Moon Goddess and the Dumplings: I
Olga yawned as she walked through the doors to the observation deck, blinking in surprise as she could already see the room packed with staff and the Servants that were at Chaldea. A fold out table was sat in the corner with a large jug of some manner of drink which seemed to glow slightly along with a dozen plastic cups on the table.
Her eyes slowly took themselves away from the odd display and towards the small gathering of staff members, Romani stood just to the corner of the room with Da Vinci next to him, both drinking from the cheap plastic cups. The Doctor noticed her, soon giving a welcoming smile and raising a hand to usher her over to him, Da Vinci repeating the gesture.
She grit her teeth before slumping her shoulders, allowing herself to be drawn over to the pair before coming to a stop next to them "I was aware you were going to put on a small gathering…" she trailed off, sweeping her hand in the direction of the entire room "But this is rather a bit more lively than I was expecting."
"Most of the staff were actually quite eager." Romani chuckled "Although when some of them found out Siegward was going to be making his weird drink." he gave a helpless shrug.
Da Vinci smiled at his reaction before looking down into her own cup "Its actually quite pleasant, although it might be because he used his magic to craft it or whatever other recipes he had on hand."
Olga raised an eyebrow at her before looking over to the small table, then noticing there was another table next to it with Siegward and Archer serving people from a punch bowl.
"Servants of history…" She facepalmed "And they're working as waiters?"
"Umm…" Romani pointed off into a direction, Olga knit her brows together before following his hand only to see her Berserker stood in the corner of the room.
With Astolfo sitting on his shoulders and a large grin on his face.
She felt her eye twitch at her Servant being used as a climbing frame, opening her mouth to shoo him off before the door opened once again.
Silence spread across the room as the heavy footsteps of Havel soon followed, the large Berserker was met with muted whispers as his helmeted gaze swept across the room before he let out a mildly disgusted snort before stomping over to the table. The door didn't quite close as Ritsuka was soon following after him, alongside Gareth and Sif.
"Fujimaru-kun!" Romani called him over, smiling widely, Ritsuka noticed him and waved, quickly closing the distance between them "Thanks again for convincing the Servants, it would probably be a bit of a dull affair if you hadn't."
"Well…" Ritsuka coughed into his hand and looked away nervously "They actually haven't been to too many festivals before, well Ash hadn't anyway." a small frown worked its way onto his face "I think this is the first kind of social gathering he has actually been to...at all."
Romani winced in response "Ah...I'm sure it will all work out."
"Well, Chaldea is already a pretty interesting place." Da Vinci chuckled "So many vibrant personalities and probably more to come."
"Don't remind me." Olga grumbled and she rubbed her brow "We were only given permission to summon one Servant per master." waving her other hand about the room in a gesturing motion, she let out a heavy sigh "This is already more than enough to start an inquiry."
"...Who launches the inquiry?" Ritsuka asked, then flushed and looked away when he received blank looks in return "W-well...no one really told me who I was working for aside from Chaldea so…"
"...Oh...right." Olga scratched her cheek "Civilian...and we haven't actually reached the Clock Tower yet."
"What's a Clock Tower?"
"Lets...shelve that for now." Romani waved him off, turning to Da Vinci "Is the monitor set up?"
"I've got the footage of the moon ready." The genius replied with a grin before her expression tittered out into a slight frown "Where's Mash with those dumplings? We've got the booze but nothing to eat!"
"You complain about it but you've been drinking like a fish, you lout." Romani replied to her with a deadpan expression, waving his free hand he gave her a patient look "Not all the other Servants are here yet, besides from what Archer and Siegward told me they made quite a few dumplings for all the staff members."
Havel stared down at the empty plate on the table, soon looking up and towards the black rectangle as it was lowered down to be in front of the group, mounted on the wall. He stared at his with a somewhat perplexed expression before he dismissed it, turning his head back to the plate.
"...Where...food…?" Came is somewhat annoyed voice.
"Be patient." A feminine reply came, he looked to see the red haired woman wearing the scraps of clothes crossing her arms and giving him a tired look "Not everyone is here yet and Mash is still collecting all the dumplings from storage."
"...Who…?"
The woman's expression slowly morphed into a scowl "Mash. The girl with the shield." clicking her tongue, she gave him a look much like a mother would give an unruly child "I know you're a Berserker, but at least remember her name."
"Boudica!" Her expression did a complete one eighty at the voice as Gareth came racing over to the table, sliding to a halt and staring down at the empty plates, the Lancer's own expression slowly turned heartbroken at the lack of food "E-eh? Am I too late?"
"Oh no gorgeous." Boudica gave a light chuckle as she reached over and rubbed Gareth's head with a caring smile "We're just waiting on everyone first, can't have a feast when all the guests aren't here. But I promise you, I'll let you get first pick of the dumplings, alright?"
Havel stared at the woman in silence as she continued to fuss over the Lancer, the girl doing very little to avoid the older woman's contact, if at all.
"You're the best Boudica!" Gareth replied with a beaming grin, the red head froze for a few moments before she moved, swiftly circling the table and capturing the Lancer in a tight hug and forcing the girls head into her chest, there was a slight muffled shout before the girl quietened down as Boudica stroked her hair.
"There, there…" She whispered "You're a good girl, aren't you?"
Havel slowly backed away from the display, not entirely sure what to make of the whole thing.
"It is simply a matter of preference." Ash explained to his conversation partner as they walked through the halls "Both Irythll and Anor Londo were shrouded in permanent moonlight...if anything, I fear I've had enough of the moon for one set of lifetimes."
"I've had some pretty rough times during the day." Cu answered dryly "That doesn't mean I say 'fuck you sun' every time I wake up."
"Good...as a Warrior of Sunlight, I might be obligated to kill you for blasphemy."
"…"
"...pfft." Ash snickered at the blank look he received, Cu gave a snort of his own before slapping Ash on the back "I believe my humour is improving, no?"
"Depends on who you ask." Cu chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as the pair closed in on the door "Me? I might have taken that as a challenge...still do." he answered after a few moments "I sparred with the Siegward guy after you left for Rome you know?"
"Really?" Ash raised an eyebrow at him, a look of interest flashing across his face "Sparring was not a common practice for unkindled, most fights we got into were a matter of life and death."
"...If I'm being honest, Teacher was the same." Cu answered with a nostalgic expression "She was always one of those 'Do your best or you'll die' types."
"Sounds like a simple method of teaching." Ash replied, then looked the man up and down "...Did she ever kill you?"
"What?" Cu's head snapped to him with a look of bewilderment "No, why would you...ah, right...you have no idea about my Legend, do you?"
"I have been meaning to venture to the archives." Ash replied with a shrug "But recent events have been chaotic enough to distract me from it. Also I am not certain I am aware of how to read your language."
"Think this place just translates everything." Cu answered in a non-committal way "Anyway, no she didn't kill me...although she came close more often than not." a grimace soon came across his face "...There was one time I broke her finger...she tried to kill me with her legs that time."
"Really?" Ash raised an eyebrow "Must have been quite the brutal fight."
"...Ah...well…" He coughed into his hands, then flashed the Saber a grin "Different type of battlefield and dare I say, one of the best kinds!"
"...And it is?"
"The bed!"
"...You…" Ash sighed, shaking his head "I sometimes wonder if there will ever come a point where I am not surprised by anything."
"I'm more shocked that anything can surprise you."
"...You'd be correct to assume me immune to most things." Ash replied, then raised a single finger "But you forget, I barely have a few months of memory now...I've actually spent longer here than I have in my own world."
Cu furrowed his brows for a few moments before grinning "So you're technically the youngest Heroic Spirit here...you're a kid?"
"What?" Ash frowned "No I…" he slowly trailed off, eyes widening "No...no that's not…"
"Pffft!" Cu let out a wheeze and opened the door to the observation room "You a gods damned kid!"
"I'm not a…" Ash trailed off, staring ahead of him with a slightly raised eyebrow. Cu blinked at the reaction before following his gaze. Red eyes soon landed on the form of Gareth being smothered in Boudica's chest. The Irish lancer stared at them for a few seconds before slowly tilting his head to the side.
"How peculiar." Ash scratched his brow "This elicits...an odd feeling from me."
"Me too." Cu pat him on the shoulder, still looking at the pair "Me too...not what I was expecting when they promised food, but hey...eye candy works just as well for me."
"...I don't know what candy is, so I shall assume it some manner of consumable." Ash dismissed, then looked around the room until he spotted Ritsuka and the others "If you shall excuse me."
"Yeah, sure." Cu waved him off "I'll see if I can't find Arash...well...guess he and that Witch get on pretty good, huh?" he smirked "Not bad."
"So...it lets you create arrows out of anything?" Beatrice asked, Arash gave a light chuckle and shook his head.
"Not quite anything, but it was a wisdom to let me create arrows easily." He explained, taking another sip of his drink "Not too different from what you told me about your staff making."
Beatrice blinked before giving a light blush "I-it's not the same!" she hastily tried to dismiss "I-I can only make really low catalysts! T-they aren't even that good!"
"But you can still make magical staffs." Arash grinned at her "I just make boring old arrows, I'd say your skill is slightly more impressive, Betty."
"R-really?"
Arash snorted, giving her a grin "Really, besides. Its actually a little better than me. If my bow gets broken, I'm pretty much out of it. You however? You can just whip up a new staff out of some sticks and a couple leaves and get back into the fight."
"Not like I'm much good in one of those…" She muttered under her breath, Arash gave out a small sigh having heard her before he sent her a reassuring smile.
"You did good out there, Betty." He nudged her with his elbow "For witch from the woods and apparent outcast, you managed to fight against a guy who had the Grail, the powers of multiple Servants and a Demon on his side and be on the winning team." she looked up at his smiling face "That's gotta count for something, no?"
She instantly clasped the hem of her large hat and pulled it down to cover her face, hiding away her expression from the Archer "Y-yeah….I-I guess…" she whispered out, Arash could hear the blush in her voice, soon letting out a chuckle at her predicament "H-hey! Stop laughing!"
"S-sure!" Arash wiped a tear from his eye "Sure…"
"Never been to a festival or gathering before." Ash grunted as he closed the distance between himself and the small group "Although it seems strange to have so many people in one place…" pausing for a few moments, he cupped his chin and soon released a thoughtful hum "Actually, Firelink Shrine was fairly populated towards the end, so I cannot truly say it is unusual."
"Really?" Romani blinked "How many people were there?"
"Perhaps...ten?" He shrugged, then noticed the blank looks he received "That was actually a large number, or so I was led to believe. I have half a mind to suspect that if it hadn't been a bonfire shrine, we would have lost half of that to infighting."
"Is violence forbidden in the Shrines?" Ritsuka asked, Ash tilted his head before shaking it.
"Not so much forbidden as nonsensical." He replied "Unkindled and undead will rise again at the nearest bonfire." he let the sentence hang there for a few seconds "So killing one right next to a shrine bonfire wouldn't have been a particularly smart move."
"...Well." Romani coughed into his hands "That makes sense...in morbid kind of way." he muttered in a low tone, letting out a slight squawk as Da Vinci slapped him on the arm with small frown on her face.
"You don't have to worry about being killed here!" Da Vinci grinned, then her eyes travelled meaningfully over to Havel in the corner of the room before snapping back to the unkindled "Well, not by any of us."
"I suppose that is a comfort." Ash replied with a roll of his eyes before looking around the room with a puzzled expression "I would have thought Gwyndolin would have been present for this."
Ritsuka fidgeted on the spot for a few moments before he slumped his shoulders "I did try to invite him here, although he didn't look particularly happy." he paused "I think...his frown looked a little deeper than usual."
"Did he say no?"
"Well, not exactly." Ritsuka cringed "He just stared at me for a few seconds longer than I was comfortable with and then turned away from me without saying anything." the Master shrugged his shoulders and looked about "I don't know what to make of that."
"If they have no interest then that cannot be helped." Olga dismissed with a wave of her hand "I'm more comfortable with the idea of not having to waste our rations on the Servants considering they don't need to eat to begin with." she sent a meaningful glance towards Da Vinci "And some of them are unreasonable with their demands."
The genius let out an uncaring hum and avoided making eye contact with the Director, which only seemed to irk the woman further before she let out a huff and looked back to the Saber. "At least he doesn't waste any of our resources and the weird enchanted soup that his kind can consume has some basic healing properties."
"...That sounded like an incredibly backhanded compliment." Romani pointed out, then gave Ash an encouraging grin "She's praising your for your cursed existence!"
"...I'd rather she didn't." Ash replied in a quiet tone of voice and looked away, Olga scowled at Romani quickly causing the man to let out a nervous chuckle and look away from her. Unfortunately, it took him into the disappointed expressions of Ritsuka and Da Vinci.
"...Sorry." He apologised, however it didn't abate the mild glares.
"Moving on." Ash cut off the conversation "I believe all the Servants, bar Gwyndolin, are present as well as the staff. I believe all we are missing is Mash."
"She went to get the dumplings from storage." Romani explained, recovering mentally from his earlier brow beating, a smile coming to his face "She'll be coming back right about-"
Klaxon alarms immediately cut out the rest of what he was about to say as the room was bathed in the bright red lights of the Chaldea alert system. The entire room looked up at the ceiling and the flashing red alert lights before looking back at eachother.
Ash stared at the ceiling before looking towards the others "Is this normal!?" he shouted over the top of the alarms, then say the panicked faces on the others before he grimaced "I take that as a no then."
The door at the far end of the room was thrown open before he could get an answer, a panic stricken Mash soon came barrelling through before scanning the room and locking onto the form of Ritsuka and the others, then charged over to them as fast as she could "Senpai, Director!" she cried out as she came to a stop "It's terrible!" was her second exclamation.
"Report!" Olga barked out in an authoritarian tone, Mash swallowed and stood to attention.
"The Chaldea pantry has been raided! We're missing all the dumplings." She replied back instantly, Olga's face cycled through several emotions before it blanked out. A frown came to her face and she turned to the nearest member of the Staff, gesturing to the alarm she quickly made a cutting motion across her neck.
Desmond nodded in understanding and made his way over to the nearest control panel before shutting the alarm down. The room quickly turning to a more confused atmosphere than alarmed. Olga turned back to Mash with an annoyed look on her face.
"I sincerely hope you have something more to tell me than Romani got into the pantry." The Doctor almost face faulted as he sent a look of betrayal at the Director and quickly caused Da Vinci and Ritsuka to snicker at his expression.
"Well…" Mash hesitantly went on "...The entire pantry was raided."
"...Eh?"
"All our food reserves have been stolen."
"...WHA-!?"
"So let me get this straight." Olga paced around the meeting room with an exhausted look on her face "Just so we can all understand our position." she paused at the head of the table before slamming her hands onto it "A servant breaks into Chaldea and instead of doing anything to actively damage this facility or its functions...they instead break into the pantry and rather than burn the food they steal it." she paused, noticing the nods of affirmation before continuing on "And now they have left an easy to follow trail directly into France so that we can just follow them there?"
"...When you put it like that, it sounds pretty stupid." Ritsuka pointed out, scrunching up his face with a puzzled look. Vein's bulged on Olga's forehead as she snapped a rather pointed look in his direction.
"That's because it is stupid!" She cried out "That's a level of stupidity that even the most basic of saboteurs wouldn't be capable of!" throwing her arms up she pointed towards the readings of the minute Singularity "We can, quite literally, follow a trail of breadcrumbs right to them!"
"So…" Romani slowly raised his hand "Should we get them ready to Rayshift." Olga turned to him and looked to shout before she slowly lowered her pointed finger and let out a sigh instead.
"...Yes." She answered "Whatever else, we still need to recover those supplies otherwise we won't get very far." she turned to Ritsuka and Mash "You'll head to this Singularity, recover our stolen supplies and deal with the thief, if the supplies are unrecoverable then we will have to use this singularity to our advantage and procure some more. Understood?"
""Yes, Director!"" The two parroted out, Olga gave a nod in response before waving her hand.
"Then get going, we won't have long and I'd rather not leave our supplies too long in Root knows where with Root knows who."
"If I may." Ash raised his hand "...What do tree roots have to do with our situation?"
"Just go!"
The three quickly shot to their feet and sprinted out of the door, closing it behind them as Olga cradled her head in her palms "It doesn't make sense to me...how could a Servant Rayshift themselves."
"Oh, they wouldn't be able to." Da Vinci dismissed "Only those contracted with either you or our personaggio principale would be able to." her smiled turned slightly strained as another thought entered her head "Well...I suppose...nevermind." she waved her hand, looking away "Better left unsaid."
Olga looked at her suspiciously before shrugging her shoulders and making her way to the door "Get the Rayshift staff ready to have them depart, I want this resolved quickly."
The trio quickly entered the Rayshift chamber before sliding to a halt as another figure was present, their head slowly turned to face them.
"Gwyndolin!?" Ritsuka gaped with wide eyes, the Lord's lip twitched slightly and the boy shrunk as he got the impression he was being glared at.
"Do not use my name so carelessly." He huffed, then turned to Mash "Am I to understand that thee have been the victim of theft upon this holiday?"
"Yes, Gwyndolin-san!" Mash nodded her head "They stole all out food."
"And thee are away to retrieve it, art thou?" He inferred before nodding his head "Then we shall make haste."
"...Um...We?" Ritsuka parroted with a confused look, Gwyndolin stared at him with a blank look.
"I am God of the Moon, doth thou expect me to beget crime upon my own day?" He asked rhetorically "No? Then make haste at once." he turned around and slithered towards the centre of the room "Now."
"R-right." Ritsuka nodded quickly before darting over to the Rayshift coffin, Mash just behind him as Ash sparred one final glance at Gwyndolin before doing the same.
"Rayshift sequence in progress." The intercom blared out as the room filled with light "Co-ordinates set. Initiating unsummon programme."
The group flashed into existence, the moonlight quickly bathing them with its luminous rays as they materialised in the middle of a field. Ritsuka and Mash looked around while Ash shouldered his greatsword.
Gwyndolin simply looked up at the moon before exhaling, then turning his helmet downwards to looked around "...Does the experience always feel so invasive?"
"I don't know." Ash replied in a cold tone "I can't feel much of anything."
Gwyndolin didn't look at him but a quiet sigh escaped their lips "No...I suppose not."
"This is the France we're familiar with, Senpai." Mash affirmed to the group as she looked around with a tense expression "We're still in 1431, but it will be after our encounter with the Dragon Witch."
"I thought we fixed this Singularity already?" Ritsuka frowned, Mash nodded her head at him.
"We did, however considering the scale of the Singularity in question even if it has been fixed, until we solve all eight the timeline is only repaired to a certain extend." She explained "It is still vulnerable to the formation of small scale singularities which will require us."
"Ah...That makes sense." He nodded his head, although his expression showed that it clearly didn't make all that much sense to him but he wasn't willing to try and draw out a long winded lecture. He clapped his hands together and looked around the countryside "Well, lets get looking for those supplies then."
"Do you know where to start?" Ash asked, Ritsuka sent him a wide smile in response.
"Not a clue!"
"…"
"...Senpai." Mash sweat dropped at his blunt declaration before shaking her head "We Rayshifted to the same co-ordinates as the one who stole from Chaldea, so they should be nearby."
"They're over there." Gwyndolin interrupted pointing off further east and towards a direction of one of the hills, the trio followed his line of sight and managed to catch a glimpse of a flash of light and a high pitched whining sound before a lance of light shot through the sky and struck down a humanoid figure.
"That was quick." Ritsuka blinked before steeling his expression "Lets go then!" he pointed at the commotion and broke into a jog, Mash and Ash keeping pace with him easily as Gwyndolin slithered after them as best he could.
As they drew closer, the high pitched twang and lights grew louder and brighter as they crested the small ridge to see the source of the noises. A woman was floating just above the ground, sat upon a strange curved sleek shaped seat wielding an intricately designed bow. Her hair was of a similar pale white colour as Gwyndolin's although that was where their similarities ended.
She was dressed in a long white gown with a red lining around her chest.
Ash and Gwyndolin furrowed their brows in equal curiosity as to the individual. Having no mistakes about their origin.
"Senpai!" Mash pointed to them "There's a woman...she's…" the girl trailed off and tilted her head "She's holding a bow rather oddly and firing strange arrows of light."
"Are those…" Ritsuka squinted his eyes "Werewolves?"
"Werebeasts, Master." Mash explained "A type of mystical beast, typically taking on the form of humanoid wolves or cats."
Ritsuka just remained silent before he cupped his chin "...If they bite me, what happens?"
"Don't worry, Senpai!" Mash boasted "I won't let them get close enough to bite you!"
"But...just for point of reference, what if they did bite me?"
"I imagine you'd die." Ash bluntly put as he began to walk past the pair and towards the scuffle "And while I have little concerns about this ones ability to deal with these creatures." he pointed at the woman "I'd rather recover our missing supplies quickly."
"There are several questions of my own I would have answered." Gwyndolin curtly put as he prepared his own bow "And I am...curious as to this one."
"Right." Mash nodded her head, then looked back to Ritsuka "Shall we Senpai?"
"Yeah, yeah." He half-heartedly answered "...So would I turn into a werewolf?"
"...No, Senpai."
Ritsuka wiped his brow in relief "Good, nothing to worry about then." he beamed "Lets go!"
Ash buried his black sword into the collar of the nearest beast, the animal released a scream as he pushed through and split it in half before twisting the sword in his hands and cutting through another. A hail of arrows flew over his head, strafing through the centre of the group of werewolves and culling their numbers considerably.
Gwyndolin released a derisive snort before readying his bow again, another glowing white arrow appearing from the string as he released it, the arrows clearing the distance almost instantly as they struck down their targets. He caught sight of several werebeasts charging him. The God gave them barely a glance before he waved his hands, a dozen spears erupted from the ground and skewered the beasts as they charged, halting them in their tracks and spraying blood across the grass.
The spears retracted and allowed the bodies to fall limply to the ground as Gwyndolin turned his head back towards the woman, his eyes narrowed cautiously as he stared at her. She was, without a shadow of a doubt, a Lord like him. Although he could feel it went deeper than that, a shared kinship. Something which…
Deeply upset him.
If she was what he suspected he was, then there wasn't much he could say.
Mash slammed her shield into the final werebeast, shattering its skull as she ripped her sword free of the one next to it, letting out a small sigh before sheathing it and giving a proud smile "I think Verndari-Sensei's lessons are paying of, Senpai!" she grinned.
"I've never used a sword before." Ritsuka chuckled nervously, giving a shrug "So I can't tell but I'm sure you're getting better!"
The girl gave a proud smile before turning to the woman as she lowered her oddly shaped bow, appraising the two of them with a curious expression before looking over to Gwyndolin and Ash. Her eyes briefly strayed over the Unkindled before they locked onto Gwyndolin, the pale blue orbs shone with a sudden intensity as her smile shifted into a confused frown.
"Combat is complete, Senpai." Mash stated "Although there are still some enemies about." she quickly frowned and held up her communicator "Doctor, would you be able to...Doctor?" she stared at the static screen for a few seconds before a frown came to her face "Senpai, I can't get into communication with Chaldea."
Ritsuka, rather than looking concerned, pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head "You know...I should be more worried about this, but I feel as though it is par for the course that something always go wrong with one of these missions."
Mash flinched before sighing "I feel as though there should be something wrong with that statement, but I can't find it." she looked back up "Anyway, we should probably deal with this woman-" the pair looked back to where the strange woman had been only to freeze, noticing that she was no longer standing, or rather floating, right next to them. Their eyes went wide and frantically scanned their surroundings before falling onto Ash. "She's gone, Ash-san! Did you see...where...she…" Mash trailed off when Ash threw a thumb over his shoulder.
The pair looked to where he was pointed, both of their brows soon rose up their foreheads as they stared at the strange scene happening before them.
"Ara?" The woman hummed curiously as she studied the individual in her arms, Gwyndolin hung limply as she held up him by his armpits like a child "Have we met?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"...No." Gwyndolin replied with a sigh "Release me, thee should have a greater degree of-" he was cut off when the woman dropped him to the ground, Gwyndolin released a small squeak as she instantly snatched his helmet off his head and stared at his now exposed face. "Return my helm woman!"
"...Are you a girl?"
"I'm a boy!" Gwyndolin shouted back, snatching the helmet from her grip and putting it back on his head "A boy...please…" he almost begged "Please...don't embarrass the moon further than this…"
"What is going on?" Ritsuka quizzed Mash, the girl shrugged her shoulders in response.
"Family spat." Ash informed the pair, Gwyndolin span around and fixed him with a pointed glare.
"It most certainly is not!" He snapped "Just because two Gods of the Moon-"
"Ah!" The woman suddenly pointed at him with wide eyes "That's why you felt so familiar!" she then grinned "You're like a funny little brother!" a frown came to her face as she looked him up and down "...Sister?"
Ash snorted.
Gwyndolin slumped "...Why?"
"Um…" Mash stepped forwards, raising a hand "Are you…?"
"Ah!" The woman turned to face them, then blinked before she pouted and crossed her arms "Mou! My plan is ruined now!"
"Plan?"
"I was going to introduce myself as Darling!" She whined "But I didn't think you'd bring another Moon Goddess with you!"
"Ha!"
"Be silent, cur." Gwyndolin growled at Ash, the unkindled having barked out a small laugh.
"S-so you're a Goddess as well?" Ritsuka hesitantly asked, the woman's glowing eyes fell on him, her expression still set in a pout.
"...Yes." She sighed "I'm Artemis!" the now named Artemis loudly proclaimed with a wide grin "Goddess of the moon and Hunt!"
"I'm…" Ritsuka backed away slightly "I'm gonna go sit down." he sighed "I keep running into Gods...it doesn't feel real to me."
"You get used to it." Ash shrugged, earning a flat look from Ritsuka "Well...you do." he replied "You tend to expect them to show up at some point."
"Not exactly all the time!" Ritsuka exclaimed with a frantic expression "We haven't had a single Singularity where we haven't run into someone with close ties to the Divine!"
Mash blinked before she hummed, cupping her in and then slowly nodding her head "Senpai is right, Cu-san is a Demi-God, Faraam-san was a War God and Gwyndolin-san is a moon Goddess-"
"Can I keep her?" Artemis raised her hand, Gwyndolin sent another glare towards Ash, as if daring him to say something.
"Artemis-san." Mash replied "...Gwyndolin-san is a boy."
"Psch." Artemis released a disbelieving huff "No boy is that pretty." she replied "Besides, we're both Moon Goddesses, so it makes sense for us to stick together, right?" she then paused before a frown came to her face "Unless…" she looked at Gwyndolin "Darling might...Do you have a husband?" she asked, Gwyndolin's head fell into his hands.
"My counterpart is a fool…" Gwyndolin whimpered "...Is this how Father saw me?"
"Lady Goddess." Ash stepped forwards "If I might ask a question-"
"Are you one of Hades?" Artemis asked with a sudden intensity behind her voice, Ash stopped and tilted his head curiously.
"...Who?" The unkindled replied with a puzzled tone of voice.
"Ah, nevermind then." She replied as if she hadn't said anything, still wearing her carefree expression on her face.
"...Anyway." Ash coughed "Have you noticed anyone pass through here recently while carrying a large supply of food?"
"Eh?"
"Ash-san is wondering if you've seen suspicious people." Mash went on, the Goddess blinked before she hummed to herself.
"Suspicious people…" She squinted her eyes for a few seconds before her expression lit up "Ah, maybe there was that one person."
"Who?" Ritsuka asked, looking up from his seated position on the ground.
"I can lead you right to him!" The Goddess grinned "He was carrying around this big wagon and offering me some food for money, I turned him down so he went on his way."
"Those might be our stolen provisions Senpai!" Mash exclaimed.
"Being fleeced off as well." Ritsuka scowled as he rose to his feat "But we won't know until we find them, did you see which way they went?"
"Yep!" Artemis grinned "Follow me!"
"...Follow?" Gwyndolin asked in a tired voice, as if almost dreading the answer.
"Yeah!" Artemis beamed at the smaller God "I need to showcase my talents for my fellow moon Goddess-"
"God"
"-and see if they are also good with a bow!" she went on as if he hadn't said anything "So I'm coming with you!"
"Thou hath no need to-"
"I, for one, would be most welcoming of your aid." Ash cut Gwyndolin off, the God looked ready to attack the Saber on the spot "And you would be more than willing to ask for the aid of another Lord, wouldn't you, Ritsuka?"
"W-well...I…" The Master gave a tiny shrug "I wouldn't say no?"
"Excellent!" Artemis grinned "We're going have so much fun!"
"So...which way are we going?" Mash asked, Artemis blinked at her before pointing South.
"That's the direction I saw the funny bald man walk off to!" Artemis proclaimed, the others furrowed their brows at the statement.
"...Funny bald man?" Ash responded in a puzzled tone of voice.
"Because we are forbidden from removing our helms." Arkon replied for the fifth time in the same bored tone of voice "It is part of our oaths that we never reveal our faces."
"What if you need to eat?" d'Eon asked with a raised eyebrow, the larger knight turned his head to look down on them. Then pointed towards the small gap in the front of the helmet where the mouth was located. "I see, is it some spell which hides your face?"
"It is an illusion built into the helm, yes." He nodded "We are not to reveal our faces under any circumstances."
"...What if you wanted to kiss someone?" Marie asked with a troubled expression, Arkon stiffened before slowly turning to the woman "How can you do that with a helmet?"
"You can't." Arkon replied "Nor do I see why any self respecting Silver Knight would."
"So you've never been kissed before?" Marie asked in a sad voice, looking stricken by the news. Sanson and d'Eon cringed at her tone of voice.
"No." The Silver Knight replied in a curt tone.
"That's horrible!" Marie proclaimed, shooting to her feet "You've never experienced a close and intimate session with anyone before!?"
"I do not see the relevance for this."
"But you've never experienced the great joys in life!" Marie went on "How can you say you've lived if you haven't felt the warm embrace of a lover before, they heat of their breath on your skin or the passion of their tongue as they-"
"Your majesty!" d'Eon interrupted with a tinge of red on their cheeks "I-I believe this conversation is rather more intimate that the good Sir Arkon is used to. Perhaps they have taken a vow of chastity."
"Really?" Marie recoiled, then frowned "But that shouldn't keep you from kissing someone."
"Marie." Sanson pinched the bridge of his nose "I am afraid that not everyone is quite as...romantically involved as you are."
"Your executioner speaks truly." Arkon nodded to the man, Sanson flinched at the title although it had been spoken without a hint of venom within it "All Silver Knights were much the same...I think." he added on, earning a slight glint from Marie's eye "I am not sure of Ledo...although none of my battalion did so." he paused again "I don't think anyway."
Sanson raised an eyebrow "Who told you that intimacy was forbidden?"
"Ser Artorias." Arkon replied "He told me that to touch a woman was a great travesty for a Silver Knight." the Knight then paused "However...there were several rumours surrounding him in the hours of the night."
The three French servants exchanged uneasy glances with eachother before looking back at Arkon.
"Um...Good Sir." d'Eon spoke first "Do you believe it possible you were...the victim of a practical joke?"
"From Ser Artorias!?" Arkon barked out "Nonsense, the man was an anointed Knight and of Gwyn's personal guard. He would never stoop so low as to do something so childish and I shall hear so slander of his name."
"I meant no offence." d'Eon raised their hands in surrender "I was simply covering all avenues."
"Well...I see." Arkon nodded his head "If no offence was met, then none is taken."
"Excuse me." A voice called out, the four looked away from their camp and towards the sound of the voice. A man in leather armour stood just a short distance from them. He was shorter than Arkon but still taller than Marie and of a similar height to Sanson. His expression was of a warm smile and the lack of hair atop his head was a distinct feature.
Arkon slowly rose to his feat "State your intentions."
The man raised his hands in a surrendering manner "Woah! D-don't mind me. I'm no one dangerous, I promise!" he hurriedly explained "I'm just a travelling merchant is all, looking to sell my wares to whoever I come across." a sweeping arm gestured to their camp "You all look of the sane sort, not like those beasts currently roaming the countryside. Way I see it, we sane lot need to help our own, right?"
"That is certainly true." d'Eon nodded their head, raising an eyebrow at the man "But I am sorry to say that we are in no need of-"
"Now, now." Marie stood up, shushing the knight "What are you selling?"
"Ah! I knew I had you lot pegged right." The man grinned at her "I'm just selling whatever I can, and recently I came into the possession of a lot of food. But its far too much for a man like me to eat and I'd hate to see it go to waste." he spoke in a sombre tone "B-but if you'd be willing to part with a bit of coin, I'd be more than happy to give you what I can!"
"I hope this food was not acquired...illegally." Sanson narrowed his eyes at the man, the bald man shook his head.
"What? Me? Never!" He frowned "Perish the thought, I'd never engage in theft. I promise that not a crumb of this food was stolen."
"...Hmmm." Sanson hummed before slowly nodding his head, something about the man's words convinced him.
"So, what kind of food are you selling Monsieur...?" Marie trailed off, the man blinked at her before giving a winning smile.
"Hehehehe." He released a bizarre chuckle "Goods from places you've likely never been and please, call me Patches."
AN: Yep.
Our Trusty Unbreakable Hyena is here.
You know what that means…
Patches
Servant: Lancer
Strength: C
Endurance: B (B++)
Agility: C
Mana: D
Luck: A
Noble Phantasm: C
'In Plain Sight': C (Anit-Unit Self), Max Target: 1, Max Range: 0
Capable of disguising himself as someone else entirely.
Could easily work as a superior form of presence concealment.
Class Skills:
Riding: D
Magic Resistance: C
Personal Skills:
Golden Rule: B+
Amassed quite the collection of trinkets in his life. As such, he should have no real issue in living a life of luxury. Not that one could do such a thing in any era he's lived through.
Trusty: C
Similar effect to Charisma skill.
'He's Patches, your good friend Patches. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you, would he?'
The Unbreakable: B++
Boost to endurance, temporarily
The Hyena: B
Quite capable when it comes to discerning true motives behind a person. Can see through most lies, although not quite as effective as Discernment of the poor.
The Spider: C
He strikes fast and when someone is unsuspecting. It is not as useful as presence concealment or espionage. But it does hide his intent to do harm until he is almost about to strike.
Summoning.
"Well, well, well...Looks like we've formed a bit of a partnership, eh? Ah, well. I suppose it always works out like this in the end. I'm Patches, you can trust me with anything. I'll be an ever reliable Servant, honest. Hehehehehe...
Dialogue 1
"Not one for activity are you? Oh, I don't blame you. You seem of the smart sort. Although given what you're currently doing, perhaps I'd have to revise my opinion a bit.
Dialogue 2
"See that pit over there...its filled with treasur-eh? You've been warned about that one have you? Fine. I suppose I should have expected that."
Dialogue 3
"Master and Servant? Well, we're closer than that aren't we? You could say we're the best of friends, right? You'd never do anything to your good friend Patches, right?"
Dialogue 4 (If you have Ashen One)
"A-ah...Still a little annoyed over the pit are you? Honest mistake really. I even kept you in my prayers and here you are! Really, you should be thanking me for my generosity."
Dialogue 5 (If you have The Chosen Undead)
"W-well...this is a little awkward isn't it. Although don't say I didn't warn you. Forgive and forget, eh?"
Dialogue 6 (If you have Good Hunter)
"How in the...Him? Nope. Never met them in my life. Honest. I'd never tell a lie, and if they ever say otherwise then I wouldn't trust them. I mean really, a spider of all things? Hm? How'd I know he told you about a Spider? Well...I'm just good at guessing.
Dialogue 7 (If you have Greirat)
"Well, that old thief is about. Seems you've gone and done him a favour. Its his choice really, although he's not much of a fighter, so you'd best remember that. Still, he seems a bit more chipper, that's something."
Dialogue 8 (If you have Karna)
"Charity, eh? Well...you won't get much charity from me, that's for sure. Although I don't like the way he looks at me sometimes. As if he see's through me. A bit spooky but probably nothing."
Dialogue 9 (If you have Ishtar)
"Hmph? You found that insatiable wench trapped in a pit? However could she have gotten in there, granted she wouldn't be in that mess if she weren't such a greedy guts. Oh well, suppose its one of those hard lessons from life."
Dialogue 10 (If you have Jeanne d'Arc)
"Geuh! Clerics...she's the worst of them all too. All so eager to throw away their futures with no regard for what they leave behind. Doesn't matter if they endure hardships or boons, its always the fault of their 'Lord'. Well...prays never put food in my belly, or anyone else's for that matter."
Dialogue 11 (If you have Jeanne Alter)
"That's a bit on the opposite end. Honestly, she's a bit too angry all the time. Although she's not very honest, but she's at least got something she wants. But it begs the question, suppose she does eventually achieve her wish. What will she have left to strive for?"
Dialogue 12 (If you have Kiara)
"Don't let her looks fool you. The woman is scum, plain and simple. In fact, I dare say that you should get your eyes checked if you find any part of her attractive. The absolute worst of love right there. The blue midget has it right."
Dialogue 13 (If you have Hans)
"He's got a foul mouth, but he's got it right more often than not. Although that doesn't change much in the end. He'd have lasted a long time for his attitude alone."
Dialogue 14 (If you have EMIYA [Alter])
"Another self sacrificing hero, honestly. Quite the greedy guts those ones. Selfishly off to save everyone one they can. When really, how can they save anyone if they can't even save themselves?"
Dialogue 15 (If you have ?)
"Not everyday one goes over ol' Patches head, but it does happen. Really, I'm surprised I never noticed it though. Perhaps there was a bit more to them than I realised. Oh well, they were still far too greedy in the end."
Likes
"Me? Well...that's an odd thing to ask. Whose to say I like anything? But I do have some likes, living to the next day is one of them. What, expecting something more?
Hates
"Greedy people are truly the worst. They'll never be satisfied as long as they have those wordly wants. In the end, they'll never achieve all their desires and leave the world a broken husk."
Wish for the Holy Grail
"A wish? That's fairly greedy thing to ask. Won't catch me making wishes. Why? Simply. I'm Patches. Nothing to live for, nothing to strive for. Just Patches and that makes me the most honest man you'll ever meet."
Bond Level 1
"We're good friends you and I, aren't we? Course we are!"
Blond Level 2
"Well...you've stuck around a bit longer than I thought. Really, you remind me a bit of some others. Oh well, you'll probably keep coming back."
Blond Level 3
"Still here, eh? Surprised, but not really. You seem the type to be honest. Yet...hmm...there's something a little different about you."
Bond Level 4
"I've seen your kind. Time and time again. Is what I want to say. Really, I do. You seem just like them. Clasping desperately onto some golden ray of sunshine and using it to pull you along, striving towards that final truth or fulfilling some grand duty. In the end, none of you ever really think about what you'll do if that light goes out. You'll lose yourself on that quest for the truth or your duty will be complete and you'll be left with nothing. You seem a little different though."
Bond Level 5
"I see it now...took me a while but I see it. All those live you save, all those victories. You...hehehehehe…I really see it now. You're a simple one, aren't you? Because in the end, you're a bit like me. Nothing to really strive for beyond yourself. Maybe you tell yourself all those victories and lives saved are the goal. But really...its all because you want to live."
Birthday
"A birthday, eh? Had a few of those to start with. Hope you aren't expecting a discount, even I don't do that sort of thing."
During an Event
"Well, well, well...Looks fairly interesting, doesn't it?"
1st Ascension
"Thanks! I knew you cared about your good friend Patches!"
2nd Ascension
"Another one, eh? Guess I've made a better impression than I thought."
3rd Ascension
"You're still going? How strange. Oh well, not one to complain although charity makes me feel odd."
4th Ascension
"Guess you're quite the fool, aren't you? Not much good in a fight but I suppose I can help you whenever."