Fate series and characters belong to Nasu and TypeMoon


The Grand Order

"Ah, the hero has awakened. There, there, that's how the main character should be," The familiar relaxed voice chuckled then reminded. "But, this isn't the place you should wake up to, Ritsuka-kun."

"This voice…"

Opening his eyes, Ritsuka's view greeted by a familiar bright blue sky and the white-hooded figure giving him a lap pillow.

He beamed at his confused expression, "Good morning, Ritsuka-kun."

"Just as I thought," Ritsuka tried to shift his body up before the figure gently nudged him back down.

"Now, now, though this is our second time we've spoken like this," The hooded figure chuckled. "But, we'll talk later. Somebody's waiting for you, return to the reality, Ritsuka-kun."

"Is it my sister and Mash?" Ritsuka asked with a sleepy voice, his body finding itself drifting back to slumber.

The figure nodded and stroke his head. "Yes. Well, there is someone too, but he's definitely a worthless person after all. But, he may be important to you, so he's waiting for you too."

From the perplexed expression, the figure chuckled, "Guess, you're still not used to being the main character yet. Come on, time to wake up, Ritsuka-kun. From here on, you'll be the center of this story.

"The choices you made with your sister will probably save all of humanity. Just like the multitudes of brave souls who weren't remembered by history as they saved humanity." The figure's tone now spoke with a cryptic tone.

"You've been given a role to fight, neither a king nor a hero, but as a human walking a path that was preordained by the stars. No… A path that is yours, to begin with, that defies destiny. Now, awaken to the destiny you choose. I shall wait here in your next slumber… My lord."

And then, darkness shrouded in his view before an intense light gradually entering into his view…

-0-

"Haah!" Flinched at the sudden bright light, Ritsuka seated up and stared around the area. He was back at his room where Mash brought him to rest from the orientation. While looking around, he recalled and stared back at his right hand.

It clearly wasn't a dream, one of the red markings of the Command Seal turned into a beige-pinkish color. The hand helped Mash to prevent Saber's Noble Phantasm from killing them all. Also, the hand he grasped for his sister while the other–

"Fou?"

Turned to the familiar squeak, Fou rested on the chair with his white coat draped above. Ritsuka stared at it and wondered. "What's wrong?"

It hopped from the chair and headed to the door. Fou spun around and squeaked at the raven-haired Master to follow along.

Nodded to the instruction, Ritsuka got off from the bed and picked up his coat with him to follow where Fou had wanted to bring him to.

-0-

Inside the familiar Command Room when he entered, Ritsuka stopped and made a swift scan. Except for the blaze orange flames and human bodies, the room was still the same as before. Debris and broken Coffins scattered around in the room.

Ritsuka watched and followed Fou as it scurried further forwards in front. As soon as he arrived, two familiar figures swelled his heart with relief. Mash bending down to carry Fou onto her shoulder, while Ritsuko in her white coat uniform chuckled at its attempt to seat properly.

The two spun around when sounds of footsteps approached them.

Ritsuko's face brightened and grinned, "Good morning, Ritsuka!"

"Good morning, Ritsuka-senpai," Mash smiled too. "I am glad to see you're okay too."

"Ahh… Good morning, both of you," Ritsuka beamed in response. He went towards them and wrapped both of his arms around Mash and Ritsuko.

"Se-Senpai?" Mash stared at Ritsuka's strange movements.

Ritsuko had brought one of her arms around him and wondered, "H-Hey, is there something wrong?"

The raven-haired Master merely shook his head and responded, "No, there isn't. I'm just glad you both are you okay… Thank you for being all right, you two."

Orange and violet orb glanced at each other, Ritsuko returned with a reassured smile. "You idiot, of course, we'll be all right. You worked your ass off to save us both. I'm also glad you're fine too, Onii-chan…"

"Ritsuko-senpai is right," Mash returned too as well with a relieved beam. She raised both of her arms and wrapped both siblings. "I should thank both of you. I was able to stay conscious, thanks to you two."

Silence enveloped between the three that shared a grateful moment they were still here together alive. But, it had interrupted from the clearing of a throat. "Ahem. I'm all for your reunion, but could you bring your attention here, please?"

Withdrawing their hands at once, Ritsuka turned and noticed Romani standing behind them. He let out a relaxed sigh and greeted with a bright grin. "Good morning, Doctor!"

"Good morning, Ritsuka-kun, and you two." Romani smiled to the three, "First, congratulations on surviving and completing your mission, Ritsuka-kun, Ritsuko-chan."

As the two siblings gave a proud grin to each other, Romani continued, "While the situation forced on both of you gradually, you bravely faced the challenges and overcame it. That earned my respect and appreciation. Thanks to you two, Mash and Chaldea were saved."

But, a somber expression appeared on Romani's face and included. "It's a shame about the Director, but we've no time to hold a service. All we can do is grieve."

"If I survived, then maybe the Director…!"

Despite Ritsuka's hopeful face, a solemn and grim expression lingered on the three's faces. Before Ritsuka could express again, he felt a tug from his coat's sleeve. Blue orbs shifted to see Ritsuko shaking her head, telling him that this was the truth.

Olga Marie's death before them three wasn't a dream as he recalled.

Neither, the fact Lev betrayed Chaldea and wiped out all of humanity was a dream too.

Eventually, Ritsuka bowed his head and showed the same solemn expression.

Romani soon spoke again but in a milder and assuring tone, "Listen. We must defend humanity in the Director's place. That's how we pay the tribute."

His expression shifted to a more severe expression and informed, "I got the report about the crystal from Mash, and what Lev said. From Chaldea's state, what Lev said was true. We can't contact the outside world. The staff who left Chaldea haven't returned. I fear humanity has already been destroyed.

"Chaldea seems to be the only place outside the normal timeline. Perhaps it's hanging on the timeline right before the collapse. Think of it like a colony floating in space. The outside world is dead until we do something about this situation."

"Is there something we can do?!" Ritsuka and Ritsuko questioned in synch with a now refreshed determined face.

It received a shock reaction from Mash and Romani before the latter nodded to them. "Of course. First, I want you two to see this. We tried scanning Earth with the resurrected Sheba. It's Earth of the past, not the future. The Fuyuki Singularity was destroyed, thanks to both of you.

"But we hypothesize that the future was unchanged due to another cause. The result is–!"

Followed Romani's head directing to Chaldeas globe, a blue nebula-like light glowed in the middle of the room. It showed 7 bright bluish-white dots on each other parts of the globe. Romani then continued his report, "This distorted world map.

"A newly discovered dimensional disturbance against which Fuyuki pales in comparison.

"They say changing the past changes the future, but you can't overthrow the future by modifying the past.

"History has the power to heal itself. You might save a person or two…

"But the end of that era—Will still end up with its definitive result unchanged. But these singularities are different. These are humanity's turning points.

"'What if this war didn't end?'

"'If this naval voyage wasn't successful?'

"'Maybe this discovery was wrong?'

"'Or even if this nation couldn't become independent?'

"The ultimate decision point to determine the current state of humanity.

"Destroying them is like causing the foundation of human history to crumble.

"That's what these seven singularities are.

"It had already decided the future when these seven singularities formed.

"As Lev said, humanity doesn't make it to 2018." Romani turned back to the three with a grim look and reminded, "But, we're different. Chaldea has yet to reach that future. Do you understand? Only we can fix this mistake. Now we have a chance to return the singularities to normal."

Shifted to the siblings, the Doctor proposed, "So here's the deal. Rayshift into these seven singularities and get history back on track. It's the only way to save Humanity. But, we are still powerless.

"All other Master candidates are frozen," He turned to Mash who showed a stoic yet troubled expression and went on. "Mash is the only Servant we have."

Returned to siblings, Romani heaved a deep breath and stared at them. "I realize both of you are being forced into this situation. Even so, I'll still say it. Master Candidate #48, Fujimaru Ritsuko… And you, Fujimaru Ritsuka. If both of you wish to save Humanity…

"If you wish to have a future beyond 2017. Then the two of you together alone must face these seven singularities in human history. Are you prepared to do this? Can you shoulder the burden of Chaldea and Humanity's future?"

Despite the calmness, both could understand the severity in Romani's words. The heaviest burden tasked to them in bringing back Humanity. Both were mere children who became caught up in this chaos for their own future too.

There's an option to run away which was equal to the decision of accepting Lev's words and allowing their home to be gone. Blue and orange orbs glanced at each other one more time, they then nodded to Romani and Ritsuko answered with a resolute voice. "Of course."

"If it's something we can do, Doctor," Ritsuka added with a determined tone.

With their expressions, Romani and Mash both illuminated with a grateful and relieved look. Romani smiled to both and nodded, "Thank you. With those words, we have decided our fate."

He later turned upwards to face the staff in the command room, declaring with an unyielding tone.

"We will now carry out the Preservation of Humanity as laid out by Olga Marie Animusphere, former director of Chaldea.

"The main goal is the protection and recovery of human history.

"Search target will be each era's relic and Grail. Our opponent is history itself. Many great Heroic Spirits and legends will stand against you. Challenging them is an act of blasphemy against the past. To save Humanity, we must defy history.

"But this is the only way to survive. No, the only way to take back the future," Romani closed his eyes and took a deep breath before resuming. "No matter what sort of end awaits us. To show our determination, we shall abandon the original mission name, First Order.

"This is now Chaldea's last yet original mission. The Grand Order! In the name of the magical world's highest Order. We will take back the future!"

-0-

"Anything from Mom and Dad?" Ritsuka asked while resting on his bed and scrolling through his tablet.

Ritsuko sitting on the chair beside the bed shook her head and sighed, "No. It's still the same as yesterday. Mom reminding us to request a week break two weeks later to go to Okinawa for a holiday before our break ends. Since it was the particular week Dad would be free from work."

"I see…" Ritsuka nodded idly while his eyes remained focusing on his tablet.

The orange-haired Master turned and rolled her eyes. She rose up and crossed her arms at her brother. "Aren't you supposed to be resting like what the Doctor told us? What are you exactly doing?"

"That's for you to rest, Ritsuko," Ritsuka replied bluntly. "Well, I got work to do. I still need to find out the identity of the Servant Mash contracted with."

"I think you meant, it's you who required to rest," Ritsuko snatched the tablet from him, ignoring the frown from Ritsuka. "You're the one who still looks pale after everything as Doctor Roman said. So, you should be resting up before he calls in on us for the first mission."

Rolled his eyes too, Ritsuka folded his arms back and assured, "I'm really fine. You guys are over-thinking this thing too much. Besides…"

A big yawn escaped his lips, it earned him from Ritsuko who raised one of her eyebrows at him. He breathed another yawn and mended, "Okay fine, I'm just sleepy. It's been a long day for both of us. After a light reading, I'll go for a quick nap, okay?"

"Fine," The orange-haired Master reluctantly handed over his tablet to him.

"Just remember to follow the Doctor's instruction, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll find him after I wake up for a quick check-up," Ritsuka let out another heaved of sigh. Instead of hearing footsteps leaving the room, Ritsuka noticed his sister was still here.

He lifted one of his eyebrows curiously when he noted she had been staring at him, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Ritsuka. Just that," Ritsuko shook her head and returned with a sad grin. "Do you think Mom and Dad will be all right? We will able to see them again, right? After we solve this whole problem."

Beneath the sad grin, it's clear the fear and worry lace in her tone. After staring at her for a while, Ritsuka stood and went to her. He drew his hand out to pat his sister's head and gave a small grin.

At her dumbfounded expression, Ritsuka rested his forehead against hers. "Hey, it's all right, Ritsuko. I'm here, I'm glad I followed you here. I promised you we'll fix this and take back our home together. We'll definitely be able to meet Mom and Dad again."

"… Just don't come bitching about this hell we're in, brother," A relieved and wry grin surfaced on Ritsuko's face.

Once he pulled away, Ritsuko spun and headed for the door. "Then, I'll help Mash-chan in their admin duties. We still have another round of orientation to continue since we're going to be here for a very long time."

"Don't use those cheesy lines of yours when you're making a move. I'm not cleaning your ass when there're awkward occasions."

"Whatever, brother!" Ritsuko rolled her eyes and groaned. "Hurry and knock yourself out too, will you?!"

As she stepped out with the door sliding closed behind her, Ritsuka found himself alone in the tranquil silence. He exhaled another breath and murmured, "You'll need more than cheesy line if you go after someone like Mash."

One hand gripping his tablet, the other with his finger scrolled through the block of texts presented on the tablet. His blue orbs moving as he studied at the data he researched. "Knights who used a shield… A shield… A knight who must have served King Arthur–!"

"That shall be something you'll figure out soon with your intelligence and resourcefulness, Magus of Flower's apprentice." Saber's voice resounded in his head.

Her smirk recalled in his mind when she included. "You've met him in that land of Utopia, haven't you? That troublesome parent you deemed as the strongest warlock."

"Warlock…" The raven-haired Master recited at the exact word. His index finger flicked and place onto the tablet when it passed a specific page. "As I thought, that warlock both that Archer and Saber…"

Another yawn escaped from his lips. Ritsuka raised his hand to rub his eye, but a yawn breathed out from his lips. He shook his head and tried to concentrate his attention back at his tablet. "The name and information of that warlock…"

-0-

"Welcome back, Master. You've worked hard for the day, and hence, a well-deserved rest rewarded to you!"

The familiar voice he heard, Ritsuka recognized he had fallen to slumber into his dreamland. Spun around, the familiar white hood figure sat on the same rock when he first met him. He approached him and nodded. "Yeah, guess my body can't keep being awake any further."

"That Singularity has worn you out, Ritsuka-kun," The cloaked figure smiled. "But, you have done an excellent job for the first homework."

"Didn't think we made through without your foretelling," Ritsuka shook his head.

The cloaked figure chuckled then, "Yet, you did.

"The King of Knights was a tremendous opponent for your two Servants, especially the young Demi-Servant herself."

"It was lucky since the one who trains her the sword was–!" Ritsuka halted his words and gazed at the figure.

He could see the cloaked figure grinning at him and nudged. "Go on, Ritsuka-kun."

With a wary gaze, he had recalled the last homework left to report. Ritsuka confessed with a calm tone. "Before Artoria Pendragon's birth, there was a child born from a human mother and an incubus. He supported King Vortigern in raising a tower that always collapses.

"Also, he aided Uther Pendragon from developing into a King to an adviser who helped fostered his young daughter that grows into the King of Britain."

His blue orbs narrowed a little and Ritsuka finally admitted. "And, when she became King, he turned into a trusted adviser to her and the Knight of the Round Table. Until he fooled around with a witch and trapped himself here in Avalon. Am I right, Merlinus Ambrosius?"

"... Fufu, a detailed and direct answer you've come with. Also, Merlin is fine, Ritsuka-kun." With that answered, Merlin, pulled his hood off of his head. It exposed his youthful face of white messy-haired with violet orbs and silted pupils gazing back at Ritsuka.

The raven-haired stood in silence, mouth agape at the beauty and charisma coming from him. Merlin tilted his head and smirked, "Oh my, did you got yourself charmed, Ritsuka-kun? I'm pleased that my appearance is to my apprentice's liking."

Ritsuka realized he had been staring for quite a while and narrowed his eyes to mask his embarrassment. "Please. I expected an old wise sage but your present voice doesn't even fit that image."

"You're right. In one of the many tales, humans had written, I'm reputed to be an old Druid from my shape-shifting abilities as you wonder. But," Merlin rested his hand on his chest and smiled, "I prefer this form as of now."

"I see," Ritsuka gave a modest nod. He threw an attentive gaze and asked, "Can I check with you something?"

"Please do, my pupil." Merlin grinned.

"Am I dead or this is a dream? It's no way possible I'm speaking to you like this without being in Avalon! And to go there, I need to be dead, don't I?"

The Magus of Flower laughed at Ritsuka's panic expression. "Now, now, calm down. I can assure you're alive and asleep. I'm just visiting you in your dreams as you're aware of it.

"You have drifted into Avalon subconsciously by your Will. Twice, in fact. But, as of when and why you acted, that will be a discussion of another day.

"It's only fortunate your Magic Circuits kept you alive when you turned up and remained there for short moments. Any longer you had stayed, your death will occur as you expected."

"So, we're in my dreams?" Ritsuka repeated.

With a nod from the Magus of Flower, Merlin reminded with a now mysterious grin. "Now you're here, have you decided an answer to my question? And of yours now too?"

Ritsuka pondered for a while and came closer to where Merlin sat. "I... If Lev declares that our destiny as humans to extinct because we're insignificant, then it's the destiny we'll create a path to make our own future."

"Is that so?" Merlin stared back at his blue orbs.

The raven-haired Master nodded with his fist clenched. "No one other than us should determine our future. It was the Director's last wish to make certain we would survive as long as we could. That's why I embrace my destiny to build the path where we take back our future."

"Even if the world goes against both of you? Knowing you and your sister won't be acknowledged by anyone for your efforts of saving humanity? Also, even knowing the consequences of your decision will taint you as a villain in the world?"

Another firm nod, Ritsuka showed a fixed expression. "Yeah, my answer will not change. We'll restore our history, prevent humanity from extinction, and to take back our home."

A moment of silence thereafter, Merlin made a warm beam to him. "Then if this shall be the path you choose, I shall go with you to the very end, Master."

"I'm still extremely far to be your Master, Merlin-san," Ritsuka showed a light-hearted grin. "Rather than Master-Apprentice, I think it's better as friends since people understand more things from their companions than a teacher."

As his right hand outstretched, Ritsuka introduced. "I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka, Ritsuka is fine. Looks like I'll be in care whenever we meet in my dreams."

"A companion, you say? Not a teacher?" Merlin quoted his remarks with an amused tone.

"I presume you're my teacher if you're planning to teach me Magic, sword-fighting or life lessons," Ritsuka replied. He stretched his hand closer to Merlin. "But, you gave me that prophecy that allowed me to save both my sister and myself when the command room exploded.

"At least after meeting twice, I trust you meant no harm despite your teasings back then. That's why, I'd like to believe further that you're my friend, Merlin-san."

Gazed at him and his hand with a dumbfounded expression for a few seconds, Merlin's lips curved a small grin and murmured to himself. "As I thought... You really are an interesting human, Ritsuka-kun."

"Huh?" Ritsuka raised one of his eyebrows at him.

"A habit of mine with no meaning, I reassure you," Merlin laughed. He took Ritsuka's right hand with a gentle and firm hold. "I shall reintroduce myself. My real name is Merlinus Ambrosius. People call me the Magus of Flowers. But you can just call me Merlin. I don't do well with formalities.

"I've been watching from far away, but from now on I will journey together with you. I want you to rely on me. Especially concerning love, you are always welcome to receive my consultation."

"I'm not sure of your consultation on love affairs, but," Ritsuka gave a firm grasp back and grinned. "I'll be in your care then, Merlin."

End of Section 10
End of Singularity F


Over a year has already passed for FGO NA and nearly three years for JP side
But technically it's 377 days from those who calculated since NA dragged the anniversary far later...
Welp with this, a year has passed and this here is the start of both Ritsuka & Ritsuko's journey from clearing every singularity to the current arc in JP.

For those who sort of actually guessed and knew all the while Merlin is the robed dude, it's one of the original twist I planned in this fic. There's more subsequently in the coming main Singularities and so on... Until I eventually get the motivation to write again OTL
I'll admit the past few weeks of grinding in JP events and completing Camelot is keeping distracted, plus writer's block especially what's after this prologue.
I do have sets of chapter before Orleans singularity... However at this rate, it'll take a very long while before I work on it... My own life is getting to me since there's a lot going on too... So I don't know when I'll update again...

With that, I hope you guys enjoy the story!
Thank you very much for the faves and follows for this story :D
Hope you guys will be patient until then...