Collapse

O' Pantagruel.

My little son.

My childilolly.

My fedlifondy.

My dandlichucky.

My ballocky.

My pretty rogue.

Let us drink.

Put away melancholy.

Bring of the best.

Rinse the glasses.

Lay the cloth.

Drive out these dogs.

Blow this fire.

Light the candles.

Shut the door.

Send away these poor folks.

Send away these poor folks.

Send away these poor folks.

...

The giant hand came crashing downwards. Vega and Guillemot lunged up towards it in unison before striking true at the palm with both of their weapons. The combined power managed to drive that cumbersome limb back, causing the giant to recoil. In apparent disdain, the giant cried out in a shocked clamour. His other arm flailed with uncanny agility, slamming and demolishing an entire wing of buildings to his other side.

Debris was flung into the air as he swept again. Chunks of building came cascading like rain as the two fighters commenced evasive movements. Marco and Ritsuka were thankfully far enough away on the bridge that the debris didn't quite reach them. However, it didn't make them any less concerned at the state of affairs before them.

Again, the giant's hand came thrusting downward like a child trying to squish a bug. This time, Vega took the brunt of the attack and successfully deflected it once more. However, this sent her careening backwards before she tumbled. "... Unit still in operational capacity. Current unit strength inadequate for ongoing conflict. Retreat and decoy tactics are recommended."

"Ya, well we got nowhere to go. So get up and fight." He sounded like he was full of fight, but... Guillemot wasn't even sure himself. He was just an ordinary man that knew how to wield a sword... right? He didn't know how or why he was facing down on the most terrifying elements of the Madame's arsenal right now. It was all just one big rush for him.

Pantagruel's other hand came flying inward, this time bunched into a fist. Rather than deflect it, Vega and Guillemot nimbly evaded it as it swept just shy of the bridge's surface. A great gust followed it, sending more building chunks flying off into the canal.

Vega clung onto the side of the bridge to prevent being flung off as Guillemot simply dug his sword into the ground, but endured a cluster of bricks crashing into him as a result. "Guh...!"

"Guillemot!" Ritsuka called out, though the swordsman shakily held his hand out towards Ritsuka as he coughed up blood.

"Shuddup. The moment you tell me how weak I am... I'll really fall. So be... quiet." With fleeting resolve, he supported himself up with the sword. Vega regrouped with him, but stood in front of him like a guardian. He scowled and barked out at her. "Oi! I don't need protection from you, someone who just plays with the blade!"

Even as he said this, the palm came tumbling downwards again. This time, instead of parrying it... Vega took it dead on, clashing her sword against it as sparks flew from the friction of blade versus plate metal. Somehow, she held it in place. Even as her synthetic body whined in protest, the cracking of artificial bones was heard as the hand started to prevail over her.

Yet even now, her face was collected. Not a flicker of resolve nor panic on there, even as her hands started to crack from how hard she gripped that sword. "Activating emergency mana boost." Her eyes flashed brilliantly white as magical energy started to gush from her weapon. The giant's hand was suddenly being pushed back, before she pushed all the way and sent it hurtling backwards.

Pantagruel was stunned by this, taking a backstep as he was actually pushed away. Vega stood there, energy flaring all around her as she turned to Marco and Ritsuka. A circle seemed to form around her.

"Emergency Somatic Paradigm Transference protocol has been activated. Ritsuka, Marco Polo. Please enter within a five meter radius of this unit in order to participate in sequence."

Marco came riding over, though he paused before entering the circle. "W-wait, what about all the people? We're just going to abandon them?!"

"Somatic Paradigm Transference commencing in 30 seconds. The probability of success here without escape is 0.004%. If you do not participate in the sequence, you will be unable to return to the Cadens Weft main facility until this unit has recharged." She looked over at the Gendarmarie guard barrier, her eyes still blazing with white. "... Probability of mass civilian survival: 78.3%. The imminent threat targets Chaldea, not the populace."

Ritsuka and Marco looked at each other, then back at the guards. They had remained still like statues throughout this whole endeavour, save for the fact that they had their weapons poised. There wasn't going to be any other way. Thinking about the faces of those he befriended, and all the frantic faces of strangers he saw along the way, Ritsuka turned back to Vega. "Promise me... we'll return for them. Right, Vega? We will do that, right?!"

"The citizens of this city are part of the simula-"

"I don't care! They're people too, damnit! Give this to me Vega, or Chaldea dies here!" Ritsuka's resolve was put plainly, his terms were set. If he had to sacrifice this many people, fake or not, for the sake of Chaldea... it wasn't a decision he felt fit to make by himself.

Vega stared him down, her expression unreadable. "... Somatic Paradigm Transference commencing in 20 seconds. Ritsuka, Master of Chaldea. I promise you that we will return to save the people of the Capitol."

It was good enough for him. He nodded to Marco as the unicorn finally stepped into the circle. Guillemot coughed up blood again, barely able to stand as he looked at the others. "That... ya ticket outta here, eh?"

"You're coming with us, Guillemot." If Ritsuka could at least save one life, it had to be the one right next to him... right?

... Right?

Without any retort, Guillemot was willing to accept this fate. To go off to some strange world with these people that he met just a few days ago. But he felt... strange. Like this was destined to happen. All of this. As he looked up at the giant...

Pantagruel had recovered. He strode forward with anger, fists primed with fury. He was performing a downward haymaker that was like a gargantuan hammer swinging down towards the bridge.

"V-Vega! It's attacking again! Do something!" Marco cried out, clutching the reins of his mount.

Vega, however, stood still. "All energy has been directed to Somatic Paradigm Transference. Commencing in 10 seconds-"

The fists were upon them. Marco cried out as the circle's light intensified. Guillemot could barely see the sky now, due to the massive form of those fists and the magical light that bounced off of them.

He couldn't see much at all now, as his vision hazed out. Until it was nothing but darkness... before memories started to pour forth.

===

No memories of birth. Neither of family.

For as long as he could remember, he was alone.

One day, he woke up in an alleyway.

When he stumbled into the daylight and blinded himself by staring into the sky, he was harassed and hurried along by a massive person clad in armour.

Those were his earliest memories of his life and this city.

He was immediately put to work as a labourer in a manufacturing plant. He didn't question it. Simple work and a bare livelihood.

He didn't know anything else. This was all he knew to do.

Until, one night...

When the night air was cold and biting.

When not even the rats chittered in the backalleys.

When no one else would be around for it.

A group of thugs. Unhappy with their lots in life. They were slum-dwellers. They wanted to move up in the world.

So away from the eyes of the Gendarmarie, they decided to take their frustrations out on an innocent.

Just that eve, a fair young lady had decided to go for a chilly walk after slaving away in a hot kitchen all day...

And now she was to become a toy for these men's pleasure, seized and dragged into an unassuming alley.

So why was he there, at that time? At that place?

Maybe he was just destined to be.

But the act before him was horrific. His instincts flared and he became blinded by rage.

He grabbed a discarded pipe and beat them down.

One smack.

Two smacks.

Three.

It was like a trained warrior fighting down simple beasts. Their skulls were cracked open, bleeding freely into the cobblestone.

All he could remember after that was staring at his white breath wisping out before him.

That, and the warmth of the woman he saved. It wasn't a familiar warmth. But it was one that he would remember forever.

That warmth, of something he never had before...

Family.

...

Yet, he still wasn't happy.

No, that was correct. He was happy. But it was an incomplete happiness.

Something was always missing.

No matter how much he worked for a place in the world. No matter how much he cherished the warmth of someone who cared.

There was a permanent gap in his soul.

The feeling could never be shaken off.

Those movements he did that night. They were familiar, yet that of a stranger.

Was he the faker all along? From what teachings did these arts come from?

No. He realized it now. He never followed such teachings.

Never.

It was only one thing, one goal. It took him this long to remember it.

That one goal...

To become the greatest swordsman...

Was to kill.

===

Rise, hero of humanity.

===

A brilliant flash of golden light overwhelmed Vega's own light, and the entirety of the bridge.The others were momentarily blinded as they were engulfed in it. A rush of wind blew over them. Yet, as Ritsuka tried to peer through that light... he finally saw it.

That familiar silhouette. The one that belonged to that voice. No longer crippled or demoralized. He stood there gallantly.

A heroic figure with a brilliant red mantle, a pure white scarf. A dark sleeve gilded with gold adorned his left arm, and he wielded two blades of a distant, eastern land. Moonlight gleamed off of his headband as he smirked up at the incoming attack.

"I... am Izou the Manslayer! You who does not value your life, come forward!" He leapt upwards towards the hand. His swords primed themselves as his eyes closed.

Remember. The two-sword style... that can defy the will of the gods.

"I hold no grudge against ya, big fella. But now... no one's gonna be laughin' at me, ever again."

Sword metal whistled through the air.

"I... am! The prodigy! Of the SWORD!"

The giant's hand didn't stop, but it veered off course. No, that wasn't correct.

It was dismembered.

Blood exploded from the giant's wrist as the hand came crashing down into the bridge. The foundations started to buckle as the ground gave in, causing the rest of Chaldea to start falling.

Izou shot up into the air, tracing the giant's arm now as he swept the swords forward in a flourish. Gashes appeared all over the arm as he performed movements that the naked eye couldn't track. He then brought both swords downward at the elbow before he managed to sever the lower arm as well.

A crimson cascade flooded the streets and into the canal as Pantagruel started wailing. Chaldea were in free fall, as the light around Vega intensified further. "Somatic Paradigm Transference in 3, 2, 1..."

Ritsuka reached out towards the sky. Towards the familiar face that was already departing from him. "IZOOOOOU!"

And then, in a flash, the Chaldea party vanished. The transference had been completed. Izou smirked as he flipped through the air. "Job done. Time to cut down the rest of ya, big guy-" His body suddenly stopped. He dropped his right sword as white crystals suddenly burst from his fingers, blood and bone fragments spewing out as the minerals started to bloom up his arm as well. "So that's how it's gonna be, eh?! How dirty."

Soon, his right leg and chest were following in similar fashion. He tumbled through the air, towards the canal as he took the sword he had remaining and-

Stab.

Blood poured from his mouth as he destroyed his own spiritual core. "Ya... ain't gettin' me that easily... Madame! Feel free to watch me tumble... and go out like a fool For I'm no hero... so I can afford to die pathetically like this!" As he fell through the air, his body turned and he met the gaze of someone on the opposing side, behind the Gendarmarie barrier.

There was pain there in his chest. He could only smile as he felt that stinging agony. "Ya idiot..." Golden particles emanated from his body as parts of him started to fade away.

===

She simply couldn't take it. She couldn't just sit there and wait for them to throw their lives away. Her legs carried her, without thinking. Even as the boy called and chased after her. The crowds were directing themselves by now, spurred by motivation in the face of salvation.

So she didn't feel bad in breaking away and dashing after them. Even though her instincts told her to do anything but that. It was because she wanted to see their faces one last time. Her legs carried her far. They carried her far enough so that she could witness that battle.

It was beyond anything in her wildest imagination. The way they stood their ground in the face of utter despair. The way they fought back against that gigantic monstrosity. The way they just... vanished, without a trace. But most of all...

The way the man she loved as a brother fell from grace, as crystals took over his body. She reached out to him in futility. "GUILLEMOOOOOOT!!!"

There was no answer as she watched him vanish into golden light, leaving nothing behind... she collapsed to her knees, hands clutched to her face as tears spilled uncontrollably. Now, she had lost everything. Her new friends, her business, her family...

No. She still had Pecloz. Realizing this, she looked up and started to turn. She hoped, for all the remaining good in this world, that he had followed behind her... but reality wasn't so kind to her.

"It was you, all along, Blavet." Pecloz was there, unconscious on the ground. Blood dribbled from his little head as he was hoisted into the air and slung under the arm of a guard. As Blavet stood up to oppose, a bestial growl stopped her dead. It was like ice formed in her nerves and rooted her in place.

Isengrimmus stepped out from behind the guards that now surrounded her. "You housed criminals of the Capitol. And now look... look what they've done to my Montmartre! She sent Pantagruel, you wench! PANTAGRUEL!" He grabbed her by the head, squeezing enough to cause her distress as she groaned and cried out. She barely struggled. All the energy had left her when she saw Guillemot disappear. All that was left was the end...

But the wolfman laughed hysterically, before he released her head... before she could even look to see what was going on-

SLAM!

She blacked out.

Isengrimmus dropped the pipe before pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his paw-hand clean. "Take her away. She is my prisoner now. I will torture her before the Madame as compensation for this mess here..."

As the guards started to take her and the child away, he stopped them once more with a bark. "Also, relay a message to the Lord Bastard and the Madame. Chaldea escaped... but they'll probably show up in one of the other worlds. And when they do..." His clawed fist clenched up enough that he drew his own blood. Anyone who dared to make a fool of Isengrimmus the wolf would become his prey. Such was the fibre of his very being. "I will hunt them down."

END OF ACT 00