Hello everyone and welcome back to the start of chapter 74 of the story! Happy 20th birthday to the Fate franchise! To think that if it wasn't for Nasu's semi-erotic VN at the time, I wouldn't be here writting this fic and with a mild gacha addiction. So thank you Nasu, Type-Moon and all the other writers that contributed to the expansion of this beloved IP. May the next years continue to be of great success! Specially for me during this Valentine's banner when I bring Bazett home.
And with that said, let's start it!
DISCLAIMER: All of the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author
"It's hard to think such small camp base would give our troops some trouble in destroying it. It mustn't be only regular folk in there to hold on for this long I assume." An handsome man with short dark hair and a simple thight dark green suit and some piece of armour speak. He had amber eyes and a small wrinkle beneath one of the eyes. He carried a duo of red and golden spear in his arms.
"From the information we've gathered, I heard that this camp has the benefit of having a servant to protect them." A second man responded. This one had long blond hair and blue eyes, also having an handsome face. He was wearing a sleveless skingtight suit on the top, being brown in colour. The bottom half of his body was covered by a long white skirt tied by belts around the waist that was covered by a silver, golden and blue piece of garnment. "Do you think Queen Medb will gift us if we defeat the servant?"
"As the two of her most valuable celtic warriors, I'm sure she will Fionn." The first man responded. "I can already sense the smell of her pink hair booning us."
"Or perhaps we get to kiss her hand! It would be such a worthy honour." Fionn speaked. "It's situations like these that I envy Cú Chulainn. Queen Medb seems to have eyes just for him, Diarmuid."
"And even if I do agree, I somewhat can see why for that." The second man, Diarmuid, told to Fionn. "A warmonger like him is the perfect warrior Queen Medb needs. And the two share some good amount of past during their previous life." The celtic warrior looked to his companion. "Queen Medb likes strong man. And Cú Chulainn is the strongest man there is. Which makes us two nothing more but candle holders my dear friend."
"Such fact makes my heart quiver." Fionn said with a sad frown. "Altough that may be true, serving under Queen Medb as her subordinates is enough luck and happiness for me."
Diarmuid smiled. "Eh, that I do agree my friend. We need to make sure to eliminate any headaches that disturbs our beautiful queen. Namely this nation called America." The two warriors spotted the camp in the distance, marching torwards the place with their small troops.
"I couldn't have put it better myself. Those who do not accept our queen's vision and reject her gratitude shall perish." Fionn flexed his spear a bit. "Let's pave the way to the queen's new kingdom."
"We are being attacked again?!" Romani exclaimed in shock, hearing the news that the soldier shared with them.
"Damn it! I knew that assault from earlier was took weak to be a true attempt!" Nightingale cursed slightly. "That was nothing more but a way to test this camp's strenght. The enemy must know by now about the my existence as of a servant that is protecting this location.
"So that attack from earlier was just a way for them to do recognition?!" Mash speaked, also concerned. "They could also know about the exact numbers of soldiers here!"
"That and where each division is located in the camp." Romani also pondered.
That possibility frightened the nurse who immediatly gave an order to the soldier at the tent's entrance. "Quick! Pick up some soldiers and reunite all the wounded in one place to hide! Do not let the enemy reach them!" Nightingale exclaimed, expressing what her priorities were.
"Yes ma'am!" The soldier said, getting out of the tent.
"The enemy must have came more prepared and with greater force for this one!" Mash speaked, summoning her shield. "Can you see the enemies on the monitor doctor?" She requested to Romani.
"Already on that!" He responded, inserting commands on his keyboard, to then look at the monitors in front of him. "It certainly doesn't look good."
"What are the bad news?" Ritsuka asked him.
"I'd say this is more terrible than bad ones. The enemy has clearly brought a superior number than the last time. And the worst part, my screen detects two Heroic Spirit signals." Romani informed. "We have to deal with servants this time instead of only taking care of the 'normal' enemies."
"Then I'm more than needed at the front." Nightingale replied, adjusting her gloves. "I have to avoid a bloodbath to happen on these soldiers since normal humans like them will stand no chance against servants in a fight. I'll require your help as well!" She talked torwards Mash and Ritsuka.
The shielder put herself ready. "You have mine and my master's aid Nightingale-san! We shall-"
"No. I'm not going." Ritsuka said in a dejected tone, not looking at Mash as she stared back at him, surprise by his words.
"What? Why?" She asked him.
"I...need to stay here to look after Peko and Nala." Ritsuka said, moving his head to look at his servant. "Guarantee that nothing of bad happens to them!"
"M-Master..." Mash tried to find her words to say something back at Ritsuka, but she wasn't prepared to argue over that. Even less so in seeing Ritsuka close to Peko and Nala's beds. She was aware that he wanted to make sure the two would be save during this, and she couldn't be able to bring herself to make Ritsuka think otherwise. If anything, she should support her master's decision on that.
"Some of the camp's soldiers and medics will look after them. There's no need for you to do that job." Nightingale replied back however, explaining that Ritsuka could let Peko and Nala's well-being to the hands of other people.
But the master of humanity wouldn't change his stance and thoughts about it. "I know that. I still prefer to be by their side here."
"If you treasure them that much, make sure not a single scratch gets on their bodies." Nightingale replied, seeing Ritsuka wouldn't change his mind no matter what she said, so the nurse accepted his position. "Their lives are at your care."
Ritsuka nodded in return, putting a hand on one of the twin's beds. "I will!" He then proceeded to stare at Mash. "Mash..."
"Leave it to us master!" She said. "I'll do my best to not let the enemy overtake this camp nor harm Peko and Nala in any way!" She moved her head to stare at Fou on her shoulder. "Could you also stay here to watch over them with master, Fou?"
"Fou fou!" The animal responded, jumping from the demi-servant's shoulder onto Ritsuka's knee.
"Keep them save master!" Mash told him.
"Good luck to you Mash! Nightingale!" Ritsuka responded, seeing the two woman walking out of the tent.
"In position men!" A soldier shouted on top of his lungs, ordering a line of soldiers on top of the camp's wall, pointing at the enemy troops who were advancing until it came to an halt at the entrance doorstep.
The two celtic spearmen, Diarmuid and Fionn, came forward.
"This territory is about to be conquered in the name of the celtic queen, Medb of Connacth! We'd consider your surrender!" Diarmuid speaked first, not feeling threatened at all by the rifles pointed at him and Fionn.
"If you do as we say and opt for the easy path, all of you can be spared." The second spearman said. "Lay down your weapons and accept this annexation of the Celtic Empire! Come and live happily with us under our queen's rule!"
"We are aware that there might be servants within your camp! It would be wise of you to call them so that we can discuss and resolve this peacefully!" Diarmuid proposed, giving an option of the soldiers submitting to the empire and to keep their lives.
However, majority of them didn't seemed to liked it. They would rather die fighting for their country.
"Grr, how dares he-"
"Hold your fire!" Nightingale ordered all of a sudden, looking up at the line of soldiers from below alongside Mash.
"M-Miss Nightingale?"
"Open the gates! I shall talk with the enemy!" The nurse said, firm in her words.
"But what if it's a trap?"
"Then don't hesitate to shot. But first, let me speak with those two." Nightingale looked back at Mash. "Will you accompany me, Miss Mash?"
"Of course!" Mash nodded, standing next to the nurse as the soldiers opened the gates, with the two women walking out of the camp and stay right in front of the two celtic warriors with their troops behind them. Diarmuid and Fionn's eyes were enchanted by the nurse's appearence.
"Oh, so you must be the servant that has been protecting this place." Fionn put his hand on his chin. "That face and stare...You look tougher than you appear to be. I can tell that."
Diarmuid changed his sight to Mash on the side. "And I presume the younger lady is also a servant. But her expression seems far too innocent for one of a combatant. Just a glance at it tells me how pure you are."
"Hum?!" Mash blushed a bit, feeling a bit timid by the spearman's words.
"Alas, I think that it's one more of those cases were appearences can be deceiving." Diarmuid noted.
"We reckon that you want to speak and negotiate with us since your side hasn't attacked yet. Correct?" Fionn asked to Nightingale.
"Pretty much, yes." The nurse told him.
"Ah, then have you decided to surrender and devote yourselves to the Celtic Empire and its queen?" Diarmuid questioned, hopeful that they wouldn't have to fight to conquer this small camp.
"No. We won't accept you nor your empire and queen." Nightingale told them coldly, rejecting their offer of surrendering, much to the two spearmen slight discontent. Mash was already putting her shield ready. "These soldiers havent fought so valiently with sacrifice upon sacrifice to just become your ruler's subjects. Instead, I propose a different deal."
"Hmm? And may we know what that deal is?" Fionn asked her, him and Diarmuid preparing their spears.
"Let's fight. Only us four. If we win, you two have to retreat with our troops and leave this camp alone." Nightingale shared the deal. "If you win...then there won't be anything else to stop you from conquering this place."
"N-Nightingale-san?!" Mash was surprised by the nurse's offer to the two celtic warriors. A two versus two between her, Nightingale and the two other servants.
"What do you say about it? Is this condition to your liking?" Nightingale asked them.
Fionn scratched his ear. "Hmmm, a battle against you two for the camp's territory. It doesn't sound bad. How about you Diarmuid?"
"Huh? Diarmuid?" Mash thought she had heard that name before.
"I think that the lady here is giving us a fair offer Fionn." Diarmuid smiled. "We won't say no to a fight. We accept your proposal!"
"Great to hear." Nightingale put herself in a fighting stance, her fists closed in a position of a boxer. "I won't let a single soul die today."
Mash was still thinking about the celtic warriors names. "Diarmuid and Fionn...Ah! You two are Diarmuid Ua Duibhne and Fionn mac Cumhaill! Two celtic legends of Ireland and both knights of Fianna!"
"Oooh, you heard this Diarmuid? The young lady knows about us." Fionn told, impressed by Mash's knowledgement of the two warriors.
"Surprising would be if she didn't knew us." Diarmuid replied. "Besides innocent, she must appears to be intellectual too."
"T-Thanks I guess. But I'm also intellectual enough that you two had a disagreement and fallout of sorts. One that didn't end well." Mash speaked, remembering of the myth the two celtic spearmen shared. "If you two know what I'm talking about, then why are you working together?"
"Ah, you mean the legend where Diarmuid dies because of my jealousy?" Fionn said, smilling while waving his hand dismissively. "That thing is part of the past now. We can't let such petty things distract us from working on Queen Medb's goal."
"And a second life is supposed to be made for a second chance. The mistakes that I caused and pained Fionn during my previous one won't be repeated." Diarmuid speaked. "I acknowledge and regret them. I wont put myself through that shame again!" He exclaimed. "Instead, I will be the noble warrior I once was, fighting alongside my friend."
Fionn nodded. "Hm hm. That's the Diarmuid I know."
"Well...good to see you are on friendly terms then." Mash said, surprised how the two celtic warriors seemingly forgave one another without much complication in this second life.
"The fact you two were able to reconciliate does not concern me." Nightingale speaked, getting their attention. "All that matters is that you're the enemy here."
"Right!" Fionn raised his arm, making some sort of water appear and flow around his hand, transforming into a magnificent purple and silver spear. "I too think the time of chatting as passed.
Diarmuid rotated the two spears of his, clashing into one another, as a signal he was also ready. "Come then! Gae Buidhe and Gae Dearg are waiting to taste the ladies skills!"
"Try not to die to a boar this time will you?" Fionn joked with him.
Diarmuid smiled sheepishly. "Did you really had to bring that up now?"
"Okay! Mash, you get the one with the two spears! I'll go for the other one!" Nightingale told to the shielder.
"Understood Nightingale-san!" Mash replied.
Starting off the battle, Nightingale lashed out at Fionn while Diarmuid sprinted at Mash, with the shielder and the blond spearman blocking their respective attacks.
"Her punches does hit like iron!" Fionn noted as he tried to hold back Nightingale's fist before dodging from her incoming kick.
Meanwhile, Mash was doing her best in keeping up with the velocity of Diarmuid's two spears. "He attacks with the second one almost at the same time as the first!" She then barely avoided the swing of one of Diarmuid's spears, making a small cut on her cheek. "Ghg!"
"A pitty that such pretty face got damaged. Scars doesn't suit you well." Diarmuid remarked, lamenting the cut he mad on Mash's face.
Mash tried to fight back, moving her shield at the spearman who parried and dogded all of the attacks. "The legends about him are no joke! Diarmuid is really agile!" The shielder said to herself as her weapon clashed with the two Diarmuid's spears.
Nightingale was throwing some quick punches at Fionn, the fists passing nearby his hair. The nurse was keeping up with the spearman's pace, his reaction of defending also on point. After blocking another punch, the celtic warrior acted fast by attacking through Nightingale's small opening, making a cut on her tight and then an elbow to her face. "Ghgr!" It caused the nurse to stumble back, kneeling.
"You're doing well so far. It isn't your first time in these sort of things, right?" Fionn tried to start a new chat with her. "Unfortunately, I doubt only quick punches and kick will be enough to defeat me."
Passing her hand on her own lips, Nightingale grabbed something. "Very talkative of you!" She said, grabbing an entire bed from nowhere, throwing it at Fionn who's eyes expanded in pure shock.
"SHE'S ATTACKING ME WITH A BED?!" Being paralyzed by the sheer absurdity for a second, Fionn narrowly parried the bed flying at him, avoiding being hit. He didn't undid his defensive posture however, as Nightingale came at him, her fist ready to punch him. Or so that was what Fionn thought. Instead, Nightingale opened her hand and grabbed Fionn's fist, much to the celtic servant surprise. "Oh no! She got me!"
Having a grip on her enemy's arm, what Nightingale would do next? Break it? No. Much to everyone's bewilderment, the nurse grabbed Fionn's bracer and loosened its straps, much to Fionn's confusion.
"Eh?"
"I couldn't help but notice that your bracer was overly tied and tight. A warrior like you should be more careful about the equipment. It could have easily severed your blood circulation on the hand." Nightingale begun to scold him. "Even more so doing all those movements so recklessly. You'd suffer from ache, cramping and stiffness in your hand. How can a 'legendary' hero commit such simple mistake as this one?"
Fionn sweated a bit, smilling timidly. "Eeeh..."
"What is even happening there?"
"I have no idea."
Mash and Diarmuid had stopped fighting, such was the odd situation they were staring at. Even the soldiers didn't know how to exactly comment on this.
"Is...Is miss Nightingale helping the enemy?"
"Done. This should prevent any stoppage from the blood flowing." Nightingale said, having finished her repair on Fionn's bracer. "Feeling better?"
Closing his hand into a fist repeatedly as well as rotating it, Fionn could sense a slight difference. "Oh, you're right!" He said, smilling to the nurse. "Thank you very mu-hughgr!?"
"What a nice thing to hear!" Nightingale said, having punched Fionn right in the face. "Now I can properly beat you up!" She shouted, sending Fionn down to the ground.
"Tsk! How do you let your guard down that easily Fionn?!" Diarmuid screamed at his friend, unhappy by the punch he got.
"Yah!" The moment she saw Diarmuid's eyes taking their sight out of her, Mash took the chance to attack him. Diarmuid quickly went back to look at the shielder, blocking two of her hits and dodging the third. But that wasn't enough. The celtic warrior felt some blood running down from his shoulder, having been cut by Mash's shield there. "I managed to hit him!"
"Ah! Are you joking with me now?" Diarmuid expressed his displeasure on having gotten hit right after what he said to Fionn. "I didn't knew the young lady would dare to resort to such tactics!"
"You can only blame yourself for having looked away!" Mash replied.
Diarmuid chuckled in return. "Hmm, I suppose so."
"The Beauty of Trouble with Women!"
Casting a spell on himself, Fionn cleaned his chin a bit, staring at Nightingale. "You know, women who can fight and beat ass are quite unique. I admire that type of woman."
"You're implying you liked the punch?" Nightingale asked him.
"In a fighting perspective, yeah, that was a good punch you threw at me." Fionn responded.
"I see..." Nightingale said. "This person may have some mental problems."
"Hey, Diarmuid! Want to raise the stakes?" Fionn speaked to his friend.
"Heh. Thought you'd never ask!" Diarmuid replied.
"Love Spot!"
"Hmngh!" Mash felt her body get slightly weaker the moment Diarmuid casted a skill of his. "What was this?"
"A little something to make the things more intense." Diarmuid told her, with Fionn now standing by his side. "You ladies proved to be more than a possible headache."
"Growing more like a tumour. And it's our job to resolve that." Fionn added, moving his spear.
"Nurse of Steel!"
Stepping next to Mash, Nightingale casted a healing spell on Mash. "Stand tall Miss Mash!"
"N-Nightingale-san?" Mash looked at the her.
"It appears we will also have to get rid of some tumours here!" Nightingale said, staring at the two celtic warriors. "So help me remove them in the best way you can!"
Mash nodded, repositioning her shield. "Got it!"
Hearing the commotion on the outside, Ritsuka stood inside the tent with Fou, guarding both Peko and Nala. He hoped that Mash and Nightingale were doing well.
"Fou fou." Fou could hear all the noise going on, wondering if everything was alright.
"I'm sure they are fine Fou. Gotta believe in Mash." Ritsuka patted the creature's fur. He then looked back at the twins, deeply sleeping in their beds. Not even all the sound was enough to wake them up. And the master of humanity wanted to make sure it would stay like that until their bodies recovered.
That's why when he heard a noise at the tent's entrance, Ritsuka immediatly put his guard up.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Ritsuka demanded.
"Fou! Fou!" Fou also showed some hostility, ready to attack whoever was coming.
And with the two ready for what was about to come, they'd soon go back to let their guards down, as the one who entered the tent was just a soldier.
"Oh. It isn't an enemy." Ritsuka murmured, putting his arms down.
"Fou fou."
However, the soldier was visibly distressed and nervous, his hands shaking non-stop. "It's hopeless...It's hopeless...It's hopeless.."
"H-Hey. Are you okay?" Ritsuka asked, being a bit concerned about the soldier's behaviour, who shoved him away as soon as Ritsuka approached him. "Oi!"
Pulling up a chair, the soldier continued onto his incoherent mumble as he took out a tiny metal bottle of liquor and opened it, drinking from it.
"This isn't a proper place to drink you know?" Ritsuka said to the soldier, upset to see the man drinking alcohol in a zone that was ment for the wounded to rest and recover in tranquility.
"Ah? Who cares? It's all pointless now..." The soldier said with a worn-out expression, going back to drink.
"What do you mean?" Ritsuka asked him.
"We're done for good man! There's no way to get out of this crap!" The soldier shouted, kicking one of the beds in anger, already feeling some influence of the alcohol.
Seeing that, Ritsuka went to immediatly grab the man by the collar and pull him out from the chair who fell to the ground. "What's happening exactly?! Tell me already dammit!" He said agressively, holding himself to not punch the soldier in the face for his attitude.
"Fou!"
"M-Miss Nightingale and that other girl are losing a fight to the enemy." The soldier told him, much to Ritsuka's disbilief.
"What?"
"They are no match for those two celtic warriors." The soldier said, getting out from Ritsuka's grip. "They attack almost relentlessly, and without having to drop much sweat. Miss Nightingale and the girl are having huge difficulties against them." The soldier sat on the ground and started to whimper. "As we speak...those two celts are probably finishing them off. And all of the camp is next!"
"And you decide to go here instead of helping them?" Ritsuka said, fearing how despondent the sitaution outside must be.
"What can we do?! They'll kill us in a drop of a hat!" The soldier raised his voice. "If Miss Nightingale can't stop them, how will we?! There's no escaping this!" The soldier exclaimed, drinking all of what was left from the bottle, whimpering. "Not even if I fled now...This is the end." The soldier put his arms around his legs, getting his face closer to the knees.
"Fou..."
"H-How about you stand up instead? There's still something we can do, right?" Ritsuka tried to lift up the soldier's spirit.
"What does it change? It will be in vain against those monsters." The soldier replied. "If there was someone more to help us, but it will never come. As of now, we are completely helpless." He said, having no hope left inside him to believe in a better outcome.
Ritsuka however, wanted to believe otherwise. Altough the soldier's declarations sounded dooming, there was something inside the last master of humanity that wouldn't let the bad energy affect him too. In silence, Ritsuka stared once again at both the sleeping Peko and Nala. How much their safety meant for him. How much Mash needed of his help right now. The entire of humanity's existence on his shoulders. And a lot of other important things. Looking at the Command Seals on his hand, reminded him of how much was at stake.
.
.
"You always find a way to help somebody, don't you, Ritsuka?"
.
.
"Hm!" Closing his hand into a fist, Ritsuka decided what to do next. "This is not the end!" He then stared at the soldier as he begun to walk torwards the tent's exit. "Hey, can you do me a favour?"
The soldier looked at him confused. "Eh? What do you want?"
"Those two kids. Look after them, please. They are important to me." Ritsuka requested.
"H-Huh? But why? Where are you going?" The soldier asked.
"To lend an hand. Whether you find it stupid or not, I don't care. Just promise you will look after them while I'm away." Ritsuka explained to him.
"...S-Sure." The soldier replied, not minding or opposing to what Ritsuka told him. All in all, he just didn't cared much.
"Fou?" Fou approached Ritsuka, looking at him in the face.
"Will you also look for the two, Fou?" Ritsuka asked the animal with a gentle smile.
"Fou fou!" The animal nodded, not thinking twice about it.
"Thanks for it buddy." Ritsuka told him, looking at Peko and Nala one last time before exiting the tent. "Rest easy. I'll deal with this!"
"Gnhg..." Mash hold her chest in pain as she stumbled a bit, trying to maintain her balance after being hit by one of Diarmuid's spears. The fight had took a turn for the worst for her Nightingale. Both Diarmuid and Fionn had decided to go a level above, fighting with more speed and precision than they were previously doing. They were slowly but surely being pushed back by the two celtic warriors, having sustained a handful of injuries.
The nurse also wasn't in better conditions while fighting Fionn. Her entire body was covered in bruises, compared to the spearman who only had some damage here and there. Nightingale attempted a jab on Fionn's face. The lancer servant dodged easily however, hitting her back with his spear. "Nghnn!"
"Really, you aren't all that bad." Fionn said as he watched Nightingale panting exhaustedly. "Here's an advice if you want to live. Give up now and join us. I'm sure Queen Medb wouldn't mind having pretty maids like you two at her service."
"I refuse!" Nightingale shouted, not even hesitating for one moment.
"Are you sure about it?" Fionn looked to the side. "It's that I don't think your companion will be able to continue on for much longer."
And he was right. Mash's stamina and energy were almost expired, with the shielder barely accompanying Diarmuid's movements.
The soldiers inside the camp couldn't help but feel dread on watching the fight.
"This is bad. Miss Nightingale and her helper are in hot water."
"Should we start firing at those two now? I doubt that Miss Nightingale can win this."
"Hmm, she didn't gave a signal. So we better wait for now."
"I too don't wanna risk a full-on battle here but- Huh? Wait! Where is that guy going down there?!"
"He's heading torwards the fight?!"
Falling on one knee, Mash felt too weakened to lift her shield or properly stand up again. "I...can't keep going..."
"The young lady as been harmed more than enough. It's a disgrace that you force yourself into prolonging it." Diarmuid told her, seeming displeased with having to hurt more of her body. "Why such beautiful maiden like yourself subjects to such pain?"
"What...do you know about me?" Mash replied, not liking how Diarmuid viewd her as a fragile girl with no place in a battle.
"That you can have a new opportunity under the Celtic Empire. Do so, and you shall be spared as well as living a better life." Diarmuid offered her, thinking that such beauty shouldn't die here and now.
However, Mash's glance was enough to tell the spearman that she refused it. A defiant stare that needed no words to express what the shielder's reply to that offer was.
Sighing, Diarmuid had no alternative. "Oh well then. So be it." He pointed his red spear at Mash's head. "I'll at least make it quick."
"Mash!" Nightingale exclaimed in panic, seeing Diarmuid about to throw his weapon at her companion.
But there was nothing Mash could do. She was too fatigued to dodge or block properly. Therefore, she accepted her fate by closing her eyes and awaiting the spear to strike. After all, she didn't matter. Her life wasn't important. That's what Mash thought of herself. "Senpai, I think this is the end for me. But don't cry if it is. As long as you, Peko, Nala and Chaldea can continue to live on to complete the objective, I don't mind dying. You're the ones who must keep living. Do not shed tears for me. A person who isn't even a true human being, was never valuable in the first place. Someone who will-"
"Get down!"
Hearing some quick footsteps coming in her direction, Mash opened her eyes again as she felt someone grabbing her body and fastly push her to the ground, avoiding Diarmuid's spear by centimeters.
"H-Huh?" Mash was confused, seeing a hand with Command Seals on her left side as she could tell someone was above her.
"Mash. What were you about to do?"
Seeing some blood fall onto the Command Seals hand, Mash looked up to see Ritsuka's face staring at her, with his shoulder partially wounded by Diarmuid's spear.
"Senpai?"
"You were about to die for us? Mash, that was selfish of you." Ritsuka told her, a pain in his voice. "You didn't even consider what all of us would feel if you'd die just like that?"
Mash tried to reply. "M-Master I-"
Cutting her off, Ritsuka grabbed Mash's hand, still looking at her. "As the leader, I made a promise that none of us will die. We will get through this together until the very end!" He said, with a huge certainty. "So don't you ever try to go and die on me Mash! Understood?"
Sensing a huge emotion on Ritsuka's words, Mash nodded at her master. "Yeah!"
Finally, Ritsuka smiled at her. "Sorry for only arriving now."
Mash smiled back at him. "Don't be silly. Better than never master."
Getting up, Ritsuka helped Mash to get back on her feet.
"Hm? Who's the new participant here?" Diarmuid asked, having seen Ritsuka join the fight to avoid Mash getting hit by his spear.
"Hey! You can't be here! It's too dangerous for you!" Nightingale yelled at Ritsuka. "You already got your shoulder hurt!"
"Don't worry about it! I know what to do!" Ritsuka told her.
"Is he serious? I can barely sense any mana from him." Fionn noticed, being of the opinion that Ritsuka didn't look to be of a threat to them. "I would heard your friends if I were you. What can you possibly do here?"
Ritsuka lifted his hand with the Command Seals who started to glow. "I'll show you!"
Mash theorized what he was about to before reaching to a fast conclusion. "Master! Don't tell me you're going to-"
"Yes I will! Right here and now!" Ritsuka stretched his arm to the front. "For the sake of everybody!"
Calling back his spear, Diarmuid observed Ritsuka. "What is he about to do?"
"Harken, spirit from the Throne
and heed this words."
The Command Seals activated, Ritsuka's body feeling the blood flowing in the veins.
"I require your strenght
a spark that can bright our path
an hero to face this adversity!"
A magecraft circle appeared on the ground. Much to Diarmuid and Fionn's distress, they knew what that meant.
"Is he about to-"
"Conjure a summoning?!"
"So please, come forth
Lend us your genious power
And form a contract with me
Make your splendor shine
O great Heroic Spirit from beyond the afterlife!"
Shouting, Ritsuka concluded the summoning, the circle in front of him bursting into bright lights of thunder.
Fate Grand Order OST- Rebellion
And in the middle from where that circle once was, stood the genius man. Master of electricity and modern Prometheus.
"You called, my master?" The smile of Nikola Tesla greeted Ritsuka, having answered his calling from the Throne of Heroes.
"Tesla-san!" Mash exclaimed in a surprising joy, seeing the servant who had helped them at the end of the previous Singularity be back again to help them.
"Eh, good to see you again." Ritsuka smiled, stumbling a bit as he felt a bit of energy leaving his body. Thankfully, Mash grabbed him.
"Are you feeling okay master?" Mash asked him.
"Y-Yeah. All good." Ritsuka said, shoving the slight pain away.
"I presume you are in a dire situation, correct?" Tesla asked, to which Ritsuka nodded. "Then do say, as your servant, what you want me to do?"
The master of humanity pointed at both Diarmuid and Fionn. "Think you can handle them?"
"Like a fresh and well oiled machine!" Tesla happily answered before facing the two celtic warriors. "I'll make sure to resolve this bother."
"He summoned a new servant to help us?" Nightingale was still staring at Tesla. "Altough it doesn't appear to be an easy task for him to pull off seeing how his body reacts to it."
"You might want to take a step to the side miss." Tesla told to Nightingale, looking back at her, charging his robotic arm. "Things might get chaotic here."
Staring at the new opponent, both Diarmuid and Fionn prepared themselves.
"What's this? Having another servant to help you wasn't in the agreement at all!" Diarmuid speaked, bothered by having their battle between them, Nigthingale and Mash interrupted in this way.
"Who gives? An harder challenge is nothing to us, Knights of Fianna!" Fionn said, not being that much annoyed by Tesla's arrival unlike his friend.
"Ah, then you are legendary warriors from celtic mythology." Tesla observed. "An unexpected foe to say the least. I've heard of your incredible might and weapons." He then pointed his mechanical arm to the two warriors. "However, can your spears best the natural element of electricity?" He challenged the two.
The celtic warriors wasted no time in sprinting torwards Tesla. But with a simple snap of his robotic fingers, the genius inventor liberated a strong electric current torwards them both. Such strong attack that nor Diarmuid nor Fionn were able to block it in proper time, being hugely hit by the current.
"K-Kkgrhg! Damn you..!" Fionn cursed, having a part of his torso burned. Picking up Diarmuid who had his entire shoulder roasted, the blond spearman gave an order to the troops behind them. "Attack!" He yelled, seeing that this was no longer the two versus two they had originally agreed on.
"Their troops decided to advance!" Mash exclaimed.
"Fire!" Nightingale gave the command to the soldiers of her side as an answer.
But the soldiers didn't need to spent much bullet on the enemy. Being pratically fresh and still with lots of mana to use, Tesla fired a couple of electric beams torwards the celtic soldiers, blasting many of them away. "And to top it off..." The inventor casted thunders from above with his hand, making them fall on the enemies, electrifying them. Needless to say, the battle was being a complete massacre to the celtic side.
Acknowledging this, Diarmuid clenched his teeth. "This is becoming a disgrace."
Healing his shoulder with a special kind of water, Fionn had no other choice but do the obvious. "Hate to say it but we have to retreat! Suffering bigger loses would only shame Queen Medb's further!" He proceeded to speak with what was still remaining of his troops. "You heard me men? Retreat! This battle is long lost!"
"Eh. At least this time you had the decency of healing me." Diarmuid joked a bit as he and Fionn begun to flee from the battlefield, avoiding Tesla's thunders. He then gave one last look at their enemies. "Don't think this will be the last of us! We shall confront each other again!" He went to look specifically at Mash, smiling at her. "And if we win, how about the young lady becomes my friend's wife?"
"Eh?!" Mash reacted in shock.
Fionn on the other hand loved the idea of that. "Hmm, that doesn't sound bad. She reminds me of Grainne in some sort of way." He also went to stare at Mash before going away. "Then I will make sure to defeat you in the future and make you the happiest wife in the world! Until there, think about how lovely it would be the chances of us two being together! See you on another time!"
And the two celtic spearmen went away with the rest of their troops, leaving a very confused Mash behind.
Ritsuka was also weirded out by this proposal of the two servants torwards Mash. "What a bunch of weirdos..."
"Fionn mac Cumhaill wanting me to be his wife..." Mash closed her eyes, rubbing her own head. "That sound like a starnge dream honestly."
"Must be things from their culture." Tesla said. "Celtic mythology always had quite the romantically obsessed individuals."
"Then in a certain perspective, you could say its like an addiction." Nightingale speaked.
"More or so." Tesla replyed, finding Nightingale's comparision to be 'unique'.
But that at the time didn't matter as the entire camp celebrated again, with the soldiers screaming and jumping from joy.
"We did it!"
"We pushed the enemy away!"
"We get to live another day!"
Ritsuka smiled alongside Mash, seeing the soldiers hugely happy for having survived to another assault to their camp. They were able to protect them. But most importantly, they protected Peko and Nala. Deep down, the master of humanity was glad that he was of help to them.
"Wow Fujimaru! Of all the servants you could have summoned to have saved the camp against those two, getting Nikola Tesla was indeed a lucky dice roll." Romani speaked with Ritsuka who was accompained by Mash and Tesla, standing in front of Peko and Nala's medical tent.
"But are you feeling alright master?" Mash asked him. "For someone like you to do that it must cost more mana than an average mage would. Plus you just woke up from the coma some hours ago."
"But it worked right? That's what matters." Ritsuka smiled to her.
Tesla snickered at that. "Taking huge risks without the consideration of errors can be so foolish yet genial at the same time."
"You're saying that makes him of a dumb-genius?" Romani asked to Tesla.
"Even a brainless idiot would know what 2+2 is. I'd say master is between that and being a true intellectual." Tesla responded.
"So...an average human then?" Ritsuka said.
"And being average is by no means being bad. You can only either go up or down from there." Tesla said. "However, to reach to a level of someone like me there would need to be many factors into play."
"Jeez, thanks for the motivation." Ritsuka responded, not taking real offense to what the inventor said.
"So from London to America eh?" Tesla took a look at the camp around him. "Welp, not really the America that I am used to despite not being that far off. In the middle of an early 'civil war' no less. To think I was but a young kid when the real one happened..."
"You must be familiar with the United States territory Tesla-san. You spent a huge amount of your life in this country until your death after all." Mash said, knowing that major part of the inventor's life was on America.
"Hmm, I'm more familiar with the East Coast despite also having done studies on the West Coast. I'll be more familiar with New York than California per exemple, despite having been on those two states." Tesla responded. "But knowing that the East is now basically our enemy, I might remember of some locations that the enemy now uses as bases."
"That might come in handy." Romani said. "Even if the scenery of some cities have changed, there must still be some traces that you could recognize in them."
"Changing subjects, I want to be clear of one thing." Tesla speaked seriously. "Those two kids. Will they be alright?"
"Luckly, they're out of danger from dying." Mash saddly told him. "However, we don't know how long it will take them to recover."
Tesla's eyes lowered down. "I see. Sorry for not being here at the time to prevent that. I could tell from our small period together in London that they are good children."
"But you came at a good time still." Ritsuka told him. "I wasn't expecting to meet you again so soon after our short meeting against Solomon."
"I did say we would see each other again, didn't I?" Tesla responded. "And this time, with a better master and no shortage of mana or time constraints."
Ritsuka offered an handshake to him. "It's nice to finally be on the same side properly, Tesla."
"Likewise, master." Tesla accepted, handshaking with Ritsuka.
"That's one more servant to help us!" Romani said in joy. "Ahah, I feel that our beggining here was only a mistep. From here on now is only up!"
"Don't you go jixing it doc." Ritsuka told to Romani, being used to seeing the doctor speaking way too early.
Mash on the other hand, was now thinking about a different topic. "Hmm, what is taking Nightingale-san so long?"
And she immediatly got her answer as Nightingale exited from the tent with Doctor Rush going after her her.
"Miss Nightingale wait!" Rush said in a begging tone
"I've had enough of this!" She exclaimed.
"Speaking of the devil...Or angel in this case." Romani commented.
"She looks upset." Ritsuka noticed the clear unhappiness on the nurse's face.
"I wonder why tho?" Mash speaked.
"I won't allow this disgrace to continue." Nightingale continued her conversation with Rush. "Now we're being attacked almost every day and get little no support from the headquarters!"
"M-Miss Nightingale, please calm yoursel-"
"The camp can't continue on this miserable state! We could have lost today and still no help from our side arrived! At this point, they might just be leaving all of these soldiers to die!" Nightingale said angrily, unsettled by the lack of aid the camp was getting from the other bases of the West during the attacks.
Tesla approached the two. "Excuse me, is something wrong?"
"Yes it is. I'm heading to the headquarters of the West right now." Nightingale told him.
"Now? What made you think that?" Ritsuka asked her, wanting to know why.
"I've tried my best to keep these soldiers and camp save. Guarantee their well-being. At least until more help could come from the other West strongholds. Yet, fight after fight and nothing! The soldier have been suffered enough and their cries are still ignore. This camp seems to be all by itself." Nightingale explained her dissapointment with the management of the West in offering aid to the camp. "As of now, they're all by themselves with no one else but us to help. I can no longer allow it!"
"So you pretend to travel to the headquarters and confront the West's leader about it?" Romani asked, believing he got it right.
"Yes. That's what I intend to do. It's a matter of time until the enemy returns stronger and we won't be able to hold it back ourselves." Nightingale told him. "Care to come along with me?"
"Well, we where eventually going there to meet with the leader of this West America. We can both express that complaint and propose their aid to them, so of course we will join you." Ritsuka responded, seeing that they would be going to the West's headquarters next.
Mash however seemed to have some doubt. "But master, who will look after Peko and Nala while we are gone?"
"That's...a good point." Ritsuka said, knowing that they couldn't just go away and leave the two unprotected while recovering.
Also not wanting to leave the two kids unnatended, Nightingale looked at Rush. "Mr Rush, I want you to hear something."
"W-What is it Miss Nightingale?"
"You now get in charge of the sick and wounded of this camp. Make sure to treat them well during my absence. Understood?" Nightingale gave the camp's doctor that task, now that she would be gone.
The doctor nodded, hesitating at first. But he woudn't deceive her trust. "Yes ma'am!"
"Still, I think having one more to look after Peko and Nala would be good." Romani said.
"Fou fou!" That's when the animal appeard behind Mash's shoulder. "Fou!"
"Hm? What is it Fou? Will you also look after Peko and Nala?" Mash asked to the creature who jumped from the shoulder to the ground.
"Fu! Fou! (Yes! You can trust me! They'll be fine with me!)" Fou told them.
"Then I guess we can leave the two to your care." Ritsuka crouched down, looking at Fou. "You got this, don't you Fou?"
"Fou!"
"We are settled to go then." Mash said, looking at the tent were Peko and Nala currently where in. "Rest well, Peko, Nala. I'm sure that you will recover in no time."
"Okay! Now, where exactly are the headquarters located?" Romani asked to the nurse.
"If I remember right, in a place called Denver. South from here." She said.
"Denver...Ring any bell?" Ritsuka asked to the rest of the party.
"Humm...Denver...Denver..." Tesla thought where he heard about it before. "Aha! Denver, Colorado! I used to have a labratory there."
"Do you know the way?" Ritsuka asked him.
"I can try guide us there." Tesla responded.
"Alright! Let's get going!" Ritsuka said as he, Mash and the two servants waved goodbye to Fou and Rush before exiting the camp. But they had only walked some good meters away from it, when they were approached by someone.
"Stop right there!" A woman's voice exclaimed shortly before a group of robots appeared from the trees. They were metallic with mainly blue paint on their bodies alongside some red. The head piece of the robots were in white and red stripes with a white star on the center, looking like a hat.
"Oh great! What is it n-eh?!" Looking at the robots, Ritsuka's eyes widened in shock as he remembered where he had seen that model before. "Are thos things..."
"Helter Skelters?! Here in America?!" Mash exclaimed, also surprised. "But it can't be! I thought that only Charles Babbage could use them, being their creator!"
"Oh? You guys know Babbage? Then I should let you know that these robots weren't created by him, but instead mass produced by our great leader!" The woman's voice speaked again.
"They really do seem the perfect product to be produced like that." Tesla commented, not liking the robots appearence.
"Stop hiding and show yourself already!" Nightingale demanded agressively, wanting whoever was speaking to show up to them.
"How rude of you." Behind one of the apparently Helter Skelters, a small woman appeared. Short purple hair and eyes. She was wearing a black and red puffy hat and short black and red clothes with simple white sleeves, long black socks and a huge red belt around her waist. "First you decide to desert and now you talk like this to your superior?"
"Desert?" Ritsuka stared at the small woman, confused. "We weren't thinking about deserting!"
"Save your excuses for later! You are now in the presence of the great Helena Blavatsky herself!" The short woman introduced herself, causing Tesla's mind to recall something.
"Hm?! Helena Blavatsky!? This small child is you!?" He exclaimed in huge bewilderment.
"I'm not a child!" Helena replied angrily.
"Do you know her?" Ritsuka asked to the inventor.
"If I do! That person over there is one of the greatest geniuses from my time!" Tesla responded.
"Helena Blavatsky. That name doesn't sound weird to me." Nightingale pointed out. "I must have heard it somewhere else before."
"I know! Helena Blavatsky, the russian occultist, writer of famous theological works and an incredible mage in the 19th century!" Romani revealed some info. "Also known for the reports that stated she had psychic experiences and powers!"
"Oh oh! Someone has done their homework I see." Helena smiled proudly. "For knowing me that well and communicating in such an unique way to what appears to be an hologram..." She fixated her stare at Romani, trying to see it well. " Graham Bell, is that you?"
"Who?" Ritsuka asked.
"Graham Bell. The inventor of the telephone." Mash replied. "She must have mistook Doctor Romani for him."
"Yeah. Sorry to inform you but I'm not him." Romani clarify her mistake. "I'm a totally different person known as Romani Archaman."
"Hm, never heard of you." Helena said.
"But you most definetly have heard of me before." Tesla took a step forward, presenting himself. "Nikola Tesla. Pleasure to meet you, Madame Blavatsky."
And he was right. Helena knew who he was. "T-Tesla!? A genius like you is also here?!" She said in astonishment.
"As an Heroic Spirit, just like you. I've heard huge things about you." Tesla smiled to the small woman.
"Same here. The man who mastered electricity himself!" Helena said happily. "Guess it was fate for geniuses like us to meet here in America then." With her hand, Helena ordered the helter skelters to lower their weapons, being friendly with the party. "So I presume you were the servant who was helping that camp back there all this time, wasn't it?"
Tesla shook his head in negative. "You got it wrong Madame Blavatsky." He then looked at Nightingale. "She's the one who did all the job in the rumours you've heard about."
"Florence Nightingale." The nurse introduced herself. "I knew your name sounded familiar. I've had some of your books at my house, altough I never read them."
"Didn't had the time to read them?" Helena asked.
"No. I just didn't found them appealing. That's all." Nightingale said in brutal honesty. A stinging pain passing through the small woman's chest.
"How unnecessarily ruthless!" Helena shouted despite smiling on the outside. "But I've also heard of you, Florence Nightingale. The Angel of Crimea. Makes sense that a nurse like you would be in a war helping wounded."
"Unlike you and your leader, who seems to have forgotten about this camp." Nightingale told her.
"What do you mean? We heard there was a fight going on here. That's why I was coming with these helter skelters in order to give you support." Helena told, confused at Nightingale's words.
"The battle already ended. We won." Mash said to the occultist.
"...Oh." Helena looked to the side, feeling a bit of shame before hiding it. "Well, then it's a good thing you were able to deal with them before we arrived! Hahahaha!"
"Still a disrespect for every soldier in there that has been fighting tooth and nail for you and this country." Nightingale said. "We've waited so long for any backup that you only show up when the fight is done. In a war, that is inexcusable. That's why I need to have a talk with the leader of the West army."
"Hm? You wish to see our leader?" Helena asked her.
"Us too!" Ritsuka told her.
"And you're supposed to be?" Helena looked at both him and Mash, never having seen them before.
"Good people, Madame Blavatsky." Tesla told her. "The boy over there was the one who summoned me and the girl fights with a shield, being equally proficient to that of a servant."
That got Helena's curiosity. "Hm. Do tell me more."
"You like of the supernatural and the psychic, don't you?" Tesla said. "Well now let me inform you that the two come from a place far away in the future with the task of saving humanity."
"Ooooh." Helena was with starts in her eyes. "Visitors from an advanced time. That does sound kinda up my alley."
"And better yet, we can all be on the same side, since they and you have the same goal: defeating the Celtic Empire that terrorizes and threatens this country." Tesla revealed Chaldea's goal in this Singularity to Helena.
The short woman nodded, putting an hand on her chin. "Hm hm. Intresting. What's your names?"
"Ritsuka Fujimaru. I am the last master of humanity and from a place in the future called Chaldea." Ritsuka introduced himself to her.
"And I'm Mash Kyrielight. A demi-servant, also from Chaldea. Tesla-san speaks the truth when he says we want to help you stop the Celtic Empire. We want to make sure the United States prevail to this war." Mash also present herself.
Taking an intrest to them and wanting to know more, Helena decided that perhaps she could grant them that wish of meeting up with her leader. "Hmm, fine! I think I can guide you to our leader!" She said. But when she looked at Tesla again, her smile contorted a bit and sweat begun to appear on her face. "I think..."
"Is there a problem?" Tesla looked at Helena, finding her smile a bit strange.
"Nope! Not at all!" Helena said, trying to sound completely fine.
"Good! Will you show us the way?" Romani asked her.
Hopping into the hand of one of the helter skelters, Helena giggled at the party. "With pleasure! I hope your legs are used to long travels because you're about to meet the PresiKing!"
To be continued...
And that was it for chapter 74!
I was honestly expecting it to be longer with how much I wrote for this one but apparently it got right under the 10k!
And yep, Tesla is already here instead of appearing in the end of a Singularity for the second time in a row. I think Tesla's character could benefit way more if he appeared sooner and was a present character in Pluribus Unum. I mean, motherfucking Edison is here and FGO devs can only afford to have the two interact with each other at the end? C'mon guys, it was such an easy and obvious choice to make here.
And we also got to the twink celtic duo, Diarmuid and Fionn. Man, now that I stop to think about it, celtic servants are hot as hell (Except Fergus. I don't like him and will never forgive him for having spooken me a thousand times during my rolls). Maybe Medb's plan was just to have an harem for herself after all.
Anyways, that's all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 75! Peace!
P.S:
Melusine (Flying in the sky): I spot three Ugallus down there! Can I bombard them?
Nemo (On the ground): That won't be necessary.
Sétanta: Yeah we've got a plan.
Peko: The greatest plan ever! Watch this! (Fires light bullet at the enemies, resulting into an explosion of bright flashes) Eh. Just like firewor- (Starts getting nauseous from the continuous flashes) Oh no...
*A few minutes later*
Sétanta: Hasn't he stopped from throwing up?
Melsuine (Patting Peko in the back): Still not.
Nemo: What an idiot. Stick up to the strategy next time.