24.1
[Fate/Grand Order]
Stop, Sanson Time
Sanson was calm as he walked towards the foe before him. He took a very, very deep breath, steeling himself for the coming battle, as short as it probably would be.
Ritsuka of course had summoned him, and explained a bit about their little problem with the King of Mages. A problem he agreed was quite annoying. The good news was Goetia didn't tend to bother with them early if they didn't reveal anything relating to the Loops as a concept.
But that didn't matter right now. He was walking towards the gates of Camelot, to face a man who'd fallen into evil in service to his king. Sir Gawain, the Knight of the Sun. By Servant standards, an exceptionally strong opponent thanks to his gift from the Lion King. Permanently granted a sun above his head, to keep his Numeral of the Saint always active.
Sanson knew he didn't exactly have the greatest track record in battles comparing raw power, even as a Looper, he'd learned to rely more on his skill with the blade, his wit and his will to do battle in more ways than direct conflict.
So he had a plan to face Sir Gawain. The crowd of civilians parted as he walked, and the light of the sun began to appear as the knight made his appearance to proclaim the beginning of the Holy Selection.
"Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table," Sanson declared proudly, Sir Gawain's speech being cut off by his words.
"Yes? Who addresses me?" Sir Gawain asked, his eyes falling upon Sanson. The executioner kept his hands in his coat's pockets as the knight hummed. "You are a Servant," the knight noted.
"Indeed, I am. As I know your identity, it is only right I give you mine in turn," Sanson bowed politely, to the man who, in any other life, would have been a hero. "Charles Henri Sanson, Class Assassin."
Sir Gawain blinked in surprise. "An Assassin who dares not to stalk through the night? You approach me like an honorable man?"
Sanson strode forward, noting the crowd beginning to slowly move away as Ritsuka was having the other Servants in their party get the civilians out before the Holy Selection could truly begin. "I do. You and yours, Sir Gawain, commit evil proclaiming it to be good and righteous. To take the lives of those who do not meet your king's lofty standards."
"What gives you the right to judge our actions, executioner?" Sir Gawain questioned, looking around and noting the crowd's movements, beginning to step forth to halt them.
"What gives you then? Please explain," Sanson ordered, the knight stooding after only a single step to contemplate that question, before shaking his head.
"When we were summoned here, to this Singularity Assassin, our king told us everything about the circumstances of this world. Of our chances of survival, and of Chaldea's actions. The Lion King had a plan to save humanity, even if just a piece of it, knowing they could not face the King of Mages themselves. I have no right to judge yes, but these are the actions we must take to save humanity."
"I see. Then you believed you had no other option?" Sanson questioned as Sir Gawain got into his battle stance.
"I simply follow my king's orders, as I swore I would do upon my death," Sir Gawain said, steeling his gaze. Sanson closed his eyes, before pulling out one hand, summoning his sword, the T-shaped broadsword, and raising it towards Sir Gawain.
"Then know we of Chaldea shall fight, not to save one small 'ideal' but the greater whole," Sanson stated. As he did so, he pulled out his other hand. From his Pocket, he drew a second weapon, his trump card for this battle before him.
"An orb?" Gawain questioned, looking at the small green orb in Sanson's hand. "That is your true trump card?"
"You assumed as much. And you would be correct," he spun the orb around in his hand, revealing that it was not the only marble in his possession, he had two others. One blue, the other purple. Gawain kept his eyes on all three orbs.
Sanson smirked before throwing all three up into the air, Gawain lighting his sword ablaze and rushing towards him. The green one came down first. "Stop," Sanson ordered after he caught it. Forcing Gawain to act first gave him the advantage, the knight halting in his tracks, even the flames on his sword freezing in time as Sanson caught the other two Materia. He slid all three into the bracelet on his other arm, linking the Time Materia to Magic Counter, and the purple Materia being an MP Plus.
His plan was simple, but diabolical, to trap Sir Gawain in an infinite 'Stop' loop. He swung his sword cleanly, only for it to bounce off of the Knight's Neck, and when he unfroze from time, he took a step back.
"Is that fear in your eyes, Knight of the Sun?" Sanson questions, Gawain looking at the Assassin and gritting his teeth.
"Your abilities are strong Assassin, but I am far stronger."
"You assume my goal is to beat you," Sanson mused, rushing at Sir Gawain, locking his sword with Galatine, and then ducking away from the silver Knight's return swing, which triggered the 'Stop' spell again.
He had this battle in the bag, and as Bedivere came to join him in fighting Sir Gawain, he raised his sword again. "Shall we, good sir?" Sanson asked.
"...Yes," the wandering knight raised his rapier as Sir Gawain unfroze from time again, looking at his two opponents with an annoyed look. Sanson noted that Gawain's Magic Resistance was why the spell kept wearing off so fast… interesting, but useful. Even a few seconds stopped in time was more than enough for him.
His goal wasn't to defeat Gawain. No, his goal was to humiliate, to shame him. To force the Knight of the Sun to confront how wrong his actions were. And to prevent him from committing any further atrocities this day, against the people that he and Bedivere now stood guard over. Raising their blades, the executioner and wanderer charged to meet the Knight of the Sun once more.
It was good to be back home. And this was only to be the beginning of his battles. What a way to start.
24.2
[Fate Grand Order]
Heroes Rematched
"Right… how are we gonna do this?" Ritsuka muttered as she held one hand to her chin. Her other arm was holding her elbow, while amusingly she was using her hair to hold up a map of the American Frontier in front of her.
"Uh Senpai, should you really be doing that?" Mash questioned, Ritsuka looking at her, and then towards the rest of the team they'd brought along.
Hektor chuckled. "Let her do what she wants Mash. If she wants to hold the map with her magic she can," the Lancer offered.
"That's a very interesting form of magecraft Master," Medea Lily commented, the Caster walking around Ritsuka, who kept tilting her head to move her hair a bit, keeping the little girl from grabbing at it. "It's not one I'm familiar with."
"Then perhaps it would be best if you let her keep her secrets milady," Siegfried pointed out, the Saber looking towards Ritsuka, and Medea Lily puffing out her cheeks as the final member of their group spoke up.
"Fujimaru-dono's powers are interesting, yes," Ushiwakamaru admitted from her position sitting on a rather large rock. "But she has told me that they are not magecraft," the Rider admitted.
"Well that's weird…" Medea Lily muttered as Ritsuka sighed, grabbing the map with her normal hands, and then retracting her hair, returning it to the usual side-tail and adjusting the small Twilight Shackle she had in place of her scrunchie.
"Is it any weirder than the usual we see? I'm pretty sure you saw weirder when you were on the Argo," Ritsuka pointed out.
"She's got a point there," Hektor said, shaking his box of cigarettes and pulling one out. "Comparing magic hair to the stuff I've seen in the Trojan War, doesn't even make top ten," Hektor mused, shoving the box back in his pocket and pulling out a lighter.
"I know, but its still something I haven't seen before," Medea Lily explained, Siegfried looking off in the distance as Mash sighed.
"In any case, Senpai, what's our plan?" Mash asked, lifting up her shield as Ritsuka looked at the map again.
"See we're gonna have to get a better grip on the situation before I can make that call," Ritsuka muttered before raising up her hand. "Might as well leave this behind," she muttered.
Everyone watched as black and blue wisps of magic came off of Ritsuka's hand, floating into the sky. Medea Lily blinked in surprise as a strange portal appeared, and then shrunk into little more than a few wisps of darkness floating in the air, and then those too blinked out. "What was that!? You didn't even incant, was that Magic!?"
"Well it was Magic, but what it actually was is a secret," Ritsuka teased, Medea Lily puffing out her cheeks in annoyance as the others didn't even blink.
"Let's get walking. Siegfried, take point," Ritsuka ordered, pulling a compass out of her pants pocket and holding it until it was pointing east. "That way."
"How do you wish for me to engage hostiles if I find any?" he questioned.
"Up to you, I trust your judgement," Ritsuka supplied, the Saber nodding in response before taking off at a brisk run, which still was fast enough to leave behind a dust cloud.
"We're following him right?" Hektor asked, the lit cigar sticking out of his mouth, smoke coming off of it that Medea Lily sent a small gust of wind towards. Hektor closed his eyes as she attempted to blow his own smoke into his eyes. "Knock it off kid."
"Then don't be smoking, it's bad for your health!" the young magus shot back as Ritsuka chuckled.
"Yeah, we're following him," Ritsuka motioned for Ushiwakamaru to come down. The Rider flipped off of the rock she'd been sitting on, joining the rest of the ground as they began to walk east, following in Siegfried's wake.
Ritsuka pinched the bridge of her nose as she saw what was happening in the valley below. "Why did I not expect this?"
"They seem to be talking to each other," Hektor commented as the ground looked down upon the duo. The two men pointing weapons and words at each other.
Karna and Siegfried were down there. Ritsuka sat down and got ready for the inevitable fireworks. "Can anyone hear what they're saying?"
"Barely," Medea Lily noted, her elfin ears twitching as Hektor shrugged.
"I cannot, regrettably they are too far away," Ushiwakamaru commented, the Rider taking a seat as well.
Ritsuka nodded. If they couldn't hear anything, it probably would be weird if she suddenly could… of course she did wanted to hear what was going on. With a bit of shapeshifting as she sat there, she enhanced her hearing just enough to be able to catch parts of the conversation between the two warriors.
"It is a gift to meet you again, Saber of Black," Karna commented as Siegfried huffed.
"The same to you, Lancer of Red, it appears that we finally may have that battle you so desired," Siegfried noted.
"Oh but I did. A young man, his name was Sieg. The warrior who inherited your will did face me, and came out victorious," Karna revealed.
"Sieg… the homunculus?" Siegfried asked.
"The very same. However, I will admit, I do look forward to facing worthy foes, as rare as they are," Karna mused, Siegfried raising Balmung again.
"Then may I ask who you serve this time, Lancer of Red?" Siegfried questioned.
"I am aiding my friends in defending their nation. Sir Edison and Lady Helena require my aid," Karna revealed, and Siegfried slowly began to lower his blade.
"I am here in service to my Master, and the forces of Chaldea, to solve this Singularity. You are defending America then?" Siegfried questioned.
"I would be," the Lancer stated plainly.
"Then as much as we both wish too, fighting would only weaken our forces." Siegfried raised his blade. "Of course, there is nothing against a spar, is there?"
Karna turned his head, noting Ritsuka, who noticed him and simply waved back. "That is your Master, Saber of Black?" Karna questioned.
"She would be," he knew who his opponent was looking towards.
"Well then, if she would be willing to meet with my companions, I see no reason we have to fight to the death… but I too would not be adverse to a spar." Karna smirked as he pointed his spear back at Siegfried.
"Then shall we begin?" The Saber raised his sword.
"Are you not following her orders?" Karna questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"So told me to engage any enemies how I saw fit," Siegfried added and smiled.
"Ah, so unlike under your previous Master, you've been granted freedom. Superb."
They both settled into serious stances. Siegfried holding his sword with both hands, and Karna adjusting his grip on his spear. Two warriors, ready to face each other again, even if it was only a casual match.
Said 'casual' match began by them swinging at each other, smashing their weapons together, and causing what Ritsuka assumed to be a twenty meter radius crater around them with but a single swing.
"And… there they go," Hektor took out his box of cigarettes again. "You don't seem to be troubled by this Master."
"They're just sparing, seems like they might know each other," she commented, knowing full well the two had a history, given she'd met them both inside the Greater Grail several times.
"Apparently they fought in a previous Grail War Master. The Lancer of Red, I think that's what our Saber called him," Medea Lily revealed, Hektor humming at that one.
"Their blades are dancing like the wind, Fujimaru-dono. That Servant is an extremely powerful one," Ushiwaka noted, kicking her legs as Mash nodded.
"We've got an identity," Mash commented, having waited until Roman and Da Vinci called to reveal that they knew who this was. "The Lancer is Karna."
"What's an Indian Servant doing in America?" Hektor questioned as he lit up his cigar.
"Beats me, but they're clearly having fun," Ritsuka commented… It occurred to her she really didn't know why the Indians were mixed up in the whole 'American-Celtic' war that occured in the fifth Singularity.
"I don't think we're far enough away from the splash zone Senpai," Mash pointed out, Ritsuka looking down at the ground and noting that at this point it was pretty much molten down in the valley.
"I have to agree with Mash," Ushiwakamaru commented, a bit nervously. Ritsuka stood up, her eyes still glued to the battle below, Siegfried and Karna's 'sparring' was rather intense.
"Nah, they're both well aware we're here, and quite in control of themselves," Hektor noted, casually smoking another cigarette. The guardian of Troy took a moment to knock some of the ash off of his smoke. "They're old heroes, this is just the sort of level we fight at."
"Let them have their fun," Ritsuka stated, crossing her arms and awaiting their battle's end.
It took the two a while, even if neither were injured from that battle, thanks to them both being extremely durable.
Cu Chulainn Alter stalked towards the battleground. Everyone was preparing to watch the duel between Arjuna and Karna that was about to take place. He intended to remove Karna from the board outright. The Hero of Charity had been a thorn in his conquest's side for long enough.
As he was walking towards the battlefield to personally deal with this problem… he noticed something in the air. He looked up, glaring as a black and blue lined portal opened in the air above him. He raised Gae Bolg as a flurry of black and blue sparks, bits of shadow that reminded him of Dun Scaith.
From those sparks of Twilight, a man formed, blade already drawn as the mysterious Saber of Chaldea manifested. Try as his men might, they'd yet to uncover Saber's Identity, even if Karna had insisted upon the title 'Saber of Black'.
Of course he wasn't alone. Chaldea's Lancer, alongside the Berserker, Florence Nightingale. The Master of Chaldea, as well as Shielder appeared as well, all of them forming from that strange magical energy and all of them ready for battle.
He watched the portal close as the Saber stepped forward. "My apologies." He raised his sword. "But you shall not be interfering in my comrade's battle."
"You dare to assume you can stop me, Saber of Black?" Cu Alter questioned. "I've already killed Scathatch, you'll be no different," the Berserker aimed his spear, and grinned darkly. "In fact, this is even better. I get a chance to remove you all. You've been the largest thorns in my side."
"You are an infection, one that needs to be removed," Nightingale commented, pulling out a grenade and her pistol as the Lancer scoffed.
"So Master, what's the game plan?" the man in green asked as the Chaldean Master stepped up.
"We're taking you out here Alter," she ordered as he looked around.
"That's nice, but even with four Servants, I still have my army," he commented, raising an arm and gesturing to his troops, the Celtic soldiers beginning to move in to support their dark king.
The Master smiled, and he swore the white of her eyes turned yellow as she snapped her fingers. He glared, noting the portal opening up again… and several more Servants appearing from those dark particles, forming amid his army. Rider and Caster of Chaldea, alongside that Saber, Rama, who he swore he'd killed weeks ago.
He turned to deal with this new threat, only for Lancer to leap up and block him from returning to his army. "Sorry buddy, but your fight is gonna be with Saber," the man commented with a surprising grin.
"Master, please provide us with an arena?" Saber questioned. The Master he was certain was inhuman nodded.
"Sure Saber," she winked, and the Saber smiled to her in turn. The portal in the air vanished as the once more yellow eyed girl opened a portal behind him. Like he was just going to-
The massive hand that formed in a near instant from the Master's hair slammed into his gut. It didn't hurt in the slightest, but given how close he was to the portal, and the surprising force behind it, the Berserker was knocked into said portal. Saber charged after him, the portal closing behind Saber, and leaving both Cu Chulainn Alter and the Saber of Chaldea in this dark dimension.
Cu Alter looked around at the dim lighting. They were standing in a very simple arena, the sky was shrouded in permanent twilight, and the ground was… nigh nonexistent. It was like standing on air, or upon pure darkness. "Where are we… this isn't a Reality Marble."
"I know not what this place is, Cu Chulainn, but it is a place where we may fight, separate from danger. No matter what, you have lost the moment we have been trapped in here, for until my Master sees fit to release us from this realm of twilight, neither of us can leave," the Saber stated.
He huffed. "Well then, I guess I'll have to settle for killing you, and then killing her when she comes to let me out," Cu Alter lowered his mighty weapon into a battle stance, the spear Gae Bolg, which had already slain countless men and soldiers in this short life amid the American continent.
"Just as well, I shall kill you, you have wrought so much pain, who threatens the world's destruction with your actions. I shall face you down," the Saber pointed his sword at him. "On my name, I swear it."
"And what would that name be?" the Berserker questioned.
"My name is Siegfried."
"Good… I was wondering just who you are. Now I know that you'll be-" The Berserker rocketed forward with a fanged grin, the beast lashing out and clashing his weapon with Siegfried's, the entire realm of twilight around them rippling just from their weapons clashing. "Worthy prey!"
Siegfried smirked. In a way, he was glad to be fighting such a worthy foe as well. Their battle began… a grand one that neither cared they had no witness to, and both wanted to win.
"It appears… we are at a stalemate," Cu Alter breathed heavily as the now armorless Berserker panted.
Siegfried was similarly panting, most of his armor was gone as well, at least physically. His skin, the true Armor of Fafnir, was still strong. But they'd been cutting and cleaving at each other for a long, long time. He'd lost track of the number of hours they'd been clashing for.
Neither had been able to gain a decisive advantage, even after multiple unleashings of their Noble Phantasms against each other. Siegfried however knew, as slow as it was, he was losing this bout.
Cu Alter's regeneration of damage trumped his mitigation of damage. Indeed, his body was scuffed and scratched, but Cu Alter's, save for now lacking most of its armor, revealing his limbs were indeed quite monstrous, was immaculate. Covered in blood, but no true wounds.
Suddenly, a portal opened up in the sky, both combatants looked up towards it, dark particles forming from said portal, and reforming into the Hektor. Cu Alter didn't waste a moment, attempting to rocket forward and impale him. Hektor was quick on the draw however, swapping his spear Durindana to sword mode and clashing with Cu Alter, stopping his spear cold. "Well I'm surprised you're both still here," the man quipped.
"My apologies, I've yet to defeat him…" Siegfried said, and Hektor chuckled.
"Don't sweat it pal, we've been fighting for a long while ourselves. Why do you think it took so long for me to arrive," Hektor broke away, disengaging from Cu Alter and joining Siegfried. "Of course, I didn't come alone."
Cu Alter growled, before raising his arms to defend himself from another assault. Karna appeared from a flurry of Twilight particles, and slashing at him many times in an instant. The armorless Lancer wielding his god-slaying spear. "Saber of Black, you live."
"I promised you, we'd get to finish our battle," Siegfried pointed out, Karna humming.
"Of course, you aren't one to disappoint," Karna admitted as Cu Alter growled.
"So there's three of you. Big whoop. I'll just kill all of you!" he roared, the call of the Demon-God of war resounding from within.
Ritsuka appeared next, alongside Mash, both of them forming next to Siegfried and Hektor. "How's it going?"
"Perfectly fine," Siegfried admitted, his Master nodding with a smile on her face.
Karna joined them, Cu Alter now standing alone against three very powerful Heroic Spirits, the 'monstrous' Master, and the Shielder. "It's over Cu," the girl started.
"I'm just getting warmed up," the Berserker growled, only for the girl to raise her hand.
"Karna, Siegfried, by these command spells, please end this war, bring down this beast." Ritsuka ordered, the Lancer landing to stand alongside Siegfried. Hektor took a few steps back as two Command Spells burned, both Saber and Lancer glowing with power once more.
"Shall we, Lancer of Red?"
"But of course, Saber of Black."
Cu Alter grinned, pulling his Holy Grail out of his body and holding it skyward, laughing like a maniac as he began to transform, both Karna and Siegfried rushing forward together with smiles upon their faces, by Ritsuka's orders, they would strike down this Demon-God.
A strong bond formed by a very short battle. And a promise that they would finally get the battle they so desired. But first, there was one final mad dog to put down. Together they would strike down this God of War.
"And Grail recovered!" Ritsuka cheered, holding up the Holy Grail that was… still smoldering and barely intact.
"Thank you for your assistance Karna-san," Mash said with a bow. Ritsuka's plan to keep Karna alive had worked flawlessly… even if it had ended in Arjuna getting his ass beat and nearly killed. Before Nightingale had flung herself into the fray to browbeat them both.
She hadn't died, both Lancer and Archer had heeded the Nurse of Steel, and their decisive battle had ended in Karna's obvious favor, much to Arjuna's anger. And as the Singularity was drawing to a close… both Karna and Siegfried were speaking with each other, over wanting to one day have their true fatal battle.
"It's wonderful they're friends isn't it Senpai?" Mash asked, and Ritsuka nodded.
"It's nice to see bonds that can stretch beyond space and time," she mused, smirking, even as Mash winced. Yeah… Goetia was still annoying.
But as they bid farewell to everyone one more time, the American Singularity this Loop drew to a close.
It was always a long one, every Loop, but Ritsuka had gotten what she'd wanted out of it. To test her Twili Magic to make getting around an entire damn continent so much easier.
Seriously, walking all around America on foot was a bitch
24.3
[Fate Grand Order]
Take a Breather
Ritsuka sighed in relief as she laid down on her bed after a… very long Camelot Singularity. Already the Variants were starting to crop up to make her life hell again. Seriously, seven knights instead of the usual four (and Agravain) was a pain.
Of course, she'd had some friends to pull her through this lonely Loop. "You three really did good, you know that?"
Nobunaga, who'd been the first to enter the room after her, grinned. "Why wouldn't we! After all, you had me by your side!"
"Tooting your own horn Nobu?" Okita shot at the Archer, who turned, sticking out her tongue and pulling on her eyelid at the Saber.
"Knock it off you two," Ritsuka complained as a dark shadow formed from above.
Edmond Dantes emerged from the shadow on the ceiling. "Truely, if we are the best Chaldea has, I feel quite sorry for you."
"It's not my darn fault the slot machine we call a summoning chamber is being fritzy," Ritsuka complained as Okita and Nobunaga got into a slap fight. "Hey! I said knock it off!"
"Truely, the finest of heroes," Dantes snarked.
"Shove it up your ass count!" Nobu complained, as Okita shoved her into a headlock. "Ack! Let go!"
"Not until you apologize Nobu!" Okita ordered.
"NEVER! The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven takes back nothing!" the Archer declared.
Ritsuka didn't even turn her head, forming the large hand out of her hair and grabbing both girls with it. "I told you both to knock it off!" she ordered shaking them both.
"Since when could you do this!?" Okita questioned.
"Did you not know you fools," Dantes stated from his place on the ceiling.
"Get down and help us, Avenger!" Nobu struggled as Ritsuka sat up, her hair still holding both Japanese Servants as she just groaned.
Loops where she had nothing but the regulars were challenging and troublesome. "I want to lay down for a bit, can we not have a massive argument again?" She then looked between them both.
"Aw come on," Nobu pouted, the Archer ceasing her struggle and hanging in Ritsuka's hand/hair. "It's all fun and games."
"We just bashed our way through a Goddess and her knights. I believe we've earned some respite," Edmond pointed out.
"He has a point…" Okita started, only for Ritsuka to suddenly let go of them both, retracting her hair and letting both girls land on their feet.
"Either get out, or get on the bed," Ritsuka complained, laying down and rolling back onto her face as the two girls looked between each other, and then at Edmond, who was still standing on the ceiling.
"Senpai~ I brought you dinner!" Mash called as she opened the door to Ritsuka's room. The unAwake Demi-Servant squeaked at the sight before her, and then shut the door with a massive blush on her face.
Inside said room, Nobunaga, Okita and Ritsuka were all just laying on the bed in one big heap. Nobunaga was snoring, with only her massive amount of hair providing any sense of decency, of course she was also on top of the pile. Okita was only partially undressed, with Nobunaga laying across her lap and Okita herself laying across Ritsuka, who was under the covers of the bed but otherwise perfectly normal.
Mash's Senpai and other Servants had very weird habits.
24.4
[Fate/Grand Order]
Sentiment (Conceptualist)
For once, Chaldea's bar was quiet. Usually they didn't have a bar, but some of the heroic Spirits insisted this Loop and Ritsuka had acquiesced. It was a nice place to hang out though. Good decor, decent seating, and a wide selection of whatever drinks Da Vinci managed to distill or mix-up in her spare time.
Ritsuka grinned and slammed back his fourth glass of sparkling water. Sighing at the refreshing fruit tinged taste, he continued talking with his compatriots. "But seriously. I love you guys, you're the best thing that's happened to me. I couldn't have picked a better group to get stuck with if I tried."
Mash, who was a martinis or two shy of being three sheets to the wind, was touched by the sentiment. "We're the best thing that's ever happened to you?" she slurred out.
"Yes!" Ritsuka grinned. "I love my job, my life, and my friends. What else is there to want?"
From inside Ritsuka's head, Dante thought about all the terrible things that Ritsuka had seen and experienced. The worst parts of their world laid bare repeatedly, throughout time and space contrasting with the relatively strange and bizarre adventures in other worlds. 'I'm starting to feel a little sorry for you,' Dante thought. 'You'll never want the adventure to end, will you, Rits?'
24.5
[Fate/Grand Order]
Doink
"Lavinia are you okay?" Mash asked, bending down to look at the little Albino who'd been summoned alongside Abigail this Loop. Basically piggy backing off her to get into Chaldea. Of course both were Awake.
"No, I'm not," Lavinia stated bluntly, her voice muffled by the carpet beneath her.
Mash closed her eyes. "What is the problem?" she assumed there was one.
"That depends on your definition," Lavina admitted. "Do you need those glasses?"
"I'm not wearing them at the moment," Mash admitted. "But I do require a prescription this Loop," she further stated.
"Oh, that explains that. Because clearly you didn't see the blood," Lavinia pointed out, and Mash gasped.
"Wait, I thought the carpet was already red!" Mash shouted.
"...Fair it is actually red normally, but I've been stabbed," the albino stated bluntly.
"Who did this to you!?" Mash demanded an answer, for all she knew an assassin had infiltrated Chaldea again (that happened more often than Da Vinci would like to admit, even if they didn't last very long.)
"I stabbed myself by accident with a Tonberry knife, if you don't know what that is, it doesn't matter," Lavinia stated bluntly. "Now be a good girl and get mister Sanson."
"But Nightingale is closer?" Mash thought, in fact she'd just dropped off her glasses with her.
"I trust him more than her, and I'd rather not have this broadcast to everyone. Like Abigail… especially Abigail." She'd never hear the end of this if she did.
"How did you-"
"I'm not explaining how I managed it, please just… get Sanson," Lavinia pleaded, Mash running off to get him… and running face first into a wall due to not being able to see straight. "And don't hit yourself on the way out!"
"Sorry Lavinia," Mash stated before actually managing to run off this time.
"This is what I get for messing with that knife and Materia at the same time huh…" she mumbled into the carpet to await her doctor.
"You could have just healed yourself you know," Sanson pointed out as he was stitching Lavinia's stomach wound on the operating table. Sneaking her past Nightingale had been a tougher challenge than dealing with the wound.
"It was the knife with the anti-magic poison on it. Cure wouldn't have worked," Lavinia pointed out.
"Ah, that knife," the executioner surgeon recalled the thing… and the Tonberries. "Why did you have to pick up that knife?"
"Because I wanted to stab Raum with it," Lavinia admitted bluntly.
"Would that have even worked?" he questioned, granted Raum did do a very despicable thing with his time Loop in Salem, nevermind being a part of the collective that made up the 72 pillars.
Burning the timeline had to accumulate a lot of grudge now that he thought about it.
"Well only one way to find out," he muttered, finishing up on Lavinia's wound, which was fairly shallow. "Don't agitate it, alright?"
"Yes 'dad'," Lavinia joked as Sanson helped her off the table. Now came the fun part...
Getting around the Head Nurse and the Head Doctor without getting stabbed by them.
24.6
[Fate Grand Order]
Traffic Stop (Conceptualist)
It was a bright and sunny day in Las Vegas, Nevada. Normally the weather would be much hotter, but the giant lake of water that appeared surrounding the city when the Holy Grail manifested was keeping things temperate. Unfortunately for the usual suspects, they couldn't take their time to enjoy themselves in the city of sin. They were already running late, and getting pulled over by a cop was just making them even later.
Scribbling out the details of their fine on the ticket she was writing the Chaldeans, Mysterious Heroine XX explained "You're receiving a ticket for having three people on one motorcycle in clear violation of Earth traffic laws. The fine is 100,000 QP-"
Ritsuka slammed her head against the handlebar she was holding on to. "Shit."
"-per person. Payable immediately."
As Ritsuka began to pay up the 300,000 QP, Mash finally let go of Rits and began to dismount the motorcycle. "Wait, three?" Mash muttered.
"Yeah?" Mysterious Heroine XX rhetorically confirmed.
Da Vinci, who had been the first to dismount right when Mysterious Heroine XX pulled them over, slapped her forehead. "OH MY GOD ALTRIA FELL OFF!"
"So what I'm hearing is you owe another 100,000 QP then."
24.7
[F/GO]. [Persona 2]
Eldritch Metropolis of Rumours: Sumaru - part 4 (Lermis (HelentheMoon)
Chapter 1 part 3: Arrival
Area: Morimoto Hospital
Tall white walls, and barred windows. Exactly as Moh Shuvuu described the place. Morimoto Hospital – or rather, Morimoto Sanitarium as it should be called – was every bit as cold as the name implied. Security cameras surrounded the perimeter, and whoever had installed them did not even attempt to be subtle about their presence. There was also no attempt to make the exterior look nice or decent. This was not a place to heal people from whatever may ail their minds. It was a prison.
Ritsuka signaled her two companions to hide behind the bushes. None of them could afford to be seen by the cameras.
"Dr. Roman. Can you get any readings from the inside?"
A few seconds later, the call connected. "Give me a few moments…" A few moments turned into half a minute. Then one. Then three and then five. They were now getting nervous. Normally, Dr. Roman NEVER took that long. "No good. We can only get generic signals that indicate the presence of demons. The readings from the hospital itself are too… uniform. Leonardo thinks that something may be masking it."
Of course. "Got it. Thanks, Doctor." She turned off the connection.
"Edmond. Go check it out. If it's masked then there's definitely something suspicious in there."
Without any verbal acknowledgment, her shadow twisted before the dark Avenger emerged, only to vanish a second later and walk through the front doors.
Now they wait.
"Place is still working" came in the report. "Not many people but there are a few nurses around and a lady at the reception desk. I think I feel some magical energy. It's weird, it sort of feels like a bounded field. I'll go check it out."
"Roger that."
A Bounded Field in the middle of the psych yard. That could not possibly be a good sign. At least it would explain why Dr. Roman could not get any readings from this place.
Did a magus manage to set up a workshop in the middle of all this? Mash did not report the presence of any laylines here…
"Ritsuka." Edmond's voice was grave even by his standards. "You have to see this."
Sneaking in the building was a bit tricky. Bedivere could just slip into spirit form, but she and Mash had to hide under Robin Hood's borrowed "No Face, May King" Noble Phantasm which AND open the front door without the receptionist noticing. However they managed with only a light startle from her. She did not even try to investigate. Then again, they were in a psych yard in the middle of the forest, so perhaps she was used to weird noises?
The interior was as depressing as the exterior. Pure white walls, ceiling lights that looked exactly like every office building ever, security cameras everywhere and even some barred doors that blocked a few hallways. The few sad-looking decorative plants shoved in the corners and the occasional vending machines for the visitors did not help in the slightest.
Between the unexpectedly large size of the building and the barred hallways, it took them a bit maneuvering to get to where Edmond was. From the outside, Room 303 looked exactly like all the others. A steel door with an opening on top sealed with obscuring glass. Under the sign there was a second one that wrote "Tatsuya Sudou." Yet despite its otherwise unassuming appearance, Ritsuka could feel the Bounded field inside. Sort of.
"I unlocked the door. Brace yourselves so they don't hear us."
Okay?
"What about the security camera?"
"Took care of it. Still, better stay in Spirit Mode."
Ritsuka relayed the warning to the others, and as quietly as she could, she opened the door.
Oh.
Oh.
Shit.
Now she knew why the demons called him creepy.
Inside the jail cell, all the walls were covered in poetry. A single poem scribbled with what looked like coal and maybe blood written over and over and over and over again, on the walls on the floor on the ceiling, everywhere. And in the two parts that were not covered in the poem, there were other, stranger things. A huge black eye. A butterfly that looked like a vortex. And newspaper cutouts. Countless newspaper cutouts.
How in the world did they NOT notice this!?
Slowly they all walked in and closed the door behind them. Ritsuka opted to keep the communications mental.
"What the hell?"
Mash was shivering. "Is this what kind of people get admitted to these hospitals?"
"It looks exactly like the ramblings of all those who went mad at Chateau d'If. On the surface."
"On the surface?"
"Look more closely at those newspapers."
Bedivere was already there, reading. "All of them are articles reporting murders committed by a serial killer known as the JOKER."
"So in other words…"
"Those are trophies."
Ritsuka stared at the wall for a long time. The victims were all from their early teens at the youngest, but other than that they had nothing in common. Old. Young. Middle aged. Schoolchildren. Men. Women. Business owners. Salary people. Jobless people. Retired folks. There was absolutely no connection between the victims. Nothing but the absolute brutality recorded so dispassionately by the newspapers, with their guts ripped open and their limbs torn apart as if assaulted by savage beasts. And each and every time, the police "has found no evidence".
It was sickening.
Mash could only stare in morbid fascination.
"S-Sempai… Here it says that a CEO was killed in his office during work hours… The secretary found him with his… his…"
"Yeah. I read that."
"That's not our biggest problem."
Everyone turned to Edmond. "What do you mean?"
"How does this guy even leave his cell? There are no signs of entering and breaking on the door, and no ways to remove the window. The air vents are not large enough to fit a person. We are not on the ground floor so he couldn't have dug a hole."
Ritsuka could see where he was going with this. "So either he has obtained a key, or he can somehow teleport."
Ritsuka really hoped it was just a key, because she had chased after enemies significantly faster than her more times than she could count. Trying to capture somebody who could teleport would be an exercise in futility.
"The poem is mysterious too…"
Ritsuka leaned in to read it.
Oracle of Maia?
They all leaned in to read it.
The seven Pleiades set the frozen time free
Wild dance, shadow festival, foreign song ensue
As flames of expiation light the heavens
The lion's roar echoes far and wide
Five skulls glow in the depths of the earth
The holy cross shines high up in the sky
Once the star comes to a complete halt
The Maia Maiden's heart stops with it
What then remains is paradise on earth
Marking the end and a new beginning
"He's nuts…"
"Nope. I'm the only sane guy around."
It was from right behind them.
Ritsuka almost got whiplash from turning around so fast. How did he get here!? She had not heard the door open or anything!
"That little poem there? That's how the world SHOULD be."
"What?"
The man looked like he walked out of a slasher movie. He was a tall albino, dressed on a hospital gown and a black coat thrown on his shoulders like a cape, holding a blackened katana. The mane he called "hair" was an absolute mess, and he was dirty like he had not showered in months. His breath smelled faintly of alcohol.
"Hehehe… You know, the Voices tell me you should die. Shame we can't pick a fight here."
"What do you-"
"Quiet now. I'm ain't yelling, am I? We don't wanna the nurse chicks know we're here. Gotta wonder though, why'd you break in my room? Got a lot of bastards who want my head but you guys ain't on that list."
This had to be Tatsuya Sudou. There's no way it could be someone else. And was actually starting a quiet conversation with them. Ritsuka was astonished.
However, this was still a serial killer. A madman. He was in an asylum. He was covered in blood, and was maybe a bit drunk too. Even with three servants at her side and herself not being a pushover, toying around a bomb was not wise.
"Here's the deal – I'll answer your question and we'll not kill you now. In return, you're going to answer some of our questions. Understood?"
Sudou seemed to stare at the void for a few moments before nodding. "Sure. You start. Why are ya here?"
"A demon at the forest told us that there's a "strange man" here and strong demon presence, so we had to investigate. No, we can't tell you why we're investigating."
The man stared at her like she had grown a second head. It was getting uncomfortable.
"You're weird. And the Voices are laughing…"
Ritsuka decided NOT to ask what those "voices" were.
"Our turn. First, why are you killing people?"
"Wha, have ya been living under a rock? Never heard the rumours?"
"We're new in town."
"Yeah, that figures… It's a job, a job. Never thought I'd pitch my services, but here it goes. You got a cell phone, right? If ya call your own number in it, it should say the line's busy and nobody will pick up. But now, if ya do that I'll pick up. Then ya tell me who to kill, and I do it. Free, fast, and you ain't got to give me your name either. Pretty sure no company's gonna charge you for the call either, never checked that. Heh, how was my pitch?"
"And his "payment"…" added Edmond "is the sick pleasure he gets from killing. Truly a disgusting being."
"Not very professional but gets the point across. Now, the second question. What's with the Triad goons?"
Sudou scowled. "Tch. My old man wants to off me… Looks locking me up ain't good enough for him anymore…"
So a father who really wanted him dead and had enough money to buy the services of the Triads in Japan.
"Last question. What does the poem mean."
"Just told ya. It's how the world should be. Shit went down, prophecy was fulfilled, finally got paradise, and then those brats went and reversed the whole thing. Sorta. Messed up on a few details. Equivalent exchange followed. You know, you get something, something equal gets lost. Ya eat 'till you're stuffed, throw the rest, and then some poor bastard elsewhere goes hungry. That's how it worked here too. Karma's building up for them. Eh, probably for me too, hehe. I ain't a saint."
It was pretty obvious that Sudou was not willing to divulge any more details. Which was a shame because Ritsuka had no idea what he was talking about.
"That's all I wanted. I'll be leaving out."
"Heh. I ain't satisfied."
Ritsuka did not like the sound of that. "What do you want."
"Just a small favour, it'll help us both. Those Triad guys over there? They ain't much, but they're a pain in the ass and my old man pays them some good cash. If ya clean them up it'll be nice. Hell, you'll do the whole city a favour. Heard they've been hanging around in Yumezaki. Dunno where their base is though."
That was… unexpectedly helpful. And as much as he hated to admit it, taking out the Triads did sound like something they would have to do. "Deal."
"Heh. Nice to have business with ya. Now get outta here before the nurses make their rounds."
Sudou looked all too smug while he was saying that, laying on the bed like it was the most luxurious sofa ever with a shit-eating grin.
Ritsuka did not bother to say goodbye. She just slipped under May King again and left.
24.1: Finding new ways to humiliate Gawain will probably not get old.
24.2: Black and Red meet again, Shake the earth and scorch the skies.
24.3: The Guda girls can get weird.
24.4: Feels good doesn't it?
24.5: Doink!
24.6: I for one wonder how they lost the person who should have been driving.
24.7: The Mystery continues, now with bonus fear for life!
See you all again soon!