Fate/Grand Infinite Loops
Hello Everyone… and I suppose welcome to the Infinite Loops. Perhaps one of my favorite series of fanfiction. The Infinite Loops project chronicles the various shenanigans and adventures of… well everything. Universes attached to the tree Yggdrasil, the great computer that runs the Multiverse. At least within the Loops-verse. While I have never been able to get Spacebattles to function for me, and thus I doubt this shall ever be 'official' unless I figure that out somehow. I've decided to try and chronicle one of my favorite games within the Infinite Loops.
For any moderators out there of the Infinite Loops Project, I did check, while Fate/Grand Order is mentioned as a Loop, I have seen no snippets for it, nor any actual anchor candidate beyond Shirou Emiya. Thus, given the absolute timey-whimy that Grand Order runs on, in addition to various 'normal rules' I will try to keep things as 'official' as possible by looping standards. With some variation to fit with the whole 'Nasuverse is unstable' idea.
Thus in accordance to the normal rules, I am imposing a few others to help keep the Grand Order loop relatively stable. These 'new rules' for Grand Order are posted below. For timeline's sake, I am putting the Grand Order loop as a 'Post-Crisis Loop'. Said activation loop being the first thing I shall post.
The Grand Order Loop runs on a Co-Anchor System. These two Anchors being Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight. The reason for this is twofold. Grand Order deals with the world being heavily threatened on a metaphysical level a lot, and has been very hard on the sanity of its Anchor. Thus to keep the world stable, and to help each other's sanity, both Ritsuka Fujimaru (Who of course can be either gender). There will always be at least two Loopers present in the Grand Order Loop to act as Anchors due to this fact. Even if a looper does not normally qualify as an Anchor, they technically take up the role an Anchor does here. For example, if Twilight Sparkle and Applejack were to loop in here, they would be Co-Anchors for the duration of the loop. Simple.
Servants can Loop, but they only Awaken when they are summoned in the Summoning Chamber. If they are actually awake or not can vary, but the closer to 'Canon' a Servant is, the more likely they are to be awake on a regular basis. For example, Oda Nobunaga and Okita Souji are two characters Chaldea has been confirmed to have on multiple occasions, so they are incredibly stable Loopers (Ironic isn't it.) On the flip side, Artoria Pendragon (Normal) is practically non-existant within Grand Order, while her alternate, Saber Alter, is the opposite. So Saber Alter would be more likely to loop. For simplicity's sake only one Variation of a Servant can loop, but that one Variant can be summoned in any class they normal fit, so Saber Alter could be a Saber, Rider, or Lancer in that case. Complex I know, just know that for Servants its 'One Variant Only' in looping. There are few exceptions.
If a Servant is a Looper in a different iteration of the Nasuverse, then a different version of them will be awake here in Grand Order, effectively a completely different 'them'. For example Cu Chulainn within the context of Grand Order will typically be his Caster Variant, while Cu Chulainn from Stay-Night will typically be his Lancer Variant. The two are separate loopers from different timelines in their branch. Mordred is another Servant who has a Grand Order variant of herself.
The Loop currently lasts from Singularity F - The moment where Ritsuka and Mash wake up together in Fuyuki, as the standard starting point and ends in Avalon Le Fae. This is to prevent the Timeline from being broken outside of Variant Loops, as if the Anchor stops Lev from bombing the control room, everything goes pear shaped, so this starting point is practically enforced. The incident known as Serva-Fest is technically capable of Extending the loop… by a lot, with a hard cap currently unknown, but no one wants to (yet).
Due to Olga Marie's… ambiguous status, until Further notice, she cannot loop and therefore is 'Comatose' by Looping terminology. Sorry, but it has to be done. A similar case is applied to Romani, due to the presence of 'The Chaldean' so he is also a 'Comatose' Looper until further notice.
If a Fused Loop occurs, and Grand Order is the 'Basis' for the Loop, the fused loop will take the place of one of the various Singularities. Loopers within these singularities will not be awake, but will be summonable as Servants for the duration of the Loop, and of course be awake upon being summoned. Due to the unique mechanics of Grand Order, there can be a lot of fused loops at a time, either as normal singularities, or on occasion as Lostbelts. Warhammer 40K would be an example of a Fused Loop that could be a Lostbelt, or a Lostworld.
The Grand Order loop has a Lot of Read-Only tech. Just off the top of my head, the Rayshift system, CHALDEAS, Paper Moon, the Shadow Border (With Dive function), the Black Barrel, and likely a lot of stuff I'm forgetting cannot be taken out of the loop, by anyone.
My own current list of Loopers and anchors (for this segment at least, until someone gives me a cease and desist), consists of the following characters. Consider this list those who have activated within the first few dozen loops. Yeah, this place isn't very stable.
Admin - (Until Further Notice) Manu the Great (The Chaldean God of Fate)
Co-Anchors - Ritsuka Fujimaru (sufferer of Gender Swap Syndrome) and Mash Kyrielight
Loopers - Nobunaga Oda, Okita Souji, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mandricarido, Cu Chulainn (Caster), Mordred, Fuuma Kotaro, Saber Alter, Chevalier D'Eon, Kadoc Zemlupus, Akuta Hinako/Yu Meiren, Fou, Nemo, Ereshkigal, Merlin.
Thus with these rules in place, and abiding by the Loops, I present to those reading, Fate/Grand Infinite Loops
1.1
Rituska Fujimaru had a… small conundrum at the moment. Well, a very big one.
"Uh, Senpai… why are we in Singularity F? Weren't we in Avalon?" Ritsuka looked to the side, to see their friend throughout the Grand Orders, Mashu, standing there, still clad in her old armor… heck she was in her original armor now that Ritsuka looked at it closer, among the dark and burning flames.
"Mash I've kinda got a bigger problem right now." Ritsuka complained as Mash blinked in confusion… before very quickly realizing the problem.
"Uh… Senpai? Are those…" Mash started, very gingerly reaching her hand out towards the offending objects.
"Yes Mash, I have boobs." She complained, very clearly remembering having been male, like, less than five minutes ago. Then again she'd been unconscious for a few minutes, probably. Her memory was… kinda screwy.
"Okay, recap… What the hell are we doing here." Ritsuka muttered, sitting down, and trying to ignore the new… feelings. Mash was holding Fou, who seemed very confused at their actions.
"Okay, let's just assume we got kidnapped again, wouldn't be the first time, heck not the first time I've been a girl. We'll… figure it out as we go. Going over the basics… try and contact Holmes and the others." Ritsuka started, as a skeleton in a robe crawled out of a building. "Mash, hostile."
"Got it Senpai!" She responded, dashing past Ritsuka with… rather slow speed, what the heck? Ritsuka spun around, watching as Mash smashed the offending skeleton with her shield easily, and a few others that came towards the commotion. Ritsuka just crossed her arms, looking down at her clothing. "Ok, someone put me in the old uniform… uh Fou, you notice anything different… wait, what are you doing here, you scampered off…"
Fou, who had leapt down when Mash went to engage the enemy, looked confused, and even had raised an eyebrow, as if wondering what the hell had come over his friend and the Master. Squeaking, Ritsuka sighed. "Please don't give me that look, I'm so confused…" she muttered, rubbing her forehead.
"Targets dealt with Senpai… aren't these the same skeletons from Singularity F?" Mash questioned as she finished with the last skeleton.
"Yeah, I'm still trying to process what's going on, but at least it's better than the usual." Ritsuka muttered. She wasn't complaining about an easy… well, easier mission than normal. If someone wanted to recreate Singularity F for kicks, she was going to beat their ass… well have a Servant beat their ass. Actually she had been training a lot… Maybe she could do something this time, Kotaro would be proud… then again her body was not familiar, at all, later then.
"Just keep me guarded Mash, I'm gonna try and call-" Ritsuka started, before the familiar beep of the communications device came through. Oh, had Da Vinci managed to-
Her heart stopped, and Mash gasped as well… as both of them stared as the holographic image of a very familiar… and long lost friend appeared.
"Right, I finally got through! Hello? This is Chaldea Command Room? Do you read me?" The voice, the friend she hadn't heard from in so long. The face that was currently being worn by another man last she'd saw him. Doctor Roman stood there before them both. Mash… choked, Ritsuka could see the tears in her eyes.
She steeled herself, to speak to the fake… maybe. She was starting to doubt… if they'd… it wouldn't be the first time she'd gone back in time… but maybe? "This is Ritsuka Fujimaru, forty-eighth Master of Chaldea, I'm with Mash Kyrielight, and we're both here in… in Singularity F."
"Ritsuka, Mash! You're both there, oh thank god," Roman started, relief crossing the holographic face as Fou lept onto Ritsuka's shoulder.
"Fou is here too, doctor." Ritsuka amended, the little creature giving a huff as Ritsuka smiled at him.
"I'm glad you're alright, all three of you… Uh Mash, why are you wearing something so shameless! I didn't raise you to dress like that!" She watched as Roman's hologram turned towards Mashu, and she looked down, and quickly pulled her massive shield in front of her to cover her navel and other exposed bits from the doctor's gaze, blushing.
"I was already transformed into this when I awoke Doctor. It allowed me to protect Senpai." she admitted. Ritsuka looked at Roman… it seemed he didn't remember… was it just her and Mash then?
"What do you mean by transformed Mash? Did you hit your head? Or was it that…" he trailed of as Ritsuka winced. Right… the explosion. She was going to beat Lev's head in…
"Doctor, please check my condition, I think you'll understand the situation better if you do." Mash retorted, going through the motions as best she could probably remember them… it had been several years at this point. As Roman was looking over Mash's physical condition, likely learning that she was a Demi-Servant already, her mind was drawn to Team A… Maybe she could get Akuta back at least? She was a… something, she was something, not human.
"Yes, I'm a Servant Doctor." Mash responded to Roman, dragging the female master out of her thoughts as she looked over her Mystic Code. Base strength, hadn't been improved yet. She'd need to do that again… she suddenly fought the urge to groan over the amount of resource gathering she'd have to do again… But it would be worth it, probably. No it would be worth it. "I don't remember how it happened, but it seemed I survived by fusing with a Servant. I um…"
Ritsuka winced, it was gonna be hard to explain this… probably. Or she could just out and say it… actually with the benefit of hindsight… it was kinda obvious it was Galahad wasn't it?
"Mash, is everything alright? Do you know something?" Roman questioned, concerned and confused for the girl who was practically his daughter.
"I… know the True Name of this Servant that I have fused with. But he… hasn't given me all his abilities. Galahad." Mash revealed, and Roman sighed.
"A Demi-Servant… Chaldea's sixth experiment. So it finally succeeded did it? Does Galahad still have his consciousness in there Mash?" Roman asked, taking it in stride, thankfully.
"No, he gave me his combat abilities and then vanished, and even then, not all of them." Mash admitted, which probably wasn't a lie.
"Well let's look on the bright side, he was at least cooperative enough to give us a chance. To give you a chance." Roman said with a soft smile, one that Mash returned as Ritsuka smiled herself, but then Roman turned to her. "Ritsuka, it looks like you're the only one who rayshifted there safely. Also, I'm sorry. Forcing you into this without any explanation. I'm sure you're full of questions, but try not to worry." Roman said, to reassure her.
Ritsuka just smiled… Roman… maybe she could save him this time? "Hey, I'm doing alright, I'll ask those questions when we get back ok?"
"Alright, you've already got a weapon, humanity's most powerful weapon, Mash." Roman started, and Ritsuka smirked. Damn right, she'd killed a few gods at this point… they both had technically.
"I don't know about 'Most Powerful' doctor, I'm the one who gets blamed later…" Mash admitted, and Roman just chuckled, trying to keep the mood upbeat even with the flames raging around them.
The conversation continued for a little bit, with her being… a bit more interjective than she had last time. That was probably the shock now that she thought about it, and while the situation wasn't great, or perfect, well… It was a damn good one. She was back at the beginning, and now she had a chance. A chance to… well, keep things going. She was gonna save the world, and do it right this time! And first up on that?
Olga Marie.
1.2
Ritsuka, currently male, groaned as he lay on his bed. This was… what the seventh iteration, and she hadn't been able to summon anyone who remembered this whole time. In fact, it was worse than that…
"Master, are you alright?" He looked up at the poor, poor Servant floating above him, concern on his face. He didn't fault the guy, he really didn't, but he was so powerful that… well Chaldea could barely handle him, so they'd been stuck with just him and Mash for three whole singularities.
"It's fine Juna… really." Ritsuka said as the Lostbelt King nodded… the King he had summoned in Singularity F to everyone's confusion, as they tried to process how the hell he was 'Arjuna'.
Then again… next up was London wasn't it? Ritsuka grinned, evilly, and wondered… how would 'Solomon' like this?
Ritsuka watched as 'Solomon' began his whole speech. He tapped his foot, waiting. He'd saved all three command seals for this, and had asked Arjuna Alter to wait to battle until he told him to. Mash had been really happy to show her stuff to Mordred, who sadly didn't remember a thing, but they got along fine. Now here they were, every Servant he'd recruited in London ready to face off with Solomon… except not really.
"Arjuna?" Ritsuka started, looking to Arjuna Alter, who just floated there next to him looking a little bored.
"Yes Master?" he asked as Solomon, realizing no one was listening, grunted and summoned four demon pillars.
"Delete." he ordered, pointing at 'Solomon', command seals glowing as he put all three into the order.
Arjuna just nodded, taking the energy of the three seals, and Ritsuka just smirked as 'Solomon' suddenly had a… small realization of the problem. One that foretold his defeat.
Ritsuka just closed his eyes as the host of Beast I… screamed in what sounded like fear as it was entrapped inside of Mahapralya. Oh he'd done this before, it just meant Solomon's Corpse wasn't available to Goetia later one… but it was still very satisfying to do.
Then again the last time he had Goetia had been a lot more aggressive and uh… yeah. Handing Roman all ten rings early wasn't the greatest idea ever. But hey, progress.
1.1 (Cont.)
"We're approaching the point the Doctor specified Master… this is where…" Mash started, and Ritsuka nodded. This was where they met Olga… there had to be a way to save her. Somehow? Was there?
"Do you wonder why everything happens here Mash?" Ritsuka asked, and Mash looked back, confused.
"I mean, why Fuyuki, I mean yeah, it's where the Grail wars take place, but those happen everywhere and everywhen." Ritsuka muttered, trying to figure out what made Fuyuki so special?
Before Mash could respond, a scream pierced the air, both girls turning towards it, and nodding, rushing forth. Olga needed them. Fou clung on to Ritsuka's shoulder as they ran around a corner.
Olga Marie, a sight… well one that they'd recently seen on a god from far beyond. "Mash! Chalk!"
"Understood!" Mash responded, just as a skeleton's arrow nearly pierced the Director of Chaldea's back. It phased through her as Mash's shield glowed, Olga looking up as Mash rushed past her, Ritsuka giving a cheeky salute.
"Hey Director, get behind me." She ordered, moving up and looking towards Mash as she lept into the air, smashing a skeleton with a bash from her shield, before spinning around and kicking one into a nearby building.
"You!? What are you doing here?" Olga screeched as Ritsuka just looked at her with a smile.
"My duty Director, Mash, Reinforce!" Ritsuka ordered, throwing out her arm and using the, much weaker than normal Instant Reinforcement spell from her mystic code.
"Thank you Senpai!" Mash affirmed, before using said boost to assist in shattering another skeleton with the blade on her shield, and following that up by spinning her shield around and smashing another through pure blunt force. The last raised its sword and charged at Mash.
Ritsuka, not wanting to be left out, looked at the ground, and kicked a stone towards it. It was a fairly piss poor kick, but hey, can't do everything perfect. The stone impacted a rib, the skeleton turning its head towards her… and then quickly being decapitated by Mash in response to it's attention being diverted.
"Enemies eliminated, Director Olga?" Mash said with a smile, looking towards Olga with… a forelon look of sadness. Ritsuka just closed her eyes… she didn't want to… no she had to look, but she needed a moment.
"What's going on?" Olga asked, and Mash nodded.
"I'm a Demi-Servant Director, and um… well…" Mash started.
"I know that! But why is it working now!? We'll get to that later, but you!" Olga rounded on Ritsuka, who took a step back from the finger being pointed in her face, a little surprised. "You're the civilian who showed up late to my speech, so how the hell did you become a Master, and how did you figure out that mystic code so fast!? Only first class Mages can enter contracts with Servants!" She started shouting, Ritsuka just raising her arms, sweating both from the heat and all the accusations… gee was Director Olga really like this back then, it was… hard to remember.
"There is no way you could ever be a Master," that one got Ritsuka to frown, she thought she was a pretty damn good Master, having more experience than any other she knew of, like Team-A or Waver. "What did you do to her to have her do your bidding?"
"Uh… I asked nicely?" She decided to respond, and thankfully Mash decided to back her up on that one.
"Yes Director! S-Senpai just asked me to help her, since we were uh, Rayshifted to the same location!" That was probably the best lie Mash had ever told someone. "Also uh… I… forced the contract of Senpai."
'Was the first… sure ain't the last.' Ritsuka thought mirthfully, thinking back to several Servants who uh… forced her to contract with them. Like Shuten or Jeanne Alter… oh they were going to have to deal with her again, oh boy. "What did you say?" Olga suddenly shouted, recovering from her shock at Mash's response.
"Um, let me explain how it happened, Director, so that we can better grasp the situation." Mash said… and started regaling the tale of the past like, two hours.
Thinking back, Ritsuka recalled it as well. Waking up in Chaldea, and heck, even a lot of stuff before that, she… had two sets of memories, one much smaller than the other, which revolved and fairly obviously there was a difference. The first had 'her' as a male, and the second as a girl. Which given she was a girl right now? Yeah that was the current set, but a full life before that? It was… kinda fuzzy, but not important right now.
So after explaining to Olga, and some interjection to keep Mash from saying anything they really, really, should not know like she had about Galahad. But eventually the discussion turned towards the… other Master Candidates.
"There's no one else here… I'm fairly certain of that. I hate to admit it, but I know why we were shifted to Fuyuki." Olga started, and Ritsuka blinked. Had she actually forgotten that… then again… she'd had her mind and memories ripped at multiple times, maybe she did actually not remember as much as she thought…
"So you understand why we survived, director?" Mash asked, a little less concerned, she probably had better recollection of this that she did at any rate. Actually thinking about it, she remembered her first summon, and nearly smiled. Last time when Olga had forced her to summon a Servant, she, or rather, he, had summoned Chevalier D'Eon, maybe she'd summon them again this time?
"All of us here share a common denominator. Neither me, or you, nor that one were 'Actually inside the Coffins'." Though Rayshifting flesh and blood isn't likely to succeed, it's not impossible.
'The unspoken fact there Director is uh… you ain't flesh and blood,' Ritsuka thought, but kept to herself. "Meanwhile the coffin's have breakers. When the success rate is below ninety-five percent, the power's cut off. So they never Rayshifted. We're the only ones here." Olga finished, dragging her out of her thoughts again.
"I see, thank you Director." Mash responded, and Ritsuka nodded.
"What you weren't planning on shifting Director?" Ritsuka questioned, last time she'd tried to reassure Olga, so this time… she wanted a few answers, like that one.
"...Is that a problem? What sort of Commander heads to the front lines? Didn't I tell you that you were my tools?" Olga asked, and Ritsuka shrugged. Eh, Lots of commanders led from the front, she did, several Servants did, Nero did, as did Drake… but this was uh…
'Is it sad to think that I miss Gordy already?' Ritsuka thought to herself. He wasn't anywhere near as callous as Olga was… "Uh… mmm, I did kinda sleep through part of the speech?" Ritsuka shrugged, and Olga huffed.
"Whatever, I understand the situation now. Ritsuka, since this is an emergency I will approve you and Kyrielight's contract. From here on out, you'll follow my commands. First, we set up a base camp." Olga started, and Ritsuka nodded. Back to the basics, always good to get a refresher.
"Listen, this is the time to search for a Leyline Terminal. A place where magical energy converges. There we'll be able to contact Chaldea. So in this town's case…"
"Uh Director. You're… standing on the point," Mash decided to pipe up, and Olga practically leaped off of where she was standing.
"Whoa! Oh, r-right, I knew that, I knew that of course. Mash, place your shield on the ground. I'm going to set up a summoning circle, with your Noble Phantasm as the Catalyst." Olga ordered.
"Alright, shall we Senpai?" Mash responded.
"Yeah, let's get to work." Ritsuka started, already thinking back to… well all of her friends. She missed them already, but now? Now she'd be able to get started, get one of them back, right here. But who would it be? The Summoning System was… notoriously schizophrenic at times, so she actually hoped she'd get a Servant at all! Mash was quick to set down her shield after the quick exchange. Olga quickly raised her hand, setting up the magic around the shield, and this time, Ritsuka tried to pay closer attention. So that maybe she could set this up herself later… When the circle was raised, contact came through.
"CQ, CQ. Hello, hello? Okay the connection's back! Good job you two, you secured the connection. Now we can communicate again, and even send rations…" Roman started, and both Ritsuka and Mash winced as Olga rounded on the Doctor.
"Huh!? Why are you running the show Romani? What about Lev?" Olga started, and Ritsuka put both her hands behind her back… to hide her clenched fists. She really, really wanted to tell Olga, but… "Where's Lev! Put Lev on!"
Roman screamed, before speaking, practically falling out of his chair in the hologram. "D-Director, you're alive!? And you're unharmed? What the…" Roman started, and Mash visibly winced, something Roman seemed to catch but… didn't say anything about as Olga rounded on him again.
"What's that supposed to mean, Doctor! Where's Lev? What's the head medic doing in charge!" Olga started shouting at poor Roman, and he closed his eyes.
"Don't ask me why, I'm fully aware that I'm not cut out for this job," Roman started, and Ritsuka had to fight back the snort. Roman was the best. "But there's nobody else Olga Marie, currently, the surviving full time staff of Chaldea is less than twenty people, including me." he reported. "The reason I'm in charge of operations is because there's no one ranked higher than me who survived. Doctor Lev was supervising from the Command Room. There's no way he could have survived that blast." Roman said softly, and Olga… sulked before them. Mash and Ritsuka just looked between each other with concern in their eyes. "But… what about the Master candidates... the coffins?" Olga started, and Ritsuka already knew the answer.
"Forty-seven, all in critical condition and we're short on medical supplies. We might be able to save a few, but all of them might be…" Roman started, before Olga belted out her order for him to Cryopreserve the masters to save their lives. Something Roman got to work on quickly as Mash smiled.
"You really do care, Director," Mash said softly, and Olga huffed.
"That doesn't matter, I can explain myself later so long as they aren't dead. And… forty-seven lives, there's no way I can carry that burden!" Olga started, and Ritsuka just… stared at the back of Olga's head. And tried not to bore a hole into it… she was complaining about losing forty-seven people when both he and Mash had personally ended at least five alternate timelines worth of people. Which was a lot more than forty-seven people… and there was the guilt again… "Just… don't die, I'm begging you. If only Lev was here…"
Oh how Ritsuka wished so very, very much someone familiar was here…
1.3
Ritsuka, Mash, Okita and Akuta all just… stared. Long, and very, very hard on what was before them.
"I." Nobunaga started, before another explosion went off, causing the Archer to flinch. "Can totally explain."
"No! No you can't!" Akuta shouted at the Archer, holding a sword to the archer's throat as Mash looked at Ritsuka who just held a hand to his head as he tried to… contemplate what the hell just happened.
"Nobu, you're banned from using the Holy Grail to make tanks." Ritsuka ordered just… wondering why she'd done that in the first place.
"But I wanted to ride them through SIN!" Nobu complained.
"And where in the Wandering Sea would we keep these tanks Nobu! How would we bring them into China!" Okita rounded on her alongside Akuta, who started protesting at ripping through that specific lostbelt with holy grail powered… and Mini-Nobu piloted tanks.
"Should… we do something about this?" Mash question, just… confused as the trio of girls argued, Nobu continuing to propose ideas on how to take said tanks into the Chinese lostbelt, while Ritsuka pulled up the communicator.
"Hey Da Vinci, can you send in Xiang Yu, Iskandar and Helena? We uh… need some clean up. Its… better if you see this?" Ritsuka asked over the communicator before holding it out to showcase the hell going on in the background.
The entire fields of Nagashino, instead of being covered in cavalry and riflemen, was a field of tanks of… many different makes and models that were being crewed by Mini-Nobus, constantly shelling each other and destroying their tanks with… abysmal accuracy.
If nothing else, it was an amusing show while he waited for Da Vinci to Rayshift the three in. He only really needed Helena and Iskandar, Xiang Yu was to help keep Akuta from ripping Nobunaga apart in rage at this… most recent endeavor.
He really wished that his companions wouldn't cause further damage to the timeline than necessary… even if it could be amusing.
1.4
"Remind me why we're doing this again?" Ritsuka looked to her left at her… current companion. It had been pretty surprising the first time when Kadoc had invaded Chaldea and… actually asked her what the hell was going on during said invasion. After promising to explain later, he let them leave for the Border, even if Da Vinci had gotten killed, and they spoke about it later.
This was the third time Kadoc was 'Awake' for the lack of a better term regarding these time loops, and the first time she'd actually been able to bring him out of cryo thanks to a very, very early summon of Nightingale, who'd already gotten to work as soon as they'd returned from Singularity F on reviving as many Masters as she could, which… had managed to save some of Team A, so this was clearly some sort of variant.
"Because this is the first time we get to do this together, now get on the bike!" Ritsuka ordered as Kadoc groaned, and climbed onto the Motored Cuirassier., Ritsuka grinning as she revved the engine.
The Ishtar Cup would be theirs! Hopefully
Riding the bike up to the starting line, Ritsuka chuckled as Kadoc groaned, before looking out at the crowd, and waving towards Anastasia, who was in the stands and waving towards them as well, with lots of other Servants still in the stands. A small honk from nearby had both masters look at their opponents.
Krischtaria waved from the passenger seat of the Jaguar Type-E that had been… borrowed from a singularity beforehand, and the driver was Caenis, who was grinning as she revved the engine. In the next lane over, Akuta was sitting on Xiang Yu's back, waving to Kadoc and Ritsuka with a practically unheard of smile across her face. The less said about Daybit and the skateboard that he was having towed by a golem he'd had Avicebron construct for him, the better, especially since Avicebron was on a second skateboard and being towed by the same golem, while Ophelia was sitting in a BMW 507 that her 'Pit crew' of several Valkyries, and Sigurd were cheering for her and her partner, Brynhildr, who had a massive grin on her face and was waving back at Sigurd as Ophelia honked the car horn.
Mash giggled from nearby as she and her partner, Mordred prepared to start their literal steam engine, something Mordred had managed to bribe Babbage into helping them make. It was a literal train engine without tracks that the pair were going to be driving, and Mash laughed as she pulled the whistle, the train giving off a loud blast of steam. And finally there was Pepe and his partner, which wasn't Ashwatthama, but Nemo, who had an entire pit crew of Nemos ready on standby to repair the formula one car that Pepe was going to be driving, with Nemo in the passenger seat. Only Beryl wasn't present…
No one knew that he'd been very discreetly not brought back for a very good reason.
"Rits, this is a bad idea." Kadoc tried to warn his partner, mostly because he realized they were the only team without a servant… or an actual super car.
"Kadoc I've been repeating the same few years of pain over twenty times at this point, let me have some fun." Ritsuka asked, and Kadoc just sighed, and prepared to hang on for dear life as the A-Team Ishtar Cup was about to begin.
Ishtar, up above in her pink jacket and cute swimsuit, waved the checkered flag, the Masters all prepared, or had their partners prepare. It had taken a lot of convincing for Ishtar to make the teams require Masters on them (and get her to consider the currently powerless Mash a Master), but it was gonna be worth it in Ritsuka's mind. "Alright racers! Is everyone ready!"
"Ready Pink!" Mordred shouted, Mash pulling out a whistle from a box in their train and blowing into it.
"We're ready," Krischtaria said calmly, looking towards Ritsuka and Kadoc, and pulling down his shades with a small smile, and a prepared gaze. No one wanted to lose this. Caenis just leaned forward, foot on the gas, ready to rock.
"We're green!" Nemo ordered, putting his helmet on as Pepe chuckled, flexing his fingers around the wheel, ready to drive this car to victory.
"Optimal." Both Daybit and Avicbron responded at the same time, both grasping their ropes tightly as the specially designed race golem, which looked like a massive dog, padded at the ground.
"Ready to roll." Ophelia said, standing up in the car for a moment as Brynhildr sat down, practically giggling as Sigurd was holding up a giant foam finger with her name on it, literally.
"Welp," Kadoc muttered, pulling down his goggles and adjusting his white swim shirt. Most of them were in swimwear anyway… and Ritsuka was in her two piece swimsuit… "We good!" the 48th master declared, revving the engine of the motorcycle.
"Alright!" Ishtar started, and raised her hand. "Three!" Everyone prepared. "Two!" Ritsuka grinned, and Kadoc prepared to hang on for dear life… "One!"
"GO!" Ishtar swung the flag, and Ritsuka hit the gas, the rest of the teams all hitting the dirt just as fast as they began their race to the finish line, a fun time for all involved.
1.5
"This is not France." Ritsuka complained as Mash scratched the back of her head.
"Uh, no Senpai, this isn't… but… the Rayshift coordinates said we'd be in France?" Mash asked. "Is this some sort of Variant?"
"I dunno, you tell me?" He responded, and Mash just chuckled as Ritsuka looked to the other Servants they'd brought along. Saber Alter, better known as Altria, and Cu Chulainn.
"Gee Master, you'd think things would always be the same." Cu started, resting his staff across his shoulders with a smirk on his face as Altria huffed.
"Shove it hound," the blackened Saber ordered, with relatively little bite to it. They'd both gone through at least four iterations of this time screwry together, so learning that they were all trapped in an endless loop of time had left her… a little miffed, but mostly curious. Cu was still Cu though, even if they'd learned he was a Pseudo-Servant of Odin.
"Right! First order of business, figuring out why the actual hell we're in the middle of a jungle!" Ritsuka ordered. To which all three Servants responded in the affirmative.
This lasted all of about twelve seconds before Altira screamed in panic, and Excalibur Morganed down half the jungle the moment a gigantic bee had appeared. She then proceeded to fiercely deny any form of girlish sound she had made while they were suddenly assaulted by an onslaught of thousands of giant bees, during which prodigious use of fire, two command seals, and Lord Camelot were used to prevent the four of them from becoming pincushions.
"Why are there so many bees!" Ritsuka complained as he curled up on the ground, rocking back and forth while Mash held Lord Camelot up, and Altira was trying to get Roman to send in all Servants, power generators be damned. Cu, for his part, just kept lighting the forest on fire.
"Beats me Master." Cu complained.
It wouldn't be until they meet the rogue Jeanne that Ritsuka basically broke down crying.
This singularity was the Hundred Years War of the Evil Bees, commanded by Jeanne Alter. And she had summoned six servants and given them bee powers via the holy grail. It was at that point Ritsuka had demanded Da Vinci beef up the generators, and send over everyone to face the greatest threat so far. An army of bees led by an evil queen.
This… was going to suck so hard.
1.1 (Cont.)
After Roman's report, and Olga's orders… Ritsuka's heart was racing as she stood before the summoning circle. Olga had… ordered her to summon a Servant, to complement Mash. She didn't know if one would respond… would they remember her? Him? All they'd been through?
"Senpai, are you alright?" Mash asked quietly, and Ritsuka took a deep breath, and nodded. They had no Catalyst beyond Mash's shield, so… that meant it would be just like normal. A random servant, at best…
Or would it be? Hinako… had explained once that memories could be used as a Catalyst, the bonds of friendship… But… would that work? Who would even come to her call?
...There was one she knew. Or she hoped. He had promised. Her friend. His friend.
"...Your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail, and if you submit to this will and this truth, then answer." The summoning ritual lit up, the familiar orbs arising as Olga watched on at the 'civilian's' summoning actually working. "An oath be sworn here. I shall attain all the Virtues of Heaven, I shall attain dominion over all evils of the Hells" She focused, concentrating on a single Servant, a single friend. A young man who'd fought alongside him towards Olympus, who gave his life to save them. His dying declaration that they were friends, and would remain so… She could feel the tears in her eyes, the friends she had lost.
And the friends she would regain. Raising her head, she commanded, and demanded. "O' Seventh Heaven attended by the three great words of power, come forth from the ring of deterrence, O' Protector of the balance! Come forth… My friend."
The summoning ritual flashed, a rainbow hue alight as the pillar of prana shot into the air. She could feel the forming contract tugging at her… and it was a familiar one. She… she smiled, and nearly launched herself forward as the prana died down, and she saw the young man kneeling down with a wooden blade in hand.
"My Friend…" he started, looking up, but eyes closed. "You… called. Servant Rider." he opened his eyes. "Mandri-" he said with a smile… before just staring.
Ritsuka crossed her as Olga just… stared. "Yeah, I know, we'll discuss it later." She muttered under her breath, certain he could hear her. "Just uh, take it in stride please, I'll explain later."
"Right… Master." he stood up slowly. "Rider, Mandricardo." he said with a smile. "Here to help."
"You summoned a Rider with a STICK as a weapon!" Olga screeched, and Ritsuka just sighed and Mandricardo just shook his head.
"Uh, Director. This is, Mandricardo, he's a… compatriot of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne." Mash said quickly, trying to calm down Olga, the Director huffing.
"Well I haven't heard of him, so he can't be that strong. Pfft, a third rate Servant for a fourth rate Master." Olga complained, and Mandricardo looked… rather ticked at that.
"Leave her alone. Let's get to work my Friend." Ritsuka said calmly, before starting to walk away, the Rider following her, and Mash picking up her shield and rushing after them.
"Hey! Don't just leave me here!" Olga complained, and followed after the trio.
"So uh… what's going on? Why are you a… girl?" he questioned with a whisper, and she just shrugged.
"Beats me, but we're back in time, this is the first Singularity ever, don't know why or how, but we'll manage, we always do." she whispered under her breath. He nodded softly. "If you break that, use a brick or something…"
"Gotcha," he muttered, trying to mull over everything in his head. "I didn't think summonings told you… everything."
"What do you remember?"
"Up till we were going to Avalon, and then listening to Goredolf complain for several days as time went by." He admitted quietly, sad he hadn't been able to assist in that endeavor. "And then… Well, you called out to me, so I came."
"Thanks for that my Friend." Ritsuka admitted, throwing her arm around Mandricardo, who chuckled.
"How do you know this Servant so well!?" Olga shouted, and Ritsuka just looked behind her.
"Well a 'Fourth Rate Master' has to keep up with Servants she can handle can't she. I did my homework," she jested, and Olga steamed, Mash coming up alongside them… and Ritsuka threw her arm around Mash's shoulders as well. "Let's get to work shall we!"
1.6
Kadoc Zemlupus was… concerned. Concerned that he was sitting in a helicopter, waiting for his chance to strike at Chaldea.
Hadn't he done this already?
Scratch that he knew he'd done this already. He'd destroyed Chaldea, retreated to Russia, got his ass beat, and then swapped sides when the remnants of Chaldea invaded Olympus, and then was knocked out by that bastard Douman. And now here he was again, sitting in this helicopter waiting for the chance to strike…
Also, for some stupid reason, his memories told him that Ritsuka Fujimaru was a woman, which clearly couldn't be right, since… well he was a guy. But he knew just the way to get answers without anyone interfering.
"Anastasia." He looked to his side, his princess, the woman he was willing to give his life for. The princess of his Lostbelt to be… that had been.
Then the signal came, the army of phantoms began to march as gunfire came throughout the building. He stood up, walking forward with Anastasia by his side. Last time Koyanskya and Anastasia had ambushed the master… no, this time he was going in himself.
"Koyanskya, I'll handle the Master myself." he ordered. He was fairly sure the woman wasn't going to listen.
"Oh? Does someone want to prove himself? Well, by all means! Take your time with the girl, hehe." she responded over the communicator. He tried not to shiver, he pulling up his hood, he nodded to Anastasia. "Let's go, we're going to put up a fight?"
"Are we not here to eliminate them Kadoc?" she questioned, and he closed his eyes.
"I… will explain when we return home Caster, but for now… please trust me." Kadoc whispered, and she looked at him with concern, before nodding as they walked side by side into Chaldea. Ice followed their steps as gunfire and explosions wracked the compound.
It was at an intersection he caught sight of the orange haired girl, rushing alongside Da Vinci and Mash towards someone. That… was Ritsuka? He ran forward, sliding to a stop after reaching the intersection. "Ritsuka! Face me."
There was a brief moment of pause as Ritsuka slid to a stop, she looked at Mash, who spun around, hefting the shield with her weak body as Da Vinci looked to Ritsuka. "Get Goredolf before she does," Ritsuka ordered.
"Be careful, this is a new one," Da Vinci warned, and Kadoc raised an eyebrow as the Caster ran off to go get the 'Director' of Chaldea, leaving him, Mash, Anastasia and Ritsuka in this hallway in a staredown.
"This is new… Kadoc," Ritsuka started, and crossed her arms as Mash stood up, shield raised, ready to defend her Master as Anastasia rounded the corner.
"Ritsuka." he started, before looking her up and down. "...why are you a woman?"
She stared at him, hard… "Why… is that the first thing… everyone asks…" she sulked, before looking up. "Let me guess, time?"
"I figured you would know what's going on," Kadoc said, hands in his pockets as Anastasia looked between the two.
"Kadoc, what is this about time?" she questioned, and Mash spoke up.
"It's… complicated miss Anastasia um…" she started, before she looked at Kadoc. "Are we going to fight then?"
"Have to, at least going to put on a show. Now summon that armor, we'll be speaking later Ritsuka." Kadoc retorted.
"Gotcha, Mash." Ritsuka raised her hand, "or rather Galahad, do your damn job." She ordered, the armor manifesting around Mash as her command seal went off.
The battle was quick, mostly just a show, as Kadoc commanded, before Da Vinci returned with Goredolf and Kadoc made a show of retreat due to her threatening to use her Noble Phantasm. He retreated further, back to the helicopter just as the Shadow Border took off from Chaldea, the rest of the compound froze over as he and Anastasia went off, flying towards Russia as Krishtaria's message was relayed across the word. Now all he had to do was wait… and try to figure out what the hell was going on while doing so.
He… kept quiet mostly during the meeting, outside of recalling what he said last time, and keeping to himself, awaiting Chaldea's arrival in his Lostbelt. He didn't know where their entry point was, but he was prepared to wait for them. He had things under control for now, and had managed to get Koyanskya to piss off with a bit of help from Anastasia and even Rasputin.
Needless to say, when he finally got word that a Mage matching Ritsuka's description was galavanting around with a woman with a shield and a random mage, he was quick to go after them, tell Anastasia he had unfinished business and that he would be alright.
"You know, you could have chosen a better method of contact," Ritsuka complained as she sat in the snow as Kadoc dismounted the Bicorn that he'd brought along, Ritsuka's own nearby as well, tied to a tree, like that was going to stop it if it really wanted to leave.
"Well I don't have a better one, now down to business." Kadoc complained as Ritsuka stood up, stretching as he looked her up and down. "First question…"
"No, I don't know why I'm a girl, I'll just say its random and there is a chance of me being a boy or a girl every iteration… maybe I should find a way for D'eon to help me with that…" Ritsuka explained, before losing her train of thought.
"Every iteration?" Kadoc questioned and Ritsuka nodded her head.
"Yeah, we're… trapped in some sort of massive time loop. This is… I think my seventeenth time through it? Starts in Singularity F, just after the explosion, and ends somewhere around the sixth Lostbelt, during it at some point." she explained, before amending that. "Actually it also has a chance of starting later, or once earlier. I decided to try and stop Lev from bombing the control room and got killed for that, then the very never iteration Mash told me everything went black after I confronted Lev, which was pretty much just after I'd died. I've had that happen once too, when Mash ended up uh… hehe, we got a bit overzealous in Avalon." Ritsuka muttered, ringing her hands.
"Avalon? You're talking about Beryl's Lostbelt." Kadoc muttered, that place was a shitshow as far as he knew, and Beryl had abandoned it due to… reasons. "Didn't he…"
"No, he didn't actually, Beryl ain't Beryl, he's been dead since day one, don't ask its complicated and its easier to show you. If there's anyone to compare to, do you have any idea about the puppet lady in Clock Tower,"
"Touko Aozaki, I've heard of her, most at the Clock Tower have… so how did you?" Kadoc questioned, and Ritsuka shrugged.
"I've gotten Craft Essences of her, and Ryougi and Fujino mention her sometimes, former more than the latter." Ritsuka waved him off, but he got the general idea. Beryl was like a puppet clone or something. All he really knew is that she was 'the Dollmaker',
"So, what's so screwed up about Avalon?" Kadoc questioned… and very quickly noticed the very, very far away look Ritsuka had in her eyes. Oh… "Uh… that bad."
"I don't wanna talk about it… I hate Avalon," Ritsuka answered darkly, he raised an eyebrow, but didn't press. "So… what's the plan?"
"You're asking me?" Kadoc questioned, and Ritsuka shrugged.
"I mean, after I figured out what happens to you in Olympus, if it's within my power we've managed to save you from Douman a few times, like, five so far. I've… been trying to save Krishtaria, but I haven't been able to yet, even knowing what happens."
"Back up, Krishtaria dies!?" Kadoc shot at her, ready to grab her by the collar for her failures.
"Fighting the Alien God head on with a Stab wound through the chest tends to result in that. And before you ask, Beryl's the one who stabbed him. Me and Pepe killed the fake Beryl for it in Avalon." Ritsuka claimed… and he let go, looking around and running a hand through his hair. "Look this is your first time around, so don't do anything crazy. We'll… catch up to you at some point. Will… you be alright?"
"Oh its fine… I'm just going to have the watch the woman I love die again…" Kadoc muttered, and Ritsuka put her hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry Kadoc…" Ritsuka offered softly. "I… I've lost and regained a lot of friends too… but I can help. Just… what do you need?"
"...Nothing you can provide right now. We need to see this to the end, then we'll figure something out." Kadoc muttered, walking towards his bicorn to mount it again.
"Kadoc," he turned, looking at the girl… who looked so much like him. Not in appearance, but she was… tired, stressed out. She'd been through this seventeen times with no end in sight… that would wear on anyone. "I"
"Save it Fujimaru," Kadoc offered coldly, before getting on his mount. "We have a world to save."
"Right… no matter how long it takes," Ritsuka said, looking up as Kadoc nodded, before taking off to return to the palace, Ritsuka remounting her own bicorn to return to her own group.
As that loop went on, they talked more, with Ritsuka giving Kadoc a communicator to hide from Da Vinci before Rasputin took him to Olympus. They didn't talk often… but… it helped, to have another to talk to, someone new.
1.7
Mash… tried, really, really hard to not giggle.
"This isn't that funny Mash!" Ritsuka complained as he hefted a familiar shield.
"I know but," Mash tried, and just burst out laughing as Ritsuka covered himself with the shield, looking very, very annoyed. This iternation, they'd swapped places for some reason, and Mash recalled a lot about her 'life' from before Chaldea, how she was the 48th master, and life in Japan as 'Gudako Fujimaru.' That of course left Ritsuka to be Ritsuka Kyrielight, and currently…
He was wearing her outfit from the first singularity and oneward only barely adjusted for the fact that, well, he was a guy. As funny as it was, it was an interesting situation.
"It'll be interesting to be the one receiving orders for a change…" Ritsuka muttered, and Mash nodded.
"Alright! Then I shall take on this burden! Let's save the world Senpai," Mash proclaimed, pumping her fists.
"I believe in this case you're the Senpai." Ritsuka pointed out, and she just smiled at that as Fou was rolling around on the ground, laughing his furry butt off. "Stop it, this is still serious!"
"Let's go!" Mash ordered, and Ritsuka just sighed as he picked up Fou, and followed the enthusiastic Mash. It would in interesting to see just how far they got…
As it turned out, they got to Okeanos before they failed, as they very quickly learned a small problem with the Hercules problem… Mash was not athletic enough, even with her alternate background, to outrun Hercules, which had ended very badly, even worse because Ritsuka was really, really trying to figure out how to be the one fighting, rather than the commander.
That ended with them back in Singularity F, and in normal positions, even if Ritsuka was a girl again. But it wasn't the end, they could try again later, whenever that happened again… after Ritsuka managed to reassure Mash that she wasn't a failure of a Master. Thankfully the next loop they got Ereshkigal as the first servant, and they had a very nice time welcoming her back when they'd realized she remembered too. And Olga was sputtering over the divine spirit that Ritsuka had summoned.
1.8
"Normally, I would call this a bad idea." Kadoc complained as Mash looked towards him.
"This is far from the worst idea Senpai's had. I still say that goes to the time he tried to use the Kaldiosticks together." Mash admitted, and Ritsuka sputtered.
"Hey! It worked didn't it!" Ritsuka complained as Da Vinci spoke up over the comms.
"It did, but you also blew yourself up and we were barely able to put you back together, which resulted in you dying against Solomon when you got into your normal fistfight with him." she provided, and Kadoc sighed.
"This plan will work, it's far easier to kill Hercules twelve times! And this time it's just normal Herc!" he declared, and Kadoc just shook his head.
They'd managed to bring in a team of seven servants into the third singularity, only two of whom were 'Awake' as it were. Cu Chulainn, Saber Alter (or Altria, as she called herself), Paris, Okada Izo, Ushiwakamaru, Gareth, and, most importantly for this 'plan' of Ritsuka's, a Foreigner, specifically Katsushika Housai and Oe'i.
Now here they were, standing on the island waiting for Herc to come crawling out of the sea. They'd managed to save Asterios from taking the plunge with Herc, so they had a bit of extra muscle, but Ritsuka was adamant that the Katsushikas would be their key to victory here.
The idea was as simple as it was stupid. Gareth, Mash and Cu were going to distract Hercules, forcefully in Gareth's case by using her Ring of Transformation to disguise herself as Euryale, while Altria was going to use Drake's Holy Grail to power herself up, leaving Okada and Paris to find Hercs weaknesses while Ushiwaka went for the head. Finally it would come down to Hokusai and Oei fighting Hercules, and somehow beating the greek hero in melee combat.
Forgive him for being skeptical that the kooky painter girl was going to be capable of beating fricken Hercules when none of the other, more famous and more powerful heroes had been unable to do it earlier… it really didn't help that Ritsuka had a very, very shit eating grin on his face as he complained about this.
"Just trust Senpai Kadoc, we've made stupider plans." Mash admitted, and he just sighed. Why was he the one who got dragged along… Why not Pepe, or Krishtaria for this? They were still chilling back at Chaldea on… right they were still on medical. Dammit!
When Hercules did come crawling out of the water, Ritsuka had ordered 'Operation: Great Wave' to go. And Kadoc counted the lives as the battle began. Gareth pretending to be Euryale was actually pretty damn helpful, especially with Mash keeping her covered while Cu tried to burn him from behind. That failed, but a sudden Excalibur Morgan ended up flinging the Berserker out to sea again… which apparently just pissed him off as he shot out of the water at the offending Saber. A snap of Ritsuka's fingers, thanks to his Combat Uniform mystic code, had swapped Altria and Mash with each other, allowing the shielder to easily block Hercules' strike before pushing him off as Ushwaka lept out of the trees, taking his head off with her own Noble Phantasm before God Hand brought him back. That was either the second or third life. But while he regenerated, Altria blasted him again, right into the ocean.
Herc was quick to leap back out again, already dodging the next Excalibur, only for Paris to get a lock on him, and blast the Greek hero back into the water with a blast of his own weakness exploiting Noble Phantasm. Ritsuka was just grinning like a madman as Herc flew out of the water again, only this time Cu summoned the Wicker Man, which made to grab the Berserker.
Which failed as he roared, and smashed the wicker construct's arm with a single swing of his blade, and then the other as Gareth charged, her transformation wearing off as she rammed Hercules at full force with her own Noble Phantasm, ripping a hole through him as she spun around, the Berserker rounding on her as Okada jumped down from atop the Wicker man, using his blade to rip into Hercule's back, and split him by the head before leaping out of the way before the Berserker could round on him and paste his sorry ass.
"I don't think anything else is going to work Ritsuka…" Kadoc muttered. Everyone except Cu and Mash had taken a life off him at this point, and Hokusai was still waiting to even engage. They didn't have enough variety to.
"Altria! Get him the water, Hokusai, you're up!" Ritsuka ordered, ignoring Kadoc's complaint as Altria, once again, blasted Hercules with another Excalibur Morgan and flung him into the water, Hokusai leaping out.
"Alright Master! My turn!" she declared, rushing out towards the water as Hercules came out again, roaring… as Ritsuka fired his Mystic Code enhanced Gandr at him. The blast hit its mark amazingly well for how fast Hercules was moving, something Kadoc just nodded at as Hercules stalled, but didn't stop, even as Oei twirled her brush. Kadoc could barely hear her declaration as… the ocean just seemed to flow, become styled in a very weird way.
"This was my plan Kadoc… the ocean itself was to be our weapon. Now witness…" Ritsuka said, with that same shit eating grin on his face. "The Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji!" He said, as Kadoc just watched… Oei swung her brush at Hercules, each swing practically erasing a section of his body, which grew back just as quickly. One, two, three, four… five. The artist screaming out as she turned to Ocean into an artistic work, even painting the sky as Hercules fell into the water. That was eleven total at this point, so…
"Cu, you're the only one left!" Ritsuka ordered, and the Caster smirked as he spun his staff, resummoning the Wicker Man once again as Hercules shot out of the water at Oei, who gasped as Ritsuka snapped his fingers again, swapping her out with Mash, which ended with Mash getting shot into the water at high speed, which had Ritsuka wincing, and Kadoc similarly as Hercules shot towards the beach again.
This time, Cu rushed forward to engage the Berserker in melee, grinning as he and the Berserker clashed, his runes giving him the strength to stand up to the hero as the Wicker man swung downward, Herc quickly diverting his attention to that, and smashing the arm as Cu slammed the tip of his staff into the Berseker's torso, aimed right at his heart. "Checkmate Berserker."
The gout of highly enhanced magical flame blasted clear through Hercules' torso, and left one last gaping hole in his body… and finally the greek hero toppled over, fading into golden dust as everyone gave a sigh of relief.
"If its stupid and it works, it ain't stupid Kadoc." Ritsuka jested, and Kadoc just huffed, rather impressed.
"What's up with Painter girl, how was she able to do that?" Kadoc questioned, and Ritsuka just tapped his head as Mash dragged herself out of the water and began conversing with Gareth over the battle.
"She's got a bit of a unique advantage there. Conceptual bypassing of God Hand and Divinity, not entirely but enough to rip off quite a few lives. Honestly if we'd had more time to prep, I'm fairly sure she could have taken him on alone." Ritsuka postulated, and Kadoc just… stared again, before sighing. He was going to be stuck with this insanity for the rest of eternity, wasn't he?
1.9
"Alright!" Ritsuka slammed his hands into the table. "So, everyone who remembers is here right?"
"Except for Kadoc, I think so Senpai." Mash pointed out as Ritsuka sat down and look around the table.
"It doesn't matter if he's here or not, we all know he is anyway." Akuta pointed out, currently clad in her 'Servant' outfit as it were, and Da vinci nodded, who happened to be in her backup body after this loop's encounter with Rasputin. No matter how the heck they tried to stop it, she always ended up stabbed in the chest and forced into her backup body, which had proven to be… annoying.
"So we're the only ones who remember these 'time loops' as it were?" Ereshkigal asked, and everyone looked at her with sympathy. The poor goddess had only gone through this twice, with Nemo currently holding the record for 'Most awake' aside from Ritsuka and Mash, who always were.
"It seems like it. And given the pattern, it is likely more will recall it in the future past," Nemo pointed out as Mordred groaned, and banged her head on the table.
"Why the hell do we gotta deal with this shit," she grumbled into the table, and Merlin, in a rare show of sympathy, just pat her on the back.
"Because no one else will Mordred, now perk up, your train stunt was still a fun one." Merlin jested, and Mordred looked up.
"I'm gonna ram that thing into Goetia when I make it again!" she declared, and just rested her head on the table.
"Get in line! I plan on using-" Nobunaga started, only for Okita to bonk her on the head.
"No tanks Nobu," the Saber ordered, and the warlord huffed, crossing her arms as Ritsuka sighed.
"So, what do we know so far." Ritsuka muttered, leaving Cu to look up.
"Well, we seem to be trapped in a really big time loop, huge shock there. Odin ain't telling me shit, so he ain't a help either. So far, me and Altria here have a tendency to both be awake at the same time, which is odd." Cu explained.
"There is nothing strange about it Hound." she declared, rubbing the head of Cavall II, who she had managed to force Ritsuka to save this time around, which had been a chore in itself. "We are both connected to Singularity F, which is where these 'Loops' almost always start." she expositied, and Kotaro raised an eyebrow.
"But then what of the rest of us, why us?" The ninja questioned and the Altered Saber just shrugged.
"Like we're gonna have all the answers red," Mordred complained as Mandricardo tapped his fingers to the table.
"Maybe it has something to do with our connections to Master? I mean, I know I was awake the very first time Ritsuka summoned me, I mean, wasn't that the very first loop?" He pointed out.
"Technically the second maybe?" Ritsuka questioned, and shrugged, he wasn't sure.
"But then how do you explain the lack of Jeanne Alter, or Holmes? Why not Goredolf or Roman. Or Astolfo and Robin Hood, surely you've noticed it?" D'eon pointed out.
"You're referring to the fact that no matter what, most of you are pretty much always in Chaldea, even if you aren't 'awake'." Ritsuka positited, and D'Eon nodded.
"Yes, you yourself admit that a majority of us are in Chaldea at one point or another, typically before the First Grand Order ends, and that does seem to be our typical point of summoning. The odd ones out there are Akuta, Mandricardo and Nemo, I will admit but…" D'Eon continued, and Mash spoke up.
"If it does have something to do with a connection to Senpai and me? Then it does make a bit of sense for Nemo and Mandricardo. Even Akuta." Mash admitted, and Mandricardo nodded.
"I mean, Ritsuka is my best friend, and I'm fairly certain he's capable of summoning me just using his memories as the catalyst, a bond doesn't get much deeper than that does it?" Mandricardo pointed out, and even Akuta nodded at that one.
"That is the way I summon Lanling normally." she admitted.
"Anyway!" Ritsuka put his hands on the table, before looking up. "We're about to hit Atlantis again, so since we're all here, what's the plan?"
"Kadoc is awake right?" Akuta asked, and Ritsuka nodded.
"Yeah and I gave him the communicator in Russia." Ritsuka nodded.
"Well… How about we find a way to take down Artemis without losing all the Argonauts?" Madricardo asked, and Ritsuka just smiled at that one.
"Difficult, since we have yet to manage that one yet, but I'm sure we can find a way eventually. Let's get to it shall we?" Ritsuka decided.
They were not able to do that, even if they did manage to keep Bart and Chiyome alive that time via a poison obtained from a Hydra in an earlier singularity to replace Chiyome's self sacrifice, and Bart being kept alive by Ereshkigal's blessing. It was progress.
1.1 (Cont.)
Mandricardo grimaced as he held his side. That lancer, Medusa, had hit pretty hard with that scythe. He was still nursing the wound from the fight, even now. Sure Caster had been a great help, and had even taken out Medusa with Mash's aid, while he'd had to deal with keeping Ritsuka and Olga safe in the meantime from some opportunities skeletons, and Cursed Arm Hassan, or the corrupted version of him. The Assassin had been far easier to put down than Lancer had been.
Now Caster had stayed behind to fight the corrupted Archer EMIYA, leaving him and Mash to fight the final servant, Saber. He held his latest weapon, which wasn't a brick as Ritsuka had suggested, but a piece of stalagmite that he'd had Mash break off from the cave around them he was holding as a weapon. Getting a new weapon would probably be a bigger problem if he lost this one…
Now, he and Mash had Saber Alter before them, Ritsuka and Olga standing off to the side and Fou sat on his friend's shoulder. According to Ritsuka, last time she had D'Eon's help against the black Saber, and Mash had been far less experienced than she was now. She wasn't as strong, sure, but she was a better fighter, and had a better grasp of Galahad's abilities than she did previously.
Mash charged forward, blocking the beam of black with her shield, pushing forward against the darkness as he circled around, leaping as Saber Alter from the left. She looked towards him, and swung her sword in said direction, redirecting her beam towards him. Ritsuka raised her arm, and very quickly, the small boost in speed allowed him to avoid being blasted as he spun in the air, weapon alight with blue as Mash closed in on Saber Alter.
He swung downward with a shout, only for her to dodge backwards, and flipping in the air, kicking him away, hard, before bringing her sword down on Mash's shield, a glare in her gaze as the Shielder stood strong against the blackened Excalibur. "Damn she's tough!" he complained under his breath… It didn't help that he was currently pretty damn weak himself. With only Ritsuka to supply him with prana, and having to share between him and Mash, that split of power at the moment wasn't helping them against the black king.
"Hmph, this is the best humanity has to offer?" Saber Alter posited, before looking towards Ritsuka, who glared her down… and almost instantly lost all that glare, causing the black saber to raise an eyebrow. "Hmm? A spark of familiarity? Interesting," the alter noted, before turning back to Mash and him. "Now stand up, and die like knights."
"I ain't going to die her lady," Mandricardo shot to his feet, Mash getting up as well as Ritsuka tapped Olga.
"Hey you got another of those rocks?" she asked, and Olga huffed, before handing one over, Ritsuka tossing it up and down for a moment before preparing… "Twenty meters… just need to get it…" she muttered.
Mandricardo ran as Saber Alter, her sword enveloped in blue as he swung his makeshift sword, the rock clashing with holy blade, blue against black as Mash lept up and dove down from above, Saber Alter leaping back to swing at her, only for Mash to spin on the top of her shield, and kick Saber Alter in the face, knocking her back as he lept over her and slammed his weapon downward, or tried to.
Saber Alter recovered quickly, swinging her sword upward and clashing with his weapon… shattering it before pulling one hand off her sword and blasting him in the chest with a beam of dark energy, sending him flying away as Mash grabbed her shield and blocked the next attack. He seethed, even as Ritsuka's healing ran over him. He felt the prana flow drain from him, Ritsuka was swapping to focus entirely on Mash, since he was down for the moment… dammit!
Now in a one on one duel, Saber Alter didn't let up her offense on Mash, but when she backed off, Ritsuka nodded and held up her hand, ready to aid as Saber Alter raised her blade.
"Excalibur!" the black saber started, darkness erupting from her sword as Mash held up her shield.
"Lord!"
"-MORGAN!"
"-CAMELOT!"
The walls of the kingdom rose, Saber Alter's face gaining a look of surprise as the walls of her kingdom stood against her, the shield that defended it before her. The pillar of darkness smashed against the blue shield that protected the wall, on Ritsuka's hand, a command seal faded away… her command for Galahad to allow Lord Camelot to be used had come to pass. Olga Marie was watching in awe at the clash between knights, and Mandricardo could only stare as the beam of black was repealed back at Saber Alter, smashing her with her own attack and Lord Camelot faded away, Mash panting as Saber Alter stood strong, scratched and scuffed, but not fallen.
"Hmph… impressive, knight of the shield." She started, before raising her sword again. "But can you do it again?"
Mash grimaced, and raised her shield again, but before they could clash… a familiar voice spoke.
"My spell is the coffin of flames, a giant bird and thorn of retribution, a shrine that will purify human misery!" Mandricardo looked, as everyone did, as Cu Chulainn, notably without his shirt and coat, rushed past Mash. "I'm impressed you held out this long."
"And now the Wicker Man, BEFALL!" he commanded, pointing his staff at Saber Alter, causing his Noble Phantasm to rise from below her. She cut off her own in an attempt to escape, but to no avail as the burning giant grasped her in one hand, throwing her within the cage before falling to the ground, a giant of pure flame emerging and shooting into the sky as everyone watched, Mandricardo standing back up and returning to Mash's side as Ritsuka moved to join them as well.
Saber Alter stood once more as the smoke cleared… but she made no move to attack. "Victory of the power that protects… I see now, indeed its just as I'd expect." and then, she smiled. "Ultimately no matter how fate may change whatever the outcome, the fact that I face it alone remains…" she admitted as she began to fade.
"That's… different from last time…" Ritsuka muttered under her breath as Mash nodded, but thankfully no one else heard them.
"And what do ya mean by all that?" The Caster asked and glared at her. "Are you trying to tell us something?"
"One day you'll know the answer, Ireland's child of light, the Grand Order." Saber Alter revealed, and Olga gasped. "While our part in the struggle has ended, the battle for the Holy Grail has just begun."
"Wait a second, what do you mean by-" Cu started, before he too began to fade. "Dammit…" he turned to face the trio. "You three, I'm leaving the rest to you."
"You got it Caster," Ritsuka responded, and he smirked, resting his staff across his shoulders.
"Hmph, if there's a next time, I suggest you summon me there as a Lancer." He added, as both he and Saber Alter faded away.
"Yeah… that's not happening Caster," Ritsuka said with a soft smile, Mash smiling as well, as they reminisced on their friend's departure, for now. Nearby Olga was… thinking, thinking on Saber Alter's words as the three of them approached her, Roman coming in over the comms to congratulate them all on the singularity being cleared.
Even as Olga congratulated them for once, especially impressed at Mash's use of Galahad's Noble Phantasm, Ritsuka gripped the stone in her hand tightly. She was only going to get one shot, and she hoped it would do… something. If nothing else, it would spite the target of her ire in moments.
And then the clapping began. Mandricardo huffed as Mash raised her shield, Ritsuka glaring as Olga looked up as well, all of them staring as Lev revealed himself once more. And as he began his speech, and Olga tried to comprehend the situation, Rituska took a pitcher's stance. "Twenty Meters… right between the eyes."
As Lev raised his fingers to summon CHALDEAS… Ritsuka threw the stone, the rock the director had given her impacting Lev's face with pinpoint precision before exploding. "Bullseye!"
But when the smoke cleared… he was unamused. "Petulant insects… did you really think that would do anything to stop this?" He snapped his fingers… and CHALDEAS came forth. The Revelation of Humanity's Incineration.
"Everyone hang on!" Ritsuka ordered, grabbing onto Fou and Mash as Mandricardo held onto his shoulder, even as Olga Marie was being drawn towards incineration.
"Why can't we-" Mandricardo started, and Ritsuka closed her eyes…
"We can't… we can't grasp the dead…" she said softly, even as Olga screamed in fear. "Director…"
As Lev kept up his speech, Mandricardo held on tighter as the man finished, the singularity collapsing as Ritsuka hung onto Mash and Fou. When everything finally went dark…
Mandricardo didn't return to consciousness until he found himself in a bed, he shot up, looking around in confusion… before sighing in relief. The contract hadn't broken… and… he was in… Chaldea? He'd never been her before, only the imitation created in the wandering sea. He got out of the bed he was in, and walked towards a window, looking outside at the blizzard beyond. He raised his head. "So… this is to be our new story huh?" he flexed his fingers and looked at his armored hand. "This time… I get to help save the world."
He smiled, and then smirked. "Watch out everyone… here I come!" He cheered to himself…
This adventure… Perhaps this second go around would be a blessing? He got to join his Friend. And so many others… in this Grand Order.
What fate would the future bring then?
AN: So everyone… welcome to the first chapter, hopefully the first of many. For those here new to the Infinite Loops project, I'll be borrowing the rules for a second from Saphroneth's compilation, the MLP Loops.
Nobody knows exactly how Loops happen at first.
These loops tend to involve a complete reset to the start of the "Series" in question. Only Loops keep their memories after resets, and only for loops they are awake for.
Normally one Looper is the Anchor, but due to the Nasuverse, and Grand Order in particular being unstable, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mashu Kyrielight are Co-Anchors, the first to loop and the pair who are always awake. Others will eventually join them, and retain their memories as shown here with Mandricardo and other 'Awake' Servants, as well as Kadoc.
Resets are not always perfect. Sometimes a loop's history will be different to the "Prime' loop, or the canonical plot. These are Variant Loops. For example, Ritsuka summoning different Servants in the first Singularity can lead to some… differences, as mentioned by the extremely early summon of Nightingale allowing a rescue of Team-A, which completely throws the Lostbelts plot into a state of utter kerfuffle. Or Jalter, Queen of Bees.
Fusion loops can also occur, at random. These can involve the home loopers having a quest, or the anchor for one universe spending time in another or replacements. Due to how Grand Order works, if it is the Base Loop, more often than not Singularities will be replaced by 'Crossovers' For example, say Bablyonia is replaced by Naruto, it would be an alternate version of the Fourth War, complete with the Ten Tails/Kaguya replacing Tiamat, with all the horror that implies.
Vacation loops happen when the loopers, including the anchor decide 'screw this' and don't bother maintaining the timeline. Due to Grand Order, and Ritsuka being nice guy or girl depending on the loop, he/she is rarely the one to do this. But it can happen, the Servants are far more likely to initiate shenanigans.
Loop Duration is variably, and here, the normal 'Start' is Singularity F, just after the explosion, and the loop resets just after defeating Morgan in Avalon currently, and the end point will expand as more chapters of Grand Order come out and are translated to english.
All loopers of mind boggling stir crazy… but the infinite variance of the Grand Order helps with that.
For anyone familiar with the project, I would like assistance in figuring out how Spacebattles works, eventually. For anyone who wants to submit a snippet before then, please, PM me your ideas, and you will be credited! I don't have a moderator or anything, but hey, I'll do what I can.
And with that… the Battle to take back Humanity's Future enters the Infinite Loops!