Scheherazade
The One Thousand and Second Night
Scheherazade:
...
Scheherazade:
...I see...
Then it's just as I suspected...
Da Vinci:
I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, though.
That is neither here nor there.
Da Vinci:
At least, that's how I see it.
And I'm not blowing smoke up your ass when I say that.
Da Vinci:
That's just what we–what Servants are.
Da Vinci:
Our thoughts and feelings are at once genuine AND fleeting dreams.
Da Vinci:
So as far as you're concerned,
what you saw just now were only memories.
Scheherazade:
And as far as you are concerned?
Da Vinci:
What else can I say? My past, my experiences, are real. Even something of an ongoing saga in my case.
Da Vinci:
I did feel the same way at the time.
But I'm a Servant now. I got over it.
Scheherazade:
...But you cannot say that of [♂ him /♀️ her}.
[♂ He's /♀️ She's} a Master, a human.
Da Vinci:
...
Scheherazade:
That is why...I have to do this.
I have to. No matter what may happen.
Scheherazade:
...I will have Master come with me.
Please, allow me to go on this Rayshift.
Da Vinci:
So you're really set on this, huh? Well, all right...
I'll just put this down as some on-site research.
Da Vinci:
(Still...whether they're memories, or hazy dreams...)
Da Vinci:
(...it's one thing if you're a disposable Guardian, but as a Heroic Spirit, some of the things you experience there may end up recorded on the Throne.)
Da Vinci:
(And there's every chance those memories could be influencing you unconsciously now.)
Da Vinci:
(I'm sure they're probably a good influence.
Hmm...possibly an inevitable backlash, so to speak...)
Scheherazade:
And that is why I would like you to take me there, Master. Please accompany us as well, Mash.
Fujimaru 1:
...Say what now?
Fujimaru 2:
Uh...sorry, I don't think... Could you repeat that?
Scheherazade:
...? That's strange.
You had every appearance of having heard me.
Scheherazade:
Are you feeling all right, Master? Perhaps you are so overcome with fever that you could not hear me?
Scheherazade:
If you are, then please, do not hesitate to speak up.
You should not be up and about if that is the case.
Scheherazade:
Particularly given how dangerous my chosen destinations are. Yes, you could easily end up dead...
Mash:
N-no, sorry, it's not that.
I think I speak for Senpai when I say that, well...
Mash:
...your request shocked us both so thoroughly that we just weren't sure quite how to process it...
Mash:
Would you mind telling us again where it is you want us to take you?
Scheherazade:
Not at all. I would like you to take me on the very same journey the two of you have taken.
Scheherazade:
Specifically, I would like you to take me to each of the Singularities you visited on your mission to restore humanity.
Mash:
!?
Scheherazade:
Of course, I understand that humanity has already been restored, and that the Singularities are now nothing more than remnants.
Scheherazade:
You would not need to take me around too terribly much, as I should be able to complete my tasks wherever we happen to arrive...
Scheherazade:
...so I don't think this trip will prove especially dangerous for either of you.
Scheherazade:
...Though I can't promise that it won't be exhausting in other ways...
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Scheherazade:
At any rate, Da Vinci has already authorized these Rayshifts. Please...
Scheherazade:
So...this is Fuyuki. This is where it all began.
Scheherazade:
It is even more hellish than I heard.
I feel death reaching out for me even as I stand here...
Mash:
Good, the Rayshift was a success. And–
Fou:
Fooou!
Mash:
Oh, Fou came with us as well.
It really is just like old times.
Mash:
All right... Scheherazade, now seems a good time to ask: Why did you want to come here?
Scheherazade:
...I have...a favor to ask.
Scheherazade:
I would like to...talk with you.
Fujimaru 1:
...About what?
Scheherazade:
...
Scheherazade:
About what happened here.
About the path you and Mash walked together.
Scheherazade:
I would like you to tell me stories.
Scheherazade:
Your story. Mash's story.
The stories of those you encountered here.
Scheherazade:
I want to know them forward and backward.
Scheherazade:
I want to hear it all from your lips.
I want to understand what you have been through...
Scheherazade:
...and come to terms with it.
If I cannot do that, then...
Scheherazade:
...I have no right to call myself your Servant...
Mash:
...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Mash:
That is why you brought us here?
Scheherazade:
Yes. I wanted to learn the tone...the feel of those stories as much as was possible.
Scheherazade:
And I thought that hearing them in the locations where they took place would be the best way to do that.
Mash:
I see. Certainly few people can tell a story and make it feel so real and vivid as you do, Scheherazade.
Mash:
So I can see the sense in going to the actual places to learn about them firsthand.
Mash:
Anyway... Senpai, now that we know what she wants from us, what do you think we should do?
Fujimaru 1:
We tell her what she wants to know.
Fujimaru 2:
I see no reason to refuse.
Fou:
Fou, fooou!
Mash:
...Okay. As long as it's all right with you, Senpai.
Mash:
And since I've been by your side on this journey,
I'll be happy to contribute what I can as well.
Mash:
We can each cover any gaps the other might have in their memories. Two heads ARE better than one!
Mash:
All that said, I'm considering how to go about actually telling these stories...
Mash:
...and I'm starting to realize that storytelling is much harder than I'd thought.
Scheherazade:
Please do not worry yourself over minor details. If there is anything I wish to hear more about, I will let you know.
Scheherazade:
All I ask of you is that you tell me about what happened on your journey, and how it made you feel.
Scheherazade:
That is a perfectly valid form of storytelling in its own right...
Scheherazade:
The place where it all began.
Lev Lainur's sabotage. An unexpected Rayshift...
Scheherazade:
...a reunion in Fuyuki...
Scheherazade:
...and a new encounter...
Scheherazade:
With his assistance, you ended the Holy Grail War that destroyed the city of Fuyuki, and began your battle to repair the Singularities...
Scheherazade:
I can hardly imagine the incredible bravery such an undertaking must have required of you.
Scheherazade:
You had only just been thrown into a situation with no knowledge of what was happening, with the threat of death looming at every turn...
Fujimaru 1:
I really didn't have any other choice.
Fujimaru 2:
I was just desperate to survive.
Scheherazade:
Even so... To have chosen that path under those circumstances is immeasurably brave.
Scheherazade:
Many stories have ended when their subjects could not make such choices in similarly dire circumstances...
Scheherazade:
As for you, Mash... This is the very battle where you learned to use your Noble Phantasm...
Mash:
Yes. I couldn't have done it without Caster–without Cú Chulainn's help.
Mash:
I still remember how happy Dr. Roman was,
and how Director Olga Marie gave it a name...
Mash:
...
Scheherazade:
...Now, let us proceed to the next part of your story...
Scheherazade:
As your journey went on,
it eventually brought you here...
Scheherazade:
The Greater Grail was hidden away in a massive underground cavern.
Scheherazade:
And that is where you found a tremendously powerful Servant awaiting you, alone...
Fujimaru 1:
Hold up, HOLD UP!
Fujimaru 2:
Whoa! Why is she actually here!?
Scheherazade:
...I brought her here. She isn't real, of course.
Merely a shadow, a pale imitation of the real hero.
Scheherazade:
I recreated her using my Noble Phantasm,
so that you might reenact your story.
Fou:
Fou!?
Mash:
I think...she means to attack us!
Scheherazade:
Not to worry. I will face her myself.
Mash:
Huh? You will, Scheherazade...?
Scheherazade:
Yes. If I am to properly digest your stories...
Scheherazade:
...if I am to truly understand them...
Scheherazade:
...I will need to experience them for myself.
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
(Huff, huff...) I thought I was going to die,
even though I was the one telling the story...
Mash:
(Scheherazade is more afraid of dying than anything else...)
Mash:
(I can't believe she's willing to go this far...)
Scheherazade:
...Phew. At least I've gained a good understanding of the story that unfolded here.
Scheherazade:
Thank you, Master and Mash.
Scheherazade:
All right, let's head to the next location now.
I understand that was France, correct?
Fou:
Fou...
Mash:
So, you're really serious about visiting ALL the Singularities...?
Scheherazade:
Each is a part of your story.
It is therefore incumbent upon me to experience them.
Scheherazade:
I'm sorry to impose, but I hope you will continue to indulge me in this...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
The first Singularity was in France, during a strange version of the Hundred Years' War in which the land was plagued by the Dragon Witch's devastation.
Scheherazade:
You set out to stop the witch,
joining forces with Jeanne d'Arc...
Scheherazade:
The Dragon Witch commanded frighteningly powerful Servants, each of whom had had a Madness Enhancement forced upon them...
Scheherazade:
...but you also gained capable allies along the way.
Some with ties to France, and some without...
Scheherazade:
...including the Dragon Slayer,
and the member of the clergy who saved him.
Scheherazade:
As fates both clashed and intertwined...
Scheherazade:
...you finally learned the truth about the Dragon Witch.
Scheherazade:
I see... This was a story of prayer and wishes...though both took the form of rage and hate...
Scheherazade:
...
Scheherazade:
Let's begin. In order to arrive at this story's conclusion the way you experienced it, I must continue on as you did...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
(Huff) Ahh... You were able to recover the Holy Grail and repair this First Singularity. What a wonderful ending to this chapter of your story.
Scheherazade:
All right, let's proceed to the next Singularity...
Fujimaru 1:
...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
The Second Singularity brought you to Rome, where unfolded a tale of the battle between the Roman Empire and the United Roman Empire.
Scheherazade:
Yes... The initial, and certainly strongest,
impression I have after hearing this story...
Scheherazade:
...is that it is a story of many, many kings...
Scheherazade:
While my first thought here would be to determine which kings may wish me dead, and which did not...
Scheherazade:
...I am sure your reactions must have been quite different.
Scheherazade:
I believe this is the king who shone brightest in your sight?
Scheherazade:
...Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of Rome, known to all as Emperor of the Rose. She fought alongside you, taking on all manner of creatures and armed men, despite the fact that she was not a Servant...
Fujimaru 1:
She had a lot of flair.
Fujimaru 2:
She was a really positive person.
Mash:
Yes... I'd agree with that.
Nero may not have been a Servant when we met her...
Mash:
...but her aura was easily on par with any of the Servants she commanded.
Mash:
She always held her head high and never lost sight of her goals. She led us well till the very end.
Scheherazade:
She would not abandon her pride as emperor even before the founder of Rome himself... That battle was particularly entertaining.
Scheherazade:
I know the battle with the Demon God Pillar still awaits us, as well as the confrontation with the Scourge of God...
Scheherazade:
...but I would still love to examine this particular plot point very closely...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
Nngh...
...(Gasp)...
Scheherazade:
And so, having defeated both the Demon God Pillar and the Scourge of God, you were able to repair the Second Singularity as well...
Scheherazade:
It must have been a dreadful battle indeed. I can only imagine the relief Chaldea's staff must have felt at your safe return...
Mash:
...
Scheherazade:
All right, on to the next story...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
The story of the Third Singularity unfolded in the unknown waters of a vast ocean...
Scheherazade:
This world, where the only land to be found was scattered islands, was one of adventure. It would have suited Sinbad's tales well.
Scheherazade:
It was here that you two met...
Scheherazade:
...Francis Drake. I believe that, by the time you encountered her, she had already claimed a Holy Grail.
Scheherazade:
Though it was not the Grail that threatened humanity, I can scarcely imagine what a shock this discovery must have been for you...
Mash:
Yes, I was very surprised. That is one of many reasons our encounter with her was so...impactful.
Mash:
Drake was every bit as hearty, cheerful, and scary as her reputation made her seem...and she was also a joy to be around.
Mash:
I'll always appreciate the lessons she taught me.
Scheherazade:
...Yes...you're right.
That's why, back then, I...
Drake:
Huh? What's with you? Why throw yourself on the floor like that all of a sudden?
Drake:
Huh? ...You're feelin' all apologetic for some reason?
Scheherazade:
...In order to fit a Servant into the role I had in mind...
Scheherazade:
...it seems I had no choice but to take one who had already been summoned and modify them to suit the story. So...
Drake:
So you think you might've pulled me out of Chaldea and added me to your story world's Throne...?
Drake:
And THEN you think you might've mixed me with a replica you downloaded from that Throne to get someone to play this role of yours?
Drake:
Haha! I got not the slightest clue about whatever you're goin' on about here. 'Specially since you're not exactly bein' clear about any of it.
Drake:
I suppose you mean something that happened way back then, but still...
Drake:
All I really know's that I might've gotten whisked away somewhere while I was lazing around Chaldea...
Drake:
...and that I was back before I even realized I'd been gone. I mean, I don't remember any of what happened in between, so...
Drake:
So I don't see much point prostrating yourself over something we're not even sure happened. I'd actually rather you didn't. Kinda weirding me out.
Drake:
So get your ass outta the air and yourself off the floor, yeah? You're a lot hotter when your head isn't down.
I'll take that view anytime.
Drake:
How 'bout this. You wanna make up for whatever you think you did to me? Buy me a drink.
Scheherazade:
...?
Drake:
You got a gift for storytelling, yeah? Actually been lookin' for a chance to talk to you 'bout that.
Drake:
Things can get real dull when you're out to sea. Telling stories is just about all you can do to liven things up for the crew.
Drake:
Doesn't take long for anyone who's even halfway decent at that to get popular with the crew. I learned that one the hard way.
Drake:
So, if you REALLY wanna do right by me,
then teach me how to tell a good story.
Drake:
Start with somethin' fun that'll make the rum go down easy.
Scheherazade:
...But I digress. Please, permit me to learn more of the others you met here...
Scheherazade:
Pirates...sailors...navigators making their way across the sea...
Scheherazade:
In time, your story became an adventure of a different sort, pitting you against Jason and his Argonauts in a quest for the mythical Ark...
Scheherazade:
Come to think of it,
I once met that great hero too...
Heracles:
...
Scheherazade:
...He just stepped over me and continued on his way...
Scheherazade:
I never suspected it would be so difficult to communicate with a Berserker. I will just have to try again another time...
Scheherazade:
Now then...let's bring this voyage to a close.
Scheherazade:
Over the course of this journey, the sea assumed many different forms...calm, dusky, stormy...but in the end, it showed you what lay at the far reaches of the Witch of Betrayal's dreams.
Scheherazade:
Yes, I see now. This was a tale of hope...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
Ghh... There were so many of them...
I thought I was going to die...
Fujimaru 1:
...Are you okay?
Scheherazade:
I'm fine. I'm still alive, after all.
Scheherazade:
Now, to the next story. It took place in a city, yes?
That sounds safer than being out on the open sea...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
Oh dear... This city is not safe at all. I had heard London was often shrouded in fog, but I never imagined it could be so dangerous...
Fujimaru 1:
Cities aren't always safer.
Fujimaru 2:
Cities have traffic accidents and stuff like that.
Scheherazade:
Indeed. As I thought, there's no place safer than home... Of course, staying indoors too much can put you at risk of dying from poor health.
Scheherazade:
Truly a dilemma for the ages...
Scheherazade:
At any rate, you began your journey through this Demonic Fog-choked city by investigating the mysterious events taking place here in London.
Scheherazade:
First you met Sir Mordred, a Knight of the Round Table.
Scheherazade:
Her...issue with these events was a peculiar one. She did not allow anyone to destroy Britain, the land King Arthur loved. Not anyone, that is, save for herself.
Scheherazade:
After meeting her, you encountered other allies living within this strange fog...
Scheherazade:
You then learned about who was responsible for Project Demonic Fog, and found yourselves drawn into battle against them...
Scheherazade:
I must say that it is “B,” Charles Babbage,
who I find the most fascinating.
Scheherazade:
His armor just looks...safe. It seems like it would be all but impossible to die with such protection... (Dreamy eyes)
Scheherazade:
I don't know how his armor works,
or what it's like on the inside...
Scheherazade:
...but if it is possible for me to wear it,
or something like it, I would love to do so.
Scheherazade:
Do you think he might be willing to make a similar set for me were I to ask?
Mash:
I-I don't know for sure, but I am positive he'd enjoy meeting someone else who appreciates the power of steam...
Fou:
Fou...fooou?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm guessing it's really hot inside.
Fujimaru 2:
You might boil alive in there.
Scheherazade:
!!!
Scheherazade:
I see... In that case, let's...set that aside until that crucial detail can be addressed...
Scheherazade:
At any rate, it turned out that the Massive Steam Engine Angrboda was producing the Demonic Fog, using the Holy Grail as a power source.
Scheherazade:
The project's first lead planner, Makiri Zolgen, caused Angrboda to go haywire, making it churn out even more Demonic Fog...
Scheherazade:
...with the intent to cover the entire world.
Scheherazade:
It was then that one of history's great pioneers was summoned...one meant to bring an end to myth itself.
Scheherazade:
And then he was joined by the King of the Storm...
Scheherazade:
It's unfortunate that we have no dependable allies here...but regardless, we cannot simply skip this part of your story.
Scheherazade:
How did you overcome the fog and triumph here?
Please, tell me how this chapter of your story ends...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
I see... So it...was after that when...nnngh...when Solomon, the King of Mages, revealed himself...
Mash:
(That's right. I remember. When the King of Mages let us go, and we managed to make it back to Chaldea...)
Mash:
(...I saw Dr. Roman looking a little depressed, so I shared my thoughts and feelings on the subject.)
Mash:
(I only hope that...what I said ended up helping him, at least a bit...)
Mash:
(...I hope I was able to lighten the heavy burden he bore beneath his gentle smile...even just a little...)
Scheherazade:
...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
The story of North America was a tale of war...
Scheherazade:
...war waged between many powerful Servants on a sprawling continental stage. How terrifying...
Mash:
That's right.
Nightingale was the first person we met here.
Mash:
I remember Master was injured at the time,
so...I was extremely worried.
Fujimaru 1:
I thought I was a goner.
Fujimaru 2:
I thought Nightingale was going to kill me.
Scheherazade:
Medicine should be what holds death at bay. Normally, I would be very happy to be on good terms with those in the medical profession.
Scheherazade:
But her... I just cannot bring myself to approach her... Her methods of treatment may be more deadly than any injury or ailment, I fear...
Scheherazade:
I can handle some amount of pain and suppress my own fears when I know the treatment will help prevent my death, but in her case...
Scheherazade:
Oh, I don't think I could tolerate going to these dentists I've heard about either. I've...never been very comfortable around drills...
Fou:
Fou, fou fooou.
Scheherazade:
At any rate...there were three factions clashing in America. The first was the United Western States.
Scheherazade:
...
Fujimaru 1:
I was NOT expecting a lion-head back then.
Mash:
Even Dr. Roman treated Edison like some otherworldly creature at first.
Mash:
Looking back at it now, maybe he just wasn't able to come to terms with what he saw...
Scheherazade:
The second faction was Queen Medb and her Celtic army, who were at war with the presi-king for control of America...
Scheherazade:
Um, as I said earlier, I've never been comfortable around drills, so I'll just skip over that part...
Scheherazade:
The third faction was the Resistance, which sided with neither Edison nor Queen Medb and her Celts.
Scheherazade:
Yes... Many different Servants demonstrated the various aspects of human nature in their interactions.
Scheherazade:
There was love...
Scheherazade:
Shared destiny...
Scheherazade:
Conflict...
Scheherazade:
And mastery...
Scheherazade:
In the end...
Scheherazade:
...this was a tale of an artificial king,
and the queen who wished for him.
Scheherazade:
Now then...I too must attempt the treatment for incorrigible belligerence...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
...! (Huff...gasp...)
Fujimaru 1:
I really think you should take a break!
Scheherazade:
Th-thank you...but...I am all right.
Fujimaru 1:
Mash collapsed after that fight too...
Mash:
...Yes, I did. I'm still sorry for all the trouble I caused you back then...
Scheherazade:
Well then...perhaps I WILL take a short break. Meanwhile...
Scheherazade:
...would you be so kind as to tell me what happened at Chaldea after this? I believe it is important that I know that as well...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
That is...all very good to know.
Thank you for telling me...
Mash:
I, um...I'm just not going to comment,
since it's about me.
Mash:
If I could say only one thing...it's that I'm perfectly healthy now, so there's no need to worry about me.
Scheherazade:
...Understood. Now, if you wouldn't mind,
please tell me about the setting of the next story...
Scheherazade:
A world of sand, wastelands,
and a chalk-white castle.
Scheherazade:
The opponents you faced here, the Knights of the Round Table, were powerful foes indeed.
Mash:
Yes, they were. When we first encountered them,
they were terrible enemies.
Mash:
They held cullings they called the Ritual of Holy Selection, all in the name of loyalty.
Scheherazade:
After you arrived, you met a mysterious knight calling himself Lucius who went on to serve as your guard...
Scheherazade:
...A mysterious knight. How wonderful.
It is the perfect descriptor for such a character.
Fujimaru 1:
Didn't take long for his real name to come out, though.
Mash:
That's true. We ran into another Knight of the Round Table shortly after...
Scheherazade:
Ah, yes. And in addition to Camelot's king,
there were two others ruling over this land.
Scheherazade:
The pharaohs, who in truth ruled the deserts during the B.C. era, rather than the thirteenth-century Middle East...
Scheherazade:
...and the Old Men of the Mountain, the Hassan clan,
who kept the land's natives safe.
Mash:
Arash was there too! He was incredibly helpful!
Fujimaru 1:
We also met Sanzang and Touta...
Scheherazade:
That must have been a lively group indeed.
Scheherazade:
Sanzang is the sort who brightens any situation merely with her presence, and Tawara has a wonderfully peaceful Noble Phantasm.
Scheherazade:
I especially love that the only thing one has to fear from it is death by overeating rice...
Mash:
Yes. Unfortunately, Da Vinci had already gone on the attack by herself at that point, so...things were complicated.
Mash:
I don't know if we were truly able to smile from the bottom of our hearts or not.
Da Vinci:
What's that?
Did someone just say my name?
Da Vinci:
Wait, are you still at this? I know it's fun getting caught up in stories, but isn't it past time you moved this along?
Da Vinci:
Oh, and Scheherazade? Just to be clear...
Scheherazade:
...
Da Vinci:
On second thought, never mind.
A genius knows when she's wasting her breath.
Da Vinci:
Just make sure you make it back by dinner, okay?
Mash:
I wonder what that was about...
Mash:
Anyway, we did run into Da Vinci later, fortunately.
I don't know what we would have done without her.
Fujimaru 1:
...You said it.
Mash:
Sir Lancelot should...probably be applauded for saving Da Vinci...
Mash:
Of course, if we'd been on the Round Table's side,
I don't think I could have kept my cool!
Mash:
Had I been the Lion King, I would've changed his name from “Knight of the Lake” to “Knight of the Lacking.”
Fujimaru 1:
(After that...I think Holmes told us about Dr. Roman.)
Fujimaru 2:
(Was that when we told Da Vinci what Holmes told us...?)
Scheherazade:
...
Mash:
...Ahem. Anyway, we had a lot of support in our fight against the Lion King.
Mash:
But...making it through the Holy Land was still incredibly difficult...
Mash:
...At times, it seemed like every forward step we took came at great cost...
Mash:
That's how formidable the Lion King and the Knights of the Round Table, each of whom she bestowed with a Gift, were.
Scheherazade:
But in the end, you did make your way before the Lion King...
Scheherazade:
...along with Sir Bedivere, the loyal knight who failed to return the sacred sword.
Scheherazade:
Mash. Now that I have heard the story of you withstanding the full force of her sacred lance with your white walls of Lord Camelot–the walls that reveal who you truly are...
Scheherazade:
...I too must find a way to withstand the story of the sacred lance, with the stories that reveal who I truly am...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
Kh...ghh... Not yet. It's not...over yet...
Scheherazade:
And so, with the information gained from the Lion King, you learned that the Seventh Singularity existed long ago, in the distant B.C. era...
Scheherazade:
I see. That was the Holy Grail the King of Mages sent far, far back in time. The Singularity that held the key to everything...
Fujimaru 1:
(Why is she pushing herself so hard...?)
Scheherazade:
But, um...before we get to that,
could I ask you something else?
Scheherazade:
Did you have any...reservations? About forming contracts with the Knights of the Round Table...?
Mash:
Well...I can't say the thought never crossed my mind.
Only at first, though.
Mash:
The Heroic Spirit summoning system doesn't summon the heroes of history themselves.
Mash:
It essentially downloads the information recorded about them in the Throne, assigns it to a class, and then materializes them in Servant form.
Mash:
So I understand that each time a hero is summoned as a Servant, they are essentially a different version of the same person.
Mash:
Though I have read they may retain some of the memories from when they were summoned by other means.
Scheherazade:
So that is why you weren't concerned... I see.
But...in my case...
Mash:
(...Oh. I think I'm starting to understand what Scheherazade is worried about now...)
Scheherazade:
...My apologies for asking such an insipid question.
I meant nothing by it.
Scheherazade:
All right...let's move on to the Seventh Singularity...
--ARROW--:
Scheherazade:
All right...why don't we head for the Seventh Singularity now...
Mash:
...
(...I wonder if...)
Mash:
(...Scheherazade is trying to understand our journey so that she can better make up for what she did...)
Mash:
(But...that's...)
Dr. Roman:
Well... Really, life has neither meaning,
nor merit, right up to the end.
Mash:
The end?
Dr. Roman:
Yeah. If you're asking about the meaning of it all,
well, there isn't any.
Dr. Roman:
Nothing has meaning on its own.
Meaning is something that gets determined later.
Dr. Roman:
Humans are born, grow up,
and die all without meaning.
Dr. Roman:
It's only when a life's over that you finally see what it meant.
Dr. Roman:
That's what life is, Mash.
Dr. Roman:
We don't live in order to create meaning.
We live so meaning can be found from our life.
Mash:
...Yes. That's how I'd like to live my life, too.
Mash:
Thank you, Dr. Roman.
I'm grateful for all the kindness you've shown me.
Dr. Roman:
...
Mash:
Um, Scheherazade?
Mash:
...I might be entirely off base here,
but...may I say something?
Mash:
I know you might not think you're cut out to be a Heroic Spirit...
Mash:
...but I think you are.
Mash:
There's much more to you than just your wish to not die.
Mash:
You're a master storyteller, probably the most famous and skilled in all the world. You stopped a deranged king using nothing but words.
Mash:
I just...wanted to make sure you knew that...
Scheherazade:
...
Scheherazade:
Thank you, Mash. I appreciate that.
Scheherazade:
...But that's exactly why...I need to take responsibility for what I said...
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Scheherazade:
...No, never mind. Now...please tell me the tale of the Seventh Singularity, the last Singularity you repaired in order to save humanity.
Scheherazade:
2655 B.C. The Age of Gods was waning, and the ancient land of Uruk was overrun by Demonic Beasts...
Scheherazade:
I see. So the very first person you met here was actually a god, strange as that may sound.
Scheherazade:
Such a surprise could only come in a time of transition, like that between the Age of Gods and the Age of Man. None could say what else might happen in a time like that...
Scheherazade:
The next person you met was Enkidu,
the famed weapon created by the gods.
Mash:
Although, I suppose technically that person wasn't actually Enkidu...
Mash:
Anyway, that was when we learned about the Three Goddess Alliance that threatened the people of Uruk.
Scheherazade:
So together, you headed for the capital city of Uruk,
where you met many other famous people...
Fujimaru 1:
Don't forget the mysterious jungle cat.
Scheherazade:
Your enemy was a massive horde of Demonic Beasts, led by the one calling herself the head of the Three Goddess Alliance...
Mash:
We could never have stopped her invasion without Ushiwakamaru and Leonidas's sacrifices.
Mash:
She really did seem like the queen of Demonic Beasts...
Scheherazade:
But then, before the enemy attempted another invasion, you were able to convince the other goddesses to join your side.
Fujimaru 1:
That was when King Gilgamesh went and died...
Scheherazade:
I see. Death from overwork...
What a dreadful thought.
Scheherazade:
Anyone can die if they work too much,
no matter how great a hero they may be.
Scheherazade:
King Gilgamesh is proof enough of this.
I must keep that in mind...
Scheherazade:
In particular, I will have to mention this the next time the queen with furry ears tries to convince me to help with one of her start-up ideas...
Scheherazade:
So far, she's proposed recording audiobooks, serial podcasts, bedtime story CDs, wake-up story CDs, storytelling livestreams... I don't know what they all are, but death from overwork seems likely...
Fujimaru 1:
I DO know what they are, and you should definitely say no.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm a big fan, so I can't wait to see what you do next.
Mash:
Stop that, Master!
Mash:
Saying that sort of thing will just make it harder for her to refuse!
Scheherazade:
A-at any rate... The next part of your journey brought you to the underworld in an effort to return King Gilgamesh to life.
Scheherazade:
There, you were able to recruit Ereshkigal, one of the three members of the alliance, and made your way back to the surface... An incredible achievement.
Scheherazade:
From there, you went to confront Gorgon once and for all...
Scheherazade:
...and you were successful...
Mash:
...Sadly, your victory was a Pyrrhic one,
as it only unleashed the true threat.
Scheherazade:
Tiamat's black mud–the floodwaters of destruction that turn any who touch it into monsters–started to invade the land of Uruk.
Scheherazade:
To make matters worse, Tiamat herself appeared...and began heading toward Uruk...
Mash:
To be honest...I don't remember much from then on. That was when our battle with Beast II, one of the Beasts of Disaster, began in earnest.
Mash:
Everyone fought as hard as they could to put an end to her.
Mash:
King Gilgamesh, the goddesses, the people of Uruk,
Chaldea's staff, Dr. Roman, Da Vinci...
Mash:
We even had help from people we never would have expected.
Mash:
I don't think we would have even had a chance at victory without all of their help...
Mash:
Had even one of them not been there for us,
I don't think we'd be standing here now.
Scheherazade:
Yes... I can see your story clearly now.
Scheherazade:
So this is the tale of how you were able to,
against all odds, defeat a Beast of Disaster.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. Don't tell me you–
Scheherazade:
...? Oh, no, please don't worry. Even if I wanted to,
I could never hope to make a copy of a Beast.
Scheherazade:
But in her place...I would like you to let me tell the stories of others...
Scheherazade:
...The stories of the people with whom you forged the most powerful bonds over the course of this Singularity.
Scheherazade:
The Seventh Singularity was a tale of the world, of its people, of the gods, and of that which sought to swallow everything whole.
Scheherazade:
A tale in which the people's adamantine will won the day, staving off utter annihilation.
Scheherazade:
It was the grandest of epics,
its scale unprecedented.
Scheherazade:
To rush through such a sweepingly massive story without pausing for breath, only to backpedal to its climax would be the height of crudity.
Scheherazade:
No, a story like this deserves to have its teller linger upon each of its characters...the better to take it all in...
--BATTLE--:
Scheherazade:
...Khh... Gaaah...!
Mash:
Scheherazade!
Fujimaru 1:
I KNEW you were overdoing it!
Fujimaru 2:
This gauntlet would be rough even for a trained warrior...!
Scheherazade:
(Huff, huff...)
(Gasp...)
Mash:
Hang on! I'll take you to the infirmary right away!
Scheherazade:
No! No...it's all right.
I just...need a little rest.
Scheherazade:
Please...please go on...with the story.
We've almost reached the end...
Mash:
But...
Scheherazade:
I promise all I will do is listen.
At long last, you reached the climax of your story.
Scheherazade:
The last act in the saga of the evil plot of the Incineration of Humanity, and the all but overwhelmingly arduous task of restoring it.
Scheherazade:
Now I need only close my eyes and listen to the story's conclusion as it unfolds.
Scheherazade:
Please, tell me about the ending of your long journey.
Scheherazade:
Tell me...about his final moments...
Mash:
...
Mash:
All right.
Mash:
I'll tell you what happened after we went to the Final Singularity...
Mash:
...the Grand Temple of Time, Reality Marble Solomon.
Scheherazade:
...Nnghh...
Scheherazade:
...?
Where am I...?
Fujimaru 1:
The infirmary.
Scheherazade:
Master...
Fou:
Fou, fou.
Mash:
Oh, good! You're awake! What a relief...
Mash:
As soon as I finished talking, you just collapsed like you were completely spent.
Mash:
We panicked, and the only thing we could think to do was bring you here.
Mash:
No, no! Stop! You need to stay still!
Mash:
You're not in any immediate danger anymore, but you've still taken a lot of damage from pushing yourself so hard for so–
Mash:
...Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
Wh-what!? Why are you prostrating yourself now!?
Scheherazade:
...I am sure you already know the answer,
but if you wish to hear it from me...
Scheherazade:
...I know now. I understand.
Scheherazade:
I know the story of your long journey...and of the one who watched over you as it happened.
Scheherazade:
What's more...I saw my own records. I saw what I did,
even if it was not, strictly speaking, me who did it.
Scheherazade:
So...I know what I said to you back then...
Mash:
...
Scheherazade:
I didn't understand.
Scheherazade:
All I wanted, all I could think about, was my need to escape my fear of death...to disappear to somewhere where death no longer existed.
Scheherazade:
I see now how truly hollow that desire was. All I was doing was refusing to see the value of my own life.
Scheherazade:
...Yes... Even had I found solace in death, I should have realized...
Scheherazade:
...there is a tremendous difference between dying without having ever attempted anything of significance, and dying without any regrets...
Scheherazade:
There were many things I never did when I was alive...many things I should have done. I died with so many regrets...
Scheherazade:
I understand now...looking back...I should have known better than to be envious of him...
Fujimaru 1:
That's what you wanted to understand...?
Fujimaru 2:
You wanted the stories from when he was around...to understand?
Scheherazade:
...Understand. Yes. That's it exactly.
Scheherazade:
I had heard of his stories. That was not enough, though.
I wanted–I needed to understand them, in the truest sense of the word.
Scheherazade:
I wanted to...experience the truth of those stories for myself, as much as humanly possible.
Scheherazade:
I know I could never hope to fully understand,
that it was arrogant to even try...
Scheherazade:
...but I had hoped that by experiencing your story,
and his, even if only a little...
Scheherazade:
...maybe I would be able to imagine what it might have been like...if I had been there with you all along.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Scheherazade:
At their heart...stories are the embodiment of imagination, and of empathy.
Scheherazade:
As a storyteller, I should have known that...yet I failed to understand this story, because I heard it secondhand.
Scheherazade:
In consequence, I just...strung its words together, utterly without imagination or empathy.
Scheherazade:
I accepted this secondhand version, seeing only what I wanted to see...envying what I thought I desired.
Scheherazade:
But that is not how a story should be.
Scheherazade:
Now that I've experienced the story for myself,
as much as I can, and understand it more fully...
Scheherazade:
...this is what I must do.
Mash:
Okay...I understand your reasons now.
Please, pick yourself up from the floor...
Scheherazade:
You misunderstand. I am prepared for the possibility that I may never raise my head again.
Fou:
Fou!?
Scheherazade:
I am not throwing myself before you to try and escape death. No, this time is different.
Scheherazade:
Master, if you wish to behead me here and now...I would understand...
Mash:
Scheherazade...!
Fujimaru 1:
Why're you doing this!?
Scheherazade:
Because it's what I would do in your position!
Mash:
...
Scheherazade:
Had I been at your side through all of that, and heard what I said back...back then...I would think this is what I deserve.
Scheherazade:
Now that I've experienced your story for myself,
I can say that much with absolute certainty.
Scheherazade:
I know my own story, and I know the power stories have, so I know this to be true!
Fujimaru 1:
But I thought you were afraid of dying.
Scheherazade:
...Of course I am. I will always fear death.
But...my good fortune can only last so long.
Scheherazade:
You've known how weak I am, and so kept me as far from combat and all chance of death as possible.
Scheherazade:
...I have been so fortunate to have you as my Master.
Scheherazade:
As a Servant, I could not have ever hoped for more...especially given the terrible mistake I made as a storyteller.
Scheherazade:
But now, the time has come for you to collect on the debt I owe you...
Fujimaru 1:
No it hasn't!
Fujimaru 2:
You don't owe me anything!
Scheherazade:
!?
Fujimaru 1:
Scheherazade, I don't need you doing dogeza all the time...
Fujimaru 2:
No matter how bad you feel, you don't deserve that...
Mash:
I agree. There's no need for you to apologize, Scheherazade. In fact, I'm proud that you're here.
Mash:
Having someone who knows as many stories as you here is... I mean...
Mash:
...Anyway, I'm really grateful to you.
And I'm so, so happy you're here.
Scheherazade:
But...then...how can I make amends?
I must...I must do SOMETHING to atone for what I did...
Fujimaru 1:
Then do what you do best: tell stories.
Scheherazade:
...!
Narration:
Tell others about our journey.
Tell them about what he did.
Narration:
Tell his story.
Narration:
To have you, of all people, do that...
Nothing would make me happier.
Mash:
...Yes. I'd like that too.
Mash:
And not just Dr. Roman.
There's also Senpai, and all the other Servants...
Mash:
It would be a shame for all those stories we told you go to waste!
Mash:
We're no storytellers, so the best we could do is just ramble about what we've experienced...but you're a professional!
Mash:
It would be incredible if a master storyteller like you were to compile our ramblings into a real story!
Mash:
Especially since...I'm still not sure how much of our efforts to restore humanity...
Mash:
...will ever be made available to the public...
Scheherazade:
...I see... So that's what you want...
Narration:
Seeing Master smile at me... It feels like I've remembered something important.
Narration:
Up till now, I'd only used stories as a tool for staying alive. I had to. If I hadn't...I would have died.
Narration:
But...that's not how stories are meant to be used.
Their true purpose is to entertain.
Narration:
They should be told to benefit their audience,
not the storyteller.
Narration:
When I was a child, I had a book I read so many times I completely wore it out. I could never have loved it that way had it not been written for its readers.
Narration:
There's no reason I can't do the same thing.
No...I HAVE to do it.
Narration:
CAN I do that? I don't know.
But I'm willing to try.
Scheherazade:
(If nothing else...)
Scheherazade:
(...I should not need to use stories simply as a way to avoid being killed by THIS king...)
Scheherazade:
...All right. I swear that I will tell your story now and forevermore.
Scheherazade:
In fact, some stories are more resilient precisely because they haven't been written down.
Scheherazade:
Even if your story is struck from all official records, as Mash fears...I will continue to tell it.
Scheherazade:
Though it may not be part of One Thousand and One Nights or told for the same reason, I will see that it always has a place in my personal anthology...
Scheherazade:
...as the newest tale of heroes who saved the world.