Hello! Another chapter is up! I sincerely apologize for the very long hiatus on this story. Since I had just entered college, it was important for me to focus on my school work. While I can not make any promises for an update schedule, the chapters I do post will be lengthy so you don't have to be too disappointed with any hiatus that pops up. I'm also thankful for those who have stuck with this story despite there being only one chapter and the new favorites/follows. It helps with my motivation to continue writing even during school.
Anyways, there's more notes at the bottom so be sure to read that and enjoy this new chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own FGO or their servants, nor do I own any specific details/events portrayed in GhostXavier's series. I own only my OCs.
Enjoy!
"Masters, the enemy has been defeated." Artoria said as she pulled her invisible blade from the skeleton, the fallen monster disintegrating as she did so. From nearby Mashu slammed her shield down on a wiggling limb.
"I believe it is safe enough for the Director to come out now." The Demi-Servant added. The three Masters nodded.
"Olga! You don't have to be scared anymore!" Ritsuka called out. An angry yell answered her from a giant rock nearby.
"I'm not scared!" Olga Marie yelled indignantly as she appeared from her hiding place with Sasaki Kojiro. "And what did you call me?!" Gudao flinched and quickly elbowed his cousin.
"Let's try not to piss off the Director anymore. I don't think my ears can take it anymore." He murmured to her.
"Fou!" Fou said in agreement on Gudao's shoulder before he jumped off and ran towards Mashu. Tsubaki rolled her eyes.
"That's only because Ritsuka keeps teasing her." The redhead said. "Otherwise Director Animusphere is usually calm." Ritsuka gave her look that said otherwise but didn't say anything. Instead she looked at her surroundings.
"Hm...the Servants we sent scouting sure are taking a long time. You think they'd be back by now." The female Fujimaru said.
"I heard Fuyuki City is a big place. Perhaps that's why." Gudao reasoned. Then he frowned. "But then again they seem to know this place pretty well. I wonder why?" Tsubaki thought the same thing as the woman watched Sasaki talk with Artoria after Olga Marie began to argue with Ritsuka again. After the summoning, Tsubaki and the others quickly explained what exactly was happening and where they were. At the mention of Fuyuki, all the Servants seemed shocked. Even the Berserker Heracles, whom Olga Marie explained was under a Madness Enchantment due to his class, seemed slightly perplexed at the name. Curious as to why they seemed familiar with the place, Tsubaki had questioned Medea before she left to scout.
"We...all participated in the same Holy Grail War here in Fuyuki City." Medea answered. "That's why we were shocked when you summoned us here." However, Tsubaki felt as though there was something else that the Servants were keeping from her and the rest of the Masters though she wasn't sure what. Just then, Olga Marie called out to her.
"Tsubaki Koizumi. There is something I need to discuss with you and the other Masters now that there are no enemies nearby." The Director said. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Tsubaki walked over to where Olga was standing with Gudao and Ritsuka. Based on her expression, the albino seemed displeased.
"Is something wrong Director Animusphere?" Tsubaki asked once she arrived. Olga Marie nodded.
"Yes. It has to do with the...final Servant summoned." She answered hesitantly. Immediately the Masters shared a look. The last Servant that was summoned, Karna, was indeed a strange occurrence.
"The circumstances surrounding Karna's summoning are far too peculiar to ignore." The Director continued. "However, that is not the only concern I have. Tell me, do any of you know about his origins?" Ritsuka and Gudao shot a glance towards Tsubaki.
"Don't look at me! I don't know what legend he's from!" The redhead quickly said.
"But then how did you know his True Name?" Gudao questioned. "I don't think you just happened to guess his name correctly." Tsubaki bit her lower lip. No matter what he said, Gudao was right. The way she just said Karna's name fell out so smoothly, as though the woman had said it a million times. Coupled that with the tears she shed at the sight of him indicated something. But what exactly? Olga Marie sighed.
"Regardless of that fact, Karna was a hero from the Mahabharata." The director explained. Ritsuka blinked her eyes.
"Mah-bruh-what?" She tried repeating. Olga Marie groaned as she face palmed herself.
"The Mahabharata! It is an epic from India!" She exclaimed. "But that's not the point! In the epic, Karna was the son of Surya the Sun god. Records from previous Holy Grail Wars indicated that Karna uses an insane amount of mana. I don't even know if the three of you combined can keep supplying him sufficient mana to use his abilities!" Gudao frowned.
"That's if we can. For some odd reason, I can't really feel a connection to him." The male Fujimaru noted as he looked towards the direction where some of the Servants were. Sasaki and Artoria were now talking with Mashu while Fou slept on Heracles' shoulder, the Berserker standing stoically under a nearby bridge. "I can feel the connection with the other Servants just fine but Karna's feels so much more faint." Ritsuka nodded in agreement.
"Well, there may be a reason to that." A familiar voice said, causing Tsubaki to jump a little. Everyone watched as Roman appeared via the communications links. Tsubaki sighed. Though the doctor had made use of the device a little while ago to communicate with them, it still surprised her when he spoke. Olga Marie narrowed her eyes at him.
"What do you mean there's a reason?" She questioned. Roman sighed and scratched the back of his head as he tried to explain.
"Well, while most of our staff are currently working on the Rayshift repairs, I was busy with investigating the newly summoned Servants via the FATE system. I thought it be a good idea to see what the Heroic Spirits are capable of since our three Masters probably don't know how to analyze them." The doctor began. "That's when I noticed something strange with the final Servant. If I'm reading this correctly, then Gudao and Ritsuka aren't actually Karna's Masters."
"Wha-?! What do mean they aren't his Masters?!" The Director demanded. "Karna didn't say anything about that!" What Olga Marie said wasn't a lie. After the strange introduction, the Lancer listen carefully as the Chaldeans explained the dilemma and even obediently went scouting when Gudao ordered him to with the others. Tsubaki thought it was strange that Karna would let someone other than his actual Master order him.
"There's no doubt Karna does consider Gudao and Ritsuka as his Masters, at least to a certain degree." Roman corrected. "However, it seems that he's sworn most of his loyalty to a single Master." Tsubaki swallowed nervously as she realized what the temporary director meant.
"You mean, the 'single Master' is me?" She asked hesitantly. Romani nodded. Suddenly, the group heard Mashu yell.
"There seem to be more enemies approaching!" The Demi-Servant warned as she readied her shield. From the distance the group saw a mob of skeletons rush towards them.
"W-We can talk later!" Roman stuttered before disappearing. Immediately Olga Marie ducked behind the rock she hid before as the Masters organized their Servants.
"Mashu, stop the mob at the bridge!" Gudao ordered. Mashu nodded and slammed her shield down.
"Artoria, Sasaki! Cover Mashu's back!" Tsubaki commanded. The Saber and Assassin briefly disappeared and reappeared at Mashu's side, guarding her from any potential enemies.
"Heracles, go all out!" Ritsuka yelled. "But be careful of our allies!" The Berserker, once quiet, roared loudly at her command. Fou yelped in shock and jumped onto the ground just Heracles launched himself into the enemy forces. The furry creature quickly rushed over to Gudao and jumped onto his shoulder.
"Is it just me or does there seem to be less than before?" Ritsuka murmured as she scanned the forces. Gudao frowned.
"Seems like it." He answered. "But where did the rest go? Suddenly, Olga Marie screamed.
"Gah! They're coming from the other side!" The Director shrieked as she ran towards them. The Masters turned around and saw yet another wave of skeletons approach them, this time larger than before. Tsubaki tsked and looked back to where the Servants were. It seemed that they were all preoccupied by the forces on the other side.
"I don't think Mashu and the others can help us right now!" Tsubaki yelled out as she shielded Olga Marie, the Director running behind her for protection. "We need the other Servants! We don't have the means to take all these monsters by ourselves!" Suddenly, in the middle of the enemy forces, an explosion was set off. Soon more explosions followed the first.
"Are those swords hitting the ground?!" Ritsuka shouted as she kicked a skeleton that got too close. Immediately as she did so, the monster was impaled by a blood colored spear.
"Sorry for being so late Master!" Cu Chulainn announced as he pulled his weapon from the disintegrating bones. "Hope ya aren't too bruised up! Archer's up on top of some building picking off the enemy and Caster's here behind ya!" Just as he said that, Medea unleash a powerful spell that disintegrated the skeletons that got too close to the masters.
"Cursed Arm! Are you going to stay hidden in the shadows or are you going to fight for our Masters?!" Caster shouted. A scoff answered the Servant's answered as a row of skeletons were decapitated, the Assassin appearing from the shadows as his enemies turned to ashes.
"Have you no faith in me? I will not let a single one touch our Masters!" He declared before retreating into the shadows once more to attack. Tsubaki, awed at the immense power the Heroic Spirits displayed, suddenly felt her bracelet grow abnormally hot. Grimacing as she grabbed her arm, Tsubaki noticed that the skeletons began to retreat.
"Huh? They're...backing off? That's new." Ritsuka noted as the skeletons retreated away. "Perhaps they finally got the idea that they can't win?"
"It's not like these are intelligent creatures." Medea said as EMIYA appeared before the group. "They are just skeletons after all. I sense something is about to happen." As though to prove Caster's words, sinister laughter began to echo in the suddenly quiet environment.
"Aren't you the observant one, Caster?" The voice said. "Or should I say, Medea?" Suddenly, chains appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the Masters, cutting them off from the Servants. The Servants readied their weapons as the enemy revealed themselves to be a black hooded woman wielding a sickle shaped weapon. Long purple hair flowed down her body that was tattooed with blood colored marks, her golden eyes staring at the Masters with amusement as the Chaldeans tried to find a way out.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The woman warned the Masters, lips stretching into a malicious smile. "Not if you want to live a little longer." Mashu narrowed her eyes at the woman when she suddenly realized something.
"I-It can't be...Rider?!" The Demi-Servant cried out. Cursed Arm shot her a look as he arose from the shadows.
"No, this is not the same Servant our Masters summoned." The assassin corrected. "This a corrupt version of her. To think I would see such a phenomenon in this summoning...! Could we also have such counterparts in this Fuyuki?" All the Servants looked at Cursed Arm with confusion and shock.
"What the hell are you talking about right now?!" Cu Chulainn demanded. "Our Masters are being held hostage!" The corrupted Medusa smirked as she twirled her sickle around.
"Fighting among yourself already? It's like you don't even care for your Masters' fates." She said. Immediately as the woman said so, the chains tightened, drawing closer to the Chaldeans.
"Move away from the chains!" Olga Marie ordered as she brought her hand out. "This is still Medusa we're fighting against! Her chains may turn us into stone!" Then, the albino slammed her hand down on the ground, causing the area to glow as a shield was erected up against the chains.
"Oh? So you do know of my legend. How interesting, though it will do little to help you." The corrupt Rider mused. "How long can your little shield last?" Olga Marie gritted her teeth as the chains tightened around the shield which began to crack under the pressure.
"Master!" Saber cried out before glaring at Medusa Alter. "You coward! Face us like a real warrior!" Medusa Alter's smirk grew wider. In a flash, the servant descended on Artoria. The blond barely had time to block the corrupted Rider's sickle as it came down her. However, the alter Medusa kicked her in the abdomen, causing Artoria to be thrown back.
"Saber!" EMIYA yelled out and ran to her, just in time to prevent Artoria from falling over the railing. Saber hissed in pain as she clutched her body where it was kicked.
"Weak. How pitifully weak you all are!" The corrupted Rider laughed out. "Is this really your true strength?!" Tsubaki bit her lower lip as another crack appeared on the shield. This was yet again a flaw in the FATE system as Olga Marie had told them. Though it allowed a Master to summon more than one Servant, the Heroic Spirits were vastly weaker than their usual self. And that wasn't even including Mashu's dilemma. The Demi-Servant was unable to activate her Noble Phantasm for she could not figure out which Heroic Spirit she was housing. Even if the group had the advantage in number, Medusa Alter most likely surpassed them in terms of magic and strength.
"If only Lev and I had noticed the flaws of the system earlier!" Olga Marie groaned out as she tried her best to maintain the shield. "Then we wouldn't be in this mess!" Gudao gritted his teeth.
"Everyone! Engage her all at once!" The male Fujimaru commanded. Ritsuka grimaced as the Servants quickly did as they were told.
"Gudao, they can only her hold her off for so long. How will this help us get out of here?!" She demanded. Gudao gripped his hands tightly.
"You're right. However, we still have two more Servants." He explained. "If we can buy a little more time, it's possible that we can surprise the other Medusa!" Gudao's plans were risky, yet it was the best that could be made at the moment. As Tsubaki painfully watched their Servants get tossed around like rag dolls, the red head made a prayer.
"Please, anyone, help us!" She silently begged, her bracelet glowing slightly. Mashu let out a cry of pain as she was thrown into a lamppost, causing the structure to crumble. Gritting her teeth, the Demi-Servant wiped off the trail of blood from her mouth and prepared to jump back into the fray when a voice suddenly spoke.
"I'm impressed." The voice praised. "You're a little girl, yet you've got some guts. I suppose I'll help you out a little." Mashu widened her eyes as she looked around to find who had just spoken. Suddenly, from the corners of her eyes, she saw runes appear out of nowhere and detonate on the chains surrounding the Masters. Everyone, surprised by the explosion, turned to see that the chains had disintegrated.
"W-Who did that just now?!" Ritsuka breathed out in shock. Olga Marie quickly let down the shield, breathing heavily as she did.
"This...is no time to get surprised! We are...in a battle right now!" The Director panted out. The corrupted Rider growled.
"I know those runes anywhere...Caster, where are you?!" She demanded. A chuckle answered her as a man wearing a blue hood materialize, holding a wooden staff in his right hand.
"Another enemy Servant?" Sasaki asked warily. A smirk stretched across the newcomer's face as he pulled down his hood, revealing yet a familiar face.
"Gah! I-It's me?!" Cu Chulainn exclaimed in shock. "As a Caster?! What the hell happened?!" EMIYA groaned.
"Not another blue haired idiot..." The Archer complained. The other Cu Chulainn glared at EMIYA before turning towards the Masters.
"For reasons of my own, I'm not allied with this Rider." He explained. "The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, but it'll do for now. Let's make a temporary contract." The three Masters looked each other briefly before nodding.
"We'll be relying on your help, Caster!" Gudao replied. Medusa Alter scoffed before giving a dangerous smile.
"Well, that just means I get to kill you earlier than expected!" She said and summoned more chains to attack Caster Cu. However, the other Cu Chulainn did not move from his spot.
"Caster, move!" Tsubaki ordered. "Her chains will turn you into stone!" The caster Servant smirked as the chains grew closer.
"My temporary Master, have a little more faith." He chided slightly. "After all, I didn't come alone." Immediately as he said so, a pair of daggers were thrown from behind him, hitting the chains and causing them to fall without even reaching Caster. Medusa Alter's eyes widened in disbelief as Medusa revealed herself, pulling her daggers back.
"I apologized for my late arrival, Masters." Rider said. "I would have revealed myself earlier, but Caster insisted that I wait if he were to give us his assistance." Then, Medusa turned towards her corrupted counterpart, an expression of disgust and anger visible as her lips pulled into a frown. "How unsightly to see myself in such disgrace. Usually I would not care about who defeats the enemy but I must insist that I be the one to end it." The other Rider, after recovering from her shock, smirked.
"Ha! Do you really think you can beat me by yourself when your allies couldn't do it together?!" She cackled. "Such arrogance and pride!" Then, the corrupted Servant eyed the Chaldeans once more. "But just in case...Perhaps I should weaken you!" Immediately the other Medusa lunged towards the Masters. Tsubaki quickly pushed Olga Marie and the others away just as Medusa Alter grabbed her by the throat, hanging the red head in the air.
"Tsubaki!" Ritsuka cried out, attempting to run towards her only to be stopped by her cousin. Tsubaki gasped for air as the corrupted Servant's grip tightened. Just as her vision began to blackened, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"I do not appreciate you placing a hand on my Master." The voice calmly said. Suddenly, Medusa Alter screamed out in pain, causing her to drop Tsubaki. As the red head took in precious oxygen into her lungs, she saw why the rider had dropped her. A golden spear was protruding out of her chest, blood dripping down the wound.
"K-Karna! You're finally here!" Tsubaki breathed out. The Lancer gave a curt nod.
"My apologies for not arriving sooner to defend you." He said. Karna looked back at the Rider who was weakly clawing at his spear. With a flick of his wrist he pulled his spear out of the corrupted Servant, causing her to fall on the ground. Soon, Medusa Alter disappeared, fading to ashes. Karna turned to the Chaldean's Medusa who bore an aggravated expression.
"...You ended her. I was suppose to do that." Rider quietly said. The albino gave her a condescending look.
"Your counterpart was prepared to kill one of our Masters. Considering I still had the element of surprise, it was foolish not to take the chance." Karna replied, shaking the blood from his spear. "Our Masters are now safe, yet you remain unhappy. It seems your personal vendetta is more important than the lives of our Masters." Medusa growled and raised her daggers at him. Karna responded by pointing his spear at her. Immediately, Tsubaki jumped in between the two.
"Enough! What's done is done! We have more important issues to worry about!" The teen scolded. Karna briefly stared at Tsubaki before lowering his spear.
"...As you now know, it seems that there are more Servants in this city." The Lancer reported. "I was preoccupied with them earlier, hence why I could not arrive until now." Gudao frowned as he took in the information.
"Karna, when you engaged with them, did you recognize any of the Servants?" The male Fujimaru asked. Caster Cu rolled his eyes.
"You could have just asked me." The Irishman sighed as he twirled his staff around. "If you think meeting me and Medusa were just coincidences, you're wrong. Most of the Servants from the Fifth Holy Grail in Fuyuki City are here, corrupted just like Rider was." Immediately, the Heroic Spirits gave a loud uproar.
"We have corrupted doubles in this city?" Sasaki questioned. "Inconceivable!" Just then, Roman chimed back in with a terrified expression.
"He's not lying! I'm sensing more Servants and they're coming closer!" The doctor warned. "Get out of there while you still can!" Gudao grimaced.
"We can talk later! Right now we need to go!" He ordered. Lancer Cu nodded and grabbed Ritsuka, throwing her over his shoulder.
"What the hell are you doing?!" She screamed as the Servant ran.
"It'll be faster!" He yelled and sprinted away. EMIYA shook his head.
"What an idiot." The archer murmured under his breath, gaining a angry look from Caster Cu as the tanned man began to follow the Lancer.
"Hey, I resent that!" He growled, trailing after him. Mashu gave Gudao a look, a light blush forming on her face.
"I-If you want, I can also carry you." Mashu stuttered slightly. "It might be faster." Before Gudao could even answer, Heracles suddenly roared and grabbed him and Olga Marie, ignoring the latter's fearful cries as he followed the other Servants.
"F-fou..." Fou said, shocked. Mashu was speechless. Tsubaki covered her mouth as she tried to push down a laugh, finding the scenario humorous despite the current situation. Suddenly, Tsubaki felt a tug and found herself in the arms of Karna who held her princess styled.
"W-wha-?! Karna?!" Tsubaki questioned, her face turning into pa bright red hue. The Lancer's lips quirked upward slightly before resuming its usual stoic expression.
"Cu Chulainn is correct. Speed will be the upmost importance if you wish to avoid our enemies." Karna answered. "As such, this is the only natural answer." Tsubaki blushed even deeper as he began to move, the white haired man drawing her closer to his body. Mashu, finally snapping from her shock, let out a heavy sigh as she began to follow as well.
After what seemed like hours, Tsubaki finally freed herself from Karna's grasp once Romani declared that the enemy Servants' signatures had faded. Her cheeks still blushing from what had just happened, Tsubaki turned her attentions towards the other Chaldeans. Ritsuka was angrily throwing various swords at Lancer, given to her complimentary by EMIYA. Gudao and Olga Marie were hugging each other shaking as though they had just gone through a life and death experience. Mashu and Fou were near them, trying to calm the two.
"Er...are they going to be alright?" Tsubaki questioned. Medea shrugged her shoulders.
"Eh. They'll live." The Caster answered. "Though I think Master Gudao and Olga Marie have been traumatized." Roman piped in.
"I can only imagine what it must have felt like to be carried like that..." The temporary director noted, shivering slightly. Tsubaki rolled her eyes at the doctor before looking towards Caster Cu.
"Is there anything we should know about the Servants you mentioned?" She asked. "Besides that they're doubles of our allies." The blue haired caster whistled before he answered.
"Well, not all of those corrupted Servants are doubles." The man confessed. "The Lancer of his war isn't...well me. I got placed as a Caster so Medea doesn't have a double. Pretty sure Sasaki isn't here either."
"I should hope not." Sasaki scoffed. "I was summoned by Medea as a Fake Servant so if she isn't here than clearly I'm not as well." Tsubaki thought for a moment.
"Cu Chulainn, Medea, and Sasaki..." the red head murmured. "We managed to defeat Medusa's counterpart, so that just leaves EMIYA, Artoria, Heracles, Cursed Arm, and another Lancer to deal with..."
"You do not have to worry about the other Lancer." Karna reassured. "Along with Heracles' and Cursed Arm's corrupted doubles, I have defeated them." Everyone gave the white haired demigod an incredulous look. Even Caster Cu seemed surprised.
"Three Servants...that is no easy feat." The Irish Servant noted before facing the white haired lancer. "Karna, was it? How did you manage to utilize your abilities with such little mana being supplied to you? I know for a fact that these three people can't provide enough for you let alone everyone." The three Chaldean Masters frowned but said nothing. It wasn't like what Caster Cu said was wrong. As of now, the Masters could provide enough to keep their Servants' material existence, but not quite enough to fuel their abilities. This factor is what also made them more weaker. Olga Marie seemed baffled.
"Karna is truly powerful, more so than most Heroic Spirits. Yet, it does not come without a cost—an incredible amount of mana." The Director murmured. "For him to defeat three of the Servants who were surely just as powerful as the corrupt Rider, perhaps even more so, meant he had to utilize all his abilities. But where did all that mana come from...?" Tsubaki felt her bracelet grow hotter as Olga Marie finished, grabbing her wrist. The rose quartz was glittering slightly as though trying to convey something to the redhead.
"W-Well, I mean all's well that ends well, right?" Roman said with a nervous laugh. "With Karna's help, we only have two more Servants to worry about. Now, about you guys go rest for a while? Chaldea's still being fixed, but we can send some rations."
"Oh! You can bring food? I'm starving!" Ritsuka quickly said, ignoring the Irish Lancer who was now buried under a mound of counterfeit swords. "How much can you bring?"
"I would have said plenty but it's pretty limited right now because of the damage." The doctor answered. "I know the Servants can replenish their own mana with food but for now we should just feed the Masters and Olga Marie. I'll send some now." As Roman began working on sending the rations, Tsubaki decided to confront Karna about the Master situation and brought him someplace where they could speak privately.
"Karna, there's something I want to ask you." The red head said. Karna eyed her attentively as she continued. "You...Are you aware that Gudao and Ritsuka aren't really your Masters?" The Lancer said nothing at first, his stoic expression giving nothing away to the Koizumi. After a few seconds, he finally spoke.
"...Does it matter?" He asked, catching Tsubaki off guard.
"What do you mean 'does it matter'? Of course it does!" She argued. "Not only was your summoning strange, but the fact that I'm your only true Master is even worse. I know for a fact that your consumption of mana is higher than most Servants yet I'm still walking just fine."
"Does it matter though?" Karna repeated again, moving closer to Tsubaki. "As long as I do as I'm told, as long as remain loyal to the Chaldeans and their cause, why should you be concerned about where my source of mana is coming from or that you are my true Master?" Tsubaki bit her lower lip as she was at loss for words. A strange feeling began to well up inside her, filling her heart with uneasiness. Such words sounded like a vow of undying devotion...and deep inside it frightened her.
"Then, if I decide to go against Chaldea, to hurt everyone there, would you follow and help?" She asked quietly. A small smile graced Karna's face as he leaned in closer.
"It seems you have forgotten that I have Discernment of the Poor." He quietly reminded. "As such, I know that you abhor the thought of harming your own friends and comrades." Tsubaki couldn't deny his words. As her mother had taught the red head to always cherish people, even saying the words made Tsubaki feel horrible.
"However..." The Lancer continued, leaning closer to whisper in her ear. "Should these lies become truths in your heart, then I shall carry out my duty with no hesitation." A cold feeling washed over Tsubaki as she pushed herself away from Karna. Looking at his expression, the woman could tell that the Heroic Spirit was serious. He still maintained a smile from earlier, but his eyes had dimmed slightly, an unknown darkness lurking in them. Tsubaki unconsciously fiddled with her bracelet.
"Please, don't say that." She pleaded. "If anything, I want you to help protect Chaldea if it ever comes to that." Just then, Gudao had called out her.
"Hey, the rations are here!" Gudao yelled. Tsubaki took the opportunity to separate from the Lancer and ran over to where the Fujimaru was. For now, until the red head could her feelings straight, it was better if she kept some distance between them.
"Feelings of fear and love. Agony and adoration. What do I really feel about this Heroic Spirit I just met?" Tsubaki wondered. So absorbed in her own thoughts, she had barely heard a strange yet familiar voice quietly speak to her.
"Is this really your first meeting? Or, are you choosing to forget?"
Tsubaki and the other Chaldeans took advantage of the time to eat their rations and recuperate. While several of the Servants either guarded and scouted the nearby area, some began friendly conversations with each other. Tsubaki quietly observed them as she ate her ration, but the redhead couldn't help but drift her eyes towards Karna. The Lancer stood alongside of the chattering Servants, leaning against a broken debris with closed eyes. A calm, neutral aura surrounded the Heroic Spirit, much different than how he acted moments ago. Tsubaki fiddled nervously with her bracelet.
"He seems alright now. But, what exactly happened before?" Tsubaki wondered. "It was almost as though he was a different person..." The Chaldean Master felt her heart wrench as a vague image floated inside her mind. However, it disappeared as quickly as it came, leaving Tsubaki confused. As she wondered what to do, sheer noticed Olga Marie sitting by herself, hugging her legs as she stared at the ground. Truly, she felt bad for the albino. Though she was the director of Chaldea, that didn't mean Olga Marie deserved to be in the middle of all this carnage, especially since her position was forced onto her after the death of the previous director. Quietly, Tsubaki walked over to the director and sat down next to her. Olga Marie, sending Tsubaki's presence, have her a suspicious look.
"What do you want?" She questioned irritately. Tsubaki shrugged nonchalantly.
"Can't I sit here?" The red head asked back. "Besides, you seem like you want to talk to someone." Olga Marie opened her mouth to retort but no words came out. Instead, she looked back down.
"... This shouldn't have happened." The albino said. "Where did things go wrong? The explosion? The error in the summoning system? Or, was it when I took charge of Chaldea after my father's death? Was everything done from the start?" Olga Marie sighed and looked up towards the sky. Tsubaki noticed that she was fiddling with a necklace.
"That necklace, it's quite lovely. Was a gift from your father?" Tsubaki asked. Olga Marie stopped moving.
"...It was from my mother." She answered, dropping her hand. Tsubaki sensed that the director wouldn't say anything more than that so she dropped the subject. Instead, the red head turned her attention towards Mashu and the Servants.
"Do you think Mashu will be able to unlock her Noble Phantasm?" Tsubaki asked. Olga Marie sighed.
"She has to, for all our sakes." The albino replied. "Mashu is, by fault, the strongest Servant as of now. However, it seems that trying to uncover her Noble Phantasm name will be difficult for Mashu." Tsubaki couldn't help but nod. Just then, Tsubaki noticed Gudao and Ritsuka wave her over to them. The woman snuck a glance at Olga Marie night the director was looking down at her feet again, lost in thought. Tsubaki quietly got up and walked over to the other Chaldean Masters.
"Something the matter?" The Koizumi asked. The male Fujimaru rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Sorta...It's about Caster Cu." Gudao said. "He said he can help Mashu with figuring out her Noble Phantasm, but we'll have to fight more of those skeletons. There's still at least two Servants who want to attack us so I was thinking of just me taking Mashu and a few other Servants while the rest of you guys stay here."
"Please tell my cousin how stupid the idea sounds." Ristuka exasperated. "Usually he's the smart one but this plan sounds like bad news! Why can't we all go together?" Tsubaki thought for a moment.
"...Both have flaws in them." The woman said. "Have you guys talked with the Servants yet? Maybe they can offer some valuable insight." Gudao shook his head.
"No, but it's not like everyone is here right now. We all want to help Mashu, but Caster Cu says something's holding her back..." The male Fujimaru explained. "He says too many people wouldn't help with helping Mashu understand her Noble Phantasm." Tsubaki crossed her arms over her chest and thought again. She didn't doubt the Caster version of Cu Chulainn, but it was undoubtedly risky for Gudao to head off by himself with a small number of Servants. Suddenly, her eyes caught onto Karna's who looked in the red head's direction. No words were exchanged between them, yet Tsubaku felt something echo within her mind.
"Believe in your allies."
Tsubaki's bracelet gave up a comfortable warmth as she turned her attention back to her attention back to the other Chaldean Masters.
"Gudao, if you believe in Caster Cu's plans, then I have no more arguments about it." The Koizumi said. "We all want Mashu to understand her newfound powers and I trust that you will help her do so." Gudao smiled and nodded. Ritsuka let out a groan in defeat. Tsubaki gently placed a hand on the female Fujimaru.
"If you have qualms about this, why don't you ask Dr. Roman to watch over Gudao?" She suggested. "If there's any trouble, he can relay it to us." Ritsuka thought for a moment before nodding.
"I guess that works." The woman said before addressing her cousin. "Gudao, at least let me help you gather some things before you go. Who knows if we'll be separated for a long time?" As the Fujimarus excused themselves to prepare for the small excursion, Tsubaki looked back towards Karna who had his eyes closed once more. Truthfully, she had no idea what to make of him yet some were clear to her. Karna was an ally to Chaldea as long as Tsubaki was, a Servant to the three Chaldean Masters until the Koizumi said otherwise. A hidden darkness laid behind his seemingly calm eyes, one in which Tsubaki felt she had seen before. For now, it was alright for Karna to fight alongside the others, but for the future it was unclear whether things would remainn that way.
"I have to understand." Tsubaki thought worriedly as she gripped her bracelet. "What is Karna's true purpose with becoming my Servant?"
"My Camellia...do you really want to remember?"
From within the depths of Fuyuki's ruins arises both a new ally and a series of problems. Mashu is unable to release her Noble Phantasm and the flaws in the Fate system have been the Servants much weaker. Uncertainty surrounds Tsubaki about Karna and the strange bond that binds them together. Can she and the others find a way to overcome their problems in time to confront the source of the Singularity? Until Next Time...
Author's Notes:
Fuyuki City Arc: As you can plainly see, several key details were changed. As I want to emphasize more on character interaction and development, many of the fights featured in the game will either be shortened or skipped over. However, all the battles will be mentioned in some way. Regarding this arc, I expect to write perhaps one or two more chapters, with three being the max.
Olga Marie Animusphere: For those who are still relatively new to the game or haven't finished the prologue, I won't spoil what happens to her. To those that are farther ahead however, I intend to delve more into her character and have Olga Marie play a larger role in the story. So far, the director has a necklace that is not canon to the game, but it is important in this story.
Flaws in the Fate System: In the game, there were certain features which were critical in order to progress with the story. Thus, it was visualized here in this story. As stated in the previous author's note, Servants are currently in their weakest form and must be ascended to reach their full capacity. This is the trade off for having more Servants.
Relationships: For the sake of the story, I'm not going to reveal any pairings though it should be obvious to some already what the pairings may end up as. I will be attempting to address popular ships and pairings made by GhostXavier in his work and supported by fans in the original series, but I make no promises that it will end up as such. I've decided to talk about this topic now in case some people were wondering.
Memory Differences: While I haven't fully address this issue, it has been hinted in this chapter already with Cursed Arms statements and Medusa's reaction. That will be expanded upon in later chapters.
More notes will be written later but that's it for now.
Until Next Time! R&R!