Original Archive of Our Own Posting Date: October 10, 2020
"Today's the day," I said to myself, putting on my hat, having finished getting dressed and all that mundane jazz. Once more the week had gone by rather quickly, and before I knew it, it was mission time.
Today was the day we were to be deployed into the second of the singularities. I was adjusting my belt for the third time at least, the sword rattling softly in its scabbard. Seeing that I was able to return with it from France, I had decided to carry it with me for future deployments. Despite further lessons with both Medea and occasionally the newly-arrived Amadeus, I was still somewhat below-scratch in regards to my magcraft, though I was certainly improving.
Still, I couldn't shrug off the uneasy feeling that had settled at the bottom of my stomach, hence my nervous fidgeting.
A knock on the door caused me to cease fiddling with my belt, and instead turned to the doorway. "Come in," I said, curious to see who it was. To my non-existent surprise, it was Mordred, back in her armor, smirking as always. "Ah, good morning, Mordred," I said pleasantly, smiling at the blonde.
"Morning, Master. Finished getting ready yet?" She asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, knowing that I was nervous. It was also a gentle tease about how long I've taken to get ready. To be honest, I had expected this to be the case. Perhaps it is just my nerves acting up now that I have experienced one complete singularity already?
"Yeah, I am. Did the others send you to fetch me?" I asked, casually crossing my arms before me. Mordred nodded with a lazy expression.
"Yeah, they did. Now, let's get a move on! It's been kinda boring since the only other Saber here hasn't been interested in sparring, and I want some more excitement!" She said eagerly, giving me a toothy smirk that left me smiling even as I shook my head in mock exasperation.
"Alright, alright, let's get going then," I said with a soft chuckle, turning off the lights in my room and closing the door before heading to the Rayshift chamber with Mordred by my side.
Ritsuka had been very lucky when he had made his summons two days ago, both attempts yielding Servants. Gilles de Rais (thankfully in his saner Saber version), and Chaldea's first Archer-Class Servant. To my amusement, Mordred had cursed the instant she saw him, calling him 'Archer of Black', though he had revealed to us his True Name. Chiron, the fabled centaur who had trained many of Greece's most celebrated heroes. While I hadn't gotten to interact much with the very human-looking centaur, the few moments that I have had have given me the opinion that his reputation as a worthwhile mentor was extremely well-deserved, especially since he had offered to help me teach Ritsuka how to fight after we fixed the Second Singularity.
When it was my turn to roll, however, I was somewhat less successful. To the befuddlement of everyone, including the local genius we referred to as Da Vinci, all that had appeared was a bowl of what Ritsuka had told me was spicey mapu tofu.
Da Vinci had picked up the bowl before anyone else could react, declaring her interest in discovering just what the hell had happened there (my words, not hers), before I tried a second time. To my pleasure, Amadeus had answered, who was in equal parts shocked and overjoyed to discover that he had been reunited with Marie once again. I personally found the unlikely pair of friends to be adorable, even if there wouldn't be a romance blossoming between the two.
"Morning everyone," I said as Mordred and I entered, having been the last to show up. Marie, Jeanne, Amadeus, and Gilles had been clustered around one another, the four apparently having been in an engaging conversation. Sasaki and Medea appeared to be trading verbal blows to one another…which is about normal. Seriously, I have been trying to find out the specifics of their Grail War, and even Chulainn seemed reluctant. Speaking of the blue devil, so to speak, the Irish Lancer leaned rather casually against the far wall, engaged in a conversation with Chiron.
"A good morning to you too, Jacob," Ritsuka said as he walked over, Mash close behind.
"Good morning, Jacob Senpai," Mash said as her own greeting. I smiled back at the ever-polite and demure Demi-Servant as Doctor Roman walked over, Da Vinci close behind. (Mordred and I had started a bet the other day to see if the two would end up a couple by the end of this mess, considering that they were almost constantly together even when relaxing).
"Good morning. Now that everyone is here, we can start the briefing," Doctor Roman said, stifling a yawn just like Da Vinci just did. It seems that the duo had spent another long night studying the retrieved Grail again.
"Where are we going this time?" I asked, one hand resting on the hilt of my sword instinctively.
"You will be heading to Europe in the first century. More specifically, you will be going to the great empire of Ancient Rome. You will be teleported into the capital city of Rome. Once again, I am sad to report that the location of the supposedly existing Holy Grail is unknown to us. Furthermore, be aware of the possibility of historical changes occurring there. I know that is rather vague, but that's all that we have been able to gather for now," he finished apologetically.
"Not a problem, either way, we will locate it," Mash said confidently, and I found myself nodding in agreement. Mash's words seem to have cheered up the doctor, too, as he smiles at her.
"Right, that's the spirit. Right, so this will be similar to the last mission: You'll reach and correct the singularity, find the Holy Grail, and either retrieve or destroy it. This goes without saying, but there are almost certainly going to be Servants present when you arrive. Hopefully, some will be friendly like Jeanne was."
"Doctor, I have one question. May I ask it?" Mash asked politely, and Roman nodded without hesitation, allowing the Demi-Servant to continue speaking. "Hostile Servants and neutral Servants…is there any way to distinguish them upon detection?" She asks.
"Yeah, preferably before they try to murder us?" I added a bit dryly.
"Unfortunately, we can't provide such an exact answer. At least, not yet. Da Vinci is working on it though. However, we can speculate on each situation using observable data from the command room. I will warn you guys whenever there's a 70% or great chance of hostility. Otherwise, we will mainly be able to provide energy and life signatures and assist in directing you all towards them."
"That's not too bad an alternative, all things considered," I mused aloud. Ritsuka looked at Mash with a curious expression.
"Did you ask because you wanted to try to avoid battles?" He asked quietly, and the pink-haired girl nodded.
"Yes. Strategically speaking, it's best to avoid unnecessary battles."
"Well, it's a nice thought. Fortunately, we won't be going in alone, with just the three of us. For one thing, Mordred would probably shove my head down my throat if we left her behind. Isn't that right?" I said, earning a playful leer from the blonde Saber.
"Damn straight."
"Very well. In that case, let's begin the Rayshift. Good luck, and I will contact you once you arrive."
I made my way over to the same Coffin unit I had used last time, adjusting myself so that I could fit into it comfortably whilst bearing a sword at my side. Before the glasses closed, I called out to the Knight of Rebellion as she and the other Servants entered the other Coffins. "See you on the other side," I said.
"See ya there." Then the glass lid closed, and I closed my eyes as I felt the Rayshift procedure begin…
When I opened my eyes, I looked around. The land was somewhat hilly, but lush with bright green grass and shrubbery, looking like a typical serene countryside. The air felt fresh, and the sunlight warmed my body. It felt nice, honestly. I wasn't about to let down my guard, however. After all, if someone was to ask me, I would say that one of the most dangerous parts of a Rayshift is the arrival.
What wasn't nice, however, was the fact that we were not surrounded by buildings. As Mordred and the other Servants appeared, they began to form a defensive square of sorts, while Mordred and I waited for Ritsuka and Mash to appear, which they quickly did. The former was once more in her black and purple armor, the massive shield that gave her the Servant class designation as a Shielder leaning against her arm.
"Well, looks like we all made it here in one piece," I said. I looked around, confused as to why we were in the hills, and not the city. On the bright side, there weren't hordes of skeletons charging towards us or wyverns diving down form above, and we were all together.
"Indeed. The feel of the wind, the scent of the earth…" Mash said in a rather awe-struck tone, looking intently at our surroundings. "The vast blue sky…it's strange. I've seen it on film so many times, but just standing here….it's so much more vivid," Mash said, sounding a bit uneasy. I frowned, and from the corner of my eyes I saw Mordred doing the same, but it was Ritsuka who broke the uneasy silence Mash's words had caused.
"What's wrong?" He asked, sounding worried. "You're breathing deeply." Mash blinked, her eyes wide in surprise.
"Huh? Was I?" She mumbled, before shaking her head as she recovered her composure, blushing slightly still though. "I-I see. I'm sure I was doing it without thinking. I just felt overwhelmed by the surroundings. In France, it was really just one shock after the other. So now, it's like I'm finally able to see this landscape properly," Mash explained, and I relaxed slightly. I tensed back up slightly as I heard movement nearby. Looking around, I saw nothing, and I looked back at my three friends, only to jump back slightly in surprise as I saw another face now present.
Mash's companion/pet(?) had appeared on her shoulder. "Fou…" Fou chirped. "Kyu, kyu?" He barked, as if asking a question. Ritsuka and I, however, merely stared at the dog-squirrel-cat thing.
"So, it seems that you tagged along again, huh?" I said, shaking my head slightly. My fellow Master, on the other hand, was having an entirely different reaction to this latest development.
"D-Did you just pop out of Mash's chest?" Ritsuka stammered, red-faced. Mash released a soft 'eep' and blushed, her free arm instinctively crossing over the aforementioned area.
"Looks like the critter is being a little stowaway again," Mordred said, giving Mash a chance to recover.
"He prefers the outside world to that cramped base," she replied to the Knight of Rebellion. "I can agree with that sentiment. While the battles can be scary, it makes me happy to discover new worlds and experiences such as this."
"Looks like he isn't the only thing to show up again," I butted in, looking skyward as I pointed towards the circular anomaly we had seen in the last singularity. Well, we might not be in the city of Rome, but at least we can confirm that we were in the singularity like intended.
"Testing, testing….can you guys hear me?" Doctor Roman's voice filtered through the commlink.
"We hear you loud and clear, Doc. We have a slight problem?"
"Slight problem? What do you—Oh, I see. This isn't Rome," Roman mumbled in confusion, a sentiment I shared with the others. "That's weird. I just ran a scan of the area. It looks like you are a few miles or so away from the city…"
"Was there perhaps an error in the coordinates?" Mash asked. "Is the era correct?"
"No, the era is definitely correct. We are in the first century AD, during the reign of Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of Rome." And one of the most infamous, if the historical records of the time could be fully trusted. "Still, this is very strange. It's saying that you are about fifteen miles away from where you should be. Why did you guys end up so far from the capital. Despite the poisoning of Empress Aggripina last year, Nero isn't in his dangerously declining years yet. It's an era where the emperor is loved, and the city of Rome is prosperous…or at least, that's what should've been awaiting you."
"Master, do you hear that?" Mordred said suddenly, her emerald orbs narrowed as she tensed her body, Clarent appearing in her hands. I strained my ears, and at first, I didn't hear anything. Ritsuka and Mash also tried to listen, and Doctor Roman kept quiet, not wanting to distract us.
Finally, I swore that I could hear the sounds of shouting and metal smashing against metal. Something that felt most out of touch with the atmosphere of the area we had arrived in was.
"Is there a battle nearby or something?" I asked Mordred, but before the blonde knight could answer, I spoke hurriedly into my commlink. "Doc, can you do a scan to see if there is a large cluster of human life signatures nearby?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, just stand by…yes, there is a large mass just over the hill near you. There shouldn't be a battle at this time, though!" Roman reported frantically, and I frowned at that.
"That means it is a historical anomaly. We need to check it out. It might be a good place to start looking at what is happening," Mash suggested.
"Right. Let's go!"
"Yeah, this is definitely abnormal," I commented numbly, my jaw hanging open slightly, a similar expression on Ritsuka and Mash's faces. Two small armies were engaged in a pitched battle, all dressed like Roman legionaries and auxiliaries.
It was a fight that pitted man against man. No beasts or undead, only mortals made of flesh and blood. Countless armored bodies lay deathly still across the field already, and I saw Ritsuka look away, his face turning a shade of pale green. I myself felt a bit nauseous, but after all that I had seen in France, it felt rather easy to tamp that feeling down. Mash activated her commlink.
"Doctor Roman, there is a large-scale battle going on. One side is overwhelmingly larger than the other. The latter is defending the path to the city," Mash informed the acting-director.
"What can you tell me about the uniforms of the soldiers?"
"Both sides look to be Roman soldiers. The larger force wears tie regalia of crimson and gold, while the smaller force wears it with a different design," Mash reported dutifully.
"Crimson, gold, and also purple were colors especially liked in Roman at this time," Roman mused aloud. "Mash, is there anything else that's distinctive?"
"Over there," I suddenly said, noticing one of the combatants who looked far more different. Mash noticed and began to relay the sight.
"Yes, there appears to be a young woman, who is leading several groups that belong to the smaller force. She's practically taking on the enemy forces on her own," Mash reported in awe. "She is an extremely strong individual. Is she a Servant?"
"No, I'm not getting any readings on Servants in the area who aren't yours. I am almost certain that the lady is a human of this era. The visual reception isn't that clear on my end, but I swear she reminds me of Jeanne, slightly," Doctor Roman responded.
"Well, I think our next course of action is clear. We must prevent the city from being overwhelmed," I said, tightly gripping the hilt of my sword. Next to me, Ritsuka grunted a soft sound of agreement.
"Yeah. Let's go help that woman."
"About time we get to see some action again," Mordred said excitedly, her eyes gleaming brightly in anticipation.
"Understood, Master," Mash said at the same time to Ritsuka.
"Stay close to Mash. This is going to be a fight against men, not monsters or Servants. What they lack in individual raw strength, they still have numbers on their side. I will be staying close to Mordred as well," I said quietly and quickly to my younger friend. Ritsuka nodded in understanding.
There was another reason behind my words I had just uttered. I didn't want Ritsuka to have to possibly kill a fellow human. A possibility I myself was hoping to avoid, truth be told. Sadly, to achieve victory, at least on this day, that meant that we would have to kill, whether by our own hands or through the use of our Servants. I turned around to look at the others standing ready behind us.
"Chiron, can you focus on picking off officers?" I asked the Greek Archer, who gave a simple nod as he notched an arrow to his bowstring and pulled said item backwards, a slight glow in his eyes as he stared at the mass of soldiers fighting and dying below us. "Amadeus, Medea, can you cast spells and attacks to disrupt the rear elements of the attack force? If we play our cards right, we could cause them to rout from these attacks."
"Very well," the cloaked Greek Caster said simply, her staff appearing in her hands as she started to levitate slightly into the air.
"Time for them to face the music, as I believe people say these days," Amadeus added, raising his wand. I turned to my Assassin.
"Sasaki, can you stay back with the three, and keep enemy stragglers from attacking them?" The Japanese Servant gave a simple nod, and I turned to the others. "Well, let's go meet that lady. Forward!" I said, raising my sword as Mordred's helmet slammed into place and she took off down the slope, intent on leading the charge. I turned to Jeanne, standing nearby, and we exchanged bemused expressions before charging forward, with Ritsuka and his own more melee-oriented Servants close behind.
Overhead, beams of magical energy rained down, and occasionally I could catch the briefest glimpses of one of our Archer's arrows as they pelted the unsuspecting attacking soldiers. We hadn't even engaged them in close-quarters combat and already I could see the effects that I had been hoping for were showing. Soldiers began to retreat, at first on their own or in pairs, but soon larger groups signaled the beginning stages of a full-blown rout.
The soldiers surrounding the woman we were heading towards roared in victory, dispatching the remaining soldiers who hadn't fled. I stifled the soft sigh of relief at having avoided seeing Mordred and the others fight and slay men, while Mordred growled in frustration at being robbed of the chance to throw herself into a good fight.
"Don't worry, Mordred. I'm sure there will be more fights that we'll find ourselves in before the day ends," I said in a wry tone as we slowed down, close enough to the victors that I didn't want to appear hostile, sheathing my sword and gesturing for Ritsuka to follow me to the head of our group. It also gave me the chance to see that the four Servants responsible for starting the rout were already making their way over.
Some of the soldiers tensed, watching our approach with wary eyes. Their leader, a blonde woman with green eyes a few shades lighter than those of Mordred, planted her extravagant-looking sword made into the ground by her golden heel/sabaton-clad feet. She wore a rather interesting outfit, a combination of a military-style jacket with golden epaulettes on the shoulders. For some reason, she made me think of Mordred somewhat, if the tomboyish blonde wore her father's hairstyle instead of her more fitting, rough-cut ponytail and bangs, and was bustier. The white-trimmed blouse she wore didn't seem to adequality cover her chest, giving me the impression that she was a person of little self-modesty perhaps.
"Sheathe your swords!" She said, an air of regality in her voice. Her soldiers, who just seconds ago had been ready to attack us, instantly complied with her orders. "It's over. Centurion, send some men to see if there are any more of those rebels. You, over there!" She said, pointing at Ritsuka and I, who had stopped while she walked closer to us. "I seem that you are responsible for that display just now. Are you reinforcements from the capital?" Before either of us could respond, however, the woman continued speaking. "I thought the capital was sealed off…no matter, I, Nero Claudius, fifth emperor of the Roman Empire, commend you!" She declared, causing Ritsuka and I to look at one another in mild bewilderment, before looking at the self-proclaimed emperor.
Well…this in certainly unexpected.
A/N: And done! The Emperor of Roses has appeared! In all honesty, I am really looking forward to writing Jacob and Mordred's reactions to Nero's mannerisms truth be told. I do enjoy Nero, though more because of her story and all and less of the appearance pandering they pulled in Fate/Extra Last Encore. Also, whose enjoying the whole Fate/Apocrypha crew getting back together? I was trying to figure out which Archer class Servant to use without breaking my self-imposed rule of not having a Servant from Singularities 1-7 be summoned until they have been met (i.e. Fran being summoned anytime after London), with the exception, of course, of the amazing Mordred. Emiya is not a character I am ready to use yet, in all honesty, so I went through the entire Servant database and ba-da-boom ba-da-bing, Chiron!
Now, for the question(s) of the day: First one, what is the most heart-breaking moment for you in all of the Fate canon franchise? The second one is, what is the happiest moment?
As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to hearing feedback, comments of any form or shape, and of course, answers! :) Hope y'all have a lovely day and see y'all next time!