Some time had passed since the battle, the group of four had moved to another hidden bunker in the city, not too far from the battle.
Moving the Herrscher without jostling the various weaponry in her body was a strenuous process. Roy had to make a robotic bed that could fly to properly move her.
Sitting on a table, Roy and Shirou, who had returned to her previous personality. Listened to Yae Sakura as she told them her story.
How centuries ago she had been infected by a box containing the Herrscher of Corruption from the previous world. How the miko went berserk and was sealed by a friend. Kallen Kaslana.
"-when I woke up. I tried to flee the city to not burden anyone but that one you call Yuna."
Sakura turned to the sleeping Yuna. "Attacked me and in the fight, the fox broke loose from my control."
Roy remembered the files stating the second impact had happened in the 2000s, in Russia, "So the Third Impact awakening woke you up, and her attack awakened your dark personality self. Which was the Fox. My attack had been mitigated by the barrier it made at the last second saving it from serious damage. From what Shirou tells me."
Checking on his drone he found the fox damaged enough that Shirou's weapon was keeping it down for now.
A holographic display showed the weapon Shirou fired at it.
Though she fired the weapon like an arrow, it looked more like a spear. It was of a simple design, the only thing that stood out was that it was glowing green.
"We only have Yuna left to deal with as she's a little bit more unstable, is your sword strong enough to hold Yuna, Shirou?"
"I don't really know what I did during my fight with her," she admits a confused expression. The girl could not recall most of her actions after she fought Yuna. Only some vague recollections.
The drones Roy had stationed around the area filled in some blanks. Sections of the fight and her firing the spear like an arrow which had sealed the fox.
However there were still some portions of her memory missing.
"As long as the weapon that's stabbed in her is not moved. I don't see her waking up." The group stared at her peaceful sleeping face.
"Hmm, both are down for the count, but we can't keep them here since the other two organizations would be gunning for the two. Since they're both terrible choices…" Roy was extremely worried about Otto Apocalypse, especially what he'd read about him and what he'd been doing, "Well, one is worse than the other. Regardless, their fighting would cause them to escalate out of control." Roy stayed silent for a bit thinking as he stared at his plane, "We need a base of operations as well as a- SPACESHIP!"
"..."
Both Sakura and Shirou stared at Roy who was trying to share his excitement but they didn't quite understand. The former knew what a spaceship was after seeing a video on them while traveling through the ruined city while the latter was wondering if Roy could build one for all of them in time.
Roy was still getting a handle on his capabilities since his only real limit was time, honkai energy and his imagination; it was something he wasn't used to.
"How long do you think it will take to make one?" Sakura asked.
"Definitely way more than an hour. Not going to be making it now, for the moment we need to leave the area soon I can see Valkyries and robots coming towards us. Shirou, is the fox contained enough to move?"
"I… am not sure."
"The beast is still conscious, the weapon you fired actively robs it of its power. Any attempt it makes to remove the weapon just makes your weapon stronger so it has chosen to bide it's time and prevent more of its power from being stolen."
Sakura answered. The miko could hear the fox's raged-filled words mentally. Due to being separated from it the voice was much weaker but Sakura willingly kept the connection stable.
So she could listen to it to confirm it could not break out on it's own.
"As it is right, any attempt to move it. May gave it an opening, especially if I go anywhere near it."
Roy exhaled, "That's a problem, if Schicksal or Anti-Entropy were to get their hands on the fox... " Roy blinked thinking on it for a second, "Okay I have several plans, each one less enthusiastic than the next. Sakura what happens if either organization gets their hands on the Fox, in the sense." He stared at her directly trying to discern the truth, "Will anything happen to you?"
"They would have a link to me. Though I do not think either organization has the means to contain it."
"They definitely don't… well Schicksal might but only after getting most of their Valkyries killed. AE is even more doubtful. This is shaping up to be a disaster if we leave the fox."
He took a moment to think on it, "Alright everyone in the plane whatever we decide is better with mobility and aerial view."
Roy picked up Yuna with Shirou's directions, feeling odd at how their powerful enemy was so light and soft. Her face looked much too peaceful compared to the apathetic expressions she had before as the enemy.
In the sky, the three could see a large space ship looking aircraft right out of an anime flying near the city.
(Scene break)
"Amber, what are grandfather's plans for this honkai beast?"
Theresa Apocalypse, one of the two S rank Valkyries sent was visible on a screen. She appeared to be talking to a hologram of a masked woman that shared her white hair.
The only intact camera in the area transmitted footage of the childlike Valkyrie standing on a rooftop. A few blocks away from the fox.
[Spoilers][img] image/174580981398[/img][/Spoilers]
The audio was a bit scruffy but it was enough for the three. Through his suit's monitoring system, Roy could see that Sakura's heart rate spiked for a moment when she saw Theresa's face.
"The overseer has not given me any new details. Only that you and Durandal are not to interact with the fox."
"Sounds like grandfather is up to something again-"
The audio started getting worse before the camera feed was completely cut off.
Roy turns to Sakura, "You might hate me for this but Sakura do you think you can relocate the Fox into your brainspace? Since I don't know what either organization is like as of yet it's better to not give either the edge. We can distract them until you do."
Sakura was silent for a moment, transfixed on the screen before turning to look at Roy then Sakura with a contemplative expression on her face.
"I thank you for your help. I… should be able to reseal it within me. Especially in the state it's in right now." A resigned resolve could be heard in her voice.
She then turned to Shirou who was starting to feel out of place.
"Can you make another weapon of that caliber?"
Roy commanded the drones to intercept those of Shicksal, wracking his brain for a plan.
"I think I can." The uncertain redhead looked at the unconscious Yuna. Her eyes flashing steel gray for a brief moment as she grew confident. "Yes, I can do it. Any specific shape you want me to make?"
"A spear will do."
"Very well." Shirou walked over to the unconscious girl, then touched her body. Honkai energy leaked from Yuna as Shirou started shaping a weapon.
Roy was considering something then grinned, "I'm going to have a talk with the white haired one."
+/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/+
A series of strange whistling and beeping noises could be heard all around Theresa putting her on alert. Scanning the area she sensed various small traces of Honkai energy all around her.
For a brief second she was confused as she saw no honkai beasts or even zombies in the area. Then the sight of a series of small multi-coloured lights were visible on the buildings around her.
The lights flew off the building and their glow died down a bit allowing her to make it what she was seeing.
Like a school of fish, the drones came together to form a large skull shape.
[Spoilers][img] . [/img][/Spoilers]
The mass of drones coalesced a few meters above Theresa, with lasers of varying colours, smoke poured out with a booming voice, "Who dares set foot in my city!" a large shape in the form of a skull, a silhouette in the shape of a person could be seen in its mouth.
"What?" The white haired nun slammed the giant cross on her back on the ground. It split open revealing chains and golden spears jutting out of it.
"There is only one superhero in this city I fight in this city my arch-nemysis Iron Man!" Showing a holographic image of Iron Man, "Who are you!?" The silhouette reveals itself to be a large blue headed supervillain wearing a leather outfit.
"Theresa Apocalypse, S rank Valkyrie of Schicksal." The girl replied strently, her expression then changed as she heard something from her head piece. "Oh, you are that boy who appeared in Russia."
Despite being far younger looking than Roy, she took on an expression one would expect from a principle and her young voice took on a lecturing tone. "What do you think you are doing, naughty boys will be punished."
Even though Roy knew Theresa was much older than she looked, partly because of the files but even without those showing up on his HUD her demeanor and expression just spoke of experience and a strange weariness that looked out of place on a younger face.
'Megamind' linked the tips of his fingertips together, "This is the part where you are supposed to have witty banter, excitement and showmanship! You can't just skip all of that! There is a due process!" 'He' clicked his teeth, "This is why little kids shouldn't be involved in the superhero business."
[Spoilers][img] .ie/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/megamind-MEG034_ [/img][/Spoilers]
Instead of replying the chains from the cross launched forth. With speed that surprised Roy they neared a drone and it promptly shut down.
"The one acting like a child is you!"
By the dozens, the drones were losing power as more chains emerged surrounding the mass of drones.
"Sorry but we are short on time at the moment so why don't we talk. Starting with your name Mr John Doe."
'Megamind' widened his eyes as he realized how broken those chains were and started to charge up the laser cannon where they had battled the fox, "No Billy! He was gone too soon! The rest of you Evasive Maneuvers Ten to Fifty!" As 'Megamind's' original plan had been to drop to the streets below and force Theresa after him but the chains moved faster than he could even register. They encircled him, "Why are you attacking my children!"
"For your own sake. You are new to our world right?"
"New to the world?"
"Yes, the portal you came out of. It is connected to the quantum sea where multiple worlds like our float about. In addition to that when my coworker Rita and Cocolia introduced themselves you did not appear to recognise our organisations."
The 'blue villain' studied Theresa hovering there as if thinking, which he was, but also stalling, "I… am pretty sure I never said anything about not recognizing your organizations… That's a pretty big leap." Roy pondered for a moment, "Unless… you guys hacked my tech." He snapped his fingers, "That'd make sense you guys do have super tech, so there's someone who's been…watching me-fudge."
"I believe you are the one who hacked our servers first Mr John Doe."
'If she's still calling me that I doubt they've been watching everything or she's not been told everything.'
"Guilicent, I mean Innoguilty, I demand my lawyer." He grinned, "Jokes aside, you're admitting to it, and you're telling me that a large organization like yours is this global and completely good? Plus your leader was giving me bad vibes. Like a final boss in a video game. I'll admit I'm basing that on his smile but mostly his name Otto Apocalypse." Roy was of course neglecting to mention the various horrific crimes.
"While I do admit my grandfather is rather shady enough to fit such a role. Now's not the time to have that talk. We have a problem, so can you stop using a lot of your powers right now." The girl pointed towards the giant fox lodged in the building. The laser cannon was behind one of the buildings having charged up significantly, he was still unsure whether or not to fire it at her ship or her.
"My powers?"
"Do you know what a Herrscher is?"
"Relatively, but I'm sure I can always learn new things about old subjects, go on." Laying back on his throne of drones stroking one of them like a cat.
"The beast over there and the destruction you see in this city was caused by the Honkai. Herrscher's are individuals that are able to contain dangerous levels of honkai energy before ascending into an avatar for the will of Honkai."
The nun pulled out a small device from her dress and a hologram appeared. It displayed Sakura, Shirou, Yuna and Roy. "Herrscher's have only one objective, the destruction of humanity."
"You, your red haired friend Emiya Shirou and Hanayama Yuna are close to becoming Herrschers."
The holograms disappeared and various screens took their place. They displayed various scenes of Hanayama laughing maniacally as she attacked various students and staff at a highschool.
Roy grimaced not really pleased, briefly he wondered if he was harbouring a murderer but he'd find that out after curing her of her madness. Herschers tended to suddenly go mad at the moment thus he was considering it to be a tailed beast and their hosts being burdened with them.
However if it turned out she was completely coherent and completely in control he'd end her without a second thought.
"More so with Hanayama san as she absorbed a lot of Honkai energy and displayed bouts of insanity. She is responsible for the massacre of her entire school. If you and Shirou had not intervened she would have awakened in a few days."
Roy had been taking it easy as he could joking and trying to keep himself level headed but stress free. However this had become much more serious he dropped down in front of her, "You're an honest one aren't you? I appreciate it and I'll be as honest as I can in kind. I don't trust your Grandfather in the slightest-"
He wanted to consider that she could've been playing him but he could tell she wasn't the type and shut down the laser he had been charging from over ten kilometers out where his real body was, "-But I'll extend my trust for someone at least attempting diplomacy in this situation, how do you know they're going to turn into Herrschers and how can I keep them from turning into one?" He was hoping she had been given false information, otherwise this just got ten times harder.
"For your first question, you can tell by the amount of Honkai energy that has been concentrated within a person and -" A screen depicting Yuna, Shirou and Roy appeared. Above each of them was a reading of how much energy was in them. With Yuna being the highest among them. "-the fact that something like this is starting to form."
In another screen a red gem.
"These are called Herrscher gems. If they evolve any further they become a core and that signifies that a person has become a Herrscher."
"Thankfully Yuna was stopped by your friend before such a thing could ever form." A screen displayed footage of Shirou stabbing Yuna with a barrage of swords.
"And to keep from turning into one? Drink lots of marmalade, sunbathe, what do we do exactly?"
"Our scientists have been working on a serum that negates Honkai energy within a person. It's not complete yet but the prototypes have been successful negate honkai corruption to an extent."
"...Theresa, honestly my biggest worry is your Grandfather. I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I accept your help, I get pulled into whatever he's doing. And I refuse to let anyone use them as weapons or whatever his plans are." Roy knew his instincts while a little wild were unwavering that Otto was bad news, not to mention the files on human experimentation.
He considered it for a moment, "I'm going to have to be a little rude and ask you something that would solve the problem to an extent. Could you give me the serum, in return I promise to help you with whatever you're having trouble with…provided it's not sketchy or dealing with your gramps in any way."
"It's a deal, I do have to warn you. We have not completed the serum yet but do not worry. I have a way to deal with the honkai corruption to an extent."
"Thank you so much, I promise I'll remember this."
"Can you gather your friends? We need help from you all, especially from the Miko to deal with the fox."
"On the promise that you leave what happens to it to Sakura," He gestured in that direction, "The Miko."
"I will, hopefully we can stop the Herrscher of corruption for good."
A/N:
R: Life just doesn't let up I swear .
Tried to fix this up as much as possible, but if you guys notice anything off let us know.
Was surprised Theresa was so reasonable. I was honestly expecting an epic fight that Roy would lose and all the wins they'd gained would start to spiral downwards right here.
Tobi: Real life got in the way a lot. Glad we finished this chapter and I hope we can write more in the near future. I hope you all enjoy the chapter.