Chapter 3
XxXxX
Sita observed her Master intently, starting to recognize some quirks of his that he did from time to time. There was the way in which he cracked his fingers, always both hands, never once only one of them. He started with the right one, odd considering that he was left-handed, from the index all the way to the pinkie, not touching his thumbs at all. Once he was done with both hands, he proceeded his wrists, then his elbows, and finally his shoulders. It was an unconscious act of his, done every 3 hours or so.
It was a coping mechanism of his, she had realized a long time ago. As if he needed some sort of routine in his life.
After the events of the morning, they reunited with Artoria in what her Master called 'Pocket Apartment'. She gave them a detailed report on her hunt and later elimination of the potentially wild card Uryuu Ryuunosuke. The Grimoire that he was carrying around was saturated in dark magics, a 'foul stench', explained Artoria.
"I don't think it was a family heirloom as he imagined it to be, someone left it for him to find," Artoria had explained in a dark mood.
Her Master gave Artoria his ring, the strange Mystic Code which he claimed would help strengthen her Saint Graph once he put that stamp on her shoulder since last night. Something or other about it being also able to help them track down the competition. Sita was never one for the more esoteric arts, so she left the magical talk for the Fey to do her work.
It was nighttime already, and Artoria hadn't returned yet. It was useless to worry about it though, her Master was barely affected by her tardiness himself. In fact, he looked as if he was expecting it. Although his form of coping with Artoria's absence was what had her keeping a watchful eye on her Master in the first place.
"*SIP* You know, Japanese beer isn't as bad as I first thought."
"Is it not?" Sita tried to maintain her cheerful demeanor, not betraying the growing worry inside herself as she watched her Master chug down his fourth beer in the last hour.
"Better than American beer, that mush I can tell shou," his words were starting to come slurring a bit, his cheeks had been red for a while now. But he wasn't smiling.
Ever since Sita has been summoned, she has only seen her Master smile in Artoria's presence. Most of the time, he looked either on the border of collapsing from exhaustion, or with that haunted look of his. Despite his best efforts, Sita has noticed how his eyes only grew grim when he was looking at her. It wasn't a malicious look, but more like if her mere image caused him emotional pain.
Sita felt useless on that front. For the life of her, she couldn't think of any reason as to why she was the cause of so much mortification for her Master. Was he perhaps the reincarnation of someone she knew in her past life? That would be impossible, in a world such as this, where the mystery was slowly withering away, even if he was a reincarnation, he couldn't possibly remember anything. At most, slight gleams of past abilities showing themselves here and there.
"It is useless to think of a cause," Sita crushed that feeling of guilt creeping through her body with an iron resolve. "What matters at the moment is just being present for Master. We have only known each other for a day at most, there will be time later."
She simply dedicated herself to watch as her Master took a last gulp of his beer. He looked at the empty can with a contemplative expression, as if the answers of the universe rested inside the empty container. For a moment, the Master reminded her of her loved one. It was a cruel joke of the universe, but all men at one point adopt exactly that same look.
He then made the motion of grabbing another can from the six-pack.
SMACK
Master looked at his hand with wide eyes, noticing the red spot on his wrist, he then directed his eyes towards Sita, her own hand still extended. She was no longer smiling passively at him.
"I think that you had had enough for tonight, Master," Sita declared in a voice leaving no room for arguments.
For the first time, her Master didn't look at her ashamed, he was looking at her irritated.
"Archer," he said the word with as much coldness as he could muster in his drunken state. "I want to take another beer, and I will take another beer."
He moved his hand again, to try and grab what was left of the six-pack, but Sita beat him to it.
Moving faster than what a human could perceive, Sita not only grabbed the two remaining cans, but opened and drinked them in a single and fluid movement. Simply negating them from him would not prove useful, this way, she made her message clear.
Her eyes softened once the Master adopted a resigned look.
"Do whatever the hell you want," he stood up from his stool, way too fast for him to properly process at the moment. As such, it was inevitable for the Master to collapse into the ground.
Sita was at his side in an instant, looking for any serious damage on his person before helping him stand up.
"Why are you helping me?" the Master asked Sita in a low voice, his head bent slightly downwards and casting a shadow over his eyes. It didn't help. Sita could see the tears of sadness in his eyes.
Again, she felt useless for causing so much harm to her Master and not knowing why. Still, there were some things that she was still able to do to help lessen the weight her Master was feeling.
She could be there for him, whether he wanted to or not.
"I would be unable to look at my love's face if I abandoned someone that is hurting so much inside," Sita gave him a candid smile, before giving a huff of exasperation. "He is the sort of hot-headed fool that would involve himself in other people's lives if he felt bored enough," she gained a dreaming smile at the end.
"..." Rigo didn't say anything else, he was already sleeping on Sita's carry.
Dedicating her Master a small, sad smile, Sita carried him to the room he shared with his lover. He needed his rest now more than ever.
XXX
CRACK!
Artoria didn't bat an eyelid at the wall she so easily cracked with her fist. She was fuming in rage at the moment. Rage at this wretched War, rage at the Company, and most importantly, rage at herself.
Despite her entire existence being warped and twisted to feel unconditional and undying love at RIgo, she couldn't help but also feel pity towards the young man. The moment she set her sight on the love of her life, she didn't see either unfiltered lust of malice on his eyes, she saw a deep despair filling those brown orbs of his. He proceeded to cry his eyes out then and there, Artoria incapable of doing anything except offer her shoulder for him to cry on.
Through mumbling apologies and some disturbing suicidal thoughts, Rigo explained more or less how he never expected for anything of this to happen. He was just filling a power fantasy card with something that should have never happened. Rigo had a whole plan detailed, just for hypothetical, but once he realized that all of it was going to happen, he tried to run away from everything and even offered Artoria her freedom back.
With or without the conditioning that the Company had inflicted upon her, Artoria would have never abandoned someone in such distress. If Rigo lacked the will at the moment to carry on his own plans, she will be the one to do it instead. Until he is ready, she will act as the vilest monster in existence if it means that his dreams will come true.
She had no idea what else to do.
Looking at the ring in her hand, Artoria allowed herself to recollect her own thoughts from this afternoon's activities. Just as her love had designed, she Stamped Tohsaka Aoi and Rin, and also Sakura Matou. When the time for leaving this world comes, they shall remain here, never aware what really transpired in this Holy Grail War.
Now it was time for her own plan to come into action.
BZZZZ
Artoria scowled fiercely at the lone insect she saw flying towards the alleway. Under a powerful illusion, she followed the abomination unchallenged.
BZZZZ BZZZZ
BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ
BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ
What started as a lone bug soon turned into a hive of them. These unnatural creatures of razor-sharp teeth and blade-like wings repulsed Artoria to her very core. It was a grotesque view seeing the hive coming and going from the inside of a dead-looking man. He was a walking corpse at this point, but his rage and will on equal measure didn't permit him to rest just yet.
He was mumbling to himself, like in delirium. What she was going to do could be counted as a mercy at this point.
She bent her knees until she was face to face with him. His only healthy-looking eye wasn't even focused on anything. He was putting all his effort on just living at the moment.
She put her hand on where his own Command Seals rested, and with a scarlet flash of light, they were transferred to her. There was violent movement from the man, but she was quicker, and tapped her staff against his chest.
Blue flames immediately immolated the body, and with a command on her part, the insects now flying in a frenzy around her followed the same fate soon after.
Dusting herself off, Artoria straightened herself up. She then raised her Command Seals at the same time that the illusion was broken. "You can come out now," she said in a commanding voice.
Not even five seconds later, a form materialized in front of her. He was black knight, miasma covering his form, and his visor shining in a sickly red light. He bent the knee for her.
Artoria smiled, but not a regular smile for her, this smile would have been more in place with Le Fay than with her.
"Let us march, my faithful knight."
XXX
2 Days Later:
Rigo was standing atop a skyscraper, allowing himself the best view the city had to offer at the moment. It was morning already, and some people were commuting to either work or school. He had his arms folded behind his back, his posture was a relaxed one.
Artoria was dutifully behind him, a curious expression on her face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, posing a hand on his right shoulder.
Rigo was quiet for a moment, before ever so slowly, turning towards Artoria.
"I am great," he simply said, a smile on his face.
XxXxX
AN: Welp, here you have guys. It has finally happened, pseudo post nut clarity.
Spoiler: Captures and Purchases
Companions captured 60; sold 0 [63]
Sita(T7) from Nasuverse
Defenses
Stress Defense x2 -10 [53]
Mind Defense -25 [28]