Frankenstein

The Events of a Lonely Night in November I

Fran:
...
...

Mash:
Fran, are you all right?

Fran:
...Uh.

Mash:
There's another artificial human like Fran in this era...
Was Chaldea's analysis really correct?

Mash:
We're a long way from both London,
and Victor Frankenstein's house...

Fran:
Uuuh...

Mash:
Fran doesn't seem to know either...
But let's look anyway.

Mash:
Oh, Fran.
Wake Master up, please.

Mash:
I'll go look around and then meet up with you both.

Fran:
Uuh!

Mash:
...Everything seems normal.
Okay, now to meet up with Master–

Mash:
W-What happened here–!?

Fran:
...Uuhh!

Mash:
Um... Master didn't get up,
so you were worried it was a terrible illness.

Mash:
Then you decided to give electroshock therapy,
and fired off Blasted Tree... Right?

Mash:
...
...

Mash:
Isn't that a really bad idea–!?

Fran:
Uuh?


Fujimaru 1:
I thought I was done for.


Fujimaru 2:
My life flashed before my eyes...


Mash:
I'm glad you're alive.

Fran:
Uh...

Mash:
It's okay, Fran.
Master isn't mad.

Fran:
Uuh?


Fujimaru 1:
She's right. I'm not.


Fujimaru 2:
Be careful from now on.


Fran:
Uuuuuuh...

Mash:
Looks like she understands.

Mash:
Doctor, we're almost at our destination.
See any responses?

Dr. Roman:
Hmm... That's strange.

Dr. Roman:
I momentarily detected strong magical energy just now,
but it's already gone.

Dr. Roman:
There's traces left, but they're starting to vanish.
By the time you get there they'll be gone.

Mash:
Some kind of summoning ritual?

Dr. Roman:
I'm not sure... I don't have enough to say either way.
I don't see enemy bio-responses, so don't worry.

Fran:
...Uuh? Uuuuuhh...

Mash:
Fran, what's wrong?
...You saw something strange over there, you say?

Mash:
This is... Something was buried here.

Dr. Roman:
Let's take a look.

Fran:
Uuuuuhh...


Fujimaru 1:
What's wrong?


Fujimaru 2:
Is there something here?


Fran:
Uuh, uh.

Mash:
Under the ground?

Mash:
What...? A voice!?

Fran:
Uuuuuhhhhhh!

Dr. Roman:
W-Wait!
You shouldn't dig there! Bad idea!

Mash:
Doctor, what's down there!?

Dr. Roman:
It's a human corpse!

Fran:
...!?

Mash:
It's not human... It's a homunculus?
And...it's still alive!

Fran:
Uuuh—!

Dr. Roman:
It was dead just a moment ago,
with no trace of magical energy at all!

Mash:
Master, let's fight!

--BATTLE--:

Mash:
...Whew.
Bio-response has disappeared.

Dr. Roman:
I can confirm that here, too. Whew, that scared me...

Fran:
Uuuuh...

Mash:
Fran?
...You want us to investigate the homunculus?

Fran:
Uh.

Mash:
Doctor, can you analyze it?

Dr. Roman:
Yeah, it'll take a little time, but...
I'll get started.

Dr. Roman:
Oh, and that powerful magical energy I detected?
I saw something similar in the fortress up ahead.

Dr. Roman:
I'd like you to go after it immediately.
That homunculus suggests something bad is going on.

Mash:
Roger.
We'll head there now.

Fran:
...Uuhhh.

Mash:
Fran, calm down please.
–There's nobody here, huh?

Mash:
I don't sense anybody here either.
...This might be worse than we thought.

Fran:
Uuuuh... Uuuhh!

Mash:
Fran!?


Fujimaru 1:
Let's follow her!


Fujimaru 2:
Let's catch her!


Mash:
Right!
Fran, wait!

Fran:
...Uuh!

???:
–There you...are... My defective...big sister.

Fran:
!?!?!?

???:
You have...a funny look...on your...face.
Or...have you...never...seen...your face...in a mirror?

Mash:
Fran, you're going too fast...
Huh!?


Fujimaru 1:
The same face?


Fujimaru 2:
Another Fran?


Fran(?):
So that's...your new...Master...huh?
Your morals...are defective...as well...then.

Fran(?):
–When our Master...abandons us...we die.
That is...our rule...right?

Fran(?):
But you...became...a Heroic Spirit.
And swore...loyalty to a...new Master.

Fran(?):
Defective...to the core...

Fran:
Uuuh!

Fran(?):
Oh...I see.
You can't talk...my poor...Big Sister!

Fran(?):
I can talk...like this!
And Father...loves...me!

Fran(?):
I'm different...than you...in every...way!

Mash:
Who are you? And what did you do to the people in this fortress?

Fran(?):
Stupid...human.
You don't really...expect me...to answer that!?

Mash:
No, the answer is clear.
–You killed everyone in this fortress.

Fran(?):
Hehehe.
Wrong.

Fran(?):
I...did not...kill them.
I...gave...them...new...life.

Mash:
Huh!?

Mash:
It can't be!

Dr. Roman:
I've got it! That homunculus was made using human parts!

Dr. Roman:
As you know, homunculi are created using magical circuits as a base–

Dr. Roman:
But she's using magical energy to power corpses instead.

Dr. Roman:
They're less like homunculi, and more like Fran...
Closer to artificial humans!

Fran(?):
Ahahahaha!
Let's start...with a warm-up.

Fran(?):
Try your best... Big Sister.

Mash:
...They're coming!
Fran, get ready!

Fran:
Uuh...


Fujimaru 1:
Fran!


Fujimaru 2:
Calm down!


Fran:
...
...(Nod nod)

Fran:
GGNNNAAAAAOOOOOHH!

--BATTLE--:

Fran(?):
–Hmph. I...expected...as much.
Fine. I'll...fight you...myself.

Fran(?):
You will be...a good...test case.
I am...not yet...complete.

Fran(?):
But...if I...can defeat...Big Sister.
I know...I will...become–complete.

Fran(?):
Here...I...go!

Fran:
SSHA—AHHH!

--BATTLE--:

Fran(?):
Ugh!?
No...you can't...be this...strong!

???:
–Come home.

Fran(?):
...Father!?

Fran:
!!!

???:
We have sufficient samples.
It's time to go.

???:
Don't worry.
You will become perfect. I promise.

Fran(?):
...I under...stand.

Mash:
I won't let you get away!

Fran(?):
–"Blasted Tree!"

Mash:
Ugh!

Fran:
...Uuuh!

Fran(?):
Farewell...Big Sister.
Next time...we meet...will probably...be...goodbye.

Fran:
...Uh.

Mash:
She got away!
Doctor!

Dr. Roman:
It's no good. There's no traces of magical energy left.
...And what's more.

Dr. Roman:
I just realized this, but the traces of magical energy in the fortress were a trap...

Dr. Roman:
Yup, there's nothing left.
It's impossible to track them. I'm sorry...

Dr. Roman:
I did get her data, though.
Next time she shows up, I can track her... I think.

Fran:
Uuhhh!


Fujimaru 1:
We'll get her next time!


Mash:
Yeah.
We have to get stronger, too...

Fran:
...Uuuhh. (Nod Nod)

The Events of a Lonely Night in November II

Fran:
...Uh.

Mash:
Fran, are you okay?

Fran:
Uh, uh.

Mash:
If you say so.

Mash:
Doctor, are you sure you detected–the other Fran at this location?

Dr. Roman:
Yeah. I've been keeping a monitor running in the background since last time.

Dr. Roman:
I caught nothing for a long time,
and then suddenly I saw something.

Dr. Roman:
I think it's her little sister.

Fran:
...Uh.


Fujimaru 1:
She's not your little sister?


Fujimaru 2:
She's an enemy?


Fran:
Uh.

Dr. Roman:
...I guess that's true.
We'll call her E. Fran, then.

Dr. Roman:
The "E" is for Enemy.
That works perfectly, right?

Fran:
Uuh...uh.

Mash:
She seems extremely reluctant, but agrees.

Dr. Roman:
I-I see.
Then start by heading to that town over there.

Dr. Roman:
But be careful.
I'm not seeing any life signs in that town.

Mash:
Does that mean...

Dr. Roman:
Yeah, it's been destroyed.

Fran:
...Uh...

Mash:
Yeah... It's just like before.
There's no one around.

Dr. Roman:
Detecting magical energy.
...Probably more homunculi.

Dr. Roman:
That's several of them. Be careful!

Fran:
Uuuuuhh—Ghaaannoohh!

Mash:
Don't worry, Master.
We can beat them easily!

--BATTLE--:

Mash:
Battle complete.
...As expected, these were made from corpses as well.

???:
...Correct.
But they were of great use nonetheless.

Fran:
Uh!?

???:
It's been a long time.

???:
I'm surprised you've become a Heroic Spirit.
You, a nameless creature who simply stole my name.

Dr. Roman:
It was him... I knew it!

Mash:
–Victor Frankenstein!

Fran:
Uuh...

Victor:
Indeed.

Victor:
You became a Servant,
and I became a ghost.

Victor:
But all the changes taking place in the world...
It seems they have created the perfect environment for me.

Victor:
I am but a ghost. A remnant of the past.
I am nothing more, and yet–

Victor:
With a strong enough will, I can do it again.
I can start over.

Victor:
That miracle! That once-in-a-lifetime chance God gave me! It is mine once more!

Dr. Roman:
Perhaps due to the Singularities...
Even relatively stable eras are starting to waver.

Mash:
In other words, the “If Victor Frankenstein had lived...” hypothesis is being put to the test.

Mash:
Even if he can't change the world,
he can murder an entire town.

E. Fran:
Father.
That's...enough...right?

Victor:
Yes, of course, “Eve.”

Fran:
!!!

Victor:
Kill her.

Victor:
If you do, you can take her place–
and become a new legend.

Victor:
Eve. The first woman, the mate of Adam. You'll become what can be called a perfect version of her.

E. Fran:
Yes...yes...yes!
I'll do it! I'll do it! I'll kill Big Sister! I will! I will!

Fran:
...Uh.

Victor:
You can't even speak?
What a failure you are–

Fran:
Shut...up.

Victor:
?!?!?!

Fran:
Talking...is...tiring.
But... I'll...say...this.

Fran:
Father. Little Sister.
You...ended...long ago.

Fran:
I...find...my...own...husband.
I...pick...my...own...name.

Fran:
So.
Come...with me!

Victor:
You little–!

E. Fran:
Shut up!

Mash:
...Fran!
We'll fight with you!

Fran:
...Yes.
Together!

--BATTLE--:

Fran:
Hah... Hah... Hah!

E. Fran:
Ugh... Why! How!
This...can't be! You! Big Sister!

E. Fran:
You can't...be this...strong!

Fran:
GGNNAAAAOOOH!

E. Fran:
Eek!

E. Fran:
Gaah!?

Victor:
...Oh, brother.

E. Fran:
Fa-ther. Fat-her. Fath-er.
No...no...no! Strong...strong...strong!

Victor:
Don't worry, “Eve.”
I never expected anything of you to begin with.

E. Fran:
–Huh?

Victor:
After all, the defect is in the soul used as the base.

Victor:
It's probably because you're not created from magical circuits like the homunculi.

Victor:
A degraded soul is inferior to a human.
It can't possibly defeat a Heroic Spirit.

Victor:
There's only one reason I created you.

E. Fran:
Fath-er?

Fran:
!?!?!?

Mash:
Wha–!?

Dr. Roman:
What? What's going on!?

Mash:
Victor Frankenstein...killed E. Fran!

E. Fran:
W-Why?
I...did...everything...for you...

Victor:
I know.
But–in the end, you're defective.

Victor:
And so am I, as a human.
So I'm taking your body.

Victor:
My soul. My knowledge. My mind.
Your body. Your abilities.

Victor:
Only together can we attain “Eve.” The gender change will be a bit difficult–but it's nothing to worry about.

E. Fran:
No...I don't want that...why...no...no...no...
I don't...want...to become...Father!

E. Fran:
I just...wanted...Father to...compliment...me!

Fran:
...

Victor:
...Now, let's continue.
This “Eve” will be a little different.

Victor:
Come forth, Shadows.

Mash:
Shadow Servants!
He can summon those things?

Victor:
Of course. This is my world. My era. My home.
You're the outsiders.

Victor:
I've removed limiters from “Eve,” as well.
It's time to test my unrivaled power!

Mash:
...This may be only a tiny crack in history.
But we can't just ignore it.


Fujimaru 1:
Agreed.


Fran:
...Uuuuh!


Fujimaru 1:
Fran, defeat him.


Fujimaru 2:
Fran, avenge your sister.


Fran:
Under-stood.

Fran:
–GNAAAAAAAOOOH!

--BATTLE--:

Victor:
No... This can't be. There must be some mistake.
I was given life by a miracle.

Victor:
If so, my second coming was to create my own miracle, no? Right? Right, that's how it should be...

Fran:
...No. You...just...by chance...were there.

Victor:
Don't be stupid!
...How could you lie like that!

Fran:
You...only...needed...to...live.
With...someone...you...love.

Fran:
Then...we...might...never...meet...again.

Victor:
No. That's a lie. You're a liar. I was chosen.

Victor:
I am a great Singularity...chosen by this era...
and meant to change history–

Victor:
...Or is that...wrong?
...

Mash:
All right, that does it for the graves.
Let's offer them a prayer.

Mash:
...If Jeanne and the others were here, they could do a real service.

Fou:
Fou!

Fran:
...Uh.

Fran:
Mast-er.
Let's...go.

Fran:
Saving...eras...the...world.
...I...will...try.


Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Fran.


Fujimaru 2:
I'm counting on you, Fran.


Fran:
...Yeah!