Chapter Text
A part of Ritsuka Fujimaru’s body felt like it was about to collapse and fall asleep at any moment. Quite frankly, considering the hellish day (and now night, in a way) that he had gone through, the fact he hadn’t passed out in the throne room of King Gilgamesh was nothing short of an utter miracle. That, and an unhealthy dosage of adrenaline still coursing through his systems.
He was definitely going to be feeling the aftermath of that in the morning. That was for sure.
However, Ritsuka didn’t immediately go to bed when he returned to the embassy. After everyone had gone up to their rooms, Mash had told Ritsuka that she wanted to grab something for Ishtar to eat, to see if she could cheer up the currently depressed and dispirited Archer.
Ritsuka had been severely tempted to accompany his girlfriend, but he had a feeling that Ishtar might not want to be visited by more than a single person, if even that. So, instead, Ritsuka took the time to make sure that the room he and Mash shared in the embassy was spick and span.
It probably sounds silly to anyone listening, and it certainly felt like a comparatively small gesture, but Ritsuka did this as a way to show his appreciation for everything that the people of Uruk had done for them. For over a month, they had provided Ritsuka, Mash, and their teammates with shelter, food, and water.
He just wished that there was more he could do for Uruk right now…
Once he had finished cleaning and then re-cleaning his room, Ritsuka headed back down to the dining and kitchen area of the embassy. He took great care to walk as quietly as possible, since basically everyone else who was also in the building was either asleep or trying to fall into that state.
When he finished descending the stairs, Ritsuka saw that the only other occupant in the dining room was Fou. Mash’s furry pet was sitting in the center of the table, very much like some sort of cat, with his paws tucked under his body.
Sensing Ritsuka’s arrival, Fou lifted his head up. “Fou, Fou,” Chaldea’s animal mascot chirped softly. Ritsuka couldn’t help but smile softly, noting how Fou had taken care not to be too loud and wake anyone in the embassy.
“Hey, Fou,” Ritsuka said softly, approaching Fou and reaching out one hand to gently rub the top of the critter’s head. He was swiftly rewarded by a low humming sound that almost felt like a feline purr, once again drawing another cat-like impression. “Waiting for Mash to come back.”
“Fou, fou. Foouuuu,” Fou chirped, standing up and nodding his head slightly in the process. Ritsuka nodded his head back at Fou.
“Yeah, me too. Of course, there’s always the chance that she might not arrive until much later, but that can’t be helped, right?” Fou nodded his head, looking a little less enthusiastic this time. “It’s rather late, but I’m feeling a bit hungry. Want me to see if there’s anything other than emergency rations for us to snack on?”
“Fou!” Fou said, practically jumping up and down. Ritsuka chuckled, smiling fondly at the small, furry critter.
“Okay, okay,” he said, again stroking the top of Fou’s head. “I’ll take that as a definitive yes, then. Alright, let’s see what we have available…” Ritsuka added, walking over to the pantry.
Due to the lack of modern-day home appliances, like refrigerators or freezers, the only easily accessible, stored food were non-perishables or those that took a long time to go bad. Of course, since today was supposed to have been Chaldea’s last day in the Seventh Singularity, there wasn’t exactly a whole lot left in stock.
There was some dried meat, but Ritsuka wasn’t in the mood for any sort of jerky-like food, and he suspected that Fou wouldn’t be interested in that, either. Personally, Ritsuka could pretty much kill for a nice dish of udon, but sadly that wasn’t an option. Nor were there any more of the cookies that Jacob had baked previously.
However, there was a loaf of sweet bread still in the pantry, and it was that which Ritsuka grabbed and brought with him back to the table. As Ritsuka sat down, he saw Fou’s nose twitch slightly, an excited look on the face of Mash’s pet.
“Heh, looks like I found something for both of us after all,” Ritsuka chuckled, looking fondly at the furry companion that had been a constant presence ever since Ritsuka had first arrived at Chaldea and had met Mash. That was a good, fond memory, but it also felt like one that had happened almost a lifetime ago.
Shaking his head before he could descend any further into a path of melancholy thoughts, Ritsuka broke off a portion of the bread, holding it out to Fou.
“Fou! Fou!” Fou chirped as he started to lean forward, opening his mouth in preparation to take a small bite out of the offered treat. But before he could do so, Fou suddenly went absolutely still, looking over his shoulder.
“What is it, Fou?” Ritsuka asked, now feeling a bit concerned at the critter’s unexpected reaction. Fou leapt off the table, pointing his nose in the direction of the main door of the embassy.
Ritsuka started to open his mouth to ask a follow-up question, but before he could do so, he heard the faint sounds of footsteps on the other side of the closed door.
‘Sounds like someone’s outside,’ Rits thought to himself as he stood up and walked over to the front entrance of the building. ‘Wonder who it could be at this late hour…’
Opening the door to Chaldea’s embassy, Ritsuka saw that Quetzalcoatl had decided to swing by. The Mesoamerican Rider was leaning against the left half of the low wall protecting the embassy.
“Hola,” Quetz said softly, raising a hand up as an additional gesture of greeting. Ritsuka couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned, however. The blonde goddess seemed extremely subdued right now, and he had come to associate that state as being a very explicit indicator of if something was wrong for/with Quetz.
“What’s up?” Ritsuka asked his contracted Servant, walking over towards her. She lowered his hand as he came to a stop about three feet away from her. Quetzalcoatl sighed, closing her eyes before responding.
“In the eyes of Uruk, I would be an enemy goddess, wouldn’t I?” Quetz asked. Ritsuka grimaced, and when the Divine Spirit opened her emerald eyes, she continued speaking. “The last thing that I would want to do is make the people uneasy on their last quiet night. I think it’s best if I stay here, out of sight,”
“I can understand that,” Ritsuka replied. He leaned against the side of the wall opposite Quetzalcoatl, staring at her. “You’re always welcomed here, as you will be at Chaldea when this is all over.”
The Goddess of the Sun stared back, shaking her head in quiet awe. “Even though I was an enemy a few days ago, and after killing a hundred Urukians, you still don’t view me with hesitation or wariness. Your ability to forgive is quite remarkable, Ritsuka.”
“I wish there were more people who felt the same way. For all that humanity preaches about how forgiving is a great tenet to behold, we can be a very unforgiving race,” Ritsuka said, adopting a wry grin. “I know that sometimes Jacob teases me for being optimistic, but there are some things that are simply undeniable, for better or worse. But Jacob and I have agreed that Chaldea will always be a place of second chances. We try to carry that philosophy into the field and follow it whenever and wherever it is practical to do so.”
“Heh, that sounds very admirable,” Quetz chuckled softly. Then her smile fell, and she looked down towards the ground between the two of them.
“What else is on your mind, Quetz?” Ritsuka gently pressed. The blonde Rider took another deep breath and exhaled with a sigh.
“I need to tell you something,” Quetz began. “I knew about the real Tiamat from the beginning.”
This time, it was Ritsuka who inhaled sharply. That… That seemed like a critical piece of information for Quetzalcoatl to have left out, especially after leaving the Three Goddess Alliance and instead siding with Chaldea and Uruk.
‘Perhaps there is a reason for her actions here, though,’ Ritsuka thought to himself. He was going to give the Mesoamerican Servant a chance to explain herself.
“You’re saying that you knew that Gorgon wasn’t the real Tiamat?” Ritsuka asked Quetz in a calm and even tone. She nodded her head at him.
“Sí,” Quetz replied, still speaking in that unusual soft and subdued tone. “I was a bad goddess at the time, so I wasn’t able to tell you the truth.”
“For Gorgon’s sake?” Ritsuka asked, remembering about the vow of secrecy sworn by the members of the Three Goddess Alliance to not reveal the True Names of each other. Apparently, that extended to other compromising information as well.
“I didn’t want you to pity her,” Quetz said. “I wanted you all to fight against her need for revenge as hard as you could. But you still found me out anyway, Ritsuka. That is pretty pathetic, no?” She added, letting out a soft, self-derisive laugh.
Ritsuka shook his head firmly at his late-night companion. “No, Quetz. I don’t think it’s pathetic at all,” he said. Quetzalcoatl went still, looking back up at him. For a second or two, she remained silent. Then, the Rider nodded her head slightly.
“Maybe you’re right,” Quetz finally conceded. A small, friendly smile appeared on the blonde goddess’s face, and this time it was more akin to her usual energetic, happy-go-lucky expression. It seemed that Ritsuka’s words had a positive impact on the Rider.
“I’m confident that I am, Quetz,” Ritsuka replied reassuringly. “We tend to be our own harshest critics, whether we’re human or Heroic Spirits. Not even Divine Spirits are immune to this.” Now Quetzalcoatl broke out into laughter, looking even more like her usual self.
“I came here expecting a scolding, and I got everything but that,” Quetz declared. She paused, glancing up at the sky. “Well, we better head inside, yes?”
“Not a bad idea,” agreed Ritsuka. He gestured to the open door leading into Chaldea’s embassy. “After you, Quetz.”
And with that, the two of them headed inside. As Ritsuka finished stepping across the threshold, he paused for a moment, glancing in the direction that Mash had indicated she was going to wander off to. The same direction that Ishtar had scurried off to after tonight’s war council with King Gilgamesh had ended.
‘I hope that whatever you and Ishtar are talking about helps you find what you’re seeking for right now, Mash…’
Mash Kyrielight wandered through the empty streets of Uruk by herself. It was a truly sobering sight for the Shielder. While the fires that had raged through the city had finally been put out, the numerous scenes of devastation that the Laḫmu had wrought today were still painfully visible.
There was a sense of grief in the city, even when Mash wasn’t able to see any of the five hundred or so survivors that King Gilgamesh had told her and Senpai about. But at the same time, Mash could sense that there was still strength and resolve in each and every one of those same survivors.
Uruk had been battered and bloodied, but it was clear that the city and her denizens were far from defeated.
In a way, it was a statement that felt fairly applicable to Mash and her teammates, especially after today. Of course, Mash was also hoping to avoid ever getting to deal with such a heartbreaking day of losses again. On the other hand, however, Mash couldn’t help but worry if the final battle with King Solomon would be as bad, if not worse.
First, though, they needed to stop Tiamat and retrieve the Holy Grail that the King of Mages had sent back to this era. They could worry about what came next later. Presuming there was a later for any of them, that is…
When Mash reached the basis of the original walls that had protected Uruk for so long, she had still been unable to find a hint of a trace of Ishtar. The Demi-Servant had let out a quiet sigh, and started to turn around to head back to the embassy and see if Senpai was still up, when she heard a loud, depressed-sounding sigh from above her.
‘Ishtar’s on the ramparts,’ Mash realized. She found the nearest stairwell that led to the top of Uruk’s walls, and quickly ascended. Walking across the wall quietly, Mash soon spotted Ishtar sitting with her back to the heart of Uruk.
The Goddess of War and Venus was sitting cross-legged, and her head was held low. Her raven locks of hair obscured her face from Mash’s eyes. It was quickly apparent that Ishtar hadn’t sensed Mash’s presence.
“There you are, Ishtar,” Mash said softly, approaching the seated Goddess of War and Venus. “I brought you something to eat,” she added, holding out the wrapped loaf of sweet bread. Ishtar looked up, and Mash saw a faint smile appear on the Archer’s face.
“Huh? Oh, thanks,” Ishtar said softly, accepting the offered food. To Mash, it sounded like the Pseudo-Servant was still in the dumps, as Jacob Senpai would put it. “Where’s Ritsuka?”
“Senpai is still at the embassy,” Mash replied. “He was cleaning his bedroom before I left, but I believe he should be resting by now,” she continued, sitting down beside Ishtar. The raven-haired Archer didn’t voice any complaints about Mash’s actions.
“He was cleaning now?” Ishtar asked, one eyebrow raised, as she unwrapped the snack Mash had brought her and broke off a piece of the bread. “What’s the point?”
“Well, I think it’s a way for Senpai to say thank you to the people of Uruk,” Mash offered. She sat down a few feet to the right of the raven-haired goddess, her legs spread forward.
Ishtar turned to look at Mash, the Archer’s head co*cked slightly to the side and with a look of curiosity on her face. “Oh yeah?” Ishtar asked, popping a piece of her late dinner into her mouth and chewing softly on it. Mash nodded her head at the Pseudo-Servant.
“Yeah. I don’t think that Senpai believes that Uruk is going to be destroyed,” she replied. “He doesn’t even seem sad about leaving when the time comes. So, in some ways, it seems that he’s behaving as he always has, even with all the great stress that has fallen upon us today.”
“I don’t know if he’s brave or brazen,” Ishtar commented. “You’re a little different, I think, Mash.” This time, it was Mash’s turn to feel a bit surprised and confused, and to tilt her head in the direction of the Goddess of War and Venus.
“W-What do you—”
“I can tell that you’re scared of fighting,” continued Ishtar. “You’re not used to it yet, are you?” Mash sighed, nodding her head again.
“No,” she replied softly. Ishtar brought another piece of her loaf of bread up to her mouth. “But I’ve gotten past that.”
“Huh?” Ishtar asked, and Mash glanced away, staring past the wall’s protective merlons and ahead towards the Northern Wall as she continued speaking.
“Being afraid of fighting doesn’t bother me anymore. Jacob Senpai once said that fear isn’t something one needs to be ashamed of. That it’s only natural to feel it, whether it is occasionally or on a more consistent basis. It’s only a problem if you let it hold you back. King Leonidas also offered some of his own advice during our time here, advice that has come to bring me comfort as well.”
Ishtar hummed, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, Mash heard her snap her fingers. The moment that the raven-haired Archer did so, all the lit torches suddenly went out. Mash blinked, startled at Ishtar’s actions. When she glanced at her companion, though, Ishtar was gazing up at the sky.
“You know, it’s just like those lights,” remarked the Goddess of War and Venus. Mash looked up as well, and what she saw took her breath away.
Without any of the illumination of the torches, Mash could see the full extent of the night sky. Hundreds of stars twinkled and danced about, unaffected by the events of today. It was absolutely breathtaking.
It was far from the first time that the Demi-Servant had ever stopped and gazed up during a starry night, the awe-inspiring effect it had on Mash had never once faded. And why would it, when one of Mash’s deepest and longest-held desires had been to one day see the night’s sky, feel earth beneath her feet, and breathe fresh air, far from the isolation of her room at Chaldea?
“In them you can see the life of another person who shined in the distant past, thousands of years ago, as they shine on forever and ever,” Ishtar continued. “It’s nice.”
“Yes,” agreed Mash, closing her eyes briefly before opening them, memorizing the sky above her and Ishtar. “It is nice. I will never grow tired of seeing their brilliance.” Out of the corner of her eye, Mash saw Ishtar smiling briefly, before it faltered as the Archer let out a sad sigh. “Ishtar?”
“I… I wonder if this is one of the things that Ereshkigal did, whenever she took control of my body during the night,” Ishtar said softly. “Just sitting and gazing up at a sky she had previously been never allowed to see?”
“It’s quite possible,” Mash replied, though with some slight hesitation in her voice. “According to Jacob Senpai, she seemed very fond of simply getting to sit down next to him and talk, even if she was pretending to be you, Ishtar.”
“I noticed,” Ishtar said wryly. “I’m glad . We might not get along together, my sister and I, but even I can’t deny that she’s a part of me, as I am a part of her.”
“Then why don’t you try to make amends with each other?” Mash asked, co*cking her head to the side. “I know that there’s bad blood, since Jacob Senpai told me what you told him in regard to your previous, ill-fated journey to Kur, but if you two are interconnected, then surely you should both want to connect with each other?”
“Sometimes, the wounds are too deep, and the fire burns too hotly,” Ishtar said, letting out another heavy sigh in the process. “Besides, there’s not enough time for either of us to make any real progress if we tried.”
“Perhaps that is the case,” Mash conceded, though she was far from giving up on this subject. “But what if you both are summoned to Chaldea?” Ishtar froze, an unreadable expression on the Archer’s face, as Mash continued speaking. “Senpai and Jacob Senpai both believe strongly in the idea that Chaldea is a place for fresh starts for all who join.”
“…Maybe,” a hesitant Ishtar finally replied. “It’s a very unlikely scenario, so I won’t bank on it. No offense. Besides, we still need to defeat Tiamat. Everything else not directly related to that goal can come later.”
“Fair enough,” Mash conceded. She was a bit reluctant to do so, but she also knew when to stop pushing, unless she wanted negative results. This was one such limit.
“No problem,” Ishtar said with a lazy wave of her hand. “It’s late, and you should probably get some rest, Mash. Make sure that Ritsuka is as well. Gilgamesh is almost certainly going to be working everyone to the bone tomorrow.”
Mash let out a weak-sounding chuckle. Yes, the King of Heroes could be quite the taskmaster, even when not giving ‘instructions’ (read: commands) to Chaldea. And this was going to be an all-hands-on-deck moment, too. “Hai. None of us shouldn’t be staying up late.”
“Mhm. Thank you for the food, Mash,” Ishtar said, having finished off the sweet bread that Mash had brought with her.
“It’s my pleasure, Ishtar,” Mash replied. “And for the record, Senpai, Jacob Senpai, and I don’t think you’re a useless goddess just because you don’t have Gugalanna at your disposal. So please don’t let King Gilgamesh get to you, please?”
“…Thank you, Mash.”
“You’re welcome. Good night, Ishtar,” Mash said, bowing respectfully at the goddess. Ishtar smiled softly, nodding her head back at the Demi-Servant.
“Good night, Mash. Please get some rest, and sleep well.”
“How was your time out, Mash?”
Senpai’s question greeted Mash the moment she stepped into Chaldea’s embassy. Her boyfriend was seated at the table, and there was a single candle providing illumination in the room. Mash blinked, a little startled at this unexpected greeting.
“It was good. I thought you were asleep, though, Senpai,” Mash said, quickly recovering. She glanced in concern at Ritsuka.
“I was hoping so as well,” admitted Senpai, a sheepish expression appearing on his face. “I tried laying down and closing my eyes, but I couldn’t fall asleep. Everyone else is already asleep, so I decided to hang out here and see if I’d start getting sleepy waiting for you to come back. Fou kept me company,” he added as Fou clambered up onto the surface of the table.
“Is that right, Fou? You were keeping Senpai company?” Mash asked, reaching out and petting the top of Fou’s head.
“Fou, fou!” Fou chirped, and Mash smiled at her animal companion, as did Senpai.
“I found Ishtar,” Mash continued, looking back towards her boyfriend.
“How is she?” Senpai asked, frowning slightly in concern.
“She’s still upset over her scolding by King Gilgamesh, but she’s calmer now,” Mash replied. She could easily remember the small but honest smile that the raven-haired Archer had given her as they parted ways atop Uruk’s walls. “She will be okay.”
“I’m glad to hear,” Senpai replied, relaxing with a look of relief now on his face. “She is a good ally, and a good friend.”
“That she is, Senpai,” Mash agreed, walking over to the table. “So, did anything happen while I was out?”
“Yes, actually. Quetz came by a little bit after you left, Mash.” The Demi-Servant blinked a few times in rapid succession, a bit startled.
“She did, Senpai? What did she have to say?” Mash asked. And so Senpai filled her in on his conversation with the Mesoamerican Goddess of the Sun.
When her boyfriend had finished, Mash took a deep breath, slowly shaking her head in amazement. “Two goddesses, both of whom suffer from self-doubt and uncertainty. I wouldn’t have expected that to have happened.”
“I guess even Divine Spirits can be very human, no matter what they might say, think, or claim,” Ritsuka Senpai said with a wry smile on his face. Mash giggled softly, nodding her head in agreement. Then, she suddenly let out a soft yawn. “And it seems I’m not the only one finally starting to feel exhausted, either.”
Mash couldn’t help but blush from embarrassment. “H-H-Hai, Senpai,” she said meekly. Her boyfriend shook his head.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m in a similar state. Why don’t we go up and get some sleep?” He suggested. Mash nodded her head, her embarrassment quickly fading away.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Senpai.”
And so, the two of them quickly and silently headed upstairs, with Fou following right behind them. They entered the room they had shared since first being given the building by the King of Heroes, closing the door behind them and curling up in the bed. Fou joined them, quickly falling asleep.
However, despite how tired and exhausted both Mash and Ritsuka Senpai were, their bodies and/or minds apparently weren’t quite yet ready to pack it in for the night. After about few minutes or so of silence, Mash heard her boyfriend take a deep breath and slowly exhale in the darkness of their room.
“So, Mash…” Senpai started to say quietly. “How are you holding up? About tomorrow, and Tiamat?”
“I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Senpai, but… I’m still scared,” Mash whispered, closing her eyes as she said this. Yes, she had told Ishtar that she wouldn’t let her fear of fighting hold her back, but as the Shielder had also admitted, she still felt fear.
She heard some faint rustling, and then she felt a warm hand gently grabbing her left hand. Mash’s pulse jumped slightly at the wonderful sensation of contact. Something that only less than a year ago, Mash would have never imagined would possibly happen to her.
“For what it’s worth, Mash, so am I,” Senpai replied softly, gently squeezing Mash’s hand. It was an additional comforting gesture that also caused Mash’s heart to skip a beat from happiness, despite her overall feelings at present.
“We’ve never faced something like Tiamat before.”
“No, we haven’t,” agreed Senpai with a soft sigh. “The closest thing I’d compare this to would be the Demon God Pillars or Goddess Rhongomyniad. But even then, we knew that we could vanquish them. Right now, we’re entering unknown territory.”
“What if it fails?” Mash couldn’t help but ask. Senpai gave her hand another gentle, supportive squeeze before responding to her question,
“That is a possibility we should neither dwell on nor let it pass, Mash,” Senpai said firmly. “We will make this plan work, no matter what. I’m confident in that.”
“Why is that, Senpai?”
“Well, first of all, we’ve always found a way to do the impossible,” Senpai said, and Mash nodded her head, finally opening her eyes as she did so. While the darkness of their shared room made it difficult to see, Mash could see the firm and resolute look of determination on her boyfriend’s face.
“That is true,” agreed Mash. “Even if it was by the skin of our teeth, we have managed to survive, no matter how strong our opponents or grievous the setbacks inflicted upon us might be.”
“And as Jacob would put it, we’re all too stubborn to die,” Senpai added with a soft chuckle, and Mash couldn’t help but smile faintly at that. Yes, Jacob Senpai would say that. Though the Shielder would also say that he had certainly been pushing his luck recently…
“You said first, Senpai,” Mash said, forcing herself from descending that morbid rabbit hole. “What’s the second?”
“As long as we’re together, we’re strong,” Senpai replied without a moment’s hesitation. “Our strength comes from our teamwork as much from as the individual prowess of you, Mordred, and the other Servants.”
“Yes, Senpai,” Mash said, nodding her head solemnly. “Our teammates are some of the finest of Chaldea. We won’t let you or Jacob Senpai down, Master!”
“I know you won’t, Mash. You never have. Alright, that’s enough dark brooding for tonight,” Senpai said, letting out a soft yawn that Mash felt sounded rather cute. “We can continue this conversation tomorrow if needs be. Right now, however, we should get some sleep.”
“Hai, Senpai,” Mash replied. The Demi-Servant was now feeling much more relaxed and at ease. This was another wonderful sensation, being beside the one she loved and trusted. Mordred and Jacob Senpai probably felt something similar, if not the exact thing. “Good night, Senpai.”
“Good night. I love you, Mash,” Senpai replied, causing mash’s heart to flutter, even as her eyes grew heavy and started to close on their own accord. But before she fell asleep, she had one last thing to say tonight.
“I love you too, Senpai.”
Dawn came both too quickly and too slowly for Ritsuka. It was an odd, paradoxical statement born from his eagerness to stop Tiamat and the inescapable dread of once again facing the Primordial Mother.
However, he was no coward. He wouldn’t turn tail and flee. He hadn’t for the past seven singularities he had been deployed to, and he wasn’t going to start that trend today.
Breakfast was a muted affair, with some quiet conversations. To be fair, there wasn’t exactly a whole lot to talk about, seeing as how pretty much everyone had gone to bed after the war meeting with King Gilgamesh had ended.
About an hour later, everyone had finished eating, and Jacob had gathered the explosives he still had that Da Vinci had made and given the American for the Seventh Singularity. Ritsuka still wasn’t sure how to feel about Da Vinci being allowed to make explosives, among several other concerns, but right now, he also wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Once Jacob, Mordred, Jeanne, and Joan had finished getting ready, and Ishtar had arrived at Chaldea’s base of operations/embassy, Ritsuka knew that it was time for their party to temporarily split up. And ironically, it was once more with a small part of the team going down to Kur.
Ritsuka couldn’t deny feeling a bit envious of his fellow Master/older brother. Until last night, when the Queen of Kur had called out to King Gilgamesh, Ritsuka had never directly met Ereshkigal. That honor rested with Jacob. However, Ritsuka also refused to let that get to him.
From what he could tell, Jacob and Ereshkigal had developed quite a good rapport with one another. And after all, there was always the chance that the blonde Lancer would be summoned at Chaldea.
“So, got everything you’ll need while in Kur, Jacob?” Ritsuka asked the brown-haired American.
“Pretty much, Rits,” Jacob replied lazily with a grin on his face. Ritsuka, Mash, Jacob, Mordred, Joan, and Ishtar were now all standing outside the embassy. However, Jeanne wasn’t nearby, and he asked Jacob about that.
“Jeanne’s grabbing some fresh food for us to have for lunch and maybe even dinner at Kur. I also figured that it would be a nice way to thank Ereshkigal for what he is doing, as well as being willing to let us use her domain as the final battleground of the singularity,” replied Jacob. Ritsuka made a soft humming sound in the back of his throat.
“Oh, she’ll probably like that,” he said. “Even if she’s a Divine Spirit, and thus technically doesn’t need food, I suspect that she’s at least wondered what food tastes like.” As Ritsuka said this, he couldn’t help but notice how Ishtar shuffled awkwardly by Maana, a look of discomfort on the Archer’s face.
“I’m back, Jacob,” Jeanne called out as she approached the group. Ritsuka could see that the blonde Ruler was carrying a burlap sack with her, and thanks to Jacob’s earlier response, he knew exactly what was in it. “I hope I didn’t make you wait on me for too long?”
“No, not at all, Jeanne,” Jacob replied with a small grin on his face, and Ritsuka nodded his head in agreement. “Well, seems like we’re now all set to head off to Kutha and then Kur.” Again, Ritsuka nodded his head before speaking up.
“I guess so. Oh, Jacob,” Ritsuka said, suddenly remembering the Luger pistol that Jacob had given him yesterday. He reached down and started to unstrap the leather holster hanging from his hip. “You’ll probably want to have this back—”
But before he could finish either his sentence or taking off the holster pistol, Ritsuka was stopped by Jacob’s raised right hand, the American’s palm facing towards him.
“Right now, it’ll probably be more useful for you than me, Rits,” Jacob began. “First of all, I have this fun machine gun Chaldea’s loaning me for the rest of this deployment. It’s highly unlikely that I’ll need to use my Luger anytime in the near-future. Secondly, you need a ranged weapon beyond just using Gandr shots.”
“Okay, fair point,” Ritsuka conceded, fully removing his hands from his belt. “I will be returning it to you after we defeat Tiamat, though,” he added sternly. Jacob smirked, an impish glint in the American’s dark brown eyes.
“I’m counting on it, little brother,” Jacob said, reaching out with his right hand and ruffling up Ritsuka’s hair slightly. The Japanese Master scowled slightly, batting away Jacob’s hand with his own.
However, Ritsuka wasn’t even remotely upset at the teasing action. With all the stress everyone was now under, and would remain under for the next few days, any moment to have a chance to laugh and smile was virtually a blessing in and of itself.
They couldn’t just remain standing around and chatting, however. A fact that one of the nearby Servants proved to be more than happy to point out.
“Come on, are we going or what?” Ishtar called out impatiently, tapping her bare left foot against the ground. “We’re burning daylight here!”
“Don’t get your knickers in a knot, Ishtar,” Mordred huffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance at the raven-haired Archer. “She’s got a point, though, Princess.”
“Yeah,” Jacob grunted. “Well, Rits, Mash, we’ll see you later tonight.”
“And good luck to you as well, Jacob,” Ritsuka replied.
“Stay safe, Jacob Senpai!” Mash added. Jacob flashed both of them a lopsided smirk.
“And to you as well. Alright, Mordred, Jeanne, Joan, time to mount up!”
A few minutes later, Jacob and his three Servants accompanying him to Kur quickly climbed aboard Maana, and then took off to the air. Ritsuka watched silently as his friends headed off in the direction of Kutha, with one of Quetzalcoatl’s winged serpents soon joining them.
“There goes Jacob Senpai and Mordred again,” Mash said once the Kur team had vanished from sight.
“Can’t help but wonder what trouble they’ll manage to get into on the way,” Ritsuka chuckled, and Mash blinked a bit owlishly before letting out a soft, cute-sounding giggle of her own.
“I look forward to hearing how their trip went tomorrow, when Jacob Senpai, Mordred, Jeanne, and Joan return, Senpai!”
“Ditto,” Ritsuka replied, a lopsided grin on his face. He then took a moment to stretch his back and rotate his shoulders. He knew he was almost certainly going to be feeling absolutely stiff and sore by the end of today. “Well, it’s time for us to get to work.”
