FATE/GRAND ORDER AU

[enigmaster]

Comments

[violentenvies]

Come now. Surely within the week, amid the bustle of classes and missions, all will be forgotten.

[enigmaster]

I guess... Maybe. [He's not optimistic, but then. Is he ever?] ...Um...

[violentenvies]

Hm?

[enigmaster]

...So are you like... the medic here or another instructor, or...

[violentenvies]

[at that, Salieri huffs a bit, folding his arms and leaning against the wall]

I'm one of the assistants to the rayshift control operator. But I know enough about diagnostic spells to make sure that you weren't severely injured. However, I am staff here, if that's what you're asking.

[enigmaster]

Oh. [...] So rayshifting is, um... the thing we're supposed to be doing here, right?

[violentenvies]

Indeed. [he arches an eyebrow] Were you not at least informed of the basics when you signed up?

[enigmaster]

... [He tenses a bit at that question, quickly feeling defensive.] I mean, some... I guess. [That means no.]

1/2

[violentenvies]

....I see. Well, then, I suppose I should give you the basic rundown, at least, since you missed Orientation--

2/2

[violentenvies]

[which is, of course, when the alarms start blaring. Salieri frowns, attention diverted]

What on Earth--?

[enigmaster]

[Edward sits up at that, putting the pillow down.] Um... that doesn't sound good.

[violentenvies]

It does not. [he frowns--] Stay here. I'm going to go see what's wrong.

[enigmaster]

[Stay here, he's told, and immediately Edward wants to fire back some retort, but. ...For now he'll nod. And stay put. For about, oh... twenty seconds. After which, he's absolutely going to check out what's going on, are you kidding?]

[violentenvies]

[great, well, he'll find everything to be...a mess. There are tremors under the base, and it's clear by the running around that something has gone terribly wrong. Investigate further?]

[enigmaster]

[Is this a trick question? Of course he's investigating further!

He's going to go directly towards wherever the source of this is. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.]

[violentenvies]

[it sure isn't. In fact, the entire place is in disarray, but the Command Room isn't hard to find. In fact, he'll see Salieri near the door, hesitating for a brief moment before his eyes narrow and his jaw sets, and he's darting inside, despite the warnings already blaring over the speakers informing them that the doors will be closing soon]

[enigmaster]

[Edward takes a second, wondering if maybe... he should be running away, like some people are. Actually, a lot of people seem to be focused more on evacuating than anything else. ...For some reason, though... He finds himself rushing into the Command Room as well. He needs to know what's going on.]

[violentenvies]

[The place is...well. It's bad. The bodies of those who were in there--that is, the recruits, the staff who operated the FATE system--it doesn't look good. Salieri himself is pale as he moves to the command panel, already trying to figure out what's wrong--what happened here to cause this sort of explosion. It's unresponsive at first, and he makes a frustrated sound, stepping back, before starting to move towards the stairs going down--which is about the time he notices Edward.

His head jerks towards him, startled]

Monsieur Nashton--[and then his expression turns into a scowl and a frown] Get out of here! Now!

[enigmaster]

[Yeah, it does NOT look good in here. Edward's feeling very frozen right now, just looking at it all. There's the blaring of the alarms, the scent of smoke filling up the room, and the sight of-- --he decides not to look too much at whatever's left underneath some of the rubble. Most of the candidates seem to be in those machines, but like this... like this, they're not going to be getting out again. Someone's shouting his name. He should move. Why isn't he moving-- No... he is. He's just walking forward, instead of back. He's feeling dazed. Maybe it's just from fainting before...?]

[violentenvies]

You--Monsieur Nashton--!

[Snapped]

Turn around this instant--

[Salieri glances down the stairs, towards the underground power station, and then back to Edward, as the emergency announcement continues to count down]

Get out! I need to try and stabilize this power center and I cannot do that with you in here! Now get out!

[enigmaster]

[Oh, yeah, someone's yelling at him. That's... familiar enough, to the point where-- well, it doesn't make him feel better, but it makes this all feel strangely normal for a moment. Partially, anyway. The rest of him is feeling sick. There's a scent in the air that's not settling well in his stomach. He's taking a stumbling step back... right in time to narrowly avoid a piece of debris, which falls, crushing half of the coffin just a little bit to his left. That snaps him out of his daze, at least, and he's scrambling back, eyes wide.] Shit--

[violentenvies]

[Salieri startles as well, wincing]

Run--now! [and it's the last part that's snapped Edward's way before he's darting down the stairs, descending so he can throw himself at that power station, mind racing through theory as he tries to figure out how to stabilize this]

[enigmaster]

[Salieri goes and Edward's left behind. He wants to run. He does, now that what's happening is starting to feel real and he understands the danger, but... He stops himself, glancing back at that coffin. And before he can think better of it, he's trying to see if he can move the debris, get whoever's stuck in there out. ...He can't, of course. Frankly he wouldn't be able to lift something like that on a good day, but especially not now. It's all he can do to stumble back again after, breathing heavily, leaning on the untouched coffin next to it.] --what the hell am I doing? [What he should be doing is leaving. He's starting to stand up, when there's a mechanical voice coming through-- Searching for qualifying Master... Found.] ...huh?

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's expression shifts into a frown as some of the pieces start to fall into place, as he realizes--sabotage.

The FATE system and the control room have been sabotaged.

Of course, that's when the system speaks up, announcing that it's found a master. His head jerks up at that]

What--?

[Candidate No. 48, Edward Nashton, reset as Master.

Salieri's eyes widen as the system starts powering up, and his fingers are flying over the keyboard, trying to do something]

Wait, what are you--?

1/2

[enigmaster]

[Edward's spinning around, trying to figure out what's happening, but that was definitely... his name just now. He swallows, backing up slowly. Unsummon Program, start. Spiritron Conversion, start.] What the hell-- [Rayshift starting in 3... 2... 1...] W-Wait, hold on a minute--