a gold and silver sword and began to move towards it. Serenity held six knives as she whipped around and a large shadow rose up around Anastasia.
"Oh dear!" Shakespeare said from where he had been using a quill to write down stuff and muttering to himself, "it appears we have provoked dear Raikou-"
"Shut up before I freeze you, goddamn it," Anastasia hissed, the air visible from her mouth like a chimney.
"Why don't you go show Lady Midoriya somewhere else, and leave thich to us, chirp," a voice said from nowhere.
"Good idea, Beni-Enma," Mash said, grabbing Inko's hand, "Anastasia, Serenity, do you want to come along?"
"Of course!" Both chorused, joining Jeanne, Inko and Mash in the elevator as Shakespeare continued to write the fight, which was escalating, with a giggle.
- X Gawain X-
Gawain grunted as he slid back from the shove, the nameless katana only managing to shove aside Excalibur Galentine because of its wielder's higher Strength, enhanced by Mad Enhancement… and that it was after three.
Shifting his grip on Galentine so the full hand and a half was on it, he breathed in as the katana of the demon slayer approached him. Beni-Enma appeared behind Raikou, only to dodge as the blade nearly cut the sparrow from neck to groin. Sharing a dark look with Lancelot, Gawain tightened his grip.
There was a time to be reasonable, and there was a time not to be. They could explain this to Izuku after he woke, and they kept a copy of the Saint Grafts for a reason.
"For posterity," Gawain said aloud, knowing Da Vinci Lily would record it, "Releasing restraints for four seconds."
"Authorization granted," she said, "she's trying to hurt Nonna."
"She is not!" The Berserker Oni roared, stabs from her sword nearly running Tomoe and EMIYA through as they got too close, "Your! GRANDMOTHER! THAT'S ME, I AM-!"
"My blessing," Gawain said, breathing in and out with a lion's roar in his mind, "My curse. Come forth, plunge the night into day!"
Energy flooded Gawain as the lights above them flickered and plunged into red emergency ones. Then above them, the light turned golden as a false sun formed. The katana gouged against his face, sparking like in had struck metal as Numeral of the Saint ignited full force. The next second, Galentine cleaved her arm raggedly in two at the elbow.
Raikou caught it with her other hand and lashed out, aiming for his heart. Thunderer roared from Billy, distracting her enough for Gawain to make the return trip a second later.
Arondight cut her in two in the last second before the Lion King's blessing faded from Gawain's body. Above them, the harsh artificial sun faded, plunging everyone into dark red.
"Sorry about that," Da Vinci Lily said, "a bit of excitement in the cafeteria got out of hand. Six seconds until power returns to all non essential areas of the ship. Three. Two. One. Resume."
All the lights snapped back on as one as they watched Raikou fade.
How the hell was the Count ok with doing that whenever Izuku needed it done?
- X Sherlock X-
"Do you want to explain what just happened, Da Vinci-Chan?" Sherlock asked, turning towards the tank where she floated. Next to him, her older form was working on a leg brace.
"Raikou tried to attack Nonna Inko," Lily said, bobbing up and down in the mystically charged water, "and started fighting everyone there when they stopped her. You know how her Mad Enhancement is…"
Sherlock nodded, grimacing. Raikou was barely reasonable at the fact that Izuku made time for people other than her at the best of times. To be confronted by the fact that Izuku wasn't "her son"... there would have only been one way to end it. None of them enjoyed the concept of killing her, and Izuku likely wouldn't be happy when he woke up… but if he was honest, and Sherlock preferred to be so to himself even if his sense for dramatic timing occasionally kept him from being so to others, this was a fight that would have happened sooner or later.
Berserker class Servants were, at their core, inherently damaged beings. And the higher their Mad Enhancement climbed, the more that damage ruled who they were. They might hide it well, under a mask of reason, but one had to be at least a little mentally unhinged to qualify for the class.
Well, unless you were Beowulf, according to Izuku. But given the episode with Grendel's arm, Sherlock doubted that was entirely true.
Thoughts for another time.
"So," Sherlock tented his fingers, leaning back in his chair, "Do you want to explain why you did this, Edmo- ah, Count?"
He had to get out of that habit. His disguise in Shinjuku had been ruined by him using the Cavern King's real name, after all.
A vein in the Count of Monte Cristo's neck pulsed at the first half of the name. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, black flames curling. Caenis shifted her shield off her back, stepping between the Avenger class Servant and her de facto Master. She got along with Goredolf better than Izuku, truth be told.
They should probably work on getting him some Command Spells and making it De Jure at some point.
"You wanted to know about us bringing Inko," the Count growled, teeth still barred.
"Yes."
"But you're not surprised we did it," he said, "You expected it, Holmes."
"Yes, I did."
-X Count X-
The Count's lips tilted downwards as Goredolf sighed, "I'd give a complaint about chain of command, but I'm well aware by this point that as far as you're concerned the chain of command begins and ends with Izuku."
"I'm not going to apologize," the Count said. Why would he? He had nothing to apologize for?
"I'm not asking you to," Goredolf said, "I'll pull rank occasionally, but I'm far happier and likely to not suffer a heart attack by letting Izuku take charge on all things about Servants… except Caeneus."
"I'm happier without the harem king trying to add me to his conquests," Caenis shot.
"Don't let Izuku hear you say that," Lily said, "He'll meltdown."
"Doesn't like his habits paraded aroun-"
"He's a virgin," the Count cut in.
Caenis's mouth flapped for a second, "First, why do you know that, two how!?"
"One is a vir-"
"Shut," Caenis growled, "You know what I mean!"
"He just hasn't slept with anyone," the Count deadpanned. Which directly tied into how he knew, Izuku confiding in him that he would likely die one to keep the peace.
"So, if you knew, why did you send us?" He asked Holmes.
"It may be easy to forget," Holmes said, "but I am a Servant of Izuku as well. He would likely put off seeing Inko because of worry about compromising Chaldea, which would just make him more depressed. So, we had to go above his head. Three Servants with no loyalty to Chaldea as an entity but loyalty to Izuku would do the trick, and it did."
"I see," the Count said, activing Monte Cristo Mythologie and slamming his hands against the table, "stop fucking manipulating me, Sherlock."
"My apologies," Sherlock said without flinching, "it won't happen again."
"It better not," the Count growled, before standing, "I'm going to find Mash and the others."
- X AN X-
Decided to split this chapter into two as I get into the swing of things again. In the meantime, I've started a Necromunda inspired LoL cross.
Also, I have to wonder about something. MCM appears to give immunity to "mental interference effects", does that include Oblivion Correction?