AN- Welp, sorry for the long wait. Uni time is busy time. For your long wait… a rather small chapter? Uh… at least this is the last chapter of backlog so we're now up to date with SB and SV? Now its just a matter of waiting for a new chapter! *Dust bunny blows, as the seas of writing run dry in semester time*
Chapter 20
We arrived at the Tohsaka mansion with no fanfare at all. A quick, uneventful march and then we were before the present base of operations for the Blue Team. I stood in the middle of our little entourage, with Boudica and Lily to my left and right, Medea and Kiyohime to the back while Scathach took point. The overall impression was rather intimidating- a united front and enough firepower in one place to level an army and hopefully intimidate a group of stabby backstabbers.
"Oi, we're here." I called out at the gate and saw a crow from inside the boundaries of the property flutter away- a Familiar, no doubt. A moment later and the metal gates swung open with a loud click. I took a deep breath and looked around at my party one last time- faces filled with determination and no small amount of anxiety. Then, we stepped forwards and into the repressive aura of the Tohsaka estate.
"Into the mouth of the beast we go."
Fading out of his Astral form appeared an unfamiliar figure- a portly man wearing a coat of red and gold that could barely cover his massive frame. He certainly didn't look like much of a legendary Heroic Spirit to me, but it was the little things that gave him away. The leaf of laurels around his head, that confident smile and the grit in his eyes.
"Julius Ceaser." Rider practically hissed, before he even had chance to open his mouth.
"Oh my, it seems I've been caught at a disadvantage." He offered a deep bow. "It is as you say, lovely lady! I am the one known as Julius Caesar!"
"I am aware." Boudica said with clenched fists. "Now, lead us to your Master."
His piercing gaze looked deep into her, and then into the rest of them. "Not even time for a pleasant conversation? It is so rare that figures such as we Heroic Spirits have room to interact."
"Alas, we're here on business." I pointed out.
He inclined his head in agreement. "It as you say. I suppose that if you are so eager to return to the table of war, then so be it. I shall have to attempt to find the secret of that redheads loathing of me another time, will I not?"
"If you live long enough to do so." Rider whispered under her breath. I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave her a reproaching look. ["Boudica…"]
She rolled her eyes, but the hardness within them remained.
Saber of Red sighed and gestured to the building ahead. "Disappointing, disappointing, oh so disappointing. Come, Servants of Grey, and meet those that have taken my services and blade. And though we may be 'enemies', let me offer you what little wisdom I can. Do not lower your guard at the negotiations table."
"We do not need to be reminded of such, king in all but name." Lancer replied. "If my student should falter, then it is my duty as his teacher to 'scold' him, is it not?" And no sane man should wish to be scolded by the godkiller of the Land of Shadows.
So Caesar led us onwards to the house, then inside to the very luxurious living room. Sat down already were the Blue Team sans Ilya's faction. Older!Medea occupied one sofa and shared it with her Master, whom I was surprised to see Caster of Blue actually present to us, while the other chairs around the table were taken up by Kirei, Rin and Archer. "Welcome, oh Master of Grey!" Declared Kirei with his signature 'rejoice' pose.
"Where the fuck is Lancer?" I replied, bluntly.
"I have sent that dog of to guard and scout." He replied dismissively.
"Our agreement was for me to observe the entirety of your group." I reminded him.
"Cu Chulainn is a rowdy dog at best, and a Command Seal may be issued irrespective of where the mongrel may be." The priest shrugged.
"That is rather suspicious, you know." My Lancer replied casually, even as she stepped forwards to give the priest a piercing stare. "Especially when I was so eager to meet a fellow Lancer…"
"Well, you'll have to be disappointed, won't you!" Declared Rin with a pointed finger-point. "Look, we're here to confirm our plans and fulfil our side of the deal, as you demanded. So are you going to make this more difficult for yourself or not?"
I levelled my best glare at her and her group, staring the most at Older!Medea- whom had been suspiciously quiet. Probably by virtue of her younger self who was standing behind me and giving the witch a good glare of her own. I wish her hood was down, if only so I could see the expression on her face. "I have good reason to be cautious when not five minutes in you have already failed to fulfil your side of the deal. I come here in good will, do I not?"
No reply- a very pointed decision to not reply from the Blue Team. "I can see why you would be… hesitant." Caster of Blue said, a sharpness in her tone as she gestured to my Medea. "When you have her to colour your impressions. I knew those Bounded Fields were familiar… I should have really expected this."
"And why should I not warn them of you, oh Witch of Betrayal?" Medea said with a cute little growl.
Even without understand the context behind their conflict, it was clear to be seen by all based solely upon the metaphorical sparks erupting between the two time-divergent princesses. "Foolish little girl playing at being a Servant, doomed to betrayal and heartbreak. You should sit down and drink your milk while the adults talk."
Medea Lily's grinding of teeth was loud enough to make me wince. "I may look young, but you don't have the right to look down on me after everything you did! No, what we both did. I have had just the same experiences as you, you old hag!"
"Alright, alright, we get it already!" Rin slammed a fist down on the table. "You're both witches and both bitches. Now, can we get down to business?"
For a moment, I was certain that the Caster's wouldn't back down- and that perhaps this would degrade into an actual fist fight. But then my Medea glanced over at me, and her gave narrowed. Then, very deliberately, she looked away from her older self and gave a dismissive 'harumph'.
Older Medea was left clenching her fists in anger- but she too turned away. "I suppose it's just a quirk of the Nasuverse." I thought to myself. "If you ever meet a future/past version of yourself, you are all but certain to hate their guts."
"To business, then." Kirei gestured to a collection of open seats. Hesitantly, I pulled up a chair for myself. Lancer and Caster pulled up chairs too, while Berserker all but draped herself over me to try and share the chair- she would serve as a meat shield in the worst-case scenario, so for the sake of 'protection' I wasn't quite willing to physically kick her of my chair. Meanwhile, Boudica and Lily stood guard at either side of my chair- vigilant guardians that they were.
"To business." I put my best A-Game face on. "Now, Medea the Elder, you are a dirty stinking backstabber, so I just want to check we're on the same page."
Caster of Blue simply nodded her head. "You know?"
"Medea is you." I said. "So, first things first, I want your Master to issue that all important Command Seal."
"But we haven't even signed any contracts yet." She replied, going through the hoops of conversation even though she knew and I knew that the Geass contract was like words in the wind- worthless.
"No use signing anything when you have the power to nullify each and every agreement I myself may bind myself to." I pointed out. "So, since the deal included every Master wasting a Command Seal to help enforce the contract, you, Caster, will have a different order."
"… and the order?" Kuzuki spoke up for the first time, giving me a dead look that promised only oblivion.
"The order is as such: 'You are FORBIDDEN from using your Noble Phantasm -Rule Breaker- until Japanese sunrise'." That was the best worded command Medea Lily could give me- prohibit the use of the Noble Phantasm for a limited time period to ensure the power of the order. If we're lucky, that should bind her thoroughly.
"You would weaken me so much in combat?"
"Bitch, I'm providing five Servants for the battle. FIVE. If we need you to actually use that fucking thing, then we're boned already. And I will not bend on that one. Either that order is given right here and now, or I WILL march my Servants out that door and leave you to rot. Or we'll, y'know, burn your house down or something."
"Non-negotiable?" Rin confirmed, an air of dejection visible as she already knew my answer.
"Non-negotiable." My Caster agreed.
A quiet, tense moment as Kuzuki looked to his Servant… before she eventually gave an undeniable nod. She didn't like it- she didn't like it all. But I didn't care about that. She was too much of a threat. Without that order there would be no force on Earth that would make me work with her, and she knew it.
"Caster, by the power of my Command Seal, you are forbidden from using your Noble Phantasm- Rule Breaker- until Japanese sunrise." And so it was done- the leash was slipped onto Medea's neck. She may find a way to slip free, but for now, I was at least willing to continue.
"Next up, the Geass contracts." I cracked my knuckles- this would be the meat of this meeting. Here, Medea Lily and Scathach took point as the plain Geass papers were brought to the table by Saber of Red, while on the side of Blue Rin and Older!Medea handled their side of things.
It took a good half hour of arguing and countless edits on scrap paper before we reached a pair of contracts we were happy with- one for me, and one for every Blue Master to sign. It was a long and difficult battle to remove every loophole my Servants could find, but the final product was one that I was happy with- even if the parchment was filled to the brim with legalese. To summarise the contents: the Blue contract prohibited all attempts to break the contract, violate the terms of our alliance written down upon it and prevented them from knowingly causing direct or indirect harm to the Grey Team- with only a collection of linked clauses added in at the behest of Rin to allow for self-defence or the act of the Grey Team violating the terms, and a final section to enforce a three day ceasefire once the night ends. Meanwhile, my contract was smaller- and mostly contained the agreements to keep to the terms of the written alliance, enforce the ceasefire and the prevention of unwarranted harm to the Blue Team.
"And so, an alliance is formalised." Kotomine stated formally, after the contracts were handed out and signed by all Masters (Including that damned munchkin, Medea).
"Not yet. Now, it's time for the rest of your Command Seals." I reminded them. "The order will be as such: 'you shall follow the terms of the alliance as defined upon the Geass contract'. And yes, that includes you too Caster- you have a Servant too."
Another round of Command Seals wasted by the Blue Team. "Are you happy yet!?" Rin demanded. "Have your wishes been satisfied enough yet?"
"They have." I agreed, rolling up my contract on the table and slipping it into my blazer pocket- for I was still wearing the uniform of Homurahara Academy despite my lack of attendance there. I wasn't happy- not by a long shot. But this was the best I could hope to get. "You have yourselves the alliance you so desperately asked for. Now, we go to War…"
