chpater 2
Chapter Text
I blink my eyes rapidly, taking in the surroundings. I appear to be at the rear of a crowd in a Medieval village, almost out of sight. Over the hand waving and cheering of the locals, I could see a number of mounted knights parading slowly down the street. Standing next to me was a young child wearing a brown cloak, the hood drawn.
I turn my head, and almost coo at the sight of a young Mordred. Lacking the armor (or the revealing clothing she wore under it), her green eyes stare at the knights in admiration. "That is the King of Knights, Arthur?" She asked, her voice softer and more feminine then how it will be in the future. 'Who is she talking to?' I thought to myself as the shadows of the alley start to shift. A pair of pale hands reached out and placed themselves on Mordred's shoulders as a taller blonde appeared.
"Correct," She stated. "That's also the place you should aim for." Mordred turned to her, a questioning look in her eyes. "And the enemy you must defeat." Those words clicked into place, and I was able to place a name to the older blonde. Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur's older half-sister and mortal enemy.
Mordred looked back to her father with a nauseous look on her face. In my head, I can hear Mordred's thoughts.
'I thought it was impossible. Because the King was beautiful and perfect. That's why I decided to follow him. I decided to become his sword and eliminate the threats targeting him.' There was a sense of awe and admiration in those words.
Then everything begins to fade away…
My eyes snap open, and the dull coloring of the ceiling greets me. I turn my head to either side. It seems I am alone, in what looks like a room. I guess we did succeed in being Rayshifted back to Chaldea.
Chaldea…Singularity F…Lev…Director Animusphere. The horrific final events of the Singularity replayed themselves in my head before I shake my head. "Focus on what you just saw while you slept," I chide myself softly. I push myself up into a sitting position, staring at the closed door.
I took a few minutes to examine further my surroundings. I appear to be alone in a decent-sized room. To the opposite side of the bed is a half-opened door that reveals a small personal bathroom. Another door opposite of the main door denotes the presence of a closet, where I presume is where the items that I had brought when I first arrived in this place were placed while the Master Candidates were being briefed.
Next to the bed was a simple but elegant nightstand made of maple wood. A lamp, a glass of water, and my hat are all resting atop it. I slowly stretched out my right hand, wrapping my fingers around the glass before I start to slowly sip. After spending a day with virtually no water, the water tastes divine to me.
Now fully reassured that I am alive, I take some time to process the dream I had.
Servants and their Masters have the ability to relieve past moments of each other in dreams. I had a gut feeling that Mordred wasn't an evil person. Maybe it was naïve of me, but I couldn't imagine Mordred being cruel. But why did she actually rebel? It wasn't like in the legends, where the unacknowledged son of the King of Knights had undermined the king from day one.
In fact, it doesn't appear that Mordred hated her father, or at least, not at first. Something must have happened, and it must have been a really bad thing to have caused such an emotional reversal from love and admiration to anger and hatred. I could of course try asking her, but another gut feeling suggested doing so, at least for now, would only cause tension.
Besides, I was intent on judging Mordred not on the past, but instead based on how she was in the present. So far, she has shown that she is dependable.
The urge to use the restroom, however, ends that train of though. I grunt softly, my body still feeling sore from having exerted my Magical Circuits to an unprecedented extent for me. It felt like the aftermath of an intense work-out session at a gym.
After washing my hands, I made my way over to the bed, and sat down onto the mattress, hands clutched together. The traitor said that the outside world was destroyed, but maybe he was just saying that to destroy our morale? My parents are fine, I am sure of it. I grabbed the glass and take a bigger sip of water from it, trying to cool my nerves. I should probably try to find Ritsuka, Mash, and Mordred….
A sudden knock at the door almost causes me to drop the glass as I leapt to my feet instantly. I began to walk over to the door slowly.
"Master?" I freeze at the muffled voice calling from outside before relaxing. I hurried over to the door to see Mordred in front of me, out of her armor, arms crossed under her breasts. Note to self, try to find out when and where I can get a selection of clothing for my Servant.
"Hey Mordred," I said, trying to smile. Behind her I see Mash, though not in her armor. Instead she was wearing similar clothing to what I had briefly seen her wearing before we all were Rayshifted.
"About time you woke up," Mordred said, a bit gruffly. Mash chimed in.
"Mordred had been guarding you for the entire morning, Jacob Senpai. Doctor Roman would like to speak with you since you missed the debriefing that he gave to Ritsuka Senpai. They are waiting for you if you are ready," the Demi-Servant explained. I nodded my head.
"Right. Well, then let's go. About time we get some answers." I muttered the last part under my breath as I stepped out into the hallway to follow the two ladies.
I followed behind Mash and Mordred as we entered the somewhat repaired command room. Just as Mash said, Ritsuka was already there. He wasn't alone however. A nervous-looking man with ginger hair and wearing a doctor's uniform was there. Standing next to him, with a small and mischievous smirk, was a woman. It would be fair to say she was outstanding in the looks department, but at the moment my mind is focused on something else. That face and expression look eerily familiar, and I gaped at her when I realize where I had seen it before.
"…does anyone else feel like the Mona Lisa has come to life?" I asked in a stun expression. The woman laughed softly, clearly amused by my reaction. The doctor gave me a sympathetic smile, a sentiment shared by Mash and Ritsuka. Mordred however watches with a guarded expression, clearly uninterested in taking part of the briefing, it seems.
"We haven't met properly before," He said apologetically, stepping forward and extending his hand. "I am Doctor Romani Archaman. You can call me Doctor Roman or just Roman instead. I am…was the head of Chaldea's Medical Department, but as you know, I am now the acting director for Chaldea. Glad to see you are back on your feet."
"Thanks for coming through on bringing us back safely from that nightmare," I replied gratefully, shaking his hand. "So, who is our Mona Lisa lookalike?"
"Leonardo, head of Chaldea's Engineering Department."
"Another Servant?" Mordred suddenly asked, before I could comment on the name. 'Leonardo' nodded, still smiling.
"Right you are. I am the proud inventor of the Renaissance! The one and only Leonardo da Vinci, in the flesh! You can just call me Da Vinci though," She…he….they(?) proclaimed proudly, hands on hips. I blinked slowly.
'Too early for this,' I whined mentally. You know what, screw it. Mordred's a girl, so let's just roll with this. Then my earlier comment resurfaces in my head. "Wait…so are you saying that the Mona Lisa is a self-portrait?" Da Vinici opened her mouth before Doctor Roman cuts her off.
"Long story short, Da Vinci decided to be manifested in the form of beauty, and so he decided on the Mona Lisa. It's complicated," the acting director finished awkwardly, as the Servant glared at him, arms crossed. Behind them, Ritsuka had a hand over his mouth, possibly to hide a smile or laughter. Mash, having moved over to his side, coughed politely.
"Excuse me, Doctor Roman, but I think we should proceed with filling in Jacob Senpai, seeing as he was still recovering," Mash said. A grimace crossed Roman's face as he nodded.
"Right, thanks Mash," he said, turning back to me. "As you saw, Lev used the Holy Grail to create Singularity F. While that singularity has been fixed, Sheba discovered seven other singularities, spread across the world and in different eras of history. I suspect that there is a connection between each of these singularities and the Holy Grail."
I perked up. "So what you are suggesting is that the traitor," I refused to use his name, "managed to acquire the Grail and used it to create them?" Roman nodded in response.
"Correct. If that is the case, then you and Ritsuka will have to find the Grail in each of the singularities and capture or destroy it. Doing so should correct the timeline. Fix all seven, and humanity will last beyond 2018." Wait…just Ritsuka and I?
"What about the outside world? Is it really gone?" I asked, dreading the answer. A frustrated look showed itself on the doctor's face before he answered.
"We have gotten communications back up and running, but we haven't been able to get through. It seems that Lev was telling the truth, at least for the rest of the world. That means that we will have only our remaining staff members and any other Servants that may be summoned to support the two of you."
I feel my stomach knot itself up into a pretzel. "What about the other Master Candidates? Can any of them help us out?" Roman shakes his head mournfully before responding.
"Sadly, we can't. Many of them were badly injured by the bomb, and so waking them up would be essentially a death sentence. We need to have more professionals and the right equipment to ensure that we don't have any more of the Candidates dying. As of this morning, three have died."
The anxiety and stress that has been mounting ever since I came to here was about to erupt. I need to leave. I need to be alone. Now.
"I-I need to go," I stammered, turning around and walking rapidly before any of the others could ask or even acknowledge my statement.
Mordred frowned as her master walked briskly out of the room. The fact that his shoulders had tensed up, and his face turning a mixture of pale and green did not go unnoticed by the others.
"Is he ok?" Fujimaru asked, while Roman and Da Vinci exchanged looks. Mash gave her Master a deadpan look that Mordred would have laughed at were it not for her own concern for her Master. The fate of the last Master that had summoned was replaying itself in her head.
She's not going to allow another Master to die. Not if she can do anything about it, at least.
"I'll handle this," the Knight of Rebellion said. Ritsuka opened his mouth, probably wanting to offer to help or something. Mash gently rested a hand on his shoulder and shook her head silently. She seemed to be someone she would have an easier time to work with as opposed to the damn bastard that had helped the girl became a Demi-Servant. The Knight of Rebellion turned around, and headed toward the exit, pausing briefly as the doctor spoke up to the Caster Servant.
"Da Vinci, you said earlier that the candidate profiles were still intact, right?"
"Mhm."
"Can you help me find the one for Jacob?"
"I can, but why?"
"There's something I need to check. I'm still the medical doctor of Chaldea, acting director or not. That includes mental health."
"…I'll start looking for them." Mordred then left the command room, searching for her Master.
I had almost sprinted down the empty hallway, thankful that none of the surviving staff was around. I'd have probably knocked them off their feet as I moved instinctively, my eyes fighting back tears as I finally stopped and leaned against a wall, body shaking.
Almost everyone who could be a master is dead or in a coma. The fate of humanity is going to rest on the shoulders of Ritsuka and I. I came here to be used as a spare if needed, they said. They shouldn't need such an unskilled Magus.
I slide down the wall, my body shaking further. I know what is coming. The feelings of doubt and despair.
"Hey, master…you alright?"
I'm going to let myself down. I'm going to let Ritsuka and Mash down. I'm going to let my parents down. I'm going to let humanity down.
"Master?"
I won't get to see my family again or home. I'm going to prove myself to be an utter failure! I have of-
A hand grips my shoulder firmly, jolting me out of my thoughts. I blink my eyes rapidly as I try to take deep breaths while my servant looks down at me.
"What's wrong?" Even in my state of mind, I could tell that this was a demand, not a question. She looked like she wasn't afraid of doing whatever it takes to get her way, whether I want to cooperate or not.
"Nothing…" Regardless if it was a demand or a question, I tried to avoid discussing the issue. It's not worth the energy. 'I'm not worth the energy.' It certainly didn't work in tricking my Servant either.
"Bullshit," Mordred growled, crossing her arms and staring intently at me. "I'm not letting my master get himself killed on the field if he might freeze up like you did. I'm not going to fade away again just because my master did something stupid that got himself killed. So, I'm not moving a damn muscle until you spill." Her emerald eyes bored into mine, the intensity forcing me to look down at my feet.
"I'm scared," I murmur, unable to look my Servant in the eye. I forced down the urge to return to cradling my legs and rocking back and forth, trying to maintain at least some of my dignity. "I'm scared of failing. Scared of showing that I am a failure. I hear my servant make a grunting sound. She's probably going to refuse to work alongside me, and demand that-
"You damn idiot," she sighed. My eyes flick up to her, confused. "This is the first time you've had people seriously rely on you, isn't it?" I nod quietly, not trusting my voice. Mordred sighed again. "Well, I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you. It's not going to get any easier. You'll learn to cope with it though." The advice might have felt rather obvious, but sometimes,
"Besides," Mordred gives me a smirk. "You're not alone. You have Ritsuka as a fellow master. And of course you got one of the best damn servants at your side. Once we fix everything, you can tell your family about how you saved the world."
My family….
If I give up….then they are as good as gone.
I sighed. Having calmed down, I push myself up off the ground. "Thanks, Mordred. I guess not many people can say they have fought alongside the heir of England's most famous king now, can they?" I smile, albeit weakly, at the blonde girl.
"That's more like it. So, where did you learn to fight like that?"
"Ah, that is a fine story-" I start before being cut off by my stomach growling. "How about we grab some food first before I tell that tale?" I asked instead, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly. Mordred laughs.
"Fine. Mash showed me earlier, so just follow me."
Chaldea's cafeteria was a pleasant-looking area, far better than my old high school lunch area for sure. It was also one of the few places that hadn't been damaged. Thankfully, at least from some perspectives I presumed, the kitchen staff for the facility had also escaped intact. I had inquired as to how food was ordered and whatnot, and upon receiving my answer, Mordred and I had ordered. In about five minutes, our food was ready and we sat at a table.
"So, you fenced in high school?" Mordred asked before taking a large bite out of the cheeseburger that she had 'requested' (more like demanded). While Servants did not need to eat food like they had to when they were alive, that didn't mean they couldn't do so, or enjoy food. I nod, reflecting back on some of my happier memories as I hold my own cheeseburger.
"Yeah. It seemed like something that could stabilize myself. Came in third place two years ago. Maybe we should have a friendly spar sometime," I offer. Maybe, instead of just being essentially work partners, Mordred and I could be friends? The blonde knight blinks, surprise showing on her face for just a fraction of a second before her usual smirk returns.
"Sure, as long as you are willing to have your ass handed to you."
"It will be an honor to fight a true knight, win or lose," I reply. Mordred's nature must be starting to rub off of me, though that is not necessarily a bad thing in this case. I'm rewarded with a soft laugh.
"So, we'll watch one another's back, if that sounds good to you?" I offer, extending a hand. For the second time since returning, I seemed to have stunned the supposed Knight of Treachery. Last time, she hadn't returned the gesture. However, after having gotten to know each other a little better, perhaps, she gave me her signature smirk.
"I'll be counting on you then, Master!" She said smugly before slapping my open palm with hers. I smiled while fighting down the urge to wince. Withdrawing my hand, I hid it under the table before shaking it a few times to dull the stinging sensation. Well, forward progress is forward progress, no matter what.
A polite cough causes me to turn around to see Ritsuka smiling cautiously at me. "Hey Jacob…you doing ok?" Behind him, Mash watches silently. I nod, a wry smile on my face.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. It's been a lot to deal with, you know?" I said honestly. Could I be doing better? Absolutely. But considering my earlier state, I think being ok is a good start. "So, what are you and Mash up to?" I asked, wanting to shift the conversation away from focusing on my breakdown.
"Well, we were actually wanting to see if maybe you and Mordred would like to have dinner tonight with us?" I raised an eyebrow, interested in what they were saying. Not sensing any sign of his suggestion being dismissed, my fellow Master continued speaking. "I just thought that we should get to know each other. Since, you know, the whole 'we have to save the world' stuff Roman was saying and all."
That honestly sounded like a wonderful idea. Mordred's words of not having to face this issue on my own echoed in my head. I turn to the blonde knight with a questioning look. She responded with an indifferent shrug, indicating that she didn't care whether I agreed with Ritsuka's suggestion or not. I look back to the Japanese Magus.
"Sure. How does five sound?" Ritsuka smiled at my response. Behind him, Mash smiled shyly, the
"So, what are the two of you going to do?" I didn't answer Mash's question directly. Instead, remembering an earlier promise, I asked a question of my own.
"Is there someone in the surviving staff who is a tailor?"
"Yes."
Good. "Do you mind introducing us to them after Mordred and I finishing eating?" Mash looked confused at my question before slowly nodding.
"Sure, though if you don't mind me asking, why?" I turned my head so as to indicate my rather scantily-clad Servant.
"I offered to buy Mordred some actual clothing that she," I gulped silently at the subtle glare my Servant shot at me at the mention of her gender, "could wear when we are here in Chaldea. Kind of like how you are not wearing your armor." Mash nodded in understanding.
"Understood. In that case, I will check with Doctor Roman to see if Isabella is ok with going back to work." Then she stood up and left the cafeteria, Ritsuka following her. Mordred looked at me. I simply shrugged as I took another bite of my burger. After chewing and swallowing, I spoke up.
"Hey, I made an offer that you accepted." The Knight of Rebellion merely shook her head, laughing.
"You're an interesting one alright," Mordred said before finishing her food.
Notes:
So, a few things I want to mention. First off, I want to thank everyone once again for supporting the story through your bookmarking, subscribing, and leaving reviews and kudos. Big shoutout to Zlatz for providing me with some angles I might nto have fully considered for some future Servant interactions, and a thanks to both them and Majesticid for the feedback on the Servant battle scenes :)
Now, the other things I wanted to mention. The reason I had the breakdown scene is because I figured that it would be rather logical a thing to happen to anyone who had to go through half of what happened in Singualrity F. However, Fate/Grand Order sorta glosses over any idea of stress or whatnot, at least to me, for the Master. Also, I am going to have the Servants from series like Fate/Apocrypha have at least some of their memories from the Grail Wars they took part in. Next chapter we will be getting to see some proper background with Ritsuka and Jacob, and also a few new Servants being summoned!
Also, I am sorry if parts of this chapter feel choppy. I had a hard time figuring out how to introduce Jacob to Da Vinci in a way that didn't feel like a repeat to the in-game scene. Also, Mordred's finally going to get a proper outfit for wearing around Chaldea. Let me know down below if you think I should go with her Fate/Apocrypha outfit or something different.
Last thing: who is your least favorite Servant and why? Curious to hear about this. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Until next time!
Chapter Text
I raised an eyebrow at the sign over the door. In bright green were the words 'Isabella's Imaginations', the words written in cursive. Besides me, Mordred shared a similar skeptical expression. On my other side, Mash stepped forward and knocked on the door. A muffled voice shouted out. "Coming," A feminine voice with a British accent said. A few minutes later, and I find myself blinking at the woman now standing before us.
She was rather tall, though whether the black leather boots she wore helped with that, I wasn't sure. Her dark brown hair was done up in a loose ponytail, though it wasn't anywhere near as messy as Mordred's. Blue eyes sparkled in excitement behind a set of glasses as her gaze focused on Mordred, still in her 'under armor'.
"Ah, so this is the new Servant in Chaldea, and you must be one of the new Masters. My name is Isabella Ruben." Her eyes narrowed as I suddenly find a rather long needle pointing at my face. "If you make any remarks about what kind of sandwiches I like, I'll fillet you like a fish. Got it?" I gulped and nodded, stepping back as the woman tossed the needle casually over her shoulder, the smile from just a few seconds before back on her features, acting like she hadn't just threatened bodily harm.
What the hell kind of seamstress is this lady?!? Next to me, Mash cleared her throat politely. "Jacob Senpai, I will leave you and Mordred here. I look forward to dinner tonight," She said with a smile.
"I look forward to it as well. See you later, Mash," I replied, still eyeing Isabella warily as she circled around Mordred, a thoughtful expression on her face. Mordred's expression, however, was one screaming of discomfort, a mutual feeling.
"I've been dying to make clothes for a Heroic Spirit ever since I started working here at Chaldea! Gah, it took too long if you asked me, but hey, better late than never!" She said, words coming out like water bursting through a dam. The expression on her face slowly morphed into something that some might describe it as almost ecstasy. I shudder slightly, the urge to get away increasing.
"Alrighty then. I'll leave the two of you alone. Just give Mordred the bill and I'll pay for it later. I should start unpacking my stuff," I said, glad to have an excuse to escape from the scary lady. Next to me, Mordred stiffens, staring at me with wide eyes.
"Master, don't leave me alone with her" Mordred mouthed frantically to me. I shake my head sadly, stepping back.
"Have fun!"
"You son of—" Before Mordred could finish cussing me out, Isabella pulled on her arm with a surprising amount of strength, dragging the knight into her shop and closing the door behind them. Hopefully, Mordred won't murder Isabella…or me for that matter. Oh well, nothing I can do about that for now.
I turned around and began walking back to my room. After a few minutes, however, I paused as I realized that I hadn't memorized the way that Mash had lead Mordred and I to Isabella's workshop.
Well, crap.
Note to self: Find out if there is a map of Chaldea, and if so, acquire one. I was lost for what felt like an hour before I ran into one of other surviving staff members. Thankfully, they gave me instructions on how to get back to my room finally.
On the bright side, I now know where the gym and a few other locations were, so hey, silver lining and all. I shake my head, bemused by my train of thoughts as I open the door to my room.
Flicking the switch, I walked in and made my way over to the closet. Opening it up, I noticed several things. The first was that a spare Master Candidate uniform was hanging, along with what I presumed was a standard-issued, heavy-duty winter jacket for anyone daring enough to step outside of Chaldea into the frigid snow outside. The other thing are my two duffel bags that I had brought with me from home. I picked up the two bags and placed them onto my bed before unzipping the first one.
I had packed several pairs of jeans and t-shirts, a pair of gym clothing, socks, and some basic toiletry items. Mom had been insistent about also bringing a simple white dress shirt and black pants for any potential formal occasions. I had argued about how ludicrous that sounded to me, but in the end, I had packed a pair. I spent the next five or so minutes placing my clothes into the dresser that was in the room. Once that was finished, I decided to take a shower, wanting to wash off properly. After drying myself off, brushing my hair, and putting on a fresh t-shirt and jeans, I then returned and unzipped the second bag.
If one were to ask which of the two bags were more important to me, I would have to say the second one. In this bag, I had packed personal items. A few books on history, my computer, an MP3 player and headphones, and some DVDs. My family was one that would be considered unorthodox in the moonlight world, being willing to use modern technology, unlike many of the more prominent Magi families. I had also brought a picture of my parents and I, to help me deal with any bouts of homesickness while I was at Chaldea.
Now, it would be yet another reminder of what's at stake. I picked up the picture frame, and walked over to my nightstand, looking at the proud expressions of my parents as their son graduated from high school.
I was about to put the picture down when the door opened suddenly, startling me. I almost threw the picture up in the air by accident as a familiar voice spoke up.
"What ya got there, Master?"
"Gah! Can you try knocking next time?" I asked, putting the picture down properly this time, one hand over my racing heart to calm myself. To my mild annoyance, my Servant let out a brief bark of laughter.
"Oh, relax Master. So, what do you think?" I turned around to see what Isabella had made for Mordred. The first reaction that I had was confusion. If she hated being referred to by her gender, then why the hell does she insist on wearing clothing that highlights the fact that she is a woman?!?
A wide, toothy grin on her face and hands on her hips, Mordred prodded me. "Well?" She asked. Instead of almost Medieval lingerie, she had gotten a white tube top with blue trimming, and one of the shortest pair of shorts I think I have ever seen in my life. Completing the outfit was a crimson leather jacket. Instead of the red choker-like thing she wore under her armor, she had a simple necklace with a blue stone inset. Contradictory to her words or not, the outfit she got seems to suit her perfectly.
"It suits you," I finally said, being rewarded with a pleased expression from the shorter blonde. "Glad to see you have something to wear when we have down time and all. Did Isabella give you the bill?" I asked. Mordred shook her head as she walked over.
"Nah. She said that she would just take it out of your paycheck. Apparently, all the Master Candidates get salary while being employed by Chaldea," she explained. Huh. Well, that certainly is convenient. "Anyways, thanks again for the outfit. It really feels great."
I smiled at those words, pleased. "That's great to hear," I said, as the Saber walked over to look at the picture I had placed there. She cocked her head to the side briefly before speaking.
"Those your parents?" She asked.
"Yeah. From when I graduated high school earlier this year. After yesterday, it feels like it was a few years ago, instead of a few months," I sighed. Mordred nudged me with her elbow slightly before I could brood or anything.
"Hey, don't worry Master. We're going to win this," Mordred said in her typical proud and confident tone. I returned a faint smile as I nodded my head. "On another note, if you ever leave me alone with that crazy Magus ever again, I'll kick your ass so hard you won't sit down
Well, at least that wasn't anywhere close to being as bad as I was expecting to hear. I nodded my head. "It was that bad, huh?" I asked, curious. Mordred sighed and plopped herself down onto my bed, thankfully missing my electronics. I move them off the bed as I listened to my Servant ranting about how Isabella made her feel like a slab of beef, or a mannequin to be displayed before she finally got the clothes she was now wearing to be made.
I shook my head in mild amusement after the Knight of Rebellion finished her diatribe. "Well, hey, on the bright side, you did get the clothes you wanted. Although, if you don't mind me asking, is there a particular reason behind your choice?" The fact that Mordred didn't immediately dismiss my question was rather telling. Before she could answer, however, there is another knock at the door.
"Come in," I said, turning around as Mash and Ritsuka entered. The latter takes a quick second to notice Mordred's outfit before speaking up.
"Nice outfit," he said, stroking her ego apparently as her trademark smirk grew.
"Damn right."
"Doctor Roman wanted to know if you were up for trying to summon another Servant or two along with Ritsuka after dinner. Since we won't be deploying for the first of the singularities until the end of the week, he thought that it would be a good idea if all Servants had time to practice working alongside one another. The doctor also said it would be a good way to start working out any issues our Servants might have amongst one another," Mash explained. I hummed softly in thought.
It certainly made sense. I looked over at Mordred, who had a rather neutral expression on her face. "Yeah, that's fine. Now, enough about work, at least for now. Let's eat."
There was a bit of an awkward silence between us. Well, rather between Ritsuka, Mash, and I. Mordred just has a bored look on her face, seemingly uninterested in conversation. We all agreed that it would be a good idea to get to know one another, but it seems that we are all unsure of who should go first.
One of the kitchen staff walks over, holding a tray bearing our dishes. The silence is still present as our meals are placed before us.
"So, who talks first? You talk first, I talk first?" I asked softly, cutting off a slice of my steak. Seeing that the inside was a soft red, I brought the slice to my lips and eat it. Ritsuka picked up his chopsticks and shrugged.
"While, since you brought the question up first, why don't you go?" He said, pointing towards me with his chopsticks. I nodded in response as I finished chewing the portion of steak. I swallowed before replying with words.
"Ah, fair enough. Well, I'm a Magus hailing from America. Just completed high school when a representative from the Clock Tower met with me. Before I know it, I'm being given an offer that, to paraphrase an old movie, I couldn't refuse." I'm rewarded with laughter from Ritsuka, though Mordred and Mash both had a look of confusion on their faces.
"I'm from Japan, obviously. Just simply applied after seeing a flyer and that's how I got here. I guess that meant that Chaldea thought I would be useful," he shrugged. "So, what's up with your summoning of ice?"
"My family focused on working with natural elements. It's a small and rather informal kind, so we just used it when needed. I decided to go with ice because I thought it would be useful. I guess I was right. Now, all I have to do is to practice summoning and controlling ice bigger than an ice cube. What about you? What's your specialty?" I asked in response.
"My family focused on being able to give temporary enhancements to oneself or others. For example, I could give a temporary boost to Mordred's strength if she required it. Any siblings?" I shook my head.
"Nope. Only child. What about you two?"
"I'm also an only child, Jacob Senpai."
"I have a twin sister," Ritsuka replied, pulling out a flip phone. Ah, so it seems that my fellow Master is able to use at least some modern tech as well. That's great to know. After pressing a few buttons, he turned the phone around to show a picture of him with a smiling girl with orange hair.
"I'm assuming the two of you weren't fraternal twins then," I idly commented, staring at the smiling faces. Ritsuka chuckled in response.
"No. Her name is Gudako. She had actually applied for Chaldea at the same time that I did. It seems we both would have been accepted, but apparently because my application was received first, I got the job. She was upset that she didn't get it, but she didn't hold it against me. Of course, now I am wondering if she was the lucky one considering what happened yesterday," Ritsuka muttered darkly, putting away his phone.
"Don't worry. We'll see our families again," I reminded my fellow Master. Ritsuka nodded, features resolute. I looked toward Mash. "What about you, Mash?" The quiet girl blinked, eyes wide.
"Oh! I've just been here in Chaldea for most of my life, really," Mash said, sounding rather evasive to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mordred leaning forward slightly.
"Huh, interesting….so what is your job exactly?" I asked, trying to press further on the issue. For a brief moment, there seems to be a panicked expression on her face
"Ah, I am just Doctor Roman's assistant, really." I resisted frowning, having a feeling that she is lying. However, at least for now, I'll drop the issue. For all I know, it could be a major trust issue thing. In that case, the best way to deal with it would be to just wait and see.
"Well, one thing about us working at Chaldea is that it would look good on our resumes. Saviors of humanity," Ritsuka interjected with a chuckle. I snort in amusement.
"Well, it's not like you applied to Chaldea thinking it was a summer job or something similar for a college resume, right?" I laughed. It doesn't last long as Ritsuka's cheeks flushed, looking down at his plate. My jaw dropped slightly as I stared at my fellow Master. Mordred's bored expression morphed into one of incredulity, while Mash merely shook her head and sighed.
"…In my defense, the advertisement left out a number of details about what I was signing up for," Ritsuka finally said, rubbing his head awkwardly. Recovering from my shock, I let out a soft bark of laughter.
"Did you read the small print on the back?" I joked, causing Ritsuka eyes to widen. Before he could start panicking, however, I continued speaking. "I'm kidding. Honestly, there are worse reasons for why you could have applied here. Besides, it doesn't matter, or at least to me. We're in this together, all four of us." I gazed around my group of newly-acquired friends with a smile, grabbing my glass of water. Raising it up, I smirked.
"To victory, friendship, and saving humanity." Three other glasses clinked against mine, my words being echoed as our meal continued. Our conversation was livelier now, with Mordred even joining in every now and then. It seems Ritsuka's idea worked out, something I am incredibly grateful for.
"So basically, we use these things called Saint Quartz as catalysts to summon Servants? Wouldn't it be better to go with the more traditional way of using items as catalysts?" I asked, staring at the colorful, star-like object Da Vinci was putting into the machine that was used for summoning.
"It was Olga Marie's father who came up with it. Honestly, it just works, which is useful since a lot of items that could have been used for summoning rituals have disappeared in the past few years," Roman explained with a shrug.
After we had finished dinner, Mash had led us to what she called the summoning chamber. The carved lines are similar to the glowing ones that Director Animusphere had summoned when she used Mash's shield back in Singularity F, except for being more permanent.
Standing by the door, arms crossed, was Mordred. She had summoned her armor back, but the helmet was absent, at least for now. She had fallen silent after dinner. If I had to guess, maybe she is on edge about if her father was to be summoned? Honestly, I hope that doesn't happen, or at least, not yet. I turned to Ritsuka. He was going tot try two summons, while I would go with just one.
"Well, since I summoned Mordred last time, why don't you go first?" He nodded and walked over as Da Vinci and Roman readied the machine. Then my fellow master pulled the handle of a lever that the former had indicated, and a familiar set of light bands appears over the circle.
The bands of light fade, and I lowered my hand to see a woman of medium height and in dark green and purple robes. Her lips, with purple coloring, were tilted upward in a small smirk, indicating her amusement. Whether it was the good or bad type of amusement was unknown, however, as the cowl of her robe hid the upper half of her face. She turned her head slightly to Ritsuka, examining him for a second before speaking.
"Medea, Caster. My, you're a rather cute one, Master," the Caster teased, causing Ritsuka to blush and stammer. I snickered softly at the fate of my friend before stepping over, having seen Roman signal that they were ready for my turn at summoning.
A few minutes later, and a man with purple hair and what appeared to be a massive Katana slung over his back stood before us. He was garbed in what appeared to be traditional Japanese clothing. He looks at me before speaking in a calm and composed voice.
"I am Sasaki Kojirou, an Assassin-class Servant. I have been called upon to your service," my new Servant said. His eyes narrowed when he notices Medea. The Caster stopped teasing Ritsuka and stares back, her hackles raised. Huh, so this must be what a Servant with E-rank luck must feel like.
Before blows could be dealt, however, Ritsuka made his way over to the machine, pulling the lever one last time. The flashing of lights causes the two new arrivals to look as three bands of light appear once more.
As once more the lights faded away, I notice the striking blue hair in a ponytail, though cut in a slightly different manner. Instead of robes and a staff, however, there was a close-fitting set of blue armor and a long, red spear with several barbs on either side just below the tip.
"Ah, good job kid! You summoned me in my proper class this time," the Irish Servant grinned happily. Stepping off of the platform, his face has a look of interest on his face. "Assassin and Caster are here as well? Did someone schedule a Grail War reunion or something?" Chulainn asked.
Ah, so the other two new Servants did indeed know each other apparently. I'm not sure if this will be convenient or just complicate things. I cleared my throat, getting the attention of the three Servants. For a brief moment, I almost felt like wilting beneath the stares of the powerful beings before me, but I swallow my hesitation.
"Welcome to Chaldea. I am Jacob Aronson." Ritsuka spoke up after that, catching on to what I was trying to do. He walked up to my side, a friendly smile on his lips.
"And I am Ritsuka Fujimaru. We are your Masters."
"And we are honored that you answered the call to save humanity," I finished as I felt Mordred and Mash position themselves besides us, probably as a sign of support. I remember the traitor's words after what he did to Director Animusphere, and how we were doomed. "Let's show our foes the will to resist!"
Notes:
So, as always, several things. First off, we have now reached the one month anniversary since the first chapter was published. Once again, thank you guys so much for the support! Second off, what do you think of Isabella Ruben? She was someone I created with the help of my adopted older sister, who gave her the more.....eccentric traits. Sorry if any of the dialogue felt forced, though I am sure it is just me being paranoid about doing poorly lol
Also, what did you think of the interactions in the past two chapters between both Jacob and Mordred and also Jacob and Ritsuka?
Final thing. I plan on asking a question at the end of each chapter, like how with the last one I asked about dislike Servants, mainly because I enjoy hearing other people's responses and thoughts about the Fate franchise. Today's question is this: who do you think is better as a character overall, Mordred or Artoria, or do you think they are equal?
Hope you enjoyed and see y'all next time!
Chapter Text
I grunted as I brought my blade up to block the vicious swing from the side. I stepped backwards, but my opponent doesn't give me the opportunity to gain any space between us. Twisting my body to the left, I deflected the sword thrust with mine.
Ok, another note to self: Sparring with Mordred is a bad idea!
Grinning wildly before me, Mordred swung her practice sword again. A dull pain erupts in my arms as my own practice sword rattled in my hands from the shock of impact.
Ugh…how did I end up in this position?
"Agh! There's nothing to do today!" Mordred whined, acting more like a petulant child than the knight that she was. It took a massive amount of will power to not laugh as she crossed her arms.
"Well, you could always try sparring using that combat simulation stuff Mash and Da Vinci told us about?" I said instead. This was rewarded with a dramatic groan and a theatrical eyeroll by my Servant.
"But it's boring alone!" She complained, making my earlier observation over her behavior become even more accurate. Fortunately, an idea pops into my head.
"Well, I did mention the idea of trying to spar sometime. Why don't we do that, as long as you don't go full-out on me as you would against another Servant?" Mordred smiled a bit savagely at that, standing up excitedly.
"You're on, Master!"
Ah. That's right. Next time, se if Mordred would rather watch a movie or something! I am all for bonding with the Saber and all, but good god she hits like a truck on steroids. I spend the next few seconds still on the defensive before the Knight of Rebellion finally managed to knock my sword out of my hands before holding the blunt end towards my throat. I raised my hands in surrender, panting slightly.
"Ok, I concede. That's what, 0-7?"
"0-8," Mordred smirked as she lowered her sword, and I my hands. "Thanks for helping me kill some time. I just have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing, ya know?" I shoot my Servant a dry look.
"I can tell," I said in a deadpan tone that causes Mordred to laugh a bit sheepishly. I run a hand through my sweat-stained locks of hair, pushing them out of my eyes. Maybe I should get them cut soon. "Well, it's time to call it a night. I'll see you tomorrow morning for the Rayshift."
"You got it, Master. Night," she said as we left. On the way to my room, I reflected on the events of the week since the dinner.
The past few days had been rather chaotic. For one thing, the surviving staff of Chaldea had to figure out how to function with a severely-depleted staff with little to no chance of getting replacements for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, it seems that Da Vinci had been in the process of manufacturing a rather substantial amount of robotic drones that could help run the more mundane things, allowing for the human staff to focus on more specialized tasks. We also still had the vast majority of supplies that had been stored before the explosion, which meant that we had enough food, water, and power for at least several years, according to Doctor Roman. Of course, the other issue was with the new Servants Ritsuka and I had summoned.
Apparently, Medea, Sasaki, and Chulainn had all been summoned in a Holy Grail War. Out of the three of them, however, Chulainn seemed to have been the most laid back about this, exuding an aura of cautioned calm. The real trouble was mainly between the Caster and Assassin.
Chulainn had been rather tight-lipped about the exact details of what had happened to the various Servants and their Masters during the historical events of the Fifth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki, but he did reveal that Medea had been able to summon Sasaki, and that for various reasons the two were hostile to each other, though it was mostly a passive-aggressive manner. The two Servants had said that they would put their differences aside when it came to work, but until that happens, Ritsuka and I were going to be keeping a close eye on them.
When I arrived at my room, I quickly stripped out of my sweaty clothes and hopped into the shower to clean up before going to bed. Once I have finished showering, getting dressed, and all the other stuff necessary, I made my way over to my bed. "Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Let's not screw things up," I muttered to myself, still a bit nervous.
Shaking my head, I eased my body into my bed, pulling the covers over myself and closing my eyes, eventually falling asleep.
Another night without dreams. Thankfully, that meant that I was fully rested and recovered from the sparring with Mordred last evening. That's a relief. I look at the alarm clock, seeing that I have just enough time to have breakfast and then get dressed before we had to meet up in the command room.
Unlike the past few days, I didn't have my meal with Mordred, Mash, or Ritsuka. When I returned to my room, I silently put on my Chaldea uniform. I then pull out my boots I had brought and laced them up, making sure that they fitted comfortably. Finally, I grabbed my cap and reached for a pin that I had placed on my nightstand, next to the picture of my family.
It was a parachute between two stylized wings, the badge of a paratrooper. It had belonged to my grandfather from when he served in the Second World War, and he had given to me. I pinned it against the front of my cap, and then my cap on my head. I looked at the smiling faces of my parents.
"Don't worry mom and dad, I'll see you guys again," I said aloud. Then I turned around and headed to the command room. When I arrive, I see that everyone else was already there. Well, at least I won't have to wait before being sent off to who-knows-where.
"Good Morning Mash, Ritsuka, and Jacob. You guys ready for your first mission?" Doctor Roman asked us, smiling slightly. We nodded before I spoke up.
"Morning, Doc. So, where are we headed?"
"Straight to business then. Sheba has indicated that the first singularity is in France sometime in the 15th Century. Unfortunately, we're unable to give you the exact year, but once you all arrive safely you should be able to find out," Roman explained. I hummed in thought. Well, at least we won't be going in completely blind.
"Any idea of what is the cause of the disruption?" Ritsuka asked, receiving a slight shake of the head from the acting director.
"Sadly, we don't. However, it doesn't seem to be a massive disruption, so to speak. Hopefully, it shouldn't be too challenging, especially since the two of you will have Mash and the other Servants to support you. Plus, don't forget about any possible Servants you might meet who are friendly."
Hopefully whoever it will be won't be a perverted Caster like Chulainn had been. I then notice that Mash had a small knapsack, but before I can ask about it, Roman explained about how it contained a few days worth of food and water, in case we can't find anything to eat or drink in the singularity. It was reassuring to know that we had something to rely on if that did happen.
"Ok, so this time, the two of you will be using the coffins to Rayshift into the first singularity. This should allow for future Rayshifts to be done faster and safely," Roman explained as we walked over to a set of said equipment. I eye them nervously. While I highly doubt that the events that occurred the last time these devices were used, the idea of being inside so small an enclosed metal container was very…unappealing, to say the least. However, I said nothing, deciding to trust the staff of Chaldea.
"What about our Servants?" I said instead.
"They will be using coffins as well," Da Vinci's voice said over the P.A. Mordred, Medea, Sasaki, and Chulainn all exchanged looks before walking over to some of the other coffins. I take a deep breath before walking other to mine.
"Well, see you guys on the other side," I said nervously before strapping in and closing my eyes, waiting to be sent back in time.
Opening my eyes, I blinked rapidly, raising my right arm to block some of the sunlight. I turned my head, taking in the surrounding area. "Well, looks like the Rayshift was successful," I commented idly.
We appeared to be standing in a field. Unlike in Singularity F, however, nothing seems to be an issue. No burning buildings, undead skeletons, or corrupted Servants.
"You feeling ok, Master?" Mordred asked, walking over to me. Looking over her shoulder, I see that the other Servants were spread out in a loose circle, observing the scenery. I nodded.
"Yeah. What about you?" Mordred grunted in response.
"We're going to look around, but we won't be far. You ok with that?" I nodded my consent.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I'll go check in with Ritsuka and Mash. Once we establish a connection with Chaldea, we'll start planning our first move," I said. Mordred nodded in approval before walking over to the other Servants. There still seemed to be some tension still between the three newer Servants, but thankfully it seems that they were going to focus on fixing the timeline.
"You guys ok?" I asked as I walk over to the duo. Ritsuka finishes patting his body down before sighing with relief.
"Yeah, it seems so," my fellow Master replied.
"Fou! Fou! Fou!" I turned towards Mash, and arched an eyebrow at seeing Fou standing next to the Demi-Servant. Apparently he must have hidden himself in the rucksack Mash was carrying for our supplies. I was wondering where he was this morning…
"Fou?" Mash asked, clearly startled. "Did you tag along again?" To his credit, the dog-like critter seemed to be a little apologetic.
"Fou…" he whined. "Kyuu, kyao…" I swear to god, it feels like Fou was trying to speak. Ritsuka scratched his head.
"Did he sneak into Mash's coffin?" He asked. I sighed, cupping my face with one hand.
"Seems so. Okay, does anyone else want to announce their pretense?" I asked in a loud, rhetorical voice. Just in case someone did respond, I swiveled my head, letting out a sigh of relief to see nothing responding to my challenge. "Now that's been answered, it seems he arrived safely," I observed.
"What about when we complete the singularity, though?" Ritsuka asked.
"Since he is attached to one of us, he will automatically return alongside of us," Mash explained.
"So then this won't be a problem, right?" Ritsuka asked. Mash nodded, a stern expression on her face.
"Correct. We share the same fate." Nothing new there. I crossed my arms, eager to get moving.
"So, Mash, what year is it?" I asked. Mash didn't reply immediately, before pulling out her wrist device, the same kind Ritsuka and I also had.
"I have confirmed the time axis coordinates. We are indeed in France during the year of 1431. "It means we're in the middle of the Hundred Years' War." Ritsuka cocked his head at that.
"Um, the what now?" Mash opened her mouth to explain, but I cut her off.
"The Hundred Years' War was a series of conflicts fought between the House of Plantagenet ruling England and the House of Valois ruling France over the throne of the French Kingdom. However, the war was actually one hundred and sixteen years long and was broken up into three main segments separated by truces. The phase of the war we are in is suppose to be a period of calm during the last phase of the war," I explained. Mash nodded in agreement, impressed.
"Jacob Senpai is correct, Master," she said to Ritsuka. However, my fellow Master was pointing upwards, a troubled expression on his face.
"Look at the sky," He said, and Mash and I did so. Over our heads, despite the daylight, the sun was no where to be seen. Obscuring it was a large, purplish mass.
"What is…huh?" Mash asked, shocked. It was at that moment that our communication device linking us to Chaldea beeped, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a hazy holographic image of Doctor Roman appear.
"Yes, we're connected!" He exclaimed happily. "Not the best quality, sadly, but I've got a video feed this time as well! Wait," he asked, noticing the lack of responses from us. "What's wrong? You're all staring up at the sky for some reason." Mash finally looked away from the disturbing sight over our heads to look at Roman.
"Doctor, I'll send you visuals. What is that?" She asked. I listened as Roman spluttered in shock
"It looks like some form of magecraft that was cast over the satellite orbit," Roman finally said. "In any case, it's gigantic. It looks like it is almost as big as North America," He muttered as he appeared to be looking at something off-screen. "Hmmm, no records show such a phenomena occurring in 1431. It's surely one of the reasons for the disappearance of our future." No shit, Sherlock. "We'll have to analyze it on our end. In the meantime, you guys should concentrate on surveying the area. Start with looking for any Leylines."
Well, it's a good start. I turned to the others and open my mouth when we hear a shout.
"Hey, Master, we got company!" Mordred called out, ending our conference. We hurried over to my Servant and the others. Sasaki and Medea had their arms crossed, but in a stance that indicated the ability to spring into action in a heartbeat. Closer to Mordred, Chulainn leaned against his red spear, a rather focused expression on his face. "Over there," Mordred said, pointing a finger. I followed the direction to see a small band of men-at-arms bearing the golden fleur-de-lis on a royal blue background. French soldiers then. They were rather close, and walking towards us, though it doesn't look like they noticed us just yet.
"Orders?" Mordred asked, a serious expression on her face. Mash bit her lower lip nervously.
"What do we do? Should we attempt to make contact?"
"Couldn't hurt to try," Ritsuka said, and I nod in agreement. Hopefully, they could tell us what was going on, and from there we could try to start figuring out what else was different from the historical events of the era.
What I wasn't expecting, however, was for Mash to suddenly begin moving forward, Ritsuka close behind. Mordred and the other Servants stared wide-eyed, startled by the sight of two teenagers just walking straight over to a bunch of armed men, who have now noticed the two.
"Wait, Mash!" I started to say as the Demi-Servant walked over to the nervous group of soldiers. Before I can stop her, however, she began speaking, in English.
"Hello, excuse me," the Shielder said with a polite smile as the group of soldiers stopped, surprised by the appearance of a stranger just casually walking up. I groaned in frustration, slapping a hand to my face as the pink-haired girl continued speaking. "We are travelers…"she began to say before noticing the fact that the Frenchmen were staring at her. Fou, having followed behind her, crawled up her back to look at the apparent leader of the group of soldiers. If he said something, I wasn't able to hear it as I stood up, right before I heard frantic shouting.
"Ennemi attaquant! Ennemi attaquant!" The leader shouted to his comrades, who all drew swords or readied shields. Mash and Ritsuka started bickering slightly to one another as the former positioned herself protectively in front of the latter, shield at the ready.
"Well, so much for diplomacy," I said dryly before turning towards the others. "Fight to disarm to knock out," I instructed them. A feral grin spread across Mordred's face just before her horned helmet covered her head. The Knight of Rebellion lunged forward as the other Servants readied their own weapons.
As I make my way over to Ritsuka, however, I see that one soldier had managed to avoid the Servants defending us, and charges at Ritsuka from the side, his spear lowered to deliver a killing thrust.
"Ritsuka, look out!" I snarled, pushing my startled friend out of the side as the oncoming French soldier attacks.
My eyes narrowed in focus, I sidestepped the spear thrust before taking a large step forward. This places me within the soldier's guard. I raise my hands, curled into fists, and slam either of them against the Frenchman's ears. He cried out in pain, dropping his spear to grab his ringing ears. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I reinforced my knee slightly before slamming it into his groin, causing the man to drop to his knees. "Sorry about this," I said sincerely before I slammed my knee into his jaw, sending the man sprawling backwards, groaning in pain.
I carefully bent down and unbuckled the sheathed sword at the man's belt. Quickly stepping back to stand near Ritsuka as our Servants finished fighting the one-sided brawl, I pulled out the sword of its sheath and gripped the handle lightly. I hummed softly as I felt the weight of the sword. It was somewhat heavier than what I had used in fencing, but not impossibly so.
"This will work," I committed idly towards my friend, who grunted in response. His bright blue eyes were focused anxiously on the Servants. Or, more particularly, on Mash, it seemed. The Demi-Servant was holding her ground against her opponent, however, whose large, two-handed sword slammed harmlessly against the cross-like weapon.
Before he could recover or try to strike again, the shaft of Gàe Bolg slammed into the back of his head, causing the soldier to drop his weapon and stumble backwards, probably concussed if I had to guess. The other soldiers fight valiantly, but are just outclassed.
Mordred grabs the blade of her opponent mid-swing, and simply delivers a firm kick to the man's stomach, sending him flying backwards. Reading the writing on the wall, so to speak, the apparent leader of the group shouts to his men.
"Se retirer!"
The shout was echoed several more times as the outmatched soldiers gave ground. Some threw their weapons down, panicked expressions on their faces, while others helped up their injured comrades to their feet. I watched to make sure they weren't about to try another attack before turning to Mordred and the other Servants.
"Good job, guys," I said sincerely, smiling. Mordred scoffs as her helmet retracts once more, though she makes no effort to hide the pride of my compliment.
"Didn't even work up a sweat," Mordred boasted proudly. Chulainn shot her a dry look while Medea and Sasaki hung towards the rear, returning to their typical states of silence. I then made my way over to Ritsuka.
"Never imagined I would be in a fight where I would be praying that no one got hurt. Feels nice though," I idly remarked. Ritsuka grunt in agreement.
Mash sighed softly as she leaned against her shield. Ritsuka and I turned to her in concern, especially when we hear her muttering. "Physical fatigue aside, the mental fatigue is overwhelming," Mash said, possibly intending it to be heard by no one.
"Good job using the back of your blade," Ritsuka said, a bit awkwardly, though a soft smile emerged from the Demi-Servant's face. She adjusted her posture before responding.
"I didn't even know that was possible with a shield. I learned something today." I blinked several times, my brain trying to process what I just heard. Either I missed a joke of some sort between the two and Roman during the ill-fated attempt at greeting the fleeing soldiers, or they are being dead-serious. If it is the latter, I am going to need a stiff drink when we returned to Chaldea. I shake my head in mild irritation as Mash continued speaking. "It's seems that they've retreated," she observed before our commlink beeped.
"They're going back to their fort. You should follow them and try to see if you can ask what's going on. By any chance, does anyone speak French?" Doctor Roman asked. You know, this would have been a good question to ask when you told us that we were being to deployed into France. Welp, no point bringing that up. Before any of the Servants could speak up, I replied first.
"Oui. Je parle un peu français," I responded. I then turned to a surprised Ritsuka and Mash. I shrugged with a soft smirk, amused by their expressions. "In high school we had the chance to choose whether to study French, Spanish, or Latin. I decided to learn French," I explained briefly. Mordred cleared her throat, causing me to look over my shoulder to see her staring at us impatiently, tapping Clarent softly against her shoulder armor.
"Not to interrupt your little chit-chat, but if we're going to follow Doc's advice, we should get a move on, Master." I nodded in response.
"Ok, let's go follow them. Next time, however, I'm going to start the greeting, ok?" I asked in a somewhat stern tone. Mash and Ritsuka both blushed, the latter rubbing the back of his head awkwardly while looking at his feet. Behind me I can hear Mordred snickering.
We spent the next twenty or so minutes walking at a rather brisk pace before seeing the sight of walls up ahead. A castle, it seems. However, that is not what was the reason for suddenly halting. "What the hell happened here?" I asked in a stun tone, observing the area around our destination.
The green fields before us were marred with blackened spots where fire had scorched the earth. Well, seems like we found our first clue. I shook my head sadly and began walking forward once more. "Come on. Let's see what else is going on here," I said.
It took us another ten minutes to reach the walls of the castle. It doesn't get any better. Mash gasped softly in horror as we saw what had seemed to be a rather intact castle was barely standing. "This is….this is awful," the Demi-Servant said softly. Doctor Roman chimed in at that moment.
"It's a complete ruin on the inside," he reported. "The outer wall is more or less intact, but you can't call this a castle," he added. The walls were battered, with some more scorch marks spread out randomly. Discarded weapons protruded from the ground, along with pieces of armor and pieces of bone. Our Servants were watching warily for any threats. I highly doubt though that what remains of the garrison would count as such. Aside from the dozen or so soldiers that we had engaged earlier, a possibly another half dozen near the shattered gatehouse, the men-at-arms and knights we could see were all wounded to varying degrees.
"Nothing but wounded soldiers here," Ritsuka said, sounding a bit shaken.
"Indeed. Even though they're not in an active war. Or rather, they shouldn't be. In 1431, Charles VII of France entered a peace treaty with the Duke of Burgundy, who was previously allied with England," Mash said to her Master in response. "Naturally, there were probably a few small skirmishes between local groups-" I cut her off.
"But there shouldn't be anything like this," I stated before walking over, having spotted the now-battered French leader of the patrol. The men-at-arm's eyes widened as he cried out in alarm.
"Attention! Ici ils reviennent!" The man shouted, summoning a sense of panic amongst the survivors. I raised my hands, trying to show that I'm not here to attack. Behind me I hear Mordred curse as I addressed the Frenchman.
"Attendre! S'il vous plaît, attendez," I spoke hurriedly, causing the soldiers to hesitate, weapons still at the ready. At least they seem to be now waiting to hear what I have to say. This might be my only chance to prevent any actual bloodshed between them and our Servants. "Nous sommes des voyageurs. Nous venons en paix. S'il vous plaît, abaissez vos armes," I requested before looking over my shoulder at Mordred and the others. "Put away your weapons, quickly," I said before looking back. I let out a quiet sigh of relief to see the man before me lowering his sword somewhat, a befuddled expression on his face.
"Vous ne travaillez pas avec l'ennemi?" He asked warily, eyeing what he must have seen as a baizre and exotic mix of foreigners. I shook my head emphatically before replying.
"Non. Je pensais que les Anglais n'attaquaient pas," I said cautiously, eager to hear more about this enemy he spoke of. "Le roi n'a-t-il pas signé le traité de paix?"
"Le roi? Vous n'avez pas entendu ce qui s'est passé?" The man asked, relaxing now, an action the rest of the soldiers who were able to stand and fight followed. "Le roi est mort. Il a été brûlé par la flamme d'une sorciѐre." I grimaced after I finished mentally translating what I had just heard. I look back at the rest of the group.
"If I am hearing this correctly, the man says that the king is dead, and that he was burnt to death by a witch's flame," I reported before addressing the solider once more. "Qui a fait cela?"
"Jeanne d'Arc." What? "Elle est apparue comme la 'Sorciѐre Dragon'." Well, at least we learned something important. I nodded numbly before indicating that I needed a minute to relay this information. I gestured to Mash, Ritsuka, and Mordred to come closer, and the trio do so.
"Did he tell you who was responsible?" Asked my fellow Master.
"Yes. He claims that it was the French saint, Jeanne d'Arc. He called her the 'Dragon Witch'. But shouldn't she be dead?" I asked, the last part directed at Mash. The Shielder nodded, a confused look on her face. Mordred crossed her arms, her brow furrowed a bit, but says nothing.
"Yes. She should have been burnt at the stake only a week or two, in fact," replied Mash.
"So it seems we found who is responsible for the changed timeline, it seems," Ritsuka added. "But, who exactly is this Jeanne d'Arc?" I gave him an incredulous look, and open my mouth to explain when a cry of alarm rang out.
"Ennemi détecté!" One of the few French knights shouted from the wall, pointing ahead. I turned to Mash, who activated her commlink.
"Doctor Roman, any readings on if it is a Servant?" I asked hurriedly.
"I'm picking up magical energy signals headed your way! It looks like its just familiars created using human bodies." Please don't be skeletons, please don't be skeletons, please don't be skeletons. "Skeleton soldiers." Damn it.
"Well, at least we won't be held back when fighting this time. Mordred, go nuts," I said to a now-smirking Mordred.
"Agreed. Orders, Master! Let's pulverize them!" Mash shouted. I turn and raise an eyebrow at her choice of words, and Ritsuka shrugged helplessly in response. Well, at least she doesn't have some sort of bloodlust expression on her face like Mordred or Chulainn. I turned to the French soldier once more.
"Emmenez vos hommes à l'intérieur! Nous nous occuperons de ça," I said, earning a grateful thanks from him as he turned around and instructed his men to help those who were wounded and couldn't move on their own to get inside. My arms crossed against my chest, I stand next to Ritsuka as our Servants make quick work of the several dozen skeleton soldiers.
It seems that their biggest strength is in their numbers, overwhelming opponents with attacks from every angle. An intimidating effect against mere soldiers, no doubt. Against several Heroic Spirits, though? Not much of a problem. Indeed, the only one who seemed to be enjoying the situation was Mordred.
After the Knight of Rebellion smashed the final skeletal warrior with Clarent, the commander of the French garrison came back out, an awed expression on his face as he spoke up.
"Je vous remercie," he said in a grateful tone.
"Nous sommes venus vous aider," I responded. "Maintenant, êtes-vous sûr que c'était Jeanne d'Arc?" The man nodded solemnly.
"Oui. J'ai combattu sous sa banniѐre pendant le siѐge d'Orléans. Ses cheveux et sa couleur de peau sont différents, mais c'est elle." He paused, a mournful expression on his face before he resumed speaking. "Quand nous avons appris qu'elle avait été capturée par les Anglais puis brûlée sur le bûcher, nous avons tremble de colѐre! Mais elle a fait un pacte avec le diable et est revenue." So Jeanne was indeed burnt at the stake like it should have happened, but she didn't stay dead it seemed.
Before I could either relay what I had just learned to the others or ask what he meant by the last part, a grating roar fills the air. The Frenchman's eyes widen in recognition and horror before he started shouting. He shouts a word that I don't need to translate to the others. "Dragons!"
I whirl around, my hand gripping the hilt of the sword. Sure enough, about a half-dozen large, green, winged creatures were bearing down on us.
"Dragons?!?"
"Wyverns!" Ritsuka and I shouted at the same time. Mash and the other Servants readied their weapons to attack the moment the wyverns dove to breath fire on us when a new voice was heard.
"Soldiers, stand strong!" Turning towards the direction that it came from, I see a blonde teen in armor running towards us. In one hand she clutched a slender flagstaff, the banner it bore being furled around the shaft. Trailing behind her was perhaps the longest ponytail I had ever seen, thickly braided.
The soldier next to me gasped, dropping his sword, staring at the newcomer like he had just seen a ghost. The blonde girl skids to a halt next to us, eyes focused on the incoming wyverns. "Who is that?" Ritsuka asked. Mordred lets out a dry chuckle, looking at the blonde newcomer.
"Well, long time, no see, Ruler."
Notes:
Mordred and Jeanne, together again! So, I have mentioned this several times before, but now I want to get thoughts about creating a series that focuses on the Servants and masters of Chaldea, and events in-between the singularities that are nto relevant to Mash, Ritsuka, Jacob, or Mordred. If I did that, would you be interested? Let me know down before.
The reason behind the time skip was because I am worried about being side-tracked from the story because there are so many Servants that will appear eventually and I don't want to focus on secondary Servant characters unevenly if you catch my drift. The focus of the story is mainly on the adventures and all of Jacob, Mordred, Mash, and Ritsuka, along with a few Servants and other characters who will be announced later.
Now, as too the French segment, this is the only time I will be doing it, both for the sake of being easier to read and because it was a pain in the ass for me.
Finally, it is the time for the question of the chapter. In light of Ruler (aka Jeanne) showing up, its going to be a question about her: Who do you find more interesting, Jeanne or Jalter? Furthermore, what are your thoughts about Jalter just in general?
Until next time!