They Call me Vox

Singularity F: Act 4

The last skeleton's rib cage caved in under Mash's shield. Both she and Ushiwakamaru quickly returned to the side of their Master. Vox looks around with a scrutinizing gaze, attempting to find any hostiles her Servants may have missed.

"That appears to be all of them, right girls?" Vox asks.

Ushiwakamaru nods.

"Yes, Senpai, all hostiles have been removed," Mash answers.

"Great let's keep moving," Vox says as the group continues through the burning city.

"I didn't know what would happen with that monster, but I expected nothing less of a Servant's body. Such power," Olga comments.

"Phrasing, Director," Vox teases, "Someone could take that the wrong way."

The Director glares at Vox, the slightest tint of red on her cheeks, "How dare you even suggest such a thing!"

Vox only laughs.

"Director, I have a question for you," Mash says, stepping between Olga and Vox, "The Fuyuki in our data, and this Fuyuki are just too different. What happened in this city, exactly? What are your thoughts, Director?"

"Let's see, history must've been slightly disrupted. That's the only reason I can think of," Olga answers, "Now, I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. Chaldea observes the future through an Earth model called Chaldeas. At the same time, a familiar called Laplace compiles past records. You can say it is Laplace's job to gather data on history that wasn't made public and information that's been lost to time. According to Laplace's observations, an unusual Holy Grail War was confirmed in this city in 2004."

"Hey, I remember that," Vox comments.

"You do?" Olga asks.

Vox nods, "Yeah, I was only six, and my family had gone on a trip to Fuyuki to visit a family friend when it happened. Unfortunately, he had passed away years before and my parents hadn't found out until we visited the man's son."

"Oh? Who was he?" Olga asks.

"Kiritsugu Emiya," Vox answers, "Better known as the Magus Killer. Yeah, my family was shocked when they found out about that bit of information."

"They didn't know?" Mash asks.

Vox shakes her head, "Nope. Apparently, Kiritsugu and my dad were old friends, and Kiritsugu didn't want to draw my dad into his problems. Thus, neither of my parents were ever told about Kiritsugu's life as the Magus Killer."

"Interesting story, and all, but I assume you know how the War ended?" Olga inquires.

"Mmhm. Saber won, though this," Vox gestures to the ruined city, "definitely did not happen."

"Guoooooo..."

"Oh, come on!" Vox shouts, turning to glare at the skeletons stumbling towards the group.

"Not these things again!" Olga exclaims.

"Ushi, Mash!" Vox orders.

"Yes, Master!" both Servants charge forward.

Mash deflects a few swords and spears of her shield before swinging it in a wide arc, crushing a couple of skeletons and sending one flying. Ushiwakamaru practically dances around her opponents' weapons like water flowing down a stream. Her sword blurs and a skeleton is decapitated.

Back with Vox, the rune mage spins Solas Dawn to knock aside a spear and then points the staff at the skeleton, "Sowilo!"

The rune ᛋ on Solas Dawn glows and a lightning bolt shoots out of it to hit the attacking skeleton. Vox glances over her shoulder and, with her free hand, traces another rune ᛁ, "Isaz!"

An icicle shoots from the rune and impales itself in the skull of a skeleton attacking the Director. Vox turns and brings Solas down on a skeleton's leg, breaking the bone. The skeleton falls, allowing Vox to finish it off with a blazing hit from her staff.

Vox looks over to see Ushiwakamaru spin in the air, decapitating the three skeletons surrounding her. Mash, meanwhile, crushes her final opponent under her shield.

"And that's the last of them," Vox says, twirling Solas Dawn, "Good work you two."

"Thank you, Master," Ushiwakamaru bows.

"Yes," Mash says, "I am happy I can be useful."

"Say, Mash," Olga says, "Is it possible that you can't use your Noble Phantasm?"

Mash is silent for a few seconds, "Apparently. I don't even know which Heroic Spirit fused with me... and I'm unable to use the power of its Special Arts, the Heroic Spirit's secret weapon, known as a Noble Phantasm."

Mash turns to Vox, "Vox Senpai, I'm sorry for explaining this so late..."

Vox holds up a hand, stopping Mash, "You do know that I'm not some idiot rookie right? I know what Noble Phantasms, Heroic Spirits, and Servants are. No need for any long explanations."

"Yes, you're right. I suppose I should remember that," Mash says, embarrassed, "In any case, I am unable to use my Noble Phantasm to its full potential."

"Don't worry about it," Vox says, patting Mash's shoulder, "You'll get it eventually."

"You really think so?" Mash asks.

"Indeed I do," Vox replies, smiling.

"Vox, as a Master you should be able to analyze your Servants' data," Olga says, "Can you not do that to discover the Heroic Spirit Mash fused with?"

Vox raises an eyebrow and looks at Mash, her eyes slightly glowing. After a few seconds, Vox shakes her head, "Something is interfering."

"Perhaps it is her Demi-Servant nature?" Olga suggests.

"Possibly," Vox agrees.

Mash looks down, "I'm sorry, Senpai."

Vox sighs and claps Mash on the shoulder, "It's not your fault Mash. And don't worry about that for now. We can work on that later, okay?"

"Okay," Mash mumbles.