"We've got a situation !" Scathach broke into a number of conversations with a dire warning. "There's something headed right for us and I don't think they're going to change course !"

There was a flurry of activity, but no panic. The Caster relayed her estimation of the situation in the moments available as the likely attacker crossed the space from her outermost runic wards to their center of resistance. A single entity, no apparent support - though of course an Assassin might be following with their (Presence Concealment) in the "shadow" of its energy signature.

"If that's who I think it is, we might be more able to 'talk it out' than you're expecting," Shirou remarked calmly, watching Mordred checking the visor of their helmet. "But I would recommend keeping Marie back since I think she might set them off."

"You know who it is?" Gudako asked while the Masters, as usual, stuck close to Jeanne and Georgios. "Hint would be good."

"Spartacus. A Berserker who takes rebellion very seriously. Sums it up pretty neatly, yeah?"

Gudao nodded. The name was famous and everyone could see where it led.

"I would recommend we move out rather than take a potential battle in here where our own infrastructure might be damaged," Georgios suggested. This was accepted and everyone quickly began moving out onto the main road as a giant muscle of a man showed up in front of them.

"By the way," Sasaku whispered to Mordred, whom the group had evaluated as the formation's hard hitter, "Spartacus can convert damage into more power for himself, so... you'll have to work around that if it comes to it."

"So it has come to this," the giant, who was dressed in the style of a period laborer, dispensed with any formalities or even introduction. "In a war between two oppressors, no one is freed."

"... we're interested in continuing human existence," Jeanne started. "Who are we oppressing, exactly? And how?"

Spartacus quickly looked over the group, apparently finding many reasons for fault among their members. "You want to continue human existence under the World's terms. Look around you, have you no pity for those whose existence only prolongs their oppression?"

"I thought you were all about the workers seizing the means of production from the greedy government-industrial complex?" Shirou asked, clearly confused by the Berserker's unexpected words. They had the odd manner to be expected of one speaking through (Madness Enhancement), of course - but more critically no longer matched he had heard about the rebellion-minded Servant.

"Once I ate of the fruit of knowledge I realized the truth that the greatest oppression is to be caught in one's own existence. We are the most worst off, being dragged back into that cycle of summons, servitude and sleep, wouldn't you agree?"

"No." For some reason, this straightforward refusal more than anything else to this point gave Spartacus pause. "I have to fight for my wife and my children's futures. Will you help us overthrow the queen of this Singularity of mist, or are we going to have to throw down?"

"What are you doing?" Jeanne frowned, realizing that the Berserker facing them appeared to be... pondering the question.

"I reject your false dichotomy !" With that Spartacus abruptly turned and dashed away as though possessed by a sudden urge to leave London. Though that was, of course, impossible since there should be no way to leave a Singularity physically without Rayshifting.

"Hmm, he certainly took Option C," Marie remarked with a touch of humor from her position in the rear. "I don't see any schoolgirls, so we're hopefully in the clear."

Shirou was looking down the way Spartacus had come and left as though thinking about following. Mordred had by this point let go of her sword, which she had been ready to draw in an instant. Of course, Georgios had been similarly prepared, and Scathach's staff and wand had been to hand as was Sasaku with Ruby.

"I'm a bit surprised he mistook you for your Counter Guardian counterparts," Gudako muttered. "I thought when Servants with Madness Enhancement said random things like that they weren't wrong?"

"I don't think he was talking to my Master's situation specifically," Sasaku chipped in thoughtfully. "Well, Shirou?"

"Why ask me?" he replied with a bit more bite than intended. Or perhaps not. "You people love the idea of hanging around forever."

"Uh... I see?"

Gudao raised an eyebrow as if to say what even is going on here but contented himself with instead, "If we're not going to set out -right this moment-, perhaps we should not be standing around out in the open."

"He was headed in the rough direction of the Clock Tower," Gudako observed, taking a hint from Shirou's behaviour. "That can't be a coincidence."

"Do either of you have any familiarity with this version of London?" Marie asked Mordred and Shirou. Both shrugged when addressed since, as Shirou pointed out, "Everything shifts about here except perhaps the large main roads. While the various alleyways are both a good-old disorganized mess as well as changing on their own, the roads also allow those mechanical patrols to move quickly and reliably en masse so we avoided them earlier."

"Since that Assassin was there as well, perhaps we should have retained that caution, even with six Servants," Gudao frowned. "Hmm, if the regular humans are largely confined indoors due to the high density of magical energy, we should assume anyone approaching us might be an Assassin with (Presence Concealment) rather than some bystander."

"There will probably be many enemies distracted with responding to Spartacus if he goes running down main roads like a maniac," Mordred offered her thoughts. "Provided we stay together, moving close to the main roads and quickly pulling away if engaged should prevent us from being encircled as any groups following us into the alleys will end up being split up by the oddness there."

"Because some things like the Clock Tower are so important, we shouldn't simply 'miss' it over and over," Shirou added. "Hmm, I wonder if perhaps Kojirou might be useful as a guide. Even though he spent time in the modern London, it probably still counts since he's a Servant."

The group looked at one another for a moment. "I think the role you had in mind for me isn't necessary," Marie volunteered after a while. "It makes sense to do a swap-out now that everything is set up here."

"... that was faster than I had expected," Shirou commented as Kojirou interrupted his conversation with Iri and Matthew.

"I believe you were the one who started theorizing about the possible utility of being able to adjust formations," the Saber was practically grinning after a moments' lookover of his former Master's Master. "Oh, hi you two," he waved to the latter's children, or rather their projected image from the Communication Room back in Chaldea.

"Trust Uncle Kojirou to get there superfast when he hears about masses of enemies," Matthew observed. He was quite a fan of the Saber.

"Back to work then?" Iri asked. The two of them didn't have any misconceptions about their parents' various lines of work, but in fact as things turned out, it was properly work - just not conventional.

"... yes. I don't know if we'll be able to communicate with Chaldea again, and since Mordred and I didn't Rayshift here, we can't just came back like Kojirou can... I love you two, take care of one another, okay?" There was a brief pause as Sasaku walked in, wondering what had been keeping Kojirou.

For some inscrutable reason, Shirou was rather distracted by the small Servant's sudden appearance, looking between her and his daughter's image as though comparing their heights which were in this case visually similar since even though Iri was sitting down back in Chaldea, the system placed her image's head at eye level for natural conversation.

"Something come to mind?" Kojirou sensed it, perhaps his natural sense of the atmosphere or some alternate understanding via his Skills.

"When I first saw Marie carry her in, I thought it was... but they don't look alike, it's just the uniform. Always be careful, Iri... unlike Servants, humans can't just 'take' being stabbed. Not that I have any particular concerns about Chaldea's security, I'm sure the Masters are taking it seriously."

The two nodded as Martha entered the room, and the image frame. While she wasn't playing the role of a timekeeper, the interruption nevertheless reminded everyone present that they should probably set out before enemies discovered their small base and began arriving by the horde.

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"This road should lead us right to the Clock Tower," Kojirou confirmed for the group. "Granted, it looks different but I think it will get us there eventually."

"We'll try and stay just out of sight from anyone patrolling along it, but check our position every now and then," Gudao agreed. "I had been thinking to have Sasaku go up on the roofs and maintain line-of-sight on us and the road, but that would really telegraph our position, huh?"

"I'll use runes to allow us to backtrack," Scathach explained as a warning. "Explosive runes, in case enemies are following behind us. Ideally, anyone doing so will do themselves in, solving the problem for us."

With a nod everyone set off. The Masters had remembered to get some food from Sasaku's backpack which seemed as functional as it had previously when da Vinci was its owner in Elizabeth's Event. While the backpack and its contents could be placed into Inventory and did along with everything else whenever Ruby transformed her, they were also all inaccessible unless she switched back, something that understandably the pair was not particularly eager to do when outside of protective wards.

The group made quick progress. After a few false starts, Gudako asked Sasaku to fish out a length of rope, which allowed the group to stretch itself out a bit to keep in contact with the road while avoiding accidentally being separated. They would advance by having one Servant keep sight of the road while everyone else, in a spaced line, moved forward until whoever was in front - namely Kojirou - could again see and identify the road.

This proceeded for several hours until they encountered an odd couple taking tea in a small mist-shrouded clearing. Presumably the small green space had been shared by the various houses whose backdoors opened out into it, but the small tree and scattered shrubs were not the center of attention.

The pair seemed to be were relaxing while drinking tea. The young man, wearing a coat that easily could be seen on a clerk of the day. His partner, a rather plain looking young woman in a simple dark blue dress.

Wait. Jeanne had noticed that the girl's outfit sported a sailor collar as well as the individual clearly showing a Servant-level signature. Noticing the change in their Ruler's stance, everyone quickly grouped up behind Georgios and Kojirou as the two strangers eyed them lazily.

"Perhaps you'd like some tea?" the unknown Servant girl offered. Indeed, there was at least a third teacup in evidence, not that it made the whole situation any less ridiculous. Or suspicious.

"I'm told that two's company but three's a crowd," Gudako refused politely, in slight juxtaposition to all the Servants preparing for the battle.

"No one has an private rendezvous out in the open," the man replied almost lazily, raising his cup in Mordred's direction. "Perhaps your knightly friend there has a more pressing appointment with the King of Knights?"

"You should have something to refresh you," the girl added. "One gets thirsty out in the middle of no-where."

Gudao realized that when they had moved close to one another, they had of course broken line of sight on the main road. A fact made very evident by the thick fog or mist that was now blanketing their "entrance" point.

"London is quite a wonderland nowadays," she continued blithely. "An industrial revolution, a red revolution? Rebellion against the world, a rebel running through the world. Who wouldn't want to catch their breath from it all and enjoy some tea?"

Standing at the rear, Shirou Projected a sword and threw it down where the alleyway they had entered in was. His frown told the Masters that something had changed in the space 'behind' them. It was not necessary to say explicitly the words, 'we're trapped.'

"So it's a tea party then?" Sasaku boldly stepped forward, feeling confident that even if the girl had switched tactics, she would not be taken by surprise. The defenses provided by Ruby were also a major contributor to her peace of mind, of course. If her former victim was recognized, the other girl didn't show it at all.

"Isn't it like partaking of liquid culture? A brewed and steeped nectar. Jack, if you would." The young man shrugged, clearly used to his companion's speaking style, and with a foot pushed out the chair next to him as an invitation to sit down.

Idly brushing the front of her outfit as though the air's dust would somehow actually leave marks on her crisply white and fluffy skirt, Sasaku opened in a conversational tone while taking the offered seat, "You seem well-acquainted with events on the ground."

"I didn't catch your name?" Jack smirked as though satisfied at catching some perceived breach of etiquette.

"Oh, I'm-" she started, but was interrupted by Ruby who had been hovering over a shoulder through this exchange. "Ahem, please allow me ! I'm Magical Ruby, and this is my current contractor, uh, Kaleido Ruby !"

"... really?" the girl didn't sound convinced, and let it show quite openly, even threateningly.

"Don't you know about magical girls?" the sly Kaleidostick continued over her objection. "Everything changes once you transform, they're all like that !"

"Sounds like an interesting story." This seemed to have caught her interest. "Why don't you tell us about it over some biscuits. And tea."

"You sound like you know a good story or two yourself, Miss...?" Ruby paused deliberately.

"Names are wonderful, aren't they? Hakunon, but my friends call me Haku."

Sasaku took hold of the teacup Jack offered her, pausing to think before tentatively taking a sip. "What's the world coming to nowadays, dust and mist everywhere," she complained to her fellows.

"The Red Queen and the Black Queen are too strong for this world," Hakunon shook her head in disapproval of the current state of affairs. "When they work to build their own world, the World trembles."

"By the way, have you happened to meet a certain Tamamo Cat recently? I think you'd speak the same language," the magical girl toyed with her teacup, noticing that it was actually a very fine example of ceramics artisan work.

"We encountered a manic revolutionary," Jack indicated the direction which the group had previously been moving towards. "He wasn't one for pleasantries, to say the least."

"Unfortunately, we're trying to catch up to him, even if not actually catch him. But there's all sorts of obstacles when one tries to go off-road nowadays."

Hakunon raised an eyebrow as if this was an unexpected tidbit of information. "I suppose we shouldn't keep you, nice as a chat would be," the girl sighed with an exaggerated air. "Your Berserker 'friend' may have been parting the seas of mechanical monsters, but his wake will be more turbulent for it."

"It would be a shame if either of them wrecked the nice library I wanted to browse," Sasaku agreed noncommittally. "Destroying all that knowledge would be barbaric, even for a revolutionary."

"Depends on what kind of revolution," Jack disagreed with her.

"Well, go on then," Hakunon turned to look down an alleyway which was apparently now clear of the earlier fog wall. "A good book is worth working for."

"Indeed." Sasaku took this chance to take her leave, standing up. Jack helpfully pulled her chair clear as the girl's skirts promptly filled out their previous volume as though magically compelled to maintain a particular look. "Thanks for the tea."

"Thank you for the company," Jack replied with a tone of slight boredom now that the exchange seemed to be over.

Hakunon raised her cup in farewell. "Hope we meet again, Miss... what was your name again?" In the middle of turning to leave, Sasaku froze abruptly.

"Oh crap," Gudako realized upon seeing, even if from the side, the Servant's tellingly blank expression. "Her status effect protections don't work when she's transformed, do they?"

"..."

As if compelled, she turned slowly to see 'Hakunon' watching her passively, but not idly. "I'm..."

At this point, Ruby floated in between the two of them, its bobbing head momentarily breaking their shared line of sight.

The Chaldean blinked, still not remembering but remembering something else. "Kaleido Ruby, remember? I'm still on the clock you know. Sheesh, almost gave up the game just for asking."

Jack chuckled darkly, distracted away from something that he had been toying with during this last piece of parting dialogue.

"I had forgotten, please forgive me," Hakunon responded contritely. "Have a fruitful journey."

"We'll do our best." The pressure coming from the duo eased as the Ruler walked over towards the rest of her group. Out of the corner of her eye, and in full view for her fellows, their ostensible hosts were soon shrouded in a hazy mist that seemed to be blowing in from behind them.

"A bit of advice, Sasaku." By the sounds of their chairs and direction of her voice Hanunon had herself stood up to leave as well. "Seek misery, for misery will lead you to greater, stronger souls."

"... what?"

Jack chuckled, the mist muffling it in a way that sounded far darker and more dangerous. The other Chaldeans rushed over to cover their comrade as she apparently tripped and collapsed onto the ground, unmoving.

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"Was she really worth letting go?" Jack, now openly flipping his switchblade open and shut, asked his companion as they walked down yet another of this London's mazelike alley systems. It was almost as though the mist that constantly filled their surroundings was following them. "You had her."

"Chaldea will have many new stories yet," Nursery Rhyme reassured him. "It was the same girl, right? Wasn't that interesting?"

"Her dress was quite pretty, like yours," Jack agreed. "I'd like one in a matching black."

"Hmm..." the Caster nodded agreement after some thought. "Well bring out the Jack that goes well with that and I'll make it for you."

Smiling happily at the promise, Jack bounded away into the fog. Moments later, a schoolgirl whom one might imagine to be Hakunon's younger sister appeared, still wearing the uniform which she had previously asked Nursery Rhyme to copy for her.

"So, what did you think about those two Masters Chaldea had?" she asked Jack eyeing her proportions to putt together the requested outfit for her. Though the request was conceptually simple enough, the Caster wasn't about to just create a crude palette swap for her latest friend.

"They can't be Mommys," was Jack's analysis. "Not human enough."

"Well then," Rhyme thought aloud while continuing work on Jack's request as they walked. "This should be far enough back so that the Jabberwock can clear the robots for us without scaring Chaldea."