Hey, so I'm back with the second Chapter! The feedback on the last one has been great, it's really encouraging. As such, I couldn't stop myself from cranking out this one too. It's a bit shorter than the last and more of a set-up than anything for things to come, but I still felt like it was necessary regardless. We'll see Ritsuka again from Chapter 3, so don't worry about that. This is merely to showcase what is happening in Chaldea- and how they find out the truth.
A couple of people asked whether this would follow the anime or not, and the answer to that is kind of no- it'll probably be a mixed universe. The reason for this is that the Alola plot kind of goes out the window if I use the anime 100% since Lusamine is no longer evil, not to mention the radical differences in some of the characters between the two mediums. As for whether I'll use fan-made Regions, the answer is a more concrete no. At least, not in the main story. I really want to, but I feel like it's best for me to focus on something everyone knows first as a new author.
I'm still working out some of these things though, so I wouldn't say anything is final- probably except for my decision to not have Servants in the Pokémon world. I know it might be disappointing to hear, but I genuinely think the story would lose out on more if they did show up there. This is meant to be Ritsuka's journey, after all.
Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Chaldean Crisis
Gilgamesh, illustrious King of Heroes, restrained the urge to sigh as he beheld the madness unfolding in his garden from the corridor.
"What do you mean my husband is gone?!" thundered Morgan, her grip on her Demonic Spear tight enough to actually make it creak. The normally composed and stony woman looked anything but calm in that moment, her face twisted into a snarl that promised pain as she glared daggers at Blackbeard.
The scruffy pirate looked like he had seen better days, beaten black and blue in an almost comical fashion. His Spirit Core may have still been intact, but that was only because the women who had assaulted him knew they needed him alive to wring out every last possible drop of information about what had happened to their Master.
"Yeah, why don't you explain yourself, Mister!" said Kukulkan, the fellow Lostbelt King's closed eyes and smile contrasting heavily with the swirling emerald energy that radiated from her body like a corona. "Don't worry, I'll be generous and give you five seconds to live if you do!"
"…My patience wears thin, pirate." replied Archetype Earth, her red eyes flashing dangerously. While outwardly more composed than her extraterrestrial counterpart, the pressure emanating from her was enough to reveal that she was no less calm on the inside. "Speak."
"My child…. my child….!" trembled Tiamat, looking as if she was on the verge of screaming and transforming back into her Beast Form. "Where are you… where did you go… where did you send him?!"
"It wasn't my fauuulllltttt!" blubbered the guilty party, lying through his teeth in an effort to survive his comeuppance. He was just as horrified as they were about what had happened, but he couldn't do anything about it if they slaughtered him! "Mastah wasn't even touching the Grail, it was on the table!"
This was only a mere fragment of the chaos that had broken out mere hours ago, when every Servant within the Storm Border had suddenly felt their connection to their Master grow horrifically weaker, fading until it was merely a wisp of what it normally was. To even call it a link at this point might have been an exaggeration, for it had degenerated to a point where it was barely functional. For reference, it was as if the channel between them was still open, but had been muted completely from the other side. Of course, this hadn't been noticed at first- with how suddenly their bond had shrunken in an instant, the first thought that many of the Servants had was that Ritsuka had died.
Predictably, that hasty conclusion combined with the alarms going off as the Master's disappearance was noticed by the onboard systems caused everyone to go into a bit of a frenzy. One that nearly destroyed the Storm Border, at least until the more stable Heroic Spirits amongst their number had managed to calm everyone down and make them realize that the connection was still there; meaning that the teen still lived.
However, that only led them to the next logical conclusion, this one unfortunately more true than the last- he'd been taken. Now, this was unfortunately not anything new to the people of Chaldea, at least amongst the people who were referred to as the 'Old Guard'. Ritsuka Fujimaru had a rather unfortunate penchant for getting captured, kidnapped, or dream-napped, and it had happened so many times by that point that they had created the 'Spirited Away Protocol' to dictate what should be done if one of those events were to once again come to pass. However, this time it felt different. Different enough to make even Gilgamesh feel the slightest hint of unease.
Previously when the Japanese teenager had been taken, even though he'd literally been a universe away on one of those occasions, the strength of their connection as Master and Servant had never faded like this. The current incident was something entirely new, especially since the Avenger who protected Ritsuka's mind had also been left behind, which was unfortunately something that was once again very familiar for the organization that had taken up the role of defending mankind. It always felt like whenever they were just starting to get a handle on a certain type of situation, they would immediately run into a special version that was different from the norm and be forced back to square one.
That aside, things calmed down a little bit once the truth of the situation was explained, and Chaldea had basically been split somewhat uniformly into four groups.
Group 1 was those who were going through every scrap of the data they had and trying to understand exactly what had happened, including the likes of Da Vinci, Sion, and all the available Caster Class Servants. Judging by the caliber of the individuals present, it was some kind of conclusion should have been reached quickly. The fact that it hadn't was rather telling.
Group 2 was composed of those who were interrogating the Servants who had seen him last, rather rightfully holding them accountable for letting their Master get taken away, made up of Ritsuka's more powerful admirers. Almost all of that blame had later been shifted away from the Faker, the Dragonslayer, the Crypter mongrel and surprisingly that insane paladin and onto the pirate's head once the situation had been recounted. Of course, calling it an interrogation at this point may not have been correct…
Group 3, the scouting party, was composed of the more otherworldly Servants they had in their midst, from Foreigners to the Servant Universe heroic Spirits. Using their connections, they were given the task of trying to lock down where Ritsuka could have been taken to. For once, despite their almost daily conflicts with one another over their Master's attention, they had called a truce and put everything they had to work in finding the one they eagerly sought to claim.
Unfortunately, not everyone was as co-operative as them, and that was where the final group came in.
Group 4, mostly comprised of members of the Master Defense Force, were given the task of confining the more… rabid mongrels to their rooms and prevent them from causing a ruckus. They might have honestly had the hardest job, as Siegfried and Kreimhild could've attested to when they were forced to take down Melusine together with Oberon merely minutes after the news broke. The Assassin-Class Servants, rallied by the First Hassan, proved invaluable by being able to quickly identify and subdue their wayward compatriots before they could bother the research team or rip Blackbeard into actual pieces.
Novum Chaldea hadn't been this… agitated even when U-Olga Marie had destroyed their former base or even when the Storm Border had gone down in Mictlan and Ritsuka had literally been thrown overboard.
"Truly, mongrel, your ability to get into trouble is unparalleled." he muttered under his breath, eyes closed.
Under normal circumstances, the King of Heroes wouldn't have been worried. Instead, he would've been happy to kick back with Enkidu and watch these Heroic Spirits run around like headless chickens.
However…
"What's bothering you, Gil?" asked his friend, serenely watching Blackbeard get manhandled by the gaggle of angry women. The Chain of Heaven had developed several new traits since being summoned to Chaldea, and one of them was a fierce protectiveness towards their shared contractor. The only reason Enkidu wasn't out there with them was because there was simply no need with the collection of very powerful Servants in Group 2 making their displeasure known. "You're not usually this tense. Is something wrong with Master?"
The King let out a deep breath, before opening his eyes and turning towards one of the very very few people he'd ever call a friend. "Sha Naqba Imuru… failed to find even a single trace of him."
"!" Enkidu quickly turned to meet his eyes, with an expression of unmitigated shock that the construct had never shown before. "That is…"
Not quite unprecedented, but deeply concerning nonetheless. That Noble Phantasm of his, the sublimation of his very being and the source of his clairvoyant power, wasn't truly perfect. It was something he very well knew, though he'd never admit it out loud. For example, its use against Beasts was extremely limited even if he were to release its True Name and fully activate it. But even then, he could still catch at least a few glimpses, enough for him to use his own intellect to determine what needed to be done.
But this time?
Nothing.
And when you regarded the current situation, it meant that things might have been more dire than they had originally thought.
"I can no longer perceive anything related to my subject." he said simply, crimson orbs narrowing in barely restrained fury. "That is something impossible unless…"
"…It was intentionally being blocked." finished Enkidu, understanding what the King was getting at.
"Yes. This was no mere accident. Someone has stolen from my garden, someone powerful enough to hide themselves and the boy from my eyes without leaving behind a single trace."
A pause. He tilted his head slightly.
"And, I suspect, someone who can hide from yours as well, half-breed."
"Now now, there's no need to be rude, Your Majesty." said Merlin, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, dispelling the illusion and appearing in all his glory- at least until a furry white figure burst out from a vent in the ceiling and proceeded to maul the Caster. "GAH! Cath Palug!"
"FO-FOOUU!" the former Beast screeched, before slapping him one more time for good measure and darting off back down the hallway.
The Magus of Flowers, now significantly less dignified than he'd ever appeared in his life (though certain anonymous sources would claim he never had that dignity to begin with), sighed and dropped his smile, becoming more serious. "But yes, your guess is correct. Even I cannot perceive our wonderful Master, and my fairer counterpart is facing similar difficulties. It is… concerning."
All three of them knew that was an understatement, but ignored it completely.
"Something or someone that can perfectly hide from both ourselves, Trismegistus II, and the Moon Cell isn't one to be trifled with." continued Merlin, raising a hand to his chin in thought. "Which begs the question- who is it?"
For once, the Wise King didn't have an answer, no matter how much he racked his brain. Even Sherlock Holmes couldn't figure out the solution to a mystery without a single clue, and Gilgamesh was no different even in his most matured form. He could unravel an entire scenario from a single speck of information, yes- but when even that speck wasn't left behind, even he couldn't create a miracle.
A threat that powerful couldn't just pop out of thin air- that was something undeniable. Even the Alien God had been setting up their scheme since long before the Incineration of Humanity had even been resolved. There was always some sort of sign of their presence- a Singularity, a unique Servant, some kind of phenomenon, etc. Yet, in this scenario they were drawing a complete blank. It was almost as if… Ritsuka's disappearance was the singular action this mysterious entity had ever orchestrated, as strange as the prospect sounded.
"I might have an idea, Your Majesty." said a new voice. "Although I don't think anyone's going to like it."
Hakuno Kishinami made herself known, the Moon Cell Sovereign's face twisted into an expression of deep concern.
"Speak." commanded Gilgamesh, though even those who didn't know him could tell that his usual sharpness wasn't present in that singular word he had uttered.
And why would it be? In another time and another place, this girl was his Archer self's favorite Human, the only person he had ever valued as much as Enkidu. While he was not that same Gilgamesh, and a certain black-haired boy filled that role for this version of himself, he wouldn't deny that he still had a soft spot for her- though perhaps he would never phrase it in such a manner.
"I think…", she said, letting out a sigh that showed just how much the conclusion she had reached bothered her. "That Ritsuka-kun is in a completely different World."
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall changed. The last traces of joviality completely left Merlin's face while Gilgamesh's pupils constricted. Only Enkidu, who didn't quite understand the significance of the statement like his dear friend did, looked somewhat confused, though the King's reaction was enough to spark some concern.
"…Ludicrous." Gilgamesh bit out, though despite that it was clear he was carefully considering the statement with the utmost seriousness. "Such a thing would take far too much energy and extremely specific conditions to perform without a trace."
"A Holy Grail would not be enough to take someone to such a faraway place." agreed Merlin gravely, leaning on his staff slightly. "No, even the Second True Magic cannot reach that far on a whim."
This was the crux of why the conclusion Hakuno had reached was so unbelievable. Traveling to parallel universes was fairly common, even the likes of the Servant Universe which truly stretched the definition of a 'Parallel World'. Rayshifting was one method of achieving this, though the Kaleidoscope was the most popular in Magus Society due to how new the former technique was. However, both of these couldn't escape certain boundaries; it was an ironclad rule. What Hakuno suggested was something beyond a Lostbelt or even a Parallel World- a World that was completely distinct from their own.
"…I know." she acknowledged. "But this is something the Moon Cell agrees has the highest probability, and the Think Tank feels the same way even if Da Vinci is desperate to prove it wrong. Once we all failed to track that Kouhai of mine down to any place listed in Chaldea's records, I started widening my search radius. Ultimately, two conclusions were made- either he's in a special Singularity with specific rules that hide him from us, or he's in a different World completely."
"But if it were a Singularity, then it would be detectable to us by its very nature." concluded Merlin, nodding his head. "Yet Da Vinci-chan and Sion have been pushing SHEBA and Trismegistus to their limits, only to find nothing."
"…Leaving only the most ridiculous option on the table." snorted Gilgamesh, and for a second he looked like he genuinely wanted to bury his face in his hands. "Truly, it is an inspiration to see how far the boy can one-up himself in this regard."
"I wonder if it's just my luck." sighed Hakuno, smiling. "Both of my Kouhai are so difficult to manage."
One constantly went out of her way to create trouble, while the other couldn't even last a full week without getting dragged into trouble.
In that regard, she was kind of jealous of Ritsuka- both of his exclusive Kouhai were absolute darlings. Mash and Erice were both affable, good-natured people who rarely got up to any nonsense. Although, she supposed, they probably spent most of their time trying to pull him out of whatever shenanigans he got dragged into and as such didn't really have the time for any of their own.
"Should we tell them?" asked Enkidu, turning to look back at the more aggressive Servants, who were kicking a limp Blackbeard while he was down.
"I think we have to." said Merlin, shaking his head. "Even if we don't know for sure what happened and this is just a guess, it's still something. I think the reason everyone is so wound up is because we don't have any working theories right now. Giving them something to focus on might be able to restore the peace a bit."
'Or at least, it'll make all the Artorias stop looking at me like I'm worthless!'
(It wouldn't, but that was besides the point.)
"It may also make them go out of control even more so than they already have." countered Gilgamesh. "…Though I suppose we truly do have little choice in the matter."
"I'll go gather the others and make the announcement then." said Hakuno, turning to leave. "Though I admit I don't really know how we're going to find him if he really did go to another World…"
"Fortunately, I can provide some assistance in that regard." boomed a voice directly into their heads, causing everyone's eyes to widen in alarm. "Now come, so that we may discuss what happens next."
Before Gilgamesh, Hakuno or Merlin could react, space around them twisted as they were forcibly pulled to a different location. Within the span of the time it would take for them to blink, they were pulled into what they recognized as the Command Room… although something was different. In a similar vein to what had just happened, space had been manipulated in order to change the structure of the room- though in this case, instead of being twisted it had been expanded in order to increase its size.
Why?
Well, probably to accommodate all the people who had been pulled in alongside them.
Archetype: Earth and Kukulkan, the personifications of both the planet they lived in and an entity from beyond, who had till now been tormenting Blackbeard to extract the answers they wanted to hear. Sion, Da Vinci, and Moriarty- the three geniuses who composed the backbone of Novum Chaldea's 'Think Tank'. BB, frustrated that even with all the power at her fingertips she couldn't find even a hint of her Senpai. The Count of Monte Cristo, who had been rather restless since his link to his Accomplice had been crippled. Goredolf, Mash and Kadoc had been similarly warped, the former in a rather unfortunate position as he'd been digging into a slice of cake beforehand to deal with the stress of Ritsuka's sudden disappearance.
While everyone reeled from the shock of such a seamless teleportation, Gilgamesh scanned the room and instantly realized something rather telling. Each and every person could be called a 'representative' of Chaldea, in some way or form. The Archetypes aside, the others were all people who had a hand in the organization's running or played an equally vital role of some kind. This was likely the reason the three of them had been taken while Enkidu had been left behind.
For a fraction of a second, silence reigned, as every person processed the fact that they had been shifted through space without even having the opportunity to resist- something all the more surprising to those who by all rights should have been able to by virtue of their power.
Then, right as BB was about to speak up to ask the question that was on all everyone's minds, they all flinched again as something appeared right in front of them.
It was unlike anything anyone in Chaldea had ever seen before; a white equine creature with a gray underbelly, possessing a long mane that jutted away from its head and a golden cross-like wheel bearing four jewels attached to its abdomen. Superficially, the being seemed to resemble a qilin of some kind, but any thought of it merely being a Divine Beast were dashed in the face of its frigid green eyes, which seemed to see right into their souls.
Perhaps the cherry on top was that it possessed a level of power that surpassed everyone in the room, combined. That was something that could be easily determined from the magnitude of the pressure that was bearing down on them, a warning meant to quell their hostility by showing them that they had no hope of defeating it. This was something many of them had experienced before, especially with their traversal through the Lostbelts, but as incredible as it sounded the not-qilin seemed to be on another level entirely.
"I assume…", said Moriarty, his glasses flashing as his gaze locked onto the intruder. "That you are the one responsible for our Master's abduction?"
It was these words that helped unfreeze some of the others, though the Wise King in particular had already reached the same conclusion. His own red eyes bore into this new creature, taking in all the available details. After all, it wouldn't do for him to forget a thief of such unparalleled skill.
"Correct." said the being, its 'voice' being transmitted directly into their minds like before. "I am that which humans call Arceus."
Pupils of glowing crimson bore into them, the pressure intensifying in a manner that made Goredolf start to shake.
"Although to call it an 'abduction' would be a mistake, Professor." it continued.
"After all, I have merely reclaimed a soul that has always mine to take."
Now that's a revelation, isn't it?
This was always meant to be a thing, but the mentions of how Ritsuka kept performing feats beyond anything a normal human should be capable of only cemented my decision.
An enhanced physique, a kind nature, the ability to easily form bonds and convert them into power- now doesn't that sound awfully familiar?
As to how this could even be possible? Well, that'll be revealed in upcoming Chapters, though I'll preface by saying that Ritsuka is still just an average Human. It's just that he's not quite the type of Human that his companions had been thinking of...
On another note, when it comes to Gilgamesh in particular I always saw Caster Gil as Ritsuka's Gil while Archer Gil was Hakuno's Gil, so I kind of wrote it that way. Only Caster Gil is in this Chaldea, though he can change his Spirit Origin to Archer Form if the situation calls for it.
Anyways, I know this Chapter wasn't as good as the last one, but it's just meant to be the set up for what's coming.
I'll finish off here by asking a question- are you guys ok with me showing some of the custom groups and variations of this Chaldea, such as the Master Defense Force or the Think Tank? It just feels more personable to me if I include things like that, even if they technically didn't exist in canon. I was actually considering an Omake Series called 'Chaldean Anecdotes' to kind of give more background to these things, if people want them.