Chapter 0 - Critical Mission Failure - Deploy Second Team!

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Time: 3:50 - Location Chaldea HQ - Alps Mountains

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It all started as a standard day in the middle of a cold afternoon in the Alps Mountains where the group of mages known as The Chaldea Security Organization who keep the peace in the history of time. This time, and all alternatives that would cause havoc in the grand scheme of the universe. With the Great Grail, and the Lower Grail often falling into the hands of people who do not deserve them it is possible for time itself to be displaced because of that. Or simply perhaps because the time lines failed to reach a predestined conclusion. Some alternatives were accepted Altria Pendragon not fading away into non existence after the Fuyuki War. Or possible failures of people like Shirou Emiya to end a conflict properly leading to other victories. Some of those were predetermined time lines that were possibilities. Some possibilities that were not accounted for such as an unaccounted for servant. Or a leak of the mysterious essence known as 'All the World's Evil' which typically surrounded the Avenger Class. However these 'distortions' or 'singularities' as some call them were only pruned if they effected the main world line. This one. It was a way of making the world work right...or at least that was what he was told.

It was typical for Chaldea to send agents off to different times using the Coffin: Spiritron Chassis which allowed them to go back towards the past, or alternative realities in order to stop these events from happening. The process known as Rayshift was the technique used to do so. It was today that Team A consisting of Scipio Africanus summoned by Keiji Togami, Mitsuhide Akechi summoned by Miranda Einzbern, Zhao Yun summoned by Blake Bell, and Helena Blavatsky summoned by Judai Adachi once more stepped into the fold. Togami being a powerful mage with an equally powerful servant led the group, as per the usual, into a issue with the Fuyuki Grail War in an alternative timeline. A strange reading had occurred and it needed to be dealt with immediately...that was a full day ago. It was not the usual the group to loose contact with the station. Director Orson had been quite tight lipped about the whole situation but now things were starting too look bleak.

Chaldea Staff on the other hand were on par with their usual assignments of keeping eyes on the rayshift machines, and the other machines that monitored the world. Some of them vastly improved thanks to the genius of the knowledge of a Caster known as Archimedes whom was known for his famous inventions. Despite the vanishing act that had befallen the first team everything was rather quiet as the other teams went about their duties separately. This day was different. Director Orson had ordered the Team to meet them at the Global Environment Model "CHALDEAS". It was where the world itself was usually monitored since it contained the soul of the world.

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Leon had been training in the testing facilities since he woke up. His team had not been needed to be assembled for a while. Usually given assignments when Team 1 had already had their duties filled up he was more often than not given difficult but not extreme assignments. He remembered his first mission was to simply put down a few mages that were plotting to overthrow the order of an older Fuyuki Grail War. The servant summoned by their team at the time, Andrew Jackson, had made quick work of them. Since then the whole of Team B was newer members. There were still a few people he recognized here, and there but he didn't really know them all too well. Ever since leaving America a few years back he had been in charge of his own life and he vastly preferred it to his father hovering over him. He found the work more gratifying than simple dueling. Leon needed to make a living as a mage so why not as a protector of Earth? It was not fancy work, and it didn't get him any fame with the average person but it just worked for him.

Of course he couldn't stay training all day by himself he wondered what Orson could want. He was a coarse, rough, and deathly serious man but he was honest, and respectful of people as long as they did not act out. As a Director he lacked charisma but made up for it in a clear talent for leading people in dangerous situations. He wondered what Orson had been like when he was younger? Was he always this stuffy? It was possible but he simply failed to ever remember a time where he saw the director smile from a joke. It may have been better that way better to act as a strong pillar than a goofy fool. He had to command respect from his troops.

Those were the simple thoughts on Leon's mind as he made his way out of the training rooms. He was still hot so he kept his white pristine Chaldea uniform unbuttoned. It was cool, but not humid in the halls of Chaldea. It made up for the fact that the climate was kept under good control by the staff here. Still he wondered if it was unprofessional as the boss of his team he had to make a good impression. He'd make a mental note to button up before getting to see Director Archibald. He did wonder where his team was exactly and hoped they would make it on time.

@vancexentan

"All those books and not a single graphic novel. And you call yourself a library? Me thinks not.", commented Conner as he stepped out of the elevator, grumbling to himself about his fruitless venture in Chaldea's library.

So far, life at Chaldea was quite the unique experience. Definitely leagues better than his stays at the Clock Tower, where every polite gesture hides a shameless scheme, and every passed corner has a chance getting stabbed in the back.... or worse. Here, though, mostly everyone here isn't out to gain glory, fame or prestige. The united goal in the preservation of humanity and the safeguarding of its future keeps everyone on the straight and narrow, as well as preventing the inflation of a mage's infamous ego and ambition..... or so it would seem, at least. One can never truly know how circumstances like this pan out long term, so one can never truly be sure. All Conner knew was the Chaldea was looking superior to the Clock Tower with every passing second.....

..... Now if only they had some better reading material...

As he stepped into the hallway, Conner turned to see Leon, the leader of Team B, walking toward him.... with his uniform unbuttoned.

"The Alpine air not cool enough for you, sir?", Conner jested with a small smirk as he walked alongside the older man. "Director Archibald wants to meet us at CHALDEAS. Sounds serious. Could it be about Team A?"

Quick mini-collab with Enkryption

---

With the slightest of morning buzzes killed after spending a majority of her morning explaining things to Scarlett, Elise would take a brief walk around Chaldea with her hands in her pockets, figuring that today would just be another day spent on being the glamorous B-Team, of which only their Leader had seen active duty. ...Whatever happened to the rest of the former B-Team anyways?

Just when Elise was about to go back to her room, she'd receive the message to head to CHALDEAs. ...Well, at least she knew it wasn't disciplinary action, since it made zero sense to do that in the single most valuable facility in the entire building. That was a load off her shoulders, since she was sure that an old, grumpy man lecturing her might just make her head explode right now. ...Or...maybe it was finally some action that didn't involve a benchpress and squats.

With at least the most bare effort made to be punctual, Elise would arrive on time to see one of the other new members of Team B, Conner, poking fun at their leader for something she couldn't quite see from his back. Walking by, she'd tap Leon on the shoulder and pivot on her foot once she was past him and Conner, saying: "Finally some action, Captain? I've got some aged absinthe to take the tension off, if you're interested~"

Without warning, she'd also put an arm on Conner's shoulder, leaning on him slightly and saying: "You're invited too, Griggs. Drinking age is 18 for spirits here." ...Leon could probably tell, discipline wasn't one of Elise's strong suits, since she was already planning to drink on the job and get everyone roped in.

Morning started early for Scarlett Ishval at the unfavourable hours of 4:25 AM exactly, as she roused from her slumber with zero desire to do so, and yet she swiped a burnt finger over the dismissal icon on her smartphone's alarm app. Yes, 4:25 AM, the operation starting hours of a substitute teacher, as she dragged herself to her small washroom to brush her teeth - in the full understanding that she'd be powering down a bowl of some frosted cereal with marshmallows and a cup of coffee, hot and black, in five minutes - and brush the sleep-born tangles out of her hair. Heavily, Scarlett yawned herself into her kitchenette, as the coffee machine rumbled away; boiling away at the coffee roast like the dutifully.

“Good morning, Ms. Potts,” Scarlett greeted, as she rummaged through her cabinets, pulling out boxes of off-brand, (“But just as good,”) boxes of cereal, until she found the wannabe of her choice, and opened her mini-fridge with her toes to it's apex, as she balanced the box in one hand and a bowl in another. To an outsider, Scarlett would have looked rather silly, trying to outpace the closing door, as she darted to the island/countertop/dinner table and back to the mini-fridge to snatch the carton of coconut milk before the door shut. However, to the uneducated masses, this was a clever little wake up exercise, as it tested her physical and mental acuity to move from point to point under a time constraint while balancing objects as well.

Some days, she succeeded to snatch the carton without issues. Some days, she would get her hand smushed by the rubber gasket on her way in or out. The time she smashed her fingernails directly into the door was a teaching moment that the pain of hitting one's fingernails against something at force was directly equivalent to their overall length, and she never grew them beyond an inch. Fortunately, today, however, was a success, as she extracted the carton, while the door went, "whump~" seconds later.

Sitting down, Scarlett would start on her lesson planner for the week. Teaching children was not hard, per se, but planning how you would was. The children of mages were no less difficult to teach to than regular children - everyone needed to learn the sciences, arithmetic, history, and social studies, after all - so, it was the fact that she had to appeal to their egos installed by their parents and lineage. Fortunately, she had the advantage that they were, at the end of the day, children - teens, more specifically - and could be controlled by the simplest of systems:

Behavioral Reward and Punishment.

By 7:20 AM, with her next alarm ringing her phone, Scarlett would look up from her bowl of soggy cereal and half-empty mug of lukewarm coffee. Ritualistically, she would pour the coffee into the cereal, and drank the bowl of mixed liquids and semisolids, before setting the bowl and mug into the single compartment sink, and gathered her books and tomes for her journey across the campus to the classrooms. It struck her odd that Chaldea would locate a teacher so far away from the classroom that she had to undertake a forty-minute walk, but she supposed it was because she was just a substitute, and didn't need to be in more prestigious boarding, or maybe it had something to do with that Team B thing they bothered her about every odd weekday and all weekend long.

Whatever the reason be, Scarlett didn't intend to be deterred from her duties, first and foremost, of assuring these impressionable youths didn't wind up the same route she did.

However, that seemed to be a distant dream, as the winds of change blew upon her, and pushed her destiny back onto the path she'd renounced...

“Oh, my!” she shouted, as she nearly impacted with someone that reeked of the potential of future inebriation, and some of her items spilled.

“Oh, sorry!” Elise would say, deftly catching a dusty book that had fallen from the stack, placing it back on top. “...That’s…a lotta books.You sure you can carry all that?”

“I've been doing this all day,” Scarlett says, looking out from beneath her crimson hood.

“Its only Eight though-wait.”Elise would peek around the books, vaguely recognizing the woman. “...No way. Scarlett!?”

“Are you one of my students,” Scarlett asks. “Class doesn't start until nine. I still have to prepare the lesson planner for the week, so you have a question, you can ask after class.”

“Huh?”Elise would ask, taken off guard. “...You’re not at Prague anymore. You know that right, Scarlett? You did bodyguard work for me for a while. Three years ago.”

Scarlett looked at Elise for a moment, and suddenly drew a chain from around her neck with a unique vial strung to it, and a crimson liquid inside; Elise would be carrying its twin, with crimson liquid inside as well - two drops of blood, shared between two people, and join as a pact of friendship and sacrifice.

“Elise Barbette. I remember you,"” Scarlett says. “Mayhaps, not the years. But, I remember you,” she says, “What happenstance to cross paths here.”

Elise would chuckle at the recollection, saying: “Been a while, yeah. Best bodyguard I ever hired. …Though, what a coincidence that you’re here at Chaldea too. Recent hire?” Elise asked.

“I'm afraid I don't particularly know,” Scarlett admits, “I was teaching at the Clock Tower,” she says, “'Wide Spectrum Academia Professor,' is... or was... my title. I may be the only professor here.”

“I see…” Elise said. “We should probably get a mage specialized in healing to look at your cognitive functions. For now though, I’ll give you a basic rundown. And, you should probably keep a diary.”

Scarlett was set to protest the idea, as well as point out that Elise was being rather rude in her presumptions, but it would do little good to chastise the drunk; they weren't in full control of themselves and their actions were inhibited, so they were able to wonton indulge in their more devilish thoughts and words. Scarlett would trust that Elise meant well, and spoke poorly.

And, a diary didn't seem like such a bad idea. If only to put her thoughts to paper.

Perhaps, her first entry would be how she felt rather fortunate that she was able to lose Elise by excusing herself to the restroom, and replacing herself with a relatively simple Alchemical Doll; the Alchemist's answer to the Mage's Paper Doll. It could take on her appearance, her voice, and would follow Elise around while answering questions with monosyllabic answers. As a person that was fairly reserved, the Doll would serve as Scarlett well, until it ran out of power and crumpled, or Elise figured out the deception. Regardless of which came first, Scarlett would be Miss Val once more, as she taught her 9:00 AM Homeroom; unconcerned with the inconvenience that Elise was taking her Doll for, as that had been a problem of Elise's own design to begin with.

Her second entry would likely be how displeased she felt to be so unceremoniously summoned by her higher-ups.

And, in the middle of math lessons, at that. How unprofessional.

Annoyed, though her face didn't show it, Scarlett would go to the location she'd been so rudely interrupted to rally at, and take notice of her compatriots - though, she couldn't remember their name, mostly because she wasn't trying to. She remembered they were part of the whole Team B thing, but, genuinely, that was as far as she dedicated memory to them. The loud one, she was fairly certain his name started with an L... Lance... Layton... Leon... Libra...... That seemed right. The quiet one was... a C?... Curtis... Carter... Conner... Capricorn...... Yeah, that was it. Libra and Capricorn. And, Elise. Her sacrifriend.

Now... Why was she even here again?

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Featuring dialogue from @The Irish Tree

@Rezod92

"Probably yeah Team A was ray shifted by the Director on emergency duties, and we were put on high alert in case of emergency. I haven't been told what has happened. Something went wrong with one of the grail wars in all likelihood is what the staff was saying." Leon says informing his acquaintance, and teammate Conner about what was happening. "No word if its as major as it seems but singularities detected by Chaldea's equipment must mean that it must is a must to check out. If it was something small that would root itself out then all of Team A wouldn't have been dispatched. Zhao Yun has already shown why he was called 'The Little Dragon' in past situations if he needs one of Rome's greatest next to him and the expertise of caster...ugh it hurts my brain to think about." Leon says rubbing his head somewhat worn out from his training he didn't really mind that he was being teased about his lack of mystic code being unbuttoned. Leon folded his arms across his chest as he prepared to speak up once more.

@The Irish Tree@Enkryption
"We-" he started to say as suddenly he felt someone poke him on the shoulder as he watched Elise move around, and offer him a drink for his stress. Leon smiled at her despite his stress starting to mount. If this whole situation got worse that meant he probably would need to take her up on this offer but as it stood he didn't tend to drink much. A sense of professionalism is what drove him but he knew Elise's family specialized in magical beverages of the alcoholic sort. It was something he valued having as drinking something that tasted nice and helped out? That was something a lot of normal people wished that they could have on hand. "I still don't know how that works but maybe later. I don't want to give off the wrong impression to the Director. I've only recently been made 'Captain' and that's only because of me being on hand longer. I would prefer not to make the impression I'm drinking on the job get me?" Leon states as he starts to button up his shirt. He supposed he would have to do it eventually but he was hoping to relax a bit longer. He should remember he no longer had the luxury of being at home, or being the secondary squad member. He had to lead, and make choices. That was the role given to him. It was the quiet, and mysterious girl Scarlett who came along. Leon didn't know much about her other than what her profile gave on her, and her magic so he was hoping this could give her a chance to get comfortable. "Hey there Scarlett I hope you're ready, and doing well. I understand things here may be difficult but, I want you to know I'm here for you if you need it. I imagine Elise is too...Connor i'm not sure he's smart enough to though." he says sarcastically at the last bit of his sentence laughing a bit.

@vancexentan @Enkryption @The Irish Tree

Conner's eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets at his captain's last statement. Oh, the cons and struggles of being youngest, which he found oddly funny seeing as he's the eldest child in his family.

"First off, I welcome the company, but respectfully decline the drink, Elise. I don't have the wish to acquire a taste for drinking what is, essentially, swamp water.", Conner commented with a good-natured smirk while nodding in greeting to Scarlett. "Secondly, don't speak too soon on that, o' captain. I may just surprise you."

Odd as this team was, it certainly wasn't boring.

Scarlett looked at Libra, and tilted her head at him... did he realize he was coming off as that senior jock at the bar trying to pick up a freshman by attempting to appeal to her vulnerable state and newness? Furthermore, to things that Scarlett didn’t feel she had in the slightest - she was hardly vulnerable and wasn’t remotely new to any of this.

Suddenly, she had an idea, though; reaching into her schoolbag - a ratty, old leather messenger bag - and withdrawing a composition notebook of all things.

Spinning a pen, she would start to scribble into it. Her expression was thoughtfully, as she wrote down her thoughts. As she was consumed in herself, and her notions, she wouldn’t even acknowledge Capricorn.

A part of her was sure he was speaking - maybe, even saying something important - but she really couldn’t be bothered to pay him any mind. Limited as she was, Scarlett couldn’t afford to intake more distractions to her mental processes, and would have to sacrifice something else to her Sphere of Consciousness; though, infinite, it could be and would be, that state made pulling thoughts back a difficult.

Maybe, this book would be helpful. That’s why she was keeping it, right? Frowning, she would quickly close it, and write on the cover, [Scarlett’s Helpful Book], before returning to it.

Looking up, Scarlett would look beyond Libra and Capricorn, and frowned, “Oh, Miss Barbette, you are here, as well.” Shutting her book, she would pass by Libra and Capricorn, and waggled her pen, chastising, as she scolded, “You missed your lessons, young lady. Just because you aren’t at the Prague Academy any more, doesn’t mean you can skip out on your supplementary lessons,” and she would end with a huff, saying, “You won’t properly graduate, if you keep playing around.”

Elise would be lying if she said that Conner's lack of culture was physically bringing her pain...but hey, hyperbole existed for amusement. But hey, at least she knew their captain was a sensible enough man to not want to APPEAR to be drinking on the job. Didn't mean he wouldn't, just meant that he was smart about it. Righting her position, Elise would shrug, saying: "That'll be for later then. And, don't worry Conner, I'll make sure to bring real swampwater so you can compare." She was probably kidding.

Probably.

But then came the realization that Scarlett was on their team, not just a general member of Chaldea staff. ...How could she have missed that!? Then again, Scarlett was the kind of person to just blend into the background. ...Or maybe she just didn't want to believe that a former teacher, bodyguard, and friend all at once was here too. Though...given her memory problems, she had to assume that the blowhard Director had realized her combat capabilities and judged her to be a good Master candidate. She just hoped that if action did occur, whatever Servant that Scarlett summoned would work as a good personal aide. Maybe a Caster or an Assassin, something easy to manage and low maintenance.

"I've ALREADY graduated Scarlett," Elise insisted, crossing her arms. "Anyways, lessons aside, we should head in before the Director blows a gasket.

"Right we should head to CHALDEAS as soon as possible. I understand that all of you weren't expecting this, and neither was I, but that's kind of the point right? We're the guys who get called in when shit gets real, and I'm counting on all of us to be ready for it." Leon told the three members of his team as he hurried down the corridors as they passed by members of the medical team coming by they seemed to have a grim look on their face. As they came to the doorway down the long hall that led to CHALDEAS he saw the two guards standing in the doorway though they had almost never saw combat they had to take precautions even with Heroic Spirits wandering around. It was dangerous after all if one got serious about messing things up? The whole place could be reduced to rubble. Who knows if someone has been secretly working to undermine literally everything they stood for CHALDEAS was almost irreplaceable, and it being disrupted, or destroyed would set them back really badly. Let alone the Rayshift technology, and everything that went with it. The guards looked over Leon, and the group quickly checking them for weapons, and anything else before letting the group through. It was once they were inside did they meet Director Orson whom was standing in the middle of the hallway leading up to the giant blue globe with his back to them, and the door. He was in his standard outfit he wore a long white cape with a white shirt. His hands were covered in black gloves, and his boots matched them. He also tended to wear black, or white pants to match the uniform. His graying slicked back tan hair meshed well with his uniform, a long white trench coat with the Chaldea symbol emblazed on it. He seemed really tense despite all of this but kept quiet. Instead of him, or Leon going up to them they were met by another man.

The man, or rather the legendary scientist, who stood before the, closer to them than the Director looking at a tablet in his hand, looked at Leon, Elise, Connor, and Scarlett with a serious tone which was out of character for the usually calm, and collected individual. "You took your time arriving here Captain Winchester but all things considered it didn't take too long so I'll overlook it." commented the individual in front of them as he folded his arms and waited for a response. He was clearly frustrated but he was trying to keep calm. "Sorry I wasn't expecting us to be called on such short notice. I thought you wouldn't need us for a mission since the new guys are still settling in, and all." Leon responded professionally standing at the ready. He looked past the individual and down the hall at the Director who stood there looking intensely at CHALDEAS.

"So you're the newcomers finally gotten into action I see? I've already read you files, in fact I helped compose them, but I suppose introductions are best done in person. I am a caster class servant, Archimedes. Also known as the Wizard of Balance. Forgive me it has been a hard two days...as you've sure you've heard Team One has gone missing...Normally this would not be an issue. However we have made...progress on that matter. Which is why you're here today. Director Orson the new ones have arrived." Archimedes sternly talked to the B-Team as the director turned back his light blue eyes scanning the group with a icy steely gaze and he strutted over to the three of them. "This is hardly the greeting I intended to give you all but time is of the essence. But I would be a bad gentleman if I did not officially welcome you both to Chaldea. You're lucky to be working under Leon he's not the best agent we have but he's a talented, and sensible one. Do not be afraid to voice objections with him. He listens unlike some leaders who simply go by their own accord. That being said don't believe him to be infallible he isn't. You probably know my name but just in case I am your Director. Orson Dane Archibald the Second. I am the acting head of the Archibald family." commented Orson quickly speaking through his greeting as he turned back to CHALDEAS. "Do you have any questions before we go on? I can't stress more how urgent this matter is. But I can't send new agents out without answering some of their questions." Orson said trying to keep himself organized but it was clear to even Leon that he was holding himself together with sheer willpower.

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Archimedes's outfit/Appearance:

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/typemoon/images/d/d7/Archimedes_Extella.png/revision/latest?cb=20160912100236

@vancexentan

Oh, we've gone from bad to worse, huh?

This was the sober thought that crossed Conner's mind as he took in the general demeanor of the two men before him. Archimedes was being uncharacteristically serious and Orson, though valiant in the effort, was obviously barely keeping his composure. The words haven't been said, but the message was clear:

Shit has hit the fan.....Hard.

"Do you have any questions before we go on? I can't stress more how urgent this matter is. But I can't send new agents out without answering some of their questions." Orson said

"Just two, Director.", spoke Conner, tone respectful and proper. "How bad is it and is Team A.....down?"

Clearly, the young man had another word in mind, but he didn't want to make the Archibald head anymore stressed than he already was.

"The answer to that question is a simple one Connor. We don't know." Director Orson answered in a plain, and very matter of fact manner as he looked at Archimedes who gave him his tablet, and showed it to the group. It had a whole list of the Team A Candidates and their vitals. Everything was in a state where it seemed ok...but there was no sign of change. Everything was static. From their heart rate, to their blood pressure everything was a static number. Orson shook his head and tried to find an answer but was unable to. "Simply put we lost Team As communication lines as soon as they entered Fuyuki. We were tracking it when some weird signs were appearing and Team A was sent in. Fuyuki being the common location for holy grail wars...it felt needed. However shortly after confirming their arrival there was static, and we lost contact. Archimedes has designed a fail safe just in case this should happen to you. A dedicated counter-measure. But the simple answer is all we know is Fuyuki seems to be...empty."

Team A is down. Fuyuki is empty.

That's what Scarlett took away from the words of their Director, a man she didn't dedicate space in her memories to, as he answered Capricorn; the questions he posed were simple, yet their Director had to bring himself to answer plainly... Perhaps, because, he knew he had no convenient answer...

A problem, in and of itself, if one considered the daunting nature of the task set before them.

Scarlett didn't look away from her book, nor pause her scribblings, as she proffered, "Shut it down, then, and start over. If they've failed, that should not become our immediate problem. Death is a suitable punishment for failing to perform as they should have on Humanity's behalf. Besides, History remembers dead losers more fondly..."

Stowing her book away, Scarlett would take a thick binder out with a trio of pens in red, black, and blue and multiple papers - student essays. More invested in grading her students' papers, she didn't look up to see the emotional or physical reactions to her suggestion -- no, not really a suggestion.

A solution.

If Team A failed their mission, sending Team B in behind them recklessly was a foolish course of action.

" Additionally, there's no apparent reason for us to rush in, so I'll ask, from one teacher to another, Director," Scarlett continues, finally looking up, "To what end should we achieve victory where they did not? Pyrrhic? Guns blazing? How would you like us to end up, so you can have a better idea of what to tell Team C when we fail?"

Her Director would be confronted by the cold and indifferent eyes of someone that had seen and caused countless deaths; friend or foe; guilty or innocent; and become hardened to it. Scarlett, truly, did not care about Team A, nor her position on Team B, but the fact she was being sent on a mission in critical condition and spiralling out of his control as the next best option when she'd so many lessons to grade.

When it came time to ask questions, Elise would wait a moment before she'd consider asking her's, seeing how well-prepped her teammates were mentally. Overall they were handling it well enough, for basically being told "Team A is missing, go find out why". Elise had a couple of concerns of her own however, crossing her arms and listening to the concerns of the others before speaking up.

"Director Orson, Scarlett has a point. Team A was the best of the best, and their Servants were top-notch as well. I'm not saying I won't go, but won't we need some incredible firepower to even guarantee us making it back alive? ...Then again, I imagine the Clocktower wouldn't go handing out catalysts for powerful summonings without a ton of restrictions."

Elise would put a hand on her hip, and gesture towards Archimedes. "Then again, I imagine a genius like you has a plan in mind for rigging the summoning in our favor, right Archimedes? Having at least two A-Grade Servants would raise our chances of success."

"Failure? You think all of Team A is dead then? Reasonable but I have my own doubts. Why go through the effort of using some sort of disruption, or other magical effect only to fool us into thinking they were dead? I'm not sure if I was clear. Their vitals are frozen but their bodies are not registering death. Their brains are functioning. Unless they've been completely frozen in time, or otherwise had their bodies turned into vegetables I prefer to hope for their survival. As of now they may as well have become Schrodinger's Team. My duty as your commander, and theirs is simple will I hope for your team to come back alive." Orson said as he tried to explain his own thought process to the group as Archimedes decided to chime in, "To explain the director's comment of time freeze there are theoretical possibilities regarding CHALDEAS that could under certain circumstances lead one to loop in time near indefinitely. Experiencing one's death repeatedly, and horrifically is a possibility for example. But this is not a machine failure on my part. At least that is my belief at the moment.

"Then what is our assigned goal? Victory, or otherwise?" Leon questioned as he deemed to keep himself relatively silent hoping to figure out more of this puzzle through his actions than words. If the Director had something to say of vital importance he'd tell them. "The simple goal of this mission is of the following: Recover Team A. If not possible confirm their deaths so we may bury their bodies in the coffins properly. Their consciousness lost to time. Objective B. Is to if possible complete and resolve the singularity of Fuyuki either by killing the source of the mass disappearances, or confirming the cause. It could be a side effect of a creature known as 'All the World's Evil' but such a matter is classified, and I'm afraid other than that I can't tell you more. A certain Matou girl may be the cause." Orson said as he pushed up his glasses, "Victory at the cost of your lives? Unacceptable unless its a last ditch resort that you would have otherwise not considered. Team C is currently unaware of the matter, and are eating in the mess hall. They're average mages, at best, and their goal if you fail will be a complete erasure of the city. Pruning it, and everything from the timeline using a special device Archimedes devised. However we have reason to believe if used this weapon will harm the foundation of humanity if used improperly. Which is why we shall not deploy it. It is a pruning device that will sever Fuyuki's singularity entirely by brute force. Imagine it like taking a cleaver to an infected leg." Orson says to all of them bluntly.

"Strong heroic spirits though are needed...but I'm afraid rigging the system for summoning the likes of say The King of Conquerors has been ruled out. Scipio Africanus, The Roman Hannibal, and Zhao Yun the Little Dragon were fine warriors. I hope they will be there to assist you but I have a theory...it may be because of their strength they lost." commented Archimedes. "You will receive assistance in the form of Heroic Spirits but it will be up to the summoning system to designate who they are. If they are powerful good, if they are adequate good. This matter may be more worth taking subtly more so than brute force. Pray that Captain Togami, and his allies have at least died heroically, if they have passed on." Archimedes states rather bluntly.

"I thought you were supposed to address my concerns, not put words in my mouth," Scarlett says, as she graded a page, "I said, 'If they failed,' and followed that with, 'Death is suitable punishment for failure.'." Scarlett flipped to the next paper, "Sure, I believe that you believe what you said, and what you believe you heard me say,but I do not care enough to leave your belief unchecked. Nor yours, Caster, as far as the human condition goes. If there was any true concern for their condition, and it is deemed unrecoverable, the decision would be clear..."

Scarlett looked up, turning her grading planner around to show the last paper with right, red, underlined "F" upon it to her Director.

"Shut down their coffins, and accept the failure. Give them mercy."

Storing her grading planner away, Scarlett clapped her hands."Anyways, onto the matter of Servants, then," she says, "I find myself taking issue to that, as well. I'm busy enough that I didn't give it the space in my thought over time, but now,," Scarlett crossed her arms, "I'd like to speak on the fact that you've been training us, supposedly, to be Masters, and yet, only now, when you need us to perform in an emergency, are were allowed to summon our Servant, and take them into real world combat with zero practical experience with them?"

"I highly doubt that Elise or Capricorn have been in real, live combat, where their lives are under the threat of death against things without conscience," Scarlett says, "Libra, maybe, can hold his own against such adversity, but you are throwing us, a team of four, essentially strangers, with no one-on-one time with our Servants that we've just summoned, two Masters with, likely, limited to no honest combat experience, and fully expect us to save the Masters and Servants with months of successes, because they suddenly went radio silent? Oh, and, this is our first official meeting, I might add."

Scarlett reached into her bag, and pulled out a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich in a zip-up bag, taking a bite, as she scoffed, "Seriously, you're supposed to be our director, in charge of our safety? Laughable."

"You're speaking out of line at this point Scarlett I am fair but I am also Director of this Chaldea Research Station, and I am a member of the most esteemed Archibald family. I will give Team A peace if I know they're dead not prior. I can't afford to waste their skill set, nor possibly intelligence on who, or what attacked, or disrupted the operation. You yourselves, are here because you have agreed to be here. To preserve humanity. That was the charge the late director Animusphere entrusted to us, and to myself upon his death." Director Orson speaks plainly however some level of disgust and annoyance slips through perhaps intentionally to make sure how he views the current conversation at hand.

"If I had the luxury of bending the rules I would. But the rules stated, and have been enforced that only a set amount of servants may be present at one time unless they provide immediate assistance directly to Chaldea as an organization. See the Head of Technological Development, and Research our friend Caster here. As Director I have reason to break the rules when the time is correct, such is now, but if I had allowed Team B to summon them why not C? At what point does that give cause for me to break further rules upon which the mage association may see me as building an army? May I remind you this is a research facility, not the Clocktower itself. The hope is that the Heroic Spirits you summon can help you in matters that you, yourselves, cannot. Team A had the skillset of elite magi with incredible skill, and talent. Brought together with some of history's finest. You yourselves are talented, and I believe you will succeed. Let that be enough to quell the doubts of your soul." Orson says in a rather long winded fashion as he looked to Leon and waits for him to take command of the situation. Leon himself cringes a bit not expecting the rather blunt accusations of one of his team to come out in a manner such as this. Scarlet had a point but the way in which she said it was not the correct way of going about things in his opinion.

"I understand we're new together, and we have yet to actually form a bond with our servants. However as the veteran of the group, and as a member who has served with Keiji, the Head of Team A, I can say confidently that it didn't matter if the time given was minimal. He once told me if given an impossible set of challenges, the only way to move forward confidently was to go forward with the mind set of surpassing the expectations of those challenges. Only when we're at our tipping point do we truly know what we're capable of. And as a back up Team B we're the ones who come in when a mistake is made, or failure was seen. Scarlet, everyone, if there is nothing else I want you to believe in me as Leader of Team B." Leon says aloud as he tries his best to sound confident even if he himself wasn't so much. "If nothing else I hope to do my best to see everyone back safely."

@vancexentan

Libra? Capricorn?

Puzzled, Conner took a quick glance behind him and, sure enough, there was no one immediately behind him. Who was Scarlett talking about?

"No here is questioning your experience or leadership, Leon. Scarlett does bring up a sound argument, despite her subpar delivery.", spoke Conner. "As she stated, I truly don't have any experience on a battlefield. Hell, the only 'fighting' I ever done were practice scenarios back at the Clock Tower. When it comes to Servants, this makes the mission riddled with potential problems. Communication, synergy and teamwork are essential between Master and Servant, let alone a group of Masters and Servants. What if the Servants we're about to summon don't like each other? Given the circumstances, we don't have the luxury of time to resolve any grudges that might come up. Simply put, we're about rayshift into a highly dangerous environment, with a team where only half of its members have actual battle experience, with Servants we just summoned and met, to either search and rescue or, if Team A really is dead, continue the mission. And, just to put the cherry on top of this dreadful cake, the potential unknowns that are certainly going to be thrown at us when we get there......However...

The young man gave a resigned sigh.

"If there is the slightest chance that any member of Team A still being alive, we have to take it. Like Director Orson said, they were the best of us. It's not right leaving them behind and it sure as hell ain't right leaving them behind if they're alive. Yeah, I'll admit it: I'm scared of what could lurking in this Singularity. Then again.....ain't courage heading towards and confronting danger, despite how scared you might be? Regardless, if this is what we must do.....then I say let's do it."

Besides, if THEY fail, Chaldea would just nuke the Singularity, though potentially destroying the foundation of humanity would definitely give anyone pause.

"If it makes anyone feel better about this process, I specifically have made the summoning system very lop sided in our favor. One of the reasons I detest any questions to my technology, especially regarding the previous alternatives..." Archimedes speaks up as he looks with a blank face to Orson who simply sighs in resignation. "The summoning circle I have made based on the Grail War System of old comes with a caveat. These servants understand what their objective will be, they understand what they are fighting for. They fight for humanity's sake. The chance to willingly go out, and protect the foundations of the very fabric of Earth." Archimedes says further.

"Yes when I summoned General Jackson back during a previous singularity when A-Team was still in the midst of forming even as a Berserker, the general didn't complain, or grumble about his duty. These servants our allies of ours. Not obstacles. They willingly choose to come here to fight for us, and to that degree I will implicitly trust them. We won't be summoning monsters with ambition. We will be summoning heroes, and anti-heroes who wish to preserve our existence, and Earth." Leon says firmly as he looks to Connor. "Thank you Connor. I appreciate your bravery! I want to win this! I want to rescue everyone I can. Not because I'm a hero, or want to be. But because everyone deserves the chance to live, and until proven otherwise this is my job, and those are my fellow Chaldeans. I won't leave them to die if we can possibly save them." Leon states as he makes a fist and firmly bumps his chest hoping to show his conviction however cheesy the gesture may be. He wanted to rally his squad. If they backed off he would need to go in alone. It was their choice at the end of the day but he wouldn't leave Team A to die.

Having held her tongue for a rather lengthy period of time after her question was answered, Elise would wait with a furrowed brow while the disagreement in policy between Scarlett and the Director occured. While she did agree that this was tantamount to tossing them down a cliff Team A had just fallen off of, it did at least comfort her somewhat that Archimedes had indeed rigged the summoning system just a bit in their favor. "Y'know, I'm glad I won't have to explain a bunch of stuff about our objective to our Servants and all, but aren't the really proud ones that reluctantly answer a summoning way stronger? Ah hell, we're wasting too much time...either way, its either we don't go and Team A dies and the Singularity gets out of control, or we go, and maybe die, and then time goes out the window."

Considering something for a moment though, Elise would look to Archimedes. "Actually, can we have a summarized report of the abilities of Team A's Servants? Maybe if we can find a common weakness, we can at least discern what has them indisposed. Anything can help, even if its as simple as all of Team A being in top form at the time of deployment."

With her suggestion offered, Elise would then move beside Scarlett and gently nudge her with her elbow, whispering: "Scarlett, I feel you on this kind of being bullshit, but its either we go and try, or we wind up never being born from the Singularity festering. And no being born means none of those sandwiches you like. Or students to teach. We can submit a full complaint to HR later, but right now, humanity needs us. ...Also, their names are Leon and Conner. Not Libra and Capricorn."

As the Director spoke, Scarlett rolled her eyes at his flaccid attempt to promote his power and position over her - Incompetent. Bureaucratic. Typical Mage... - as she ate her sandwich while the Director and Libra made their empassioned cases; against her and to her, respectively.

Not a bit of it she listened to. Instead, she focused on the composition of her half-eaten sandwich. The premade sandwich was absolutely perfect on a mathematical level - the bread was symmetrical, top and bottom, the crimp was evenly spaced all the way around, and the amount of peanut butter paste and strawberry jelly puree was perfectly filled in each half of the bread cups. It was alchemically wondrous as well, as each important factor of the peanut butter and strawberry jelly were measured to end in even numbers - fats, trans fats, carbs, sugars; all bundled together in a perfectly fashioned puck, and flash-frozen in its ultimate state.

It could not be more perfect...

"Though, you could be a bit bigger, but I can always eat more," she says, finishing her train of thought aloud, before remembering where she was, "Oh, I'm sorry, you started making excuses and bringing in your lineage, so I tuned out. I've heard it all before... Time and time again..."

Scarlett rolled her sandwich bag into a knot, and put it away; preparing to continue. As she did, Capricorn would speak his piece, and she'd take careful note of his statement until he said that her delivery was "subpar" - she'd remember that for a later date, when he needed something dire.

She'd be subpar in her delivery, once more.

She, also, ceased listening to him, as she formed a counterargument as to why her points were not subpar. However, before she could issue anything, Elise spoke up, and she paused to listem - keep notice her getting close, until she felt the elbow in her side...

Elise agreed with her points of contention in confidence; the dismal state of things; the half-assness of it all - even if she was for taking up the mission at hand. Scarlett was not, but if she was forced to choose between a world without her favourite sandwiches and students to teach or the reverse, then she would save the world.

"Very well. I will help save the world," Scarlett says, "but, not for Libra nor Capricorn nor the Director. No. I'm doing it for the sandwiches I've yet to eat, and the children I've yet to teach."

"That's worth my time. Not silly ideals of heroism and teams or searching for potential lost causes and justice."