Return to Null Chapter 1:
Homecoming
The sound of footsteps rang throughout the clinic. The sound stopped as a six year-old boy reached the end of the stairs, and put on his worn down shoes.
"Hey Doc, I'm going to check on Sora, and put some food and water out for him." He said.
"Sounds good." Hannah said from behind her desk, working on editing files for her patients. "Just be careful, Ritsuka."
"I'm always careful!" Ritsuka snarked.
The six year old boy made his way to the back of the clinic, and walked out the back door. The warm summer air hit his skin. The pleasant feeling always made him smile. Ritsuka walked towards the back corner of the clinic, near the alleyway. Ritsuka looked around, but didn't see Sora anywhere. The little boy grinned, he knew how to get his attention. Ritsuka got out two small bowls, and poured water into one before reaching into his pocket, and brought out a bag. The little boy shaked it twice, and saw a dog walk out from the corner slowly.
"Hey Sora, I got you some pork tonight." Ritsuka said. "I know it's your favorite."
Sora saw the boy, and trotted quickly towards him. The dog was tall, not too skinny, but not muscular either. He was in the perfect weight range. Sora stopped near the two bowls, simply wagging his tail and panting. Ritsuka smiled as he put the pork into the empty bowl. Sora took the opportunity to lick Ritsuka's face, causing the little boy to laugh and pet the dog's head.
"Okay, your food is ready!" Ritsuka said. "Time to chow down buddy!"
Sora didn't need to be told twice. The dog immediately found a piece of pork and chewed on it. Ritsuka smiled as he watched the dog's tail swing from side to side in happiness.
"Look mate, just tell me what I need to know, and I'll be on my way."
"I told you that I have no idea what you're talking about. And even if I did, I would not tell you."
Ritsuka turned and looked behind him, towards the alleyway. He knew almost everyone in this district, but he never heard those voices before.
The sound of something snapping caused the boy to get up and slowly walk towards the noise. The little boy gulped in fear as the sound of cracking continued to echo through the alley.
A chill ran up the little boy's spine. Something bad was about to happen, and he only had two options. Leave, or try to stop it. The little boy took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and walked towards the alley where the men were hiding.
"I must say, I'm impressed with your resilience." One of the men said. "Four fingers broken, and not even a peep!"
The breaking of more fingers sent goosebumps in Ritsuka's body. The child could not help but shake with every step now.
"You can hurt me all you want." The other man said. "But you will never find what you're looking for."
"Well, looks like I'll have to switch tactics." The first man said.
The sound of slashing rang in Ritsuka's ears, alongside the grunting of the other man in pain. Ritsuka was so close now, he just needed to turn around the corner. The little boy took a deep breath, and turned to see what was going on. The moment he did so, his body froze in slight fear. The threatening man held the other by his neck. The man making the threats was much younger than his victim, and stronger looking too. The injured man was much older, and struggling to breathe as the man gripped tighter and tighter. Ritsuka could not see their faces clearly, the younger looking man had his back to Ritsuka, while the elder man's face was obscured by the head of the younger.
"So, are you willing to talk now, old man?" The first man asked.
"No…..I have nothing…..to say." The older man said, struggling to speak due to the hand around his throat.
The younger man chuckled. "Oh well, looks like there's no helping it."
The younger man turned them around, and raised his hand.
Schlick!
Ritsuka's eyes widened as he saw the younger man punch through the older man's chest. The elderly man then fell to the ground with a loud thud. The little boy's body shook as he stared at the body in horror and fear. The older man's fingers were completely broken, and his eyes were completely cut open, as if slashed by a sharp object. And there was red water spilling from his body from the hole in his stomach. No, not red water. A chill went down Ritsuka's spine. He knew what it was.
It was blood.
"Well, I guess you have some guts after all."
Ritsuka turned his head slowly and saw the younger man, with blood on his hands, standing above the elder man on the ground, laughing at the scene before him with a sinister chuckle. The boy couldn't turn away as the attacker crouched down and stared at his victim.
"Rot in hell, you old fossil." He said as he continued to chuckle.
Ritsuka continued to stare at the scene before him without uttering a word. He was too afraid to speak. The crouching man looked at the older man's hand and whistled.
"Now that's a fine ring you have there." He said. "Since you won't be needing it, I'll take it off your hands for you."
The man proceeded to take the ring off the older man's finger, and tossed it in the air like a coin for a few seconds before putting it in his pocket. He then turned his head, and made eye contact with Ritsuka. The little boy froze in terror. It was as if his body shut down, and he was helpless as the man got up with a disarming grin.
"Hello boyo. Did you enjoy the show?"
Ritsuka said nothing as the man walked towards him.
"Was that your old man?" He asked. "Nah, can't be. You don't look anything like him. So maybe you're just a little voyeur?"
Ritsuka did not answer, causing the man to grin from ear to ear.
"Ah, cat got your tongue eh?" He said. "No shame in that. It's always fun seeing people freeze up like that."
Ritsuka continued to be silent, earning a chuckle from the man. The man finally turned the corner, and crouched down in front of Ritsuka. The little boy looked away from him, and back to the man on the ground, only for him to feel the man's finger touch his chin, and turn his head back to face him.
"It's rude not to look people in the eyes when they're speaking to you."
The little boy flinched, causing the man to chuckle. Ritsuka turned his eyes away from him, and back to the man on the ground, something that the man noticed.
"You really seem interested in that guy, aren't you?" He asked. Ritsuka shivered, causing the man to grin wider. "Looks like I found a little psychopath in the making."
Ritsuka started to whimper, something that caused the man to laugh. "Awwww, you gonna cry, boyo? You are just a hoot!"
Ritsuka looked at the man again as he patted him on the head.
"Normally, I'd have to get rid of witnesses." The man said. "But I'm starting to like you already, boyo."
The man leaned in close to Ritsuka's ear, causing the little boy to shudder.
"So here's what we'll do, okay? We keep this little encounter just between us." He whispered. "It'll be our little secret."
A shiver went up Ritsuka's spine as the man pulled back and, as if to remind Ritsuka what he just told him, put a finger to his lips.
"Shhhhhhhh."
The sound of snarling rang through the alley. Ritsuka didn't even need to turn around to know sora heard everything, and was making his way towards them. The man looked at the dog and chuckled.
"Well aren't you an irresponsible guard dog?" He said. "If you're meant to be protecting him, then you did a shit job there."
Sora continued to growl with hostility. The man simply shrugged and returned his gaze upon Ritsuka. "Well, looks like our little talk is over, boyo. Our furry friend doesn't seem to like me much, and I prefer not being around when he gets mad."
The man playfully patted Ritsuka's cheek, getting blood on the little boy's face.
Sora lunged at the man, but the man simply got up and leapt back with an amused laugh.
"Wow, you really didn't like that, did you, big guy?"
Sora bared his fangs at the man as he hunched over, ready to attack if he made another move.
"Don't worry there, I'll be leaving now." The man said. "I hope we meet again, boyo! Remember, keep this between us, okay?"
The man gave a low, sinister chuckle as he turned around, and walked away. The moment he was out of view, Ritsuka's eyes darted back and forth. He looked at the man on the ground, and slowly made his way towards him. The moment he was close, Ritsuka immediately went into action. He grabbed the man by the shirt collar, and tried him across the ground.
"Sora, help me!" Ritsuka shouted. The dog did not waste a second, and instinctively latched his jaws on the man's shirt, and helped the little boy drag him closer to the clinic.
The body was broken, but Ritsuka didn't care. He could be fixed, and the man would feel better if he was helped. And he knew just who could do that. Even with the two of them working together, the man was incredibly heavy, but Ritsuka buried that in the back of his mind. He had to help, he had to make sure this man got better.
They slowly, but surely made their way to the clinic, with Ritsuka dropping the man for a moment to open the back door, before returning to grab him, and helped Sora drag the man inside with extreme difficulty.
"Doc! Doc! Help!" He shouted. "Someone's hurt!"
Hannah ran towards the room. "Ritsuka, what are you-"
The woman gasped as she saw the little boy and sora trying to drag the man further into the clinic, leaving a huge trail of blood behind them. The female Mage immediately helped them by lifting the man up, and bringing him to the operating table. The moment she saw the injuries, Hannah's eyes widened in terror.
"Oh my god….no, no no no…"
Ritsuka watched in concern. He never saw Hannah like this. She was always able to help people with anything. This shouldn't be any different…..right?
Hannah did not even grab any tools or anything. She just stared at the body like a statue with a pained expression. Something was wrong, she never made a face like that before…
"You can help him, right?" The little boy asked.
Hannah looked back at Ritsuka with blank, yet saddened eyes. "No, I'm sorry, Ritsuka, but I can't."
"But you can fix anyone…"
Hannah trembled. "Ritsuka, he's dead."
Ritsuka's heart sank at the statement. His eyes started to dart around as he stared at the body. He failed to help. He could've been faster, or stronger, or even braver, but he wasn't.
It was all his fault.
The boy fell to his knees and started to breathe heavily as he hugged his chest, rocking back and forth. Sora immediately sat beside the boy and whimpered as he saw Ritsuka's face. Hannah immediately knelt down, and wiped the blood from his cheek.
"Ritsuka, I need you to tell me who did this." She said quietly. "I need to know what happened…."
Ritsuka's eyes widened in horror. He thought back to what happened minutes before, and shivered. The killer who spoke to him might have looked human, but no human was capable of such cruelty. No, he knew just what that…thing, was.
"It was a monster…."
(September 3rd, 2015)
Ritsuka opened his eyes and sat up from his bed. The male Master yawned and stretched, not even acknowledging the nightmare he had.
For ten years, barring the day he went to France, he never dreamed of anything else but that fateful night.
The black haired teen remembered a time when he would wake up in cold sweats for almost a year because of it. But after a certain period of time, he didn't even react to it anymore. It became a part of him, and he continued to dream of it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
However, it was also the night that made him make a solemn vow to never take a person's life. Never to kill, even if it was to save himself.
The male master got up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom to shower. "I wonder what the cooking crew is making for breakfast."
(A few minutes later)
"Wait, is he going to say-" asked Mashu excitedly, seeing the climax the joke was setting up.
"Hehe, the businessman yells out the same thing the woman did last night. The rest of the business heads look in confusion and ask him 'What do you mean wrong hole?'" finished Tatsuko.
Ritsuka chuckled as he ate his food, causing Tatsuko to raise an eyebrow. "So you're not offended with jokes dealing with prostitutes?"
"Are you kidding me?' Ritsuka asked. "Sure I'm not usually a fan of most of those kinds of jokes, but that one in particular was a favorite amongst the ones I knew."
"Seriously?" Tatsuko asked.
"Yeah, I think it was because it was a way to insult their….well I'd say clients, but that's too nice a word for them." Ritsuka said.
"Honestly it's a good way to get a dig at those pigs." Tatsuko replied. "But in all seriousness, was there any man there that you actually liked?"
*BEEP BEEP BEEP!*
Before Ritsuka could answer Tatsuko's question, the alarms blared. The Chaldean Trio immediately rushed out of the cafeteria towards the Command Center and saw everyone at their posts trying to pinpoint the issue.
"What's going on now?" Tatsuko asked.
"We detected another Singularity." Roman said as the Singularity's location was finally found.. "It's not one of the main ones, but it seems to be something pretty intriguing."
"How come?" Ritsuka asked.
"It's Fuyuki again. But this time the year is 1994." Roman answered. "It could be another Fuyuki altogether, but I find it strange that it's exactly ten years before Singularity F."
"Wow, it seems my hometown REALLY wants me back." Ritsuka said jokingly.
"Then how about we come along too."
The Trio and Roman turned around to see Emiya and Cú walking into the Command Room with smirks on their faces.
"Okay, Emiya I can understand because he's a native there like Ritsuka." Tatsuko said. "But what about you Cú?"
The Lancer shrugged. "Just thought it'd be fun."
"Well I can't disagree with that." Ritsuka said.
"Then allow me to join as well."
The group turned to see Waver putting out his cigar before entering the Command Room. The Pseudo-Servant walked closer until he was just below the map of the Singularity, studying it intently. "Is there any way to see inside the Singularities before we Rayshift?"
"No, not really." Davinci said. "If we could do that, then we'd have done so by now."
"Regardless, I'd like to join." Waver said. "However, I have a small request."
"What is it?" Roman asked.
"I'll be the Servant team leader for this one."
"That is a reasonable request to me." Mashu said.
"Is there anything else you would like to add before you all head out, Lord El Melloi II?" Roman asked.
"I have nothing more to add until we get inside the Singularity." Waver answered.
"So, are you ready for your first outing as the sole Master of Chaldea, Ritsuka?" Artoria asked.
"I guess." Ritsuka said. "I know it's going to be tough without Tatsuko here, but with the others here I'll…wait, Artoria, how long were you and Alexander standing here?"
"Oh we've been here the entire time." Alexander answered.
"Fret not." Artoria said. "A smaller team would be better suited for this mission, so Alexander and I will stay behind and watch everything from here."
"Okay sounds good." Ritsuka said.
"And you guys kick some ass out there!" Tatsuko shouted. "I'll be here watching the whole thing."
Mashu giggled. "We will make sure to not disappoint you."
Tatsuko smiled. "Good luck you guys, I mean it."
Everyone nodded and headed towards the coffins. However, Artoria cleared her throat, causing Emiya to turn to face her. The Saber smiled warmly at him and nodded.
"Good luck, Shirou." She said.
Emiya smiled and nodded back. "I'll be back in time to make some dinner."
"Jeez, get a room already, you two!" Cú said playfully. Emiya halfheartedly pushed Cú into one of the coffins with an amused grin on his face. Artoria blushed slightly, but shook her head in amusement. As everyone entered their coffins, Ritsuka closed his eyes and sighed. This would be the second time that he had to return to his hometown, and this time, five years before he was born.
To make matters worse, it was the year that Hannah and the prostitutes once considered as one of the worst years for the Shinkaichi District.
A few minutes after they successfully Rayshifted, the Chaldeans looked at their surroundings to see where in the city they entered. After hearing the waves, it was clear that they were in the port of Fuyuki.
"Hey, we're just under the bridge." Ritsuka said.
"Yes. I remember the bridge was one of the sights Director Olga suggested would be the place where the key of Singularity F was." Mashu replied.
"Don't get too caught up on this." Waver said. "We can sightsee later."
"He's right." Emiya said. "In fact, I'd rather discuss Lord El Melloi II's little pet theory before we go any further."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ritsuka asked.
"Emiya and Waver might have an idea on what might be happening here." Cú answered.
Mashu's eyes widened. "You two must be thinking that the Fourth Holy Grail War is involved here!"
"Correct." Waver replied. "I know that the timeline you and Ritsuka come from only had one Grail War, meaning that this Fuyuki isn't the same one Ritsuka would know."
"I wouldn't be surprised." Ritsuka said. "What about you, Emiya? Would you be able to tell the differences?"
"Most likely." Emiya answered.
"Ummm, I have a few questions." Mashu said. "I know you told us the details of this war before Lord El Melloi II, but can you remind me of who the Masters were again?"
"That's no problem." Waver replied. "There was me, the previous Lord El Melloi, Tokiomi Tohsaka, there's Berserker's Master….I don't really know his name, all I know about Assassin's Master was he was named Kirei Kotomine, but I am sure Cú and Emiya probably know more about him. Then there was Ryunoske, a regular human and a serial killer."
Ritsuka shivered. "That's a name I've heard before. Everyone in my little area only said his name in hushed whispers, even after his execution…."
Waver raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How did he die in your timeline?"
"You said that your version died in 1994 during the War, right? Well mine lived much longer." Ritsuka said. "I was about eight years old when they finally caught him. He was hanged and let's just say that even the most hardened of killers in my district were terrified of hearing his name."
Waver's eyes widened in horror. "Bloody hell, he survived for that long?!"
"Ah right, you saw his and Caster's workshop…" Emiya muttered.
"And what I saw there scarred me for life." Waver replied. "In any case, the last Master is none other than Emiya's father, Kiritsugu Emiya."
Ritsuka turned to look at Emiya with concern. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine." Emiya said.
"Maybe we will not have to fight anyone." Mashu chimed.
"It might not be as simple as you hope." Waver said. "If this is hosting the Fourth Holy Grail War, we might have quite the battle on our hands."
"That's still a big IF." Ritsuka replied.
"Exactly." Waver said. "There's only one way to find out."
Ritsuka felt his communicator buzzing, and activated it to show Roman staring down at one of the monitors. "I'm picking up a Servant Signature, and it's getting closer."
"No need to inform them. I suspect they already knew I was here."
Cú chuckled. "You got that right. Don't be shy now, come on out so I know who I'm fighting."
Not a second later, the Servant walked out of the shadows, revealing himself. Ritsuka and Mashu couldn't help but widen their eyes in shock as they saw the familiar spears in his hands. This was the Lancer they had to face in Singularity F!
Cú could only whistle and grin. "Well well, looks like I got myself a good catch. I get to fight none other than Diarmuid Ua Duibhne himself."
"For the Child of Light to know who I am is a tremendous honor." Diarmuid said. "But what gave my identity, if I may ask?"
"It's the mole, First Knight of Fianna." Cú answered.
"Cú, don't do this." Waver said.
"Relax, I'm not gonna kill him." Cú replied. "I only want to test his mettle."
Diarmuid closed his eyes and chanted a small prayer as thanks for this chance. As soon as he was done, he and Cú readied their spears, and stared at each other with smiles on their faces. Before anyone could blink, both Lancers charged at each other. Cú thrusted his spear at his opponent, but Diarmuid parried the attack and raised the spear in his right hand to strike Cú. The blue haired Lancer easily dodged the attack and swung his spear's butt into Diarmuid's back. The black haired Lancer stumbled slightly but regained his footing, and resumed his offensive. Cú tried to set up rune barriers, but Diarmuid's Gae Dearg sliced right through them, cutting Cú shallowly on the torso.
"Not bad. Pretty good in fact!" Cú said. The blue haired Lancer grabbed Gae Daerg by the haft and grinned. "But now it's my turn!"
Diarmuid widened his eyes as Cú threw him by his own spear into one of the buildings, breaking through the walls. Cú lunged forward as soon as Diarmuid got up and thrusted his spear towards the black haired Lancer's chest. Diarmuid tried to parry but Cú changed his attack pattern and smacked him with the haft of Gáe Bolg, and used the spear end to cut Diarmuid's thigh. Diarmuid quickly recovered and thrusted Gáe Buidhe at the blue haired Lancer, who effortlessly parried the attack with Gáe Bolg. Cú and Diarmuid continued to thrust, parry and lunge at each other but Cú's speed and Diarmuid's use of dual wielding prevented them from gaining any sort of advantage over the other.
That soon ended when Cú twirled his spear to parry an incoming strike, and in doing so, gave him an opening he needed to swing his spear at Diarmuid's left arm. Diarmuid widened his eyes as he realized his blunder, and blocked the strike with both spears, but in the process was pushed back. It was now Cú's turn to go on the offensive as he quickly lunged at Diarmuid to capitalize on the black haired Lancer's sudden stop. The blue haired Lancer swung his spear in an upward motion, forcing Diarmuid to jump away to avoid getting hit. Before he could react, Cú was once again upon him, swinging from the right with the end of his spear, and when Diarmuid blocked the strike, Cú quickly swung Gáe Bolg towards the left, forcing Diarmuid to parry. The black haired Lancer tried to find an opening to attack, but the son of Lugh did not relent on his offense, and kept him on the defense. Cú then took a swing at Diarmuid's neck, and sensing the opening it provided, Diarmuid swung Gáe Dearg towards his opponent's neck as well, both not trying to kill the other, but to sense their resolve.
"That is enough, Lancer!"
Diarmuid's eyes widened as he heard those words ring in his mind. Both he and Cú stopped midswing as the Chaldean Servant sensed his shock.
"Master, I must protest. They may be after you."
"Patience, Lancer. These folks are suspicious, no doubt, but also very curious…."
"Master?"
"Yes…tell them that I'd like to speak with them."
Diarmuid's eyes widened in shock. "Master, are you sure this is wise?!"
"Stop and think for a moment. Why is there another Lancer? How was he summoned? I want to know what is going on with them. I will be waiting for your arrival."
Diarmuid took a deep breath and lowered his spears slowly. "I apologize, Child of Light, but my Master wishes to speak to you and your companions."
Cú shrugged. "Well, it was a short fight, but it was definitely a fun little workout."
Waver walked up to the two Lancers and cleared his throat. "I take it that your Master is nearby?"
Diarmuid nodded. "He is indeed. Now please follow me."
Without uttering another word, the black haired Lancer walked towards where he hid previously, allowing the Chaldeans to follow him. Waver could only watch Diarmuid with an eerie calmness, and sighed. His and Emiya's suspicions were confirmed; the Fourth Holy Grail War was indeed happening here.
"So, is his Master the person I think he is?" Ritsuka asked.
Waver nodded. "Yes. We are going to be meeting with Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. My predecessor."
A few minutes after the were bade to follow Diarmuid, the Chaldeans tried to speak to him in order to pass the time, and with slight success. Given Waver's knowledge of the black haired Lancer's Master, and what little the others knew about him, they all decided to not speak about him so as to not draw suspicion, and because it would be a moot point. To their surprise, Diarmuid was quite the conversationalist, and was more than happy to speak with them as they made their trek to his Master.
"So which battle would you think defined you the best?" Diarmuid asked of Cú.
"Definitely the one where I fought Clan Calatin." Cú answered. "It was tough, but exhilarating. How about you?"
"Definitely a certain Demon Boar…" Diarmuid said.
Ritsuka winced. "Ouch, that's a bit….."
"Well it is indeed what I am remembered for." Diarmuid replied.
"That is close enough."
Everyone stopped in their tracks as they watched a tall man step out from one of the buildings. He had light blonde hair swifted back and green eyes. His outfit consisted of a navy blue coat with white gloves, black pants and black shoes.
"Now, you will all tell me who you are, and why you have a Lancer Servant as well." He said.
Waver turned to Ritsuka and the rest of the Chaldean team with a calm look. "Let me handle this."
"What do you have in mind?" Ritsuka whispered.
"I'll explain later." Waver replied.
"Fair enough."
Waver nodded and stood at the front of the group and cleared his throat. "Lord Kayneth, we have hastened to join your side and stand in support of you. For certain reasons, I cannot divulge my name, so let me give the name of Lady Reines as my guarantor for the time being."
Kayneth raised an eyebrow. "Reines... My niece? I demand to know what is going on here!"
"Unfortunately right now, I cannot say much other than that." Waver said. "However, I promise you that you will learn more tomorrow."
"You are not making a good case for yourself." Kayneth said with slight irritation.
"Perhaps we should meet somewhere tomorrow out in the open, yet away from prying eyes." Waver said. "I know of a cafe near the bridge that would be perfect for just the occasion. And perhaps if you are satisfied with what we have to say, then we can later meet you at your penthouse suite in Fuyuki New Tower."
Kayneth widened his eyes in surprise. "Ohh? So you even know my address, do you? Very well. I don't dislike a smart man like yourself. All the more if you're a mage with a sense of gratitude. But that faint trace of a working-class accent in your English... What a , very well. I shall accept your proposal."
"Thank you, Lord Kayneth, I'll be sure to have someone wait outside the Cafe for you and Diarmuid when the time-"
"Oh that won't be too difficult." Kayneth said. The blonde man stared at Ritsuka with a smirk. "I would like that Tohsaka boy to be the one to wait for us."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not a Tohsaka." Ritsuka countered calmly.
Kayneth raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "Oh of course. A subpar Magus such as yourself could never be part of that family."
"Master, what shall we do now?" Diarmuid asked, trying to not escalate the situation.
"We shall take our leave now, Lancer." Kayneth answered. The two men turned away from the Chaldeans, but not before Kayneth stopped and glanced back at them. "Do not disappoint me."
Without uttering another word, the blonde Master walked away, allowing the Chaldeans to relax. The moment they were out of sight, Ritsuka clicked his tongue in annoyance. "What an asshole…."
"Calm yourself, Ritsuka." Waver said. "Remember what I told you, he's one of the more reasonable Lords."
"Yeah, that's the problem." Ritsuka replied.
"Do not worry, Senpai, I am sure he will be more approachable tomorrow." Mashu said. "He even asked for you to personally wait outside, so it must be a good sign."
"No, it's the opposite…." Ritsuka countered. "The reason he singled me out was because he wanted a hostage to make sure the rest of the group would not do anything too hasty."
Mashu's eyes widened. "A hostage?!"
"I shouldn't be surprised you caught on to that." Waver said. "But yes, Ritsuka is essentially his bargaining chip."
"But why?" Mashu asked.
"Because he thought I was a Tohsaka." Ritsuka answered. "I believe Lord El-Melloi II said that that family is one of the three major players of the Holy Grail War in his world."
"They were indeed." Waver answered. "Though it is a good thing you corrected him now rather than later."
"I suspected that he wouldn't change his mind anyway, so I had to take the chance." Ritsuka replied.
"Well regardless, now we're in quite the situation here." Emiya said. "The Fourth Holy Grail War is underway, and we have no plan on how to deal with this."
"I have a plan in mind." Waver said. "However, I will need time to go over some minor details before I can share it all with you."
"So you're not gonna trust us with your little scheme yet?" Cú asked. "And here I thought you'd have everything figured out."
"It's not that I do not trust you." Waver countered. "It is that the situation here requires more subtlety than anything else. I assure you I'll explain more in the morning before we meet Lord Kayneth."
Cú shrugged. "If you say so."
Waver nodded and turned his attention to Ritsuka. "Do you promise to try and be civil around Lord Kayneth tomorrow?"
"I'm not going to do that."
"...Fair enough." Waver said in amusement.
"Pardon me, but I have a question." Mashu said. "What will we be doing now until tomorrow?"
"I suggest we rest up." Emiya said.
"Any good places in mind?" Cú asked.
"Oh, I have an idea!" Ritsuka said. "See that woodland area over there? Let's camp there tonight and find a better place some time tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan." Waver said. "I'll set up some wards and barriers so no one can see us, and in the event we get attacked…"
"Don't worry, Cú and I will keep watch tonight." Emiya said.
"Sounds like a plan." Cú replied. "Do we have any sleeping bags?"
"Oh I have some in my shield." Mashu said. "I will bring them out when we get to the campsite."
"Then let's get going." Ritsuka replied. "I suspect we have a long day tomorrow so best to get some rest now before then."
Everyone nodded and headed towards the area Ritsuka suggested. As the others chatted amongst themselves, Waver felt a tightness in his chest, and breathed deeply. Even if it won't be permanent, even if the world eventually sets things back on track, he could finally fix his mistakes, no matter how temporary they would be.
OC: And so the Fate Zero Collab is off to an interesting start! Hello everyone, and welcome back to Chaldean Chronicles!
Y: Well, it's the Zero collab, so this is new ground for me
OC: Well we already went off course but hey, that's what makes it fun! In any event let us start with that prologue scene, and it is actually one of the things that has been hinted at, and also one of the biggest secrets Vlad and I have been wanting to show for a long time.
The night that would lead to Ritsuka's vow never to kill.
Vlad and I hinted at this moment back in Septem by showing you part of that nightmare to show how mentally scarred Ritsuka was, and now you get the full picture of what he saw. A monster in human skin murdering someone in cold blood, and taking enjoyment out of it, and also mentally toying with Ritsuka afterwards.
Y: The concept of monsters is always fascinating. What defines a monster? And from thence, why is a monster? If a monster is inherently non-human, could a monstrous human exist? Always fun to ponder
OC: Well in Ritsuka's eyes he wasn't even human. But now for another thing that should surprise readers is that originally this nightmare would have been shown after America or after London. Actually scratch that, that nightmare scene originally was never intended to be seen at all until I wrote it last year.
I remember Vlad and I mentioning that he and I both had disagreements over Ritsuka's no killing rule and it persisted for months until last…January or February (Can't remember which month it was), when I showed him a rough draft of Ritsuka's backstory on why he had that rule. That draft was just him and Kiritsugu talking about it after Kiritsugu spent some time in Chaldea and softened up a bit, and Ritsuka explained to him how he witnessed a murder when he was a small child. That rough draft actually convinced Vlad of the rule and the arguments stopped. Then a few months later I wrote the nightmare sequence out of curiosity, and we both agreed it was too important to not use, so we decided to use both. However, before Vlad passed away, he and I agreed to actually show the nightmare first and as the prologue to the Fate Zero Collab event since this is Ritsuka going home to Fuyuki again.
Y: Well, reasoning behind rules is always important. Fetters have their reasoning, but they need to be part of the character themselves. Even something relatively weak and pedantic like "I don't want the responsibility weighing me down" is still perfectly valid.
OC: Exactly. However, writing that rough draft was…..okay I'm going to be honest. It not only scarred Ritsuka for years, but it also messed me up mentally as well. After showing Vlad that rough draft of Ritsuka's nightmare, I was incredibly tempted to go to the store, buy booze, and drink until I blacked out.
As a rule, I don't drink alcohol for personal reasons. However that, and Tatsuko's attempted suicide nearly made me give in to temptation. That's how terrifying it was for me.
Y: Well, lots of writers and creators in general put themselves into their work. I'm reminded that the MCU wanted to adapt the 'Devil in the Bottle' story arc for Iron Man, but RDJ refused since it was exactly that sort of headspace that got him…in dark places in the past. Well, he's certainly wise enough to understand his vices; that's also why I don't play NA. I have to jump through a LOT of hoops to buy SQ, I do not want to make that process easier
OC: Yeah, that helps too. But in any event, we also now have a name for the red light district Ritsuka grew up in. I am embarrassed to admit, but Vlad and I never actually thought of a name, nor did we even consider the idea. Thankfully, Yatsu stepped in and gave it a name, and it's actually a reference to a real life place.
Y: Well, it does make everything all come together very nicely. The devil is in the details, as they say. Shinkaichi!
OC: We will definitely have Ritsuka address that some time to have the Chaldeans not get confused, don't worry. But another fun fact, and it's also pretty dark lol. So for the longest time Ritsuka has told people how bad it was living there, and Yatsu wanted a little insight on how bad it really was, so I basically told him this
"Think Fairy Britain, only smaller, and with humans instead of fairies."
And he told me that it's almost like a historical red light district in the Edo Period. And it's name was Yoshiwara.
So Vlad and I have created a redlight district that was based off a real life place. And he and I never knew it.
Y: Serendipity is always fun to see in work. Well, the probability wasn't that bad considering the conditions. Reminds me of one of the Kara no Kyoukai movies (I think it was 5), when Mikiya is looking into Leo (who is selling drugs, cuz of course it's 100% Nasu to be totally against drugs…then have Shiki become a Yakuza boss without any mention about also supporting the drug industry as a result…). The drug dealer he's talking to was also Shirou's boss at one of his part-time jobs; that's basically the sorta place it is.
OC: And we will be showing exactly what goes on in that district, and boy it is not gonna be pleasant. But enough on that and we can continue with the commentary. So for scene one not much happened aside from them getting ready for rayshifting, so it's on to scene two! So for those who played the event, we all know that they were to face Hundred Persona's first, and then Artoria, but we skipped that to make the event have more drama and give them time to prepare. The Chaldeans pretty much know of the Fourth Holy Grail War and some details already thanks to Waver and Artoria telling them, so it cuts down on time, but also allows the Chaldeans to know what Waver might have in mind. So we decided to have Cú fight Diarmuid instead because who DOESN'T want to see Irish Hercules fight against Irish Lancelot?
Y: It's a fun fight that was boiling pretty well. I think Unlimited Codes had Diarmuid and Cu have special dialogue for each other if you have them fight each other.
OC: Hehehe that sounds like fun. And now onto scene three. We basically introduce Kayneth, and we have his (quite justified given the circumstances) paranoia at full display. Him having to agree to meet up, and in a surprising twist, having him make Ritsuka his kinda sorta hostage. The reason he didn't straight up kidnap him is because it really wouldn't be a safe bet for him. So instead he's making Ritsuka his temporary hostage for a few seconds the next day to be sure no funny business is made.
Y: Well, paranoia is the default state of mind for Clock Tower mages. Reminder that a literal den of wolves or shark pit is a more hospitable place than the Clock Tower. And yeah, Kayneth is a dick, but can be reasonable given the circumstances…and as long as his paranoia isn't set off.
OC: And we also have Kayneth mistaking Ritsuka as a Tohsaka as a nod to people making jokes about him being Rin's kid. He isn't a Tohsaka at all, and he let Kayneth know it. And we finally also have Ritsuka showing how much contempt he has for people like Kayneth and the Clock Tower with his statement to Waver about being civil for the meeting the next day. I know that you all might take issue with this because Ritsuka isn't being super nice or accepting but I wanted to take a new approach, and it was something that Yatsu has praised me and Vlad for in the past with this.
Having the heroes actually acknowledge the Clock Tower and their culture as shitty, and calling them out on their lack of ethics. That and it feels cathartic after hearing the good guys in Chaldea always going on about how strong or how smart the Lords or other mages are instead of calling them out as assholes or outright monsters. Especially how they seem to not call Marisbury a piece of shit either.
Y: Well, everyone seems to know that the Clock Tower's kinda messed up; it's pretty much like saying that the sky is blue, everybody already knows. Well, I do agree that it's good that Ritsuka isn't going to roll over for everybody. Reminds me of Danganronpa; while Naegi is a good and friendly guy…he also admits he CANNOT befriend Togami (massive jerk and they come to a begrudging mutual respect) nor Hagakure (who tried to trick Naegi into selling his organs to pay back a debt to the yakuza…). He can put up with a lot, but acknowledges that those two are beyond him. It's an important thing to establish characters; some people will not get along no matter what, it's a fact of life.
OC: Exactly. So Ritsuka having some maturity here to establish his boundaries and actually showing it in his dialogue is important. Yes, he can definitely get along with some Clock Tower mages like Sylvia because she no longer shares the ideals of the Clock Tower, but for those who embrace it and are actual dicks? Yeah then no dice, he's not gonna like you.
Y: Mhmm, quite so. It's also important to remember that some people are manipulators. It's kinda forgotten since the gameplay and gacha system kinda forces all the Servants to be cooperative and acting in good faith…but some Servants are simply terrible people. It took Liz getting mind-whomped to become a decent person in CCC…
OC: And in light of this, you can probably tell that with Yatsu on board, Chaldea's summonings will be much….stricter. Not simply because of this, but also to balance things out and to make sure Chaldea isn't loaded to the brim that they can steamroll everything.
Y: Mhmm, I run a tight ship. I also plan on making sure the loadout is balanced. The soul of a work is meaningful combat; tilt the scale too far one way or the other and people will lose touch.
OC: And before we go I have one last thing to say about that. Just because a Servant is evil doesn't mean that they don't deserve a second chance. People like Sith, Medea, Moriarty, heck, even Angry Mango himself, deserve that. But then there are those who are truly beyond redemption, and I won't name names yet, who do not have a place, nor do they truly belong in Chaldea. This was a decision Yatsu and I agreed on, and we intend to stick by our guns. And with that we are out of time. Thank you for coming back to read this chapter of Chaldean Chronicles. Please stay tuned next week for the next installment! Owen Chaser and Yatsu, signing off.