Ritsuka Fujimaru knew he was not dreaming but reliving a memory. A memory of someone very dear to him, and the first one in almost a month that he seemed to be understanding in a coherent manner, as Mash's voice bounced around inside his head. Her tone sounded as if she were the narrator of a documentary, calm and relatively emotionless. Slow and scientific.
It was unnerving, but he could do little more other than to listen and hope to discover more about the big secret Mash was carrying.
'I woke up at the same time today. I checked my temperature. I checked my five senses. I said my name out loud, so that I could understand it better. I think I've gotten used to waking up like this. Previously, my waking-up was a bit more gradual.' Ritsuka experienced the sense of Mash 's body moving into a seated position on the bed in the same sterilized room that she had been in the last memory. 'It was as if I was walking on thin ice or sneaking in front of an animal in a blissful sleep. That's how I used to wake up. Like I was looking for my way in complete darkness.' Thankfully for Rits, the tone adopted a little more emotion, a little more sense of thoughtfulness. A hint of hope, in fact, that grew stronger.
'Of course, it's all different now. My self-conscious is stable. I don't have to worry about my memory disappearing after each sleep. I am who I am. Today, too, I can feel that I am myself.'
Once again, Mash's inner narrative left Ritsuka with more questions than answers. While he was pleased to know that the previous fear Mash had evidently experienced of having what sounded like some hellish form of amnesia, there still wasn't an explanation for why there was such a fear of it happening in the first place!
At that moment, Doctor Roman walked in, with his typical smile. Ritsuka felt a wave of happiness come from Mash. So, by this point, his girlfriend had started growing close to the acting-director of Chaldea, it seems. A data pad was held tightly under his right armpit, as his hands were holding a plastic tray that was carrying a wide variety of breakfast-type food, and a glass of orange juice to go with it.
"Good morning, Mash," the ginger-haired man greeted. You're on time as usual. Ready for breakfast?" Ritsuka felt Mash nodding her head, and Doctor Roman returned the gesture rather joyfully. Ritsuka watched as the doctor placed the tray on the nearby nightstand. Mash didn't reach for it, though he could feel her mouth starting to water as the delicious smell of the food entered both of their noses.
Instead, Ritsuka watched through Mash's eyes as Roman held out his data pad and did a quick scan of her. He hummed softly to himself as he tapped the screen a few times, before looking up and smiling softly. "Good news, Mash! Your brain waves are still stable. If you continue like this, you won't need to stay in the sterile chamber anymore. Then you can finally be a researcher at Chaldea. I'll throw you a celebration for you when that day comes. Do you have any requests? If it's within my capabilities, I'll do my best to get it for you!"
Ritsuka felt rather than heard his girlfriend hum thoughtfully to herself, staying quiet for a minute or two as he sensed her pondering over the doctor's question. 'I couldn't think of what I wanted, but I thought of something I wanted to do,' Mash's internal narration resumed. 'Though I knew this comfortable room was more than enough, I wanted to go outside. Just once.' She then said as much aloud, and Ritsuka saw a troubled expression flash over Roman's face.
"Well, you'll get out pretty soon. What I want to give you is more like a gift, though. Not something simple like what you just said."
The world blurred slightly for Ritsuka as Mash shook her head gently. 'What I wanted was not outside of my room, but Chaldea. I wanted to see the outside world with my own eyes, and not through pictures.' Ritsuka listened as Mash repeated the thought aloud. With each passing second, the Japanese magus felt more and more uneasy. Just what the hell had Mash gone through as a kid?!
"Oh, I see," Doctor Roman said after making a soft sound of understanding. "So, you want to actually see the sea and the grass field from the VR program I showed you the other day." A small and disappointed frown appeared on his lips as Roman sighed heavily. "I'm afraid that will be difficult. Chaldea is on top of a snowy mountain that is six thousand meters above sea level. Part of it is to prevent secrets from leaking, as I once mentioned to you. Either way, you'll probably see nothing but a blizzard if you go outside. Even if there isn't one, you'll still see mostly snow and grey clouds. Maybe you can see the ravine nearby during one of those calmer weather days, though."
Roman then reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder in a paternal, and for Mash comforting, manner. His frown had now morphed into a sympathetic smile. "Even so, your body can't withstand the outside world. At least, not for the foreseeable future. As your doctor, I think it might be for the best for you to change your way of thinking, at least on this subject."
Even as he said those words, Ritsuka and, through his connection to her, Mash had noticed how the ginger-haired man was having trouble maintaining both his smile and maintaining eye contact with her. A wave of sadness and regret washed over Ritsuka as Mash looked down apologetically. Sensing her distress, the younger-looking Doctor Roman quickly continued speaking, trying and mostly succeeding in sounding more energetic.
"Oh, but I can guarantee you that you'll be free to go anywhere inside Chaldea! I'll be taking personal responsibility and will make sure to get Director Animusphere's permission by the end of the week. I will think of a gift for you in the meantime as well."
"Thank you," Mash said, even as Ritsuka felt how she was still troubled by this. 'It was hard for me to think about what I wanted, but I was happy that anyone would care that much for me.' Ritsuka wanted to scream to Mash how he loved her, that he cared for her, but it was pointless and in vain. The best he could do for her was to find an appropriate time to say those words when he woke up.
At that moment, Ritsuka was extremely grateful that everything was starting to slowly fade, that he was starting to wake up. Even as this nightmare of a memory started to end, Mash had one last thought to 'share' with him.
'I am very, very happy. Because today, I can spend another peaceful day without any changes…'
Ritsuka jerked up out of his bed, his nightshirt feeling drenched as it stuck to his chest. The tips of his hair were plastered to his forehead courtesy of the sheen of sweat. One hand tightly clutched a corner of his bedsheets, while his left hand was pressed against his heart.
He bent forward slightly as he breathed in and out frantically and rather raggedly. He ran his tongue over his dry lips, before speaking aloud softly in a shaky tone. "That dream…how was that happy?" Ritsuka whispered hoarsely to himself. He was especially grateful that he and Mash hadn't moved to the stage in their relationship where the partners would typically start sharing the same bed and room. If she had, Rits felt that he would have been hard-pressed to not shake her awake (gently) and demand answers.
It didn't make him feel any better, however. "Fou? Fouuuuu?" He felt a small weight on his lap, and Ritsuka saw that Fou had snuck into his room again somehow. Since they had started dating a few weeks ago, Ritsuka and Mash had noticed that, while he spent most nights sleeping in Mash's room, Fou was starting to spend a few nights in Ritsuka's room. Why and how, neither of them knew, but there wasn't really much they could do about it, anyways.
Chirping again, Rits felt Fou leaning back onto his hind legs, and felt the critter's snout rubbing against his cheek. His attention now drawn to his face, Ritsuka realized his cheeks were wet, and not just from sweat. "I'm crying," Ritsuka noted, feeling rather dumb once the words had made it past his lips. He reached up to dab at his eyes.
Fou looked up at him, concerned. "Fou? Kyuuuu," Mash's animal companion whined, going back to all fours and nudging Rits's chest. "Fou, fooooou!" The unique critter then seemed to gesture at the door. He wasn't sure why, but Ritsuka felt that not only was Fou trying to communicate something to him, but what he should do.
Or rather, who he should see.
"Guess it's time for a checkup from Doctor Roman," he said, gently moving Fou off of his lap. The mysterious critter complied almost instantly, and one of Chaldea's last two Masters swung himself out of bed. "But first, a shower."
About fifteen minutes and one warm shower later, a freshly-washed and smartly-dressed Ritsuka stepped out into the hallway. He was finally used to the weight of his own sword and dagger he now carried on his belt, so that was a plus.
He looked down in the direction that Mash's room was in, and started to take a step towards it, before he forced himself to not do so. "Better to talk to Doctor Roman first," he muttered under his breath, and reluctantly began heading the other direction, with Fou somehow managing to clamber up his back and ride on his left shoulder.
Reaching his destination, Ritsuka knocked on the door to Doctor Roman's office. A few seconds later, the door slid open. To his surprise, a familiar pair of purple eyes stared back at him, equal parts warm and inquisitive.
"Oh, good morning, Senpai," Mash said cheerfully, causing Rits's heart to beat a bit faster. "Are you here to see Doctor Roman for something?"
"Good morning Mash," he said, leaning towards her and gently pressing his lips to her. She returned the quick kiss before they separated. "Yes, I am. Is he inside?" His girlfriend nodded, stepping to the side and allowing Ritsuka to walk into Roman's rather spacious, yet cluttered, office.
"He's in the back, grabbing something. I'll let him know you're here," Mash said, before moving into the back. He heard the muffled sound of voices, and a few seconds later, Mash returned with Roman in tow.
"Ah, Ritsuka. Perfect, I was hoping to get a chance to talk with you, actually. I need your help convincing her," he said, gesturing at Mash, who frowned softly. The memories he had experienced stirred up raw feelings, Ritsuka's gaze flickered between the two.
"What's the matter?" He asked, trying to both not sound demanding and preventing the rising panic he felt from slipping into his voice. Roman shook his head in mild exasperation as he gestured at Mash.
"Mash has been fighting in the frontlines since we started. Perhaps a bit too much, even with the breaks we have had. After all, she is a Demi-Servant, and has human drawbacks like exhaustion still, even if they are set at a higher threshold for Mash. As her physician, I feel that it would perhaps be a good idea for her to not attend the next deployment."
Mash shook her head rather violently. "That's not necessary," she protested. "Senpai and Jacob should both be under the same conditions. As long as Senpai is fighting, I can't find any reason to rest," she declared, though Ritsuka noticed a hint of fear in her eyes. Perhaps at the mention of separation? Truth be told, he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea. Trying to imagine a deployment without Mash was like imagining Jacob not bringing Mordred along. It just didn't seem feasible. However, more than ever was Ritsuka aware that Mash might not be in peak condition.
Having to be kept in a sterilized room, for example. The first thing that popped into Ritsuka's mind was the possibility of Mash having suffered from some sort of deadly auto-immune disease. Apparently, that wasn't the case, but that only made the question of why she had spent at least several years locked inside a room all the more poignant. It also made it frustrating because the one man Ritsuka knew could provide reliable answers was in the same room as he and Mash.
Roman sighed, running one hand slowly through his hair in exhaustion. "As you can see, Mash is insisting on following you. Ritsuka, what do you think?" Ritsuka chewed on the corner of his cheek for a split-second as two very different expressions bore down on him: Doctor Roman's worried frown, and Mash's hopeful smile.
"I won't stop her if she wants to come," Ritsuka said. Mash beamed happily at him, and he returned his girlfriend's smile.
"Yes. I believe in you, Senpai." Doctor Roman was more restrained in expressing his reaction. The only clear sign of his disappointment is a weary and heavy sigh, with a brief shake of his head for good measure.
"Oh, boy. While I am glad she has proven herself every bit dependable as I always thought she was these past few months, I must still urge caution. I do agree, though, that it's true that things would be inconvenient at the very least for you, Ritsuka, were Mash to not accompany you. Imagine trying to have dealt with that poisoned fog in London without her!" Ritsuka shuddered.
"I'd rather not, if that's all the same with you, Doctor Roman."
"Fair enough. I'll allocate more resources to Mash's health management. That being said, please be mindful of the fact that other Servants will be accompanying you on today's deployment. So please don't force too much on her alone." Mash clicked her tongue at the closest thing Ritsuka suspected to a father figure she had.
"Please don't worry, Doctor Roman. Self-management is one of the things I am best at. I'll tell Senpai immediately if I don't feel well. We must be alert at all times during a Grand Order!" Mash said dutifully, her stern, no-nonsense demeanor popping up once again. "Even a slight decrease in my performance could put my Master's health in danger, and burden the rest of the team with picking up any resulting slack. I won't hesitate to state my requests. I'll ask for medical attention when I'm injured, and I'll ask for sweets when I need sugar. As far as that goes, I can guarantee you that I am on top of that," Mash said brightly, flashing both Ritsuka and Roman a teeth-rotting sweet smile. Doctor Roman chuckled softly, a fond look in his green eyes.
"My, you really have become dependable, Mash." He opened his mouth to say more, before a nearby data pad let out a melodic chime on his desk. Excusing himself, he hurried over and picked it up. Ritsuka watched as the doctor's eyes darted back and forth as he read the contents of what he presumed was a message.
"What's up, Doctor Roman?"
"It's a call from the Command Room. Jacob and his team are up and assembled, as is the rest of yours. We're all set for the next Rayshift."
"We better start the meeting soon, then. Mordred's probably driving Jacob a bit batty with her energy. She's been mentioning how bored Chaldea's grown for her the last few days," Mash chimed in. Roman and Ritsuka both nodded in agreement.
"That sounds like Mordred, alright," Ritsuka said with a dry chuckle, though he was very much happy that the Knight of Rebellion was nowhere near to overhear that comment. Roman hummed in quiet amusement.
"Indeed. Alright, well, let's not keep the others waiting, then. Let's get ready for the briefing," the ginger-haired man said as he started to head for the exit to his room/office. Mash was close behind, an excited light of her own shining behind her glasses.
"Yes. Let's hurry up, Senpai!"
Ritsuka hesitated for a few seconds, left alone in the room save for Fou, who was still perched on his shoulder. "Foooou," Mash's small companion chirped mournfully. Idly, Ritsuka reached over and rubbed Fou's chin.
"I didn't get a chance to ask the doctor anything," Ritsuka said morosely. He sighed and shook his head, moving to catch up with his temporary boss and his girlfriend. "Well, at least he won't be going anywhere. I'll corner him and ask him about everything when we get back."
"It's about time!" Normally, I was the more energetic one in the morning. "I thought you'd never wake up!" Well, Normally. This wasn't one of those days. I stifled a yawn as I watched Mordred virtually shoot out of bed and practically slam the bathroom door shut to get dressed.
While she could summon her armor instantly to replace either her pajamas or her 'downtime outfit', as the knight referred to her preferred red leather jacket, white-and-blue tube top, and short shorts, she had informed me that doing so would run the high risk of almost certainly ruin the articles of clothing beyond any hope of repair, even by someone as skilled as Isabella.
Amazing how sometimes seemingly mundane matters could be a source of headache for Servants.
Understanding that she would push me to get dressed as soon as she got out if I wasn't already, I got out of my bed. Standing on my feet, I worked some kinks out of my body as I walked over to my dresser and opened it up.
Grabbing my uniform, I swiftly put it on. It had become almost second-nature for me by this point. After putting on my belt and attaching my sword and pugio that had become a constant feature of my apparel, I picked up the dragon scale breastplate Mordred had commissioned for me back in the Fourth Singularity before putting it and then the other pieces of armor that had also been made on.
Ritsuka's was recently repaired. It had proven invaluable to him in London, apparently, taking quite a number of otherwise lethal hits. One of the Servants he was bringing had said that they would pick it up this morning. I had been worried that my fellow Master would have been forced to go on our next deployment without the extremely protective armor, so knowing that was an immense relief to me.
Finally, I put on the last things to complete my ensemble: my cap and my heavy-duty boots. It turned out to be good timing, for as I finished lacing up my right boot, I could hear the heavy footsteps of Mordred's sabatons as she opened the bathroom door, revealing herself in her armored shell once more.
"Good, you've finished dressing too." She paused, and turned to look at the clock on the nightstand by my half of the bed. She bit her lip and hummed briefly as I followed her gaze. "Alright, we should have enough time for a quick breakfast," declared the blonde knight.
"I'm glad to hear that, because if you thought otherwise about skipping breakfast, I'd imagine we both would end up regretting it, I responded. Mordred opened her mouth, paused, and then closed it with a sheepish nod of her head.
"Okay, you got a point." Almost as if on cue, both of our stomachs released a low rumble, and we blushed. "Maybe two."
"So it would seem," I replied, before moving over and delivering a quick kiss to her lips. She returned the favor, and we smiled at one another, before I gestured to the door. "Shall we?"
"Last one in the cafeteria has to clean up for both!" Mordred said with her trademark smirk, before ducking under my arm and running into the hallway. Sighing, I rolled my eyes before hurrying after her. Always a competition with that one…
"I still say you cheated," I grunted as we entered the Rayshift Chamber. Mordred scoffed, a victorious smirk once more returning to her lips.
"Well, you never specified that I couldn't use my Mana Burst Ability."
"You didn't give me a chance to do so!" I said in mock anger. Honestly, I couldn't care less about it. This was just some pre-deployment banter that Mordred and I were exchanging. Mordred's smirk deepened, and I rolled my eyes, before looking to see the other Servants that had already gathered.
Last night, Ritsuka and I had made our final decision on who we would be bringing to the Fifth Singularity. In addition to Mordred, I was to be accompanied by Fran, Jeanne Alter, Emiya, Babbage, and Astolfo. I was unable to bring any Lancers, as the only one to so far answer my summons was Vlad, but he had politely stated his absolute refusal to work with Jeanne Alter, or at least, for the present moment. I wasn't bringing an Assassin because I currently had only one of those as well, and he had been brought along for every mission since the completion of Singularity F.
In fact, a part of me wanted to consider leaving Mordred behind for this deployment, to give her a chance to rest as well, but I decided against it. She'd be driven mad by having to wait for us, and honestly, I wasn't sure how either of us could handle being too far apart from one another by this point. We'd grown so used to being together, both in dating, friendship, and teamwork, after all. Thus, for better or worse, I never voiced the idea to either my beloved knight or Doctor Roman.
For Ritsuka, he had chosen Chulainn, Gilles, Atalante, Medea, Drake, Jack, and of course Mash. The Rider and Archer he had chosen had been the first, along with Artoria, to recover from their injuries during the 'fight' against Solomon, and so the trio had been cleared for returning to active service. Ritsuka didn't feel comfortable bringing Spartacus, currently the only Berserker he had access to at present, but he still wasn't sure how to handle the rather rebellious and free-spirited Berserker, Of course, the lack of frontline Servants was starting to be felt, combined with the fact that the machinery specs as they currently stood were unable to provide enough mana for larger teams.
In other words, we were stuck doing the best we could with what we had. So, same as always. I shrugged my shoulders silently as Mordred and I exchanged a quick series of greetings to the assembled Servants that had been waiting for me. Once that was done, I craned my neck to see where the last few members we needed for the briefing to start were.
I started to open my mouth to ask where the Mash and Ritsuka were, but before the words could get past my lips, the door opened behind us.
"Good morning, everyone. Glad to see that everyone is here," Doctor Roman said cheerfully. Mash and Ritsuka were right behind him. Mash seemed to be in good spirits, but though he tried his best to hide it, I could tell that something was bothering my fellow Master.
We made eye contact, and I made a subtle gesture to him that we had agreed upon to indicate if one of us desired to talk in private with one another. After a moment's hesitation, Ritsuka gave me the tiniest of nods, before mouthing a single sentence over a certain pink-haired head.
'It's about Mash.'
I bit back a sigh and tilted my head, before looking back at Doctor Roman.
"Good morning, Doc. So, where are we headed next?" I asked, extremely curious to know the location. So far, the locations that had been truly distinguishable for our deployments were throughout Europe. Was the trend going to continue? Or were we going to go to somewhere in Africa, Asia, or even the Americas?
"You'll find out in a moment, Jacob. It's time to start the briefing. Everyone, please give me your attention." The statement and follow-up request had the other Servants assembled in the Rayshift Chamber moving closer. Even Alter looked unusually serious. Good. For a while, I had been worried about the Avenger. More specifically, over how she continued, often purposefully, to rub the other members of Chaldea the wrong way, Servants and staff alike. Still, I didn't fail to notice the slight distance everyone was giving her, and I barely managed to suppress my sigh of disappointment. Hopefully, this time, Alter would actually make some sort of effort to prove herself and gain some form of acceptance beyond that given by the fact that she was one of my Servants. I refocused my attention on Doctor Roman.
"After the last battle in London about a month ago, we now know the identity of our main enemy: The King of Mages, Solomon. During the encounter, we were lucky enough to have gained all sorts of information from him," Roman paused briefly with a troubled frown crossing his lips before he resumed speaking. "Though, Da Vinci and I both suspect it was done on purpose. As most of you know, there was one important detail that is worth reminding everyone again."
"The fact that he said he will not attack us," Ritsuka said, trying to hide the hint of anger from the memories of the undoubtedly hellish fight in question. I nodded grimly, still bothered by the utter lack of urgency or other, similar emotions behind Solomon's statement. Roman tilted his head towards Ritsuka.
"That's right. It seems that Solomon doesn't care about us taking down the three remaining singularities. He made it painfully clear that he wouldn't attack us until we resolved the seventh and final singularity. While I'm still lost as to what purpose he would have for waiting, I feel reasonably confident that he wasn't lying."
"He sounds like an arrogant prick, among other things," I muttered darkly. Mordred, Ritsuka, and quite a few other Servants voiced their agreement with my comment. Mash cleared her throat softly, though, politely quieting the rest of us so she could speak.
"So, what you are saying is that we can continue with our original mission of correcting all of the singularities, Doctor?" Mash inquired.
"Correct. First, we'll finish returning human history to its proper course. However, the next problem is—" Before the good doctor could finish his statement, a certain and very familiar voice rang out from behind the ginger-haired man.
"How to deal with the King of Mages, right?" Da Vinci asked, though this time she sounded a little less theatrical, and a bit more serious. As if we needed any further underlining of the truth of the matter. Roman nodded, and the Caster started stroking her chin idly. "A Grand Caster… He stands above all mages. I don't like the fact that there is a Caster who ranks higher than me, but I suppose it can't be helped." I arched an unimpressed eyebrow. Glad to know just what Da Vinci's priorities were in this matter. To her credit, Da Vinci ignored my expression and continued talking.
"Inserting the reincarnated Demon Gods into an era… That's not something an ordinary person would think of. As a genius myself, I must admit," she paused and sighed, shaking her head rather forlornly. "We currently have no idea on how to track him, never mind defeating him."
"What about the Demon Gods themselves? We've taken out, what, three of them now?" I interjected. Da Vinci shook her head.
"If he really is a Grand Caster, then I have little doubt that he is capable of regenerating them, as many times as he wants."
"Da Vinci is correct," Roman added grimly. "The familiar known as the 'Seventy-Two Demon Gods' is a singular ritual. A singular concept. That means that all seventy-two of them must always exist. As long as they keep calling themselves as such, we can expect for all of them to be around Solomon in some shape or form."
"So, what, there's no end to time?" Mordred groaned, and I nudged her from the side comfortingly, even as I felt every ounce of frustration and dismay that was carried in her voice. The idea of fighting someone or something that would basically regenerate itself after taking a great deal of damage was…less than appealing to me."
"What are they, anyways? Demonic octopus tentacles?" Ritsuka asked, and for the life of me, I couldn't tell if he meant it in a serious or humorous way. Da Vinci hummed softly as she tapped a finger against her chin.
"Hmmm, I don't think they look delicious, but using marine life as an analogy might be getting to the point. Hmm, it reminds me of something I've seen in a picture book, but I can't remember…" My jaw dropped open as I stared incredulously and silently at the Italian Caster. No fucking way…
Before I could lose my sanity, Doctor Roman proved himself worthy of his medical license by saving my life. His cheeks tinged a bit red, but he coughed loudly, silencing Da Vinci and regaining control over the briefing.
"Ahem, getting back on track. I know we're in the dark regarding Solomon, but we still know what we have to do. We can focus on what to do to get rid of Solomon and his Demon Gods after we finish that task."
"Agreed. So, where are we going?" I asked, anticipating the change in topic already. The good doctor flashed me a mysterious-looking smile, hooking his hands behind his back and straightening up ever so slightly.
"This is a place that would surprise any magus. Or rather, almost any magus."
"Where is it?" Mash asked, joining in the eagerness to know where we're going. Roman tilted his head towards me.
"I hope you're looking forward to going home, Jacob." I blinked in surprise. Home?
"You mean America?" Roman nodded.
"Correct. For all that the news and politicians might go on about it, one cannot exclude the United States of America from history. As Jacob can attest, it has played very little in the role of magecraft, but historically, it is as every bit important as Rome."
"So far as I've read, there has been no history of a Holy Grail War in America. Or at least, not officially. Magecraft is a very frail topic in such a young nation," I said, nodding my head in agreement. Da Vinci threw her head back and laughed softly, shaking her head with a mirthful glint in her eyes.
"To me, it's just that place where people said I put codes into my paintings! I mean, when would I have time to do something like that when I'm painting? And even if I did, it would really only be to spite my client!" Roman cleared his throat again, and Da Vinci fell, relatively, silent again.
"Of course, that's not to say that there wasn't any magecraft in America. Jacob is proof of that. Furthermore, apparently, an offshoot of the Mage's Association was formed that specialized their own style that could summon an Elemental down to Earth. I also confirmed that Heroic Spirits exist from America. There are deep-rooted legends of outlaws who would rebel against anything in that nation."
"You say that as if that's changed in the modern era," I grumbled to myself. "Knowing our luck, we'll have to deal with Al Capone or Ted Bundy."
"It's certainly possible," Roman admitted with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Obviously, we can't treat this place like the others from before. I want you to proceed very carefully here."
"Understood. Let's hope we don't have to go gallivanting across the country. Depending upon what year we're going back to, it will be a pain in the ass. Speaking of, do we know yet?"
"It looks to be sometime in the 1780s. We should get an exact date when you arrive." I hummed softly. So, after the Revolutionary War, then. I wondered what we were walking into.
"Alright. Well, let's roll out, then," I said, and Ritsuka nodded. Roman did as well after a split second.
"Alright, then I'll get started preparing the Rayshift. See you guys soon."
With that, we made our way over to our respective Coffins. Before entering mine, Mordred tapped me on the shoulder. "Looking forward to going home?" She teased me. I shrugged softly.
"Wasn't my family's home yet. We came over a hundred years after the period Roman mentioned. Still, it'll certainly be interesting."
"I see. Well, I'll see you on the ground, Princess."
"And I you, my Shining Knight." I was rewarded with a soft blush, and Mordred hurried over to the nearby Coffin to mine. The glass doors then closed over the devices, and I could hear the machinery starting to power up.
I closed my eyes, and once more listened idly as the mechanical voice began announcing the various steps of the Rayshifting process. I felt the familiar sensation of weightlessness as I, along with the others, were sent to post-Revolutionary America.
In a way, I was going home…
Original Endnotes: And done! So, what did you think? Any comments on the Servant lineup for the deployment? Also, poor Mash! Girl needs the hugs, stat! Also, Mordred, competitive as always, eh?
At least for the first section of the Fifth Singularity, I'm going to be doing things slightly different, so I hope you enjoy!
God, it's been one year since I started writing this story. A part of me half-expected that it would burn out by now, but you, my amazing readers, have proven me wrong. Well, that, and how much I enjoy writing it! :P
Now, for the question(s) of the chapter! First up, of the Servants in the Fifth Singularity, who are you most excited to see interacting with our heroes? Second question: For those of you who have either been to or live in America, what would you say is your favorite region?
As always, thanks for reading and all the amazing support! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 103, and please let me know what y'all think! Looking forward to reading your comments, and have a wonderful weekend! See you guys and gals on Monday in Chapter 104!
Updated Endnotes 01/28/23: As always, the fully-updated version of The Will to Fight can be found on Archive of Our Own if you want to skip the wait. Otherwise, I'll see you all in Chapter 104 on Monday!