First Singularity, Part 1: Vaucouleurs
"Starting Unsummon Program."
"Begin Spiritron Conversion."
"Rayshift beginning in 3…
2…
1…
All operations cleared. Beginning Grand Order operation."
1431
Ayako opened her eyes, inhaling the fresh air of old, one bereft of pollution. She looked around, seeing her fellow Masters gather themselves, with Ritsuka himself leaning into a tree. The Servants were around them, with Mash patting Ritsuka's back, trying to make him more comfortable. Elizabeth was standing next to Koleen, while Cú Chulainn stood right behind her. They were all standing in the middle of a forest, and she could see the edge of it nearby, leading to a clear open field.
"Let's head out and find that leyline." Ayako said to the group. "The Servants should be in spirit form for the moment, both to lessen the burden and to not draw too much attention."
"As you say, Birdie!" Elizabeth said as her form disappeared.
"We'll keep on the lookout, Masters." The Druid said, drawing his hood up as he too disappeared.
They all gathered around, with Mash leading the formation as they exited the forest. "Is this your first rayshift since Singularity F, Ritsuka?" Koleen asked.
He scratched his cheek nervously. "Yeah, Medea-san wouldn't allow me until I was ready."
"That's not entirely true." Ayako spoke up from the back. "She asked if you were ready, and you kept on saying that you weren't."
"We could have tried to go on a supply run ourselves, Senpai." Mash said from the front. "It would have been fine with me by your side."
"I just never felt ready." He told them all. "Especially compared to you two."
"Senpai…"
"That's ridiculous." Koleen said disapprovingly. "Ayako and I had years, more than a decade of experience to be who we are today. If you're going to compare yourself to us then you'll never be ready."
"Kalls is right, Ritsu-chan. Especially since the both of us are still trying to improve, so that goalpost will just get higher and higher." Ayako was silently impressed with Koleen's 'sort-of' outburst.
"Yes, exactly Senpai. I understand you want to be useful, but if this is all you're thinking, you're just going to hold yourself back from improving." Mash said her piece of support, helping the male Master.
"Okay. Okay." He nodded, feeling a bit better about himself. "Thanks guys."
"Cheer up, bud. You might never stack up against us as a magus." Ayako said as she pat his shoulder as the group finally broke through the trees, entering the open fields. "But I'm confident you have a better compatibility as a Master then either of us."
"Koleen? What's wrong?" Mash asked the Witch, causing the other two to see the blonde looking up with frightened eyes.
"Look up." She said to them with her narrowing pupils.
The others followed her gaze, looking up themselves, and they too were shocked to their core. An audible gasp escaped their Lancer as she materialized beside them. The Druid whistled in his Spirit Form, not expecting this himself. For what they saw above them was blank space in the sky, as if reality had ceased to exist in that circular spot. They were all silenced, with varying expressions spread out amongst them. Ayako's hand that was patting Ritsuka's shoulder tightened, intending to comfort him. Through her peripheral she could see that for a moment, fear of the existential shook him. She felt his shoulders, once tensed, relax in her hand, before she let go of him.
"Alright, we're connected. Anyone there? Hello?" Koleen brought her wrist close to her, answering for the group.
"Turn to video, Doctor." She answered.
"You heard her. We need visual on them now." There was a sense of urgency in his voice as he relayed his orders to the crew, mostly because of how serious the Witch sounded. "Alright, we're conn- what?"
"That has to be related to the anomaly." Koleen continued, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Do you think it was like this in Fuyuki?" Ritsuka asked, turning to Ayako.
"Definitely." She replied with a nod, shaking her body to rid the shiver that ran up her spine. "But with the clouds of ash and fire covering the red skies, it was impossible to tell."
"I can vouch for that at least." Cú Chulainn said through their links. "Although I was also focused in not dying and killing the other Servants."
"Of course you were. Haa." Elizabeth shook her head disappointedly. "This is why you're not cool, old man."
The Masters could practically feel the Druid massaging his forehead. He really did not like dealing with the youngest Servant among them.
"Look, you guys. Let us deal with that anomaly, alright?" The Doctor cut in, getting them back on track. "You six just focus on finding the Holy Grail. And then maybe we can make a connection between the two."
"Yeah, our plan so far has not yet changed." Ayako reminded the team. "We just have some ominous hole in the sky looking down on us. That's it."
"Wow, when you put it like that, it makes me feel better." Koleen responded to her friend.
"Really? It made you feel better, Koleen?" Mash asked bewilderedly.
Koleen shook her head. "No, Mash. That was sarcasm."
"Okay." Ayako clapped her hands, waving to Elizabeth to go back to Spirit Form. "Let's get going, we're burning day light. Kalls!"
"Yeah?"
"You speak French right? Fluently?"
"I… learned it in high school?" the blonde answered.
"Then you're upfront, in case we need to speak with the locals." Ayako explained with a light smile. "I don't think they'd appreciate us speaking in English."
Ritsuka let out a defeated sigh. "Great. I'm even more useless."
"Don't worry, Ritsu-chan. I'm just as useless."
"I'm surprised at how well that all went out." The now familiar voice of Sanson said through their communicator. "The French from back then is a bit different from its modern evolution."
"They probably thought I was some weird person with a weird accent." Koleen replied with a shrug, though her blush showed how she was really feeling.
"Yes, and with a weird entourage." Ayako said with a giggling chuckle.
"Do you have something moving, Mash?" Ritsuka asked, narrowing his eyes the Demi-Servant's form.
"What? No, there's nothing moving." She replied, not once sounding convincing to them.
A fluff of white appeared into view, betraying Mash as it displayed itself to the Masters. "Fou!"
The Masters stopped in their tracks, pink, golden, and blue eyes staring at the creature with flat expression. Mash looked sheepish, her eyes looking anywhere but them. Ritsuka took a step forward, petting the creature. It mewled in his hand before it jumped off and landed on his shoulder, snuggling closer and making itself comfortable in Ritsuka's presence.
"Why is this creature here?" Koleen asked confusedly, unconsciously taking a step back.
"He hitched a ride last time, when we got dropped in Fuyuki." Ayako told the blonde, though she furrowed her brows at the creature. "It sure took a liking to you, Ritsu-chan. To follow us to France."
"Fou." It responded, as if voicing its approval.
"I'm sorry, Senpai. Masters. I didn't want to distract from the mission." Mash said, bowing to them.
"Its fine, Mash." Ritsuka said, still petting the creature on his shoulder. "We just have to make sure he doesn't get hurt."
"You heard him, guys. A little bit of effort for the little guy." Ayako said aloud to the other two Servants.
"Uh, hey…" he approached the remnants of B Team, glancing at the creature. "I'm not familiar with these things, but he's not normal, right?"
The both of them shook their heads. "He is some sort of… Phantasmal Beast." Koleen said, her eyes never leaving the creature as it licked Ritsuka's face. "Mash, do you know how it got to Chaldea?"
"No." she replied with a shake of her head. "I don't remember much of it, but Fou has been around for a while."
"Chaldea's unique nature probably drew him in." Ayako said with a shrug before she planted her hands on Ritsuka's and Koleen's shoulder. "We should get going. Mash said she didn't want to distract us, and now we're just distracting ourselves."
After being once again reminded of their mission, they wasted no more time as they continued down the dirt path. And by that, they moved off said path a good short distance away before, with the help of the Servants, they sped through the open landscape. Cutting hours of walking to a good half hour, as each Servant left a sizable crater after each leap. They stopped somewhere around a 15 minute walk away from the commune; Vaucouleurs.
"Fun fact: this whole area is actually under English control." Koleen spoke up, mostly to the other Masters as they walked behind Mash's protection. "Even Domrémy. But the commune we're heading towards is still loyal to King Charles VII." All the while, she had a small smile on her face.
Both Japanese Masters leaned into one another. "I think we found her hobby." Ayako fake-whispered to Ritsuka.
"It's a good thing we summoned Henri-san then, right?" he said back with an amused smile.
"Is it just French History, or all of Europe?" said Servant asked curiously form their communicator.
"Europe. And Asia." She answered with furrowed. "Honestly? Just history in general that's not America. It gets a bit boring, but everything else seems mystical, in a sense."
"Oh, then can you help me, Koleen?" Mash asked from the front. "It gets a bit overwhelming, when I'm reading up on where and when we're rayshifting to."
"I'll be glad to help." She said with a happy smile. The smile widened when the commune became visible to their eyes, but her brows furrowed when she noticed something off. Dark, blackened plumes of smoke, more than what could be considered normal. "Oh no." she said beneath her breath.
"Caster. See what's up." Ayako said as her eyes narrowed, withdrawing her rifle from her back.
"Lancer, stay by us." Koleen said as they all began jogging towards the commune.
"There's skeletons here, invading the place." Cú Chulainn said to them, sounding displeased at what he was seeing.
"Then let's get there!" Ritsuka said, quietly agreed to by the rest as they all began running.
"Caster, you're clear to engage. Be careful of the people." Ayako ordered.
They could feel his feral grin appear on his face. "Thank you, Masters."
"Lancer, you can join him when we get closer." Koleen said to the pink haired Servant as she appeared beside them all. Her ornate weapon held at the ready in her clawed hands.
"Stay with Mash, Ritsu-chan." Ayako said, breaking off from the group and leaning herself on the stone wall as the rest ran inside. She leaned out and aimed at a congregate of skeletons. "Ljósta."
That single bullet shattered a few of the skeletons, stopping them in their tracks and from attacking the locals.
Elizabeth and Mash switched places, the pink haired Servant taking Mash's spot in the front as she swung her lance, shattering anything that was near her. Mash herself swung her shield at the skeletons that tried to flank the two Masters, defending their backs from the undead creatures. A bash with her shield, a punch with her fist, and a kick with her foot; the Demi-Servant was getting used to her Servant body, deftly dispatching the undead fiends.
"Alright, let's do this." Ritsuka whispered to himself, as he aimed his fingers at a group that was terrorizing a soldier that was defending the locals. "Gandr!" his weak circuits lit up as the curse shot out, destroying a single skeleton and stunning another one. The gaggle of undead all turned to him with a snap.
"Drink this, Ritsuka." Koleen handed her fellow Master a light blue cool potion. With her other hand, she threw her newest concoction; a two-tinted liquid of yellow lime and blood red. The thin bottle shattered onto one of the skeletons in the middle, covering the ones around it in its corrosive waste. The skeletons melted before they could reach them.
"Whoa, what is this?" Ritsuka asked, holding the now emptied bottle, traces of the liquid dripping down his lip. Usually, after casting the Scandinavian curse, he'd be gasping for breath and his muscles straining, but he felt better than ever.
"It'll revitalize your reserves. Normally not by much, but it should be incredible for you." Koleen explained, backing them both away as a couple of skeletons that approached them exploded in dust, shattered by Ayako's bullet. "Mash, Lancer, Caster. What's the situation?"
"Their numbers are thinning!" Mash said, bashing the last skeleton around them with her shield. "And the soldiers are rallying against them."
"Yeah, I don't see any of them anymore!" Elizabeth replied back, after taking her fights elsewhere in the commune.
"Wyverns, approaching fast." The voice of the Druid said, as he stood atop the stone walls. "This is bad."
"Dragons!" they all heard the cry of the soldiers from somewhere away from the center of the commune, confirming the Servant's message. "La sorcière dragon est ici!"
"Sorcière dragon… dragon witch?" Koleen repeated with confusion, slowly jogging towards where Caster was.
"What's going on, Koleen-san?" Ritsuka asked the blonde.
"They're talking about some dragon witch." Koleen relayed as Ayako and Mash joined them.
"Are there any notable dragon witches in history?" the Puppeteer asked.
Koleen shook her head. "There's Saint Martha of Bethany, who tamed the dragon Tarasque. But she's not a witch."
"Then we'll ask the locals later." Ayako told her friend. "Let's go wyvern hunting." She said, reloading her weapon.
They reached the other end of the commune, seeing what was left of the garrison. Battered and bruised soldiers, their wills and faith shattered as they held their weapons with shaky hands. And all of these people were looking at them with apprehension, though not as much distrust, especially after seeing these strange people deal with the undead army. Caster was standing on the battlements, while Lancer stood in front of the wavering soldiers, her lance planted on the ground as her tail swayed with confidence. The Masters and Mash joined the pink haired Lancer, the latter moving in front of Elizabeth with her shield raised high.
"Oh, god. That's terrifying." Ritsuka said with clenching fists, seeing the dozen of winged beasts that were approaching the commune.
"You're not gonna pull out the big guns yet?" Ayako asked the Witch as she aimed her weapon, now glowing with power.
"I don't think the locals would appreciate seeing a witch, Ayako." She replied as she pulled out a few of her corruptive concoctions. "They're already tensing up, hearing us speak English to each other."
The Puppeteer sighed. "Caster, take the first one."
"You got it, lass." His distinct voice carried itself through the commune, with even the farthest of the line being able to hear him. He swiped his hand from left to right, creating ancient runes more powerful than the Puppeteers. They all burned with the light of the sun, before they converged to become one. Then, with a loud slam of his wooden staff on stone, the ball of fire erupted from him.
The bright light shone through the overcast skies, speeding faster than a bullet, flashing even brighter when it made contact with the wyvern. A fiery explosion, large enough to engulf a wyvern beside it, though the other was fast enough to fly away from the radius, coming off with singed wings.
"Mash, help us defend this place." Ritsuka said to the girl, standing behind with a hand on her shoulder.
"If need be, use your Noble Phantasm." Ayako said, still tightly gripping her newly minted Mystic Code.
"Caster, Lancer. Meet the wyverns head on." Koleen ordered, her hands emptied as she stored her concoctions back in her leather satchel. "Keep the fight away from the people."
"Yes, Master!" they both answered, rushing to the impending battle; Elizabeth sped through the plains, while Cú Chulainn leaped off the battlements with more runes prepped.
The runes appeared around Caster's body, a light spell he was using to reinforce his body and increase his parameters, as he landed beside the Lancer and swung his wooden staff at the wyvern just as she swung her lance as well. A parallel image, of both Servants sending the wyverns off away from them. She continued her attack, chasing after her wyvern as she speared it with her lance. Caster on the other hand conjured up another pillar of fire, fully turning it to ash. One of the winged beasts tried to attack from Lancer's flank, but the Servant jumped from its lunging attack. A quick heavy swing of her lance sliced off the wyvern's neck clean off.
Cú Chulainn maneuvered himself through the wyverns' attacks, the beasts' movements feeling extremely slow thanks to his reinforced body. Three of them were pushed back by his staff, a good distance created for him to trace more runes before him, lighting them ablaze. Two crawled out of the flames, singed by halves with their wings burnt off. Elizabeth rushed to finish them off with a quick swing, barely fazed by the Caster's magecraft. Four left from the contingent that were heading towards the commune. Four left, flying to the side to create distance from the two Servants that were massacring their numbers, and yet still they flew closer to their objective.
The soldiers began firing their cannons, and raining down arrows and bolts, yet the might of man did little to these beasts, shrugging off their efforts. One of the soldiers, an officer standing taller than the rest, shouted something that was only understood by Koleen, pointing to a wyvern that was flying closest to them. At once, the soldiers rallied again, realigning their efforts and focusing them all on one wyvern. A couple of lucky shots, as cannon balls after cannon balls struck the wyvern's head, leading it to careen into the ground.
The hooded form of Caster was briefly seen as a glimpse in the air, before he flew towards the leftmost wyvern, landing on the beast in such a destructive fashion. The rightmost wyvern continued to approach the commune, before the ornate lance of Elizabeth struck through its spine, pinning it onto the ground. One was left, closing in on the commune.
"Mash!" all three Masters spoke as one, emboldening the Demi-Servant who had stayed behind for this exact moment.
"Yes, Masters!" Mash pushed herself off from where she stood, leaving behind dust with her shield raised high.
Mash was young. Mash was inexperienced. But Mash was still a Demi-Servant. And so, she charged on and stopped the beast from advancing, pushing it back with a mighty slam of her shield. Its roar was loud, angered, and pained as Mash bashed the beast with her massive armament. The wyvern lunged back at her with its clawed feet, scratching at the shield yet leaving no discernable marks. Mash crouched down, not too low, and launched herself at the wyvern.
She landed back on the ground, with the wyvern landing off to the side with its neck misshapen in a way that was unnatural. Elizabeth sealed its fate when she joined the Demi-Servant, planting her lance on its neck.
The soldiers around them erupted in awe, cheers and claps that shocked the Masters to their core. The ones around them encircling the three young adults.
"Merci, merci les voyageurs!" one of the soldiers said, grabbing Ritsuka by his shoulders and shaking the Japanese Master.
"Vous nous avez sauvé! Vous avez sauvé nos vies!" another one said, approaching Ayako with teary eyes of relief.
They all said their piece, their gratitude shared throughout the company that gathered. Ayako and Ritsuka could only reply with nervous smiles, unable to really understand them and not wanting to dampen their moods with their English. Koleen however could, replying their thanks with a welcoming smile. Ayako herself was amazed that her blonde friend could be such a person right now.
The grouping split up, allowing the taller man from before to approach them. He took off his helmet, revealing a clean cut hair, and a deep scar down his right eye and face. He approached the Witch, noticing that she was the only that was responding with words.
"Vous nous avez rendu un excellent service, voyageurs." He said with an expected deep baritone voice. "Y a-t-il un moyen de vous rembourser?"
Koleen looked to the other two Masters, seeing them look back at her with affirmation, before she readdressed the officer. "Cela ne nous dérangerait pas de rester la nuit." She said with a nod. "Nous avons remarqué qu'il y a beaucoup de ruines ici, dans cette commune. Si cela ne vous dérange pas, nous pourrions en prendre un pour la nuit."
The officer looked disgruntled, as if he was hesitant to answer. "Si vous souhaitez passer la nuit, vous pouvez rester à l'auberge, au lieu d'une ruine."
Koleen shook her head. "Votre peuple en a plus besoin que nous."
The taller man closed his eyes tight, as if he was holding back tears, before they opened again. "Merci encore de nous avoir sauvés."
Ayako elbowed Koleen, trying to remind the blonde Witch of another thing. She nodded, slightly pained. "Voulez-vous nous rejoindre un peu? Nous aimerions vous demander ce qui se passe ici."
He shook his head, light sweat flying from him. "Pas du tout. Je serais honoré de vous dire."
The blonde then smiled a charming smile, one that one would not have expected from her. "Alors certainement, bon monsieur. Montrer le chemin."
The group of soldiers, Masters, and now unseen Servants paced back into the walls of the commune, the locals fortunate that they had been graced with another day to see the waking sun. And, through the greying sky that threatened the plains with its downpour, a light thunder booming in the distance, they all scurried to gather themselves, to push themselves back off the ground. To help the wounded, and bury the dead. To spread the small celebration amongst their healing. And through all of that, a figure went by unnoticed. Standing a good distance away from the commune, overlooking the dilapidated state of its structures. The figure smiled serenely, relief spreading over them now that the safety of the people were confirmed.
And so with her banner in hand, the Ruler turned and marched onward, walking closer to the conflict that aches in her heart.
"Something doesn't sound right." Ritsuka said, making himself comfortable on the dirtied floor as he leaned into the piece of the wall. "I mean, I thought Jeanne d'Arc was a Saint."
"She is, which is why I agree. Something is off about this whole Singularity." Koleen said, fanning the flame she had created.
"Was she even connected with dragons?" Ayako asked the blonde, as she took stock of her supplies.
"I don't think so." Mash answered in Koleen's place, as she laid her shield on the floor. "At least, I've never come across such a fact from what I've read."
"And you would be right." The voice of the French Servant spoke up from their communicators. The holographic display allowed the group to see him and the Doctor looking back at them, with a few of the crew visible in the back. "This must be the anomaly. Otherwise, I don't see how such a thing is possible."
"I don't know about it being impossible…" Cú Chulainn crouched down to the Masters' level, as they were all sitting on the floor.
"Well, at least we have some kind of a lead though." Roman said as he leaned himself onto the terminal. "We have yet to ascertain what that hole in the sky is."
"It hasn't been that long." Koleen said to the older man. "If we're to tackle these Singularities, something tells me we'll be seeing that more of that hole."
"That's a fucking terrifying thought." Ayako commented with a shake of her head.
"Do you guys need any supplies, now that we're connected?" he asked.
"I could use a few more clips." Ayako said as she cleaned the barrel of her weapon. "I only used up one whole, but I'd rather have a few extra in hand."
"Does Medea-san have a few more potions left?" Ritsuka asked hesitantly. "We haven't used one yet, but Ayako-san's right. I feel like having a few more would come in handy."
"Yes, I feel that we might not be able to connect to a leyline any time soon." Koleen said as she said herself beside Ayako, letting out a tired sigh.
"The lass spoke what's on my mind." The Druid said with an agreeing nod. "A few more pick-me-ups for the Masters."
"She said she'll bring them by." Roman replied with a smile. His eyes looked around the small house they were using, and furrowed. "Where's Elizabeth?"
"Ayako said we could use the materials." Mash answered for said redhead. "And suggested that Elizabeth be the one to gather them."
"Bonemeal's always appreciated. And we haven't had some wyvern fangs yet." Ayako said with a smile. "Medea uses those for her little army, right? Then these will definitely prove useful."
"I appreciate the thought you've put into me." The familiar face of the Greek Caster appeared into view, her purple hood lowered. "I can make great use with these fangs. Wyverns, were they?"
The door to the house, specifically what was left of it, was kicked open. The pink haired Servant, wet from the rain that covered the plains, dropped two large brown sacks into the middle of the room. "Yeah! And they're heavy!" a few of the fangs spilled out, clattering onto the shield.
"That is a lot. I can make great things with them." Medea said with a clinical nod.
"Does anybody here need them?" Koleen asked to the others.
The Druid took a couple of fangs, putting them inside his own satchel. "I'm set."
"You ask us, how about you, Kalls?" Ayako asked back. "Maybe you can turn these into something."
The American Witch looked down at the fangs, darting back and forth as she went through her repertoire in her head. "I think I can make something."
"Then, here you go. Koleen." Mash took a few from the pile, placing them next to Koleen's spot.
"Thanks Mash." She said back with a smile.
"Okay, the rest, we send back." Ayako said, getting shared nods from the other two Masters. "Liz, if you don't mind, please?"
The Lancer Class Servant sighed tiredly, before she picked the sacks back up, and placed them on the shield. The runes that were engraved on the massive piece lit up as Chaldea began connecting to it. The shield turned to a bright white, dimmed by the ruined house they were in. A few seconds, before it flashed on last time, dimming slowly right after. The brown sacks were gone, and the shield's runes dissipated.
"Package received. We'll be sending you the supplies: 3 clips of Ayako's Mystic Code, and 2 of Medea's potions. Oh, we also have 4 bedrolls, for each of you." The Doctor announced to the group, getting the affirmation he wanted from them. The shield began lighting up again. "Sending package, in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"
Another flash blinded the ruined house, though this time it took a moment longer to recede. And, just as they expected, the supplies Chaldea had sent was sitting above the shield. The four bedrolls packed neatly together; Ayako's clips lying next to the rolls; and two Medea's potions gleaming in the room, basked by the their makeshift campfire. A bright blood red hue that those who were ignorant would be fearful of. But the Masters all knew what it was capable of.
Ayako stretched her arms above her head tiredly, letting the yawn that escaped her fly freely. "Thanks, Doc." The yawn drew its first victim, as Ritsuka soon joined the redhead as he stifled a yawn behind his hands.
"Sounds like you guys need the rest." Roman commented with a nod. "We'll try to get more of the mana generators up and running, so the burden won't be too heavy on yourselves."
"I think we will, Doctor." Koleen said as she and Mash divvied out the bedrolls. "Mash, make sure you rest up, okay? You're not a full Servant like the others."
"Yes, Koleen. Thank you for your consideration." Mash said with a more natural smile than her usual.
Ayako had placed her folded red overcoat just right beside where she would rest her head, with Aurvandil neatly placed atop it. She turned to the other two Servants, and grimaced when she noticed Liz resting next to them. "Cú Chulainn, I'd like you to set up a perimeter around the commune. You said the forests were your home? Then make them yours."
He smiled his feral smile, his fang glinting in the dim house. "I'll be glad to." The Druid disappeared in a mote of light, leaving to do his given task.
"Liz, I'd like you to keep watch around us, okay?" she continued, keeping her eye on the Lancer.
Elizabeth sighed tiredly, as she laid down herself. "Yes, don't worry, Birdie. I'll keep you guys safe." She yawned, covering her mouth with her clawed hands. "Though if an Assassin drops by, I'm sorry."
The group shared a light laugh, including those at Chaldea. "Good night everyone. We'll see you tomorrow." Ritsuka was already laying down, his eyes slowly drifting.
"Have a good night's rest everyone." The Doctor said one last time.
"Let's hope tomorrow is just as, if not more fruitful than today's." Sanson said, before disappearing from their view.
"Don't get too lax, Elizabeth." Medea said to the Lancer with a light glare. "Keep our Masters safe."
"Yeeesss, Medea." She replied with a wave, before the connection was severed for the night.
"Is it easier, Ritsuka?" Koleen asked to the male Master.
"What do you mean, Koleen-san?"
"Is this Singularity easier?"
"Oh…" he contemplated his answer with a hum. "I'm, not as blind as I was in Fuyuki, at least."
"That's good." He felt a comforting pat on his shoulder. He turned, seeing Koleen next to him with a worried expression. "I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh, before. But you're doing great. Right Mash?"
"That's right, Senpai. You shouldn't push yourself down like this all the time." The Demi-Servant said from Ritsuka's other side.
He smiled a relieved smile. "Thanks guys. I really needed that."
"Don't sweat it, Ritsu-chan." Ayako said as she pushed herself up with her elbows. "There was someone like you in A Team, imagine that."
"Really, huh?" his eyes slowly closed, as his breathing became slower. "That's…comforting…"
"Alright, goodnight, everyone!"
"Goodnight, Ayako."
"Don't fall asleep, Liz."
"I won't, Kitten! Don't worry."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
this might be the last chapter i can frequently update in a while. a combination of a bit of writer's block and exams just killing my head. (and holy shit guys, even when you feel like you're getting better, being sick during an exam is the worst feeling.) and it's not even "exam week" but "exam month" for me, the entirety of December is used for exams. and even though that doesn't mean that every day there's a test, it does mean that my head is just on overdrive after a day that i do have a test.
the chapter after this, might get finished in time for next week, but just in case, know that i'm not gone long.
the writer's block in question, is the fact that i'm still debating with myself with how much i'm going to take from the game, and how much new shit i introduce. the story of Orleans for me is kinda meh, but i really like the Servants that appear, so on one hand i wanna try something new, on the other hand i want a few of the Orleans Servants to drop by as well.
as for the French, in order, they mean as such:
"Thank you, thank you travellers!"
"You've saived us! you saved our lives!"
"You have done us a great service, travellers."
"Is there any way we could repay you?"
"We wouldn't mind spending the night."
"We've noticed that there are a lot of ruins here, in this commune."
"If you don't mind, we could take one for the night."
"If you wish to spend the night, you could stay at the inn, instead of a ruin."
"Your people need it more than us."
"Then, thank you, again, for saving us."
"would you mind joining us for a bit?"
"We would like to ask you, about what is going on here."
"Not at all. I would be honored to tell you."
"then by all means, good sir. lead the way."
now, on to the reviews!
Lia Angelique & King0fP0wers: although Sanson's not with the ground team, his presence will be taken note of, don't you guys worry.
Naruto Sakura Uzumaki: i'm still trying to find a right moment for him to appear. i'd like diiferent Archer before him.
KRP: oh absolutely. there's just another, more personal reason why Medea's choosing not to use her exceptional healing spells. she is top 5 of all magi after all.
with that out of the way, hope you guys had a blast!
leave a review if you guys don't mind, and i'll see you all next time!