If you're reading this because of my other story, then I'm sorry for the huge delay. Life just got in the way, like I had 70% of this chapter done in MARCH, but hey if you're new, then go check that shit out if ya like FF7. Either way, hope you enjoy!
Disappointment.
That was the feeling suffocating the occupants of the white coated room. The two females inside had sad frowns marring their faces, and were currently staying further back, clearly wanting to be as distant as possible to this tragic situation. The cause being him, the only man in the room, well more of a boy really, but in his defense he had undergone things that ninety nine percent of people his age never had to do. Such as undergoing this day which could only be called a travesty at this point. Moving on from his random train of thought, the male noticed that they had enough materials to conduct the ritual, the current bane of his existence, one last time. With low expectations and bitterness fueling him, he placed the last of his crystals and activated the magical circle on the floor once again.
Normally, the atmosphere would never be this poor nor his attitude. He was usually a pretty positive guy that just took the hits and kept going, but everyone had their breaking point. It wasn't facing unspeakable horrors trying to kill him every day. Or the overwhelming pressure in being the last hope in saving the world. It was unfortunately, the tragically unlucky streak of getting nothing worthwhile from this stupid ritual. No, that wasn't it he admitted to himself. It was the fact that all he had been receiving were piping hot bowls of MAPO TOFU! Every! Single! Time! How?! Why?!
He just wanted to get this over with and take a loooong nap in his room to get this sad, sad day over with.
A flash of blue light soon shone from the circle. He rolled his eyes. Same old, same old. He had seen this process a million times before. Just give him his crappy dinner already. While he may have given up on any chance of success for today, it was clear that Lady Luck hadn't when suddenly a column of mana erupted with rainbow lights circling and surrounding it.
Was this real? Could it be?!
An excited grin quickly stretched across his face. Hope and excitement were now overflowing from within, his whole being turned a complete one-eighty from the him of five seconds ago. The column then flashed the room with even more light, effectively blinding everyone, but that only built up the anticipation he felt.
Once the light cleared away, atop the once accursed summoning circle stood, in his unbiased opinion, the greatest thing in the entire world. It was a tall man with white armor covering him almost entirely. It was accented by a faded gold which contrasted the bright, blonde hair he had. The armor reminded him of the Knights of the Round Table, but his armor was more sleek and looked to be more modern than their plate armor. Underneath it all was a black shirt and trousers. The thing he found odd was the bright red scarf loosely wrapped around his neck, it didn't really fit him. At his waist, the man carried a simple sword, but he knew that appearances were deceiving. He'd seen swordsmen shoot laser beams out of them enough times to know.
He met the blonde's blue eyes, or eye as his hair parted down low enough to cover his right. With a gentle smile gracing his face, his savior from despair spoke.
"Servant class: Shielder. Ready to defend. I'm kind of new to this, so it'd be nice if you'd help me out a little." He rubbed the back of his head and his smile turned sheepish. "It's safe to say that you're my new Master, right?"
Upon hearing that, the Master of Chaldea Ritsuka Fujimaru, hero of the Grand Order, only had one reaction. He collapsed to his knees and cried, loudly, tears of joy.
"Aww come on. I can't be that much of a disappointment already! I just got here..."
XxxxxxxX
"So just to be one hundred percent sure, I'm not the reason you were crying." The new arrival asked Senpai. "It was just allergies?" He had a little frown like he didn't really believe it.
In his defense, he really shouldn't. The reason they gave was extremely poor, and Senpai had been crying because of him, but most likely not for the reasons he was thinking of. Still it was certainly a little too embarrassing for Senpai to admit the truth, and Mash didn't feel it was necessary to say otherwise.
"Yeah, the summoning just blew a lot of dust into my face." Senpai lied shamelessly. "Don't worry, we're really happy to see you. You've really made my day." He said with a wide grin.
The blonde Servant scrunched his face for a second before sighing softly. He responded back with an amused half smile. "Well, alright. Glad to know that I didn't screw up my first ever summoning. I wouldn't have ever forgotten that even when I go back to the Throne." He chuckled. "Since I can stop worrying over nothing now, can we keep going with the tour?"
Both Mash and Ritsuka nodded. They were currently walking through Chaldea's halls, showing him the layout and all of the facilities like they did for every new Servant arrival. While this Chaldea wasn't as big or personal as the original, Mash felt they had spent enough time and effort to make their base at the Wandering Sea more homely and unique.
"Over here, we have the cafeteria, and to the left are the simulation rooms. We'll get you set up with a room soon, but for now that covers all the basic things here. Any questions, Mr. umm? Ah?" Senpai was struggling to say something, and seemed to be sweating quite hard. Mash didn't quite understand.
The new Servant seemed to share her confusion before slapping the side of his head. "Did I really forget to give my True Name after we made the contract? Today really isn't my day." He complained with a shake of his head. "Let me start over. The name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, and rolls of the tongue, the ladies love it!"
"Do they really?" She innocently asked.
"Why does everyone always say that?" Jaune's cheer instantly evaporated, leaving behind a slightly sulking man.
Senpai laughed while Mash giggled. Jaune Arc seemed to be a friendly and funny person, but still that name…
Senpai voiced her thoughts aloud. "Jeanne Arc? So there's a version where she's a dude too. Wouldn't be the first time, but why are you a Shielder?" He turned towards her. "Mash, have you ever seen Jeanne use a shield before?" He asked.
Mash shook her head. "No, not at all. There's nothing in the legends about the Saint of Orleans using one either."
Jaune frowned in confusion. "Saint? Sorry to tell you this, but I'm just an ordinary monster hunter. I'm nothing that cool."
That confused them further. "But your name is Jeanne Arc? Were you not a farm boy who heard the voice of God, and fought to save France during the Hundred Years War?"
Jaune nervously chuckled. "I grew up in a village which did have a farm, and I did also fight in a war, but I've never heard God's voice." He then shrugged. "To be honest, my experiences in life have made me not the biggest fan of religion."
Everything seemed to make less sense to Mash now. Senpai hummed. "Something else is kind of bugging me. You look a lot like King Arther." He tilted his head. "You see it too? Right, Mash? Shouldn't he look more like Jeanne instead?"
Jaune awkwardly laughed. "The ruler of Camelot? That's a pretty big boost to my confidence for you to say that I look like that kind of big-shot."
She leaned in and examined his features. Now that she was taking a closer look, Mash could see the similarities in their facial structure, not to mention the hair, and the body shape. If she hadn't known who he was and passed him by in a hallway, then she would probably easily mistake him for the male King of Knights.
"I have to agree. You certainly do look very similar to King Arthur. That seems so strange, considering that you apparently don't have a connection to his legend."
Senpai tilted his head. "Huh. Well, maybe Da Vinci and Holmes will know more. We can ask them later."
Jaune's smile seemed to change a little bit, it didn't seem as… natural. "Sure, sounds good, Master."
Senpai seemed to change a little too. He put on a bigger grin, and spoke with more cheer than before. "Sooo, you're a Shielder? That's interesting."
The Servant scratched the back of his head. "Is it really? I mean, I know it's not one of the seven normal classes, but I'm sure you've seen your fair share of oddballs with all of these Singularities you've been in. From what you've explained, every adventure you've been in hasn't been anything close to a normal Holy Grail War."
"Not true! There was one time where we went to a Grail War that had actually happened." He said before breaking eye contact. "But yeah, you're mostly right. Still…" He met Jaune's eyes with a playful smile. "Out of the hundreds of Servants I've seen, you're the third Shielder class Servant I've ever met."
Jaune's eyes grew wide. "Seriously?! Well, if you don't mind me asking, who are the other two?"
Senpai suddenly pushed her forward from behind like a proud parent showing off their child. "Here she is!" Mash's face grew red from embarrassment. Being in the spotlight wasn't something she liked, especially in front of new people. "Come on, Mash. You have to introduce yourself!"
"...Understood." She bowed. "Mash Kyrielight, former vessel for the first Shielder, Galahad, but now a full fledged Shielder class Demi-Servant ready to assist!" She stated with hopefully more confidence than she felt.
"Wow. That sounds like a cool story." He smiled. "Well Mash, as one Shielder to another, I'm excited to see what you can do and hope that you expect the same from me."
"Yes, of course." To be honest, Mash was overjoyed to be able to meet another Shielder. While she now had countless experiences in combat, Mash early into the Grand Order had wished that there would have been another Shielder to guide and teach her. Sometimes, she felt like she would never meet another member of her class. She was relieved to now be able to put those worries to rest. "I will gladly demonstrate my capabilities later." She said with a determined nod.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY!"
A loud shout had echoed from the cafeteria. Instantly, Master moved towards the source, ready to resolve the issue. Mash and Jaune both followed right on his tail. She hoped that the dispute was something minor; arguments between Servants tended to get heated quite rapidly. More often than not, the surroundings would take the brunt of the assault, and Mash hated causing trouble and damage to a home they were temporarily occupying, or to the Servants who would have to repair the damage.
As soon as they came inside, the trio was able to see the commotion. To Mash's relief, it was a familiar sight. Seated at a table in the center was the black King of Knights: Arturia Alter. She was garbed in casual wear that her Shinjuku version had worn and was armed with a cold, steely gaze that felt as if she could leave you frozen solid. The serious aura surrounding her was offset by the comically huge pile of burgers on her plate and the one she was currently eating in hand.
Standing on the other side with a heated glare and angry scowl was another Alter. The Dragon Witch of Orleans: Jeanne Alter. Likewise, she was also in the casual wear from her version in Shinjuku. She appeared to be the one who had shouted, a common enough occurrence, but her anger seemed to be worse this time around. Normally, a day couldn't go by without the two bickering about something such as their combat performance or their hobbies, but the arguments were usually controlled. Jeanne Alter's normal glare could leave the target of her ire quivering in fear, but the look she had now looked as if she could incinerate her foe with only her gaze.
"Have you gone deaf, or has all the manga you've written eroded your ability to even focus on a conversation?" Arturia Alter asked with a quirked eyebrow before taking a huge bite out of her hamburger. Even with her mouth full, she kept talking. "I'm quite sure I told you quite clearly. You're just a -"
"I heard you the first time, Ice Queen Bitch." Jeanne Alter interrupted with a snarl. "I just couldn't believe you would have the guts to say that to my face not just once, but almost twice." She then turned around and shook her head in mock pity. "Hah. To think I'll have to explain to Master why there's a pile of gluttonous ashes in the cafeteria. What a tragedy."
The altered King of Knight's eyes narrowed. "Pile of ash or not, my statement will still remain true. That's something you won't be able to change or deny through force, you pitiful farm girl." She finished the remainder of her hamburger before grabbing another. "It'll just remain forever in your memory. Always eating away at you in your darkest thoughts, always agonizing you, and eternally tormenting you. That's the real tragedy." A small, sinister grin grew on her face. "And that will give me all the satisfaction I could ever want even if I am returned to the Throne. Not that it will ever be by your doing." She snorted. "As if somebody as simpleminded and brutish as you could ever pose a threat in this manifestation or the next." She ended her dismissal with another burger stuffed into her mouth.
While the black Saber appeared to be cool and nonchalant, the same could not be said for her fellow Alter. The Dragon Witch of Orleans was shaking with what Mash guessed was rage. The flickers of flames at her feet seemed to be giving off that feeling. Master looked tense, ready to intervene at a moment's notice, but he chose to simply witness the events unfold for now. Meanwhile, Mash's fellow Shielder was also watching the increasingly escalating argument, but he had an expression that she didn't quite recognize.
Jeanne Alter laughed, but it sounded empty and cruel. "As an Avenger, I was born with an immense hatred. To utterly burn and annihilate France and its people for what they had done to me. That hatred is the essence of my being; the reason I was created." She turned her head to stare back at Arturia Alter whose cheeks were still full with burgers. She then spoke, but her tone had turned so cold that everyone could feel the iciness in her voice. "So imagine how surprising it is for that hatred to be utterly eclipsed by this overwhelming fury that I'm feeling right now."
Arturia Alter's coy smile never left. "Well, if your grudge against France for painfully burning you to death is truly beaten by a few mere words, then I would have to say that it hadn't meant all that much in the first place, had it not?" Two more burgers were quickly lost from her endless pile. "Were you always this dramatic, or is this a result of you being an Avenger? After all, the original you doesn't share the same flair."
The Avenger spun around and slammed her palms against the table. "Oh! Don't even bring her into this!" She angrily exclaimed rather loudly. "You've already pissed me off, don't make it worse by bringing up that sickeningly sweet saint." A smug look of realization suddenly then crossed her face. "But maybe you're right. Maybe the Avenger class does give me extra personality, but then is the Saber class to blame for your lack of one?"
For the first time since they had been watching, Arturia Alter paused in her record beating speed eating, and narrowed her eyes into a suspicious glare.
Her voice was mocking and sarcastic. "But that can't be it. After all, there's Sabers disgustingly full of cheer and emotion like that irritating Roman emperor, the air headed fox cosplayer, or even your alternate male self." She said that last one slowly with a sort of vindictive glee. "So then, what could be the reason for your dull bitchiness?" She snapped her fingers. "I got it. That all just comes from your naturally cold, heartless self. Just like a soulless machine who only knows how to consume… Isn't that right, Ice Queen Bitch?"
"What do you know, it appears as if you can do more than just bark incessantly. It's a shame that your words still cut so shallow however."
Jeanne Alter scoffed. "As if. If you weren't so bothered by them, then why didn't you -" she paused once she saw her fellow Alter stuff three more burgers into the vacuum that was her mouth. "Oh for the love of… Would you stop gorging yourself for just one second!" She howled. Her patience had finally run out. "Didn't that creepy excuse of a wizard ever teach you anything about etiquette?"
"Your intelligence is even lower than the barn animals you raised if you would think that Merlin would teach something as civil and useless as that." She said before taking another bite of yet another burger.
"Weren't you supposed to be a king?" Jeanne Alter snorted. "Even a village girl like me knows that it's proper manners to stop eating in the middle of a conversation."
"If you think that you're worth me not eating greasy perfection for even a second, then you're even more foolish than Mordred on Father's Day."
The Avenger growled. "I will burn you to death."
"You will fail even while I will be forced to only use one hand."
"I can't believe you wouldn't stop even then, King of Cunts!" A look of disbelief crossed her face.
"You're not worth the effort, you knock off saint."
Afterwards came a flurry of petty insults passed back and forth between them. Both Senpai and Mash let out a sigh of relief. This is how their interactions usually tended to go. A constant trade of light barbs and empty threats. Mash was worried that their fight might have actually escalated and turned physical for once when they came in earlier, but it looks like Arturia Alter's poor manners were able to keep everything civil.
"It seems that everything has worked out. Wouldn't you agree?" Mash said aloud.
Sempai placed a hand on his forehead and let out a long sigh of relief. "Yeah. I was getting worried for a second there, but it was just a false alarm." He then clapped his hands and put a bright smile on his face. "Alright! Sorry about the commotion Jaune, but let's finish up with the tour."
However, when they turned to look at the blonde Shielder, all they saw was nothing. They blinked once, then twice. Sure enough, the new Servant had actually disappeared. Mash felt like she could even see an outline of where he had once been standing.
"Uhhh, Mash… Where did he go?"
*Thump*
Luckily, his question was answered soon enough. Unluckily, that had occurred at the Alters' table. Even more unfortunate was the fact that the sound had been the swift collision of Jeanne Alter and Arturia Alter's foreheads into each other.
"Fuck! What the hell?!"
"Grr. What fool is responsible?"
Mash felt like that their response would have sounded more intimidating had they not been looking down, clutching their foreheads. Apparently the culprit thought the same from the fearless look on his face, not that the Alters could really tell given his height and their position.
Sometime during the minute they took their eyes off him, he had dematerialized his armor. "You two need to calm down." Jaune said firmly. "You guys are friends, right? Friends shouldn't fight like little kids when they get upset with each other." He ended with a smile.
While his words were meant to peacefully resolve the spat, his tone seemed to not come off as quite the same. To Mash, it seemed a little patronizing, similar to a father telling off their children when they've done something wrong. They seemed to think the same given their next response.
They quickly looked up at him and shouted as one. "Stay out of this, Arthur!" It looked as if they had mistaken him already, but for good reason as Arthur did intervene as a mediator in their fights enough times.
Contrary to the impression Mash had of the Shielder, rather than backing off with an apology, he grew an annoyed look on his face while standing his ground.
"First Master and now you guys as well? Geez, it's my first day and I'm already getting confused with somebody else." His voice seemed to break out of the stupor they had been in. They met his gaze before he spoke again. "The name is Jaune. Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, the ladies love it." He said confidently.
The looks he had received from them could only be described as a deadpan incredulity as if they couldn't believe that he really said that. Jeanne's face was even worse as soon he said his name, it was flushed red with embarrassment, but he still stood his ground. Mash was finding it hard to believe if his line worked with anyone at all.
"What the fuck is this? No. I refuse to believe there's a male version of me now too?!" Her expression was filled with utter disgust. "Not to mention that line, I don't even think that she could say something so horrendously cringey!"
"Calm down, hot headed, otaku farm girl. Horrible self-introductions and nosy interventions aside, don't be so quick to write off this edition to your 'family.' I think it's great that he's now here."
"Oh yeah, and why is that?" She replied with a raised eyebrow.
"For one, his height lets him play the older brother role, does it not?" Arturia's expression brightened after seeing how her fellow Alter poorly reacted to that. "For another, doesn't the saying go that 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.'" She said with a smirk. "It is cute that you're trying to copy me so much."
Before the Dragon Witch could start another endless assault of insults, Jaune put a stop to it by bopping the top of their heads with his fists. He sighed in exasperation and said, "I don't know how many times I'm gonna have to say this, but I'm not who you guys keep thinking I am! My name is Jaune! J-A-U-N-E! I'm not some super famous saint or king. I'm just a Huntsman, a guy who kills scary monsters and heroically saves people. The same as everyone else, but now I'm a peacekeeper trying to get two friends to stop fighting." He finished with a friendly grin.
"Look pal, just because you're new around here doesn't mean you get a free pass to butt in other people's business, or give 'em false labels." Jeanne said with noticeably less venom, but still significant irritation.
"For once I have to agree with the uneducated pyromaniac, I'm not entirely sure where you found the conclusion that we are friends. I'd be surprised if anyone could remain unharmed, physically or emotionally, after dealing with her for an extended period of time."
"No way. And here I thought Weiss and Emerald were bad enough, but you two put them to shame." He sighed. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've had to do this." For a quick second, Mash thought his face scrunched up in confusion, but when she blinked, there was no sign he had done so. He then clapped. "OK, let's start from the beginning! What do you think friendship is?"
The Dragon Witch stared at him incredulously. "The fuck? Why should I answer something as dumb as that?"
"Come on, help me out here! Just do it as a favor from your supposedly male counterpart." He pleaded, but what he muttered next under his breath, Mash barely caught it. "Because that's what everyone has been telling me all damn day."
Jeanne Alter harshly sighed, but she did surprisingly give an answer. "Friendship is a busted, crappy ass system where people work hard and do nice things for each other only to get nothing in return. Pretty much a downgrade of a master and servant relationship to be honest."
"Fool." Arturia Alter seemed to disagree. "Is that what you think companionship is? Truly, you continue to be a disappointment. Allow me to explain." As alway, another burger was stuffed into her mouth before she started explaining. "Friendship is an equal relationship between two unequal people. Naturally, the stronger one is in charge and receives unending attention, praise, and gifts while the other in return for their generosity will have the pleasure of being in their presence as well as protection." She said without an ounce of shame. "They must also follow all of the commands of the superior or suffer drastic consequences."
Jaune could only stare incredulously at her, but Mash didn't blame him as both her and Senpai had the same expression. Jeanne Alter had a more vocal response.
"You just described a master and servant relationship, you soul sucking tyrant!"
"Did I?" She innocently tilted her head. "Then I must have more friends than I thought. Although, the same cannot be said for you, now can it?"
Jaune looked at the two worriedly. "...This is going to be harder than I thought."
What followed was something that Mash couldn't quite understand. It was a loud and rowdy squabble between the three with Jaune trying to explain the concept of friendship while the Alters were constantly disagreeing with every point he made with slight jabs at each other in between. What was strange was the mean-spirited atmosphere that had been present when they arrived was slowly disappearing, and being replaced by something more... pleasant. Jeanne Alter had calmly sat back in her seat and Arturia Alter had finally stopped gorging herself while she was talking. They were just having an argument, but a mature one with actual points and questions rather than a childish onslaught of slander usually present. All the other Servants who had been watching in the background turned back into their own conversations and meals now that the commotion had finally died down.
"Mash, what just happened?" Senpai asked her slowly with wide eyes showing his shock. "I mean, you're seeing the same thing I'm seeing right?"
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry to say that I can't explain it either." She answered honestly, her expression mirroring his. "It seems that Jaune was somehow able to distract them from their argument, and then was able to lead it to positive conversation and discussion." It was impressive considering that anybody who wasn't Master that usually tried to intervene would be met with violent retribution almost instantly, especially the male King of Knights. Mash wondered if Jaune had used Charisma or some other hidden Skill to achieve what most could not.
"Well… It looks like they won't be done for a while. We can pick up the rest of the tour some other time plus we showed all the important places, so we shouldn't really have to worry." He pointed towards the kitchen. "How about we get something to eat? I didn't realize how long we were in the summoning room."
"Oh! We did happen to miss breakfast. Yes, let's go get some lunch."
As they were walking to grab some delicious food, Mash took one look back at the Alters' table. Arturia and Jeanne were talking to each other about something, but Mash noticed that the Dragon Witch was speaking while appearing to be rather aloof and uncaring, but Mash could see restrained excitement in how she kept interjecting and her body language. Arturia also seemed more engaged; rather than staring coldly at the distance, her focus was on Jeanne instead of her mountain of food. Their unexpected addition was only looking at them with a small smile on his face like he was just satisfied watching the situation.
Arturia Alter's words came back to Mash. While she had said them as mocking as she could, Mash didn't think that she had been all that wrong.
"He looks just like a big brother helping his sisters…"
"Mash, you coming?"
"Yes!"
XxxxxxxX
"So after you have the batter all ready, then you get to the best part. Pour it onto the pan, wait a minute or two, and then it's…" A goofy blonde was explaining to his audience before pausing dramatically.
"Flipping it!" He joyfully exclaimed before sending it in the air where it flipped no less than five times before perfectly landing on the other side.
"Wow!" His audience of three cheered, amazed at the show their teacher was putting on.
Emiya had heard there was a new addition recently, but he didn't expect for Jaune Arc to come into the kitchen with Jack, Nursery Rhyme, and Abigail asking to borrow it. Apparently, he had overheard Abigail wondering aloud on how to make pancakes, and he eagerly offered to teach them.
Seeing no problem with it since he would be there observing while working on his preparations for the evening. Emiya was pleasantly surprised with both his ability in the kitchen and keeping the child Servants under control.
"And there we go! Now we've got a whole stack of delicious golden pancakes. Now that I've shown you the ropes, who wants to try making one first?"
Jack raised her hand. "We do!"
"Awesome!" His cheer fell a little once he realized that Jack couldn't quite reach the stove. "Oh. Umm, let's get you something to stand on. There's gotta be something around here." He quickly, panickedly looked around the room.
Emiya had already anticipated this, and brought a stool. "Here you go." He put it in front of the stove and as soon as Jack got on top and poured the batter in, the other two crowded around to watch.
The blonde gave him a relieved grin. "Thanks! You're a lifesaver." He said before turning back to watch the children.
"Don't mention it. Something always ends up happening, so I try to be prepared." The Counter Guardian waved it off. "I do have to say that it's impressive with how well you're taking care of them and those pancakes of yours."
Jaune just gave a shrug. "These kinds of things happen when you have seven sisters."
That shocked Emiya. "Seven what?!" Emiya remembered that during his life, he'd had to deal with multiple women at one time, but never for his whole life. He could only give a look of pity as it was a miracle that his fellow Servant was able to retain any form of sanity or masculinity. "It must have been hectic growing up."
The blond had a thousand yard stare. "Yeah, tell me about it." He shook it off before grinning. "Still, I did manage to learn a lot of things, so it wasn't all that bad."
"If you don't mind me asking, why do you have your sword materialized?" It was attached to his hip, but it was odd to see considering Jaune was simply wearing a black hooded sweater and blue jeans.
"Oh, this?" He laughed. "Sorry if it seems weird. Even though I know this place isn't in any danger, it just feels off not to have it with me like this. Guess I just got used to always having it on hand in life."
He guessed, huh. Normally that would mean nothing, but for Jaune Arc it was a lot more. When looking for his legend on the Throne, the information was incomplete and fragmented. This wasn't the first time a Servant had appeared like that, but when it occurred, it was very significant. The last time was when Xiang Yu had been summoned.
Soon after, they were forced into the Chinese Lostbelt.
"That's because of your missing memories?"
"Yeah. I can remember general things I did in life like how I grew up, the battles I've faced, but the specifics like who I fought or the names of loved ones aren't there." He put his palm on his forehead, and grabbed the hairs on his scalp. "It's all just hazy and my memories always seem just out of reach like a puzzle missing the final piece." The look on Jaune's face was very conflicted. "What's worse is that I'll sometimes get that missing piece accidentally without realizing it for a second before it leaves just as fast."
"Hmm. Is that so?" Emiya could only say awkwardly in response.
Jaune then headed to his students once it was apparent how much they were struggling with the flipping portion, and also as a way to escape the somber mood their conversation had made. With the Shielder distracted, Emiya glanced at his weapon. That second long look was all that he needed to trace his sword. Right away, Emiya felt shooting pain spike through his head. He knew the answer right away. Feedback. Something that would only occur if he traced something that wasn't created by human means. In other words, a Divine Construct. All he had been able to glean was its name: Crocea Mors.
Jaune was demonstrating his flipping technique again and while Emiya had been able to keep his composure despite the agonizing feedback, that meant there was no chance of him noticing that something was amiss. Calming down his racing heart, he decided to shelve away his findings for another time. While there was more to the Shielder that meets the eye, it didn't mean he was a threat.
However, that didn't mean today's friend couldn't be tomorrow's enemy. After all, if somebody wanted to hide something crucial and significant in his identity, then it would make sense to claim amnesia.
It's what he would've done.
XxxxxxxX
"Don't do it, man." A yellow haired ladykiller pleaded.
"Oho, but Monsieur, fortune favors the bold." The french man with a rather large... hat replied.
"Fortune doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to succeed! Come on, there's plenty of other ways to go about it. Why are you trying this?!"
"How could I not attempt this, especially after what you told me what you did. If I couldn't do something just as daring, then I wouldn't be able to call myself a man in front of you."
"As flattered as I am, as your friend, I really can't let you go through with this." He stepped in front of his friend. "The chances of this working are almost none!"
"Ah ah!" He wagged a finger in the blonde's face. "Almost none just means that it isn't impossible, and if I can make the impossible possible, then I can turn a one percent chance into a hundred percent success! Now watch!"
With his declaration made, he pushed past the well meaning wall, and set off for his quarry before he could be stopped. Unfortunately for him, his friend wasn't the type to easily give up. Just as soon as the man in the big hat brought out the remote necessary to start things off, he was tackled from behind and knocked straight towards the ground where he and his assailant both kept tumbling and rolling violently forward.
Eventually, they came to a stop, but their limbs were tangled up. They were unable to move, and rather than free themselves, they both started quickly looking for the remote. They pushed and shoved each other while also trying to play dirty whether it was by pulling hats down or poking out eyes. The man who didn't know the meaning of impossible was able to see the remote in the corner of his eye, but before his hopes could rise, a skin-tight, black bodysuit covered hand lifted it up.
"Interesting. Now, what is this?" The Avenger, Oda Nobunaga, said with amused curiosity. She pressed the button with no hesitation, and awaited for what would happen next.
The sound of trumpets blared through the loudspeakers all across Chaldea before leading into a bombastic concert of instruments playing a joyful and epic piece as if announcing the arrival of a monarch to his people. Then a boisterous and confident voice echoed, "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven! You are a woman who fights against the mysteries of the world for the common man. A fearsome leader who shows the fires of hell yet is able to laugh at the divine. Truly, there is no other just as fiery and passionate as you. All I ask is one question!"
Just as he finished, all the lights shut off, but that wouldn't last long. Explosions of color burst in the air followed by a loud boom! An enemy attack? A misfire of a Noble Phantasm? Nay! They were fireworks! But not just ordinary ones, for they displayed in the air the man's unvoiced question. Very large and impossible to miss in the artificial open field room of Chaldea for Servants to lounge around were the large, bright words, 'Will you be mine?'
Everyone was frozen. For the next few moments, they tried to comprehend what they just witnessed. Soon, the music died out and lights came back, allowing the men stuck together to see the intended target's reaction. The onlookers and residents went back to what they were doing, content to accept it as another eccentric event in the chaotic Chaldea. Napoleon Bonaparte was slightly anxious as that hadn't gone entirely as he had planned. Jaune Arc was in disbelief that Napoleon really had been serious about his plan. He really should've known better.
Nobunaga simply smirked down at the man of the hour himself. She softly laughed. "That was very entertaining. If I'm not mistaken, that was your handiwork now, wasn't it Napoleon?" She bared her teeth while her smirk turned into a devilish grin. "Unfortunately, I'll have to decline your offer. I'm not so easy as to accept the first grand confession I see, but I will admit…" She said before turning around. She started walking away, but not before she got the last word. "You have raised my interest, Rainbow Emperor of France."
Jaune Arc just stared. Outwardly he appeared to be frozen, but his mind was anything but.
"Are you seriously telling me that it worked?! I mean, she didn't say yes, but she also didn't say no! I thought I was doing the right thing by trying to stop him, but I guess not because he's made more progress than I ever did!"
While Jaune was internally ranting, Napoleon separated himself from his friend to stand, and right afterwards he quickly grew a wide, excited smile. His feelings of triumph couldn't be contained within his face alone, so like any other man in his position, he started rapidly fist bumping the air in excitement.
He turned around to face the still frozen Jaune. "Yes Monsieur, yes! Did I not tell you?! Impossible doesn't exist in my vocabulary! I may not have reached the goal just yet, but I know that I am much closer than before." He said while looking up. Then he looked back at his fallen friend with a smirk. "No worries, I've already forgiven you for doubting me." He said with a wink.
That broke the Shielder out of his stupor. "Alright! You don't have to rub it in. Ok!" Jaune childishly crossed his arms together and looked away. "Let's just get out of here." He then stomped over to the cafeteria.
"Oi! Don't leave me behind, come on now!" He said before running after his friend.
XxxxxxxX
"I still can't believe that you actually did it. Not to mention that it almost worked."
Napoleon smirked. "What was there to doubt? My courage? I'm the man that the great people of France put their hopes and dreams into, with that kind of support, no amount of fear could stop me. My charm? No woman can resist a man in uniform. My intelligence? I may be passionate, but that makes me no fool. I did have a plan after all."
"Yeah, a completely ridiculous one." Jaune scoffed and rolled his eyes.
Against the Shielder's better judgement, the two had moved into the quaint bar run by the one and only Napoleon of Crime. Jaune had a feeling that his friend picked this place solely for that reason. He was riding a very high ego boost thanks to his somewhat successful proposal. They were seated at a table in the corner with a beer in hand. Jaune wasn't a huge fan of alcohol, but Napoleon insisted, and the french emperor was a man hard to say no to usually.
Jaune sighed.
In the three months it has been since he was summoned to Chaldea, he felt like he had been doing a lot of that. While some of it was in part because of the daily insanity that happened with the dozens of Heroic Spirits here, the real cause of it all was the man downing a pint across from him. Jaune Arc liked to think of himself as a patient man, but Napoleon constantly pushed and stretched those limits. Nothing was easy with him. He was the kind of flashy guy who always had to go big or go home. Whether it was a fight or a game, he had to make it loud, brash, and unforgettable. Usually ending up with Jaune in the middle of it too.
Yet, this pain in this ass was still Jaune's closest friend in Chaldea.
Despite all the trouble that the man of impossibilities gave him, Jaune still got along very well with him. From the moment that they met, they became fast friends and settled into their dynamic straight away. Even if he was being honest, Jaune enjoyed the antics that he was constantly pulled into. It was familiar. Like somebody from his previous life had done something similar, always pushing him to go on another adventure with promises of fun and excitement. Somebody who was always looking out for him, always trying to see the bright-"
*Snap*
The blonde jumped in his seat, unexpectedly pulled from his thoughts with the culprit being the hand right in his face. How long had that been there?
"Finally back to Earth? People always said that my head was always up in the clouds, but you looked like you were flying with the stars themselves." The Frenchman laughed before his face suddenly turned serious. "Did you get another memory?"
"...Yeah." Jaune awkwardly replied.
The emperor thankfully didn't say anything else. He knew Jaune would explain at his own pace and was okay with waiting until he was ready.
"I think I remembered my best friend."
Napoleon leaned in excitedly. "Ooo la la! Tell me about them."
Jaune closed his eyes and focused on all the details of the memory as hard as he could. Already, some details were quickly fleeing his head, but he tried to make sure he kept hold on what was left.
"She was… the best. Sweet as a flower, but that didn't mean she didn't have any thorns. Not that you could when she was an absolute dork like me." Jaune chuckled. "She was the kind of person who saw the good in everyone and was always trying to bring it out even to her enemies. Whenever we were beaten and knocked down, she was the shining light pushing us up. The personification of optimism itself."
"She sounds brilliant. That kind of woman could sweep any man off their feet." He said.
"She definitely could have if it wasn't for the fact that she wouldn't have a single clue how to. She was always too busy being a hero. Always trying to give everyone their happily ever after." Despite the fondness and nostalgia coming out, Jaune could also feel a slight frown on his face. He wasn't sure why though.
"What was her name?"
Jaune froze.
Her name? Her name. Her name. Name. Name. Name. What was it? What was it? What was his best friend's name? It was there. It had to be there. Come on. Come on. Her name. Her name. Why didn't he know her name? How could he forget his best friend's name?! He could remember that she loved weapons, that she and him shared the same hobbies, whatever they were, and that she had been a little younger than him. She was also one of the most important people in his previous life.
SO WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER HER NAME?!
After what felt like an eternity of internal conflict, Jaune was finally able to give an answer, as weak as it was. "I… don't know." He practically whispered.
Napoleon's expression was pensive. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Can you tell me what she looked like?" He softly asked.
Immediately, an image appeared in his head of a young woman clothed in a corset and skirt of black and red, back turned to him, covered by a bright red hood while holding a huge scythe. The detail that stuck out to him were the rose petals. They drifted away from her as if they were leaves in the autumn wind. It just seemed so familiar, so right seeing them there.
The scene left his head as soon as it came, and he was back in the bar. Jaune felt something hit his hand. His hand? His right hand was clutching desperately onto the red scarf that he wore everywhere for some reason. It was also a little wet. He found out a second later that it was from the tear drops.
He was crying.
With his other arm, he wiped the tears from his eyes. He took a second to compose himself. "Yeah. Yeah, I can tell you." He said with a weak grin.
And he did. He described everything he could down to the last detail, but he didn't stop there. He talked about everything he knew about her. He needed to tell somebody, anybody, about her. He was worried that if he didn't say anything now, then it would be lost from his memory forever. In the back of his head, he knew he was being irrational, partial memories he managed to find didn't disappear. Jaune didn't care. He was too scared of forgetting about his best friend again.
Eventually, after Jaune had said all he had, Napoleon recounted tales of his own. Of glorious battles and conquests, of the companions and rivals he met along the way. They talked and reminisced for hours. When they were done talking about their respective pasts, they moved onto their experiences in Chaldea. The blonde's first day. Napoleon getting the cold shoulder from Skadi. When Jaune became the King of Dance. The bender that had been Saint Patrick's Day.
While he was laughing from remembering the time Achilles gave Atalanta catnip, The Shielder figured out what Napoleon had done. He had distracted Jaune from his distress with memories of happier times. He felt grateful for the Archer doing something so thoughtful. That didn't mean he wouldn't stop him the next time the French emperor tried to pull another stunt like today.
Friends just did what they thought were best.
Man, that got pretty dark at the end... The reason for that? You'll have to find out in the second part. So what is this? Basically this fic is gonna be a collection of oneshots of AUs stuck in my head, but that I don't want to make a complete story because I know that I don't have the time or ability to commit to so many projects. Updates for this will be sporadic especially since I want to focus more of my attention on my other story Blondes Sure Have It Rough. Now that I got that out of the way, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and the characters felt mostly on point. One of my biggest flaws I feel is making sure the character acts as they should. Please let me know what was shit and y'all liked!
(For the FGO homies)
So if you follow JP news, then you know Lostbelt 6 is out, and I am hyped! Morgan is so fucking cool, and the story we've got so far until is only 30%. Come on man, I need to know now! For NA, I just beat Lostbelt 4. That Godjuna boss fight was really pissing me off until I caved with Command Seals after he stayed alive with 500 HP. Bruuuh. In terms of rolls, I got Godjuna with 7 tickets, and used the other 42 to try and get Ashwatthama. Didn't get him, but I got another Godjuna, so yay? Saving the SQ for GudaGuda 4, pretty hype for that.
Anyways, I'll see y'all in the next one. Comment below, subscribe, and hit that like button! Wait, I think I got this mixed up...