"Hey Doc, you got a minute?" Ritsuka asked as he walked into the sanctum
"No come along in" Strange said to the boy rather kindly "Tea?"
"No thanks, I was just wandering something about our new servants" Ritsuka said as he and Strange were suddenly in the sitting room
"you're wondering why they're the class they are" Strange said
"Not exactly, but what do you mean by that" Ritsuka asked
"Well the easiest way I can describe things are that they could have been a different class of servant" Strange said
"Seriously?" Ritsuka asked
"Yes, the only ones who couldn't be a different class would be the Lancer class and Shielder class" Strange said
"Okay so, how could they be different?' Ritsuka asked
"Let's begin with Shiro's Saber class servant, at one point in her life she was an assassin so she could have easily been an assassin" Strange said
"Interesting" Ritsuka said
"Rin's Archer could have been a Saber or an Assassin; but his main aspect of being his sharpshooting gave him the archer class, however" Strange said
"What is it?" Ritsuka asked
"That is something for another time" Strange said
"Understood" Ritsuka said "Continue please
"Now Illya's new Berserker could easily have been a caster as well"
"How so?" Ritsuka asked
"Well he is able to control the elements such as lightning and thunder, and able to use a very powerful and ancient type of magic" Strange explained
"And he's a Berserker because?" Ritsuka asked
"He literally is, a berserker I mean, he's an Asgardian warrior"
"You make it sound like he's the actual Thor" Ritsuka said
"He might be" Strange said "Let's talk about Shinji's assassin"
"Which I'm taking could be the reverse of Shiro's Saber instead of being an assassin he could have been a Saber" Ritsuka said
"Correct, now the next one is the inverse of Illya's Berserker is Issei's Caster. She could have the potential to be a Berserker" Strange said
"Madness?" Ritsuka asked concerned
"Unfortunately" Strange said as he frowned
"And Sakura's Rider?" Ritsuka asked
"He's a bit trickier but he could be an archer quite easily since he's a marksman" Strange said
"Interesting" Ritsuka said frowning
"You're thinking about how you can save Shielder without hurting her aren't you?" Strange asked
"I am, but so far nothing has come to me, so I guess I have to be her servant side to get her back"
"Which means she'll lose the ability to use her servant abilities" Strange said
"If I have to sacrifice her servants abilities to save her life, then so be it" Ritsuka said making Strange smile
"Again" Illya said as she was barely standing while in her magical girl form
"You can barely stand up" Psylocke said
"AGAIN!" Illya shouted
"Listen to her young one" Thor said "You will be useless for the next couple of days"
"And if my powers aren't strong enough?" Illya asked
"Then it is okay" Psylocke said "Look we know you want to get you powers stronger so you don't have to rely on your brother and his friends anymore as well as defending them and us, but at the end of the day you're still learning how to handle your abilities which is going to be tiring for you okay?" Psylocke gently asked
"Okay" Illya said looking down
"Hey, you did really well today master, maybe after you rest up you can try again" Thor said "alright"
"I thought I felt her here" Ritsuka said downtown "and since I said this was just going to be a quick errand Shielder isn't with me" he muttered
"Senpai?" a voice said
"Mash, there you are" Ritsuka said feeling a bit relieved
"What are you doing here?" Mash asked looking nervous
"Just getting some groceries, what about you?" he replied
"I was sent here because Caster sensed something powerful was in the city, I didn't find it but I found you and if she finds out you're here" Mash said nervously as she pulled the two out of the public eye
"I know that, and I know that I will get you back" he said smiling softly
"I know, but it will not be easy senpai" Mash said
"Then it will be that more rewarding when you are back on our side" Ritsuka said
"I agree" Mash said leaning against him
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything" a voice sneered
"LANCER!" Ritsuka said
"Good job Shielder, sure that mysterious signature disappeared, but at least we got an enemy combatant" Lancer chuckled "Who knows, maybe you can keep him for a pet"
"I suppose" Mash said looking away
"Sorry kiddo them the breaks, but I got to take you back now" Lancer said
"Oh don't be sorry since you're not taking him" a voice said as a blur of red and black smashed into Lancer's face flinging him back "Just a small errand huh Master?" Red Guardian asked as he walked into the area
"It was" Ritsuka said as a bright light changed Mash into her Shielder form
"She pretty" Red Guardian said smiling "I see why you to save her, like knight in old fairy tale" he laughed making the two teens blush "Oh that is cute" he chuckled
"Hey Santa" Lancer said getting up
"One moment" Red Guardian said picking up his shield and tossing it in the air before punching it into Lancer's face "Stubborn isn't he"
"Is this your new servant?" Shielder asked
"It is" Ritsuka said
"He seems like a good choice for you" Shielder said
"Thank you little one" Red Guardian said before Lancer's spear struck Red Guardian's shield, "Think your little stick is going to scare me?" he chuckled before he felt something impact his shoulder. Looking around Red Guardian didn't see anyone but he knew who was there and so did Ritsuka
"Archer" Ritsuka said
On a rooftop nearby was Archer, he frowned as he created another arrow and aimed at Ritsuka, the last one he fired was shot into the shoulder of his servant
"Impressive, most go down after one shot, but since you're holding that wound from it, it leaves me open to kill your master...sorry Mash I know you love him but we can't ignore her orders" Archer said before he had to dodge, looking around he growled when he didn't see anything
"Yoo-Hoo" Hawkeey shouted out "Over here old man"
"Old man?" Archer snarled "That better be a crack about my hair"
"And your eyesight, especially if you can't see me" Hawkeye smirked as he aimed at Archer while standing behind him, luckily he was standing downwind so Archer couldn't pick up on him
"So you're Rin's new servant huh, never thought she would go for an Archer class again, then again her family's bloodline has always relied on the Archer class to see them through the war" Archer said scanning the area
"Yeah, but you have to admit, I'm better looking than you" Hawkeye said
"Debatable" Archer said as he pulled out his swords and swung behind him hitting air.
"Try again Asshole" Hawkeye said shooting one of them out of his hands "Maybe you're not as good as you thought you were" Hawkeye said as he fired more at Archer who ducked behind cover
"Damn" Archer said "I'm pinned down, Shielder, get up here now!" Archer shouted mentally
'Right' Shielder said
"No way this gets worse" Archer shouted
"Hey there" Daredevil said hitting Archer with his billy club "You're lucky I was in the area"
"Thank you" Hawkeye said
"Damn Archer" Red Guardian said as he pulled the arrow out of his shoulder
"So he's trying to kill me this time rather than Shiro" Ritsuka said as he turned to looked at Shielder tenderly
"Don't look at me like that Senpai" she said saddened
"I know I shouldn't be I still feel the same way about you regardless if you're fighting against me or not" Ritsuka said
"Senpai" Shielder said
"Listen little Shielder to good advice, trust your heart, it will to good path" Red Guardian said
"And if I don't?" Shielder asked
"Tragedy will occur, whether you want it to or not" Red Guardian said
"I understand" she said jumping away making Ritsuka looked down
"So you think you can take me" Archer said
"I have a feeling, I have in the pass" Daredevil said as he twirled his baton
"And he'll have a better chance since I'm here as well" Hawkeye smirked
"Either way, you will not be walking away from this unharmed" Daredevil said before swinging at Archer's head, while Hawkeye swung at Archer's leg making the servant have to make his horizontal in the air to avoid the two attack, upon landed he struck Daredevil in the face with his foot, leading him into elbowing Hawkeye in the face making the two heroes recoil. He then smirked summoning a sword and tried to skewer Daredevil, only for Hawkeye to use his bow to block the sword and retaliated with knee to the waist before he jumped back next to Daredevil
"This guy is tough" Hawkeye said
"Just be luck he's not her Saber class servant" Daredevil said
"Your father's old servant?" Hawkeye asked
"Yeah" Daredevil said "she's always been tough"
"And don't think she'll go easy on you" Archer said
"I would be disappointed if she did" Daredevil smirked
"and I think she would be disappointed in you" Archer said suddenly appearing behind Daredevil swinging his blade down on his head, thankfully his enhanced senses enabled him to dodge it before using his own weapon to knock it away before jumping back to give Hawkeye an opening to fire several arrows at the red and black clad servant.
"Stand back" Shielder shouted swinging her shield at Hawkeye
"WHOA!" the hero said rolling backwards
"About time you join us" Archer said
"I was preoccupied" she growled
"Anyway we should go" Archer said
"WHAT!" the fighters shouted
"You're bowing out now?" Daredevil asked
"We are" Archer said grabbing Shielder's shoulder before teleporting away
"That was anticlimactic" Hawkeye said disappearing
"That was a bit unexpected, but for now I need to talk to Ritsuka" Daredevil said as he removed his helmet and looked down, Ritsuka getting the message.
"So what did you what to talk to me about?" Ritsuka asked as he and Shiro were standing in the backyard of the Emiya residence
"Since this place is already housing several of us, I want you to move in here, and don't worry there's plenty of room" Shiro said
"I get that it would be safer, but wouldn't it be easier for Caster top pick us off?" Ritsuka asked
"The magical wards around this place is stronger than the average ones thanks to Rin and Illya to reinforce the ones my father set up" Shiro said "Look I know you are trying to get Mash away from Caster, but you can't do it as a solo act, if you live here we can work together to try and get her back to our side" Shiro said
"I guess, but" Ritsuka started
"Now is not the time for if or buts, we need to think clearly and then once this is all over we can reflect on everything" Shiro said placing a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder
"Alright, I'll move in tomorrow, but what will Fujimura sensei think about this?" Ritsuka asked
"That is one of those things we will worried about later" Shiro laughed
"Are you sure this is the right city?" a girl asked as a trio of strangers stood in the middle of Fuyuki, seemingly unnoticed by the crowd
"I am" another member of the trio said
"We have to be careful, you don't know who here wants us dead" the third said as he looked around
"Or our power" the girl said
"So keep hidden" the first male figure said
"Yeah, yeah so where are we going anyway?" the girl asked
"You'll see when we get there" the third figure said acting as the leader
"Okay, old man. Just this better be worth my time" she said snarkly.
G'day Guys Grizz here so the starting conversation between Dr Strange and Ritsuka was something I was thinking of while writing the previous chapter "I thought since they could have easily have fitted into other classes. Another thing that is different this time is the main romantic angle will be the relationship of Ritsuka and Mash since they were close in the last fic and she is his main motivation, not saving the city, not the grail, not ending the war her. Also those three characters at the end are the mystery characters I am going to reveal later chapter, one which will be a bit of fun
So until next time I'll catch you on the flipside.