Chapter 19: Understanding

The room that Emu entered was a classroom. It was very similar to the classroom that he had seen in his visions. However, the room was dark, save for a projector whirring in the centre of the classroom on a stand shining a purple-tinted light onto the whiteboard.

What… is this place?

He slowly walked forwards towards the projector, still wary of this new setting.

"Let's get started."

Emu froze. In front of him, the brown-haired girl was sitting on a chair next to the projector.

You're-

"Place the Eyecon into the projector." she continued.

Emu turned his eyes to the projector. There seemed to be a round hole in it, resembling the shape of the Eyecon. Emu looked at Saber's Eyecon in his hand before placing it into the hole.

"Take a seat."

Emu obliged, pulling a chair from a desk next to him and sitting down next to the projector.

"There is something you yet lack. Something you forgot in your journey. Here, you'll remember the most important thing for a Master to know."

The projector made a mechanical noise as the image on the whiteboard changed. It was a countdown from 10, with rings of petals circling around the centre number.

"Saying she doesn't understand hatred… how absurd."

The countdown reached 1, then the screen darkened.

Song used: Bright Burning Shout.

As song begins, we see a rose, then an Ore Eyecon, then finally a Mighty Action X Gashat sinking downwards through a black sea.

Then, as the song picks up, the scene changes through a whirlwind of rose petals to a Black Background. The Kamen Rider Ghost logo then approaches us, going past our view through the screen, and then the Kamen Rider Ex-Aid logo does the same, then they reappear by moving backwards into view as the Fate Extra/Last Encore logo appears below them. An "x" appears between the two Kamen Rider logos.

Then, bubbles appear from the right obscuring the logos and changing the scene.

"Yakusha wa inakunatta once more?"

Koriru koto naku who am i? Ga nibuku

Emu opens his eyes. He is swimming in an endless sea of blue. He looks around, trying to figure out why he is there. Then, suddenly, a shadow coalesces behind Emu.

Izanau jihi naki endless

Before Emu could react, he grips his head in pain with both hands, clutching his eyes tight closed as a purple aura surrounds him. Then, the camera zooms into Emu's eyes as he opens them. They are glowing purple. The camera enters the eye.

Na mo naki kodoku wa dōshi da tte

Umaranai to tsukitsukerareteru

The scene changes. We see Tenkuji Takeru in a black void holding his Stories of the World's Greatest People. Pages are flying out of the book and whirling around him in a storm. Takeru looks around at the pages, as if looking for one.

Hakanai landscape

He reaches out and grabs a page. There is a blinding flash of light.

Dare mo ga imi o sagashite wa

Dō shiyō mo nai mama

Aragau sube mo nai

The pages turn into rose petals as Red Saber appears, kneeling in front of Takeru as if he was her lord. The void becomes her Golden Theatre where Emu first found her. Then, she gets up and, turning around surprise, runs forward, as if she is preparing to jump.

bad trip.

She jumps, and the scene suddenly changes to the ocean that Emu was in. Saber had jumped into the ocean.

Saa ima, yuuretsu naku umareochita

Negai ni kachi wa aru ka?

Emu looks up. Saber holds out her hand for Emu. He takes hold of it, and both of them swim upwards into the light.

Mezamero! Bright Burning Shout

The scene is now inside the Coliseum where the original Opening took place. We see Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Action Gamer Level 1, who then jumps and transforms into Level 2, slashing some shadowy figures. After Chapter 14, this sequence changes to Ex-Aid transforming into Double Action Gamer Level XX after transforming into Level 2, both of them slashing shadowy figues.

Mujou sugiru sekai demo

Then, the camera shifts to Kamen Rider Ghost Ore Damashii, and he slashes some figures as well, before posing as more Ghosts posing appear, each of them representing the Eyecons that Ghost had collected and can use as a Damashii, except for Red Saber's. Chapter 5 onwards introduces Drake Damashii, Chapter 9 onwards adds Robin Hood Damashii and Chapter 14 onwards adds Tamamo no Mae Damashii.

Koe ni dashita sono kibou o

Then, Red Saber appears and slashes a figure, ending up back to back with Ghost. Then, they turn around and fuse together in a red flash, creating Kamen Rider Ghost Red Saber Damashii. They slash the screen in half, opening a dark void which the camera goes into.

Shinjitsu ni kaeyou ka

In the darkness, we see the silhouette of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Zombie Action Gamer Level X-2 surrounded in a purple aura. Then, we zoom into his helmet, which has eyes that glow purple.

Michibike! Bright Burning Shout

Hora ikitai to sakenderu kara

Then, the enemy Master and Servant pairs are shown, each on their floor. First, there is Shinji and Drake on the Golden Hind. Then, there is Blackmore and Robin Hood in the Forest. Then, there is Alice by herself at a table, turning to face the camera. Then, there is Julius Harwey and the corrupted Berserker in some ruins. Then, Rin and Rani back to back in a white icy wasteland. Then, a knight holding a sword and a blond man in a trenchcoat in a Garden. Finally, we see Twice H Pieceman beneath a giant black sphere surrounded by a golden circle.

Hatenaki sora o nirame

The scene cuts back to Ghost, Ex-Aid and Saber running through the Coliseum towards the exit. They exit the Coliseum.

It's you tomo ni arukeru nara

The three look upwards at the Golden circle in the sky. A shot of the three individually then flashes past to the beat of the final three words, each of them readying themselves for more fighting.

unmei no hi wa kitto

The camera then moves upwards into the sky, passing through the centre of the golden circle.

tomoru

The final shot as the last words are sung is of the Mighty Action X Gashat, the Ore Eyecon and the Rose lying on sand at the bottom of an ocean.

The screen showed a forest-like area. Above, the sky shimmered like the underside of the ocean's surface, light filtering down onto the scene below.

It was on this floor that I, neither alive nor dead, nor anybody's projection, finally discovered my wish.

In a clearing, there were two pairs of figures. One was Saber and the brown-haired girl. Saber was lying face-down on the floor, while the brown-haired girl was kneeling, clutching her bleeding abdomen.

Across from them stood the Berserker from earlier and Julius B Harwey, both without any splotches of purple. Julius strode forwards towards the girl.

"Only the resolute can survive this place. No memories. No wish. To think that a Master like that could survive this long."

As he reached the girl, he raised his hand. In his hand was a knife.

"Don't call her "a Master like that"!" Saber shouted as she rushed forwards, brandishing her crimson blade. However, the enemy Servant swiftly moved to block the assault, catching her blade with his bare hands.

"You should be praising my Maestro for advancing this far despite being "a Master like that"!" Saber continued, struggling against the hold of the enemy Servant. "RETRACT THY STATEMENT!"

Then, the screen changed.

Now, they were in the infirmary on the lowest floor. The brown-haired girl was sitting on a bed, looking down at her feet.

"Your true nature is not that of a Wizard, nor are you precisely a Master." Emu heard Sakura's voice saying these words, even if he couldn't see her. "You're a recreation of the data of someone who once existed. An NPC."

The brown-haired girl's eyes opened in shock.

"Lift your face, Maestro mine." Saber, who was beside her, spoke. "Is such a thing truly worthy of concern? Take me!"

She held up her hand to her chest.

"The age I lived in is a thing of the distant past, little but a fleeting memory! What now stands before you is I and nothing more. Recreation I may be, but here I am!"

Then Saber's expression softened.

"Indeed. Is that not fine? Everything in the cosmos disappears eventually. Everything is part of the Moon Cell's history. A splendid thing, is it not? We all become one in the end. For this star uses every living thing to gaze upon a single dream."

Every word that came out of Saber's mouth was steeped in confidence and pride. So I made one crucial misinterpretation.

I had assumed her life had been auspicious and filled with joy. Just like you did.

A Servant and Master possess two hearts beating as one. A Servant will divulge their True Name as proof of that.

However, she concealed it from you and Takeru up until now because she was afraid of you learning of her bad repute.

Then, the scene changed again.

This time, Emu could see Saber in her Eyecon, kneeling on the ground with her throat cut. He saw Takeru enter as the sun set and converse with Saber. As Saber told her story to Takeru, Emu realised how little he knew about Saber. Despite her calling him her Master, he never really took that role to heart. He didn't really try to get to know his Servant much, leaving the matter to Takeru. Especially after…

His thoughts trailed off for a moment.

The girl continued her narration.

She told me the same story as well.

The scene changed once more.

This time, Saber and the girl were in another classroom, but there was red cloth draped everywhere. Saber was standing on a table, also covered in red cloth, while the girl was standing in the centre of the room.

"My trump card is terrific, you know!" Saber cheerily announced. "It would come to no surprise if you fell for me all over again!"

At first, I didn't know what to make of her tale.

The girl could only reply quietly.

"Yeah… maybe."

Saber's expression turned to concern. She jumped down from the table and walked towards the girl, laying her hand on the girl's head.

"There's no point going all starry-eyed."

"Saber…"

"I am at peace with my life. And also my death. Saddened by it, aye, but I bear no resentment. I did many things, good and bad, but 'twas a good life on balance."

Then Saber lifted her hand and held her palm out to the girl, smiling.

"I will set my life ablaze for the sake of those who wish to believe I am beautiful."

The girl raised her hands up, grabbing Saber's. A smile broke across the girl's face as her eyes watered with tears of happiness.

"Alright."

The screen faded back to white.

"Even after being forsaken, after being held in contempt, she never changed her way of life." The girl spoke. "Despite how easily she gets lonely, despite how fervently she craves attention. Even to this very day. Why? Because you sought for her."

Emu still had doubt in his mind.

"But Takeru has gotten closer to her than I ever did. He was the one who fought alongside her. She revealed her True Name to him."

"Had she not been incapacitated, she would have gladly revealed her True Name to you. As it was, Takeru is merely a messenger, an enabler. Someone who connects the hearts of Heroic Spirits. In any other Grail War, he would make a fantastic Master. But that's not the case here. He fights alongside her, using her power and assisting her, but they are not Master and Servant. You made the contract with her. To you, perhaps it was simply made in desperation. Perhaps we did guide you to her sword. But to her, you calling out to her was something irreplaceable, something she would willingly lay down her life for. That Eyecon is proof of that."

The girl got up.

"I guess I can't be completely blameless for your condition though. After all, I am still part of the Deadface inside you. But the data doesn't only contain our resentment. It also contains memories of our past lives, like you said. And even if we seek vengeance for our deaths at the hands of Pieceman, our lives were still good in balance, like Saber's. Even now, I envy her. If only we didn't hold our resentment close to our hearts, like she did, then we could rest in peace."

From her pocket, she withdrew a white Gashat. Another slot, this time rectangular, opened on the projector.

"Do you understand what you mustn't avert your eyes from now?"

Emu thought for a moment, processing what he had seen. With the fog of the Deadface gone from his mind, he could think clearly now.

"Yes. I understand."

He got up as well.

"Maybe I can truly be Saber- no, Nero Claudius' Master. Even after everything that I've done."

The girl smiled. She placed the Gashat into the projector slot. The Eyecon glowed gold as the white Gashat turned silver, with blue highlights on the handle and the button and the circuit board tinted blue. On the front, a label appeared, reading MASTER CREATOR VRX.

"That gashat…"

The girl took the Gashat and offered it to Emu.

"As the last proper Master, I think it's appropriate for you to carry on our legacies. Use our skills how you will. Call it… a peace offering."

Emu took the Gashat from her hand. Then, he turned to leave. As he opened the door and prepared to leave, he turned around once more.

"Why are you helping me? Aren't you one of them?"

The girl smiled.

"Of course. But I am also the former Master of Saber. If she has given her blessing to you, then I should as well."

Emu nodded his head. Then, he stepped out of the classroom, the door closing behind him.

"I see why you chose him, Saber." She said. "I think we'll be seeing more of each other in the future."

Emu opened his eyes.

He found himself lying on a mattress in a large room. Takeru and a purple-haired girl he vaguely recognised were standing over him, with worried expressions on their faces.

"Emu? It is really you?" Takeru asked fearfully.

For the first time in a while (from Takeru's perspective), Emu smiled.

"It's OK, Takeru. It's me."

Takeru breathed a sigh of relieve.

"Thank goodness."

Then, Emu turned his attention to the purple-haired girl, who had gone back to typing on virtual keyboards as holographic screens popped up around her.

"I see you recovered consciousness. The code casts worked perfectly."

Emu was slightly confused.

"Rani…?"

"That's me. A vastly more reliable supporter than Tohsaka Rin."

Oh right. Where is she?

"I see that Saber still can't be revived. Though it seems you've returned with another toy."

Emu looked down at his hands. He was holding the Saber Eyecon, now reborn as the Nero Eyecon, and the Master Creator VRX Gashat. He remembered the encounter with Saber's former Master and knew what he had to do.

"Takeru, you know Saber's true name as well?"

Takeru nodded.

"She told me. She says she needed to tell you it to unleash her Noble Phantasm. But I'm not sure how it works."

Emu gave Takeru the Nero Eyecon.

"Don't worry. You've fought alongside her for long enough. I think it will come naturally to you."

Takeru understood.

"Her life burned brightly for us, so let's do the same for her. Through her Will, we will finish what she has started."

"Right! My life is burning bright!" Takeru shouted.

"Then let's go!" Emu proclaimed. "We will change her fate with our own hands!"

As Emu and Takeru ran out of the room, on a set of stairs nearby, Rin and Rani observed the two as they left.

"He's finally started acting like a Master, huh?" Rin commented. "And that boy Takeru… his abilities are still fascinating. To think that he would be able to obtain her True Name and Noble Phantasm like that, even though she should be dead..."

She looked down at her Cu Chulainn Eyecon.

"Miss Tohsaka, I believe you mentioned something about taking them down stealthily…" Rani mentioned.

"Eh, all's well that ends well. Besides…"

She smirked.

"They still have some use, right?"