Halloween - The Singing Pumpkin Castle: III

The pair sat at one of the outdoor tables in the dark, staring across the street as people walked around with little regard for the two armoured figures, next to the pair sat the sack of supplies they had purchased. Foodstuff such as flour, eggs and several varieties of meat and game.

"It's…been a while since I was last in a place as quiet as this." Jeanne remarked with a small smile as she watched the crowded streets and the smiling faces "Although perhaps not quite as loud as this, mind you." she added on "But there is something…rewarding about seeing such a sight."

"Hmmm." Ash merely hummed in response, watching the people walk around before he gave a single nod "...They seem content."

"Dare I say, happy." Jeanne added on, giving a faint chuckle "Have you ever seen something like this before?"

"Not as such, no." Ash replied with a straight face, crossing his arms and leaning back into the wooden chair "...The grand total of sane individuals did not exceed twenty. Lothric was not a place for 'festivities' either."

"So this is your first time seeing a holiday like this?" Jeanne surmised with a blink.

"No…my second." He shook his head "Although the time spent during the festival of the moon was relatively short. I arrived on the invitation of Ritsuka and partook in a single cup of Siegbrau. Then there was the theft of many of the supplies by the moon Goddess during which myself, Ritsuka, Mash and…Gwyndolin went out in search of them. After we returned I simply wandered Chaldea once again until the festivities were over."

"Did you not think to join in again?"

"I took it as a sign that I should be better alert." Ash remarked with a grunt "And more concerned with ensuring the safety of Chaldea then time with myself."

Jeanne pursed her lips, tilting her head "Does it make you happy to always have something to do?"

"Happy…" Ash repeated the word, pursing his lips "I do not factor happiness into it. I am…complete." he remarked "Nothing more, nothing less. I fulfil my obligations to Chaldea and Ritsuka as well as my greater duty as an Unkindled which makes me…content with my life."

"Content…" Jeanne nodded once, turning away from the Saber "Is that all you wish to get out of existence?"

"Is there something more to be had out of existence?" He looked at her with a raised eyebrow "Being content with one's life should be something that all strive for. A point at which they can look at their own existence and see it is meaningful. That their purpose is being met and they can leave with no regrets at the end of their life."

"...What of those who wish to be more than content?"

Ash made an ugly frown "...There was a woman I met called Francis Drake in a previous Singularity." he stared back across the street "...I wanted to kill her. Perhaps I still do."

Jeanne blinked in surprise, not expecting such strong feelings from the man before she leaned forwards, resting her hand on the table between them "I know of the…woman?" she blinked in surprise "I thought-"

"It would appear a great many have had their genders misremembered." Ash remarked "That aside…she was one who pursued only her own happiness. Whether it came at the cost of another or not with no greater sense of direction in her life than beyond fulfilling the next desire that struck her."

"I would not hold her as the example of all those who seek happiness beyond a duty in life."

"Is that not how greed starts?" Ash asked, frowning at her "It is the simple act of asking 'could I have more?'. The problem is that it never stops…Perhaps Drake is the extreme example but that is only because the issue was left alone for so long. Her greed was not quelled in its infancy and progressed further along until it reached the point of where she is now…" he looked away "...A creature of habit."

"Is it ambition you dislike?"

"Ambition…Ambition has a greater chance of causing the suffering of not just oneself, but also to those around them." He remarked "It is not that I am naive…perhaps duty has - in some instances - caused suffering but those are duties that are wrong."

"Wrong?"

"A duty-a correct duty is one that leads to the benefit of others." He tapped his fingers against the table "A farmer tends the crops which feed the people. A knight protects the people and keeps the peace. A King rules the Kingdom and ensures the wellbeing of its people. I am not against advancement…but it should come from the duty itself…not an act of ambition."

"A simple philosophy." Jeanne hummed in response "And perhaps it is one that is not wrong…dare I say, it sounds peaceful if it were realised correctly." she motioned to him "But some of the greatest advancements have come from those who reached beyond their duty simply to see that they could."

"Success of ambition does not justify it." Ash replied with thin lips "You would know more of this world's history than me but how often has ambition led man down the path of suffering?"

Jeanne conceded the point with a nod of the head "You would be correct to assume that ambition has indeed led humanity down dark paths many times, and much suffering was born of that…but what you suggest is both safe and constricting."

"Constricting?"

"How might humanity progress if they do not take risks?"

"You would ask me to choose between the chance humans would be bettered or the chance they would suffer…having seen humanity suffer as a result of 'ambition' I cannot condone any choice that results in the latter." His eyes narrowed "I…will not. There will inevitably come a point where humans suffer too greatly as a result of such a thing…at which point, the only option remaining to them is simple mercy."

"...Mercy?"

"The removal of that which brings their suffering." Ash stated, looking away from her "In whatever form it takes."

"And at what point is it decided that humanity has suffered too much?"

"When beings like me return." He nodded at Jeanne "And yourself. Humanity is dead…so we have been called upon to return them, that is the duty we have all been entrusted with."

Jeanne remained silent, giving a single nod of the head as she processed her words "...There are some that say suffering exists to test our faith in God, in reminder that after we die there is a reward for our struggles in life."

Ash stared at her out of the corner of his eye "...And how long does one have to suffer before they can endure no more? When they are cursed like me? When they are dragged from their grave? At what point is it decided that they have struggled enough and are allowed this 'reward' that you speak of?"

"I cannot say." Jeanne shrugged "Everyone endures their own struggles in life, some tests of faith are greater than others. What matters is that we remain true to our faith, in God and to ourselves."

"A life that is justified in the idea that - at the end of suffering - there is the chance for betterment is not one I can agree with." Ash remarked "In my knowledge, such betterment is fleeting and the suffering is to return."

"It does not return in His Kingdom." Jeanne remarked before she paused "However, I cannot make the claim that I understand all there is to know of the faith. Heaven is the Kingdom of salvation where all souls find peace."

"I imagine Gwyn said much the same." Ash remarked "The Kingdom of peace, and Gwyndolin…and those of the Ringed City. I…do not trust the words of most Lordkin."

"Most?"

"I am confident in the teachings of the Sunlight Covenant." Ash replied "We are summoned to aid those who call upon us when they are in times of crisis against whatever threat faces them. The conditions for our summonings are either that of Darkwraith invasions of creatures of strong power." he looked at her "As I am sure you are confident in the teachings of your own Lordkin."

"I am." Jeanne replied with a determined look in her eyes before she smiled "So you're role in this covenant is to aid those when they are in danger?" giving an approving hum, she tilted her head "A rather just cause…wait…your Patron, were they not?"

"...Yes." Ash pursed his lips "He claimed to have no ill-will against me as a result…but the fact remains that I did slay him." he paused "Although he was near Hollow at the time, therefore perhaps it was my duty to end his life as an act of mercy."

"I…suppose it might be viewed as that." Jeanne admitted with a shrug "Did he accept this mercy?"

"He made no complaints about it."

"Then it would seem there is nothing to forgive." She paused "If I might ask you a question…why do you find duty so important?"

"Hmmm." Ash hummed in response "...Do you know what an Unkindled is?"

"I do not."

"Hmmm." Ash grunted in response "We are those who attempted to link the fire and were found unworthy. Burning away into ash and scattered to the wind."

"...Is that how you died?"

"No. That was how I was born." He remarked, eyes darkening and lip curling as he stared up at the sky "...When the flame begins to die, it requires a champion of great notability to Link it once again. I was found unworthy for whatever reason, perhaps I was too weak or perhaps my soul was unremarkable. It matters not…If a champion is not found, then the Flame will call out to the souls of those who had linked it in the past. Lords of Cinder."

Jeanne blinked, remembering the term "...Sulyvahn called me a Lord of Cinder in name."

"I imagine he would." Ash shrugged "You become a Lord in much the same way, a sacrifice for the world. You burn in the kiln for eternity until your soul is consumed, leaving behind simple scraps." he shook his head "That is how one becomes a Lord of Cinder. They are legends who had the strength to light the flame and keep the Age of Fire moving onwards." he paused "I understand it is called the Age of Gods in this world."

"A sacrifice for the Age of Gods…" Jeanne muttered to herself, frowning "How long did such a thing happen?"

"That is not known to me, or anyone I suspect." Ash remarked "...Gael was a human in the first Age of Fire and he said he stopped counting his age long ago." he looked back down at her "As I was saying, if - for whatever reason - the Lords of Cinder do not light the flame then we are called upon…the Unkindled. Those who failed to achieve that which we strove to do."

Jeanne pursed her lips "...I see."

"Thus we Unkindled are sent out at the end of Fire to return the Lords to their Thrones and link the flame." He replied, then paused as he stared back out across the street with a distant look in his eyes "...It is a strange thing to consider. When first I heard the Lords had absconded from their Thrones I…I viewed them as traitors. Those who abandoned their one duty, their one reason they were brought back and why failures like myself were relied upon…" he looked down at his hands "And yet now…I understand their motivations perfectly. An act that I agree with…"

"You agree with?" Jeanne parroted with confusion "I do not-"

"As an Unkindled…my Firekeeper told me my role in the world was to end the suffering of man." His hands clenched "Duty is important to me because it is…me. I am nothing but my duty, to humanity and to myself."

Jeanne remained silent for a few moments "...I am not one to tell you that way of life is wrong, I dedicated myself to a similar duty to bring peace to France and to the Lord." she replied eventually "If that is the manner of life that you feel is most comfortable to you, then I cannot dissuade you of the notion but…there are other manners in which one might enjoy life." she nodded back down the street "This display of joy does not come from a duty and yet they enjoy it all the same."

Ash remained silent, looking at Jeanne out of the corner of his eye "...If I found peace even in my way of life in duty…then why should the same not be true for others?" he turned to her "All of those I have seen live for their Duty have found peace and those who turned away found only pain…so why should I not consider that a life of Duty is the only manner of life which matters?"

"People are unique. Different from one another, it is what makes each individual soul special. What brings joys to one might bring sadness to another and what brings meaning to one life might not to another." Jeanne shrugged "Perhaps some lives are destined for great meaning and perhaps some are not, some have their purpose revealed to them and some spend years searching for theirs…the question you must ask is that if the only purpose of life is duty or if there is something more to a person?"

"The only purpose of life is duty." Ash stated with absolute confidence "With a clear understanding of one's place in the world, they avoid a sense of loss…of Hollowing. They understand who they are and what they are in the grand scheme of things."

"And if they do not agree with their duty?" She gestured to him "Did you not agree with those who abandoned the duty you yourself were risen to complete?"

"...It was a duty not for me." Ash replied "And even still…I took it upon myself to alter the purpose of my existence. To bring about the lighting of the Flame once again would be to prolong the undead curse and the Age of Fire, the prolong the suffering of humanity. Thus I took it upon myself to grant humanity the only mercy I was capable of giving them."

Jeanne pursed her lips at the odd wording, her brows furrowed ever so slightly.

"I bet that just burns you up so far." The pair jolted at the sudden voice, turning to see Patches in the chair behind them, lacking his usual smile. "Doesn't it cleric?" he aimed the words at Jeanne, the woman sighing in response before turning her attention to the man.

"Is there some issue you have with me?"

"Just clerics. You aren't all that special." Patches dismissed with a wave of his hand before nodding his head towards Ash "Assume you were trying to convince him of some worship, try and change his thinking so it can all go your way. How lovely that would be."

"Quite the contrary, I was engaged in a simple discussion to understand him."

"Were you now?" Patches scoffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms "How noble of the cleric to lower herself to talking with a simple unkindled." shifting his expression to Ash, he gave the Saber a half smile "You must feel very blessed."

"Is there something I can help you with, Patches?" Ash turned to him with a raised eyebrow "Or did you come simply to ease boredom?"

"I thought I might speak with an old friend." Patches pressed a hand against his chest in mock hurt. "And I'm saddened you'd think otherwise!"

Ash raised a single eyebrow at him in disbelief.

"Alright, alright." Patches chuckled, leaning forwards "At least you're a little less gullible than last time, you're learning after all. I'm almost proud."

"Hmmm."

"Been a while since we met so I thought I might as well see how you were doing." Patches remarked "Last time we spoke was in that old city of the Gods." his lip curled into an ugly smile "What a horrible place that was, eh?" he nodded at Jeanne "Paradise." a snort.

Jeanne gave him a flat look before she turned away from him "Is there a reason you dislike the church so much?"

"Because you're all so self-righteous." Patches rolled his eyes at her "Pray to such and such and maybe your life will get back on track, do this and you'll be a good person because we said so. Honestly, and then behind closed doors you'll do the complete opposite of everything you preach about."

"...You have a cynical view of the Church."

"I have a realistic view on clerics." Patches dismissed "You're all alike, every last one of you. Looking down on the little man trying to live his life. You seem to be some of the worst of the sort. Gullible enough to see the good in everyone and just accept it as a path of the Gods when something goes wrong." he turned to Ash "So, I am a little curious now. How do I fit into your sense of duty, eh? Do I suffer enough to deserve mercy?"

Ash stared at him "...Not yet." he simply remarked. "Despite having no sense of duty, you have no sense of greed or ambition. You are…neutral."

"Neutral, eh? Fair enough." Patches smirked, leaning back "So…not yet? Blimey, that's a very kind way of letting me know the headsman's axe is poised over my head. At least you're honest about it though. Still a bit simple, but honest." he paused, thinning his lips "...Shame to hear about the old rat."

Ash stilled, Jeanne noticed the way his eyes froze over before they narrowed slightly.

"Really?"

"Honest." Patches nodded "He was one of my best customers, so he was. Also one of my best suppliers for goods and all, been a thief a long time and I knew him a long time. Don't quite know what you brought out in him but hadn't seen him quite so spry in years." he shrugged "Ah, well…such is the way of life I suppose. Everyone eventually runs their course."

"Even you?"

"Maybe, one day." Patches tapped his nose "But not today friend." He stood back up "Well, I'll be by my botique of wonders when you are ready to purchase something." he gave Jeanne one final scowl before he turned away and walked back the way he came.

"A rather…strange character." Jeanne remarked after a few moments.

"Patches lives for his own sake." Ash replied "...He dislikes the clergy though."

"I gathered. It would seem he had rather poor encounters with them." She thinned her lips "I assume that might have coloured his perception."

"He's older than me, I assume he's seen much in the world." Ash pointed out "Not that it is difficult to be older than me."

"Why, how old are you?"

"...Several months."

"...That is rather young, isn't it?" She stared at him, frowning as her True Name discernment failed to accurately identify the Saber. Presumably because Ash was not a true name but merely one he identified with. There were fragments but they were foggy, as if there was something hindering her ability to accurately see his legend.

"So I've been told."

"Left side Mash!" Ritsuka called out, gesturing in the direction of the Pumpkin headed skeleton - because that was actually a thing now, apparently - and alerting the Shielder to the danger. Mash swung herself around and raised her shield just as the arrow was loosened, the projectile bouncing off with a dull thud as it struck the centre of the cross-shaped shield.

A flash of light went off behind Ritsuka, the boy hunching himself down as he felt the heat build up before several orbs of blue flame raced past him and struck the skeleton in the centre, the body shattering into a pile of bones and causing the pumpkin head to hit the ground with a rather weighty thud before it rolled away.

"Hm!" Siegward gave a grunt of effort shortly before he decapitated another skeleton and caused the body to fall to the ground in a pile of bones, the pumpkin landing atop it and flickering out. The light - quite literally - leaving its eyes.

"...I have seen many strange things during my travels." Siegward spoke slowly as he continued to stare down at the pumpkin head before craning his head to face the other three "But I will admit…this is a first for me."

"A first for me too." Ritsuka honestly replied, placing his hands on his hips and staring at the remains closest to me "Rather…comical, isn't it?"

"Quite." Siegward chuckled, resting his greatsword on his shoulder and tapping on the side of his helmet with his left hand. "It makes me a little uneasy that someone might mistake me for one of these odd things and accidentally strike me." his chuckle turned slightly nervous towards the end of his sentence.

"Don't worry Siegward-san!" Mash reassured him with a wide smile "You're a much bigger presence than the skeletons!"

"..."

"..."

"...Are you saying I'm fat?"

"E-eh?" Mash froze, her eyes going wide in alarm before she raised her free hand in a panicked motion "N-no! I-I mean that you held a bigger magical presence!"

"Pfft!" Siegward snorted, shaking his head and waving his hand "Don't worry too much girl, I'm not one to take offence to such harmless gestures." he motioned to the skeleton pile with a nod of his head "Besides, I might be undead but there's a fair bit more meat on my bones than this one!"

"So…how do Skeletons work where you guys are from anyway?" Ritsuka found himself asking, tilting his head "Because Ash said he'd fought them before but undead don't…you know…"

"Ah, Necromancy." Siegward explained easily "Or long lingering curses. Not undead in the traditional sense but still undead." he paused, cupping his helmet chin "Think of them as…created purposefully." he paused again "Well some…I haven't heard of an undead being around long enough to become a Skeleton…Hmmmm, I wonder if that's ever happened."

"Right…" Ritsuka replied slowly before he turned to the other compatriot they had "How are you doing, Kiyohi-"

"Wonderful, Anchin-sama!" Kiyohime replied back before he could even finish, smiling widely at the boy before she paused for a moment, looking a bit hesitant "While…this isn't quite where I would prefer to spend time with you on a romantic outing, I am happy to be with you no matter what we are doing." her eyes drifted to Mash and Siegward "Although I would prefer to be alone." she muttered.

"I mean…a literal haunted forest in the dead of night isn't where I would want to take someone either." Ritsuka admitted with a shrug "...Maybe a park or something?"

"Like a picnic, Senpai?" Mash turned towards him "That sounds fun."

"Yeah, something casual." Ritsuka replied "Wouldn't even need to be romantic, just a casual outing with friends would be nice enough." he turned to Siegward, missing the intrigued look on Kiyohime's face. "What about you Siegward? If we aren't being too rude in asking."

"Me?" Siegward paused "I…well…I never…erm…" He paused, stuttering as he tried to find a sentence "I wouldn't think to erm…well…I never really was…involved in that sort of thing."

"...Me neither, to be fair." Ritsuka replied, putting the man at ease slightly.

"I just never had the time for romance. My brother? Oh yes." Siegward chuckled to himself "Old Siegbert was quite the…erm…he was rather popular with the women. Became something of a legend in Annaburg actually, there was this one story that stuck around where the farmer caught Bert and his daughter-" he cut himself off, suddenly becoming aware of his actual audience "Erm…better not tell that one." he decided to himself "Boudica would be quite unhappy if I did."

"He sounds adulterous." Kiyohime remarked disapprovingly.

"Actually he was rather faithful to his wife, when they did get married." Siegward remarked, noting her surprise "Indeed, a rather strange turnabout for all of us as well. Then again, having met Isold, many would say that cheating on her would have been a rather stupid move."

"Hmmm."

"Quite." Siegward nodded "Anyway, Bert met her at one of the festivals…made the mistake of challenging her to a drinking competition." he paused "Well, he thought it was a good idea at the time but he didn't know she came from Flusszunge." he saw their looks of confusion "A town famous for its production of very strong alcohol. Not quite as strong as Siegbrau." Siegward added on proudly.

Ritsuka snorted "I imagine that went well?"

"It did…for the first ten drinks." Siegward chuckled "By the end of it, Siegbert was flat on his face and Isold had forgotten what she was there for and kept drinking. Then they were both out. After that…well…Siegbert was smitten with her."

"...What an odd way of meeting."

"Not quite the romantic fairytale, I admit." Siegward replied with a wry chuckle "But they were happy enough…twenty or so years they were married, might have been more. I caught the curse and had to leave…I assume they were still married though." he paused "I like to think so at least."

"Sounds nice." Ritsuka replied to him as they resumed their walk through the forest.

"It was." Siegward admitted "Hmmm. As for your original point…a picnic in the open? I suppose there might be some appeal."

"What would you do with your beloved?" Kiyohime asked Siegward with sudden interest, staring at him out of the corner of her eye.

"...Rather late for such a thing now." Siegward said after a moment of silence before he shrugged "But I suppose if I were to begin courting someone, it would begin with a trip around the town, finding all the sights worth seeing and then a meal made by me to end the evening before we each went home."

"...Hmm." Kiyohime gave a nod after a few moments "That sounds rather simple and yet casual for a first date." she replied to him "Although it is heavily based upon the location the date takes place in but I can suppose you would be limited in choices." she continued on, flashing her fan open and giving a thoughtful hum "However, a first date should be casual as you have only just begun courting and you should begin to get to know your partner."

Siegward furrowed his brows at her "Would it be rude of me to ask why - if that is the case - you are so close with young Ritsuka?"

Kiyohime giggled at him "Silly, Master-sama is different because he is Anchin-sama. We are merely picking up where we left off."

"...I see?" Siegward replied, the truth was that he really didn't. Although from the looks of things, neither did Ritsuka or Mash. The former stared at the Berserker with mild confusion and a hint of worry while the latter looked utterly dumbfounded.

"But there is certainly promise in your first date." Kiyohime pointed the fan at Siegward "Although you have much to learn about the heart of a maiden, I'm sure you will oneday find your own Anchin-sama." she paused before frowning "Not my Anchin-sama though. Because I will burn you if you attempt to take him."

"The thought hadn't entered my mind."

"Good!" Kiyohime beamed, retracting the fan "Then I am thankful for this honesty and support."

"More skeletons, up ahead!" Ritsuka suddenly called out, the Berserker snapped her attention to the direction of the shout before she growled and marched forwards, waving her fan open and unleashing several orbs of fire towards the direction of the rattling bones.

She had tried to limit the amount of destruction she could unleash with her flames, the ease at which she might be able to set this forest ablaze was certainly a danger. Worse if she managed to get Master caught up in the inferno. It was one of those odd situations where having a third and fourth wheel actually benefited her.

"How long have we been here, Roman?" Ritsuka asked as he watched the fight take place in front of him "Because I get the feeling we're almost out of-Mash, right side!" a cry followed by a shattering of bones echoed through the forest "Because I get the feeling we're almost done with our patrol."

"You've been there for about thirty minutes." Romani's voice came back through the radio "So halfway, although there's nothing to stop you from leaving early."

"Nah." Ritsuka shook his head "I'd feel a bit guilty if I only called Jeanne down to fight while we all sat in a town and did nothing but eat food and buy wool." he paused "Also I think Ash could do with spending time in an actual town. He didn't really go out all that much in Rome. " he paused "Then again, we weren't there lo-Siegward! Wind tunnel towards the Archers! Centre!"

A veritable storm of wind howled through the woods, tearing branches from the trees and sending the volley of arrows that had been flying towards them scattering into the distance.

"Weren't there long." He completed his sentence as he carried on behind the trio, making sure to stick close enough to Mash so that she could protect him but not too close as to get in her way "Just think it would do him a bit of good to see something approaching normalcy."

"Given his life before now, I'd say a peaceful town is as far from normalcy to him as it gets." Romani bluntly replied before he sighed "But that's your choice I suppose. He's actually been speaking with Jeanne a fair bit. I'd say they get on…alright."

"Really? That's good to hear." Ritsuka allowed himself a half-smile before it vanished "Although I heard something from Arash that he doesn't consider anyone his friend…"

"I think it's just a case of only considering one person a friend." Romani corrected him "I can't make a comment on that though. He seems rather sensitive on the topic of friendship."

"Just don't eavesdrop on anything too personal." Ritsuka pointed out "For privacy's sake."

"R-right."

"...You've already done it, haven't you?"

"In my defence it's Chaldea policy to keep this line active at all times in case of capture." Romani rattled off mechanically "I mean…I might not like it at times but if it keeps you alive then I can live with myself."

"Hmmm." Ritsuka hummed in response before shaking his head "Alright then. I'll remember that in future, for the meantime we'll finish up our patrol around here-Kiyohime-"

"Yes, Anchin-sama!" The girl cheerily replied before Ritsuka's form was illuminated by a sudden burst of flame off to the side "Ah…"

"Siegward, can you try and put that tree out?"

"So how was the town?" Ritsuka asked as he approached the sitting duo, the others following behind him with varied looks of intrigue on their faces.

Jeanne made to reply first as Ritsuka approached before she paused, noticing the flakes of soot in their hair and on their faces "Master? What happened to you?"

Ash looked similarly concerned at this point.

"Just a small forest fire." Ritsuka replied with a wave of his hand, Kiyohime flinched and looked off to the side "Nothing too bad. We were able to put it out quickly."

"Then…what happened to your hair?" Ash asked, gesturing to their appearance.

"Well…It turns out that using hurricane force winds does indeed suddenly put a fire out by sucking away all the oxygen." Ritsuka replied dutifully "The problem is that the…erm…winds have a nasty habit of blowing up whatever they hit. Which in this case was the burning tree…so we all managed to catch a face full of smoke."

"...I see."

"That's good because for about a minute, we couldn't." Ritsuka joked to himself, earning a snort from Siegward and nothing else. The smile on his lips died at the rather cold reception before shaking his head "Anyway, how did you find your trip around the town?"

Jeanne rose from her seated position with a causal smile "It was informative." she replied, giving Ash a side-eyed look "We were also able to procure the items on the list." she gestured to the small back at Ash's side.

Ritsuka gave her a grateful smile "Thanks, Roman wasn't too awkward was he? He didn't say what happened?"

"Roman did fine." Ash replied with a nod of the head "His aid was appreciated."

"That's good to hear." Ritsuka replied, placing a hand in his pocket as he turned to Jeanne "Thanks again for stopping by to help."

"You are my Master." Jeanne replied with a wry smile "And it was…nice, to be in a place such as this during a time of festivity. Perhaps as a reminder of what we seek to save." She paused before scratching her cheek and looking away "And I…haven't been to something like this before…"

Ritsuka snorted, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." raising up his left arm, he stared at the communicator "You still there, Roman?"

"I'm here, Fujimaru-kun. I'll prepare for the return of Jeanne and the supplies that she and Ash purchased." The man paused. "I take it that after this you'll be continuing your investigation of the Singularity."

"First we're gonna go to Patches and see what he has for us." Ritsuka replied "I'm now curious what we can actually buy for some Halloween decorations and whether it was actually worth it."

"Whether or not you get good stuff out of it aside, you still helped in clearing away spirits and a Demon on the outskirts of a town." Romani replied "That sort of stuff is really quite dangerous for the locals and someone would have gotten hurt eventually."

"Huh…you know, you're right." Ritsuka admitted, looking at Mash "How weird."

"Indeed, Senpai." Mash nodded her head with a serious expression "It is strange that Doctor Roman spoke common sense."

"Ah, back to the old routine are we?" Roman grumbled but didn't sound too irritated, indeed he sounded more amused at being verbally attacked in such a way "Glad to see you're all still in high spirits."

"Are you making some sort of pun?"

"What?" Romani paused before a groan came over the communicator "No…I didn't mean it like that."

"Shame." Ritsuka sighed "Anyway." he looked back at Jeanne "Thanks for stopping by."

"The pleasure was mine. Feel free to call upon me again if you ever have need of me." She paused "I suppose I will also have to tell Marie about this…" she realised "She…likes gossip."

"I'm going to contain my surprise." Ritsuka replied with an utterly straight face before his lip twitched upwards with concealed laughter, much to the amusement of the Saint who rolled her eyes in exasperation at him.

"Alright, Fujimaru-kun." Romani pressed on the communication button "We'll await Jeanne's arrival shortly."

Unpressing the button, he leaned back into his chair and stared straight ahead. The simple fact was that the communication devices were always operational, no matter how many were active within the Singularity at any given time. It was a rather recent addition but it was a new directive in the event of capture or other such scenarios where Chaldea needed to be aware of the growing situation.

However, the problem was that in cases such as these it unfortunately meant they were eavesdropping on rather private conversations.

Romani's eyes drifted towards Ash's readings on the screen, staring at them.

"Nothing but duty, huh." The man muttered to himself, pursing his lips. That was depressingly familiar, and not just in the way that Ash waited for a command before he himself did anything. There were differences of course but the simple fact was that Ash hadn't experienced what being human actually was.

Or maybe he had and this was the conclusion he had reached. Except it wasn't as much a conclusion as it was simply being pulled from one direction to another and going with the flow without further consideration. He sighed, shaking his head and looking away.

He wasn't going to pry into that though, least of all because it wasn't his place to dictate to people how to live their lives when he himself barely had any experience in living like a normal human. He also very much doubted that Ash would learn to appreciate Magi*Mari in the same way that he did.

For the time being, he'd leave it up to Fujimaru as to whether or not there was going to be an offer of help. No sense in him causing strife where none existed. His eyes drifted past the screens and to the Rayshift chamber itself where Jeanne and the supplies returned from the Singularity.

Putting on a smile once again, Romani turned back to the screen and pressed the intercom. He was going to do what he did best and just support everyone.

"Successful Rayshift of Jeanne d'Arc and the supplies." Romani's voice came back through the communicator. "Onto Patches now, aren't we?" he paused "So…can we ask him how he was able to move between Singularities? Because that seemed a little odd to me."

"I doubt we would receive an answer." Ash remarked with a shrug before he paused to consider something "And the answer would likely be summoning stones. Although how he would be able to summon himself is beyond me, then again Patches had a variety of items and speaks of things and places I have never seen before so I assume he has a great many trinkets I know nothing of."

"So the answer is 'he did a thing'?"

"...Yes."

"Okay." Romani popped his cheeks "Trading Halloween decorations for supplies though, that's a little strange."

"I am not sure, Doctor." Mash suddenly remarked, cupping her chin in thought "Maybe they hold some manner of enhancement or quality to them. They did originate in a Singularity and are made from materials that will not appear in history for another three hundred years."

"I didn't think of it like that." Romani remarked with sudden realisation "...Although the scans here aren't saying there's anything odd about them in any manner. Unless…hmmm. I suppose they could be broken down into Quartz."

"Saint Quartz?" Ritsuka raised an eyebrow and voiced back in surprise.

"No, Quartz points." Romani replied with a wave of his hand "That sort of thing is more Leo's speed but from what she told me they were used as fuel thus far, mainly for improving the Servant containers."

"...I can do that?"

"Oh…right…no one told you." Romani quietly replied, tapping his fingers against his desk "Yeah you can. We're still looking into it now but it looks as though the cost of summoning Servants with the Fate System means they're containers are slightly weaker than they would be otherwise. Not your fault it's just how it is. Leo suspects they can be improved by utilising some of the resources we've collected thus far. Bones and that."

Ritsuka furrowed his brows "...So upgrade materials."

"Yes."

The Master blinked once and then looked around "...Would it be weird to point out this feels like some manner of mechanic from a game?"

"No, it pretty much is." Romani replied with a shrug "Doesn't change much though."

"Right." Ritsuka sniffed, "That's gonna be weird from now on."

Patches looked over their assorted currency with a critical eye, picking up one or two of the items and humming to himself before setting them down. The man looked between the currency on the table and the group several times before he gave a single nod of the head.

"Alright then." He smiled and spread his arms wide in greeting "Welcome to Patches Boutique of wonders. What can I interest you in?"

"What do you have?"

"An excellent question." Patches grinned, snapping his fingers before seemingly pulling a box from nowhere and placing it on the counter of his stall. Flipping the lid open, he reached into it much further than one would normally expect from the small box before he pulled out a hand sized golden jewel, star shaped with six points on it. "I have around a hundred of these and would be more than willing to give them to you for the right price."

"Okay…I mean it's a pretty nice jewel but-what the heck!?" Romani blurted out in shock, staring at the readings "That's…what!?

Patches smile seemed to widen "I can see you understand their value, strange man." he chuckled to himself as he flipped the jewel through the air before catching it again "Indeed. Handy little things that serve the same purpose as something you're familiar with." nodding towards Ash and earning a raised eyebrow from the man. Patches sighed "Souls."

Ash stared at the jewel with newfound interest "They grant strength?"

"Indeed they do!" Patches grinned "These ones are some of the finest around." He placed the star back in the box "And all for a fair-ish price." He raised his hand "But, before you decide on that, I do have a few other trinkets that might be of use to you." he reached back into the box and pulled out a familiar bottle "Blessings from a certain Goddess. Rather tasteless water but its got a good trick to it."

"Divine Blessings." Ritsuka cupped his chin, then furrowed his brow "It's…blue? I thought they were golden?"

"Those that bring health do." Patches admitted, shaking the bottle in his hand "This one restores magical energy."

"You can do that?"

"It normally requires a ritual-" Romani began only for Ritsuka to shiver at the memory of the talk Da Vinci gave him "-or the consumption of a soul. There are different ways of restoring magical energy but most are quite lengthy or a bit gruesome."

"Well, you can forget about eating souls for a start." Patches snorted "This little bottle restores all the magic you need. Single use only, of course."

"Naturally." Ash remarked, looking at Ritsuka "He speaks truthfully, the divine blessings for magical energy restored me no matter how depleted I was."

"Sounds like some blessing via an authority." Romani stated "Also useful. Very useful."

"Glad you agree." Patches chuckled, going back into the box "I've got some other items for you…aha!"

He pulled out a stone, looking more crystalline with a glowing centre "Healing stones. Very popular about…erm…a while ago." he shrugged "Works for undead and humans, simply crush the crystal and let the spell heal you up. Useful if you haven't got any estus or healing on hand."

"Huh…This is surprisingly useful." Ritsuka remarked with a pleasant tone before he gave Patches a suspicious glance "...What's the catch?"

"Catch? I'm a fair businessman!" Patches frowned back "I'd never try to scam my customers."

"Liar." Kiyohime hissed from behind Ritsuka, earning a flat look from the man before he rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright. I suppose, if you can't turn a blind eye to the less than reputable methods I used." He remarked before raising his hands "But I never killed anyone and I'm no thief."

"You put them in a position to die and looted their bodies, didn't you?" Ash asked with an expectant look.

Patches nodded once "Well…most of the time. Some of these I acquired in fair trades too."

"You know what?" Ritsuka placed his hands on his hips "How about I don't ask where you got the stuff from and you don't tell me, sound good?"

Patches grinned "Sounds excellent. Now then…I've got some more items for you to look at. Some bones from skeletons, dragon teeth and other little assorted items." he explained away, resting both his hands on the stall counter and leaning forwards "So…what can I interest you in today? Remember, we're open as long as the Singularity is." he paused "Oh, if you happen to die. Do make sure it's somewhere accessible, I'll make sure to put all your belongings to good use."

"...Thanks for the vote of confidence." Ritsuka flatly responded.

Patches gave a wide smile at the group as he closed his eyes "My pleasure."

"Pssst! Fujimaru-kun! I think this is a really suspicious person!" Romani whispered to the boy through the communicator, the attempt at subtlety was lost by the simple fact that his voice was amplified through the speaker, meaning that everyone around the group could hear the Doctor just fine.

"No kidding, Roman."

"Talk about pricey." Ritsuka grumbled to himself as they continued their trek towards the castle, rolling his arms "I don't think we'd have been able to buy all that much even if we budgeted."

"Patches said he will remain for as long as the Singularity remains open." Ash replied "Which he is usually truthful about."

"He said he would remain." Kiyohime scowled "He did not mention what his intentions would be, either as a vendor or a villain."

"That is typically the chance one takes when dealing with Patches."

"A chance no one should take." The Berserker gave a light growl in response, looking straight ahead as they continued their walk up the simple path out of the town. "I cannot stand liars and that man wreaks of falsehoods and half-truths."

"That aside, do you think we have to watch out for him Ash-san?" Mash asked the only one with experience with the man. Ash gave a single nod.

"As I have said when dealing with Patches…avoid areas with long drops." He paused "Or locations which only have one entrance. Fortunately the summoning renders the latter option useless."

"Unless you get trapped in a location with a high level of interference." Romani 'helpfully' added "Such things will mess with the Rayshift."

"...I'm beginning to think that between dropping us from the sky and leaving us trapped in cave-ins, that the Rayshift technology is secretly trying to kill us." Ritsuka voiced aloud with a small frown.

"It's just some minor issues." Romani argued back defensively "You got here in one piece, right?"

"I suppose." Ritsuka admitted with a shrug "Still….those are some pretty major minor issues."

"...Fair enough." Romani shrugged "So original point to add. Watch out for Patches, he might help you but he might also leave you to die." he paused "We'll put him down as neutral third party for the moment."

"I don't understand." Mash shook her head "Should Patches-san not also be against the incineration of Humanity?"

"If he was a Heroic Spirit of this world, I would agree with you." Romani nodded his head "However, he isn't and is somehow able to move between Singularities. There's nothing to suggest that he is actually dead to begin with and hasn't simply hijacked the summoning system to manifest himself."

"...Wait, you can do that?" Ritsuka blurted out in surprise "I thought you had to be dead first?"

Romani paused, eyes going wide "Eeeeermmm….Maybe?" he shrugged before shaking his head "We're dealing with another world here. We've already encountered multiple entities that theoretically shouldn't be summonable to begin with. Namely Gods and two fae. W-who knows what other kinds of exceptions can be made?"

Ritsuka raised both his brows, pausing before giving a single grunt of understanding "Didn't consider that. So Patches might be alive and just summoning himself?" he frowned "That still seems a bit strange to me…"

"We're dealing with people wandering across from another world like it's nothing and it turns out most of them are zombies. What isn't strange about this recently?"

Ritsuka gave the man a frown, soon followed by Mash.

"What? Ah…wait…Sorry, guys!" Romani hastily apologised "Didn't mean to offend!"

"Zombies are humans who have been brought back from the dead, are they not?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow "Strictly speaking…i am a zombie."

"As am I." Siegward remarked "...Zombie." he repeated the word to himself "What an odd title."

"Be that as it may, I'm not calling you zombies." Ritsuka dismissed "Far too many negative connotations with that."

"If you say so." Ash shrugged to him.

The group eventually reached the end of the path, finding themselves at the large iron gate of the castle in question. The group stared at the entrance before they looked around.

"So…do we knock or just shout up?" Ritsuka asked, placing on hand on his hips and using the other to scratch the back of his head in confusion "Because the invite didn't specify."

"I suppose we do what all good guests do." Siegward chuckled, fearlessly walking towards the gate without looking back "We knock, of course! Ohohohoho!

"H-hey, wait a second, Siegward-san!" Mash called out after him "We don't know if there are any traps or-"

"Hello!" Siegward shouted out in a jolly tone as he pounded his fist against the gate "I am Siegward of Catarina! I'm here with Ash, Mash, Kiyohime and Master Ritsuka! We were invited to stay at a location like this!" he called out again "Have we gotten the right location or are we lost!?"

He stepped back, letting silence fill the night.

"Hmmmmmm." Siegward paused, humming to himself and scratching his helmet "I wonder if they heard me…perhaps I should cry out louder?"

Before anyone else could speak, the gates started to groan as the bars slowly raised themselves upwards. Granting entry into the courtyard of the palace walls.

"Aha!" Siegward let out a jubilant cry, turning around to face the others "We are in the right location!"

"Okay." Ritsuka blinked in surprise "Note to self. Peaceful option is a genuine option." he turned to Mash and smiled "I'm quite pleased with that."

Mash gave a nod back in response before they all walked forwards, passing underneath the gatearch and into a rather spacious interior. The only visible building was that of the citadel on the opposite end with a singular iron door leading into it.

"...Rather straightforward, isn't it?" Ritsuka asked as he scratched his chin before he shrugged "Well…best get goin-"

"Wait, Senpai." Mash lightly grabbed his shoulder to stop him moving before she protectively moved in front of him "I sense another Servant nearby!"

Kiyohime stilled, her eyes going wide "I-I sense a wicked woman approaching!" she hissed, moving in front of Ritsuka as well "Stay back, Anchin-sama!"

"La-la-la~" A melodious voice echoed out as a form gradually solidified, a young cacuasian woman came into being, long brunette hair freely flowed outwards with large orange flowers pinned into either side just above her ears. The woman span on the spot, dancing gracefully as she did as she moved closer towards the group, finishing off with a spin before she gave a light bow and looked up, silver coloured eyes stared back at the group with curiosity.

Ritsuka blinked at the dress the woman was wearing.

Or the lack thereof.

Thin transparent silken sleeves extended past her arms and almost towards the ground, a dark orange top covered her chest and little else with two strips of fabric at her front and back to cover her underwear. The woman smiled at them in such a way that Ritsuka couldn't help but blush at the display before he snapped his eyes shut.

Hardly his fault as it looked as though they had been approached by a woman in her nightwear.

"It's a lovely night, isn't it everyone?" She spoke in a soft and rather gentle tone, gesturing upwards towards the stars "A young sweet night…although." her eyes fell upon Ritsuka and turned inquisitive "I wonder, are you a young, bitter man?"

"Good heaven's dear!" Siegward blurted out in shock "Don't you have any clothes? It must be awfully chilly outside!" he looked around before turning to Ash "Do you have anything to give the poor woman, dear me she must be freezing."

Ash blinked at the man "...Huh?"

"Don't get distracted now." Siegward pointed at him "Times such as these call for one to be diligent and dutiful. We are beset by a woman with barely enough cloth to cover her in the cold of night and we shall make sure she is well covered."

"...We are?"

"You are?" Romani's voice came through, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Oh?" The woman instead blinked at the knight before she let out a melodious giggle, covering her mouth with the back of her head "You are indeed kind, good Knight. Perhaps akin to a storybook. However, I am quite alright in such climates." she smiled at them "I am a Servant after all."

"O-oh…" Siegward coughed "My mistake then…still…" he trailed off "...I don't suppose I could make the case for decency?"

"Most certainly you could!" Kiyohime called out in support, pointing at the woman "I can sense her homewrecking skills from here…It must be at least B+ rank!"

"...There's a skill for that?" Romani whispered to himself, sounding more baffled than anything else.

The woman looked down at herself before looking back up "Ah, there is no need to trouble yourself." she assured the Catarinan "It is better for me to wear less, that way I can be fast."

"...Fast?" Siegward repeated with a hint of confusion.

"You are all guests to this Halloween party, are you not?" The woman asked as she studied each of them and her smile grew wider. "I'm pleased to see we have such cute ones." flourishing herself once again with smooth movements which seemed to show off just about every curve of her body.

Much to the conniptions of Kiyohime.

"I am Mata Hari, and I am here to welcome you!" She introduced herself with a dazzling smile as Ritsuka gave a light gulp, trying to keep his eyes from wandering.

"Now then…" She trailed off, halting her movements and giving a perfectly innocent expression "I shall get things started with a dance."

Whereupon she moved towards what little clothing she had left and started to undo it.

"Whoah!" Ritsuka slapped his hands over his eyes and gasped out in shock.

Mash choked on air while Siegward coughed loudly in response, Kiyohime sputtered and looked bright red with rage.

Only Ash and Fou remained straight faced, content to simply stare at the woman with each measure of sheer bafflement.

"Wow…" Romani voiced aloud through the communicator "Best Halloween party ever, we should do this more ofte-"

"I realise I haven't been here to check up on their progress, how is Fujimaru Ritsu-what the hell is this!?" The Director's voice positively screeched over the communicator "What in the hell made you all think it was acceptable to start watching this type of thing in the observation deck while Fujimaru is out on a mission!? Are you all perverted hooligans!?"

"Ma'am." Kerry replied back, sounding close to laughing "T-this is the mission."

"...W-wha-"

"Put some clothes on dear!" Siegward blurted out as he walked towards Mata while waving his hands "You're wearing little enough as it is! Don't make your situation worse!"

"E-eh?" Mata sounded genuinely surprised for a few moments "But this is the point of the dance!"

"Tch." Romani clicked his tongue, moving to press the small button at the side of his monitor and shutting off the red light. Olga's eyes snapped to him at the speed of light and narrowed just as quickly.

"Romani…" She growled at him.

"...I didn't do anything. This wasn't my idea." Romani replied back while trying to look as straight faced as possible.