Guda Guda: Honnoji Chapter 3

Three Line Formation

The sun started to rise as Nobunaga rose up and let out a loud yawn. The black haired woman looked at the others and saw them still asleep. She then grinned as a mischievous idea popped into her head.

"Guys get up!" She shouted. "We're surrounded by enemy Servants!"

The rest of the group immediately got up and roused from their slumber. Their eyes widened as they looked around for the enemy Servants, only to find none. The sound of Nobunaga's laughter caused them to turn to her with unamused expressions.

"I have half a mind to smack you around for this!" Sakura Saber shouted.

"Oh lighten up." Nobunaga said. "I was just having a little fun."

"Well it wasn't funny." Tatsuko said. "Have you ever heard of the boy who cried wolf? Well this is how it starts."

"She's right." Ritsuka said. "Nobunaga, I'm going to have to ask you not to do that again."

"Why not?" Nobunaga asked.

"I believe I can answer that, Ms. Oda." Mashu said. "It is good to be vigilant, but if someone lied and said there was something that was not truly there, then it could become a problem later when there really is something, and the person cannot get anyone to believe them."

"Okay okay, you guys made your point." Nobunaga groaned.

"Glad to hear it." Ritsuka said. "Now, how about we get moving? We need to see if we can find Medusa."

Everyone nodded and made their journey northwards. Along the way, the group decided to talk more to Nobunaga about herself, and her history in the eyes of modern day humans.

"So I have a direct descendant that's a figure skater?" Nobunaga asked.

"Yep!" Tatsuko answered. "Well former, but he only retired last year. But he was still a really talented skater."

Nobunaga laughed. "Well it's good to know that my descendant made a name for himself and kicks ass!"

"Glad to hear you supporting him." Ritsuka said. "But I actually was hoping you could tell us more about your retainers."

"You mean Hideyoshi?" Nobunaga asked.

Ritsuka winced. "I don't want to sound rude, but I already know alot about him, especially his…"

"His womanizing." Nobunaga said. "Yeah, he was always a bit of a lech. To be perfectly honest, I was always disappointed in him regarding that. He had such a good wife, and he just wasn't satisfied with her."

Mashu's face lowered in sadness. "Marriage is supposed to be a union between two people who love each other…..to learn this makes me…..sad."

"Marriage was much more different back then." Nobunaga replied. "Love wasn't really in the picture when it came to marriage."

"If that is the case, then I am glad I was not born during those times." Mashu replied. "It is too cold and harsh for me to accept."

Nobunaga laughed. "Well, you're right on how cold it was, but enough about that, how about we move on to another retainer. Which one would you guys like to hear about?"

"How about Akechi Mitsuhide?" Tatsuko asked.

"You mean Micchi?" Nobunaga asked. "Well I always found him to be quite the competent retainer. Though he didn't seem to get along with any of the others."

"Interesting." Ritsuka muttered. "Now you don't need to answer this, considering the nature of my question….but how do you feel about him betraying you?"

Nobunaga thought for a minute before looking back at the male Master. "Honestly? I don't really hate him for betraying me. Sure I was shocked, but that's more or less because he actually took initiative for a change."

"That's awfully generous of you." Sakura Saber said.

"Well I did a lot of terrible things when I was alive." Nobunaga answered nonchalantly. "I merely chalk it up to karma finally catching up to me."

"But do you have an idea on why he betrayed you?" Ritsuka asked.

Nobunaga shrugged. "No clue."

The others sighed at the response. It would seem the only way to know why he betrayed her was something only Mitsuhide would know….

"Okay that's enough about me. I'd like to know more about you guys." Nobunaga said as she pointed at Tatsuko and Mashu. "I already learned more than I needed to know about Ritsuka, so he's out."

"Okay, who do you want to start with?" Tatsuko asked.

"How about you?"

Tatsuko shrugged. "Well I was a pretty good student at school and got some of the highest marks in all my classes."

"Sounds like they really must have had it out for you if they used such a flimsy excuse to suspend you." Ritsuka muttered.

"I told you they sucked." Tatsuko said.

"Sure sounds like it." Nobunaga said. "Did you even have any friends at all?"

"A lot, probably." Ritsuka said.

"Well in any case, you're up Mashu." Nobunaga replied.

Mashu started to blush and stammer. "I-I-I-I do not think I have anything in my life that I consider interesting…."

"Oh come on, there has to be something." Nobunaga said. "Maybe your love life? On second thought maybe that's not a good idea. You don't seem like the person to even have one."

Mashu's eyes widened. "Forgive me for asking this, but you saying that reminds me of your descendant that we talked about. Ms. Oda, I was wondering about your spouse."

Nobunaga raised an eyebrow. "My spouse?"

"Oh right!" Ritsuka exclaimed. "Was Nohime actually a male?"

Nobunaga stared at them in confusion. "I'm so lost right now."

"You mean you forgot Nohime?" Tatsuko asked. "You know, the daughter of the head of the Saito Clan, and the woman you married?"

Nobunaga's eyes widened, causing everyone to stare at her as she gasped.

"I can't believe I forgot!" Nobunaga shouted. "I can't have a direct descendant!"

"Why not?" Mashu asked.

"Because I never married OR had kids!"

The Chaldean Trio's eyes widened in shock. They then mentally kicked themselves for not realizing this sooner.

"Um, Nobunaga, you do realize that if there is a descendant of yours in their time, then that means we're not from their timeline." Sakura Saber replied.

Nobunaga looked at the blonde Servant, and laughed. "Oh yeah, you're right!"

The Chaldean Trio looked at the Servant in surprise.

"Well, I guess this means that the Nobunaga in our history is a dude." Tatsuko said.

"I wonder what he would be like." Mashu said.

Nobunaga gave a fond smile. "He's like me in some ways."

"You really mean that?" Tatsuko asked.

Nobunaga nodded. "I do. Just call it a gut feeling."

The rest of the group looked at each other in confusion before shrugging it off. If Nobunaga felt like that, then that was that. The group continued to make their journey towards where their destination lay. Along the way, Nobunaga and Sakura Saber tried to get the attention of Fou, but the little critter ignored them in favor of the Chaldean Trio. The three teens looked on in amusement as the two Servants tried everything to get Fou to come to them, but to no avail.

"Okay I give up!" Nobunaga shouted.

"I guess Fou just doesn't like us….." Sakura Saber muttered.

"Don't worry guys, he'll probably come around." Tatsuko said. "Heck when I first met him he practically ignored me in favor of Twig Boy and Mashu. It took a little while before he would come to me of his own volition."

"Really?" Sakura Saber asked. "Then does that make Fou your pet?"

Ritsuka shook his head. "I see Fou more as a companion than a pet. Besides, I only met him a couple of months ago. Mashu was the one looking after him a year before we met."

Nobunaga looked at Mashu with a raised eyebrow. "How did you meet Fou exactly?"

Tatsuko gasped. "Oh yeah, you never elaborated on how you met him!"

"Then allow me to correct that mistake." Mashu said. "It was last year in March, and I was reading a book in my room. He just suddenly appeared out of nowhere on my bed. He slowly approached me as I stared at him, and when he was close enough, he just sniffed my hand, then curled up next to me, and let me pet him."

Ritsuka chuckled. "Seems like Fou took a liking to you right away. That's a really cute story."

"Thank you." Mashu said. "But I will admit, Fou came at the right time…"

"What do you mean?" Tatsuko asked.

Mashu took a deep breath as her smile faded. "I was having a bad week, but when Fou came to me that day, I felt like everything was going to be okay."

"A bad week? Care to elaborate?" Nobunaga asked.

Mashu shivered and shook her head. "I would rather not talk about it….It is something that I do not really like remembering…"

"Well if you don't feel comfortable talking about it, then we won't pry." Nobunaga said.

"Thank you." Mashu said.

The group then decided to talk about other things in order to pass the time. From speaking about Nobunaga's exploits as a young child, to her relationships with her siblings, the group laughed as she told them of the mischief and adventures they would get into.

A couple of hours have passed since the group awoke, and it would seem they have become lost in their attempts to find any sign of Medusa. They could find no tracks, and it made them doubt the information given to them.

"Okay, maybe we should have brought someone who has experience in tracking people." Tatsuko said.

"Well to be fair, we did get sidetracked with those Servants last night." Ritsuka replied. "So I doubt Medusa is going to wait for us."

"Sounds like you haven't earned her loyalty." Nobunaga said calmly. "You should keep an eye on her, or else she might betray you."

"Oh Medusa is loyal alright." Tatsuko countered. "She might not agree with everything we say, but she won't betray us. Especially Twiggy over here."

Sakura Saber raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Tatsuko nodded. "I could be wrong, but I think Medusa might've become a little protective of him. That and she definitely has a soft spot for Mashu for some reason, but there you have it."

"Well what about you?" Nobunaga asked.

"Medusa definitely enjoys talking with Tatsuko." Mashu answered. "I do not know why, but I have this feeling that she secretly enjoys our presence."

"Honestly, I wonder why." Ritsuka said. "Back when we first met, she was pretty aloof, but after France she seemed to have changed a bit."

"Maybe she could relate to you a bit?" Nobunaga asked. The group shrugged at the remark and looked out for any sign of tracks. They remained silent as they looked for any sign of the Rider, but to no avail.

That was, until Nobunaga looked down and found some tracks. Strange footprints were on the ground. The Servant raised an eyebrow and looked around the area, and took note of their location. An arid and dry land, but it was full of hills. It was a perfect place for an ambush…..

Nobunaga's eyes widened as she looked back at the footprints. She then looked at the group with a serious expression.

"We're surrounded!"

The rest of the group sighed. She did it again….

"We're not buying that again, Nobunaga." Sakura Saber said.

"I'm being serious!" Nobunaga shouted.

"You fooled us with that once already." Ritsuka countered. "It won't work a second time."

"No, Ms. Oda is not lying this time!" Mashu shouted. "I am sensing two Servants coming our way!"

Everyone's eyes widened as they felt the ground shake. They looked to the hills and saw multiple Mini-Nobus looming over them from the hills.

"Okay, this is just creepy." Tatsuko muttered.

The group couldn't help but agree as the surrounding Mini-Nobus in front of them started to split down the middle, forming a path for two individuals who walked towards the front of the army. The moment they stopped, the Chaldean Trio's eyes widened at what they saw.

Standing on one side of the path was an incredibly tall man. His skin dark as pitch, and his teeth and eyes golden. His pants were gold as well, along with the bracelets and his twin axes. Upon his head were two great horns, with bluish green flames flickering at the end of them. But that wasn't the biggest surprise to them. No, what really got their attention, was the woman standing next to him.

"Medusa!" Tatsuko shouted. "We finally found you!"

The large man pointed to Nobunaga, and roared a guttural growl. Medusa cleared her throat and looked at the group with a calm expression.

"Finally the time has come to settle the score, Fool of Owari! ...So my boss says."

The large man roared again, causing Medusa to raise an eyebrow before looking at the group again.

"Bare your corpses before the Takeda Cavalry." She translated. "...So my boss says."

"Wait, you can understand what he is saying?" Mashu asked.

Medusa sighed. "It's more or less guess work….."

"Does that mean you've been brainwashed too?" Ritsuka asked.

"No, I'm not."

"Then why are you siding with baldy over there?" Tatsuko asked.

The Rider sighed. "Believe me, I'm not happy with it either. But I was forced into a role, and have become Sanada Medusa…..retainer to Takeda Darius."

"Is there any way we can solve this peacefully?" Mashu asked.

Medusa sighed once more. "Unfortunately, no. Takeda Darius is adamant on facing the Fool of Owari with his cavalry."

Nobu raised an eyebrow. "But the only one riding anything is him with that elephant."

Takeda Darius roared once more. Everyone looked at Medusa to tell them what he just said.

"Don't worry about the details. It'll make you go bald!" Medusa translated. "...So my boss says."

"Sounds like you have doubts about your translations." Nobunaga muttered.

"He tends to say things with double meanings." Sanada Medusa replied.

Everyone raised an eyebrow at the statement. Chaldean Trio then widened their eyes in confusion and realization. She wasn't wearing her blindfold. Instead she was wearing a pair of glasses.

"Um, Medusa, may I ask a question?" Mashu asked. "When did you start wearing glasses?"

"Oh, these?" Sanada Medusa said calmly. "I got tired of the blindfold, and I remembered I had this Mystic Code from the Fifth Holy Grail war, so I decided to put them on instead."

"Well they suit you." Tatsuko said. "They look cute."

"Thank you."

"Okay, how is any of this relevant to the fact that we're surrounded?!" Nobunaga shouted.

Sanada Medusa sighed. "Look, I just wanted to go back to my room in Chaldea and read my book in peace, then I was magically transported here to serve against my will as this man's translator. Please just leave me out of this….."

(OC: Sorry Medusa, but you probably jinxed yourself there….)

"Hate to break it to you, but I think your boss has other plans." Nobunaga said as Takeda Darius rode towards them upon his elephant. Sanada Medusa sighed in defeat as she followed the large man towards the group alongside their Mini-Nobu army. Nobunaga immediately summoned two rows of muskets to meet the army, but Ritsuka put a hand on her shoulder with a concerned gaze.

"Please don't hit Medusa." He said. "She doesn't even want to be here."

Nobunaga chuckled. "Don't worry, she's been punished enough so I'm just aiming at the Mini-Nobus and the big guy there."

"Nobu Nobu Nobu Nobu!"

Everyone looked down and saw their two Mini Nobus summon their own muskets and aimed it at their charging brethren.

"Nobu Nobu Nobu!"

"Okay, your bloodlust is starting to concern me!" Sakura Saber shouted.

"We can talk about that later!" Nobunaga shouted. "We got a crazy guy on an elephant coming at us with an army of mini me's!"

The black haired Servant then proceeded to fire into the calvary, making sure to not hit Medusa by accident. The two Mini-Nobus then followed her lead and shot at the charging Mini-Nobus with extreme precision. Hundreds upon thousands of Mini-Nobus fell to their muskets. A few minutes passed, and only a few hundred of the Mini-Nobu army remained. Nobunaga clicked her tongue as the two Servants made their way towards them with incredible speed. Sanada Medusa broke off from Takeda Darius and used her Mystic Eyes to hold Nobunaga in place as she went for a strike with her chains, with Sakura Saber quickly pushing the black haired Servant out of the way as she blocked the strike with her katana.

"More careful next time!" Sakura Saber yelled as she swung at Sanada Medusa.

"I totally had her!"

"Sure you did, now get back up and help!" Sakura Saber swung once more at Sanada Medusa, but the Rider leapt into the air to dodge the strike. Nobunaga fired warning shots to deter her from attacking, but Sanada Medusa deftly dodged all the projectiles. Her feet gently landed on Sakura Saber's head, and then she used the blonde Servant's head as a platform, and leapt onto Nobunaga's head, and used it as a platform as she made her way towards the Chaldean Trio. Sakura Saber and Nobunaga immediately rushed to stop her, but Takeda Darius blocked their path with a swing of his axes. The large man roared at the two Servants, causing them to look at Sanada Medusa for clarification.

"That was just a roar." Sanada Medusa said. "Not every roar he makes means he's trying to speak!"

"Oh now you tell us!" Nobunaga shouted.

Sanada Medusa looked at Mashu and stopped in her tracks. The Rider then looked at Mashu and sighed. "Let's just pretend to fight and get it over with."

Mashu blinked in disbelief before staring at Sanada Medusa with a conflicted look. "Are you sure we should do this?"

Sanada Medusa nodded. "Just think of it as a sparring match. I promise I won't attack Ritsuka nor Tatsuko at all."

Mashu continued to stare at Sanada Medusa with great conflict. The Shielder then nodded reluctantly and readied her shield. The two women then charged one another, with Mashu blocking a kick from Medusa with her shield.

As that was happening, Ritsuka and Tatsuko watched as Nobunaga and Sakura Saber battled Takeda Darius, with the larger man putting the two Servants on the defensive. Nobunaga continued to fire her muskets at the large man, but his elephant mount kept taking the brunt of the attacks. Sakura Saber tried to get close to Takeda Darius by getting close to the mount, but the elephant stomped the ground every time she tried, forcing her to keep dodging and rolling out of the way, preventing her from getting a clear path to strike. Takeda Darius roared as he swung his axes at the two Servants, forcing them to move out of the way so they didn't get hit. Nobunaga clicked her tongue in frustration, before staring at the elephant. She rose up and fired her muskets at the elephant's legs. The mount cried out in pain, allowing Sakura Saber a chance to try and attack Takeda Darius. The large man looked down and saw this, and roared. The elephant then used his feet and trunk, and slammed the ground around Sakura Saber. The blonde Servant rolled on the ground and clutched her side in discomfort.

"Damn, they're getting their asses kicked." Tatsuko said.

"We should probably try to reason with him and stop this fight." Ritsuka said. "There's no real reason for it anyway."

As if on cue, the communicator buzzed, and Roman's holographic form appeared before them.

"Unfortunately that's not going to be possible." The doctor said. "We just found out what kind of Servant this guy is."

"Well don't just leave us hanging." Tatsuko said. "What is he?"

"He's a Berserker Class Servant with Madness Enhancement of a B rank." Roman answered. "And with how he's acting, reasoning with him is impossible at this point."

"So we just have to get rid of him?" Ritsuka asked.

"And with our Policy, he definitely is under the exemption category." Roman replied.

Tatsuko nodded and looked at Nobunaga and Sakura Saber. "Hey you two, don't worry about the policy we described right now, he's not part of it, so go nuts!"

"We're trying!" Nobunaga shouted. "But that elephant of his is a pain in the ass!"

Takeda Darius roared again, causing the elephant to stamp its feet on the ground, forcing Nobunaga to get out of the way. The black haired Servant was starting to get frustrated as she stared at the large mount. That elephant was starting to get on the last of her nerves.

"Okay that's it!" She shouted. "I'm going to bring them both down if it's the last thing I do!"

The black haired Servant began to levitate off the ground as she stared at the Berserker.

"It can't be helped!" She shouted. "Show your corpse to the Three Thousand Worlds... Demon Descent!"

Suddenly, she summoned hundreds of muskets, lining them up to aim at Takeda Darius in three rows.

"Behold, the Demon King's Three Line Formation!"

The black haired Servant fired every single musket at Takeda Darius. The Berserker tried to get his mount to aid him, but he was too slow. The musket rounds hit him and the elephant both. Everyone looked on in shock as they saw Nobunaga's irritated expression as she kept on firing at the Berserker. A moment later, she stopped. The Servant landed back on the ground with a stern expression as the dust started to settle. As soon as it dissipated, she did not react as she saw Takeda Darius, now without his mount, still standing but bleeding everywhere. Everyone watched with bated breath to see what would happen next, only for the Berserker to teeter and sway, and then fall with a large thud.

It would seem he was already dead before the dust even settled. The Berserker's body vanished into golden dust, and returned to the Throne of Heroes. The two Masters, Sakura Saber and Nobunaga turned to see how Sanada Medusa and Mashu were doing, only to raise their eyebrows as they saw the Rider on the ground. Sanada Medusa turned to Mashu with a mischievous grin.

"Put your foot on my shoulder, and raise your right arm." She whispered.

Mashu stared at her in surprise. Of all the things to say, that was not one she expected. "Are you sure?"

The Rider nodded. "Trust me, it'll be fun."

Mashu looked at the Rider, and then did as she suggested with a blush on her face. The Shielder put her foot up and gently stepped on the Rider's shoulder, and raised her fist in the air.

"Having fun over there?" Tatsuko asked teasingly.

The Rider looked back at them with a gasp. Mahsu immediately lifted her foot as Sanada Medusa got up and looked at the rest of the group. "Is it over?"

"Does this answer your question?" Nobunaga asked as she pointed back towards the two allied Mini Nobus cheering as they raised their muskets above their heads.

"No Nobu!"

Medusa slowly raised her fist in the air weakly and sighed. "Yaaayyyyy."

Tatsuko snickered as she, Ritsuka and the two other Servants walked up to her.

"You seem more lively than usual." Tatsuko said. "Why did you want Mashu to step on you like that?"

Medusa blushed. "You saw that?"

"Afraid we did." Ritsuka answered.

Medusa squirmed a bit. "Oh this is so embarrassing….. I just hope no one else saw that…."

"I'm afraid we did." Roman said. "Everyone in the Command Room too…"

Medusa fell to her knees and covered her face. "This is one of the worst days of my life…."

Ritsuka and Tatsuko knelt down in sympathy and rubbed her shoulders. The two of them merely said "There there" to try and comfort her.

"You know with those glasses of yours, you could pass as Mashu's mom or older sister." Tatsuko said.

Roman looked at Tatsuko and gulped. "I don't want to alarm you, but Liz heard that, and she is giving you quite the stink eye."

Medusa groaned and sighed. "Can I just go back to Chaldea now? This whole ordeal is giving me a headache…."

"I'll get the preparations done." Roman said. "When you get back, just go to your room, read your book and relax. You've clearly been punished enough."

"Thank you…."

A few moments later, Medusa was rayshifted back to Chaldea. But before they could discuss their next move, Ritsuka stumbled a bit, and was caught by Tatsuko.

"You okay there?" Nobunaga asked.

"Yeah, this happens quite a bit with him." Tatsuko answered. "We should probably rest for a couple of hours though, because my feet are also sore, and I'd like to give them a rest for a bit."

Nobunaga nodded. "That's fair. You two are only human so you need more time to rest unlike us."

The Chaldeans and their two allied Servants sat down on the ground, hoping to discuss their next plan of action.

An hour passed, and the group was having difficulty deciding on who they should try to find next. Without any way of knowing how many were missing though, it was proving to be a difficult task. In the end, they decided to take a break for lunch as they heard Tatsuko's stomach growl. A few minutes passed, and the group started to eat their lunch, including Ritsuka. Mashu and Tatsuko raised an eyebrow as the male Master started to eat his lunch. It was very rare for him to eat with them, for he always said he already ate beforehand, or that he wasn't hungry. Their thoughts were immediately scattered as Nobunaga and Sakura Saber sat down next to the Chaldean Trio with their lunches.

"Okay so I just realized something.." Sakura Saber said. "We know that some of your friends are missing, but maybe we should be asking just how many are missing first, and who they are."

Tatsuko smacked her head with her palm. "Dammit, why didn't we realize that sooner! Roman, who else is missing?"

Roman cleared his throat. "Well everyone is here except for Artoria, Emiya, Medea and Cú."

"So we have four Servants to look for then." Ritsuka muttered.

"Okay, then with that out of the way, how about you three tell us more about them." Nobunaga suggested.

"Who would you like for us to talk about first?" Mashu asked.

"I heard you mention this Artoria person before." Sakura Saber answered. "So let's start with them. Who are they, and what are they like?"

"Okay, that's fair." Ritsuka said. "Well to answer your first question, Artoria is actually the real name of King Arthur, and she-"

"Wait, she?" Nobunaga asked. "You're telling me that King Arthur is a woman?"

"Yep!" Tatsuko answered. "She had to pretend to be a man in order to become king."

Nobunaga laughed. "Sure sounds like she has something in common with some of us!"

Sakura Saber blushed for a moment before clearing her throat. "In anycase, now that we have established who she is, what is she like?"

"She is a very kind and generous person." Mashu answered. "Out of all the Heroic Spirits in Chaldea, she is the one who has gained the respect of almost everyone there."

"So everyone likes her?" Nobunaga asked.

Tatsuko shook her head. "Not everyone. There are a couple who don't really like her, and there are some she has complications with, but she is trying to let bygones be bygones."

"I see." Nobunaga muttered. "It sounds like she's more or less popular with the majority though."

"She is." Mashu answered.

"Okay then, let me ask this." Sakura Saber said. "What exactly is your relationship with her?"

Mashu smiled. "Out of all the Heroic Spirits in Chaldea, she would be the one that is the closest to us. Whenever we need help, she is always happy to give us a hand."

"How did you all meet her?"

"She was the first Servant we summoned." Tatsuko answered. "The three of us just finished fighting for our lives and were exhausted. Then we were about to be killed by a traitor. Mashu attempted to block his attack, only for her shield to start glowing along with our Command Seals. The next thing we knew she was standing right in front of our attacker ready to defend us."

"That's pretty cool!" Nobunaga shouted.

"Yeah, it was." Ritsuka said. "And a month ago she took it upon herself to be my mentor."

Sakura Saber tilted her head. "Your mentor?"

"Yeah, she's been teaching me how to fight in order to calm my nerves."

The blonde Saber smiled. "Maybe I could watch you both spar sometime?"

Tatsuko snickered. "Then you get a front row seat when she kicks his ass over and over."

"Well you can't expect someone to immediately get better in just a month!" Sakura Saber countered.

"Well said!"

Everyone turned around in shock as they heard that voice. The Chaldean Trio smiled as they saw Artoria standing there, her sword in her hand.

(CV: She was standing there for a while just waiting for the best time to show up. Showoff!)

"Artoria!" Ritsuka shouted. "We were just talking about you!"

The Saber tilted her head in confusion. "I have no recollection of meeting you before."

The Chaldean Trio stared at her in shock.

"Artoria, it's us!" Tatsuko said.

The Saber shook her head. "You must have confused me with someone else."

"But you're Artoria Pendragon!" Ritsuka said. "Who else could you be?"

The Saber raised an eyebrow. "Well you have my given name right, but not my family name."

Everyone watched as the Saber planted her blade into the ground with utmost conviction. "Behold! I am the true god of war, Uesugi Artoria!"

Nobunaga's eyes bugged out of their sockets. "Okay, I may have learned that Artoria is a girl, but there is no way that the damned Dragon of Echigo is one as well!"

Uesugi Artoria shook her head. "Actually there have been rumors that I was actually a girl the entire time."

Everyone raised their eyebrows as the Saber raised her blade and pointed it at them.

"What are you doing?" Tatsuko asked.

"It would seem that you all defeated Takeda Darius." Uesugi Artoria answered. "I wanted to take Kai's food and eat to my heart's content..But that won't be possible now. So for the sake of my food... No, for my people! I'll take your rations instead!"

"You could have just asked for a bowl you know!" Nobunaga shouted.

The blonde Saber ignored the remark and charged at the group. She raised her blade and aimed for the two Masters, shocking them greatly.

Clang!

Uesugi Artoria raised an eyebrow as Sakura Saber blocked the strike. The green eyed Saber broke away and stared at Sakura Saber in curiosity.

"Interesting. You managed to block my strike."

Sakura Saber gripped her katana tightly. "I don't know what madness has taken you, but after learning from those three right there of the woman you are, I will knock some sense into you!"

Uesugi Artoria chuckled. "You can try, but I have the divine protection of Vaisravana on my side, so I will not fall so easily!"

Sakura Saber did not heed that warning, and lunged at Uesugi Artoria. The green eyed Saber did not try to dodge. Instead, she swung her blade, and blew Sakura Saber away. The golden eyed Saber quickly got up, and lunged at Uesugi Artoria again, and swung again. The armored Saber was forced to block this time, but she was not pushed back. Sakura Saber blocked another strike, but she did not falter. Instead she decided to try and go on the offensive once again. She gripped her katana, and swung her blade, faster and with extreme precision.

The green eyed Saber was caught off guard as her opponent's speed surpassed her own. She tried to block every strike, but hissed at the stings she felt where Sakura Saber managed to cut her. They weren't deep wounds, but they stung quite a bit. Uesugi Artoria blocked another strike and swung her blade at the other Saber. Sakura Saber deflected the strike and thrusted her katana's blade towards her opponent's gut. Uesugi Artoria blocked and deflected the strike. The two Sabers remained in this stalemate for some time. Neither were giving ground, but it was only a matter of time before one of them would be pushed back.

That was until Uesugi Artoria swung down upon Sakura Saber's head. Sakura Saber deflected the attack, and lunged her katana at her opponent. Unfortunately for her, she would not be able to land her strike as she started to cough up blood. She fell to her knees and hacked up blood from her mouth.

Uesugi Artoria's eyes widened as her opponent fell to her side and continued to cough. Everyone else watched in shock and horror as Sakura Saber struggled to breathe. Uesugi Artoria looked at Nobunaga and Mashu with a knowing gaze.

"It would be disrespectful to her if she could not finish this duel." She said. "So I would ask you both to finish it in her stead."

Nobunaga readied her muskets, but Mashu stared at the Saber with a conflicted gaze. She then looked at Sakura Saber on the ground struggling, and took a deep breath before readying her shield.

Uesugi Artoria charged at them both, but Nobunaga shot a volley of musket rounds at her, trying to impede her movements. Uesugi Artoria deflected as many rounds as she could while others missed her completely. She continued her charge towards them, and tried to attack the black haired Servant. Mashu immediately leapt to her defense and blocked it with her shield. The force of the strike blew Mashu away, but it was not enough to make her fall. The Shielder dug in her heels and launched herself at the Saber, and attempted to kick her. Uesugi Artoria saw this coming, and stepped to the side. She then used her free hand to grab the Shielder's leg, and threw her to the ground.

As the Shielder slowly got up, Nobunaga decided to resume her offensive with her muskets, but Uesugi Artoria managed to block every strike, and lunged at the black haired Servant. Thankfully, Mashu managed to reach them in time, and kicked Artoria in the gut.

The Saber hit the ground for a moment before getting up and quickly charged at them again. Mashu blocked an incoming strike with her shield, and then slammed it into the blonde Saber's face. Uesugi Artoria was pushed back by the strike, but quickly regained her bearings as Nobunaga fired another volley of musket rounds towards her, with Mashu leaping into the air and throwing her shield at the Saber.

Uesugi Artoria jumped out of the way of the large shield as it pierced the ground. Mashu was not far behind as she landed near her weapon and picked it up to renew her assault. The Saber tried to strike, but Mashu deflected the attack, and then swung her shield at the Saber's head.

BONK!

Uesugi Artoria hit the ground with a loud thud. A few minutes passed, and everyone continued to stare at the unconscious form of Uesugi Artoria on the ground. Sakura Saber, having managed to recover from her coughing fit, got up and walked towards Mashu to stare at the woman alongside her.

"Is it over?" Sakura Saber asked.

"I do not know." Mashu answered.

As if to answer them, the Saber groaned, and then slowly got up. Artoria hissed in pain as she clutched her head. "Why do I have this splitting headache all of a sudden?"

She then looked at the Chaldean Trio and smiled. "Oh! Hello you three. Is there something I can help you with?"

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

Artoria nodded slowly. "I have this splitting headache, but other than that I am fine. Though now I have a question. Where are we, and who are these two?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

Artoria shook her head.

"Okay, you might want to sit down for this." Tatsuko said.

The group sat down and got Artoria up to speed as to what happened so far, up to their encountering Medusa, to them fighting Artoria herself. The Saber blushed in embarrassment at the revelation, and looked at the group sheepishly.

"I'm sorry for causing you all so much trouble." She said.

"Don't worry about it." Sakura Saber said. "I'm just glad you came to your senses."

Artoria smiled at her. "In anycase, I think it's time for me to headback. As a fellow Saber, I am entrusting the safety of Ritsuka and Tatsuko to you."

Sakura Saber blushed and bowed. "I promise I won't let you down!"

Artoria chuckled. "Okay, Roman, I'm ready to come back."

Roman nodded and made the preparations to rayshift the Saber back to Chaldea. The moment she was gone, the group sighed and looked at each other to decide on their next move.

"Okay, so now where do we go?" Tatsuko asked.

"Let's try going closer to the coast." Nobunaga answered. "It'll take a few days to reach it, but we could probably get more information from villages closest to there."

"Okay, how about you lead the way." Ritsuka suggested.

"Sure thing." Nobunaga replied. "Okay everyone follow me!"

The black haired Servant walked away with the two Mini-Nobus right at her heels. The rest of the group looked at each other in uncertainty before nodding. They had to hope she actually knew where the coast was.

OC: Wow what a crazy chapter! It goes perfectly with the crazy week we had, wouldn't you agree Vlad?

CV: Yeah, still a bit shaken by the 2 quakes that happened over here in Mexico.

OC: Yeah, when you told me what happened I practically had a heart attack. But I'm glad you're okay.

CV: Let's just hope there's not a third one.

OC: I agree, thankfully in the studio you don't have to worry about that.

CV: Thanks christ for that.

(OC looks at the audience): Oh! Sorry everyone, we didn't see you there!

Mini-Nobu: Nobu Nobu!

CV: I know we didn't tell you we would be having guests, but it was a last minute thing. Besides, with the recent issues that FF went through and now that they're fixed, I felt it was cause for celebration.

OC: And what are we celebrating?

CV: Chronicles…

OC: I know, but since I said it last time, I think it's only fitting you get to announce it this time.

CV: Oh, alright then. Chronicles has surpassed 20 000 views!

(Confetti flies around as the Mini-Nobus dance)

OC: Hell yeah! And because of this, we decided to do something we haven't done in a few chapters, and bring in a special guest! And this is one that we felt was the most appropriate to bring in after her partners in crime. You all know her, you all (better) love her, ladies and gentleman, give it up for the final member of the Chaldean Trio and the resident Shielder, Mashu Kyrielight!

CV: Wait, I forgot to set up the portal, let me see if…

Mashu falls from the ceiling right behind both of us.

CV: Nevermind.

Mashu looks around, and then sees us.

Mashu: O-oh, hello there. Is this the studio I needed to appear in?

CV: Yeah, sorry for that, I forgot to re-arrange the portal after last night.

OC: In any case why don't you sit down over there and we can begin the interview.

Mashu (sits down across from us.): I have never done an interview before, but I promise to do my best!

CV: Oh don't worry, you'll be fine. Alright, want to go first Owen?

OC: Sure thing. So Mashu, what is it like working with so many Heroic Spirits?

Mashu: It is a very wonderful experience. Getting to work so closely with people who have so many incredible stories to tell has been a very exciting time for me. I wish we could summon more of them. I wonder what incredible stories they could tell us.

CV: Bopping his head to the GudaGuda 5 Grand Battle soundtrack Funny you say that, because we have the feeling that there are more and more in their way. Leaving that aside however, I wanted to ask, how did you get into photography exactly?

Mashu: Davinci and Roman showed me many beautiful landscapes through photographs, and it made me smile seeing the beauty in the world. I wanted to try and capture that feeling for myself. So on my fourteenth birthday, they gave me a camera to take photos of whatever I thought should be preserved in my heart.

CV: I wish I had your passion for photography back during my first year of high school, taking it as my optional was certainly a choice I made, and not a good one.

Mashu: I know it might not be for everyone, but it has given me some very wonderful memories.

OC: I'm glad you found a hobby that you enjoy. Now onto the next question, but I will warn you, it might be a little personal….

Mashu: O-okay, if it isn't inappropriate, I will do my best to answer.

CV: What do you think about Ritsuka and Tatsuko?

Mashu (Blushes): O-oh! I do not know how to answer that all at once…

OC: Okay, how about you tell us your thoughts on Tatsuko first.

Mashu: Okay, I will try. Tatsuko is a wonderful person to be around. She helps me understand more about how to be intune with my emotions, and helps me try and learn new things like Senpai does. She gets people to laugh with her, and lifts up many people's spirits in the halls in Chaldea. I am glad I can call her a friend.

CV: Interesting, and what about Ritsuka? I feel like you two are rather close, if I do say so myself.

Mashu (Blushes harder): Y-you think so?

OC: Well he seems to open up more with you around, so it stands to reason that you two are close.

Mashu: I-I see…. (Takes a deep breath to calm her nerves). Senpai is very kind to everyone. That is except for a certain day, but I do not think he means to be like that. His door is always open if someone wants to talk to him, and like Tatsuko, Senpai manages to lift everyone's spirits with his presence. And his smile always manages to light up whatever room he is in at the moment. When he is in the mood to tell a joke, he somehow gets me to laugh, and seeing him be so passionate about what he loves makes me happy. But….

OC: But?

Mashu: After learning some of the things he had to endure as a child, I feel sad. It feels wrong that someone as wonderful as him had to go through so much hardship…..

CV: It is what it is, isn't it?

OC: Well I'm sure with the right people he can get some help. But don't worry so much Mashu, I'm sure that someday he will overcome it all.

Mashu: Really?

OC: Of course. He's tougher than he gives himself credit for. But he will need people to be there for him if he ever stumbles or loses his way.

CV: He's a tough cookie, but he needs some love.

OC: Exactly. Though the two of us can tell that the best people for looking after him are Roman, Tatsuko, the Servants, but most importantly, you.

Mashu: Me?

OC: Like I said, whenever you're around, he tends to be much more open about his feelings. You definitely bring out a side of him that needs to come out more. So because of that we know he will be able to overcome anything that comes his way.

Mashu: I see. Thank you for your kind words.

Mini-Nobu: Nobu Nobu Nobu No No Nobu Bu.

Mashu: Oh, you have Mini-Nobus as well?

CV: Yep, we kept 2 of them, or more like we couldn't get them to leave so they're now our pets.

Mini Nobu: Nobu Nobu.

OC: Wow, I thought you two would hate being called that. I was trying to not say that about you guys for the past two weeks.

Mini-Nobus: Nobu Nobu Nobu!

OC: Don't worry, we'll get you guys dinner when this is over.

Mashu: You can understand them?

CV: Yeah, it's easy when you get the gist of it.

Mashu: Maybe Sakura Saber and Nobunaga can teach me, Tatsuko and Senpai one day.

OC: I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. Oh would you look at the time! Our interview has come to a close. Thank you so much for joining us Mashu!

Mashu: Thank you for having me! It was really fun!

CV: We're happy to have you here as well. Now, return with the rest and enjoy your time with them. After all, time with friends is an irreplaceable gift.

(OC activates the portal. Mashu steps into it while waving goodbye to everyone before the portal closes).

OC: I can't believe we finally got to interview her.

CV: She's harder to get than Ritsuka and Tatsuko, I'll give her that one.

OC: Well I don't think it's intentional. She's too nice to avoid people intentionally like that. Well, except for a couple of people maybe.

CV: That's true. At least we got that out of the way, think we can get Roman next time?

OC: That might be easier. And even more hilarious. But enough on that. We should discuss the more hilarious and interesting aspects of this chapter for our viewers. Out of all the things in this chapter, which stood out to you the most?

CV: How Artoria showed up. Like, she just popped out of nowhere and was like "Buenos dias fuckboy"

OC: Well it certainly added perfect comedic timing I'll admit. Though the thing that stood out to me the most, and perhaps one of the funniest things I have written was Medusa telling Mashu to step on her as if she conquered a mountain lol. As for why that happened? Well Vlad and I always had this little thought that Medusa would kinda act more like a cool older sister to Mashu due to her innocence and the fact she may or may not remind her of a certain person, so we decided to put that on the forefront. And it is nice to see her acting much more laidback instead of just being cold and aloof.

CV: You'd be surprised as to how being in a calm space instead of a Holy Grail War changes a person.

OC: Unfortunately I don't think Medea got the memo.

CV: She did, she just threw it in the garbage.

OC: Well she's bound to come around eventually. They always do. Oh here's another thing that stood out to me, Mashu describing how she met Fou for the first time! Words can't describe how adorable it is that Fou just took one look at her and just decided to curl up next to her and take a nap.

CV: Fou is literally a dog lol.

OC: Yeah you can say that again. I don't exactly remember if the game ever went into detail on how they first met, but we decided to make our own take on it, and reveal that Mashu was having a rough week until he came to give a sense that he can make everyone feel better. It just feels right that he would do that for her.

CV: I agree with that one, and it totally sounds like a Fou thing to do.

OC: It definitely does. And it puts a whole new spin as to why he clings to Ritsuka so much as well. He can somehow tell they're not happy so he decides to brighten their day.

CV: Fou has an uncanny ability to make people feel better.

OC: It's probably because of his fluffy tail. That thing could bring world peace.

CV: The fluff makes us all equal doesn't it?

OC: Yes it does. Oh, would you look at the time! Thank you all for joining us this week! Please stay tuned for next week as we continue this crazy adventure!