I Must Be Dreaming...
The masters and servants retired to the stay-rooms Scathach had provided for them. Within each of the rooms of stone were a table, a bed of reed and wool, and not much else aside from a bare opening in the wall to let light in during the day. The rooms, reminiscent of a more primitive time, were a far cry of the commodities and creature-comforts of Chaldea. Most of the guests of Castle Dunscaith however were no strangers to having less-than-ideal accommodations. As some servants fell asleep already, two stayed up a little while longer.
Jeanne d'Arc, having dressed in her nightgown and said her prayers, situated herself upon the makeshift mattress. She lied there gazing up at the ceiling, unable to shake the feeling of some unknown power simmering from the walls and floors of this fortress, and thinking about the events that lead them all here; a desperate and last-ditch effort to gain a power over Solomon, who's assaults against Chaldea pushed them further to the brink with each singularity.
Jeanne felt it was her duty as the sole Ruler servant to be the unshakeable pillar that kept her team fighting strong and steadfast against adversity. She thought about the many servants still in Chaldea's infirmary after America, and despite following her masters' orders, her inability to give support forced her to make sacrifices that resulted in the predicament they were all in now.
The Maiden of Orleans failed to keep everyone safe... she felt that it was because of her that the masters took a chance in seeking Scathach: The Shadow.
-First Gilles, my Alter, and now most of Chaldea, she thought with a heavy heart. It seems that no matter how much good I do, something terrible comes out of it...-
Jeanne rolled to her side, starring at the window port where moonlight was creeping in. She whispered one last, brief prayer before closing her eyes, hoping some good will come out of the tribulating days ahead.
-Lord give me strength...-
In the room beside her, Emiya sat shirtless on his bed, practicing his projection magic as circuits pulsed through his burn-marked body. He began tracing plain swords and daggers like his younger self used to do in his Grail War.
It ingrained him with a sense of nostalgia; hanging in his bedroom with little to no understanding of magecraft, and Rin Tohsaka (begrudgingly...) helping him hone it. The times in-between, teaching Sakura Matou to cook, bonding with his sister Illya after defeating Berserker Heracles, and showing the letters his father, Kiritsugu, tried sending to her in Germany.
Emiya remembered the trickery of Caster Medea, the deceit of Zouken Matou, and the deranged madness of Dark Sakura as she tried turning Saber against him. Emiya internally shivered at the memory of the Altered Saber; how she had been twisted into a cold, detached, ruthless version of herself, empowered by Sakura's forced connection to the Grail. He didn't like thinking how bad things would have gotten if it weren't for Rin, Illya, and Rider Medusa helping him get them both back.
Worse yet was of Kirei Kotomine and the frightening might of Gilgamesh. They were hellbent on seizing the corrupted Grail, and spreading its darkness across the world, rendering it and mankind asunder. The Holy Grail war had been a living hell for the then 17-year-old Shirou Emiya.
But through it all, the one thing that kept him together, collected, and gave him the strength to push on was Saber herself: Arturia Pendragon. She had opened his heart in way he never thought possible at the time; encouraging him to be better than he was, instead of being the self-sacrificing, doing-everything-for-everybody idealist who saw no value in himself as a person with wants and desires.
A selfishly selfless person... a hollow shell of a boy who lost everything in a fire, and raised by broken man who wanted to end suffering for everyone. Shirou was a burdened child who felt the only way to repay his late-surrogate father was to follow his ideals to be a Hero of Justice.
But what did that even mean? Was it to help everyone or just protect what was dear to himself? One such individual made him question that very ideal, and in a way that shook him to his core...
Rin's servant... Archer... himself.
He was Shirou from a different time, a darker time. One where he tried to be a hero wherever he could, but for everyone he saved brought suffering to countless more. He mocked Shirou's ideals, forced him to face the hypocrisy of them, even going as far as to beat the undeniable truth (literally...) into him.
By saving everyone, you save no one...
At the end, the two were at an impasse. Archer, the realist, fought as hard as he could to convince Shirou (and himself) of the sheer hopelessness of his ideals. Yet Shirou, the idealist, stood there immovable, unshakeable in his beliefs of doing good. They were the manifestation of two extremes fighting for balance.
Which is why Shirou was initially surprised to be summoned as a real servant, not a Counter-Guardian, and with the memories of his younger self from the Holy Grail War. He was secretly grateful of having them, as it meant he could stay close with Arturia, even if his younger self's "tendencies" sometimes slipped through. On the flip side, even in his current form, Shirou found the memories of his older counterpart to be... hazy. Fragmented. Almost repressed in a way.
He saw the suffering... the despair... but couldn't see the source of it... he dreaded what could have been so awful in THAT Shirou's time that made him turn on his ideals so brazenly. What happened?
Pushing those painful thoughts in the back of his mind, Emiya dissipated his projected weapon. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He cleared his head and focused, letting the words of a familiar mantra echo through every space of his mind. Emiya whispered a chant through his lips, attempting something he tried countlessly since his summon to Chaldea.
"I am... the bone of my sword..."
He knew those words... He knew what they were for...
"Steel is my body... and fire is my blood."
Emiya felt energy surge through him and radiate outward.
"I have created over a thousand blades...
Unknown to Death... Nor known to Life."
He started wincing slightly as the air crackled around him.
"I Have withstood pain to create many weapons..."
Emiya's voice begins to strain as windows tear holes in reality, revealing a sky of turning gears. He keeps going despite the growing pain everywhere on his body.
"Yet, those hands will never hold anything...!"
The Archer's spiritual core hammers wildly and the rest of his body aches and screams in protest... Something was wrong... He tries pushing through the thick wall of agony, trying to finish the chant with all the resolve he could muster.
"So as I pray! Unlimited...! Blade- ARGH!"
Emiya stops the chant and falls back on his bed. The holes disappear and the air settles around him. He pants, trying to catch his breath as the pain in his limbs slowly fade. He finally opened his eyes and sighed in frustration.
-I still can't do it...-
Unlimited Blade Works... his Noble Phantasm. Used by both Archer and his younger self in that Grail War. The ability that helped him bring Saber back from darkness and aided her in their final fight with Kotomine and Gilgamesh, along with Avalon...
And for some reason, Emiya could not use it since his summoning. Every time he tried, something held him back, and it felt like constantly hitting a wall that you could not climb over, break, or go around. It was why he was reluctantly keeping Arturia at arms-length. He was keeping this a secret from her and the rest of the team.
Without it, he felt... incomplete...
Emiya closed his eyes again before letting sleep overtake him. He might have been summoned with the memories of two different versions of the same people, yet it sadly became more apparent every time that two different halves do not make a whole.
-I'm not the same person you loved Saber... I'm a sorry excuse for him...-
---
Gudao tossed and turned in his sleep. The young master laid restlessly as he fell into a dreaming state; a vivid recollection of his and Gabrielle's first, fateful day in Chaldea. The two were fresh graduates at the Clock Tower when they were approached by Olga Marie Animusphere, who made them an offer too good to pass up. It wasn't long when the two of them found themselves on a plane going to literally the middle of nowhere at a massive, secret facility in the frozen wastes of Antarctica.
Back then, the magus siblings had no idea what was in store for them.
...
///Flashback///
It was a very long flight, and the siblings were hardly at Chaldea for 2 minutes before assigned their living quarters. They were amazed at sheer size and grandeur of this state-of-the-art facility just upon arrival, yet there was no time to take everything in. Seriously jet-lagged from their journey, they were in dire need of rest, especially since orientation was to take place for all the master candidates the next morning. Sleep was difficult; despite being tired, Antarctica had days where the sun stayed up for a full 24 hours. When morning finally arrived, the siblings were greeted with a raging blizzard occurring outside the windows of their quarters, so powerful that it blotted out the sun. It felt so unreal to them; being in such a foreign place where inside was comfortable, but outside was treacherous. The siblings got ready and dressed in uniforms provided for them already and made their way to the VR chamber after a guided tour of Chaldea.
Gudao and Gabrielle entered the observation room before the VR chamber where the other master candidates were either waiting for their turn at combat simulation or have already completed and merely watched others through the monitor overhead. Gudao was amazed at the diversity of all the mages present. Gabrielle stayed beside her stepbrother as they both looked around at the nearly four dozen other mages with them; some of them were familiar faces that she and Gudao idolized back at the Clock Tower. For rather amateur mages like themselves, it was like being among royalty.
"I can't believe we've made it Gabby," said Gudao, trying to contain his awe. "There are so many people here..."
"These are all the prime candidates Olga could recruit," she tells him with a smile. "She must have gone all over the world to find these people, and some even close to home. Look..."
Gabrielle then taps Gudao's shoulder and directs his attention to a recognizable individual by a console, He was tall, had long blonde hair, and a very regal posture. Gudao's eyes widen before whispering to his sister.
"Is that Kirschtaria of the Wodime family?"
"He sure is," Gabrielle whispers back. "Olympic Fencing Champion and youngest ever Head of Astronomy at the Clock Tower... with honors..."
"Wow... I heard he became such a distinguished mage that his own father tried to kill him out of jealousy."
"It's true... he's the best of the best," Gabrielle then quietly exclaims; "Oh! Look who's beside him!"
Gudao turns to the other person who happened to be talking to Wodime. Gabrielle could not contain her excitement as she continued.
"That's Ophelia Phamrsolone! The Evocation prodigy! Eeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Gudao didn't know much about this young woman, but there was one thing distinctive about her that stood out apart from her long auburn hair, and that was the object covering where her right eye would be. Gudao couldn't help but admire it.
"Whoa, Is that an eye patch?! That is so hardcore..."
"She's not missing an eye," Gabrielle explained. "Under there is a mystic eye that lets her see the outcomes of a person's choices!"
"So, she's a fortune teller?" Gudao asks her, sounding rather unimpressed, to which Gabrielle feigns offence.
"It's NOT some mere party trick, Gu-dork..."
They look up at a monitor, which depicted a VR simulation of one of the candidates in a combat scenario with 3 randomly generated servant analogs. Gudao was especially amazed at how well the VR was able to replicate the master's brand of magecraft and translate it so well in simulation. It looked so realistic that it was almost frightening.
Gudao thought that Chaldea was easily the coolest place ever.
"Wow," Gabrielle couldn't help but let that slip out. "You'd think that it was actually happening..."
"This place is just stacked Gabby," Gudao said in wonder before a wave of possibilities passed through his mind. He started rambling excitedly; "Oh! Chaldea might even be hiding a real-life Gundam here somewhere... or maybe even an EVA unit! I bet that the tech we saw on the tour isn't scratching the surface of what's here! I'm in heaven..."
Gudao hears his sister chuckling, which prompts him to turn and see the amused look on her face.
"You're such a geek," Gabrielle teased. "And you really need to get yourself a girlfriend..."
That was when a new voice directed at them catches their attention. One that killed the mood instantly.
"Well, well. Here's two people I didn't expect to see..."
Gudao and Gabrielle both cringe at an oh-so familiar, haughty voice from their time at the Clock Tower. They turn to face a young man who was the same height as Gudao, having combed snow-white hair, and bright auburn eyes. He wore a single gold earring on his right ear, and a uniform that looked "busier" than the basic white and black ones that the siblings wore as if to signify status. To top it off, the person had a very smug look on his face.
"Urgh... Piotr..." Gabrielle said to him with evident disgust. The young man was unfazed however, and if anything, he reveled in the poor reception he got from her and Gudao.
"Don't wear that name out sweet-cheeks, or I'll make you buy me a new one..." He said while pompously adjusting the front of his uniform. Gabrielle merely grits her teeth as she and her stepbrother were forced to listen as the man named Piotr continued. "Must say, you two look a bit out of place. My dear Olga must really be desperate if she scraped the two of you from the bottom of the barrel."
"Says the guy who's only here because he's Olga's cousin," Gudao countered bitterly. He and Gabrielle had previously brushed with Piotr Animusphere while at the Clock Tower. He was known to bully and coerce against other students he deemed "unfit" to be mages, and it led to many of them dropping out. The siblings were among the few who didn't fall victim to his antics.
"What do you want you creep?" Gabrielle asks with contempt, to which Piotr merely scoffed.
"Oh, I just wanted to give you two charity-cases a little reality check. I would have you know that I too am a prime mage, and unlike you two, I've earned that title with more than just sentiment."
"Did you greet us just so you can gloat?" asked Gudao with annoyance.
"Alas... even my brilliance would be lost among the other distinguished mages," Piotr answered, feigning regret. It disturbed the siblings to no end how someone could have such an inflated ego, even for someone from a prestigious mage family like the Animuspheres. "Magecraft is a cut-throat world after all, and my uncle's precious Chaldea is prime real estate to earn some reputation. If Uncle Marisbury willed Chaldea to me, I'd give you two a hard pass. It takes more than just grades to be a mage."
"Then what does?" Gudao asks, not expecting a sensible answer.
"Influence," Piotr stated as-matter-of-factly. Just then, a voice on the PA breaks the tension.
"Prime master candidate... Number 09: Animusphere, Piotr. Please proceed to VR chamber for combat evaluation."
"That's my cue," Piotr remarked as he turned to leave the siblings alone, but not before adding; "Watch and learn..."
The siblings look on begrudgingly as Piotr made his way to the VR chamber. The door sealed shut behind him, and over on the security feed, they saw him enter a pod. The feed soon cuts to Piotr inside a simulation. He was given 3 servant analogs and was instructed to direct them in a combat scenario against random enemies.
Gabrielle crossed her arms as she and Gudao observed Piotr's battle through the monitor. They couldn't help but note how calm and decisive he was in commanding his servants; knowing when to get them to attack, defend, of use their Noble Phantasms against each wave of enemies. What was even more surprising to them was Piotr's own brand of magecraft. With just a small wave of his hand, he sent a section of earth consuming a group of skeleton soldiers in a wave, and even formed walls as makeshift cover. Piotr was apparently a geomancer, with unparalleled control of his powers. It was intimidating to the siblings, knowing he and the other candidates were capable of unthinkable levels of magecraft, and it made the two of them feel insignificant in comparison.
Before they knew it, Piotr was finished with his combat evaluation, and eventually he rejoined the siblings. Gudao and Gabrielle saw him approaching and wearing a smug grin on his face.
"Enjoy the show?" Piotr teased, earning a glare from the two of them. "No? Heh... good."
Piotr then crossed his arms as he then told the pair:
"Let this be a lesson to you small-stacks... You aren't in school anymore. This is Chaldea... where the elite belong. You two are in over your heads for taking Olga's offer..."
The siblings so wanted to tell him otherwise but they were alas lost for words. Seeing Piotr demonstrate his abilities seemed to put their whole predicament in perspective.
"Prime master candidate..." The PA comes to life again. "Number 09: Animusphere, Piotr. Please report to the Director's office as soon as possible."
"It seems my cousin is getting lonely up there," Piotr remarked. "She never did have the real stones to lead... One day this place will be all mine. Laters..."
With that, he left the siblings alone. They looked on bitterly as he walked away and exited through the automated door.
"Entitled douche-bag..." Gabrielle grumbled as soon as Piotr was out of sight.
"Say what you want about him," said Gudao. He was irritated by the Animusphere mage as his sister was. But unlike her, Gudao was being more rational about it. Piotr's performance proved that he wasn't all talk. "His magecraft is nothing to scoff at..."
"That's just because he's from a powerful family," Gabrielle scoffed before turning to face her brother, who saw the angry look on her face. "We didn't have anything handed to us Gudao. We've worked and earned our way to get here. Who is he to judge us?!"
From her tone, Gudao could tell Gabrielle was also feeling offended by Piotr's remarks about them and couldn't blame her. He puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder and reasons with his sister.
"I wouldn't listen to him Gabby. We have Olga's recognition, and we're here because she believes in us. This is OUR time..."
Gabrielle's expression softened as her brother's words sunk in. It reminded her of why they have come this far together in the first place. Magecraft is a very cut-throat world, with nearly everybody trying to one-up or deceive others just to earn more standing in the community at large. It was how most Magus families gain influence and make lives of outsider mages wanting to earn a reputation substantially harder. The system was unfairly cruel to those without a prestigious heritage.
Gudao and Gabrielle were alas not from any well-known magus family, having only being siblings under unconventional circumstances. When they decided together that they were going to tread the path of accomplished mages, they knew it was going to be an uphill battle; not just courtesy of nay-sayers, but also by the system of magi and magecraft itself. They have worked hard so that one day they can have the power to change how things were.
It was mostly because of the system that Gudao sadly had to grow-up without a father...
"Prime master candidate," They overhear the PA. "Number 48: Fujimaru, Gudao Ritsuka. Please proceed to VR chamber for combat evaluation."
Gudao looks back at Gabrielle, who was now in a better mood after their talk.
"Wish me luck..."
"You won't need it Gu-dork," Gabrielle happily tells him before offering encouragement. "Go get 'em!"
Gudao responds to Gabrielle's smile with one of his own before making his way to the VR chamber. No matter what, he would do anything to help his stepsister when she was down, and Gudao knew she would do the same for him, just as a family should be. He pauses to look back at Gabrielle, who gives him a thumbs-up just as the doors close between them. Taking a deep breath, Gudao faces the vacant pod in front of him and lets a bit of mana flow through his circuits as he confidently steps towards it.
Gabrielle was right. He's got this...
---
Shortly after his evaluation, Gudao stepped outside in the hallways of Chaldea. He was feeling tired after his VR session and wanted to get some fresh air, promising Gabrielle that he would get back in time for her turn in the pod. Thinking that some nourishment would do him good, he grabs a drink from a vending machine before making his way back to the VR chamber. Fidgeting with the lid, he barely turns a corner when he hears a series of running footsteps, followed by:
"He went this way!"
"Stop him!"
Gudao looks up and sees somebody running at him, and immediately recognizes said person.
-Piotr?-
The Animusphere magus was closing in on Gudao, and it seemed to him the Piotr was running from something. Those voices must have been from security guards, and that would mean...
-That sleaze! What the hell did he do?!-
Without a second thought, Gudao steps in front of Piotr to block his path. That proved foolish for him as Piotr forcibly shoved him aside, causing Gudao to fall over and smack his head on a nearby bench.
Everything went black by the time he hit the floor.
…
…
...
"Fou... Fou!"
"(grunt)..."
As Gudao stirred, he felt something wet and fuzzy against his cheek. He brushed it away with his hand as he forced his eyes open. Everything was bright as he slowly became aware that he was lying flat on the floor with the back of his head throbbing in pain. Gudao's vision gradually came back into focus, and he tilted his head up to see what was on his chest.
"Huh?"
There, right in front of him was a squirrel-like creature with white fur, a fluffy tail, and big ears staring back at him. It tilted its head and gave the boy an inquisitive look.
"Fou?"
…?!
This must have been what was licking his cheek just now. Having never seen a creature like this before in his life, Gudao yelped and sat up instantly. Startled, the creature quickly jumped off him as he hurriedly backed away, at least until he bumped into a pair of pillars in the middle of the hallway.
"Oof! Sorry... did Fou scare you Senpai?"
"Wha-?"
Gudao heard a quaint feminine voice speaking down to him. In his surprise, he slowly realized that what he backed into were NOT pillars at all...
They were legs... Smooth, stocking-covered, feminine... LEGS.
Gudao looked up and saw a cute, womanly face with lavender hair and wearing glasses, looking down innocently at him past her protruding chest. She was also wearing a black top with a red straight-tie around a white collar, all under an open white/gray hoodie. The girl seemed genuinely concerned for his wellbeing as she tilted her head and asked him:
"Did you have a nice nap?"
Gudao looked at her in confusion. He was so entranced by the sight of this beautiful girl that he did not immediately process what she said. The boy mulled over how she found him in this state. The last thing he remembered was a certain someone running at him and shoving him aside, then everything went black.
"I wasn't napping..." he tells her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl apologizes. "All of the masters were in simulation for training, so I assumed you got drowsy after a lengthy session. An unfortunate side-effect of VR simulation I'm afraid..."
This girl seemed to be well informed, but Gudao did not recall anyone as young as her among the staff of Chaldea. She wasn't with the other candidates so she can't be a master either. Who is she?
"Here," she said as she walked to his side and held her hand out. "Let me help you up."
Gudao took it and the girl pulled him back on his feet. He lets go and attempts to walk on his own.
"Thanks... whoa-!"
Almost immediately, he felt the delayed effect of a headrush making him dizzy and lose his balance. Thankfully, the girl was there to catch him.
"Take it easy..." She instructed as she pressed herself against Gudao, supporting him. The boy was nearly flustered as he felt her arm wrap around him, and her chest pressed against his ribs. He stood up straight, and she at last let go. "Me and Fou just found you lying here, and we waited till you woke up. You seemed to be breathing just fine, so I just thought you were sleeping. I didn't see the need to call the medical team over."
As she was saying this, Gudao felt something crawl quickly up his leg and all the way on to his shoulder, and winces as it licks his cheek. He turns to brush the white-furred creature off of himself, only for it to crawl to his other shoulder. He tries to grab it, only for it to then go on top of his head.
"Quit it!"
Gudao tries grabbing it again, this time with both hands. He misses as the creature playfully leapt off of him and into the hands of the girl, who merely giggled. It was a sound that seemed to easily relieve Gudao of any annoyance he felt from the bundle of fur in her palms.
"And forgive Fou," she told him as "Fou" climbed up on to her shoulder. "He's the only privileged life-form allowed to roam Chaldea. I look after him..."
"Fou!"
Gudao merely stares at it as he rubs the spot on his cheek where Fou licked him.
"Does he always lick random people?"
"Actually, he usually doesn't go within four feet of strangers. But he seems to really like you, Senpai."
He looked up at her, seeing the amused smile on her face. The pesky little furball was forgotten as Gudao stood entranced by the mysterious girl before him.
"And who are you?" he found himself saying, catching the girl off-guard.
"Oh! Umm..." She struggles to find words while casting her head down in embarrassment. Gudao felt ashamed for causing her discomfort and quickly assures her:
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want-"
"No!" She said suddenly, looking back up at him with a blush, which only deepened when she realized that she raised her voice at him rudely. Gudao notices the girl's shifting stance and her hiding her hands together behind her back. "I mean... I'm sorry, but it's just I didn't think I'm important enough around here to share my name. I don't leave a very good first impression..."
The girl looks away shamefully, leaving an awkward silence between her and Gudao. The boy could tell that she was quite withdrawn, so he tries alleviating the tension hanging over them.
"Really? I beg to differ..." he says to her light-heartedly, making her slowly face him again. "How about this? I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours first..."
Gudao wears an assuring smile as the girl gives him a surprised sideways glance. His approached seemed to be working as she brushed some of her hair out of her face before facing him at last. He waits as she builds up the courage to properly introduce herself.
"M-Mashu..." she says shyly. "My name is Mashu Kyrielight..."
Mashu... her name rang in Gudao's head as he unintentionally said under his breath; "I must be dreaming..."
"Nice to meet you, uhhh... Must B. Dreeming..." Mashu said awkwardly, snapping Gudao out his stupor.
"Huh? N-No, that's not what I meant!" He quickly corrected himself while stamping down a blush. He was mentally kicking himself for sounding like a moron right in front of her, yet he also found it pretty funny that Mashu assumed that to be his name. Collecting himself, he calmly introduced himself:
"I'm Gudao Ritsuka Fujimaru."
Mashu blinked at him in bewilderment, and Gudao worried that he might have already made a fool of himself in her eyes. He held his breath as she then gives him a warm smile.
"Well... now THAT sounds like a name..."
At that, Gudao breathed a sigh of relief.
-Saved...-
"Ah, there you are Mashu," a new voice shatters the charming atmosphere. Mashu's face fell as Gudao turns around and sees a tall man with long, dark red hair and wearing a dark green trench coat and hat walking right towards them. "That won't do, you know, wandering around without permission."
"My apologies Dr. Lainur..." Mashu bows shamefully. Gudao was perplexed at the rather odd-looking man as he seemed to finally notice the young mage.
"Oh? Somebody is already with you? I see... you're one of the rookies who just got assigned here. I'm Dr. Lev Lainur, one of Chaldea's technicians. Your name is Fujimaru, correct?"
Gudao blinked as this man seemed to know a lot about him without even needing to be introduced. Lev stuck out his hand for Gudao to reluctantly shake.
"My friends call me Gudao..." the young mage said cautiously. Lev merely smiled as they shook hands.
"You and your sister are the last of the 48 candidates?" he asked, which Gudao nods in response. "How long did both of you train before coming here? 3... 6 months?"
Mashu looks away from and towards Gudao as he thinks about how to respond. From just this short interaction, Gudao didn't know what to make of this man, and it only made the young mage more guarded around him. He eventually answers Lev with:
"I'll leave that up to your imagination."
"Ah," Lev tilts his head up without breaking eye contact Gudao, and then smirks at him. "Don't wish to downplay yourselves I see. I admire that self-awareness in a person. Maybe Olga wasn't mistaken in letting two rookie mages onboard..."
Was that supposed to be a compliment? Gudao felt even more awkward towards Lev, not only from the way he was speaking to the young mage, but also by the way Lev was carrying himself. Gudao couldn't explain it, but there was just something "off" about this man.
Like this guy was putting on a performance...
"Errr... thanks I guess?"
"You're welcome," Lev said, now giving him an almost too friendly smile. "We are all on the same side here in Chaldea, working for the betterment of mankind. If there's something you don't understand, feel free to ask me or Mashu here anytime..."
That was when he turned back at the other person with them.
"Say Mashu... what were you two talking about? Do you know him?"
"No, we've just met," Mashu answers with absolute honesty. "I saw Senpai lying on the floor. I looked after him until he came to."
"What were you doing on the floor, son?" Lev then turns to Gudao. "Were you sleeping?"
"No," Gudao insisted. "I came out of the VR chamber to get some fresh air and I got knocked down by Piotr Animusphere."
"Maris' nephew?" Lev said with recognition. "That explains a lot. Arrogant boy, but a brilliant one... In fact, not many mages are competent with modern technology. The Animuspheres have always done things unconventional among magus families. Shame he got in trouble..."
"What did he do anyway?" Gudao asked.
"He just had a falling out with the director, and she called security on him. Must have been very bad to have upset Olga..." He trailed off before quickly assuring Gudao; "I wouldn't worry about him anymore son. He's currently being detained."
Gudao was almost glad to hear that as Lev continued. Poetic justice...
"If he hurt you badly, I suggest you go to the infirmary before returning to orientation. Olga will then brief you all on-"
"Gu-dork!"
Gudao turns to his stepsister walking towards them.
"Gabby..."
Gabrielle came up to them and said to her brother:
"There you are! You missed my simulation. Did you forget?"
"Ah, and here's the other one," Lev remarks, catching Gabrielle's attention. She glances at the man clad in green and eyes him suspiciously. Gudao figured that she must have found this man a bit creepy like he did.
"I beg your pardon, Mister...?"
"Dr. Lev Lainur," he kindly introduced himself. "And you must be Gudao's step-sister, Gabrielle Rutherford."
Gabrielle then leans towards her brother and whispers aloud:
"Uh, stalker much?"
Gudao shrugs at her before speaking with lev
"My apologies Dr. Lainur. Gabby doesn't know you work here."
Lev tilts his head up in understanding while Gabrielle merely blinked at her brother.
"Anyways," Gudao continues, turning to Gabrielle. "I'm sorry for missing your turn sis, but I got held up."
"Clearly," Gabrielle knowingly replies; now turning her attention to Mashu. Her expression softens as she acknowledges the lavender-haired girl. "And you are...?"
"Mashu," she answers, then gesturing to the fur-ball in her hands. "And this is Fou. I found Senpai here unconscious in the hall, and stayed until he woke up."
"Oh really?" Gabrielle asked rhetorically as she then takes a sideways glance at her brother, a coy smile forming on her face. Gudao noticed and knew exactly what she was thinking. Feeling embarrassed, he tries convincing her in a hushed voice:
"It's NOT what you think..."
Gabrielle's smile merely grows. Gudao could tell she was unconvinced as he could practically read her message from just the look on her face.
-Not yet...-
"Attention all prime candidates," the PA comes on. "Preliminary combat evaluation is complete. All candidates are to report to mission orientation inside Central Command in 10 minutes. Attendance is mandatory."
Gudao relaxes from the convenient timing of that announcement. He really didn't want his sister of all people teasing him about his nonexistent love-life.
"Well," Lev starts as he adjusts his coat. "It appears I can't be keeping you youngsters here too long. You don't want be late, lest you want to get on Olga's bad side. I hear her temper is the stuff of legends..."
Gudao and Gabrielle look at each other in agreement at Lev's words. They've seen that first-hand when the Director had recruited them in London, even if it wasn't meant for them.
"Dr. Lev," Mashu suddenly spoke with uncertainty. "Do you think I'll be allowed to sit in at the orientation too?"
"Hmm?" Lev looks at her in confusion, while Gudao's heart skips a beat at the thought of Mashu accompanying them. "I'm sure if you stand well away back in the corner, I'm sure Olga wouldn't mind. But why would you want to be there Mashu?"
Mashu rubs her arm and lowers her head as if embarrassed to explain herself.
"I just thought I could escort Senpai here in case he feels the after-effects of VR. His sister might experience it too."
"Well, Roman is fine with it, then I don't see why not. I suppose I should tag along too." Lev then addressed the siblings. "You kids are okay with that?"
When they had nothing to say against it, Lev smiled.
"Excellent... let's head to the Command Room."
They walked down the hall with Lev and Mashu going ahead of Gudao and Gabrielle. They went on without anyone having much to say, until Gabrielle broke the silence, wanting to have a little fun with her brother. A smirk forms on her face as she calls out to Lev.
"Say Dr. Lev..."
"Hmm?"
"Just out of curiosity, why does Mashu keep calling my brother Senpai?"
Gudao starts to blush as he looked at his sister in shock and betrayal. Lev carefully thinks about his answer before telling Gabrielle:
"Well, I would think every person your age is her senpai. However, I don't think she has ever said that as frequently as she does to Gudao. Why don't we ask her?"
"Wait! No-!" Gudao quietly tries to stop him, but Gabrielle cuts him off, replying cheerily:
"Good idea!"
Gudao had the urge to groan in embarrassment as Gabrielle shoots him a coy smile, enjoying the sight of her brother squirming.
"Hey Mashu," Lev speaks to the lavender haired girl, catching her attention. "Why do you call Gudao here Senpai?"
"Oh, well..." Mashu blushes slightly and answers carefully, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's simply because he is the most human-like person I've ever met..."
Gudao embarrassment faded upon hearing that, not expecting such a strange but honest answer. This girl didn't seem ordinary.
"Which means...?" Lev asks.
"I don't feel threatened," Mashu clarified. "So, there's no reason for me to be hostile."
It was such a weird answer to Gudao. He stared at Mashu in confusion as Lev looked over his shoulder back at him.
"There you go kid. No need to feel embarrassed. Call it fate, but I have a feeling that all of you kids will get along just fine."
Gudao felt relief wash over him until Gabrielle elbows him on the arm, snapping him out of his daze. She wears a smug expression as she whispered to him:
"I bet she likes you..."
"Shut-up," Gudao grumbled, leaving Gabrielle with a satisfied smile. His sister's teasing was something he didn't want her to pick up as a habit. He was afraid that Gabrielle would've made him look like a fool in Mashu's eyes, and was beyond relieved when she answered so innocently. Yet from her words, it sounded like the lavender-haired girl never had much interaction with many other people. Gudao wondered what Mashu's story was, and why she seemed so unreal to him.
Just who was she?
Gudao barely had time to think about it as turned into a set of sliding doors that spread open as they approached. Walking inside, the siblings found themselves in a huge, round chamber with a massive device that resembled some kind of gyro-sphere in the center, already occupied with the rest of the master candidates. Gudao was mesmerized as the elaborate ringed-globe slowly spun around a blue orb in the middle. He had never seen anything like it, and after taking a quick glance at her sister who had her mouth wide open at the sight, she must have been thinking the same thing.
"Here's the Central Command Room," Lev's voice forces the siblings' attention from the chamber's centerpiece." You are both assigned to the front row."
Mashu guides Gudao and Gabrielle to front of all the other candidates. Gudao takes a look around and sees that Piotr was not among them.
-Guess he DID get busted...-
"Senpai..." Gudao turns at the sound of Mashu's concerned voice. "You should keep an eye on your sister. She's looking a bit pale..."
"Really?"
Gudao looks back at her sister, who was just stifling a yawn. He could see the slight gauntness of her face and her drooping eyelids. Gabrielle notices him staring with worry.
"I'm fine," she assures him. "Just a bit tuckered-out is all..."
"Famous last words..." Mashu whispers in Gudao's ear before Lev warns them in a hushed voice:
"Keep it down. The Director is here..."
Everybody looked up to the podium and saw a professional-looking young woman walking up to it. She had long, snow-white hair that was braided on one side, amber-colored eyes, and wore a Victorian attire consisting of high heels, red stockings, and a black, orange-accented button coat over a white blouse. Everyone's attention was fully fixated on her as she faced the crowd with a perfect posture and a presence that commanded great respect. The room fell silent as the woman cleared her throat and began to speak.
"Thank you all for coming to Chaldea: Special Organization for Technological and Magical Innovation. I am the director; Olga Marie Animusphere."
Everyone knew who she was, especially Gudao and Gabrielle. The famed and prestigious Olga Marie of the Animusphere family; one of the wealthiest and influential mage clans in the world, with Olga herself being heir to the late Marisbury Animusphere. If the other well-known master candidates were celebrities, then Olga was the equivalent of the Queen of England in the hierarchy of mages. There was none that topped her when it came to sheer influence. To the siblings, Olga Marie Animusphere represented the apex of magus excellence; the height of what a mage could aspire to, short of reaching the Root.
Olga's eyes briefly fixed on Gudao and Gabrielle in front of her, giving them the briefest of smiles. It was Olga after all who personally recruited them and gave them the chance to prove themselves as mages. They listened attentively as Olga continued her speech to all the candidates present.
"All of you have all been selected and discovered for a mission of utmost importance: the continued existence and future of mankind. We have scoured all corners of the globe to recruit all of you, Prime Mages, for this special operation. It is my honor to welcome you all to the Grand Order Initiative..."
Olga was looking at everybody, making sure all eyes were on her as she continued.
"In a few moments, you will all be situated in these special pods we use for deployment. Chaldea's Rayshift system will-" Gudao's blood ran cold when she stopped and gave an angry glare in his direction. "Hey! Don't you go falling asleep on me!"
Gudao was quick to pick up that Olga wasn't yelling at him, but rather the person beside him. He looked over to his right and saw Gabrielle's head tilting forward and her legs beginning to wobble. He moved quickly just in time to catch her right before she fainted.
"Gabby!"
---
Flash forward moments later, and Gudao found himself with Mashu, hoisting Gabrielle's limp body by her arms through the halls of Chaldea. Gudao could feel his sister beginning to stir as they made a right turn as directed by Mashu, Fou running ahead of them. Gudao greets her sister as she at last looks at him.
"Welcome back to reality, sis."
"Wha- What happened?" Gabrielle asks as she slowly becomes aware of her surroundings. It was obvious to her that they weren't in the Command Room anymore.
"You fell asleep Gabrielle Senpai," Mashu explained to her. "It's a side-effect of Chaldea's advanced VR simulation. Thankfully, the Director slapped you back into semi-consciousness."
"Yeah, I can feel that..." Gabrielle remarked as she gradually became aware of a stinging pain on her cheeks. She tries to move her legs but to no avail. She then tries her toes and still nothing. "My legs feel like jelly..."
"Don't worry Gabby," said Gudao. "Me and Mashu are taking you to the infirmary. She knows where to go..."
Gabrielle was relieved to hear that, but then something occurred to her.
"Wait... what about the others?"
"I'm afraid everyone is currently locked in the Command Room," Mashu tells Gabrielle. "Team A deployed with Olga already..."
"What?!" Gabrielle exclaimed as her head perks up and she looks at her brother in horror. "Gudao, why didn't you go with them?!"
"Are you kidding?" Gudao humored before telling her: "You honestly think I'd leave my sister alone like this? Family comes first Gabby."
Gabrielle stared at his sincere expression. Her brother had just thrown away his chance at making a name for himself, just to ensure her wellbeing. It seemed absurd to her that Gudao would do that for her, and it made her feel guilty for holding him back from his goal.
"But the mission..." she pleaded in a soft voice. "Your dream..."
Gudao saw the guilt in his sister's eyes and heard the sorrow in her voice. Gabrielle wanted him to go on without her, if it meant one of them could fulfill their dream of being an accomplished mage. Part of him wondered if he really made the right call ensuring his sister's care and not going with the others to fulfill the mission entrusted to them by Olga.
But the more he thought about it, the more Gudao realized that his actions were justified. After all, he and Gabrielle both made that goal together, and after all the hard work they've done and the help they gave each other; it wouldn't have been right for Gudao to just leave his sister behind.
She had her reasons for pursuing this just as he did.
"That's OUR dream Gabrielle," Gudao said resolutely, prompting Mashu to listen also. "We made it together, and we're gonna achieve it together."
Gabrielle was so moved by her brother's words that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She supposed if the roles were reversed, she knew that she would've done the same thing for him. It was a testament of the bond they have as siblings, even though they were not related by blood.
"You're a real dork, you know that?" She joked, making Gudao smile. They were soon interrupted by Mashu.
"It's right over here," she said as her and Gudao carried Gabrielle into one of the side rooms. The door slid open as they entered a white room full of beds and medical equipment. The room was completely vacant as they carried a still weak Gabrielle to one of the nearby beds.
"Put her on this one," Mashu instructed as Gabrielle was propped up back-first by Gudao. Gabrielle let out a tired sigh as she settled in. Mashu then told Gudao: "Doctor Roman will take a look at her."
Gudao nodded in acknowledgement and extended the railings on Gabrielle's hospital bed, noticing that she had nearly fallen asleep. He pulls up chairs for him and Mashu, and they sat in silence waiting for the doctor to arrive. After a few minutes, Gudao breaks the serene atmosphere between him and the lavender-haired girl.
"Mashu," he said with a hushed, but grateful voice. He didn't want to accidentally wake his sister. "Thank you for helping me get Gabby here."
"It was the least I can do," Mashu replied, smiling to the boy from across the bed. "You and your sister seem like very nice people. In fact, I've never met two mages who are so dependent on each other as you two..."
"Well," Gudao starts, feeling flattered by Mashu's words. "Me and Gabby are a team. We helped each other get through our classes at the Clock Tower. There was nothing that we couldn't overcome together. I couldn't let her sit all alone on the sidelines while I went ahead. It wouldn't be fair to her..."
Gudao's gaze briefly lingered on to his sister, watching her chest rise and fall as she slept peacefully. He was sure if she was awake, she'd be teasing him for being so open with a girl. He looks back at Mashu, who to his unease, was eyeing him rather curiously.
"You're so unusual," she lets out. "I know not many mages would've done what you just did. It's admirable that you would put your ambitions aside to be there for your family. What drives you to go so far for your sister?"
The innocent look on Mashu's face compelled Gudao to explain himself. The truth of this was that this was a sensitive subject for him, and not something he could easily share for fear of being called foolish or soft. And yet, something told him that he can put complete faith and confidence in the girl across from him. He starts hesitant:
"I... I lost my father when I was younger," he shamefully confessed. "Since then, nothing has been more important to me than family and friends."
Mashu looked at him with sympathy. Her heart broke for Gudao as she found herself carefully asking:
"How did you-?"
Before she finished, Mashu was cut off by the sound of sliding doors opening. She and Gudao turned to the source as Gabrielle stirred.
"Hmm...?"
Gabrielle's eyes opened and the trio saw a tall man with long peach-colored hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a medical uniform with an ID badge hanging from his neck. He was talking to himself, assuming no one was inside the infirmary.
"Ah, finally time for me to slack-off- huh?" He stops when he sees the three of them waiting there in the ward. "Mashu? What are you doing here at this time? And who are-?"
"Sorry for the short notice Doctor," Mashu interrupts, standing up from her seat. "But my friend here needs help."
"Friends?" The doctor says aloud before turning to Gudao, and then to Gabrielle lying on the hospital bed. His confusion gives way to reserved urgency. "I see... can I have a look?"
Gudao steps aside, allowing the doctor to inspect the weakened Gabrielle. He and Mashu watched as the doctor worked, with Fou resting on a nearby side-table. After checking her vitals, he then checks for pupil dilation with a hand-held light. After that, the doctor stood up and gave his diagnosis.
"Yup. You, young lady, are experiencing the effects of withdrawal from the VR simulation," he said as he put away the light into the chest pocket of his lab coat. "The VR system we use tends to stimulate many areas of the human brain to enhance the experience; one of which unfortunately is the part responsible for maintaining that person's circadian rhythm. I've seen lots of people looking like the walking dead after particularly long sessions, especially if it's their first time. Are you two masters by the way?"
"What gave you that idea?" Gudao asked. The doctor merely smiled as he replied:
"The VR chamber was reserved for only the prime candidates today. It wasn't hard to figure out. I must say, it's an honor to meet masters like yourselves."
"Thank you," Gabrielle said weakly as she struggled to sit up. "Mister-?"
"Sorry, I'm forgetting my manners. Allow me..." The doctor adjusted the back of bed, allowing Gabrielle to sit up before introducing himself.
"Doctor Romani Archaman," he says with a bow to the siblings. "I'm Head Medical Officer here in Chaldea."
"I'm Gudao," the young master bows respectfully, then gestures to his sister. "This is my sister, Gabrielle."
"Sister?" Roman asks skeptically. "Pardon me for saying, but you two don't look related..."
"Gudao Senpai is Gabrielle's stepbrother," Mashu explained. Roman looks at her in surprise, no doubt wondering how she knew that. Reading his face, the lavender haired girl clarified for him: "We've met earlier..."
"Fou!"
"Oh really?" said Roman with renewed understanding. Gudao thought he picked up a sort of parental concern underlying the tone of the doctor's voice. "How did you meet by the way?"
"It's a long story..." Mashu said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Roman steals a glance at Gudao before walking to a nearby cabinet. It made the young man kind of uncomfortable.
"Mashu," The doctor said over his shoulder. "Do you mind waiting outside while I treat your friend?"
"Not at all," Mashu answered. "I'll just be in the Command room then. Come on Fou..."
At her beck and call, Fou jumped off the table and followed Mashu out of the infirmary. Gudao watches as she stops at the doors before taking one last look at him. The smile she sent his way made his heart flutter as she at last disappeared from view. Gudao just stared at where Mashu left for too long as a tug on his sleeve snaps him out of his daze. He looks back to see Gabrielle giving him a very coy smile of her own.
""It's not what I think," huh...?" she said with a whisper. It seemed that even in her weakened state, Gabrielle still had the energy to tease her brother. Gudao had the urge to groan, as there was NO way his sister was going to stop pestering him on this matter.
-Sisters... I tell you what...-
"Here," Roman eventually came back with a clear cup of orange liquid, and offered it to Gabrielle. "Drink this..."
"What is it?"
"Think of it like one of those energy drinks," explained Roman as Gabrielle took it out of his hand. "Just more concentrated. A little boost of electrolytes will help you recover more quickly."
Gabrielle looked down nervously at her cup and slowly brought it to her mouth. She takes a small sip and swallows, almost recoiling in disgust. Gudao asks worriedly:
"How is it Gabby? Sour?"
Gabrielle shakes her head in response.
"Sweet actually..." she says before taking another sip. Gudao could see from her face that she was not enjoying it. "Urgh... now I know what pure diabetes tastes like."
Several minutes go by. As Gabrielle continued consuming her medicine and recovering quickly, Roman conversed with the siblings. To them, he seemed like a decent enough man, concerned with the well-being of his patient and actively trying to get along with them.
"So you two are prime candidates... How are you finding your first day in Chaldea so far?"
"It's amazing," Gudao replied. "Just as Olga described it."
"The Director?"
"Yes," Gabrielle answers with stride in her voice, her fatigue mostly gone as some color returned to her face. "She recruited us personally at the Clock Tower."
"I'm surprised," said Roman, sounding impressed. "Little Ms. Animusphere is a very busy woman, especially after her father passed away. For her to take the time to interview the both of you... you must have made a real impression on her..."
"I thought so too," Gudao said before a pang of guilt hits him. He looks at his sister with a faltering expression. She looks back in worry, knowing what was on his mind. He still had lingering thoughts of getting Gabrielle here safe and sound instead of joining the other masters.
Gudao could tell Gabrielle was blaming herself too. Gudao would not had to have made that choice if she had not been so weak. Either way, both of them felt that their time here in Chaldea was compromised.
"Suppose it doesn't matter very much now..." Gudao eventually said to Roman with sadness, prompting him to ask with disappointment.
"Why not?"
"Gudao stayed back to help me get here," Gabrielle sadly revealed. "Olga and the others have already deployed without us..."
"We basically blew our chances as masters," Gudao finishes for her. "In fact, I expect they'll be sending us back to London."
Roman suddenly started stifling laughter, surprising the siblings and making them think that the doctor was making fun of them. However...
"I'm sorry," Roman says to them lightheartedly after collecting himself. "It's just that I've never met two kids who are so humble like yourselves. I don't think you two have anything to worry about."
They stare at him dumbfounded. Gudao had the urge to refute, but the doctor continued before he could utter a word.
"You just wanted to help your sister. If you ask me, that's nothing that will get you kicked out, even if makes you miss your first field assignment."
"But Olga will-!" Gudao starts until Roman stops him.
"Relax," he says as gestured Gudao into silence. "I'm aware that Olga can be very strict, but there was a time she was just like you two. Wiling to do anything for her loved ones..."
"How do you know?" asked Gabrielle.
"Let's just say, me and her father Marisbury go way back..."
The siblings let his words sink in before coming to the realization of what he meant.
"You knew the Animuspheres," Gudao said as a statement instead of a question, to which Roman nods.
"When he started Chaldea, he gave me a job as Chief Medical Officer. Quite unnecessary given the other, more exciting things that go on in this place. But still, it was awfully generous of him."
"What kind of medical practice do you do?" Gudao asks out of curiosity.
"I started out as a podiatrist," Roman stated. There was a pause, and before he knew it, Gabrielle and Gudao start chuckling under their breaths. The doctor's face fell as he started feeling like the butt of a joke.
"Wha-? Don't laugh! I also handle surgical and medicinal first aid, without which your sister would be out like a light right now."
The siblings eventually stopped, much to the doctor's limited relief.
"Thank you..." he stated bluntly as he then turned to Gabrielle. "By the way, how are you feeling? Less tired? More attentive?"
At that, Gabrielle sat up and felt her face, eventually wiggling her toes to see if they were responsive. She looks back up at the doctor before telling him:
"Now that you mention it, yeah..."
"Good. Now..." Roman started before facing Gudao. "How did you meet my Mashu?"
The way he worded that stumped the young mage.
"YOUR Mashu?" Gudao asks in confusion. "What are you, her father?"
"Practically..." Roman answers, crossing his arms and looking at the surprised mage with a stern look befitting of a parent who just met his daughter's boyfriend. "I'm her adoptive father. You can understand why I'm concerned for her wellbeing..."
Both of the siblings stare at him in disbelief. This man was in fact Mashu's surrogate parent, and he had just put the two of them under a metaphorical microscope.
"Well," Gabrielle starts cautiously. "I only met her after my VR trial, and she was with Gudao and that creepy Lainur guy..."
"Lev Lainur?" Roman asked with mild interest. "What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing much," Gudao tells him. "I was already chatting with Mashu by the time he showed up. She found me in the hallway after I-"
Gudao stopped, opting to leave out the part where Piotr knocked him out. He felt that he didn't want have the doctor treat him like a patient and do tests on him.
"Not important. Anyway, she kept watch on me until I woke up, making sure if I was alright."
Gudao didn't like lying to the doctor, but from the look on his face, Roman seemed to believe him. Gudao needed to keep this less about him and more on Mashu, lest he makes the doctor suspicious of his intentions with her.
Not that Gudao had any of course...
"That she did huh?" Roman remarked, relaxing his posture. Gudao was relieved that the doctor did not think less of him. "Well, I must say I raised her right then..."
"She DID seem rather smitten with you Gu-dork," Gabrielle said cheerily, making Gudao freeze in horror. It certainly didn't help when she then added: "...or should I say "Senpai?""
"Cut it out!" Gudao almost shouts at his sister, turning to her with a thick blush on his face and highlighting his embarrassment. Gabrielle just giggled, and Gudao could only leer at her for selling him out.
"That's not something to get worked-up over young man," Roman says calmly, making Gudao turn to him in confusion. "Mashu calls everyone Senpai. Bit of a habit she picked up..."
Gudao calms down, but then his relief drained when he saw the doctor's face turn stern as he looked directly at the young mage.
"But don't go getting any ideas, kid," Roman warns him. "Believe me, she is WAY out of your league..."
Gudao stares at the doctor incredulously. This was exactly what he didn't Roman to think of him as; someone who was "interested" in his surrogate daughter and would break her heart. Gudao would tell him otherwise to stay on Roman's good side.
But he would be a liar if he said Mashu was not the most charming girl he ever met.
"D- Doctor!" he tries explaining. "I swear I would never think of-!"
He was interrupted by the sound of the intercom. Everyone listened as Lev's image came through a monitor. Gudao was praising everything sacred that he no longer had to falsely convince the doctor that he wasn't interested in Mashu.
"Dr. Roman," Lev's voice came through the speakers. Roman walked in front of the monitor as he continued. "We're going to rayshift Team B soon. Can you come just in case of an emergency? Those on the next deployment are showing some physiological abnormalities."
"It's most likely just some anxiety," Roman states. "Team B is made up of those less experienced than Team A, and those pods are like coffins after all. A bit of anesthetic should calm their nerves Lev."
"Is he for real?" Gabrielle asks Gudao awkwardly as they listened in. Shrugging, Gudao felt inclined to agree with her. The doctor's suggestion seemed a bit extreme.
Can they be sure that Roman was a real doctor?
"Just hurry up, will you? Lev out."
The monitor shut off, and Roman breathes out a sigh.
"What's that guy's deal?" Gabrielle asks Roman. "Is Dr. Lainur always that pushy?"
"No," Roman says, turning to the siblings. "He gets some standing because he helped designed Sheba, this facility's surveillance AI. Whereas old Marisbury created Chaldea's summoning system, which is also the basis for our Rayshift tech."
Roman walks up to Gabrielle and flips a switch to lower her bed down.
"Well, enough chit-chat," he said lightheartedly. "If Lev feels as if he needs me, then who am I as the doctor to refuse those needing medical attention? Ms. Gabrielle, you should be fine to walk now."
Gabrielle swung her legs over the side of the bed and planted her feet before standing up. Gudao hurries over in case she fell over, but she puts a hand up telling him that she doesn't need it. She stands up and takes a couple steps with no trouble.
"Alright!" cheered an elated Gabrielle. Gudao could see from her face and display of energy that she was back to normal. "I feel so much better now..."
"Thank you so much Doctor," Gudao expressed his gratitude to Roman with a bow.
"You're welcome," Roman replied with a gracious smile. "My services are always open to you two. Oh, by the way, even if you two are going to be sent back home, I can't let you nice youngsters leave without a proper send-off. Come back to the infirmary after, and I might share some cake I smuggled from the café-"
[EXPLOSION]
Suddenly the whole building shook and the lights went out, making everyone gasp. Gudao looked around frantically trying to see.
"What the-?!"
"What's going on?" he heard a frightened Gabrielle asking, still unable to see anyone. "I can't see!"
"Everyone stay calm." Roman's voice cut through the frightening atmosphere, which was made worse when an alarm was heard over the PA, followed by flashing red lights from the exit doors.
"Emergency. Emergency. Fire detected in Central Command Room. Lockdown protocols engaged. Containment shields to be deployed in T-minus 3 minutes. All personnel evacuate Gate 2 immediately."
More red lights came on, and at last Gudao could see again. He was still tense as he then saw Roman rushing back to the comms monitor where he spoke to Lev previously.
"This isn't good," Roman said under his breath as he inputted commands. "Computer, show us the Command room! Is everyone alright?"
Gudao and Gabrielle came over and looked over Roman's shoulder, and what they saw on screen horrified everyone. The entire Command room was destroyed; fire and rubble everywhere with no sign of life.
"Oh my God..." Gabrielle whispered. Gudao couldn't believe what he was seeing either, praying that some people were alive and well. Looking at the scale of the damage, he thought "alive" was the bare-minimum he should hope for.
-What the hell happened?-
"Fou!"
Gudao felt something brush hard against his leg. Everybody looked down to see Fou tugging on his pant leg frantically, trying to get everyone's attention.
"Hey the furball- oh no..." Gudao's blood ran cold in epiphany and exclaims to the others: "Mashu was in there!"
Roman's eyes widen as did Gabrielle's.
"You two get out of here at once," the doctor tells them, his face and tone becoming serious. "I'm going back to look for survivors."
"Not a chance!" Gudao says defiantly, "Not when we can help!"
"Gudao's right," Gabrielle agrees "We're going with you."
"No you're not!" Roman told them, not wanting to jeopardize their safety even if they could potentially aid in rescuing survivors. "If you two don't leave, then the containment shields will trap you in the fire. I'm not going to endanger two kids!"
To the doctor's surprise however, the sibling we're not having it.
"But doctor, if there are survivors, then it'll be better to have more people to help get them out!" Gudao insists as Gabrielle pleads with Roman.
"Doc, please! There's no time to argue!"
Roman wanted to tell them to look after themselves, but as much as he didn't want to admit it, the kids had a point. More pairs of hands meant they could save more people, and they wasted enough time arguing already. If there were any survivors, then they didn't have much time.
"You follow my instructions to the letter, alright?" Roman at last relented, earning a curt nod of agreement from the siblings. "Let's go before the gate closes."
The three of them, including Fou, quickly made their way back the Command Room; the backup generators ensuring that the automated doors still worked. Darting and weaving through the hallways, they eventually made it inside.
And the damage was even worse than what they saw from the footage.
They delved further into the burning wreckage, desperately digging through rubble and searching for survivors. Their initial search comes up fruitless, as there was no sign of life, nor any trace of the master candidates or their pods.
"There's no one here!" Gabrielle yells, and Gudao's hopes of finding Mashu drain as his search does not yield signs of life either.
"Chaldeas looks to be intact, but..." Roman assesses the centerpiece of the room: the giant gyroscopic device that was charred and dented, but otherwise operational. Gudao took a quick glance at it, not knowing how this device worked.
If he had to wager, Olga was about to brief everyone on it before Gabrielle's fainting episode.
"That's where the explosion occurred," Roman deduced. "This was no accident. This was sabotage..."
Gudao tensed upon hearing that.
-Sabotage? Who would do such a thing?-
Before he could think about it further, the PA came on.
"Backup Generators failing. Diverting remaining power to containment shields. Shields deploying in 30 seconds. All personnel evacuate Central Command immediately."
Everyone stopped. Roman called out to the siblings.
"We need to get to the power station. We can't let Chaldea's lights go out! We must leave now!"
Gudao didn't want to abandon his search for survivors, but with their efforts failing so far, he was forced to come to the realization that maybe there was no one to save. He barely took a step towards Roman when-
(RUMBLE)
The whole room shook as the Chaldeas device suddenly roared to life and started spinning, triggering blaring alarms. The power-up sequence caused rubble to fall from the ceiling. Both Gudao and Gabrielle stand back against the walls to avoid getting crushed by falling debris. Roman made it to the exit and motioned for the siblings to follow his lead.
"Come on!"
"Warning," Another automated voice comes through the speakers. "Rayshift protocols engaged. Coordinates set."
"Now what?!" Gudao exclaimed after he heard the automated voice, having no idea what those words meant.
"Gudao, we need to go!" Gabrielle shouted at him as she moved carefully along the wall. Gudao was about to follow until he felt a familiar bump against his leg.
"Fou!"
He looks down and sees Fou looking back up at him and then darting back deeper into the ruins of the Command Room; much to Gudao's surprise and shock.
"Huh?! Where do you think you're going you crazy furball?!"
It was then that the white furry creature climbed on to a pile and looked back towards the young mage, jumping straight up and down. Gudao looked on in confusion and suddenly understood.
-Wait. He might have found someone.-
Sure enough, as Gudao gazed at the distant pile of rubble, he saw it... And his heart stopped.
A tiny bit of movement...
A dainty feminine hand poking out of the debris...
-Oh my God! Mashu!-
Without a second thought, Gudao bolted towards where Fou was, not caring if he got hit with rubble from the ceiling. Adrenaline flowing and his heart pounding in his ears, Gudao ignored his sister's desperate cries, likely screaming "What are you doing?!". The young mage bolted on with single-minded determination to save this one soul.
As he got closer, his mind became flooded with the voice of his younger self before partaking the path of a mage... the screams of a boy watching his father dying right before his eyes... restrained by his frightened mother... helpless and too weak to do anything...
As much as it pained him, it only hardened his resolve to reach Mashu. He already lost one person he cared about before, and being powerless to save him. Gudao vowed from that day forth that his path to being a great mage would be to prevent such tragedies. So that no child will ever experience what he went through.
Mashu was under there somewhere... and Gudao refused to lose another person he grew to care about.
After what felt like an eternity to him, Gudao at last reached the pile of rubble where Mashu was buried. Reinforcing himself, he quickly pulled off chunks of metal and other debris until at least the top half of her body was free. Gudao saw how banged-up she was, and felt a stab through his chest upon seeing all the cuts and bruises on her face.
"Sen... pai..." Mashu manages to say weakly while looking up at him. She then smiled at her savior. "I knew you'd come. I just knew it..."
"Mashu!" He said desperately. "Hang in there. I'm gonna get you out!"
Gudao worked on removing more debris, eventually getting a metal support off of Mashu's legs. Gabrielle was watching all this and relayed to Roman:
"Gudao has found Mashu! She's alive!"
Roman was relieved and overjoyed.
"Thank goodnes-"
Then a warning interrupts, draining the doctor's and Gabrielle's elation.
"Lockdown initiation imminent. Closing Gate 2 in 10..."
"Oh no," Roman muttered under his breath. Hearing the warning, Gudao looks back at the door, which now seemed so far away. He wondered if he would even have enough time to get himself and Mashu out of here. He looks back at her in desperation.
"Gudao," Mashu said to him as if reading his thoughts. "Leave me... save yourself..."
"9..."
"Like hell I am!" Gudao tells her, now unable to bear the thought of leaving her alone to die. Then the Chaldeas device grew louder, catching his attention. "What the-?!"
"8..."
Time was running out. Gudao had to try and move Mashu, all the while trying to comprehend the warnings from the Chaldeas device.
"Warning! Chaldea's state has changed. Now rewriting Sheba's near-future prediction data."
"GUDAO!" Gabrielle yells desperately to try and get her brother to head with the entrance with her.
"7..."
Roman dashes back inside towards Gabrielle. He couldn't wait any longer, and he had to make sure at least someone got out alive.
"No humans detected 100 years into the future. Recalculating... 50 years... None. 10 years... None. 1 year... None. ERROR. Prolonged existence of humanity no longer certain."
"6... 5..."
Gudao wrapped an arm around Mashu's back and then one under her legs, until she suddenly cried in pain. Gudao immediately let go of her in frustration.
-Damn it! Her legs are broken!-
Seeing her brother having trouble, Gabrielle began running towards him until she was grabbed by Roman.
"Don't Gabrielle!" He tries desperately to convince her as she thrashed in his arms, dragging the hysterical young mage back to the exit. "You can't help him without being trapped too!"
"4... 3..."
"But he's my brother!" Gabrielle screams, pleading while trying to break free. "LET ME GO!"
"2... 1..."
The metal bulkhead doors start descending before Gudao could attempt to move Mashu again. He was forced to watch helplessly as Roman dragged a hysterical and screaming Gabrielle through the exit just before the blast shields were halfway down. Gudao realized that even if he could safely move Mashu now, there was no way he could carry her out before-
(THUD)
Gabrielle's screams disappeared as soon as the gate sealed shut, along with Gudao's any hope of escaping.
"Gate 2 sealed."
As the gate locked, the Chaldeas device was whirling up faster.
"We're trapped..." Mashu said weakly, despair laced in her voice. "We can't get out..."
Gudao looks back down at her broken body, and felt a great pang of guilt. He wanted so badly to tell her that everything will be alright, when even deep down he somehow knew it wasn't. Mashu was bleeding, and it won't be long until she succumbed to blood-loss.
"Pod vitals: Masters. Baseline not reached. Rayshift requirement not met. Searching for qualifying prime Master... Scanning... Found."
That damned A.I was still speaking from the gyro sphere, and Gudao could feel it glowing brighter and light up the chamber. The air became thick with an energy completely unknown to him. He felt like that at any moment, the device will explode and engulf them and Fou.
It felt like the end... Death was to be their fate...
"Candidate number 48: Fujimaru, Gudao Ritsuka. Reset as master... Spiritron conversion starting..."
The device's power-up sequence was reaching its apex. Gudao's attention was pulled away from the blinding, bright mass of energy coming from it when he felt Mashu's hand clasp his own.
"Senpai...?" She said, her life hanging by a thread. "Hold my hand..."
Gudao obeyed, seeing how scared she was. He held on firmly as his eyes locked on to Mashu's and could see tears escaping from them.
"Don't leave..."
Her plea did not go unanswered as Gudao moved to hold Mashu's delicate, soft hand with both of his own. As frightened as he was, he could not bring himself to let Mashu feel totally alone in their final moments.
"I'm not going anywhere," he tells her with all the resolve he can muster. As Mashu starts falling into unconsciousness, all Gudao could do now was wait for the inevitable.
There was nothing more to be done...
He wished he and the girl in his arms could've had more time...
"Rayshift protocols activating in 3...2...1... First Order initiated..."
Light erupted from the gyro sphere and completely flooded the room, and Gudao clenched his eyes shut awaiting oblivion. Energy passed through his body, stimulating every cell, every molecule, all the way down to the last atoms. It was agonizing, yet oddly he didn't feel as though his body was being torn apart, but rather like he was being pulled through a vast sea of space and probability. He dared open his eyes, and saw swirling light and energy whirling past him. Before he could comprehend what was happening and where they were going, the stimulation became too great to the point where Gudao's vision was turning white-
///Flashback end///
(B-B-BANG!)
The sound of firecrackers causes Gudao to wake up with a gasp. He looks up and sees sparkling, violet flashes going off above him and quickly takes cover in his sleeping bag. When it was over, he sits up sweating and breathing heavily. Startled and alerted, his eyes dart around the room to quickly find Scathach leaning against the door to his room.
"Had a nice sleep, young master?" she calmly greeted.
"Wha-?! Scathach?!" Gudao struggles to calm down after being scared awake. Seeing his bewilderment, the warrior queen casually explained.
"Apologies for the rude awakening, but nobody oversleeps in MY house," she then crosses her arms before adding; "Not when there's work to be done..."
Letting her words sink in, Gudao gradually calmed down now that there was no apparent danger. Nonetheless, he just had to inquire to her exactly what was going on.
"W- What time is it?" he asked while rubbing his still heavy eyelids and stifling a yawn.
"Almost dawn, and almost time to begin your training..." Scathach tells him. Before Gudao could question why they we're starting so early, a familiar blue-haired servant dressed in a tank-top and sweatpants walks into the room.
"You alright master?" Cu Chulainn greets him. "Teacher woke you up with one of her special runes..."
"Lancer..." Gudao said feeling much calmer after seeing him. He lets another yawn escape before answering. "I'm fine... You're up already?"
The Lancer smirks in seeing the master's still tired state before telling him.
"I've learned not to sleep-in whenever she's around," he gestures to the warrior queen beside him. "If you don't wake up, she MAKES you..."
Scathach unapologetically just stands up straighter against the door, not remotely refuting the Lancer's statement. Looking at them both, Gudao then asks them:
"What about the others?"
"I've woken you first in case your servants think they're under attack," Scathach tells him while holding showing a violet-glowing symbol on her fingertip, near in-front of her face. "I placed the same rune in each of the other rooms, and they have yet to wake up..."
Gudao's eyes widen as Scathach casually observes the circuits on her arm. He could almost picture Gabrielle, Mashu, and the other servants sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of the impending surprise hovering above their beds.
Mayhem was about to ensue...
"In fact," The Shadow begins. "The runes should be going off any moment now-"
(BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG!BANG!...)
Scathach smiled as bunch of distant explosions started going off, followed immediately by a noise of panicked yelps and screams.
(CRASH!)
Gudao recoils at the sounds of what he assumed was people falling off their beds and hitting the floor. It must have all happened at once as Gudao felt the whole room shake, followed by the sounds of the others complaining or groaning. The master distinctly heard Gabrielle down the hall yelling:
"HEY! WHERE'S THE FIRE?!"
Scathach merely chuckled in amusement and says to Gudao before turning to leave:
"Get dressed and meet downstairs in five minutes. We have a lot of ground to cover today..."
Gudao starred at the warrior queen incredulously as she casually walked out the room, leaving him alone with Cu Chulainn. The Lancer smiled at him and remarks:
"You're getting a lot more than what you bargained for lad..." He then changed into his combat attire in a flash of light "Let's not disappoint her..."
The Lancer leaves, and Gudao sighs and remarks to himself before throwing himself off the bed.
"Wouldn't dream of it..."
With that, Gudao hurriedly got dressed, not wanting to give Scathach an excuse to use such over-the-top measures on him again. The warrior queen had ZERO tolerance for slackers, and heaven knows what she has in store for them and the servants' first day of training...