A Hedgehog Of Chaldea
Orleans Interludes (Part 2)
Interlude VI
Oath Of Heracles
"Master! This is bad! The nearby village is being attacked by wild beasts!" Mash shouted
"And it happened quite suddenly, it seems. Are you awake, Sonic?" Romani said
"Hey big guy, you ready for some action?" Sonic asks
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!" Heracles roared
"That's what I like to hear from you!" Sonic replied
"I don't understand how you understood him. I'm not sure that Berserk is well suited for rescue efforts. I hope it will be all right... the village, I mean..." Romani said
"Not just the fields are being destroyed, the buildings are as well... Doctor! Get us details on the enemy!" Mash shouted
"I am, already! What? Whoa! Their numbers are incredible! It's completely surrounded!" Romani shock
"Master, we'll just have to take them out as we see them!" Mash said
"Sounds good to me! Let's go big guy!" Sonic said
"▂▂▃▃▅▅■■■■ーー!" Heracles roared
Sonic quickly lunges at the werewolves as he begins circling them in light speed and building up a small but powerful tornado. Sonic manages to pick up a few werewolves as they all were thrown right at Heracles. Heracles roars as lunges at the flying werewolves and swings his large sword right at them, cutting all of them in half as their body parts fall behind him and in front of Mash. Mash
"Not bad, big guy. You're like my best friend Knuckles back home! Expect way stronger and ruthless." Sonic commented
"Nice work! We're done on this side. Oh, no! That girl!"
"Waaaaah!... Mommyyy!"
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!"
"This is going to be bad! Berserker doens;t see the child! You've got to stop him somehow!" Romani said
"▂▂▃▃▂▂"
"Waaaah!"
Sonic quickly gets in front of Heracles before getting close to the crying young girl.
"Calm down big guy... It's not an enemy." Sonic trying to calm Heracles down
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!"
Moments later, Heracles slashes.
"SENPAI!" Mash cried out
"I-I'm so scared, I can't look directly into the monitor... Sonic..."
"*Carrying the little girl* It's okay, everyone... I'm fine." Sonic said
"*Takes A Deep Sigh* Oh you had me scared for a moment there, Senpai." Mash shock
"Wait... is the girl all right?" Romani asks
"She's all right. He's going after what's behind her!" Mash said
"Gyarrrh!"
The beast that Hercules attacked vanishes away.
"Waaaah! That scared meeee..."
"*Trying to comfort the little girl* There there. Even is going to be alright." Sonic said
"Runoff somewhere safe, all right?" Mash said
"...Whew! Thank goodness the girl is fine. Oh, that's right! Berserker must be directing his hostility toward large foes first. That's why he..."
"Doctor, how many survivors are left?"
"Oh, man! We're surrounded by enemies! You're in an even worse situation than before!" Romani said
"*Looks at Hercules* Let's have some fun!" Sonic said
Moments later, the werewolves and werejaguars were all rushing towards the three in all directions. Sonic quickly runs to the first werejaguar as he jumps behind it and performs a backward roundhouse kick at its head and knocks it towards Heracles. Heracles grabs the werejaguar by its throat as he slams them on the ground and swings down his massive sword on them, completely cutting them in half as blood spews out. Moments later, the werejaguar vanishes away. Two other werejaguars also lunge at Sonic and Heracles as Heracles lunges at the werejaguar and swings his giant sword at them, hitting them in the side and throwing them away from him. Sonic quickly performs an overhead elbow strike which hits the werejaguar's head and knocks them to the ground hard. Sonic then performs a somersault bicycle kick and sends the werejaguar to the air where he jumps at them and does an overhead ax kick on the werejaguar, sending it back down to the ground. But before the werejaguar can hit the ground, Hercules rushes in and swings his sword at the werejaguar, hitting and throwing it to a pile of bricks where it vanishes soon after. Moments later, the two werewolves lunge at Sonic and were about to attack him but Mash quickly gets in front of him and blocks the attacks from hitting Sonic. Heracles quickly rushes and swings his sword at the two werewolves and knocks them away from Mash and Sonic. Moments later, Heracles jumps and stabs his sword right at the werewolf's back and blood begins to spew out blood as he moves his sword forward and cuts the werewolf in half. Moments later, Sonic jumps in the air then falls down with a dive kick, hitting the werewolf's head and creating a small crater on the floor. The werewolves vanish soon after.
*Chaldea*
"..."
"Oh, Sonic, I figured out why Berseker did what he did earlier," Romani said
"...Earlier? Oh, you mean when that girl was spared by Heracles and Sonic." Mash said
"Yes, that. I thought there was something odd about it, so I did some digging and found out the Madness Enhancement on Heracles, is actually rather weak. It leaves a tiny bit of his reasoning intact. So, earlier, thanks to that bit of reasoning, he didn't attack the girl or you Sonic." Romani said
"That explains that wild adventure," Sonic commented
"..."
"Oh, I see. But why is Heracles's Madness Enhancement so weak?" Mash asks
"Well, that's because Madness Enhancement was originally a skill meant to forcefully strength weak Servants. But when it comes to a Servant like Heracles, driving him mad consumes massive amounts of magical energy. In other words, the Madness Enhancement level is heavily reduced, enabling him to manifest by using even less energy. Anyway, the fact that you don't have any magical energy, Sonic, also plays a role in that. Many things associated with our world don't affect you, Sonic." Romani said
"That's nice to hear. I have been absorbed too far greater energy. That, I'll explain later on. But the point is that this magical energy in your world won't affect me in the slightest." Sonic said
"Very interesting, Sonic. I would love to hear that from you in the future." Romani said
"You mean to say, Heracles's current staus is much weaker than what he could've been?" Mash asks
"But even at that, it's far string than most Heroic Spirits. Rather, I am kind of scared to find out what he could've been." Romani said
"He'll be even stronger than now," Sonic replied
"..."
"... But I'm sure that even at Heracles's original state of madness, that girl still would have been safe," Mash said
"No, no. I really doubt that. He's a Berserker, you know. A Berserker!"
"Heracles wouldn't be the type to do something like that to a child," Sonic said
"I'm not so sure about that..."
"Yes, for sure...!"
"..."
Interlude VII
The Conqueror Of Human Life
"Hrm... What is this wasteland? I came along excited about the prospect of a new battle, but this place is cold and bare." Iskandar said
"Really? I thought the great King of Conquerors who trample the Persian desert would find this place nostalgic." Romani replied
"Fool. The glorious battlefields on my desert memories were blazing gold during the day, and tranquil as the moonlight at night. It was an everlasting sea of sand so mystical, it roused one's heart. It's nothing like this empty bore of a ruin. It's vastly different in epicness and scale." Iskandar said
"Wouldn't you say an empty plain like this is rather convenient for battle since you don't need to worry about harming innocent bystanders?" Mash asks
"Convenient? If it's not a fruitful land that gets the heart pumping, how do you know what you're fighting for!" Iskandar replied
"What you're fighting for, huh. Then, may I ask, why do you fight?" Romani said
"It's obvious! To conquer! To reach the undiscovered land and claim it as my own!" Iskandar replied
"Alright, I'll answer next. The reason I fight is to protect the innocent from evil. Not fight for something I want to obtain. I fight for the protection of others." Sonic said
"I prefer your answer rather than his, Senpai. You have summoned yet another troublesome Heroic Spirit." Mash said
"To be honest with you, this is actually fine," Sonic replied
"Are you saying that you have no problem controlling Servants, no matter how extraordinary of a Heroic Spirit they are? Perhaps that's just your positive thinking talking? To be honest, I'm a little concerned about your optimism... No. In a situation as desperate as this, confidence and optimism are our ultimate weapons. Sonic has proven yet again his high suitability as a Master." Romani said
"Fou?"
"King of Conquerors. You seem unimpressed with the world you've been summoned to, but why not think of it this way? The crisis of destruction we are facing right now has the potential to make every land of this world into barren wastelands. This means the enthralling; land that you seek to conquer will no longer be if nothing is done." Romani said
"Oh-ho? That is a grave concern. This is no battle. It's simply a disaster." Iskandar replied
"You are not wrong to think so. To be honest, we do not dully understand the enemy ourselves." Mash said
"No matter what it may be, as long as it has a physical body that bleeds when I cut it, I'll have no problem-fighting. Basically, you just want me to slaughter those ghastly creatures coming right at us, yeah?" Iskandar said
"...Say what?! Oh crap! Lookout, you're surrounded!" Romani said
"*Sigh* You want fresh blood? I'll give you that for you. But don't ever bring this up ever again. Now then, Just hold on tight." Sonic said
Moments later, Sonic beings spinning in circles as he forms a massive blue tornado that picks up the Shadow Servants around them. As Sonic continues to spin super fast, Iskandar throws his sword up in the tornado as the sword begins to slash the Shadow Servants. The Shadow Servants couldn't control their selves due to the force of the tornado and just took the attacks from the sword. Moments later, Sonic stops quickly as the tornados explode and sends the Shadow Servants far away before vanishing.
"I hope you're happy," Sonic said
"...Hm. Now that I've fought against some, I understand. This is no battle. This is some kind of cataclysm." Iskandar said
"Meaning?"
"There's no passion in the enemy's fist. There was no mention nor warm blood coursing through them while the sword attacked them. They are like locusts or potents of disaster. They are no warriors."
"...Um, so you're saying, they're like ghosts?" Mash asks
"Hm. I cannot simply let such creatures roam free."
"Looks like we're going to need some backup," Sonic said
"Indeed. With another conquest up ahead, it seems we need to settle this matter first. This is a bizarre turn of events, but as you've summoned me, I shall offer you my sword, Master." Iskander said
"*Smiles At Iskandar* Glad to see you finally change your mind," Sonic said
"Ah yes! Now, this is what Servant cooperation is all about! See how negotiation can make anything possible, Mash? To be honest, I was son guard when I heard the King of Macedonia was here, but he's quite the man! He's so heroic, but not too rough!" Romani said
"I wouldn't call it negotiation... I feel like the fight convinced him." Mash said
"Now that's settled, we need to prepare! Military strategies change with time and place. I must learn more about this era!"
"Ah! That's quite convincing coming from the great hero who sought world domination!" Romani said
"Being summoned as a Servant granted me knowledge of your era, but it does not feel real yet. Yes, I need... personal experience..." Iskandar said
"And what kind of preparations do you have in mind?" Mash asks
"First and foremost, information from literature. And a map."
"...I'm a little surprised that you'd be so meticulous informing military strategies," Mash said
"Obviously. A guide is necessary when exploring foreign lands. Maybe not an interpreter, but I do want literature to help steer our way. Prepare something that lists must-see sights, local foods, and what times are the busy times. Make sure they don't skimp on the details." Iskandar said
"...Huh?"
"And... clothing. We wouldn't be fully immersing ourselves in local fare if it's just food and lodging. Attire unique to that country! Just a wardrobe change changes your entire perspective! My retainers all hated to do it. But really is amusing." Iskandar said
"Even if I wanted to change to something to better fit the timeline and the country... There wouldn't be any sizes for me to put on nor any clothing to fit with by spikey back." Sonic replied
"...Look at that smile. it's like saying, "I can get anything I want." A royal ego like that reminds me of Gil... I mean, a different king that we know." Mash said
"Gil who? Never heard of him..." Sonic confuse
"*Sigh* Just forget what I said, Senpai. Anyway, when King Iskandar says it, I think I understand why his retainers would give in. So, this is the kind who thought to slice through the Gordian knot. Only Senpai could summon a Servant like this!" Mash said
"Wait what?!" Sonic said
"Well, um... yeah. I guess it wouldn't kill us to have a, uh, couple people around with one or two screws loose. On that same note, maybe it wouldn't be so strange to have a king who mixes up tourism with conquest." Romani said
"Fooou?"
"My point is, no matter what this Heroic Spirit's interpretation of the situation is... As long as we can count on him in battle, I don't see any issue... I guess?" Romani said
"Okay... that may be true..." Sonic replied
"Hahahaha! That's the spirit! As my contractor, that's the attitude you need!" Iskandar said
"Fooooou..."
"I'm as confused as you are, Fou," Sonic said
Interlude VIII
Heroic Spirit Of The Charity
WARNING: THIS CHARACTER DOESN'T OFFICIALLY APPEAR UNTIL LATER ON IN THE STORY! I AM ONLY DOING THIS SO I WON'T HAVE TO DO IT LATER ON! THAT GOES FOR THE REST OF THE CHARACTERS THAT HAVE YET TO APPEAR IN THE MAIN STORY. THESE ARE EXTRA CHAPTERS THAT I'M DOING FOR FUN FOR ORLEANS BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SINGULARITY OF THE MAIN STORY.
"*Walking By Himself While Rubbing His Stomach* Man, I hope they are serving Chili Dogs at the cafeteria today," Sonic said
"Master, are you going to eat? I'll come with you." Mash said
"Fou, Fou!"
"You can come too, Fou... What? Is that... Karna?" Mash asks
"Heyo-Chal-Deluxe!" Sonic shouted
"Heyo-Chal-Deluxe," Karna replied
Sonic and Karna high five each other soon after.
"What? ...Senpai? Karna!? What's going on!?" Mash asks
"...That's my question. I was told that's the standard greeting in Chaldea." Karna replied
"Who... Who told you that?!"
"Master."
"What? ...No way... I didn't know such a wonderful greeting existed... Senpai, how come you didn't tell me?" Mash asks
"I thought you wouldn't like it, so I never said anything to you," Sonic replied
"...Please say that to me, too," Mash said
"Wait what? Don't tell me..."
"...Heyo, something. The one you did, with the high-five."
"Fine. Heyo-Chal-Deluxe!" Sonic said
"Yes, Heyo-Chal-Deluxe," Mash said
Sonic and Mash high five each other soon after.
"I see. This has a wonderful effect. It makes you feel... light and relaxed. However, Chaldea is on high alert right now. So from now on, this greeting will be banned." Mash said
"Foou..."
"Come on, Mash. You gotta at least have some fun once in a while. It's how we do it back in my world." Sonic said
"By the way, what are you doing, Karna?" Mash asks
"Oh, I'm about to go buy some bread at the store," Karna replied
"At Da Vinci's store? If you haven't had lunch, why don't we..."
"No, Doctor... Roman was his name? He asked me to buy some for him." Karna said
"... Doctor. It's me. Mash. I'm going to get to the point. Why did you ask Karna to run errands for you?" Mash asks
"Well, I've been busy, so I just thought..."
"Using a Heroic Spirit... To buy bread? I'm pretty sure there are other more useful things." Mash replied
"Wait, I meant it as a joke! But he just nodded and walked out of the room..." Romani said
"And you were okay with that?" Sonic asks
"Yes, what the Doctor said is correct. There isn't a single false statement. Did I do something wrong?" Karna said
"No... I mean, I wouldn't know how to answer that myself..." Mash replied
"I see. If nothing's wrong, I'm going to the store."
*Da Vinci's Store*
"I'm so sorry! Da Vinci's Super Special Delicious Bread just ran out." Da Vinci said
"Oh... I see."
"He looks so depressed, Senpai! You always have extra, I wonder what happened?" Mash thought
"Well, we finally used up all the flour we had. Dr. Roman also told us not to waste it. I got it. Let's use this chance to procure a new supply route! Of course, you will help me, right? They sell good flour in France, around here. If you can stuff it into my special Da Vinci Storage Bag, you should be able to bring back some crops to Chaldea. Normally, I'd purposely realign Chaldeas to manifest resources from our Rayshift destination but... Using Chaldea like that would truly deplete our resources... It just doesn't balance out. So in times like this, we need a cheat a little." Da Vinci said
"Understood. Commencing Rayshift. Master, I'm sorry, but please get ready." Karna said
"He agreed immediately!" Mash said
"I said this a while ago... Servants don't need to ask permission to do something. They can do whatever they want, like right now. Understood, Karna... Let's go." Sonic replied
Moments later, the three teleport to France.
*France*
"...Well. That's the reason we're in this French farming village." Mash said
"Fou."
"Hmm. How did things end up like this in the short time I was looking at Magi Mari's blog?" Romani said
"Here we go again..." Sonic commented
"It's all the Doctor's fault!"
"That village... Hmm?"
"Oh, a traveler... No, looking at that spear... Perhaps you are part of the French Army?" A Villager said
"...no, I'm not."
"N-No way... It's been three cays since the bandits seized our village... Just when I thought someone had finally come to save us..."
"That sounds terrible. I will help you."
"What? A-Are you sure? But... Only with this amount of people..."
"It won't be a problem. Karna... Let's hurry to the village!" Mash said
"Fou!"
*Village*
"Hell yeah! Bring us some booze! Get me some women too!"
"Can you be any much louder?!" Sonic said
"That's enough! For your health, please refrain from alcohol and women!" Mash shouted
"Who the hell are you? An animal, a girl, and some skinny guy... Ha! Hey guys, go teach them a lesson!" The Bandit said
"*Notices a stack of rope next to him and picks it up from the ground* Give me a second you two," Sonic said
Moments later, Sonic begins running around the oncoming bandits and tying them up one by one easily. The main leader was in a state of shock while watching Sonic tie each one of his people getting tied up very fast. Eventually, the bandits were tied and all fell to the ground trying to untie themselves.
"When will they ever learn?" Sonic commented
"That's enough. Dop you want to spend all your remaining on momentary desires?"
"Holy crap... That animal is very fast! T-They're more powerful than I thought! L-let's get out of here!"
Moments later, the rest of the bandits run away from the three.
"Persistently aiming at their vital spots, and accurately reducing their wills to fight to make them surrender as quickly as possible. It was one-sided, artistic even. I learned a lot." Romani said
"T-Thank you very much, traveler. I have no idea how to repay you..."
"You don't need to thank me. We couldn't just let your village be destroyed. By the way, can you give us some wheat? We'll pay the proper market price for it." Karna asks
"W-Wheat? That's all you need? Please take as much as you need!"
"...No, just enough to fill this bag. I heard I can pay you with these silver coins."
"Well, yes... then please take this. Is that really enough for you?"
"Yes, I appreciate it. I'm sorry for the trouble." Karna said
"Karna..."
*Da Vinci's Store*
"All right! This is Da Vinci's Super Special Delicious Bread Mark 2!" Da Vinci said
"...Splkendid skill, or craftsmanship rather. I can even feel divinity from the steam. You use to bake pizza before... As expected from an almighty genius, this is an almighty oven. Hat's off to you." Karna said
*Chaldea*
"Sorry to make you wait, Doctor. Were you able to withstand the hunger? This is the bread you wanted." Karna said
"Oh, thank you... I'm sorry about the extra work." Romani said
"Oh no, it was a good experience. Anyway, I will take my leave now." Karna walking away
"*Stomach rumbling* Ugh, I'm still hungry," Sonic said
"Karna is looking... a little bit strange, don't you think?" Mash said
"The Hero of Benefaction... I heard he even offered hi armor when someone begged for it, even though it was his flesh and blood." Romani replied
"Armor?"
"Yes, as long as he's wearing that gold armor no one can harm him. he's a hero who relinquished even that precious armor when asked for it. A widow's mite in a way... Takes only what is necessary and only the amount he really needs, that's him." Romani said
"He is noble and aloof, yet engages with others as his peers... He is truly a model hero. What a wonderful person. I can't believe the Doctor would ask him to do such a mundane task." Mash said
"I was engaged in a task I couldn't leave, so... I am sorry. Next time I'll ask Arjuna! You know... Since he's from India just like Karna!" Romani said
"T-That's an even bigger issue! Please let us do your rival tasks!" Mash said
"Fou!"
"*Sighs As He Walks Away From The Two* I'll see you two later. I gotta go eat something... Oh, man..." Sonic said
Interlude IX
Lips To Lips?
"M. A. S. T. E. R."
"W-What is it Kiyohime?!" Sonic asks
"Oh, please don't cry out so! It is I, your Kiyohime, Master. I too have just woken up. Do you know where we are? At any rate, let us walk. Look, Mash is here as well." Kiyohime said
"...I can't get in contact with the Doctor. Anyway, let's take a walk around." Mash said
"Yes, Let's wander around. This too is one of the delights of travel... Or so it seems. Well, to be honest, I have e never taken a real trip. When I chased after Lord Anchin, that most certainly could not be called a trip. Now, then. Shall we begin walking? I wonder what sort of things await us. It sure is a little exciting, isn't it? Hehehehehe."
"Oh boy..." Sonic whispers
"...Enemies! Kiyohime, get ready for battle!"
"..."
"Umm, Kiyohime?"
"Oh, my! Just when I was expecting romance, such a horrid encounter! Dear god! What have I done to deserve this? Oh, right. I do have a vague idea of what it might be. Most of my behavior in life could be the cause. Hmm... I do deserve this. But for this trouble to be imposed upon my Master simply won't do..."
"*Rubs Kiyohime's head* Don't work, Kiyohiem. Our trip has only just begun." Sonic said
"Thank you, Master!"
"...If Elizabeth were here, she'd probably joke about this," Mash said
"Fou..."
"Now then, let's get these guys out of here," Sonic said
Moments later, Sonic begins running around in circles around the wyverns as they all were getting dizzy from the speed. As they couldn't focus around them. Kiyohime fires fireballs at the Wyverns as they all explode on impact and engulfed the wyverns in flames. The wyverns all roared in pain as the fire burned their wings off.
"Ahh, such a magnificent view. Oh, yes. About that trip. The only thing I saw was his back. That dreamy back. He abandoned me and simply ran away... But just so you know. I did think back on my actions. Yet, still, even so. Why didn't he utter a single word of apology? If he can not do that, he could at least yell at me..." Kiyohime said
"T-That would be tough, Kiyohime."
"But why? I am not the type that would slit her wrists at the slightest reproach. However, my chat-room friend, Tamano, told me, "You know, your understanding of why Anchion left you is wrong at the most basic level. He didn't want to stay away from you, in fact, he liked you a little, just a little. However, your love for someone who only liked you a little is too heavy Too much is as bad as too little. With you, it's either love or hate, one or zero. You need to change your digital way of thinking!" That is her opinion on me..." Kiyohime said
"Your just too lovely, Kiyohime. And a friendly person in general." Sonic replied
"Because I'm lovely... So he didn't want to say anything harsh to me? I see... Well. I am still completely unable to comprehend the heart of a man. Tamamo tells me to trust her on matters between men and women. That she can give me the perfect answer only because of what she's been through... Those are the kinds of things she says... But for some reason, I just can't trust her. It seems to me she's the type that would turn to mush the moment a handsome man gazed at her seriously. She's usually open about her feelings, but once the man makes a move on her, she'd freeze up and get swept away. She always says, "It's so easy to control a man. But in reality, it's more like, "Serving obediently is true happiness." In the Holy Grail War that we're in right now, perhaps it's a good idea to have an offline party sometimes. Everyone knows she's a shut-in, so I don't know if that Osakabe Hime would show up. Oh, dear me. I'm sorry. I'm doing all the talking." Kiyohime
"I don't why she is explaining this stuff to me... I'm not too fond of the whole romance thing. Why would anyone want to date a Hedgehog like me? That's extremely weird to even date me in the first place..." Sonic thought
"No, I'm, quite fascinated by what you're talking about. Chat room buddy... Offline Party...?" Mash asks
"I want to hear more about Master. How were you born, where did you come from, and how you've lived your life. What's your favorite food? And what's the food you dislike? Is your name Sonic? What's the type of woman you like? What's the type of man you like? What your schedule is like every day? Where do you wash first in a shower? Your height, weight, eyesight, grip strength, speed, endurance, lung capacity, whether you've run a marathon... Oh! I forgot one very important thing. Are there any temples that you're acquainted with... If possible, I'd like to hear them."
"*Mouth Eyes Wide Open, Shock* W-What would you if I told you all of that?!" Sonic asks
"It's a secret. Hehehehehe..."
"Master, your face has become stiff..."
*Later*
"Oh, my! Such a nice aroma. But wait, it seems some creatures would dare to splatter the stench of blood in this beautiful forest. Come out!"
"Lamia! Be careful, Master!"
"My, they're snake monsters. How hideous. Wait, you and I both have a similar appearance. Then the hideous thing here is ... Your ayruie as a mere beast. Perhaps, it's because you only care about your appetite..." Kiyohime said
"Well, Kiyohime. Remember the question you asked me about my speed? Well, allow to me answer that for you." Sonic said
Moments later, Sonic dashes in light speed around the army of Lamias as a gust of wind zooms by and blows the Lamias away from the three and are nowhere to be seen again.
"So? Does that answer one of your questions?" Sonic asks
"It does. Immeasurable. Master, would you mind averting your eyes? You see, I'm not used to being looked at. Thank you so much." Kiyohime said
"O-Oh, sure. *Closes His Eyes Not Expecting Anything To Happen*"
*Someplace Else*
"Oh, my! Such a large cavern... It's so mystical." Kiyohime said
"...A cavern like this seems like the best place for a dragon to keep its treasure in... But obviously, there's no dragon here. Yet, I do sense something. Master, be careful." Mash said
"It's exactly as Mash says. Please stay behind me. Do not fret. No matter what sort of monster it may be, I shall protect you." Kiyohime said
"I appreciate the offer but I rather not just stay behind and leave you two fight by yourselves. Allow me to join in as well." Sonic said
"Good choice you... Excuse me, my dear self. May I ask you a question?"
"Wha..."
"Do you think you're qualified to be a Servant? You who killed the man you loved out of hate, spite, and fury? Can you swear to protect your next Master?" Kiyohime(?) said
"You're... me?"
"Impossible! Utterly Impossible! Because you are just a lowly beast. Quit showing your pretty self, and expose your hideout form. If you think you'll be loved then, you're kidding yourself. Does a soldier show the one he loves what he's like when he cruelly slaughters on the battlefield? People express their love by hiding something. But in your case, it is deception... By deceiving, don't you think you are forcing a small talking animal to love a beast? It's true, is it not? You, even after revealing your true identity, shamelessly... You pursued him!"
"No... I never... Did..."
"Now then, Master. You must discard this creature. Someday, this woman will reveal her true self over some petty lie, and sink her fangs into your neck. It is much more sensible to reject that woman." Shadow Kiyohime said
"*Moment Of Silence* Never... I would never get rid of an amazing friend like Kiyohime. Even if she reveals her true self to me... let it be known that I will always stay on her side. No matter what." Sonic replied
"Master..."
"I see. You are very kind. Just like that Anchin was. But can you look upon Kiyohime's miserable, hideous form and still say that... Why don't you try?"
"Master, get ready to fight!"
"...Master ...I will protect you! That's the truth, it's no lie!" Kiyohime said
"No matter what you say, Kiyohime. I will always trust you." Sonic replied
"...Thank you! Here I come, imposter!"
"Here we go!" Sonic said
Moments later, Sonic lunges at Shadow Kiyohime as he grabs her hands tightly and moves her to face Kiyohime. Kiyohime quickly fires fireballs towards Shadow Kiyohime as they all explode on impact and engulf her in flames. Kiyohime screams in pain as Mash rushes and swings her shield across and hits Shadow Kiyohime. Moments later, Sonic performs an upwards back kick at Shadow Kiyohime and sends her to the air. Sonic then jumps and performs an inwards leading leg-spinning roundhouse kick swipe and sends Shadow Kiyohime to the wall, hitting it and falling to the ground. Kiyohime lunges toward's Shadow Kiyohime and fires fireballs at her which engulfs Shadow Kiyohime once again. After that, Mash grabs Shadow Kiyohime and throws her towards Sonic where he hits Shadow Kiyohime with a knew strike, sending her to the air once again and then slams his fist down at the Shadow, slamming her to the ground and creating a crater.
"Hmph! You will regret it someday. These are my own words, so you know it's the truth." Shadow Kiyohime said
"I'll be waiting for that day to come. What I say is also the truth." Sonic replied
Moments later, Shadow Kiyohime vanishes away.
"*Sighs*"
"...Whew. Master, may I ask you one question? Please, I beg of you. You lied to me once already but please don't lie to me again. Master... Am I, hideous?" Kiyohime asks
"Of course not! You are perfect who you are!" Sonic replied
"What? But, I mean... When I transform... I transform into a hideous dragon. I thought it might be a hideous sight..." Kiyohime said
"Kiyohime, your dragon form is so cool! By far the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Sonic replied
"My, how cruel! You certainly are not lying. Ah... ha, hahahahahaha! Me? Reliable and cool? Those are not words of praise for a maiden! You are such a cruel Master! But, I'm fine with it. I can't stand a lie... But the words of that imposter, I will turn them into lies. A girl... who accepted no lies and burned her love with crimson flame. I will show you just how determined that girl can be." Kiyohime said
Interlude X
Treasure Of The Knights Templar
Reminder: As Said Before, This Servant Has Yet To Appear In The Main Story But I Will Be Doing Their Interludes First Since It Takes Place In Orleans.
"Ah... The beach... Reminds me of the Emerald Coast back in my world. The fond memories." Sonic commented
"More treasure?" Mash asks
"Yup. But it's not pirate treasure. It's the treasure of the Knights Templar." Mary replied
"Oh, you mean the treasure that was hidden when the Templars were executed as heretics," Mash said
"Pirates are definitely exciting! This time around, I promise to fully monitor you guys!" Romani said
"Isn't that like? Invasion of privacy?" Sonic asks
"I hope so. Mary, I'm amazed you knew about the Tempalrs' treasure." Anne said
"Remember how we went to all sorts of places during our pirating years?" Mary said
"Oh yes. When we got to port, you would always go out exploring." Anne said
"It was hard for you because men would always follow you around even just walking down the street," Mary said
"Aww, you're so mean."
"Hehehe. Um, Doctor." Mary asks
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I know most of what there is to know about the Templars, but I'll let you explain. It's too much of a hassle." Mary said
"Yay! She shoved all the tedious work to me! Oh, well That's what the back-end support job is about. The Knights Templar was a group of knights formed by clergymen to protect pilgrims travelling through the Holy Land. One of their missions was to guard the treasures of knights and believers on pilgrimages. As more pilgrims and crusaders started going to the Holy Land, the Templars gained more wealth to guard. They ultimately functioned as a back, including loaning money. They were even entrusted with an entire nation's fortune. But the Kingdom of France, heavily in debt, captured and tortured many of them. France wanted to get rid of its debts and take the money. Even though they cancelled out their debts, a majority of the fortune France sought disappeared into the shadows. The Templars are even said to have possessed a Holy Grail, but everything's been shrouded in mystery." Romani explaining
"Seriously, you people have a history more insane than my world's history," Sonic commented
"I heard the story from an old man who said he was a descendant of one of the Templars," Mary said
"Um, can we trust him?"
"I'm not sure. He was drunk, and he kept switching between yelling and crying. But the story itself seemed sensible... The Templars had heard from their spies that their lives were in danger. So they loaded their treasure on a ship and hid it somewhere. Everyone involved in the transport was killed on the spot. Their plan was to hide the treasure until the Templars could rebuild themselves. The old man's ancestor left the Templars so he wouldn't be caught. Even the Templars didn't know where he hid. But the Templars never recovered. His ancestors continued to pass down the word to wait for the Templars' reformation. After about four centuries, they stopped caring. He sold me the story for a drink..." Mary said
"Sounds pretty sketchy to me," Anne replied
"Right. Sorry if it doesn't pan out." Mary said
"Don't worry, it'll be fine since it'll be quite fun," Sonic said
"That's right. It's getting to the treasure that's the fun part. There isn't much we could do with the treasure as we are now, anyway. But it can boost our QP, and maybe we'll find something interesting! Let's go!"
*Later*
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Sonic asks
"The old man said it was back here. But this is just a stone wall." Mary said
"Was our lead a dud?"
"Sorry..."
"Oh don't give up already, Mary. I'm sure that the treasure is somewhere around here." Sonic trying to cheer Mary up
"No, wait a second. There's a tiny bloodstain on this wall." Mash said
"Hey, you're right. Other walls nearby have it too. I wonder why?"
"Doctor, please investigate the wall in front of us."
"Roger. Investigating now. Hmm... I'm detecting a strong magical energy reading from the wall. Anne, try blasting it with your gun. You're a Servant now. Your bullet should get some response." Romani said
"Understood. Here I go!"
Moments later, Anne fires her gun at the wall as it explodes. Moments later, the building begins to shake.
"The wall started to move. These are... Golems!?" Mash shock
"Woah, Come to think of it, I heard something about the Templars using black magic..." Mary said
"Was there such a tale? Well, let's just beast these guys." Anne said
"*Puts his right hand behind him as a Chaos Emerald appears behind him and whispers* Chaos control..."
Moments later, the Golems all froze in front of the four, not moving an inch.
"Whoa! What just happen?" Mash shock
"Why did they freeze all of a sudden?!" Anne asks
"I have never seen anything like this before," Mary said
"Who knows, but it's probably a perfect time to take down these guys. Anne, would you mind once again?" Sonic asks
"Sure thing!"
Moments later, Anne fires her gun at each Golems head as they all explode and pieces fly everywhere. One by one, the Golems vanished in front of them each time Anne shoots the heads off. Eventually, all Golems were shot down and all vanished.
"Probably one of the easiest fights I've ever had," Anne said
"A strange occurrence to see Golems freeze, but at least we weren't frozen as well. Anyway, I'm seeing more enemy responses up ahead. Proceed with caution." Romani said
"Sure thing, Doctor," Mary said
"This makes me think of the old man's story might be true. Let's go!"
*A Few Minutes Later*
"*Defeats A Golem As He Wipes His Hands* Not even these guys can take down a Hedgehog like me!" Sonic said
"Whew! This side's clear, too." Mary said
"Security's tight. I'm getting excited." Anne said
"We probably won't find a Grail."
"Maybe we will. No, I don't mean the Holy Grail we recover. I meant the true Holy Grail of legend." Mash said
"That would be an adventure indeed. Master, do you want the Holy Grail?" Mary asks
"The only thing I want is to save this world's future and finally obtain their peace from all this mess," Sonic replied
"I see. You aren't very greedy. The future and peace... Those are really big wishes, so you probably don't have time to be thinking about smaller wishes." Mary said
"As the guy paying for everyone's salary, that would be great. That aside, I'm picking up some life-form signals. Be careful!" Romani said
"The only thing I expect to get paid with is Chili dogs," Sonic commented
"Doctor, a fair salary is an absolute necessity to keep talented people around. Let's go!" Mash said
"You owe me a plate of Chilli Dogs Roman once we get back!" Sonic commented
Moments later, Sonic curls into a ball and homing attacks at the two zombies that were running towards the four. Sonic bounces off both zombies they both fall to the ground and soon Anne fires her gun at the two zombies as their heads explode and blood goes everywhere. Moments later, two more zombies and a Homunculus appear and charge at the four but Mary lunges at the two zombies and swings her sword at them, cutting in half as their bodies. The Homunculus was about to attack Mary but Sonic appears behind the Homunculus and performs an overhead ax kick at its head and drops it to the ground. Moments later, Anne aims her gun at the Homunculus
"Whew. Homunculi and zombies. Were the zombies' people killed by the Templars?" Mary asks
"If that is true, they must be there a long time. Let's pray for their souls to find rest." Romani said
"We're almost to the end. The treasure should be there!"
*Later*
"Wow..."
"Ah..."
"A certain bat I know would've been drooling as soon as she saw this in front of her," Sonic commented
"This is..."
"Treasure!" Sonic said
"We did it, Master!" Mary excited
"H-Hold it! In that cave, I'm picking up a life-form signal that we have all become very familiar with!"
Moments later, a roar echos through the cave.
"I should've expected that," Sonic said
"Some say the Templars used black magic, others that they didn't."
"Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. I'm sure there are tons of stories like that." Mary said
"But would you normally go to these lengths?" Anne said
"A dragon?! Um... I can only say... well... F-Fight!"
"No problem," Sonic said
Sonic grabs the sword that he brought with him and lunges toward the dragon at high speed. The Dragon attempts to attack Sonic by trying to bite him but Sonic dodges the attack as he charges his sword and fires several blue powerful shockwaves at the Dragon and attacks it, leaving several scratch marks around the dragon and bleeding flowing out of the dragon. Moments later, Mary lunges toward the Dragon and unleashes several strong sword swings at the dragon's feet and leaving severe injuries around the dragon's feet. Anne aims her gun at the Dragon's face and fires at it, hitting the dragon perfectly and causing blood to come of the dragon's head. Moments later, Mash jumps right at the Dragon and swings her shield across, hitting the dragon's feet and making it fall to the ground. Using electricity emitting from his body, Sonic brings a powerful straight kick with his following leg and hits the Dragon's face where he knocks its head upwards to then air. Leaving an open attack, Anne quickly aims her gun at the dragon once and fires her gun at it as the bullets hit the Dragon's neck and blood spewed out soon after. Mary lunges at the dragon's neck as she stabs her sword into the dragon's neck and slashes in soon after, cutting the Dragon's neck off as its head falls right next to Sonic before vanishing away. The dragon's body soon falls soon after as it vanishes away soon after as well.
"It's over," Sonic said
"We won. Victory!" Mary excited
"Whew! I'm exhausted. I can't wait to take a bath." Anne said
"It's pretty standard for a dragon to guard treasure, but I didn't expect the Templars to use one," Mash said
"They're less like Templars and more like Temp-LATES, am I right?" Romani said
"..."
"Fou, when we get back, bite Dr. Roman on the nose. As hard as you can." Mash said
"Foururururu!"
"I-I'm sorry! I thought that was a good one!" Romani said
"Anyway, this is a huge pile of treasure, Master. Yeah, I like it. There's enough money here to easily buy a country or two. Any Grails?" Mary said
"Nope, I'm not picking up anything. But I do see magical energy here and there in the treasure. Can you search for me?" Romani said
"*Looking Around For A Specific Item* *Sighs* No Chaos Emerald around. Oh well..." Sonic thought
"Hmm, maybe it's this? This crystal skull."
"A crystal skull! That's a rare treasure indeed!"
"What about... this? It's a set of weapons and armour." Mary asks
"Probably used by the Templars. Magically it's nothing special, but it's valuable as a treasure." Romani said
"The right thing to do would be to return these to the Templars' following, but we're pirates, so we'll just keep it, thank you very much," Mary said
"Hehehe, this is also for saving the world," Anne said
"Yup! Let's make good use of this to save the world. Right, Master?" Mary said
"Absolutely!" Sonic replied
To Be Continue...
"Next Time: Orleans Interludes (Part 3.)" Sonic As The Narrator