A/N:

Significant notes at the end this time, just a fair warning.

Purple Zero- You know, that hadn't even occurred to me, and they wouldn't be the only one, Kiyohime would just freak Rhea right the heck out, especially with how dishonest she is.

Nitesabes- Glad ya enjoyed it, I'll do my best to keep to that standard. If you like Character interactions, you should check out Timeless Academia, by MadCrona over on AO3. It's a crossover replacing Ritsuka with Izuku (Pre UA, no One for All) and working through the whole of FGO but their servant characterizations are over the top amazing, even using characters like Phantom, Caligula, and Darius in ways I can only aspire to match. I'm not done catching up with it yet, but the 200+ chapters have been keeping me entertained via text-to-speech program at work for more than a week now.

The Disquieting One- I hadn't even considered being added there, but I appreciate you doing so, and I'll try not to disappoint.

Megaolix- I appreciate the vote of confidence, and I'll do my best to keep the quality up. I do have a number of servants planned so far, and more besides I'd love to use, though I'll avoid spoiling any ideas in note sections where I can.

I will say one of my goals is to use as wide a variety of servants as possible aside from Mash, so that the story's not just loop spamming Summer Musashi's NP every turn like my actual in-game farming tends to be.

Okay, I will spoil this idea, if only to get the temptation to use it out of my head and because the scenario to do so will likely never come up in the story, , but part of me Really wants to use Liz, as she's about the only canonical servant who can Kage Bushin her alternate forms into existence around her (Hokusai did it once, but I'm pretty sure that was Tou-san piloting the second body) and her having a concert with multiple sudden outfit changes and a finale where all four of her are on stage at once would just be awesome, assuming Ritsuka can convince her to sing for him, rather than herself, since that's the bypass for her poor singing issue.

Three Houses doesn't really have a place where something like that would work though, unless it ended up being something that happens offscreen, or things get shifted way out of canon for the Heron Cup dance contest, but regardless, I don't want to risk ruining the story for a plotbunny based on a funny idea alone.

As an aside, this allows me to clarify one of the set rules for Servant summonings in this story. Specifically, that a Servant Graph change can be made at any time, but only between forms that identify as the same entity. So Arturia Classic could go from Saber to Summer Archer, but could not become Salter, Lion King, Artoria Lily, etc.

This means Raikou could go into her Lancer form, if Ritsuka was willing to allow the Shadow Prefect around this many students. (Her madness enhancement would lower significantly, but her focus would be almost entirely on the students in that form. To say nothing of what her outfit alone might do to Sylvain.)

Ritsuka knew he was probably one of only four people in Chaldea who were truly safe from the effects of Minamoto no Raikou's insanity.

No matter the depth of her madness, He, Kintoki, Tsuna, and for some reason he didn't yet understand, Mash, were all free from the threat of being rendered a head shorter than normal during the woman's near-blind rages.

This did not mean she wouldn't cause them pain in other, arguably worse, ways.

They were all riding now, aside from Mash still driving the wagon, accompanied by Hanneman today.

Ritsuka himself was learning how to ride a horse... against his will, upon the great stallion Kyōgoku, which his Berserker of an adopted mother had manifested from her own magical energy.

Why?

Because the horses they'd brought with them weren't strong enough to carry two of course.

"You're doing so very well, darling," Raikou cooed into his ear, one hand running through his hair, though thankfully the other maintained their hold on the reigns, his were certainly too frozen to offer much in the way of guidance, given his precarious position sharing a saddle with the... motherly figure.

Kintoki had warned him that their mother would often cry at the slightest emotional obstacle, ignoring whatever embarrassment she might cause to those around her in doing so, but he felt confident that this was a step beyond even that.

Kyōgoku snorted, and he knew damn well the supposed animal was smart enough to understand the situation, and was probably mocking him.

"Do you see how well he's doing?" Raikou prodded, looking pointedly towards the wagon.

"It's like a man dying of thirst watching another man drown," Sylvain offered dazedly, he rode between them and the wagon and his attention had rarely wavered from the mature woman since she'd arrived.

He even ignored, or failed to notice, the kick Ingrid had landed from her own mount beside him.

As ever, she'd been tasked with managing the boy, though her efforts seemed in vain today.

"He's doing great," Ingrid offered instead. "Far better than I did my first time on a horse."

Left unsaid, but not unsuspected by Ritsuka was how young she'd been for that event.

"You should keep your attentions on your own boy," Raikou snapped, causing Ingrid to flinch back, and surprising Ritsuka, before raising her voice in both volume and pitch. "Mash, honey, what do you think?"

The girl in question jumped a little in her seat, having not noticed the first time the question had been asked, likely due to the gesticulating professor's chatter.

"It's great, Lady Raikou!" She chirped, a glowing smile on her face. "I hope to learn all he can teach me when we get back to the monastery!"

"You'd best learn well then, my son," Raikou murmured quietly into his ear, a touch of something Ritsuka didn't want to identify in her voice.

"Dear girl, I've told you, time and again, please, do not make me repeat myself once more," Her raised voice had more than a touch of a pout in it this time, and at least that was easier to deal with.

"Ah," Mash gulped, visibly embarrassed. "O-of course, Mother."

"Yes," the word was drawn out, a guttural groan barely audible to even Ritsuka, though the shiver which accompanied it was far, far too noticeable from his position, and he knew if he could see her face that glazed half-mad look would be aglow in her eyes.

"She will be a wonderful daughter, my son," Raikou advised softly, petting his hair again. "Please do not make Mother wait too long."

Well, that answered that mystery.

And that smirking jackass Hanneman was back to giving him that smug look.

Chaldea- Not long after the events of Heian Kyou-

Raikou smiled softly as she stared into the shallow cup in of pale liquid her hand, comfortable in a way she rarely was, as she sat in her own home, in her own homeland.

All through the simulator, but she had been invited, and when the idea of coming here was put forth, she couldn't truly object.

She'd just completed relating one of the lesser known adventures she'd had with her children, well, the four she'd had prior to Chaldea, not to disparage poor Ritsuka, wonderful boy that he was, there were no new tales for a group of old hens to chatter over.

She giggled softly at the thought, the impossible act of reaching such an age in life that she'd have had nothing better to do with her day than sit around with her contemporaries and reminisce.

"Something amusing you want to share?"

Raikou remembered she was in such a situation now and smiled wider, holding her saucer out to the woman offering over the warm bottle of sake and accepting a top off.

"Just the situation, dear Parvati," the Berserker sighed, calm, though for how long was anyone's guess. "I would never have imagined it, us old ladies sitting around and gossiping like this."

"Hmph," Reines snorted. "I doubt anyone could call us old... at least by looks."

Her own smile was wicked, as she swirled the wine in her own glass, having eschewed the local brand in favor of what her own servant, the quicksilver Trimmau, provided.

"So says the youngest among us," Europa teased lightly. "Though I will accept the compliment gladly, as I do feel I wear my years well."

The last of their number gulped her sake, rather than comment, the shy librarian always more self conscious than most.

Though it could also have been some sorrow at the subject of their conversation.

They had all been discussing their children, and while Murasaki Shikibu's daughter had found some notoriety herself, Katako's childhood had been a tumultuous one for her mother.

Reines, of course had no tales to share of her nonexistent children, but she did have a rather childish brother, whom she was more than willing to embarrass.

"Now," Parvati declared, placing her palms flat on the table before her. "We have had our treats, enjoyed pleasantries, and we must move on to business."

Raikou tilted her head, confused at the turn of events.

"Lady Raikou," Parvati said, her hands coming up to fold in front of herself. "In some way, however great or small, you bear within you a piece of my beloved Indra, and thus you are my child as much as he himself. I establish this, not to claim some form of authority, but so that you are assured that what I say comes from a place of love, I hope you understand."

"I must admit, I do not," Raikou replied. As far as she was aware, this was just a gathering of friends, the kind of parental gathering she'd have enjoyed in life, had it been kinder.

"If you'll indulge a moment, let us perform an experiment then," Europa offered, her smile and voice as soothing as a calm day.

"I wish for you to think of our Master. Let thoughts of him fill you. Let his image be all that remains in your mind. Feel the emotion that consumes you... and then... Tell us what the Shadow Prefect thinks of what she finds there."

"Unacceptable!" Raikou was on her feet in an instant, the dark uniform of her Lancer manifestation, the enforcer of morality appearing around her briefly before collapsing back into her normal existence.

"As we thought," Europa sighed, hand reaching out and pulling the berserker into an embrace. "You truly are twisted in madness, my poor girl."

Raikou remained silent and passive, as she struggled to regain her center.

"You can think of this as something like an intervention," Parvati explained. "I know it may be difficult, but we don't want to hurt you-"

"I might," Reines interjected.

"You're here to help," Parvati chided gently. "And that comment is not doing so."

Raikou looked, really looked at Reines, and realized that she and Trimmau nearly burned with energy she hadn't held earlier.

She closed her eyes and sighed, Parvati said they didn't want to hurt her, but they were clearly prepared to if necessary.

Reines, Sima Yi's servant container, had her noble phantasm ready for release, the Unspoken Formation more than enough to counter the advantages she would normally hold as a Berserker, and if a battle did break out, within the simulated Heian Kyou, damage would be entirely contained.

"I'm listening," she offered at last, pulling away from Europa and settling herself for the formal meeting this happy event had become.

"Good," Parvati delared, shifting to match her position, as Shikibu did much the same, though her posture seemed almost resigned.

It seemed that the Caster did not wish to do this... but as the Simulator had been her suggestion, agreed to its necessity.

Europa remained as regal as a statue, and Reines lounged as she had since the meeting began.

"I'll begin bluntly." Parvati continued. "As a servant, you cannot produce, carry, nor birth a child. Your dream of motherhood cannot possibly be achieved in such a manner, no matter whom you choose to attempt it with. Unless some method of true incarnation is developed within Chaldea, this will remain true, forever."

Raikou flinched at the blunt assessment, though she could not deny what was her fondest wish.

"That said, there are other options. You adopted our Master as your child, as your living self did Nursery Rhyme, and seem more than happy with the arrangement, even if your unique madness makes that very situation the root of our current issue."

"The issue in question being how you go from 'Mama' to 'Oh, Mama' at the drop of a hat," Reines cut in again.

"Still not helping," Parvati snapped. "Even if it is true."

"The solution seems obvious of course," Europa offered. "If your wish is for children, then you must acquire more. Easier said than done, I'm sure."

"There are two ways we've found for you to get what you want," Parvati offered. "The first, as I'm sure you know, would be to adopt again, as you did in life, and with our Master, which will be less easy with so few true humans of appropriate age among us."

Raikou sniffled, though these women were far from vulnerable to the act which terrified her elder son so fiercely.

"And the second..." Murasaki Shikibu said softly, "is marriage."

"Yup," Reines pointed out with a cheshire grin. "Master gets married, you get a new daughter-in-law... or son, I won't judge."

"But," She added almost immediately, drawing the word out for a full second before continuing. "If that someone happens to be a girl, and that girl happens to be a properly mortal human..."

"Have you ever considered what it would be like to be a grandmother?" Europa asked, her gentle voice hitting the berserker like a velvet wrapped truck.

"Oh," Raikou breathed as the idea she'd never considered fell into place.

"Mash, my loyal kouhai, do me a kindness and end my miserable existence," Ritsuka begged, his position splayed out on the ground truly as pathetic as his whimpering voice.

He had been there since Raikou had lifted him off the horse, which rather than accept his role in helping the master remain stable, had promptly dismissed itself to the ether.

Ritsuka remained where he had fallen, while the night's camp grew up around him.

His mother, bustling around the swiftly prepared cooking area, either hadn't noticed, or dismissed the situation as him playing around, somehow.

Annette and Mercedes had tried to claim their usual station, but were chased off, pointedly in a direction away from his agonized form, no matter how much he might have wished some assistance from Mercedes and her healing spells, his mother had been rather direct in her attempts to keep the girls away from him for some reason.

Ingrid, bless her heart, had offered what advice she could in the spare moments Raikou had been away, brief as those were, but that advise was largely useless to him as it amounted to 'relax, and try to match the horse's movements'.

Neither of those were truly viable, given who he was sharing that mount with, and he strongly suspected Kyōgoku was being intentionally difficult.

Mash, kneeling next to him, ignored his pleading, proving her staunch defense by helping him sit up and offering him an option.

"You wanted to test these, right?" She pointed out, shaking the vial she'd been holding on to since he'd given it to her.

"Mash, if this works, I will build a literal shrine to your glory and sacrifice that damn horse in your name."

She chuckled as he ripped the vial open and poured the contents down his throat.

"I doubt Mother would let you," she pointed out, tucking that ever loose lock of hair behind her ear. "Or that it would do any good."

"Ghaaah, that is foul," Ritsuka grunted. "I think I'd have been happier testing this with the broken finger."

He shifted, twisting his legs and back to see if the ridiculously potent soreness had faded any, before allowing Mash's strong grip to pull him to his feet.

With her help, he was able to hobble his way to a more appropriate seat and collapse back to the ground out of the way of those more usefully employed.

As he stretched out his sore muscles, one bit of advice from Ingrid he could put to practice, he distracted himself by considering their course so far, having turned south and off the road the morning after their battle with the demonic beasts, despite the occasional attacks as they circled the foreboding forest's eastern side.

Thus far, nothing more intimidating than the birds and wolves had appeared, and while he knew it pained her to leave the demonic creatures to others, her insistence that he share her steed meant that to charge in would put him at risk.

That the students were here specifically to fight these creatures was less of a concern to her, but it had been pointed out by the professor, who seemed to be the only one who had earned her open respect.

The two were laughing together at the cooking pot, where his mother insistently worked, and the pair were obviously enjoying their conversation, and the blatant looks aimed towards himself and Mash made the likely subject just as obvious.

He hoped she would settle into the group as they traveled together, but as a berserker, that was a gamble at best, even disregarding her unexplained animosity towards the Blue Lion girls.

That conflict finally came to a head in the middle of their second day, as the saddle pain which had apparently merely been suppressed by the vulnerary came back with a vengeance the next morning, and joining his mother on that fetid beast of equine torment was considered mandatory.

Apparently, 'if you fall off the horse, you have to get back on and ride' was the rule of the day, even if you only fell because the ornery thing decided to render itself incorporeal and drop you on your ass as a prank.

"I don't understand your objection, Miss Raikou," The usually serene voice of Mercedes said, her voice strained, and sounding closer to tears than anger. "I just want to help."

"Your assistance is unnecessary!" The older woman retorted. "My son has neither need nor interest in the attentions of yourself, or your sister in arms!"

"Mother," Mash cut in, "Mercedes is a healer, she simply-"

"And you," Raikou continued unabated, her attention shifting "Mash, honey, sweetie, future daughter, you simply must learn to put your foot down and defend what is yours!"

She illustrated this claim forcefully, stamping her foot firmly enough to shudder the patch of sun baked stone and grass they'd chosen for their afternoon rest.

"These girls are insects, no different from that one always buzzing around my dear Kintoki, and should be dissuaded with just as much force!"

"Mom, please stop." Ritsuka groaned into his hands from where he sat in the shade against one of the outcrops.

Mash was gaping like a fish, flushed in mortified embarrassment at the blunt accusation, or the blatant claim of her future relation.

"Okay, that's enough of that." Ingrid stomped over, the rest area was far too small for her to have been far, but large enough for her to make a show of closing the distance and planting the butt of her spear into the earth.

"I don't know where you get off making that kind of bullshit claim, but I get enough of that crap from my father, so I'm going to set you straight right here and now!" The girl slammed the spear down again for emphasis, having realized quickly that she couldn't match the berserker for pure strength and thus not trying.

"First! We are here on a mission, a job, and not one of us, other than that idiot Sylvain are dumb enough to try mixing any romantic bullshit into a situation where we could literally die at any minute!"

"What I do isn't really-"

"Second!" She steamrolled over said idiot's objection, which was impressive in a world where such machines probably didn't exist. "I am here to become a knight, not some fainting princess. Both Mercedes and Annette are here for similar reasons, and I don't think any of us appreciate you thinking we're doing otherwise! In fact, if you look at the last week or so, It's more likely I'd be stabbing him with something than the other way around, since that's what I did to the last two guys who were chasing me!"

Annette paled at the memory of the event, and Ritsuka snorted a pained laugh as he remembered Shimousa, and the fact that her suggestion wouldn't be a unique experience for him, thanks to Shuten Douji of all people, the oni Raikou hated so much she wouldn't refer to the woman as anything other than 'insect'.

One hand dropped to rub at the scar her finger had left in his gut, and he wondered if the spell she'd woven inside him was still present.

"Third! I barely know the guy, and if I won't let my own father arrange a marriage for me with someone I've never met, you can damn well bet I'm not going to let some overprotective mother from Goddess knows where try and do it! Hell, at this point I'm almost tempted to propose just to spite you!"

Turning quickly to Mash, who stared as if she'd never seen the girl before, Ingrid offered a quick clarification.

"I won't, but I'm getting real tired of her attitude. Sorry." The smile Ingrid showed was brief, giving way to a firm line as she faced Raikou once more.

"You have courage child," Raikou observed, her voice cold, hand on the hilt of her sword. "In life, few would have the courage to speak to me in such a manner."

"Death changes many things," Ingrid replied, thinking of the one death which had put her upon the path she now walked. "Your accusations are an insult to one I held dear, and I will bear them no longer."

Raikou's eyes, clearer than they often were drifted over the girl, her stance was ready, if not eager, and the grip on her spear already prepared to shift if necessary.

It would not help, she knew, her slightest act could end this brave soul before her...

But what she had said...

Static shivered as the shadow of a memory played through her mind, a memory she could not fully grasp, but one which defined her in many ways.

Her hand left her weapon, coming up to cover her eyes as she tried to grasp the sand slipping through her mental fingers, a conversation with- an order from-

"Your father?" She muttered, blind to the way those around her stiffened, postures shifting back into the defensive stances they'd tried to subtly take to defend of their friend if necessary, which had begun to loosen when she'd released her blade.

"What about him?" Ingrid asked sternly.

"He allows you to choose your husband?" Raikou asked softly. "Is that the way of this land?"

Ritsuka sat up, pain forgotten and command seals blazing as he realized what his servant was remembering, and the nightmare that had followed the last time she had.

"What?" Ingrid seemed surprised by the question. "I mean, yeah? Kinda? It's more like we're working together, he's suggested a few since... well, since he started suggesting people, and I choose whether it moves forward."

"And no, that's not usually 'the way of this land'." Sylvain stated firmly, bitter anger in his voice. "Especially when you're the family heir, like she is."

More than one set of eyes seemed surprised at the boy's declaration, though given most knew Ingrid's status, it was likely his tone that did it.

"Then your father is a good person, a good lord," Raikou decided, her eyes meeting Ingrid's with something she couldn't identify in their depths. "Be grateful for that. Had mine been similarly generous-"

Her words ended sharply, as if cut away by the impressive blade at her side, as she turned away from the girl.

"Master, while you regain your strength, I will investigate the area for threats." She declared, her voice unwavering stone. "If I have not returned by the time you are preparing to leave, then be assured I will catch up."

"Of course," Ritsuka agreed, his own tone perfectly professional. "Stay strong, and return safely."

"As you command," woman dropped to a knee, bowing her head briefly, before straightening and leaping away in a single movement.

Ritsuka doubted anyone failed to notice her course would land her among the trees, but if this is what she needed, then he would not object to the hunt.

Not after she called him Master.

"That woman is a whole other level of crazy," Annette observed from where she still stood next to Mercedes. "No offense to you guys, I know she's your mom, but..."

"She's a berserker," Ritsuka stated bluntly, rubbing the now dimmed seals with his thumb. "That's more than just a class, or a title, it means something for a Servant, especially someone like her."

"Berserkers are defined by their Madness Enhancement," Mash clarified. "An exchange of sanity for strength, and hers is especially potent."

"It's why we have a panic phrase, Cookie Jar, for when we think she might go off," Ritsuka continued. "When she arrived, we were in combat, so our first priority was making sure she knew you all were allies, to make sure she wouldn't do to you what she did to those demonic beasts."

"That I can understand," Mercedes noted, already at his side and healing magic restoring his worn muscles from the high grade tenderization they'd received to something more appropriate for a living creature.

Shame though, this was probably the closest he'd ever get to wagyu grade steak.

"But why is she so against us in particular," Annette added. "I swear, I thought she was going to stab me with my own cooking knife!"

Mash sighed and looked to Ritsuka who nodded hesitantly before speaking.

"Because like many Berserkers, Raikou's madness is tied to a specific concept. Spartacus fights oppression, Nightingale fights sickness, Alterlante fights for children," Ritsuka explained. "Berserkers by their nature see a threat and attempt to destroy it."

"And Lady Raikou's madness is focused on motherhood, so she will try to eliminate anything she thinks threatens her idea of what that means," Mash finished sadly.

A quiet growl rumbled in Ritsuka's throat as he remembered the bastard responsible for that fact, the one who gave her that push back into the chasm of insanity she'd pulled herself out of in her efforts to leave the identity of Ushi Gozen behind.

They had made a more than respectable distance, encountering tellingly few beasts, all more interested in escape than engagement, though they took down whatever they could, rather than allow the creatures to run rampant across the kingdom.

They had established camp early for the day, apparently at a location often used for the purpose, as their approach had been noted and welcomed by a small group in religious garb who had been awaiting them.

Almost immediately after greetings were exchanged, Hanneman and the prince walked a bit away with the group's leader, their discussion private but intense.

Dedue remained nearby, beyond earshot, but ready to assist his leader at a gesture, though one of the newcomers joined him, likely for the same purpose.

The rest, their own necessities already arranged, offered aid to the Blue Lions, most chatting amiably as they did so.

One had even approached him and Mash, but left quickly when his probing questions were countered with a salvo of their own, though his innocent kouhai probably hadn't intended the assault to scare him off, her curiosity was insatiable, and the ancient temple had her in a fervor.

He had to admit, he had hoped for a few answers on that score himself, the temple was too large and imposing to have been built for no purpose, and had it been from some rival religion predating whatever the Goddess represented, they'd have probably disposed of it entirely, rather than harvest material for a few admittedly impressive walls.

The young man either had held no answers worth offering, or found Mash's enthusiasm intimidating, leaving them to continue helping with the work.

Privately, it amused Ritsuka how rarely in their adventures he'd actually had occasion to set up a proper camp, usually forced to rely on finding someplace local to establish a base, or lacking the resources to do so and thus forced to find shelters of convenience in some hopefully uninhabited cave.

That almost always lead to a fight to the death with some creature or another.

Raikou rejoined them as the sun sank into the long dusk over the western plains, her slow deliberate steps forewarned by calls from the camp, most from the newcomers ignorant of the earlier argument, though that likely would not remain so for long.

A touch to Mash's arm was all it took to tell her his intent, and with a somber smile and firm nod, she left his side and allowed him to meet her alone.

He walked out to meet her, and was glad he did.

"Master, I have returned," She stated, bowing her head slightly, eyes averted, but not so much he couldn't see the dark bags beneath them.

Servants didn't need sleep, and she hadn't been drawing on his magic much, so it couldn't be exhaustion causing her trouble.

Unsure what to say, he remained silent, opening his arms.

Raikou jerked forward instantly, then froze, her instinct to accept the embrace halted by whatever self consciousness she was currently dealing with, so Ritsuka made the command judgement and stepped toward her, encircling the taller woman as she often did him.

Gingerly, her hands came up behind him, one resting on his back, and the other holding his head to her chest in a way Sylvain would absolutely gripe about, but which held no deeper meaning than comfort.

"Mo-" The berserker began speaking softly, but swallowed the word, continuing hesitantly a moment later. "...I am sorry for the trouble I've caused you, Master."

"Truly, my mother is a troublesome one," Ritsuka replied, enduring the way her arms tightened around him with little more than a rushed word as his lungs compressed. "But she should know how much she's treasured by her sons... I won't speak for Mash, but I'm sure we both know how she is."

"My son is very kind," She said after a moment, during which Ritsuka did his best to not hear the sniffles which terrified Kintoki more than any battle.

"Kind people don't do the things I've done," Ritsuka argued, not meeting his servant's eyes for a much different reason now.

"Oh my poor boy," Raikou murmured, pressing him more firmly into her chest as she pet his head. "Momentous times make monsters of us all. You and your brothers are no exceptions, and though you may regret the things you've done, as we all sometimes-"

Raikou shuddered as her mind shifted once more, static filling her thoughts before clearing once again.

"My, oh my," She said, her voice high and cheerful. "Have you missed your mother so much?"

Ritsuka sighed as he stepped back to arms length, the ones holding him loose enough to allow him to do so, though one hand only moved far enough to cup his cheek as she stared at him with distant eyes.

"Of course I did, what son wouldn't worry about their mom?" Ritsuka agreed easily. "But don't think that'll get you out of apologizing to poor Mercedes. Seriously, that girl knows her healing and just wants to help people."

Raikou's face fell into a pout, but she obeyed easily enough, speaking quietly to all three girls while Ritsuka and Mash watched on, far enough to allow them a token amount of privacy, close enough to hopefully help if needed.

Mercedes and Annette seemed to forgive her easily, likely due to the former's easygoing nature, and even her apology to Ingrid was only complicated by the surprising embrace the student had been ambushed with, but before the Master could interfere, she'd already been released, Raikou sliding her hands down the knightess-in-training's arms to catch her hands in a firm grip as she spoke with quiet intensity.

The conversation, if it could be called such, was brief, and before Ingrid could say more than a word or two Raikou was off, waving cheerfully over her shoulder as she moved swiftly to the cooking area, joining the other two girls with boisterous camaraderie.

Ritsuka watched on, trying to see all four of the women he was worried about, but the trio seemed to be chattering affably and Ingrid seemed to recover and set herself aright by intentionally straightening herself and firming her resolve, before striding off in a very different direction.

"Well..." Ritsuka mused.

"Very well," Mash agreed optimistically. "I hope they can all get along from now on."

"That I can agree with," he replied, before elbowing his partner in the side gently. "Either way, lets get some work done before Mom decides to embarrass us some more."

"Yes, Senpai!" Mash yelped, her awkward smile and blazing blush revealing that for as long as the day might have been, Raikou's earlier accusation had not been forgotten.

He chuckled lightly as they headed off to find some task worth doing, he'd learned over the last week that there was always something to occupy idle hands.

The following morning found them on the road once more, with Ritsuka allowed back on the wagon, being driven by the growing skill of Mash, eager to show off for her senpai.

Ritsuka promised himself that whether in this world, or through the simulator back home, he would learn to properly ride a horse, if only so he could help her do the same, given her eager interest before.

He just had to decide which of the many servants would be least painful to learn from, if it came to that.

"Forgive me for asking," Mash said loudly, leaning to the side and waving a hand at the professor, who had been riding close enough to chat easily, but drifted away at some point in the morning. "But were we not supposed to continue south? Is this course correct?"

"Of course!" Hanneman declared with equal volume, a laugh in his voice, as he drew his mount back to their side. "These gentlefolk are representatives of the local church, and have asked that we assist them with something of an issue they find themselves faced with, and our prince has graciously agreed."

"The western?" Ritsuka prompted, barely loud enough to be heard over the clomping of hooves, as he glanced towards the front of their procession, where Dimitri rode alongside a pair of white clad guides.

The remaining eight were scattered among the group, most trying to be social, though one stood out slightly by virtue of the fact that she wasn't doing so, rather swaying with her mount's placid movements, eyes locked on the book in one hand, her only notable actions being to turn the page every so often.

"Certainly, and though I might hold some suspicion, it is not my place to dissuade the class' leader," Hanneman confirmed with equal caution. "In large part because though their method of request may be somewhat irregular, it is not beyond expectation that students at Garreg Mach come to the aid of those with honest need."

"What do they want us to do?" Mash asked, glancing briefly at them from the corner of her eye, though she kept most of her attention on the horses under her care.

"Elimination, or detention, of accused bandits," Hanneman said bluntly. "Neither method is preferred, and their location is known, and supposedly confirmed as a... well, fort would be something of an exaggeration, as it's little more than a fortified watchtower near where the lands of Duval, Elidure, and Rowe intersect, a remnant of some now forgotten conflict, presumably between the three."

"Sounds suspicious," Ritsuka muttered.

"Incredibly so," Hanneman agreed. "Regrettably, I cannot openly object without potentially 'taking a side', as it were, in this pitiful feud between the West and Rhea, particularly with the prince's surprising enthusiasm for the task. I believe your mother's involvement against the demonic beasts has left him, and some of the other students a bit... emasculated, shall we say?"

The wry smile he offered was almost hidden by his bushy mustache, but enough came across to earn a giggle from Mash, and a groan from Ritsuka.

"Yeah, meet enough servants and you get over that bit of ego pretty fast," the master stated bluntly. "Mom's impressive, but there's a lot that can get one over on her, even in an all out fight. And beyond that, there are literal children servants who are just as impressive in their own way."

"And thus, is my interest piqued," Hanneman declared. "Yet again, my boy, you say something so strange it must be dismissed as insanity, but with all I have seen, I cannot help but wonder at the truth of it."

"Sorry," Ritsuka offered sullenly. "I have apparently been cursed to live in interesting times. I blame Douman, bastard that he is."

Hanneman chuckled drily. "And yet another name which I must remember, in case it proves critical in some later conversation. Ah, at least you are never boring, nor so boorish as that Manuela."

A moment of contemplation slipped past, counted by the clop of horse hooves, before he spoke again.

"Keep your wits about you, my boy, and you as well Miss Kyrielight," the professor warned. "Though this request may be an honest one, we cannot be overly prepared for some surprise yet to come, and if treachery is due, we can at least rest assured that no one can be properly prepared for someone like Miss Raikou."

Three sets of eyes shifted to the woman, mounted yet again on her beast of a horse, only missing out on being a proper Beast because there was no love for humanity within the thing's heart.

And no, Ritsuka was not bitter, no matter what anyone else might accuse.

His mother ride within arm's reach of Ingrid, her own well trained horse tolerating Kyōgoku's closeness through some beastcraft magic bordering Ritsuka could not comprehend, as the woman told some tale or another, her soft laughter felt more than heard from so far away.

He noted the hand that settled on the student's forearm briefly as Raikou laughed, and wondered what the hell kind of development he had missed.

The watchtower was easily spotted from a distance, which was both predictable and unfortunate, as it gave the inhabitants time to prepare.

Ritsuka wondered at the age of this so-called forgotten conflict, as the building rose up from the top of a small hill with walls relatively unblemished by age or conflict.

Whether that was a testament to the regency of its construction, or simply efforts by some unnamed agent to maintain what might be a historic property.

Alternately, it might be due to the efforts of the distant group upon the outer wall, themselves shielded by parapets of wood and stone, currently staring at their group, too far away for specifics to be deciphered.

Left in a place like this, so far from anything resembling civilization, he might take up carpentry out of sheer boredom.

After meeting Galatea, he was less willing to attempt stonework, if only for fear that Aphrodite might turn out to be as creatively spiteful as she seemed back in Olympus.

"An' so ye see, yer princeliness, that's what the boss- er, Sam, Samaul Blacktower, I thinks that what he's callin' 'imself, decided," the half toothless man they found as they approached, sitting on a large stone on the side of the barely visible track of worn grass that passed for a road leading towards their goal.

"Says he, ain't nobody been round here in years," the man continued. "An' we ourselves have been around for a mite couple months afore even yerselves took notice, so Lord Samaul decides to declare 'imself a lordling. Not such as yerself o'course, but a land's gotta start somewhere, and weren't nobody using anythin' hereabouts."

As he spoke, he waved his little knife about like a drunken conductor, using it to slice bits off the chunk of hard cheese in his lap, or the apple core in his other hand.

"And your part of this would be?" Hanneman asked, curiosity foremost in his tone, though he seemed a bit amused by the man's entirely baseless logic.

"Escort, milord!" The man declared proudly. "Was sent to guide his highness, long with a... an escort of 'is own, I suppose." He paused to scratch his balding head with the pommel of his dagger. "But just one now, you and yer boys showed up all unannounced, and Lord Samaul don't care none for the rudeness of all that."

"That's why I's out here, all unarmed and open to bein' taken in by you lot," the man added. "A gesture of good faith he calls it, lets him know what you lot are all about, y'see."

"Unarmed?" Dedue prodded, his eyes having never left the man's waving dagger. "And what happens if we don't play along with this game?"

"Weren't no game about it, says I, it's me own life on the line out here, if things go badly for anyone, it'd be landing on me own head first of all," he laughed as if the joke were in any way amusing.

"And o'course I'm unarmed, ain't my fault you took yer sweet time getting here, it's well on past lunch, and what kinda man'd stab a bloke with 'is eatin' knife? That'd just be unsanit'ry, an' Sam- Lord Samaul, he been real good about crackin' heads over that lot o' silliness," he tossed back another chunk of cheese as he made that declaration, his own manners a far cry from what any self-styled lord would accept.

"Now, far be it from meself to offer advice to one of yer lordship's rank," he continued, talking around the food in his mouth. "But I been in Lord Samaul's keep, that's what we calls it these days, Blacktower Keep, and a fine name it is, but we's done a lotta work on that there place in the time since we's claimed it for our lord, and I know you boys're a fine lot, but Lord Samaul, he's confident he can hold yerselves at the gate, long as needed. Given he was expectin' an army to show up an' all."

"Professor, prince, how are we going to handle this?" Ashe asked nervously, looking to each in turn after the group had retreated a small way from the old man still enjoying his supposed lunch.

The question was valid, as the hill upon which the 'keep' was built had obviously been altered with defense in mind over its years of existence.

First, there were earthworks surrounding it, grown over with weedy grass after apparent years of neglect, but the earth at the base of the hill had been shifted either by hand or magic, piled in a primitive wall encompassing all but a single path of entry, itself positioned opposite the keep's gate, necessitating that any invading force either bring enough power to bear that the stone wall was no impediment, or that they circle the building beneath a rain of arrows and whatever other tricks might be in place.

He had noted the occasional sapling stump, cut recently enough that bubbles of sap yet stained the pale wood, suggesting that the area had well and truly been on its way to being reclaimed by nature, before these people had arrived to lay claim.

"Quite the conundrum, the chatty fellow has laid at our feet," Hanneman agreed, as he watched the fellow. "What do you suggest, Prince Dimitri? For all that this is a departure from our stated mission, the lesson must continue."

"The old man said they're willing to talk, so I think we should do so," Dimitri said, rubbing his chin in thought. "What he claims is preposterous, for all that the area may have been neglected, it is still claimed by... well, somebody."

"All three ruling nobles have some claim on the area," Ashe explained, to Mash's puzzled expression. "To the point that it's become something of a no-man's land, if only to prevent needless conflict. It seems a bit of a sore point for Lord Rowe, and my Father's spoken of it on occasion."

"Ah, thank you for the clarification," Mash replied with her usual bright smile, causing the shy boy to blush and look away with an awkward chuckle.

"More than one request for official allocation has been put forward, from each of the leaders," Dimitri added. "However, no official decision was ever made, to my knowledge. In time it will almost certainly fall to me to do so."

"When the time comes, I am certain you will choose wisely, Your Highness," Dedue said solemnly, sketching a slight bow as he did.

"And on the matter of choosing," speaking over the prince's sigh of exasperation, Hanneman cut to the point of the matter.

"I see little reason to refuse," Dimitri said after a moment's thought. "Among the Blue Lions, we lack the force necessary to take the building safely. As such, our best option may be to speak with their leader, determine if his position is as irrational as this gentleman's, and gather what information we may to address the situation properly."

"Then, as you were told to bring a second, shall I accompany you, Your Highness?" Dedue offered bluntly.

The prince smiled wryly as he shook his head. "As if I would choose another, of-"

"Raikou." Ritsuka interrupted the discussion with a single steely word.

"Ah, yes?" The woman spoke in surprise, turning to her master, for what else could he be to speak so boldly.

She felt proud that her son could be so commanding, but as a general herself, she set that feeling aside for later appreciation.

"You will accompany the prince." Ritsuka ordered. "Protect him as you would myself. Ensure his safe return if anything should go wrong."

Through this series of orders, the Master of Chaldea drew eyes, curious, aggrieved, anxious, though he did not notice.

Throughout the discussion, even while the others spoke to the old man, he watched the enemy base, familiar feelings bubbling within himself.

Something about this felt off, like walking into a room to find Douman and Koyanskaya waiting with wide smiles.

"Senpai?" Mash asked softly.

"You and I will remain with the group," Ritsuka answered firmly. "We'll circle the outer wall, keeping Raikou and the prince in sight as much as we can. If there's trouble, we'll act as necessary."

"Yes, Master," Mash responded to the tone instantly, shifting her mindset and preparing for combat.

"Raikou?" He prompted.

"Yes," she declared with equal fervor to Mash, the look in her eyes hardening as she nodded firmly to the prince.

"Shall we?" Ritsuka asked, turning to Hanneman, finding the professor wearing an expression not dissimilar to that smirk he so enjoyed sending his way.

The raised hand he held pointed behind him, might explain the lack of objection from either the Blue Lions or church members following them on this strange quest.

"Oh, of course, my boy," the professor said. "I do believe I'd not forgive myself were I to miss the show."

"There won't be much of one, if all goes well," Ritsuka objected, looking to where the pair were speaking to the old man... who was washing down his meal with a skin full of something much darker than water.

Ritsuka stumbled as he missed his step, mind racing.

Raikou, and a blue-eyed blonde, going up a hill to meet a group of bandits, and now, wine was even involved.

He shook his head, dismissing Mash's concerned expression, not willing to put word to his worry and risk anchoring it in stone.

Raikou walked behind the young prince, such a handsome young man, with strength enough to maybe even be a proper sparring partner to her dear Kintoki.

She hadn't seen any while exterminating those miserable insects in the forest, but perhaps she could find a bear, somewhere in this strange land for him to wrestle, to truly see if he could hold up to her son's power.

It would be nice if he could, but she wouldn't expect that, her children were special after all, but they did need friends, beyond those at Chaldea, especially if it could get him to put a bit more distance between himself and that-

She shook her head, the smell of sour wine coming from their miserable guide's eternally flapping mouth putting thoughts in her head she really did not want.

Looking to the ramparts of the watchtower, she could see guards keeping pace with them, bows in hand and more than one with nocked arrow ready to be drawn, but she could tell these fools were no threat, they didn't even know who they were inviting in, thanks to the robe she was-

She rubbed her eyes with one hand, the other firmly gripping the sheathed blade at her side as she refocused her mind.

Follow the prince.

Protect the prince.

This is not an extermination mission, and the old fool's wine was not poisoned, more the shame.

The insects were safe, as long as the prince was.

She was being trusted by her Master, her son, and a mother should not disappoint.

Though not terribly tall, the hill upon which the watchtower had been built was wide, and it took nearly an hour to circle around and up to reach the building's large door.

Most of that time was due to them travelling at the speed of annoying old man, but the delay was tolerable, if only because it allowed the rest of the Lion's to probably keep pace.

Dimitri couldn't tell from within the earthworks, wherein attackers would be contained and fired upon with impunity, but once the path rose to where he could see above them, the class' position was easily confirmed as having reached their destination first.

He wasn't sure what Ritsuka's intention was, but the boy had seemed certain, and Dimitri knew a leader shouldn't dismiss the experience and knowledge of others out of hand, and so decided to go along with his plan.

He would admit having the woman at his side was somewhat reassuring, if only because he had a strong feeling that were the worst to happen, she could endure his strength, though his surviving her reprisal was somewhat more questionable.

"Ho there, your Lordship!"

Dimitri exhaled a shallow breath as he centered himself, looking toward the old man out of the corner of his eye, and noting the way he'd settled into a military rest position a long step behind himself and Raikou.

No proper soldier would allow their shoulders to hang so loose, but it was more than apparent that the man had no proper training, and little discipline to speak of.

He settled his own posture properly, spear planted and angled with military precision, as he lifted his gaze to the top of the wall, meeting the eyes of a red headed man in somewhat faded finery, including an ostentatiously feathered hat.

The man leaned over the wall, propped up on his elbow, projecting an air of careless confidence, somewhat weakened by the dozen bowmen and women lined along the wall to his sides.

"I welcome ye, to our little township, and look forward to future fine relations!" The man declared, standing straight and spreading his arms in a showman's gesture. "It may be small, but ye have my word as lord o' this land, that we'll be serving your lordship as right and proper."

"Matty, ye told his lordship of our plans right?" the apparent lord Samaul asked pointedly, fists dropping to his hips and adopting what he must assume to be an appropriate glower.

"Aye, sir!" The old man shouted back, fist slamming into his bony chest in an attempt at a salute. "That I did, sir. It's as I said, you can always count on ol' Matty to do what needs doin' and do it proper!"

"And a fine one ye are!" Samaul laughed.

Dimitri held his expression to practiced blandness, for while the old man had spoken of a great many things on their walk here, little of it could be considered even remotely touching on policy.

"Then I regret to inform you," Dimitri declared boldly, his bearing held to the noble manner in which he had been trained. "That your plans must be canceled. This area is not free of claim, as you seem to assume, or at least pretend to."

"Well then, yer lordship," the man upon the wall countered. "Mayhap ye be tellin' us who owns this here keep, and mayhap I'll be buying it from the lout, to anchor me claim in accord with the law, as it seems possession isn't enough, by yer word."

The prince's lips fell into a scowl, both at the accusation and the complicated issue of ownership of a minor fort in what amounted to no-man's land between the three territories which had once fought around it.

"That matter is somewhat more complicated than you might imagine," he deflected. "But anyone claiming possession of this place would soon find themselves beset upon by at least three armies. For your own safety, if nothing else, I advise that you leave."

The red haired man settled his hip against the outer ledge and sighed dramatically. "Then that puts us in an unfortunate position, don't it?"

"Ye see, my an' my folks, we put a fair bit o' work into this place, gettin' her back to a place worth livin', and I can't say it puts me in a fine mood, thinkin' not only is all that gone to waste with nothin' to show for it, and nowhere lookin' to accept such fine, upstanding citizens, such as ourselves."

"And that's all neverminding the fact that, having been a lord meself, I'm not of a mind to step down from that, which I'm sure one such as yerself can understand."

"Whatever you may claim, there is far more to being a noble than claiming the title of lord for yourself," Dimitri denied. "Regardless, the decision is yours. Leave in peace, or die when the armies of Duval, Elidure, and Rowe arrive to investigate."

"And there's no way to make all this proper," Samaul asked, interrupting Dimitri as the boy had turned his back, apparently intending to leave. "Ye must know, I'm a man of no small means."

"Not like this," the prince denied with a firm shake of his head. "If you're truly interested, then you must entreat with the three kingdoms and negotiate with them."

"At triple the price of what's fair, unless I miss me guess," Samaul grumbled loudly, one hand massaging his eyes. "That be a bit beyond me current means, but not beyond reaching, not with a big bag o' gold just sitting on me own doorstep."

Dimitri's head turned slowly, meeting the man's sharp gaze through the web of his fingers, which almost hid the smile which had turned more than a little sinister.

To either side of the man, bows which had been held at ease were lifted, aimed and drawn.

"You don't want to do this," the prince ordered, hand shifting on his spear, towards a more combat ready grasp.

"Mayhaps I don't," Samaul agreed. "Mayhaps the choice ain't mine to make. Mayhaps I just like the chance I see in front of me, and I'm not feeling so foolish as to let it pass by."

Raikou hummed to herself as she watched the two lords argue in veiled threats.

The prince was doing rather well for himself, far better than her elder son, who would have jumped up there and throttled the uncouth man who seemed to hold the threat of his archers in great esteem.

As if such a pathetic display could intimidate any of her precious children.

She went silent as her head cocked in curiosity.

It was true, her children couldn't be hurt by something so minor, certainly even Ritsuka could handle a few insignificant sticks flying at him after all he'd managed at his young age, but what about her children's friends?

The prince was strong, of course.

She'd seen that already, but could he take a hit as well as he gave them out?

If only she'd managed to find that bear, then she'd know for certain.

She could ask, but their discussion seemed to be growing fierce, it was almost cute, the way he was waving his arms around, gesturing with that spear of his, so much like Kintoki, they would just get along like a hive on fire.

Now if she could only find a friend for Tsuna, the poor boy was so serious, he deserved a chance to cut loose and-

The first archer loosed his shot, seeming more a slip of the fingers than intentional, but aimed at her charge regardless.

Less than an instant put her between them, allowing the shaft to shatter harmlessly against herself, rather than risk interrupting the negotiations, which the prince seemed to have well in hand.

The display might even prove helpful, now that they knew she couldn't be hurt by their cute little-

A groaning gasp reached her ears, and widening eyes looked to the prince, his own locked open to meet hers.

"Yerself is a good bit o' coin to us, li'l princeling," Matty declared, the old man having been ignored and almost forgotten during the argument had caught the prince by surprise, one hand grasping a fistful of the cloak he wore, and the other burying a knife in his side. "I'll get meself a new eatin' dagger, a solid gold one too!"

Before Raikou could think to act, the old man moved, using his two grips he turned the boy, just enough to get a hand on the sword hanging at his waist, after which he shoved the prince, freeing the steel with a loud rasp.

Raikou caught him, worry in her gaze now as she tore the weapon free, allowing Dimitri to breath.

The knife fell to the ground as she tried to assess the injury, the smell of blood assaulting her alongside the scent of spilled wine from the abandoned wineskin draining itself into the earth.

Pressure, pressure on the wound, Raikou remembered, hands spasming above the boy, knowing that was one thing she should not, could not, do. Not without making things so much worse due to her immense strength.

His blue eyes were pained, but he was struggling to rise, an act she knew would be ill advised, he'd never been injured like this before, and already his beautiful blonde hair was being darkened by the dirty ground and the red spreading across it.

It made her happy that she could see his eyes for once, it felt like so long since he'd taken to wearing those ridiculous glasses, all because-

Static didn't have time to form in her mind, as it was forced away by the blade being held at the boy's throat, forcing him down.

The old man, that miserable bastard, had put a weapon to her son's flesh.

Steel compressed beneath her fingers as they wrapped around the blade and pulled, Matty's shout of surprise unheard, all sound lost in the haze of anger as she grabbed the man's shoulder, skin and bone giving way beneath her fingers as she turned and hurled the man at the instigators of this offense, a single attack against the hail of arrows which had struck unnoticed in her moments of inattention.

In the process, she found hope awaiting her, as somehow Mash, wonderful girl and dutiful daughter that she was, was standing atop the earthen works, little more than a couple dozen feet away.

Albeit across a minor chasm nearly as far down.

Even as the old man was finding his destination, the unwieldy shape and flailing limbs striking half over, and half into, the wall in an explosion of screaming pain, Raikou was claiming her second projectile.

Mash shouted in surprise, allowing her shield to tumble down the almost vertical wall beneath her dangerously, before catching the equally loud prince and allowing herself to fall back, absorbing the impact of landing in much the same way she had with Ritsuka on their arrival to this strange world.

The master watched this all play out, and their white robed guests rapid rush to heal Prince Dimitri for a moment before returning his eyes to the tower, the source of this mess, thumb rubbing against the back of his right hand.

"You hurt him. You hurt him." Raikou was almost growling, her breaths heavy and eyes wild. "You came here with your poisoned wine and your pretty words, and you hurt him. You insects hurt my son!"

In a single fluid movement, Minamoto no Raikou drew her sword, violet sparks dancing between blade and sheath, intensifying until the glow was almost blinding.

With a final scraping of steel, the sword slid free of its home, swinging up into a poised position with smooth determination.

As it swept across her body, the growing energy within the blade pulsed like a heartbeat, an arc of lightning flashing off to scorch the earth beneath in a blinding column of energy, dimming as the sword continued its path.

Four times the sword flashed, four times the energy rose around her, and by the time the blade reached its destination, a position arcing over her shoulder and behind her bowed head, there were five of the woman standing serenely among the remains of the many arrows, broken and charred, which had rained uselessly against the Berserker's body.

The unarmed women moved, hands reaching as if to draw weapons which could not be seen upon their bodies, but which became visible as the same purple energy flickered out from their hands, tracing over and revealing a weapon to be drawn by each.

In one's hands appeared a second sword, its blade an angry red, glowing in the shadow cast by the large building.

The second held a spear, at least visually, for it bore a blade spanning nearly a third of it's length, with what appeared to be bells binding the first handspan beneath the razor edge.

In the third's hands appeared a bow, as tall as the woman, around which wind howled as the line drew taut, the arrow she'd set to string impossible to see beyond the swirling storm.

The final form swung an axe from behind her back, the deep black metal of its grip almost invisible in the shade, which only emphasized the glowing golden blade, and its savagely serrated edge.

The original woman lifted her head, her eyes lit by rage meeting the self proclaimed lord's, and the man stepped back in fear, his foot nearly slipping off the battlement he'd claimed so confidently moments before, and dropping to a knee as he caught himself.

That stumble saved his life, as an instant later the woman's arrow tore through the air near his head, the twisting wind of its passage enough to drag the archer to his left back off the wall, leaving her to take the fall in his place.

Dimitri staggered to his feet in moments, with the assistance of Dedue and the vociferous objections of the clergy, who continued to profess his injury, despite the healing they had apparently been pouring into him en masse.

Ritsuka assumed it was further evidence of how weird this world's magical systems seemed to be, given his admittedly limited knowledge of his own world's magecraft, which could leave some unfortunate repercussions had the same haphazard method been used by even skilled magi.

Even so, it was obvious the prince's wound wasn't entirely mended, from his hesitant steps and how he favored his injured side.

That didn't prevent him arguing with the healers, though Ritsuka paid little attention to that, his gaze locked on the not so distant building with firm resignation.

Mash stood at his side, her own posture and expression resolute, even if he could tell she was as disheartened by this turn of events as he was annoyed.

But at this point, the die was cast, and his options were either to allow things to play out, or to cut the flow of Od, and send Raikou back to Chaldea, leaving the declared enemies to regroup, as well as possibly revealing more than intended to the potentially untrustworthy faction of the church, if Hanneman's suspicions proved true.

His shoulder dipped as something grabbed him, earning a startled sound as he was dragged around and down by the fist gripping his clothes.

Mash turned to defend him, but hesitated to act as she recognized the cause.

"And you!" Ingrid shouted from inches away, apparently continuing her part in the currently escalating debate. "Aren't you going to say anything!? That's your own mother out there! Are you going to help or not!?"

"No?" Ritsuka answered, confusion obvious in his tone. "Why? Did you need more prisoners?"

Was that what they were arguing about now?

Anger bloomed instantly in the girl's face, and he thought she was going to yell at him again, but curiosity took over as her eyes moved away from his face and over his shoulder.

He risked a glance himself and understood.

"Well, too late now if you did," he said, as the tumbling, flailing, probably already corpse flew up from the battlements, carried into the air by the arrow, and accompanying blast of twisting wind.

It's momentum spent, the body had begun falling properly only an instant before there was a shattering blast, and a single bolt lightning fell from the clear sky to impact the gate of the watchtower itself.

Arrows flew, weak flimsy sticks towards herself and her children, the Heavenly Kings, and pillars of destruction returning the attempt with far more efficacy.

Urabe no Suetake's bow practically vibrated with power, which might explain his current poor aim, those slim arms a far cry from when last she'd seen the boy in action.

She would have to send him to rest after all was done and ensure he had good meals until he was more himself again.

Kintoki too, now that she considered it, her boy was looking far too skinny, and even though he held his axe high, it was nowhere near where it should be, as she could well remember when he lifted it against that-

The axe finally reached the proper height, it's bearer lifting off the ground in a leap as they brought it up in an overhand chop, which would certainly sever the head of any-

Raikou frowned though she didn't neglect her own preparations, obviously that wasn't right.

Kintoki would never be allowed to execute a downed foe, none of her sons would be allowed to shoulder such a dishonorable task when their mother could do so in their stead, given her tarnished history, it wouldn't even be noted beyond the reminder of who she had once been.

The axe made contact in an explosion, far sooner than it would have for an execution and Raikou's smile returned.

That's right, the boy was just opening the door, though enthusiastic as he was, he'd aimed too high, his weapon cleaving through the stone frame above the entry, lightning meeting it on impact as if the gods themselves were pushing his weapon down through the barrier and into the ground.

Her boy was strangely silent, eschewing even the shout of "Golden Spark" he often used when attacking in such a way.

He must really not be feeling well.

After Kintoki's impact, the walls became like a tatami mat from an oni's den, one good shake and insects fell like rain.

Usui Sadamitsu ensured not all made it to the ground safely.

Her spear flew through the air, spearing one to the wall like a fish, the woman herself following swiftly, feet planting against the structure and in a single pull dragging the weapon up through stone and bone to end the first, and split a second as they fell past, leaving the pair to fall as she leapt off the wall with shattering force, hurling the spear at one of those who had hit the ground and held enough of their wits to struggle to their feet and try to flee.

Below her leaping form, through the dust and debris of the the door charged Watanabe no Tsuna, diving over his brother's crouched form so close his breasts almost brushed Kintoki's dark hair.

His charge might have been blind, were it not for the group waiting within, not two dozen paces from the gate, three of which were obviously skilled in magecraft, the middle holding a ball of flames between his extended palms, which was easily visible to the sharp-eyed Saber.

And more easily pierced.

Tsuna's left hand lunged forward, grabbing the mage by the collar and holding the man steady as shouts surrounded them, the mage to their left releasing her spell and launching a bolt of energy through the now open gate before she could reorient herself.

The buried sword twisted, earning a shrill scream from the man which broke into a sobbing gasp as Tsuna turned his hips and flexed his arm.

Blood splattered across his violet clothing, as the sword tore free through the man's ribs, carving into the one to his right in an upward angle, before leveling off at neck height and removing the heads of two more of the oni to his side.

A third bore a scraping slash along his shoulder, due as much to the oni's taller height as to Tsuna's unexpectedly short reach.

The odd mistake bought the target barely a second, as the sword's arc continued as Tsuna stepped into range properly and cut the man down without hesitation.

Behind him, Kintoki struck with peculiar silence, aside from the crush of impact as his axe finished off the first spellcaster, arguably merciful, since he'd have drowned soon enough in his own blood from the severed lung.

The left side of the gathered oni on the other hand, had been uninjured until Kintoki's follow up swing tore through them with far more violence than finesse.

The brothers split with silent synchronicity, each taking a side and ending all opposition, their long hair flowing behind them as they charged.

A forgotten body hit the ground with a dull thump, an arrow longer than a tall man's leg entering just above their hip and exiting through the opposite armpit, unbroken by the impressive fall.

Raikou watched the brothers work with a level of cooperation they had never truly achieved in their youth and felt proud of their progress, even as she worried at how skinny they seemed to be.

Truly, she would have to make them all a grand meal to celebrate this victory.

"What... What the hell is happening back there?" Dimitri asked, voice faint from more than just pain at the moment.

"Mom's mad." Ritsuka said simply. "As you may recall, she was told to keep you safe, and as far as she's concerned, she failed that. So, she's ending the threat that caused that situation with extreme prejudice."

They had all seen the storming arrows flying through the air, more than once carrying bodies, or less pleasantly, parts of the same, to say nothing of the spear-wielding Raikou who seemed more at ease leaping through the air at impossible heights, often to help locate some new target, which she would point out by hurling her weapon in their direction before chasing after.

"Bu- But all this?" One of the white robed figured stuttered. "What in the goddess' name is that woman?"

"Angry." Ritsuka reiterated simply. "And she'll be taking that out on whomever she holds responsible."

"Master told her to protect the prince as if he were... well, Master," Mash added helpfully. "To fail to protect our Master is unthinkable for any Servant."

"Is this the peak you spoke of before?" Felix asked curiously, his own posture more relaxed as he leaned against a tree.

Most of the students were watching with some blend of concern and horror at the display, though the more squeamish had moved to where they could not witness the carnage so easily.

"This isn't even the peak of what Mom can do, and while good with most weapons, she's not as specialized as a Saber, Lancer, or Archer," Ritsuka denied. "If we're talking mountains though, she's still a thousand feet above anything I can manage."

Felix hummed in thought, glancing at the... at Dimitri out of the corner of his eye.

Ritsuka had said the woman was a Berserker, though the word had only been used a couple times, it was done with intention, if titles like Saber and such were comparable, it had to mean something significant, and seeing her like this, or rather the results, the name certainly fit.

If Prince Dimitri was a boar, then this woman was a demon boar at least.

He could still feel those eyes on him, remember the feeling of death staring into his soul, and wondered if someday that could be the prince, rage and murder leashed by a thin chain he had bound around his own throat.

Well, once he had the skill to even consider stepping onto that woman's path, strength and temper alone would not carry him there, obviously.

Felix smirked as he considered the future, and the challenge he intended to issue to the Berserker once they were back at Garreg Mach.

A grunt was forced out as he hit the ground rolling, and the man froze in terror at the bottom as he waited for death.

Nothing but the continued screams of his now former companions broke the air, and he released a sigh of relief.

Samaul, enough of that lord nonsense, had hidden to the best of his ability upon the not terribly wide battlement, and crawled with painful slowness away from the bulk of the fighting, turning the wall's corner before increasing his speed, and risk, but knowing that to remain meant death.

Once he felt safe enough, he crawled over the outer wall and dropped, the twenty foot height of the wall only exacerbated by the further fifteen feet of almost sheer hill on this side.

The slope was barely enough to count as one, but it was the best option in his severely limited list, and even this was only possible because he'd avoided that first arrow, and his slip had left him low enough to ride out the sudden shake from the monstrous woman somehow blowing open the doors to his recent home.

His group were gone, or as good as, and he had to get the hell out of here before he joined them.

Patting his sides he confirmed the presence of his most important belongings, some coin, a dagger which was laughable protection at the moment, and a few other important trinkets which might buy his life and freedom if he could get out of this mess.

Staying low to the hill he began circling away from the path, relying on the walls to contain his allies and enemies alike, as none would have much reason to look beyond them, and he knew those brats from the monastery would be clear of the fort's outer entrance, since they wanted to remain in sight of the prince for some asinine reason.

With a monster like that guarding him, it made no damn sense.

Raikou exhaled a long breath, she could hold her attack no longer, already the energies within her blade threatened to shatter the steel.

She hoped her children would forgive her for ending their fun so soon, though even now Sadamitsu was charging up the side of the central tower, spear braced safely against the length of her arm and pointed away as her eyes swept around for a new foe to face.

Their eyes met, and a wide grin broke over the wild Lancer's face as she realized what was to come, focusing her speed and climbing higher, racing to reach the top before her mother could strike.

Raikou groaned out a sigh at how much of a tomboy her only daughter had turned out to be, but smiled nonetheless.

She didn't want to disappoint her after all.

"Ox-King Storm Call!" She shouted with all the volume she could muster, both a declaration of intent, and a warning to her children. "The Inescapable Net of Heaven!"

She swung her sword, and lighting stuck again, violet electricity in a column wider than the tower itself fell from the sky.

Her first vertical slash was more preparation than attack, and it caught the descending bolt, drawing the energy into itself entirely, condensing the weapon of gods into a single radiant bar for the brief moment before the true attack fell.

She spun, the blade crossing over her body in a second vertical slash, and an attack which might open a foe from groin to collar instead did far more.

The condensed electricity blasted out in a line, piercing through the open gate and impacting on the central tower, rising alongside her blade, detonating as it went.

There was a small gap as the attack crossed the remaining length of outer battlement, blasting that away and into the courtyard, but soon it was past the obstruction and well on its way towards the roof of the now listing watchtower.

As the final floor exploded from the last bits of energy, Raikou forced to time her attack perfectly to avoid injuring her daughter by accident, the girl launched herself further than ever into the air with the added force.

The wide smile she wore illustrated the fun she was having, if the playfully gymnastic spins she included in her leap hadn't.

"Ox-King Storm Call! The Inescapable Net of Heaven!"

Dawn came for a second time that day as the world exploded into light bright enough that no one could ignore it.

"See that?" Ritsuka stated blandly, right hand raised to shield his eyes from the glare. "That would be Mom's peak. Also why I said you won't get any prisoners out of this."

He looked away from the collapsing tower voluntarily for the first time since this whole mess started, watching as he focused his Od and the glimmering seal on the back of his hand went dark.

After this, it would be best if no one could tell where Raikou was for a while, and while Hanneman had enough information to probably connect the dots, the scholar was sly enough to understand the need for silence, and easy enough to bribe if necessary.

Ritsuka blinked and glanced at the man, his own eyes locked on the display, cupping his chin.

He shook his head as he dismissed the thought.

Though they were both wily old men, Hanneman didn't really have that much in common with Moriarty, right?

In the moments of his distraction, the spear-wielding Raikou arrested her agile movements and threw, her spear flying with a jingling of bells as the woman herself reoriented and used some of the still airborne rubble to throw herself after the weapon.

The ground shook, and the man who had been hugging the steep hill was forced away, the rumbling earth actually impacting his body with force enough to push him away, which he took for a lucky break, as stone and wood fell around him, close enough that had he not been forced away, he might have been struck by one of the heavier bits.

Accepting the risk as preferable to the seemingly inevitable doom waiting for him here, Samaul ducked low and began to run for the exit.

Three strides in, he was forced to the ground by a blow to the spine, and he hit the sun baked clay with enough force to knock the air from him for a moment.

Trying to force himself up only achieved three things: mind searing pain, the realization that the injury was far worse than he'd realized, and the jingling of bells as his efforts made the bells on his newest accessory dance.

There was a scuff on the ground behind him, and he twisted as best he could to look back, the razor edged spear causing further damage as it refused to move with him, thanks to the ground sheathing it.

His nerves felt too saturated to note the difference, aside from the sudden emptiness in his lower body, which he suspected would become all encompassing if he didn't act fast.

"Wa- Wait!" He called frantically. "Hold yer blade, and preserve me life, lass!"

The steps stopped, and through the haze of pained tears clouding his vision, he could see the woman, her head cocked, as if curious.

"Ye need me breathin', an' talkin', that ye do, or me name's not Samaul, head o' the Black Badgers."

There was a low, throaty chuckle, husky in a way he'd have appreciated in other circumstances, but which currently offered little reassurance.

"The insect wants to bargain," the woman said softly, in that same sensual voice, the sound coming closer, though he could no longer hear her steps.

"Aye! Aye, that I do!" He cried desperately, as the weapon in his back shifted, wiggling slightly, as if the woman wanted to loosen it. "I can tell ye much! Proof even! The ones what hire-"

Pain exploded through Samaul as the bladed spear was torn free, not drawn through the hole it had already made, but carving out through his side, destroying all in its path.

"Here is my offer," the woman said in that same soft voice, blade raising once more. "Insects should accept their place, and die silent."

Though he hadn't seen it, perhaps exempting for a final fleeting glance as his head flew free from the rest of his body, Raikou knew her time was short.

Already her children had returned home, leaving herself to clean up the last worthless pest in this den of demonkin.

Golden dust drifted freely from her as her eyes looked to where her youngest child waited, but her grip on this place was slipping, and she would have to trust his dear Mash to keep him safe in her stead.

With one last sigh, she let go, her body collapsing into a cloud of shimmering dust, which in turn evaporated before it could rest long upon the ground.

"Are you certain this is what you wish?" Hanneman asked, not seeming particularly concerned, but still asking if only for formality's sake.

"Of course, it's the least we can do," The leader of the church's representatives declared. "We sought your assistance in this matter, and it would be our shame if after so much effort from yourselves and your... allies, we couldn't do even this much."

They had offered to take command of securing and clearing the area, though Ritsuka doubted there'd be much actual clearing done, if only because the effort would be largely a waste.

Raikou's Noble Phantasm ensured that much.

"If you see my mother, point her our way," the master requested casually. "Knowing her, she's still hunting one or two that managed to make a run for it."

"Ah, we will certainly do so, if we encounter her," the man agreed nervously.

Completely understandable, all things considered, not even he was immune to that reaction, for many reasons.

Least of that being the two or three dozen bodies so recently deceased by her effort, at this point it was barely a drop of blood in the ocean of what had been spilled by the servants he commanded throughout the Grand Order.

He and Raikou had that much in common at least.

She intentionally carried the blame for her children's actions, as their commander, and he did much the same for his servants, albeit with arguably greater justification, since servants were generally considered little more than a tool for their summoner by the pretentious bastards in charge of the Clocktower.

No matter that his own situation was the very definition of unique among grail wars, the brief months following Goetia's defeat proved he would be held to the same idiotic standard, no matter how necessary his actions might have been.

At least Gordy would be able back them up this time, once all was said and done.

Assuming he didn't suffer an aneurysm caused by Gudaguda based shenanigans, or liver failure from the amount he drank trying to purge the ridiculous memories those caused.

Despite his wandering thoughts, and the chaos at the watchtower, the Blue Lions returned to their course easily, and reached both Arianrhod, and later the monastery without further incident.

Chaldea

Raikou's first sensations upon waking were familiar.

The same utilitarian, if quite comfortable, bed.

The same white ceiling, visible by the lights, dimmed but not off, shameful as it might be to admit, they helped on the occasions where her rest was interrupted by old memories.

Or as in this case, when it was interrupted by the persistently random beeping noise, and constant whirr coming from the device nearby.

"Must you play that gamestation so loudly?" She complained, shifting to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Boss- I mean Ma!" Kintoki called in surprise, far too loud in the small room, but it pleased her to hear the happiness in his voice as he rushed over, hands gripping her shoulders like he had been worried. "You golden? You been layin' there like a lump for... well, a long damn time. Me an' Big Bro Tsuna been worried sick!"

There was an unpleasant noise from the device, followed by a series of notes which sounded somehow mocking, drawing both their attention to where her son had dropped it.

"I was, uh, gonna lose that round anyway," her son deflected sheepishly when her eyes tried to meet his through those darkened spectacles he refused to remove.

Her mild look was enough to make the boy quickly move it to a more appropriate location on a shelf though, and she gave one firm nod as she allowed her loving smile to shine through.

"I am well," she finally explained. "Your little brother... Ritsuka I mean, was being bothered by some annoying insects, and what's a mother to do except help?

As she talked, she rose from the bed and settled the sheets properly with a few quick motions, they might need washing, if she'd been laying there for her entire visit, but she could determine that later, after more important matters, such as...

"That's pretty gol-" Kintoki's comment was cut short as Raikou finished with the bed and spun on him, crossing the room in two swift steps, her hands gripping him by the edges of his unbuttoned shirt.

The warrior swallowed heavily as he felt an old worry rise up, but fought the panic down for the moment.

"You know," she said softly, hands moving from button to button, "your little brother is becoming quite close to Mash. Quite close indeed. It's rather exciting to consider what might come of it..."

Kintoki stepped back instantly, a button tearing free and remaining in the woman's hand, though thankfully, a glance down revealed that that was all the damage his outfit had sustained.

"Now Ma, I know..."

The warrior stopped speaking, as he realized what else he saw in that glance.

Looking down, he realized she had been actually buttoning his shirt up, hiding his ever exposed pectorals, rather than what he had feared, and his head tilted as he tried to figure that oddity out.

"Oh my, this will just not do," Raikou scolded. "Come, sit, let mother fix that for you."

He sat, as ordered, settling gingerly on the edge of the bed as she found a needle and thread, standing beside him and working on the shirt while he still wore it, which he was not about to suggest otherwise, given his concern from moments before.

"Now, if you'll let me finish," Raikou suggested firmly, "Those two are becoming quite close, and it has me considering why, of all my sons, only the youngest is making any proper progress on that front."

Kintoki shivered involuntarily at the disappointment in her voice.

"For a time, I had some hopes that you would catch the eye of Lady Tomoe, but by now I must accept that her late husband still carries her heart with him, so other options must be pursued. From now on, I want you to look presentable, we never know when our master might call for assistance, and he's travelling with the most lovely young lady. I think you'll like her."

"Strong enough to fight those insects, quite beautiful if I do say so myself, part of a noble bloodline," Raikou described the young woman, "bold enough to even yell at me, I admit to being impressed, after some time considering the matter."

Kintoki wondered if the poor girl was suicidal.

"Just the sort of strong, sensible girl needed to guide a stubborn boy like you properly, and keep you away from those vermin who insist on following you around." Raikou beamed down at him from her far too close position. "She's even a knight, well, aspiring knight. How could she be more perfect?"

"Sounds, ah... sounds just golden, Ma," Kintoki said hesitantly once he realized she was expecting an answer. "Not to change the subject or nothin', but, uh, what about Big Bro Tsuna? She might like him better, ya know?"

Raikou sighed heavily.

"If only," she muttered. "He's still far too hung up on that banana slug's mother, but I'm sure we can find him an appropriate partner in time. So you can help me show him how!"

He wished she had woken during Tsuna's shift watching their boss, and even more he wished he could make an excuse and run like hell, but that would just lead to worse things happening.

Maybe even the tears, he couldn't handle the damn tears again.

"Ah," he cursed his weak ass brain for not being able to come up with an idea, but thinking things through had never been his strong suit on the team. "I'll give it a shot, Mom, for you."

The smile she gave him made him happy he was wearing shades, both for its brightness, and because she couldn't see the fear in his eyes.

The man who entered his office bore the signs of miles of hard travel, and did so openly.

Dust, grime, days old blood staining the hem of his robe, if the state of his clothes hadn't been enough to illustrate the haste of his arrival, his utter exhaustion would be.

His kind would only allow themselves to be seen in this state under the most dire of circumstances.

Most ranking clerics of the goddess would take the time to clean and pamper themselves, no matter the cost to others in time, coin, or lives, only allowing themselves to be seen long after such petty matters of mortal man were cast off, so as to appear above the mundane struggles of their flock.

"Your plan failed then," the man accused blandly, not bothering to stand from his heavily laden desk, and barely glancing to the entrant, though he did offer the kindness of pointing him towards a seat, before the cleric could humiliate himself by collapsing to the floor.

"Not for lack of effort, or cost," the priest replied as he settled into the seat, bringing his hand to his face and scrubbing harshly as he groaned into them. "And only a single injury to show for it."

"Then the students are?" The man prompted, shifting the page he had been perusing into a new stack and drawing another closer to himself.

"Returned to Garreg Mach, or well on their way. Aside from the prince, and some monster of a woman, none of the students even engaged with those idiots we hired."

"The Thunderbrand, hm?" The older man hummed.

"No." The priest's firm denial actually drew the other's eye for the first time. "I'm well acquainted with the Heretic's zealot, and this was not her, though she somehow managed..."

There was a long moment of hesitation before the priest continued.

"The woman is called Raikou by some of the students," he explained. "And from what they claim, shortly before our arrival she entered the forest alone, from which she returned unscathed, and had previously slain multiple demonic beasts on her own. One said she was a berserker, and I can well believe it."

He decided not to mention the claim that some beasts seemed to be fleeing the forest during her absence, if only for how ridiculous the very thought might be considered.

"While I acknowledge those claims might be exaggerated by the whimsy of youths impressed by a talented warrior... the evidence of my own eyes cannot be dismissed so simply."

The priest reached into the pocket and, under the man's watchful eyes, drew forth a sheet of paper, once whole, now cleanly sliced in two and stained to almost illegibility by dried blood, which he handed over.

"Those idiots we set up at Three Points Watchtower are dead, to a one, by this woman's actions. Again, alone. She had... quite forcefully removed the prince to safety, prior to the extermination."

The man unfolded the paper, tracing the line of severance, jagged only because when the sword had passed through it, the contract had been folded and likely held safe on the bearer's person.

"More to the point..." the priest took a deep breath and let it out, knowing this would be hard to believe. "Three Points no longer exists. The woman called lightning from the sky and through some manner of magic or combat art collapsed the building, and reduced much of the surrounding wall to rubble."

The older man stared at him, his expression stony,

"Given this... event," the priest added, lowering his head in an informal bow. "The superiors have decided to de-authorize support for your endeavor at this time."

"Because of your failure to secure the prince, you will resort to base cowardice?" The man rumbled accusingly.

"Because of the threat such a monstrous warrior as this Raikou represents," the priest corrected. "The superiors have decided we will bide our time, Lord Lonato. We remain committed to removing the heretic and by doing so, regaining the Goddess' favor."

The lord sat back in his seat, steepling his fingers as he watched his visitor with shadowed eyes.

A glance to the returned evidence, the mercenaries' contract, bearing his seal as their pay had come, officially if not solely, from his coffers, made clear that this was not intended as a betrayal, no matter its disappointment.

This was an action borne of fear, a threat illustrated with immediate and potent force, if the man's claim held credence, which it certainly must, given a pegasus knight could confirm the state of Three Points in half a day at most.

"Officially," Lord Lonato declared. "There is no direct connection between myself and your faction of the church."

"While I admit, it would make my task far more difficult, I am not unwilling to march alone, should it be necessary."

"Then you will die alone, should you encounter that woman," the priest stated morosely. "No force short of one bearing a Hero's Relic could hope to stand against her."

"It would not be the least enviable of my poor options," the lord mused, rising from his seat and serving himself a drink from the nearby liquor cabinet.

None was offered to his guest, but neither commented on the neglect.

The room lay silent for long minutes, Lord Lonato quietly nursing his glass of dark liquid, gaze moving intermittently between his laden desk and the nearby window, as none would be so callous as to accuse him of staring at the family portrait hung in place of pride between the two from his position.

"Delay," the priest suggested eventually. "Complete the military training you're claiming as a cover, and permit us time to regroup and reconsider our position."

"And why would I do something so foolish as that?" Lonato countered.

"I don't know the details," the priest hedged. "But prior to the initial plan, it was hinted to me by the Bishop that there is another group set against the heretic and her allies."

"You suggest I- we, hold back, in the hopes that your superiors can procure these new conspirators and bolster our forces?" Lonato clarified, pausing to take another draw from his glass. "Perhaps in some vain hope to combine our disparate forces into a single thrust, to better our chances?"

"Would it be so terrible a thought?" The priest asked hopefully, knowing that his faction's own chances could only be bolstered with the rebellious lord's support.

The Lord stared, almost unblinkingly at the painting, no longer offering even a cursory effort to hide the scowl on his face, nor the young man's likeness which continued to draw his gaze.

"A month," Lonato said at last. "I offer you, and your Bishop, a month. All else being equal, I will gather my men and march on this day, of the Blue Sea Moon."

The priest shot to his feet, bowing deeply to the Lord.

"Thank you, I will be sure the Bishop knows, and I'm certain he will be in contact swiftly!"

The young man's excitement, was a bit much, but Lonato could imagine the fears he'd drummed up within himself at delivering the news of their failure personally.

Lonato waved the lad away, not offering much in the way of reassurance or scorn.

He'd held little faith in the initial plan anyway, the idea of some band of third rate, at best, mercenaries would have little chance of defeating even students from the academy, let alone those led by Prince Dimitri.

There had been some small hope, however, if only because if the students of the Blue Lions had been removed to some secure location then those he was fond of could not be found standing in the path of his vengeance.

His eyes drifted to the other young man depicted, not quite so young now, more than half a decade since the painting had been commissioned, but still far from old enough to stand on the field of war.

"Chrisophe. Ashe." He said somberly, eyes dropping to search the depths of his glass. "What I do, I do for you, my sons."

The remains of his drink vanished in a single movement.

A/N – Long one this time, sorry, but the chapter's sizable as well, so fair I suppose.

Me last update: I don't intend to use Chaldea scenes often.

Me this update: So here's two more in one chapter!

Kinda felt I had to address Raikou's Maternal madness and why its focus had been shifted a bit, for my own sake if nothing else, as well as emphasizing the collateral damage that shift would entail.

Equally, the first time a Noble Phantasm was used in the story would inherently be a game changer, so a situation had to be established where it would be seen and that information spread to relevant parties to keep Chaldea from stomping the whole storyline, but after everything he's gone through, Ritsuka's too cautious to play that card himself without a damn good reason.

A wild card like Raikou on the other hand...

One thing worth noting is that most Berserkers are inherently volatile, especially a complicated one like Raikou, and I hope I brought that across properly with how she acted throughout the chapter.

Just in case it wasn't clear in the chapter itself, None of the Heavenly Kings were actually here, Raikou's madness simply believed her copies were them, an extension of the trait which makes her believe she's the one who killed Shuten so dishonorably, rather than her sweet boy Kintoki who never would act so shamefully. (In FGO it's revealed that they all know He did it, but Raikou refuses to acknowledge this. Shuten was apparently entranced by his 'beautiful blue eyes', which left her open to the killing blow, and that's part of why he wears sunglasses to hide them now.)

Urabe no Suetate, and Usui Sadamitsu are the two Heavenly Kings not currently in Fate, nor as far as I can tell ever having been depicted by Type-Moon, so I kinda had to rely on what research I could find (and the tiny image of her NP for the spear's description).

According to Wikipedia, 'At times Sadamitsu is depicted as female' so Fate being Fate, I ran with that as they almost certainly would. Her being a tomboy hurling herself around the battlefield wasn't planned, but I kinda like how it turned out, and I really can't imagine Raikou raising a girly-girl, if only because she never had a chance to understand such things herself.

It did not occur to me until after writing the scene and doing related research later, but Europa asking the question about Grandmotherhood is very appropriate, as Minos was one of her children, making Asterios her grandson... step-grandson. Something like that, might be fun to play with that later, especially given his connection to Euryale. (Less ship than extended family I think, Medusa deserves some kind relatives.)

Fair warning to anyone who knows the subject better than I, but I know bugger all about horse riding, or wagon driving for that matter, but discussed the former with my sister who does, so hopefully I'm not too far off in regards to how hard it is on a newbie.

Honestly, I think I may be downplaying it, given his first experience is essentially a full day ride, rather than something more reasonable, but if so, we can assume some aspect of his mystic code is responsible for that, given it's stated to have a number of secondary functions (Such as self cleaning, apparently).

Bloody hell, writing Lonato at the end there left me thinking he's not that far off of Raikou in a lot of ways, and had any of the Heavenly Kings been killed by one of her Lords, I have no doubt she'd have walked that same road he traveled.

Thanks for reading.