Chapter 9: The Art of Kabuki
Indiana Jones and Archer were left utterly speechless at what had just occurred before their eyes. Saber had received a mortal wound but as he was about to die, he had turned into a pterodactyl, a winged creature that had not been seen since the Cretaceous era. Even when surrounded by warriors from mythology and history, that was utterly mindboggling for the two men, especially the archaeologist.
After that, anything's on the table now, how long would it be until he meets aliens? Ten years? Twenty? Jones wouldn't be surprised if that were to happen in the future as so many things that were impossible to explain had been happening before his eyes in a span of a few days. It was too hard to wrap his mind around it all, so he chose to ignore it for the time being.
"Archer. Let's just get out of here." Jones spoke with a serious expression on his face. First things first, he has to escape this place, then he can think about how everything that's been happening makes a lick of sense.
"Yes. Good idea, Master." Archer replied as he nodded in agreement. And with that, the two men approached the woman who had been unconscious and bleeding from her stomach for the entirety of the fight with Lancer. It hadn't even been five minutes, and she had lost a ton of blood. The chances that Mata Hari would survive to see another day were unlikely.
"Give me a hand, will ya." Jones spoke as he picked up the woman as carefully as possible considering the mortal wound on her stomach. Archer did the same as he helped lift Mata Hari into the air, his Master then propped her up and put the woman on his shoulders so that they stopped any more blood from escaping her body.
'Step… step… step…' Jones moved forward slowly as the woman he was carrying was in a very delicate position right now. Archer moved forward as well while keeping on the lookout for any enemies. Both men dreaded the chance of Saber returning because if he did then the chances of their survival diminished greatly.
Saber had proved himself to be a force to be reckoned with. Jones had no clue how anyone could defeat someone so dangerous. The archaeologist couldn't even tell the swordsman's Master to not intervene since Lao Che had escaped in the midst of all the chaos in the battle with Lancer. This made the dire situation even worse because if a fight were to break out between Saber, then he would have no choice but to fight Saber with Archer's assistance.
This would mean abandoning Mata Hari as a fight between Servants would allow no time to carefully put her down. Hell, even if Saber didn't show up, the chances of Nazis trying to kill them on sight were quite high. Even in spite of that, Jones refused to abandon the woman on his shoulder.
After all, Mata Hari gave him the opportunity to escape from this place. Even more, than that, they shared a history with each other, and the archaeologist refused to allow people he had gotten close with to perish when there was a chance, even a small one, that they could live to see another day.
"There is it, Master! The exit!" Archer pointed out due to his level of vision far surpassing that of his Master. Jones could barely see the exit that his Servant was talking about but put his faith in him and moved forward. It would only be two or three minutes until they were in the clear. But then…
"Major Yggdmillennia! We found the intruders and the prisoner!" A voice from behind Jones and Archer yelled out as both knew they had been caught. No! They were so close! The exit is literally in sight!
"Tch." 'Fate is one hell of a cruel mistress.' Jones thought internally after clicking his tongue. These past few days had resulted in so many things being thrown his way that knocked him down onto the ground. He had thought after all of the crap he had been having to put up with that finally he was about to be thrown a hard bone for moving past it all. But I guess Fate had a different idea in mind, that was what the archaeologist surmised.
'Your orders, Master?' Archer spoke wordlessly as he communicated through his eyes. Even without speaking a single word, Jones knew what his Servant was trying to tell him. It was clear that they were not going to escape this place until they both fought in one last fight.
'I-I'm so sorry Mata.' Jones thought internally as he was about to let go of the woman on his shoulder. The same woman who had gotten close to rescuing him. And the same woman that he had felt deep affection for even if he was never going to admit it out of embarrassment. He had no choice but to let her fall six feet under in order to save the daughter of his late friend. That was the only choice that Jones thought he had. Except, that was wrong.
"Major? Do we have permission to shoot?" The same Nazi from earlier asked but not even a moment later, his Major replied.
"No. Allow me to exchange a few words with these men." Darnic replied as he moved past the squad of Nazis that were by his side. This surprised not only his men but Jones and Archer as well. The German Major could have easily given the ok and perhaps if his underlings were quick enough then they would be able to land a fatal wound on the archaeologist. It was a gamble, especially with a Heroic Spirit on the side of the opposition but it was certainly possible…
… So, what was Darnic about to do? What was his endgame in allowing himself to get close to his enemies? Jones could only think in silence as the enemy approached him until reaching him. And then…
"Here. Take this." Darnic whispered as he extended his arm outward. In his hand was a small bottle that contained a clear fluid. Jones noticed this and was justifiably confused.
"What the hell is that?" Jones asked as he resisted the temptation to deck the man in the face for being responsible for his late friend's demise. Darnic knew this and expected such a response with a smile on his face.
"This is a bottle of water that had been scooped up by my Servant's hands. I'm sure that someone as well versed in history as you certainly are would know how valuable water that had touched the hands of Fionn mac Cumhaill can be." Darnic replied as Jones's eyes shot wide open in surprise. Archer was surprised by this as well and froze in place.
The archaeologist recalled a legend that water that had been in Fionn's hands had the power to heal any injury no matter how fatal. As long as the person who had been injured was still alive when they received the water that had been possessed by the Irish warrior then their wounds would all be healed in an instant.
"… What's the catch?" Jones spoke as he had surmised there must be a reason that his enemy would be doing this. The archaeologist knew that Darnic was a dangerous man and someone skilled in strategizing and well-versed in the art of war as a result of their 'conversation' from a few hours ago. Darnic picked up on this while maintaining his smile.
"Dr. Jones, have you seen Kabuki before?" Darnic asked a question that was out of left field. In response, Jones gave an annoyed stare as he didn't even know what the term 'Kabuki' meant. He knew Japanese culture but not to the extent of the arts that this country's people practiced. This was crystal clear for the German Major.
"I recommend seeing one during your stay here. Kabuki is a type of theatre play that the Japanese perform. Think of Broadway, Kabuki are similar to the plays found in your country. I had the privilege of attending one myself and suffice to say it was quite excellent. I was blown away by the dedication of each and every actor on stage." Darnic explained with enthusiasm as he was clearly passionate regarding Kabuki. Jones had no clue where this was going and wanted the German Major to get to the point.
"You see, in Kabuki, every actor is important and must fulfill their roles perfectly so that they don't lose the attention of the audience. One little mistake can make the whole thing fall apart for everyone involved. And if an actor were to just up and leave while the play was still in progress then everything, they had worked to build up to would have been all for nothing." Darnic continued.
"I believe that this Holy Grail War is just like Kabuki! Each person on the stage MUST fulfill their performance to the bitter end! And only then, after they had exhausted everything from their bodies and souls, can they step off the stage! My belief is that the woman on your shoulder has not yet finished her role on the stage! She has yet to reach the crescendo in her magnificent performance!" Darnic yelled out as if he and Jones were on the stage reserved for actors participating in the art of Kabuki.
"You're insane." Jones replied with a serious look on his face as he couldn't even fathom Darnic's delusions in the slightest. This is war and this sick bastard is comparing it to a play?! Had he truly believed that all of the sufferings that Mata, Takina, and even his own Servant must have endured in his final moments were all for an audience that couldn't be seen?!
"I disagree. I can see far past into events that you wouldn't even be able to dream of occurring before your eyes. Everyone on this planet has memories that shaped who they are and dreams that they want to achieve before kicking the bucket. My memories have made me who I am today just as they had for you. And my dreams are why I will use everything in my power to achieve the future that I desire even if it means benefiting my enemy." Darnic explained as his smile did not falter in the slightest even after hearing Jones's intentional insult.
"Don't you see now why I'm doing this? It is because as your people would say 'the show must go on!' And I will not allow this show to conclude until it has reached its ultimate conclusion by draining every ounce of potential that each actor has on the stage! Masters and Servants, each and every one of us have dreams we want to see accomplished before our eyes before the curtains fall! That's why…" Darnic continued but paused for a few seconds until-
"… The dreams of men, women, and children will never end! Not until they have either accomplished what they sought out to do after realizing their aspirations or all of their memories fade away as they succumb to their untimely demise! That is what I, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia believe from the bottom of my heart!" Darnic finished as cherry blossoms showered onto him as the audience behind him roared with an overwhelming amount of applause for his dedication to his craft! Or at least that's what he believed in spite of reality painting a different picture.
Jones could tell how serious Darnic was by his words alone. He knew that this man would not tell a lie as he was utterly honest about his true intentions to a fault. That's why he knew that the German Major could only be telling the truth about the magical properties contained in the bottle of water in his hands. However, while he was ninety-nine percent sure of this, the archaeologist needed that extra one percent before taking the bottle off his hands.
"… Then prove it. Prove it by putting some of the water on your mouth." Jones spoke with a serious expression as he noticed that Darnic's mouth was still bleeding. This was especially surprising when he hadn't even punched the German Major that hard. But even after a few hours, blood still dripped out of his mouth. Darnic noticed this confusion.
"Oh, this. I have suffered from hemophilia ever since I was a child. My parents tried desperately to have me healed. They even resorted to requesting the help of some peasant holy man, but all of their efforts were futile. It doesn't really bother me all that much anymore since I've grown accustomed to it. But if you insist." Darnic replied as he opened the bottle of water and put his finger into it. Without even batting an eye, he wiped his mouth with the finger that had been wet. And then to everyone's surprise, excluding Darnic and Jones, his wound miraculously healed before their eyes!
"There. Will this much suffice?" Darnic asked with a smile on his face as he extended the bottle of water once more. Jones didn't waste any time at all by grabbing the bottle out of his hands.
"Yeah. I'll make sure of it. Don't expect me to thank you." Jones replied as he began walking once more as his Servant followed in suit while leaving Darnic and his squad of Nazis in the dust.
"Of course. After all, this play has not reached its conclusion. It's not yet time for the hero and the villain to face off. Only then, when one falls off the stage, can this tale finally reach its natural conclusion. Such is the art of Kabuki." Darnic muttered to himself as he turned around and had his back faced in the direction of Jones's back as the actors withdrew from the battlefield until it was time for them to fight each other, which would undoubtedly be a feast for the audience of spectators below them. But before the leading actors could vanish from their eyes-
'WHOOOOSH!' Faster than the eye could blink, Archer had run up to Darnic as he intended to take the life of his Master's enemy! The Nazis couldn't even say a word as their Major was left helpless as his death was all but guaranteed. But what happened next would truly be surprising for everyone on or below the stage.
'BAM!' Archer unleashed a strike against Darnic that should have surely taken the life of the latter, but before he could pierce him with his staff, the German Major had stepped out of the way.
"W-What?!" Archer blurted out with a dumbfounded look on his face as his Master's enemy had just effortlessly dodged his attack! Not only that, but the German Major had dodged with his back facing his foe! No human would have been able to dodge that! It was as if he had known it would occur before Archer even thought of attacking him!
"… Don't you dare think that a supporting actor can end the performance of one of the leads. Next time, you even consider of doing such a thing, then it will be you who falls off the stage, King of Israel." Darnic spoke while maintaining the smile on his face as his eyes glared daggers at the Servant before him who had just attempted to assassinate him. The German Major and the Nazis left Archer's line of sight as the latter stood frozen in place like a block of ice at what had just happened before his eyes.
"… Come on, Archer. Let's get out of here already." Jones spoke as he resumed moving forward. Even though he had not seen the action that his Servant had tried to take against the enemy Master. The result was as clear as day. The archaeologist couldn't wrap his head around it as well as everything else that's been happening before his eyes. But all of that can be dealt with at a later time. It was time to leave this place before anything else that boggles the mind can have a chance to occur.
'Creak.' The double doors of the exit creaked open as Jones and Archer exited the building. And with that, the jailbreak and resulting battle had truly come to a close for the men involved. The archaeologist wasted no time and put Mata Hari's delicate body onto the ground before opening the bottle in his hands.
'Drip. Drip. Drip.' The water contained within the bottle dripped out as the wound on Mata Hari's chest began to miraculously heal before his eyes. It reminded the archaeologist of the Holy Grail that he had found less than a year ago that had healed a fatal wound on his father's body. But even though he had seen something eerily similar to this before, it didn't stop his eyes from shooting wide open out of surprise. But just as the bottle was half empty, Mata Hari placed a hand onto her Indy's arm.
"That's enough. That much will do for me. You need to save the rest." Mata Hari spoke as she prevented any more of the miraculous water from healing her. It had healed the front of her body, but her back probably still had a wound on it due to Lancer putting his arm through her. That's what Jones surmised.
"Like hell, I will! I'm not going to let you die!" Jones yelled out with a pissed-off expression on his face.
"Don't worry. I won't die. That's why you need to save the rest for Rider." Mata Hari replied as Jones's eyes shot wide open in surprise.
"What?! Rider's still alive?!" Jones blurted out with a dumbfounded look on his face. As far as he knew, the red-headed child had perished after receiving that ghastly wound from Lancer. This changes things! Not only does this mean that he had survived the battle on the moonlit night, but Takina had survived as well! After all, if she had died then Rider would have disappeared as well!
"Master! Indy!" Archer and Mata Hari yelled out respectively as Indy collapsed onto the ground. Both Servants expressed their concerns, but the archaeologist lifted a hand into the air to signal that he was alright.
"Haah… haah… haah… thank god." Jones breathed in and out before muttering out of relief. It was as if a huge weight that was placed on his shoulders had been lifted upon hearing the good news. The archaeologist had worried that Takina might have suffered some irreversible damage due to Lancer's lack of concern for others, even children, this was the case in point when he had appeared to kill Rider. But upon realizing the fact that his late friend's daughter was alright, something that Darnic had said before resonated in his mind-
'… I will ensure that Takina Tohsaka dies a cruel and merciless death. Not because I have anything against her or to get my sick kicks but because I want to see the look on your face when you realized you could have had it all but sacrificed everything all for one measly little child…' Darnic had said while they were alone in that room together. Jones knew that Darnic was not one to lie, even going out of his way to benefit his enemies. This meant that he would make sure that his words became reality no matter what.
'Like hell, I'll ever let that happen!' Jones thought internally as he stood up from the ground. It was then that the archaeologist had realized that the man named Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia was going to be his ultimate enemy in this war. Just as the German Major went on about his thoughts regarding dreams and memories, Jones had something he wanted to see accomplished and would not stop until the bitter end…
… This meant that the men named Indiana Jones and Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia were in direct opposition with each other and would not stop fighting until one of them fell six feet underground. But no matter what happens next, the archaeologist had already made a vow from the bottom of his heart, to wipe the smile off of Darnic's face once and for all and give him the agonizing death that he most certainly deserves for toying with the lives of others…
… Such a man who views war as Kabuki does not deserve to breathe around others, much less be among the living, that was what Jones had declared from the bottom of his heart. And what he will see out to accomplish before the Third Holy Grail War comes to an end.
"Hey, Mata. Can you stand?" Jones asked as he faced the woman in question, the latter had a smile on her face before leaping into the air and landing on feet.
"Does this answer your question?" Mata asked with a smug smile on her face, but Jones had already turned away from her and began walking in the opposite direction.
"Great. Now let's get out of here already." Jones replied as he had already walked several meters away from both his Servant and the woman.
"Why you?! At least say 'I'm so glad you're alright.' Before leaving, you jerk! Bleah!" Mata Hari yelled out as she briefly did an interpretation of how her Indy sounds like to her, before sticking out her tongue in dissatisfaction like a child who couldn't play a video game for five more minutes. She then ran up to Jones, but it was then that Archer noticed that the wound on her back had not been completely healed. Not wanting to worry his Master, he kept that to himself before joining up with him as all three of them began their adventure back to Kotomine church.
Meanwhile in the building that was the site of the battle that had taken place only minutes prior…
Just as Darnic and his men were withdrawing back to their quarters, someone had emerged from the shadows. It was a man in an all-black outfit with a plague doctor's mask covering his face. However, he was not alone, the demon had been accompanied by a man with short blonde hair and glasses who wore a doctor's outfit.
"Ah. Lieutenant Takano and Caster. Good evening to you both." Darnic spoke with a smile on his face as he greeted the two men who were revealed to be the final Master and Servant pair of this Grail War that had yet to be seen until now. The man wearing a plague doctor's mask was not amused by this while his Master was genuinely stunned.
"W-What in blazes happened here?!" Takano yelled out as he could not stop himself from ignoring the devastation that had been caused to the hallway. Many of the walls were destroyed and corpses scattered all over the floor! It was like something straight out of a horror novel by Mary Shelley!
"No need to fret as you can see the people that were fighting have all long since withdrawn from here. Meaning that you can both resume with your 'project.'" Darnic replied as he maintained his cool even around the good doctor who was obviously worried and had no clue what just happened while he and his Servant were conducting their little 'project.'
"Not yet. We need more test subjects. The last one you gave us has already perished." Caster spoke with a serious expression on his face that was partially hidden by his plague doctor's mask. But his Servant's poor choice of words had upset Takano.
"Don't say that Caster! That man was a human!" Takano snapped back as he didn't like how his Servant referred to humans as 'test subjects.' It utterly infuriated him. But Caster didn't bat an eye as taking the lives of humans was trivial for him. This was because his True Name was none other than Asclepius one of the Greek Gods, specifically of medicine.
"So, what if he was? That man was on death's door anyway. No matter what I did there was nothing that could be done to save him. Hence, the reason why his status lowered to a 'test subject.' By dying for us, he has guaranteed a future for people who have contracted that disease, don't you agree, Master?" Caster asked in a monotone voice as it was clear his pity for the man who died was zero.
"… Yes." Takano replied in affirmation in spite of that. He was already well aware of his Servant's lack of empathy for human beings. However, it was beneficial to use him so that a cure for a specific disease that is found exclusively in a rural village not far from Tokyo could be found. The name of the disease in question was Hinamizawa Syndrome.
Hinamizawa Syndrome affects anyone who comes into contact with it by giving them an intense level of anxiety and paranoia. This allows those people who were subjected to it to commit strange and violent acts for no reason in particular. This has concerned Takano ever since he joined Japan's military and noticed several soldiers who were from Hinamizawa. No matter how much he attempted to calm them down…
… All those people from Hinamizawa had felt nothing but paranoia around anyone which always resulted in them using their own fingernails to claw their throats open. Witnessing such a ghastly demise had engrained itself deep into Takano's mind and he wouldn't stop until he found a cure. Not just to achieve fame and become famous but to make up for all the lives he could have saved but were lost due to his lack of experience.
While working for the Japanese military, he was ordered to keep watch on Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia due to the latter's connections with Nazi Germany. At this point, the Japanese had yet to join up with Germany and Italy to create the Axis Powers and were thus weary that Germans were in their country. Takano had come from a Mage's family, which is why the Japanese arranged for him to become a Master in the Third Holy Grail War, to spy on Darnic and make sure that he doesn't do anything nefarious on Japanese soil.
By agreeing to the military's proposition, the man named Hifumi Takano entered the Holy Grail war as the Master of Caster. But his intentions differed from the Japanese military since all the good doctor wanted, who was given the rank of lieutenant just for show given his lack of any combat experience to speak of, was to create a cure for anyone infected with Hinamizawa Syndrome. By accomplishing this he would in a sense be cleansing himself of his past failures to save people infected with the disease prior to becoming a Master.
This was exactly why he made a contract with Asclepius specifically, as he was the Greek God of Medicine, one who specialized in creating cures for diseases that were thought to be incurable. And it was for that reason, that Takano chose to act like a loyal dog to his own Servant but even he couldn't stop an occasional outburst from happening from time to time such as just moments ago.
"Understood. I'll arrange for some more cancer patients to be sent to your workshop. Will say… ten suffice?" Darnic asked as Caster nodded in affirmation.
"For now. I'll let you know when I need more. Come on, Master. We have work to do." Caster spoke as he was already walking away from both Darnic and Takano. His Master had no choice but to follow in suit as he clenched his fists. Takano had thought Asclepius would be able to find a cure for Hinamizawa Syndrome by now. But it's already been a few days and they had already failed to create a cure even after the deaths of thirty 'test subjects.' Takano had no idea how much more of this madness he could take before he would snap.
As Caster and his Master vanished from the stage, Darnic turned around and headed in the opposite direction from whence he came. This confused his underlings as one of them was about to voice their concerns.
"Major? Is there a reason why you are going in the opposite direction of your room?" The soldier asked but in response Darnic flashed a smile as he extended his right hand into the air, revealing to the audience below that Command Spells were still present on it. Which can only mean one thing.
"It's almost time to retrieve him." Darnic muttered as he headed for the exit of the building with the clear intention of rescuing his Servant who had appeared to have fallen in battle. Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the Lancer-Class Servant who appeared to have met his end at the hands of Saber was among the living. But what had exactly happened to him after being submerged into the ocean remained unclear for the time being.
Meanwhile at Kotomine Church…
'Knock. Knock.' Someone knocked on the front door of the church. A few moments later, the door was opened as a girl with short black hair who wore a red kimono came into view. It was none other than Takina Tohsaka and to her utmost surprise was the arrival of Archer, some woman she's never laid eyes on before, and most unexpectedly, Indiana Jones.
"Hey. It's been a while, Takina." Jones spoke with a smile on his face as the girl in red stared at him with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Though this only lasted so long as she then looked at the ground while her cheeks flushed red.
"… I… um… so…" Takina muttered as she struggled to get the words out of her throat as she twiddled her thumbs. But no matter how much she tried to say them, the words 'I'm Sorry.' Couldn't come out of her mouth. Silence persisted for a few seconds until-
'Step! Step! Step! Step! Step! Step' Takina ran away like a scared rabbit. This response confused all three of the adults present but soon turned into anger in one of them, specifically, the only woman in the group.
"Indy, what did you do to her to make her that upset?!" Mata yelled out with a pissed-off expression on her face.
"I didn't do anything!" Jones snapped back with a scowl of his own, but this surprised Mata Hari, she knew instinctively that her Indy wouldn't lie, so that could only mean he was telling the truth.
"Huh? Well, if you didn't do anything then what's the problem?" Mata Hari asked with a confused expression on her face.
"That is the problem." Jones replied as he wasted no time walking into the church. The archaeologist then used his eyes to survey the wide area before him but there was no trace of the girl in red in sight.
'Damn. Just where did she go?' Jones thought internally as he clicked his tongue and moved forward as he passed several pews. This went on for a few seconds until he caught a glimpse of a red-headed boy in the corner of his eye. He didn't even need a second glance as there was only one person who fit that description. Without a shadow of a doubt, it was Rider.
"Ah!" Jones gasped upon noticing the hole in the boy's chest. He could literally look through the hole and see the part of the pew that Rider was resting on. If Alex were a human, then he would surely be dead. No. He would have died on the moonlit night. It is only because he's a Servant that he's still among the living.
Indy didn't waste a single second as he kneeled down toward Rider while opening the bottle of water. The archaeologist then poured the liquid onto the hole in the young boy's chest. Not a moment later, he noticed the wound beginning to regenerate before his eyes. What was once a hole the size of a baseball had been erased as if it were never there, to begin with. That is the miraculous power of water that had been scooped by the hands of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Jones would never thank that spear-wielding bastard after what he had done to the people he cared about, nor would he ever forgive his Master for his twisted views on the Holy Grail War. However, at this moment, he was thankful that things were finally starting to become hopeful again. Now with his allies healed, there really might be a chance to win this thing without any casualties on their side! At least that's what the archaeologist hoped would occur…
… But then again, the Grail War was only reaching a turning point with the apparent fall of Lancer and the revival of the archaeologist's allies. There was no telling what would happen next as this war was far from over.
"AH!" Rider gasped loudly as he regained consciousness. He then looked at his chest where he thought there would be a wound from his battle with Lancer, but there was no injury to speak of. A smile formed onto the red-headed child's face. And then…
"YIPPEE! I'M STILL ALIVE!" Rider shouted at the top of his lungs as he jumped for joy! Even Jones, who took things very seriously, couldn't help himself by smiling and chuckling a bit over the boy's unlimited amount of enthusiasm for being among the living once more.
"Hey, Indy! Where's Takina?" Rider spoke while maintaining his smile as he remembered his Master. The archaeologist's smile vanished as he recalled the girl in red running away from him and going who knows where.
"Not sure. The brat's playing hide-and-seek with me. And since she's hiding, guess that means I'm it." Jones replied as he stood up and stretched his muscles. It might not have been the complete truth but it wasn't exactly a lie either. Things between him and Takina were still strained due to the events of the other day. No. They've been strained ever since he and Tatsuo began going on adventures together.
'… And now… I'll never see him again… and it's all your fault! If he had never met you then I would have had been able to have some semblance of a childhood! If he had never met you, I'm sure that he would still be alive! He abandoned me because of you! That's why it's your fault he's gone!' That's right. He had unintentionally stolen the girl's childhood. Perhaps she's right. If he had never met Tatsuo over a decade ago then he might still be alive.
"Hey… I don't think Takina hates you. She's just really bad at expressing her feelings. After all, she hasn't had anyone to open up to you know?" Rider spoke as he noticed the look of regret on Jones's face. That made the archaeologist recall the last words she left with him before vanishing into the night-
'… I've been alone since the day I was born.' If Rider's words were to be believed, then that could only mean Takina was telling the truth when she said that. He couldn't even begin to understand how alone Takina must have felt. Even when his mother passed away, he had friends at school to comfort him when his father didn't. But this girl doesn't even have a single friend to speak to about what she is dealing with.
"Yeah… that makes sense." Jones replied as he started to feel worse over how he treated her like some 'brat.' He wanted to make things right between him and Takina. But how? Where should he even start? His relationship with his father was rocky for decades until they had finally been able to talk and enjoy each other's company last year. Would it take that long to fix things between him and her? If she did have something in common with him…
… It was that both Indiana Jones and Takina Tohsaka were very stubborn people. Both were stubborn as mules and did not change their opinions on things easily. She'll probably never forgive him for her father's demise. That's what the archaeologist had surmised as he blamed his own father for his mother's death when he was a child.
"To tell you the truth, I had intended to kill you that night. You were an enemy Master after all. There was a chance that you would have betrayed her given what happened here. I couldn't allow that to happen. So, I asked her to give me the order. She hesitated and did not know what to do. And then… she…" Rider spoke with a serious expression as he admitted his true feelings on the matter but paused for a second as he recalled his Master's words-
'… No… I don't want that.'
"… Refused. Even I was surprised that she said that. But she was even more surprised! I don't think she had a single clue why she said something like that. But then she saw you about to be killed by that blonde girl and… well, you know the rest." Rider continued as Jones could put the rest of the pieces together.
Takina had probably jumped out from some bushes and then she saved him. That's right. She could have let him die, and it would have benefited her in the end since there would be one less Master and Servant in the War. But in the end, she chose to save Jones. The archaeologist was now more confused than ever. Just why had Takina saved him? After all this time, he didn't have a single clue. Rider noticed the man's confused expression.
"Like I said, I don't think she hates you. I'm not completely sure of what she thinks of you. But it's not hatred. I'm sure of that. Call it a man's intuition! Hahaha!" Rider laughed in delight as his smile returned to his face. But the words of the red-headed child had not made Jones less dumbfounded than he already was.
'Well, if it's not hatred then… what? Does she intend to use me for her personal gain?' Jones thought internally as that answer had seemed likely to him. If she had watched the entire battle on the moonlit night, then she would have most certainly observed his fight with those twins. This meant that she also noticed his strength when it came to using Reinforcement Magecraft. Perhaps, that's why she saved him, so he could be a shield for her from the enemies' attacks. Or at least that's what the archaeologist had surmised.
"You know after all the crap she put me through then she could at least say 'I'm sorry.'" Jones blurted out his true feelings. To be fair, this was the truth, had he not gone looking for the girl in red then the battle under moonlit night and his resulting imprisonment as well as the jailbreak would have never happened. He would have been able to relax his body a bit and who knows? Maybe some of the competition would have taken each other out. That way it would have saved him some work in the long run. But no. She just had to run off like that. Truthfully, he wouldn't really care nearly as much if she just properly apologized by saying-
"… I'm sorry." The voice of someone familiar went through Jones's ears as the latter turned his head to look at the person who had apologized to him. To his utmost surprise, it was none other than Takina who made the apology while hiding her face with his own fedora. He was utterly speechless and so was the girl in red. This lasted for a few seconds until-
"… Thanks." Jones replied with a smile as he extended his hand forward to grab his hat. But Takina wouldn't remove the fedora from her face. This confused Jones.
"Huh? What are you doing? Let go." Jones spoke as he tried grabbing his favorite hat. However, Takina was gripping it hard and refused to let go. Both of them struggled as they wouldn't let go of it until-
"Just… give it to me already!" Jones yelled out as he used his strength to successfully grab his hat back from Takina. The archaeologist then closed his eyes as he rested his fedora back where it belonged, right on his head. But upon reopening his eyes, he noticed that the girl in front of him had tears in her eyes.
"Cra- Jones spoke but couldn't finish as he was cut off by the young boy behind him with a swift-
'BOP!' Rider bopped Jones on his head with his fist. It didn't hurt all that much as Rider was most certainly trying to hold back his strength so that Jones didn't die before his Master's eyes. But the archaeologist knew instinctively that the red-headed child was mad without even having to see his face or hear his words.
"Why you?! Look at what you did! You made her cry! Takina was right! You're nothing more than a brute!" Rider yelled out with what was surely a pissed-off expression on his face. But this surprised Takina.
"I-I-I never said that! Don't you dare lie about things I never said! You hear me, Rider?!" Takina shouted as a pissed-off expression of her own formed onto her face.
"Yeah! I hear you just fine, Takina! But hey, it's something that you would say. I'm at least right about that." Rider replied with a smug smile on his face.
"T-That's beside the point! And stop calling me Takina! Call me Master, Damn it!" Takina snapped back as she clenched her fists and was considering firing some shots of Gandr at that annoying little pipsqueak to give him a piece of her mind! But before she could-
"Hey, Takina." Jones spoke. This got Takina's attention.
"Yeah?! What is it?!" Takina snapped back. But then…
"I'm sorry." Jones replied with a gentle smile on his face. Takina's anger soon vanished without a trace upon hearing his words and seeing his smile. She couldn't help but avert her eyes and focus onto the wooden floor below her. It was at that moment; that both the man and the girl had taken the first step to fixing things between them.
"… Me too. I said a lot of things I shouldn't have… but… I want to… ah jeez!" Takina spoke as she tried to get the words out of her throat but no matter how much she tried; her vocal cords worked against her. No. That was wrong. Takina knew what she wanted to say but didn't know if she should say it. Because if she did then-
'A mage must NEVER ask for another's help! By doing so you would be shaming your ancestors' efforts to obtain the Root! Such a thing would only bring your father great shame!' The words of someone she did not want to remember resonated in her mind, which only made getting those words out even harder. Jones had no clue what she was thinking but he noticed the look of anxiety on Takina's face.
"It's ok. For now… let's just go home. We can talk more tomorrow. After all, it's late and I'm exhausted!" Jones admitted with a yawn as he stretched his muscles and began moving forward. It was then that she noticed the archaeologist's back. He was… so much taller than her, and his arms were bigger, and his legs were thicker too. What was in front of her was an adult. Could she really keep up with someone like that, when she's… so small? Takina couldn't find an answer to that question and chose to follow in suit in spite of that. Rider accompanied her. But then…
"Awwww! S-She's so cute!" Mata Hari who had been witnessing the events along with Archer leaped out and scooped Takina into her arms without even asking the latter if she could.
"L-L-Let go of me! Y-Y-You're way too close!" Takina squealed out as her face flushed bright red as the woman in front of her had effortlessly picked her up as if she were as light as a stuffed animal.
"E-Even her voice is cute! She's absolutely adorable! I'm going to take her home with me! OMOCHIKAERII~!" Mata Hari yelled out with hearts in her eyes as she hugged the girl in red against the latter's will.
"No, you can't. Plus, isn't this your home?" Jones asked with a serious look on his face as he lightly tapped the woman on her shoulder. This brought Mata Hari back to reality.
"I guess you're right. Well, on the bright side, you can come here anytime you want! We can talk about cute boys and do our hair! It will be like a girl's night out! How does that sound?" Mata Hari spoke with a smile on her face as she closed her eyes.
"I-I never want to come back here again!" Takina shouted that with what was surely a look of fear on her face. But that was obscured as she hid herself behind Jones.
'SHOCK!' Mata Hari's jaw dropped out of pure shock at what had just happened. Had she just been rejected by Takina?! The thought of it had almost driven her to tears but before she could say another word-
'Step! Step! Step! Step! Step! Step! Step!' Takina had already bolted away out of fear of being kidnapped by the strange woman that she had never seen before in her life! At the end of the day, Takina Tohsaka was a child, a child who was scared of strangers!
"Damn it! I told you that I was exhausted, you brat!" Jones yelled out as he ran in pursuit of the girl in red.
"Wait for me! Takina!" Rider shouted as he ran after his Master and vanished from the scene faster than Mata Hari could blink. However, this left one person unaccounted for, her Indy's Servant. Just where could he be-
"Eh?" Mata Hari blurted out upon noticing Archer who was bending down on his knee and holding out a ring.
"Beautiful woman! Will you marry me?" Archer asked with a confident look on his face as he already knew what answer he'd receive. It would certainly be a 'ye-
"Um… no thanks. But thanks for the offer… I guess." Mata Hari replied with a nervous smile on her face.
"GAH!" Archer yelled out as he collapsed to the ground.
"I-IS HE DEAD?!" Mata Hari shouted at the top of her lungs as she kneeled down toward the green-haired man. But then…
"Need… CPR… from the lips of a beautiful gal…" Archer muttered out as Mata Hari blinked her eyes in surprise.
"Oh, you're fine! That's… just… peachy!" Mata Hari admitted with a smile on her face as a vein bulged from her forehead. And then…
'BAM!' She kicked Archer so hard that the latter vanished into the darkness of the night sky. This brought relief back to the woman in yellow.
"Phew! Well, that's taken care of!" Mata Hari spoke to no one in particular as she clapped her hands together with a smile on her face. She then walked back into the church and noticed her Master, who was none other than Risei Kotomine.
"You know, you could have helped, right?" Mata spoke with an annoyed look on her face. The man in priest's clothing gave her a hearty laugh.
"… No. I cannot interfere. After all, I'm just the Overseer of this war. Watching over the Masters is all that I can do. That is the only role I've been given. But you can join them if you want. I won't stop you from doing so." Risei replied with a smile on his face as he flexed his muscles, but the woman in yellow made her way deeper into the church.
"Nah. I mean I'd love to. But… first things first… both he and that adorable girl have to get along with each other. Then, yeah sure. I'll join them. After all, I'll be able to spend more time with my Indy and little Takina too! Hahaha!" Mata giggled in delight as she imagined herself being around the man of her dreams and the cutest child she'd ever seen while skipping past Risei like a schoolgirl.
"Fair enough." Risei muttered to himself as he followed in suit.
Meanwhile back at the docks…
"Aaaaaaah!" Something groaned in agony as it clenched the wooden planks of the pier. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a man. However, it had been utterly burned to a crisp to the point that it didn't resemble any human to speak of. It was then that a familiar man in a Nazi uniform approached the burned man with a smile on his face.
"There he is. He's still alive." Darnic muttered to himself with a wide smile on his face. Several other Nazis ran forward to meet up with them.
"Get him out of there immediately." Darnic ordered.
"Yes, Major! Right away!" One of the Nazis spoke as he went to retrieve a stretcher while the other Nazis present helped Lancer get out of the water. The Nazis were utterly horrified by how severely injured the spearman had become but Darnic didn't even bat an eye.
"Don't worry, we're going to fix you up, good as new." Darnic spoke as his Servant was rushed away by his lackeys and put onto a stretcher. He then left the docks and vanished into the night.
To Be Continued…