Fate/Broken Order

Chapter 13

-Singularity 1 – Orleans-

Part 2: The Meeting of Two Saints

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The day had reached nightfall. After constructing a makeshift camp Jeanne had spent the last few minutes listening intently to what these people from Chaldea had to say and now was just...letting things sink in.

"The Incineration of Humanity..." She finally spoke, wearing a heavy frown. "How terrible of a thing. And you say that the 'Singularities', such as the one in my dear France, are to blame for such a tragedy?"

"Unfortunately so," Mash confirmed with melancholic determination in her eyes. "And it seems we now know the exact source of this disturbance."

"The Dragon Witch," Jeanne tasted the name on her tongue. A bitter taste. "I...had heard murmurs of such, during my own investigations. It still seems inconceivable to me. That another me could be responsible for so much death and grief..."

"..." Artoria, who had recovered from her brief lapse of mind, had been keeping her own mind busy by sifting through her memories for that little something. That elusive one thing that kept niggling at her about this whole situation.

After some time and effort, from the haze of her Spirit Core's consciousness, a memory emerged. Of a different place, in a different time. Of a Noble King turned Cold Tyrant.

Artoria's eyes shot open. "...Corrupted..."

"Eh?" Jeanne startled a bit at the sudden word from the King of Knights. Even Mash and Ritsuka looked to the woman, and soon realization bloomed on their expressions.

Sasaki raised a brow. "A thought has stricken you, Saber?"

"I...may have...at least a theory," Artoria slowly started her thought. She looked at her Master. "I believe I recall you encountering a version of myself in your first Singularity. One corrupted by the outside influence of a corrupted Grail."

Ritsuka nodded, face turning serious. "Yeah. Compared to her, you're a totally different person."

Jeanne's eyes widened. "So, you mean...that person, The Dragon Witch, could just be...influenced by an outside force?"

"It's...possible," Artoria agreed, though a bit hesitantly. "The thing is...I have some vague memories of being like that Corrupted Artoria Pendragon you met. Like I both was, and was not both the King and the Tyrant at the same time."

"...Actually, now that you put this into words," Sasaki stroked his chin, thinking back as well, "while I am not a Mage of any stroke, if I am to hypothesize for a moment. This sounds like the preferred end result of Caster's original plan to...have you, had it succeeded."

"Oh God, please don't remind me of that woman," Artoria complained. She did think it over though. "But...you may be right. If my will was forcefully bent to the will of another, such a drastic change would have been near unavoidable. My normal self simply would not allow such a thing to happen without a struggle to the bitter end."

Mash frowned at the King of Knights speak of things with such...terrible implications. But something didn't sit right with her. "I'm sorry to interject, your Highness, but I think there's a small flaw in your theory."

"Don't be, Mash," Ritsuka said. "We're all trying to figure this out. Your perspective might help."

"...Okay, Senpai." Mash gathered herself and collected her thoughts. "The Throne of Heroes gathers concepts of 'Heroes' from across space and time. Which means, in theory, that it doesn't just contain the King Arthur we now as Artoria. It would also contain all permutations and possibilities that King Arthur could have become."

"Ah," the King herself voiced, "I believe I see what you're getting at. By the nature of showing that I was able to be corrupted, such was always a possibility. And as such, a version of myself who did turn into a merciless Tyrant exists in the Throne as a quasi-separate entity."

"That's...kinda strange," Ritsuka admitted his ignorance as he tried to internalize this new information.

"A bit," Mash admitted. "The Throne usually should focus on Heroic Spirits that belong to the timeline the summoner exists in, so they should always get the 'True' King Arthur. But the theory itself is sound, especially considering how the Incineration of Humanity could have affected how the Throne operates."

Ritsuka thought it over. Darn, why did Mage stuff have to be so complicated?

A thought did come to him though.

"But, wait," the Master cut in, "Isn't Jeanne d'Arc known as a Saint for a reason?" His Servants turned to him. He moved to explain himself. "I mean, wasn't she all about being incredibly pure in her faith and beliefs?" Jeanne flushed a bit out of embarrassment to be described like that. "I just...find it hard to believe that someone like her could ever turn into...such a monster."

The group thought about that for a bit.

"I...cannot outright deny your thoughts, Master," Artoria started, contemplative. "If I look deep within myself, objectively, I can see the possibility of how I may have turned into that Alternative me. If I had been more strict, just a bit more ruthless in my decision making as I ruled. I am glad I did not go down such a dark path, but I cannot deny I could be capable of such lengths."

"Yes," Sasaki agreed with a sage nod. "By all accounts Jeanne d'Arc went to her death with her Faith strong and unbroken."

"It was reported that her last request was simply to behold a cross as she burned," Mash continued the line of thought. "I...think I understand. With that in mind, even I can't imagine Jeanne to ever hold such darkness in her heart."

The Ruler for her part was colored rosy by all the inadvertent praise hefted at her person. "P-please, stop! I'm just, just a simple village girl. You're all just exaggerating."

The Master and Servants just turned to watch what could only be described as the purest display of humility. They all shared a look and nodded.

"You're right," Artoria sighed. "Someone this good and pure could never turn into a genocidal psychopath."

"A-Artoria?!" Jeanne squeaked.

"So the theory is flawed?" Sasaki voiced, a thin layer of frustration escaping him. "How very vexing."

"Not entirely," Hoover's voice suddenly spoke up through the comms. "An eliminated theory is still a good end result. That's the whole point of deduction. To close up dead ends, until you reach the truth of the matter. Basic intelligence gathering doctrine."

"Do you have any ideas, Hoover-dono?" Ritsuka asked.

"Spare me the needles flattery, Fujimaru," the FBI Director scolded halfheartedly. "I've been reviewing this limited set of information. It is a known fact that a Holy Grail is doubtlessly the source of the Singularities, so one is in play here. A Grail would be capable of such a drastic distortion of fact and reality. In theory, which I cannot stress enough. Your idea has merit, Fujimaru. It is generally impossible to corrupt the incorruptible. Even the Grail should at least struggle to reconcile such a logical fallacy."

"Please," Jeanne whimpered, now hiding her reddened face in her hands, "stop..."

"Learn to take earnest praise better, mademoiselle Jeanne," Hoover lightly scolded with audible amusement.

"Since you're on the line, what's the status at Chaldea?" Mash asked. "Any updates?"

"Little, so far," Hoover responded. "On our end, we're taking full advantage of my nature as a Servant. Everyone else has gone to rest for the night. Or the closest approximation of night we have, anyway. I don't need to, so I continue operations in their absence with my Men in Black. A slight humorous side-note you might enjoy: Dr. Archaman had to be dragged by ear to bed by da Vinci. You may take that statement as you will."

Mash and Ritsuka did get a chuckle at that detail. Even Artoria and Sasaki gave equally small smirks.

Jeanne, her mind drifting to a different place due to the intentionally ambiguous wording, blushed profusely as she fell into Hoover's little trap. How scandalous!

"As for updates, still no word of Team Aldia or Team Olga-Marie. We still haven't managed to open communications up again or identify the cause of the interference," Hoover continued. "We did receive an update from Gillian. Apparently her...endeavors have actually borne some fruit. She did gain the assistance of the two Rogue Servants her team encountered. A Lancer and a Berserker." The Assassin then grumbled, annoyed. "Though I ought to scold her for failing to actually convey their True identities in her so called 'briefing'."

Ritsuka frowned. "Wait, why haven't you just asked her to clarify?"

"That is...another odd matter," Hoover began, sounding both worried and frustrated. "Some time after her report, Team Gillian also fell under some form of interference. Different from the other two teams. We can still track them to a degree, but comms are cut off. By my estimations and our available Map data, they seem to be headed towards the town of La Charite. Though their estimated travel speed seems...odd. Too fast to be on foot."

That was indeed curious. And more than a bit worrying.

"I'd advise to leave theorizing behind for the moment," Hoover spoke with authority. "Rest now. As early as you are able, start making your way to La Charite to reconvene with Team Gillian. If my rough calculations are right, you should be able to get there quickly enough to meet them if you hurry come morning."

"Acknowledged!" Mash confirmed, turning to Ritsuka. "Senpai, we should do as Hoover said. The sooner we meet back up, the better our chances are going forward."

"Right," the young Master agreed. "Sasaki, Artoria, do a perimeter check. Then stand guard, but rest and take shift if you feel it necessary."

"I'll also help," Jeanne spoke resolutely. "My parameters may be weakened, and most of my Skills as a Ruler are inaccessible for me, but I wish to do my part."

"We'd appreciate it, Jeanne," Artoria accepted readily with a small smile. "Leave your safety to us, Master, Mash, and rest peacefully."

With that squared away the Master and Demi-Servant did so, eventually falling into undisturbed, if worried slumber.

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"I see," Charlemagne, or Charlie as he preferred to be called, hummed as he stared into the flickering flames of the campfire Astolfo had constructed. "An aberration in History itself? Yeah, that would explain some things."

Like why France was being assaulted by Dragon-kin. Or how Charlie was even here instead of Karl, who ought to have more right to defend these lands as far as the Throne was concerned. An anomaly on all fronts.

Astolfo also hummed and nodded, though his expression seemed more puzzled than actually thoughtful. He was taking this more seriously than usual though. "We've actually been investigating on our own, but mostly just fought some of the wyvern hordes and undead left behind the destruction ever since we got summoned. Good to finally get a clue, I guess."

"And this Dragon Witch you mentioned," Olga-Marie added in her thoughts. "She definitely sounds like the Source of this anomaly."

"I just don't understand it," Charlie growled, scratching at his hair in confused frustration. "Despite all the rumors we managed to gather, I still refuse to believe it! Jeanne d'Arc, the revered Saint of France that I know would never even entertain the thought of this kind of cruelty."

"You've met her?" Irisviel asked before Marie could.

"In another...strange Grail War, yes, I did," Charlie admitted readily. "She was kind, heroic to her core, held stalwart faith in her beliefs, and if I were to define her with a singular concept, it would be Purity of the Soul. All this rumor of the Dragon Witch, back from the dead...it makes no sense!"

"But that many people can't just all be incorrect, right?" Astolfo pointed out with an uncharacteristic frown. "I also know Jeanne from past Grail War experience, and none of this adds up."

"The Grail must be involved, somehow," Marie concluded. "Just like with the corrupted Saber in Singularity F..."

Charlie gave a sigh that was lost to the night winds. "Well. No use wondering endlessly about it. There is a problem, and most seemingly a villain to vanquish. That's enough for us to get involved." He looked towards Olga-Marie, his driven confidence almost palpable. "In any case, we'll gladly help you bring order to this distorted History."

Marie nodded readily. "In that case, let's form a temporary contract. The extra Mana could help you help us."

"No complaints from me!" Astolfo literally jumped at the opportunity.

"Me neither," Charlie affirmed in a more restrained manner. He held out his hand. "I promise you, Ms. Animusphere, that my Paladin and I will do our utmost to save France from this foe."

Marie nodded, trying to convey her own resolution as he took hold of the offered hand to form the contract . "I'll hold you to that."

Irisviel tittered excitedly. "Oh, to be like one of the heroes from all the stories I used to read. I can't wait!"

Charlie laughed at the sentiment. "Haha, well, I'm sure you'll live up to the ideal, Madame Irisviel."

"A most wonderful idea!"

...That wasn't one of them.

The group turned and saw two figures approaching them from the dark cover of night, with only moonlight to reveal anything of note. Three of them were immediately on edge, prepared to act.

Astolfo just grinned widely and waved at the approaching strangers. "Oh, hey, you guys finally caught up!"

The others, Charlie most of all, snapped their attention to the effeminate Rider. "You knew they were coming?" The young king could only ask in bafflement.

"Oh, yeah!" Astolfo readily admitted. "I saw them while we were flying here, and thought they'd probably follow after us. And they did!"

"And you didn't tell me?!" Charlie yelled at his Paladin in shock. To his chagrin Astolfo just laughed merrily without a care.

The two approaching people finally came close enough to be distinguishable, and it was immediately obvious that the two were Servants.

"Bonjour, my friends!" The bright, merry greeting came from a petite woman with blonde hair, clad in a pink outfit, and wearing a large extravagant hat.

"Ease off, Marie," said the taller figure. A man with wild blonde curls wearing ostentatious black clothing with a cape, a purple sash, and green ornaments. His smile was both kindly and spoke of a potential for mischief. "You might be coming off too strong for these fine folk."

"Nonsense!" The petite woman refuted easily. "You said it yourself, they are allies to my precious France! That is all I need to know."

The man blanched. "Marie, don't just blab about that! You'll give them the wrong impression of me!"

Irisviel shared a look with her Master, one of shared question. Can these two strangers be trusted? Charlie recovered from his surprise the quickest.

"Ah, well, ahem!" he cleared his throat. "I'm afraid you caught us a bit surprised thanks to someone." He gave Astolfo a stink-eye, who predictably did not care in the least.

"Mon Dieu! You're right, how unbecoming of me!" The petite woman gave a curtsy, wearing a bright smile. "My personage is Servant Rider, Marie Antoinette. Vive la France!"

The man sighed, but soon smiled disarmingly. "And I am Servant Caster. You may know of my most grand prestige as Composer extraordinaire, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!" He clapped his hands together in a gesture of apology. "Pardon me, but I happened to overheard some of your conversation on our way to meet you. My hearing is quite acute, so I couldn't truly help it, you understand."

Marie-wait, no that was confusing now. Olga stood tall and tried to project her authority. "The world famed composer and the famous Queen of France. We're honored to meet two Servants of such prestige. For the sake of returning your greeting, I am Olga-Marie Animusphere, Director of the Chaldea Security Organization. This is my Caster Servant, Irisviel von Einzbern."

"Hello there!" The albino woman greeted with a friendly air that came naturally to her.

"And I am Servant Saber. You may know me as Charlemagne, but please, call me Charlie," the young King offered his identity. "And this miscreant here is one of my Twelve Paladins, Astolfo. Rider."

"Yo!" The effeminate man gave them a casual peace sign.

"Ahh, I see we're in esteemed company!" Marie Antoinette tittered before raising a hand in triumph. "Magnifique! I have full confidence that you can help save my nation from this peril!"

Olga seemed to think it over for a moment, before voicing her verdict. "Well, given that we cannot contact our allies in this Singularity, we can't really turn away help when it is so readily offered." She nodded resolutely. "If we can count on your help, we'll gladly do our part."

"Most splendid!" Queen Marie cheered. "As we count on you, you may count on us!"

"And as it happens, we may have something for our alliance to strive for to sweeten the deal!" Amadeus proclaimed with no small amount of pride. "You see, Marie and I have been on the trail of the so called Dragon Witch as she has gone about her spree of destruction. And we may just know her next heading..."

"Amadeus and I highly suspect she's changed her heading towards the general direction of the township of La Charite. Quite suddenly too, for some reason. Strange, since she has already struck that region" Marie continued. "If we hurry after her dreadful mount, we may just catch up to her and her forces."

Olga's mind went to work as a distressing possibility came to the forefront.

"The Dragon Witch...she may be drawn towards where our wayward allies might be."

"Or, it could be a coincidence," Irisviel tried to reign her Master in a tad. "We can't really be sure."

"Either way, we would need the means to make up the difference in distance," Charlie noted. "Astolfo, your Hippogriff could hold passengers, right? How many?"

"Hmm," the pink-haired Rider thought it over. "Well, three, tops, myself included. Anymore and he might get a bit too upset at me for working him too hard. But we could make it work, sure!"

"Ah, and I can call upon my steed and coach!" Marie added her contribution. "It can house you, Mademoiselle Olga, and you dear Irisviel, with me." Her smile turned almost malevolent if one squinted hard enough. "Mozart can fly with you two."

"Wait, what?!" the composer was quick to voice his displeasure. "But, but the wind! It would rush by so fast, think of my poor ears, dear Marie!"

The Queen of Lilies smiled radiantly at the genius composer. "I hold no sympathies for degenerate men who only get off on music."

Olga almost choked on nothing hearing such a famously regal figure say something so obscene.

Astolfo, predictably, laughed at Mozart's despair filled expression.

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Traveling to La Charite gave Mash plenty of time to think. About this Singularity. About how she could best help. About the talk she had with Jeanne the previous night because she couldn't sleep because of her worries.

The Ruler was weakened, and held doubts to her usefulness. Just like Mash did, as a Demi-Servant who didn't even know the True Name of their Noble Phantasm. But Jeanne still carried on. Because she wanted to. Because it was the right thing to do.

Mash, in her heart of hears, both envied and desired that same resolve. She wasn't unwilling, not at all. But...surrounded by all these "proper" Servants simply...made the gap so obvious. It felt like she couldn't compare. And Mash wanted to!

Her Senpai...Ritsuka depended on her. She knew he did, even if he didn't say as much. He was, after all, just a kid who had coincidentally stumbled into all this Mage business. Of the two Mash was by far the more knowledgeable and capable. And despite that vast chasm, her Senpai still tried his best.

It was part of why she admired him so much. Her kind, brave, compassionate Senpai...

She just wanted to be worthy of standing by his side, to help Ritsuka carry their burdens.

Then they arrived in La Charite after Dr. Roman had stated that their sensors detected the presence of a Servant there. By the time they arrived to the town proper, the signal had apparently disappeared.

All that was left to be beheld were the charred, molten ruins and the shambling dead...that firmly knocked what worries Mash might carry to the back of her mind.

Immediately, Ritsuka and Jeanne had wanted to seek out any potential survivors, even if it meant braving the undead.

There were no movements from anything still living. A faint, vain hope. And eventually, even those unholy beings were put to rest.

"How...how could she do this?" Jeanne could only ask herself, her heartbreak evident to all. "All this destruction...all this death...for what?"

No one had an answer for her. Not a satisfying one anyway.

Artoria stood by her, a comforting hand on the saint's shoulder. She too was not happy with all the remnants of the seemingly senseless cruelty on display. Even the Battle of Camlann, for all its brutality, had purpose behind the killing.

"This is no battleground," Sasaki commented grimly. "Not even a proper killing field. Slaughter is what occurred here, and naught else."

Ritsuka wore a heavy, sorrowful frown, unaccustomed to this level of desolation. The burning Fuyuki was a taste, but somehow what had occurred in La Charite felt...more real somehow.

"Everyone, be ready!" Roman's urgent voice cut through the despair-filled air like a knife. "We're detecting a lot of Servant signatures heading your way, fast!"

Everyone got their priorities straight, preparing themselves for battle. Mash ran to be by her Senpai's side, ready to guard him, while Artoria and Sasaki both drew their blades. Jeanne sighed deeply, steeling herself gripped her flag tightly.

"Do you think it might be the Dragon Witch, doctor?" Mash asked.

"It's possible. But it might also be Gillian's team," Roman grumbled. "Darn it, why is there so much interference?!"

"We'll just have to take the risk," Ritsuka said.

And so they waited. And it wasn't long before they could hear...a rumbling?

Ritsuka in particular had to raise a brow, and even Artoria expression furrowed in confusion. The sound was incredibly out of place for this time-period. And familiar to the ear.

"Is that a..." Artoria started, but was interrupted...

WHEN AN ACTUAL, HONEST TO GOD CAR SWERVED AROUND A CORNER AT SPEED BEFORE TURNING INTO A DRIFTING STOP A FEW METERS FROM THE GROUP.

All of Team Ritsuka, plus Jeanne, blinked dumbly at the vehicle, despite all the dust that was thrown into the air.

The car itself was...just the most extra thing. Ornamented with brass gears and gothic iron barbs combined with a general steam-punk aesthetic for seemingly no reason other than appear as gaudy as inhumanly possible. It was, in the kindest terms, a most magnificent eyesore.

Then the backseat door was kicked open with a very familiar, upbeat voice.

"Guess who's back?" Gillian Kelley yelled out as she jumped out of the vehicle with a wild grin, a thumb pointed at her chest. "The best girl, that's who!"

"Gillian-senpai!" Mash exclaimed in relief and joy. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am. Duh!" the spirited girl stated. "God, have some faith will ya? And witness, for I have bought wondrous gifts!" She then stepped aside and did a showman-like flourish with her arms as two others exited the vehicle after her.

"Hmm, yes! I approve of this intro!" Said a girl with black draconic horns and a tail, wearing dark, somewhat indecent, gothic lolita dress. She preened at the attention like a true prima-donna. "Fit for the most premier future idol!"

The second was also a girl wearing distinctly eastern turquoise clothing. While also bearing white dragon-like horns, she carried herself with a quiet dignity that would be befitting a noble's daughter. Whom then immediately latched onto Gillian's arm with an obviously love-struck expression. "I am honored you would refer to my person as wondrous, my beloved!"

Gillian, basking in baffled looks from Mash and Ritsuka, simply huffed in charming dismissal. "Oh, it was nothing, really. The barest of effort is needed to properly describe your beauty, my dear."

Kriemhild exited from the front passenger seat and immediately turned to Team Ritsuka with a deeply annoyed glower on her face. "Please, make them stop. Immediately."

There was a thunk from the trunk of the vehicle. "Hey! I know we're there! Let me out already!" Kriemhild gave a deep, despairing sigh as she slowly prodded over and let Emiya out of the trunk. "Oh my god, finally!" Kriemhild raised a brow slowly. Emiya immediately got the hint and bowed graciously. "Thank you, ma'am. You are most gracious and kind."

The prim Berserker nodded in satisfaction and briskly walked off, probably to gain distance from...the lovey-dovey nightmare she'd had to endure the entire trip.

"Well...this is...certainly a thing," Artoria could only summarize.

Emiya immediately after noticing the other team zoomed to grab Ritsuka by the shoulders with the most intense look. "She won't listen to me. You need to talk sense into her. Right. Now!"

"Uhh..." Ritsuka's mind couldn't keep up with all of...this. "...I'm afraid to ask, but why?"

He pointed his thumb directly at Gillian and the draconic eastern beauty, currently trading sweet nothings to one another in an obnoxiously sweet manner. "That is Kiyohime."

Ritsuka heard the name. It took a few moments to recall and properly register. Then the young man's face paled and he managed to let out a timid, "...Oh."

"Yup. Oh." Emiya then mercilessly pushed him toward the duo. "You go do that. I need to go bash my head against a wall for a bit." He then meandered off to do just that.

Artoria stared at the Acher as he passed with a perplexed look. Sasaki just placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a grim but blank-faced shake of his head, also looking a bit pale for understandable reasons.

Mash gave her Senpai a confused, questioning look, not having any clue what was going on.

Ritsuka smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Mash. This is...yeah, I need to do this, I think."

"You realize," Sasaki spoke up, "that is Hell you're walking into?"

("Don't steal my thing!" Emiya yelled distantly, but was ignored.)

Ritsuka took a deep breath, breathing out a resigned, "Yeah..."

And so he walked down a perilous path.

"And I tell you, the rays of the morning sun reflected in the rain could not match your radiance," Gillian smooth-talked, proudly showcasing that she did, in fact, have game.

Kiyohime preened at the attention, blushing demurely. "Ah, you know just what to say, my dear Anchin-sama..."

"I only describe what is before my eyes," the ginger Master stated, charm on full blast. "Even a blind painter could not mistake it for anything but true perfection."

Ritsuka cringed a bit. Now he understood why Kriemhild and Emiya seemed...perturbed if this is what they dealt with for a long time.

The young man cleared his throat. "Hey, uh, Gillian? Can I...talk to you for a bit?"

The girl blinked, breaking out of her 'Charm-Mode', "Oh, yeah. Sure. What's up, dude?"

Ritsuka tried incredibly hard to ignore how Kiyohime bored into him with a gaze that made his survival instinct flare up something fierce. "Uh, yeah...this is kind of private, so...?" He just gestured a bit to the side.

"...Alright..." Gillian said slowly, turning to the girl on her arm with a smile, utterly oblivious to the danger she was currently in. "Sorry, Kiyo. Gotta talk business with Rits here. I'll be right back, yeah?"

The dragon-girl looked intently at the girl for a good while, before releasing her hold on Gillian's arm and showcasing a patient smile. "...Very well. I'll await your return, my beloved Anchin-sama."

"You're the best, Kiyo!" Gillian smiled gratefully, before roughly grabbing Ritsuka by the arm and dragging him along, waving all the while. "Bye, love you!"

Kiyohime smiled serenely, which did not trick Ritsuka's senses in the least. He could feel a cold shiver run up his spine, lasting all the way to when Gillian turned heel and gripped his shoulders roughly. Her previous good mood had evaporated.

"What the fuck, dude?!" she hissed in a whisper, quite a bit more upset than Ritsuka had anticipated. "Didn't you see how I was working that just now? Why you clam-jamming me, bro?"

"Erm, sorry?" he said weakly. "It's just...do you know who that is?"

"No shit, I know who she is!" Gillian responded heatedly. "I'm not some jackass who sweet talks a chick without asking their name, and Kiyo's just the sweetest, most pretty girl I've met in a while." She glared at him. "What? Is it because she's another girl? Or the dragon parts? Didn't take you to be so close-minded, dude."

"What, no!" Ritsuka staunchly defended himself, internally groaning. The girl truly had no clue. "I'm pretty progressive, I like to think."

"Then what the hell is the problem here?" Gillian asked, growing increasingly more frustrated. "First Emiya starts throwing some weird fit for no god damn reason, and now you? What gives?!"

Idly, Ritsuka glanced in Kiyohime's direction. And now that Gillian wasn't looking, despite hiding the lower half of her face with her fan, her eyes had grown...darker and gained a malicious edge as they stared dead-on at the young man.

Oh. Nice. He was seen as a potential threat now. Ritsuka was totally not panicking right now and had to think hard how to play this as safe as possible. Not at all!

He grit his teeth and swallowed his anxiety as he knew he had to set the record straight. "..Okay. So...you know what she calls you?"

"Yeah?" Gillian raised a brow, uncomprehending. "I mean, I know only a little Japanese, but it sounds like one of these terms of endearment. You know?"

Oh boy, here we go. "Alright, so to make a long story as short as possible. There once was a man named Anchin..."

Ritsuka told the terrifying but tragic tale of Princess Kiyohime and her love-grown obsession with a traveling monk, and the unfortunate set of lies and events that lead both of them to their deaths. Anchin by being burned to death inside a golden bell he hid to escape the woman-turned dragon driven mad by love, and Kiyohime driven to suicide by her own despair at murdering the man she thought she loved.

By the end of the tale, as stark realization set in, Gillian's face took on the deathly pallor one would expect as a bead of sweat rolled down her brow. She gulped nervously and squeaked out a fearful, "Oh..."

A reasonable response, Ritsuka thought. "Okay, this is really important," He stressed. "You've already gone too deep. You can't get out now, but you should be fine as long as you, no matter what the reason might be, do not lie to her."

Gillian visibly restrained a groan as her eyes took on a look of...

Ritsuka deadpanned at the his senior. "Really? You're disappointed?"

"I'm sorry, man, she's cute!" She hissed at him, unable to help her true nature. "I mean, a little possessiveness is hot as fuck, but, urgh, actually crazy yanderes are a deal breaker, even for me."

Ritsuka just stared at the young woman. Laying quiet judgment upon her.

Gillian rolled her eyes and let loose a breath. "Okay...here we go." She then turned on heel, meandering back towards the incredibly dangerous girl with open arms "Sorry for the wait, Kiyo! I missed you~!"

As the dragon-girl practically leapt into Gillian's waiting arms to cuddle, Ritsuka was struck by the startling revelation that his senior was just that much of a simp that the statement 'I missed you', despite now bearing clear understanding of just who she was dealing with, did not actually register as a lie.

But damn, could the girl act like her life depended on it. Which it did.

"Hahahahaa!" A laugh came from within the car, as the tinted window of the drive's side door opened to reveal the heartily laughing man at the wheel. "My, I knew that you Chaldea folk would be an amusing sort, but somehow you still reach new heights to shatter my expectations!"

The man himself was almost a caricature gentleman plucked straight from a steampunk setting, bearing a spiffy top hat that also had goggles on it for some reason. That, not to mention the gods damn car, made him look like he didn't belong anywhere in this time period. Or any time period, actually.

"Master," Artoria spoke up, sounding alert all of a sudden. Her eyes were locked on the dandy man in the car. "That man...I don't believe they are a Servant."

The man in question just chuckled. "Heh. Sharp instincts. But I should expect nothing else from you, Artoria Pendragon." Ignoring how the Saber narrowed her eyes at the casual use of her real name known to few, he snapped his fingers and reached into his vehicle. "Ah, but that reminds me. Let's turn this off!"

A click came from within the car, and immediately the communicators flared to life.

"-amnit, what is-wait! We got through!" Roman's panicked voice spoke up. "Ritsuka, we lost communications for a while, what happened?!"

"Oh, just a small frequency disruption device, Master Archaman," the man in the car stated in a clear voice, an easy going grin on his lips and amusement on his tongue. "For privacy's sake, you understand?"

Roman sputtered for a moment, getting a look at the man through Ritsuka's camera. "Wha-how did-who is that?!"

"Uh," Gillian looked awkward all of a sudden. "Right. We kinda failed to ask, didn't we?"

"And who's fault is that?!" Emiya shouted, returning from whence he was.

"He had a car, Emiya!" Gillian yelled back. "He was offering us a ride! It was a good call to make!"

"Is that Gillian? Oh thank goodness," Roman let loose a relieved breath. Then something in his mind flipped. "Wait YOU GOT INTO A STRANGER'S CAR AND DIDN'T EVEN ASK THEIR NAME?!"

"You're not my dad!" the girl yelled defiantly.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm a man who likes his privacy, after all. No harm, no foul," the man in the car spoke with honeyed words. But there was a slight...slimy undercurrent there as well. Just less prominent. "But to ease the troubled mind of paternal concern, you may refer to me as I am, as the ever magnanimous and kind Saint Germain!"

There was a beat from Roman's side. It lasted long enough to be unsettling. Then da Vinci's voice came through.

"Welp, sorry about that," the great inventor started casually. "Roman just passed out for some reason. Weird."

"Utterly inexplicable." Saint Germain agreed with gallons of cheer. "Leonardo, old friend! How are you? Is that a pair of mammaries I hear in your song?"

"Charming as always, Germain," da Vinci drawled out dismissively. "Now kindly explain how you're in an enclosed time pocket of the year 1431, and not dead like you ought to be?"

"Hmm, I don't believe that matters, really" Saint Germain avoided answering with a shrug and a smile.

"Um," Mash interjected, very confused, "who is this person, da Vinci?".

"A no good bastard who doesn't understand what art is, that's who," da Vinci answered with a surprising amount of agitation. "Does he still drive around in that mockery of coherent design?"

"Now that's just hurtful," Saint Germain whined, stroking his vehicle lovingly. "It's fine dear. That old pervert knows nothing of style."

"Say that to my face, you pretentious peacock!" Da Vinci sounded ready to throw hands. Which was wildly out of character and thus as concerning as it was funny.

"Count of St. Germain," Emiya filled in to actually answer the initial question. "A European adventurer and self-entitled nobleman from around the 18th century who gained no small amount of notoriety for being, to put it mildly, an outrageous liar."

"I prefer the term 'scoundrel'," the man himself corrected, as if it made a difference.

Emiya did not care. "Among his claims were that he was over 500 years old, that he was an immortal who discovered the Elixir of Eternal Life, that he had personally met Alexander the Great in his prime, among a whole load of other increasingly wild claims."

"Now that's just rude," Saint Germain complained, leaning out of the open window of his vehicle. "I'll have you know that Alex is a mighty fine bloke. Don't you dare question our bond!"

To say most were lost as to what to make of the man was an understatement. Gillian, with her new information, gave Kiyohime a questioning look. The dragon-girl shrugged, mostly uncaring and continued snuggling the other girl's arm. "This man at least seems to believe he's telling the truth. I cannot speak for his delusion however."

Saint Germain rolled his eyes, acting aghast. "Why I never! Such suspicion. And after I lent my services out of the goodness of my heart! Pox on you, ingrates one and all!"

"I'm sure your efforts are some that should be praised," Jeanne interjected, walking up with a kindly smile. "You have reconnected lost allies and friends. And for that, please, have my gratitude if not theirs."

The man's act fell easily to a more pleasant, fond countenance. "Ah, the woman of the hour! I'd be a fool to ignore such kind words form one saint to another." He then started shifting, averting his eyes and seeming almost meek all of a sudden. "And...my, this is embarrassing, but it has always been a dream of mine so if, by way of reward, I might ask a small, near insignificant thing of you?"

Jeanne looked taken aback, quickly looking around for input. But due to everyone still being unsure of even the very nature of this man, most could only display that uncertainty. Only Emiya was shaking his head as a clear negative, but that seemed to be out of principle more than anything.

Inevitably, her kind nature won out. She smiled at the man and gave an affirming nod. "If it is in my power, I shall see it done."

Saint Germain practically glowed as her nearly vibrated in the seat of his car while clapping his hands. "Oh, wonderful, just wonderful!" He then cleared his throat as he composed himself. He removed his top hat and brought it to his chest in a sign of respect. "It has always been a dream of mine to...hold something of Saint Jeanne d'Arc in my hands. Just for a moment brief. To feel the weight of crystallized history on my palm and wonder at such splendor."

Jeanne, unable to handle such high praise, blushed. "Oh, please. I'm nothing special. Just a-"

"A village girl, receiver of God's will, bearer of the Banner of Freedom for all of France," Saint Germain filled in with genuine reverence. "Of valiant spirit and True of Faith to the very bitter end. Forevermore unbroken."

Jeanne's face was burning.

"Ah, but alas. It cannot just be any old thing," Saint Germain continued. "What I wish to hold is something you almost never used, for it was not your way. That untapped piece of you, is my hearts desire to hold for but a few."

Despite her embarrassment, Jeanne quickly understood the man's meaning. And a woman of her word that she was, despite the oddity of the request, she wordlessly unclasped the still sheathed blade she was to never draw unless the situation proved truly dire.

With a reverent hand, Saint Germain reached out and carefully held Jeanne sword, La Pucelle. His eyes brightened as he simply looked at it, as if reading it's very history as a true connoisseur. "Magnificent..." He weighted the sheathed blade on one hand in open wonder. "It's a wonder more true than I could ever conceive..."

(Unseen, his free hand placed his hat down and reached for a switch in his car. One, he had turned off before. The other, he had not. Until now.)

"Oh no!" da Vinci cried out in alarm, startling everyone. "Something strange happened. We've got trouble! Multiple advancing Servant Signatures appeared out of nowhere, heading your way and...something else is with them. It's spirit origin is much more immense than any of the others! They'll be on you within the minute!"

Mash turned to Ritsuka "Master, we should-"

A loud rumble followed by a loud BOOM shook the group, as Emiya conjured another sword to use as an arrow, before firing it from his bow at his rapidly distancing target. Saint Germain's car moved with unnatural precision to tilt onto its side on two wheels as the sword exploded the ground beneath it on impact, the vehicle quickly righting itself and far too sharply turning out of line of sight.

"Dammit!" Emiya cursed. "I knew that weasel was being too smooth and had weirdly specific tastes!"

Jeanne's mind finally managed to register the almost inconceivable fact that Saint Germain had just took off and ran with her offensive Noble Phantasm!

"What the fuck just happened?!" Gillian screamed out, utterly taken aback.

It was then that a single, ignored individual finally lost it. "UUUH! What the heck gives!" the girl with dark dragon horns whined loudly, her tail swishing about wildly in agitation. "I've been her all this time, and no one even pay me any attention! An awesome future Idol deserves more recognition!"

"Oh," Kiyohime said in her soft tone. "Perhaps this is simply proof of your incompetence. Shallow talent begets shallow presence."

The other girl took a sharp intake of air, utterly aghast. "How dare you! Just because someone gives you some attention you get all full of yourself, you big dumb Tsuchinoko!"

Kiyohime narrowed her eyes. "My, is that envy I hear, Elizabeth? How unfortunate that not only are you untalented, but also utterly undesirable."

"...Wait, what?" Gillian asked as the other girl's name finally got through her by now not as addled brain. A name she recognized, just not on such a young face!

Unfortunately, that realization was interrupted as the insult caused something in the dark dragon-girl's mind to break.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!?"

The volume coming out of her mouth as she shrieked should not at all fit into such a small frame. It was deafening and caused the ears of everyone nearby to ring, even creating an weak outward traveling shock wave.

And then another, different ROAR broke through even that, and even the young Elizabeth quaked at the sheer sense of danger radiating from that inhuman sound.

And if the enemy did not know where they were previously...they sure as hell did now as a truly gigantic shadow descended upon them all.

⸨~ʘ~Ω~Ʊ~Ӝ~Ʊ~Ω~ʘ~⸩

Author's Notes:

You thought it would be Jeanne Alter, but it was I, Saint Germain!

The Mystery Man from [Fate/strange fake] with unknown motives and goals. It's pretty much fact that despite his origins Germain is somehownota Servant, but is also crucially not dead like the rest of Humanity. Just how did he get here, anyway? Regardless, he's up to shenanigans, that dastardly swindler!

The Chaldean groups are finally starting to converge, with only Team Aldia's fates remaining in the dark.

Gillian, the fool, literally cannot stop herself until it's too late to back out, but she's good enough to fake it once reality bitch-slaps her in the face. Nothing stops a determined enough flirt.

And trouble is right at the door now...

Way to go Elizabeth/Kiyohime! I mean, they would have been found out anyway, but still. Girls. Stop trying to out-bitch each other! You're both pretty!

Although, fun thing: While in practice I just couldn't think of a way to integrate Elizabeth into the scene naturally enough, I like to imagine she just stood there and expected people to interact with her, not vice versa. Which, when I thought about it, is incredibly in character. Unfortunately, there's so much other stuff going on that she got totally sidelined. This time, at least.

The next chapter is actually already written up, but I'll hold it for a bit to let it settle and cook for a bit longer. See if I can improve it until I'm satisfied with it.