"Jaune," Master sang. "That's your name? Jaune." If she wasn't singing, she was humming and Berserker could still hear the name of Rider being mentioned. She, along with her possessions, were being carried by Nevermore.
When that Cat revealed the name, Master hadn't been happier since they made their journey back to that castle. It had taken a while before they had reached the land akin to Berserker's makers. Berserker would dare say that it was akin to its own acre.
Berserker didn't see the appeal. As far as it knew, Rider was just a foreigner in their place. But the Grail gave it some knowledge. This place believed that Rider had always been of the Ever After, only that it was in a place beyond the seas.
When asked if Rider had been a knight, he only said that he was a huntsman. The two children must have kept it to themselves then. Berserker only knew that one of them at least returned. There was no telling what happened to the other one.
As for silver-hair and green-hair, those two had their focus on their scrolls. They looked through different portraits with such speeds that they had to be blurred before they had any sort of clarity.
"Didn't we hear that name before?" silver-hair insisted. He kept his voice in a whisper but Master could not hear them even if they were any louder; Master was too focused on singing Rider's name.
"It's in the Beacon files!" green-hair snapped. "With one of those girls!"
The two kept going. They kept looking for those portraits.
"It wasn't with the girls," silver-hair replied. He found the image. "It's with celebrity and the orphans!"
He gave her the portrait. Berserker may not be materialized but it could see well enough. The portrait showed a younger-looking Rider. Only difference was that Rider in the portrait had less metal on him and did not have the hair style that Berserker remembered seeing when the two met the first time.
"It's…" Green-hair couldn't speak well. "Close enough? It's a coincidence, right?"
"You want answers," silver-hair replied. "We'll need to talk to the only other two Servants that know this. And one of them is too close to Cinder for us to risk it. Unless you want to be one to say that Cinder killed the Rusted Knight's partner. Cinder hates miss celebrity already."
Berserker did not growl at the obvious. Master was too focused on singing Rider's name, still. She wasn't paying attention to them at all even as their voices were raised.
"But can we trust them?" green-hair said. "I don't remember Curious Cat possessing anybody."
"When was the last time you read a book?"
"You think I would have kept my cover without learning how to read?"
"Not answering my question, Em."
Their conversation and guesses kept going until they reached the edge of Evernight castle. The Nevermore had put them down at the bottom and they were forced to walk up.
"Berserker," Master said. She stopped singing and was regaining her composure.
"Obeying," Berserker replied. It already knew what to do. Like a mount, Berserker carried them all on its back. Master was at the forefront. Berserker wasn't a comfortable ride; it wasn't made for it. But Master desires it and so Berserker does it.
The pathway to the top of the castle was long. There were many empty rooms, most of which were full of old papers and maps, items that had been broken and covered in dust and cobwebs. One of the three on Berserker's back had sneezed. Berserker hastened a little but never ran. Why the Nevermore never brought them up there in the first place, Berserker didn't know. That womanly thing had greater control of the Grimm than it did, even when Berserker was a Servant.
Eventually, things had become cleaner. Master and her possessions stepped down and walked the rest of the way. Master patted Berserker's head and it dematerialized. The three walked towards the grand but empty hallways of Evernight Castle.
It didn't take long for Berserker to smell the presence of the Cat. There was Caster as well but that wasn't much of a surprise. It was Master that led the way as she raised her hands to push the door. Master paused when the door opened on their own. Caster had his tentacles on the handles and pulled the doors open for them.
Berserker nearly materialized at the sight of Cat. They had possessed another Servant for that was not something the Cat could become naturally with its own shapeshifting abilities.
"Ah," said Cat. "So you must be the other Master! I'm so pleased to meet you! Where's Jabby? I would like to see him again!"
"Berserker," Master said. She didn't seem too enthused either. But her eyes were focused on that womanly thing. That one glared at Master. "Come out."
Master didn't give any specifics. Berserker made sure to tower over Cat. Cat's possessed vessel leaned back.
"Jabby," Cat said. "So good to see you again. Shame that you couldn't bring Jaune here. We would have had so much catching up to do!"
Berserker growled. It jaws already opening up slowly.
Master raised a hand, stopping him. Berserker complied. But it did not stop its towering imposition on Cat. Berserker didn't like Cat. It would make sure that they knew its place. Cat wasn't one of the seven but among those Companions.
"You three," said that womanly thing. "Take a seat. We have much to discuss after Caster had just recruited two willing Companions to our side."
"Well, mistress," replied the Cat. "One of us is certainly willing. I cannot answer for poor Sanson. But he is… occupied at the moment."
"Very well."
Master and her possessions took their seats. Normally, the two possessions would stand behind Master. Now, it was just Berserker who stood behind while those two sat next to her. Caster and the Cat took their place beside the woman. Both of them took their seats. Berserker growled.
"Berserker," said the woman. "You may take your seat as well. Though it may not fit you, sadly. But you are welcome anyway."
Berserker waited for Master's approval.
"Ever a loyal Servant." The woman placed her elbows on the table. "Now then, about Watts and Archer…"
/-/
Mercury walked about in the empty hallways. After that long meeting with Salem, Mercury didn't at feel surprised by Archer and Watts' betrayal. This Holy Grail War business only rewards one person and whether they cared about Salem's immortality or not was of little consequence. Anyone of these Masters would have their own wishes and goals. It would be odd if none of them did.
What had taken Mercury's attention was the fact that a literal god, one of Remnant's own creators, is part of this Grail War. Immortal witches, reincarnating wizards, and legends back from the grave were already strange enough that the gods actually existing shouldn't have phased Mercury at all. But it did.
That Cat and Caster hid something from them. Mercury could tell that much. Being raised by an assassin, the regular kind, not the Servant-class kind, meant that he should be aware of reading his targets. Their habits and tells, Mercury wasn't quite as good as his father, he'll admit. But he was sure enough that there was something more going on.
He still remembered the words of Salem. "It matters little to our goals. If the gods are to get in my way, then they shall be faced as we would any other enemy. They are no longer as in control as they once had. But should we gather the Relics, they are still bound by their oaths to fulfill it, I'm sure."
Mercury could believe that. These Servants were unheard off in any fairytale or legend. No games nor visual novels had this concept as far as he was aware. But something about Caster and Cat told Mercury that there was more to this than they had let on. That Cat especially had something to hide.
Cinder had resumed her training with her Maiden powers with Emerald giving her all sorts of illusions. Mercury would bet lien that those illusions would be of that invincible chick that took away Cinder's precious knight. He spat at the thought. For someone who cared so much about power and came across as mature, Cinder reverted back to a lost child, desperate for any sort of approval.
Mercury stopped at the sign that hung on Caster's door. That led to his workshop and one that he and Emerald knew well to stay away from. There were voices that could be heard from the other side, Cat and Caster. Cat's voice grew louder. They were coming out.
"Ah, you must be Mercury," said the Cat. They had explained that they were relieving the vessel, a Companion named Sanson, of his duties. Mercury doubted that. "Raised by an assassin and possessor of the finest legwork known to Remnant, or so Jaune says." They giggled.
"You said his name is Jaune," Mercury replied. "As in Jaune Arc."
"Why yes," Cat replied. "That is his name. That's the name he gave me, Lewis, and Alyx."
That was another thing. Mercury did some research on the Girl who Fell through the World and all he found was that there was only a girl named Alyx. There was no mention of the Rusted Knight being named at all. Nor was there any mention of some guy named Lewis.
"Jaune Arc," Cat continued. "Never once called himself a brave knight but always called himself a huntsman. Ironic, don't you think? He never saw much in himself yet there he is, being the reason you people are even called that."
"How does that even happen anyway? Last I checked, Alyx—and this Lewis guy—would have fallen decades, maybe centuries ago! You sure this is the same Jaune Arc?"
Mercury and Emerald had to revisit those files to get their information.
"Let's see," Cat replied. "Having the worst performance in this academy of yours?" Cat waited for each confirmation before resuming with their points. "Uses a sword and shield? Blonde hair and blue eyes? Partner to one Papyrus Nickel?"
"Pyrrha Nikos," Mercury corrected.
"Right, right." Cat didn't really care about the correction. "Forged transcripts. Was there in the Vault with this other Maiden called Tinder?"
"Amber."
"Whatever. Seems to line up to me."
"But that's impossible." Mercury shook his head. "Jaune Arc is dead."
"So is Rider." Caster stepped out of the door as well. That grin of his still crept Mercury out and he was a man. "We all are. Us heroic spirits, we're all dead."
Mercury took a step back. He had no confidence in dealing with one Servant let alone two. Those two sent chills down to Mercury's hips. It couldn't go any further down since his legs were metal. But he stumbled. When he checked behind him, a tentacle was there, hiding as though it were a large tree's roots.
"You haven't heard anything, have you dear Mercury?" Caster said. "It wouldn't do well if Cinder's lackeys were to have a sudden leave of absence."
Despite Mercury's insistence on his own innocence, Caster's tentacle wrapped around his legs. The grip was tightening and Mercury felt a phantom pain travel upwards. His legs may be made of metal but he was used to having them that they might as well be part of his body, most of the time.
"No one," Caster said. "Not even Master can know. Only I shall have the right to kill her immortality. And these gods will not take that away from me."
"The gods only care about their own muses, dear Caster," Cat puffed themselves up. But Mercury could see that Cat was backing away.
A sudden rumble was felt, and the tentacle was torn apart. Berserker had materialized, devouring the torn tentacle like raw calamari. It caught Mercury as it growled at the two Servants.
Berserker, after putting Mercury down and using its body to cover him, stood tall and towered over the two in a display of intimidation. Its maws were open as it readied itself for a skirmish here. Berserker gave equal focus towards Cat and Caster but neither of them backed down, Caster especially.
"Well," said Cat. "This had been a fine conversation, wouldn't you agree, Caster?" They turned to address Mercury. "Ta-ta for now, dear Mercury."
The two Caster-class Servants went on their way, in separate directions. Berserker itself focused more on Cat rather than Caster. The animosity between the two seemed one-sided. Cat didn't show any sign of being bothered by Berserker but the reverse had it plenty.
Mercury did not miss Cat's wink. There was more that he wanted to know and Cat knew it.
"Hey," Mercury asked. "What is it with you and Cat anyway?"
"Opposites," Berserker answered. "Masquerade."
Mercury shook his head. Berserker spoke in single words that no one would be able to comprehend it without making their own assumptions. Anyone would have to try to understand Berserker if they wanted to make anything out its words.
But he paused. Cat may be more comprehensible but Berserker knew a thing or two wouldn't it? "About Rider," he asked. "Is he really Jaune Arc?"
"Foreigner." Berserker went to the side. Both he and it were walking these halls like a dog-walker with an oversized and aggressive-looking dog without a leash. "Fallen. Time. Waiting. Exploring. Defending. Guiding."
Mercury couldn't figure out what to make of it. Assuming that the Rusted Knight and the Beacon fraud are one and the same, then it would mean that Jaune Arc had fallen into the Ever After just like Alyx. Did he get there before the girl did? He had too if Alyx had met the Rusted Knight. Mercury still hadn't read the book yet, and he wasn't about to borrow Cinder's copy; Emerald had a better shot at that without getting burned.
"Newcomers," Berserker continued. "Two."
"Two?"
"Boy. Girl."
Mercury's forehead creased further. Berserker could talk and could certainly communicate something but no one here could make sense of it all with ease. The only other one that Mercury could gather information from is Curious Cat and he wasn't about to go look for them.
What is it with Caster-class Servants that triggers anybody to go in the other direction? Both Caster and Cat had that and Mercury was starting to wonder if that is just the case for that class. Or was it just those two?
No Grimm got in their way. There were a few Seer Grimm that past by them but neither Mercury nor Berserker gave them any mind. They were doing housework and the sight of a Seer holding a broom was somewhat amusing.
Lighting here in Evernight made it hard to tell if it was day or night. The skies outside certainly didn't help since it was unnatural without the bright blues of day or the darker shades of night. There was blackness certainly, but that accompanied the crimson-red which also painted the skies. Grimm roamed freely here without much care and acted like animals. Berserker itself seemed to feel at home here, for the most part. It was clear that it had problems with Salem.
Mercury was out there in the open. An open space that served as the docking bay for any ships that they would use when entering and leaving Evernight. It also had Nevermore roosting there.
Nevermore and Berserker had some kind of communication going on as the latter preened the former's feathers. Nevermore needed grooming apparently.
"Well, isn't this a coincidence." It wasn't. "We seem to be bumping into each other quite often today, aren't we?"
Berserker and the Nevermore tensed at the sight of Cat. The relationship of these two Servants was aptly a stereotype what with Berserker having some canine-like tendencies. With these two being antithesis to each other, Cat and Berserker could act in a cartoonish fashion to cats and dogs.
Cat moved their vessel in a wobbly fashion. Exaggerated movements as though a small wind turbine blew from their feet upwards and they had no control and just moved along with the momentum.
"Say," Cat said to Mercury. "You're an assassin, aren't you, Mercury?"
"What about it?"
"Well, it just so happens that Sanson—that's this body—is an Assassin himself. An odd one I would say. You'd think that Assassins would be thrilled to assassinate, but this one seems out of it."
"Maybe it's just a job to him," Mercury said. Maybe it's because he's not control of his own body, he did not. "Probably only cares about it if he gets paid." His own father was like that too.
"Just making light conversation." Cat got too close for comfort. "No need to get hostile." Cat's eyes went towards Berserker. "Especially you, Jabby."
Berserker growled.
"Quite the Servant, you've become." Cat turned their entire form towards Berserker. Mercury didn't miss that Cat's possessed hand was on the handle of the sword. "Adjusted very quickly to your new role of Servant that you would even protect your Master's minions. Really going the extra mile here."
"Hey," Mercury demanded. Cat turned their head like an owl. That had to hurt on this Sanson guy. "You said you knew Jaune Arc."
"Yes, I did." Seeing a twisted head nodding hurt to watch. Mercury massaged his own neck at the sight of it. "Forged transcripts. Vault. Maiden."
"You already said all that," Mercury commented.
"Mistral." Cat ignored it. "Some headmaster being a traitor, Bernardo Lying-Hat was his name I think."
"Leonardo Lionheart."
"Oh and there was Atlas!" Cat turned the rest of the body. "A tin-man of a general brought down a floating kingdom on the poor people below or something because Jaune and his friends couldn't come up with a better idea and hoped that everyone would come to their aid! Never mind that every other kingdom was probably dealing with their own problems while they're at it."
Mercury stood there and kept on listening. After Leo, none of those things had happened yet. Atlas was still floating and there was no way for those do-gooders to reach there that fast. No airship could be that fast.
"Next thing Jaune knew, he and a bunch of others were in the Vault and fell here. I still remember all those lifeless bodies that reached the shore. Had me occupied for weeks!" Cat then laughed like it was a hilarious joke.
Berserker poorly sneaked to be behind Mercury. He felt each creeping step of Berserker that anyone would have noticed it coming even if they lost all their natural senses. Berserker wasn't subtle; its power lay in its strength. Its intimidation also played in its favor though it meant little against Cat.
"Did you know he used a Stopwatch Fruit?" Cat continued after wiping away their own tears. "He looked so bashful when he said that."
"Stopwatch Fruit?" Mercury couldn't recall ever hearing anything like that anywhere.
"Don't pluck it unless you want to go really far back into the past," Cat advised. It was odd seeing Cat giving actual advice; they even sounded serious that time. "Had Jaune held onto that fruit long enough, he might have gone so far back that he wouldn't have lived long enough to see Alyx and Lewis. Even with things turning out the way they did, Jaune was so close to breaking down." There was hint of sadism there.
Cat wasn't making any sense. Then again, the Ever After, as far as Mercury knew, didn't make sense by Remnant standards. Then again and again, neither was this Grail War ever existing in the first place and with what they knew from Watts' apparent but expected betrayal, made even less sense to Mercury. Things had been much simpler when it was just him being a hired good trying to take away some secret power. It would have been better if they had gone back to that.
"Ah, I still remember those words he said by the campfire!" Cat swooned. "It really is those ordinary days feel the most like fairytales when looking back at it! I think it was Lewis who asked if he was a knight, and you know what Jaune said?"
Mercury waited for Cat to continued. When they didn't, he sighed and played along. "What did he say?"
"He said no." Cat did what Mercury could only assume to be an imitation of Jaune Arc. "I'm just… a huntsman. Ah. The humility behind it, I've never seen anyone that impressed. Lewis wrote that down so furiously, I tell you!"
Mercury and Cat continued to converse with the former piecing more and more from the information. Behind him, Berserker never took its eyes away from Cat and was especially cautious whenever Cat got too close for comfort, Mercury knew when since it was too close for him as well.
Then, Mercury revealed that Cinder had a copy of the book.
"Oh, she does?" Cat never looked happier. "You don't think I could squeeze a favor out of you, do you?"
Mercury shook his head. "She's obsessed with that copy of hers. Only comfort she had."
Cat's shoulders slumped down until it touched the floor. All of its movements were unnatural for a humanoid body. "Couldn't even let me have a peek?"
"If you want to risk it with Berserker over here." Mercury hid his smirk as he pointed towards Berserker. The Servant in question seemed welcoming of the idea. Truth was that Cat had a chance of borrowing. Emerald should be reading it by now with Cinder breathing down her neck, probably making sure that the aged pages aren't torn.
"Well, I suppose I could find another copy elsewhere. Lewis'—sorry, Alyx's book is a definite bestseller of all time here if us three are present. If any of you are traveling anywhere, do me a favor will you?"
Mercury shook his head. If Cat wanted to read about themselves, then they can find it by themselves. He already had everything he needed. All that was left was to get further confirmation or denial from Emerald. Before he could take a step back into the castle however, Cat tugged his arm. Berserker was quick to react and got near, ready to fight. Ally or not, there was no trusting the Cat in Berserker's eyes.
"Oh and might I add something about Emerald?" Cat added. There was effort behind that neutral expression. Mercury caught that betraying smirk. "You might want to keep your distance from that girl. Villainous characters as you people are, Emerald, on the other hand, isn't as aligned to your mistress' goals as you would like."
Suspicion oozed from Cat no matter how hard they kept themselves as neutral. Cat had already shown themselves as being preferred less than solitude and this attempt at friendship isn't helping in the slightest. There was something more that Cat kept hidden.
"Don't trust me?" Cat could read Mercury well enough. "Emerald isn't as accustomed to these things as you. And I've heard enough from Jaune's retelling of things to know that your little thief friend is capable of switching to the other side."
Mercury swiped away Cat's hand. There had been no force behind it and Mercury kept walking. Berserker stayed a while longer and that shadows showed that the Nevermore were just as protective of Mercury as Berserker was. Probably Berserker's doing.
"Don't forget to wear your desert clothes," Mercury said. "We're headed to Vacuo as soon as we're done in Vale."
"Oh, yes. Yes, we are." Cat's smile grew bigger than the face those lips were attached to. "If memory serves me right, that's where Lewis and Alyx lived."
"Good luck trying to find them." Mercury chuckled.
"I know that they're long dead, Mercury." Cat's smile lessened but Mercury's chilling feeling only grew. "I made sure of that with one of them."
Berserker growled in a low tone. "Betrayal. Purpose."
"Shush you." Cat's grin vanished and they looked at Berserker with disdain. "I didn't come here from the Ever After and Menagerie just to brandy words with a barely comprehensible speech pattern, and that's being generous with you." For once, Cat returned Berserker's hostility with their own.
Even when surrounded by Grimm, Cat didn't back down against Berserker. Mercury believed that those two would duke it out right there but every step he had taken going away from them and still failing to hear even a faint thud was telling him otherwise.
Finding Emerald was the simpler task. They each had assigned rooms and his was next to Cinder's; Emerald's room was on the other side.
Cinder was reading the story to Emerald. Was that the best that Emerald could get from Cinder? That book was more precious to her than what Mercury gave it credit. By the sounds of it, Cinder was giving her commentary with each individual line with how she imagined Rider would be should she get him. There was still no sign of Cinder connecting the oddity of Rider and Jaune Arc.
Mercury leaned against the opposite wall but made sure to stay out of the immediate sight when Emerald stepped out. When she did, she looked more confused than ever. There was nothing that could be gathered on Cinder's side of things.
"Nothing?" Mercury asked. He pushed aside Cat's words from earlier. But there was something there that he could confirm. "Does the book say anything about the Rusted Knight being a huntsman?"
"You mean other than the Rusted Knight never referred to himself as a knight?"
"What was the wording?"
"No," Emerald quoted. "I'm just… a huntsman. Seriously, I've never seen Cinder this obsessed with anything. It's like she's a different person!"
Emerald kept going but Mercury tuned it out. That exact same wording as Cat had given earlier. If Emerald's delivery was a hint of Cinder's imagination, then that also meant the same manner of speech. The first thing that entered Mercury's mind was how creepy Cinder's imagination would have to be if that line was exactly the same as Cat's recreation of Jaune's line. The second was how could it be? Is the Ever After the afterlife? Did Alyx—and this Lewis guy apparently—die and come back from the dead. Cat said that one of them stayed behind. Did Lewis die?
We all are. Us heroic spirits, we're all dead. More of Cat's words from earlier were coming to Mercury. The name, Ever After, has quite the different connotation to him now. Jaune Arc was dead. That was a fact to them. But it was also a fact that Jaune Arc became or already was the Rusted Knight. Cat and Berserker knew of Jaune and it is the same Jaune in their records. The only difference are events that hadn't happen but those two Servants, Cat at any rate, were certain as though it already did.
Cat's other words moved Mercury's eyes towards Emerald. He dismissed it. Yeah, Emerald was the softest among them but that's because she's compared to him and Cinder. Neither of these two were exactly the norm when it came to people. Besides, there was no reason for Emerald to betray them yet; she struck Mercury as someone who was desperate for any sort of affection and thus far, only Cinder gave her that, if at all. Mercury doubts that the opposition would be willing to give Emerald the time of day considering they were responsible for their friend's death.
"How about you?" Emerald asked. She didn't notice that Mercury zoned out. "What have you confirmed."
"Alternate timelines," Mercury answered. Hopefully, she hadn't said anything too important. "Said some things that hadn't happen yet and some events from Beacon got mixed up."
"But that doesn't change that Rider is Jaune Arc, and likely someone who isn't too happy to be anywhere near Cinder."
"Yep. There is nothing that can be done about that." Even killing the Master wouldn't do it. There was one telling what that Servant would do if that happened and it wasn't something that they wanted.
Berserker appeared in the hallways. A few bruises were present. Those cuts had to have come from a sword and those claws were feline. Behind Berserker was Cat, a distance away and moving down a different direction of the intersecting hallways. They had bruises on their person as well. Cat appeared again and went a different direction. Evernight Castle always took some getting used to when it came to directions. No sign of Caster, thankfully.
Berserker dematerialized but gave them one last look before leaving them out there. Cinder must not have noticed the bruises on her Servant or didn't care enough to check. Mercury sighed. It was a frustrating sight, seeing Berserker, strong Servant as it is, being treated like this. Maybe it was the lack of empathy for other humans but Mercury found himself connecting to Berserker better than he would anyone else. He knew a thing or two of trying to please someone; he lost his legs and semblance for it. Unlike him, Berserker would follow Cinder until the end.
Mercury left Emerald there. Frustration was bubbling inside of Mercury and he needed a vent. So, he went to the one place that he could vent. Internally, he apologized to Berserker for what he had been about to do.
Grimm fell by Mercury's feet. These ones were the disposable ones, meant to be used and constantly abused by Salem's minions. Sometimes they were huntsmen. Other times, they were other Grimm. These were the only other activity that Mercury could really vent out as his usual forms weren't cutting it.
This training ground gave a view of the outside. There, the shrunken figure of Salem could barely be seen experimenting with her new Grimm. With her was the much more imposing figure of Caster. Even at this distance, there was an off-putting presence to Caster; he leaned so far back that it couldn't be mistaken for anything other than hysterical laughter.
After Mercury's impromptu training, he stepped closer towards the windows. He squinted his eyes as he focused on the new kind of Grimm that Salem was bringing forward. An army was being made, that much had been certain. But Mercury stumbled backwards when he managed to catch sight of Salem and Caster testing the new Grimm.
That protective layer that covered these new Grimm was unmistakable. Any huntsmen, even in training, would recognize what that was: aura. These new Grimm had aura.
AN: I lost track the number of times I find myself going back to Knight War Order as a reference for this fic. The irony was that KWO didn't start out with a crossover in mind. Just me wanting to take a shot at the "Jaune's transcripts get exposed" sort of fic combined with "Jaune uses a different weapon." Gilles had been slapped on since I didn't want to give that Jaune "basically Excalibur from every other fantasy ever."
Grimm with aura had been some kind of attempt I made there during the final battle part of that fic with what I called in my notes then as "GrimmZilla."
If younger me could see what KWO's ideas would eventually lead to, he wouldn't believe any of it and call me nuts.