Act 4, Scene 6
"Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword," I intone, my command spells glowing.
"Mhm. 'Til death do us part, Subaru-kun," replies Rem with a smile as I nearly fall over. "Or, should Rem call you Master, now?"
"J-just the usual is fine!" I stammer. "L-look, Master and Servant is nothing like that, or I'm in a whole bunch of trouble! Even putting aside that I've got contracts with men, there's no way you'd wish something like a romantic relationship with Nobbu on me, right!? B-besides, you're making things awkward for Micchan and Gogh!"
"Ehehe~" Why is Gogh smiling like she's into it!?
"Let's just get this over with," Says Micchan… no, hang on, she's put her glasses back on again! They're still broken and only recently cleaned of blood, and she's gone and put them on to try and transform back into the Arima-san I met last night!
"R-right. We make a good team, so I'm counting on you, Micchan. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword."
"..." Miyako mutters something about pieces, but somehow that counts as acceptance of the contract.
"And lastly…" I turn and see-
"Let's Gogh, everyone!~" cries a vaguely human shape with a sunflower for a face. What…?
***
"Face, the one who shattered seven worlds."
Again, the door shuts behind me, and Ritsuka raises his hand, command spells glittering like a ruby does in the midday sun. "Ivan."
I leap to the side this time, lightning leaving no mark on featureless white expanse as my own command spells match his. "Miyako, Rem, Gogh!" My landing becomes a crash as Ivan arrives fully, and a wave of near-blinding pressure pours off of him. Some kind of intimidation skill…?
In any case, if I'm going to avoid using Wallachia's Mystic Code, then this is the first solution worth trying. Summon all three Servants all at once and try to overwhelm him before he can react.
Rem and Miyako launch forward as fast as they can. Rem's spirit-bound flail materializes, flying at Ivan, who blocks the oncoming mass of steel with a staff held in two hands. At the same time, Miyako slips past the enormous Tsar, closing on the simulation of our childhood friend, her fist at the ready.
"[Shonen Anime Friendship…!" Miyako shouts.
"[Het Gele…" Gogh says.
The crack of fist on bone rings out as Ritsuka delivers an uppercut to Miyako's jaw. "Qin Shi Huang."
…Huis]!" Gogh finishes, and an ominous chilling wind wraps around my body like a blanket, even as it bites at Ritsuka, whipping past and scratching wounds into his face that glow a dull purple.
"-Punc-!]" Miyako tries to finish her invocation through the pain, but Ritsuka sidesteps, catching her arm even as the protective coating of wind strips the skin from his hand, and pulls her into a throw that looks suspiciously like the moves Jason and Hercules were pulling in the last singularity.
And then, Qin Shi Huang arrives, the spitting image of Gogh's drawing earlier. Suddenly, I find I can't move - overwhelming pressure restrains my movements, and looking at the others, they're not much better.
The spikes - tusks, maybe? - on Ivan's shoulders suddenly extend, twisting through the gaps in Rem's guard and impaling her. At the same time, silvery liquid - mercury, maybe? - shoots off of Qin Shi Huang's body, taking shape into blades that spear the now-prone Miyako.
"Damn… it-!" I manage to rasp from my own position on the ground, completely immobile now. Gogh feebly moves her paintbrush, calling forth some sunflowers, but the next instant, lighting pierces through the feeble attempt at defense.
And with that, all four of us are sent flying out of the door to land in a bruised heap.
"He can fight too!?" I complain as I pry myself free from the tangle of limbs. "No, weren't those moves cribbed from the Greek style? Don't tell me he's got a contract with Chiron or something…"
"...Sorry, I screwed up," Miyako mumbles.
"Ehehe… I was completely useless…" Gogh chimes in.
"Rem thinks she might have had a chance against Ivan if not for Qin Shi Huang's… aura, I suppose," our third combatant says.
"Yeah, Ivan was one thing, but I think Qin Shi Huang had me completely immobilized, whatever else was going on," I mutter. "Recorder, how's the analysis of that going?"
"[All Books Must Be Burned] and [All Philosophers Must Be Buried]. Those are the two passive skills that manifest the moment he enters the field - in short, they oppress Magic Circuits and physical movement respectively. In addition to those, Ivan Grozny's skill, [Emergency Prerogative], reduces all capacities of his foes by an entire rank," Recorder answers from the communicator. "In the case of Ivan Grozny, a [Charisma] skill or the like could nullify his intimidation, but none of those present possess that skill. Frankly, I doubt victory is even possible if both men are on the field. Not to mention, we have yet to see their Noble Phantasms…"
"If we need someone with [Charisma]," Pepe notes, "perhaps one of the wielders of the Kusanagi might fit the bill? Myourenji Arou was so kind as to bring it to us, after all."
"Certainly, that was the script before," Recorder snaps, even more irritated than usual. "But I have already revealed the true nature of this 'singularity', and I will not allow you to use the things conjured herein as catalysts lest we call up something even more troublesome than the TATARI."
…In other words, he thinks that might have been Wallachia's initial plan?
"I am the person who put the legends of Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto to paper, and thus he possesses the capacity to withstand my Noble Phantasm, rumor or no. Wallachia likely possessed some hare-brained scheme involving his summoning," he explains. "Regardless, such things are immaterial at this time. If it comes to it, we may attempt a compatibility summon, but I would prefer to avoid such efforts for the time being - for now, we still have six command spells that we can transfer from Yu Mei-ren and Scandinavia Peperoncino. We will make two more attempts, and then stop for the night."
Right, Yu Mei-ren! "Do you think Xiang Yu might be able to-"
"The Emperor possesses the administrator codes for my mechanical body," the man's voice calls from the background of Recorder's transmission. A few moments later, his tall, ponytailed form replaces that of the Caster. "My participation in this trial would result in my permanent defection - in short, even when I join to assist you on the last three days, my aid will make no difference if you cannot clear Fujimaru Ritsuka." He closes his eyes for a moment, as if in thought, then opens them once more. "In addition, and in truth the primary reason for my decision to visit the command room right now, you should all know this: avoid the Sixth Trial, the one which can be found in the basement. It is impossible to clear until six days from now, and once you turn it on, it will not be deactivated until the sun rises."
Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he withdraws, allowing Recorder to return to the display. "I'm by no means certain what Xiang Yu's [Foresight] showed him, but I hope none of you are foolish enough to test it for the time being?" Why do I get the feeling he's staring straight at me when he says that?
"Do I really look like I'm planning on walking face-first into a Bad End?" I mumble. I have got a bit of a history, though… "Anyway, let's try without Van Gogh this time, okay?"
Another rustling of petals catches my ears as some flowers pop out of the Foreigner's hair. "Ah, I bloomed again…" She says with a nervous laugh. No, really, what's with that…?