Hey everyone. Just so you know, I published my very first smut as a side story. What started as a simple 'what-if' idea ballooned into a 23k word monstrosity. It's... quite something. Because of 's recent restrictions, I've uploaded it only on AO3. Look up 'Kenjichan251' on AO3 and you should be able to find it in my works page. I restricted it so you have to be a registered viewer to read it. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!


Ch. 95 - Advice

Coming back to Chaldea was an odd experience. After spending so much time afield in the Roman singularity, the modern architecture and conveniences took getting used to once more. Lighting, sanitation, general quiet without the sounds of nature, it was all completely different. It was neither good nor bad – it was merely different. For Medusa, that's all it was. Admittedly, the Roman singularity did make her feel at times slightly nostalgic for her own home.

On the other hand, it was hard to beat modern printing technology.

Strolling slowly through the shelves of Chaldea's considerable library, she perused the titles of the books lined up on the shelves. Her purple eyes scanned each one carefully, seeing if there was anything of interest. Under normal circumstances she would be more careful but currently, she was the sole occupant of the library save for the robotic custodians that quietly rolled by every once in a while.

Although she was hardly the only frequenter of the library, the staff were busy with their duties and Joan, who was here almost as often as she was, was absent today. That was just fine with her. She was never accustomed to more garrulous company, preferring quiet companions if she could have that or solitude if she couldn't. It did leave her with her own thoughts and memories at times, but that mattered little.

Well, in terms of garrulous company, there were two major exceptions. Her fingers stopped as she came across a book on Greek mythology. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't even have given a second glance at it. Today, however, she picked it up. Her sister, Stheno, hadn't accompanied them on the campaign. Whether she would be summoned as a Servant is also unknown but knowing her sisters… it was unlikely. That short visit on the island only reminded her of how much she missed them.

Opening the book, she flipped easily to the myth of Perseus. She knew all the details by heart – how could she not? He was the one who killed her in life, after all, with the aid of the gods. Flipping a few more pages, she reached the part where he traveled to the Shapeless Isle to fulfill the supposedly suicidal quest of slaying her. And the writer made the usual mistake: That her sisters Stheno and Euryale were immortal and thus unkillable, while she was the only one of the Gorgon sisters that could be slain.

A bitter smile creased in her heart. How she wished that had been the truth. If she could've spared her sisters their deaths – especially by her own hands – she would've allowed herself to be slain a thousand times over. But reality had not been so kind nor forgiving. She became a monster that slew her own sisters. That was what ultimately happened, no matter how much she wished otherwise.

' Medusa, are you available?

The mental communication from Ren caught the Rider off guard, but she soon regained her composure. ' I am, Master,' she murmured in reply. ' Do you have need of me?'

' I thought we should meet up to talk,' he said. ' There's something important I need to explain and clarify to you. It's about that conversation we had that one night.'

No further elaboration was necessary; Medusa knew precisely which conversation Ren meant. Her grip tightened slightly around the book as she remembered what Ren had told her of the 'ideal world' at the time. A chance to be with her sisters again, to be happy once more. Like they had all used to be, before the gods became jealous and they discovered the cruelty of humanity.

' … Where shall we meet?' she asked quietly.

' Will your room work?' he asked. ' I'll bring us some coffee.'

Medusa paused, then nodded even though Ren wouldn't be able to see it. ' Very well,' she acceded. ' I shall await you there, Master.'

Ren gave a note of satisfaction before withdrawing the mental contact. She gave one last glance at the passage of how Perseus flew off with her head, leaving her sisters bemoaning and shrieking with rage, before closing the book and sliding it back into place. Without further comment or a backward glance, she turned and walked away, vanishing into golden dust once more.

A few minutes later, after silently waiting in her room, she heard the panel ringing. Standing up, she pressed the button without bothering to activate the door camera. More than any other sense, the smell of coffee that immediately pervaded the room notified who it was regardless. "Master," she greeted quietly. She once more had her blindfold on, both to ensure she didn't petrify him and to hide her eyes. From her observations, Ren had proven more than adroit at discerning mood changes in a person from just the slightest sign. Right now, that wasn't what she wished to risk.

The Phantom Thief smiled back in turn. "Hey Medusa," he greeted back. Stepping into her room holding two mugs of coffee, he passed one over to her. "Did you get enough rest?"

"Servants do not require much rest," she corrected. "We merely require mana from our Masters to restore ourselves to full capability." There was something else she wanted to add – perhaps a simple courtesy – but it caught on her tongue. Kindness from a Master without any further meaning or clause was still a mildly foreign concept to her. With her former Masters, she had either been abused on a regular basis or treated with warmth that was tainted by a fathomless darkness. And yet, she felt none of that from her current Masters. They were truly peculiar. "What of you, Master?" she asked in turn.

Ren smiled, seemingly taking no offense at such a blunt answer. "Not as much as I should," he admitted. "But there's a lot I need to do today. I'll probably take a nap later on – you may find me crawled up in some unexpected corner dozing off. Just as a warning."

Underneath her blindfold, Medusa blinked in surprise. "I was… not aware of this habit," she carefully replied.

The Phantom Thief chuckled. "You'd be surprised," he lightly explained. "If I'm relaxed, I can doze off almost anywhere, anytime. I think my friends once caught me dozing off on top of the rafters in my bedroom after I climbed up there on a whim. And more than a few times, I nodded off in random trees or benches in parks. Pretty sure they think I'm more of a cat than Morgana."

Despite herself, Medusa gave a tiny smile of amusement. "It seems you are full of surprises, both great and small," she remarked. She gave a small sip of her coffee – and to her surprise, it was a gentler on her pallet. Far less bitter than she expected, though it did drown out some notes of the coffee to her regret.

"I added a bit of milk and sugar to yours," Ren explained, noticing her pause. "Pretty sure my mentor in coffee would kill me if he ever found out, but I thought it would be a good way to ease you into the brews until you're more accustomed to it."

Medusa once more blinked, then dipped her head down for another sip to hide her displeasure. It seemed that despite the blindfold, Ren could still read her well. She was both pleased and irritated by the fact. "I believe you had a matter you wished to discuss?" the Rider asked quietly, looking to veer the visit to the main topic at hand.

The shift in the atmosphere was subtle but noticeable. Ren hadn't looked up from his coffee, nor did he even move, but the air around him seemed to become cooler. ' There is,' he confirmed. The mental communication was strictly between the two of them, and Medusa needed no explanation why – like before, the information was incredibly sensitive and not to be spoken of unless there was a need. ' I wanted to elaborate more on that world I talked about.'

Medusa made no move as she considered her next words. She had multitudes of questions to ask, but she wasn't sure where to begin. Having a full picture would be a good starting point. ' Speak, then,' the Rider replied with a thought in return.

Ren serenely sipped his coffee. ' The world that had been created was both false and real,' he elaborated. ' It was made by a third party who had taken control of Mementos and was using the cognitive might of millions of people, combined with his own powers, to create an 'ideal world'. No one would suffer, no one would experience loss or obstacles, no one would be hindered from their happiness. In a sense, it could truly be considered a paradise.'

The Rider quietly digested this information. It sounded more than ideal, but she knew far too well something like this was simply too good to be true. ' And yet you opposed this?' she inquired.

' I did,' the Phantom Thief confirmed. ' I called it false because at the time because the third party's control hadn't been complete yet. Even then, he was able to seemingly resurrect people who had long passed away, with either their original personalities or modified ones depending on who wished for them. There were only a few exceptions, of course, but whether their unhappiness is the person's own wish or the will of the third party, I can't say for sure.'

He could still remember that time as he tried to find his friends. Makoto's father was back – or rather, made so he had never been killed at all. Wakaba Isshiki – Futaba's mother – was present and as eccentric as both Sojiro and Futaba described her. Haru's father was a well-meaning if bumbling man when they met in that ideal world – a far cry from the greedy scumbag who saw everyone around him as disposable robots, even his own daughter.

' And if this third party succeeded?' Medusa probed.

Ren hesitated. ' Then the 'false' world would have become reality,' he replied. ' Those who had passed away would be back, hale and whole. People would succeed in their dreams no matter what. There wouldn't be any suffering or pain, no obstacles to one's happiness. It would basically be handed to you on a silver platter, one way or another.'

Save one. As Ren reflected on that time, he realized one thing: Maruki had always talked about the happiness of others, be it of the common people, of Sumire, of Ren and his friends, and even of his former girlfriend, Rumi. And yet, the doctor never spoke about his own happiness. Everything they saw in his Palace as they ascended the tower showed no indication of it either. He would've been the god – or rather, the administrator of this ideal world he had created, one where everyone could be happy. Except, possibly – no, certainly - for him.

Medusa didn't speak. For a long while, the two simply sat in the room, the silence deafening save for Ren calmly sipping at his brew. The Rider hadn't even taken another sip, so preoccupied she was with her thoughts – and wrestling with anger and frustration that even she knew was unfair to take out on her Master. Archer had told her such a world would be utterly impossible for many, many reasons, and yet… it was a dream beyond a dream. A hope beyond a hope that maybe, just maybe…

' Then why did you oppose this third party?' the Rider finally asked with as much self-restraint as possible. ' If what you are telling me is the case, then as you say, it would be an 'ideal world' for everyone, including you.'

' It would be for many,' Ren admitted. ' I won't deny that. And yet I've met many people who have taken their pains and losses and grew stronger for it. I've also met people who didn't want to just be puppets on strings, pulled towards happiness without any choice or freedom in the matter. If that pain was taken away from them, then we never would have met as friends. They may have never grown to be the awesome people I've come to know them as. It hurts, yes, but… it's how we grow and learn. We make do with what we have in the end.'

'But the most important part,' he added, his eyes steely. ' Was that you had no choice in the matter. You were going to be happy, no matter what – hell, you were made to. If your happiness is incompatible with what reality is, then your desires and happiness would be changed."

Medusa froze. ' … What did you say…?' she whispered.

' If your happiness couldn't line up with reality, then whatever made you happy would be changed,' Ren explained. ' There was one acquaintance a friend of mine knew that was frustrated with his art and was switched over to archery instead. And… another dear friend of mine nearly had her entire identity written over to what he would perceive as 'better' for her. As I said, you would be made to be happy, the manner be damned.'

The frustration that had been simmering underneath drained away into cold horror. This 'ideal world', this paradise, one where she could have possibly been reunited with her sisters… was just yet another world under another god who would change beings at a whim to fit their agenda. If… if her happiness wasn't possible, would she have been changed so she would be happy regardless? If what Ren said was true and with her experience with gods, she knew it would absolutely be the case. What form would it take? Would she forget her sisters? Would her sisters be different people?

Her hands quietly tightened into fists. It would be no different than when Athena had cursed her to begin with.

Once more silence fell over the room as they went over their own thoughts. Medusa could only berate herself silently for asking so much of her Master. She was a Servant – nothing more than a tool for her Masters. To try and seek answers in such a manner was unbecoming. And Ren had been responsible enough to give her what she sought. Perhaps it was best to dismiss this conversation and-

' … I was tempted.'

The confession from Ren caught Medusa by surprise. ' What?' she asked.

Ren thumbed the handle of his mug as he stared down into his half-empty coffee. ' I believe I've told you guys about Akechi,' he murmured. ' And I also told you that the third party could bring back people from the dead. Well, he brought back Akechi as well. Whether he actually brought him back or simply brought the cognition I had of him into being, it's hard to say. But either way, it was him. The one person that, after everything, I wasn't about to save.'

Medusa stared at Ren through her blindfold. ' And yet it was not enough to have you accept?' she guessed.

The Phantom Thief gave a bitter chuckle. ' Oh, it nearly was,' he replied. ' The third party made it clear that, if their world didn't come to be, then Akechi would also be gone as well. When I heard that, I was tempted to give in. After all, it was the one chance of saving someone who deserved much better than what life had given him. A person that, if circumstances had been otherwise, I would've easily counted as one of my closest friends.'

' Then what convinced you otherwise?' the Rider prodded.

Ren smiled wryly in reminiscence. ' He did,' he answered simply.

Again, Medusa was caught off guard. ' Akechi himself?' she echoed.

' Yep,' Ren confirmed. ' Akechi was there when the third party explained what would happen if we proceeded with our plans – and he made it clear he couldn't give any less of a damn if he vanished or died as a result. He'd rather seize his life with his own hands than have it foisted on him yet again, even if it was a paradise. That was the last push I needed to reject that 'ideal' world. He was right – a paradise without choice is just another tyranny: something we've been fighting against this entire time.'

Once again, Medusa was quiet as she pondered Ren's words. ' He sounds like an admirable person,' she commented.

That brought a bark of laughter from Ren. ' 'Admirable' is a strong word,' he replied wryly. Medusa couldn't help but also be caught up in the mirth and smile in turn. True, she knew all too well that strong individuals didn't necessarily equate to decent individuals or vice versa. But hearing the story of Akechi from Ren… she had to agree. Paradise or no, she wouldn't be subject to the whims of a god again, no matter how benevolent they appeared to be.

But in its place was a sense of disappointment. A world where she could be happy with her sisters once more… it was a hope beyond a hope and her chance had long since passed, but to hear that it was a false utopia was still a bitter pill to swallow. Even powers as outlandish as Ren's and Morgana's – or the worlds they come from – couldn't grant her that. Well, in the end, that was what she ultimately expected – though it still stung slightly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be much help here," Ren spoke with an apologetic smile. "I hope everything's cleared up, at least?"

Medusa blinked in surprise, then nodded with the slightest movement of her head. "Yes," she confirmed. "It has been cleared up. I will have no further distractions in my duties, Master."

Ren nodded. Setting down his coffee, he reached into his pocket and fished out a small box within. "Speaking of which, I've been meaning to give you this," he said, handing it over to the Rider. Medusa again could only blink and slowly opened it with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Resting on a small cushion within was an innocuous pair of simple, black framed glasses.

"I wasn't sure how you could read books with that blindfold," Ren explained as the Rider's inquiring tilt of the head. "And it's probably a pain constantly removing and replacing it whenever someone's around when you don't need it, so I asked Da Vinci to make these glasses for you. From what she said, they should filter out the mystery from your eyes as long as you're not pumping mana into them. That way, you can freely read when you want without having to worry about the people nearby."

The Rider's mouth dropped open slightly. She tried to glean if there was some sort of hidden intention with the gift but could detect nothing of the sort. "Servants do not require such gifts," she expounded almost automatically. "Our existences-"

"Are here right now," Ren interjected firmly. "As much as you guys insist otherwise, you're still people with your own thoughts, wants, needs, and ability to make choices. If you prefer, you can just think of it as your Master's selfishness: I want to give you this because I can. It's my choice to do so, after all."

The phrasing had Medusa looking up at Ren with a rather flat expression, one he could feel through her blindfold. "You are accustomed to playing dirty, it seems," she grumbled.

Ren grinned with a shrug. "Guilty," he admitted.

Medusa was silent for a moment, once more regarding the glasses. "Please turn around for a moment, Master," she requested quietly. As Ren obediently did so, she slowly took Breaker Gorgon off, the blindfold vanishing into motes of mana. Slowly taking out the glasses, she slid them on. Though her other senses more than sufficed to replace her vision, being able to see the world with such clarity was always both a luxury and a curse.

"You have beautiful eyes."

Rider was startled out of her reverie by the remark – and glanced at Ren by accident. To her surprise, he showed no sign of stiffening or petrifying from her eyes. "You should not have turned to look," she admonished, a small edge to her tone.

Ren smiled apologetically. "I trust Da Vinci's craftsmanship, but you're right," he accepted. "How are they?"

Medusa was quiet for a bit as she adjusted her glasses. "They… fit well," she muttered. "And they allow me to see well. They are incredibly functional."

"Good enough for reading?" the Phantom Thief asked with a knowing smile.

The Rider paused, then favored him with a small smile in return. "Yes," she acknowledged with a trace of humor in her voice. "Good enough for reading."

The Phantom Thief smiled. "Good," he replied. "And I'm sure Da Vinci will be happy to hear that her craftsmanship is perfect as always. Now, anything else you wanted to ask me or clear up?"

Medusa pondered for a moment. Then she thought of one question. "Are you not curious why I wanted to know about such a world…?" she asked quietly.

Ren frowned slightly. "A bit," he confessed. "But everyone has their own circumstances and reasons. A world like that would be tempting for anyone, I'll admit. I'm sure you had your own desires or dreams for such a place."

There was a quiet pause. "Do you wish to know…?" the Rider whispered.

"Do you want to tell?" Ren countered.

Again, another silence. As much as she tried to get a read on Ren, he had proved elusive time and time again. It was as if he bore an uncountable number of faces and sides, yet they all blended to create a certain purity that she couldn't easily fathom. He was both refreshingly simple yet infuriatingly complex at the same time. He could be kind for its own sake yet greedy as well, humble yet bear a confidence almost to the point of arrogance, intelligent and yet he played the fool when he wished to be.

"… No," Medusa admitted. "Not yet. A tale for another time, Master, but not now."

The Phantom Thief nodded, accepting the answer. "Sounds good to me," he replied. "In the meantime, I'll be counting on you, Medusa."

The Rider nodded back in turn. "My strength is yours until the end," she reaffirmed.

Ren smiled back, lifting his mug up in a small toast before taking another sip. Within him, he felt the familiar warmth as another arcana formed with Medusa. The Devil arcana. Not one he entirely expected but it was still welcome, nevertheless.

"Master."

Glancing up out of his musings, Ren looked over to Medusa. Through her glasses, his grey eyes easily met her beautiful amethyst ones. They were square as opposed to round but captivating, nevertheless. He could see a myriad of emotions running through her gaze, much more than he thought. It was an intriguing sight; one he could be immersed in for a gods know how long. He idly wondered if people who first looked into her eyes were transfixed from how beautiful they were first before they turned to stone.

"… thank you," she whispered. "For the gift."

The Phantom Thief smiled. "Anytime," he replied easily. "You better drink your coffee, by the way – it's not nearly as good cold."

Medusa nodded and took another sip, enjoying the mellowness of the brew coupled with the sweetness of the sugar. Underneath, she could taste those faint notes of the coffee though it was just tantalizingly out of reach. But she would reach it eventually. It just took patience and work.

She had her time here to become accustomed to it, after all.


The simulator was quiet. It was on the default setting of the training grounds. Currently, however, there were no signs of monsters or beasts appearing, nor were there any combatants in the training area. The forest beyond held nothing, save the occasional chirp or squeak of smaller fauna in the trees and undergrowth. Nearby was a small stream that gurgled as it flowed serenely, with a small waterfall feeding it in the distance. It was the perfect environment for a swim if one wished for it.

However, for at least two people, it was the perfect place to go fishing instead.

Morgana yawned as he scratched behind his ear, holding a pole and sitting on a small rocky outcrop. Beside him was a small bucket filled with a few fish. Nothing as grand as what he had caught in the Roman singularity, of course, but he was still quite happy with it. He gained a new appreciation of fishing for being able to gather his thoughts and have a moment's quiet. As much as he wanted to fish with Ren and perhaps see who could haul the bigger catch, his best friend was rather busy catching up with people and dealing with his own plans.

He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. It was like in Tokyo again, where Ren always talked and checked in with people and almost all times of the day. It was a familiar, almost refreshing feeling.

A small distance away was Cu Chulainn. He had brought a small wooden stool and was sitting on it as he waited for a fish to pull on his line. The Lancer often came to the simulator to train, spar, or fish. It had been a way to stave off boredom but not the best way. Even the best things could get stale after a little while. He was certainly surprised when Morgana showed up and was tempted to talk to him, but then that would scare away the fish. For now, they simply sat in companionable silence.

That being said, there were other things to note. The Lancer had only managed to glance at Ren, but observing Morgana more closely confirmed it: They definitely have been through the wringer. They felt like warriors who had just come from a long, hard battle, covered in dirt and soot. The kind of guys who, if asked if they had done anything worth boasting about, would just laugh it off before shuffling off to nurse their scars, be they physical, mental, or spiritual. It helped that both Ren and Morgana were surprisingly tough – their previous adventures, no doubt. But…

"Caught anything good?" Morgana called over without taking his eyes off his rod.

Cu shrugged in return. "Eh, a few small fry," he bluntly answered. "Nothing worth mentioning. What about you?"

"About the same," the catlike being groused. "Man, the oceans back in the Roman singularity definitely had better catches. Maybe I should ask Da Vinci to see if we can set the simulator an ocean instead for fishing."

"Oh yeah?" Cu asked, his attention piqued. "What'd you catch?"

"Archer managed to catch some flounders," Morgana replied as he pulled at the line to dangle the bait a bit. "I managed to catch a bass. And – get this – I managed to catch a swordfish!"

The Lancer looked over with a raised eyebrow. "Why the hell didn't you lead with that?" he asked. "You seriously caught a whole damn swordfish?"

"It nearly yanked me into the water too," Morgana replied with a laugh. "Tama- er, Tamamo Cat had to pull on me with the rod for us to fish it out. It was delicious, almost as good as fatty tuna! Once everyone was finished, I even had Da Vinci commemorate it with its bones!" Standing up, he pulled something out of his pocket: A rapier, made to his size and shaped like a swordfish skull. Its horn formed the blade and the skull itself formed the hand guard. "Pretty awesome, right?" he asked with a cocky grin.

Cu Chulainn blinked several times, then he began chuckling in amusement. "Ha! Yeah, that is pretty awesome," he agreed with a grin. He lifted his hand and summoned the Gae Bolg before stabbing it into the ground. "Got this guy from a sea beast like you," he explained as Morgana looked over in askance. "Guess we got something in common now!"

The catlike being chuckled back, matching the Lancer's mirth. "Guess we do," he replied with a grin. With that, they turned their attention back to fishing. While the conversation had been slightly forced, the air between them felt lighter overall. The catlike being doubted he could ever be good friends with someone like Cu Chulainn, but at the very least, they could count on each other to watch one another's backs. There was a good deal of comfort in that, at least.

Morgana's ears twitched as he heard footsteps nearby. Cu's expression didn't change, though a slight shift in his body was all that was needed to show his awareness. The catlike being glanced over to see Ritsuka walking up towards them. "Hey, Ritsu!" he greeted. "Sleep well?"

"About as good as it gets," she answered with a grin. "I'm never taking soft beds for granted again. Camping out may be fun but as part of an army march? No thank you."

"Don't mistake the two," Cu interjected, catching the attention of the other two. "Going with an army is a pain in the ass. But camping by yourself beneath the stars, going roads you wanna go, with company only you wanna keep? Now that's the life." His rod began bending as a fish began pulling at it. With a swift motion, he reeled in his catch – a small roach. The Lancer flashed a brief scowl before tossing it into his bucket, then cast his line out again.

Ritsuka nodded in consideration. "Huh," she mused. "Maybe I should actually go camping one of these days. You know, when the fate of humanity isn't at stake."

"That sounds like fun," Morgana commented as Ritsuka took a seat between the two anglers. "Though hopefully we can bring some better food – military rations aren't the greatest. Or look the greatest. Or smell. Well, they're not much of anything, come to think of it."

"What, you don't hunt your own food?" Cu asked, glancing over. "There's nothing like some fresh game – rabbit or bird, deer if you're lucky. Or boar if you're feeling either brave or stupid. Roast them over a fire with some natural herbs, and you're all set for the evening. If you got some extras, you can either dry them out or smoke them to go."

Ritsuka frowned in thought. "I think there's hunting and weapon regulations for that," the redhead mused. "Not sure though."

"And I think Japan's even worse in that regard," Morgana added.

The Lancer huffed in annoyance. "Modern humanity just takes the fun out of everything, don't they," he grumbled. Both Morgana and Ritsuka chuckled in response.

The three fell quiet once more. The only sounds were a gentle breeze that blew by, the gurgling of the stream, and the quiet sounds of fauna. However, the two anglers already noted that something was off ever since Ritsuka joined them. The girl seemed… disturbed and dispirited were perhaps the closest words to describe it. Neither of them wished to broach the topic if she didn't wish to speak of it, but the sense of heaviness loomed in the air.

In short, the whole situation was getting rather awkward for all of them.

"Hey," Ritsuka finally called out. "So, um… I wanna… talk to you guys about something. Something a bit more serious than usual. I could use your guys' help."

Neither of them turned to look at her but it was clear she had their attention. "Yeah?" Morgana asked. "What's up, Ritsu?"

The redhead gulped as she tried to figure out how to phrase it. "So… how do you handle death?" she asked quietly.

"Gonna have to be more specific than that," Cu replied bluntly without looking the least bit perturbed.

Ritsuka hesitated, debating just how much she wanted to say – and whether she could even force the words out. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "How…" she stammered. "How do you… d-deal with someone dying in your arms…?"

That caused both Morgana and Cu to look over at her before glancing at each other in concern. Morgana decided to push the boundary a bit. "Is… this about Astolfo…?" he quietly asked.

The redhead froze, then slowly nodded. "Y-yeah," she muttered. "I t-tried to heal him but… it wasn't enough. A-and before I knew it, he was… he…" Her breath caught and she had to stop, trying to calm herself as she buried her face in her knees. She had talked about it with Mash and managed to keep it together a tiny bit. It should be easier this time, but…

"Doesn't get easier, I'll tell you that."

Both Ritsuka and Morgana looked over at Cu. Though he seemed impassive about it, his shoulders seem to have relaxed a bit further as his eyes wandered up toward the simulated sky. "Sometimes, you got no other option than to see them off like that," he muttered. "It's a luxury for the dying guy, at least – in the arms of a comrade with someone to cry over them, and the guy holding them gets the closure of knowing their buddy is gone as opposed to not knowing what the hell happened to them. In a way, it's a win-win for both sides."

He let out a long, heavy sigh. "Of course, it's nothing more than a cold comfort," he admitted. "But in the end, it's a way to keep moving on." He glanced over to Ritsuka. "Out of curiosity –" Cu inquired. "Was the guy smiling in the end? Like an honest smile?"

Ritsuka's mouth fell open slightly as she thought back. Her mind couldn't stop replaying that scene even if she wanted it to. Astolfo's final words as well rang through her head.

' I had fun. With you, with Morgana, with everyone. I'm glad I went on this adventure with you.'

She swallowed again. "He was," she whispered as a few tears leaked from her eyes. "He was smiling."

The Lancer nodded with somber satisfaction. "Then that's probably the best one can ask for," he concluded. "It's not much, I'll admit, but at least take comfort in that."

"But," Ritsuka began blubbering. "H-he died because… because I hesitated. If-If I only made a different call or-or contracted him as a Servant, then I could've-"

"Stop, Ritsuka."

This time, the interruption came not from Cu Chulainn but Morgana. He was staring ahead but his paws were clenching the pole so hard that despite his small sizing, it was shaking in his grip. "It's not worth going over the 'what-ifs'," he murmured. "You did what you could – and sometimes, the best you can do is just see them off as best you can."

"Like with Marie and Mozart?" Ritsuka asked quietly.

Morgana glanced over in surprise, then sighed heavily. "Not like with Marie and Mozart," he confessed. "I beat myself up pretty hard about it too. When Marie was summoned, I immediately went to apologize to her for letting that happen in the first place. Wanna know what she did?"

The Master thought about the ever-cheerful Marie and pondered how she would react. "She… laughed it off?" she suggested.

"Almost," the catlike being answered. "She forgave me immediately. She only got annoyed when I kept beating myself over it and flicked me in the forehead as punishment." He could still remember the sting from that. Forehead flicks surprisingly hurt. "She said I still succeeded where all others have failed, and if I was truly contrite, then to reflect upon my mistakes so it doesn't happen again. It's… something I'm still carrying and learning. I got a long way to go."

"Bad calls happen," Cu Chulainn stated simply. "Shit goes sideways, you got a stroke of bad luck, or sometimes you just got a witch who dumped half a dozen curses on you. Especially in battle or war, where no matter how much you plan or what you do, people can die for the damn stupidest of reasons you can't ever see coming. In the end, you take it on the chin, learn, and keep going. To do any less would be disappointing to the ones who have gone on ahead with a smile."

Ritsuka buried herself deeper in her knees. "You guys make it sound so easy," she mumbled.

"It isn't," came the simultaneous reply from both the Lancer and Morgana. The redhead looked at both of them in surprise as the two glanced at each other and shared a commiserating nod.

"But like I said, you learn to live with it," Cu said.

"And honestly, from I've seen of you, Ritsu," Morgana quietly added. "I think you're capable of that too. It's definitely gonna take some time, yeah. But… you'll get through this and be stronger for it on the other side. And if you ever need help or advice, well, you got all of us with you. We'll all help you how we can."

"If it's a cat saying that, then you definitely have their trust," Cu remarked with a broad grin.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Morgana cried, glaring at the Lancer as the man guffawed at his reaction.

Despite everything, Ritsuka started laughing as well. It still hurt – a lot – but they were right. She could only learn from it and keep moving forward. And if they had faith that she could be better, then she would be. After all, the Phantom Thieves of all people thought she would, and she wasn't about to disappoint them. But in the meantime…

"Where are the rods? I wanna see what the fuss is about."


Loki yawned loudly as they twirled their gun on their finger while laying on their bed. Aside from the metallic weapon in his hand, the only other sound was the quiet hiss of the air conditioner in their room. Their room was barren, though that wasn't by choice – they hadn't gotten a chance to really settle in before they were called into the Roman singularity and even then, hadn't exactly accumulated a lot of souvenirs. It didn't help that Servants didn't exactly need much in terms of material possessions anyway.

The Avenger had been on house arrest ever since they had gotten back to Chaldea. The walls were reinforced with Tamamo's seals to prevent him from escaping in spirit form and while they could exit utilizing the Metaverse, they didn't want to. After all, Roman had made it clear they were being monitored around the clock. If the trickster god tried anything, then that would be the end of it. And frankly, they couldn't think of a more anticlimactic way to go out.

In the end, that only meant one thing: They were stuck here, and they were bored out of their mind. They expected at least a visit from someone – probably Ren, maybe the doctor or Da Vinci or Tamamo. Or even from that goody two-shoes Shielder – a girl whose innocence yet boldness annoyed yet impressed them in equal measure – but so far, no one had. They discounted Ritsuka; that girl was far too busy wallowing in grief to be the firebrand that caught their interest early on.

The only conclusion they could draw was that they were all busy, which again frustrated them. They wanted to see and hear what was going on, if there was anything of entertainment. Ren especially had gotten his head out of his ass, apparently, and definitely wouldn't be idle. But no, they were stuck here until whatever was decided for them. How utterly disappointing.

And speaking of disappointment, their red eyes roved lazily over to a corner of the room. "You're free to sit and stare all you want," they commented. "But can you at least have the sense to do so visibly? I never took a dragon slayer to be a stalker, after all."

There was a momentary pause, then Siegfried appeared in a shower of golden light. "I apologize for your discomfort," he replied. "However, you are aware why I must maintain a vigilance on you despite all the measures that have been taken. I am thankful you are at least behaving yourself."

"Oh, come now, you make it sound like I cause trouble no matter where I go," Loki sighed. "It was an honest mistake and one I'm repentant of. Aren't prisoners at least given a bit of slack for good behavior? You can grant me that much, at least."

Siegfried frowned. "I would were you not the god of tricksters Loki," he responded bluntly. "I have heard much of your account in the Roman singularity and your actions. Until your judgment is decided, I cannot allow further leniency than I am already indulging you in."

The Avenger raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Further leniency?" they echoed as they continued twirling their gun. "If this is what you consider leniency, then I shudder to think what would constitute an actual punishment. Consider me warned and scared." Chuckling, they reclined on their bed, aimed their pistol at where supposedly a seal of Tamamo's sat, and pantomimed firing at it before dismissing the weapon in their hand.

Siegfried watched everything with an impassive look. "What are your goals?" he asked.

"Hm?" Loki hummed, looking over in mild curiosity.

"We Servants have come here to fight for humanity," the dragon slayer elaborated. "To that end, we are tools and resources at our Masters' disposal. You, however, have seemingly appeared for no particular reason save for your own entertainment, bearing the guise of one of our Masters' comrades. Is that your only goal and wish: Simply for your own amusement?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, then broke out laughing. "Ha! 'Is that the only goal and reason,' he asks!" they cried. "Oh, you are so oblivious that it's honestly both pitying, adorable, and hilarious all at the same time! I didn't think I'd have found a good reason to laugh all day today, but you seem to have defied that masterfully! Perhaps you should take up a career of being a damned jester! It should complement your myth damn well!"

If Siegfried was bothered at all by Loki's taunts, he showed no sign of it as he continued to stare impassively at the trickster god. "You did not answer," he pointed out.

The Avenger shot a glare at the dragonslayer. "Of course I didn't," they snapped. "Do you truly think such an idiotic question requires an answer? Or that I should deign to reply? And even if I did answer, I could make up any damn number of answers to soften you up. I'm sure they warned you: 'Don't speak too much to Loki. They speak with a forked tongue and can deceive you.' Not as flowery, sure, but you get my gist."

"I received no warnings of the kind," Siegfried replied simply. "I was merely asked to keep watch over you and report if there's anything amiss at my own discretion. And you are correct – you could simply fabricate your own answer. However, I thought I should at least be more aware of one's intentions before taking undue action."

Loki didn't answer immediately, their red eyes boring into Siegfried as they considered their answer. "And here I thought you were nothing more than a musclehead," they groused. "Seems you at least have something of a brain. I'm not sure whether that impresses me or pisses me off."

For the first time, Siegfried flashed a small smile. "There is much time to reflect and think about when you have little else to do, both in life and death," he simply replied. "Perhaps you might benefit from doing so as well, Loki."

The trickster god glared at the dragonslayer. "And you might benefit from silencing yourself," they growled back in turn. "I need no counsel from you. In the end, what I do is my own goddamn business. No less. And if that gets me kicked out? Well, I'm used to it at this point. I got my money's worth from that Roman singularity anyway."

The Saber stared at Loki as they rolled over away from him. He considered restarting the conversation, then simply shook his head and vanished into golden dust once more. He knew when he had pushed one's patience enough for today. For now, he would remain on guard duty until there was further need of him.

As for Loki they simply grumbled as they closed their eyes. Utterly ridiculous. They were here only for their own entertainment. The body they were utilizing simply happened to be the most convenient conduit to the location that seemed the most amusing. And it had been. They had done much, gotten into plenty of mischief, and even dragged down some self-proclaimed son of Zeus who barked far louder than he could ever bite in a thousand lifetimes. If that wasn't a good day, they had no idea what was.

' Is that your only goal and wish?'

The Avenger's frown became even deeper. Opening an eye, they reached into their breast pocket and pulled out a single, solitary black glove. It was always with them at all times, no matter what happened. As much as they wanted to, they couldn't either toss it away or dismiss it casually. Some influence of their damned host, most likely. Besides, a single glove? That vexed them the most. A glove always came in a pair. They had a single hand. The other one was…

Stopping the thought cold, they shoved the glove back into the pocket. ' Ludicrous' was their last scornful thought as they shut their eyes once more.


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