AN: Behold the fruits of my labour! Shit chatting shit, and a pile of arguments upon that!
Chapter 17
Rin took a deep breath. "The Blue Team formally seeks an alliance with the Greys."
For a moment, my mind froze as it processed exactly what had just been said, and from whom it had been spoken.
"You're shitting me." I said, slowly.
"Master, I don't believe they are." Saber of Grey replied.
"Oh, I know that. I was just expressing surprise." And I was- surprised, that was. Of all the people to approach me, I had not expected Rin, nor had I expected a genuine alliance proposal. Perhaps I was getting used to standing alone as an individual team? Either way, I hadn't anticipated this.
"Though in hindsight, maybe I should have." I thought to myself. "After all, the Blue Team has recently had their asses kicked so hard by the Reds they've had to abandon their temple. I imagine that losing their home base bloodies their noses as much as losing my own did. At least enough to consider allying with another enemy team."
"So, are you interested?" Caster of Blue's voice echoed through the conch. The familiarity of it still bothered me, really. Still, it was probably a good thing I had ended up leaving my Medea to guard the base, since I feared that if she had been here she would have had a thing or two to say to her older self which would likely derail the whole conversation.
"Interested? You've barely said anything." I replied, crossing my arms with a hint of scepticism. "Tell me your conditions and I'll tell you what I think."
"Very well then." Kirei said. "I am sure you are aware of the events within Ryudou Temple? Considering the size of the fire and the news coverage, I would rather be surprised if not."
"This is about you getting your ass handed to you by the Reds then." I concluded with a teensy little smile. "Good to know. So, you're probably here for an alliance of mutual gain, am I correct?"
"Indeed. Having our home base stolen from us… suffice to say, we are looking for revenge, and I assume you wouldn't mind some of that either."
I had to give him that- I was pretty damn interested in getting back at Alba, but I said nothing of that- keeping my cards to my chest. Instead I shut my mouth and looked back towards my Servants to buy a moment or two to think. Kiyohime and Lily seemed mildly interested, Boudica wore a contemplative expression, while Lancer was completely blank- though I felt her evaluative eyes analysing me, perhaps to see how I dealt with the situation.
"Those aren't terms." I instead answered. Because I wasn't naïve enough to accept a 'contract' without first reading the terms and conditions. Likewise, I was unwilling to risk my own or my Servants lives in some dumb alliance without getting the full details. Especially from the BLUE TEAM of all groups. I suspect that Rin is the only one whom isn't a sneaky backstabber amongst them.
"Geez- we were getting to that." Rin complained. "You give us support and the forces to boot the Red Team from the Temple, and in return we'll give you a complete non-aggression pact until the Reds are properly gone."
"Now, wouldn't you say those are good terms, hmm?" Older!Medea crowed. "Not only do you have a chance to remove some competition by assisting us, you also halve the remaining enemies you'll need to deal with in the future. Let this War be as it should be- between the original seven Servants and you, the Aberration. Really, those Reds are just eyesores, aren't they?"
On the surface- one would agree that those were good terms. We could likely destroy the Red Team if we worked together. My six Servants plus however many the Blues had left (Maximum six, if they could pull the Shirou/Ilya team into this) would be able to destroy the Reds- and it had been apparent to me for a while now that the Reds were my greatest enemies, if only due to being unknowns. If I took the Reds out, I'd still have difficult enemies on the Blue Team, but at least I already had the understanding of exactly how to beat them and how they'll likely act.
But look deeper, and you realise how bad an offer it was.
"Hell no. Do you think I'm an idiot?" I glared at her. "That was rhetorical, by the way. If that was your genuine offer, then you must think the worst of me. Or your negotiation skills are worse than expected."
"You fool!" Older!Medea hissed while in the background Kirei laughed at her. "Are you truly that arrogant to snub our offer!?"
I shook my head at that. "No, but are you that over-confident to assume that I wouldn't notice that I was getting played? For one thing, while I don't like the Reds, we're still enemies and it obviously benefits me more to let you bleed yourselves out more. Plus, if we did work together, there would be no guarantee that we wouldn't wipe the Red out completely in that first attack, at which point you could easily turn on us since the terms were 'only until the Reds are dead'. Hell- there's just no guarantee on your parts at all that you'd keep the promise of a ceasefire anyway and wouldn't just use this 'alliance' to pin us between a Rock and a Hard Place in the form of yourselves and the Reds we were attacking to begin with."
Indeed, this could just be a very elaborate plot set up between them and the Red Team to wipe my own faction out. The odds were slim, but it could happen.
Rin paled at my perfectly valid argument, and looked like she wanted to protest, but held her tongue instead.
"How disappointing. Fear that holds you back then?" Caster of Blue pressed.
"No, it's something far more terrifying and rare… common sense." I stated. "Because why the hell should I risk my Servants lives to help attack a fortified position… for your benefits at that? Why trade one tyrant in the tower for another equally troublesome foe? Simple maths. The benefits don't outweigh the risks."
That was the plain and simple truth- there just wasn't enough incentive for me to be willing to work with them, especially with a very real threat of betrayal. The safer option was to do exactly what I had noted before- to let them bleed over the Temple a little more, and only act when I had an advantage. Sneaky but smart.
"I see that negotiations have failed." Kirei said, almost melodramatically sad.
"Not necessarily." I smirked. "Negotiations are one word… haggling is another. I'm not necessarily opposed to helping in this operation, but the reward had better be damned well worth the potential price of blood."
I was unlikely to accept anyway, but let's see just how high a price I can get off them. Who knows? I could still change my mind.
"A blanket sweep peace." Rin proposed this time. "We'll agree to give you three days of non-aggression in return for your promise of aid and agree to take point on the attack so that you don't need to worry about us stabbing you in the back. Both parties could even cast a Geass if it would alleviate your fears."
"Better." I conceded. A Geass was a mutually binding Gaelic contract with fatal consequences for rule breakers, and if we worded it right it could definitely ensure that the enemy Masters' couldn't backstab us without fear of losing their precious Magic Circuits. "But not enough."
"Well why don't you tell us what you want then?" Older!Medea spat- almost offended that she even had to offer concessions. Though to be fair, I was certain that she was hardly used to arranging alliances due to her stabby-back-stabby origins.
"Oh, your Command Seals would certainly seal the deal." I admitted, even as all around me friends and foes looked at me in shock and disregard.
"Now who is treating who like an idiot?" Rin snapped. "We're doing this to win the Grail! Not to give up our rights as Masters!"
"Oh- don't get your knickers in a twist, Rin." I waved my hand absently in her general direction. "I meant for you to spend them. One per Servant would be enough for me. Meeting all the attending Masters' face to face and watching them use a single Command Seal to ensure that the terms of the alliance are properly maintained by the Servants in addition to a mutually binding Geass arrangement from the Masters… yes, I feel that is payment enough."
That was my counter proposal. Giving the Blue Team the temple would be conceding a major strategic location, would show them my own Servants and their capability, and could potentially cost me my own Servants if the fight goes badly. Therefore, to enter the fray, I needed reassurance. A Geass would work well and I damn well intended to use them but forcing them to expend a Command Seal each would hurt them a lot more in the long run- especially since there are few real ways to gain more Seals mid war. They are a limited commodity that can change the course of a battle- so sweeping a solid third out from them would be pretty cool, methinks.
"In return for my full assistance in ensuring you reclaim your base, all I want is a three-day ceasefire ensured through a set of mutually binding Geass contracts, and a single issued Command Seal for each Servant- naturally worded to ensure that the ceasefire may be ended by either of our sides if the others are the instigators." Here, I lean forwards and beam lightly. "Now, wouldn't you say those are good terms, hmmm?"
Silence for a good ten seconds, then Kirei spoke up. "I don't suppose we can have a moment to discuss amongst ourselves?"
I benevolently gestured for him to do so- though I knew he had no way to see me do it. "Go for it."
With that, Rin retreated further down the shore with the conch until we were well out of reach, erected a small Bounded Field to silence all noise from inside the circle, and then proceeded to talk things through with her team. It only took them three minutes to come to a decision.
"Very well then. Your full assistance in getting us back the temple, in return for a three-day ceasefire enforced by both ends through the use of Command Seals and Geass?" Rin clarified.
I grinned just the teensiest bit. They must have been desperate, if they were genuinely considering that offer. "Yes, although I will not use my own Command Seals for the agreement, as it would render the advantage gained from my 'reward' moot and void. I will submit to a temporary Geass to keep to the contract for as long as you do."
Rin scowled, but in the end said "Very well then. We're not happy with it, but we accept your terms."
I offered her my hand, and she grasped it tightly with her own. "And so, an alliance is formed." My Lancer stated softly, being the first of my Servants to speak across this entire meeting. I had no clue if she was happy with my handling, though at the very least she didn't look dissatisfied.
The handshake was maintained for a few second more before we both released it and each took a step backwards.
"So, when shall we do this?" I asked.
"We want to attack tonight." Caster of Blue said.
It would have been nice to have our final summon, hell, I REALLY wanted that final summon, but I could live with that. "Is that a must?"
"Yes. We can't let them entrench themselves further."
Troublesome. "Fine. So, meet up beforehand to finalise everything?"
The Tohsaka Magus nodded. "Come to our new home base- the Tohsaka family mansion, at sunset. There I will have the necessary materials for us to write the Geass contracts and will give you a chance for us to meet without compromising your own security."
"Thank you for your upcoming hospitality." I gave a small tilt of the head. "Anything else?"
"No." Older!Medea said. "Just remember that if you betray us, then we will make you wish that you had died by our hands."
At hearing that thrown gauntlet, there was really no choice but to delivery my own, was there? "Fair enough. And if you stab us in the back, then we'll cut you up into so many pieces that not even a magic boiling pot could bring you back to life. Sounds good?"
And then, to the sound of Older!Medea's splutters of shock at me very pointedly referencing one of the legends told about her, I turned on my heel and promptly walked away while my Servants followed after me- encircling me in a protective semi-circle. 'I wish I had some sunglasses to put on, because Medea just got mythologically burned.'
XXXXXXXXXX
"Are you certain that was the correct decision?" Lancer queried over a cup of tea, while the others worked away at their own things. Medea had been caught up to speed and was anxiously pressing on in her work to make something usable for tonight (All the while muttering to herself about rude witches and bitches and exactly how many pieces of her mind she was set to give), whilst the others made their own preparations. Consequently, this left me with a few moments to sit down with Scathach. We had a thing or two to discuss, after all.
"Maybe not." I admitted. "I like to think I'm self-reflective enough to be able to properly analyse my own decisions. I can't bring myself to regret my choice, especially as I selected what seemed like the best option I had at the time using the information I had available."
The immortal woman took another sip of her cup, savouring the classic flavour of the beverage Rider had served us. "Hmmm… I suppose we all make the decisions we consider to be the 'best' at the time, do we not? So then, Mr Self-Reflective, walk me through this. Was this the right choice, now that you've had more time to think?"
This time I took a deep gulp of my drink, buying myself an extra second or two to formulate an answer. "I'm leaning towards 'yes', I think. Weighing the pros and the cons, I can't justify not going for this. There are risks involved, and I sure don't trust the Blue Team as far as I can throw them, but Wars aren't won by hiding our heads in the sand. I need info on the Red Team, I need to thin the competition, and I need to start having an influence over the general course of this war. Defensive hasn't worked so well, you see. And it would certainly be harder for me when I eventually have to go on the offensive against the Reds if they're lodged up in the remains of the temple."
"Oh yes, the 'rewards' seem worth it." Lancer agreed. "But maybe you should elaborate on the potential risks. After all, the two are hardly equal. Removing an enemy is nice but losing one of our own forces is tenfold times worse, especially as we have no means in place for the recruitment of new forces."
I started counting them off on my fingers. "The physical threat of death from the enemy, the possibility that we give too much information out to enemies, that an enemy Servant may be uniquely suited to taking us down, that the Blues probably will try to backstab us and that any external threats from outside the temple could prove disastrous."
She nodded her head in appreciation. "Yes, not a bad analysis. A solid 7 out of 10 answer, I'd say… were I your teacher, of course."
"Still, while those risks are bad, they are kinda preventable." I noted. "At the very least, they can be minimised. Our own little Medea will be vital in keeping our health up through the fight and will likely give us at least a small bit of leeway, while correct fight allocation and sufficient ganging up upon the enemy should lower the risk of death in combat. Then we have information. Not much we can do about that, except learn as much as we can in return, and only offer our Trump Cards out after the Blues and Reds do. Specific Servants… well, reshuffling our fight orders might work, if there is someone our Servants end up facing that are specifically geared to taking them down."
"And the betrayal."
I winced a little here. "DEFINITELY the biggest threat here." Older!Medea is a scary bitch, Kotomine is an evil asshole with several rotting kids in his closest and a perchance for betrayal, while Rin can also have her devious moments when she gives into her inner Magus. They're in it to win, so if it benefits them, I could certainly see them passively or actively stabbing us in the back.
But just like the other problems, betrayal can be dealt with too. "So, to minimise that risk, I suggested the Command Seal and Geass approach."
"They aren't absolute."
"No, but they are damn well close." I countered. Certainly, I fully expected them to try and find a loophole in the contract, but those backups definitely help limit what they can do. "They're insurance for us, basically. If the Servants somehow attack despite their Seal command, then they'll definitely get stat drops, while the Magus' will be in a lot of hot water if their loopholes are interpreted badly by the Geass. As long as we keep up our guards then we should be able to counter them fairly well. And even if the betrayal happens, then we still force them to spend a large chunk of their Command Seals. We can do a quick Teleport out via Adorable Airlines if we must or use Kiyohime's Dragon Waifu Mode to force a way out to retreat on Rider's carriage too, if necessary."
"A wise warrior always has an escape route." Lancer agreed. "Though it is the coward whom is the first to take the route when so many other options still exist."
I didn't quite agree with her, but when a legendary teacher and Magus tells you some advice, you listen. "Either way, I don't see the inevitable backstabbing happening tonight. It's just too soon. They need our support far too much to shank us early on, and since we're sending them in as the Vanguard, I imagine they'll be in little condition to properly fight us once the Reds are booted." Lancer of Blue would be, but Archer and Caster less so.
With a low chime, Lancer deposited her teacup back atop its coaster, having successfully finished it. "Not bad. Not excellent, but a strong plan. You've taken account into many variables, so at the very least you've put a lot of thought into it."
I couldn't help myself from blushing a little at her comments. "W-well, I am kind of useless as a Master, so using my dumb brains for something constructive is the least I can do. I don't want any of my Servants die. Not if I can help it." I'm realistic enough to acknowledge that this won't be a bloodless war, but that doesn't mean I won't try to pursue the avenue that sheds our own blood the least. "Speaking of the topic of my inadequacies, I kind of don't want to suck as a Magus. Lancer- is there any chance that you could teach me some stuff?"
Because when you have a freakin' mythical figure sitting in front of you, notorious for the training of other Heroic Spirits, and with a ridiculous amount of competency in the Magical arts, then you would have to be a fool not to ask.
She raised an eyebrow. "It would certainly be possible. Though, may I ask why you ask at such a point as now?"
"Well, I know you want to hash out the 'terms' of our Contract first, so to speak, but I wanted to ask you so there would be time to prepare and so that I don't forget." I admitted.
"That assumes that I'd be willing to teach you in the first place." She reminded me. "I am Scathach, after all. I don't just teach anyone. Not even the fact that you are my 'Master' is enough to automatically assume I would be willing. I would teach you for my own reasons, and those reasons alone." At this, she leaned forwards and smiled a little bit. "Persuade me."
Welp, she sounded willing enough. Perhaps my 'plan' earlier was enough to at least let me shove a foot through the door in terms of proving myself a worthy student. Now it's just a matter of actually giving an answer that would sway her.
"Firstly, I could have asked Medea to teach me." I began. "Caster, and all. But she's pretty busy and all with her Item Creation shtick, and I wouldn't drag her away from that just to pick up some cantrips." It definitely was NOT because she was a scary little person, with a terrible teaching manner, high standards and a willingness to berate people working under her that is second to only Gordon Ramsey himself. "That explains why I came to you, anyway. Because you have experience teaching, and because I figure that if anyone can make me competent in a short amount of time, it would be you."
"And your motivation?"
"The upcoming fight is definitely a big swinger on the matter." I admitted shamelessly. "We're heading into a warzone where all the Masters are capable fighters, and I can't guarantee that my Servants can keep me safe through the entire conflict." The fight with Berserker of Blue alone had proven that- a determined Servant is a hard thing to halt. "So, having a minimal amount of training may be enough to survive that." At least, so I can live long enough to speak the word or two necessary to call for aid using my own quickly dwindling Seals. "Plus, it's been a bit of a long running thing. I'm in a World of Badass, and I am sick and tired of sucking. Fearing for my life is tiring. And if I want to survive and contribute to the group, then I at the very least need to start improving and quickly."
Scathach looked at me carefully, perhaps assessing my words or the intent behind them, before finally making a judgement. "Your reasoning is sound, unfortunately. As the 'Master' your safety is vital to the war effort, since you supply us with the majority of our power, so having you too weak to survive only hinders our own efforts. And you are correct that if any of us could bring you up to a level of minimal competency, then it would be me."
I stayed silent, only waiting for her actual answer. She hadn't agreed, after all.
"My terms are simple. I accept no orders from you. You may ask me to accomplish tasks, but there will be no guarantee that I will obey. You may discuss with me my actions and roles in the coming conflict, but I have the right to act as I see fit. And more importantly, you will not use one of your Command Seals upon me."
The terms themselves were actually pretty favourable. Give her some freedom, don't steal her ability to act, and give her the right to choose which actions to follow. "What about using Command Seals productively? Say… to save your life, or rescue me from danger, or give you a predetermined strength boost?"
Her eyebrows narrowed. "No Command Seals. I recognise the tactical edge, but you must remember that I aim to die here. In addition, I would sooner die with my pride intact and a smile upon my face, as opposed to surviving once more due to a Command Seal."
"That's pretty dumb." I pointed out, frowning. "Even so, I can respect that. No Command Seals… not unless you ask for them." I tacked on at the end.
She nodded her head in satisfaction and clapped her hands together. "Very well then. Such terms seem acceptable. We shall work together in this Holy Grail War and claim either victory or death." Less of the latter, hopefully. "And yes, I shall teach you."
"Great." I smiled in anticipation. A nerd wants what a nerd wants, and there is a certain thrill to the idea of learning magic. I'd enjoyed my brief forays so far, even if they hadn't been too successful. So yes- the idea of getting some proper training genuinely intrigued me. "When do we start?"
"Why, now, of course." Lancer said this as if it was obvious. "If you wish to be successful in tonight's endeavours against far more experienced foes, then you need all the training you can get. And I shall warn you up front- I am a very demanding teacher."
"… is it too late to go back to Medea?" I had no clue what I had gotten myself into, but I could only hope to emerge from the experience stronger and more kickass than ever.
