Chapter 8


The Master of Chaldea has been assigned to a very perilous minute Singularity. It was a place encroached in an eternal darkness, and even though he was already given the go signal to Rayshift, he was hesitant to go.

Partly because he still has no idea which Servant he would bring.

Even Da Vinci was scouring the database for potential field operatives alongside him.

"If it's alright, I can go with senpai and repel the minute Singularity as best as I can." Offered Mash, determined and overly concerned for her Master slash senpai's well-being.

"We could go with that, but we wanted you to reserve your strength for the coming battles once these minute Singularities are gone, so that's a no. I'm sorry, Mash." She then replied, a frown present on her face.

Mash felt sad, but she understood. "I understand, but if we can't find a partner for senpai for this mission, then…" she trailed off, as she herself was thinking of any candidate.

"A place of eternal darkness…perhaps I can lend a hand, Master?" then offered a voice. The three of them in the Command Room looked to where they heard the voice, and Ritsuka smiled.

"Okita Alter!" then spoke Mash. Da Vinci smiled as well "Right on time!" she said, as she began typing on the keyboard.

The Counter Guardian stepped forward and bowed at both Mash and Ritsuka.

"You need not fret, Master: Rengoku, and I shall sever this darkness with but one strike." She declared, and Ritsuka sighed in relief. "I'm sure you will, Okitan." He spoke, and for some reason, this made the Guardian blush.

Mash noticed the two and decided to step away a bit. "Mash, you're in charge of comms!" then said Da Vinci, and Mash nodded. "Y-Yes! Of course!" she replied and went to her position.

"Alright everything's up and running, you two just need to get in there fast! All green!" spoke Da Vinci, and the Master and Servant nodded.

They were Rayshifted into the Singularity in no time, but for a split second, Mash saw how her senpai was nervous. She saw how he held onto Okita Alter's hand for reassurance. It was a sweet sight to behold, but for some reason, it pained Mash a bit.


The moment they arrived at the Singularity, the Master of Chaldea was immediately engulfed in the cold, unforgiving darkness.

His mind was bombarded with unpleasant things, and even talking to Mash was difficult.

"Senpai! Stay with me…don't…have to…stay…SENPAI!" was all he heard Mash said.

He couldn't hear her properly.

His head was aching. Badly.

He was getting swallowed by the darkness, and he was powerless to stop it.

Until…

"Master…" a voice echoed in his mind. No…it echoed throughout the entire space he was in.

"O…Okitan?" he called out, and then he saw a faint light, far off, getting bigger.

"By your word, Master, this darkness shall be destroyed…!" the voice declared, and the light grew brighter as well.

Ritsuka then took hold of his own thoughts, and even though his head was aching, he raised his hand, making all his Command Seals glow.

He clenched his fist, and the darkness that swallowed him exploded, detaching itself away from him.

A determined expression was present on his face, as the light grew bigger and farther until it was all a bright…emptiness.

He smiled, as he heard footsteps by his side. Okita Alter glanced at him and nodded.

"By my Command Seals, release your Noble Phantasm, Okita Souji!" commanded Ritsuka, and Okita Alter unsheathed her blade.

"Its our time now, Rengoku…!" she spoke, and she leapt, as the darkness was now trying to envelop the two of them.

"I will pierce the infinite world…I will sever the thread of destiny with this boundless light! Zekken, Mukyusandan!"

A series of slashes, and once Okita Alter slid away from the darkness, she plunged her blade and out came a dark beam of emptiness.

Concentrating it on the forming darkness, the Counter Guardian flinched. "My power…isn't enough! Master!" she called out.

"Gotcha!" replied Ritsuka, jumping and landing behind Okita Alter. He made one Command Seal glow. "I order you, Okita Souji, vanquish the darkness!" he spoke, and the Counter Guardian's Noble Phantasm doubled, nay, tripled as the beam of emptiness grew thicker.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, and another Command Seal glowed. "I order you, Okita Souji, restore this Singularity!" the Master commanded, and her Noble Phantasm quadrupled its output.

"Haaaaaaaa!" the two of them screamed, until once and for all, the darkness was repelled, and the blinding emptiness enveloped the entire space they're in.

They heard a metallic clang and once they looked down, the source of the Singularity, a Holy Grail, was present.

"Senpai! Are you alright senpai?!" then came a concerned kouhai's voice.

"I'm detecting no more anomalies. That Singularity will go away in about 10 seconds! Grab the Grail and go go go!" then came another voice. Ritsuka looked at Okita Alter, smiled, and took the Grail.

He then grabbed onto the Servant as they were Rayshifted back to Chaldea.


"Master, Master!" called out Okita Alter. Ritsuka stopped in his tracks and turned around. The two of them were in an empty corridor.

"What is it Okitan?" he asked, and once again, he saw a faint blush on the Guardian. "What are you going to do today?" she asked, and Ritsuka thought about it. "Well, I would be going to a briefing later in the Command Room in ten minutes, so I thought I'd best go get something to eat. How about you?" he answered and asked back at Okita Alter.

"Me? I'll be right by your side, Master." She spoke, smiling sweetly. The Master of Chaldea was caught off guard, and it was now his turn to blush.

"Wouldn't that be…distracting?" he replied, and Okita Alter was confused. "Hm? You say that's distracting?" she answered and pondered about it for a moment.

She then snapped her fingers as she thought of a solution. "Got it. Then I'll conceal my presence and I won't make a peep while I follow you around." She suggested, and Ritsuka sighed.

"That would be distracting, still…" he spoke softly, but shrugged. The two of them then walked towards the cafeteria.

The usual Servants were there, busy with the cooking, but he didn't see where Mash was. He did see Lord El-Melloi II enjoying his cigar, accompanied by his apprentice, Gray.

'Strange,' he thought, 'I don't see Skadi following him…'

"Do you wish for me to investigate, Master?" then asked Okita Alter, almost making Ritsuka jump surprised. He forgot she was with him.

'No let them be, I'll just talk to Skadi myself soon.' He answered, well, thought back at the Guardian.

He then sat on a nearby table and began to eat his sandwich. He still had ample time, but after the briefing, he's not sure how long until the next Rayshift would be.

"Master! Mas—*cough* *hack*" then called out a voice. A familiar one yet again.

Okita Souji, wiping the blood off her mouth, then sat on the seat adjacent to Ritsuka. "I was looking for you!" she says.

She then looked at the seat next to him and smiled more. "Ah is that seat beside you empty? Well then!" she said, and before Ritsuka could even warn her, Okita had already settled down beside him.

For a few seconds that is.

Okita Alter then came into view, and it showed Okita sitting on the lap of her Alter self.

Ritsuka sighed.

Okita noticed and nearly jumped off. "M-M-M-My Alter self?! W-What are you doing here?!" she then asked, almost brandishing her blade as she actually did jump off of Okita Alter, landing feetfirst perfectly on the cafeteria floor.

Okita Alter waved her hand. "Greetings, my Original self." She greeted.

Ritsuka simply sighed. "Pay her no mind. Why were you looking for me anyway?" he then asked, and as he continued in eating his sandwich, Okita blushed. The Counter Guardian noticed this, not the Master. She was confused.

"W-Well I heard you were off to go repel minute Singularities here and there and umm…I was worried." She softly spoke, one that caught Ritsuka off guard.

'Man, if this keeps up I'd be surprised by the smallest, simplest things.' he then thought. Okita Alter merely nodded, much to his own annoyance. 'Not helping!' he then added.

"You don't have to worry, as you can see I'm safe and sound." He consoled, smiling, only making the swordswoman blush further.

"T-Then, for the next Rayshifts…can I tag along?" she asked, and Okita Alter merely shook her head. "My Original Self, if you aren't in top form today, how could you possibly protect Master from the dangers of these anomalies?" she then asked, and Okita Souji coughed and hacked once again.

"I-I'm perfectly fine you know!" she then said, but she was now a blushing mess, that even the Master is now starting to take notice of.

"This isn't good. Master, if I may be so bold, allow me to put my Original Self in top form so that she would be able to accompany you in the coming missions." Okita Alter offered, and Ritsuka merely nodded. "Don't be rough, alright?"

She nodded, and she took Okita by the hand as if her child, or her younger sister.

"H-Hey wait a minute where are we going?! Ah, M-Master! I'll see you later!" Okita Souji then called, coughing and hacking once more as they vanished from the cafeteria.


The Master of Chaldea slumped on the bed, exhausted for Rayshifting nonstop to numerous minute Singularities.

He can't help but feel there's a quota he's needing to reach.

'I can't lift myself up…shit…' he then thought, about to pass out.

But then, gentle arms raised him and embraced his whole being. It was enough to keep him awake for a while.

"I love you, Master…" Okita Alter gently spoke. Ritsuka went wide-eyed, and he pushed her away a bit, holding her by the shoulders. "O-Okitan…?" was all he could say.

Both were blushing.

"What's wrong? Did I say something strange?" she asked, and Ritsuka was still silent. Okita Alter smiled. "Master treats me well: me, someone who may disappear at any moment." She explained, as she took hold of her Master's arms and let them rest across her shoulders.

The smile she was showing was genuine, one that the Master of Chaldea can't help but admire.

"And the life that I'm living here wasn't supposed to be, and never would have happened if it wasn't for Master. That's why I'm really grateful." She added, and Ritsuka finally gave her a smile. His exhaustion from earlier seems to have faded temporarily, as he was able to move.

"Okitan…these things you're saying…do you realize how heartfelt they are?" Ritsuka found himself asking. It was a dumb question, sure, but the smile on the Counter Guardian remained.

"Can I…touch your cheek?" she asked, and Ritsuka was confused yet again. "Yeah, you heard me…" she added.

Ritsuka chuckled. He remembered he did the same back then, during the Imperial Capital Grail War.

"Go ahead." He spoke, and he felt the Counter Guardian's hand on his left cheek.

'Warm…' was all he thought.

"You offered me everything…Master...You gave me life and a sense of belonging, even though I shouldn't exist in this world under normal circumstances." She spoke, and another hand went to the Master's other cheek.

"You gave me everything…" she softly spoke, leaning closer, and Ritsuka was feeling rather nervous.

He then took hold of both her hands, holding them very dearly.

"I love you, Master, and this world that you live in," she added, and she blushed herself. "And even if this body's Spirit Origin should break, I will risk my everything to protect Master and the world you're from." She then declared.

Ritsuka found her very adorable. He booped her nose, chuckling softly. Okitan was confused. "Master? What was that for?" she asked, generally curious.

"You're so adorable, Okitan…" he spoke, and Okita Alter became a blushing mess.

"N-No fair Master…how could you say that so nonchalantly …" she muttered, and a hand touched her cheek.

"You're as beautiful as that time I thought I lost you. I'm really glad you're here, Okitan…" Ritsuka spoke, no trace of the exhaustion he felt earlier as it was now replaced with a much more…beautiful feeling.

Okita Alter can't help but be teary-eyed. She giggled, smiled, and leaned closer.

They sealed what they're feeling with a sweet kiss.

Okita Alter was surprised at first, but as the kiss went on, she eased in easily.


Was that…intimate enough?

- The Void Sprinter