Something Wicked - P_Slater07 - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Prologue:

A Wicked Fate.

July 21, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Central Command Room, 8:34am

“ -inment walls will close in 40 seconds, those remaining in the Central area, evac-” I abruptly regained consciousness.

My awareness and senses were returning to me as the sounds of the emergency alarm and the screams all around me became audible while the feeling of intense heat swept over me.

I couldn't understand what was happening and began to wonder.

Fire.

Why did it turn out this way?

Fire.

Why had we let this happen?

Fire.

Why was I here?

Fire… There was fire everywhere around me. Even without opening my eyes I could feel the intensity coming from the flames. Was a concussion to blame for the prevalent ringing in my head and this weakness I felt that prevented me from getting up?
I needed to power through whatever had happened to me and assess the situation.

To see if there was anything I could do to help… and to find out where those screams were coming from.

Why can't I move?
Why were they screaming?

I opened my eyes, and immediately received the answers I wanted.

There, on top of my chest, was a large piece of concrete with steel rods that appeared to be keeping me locked in place, my left arm bent awkwardly with what I can only imagine being my bones protruding out of it, and my legs trapped under a broken coffin.

If, pray tell, there was any small consolation to my current predicament, it would be that the coffin in question had in fact fallen to its side on top of my legs, meaning the person that was inside, or rather what was left of them, was not visible.

I was dreaming, I thought to myself while wanting nothing more to believe that this just was a stress induced nightmare.

A result of my nerves being on edge, knowing what I do about what is to come once I truly wake up.

That I would open my eyes to see I was in my room, shower, put on my clothes, and get ready for the day’s briefing. The director would be there, likely under a lot of stress and in one of her moods. Other mages that were brought in from around the world to participate in our endeavor to ensure humanity's survival would also be there, some nice, others not so nice.

'There was one that was really nice though.'

Mr. Lev would be in the corner sitting down, watching on and giving silent cues to the director who might or might not have forgotten her lines, further adding to her bad mood.

Fath-, no. Doctor Romani would not be present, opting instead to take another nap during work hours in an unattended room likely assigned to one of the new recruits, and then…

"System switching to the final phase of rayshift. Coordinates, AD 2004, January, 30th, Fuyuki, Japan."

The announcement disrupts me from my would be dream and I am once again aware of my surroundings.

'This isn't a dream, or a nightmare, is it? I am going to die here.'

Without ever having fulfilled my purpose for which I was created.

Why was I made?

Without ever leaving this place I've lived in for my entire life.

Why did I ever think I could leave?

I asked no one and received no answers in return.

There was no hope to be had anymore.
This is how it ends then.

This is how I end.

I close my eyes and wait for either to eventually black out and die from blood loss, or for the fire to make its way to where I am and turn me into a burning corpse like those around me, in turn spreading the fire further.

Maybe then I'll have actually been useful for something.

'That's not funny.' Said a voice deep inside my mind that I disregarded.

I chose to ignore the dwindling screams and cries of others who likely found themselves in similar positions to mine and noticed that a small distance away from where I was, I could hear what appeared to be two people talking.

Could they have survived the explosion? Doubtful, seeing as how it had originated from the command center which meant that both staff and Masters alike had taken the brunt of it.

Then where did they come from? Outside perhaps, but why? And who were they?

I ignore the pain in my body that has slowly been intensifying to open my eyes and turn my head towards the direction I heard the voices, only to be met with a familiar face staring back at me.

Our eyes meet and I recognize the woman in front of me as the same one I had talked to earlier today.

A young, tired looking asian woman with light skin, long brown hair tied into two braids with light blue ribbons, and part of her bangs tucked to the right side of her face with a black hairpin.

Her brown eyes were looking at me and I could see the realization dawn on her that there was no way I could survive with my wounds.

I didn't really understand why I chose to speak to her then and there. Maybe I wanted someone to talk to, that could remember my final moments and have them mean something.

"Please… don't mind me, you should head to somewhere that's safe." I struggled to get the words out, not wanting her to be in a place where so many have died and are still dying.

She shouldn't be here, someone so full of life who has their future to look forward to, looking at me whose future has just gone up in smoke.

'Still not funny.' I ignore the voice once more.

To my surprise, the woman instead chose to make her way towards me and proceeded to sit on my right.

Just as I was about to ask her what she was doing, we both noticed lights turning on near the center of the room.

CHALDEAS had reactivated, but how? There's no one who could operate it since the control room was currently demolished and in flames.

"Warning all observation staff, Chaldeas' state has changed." The announcement stated, but what did that mean?

My thoughts were interrupted by yet another announcement.

"Now rewriting Sheba's near future prediction data. Unable to detect the existence of mankind 100 years in the near future of Earth."

"Well, don't know what any of that means but it sounds pretty troublesome." I heard the woman to my right say. I turned my head to look at her and wanted to ask why she hadn't left to run towards safety, yet found that she was no longer looking at me. She was now staring at nowhere in particular with a pensive look on her face.

"I really can't seem to catch a break huh? Only a year out of the hospital and already involved in another mess. And here I'd promised Sasara-san I'd stay out of trouble." She mentioned under her breath and started ruffling her hair.

What was she saying? It was like hearing the announcement that humanity's continued existence was being threatened was a mild inconvenience to her.

Did she not believe it? Or was she merely putting on a front?

Either way, things were looking much worse than they currently were. I had to tell her to leave quickly.

"Sen-" I was once again interrupted by an announcement, and in a moment of mild frustration at having it happen once more I thought, how much worse could it get?

"Central Area, sealed. One hundred eighty seconds until the internal containment procedure."

Much worse.
It could get so much worse.

"They've sealed the area… we can't get out now." I begrudgingly said as any small chance of a miracle occuring had just been snuffed out.

I find it harder to keep my eyes open and close them again, possibly for the last time.

I can't imagine the thoughts that must be going through the mind of the woman next to me.

Does she regret having noticed me?
Does she regret our eyes having made contact and proceeding to walk towards me?

I can't help but feel responsible for this and want to apologize, but what would I even say in a situation like this.

"Looks like we're stuck here, huh?" She suddenly asks me.

There was no anger in her tone of voice, no sadness or even worry. Just a single question asked casually as one would ask a coworker how their day was going. More announcements are made but we both seem to ignore them.

The alarm, the sounds of the flames coming nearer, and even the humming of a nearby coffin were no longer of any importance.

It was then that I felt the soft touch of a person's hand holding mine, and another caressing the top of my head.

There was only one other person near me who could have been responsible for this, but why?

What was this for? Was she attempting to comfort me knowing we would surely both be dead in less than a minute. So then… why?

"It's okay. Everything will be just fine." She tells me, but we both know it's a lie. And yet…

I struggle to open my eyes once more.

If this is truly the end…
If I am going to die here then I want to know how she was keeping herself together and not falling apart like so many others would.

Like I seem to have.

I somehow found the strength to open my eyes one more time and it was then she removed her right hand from my head and held my face.

She looked right at me and I saw her eyes looking down at mine.

Why are you doing this?

"We'll be okay." She tells me.
Why are you being so nice to me?

"There's nothing to be afraid of."
Why do you make me feel this way?

"I'll keep you safe, so don't worry, okay?"

Why are you smiling at me?
I want to ask her.

Why are you this strong?
I want to know.

Why are you not afraid of what's about to happen?
I want to understand.

But more than that,

"Candidate No. 46, Marie Amabuki, reset as Master."

What do I have to do…

"Unsummon program, start."

…to be able…

"Spiritron Conversion, start."

…to smile like her.

"All procedures are clear."
"First order, commencing operation."

///

May 15, 2017
Amiki household,
Toyama, Japan 4:55pm

"Sasara-san, I'm back."

It was the middle of the afternoon and I had just returned from a trip to the grocery store.

I locked the door after I came in and took my shoes off while holding the grocery bag. After putting my sneakers in the shoe rack I proceeded to make my way further inside the house wondering why my much, much, older roommate hadn't responded.

"Sasara-san? Are you awake?" I ask a bit louder but not to the degree that it would be considered yelling. Despite said roommate's age she didn't seem to have any problems communicating as long as it didn't involve a smart device.

"Wonder if she's taking another nap? She's been doing that more often." I mumbled to myself as I made my way towards the living room where the door to the kitchen area was to put the groceries in the fridge.

While doing so, I am once again assaulted by that odd feeling that I don't belong here as I take in the sight of the home I've been staying in for a year.

Pictures of her family on the walls and some tables along with flowers of all kinds inside pots. The shrine dedicated to her deceased husband in the corner of the living room and then in a smaller table that was by no means less impressive than the others were pictures of both of us and our friends from the second generation go-home club.

She had bought the table after realizing she had no more space for pictures where she usually places them and decided that instead of setting aside some older photos, to have them all displayed at the same time because they were all important memories.

"Hard to believe that was all a year ago." I held the grocery bag in one hand and picked up a picture frame with the other as I started to reminisce on how it was that I got here.

Half a decade of my life, gone in what felt like an instant. I don't know if I should call it a blessing that I'm even here at all, with all the crazy sh*t we all went through.

Memories begin to surge in my head and I find myself getting lost within them.

That rainy day on the bridge, the sounds of an ambulance and everything that followed.

Five whole years… and for what?

To be met with disappointment when they all realized she was gone forever and it was me in that hospital bed instead of her.

The thought of her pulled me out of my own head and I noticed the bag in my hand starting to get wet.

Something was beginning to defrost and I needed to hurry. I open the door to the kitchen and make my way to the refrigerator to organize everything I had just bought when I heard someone call out to me..

"Oh, Marie-chan, you're back. I didn't even notice, I'm sorry." Apparently Sasara-san had been here the whole time and not only that, she had also been so preoccupied with whatever it was she was doing, she didn't hear me come in.

"Welcome home, Marie-chan. Would you like some help with that?" She asked and I couldn't help but want to hurry with what I was doing to walk over there and give her a hug.

In standard Sasara fashion she welcomed me into her home and immediately asked how, not if, she could help. That's Sasara-san in a nutshell really, she'd do this for any random stranger she saw on the street if she could. Something that both her family and I have warned her about.

Though in her family's case they likely meant me.

"It's fine Sasara-san, I'm already halfway done since I didn't buy much anyway." I answered her, having finished placing most of the groceries inside.

I was about to turn around and place the milk carton inside and heard her fake coughing to get my attention.

"Did you remember to buy milk?" She asked and I saw her moving side to side on her chair like a small child.

"Yes ma'am." I quickly answered.

"Did you remember to buy my milk?" She emphasized the importance of whose milk it was, probably because she's noticed a certain someone tends to drink it when she's not around, and I stifle an incoming snort.

Of course I would, after you've all but made me addicted to it.

"Lactose-free strawberry milk, right here." I showed her the carton in my hand and saw that, rather than replying, she already had her eyes closed, the edges of her lips curved upward and a slight blush on both cheeks that emphasized her dimples.

This was her patented 'Sasara smile' which meant she was ecstatic.

I still find it surprising how despite the difference between her in the virtual world and the real one, the effect of her smile didn't diminish, instead becoming even stronger due to age.

Sasara Amiki, eighty-seven years old, mother of three, grandmother of five and soon to be great grandmother of a pair of twins.

Still as tall as her virtual self but with a lot more noticeable wrinkles. That her hair was completely white and that she also wore glasses were among the biggest surprises when we all first saw her in the real world, but other than that there was no mistaking her for any one else.

Today she had her hair up in a bun and was currently wearing a baby blue sleeveless camisole and a light cream skirt that reached her ankles.

"So what were you doing that you didn't hear me come in?" I asked her, having finally finished setting everything up in the refrigerator and stretching my arms.

I turned around and noticed that she seemed to be hiding something behind her back.

Well, that's odd. She usually only does that when she cheats on her diet, but I'm not seeing any candy wrappers or bags of chips anywhere.

"What? Why, I wasn't doing anything at all. You know me, I was just-" she paused and I saw her eyebrows furrow while looking around the table for something, "-just finishing up a crossword puzzle!" She suddenly exclaimed while putting on an oddly smug expression.

"Crossword puzzle?" I slowly repeated after her, wondering if I'd ever seen the woman even mention puzzles once since I started living here.

"Yes." She replied with a harrumph, though there was a bit of nervousness present in her expression.

"At my age you have to keep working the brain or you start forgetting things." She stated as though it were the obvious thing in the world and I could tell by the look in her eyes she already forgot what we were talking about.

I raise my eyebrow at that statement in order to play along and decide to push a bit further. "So you're telling me that you were working on the crossword puzzle from today's newspaper?" I calmly ask, staring at said newspaper to my left on the kitchen counter.

"Yes, it um.. it was a real doozy!" She answered in a hurry.

Got her, I thought to myself.

Although it would have been fun to see her squirm a bit if I kept pushing some more and seeing what more awful lies she could come up with, I promised myself to keep the sadism to a minimum.

Mostly because I wouldn't be able to control myself.

"Sasara-san," I decided to end it with a single strike. I'd already caught her, no need to play with my food.

"You mean this newspaper?"

I picked up today's newspaper from the kitchen counter next to me and showed it to her.

"That… that could be any newspaper!" She quickly retorted, so I pointed at the date.

She squinted her eyes in an exaggerated manner and then put on her glasses before finally giving up.

"Marie-chan, could you come closer? I can't read that far with my glasses." She asked me and far be it from me to deny her anything she asks.

"Sure thing." I say and walk towards her.
As I stand next to her left I then point towards today's date on the newspaper with my finger.

"Right here, it says today's date." I calmly told her as I felt a laugh coming and tried to hold it back.

"Thank you Marie-chan." She takes the newspaper from my hands to look at the date and seems to have forgotten the initial reason for our small debate as she starts reading through it.

She then takes a while to scan through a few articles before asking me, "But why did you wanna show me today's newspaper again?"

I stifled a laugh, gripping my mouth shut with my hand and hoping she didn't hear it. "Didn't you say you were dealing with this paper's crossword puzzles when I got back, Sasara-san?"

Her expression changed to a shocked one as she just now realized I'd caught her in her own lie.

"Marie-chan, you're so mean!" She humphed, crossing her arms and squinting her eyes shut.

Honestly, real world or virtual, it's like dealing with a child.

"You're the one who lied Sasara-san, don't make me into the villain here." I replied, shrugging and shaking my head.

She puffed her cheeks some more and turned around with her arms crossed, "Well… the Marie-chan that I know wouldn't be so mean as to mess with an old lady!"

I stopped the moment she said it.

I almost, almost, let out a shout or two that were building up, enhanced with a rage that had never once left me.

The anger was only biding its time until a moment where I couldn't keep it down and revert back to what I really am.

I pushed away those thoughts as hard as I could and took a deep breath to calm myself down.

She didn't mean it.

She didn't mean it. I start repeating my thoughts in my head in an almost hypnotic rhythm.

She's old and doesn't know any better.

She's old and doesn't know any better.

Let it go and move on.

I let it go and move on.

I take another deep breath and decide to try to get an answer out of her one last time. If she doesn't want to tell me what it is, then it's something I shouldn't care about.

"Sasara-san, I-" I stop when I see the remorseful expression on her face.

See? She didn't mean it.

She cares enough to feel bad over it. Let's try this again.

I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and she still wouldn't look at me, but that's fine. I know what to say here.

"Look at me Sasara-san." I say as calmly as I can and feel her stifling while looking like she's about to get scolded for she knows she did wrong. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it and I forgive you. So please don't be sad, could you do that for me?"

She takes a few seconds to think about it, lowers her head to where I can't see her face and nods.

Dealing with her is a mental exercise in itself. At least I can honestly say I've gotten better at dealing with people than before.

Plus, it helps to know she's gonna be feeling like crap for the rest of the day.

"Okay, if you don't want me to know it's fine, and I'm sorry for teasing you." I said to the elderly woman in front of me who was still not responding.

I was under the impression that the two of us had grown more familiar with each other over the past half a year we'd lived together though it would seem I was wrong.

But that was fine by me, I kept telling myself. She may have gone above and beyond what anyone else would for someone like me but that was as far as this connection between us went.

I wasn't her friend.
She's only doing this because of her.

The one left behind.

///

Six years ago I fell off a pedestrian bridge, resulting in a spine injury and ended up in a coma.

At least, on paper that's what happened, but nobody cared enough at the time to properly check.

I had made a… grave error in judgment and the result was that I was stuck in a hospital bed listening to my grandfather complain about how I should have died all while slipping in and out of consciousness.

While I was in that state I was approached in a dream by what at the time I believed to be the devil, the virtuadoll named μ.

I had used the virtuadoll software before in order to disguise my voice when making songs under an alias so I instantly recognized her. Apparently she wasn't just a piece of software but rather a sentient AI that could somehow enter people's subconsciousness whose goal was to make everyone who heard her songs happy, whatever that meant.

I had thought at the time that I had gone insane, but then she did something I thought impossible. She made it so I could move. I, who the doctors had given up on seeing as how I wasn't waking up, was walking.

Granted, it was inside my own dream but it felt real enough to convince me that her powers were the real deal. And all she wanted in return? For me to join a group made up of other musicians who had also risen to fame using her voice and pull in more people over to a new virtual world she had created called Mobius.

A world in which one's memories would be sealed away as they are made younger and then endlessly go through high school, never once thinking about growing older or about the future. All while in reality, the bodies of the people trapped in Mobius would enter a strange coma-like state.

Not that any of that mattered to me since being a musician meant I kept my memories of reality and it wasn't like I was doing anything with my body anyway.

I swiftly agreed and thus began my new life in another world, all while my unmoving body was still in that hospital bed.

But I didn't care what happened to me in reality so long as I could do whatever I wanted in that world.

I could finally do all the things I wanted to do without having to worry about getting caught, and even though there were still some limitations set in place, it didn't stop me from indulging in my desires.

The desire to inflict pain, to cause groups of friends to betray each other, and most prominently… The desire to kill.

Though that last one was a bit special in my case considering I was explicitly told not to murder any of the people there and instead focused on AI driven NPCs that could respawn infinitely.

They looked and behaved just like normal people did so it wasn't like I was missing out on much.

It was fine, albeit a bit boring after a while. There's only so many times I can kill the same people before it gets boring.

Didn't mean I stopped though.

Things went well for me and the others for about a year, until it all fell apart because of the original go home club. People who regained their memories of their past, acquired powers similar to the ones we had in that world and then joined forces to return to reality and put an end to Mobius.

And after almost a year, they succeeded.

As that world was being destroyed, μ and the leader of the original go home club had somehow seen some of my memories and decided to take pity on me. This led μ to make a new, smaller, version of Mobius just for me, after which she sealed my memories away and left me there.

Thus giving birth to Marie Amabuki.

A version of myself that had been adopted at an early age and therefore didn't go through years worth of abuse. That was the setting given to her.

However, though I was locked inside of my own mind, it didn't mean I wasn't conscious of what was happening. I spent almost three years watching everything she did through her eyes.

Maybe μ believed that this was what I needed to change, to see what type of person I could become if I let go of my anger.

But all it succeeded in doing was letting me know how little I was actually worth. That there was no use for me in real life, and even less in this fake reality.

I eventually broke down and just stopped thinking all together.

There was this vague period I can't really remember anything about when that happened that came to an end after an indiscernible amount of time passed… and a shock ran through my body that brought me back.

I saw everything through Amabuki's eyes and noticed that someone had changed the world around her.

It wasn't until much later that I found out the cause.

Bluffman, a strange man who somehow found this world and immediately took it as his playground for his daughter, a human turned virtuadoll, Regret.

He would use her songs to draw more people into this new reality he'd called ReDo, all to make her into a new type of God. And I could do nothing but see it all happen through Amabuki's perspective.

The bastard even had his own group of musicians as well that served as his watch dogs. Not that it mattered though.

Because oddly enough, the parallels didn't stop there.

In less than half a year, the second generation go home club was formed thanks to the efforts of μ's daughter and ironically enough, Amabuki was made a member.

Bluffman and his musicians tried to fight back but failed, just like us idiots with Mobius.

Everyone was able to escape ReDo, and I was finally able to go back to reality. I had spent a year and a half in Mobius, plus three more years locked inside my own body. Finally, after almost five years, this meant no more virtual worlds or watching someone else live life for me.

Marie Amabuki, the other me, had known that once we were sent back, she'd cease to exist. But even then, she fought alongside the others to make it back, knowing what would happen. Which brings us here, to this.

The things I did during my time in Mobius, the people I'd hurt, I wish I could say I regretted it.

But I didn't. And that was the problem.

The Marie Amabuki that joined forces with the second generation go-home club wasn't me. I was the other one, the one before Mobius was destroyed, a member of the ostinato musicians, Marie Mizuguchi.

Otherwise known as, Wicked.

I wasn't Marie Amabuki and Sasara-san knew this. So did the rest of the club members. They didn't have to visit me after they escaped, nor did they have to help me in any way, but they did it anyway.

These random strangers who didn't owe me anything helped me more than my own relatives did in the span of a couple of months. All for honoring the memory of a person that doesn't exist. So I decided to try and be that person for them.

Although that did initially cause some friction between me and another member called Nico, or rather Iori-san, we talked it out later and patched things out.

I'd act like the Marie they knew, take on her quirks, her likes and dislikes, her way of talking. No longer was I the one nobody needed, I'd be the one they wanted. I had thought this was the right thing to do seeing as how they had done so much for me in honor of her, but it only went so far. I had made friends with them, hung out with them, I had been living with one of them for half a year, but it was still not enough.

And yet, I kept doing it anyway. All because I thought I could change if I tried hard enough.

"You're wrong Marie-chan." Sasara suddenly spoke up, which drew my attention back to her.

///

I know she can't hear my thoughts, but I got worried I'd let something slip just now.

"It's not that I don't want to show it to you, it's just…" she was hesitant and it showed.

It's okay, it doesn't bother me. I'll still try to be the Marie you remember.

Because I owe you, and don't have a way to repay my debts to you other than this.

"Anyway," I say, trying to steer the direction of the conversation towards another topic, "have you decided on what to eat for dinner? I brought some potatoes so if you want I can make nikujaga."

I start to make my way back towards the refrigerator but stop when I feel someone pulling on my clothes.

"I was reading a letter." Sasara solemnly said. She was serious now, more focused than I had seen her in a while.

"A letter from who?" I asked her, now wondering why she was making such a face.

Instead of giving me an answer, she then looked around the room as though she didn't want anyone to overhear, which was unlikely as all of her family members lived in other prefectures and we were the only ones here.

She gestured for me to get closer to her with her hand and whispered.

"It's from the magic people."

Prologue: A Wicked Fate.

End.

==================

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Section 0.

A Midsummer Day's Nightmare.

July 21, 2017,
Antarctica,
Approaching Chaldea Security Organization, 5:19AM

To say I was uncomfortable would be an insane understatement.

Starting from a week ago I was taken to an undisclosed location by a pair of MIB, then shoved into a military grade airplane where I stayed in for four days, and then landed on what appeared to be a field of endless snow where, not even waiting for me to get my bearings, I was told to get inside a large armored vehicle which needed twelve wheels to move and to wait for further orders.

That was two days ago.

I was in Japan a week ago. I know this.

I had also agreed to take part in this observation experiment in the Antarctic on Sasara-san's behalf. I knew that too.

But what I didn't know was that I had essentially sold my soul to an overseas black company that could just do whatever they wanted with no repercussions.

We had been driving through the snow for two straight days only stopping to rest at night or seat changes between the two guards. Luckily the vehicle we'd been riding in had an internal heater and other camping supplies that made the ride tolerable.

Whoever invented the portable bathroom deserves a Nobel prize or two.

Regardless, I still find myself constantly thinking back on the day that damn letter showed up and how much trouble it ended up causing.

The letter had been meant for Sasara-san's husband, who had died a few years back, hence our first problem.

The second problem was that the letter had drawn attention to the fact he hadn't been responding to any previous correspondence and was in danger of receiving a sealing designation, which both of us agreed sounded ominous considering it was underlined twice with red ink. The letter also mentioned that if he didn't make his presence known or that, in the event he was no longer fit to perform his duties as an esteemed member of the association, he would have his successor take on said duties.

Which brings us to the third problem and the reason I've spent the last week running on barely any sleep and being taken to an observatory in the Antarctic.

"We're nearing our destination ma'am." Said the older gruff looking driver dressed in a black suit wearing dark sunglasses, disrupting my thoughts.

"How much further till we arrive, sir?" I kindly asked him, hoping he would say soon.

He takes a look at the road and then at his wrist watch. "Should be about twenty to thirty minutes at best ma'am. You should rest up while you still can, I hear there's a big meeting over at base soon."

The other guard, an older man with a much softer face than his partner, sitting on the passenger seat and dressed the exact same way, begins to talk as well while looking out the side window. "Kazuma, the girl hasn't slept well in a week. If she closes her eyes now she's not waking up." He tells the driver whose response was to just shrug.

He then shifted around to face me and bowed his head while clasping his hands. "Also, we're very sorry about how sudden the trip was ma'am. We'd gotten explicit orders to get you to HQ before today's mission from one of the higher ups. An all hands on deck situation, you know?"

"No need to worry Nishiki-san, I understand you're only doing your jobs." I shook my head to let him know it was fine.

It wasn't his fault our bosses were apparently slave drivers.

Kazuma and Nishiki, whom I had taken to calling the men in black because of the unique way they were dressed up, were members of Chaldeas' Japan branch. Though the first time I'd met the men they were wearing suits that gave me the impression they were part of the yakuza, they were actually quite nice and respectful.

They'd been my only way to contact the very organization I was going to be working for since, for some god forsaken reason, the Chaldea Security Organization didn't have an email I could just send a resumé to.

///

After the initial scare Sasara-san and I got from the letter for her husband, we started reading through other letters she'd gotten meant for him. Luckily she hadn't thrown them away.

Of all the letters we'd read through there was one that caught both of your eyes. It was an invitation to participate in some sort of stargazing experiment in an observatory located in the north pole. Other than the distance between Antarctica and Japan, we agreed that it was the safest option compared to the others we'd read about so we reached out to the phone number on the letter, which led me to getting introduced to the two agents sitting in front of me.

Though initially skeptical of me knowing who they were or my wanting to join, once I told them the name of the person the letter was meant for, their attitudes completely changed. I started getting interested in just who Sasara's husband was and how important he was to these people so I asked her.

Sasara-san told me that the relationship between her husband and this 'association' had been complicated. Apparently he was brought in as a liaison between Germany and the association who were working together on some experiments near the end of the second world war.

As for what those experiments were she didn't know, but they had apparently been so repulsive that he quit, got rid of the results and moved to Japan where he then met a young Sasara Amiki. They got married shortly after and he chose to take on her last name.

Fast forward a few decades and he got contacted by the association demanding he show them the results.

This is where the story gets muddled a bit because Sasara-san didn't know how her husband convinced the association to leave him alone. All she knew was that, a couple of times a year, he'd get a letter from the 'magic people' and that he'd have to leave the country for a few weeks. He had also wanted Sasara and their family to never get involved with mage business, choosing to keep his personal life and work life as separate as possible.

But things never seem to work out like we want them to, do they?

///

As I was saying, the third and by far the most important problem that letter brought me was that I was apparently her husband's heir.

I'm not related to the Amiki's by blood in any way and, although Sasara-san might be taking care of me, I'm over the age of twenty-one which meant she couldn't be my legal guardian. I'm also not familiar with anything related to magic, and even less qualified to be considered head of a family I'm not even a part of.

So why, pray tell, am I here, sitting on this truck currently going up a snowy mountain trail to what is supposedly a completely harmless observatory where I'd be spending the next year in?

Simple.

Because miracles don't come cheap.

Sasara-san had done the impossible to get me to move again, to make it so I could move my arms and legs again, but she'd used something that would cause a big mess.

One of the things her husband had left behind before he passed was a small box. Inside that box were a letter, a jewel and a vial of blood. The letter was for Sasara-san, explaining that in case of an emergency where a family member was gravely injured, to call a phone number he had written down -because of course it couldn't be an email or something people use in the modern era- and let them handle the jewel and vial. And that's exactly what she ended up doing.

I could never forget that day when she showed up with someone I'd never seen before to my room in the hospital. I remember that red hair and those uninterested eyes that woman had on her face behind her glasses, complaining about how the hospital staff wouldn't let her smoke inside.

The woman introduced herself as Touko Aozaki, and she was there to repay a debt she owed to Sasara-san's husband. She had taken the vial and jewel out of her pockets, asked Sasara to leave the room and then…

I shivered, earning me a chuckle from Nishiki in the passenger seat, both because of the cold inside the truck and because I remembered what that woman did to me.

I place my hand in the back of my neck, and rub my fingers across the top part of the scar she left behind. I don't quite understand how she did it, but inside the jewel was something called a magic crest and she'd somehow manage to extract it and place that thing inside me. The vial of blood was just to make the process go smoother in case the recipient of the crest wasn't a blood relative.

Well… as smooth as possible anyway. There were bound to be problems, I remember that Aogami lady telling me, though it was less her wanting me to know what was happening and more her being in love with her own voice. I wasn't related to that man, nor did I have any of those 'magic circuit' things so she had to make due with what she could.

Pain. I remember the pain of every single dead nerve in my body feeling like they were being burned and immediately replaced with a new one. I had been stuck in a hospital bed for four years by that point and hadn't been taken care of by the staff so parts of my body had atrophied. For three days I screamed till my throat was bloody and sore, which caused the changes in my body to think it had to replace the nerves that were damaged from my screams as well.

How Tsukishima-kun managed to make sure the staff kept quiet I'll never know, though it might have something to do with his family owning the hospital.

I never saw that Touko woman after that but apparently Sasara-san had given her some choice words over how she handled the procedure, or so I was told. However, as a result of whatever it was she did, I could move like I could before the injury.

I was here because in the eyes of the association, having this crest meant I was his successor and because this was another way I could repay my debt to Sasara-san. Not only did she use something meant for her family, she'd risked the ire of a group of people that had been around during the second world war and had connections with the Nazis just for me.

Not for Marie Amabuki, but me.

And if spending a whole year sitting around in this cold while looking at the stars could help her, then I'd do it.

I mean, really. It's an observatory in the Antarctic.

What's the worst that could happen?

///

July 21, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Simulation Room, 6:05AM

The arrival process was simpler than I had expected. I was dropped off at the front door and said my goodbyes to the two agents I'd gotten to know this past week. There I was told to leave my bags behind and was then accompanied by a staff member to a dressing room where I was given the uniform I was expected to wear during work hours.

Similar in design to the uniform that the person who welcomed me to Chaldea was wearing, the top was a white long sleeved formal shirt with some straps above and below the chest area, and a zipper in the shape of the chaldea logo on it. The bottom was just a black skirt and also some white heeled boots.

I felt there was something off about these clothes but that may have just been because they looked similar to the high school uniform I had been wearing back in Mobius.

"They expect me to walk around with this skirt in this cold? Glad I'm already wearing stockings then." I complained while taking off the sweater I arrived with.

After I finished changing clothes a different member of the staff showed up and had taken me to what they called the simulation room. Once inside, I was expected to answer some general questions about myself and to participate in a combat exercise, which I found odd considering this was an observatory.

"I was under the impression we were supposed to be watching and studying the stars, not fighting them." I sarcastically mentioned to the person assigned to monitor the simulations.

I realize I might not have sounded very amicable at the moment but I wanted to get the day done with so I could get some sleep. Plus there wasn't anyone I knew around so I could give myself some leeway on the whole good girl act.

The person in charge of the test was in another room but could hear me through a communicator these uniforms had built into them, which made me wonder if whoever designed these things had any intention of giving its wearer privacy.

"It's standard procedure, Miss Amabuki. We have to run these tests for every new recruit." I heard a woman with a heavy accent speaking directly into my ear but couldn't see anyone nearby. They must have seen me looking around because they then spoke again.

"I'm currently speaking to you through the communicator attached to your uniform, it also allows us to monitor your vitals and gives us a video feed of your surroundings."

Great, I thought to myself, even less privacy than I expected.

I was half wanting to ask whether I'd have to worry about any more invasions of privacy when I heard a loud buzzing coming from the ceiling.

"Molto bene!" The woman energetically said in a language I believed was italian. "Miss Amabuki, from here on the test will be mostly automatic. Depending on your alignment you'll be given up to three simulated servants and will have to complete the selected mission."

Alignment?
Servant??

"And before I forget, no need to worry about getting hurt during the evaluation, the program is set to shut down once your vitals go below a certain percentage."

Excuse me?

"What? Wait a second, what do you mean by-" I was cut off. Before I could even finish my question, I was blinded by a bright light.

STANDBY,
CONFIRMING SEQUENTIAL BASIS OF THE HUMAN GENOME;

A voice different from the woman earlier spoke. It was more machine-like, robotic. Whatever it was, it wasn't a human.

"Hello? Is someone there?" I asked. It was still too bright and I was covering my eyes with my hand while trying to get used to the light.

BASIS OF HUMAN GENOME CONFIRMED;
ERROR, SLIGHT DEVIATION; ANALYZING…

CONFIRMED, DEVIATION WITHIN ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS;

What does it mean by deviation?
And could someone turn down the damn brightness already?!

STANDBY,
CONFIRMING ALIGNMENT;

--Thump--

I felt something.
It was only for a second, but it was there.

The back of my neck had felt like it was pierced with a thick needle. What were these tests? What were these people doing to me? And was it too late to change my mind and go back to Japan?

ALIGNMENT CONFIRMED, CHAOTIC-EVIL;

Again, excuse me?!

COMMENCING SIMULATION;

The brightness that had been blinding me for a while now had finally gone down allowing me to see my surroundings.

Gone were the white roof, walls and empty room.

Now in its place were a blue sky and a grassy plain with some trees to the side as far as the eye could see. I turned back and could see the door I had used to walk into this room earlier and the wall it was on.

This was equally amazing and a little worrying. Had augmented reality come this far while I was in a coma? Were these just highly detailed holograms or could this have been more?

A slight breeze lightly pushed up against me, and I could smell something sweet coming from the direction of the trees.

A breeze? Smell? How did they do this?

Was all of this real or were my senses failing me?

Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or maybe it was the complete lack of decency the people in this place had for its workers, but I was reaching the limit of my patience. I didn't care if it was AR or magic or whatever the hell else. I had spent a half decade dealing with crap like this in Mobius and ReDo and now these idiots were making me relive that experience unknowingly.

I once again hear the mechanical voice from earlier speak.

SEARCHING SPIRIT ORIGINS ACCORDING TO ALIGNMENT;

SELECTING CLASSES AT RANDOM;

CLASSES SELECTED:
ASSASSIN;
CASTER;
BERSERKER;

"What the hell is going on?" I ask myself while looking down, having noticed something.

On the ground in front of me now were three glowing circles with strange sigils on top of them. The leftmost sigil had the figure of a skull on the middle while the rightmost one had the figure of a horned bull, and the middle one had what looked to be a magician's staff.

SELECTING SERVANTS ACCORDING TO FILTERS;

SERVANTS SELECTED:

Assassin, Phantom of the Opera;
Caster, Mephistopheles;
Berserker, Caligula;

COMMENCING EMULATION OF SPIRIT ORIGIN SUMMONING;

The glowing circles shined brighter than before, and now the sigils were rising from the ground, and below them were strange shadowy figures being lifted up.

COMMENCING EMULATION OF MASTER-SERVANT CONTRACT;

I saw a red glow coming from my right hand. Three distinct strange markings that together looked like an arrowhead pointing towards me were projected on top of my hand.

A hologram?

NOW SELECTING MISSION DIFFICULTY ACCORDING TO MASTER POTENTIAL;

EXTREME DIFFICULTY SELECTED;

ENEMY CLASS TO BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM;

ENEMY CLASS SELECTED:
BERSERKER;

SELECTING ENEMY SERVANT ACCORDING TO FILTERS;

ENEMY SERVANT SELECTED:
Berserker, HERACLES;

COMMENCING EMULATION OF ENEMY SPIRIT ORIGIN SUMMONING;

Farther away from where I was another glowing circle had appeared, this one was a bit larger and also had a sigil with a horned bull in the middle.

FINALIZING EMULATION OF SPIRITRON PARTICLES;

The shadowy figures that had appeared from the circles were now fully materialized. To my left, the one that was standing atop the sigil with the skull was a thin man with a sickly appearance wearing an evil looking white mask covering the right half of his face along with a black suit and red gloves with knives sticking out of each finger.

Phantom of the Opera, SUMMONED;
TIME LIMIT SET TO FIVE MINUTES;

To my right, the one standing on top of the sigil with the horned bull was a tall dark skinned burly man with bloodshot eyes wearing golden armor and a red cape. He had no weapons on him and I swear I could hear him growling.

Caligula, SUMMONED;
MISSION OBJECTIVE, SELECTED;

And right in between those two, on top of the sigil with the staff was a… clown?

"What in the world is he wearing?" I wanted to look away but the fashion disaster in front of me made that impossible.

A hat with horns coming out of it, purple hair with curls, a purple fur cape, an open shirt showing off his pale skin, leggings that reach up to his thighs and high heeled shoes. And then there was the cosmetics on his face, purple lipstick and purple tear marks underneath his eyes. On his right hand were a pair of similarly adorned scissors and on his left was what looked to be an odd shaped clock.

Mephistopheles, SUMMONED;
HERACLES, SUMMONED;

And then there was the far off sigil, where what once was a large circle with the marking of a horned bull was now a monster in its place. There were no other words I could think of to describe what I was witnessing other than that word.

An outrageously muscular and manlike creature of colossal height wielding a slab of rock with sharp edges to it like a sword. It wore a skirt with iron plates, had bronze like skin, and different colored eyes, one red and the other gold.

And it was looking right at me…
Just what is it these people want me to do here, do they actually think I'll be able to fight that thing with the three 'servants' that were in front of me?!

MISSION OBJECTIVE:
.
.
.
SURVIVE;

" ▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!”

The monster roared, signaling its intent to fight.

I felt the vibrations in the air coming from its roar and then what little remained of my patience died out.

"Fine… you know what? I just don't care anymore." I let out a long frustrated sigh.

"All I have to do is survive for five minutes, right? I'll figure it out as I go. Not like I'll die anyway, that lady said so herself…"

Then again she never specified how badly I needed to get hurt before the simulation ended so screw it, going with my gut here.

I remove the top strap from my shirt and place it on my skirt's left pocket. I then lower the zipper on my collar down to where the second strap was. Similar to the clown to my front I was showing off a bit of my chest, albeit not as much. On the upper left of my right breast was the little white and pink heart-shaped bomb tattoo I had gotten all those years ago in secret when I still lived with my grandparents.

I close my eyes and look deep inside myself to try and justify what I'm about to do.

I was irritated at having to deal with this right after a week of almost no sleep. Added to that was the fact that this simulation room was dragging up some bad memories I'd much rather not have to think about.

When you think about it that way, it's not really my fault if I end up relapsing this once. That machine thing had said my alignment was chaotic evil right? Well…

"You three," I called out to the things in front of me that were supposedly going to help fight that monster, "I've no idea how I'm supposed to control you or give instructions or whatever, but I don't care."

I walked forward pushing the clown bastard aside and was now firmly in that monstrosity's line of sight.

"Screw the mission objective, I need to blow off some steam so we're killing that thing."

It's been a long time since I felt this way, and I thought I was fine with it never happening again, but they just had to push it, didn't they?

I found myself getting oddly excited at the idea of putting aside the act I've been playing for a whole year and being my true self after so long.

Oh well, whatever. It's just a dumb augmented reality game.
Might as well have fun with it, right?

"Hey! Tall, dark and dangerous over there!" I yelled at the faraway monster knowing full well it could attack me any time it wanted. It was now gritting its teeth and I could see it tensing its muscles getting ready to strike.

I showed off a wide toothy grin and saw my 'allies' also getting ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"I don't normally do this type of sh*t anymore so do me a favor…" I started to say just before hearing the voice from earlier announce the start of the fight.

ACTIVATING COMBAT PHASE;

"Try not to die too fast.♡"

==================

Chapter 3

Chapter Text

July 21, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Meeting Room Hallway 6:21am

I was currently sitting cross legged with my arms on my knees and back to a wall in the middle of a hallway.

"Try not to die too fast? Ugh, it's like I'm sixteen all over again." I said to myself while cringing over what happened just a couple of minutes ago.

The fight, if one could even call it that, was essentially a massacre. That Berserker thing immediately killed the masked phantom man and then proceeded to make quick work of the growling armored guy. It was only after I figured out the clocks that the oddly dressed clown was using were bombs that I came up with a strategy.

Before Phantom died he was able to get a solid hit on that monster's heel which made moving harder for it. Then Caligula managed to summon the moon over our heads -which raised several questions I chose not to think about- and that made Heracles more susceptible to our attacks somehow. Just when we thought the fight was over when the giant fell to his knees it just got up again, mostly healed, and proceeded to cut Caligula into pieces.

And as entertaining as it was to see a grown man get cut up that viciously, it also meant that all I had left to fight was a literal clown with a near endless supply of bombs.

Bet that asshole wasn't expecting me to know my way around an explosion or two.

Surprisingly we managed to get it on its knees one more time. The clown, which I refuse to call by his real name, focused on getting Heracles' attention by taunting it while I set bombs around the area. All it took was one good explosion near where Phantom had injured him and we took him down.

And then he got up.

Again.

I'd been so invested in the fight that I didn't pay attention to how much time had passed. The mechanical voice announced the evaluation was over and Heracles just disappeared into gold particles. The remains of the servants he'd killed followed suit shortly after. And just when I thought that clown bastard would also go away, I turned to see him right next to my face. He pointed at his eyes, then at me and then at one of his clocks before disappearing.

See you soon, huh? Yeah, right.

"I'm definitely never going there again. I don't even know if I passed the test or not, if it even was one. Also what ever happened to that technician? She just said what she had to say, left me to fight on my own and then someone else had to come find me once I was done."

After I had finished fixing up my clothes the staff member who took me to the simulation room opened the door and gave me instructions on how to get to the meeting room. They didn't even comment on my performance or anything, just pointed in a direction and left me alone, which is never a good sign.

It felt like I had pretty much just embarrassed myself in front of who knows how many people on my first day here, so was it any wonder why I wanted to crawl under a rock and die?

Well, if I'm being honest, it wasn't actually that embarrassing.

Hell, if anything it was nice knowing I still knew my way around a fight. Still, if Sasara or any of the others find out about this…

"Just kill me now and let it end." I groaned while ruffling my hair.

I closed my eyes and lowered my head only to then hear a strange squeaking noise to my left.

"Fou!"

Huh?

I turned towards where the sound came from and was greeted to the sight of a white furry creature tapping its paws on my boots.

"Fou! Fou!" It barked, or meowed? I couldn't tell if it was either a dog or a cat. This little animal was completely covered in white fur, purple beady eyes, a small little white cape held together by a purple ornament and long furry ears.

"And what are you supposed to be, exactly?" I ask it without really expecting an answer.

"That would be Fou, senpai." I heard someone answer as they slowly approached from my left.

While I was trying to figure out what the little dog thing was, someone had walked up to me from the same direction as the meeting room. I looked up at the new arrival and was a little surprised by how young and composed she seemed.

The young woman had short lilac hair that covered the left side of her face, clear skin and lavender eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. She was wearing a gray jacket over a short black dress that had a white collar together with a red tie that had the chaldea logo stitched to it along with a pair of stockings and brown loafers.

That's… definitely a look. Kinda reminds me of how Kobato used to dress back in ReDo, albeit way cuter. At least it's way better than the disaster from earlier. Easier on the eyes too.

"Fou!" The little critter cried out again before jumping on my legs and sitting there. It turned to look at me with its little eyes and put its paw over my hand before it then yipped a bit more while shaking its head left and right.

"What is it doing?" I asked the girl still standing to my left hoping she had an answer.

"Senpai… I realize we may not know each other that well but, dying is never the answer to your problems, okay?" She said while giving me a sad look and I had to keep myself from stifling.

They heard me, thought I was being serious, and now the little animal thing was pitying me. This is not a good sign for how the rest of my time here's gonna go. I thought while picking up Fou with both hands and then rubbing its neck.

It then started to purr which I suppose was a good thing.

It was bad enough that there were bound to be rumors on how I had acted during the evaluation and now this girl, along her pet, thought I was suicidal.

Whatever, let's try to fix the damage done to my reputation before someone calls security on me. Wouldn't wanna be fired on my first day… though then again, considering what the day has been like so far that might not be so bad.

I take a deep breath and put the metaphorical mask on. I was Marie Amabuki, former student council president, charismatic nice girl and professional doormat who couldn't say no when people asked for help.

Remember how she used to act, how she gained people's trust and made them count on her.

I took a deep breath and then turned my head to face the girl.

Showtime.

"Sorry for worrying you two." I was speaking with a softer and more cheerful tone of voice. "Before any further misunderstandings occur, I'd just like to say that was just a form of expression. I don't actually want to end my own life and was just thinking about how I'd embarrassed myself during the evaluation trial."

I looked up at the girl's face and saw a hint of shock and a mild blush make its way onto her cheeks.

"Oh, I, umm… I see." She had stumbled her words there but I wasn't going to remark on it.

"I'd still like to thank you though, you took your time to check on me when you didn't have to." I quickly followed up, not wanting to give her the chance to ask any questions.

Alright doing good so far, and now for the finisher.

"You're very kind, you know. Not many people would do that for a stranger." I said and tilted my head slightly while doing my best impersonation of the Sasara-san Smile right at her.

"H-Huh? You're… welcome?" She replied before quickly turning around. I could hear some slight muttering but didn't understand what she was saying so I left her be and played with Fou's paws instead.

Sorry stranger, but I've been at the receiving end of that smile for too long and know what effect it has on people. Now when you eventually hear the rumors of what happened in the simulation room you'll be confused and won't think of me as some murder crazy exhibitionist.

I stopped playing with the paws for a second and internalized what just passed through my head before continuing.

…You know, that's not actually too far off from the real thing.

I heard someone coughing and once again laid eyes on the soft spoken girl still standing next to me. She had her left hand covering her mouth and I could still see a slight blush on her face.

Yeah, that smile will do that to people.

"Are you a new recruit, senpai?" She asked me, the blushing face from earlier now gone and was replaced by a much calmer, almost completely indifferent, expression.

I saw a hint of emotion behind that aloof look in her eyes, like there was something inside of her being held back but I paid it no mind.

"That I am miss, was given the orders last week and had been traveling here nonstop. I had to leave my house and roommate behind with no time for spare. That's why if I look a bit tired or disheveled, it's because I only got here a half hour ago and haven't slept very well." I answered her question and felt the tension that had been building up inside of me since she arrived go down.

I also had to fight Satan himself with a clown, but the less you know about that, the better.

"You do look a bit tired around the eyes." She remarked before lowering herself to stand on her knees and leaning her face closer to mine. She lifted up my front bangs and placed her palm on my forehead.

"No sign of a fever, but that could just be for now." She mentioned and didn't seem to mind how close she was to me.

"Hey, wait a-" I tried to get a word in but she was too focused on giving me a diagnosis.

"Have you had any trouble breathing since you arrived?" She asked before lowering the hand that was covering my forehead onto my chest. "Because we're currently on top of a mountain, sometimes we get people who can't get used to the change in air pressure."

I realize she may have just been worried and doing her job, but she still had her hand on my chest, in public no less.

So I decided if words weren't enough to get her to stop… Then I'd resort to a more direct approach.

"You do know there's better ways of finding out if someone has a fever right?" I place my right hand over hers, still on top of my chest, and lean my face closer to where hers was to the point that our foreheads were touching. "Unless you'd rather keep your hand where it is and continue what you're doing? Though I do have to wonder if this is just what you do to all the new recruits with a headache."

This may have been a mean thing to do since she seemed to be genuinely worried, but at the same time to any random person who could have walked by this would seem like she was groping me so I decided to get some payback.

She stopped talking and froze up. It seemed it was just now starting to dawn on her what it was that she was doing, and what it looked like from an outsider's perspective. She took her hand back and got up from her position. I also got up following her lead after placing Fou to my right. Poor thing was just staring at the two of us, looking confused at what had just happened.

"I… apologize for what I just did. I usually spend my time in the infirmary and sometimes a new recruit will wander in because of dizziness or-" she stopped herself to take a breath and continued.

"The point is that I'm sorry, I should have asked for permission and done it in a more secluded setting." She said, which gave me an excuse to keep digging a deeper hole for her.

"It's fine, just remember to do it in private next time." I said to her, hoping she takes the bait.

"Of course, next time I'll be sure to ask for… wait."

Here it comes.

"N-next time? I-" she stuttered, her face now completely red as she was struggling to come up with a response.

"Next time you want to check if I'm feverish or not." I said, earning a relieving sigh from her. Too bad I wasn't done digging.

"What did you think I meant by next time?" I asked, putting on a completely innocent look. She stopped again, the blush from earlier now returning though not as strong.

Yeah, messing with this girl was fun and all but I should put a stop to it before I really push it too far.

I started chuckling, earning me a slight glare from her, "Sorry, sorry. I tend to tease the people I like a bit too much, I mean no offense."

She put away the glare and coughed into her fist. "Yes well, as long as it was just a joke then… wait, the people you like?" She asked, confused before catching on to the not so hidden meaning.

"Y-you li-?!" and there's rock bottom.

There's that blush again. I was going to have fun with this girl and her reactions. One second she's as stone faced as a ceramic doll and the next she's nearly blowing up steam from her ears.

"So, now that we've gotten to know each other a bit better, can we share names?" I asked her while putting my right hand out for a handshake.

She joined her right hand together with mine to complete the handshake and after coughing into her left fist once again said, "It's nice to meet you Senpai, my name is Ma-" "Good morning Mash."

A new person had just walked near us and interrupted the girl's, or rather, Mash's introduction.

"Mr. Lev, good morning. The director is waiting for you in the conference room." Said Mash, not at all irritated at having been interrupted, though I did see a slight squint of the eye when she heard his voice.

"Very good, today's the director's big day after all and we wouldn't want anything going wrong now would we?" He'd asked rhetorically, I thought.

There was something off about how he worded that, something about his tone, but seeing as how Mash just nodded her head in agreement it might just be his way of speaking. I took a look at the man that was next to us and just then he turned his head to do the same.

The man Mash called Mr. Lev had long scruffy hair, slightly tanned skin and sharply detailed features on his face. He wore a green top hat that was the same color as his coat and brown pants that were half covered up by riding boots that went up to his knees.

I found his aesthetic looked oddly similar to a certain clown from earlier despite the different colors but at least he had the common decency to not show off his chest.

He finished eyeing me up and spoke to me.

"Forgive the late introduction, I wouldn't want anyone to think I was ignoring them on purpose. My name is Lev Lainur, who might you be Miss?"

"Marie Amabuki, reporting for duty sir. It's a pleasure to meet you." I could have done a salute but that may have been overdoing it. Also, seeing as how Mash was still holding onto my hand, most likely not even realizing she was doing it, I decided not to.

Nor did I raise attention to the fact she was still holding onto my hand because I wanted to see how far we could go into this conversation before she notices.

"Amabuki… Amabuki…" Lev said while scratching the back of his head in contemplation.

"Where have I heard that name before?" He asked himself out loud.

Don't tell me what happened during my evaluation already made it out into the public…

"Ah, how could I forget." He snapped his fingers. "Please, allow me to be the first to offer you an official welcome to the Chaldea Security Organization, Miss Amabuki." He did an exaggerated bow towards me which caused Mash to raise her eyebrows in surprise.

"Mr. Lev, do you know her?" Mash asked him and Lev began to chuckle.

"No, not personally, but I was the one who approved of her participation in this mission. After all, being that person's heir surely means she's a powerful mage in the making." He answered before taking a second to prop up his chin with his left hand and snap his fingers with the other.

"Why, I would even go as far as to say we're in the presence of a future lord of the clock tower." He added while also dramatically posing.

"A FUTU-?! Uh, I'm, but, are you sure Mr.Lev?" Mash was now fidgeting and more nervous than I had seen her earlier when I was teasing her.

Lev took her question in stride and gave Mash a relatively harmless looking smile like one would a child ignorant of the world.

"My dear, when have I ever been wrong?" He asked and I felt the need to roll my eyes at him increasing by the minute.

Now. You're super wrong right now. Don't think for a second I don't see what you're doing here buddy. Damn it, no wonder I felt something off about this guy ever since he showed up, he's the same as me. He just says what people want to hear and gets closer to them, setting them up for eventual failure so he can laugh at them later.

How horrible, cruel, and down right sad*stic…

I like him. He seems fun.

"I don't know about that future lord part but thank you for approving of my application, Mr. Launir." I mentioned with a completely harmless smile of my own.

I'm not here to cause problems, and I'm not gonna buy into your bullsh*t, so let's just play nice for a year and we can all go home happy, okay?

Lev took a second to look at my smile/ proposal for peace, and made a similar smile back.

'I will use your bones as toothpicks and make sure they never find the body.' Was what I got out of that smile, but it wasn't like I could read minds so I left it be.

For now. As long as he doesn't give me a reason to go after him that is.

"Well." Lev abruptly clapped his hands drawing both mine and Mash's attention. "As fun as this introduction has been, I believe it's about time for the director's speech."

He then took out a pocket watch from his coat to check on the time before putting it back and faced Mash. "My dear, would you accompany me to the conference room? I'm afraid Olga might be in an extra foul mood this morning and would like some assistance in calming her down."

"Of course, Mr. Lev." She turned towards me looking apologetic. "I'm sorry for cutting this conversation short Senpai, but we can talk later after the mission if you'd like?"

I wonder if she's aware of that wistful look on her face? Guess I made a really good first impression.

"Sure thing Mash, but before you go, can I ask you one thing?" I narrowed my eyes, tilted my head and lifted the edges of my lips slightly for maximum effect.

"Y-yes?" Mash looked a bit nervous, the aloofness in her expression barely hanging on which made for a curious sight.

Try as she might to hold back her emotions, I already found an easy way to drag them out.

"When are you going to let go of my hand?" I whispered and caressed her hand with my thumb.

The blush from earlier returned full force, before she pulled her hand away from mine and sprinted her way towards the meeting room.

There was this dull pain in the back of my right hand but I believed it was because Mash might have hit me by accident when she pulled away and ignored it.

I then turned towards Lev who was still there, eyebrows raised and looking at where Mash had gone.

"So… truce?" I asked him before he merely nodded at me and started walking in the direction of the meeting room.

That doesn't exactly instill confidence in me, but I'll take that as a maybe.

"Well, at least it's not gonna be a boring year, huh Fou?"I asked the little dog cat thing who had been silent during the whole conversation.

"Fou…" it cried before waving his little paw at me and running off in another direction.

"Wonder what that meant? … Anyway, I guess it's as good a time as any to go to the meeting. Just hope I don't fall asleep during the- wait!" I exclaimed just now realizing what had happened.

I turned to look at the direction Fou had run off. "Did that thing just wave at me?!"

What the hell even is today anymore.

///

July 21, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Conference Room, 6:52 AM

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock;

The conference room looked like a lecture hall one would find at a university, complete with various rows of tables with fancy looking steel chairs under them, a window to the left where one could look at the snow covering everything outside, a podium at the front of the room and a white board stuck to the wall behind it. I was sitting on the left most seat on the top row at a desk I was sharing with four other people to my right.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock;

I had been staring at the wall clock on the far left edge of the room for what felt like hours. The person standing next to the podium, who had just earlier haughtily introduced herself as the director of the Chaldea Security Organization, had been talking for almost a half hour about a lot of things that flew over my head, but not a single one of them was about astronomy.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock;

It was hard to pretend like I was listening to whatever the director was saying and even harder to force myself to stay awake. A short while ago, I was still willing to act the part of a good little worker bee, to just be here hundreds and hundreds of miles away from my home and friends to pay a debt I was explicitly told I didn't need to repay. But I didn't care about that right now.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock;

The second the young white haired woman with golden-amber eyes and clear white skin wearing a custom-made version of the uniforms I'd seen other staff members wearing started talking about the fate of humanity and extinction was when I mentally clocked out. I couldn't believe it. The one time I tried to do something with good intentions, to prove that I had changed as a person and for the better…

Tick-

I get suckered into a goddamn doomsday cult.

-tock;

"Chaldea has, through its operations, observed one hundred years into humanity's future." The speech continued.

I mean, the signs were there from the very beginning weren't they? I just chose to ignore them like a damn idiot. The men in black, the fact that they didn't have a website or any employee reviews on job searching sites and the base in the middle of nowhere. I probably wasn't even in the Antarctic at all, most likely up north in Hokkaido in some rich guy's backyard.

Certainly makes more sense than there being a secret society of people that have been around for ages doing magic or something. Then again, could you blame me? After everything I've been through, it'd be dumb to consider magic not being real. Case in point, sentient AI singers with supernatural powers that created virtual worlds and trapped random people inside to have them relive high school.

The director took a controller from the podium and pointed it at the whiteboard behind her, prompting a new slide to replace the one we were currently looking at. The slide changed, now replaced by an image of an odd looking blue globe surrounded by rings. She had apparently begun talking again while I was still focusing on the slide and so I missed the first part of what she had said.

"- high level magical theories to manifest a global environment model: My CHALDEAS." She arrogantly said while showing off a co*cky looking grin.

Can I go home yet?

At this point I didn't know who I felt worse for. Me, for having come here thinking it was going to be a normal boring job or Sasara-san, who's husband was possibly a high ranking member of a cult and hid it from his family for decades.

I stop paying attention to the director who's still talking about some gibberish and focus again on the clock.

Twenty-five minutes in and still no end to this hell in sight. I can't believe I'm saying this, but this woman almost makes me miss the days back when Thorn gave speeches to the rest of us musicians. Or at least tried to. Stork would be a pervert like usual, sweet-P would try to get everyone to join her tea parties and Mirei would just… ugh, now there's someone I'd rather not think about.

"The light of civilization that we've observed so brightly until recently is mostly no longer visible to us." I heard someone closer to me say and noticed the slide had changed.

It was the same globe as the previous slide, only now the bright blue light was gone, but nevermind that. The director, aka my boss, was now standing to my left staring directly at me.

Crap, was I that obvious?

I took a peek to my right and noticed that most of the other new recruits, including that girl from earlier, were looking in my direction. Mr. Launir, who had barely spoken throughout the meeting outside of a quick introduction, was also looking at me with a mischievous grin on his face from where he was sitting.

It was really obvious, wasn't It?

"Is there a problem?" She asked me but before I could say anything she kept speaking. "Are you unsatisfied with my explanation? Or is it perhaps myself you have a problem with?"

"No ma'am, not at all. I was just wondering what time it was." I said, trying to defuse the situation.

"Were you now? Because every time I've looked in this direction, I see you being distracted, and that makes me think you're a liability to our mission."

And what mission is that? Getting us to give you more money to prevent the apocalypse or something? Scaring us using big words and what ifs to make us believe anything you say? Lady, I willingly joined Thorn when she went crazy and started talking about using nukes to end the world, you don't scare me.

I saw her cross her arms and realize that she was a bomb waiting for any excuse to go off, one I had apparently just handed her.

"I realize that some of you may not believe my words, or in my ability to lead you. That you doubt our findings and wonder why you're even here. And to those of you that feel that way, I've one thing to say." The director said to everyone in the room, slowly looking around to make sure she had everyone's attention this time.

Without any warning she then forcefully grabbed my collar with both hands, slightly lifting me up from my seat and started to speak in a louder tone of voice.

"I don't care what any of you think. The fact is that you're here now and that your lives and potential futures are in my hands. It doesn't matter how prestigious your family is, how high a position they have in the association, how special you've let yourselves believe you are, none of you are anything other than my tools for the entirety of this mission!"

She was now looking straight at me with those golden-amber eyes and I could see how furrowed her eyebrows were and a popped up vein on her forehead.

"In case any of you have forgotten, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Olga-Marie Animusphere, current director of the Chaldea Security Organization and Lord of the Department of Astromancy. If any of you want to have a future in the Clock Tower, then I suggest not following this easterner's example and thinking that your time, in any shape or form, is more important than anything a Lord has to say." She finished saying before letting go of my collar causing me to drop back into the chair.

I didn't know what I had done that caused this woman to get physical but it would seem she wasn't done with me yet.

"And who are you, pray tell? Another easterner attempting to change the stigma surrounding your race's magecraft? That you will succeed to make a name for yourself where others have failed? I've seen your type before and they never achieve anything other than wasting everyone's time. What makes you any different from them? What family do you belong to, what right do you have to think your time is worth more than mine?!"

I couldn't tell if speaking now would be the right decision or not but decided to anyway. "My name is Marie Amabuki, ma'am."

"Ah, the neophyte speaks! And what exactly does the Amabuki clan do? What connections do they have that make you think you can waste my time and get away with it." She asked.

"None." I answered calmly.

"Whatever they are, it doesn't-" Olga stopped herself before continuing, now using a lower tone of voice."What do you mean by, none?"

"I mean none, ma'am. There is no Amabuki clan, and I have no connections to speak of." I answered while looking her straight in the eyes.

The director just stood there, looking at me strangely like she had no idea what language I was speaking in.

"Furthermore, I'm also not a mage or something even remotely similar." I let that sink in for a couple seconds before adding, "And I didn't come here to advance my career or anything related to the mage's association."

The director was silent and I could feel the stares of everyone in the room on my back.

"I'm just here on someone else's behalf to repay a debt ma'am. Nothing more and nothing less, so I apologize for any disrespect." I said before standing up from my chair and making a small bow.

I choose to take the high road. I could have tackled you the second you grabbed my collar and done enough damage before security came in to make you think twice about spewing any more racist bullsh*t ever again, but chose against it. I've already done enough to get myself fired and am not willing to tire myself out arguing with a brat like you.

"You're a commoner. I wasted my time and energy on a non-mage commoner." I heard her say with venom seeping out of every word.

I was attempting to look up at her when I felt a familiar sensation on my left cheek where she had apparently struck me and my face slightly moved as a result of the force used.

She had slapped me.

She just up and slapped me in front of a room of people.

Did she not care about what sort of message this sends to her new recruits, or were Lords exempt from showing common decency?

"Director! What are you doing?!" I heard someone shout.

I looked towards the direction of the shout and found that Mash had stood up and started walking this way.

"I-" Olga-Marie was about to speak before she turned to see an angry Mash glaring right at her. I noticed the director had started to shake and that her face had turned blue.

Was she regretting what she did? Or was she afraid of Mash? I didn't know, nor did I care.

I didn't sign up for this. I did not sign up to be put on an emotional rollercoaster of a day and get harassed because of some rich kid with an ego problem.

To recap,

I've gone a whole week with almost no sleep.

I was forced into a combat exercise that brought me back to my days stuck in not one, but two virtual realities, which then caused me to relapse into my old Wicked persona.

I met another sociopath who was likely laughing on the inside because of this whole situation.

And finally, I got slapped.

The last time I had this happen to me was when my grandfather found Kobato in my old hospital room. He'd snuck up on the two of us and thought I was whoring myself out because I chose to bring up a date the other Marie had promised Kobato back in ReDo as a joke.

The old man's face when Kobato started barking insults at him was priceless, even if he did get banned from ever coming back to that place. Not that it mattered considering that hospital went under shortly after I got transferred to another one, but it's the thought that counts.

It'd been a whole year since then. An entire year of being around people that cared for me.

And now I’m here.
Without them.
Alone.

I noticed something wet roll down my cheek and touch my lips. I thought the director might have scratched my face with a nail because of the slap and that caused a bit of blood to pour out.

"Senpai? …Are you okay?" I heard Mash ask and noticed she looked worried. Behind her the director was also looking at me with her eyes wide open.

Why did she ask me that?

I touched around where I had felt the wetness on my mouth. I looked at my hand expecting to find blood but instead found nothing but wet skin. That's when I noticed my left eye twitching and the sensation of more wet things rolling down my cheek.

.
..
…I was crying, wasn't I?

Goddamn it.

///

July 21, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Outside Meeting Room, West Hallway, 7:35 AM

"The infirmary is right around this corner, Senpai." Mash mentioned while looking back at me.

After the sh*tshow that was the last 5 minutes, Mr. Launir finally chose to step in. He asked Mash to take me over to the infirmary and then told me I was to take the day off, meaning I wouldn't be participating in today's mission, whatever that was. Some of the other recruits looked uncomfortable with what had happened and others didn't care at all.

I didn't look back at the director and just left the room with Mash leading the way. Honestly, as far as bad first days on the job, this has to be up there as one of the worst of all time.

"Are you feeling better now?" Mash asked me.

No, I'm not.

"Yes, I'm okay now Mash. Sorry you had to see me like that, I don't know what came over me." I was trying to make a smile, but I don't think it came out right judging by the sad look Mash was giving me.

I was done with today in a lot of different ways. I just wanted to get my eye looked at by the infirmary staff and ask where my room with my bags was.

Mash looked like she didn't believe me and I wasn't in the mood to convince her otherwise. "It's this room, Senpai. I'll open the door for you."

I wasn't an invalid Mash, I can open a door. Also I'm not that emotionally fragile, that bitch you call a boss likely hit me near a tear duct with that weak ass slap.

"Thank you for showing me the way here Mash, but don't you need to go back? You're missing out on the briefing." And heaven forbid you miss out on anything our esteemed director had to say.

"I'll be fine, senpai. I was there when she first got those files and when she was practicing today's speech." Mash quickly replied before pressing some buttons on a terminal placed on the wall next to the door.

"I'll take your word for it then. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble with the director since we've both seen what happens when you get on her bad side."

I had meant that for that comment to be taken as a joke but something tells me this wasn't the first time our boss had done something like this seeing as how Mash looked away and winced harshly.

Cult leaders, am I right? Whatever, at least the day's almost over and I'm that much closer to laying on an actual bed.

Mash then took a second to regain her composure and twisted the door handle to let us inside and immediately I wished I'd stopped her from having done so, if only to spare my poor eyes from what was inside.

Why can I not just catch a break today?

My mouth was agape in disbelief over the sight in front of me. Was this a joke? It was as though every time I had said the words 'today was the worst day of my life' were being taken as a challenge by some higher power who heard me and just said, bet.

"Senpai? What's wrong with-" Mash asked me, having noticed the look on my face before turning to see what had me so bewildered.

"Fath- I mean, Dr.Roman?!" She screamed.

"Huh?!" The man in front of us, Dr. Roman, had his pants pulled down to his knees and was holding a tissue paper on his right hand. He also had his back turned to us meaning there was only one thing that came to mind as to what he was, or had been, doing.

I
Hate
This
Place.

I really do.

"Mash?! What are you- no, look just, this isn't what it looks like okay?!" The doctor pleaded, trying to convince Mash of his innocence whereas I could only stand then and pray that he didn't turn around.

Please don't turn around.
Please don't turn around.
Please, for the love of everything sacred upon this earth, do not turn around.

"I can explain, look I-" He began turning around and I understood that nothing I could say or do could change the fact that today was cemented as the day all of my karma from Mobius caught up to me.

"Excuse me." I calmly said, drawing the man's attention away from Mash who was currently looking angrier than the director earlier. It seemed he hadn't noticed someone else entering the room along with Mash considering how at the sound of my voice his face started to turn white.

"Before you make any attempts at explaining, would it not be better to fix yourself up? We wouldn't want a sexual harassment report to make its way to HR's desk, now would we?" My eyes were closed and I was smiling, but it was obvious to anyone how empty and void of joy my smile was.

"... 'kay." That was all the man could muster to say before he turned to have his back facing us and began pulling on his pants.

I chose this time to look over at my companion only to see her remove her glasses with one hand and pinch the bridge of her nose with the other. Her eyes were closed and she let out an exasperated sigh.

I feel for you Mash, I really do. Also didn't she almost call him 'father'? She stopped herself but I'm sure that's what she was going to say.

I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and turned to see Dr. Roman, now properly dressed. He was coughing into his left hand, most likely a coping mechanism for embarrassing situations like these. I happen to remember a certain someone standing next to me doing the same thing earlier when I was teasing her.

"Mash, why are you here? I'm pretty sure the director's still giving the rundown of today's mission to the new recruits." He had asked, now composed and acting as though we hadn't just seen him with his pants down.

"I could ask you the same thing, Dr. Romani. Your absence was noticed by more than a few so I had to come up with another excuse for you. Again." Mash answered his question with a cold tone that seemed to surprise the man with how harsh she was being on him. "Honestly, both you and the director are just…" She trailed off, not bothering to finish her thought even though it was obvious she wanted to.

Mash just closed her eyes and shook her head. The doctor guiltily looked off to the side while scratching his hair and I chose then to take a proper look at him.

The doctor, Roman or Romani as Mash had called him, was a tall, lanky looking caucasian man with long pale red hair tied up in a ponytail. He wore a lab coat on top of his uniform and had white gloves covering his hands. I let my eyes drift downward and noticed a large dry red stain near his waist. To his right on a desk was a half eaten hamburger on top of a plastic plate.

Ah, now I get it. Still, you could have closed the door first, you know?

"Did you manage to get all of it?" I asked him, drawing his attention away from Mash.

"What?" He responded, and turned to face me.

"The ketchup on your pants, did you manage to clean it all up?" I asked again, trying to make him realize I was extending an olive branch, giving him a chance to explain.

His eyes widened and his mouth made an O shape. He took a second before nervously nodding and speaking.

"Right, yes, thank you. I… seem to have made a mess of myself, and in front of a new face no less."

I chose not to respond, instead continuing to smile as best I could.

"Ketchup?" I heard Mash ask and pointed at the food on the table. She just looked at it for a few seconds before letting out a sigh of relief.

"I did tell you it wasn't what you thought. Honestly Mash, after all the years we've known each other, did you really think I'd skip work to do something like that?" The man asked, trying to make a case for himself.

"Yes." Mash immediately answered, not missing a beat. "I'd go as far as to say it's not a matter of if, but when, doctor."

Ouch.

Dr. Roman looked like he'd just gotten the wind knocked out of him. Seeing as how nothing he said would put Mash in a better mood, he chose to move away from the topic and introduce himself to me.

"Hello there, Miss. I'm Doctor Romani Archaman, head of the medical department here in Chaldea, but everyone calls me doctor Roman." He said while scratching the back of his head.

He doesn't look a day over thirty and yet he's head of medical?

"Marie Amabuki." I give a short introduction with no pleasantries added.

It seemed it was just now the young doctor understood how low the opinions of him were in the minds of women in front of him so he did the only thing he could in that moment.

Pretend it didn't happen and move on.

"So what seems to be the problem then. Fever? A headache? It's not unusual for new recruits to feel that way, it's usually because of the change in-"

"In air pressure. I know, Mash told me before the meeting." I interrupted him before looking at Mash and sending her a small wink with my right eye that caused the sides of her face to redden.

Dr. Roman didn't notice it, instead looking a bit proud. "Did she, now? Did she do anything else?"

"She did, but I'm afraid that the rest stays private between us." I wanted to look at Mash's reaction to me having said that but instead kept my face still, looking at the doctor.

If I did look, it'd make him look at her as well, and then I imagine he'd start asking questions. Wouldn't want him to ruin the only fun I have here, would we? Plus, I needed this. I didn't care if I was coming across as a bitch to her right now, I needed something to lift my mood.

The doctor tilted his head at that and said, "I see. Usually I have Mash help around the infirmary so I wouldn't be surprised if she picked up a thing or two."

Sometimes it's just too easy, sorry Mash.

"Oh, she picked something up all right." I vaguely added.

Just as the doctor was about to ask more questions, we heard the person in question clearing her throat loudly into her fist to get our attention. She was begging me with her eyes to stop, to which I held my hands up and nodded.

Fine, I'll stop. For now.

"Doctor Roman, would you mind checking on Senpai? I still need to go back and get ready for the mission."

"Of course Mash, but why did you bring her here during the meeting? Couldn't another staff member have done this instead?" He had no idea how much of a landmine that question was. Or maybe he did and just wanted it to be anything other than what he thought it was.

Mash made an awkward looking face before turning away and answering him. "...she did it again sir."

"Who did what, mash?" He asked, but I could hear him silently pleading in that question. 'Please don't tell me she did it again. Please don't.'

Unfortunately for him, his plea would go unanswered.

"The director, sir… She got physical with one of the new recruits. She grabbed her by the collar and then slapped her in the face."

I could see the man's face uncomfortably connecting the dots. He knew why I was here and what had happened.

"I… see. Olga did it again, did she?" He looked down from his chair like a man defeated.

Should I make this worse? I feel like I should make this worse…

No, I shouldn't do such a thing. It would be beneath be to-

Oh, who am I kidding? Let's make it worse.

"You're forgetting the part where she went on a racist tangent against Asians and called me a commoner for saying I wasn't a mage." I paused for a second, before continuing. "All for looking at a clock."

Mash shot an apologetic look my way before turning to look at her father figure.

"Please… please tell me she didn't." The man pleaded.

"... She did." Mash shamefully replied while wanting to look anywhere but at Roman.

The doctor covered his face with both hands and took a deep breath before slowly standing up from his chair and walking towards me. He stopped and made a deep bow.

"On behalf of everyone here in the Chaldea Security Organization, I would like to apologize on our director's behalf. What she did and said was not at all reflective of our values as a whole and there will be consequences for this." His voice was stern now, authoritative.

This was someone with years of experience under his belt that knew when to lower his head and take responsibility for the people under his leadership."For what it's worth, I am deeply sorry you had to go through that."

"You're not the one who owes me an apology, Dr. Roman. But thank you."

The doctor straightened his back before taking a look at my left cheek. I heard him muttering to himself before turning around towards some cabinet.

"I'll take it from here, Mash, you go get ready. And please, tell Lev to keep a closer eye on Olga, okay?"

"I'll try, doctor." She answered before turning to face me.

She tried opening her mouth to say something but it was clear she couldn't quite find the words so I decided to take the opportunity to ask something that had been on my mind for a while now.

"Can I ask you something?" I scratched my face to make it seem like I was nervous to try and make it easier on her to follow the conversation. "I just can't wrap my head around it. If she hates Asians so much, why was she speaking in fluent Japanese the whole time?"

This had been on my mind since I first arrived here. Every member of the staff I'd met so far, including the two in the room with me, had spoken perfect japanese and yet I've barely seen any other people of asian descent.

That seemed to have gotten the attention of both Mash and the doctor as they shared a confused look.

Did I say something wrong?

"Miss Amabuki," I heard the doctor call my last name while holding a box he'd taken from the nearby cabinet. "What language am I currently speaking to you in?"

Is this a trick question?

"You're speaking japanese, doctor. Are you alright? Did you drop something more than just ketchup on your pants?" I answered, making sure to keep my inner thoughts to myself.

Perhaps your brain? Also shave your damn legs old man.

"Huh, did I?" He started looking around the floor and rolled my eyes at the sight.

Mash tapped my shoulder and I turned to look at her.

"Both the doctor and I have been speaking in English this whole time, Senpai. And Mr. Lev spoke in German."

What? Was I going crazy or were these people gaslighting me?

"But Mash, you've been calling me 'Senpai' for a while now. If you're not speaking in Japanese, then why are you calling me that?"

I wasn't trying to tease her with that question, I was serious in asking it. So why then was she frozen up like a deer in headlights?

"I believe I can answer that question for you." Said the doctor, walking towards us after seemingly having found what he'd been looking for.

"Mash here tends to spend her time in the library when she's not here running errands for me. A couple of years ago some agents from the Japan branch brought along some manga and anime disks and she's been hooked ever since." The man spoke in a wistful tone as he looked like he was reliving some dear memories.

I heard a gasp coming from my side but I chose not to turn my head to check on Mash for the sake of not embarrassing her any further than her father just did with what he just shared.

… I'm not gonna dignify that with a response, and will instead choose to save it for later use. The poor girl has no idea that statement just sealed her fate as my emotional support toy for the foreseeable future.

"Okay, I get that." I nodded while ignoring the death glare Mash was sending Dr. Roman. "But that doesn't explain why I can hear you speak Japanese."

The doctor, also choosing to ignore the look his 'daughter' was giving him, explained to me what was actually happening.

Apparently, and I can't believe they expect me to believe this, the uniform I was currently wearing was to blame. Added on top of all the other features that were explained to me in the simulation room was a function that would translate the words and the intent behind them to the native language of whoever it's wearer was.

Fine, sure. Whatever. Let's throw logic out the window, why don't we? Next you'll tell me King Arthur from the Knights of the Round was a woman or something even stupider like people not dying when they're killed.

I sighed and resisted the urge to call these people out on their bullsh*t.

Man, cults were dumb. Can't believe they got all these foreigners to play along with this scheme. Though then again, both the doctor and Mash looked honest enough… ah well, still didn't care. I just wanted a bed to sleep on.

"I see, magic is capable of such amazing things." I said while looking genuinely amazed. Like Sasara whenever I'd have to explain to her how social media worked.

"Well, it's not actually magic. It's more of a-" the doctor was about to give me an explanation I desperately didn't want before getting interrupted by Mash.

"Doctor, it's time for me to go pick up the A team."

Lucky you, getting to leave while I'm stuck here with the exposure- I mean, exposition doctor. Then again, you'll be working with the director so maybe you weren't so lucky after all.

Dr. Roman faced down to look at wrist watch, his expression changing to a somber one. "I see… so it's finally time."

He lifted his face and just stared at Mash for a few seconds that must have felt longer to the two of them. There were many words that went unspoken in that look, but I didn't understand why the sudden change in mood.

A few seconds ago the man was clearly enjoying embarrassing his daughter and now… now he was looking like this might be the last time he sees her.

"Be careful, Mash. And good luck." He solemnly said.

Mash slowly nodded before turning to look at me.

"Senpai, I…." She stopped herself and took a deep breath while I was still wondering what was happening with these two.

And strangely enough…

Why did it feel like all of a sudden I might never see her again?

Mash shook her head and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I will see you soon, Senpai. I promise." She spoke in a resolute tone before turning towards the door and walking away. I just stood there seeing her leave and the door closing before…

—Thump—

There it was again. That weird pain in the back of my neck. That's twice now that it's happened in one day when it hadn't before.

—Thump—

That's not all. There was also this burning sensation on the back of my hand.

I felt off. My chest started to pound uncontrollably, I couldn't breathe and soon enough my legs gave out.

Dr. Roman saw that I had fallen Ill and rushed towards me but I couldn't hear anything he was saying.

The man held me in his arms while panicking, not knowing why I had suddenly become like this.

Aren't you a medical professional? Why are you just standing there losing your sh*t? I really should have just stayed home or picked that other letter we got from that Barthomeloi person about hunting some ancestors or whatever.

I tried to answer him but found that was no longer possible as I'd lost the ability to speak. The edges of my sight were darkening and I couldn't keep my eyes open for much longer.

///

There was darkness all around me and I couldn't see my surroundings.

Not only that, but it also felt as though I was floating on water, but that couldn't be right.

I was in an infirmary just now having a conversation with two people I'd only met that very same day.

An infirmary in a building on top of a mountain in the Antarctic.

How the hell was I anywhere near water? Did the ice caps just decide to suddenly all melt at the same time and kill us all? Would certainly make for a sorry end to my life considering everything I've done.

As I continued to ask myself these questions, I began to feel the water around me rising… no, that's not right.

It's not that the water is rising, but that I'm drowning.

It was then I heard a voice In the distance, calling out to me.

I didn't understand.
Everything was a blur.

I couldn't open my eyes.
I couldn't speak.

But I could feel something changing inside me.

And then, while still conscious yet unable to do anything, I heard my own voice talk back to me and reply to my thoughts.

—Thump—

-What is happening to me?

-It's okay, just let it happen.

—Thump—

-What… is this?

-I'm sorry, but it's the only way I can help.

That was all I heard before I was left fully submerged under water and soon after that, all of my senses left me.

How could I have known?
How could we have known?

That the next time I'd open my eyes,

I'd have lost everything.
And wouldn't even realize it till later.

Section 0

A Midsummer Day's Nightmare.

End.

Chapter 4

Chapter Text

Section 1.

Apocalypse, Now.

Flame Corrupted City: Fuyuki;

Singularity F.

Unknown Date
Unknown Location
Unknown Time

She was dreaming. She had to be for there could be no other explanation other than that it was one.

A young woman was lying on a concrete floor. She had small surface wounds covering her body along with soot and ash on top of her clothes and skin. There was no roof over her and it seemed she was inside an abandoned broken down household, judging from the burnt furniture and nearby household appliances.

She had regained consciousness a few minutes ago and was deep in thought.

(I've died and gone to hell.)

The woman lifted her right arm and the red tattoo in the shape of an arrowhead from earlier in the morning was imprinted on the back of her right hand.

(It's the same one as before, only this time it's not a hologram.)

When she had awoken earlier, the first thing she felt was an immense pain coming from her right hand. It was a gradual pain, starting from her fingers, then the top of the hand, then the arm before finally reaching the back of her neck.

She did not scream, nor did she cry. She merely layed down with her back to the ground and waited till the pain went away. It eventually did, but she chose to remain on the ground regardless.

(No roof, no bodies, nothing but fire everywhere and a black cloudy sky.)

The last thing Marie remembered was waking up in a small bed in the infirmary after an earthquake. Before she could get her bearings, both her and the only other person in the room with her at the time, one Romani Archaman, then heard the alarms go off.

Romani was seconds away from running off towards Chaldeas' central room before Marie stopped him, wanting to go as well. Although Roman refused at first and told her to stay there, Marie insisted on going and he relented.

Neither of the two were prepared to see what had happened in that room. A giant fire had encompassed everything and there was the smell of burnt flesh.

There had been an explosion, possibly sabotage from someone who was waiting for the exact moment the mission was to begin, or at least that's what Roman had alluded to before he then ran from the room, hoping to find survivors, and leaving Marie behind.

Marie was under the impression that the Chaldea Security Organization was actually a doomsday cult, and that this was all an elaborate ploy to scare the new recruits. That's why she had been so adamant in wanting to follow the doctor. All she wanted was to find proof in order to validate her suspicions and she chose to head deeper into the room, only to be met with a horrible sight.

The young girl named Mash was fatally injured with no hope of surviving. Marie had seen her on the ground bleeding out with her bone protruding out of her arn, her legs crushed under a strange machine and a piece of rubble holding her down on the upper half of her chest.

Rather than feeling fear over the death of someone she'd just met, she suddenly remembered someone else. The image of that person and Mash overlapped, and so Marie ended up walking towards her.

(I didn't want her to feel alone in her final moments.) Marie thought to herself.

As to who the 'her' in question was, whether it was Mash or another person, she didn't say.

(Then that countdown started and I just… Goddamn it, why is it every time I try to do something nice some stupid sh*t ends up happening to me.)

Marie lowered her arm, closed her eyes and just let out a long sigh.

"So… what now?" She asked but was met with silence. Nothing but the crackling of the far off flames.

(I could try to get up, see if anyone else survived the explosion. She thought to herself before audibly replying, holding a conversation all by her lonesome.)

"But I really don't wanna move from here."

(I could yell and wait to see if anyone hears me.)

"But what if the people that planted the bomb are scouring for survivors?"

(Who's to say it was a bomb and I wasn't drugged and thrown out somewhere near an incinerator.)

"Maybe I'm dead and this is what hell looks like."

(Or drugged off my ass while they harvest my organs.)

"That too. All valid points. Damn, I'm smart."

(Ehh, that last one's debatable.)

"Shut up, brain."

(Make me, bitch.)

Marie stayed quiet after that small argument with herself, finally coming to terms that she was not dreaming and feeling a blush coming on from the shame of talking to herself in public despite there not being anyone around her.

"What the hell am I doing?" She asked herself and continued thinking back to prior events to try and make sense of what was happening.

The only thing Marie had to go on was that single comment Roman had made when they were in the command room. How had he known it was sabotage? If he was expecting it, why didn't he warn the people he was working with about it?

All questions that Marie didn't know the answers to, and from the looks of it, never would either.

She saw movement from the corner of her right eye and turned to look towards it. There was something, or rather someone, standing next to what she assumed to be the parts of the collapsed roof looking down at her.

A familiar looking head of short lilac hair covering one of two lavender colored eyes and clear skin. Instead of the clothes she had on earlier, she now had a skin tight dress that left nothing to the imagination with a large opening in the middle showing off her navel and a few pieces of armor on her chest and waist that further highlighted the girl's figure.

She also seemed to also be carrying an enormous looking cross shaped shield with relative ease.

"Senpai!" The girl cried out, seeing the woman laying on the floor, expecting the worst.

"Fou!" A white ball of fur also appeared out of nowhere on top of the girl's shoulder.

"Oh, hey Mash, hey Fou. Odd seeing you in hell too. Any other familiar faces I should expect?" Marie asked from the ground in a casual manner, as though her surroundings weren't at all concerning.

(Maybe I'll get to see some of my old crew in here too, maybe even get a little shindig going on and end it with a musical number before I pass out again.)

Rather than answering Marie's question, Mash rushed over to the woman on the ground and crouched beside her, glancing at the wounds to make sure none were life threatening.

"No… no, this isn't hell Senpai. We're not dead, but we are in danger and need to move."

(What, can't even take a break in the afterlife? What else was there for me to do anymore?)

Marie just gave Mash a confused look, if it wasn't the afterlife then how was she alive sitting next to her.

"In danger from what, exactly?" Right as Marie had asked, they both heard an odd click-clacking sound drawing nearer.

Fou was the first to react, glaring at where the sound was coming from, it then started to growl and showed its teeth.

(What is that gonna do, kill them with cuteness? That doesn't look threatening at all.) Marie thought to herself while continuing to think that this was all a dream of hers.

"They're coming. Hostile lifeforms approaching." Mash had whispered in an odd tone of voice.

At least to Marie it sounded odd. She noticed it wasn't just the tone either. The vibe coming off of Mash was completely different than the young girl she was teasing earlier.

This wasn't the sort of feel you get with an introverted teenager. This was a carefully honed weapon, a soldier ready for battle. But that couldn't be right.

(Mash died didn't she? So then… who is this? Wasn't this a dream?

…Or was it?)

Marie couldn't understand the change in demeanor the young woman next to her had gone through and began to feel sweat pour down her back. Before she could ask any questions, Mash abruptly stood up and stared in the same direction as their furry friend.

"Senp-no," Mash corrected herself before continuing. "Master, please give me your orders." She'd asked.

(Orders? Master? Was this related to the combat exercise I'd done earlier?)

"Mash what are you-" Marie had tried to ask but was interrupted by the nearby sound of a window shattering.

"..." Marie fell silent.

How else could she react to what she was seeing? She felt that, at this very moment, the world had gone mad.

To her left and right were two familiar faces she'd first met earlier that day, only now there was no familiarity to be found anywhere. They looked ready to fight, to kill if need be.

Marie had seen those faces on many people before and after the injury that changed her life, but that was then, and this was now.

When she turned to see what it was that had broken the window on the wall, it was as though the world around her had stopped in place.

—Thump—

It placed its foot on the window sill and began to slowly make its way inside.

—Thump—

Behind it were others just like it, some even carrying what looked like weapons.

—Thump—

They had no eyes. They had no skin. They had no visible organs, no hair, no… nothing.

—Thump—

Marie could feel her heartbeat pounding from within her chest and began to tremble.

"Is that… are those skeletons? What? Just…what?"

Mash looked down and saw Marie trembling. She thought her new Master had frozen in fear over the sight of the enemy in front of them.

'She did say she wasn't a mage so it shouldn't surprise me that she's terrified out of her mind right now.'

Mash took a deep breath and stood in front of the grounded Marie with her shield up.

'You were there when I was afraid my life was at an end. You held my hand and comforted me when you thought we'd both die in that room. So now… Now I'll be there for you, Senpai.'

Mash slammed her shield into the ground facing forward and yelled out. "My name is Mash Kyrielight, Servant Class Shielder!"

Both the enemies and Fou stopped to look at the girl with the giant shield.

"I shall protect my Master from all harm, and as such, will be your opponent on this day!"

Mash saw that she'd managed to draw the attention of the enemy and then whispered in a low voice.

"Senpai, I'll lead them away from here. Fou-san, you keep senpai safe, okay?"

Before either Marie or Fou could make a response, Mash then charged at the skeleton that was inside the house, pushing it back with her shield only to hit the wall behind it.

The sight that followed was both awe inspiring and oddly hilarious with the top half of that skeleton being launched outside the window it came from and slamming into its allies, making a creaking sound. The bottom half had a crack slightly above its pelvis and was now motionless laying under the window sill.

Mash repositioned her shield and proceeded to jump outside through the window before turning to glance at her Master.

"I'll protect you Senpai. No matter what." She'd say before running off eastward, towards the direction of a children's park she passed by earlier while looking for survivors.

(What…is this?
This was almost like… almost like…)

Fou was still staring at the window it'd seen mash leave through when it heard an odd sound coming from Marie.

"Fou! Fou!... Fou?"

It tried to get her attention, to follow the orders Mash had given and take Marie somewhere safe, only to notice something was off.

(This can't be happening again. This can't possibly be happening again.)

Fou saw Marie cover her face with her hands and thought she was about to start crying. Little did it know that was far from the case. How could it, after all?

Marie was currently speed running through the five stages of acceptance, only to go run through them again. And again. And again.

Until she heard her own voice inside her head put an end to the cycle she was stuck on, and dragged out that which had been locked away for so long.

-There was no way any of this could be real.

-Except that it was.

-There was no way this was happening.

-Except that it was.

-There was no way to accept what was happening.

-Accept that it was.

And so she did.
She accepted it all as truth.

Not because she truly believed in the voice, but because in a way, this was exactly what she wanted.

An excuse to let go, and have the Wicked Witch inside of her make a return.

Fou had no idea what was going through Marie's mind, only that they were wasting time and needed to get out of there, otherwise-

A sound of something breaking.

Another window shattered.

They had wasted too much time and now more enemies had arrived. "Fou! Foufou?! Fou!!"

Another skeleton had made its way inside, different from the one before. This one had a large crack on its skull, wore a red scarf and was wielding a shoddy looking long sword.

Fou was about to engage in combat with the enemy when it suddenly heard an off putting sound coming from Marie.

A creepy, off putting laugh that slowly grew in intensity until it resembled a beast's howling.

Fou looked back to where the woman it was meant to be protecting was located, only to find she was now standing up in an awkward looking position.

Marie had her back curved, pushing her chest outward. Her face was mostly covered by her left hand while her right hand, the one with the red symbols, was clutching onto something and she had both legs spread apart, one in front of the other.

She then bent her knee and her whole body shifted forward. That's when Fou saw them.

The pink hearts in her pupils,
the utter madness in her expression,

And…

The horrible arc her mouth was making that reached both of her cheekbones and left her teeth completely visible, all the way to the back molars.

Before Fou could even process what it'd just seen, Marie abruptly rushed at the sword wielding skeleton with a burst of speed and with the hand she'd been clenching something with, she bashed the enemy's skull in before it even had a chance to lift its blade.

The skeleton fell apart after having its head destroyed. The hand that had been holding the sword loosened its grip, and the sword fell into the ground, making a loud clang as it hit the floor.

Marie, on the other hand, unclenched her fist and something fell from her hand. It was a piece of rubble that she'd picked up but a few seconds ago from the ground.

"A parade of forced emotional expression… it's the 'me' of today as well…" Fou heard Marie mumble, though perhaps it would be more fitting to say she sang.

She then slowly made her way towards the window Mash had jumped out of earlier and merely stood there as she took in the sight of everything outside.

Marie stayed still, looking at the other dilapidated houses around the one they were in, the destroyed cars that were abandoned in the street and in the far off distance what looked to be an entire metropolitan area engulfed in flames.

Marie had it all wrong. This wasn't a dream, nor was it hell.

(This… is paradise.)

She was reminded of when she'd been told of her former leader's master plan. Of how Thorn had wanted to use the despair of the people trapped in Mobius to further enhance μ's power and have her end all life on the planet.

Thorn was vague on the specifics at the time but the idea was to have μ hack several important facilities all over the planet and cause them to go haywire. Every major government around the world would think they were under attack from nuclear missiles, thus prompting them to retaliate in full force. Another world war would begin, all while μ would continue to wreak havoc elsewhere. Famine, floods, disease, it would have been the end of the human race as we knew it.

And Marie -or rather Wicked- agreed, quite eagerly too. Not out of loyalty to her allies at the time, but because of her own reasons. Humanity was a blight upon the world, and she'd known this since she was a child, so what better way to take revenge on the people that made her into what she was than the extinction of the entire human race.

Granted, Marie had changed drastically in the years since then. She'd gotten the support she needed thanks to her new friends, so there was no worry about her reverting back to that mindset. Still, with all of that being said…

(Ahh, what could have been. Do you see this, Thorn? This is what the world could have looked like if you'd succeeded. But you didn't, did you? Stupid bitch.)

Marie began to chuckle by herself, paying no attention to the small creature behind her. "F…fou?" It whimpered.

There were very few things that would make a being such as Fou, or rather Cath Palug as a certain perverted asshole of a mage -in Fou's own words- took to calling it, feel shivers crawling down its spine. And not one of them was human.

And yet, this woman… this child who had only walked upon the earth for less than a fraction of its lifetime…

'The old bastard was right… Some women are just too damn scary sometimes, regardless of age.'

Marie heard the small phantasmal's cry and turned her head slightly in his direction. Four eyes met each other in deafening silence. The two remained in a standstill, waiting to see what the other would do before hearing what sounded like something heavy crashing down coming from the same direction Mash had gone.

Fou had been the first to break away, now looking towards where the sound came from. It was clear to Marie how much Fou had wanted to run off and help the lilac haired shield maiden, but hadn't because of the orders Mash had given before she left.

"Fou, could you do me a favor?" Said Marie, drawing in Fou's attention. It looked conflicted and was desperate to go help Mash, but also wondered what this woman could want from it.

Marie didn't know what Fou thought of her since she was still under the impression it was just a well trained animal. She just pointed at the sole ribbon that was currently keeping some of her hair held together in a braid.

"I seem to have lost a ribbon. Could you help me find it?" She'd asked with her eyes closed while making an unassuming and kindly smile.

Fou just stayed in place, confused at the sudden request.

"If you help me with this, I'll owe you a favor."

Marie then opened her right eye, and Fou could see a pink heart in it that made the odd feeling from earlier return. Just then, another loud sound came from the same direction they'd heard the other one from a few moments ago.

Marie didn't break eye contact, and continued to just look at Fou with a single eye open. "I'd recommend hurrying." She said before closing the one eye she had open.

The message was clear. 'Find the ribbon, and we go help the girl.' And so it began to rapidly search the area for a single blue ribbon.

(And they say good help is too hard to find. Still, was it too much to ask that I'd like to clean myself up a bit before going out to help a giant shield wielding damsel in distress. And besides, like the saying goes, a hero always makes a late entrance.)

She scoffed at the idea of her being compared to a hero and started tapping her fingers to a familiar beat on the edge of the windowsill, a wry smile creeping its way onto her face.

(…Though I'm usually the one people need saving from.♡)

///

"Take this!" Mash had yelled out before slamming her shield at the archer skeleton to her left.

Its skull completely shattered before the rest of the body fell to the ground. The surrounding skeletons were just watching her from all sides, waiting for her to get tired.

"You know, I realize we're fighting against each other right now, but you guys fall apart really fast. I'd recommend more calcium to toughen up those bones."

No response. The skeletons continued to fight her in groups of three and waited for that batch to fail before sending out three more.

"Really? Nothing to say about that? Here I thought that'd tickle your funny bone."

An enemy archer lifted its bow, drew its arrow and was aiming at Mash while two skeletons, each equipped with a spear and sword respectively, slowly approached.

"You know because you're made up of bones and I… Dad was right, trying to make jokes while fighting was dumb."

Mash had tried to liven up her mood by making small quips while fighting. She'd seen it in superhero movies and thought it to be a good way to keep one's focus in a tough situation, only now realizing how impractical that actually was in a real life setting.

She'd brought it up once with her surrogate father while they watched one of said movies only to have the man reply with "Mash, absolutely no one making those jokes thinks they're funny. Not one. You think that in a life or death situation, someone's going to catch their enemy off guard by telling jokes?"

She did, mostly because she'd been a big fan of a certain cinematic universe where that happened in every film. But that wasn't the only reason why she was making those jokes.

Whenever she'd make a dark joke or self deprecating comment in the past, there was always a weird voice in her head that told her to stop. When she'd first heard it, she believed it to be her subconscious begging her to stop out of embarrassment but as time went on the voice got clearer. It wasn't her own voice but that of a young man, most likely the servant that had been bound to her seven years ago.

During the rayshift that brought her and Marie there to that place, she'd heard him say that there was no way she'd survive with those injuries and decided to properly fuse with her. That process completely healed her wounds but resulted in her becoming a half human, half servant hybrid.

The demi-servant, Mash Kyrielight, was never able to find out who the servant she'd been fused to was, and now she likely never would. Despite the many calls and multiple cringe worthy jokes, she could not hear his voice.

Something she did hear however was the enemy archer releasing its arrow aimed at her face. Mash had already put up her shield to block the projectile when the other two enemies chose then to rush her from the sides.

'They flanked me?!'

Mash immediately tried to move backwards but lost her footing and tripped. The enemies were mid swing when this happened, causing them to hit each other and break into pieces.

'All according to plan!' The girl thought to herself despite there being no plan and that just now having been a stroke of luck. Mash looked down at what she had slipped on and saw a broken monster truck toy with some action figures near it.

"...I choose to ignore the implications and focus on surviving." She whispered before attempting to stand up. Mash glanced at the skeletons in front of her, noticing their dwindling numbers.

'Looks like it's just these seven left.'

Not counting the two that had just taken each other out, there was still the archer pointing another arrow at her, three more skeletons with swords and another three with spears.

Mash tried to stand up only for an uncomfortable pain on her ankle made her fall down again. This did not go unnoticed by the enemy group and now all seven were nearing her position.

'Of all the times to sprain an ankle-', She couldn't finish that thought as one of the spear users chose then to rush at her, separating itself from its group.

She held the shield to block while crouching under it and felt the impact. She'd managed to guard against it, but now the other melee attackers were lifting their weapons and slamming them against the shield.

'My arms… they can't take it… much longer'

It was an odd sight to be sure, six skeletons with swords and spears all hitting an enormous shield a girl on the floor held onto for dear life.

'Senpai… I'm so sorry. I can't hold out much longer. I hope you're at least somewhere safe by now.'

<Mash…>
She heard a voice call out in her mind.

'Ah… Senpai's voice, to think I'd be able to hear it one last time.'

<Mash, cut it out. I need you to listen to me.>
The voice said, now sounding more impatient.

'Senpai… I'm really glad I met you when I did. I thought of you as my first real frie-' <Damnit Mash, this isn't fake! It's really me and I need you to listen to me if you want to live!>

Mash forgot about the pain in her arms from continuing to block the enemy attacks and thought she was going crazy hearing the voice in her head interrupt her mid-thought.

<"How do I know you're actually who you say you are and not a figment of my imagination?"> She asked the voice in her head.

<If you die, I'm telling the doctor the first thing you did when we met was grope me.> Marie replied using a humorless tone.

<"Senpai?! What are you doing here, you're supposed to be-"> Marie interrupted her before Mash could continue her warning.

<Somewhere safe, sure. You look around and tell me where exactly that is. Look Mash, I get it. You want to protect me and make sure I don't get hurt, but there's a better way of doing that than running off and fighting by yourself like an idiot.>

<"An idiot?!"> Marie didn't know the bomb she had just set off using that word against Mash and continued talking.

<Yes, an idiot. And if you have a problem with me calling you that then you need to listen to me and do as I say so you can live through this and argue with me in one piece, got that!?>

It took a few seconds before Marie received an answer from Mash.

<"... Give me your orders, Master.">
Mash spoke in a subdued tone so as to hide the anger she held inside from her Master who would be getting a very stern talking to if they survive this fight.

<Good. Fou and I are near your position, all I need you to do is hold out for as much as you can, then when I give you the signal, push the shield against them right as the impact from their weapons hits. With any luck, you'll manage to stagger some of them long enough for us to get in.>

<"Okay… I'll try. But Senpai, how did you know about the mental bond between Master and Servant?">

<Is that what this is? I just heard your voice in my head a while back and the rest came naturally. We'll talk more when we get there, we're right around the corner.>

<"Alright Senpai, I trust you.">

There was a moment of silence between the two, of shared trust in each other while Mash continued to block each attack, her hands getting more numb with each hit to her shield.

<And Mash… here's one more thing you need to know.> Marie added in a grave tone.

<"...Yes?"> Mash wondered what could it be that had Marie sound so worried and waited for whatever it was her Master had to say.

<You look great in that outfit.> Mash felt like she could picture a wry smile on Marie's face as she said that.

The comment had caught her off guard and one of the enemy's attacks had managed to push the shield back enough that it hit her in the forehead.

<"...I hate you, Senpai."> Mash thought to herself and she felt her face redden, both because of what Marie had said and the hit to her head, unaware that she had transmitted those words over to her Master.

<Heard that, love you too.> She heard her Master add before feeling the mental connection abruptly end.

"Why are you like this?!" Mash screamed out, not expecting an answer and forgetting her current predicament.

The skeletons surrounding her then stopped attacking her shield and took a moment to look at each other, wondering what she meant before shrugging and continuing their assault.

'Hold…. Hold…' the girl kept repeating in her mind waiting for the signal, when suddenly she heard a shout from a bit farther away.

"Fou, archer! Mash, do it now!"

Mash could see her small furry friend dashing towards the sole skeleton archer, jump and spin kick its skull, crushing it into pieces.

"Mash!" Marie repeated.

'Here goes nothing!' Mash thought before yelling to distract their enemies."Nobody likes a persistent bonehead you jerks!"

The enemies were drawn at Marie's sudden appearance, not noticing their archer ally had been incapacitated. Some, not all, were still mid-swing when they heard Mash's shout, so they didn't have any time to change the direction of their attacks. Once Mash felt the impact hit the shield, she focused all of her energy and pushed the shield upward, along with the weapons that had hit it.

Marie saw this and knew this was as good a chance as any to end the fight in one fell swoop.

(Right then, time to make a former kendo club captain turned idol proud. Here's to you, Kiriko.)

She took a short second to prepare herself before she rushed at the six staggered skeletons surrounding Mash and, with a wide swing of the long sword she'd picked up back at the house, managed to get at least three skulls, before using her momentum to spin around once and crushing another skull with her sword's hilt.

"Mash, grab their legs!" Marie yelled out.

"Huh? I mean, sure!" Mash hastily replied before grabbing into the leg bones of the last two enemy units.

The two skeletons stifled when they tried to move which gave Marie ample time to recover her stance.

She gripped the sword using both hands and used all of her strength on two downward strikes one after the other, which crushed the last two skeletons' heads.

The battle was over, and they had survived, mostly unharmed had it not been for Mash's sprained ankle.

The two then stood there in silence as the remains of the enemy began to turn into dust.

Mash let go of the bones she'd been holding and looked up towards an exhausted looking Marie.

"Senpai… how did you- no, why did you- I mean,"

Mash couldn't find the words to say, the right questions to ask. None of this went according to how it's supposed to. Normally, the Master hides themselves while the Servant does all the heavy duty, whether it's fighting, reconnaissance and even willingly giving up its own life if need be.

And yet, not even twenty four have passed since Mash became a Demi-Servant, and she's already considered a failure for having made her Master fight for her.

"Mash." Marie called out to her.

She'd lived her entire life for this moment, and now that she was finally here, she botched it on the first day.

"Mash?" Marie called to her again, Fou climbing up Marie's back and resting it's upper body on her shoulder.

Why was she like this, she wondered. Was she not allowed to succeed in anything? All Mash had wanted was to have a purpose in life, and now that she had one, all it did was make her feel inadequate.

'Why did you leave me with these powers? I can't even use them right. It should have been you here, not me. Maybe then… maybe then Senpai wouldn't have had to-'

"Mash!" Marie yelled out, now finally getting through to Mash and causing her to get startled.

"Yes?! What is it, Senpai? More enemies approaching?!" Mash responded before trying to stand up and scout for more enemies.

"Are you okay?" Marie asked her.

'Huh?'

"Senpai, what do you mean?" Mash asked, confused at the question. She had forgotten about her ankle being sprained and started to fall, however before she reached the ground someone had caught her.

"I got you Mash. See? I knew you weren't fine."

Marie had caught her mid fall, and now the two were in an awkward position that made it look like they were sharing an embrace.

'Alaya, not again with these two.' Thought the little white haired creature that couldn't be understood by most while placing one of its paws on its face.

"Senpai…" Marie heard Mash call for her and thought she was going to express her gratitude for having saved her life.

"Yeah, Mash?" She asked and it was then that Mash had chosen to separate herself from Marie while still holding on to her shoulders so as to not fall.

Mash then took a deep breath…

"...We need to have a serious talk about you calling me an idiot." And the scolding began.

==================

Chapter 5

Chapter Text

"I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Marie apologized once again to the person walking ahead of her.

"And?" Mash urged her to continue.

"I'll never call you an idiot ever again, cross my heart." She quickly replied while looking at her hand and noticing that she'd cracked a nail.

"Good. I forgive you. May it never happen again." Mash then stopped to wait for Marie to catch up with her.

"Foufou." cried Fou, which translated to, 'Sure, nobody thank me for helping out, I'm just a filthy animal.'

Mash looked at Fou who was currently being carried on Marie's right arm and, although she didn't understand what it'd said, she made sure to express her gratitude towards her long time friend as well. "And thank you for coming to rescue me too, Fou-san."

"Foufoufou." 'You're welcome Mash.'

After Mash had finished lecturing Marie back in the park, she took out a scroll from somewhere and gave it to her. Mash had called it a 'healing scroll' and said that it would immediately heal most non-fatal wounds of whoever it was pointed at. She then explained how it worked to Marie, with the intention that her Master use it to heal herself.

Only for Marie to instead open the scroll and aim it at Mash, stating how her injuries were worse than her own. This succeeded in alleviating Mash's sprained ankle and numb arms, but also meant that Marie was now to be subjected to another lecture over wasting items.

'A Servant is a being made up of mana, meaning that as long as you keep supplying me with yours through our contract, I would have been healed up in a couple of minutes.' Mash continued on with her lecture much to Marie's distress.

Marie kept silent and just nodded at everything Mash said, making Mash believe that her Master genuinely felt bad about what she did when in reality, Marie just wanted her to stop talking.

Terms like mana, Master, Servant and the like, Marie had no idea what to make of them and let the girl say whatever she wanted in hopes she'd tire herself out eventually.

It had been an hour of walking since then and they were approaching a marketplace. The trio had been moving along the streets towards the city area while carefully avoiding more groups of enemy skeletons.

Mash was in front, wielding her shield with one hand quite easily, and Marie was right behind her carrying Fou and a long sword being held on her back by a makeshift sash she'd made using cloth the skeletons from the park had on.

"Were you in a kendo club, Senpai?" Mash asked, wanting to make conversation while they walked, and find out more about Marie.

"No, not really. A friend of mine back home taught me some stuff to add into my exercise regiment." Marie calmly answered as she started to reminisce about the members of the second generation go-home club and how they had all pitched in to help after her operation.

///

The friend she was talking about was one Kiriko Miyasako, a former idol superstar that dominated the music charts and also resident big sister to the second gen go-home club.

After the operation that allowed Marie to move as she could before the spine injury, she was in dire need of physical therapy, and so Kiriko and a few other club mates agreed to teach Marie some of their skills.

Kobato Kazamatsuri, the self absorbed muscle brain with anger issues and failure of a ladies man, handled general exercises since he'd been through something similar in the past having been one of the people trapped in Mobius.

Gin Noto, the stoic office worker that hid their true outgoing and cheerful personality that could melt the hearts of men and women alike with their charms, together with the club president, a woman who was apparently the chief executive officer of a famous tech company and socially awkward do gooder with a heart of gold, handled exercises that focused on mobility and reflexes.

Kiriko Miyasako, formerly known as the idol superstar 'Momona Kurahashi' before she retired, along with Shota Tsurumaki, the stubborn and up-tight ex-cop that was usually the butt of everyone's joke for being a NEET, taught her sword and spear techniques respectively that she could implement into her training for better body strength and control over her balance.

All the while, the last three members of their friend group took on support roles.

Ryuto Tsukishima, super genius boy wonder born with a literal golden spoon in his mouth, heir to the Tsukishima business empire and currently going through his second year of high school, was there as her dietitian and physical therapist to make sure the others wouldn't go overboard and in case Marie ended up injuring herself.

Sasara Amiki, retired grandmother whose smile everyone agreed was to be protected at all costs and currently in the middle of her golden years, and Iori 'Niko' Komamura, a recent high school graduate currently still studying for college entrance exams next year, took on the role as Marie's moral support.

Moral support being something that Marie would say wasn't necessary, but was nonetheless grateful for.

And so, after about three and a half months of nonstop -but careful- training, Marie received a clean bill of health and was discharged.

A new name, new friends, a new home and a new lease on life. It was all finally going well for her.

///

(And then that letter happened and it's all gone to sh*t since.)

"Senpai?" Marie heard Mash try to get her attention.

"Hmm? What is it?" She asked back.

"You were spacing out a little there, everything okay?" Mash had noticed that ever since they left the park a while back, Marie had barely said a word unless being spoken to. She wondered if her Master was just putting on a brave face and in reality, was too afraid to share her real thoughts with her.

"I'm fine, Mash. Just a little… Well no, not a little." Marie paused before she stopped walking. Mash saw this and turned around to face her.

"What is all of this? Really, I mean." Marie began to speak her mind, finding it as good a time as any to try and get some answers.

"I get that this is all really happening, that we're stuck in a burning city where skeletons roam the streets and that we're the only two still alive, including Fou of course." She paused to take a breath before continuing.

"But why is this happening? Why are the dead walking? Why haven't we seen or heard anyone else? Why are you carrying around that giant shield and… Mash, be honest with me. Where are we?"

Mash had tried to speak up but closed her mouth when she noticed Marie wasn't done.

"A few hours ago we were supposedly in the Antarctic on a high tech observatory on top of a mountain. Then our boss starts talking about the fate of humanity and I get the impression that I was lied to about what this job actually entails."

Marie took a few steps forward, passing Mash and was now standing in front of an abandoned convenience store they were about to walk by.

"So I hope you understand where I'm coming from, when after everything that's happened today, I see this-" Marie pointed at a poster on the store's entrance, "- and see that it's in perfect japanese, talking about how it's two weeks till valentine's day, when we're less than a week from it being august, and that it's apparently the year 2004."

Marie hadn't yelled or raised her tone during all of that, but Mash could tell that the woman in front of her had reached the limits of her patience.

Mash knew that Marie hadn't actually wanted an answer to these things at all, and was in fact asking a different question that was left unsaid.

Can I trust you?

Marie from before ReDo wouldn't have asked that question. That she had given Mash a chance at all spoke volumes of how far she had come since then.

Mash thought about how to respond without making it sound crazy. What was she supposed to say to this person, her Master whom she would protect and fight alongside with in the future, that could make sense to a non mage?

"Senpai…" Mash stiffly spoke up. "I know you have a lot of questions right now, and I would like nothing more than to clear up any doubts you may have about Chaldea, magic or even me."

Marie felt like she knew where this was going and followed up before Mash could keep going. "But?"

Mash gave her an apologetic look before putting her hand on her chest plate and answering Marie.

"But right now, I can't. Not because I don't want to, I do, but we're too visible here out in the open. If another group of enemies, or worse, an enemy servant shows up we'll have no way to defend ourselves."

Mash took a few steps forward and held Marie's right hand, the one with the red markings, with her own.

"I promise you, Master. You can trust me, no matter what. So long as you fight for humanity's future, I, Shielder, shall stand by your side now and forever."

Marie took a moment to process what the younger girl holding her hand had just said, all the while Fou just looked at the two with a surprised look on its face.

Damn, I almost let myself believe that… Marie didn't finish that thought, instead choosing to shake her head before replying.

"Now and forever, was it? You shouldn't make promises you can't keep Mash." Was all Marie said before she removed her hand from Mash's and walked away.

Hearing what her Master had just said, Mash's expression changed to a horrified one, something that went unnoticed by Marie.

"I mean, you picked the worst possible place to do this, and we haven't even gone on a date yet." Marie was now a few steps away from Mash, hands clasped on her back.

"Huh?" "Kyuu?" Both Mash and Fou were confused over what she said.

Marie continued to slowly walk away, now with a slight spring to her steps. "It's just, we've known each other for less than a day and I just feel we're moving too fast."

Mash raised her eyebrows and was still confused over what her Master was talking about, whereas her small friend had already understood where Marie was going with this.

'You poor, sweet summer child, caught in the clutches of the devil incarnate herself. I can only hope Merlin manages to catch her ire one day just to see the old bastard suffer.' Fou thought to itself.

It took a moment, but it finally dawned on Mash what Marie had meant, before she dropped her shield, which made a rather loud noise and mentally shut down. Unfortunately for her however, Marie wasn't done just yet.

"Still, it would be mean of me to not give you an answer, and despite your choice in location, I can tell you meant every word." Marie suddenly turned around to see Mash frozen in place. She then peeked at Fou who just took one glance back at Marie before looking elsewhere.

"Mash? You okay there?"

(I didn't break the girl did I? There's still so much mileage I can get out of this, it'd be a shame if that's all it took to break my emotional support toy.) Marie caught her mental slip before correcting herself.

(Mash. I meant Mash, of course. Not a toy, absolutely not.)

Marie forced down those thoughts and made her way back towards Mash. The girl hadn't spoken, nor had she moved, and so Marie decided to push a bit further to get Mash moving.

"But I'll keep it in mind. We can talk about it in more detail later, right now we should focus on getting out of here."

(There's the bait, and…)

"I-! I MEAN, YES! LATER! OF COURSE!" Whimpered out Mash in a high pitched voice while her face was currently redder than it had ever been in her life. Even though she knew Marie had misconstrued her words for the purpose of getting a reaction out of her, she still knew better than to shout out her response in the situation they were in.

"And on that note, seeing as how we were interrupted last time, might as well do it now."

'Do it now?! Do what now?!' The girl screamed in her mind before taking on a neutral yet worried expression.

"Yes… Senpai?" Mash was wary about whether Marie would continue fishing for another reaction but instead, something she hadn't expected happened.

Marie stretched her hand out and introduced herself.

"My name is Marie Amabuki, and I'm pleased to meet you. Now you go."

Mash took a second to recover before shaking Marie's hand with her own.

"You just go at your own pace, don't you?" she sighed, before continuing. "Mash Kyrielight, pleased to make your acquaintance, Marie-senpai."

Marie nodded and took a look around to make sure nothing had snuck up on them. "What do you know, we were finally able to properly introduce ourselves. For once, something went right today."

She hadn't intended to say that last part, but now it was out there, she couldn't take it back. Luckily Mash agreed and the two shared a knowing look before chuckling.

Unfortunately, their short earned respite had come to an end. A woman's scream could be heard a bit farther into the city. The first human voice outside of their own since they arrived.

(Guess I spoke too soon.)

"That sounded close. Master, permission to scout ahead and verify the scream's origin." The smile from earlier was gone, now replaced by a cold and practiced demeanor.

Marie took a good hard look at the current Mash that was very different from how she was behaving just a few seconds ago.

(She's forcing herself to act this way. I couldn't really tell when I first saw it back in the house but up close it's obvious. The jittery eyes, the slight shaking. If it were someone not used to reading people's mannerisms they'd have missed it and thought she was confident, but not me. I've spent a long time studying people's behavior so I would know.)

"Are you sure? This could be a trap." Marie chose her words carefully. She could have told Mash outright not to go, but what if that cost her Mash's trust?

Normally she wouldn't have minded someone not trusting her, she was used to that, but she still needed answers and the girl was the only one who had them. Hence why she left the decision in Mash's hands.

"Yes, Senpai. Even if it ends up being a trap, at least then we'd have confirmation of other intelligent life here with us."

Marie put her hand under her chin and pretended to think about her decision. Mash perceived this as her Master worrying over her own safety and added, "You could hide here in one of the stores while I go check. There's no need for you to be in danger for what might be nothing Master."

Look at her, eager to play the hero again. Too bad that doesn't work on me. Plus if you end up dead, not only do I lose any chance of getting answers, I lose my toy- Mash, I meant Mash. Goddamn, that's gonna be an issue now, isn't it?

"No need." Marie replied, now picking up Fou and carrying him with one arm as she gripped the sword on her back and removed it from her sash.

"Already told you, I'm not letting you fight alone. Wanna keep me safe? Then do it where you can see me."

Confronted with Marie's firm stance, Mash felt conflicted. She wanted to argue with Marie, to try to convince her Master to stay behind and let herself handle all the danger, but she also wanted nothing more than to fight by her side again. In the park brawl, she'd been incapacitated and couldn't do much but hold her shield as Marie and Fou came to her rescue.

For a Master to fight alongside one's Servant was unheard of, but to have one willingly choose to enter a dangerous battle to save their Servant was insanity. It went against all of Mash's preconceived notions about how a holy grail war was usually fought.

And yet, in that moment where she hadn't answered her Master, she realized something. She wasn't a Servant, nor was this a war for the Holy Grail.

She was a new type of being, a Demi-Servant.
She was a new class of Servant, a Shielder.

Whether or not she had to follow traditional Servant conventions was unknown to her.

However what she did know was that, in that moment when her Master, Marie Amabuki, turned to face her and asked,

"You gonna keep me waiting kouhai?"

Nothing else mattered.

///

Elsewhere...

Today was supposed to be the best day of Olga-Marie Animusphere's life. The day where she'd silence her doubters and accomplish her father's goal of… whatever that was.

The man never told her why he'd constructed the Chaldea Security Organization, nor left her any idea as to why he committed suicide three years ago. All Olga knew was that, all of a sudden she was made director of Chaldea, despite not being ready to assume that responsibility in any way or form.

Something she was repeatedly made aware of by her peers' constant reminders.

Too young to be a Lord, they'd say behind her back.
Too inexperienced to lead us, they'd whisper to themselves.

No one believed in her abilities, nor did they trust her capacity to succeed where her father left off. It was no secret that her father, Marisbury Animusphere, held no importance to this sole daughter of his, and thus while the number of responsibilities given to her once he passed away were high, the expectations people had of her were low.

And yet, even with the weight of the world on her shoulders, quite literally, she still managed to get everything set up for the day Chaldea would set out on their Grand Order and prevent the extinction of mankind.

Granted, she had a lot of help. If it weren't for the likes of both Lev Launir and Romani Archaman, she would have lost her position as director within the first week of her tenure when she slapped an operator in the face for daring to speak back to her.

Years and years of being told she wasn't good enough and whispers that her father never loved her were enough to warp Olga's personality into that of a naive and spiteful child that took everything personally, even if it didn't involve her at all.

If someone received a higher score than her on a test, she'd take it as a personal attack and study twice as hard just to get the highest score available only to laugh at those who scored less. And she did so with everything else she was involved with, magic or otherwise.

Olga was left alone, having driven away everyone who had tried to come near her regardless of intentions. Years later when the time came and she was told of her father's untimely death at his own hands, Olga had no one to turn to for support.

No one… except for him.

There was not a single person Olga-Marie trusted more on earth than Lev Launir. He'd shower her with endless praise and kindness all while protecting her from any who would doubt her. So when that first incident happened, rather than reprimanding her, he praised her for standing up for herself.

More incidents would occur in the three years since her appointment as director but nothing ever came from them. None of the people she'd had violent encounters with were ever seen again, and soon after, everyone stopped interacting with her as much as they could, instead choosing to work around her by giving their reports and findings to Lev Launir.

She was alone, but that was fine. Because Lev was there. He'd take care of everything for her, all while caring for her. Everything was perfect in Olga's world…

But then today happened.

///

"THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Screamed out a young woman with disheveled white hair and golden-amber eyes as she ran for her life.

"My spells aren't working, my communicator is broken, I lost a heel, my hair is a mess, I don't know where Lev is and my life is RUINED!" She screeched out while continuing to outrun her pursuers.

Olga-Marie Animusphere was currently being chased by a group of armed skeletons in the middle of the city streets. She'd been careful enough to avoid narrow alleyways so as to not get caught in a trap, but not so careful in keeping a low profile.

Olga peeked behind her while running and saw the group of around thirteen or so skeletons on her trail.

"This is so unfair, I've never even heard of skeleton type familiars that could run this fast!" She spat out before turning her head and seeing a figure she recognized exiting the entrance to a marketplace.

"Kyrielight! Kyrielight, I'm right here! I know you see me, come help me!" Olga shouted at the girl who just continued to look on in silence. Olga then noticed there was someone else looking on at Mash's side.

"You there!" She yelled, not realizing who she was talking to. "What are you standing around for?! Hurry up and help me or I'll blacklist your entire family and future generations from ever entering the clock tower!"

Marie looked on while leaning on a nearby wall to her left and whistled. "Well… we certainly found life." She said, rolling her eyes before looking at Mash.

(Don't know about the intelligent part though.) She kept to herself.

"Thirteen of them, no archers in sight but they could be hiding. Seven with swords, six with spears and they're all focused on her." Mash tensely reported.

"Permission to engage, Master?" She asked.

Rather than answer her, Marie remembered she'd been able to mentally communicate with Mash earlier and tried to replicate the feeling. She felt a slight tug in her mind and knew it'd worked.

<Mash?>

<"Yes, Master?"> Mash replied, using a softer tone than the one she'd just used.

<I'm aware this may come across as incredibly mean spirited of me but…>

<<""Do we have to?"">>

The duo had thought at the same time, leading to both sharing a knowing look and a small smile from Marie that gave Mash pause until she continued.

<"I get where you're coming from Senpai, believe me you're not alone in that sentiment, but we do need to help her, if only because it's the right thing to do. You can stay here while I-"> Mash stopped herself as she felt someone put their arm around her shoulder.

<You know-> Marie started to say through the mental bond before continuing, using a soft tone of voice with her mouth. "For someone who keeps saying stuff like 'now and forever', you seem pretty eager to get rid of me."

Mash's body jerked from the feeling of Marie's arm's weight on her, and from how close she was.

"Senpai, you know that's not what I meant." Mash quickly said, wondering if she'd said something wrong.

"Wasn't it?" Was all Marie said as the edges of her lips curved upward and Mash began to tremble slightly.

"P-permission to go engage the enemy…" Mash paused to swallow both the saliva building up in her mouth and her nervousness away. "Ma'am."

'How am I even supposed to answer that? Do I even want to answer that? Was this technically flirting or was it just skinship?! Nobody told me how to act in situations like these! Mom, help me!'

"You do know the mental link is still up right?" Marie reminded her as she removed her arm from Mash's shoulder and gripped her sword with both hands.

"Meep." A strange sound had come from Mash's mouth and she hoped that her Master hadn't heard it. She did, but kept silent.

"Foouuuuuu…" Fou groaned, by which it meant, 'Stoooooppppp…'

The two were off on their own little private world again when they again heard Olga's cry for help as she stumbled onto the ground, the enemy now approaching her, and thus began to move with Fou following them.

They jumped the guard railing to their right and ran towards Olga's direction, all while Marie used their bond to come up with a battle plan.

<There's too many of them to take on at once so we'll have to wing it. I'll run up ahead and get her to stay on the ground, you stay here and throw your shield straight towards them. With any luck it'll take out most of them at once since they're all grouped up.>

<"But Senpai, wouldn't that leave me without a shield? And even if it takes out some of them, there's still a chance that I could miss. What would we do then?">

Mash pointed out the holes in Marie's makeshift plan quite fast as they neared their destination.

<Mash, quick question, do you have full control over that shield?>

<"I…believe so?"> Mash replied, wondering what her Master had meant.

<So, if you throw it at something or someone, do you think you can use magic or whatever and call it back to you? Like that captain guy in those western movies.>

A lightbulb turned on inside Mash's head when she understood what Marie had referenced. The shield she'd been using must have belonged to the servant that merged with her, meaning it could have been his Noble Phantasm. If so, then she followed Marie's line of thought.

<"I believe I get where you're going with this Master, I'll give it a try.">

<That's my girl, always quick on the uptake. Now, get ready to go on my signal.>

Mash forced down the blush that was beginning to form on her face when Marie called her that way, and began to focus her mana onto the shield.

The shield began to vibrate, as if it was responding to her and she stopped running, now waiting for her Master's signal.

<"I'm ready on my end Senpai, tell me when!">

Marie kept sprinting until she'd reached Olga, and then threw herself on top of her while making sure to, discreetly, push the woman's face into the dirt.

<Mash, throw it!> Marie gave the signal, and Mash did so.

The shield was sent out at an incredible speed, all while maintaining its trajectory and remaining completely horizontal. Marie was on the ground forcibly holding, not pushing, down the director to make sure she wouldn't accidentally try to get up right as the shield passed by them and end up losing her head.

The approaching skeletons stopped to look at what was in front of them, but it was too late. They had been so focused on reaching Olga-Marie that they hadn't noticed the giant shield heading straight at them at high speeds.

Marie saw the shadow of the shield pass over her, followed by the sound of multiple bones being crushed. The shield then hit a car that was a bit farther ahead of them before using that momentum to make an arc all the way back to Mash.

'I can't believe that worked!' Thought Mash, still unaware of the shield's true potential.

(I can't believe that worked.) Thought Marie, who was starting to see Mash in a new light.

"I cannott believe that worked…" Said Olga out loud as she violently pushed Marie off of her and stood up.

Mash saw this and her happiness at discovering a new ability immediately diminished.

"Care to explain what took you so long, Kyrielight? And what's with that strange getup?" Olga asked, ignoring Marie's presence on the ground entirely.

Without so much as looking at her, Mash passed by Olga and laid out a hand to help Marie stand up.

"Are you alright, Master?" Mash asked as Marie grabbed her hand and was lifted up. The two hadn't seen Olga's nostrils flare up as she heard the term Mash had called Marie.

"I am, and thank you for asking, Mash." Marie answered as she sheathed her long sword and shook her clothes trying to get rid of the dirt that had gotten all over her uniform just now.

"Kyrielight, did you just call this woman your Master?" Olga took another look at the young girl carrying a large shield and wearing odd fitting armor before coming to a conclusion.

"You… you've done it? You've succeeded in becoming a Demi-Servant?!" She asked as though accusing Mash of something.

The Demi-Servant in question, Mash Kyrielight, took a small breath before turning to look at her superior and answered her question.

"Yes director, the contract was a success. I've inherited the abilities of the spirit that was residing within me." Mash replied with a controlled tone, but a hint of pride could be heard from her voice.

"That certainly explains the shield and the change in wardrobe, but why now of all times? And where's the rest of the A team? Why aren't comms working?"

The woman began to shoot out questions one after the other overwhelming Mash who just stayed silent and communicated with Marie through their bond.

<"Sorry about this Senpai, but it looks like this is going to take a while.">

<Aren't we in danger out in the open like this? We might have gotten lucky with you taking out all those enemies at once but if more show up we'll be surrounded.>

<"I know, but there's nothing I can do while she's like this, and she's not giving me any chance to interrupt her.">

"Then allow me." Marie said out loud before putting an end to their connection. She then walked up to Olga as she was still rapidly firing questions at Mash.

"Good to see you're alive and well director." Marie abruptly entered their one sided conversation, essentially forcing Olga to acknowledge her presence.

"Yes, yes, you should be glad I-" Olga did a quick glance at Marie before looking back at Mash with the intention of continuing to ask more questions when she stopped talking all of a sudden.

Olga's head slowly turned back towards Marie and she remembered something important.

"Wait, wait. Kyrielight, what are you doing calling this woman 'Master'? She's not even a mage nor does she have command se-" Olga stopped herself once more, now looking down at the top of Marie's right hand, or rather more specifically, the three red symbols on it.

"What… is this?" She asked. Whether it was aimed at Mash or Marie, neither could tell.

Marie chose to speak up, giving the director a better look at the markings on her hand. "That's what I'd like to know as well madam director. I just woke up with this tattoo on my hand and would really appreciate some answers."

"You… did you force a contract on Mash?!" Olga was now glaring at Marie while sounding hysterical.

"What?" Marie asked before Mash stepped in to defend her from Olga's accusations.

"No director, no one forced me into making a contract. I willingly chose Senpai for a reason."

"So you say, but how do I know she hasn't forced a geis on you? We know nothing about this woman. Not who she is, where she came from or even on whose behalf she arrived at Chaldea!"

I mean you could have just asked. Thought Marie to herself as she took Olga's accusations in stride.

(You know, this reminds me of all those times there'd be someone suspicious of me whenever I transferred to a new school and started making people turn on each other. Those were some fun times, especially when those people would end up ostracized by their peers who chose to believe me instead. But anyway…)

"Excuse me-" Marie interrupted, "what's a geis? Do you mean the anime from almost a decade ago?"

Olga scoffed at Marie with an incredulous look on her face while Mash had a stronger reaction.

"Senpai, you know about Code Geass?" As opposed to the irritated face she had been making while talking to Olga, Mash was now completely invested in hearing how Marie would respond.

"I don't know much about it, but I was a big fan of the band that did two of the intro songs. They're actually what got me into making music in the first place." Marie replied before being shocked at realizing what she just said.

(I… I don't think I've ever shared that with anyone, ever. Not even to my friends back home. Damn it, emotional support kouhai might be getting to me.)

Luckily, Mash was so focused on having someone to talk to regarding anime intros that she didn't notice the little detail that Marie had let slip about herself.

"Will you two cut it out?!"

Olga screamed out as loud as she could, forcing Mash out of her reverie. Before either Marie or Mash could warn her about keeping quiet in case of another enemy showing up, Olga continued.

"Whatever the case may be, it ends now. I'm not about to let the sole Servant I have available in the hands of a non-mage. Mash Kyrielight, as director of the Chaldea Security Organization, I order you to cancel your contract with her and make one with me instead."

Her words had an immediate effect, with the Master and Servant pair sharing a disbelieving look at their direct superior.

"What did you just say?" Mash whimpered out.

Olga crossed her arms and began to speak, arrogance apparent in every word. "Isn't it obvious who the better choice is? Honestly Kyrielight, I knew Romani spoiled you rotten but it's clear to anyone who you should be contracted with."

Olga paused before uncrossing her arms and walking towards Mash with her chin raised.

"A Lord of the Clock Tower, one of the most promising young mages in the history of our association and someone you've known for over three years."

She stopped in front of Mash and pointed at Marie.

"Or a no name easterner from some backwater island that you've known for less than a day? I bet you anything she doesn't even know what a gandr is."

Olga then turned to face Marie and asked her. "Do you even know what a gandr is?"

Marie didn't, nor was she interested, but she liked where this was going so she played along. "No ma'am, I don't speak spanish."

"See, I-" Olga stopped herself before taking a moment to process Marie's response. "No, you imbecile! You're thinking of grande!"

"Ahh, gracias." Marie replied in perfect Spanish with a look of gratitude on her face. Olga just stood in silence before pleading with Mash.

"Mash you could do so much better than her, and you know this. You know who the better choice is, so what are you waiting for?"

Olga waited with bated breath for Mash to agree with her, all the while Marie remained silent. She hadn't switched on the mental link between them nor had she said a single word to refute Olga's claims.

Marie had thought that Olga was completely right in every thing she had just said, and she agreed with her. But as she's learned before multiple times…

(Just because you're correct in what you've said, doesn't mean you're right where it counts.)

"...You know what, Director Animusphere? You're absolutely right. I do know who the better choice is."

After having stayed silent ever since Olga gave her the order, Mash calmly spoke.

"Wonderful! I knew you'd eventually see reason. Now hurry up and cancel the contract." Olga was ecstatic.

'Finally! My very own heroic spirit! Even if the fact that my potential as a Master was near zero, I'd at least do better than a damn non-mage! I can't wait to get back to Chaldea and show off my command seals to Lev!' Were Olga's thoughts at the time.

So imagine her surprise when Mash took Marie's hand with the command seals unto her own and stood beside her, all the while glaring at Olga like she were her enemy.

"I made my choice back when I was close to dying. You may be a Lord, and you might be a powerful mage…" Mash took a deep breath and could feel Marie apply a bit more pressure to their intertwined hands, which boosted her confidence, before continuing. "But you are not her. You weren't the one who took my hand and comforted me when I'd lost hope, nor are you the one I've sworn my shield to."

"You… choose her over me? You're willing to disobey me and side with this… this-" "Yes, I am."

Olga couldn't believe what she was hearing, nor could she believe the young girl had just interrupted her to defend Marie.

Marie on the other hand, also couldn't believe what she was hearing, but for entirely different reasons.

(Look at her… she can't believe Mash picked me over her. This is why I stayed quiet all throughout your tantrum, boss. I wanted you to see the moment I'd win over you without lifting a finger, the moment the world around you falls apart and you realize no one really cares about you. Man, I may be a changed woman, but damn is this sight as enjoyable as ever.)

Marie was enjoying every second of watching a shocked Olga-Marie try to understand why she wouldn't get chosen. Unfortunately, it would seem she was enjoying it a bit too much as a small chuckle escaped her, making Olga snap out of her stupor over being rejected.

"Did you just… laugh? Did you just laugh at me?!" She screeched out, as loud as ever.

(Ugh, here we go again with this.)

"No ma'am, I'm actually wondering if Mash hasn't noticed she's still holding my hand." Marie said, causing Mash to stifle before looking at their interlocked hands.

"Anyway-" Marie said after letting go of Mash's hand, which caused a sense of loss to the both of them that Marie would never admit, and got the attention of Olga.

"Not that watching you have this argument hasn't been fun-" (It was!) "-but I believe it's in our best interest to find a place to hide for a while, maybe try to find some supplies."

"And why on earth would I follow anything you had to say?" Olga asked, still openly suspicious of Marie and unaware of just how close the other woman was to snapping.

Unfortunately for her, that little comment was all it took for that thin line keeping Marie's anger at bay to bend. That single question Olga asked had made all the stress Marie had been building up inside since the day began to come out.

"I'm sorry, would you rather stay here then?" Marie asked back using a much colder tone of voice, no longer caring about how she sounded or looked. There was no smile on her face and her eyes were dulled looking at Olga.

"Because in case you've forgotten, both of us just saved your life, something you still haven't thanked us for. And while I'm at it, let me remind you that for a while now, you've been yelling off the top of your lungs throwing a tantrum in the middle of an undead infested city. So yes, director, you're right. You don't have to do as I say, nor would I force you to. But unless you want to run around the city again while more of those things chase after you, I'd suggest not pushing your luck around the two people that actually bothered to help."

Olga was left completely stunned. No one had talked to her that way in years, not since her father died. It was as though she'd been reprimanded like a child having a fit over not getting something she wanted, and by someone younger than her no less. As much as she wanted nothing more than to scream at Marie for having done so, something inside her told her the woman had a point.

And she hated that.

Mash on the other hand was worried over Marie's state of mind. The woman had been pushed around too much that day, and having saved the director may have made it worse.

"Senpai, what about that convenience store we passed by earlier?" Mash added, wanting to find a place that her Master could rest.

"I was thinking the same thing, good job Mash." Marie had said with the intention of praising the girl's quick thinking, but also subtly poking fun at Olga by showing off their dynamic.

She picked up Fou who had stayed silent the whole time and began to walk in the direction of the marketplace they had rushed through earlier.

All the while Olga-Marie said nothing, allowing herself to be led to the store while thinking of how much worse the day could go for her.

What none of them were aware of however, were the pair of slit-like pupils on a hooded figure with an oddly ordained scythe watching them from a faraway rooftop.

==================

Chapter 6

Chapter Text

"So…" Marie looked around the small employee lounge they were hiding in to check if she had everyone's attention. "Who'd like to go first?" She asked, hoping that there would be no more interruptions to her getting some answers.

The walk back to the convenience store took approximately fifteen minutes, all the while no one had said a word. Once they arrived, instead of going through the front doors, which were inoperable due to the store not having any power, Marie led the others towards the employee entrance around the back. There, she removed the black hair pin that tucked in part of her bangs and used it to lockpick the door.

Mash and Fou then scoured the store for anything even remotely consumable while Marie turned on the store's emergency power generator. Olga just helplessly looked on as she felt everyone was ignoring her.

That had all happened a half hour ago and now they were all sitting across each other at a table that was inside the employee lounge. On top of the table were used water bottles and half-empty bags of potato chips from different brands.

"I can't believe I had to eat this commoner food." Olga groaned from her seat, looking conflicted over how much she hated that she enjoyed the taste of nacho cheese Doritos.

"Then why did you?" Marie tersely asked before turning to open a water bottle and pour it over a plastic cup she'd gotten from a bag she found a bit earlier.

She then placed the cup filled with water on the ground next to Fou and turned to see Mash, who was currently re-equipping her armored ankle guards.

"Mash, did you find everything?" Marie asked, noticing the white shoe box near Mash on the floor.

"Yes, senpai. They were right where you said they'd be." Mash answered as she picked up the box and handed it to Marie.

"Thank you Mash. I don't know what I'd do in this hellscape without you." The two shared a look before being interrupted by Olga clearing her throat.

Marie then got up while holding the box in her hands and walked over to where Olga was sitting.

"What do you want? Unless it's an apology for how you spoke to me earlier or admitting I'd be a better master for Mash than you, I'd rather not hear it."

Olga was dismissive of Marie and turned her head away from her. Had she not done so, she would have noticed two sets of disapproving eyes on her. Those belonging to both Mash, who was getting increasingly frustrated with the older woman, and Fou who, despite sensing something off about Marie, had gotten used to being carried around by her and how she'd been treating his long time friend.

Marie on the other hand did not react, instead ignoring Olga's dismissive attitude and stood by her.

"I noticed you've been walking this whole time with a single heel on, which means you're likely to have a few cuts and scratches on the other foot."

Olga heard Marie's words and slightly turned to face her while trying to keep her out of sight as much as she could. "So what? Why do you care? Or are you worried I'll slow you down once we start moving again."

"Yes, actually." Marie admitted which caused Olga to stifle as she wasn't expecting such brute honesty.

She'd gotten used to false praise, to people trying to cozy up to her and get on her good side, but it was rare that someone would speak to her as an equal. Not even the other Lords did, opting instead to stay away from her, if not ignore her altogether due to her age and attitude.

Marie continued. "We don't know how long we'll be safe here, if at all. Our best option is to keep moving together and try to avoid drawing attention to ourselves, something that'll be hard to do if you step on a shard of glass or worse."

She opened the box and Olga saw what was inside. There were antibiotics and anti-inflammatory creams, a pair of stockings similar to the ones she had on and a pair of shoes.

'This… but why would she? I thought she hated me.'

Olga wasn't blind, she knew how much she was disliked back in Chaldea and for as many times as she had told herself that was fine, it wasn't. And nor was she.

It was obvious she'd overreacted when she slapped Marie and made her cry in front of other recruits, but what else could she have done? To apologize after having done so would have been a sign of weakness, and after weeks of trying to memorize the speech and her presentation, all it took was one person not paying attention to ruin her concentration and set her off.

At least that was her reasoning behind what she did, despite not really being all that convincing considering what happened next. Seeing Mash walk up to Olga with such clear disapproval in her eyes let her know just how bad she'd messed things up, and then Marie started to tear up and the feelings of regret intensified.

'Then the rest of the morning happened and it's all been big mess after another.' She thought.

"I…thank you." Olga said, unknowingly showing humility towards someone she thought was beneath her.

"Don't thank me, thank Mash. She's the one who asked me to do this, I just told her where everything was." Marie said before turning back and walking to her seat. Just as Mash was about to speak up, Olga turned towards her with a bashful expression.

"You got me all of this? Thank you Mash, this means so much." It was the happiest Mash had ever seen the woman in the three years she's known her.

"But I-" Mash turned to look at Marie who was uninterested in the conversation and felt the slight pull in her mana that meant their bond was up again.

<"Senpai, why are you lying to her? I didn't ask you to do any of this.">

<Because what I said still stands. She'd only slow us down if we left her alone and it's better to stick together, regardless of how I feel about her.>

<"I understand that part, but why lie and tell her I asked you for those things?">

<Mash, think about it. Would she really accept any sort of help from me? If you want to tell her the truth then go ahead, but I'd rather not give her an excuse to throw another tantrum.>

Mash felt the flow of mana sever, their connection gone. She was certain there was something wrong with how Marie was acting, but didn't quite know what it was.

"Mash?" Olga asked, seemingly worried over Mash's silence.

"...I'm just glad I could help, director." Mash decided to follow Marie's advice and just let Olga think whatever she wanted.

"There's a bathroom just outside this room, you can change there." That was all Marie said before picking up Fou and placing him on her lap. She was completely disinterested in whatever Olga chose to do next and focused on rubbing Fou's paws.

"... Thank you. I'll be right back." Olga then took the box onto her hands and left the lounge, all while trying to avoid putting too much weight on the leg with the bare foot.

The two left alone in the room stayed quiet for a while, an odd tension being felt by the youngest as her companion's silence weighed heavily on her.

"Master… have I angered you somehow?" Mash asked politely, unable to turn her head towards Marie out of an odd sense of shame.

"What makes you think that?" Marie didn't turn to face her and kept playing with Fou.

"You've been a bit cold to the director, and although I understand why… I can't help but feel like there's more to it. If I've upset you in any way I'd like for you to tell me so I can apologize."

After saying this, Mash tilted her head slightly and saw Marie put Fou's paws down before hearing her let out a deep sigh.

"...I'm just tired, Mash." Marie said. "At first I thought it was just the adrenaline rush wearing off but it wasn't."

"Was it because I asked you if we could rescue the director?" Mash did notice Marie begin to start acting strangely after that and wondered if that was the case.

"No, Mash, it has nothing to do with anyone really." Marie leaned back on her chair, exhaustion apparent on her face.

Mash nervously looked around the room, waiting for Marie to keep going and when she remained silent, got the impression that her Master was waiting for her to say something.

Ignoring the little voice in her head telling her she should leave the topic there and move on, Mash decided to ask and dig deeper in hopes of gaining some insight into what type of person Marie was.

"Then… What is it?" She asked, having found the slightest bit of courage to push through her insecurities.

It took a few seconds that seemed longer than they actually were until Mash heard Marie speak up.

"I just feel like I'm out of my league, you know? Couple of weeks ago I was still working part time at a convenience store, going to night school in hopes of getting a degree and making dinner with my roommate. Flash forward to today and now I'm in a city full of things that want to kill me, feeling like I've somehow slipped into a bad C tier horror movie." Marie said before she turned her face towards Mash.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, there's a lot of things that I can say with certainty that have ruined my day, Mash. Both you and Fou are not among them, so don't worry about it and just keep being yourself."

Marie did notice Mash's eyes widened and her face turn red, but she couldn't have known what the girl's inner thoughts were. If she had, she'd never let her live it down.

"Marie-senpai?" Mash called her.

"Yeah, Mash?"

"I'm glad I met you." Mash smiled while thinking to herself of how grateful she was that such a kind person was contracted to her.

Marie raised an eyebrow to that before responding with a smile of her own.

"I'm glad I met you too, Mash."

(If it was just me and the director, I'd have likely tried to kill her off already. Mash helps me stay grounded, sane even. Her presence lets me know this isn't a dream and keeps me from relapsing.)

A few minutes passed in silence as the two were now playing with Fou but stopped when they noticed Olga had returned, now wearing a pair of new, and much cheaper, plaid shoes.

"I certainly can't complain since I'm at least safe from anyone reputable seeing me wear these cheap rags." Olga said as she made her way back to her seat before sitting down and crossing her arms.

"If you don't like them you could always go outside and loot a shoe store, I'm sure the owners wouldn't mind." Marie replied while wearing a joyless smile on her face.

Thus the short respite ended, and the war of attrition between the two women began once more.

"Well, I suppose there's no convincing you to give up your contract with Mash, correct?" Olga asked, trying, and failing, to not glare at Marie.

"Not unless she wanted me to. She's not a thing to be owned or given away." Marie replied while narrowing her eyes at Olga.

(Still don't know what this contract even is though, but here's hoping I get an explanation soon.)

The two sat there in silence as they sized each other up.

"Nor do I want to either. I'm quite happy with this arrangement, Senpai respects me and treats me well." Mash proudly proclaimed.

(Wait, what? I do?) Marie wondered to herself.

"For now, you mean. Mash, I keep saying you should listen to reason but it seems it's in one ear and out the other with you. Like I said earlier, you barely know this woman, how do we know she won't immediately sacrifice you if it meant saving herself?" Olga argued, but there was something about the tone of the conversation that Marie felt odd about.

It was as though their argument regarding the Master-Servant contract between Mash and Marie was actually about something else.

(But what is it? I know it reminds me of something, but what?)

"... You mean like how a proper mage such as yourself would? Because I'll have you know Senpai has risked her life twice for me, and one of those was after having become a Demi-Servant. As shameful as I may feel as a Servant for having my Master come save me from danger, as an individual I feel nothing but joy from having such a person by my side." Mash continued, no longer caring about the fact that the woman she was arguing with is her direct superior or even aware of how expressive and emotional she currently was.

(Feels like it's on the tip of my tongue.)

Marie wasn't paying attention to the two anymore, concentrating on figuring out what she felt was off about the situation which meant that she hadn't seen Olga's face when she heard what Mash had to say.

Olga's face turned blue and she physically recoiled when hearing about how Mash had apparently been in mortal danger twice. Olga may be afraid of whether or not Mash might one day decide to take revenge for what her father did to her as a child, but it didn't mean she didn't care about the girl's safety.

She had always wanted to make friends with Mash ever since Romani had taken her on as a surrogate daughter, much like Lev had done the same for her.

But she could never find the right moment, and whenever she did have a chance to try and find common ground between the two, she'd always say the wrong things, further driving Mash away from her.

What hurt her, what really hurt her, is how Mash had implied that Olga wouldn't think twice about throwing her away if it meant getting away safely… and how she couldn't deny it. That was after all what any proper mage was supposed to do, to value and prioritize survival over all else so that their knowledge may never be lost to time.

But even with the pain in her chest at hearing how Mash viewed her, she still needed to make her point of view clear.

"...Even if she did save you, as you said, there's still no denying she's a non-mage. The supply of mana you're currently receiving must not be enough for you to fight on equal ground with other Servants. Mash, I understand you've gotten attached to her but try to think about it with a clear mind. How will she support you in the future? Are you supposed to just do all the work while she stays behind and pray you don't die? You can do better than her, Mash. I just wish you'd see that." It was after Olga mentioned that part about supporting Mash that Marie found the answer she was looking for.

(Oh sh*t, I know what this is.) Marie had a sudden epiphany and had to hold back a growing smile. (I almost can't believe they make it this easy for me.)

"Yes, well you're wrong a lot of things but I'll start off with the biggest misconception you have about senpai, the mana flow. Ever since the contract was established there's never been a moment where I felt the mana being supplied to me through our connection to be sub adequate. I'd even go as far as to say it's much more than I know what to do with."

"What do you mean by that?" Olga asked while she began to organize her thoughts.

'That shouldn't be right. If she's a non mage then that means her magic circuits are non-existent, which also means there shouldn't be any surplus of mana but rather a very small amount. Who is this woman anyway? Just how did she get Mash to trust her so easily?'

"I mean that Senpai is actually a lot better than you give her credit for, and that if you just gave her a chance, you'd see that too." Mash wanted to continue trying to convince Olga about what she sees in Marie, but got interrupted when she felt someone hold her hand.

"Thanks for defending me Mash, but I'll take it from here." Marie said to Mash before she turned to face a wary Olga.

"What do you want now?" Olga wondered what the woman who sat in front of her across the table was going to say.

"I get that you may have doubts about me, director, but I insist that there's no need to worry." Marie stopped for dramatic effect, and to force her laugh down as she prepared the punchline.

With the biggest possible smile she could have made, that wasn't quite on the level of a 'Sasara-san Smile', she intertwined hers and Mash's fingers in front of Olga and placed them on the table for her to see.

"I'll do my best to make her happy in the future, so please director, give us your blessing. Please let me have Mash."

Marie dramatically then lowered her head at Olga, who just sat there paralyzed.

Mash felt her entire body heat concentrate on where her fingers were interlocked with her Master's as she was also paralyzed at what she'd just heard.

And Fou? It was just staring on with a neutral expression drinking water from its cup as though none of what was happening had anything to do with it.

"What-" It was obvious how Olga was preparing herself to scream off the top of her lungs again before somehow managing to stop herself. She took a deep breath and spoke. "You… are incorrigible."

Marie just shrugged as she chuckled over the reactions she'd received. "What? You were the ones who made it weird first. I may not know what the contract actually is or what any of these other terms mean but you two made it sound like Mash and I had eloped without your permission."

"That is… so far off base I don't even know where to begin." Olga placed her head on her hands and leaned forward.

Marie finished laughing and turned to see Mash, still immobilized.

(Yeah, that's the desired outcome. Maybe now I'll actually be able to get a word in since these two have calmed down.)

"How is it off base? What even is this contract you two are talking about? Is it related to these symbols on my hand?" Marie asked, hoping to finally get the answers she'd wanted.

Olga removed her hands from her face and looked at Marie.

"What did you say your name was?" She asked, regaining some of her earlier composure.

"Marie Amabuki." (She forgot I introduced myself earlier, didn't she.)

"Amabuki… I'll stop trying to poach Mash off of you, it's proven to be a useless endeavor and I won't waste any more time on trying to convince her otherwise."

(Wonderful, actual progress. Now if you could actually answer the damn question I asked.)

"Listen, you need to understand that the answers you want are part of a heavily guarded secret normal people aren't supposed to know about. If this gets out, you would be endangering the lives of everyone you know." Olga paused, wanting her words to leave no other interpretation.

This was a warning. There's nothing the association won't do to keep their existence a secret from the rest of the world, and no one could stop them.

"They could make it so that your family would disappear off the face of the earth, and no one would ever find them."

(Hell they could do that for free and I'd thank them for it, if anything.)

"They have the ability to completely erase any of you ever having existed from people's minds, your social security, your birth record, everything. Gone."

(They could? Damn, I wonder if I could get them to delete my records from when my last name was still Mizuguchi.)

"And that's if they don't just outright decide to kill you and be rid of any potential problems."

(Wouldn't be the first time someone tries that. Speaking of which, thanks for the childhood traumas Mom. Hope you're enjoying life in whatever sh*tty soapland you ended up in.)

"Despite knowing the danger, will you remain steadfast in your desire to know the truth?" Olga asked, now looking on with proper authority in her eyes.

This wasn't Chaldeas' Director speaking, nor was it the Clock Tower's Lord of the Astromancy department. This was her as a proper Mage, as one who had spent years losing blood and sweat and tears to get to where she is now. As one who knows just how ruthless the association can be to its own mages, and how little they care for non-mages.

This was the true Olga-Marie Animusphere, buried underneath years of hurt and self doubt. For as much as she disliked Marie, there was no denying that she'd been doing well enough to survive despite having no training or combat experience.

'Unless she's been lying. Damn it, even after hearing it I still don't remember ever signing off any papers with her name on them. There were only forty-five Masters in my plans and I had memorized the names of each and every single one. Hopefully I'll be able to get some answers of my own, regardless of what she says.'

Marie didn't need to think twice about what to answer. "Ma'am… after the day I've had? I feel like it's too late to just turn away from all of this." She leaned back on her chair, hand still interlocked with Mash's, and looked right at Olga.

"Go ahead. I'm all ears."

Olga took that as a yes, straightened her back and spoke. "Then I welcome you, Marie Amabuki…

…to the moonlit world."

///

The Moonlit World.

A term that's used to describe the unseen world that is beyond the boundary of normalcy, where human and non-human co-exist in a very delicate balance that must be upheld. It began to make the rounds being used over the traditional term 'World of Magecraft' around the mid aughts… Though it is mostly the younger generation of mages that use it as modern slang.

"It sounds like something a middle schooler would come up with." Marie remarked, interrupting Olga's explanation.

"Hush, you." Olga continued on.

"The Mage Association acts as a sort of overseer of said world making sure that no one gets too out of hand and exposes the existence of magecraft or mystery to the common people, but that isn't all they do. The association is made up of three distinct branches each with their own unique methodology. The three branches are-"

"Can I ask a question?" Marie once again interrupted Olga, this time going as far as to raise her hand as though she were in a classroom.

"... What is it now, Amabuki?" Olga sighed, wanting nothing more than to continue with her history lesson.

"So I get that this is all really important stuff and that I'll eventually have to memorize all of this if I want to survive in this world of warcraft."

"World of Magecraft." Olga quickly corrected.

"Right that, sure. But what does this have to do with the city on fire outside of these walls?"

"I thought it necessary to give you an extensive look into the world you're going to be living in now that you've chosen to become a mage. Now, where was I?" Olga said before crossing her arms and was about to continue where she left off before being interrupted a third time.

"Wait, what? When did I say that?" Marie asked with a confused look wondering what the person on the other side of the table was saying.

"... Did you not want to know the answers you seek? If yes, then you're a Mage. A lowly, unimportant one who's in way over her head and will likely die if left to her own devices, but a mage nonetheless." Olga frustratingly groaned as she rubbed her forehead with her hands.

"Is it really that simple?"

"No, it's not, I was being sarcastic. However, you do have something in your hand that makes you automatically qualify as one." Olga then pointed at the girl who hadn't moved since Marie's little joke earlier. Mash was still completely frozen, hand still in the same position as before.

"Wow, she's still stuck like that. Should we be worried?" Marie asked while refusing to acknowledge that she had gotten used to having Mash's fingers intertwined with hers.

"You could always let go of her hand." Olga suggested in a tired tone.

"And you could stop acting like you have a giant stick up your ass." Marie uttered under her breath.

"EXCUSE YOU?!" Olga screeched out with her teeth gritted. "-uki, co- in!"

"Huh?" Mash snapped out of her daze after hearing an oddly familiar voice being drowned out by static.

"Did anyone else hear that just now?" She asked before turning her head and once again noticing where her hand was.

"Welcome back to the world of the living Mash, we missed you." Marie said while refusing to look away from Olga's glare. "What you just heard was the sound of our director's impression of a pig squealing. Would you mind doing it again boss, Mash couldn't hear you that well the first time."

"You are so far out of line right now Amabuki, and I'd recommend not pushing it because so help me the second we get back to Chaldea I WILL-"

"Director, would you please stay quiet?! I'm trying to listen!" Mash ordered Olga which made the woman swallow her anger in hopes of not lowering the girl's opinion of her any further.

"Mash?" Marie looked away from a now depressed looking Olga and called her name.

"I'm sorry Senpai but I need you to be quiet. I thought I heard doctor Roman's voice just now but it was scrambled." Mash said in a much nicer tone than the one she'd used with Olga, which only made the woman feel worse.

'I get that she's biased towards her, but does she have to be so blatant about it? It's like the past three years didn't mean anything to her… like I don't mean anything to her. Damn it Lev, where are you? These two are driving me up a wall.'

"Am-ki, com- in!" This time all three of them heard the voice of someone talking being cut out.

"Huh, That does sound like the old man." Marie mentioned while looking around the lounge trying to find the source of the voice.

"Who are you calling old?! I'm only thirty!" The voice exclaimed, now coming across clearly.

"Doctor? Is that you?" Mash asked the unseen person.

"Mash? Oh, thank the Lord you're safe. Is Amabuki there too? We've been trying to reach her for a while through comms." The person the voice belonged to was confirmed to be Romani Archaman, head of Chaldeas' medical department.

"I'm here doc, but we can't see you." Said Marie.

"Meuniere, why can't they see me?" Roman asked another person, presumingly someone else they weren't able to see.

"On it sir, just need to finish up calibrating the settings and-" a new younger sounding voice said before the sounds of a keyboard being hit were heard.

All of a sudden, a bright light shined from the zipper in the shape of the Chaldea logo that was on Marie's uniform which blinded everyone in the room. It then lowered in intensity until focusing on a specific spot on top of the table they were all sitting at.

"Connection established Doctor, they should be able to see you now." The off screen voice told Roman.

"Romani? Is that actually you?" Olga asked in disbelief.

The light that was on the table then morphed into a rectangular shape, somehow giving them a live view of a half wrecked room with broken machinery and bloodstains on the floor and walls. A tall man with pale red hair walked into frame and appeared to be looking back at Mash and Marie.

"Was that the director just now? She's alive?" Roman asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"...I am very much alive, Romani, is there a problem with that?" Olga answered, the latter half of which was all said through gritted teeth.

"No ma'am! Not at all ma'am! Sorry ma'am!" Romani said in quick succession.

"Heya doc, nice to see you again, though I do wish it were in better conditions." Marie casually greeted the man through the screen, no longer caring about how any of this was possible.

"Amabuki? So you are there. Luckily we were able to get a hold of your signal." The man looked like he hadn't slept in days, despite it only being a couple of hours since they last saw him.

"My signal? But I don't have my phone on me right now?" Marie asked which got her a bewildered look from Olga.

"Ugh, non-mages. What he means is the signal coming out of your uniform, it's meant to send out a… uhh…" Olga stopped herself, seemingly having forgotten how it was that the suit worked. "Why do I have to explain this anyway?! Romani, I order you to explain how the signal is sent."

"It sends a signal." Mash deadpanned.

"Yes Mash, I know it sends a signal but-" Olga began to talk to Mash like a child before being corrected by Romani.

"Actually that's it. It sends out a signal that only the main computer here at Chaldea can find. If that's too hard then think of it like trying to ping an IP address."

"Romani, that's disgusting!" Olga abruptly exclaimed.

"Huh?! What is?! Is there a co*ckroach on the screen?! Please don't tell me there's a co*ckroach on the screen!" The man cried out before whimpering and running off frame.

As this was happening, the two who were still, yes still, holding hands looked on with tired expressions.

<Mash?> Marie asked while using their bond to communicate.

<"Yes, Master?">

<Should you do it or should I?>

Mash took a moment to look at both Olga, who was still going off about her misunderstanding, and then at the image of the man who raised her, still whimpering something about roaches as the operator that was presumably next to him pretended he didn't exist.

<"All yours, Marie-senpai."> She said, choosing to ignore the embarrassing sight of two people she had known for years and instead focused on the comfort she felt from holding her Master's hand.

<Got it, leave it to me.> Marie put an end to the link and began attempting to make two grown adults behave.

"Director, quick question." She asked, getting Olga to stop her rant.

"What? Are you going to talk about 'I-Pees' too?"

Marie ignored that comment. "Do you know what wi-fi is? And if so, do you know how it works?"

Olga merely looked baffled and slightly insulted at the question. "What on earth is a 'Why-Fai' and why should I even care?"

(Yeah, that's about right. Now, on to the next idiot.) Marie nodded at her with no expression visible on her face and turned to face the image of Romani.

"Doctor, there's no bugs on the screen so please just stand up and stop embarrassing yourself."

The doctor heard her and stood up, clenching his eyes shut. He then slowly opened one up to peek and make sure there weren't any bugs on the screen and sighed in relief. Unfortunately for him, when he did get a good look of the people on his screen he saw two things that would give him nightmares for the next couple of days.

The first was the sight of his surrogate daughter narrowing her eyes and looking at him like he was garbage. The second, and the one that really caught him by surprise, was the sight of said daughter intimately holding hands with the woman seated next to her as though doing so was the most obvious thing in the world.

Before Roman could even bring it up, Marie, who was unaware she was being considered a threat by his paternal senses, spoke to him.

"And yes, doctor, I know what an IP address is. I've lived with a tech illiterate elderly person for almost a year and have had to call our network provider on multiple occasions."

(Which reminds me, I don't remember getting a bill for this month before leaving. Should probably call Iori and have her check that out for me before she leaves Sasara's place.) Marie thought to herself, remembering how forgetful her roommate could be at times.

"Huh? Uh.. yeah. That's nice." The doctor said before mumbling under his breath. "I thought it was just horny teenage boys I had to watch out for, now you're telling me it's women too?"

"What was that?" Asked Mash in a way that sounded like a warning.

"Nothing! I said nothing and deny everything! Meuniere, did you hear something?" Romani yelped out.

The man who was off screen refused to comment and continued to work on whatever it was he was doing.

"Meuniere? Buddy? You with me?" Romani nervously asked his coworker who continued to ignore him.

"Enough Romani! What's the situation at Chaldea?! Where are the other Masters?! And where is Lev?!" Olga took control of the conversation, demanding answers from the doctor.

The conversation then shifted gears as you could feel Roman's mood completely change into a more solemn one.

"Right… Right. First of all I'd like to apologize in advance for what I'm about to say Olga, but I'm afraid desperate times call for desperate measures. Since we were working under the impression that you had died in the explosion I've taken on the position of acting director until further notice."

"You- you did what? How… how dare-" Olga was about to go on another rant when Romani stopped her before she got started.

"I understand that you may take issue with that but there are more pressing matters that require your attention, Olga." The man pleaded with her to wait until he was done reporting, which did get her to calm down, if only because she knew how important what he had to say must have been if Romani, of all people, was the one in charge.

"... Continue." Olga said, now biting her nails in frustration.

"Regarding the other Masters, I'm afraid it's worse than any of us expected. We've confirmed multiple casualties, some currently in critical condition and we don't have any more supplies on hand…" Romani looked down in silence, taking a moment to steel himself for what he was about to suggest.

While he did so, Olga stopped biting her nails as she remembered an important detail.

"Olga, there's no other way to say it but I think we'll need to-" for once, rather than the director being interrupted, it was the other way around.

"The coffins!" She exclaimed.

"What? What about them?" The doctor asked, wondering if she was more worried about the state of their machinery rather than the lives that had been lost.

"Damn it Romani, did you forget?! They have the ability to place whoever's inside under cryostasis in case of emergency!" As soon as she said that, the man's eyes went wide open as he began to process her words before beginning to act on them.

"Sylvia, reroute any auxiliary power we can give over to the coffins! Duston, Harry, lend me a hand and we'll try to…" No one was able to hear that last part as he rushed off screen, trying to save as many lives as he could.

Olga waited with bated breath for an update on the situation as Mash and Marie looked on in silence.

"You okay, Mash?" Marie asked her normally, rather than use their unique way of communicating.

"...That could have been me." Mash said before she used a bit more pressure on her held hand.

"I could have been one of the bodies they found, burnt into a crisp or just crushed from more rubble. Senpai, if you hadn't found me when you did there's no telling what would have happened."

'Back then, I felt hopeless. My entire life had been building up to that one moment and it was gone in an instant. Just as I had given up on myself, she took my hand and made me feel safe. Her smile and her words saved me, both figuratively and literally. Our contract was established shortly after and I gained a new purpose in life, to protect her as her shield… but didn't I also want to ask her something?'

"I've wanted to ask you this for a while now but, why weren't you afraid back then?"

Marie was half paying attention to what was happening on the small screen on the table when she heard Mash's question.

"Back then? You mean the park or back at the house?" Marie answered back with her own question, wondering what the girl meant.

"I mean when we were stuck in the command center, the timer was running out, there was fire and corpses all around us but you weren't phased. Why?"

'How were you able to make such a peaceful looking smile despite being trapped in a situation like that and our deaths all but certain?' Mash had wanted to add, but decided against it.

"Ohh… back then." Marie understood what Mash meant.

(I mean, sure, if you could call that being fearless then go ahead? I just didn't really care all that much about what was happening, you know?)She closed her eyes and started to reminisce on events from a few hours ago.

(Half of me wanted to believe it was all a bad dream and the other half thought it was just an elaborate ploy to make me a devout believer back when I was still under the impression that Chaldea was a cult. It wasn't until I saw the girl half dead on the floor that I accepted it all as fact. Then her image overlapped with Mash's and before I knew it, I was walking over there. By the time I realized what I was doing, the doors were closed shut and a timer started to count down.)

"It's not that I wasn't afraid of dying Mash, I was just focused on something else." Marie answered, slowly opening her eyes and pursing her lips.

(Plus, after spending a couple of years trapped inside your own head, you tend to stop caring about your own mortality. I would have been fine having gotten just a single year out of there before dying, if it meant being surrounded by my friends in my final moments… but that's not what she's asking, is it?)

"Something else? What was it?" Mash kept asking, the previous answer not satisfying her curiosity regarding her Master.

(She's really going to make me say it. Kind of oblivious, isn't she?)

"You, Mash. I was focused on you." Marie said, voice lowered so no one could hear her but the one she was sitting next to.

"When I saw you there, lying on the floor, I knew there was no saving you. Even if I had tried to do something, you would have died. But when I looked at your face, I didn't see fear, Mash. I didn't see despair, anger, or even sadness." Marie tilted her head slightly to the left and her eyes met Mash's.

"You looked lonely. So I figured, if I couldn't save you from death then… I'd at least keep you company so you'd have someone there with you."

(Much like how a certain pair of idiots did to me back when Mobius was falling apart. However, unlike them, I didn't trap you inside your own head for four years and call it therapy so at least there's that.)

"...Just because I looked lonely? But, what if it had been someone else you saw instead of me, would you have gone to them too?" Mash asked, unaware of what she herself had meant with that question while also slowly moving her face closer to Marie's.

'Would she have done it? If it had been someone else, would she have comforted them as she did to me? And why does this part in particular matter so much to me?'

"Not likely. Also, this might sound cold, but you really shouldn't think too hard about what could have happened. Given what little I know about how mages act, do you think any of them would feel bad or remorseful over having survived instead of you?"

Mash stopped moving and thought about what Marie had said.

'No, they wouldn't. I've been around mages my entire life and know that ones able to feel empathy like the doctor are rare. Still, when she said her saving someone else would have been unlikely, does that mean she thinks differently of me? And why does that make me feel a bit giddy?'

"All I know for sure, Mash, is that you're here with me now and that I'd rather not think about how different things could have gone if you weren't."

(Either dead or running around these streets half naked, crushing skulls and relapsing, but that's beside the point. Actually, now that I think about it, emotional support kouhai is putting in so much work that it's surprising how stable I still am.)

"Do you mean that?" Marie heard Mash and turned to fully face her, not realizing she had moved the screen on the table as she turned her torso as well.

Marie was surprised that Mash's face was so close to hers, to the point that they could feel each other's breath on their lips. They stared into the other's eyes and after a few seconds, Mash began to move again, drawing even closer as she began to close her eyes while Marie stayed still.

Olga, who had been waiting on news about the state of the survivors, noticed the projection wasn't on the table anymore and wanted to ask Marie why that was when she saw the two's faces drawing closer.

"What are you two doing?" They stopped at the sound of Olga's voice.

It seemed it was just now the two were conscious of how close to each other they actually were and abruptly separated, both facing forward but looking anywhere else.

The view of the command room returned to its original position on top of the table, the outline of a blonde haired young looking man with glasses looked shocked at what he'd just seen before making an affirmative hum and walking back to his post.

"Man, Sylvia's gonna love hearing about this."
They heard the man, Meuniere, say from outside their view as he continued typing.

Mash's chest was pounding, slowly becoming aware as to what she was about to do with the woman next to her, someone she'd only just met a few hours ago, and yet rather than feel ashamed of it, she felt a bit bitter towards the person who had interrupted her.

'Wait, no. I am not bitter, definitely not. If anything, I'm lucky the director was still here, otherwise I'd have.. I'd…. oh. Oh dear.' She thought before turning as red as a tomato.

While Mash was going through an internal dilemma over her newfound emotions she'd yet to fully understand, Marie was also having her own internal struggle over what had just happened.

(What the hell was that about? Completely ignoring the fact that she got that close without me noticing, why'd I freeze up like that? Maybe it'd be a good idea to put some distance between us to prevent this from happening again... In the meantime, I'm blaming the director for this.)

Whereas one was curious about what their shared moment could have meant, the other wanted nothing but to know what caused it so she could prevent it in the future.

Meanwhile, Olga, who had stopped the two and was currently being considered public enemy number one by both, merely sat there looking at them with scrutinizing eyes.

'My life has just been ruined before my very eyes and these two are probably whispering to each other about how much of a failure I am. Not that I can blame them, this essentially means that even if we do manage to return I'll be made into a laughing stock. And that's if I'm lucky enough to have all members of the A team still alive. Mash lived so they're likely all safe as well…right?' Olga was hopeful that she'd hear the good news from Romani soon when she felt something small hit her forehead.

"Ow! Hey, who was that?!" She demanded as she looked at the other two people in the room with her who were still caught up in their own thoughts. She then looked down at the ground and saw a small plastic cap that belonged to a water bottle.

'If it wasn't them then…' Olga looked down at where Fou was on the ground and saw it giving her a strong glare.

"Foufou." It said, which translated meant, 'Just had to say something didn't you?'

Of course, Olga didn't know what it was saying, but she understood that it didn't like her that much.

'Even the weird animal thing hates me. Great, is there anything else life would like to throw at me just to make a horrible day even worse?' Just as she had that thought, Roman's voice was heard as he walked back into frame.

"Excellent call, director. We were successful in routing power to the coffins and just finished placing the last of the wounded survivors in cryostasis. For what it's worth I'm proud of you, Olga." Roman told her, thinking about how quick she came up with a solution.

"Yes, yes, I'm a genius, a once in a lifetime prodigy. Tell me something I don't know about Romani, like the current status of the A team." She replied and as quickly as the man had thought she had changed for the better, the notion was stricken from his mind.

"Right, well… The A team. I don't know how else to put this so I'll just give it to you straight."

Olga ignored the dreadful feeling gnawing at her and chose to believe that whatever it was that Romani was about to say was good news.

"They're all dead."

It was not good news.

==================

Chapter 7

Chapter Text

"...You said... all?" Olga managed to ask while trying not to hyperventilate by breathing into a paper bag she'd grabbed in her desperation.

"Yes, ma'am. We've confirmed their identities using dental records and personal belongings that were on them at the time." Roman answered.

"But…. Even… Wodime?" Olga struggled to ask through her heaving, as she seemed seconds away from fainting.

"Sir Wodime as well. As his assigned coffin was directly in front of the explosion's point of origin it…" he loudly swallowed before continuing. "It was the body that gave us the most trouble in recognizing."

"If it gave you trouble then how are you so sure it's him?!" She yelled, gaining the attention of the other two in the room with her.

"Wait, what's happening?" Marie asked, now noticing the odd behaviors of both Olga and Romani.

"Doctor, is something wrong?" Mash followed with a question of her own, worried about the Doctor.

"But-" Olga ignored both of them and continued to try and deny the empty feeling eating her up inside. "But Mash is here! She's alive and sitting right there! If she lived… if she's alive, then maybe…."

"Before you go any further Olga, I'd just like to add that we've already confirmed only three rayshift signatures were sent out after the explosion, which means that outside of you three, there's no one else from Chaldea trapped in that singularity." Roman stopped her from continuing, wanting to make sure she understood the severity of the situation.

"About Sir Wodime, the reason we're so sure it was in fact his body we found…" "Don't, Romani. Don't tell me." She begged, wanting to believe the man was wrong.

"We found his severed head, Olga." He bluntly said, and the woman just stopped moving. Romani then took advantage of the silence and continued to deliver bad news regarding the members of A team.

"All of them, director. Kirschtaria Wodime, Madam Ophelia, Sir Kadoc, Peperoncino, Miss Akuta, Sir Daybit and… even that bastard Beryl. We've confirmed their passing."

Marie was surprised at all the odd sounding names wondering if they were important people, along with having noticed the barely disguised venom in the doctor's voice as he spoke that last name. Just as she was about to ask Mash who they were, she seemed to have gotten her answer before even voicing it.

Mash was currently shivering, eyes wide open and a pale countenance. With each revelation of how every member had died, she was reminded of how dangerously close she was to meeting a similar end.

She may not have been close to most of the members of A team or even known them that well, but to hear the grizzly details of how they had passed on made Mash feel sick to her stomach.

"That's it then. I'm ruined." Olga said in a low voice before smacking her head on the table.

"Forget getting exiled, I'd be lucky enough if I live to see past a week… and that's if we manage to survive long enough. Seven of the youngest and most brilliant minds to come out of the clock tower in decades, gone. And it's all my fault."

No one said a word. How could they, when they themselves knew what was at stake and what those deaths meant. Chaldeas' A team, meant to be led by Mash Kyrielight, were to be at the forefront of their expeditions into Singularities. They were to be heralded as heroes, saviors of humanity with bright futures ahead of them once they had finished their mission and returned to the Clock Tower.

The seven mages with the highest potential as Masters, that Olga's entire plan rested upon, were dead. Though everyone remained silent, it was obvious what this meant to those in the know.

"So, what's the plan?" The one person unaffected by Romani's revelation, unaware of what was going through the others' heads, had asked.

"... What?" Olga raised her head and saw Marie with her arms crossed and a raised brow. Others, both in the same room and from the command center, soon followed suit.

"Amabuki, I'm afraid there is no plan. We've just lost all of our potential Masters and without them we can't summon any Servants… I'm afraid there's not much any of us can do ." Roman replied as he looked almost jealous of the one person who was blissfully ignorant of how bad things had gotten.

"I meant the plan to get us back to base, doc. Also, what's this about Masters? Mash has been calling me that for a while now and I still don't know what that means." Marie mentioned and had no idea the effect her words had on the staff that were still in the command room.

(At this point I've given up hope of getting any answers. Just tell me how I can get back and quickly so I can turn in my resignation letter as soon as I'm safe.) She thought before hearing a loud yell coming from the doctor.

"SHE WHAT?!" he yelled out his question, causing some feedback to come through and hurt the ears of those around him, including the few listening to him through comms.

(Wonderful, I'm sure the enemies outside didn't hear that at all, thank you for the ruptured ears doctor.)

Romani couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He then took a good long look at his surrogate daughter and it was only now he noticed her wardrobe.

Granted, because the view into the employee lounge from their communicator only gave them a limited view of the room Romani couldn't quite see all of Mash's new gear, else he would have popped a blood vessel at seeing his surrogate daughter wearing such revealing clothes.

"Mash, is it true? Wait, don't answer that. Meuniere, is there a Servant signal coming from that room?"

The man off-screen was still in shock when his superior spoke to him and he immediately looked at his screen.

"Let's see, two humans, whatever Fou is and… confirmed sir, she's giving off a Servant signal." Meuniere said with an amazed tone.

The mood of the room was slowly changing, unseen operators and other staff members that had survived began to tear up with the first good news they'd heard in hours.

"Sylvia, could you verify that Amabuki is registered as a Master of Chaldea?" "On it, boss man!"

A new voice, one belonging to an off screen young woman who was holding back tears started typing away at her keyboard, now desperate for confirmation.

And she found it.

"Confirmed, Acting Director. Position of Chaldea Master Number forty-six, Marie Amabuki… Current status: Contract Established!"

Cries of joy and cheers of newfound hope were heard from the command room. To say this was a stroke of luck would be a great misuse of the term. A more appropriate word that the staff felt fit this news was one that, as mages, would reserve for only the true magics that existed.

This was a miracle by all means.

"Director, did you hear that?!" Romani called out to Olga, wanting to believe that the good news would help lift her spirits, if only a little.

However, It seemed he had gotten ahead of himself.

"Absolutely not."

"What?" He asked, not having heard her that well because of how loud the others in the command room were being.

"I said no, Romani. I refuse to accept this." Olga then stood up from her chair and was looking down at Marie, who was still confused about why the people in the room with the doctor were cheering.

"Master number forty-six, you said? That number shouldn't exist, I only approved of forty-five recruits, each and every single one hand picked according to their potential as Masters, each from families related to the association." She mentioned before lowering her gaze towards Romani. "Something I'm sure you recall as I rejected your proposal for seeking out further recruits from the general public via blood drive, yes?"

The doctor stifled, having remembered spending hours with his friend Lev Launir who agreed to help him convice Olga to at least think about his proposal before being told no by her rather harshly, and the cheering from the communicator slowly died out, everyone now focused on what their director was saying.

"And yet, you're telling me that on the same day that we were supposed to set out on our first mission, this person that no one knows about just shows up, says she's here as a new recruit, but is also a non-mage?"

They could see where she was going with that line of thought and despite their opinions regarding the woman, and how desperate they wanted to believe that they had gotten lucky a few moments ago, as mages they were taught to never take anything at face value.

"An explosion that conveniently incapacitated all forty-five potential Masters and killed off most of the high ranking staff that were in the room at that moment. And now you expect me to believe that this very person just somehow managed to be the last surviving Master we have on hand, while also contracting with Mash who just so happened to become a Servant through sheer coincidence?"

Everyone, every single person involved in the conversation, whether they were yet to be named Chaldea staff members, the current acting director Romani Archaman, or even the very person who was sitting next to her, Mash Kyrielight, and had sworn to protect her no matter the cost all thought the same thing.

That the director had a point in saying that Marie Amabuki was suspicious.

"So I will ask you this once more, and I expect you to be completely honest with your answer."

Olga took a deep breath, and gave out the strongest glare she could, enhanced by the frustration and anger she had been feeling up till that point, now having a reason to be let loose.

"Who are you?" She snarled and as soon as she asked that question, all eyes were now focused on a single person.

The tension inside that small room was felt by all, Fou included, as the few remaining officers from the Chaldea Security Organization waited for an answer.

Marie pursed her lips in annoyance and breathed out from her nose.

"...My, how terrifying. Put down the claws before you hurt yourself, boss." She said, taking a single chip from an open bag on the table and eating it.

(Or I hurt you, which I'm currently leaning towards.) She thought while pretending she wasn't currently being stared at like an animal at a zoo.

"Answer the damn question Amabuki." Olga said, angrier now at the sight of Marie continuing to disrespect her.

"I already have, twice if I recall and you yourself just used my last name, so what's the problem?"

"Amabuki." Instead of Olga, it was Roman calling her last name this time with a tired voice. "We're not accusing you of anything, I swear. If anything we all want to believe that we can trust you, but in return you need to be honest with us. How did you find out about Chaldea, and is it really true that you're a non-mage?"

"Enough babying her, Romani. I'm the one asking questions so shut up and let me handle this!" Olga yelled, further adding to Marie's annoyance.

(Well if the enemies outside didn't hear the old man, they'd have heard her for sure.)

Marie pinched the bridge of her nose as she leaned back on her chair. "Do whatever you want, I don't f*cking care anymore." She groaned, surprising everyone with the sudden change in demeanor.

The proverbial mask was now completely off. She had no reason to treat any of these people with even the slightest bit of respect now that they were essentially blaming her for things out of her control.

If, hypothetically, she had been responsible for the deaths of the people at Chaldea, she would have attempted to deflect the accusations, pinning the blame on someone else. She wasn't new to situations like these, after all. Only an idiot would have let themselves get caught.

But she wasn't responsible for any of it. All she wanted was to do her job and not have to deal with any of the things that have happened to her that day, and now that her own boss was suspecting her of foul play?

(f*ck these people, f*ck this job, f*ck the association, f*ck Sasara's husband and f*ck that goddamn letter that caused all of this!)

She was livid.

"Is that an admission of guilt? Are you confirming that everything I've said so far is true?" Asked Olga, feeling conflicted as to whether she wanted it to be true.

"Would me saying anything even matter if you're already so sure I was involved?" Marie replied as she eyed her sword that was leaning against the nearby wall, already coming up with an escape plan if things went south.

"Damn it, Amabuki! I am trying here! I am trying to make sense of everything that's happened today and I just… just answer me. Mash, say something to her, maybe she'll listen to you." Olga looked away from Marie and turned to face an astonished looking Mash who was currently worried about her Master's state of mind.

There was no warm smile she'd gotten used to seeing, nor the kind eyes Marie would look at her with. Mash had been trying to use their bond to try and privately ask Marie's opinion on the matter and maybe come up with a counterargument.

But every attempt was rejected. If she wanted to defend her Master, she'd have to act fast… but, should she?

The director had a point in that there were too many coincidences regarding that morning's events.

But what if they were just that? Could she afford to place her trust in such a person, or was the director right?

'I promised that I'd protect her, didn't I? So then why am I wavering now, when I should be arguing on her behalf instead of sitting here and making her feel alone. Think, Mash! There has to be something you can do, something you can say. Any detail you can think of that you can remember that came across as odd.'

"Olga, maybe we should calm down and rethink this. Are you sure you didn't sign any paperwork with her name on it? Maybe you just forgot about it. I forget about stuff I put my signature on all the time too. I remember this one time I- ""Shut up Romani!"

Olga screamed out as loud as she could, no longer caring about whether she was heard from the outside and interrupted Romani's attempt to defuse his boss' temper.

"You are not my friend Romani, nor are you my father! The only person that can tell me to calm down isn't here anymore. I might never see Lev again and it could all be because of her!"

'Mr. Lev? Wait, that's right, I remember now!' "Hold on director, maybe the reason you don't remember signing it is because it wasn't you who signed off on the approval documents?" Mash had abruptly stood up, now directly facing Olga.

"What? You've been silent the entire time and that's what you have to say? Even after everything I just mentioned, you are still taking her side over mine?!"

Olga shot her glare at Mash who refused to back down.

"When I first met Senpai earlier today, there was someone else there with us. They'd mentioned two things that I feel would be important to share right now. But first," Mash turned away from Olga and looked at the image of the Doctor on the table, "Doctor Roman, is it possible to check her documents and see whose signature is on them?"

Romani was frozen at sight of what his daughter had been wearing and didn't hear what she said.

"Yes, Mash. We have the documents available on the backup drive. It should be up and running now since the server wasn't damaged in the fire. Also, you might wanna sit down before you give the good old doctor here a heart attack, the man's not ready to have his little girl wearing those types of clothes."An older man with a serious demeanor wearing the standard Chaldea staff uniform walked into view before stopping next to Romani.

After he finished speaking, Mash grew aware of how everyone at the command room was currently getting a full view of her new Servant clothes and quickly sat down, wanting nothing more than to find a hole to crawl under to hide. She then heard a short laugh from Marie's direction.

Even if she was embarrassed, the sound of her Master laughing was enough to let her know she was doing the right thing.

Olga stayed silent all throughout the short exchange. She didn't really want to believe that Marie was responsible in any way, but there were too many questions that had to be asked. And more importantly, she wanted someone to blame, believing that it could make her feel better about everything that had happened that day not being her fault.

"Huh?!" Roman woke up from his stupor just as he was handed the freshly printed documents regarding Marie.

"You okay there doctor? You were gone for a while." Asked a young looking asian woman with black hair in twin pigtails and glasses.

"Oh, Mao, hello there. It's the strangest thing, I feel like I've just seen my entire life flash before my eyes." Romani said as he took the papers he was handed.

"That's quite the life then doctor, that was what? Three minutes of you just standing there?" Asked Meuniere from outside the frame as Mao passed by him, returning to her station.

"You have no idea." Romani uttered under his breath as he started looking through the files. "So, I'm looking for the signature of whoever approved Amabuki's application?"

"So it would seem. Kyrielight here thinks there may have been a mix up, which shouldn't be possible. Outside of myself, no other high ranking personnel has the authority to make any changes to the employee files. So really, this is all just a wild goose chase that won't result in any-" "Found it."

Olga stopped talking as she heard Romani announce his findings.

"Here it is. The date of submission, date of approval and the signature belonging to one… Lev Launir."

"Lev did?" Olga was surprised that he would do such a thing without consulting her.

"He was the one I spoke about earlier. Both Senpai and I met him earlier this morning in the hallway leading to the meeting room. He told us that he was the one who signed her approval papers. And also one other thing that might be important." Mash steeled herself, knowing that what she was about to say could easily be considered a lie, but it was all she had to go on.

"He mentioned that both of us, that being Mr. Lev and I, were in the presence of a potential future Lord." And after those words were uttered, you could have heard a pin drop on the floor with how silent everyone was now.

Everyone, except for one.

"I still don't know what that means by the way, and I'm pretty sure he was just screwing with you, Mash." Marie said, now regaining some of her previous composure. She still didn't care about what those people thought of her, but the fact that Mash had stood up and tried to defend her brought her back to normal.

Mash felt Marie attempting to communicate with her through their bond and let it through.

<Thanks, Mash. I'll take it from here.>

<"Are you feeling better now, senpai?">

<Not really, but after hearing you stand up to our boss, I can't just sit here and do nothing.>

<"Good luck, Master. I believe in you.">

Those words sent a small shiver down Marie's spine as she fought back a rare blush she refused to acknowledge.

<…Right, of course you do. Thank you for that. Believing in me, I mean. Not that many people do. I'm ending the connection now, bye Mash.>

<"Huh? But we're right next to each other?">

<Goodbye Mash!>

Mash felt the connection end, and saw her Master coughing into her fist while looking away.

'Wait, could she be… embarrassed?'

While Mash was confused as to what had made her act that way, Marie calmed herself and faced Olga.

"Let me be clear here. I'm not lying when I say I'm not a mage." She started off saying. "I didn't know the association existed until a couple of weeks ago, I don't know what the Clock Tower is, and I don't know anything about magic or magecraft or however else you wanna call it."

"Then why did Lev say you were a potential future Lord then?" Asked Romani rather than Olga, who was currently trying her best to listen rather than push on the blame.

"That might have to do with the crest inside me and who it belonged to." Marie answered, and that's when Olga cracked.

She was currently in disbelief at what she'd just heard. A non-mage with a magic crest that belonged to someone that Lev considered important enough to call them a future Lord?

Impossible, she thought.

"You? A crest? Whose is it then? Well, go on, don't keep us waiting."

'This can't be happening. She has to be lying about everything then, she can't just have a crest and not be a mage. That's downright stupid.'

"Well, If you insist." Marie said as she slowly stood up from her chair and curtsied towards Olga.

"It is nice to formally make your acquaintance, Madam Animusphere. I am here on behalf of one, Rocco Belfeban, as his successor and heir."

Time stopped as oxygen was no longer reaching Olga's lungs.

Marie finished her curtsy and glanced at the frozen woman in front of her.

(My turn, bitch.)

///

"Anything, Romani! Find me anything to prove that she's lying! It doesn't matter how small or insignificant you think it is, just find it!" Olga ordered while heaving into the same paper bag from earlier.

It had been a few minutes since Marie's revelation regarding her crest and the subsequent shock and awe that followed.

Very few things were known about the man named Rocco Belfeban other than he was the head of the Department of Summoning which itself was a branch of the Department of Spiritual Evocation. If it were just that then there wouldn't be much of a problem with Marie's claim to be his heir since they could just chalk it up to the man likely having an illegitimate child.

But it wasn't just that. Rocco Belfeban also on occasion served as a proxy Lord, a stand-in for when the head of Spiritual Evocation, Lord Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis, was unavailable for meetings amongst the other Lords.

To say the man was an important figure would be underselling his worth. And yet, that is all anyone knows about such a person.

No one knew anything about the man's past, his merits, how he got his position as head of a branch department or even as a proxy Lord, nor did they want to know lest they gain the ire of Lord Eulyphis for asking too many questions.

So how were they supposed to verify this non-mage's claims about being such a person's heir, when said figure hasn't been seen in public for three years.

"Senpai, you know Lord Belfeban?" Mash asked, knowing just how confused the director and even the doctor must be at this new development.

"Not really, but I am good friends with his wife." Marie said while trying as hard as she could to not laugh out loud at how much Olga refused to believe her.

(Thank you, men in black! I'm so glad those two told me what to say in case someone doubted my credentials. Even had me practice curtsying and everything.)

"Ser Rocco… was married?" Romani asked as he continued to read through all of Marie's documentation.

"Wait, you expect to believe you're the man's heir despite never meeting him?! How does that even happen?!" Olga had lost her cool, refusing to believe a word that came out of Marie's mouth.

(Good, you just keep losing your cool there, ma'am. Don't worry about me, I'll just keep enjoying the show from my seat.)

"Romani? Anything? She can't possibly be telling the truth!" Olga continued to pressure Roman, hoping that he'd find something to dispute her claims.

"I'm reading as fast as I can, ma'am! Ok, personal files. Here we have her name, Marie Amabuki. Age is twenty-two, her birthday is January first… blood type, info on parents, certificate of adoption, her school reco- Wait, I found something!" Roman yelled out, grabbing the attention of the staff around him who were also interested in finding out the truth.

"It says here she graduated middle school, but there's no mention of ever graduating from high school or any university. Don't know if that could be important but-" "That's good enough for me!" Yelled out Olga, with renewed energy at having something to go off.

"So 'Amabuki', if that even is your real name, how come you didn't pass high school? Were the courses too hard for you? Or was there another reason that prevented you from acquiring such a basic degree?"

(I mean, you're not too far off there from the truth. You're wrong, but you're getting warmer. Now then, time for the main course.)

"Doctor, would you mind checking my medical records? I'm sure you'll find something the director will want to hear since it's related to the topic at hand." Marie said, ignoring the desperate look Olga was giving her.

"Alright then? Let's see here. We have a name, gender, place of birth, emergency contacts… huh, these glucose levels are a bit too high Amabuki, I'd suggest lowering your sugar intake for a bit to see if we can get those numbers down. If you'd like, I could come up with a diet plan and-"

"Romani!" "Roman!" "Doctor Roman!" This time everyone yelled at the man to focus on the task at hand.

".. Alrighty, we'll talk about the dangers of diabetes later then I suppose. Now then let's see here..." Everyone remained silent as he continued to read through Marie's medical files until he abruptly stopped at a page.

"Six years ago, the patient was declared…" The man paused, lowering his voice as he spoke until no one could hear him.

However, most if not all that were present heard him say something about six years ago.

"Well Romani? What about six years ago?" Olga asked, wondering what the man could have found that he was so engrossed with reading.

The doctor lifted his head away from the document he had on hand and was initially conflicted as to whether he should say it out loud, but at Olga's insistence, he referred to the one person who should have final say.

"Amabuki, are you sure you're okay with me sharing this information? It might end up making you look even more suspicious." He warned her, pity apparent in his gaze.

"It's fine doctor, I have nothing to hide from anyone." Marie quickly replied while maintaining a neutral look, gazing back at the doctor with a kind smile.

'I mean I do, but none of you will ever find that out.' She thought to herself.

Having been given permission by the patient herself, the doctor spoke of the spinal cord injury that was caused from her falling down a pedestrian bridge and of how she was left impaired without the use of her arms and legs.

How she had spent five years in a coma, only to miraculously recover a year ago.

"Well that explains that. Kinda hard to pass trigonometry when you can't even pick up a pen. Or get out of bed. Or talk." The woman named Mao remarked from her station.

When asked about how such a recovery was possible, Marie followed up with the truth, vague as it may have been, as there was nothing she could do because of her ignorance regarding magecraft.

"Now that's simple, that crest thing you keep talking about did it. Don't ask me for any details, because I wouldn't know how it works, but the woman who did the transplant was very mysterious when I asked."

"Does this mystery woman have a name, or is that 'mysterious' too?" Olga asked while rubbing her face with her hands in frustration.

"She said her name was Touko Aozaki." Marie answered, hoping that mentioning the woman's name would cause another stir.

"The Blue's Sister?!" Someone shouted from the command room as another person was heard choking on their own spit.

"I'm guessing she's important?" Marie asked Romani.

(Please tell me she's important.)

"Amabuki… the fact that you casually mentioned her name and not know about her is somehow more shocking than anything else you've mentioned so far. The only thing that comes even remotely close is Ser Rocco being married, which I still can't believe." He answered, now completely drained of any energy.

"So she is important then." Marie said, now crossing her legs and with a wide smile apparent on her face.

"Senpai, if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up with the crest in the first place?" Mash asked, letting her imagination get the best of her as she wondered if Marie could be some secret love child who fought her way into becoming the Belfeban hair after spending five years in a coma.

"That's actually easy to answer, his wife just gave it to me. I had woken up by then and we met at the hospital I was staying in." (Which is technically true, so I'm not lying. Just withholding certain info I feel you people don't need to hear or know about.)

"His wife… just let you have his crest. The most important thing to a mage's lineage, that we pour our hearts and souls into… and she just gave it away to some non-mage neophyte who would never even know what it was truly worth. She must have hated him if she did so." Olga scoffed, completely baffled at the idea that someone would just give away something so important as a magic crest meant for the future heir to their clan.

"To be fair to Sasara-san, she's not a mage either. She just wanted to help." Marie was reminded of the older woman she lived with and who had done so much for her in the short span of time the two knew each other. She felt nostalgic, despite only being away from her for a week.

Until a person's voice dragged her back to reality, and dared to cross the one line Marie held close to her heart.

"That is it!" Olga yelled as she slammed her fist into the table. "Now you expect me to believe that Ser Rocco married another bloody non-mage easterner?! And that she was stupid enough to give away something that was essentially her husband's life's work?! No, absolutely not, this is madness! How could you even think for one second that a person could possibly be so stupid as to-"

That was as far as Olga got with her rant before she felt murderous intent coming from the other side of the table that sent shivers down her spine.

Olga's pair of eyes looked at Marie's own, and it was only then that she began to truly fear for her life at what she saw.

Hate.

Pure, undistilled, unadulterated hate focused entirely on her and nothing else, or perhaps it would be more fitting to say that Marie was purposefully ignoring everything else in that small room to make her intentions clear.

There were no changes to the woman's features, her face taking on a completely neutral expression.

But the look in her eyes and the veins popping out of her tightly gripped fist said everything. Olga didn't need a mental link like Mash had with her to know what was going through Marie's mind at that moment.

I'm going to kill you.

/

'She's going to kill me.'

"Director? You look pale, are you okay?" Mash was now standing next to Olga, worried about her since she suddenly stopped talking and began to shake uncontrollably.

"... Yes, Mash. I'm fine now, thank you." Olga refused to look away from Marie's eyes, believing that the second she did so, would result in her death.

'That... was not a look some random non-mage should have. I knew she was suspicious, but why would she show off her intent to kill me now? Did I say something wrong? And how did no one else see that just now?'

"Olga, are you alright? Look, I get that you still have doubts but we've gotten all the answers we could at the moment and let's not forget that you're all still stuck in that singularity." She heard Roman say.

She had to make a choice. She still had many doubts about this woman who claims to not know anything about their way of life, but right now the situation was so desperate that she couldn't be picky about her options.

'After all, though it may have been my father that recruited someone like Beryl Gut, it was ultimately my decision to let him retain his position after what he'd done to Mash. If even a man like him was allowed in Chaldea then maybe..'

And so, against her better judgment and believing in what her father would do in a position like this—

"...Fine. I concede on this point for now. Effective immediately, I bestow the position of Last Master of Chaldea to Number forty-six, Marie Amabuki."

Sighs of relief and cheers were heard from the command room, and after a while even Mash joined in by slow clapping as well.

After a long and arduous day, the mission that Chaldea set out to achieve could finally begin.

"I refuse."

Marie swiftly got up, picked up her sheathed sword and a backpack she had filled with enough food and water to last her a week before heading towards the door that led outside.

"What?" "Senpai?!" Both Olga and Mash, and even the people looking on from the command room were surprised at the woman's refusal.

"... You think I'm just gonna sit here and say yes to whatever it is you want me to do? After everything you've said and done to me today, after accusing me of sabotage and all but calling me a murderer to my face, you really thought I'd agree?"

Marie put her hand on the doorknob and violently twisted it.

"And, if that wasn't enough for you people, you insult the woman I owe everything to because she didn't know what the hell a crest was?! All because she wanted to help me feel alive again?!"

Marie grabbed her uniform's zipper that was displaying the image of a panicking Doctor Roman on the door in front of her and pulled on it with enough force that it broke the chain that kept it in place before throwing it over at the table.

"Good luck with whatever thing you guys are doing, I'm done." Marie opened the door and exited the lounge, leaving Mash and Olga behind. She walked a few steps forward before having to stop because of the sight in front of her.

There was no big change to the state of the buildings around her. The sky was still cloudy and the smell of fire and ash still persisted.

And yet…

"Senpai! Wait, come back! It's dangerous to go… alone." Mash had left the lounge carrying her shield and went after Marie, only to stop at the same sight her Master was seeing.

"What is wrong with you two?! Hurry up and get back here or… what?" The last to exit was Olga, who didn't even take a single step before she too froze like the two ahead of her.

To reach the employee entrance, Marie had led them to the parking lot behind the store. When they first passed by it earlier, there were a few abandoned cars and an open gate big enough for cars to enter through.

But now that was different. The cars were neatly arranged, shoved into the sides and where the open gate was…

A tall mound of bones being used as a bed for a cloaked figure with a scythe hanging from its shoulder who was looking directly at them.

"Hmm? Could it be that you're finally done with your conversation? And here I was, willing to let you all continue for a while." The cloaked person asked before standing up and removing the top part of their hood.

It was a beautiful tall woman with clear, smooth pale white skin and long purple hair that went down to her feet. In the middle of her forehead was a strange red symbol and her eyes were eerily reminiscent of a snake’s. She was wearing a short black skin tight dress that accentuated her figure along with black steel chausses.

They had only been inside the store for almost an hour, so they wondered when did this stranger have the time to prepare all of this, and how did she do it without making a sound.

"Meuniere, why didn't this thing show up in our scans?" The doctor asked the engineer next to him, both panicking at the sight of an enemy servant.

"Sir, you only asked me to scan inside the building… not outside of it."

"You two are so lucky I can't fire you both right now." Olga whispered to the zipper/transceiver she held in her hands that Marie had thrown away.

"Very well, for as entertaining as this all was I suppose all good things must come to an end." The scythe wielding woman said and she made her way down the hill of bones and picked up a skull on the way.

"The three of you are going to tell me where the rest of you who survived the purge are hiding. Whosoever is the first to speak shall live as my meal for the day. As for the other two…" She crushed the skull she held into dust with her bare hand.

"I'm sure I don't need to explain?" She tilted her head to the side and made a bloodthirsty grin at them.

"What do you mean by 'purge', exactly?" Marie asked her, while gripping her sword in case things escalated to the point where a fight was inevitable.

The woman creepily turned her head to face Marie, eyeing her like prey. "A willing participant, how wonderful. However, I don't believe this Goddess allowed you to ask questions. Such an offense deserves a punishment, wouldn't you say?" She said before abruptly disappearing.

The woman moved too fast for any normal person to follow, and it was then that a series of events played out in succession that would mark the end of a single person's ignorance regarding her surroundings.

"Senpai, watch out!" Marie heard Mash scream out followed by a clang of something heavy hitting the floor and before she realized what was happening, she'd been pushed out of the way and her back hit the ground.

She felt the pavement of the ground scrape her palms, completely unaware of how close of an encounter with death she had mere seconds ago.

"Mash?!" Olga gasped.

"No… No!" Romani screamed out in horror.

'What just... happened? 'Marie thought to herself before turning to look up from the ground she'd been pushed onto and immediately wished she hadn't.

Marie saw Mash was currently being held in the air by the woman's scythe that had somehow turned into a spear, the girl's shield abandoned near the entrance to the employee lounge.

(…what?)

The spear had pierced right through the right side of her abdomen and exited through the back, Mash still in shock and staring deeply into the eyes of the person she managed to protect.

(What is this?)

The woman then lifted Mash's body using her spear while Mash herself held on to the spear with as much strength as she could until she was right on top of her assailant, her blood pouring onto the woman's face. The strange woman then opened her mouth and began to drink the blood that was coming out of Mash, before shaking the body to make more come out.

(Stop.)

She made a lustful laugh after swallowing. "Ahh… virgin blood and a Servant. Now this is a meal fit for a deity."

She lowered her spear, and with it Mash, before pulling it out as painfully as she could, all the while Marie could see Mash try to hold her screams in, and fail.

(Stop it… don't make those screams, you're just making her feel better.)

Mash fell on her knees and coughed up more blood before the woman kicked her as hard as she could towards one of the cars on the side, nearly crushing both the car and her.

"I was going to leave the three of you alive for a bit longer till you gave me what I wanted, but I no longer care about where the rest of you rats have scurried off to."

She turned towards Marie and Olga before releasing all the bloodlust she had been suppressing.

"The world has all but ended, and I only have a few hours left at best to walk the earth before my mana reserves dry up. So tell me, why would I waste my time looking for appetizers, when I just found myself a full course meal." She let out her long forked tongue and rubbed it across her face, licking up the drops of Mash's blood that were left.

"Now, who wants to die first?"

Chapter 8

Chapter Text

The sound of my heart’s harsh palpitations seem to drown out everything around me.

Fire, screams, words, the wind, tears?, I didn't… What was this?

Again… This is happening again, isn't it?

All of this, it's real.

And here I am, having to go through it a third time.

I thought… I thought I was over this. Back in the house, when I first saw that skeleton climbing over the window, something in me broke. The mask that I'd been wearing for a year came off, and for a short while until I met up with Mash at the park, I was myself again.

That feeling soon went away, and I was back to being the Marie people wanted me to be, that I wanted me to be. But I just can't do it anymore. I can't keep pretending that I'm fine.

That's twice now in one day. Two times that I've returned to that state of mind I swore I'd never go back to. It's these people, this place, but it's not me, I swear.

So it's not my fault. I tried. I did.

I did my best, didn't I? So it's fine… isn't it?

Sasara-san?

If I murder the ever loving sh*t out of this bitch!

I let out a guttural scream and felt the scar on my back start to burn up, the intensity gradually growing with each second, as if it were a muscle being heavily used in a workout after a long term lack of activity.

From it, I could feel something like sharp tendrils burrowing all over the rest of my body. There were bright green lines that looked like ones you'd find on a circuit board over my skin, but I chose to ignore that.

More questions I'd likely not get the answers to anyway, nor did I need them at the moment.

I see the woman/ enemy glancing over at the director and she seemed to lose her interest, mumbling about her not having something I couldn't make out before turning her attention towards me.

I notice the sword I'd been carrying around for a while now a few steps ahead of me and instinctively know that trying to get it would be synonymous to suicide.

And so, I took a gamble.

"Be not afraid human, I see you shivering over there. Death is nothing to be afraid of. Do not worry, I will make sure to- ""Shut your damn mouth, ugly snake bitch."

I talked over her, not wanting to hear another word out of her mouth and saw the blood stained smile on her face die as she recoiled from the insult.

Just like with one of my former allies, insulting their appearance seemed to stop them in their tracks since people like them tended to be so sure of themselves.

Hey, there's an idea. I can use her to take out my grudge on Mirei.

Liking the idea more than I'd intended, I took advantage of the few seconds I had before she recovered to pick up my sword and gripped the handle with both hands. Oddly enough, some of the green lines that had appeared on my body went beyond my hands and were now showing up on the sword as well.

Don't think about it, no more questions. Focus.

"A-Amabuki, what are you doing?! You can't be thinking about fighting that thing, are you?! Hurry up and get back here!" I heard the director yell out from the employee entrance, still not taking a single step outside.

Forget fighting, I'm killing it.

"What's it matter to you anyway? Mash is dead and soon I'll be too, so shouldn't you start running away?" I answered back, slowly making my way over to her step by step while not taking my eyes off my enemy.

Trust me boss, soon as I'm done with snake bitch over here, you're next on the list.

"You're wrong!" I heard the doctor saying from the director's location, communicator still on. "Her vitals are failing, but she's still alive! You just need to-"

At that moment, the snake bitch chose to attack, repeating her earlier disappearing act and reappearing in front of me, preparing to swipe at me with her scythe.

I see you this time!

Relying on instinct, I slash at where I felt the air whistling as the scythe came nearer, aiming to cut my head right off my neck.

"What?!" She yelled after hearing the clang of our weapons meeting each other. I don't understand how I did it, but she lost her footing after I deflected her scythe.

Now!

While she's staggered I get in closer and do an upward slash aimed at her chest only to meet air. She had jumped back right as I was about to hit my mark and landed on top of the hill of bones where she stood there, now wary about the prey she had previously considered easy picking.

The exchange had taken more out of me than I'd expected, my arms tense as it took all of my strength to push her back and even then it wasn't enough to finish her off.

"You… were saying?" I ask the director in between breaths, having made my way back to the front of the employee entrance, Mash's shield a few feet away.

"Amabuki, how did you-" "A command seal!"

While the boss had been left speechless at me not dying, the doctor kept speaking. "In simpler terms doctor!" I yell out wanting an actual answer that could help.

"Just point your hand with the seals at Mash and then focus all of your thoughts on wanting her to heal, the rest should happen naturally and a red light should appear if done correctly!" A new voice, that of a woman with a heavy accent yelled out.

"Da Vinci?! You're alive as well?!" The director asked, surprised at the voice of the new arrival.

" Ciao , director! It is indeed I, though you may have some questions as to how this is pos- aspettare , Romani! Stop hogging the mic all to-" The voice cut off and was replaced by the familiar sounds of a desperate man at the end of his rope.

"Amabuki, listen! We can't afford to lose Mash, she's too important to the mission. I'm begging you, please save my little girl!" Roman pleaded with me to do something I was already planning on doing the second they said Mash was still alive.

"You'd have her waste one of them now?!”“If not now then when?!!" The director sternly yelled out before being interrupted by Romani and the odd feeling in my body slightly lowered in intensity as they kept talking.

While my eyes never left the woman responsible for attacking Mash, all I could hear was the voices behind me continuing to yell out my name.

No… not my name.

That's not who I was right now.

“Amabuki, you need to-” No.

It was me, I was here, not her!

And now she's dead, and I did nothing!

“Amabuki, use the mys-” Stop.

I can't… not again.

I can't do this again.

I won't let it happen a second time! Not to Mash!

Their voices, their presence, it was distracting me.

I needed to place all of my attention on the monster in front of me, not the two who were trying to tell me what to do and wasting what little time I have before Mash can't be saved.

“Amabuki, I understand if you're scared but-”"Damn it Amabuki, she's just a Servant! Why are you-"

”Would you two shut up already?!" I snapped back.

"Wha-?!" The director seemed to have not expected me to yell at her or Romani in this situation but I needed focus and they were nothing but a hindrance at the moment.

"I have heard enough of your damn voices for one lifetime. You wanna be helpful? Do me a favor and hide in the bathroom because right now you're nothing but dead weight and if she decides to change targets over to the director, I've half a mind to let her do whatever she wants if it means getting to Mash faster!"

I couldn't afford any distractions right now, now when her life was on the line. I'd heard their opinions, know the risks, and am going to ignore them anyway. The only one who even remotely tried to be helpful was that lady with the accent I swore I'd heard before somewhere.

"I…I'm sorry." I think she uttered under her breath before I heard footsteps heading deeper inside the store.

"Fou." 'Marie.'

Oh, right. That thing was still here wasn't it?

"Go after her, Fou. I'll take care of Mash." I said, hoping the little critter would understand. It was smart so maybe it did, but I could never really tell.

"Foufou. Fou." 'Be careful. Both of you.' It spoke before running after the director.

"How strange, could have sworn I just heard that thing talk. I must be losing my damn mind here." I whispered to myself, now having no distractions from focusing on surviving.

"You… you're not a regular mage, are you? No, judging by those marks on your hand, you must be the girl's Master." The woman began, before taking a seat on her hill and continuing to speak.

"I was under the impression Saber had finished off most of the remaining Masters before she took the grail for herself. She must have missed one then."

Saber? Is that her superior? She doesn't look like someone who'd take orders easily, what's she on about?

"You there, human, I have a proposal for you. Why not establish a contract with me and leave the girl behind? I know where the grail is, and with more of your Servant's blood coursing through my veins, I should have enough mana to kill Saber off with my Noble Phantasm." She offered with a bored tone.

More terms I don't understand, what's this grail? And what's a Noble Phantasm? I can't get closer to Mash like this so I'll have to keep her talking.

"I don't know, you gonna let me ask some questions of my own, or would that warrant another punishment?" I replied, standing still so as to not draw attention to myself.

"I'll allow it. Before I was under the impression you were just another meal, but now I see you have some potential as more." She replied, while crossing her long legs in a seductive manner.

Sorry lady, my type is cute girls with self esteem issues.

"My, how flattering of you. Alright then, what's this grail you keep talking about?" I'll have to keep my questions short and to the point.

"You don't know?" She asked in an amused manner.

No, damnit, I don't.

"Not really, no one's been willing to give me any answers so if you wanna shed some light on this whole thing, I might be more inclined to accept your deal."

Bullsh*t. The second I see an opening, I'm hauling my ass towards Mash.

"The Holy Grail, child. That which allows us Servants to fight in this war and is able to grant any wish to whoever has it in their hands. What about you, Master? What would you wish for if the grail was yours?"

A shower, sugar free strawberry milk and a gun to shoot you with . I thought while forcing myself to not roll my eyes.

"Don't know, maybe a shower?" I answered.

"It seems you don't quite believe my words. Look around you, Master. This is what the grail hidden under the temple is capable of."

She lazily stretched her arm and emphasized everything around us.

What is she getting at? Wait…

We haven't met a single person since we got here. There's countless skeletons walking the streets. Not too hard to think of the connection there, but what about beyond the city limits? She mentioned a purge and the end of the world so, could it be?

"You said something about a purge earlier, does the grail have to do with that?" I asked, not liking where this was going.

"Correct. Once Saber got her hands on the grail, she made it so humanity would cease to exist, doomed to walk the earth as undead. A mass extinction of your race, without so much as consulting the rest of us. Our Masters were dead, and most of us couldn't feed off of the miniscule amount of mana these skeletons have, so only I remained of those who accepted her gift… and then you showed up." That disgusting smile from earlier returned, and her irises changed colors from gold to silver. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off of them and was left completely paralyzed.

Wha-?!

"That will be all, human master. I've just finished ingesting your Servant's blood, and recovered some of my strength. Thank you for giving me enough time to do so." She stood up while taunting me. She then held her scythe's shaft with both hands and was preparing to attack.

"I was going to just kill you and the other human while feasting on the Servant girl, but I've changed my mind. I'll kill the girl here and sever your contract. Once that's done, I'll just force you into one with me and then turn you to stone while I go deal with Saber and her puppet."

I couldn't move, nor could I speak.

All I could do was watch her as she did whatever she wanted, and hear as my heart threatened to burst.

I was helpless, and felt sweat pouring down my face as I saw her jump down the hill and land on the ground.

"Don't mind me, Master. You just sit still while I finish my meal, I'll be with you shortly." She was making her way towards Mash, not spending a second glance at me.

No.

Don't .

Stop.

"Ahh, but I fear this may change your opinion of me as your future Servant, so I'll allow you this small service." She said before changing course and walking towards me.

Stop it, just stop it!

"Are you alright? I see you sweating quite heavily. No need to worry, I'll just be limiting your sight so you don't witness any mess."

She was right in front of me, knees slightly bent until her face was inches away from mine. The woman lifted her hands and gripped my face as she was slowly turning me to face her.

"Look into my eyes… and turn to stone. Engrave this sight for eternity, for it will be the last you ever see."

Stop.

It draws nearer.

"And as you're blinded, unable to move, I will take my time draining your Servant of her blood, till she is nothing but a hollow shell."

I said, stop!

And she does, as though adhering to my thoughts.

But no, I knew this was just a predator toying with their meal.

Proving to that which dared raise their hand in defiance that such an act would not be forgiven.

Thoughts of how I would never fight back against my former oppressors begin to haunt me every second she has me in this position.

The people meant to protect and guide me as a child were the very same that took every opportunity they had to shape me into what I was now.

Where are they now?

Where am I now?

What am I doing here?

What was I here for?

"Are you afraid, Master? Maybe you should have thought twice before daring to insult a goddess's beauty, no?"

I didn't quite understand why or how, but the second she asked me if I was afraid, the force keeping my body in place went away, and in its place… a voice responded to my thoughts that made all others cease.

My/Her voice.

-Afraid? Who?

-Aren't you?

-Me? Why would I be afraid? No.

-Then why aren't you moving?

-Because I'm stuck here, wasn't that obvious?

-Not to me. This just looks like you're waiting.

Waiting?

-For what?

It was then that something happened.

That I could feel the harsh oppressive force keeping me at bay, leaving my body and being replaced by a familiar feeling I could never forget.

-Waiting for the anger to reach a boiling point.

I almost let out a scoff, and couldn't help but make a smile as control over every inch of my body returned to me.

I'm so glad I'm an adrenaline junkie.

I couldn't see the woman's face as I grabbed the back of her head with my left hand and then proceeded to headbutt her face as hard as I could.

"You-?!"

I gripped my sword and allowed that earlier burning feeling to completely take over before stabbing her left foot that was covered by armor. I see it pierce through, feel it go through flesh and bone, and reach the concrete under her.

She screamed, and I started to run towards the person I've been waiting to save this whole time, leaving my only weapon still stuck on the woman's foot behind.

"Mash!"

I run and refuse to look back.

I only have one chance at this, failure results in our death.

Extinction? Grails? Magic? I don't have the time to care about any of that.

I may not understand what's going on, but it'd be pretty sh*tty of me to just let her die after I promised to protect her.

-Is that really all it is?

I heard the voice in my head ask as if it knew something I didn't, but that can't be right.

-I don't know, but that's the answer I'm going with. I answered it.

I reach the caved-in car she was thrown against and see the girl I've gotten close to over the last couple of hours. Her head was down, eyes covered by her bangs and blood was coming out of her mouth. There was a large wound near her abdomen that was where the spear had gone through.

"Mash, I'm here." I don't know if she can even hear me right now, but I have to try and get her attention.

I place my right hand on top of her wound and feel her stifle.

She's breathing. I made it in time.

"Mash, I'm gonna try something, so just bear with me, alright?"

Think strongly about wanting her to get better, and the rest will come naturally, right? Here goes nothing.

"Heal!" And as soon as I had spoken, as if responding to my wishes, a strange green light covered Mash and I could see the gash start to close. Even though some of the blood that was still on her returned to the open wound, and I could hear her breathing, there was still a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

That woman, the one who spoke earlier, said something about a red light… so then….

-Why is it green? Did I do something wrong?!

-The idea was right, but the execution…

"Sen…pai?" I heard her weak voice and it seemed that despite the light being the wrong color, it had a similar effect to what was intended.

She sounded so weak, just how close to death was she , I wondered.

"Don't worry Mash, I got you." She was slowly being healed by that green light and I didn't know if I should pick her up or drag her away.

-How was this working?

-Don't worry about it.

-Is she going to make it?

-She should, if it works.

"Senpai… did I-""Mash stop talking, focus on getting better for now." I interrupted her, wanting Mash to conserve her strength.

I don't want to look back to see that woman's face. She was still screaming, so that's good. Hopefully we have enough time before she pulls that thing out.

"Did I… fulfill my purpose? Did I… protect you?"

I felt my heart skip a beat and had to force the desire to shake my head away.

Even with a broken body and half dead, she's still more worried about me than herself.

"Yes, Mash. You did. I've already lost count of how many times you've saved me. Look, we need to go before-""I will kill both of you."

I was silenced by the calm way the snake woman had said that. It sounded as though she were all around us, and had us trapped from every single direction imaginable.

-Don't look back.

-Gee, thanks for the help.

"Senpai?" Mash raised her head to look at me before turning to glance at the sight behind me.

-Ignore it.

"Mash, can you move? We need to go." I ignore the wave of killing intent being sent our way and try to get Mash's attention.

"Not yet, I… I'm not… might need more mana… to fully heal." Her words were becoming more clear with time and a bit of color was starting to come back to her face. Whatever it was that I did seemed to have worked, but it wasn't enough.

Mash wasn't at a hundred percent and I didn't know why.

Had I messed up the process somehow focusing on the hole in her stomach rather than in general? Or were my thoughts not strong enough?

Damn it, why didn't anyone tell me how any of this worked?! Why did I think I could just rely on previous experience and get out of this unscathed?!

There's always a bigger threat than the one before, always something ready and willing to tear you down the second you give it an inch, so why?

Why did I forget such a simple fact?

Because I thought I was safe.

Why was I so sure I was going to live through this?

Because I've survived worse things.

That's right, I've survived.

I'm here, I lived and despite the crap life keeps sending my way I'm still standing, something I thought would never be possible again.

Not that me being able to walk was going to matter much if we both died here in a few seconds.

"I'll cut off both of your heads, and feast on your entrails for daring to raise your hand against a Goddess." The woman threatened, while sounding closer.

-Don't look back.

-I know.

"What do you need, Mash?" I ignore the desperation in my voice and ask.

-Why not just run?

-I'm not leaving her behind.

-Because it's what Amabuki would do?

-That's… not what matters right now.

-Doesn't it?

"... Maybe a… transfer." I hear Mash whisper, shamefully looking down at my hand over her wound.

A what? At this point I was willing to take whatever, really.

-Temper your expectations, it's not that hard.

"How… How do we do that? Please, Mash, we need to hurry." I hear the sound of the woman's greaves draw nearer, closing in on us.

"I'll rip you apart, limb from limb, or maybe I should petrify all but your face and make you watch as I devour that girl whole in front of you?"

I found myself shivering quite a bit at the image and that my breathing had become ragged. What was I doing here?

Why didn't I just leave Mash to die? Why do I feel so…

-Still not afraid? It's okay if you are.

The voice asked and for some odd reason, I felt myself calming down. Of all the things for my own head to imply, really.

-No. I'm not afraid.

-Of what could happen to you?

-Never.

-Of what could happen to Mash?

-I…

"Senpai… do you trust me?" She struggled to lift her head and stared into my eyes. I started feeling a sense of deja Vu as she did.

We were in similar positions back then weren't we?

"Yes." I answer wholeheartedly.

It was odd for me to think this way about anyone not from the go home club, but it felt right.

I can trust her.

-I want to trust her. Does she trust me?

-Could always ask?

-What if she says no?

-We both know that's not happening.

"Then… excuse me." Mash muttered under her breath. "Mash? What are you-" I couldn't finish my sentence.

Not because I was paralyzed like earlier, but because Mash had… was currently keeping my mouth occupied with her own as she kept her eyes closed.

I'm about to die and all I can think of is how soft her lips felt when pushing against mine, the sounds made whenever she opened her mouth to breath and the tangy taste of iron invading mine. The pain in the back of my neck eased off, and the green lines on my body grew even longer.

I saw the woman's shadow hover over us, and instinctively knew that I was going to die there. But I didn't care as I felt Mash put her arms around my neck and use her tongue to draw in more of my spit, all while I had inadvertently started swallowing the bit of blood she'd left inside my mouth.

I could have tried to push her off but considering the strength with which she held me in place meant that there was no way I could escape.

Death was coming and I was stuck here sucking face with someone who just had a hole in their stomach.

-Alright. Can't get anymore f*cked than this so might as well enjoy the moment.

-I can see that. I mean I had my suspicions before but this is…

I hear the voice in my head making a weird comment before I let out a short moan that seemed to have shut it up.

… f*ck it. Do whatever you want.

I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me as I heard the woman lifting her scythe and cackling, the sound of white noise and that of a faraway analog clock ticking making themselves known and increasing in intensity.

///

At that moment, It was as if the world had frozen still.

The clouds and the flames stayed in place, and even all sound had ceased. Everything outside of their contact had simply stopped mattering to them.

In that moment, all either of the two could hear were each other's heartbeat pounding to the same rhythm.

Who would have ever thought that such a simple hurried mana transfer would end up having long lasting ramifications in the future.

Not them, nor anyone else for that matter.

-

And old man in his library at the edge of the universe laughs as a friend tells him a joke;

A much younger man drowns himself in his administrative duties, interrupted by a message on a monitor he'd been expecting;

A being under a rotten sea begins to stir;

A figure looks up to an infinite sea of stars and claps their hands together in prayer;

-

For the two, this would mark the true beginning of their journey.

This one moment marked the beginning of the woman's path towards self redemption.

This one moment was the start of the girl's long journey towards self discovery.

And what would soon follow,

Would be the first of many duets to come.

///

The world began to turn once more.

The rouge servant screamed out as she lowered her scythe at the Master and Servant duo that had insulted her.

The scythe neared them and was about to meet their necks when suddenly…

A clash.

The young Servant's shield had protected them, clashing against the scythe in full force despite having no wielder.

"What?!" The woman shouted as she was being pushed back by the hovering shield. She grunted and continued to use force to try and push on, but the shield gave her no quarter.

She took a step back and followed up with multiple different attacks, all of which had been deflected by the shield.

'How is this possible?! Could it be a Noble Phantasm with a mind of its own? Or is it being controlled?' She wondered before jumping further back away from the shield and landing near the hill of bones.

"How are you doing that?!" She yelled in frustration and was met with an eerie laughter coming from behind the shield.

"Aw, what's the matter, snake eyes? Feeling frustrated over there ‘cuz you weren't able to finish the job? Hey Mash, take a look at this! She's shaking in her armored boots because of your shield!" The woman she proposed a contract with walked out from behind the shield, her demeanor now completely different from earlier.

Her hair, which had previously been tied up in two separate braids, was loose and messy, her eyes had pink, heart shaped pupils and her mouth was making a disgusting feral grin.

"It's not nice to make fun of people's fears, Senpai. I suggest entering Chaldeas' sensitivity program once we return to base." The Servant she had gravely injured earlier was now moving just fine, as though she'd never gotten pierced through the abdomen and lost a copious amount of blood.

She looked the same, only where there was once a large gash near her stomach, there was now a small, almost unnoticeable scar and her previously lavender colored eyes now had a golden hue to them.

The Master then scoffed at what she'd just heard.

"Seriously, Mash? Why do you have to be so uptight about these sorts of things? You need to get laid, kid. Maybe then you'll loosen up a bit." She stretched her arms and one could hear her bones crack.

"Oh? Would it be alright if I take that as a proposition, Senpai?" The Servant girl picked up the floating shield by its handle, and dusted off some dirt it had picked up from when it was on the floor.

The question appeared to have an effect, as her Master once again howled with laughter and put her right arm around the Servant's waist and pulled her closer.

"Let's put a pin on that for now, okay? See, I've got a feeling our mutual friend here's got some questions for us." She said, before both of them turned their attention towards the rogue Servant that was attempting to kill them.

"How… I… The girl was all but assured dead, so how?! And you, how did you break away from my paralysis?!" The snake woman had lost her composure, confused at the turn of events.

"Hell if I know, dumbass! And why get mad at us, you're the one who botched it." The Master answered while flipping her off with her left hand.

"And even if we did know, we still wouldn't tell you." The Servant followed up, showing off a small grin of her own.

"You two-!""Ah, shut up already!" The master yelled over her before continuing.

"Who cares about the how's and the why's? The only thing that should matter to you… is how we're gonna try and kill each other."

"What was it she said, Senpai? Something about tearing us limb from limb?" The Servant said while placing her head over her Master's in an intimate display. "Or devouring me while you watched."

"Yeah, I heard that too Mash. Bitch has quite the mouth on her, doesn't she?" "Language, Marie Senpai."

The two were off having a conversation by themselves as they ignored the woman's presence. It was as though…

As though they didn't consider her a threat at all.

' What happened to these two?' The Servant knew something was different about the pair, but what? And how did it happen? Mere minutes ago, she was in control of the situation. So how had it slipped from her hands?

"You know, I once saw a documentary about how they extracted poison from snakes. In one of the scenes, they showed off how they pull the fangs off of one and mention that it's an incredibly painful process for snakes to go through." She heard the Master speak out loud enough for her to hear as well.

"How about it, Mash? Wanna help me defang a snake?♡" She asked, unable to hide the sad*stic glee she felt as she spoke those words.

In a way, it was a blessing in disguise no one from Chaldea could watch this. Because if a certain head of medical heard how his surrogate daughter would choose to reply and saw the cold smile on her face,

"I'd be more than happy to, Senpai."

He'd have cried tears of blood.

==================

Chapter 9

Chapter Text

Fatal Battle.

LANCER: MEDUSA ALTER;

'What is happening?' Wondered the altered Gorgon while trading blows with her opponent's shield as the girl's Master looked on from a safe distance.

Medusa had been summoned a month prior to the beginning of the Fifth Holy Grail War and although she didn't quite remember much of the events before she became corrupted by the grail, there was still one nostalgic emotion that carried over.

Hate.

The hate of being trapped in that island as her siblings left her behind.

She swung her scythe to the left, only for it to be blocked.

The hate of having been cursed into a monster because of Athena's envy.

She switched her scythe over to its lance mode and followed up with a flurry of stabs, each blocked by her opponent's large shield.

The hate of having to serve her previous Master, a mere boy who coveted her body and was unrepentant in using his command seals to get her in his bed.

Medusa steps to the right and attempts to sweep Mash's legs, which she manages to avoid with a small hop and counters with a kick to the ribs.

The hate of being ordered to use her mystic eyes and acquire more women for his disgusting needs.

'Why?! Why can't I hit her?! Why is this happening?! Why… why am I doing this?!'

There was a reason for this.

A soft voice, long violet hair, a smile full of warmth but hiding the pain and suffering they held inside.

'Why?'

She forgot once Saber got her hands on her.

They were gone. As for who the 'they' in question was, Medusa had no way of answering.

Nor did she want to. All she wanted was to let the hate she felt consume her, and to inflict as much suffering as she could to the world of man.

Medusa had lied to the human earlier when she alluded to there being a sort of alliance between the altered Servants. Saber wasn't their leader, merely a force of nature that did as they wanted.

Saber gave the other Servants participating in the war a choice, to willingly kill their own Masters and return to the throne of heroes, or be killed by her and resurrected as altered versions of themselves due to the grail's corruption.

Medusa knew this was the case because, despite not remembering how it happened to her, she was present when the same deal was proposed to the single servant who had yet to be defeated by Saber.

"You seem distracted, would you like a small break?" Medusa heard the young Servant who'd been holding her own against her for a while ask.

"... What?" Medusa asked back, realizing she'd been deep in thought in the middle of battle.

"You've been distracted for a while now and I can't help but wonder if our fight is boring you somehow." Mash replied, making small talk to the person who had mortally wounded her earlier.

Medusa remained silent, switching back her weapon to its scythe variant and taking on a defensive stance as she let the girl continue to speak.

"I've only been a Servant for a couple of hours, so I'm not sure what fights between beings like us are supposed to be like." Mash spoke to her in a nonchalant tone, as though the two were old friends rather than combatants attemting to end the other's life.

'Has she forgotten how close to dying she was mere minutes ago, or was this a bluff?' Medusa internally questioned what was going through the girl's mind that she was attempting to communicate.

"We are to try and kill each other, child." Medusa spoke in a low tone, unsure as to why she had replied at all.

"Yes, I understand that part, but what else is there? Do we show off our Noble Phantasms to each other? Do we talk mid fight, or make small quips like in the movies?" Mash asked.

"... What is the point of asking such an inane question?" Medusa asked back, wondering if the girl before her had lost too much blood and had caused her to not think right.

"Now that's easy to answer. I'm distracting you." Mash answered Medusa, lowering her shield and facing her, eyes narrowed and the edges of her lips curved upward.

'What?' Medusa was confused and took a moment to survey the lot they were fighting in and found nothing odd before noticing there was something missing.

'Where did the human go?' She wondered before turning her head around expecting a sneak attack from behind.

She saw nothing and thought the girl's Master must have escaped and left her Servant there before hearing a voice from under her sight.

"Down low." Were the words Medusa heard before looking down and meeting a pair of brown eyes with heart shaped pupils.

Marie had somehow managed to sneak behind her and was crouching down holding onto the sword Medusa had removed from her foot and thrown away.

"Too slow!" Marie exclaimed as she attempted to stab Medusa's torso. She tried avoiding the attack by stepping backwards and repositioning her scythe to defend herself but felt a large chunk of her hair being forcefully grabbed, catching her by surprise and keeping her in place.

"To be fair, this is on you for making it easy on us." She heard the one grabbing her hair say as Marie's sword made its way through her stomach.

"Yeah, I was expecting more from you, but hey, I'm not complaining." Marie said before removing her now bloody sword and stepping away. Mash then followed up by letting go of Medusa's hair and using a palm strike on her back.

Mash, unaware of her current strength, had sent Medusa flying towards the direction of another car which broke apart upon impact because of the sheer force she'd used with her strike.

"So, do we call that a home run or what?" Marie asked while picking up Medusa's transforming scythe she dropped as soon as she was hit.

"She's still alive, Senpai. And why would you pick that up?" Mash asked, while keeping an eye on where their enemy had landed.

"Mostly for bragging rights by using her own weapon against her. Now, how did she manage to turn it into a spear? Is there like a button or- " Just as Marie was studying the scythe, she found a small button on top of its left hand grip which when pressed, jerked the weapon she held to change into a spear. "Found it!"

"Be careful not to poke an eye out with that thing." Mash warned in jest.

"I'm twenty-two, Mash, not twelve. I know what I'm doing." Marie replied back as she was getting used to the spear's weight.

"... Could have fooled me the way you're looking at it like a shiny new toy." Mash muttered under her breath before shaking her head.

"What was that?" Marie asked her now silent companion. "Come on, Mash. I heard you say something, stop pretending."

Thankfully, Mash did speak up, though she changed topics. "What are you going to do with your sword now that you've switched over?"

"Well, that depends. Do you want a secondary weapon to go with the shield?" Marie was willing to part with the sword but was refused by Mash, so she returned it to her makeshift sash on her back.

"She's up." Mash stood in front of Marie, shield in hand and cautious of what Medusa would do.

"How did you manage to erase your presence like that? I couldn't even hear the sound of your heartbeat." Medusa growled out as she stood up and stifled upon seeing her weapon in Marie's hands.

"Don't know, don't care. Let's speed this up, I'm worried you'll bleed to death before we rip your jaw out of your mouth." Marie answered while eying the wound she had inflicted on Medusa.

"I thought we were just going to defang her?" Asked Mash, with a raised brow.

"... Right. Silly me, I forgot." As Marie spoke, she saw Medusa throw something sharp hanging on a chain at her head.

Mash grabbed it in time before it reached its destination and noticed it was a large steel nail attached to a chain.

"That was rude. Who just interrupts a person in the middle of speaking like that?" Remarked Marie, not at all worried from almost having her face skewered.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you interrupt her earlier, Senpai?" Mash asked as she felt a tug from the nail and let it go.

"Yeah, but it's fine when I do it."

The two then heard the snake woman laugh from her position and focused on her. "I admit, I underestimated you two. To think, a fledgling Master and her Servant would manage to injure me so… That will not be happening again."

The aura around the woman had changed, there was an odd surge of air that kept her long chain floating and the ground around her was breaking as she took on a crouching stance holding two nails attached to the chain. Her long purple hair was moving as though it were alive, as though it was made up of multiple snakes eager to bite their prey.

"Sure you don't want the sword?" Marie casually asked Mash.

"No." Mash answered while at the same time communicating with her Master through their mental link which has been kept up since after the mana transfer.

One of the reasons why the pair were so in tune with one another's moves is because they were in contact the whole time.

Their hearts beat to the same rhythm.
They moved according to the other's wishes. Their thoughts were shared at all times.

They were an extension of each other's bodies, in perfect sync and completely coordinated.

Hence, when they saw the snake-like movement from the enemy's hair, and remembered her earlier comments about turning Marie into stone, they were already thinking up strategies to use against her.

<"High probability of enemy Servant being the mythological Gorgon Medusa, Master.">

The Gorgon began to rapidly swing one end of the chains at them, which Mash quickly deflected.

<Of course it is, nothing's ever easy. What are we in for? If I remember mythology class right, we can't look at her eyes or we'll turn to stone, sure, but anything else?>

Medusa drew back the chain and sent out the other end aimed at Mash's neck, which Marie deflected with a well timed thrust from her new spear.

<"Hair turning to snakes, mid to long range judging by her current weapon which makes previous observations irrelevant.">

She then drew it back again before slowly walking towards her hill.

<Well, I can't just walk over there and hand it to her now can I?>

She had reached her destination, and held both nails in her hands as she smiled at the duo.

<"No, I suppose not. Current objective, study enemy Servant's new patterns and come up with counter strategy.">

Medusa had been testing out their reflexes and response time, now making up her own strategy to deal with the two.

<I'll grab a mirror shard from one of the broken cars just in case then.>

Marie eyed the car Mash had been thrown at and saw a broken side mirror barely hanging on to the door frame.

<"Affirmative. Divide and conquer?">

Mash began to send mana to her shield and felt ithum in response.

<Sounds good to me.>

"Let's get this over with." Marie spoke and the two began to move accordingly.

Mash rushed towards Medusa who was beginning to wind up for another attack with her chains, while Marie circled around the left nearing the car she was looking for and inconspicuously picked up what she needed.

Medusa threw a nail at Mash, which she blocked, however the second nail was sent at her legs so she jumped to avoid it and right as she did, the first nail that was still in the air was called back and managed to scratch Mash's arm.

That was the first wound Medusa had managed to inflict on the two since the fight began, and rather than feel the flow of battle turn in her favor, she couldn't help but think this was premeditated.

Mash landed on the ground and threw her shield vertically at Medusa, essentially leaving her defenseless.

Medusa saw the shield and rather than dodge it, she focused her strength on one leg and kicked the approaching shield into the air.

It was an incredible display of strength from the enemy Servant, however, rather than it being an attack, the shield was meant to hide what was behind it.

Marie was there, with the spear mid thrust aimed at Medusa's heart. It took one second, just one, but the thrust was blocked with quick thinking from Medusa as she let the spear tip near enough to block it using the chain buckle.

Just as she was about to take back her weapon by force, Marie let go of it and took a few steps back while grinning at her.

Medusa heard the air whistle from above her and turned her head upwards to see Mash in midair and swinging her shield towards her.

Mash had been using the shield as an extension of her fist, and because its base was longer than the other parts, she could use it to attack at a safer range than up close.

Medusa had no choice but to guard the heavy attack with her arms, giving Marie ample time to grab the sword on her back, slide under Mash who currently was being kept in the air via test of strength between the two Servants, and follow up with a horizontal slash cutting the surface of Medusa's upper thighs that weren't protected by her grieves.

When Marie felt the attack land, she rolled off to the side as Medusa's knees started to buckle, giving Mash the opportunity she needed. Mash then dropped to the ground, having let go of the shield just as Marie swept Medusa's legs from under her.

Medusa felt the weight on her arms disappear before being hit in the stomach by another of Mash's palm strikes and then lost her balance from Marie's leg sweep.

Mash immediately grabbed her airborne shield by one of the edges and smoothly repositioned it as she slammed it into the fallen gorgon's torso, keeping her locked in place on the ground and out of breath, while Marie took the chance to once again pick up Medusa's weapon and neared Medusa.

The entire exchange had taken less than fifteen seconds.

In that time frame, they had managed to outsmart, outperform, and outmaneuver her.

Medusa wasn't worried, as she had converted some of the mana aquired from the young Servant's blood to use her mystic eyes of petrification. All she needed to do was wait till Marie drew closer, look her in the eyes, and the fight was hers.

She saw the enemy Master approaching from the corner of her eye and quickly used her ability, assured that this would work, until Marie pulled out a piece of glass seemingly out of nowhere and Medusa's own gaze repelled back towards her.

"What-" The entire left side of Medusa's face was now turned to stone. The two had used her own ability against her, much like how she was defeated in her myth.

"Huh, and here I thought that would turn all of you into stone, oh well. Mash, close your eyes and give me a second." She heard Marie say and couldn't see whether the Servant girl did so.

'What is happening to me? Why did I-' Medusa was unable to finish her thought, as she felt something sharp pierce through her other, non petrified eye.

She screamed as the glass went through the eye and was roughly pushed deeper inside.

"Well that's one thing dealt with, Mash would you like to do the honors?" Medusa heard Marie ask the Servant, all while sounding relieved.

"Of course." She then heard Mash reply as she felt a hand enter her mouth and grab her jaw.

'What are they thinking of doing to me?! She can't possibly be about to-'

She was, and she did.

A hideous sound was made as blood sprouted like a water fountain from where Medusa's jaw previously was.

"Huh, guess it does hurt. Looks like the documentary was right after all." Marie said as she took pleasure in seeing her opponent wallow in misery and pain while letting out a blood curdling scream.

From a safe distance, of course. She didn't want to be like a certain someone who got blood all over her.

"... I hate you Senpai." Mash remarked, her face, chest plate and left hand covered in blood and viscera.

"Get over it you big baby, water still works in the store so you can clean up. Now let's get going, boss lady's probably pissing her pants by now." Marie began to walk towards the employee entrance.

Mash heard her Master's answer and nodded, throwing away the severed bloody jaw she had in her hand and followed Marie.

They had gotten their revenge on the woman, had utterly humiliated her, and rather than finish her off right then and there, had left her on the ground as she bled out to make her death as painful as it could be.

As their first time fighting as a Master and Servant?
This was a success, if you discounted the fact that Marie had not used a single spell after she healed her Servant, and that Mash had willingly put her Master in danger multiple times during that fight.

But they didn't care about that right now.

The two had but a single purpose during that fight. To inflict as much pain as they could to get back at her for daring to threaten the life of their partner.

Marie had slipped back into her old habits for the sole purpose of getting her revenge on Medusa for what she did to Mash.

Mash had ignored her father's teachings about how all life was created equal and was meant to be cherished, instead following Marie's plan to mutilate their enemy for attempting to kill her Master.

As they neared the employee entrance, the sound of a chain moving was heard. "You're f*cking kidding me right now." Groaned out Marie as she gripped her spear.

"Language, Senpai. Though I do share the sentiment." Mash sighed as she shook her head and then readjusted her shield.

They looked back and saw a broken down Medusa standing up, the left side of her face still turned into stone, her right eye somehow recovered, now taking on a threatening red glow, and her hair had taken on the form of multiple different large snakes.

<Mash.> Marie called out through their mental bond.

<"Yes, Master?"> Mash asked.

<I've suddenly developed an immense hatred of snakes. How about you?>

<"What a coincidence, so have I.">

Medusa screamed, and the second half of the battle began.

///

'I… I'm sorry.' Was all Olga Marie could say before running away. She felt ashamed for having done so, but she had no choice.

For a regular human to fight a monster like a Servant was suicidal, but for a mage like her? Even without her mana flow all out of bounds as it was currently, she'd still never do so.

'And yet, Amabuki didn't even flinch. No wonder Mash is so taken by her, if I had someone put their life on the line for me as well I'd…'

Olga sighed at her own thoughts. "In another life maybe."

"Fou?" The creature that stood on all fours staring at the bathroom door made a sound, as if asking her what was wrong.

Of course, Olga had no way of knowing that so she ignored it's cry, believing that it was merely wondering when Mash would come pick it up.

"Romani, how's the fight going?" She asked the person on the other end of the transceiver in her hands that belonged on Marie's uniform.

Olga was told that, in order to conserve energy while Da Vinci fixed Chaldeas' power grid to get everything running smoothly, communicating was to be done through radio transmissions until further notice. Apparently video streaming from Chaldea over to a singularity was a massive waste of energy when put into practice.

Romani stayed silent for a short while before Olga heard him take a deep breath and answer her.

"So far, nothing's changed outside of them moving constantly. Judging by how Amabuki's vitals have remained higher than usual we can assume they're still fighting." He replied in a controlled tone of voice, Olga noticed.

Maybe the man was just tired from all the surprises the day has had in store for them, or overcome with worry about Mash since the last time he saw her, she had been so close to dying.

'Or maybe he's disappointed in me because I should be out there fighting as well.' Olga thought, finding her more intrusive and self deprecating thoughts to be a better alternative that the silence around her.

Just then, another explosion was heard from outside and the small light on the bathroom roof flickered.

"... It must be quite the battle out there, I can only hope that Amabuki is using Mash efficiently." Olga uttered, which brought back a fear that had been building up in Romani for a while now.

"We have to believe they'll both return safe, director." Romani sternly replied as he picked up Marie Amabuki's files and continued reading through them.

There had been a couple of parts here and there that seemed normal at first glance, however once he looked over then again, there were some discrepancies found. Small, insignificant ones, but they were there.

That said, one that really stood out and caught him by surprise was one he was keeping from the director for now, among other things, if only to avoid another interrogation like the one earlier.

Her potential as a mage was above average, which made sense considering her claims of having a crest, however it was her potential as a Master that gave Romani pause.

'Those numbers shouldn't be possible on a regular person. Not even anyone on the A team had a score that high. Could we have gotten incredibly lucky, or was there more to this? If only we had access to the simulation room files maybe then I could get some answers.' Thought Romani.

However, that wasn't all. There was something else gnawing at him regarding the person whose signature was on most of Amabuki's paperwork.

'Lev knew about her and kept quiet. Not only that, but according to the security footage from before this morning's events Leona was able to recover, he was also seen doing something to the director's seat in the command room before work hours.'

Too many questions. Too many variables.

And not enough answers.

Not only that, as if a possible betrayal wasn't bad enough, there was also the glowing red elephant in the command room that he kept pushing out of his mind.

He wondered how long he would be able to hide it for, and what sort of reaction Olga-Marie would have upon seeing it.

Another explosion was heard, this one louder than the earlier ones and Romani heard the shifting of clothes from the communicator.

"Director? Is something wrong?"

"I'm going out there!" She resolutely answered.

"What?!" "Fou?!" Both the doctor and Fou exclaimed, wondering what was wrong with her now.

"I am their leader, I should be out there fighting alongside them rather than hide in a bathroom! Even if I can't use my spells right now, I refuse to just sit here and do nothing while those two fight for their lives!" Olga proclaimed before opening the bathroom door and making her way towards the lounge.

'Not to mention the fact that I'm still miffed over being called dead weight by some damned neophyte who stumbled her way into a crest.' She thought to herself.

Both Roman and Fou attempted to dissuade her from doing so, but Olga ignored both of them.

She was nearing the door to the parking lot her subordinates were fighting in before noticing it was closed.

"Strange, I don't remember closing this door." Olga said out loud before feeling the earth shake around her.

'An earthquake?!' She thought before crouching down and hiding under the nearby table along with Fou.

"Just what in the world is going on out there?!" She screamed, not expecting an answer, yet got one anyway.

"Well, as far as I can tell the two lassies are having a wee bit of trouble against an enraged Medusa on her last legs. Wouldn't want to be in their shoes right now, that's for sure." A new voice answered her in a casual manner which prompted Olga to flinch and hit her head on the table.

"Who was that?!" She asked before hearing Romani warn her.

"Director, watch out! I'm reading a new Servant signal from inside that room!" Olga stifled at hearing Romani's words and stayed still.

"Calm yourself lass, I'm not your enemy. Something tells me you all might be the miracle I've been waiting for. Now would you be so kind as to do yourself a favor and get up from under there? It'd be really hard to have a conversation like this, ya know?" The voice continued speaking to Olga as though she were a child and the anger at being spoken to in such a way had won over the fear of being trapped in a room with a Servant.

She slowly made her way outside from under the table, dusted off her clothes and turned towards where she'd heard the voice only to stop before voicing her complaints.

The new Servant was a blue haired, pale skinned man with red eyes and loose fitting white robes with steel shoulder pads that made him appear as an out of place druid. He wore his spiky hair in a long rattail that reached down to his waist and was casually holding onto a dingy looking wooden staff in his right hand.

"You… you're a Caster, aren't you?" Olga asked, not wanting to anger the tired looking druid with bags under his eyes who could likely kill her with the snap of a finger.

"That I am lass. And you don't need to worry about me trying to kill ya, I'm not a fan of murdering women or children for the sake of it." He lazily said while leaning back on the chair he was sitting in.

'But that doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy killing men.'

"Were you the one who closed the door?" She asked and he responded by nodding.

"Yup, I was going to help out earlier but those two surprised me by beating her so quickly. Since then, Medusa's been going on a rampage and I've just been here biding my time waiting for a good moment to reveal myself. Gotta make a good first impression and all that." The druid answered and Olga could hear frustration, and a bit of envy, in his words.

"Why not just help them?" Asked Romani from the communicator which caused the new Servant to look around the room wondering where that voice had come from before honing in on what Olga had in her hands.

"Huh, neat trick. And to answer your question-"

He paused as though he had expected the explosion that was heard at that exact moment and the eerie laughter that followed it before continuing.

"The reason is because if I go out there now, those two friends of yours might attack me too, and I'd like to avoid a breakdown of negotiations that fast." He said with an odd smile on his face, as though maybe he'd like that.

"Then I'll go with you, there's no way those two wouldn't give you a chance with me there!" Haughtily answered Olga, causing Roman to fall from his chair and the surrounding staff to slap their heads with their palms.

"Director, I don't think this is-""Oh, would ya kindly? I'd really appreciate it, lassy!"

Romani had attempted to dissuade Olga from doing so, only to be spoken over by the druid.

"Wonderful! And just like that, I've secured us a new ally! With this I'll be sure to show her who's dead weight soon enough." Olga mumbled that last part but everyone had heard her.

"Besides, I'm sure she's even more useless than I am, having Mash do all the work while she fumbles her way trying to survive. Let's go Caster, I want to see that woman's pathetic face when I save her life!"

"Aye aye, ma'am!" Eagerly answered the druid who decided it was easier to play along with the woman's wild ramblings than to actually expect anything from her.

The two, and a reluctant Fou, made their way towards the door and Olga grabbed the handle before pausing. She turned her face towards the druid and asked in a, not at all, worried voice.

"It is safe out there right?"

Rather than answer, the man merely closed his eyes and took on an unassuming smile while giving out a thumbs up that did nothing to reassure her.

"...Right then. Off into the unknown we go." Olga took a deep breath before twisting the door knob and opening the door.

Neither her, nor the Caster, nor Fou, were ready for the sight they were about to encounter. The staff at Chaldea had no way of knowing either, as they couldn't spare the energy necessary to turn on the video feed.

But had they done so, had the people of the command room seen the same vision from hell that their director was witnessing…

Well, it would have made a really good screenshot for someone out there.

///

The aftermath of a natural disaster.

That was how Olga-Marie Animusphere chose to describe the sight before her eyes.

'What is all this?' She wondered.

The ground had been covered by chains in a spider web like pattern. Near the middle of the parking lot were a collection of destroyed cars, now on fire. It was very likely that was what made the explosions they'd all heard.

There were severed snake heads all over the place, some cut, some stabbed, and a few others somehow squashed like bugs with their innards visible.

A bit further from where Olga and the others were was Mash's shield, driven into the ground and tied with chains, seemingly keeping them, rather than it, locked in place.

Following the chains she could see them lead up all the way towards the top of the mound of bones, holding both of the enemy Servant's arms tied as Mash kept her in a chokehold, with a bored look on her face.

The servant that had almost killed Mash earlier now looked like a complete mess, half of her face was petrified, a large gash where her right eye was, her hair mostly gone and most horrifyingly was the fact that she was missing a jaw.

To the left of both the Servant and Mash was Marie, hair blocking the sight of her eyes, but not the smile on her face. In her hands was Medusa's weapon in its spear variant, half broken at the pole.

She said something that Olga couldn't quite hear, but the druid next to her whistled and said, "Damn, I've gotta start using that one."

Olga wondered what he meant before turning back towards Marie, and immediately regretting that decision.

Marie shoved the spear tip up the woman's open mouth and through her skull, making for a very visceral sight before Mash released her chokehold and kicked the body down the hill and towards the burning cars.

As Medusa fell, a sliver of sanity had returned in her final moments as she attempted to speak out a name that no longer meant anything.

"Sa…..ku..ra-" She tried to say, but rather than words all that came out were just sounds.

Her body hit the top of one of the cars, and soon enough the fire covered her body as the two who had just killed her looked on from above.

"... And now, we both need showers. Thanks a lot, snake bitch." Marie said, unrepentant in what she'd just done.

Golden particles made their way into the air from the fire, which meant that the altered Servant had disintegrated and their spirit origin had returned to the throne. The chains and snake heads on the ground disappeared, as did the Medusa's spear much to Marie's annoyance.

The Master and Servant duo sat down on an uncomfortable floor made of skulls, ribs and femurs at the top of the hill before resting on each other's shoulders.

"Are you Servants... usually... that annoying to fight?" Asked Marie in-between breaths.

"I wouldn't... know, but I sure... don't hope so." Answered Mash, also in-between breaths.

The battle was over and the two could finally rest for a while.

"Amabuki! Mash! Are you two alright?!" They heard the director screaming off in the direction of the employee entrance and simultaneously believed their reprieve to have been cut short.

"Ugh, I don't wanna deal with her too right now. Mash, if another Servant shows up, I'm making her fight with it by herself." Marie groaned before turning away from Olga and laid her face on top of Mash's thighs, using them as a pillow.

The two were still in their odd state so rather than be embarrassed over her Master doing such a thing, Mash let Marie use her as she pleased before answering Olga in a loud voice, not bothering to even look at her.

"Yes, director Animusphere. We're quite alright, no life threatening injuries to speak of." Said Mash before hearing Marie mutter an insult under her breath.

"No thanks to her. Big load of help all that crap about being a Lord did."

"She did say she was unable to use any spells at the moment, Senpai." The two continued to converse by themselves, not paying attention to the director or the person next to her.

"Well, if you're both safe then that's all good. Now get down here already, I've got someone I'd like to introduce you to!" Olga shouted at them before turning towards the druid next to her. "I apologize for their discourtesy and lack of agency, I'll go tell them to hurry up."

"Hmm? Oh, sure, you go ahead and do that, lass." The Caster said before continuing to look at where the now dead Servant had landed.

'To think those two managed to take on ol' Medusa by themselves, and an altered version of her no less. Looks like I made the right call getting curious what all that noise coming from the marketplace was.' Thought the Caster, impressed and more sure of wanting to ally himself with the crew from Chaldea.

"Damn it, you two! Get down here right now! You're making our new ally wait!" Olga yelled as she approached the hill both Mash and Marie were on.

"Don't wanna! World hard and cold, Mash soft and warm." Answered Marie, earning a small chuckle from Mash.

"What the bloody hell does that even mean?!" The two would continue to ignore Olga's orders before she gave up and ordered Romani to deal with them instead.

"Mash? Amabuki? Are you two okay?" At the sound of the doctor's voice, Mash felt a small headache causing a return to her regular state and her eyes going back to their normal lavender color.

Marie as well had felt an odd discomfort as the link between the two lowered in intensity, until it reached its previous state from before the mana transfer and her heart shaped pupils went back to their usual look. The green circuit lines that had also been covering her body up until that point were gone, leaving nothing but clear skin in their place.

Both of them had calmed down and returned to normal, each with the memories of having fought to the death with the enemy Servant, each with their own feelings regarding how the fight went.

Mash felt at odds with herself. A part of her was ashamed for having brutalized her opponent in such a way and forgetting her father's teachings on the importance of life. It was a life or death situation, of course, but that didn't give her the right to do the things she did to the woman.

And yet, the other part of her was more focused on what she and Marie had done before they began their counterattack. On how both of them had fought together while perfectly coordinated during the battle and a few other things she dared not think about for fear of opening a door she wasn't sure she was ready for.

Though, that last part was a bit difficult to do at the moment with Marie still resting her head on Mash's thighs.

Marie on the other hand had felt no remorse whatsoever for killing the Gorgon in such a grizzly manner, she'd gotten used to such sights from her experiences in Mobius. But that was a virtual world, where people she'd torture would show up the next day with their memories reset and wounds healed regardless of whether they were normal humans trapped in there like her or NPCs.

What worried her was the fact she had just committed a murder and couldn't deny she'd taken pleasure in having done so. She may have killed Medusa in self defense, but that didn't excuse her use of excessive force and ultimately, the act of murder was still murder.

She'd broken the promise she made with herself to become a better person and had felt she disappointed her friends with her actions. All this did was confirm the thoughts that had haunted her since the day she woke up in the hospital bed after they had defeated Regret and escaped ReDo.

She then left the comfort of her warm and soft pillow(Mash) and sat up before looking down at Olga to see what she wanted. While doing so, an adult man with blue hair and red eyes wearing white robes and carrying a shoddy looking wooden staff on his left hand entered her sight.

She took a deep breath as Caster noticed the young woman looking at him and casually waved his hand at her.

Marie responded with a small wave back of her own before lowering her hand and yelling at Olga. "You know what boss? He's your problem, I'm on my break and so is Mash."

Mash heard her name being called and wondered what was happening when she felt a familiar weight make its way back to her thighs and froze up.

She stumbled her words a bit but quickly realized Marie had no intention of moving so she let her be, though not as reluctantly as she wanted to admit.

"Senpai, not that I have a problem with this, I really don't, I swear, but what's going on with the director?" Mash asked as she forced herself to talk through the stutter.

"Look at what she brought as a surprise." Marie answered as Mash tried to ignore the breath coming out of her Master's mouth and hitting her legs.

'My hormones were definitely not ready for today, of that I am sure of.' She thought before searching for the 'surprise' Marie had mentioned.

She saw the director with her arm up and yelling at them, something she'd gotten used to by now. Fou was looking around for something and near the entrance to the store was a person she hadn't seen before but judging by his choice in clothing and the aura of subdued bloodlust he exuded, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

The man looked at Mash and gave her a wink that surely would have made her blush had she not grown slightly accustomed to her Master's teasing throughout the day.

"Ah, that surprise." Mash replied to Marie before closing her eyes and pretending she wasn't there as Olga continued to shout.

'Senpai had the right idea, I'm going on break.'

///

Elsewhere...

Hidden deep underneath Ryuudou Temple on Mount Enzou were a series of interconnected tunnels that led to a dimly lit large cavern. There was an enormous wall deeper inside the cavern that almost reached the ceiling and concealed behind it was the abomination known as the Greater Grail.

It pulsated as it detected another Servant's death, absorbing their essence into itself, growing ever closer to achieving the goal for which it was created.

"... I take it Medusa has fallen?" Coldly asked a lone figure standing atop a large wall, arms resting upon their sword's hilt as it was embedded in the ground.

The Greater Grail pulsated once more, as though it was answering their query.

"I see, then there are only three of us left. This means that either the hound has decided to go on the offensive… or Chaldea has arrived." The figure said without any change of tone as they slightly lifted their head.

"...Archer." They called out and a new figure quickly appeared next to them out of thin air, head facing down and with their left knee to the ground.

"You are to secure the perimeter and wait for our foe to approach but do not engage. If they draw near the cave's entrance you are to warn them once. Following that, if they decide to ignore your words, you will show them no quarter. Now go." The armored figure gave out their orders and Archer merely nodded once before disappearing.

The Servant had not said a single word, nor had they looked upon their liege once during that exchange. Both things were noticed by the person that had remained in the cavern, and Grail behind them.

It pulsated once more, causing the earth to slightly shake as it did. Oddly enough, it sounded as though it was laughing. At what, none can say other than the only person it could communicate with.

"You find his refusal to interact with me more than necessary amusing, whereas I see it as a sign of weakness. No matter, soon enough I will have finished my role as your protector and return to the throne."

The grail remained silent.

"If they cannot manage to defeat me then humanity will truly be lost. I cannot afford to lay down my sword and have them strike me down without a fight else they get complacent."

A slight hum came from the grail, as if it was asking a question.

"Pride? Yes, I suppose it is a matter of pride. Regardless of what my current role might be, I am a King first and foremost. I may hope for their success in defeating me in combat, but that does not mean I will just hand it to them."

The grail hummed once more in response.

"I did not ask for your opinion, nor did I want it. Now remain silent, I tire of having to converse with you."

And so it did. The light coming from the grail that lit up the cavern dimmed in intensity as the armored figure atop the wall remained silent, never once having moved throughout both previous exchanges.

They closed their eyes and began to wait.

For the end of their duty.

And for the end of this farce of a Holy Grail War.

==================

Chapter 10

Chapter Text

"Got everything?" The man fittingly being called Caster asked the young woman that he was planning on making a contract with.

"Food, water and some medical supplies. Doctor Roman helped and listed down what to pick up in case of emergencies before he went radio silent so we should be good to go." Marie answered the druid who hadn't left her side for a while now while placing one strap of her backpack over her left shoulder.

To the right of the backpack was her sash being used as a sheath for her sword which had gained a few scratches during the fight with Medusa.

Romani had turned off communications while the staff at Chaldea were getting ready to do a complete system reboot to try and get everything back in working order, which meant that until that had finished, Marie and the others were left without any support.

A detail that Olga mentioned would be brought up during future employee evaluations under her breath.

"Shall we be off, Mr. Caster?" Rather than openly suspect the man, Marie instead chose to act amicably towards him and wait for any sign of betrayal. She had nothing to go on regarding this 'Caster' person other than an odd feeling that he was keeping his bloodthirst subdued, something she herself was familiar with.

"Lass, you don't need to add mister to the name. It makes a man self conscious of his age." Caster said while looking unimpressed at how she'd chosen to address him.

"Then what should I call you?" Marie asked while making her way towards the convenience store's front entrance.

"I'll tell ya once we make a contract, gotta keep my true name a secret to build up suspense. Add a bit of flair and all that." He replied as he followed her outside the store and towards their other two companions, and pet, that had been waiting for them outside.

"Fou!" The small white furry creature cried out before making its way towards Marie's side. Fou waited for her to stop walking before rubbing its body on her leg affectionately.

"Sorry I can't pick you up right now little buddy, I'm carrying too much stuff." Marie apologized to Fou before Mash walked by and picked him up instead.

"I've never seen Fou get this attached to someone so quick before, it's usually only like this with me." Mash scratched under Fou's neck and heard it purr.

"That reminds me, thanks for finding my ribbons back at the parking lot Fou. I'll get you some extra treats once we get back. Is that okay with you, Mash?" Mash nodded at Marie's question as Fou let out another cry.

'Eat your heart out Merlin! I'm living my best life right now. I got a flower in each hand and am living like a king. They love me, which is more than I can say for your sorry ass. Continue to cope, seeth and mald for eternity as you keep tricking dumb lonely men into sending you donations on the internet.' Were Fou's inner thoughts as it enjoyed its scratchies.

"Are you all done with gathering supplies? If so then we should get going. Caster, I believe you had something you wanted to mention before we head out." Olga took control of the conversation as she was getting increasingly tired of dealing with the shenanigans of the Master-Servant duo.

To say Olga was done with both Marie and Amabuki would be putting it lightly. They had ignored her for an entire twenty minutes as she wore her throat out trying to get their attention, and yet all it took was a single word from Caster for them to get up and climb down from the place they were resting in.

"I do indeed." Caster said while walking a bit forward ahead of the group and had his back turned to them. "While I was waiting for the two of you to finish your rest, I shared some info with that doctor of yours. Thanks to that, I've been brought up to speed on your situation."

Caster was referring to when Olga had handed him the communicator as she attempted to climb the hill the duo were resting on to try and drag them down by force. She failed, horribly, on multiple occasions but it did make for an entertaining listen to some of the staff members listening in.

While that was happening, the druid and doctor spoke at length about Chaldeas' mission, and how it was even possible for them to be there despite being from the future.

"You all need the grail to return to your own time and I need to beat Archer and Saber to put an end to the war. So here's my suggestion." He turned to face the trio while pointing at himself with his thumb.

"Why not make a contract with me and fight together? I know where the grail is, how our enemies fight, and, if you don't mind me saying, am pretty good in a skirmish. So, what do you say?" He asked with a large grin on his face as he put his hand out facing Marie.

"First I'd say the grail is under a temple in a mountain and that it wouldn't be that difficult to verify that info with a map. Secondly, you quite literally just said the names 'Saber' and 'Archer', meaning we now have an idea about what to expect. Anything else?" Marie deadpanned while keeping a smile on.

Caster asked how she knew about the grail's location before Marie told him that the altered Servant had mentioned it in passing.

"Damn it. Even from the grave, Medusa's a pain in my ass." Caster grumbled out as he kicked a small pebble next to him. "War would have been finished in less than an hour had I still been a lancer." He had said that last part under his breath and no one had heard him.

"Amabuki stop being more trouble than you're worth and make a contract with him. He has experience dealing with our enemies and is willing to help us." Olga opened her mouth only to give out more orders.

Marie then clicked her tongue upon hearing Olga and remembered how their irritating talk back at the employee lounge had ended before the fight with Medusa.

"And why would I do that? Also, weren't you holed up in a bathroom while Mash and I fought for our lives?" Marie didn't need to turn and look at Olga to know the woman was seething at her words.

"I agree with the director, Senpai. We need that information, and the extra firepower wouldn't hurt." Was Mash's suggestion for her Master as she attempted to diffuse the tension building between Marie and Olga.

"But wouldn't that mean canceling ours? What's the matter, you don't wanna be contracted to me anymore now that I'm a killer?" Marie faced Mash while narrowing her eyes at her before noticing what she was doing and looking away.

Marie didn't know why she felt slightly offended at the thought of Mash wanting to cancel their contract. Earlier when the topic was brought up by the director she hadn't given it much thought but now that it was Mash herself mentioning it, there was something different.

(Maybe this would be a good idea. I still don't know what this contract thing is but now I'm sure that it's affecting me somehow. Why the hell do I care so much about this anyway? All I want is to get home and forget any of this ever happened, right?) Marie was no longer sure of herself after recent events.

She had killed a person and the people around her weren't condemning her for it. They weren't praising her for it either, well most of them outside of Caster who was apparently impressed, but it still felt odd.

"What?! No! Senpai, I just meant that it's okay to have multiple contracts." Mash surprised everyone with her sudden yell before realizing how loud she was just now and covering her mouth with her hand.

"What's the matter, lass? Was that your first kill?" Caster asked in a jovial manner to try and change topics and was met with a resounding silence. He looked at Marie's tense appearance as she closed her eyes and clenched her fist.

"Oh sh*t, it was, wasn't it." Gone was Caster's laid-back attitude, as he tried to figure out what to say next.

(Yes. No. Maybe? I don't know how any of this works, damn it! I only ever beat and tortured people within an inch of their lives back in Mobius, but never broke Thorn's rule about not killing them.)

"To be a mage is to walk with death. The sooner you engrave that into your head the better, so get over whatever moral dilemma you're going through fast and make the contract with Caster. We're losing time just standing here and I'm in no mood to coddle you like a child." Olga said as she drew the attention of both Mash and Caster for her attitude towards Marie.

"... Well gee, director I appreciate the candidness but I gotta ask, have you ever taken a life?" Olga heard Marie's soft spoken question before scoffing as she turned away.

"I am not dignifying that with a response." She refused to answer as the truth would have made her sound weak. Olga had never taken a life before and if possible she wasn't about to start now. There had been multiple assassination attempts throughout the entirety of her life for merely carrying the Animusphere name, but they all failed because of the people her father had placed around her.

It's not as though Olga was soft hearted or even that she couldn't do it if need be. It was just that she always had someone else to take that last step for her, to end the life of a person who had tried to kill her.

"Fair enough. Forget I even asked." Olga heard Marie say as she made her way towards Caster. "How do we do this?" Marie asked the man.

"Leave it to me, lass. You just stretch your hand with the seal out." Caster saw Marie follow his words and held her right hand before sending out some of his mana towards her fully in-tact command seal.

Apparently, she had in fact been correct in her earlier assumption about how she'd screwed up the process when trying to heal Mash's wounds and ended up using something called a mystic code instead, or so Romani explaied to her when asking about details regarding the battle.

Marie stopped remeniscing upon feeling an odd pressure coming from the marks on her hand while her head started pounding. The whole process took only five seconds after which the headache was gone.

"Was that it?" She asked, unsure whether it had worked or not.

<"Master, can you hear me?"> Marie heard the man's voice in her head, similar to how she would communicate with Mash through their mental link.

<I can. I assume this means it was a success?>

"That it was, which means I can finally drop the whole anonymity bit." Caster took a deep breath as he let some of his subdued bloodthirst out in order to make a better introduction.

"Name's Cú Chulainn. Now, normally I'd be summoned as a Lancer but unfortunately for me, beggars can't be choosers. Doesn't mean I'm any less impressive in a fight though, so stick with me kid, I'll win you the war in no time." The man, Cú Chulainn, had finished his introduction with a large grin on his face as he waited for the reactions of the people around him.

"The Hound of Culann?!""You're Cú Chulainn?!"

Both Mash and Olga seemed surprised by the man's true identity as Marie was wondering why they had reacted in such a way.

"I take it he's famous?"

"Famous?! Senpai, you don't know about the legend of Cú Chulainn? The Child of Light, wielder of the legendary spear 'Gae Bolg' and hero of Ulster?!" Mash had all but yelled those questions out as she was astonished someone wouldn't know of the man's legend.

"Amabuki, I wasn't expecting much from you but, to think you don't even know who it is you just contracted with." Olga added, relishing in the opportunity to get one over Marie. To be completely honest, although she was surprised at the Caster's true identity, it was overshadowed by the fact that Marie had gotten so lucky as to make a contract with such a legendary hero.

"Alright you two, calm it down a little. The way you talk about him one would think people have written stories about him." Marie shook her head as the people around her went stiff and turned to look at her in astonishment.

"Amabuki… that's because they have." Uncharacteristically, Olga spoke to Marie without the normal condescension in her voice.

"What?" Marie didn't understand what Olga had meant as Mash became aware of a detail she had kept forgetting.

Marie wasn't a part of the world of magecraft, which meant that she had been going on normal logic this whole time rather than thinking like a mage would.

"Senpai, the legend of Cú Chulainn has been around since eight hundred years ago, and that was only when it was written down. His story is even older than that, spanning back all the way to before the turn of the calendar." Mash had to be careful not to push her Master with this information else she might believe they were lying to her.

"So what? You're telling me the old man's thousands of years old? Because he doesn't look a day over thirty." Marie was skeptical about what she'd heard, and that's when Caster gleefully spoke up.

"Old?! Master, you certainly don't like to mince words I see." The man took the disrespect in stride, oddly joyful about his Master not knowing anything about him as he laughed.

"Senpai, quick question. What was the identity of the Servant we fought earlier?" Marie was confused at Mash's question but quickly answered.

"You said her name was Medusa, what about it?"

"And what went through your head when you heard that?" Mash was taking it slowly, trying to get Marie to start thinking like a mage instead of just outright telling her and possibly pushing her towards denial.

"That the name was a bit on the nose?" Marie was still unable to comprehend what Mash was trying to say and wanted to believe someone would back her up, but was instead met with nods from the people around her.

From Mash, Caster, Olga and even Fou who had remained quiet throughout the exchange.

"I'm sorry, am I wrong in assuming that wasn't just some mage person who really liked snakes and greek mythology? Because it sounds like you're all saying it was The Medusa and not some deranged role player." Mash noticed Marie was losing her cool and had to act fast to try and remedy the situation but Caster answered their Master's question before she could do anything.

"Technically, it was a construct wielding the soul of a corrupted divine spirit, but I'll spare you the details. On that note, you really don't know anything about the holy grail war, do you Master?"

"Caster, I've known about the existence of magic for less than a month. Believe me, I have no clue what's going on right now and have all but given up trying."

Cú looked at the tired young woman standing across from him while pursing his lips and took a moment before nodding to himself.

"Tell you what, why don't we do this? You can ask me anything you'd like to know and I'll answer as best I can. Whether it's about the true identity of the enemy that awaits us, about how the grail war works, magecraft in general, or even…"

Caster surprised the women by walking towards Marie until he was right in front of her and slightly lifted her chin with his hand.

"Maybe you'd like to know more about me? I could show you some interesting things not even the legends know about, if you know what I mean."

His words had a different effect on all of them.

Mash felt an odd sense of danger and took up a battle stance while glaring at the man, though a small part was worried about how her Master would answer.

Fou widened its beady little eyes, surprised at the druid's attempt to court Marie and a bit angry that it didn't have popcorn for the show about to start.

Olga let out a groan as she placed her hand on her forehead and spoke out loud. "That's right, I forgot the legends also describe Cú Chulainn as an unrepentant womanizer." She wondered what sort of reaction Marie would have and hoped to see the woman embarrass herself for a change.

And as for Marie? Well…

She smiled. She just closed her eyes shut, tilted her head to the side a little and gave Caster an innocent looking smile with a light blush on her cheeks which gave him the impression that she was receptive to the idea.

At least, that's what he thought before quickly regretting ever having attempted to flirt with her as his Master began to fill his head with countless graphic and violent threats through their newly formed mental bond that made even a hardened warrior like him slightly fear for his life. Once she started mentioning what she'd do to him with his own staff, that's when the slight fear turned into genuine horror.

"Alright, alright! I get the idea! For f*ck's sake, lass! A simple no would have sufficed, no need to scare a man like that! I got the message and won't do it again so please just do me a favor and calm down, yeah?" Caster stepped away from Marie in a hurry and gripped his staff with both hands so as to keep it away from her, something that shocked Olga and Mash as they saw the man's face turn completely white and wondered what could have happened in that short period of time between the two.

"What do you mean, Mr. Caster? I haven't spoken a word." Marie spoke as she stretched out her smile a bit more at him.

"...Gods above, the fact that you can just keep on smiling like you didn't just say any of those horrible things." Caster shivered and rubbed both of his arms against his shoulders. "If I didn't know any better, I'd argue you were the reincarnation of my teacher herself. The way you both threaten a man's livelihood like it's completely natural while smiling is the exact same."

"Don't know who that is, but I'll take that as a compliment." She said before killing off any form of false joy from her face and shooting a final glare at him.

<This time.> She added through their bond before forcefully ending the connection.

'...There's no way in hell that fight with Medusa was her first time taking a life. What the hell kinda monster have I gotten myself contracted to?' Cú thought, as Marie walked past him with Mash quickly following right behind. As the young woman with the large shield passed him by, he saw a cheeky smile on her face that she herself wasn't aware she was making.

"Wait, where are you two going? We still haven't heard what he has to say!" Olga yelled as the duo were walking away from them, Fou scurrying behind them.

"We're gonna scout ahead to make sure there's no surprises waiting for us. Let us know when you're done with your info gathering and we'll regroup." Marie didn't turn around and waved her arm as she walked further away with Mash and Fou by her side.

"...I am firing that woman the first chance I get." Olga uttered under her breath before facing Caster who was also starting to walk in the same direction as Marie.

"Wait, Caster?! Where are you going?" She asked in a high pitched voice, worried about being the only one left behind.

"Hmm? Well, I mean… I only promised to share that info with my Master, and she's walking away so… yeah." Caster awkwardly looked away from Olga as he scratched his head and walked away.

'Girl might have scared the sh*te out of me just now, but that just means I made the right call sticking with her. Note to self though, keep the staff as far away from her as possible.' Cú hurried his pace to try and catch up.

Olga looked on as everyone had left her behind, not even sparing her another look. She had never felt so humiliated before as she felt frustration building up within her. A yell was coming, and as she was about to speak out, she heard a weird sound from behind her.

Olga began to turn her head and a bit further away from her were two unarmed skeletons looking at her.

"GiGi!" One of them had made a sound as it began to walk towards her.

Olga quickly turned her head around and began running off where everyone else had gone without so much as a peep.

"Gigi?" 'Was it something I said? I just wanted to know if she wanted to hang out or something.' asked one skeleton to the other.

Gigi." 'Hey, don't worry about it dude. You know how it is, you win some, you lose some. Maybe you'll have better luck with the next meatbag we meet.' Said the other skeleton as it placed its shoulder around its friend.

///

They had been walking for about an hour and a half since leaving the commercial area they had been staying in and were currently fighting against some stray skeletons that had taken the rural area near the edge of the forest around them as a sort of base.

There were two archers using the trees as cover that had already been taken care of by Caster as Mash was distracting the four other skeletons with spears and swords.

Their current formation consisted of Mash in the front drawing the enemies attention and focusing on defending the others while Caster attacked with his spells.

With the two servants dealing with the enemies that came from their front, Marie took on more of a support role, something she had to begrudgingly accept, as she used more of the spells assigned to her mystic code.

Marie stretched her arm out towards Caster and focused on wanting to make his attacks stronger.

A red light shined from her hand as she uttered the words, "Instant Enhancement!"

She heard Caster thank her through their mental bond before making four distinct yellow lights appear out of thin air that then shot past him and destroyed the remaining enemies skulls, ending the fight.

"Battle's over, Master. Man, these sacks of bones make for piss poor fights. I'm aching for a real challenge here." Cú held his staff over his shoulders as he complained about that last fight.

This wasn't the first fight they'd gotten into since leaving the convenience store, and it most likely wouldn't be the last either. There was a pattern becoming apparent to them by now.

They would walk for a couple of minutes, get rushed by some random enemies, and Caster would then proceed to curb stomp them while Mash and Marie would stand there watching.

Was it easy? Of course it was.

And it was also incredibly frustrating to watch the Caster show off and take care of their enemies without breaking a sweat, whereas the two of them were still having trouble keeping up with his pace.

"Sucks to be you then. More importantly, you alright Mash? Do you need healing?" Marie didn't spare Caster a second glance as she walked past him and headed towards Mash who hadn't said a word since a few fights ago.

"I'm fine, Senpai. Just… trying to catch my breath." Mash spoke in between breaths and it was clear the constant battles had taken an effect on her. Marie took this as Mash trying to sound tough and used her first aid ability to try and provide some comfort.

It seemed to have worked as Mash's complexion looked better, but there was more ailing her than just the exhaustion from the fights.

'He's on a completely different level… I mean, of course he is. It's the Cú Chulainn we're talking about here, a literal legend. Whereas I'm barely able to keep up, let alone get a single hit in before he's already finished them off. ' Were Mash's inner thoughts as she glanced at Caster.

After the fight with the rogue Medusa, Mash was under the impression that despite being a Demi-Servant, she was still able to fight on equal terms with any Servant she might encounter.

It would have been tough for sure, especially since she wasn't aware of her Noble Phantasm's true name, if she even had one in the first place, or the identity of the spirit that fused with her, but there was a possibility of victory.

She'd beaten a Servant after all, so maybe future fights wouldn't be that much of a difference.

A line of thought that gave birth to arrogance which was immediately put to rest once she saw him fight in person.

There were many factors surrounding that fight with the altered Servant that allowed her and Marie to get the upper hand against a being that was considered a Divine Spirit.

Medusa did not have a Master, meaning there was no constant supply of Mana like the one Marie was giving her. She'd also been dangerously low on Mana by the time the fight started, and was only able to fight as hard as she could with a small amount of Mash's blood in her.

However, the most important reason as to why they were able to get a leg up on their enemy was because Medusa hadn't used her Noble Phantasm on them.

These were all things that went through her head as they encountered an enemy group after leaving the commercial area and she saw just how easily Caster was able to dispatch enemies that Mash was still having trouble with. It was then she understood just how lucky she was to have survived against a monster like Medusa.

Mash knew her Master would be fine without her now that she had a true Servant by her side and not a Demi-Servant with no real combat experience.

It seemed as though she wasn't the only one who thought so as both Caster and Olga essentially strong-armed Marie into support duty now that they had two servants on their team, though they did let her keep the sword.

Olga had taught Marie about the other combat functions her mystic code had so as to dissuade her from putting herself in danger and let the Servants handle the heavy lifting, but this also meant that she now had a front row seat to seeing the power gap that existed between Mash and Caster.

"If you say so Mash, just remember not to push yourself too hard. Hey director! Battle's over, you can come out now." Marie called out to Olga who had been hiding behind an abandoned car while holding on to the backpack with supplies and Fou on her head.

Whereas Mash was dealing with her internal dilemma, so too was Marie deep in thought about a similar issue.

As they had progressed through the city and made it this far away from their previous location, both Caster and Olga had filled her head with several warnings regarding her wanting to fight alongside the Servants.

To start fighting like a mage, Olga had told her.
To stay back and let him handle the difficult stuff, Caster said.

All while Marie and Mash, who up till that point had been doing just fine in regards to their previous battles, with the exception of Medusa, were now being forced to approach combat in a way they weren't accustomed to.

A way neither of them particularly enjoyed.

"Excellent work Amabuki. Your decision to use your Instant Enhancementat that time on Cú Chulainn was a good call." Olga was genuinely impressed with how fast Marie had gotten accustomed to supporting the Servants with her spells. "I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much out of you at first but with my guidance, maybe you could end up a semi decent mage after all."

(Just had to add that last part didn't she?) Marie thought as she held out her arms in Olga's direction. Fou took that as a signal and jumped off of its current resting place -Olga's head- and into Marie's arms. Olga pretended not to care about being used as a chair for Mash's small pet and swept her hair back after it left.

"Thanks director, I mean that." Marie did not mean that and lied as naturally as she breathed.

"Alright, seeing as how we're a short walk away from my safe house, I see no reason to stop here. Master, why don't we give you some questions to make sure you've been paying attention to me and boss girl?"

Caster asked Marie as he kept calling Olga by the nickname he'd given her.

Originally, they were going to head straight to the cave under the temple but after all the encounters they've had against groups of enemies, Caster changed his mind and wanted to take them to a place he'd been hiding in since the world went up in flames.

At first the group from Chaldea were all skeptical seeing as how the place was off course, but he managed to convince them once a functioning shower was mentioned.

"That's a wonderful idea, Caster. We do need to make sure you've been listening and paying attention, Amabuki." Olga paused herself after agreeing with Caster and turned her head to shoot out a glare at Marie. "You have been paying attention, haven't you?" Her attempt to intimidate Marie had no effect and all it did was make her look silly.

"Sure, why not? It's not like you two haven't been hammering this information into my head for an hour anyway." Rather than argue, Marie just let the two do as they wanted.

(I did say I wanted answers, but I never expected them to be so convoluted.

… Nor did I expect the two to quite literally walk around me in circles while they explained what was happening, but I digress.)

Caster then took the lead and made them follow him further into a neighborhood with old european style houses. As they walked, both him and Olga made sure to ask Marie questions regarding what they'd taught her about the Holy Grail War.

Though it was more just Caster having fun annoying his Master a little and Olga taking the opportunity to cause Marie a bit of grief.

Mash stayed quiet all throughout the exchange, something that Marie had noticed but remained silent about because of the two people annoying her. She would wait until an opportunity where the two of them were alone to ask Mash what was wrong.

'What is the holy grail war?'

(A sh*tshow.) Marie thought to herself before answering Olga who had pulled out a pair of glasses from somewhere when she wasn't looking.

"A competition between seven mages that each summon a familiar to fight for them and win the titular 'holy grail' which might not even be the real one from christian religion that once held the blood of Christ and just an artifact with a similar use. The last mage standing gets the thing and can wish for anything they desire, no matter how impossible it might seem."

'What is a Servant?'

(Hell if I know, there were so many terms used I lost track after they started talking about some throne or whatever.)

Marie noticed Caster had been half paying attention to her getting quizzed and chuckling to himself as he found her current predicament funny.

(Laugh it up now because I'll remember this you old bastard.)

"Legendary heroes from the past who left a mark on history that are summoned inside one of seven unique vessels prepared by the grail. Normally too powerful to be brought into the world, this process makes the burden of summoning easier on both the Master and the grail."

'Is it really them being summoned, or something else?'

(Who f*cking knows anymore?)

"Yes and no. It's an aspect of them given flesh and their memories but it's not really the original."

"Is that all there is to it?" Olga followed up with a question, not satisfied with Marie's answer.

"I don't know, you two kept getting side tracked about something else and I stopped paying attention."

Olga was slightly confused at having her previous conversation regarding the throne and the root with Caster brought up and remembered she'd forgotten to explain those terms to her before telling Marie she'd accept her answer for now.

'Is a Servant always loyal to their Master?'

"Not necessarily since Servants are still their own person meaning they have their own morals and ideals. However a Master can force the Servant to follow their orders if need be."

'How?'

"By using their command seals. And before you ask me what those are, I'll just answer that now. A command seal is proof of the contract between Servant and Master, each Master only has three and they can be used to force the Servant into following any order, no matter how deranged or deprived."

"Exactly, so think twice before using one, lass. Once all three of those things are used up, the contract ceases to be and the Servant is free to do as they want for a short while. So if their Master took advantage of them with the seals and the Servant has a grudge over it… well, you get the idea." Caster said after Marie finished answering his question and then pointed at a road going up a hill.

"There's our path, it's a straight road from here. We'll be able to take a short break once we're inside. Nice work with those answers Master, hope I've been a good teacher." Caster gave Marie a small wink before turning away from her and walking forward.

"Yes, well… There's room for improvement but I'd call that a good enough introduction for now. We can start giving you a proper education once we return to Chaldea." Olga judged Marie according to her impossibly high standards and left to follow the Caster.

"...And that's supposed to be her being nice. Can you believe this, Mash?" Marie asked Mash who hadn't heard her and just kept walking forward with her head held low.

(Yeah, no. I'm not dealing with this for another second.) Marie thought before hurriedly walking past Mash and then stood right in front of her path.

Mash hadn't heard Marie's question or seen her standing in front. She let out a sigh as she raised her head only to bump into someone.

She quickly apologized for not paying attention and tried to move away before her wrist was grabbed.

"Mash look at me." Mash froze upon hearing Marie's voice.

"What's wrong? And don't say it's nothing because I'll waste a command seal here and now if it means getting it out of you." Marie knew doing so would force Mash into opening up about what's troubling her at the cost of losing her trust, but she was starting to get worried.

"You'd do that?" Mash asked, slightly stunned, and pouted at hearing her Master say so.

(Goddamn it, she's doing the same pout Sasara-san does when I put my foot down about her eating things that aren't good for her health. She's even got the same puppy dog eyes I'm weak against and everything. Stay strong damnit, stay strong!)

"...If I had to. Sure, you'd likely stop trusting me after that but I need to make sure you're okay. I promised to keep you safe after all." Marie removed the hand holding onto Mash's wrist and scratched her own cheek. "But if it's something you'd rather not have me hear then just let me know and I'll stop."

(And just like with Sasara, once the puppy dog eyes come out, I can't help myself. Forget it, probably something dumb.)

"Am I useless?" Mash asked with a whimper.

Marie had taken a single step away from Mash before she heard her question. "... What?"

"I'm sure you've seen it for yourself, how much stronger Caster is than I am. He can turn the tide of a fight in an instant, can come up with strategies on the go and to top it all off… he's a proper Servant." Mash took a second to look at her own shivering hand before clenching it into a fist and continuing.

"Not a half-baked Demi-Servant like myself who can't protect her Master right. I can't even use a Noble Phantasm and I'm doubting I even have one. If I were a proper Servant, there'd wouldn't have been a need for you to put yourself in danger to save me back then. I could have fought against Medusa if I weren't a failure of a Servant." Mash didn't want to admit it, mostly because it was against her nature, but she was envious.

This was yet another instance of her experiencing another emotion she never had before, that being envy. She was envious of Caster's strength, of his charisma, his wisdom and of how he was able to convince Marie to let him fight for her.

Mash felt weaker than ever and now that she'd confessed her frustrations to her Master, it was likely to lessen the woman's opinion of her.

Mash heard someone walking up to her, and felt them kindly take her hand unto their own. It was obvious who it was, but she didn't want to look at what face Marie was making at the moment.

"Did someone say that to you? That you were useless and that I didn't need you anymore?" Marie asked gently, as though speaking a bit louder would somehow harm Mash.

Mash shook her head. "No, Senpai, no one has said anything. It's just something I've had in my mind for a while now. I apologize if it's made me seem even weaker in your eyes and will try to do better from now on."

"If you're a failure of a Servant then what does that make me?" Mash flinched at how those words were spoken. Marie had used the same husky tone of voice as when they first met in the hallway that led to the meeting room.

Even in her troubled state, hearing her Master speak like that had an odd effect on Mash. She felt ashamed for thinking it but…

'Of all times to have this happen to me, why is my chest beating so fast right now? Please don't let her notice.' She had gotten lucky that Marie didn't notice a thing as she was more focused on something else.

Marie wouldn't do this for anyone else, a fact that the person themself was well aware of. She wanted Mash to feel better but also to test whether her fondness for the Servant was being influenced by the contract between them.

And so, taking a page from her roommate's book of being unnecessarily extra when it came to cheering someone up, Marie took some drastic measures.

"I don't need a 'proper Servant' or anything else, Mash. I just need you to be yourself. I keep saying that but you don't seem to believe me when I do. So maybe this will do the trick." Marie put down Fou who had stayed silent and let her handle Mash as it looked on.

"Sen-" Mash was going to ask what Marie meant by that when she suddenly put her arms around her, covering her arms in an embrace and placed her head on the Servant's shoulder.

"-Pai?!" Mash had stifled as she curled her fingers and went completely red at suddenly being hugged by Marie.

"I'd be dead right now if it weren't for you. I would have lost my mind and likely gotten myself killed. But I didn't because I had you with me. Whether it was at the house, the park, saving the director or fighting Medusa, you were always standing by me, protecting me no matter what. So when I hear those words come out of your mouth… when I hear how you feel useless, I start to wonder if I'm to blame for making you feel this way." Marie continued to speak in a low voice that only Mash could hear since they were so close.

"Be honest with me Mash. Am I a terrible Master?"

<"No.">

Rather than reply with her voice, Mash felt their mental link open up again and answered through it.

"Are you sure? I don't care about anyone else's opinion but yours, you know."

<"Yes. I may not have any experience as a Servant, or as a Demi-Servant for that matter, but I know for a fact that Senpai is trying her best.">

"Even if the director and the doctor say otherwise? What if they find another person who meets their standards?"

<"Then I'd still choose you over them. There's only one person I'll accept in this role and it's you, senpai.">

"...Thank you, Mash. Now do me a favor and switch the perspective of those questions around. What do you think I'll answer?"

Mash knew where Marie was going with this, but did as she said anyway.

"Am I… a terrible Servant?" Mash asked, now being the one talking out loud rather than speak through their link.

<No, you aren't and I want you to stop thinking that way.>

Mash began to raise her left arm and put it around Marie's waist. She wanted to use the other as well but her right hand was still holding on to her shield's handle.

"Are you sure? I don't… really mind what anyone has to say other than you."

<Yes, I am. You've been doing great so far and there's no need for you to think otherwise.>

Mash let her head rest on Marie's shoulder as well, no longer embarrassed about how they might look if anyone else saw them at that moment.

"Then, what if another Servant says otherwise? That they're better suited to be by your side than I am, what would you do?"

<I'd tell them to go make a contract with the director instead and have them deal with her. I don't need a Servant who's more experienced in a fight, Mash.> Marie suddenly cut their link and finished what she was saying with her voice.

"I just want you."

Mash's whole body shivered and she tried to hold back a smile at hearing Marie say that. Words she'd never heard before in her life and didn't even realize she wanted to hear before someone finally said them.

She was needed, and not just that, she was being properly looked at by the same person who spoke those words to her.

Mash was overcome with a warmth in her chest, another new experience for her, and was relieved that Marie wasn't currently able to see the expression on her face.

"And hey, if you're that worried about it, why not ask Caster to teach you some of his tricks while we're at the safe house? I'm sure he wouldn't mind, and even if he did, I'd just force him to." Marie was now speaking to Mash in a casual tone as she began caressing the back of her head, similar to how she'd done so back when they were trapped in the command room.

Mash couldn't speak, keeping her mouth shut so as to not let any weird sounds come out as Marie's hand continued stroking her hair, and simply nodded knowing her answer would be understood.

"Great! Then we should get going. Those two are probably wondering what's taking us so long and I'm sure you wouldn't want them to see us like this... Or would you?" Mash could picture the smile on Marie's face when she asked that question and nodded again.

"Is that a 'yes, we should go' or a 'yes, I wouldn't mind'? I need words, Mash, or is there a reason you can't talk?" Marie knew what Mash meant but couldn't help teasing the young woman a bit more.

"I wouldn't mind… Wait, no, I mean we should go! Yes, that one! That's definitely the one I meant!" Mash quickly corrected herself before she felt Marie remove her arms and lift her head.

They were now face to face and Marie could see Mash's eye that was not covered by her hair looking at her bashfully.

"That might be a bit hard to do seeing as how you're not letting me go." As soon as she heard Marie, Mash removed her arm and awkwardly took a step back.

"After you… Marie Senpai." Mash's face was still red and her movements were stiff. It was obvious she was forcing herself to move, but Marie didn't point it out. She'd gotten what she needed from their exchange just now.

Marie turned around and her face's expression shifted to a stern one, something only Fou had caught.

(I was right, there's something off about me lately. Even back during my days as Wicked when I'd take on the role of a nice person, not once did I ever go that far in trying to cheer someone up. What started off as an experiment to verify my doubts ended up having me almost believing in what I was saying.

And that's a dangerous thought to have.)

She walked ahead, not looking back as she heard Mash follow a bit behind her. Fou waited for Marie to pass before it walked next to Mash and stayed silent as they made their way up the road.

<Caster, you there?> Marie opened up her link to the druid as she walked, not giving out any signals that she was doing so.

<"Master? What's keeping you two, girlie's got her shield stuck on a tree or something?"> Caster answered her call in his usual way of speaking, something that Marie had gotten used to by now.

<Is it possible for a contract between Servant and Master to affect one of them mentally or physically?>

Marie's unexpected question gave Cú pause before he placed his hand under his chin and began to think.

<"Well, yeah? One's keeping the other alive using their life energy so it makes sense there'd be some side effects. Why?">

<Could one of those effects be changing aspects of someone's personality?>

Another question he wasn't expecting, one that made him raise an eyebrow and start taking her inquiries seriously as he began to wonder what Marie was worried about.

<"I don't personally believe so, unless there's another spell in place. Maybe something along the lines of forcing madness enchantment onto the summoned Servant or what have you. That said, there's still a lot we don't know about how the contract works, only that sometimes the Master-Servant pair might share dreams of each other's past.">

<Dreams of the past?> That information gave Marie a brief pause but it was quickly shrugged off.

<"Aye, though rare, it has been known to happen on occasion. Not that it matters to me though, my story's an open book so I ain't got much to hide. What about you Master, any secrets you're afraid of anyone finding out?">

<Yes, now shut up before I remind you of what I'll use your staff for if you start getting out of line.>

<"Shutting up, ma'am.">

<Also, Mash might ask for you to train her while we're there.>

<"Is that so? I was planning on making that suggestion as soon as she got here but that makes it easier. You got it boss, though I have been known to be a strict teacher. Should I go easy on her?"> Caster was chuckling to himself as he said this which prompted an odd look from Olga who was waiting for Marie and Mash to arrive as she stood near him.

<Just take it seriously and don't hold anything back.> Marie ended the connection then and went back to her nice girl persona before she turned to face Mash who was no longer stiffly walking behind her.

"I can see the place from here, come on Mash!" Marie shot her another blinding smile and started to run towards the end of the road as she left Mash behind.

"Wha? Wait up, Senpai!" Mash began to run as well with Fou following her, still looking at Marie.

==================

Chapter 11

Chapter Text

'Old' was the first word that came to Marie's mind once she saw the large western mansion they were going to be using as a base for a short while.

She walked in and was surprised that electricity still worked when Caster flipped a nearby light switch which brightened up the entrance hall they were all standing in before he headed deeper inside. To her right was a staircase going up to the mansion's second floor where the living quarters were located.

Further in from the entrance hall were multiple closed doors excluding the open door Caster had just walked through that led to the living room which, in turn, also led to the dining room.

As if the outside wasn't enough to paint a specific picture the inside was entirely furnished in antique western housewares. The mahogany paneling walls were a rare sight for someone like Marie who was used to modern architecture but to each their own, she thought.

One could see the preference of whoever had the mansion built from the entrance alone, the utter and complete refusal to compromise in their vision of a purely european style home that wanted nothing to do with the eastern island country that existed outside its walls.

Which is probably why Olga felt right at home for the first time in hours.

"Finally! Something even remotely resembling proper civilization. Whoever lived in this house clearly had an eye for the finer details. Amabuki, you understood those little scribbles outside on the plaque correct? What was the name on it?" Olga asked and made her way towards a nearby couch in the living room. She let herself be sunk in by the cushion as it made a loud sound of leather being stretched.

"It read 'Tohsaka'. Definitely not a name I've heard of before." Marie answered from the entrance hall and followed up with a short question as she continued to try and piece together who it was that lived in such a place.

There were a couple of framed pictures on top of an antique side cabinet near the staircase. In the farthest one was a family of four, a dandy looking man wearing a red suit next to his kindly looking wife wearing a dress with light green colors. In front of them were two small girls, presumably their daughters, with smiles on their faces. The girl on the left had black hair, much like her parents, light blue eyes and wore a white blouse with a red skirt while the girl on the right had short violet hair with a ribbon on the left side, purple eyes and a purple dress.

(What is with me and purple today? First the clown, then that snake woman's hair and now this poor kid.) Thought Marie as she let out a sigh and continued to look through the pictures.

The framed picture next to that one looked eerily similar, with the only two differences being that the girl with violet hair was no longer there and the girl with pigtails was no longer smiling.

(Definitely a story there.)

The other pictures only had the pigtailed girl as she got older, no parents or anyone else in sight.

"Tohsaka… I believe that's the name of an easterner studying under Lord El-Melloi II, though I could be wrong. After a while, all eastern sounding names start to sound the same. I suppose it doesn't really matter. Still, who would have expected one of your kind to have such good taste in decor? I should make a letter and send her a gift of some kind for letting us use her home." Marie heard Olga respond from the living room and decided against continuing the conversation.

Someone lightly tapped her shoulder and got her attention.

"Senpai, I've spoken to Caster and he agreed to train me during our stay here. Would it be okay if I go on ahead?" The person next to her was Mash, who looked like she was holding back her excitement at being trained by such a legendary hero.

"Sure, I'm just gonna keep looking around, see if there's anything useful we can use." Marie gave her approval and received a nod in return.

Just as Mash was about to reach the door to go outside and wait for Caster to start their training, she heard Marie call out to her from where she was still standing.

"Don't push yourself too hard and remember who you're dealing with. If Caster starts to get handsy or he makes inappropriate comments just tell me and I'll get him to cut it out." Marie didn't intend on making that comment but, as she had recently noticed and blamed their contract for, she couldn't help worrying about Mash's wellbeing.

"I'll, uhh… keep an eye out. Thank you for the warning, Marie Senpai." Mash made an awkward face as she remembered the uncouth parts of Cú Chulainn's legend and made a mental note to watch out for him.

Mash left through the door and closed it, meaning there were only three people, and Fou, inside the mansion.

Just as Marie was about to make her way upstairs she heard a nearby door open. She looked at where the sound had come from and saw Caster drink straight from what seemed to be a large glass bottle of wine.

"Ahh~ Gods, I needed that. I've had my fair share of sh*te days before, but this one is shaping up to be something special, aye?" It seemed to be a question aimed at no one as he hadn't noticed Marie standing there. At least, that's what it looked like since once he turned towards the entrance and saw her about to climb up the staircase, he did a small jump which spilled a bit of his drink.

"How did you-?! I didn't even sense you there! How are you doing that?!" Caster was genuinely surprised at his Master. Being contracted meant that there was always a link between the two that allowed the Servant to instinctively feel where their Master was at all times. And yet, despite the woman being no less than a few feet away from him, he hadn't sensed her presence at all.

It wasn't as though she didn't have a presence, she wasn't invisible or a ghost. But even if she were, he would have known she was there.

"Aren't you supposed to be outside with Mash? Why the hell are you drinking now?" Rather than try to understand what he was surprised about, Marie wondered if the man was still sober with how much alcohol she'd just seen him consume.

"Celtic warrior remember? If I'm not getting drunk afterwards then there's no point fighting in the first place." Caster looked appalled at being asked why he was drinking.

"... But you haven't even fought her yet?" Marie asked him before Caster just shrugged her off saying she wouldn't understand and exited the building.

Marie stayed there in front of the staircase as she wondered what went wrong with her life that this was her current reality.

A robe wearing druid who was apparently thousands of years old and drunk off his ass leading them towards their potential deaths.

Her elitist boss who looked down on her and made it obvious to everyone around them despite being all but useless.

A naive young woman who she'd taken a liking to who had self esteem issues.

And the small cat-dog thing that seemed to be smarter than anyone gave it credit for.

(There's a joke to be made there, but I'm not gonna be the one to make it.) Marie thought as she made her way upstairs.

///

Olga could hear the wood creak with each step Marie took on the stair as she climbed up to the second floor.

'She could have at least tried to make less noise, though I'd bet she doesn't know I can hear her. Unless she's doing it on purpose to fish a reaction out of me.' Thought Olga while hearing Marie start to walk around the second floor.

"I wonder what's taking Romani so long to contact us. He did say it would only take a couple of minutes but it's been close to two hours since the last time we spoke."

This was the first time in a while that Olga could be alone with her thoughts. Back when she had first found herself in this singularity there was no time to wonder about her predicament since she was immediately chased by a group of enemies throughout the city area.

After which she was saved by an increasingly annoying duo of Mash and Marie, plus one pet, and had been treated as a hindrance ever since.

They had no trouble dispatching the enemies that had been chasing her for so long and then, as if to add insult to injury, revealed that the two had somehow established a Master-Servant contract despite the circ*mstances surrounding them both.

'The way the two of them fight together, you'd think they'd been doing so for years. Mash I can understand, she's been training under Romani for nearly a decade but that doesn't explain Amabuki. Non-mages aren't supposed to be able to do any of the things she's done in the time we've been here, let alone fight a damn Servant and win.'

What had started out as a refusal to acknowledge the fact that such a person like Amabuki could possibly be a Master was overturned as Olga continued watching how she gave orders in battle to her Servants.

Cú Chulainn was the main strategist during the skirmishes they'd all found themselves in after leaving the commercial district, but on occasion Marie would give an order that would make a battle that would have taken longer, last significantly less.

Both Olga and the Caster hadn't mentioned it to each other but they both thought the same thing.

Marie Amabuki was a natural when it came to commanding in battle. She could see details that both Mash and Cú couldn't as a result of being front line fighters, make split second decisions that would give them an advantage, and even manage to defend herself if an enemy broke through them to try and attack her.

Even though it was obvious how little she cared for being in a supporting role, there was no denying that she was great at it.

'To think, I wanted her to throw that sword of hers away. Though I might have said it with a sarcastic tone earlier, I do think that with enough training Amabuki would actually make a semi decent Mage… not that I'll ever admit that to her face, of course.'

Olga leaned back on the sofa and heard the leather of the cushion stretch out more as she made herself comfortable. She then took out the communicator that originally belonged to Marie from her pocket and held it in her right hand.

"I wonder if Romani's found any trace of Lev yet." Right when Olga finished her sentence, she heard a beeping sound coming from the communicator in her hand and it began to shine.

She closed her eyes so as to not be blinded by the brightness and waited for the light to dim.

"Right then, apologies for the short wait. All priority systems have been restored and we here at Chaldea are now fully equipped to assist in whichever way you need. Mash, are you there?"

Olga heard a voice belonging to Chaldeas' acting director and remembered how insulting it was that Romani of all people was currently in charge of her organization.

"No, Romani, she's not. Unfortunately for you, I'm the only one here. Mash is currently outside training with Caster before we head out to acquire the grail and Amabuki is upstairs doing who knows what. How about you? I see you've managed to discover another function Da Vinci added without telling anyone."

Rather than the small rectangular screen that gave her and the others trapped in the singularity a view into Chaldeas' command room, there was a blue and transparent holographic projection of Romani Archaman standing in front of Olga that was clipping through a table.

The hologram of the doctor looked down to see its legs being blocked off by a small table before it moved a bit to the left and was now completely visible.

"Sorry about that, I'm still not quite sure how this works. Leona just sprung this on us before she left with some staff to the data center. You were saying?"

Olga begrudgingly repeated her earlier words and caught Romani up to speed with their current whereabouts and goals. Just as she was about to mention the true identity of the Caster and how Marie had made a contract with him, Romani interrupted her before she could get any further.

"Wait, wait, what do you mean it's been two hours? It's only been almost half an hour here since we went offline." The doctor's hologram was moving around its arms and opening its mouth, seemingly replicating the man's mannerisms as he spoke.

"I mean what I said, Romani. That you left us without any support for the past two hours. Something I'll be sure to remember when it's time to write up evaluations. Now, unless you want your salary to be under minimum wage, I'd suggest explaining to me why the system I personally paid millions for took so long to come back online." An empty threat, but Olga knew it'd work against him. The doctor's salary was not at all low, Chaldea paid its employees quite generously since they were being funded by the U.N. and the mage's association. Yet, despite that, the man was constantly out of money and had to settle for the free cafeteria food and water bottles all employees were entitled to.

Olga didn't know what he was doing with his paycheck, nor did she care. It was a weak point she was more than willing to take advantage of.

"No! New Magi☆Mari merch is supposed to come out next week and I still haven't paid off my loans from the last bunch! Please, director, have mercy!"

Olga couldn't see Romani embarrass himself in front of a room full of his peers, but judging by how the blue hologram with his appearance was prostrating on the ground with tears in his eyes while looking at her, she regretted ever making the threat in the first place.

And also wondered how such a man was able to get in the top five most eligible bachelors of Chaldea list seven years in a row.

'Number one being Lev, of course.'

"Enough, Romani! Just focus on whatever it is you can do for me. Do we have any new information?" She knew her patience was wearing thin and just wanted to hear whatever it was the man had to say so she could forget this pathetic display of his had ever happened.

'To think this idiot is the acting director…'

The sniveling man looked up from the ground and asked if she would really lower his pay, which prompted another verbal lashing from Olga that everyone around them could hear before things could resume.

///

It took a while for the shouting to stop but when it finally did Marie felt an immense sense of relief come over her.

I'm just glad that it wasn't aimed at me. Sounds like doc's back and he got the short end of the stick having the director be the first person he talks to. Sucks to be him, but he probably deserves it.

Marie continued walking through the second floor to try and get a feel for the place. She had already seen most of the rooms there and found that, outside of one room which clearly belonged to a teenage girl considering everything she found that gave her that impression, they were mostly empty and riddled with dust everywhere.

There was no proof that anyone lived in any of the other rooms outside of that one bedroom and she felt like she'd been wasting her time with her little tour.

As she made her way across the hallway towards the last door she hadn't checked, she began to wonder if there was a point to her doing this.

Caster did call this his safehouse and said that he'd been staying here for a while, but how long did that mean?

A while could be anything, a few days, a few weeks…

He mentioned he'd been using it since the world turned into the picture of hell it currently is, but when did that happen?

Marie stopped in front of the door and began to think about her predicament. She could have voiced her concerns to herself, but on the off chance that someone would hear her, she chose to keep those thoughts in her head.

Similar to Olga, this was the first time in a while that Marie was truly alone without someone next to her, which meant that she could slightly relax and turn off nice girl mode.

Not that it matters, I haven't bothered trying to keep up appearances that much, something I blame the director's bitchy self for.

Marie let out a deep breath and swept her loose hair back. It was in doing so that she remembered her black hair clip had broken after being used as a lock pick and that she still hadn't tied up her hair with her blue ribbons that were currently in her pocket.

She looked at an uncleaned mirror with an odd design to her left and saw herself for the first time in what felt like ages.

I look like a mess.

Her hair was loose and some of it was sticking to her face because of her sweat. Her uniform was covered in dirt and dried blood that didn't belong to her. Because she'd ripped off the zipper that acted as a communicator, her collar was open and the top part of the slider had disconnected, meaning her upper chest was visible but not enough that her breast tattoo was out in the open because of the uniform's top strap keeping the slider in place.

But hey, at least outside of the zipper, the rest of the uniform's intact. No tears on the top or the skirt and my stockings are untouched. They're all dirty, but serviceable. Nothing a good wash couldn't handle.

Her hands, chest, and face had a few small scratches on them, but other than those she was mostly unharmed.

"So Servants wounds heal naturally thanks to their constant supply of mana we Masters give them, but in return we get sh*t all? Sounds like a raw deal to me." Marie chuckled after making that sarcastic comment before stopping and taking a closer look at the mirror.

Who the hell is this supposed to be anyway? They look nothing like what Marie Amabuki is supposed to.

-And how's that?

The voice inside returned just as abruptly as it did during the fight with the Gorgon and Marie didn't think twice about where it came from or why it sounded just like her as she responded to it.

-Clean. Pristine. Like a goody two shoes who wouldn't be caught anywhere looking like this.

-I feel like you're giving (m̶e̶)her too much credit.

-No, I'm really not. If anything I'm not giving her enough.

-If you say so… then, who does that look like?

Marie furrowed her brow and appeared to be snarling at the figure looking back at her in the mirror who was making the same expression. She could see the outline of a heart become visible on each pupil which only served to make her even angrier.

It took her a few seconds for her face to turn inexpressive as she turned away from the mirror and answered the disembodied voice in her head that sounded just like her as she opened the door.

A thing that everyone's better off forgetting.

///

"Again!" Caster shouted from the tree log he was using to sit while watching his two canine familiars surround Mash in a circle.

They were both eyeing her as though she were prey as they waited for their owner to give the attack signal.

Not that they'd ever truly harm her, of course, they were properly trained to obey his orders since they were pups. This was just them following his orders and wanting to play after not having been summoned for so long.

"Kid, how many times do we have to go through this? I'll say it again. Big Shield! Small range! Fast dogs! What's not to get about this?" The man told a very exhausted Mash.

'Nothing! Absolutely nothing about that made any sense! Why is he so bad at explaining what he wants me to do?! I've just been getting flanked by these dogs since we started training and I'm beginning to think asking him for advice was a bad idea.' Thought Mash before answering.

"I don't understand, sir. Just what is it I'm doing wrong?"

"Everything! And stop calling me that, it makes me feel old." Caster clapped his hands once and the wolves stopped circling Mash.

"Big Shield! It means that your options are limited in regards to the actions you can take in a fight. Your main weapon is a SHIELD, you are a SHIELDER, meaning you're supposed to be SHIELDING yourself! So why the hell are you leaving yourself open all the time like a damned fool?!"

Mash flinched at being called a fool but still felt Caster had a point. Rather than wait for the enemy to approach her, she was the one approaching instead and hoping to catch an enemy off guard with her immense strength.

'But… Why did I think that was a good idea? Doctor Roman taught me to always be patient in a fight and study the opponent's movements before making an attack. Even when it was just Marie Senpai and I a few hours ago, I took on a more passive role following her orders and did just fine.'

The images of the fight with Medusa popped into her head as she remembered how they'd fought against her.

'During that fight, I remember there was no need to think that hard about whether my attacks would land or not. Everything felt natural as I just focused on covering Senpai's openings and made sure she wouldn't get hurt. Wait, is that it?'

"You mean to say that I shouldn't rush in blindly and focus on defense rather than offense?" Mash asked, wondering if that was what Caster had meant.

"Yes, finally, she gets it! Your main goal at all times is making sure the person behind us doesn't get hurt, but that doesn't mean you should let yourself get killed while doing so either. Small range! What do you think that means?"

Mash looked at her large shield and answered what she thought was right.

"There's only so many things I can do with a shield when attacking, but with defense there's only one, I guard."

"Exactly. Look, with that huge ass shield with you, plus your crazy strength, there's really no reason for you to be so stiff when it comes to defense. Use your agility together with your strength and start getting creative with those things." Caster now had a proud smile on, as he was enjoying his role as a mentor and wondered if this was how his teacher felt when she taught him.

"But what about offense? There'll be times when I do have to attack right?" Mash followed up with another question, now fully paying attention to what he had to say.

"Well duh, that's obvious. Rather than rush forward, you stay in position and use your shield's length to your advantage."

'That's right! I was using the base as an extension to my range back with Medusa… wait, how'd I even think of using the shield that way? Did senpai tell me to do that? Or did I figure it out myself?'

Before Mash could continue that line of thinking, Caster got to the third point he wanted to make.

"Fast dogs! What does that mean to you?"

Mash thought about it for a few seconds and felt she'd come up with a good answer before putting it into words.

"Why am I focusing on both at the same time when I should focus on defending myself from whichever attacks first. Of course, they're faster than I am, but I'm the one who's stronger which means… ohh, I get it now."

'Since they're too fast for me, I should just wait till they attack first to defend myself and then counter.'

At the sound of the lesson he'd been trying to instill on her having finally hit its mark he whistled at his two familiars letting them know their break was over.

"Well lass, if you're so certain of yourself, you wouldn't mind giving me a demonstration now, would ya?" Caster asked as he put his arms behind his head and relaxed his posture.

Mash saw the dogs begin to circle around her once more but rather than focus on each individual one, she paid attention to the speed in which they were moving, the distance it would take to reach her and the rhythm in which their paws were hitting the ground.

Mash assumed an odd looking stance of having one arm exposed in front of her as the other was behind the shield and she placed one leg in front of the other while slightly lowering her knees.

Cú raised an eyebrow at the sight, both because it was only now that he got a good look at the young woman's figure, and also because the sudden use of a martial arts stance was surprising.

"I'm ready."

And so, at the sound of her voice, Caster tapped the ground with his cane twice, giving the go-ahead signal to his wolves.

==================

Chapter 12

Chapter Text

Marie was currently on the second floor inside a large room with an impressive collection of books stacked on multiple bookshelves that covered most of the walls. Other things in the room were some modern looking office chairs, a chessboard with the pieces put away in a small box next to it, and a window near the middle of the room with a clear view of the city.

She was looking down from the sole window in the room at the courtyard where Mash and Caster were currently training. She'd seen Mash finally manage to defend herself and win against a pair of strange dogs with silver fur after multiple failed attempts.

Marie thought about using their mental link to congratulate Mash but chose not to.

(Forget it, she'd get soft if I praise her for every little thing.)

She turned to give the room one more final glance before making her way back to the first floor. While going down the staircase, she saw a sliver of white fur pass by her as it went upstairs.

"Fou? You okay?" Marie called out but the small animal continued its climb upwards and disappeared once it turned the corner.

(…Alright then. Guess it was in a hurry.)

Marie shrugged and continued her descent to the first floor after which she then made her way towards the living room to check in on both Olga and Roman.

For whatever reason the door to the living room was closed and when she was about to grab the doorknob, she heard voices from within. Marie looked around before putting her ear next to the door and tried listening in on what was being said.

"What do you mean her potential as Master is abnormal? Everything about her can be described as such! How does someone like her just slip through the cracks?!" Marie recognized the voice that had just talked as Olga's.

"I mean it, Olga. These numbers shouldn't be possible. If we knew about her before we formed the teams she'd likely have been assigned as a member of A team, and that's with taking her status as a non-mage into account.." The new voice came across a bit strangely as it sounded like it was being heard through a phone. Even so, it was obvious that the voice belonged to the doctor.

(Are they talking about me?) Marie thought as she heard them continue on with their conversation.

"This makes no sense… if she's as valuable a resource as you say she is, then why did Lev not let anyone know about her?" There was a tinge of anger when Olga made that question, though it wasn't aimed at the person she was speaking with. The idea that Lev who'd been by her for so long would keep something from her was a foreign one that she didn't want to consider.

If she continued this line of thought to its natural conclusion while adding into consideration everything else that's happened on that day, what truth would await her upon reaching it?

Romani saw the conflicted face she was making and wanted to try and cheer her up but before he could, Meuniere gave him a small piece of paper with a message from da Vinci written on it.

"Olga… I know it's a lot to take in but, there is an upside to this. The FATE system has come back online, I've just gotten confirmation from Leona."

(Fate system?)
Marie repeated in her mind.

"It has? That's… that's good then, finally a bit of good news. Question is, how do we verify that it's working as intended? Unless you mean to tell me we should have Amabuki test it out?" Hearing Olga mention her name, Marie smirked at the thought of her boss having to ask her for a favor.

"It would be our best bet. That way we can test how the FATE system works inside of a singularity and it has the added effect of helping us check if these numbers on her record are accurate. Now the problem is whether she'd be willing to help us or not." Romani began to scratch his head and his hologram did the same.

Marie's refusal to join their mission had been a surprising one for Romani. He expected some push back since she was a non-mage that wasn't aware of the scale of their operation, and also adding in how Olga had been treating her throughout the day didn't help, but not an outright rejection.

It was clear to him just how badly they'd screwed up back at the lounge in trying to gain her trust. If only he'd been more outspoken and taken her side against the director's accusations, maybe things would be different, he thought.

'Maybe then I could have gotten some answers out of her regarding the discrepancies in her personal files… too little, too late, I suppose.'

"We'll have to get Mash to talk her into it. She's the only one Amabuki seems to be close with…" At Olga's suggestion, Romani winced as he remembered the image of his daughter holding hands with Marie while leaning on her shoulder from earlier.

"Oh, for- Romani, get a hold of yourself! She's about to turn seventeen in less than a week, so what if she's finally showing interest in someone else?! And here I thought you'd be happy to see her making friends!" Marie heard Olga raise her voice towards the doctor and was surprised to learn about Mash's age.

(Mash is how old?! Holy sh*t, what are they feeding that girl?! At that age I was practically a twig and here she is, a goddamn power house with super strength rocking that skin tight armor of hers... Damn, kinda wishing I'd ask grandma for seconds even if it meant pissing off the old man.) Marie pushed the thought out of her head and tried to concentrate on the details that mattered.

"It's not her making friends I'm worried about, it's what comes next! That's how these things start!" The man screeched as he pulled a handkerchief out of nowhere and began to pull on it with both hands but his words went unheard by Marie.

(They've noticed that I've gotten too attached to Mash and are willing to use that against me. It doesn't sound like they intended that to happen so I suppose that rules out the possibility that they had anything to do with the contract in the first place. This also means that Mash is likely genuinely trying to get closer to me and not because her bosses are telling her to.)

-I'm sure that's the case with her. And I'm glad you're taking this so well. One can never have enough friends you know?

-(Shut up, I have enough friends. Besides, chances are she's being affected by the contract, same as me, so it doesn't count.)

-My point still stands.

Marie was about to continue arguing with herself when she heard the sound of leather being stretched coming from the living room.

Olga had shifted her position on the couch and glanced at Romani with a tired look on her face.

"Look, I'm not going to humor you with this any longer so let's just move on. How are we going to get Amabuki to do a summon? We don't have the energy required to do a summoning on hand, not unless you find us a leyline nearby. Do we even have the time to start looking for one?" Rather than Romani answering Olga's question, the hologram in front of her changed to a young man with a stout figure who was shorter than the doctor and began answering her.

"Luckily enough, you just so happen to be on top of one, madam director. I've scanned the whole area surrounding Fuyuki and it turns out your current lodging belongs to the Tohsaka clan, which are the second owners of the city." Meuniere relayed the information in a calm manner not wanting to interact with Olga more than necessary or give her a reason to treat him the way she does Romani.

"Well that is certainly… convenient. Wait, of course, how could I forget? The Tohsaka's were one of the families involved with the inception of the Fuyuki Holy Grail War in the first place." Olga cradled her head and wondered how she could have forgotten such an important detail before she heard the young operator clear his throat to try and get her attention.

"Also, regarding Amabuki. She's right outside the door listening in so now it's just a matter of asking her directly and hearing her answer. Good luck with that, Meuniere out."

The hologram of Meuniere made a peace sign and then changed back to Romani showing off a baffled look while staring at the direction his coworker had walked away.

"... Amabuki? Are you actually there?" Hearing Meuniere expose her, followed up by Olga calling her, Marie decided to make her presence known now that her cover was blown.

She opened the door and looked at the people inside the room with a controlled expression on her face.

"Hello there doctor, nice to see you again. We should really stop meeting like this, I feel it's becoming a habit." She chose to break the ice with a joke, something that didn't seem to have much effect as both Romani and Olga kept staring at her.

"How… How much of that did you hear?" The doctor spoke first.

"Something about abnormal numbers and the Fate system, I didn't really understand most of it." Rather than lie and be potentially called out by the staff member from earlier, Marie decided to be truthful.

"I wonder if you realize how suspicious all this sneaking around makes you look. You're not doing yourself any favors around here with that attitude Amabuki." Marie wanted to point out the irony in Olga of all people saying that to her but chose otherwise.

"Hey, I'm not the one closing doors and having secret talks about people without them being present now am I? Didn't your parents ever teach you how rude that is?" As Marie spoke, she closed her eyes and waved her hand in a dismissive way. Because of this, she hadn't seen Olga quickly stand from her seat and make way towards her.

Marie felt two hands grab her uniform and forcefully pull her a bit forward.

It was Olga, who had apparently used so much force when pulling that the top strap on Marie's uniform broke apart. Having nothing to keep it in place, the slide continued its descent and stopped on the lower strap located above the abdomen.

Marie's top had opened, giving Olga a close look at the woman's half exposed upper body.

"..."
"..."

The two just stood there, surprised at what had just unfolded, pun intended, and it was the director of Chaldea who ended the short lived silence.

"Amabuki…why aren't you wearing a shirt under your uniform?" Olga was still holding on to the sides of Marie's uniform and trying to keep her eyes at the woman's face rather than what lay below it.

'Why on earth is she not wearing anything other than a bra under there? And is that a… is that a tattoo on her breast?!'

"... Because when I changed clothes, I was under the impression Chaldea would have a centralized heater. How was I supposed to know no one ever thought to turn down the thermostat? Also, what's the point of having air conditioning in a building on top of a mountain in the Antarctic?" Marie was holding back the urge to punch the woman in the face as she spoke.

"Well that's… I, uhh…" Olga was genuinely speechless because of Marie's reasoning and was about to take her arms off of her when she heard the sound of floorboards creaking coming from the entrance to the living room.

Both Olga and Marie turned their heads to find an open mouthed Mash staring at them and Caster with his hand over his mouth failing to cover a grin.

"Would you look at that? Looks like me and Shielder over here weren't the only ones working up a sweat." The first thing out of Caster's mouth was a very stupid comment nobody in the room wanted to acknowledge.

"Director… what do you think you're doing to my Master?" Mash followed up with a question that equaled a threat as she was staring daggers at Olga's hands that were still holding onto Marie's broken top, and also Marie herself by extension. Though there was also a certain word in there that escaped most people's attention but one.

'Oh God, it's starting. She's already laid claim to her and is jealous of people encroaching on her territory. I knew I was right to worry about this! Friends?! You wanna call this friends?! Like hell it is! I've watched enough turkish telenovelas with Leona to know where this is going.' Romani had all but been forgotten by the people inside the room and his coworkers who were more invested in this new development.

"Wha-?! I'm just trying to ascertain her motives behind having to hide like a rat while Romani and I discuss our next move! If anything you should be asking her what she wants to do to me!" Olga had been pushing and pulling Marie while she spoke, causing the woman she'd been holding to lose her balance and fall backwards.

As Marie felt herself falling she reached her arms out for any support but only ended up taking whatever she had grabbed along for the ride.

The sound of a body loudly hitting a table was heard, followed up by a few gasps from members of Chaldea looking on from their screens and from Mash inside the room.

Caster could no longer hold on and began to laugh while holding his stomach as he found the sight in front of him hilarious. It was also around this time that the small phantasmal that no one had seen or heard since they arrived in the mansion came down the staircase and entered the living room wanting to see what all the commotion was about.

"Foufou-FOU?!" 'Alright, clearly, my dumb ass picked the wrong time for a nappy. What's got everyone all riled up- HOLY sh*t!' Fou had arrived and it also could not believe what it was seeing.

(I… am killing her. I don't know when. I don't know how. But f*ck my promise all the way to the deepest pits of hell! I am murdering this bitch and hiding the body in the Antarctic as soon as we get back!)

Marie had closed her eyes in the fall and could feel the impact from hitting the table push her sword against her back. There was also an odd weight on top of her and didn't know what it was she'd grabbed while falling.

Marie had been silent after Mash and Caster entered the room and misunderstood the situation, which was fine, she thought, all I need to do is explain. Something she wasn't able to do because of Olga's sudden pushing and pulling.

When Marie opened her eyes, she was greeted to the sight of the woman whose life she'd just mentally decided to end, straddling her while looking disheveled from the fall and panting heavily.

It took Olga a few seconds to catch her breath and was preparing to yell at Marie for having made her fall as well when she saw the position the two of them had. She began to stutter her words and started blushing heavily.

(Next time I feel like punching her, I should just go ahead and do it. Would probably be less troublesome. Lesson learned.)

"Would you hurry up and get off her already!?"

(Couldn't have said it better myself, thank you Mash.)

///

Everyone was outside in the courtyard as Mash drew up a perfect circle and some sigils inside of it with a twig while Romani explained how the summoning worked.

"Rather than try to summon a specific Servant like in a proper Holy Grail War by using a catalyst, we'll be bypassing those limitations with the help of Mash's shield. It has a special property that I'm not at liberty to discuss right now, it's on a need to know basis, but we should be able to pull a heroic spirit from the throne… with any luck, of course." Romani didn't look very sure of himself considering how he chose to end that explanation but no one called him out on it.

Marie was sitting on the log Caster had been using as a seat earlier and trying to memorize the words on a piece of paper she'd been handed. Outside of agreeing to try and summon a servant, she hadn't said a word since the mess that took place in the living room.

The sash she'd been using as a makeshift sheath for her sword was awkwardly tied around her uniform, tightly holding the two sides separated by the broken slider together.

"Everything's ready on my end, Doctor Roman. When can we start?" Mash had finished drawing the sigils and placed her shield right side up in the middle of the circle.

"So, are we just gonna ignore the way those two are acting?" Caster raised his arm like a student in a classroom to draw attention to himself and asked the transparent man and the young Servant in front of him.

This caused Mash and Romani to each look separately at the two people Caster meant.

Romani's hologram turned to look at the tree Olga had been hiding behind and saw her peeking her head out, staring maliciously at Marie from a safe distance.

Meanwhile, Mash chose to walk towards where Marie had been sitting and tried to get her attention. "Senpai, we can start whenever you want. Is the summoning incantation giving you any trouble?"

Marie glanced up to see Mash in front of her and didn't respond. She shook her head before looking down and continuing to read through the lines she had to memorize.

"...Okay, just let me know when you're ready." Mash awkwardly said and went back to where the doctor's hologram and Caster were.

"Is this gonna be alright? I'm starting to think it's these two trying to kill each other we should be worried about instead of Saber." Caster had been sarcastic when he said that, but the other two were concerned there was a hint of truth to his words.

It was no secret the two women didn't like each other, they'd made that apparent any chance they could and after the living room incident, everyone expected there to be an escalation of their animosity towards one another. Instead, there was an eerie silence from both of them that was starting to make the people around them get concerned.

"Senpai's just under a lot of stress, okay? I'm sure she'll be fine if we just give her some time to herself." Contrary to what she just said, Mash wanted nothing more than to ask her Master what was wrong, like how Marie had taken the time to cheer her up before they entered the mansion.

The reason Mash hadn't done so already was because she was worried she might not be able to properly convey her words and end up making Marie feel worse.

"I think you're blowing things out of proportion, they'll be fine... I think?" Romani, on the other hand, thought the Caster was being overdramatic and that the two would return to normal eventually. Though, it was true that he'd never seen Olga act this way before so maybe the druid had a point.

There was an awkward silence in the courtyard as no one spoke aloud and the only sound that could be heard was that of the leaves on the trees moving from the wind blowing their way.

"Ahh! Screw this! Would the two of you pull your heads out of your asses and get over it! It was an accident! A funny one, for sure, but still. For f*ck's sake, I thought I was dealing adults here, not children!" Caster began to shout at both Marie and Olga while letting out a bit of killing intent to enhance the effect his words could have.

The two women stopped what they were doing and looked at him from where they were.

"In case you idiots have forgotten, we're trying to win a war here. We still have two Servants to deal with, one of which literally has the grail by her side and that dual wielding archer whor*son of hers as well, and you're gonna sit here twiddling your thumbs because of what? Something as stupid as that? Get over yourselves and start acting like f*cking mages already!"

No one said a word after Cú finished his ranting which only served to anger him more. He turned around and made his way back inside the mansion.

"f*ck this, I need a drink. All this yelling went and made me sober." He disappeared from their sight after saying that and they heard the front door being slammed closed after he went inside.

"... Well. Though I may not agree with the way he chose to say it, the man has a point. Olga, Amabuki, I realize that the two of you might have your differences but you'll have to put them aside and work together if we want to succeed in the mission." Romani tried a more calm approach to try and resolve the tension that had formed within their group by agreeing with Caster, just with less curse words.

Marie and Olga shared a glance before turning their heads to face Romani.

"Doc?" "Romani?" They individually called him.

"Yes?" He answered them both, wondering if he'd gotten through to them since they had spoken at the same time.

""Shut up."" They said simultaneously and went back to what they were doing.

"Fair enough." Romani's hologram then showed him crouching down on his knees and clasped his hands before twirling his thumbs. "No wonder everyone said I had it easy raising Mash, young people these days are jerks."

"Sir, aren't you young as well? You're only a few years older than them." Meuniere asked from his post as he kept an eye on the scanner wanting to make sure there were no enemies in the vicinity.

"Shut up Meuniere. What did I ever do to be treated like this, huh?" As if waiting for Romani's question, suddenly everyone around him in the command room and the people in the courtyard spoke up in turns.

"You're a lazy bum." Mao started off.

"You never take anything seriously." Sylvia followed up with.

"You don't flush the toilet after you're done." Then da Vinci's heavy accented voice was heard despite not being there in person.

"You sneak off work to watch internet idols." Olga went next.

"You smell weird." Meuniere added.

"You're a constant source of embarrassment." Then Mash.

"You don't lock the door before changing clothes." And finally Marie.

In a way, it was almost ironic that all it took for all remaining members of Chaldea to come together was their shared annoyance of Romani Archaman.

Something that did not go unmissed by the man himself as each separate comment struck his ego and ground it to dust.

"... You're all so mean to me." The doctor whimpered before he laid face down on the ground as though the comments aimed at him had caused physical damage.

"Seriously? The Yamcha pose?" A new voice coming from the command room that hadn't been heard before groaned.

Ignoring the sight of the doctor's hologram laying on the ground, Marie got up from the log and placed the note with the incantation inside her left pocket before heading towards Mash's shield.

"Alright, I'm done with this thing. Would have been easier had it not been entirely in English but not much I can do about that." Marie was now standing in front of the circle on the floor with the shield in the center and wondered if there was something more to this.

"Amabuki, since this is your first time, it'll likely be a compatibility summon. That means whatever Servant shows up will be reflective of what type of person you are, so do try to make a good impression, would you? Remember, you're supposed to stretch your arm out and recite the incantation while pouring mana into the circle. The rest should be easy enough so long as you don't screw up any of the words." Olga yelled out from behind the tree, now in a much better mood after emasculating Romani.

"... So she says. Any words of encouragement from you, kouhai?" Marie had a self-deprecating smile as she looked at Mash.

"I don't really have much to say because I know you'll do great. I am a bit worried over the whole compatibility thing, but It just means I'll have to work harder to keep up. Good luck, Marie Senpai." It seemed that the pep talk Marie had given her earlier had done wonders for Mash's confidence because she was beaming with renewed energy. Mash knew that no matter who or what it was that her Master summoned, she would still be by the woman's side acting as her shield.

Marie had wanted to believe that Mash was being honest when she said her words of encouragement, but the doubt that their contract was influencing their personalities in some way made them hard to believe.

She gave Mash a nod and then saw her take a couple of steps back.

(Well… here goes nothing. Been a while since I spoke in English.)

Marie stretched her hand with the command seals out and recited the words she'd memorized.

///

Heed my words,
My will creates your body,
And your sword creates my destiny.

The circle below the large cross shaped kite shield started to glow with a red light as it responded to the summoner's mana.

If you heed the Grail's call, And obey my will and reason, Then answer my summoning!

Ten different orbs of light materialized out of thin air and were now hovering above the shield. They then made their way to the edge of the circle where they began to spin around it at high speeds.

///

By all means, everything was going well.

The staff over at Chaldeas' command room were all watching from their screens as Chaldeas’ last Master was attempting to summon a heroic spirit that could possibly be the first of many to come in the near future. But there was one man among them that had a doubt.

Romani saw the orbs morph into three white rings of light that were surrounding the edges of the summoning circle and what appeared to be a rainbow colored aura coming off of them.

"So far so good on the energy consumption… vitals are normal, readings are good… wait, what's this?"

Romani heard the young caucasian woman named Sylvia reacting at something on her screen. "Syl? You okay over there?" Meuniere, who's station was right next to Sylvia's, asked her.

"Something's wrong… all of a sudden the energy consumption spiked and all of my readings are way off. I don't understand, why is this happening?" While very few people paid attention to Sylvia's dilemma, everyone else kept watching their screens.

///

I hereby swear,
That I shall be all the good in the world,

There were now sparks of lightning coming from the shield, hitting the rings of light that were still spinning.

That I shall defeat
. . . all evil in the world!

///

There was a bit of hesitation as she recited that previous line.

All evil? What's the definition they're going for in this case? There's multiple types of evil in the world so do they mean it in a general sort of way?

Was Thorn considered evil for wanting to lead the world to its destruction?

Maybe she was. I never found out her reasons for wanting to do so but it doesn't change the fact that she came close to succeeding.

Then, could Bluffman be considered evil? I may hate the man for what he did to me but in the end all he wanted was for his daughter to smile.

Were any of the other ostinato musicians evil for their actions in Mobius?

Outside of Kuchinashi, who was pretty much a saint since she didn't really do anything to the people that were trapped there, I don't personally believe so.

My former allies were all broken in some way or another. Some were oppressed their whole lives and wanted to lash out at the world around them for the way they were treated. Others just wanted to selfishly enjoy living as their new selves without any limitations from reality placed on them.

I… suppose that means I'm a part of the latter group, but that doesn't sound right now does it?

The things I did were done with genuine malicious intent, therefore, if we're to use the broad definition of the term, I am evil.

I tortured others for no reason.
I beat people because I wanted to.
I made friends turn on each other for the sake of my enjoyment.

And even now, I'm still thinking of murdering a woman I've known for less than a day because of how irritating she can be.

How can I not be evil? Hell, it's synonymous with the moniker I used to go by.

So what does that mean? That I'm summoning something that would kill me if it found out about my past? Then what does that say about Mash? Would she feel the same way if she knew?

The scar on the back of Marie's neck started to pulsate and the magic circuits in her body lit up.

…Bullsh*t. This is bullsh*t. Every part of this is complete bullsh*t.

Even when I did that test in the simulation room, that weird voice had called my alignment chaotic evil didn't it? Then that's all the confirmation I needed.

The light coming off her circuits intensified as they were now covering most of her body. Her pupils had morphed into pink hearts and she was making a maniacal smile as she felt something digging its way into the back of her head.

///

Seventh heaven clad, And the great words of power,

The rings began to expand and contract, a loud hum was heard and a blindingly bright orb was formed in the middle of the circle.

Come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of Scales!

A thunderbolt shot down from the heavens and hit the shield. The orb began to act erratically as it grew in size before reaching the edge of the summoning circle. Shortly after, nine other thunderbolts hit the same spot as the first one.

///

"Shut it down! Shut it all down!"
"Commencing emergency override procedures!"
"We're losing power! If this keeps up, we'll need to start taking power back from the coffins to try and recuperate our losses!"

Everyone in the command room was hammering away at their keyboards trying to keep up with the incredible demand of system resources this test of the FATE system had ended up costing them.

They were rerouting power from anywhere they could that wouldn't impact their work or the lives of the survivors from the morning's explosion.

"... How many so far?" Romani asked as he looked on at his coworkers' attempts to fight against this sudden energy crisis.

"... So far, we've confirmed ten signals. Every single one with a higher mana pool than we can afford to have with our current reserves. What are your orders?" Meuniere had answered the doctor's soft spoken question with as much composure as he could muster at the moment.

Romani took a deep breath before he began to give his orders. "Cut the connection. I won't risk the lives of the people frozen inside the coffins for this."

Nearby, Sylvia shut her eyes closed and gave Romani a short bow before making her way back to her workstation.

'... Ten powerful Servants that we currently don't have enough power to sustain. Even with the reactor we got from France all those years ago, it still wouldn't be enough to keep one here for longer than a day.'

Romani Archaman looked at the notification on his monitor that asked for confirmation on whether he was sure about cutting off the power being used to facilitate the summoning process.

No one knew what effect this might have on the summoner themselves, but it was a risk he had to take. He only hoped he could be forgiven for the consequences his actions here would have.

If the worst came to pass, they'd settle for the original plans back when the former director was in charge and have Mash act as sole Master of Chaldea.

He made his decision and, at the same time he pressed the enter key, the lights went out all over the building before the emergency ones turned on.

"Did it work? Sir?" Romani couldn't answer Meuniere as he himself had no idea.

'Marie Amabuki, just who…no, just what are you?'

///

If you would be the sword that strikes down the wicked in the name of all that is good,
Then I, in turn, shall fight back in their stead and become all the world's evils.

I will give praise and be condemned in return.

I will protect and be harmed in return.

I will love and be hated in return.

But I shall neither regret nor fear my path.

Until this vessel takes its last breath.

And so, a promise.

On the dawn of the first setting sun, t he gate will open;

The ticking of the clock heralds the finale;

A song to awaken a sleeping guardian;

To the tune of a tragedy upon the greatest stage,

In the edge of the universe, till all turns to dust.

For that is our path,

And…

My Cosmo Dancer.

///

"What the hell's going on here?! I leave for five minutes and this happens? I thought this was supposed to be a simple summoning?!" Caster had run out at the sound of the sky cracking from the first thunderbolt to hit the summoning circle and was baffled at what he was witnessing.

Off to the side was Olga holding on to the tree she'd been hiding behind for dear life as the wind pressure coming from Marie's location was too strong and would have carried her away.

"Will someone stop her before she ends up summoning the damned throne itself?!" Olga yelled to no avail as the pressure made it too hard to understand her words.

'Aye, the day just keeps getting better and better doesn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if a Grand or two showed up considering how much pure mana I can feel coming from there.' Caster thought to himself before he turned to see what Mash was doing.

"Senpai! Please, listen to me! You have to stop, you're in danger!" Mash was screaming as hard as she could while slowly moving towards Marie while fighting against the wind pushing her away.

Mash was close enough that she was within grabbing range of Marie's shoulder. She stretched her arm out and right as she was about to pull Marie out of the way, something happened.

The summoning area had been completely covered in a bright light that seemed to go upwards forever. It was a pillar of light composed of nothing but pure undistilled mana and from it, a child's hand covered in red scales emerged.

As soon as Mash and Caster saw it, they were both filled in an immense sense of dread that shook them to their cores despite not knowing who or what the hand belonged to.

"Shielder, get her out of there! Now!" Cú yelled from the top of his lungs and summoned his hounds to go help Mash in getting their Master out of there and away from whatever that thing was.

Even with Mash pulling her as hard as she could and the canines combined efforts to push her away from the circle, Marie would not budge.

She seemed to be in a trance and speaking in a language Mash had never heard before. "Senpai, please! …Please, snap out of it!"

I…

"Marie!" Mash forgot to add an honorific to her name and that seemed to stir Marie's consciousness awake.

Marie heard Mash's voice coming from behind her and it was only then she realized just how badly she'd screwed up.

The summoning circle was all but gone, surrounded by a large pillar of light that looked like it was reaching the heavens themselves.

Lowering her head, she saw both of Caster's pets trying to push her away from the pillar.

(What… the f*ck just happened?)

Marie had no recollection of the last few minutes. The last thing she remembered was wondering about the context of the word evil being used in the incantation and then there was nothing.

"Mash? What is all this?" Right as Marie asked that, she noticed the scaled hand reaching out to her.

"Like hell you are! Geri! Freki!" Upon hearing their master's call, the two familiars began to move. They each butt their heads into Marie's upper body, pushing her back just enough so Mash could reach her.

Once Mash took Marie into her arms, she jumped backwards and with the wind pressure aiding her, was able to reach Caster's location in an instant.

"Did they… have to go for the ribcage? That's gonna leave a mark." Still unaware of the severity of the situation, Marie chose to try and lighten the mood, only to be ignored by her Servants.

"Lass, I appreciate the attempt at humor but maybe not now, eh?" Caster chose to respond despite not facing her as he did.

The three were looking on at where the hand had remained unmoving from the pillar as Caster's wolves were barking at it.

For a split second, an opening in the form of a slit appeared on the edges of the pillar facing them.

Marie saw what appeared to be a small caucasian child with blonde hair and red eyes gazing back at her. The girl seemed to have a crown over her head and was wearing a large red silk dress that were the same color as her eyes and the scale like textures on her face and right arm.

Behind the small child, several other figures could be seen with their backs turned, though not as clearly as the one with her arm still out. From a distance, they all seemed to be covered in a dark smoke that hid their appearance.

While trying to comprehend what was happening in front of her, Marie saw the girl move her lips as she seemed to be saying something that went unheard.

Upon realizing Marie couldn't hear her, the girl merely gave her a warm look before retracting their exposed arm and turning away to join the others when the slit closed and it was as though the girl had never been there from the start.

"Did... anyone else see that?" Marie asked, wondering if she'd imagined the entire interaction in her mind.

"If you mean the red claw going back to wherever the hell it came from, then yeah, I did. The throne just lets anyone inside these days I see, even weirdo freaks like that thing." Caster scratched his head in exasperation and wondered what class that monster could have been.

"The light...it's disappearing." Cú and Marie heard Mash say and turned to see what she meant.

They saw the light forming the pillar dissipate and the inside of the summoning circle could be seen again. Mash's shield looked untouched by what had just transpired and was in the same state as when she'd set it down.

"Well… I don't know what else to say other than, how about you just never try summoning inside a singularity ever again Master?" Marie was about to sarcastically thank Cú for the advice until she saw how serious his face was. She knew that he meant it and was about to ask how that happened when she got hit with an intense chest pain.

"Look I- ugh!"

"Senpai?!"
"Lass?! What's wrong?!"

Marie's heart was pounding as fast and as hard as it could. Her body began to turn red as an immense heat came from within. The pain became too much to bear and she couldn't help but scream.

This pain was familiar to her for it was the second time she'd gone through it. The first being after the operation that inserted the crest held within the small jewel left behind by Rocco Belfeban.

Marie could see the shock and worry on Mash's face as she tried to figure out what was wrong. Unfortunately, Marie was no longer in a state where she could hear anything outside of her own screams.

And eventually, everything turned to black as the last thing Marie saw before passing out was the sight of Mash's tears running down her distraught face.

==================

Chapter 13

Chapter Text

A void.
That is where I find myself.

A void has nothing to it.

There is no sound in the void.
There is no light in the void.
There is no life in the void.

I am falling down. I am falling up.

There is no direction in the void.

I am nowhere.
I am everywhere.

There is no distance in the void.

I am nothing.
I am everything.

There is no difference in the void.

Time goes on.
Seconds become minutes. Minutes become hours. Hours become days.
Days become weeks. Weeks become Months. Months become Years.

Yet still I remain.

Why, I ask myself once more as if expecting an answer to a question I've only just thought of after a near eternity of being.

Why am I here?
Why was I given sentience despite not properly understanding how the concept of life applied to my very being.

A punishment, surely. But for what?

I... Deserved this, didn't I?
For some reason it felt like that line of thought was correct yet, it was missing something.

Who was I to deserve punishment?
What have I done to warrant such a thing?

To simply exist in a space such as this one for no rhyme or reason, gaining the gift of sentience only to wander this plane without understanding.

A better question to ask would be why did it feel like I'd gone through this at some point before?

It was then that, for the first time since I'd become self-aware in this place, a voice other than that of my own thoughts spoke.

"Well, would you look at that? Someone actually managed to get all of us in the same realm at once. I'd be more impressed if this weren't cutting into my work hours."

A voice, smooth as silk yet prickly and defiant.

It sounded like a prideful person who saw others as being beneath them and was only pretending to be courteous for the sake of simplicity.

For some odd reason, the words 'Femme Fatale' came to mind.

"Is that why you've arrived here in that garment, Fourth?"

Another voice, this one with an arrogant and mischievous tone to it, made itself known and responded to the previous one.

It seemed to belong to a weary individual who found the current situation troublesome, but nonetheless curious.

The previous voice then let out a hum, the image of a sneer and what such an expression meant making themselves known within my thoughts, before they spoke once more.

"Why, the call was so sudden I didn't have the time to change out of my uniform. Still, it'd be remiss of me to not accept such an interesting invitation, wouldn't you all say?"

A rhetorical question followed up by the sound of a scoff.

"You call this interesting? It seems I've yet again underestimated how boorish your interests are."

The owner of the second voice, an individual refered to as Third, replied to the one they'd been calling Fourth.

"Well, Third, maybe if you'd stop hiding in that palace of yours and get out more, you'd find there are more interesting things other than endless debauchery."

There was a short lived silence after Fourth had spoken and I began to ponder how such a conversation could even be possible within this space.

I had lived a thousand, thousand lives in solitude.
There had been a silence that had become me in all but name.

So then, how was such an anomaly possible?

Better yet... How did these individuals get in here?

"You've stirred her awake with your incessant banter."

A new voice, that of an apathetic sounding child, admonishes the other two as though both of them and the interaction itself were beneath her.

"Ah yes, hello there sixth. I'd say it's nice to finally meet you but we both know that'd be a lie. You wouldn't mind if I skip the pleasantries, right?"

"...Do as you wish, Fourth. It is of no concern to us."

"Then do you mind if I take control of the conversation for a bit? It seems our would-be contractor is a tad confused at the moment."

"I will not repeat myself."

There was something in those words the girl had uttered that did something to me. Parts of my being began to tense to the point a simple tug could make me come apart as a whole.

This was... Pain, I believe?
Yes, what I was currently feeling could certainly be described as such, but why? And how?

I hadn't felt anything but the burden of solitude for my entire existence, so how could I have known what this new experience was called?

The odd and familiar sensation continued to expand and grow as the silence continued until I was saved thanks to the reveal of yet another stranger in this realm.

"...Child… hurt."

Another voice, the fourth one I've heard so far.
This one was a bit harder to pin down as it sounded like the act of speaking itself hurt their throat, yet even that didn't stop pointing out they clearly sounded feminine.

Mothery, even.

"My, would you look at that? She's even managed to get the attention of Second. What's next? Is First himself going to come down and start boring us to death with tales of his father?"

"Doubtful on that last one, Third. Though if he did show up, I have a few questions I'd like to ask of him."

"Regarding why he chose now of all times to go ahead with his plan, I presume?"

"Yes, actually. I've been working on a little something in the background for a few years now, nothing too fancy, and the bastard just lays it all to waste in one fell swoop. If I'd known he was going to do this I wouldn't have bothered setting everything up."

I continued as I always have, a silent passenger in the never ending passage of time and space, wondering where these four had come from, if they'd been there from the very start, and if so, why hadn't they made themselves known to me?

How were they able to communicate but I wasn't?
Was it a matter of resolve or... Wait...

Had I never tried to before?
It couldn't be so simple as to just open my mouth and have sounds come out of it right?

And so, for the first time since I first knew I'd myself, I spoke out my thoughts.

"Who… are you?"

My own voice sounds foreign to myself as I discovered details I would never have known about myself had I never tried to speak.

Like theirs, it was feminine. Youthful, soft and with a hint of exhaustion mixed with frustration.

I heard them cease their talk and could feel all four of their gazes on me.

"She…speaks… curious."

"So it would seem. I believe you wanted to take charge on this matter, Fourth?"

"Indeed I did, Third. The question is how to approach this topic. It's not exactly something any of us have ever had to deal with. What about you Sixth? Any insightful tips to be found inside that cup of yours?"

The child, Sixth, remained silent judging by the lack of speech.

"The silent treatment is it? Fine, be that way you spoilsport."

I then heard something approaching.
The sound of… heels stepping on solid ground?

What were heels?
What was solid ground?

"Hello there young lady. It would seem that you're currently experiencing the after effects of having multiple contracts to beings such as us canceled mid-summon."

Young lady... Could she have been referring to me?

"I understand the confusion but yes, I do in fact mean you. You know, it was quite rude of you to give out such a unique sounding incantation and then shutting the door on our faces. Not to mention the other six who answered the call, but we're not going to focus on them."

The one called Third began to chuckle for some reason.

"That said, it was entertaining to see Parvati get summoned as well, short lived as it was. She must have been so confused as to why I was there... Though she did seem different than last we met. I don't recall her having black hair or any sort of scar on her face back then."

That description gave me pause as memories of bygone days reared their heads before returning from wherever they came, leaving me to wonder whether they were related to me in any way.

"Are you done with your ramblings, Third?"

The child once again spoke up, attempting to get the conversation to continue.

"Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want, Sixth. Can't even have a bit of fun."

"Ladies, I'm trying to have a discussion here, so would you all mind…"

An oppressive force like the one earlier returned and it could be felt all throughout the void.

"-shutting your damn mouths."

The pain returned a hundredfold, my vessel/I began to break with each second the pressure stayed as the woman, Fourth, let it go on for what seemed like ages before being forced to let it go.

"Child… hurt. Won't… forgive."

The pain quickly went away, and in its place was something resembling a warm embrace. It felt odd yet… nice, reassuring.

"Apologies, Second. These two keep making me lose my temper. It won't happen again."

"Apology… accepted."

"Well, now that that's been, we can get on with the show."

What were these people on about?
And what did they want with me?

"What…show?" I somehow managed to say, my own voice becoming more clearer and familiar to me the more I heard it.

"Why, figuring out which of us you're most compatible with, of course. Can't very well have someone that won't last longer than me as an apostle, that's an instant pass."

Compatible... Wait, what was that about an apostle?

"Third, don't say it like that, she'll get confused because of your choice of words. And besides, weren't you already taken? Why, I was under the impression you two were getting along wonderfully."

"She's gone because of First's plans which means I've got time to spare . And no, Fourth, we were not 'getting along' at all. I might be the embodiment of love and lust itself but even I have my limits."

Embodiment of what??

"Is that so? And here I thought the two of you made a cute pair. I always hate it when my ships come crashing down."

Could we get back to the whole apostle thing because I feel like that's really important, what are you all talking about?

"Enough."

That was the most emotion I heard the child speak with since I first heard her voice.

"She will not belong to any of you for I've already taken my claim upon her very being and I will not listen to what any of you say otherwise."

"... Why Sixth, you mean to say you found a potential evil of humanity in the making and didn't say anything? How rude, and here I was, thinking we could all share in the fun."

Evil of humanity? Are you talking about me?

"Possibly." The one called Third responded. "Though I'd suggest not taking it to heart. Fourth is merely playing with fire considering the title she holds doesn't belong to her yet. I could go either way depending on whether or not this ends up being fun."

"I won't deny the state of my title but it's not as though I could find Primate Murder and ask him to bestow it upon me seeing as he isn't using it now can I?"

The woman called Fourth spoke up with an audible sneer.

"Regardless, it would seem I can't do much as Sixth has called dibs... Although, maybe if I leave a mark?"

Just as I was going to ask what any of that meant, a sharp pain emerged inside me, digging its way deeper and defiling my very soul/core as it left behind something foreign and strange before leaving.

"Ah~, and what's this I see? Why Sixth, you have been holding out on us. And here I thought we were friends."

I found it harder to breathe -did I need to breathe?- afterwards and felt small hands kneading my back in circles as someone placed their forehead against mine.

"What have you-?!"

"Then I'll go next."

The one called Third interrupted Sixth, who sounded like she was right in front of me despite not being able to see her at all, and the intrusive pain from before returned as she spoke.

"Well, this is certainly surprising. I wasn't expecting to find the mark of divinity within the girl's soul but I suppose I should count myself lucky. Be grateful, child. Not many can say they have personally gained the attention of one such as I. Now I just have to hope you won't end up being as outrageous as the last human to receive my favor. Though really, anyone with half a brain would be better than the previous one... And some common decency as well while we're at it."

"Are you really one to talk, considering that last little detail you added?"

"I know what I am, Fourth, I never alluded to being anything else. I'd just prefer if my potential contractor would be someone I could try to get along with instead of having to deal with the constant innuendos and unwanted advances."

"... Ah, I see it now. You just don't want someone stealing your gimmick, that makes sense."

"What about you? I thought you'd never consider partnering up with a human, considering what you are."

I couldn't hear or see how she chose to answer Third, but I could imagine her shrugging it all off as not really caring that much.

And without any word of warning, once again, that disgusting sensation returned and the child pulled me in closer while holding on to me as tight as she could.

"Me…too. Child... Maybe... Fun."

"And that makes three. Congratulations, would-be Master, this is quite the lineup indeed. Now if only someone would stop sulking in the corner and join the fun."

I believe she was alluding to that child, Sixth, who hadn't spoken in a while since it seemed that none of the other three were going to listen to anything she had to say.

"We have already acknowledged her potential long before any of you were even aware of her presence."

"Of course, of course. Whatever you say, Sixth."

"You're being rather courteous, any reason as to why?"

"I find it easier to just agree with the elderly and let them tire themselves out."

At that comment, a hearty laugh coming from Third was heard all throughout the void. Possibly even beyond that.

"Ahh, truly. I was half regretting having left my domain for what seemed to be nothing at first, but this experience has been rather enjoyable. Not only that, but I get to see the face of humanity's most famous beast when her age is mentioned. I thank you for the entertainment, Fourth."

"No need to thank me, Third… However, if ever you feel unsafe in your abode and want some protection, do remember to call us at NFF services for all your security needs."

"Truly? You would choose now of all times to promote your business? Aren't you currently out of employees?"

"Oh? That sounds like if it weren't for that you might have been interested. Looks like I have yet another reason to hate First for having cost me a customer."

Just like that, they'd all done something to me that I didn't understand and continued on with their conversation like I wasn't there.

Who was this?

They take what they want from me and when they see there's nothing left to give they ignore me and pretend I'm not there like everyone else does.

Who am I?

This disgusting feeling, this muck that courses through my veins that reminds me of my weakness and inability to change anything.

I hated this.
I hated myself.
I hated this weakness.

No, this was wrong. I wasn't supposed to be here.
I know what I am, who I am, and this wasn't where I belonged.

"Welcome…back... Memory... Return?"

I-Wait, how does she already know that?

"That's because you've been talking with your mouth for a while now, which, congratulations by the way. It's not easy reforming one's soul after it's been split and shattered as badly as yours was."

Soul? Split and-
What the hell… so I'm not dead then?

"Not…so….very…alive."

"What Second said. You should be grateful to us, almost-Master. We went around searching for the pieces of your soul and will expect quite the handsome reward."

Jokes on you, I'm broke.
All my money was being used to pay for certificates and groceries.

"Fourth does not mean monetary compensation, my Sun. And even if she did, you owe us nothing."

""Sun?!""

That just now was… Third and Fourth, right?
And you're Sixth, right? Why'd you call me that?

"I have my reasons, but I would prefer to keep them hidden for now. Perhaps there may be a day where you may discover why by yourself."

I don't… understand anything about what's happening.

"Does that make you afraid? To not know what horrors lie beyond this darkness that impairs your sight?"

Afraid?
…No.

"And why might that be?"

This isn't the first time I'm stuck in this place, and with my luck it's likely not the last either… Wait.

This isn't my first time here?

Then…

Something clicks in that moment.
A person is made whole once more, and the self/soul merges with the vessel/I it had left behind.

The sensation of blood pumping through my veins, the sweat running down my skin, air being inhaled and exhaled in tandem.

I was alive.
I was here.
I was me again.

"Huh, would you look at that? She actually managed to get herself back together without our help."

"Speak for yourself, Third, we all pitched in with recovering her broken soul."

"Well yes, we did in fact help with that part, but to have put the pieces back together as fast as she did and even remember who she was… I was intrigued, now I'm invested."

My name…
It was... I was...

"Name… give."

My-

"I suppose it'd be nice to hear my would-be Master's name. I might even write up an employment contract with it for the next time we meet. Don't worry, I'll be sure to add in a retirement clause and everything."

-Name-

"I don't really need a name but on the off chance you live long enough to reach my castle, I'll put you on the VIP list to skip the line just in case."

-Is-

"Let it be so, my sun. For you and I shall devour this world whole and bathe in the blood of the messiah as one."

-Wicked.

"My name is Wicked."

///

There was a tension in the living room that made it difficult for the three people inside to get a word out.

It had been approximately one hour, thirty-three minutes and fifteen seconds since Marie Amabuki, the last Master of Chaldea, had passed out after a failed summoning attempt in the courtyard.

For a few moments after that large pillar made up of mana had dissipated, there was a calmness, a serenity that lulled them into a false sense of security.

One that was immediately gone as soon as Marie began to scream from the bottom of her lungs at a pain not any of them could even begin to imagine…

Before they could do anything to try and alleviate her pain, she had abruptly passed out, putting an end to her suffering.

They quickly moved to action, with Caster using some of his old Celtic runes to diagnose what had happened to his Master of less than three hours, all while Mash was still in shock over seeing her in such a state.

Olga hadn't known about or seen the child's hand that the two Servants had mentioned because she was too busy grabbing onto a tree for dear life with her eyes closed. It was only when she started hearing Marie's screams that she understood how dire the situation was.

Olga was sitting on the leather sofa leaning forward and clasping both hands together while deep in thought.

"You mentioned something about Amabuki's soul being lost?" She asked the Caster who was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and eyes closed while resting his staff on his shoulder.

"...Aye. Try as I might to find a spec of magical energy on her body, it all comes up empty. I can't even feel the girl's mana flowing through me anymore. Her body might be functional, but her mind… it's not there anymore." The humor was gone from the man now, there was no joy to be found anymore. Whether it was the way he spoke or the way he was carrying himself, it was obvious that his demeanor was not at all how he had originally presented himself.

The reason for Caster's current state was not only because of his new Master's apparent ailment, but also because that pillar of light had ended up blasting through the protective field that kept that mansion hidden from the outside world. Their attempt at summoning had not only cost them a valuable asset in combat, but also exposed their location to their enemies.

He was using more of his familiars to scour the area around them in search of enemy movement, seeing what they saw through their shared senses, hence why he had his eyes closed as he spoke.

"She's going to be fine." Olga and Caster heard the young Servant say, but neither acknowledged her words.

"Senpai's going to be fine. She lived through a coma that robbed half a decade of her life and survived the explosion at Chaldea… there's no way she'd just…"

Mash was also sitting on the ground like Caster. However unlike him, she was keeping her head down while in a fetal position next to a wall.

'She wouldn't just leave me.'

"Fou…" 'Mash…'

Fou had been sleeping in the living room while everything was happening, only to be woken up by the sounds of someone screaming. Believing its friends were under attack, Fou made his way outside to try and help anyway it could… only to be met with the sight of Marie in pain.

"... I haven't heard from Romani yet, which might mean that the crew must have been affected as well. Honestly, had I known this would have happened, I would have-" "Don't."

Olga was just trying to move the conversation forward so as to not feel drowned by this awkwardness that filled the air. She was going to make a sarcastic comment, one she immediately realized was very insensitive considering Marie's status, and was interrupted by a very cold sounding Mash before she could course correct.

"Whatever it is you were about to say, if it has anything to do with Marie senpai, just do us all a favor and don't."

The line was drawn clear as day, and it was now up to Olga to choose how to respond.

"... I was just going to say that, if I knew this would have happened, I wouldn't have tried to convince her to do it. Make of that what you will."

Olga chose to lie and say something that was different than what she originally had in mind so as to not further upset Mash.

"Shielder, let it go." Caster weighed in, and from the way he was facing Mash despite having his eyes closed, it was obvious who he meant those words for.

Mash flinched slightly before using more pressure to hold herself together in her sitting position.

"... Right, well. Now that the 'sole' Master of Chaldea is incapacitated until further notice, I would like to make a suggestion."

"If it's about us canceling our contract with Senpai, you can forget it." Mash harshly spoke up after lifting her head from her fetal position and anyone could see her eyes were reddened.

"I'm a lot of things, lassie. I ain't no traitor. Even if I have to carry that girl's body with me all the way to the temple, I'm not leaving her behind." Caster chose to open a single eye and glared at Olga for not having the decency to keep her mouth shut at a time when they'd just lost a comrade.

"... That obvious, huh? Well, I certainly have to hand it to Amabuki. The woman clearly has a way with Servants someone like me will never understand."

The sound of leather loudly stretching was heard throughout the room as Olga shifted her weight and was now leaning on the couch's back before looking up at the roof that divided the first and second floors.

"She's all but assured to be a vegetable for the rest of her natural life and somehow still has two loyal Servants armed and willing to protect her even in this odd corpse-like state she-""It wasn't my idea to prepare the box for you back at the store."

Mash, once again, had interrupted Olga's monologue in her frustration, only this time she dropped a bomb on the woman that had left her stunned.

"I… what?" Olga's head was turning slowly in disbelief towards the direction Mash was still sitting and met the young Servant's gaze with her own.

"It wasn't me. I didn't say anything about you to Senpai, and to be honest, nor did I care. It was Marie senpai who told me what things to pick up and where to find them. I may have placed everything on the box and organized it, but it wasn't my idea to begin with."

Mash had grown tired of Olga's attitude towards her Master, and suspected that the woman sitting on the couch was likely enjoying the fact that she would likely never have to deal with her non-mage Master again. She knew this was just her lashing out but, even knowing that, couldn't help herself from uttering those words.

It wasn't as though this was the first time Mash had gotten angry. Some of the staff in Chaldea and even a few members of the support team had taken to whispering behind her back because of her unique circ*mstances and lack of emotions when expressing herself to anyone that wasn't a part of her small family.

Whenever it would get too much to bear, Mash would ask the doctor for a sparring session in the simulation room where she would then release all of her pent up frustrations with the help of the man who raised and trained her.

But never, not once, did Mash talk back or confront those same people. This moment, her acting the way that she was towards Olga, was new to her and she couldn't stop herself from continuing to tear into the woman.

"All this time, you've kept judging her for being a non-mage. You've mocked her for not knowing things a person outside of our way of life wouldn't care about and, as if that wasn't enough for you, you were trying to pin the blame of the explosion on her. Meanwhile, she was covering for you, she worried about you and then she had me lie and say it was my idea to give you the box with medical supplies so you wouldn't reject it."

"But that's-" Olga was about to argue that such a thing couldn't be possible, but then remembered that one moment of hesitation that Mash showed before accepting her gratitude. "That's…"

"Senpai was doing her best to make sure all of us could return to Chaldea, despite the hand she'd been dealt. She didn't have to care about any of this, about you or even me, but she did so anyway."

Mash hated this feeling of not having any control over herself and the dull weight that had sprouted in her stomach ever since Caster checked on Marie.

"Would it kill you to just not be this… horrible, spite filled person for one second? To just let me grieve the closest thing to a friend I ever had?"

Not hearing Olga say a single word after her question, Mash was about to lower her head when she heard Caster speak up.

"You're wrong there, Shielder. Grieving is what you do after you've truly lost someone. What you should do is have faith she'll get up again. You said it yourself, aye? Lass survived losing five years of her life. She's tougher than this, we both know that."

Caster held an eye open and saw the young girl slightly lift her head and respond in a low voice. "Do you mean… I keep waiting?"

"Sure, why not? Hell, why not try praying while you're at it? You never know what random deity will hear you out and answer your prayers. Take it from an old man like me, gods are fickle things. They like to get involved more than you know."

'Boy do they…' the man thought to himself before stealing a glance at the woman on the sofa who hadn't spoken a word since Mash had gone off on her.

To say that Olga had been frozen still at Mash's revelation would be an overstatement. Rather than have a change of heart, she did what she did best.

Overthink things through and be completely wrong when it comes to social cues.

She was surprised to hear that the woman she'd been antagonistic towards throughout their stay in the singularity had actually been helping her the whole time and was now recalling all of their interactions since she was saved.

Marie rushed ahead and covered her body while Mash threw her shield, changed into, 'she protected me with nothing but her body to make sure I was unharmed.'

Marie handed over the box of supplies because Olga would otherwise have slowed everyone down, changed into, 'She alone noticed my wounds and knew that I wouldn't have taken it so she had Mash pretend like it had been her that was worried about me.'

The moment where Marie shouted at Olga as she faced the rogue Servant and threatened her to run away, changed into, 'Amabuki… she said those things to spur me into hiding so I wouldn't get hurt.'

Outside of Lev Launir, this was the first time Olga had encountered someone that had paid attention to her needs and well-being.

'I see… I've been going about this all wrong. Amabuki never hated me, quite the opposite in fact! She's been too afraid to show her affection and has been pretending this whole time. It all begins to make sense if I think about it that way. And here I originally thought she was just another one of those easterners some of the other Lords like to complain about.'

It did not make sense and had either of the people in the room with her known what her thoughts were, they'd have likely slapped the woman upside the head.

Caster saw Olga's face take on an odd blush and a small grin before closing his sole open eye and going back to focus on his familiars.

'I'm not getting involved there. I've no idea what's going through that woman's mind but I can tell it's not good.'

"I don't… know how this usually goes. Is there anyone in particular I should pray to?"

Caster heard the other Servant's question as he connected his sight to his raven in the sky that was scouring the forest near the temple.

"Not really. It's a matter of preference. I, myself, tend to prefer the Norse gods but, again, it's just a preference."

Olga snapped out of her delusional thoughts regarding Marie and found something off about what Caster had just said.

"Norse? Why not the Celtic pantheon?"

At the question, Caster began to cough uncontrollably, before managing to catch his breath.

"Huh? No, I mean, of course I'd prefer my home turf, you know! It's just, uhh, I always thought Odin with his spear, gungnir, was pretty neat. Us heroic spirits that used spears tend to look up to one another, is all."

Caster could barely finish a coherent sentence and once he somehow managed to finish explaining his reasoning, he started awkwardly scratching his hair and staring off into a wall despite having his eyes closed.

"... I suppose that makes sense?" Olga warily responded before hearing a whisper coming from Mash's location and turning to look at her, which meant that she hadn't seen Caster relaxing his posture in relief.

Olga couldn't quite hear her that well, but it was clear that she'd taken the older man's advice and was praying for her Master.

'It might not result in anything, but at least it's got her distracted on something other than Amabuki.'

"Please… bring her back."

As if answering her prayer, there was a loud sound of something falling on the second floor. "What was that?" Olga asked, unaware of the state the two Servants were in.

<…sh…ster…>

Both Mash and Caster had heard someone try to speak in the back of their minds as they felt the mental connection to their Master return.

"Senpai?" "Lass?"

<..ash…aster…>

Olga saw the two Servants call out to Marie while looking at the roof and wondered what they were on about.

<Why…>

"Why what, lass? What's going on?"
"Senpai, please tell us what's wrong."

<Why the hell didn't anyone take off my clothes before setting me on the bed? Now I'm all covered in dirt and the bed is filthy.>

///

Marie had finished taking a much needed shower and changing her clothes before heading downstairs to the living room where she was immediately bombarded with questions from her allies.

"How in the ever loving sh*te did you come back from that?!" Caster asked first, not hiding the joy and shock at seeing the living miracle in front of him.

"I don't know." Marie answered while making her way to the same sofa Olga had been sitting on.

"Do you feel anything weird, Senpai? You shouldn't force yourself to move." Mash was second, voicing her concerns and failing to not tear up at the sight of her Master standing up and conversing with them.

"Other than feeling a bit sore all over, I'm doing pretty good." Marie shot a quick wink at Mash before sitting down and hearing the sound of the leather stretching.

"What in the- no, wait. What on earth are you wearing, Amabuki?" Finally it was Olga's turn and she had stopped herself from treating Marie like she usually would and instead went for a nicer, albeit forced, tone.

"You like it? Top's the summer version of a school uniform I found upstairs. I could have picked the winter version or the red turtleneck but, I'd rather not push my luck and end up with a heat stroke after that little scare. Plus it was a little too garish for my tastes."

Marie had changed into a white button up shirt with short sleeves that had a school insignia on the left sleeve and torn up skinny jeans along with a pair of brown leather flats. She had her hair in a single long neat braid tied up with a blue ribbon.

Around her waist was the former top part of the Chaldea uniform with the sleeves tied together to make a belt.

"There's some more clothes upstairs if you're interested in changing, director. Heater in the shower works too."

Caster and Mash had been surprised to hear Marie speak to Olga in such a friendly manner, but were even more shocked at the response the other woman gave.

"Why, thank you for letting me know, Amabuki. I'll have to decline your offer but, it's the thought that counts." Olga replied while looking genuinely apologetic, and even held Marie's hand with her own as though they were good friends.

"Hey, it's fine boss. I was just worried you were uncomfortable with what you were wearing. I gotta make sure you're well taken care of, after all."

The two Servants, and small phantasmal, snapped their heads over to Marie after what had just come out of her mouth.

"Boss? Really Amabuki, here I thought we were closer than that after everything we've been through. Please, call me Olga, I insist."

The trio then jerked their heads over to Olga with wide eyes, despite Caster having his still closed because of his connection to his familiars, and had their mouths wide opened.

"What…how did this… why is this…" Mash was speechless as the druid next to her just shook off his stupor and answered her.

"This, lass… this is something I genuinely hope you never have to deal with."

"And what's that, sir?" Mash asked in horror as she saw the kind look both her Master and Olga were giving each other.

"... The dual faced nature of women." Caster shivered thinking about the few bad experiences he'd have over the course of his life.

"... I see. I was a fool to have expected a real answer out of you." The horror had been short lived as it was replaced with incredulousness over what Caster had just said.

"Would you shut up over there?! Amabuki and I are trying to talk and your banter is distracting us." Olga was glaring at the two Servants for interrupting her conversation with her, possible, new friend all while Marie just rolled her eyes wondering where the sarcastic comment towards her was.

(I keep setting her up and nothing. It's like she's actually taking what I'm saying at face value but there's no way she'd be that stu-) Marie's thoughts trail off as she analyzes everything she knows about the woman.

(Oh my f*cking God, she thinks we're friends now doesn't she?)

"Olga, you shouldn't be so hard on them. They're just relieved that I'm okay, just like you. I'm sure they're not trying to distract you on purpose, right guys?" Marie turned to face her two Servants who simultaneously took a single step back upon feeling her gaze on them.

"Guys?" What the hell is wrong with these two now?

"Senpai… that is you right?" Mash couldn't help but ask.

"... Yeah? Who else would it be?" Marie asked herself what was going through the young woman's mind that she made that question and began using their mental link.

<Mash? Everything alright?>

<"Yes, of course. I'm just… a tad confused about how the two of you are behaving.">

<Oh, this? You'll learn it eventually, it's just an easy way to deal with people you don't like.>

<"... That doesn't exactly answer my question, Marie senpai. Have you ever acted this way with me?">

<What? No, of course not! For starters, I actually like having you around me.>

Marie had furrowed her brows before she realized what she just admitted, and to who. She focused her sight on Mash and saw that the Shielder was slightly grinning and had a light blush on her cheeks.

<"I can't believe that worked. So this is what Caster meant."> Mash said through their mental link before Marie forcibly put an end to it and changed her conversation partner to Caster.

<What have you been telling her?>

<"I believe the expression is, I plead the fifth.">

Marie ended the link and was about to vocally ask Caster why he had his eyes closed when the man suddenly lost his balance and fell to his knees while holding on to his left eye and gritting his teeth.

"f*ck! Sucks to see that bastard finally start using a damned bow and live up to his class. Master, we have a problem."

Before asking Caster what was wrong, Marie used her first aid skill in case he'd been injured from an unseen attack. After seeing that he'd slightly relaxed, that's when she spoke.

"What's going on?"

"I've been… searching around the city with my familiars in case of a surprise attack since our location got exposed. I just lost one, and found some bad news with the other."

"How bad are we talking, Caster?" Marie asked while Mash had already gone to the entrance to pick up her shield and Marie's sword.

"We're surrounded on all sides. Loads of undead familiars making their way towards us. But that's not all…" Caster caught his breath before facing Marie.

"They're being led by a shadow servant, which might spell a bit of trouble for us considering who it is."

(Shadow servant?)

"What type of enemy are we up against?" Olga asked, hoping they weren't about to face up against a berserker of all things.

Caster bit his lips, clearly frustrated at whoever it was they were about to face and answered. "Servant class, Caster. Name…

Medea of Colchis."

///

"Where's the boss girl?" Caster asked while he tapped on the ground twice, summoning his two canine familiars who then stood by Mash in the front of their formation.

"Still inside. She's upstairs hiding, I left Fou on guard duty." Marie was stretching her arms and legs before she grabbed a hold of her sword with both hands.

"Wouldn't it have been a good idea to have you be up there as well, lass? The safer you are, the better." Caster said as he shot a single ball of light towards the head of a nearby skeleton, causing it to shatter.

"Yup. Too bad I'm not the type to just sit back and let decrepit old men fight my battles for me." Marie replied while making a diagonal swipe with her sword that destroyed an enemy skeleton's torso.

"... You're just doing it on purpose now, aren't ya?" He groaned.

"Took you this long to notice? Damn, now I'm starting to worry you forgot to take your pills today."

"Not to sound rude or anything, but is this really the time for the two of you to behave that way?" Mash asked while keeping her ground and having multiple enemies focusing on her with relative ease.

<Damn, Caster. What did you teach her? She hasn't even broken a sweat.> Remarked Marie through their mental link, noticing how many enemy skeletons Mash had been able to defeat by herself in such a short time.

<"Honestly speaking? Not much. She'd already figured out how to fight for herself, just needed someone to point out her mistakes and set her on the right path.">

"GiGi!" A skeleton believed it had managed to sneak up on Marie from behind and tried to attack, but was immediately shot through the skull with one of Caster's golden projectiles.

<Thanks.>
<"No worries.">

Mash in front drawing the enemy's attention along with Caster's wolves helping her.

Caster in the middle shooting down any enemy that managed to get past Mash with his runes.

And finally, there was Marie in the back who had been supporting both of her Servants with the few spells she had available courtesy of the Chaldea uniform tied to her waist.

This was the formation they had instinctively found themselves in after having fought like this for so long during their earlier trek towards the mansion.

"Senpai, she's here!" Yelled Mash.

Marie turned her face towards the front gate where most of the enemies were coming from and saw an odd cloaked figure covered in dark smoke.

It wasn't clear whether it was a person or not, but judging by the feminine figure that made out through the smoke it had to be, thought Marie.

"What is that thing?" She asked the druid.

"That's what's called a shadow servant. A wraith that's taken on the appearance of a regular Servant, just without the knowledge on how to use their abilities. Highly unpredictable and incredibly annoying. Wouldn't recommend fighting one if you're alone, especially if it's a berserker." Caster answered before slamming his staff onto the ground and summoning what looked to be the branches of a tree that destroyed a couple more of their enemies that attempted to rush Mash.

'Hopefully we won't be dealing with any of those any time soon seeing as how I've got my hands tied dealing with my current Master.' He thought to himself feeling relieved that what they were up against was Medea of all things.

"I heard that." Said Marie, making sure to remind the man that their link was still up.

"What about when there's three of us?" Mash asked, glaring at the shadow servant who had yet to move from its location and continued summoning more skeletons out of thin air.

"Well… then things are a bit different. Master, I need a favor." Caster said before explaining what he had planned to Marie through their link while continuing to fight off the enemy horde.

"... and you're sure that'll work? It sounds like a stretch to me." Marie was unsure of Caster's plan and made it known to him.

"Just trust me on this! Would I ever lie to you?!" He asked and both of his comrades, and wolves, turned to look at him despite being in the middle of a fight.

"Yes."
"Absolutely."
"Woof." "Bark."

All of them agreed without missing a beat and then returned to focus on the enemies at hand.

Caster could feel a drop of sweat on his forehead and wiped it away with his hand.

"... Would you just use the damn seal already?" He asked, tired and irked at the responses he'd received.

"Fine. Mash, switch positions with Caster! Wolves, on us!" Upon hearing Marie's order, her Servants began to move.

Mash jumped back and was now directly in front of Marie. Both of Caster's familiars had done the same and were now standing on Marie's left and right sides.

Together, all three were in a triangle formation with Marie in the middle, stretching her hand with the command seals towards Caster who was now a small distance away from them.

(Let's see if I don't screw this up again…) Marie thought before remembering Olga's instructions on how to use one of her seals.

"By the authority granted unto me by the command seals, I order you!

Caster, use your Noble Phantasm!"

"Now we're talking!" Caster yelled out as he felt the sudden influx of mana enter his body.

He spun his staff recklessly as it began to shine an odd light, the ground around him lit up to form a circle and a large sigil appeared below his feet.

"Shielder! This is my final lesson to ya so listen up! A Servant ain't sh*t unless they can use their noble phantasm!"

"Wha-?!" Mash was surprised at suddenly being addressed in the middle of his preparations.

"Just listen to me! You're a new Servant, which means you likely don't know what yours is or what it does."

Fire began to rise up from the ground Cú stood on and surrounded him in a circle, which he didn't seem to worry about as the enemy skeletons being led by the other Caster were looking on in confusion.

"A Noble Phantasm can be a lotta things. It could be a weapon or something else but they're all usually just a manifestation of a Servant's very soul being laid bare out in the open. To put it simply, it's our hopes, our desires and our regrets from when we were alive. But they're also malleable, they can change and be whatever we want them to be depending on how we choose to remember our lives. Because these things, they're a part of us, whether we want them or not…"

Mash lowered her shield slightly to gaze at the man's back as he instilled this lesson upon her.

Although she couldn't quite understand why he sounded a bit sad as he said these things, she felt an odd desire… no, a need to engrave these words on her mind so they would never be forgotten.

'My Noble Phantasm… is what I make of it. My hopes… and my desires.' Mash turned her head away from Caster and gazed at the person behind her.

Marie was there with her arm still stretched out as she continued to pour mana towards helping Caster bring out his Noble Phantasm.

One of the red symbols on her hand had turned bright red as she called upon the power of the command seals before it disappeared, leaving only its outline behind.

'My soul… laid out to bear.' Mash took his words to heart and then continued to watch him in suspense and wonder as for what was about to happen.

"Here it comes, Master! Take a good look, because this… THIS IS WHAT BEING A SERVANT IS ALL ABOUT!"

"Timber giant, eaten away by fire.
Become a cage of flames,"

As soon as Cú finished his aria, the flames that had been circling around him took to the air to create an enormous ball of flame. From it, a giant man-like figure made of wood and enveloped in flames emerged and raised one of its legs, aiming it towards the front gate where the shadow servant and most of its familiar were located.

"Wicker Man!"

The giant forcibly lowered its raised leg, slamming it on the ground and crushing the enemy units and shadow Servant alike. As if that wasn't enough, it then made a pillar of fire appear from below it to burn away all that it had crushed under its heel.

Marie looked on with eyes wide open as Mash embedded her shield to protect themselves and the wolves from the flames and heat coming from the giant.

(This is… a Servant…) She thought while awestruck at the power these people, these beings were capable of wielding.

A few seconds later, the giant disappeared into thin air, having finished burning any who would oppose it to a crisp.

Mash set her shield aside on the ground before turning towards her Master to check on her.

Marie looked away from the destruction caused by Caster's Noble Phantasm and came face to face with Mash's gaze.

The two shared a long look before Marie tried to ask if Mash was unhurt, but was interrupted before she could even say a single word.

"Surprise attack!" Caster yelled out from behind Mash and proceeded to slap the side of her bottom, prompting a high pitched yelp from the young woman as she felt pain.

She attempted to turn around and question Caster on why he'd done that but ended up tripping over her own feet in Marie's direction.

In an attempt to regain her balance so as to not fall, she ended up grabbing onto the collar of Marie's shirt and accidentally ripped off a few of the top buttons, opening up just enough for Mash's face to land in the middle of Marie's breasts, leading to her pushing Marie down onto the floor.

"Final final lesson, always expect the unexpected because you never know where an attack might come from. Never let down your guard… also, what have they been feeding you, that hit actually made my hand go numb." Caster was blowing air into the hand he'd used to slap Mash's bottom before turning his head and witnessing what was assuredly the reason for his untimely demise in a couple of minutes.

"... I can't help but feel like this has happened to me before." Caster heard Marie say from the ground in a very tired voice.

She had her back to the earth, arms around Mash's back as the young woman laid on top of her with her face in the middle of Marie's open chest. Mash attempted to get up and looked down to see the position she and her Master were in.

Just like the director earlier, she was now straddling Marie after having broken her shirt and pushing her into the ground. Mash felt Marie move her hands around and stop them on both sides of her waist. She also couldn't help but notice the small red mark next to her Master's heart tattoo where her mouth had been touching up until a few seconds ago.

"Uhh, I- I'm so- this wasn't-" Mash tried to explain but kept speaking over herself and Caster could swear he saw steam coming out of her ears.

"Mash, I understand that you must be going through a lot in your head right about now, but do you mind getting up? I need to go have a chat with Caster about sexual harassment and the consequences of assaulting a minor."

It was here that Caster felt a familiar pull on his mana and knew that Marie was trying to speak to him through the mental link only to become aware that theirs was still up and that only she had control as to when it could stop.

<You just can't help yourself can you, old man? Stay right there, and start praying to whatever God you believe in.> Caster heard Marie's words resounding in his head and decided to book it.

"Hey! So, I'm gonna go check on the boss lady and the little guy, you two hold down the fort, okay? Okay! Good talk!" He all but shouted while running inside the mansion wanting to escape his Master's wrath.

<Get back here you goddamn son of a whor*! I will take that f*cking staff and shove it so far up your ass it'll straighten out your lower intestine and come out of your mouth!>

<"HOW ARE YOU MAKING YOUR MENTAL VOICE SOUND LIKE THAT?! THAT'S SCARY AS HELL!">

<GOOD!>

==================

Chapter 14

Chapter Text

"Amabuki, are you alright? You seem… off. More so than usual." Olga remarked, having noticed a change in the woman's demeanor ever since they left Caster's safe house.

Marie hummed, acknowledging Olga's observation and humored her with a response. "For the sake of what little remains of my patience, I'll take that comment as you showing concern over me."

Olga raised an eyebrow, wondering what had happened to the woman that she was now back to treating her like an annoyance. The two Servants on their team flinched at their Master's words but kept climbing upward.

The group of Marie, Olga, Caster, Mash and Fou were walking up the long stairs leading to the entrance of Ryuudou Temple.

Having lost the barrier that hid the mansion from the outside world, they were highly susceptible for further enemy attacks and so the decision was made to storm the temple.

Mash walked in front of the others, leading the charge as she could immediately move to action with her shield in case of an enemy encounter.

Olga was behind her carrying the backpack with emergency supplies after being politely asked to do so by Marie's older Servant.

Then there was Marie who, because of the little accident from earlier, had changed her shirt again and was now wearing a red wool turtleneck sweater with a white cross stitched right below the collar. She still had the makeshift sash she'd been using to carry her sword around and the top part of the Chaldea uniform tied to her waist.

Marie had also been carrying Fou around in her arms in the hopes that having such an adorable creature around would improve her ever dwindling mood.

And slightly behind the three was Caster, pressing an ice pack onto his left cheek after the fierce right hook his Master had given him on Mash's behalf.

"We should be getting near. I hope you three are ready because from here on, the next couple of fights are the real deal. Unlike Medusa, Archer and Saber don't like to play with their food." He said, throwing away the ice pack and ignoring the numbness on the left side of his face.

"Speaking of which, you never did tell us if you knew the true identities of the enemy Servants." Olga turned her head back and reminded him.

Caster was surprised to hear that as he stopped climbing and gave the others an apologetic look while awkwardly scratching his head.

"... Huh, you're right, I must have forgotten. Sorry 'bout that." He noticed the women in front of him also stopped climbing as they all turned to look at him.

"You actually forgot?!" Olga exclaimed, as Mash just looked on in disappointment.

Marie set Fou on the ground, turned around and placed her hand on Caster's shoulder as a sign of comfort.

"It's fine Caster, I'm sure it's just your age catching up to you. After we're done here, I'll help you pick out a good retirement home so you'll be well taken care of in your golden years."

A comfort that was incredibly short lived as she'd taken the opportunity to make fun of him.

"Lass… I might like you, and I get that I deserve some of this disrespect, but would it kill ya to get some new material? I mean, come o-?!" Caster saw something bright quickly making its way towards Marie's skull so he interrupted himself before grabbing her and jumping to his left, into the trees that surrounded them all over the stairway to the temple.

Mash didn't see where the attack came from or how it had passed by both her and Olga, being aimed directly at her Master. Having seen Caster's actions, she did the same as Caster, grabbing both Olga and Fou, and then using the trees as cover on the opposite side of where their allies had gone.

<Caster, what's going on?>

<"It's him. Bastard's gotten tired of waiting and is trying to kill you to get to me.">

"You were warned, Cú Chulainn." They all heard a deep smooth voice coming from some unknown location. It reverberated all around them, confusing Marie's senses.

<How the hell is he doing that? Sounds like he's right behind me.> She asked the Servant she was being held by.

<"Enhancing his words with mana, a simple trick really. Let me show you."> Caster replied before putting his hand over his throat.

"You call shooting my raven through the eye a warning?! How about you start using your words more, be a little more sociable. Maybe then people would actually like you and stop thinking you're an asshole. Which you are, by the way." This time it was Caster's voice that was heard from all directions, despite the man being right next to her.

<"See? Pretty easy, huh? This way we can communicate without having to expose ourselves to danger.">

Just as Marie was about to ask him how they should approach this fight, she felt Mash trying to communicate with her and switched over.

<"Marie senpai, are you okay?">

<We're fine over on this side. What about you?>

<"The director and I are using some trees as cover. We can see you from here.">

<Okay, then stay there for now. I'll let you know what the plan is in a bit.> Marie switched back to her mental bond with Caster.

<"Alright lass, I'm gonna try something, but I need you to trust me.">

<Do you need me to use another seal?>

<"No, keep 'em for now. Listen, this asshole's got us stuck here right where he wants us. If I can get him to focus on me, you and the others can go on ahead towards the entrance to the cave.">

Marie rolled her eyes at what she'd just heard before sharing her thoughts with the man.

<Right, a couple problems with that. First off, we don't know where the entrance is because you never specified. Second, we don't know if there's anything waiting for us when we get there so it might be a trap. And third, I'm not leaving you behind to make a martyr out of yourself.> Caster wasn't all that surprised to hear the woman shoot down his plan but that last reason for doing so caused him to jerk his head towards her.

<"Lass, if you're worried about me dying then don't. Us heroic spirits are already dead, there's no need for concern. That said, I am grateful to know that I've left such an impression on you."> He felt oddly moved, knowing that this young woman had taken a liking to him, despite not knowing much about his legend.

Even if she was terrifying at times. And threatened to sodomize him with his own staff on multiple occasions.

'But hey, at least this meant that she cared.'

<'The hell are you on about? If you die, we lose any information we have Saber, you dumbass. Also I'm not a big fan of heroic sacrifices, so if you're thinking of staying behind and dying, I'll use what remains of you for Fou's litter box.> Marie sternly told the man as she gave him a nasty look.

<"... Right, I don't know what I expected. Fine then, no noble sacrifices from me. Plan B it is. Master, tell Shielder not to move from her spot. This is going to be a real close call, and it's going to put you in a lot of danger, but it's the best idea I've got.">

Marie wondered what he meant before relaying his orders to Mash and getting into position.

<So what's the plan? And how much danger am I gonna be in?> She asked, hoping it wouldn't be much.

<"Depends, you know how to do pigtails?">

///

Everyone in position?>

<"Aye, the lassies are still in place. Are you ready to inflict some emotional damage on a poor unsuspecting bastard?">

<Always!>

Marie's quick response gave Caster some pause before he powered through his bafflement.

<"... Course you are. Anyway, here I go.">

Caster abruptly stood up and left his cover before slowly walking back to the main path to the temple.

He had his staff lazily leaning on his shoulder and started climbing up the concrete stairway.

When he did so, Mash and Olga took that as their signal to move further into the forest in the direction Marie had relayed to them from Caster.

More arrows made up of mana had been shot at him as he kept climbing, all of which he blocked either by hitting them with his staff or with his own spells.

"Hey so, whatever happened to that young lass you hung around with? You know the one with the pigtails, spunky personality…" Caster stopped talking for a few seconds as a multitude of mana arrows suddenly made their way towards him, all of which he avoided with simple movements and continued.

"You know, the one with the really tight ass... Oh, right! How could I forget?" His usual mannerisms changed as his voice turned cold and condescending.

"Caster…" They heard the enemy Archer growl through his teeth.

"You killed her in cold blood. Just like Saber killed that kiddo as soon as she sold her soul to the Grail."

Caster's revelation was met with no opposition as the arrows coming from somewhere in the temple were no longer being shot at him.

<And here I thought I was cold.> Caster heard Marie mention.

<"You ain't seen nothing yet, we're still setting things up.">

Caster finally reached the top of the stairway and was now in front of the opened temple gates as he looked at his surroundings for any clues on where Archer was hiding.

"What? Don't have anything to say? Did I hit a nerve? Could it be that I'm finally free of that irritating voice of yours?" He decided to continue pushing his enemy in hopes of getting a reaction out of him.

And it worked a bit too well considering the reaction he got.

"I am the bone of my sword."

Both Marie and Caster heard the other man say before a figure appeared quite literally out of thin air right above him slashing downward with what appeared to be twin curved blades.

"Goddamn it." <Emergency evasion!>

Two voices spoke, one after the other.

The first one belonged to Caster who hadn't expected his opponent to, yet again, disregard his class and attack from close range. He didn't even have enough time to lift his staff in hopes of defending against the other man's attack when he heard his Master using yet another of her mystic code's abilities.

The second voice was Marie's through their bond, who had immediately reacted as soon as the other man materialized. She stuck her arm out of her cover and focused on wanting to make the attack go through Caster's body as a purple-ish light made its way towards him.

Archer's swords failed to meet flesh as they passed by Caster's body. It was as if Caster was an ephemeral being, watching the other man's weapons go through him and hitting the concrete floor with enough force that it broke both of the swords upon contact.

"What?!"

"Ain't done yet lad! Boys, on me!"

Archer was surprised to see himself miss from this range, but even more so when the man he'd just tried to kill had struck the ground with his staff to summon two wolves. While he was distracted by the sound of barking coming from behind him, Caster took the opportunity to punch him in the face with his left fist, following up with a couple of beams appearing from his back.

Archer took the hit to the face upfront, moving his head along to the fists trajectory to use it as momentum and jumped back, summoning a dark oddly shaped bow and shooting a barrage of arrows downward from the air. The arrows met their mark, deflecting all of Caster's beams and had also killed off both of Caster's familiars, though the man himself just stood there as the arrows failed to touch him even once.

"Might be a Caster but I've still got protection from arrows, dumbass! Also what did my boys ever do to ya?!" Caster grumbled as he saw his familiars' corpses disintegrate and return to his spirit origin.

Archer landed on the ground before switching back to his swords and taking on a defensive stance.

The two were now standing on opposite ends with Caster a few steps in front of the temple gates and Archer a short distance away from the main temple.

"... Why do you still struggle like this?" The man asked, which got Caster's attention.

"Why do you still fight despite knowing there is nothing left in this world worth fighting for? Is it pride, or are you so desperate for battle that you would challenge us?" Caster saw the way Archer was looking at him and knew that this was the best time to put his plan in action.

<"Master, how's the hair going? It's looking like it's your time to shine.">

<Hair's done, luckily I remembered how that girl wore it in the pictures. Should I start walking up there?>

<"In a minute, gotta make sure he takes the bait first.">

Caster had to keep a straight face and make sure that Archer wouldn't catch on to their plan.

"Why? You're seriously asking me that despite being a heroic spirit yourself, even if you are in that sorry ass state." Caster remarked while looking on with disgust at the sight of the enemy in front of him.

<"Now Master, we got one shot at this. Start walking over and remember what I told you.">

"What does being a heroic spirit have to do with it?" Archer asked back before sprinting towards Caster, following up with a flurry of slashes and thrusts.

<I know. Now hurry up and finish your little moment, I'm worried about Mash being left alone with the director.>

Caster rushed forward and met Archer blow for blow as he deflected the man's swords with his staff, using his experience fighting with a spear to make up for his class' inherent weakness in melee.

"It's in the name boyo! You, me, Saber and the others that were in the war with us as well. We were all accepted into the throne of heroes for having our legends leave a mark on human history. And yet despite everything that makes us Servants in the first place, what did she do? She let herself get corrupted by it, killed her own Master and caused all of this to happen!"

Caster noticed the other man flinch before jumping away from him to put some distance between them. Upon landing, Archer put away his swords once more and summoned his bow, a thin blade in the shape of a drill being held like an arrow aimed straight at Caster's head.

<"Man, why can't you be like that with me, huh? Is it because I'm not a cute impressionable girl, is that it?">

<No, it's because you're an unrepentant pervert that loves to drink and fight.>

<"... I hate that you know me so well that I can't come up with a response to that.">

Caster held his staff in a reverse grip while infusing some of his mana into his left hand and writing a rune in the air in front of him, his eyes never once looking away from Archer's.

"You watched as Saber killed her Master. You let her convince you to kill your own, and then stood by her as she did the same for all the others as well, helping her corrupt any of the other Servants that refused to take her offer!"

Caster had fully released his murderous intent, aiming it all at Archer, who had released his own at hearing Caster's accusation.

"You want a reason?! Fine, here's your damn reason! It's because I hate having to deal with dumbasses like the two of you who don't know the meaning of the word loyalty, that's why! How the two of you f*cks made it into the throne, I'll never know and hell if I care to find out."

<Couple of steps left, you figured out how you're gonna end this little moment of yours?>

"I was chosen as a heroic spirit by the throne, and I'll be damned if I just sit on my arse and let the two of you end all life on the planet for your stupid little lover's suicide."

Both men's mana flared up and the ground around them began to crumble under the weight of their power.

"... I see. Ultimately, it comes down to you being a sentimental fool who doesn't realize when it's time to quit." Blood began to pour out of Archer's right eye as he spoke, having reached the limits of his supply of mana his broken body could handle.

"That too, won't deny it." Caster responded in a light hearted way, despite his face screaming bloody murder.

"Then, as another man who's a slave to his own sentimentality, I'll be sure to put an end to whatever regrets you might have before you die." Caster heard him and scoffed before he spoke.

"A slave is it? How ironic that you'd say that to me, you f*cking bastard. How did it feel, ey? To have killed that poor girl you were summoned to protect? She must have been what, seventeen, eighteen?"

The raw power around Archer fluctuated and the man's stoic expression he had previously shown changed into one of regretfulness.

"... This isn't about her." "Oh, don't give me that load of sh*te!"

<"On three, you ready?">

<Just hurry up, old timer.>

"You seriously don't even realize it yourself do ya? How do you think I made it this far without my Master to keep supplying me with mana?"

<"Three.">

"I may have lost my old Master, and believe me there's no love lost there, man was an asshole, but it's not like I was out of options."

Archer felt a cold drop of sweat run down his back and a disturbing thought appeared in his mind.

"...What are you saying?"

<"Two.">

"Do I have to spell it out for ya?" Caster opened his mouth to show his teeth as he grinned at the man who had no idea what was about to happen.

<"One">

"You never killed your Master, Archer." Caster mockingly said as he pointed with his staff at the figure now standing in the direction of the temple gate.

<<""Showtime."">>

///

<"Depends, you know how to do pigtails?"> I heard him ask like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I couldn't really come up with an answer because of how baffled I was at the moment, but I eventually did.

<Dare I ask where this is going?> I decided to ask and take him seriously, instead of punching him in the gut like I really wanted to.

<"Lass, I'm being serious here. You might not believe me, but this whole plan rests on you wearing pigtails in a very specific way along with that turtleneck you have on.">

<Okay, but why though?> I shook my head and asked.

<"Because that's how his previous Master looked before he killed her, and now we're gonna use that against him.">

I raised my eyebrows at what I just heard and couldn't help but get an idea as to what Caster had in mind.

<... Go on, I'm listening.> I eagerly encouraged him to continue.

<"Somehow, I just knew you'd like that little detail. I'm starting to understand how you work, lass, and I gotta say… I'm really glad it's not you I'm up against.">

///

The plan went like this.

First, Caster would purposefully aggravate the enemy Archer to draw his attention, allowing Mash and the others to move forward in the direction of the cave the grail was hidden in.

Marie would stay behind, something that Mash wasn't happy about but eventually relented because it was an order from her Master.

Second, Caster would engage in combat with Archer, with Marie giving support only under emergencies, while she slowly made her way up the stairway.

This was a gamble and the most difficult part.

Caster knew that having been summoned in his current class meant that he couldn't rely on his usual method of fighting, meaning all it would take was one bad hit to kill him off since he didn't have his battle continuation skill that allowed him to shrug off a mortal blow.

He had to focus on not getting hit, make sure to keep Archer's attention, and not give his enemy a chance to discover Marie climbing up the stairs.

And finally, the last part of his plan.

"... Rin?" Archer whispered in disbelief at the sight of the person who just revealed themselves.

Marie had her hair tied up in twin tails with her ribbons, with the rest hanging from her back and her bangs covering her eyes.

She merely stood there, not saying a word in response to the other man mistaking her identity as she finally got a good look at the person who'd tried to kill her off a few minutes ago.

He was a tall man with unkempt white hair, tanned skin and silver eyes, though the iris of the eye he was bleeding out of was entirely black. He wore black sleeveless body armor that showed off his muscles along with dark colored pants with straps covering his legs, and steel plated boots on his feet.

He also had odd vein-like lines all over his body and clothes that reached his face.

The man had lowered his bow and the energy he'd been pouring into the sword arrow had dissipated as he looked upon the sight of what he assumed was his former Master.

The third part of their plan consisted on using the sudden appearance of Archer's dead Master to make him lower his guard, allowing them to catch him by surprise and finishing him off quickly.

Now obviously, a change in hairstyle and similar wardrobe wasn't going to be enough to convince the man, but that didn't matter so long as it got him to look away for a few seconds.

<"Got him."> Caster let Marie know before snapping his fingers, activating the spell he'd been charging up.

The sudden sound made Archer turn his head towards Caster, but by then it was too late. A large blue circle materialized right under Archer before the branches of a dead tree appeared, piercing his flesh in multiple places all over his body and keeping him stuck in place.

Archer dropped his bow, and Caster lifted his staff with his right hand, holding it like a javelin. "Master!" He shouted as he drew the staff back, preparing to throw it.

"Instant Enhancement!" He heard his Master shout back and felt her Mana empower him before adding in his own to the mix and throwing his staff with as much force as he could muster in the direction of Archer's chest.

"... You… bastard…" Archer managed to get out just seconds before the impromptu javelin made its way through his chest, leaving behind a gaping hole in the middle of his torso.

"Yeah, I know it was a dirty trick, but I'm in a hurry. Plus you really had it coming." Caster mentioned before looking back at his approaching Master.

"We got lucky he mistook me for that other girl." Marie said while undoing her pigtails and placing her ribbons on her left pocket.

"We did, but can you really complain seeing how it worked?" Caster asked while making his way towards his now bloody staff, ignoring the corpse of his former enemy turning to dust as it returned to the throne.

"... It would seem… I've been tricked. Killed by my own regrets… that's about what I deserve, really."

The two heard the man with a hole in his chest mumble but neither paid him any attention.

"I'll let Mash know, hopefully the director hasn't gotten her in any trouble." Caster heard Marie say before he felt their connection end.

"Caster…no, Cú Chulainn…" Archer called for him.

"... The hell do you want, can't you just die already?" Caster begrudgingly asked as he noticed all that was left to disappear from the other man was
his upper torso.

"You won't win… you know that, don't you?"

"That's seriously what you have to say for yourself?" Caster spat out and asked, not really wanting to hear another word come out of the dying man's mouth.

"... Call me hypocritical but… even if I know you won't win…" Archer raised his head and gave the other man a rare smile before saying his final words.

"I can't help but feel… like I want you to. Please… stop… her."

Caster shook his head and didn't respond as he knew the Archer had died right then and there, his remains turning to gold dust.

'... Don't worry, I'll be sure to send her your way soon. But not because of what you said, you dual wielding son of a bitch.'

"Master, how's the girl? Should we get going now?... Lass?"

Marie turned around just then and Caster noticed a change in the woman's demeanor.

It wasn't obvious, and he could tell she was forcing herself to try and keep it hidden, but it was such a difference to how she usually acted that he couldn't help but find it strange.

"I can't reach Mash."

///

A few minutes prior…

"Head north once you reach the large rock covered with moss." Mash repeated as she tried to figure out what rock it was that she was supposed to be looking for.

Fou was also scurrying around trying to help, something she appreciated considering what the other person in their group was doing.

"I cannot believe she sent us ahead by ourselves. What is she thinking?" She heard the director mumbling to herself while walking in circles.

"I believe that Senpai wanted us to scout ahead and make sure the path to the cave was secure." Mash answered the woman as she continued to figure out which of the rocks near them was the one Caster had mentioned.

'She's counting on me to find the entrance and keep the director safe. She didn't send me away because she thought of me as a burden, I know that… I know that.'

Mash did not want to leave her Master behind to fight off another Servant but did so because she was ordered to. This made her doubt herself once again before hiding those feelings deep down inside her and focusing on the task at hand.

"Of course I know that much, I just can't understand why she would split us up and divide our fighting forces to focus on a single Servant. If it were me, I would have-" "Fou!" The sound of Fou's cry interrupted Olga from continuing, which Mash was ever so grateful for.

"Fou-san, did you find it?" Mash asked before receiving a nod in return. Fou then pointed at a large rock hidden behind some bushes with its paw.

Olga made an acknowledging hum before speaking. "I expected something along the lines of a boulder, but I suppose this is fine too. Good work Fou, you make your owner proud."

Mash and Fou shared a glance before walking forward in the direction the entrance to the cavern was supposed to be in.

Olga saw the two of them not bother answering her and remembered that moment earlier where Mash let her frustrations towards her known.

'She hasn't spoken to me since and… I don't really blame her. Amabuki may have told her to protect me but I can tell she'd rather be somewhere else.' She stopped walking which got the attention of both Mash and Fou as they wondered if she was going to throw another tantrum at them.

"Director… We need to keep moving forward and make sure the coast is clear. If you have any complaints about me, please save them till after we return to Chaldea." Mash no longer knew how to behave around Olga after the way she'd spoken to her back in the mansion and felt that any further interaction with the woman would be too awkward.

"Have I… angered you, Kyrielight?" Olga asked, which left the young Servant confused.

'Well, yes but it's not as though you've ever cared about it before.' Such a thought passed through Mash's head before she herself realized it.

"No need to answer that, I know the effect I have on people."

'Then why ask if you know?' Mash kept quiet as she waited for the director to finish talking, hoping that she would hurry so they could find the cave and wait for Marie.

"I don't do this often, mostly because Lev usually does it for me but, I suppose this is as good a time as any." Mash was about to ask the woman what she meant when the next words to come out of her mouth were ones she would have never expected to hear.

"I apologize." Olga said with her eyes closed, meaning she couldn't see the astonished faces of the Servant and small creature as their eyes bulged out of their faces.

"W-wha?"
"Fou??" 'Is this actually happening?'

Olga heard Mash stumble her reaction but pressed on with her apology.

"I realize that my actions and attitude these past few hours have been… inexcusable. Whether it was demanding Amabuki transfer your contract over to me, not believing in your ability to make well thought out decisions or… slapping her in the face like I did. I was out of line and regret having done so."

Olga opened her eyes and saw astonished faces of the two in front of her before bashfully moving her head to the side and coughing into her left fist.

"What I am trying to say is… that I'm sorry for… sorry for- " she forgot what she was going to say before whispering to herself. "Wait, isn't that…?"

Olga was about to finish her apology when she stopped at the sight of someone she recognized wearing a familiar looking top hat and walking further off into the distance.

"Lev? Lev, was that you?!" Mash heard the woman shout before placing her palm over her mouth in an attempt to silence her.

"Director, what are you doing?! We still don't know if there are any enemies around!" She was trying to calm the woman down when she was suddenly pushed by Olga and tripped over the same mossy rock they had been trying to find.

"Don't touch me! Lev's here, he's here! I knew Romani was wrong! You were all wrong! Lev, wait up!" Olga continued to shout as she started running off in the direction the cave was supposedly in.

Mash quickly got up and tried to follow her along with Fou, but for some reason they couldn't catch up despite being faster than Olga and soon after lost track of her.

After a few minutes they reached the end of the forest and were now in a small clearing surrounded by trees. A small distance ahead of them was the entrance to a large cavern.

"How did we… nevermind that, Fou-san, any sign of the director?" Upon seeing the small animal shake its head, Mash felt a pit in her stomach begin to form.

She'd lost Olga and had failed the one thing her Master asked of her. Just as Mash was about to try and communicate with Marie, she noticed something lying on the ground near the cave entrance.

Against her better judgment, Mash walked forward to try and discern what it was that she saw. Upon getting closer, she found that she knew what it was, and was afraid of the picture it painted in regards to the person it belonged to.

"Are… are those-?" Fou heard Mash try to ask and noticed how pale her face had gotten before it took a good look at what made her that way.

In front of the entrance were two neatly positioned plaid shoes, similar to the ones Olga had been wearing ever since she'd received them back at the convenience store. By themselves, they wouldn't have gotten such a reaction out of the young woman… which is why it was likely that the trail of blood right next to them leading inside the cavern was to blame for the girl's ashen face.

"We… we need to back and…" before Mash could finish her sentence, she saw a shadowy figure moving in the dark from the corner of her eye, entering deeper into the cave.

"Director? Director Animusphere, is that you over there?" Mash asked and got nothing but silence in return.

"Foufou. Fou?" 'I don't like this Mash. Maybe we should wait till the others gets here?' Asked the small phantasmal, knowing that Mash likely understood what he was trying to get at despite not being able to interpret its cries.

"... Marie senpai trusted me to protect the director." Fou saw Mash take a deep breath and start making her way inside the dark cave.

"I can't just leave her like that. And she was trying to apologize earlier… that has to count for something, right?" She glanced at Fou, fully aware she wouldn't get an answer and saw her furry friend shake its head before following her inside.

"Fou." 'We're all gonna die.'

==================

Chapter 15

Chapter Text

After defeating Archer, Marie was led to the entrance Caster had mentioned in search of their missing companions. While making their way through the forest, Marie had continued trying to reach Mash through their link but hadn't received a response.

Once the two reached the small clearing near the cave's entrance, they began searching for clues in hopes of trying to understand what had happened.

Caster had once again summoned his two canine familiars, having been fully healed after their short respite in his spirit origin, after which Freki had picked up a scent and followed the trail leading his owner who was right behind him.

"Over here lass!" Caster shouted at Marie, signaling her to come over. He was kneeling down on one knee and looking at what his familiar had found.

"Did you find anything?" Marie asked upon reaching him.

"Maybe, have a look for yourself." Caster gave her a glance and nudged his head towards the ground in front of him.

"These are… the director's shoes? What are they doing here?" Marie asked before she pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and heard Caster continue to share his findings.

"I'm afraid that's not all, lass. There's a trail of blood leading inside as well." He pointed at where the trail started and how it kept going further inside.

'Question is, is that the boss girl's blood, or is it Shielder's…' Caster thought to himself before standing up and facing Marie.

"I don't like this, Master. This isn't Saber's style, she's not the type to play these games with her opponents." He began tapping his foot on the ground and scratching the side of his head.

Caster kept mumbling to himself before Marie got his attention with a question of her own, following up on his previous statement.

"There might be someone else here with us, is that what you're saying?"

Caster couldn't think of any other explanation considering he had known Saber before she was corrupted. However, the idea that there had been someone else that had gone undetected up to this point in the grail war was idiotic in of itself…

'And yet, I'm reminded of a certain golden haired bastard that had me do all the work for him and then got himself killed, so maybe it's not that stupid in hindsight.' He shrugged the idea off and gave a vague answer.

"Maybe. You still can't reach Shielder?"

"Nothing… the connection's still there but it just won't go through."

Marie had been unknowingly biting her bottom lip to the point that a small amount of blood had begun to spill out.

(I hate this awful feeling in my chest. It's only been a couple of minutes and we still don't know if Mash and the others are safe… Goddamn it, I'm losing my damn mind over here and all because of some teenager I barely even know. At least this crap is almost over.)

Marie took a deep breath and started moving towards the cave's entrance.

(I'll find her, then that grail thing and return to Chaldea. The sooner I get back, the faster I can force Doc to get rid of this contract, get back home and forget any of this ever happened. sh*t, maybe I'll even take up Gin's advice and go to a therapist.)

She was about to step one foot inside when she suddenly heard Caster as a question that he shouldn't have.

"We could always turn back, you know?"

Marie abruptly stopped walking and had one leg still in the air. She lowered it until it touched the ground and slightly turned her head around before making sure she hadn't misheard him just now.

"Excuse me?"

"We could walk away, find another safe place. A bit of rest would do us some good, if you want." Caster's tone hadn't fluctuated as he explained what he meant.

Of course, he didn't actually want to do such a thing and was only testing how his current Master would react to his suggestion.

He wanted her riled up, angry and motivated to go deeper inside the cavern, but also to get her out of this worried state she'd been in since they defeated Archer.

Unfortunately for him, considering her current state of mind and how this seemingly never ending day had been going for her, that was the worst thing he could have said seeing as how he'd just gotten her to focus all of her built up anger towards him.

She slowly turned around and that's when Caster flinched upon seeing for himself his Master's true self she'd been trying to hide for the past year.

"I'm not in the mood for your little games right now, Caster." He heard her say in a cold tone of voice and forced himself to not react in way, shape or form, otherwise his life was forfeit.

It wasn't just the odd heart shaped pupils or the intense gaze towards him that made the man feel true fear for the first time since he was still alive. There was also how, despite seeing his Master standing in front of him, he couldn't feel her presence or hear the sound of her heartbeat. All he felt was this intense pressure coming from her that resembled raw hatred mixed in with pure killing intent being focused entirely on him.

To put it simply, standing before him was nothing less than the physical embodiment of murder itself, and he'd just managed to piss it off.

'... Holy sh*t, you're telling me this was a woman who could barely move a year ago? And all this bloodlust emanating out of her as well, girl's got the makings of a natural born killer.'

But he also couldn't help but be genuinely impressed with her. After all, how rare was it to meet such an interesting person that was born in the modern era where the image of peace was valued above all. If only he had more time with her, if only he could have taught her as well.

"Well?" He heard her ask and realized he'd kept quiet, possibly making it harder for her to hold back her desire to murder him and go looking for Mash.

Rather than meet her killing intent with his own, he took on an unassuming smile and apologized for trying to test her. "Sorry Master, I had to make sure you weren't the type to leave someone behind. I know better now, so could you mind putting the scary face away?"

Marie stared at him for a while longer before turning around and walking further inside.

"... Whatever. Let's just go." Caster heard her say and could feel the murderous aura that had been coming out of Marie being restrained.

I can't believe I let him get to me like that. Marie shook her head and took a few more steps before hearing Caster speak up.

"Wait up." He said, jogging past her and then kneeling with his back facing her. "Here, hop on." Marie looked at the kneeling man's back before coming up with a response.

"... What are you doing?"

"You still don't know how to use self strengthening, right? Which means you'll only slow us down if we go down the cave and try to catch up with the others. I'll carry you so we can hurry and save time."

At first glance, there was nothing wrong with what he was saying. Marie did not, in fact, know how to use strengthening or even knew what it was, but she had seen the man's speed for herself during the multiple times she'd seen him fight.

That said…

"... I'm conflicted."

Although he had a point, this was the same man that slapped Mash's bottom just seconds after an intense fight and had also tried flirting with Marie just after making a contract with him.

"I promise I won't grab your ass." Caster begrudgingly added before shaking his head, knowing what his Master was worried over.

"Deal." Marie said as she made her way over to him. "Just remember, I've still got two command seals and I'm not afraid to use them to prove a point."

'How can I when you keep mentioning it?' He thought to himself while rolling his eyes.

///

The two had been traversing the tunnels leading to the Greater Grail at incredible speeds. Marie was hanging onto Caster's shoulders for dear life as he carried her on his back.

<"You doing alright back there, Master? Ain't gonna throw up or anything are ya?"> Caster casually asked despite having run across a large distance without pause for ten minutes straight.

<Definitely better than when we started. Still think you could have warned me, you know?> Marie groaned as she remembered almost falling off Caster's back when he abruptly stood up and began to run back at the entrance.

Oddly enough, the further down they went, the brighter the walls around them became which made Marie wonder how such a thing was possible. She hadn't seen anything resembling luminescent moss or a man made light source but couldn't rule either of those things being responsible because of how she'd had her eyes mostly closed considering the wind pressure hitting her in the face from moving at such high speeds.

The two had remained mostly silent throughout their descent, only ever scarcely communicating through their link when Caster decided to strike up a conversation to help pass the time.

<"So, since getting to our destination is gonna take a while, you mind telling me what was up with those questions back at the mansion?"> Caster asked, the conversation having been on his mind since they had it.

<What do you mean?>

<"When you asked me about whether a Master-Servant contract could affect one's personality, why'd you bring that up? It's not really a question that comes to mind when one summons a heroic spirit, is all."> He clarified.

Caster felt his Master's hands start using more pressure on his shoulders before hearing her speak.

<… I feel… off. I keep having these thoughts that I usually wouldn't have and it's driving me crazy.> Marie felt reluctant to share this information with someone else but figured this might help her understand the recent changes she'd noticed.

<"Are they murderous thoughts? I have noticed you've been leaking out killing intent more than once when you get mad."> Caster remarked and felt his left ear harshly being pulled by the person on his back.

<First off, never say I'm leaking anything ever again or I really will shove that wooden staff up your ass. And no, those thoughts have been there long before this mess started.> Marie admitted and let go of his ear.

There was a small moment of silence shared between the two that ended when Caster spoke up, wanting to continue the topic.

<"... I'm a bit surprised you admitted that since usually people would try to hide them for fear of being looked at differently.">

<Caster, I just helped you kill a man, I think I'll be fine sharing this with you.> Marie chuckled after she spoke in a self-deprecating tone.

<"But not with the girl, right?"> Caster added and knew that got a reaction out of her seeing as how it took her a while to answer him.

<…No, not with her.>

This had been the most Caster had gotten out of Marie regarding her thoughts so he decided to push a bit further and ask something that's been on his mind longer than their talk regarding the effects of the Master-Servant contract.

<"Be honest with me, Master. You've killed before, haven't you?">

Caster fully expected to not get an answer to his question, or even have his ear pulled once again at having asked such a thing but was surprised when Marie spoke up, seemingly not angry at all.

<I'm honestly not sure how to answer that. The image is there in my head, and I remember each kill but… they weren't real, so it didn't count.>

<"They weren't real?"> He asked, trying to understand what she’d meant by that.

<You wouldn't get it…>

Caster heard his Master let out a sigh and knew that something was weighing on her mind that she didn't think anyone would understand.

<"Sounds like a long story, if you don't mind me saying.">

<I don't, and it's not that long at all. Just boring and pathetic, really. Best way I can describe it is like having a long, vivid dream that feels just like real life only to wake up and be told it actually happened, if that makes sense. It creates this weird sense of disconnect that I'm still trying to figure out.>

Caster slightly raised his head at hearing how Marie had chosen to describe her issue and felt it was oddly familiar to his own situation as a Servant.

<"... I can sorta understand that myself. People might think of me as this legendary hero but that's because they tend to ignore the parts that weren't so heroic. You see, because of their perception of our stories, we heroic spirits end up slightly modernized so as to fit with today's standards when we're summoned. Basically, that means that the Cú Chulainn in front of you now isn't the original Cú Chulainn they wrote about.">

Marie was a bit shocked to learn that piece of information but chose to set it aside, seeing as how she wouldn't be dealing with any more magic nonsense upon returning home. That said, she couldn't deny her curiosity in wanting to learn more about these beings called Servants and kept talking with Caster.

<How does that make you feel? That people just assume you're the exact same person despite not feeling that way about yourself?> She asked him and could feel his shoulders being raised as he shrugged.

<"It's alright, you get used to it after a while. Besides, even if there is that sense of disconnect you mentioned, we are technically still that person, just slightly different.">

There were some parallels there to how Marie felt about her own issues regarding her identity and decided the conversation was hitting too close to home with her so she decided to try and move away from the topic.

<… We're getting off track, how much longer till we reach the grail?> She hastily asked, which gave Caster the impression his Master was running away from something but chose not to dwell on it.

<"That wasn't a smooth transition at all, Master. I feel embarrassed for you."> Caster held a lazy grin as he felt Marie once again pulling on his ear.

<Just shut up and tell me, we've been like this for a while now.>

<"We should get there in about four more minutes at our current speed.">

Another awkward pause between the two occurred as neither wanted to bring up the possibility of the worst case scenario having met the other members of their group.

<…We're that close to the end and still no sign of Mash or Fou.>

<"I feel like you're purposefully forgetting someone else?">

<I am.> Marie lazily answered.

<"Another long story there?">

<Not really, it's more of a- Wait! Over there!>

Marie interrupted herself before pointing at a figure further ahead of them and could make out a few details despite the distance.

Short lilac colored hair, the abnormally large kite shield being held with relative ease, the incredibly tight looking armor which looked like a mini dress that showed off the figure of the person wearing it.

"That ass-, I mean, that's Mash!"

<"Nice save there, and here you were calling me a pervert!"> Marie heard Caster shout through their link and realized she'd said that out loud.

<That's because you are, now shut up and catch up to her!>

<"Fair enough! Now hold on!">

Marie felt a burst of wind hit her face as Caster sped up, trying to reach Mash who was also running at a similar speed.

///

By this point, Mash was trying not to think about how much trouble she would have avoided had she just waited in front of the entrance instead of going down to find the director.

She'd lost track of how long Fou and her had been there and couldn't reach her Master no matter how many times she tried to contact her.

Mash and Fou had taken multiple breaks throughout their descent, mostly because Mash still hadn't gotten used to her new physical abilities from being made into a Servant, which conveniently allowed both Marie and Caster to catch up.

"Mash!" She heard Marie's voice coming from behind and thought it was an auditory hallucination before the sound of something approaching was drawing nearer.

"... Senpai?" She asked before she stopped running and turned around, wondering if it was truly Marie or just her mind playing tricks on her. The sight of Caster rushing towards her while carrying Marie on his back was an odd, albeit welcome, one after having been alone for so long.

Caster lowered his speed before fully stopping and set his Master down. He then watched as the woman walked past him and headed towards Mash.

'Well, there's one out of three. But where are the other two?' Caster thought to himself while looking around for any clue regarding their other companions.

"Fou!" They all heard the small creature cry out but Marie and Caster couldn't find it. Fou's head then popped out from inside Mash's collar in a comedic manner, which prompted a spit take followed by boisterous laughter coming from Caster.

"I never thought I'd see the day-" he chortled and continued, "- when I'd be jealous of an animal."

Fou let out a cry, which was actually a snarky remark at Caster, before digging itself out of Mash's collar and landing on the floor.

Marie ignored the sounds coming from the man behind her and focused on checking Mash for any external injuries.

"You're not hurt, are you?" She asked and Mash shook her head in response.

"I'm fine, Marie senpai, just tired…" she trailed off, fearing her Master's reaction to finding out about her failure regarding the director's safety.

"Aren't we all?" Marie sarcastically commented and did a quick glance, searching for a barefoot, and hopefully injured, Olga. "So, where's the boss? I noticed she left her shoes behind and got a couple of words for her."

(Mostly two. First one starts with a capital F and the other with a Y.)

Marie was looking away and hadn't noticed Mash's body flinching at the director being mentioned, but Caster did and asked what was on his mind.

"Shielder, where's the boss girl? We saw the trail of blood next to the shoes so something clearly happened."

Mash started to look uncomfortable as she set her shield on a nearby stalagmite and then stood in front of Marie with her head down.

(Couldn't look any more guilty of something if she tried, but of what? And why do I get the impression that this is all the director's fault?)

Marie braced herself for whatever it was that she was about to hear and focused on what was being said as Mash began recounting the events that transpired after their group split off from Marie and Caster.

How they had wasted time looking for a mossy rock that Caster had been vague about.

<That one, I'm blaming on you.> Marie told Caster through their link while she kept listening to Mash.

<"Wha-?! Come on! What's not to get about my instructions?! I thought I was being very clear when I mentioned the big rock covered in moss!">

<They thought you'd meant a boulder.>

<"Sounds like a 'them' issue, not mine.">

How the director didn't help at all and instead decided that, right then of all the other times she could have picked, apologized for her attitude towards Mash and Marie throughout the day.

<That woman knows how to apologize? Coulda fooled me with that attitude.>

<"Master, I know the two of you have your grievances with each other, but she can't be that bad.">

… And how fast she was to forget her own apologies the second she saw a shadow resembling someone she knew, along with everything else that followed.

<"Alright, maybe she is that bad."> Caster remarked and waited for Marie to make another comment regarding Olga but it never came.

<"Lass?">

Mash finished explaining and decided to steal a glance to see how her Master was taking the news.

Marie currently had her eyebrows furrowed, glaring at a nearby wall and gritting her teeth which made Mash think she was mad at her.

'... She's mad. I mean, of course she'd be mad. All I had to do was keep the director away from harm and failed. I just wish she'd say something instead of staying quiet.'

"So… Not only did she not help you look for Caster's stupid rock, she then pushed you away and ran off in search for a shadow that might have or might not have killed her, and is now presumably captured or dead. Is that about right?"

"... Yes." Mash answered her Master honestly, shame visible in the girl's face as she forced herself to not look away.

"I see." She heard her say when Marie took a few steps forward before gently placing her hand on top of Mash's head.

"S-senpai?" Mash asked and heard the woman answer her in a serious voice.

"It's not your fault, the director's the one who chose to do what she did. Whatever happens, it's her responsibility. Not yours or anyone else's for that matter."

"... But I failed you. You told me to keep her safe and I didn't." Mash was shaking as she spoke, feeling undeserving of such kindness after her failure which only made Marie's desire to see her cheer up all the more stronger but whether that was because of the contract's influence or something else, she didn't know.

"Pretty sure my exact words were to keep her out of trouble, and there really isn't much anyone can do if she decides to run off by herself. So no, Mash, you didn't fail me."

(Besides, if she was gonna go get herself killed, could've done us all a favor and not give emotional-support kouhai any more traumas on top of the ones she clearly already has. Girl has enough self confidence issues, and all this probably just made it worse.)

While Marie was trying to mitigate the emotional damage Olga had unknowingly inflicted on Mash, Caster looked on with a curious eye and decided to weigh in on Marie's attempts to help Mash out of her slump.

<"Definitely not sensing a bias here. No, not at all. Hey, would you have been this forgiving if I'd have lost the boss girl?">

<Caster, I wouldn't have cared about who she ran away from so long as I'd never have to see her again. Hell, I wish I knew who it was that did her in so I could ask what her final moments were like. After the day I've had, I could use a good laugh.>

<"Not gonna lie. That's f*cked up, lass.">

<Bite me.> Marie answered the man and switched over from their link to the one with Mash.

<Mash, I know this is a lot to take in, and that you're likely to keep blaming yourself for what happened, even though you shouldn't, but we need to keep moving. The grail is just up ahead and I need you at your best if we're gonna fight this Saber person.>

<"I understand… I think I know how you can help me get better, but I don't know if you'll approve.">

<Anything you want, Mash. Just, you know, keep it within moderation. Our options are kinda limited since we're this deep underground…>

<"It's not that difficult really. Could you-">

Marie's eyes widened upon hearing Mash's request and was left baffled at how brazen the young Servant was by asking that of her, but also at the simplicity of it.

"... Is that really all you want? I'm not saying no, it's just-" "It is."

Marie wanted to make sure she heard correctly and received an immediate answer that came across as a bit over excited.

"Alright, I guess. Just give me a second."

She turned around and didn't see Mash pump her fist in the air, something Mash herself thought was outside the norm for her usual mannerisms, but seeing as how Marie agreed, not much thought was given about it.

"Caster, could you turn around till I say otherwise?"

"Why? What'd I miss?" The man raised an eyebrow at suddenly being addressed.

"It's just for a few seconds." The way Marie said this made it sound like it really was just that simple, but Caster could hear a bit of annoyance seeping in because he kept asking questions.

So he decided to keep asking them to push her buttons…

"... I don't like this, what if you take this opportunity to sh-"

<I will use my second command seal here and now to force you to do it yourself if you don't turn around right this second.>

… Having forgetten his Master's low tolerance for tomfoolery and quick trigger for invoking violence.

'Why do I do this to myself? I know she means it too, which is the scary part.' He thought to himself and put his hands up while facing the other direction, away from the two.

"I'm turning around, take all the time you need, I insist." Upon turning around, he felt an odd pressure on his left foot and looked down to see the small phantasmal patting.

"Foufou." 'Don't take it too seriously, that's how she shows she cares.' Fou cried out while looking up at the man in pity.

Marie let out a small breath and made her way back to Mash, who, for some reason, looked to be nervous despite getting what she'd asked for.

"Right then… here I go." Marie spread her arms and watched as Mash got closer. She then placed them around Mash's back as the girl's arms went around Marie's waist.

She felt the young Servant apply a small amount of pressure as there was no longer any distance between the two's embrace. Mash laid her head upon Marie's shoulder, and let herself be lost in the familiar warmth she'd come to rely on.

Mash didn't know what compelled her to ask her Master for such a thing, but she didn't care now that she got it. Throughout the day, whenever she felt her doubts start to get the better of her, Marie would hold her hand or even embrace her, which would have a calming effect on Mash to the point that she had begun wanting more of this from her.

Romani wasn't the type to show physical affection to his daughter, outside of the casual pat on the shoulder or head, and Da Vinci, despite being more talkative to the girl, was much the same in that regard… that is, if we exclude the older woman's obsession with pinching the girl's cheeks from time to time.

Mash cared for the two greatly but, even with all of her shortcomings when it came to dealing with people because of her unique upbringing, she knew there was a clear wall there that prevented them from getting closer to one another. A wall that wasn't present when it came to Marie.

…And therein lies an issue.

She wasn't the only one who felt comfort in that moment, but unlike Mash, the other person also felt bitter regarding the external forces surrounding the two.

Marie had resolved herself to give Mash whatever she wanted, but wasn't expecting for herself to be so receptive to what the actual request was. Yet another change caused by the contract, was the explanation she tried to convince herself of.

(… What am I even doing right now? Since when am I the type to do this crap?) She asked herself and received a follow up question from her own disembodied voice, something she wondered when she'd gotten used to.

-Wouldn't this be the exact type of thing Amabuki would think of to cheer someone up?

-Yeah, it is. Both she and Sasara were too kind for their own good.

-Then what's the problem? Haven't you been Marie Amabuki for the past year already?

-But that's-

-Not who you really are?

-… No. It's not.

-You'll have to make up your mind about this eventually, the mask has come off one too many times for it to fit like it used to.

-I know.

For as much as she may have disliked it, Marie was grateful to have Mash holding her in that moment as it helped push back her own insecurities.

"Can I turn around yet?" The two heard Caster ask before they both answered at the same time. ""No.""

///

Having regrouped, the four continued their descent at a normal pace to give everyone a chance to rest and were slowly approaching their destination, during which Caster had chosen to share some information that threatened to push a certain someone over the edge.

"I'm sorry, I must have misheard that. Can you repeat what you just said?" Marie asked, trying as best she could to not lose control of herself and attack her own ally.

"Which part? Us being several miles under the Fuyuki River or Saber's true identity being a gender-bent King Arthur Pendragon." Replied Caster in a jovial mood and a silly looking grin that succeeded in killing off any remaining patience Marie had.

"Both you f*cking asshole!" She shouted and punched him as hard as she could in his left arm before asking, "Why'd it take you so long to mention that?!"

(Are you kidding me right now? That stupid sh*t I thought up as a joke back at the infirmary came true?!)

"I forgot, okay! We kept getting sidetracked by all the random mobs and then you almost died so it just slipped my mind." Caster was rubbing the spot Marie had just hit him in, surprised that she'd managed to actually hurt him at all.

"You're forgetting the part where that was hours ago!" She growled and kept glaring at him while ignoring the worried look Mash and Fou were giving her.

"I know, I'm sorry! You keep making jokes about my age but the truth is that they're half right." Marie heard him say in a self deprecating way and let out a sigh, trying to calm herself down.

(It's okay, we're almost done. Don't let him get to you, it's just him being an idiot.) She told herself.

"Fine, so your age is half to blame for your forgetfulness, but what about the other half?" Marie asked him, hoping that whatever he answered wouldn't want to make her kill him.

"... I was drunk?" He answered truthfully and shrugged at her, which did make her want to kill him but just as she was about to reach for her sword, she heard Mash call for her attention.

"Senpai, look!" She pointed at the entrance to a large and brightly lit cavern that presumably was their final destination.

Upon entering, Marie noted the high ceiling and the long distance from where they stood to the large wall a ways ahead that almost reached the top of the cave, along with an odd light that covered the entire room emanating from behind it, almost as though the wall was there for the sole purpose of hiding whatever was making that light.

She then felt someone tapping her right shoulder and saw Caster standing next to her with a lazy grin on his face. He then took a few more steps forward and spoke up.

"Welcome to the lair of the Greater Grail. See? Told you we'd get here in no time." He happily said, which slightly annoyed Marie considering the man was acting like they were there on a school trip.

(And I'm the chaperone.)

She turned away while rubbing her palm on her forehead and saw Mash fidgeting with a conflicted look on her face.

"You okay there Mash?"

Mash stifled at hearing Marie's question, having been stuck in her own thoughts since hearing the identity of their next opponent.

"Yes, it's… I find it hard to believe that King Arthur would allow himself- or rather, herself- to become corrupted and cause all of this. It's just this feeling I get."

'No, it's more than just that. It's like my entire body is rejecting the notion that they would ever allow this to happen, but why? I may have looked up to the Arthurian legend when I was younger but not to the point I'd feel this strongly about it.' Mash shook her head and tried not to think about this topic any further.

Regardless of who their enemy was, she couldn't let herself get distracted about who they might be or their intentions. All that matters was protecting her Master, obtaining the grail and returning to Chaldea, in that order.

'Though I do wonder how we're going to alert the Doctor about the mission's completion seeing as how the director had the only communicator…'

Just then, they all heard the voice of a woman speaking in a commanding tone from farther away and turned their heads to see the outline of a lone figure standing near the edge of the large wall.

"I am inclined to thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt, however… ", The voice paused as the person it belonged to appeared to be removing something from their face so as to get a better look at them and continued, "You shouldn't assume things about people you've never met, child. You'll only set yourself up for disappointment."

The distance between them was too large and Marie couldn't quite make out what Saber looked like, but knew that the burning sensation in the back of her neck meant that she was in danger just standing there.

Every hair in her body had stood up as if to further accentuate the threat Saber posed and couldn't help but see the irony in getting to experience the exact feeling people get from her.

(Goddamn, what a presence. So that's what it's like to be on the other end of that.)

"I take it, that's Saber?" Marie asked the only person that could answer and didn't hear an answer. She then noticed the man walking a bit farther ahead of them and looking more serious than she'd ever seen him.

"Old man?" She called him and he turned his head to give her a quick wink before she heard his voice coming from all directions just like how he'd shown her in their previous fight.

"Ho, there! Been a while since we last spoke, hasn't it, King Arthur! I appreciate the warm reception, though I'm sorry about the mess we left with Archer. He may have died too quickly but know that his final thoughts were of you, if you even care." Caster casually greeted her while also not forgetting to throw shade at their previous opponent so as to get a reaction out of her.

"... I see you still refuse to properly greet your king, Hound of Culann. No matter, I will allow this show of disrespect and consider them your final words, poor though they may be." Saber ignored the obvious attempt in trying to anger her and replied in a bored tone of voice, as though Caster wasn't worth the effort to get worked up over.

Marie saw Caster clenching his fist and instinctively knew Saber had angered him with her response.

"Ha! And I see you still suck at trash talking despite being full of trash yourself! So, how's it been? Was it fun whoring yourself to the grail and turning everyone into the undead? Man, I bet all the people that looked up to your legend never would've imagined you being this much of an evil bitch."

Marie could hear the barely held back hostility in Caster's voice as he insulted their enemy. She then heard Saber let out a small grunt before replying.

"The opinions of the masses do not concern a King. All shall follow my will, regardless of what that might be… "

Saber seemed to be taking up the long sword embedded on the ground in front of her and pointed it at them.

"Or die by my hand."

There was no change in her apathetic sounding voice as she said that, which oddly enough made the clear threat all that much more effective.

Marie saw Caster gripping his staff and wondered if he was about to blindly rush in when she heard Mash nervously speak up.

"Who… are you?" Mash felt something that compelled her to ask that and couldn't help but let herself be taken over by it.

"My ki-, King Arthur wouldn't do something like this! There has to be a reason why!" She shouted as she readied her shield and took on a fighting stance, not once looking away from the far away figure.

Silence followed the young Servant's words as all three of her companions were surprised by her sudden outburst.

"... That shield, I see. So that's where you were." Saber said under her breath before looking down at Mash and speaking directly to her.

"You, who would carry that shield, I wonder, have you any idea of what it is you hold in your hands?"

Mash suddenly froze at sensing the woman's gaze solely on her and felt an intense pressure on her chest that made it so she couldn't breathe. Her knees started to buckle and it was as though a hole had opened up in the ground beneath her, attempting to swallow her whole as the sensation of various arms pressing against her and dragging her down became too much to bear.

"Hey!" It was then that Mash heard a shout that brought her back from her delusion and noticed someone standing in front of her.

The unkempt light brown hair, the red wool turtleneck and the sash that had been used as a sheath came into view as she saw the person she'd come to rely on for support with her sword out, pointing it at their faraway enemy.

"I don't appreciate you trying to scare my kouhai so knock it off and come down here already. All we want is the grail, so stop wasting my time and fight us!" Marie shouted as she held onto her sword with both hands and pretended not to see the baffled look on Caster's face.

<"Really? You're gonna pull out a sword? On Saber of all people?"> She heard the man ask through their link before answering.

<I mean, it's the only weapon I have on me.>

<"Lass, please do me a favor and try not to get yourself killed before the fight even starts.">

<I make no promises.> Marie ignored the audible groan coming from the man's direction and noticed Saber's attention was now on her.

"And you there, I take it you're the Master from Chaldea?" Saber asked, which got a raised eyebrow out of Marie.

(How does she know about that?)
She wondered before answering. "So what if I am?"

"I've been expecting you for far too long. A word of advice, it is unwise to keep your King waiting. Where is your gratitude?"

Maybe it was the way she'd said it, or maybe it was Marie's inherent dislike for Saber's holier than thou attitude, but she'd heard enough.

"... My apologies, your highness. It was not my intention to take so long to reach you. If you'd like, I can tell you where to stick my gratitude for having waited for so long." Marie then made an obscene sign at Saber, bending her forearm up with a clenched fist that held onto her sword while the other hand's palm slapped its biceps.

This got an immediate reaction out of Caster as he started laughing while mirroring his Master, adding a stuck out middle finger as well.

"You hear that, Saber! Looks like I'm not the only one tired of your sh*t! In a way, I'm almost grateful to you. Because of this mess of yours, I was able to get contracted to such an interesting Master."

Saber shook her head in disappointment as she looked on before raising her voice an octave. "... How dull. So this is what I am to face then? A whelp, a mutt and their jester of a master? This is the best humanity has to offer in its final moments?"

An intimidating and malignant aura began to surround Saber as the air around her turned pitch black with a tinge of red in it, gradually expanding until it reached the ceiling.

Marie, the two Servants and Fou looked on as Saber's aura seemed to be taking on a life of its own as it continued stretching out in all directions.

<Caster… what the f*ck am I looking at?>

<"That's Saber letting out some of her magical energy in an attempt to scare us. How about it, Lass? Are you scared? Won't hold it against you if you are.">

<I'd ask the same of you old timer, shaking in your sandals over there?> Marie turned to face Caster and saw a bit of sweat dripping down the man's face as he held a feral smile at Saber's direction.

<"Me? Nah, just getting excited over finally getting my rematch after waiting for so long.">

<That so?> She decided to take his word for it and leave him alone, not wanting to get caught up in the eventual crossfire.

"This was meant to be the end of my duty, and yet, it would appear I've another matter I must now address."

The dark aura then started to draw back towards her, all of it being drawn into the sword she held.

Marie didn't have any idea as to what was happening, but it was clearly bad. She looked back to check on her other Servant.

<Mash, you ready?> She asked, noticing a lack of response and how the girl had kept staring at the Saber's weapon.

"Mash!" Marie shouted, which seemed to snap the Shielder out of her stupor.

<"Yes! I'm… I'm ready. Come what may, I won't allow any harm to come to you, Master!">

Mash stared at Marie with renewed conviction and rushed ahead to stand in front Caster as they took their positions.

The look she'd given her in that moment had quite the effect on Marie as she forced herself to ignore the shivers on her back and the fact that her heart had skipped a beat.

<… I know.> She thought before taking a few steps forward and raised her head to stare at the last obstacle she had to face before returning home.

Marie held her sword with her left hand and stretched out her right that still had two command seals on it.

She took a deep breath… "Right then…"
And the battle began.

"Let's finish this."

==================

Chapter 16

Chapter Text

Grand Battle;

SABER: ALTRIA PENDRAGON ALTER

"I ask of you, are thou my Master?"

She held a vague recollection of this moment. The cold winter night where she was summoned as her Master at the time had been under attack by the same man who currently stood in her way, only now under a different moniker.

The time she had spent together with her Master was short. So short, in fact, that she'd already forgotten everything about him.

The conversations they'd had, the moments shared, the camaraderie between the two, all of it… gone.

In another life, a lesser version of herself may have even felt something more and given in to her base desires. To live, not as a king weighed down by her responsibilities to her people, but as a simple woman who'd want nothing more than to be seen as such by the man she loved.

Useless. All of it.

She'd put an end to that possibility herself when she ripped out the boy's heart from his chest and squashed it in front of her former allies. Maybe the other version of her would have felt pain at having done such a thing, possibly even regret it. Not her.

This was a war she needed to win, even if she didn't want the grail itself. Nevertheless, she began her conquest soon after putting an end to the last remaining trace of her former self from before being altered by the grail.

It wasn't as though she was completely ruthless to her opponents in the war for she would offer the other Servants two simple choices. The first being to willingly kill their own Masters and return to the throne, renouncing their intentions to obtain the grail and forfeiting from the war itself.

The other was to die by her sword and have their spirit origin become corrupted as hers was.

A simple choice, really. It was obvious who was the stronger Servant in each of her encounters, as was the outcome of each battle before it even began. There was no need to prolong this war any further than it had already gone on.

And yet, most chose to fight back.

Caster, whose true name was Medea of Colchis, and her faulty Assassin she'd broken the rules of the war to summon were the first to die, as she'd taken the temple as her base and thus, had access to the Greater Grail below it. All Saber had to do was walk up the stairway leading into the temple, slay the Caster's guard, an off putting man who had nothing special to him other than his Noble Phantasm, and butcher the many, many, priests that lived there so as to leave no survivors.

Upon finding Caster together with her Master in the temple's central hall, she refused Saber's offer and attempted to fight back, though a poor showing it may have been. Saber very quickly cut the woman's Master in half with her blade and Caster ended up committing suicide immediately after.

As Saber made her way to the Greater Grail, she was met with yet another Servant from the Assassin class. As unexpected as it was, since it is rare for two Servants of the same class to exist in the same war, she made quick work of it as well and continued on her way after corrupting it.

At this point, Saber had solidified her position as the most likely to win the war through sheer force and having the grail so close to her.

As the days passed, the remaining Servants came to challenge her for the grail, only to meet their ends.

Berserker Heracles was next and as the toughest opponent that could have beaten her because of its unique ability to resurrect eleven times before truly dying, the fight was all the more difficult, yet not impossible, for Saber to secure a victory.

The more lives he lost to her, the stronger the effect of the corruption and upon reaching his last life, there was no longer anything resembling the giant that had been fighting her up to that point, now just a bloodthirsty monster lost in his madness. It left her behind in search of something, and she never saw it again.

By this point there were only three more Servants left for her to win the war and no sign of anyone coming close to defeating her, something that seemed to be apparent as her next opponents were the odd combination of Archer and Rider accompanied by their respective Masters.

Before the battle began, Saber gave both Servants the same offer she'd given Caster, expecting a swift refusal and the fight that followed. But it never came.

Archer, a man she had no memory of ever having spoken to, said he would heed her words and walked away after knocking his Master unconscious and carrying her in his arms, not once drawing his weapons. His sudden betrayal came as a surprise to Rider's Master but the boy could do nothing but watch as the Servant left since he needed to conserve his Servant's strength to fight against Saber, a decision that ultimately proved futile considering who Rider was up against.

Rider, the class Medusa had been summoned as originally, had tried as best she could to defeat Saber, but failed to cause any harm and was altered as well. She took her old Master away and there was no doubt as to what the corrupted Medusa had in store for the young man.

Another human life lost in vain, another Servant corrupted.

Archer soon returned, having somehow broken his contract to his former Master and pledged his allegiance to Saber.

She thought the man a traitor, someone who had no place by her side because of how quick he was to betray his former Master, and yet chose to share a small amount of her power with him. There was no meaning to it, but she did it anyway.

Perhaps it was because the way he looked at her was reminiscent of how her former Master would gaze at her as well, to an almost exact degree, or maybe it was to keep a close eye on him if he ever thought of betraying her as well.

Regardless, this meant that there was only one Servant left to kill and the war would truly be over.

Lancer, the legendary Celtic warrior known as Cú Chulainn carrying his spear, the Gáe Bolg. He'd come to fight her by himself, his Master nowhere in sight. Similar to that night she'd been summoned, the two fought against each other holding nothing back, the clear difference between their initial bout and this one being that Saber wasn't held back by her Master's poor supply of mana.

The battle went on for hours, as Archer and some of the other corrupted Servants watched to see who would be victorious.

She had managed to deliver a fatal blow and was seconds away from removing her enemy's head from his neck when he suddenly disappeared, likely being called away by his Master who sensed Cú Chulainn's impending doom and used a command seal in order to spare his life.

The corrupted Servants that had scurried into her lair to witness the fight then left as well, leaving her alone with the grail and Archer.

A few days passed and the other Servants continued their wanton destruction throughout the city with no remorse for the lives they were taking as Saber continued waiting for Lancer to return and finish their duel.

When would it end, she asked no one.

When could she return to the throne and cease to be this version of herself, she wondered in silence.

Time pressed on and eventually, the presence within the Greater Grail made itself known to her and congratulated her on her victory.

Lancer's Master had apparently died in an unrelated incident, and the war was over. Not only that, but apparently all human life across the globe had ceased to be as well.

Saber asked if her victory was the cause of such a thing, but the voice from within the grail refused to answer.

She had no way of knowing if she was truly responsible for the sudden extinction of mankind or if it was something else, but that didn't matter.

The grail was hers. She'd single handedly won the war and had earned the right to wish for anything she desired, and yet…

Despite everything that happened during the war, not once had Saber faltered in her pursuit of the grail. But on occasion, she couldn't help but ask herself a question that had continued to go unanswered.

"When was it… that I became altered?"

Was it that cold winter she was summoned?

Was it shortly after meeting that odd creature that seemed to be composed of pure malice she never saw again?

Or… was she always like this, and the corruption was just a convenient excuse.

The answer didn't matter anymore. The Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War had ended in her victory.

It was over.

It should have been over.

.
.
.
.
.
… And then a man with a top hat requested an audience with her, and the war began anew.

///

'The nerve of that man to try and give me orders as though I were some mangy mutt.' Saber let out a quick breath upon remembering her initial meeting with the stranger and started walking towards the edge of the tall wall she stood on.

"Let us begin your trial." She said with the same apathetic tone she'd been using and simply walked off the edge, rapidly falling down because of the weight of her armor.

Marie saw her descent and couldn't help but ask a question to the druid standing in front of her.

<Any chance she turns into paste as soon as she hits the ground?>

<"Lass, as entertaining as I'm sure you'd find that, it's not gonna be that easy with her.">

Saber seemed to be not moving as she continued falling in a standing position all while holding her sword with her left hand and remaining completely unphased.

<Why? She might be strong but she can't beat gravity, can she?> Marie asked Caster while she tried to focus on the small black blur that was approaching the ground when it suddenly made contact with it and a loud impact was heard all throughout the cavern.

There was a large smoke cloud where Saber hit the ground and for a few seconds, it seemed as though she'd been correct in her assumption that Saber would die upon reaching the floor.

Just as Marie was about to open her mouth, she saw a dark light moving from within the cloud that looked like a sword swipe that then created a wide horizontal opening from which Saber could be seen slowly walking towards them, as though the fall she'd just taken hadn't affected her at all.

"... Oh, sh*t. That was sick." Caster turned around to give his Master an ineffective glare followed by a short scolding.

"Not the time to be impressed by the person who's about to try and kill us, Master!" Caster returned to his position and looked on as Saber approached them.

Saber abruptly stopped and began twisting the wrist of the hand she held her sword with."It's been a while since my last bout, I hope none of you will mind if I warm up first."

She then took on a strange stance as she drew her sword arm back and had both the left arm and leg in front.

"What do you mean by th-" Caster opened his mouth, but unfortunately had no chance to finish his sentence as the ground beneath Saber suddenly cracked when she took a single step forward.

All it took was one step.
One simple movement of the body…

And she had somehow crossed the entire distance between them with a thrust of her sword that was about to reach an unsuspecting Mash.

—Three seconds till her attack hit.

Mash's eyes hadn't quite registered what was happening and only saw Saber's afterimage from before she disappeared and showed up in front of her.

—Two seconds till her attack hit.

Caster tried to reach Mash and move her out of the way before Saber's sword pierced through her skull, instantly killing her and costing him an ally.

—One second till her attack hit.

"-sion!" Marie had already been preparing to use emergency evasion as soon as she noticed Saber's disappearance and stretched her arm out in Mash's direction.

—Zero.

It all happened in an instant.

First, Mash finally realized what was happening and froze up in fear, leaving her unable to act as she saw her entire life pass before her eyes.

Second, Caster had made several beams of light appear from behind his back, all arching around him and Mash while aiming straight for Saber's visor.

Third, a purple light shined from Marie's right hand and she instinctively knew her spell had worked.

Fourth, Saber's sword passed through Mash's head which had turned transparent, and failed to meet its target.

A second passed, and everything began to move at a normal pace once more.

Saber was surprised to see that she'd failed to deliver a killing blow from this close and felt insulted for being denied what was by all means a clean hit.

She looked straight at the young girl's eyes, which were still wide open staring at the hand holding the sword that, despite not ending her life or hurting her in any physical way, was still technically going through her skull.

Caster's beams were about to reach their mark when Saber suddenly pulled her sword back and avoided them by kicking the ground below her, propelling her backwards. The light beams attempted to follow, but they were all evaded by her quick reflexes.

Saber was now in the same spot she was standing in before she'd begun her assault. She then embedded her sword on the ground in front of her before resting her arms on its hilt and it was as though everything that had just happened in that short span of time was nothing more than a mirage shared between everyone in Marie's group, and that Saber hadn't moved at all.

"HOW THE f*ck WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE A WARM UP?!" Marie heard an obviously frustrated Caster yell out from the top of his lungs and then saw Saber start to slowly shake her head at them, as though she were disappointed somehow.

"Hmm… not great, but not outright terrible either. The potential for improvement is there, however-" She was interrupted by an abrupt scream that was nearing her.

Saber had her eyes closed as she shook her head, meaning she couldn't see the young Servant rushing towards her and preparing to swing her large cross shaped kite shield. Unfortunately for the Shielder, Saber didn't need to see her to know she was coming.

'Honestly, what do they teach children these days?'

Saber could feel the vibrations on the ground being made with each of Mash's steps and, as if that wasn't enough, she heard the girls scream getting louder as she got closer.

"Mash!" "Kid, no!" She heard the Servant's companions yell at her to stop but it was too late.

Mash wasn't in control of her actions because of what had happened earlier and was now in a state of pure panic. All the girl saw in front of her was an enemy that had to be defeated, only then would she feel safe.

She entered Saber's range and swung her shield forward, aiming directly at her target's chest piece, and for a few moments before impact, Mash felt sure that it would hit…

Only to feel her momentum suddenly stop when Saber casually grabbed the attacking end of her shield with a single hand, locking her in place.

The panic that had taken over Mash was immediately replaced with an all encompassing fear as she realized Saber had yet to remove her other hand from the sword's hilt.

"As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, the potential is there, though it is unfortunate you all must die here."

///

How long… have we been at this?

Caster's dogs had managed to catch up to Mash before Saber could do any physical damage and were able to do a pincer attack along with some of Caster's spells assisting them get Saber's attention.

The battle then truly began in full as Caster had taken on the role of our main attacker and Mash focused on protecting him, while I gave orders through our bond to each of them and used my support spells whenever I deemed them necessary.

That said, it was clear very early into the fight there was a problem with one of ours. Physically, Mash was fine but emotionally…

I don't believe Mash herself was aware of it but, since that little scare she'd given herself for being a dumbass and rushing off alone, she hadn't been fighting at full strength, something that Caster quickly noticed and told me to keep her away from the fight while he took the brunt of Saber's attacks.

I chose to word it differently for the sake of not completely breaking her spirit and costing us an ally, and had her focus on keeping me safe as both of us watched Caster and Saber go at it like their sole purpose for existing was to kill the other, which considering what I now know about Servants and grail wars seemed to be the case.

Maybe it was over usage of my mystic codes, or maybe it was having to relay orders and messages between both of my Servants through their respective mental links but, despite having stayed back during the whole fight, I was exhausted.

It was around the time my knees gave out that Saber mentioned something about being done with her warm up and I became aware of the utter absurdity of what I was hearing.

She'd been holding back on us this whole time and had only just then started taking us seriously.

She held her sword with both hands and now each and every one of her swings were glowing with a dark light that extended the range of her sword.

At first, I thought maybe it was just for the spectacle and had no real combat application… and then I saw how a missed swing of her sword that Caster had narrowly avoided by turning his body into a collection of ravens and reappearing behind her had resulted in a large, wide opening being made on a nearby wall.

Her sword cut the f*cking wall made of pure granite like it was butter. That was minutes ago, or maybe it was hours? I couldn't tell anymore. The two continued to fight as Mash and I stayed back looking on in awe.

I didn't know what Mash was thinking at the moment, but me? I felt like I'd been slapped in the face for the second time today because of the sight in front of me.

This… is a Servant fight? These are the things I've been fighting for my life against all day?

Saber thrust her sword at Caster and then followed up with consecutive stabs that I couldn't keep up with because of how fast they were. Caster did the same with his staff and, despite the thing being made out of wood, was able to meet the tip of her sword with each stab she made.

I hadn't even used instant enhancement on him or anything, this was all him which gave me the impression the old bastard had been holding back on us and lying about his true strength.

The two then moved away from each other without letting their opponent out of their sight as they looked unphased at what had just happened.

And I'm supposed to believe they're just… allowed to exist? These people, no, hell no- these things are not people, they are not human.

I saw Saber prepare to do that disgustingly overpowered thrust attack from earlier and noticed Caster trying to reach me through our link, likely warning me to get up and pay attention in case she aims it at us.

Screw this, these things wearing human flesh can just do crazy sh*t like this and they expected me to fight them? Hell, to try and keep up with them?

I've gone insane. There's no other explanation for this.

-Haven't we been over this already?

-This can't be real! It just can't!

-And yet, it is.

-How am I supposed to… do anything with this?

Saber's sword began to glow and became clear to everyone that she was about to strike.

I saw Mash shaking uncontrollably at the thought of having to face that attack once more, even if it wasn't aimed at her this time.

I could hear Fou's cries to my right as it was trying to talk sense into Mash and get her to focus, despite knowing no one there could understand it.

What do I even do here?

I can't fight Saber head on, or I'll die.
I can't have Mash fight her, or she'll die.
I can't keep relying on Caster to beat her alone, or he'll die.

I can't run either. Where would I even go? The city's in ruins and there's skeletons all over. Then there's the Shadow Servants which might pop out at any goddamn moment and that just further drives home the point that there's nothing else I can do but try to beat her.

But how?

-They're waiting, you know.

-What?

-For you.

-What can I even… how is Marie Amabuki supposed to handle this? What would she do?

-You don't know, do you?

-… No.

-Then stop trying to think like her. That's not what's important right now.

-Then what do I do?! How do we win?!

-Is winning what's important, or is it survival?

-That's…

-The answer is obvious, isn't it?

-… I guess so.

-I'll ask you again… Is Marie Amabuki the one they need right now?

-No.

-Then who is?

I hear my own voice ask me and can't help but let out a small laugh as I think to myself how I can safely add schizophrenia into the list of issues I've got going on.

"... Gin was right, I do need a therapist." I smile at the mention of another friend I miss dearly and can't wait to see once I get back home.

"That said… There'll be plenty of time for self help bullsh*t and drug prescriptions later. Right now, I gotta go help assassinate a King."

Because I will get back home, no matter what I have to do. Speaking of which…

You know, I should put kingslayer on my resume once I quit my job at Chaldea. It'll make me stand out more and would be a good conversation piece for any future interviews.

I force myself to stand up and begin to focus on something I haven't tried before.

One of the bigger issues I've been having during this fight is the constant switching between my Servants' mental bonds. If they were able to communicate with each other, instead of through me, I'm sure they could have gotten the upper hand during Saber's little warm up.

I never brought up why they couldn't just talk to themselves, that one's on me, so I chose to believe it was possible.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

I couldn't see what was happening between the two fighting anymore but I wasn't hearing any movement either, which I hoped was good.

I concentrated on remembering the feeling I get when I reach out to either Mash or Caster through our link.

The strange pull that connects us all, that lets us know we are bound together by this stupid magic contract or whatever.

It's there. I find it, deep within my body I see multiple lines that seemed to be turned off, but only one was lit up.

That's the one. I had found what I needed and memorized its location, there was no losing sight of it any longer.

I took another breath and stretched out both of my arms.

More.
I need more.

I looked back at the line that had been lit up and noticed that a second one right next to it had turned on.

-Ignore the pain, we're almost done.

Both lines represent my ability to reach each of my Servants. Right now, they're both active but I need something a bit more.

I imagine myself in a dark room standing before an electric circuit panel with only two breakers. One for Mash, and one for Caster.

Right now they're both off and I can see a label on top that says, 'Danger. Do not turn on all at once, only one at a time.'

I rip the label off with my hand and throw it away. I need anything I can get, even if it might kill me.

I flip both breakers on at the same time and immediately feel the effects of having ignored the warning.

The scar on the back of my neck started to pulsate and something sharp began to worm its way down my spine, through my right shoulder and then my right arm. It reached the command seals on the back of my hand and the pain went away, as though it were never there in the first place.

I open my eyes and notice that both Saber and Caster are still in the same position. Whatever it was I just did apparently took no time at all.

Judging by the amount of sweat I felt all over my body, it was obvious I'd done something. Now it was just a matter of testing it for myself.

I remembered where the two lines were, and tried reaching out to Mash and Caster at the same time.

<"Senpai?"> <"Lass?"> And it worked. Damn, I'm good.

<"Wait, Caster? How are you-"> <"Shielder? What are you-">

The two kept trying to talk over each other which was just giving me a headache.

<I would appreciate less talking and more listening, you two.>

<"A bit hard to do that with two voices inside my head, ey?">

Trust me Caster, you have no idea.

<I'll be giving orders to both of you like this from now on so pay attention.>

I saw Mash fidgeting like she wasn't sure about what was happening but heard her agree.

<"I'll… do as you say, Master.">

That's one.

<What about you, Caster? Any problems taking orders from me?>

<"I'd rather enjoy the fight without being told what to do, but screw it. I'm tired of Saber swinging that thing around like there's no tomorrow. Besides, we should really hurry up and finish her off before she starts firing Excalibur at us.">

<I take it that's bad?>

<<""Real bad."">>

Both of them deadpanned at the same time which only made the headache worse. I already regret having done this.

<Fine, here's the plan.>

While I explained to both of them what it was I had in mind, both of my allies went through multiple emotions as I went through my plan in detail, during which Caster's face only got angrier as he kept glaring at Saber, who still hadn't launched her attack.

I finished giving them the explanation and expected a bit of pushback.

<"Absolutely not!"> <"Are you bloody insane?! In what world would I ever agree to this stupid ass plan?!">

And was met with a lot of pushback, alright then.

<It's the only way we can get a chance to turn this around, unless either of you have a better idea?>

<"Senpai, I don't agree with this."> <"I ain't doing sh*t, lass. It's a dumb plan and you're just as dumb for suggesting it!">

Okay then, plan B.

<Funny you say that…>

I remember the feeling of when I'd first used a command seal and tried to replicate it.

<Because it wasn't a suggestion.>

<I order you both to stand down until I say otherwise.>

I used up another seal and ignored the burning sensation on my right hand where another red mark was glowing and then disappeared. I now had one left, and red outlines where the other two were previously.

<"Ma-Marie senpai… why would you-"> Mash started to ask as I noticed she'd been struggling to move and ignored this gnawing sense of guilt in my chest.

I cut the connection and put my sword down on the ground.

"What's the matter, Hound of Culann? Have you lost your spirit for battle? I never thought you'd be one to just stop halfway." I heard Saber ask and stood up to look at Caster who had crossed his arms in clear defiance of what was about to happen.

I attempt to do that thing with my voice like what Caster had taught me and was weirded out at hearing myself coming from all directions.

"Not at all, he's just under the effect of my command seal. Told him to stop fighting." I said in the kindest and most inoffensive way I could to the person with a large edged weapon that could cut granite like butter… I'm never gonna forget that, am I?

Also hey, would you look at that? I got it, first try.

"... And why would you do such a thing?" Saber turned to face me and I knew that from this point on…

"Because…"

I'd have to be very careful with what I say.

"I give up. You win."

Chapter 17

Chapter Text

Marie held her hands up as a sign of surrender and hoped the intent behind her doing so wasn't lost to Saber.

"... If this is an attempt to make me lower my guard, it is a pitiful one." Saber remarked, believing this was a trap and did not take her eyes off Marie.

"Hey, I'm the one who just admitted defeat. Hell, I even used a command seal to get these two to stop fighting." Marie pointed at her hand with the command seals to prove that she was telling the truth.

"Why? What possible reason could you have to surrender now?" Saber shifted her leg forward, and for a second it appeared as though she was going to launch her thrust attack on Caster.

However, she quickly noticed that neither the Servant she was aiming her sword at nor the Master had reacted, which gave her the impression that the woman could be telling the truth.

"You've defeated the rouge gorgon, robbed me of my self proclaimed guard, invaded my lair and challenged me for the grail, only to give up near the end of your journey?"

"Pretty much." Marie held her arms behind her back and held an unassuming smile as she answered.

By this point, it was beginning to dawn on Saber that it was possible Marie could have been telling the truth and had given up. That, or she was the best actress Saber had ever seen.

Either way, this conversation had been leaving her with a foul taste in her mouth.

"Do you take me for a fool, Master of Chaldea?" Saber started to exude that malignant air around her in an attempt at getting Marie to tremble in fear and see whether or not she was telling the truth.

And yet, despite noticing a bit of fear crawl into the faces of both of the woman's Servants, Marie herself did not react to it, as if it weren't even there.

"Not at all your highness. I merely saw the futility in trying to move a mountain and chose to go out on my own terms."

'A mountain, am I?' Saber thought before retiring her corrupted mana back into herself and continuing her discussion with Marie.

"Is that so? You would rob me of a fair battle and have the nerve to act as though we are equals?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not that well versed in your legend, but isn't upholding honor and chivalry what knights are known for? It'd be pretty dishonorable to attack someone who's already surrendered."

Something had passed by Marie's left side as soon as she finished saying that. She couldn't turn her head around to see what it was, but considering Saber was no longer pointing her weapon at Caster and was now aiming it at her, then she could assume what just happened.

The second Marie had dared to insinuate that Saber who, despite having her spirit origin corrupted, had been known as the King of Knights in her life was dishonorable, Saber purposefully missed when she swung her sword at Marie to shut her up.

Whereas Saber had been trying to get a reaction out of Marie, it seemed like the exact opposite had just occurred. Saber, a tyrant with no need for emotions that would only slow her down, had just given in to her anger.

And she hated that.

"Do not presume to know anything of what it means to be a knight, you filthy parasite. Speak of your terms that I may be done with you. I almost pity your allies for their misfortune in meeting one as honorless as you." Despite the apathetic tone Saber had spoken in, there was a clear difference between how she'd usually been speaking to them up to that point and how her voice had fallen a few octaves just now.

(Ouch. I mean, you're not wrong on the honorless part, but that parasite comment still stung. Guess I made her mad.)

Marie didn't react outwardly to Saber's threats or insults and stayed completely still with her hands still up and continued to speak upon being given permission.

"I thank you for the kind words, your grace. My wish is very simple… for your hand to be what stills my beating heart."

Another burst of wind passed through Marie, this time on her right side. Saber had lost control of herself once more and launched another attack wanting nothing more than for the woman to stop talking.

"... I've encountered many an insolent cur throughout my reign, but I do not recall ever having heard one make such a unique request. Is that all you have to say? Not even asking for leniency regarding those who swore to follow you into battle?"

"Nope. Whatever you do with them after you're done with me is not my problem." Marie said while making a large smile that reached her cheekbones which made it seem as though the broken world around her wasn't a concern at all so long as she got what she'd asked for.

Saber lowered her weapon and stopped doubting Marie's honesty. There could be no actor good enough to have provoked her to attack twice and not break the character.

"... Rarely do I ever say this but, I pity you, Hound of Culann. Truly, I do as it would seem that is thrice now that our duel has been postponed." Saber shook her head and turned to look at the only other Servant left from their grail war.

Caster clicked his tongue and spat on the ground before waving his hand dismissively at her. "Keep your f*cking pity and get it over with, I'm done caring anyway. I just wanna get back to the throne and put all of this behind me. Can't believe the sh*t I have to put up with."

The man looked more exhausted than he did angry, and Saber put him out of her mind as it was obvious the man's will to fight had been extinguished. She no longer had any enemies to fight. Now, with this next life taken, her war would truly come to an end.

"Very well. You may approach me, Master of Chaldea. I will grant you your death."

"Thank you, your highness." Marie was finally able to lower her hands and started making her way towards Saber.

She passed by Mash and wondered what type of expression the young Servant had on. Marie didn't spare her a glance to check if Mash was angry at her or depressed at what she was doing because she couldn't afford to keep Saber waiting.

"Sorry about this." Marie whispered and hoped it was enough for Mash to forgive her, unaware of the change occurring within the girl.

Marie continued to walk slowly and carefully approached Saber, not making any sudden movements that would cause suspicion, hard as that may have been while the voice in herhead was tearing into her.

-This?! This was your plan?! Why?! How?!

-Hey, trust me alright? I have this under control.

-CONTROL?! You call literally handing over your neck on a silver platter, control?!

-Well, how else was I going to get close to her?

-... So, this was how they all felt whenever I-

The voice cut off, and the two were now face to face, or rather face to visor. This was the closest Marie had been to their opponent since the fight and she was finally able to get a close look of this monster they'd been facing… and quickly noted she was actually smaller up close.

(All that destructive power in a small body that looks like, what, five feet at best?)

Saber wore a pitch black armor with red vein like lines that were in random spots all over and she seemed to also be wearing a long black dress underneath it, if the silky looking skirt that hid her chausses was anything to go by.

Although most of Saber's face was covered by a visor that was in the same style as the rest of her armor, it failed to cover the bottom of her face and the top of her head. Saber had light blonde hair tightly tied up in a single bun and pale white skin that gave her the appearance of a ceramic doll.

But what really got Marie's attention was Saber's weapon. It was a western long sword, similar in length and width to the one Marie held in her hand, but those were about the only shared traits between the two. Saber's sword looked entirely made out of black steel, had odd looking red symbols that matched the red veins on her armor and gave off this ominous feeling that made it seem like it was alive.

And it was now mere inches away from Marie's neck after Saber lifted and held it there. "Any last words you might like to say before I end your pathetic life."

(Seriously, ouch. If she weren't such an unfeeling bitch I'd actually start believing I pissed her off.) Marie thought as she took a deep breath and prepared herself for the most difficult part of her plan.

She turned on her connection to her Servants and had them get ready for her signal.

///

<Are you ready old man? No holding back on us this time.>

<"About as I'll ever be. And just in case we all die here, I want you to know you're insane. You understand that, right?">

<Tell it to someone who cares.>

I cut the connection between us and focused on Mash.

<Mash, I know you're probably mad at me right now…>

<"Probably?"> I heard her say in a threatening voice and wonder how she was able to make herself sound like that only to remember I do the same thing to Caster.

<... Huh, so that's what that sounds like from the other end. Anyway look, I need you to be ready for me to give the signal. Can you do that for me?>

<"... Senpai?">

<Yeah, Mash?>

<"Please don't die. Just promise me that?">

It would have been nice to hear that and not doubt the sincerity of the person saying it.

<I'll try not to.>

It really would.

///

"Well, I do have a final request, though I'm not sure you'd agree to it."

"How selfish of you. To request a painless death of me and then further ask for more. Tell me, do you also carry the blood of a dragon? You must, for I see no other reason one could be as shameless as you are now." The edges of Saber's lips had curved and it appeared as though she was smiling if it weren't for the fact that there was no joy to be seen in what little was visible of her face.

"I wouldn't know, I'm adopted." (How I wish that were the case.)

"Is that so? Speak then. What is your desire, oh shameless one?" Saber asked and lowered her sword, waiting to see if it was possible for Marie to make her any angrier than she was currently.

(You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say she's so mad she's actually having fun with this. Huh, who knew?)

"I'd like to see the eyes of the one who's about to kill me. If you don't mind, that is, your highness."

Another swing, only this one hadn't missed. The sword didn't let out a wave of dark energy like the previous ones had and created a mark on a wall, but rather Saber had made a large diagonal cut on the right side of Marie's face that went from the side of her nose all the way to the edge of her jaw.

Blood began to pour out of the newly created wound but rather than react like how Saber likely wanted her to, Marie stayed perfectly still.

-I may have just pushed it too far and we've circled back to just pure anger.

-Did you just-

-Not a word, I'll deny it till my dying breath.

-But you-

-DROPLETS, now shut up.

She took a deep breath, not once breaking character and waited to see if Saber would take the bait.

"... Do you know what I hate the most? Weakness. I utterly despise those who are weak of mind and body."

(I am not hearing a no.)

"And that is what I see before me. Weakness. A pathetic wretch who would trample over her comrades' wishes and forego her responsibility to chase after their own desires."

(Still not a no.)

"I commend you, Master of Chaldea, on being the first person besides Morgan le Fay to make me feel utter disgust."

Marie could swear she heard Mash gasping as though she were right next to her despite that not being the case because if it were, the plan would have failed by now.

"... Very well. Look upon your executioner's visage and pray that you may learn some restraint in death." Saber lifted her right hand and started to remove her visor.

It was at that moment Marie knew her plan had worked and sent out the signal she'd been waiting for this whole time.

"Otherwise."

(Gotcha.)

///

It all happened in an instant. Saber was completely caught off guard and realized too late she'd been deceived once she heard Marie speak up.

"Wh-?!"

She'd just closed her eyes for barely a second as she removed her visor and upon opening them saw a floating small animal covered in white fur with its claws out. She tried to grab it out of the air but before she could move her limbs were suddenly tied up with strange vines that appeared out of the earth under her, courtesy of Caster's rune magecraft enhanced with mana from his Master's recently used command seal.

Saber quickly closed her eyes so as to prevent serious damage to her eyesight, something that proved to be useless when she felt the small animal's claws manage to rip through her eyelids and reach her pupils. It then used her face as a springboard to jump back to Marie who wore an ecstatic expression on her face at seeing her plan come together.

"Your turn to shine, Mash!" Saber heard Marie scream out with clear joy and excitement in her voice as she moved to the side when all of a sudden, an immense pressure hit her in the chest and it sent her flying towards the large wall that covered the Greater Grail.

"Old man!" "On it!" Marie yelled at Caster who was under explicit orders to use all of his mana supply that he'd kept hidden from his allies on this next attack while Mash grabbed a hold of Marie by the waist and then held up her shield so as to block the incoming heat from Caster's noble phantasm.

Far away from their positions, Saber had still been trying to get up from the floor but wasn't able to because of the constant vines appearing from the floor to limit her movement. She couldn't see very well because wounds on her eyes had yet to regenerate and heard Caster's voice all around her.

"Hey Saber! Here's a little something special for ya!" Cú yelled out and slammed his staff onto the ground as hard as he could.

"Wicker Man!"

The giant made of timber and fire appeared once more out of thin air and stood right above the bound Saber. Now, much larger than the last time it'd been summoned and the intense heat of the flames surrounding it was stronger as well.

It raised its wooden fiery fist and slammed it at the ground where Saber had been trapped.

"Give her hell!" Screamed Caster and the giant moved according to his words, it raised its other fist, removed the first one from the ground and hit her again.

Marie and Mash weren't able to see the destruction being caused by Caster's noble phantasm, but judging by the constant rumbling from the ground and how temperature had continued steadily rising, it was safe to say he was taking his time in making sure their opponent wouldn't be standing up any time soon.

"Release!" Caster yelled out and the giant laid down its body on top of where it had been punching till then, and completely submerged itself in its own flames before disappearing.

"Gods… that sh*t was cathartic." Cú said under his breath before tapping his fist on Mash's shield to let her know it was safe to lower it now that the fire was gone.

Mash set aside her shield and let out a sigh of relief when she suddenly heard her Master compliment her in a job well done.

"Holy sh*t. I can't believe that worked. Good job you guys." Marie was about to walk towards Caster when she noticed Mash wasn't letting go of her waist and had her firmly locked in place.

"Mash?" She turned her face to look at Mash and ask why the Servant wouldn't let go when she noticed the utter fury in Mash's face and the golden hue her pupils had taken on.

"Never do that again." Mash spoke in a commanding tone that left no room for rejection from the person being spoken to. She stared straight into Marie's eyes to make sure her message was heard loud and clear before she saw Marie nodding her head.

"... Okay. I promise." Hearing Marie agree, Mash let go of her waist and took a deep breath to calm her nerves down.

Marie kept looking at Mash and saw that her pupils had returned to their regular lavender coloring. She then took a couple of steps away from her and walked towards Caster.

"Caster, is it over?" She asked and Caster gave her a quick glance before continuing to stare at the large crater his wicker man had left behind a hopefully crispy Saber.

"Should be. No regular Servant could withstand those temperatures." He tersely replied and scratched his nose.

"Yeah, but we're not exactly dealing with a regular Servant now are we?"

At her question, both of her Servants and even the small animal that had been riding on her shoulder for a while now since it injured Saber looked at her with an exhausted expression on each of their faces.

"What? You saw those sword beams, I'm not taking any chances."

The three around her shared a quick look after she said that and Caster rolled his eyes before speaking up. "Fine. I'll go check the corpse. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and she'll have the grail on her somewhere."

Marie looked on as Caster started walking away from her and wondered why he wasn't happier about their win.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked Mash who stretched her arm to catch Fou as he jumped off of Marie's shoulder and headed towards her.

"Likely as upset as I am that you just went ahead with your plan instead of trusting us to deal with Saber." Mash said in a very casual way that caused Marie to flinch as she realized the others were mad at her and that this passive aggressiveness was their way of showing it.

"... Mash, look I- " "It's okay, Senpai. I understand why you did it. I may not like it and hope you never have to do that again, but I get it. And hey, it worked in the end so... yeah."

Marie tried to apologize but was interrupted before she could even say sorry. She saw the reluctant and sad look Mash had while looking at the fresh wound on her own face and felt something in her snap.

(Ah, screw it. Might as well go for broke after she's been keeping me safe all day.)

Marie took a few steps towards Mash and dropped a quick peck on her cheek before turning around and crossing her arms.

"Thank you for coming to save me, Mash. I mean it." Marie told Mash while having a bashful expression and ignoring the overwhelming embarrassment at having done such a thing.

Mash on the other hand took a few seconds to understand what just happened before her face went completely red and started mumbling incomprehensibly.

-You have to admit, that's adorable.

-Ah, shut up.

"Of- of course I would, I mean, I'm- you, I'm… oh dear." Mash continued to be useless at trying to form a coherent sentence as Fou could be seen covering its snout with one of its front paws and shivering, trying to hold back its laughter.

-Man, she's eating this up like crazy.

-And here I thought you hated that the contract was making you care about her.

-I'm gonna get rid of it anyway, what's the harm in having some fun? Might as well milk this thing for all it's worth before it goes away.

-I'm just glad to see you're not denying your se-

Marie's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the scar on the back of her neck began to burn up stronger than it ever had before and started sending shockwaves all over her body.

"Huh?" It seemed Mash had felt something off too, as she'd forgotten all about what just happened and starred in the direction they'd seen Caster walk off to.

And heard the tired voice of a person that by all means should not have been able to speak, considering she was supposed to be dead.

"I… have never been so insulted in my life. I had to disguise my gender for the sake of inheriting the crown. I looked away when my own knight laid with my wife. I swallowed my anger at being used by my sister and mentor to create an heir. But this disgrace has managed to triumph over all others."

Saber no longer had her armor on and was instead only wearing the dress that had likely been under it the whole time. She appeared to be completely unharmed, her pale skin pristine and without injury or even burn marks anywhere on her body or clothing. If it weren't for the fact that the bun she had her hair tied up in had mostly come undone and looked messy, it would have been as though they hadn't managed to do anything to her.

However, what worried both Mash and Marie wasn't the woman somehow shrugging off Caster's strongest attack, but rather the limp person missing his left arm being dragged on the ground by his head while she walked out of a crater.

<Caster? Caster, talk to me!>

<"Sorry lass… looks like you were right. I let my guard down and she got a couple of good hits in.">

Saber lifted Caster and effortlessly threw him where Marie's group was. The body awkwardly rolled around like a ragdoll upon hitting the ground and stopped right next to Marie.

She didn't even flinch at the sight of the fresh stump on the man's body or the multiple bruises on his face and attempted to use her healing ability, only to be overcome with an intense headache. Marie fell on her knees and felt her head pounding.

(What the hell… is this? Why am I in so much pain?)

"Mana exhaustion… looks like you've been pushing yourself too hard, Master." Marie heard Caster mumbling at her and was surprised he was still breathing. She felt someone's arm on her back and saw Mash still standing with clear despair written all over her face while looking over at Saber.

"Senpai, it's coming." Mash said and Marie wondered what she meant before hearing Caster cursing.

"f*ck me, we're in some deep sh*t now."

<Can either of you tell me what you're talking about?>

Caster barely managed to lift his remaining arm to point at something and Marie turned her head to see what he meant.

(Oh.
f*ck.)

Saber's sword had a harsh dark glow surrounding it and the air seemed to be getting sucked in by the blade like a whirlpool. The light from the sword grew larger and Saber held it above her as she stared straight at Marie.

"You dared to besmirch my honor as a knight and King, both. I may be altered, but not once did I forsake my identity as either and yet you… I have had enough of you." There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to who Saber had been talking to, no longer holding back her emotions and pouring every bit of her magical energy into the blade.

"No more games. No more words. Humanity has failed to live up to my expectations."

Saber took one step forward and the ground below her broke apart under the weight of her immense power.

"Vortigern, Hammer of the Vile King, reverse the rising sun."

Saber started her Noble Phantasm's incantation and Marie heard Caster call for her through their link.

<"Lass?">

<Yeah old timer?>

"Swallow the light,"

The world slowed down as she swung her sword down and all the energy that had been stored shot out a wave of pure corrupted mana that split the earth.

<"It was nice knowing you.">

"Excalibur Morgan!"

///

I was paralyzed with fear. Not at the idea that I was about to die, but rather that I couldn't do anything to stop this.

How many more times will I fail them?

How many more times will I be forced to feel like a complete and utter failure, unable to do anything.

Why am I like this?

Unable to protect anyone.
Unable to fight back.
Unable to prove my worth.

I forcibly turn my head to look down at the person I swore to protect no matter what harm may come to me and see her standing on her knees as she stared at the approaching wave of destruction that would assuredly take our lives.

Despite everything that has happened to us today, she never once appeared to be afraid of dying at any time.

Not during the lockdown in the command center.
Not during the fight with Medusa.
Not during the failed summoning that had almost taken her from me.

Or the multiple fights that followed shortly after.

Even now, while facing the strongest opponent we've fought so far and staring right into the face of incoming danger, she refused to let fear take hold of her.

—She was smiling.

Even with those wounds you should never have gotten that serve as proof of my incompetence, you are not afraid.

—Why are you smiling?

I wonder if she even realizes that the cut on her face has stopped bleeding and that blood was coming out of her nose.

Even if she did, would it make any difference?

Probably not. She would likely tell me not to worry about it and would rather I focus on the task at hand.

If this woman who had no combat training whatsoever could face death so calmly, then why can't I?

Why?

Because she's stronger than me.

I might have an advantage when it comes to raw strength and speed now because of my status as a Demi-Servant, yet I'm still weaker than her in a lot of ways.

How many times has she had to check on me and make sure I wasn't slowing us down? How am I supposed to protect her, when I can't even protect myself?

How… is she able to smile in a hopeless situation like this?

Didn't I want to smile like that too?

Didn't I want to see the world outside the walls of Chaldea for myself?

I can't die here.

Why?

I can't let her die here.

Why?

I won't let us die here.

Why?

Because…

I want to live.

I was compelled to grab my shield and walk towards the wave of pure concentrated magical energy that encroached upon us. Something was surging from within me that wanted nothing more than to come out, but didn't know how.

There was something I was missing, something crucial and it was then that I remembered what I was told during the fight with the shadow servant.

A Servant's Noble Phantasm is a manifestation of their soul laid out to bear.

Our hopes.

I hope to stay by her side for as long as I can, maybe even see the world outside together.

Our desires.

I want to get to know her better, and understand why she makes me feel the way she does.

Our regrets.

I regret not having met her sooner.

There's still so many things I'd like to say to her… things I want to share with her and maybe even…

Not unless I do something.

None of those things are going to happen unless I do something right here and now.

So come on… come on!

You gave me this power, so let me use it to protect her!

Shielder!

As if to answer my plea, my entire body tensed up and I could feel my mana pulsing through my veins.

Unaware of how I knew what to do next, I took all the magical energy coursing through my body and forced it outward into my shield. I didn't understand how it is that I knew to do this, but I'll think about that later if I live through this.

The shield starts to loudly hum in response and all that is left… is for me to give it a name.

Some words pass through my head, too fast to make out properly, but I find myself saying them out loud without thinking twice.

"Manifest yourself…

This time, I will protect her.

▅ ▅ ▅ ▅. ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅"

For that is my purpose.
For that is my fate.

///

No one understood what had just happened.

Saber's Noble Phantasm was seconds away from reaching them when Mash suddenly stood up and did something with her shield, creating a giant transparent replica of it that took the brunt of Excalibur Morgan and protected them from sure death.

Marie, Caster and Fou all looked on at the young woman's back as she stood tall having just saved their lives and unleashing her Noble Phantasm for the first time.

"Holy-" Marie started to say.
"f*cking-" followed by Caster.
"Fou." 'sh*t.' And finally, Fou.

At hearing the reactions of the people behind her, Mash turned around and made a peace sign with her free hand.

"How's that for a half baked Servant?!" She exclaimed, full of emotion before abruptly dropping her shield and losing her balance.

"Mash!" Marie shouted at the sight of the girl falling and quickly got up to catch her mid fall. The two held onto each other for support before their knees gave out and they stumbled onto the ground.

Marie would have liked to point out that Mash was currently sitting on her lap but considering the circ*mstances chose to remain silent and give the girl time to regain her breath.

Mash was breathing heavily and leaned her head on Marie's shoulder while being held in her arms. She stayed there for a few seconds before apologizing to Marie in between breaths.

"I'm… sorry, senpai. That just now took all I had so I.. I can barely move. If you could wait a few minutes, I'll get up soon." Mash closed her eyes and didn't even have the energy to get frustrated at her own weakness anymore when she felt a familiar hand caressing her head.

"It's okay, Mash. You've done enough." Marie spoke with as kind a tone as she could muster in that moment and could feel Mash shiver in her arms, giving her the impression that she was crying.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry I can't do more than this…"

Marie heard the girl barely holding back her tears as she spoke and kept caressing the back of Mash's head. She turned her head to see Caster still on the ground with his single arm covering his eyes and biting his lips in frustration. Right next to him was Fou laying on all fours with its ears down, clearly dejected at hearing its friend crying.

And then, as if to add further insult to injury…

"Are you done?"
The tyrant spoke once more.

"Is that all you have to offer, Master of Chaldea? No more tricks up your sleeves?" Saber spoke slowly, giving Marie the impression the woman was enjoying her obvious victory.

Despite not being able to see the woman's face from where she was, the image of a sneer came to mind as she raised her right hand to flip off the far away Saber.

"Not much more we can do like this you crazy bitch. If you're gonna kill us then hurry up and do it. I'm sick and tired of having to deal with you." Marie didn't bother infusing mana into her voice, choosing to just speak up in a clearly defiant tone.

"Lass…"

She heard Caster call out to her. "What is it now, old man?"

"You've bigger balls than me." Caster still had his upper face covered by his remaining arm but his mouth on the bottom half could be seen smiling.

"... Shut up." Marie groaned.

"I see… so this is the extent of your current power." Saber took on her usual arrogant stance of placing her palms on the hilt of her sword and everyone from Marie's group flinched at her comment.

"Very well. I've made my decision." She said and everyone waited to receive their judgment.

They'd failed, completely and utterly, to defeat their final obstacle that prevented them from returning home.

They knew what was coming. All it would take was another swing of Saber's sword and they would all die there, unable to do anything about it.

But even then, despite knowing full well there was nothing they could do… none of them gave off the impression of being consumed by hopelessness.

They were frustrated at having lost, yes, but if even a single one of them had the ability to stand up and continue fighting, they would have.

Saber focused her eyes to see what type of face Marie had on, and saw all she needed to.

"Master of Chaldea…" She started off saying and everyone went completely still before being left baffled at what came next.

"Well done. You pass."

.

..

...

... There was a heavy silence after Saber finished speaking and Marie couldn't help but ask what was on everyone's mind just then.

"What?"

Saber closed one eye and hid her mouth behind her hand so no one could see the proud smile she was making.

"I concede defeat. You have won." She said, much more clearly this time and took a hand off her sword to search for something hidden behind her.

"Here, you've more than earned this." She'd found it and threw it over at Marie's location where it swerved to the side and managed to hit Caster in the face.

"Oh, come on!" He groaned but no one paid any attention to him.

It was a simple drinking cup that seemed to be made out of pure gold and it was immediately clear what it was to both of the Servants and Fou whereas Marie only saw it as something to drink out of.

-Please don't.

-I'll f*cking do it.

"I gave my everything in that last attack, I've run out of mana and can no longer keep myself materialized. Even as I speak, I can feel myself returning to the throne of heroes." Saber removed her hand from her mouth, her enjoyment gone, and noticed her arm becoming transparent as particles of light flew into the sky.

"... You're kidding." Even with the proof of Saber's claim being shown in front of her, she couldn't help but feel like this was just Saber messing with them.

"I am not one to jest. If you would honor me with this final request, could I hear your name? I'd like to know just who it was that managed to outsmart me in such a unique way."

(Oh, so now it's unique, is it? After you beat the crap out of us.) Marie thought and forced herself not to curse at the woman and risk Saber changing her mind.

"... Marie." She tersely answered, not wanting to give out either of her last names.

"Marie then. Marie, know that you will come to face opponents stronger than I throughout your Grand Order." Most of Saber's body had already become transparent as more and more particles came out of her.

(Grand what?) Marie wondered and noticed that Mash looked surprised after hearing Saber use that weird term.

"But you must not lose sight of your goal. Humanity's future rests on your shoulders."

(What on earth is she going on about? Didn't she say she was dying? Can we hurry that up then?)

-You won't even try to listen to her dying words?

-f*ck no! She was gonna kill us! Why should I care about any of this?!

Having said her piece to Marie, Saber changed targets and focused on the druid spread out on the ground with his head lifted as he stared at her.

"Hound, I expect you to guide them as best you can."

Whatever it was she was talking about, she gave no more hints and simply left it at that.

"... Yeah, I'll try. But not because you asked me. I swear, both you and that Archer bastard have the sh*ttest way of asking for favors." Caster answered and Saber nodded at him.

She turned to look back at Marie, or rather the young Servant holding on to her, and spoke.

"And finally… you there." Mash's body went completely still at feeling Saber's gaze on her and remembered how close she was to dying at her hand, something that had clearly affected her so much that Saber herself had chosen to comment on it.

"I won't apologize for attacking you, nor should you expect any future opponents you face to do so as well. You would be wise to acquire more experience so as to not freeze up in the face of death. That said…" Saber's face took on a rare soft expression as she looked at Mash with a sad smile.

"It was nice to see you again, old friend. It brings me joy to know that you have found a new purpose."

Mash didn't understand what the woman had meant when she said that and felt an odd sense of both longing and grief.

"Why do you know about the Grand Order? And.. why does it feel like I know you?" Mash asked and the neutral expression on Saber's face had returned, although not as cold and condescending as before considering the obvious smile she now wore.

Saber bowed her head and had just enough time to say one last thing before completely disappearing.

"Who is to say? Though, a word of warning. Be wary of your surroundings, friend. There are snakes yet to present themselves from their nest." She said with her final breath, and turned around to take one last quick look at the figure wearing a top hat that was hiding atop the wall.

'Some closer than you think.'

==================

Chapter 18

Chapter Text

Everyone sat there as they watched what little remained of Saber disperse into small golden particles that flew upward before disappearing upon touching the granite ceiling.

Each with their own thoughts about the tough fight they'd just had.

Caster might have gotten hurt the most and even lost a limb, but he was relieved to know that the war was now officially over.

Mash continued staring at where Saber had stood and couldn't help but wonder why the woman had called her a friend despite never meeting her before or why a Servant from a singularity knew about Chaldeas at all.

And Marie…

"So she just gets to leave after saying her piece?"

She was clearly frustrated at Saber for having her little emotional moment after beating them to a pulp and then acting like she was reluctantly fighting them the whole time.

This was also a rude wake up call that let her know she couldn't just pick up any random weapon and fight a Servant, lest they be able to shoot out a sword beam or just shrug off any damage she could inflict.

But really, the frustration was mostly about the new scar on the side of her face that she'd have to come up with an excuse for so Sasara wouldn't get worried.

Caster coughed up a bit of blood as he tried to sit up and readjusted his broken nose with his only hand before speaking. "Would you rather she come back and finish the job then? Lass, there's a difference between being courageous and being stupid. Just take the win and leave it alone."

"And here I thought you'd be angrier at having lost an arm and getting beat the f*ck up?" Marie clicked her tongue and asked without turning her head to face him but noticed a few shining particles flying by.

"Again, courageous or stupid. I'm taking the win, we take those." Caster said with an exhausted voice as he noticed what was happening to him.

"Caster… you're…" Mash saw the druid turning transparent and the lights coming out of him.

"Would you look at that? Looks like my time has come." Caster smiled and turned his face to see both of the women he'd come to know and their small pet staring at him.

Mash knew this would eventually happen since they'd won the war and acquired the grail. Once the grail war is finished, the remaining Servant returns to the throne until the next time it is summoned along with the other heroic spirits that were involved.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were sad to see me go, Master." Caster winked at Marie who didn't know what expression to make at that moment.

She felt conflicted to see him go but also confused that she felt anything at all for him in the first place.

To her, Cú Chulainn was an unrepentant asshole who was constantly drunk, didn't know when to shut up, and a lousy flirt. All qualities that she hated in a person.

But he'd also been incredibly loyal despite not knowing anything about her and was dependable when it counted the most. It if weren't for him, they'd likely have never gotten this far, much less managed to put a dent on Saber.

(I can't believe it, but in a way he almost reminds me of Kobato. Maybe that's why I just can't find it in me to hate him.)

"Old man, I-" "Save it, I know what you wanna say." Caster interrupted Marie and stood up before limping his way to her.

"Look kid, you might think of yourself a cold hearted bitch, but believe me, you've got nothing on Saber in that regard." He said that last part chuckling to himself and then crouched on one knee once he reached Marie.

Caster raised his arm and placed his hand over her head, lifting her front bangs so he could get a good look at her before leaving and also say something he felt she needed to hear.

"You should try listening to other people more instead of keeping your thoughts to yourself, lass. You're really not as bad as you think. Take it from me, I've seen all sorts of crazy and deranged people in my lifetime, and you're far from the worst of 'em… even if you can be scary as sh*t sometimes."

Marie slapped his hand away, regretting having let him near her just for that little comment he ended with.

"Just can't help yourself, can you?" She groaned, but Caster could see her struggling to keep the corners of her mouth from curling upward.

He stood up and looked down at the young Servant who was still sitting in their Master's lap with no sign of wanting to get up. Caster held back wanting to comment on the two's closeness and instead praised Mash for having saved their lives.

"Shielder, that Noble Phantasm of yours was pretty special. Good thing you figured out how to use it when you did, otherwise we'd be screwed right about now. But don't just rely on it, or you'll get complacent."

"I understand. Thank you for everything, teacher." Mash nodded and gave the man a clear show of respect by calling him by that title.

Caster was caught off guard by what Mash called him and he couldn't help but smile and scratch his head to hide his embarrassment."... You know, being called that isn't so bad."

He looked down to see that his lower body had already turned completely transparent and thought of he had anything else to say before remembering the conversation he'd had with Marie when they were searching for Mash.

"Hey Master, if we ever meet again, promise to tell me that long story of yours. You got me interested."

Marie was caught off guard because she didn't expect Caster to bring that up in front of Mash. Any and all feelings of grief at seeing the man go ceased to exist as she reverted back to her indifference hidden behind a mask of kindness.

"... Yeah. I promise." She gave him a small nod and a kind smile in return, her true thoughts known only to her as she lied to a person she was certain they'd never meet again.

-But If you do, will you actually tell him?

-Hell no.

-I figured.

Caster didn't think anything was odd about her expression and seeing as how he knew it would only be a few more seconds before he finished dematerializing, he had one more request for her.

"Before I go, would you mind trying to summon me as a Lancer next time? Rune magic is nice and all, but I'd rather have a spear in my hands than a staff. Just as a favor to me, ya know." Caster winked at her once more and Marie swore she was about to pop a blood vessel because she felt he'd just keep talking if they let him.

<Would you leave already?!>

<"Fine, geez! Forgive me for trying to leave behind some nice memories! Honestly, this is why this current generation is-"> Caster trailed off, not finishing his sentence as he disappeared in the same way Saber had.

Marie and Mash sat there in the newfound silence for a while as neither knew what to say.

Marie stretched her arms and let out a sigh of relief before sharing her thoughts out loud. "And then there were two."

"Fou!" 'Hey!' Fou cried out and Marie quickly amended her sentence.

"Sorry, three. I meant three." She saw Fou nodding its little head and then it climbed up her knee to sit on her thigh.

"So… what now?" Marie asked Mash while she wondered why it was that both of her companions had taken each of her thighs as a chair.

(Also, for as nice as this felt for a while I'm gonna need to tell Mash to get up. Her ass is making my leg fall asleep.)

"Well, now we wait for someone from Chaldea to contact us and we leave." Mash answered her and Marie couldn't help but make another internal comment regarding their one missing companion that she held little regard for.

(Hmm… feels like this could have been a lot easier if the person with the communicator hadn't run off like an idiot and gotten herself killed.) She thought to herself and was about to suggest they stand up before hearing the sound of a single person clapping from farther away.

"Mash, do you hear that?" Marie asked but didn't get an answer in return as Mash was completely focused on the far away clapping figure who had just appeared out of thin air.

Marie followed Mash's line of sight and there…

Atop the same tall wall that Saber had been standing on when they first arrived in the cavern…

Was a familiar looking sharply dressed man wearing a green top hat.

He clapped one last time, and let out a long sigh.

"Well… where do I even start?"

///

"Anything yet?" Romani asked the stout young man next to him who had been hammering away at his keyboard for the last five minutes since the electricity was restored trying to reach Marie Amabuki's communicator.

Romani saw the young man, who had more than proved he deserved to be made a full time operator rather than just another logistics clerk, adjust his glasses with his middle finger before taking a short moment to calm himself down.

"Nothing, sir. We might have their location and vitals but other than that, there's not much else we can do. It's like there's some interference that isn't letting the call go through." Meuniere rubbed his hands together to keep the blood flowing and then took a sip of the fifth can of redbull Romani had seen him go through in the past hour.

"Those things will kill you if you keep drinking them." Romani warned him, which only made Meuniere turn his head to glance at the stacks of thrown away wrappers belonging to the multiple chocolate bars Romani himself had devoured in his stress induced hunger.

"Here's hoping I'll still have a doctor around if something does happen." Meuniere muttered under his breath and went back to typing.

"Shut up, Jingle. I know what I'm doing." Romani replied before taking out yet another Snickers bar from his coat and tearing the wrapper open.

This would come as a surprise to many but Romani Archaman was actually a stress eater. And after the morning he just had, he was under a lot of stress.

It had been almost two hours since the explosion that set everything off and things were only just starting to get better, if only on their end.

Two hours of scouring through the rubble for survivors, administering emergency aid… and having to decide which ones to place in cryostasis according to how severe their injuries were or if they had a chance at survival.

For the few who managed to survive the blast while sustaining mortal injuries that couldn't be helped… Romani tried to give them as peaceful a death as he could.

He'd already changed his gloves multiple times that day and wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and stay there for a few weeks, something he was seriously considering doing once the people in the singularity returned safely and communication was established with the outside world again.

After multiple attempts at trying to reach the sole Master that rayshifted successfully, contact was established and it was discovered that not only did the director of Chaldea survive, something that Romani was very grateful for since it meant he no longer needed to be in a leadership role, but so did his daughter, who had even managed to become a contracted Servant.

Granted, the conversation that followed along with the knowledge that Mash was getting a bit too comfortable with her new Master added to the man's stress, but at least things were looking good for them.

Until Amabuki refused the position as Last Master of Chaldea, which might as well have set off a series of unfortunate events that only added to the man's stress.

Then the team inside Fuyuki was attacked by a rogue Servant that almost killed Mash.

And, as if to completely eviscerate any hope the man had for the rest of the day… The botched summoning happened that completely killed their power grid because of him underestimating Amabuki's potential.

After the failed summoning attempt that caused them to lose all power once more, Leonardo da Vinci stormed into the room and proceeded to yell out multiple profanities in her native language at Romani for not telling her about Marie's incredible potential as a Master.

Had da Vinci known about it in advance, she would have prepared a stop gap measure for the FATE system that would make it so only a single heroic spirit would be summoned according to how much energy they could afford to lose that wouldn't take away from the coffins keeping the survivors alive or from their core systems.

But unfortunately, it was now too late for that. Something she made very sure Romani understood was solely his fault for keeping things from her.

It had been an hour since then, which meant that for the people stuck inside the singularity, it had been close to six hours.

No one in that room wanted to think of how many things could have gone wrong in that time frame.

And so they waited. For sixty long, agonizing minutes, they waited for da Vinci to work her magic and fix the breaker. Again.

The power had come back five minutes ago and still no one would respond to their calls.

If not for the screen to his left showing the vitals of both Marie and Mash, he would have already stormed the cafeteria and eaten all the sweets the chefs had prepared earlier that day.

'Good lord, I can't believe we lost every single person that worked in that kitchen as well. Why did most of the staff in the building have to show up here to watch the mission this morning? Haven't they ever heard of curiosity killing the cat?!' He thought to himself as he took a bite out of his chocolate bar.

"Any news on the clock tower?" Duston, a member of the senior staff who had been a part of Chaldea for almost as long as Romani, asked the person tasked with reaching the branch offices and the clock tower through their communication lines.

Mao shot the man a heavy glare before continuing with her current task.

" 'Hey Mao, I know this isn't actually your job, and that you're still learning how to do everything, but do you mind making the impossible happen and fixing all of my problems all at once?' Sure! No problem, supreme leader! It's not at all like I left one place that asked too much from its people to join a black company that did much the same to its employees! I for one love being reminded of how it was back home!" She spoke in a loud enough voice for everyone in the room to hear her from her station as she had multiple screens turned on, all with multiple tabs open and a large manual explaining how the terminals and software worked.

"... I'll take that as a no, then." Duston groaned while wondering why she of all people was in charge of communications.

Romani heard the exchange between the two and was glad that all he had to deal with was the occasional sarcastic comment from Meuniere.

He finished the chocolate bar he was eating and was about to head for the kitchen to get another one when he saw Meuniere suddenly stand up and rush over to the director's console.

"Heads up, we got an incoming transmission from the Fuyuki team!" Meuniere yelled out and everyone in the room stopped what they were working on to watch what was happening on his end.

A blurry image of a person appeared on Romani's monitor that was unidentifiable.

Romani watched as Meuniere did something on the keyboard to improve the image quality and once the person on screen was completely visible, Romani regretted not stocking up on more chocolate during his previous trip to the kitchen.

"Hello there, old friend."

///

"Mr. Lev? … Is that you?" Mash asked and I remembered where it was I'd seen this guy before.

It was the man that introduced himself to me back at the hallway leading to the meeting room and I wondered what he was doing here. That operator with the fancy name the doctor had with him back at the convenience store said there were only three of us here… so why is he showing up now?

And why is my hair standing on end just looking at him?

"Hmm, I suppose introductions would be a nice place to begin with." He was speaking in the same unassuming tone of voice he'd used when I first met him. "Hello there, Mash. Nice day we're having, isn't it? I see you've completely fused with the spirit that was inside you. That's nice. Good for you."

There it was again, just like last time. The clear lack of interest in everything around him and sarcastically replying without letting his true feelings show on his face. I see Mash glancing over at her shield, waiting for the right time to reach for it.

Good to know it wasn't just me that was suspicious of this bastard suddenly showing up.

"What are… how are you alive?" Mash asked and I saw him make an awkward looking frown and pout his lips in an exaggerated way.

"Oh, and just like that, are we already done with introductions? And here I wanted to say hello to the person that managed to ruin my otherwise perfect day." He put his hands behind his back and despite not naming anyone, it was clear by the way he was looking at me who he meant.

"... I take it, you mean me?" I warily asked and noticed a strange dark red glow coming from his eyes as he suddenly pointed at me.

"Yes! Yes I do! Where do I even begin with-?!" He quickly answered, his voice getting louder to the point it sounded like he was screaming, pure anger threatening to overtake his senses before stopping and taking a moment to compose himself.

"... Forgive me, I got a little excited there. Hello there, Miss Amabuki. It's very nice to see you here. And alive, no less." Lev crossed his arms and looked away as though he couldn't stand the sight of them any longer.

Mash took this opportunity to finally get up from my leg she'd been using as a chair for almost ten minutes and took up her shield before making her way back to me.

"Mr. Lev, what are you doing here? Do- do you know where the director is? She was looking for you."

Judging by how quick Lev was to jerk his head at us and the disgusting grin I noticed he had on, it seems that was the wrong thing for Mash to ask him.

"My, how very rude of you Mash. You speak as though Olga weren't here with us. See?" Lev turned around and seemed to be picking something up from the ground.

Mash and I shared a quick look to make sure we were both on the same page regarding the man's sudden appearance. Lev was openly suspicious and was to be treated as a potential threat until proven otherwise. We glanced at him at the same time and were caught by surprise by the sudden appearance of the missing director who looked worse for wear.

<"Senpai… she's-"> <I know, Mash. I see it too.>

Whatever it was she'd gone through since running off by herself, it definitely wasn't a fun reunion with a coworker. The bastard had clearly beaten her and took his sweet time doing so considering the bruises on her face and the busted up lip. He wasn't even pretending to hide the fact he was the one who did it considering how he was aggressively grabbing her by the head to show us.

"Here she is. Though, she might look a tad more… haggard than when you last saw her." He sneered at us and dropped the director on the ground before the sounds of her coughing were heard.

"Lev… why?...Why are you… doing this? This isn't like yo-" She had been struggling to speak because of the immense pain she felt all over her body when her mouth was forced shut as Lev lifted her up by the face until she was no longer touching the ground, using nothing but a single hand.

The director didn't even have the strength to try and struggle out of the man's grip as he drew her closer.

"Let me stop you right there. Olga, you would truly ask such a thing of me?" He asked and I swear I could hear hurt in his voice.

"I'm disappointed my dear. And here I believed you of all people would understand." Lev clicked his tongue and covered his face with his other hand while doing an exaggerated dramatic pose.

The man was clearly setting up for something, and whatever it was…

"Olga… my dear sweet child…"

I really hoped it hurt her.

"This is exactly the sort of thing I'd do."

///

Lev abruptly removed his hand covering his face and revealed his expression filled with madness and ecstasy, freezing Olga with fear as she never once believed it was possible for the man to take such an expression.

"Le-" She tried to call out his name in an attempt to hopefully reach his humanity as she was under the impression that Lev could have been possessed by some sort of wraith but was unable to on account of her sudden loss of breath on account of the fist that just hit her over the chest.

"I spent years waiting for this exact moment! Making sure that you have no one you could trust but me! I pretended to be this all forgiving gentle father figure for the sole purpose of separating you from your peers and made you worship the very ground I stand on! All for the sake of making sure my plan went off without a hitch! Every decision, every move was all to make myself the sole authority in Chaldea! And yet! AND YET!" He bitterly shouted off the top of his lungs as he continued his assault on Olga, making sure not to hit her vital organs more than once.

"And yet you would dare insinuate that you know me?! Truly, your arrogance knows no bounds! And yet what else should I have expected from a filthy human. You ignorant monkeys should be grateful I took the time to try and make your deaths as painless as possible!" He continued to yell as he ignored the sounds Olga was making whenever she got hit.

The man was no longer even looking at her anymore, just attacking her as a form of stress relief from his disappointment at how the day had turned out.

It was supposed to be a simple task, and yet these lesser beings had somehow survived.

And it angered him.

There weren't supposed to be any survivors, much less any with the potential to rayshift, yet there one was, with a Servant no less.

And it angered him more.

But what was truly surprising is that the person responsible for ruining his otherwise perfect day was the same person he'd accepted into the Master program at the last minute on a whim because of her connection to Rocco Belfeban and her clearly forged documents.

In other words, it was his own fault that things weren't going exactly according to plan.

AND IT DROVE HIM MAD.

Lev Launir finally stopped and took a moment to breathe heavily after dropping a limp Olga onto the ground.

This was fine, he thought to himself.

Everything has been going according to plan, outside of a few disgusting little variables.

He remembered those anger management classes he accompanied Olga to, under Romani's suggestion so as to avoid any potential issues, and distracted himself with happy thoughts of murdering Romani with his bare hands and petting baby kittens.

Marie and Mash hadn't moved an inch since Lev lifted up Olga and pummeled her relentlessly while screaming.

Mash was standing in front of Marie with her shield out in case Lev switched his target from Olga to them, but kept looking on in horror at what was happening to the woman and as a result, she hadn't seen the gleeful expression on her Master's face she'd been making since the first punch hit Olga's chest.

"Right then, I feel like that's enough for the appetizers. I need to get this show starter. Now, let me just…" Lev took one last deep breath and gave Olga a quick look before searching for something in his coat pocket.

"L… Lev… why?" Olga's voice could barely be heard as she laid on the ground, her body feeling numb all over.

Even now, after everything Lev Launir had said and done to her, she still wanted to believe in him, more than anything.

Lev didn't bother with her anymore and took out the transceiver in the shape of the Chaldea logo he'd taken from Olga.

"Ah, here it is! Now, how do I make it work again? I believe it was…" Lev inserted a small amount of his mana into the device and it began to shine a bright light.

Soon enough, a transparent hologram of a shocked looking Romani Archaman appeared floating in the air next to Lev.

"Hello there, old friend." Lev calmly said while making a respectful bow at the hologram.

Romani stood there in silence as he took in the appearance of the man he'd considered his best friend for nearly a decade along with the battered figure of his other deceased friend's daughter laying on the ground.

"Now Romani, why the long face? Have a tough day at work? Didn't have enough money to buy another figurine and need me to lend you some cash?" Lev tried goading Romani into answering him but did not receive a response.

Instead Romani just looked at him with a sorrowful expression that made it clear he was not taking this reunion well.

Lev then made a long sigh and tilted his hat to the front until it fully concealed his eyes.

"Will you not even indulge an old friend in his theatrics?" Lev asked in a humorless tone which seemed to do the trick and knocked Romani out of his stupor.

"Why did you do it? How could you betray us like this? Marisbury trusted you. I trusted you… did the past ten years mean nothing to you?!" The hologram of Romani gripped both of its fists as it tried to keep a neutral expression on its face.

There was a moment of silence where neither said anything.

Romani started to reminisce on all the moments he'd shared with his friend.

How they'd first met when Romani was still studying for his doctorate in the clock tower.

How Marisbury had convinced Lev to join Chaldea under Romani's behest.

How Lev was the one that helped him deal with the guilt of the human experiments he took part in.

And also, of how he was the one that convinced Romani to take on the responsibility of raising Mash.

"Romani…" Lev called out to him in a remorseful tone that made the doctor believe his friend was still in there, somewhere, and that he could be reasoned with.

… Until Lev raised his hat, and Romani saw the expression of pure hatred on his face.

No, this was beyond hate. The pure anger and malice being shown on Lev's was much more than any normal human could muster.

It was so sinister, to the point of almost being… demonic.

"Of course it didn't, you complete and utter buffoon! Everything, all of it, was for this exact moment! When I could see the looks on your faces when you realized that all of your efforts were for naught and that it was none other than dear old Lev that caused all of it." Lev had a large grin on his face as he spoke, clearly taking pleasure in demeaning Romani as he did.

Romani stared at the monitor left aghast, as did all of the staff members in the command room with him.

Even though they hadn't seen Lev's frightening face, they heard the vitriol in his voice that had shaken them to their core.

Then, as if he hadn't just openly admitted he was the traitor responsible for the bomb that took so many of their co-workers' lives, he casually coughed into his fist and returned to his usual calm demeanor.

"Tell me, old friend, how are your efforts in trying to reach the outside world? Have you managed to tell anyone of what has befallen Chaldea?"

The abrupt change in Lev's attitude gave Romani a severe case of whiplash that managed to help diminish some of the earlier shock.

"... No. We've had multiple power outages throughout the day and haven't been able to contact anyone outside." Romani answered and abruptly jolted when he felt a glare coming from Mao's direction.

Lev hadn't noticed as he'd already grown bored of talking to Romani and dropped the transceiver on the ground before he turned his gaze over to where Marie and Mash were.

"Is that so? How disappointing, and here I wanted to see your face when you realized the truth.. but no matter, I'm not going to waste more of my time gloating. I mean I would, but I'm afraid I'm a bit busy at the moment. Speaking of which, returning to where our earlier conversation was headed before your Servant girl interrupted me, I believe you have something that belongs to me, Amabuki."

Mash tried to keep the fear that had been building up since Lev first appeared out of nowhere but the disdainful look in his eyes made that difficult to do.

It wasn't just that he was looking down at the two of them from such a high place, there was something in Lev's gaze that made Mash instinctively believe that she was gazing upon a higher being.

Marie on the other hand merely adopted a confused look on her face to hide her true feelings.

"... Do I? You'll have to forgive me, there's been too many things to keep track of today so I might have forgotten." Marie spoke to Lev in a kind and respectful tone that it seemed as though she was speaking to an old friend.

Lev found her attitude preposterous and believed she was simply hiding her fear of him deep within.

He adjusted his top and crossed his arms before speaking in an equally respectful manner. "Understandable my dear, it has been a long day for us all. I'm talking about the grail you're currently hiding behind your back. It belongs to me and I'd like for you to return it."

Romani grew surprised to hear that Marie and Mash had managed to not only find the grail but also obtain it.

He was about to yell over at Marie to not give it to Lev under any circ*mstances before he heard her speak.

"Is that so? And what if I don't want to give it back?" Marie held the grail close to her chest and Mash took on a fighting stance upon hearing her Master's provocative words.

Lev remained silent, not responding to Marie's provocation and frowned. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but…"

He stretched his hand out and snapped his fingers.

A few steps behind him, floating above the other edge of the tall platform he was standing, was a large oval shape that allowed them to see inside Chaldeas' command room without the need of the transceiver.

The image of a shocked looking Romani and a couple of other staff members and half of the command room was visible.

"Oh, dear me, I apologize for this. I meant to show off the other half, let me just do this." Lev sarcastically apologized and flicked his wrist.

When he did, the strange thing behind him turned in a perfect 360° angle and showed off a large red glowing orb surrounded by various rings that held it still.

"Amabuki, my dear girl…

I was hoping you'd say that."

///

(What the hell was I looking at?) Wondered Marie as she continued to stare at the thing Lev had created out of thin air.

"Behold! This is the current state of CHALDEAS as you know it!" Lev screamed out with as much excitement and elation as a child during christmas morning.

Marie focused on what was being displayed and remembered that she had previously seen what was inside.

"Isn't that the globe that was shown off during orientation?" She asked the only person that could answer that question but noticed that Mash wasn't responding at all and stayed frozen.

"Mash?" Marie called out to her and then heard Mash whispering to herself.

"... This is.. we can't…" Mash couldn't form a coherent sentence and started shivering, being completely consumed by fear as she lowered her shield.

'How could this have happened? We did everything right, didn't we? So why… why is it worse than before?' Mash continued to look on in horror and then heard Lev continue to converse with her Master.

"You seem confused, Amabuki. Could it be that no one's told you anything about what you've been fighting for this entire time?" Lev asked Marie, having noticed her confusion while enjoying the reactions of the people around him.

She nodded, having no reason to reject an explanation or deny the man his moment.

"Very well. Amabuki, that which is being displayed is none other that CHALDEAS. A perfect replica of earth as shown by a high density information field and the different dimensions that it's composed of to show what the planet will look like exactly one hundred years from now. Around three years ago, it was discovered that we could no longer observe the state of the planet beyond December 31st, 2018, along with finding the singularity we currently find ourselves in." Lev paused and turned to sneer at the hologram of Romani.

"It was decided that both discoveries were correlated to each other and that, as long as the singularity was resolved, so too would the issue with CHALDEAS. Not once realizing that the two were completely and utterly unrelated to one another, which made my job a lot easier." Lev noticed Romani glaring at him and took joy in seeing the other man break his usual friendly demeanor.

Lev was about to continue pushing Romani's buttons when he heard the sniveling whimpers of the woman still laying on the ground, staring at the image of CHALDEAS.

"I… I didn't…. I… It wasn't me…" Olga muttered, no longer paying attention to what was happening around her or caring about how others saw her.

Lev saw the poor woman struggling to stand up and continue to deny the reality in front of her. "You'll have to speak up louder, Olga. No one can hear you."

Olga-Marie heard the uninterested tone in Lev's voice and that, combined with the image of her father's creation being in its current ominous state, finished breaking what little self respect the woman had for herself.

She started to cry and violently screamed as hard as she could, all while the man she had looked up to for so many years laughed at her.

"IT WASN'T ME! THIS… THIS ISN'T MY FAULT! I DIDN'T FAIL! I DIDN'T!" She repeated, trying to convince herself that this wasn't her fault.

That the deaths of all those staff members weren't her fault.

That the globe that was meant to have a soft, transparent blue looking the way that it did wasn't her fault.

She didn't know.
She couldn't have known.

All she wanted was to fulfill her father's mission and silence her naysayers for having looked down on her ever since she was a child.

So why was it worse than before?

"THIS ISN'T REAL! IT'S NOT! IT'S NOT! IT'S NOT! ITS-""It's real. Now stop making a fool out of yourself, I'm not done yet." Lev grabbed her by the face, covering her mouth to shut her up, and then turned to face an unnerved Romani's hologram.

"Right then… as fun as this whole thing was, I do need to get going. I'm actually on a tight schedule and seem to be late to my next appointment. So, let's finish things up, shall we?" While holding onto a still Olga, Lev walked over to the edge of the platform once more and waved at Marie with his free hand.

"Amabuki! You can keep that grail. Chances are you won't even be able to use it right and even if you do, you'll still end up failing eventually so no skin off my back. I can always just pick it up later." He spoke in such an amicable manner that Marie almost waved back at him before stopping herself.

"Olga my dear, I'd say it's been a pleasure to have stood by your side for so long but we both know that'd be a lie. So instead, I'll leave you with this little piece of knowledge I'm sure you'll enjoy." Lev then turned his head slightly to look at the hologram once more. "Romani, where was the epicenter of the explosion that took place in the command center?"

Romani's eyes widened upon realizing what Lev was doing and went pale as a ghost. "... Stop it." He pleaded with his old friend.

Unfortunately, Lev didn't care and simply answered his own question with a big smile on his face.

"That's right, it was right under the director's chair! In other words, whoever must have been sitting on that thing when the bomb went off must have been left in a rather gruesome state. Isn't that right… Olga?"

Olga's body went completely motionless, her face overcome in shock and horror as she slowly realized what Lev was getting at.

Lev saw that his words achieved his desired goal and dropped Olga onto the ground like a used rag.

He then crouched next to Olga and took out his pocket watch to look at the time with one hand while gently caressing Olga's hair with the other.

"Olga, my dear girl, I realize you've been through a whole lot in the last couple of hours but I'm afraid it actually gets worse. You see, remember how you have no ability as a Master? Well, if you recall, such a thing is imperative in order for one to rayshift in the first place. Now, you're currently just a miserable pile of spiritron particles made up of what remained of your life energy from before you rayshifted. I'm sure I don't need to say this next part, but I'll say it anyway because it's much more entertaining that way. What do you think will happen when you go back to present time and your body is no longer available to you?" Lev spoke to her with an ever increasing smile on his face while Olga's expression grew paler with every word.

Lev saw that she reached the same conclusion as him and abruptly stood up, looking completely refreshed.

"That's right! The answer is, something incredibly terrifying! So why don't I liven things up a bit?" Lev snapped his fingers and suddenly, Olga's body began to float.

She saw herself in mid-air, her feet no longer touching the ground and unable to move her limbs.

"Olga!" "Director!" Romani and Mash screamed out while Marie continued to look on in silence, wondering what else the man had in store.

"Since you were so adamant on it being 'your Chaldeas' why don't I just have you become one with it!" Lev then swept his arm over in the direction of the strange Oval shape that showed CHALDEAS, and from it, an abrupt wind pressure began to suck Olga-Marie inside.

"No… no, please!" She managed to scream and heard laughter coming from Lev.

"By the way, that thing's pretty much a black hole so you'll disintegrate all the way down to a molecular level upon touching it!"

Olga managed to stretch out her arm towards him, still believing that he would help save her… Only for him to turn around and walk away while waving at her.

"Farewell Fräulein, may we never meet again."

Chapter 19

Chapter Text

I wonder… When was it that I started to think that looking down on others was normal. I was introduced to the concept at an early age, I remember that much, but not when I just accepted it as a part of life.

The sole daughter to a Lord of the clock tower.

One might think that with such a title there would be something special about it considering how much it got thrown around whenever I would go about my daily life.

There wasn't. Unless you consider constantly being targeted by assassins sent by people aiming for my father's position or how I was endlessly held up to a higher standard both in private and in public than my peers because of my upbringing.

The second I was old enough to start attending elementary school, my father didn't waste any time sending me off to a boarding school for young mages and washed his hands of me. It was there that I started to become the spiteful person I am now.

There were the commoner kids who had managed to stumble their way into getting sponsored by a Noble family.

The noble children themselves who looked down at the commoners for daring to believe they were allowed to be anywhere near them, much less study the same magecraft as them.

And then, standing above all others in the hierarchy… was me.

I couldn't show any sort of kindness to the commoners or the nobles would start to whisper about how I was a traitor to the old ways.

I couldn't try to befriend any of the nobles or else I'd spark a war between the warring factions of the Clock tower for not knowing who was in which one and risk rumors of my trying to cozy up to anyone for clout to reach my father.

… Though, in hindsight, maybe that would have been preferable compared to the complete indifference the man had for anything that wasn't related to his duties as a Lord or his research, including his own daughter.

It didn't take very long for others to find out how little attention father paid me and rumors started to sprout about how I'd been abandoned by him for not being good enough. As if they knew more than I did about the man that sired me, I naively thought to myself at the time.

Maybe they did.
Maybe they were right all along.

I was so focused on trying to prove that I was good enough for him and that I was better than everyone else that I was up against… that I didn't have time to think about whether or not I even wanted to study magecraft in the first place. I just wanted validation. To have him see me for who I was, to acknowledge the effort I was putting into my studies and hear him say he was proud of me.

Years passed and the assassination attempts all but stopped, mostly because the people sending them realized the person they were trying to get to through me didn't care whether I lived or died.

It was ironic that random strangers I'd never met in my life who had been trying to kill me for years understood that before I did.

Father never recognized me. He never praised me even after I'd made a name for myself and continued to focus on his research instead of me.

But that was fine. There was still time to make a difference, to finally receive what I'd wanted for my entire life.

That was until I got the call that he'd taken his own life and struggled to remember the last time he'd spoken to me.

Nothing.

I felt nothing when I heard the news.
I felt nothing when I was given his title as Lord.
I felt nothing as I saw them bury the body of the man I'd spent my entire life trying to impress.

In a way, I was now finally getting the recognition I had desperately been wanting for my entire life as others would congratulate me for having become the youngest magus to ever become a Lord.

All it took was the death of the one person I wanted that same recognition from.

Olga-Marie Animusphere, Lord of the department of Astromancy… and a crestless mage.

Not that anyone outside of a certain few ever knew.

That I was offered the spot at all was nothing short of a miracle worthy of being called a true magic in itself considering the other, far more suited candidates than I.

It was obvious I didn't deserve it, but what could I have done at the time? I only accepted the title because of the benefits it would grant me and because I wanted something to remember him by.

I wanted to believe he'd left behind something that would help me understand why he was so focused on his work to the point of obsession so I also accepted the position he held at the organization he created, the Chaldea Security Organization.

I was able to get ahold of critical files regarding my father's work and it was there that the perfectly crafted image I'd created of my father, of a man that willingly chose duty over family for a reason I'd likely never understand in my life… shattered within a week.

He'd been involved in human experimentation. He created children with artificially modified DNA specifically designed to fulfill his scientific needs and had his team run inhumane tests on them for years.

What had started off as a batch of forty eight manufactured children was now forty seven short over the course of fourteen years. The sole survivor of those tests, a young girl given a name by one of the very scientists that had helped raise her, had somehow managed to live that long and was allowed to walk around Chaldea as though she were just another regular employee.

As though they didn't rob her of her childhood and kill off her would-be siblings.

I fell into a deep depression as a frightening thought passed through my head while I considered the possibilities.

What if my father didn't commit suicide but was killed because of his research? What if it was that girl who'd done it and the people around her kept it secret? What even was my father's research? Would she take my life as well for simply being his daughter?

And why could I not find it in me to say that he didn't deserve to die for his actions?

I remember becoming so paranoid that I locked myself in my father's office and didn't eat for three days for fear of being poisoned or murdered.

I had no one. No one to rely on, to help me overcome my grief, to just… be there for me when I needed them most.

No one but you.

That day, when I was still in the depths of despair and couldn't even manage to stand up, you forced open the door and saved me.

That moment you held me in your arms and promised me that everything would be okay as I lost consciousness was one that I think of dearly.

You were like… like an angel. So why?
Why would you tell me it was all a lie? Why would you do this to me?

Lev, even now, I find it hard to hate you after everything you've done.

I want to believe that you'll turn around, and apologize for treating me this way. You're all I have.

Only you… would save me.
Only you would… "Director! Take my hand!"

///

Why am I bothering with this?

"By the order of the command seal, Mash, save the director's life!"

Why the hell am I telling her to do that?

"As you wish, Master!"

Why am I making her do this?

Truth be told, I was enjoying the show up till now. It was nice seeing the director fall into despair as Lev belittled and humiliated her. I couldn't help but remember the circ*mstances that caused me to fall off a bridge and compliment the man in succeeding where I had failed all those years ago.

To have pretended to be these people's ally for so long only to pull the rug out from under them at such a perfect moment. I was impressed at having a front row seat to a master of manipulation and almost started clapping when he got her to break down in tears.

But that's not who I am anymore so I didn't.

Marie Amabuki wouldn't take pleasure in seeing the director lose everything at the hands of a person she trusted.

She wouldn't just sit there watching as the woman got sucked into that portal the man had created and disintegrate once she reached the ominous looking red globe.

Amabuki wouldn't.
But Mizuguchi would.

So, what should I do?

I was content to just continue watching on as the play drew to an end but made the stupid mistake of lowering my gaze and meeting Mash's own.

Mash was looking at me like she was desperately waiting for me to say something.

I know what she wanted and it sickened me to my core that I felt obligated to indulge her. But I was also worried about disappointing her if I didn't.

There was a choice to be made, but I couldn't help feeling like I was forced into picking the one Mash wanted rather than the one I would've.

If only I hadn't looked into her eyes, maybe I could have walked away from all of this.

Maybe… but it was too late for what-ifs.

My body moved before my brain could catch up. A decision was made.

And a command seal was used.

Whatever happens now, I don't care.
Just remember, you wanted this, Mash.

Not me.

///

Olga heard Mash's voice nearby and noticed that the same arm she stretched out to Lev in the hopes of him saving her was now holding on to the edge of the portal he'd created.

She looked around and saw that she was already mostly inside the command room at Chaldea, some staff members she didn't recognize sticking to the walls or under their desks, not wanting to get sucked in by the vacuum as well.

Not that their actions mattered since it was only her getting pulled by the wind pressure.

However, the fact that not a single one of those same people were trying to help her did not go unmissed.

Olga looked at what was reflected through the portal and saw Mash, her shield embedded on the ground she was just on, stretching out her hand to grab Olga.

"Director, try to hold on!" Mash yelled out to her and Olga could see the fear in the girl's eyes. The same girl that just a few hours ago told her to stop being a spiteful person.

She remembered how she pushed Mash away the second she saw Lev and was overcome with shame.

Had she not gone off running after shadows and finished apologizing to Mash, would things have been any different?

"Why… Why are you bothering trying to save me?! Nobody cares about me! Nobody needs me! Every single one of these people hate me! My father didn't want me, neither did my colleagues, my extended family or even anyone at Chaldea. No one wanted to be the one that had to deal with sorry little Olga-Marie! All I wanted was to be acknowledged and praised for my efforts! But in reality, all I ever did was make things worse!" Olga yelled at Mash in tears as she finally snapped. The stress of having everything go wrong and being betrayed by Lev had broken her.

She was no longer pretending to be her usual haughty self that held a mask of indifference towards the opinions of others.

This is who Olga was at her core. A sad woman who genuinely believed she didn't deserve to be saved, and that her death would be the only way to make up for all of the mistakes she's made throughout her life.

She forced her eyes shut and tried to let go of the edge of the portal, putting an end to what Lev started.

There was no point in delaying the inevitable, and if this was what Lev wanted of her… "This is… all I can do to make up for my mistakes."

Mash noticed Olga's hand softening its grip, and tried to stretch her arm out a bit more to catch her.

Romani hadn't moved, merely looking on in regret, wondering what he could have done to prevent all or this from happening. He glanced around the room and saw that none of his coworkers in the room with him even tried to make an attempt to help Olga.

She was going to die. And there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

Romani looked at his gloved hands and seemed to be conflicted over something when he suddenly heard Marie Amabuki's voice echoing through his speakers and from beyond the portal to the singularity.

"... What the hell is that? So you'll give up, just like that? Without making a single goddamn effort to try and change things?!" Marie used what little mana she had left to enhance her voice and chastised Olga.

Olga was surprised to hear Marie's voice coming from all around her and only felt her frustration grow at having to hear her, of all people, right before her death.

"Amabuki, you don't understand. Someone like you wouldn't know anything about not being wanted!" Olga yelled out in response to Marie, and it was at that moment of assuming that the person she was speaking to could never relate to what she was currently going through…

That Olga-Marie Animusphere accidentally stepped on the lion's tail, and brought out the true Marie.

'How dare she… how dare this f*cking bitch!' Marie felt an anger she hadn't felt in years growing inside.

This was no longer the Marie Amabuki, the pretender who wanted nothing more than to be accepted by her peers and live a normal life.

This… was Marie Mizuguchi.

"f*ck that! What's there to understand?! That you've been acting like a self centered brat for most of your goddamn life because you wanted some attention?! That you're throwing your life away because some douchebag groomer got what he wanted out of you and then left?!"

Romani, Mash, Fou, Olga, and even the staff in the command room were left astonished at the raw anger in Marie's voice as she spoke.

No one could see Marie's face at the moment except for Fou who was standing right in front of her.

Marie Amabuki had her brow furrowed, her nostrils flared and her teeth gritted as she continued to yell, not caring for how she presented herself anymore.

"He just admitted to manipulating you so you'd be left alone without anyone but him to rely on! Then who's to say he hasn't been doing that for your entire life!"

"I-" "Shut up!" Olga tried to get a word in but Marie quickly stopped her.

"Not knowing what it's like to not have anyone want you around, who the f*ck do you think you are to say that to me?! There's people right here that are trying to help you and all you can do in return is bitch and moan about how much your life sucks?!"

"Amabuki, that's enough!" Romani felt Marie was going too far with her words and tried to stop her, but it only seemed to make her angrier.

"I'm not done, you goddamn sh*t eating pervert of a doctor!" Marie yelled out loud and Romani harshly winced at having caught a stray insult for attempting to stop her.

"Where's the woman who slapped me this morning after her racist ass tangent?! Where's the person who's been a pain in my ass all day because of her f*cking attitude?! Where's the bitch that wanted to prove she was better than me every step of the way?!"

Being reminded of all the things she'd done made Olga wince at her previous actions.

"... Amabuki…" Olga-Marie whispered, confused as to whether she should take the non-mage's words as an insult or if it was just her unique way of attempting to help.

And yet, even with the confusion that was present over what was being, she coudn't deny the strange warmth that was coursing through her body at the moment.

Whether it was anger or something else, Olga-Marie didn't know, and quite frankly, nor did it matter to her.

"Stop pretending to be fine with what's happening to you and fight back! The Olga-Marie Animusphere that I've come to know wouldn't just take this lying down like a little bitch! The Olga that I've gotten to know wouldn't let someone just walk all over her like that!"

It was after she finished speaking that Marie abruptly fell on the ground and started panting heavily. She had used up what little remained of her mana and was now experiencing a far more severe version of mana exhaustion.

Marie heard Fou whimpering next to her but found she could no longer move her head.

All she could do now was wait. She'd done more than she had intended to do. Whether Olga took her words to heart and tried to survive, whether she lived or she died, nothing mattered to her anymore.

Marie merely stared at the ceiling, wondering why she wasted so much effort in getting Olga to snap out of her depressed state after enjoying watching her crumble.

And why no one had ever done so for her when she needed it most.

"Director, give me your hand! Please!" Mash tried stretching her hand out a bit further and it was now as far as it could go without her risking getting sucked in as well.

For a second, Olga lowered her head, and Mash believed she had given up. Until… she spoke.

"... Honestly, Amabuki. You have the worst way of trying to get people to do what you want I have ever seen."

Olga-Marie raised her head and started to stretch her other arm towards Mash. "And I can't believe I'm letting myself fall for it."

Meuniere looked on from his station when he suddenly heard a loud beeping coming from the director's computer. He rushed over to check what was happening and quickly turned to yell at his boss over what he'd found.

"Romani, the singularity is destabilizing! We need to get them out of there!"

Romani took on a fearful expression before looking at where Olga was still holding on and then at Mash through his monitor.

He had another difficult choice to make, and he only prayed he'd picked the right one.

"... Prepare rayshift return procedures. I want it ready to go on my mark." He saw Meuniere run back to his station and mash on his keyboard when he suddenly heard a gasp.

"Ah…"

He raised his head to where the sound had come from…

And found the reason for many sleepless nights to come staring back at him in despair.

///

So that's that then.

After all that time and effort I put in to be acknowledged, this is how I end.

Being driven into a corner by the one person I believed I could trust.

Realizing there were people I could have gotten close to if it hadn't been for my pride and selfishness.

I was so close to believing I could be saved. And yet… I don't regret extending my hand out.

There was nothing wrong with what Amabuki said, even though she was very crass in her choice of words.

At the very end, I was noticed… and by the non-mage commoner I'd been projecting all of my problems onto.

Mash was right. Amabuki is far kinder than I gave her credit for… even if she does drive me insane at times.

It would have been nice to talk to her more.

I don't want to die.

I wish I could have gotten to know my staff more.

I don't want to die.

I… forgot to give Mash her birthday present, didn't I?

I should probably tell her about it before I leave. I think I have enough time.

**************

Huh, that's weird. There's this ringing in my ears that won't go away.

***************

… Ah, I see.

That's just the sound of me screaming.

I didn't want to die like this.

///

The sight of a human body being dematerialized on a molecular level was one many couldn't look away from, however disturbing it may have been.

Like a flower losing all of its petals in an instant, or a dress coming apart at the seams. It was horrifying and yet… there was an odd beauty to it.

Romani stood still, watching as a friend's daughter died in such a gruesome manner, unable to do anything.

The sound of her screams covered the entire room, yet no one made a move to go help.

They simply looked away in disgust or fear, covering their ears with their hands or quivering in their seats.

All the while a massive earthquake had been taking place in the singularity as it had been resolved as was in the middle of dissolving.

"ROMANI!" Someone yelled out and it finally got the doctor moving to action.

"NOW! GET THEM OUT OF THERE!" He yelled as hard as he could and turned to his monitor to see a large piece of rubble falling from the cave's ceiling that was right above Marie's current position.

Commencing extraction in 3…

He turned his hologram over to see Mash lying on her knees, staring at where Olga-Marie was still in the process of dying.

2…

Romani tried to yell at her to look back at Marie, but it was too late.

1…

Fou looked up at the falling piece of rubble and began to shine without anyone noticing. And Marie…

Rayshift Commenced. Extraction protocol activating.

She had passed out from the pain as of fifteen seconds ago.

///

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Infirmary room, 12:52 AM

I force my eyes open and get out of the bed I had apparently been sleeping in as a wave of panic and uneasiness shot through my body.

That wasn't a dream. There was no possible way for that to have just been a figment of my imagination.

I know what the inside of my head is like, and even on the worst of days, it wouldn't have come up with something like that.

I take in my surroundings and notice that I'm inside the infirmary room in Chaldea, which likely meant that I returned to the present.

There were curtains set up around the bed to give whoever was sleeping here some privacy with an opening that let me see the rest of the room. I start to walk further inside but stop when I feel a prickle coming from my right hand.

I saw a needle connected to an IV bag via tube and a small amount of blood coming out of where it was inserted. It must have gotten misaligned somehow when I got up. I take off the bloody tape placed on top of the needle and I grit my teeth before removing it myself.

More blood comes pouring out after doing so but I can't find it in me to care about that right now. I need to find out what happened after… after…

She's dead. She's actually dead.

I started to shiver while thinking about how inhumane her death must have been and mocked myself for how much of a hypocrite I was being.

I hated her, didn't I? Enough so that I wanted to kill her myself. So why was I acting like this? Like I was… afraid.

Huh, would you look at that? Looks like I finally found something that made me feel empathy for another person, and all it took was getting this sh*tty job.

But no more. Whatever happens now isn't my problem. There's something I need to do, and fast, before they have a chance to ask anything more of me.

I looked down at myself and finally realized that I was wearing a hospital gown with the Chaldea logo on the upper left side of the chest. I wonder what happened to my old uniform? Hell, I wonder what happened to what I was wearing before we got sent back here.

A better question would be who took it upon themselves to change me out of the clothes I was wearing, if I showed up wearing anything at all… how'd we get back here anyway? Did we change the past or- no, you know what? Screw it.

Time shenanigans aside, because I didn't have it in me at the moment to think about the effects of bringing clothing from the past into the present, I need to get going.

I look around the room and notice a rack with some lab coats that were tucked away in the corner before putting one on. As I did, I accidentally rubbed my arm against the right side of my face and felt something sticking out at me. I checked around the room for a mirror of some kind and found one nearby on a messy table.

I look like sh*t…

My hair was a mess, my eyes were swollen and I had a few stitches on my face over where Saber had cut me with her sword along with what looked like some antibiotics spread around the surface wound.

How long was I out for that I had this done and didn't notice?

I shrugged off these doubts and made my way outside.

I remember the way to the command room from when I followed the doctor earlier this morning and rushed as fast as I could, ignoring the overwhelming pain all over my body and the weird sounds my stomach was making.

I didn't know if there was anyone there and I didn't care, nor did I pay any attention to the fact that the windows I was passing were showing a heavy storm outside.

I need to get out of here. I need to get the f*ck out of this place before anything else happens to me.

Just walk in, find the doctor, ask him to remove the contract between Mash and I, and then quit.

He won't need a resignation letter, and it's not like there's anyone to sign it. Now that the director is literally nonexistent and they'll likely be going through some restructuring, I'm sure they'll be looking for people with way higher qualifications to fill their ranks.

'Oh, you're quitting? Well that's a shame, but we understand. We wish you luck on all of your future endeavors.' They'd likely say something close to that.

It didn't matter. None of it mattered outside of leaving this place and getting back to Japan... Though I wouldn't say no to getting a cover letter as well.

I was a few steps away from the doors leading into the command room and took a deep breath so as to calm myself before entering.

It'll be fine. As long as I don't see Mash anywhere I won't have to deal with the contract forcing me to feel guilt over leaving her here.

The doors slid open when I got closer and immediately I noticed the clear difference between how the place looked during the morning right after the explosion went off and how pristine it looked now.

Like there hadn't been a bomb that went off and took the lives of multiple people. Like there weren't severely injured survivors frozen inside of those off putting casket like machines that had their lights on.

As if what happened this morning was nothing more than just a nightmare I'd come up with.

The stench of burnt flesh, the broken bodies and all the wailing of people wanting to be saved, just hallucinations of an already broken mind.

Ignore it, don't think about it.

I step further inside the room and come face to face with the ominous glowing red globe in the center of the room that was responsible for inflicting a horrible death upon a person.

I could still hear the screams.

Don't think about it.

Why could I still hear her screaming?

Don't think about it.

She got what she deserved, didn't she? So who cares?

I did my part, I tried to help.

I did.

I turned around to leave the room since it was obvious no one was here and made my way to the doors. Right as I was nearing them, they started to open and I could see a shadow on the other side. A sense of dread made its way to all corners of my body as whoever was on the other side started to come into my sight.

What if it was Mash and that atrocious feeling of wanting to do right by her threatened to take over me again and they got me to stay by using her?

What would I do?
What could I do?

Luckily for me it wasn't her but instead a woman with long wavy dark brown hair wearing a heavily ornate brown blouse with various colors to add effect. She also had a red skirt, dark blue gloves and leggings and several other odd stylistic choices such as the poofy shoulders or the various knit stars all over her wardrobe that gave me the impression the woman wanted everyone to know she liked stars.

That or she was a really fancy tarot card reader.

Compared to the fashion disaster that was the clown from this morning, the person in front of me had much better taste… even if it was a bit much to be wearing considering the circ*mstances.

She looked surprised to see me there and a small smile creeped into her face before dwindling a bit once she noticed I was bleeding from my hand.

"And you are?" She asked and I struggled to remember if I ever heard her voice. It felt like I did because of her unique and heavy accent but pushed the thought away before I answered.

"...Amabuki. You?"

If she felt insulted for my apprehensive way of answering it didn't show on her face. I saw her nod to herself and whisper something under her breath before she introduced herself.

"Da Vinci, but you can call me Leonardo or Leona if you prefer."

That's… certainly an odd last name considering it belongs to the most famous inventor in all of history but- Wait a second.

"You… are you a Servant too?" I nervously asked, trying to keep myself from screaming off the top of my head and took a step back.

I knew that what happened in Fuyuki was real and that it wasn't a dream but… a part of me wanted to think that it was. That I just slipped and hit my head somewhere that gave me a concussion so bad I ended up with the second sh*ttest vivid dream I'd ever had.

If she was one of those godlike beings with bullsh*t powers then who's to say she won't get pissy with me like Saber did and start throwing out beams and sh*t.

It seemed she found my question entertaining as she covered her mouth with a hand and started chuckling. I wanted to believe she wasn't doing this out of maliciousness but at the same time, it's not like I could do anything about it if she was.

That fight with Saber was something I didn't want to have to go through ever again so if the woman in front of me found my ignorance funny, then by all means laugh as much as you want.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just, I'm so used to people being shocked silly over my overwhelming beauty or at hearing my name and found it funny that this might be the first time someone's shaking in their boots upon hearing I'm a Servant."

I was not shaking in my boots, I'm not even wearing anything on my feet.

"Apologies, Miss Amabuki, I believe I've made a terrible first impression on you just now. Wouldn't want you to think I'm having fun at your expense." She lowered her hand from her face but still had a clear smile on her face. "Still, I wasn't expecting to see you here at this hour. Most of the regular staff was told to rest up for tomorrow's briefing while the remaining senior staff is discussing what to do over at the meeting room."

"Is… that so? I suppose that means I won't be able to talk to the doctor before tomorrow?" I tried to keep the desperation from my voice and didn't know if I was doing a good job of it.

The window for escape was shortening, fast. Maybe there was someone else I could talk to, another higher up that could remove the contract and get me a ride home.

"Judging by how those talks were going when I left, you're better off just waiting till morning." She wistfully sighed like there was nothing she could do about it.

No.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions right now, Miss Amabuki, but you'll just have to wait a bit longer to get the answers you want."

NO.

"If you'd like, I could call Mash and have her come here! It might be late but I'm sure the presence of a friend would do you some good."

"No." I said in a lower tone than I intended and noticed the women in front of me stifling up.

Her face had taken on a defensive look, her clear blue eyes focused on me and she reached behind her back for something to protect herself as though I was seconds away from attacking.

And I don't blame her for thinking that. Because I was really trying not to.

"I need to talk to the doctor as soon as possible. I don't want to talk to Mash right now. I just want to go home to my friends."

I felt something piercing my palms and noticed that I'd been gripping my fists so fiercely that more blood was beginning to come out.

"Please." I could feel something wet rolling down my cheeks but paid it no mind, not even when she changed her expression to one of disbelief and worry.

"Please." I no longer had the strength to stand up and fell on my knees.

"A-Amabuki, there's no need for-" "Please." I interrupted her and lowered my head till it touched the ground.

I must have looked wretched to this person I wasn't certain I'd ever met before, but it didn't matter. This wasn't my first time begging this strongly for something nor was it the most pathetic I'd ever been.

Something inside of me broke today. Something I needed to keep pretending like I could go back and live a normal life with the people I'd come to rely on for support.

It was obvious the exhaustion I'd accumulated throughout the day was coming down on me hard, but even as I started to lose consciousness, I continued to beg this stranger for help.

My sight began to darken and the intrusive thoughts I'd been keeping away for an entire year chose then to make their appearance.

Why was it me and not you?

"Please…"

I don't deserve this second chance at life.

"Please…"

It should have been you in this body, Amabuki.

"Please let me go..."

And I should've been the one to die.

Chapter 20

Chapter Text

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Conference Room, 1:17 AM

Romani had been in a meeting with the few senior members of Chaldea that had survived when he got a call through his personal terminal from Leona. Thinking that it was just the inventor wanting to know how much longer the discussion would take and if she should wait for him, he excused himself for a moment and went outside to answer the call he was sure wouldn't be problematic at all.

He was wrong, yet again, it seemed. Rather than a casual call between very close friends, as Da Vinci liked to put it, the call was to inform him of a medical emergency regarding the last Master they had available.

Apparently Marie Amabuki had woken up in the dead of night and made her way towards an empty command room searching for him, likely for some well deserved answers regarding the events that had taken place yesterday.

She then met Da Vinci and, upon learning she was another Servant, had an anxiety attack and started begging her to let her go home before passing out.

It seemed that what happened in Fuyuki must have had quite the effect, and who could blame her.

Until yesterday morning Marie Amabuki was, supposedly, a non-mage who'd stumbled her way into both a crest and had no knowledge of their side of the world.

What can he even say to Amabuki when she wakes up to convince her to stay after those harrowing events she went through?

What would he say to Mash, who he had ordered to rest under the condition he'd watch over her Master closely and send for her if there were any complications?

Romani Archaman was a lot of things, even if he himself didn't feel fit to be considered any of them.

He was a doctor with multiple degrees in various medical branches, head of the medical department of Chaldea, and now he was the appointed leader of an entire organization whose purpose was to prevent the extinction of the human race.

He may have felt unsure as to whether it should truly be him in this unenviable position, but he was still a proper medical professional above all else. Whatever doubts he may have regarding the near future, he was a doctor first and foremost.

He immediately stepped into action, entering the room where the other senior staff was and informed them of the current situation regarding the sole Master of Chaldea.

Before anyone could raise any concerns about Amabuki's condition, he dismissed everyone back to their rooms with the promise that the rest of the topics they were to tackle would be discussed out in the open with the other staff members and left the room in a hurry.

'Why on earth did she have to wake up now?' He thought as he ran across the hallways that led into the command room.

He passed the corner that led to his infirmary room and noticed that the floor now had a thin trail of blood that coincidentally led to his destination.

'I had her hooked up to an IV. Considering the state Leona told me she was in, I should assume she might have yanked off the needle and the vein it was attached to has been bleeding out ever since.'

When could she have woken up?

How long has it been since she's been bleeding like this?

'Do I even have enough blood containers with her blood type, considering all of the ones I went through today to save as many lives as I could?'

Too many new questions, more for the pile that had been building up since the previous day.

One thing at a time, he thought.

He quickly entered the command room and slightly shook at the beautiful sight he was witnessing.

'And she's glaring at me for having taken so long. Great, guess I'm sleeping on an infirmary bed tonight too.' he thought to himself as he sincerely doubted he could get another good night's sleep at all.

"Leave it to you to make caring for a patient look like a work of art." Romani whispered while making his way towards the two who were sitting on the floor and searching for his stethoscope in his coat pocket.

"Certo, would you expect anything less of me?" Leona whispered back in her usual haughty way of speaking that made it difficult to call her out on considering she was just that good at just about anything and everything.

'Except cooking.' Romani muttered under his breath while checking if Marie had also opened the stitchings on the side of her face.

The two remained silent as Romani finished his tests and place one of his arms under her bare legs while the other supported her back and picked her up as gently as he could so as not to disrupt her well earned rest.

"Did you find anything off?" Da Vinci asked, standing up and straightening her clothes.

"Nothing substantial, might need to run some tests and make sure it isn't serious. Here's hoping it was just a severe case of exhaustion." Romani answered and walked towards the exit before noticing his companion wasn't following.

"Leona, you coming?" He turned around to ask her and saw that she had her hand under her chin, something she usually does when deep in thought.

She stopped once she noticed Romani's stare and began to follow him outside. "Forgive me, I was just reminiscing about how long it's been since I held a young woman in my arms as I sang sweet nothings in her ear."

Romani took a second to process what he just heard and waited for Leona to activate the lock on the door before speaking.

"... You mean those weren't lullabies?" He asked and got a raised eyebrow from her in return.

"Whatever gave you that impression?"

The two stood there in front of the door staring at each other before hearing Marie mumbling in her sleep and remembered what they were doing. There would be plenty of time for their usual back and forths later.

Unbeknownst to them, however, was a faraway figure hidden in the shadows watching on as they made their way to the infirmary.

///

Elsewhere...

While Romani and da Vinci were handling the issue with Marie, Mash was laying on her bed trying her hardest to fall asleep.

'I did it again.'

And failing horribly at it because she couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

A day.

So much had happened, and all in a single day.

The explosion that nearly took her life and succeeded in ending the lives of multiple others that she was meant to work alongside with.

Her fusion with the unknown spirit that had been inhabiting her body for seven years, resulting in her becoming a Demi-Servant.

Multiple battles in which her life was on the line and survived because of the support of the people she was with.

The fight against Saber… and everything that came afterwards.

'Failure after failure after failure after…' she repeated in her thoughts as if possessed while staring holes at the ceiling.

Having lost the director in such a horrifying way had deeply affected Mash, much more than anyone could have imagined, including herself.

She could almost feel Olga's fingertips brushing against hers before she lost her grip and…

The sight of her legs coming apart like silk as it touched the edge of the red globe, her torso folding into itself before breaking open, giving Mash a clear view of the woman's insides before they disintegrated and all that remained was her head…

And her amber colored eyes staring back at her, as if accusing Mash of having let her die on purpose.

Mash began to cough uncontrollably as she felt her stomach acids going up her esophagus. She quickly got up and ran to her personal bathroom before lifting the lid off the toilet just in time for everything she had eaten since returning to Chaldea to come out.

Fou had been sleeping on the same bed as Mash and woke up when it felt the vibrations caused when she left the bed in a hurry.

It peeked inside the bathroom from the door's edge and saw the young girl that had been taking care of it despite not having to on the floor dry heaving with tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Why am I… so weak?" She whimpered out as more tears started coming out when she couldn't hold them back anymore.

"What's happened to me? Why am I like this?"

Contrary to Marie's beliefs, Mash had also noticed some changes after the contract was established, and it wasn't just her new abilities as a result of becoming a Demi-Servant.

She'd become more expressive, more willing to speak out and show her emotions whereas before she wondered if she even had them.

Unfortunately for her, because she was unused to dealing with all of these new emotions, she'd lost control of herself back in the singularity and had even made her pent up frustrations towards the director known on multiple occasions, something that she never once thought possible.

'Could it really be because of the contract with senpai? I wonder if… she's also going through something similar then.'

The thought of Marie had a calming effect and helped relieve Mash from some of her anxiety, but only for a short while as she then recalled the state her Master was currently in.

Upon returning to Chaldea from the Fuyuki singularity and exiting a newly repaired coffin, Mash was greeted by the familiar sounds of the machinery in the command room which let her know that she had finally returned to her home.

There were no cheers to be heard from the people in the command room since they'd been present when Lev opened a portal connecting the Fuyuki singularity to Chaldea and then watched firsthand as the director died in such a horrible way, unable to do anything.

She remained silent, as did everyone else in the room. After all, what could even be said after having witnessed such a thing?

Mash wondered if some of the staff present would choose to take up counseling with the doctor since he was also a trained psychologist.

And if talking wasn't good enough, he was also a licensed psychiatrist so he could give them medication.

She looked and shared a glance with her surrogate father, somehow knowing that despite being shocked at everything that had just happened, the man was just glad to have her come back alive.

Mash then started glancing around to see if her Master had exited her coffin yet but hadn't found any hint of her. Just as she was about to ask Romani, she heard the machine next to her open up and felt a bit of relief at knowing that at the very least, she succeeded at keeping Marie safe.

… Until the coffin fully opened, and she saw the state the woman was in.

Marie Amabuki was delirious, unable to stand up straight and leaning on walls of the coffin for support. She was bleeding from her eyes, unaware of where she was and the large wound on the side of her face had opened up again.

She tried to take one step out of the machine and was about to fall on the ground before Mash caught her.

The rest was… blurry. Mash remembered the doctor rushing towards them and trying to take Marie away from her but she wouldn't let him. All Mash wanted was to keep her safe, and she'd failed at that too.

She had him swear that he'd let her know if anything happened to Marie and was taken to her room.

How long has it been since then?

How long has she been trying to distract herself from thinking about the possibility of losing her Master as well?

Mash looked down when she felt Fou snuggling up against her in an attempt to cheer her up and started scratching it behind its ears.

"I have to believe she'll be okay, right?"

'Just a few more hours, and I can go visit her. It'll be okay, the doctor's taking care of her.'

"Everything will be fine…. Everything."

Nothing was fine, and no one knew that better than her. Try as she might to convince herself otherwise, there was no denying what transpired.

The betrayal of one of their own, the deaths of so many including their leader, and the red globe that the mere thought of would make her stomach churn.

CHALDEAS, a machine constructed to be a near perfect replica of the world, meant to show the state of humanity a hundred years into the future.

And for such a thing to have taken on its current form could only mean one thing.

The Grand Order, the sole purpose for which she was brought into the world...

It failed.

///

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Infirmary room, 8:04 AM

I'd been awake for over an hour by now, laying on the same bed I woke up in last night with a new needle where the previous one had been.

The difference between this one and the other was that, instead of the tube being connected to an IV bag, it was a mostly empty blood bag. There was also a lot more tape placed on top of it so it wouldn't get displaced if I were to make any abrupt movements.

Not that I could even move that much considering the goddamn straps attached to my wrists keeping me in place. And as if that wasn't bad enough to start the day…

Beep. Beep. Beep

How much longer am I going to have to hear that incessant sound? This annoyingly loud and repetitive alarm had been playing for a half hour now with no sign of it being stopped by the only other person in the room with me.

"Doc." I say, trying to get the attention of the snoring asshole sleeping on the bed to my right.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Doctor Romani." I said, a tad louder, my impatience and anger on the rise.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"ROMAN!" I finally screamed out, wanting him to get up and turn off that goddamn thing already.

But my cries received nothing in return, and I felt like an idiot for getting my hopes up.

He continued to sleep, ignoring both the alarm and my pleas for him to turn it off.

Great. What a perfect way to start off yet another wonderful day of having to be here instead of at home.

"At this point, I don't even know why I expect things to get better, really. What's next? Aliens are real and the moon is a spaceship? Hell, let's take it further and say the aliens are also vampires." I joked while readjusting myself to try and get comfortable on this incredibly stiff bed.

The alarm continued uninterrupted with there not being anyone that could stop it and free me from its beeping.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"... Alright, I'm desperate. First person who walks in and puts an end to that thing, I swear to God I'm kissing them on the mouth."

I mean not really, obviously, even someone like me has standards. But at this point I'll take anyone. Even Fou, if it somehow managed to grow opposable thumbs in the span of twenty four hours and manage to open the door.

As soon as I finished that thought, I heard the sound of the door opening and a familiar sounding voice belonging to a person I'd grown very accustomed to over the past day.

"Doctor Roman? I'm here to check up on senpai, are you around?"

God f*cking damn it, why do I say things?

"Mash, he's sleeping on the bed to my right. Could you do me a favor and turn off that alarm? It's driving me insane." I asked her and, although I didn't hear her reply to me, the alarm stopped ringing which meant peace had finally returned.

Bless you kohai, that's why you're the best.

And that's not just the contract emotionally manipulating me into thinking that. This time.

I took a sigh of relief and moved my head around to notice Mash looking inside my little makeshift hospital room through the opening in the curtains.

Time slowed to a crawl as both of us just looked at the other, taking in the sight without saying a word.

There was me, wrists strapped to a bed while wearing nothing but a hospital gown and an IV pole with a half empty blood bag attached to me.

And then there was her, wearing her glasses along with the same clothes I'd seen her in yesterday before the sh*tshow that shortly followed our initial meating while carrying her small furry companion that I still couldn't tell if it was a dog or a cat in her arms.

We stayed like that for a while, likely not knowing how to start the conversation or what to say to each other after everything we went through yesterday.

But it didn't feel awkward or anything. I couldn't tell why but, just the sight of her standing there as she got a good look at me was enough for me to relax after the sh*tty morning I just had.

I mean, I knew why I felt that way, but still.

"... Good morning, Mash. Glad to see you're doing well. I wish I could say the same for myself. Had a bit of a rough day yesterday and I'm still feeling sore all over." I tried to push past the silence and get a conversation started, only to hear the sound of her shifting the curtains so as to close the only opening I had available to see the rest of the infirmary room and then walk towards me.

Mash set Fou down near the edge of the bed and took a few more steps forward before standing to my left.

"Mash? You... okay?" I cautiously asked her, curious as to why she was acting in such a strange way and why she hadn't said a word to me.

Mash lowered her head to look at the straps attached to my wrists and, to my surprise and genuine gratitude, started to remove she was nearest to.

"... Thanks for this, Mash. I don't really get why they had to put me in those but, I'll be a lot more comfortable without 'em."

She finished removing it, still not replying to anything I said and I saw her turn around.

I thought she was going to move to the other side and get rid of the other strap but instead did something both Fou and I hadn't expected.

She laid down on the bed with me.

"I- I'm sorry, what are you doing?" I tried to keep the surprise out of my voice but didn't know if I'd done a good job at it.

Without answering me, or even acknowledging my question, she placed her hand over my right cheekbone and leaned her head on my shoulder.

Why was this happening? Why couldn't I just have a normal morning after the sh*t day I just had? Yes, she feels soft and warm and this isn't actually as uncomfortable as I thought it'd be, but still!

"Mash, I don't know what you think you're doing right now but, I'd really like it if you could remove the other strap keeping me here. Please?"

She continued to ignore me, focusing on what I imagine was the stitches I'd gotten as a result of Saber being a bitch. Mash gently caressed that side of my face, slowly moving her fingers around while trying not to touch the stitches or irritate the dried wound.

How exactly was I supposed to react to this? This wasn't making me angry and it was obvious she wasn't doing it to piss me off considering how focused she looks.

That said, everytime she moves her fingers I get a weird shiver all over my body and want her to stop. I think.

This whole... 'thing' has to be the contract's doing again. Had this been anyone else, I'd have already punched them in the face or pushed them out of the bed. And yet, because it's Mash of all people, I've half a mind to just let her keep going. Hell, maybe even go a bit further with th- No. Stop. Bad Marie. Bathroom first, then we can wonder about why I suddenly have a sex drive.

"Mash." I anxiously called out her name and noticed that she stopped moving her hand.

Finally, it was getting really dangerous for me there. I still haven't gone to the bathroom since I woke up either and would rather not have to answer any questions should the worse come to pass… no but really, remove the other strap already, I'm dying here.

"... You're alive." She said, disrupting my thoughts, and I could hear the disbelief in her voice. Before I could say anything in return, she started shivering as the intensity slowly built up harshly and I felt a few drops of water make their way onto the shoulder she was resting her head on.

"I didn't fail. I didn't fail you." I heard Mash desperately repeat to herself and understood why she had been acting this way.

Last we spoke, I'd used a command seal and ordered her to try and save the director, only for Mash to fail and have her die before her eyes most likely. It must have been quite the traumatic experience for her, and yet, I couldn't find it in me to feel too bad.

I wanted to speak up and have this be a lesson for her. That no matter how hard you try your best at something, life will always find a way to screw you over. Something I'm well experienced in considering all the bullsh*t that's been thrown my way over the years.

This is what you wanted, Mash. This is what happens when you try to be a damn hero all the time.

This stupid goddamn stupid teenager with a desire to play a hero… why?

Why can't I enjoy the fact that you're blaming yourself?

Why is it that hearing you cry is pissing me off more than anything the director ever did?

"... Mash. Look at me." I call her name with as neutral a tone as I could muster at the moment and feel her stifling by my side.

"What did I say about not blaming yourself for other people's decisions?" I asked, coming across a bit more harshly than intended and saw her getting ready to say something stupid in return, but I was ready.

"Senpai, it's be-" "It was her decision to run off in the first place, not yours. Just like it was my choice to order you and Caster to stand back while I risked my life on a gamble to give you two a chance against Saber."

She looked shocked that I had spoken over her and tried to relieved her of any and all responsibility for me being in my current state.

I raised my free hand and lifted the hair covering half of her face, ignoring the strange proud look I was getting from Fou who seemed content to just stay where it was.

"Look Mash, it's okay to admit it. The only reason I'm still alive because you were there with me the whole time. We even survived the encounter with Saber because of you pulling out that Noble Phantasm of yours when we needed it most. You put in the most work Mash, while all I did was stand next to you and make your job harder than it needed to be."

I saw a few more tears forming in her eyes and got the impression I was getting through to her, but needed something drastic to help seal the deal.

Still... just how little self confidence does she have that this piss poor attempt at cheering her up is working? Anyway, as for something drastic, well... Here goes nothing.

"Mash, there's something I've been meaning to say to you for a while now and I think it's something you need to hear for yourself." I lifted myself from the bed as much as I could taking the other strap into account and had my face directly in front of Mash's.

"... What is it?" She nervously asked as I pretended not to see the blush forming on her face, nor the quivering of her lips as I drew near enough that our foreheads were inches apart, letting me finally see that eye she usually kept hidden under her bangs and glasses from up close.

Right then, here we go. The final stretch. Here's hoping this manages to snap her out of it… and if it doesn't, then at least she'll have a nice memory to outweigh the bad before I leave this place.

I knew what I was doing could be seen as downright cruel seeing as how Mash clearly took a liking to me and all I wanted to do was leave, but I couldn't help myself, try as I might.

... f*ck it, last day on the job anyway so might as well go all out.

"Mash Kyrielight…" I whispered her full name, tilted my head slightly, and leaned forward while ignoring the alarms going off in my head warning me about what I was about to do, and how this would likely come back to haunt me in the future.

Man, if anyone I knew saw me now they'd likely never believe I had it in me to do something like this… and I don't blame them. Because I don't believe it myself.

"Thank you for saving my life."

Never say I don't keep my promises.

Chapter 21

Chapter Text

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Cafeteria, 8:46 AM

It took Mash a good five minutes to snap out of the trance she was in after the… thing I'd done and she finally removed the other strap keeping me in that bed along with removing the IV needle with the proper procedure.

... Granted she took her sweet time in doing so seeing as how she was shaking like a newborn baby fawn taking its first steps but it was cleaner and less painful than when I did it.

I was going to walk over to where the doctor had been resting and personally wake him up but the sound coming from my stomach quickly put an end to that idea. Mash suggested getting breakfast which, having not eaten anything the day before outside of some potato chips from the past, sounded like a godsend… after a quick trip to the nearest bathroom, of course.

There was also the fact I had Mash tell me how to program the doctor's alarm and then set it to go off a few minutes after we left before placing it right next to his sleeping face.

Oh, to have been there and see the moment that man wakes up to the sweet sounds of welcome to the jungle. I thought to myself while continuing to play with Fou's paws and glancing at Mash walking over to our table with our meals perfectly being balanced on two separate trays along with water bottles.

"You sure you don't need any help with that?" I asked and Mash calmly shook her head in response.

"I'm fine, Marie senpai. Let me take care of this, you just focus on taking it easy for now." Mash set the service trays on the table without any issue and sat down in the seat in front of me.

The table we were sitting at was long enough that it could be used by eight people at a time and the chairs were about as simple as you could get for a cafeteria. They were plastic, blandly designed and uncomfortable, which I wanted to believe might have been the reason no one else was here outside of us.

Speaking of which, why isn't anyone else here? This place looks completely deserted…

I took a look at what she'd brought for us to eat and wondered if even the cooks here at Chaldea were present during the explosion.

Two bowls filled to the brim with milk and oddly colored frosted flakes that made me wince thinking about how much sugar was in those things.

Misaligned plain white slices of bread, some too thin and others too thick, along with some mayonnaise on a slice of ham to the side on a dish.

Why, I have no idea.

And yet the oddest part of this… odd breakfast was the single white egg in the middle of the tray that didn't look like it was boiled or anything. Just a single egg taken out of its packaging and placed there for no reason.

Was this a cultural thing or a mage thing? Do I ask or would that be insensitive?

"Is it all to your liking? It's my first time preparing breakfast so I didn't know where to start or what to get." Mash said while opening up a water bottle and pouring some in a cup she handed over to me.

Where… Do I even begin to describe how much is wrong with this picture? And why is she giving me the impression that she wants me to praise her?

"It's certainly the most-", I paused and noticed Fou nearing the mayonnaise-ridden slice of ham before taking a whiff of it and reeling back its snout in disgust. "- unique breakfast I think I've ever had, Mash. Thank you."

That seemed to be the correct thing to say seeing as how she was all smiles.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, I was worried about screwing up something as simple as breakfast so I went for things that were easy to prepare." Mash picked up a spoon and started eating her cereal while I was still unsure what to start with.

"I take it you don't have much experience with the kitchen?" I casually asked, following her lead and going for the safest option available, the cereal.

Mash took a second and swallowed her food before answering.

"Not… much, no. Marie senpai, did you notice that there's three fire extinguishers around the room?" She replied and I took a look around the cafeteria to see what she meant.

The cafeteria was similar in style to all the other rooms in this building I'd seen. The walls that seemed to have this metallic sheen to them and circled around the room all the way to another door, likely leading to the opposite side of the building from where we entered, along with a fire extinguisher. One of the walls had the Chaldea logo engraved front and center for all to see, because of course it did, and I saw some trash bins next to a potted tree… And another extinguisher.

Then there was the pick up counter that had a whole section of the room dedicated to it, complete with a blackboard that mentioned what I assumed was yesterday's special, a little area where one could pick up utensils and packets of salt and sugar. Behind it, a wide opening where I could see a bit of the kitchen area that had an incredibly large refrigerator and a dishwasher… and a third extinguisher.

I finished looking around and lowered my head to take another bite of my cereal before glancing at the single egg once more.

What are you for?

"Senpai?" I heard Mash call me and quickly swallowed what I was eating before replying.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I take it you had something to do with there being so many of them here?"

Mash awkwardly nodded and broke off a piece of her bread for Fou to eat.

Can it even eat bread? I mean, seeing as how it's going to town on that thing it'll probably be fine.

"My mot-" She stopped herself and shook her head before continuing. "Excuse me. Da Vinci agreed to help teach me how to cook for myself two years ago. Unfortunately, neither of us really knew our way around a kitchen or even how to prepare food so I followed her example of just doing what felt right… and almost blew up the whole building." Mash looked down at the table and refilled her empty plastic cup of water.

I took a second to set down my spoon and digested, pun intended, what I'd just heard.

Ignoring the fact that Mash trying to cook had almost caused a building-wide explosion, or that she nearly slipped and called that Servant from yesterday her mom -which again, raises several questions- it was her mentioning said Servant that got me thinking about yesterday night.

That reminds me, I did feel like I heard that accent yesterday, but where?

Before I could give more thought into trying to discover where it was I'd heard her voice before, the sound of a bell ringing came from some unseen speakers, and the person I was just thinking about began to speak.

"Buon giorno, amici miei! Tis I, the wonderful and beautiful and extraordinary Leonardo da Vinci✩!!!"

Speak of the devil…

I turned my head slightly to find Mash covering her face with both hands under her glasses and noticed her ears were completely red.

"Of all the things to do… Why on earth are they both like this?" Mash mumbled under her breath but I still made out what she said.

I held off on asking what her reaction was about, even though it was likely embarrassment over her mother using the announcement system, and finished eating my cereal as the announcement continued.

"As I'm sure all of you are aware of, the acting director will be addressing the current situation at o' nine hundred hours to all remaining staff members. To those of us who don't speak military time, that's nine o'clock. With all that said, now would be a good time to make your way to the conference room and wait for further orders. That'll be all from me for now, ciao ciao!"

The sound of bells rang once more, likely signaling the end of the announcement.

Ten more minutes… I repeated in my head before crossing my arms and leaning back on the chair.

I did want to go take a shower before going to pester the doctor, but if he's going to be there then might as well go too… Still, the conference room again, huh?

Memories of what happened yesterday in that room passed through my head and I ended up remembering a certain annoying person's fate.

It was only yesterday morning she slapped me in the face and a few hours later she died. And now, we go back there, to the place it all started.

I felt an itch coming from the scar on my face and even a bit of pressure from the one on the back of my neck.

Soon, it'll all be over, and I'll be free again.

I'll need some time to readjust and fully embrace the Amabuki persona, but with any luck I can use the trip back to Japan to do that.

Back to being the perfect nice girl that never causes any problems and doesn't disrespect anyone.

... Except for Kobato, since most of the time he deserves it.

No more Servants, no more sword beams, no more magic sh*t, and most importantly… no more having to deal with this contract nonsense.

Mash abruptly placed her hands over mine while I'd been distracted and leaned a bit forward. Her voice barely a whisper despite there being no need for her to do so since it was just us here.

"Marie senpai, you don't have to go if you don't want to. I know this is really sudden and you're likely still tired from yesterday, so-""I appreciate the concern but I'll be heading there as well, Mash."

I interrupted her, not caring about how I may have come across nor wanting to hear a single more word out of her mouth about what she thought was best for me, and left the table in a hurry to throw away the rest of the food I wasn't going to eat in the trash.

I'm fine, am I? Then what do you call that little episode of mine last night? I ask myself as I approach my destination, trying to convince myself that what happened during the evening was just a slight moment of weakness where I lost control of myself, something that I hope won't be happening again.

All I need is to get through this meeting, wait for the doctor to finish, and then I'm outta here. Back home where I can bury my true self and go back to being her. The Marie Amabuki that doesn't need Chaldea.Just like she doesn't need magic, Servants or any other crazy bullsh*t thing they come up with.And no...

"Nobu!" Something had yelled out and I looked around the bag to see where it had come from only to find nothing but leftover food and used water bottles.

What the hell was that?

"Mash, did you say something?" I asked the only other person in the room while turning around and saw Mash looking confused.

"No?" She replied and I couldn't help but notice the single egg on the tray was now gone, with Fou now sitting where the egg was last seen chewing on something.

"... Alright then, it must have been my imagination."

Auditory hallucinations? Yeah, I need to get the f*ck outta here.

///

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Conference Room, 9:02 AM

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock;

Glad to see the clock's still in working condition but I shouldn't pay too much attention to it, lest I get another slap in the face.

The meeting room looked the exact same as it did yesterday with the sole exception being the closed windows preventing us from seeing the snowy mountainside.

Ironically enough, I was sitting at the same table in the same position as well. To my left was the stairway going up leading towards the exit and to my right was Mash sitting on the chair next to mine.

We were the only two at this table, the rest of the surviving Chaldea staff divided in separate parts all over the room in silence as we all waited for a certain someone to show up.

Compared to how full this place looked yesterday, it's looking like a ghost town now. Just how many people died because of that bomb anyway?

I let out a short sigh and pushed that thought away before taking another glance around the room when I overheard a conversation from two staff members that were at the table nearest to the podium.

"He's late." A stern looking older man with a heavy tan and short black hair spoke with a resigned tone, giving off the impression the doctor's tardiness wasn't all that surprising to those that knew him personally.

"Would you expect anything less from Romani, Duston? That he managed to get us all here can be considered a miracle at best." An elderly woman with pale, wrinkly skin and short, gray hair spoke next, the deep frown on her face made it clear she found the mere mention of the doctor's absence annoying.

"Technically speaking, it wasn't him that got us to come here but rather Da Vinci." Another staff member spoke out from another table that was near where mine, a blond, stout young man that I'd seen as a hologram yesterday helping Roman out on various occasions. Meuniere, I think his name is?

"Of course it was, the sole Servant we have left at our disposal. Forgive me for having forgotten that little detail, it's not at all as though I've forgotten we are to treat those familiars as our equals… lest they kill us all on a whim." The old woman spat out with obvious disgust as she turned her head to glare at Meuniere.

No one said a word after her and I couldn't blame them since she had a point.

"Ah, yes, I forgot. We did have another Servant here and it's here with us in this very room. Do forgive me for having that detail slip my mind, child. Though in my defense, it's not as though you have much of a presence in the first place." The woman spoke down to Mash, and I felt my focus shifting towards her after that sarcastic remark.

"Leave her alone, Benedikta." The older man next to her tersely said and her nostrils flared up when he did, abruptly standing up and slamming her palms on the table before pointing at Mash.

"Duston, you can't honestly be defending that thing! Up until yesterday she was all but useless, a doll we left to its own devices because the other higher ups saw promise in it at Romani's insistence, and for what? When the time came for her to do something, she couldn't even save Lord Animusphere and almost got her Master killed in the process!"

And, at this point, I really didn't care anymore.

"Should you really be getting this heated up at your age, lady? I mean, I'm glad you have so much energy to spare and all but... Well, in your case, maybe the grave's long overdue. Forget I said anything."

The woman quickly jerked her head towards me and looked confused for a second as she hadn't quite expected me to speak up or even openly disrespect her.

In fact, it wasn't just her. Everyone in the room was now staring in my direction, surprised at my sudden change in demeanor.

"Sen…pai?" Mash whimpered, likely just as shocked as everyone else was while Fou was furiously nodding its head, probably wanting me to defend it's friend from the old hag.

And here I was, trying to keep a low profile and not wanting to get involved in any way, but I just couldn't help it in the end. This woman's complete lack of respect for Mash and speaking like she wasn't even thinking of her as a human had made my blood boil.

"How about you don't insult and belittle the girl with a giant shield that I've seen crush skulls in person, and instead sit the hell down. Unless you'd rather I walk down there in case you need some help because of your arthritis?" It seemed I'd taken it too far seeing as how her face had gone completely red with anger and she was about to make her way towards me before the man sitting next to her grabbed her shoulder.

"You-!" "Benedikta, stop!"

She slapped his hand away and glared at me while gritting her teeth.

"Do not think for one second I haven't forgotten about you, the non-mage low born that dares to claim ownership of a crest that doesn't belong to them. You should be grateful that you are needed for your ability to control Servants, otherwise I would have dragged your body over to Lord Eulyphis the second you dared to mention your connection to Belfeban."

Would you look at that? Another self entitled dumbass with their head so far up their own ass they don't realize the low opinion people regard them with. It's like the director never left.

The comment just now seemed to take the wind off the older woman's sails since she wasn't expecting me to bring up the director out of nowhere. The anger she showed was gone, replaced now by an expression that showed pain.

Well that's surprising. A sliver of empathy underneath that cold exterior.

"I… have not forgotten. Nor will I ever." It seemed that I'd broken her spirit just now and she slowly turned around to sit in her chair.

I noticed the other people here take on similar expressions, likely being forced to confront what they'd seen and experienced yesterday after I'd made reference to the director's death.

Since it was clear she was no longer in the mood to fight I clicked my tongue and returned to my seat.

I crossed my arms and leaned back on the chair, ignoring the sounds of the clock ticking and of the hushed conversations my peers were having.

So much for a great first impression. Lucky for them it's also the last time they'll ever have to interact with me.

"Yes, Mash?" I asked, wondering how badly I'd screwed up with her this time.

"I… don't recommend antagonizing Lady Benedikta any further. She's directly related to one of the twelve Lords and a single word from her is all it would take for your life as a mage to be over." Is all she had to say, but I could tell there was something else she wanted to add that was more important.

On a whim, I tried using our mental bond similar to how I'd been doing it back at Fuyuki. It was the first time I was doing it in the present but figured it was as good a time as any to try.

<You sure that's all you have to say, Mash?>

Mash flinched and did a terrible job of hiding it from me. She lowered her head and I saw her curling her fingers tightly.

<"That was the first time someone's ever stood up to Lady Benedikta on my behalf, senpai. Usually people are too scared of angering her out of fear for her aunt, Lord Atroholm.">

<Great, another one. Look Mash, That title really doesn't matter much to me, it's not like I'm wanting to make a name for myself as a mage anyway. And besides, I wasn't just gonna sit on my ass while she treated you that way.>

Contract or no contract, it doesn't change the fact that Mash saved my life multiple times. Even if I don't like the whole hero act, I won't pretend like I won't owe her my life.

<"... Thank you, Marie.">

And just like that, with those three words she'd uttered within my head, it happened again.

It was as though everything went still the moment she said my name without the usual honorific. I couldn't breathe, my heart and my lungs stopped working while my body began to shiver uncontrollably. A cold sweat began to form on my back, and my mouth drew dry.

Why?

Because she said my name? Is that all it took to get me like this?There was a warmth within my chest that wasn't there before and I recalled the sensation of her lips leaving mine as I pulled away from her while in that hospital bed, her lavender eyes as wide open as her mouth with the exception between the two being the thin trail of saliva still connecting us both.

I'd thought I wanted more, yet rejected that notion with every fiber of my being. The only reason I'd done such a thing in the first place was just to help her get over her issues, nothing more.

The strange feeling went away and time began to move once more.

I need to get out of here. I need to leave this place as soon as I can.I thought while placing my hand over my chest.

Just then, I heard the sound of the nearby door open, and from it, the man of the hour finally made his appearance.

Chapter 22

Chapter Text

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Conference Room, 9:15 AM

The doctor looked pretty disheveled no matter what part of him one chose to focus on.

The rest of his uniform looked like a mess and he seemed to have been wearing the very same lab coat as yesterday because it had a large and dried out red stain near the waist.

Doctor Roman also seemed to have been out of breath and stuck his hand out, asking everyone for some time to let him catch his breath.

"Sorry… I'm late. I was trying to get a… quick cup of coffee before the meeting started and found out that the coffee maker needs an update so… until we get the wifi working, it'll only do decaf." He said in between breaths and some of the other staff members in the room audibly groaned at that.

"Do we have an estimate as to when it'll get fixed?" A young caucasian woman with short blonde hair who was sitting next to Meuniere asked while she held her hand up.

"Which one, Sylvia? The wifi or coffee machine?" Meuniere made his own question, wanting her to clarify which one she'd meant.

"The wifi, duh? Coffee's whatever but we can't get anything done without the internet."

Sylvia's answer seemed to have caused a ruckus as some of the older looking staff members started arguing amongst themselves about whose idea it was to get a coffee maker that needed an internet connection to make coffee.

"Wasn't it Lev's?" A tired looking man with tan skin and short black hair that connected to his beard who was wearing two jackets on top of his uniform answered from a table where he sat by himself.

"Was it?" The man named Dustin asked him, his hands holding down the older womans shoulders to keep her from making another ruckus.

"As far as I recall, yeah? Something about wanting to make things easier on everyone and further modernize chaldea while throwing away the old, whatever that means." The two jackets wearing man replied as he shrugged.

"Aren't you our technician? Shouldn't you be working on getting it fixed?" Someone else from the table most of what I assumed were the senior staff asked and I saw the tanned man cross his arms before turning to look at the doctor.

"I am. And I should. However, because this meeting is mandatory, I had to leave it running a self diagnosis and pray that it does something. While that's going on in the background maybe now some of the people here could take a moment to go outside and touch the snow, talk with friends and not pester me constantly with messages about how the wifi isn't letting them download their terabytes worth of illegally acquired media."

Doctor Roman stifled at hearing the man's words and awkwardly coughed into his fist while looking away.

"... Right then, we should probably get this meeting started. I'm sure we all have questions we'd like the answers to as well as duties we need to return to." Roman's expression changed to a serious one but it wasn't hard to tell he was nervous due to how his legs were shaking.

He walked by and gave Mash and I a quick passing glance as he headed down to the podium.

"Romani, where's da Vinci? You, I understand being late, but they're usually on the ball when it comes to punctuality." Another staff member asked.

"Now, I'm sure there's a lot of things we all have to discuss but before we begin, I would like to say one thing to two individuals for whom without their help, we wouldn't have even gotten the grail to begin with." Roman took a step back and bowed his head over at my direction.

"Thank you, Mash Kyrielight and Marie Amabuki. It's because of your combined efforts that we were able to put an end to the threat posed by the Fuyuki singularity. Throughout your journey you faced multiple threats the likes of which we here cannot even begin to imagine. And yet, despite the odds, you were victorious and the both of you should feel proud at what you've accomplished."

Most of the people in the room turned their heads to see us and nodded in response.

"You two did an amazing job yesterday."
"Glad to see both of you in one piece."
"No seriously, who did the tech guy mean?"

All… Well, no. Most of the staff were singing our praises and giving us a hero's welcome. And then… there was her.

"My, how quick you all are to forget their responsibility in allowing Lord Animusphere's life to be lost."

The people who were speaking so loudly just a few seconds ago were completely silent, not wanting to catch that Benedikta woman's ire.

Roman let out a frustrated sigh as he lifted his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Lady Atroholm, we've gone over this yesterday with the rest of the senior staff. It wasn't their fault, just like it's no one's fault you weren't present when I was made acting director."

The old woman scoffed before standing up from her chair, the man next to her too late to stop her from doing so.

"The rules clearly state that in the event Lord Animusphere, may she rest in peace, is placed out of commission, the highest ranking member of Chaldea who is also an esteemed member of the association is to take command in her place. And so, as Head of human resources and niece to Lord Inorai Valualeta Atroholm, that would be me."

Even I had to join in on the collective groan heard around the room made when she said that.

I turned my head to see Mash looking unamused towards the old woman and gently tapped her arm to get her attention.

"How likely is it that she gets the job?" I asked with a whisper and Mash shook her head in response after leaning closer.

"She can try but the decision was already made. She'd have to supply evidence to prove that doctor Roman isn't suitable to lead and get signatures from all of the other senior staff." Mash whispered her reply and seemed to have become completely flustured upon noticing how physically close the two of us were at the time.

<Not the time, Mash.>
<"Sorry.">

From the corner of my eyes, I spotted Romani staring at the older woman with an exhausted look on his face.

"Lady Atroholm, I understand you may have some slight concerns over my sudden appointment, but-""Some?!"

She spoke over him with a screech that threatened to make my ears bleed but it didn't seem to have any effect on the doctor.

"Yes, some. However, as you have already been told several times during the senior officers meeting that took place late last night, everyone agreed to this. Now, if we could please focus on the main topic we are to discuss-" "You mean the same meeting you ran out from because of the low born Master's failed suicide attempt in front of Leonardo?"

Her sudden statement seemed to get an immediate reaction out of Roman and the other senior members sitting around her as they all looked at her with incredulousness written all over their faces.

My... My what? What the hell is she-My thoughts halted once I felt a harsh grip on my hand and turned to see Mash, eyes wide open and staring right at me.

Stop looking at me like that.

Was I... Was this just more of my karma catching up to me?

Goddamn it, stop looking at me!

"Benedikta, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" I heard the man sitting next to her, Duston, yelling after he stood up.

"Lady Atroholm, that is not what happened and I have to question your ability to remain in your current position if you continue bringing false information to light!" I heard Roman speaking through his teeth and saw him gripping the podium to keep himself calm.

The old woman looked unphased as looked away with a bored expression. "Oh please, Romani. As if you're in a position to talk about my credentials. I obviously followed you after you ran off and saw the trail of blood leading to the command center. Imagine my surprise when I found you and your little pet carrying Chaldea's last Master to the infirmary."

"Damn it, Benita!" "That is enough, lady Atroholm!"

I heard some more shouting but couldn't really focus on what was being said anymore.

I need to leave.

Didn't Sarasa-san have a doctor's appoinment about her eyesight in a few days? I needed to go tell her kids about it.

I need to leave.

"Senpai?" Mash's voice seemed to have brought me out of my own head and I immediately stood up to leave while not paying her any mind.

"Amabuki?" The doctor called out to me and ignored him.

I'd reached the door and right as I was about to open it, someone else did from the other side and coincidentally enough, just like yesterday, it was that Servant woman with the highly ornate clothes.

The sight of her alone was enough to hammer in the reality of what had happened to me just now.

I'd almost experienced yet another panic attack, the second one in less than twelve hours.

And in front of the same person, no less, only in front of an audience this time.

Other differences between the last time we met being that it was now early morning instead of late night, and that there was now a comically large armored mechanical arm over her right one holding onto a strange pole sharing the same color scheme as her clothes with a six pointed star surrounded by a ring on top.

She hadn't even taken a single step inside the room before noticing me and took on an amused expression.

"Buongiorno, mia cara. I see we meet again."

A simple greeting, I wanted to believe.

She seemed happy to see me again so I'd like to think so, but then again maybe she was just laughing at how l must have looked.

"... Good morning, Miss Da Vinci. Nice to see you." I somehow managed to say and greeted her as best I could while pretending I wasn't getting stared at from all over the room.

She seemed to have been a bit surprised judging by her raised brow and a sly smile shortly followed." Why, Amabuki. 'Miss Da vinci', you say? And here I believed we'd become close enough that such honorifics were unnecessary between us after you spent the better part of last night in my arms."

What? I thought to myself.
"What?" I then proceeded to ask out loud.
"What?!" I heard Mash and others yell out from behind me.

"My, did you forget how I held you close to my bosom and sang sweet nothings while I held you close to my bosom? If only Romani hadn't interrupted us, we could have grown even closer still." She gently took my left hand with her own non armored one and brought it up to her face before kissing it, never once breaking eye contact.

What the hell is this woman saying? And how can I make her stop?

"... Right." I took my hand back and stopped myself from wiping where her lips had touched so as to not possibly anger the Servant. "Would you mind letting me pass? The stench of old hag is all over the place and I need some air." I heard someone scoffing and didn't need to look back to know who it was.

Leona raised her eyebrow, wondering what I'd meant when she looked inside the room and saw, what I imagined, the current state of the meeting room.

"Per'dónami dolcezza, go right ahead." Da Vinci moved to the side and I passed by her, leaving the room and everything in it behind as I made my way back to the infirmary room.

///

Romani stayed perfectly still as he watched Chaldea's last Master leave the room before the discussion had even started and couldn't help but feel like she'd already lost any remaining hope in them.

'And why wouldn't she, in light of the way she's been treated…'

He let out a long sigh and lifted his head to see Da Vinci staring at him with an unamused expression.

'Fine, fine. I get it, I screwed up. No need to rub it in, you jerk.'

"Mash, honey, could you go after Amabuki and get her to come back? I'd like nothing more than for her to rest but we do need everyone here before we start." He told his surrogate daughter who clearly wanted to hurry after her.

"Of course, doctor." Mash stood up and quickly left the room while carrying Fou in her arms after which Leona closed the door and began to address the room.

"Such a sweetheart, my little principessa." She said, enhancing her words with mana and slowly making way down the steps.

"Why, I still remember the day we first met. The stoic expression she had that failed to hide the wonder in her eyes as she gazed upon me. Such a sweet and kind child, I thought, unaware of the world outside these walls and of the darkness that exists inside man, even though it was that same darkness that gave birth to her."

She then abruptly slammed the bottom of her staff against the floor and air began to surround her, moving parts of her hair and clothes.

"I never understood why someone could ever hate such a wonderful and pure existence. Not as a former human, a scientist, an inventor, and especially…" She turned to face Benedikta with the exact half smile seen on her magnum opus, the Mona Lisa, and an intense glare which caused the older woman to start shaking uncontrollably at the pressure she was now facing. "As a mother."

'Crap, I don't think I've ever seen her this pissed in a long time. I'm gonna have to tread lightly, or else it'll be me on the other end of that death stare.'

Romani had to act fast before Leona could do anything to the poor woman, unless she already had and he didn't know it.

"Leona, calm down. I'm sure it was just Lady Atroholm's unique way of showing concern and she's learned her lesson on being more subtle in the future." Romani jerked his head to point at the older woman with his eyes and his coworker standing next to her understood the message.

"Benita, I know you're frustrated and confused about a lot of things right now, but taking it out on those kids isn't going to help. Just leave it be, okay?" Duston spoke calmly so as to not further agitate her and placed his hands over her shoulders before slowly setting her on the chair she had been sitting on.

Benedikta seemed confused and looked around the room in search of something. "Dusty… where's my maid? Have you seen her?"

"No, Benita, we've been over this. Your maid isn't here anymore. She was one of the people we lost yesterday." Duston held her shaking hands, the imposing image of a strong headed woman disappeared and in its wake, that of a sad and confused elderly woman who wasn't quite sure where she was.

"That'll be enough, Leona." Romani said and Da Vinci released the air circling around her, making it seem as though it had never been there to begin with.

"For the record, just because I'm not present in a room doesn't mean I'm not paying attention to what is being said. I am a woman of many talents, hence why I was given the title of 'the universal one'."

She fixed up her clothing that had been moved by her little show of power and arrived at the podium next to Romani.

"I take it you being here means you've succeeded?" He asked and received a quick nod in return.

"All systems are back online and better than ever. Even added an improved breaker system in case another issue with the FATE system occurs."

"Does that mean the wifi is back? Please tell me the wifi is back." Mao asked, abruptly standing up and shaking her fist in excitement.

"I have all of my bars so, yeah, it's back." The technician, Ryan, had pulled out his phone and answered, much to the relief of most of the people there.

"... Which means the coffee machine is working again." Marcus, a short yet rugged man with ginger hair, pale white skin and freckles everywhere one looked, had mentioned which got the attention of most of the senior staff.

Romani took a quick glance over at Leona and saw her giving him the same look he had on, likely having the same idea.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Romani asked and immediately got an answer in the form of another question.

"Do you even need to ask?"

Romani coughed into his fist and rubbed his hands together before taking another look around the room.

"Anyone up for a quick break?"

///

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization, Outside Conference Room,
West Hallway, 9:27 AM

I left the room because I didn't want to deal with any of those pitying stares anymore.

That Benedikta woman just said whatever she wanted to and now I have to deal with the aftermath.

I could already tell the sorts of things those people were thinking to themselves after they heard that.

She had a panic attack? Poor girl.
Someone should check up on her.
Are we in danger if we're around her?

Shut up.

I turned the corner that led to the infirmary and the voices in my head then changed into ones I knew intimately, ones that I'd prefer if I never heard again.

I should have never given birth to you.

Shut up.

Why didn't you do us a favor and die in that fall?

Shut up!

It should have been you.

"I said, shut up!" I screamed and slammed my fist into the steel wall to my right.

"I know, dammit! You don't have to keep repeating what I already know…" I ruffled my hair with my left hand and leaned my head on the wall I'd just hit.

What is the point of all this? To have me go through the worst day of my life and then rub it in my face that I cracked under the pressure.

What else was I supposed to do, shrug everything off? Ignore the fact that I time traveled or that I was stuck fighting for my life and almost died multiple times yesterday?

While I was lost in my own thoughts, it seemed someone had snuck up on me and placed their hand over my shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled at whoever it was and slapped their hand away before turning around to see a surprised Mash holding Fou in her right arm.

She must have been worried and ran out looking for me… and this is the thanks she gets.

Goddamn it.

"I- I…" Mash stumbled over her words and I noticed Fou glaring at me with its little eyes while gritting its fangs at me.

Like I was its enemy for having attacked its friend.

God f*cking damn it.

"I- I'm sorry… I didn't mean to- ""Stop apologizing." I interrupted her with as neutral a tone as I could muster at the moment.

Mash seemed startled at the sudden outburst and I just didn't want to bother pretending to be someone I wasn't anymore.

She's a Servant right? So my little slap can't have hurt her at all compared to the blows she was taking yesterday. Besides, our contract will just heal her up anyway, so who cares?

"I'm the one who overreacted, so don't apologize." I took a deep breath and continued walking away.

I didn't look back and just left her there. With any luck, now she hates me and will bring up wanting to sever the contract during the meeting.

If only, right?

It didn't matter. None of it mattered.

This was all just another example of how 'I' can't seem to catch a single break and return to being a sh*t person the second I let my guard down.

I might have let down the kouhai, but hey, at the very least I didn't end up in another coma. Gotta take small victories where I can.

Just as I was about to enter the infirmary room, my wrist was suddenly grabbed and I was prevented from going any further. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

"Let go, Mash." I could have tried to pull my arm away but considering she's a Servant that might just end with me dislocating my shoulder.

"No." She sternly refused and I let out a scornful breath.

Of all the times for her to grow a backbone, it just had to be now.

"And why is that, Mash? Were you ordered to bring me back by the good ol' doctor?" I asked with vitriol present in every word and still refusing to turn back.

"Yes, I was." She quickly admitted and I felt a tinge of pain in my chest that hurt more than I cared to admit.

And now I feel stupid for thinking she might have been worried about me. Because of course not. Why would anyone even bother with- I stopped myself midthought and refused to go any further than what I'd let slip.

"Of course you were…" I sighed and shook my head. "Fine, Mash. Have it your way. I'll go back."

There was no point in continuing when resistance was futile. She could have just lifted me up and forced me to go with her, so I might as well do as she says before it comes to that.

Mash let my wrist go and I slowly turned around to see a cold expression on her face as she looked right at me.

There it was. That's the expression people make when they find out what type of person I really am. Never thought I'd ever see it again, especially from her. Gotta say, it's definitely a lot more effective at making me feel like sh*t than any of the other times I've seen it.

I was about to walk around her when she started walking forward and lightly pushed me further inside the infirmary room.

"Mash what are you-?!" She placed a finger on my lips to prevent me from talking and I could tell she wanted me to stay quiet.

"Wait." Mash said and turned around to place a confused looking Fou on the floor outside the room.

"Fou-san, I need you to give Marie senpai and I a few minutes, okay?" Mash didn't even wait for Fou to reply and closed the door, inputting something on the terminal next to it, and walking past me to place her glasses on what I assumed was the doctor's desk.

"... Mash? Are you doing alright?" I asked and saw making her way towards me.

Mash stood right in front of me and I noticed her irises had taken on that same yellow hue I'd seen in Fuyuki.

It was upon seeing her eyes that I realized I was trapped in this room with a pissed off Servant. "Is that all you have to say?"

Mash wasn't just angry with me, she was livid.

Am… Am I about to die here? To her? Why? Because I slapped her hand away, is that all? Did everything we went through yesterday not mean anything to her? Did… didn't I… ?

My mind trailed off and I couldn't form a coherent thought. It was happening again.

I felt the sweat forming on my forehead and began to shiver all around. It felt like my knees were going to give out and I took a step back.

"Stop." I said while taking another step backwards.

But she didn't. Mash kept heading towards me like she hadn't even heard what I said.

"Mash, stop." I thought, maybe using her name would have done something but she continued undeterred.

I tried to walk further back but found that I'd reached the wall and knew there was nowhere left to run.

If I was going to die here… what was the point of having fought for my life all day if this is how it was going to end? What would Sasara think if she found out? Would she blame herself?

I closed my eyes before lowering my head and heard her steps as she stopped right in front of me.

Wasn't death something I was fine with? I knew it would come eventually and felt it was unnecessary thinking about it.

"Senpai, look at me." I ignored her and the sense of dread that had come over me.

No that's not it. It wasn't death that I was afraid of… it was the fact that I felt fear at all that was scaring me. I thought I was stronger than this.

"Marie senpai?" That sounded a bit closer than before but I didn't respond.

My life was forfeit a long time ago, and I convinced myself that this second chance has just been me running on borrowed time. That eventually my karma would catch up to me and I'd lose it all again.

"Marie?" I heard her call me and her voice came from right next to my left ear. A shiver went down my back after she did so but I chalked it up to fear.

This was fine.

I gripped my fists as hard as I could.

I knew this was coming.

I lifted my head. Whatever happens now…

And opened my eyes.

I deserve it.

I saw Mash's face inches away from my own and could feel the air coming out of her nostrils over my lips. She had her arms stretched out, hands against the wall on both of my sides which prevented me from escaping.

I wondered if it was because all I had on my feet were a pair of thin sandals instead of boots that she seemed a bit taller than me compared to yesterday.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mash asked me and I was left wondering what she meant.

"About what?" I asked for clarification, not raising my voice but not putting too much strength in it either.

"Last night. Why is it that I have to find out about something that happened to my Master from someone unrelated to us?"

Is that why she's angry? Because no one told her about how I woke up and ran around the building in a hospital gown while bleeding out?

"Sorry to say but, I don't exactly have an answer for you. I was under the impression either the doctor or that Da Vinci lady would have mentioned it." I answered and she seemed to pull her face away slightly, giving me some breathing room, before speaking.

"Then you thought wrong, and believe me, they'll be getting a visit from me regarding this as well. Now tell me, is that why you were strapped to the bed this morning?" She asked and I nodded, not seeing the point in keeping it from her now that she knew.

I decided to tell her everything I remembered from last night. About how I'd woken up late at night, and ran all the way to the command room in search of her father. Of how I met Da Vinci and started panicking when I realized she was another Servant… purposefully leaving out how I passed out while begging her to let me go home or that I was planning on leaving at all.

Outside of that, I didn't miss a single detail, all while looking away and refusing to see what expression she currently had as she listened.

Once I finished recapping the night's events from my point of view as best I could, I looked over and saw her frowning, probably disappointed at how emotionally weak her Master actually was.

"Why?" She whispered and I just shrugged my shoulders while holding on to my left arm.

"I'm only human, Mash. Even I have moments where it all becomes too much for me to handle by myself."

And believe me, I hate it as much as anyone else.

Mash drew her face in closer until the top of our foreheads were touching and I saw the repressed anger in her expression.

"I meant, 'why didn't anyone fetch me?'. I told the doctor to let me know if anything happened and barely got any sleep in because I was worried half to death over the thought that I'd lost you as well. And now I hear that I almost did, all while I was stuck in bed feeling sorry for myself." She spoke calmly in a controlled manner while she removed her hands from the wall before placing them on the sides of her waist and giving me a chance to escape my current position…

But for some reason I didn't move from that spot and let her continue.

"Whenever I would close my eyes, I'd just remember the sight of how the director was out reaching to me and how close I was to grabbing her, only for her hand to slip and then…" Mash didn't finish her sentence but I knew what she wanted to say.

"You're not still blaming yourself are you?" I asked, remembering the conversation from this morning and also the unique way it ended.

I heard her chuckling and the focused gaze she was giving me from up close sent a shiver down my spine.

Okay, that's new. Usually, those are bad. Why did this one feel different, and why am I just letting her do whatever she wants?

"No, I'm not. A certain someone had a really good way of convincing me to stop blaming myself for everything." The corners of her mouth bent upwards as she slowly lowered her line of sight and stared at my lips.

Memories of what I'd done on that bed and how soft her lips were came to mind and I felt blood rushing up to my head.

What the actual f*ck is happening to me right now? I barely felt anything when I did it so why am getting so flustered at the mere mention of it?

"I… see." I forced myself to say and ignored the feeling that I was about to burst into flames if she kept this… whatever this was, up.

Ignore it and move past it. If she's all smiles and laughs then it means she's not pissed at me.

"Then you aren't mad at me?" I asked and, judging by the humorless look she was giving me, it seemed to be the wrong thing to say.

"If you mean about not being told about last night's events, then no, I'm not mad at you for something that was out of your control." Mash separated her face from mine and it felt like I could properly breathe again, if only for a short while.

"If you mean me having to learn about the situation from Lady Atroholm then, although it did anger me at that moment, I'm willing to give that a pass. The woman is nearing seventy and judging from her previous diagnosis that doctor Roman had me present for while he spoke to her maid, her mind is beginning to leave her so I'll let it slide for now." She crossed her arms and indifferent looked off to the side while saying so.

Now I was really confused and was starting to get angry for not knowing the reason Mash had been acting this way towards me.

I genuinely believed I was seconds away from dying at the hands of someone who can't even cut slices of bread evenly.

"Then was it when I slapped your hand away? Is that why you're so mad?" I couldn't help but let a bit of my frustration make its way into my voice when I asked that, something that seemed to be growing larger still when she tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"Wrong again, Senpai, though now that you mention it, you never did say you were sorry." She jokingly mentioned, and I held back from attacking her the second she did.

She was toying with me.

"Is that so… then could you tell me what the hell I did to warrant this attitude from you? Because I'd really like to know how you're going to defend your actions of the past five minutes." I clenched my right fist as hard as I could and no longer cared about the fact that nothing I did could possibly hurt Mash physically.

Emotionally though? Self confidence issues aren't going to be enough words to describe how badly I'll leave the girl's psyche once I'm done with her if she keeps pissing me off.

She suddenly moved her head back to a neutral position and stared at my left hand. More specifically, the top of my left hand.

"Why did you let her do whatever she wanted?" Mash whispered, the barely held back anger rearing its head again for a reason I didn't understand.

"What are you even talking about?" I raised my voice higher than I intended and finally got her to look directly at me again.

"Da Vinci. Why did you just let her grab your hand and do that?" She rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world and all of the resentment that I'd built up left my body like the wind coming out of a popped air balloon.

f*cking what?

"Are… are you kidding me right now? That's why you've been acting this way? Because your mom greeted me with a little smooch on the hand?"

"... Didn't seem like a little smooch to me." She answered under her breath and I couldn't help quickly retort with my voice raised. "Oh, grow the f*ck up!"

I groaned out before placing my left palm across my face and leaning my head back till it hit the wall behind me.

"I don't appreciate such language, Marie senpai." She said with an indignant tone that seemed to be the last straw in regards to how much I was willing to forgive her for.

"And I don't appreciate you scaring the sh*t out of me! What the hell, Mash?! I thought you were about to kill me just now!" I yelled out and my words seemed to have an immediate effect since I noticed the yellow hue in her eyes returning to its usual lilac coloring and the shocked expression on her face.

"Did, what? Wait, no… did you really think that?" She asked with a barely audible voice while looking at the floor in shame.

"What else was I supposed to think?" I coldly answered and she flinched like I'd just hit her.

Seeing her in that state was helping me calm down, but I wasn't ready to forgive her for everything just yet.

The dynamic was changing. She was less sure of herself and had just handed over the reins of the conversation to me without realizing. I had to capitalize on this moment fast and prevent her from getting the upper hand again.

The fear was gone now, replaced with self righteous fury.

And now, it's my turn. Let's see how you like it when someone does this to you.

"Yes, Mash. What else was I supposed to think when you lock me in here and then corner me up against the wall?" I couldn't even imagine how the scowl on my face currently looked but taking that fearful look she had on into account, I'd say it was doing a perfect job of conveying just how little patience I had left.

She was about to say something when I suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her over to me before changing positions.

Now it was Mash who had her back to the wall and I was keeping her there in the same way she'd done to me.

The scar on my back started to burn up and the heat from it made its way to every corner of my body.

"Senpai?" Mash's face took on a slight blush and that only seemed to make that strange feeling worse.

"Do you know why I just let her do whatever she wanted?" I tensely asked, unable to understand why I was bothering to explain myself.

She silently shook her head, her eyes not once looking away from mine.

"It's because she's a Servant, just like you. A powerful being with near godlike abilities that could probably kill me in less time than it takes to kill a mosquito. And it freaks me the f*ck out. That all it could take is just one comment or one action taken the wrong way and suddenly my life is over." I stared deeply into her eyes to make sure my point came across perfectly while standing still.

"You're… afraid of me?" She asked and seemed hurt at the idea that I, of all people, could feel that way about her.

The sad look she gave me caused my internal heat to be snuffed out just as quick as it had emerged and surprisingly even helped my mind clear up a bit. I suddenly remembered that I wasn't dealing with just another one of these almighty legendary heroes, but some dumb brat with super strength a few days away from her birthday.

Well... don't I feel dumb for getting mad in the first place? What's the point of staying mad if you're completely unaware of what you did to begin with?

"No, Mash. It's not you that scares me but what you're capable of. The magic, the Servants and all this other stuff I don't understand… I just want everything to make sense again."

I step away from Mash and slowly made my way over to a cheap looking office chair nearby, the same one the doctor had been sitting in yesterday.

What the hell am I even doing anymore? Why did I think for a second that I could actually turn the situation around and scare her back?

I sat on the chair and looked down at my hands to see that two of the three command seals had reappeared at some point without me noticing.

I could have just used one of these things to calm her down or keep her away from me. Instead I got cornered like a rat and let her do what she wanted… which brings up a whole other set of questions I'm not willing to get into.

I leaned back on the chair and all the tension that had been building up in my body evaporated like it was never there in the first place.

"Sorry about grabbing you like that, Mash. And about slapping your hand away earlier. You were just doing what the doctor told you and didn't deserve to be treated that way." I spoke in a detached tone and didn't care whether she accepted the apology or not.

I said it and wanted to believe I'd meant it, even if it didn't feel like I did.

Only been awake for three hours and already I just want the day to be over. Can't believe I'm saying this but I almost miss the director. At least with her around, I wasn't the worst person in the room others had to deal with. And to think, the old man actually said I wasn't as bad as I thought… if only he could see me now. He'd probably laugh and tell me to loosen up, that drunk bastard.

I raised my head to look up at the lights on the ceiling and didn't move for a while.

"Give me a few more minutes to rest and we'll go back." I told her before I closed my eyes and placed my arms on the chair's armrest.

How many more times do I need to be taught this lesson? Just let people do and say whatever they want. Let them walk over you, bow your head and move on. Being alive is more than what I deserve anyway.

I suddenly felt the presence of someone approaching and the exhaustion of both the current and previous day's swept over me.

Seems I can't even get a few minutes to myself then. Fine, whatever.

Begrudgingly, I let out a sigh and was about to get up from the chair when all of a sudden something heavy, yet oddly soft, made its way on top of my lap.

I proceeded to open my eyes and the back of a head full of lavender colored hair was directly in front of them.

"Mash, what are you doing now?"

And seriously, what are they feeding you because those hamstrings feel really tight and firm.

I hadn't really paid attention to it much yesterday, mostly because I was too focused on the giant shield and trying to survive, but she did seem to be hiding quite the well toned body underneath her clothes… and a really thick ass.

Again, why do I always go back to that? And, more importantly, why the hell was she sitting on me right now?

I could feel her nervously shivering and saw the back of her neck turn red, along with her ears. It was obvious she was forcing herself to do this, but why?

"I would like to… clarify something I may have left unsaid in my anger that could have caused a misunderstanding. I might have said I followed you with the intention of bringing you back to the conference room, but that was mostly a lie. I was going to go after you anyway to see how you were doing and chose to use the doctor as an excuse." She paused to take a breath and continued on.

"I am your Shielder, one who is meant to protect you from all harm. Whether it is physically, mentally or even emotionally, it is my duty as your Servant to make sure my Master is kept safe, regardless of what fate may befall me." Another pause, followed by some shaking she waited to stop before continuing to speak.

"To hear you say that I have caused you to fear me, as opposed to making you feel safe, only tells me that I have failed in my duty. To make matters worse, I lost control of my emotions and dared to lay a hand on you as well. There are no words to describe how remorseful I feel for having done so, and do know I am sorry for treating you in that manner." Mash took a moment to breathe and then shifted her weight as she changed her sitting position to one where I could see her face from up close.

I found the position to be a bit awkward so I put my left arm around her for support so she wouldn't fall.

"Those were my feelings and thoughts as your Servant, Shielder. And… now I speak solely as Mash Kyrielight." She lifted her right arm and gently put her hand over the scar on my face, much like she'd done so earlier in the morning.

"Why is it that... whenever I feel weak or unsure about myself, a couple of reassuring words or a slight touch from you is all I need to feel better, but when I try to help you the way that you help me, it... somehow it just ends up feeling as if I'm the one being taken care of, rather than the other way around?

Because I'm not worth the trouble and you're easily distracted. I kept that thought to myself and stayed silent.

I noticed Mash had been struggling to get her words out early on but the more she spoke the more natural it sounded.

Almost like she believed what she was saying.

"I want you to feel safe with me, like I do with you."
Mash then took my right hand onto hers and held them up against each other.

Why go through so much trouble to convince me of what you're saying?

"I want you to know that you can trust me and that I'll be here for you." She interlaced our fingers and leaned closer.

Why not just tell me to get over myself and be done with it?

"I… I want…"

She took a few seconds to search for the words that could convey her thoughts as best she could.

Why force yourself to act like this isn't just a job to you?

"I want to get to know you, Marie senpai."

Her face was now right in front of mine and I could see my own reflection in her eyes.

"And I want you to get to know me as well."

She didn't move any further and waited either for me to do or say something in response.

I could have pushed her away or used a command seal to have her open the door and leave, but I didn't.

I could have ignored what she said and not taken it seriously, but I did nothing.

Instead… Against my better judgment, I decided to take a chance with her and made a single question.

"Why does it even matter to you?" I cautiously asked, barely even raising my voice beyond a whisper.

I would test her to see if whatever she would answer could convince me that she was sincere.

Whether it was because of the contract's influence or not no longer mattered to me at the moment. It didn't change the fact that I wanted to give her this opportunity that I normally wouldn't give anyone else.

There had been only one person up till now that I'd given this test to and, although they just barely picked the right answer at the time, they convinced me to share a bit more about myself than I thought possible.

Granted, I never did see that fedora wearing skull-faced bastard after that so who knows if he decided to just run off after learning about how screwed up I was.

Rather than a fragile bond like the ones I have with the members of the second generation go home club where the only reason I believed they bothered hanging around me was because of their memories of the original Amabuki, I would let her attempt to reach the self I've been holding back for so long.

If she fails, then that's it. I go about my day, pretend that everything is normal and the second I'm able to, I ask the doctor to let me go back home, and leave. If he refuses, tough luck. He might be a medical professional and my direct superior, but that won't stop me from threatening him with his own surgical knife and an impromptu vasectomy.

However… if she manages to move me as Marie Mizuguchi, as Wicked, even a little…

And then, just as I was about to consider this test a failure, she tilted her head slightly and leaned even further in before somehow managing to bring it all back.

"You're special to me, Marie. And I want to be special to you too … if that's okay?"

.

..

... Truth be told, that blushing face she had along with those quivering lips and those glistening eyes of hers were enough for me to give her a passing grade.

Not that I was going to let her know that, of course. I can't just let her think she got the better of me twice in one day or that I've gone soft on her.

Though, it's not like I could say anything even if I wanted to right now.

Seeing as my mouth was a bit too preoccupied at the moment.

Way better answer than that previous guy. Waaaaay better.

///

And now for something completely different.

Chaldea Theater #1 : The Decaf Fiend

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Cafeteria, 9:41 AM

Romani had called for a slight recess and told everyone to reconvene back at the meeting room around ten o'clock. He, and so many others that were there in the room with him, immediately ran over to the cafeteria to get their much needed morning cup of coffee to properly start the day off.

Once they arrived at their destination and saw the coffee machine in its usual position, an attempt was made to get the machine to update its firmware.

Multiple brave warriors tried their hand at navigating the complicated and complex touchpad menu to find the update option but none were able to find the accursed thing.

Even the greatest inventor the world had ever known was at a loss, wondering who could have designed such an elaborate puzzle that she could not decipher.

Many made their attempt after her but to no avail.

The people were beginning to lose hope and their minds began to leave them. One such warrior even dared to ask out loud what was so bad about drinking decaf until he was silenced under threat of a lowered wage.

Another got on his knees and prayed to the machine that it may take pity on them, but the doctor's pleas went unheard.

However, just when it seemed all hope was lost, a single brave man entered the room and posed a question after seeing those that failed before him.

"... Did any of you people check to see if it's even connected to the wifi?" The technician said, as he made his way over to the coffee machine. He turned it around and pressed a single button not one of his desperate peers saw despite the tag that read 'wps' next to it.

He then maneuvered around the menu with relative ease and, despite not even a minute having passed after his arrival, located the update feature and delivered them all to the promised land.

A line was formed in an orderly fashion and the brave hero that had saved the day was given first dibs as thanks for his efforts.

The hero agreed, took a paper cup, placed it under the spout, and then… He pressed the decaf button.

"Ain't I a stinker?"

==================

Chapter 23

Chapter Text

Epilogue.

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Command Room, 9:47 AM

Romani, Da Vinci and less than a handful of the senior staff members that had been a part of Chaldea for longer than most of the previous day's survivors were staring at the large monitor on the terminal reserved for the acting director which, until further notice, was the doctor himself.

It had only been a few minutes after they had made fools of themselves trying to get a single coffee machine to work only to be saved by a man many were now jokingly calling 'The decaf fiend' that Da Vinci received a notification on her portable terminal regarding something she had been working on in the background.

Apparently she had left several automated processes running after using the magical energy contained within the grail from Fuyuki to enhance the Chaldea power grid and left for the meeting.

Initially, Romani wanted to believe the notification was to let them know that communication with the outside world had been reestablished, which meant that they could let the association know of everything that had transpired within the walls of Chaldea in the last twenty-four hours.

Things were finally looking up for him, he thought at the time. He could get the supplies needed to save the lives of the people in cryostasis and also get the few remaining staff back to their homes.

The news they would receive was supposed to instill joy and relief after a very rough day, and yet, the only emotion being displayed by the people in that room…

Was complete and utter despair.

"This can't be real. This… you've got to be kidding." Marcus incredulously asked while his heart pressure spiked because of the images being displayed on the monitor.

"I'm sorry to say I can't chalk this up as being someone's sick idea of a joke. No matter where we look, it's like this everywhere." Leona dragged the mouse over to open more pictures they'd received from their satellite which did nothing to alleviate their concerns.

"... That's enough, da Vinci. We get it. You also said something about this not being the worst part?" Another staff member, a bald, dark brown skinned man with sharp eyebrows and a goatee named Andrew asked from a nearby chair he'd been sitting on since he heard the news.

Da Vinci turned around to see Romani staring blankly at the monitor with his mouth agape, his spirit was already crushed and she hadn't even finished reporting her findings.

She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, nor did she want to cause him any more suffering, but it was better to rip the band-aid off quickly so that he could prepare himself for what came next.

She turned to face the director's terminal once more, and dragged the mouse over to another tab.

There, now, being displayed on the screen was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. If the previous images were enough to fill them with despair…

Then this one made them envy those that lost their lives the prior day.

"We've confirmed the existence of seven more singularities."

///

July 22, 2017
Chaldea Security Organization,
Conference Room, 10:04 AM

It was already four minutes past the appointed time to reconvene and continue the meeting Roman had postponed for a coffee break. The same members that were in the room before the recess, including both Mash and Marie, had returned and been seated in their previous arrangements.

Romani Archaman, the acting director of Chaldea, had been standing behind the podium using it for support while holding his head with his hands and looking down since he arrived along with three others a few minutes ago.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Meuniere heard his coworker/on and off again best friend ask him from her seat to his right.

"Sylvia, we're talking about Romani. He probably just missed a stream or two from that idol he's obsessed with." He replied and leaned back on his chair before crossing his arms.

"Normally, I'd accept that as an answer but it's not just him. Both Andrew and Marcus, two of the most no nonsense people i've ever met, look like they had their souls sucked outta them. God, even Da Vinci looks distracted..." Sylvia said, nervously wondering what could have happened to them in the past half hour since she saw them.

"Speaking of looking distracted, take a look at those two." Both Meuniere and Sylvia heard their other companion and fellow members of the Chaldea youth officers club, Mao, who sat in the table behind theirs calling for their attention while discretely pointing at where Marie and Mash were seated.

Marie gave off the impression that she didn't want to be there, looking bored while propping her chin up with her left hand and her elbow on the table surface.

On her right was Mash who had this glistening sheen on her clear skin that made it seem like she'd just spent an entire day at a spa and a bright looking smile that felt out of place considering the odd attitude being displayed by her surrogate parents while petting Fou with her right hand.

"I wonder how she got her skin to look so clean?" Asked Mao, looking at Mash with a sharp side glance.

"I don't think I've ever seen Mash smile like that before." Mentioned Meuniere with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile.

"I didn't think it was possible for her to smile at all, period." Said Sylvia as she checked on her wrist watch to know what time it was.

"I heard that." They heard the mana infused voice of Chaldeas' last Master and quickly turned their heads around to look elsewhere.

///

The walk back from the infirmary room had been… uneventful, to say the least.

Neither Mash nor Marie had spoken a word to each other after being abruptly forced to stop what they were in the middle of doing on account of the chair they were both sitting on breaking under their combined weight, which made for a very disappointing ending depending on who you ask.

When they finally left the room the first thing that Marie did was apologize to Fou for having hurt Mash to which it accepted by nodding its head while wondering what could have happened in that room in its absence and also why there was a broken office chair on the floor.

The three then made their way back to the meeting room where Mash and Marie then sat in the same spot as before and waited for Romani to begin his speech.

Meuniere, Mao and Sylvia may have noticed the two sitting closely to one another, but what they didn't see was that they had their hands interlocked under the table since they sat down.

"Them talking about you like a commodity doesn't make you angry?" Marie asked Mash under her breath while frowning.

"I'm used to it, and I know they don't mean any harm." Mash answered while feeling the most relaxed she's ever had in her entire life, largely in part due to how comfortable her Master's fingers felt intertwined with her own.

Marie made a sound with her mouth in agreement and then let out a frustrated groan when she turned her head to see the pathetic looking man standing behind the podium "... Mash, shouldn't you go check if your old man's alright? He's been like that since before we got here."

Mash took a quick glance at her father and debated on whether she should say something or stay where she was and continue enjoying Marie's company, but ultimately the former option won out.

"Doctor, is everything okay?" Mash asked out loud which caused the man to remove one of the hands that he had over his head and unenthusiastically wave at her before lowering it back to where it just was.

"Seems normal to me." Mash shrugged off the man's response and continued on with what she was doing.

"... If you say so." Marie let out a sigh and went back to staring at the clock on the wall.

(Why do I have a really bad feeling about all of this? )

///

"Romani…" I heard Leona call my name next to me and knew I couldn't stall the inevitable any further.

Try as I might to keep the truth away from these people so as to keep their spirits high, there was nothing more I could do.

"I know, Leona. I know…"

I removed my hands from my head, and stood up straight.

I gripped the podium and looked around the room once more to make sure no one was missing.

Fellow members of the senior staff, some of which I had been working with since my first year here along with others who joined later and had made a name for themselves in that time.

Several reserve operators meant to be on standby and had to essentially force themselves to learn on the fly as there was no one else to teach them the skills they needed to better support those on the field.

Communications officers from our Canada branch, logistics officers, general staff and even a technician that was brought in from an offshore company while the regular one took a much needed vacation.

Near the door that led to the west wing, I noticed that Mash was able to convince Amabuki to return.

I saw my little girl with a rare smile on her face that she would normally only show in front of me or Leona and next to her, a bored looking Amabuki staring at the clock on the side wall.

Honestly, I was more worried about how Amabuki would react to the news I was about to share considering last night's events than I was the other's reactions.

'The last Master of Chaldea… Or rather, Humanity's Last Master. I don't envy your position, Amabuki. If I could send you back to Japan I would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately for all of us, that's not possible anymore.'

I finished counting to make sure that everyone was here and took a deep breath.

Yesterday morning, there were over two hundred employees working for the Chaldea Security Organization spread throughout this very building and all around the world in our branch offices.

Twenty-four hours and some spare change later, of those two hundred only twenty two were left, and they were all in this very room.

All unaware of what has happened outside these walls…

And of what comes next.

'God help us all.'

///

Romani took a second to adjust the microphone on the podium before addressing the room.

"Allow me to preface this by giving you all an apology in advance. The original purpose of me having called this meeting into place was so that we may congratulate the two brave women who managed to not only survive the impossible odds placed against them, but also return with the holy grail itself, therefore eliminating the threat posed by the singularity upon proper human history." He took a second to breathe and continued.

"I also wanted… to take a moment of silence and grieve for the lives that were lost as a result of Lev Launir's betrayal and talk about what we, as the few that survived, should do next."

Romani paused and turned to look at his closest friend standing next to the computer connected to the projector who slowly nodded at him.

Leonardo da Vinci had downloaded the images Romani was about to show from the server and waited for him to give the signal.

"I wish… I sincerely wished that I had good news to share with you all and that I could say, with absolute certainty, that things were finally going to turn around for us. But unfortunately… I am ashamed to say that such a wish is no longer possible."

There was a growing sense of dread inside every person in that room when Romani spoke that last part out.

"What… are you saying, doctor?" Mao asked, failing to keep the worry from her voice but received no acknowledgment from Romani.

"The images you are about to see may be hard to believe. You may think that this is a mean spirited joke to pull after everything we've all been through, that I am lying or that they are fake, but I assure you… that they are very much real. They have not been doctored in any way or form and were received from Chaldeas' proprietary satellite a few minutes ago. Each picture has a date and a time stamp that you may use to verify their authenticity."

Romani gravely nodded at Da Vinci, and soon enough, several images of different cities all around the world began to appear on top of the white board behind him.

Each one painted a very grave picture to those in the room with him. "South America."

Images titled Ecuador, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Peru popped up, all sharing the same prominent feature.

Fire.

"North America."