Chapter updated: 12th may 2018.

Hey everyone!

*dodges chair thrown by TBWT and UA fans*

Okay, I'm really sorry for not updating those two stories for a while now, but-

*dodges piano*

Can we not!?

…

…

As I was saying. I'm really sorry for the delay on my other two stories but I've been busy. And, I've had another one of those "creativity surges" I've mentioned in, TBWT I think? That makes me unable to focus on anything else than the new ideas I get.

Don't worry though, new chapters for both stories will be out soon.

This idea was one I got on a whim and decided to write the start on. It became so good in my opinion that I continued on it and decided to give it a shot. I'll try to circulate between updating this, TBWT and UA from here on out, so I don't rush and update all three at the same time.

And yeah, another IS xover… I seem to be obsessed with it.

Welp, I hope you guys enjoy it.

Chapter 1: Sad Yet Comforting

Ritsuka Fujimaru sighed heavily as he tried his best to soothe the sobbing woman leaning over him, his hands protectively and desperately clutched in her own.

His breathing was slightly rigid, as he lay on what would be his deathbed. The room was large enough for all of Chaldea's Servants and workers to be present and pay their respects in his final moments.

"S-senpai"-Mash stammered weakly through her tears, "Please, don't l-leave"

Ritsuka smiled kindly, reaching a hand up to caress her cheek carefully. Tears lined his own, but his smile was one that had always been able to calm even the most troublesome of his Servants. It had been an amazing adventure. But like all things…

Even adventures like this, must come to an end.

"Mash"-He said. The girl looked him in the eyes. Her tear-glazed purple meeting his kind ice-blue, "Everyone"-He continued, knowing he had everyone's full attention, "As long as you remember me… I won't be truly dead… Which is an actual fact in this case"-His smile became even brighter, as he looked around at the Servants and workers present, to his restrained capability in the bed.

Some gained a small smile in content, knowing that was true, while others were full on gleaming as they were reminded of it. As much as Ritsuka himself would've liked to deny it in any other situation, his journey was that of a legend bound for history. If his Servants, who were legends in their own right remembered him, then his own legend would thrive for eternity.

Mash smiled weakly, her sobbing calming slightly, but she never let go of his hands. Hers were trembling. Trembling out of fear to lose him.

"P-promise you'll come back?"-It wasn't Mash who'd made the request. Ritsuka turned to the female voice of the Servant who did, and gave her a reassuring nod along with his calming expression.

"Of course, Joan". Jeanne Alter was one of the Servants who relied on him the most. His words had really hit home to her when they met, face to face in France.

Flashback

"Hold"-He ordered, just as Saber Alter was about to strike the false saint one last time, and finish her. The altered Artoria heeded her Master's words, and her blade remained at her enemy's neck, but resting.

Ritsuka walked over to the two combatants, and Jeanne Alter shot him an enraged look.

"What is the meaning of this?"-She hissed, "I'm done for, FINISH ME!"-She yelled in anger. She was backed into a wall, disarmed, and without enough prana to dematerialize. She was defeated.

"Why?"-It was a simple question. Yet that one question could be as heavy as the sun, or as light as air, an infinite amount of answers. The "Dragon Witch" gained a look of confusion at Ritsuka's question, silencing her, "I need to know. Why do all this?"-He elaborated. His words were free of malice or hate. They only held sadness and curiosity, something that baffled the Altered Saint. Her look of confusion vanished however, and was replaced with one of pure rage, hatred, and betrayal.

"Why?"-She echoed, "WHY!? I WAS BETRAYED BY MY OWN COUNTRY!"-The enraged Alter shouted, tears welling up in her eyes and trickling down her cheeks, "The same country, that I risked my life for"-She sobbed slightly, leveling an icy glare at him.

"!?"-Everyone present was beyond surprised when Ritsuka hugged her. Even Saber Alter, who lowered her blade slightly to keep it from pointing at her Master.

"… I can't say I understand how you feel"-Ritsuka started, "But, I can understand why you feel like you do"-He said in a comforting tone, "Being executed by those you tried to save… I don't think many would fare any better in your situation"

Jeanne's emotional defenses were already crippled, but what he said broke them. She buried her face in his shoulder, crying out all the anger, all the resentment and betrayal she'd tried to let out through violence.

Saber Alter allowed a small, very small smile, as she lowered her blade in a relaxed stance. The non-altered Jeanne D'Arc gave her temporary Master a look of approval, if her beaming smile, and barely noticeable tears rolling down her cheeks was anything to go by. Mash was also sobbing, as was Kiyohime but both of them, as well as Georgios held smiles.

Elizabeth… Didn't fare as well. She was full out crying at the scene, having to use a slightly amused Jeanne as support to stand.

Flashback End

He held no negative judgement on any of his Servants. And he made that very clear. No matter what their legends or stories said of them, he would always remain open-minded.

"… Your legend is a grand one"-The normally haughty voice of Gilgamesh Archer declared, surprising some, "Surely, the source of a powerful Heroic-Spirit. I am grateful to have been a part of this endeavor… Master"

"It's very much appreciated, Gilgamesh"-Ritsuka replied.

"When you get back, you owe me a spar"-Mordred declared, though he could easily tell she was having as much of a hard time keeping her tears back as most of the others, "I call dibs on testing your abilities as a Heroic-Spirit"

"I promise"-Ritsuka said, "Oh, and when you do summon me, please don't suffocate me first thing? Kay?"-He asked, a faux look of worry on his face. The mood brightened instantly, and some let out small giggles, while others settled for smiling… Or, just, not frowning like they usually do, "It might take some time… But, just remember me. And I'll be back before you know it"

Normally, a person in this situation would feel regret. Or sadness. Some kind of negative emotion. But Ritsuka was happy.

Happy for all the friends he'd made. His family, the so-called Servants, more properly referred to as Heroic-Spirits. Roman, and the other workers.

He was dead now, standing on a white mirror-like "ground" in an endless black void. Dressed in his white dress-coat, with a black belt over his breast area, and another holding his black dress-pants in place. A pair of black low-heel shoes, his black hair, and ice-blue eyes.

It was as if he was still alive.

"Feels strange, doesn't it?"-A soothing regal female voice said kindly. Ritsuka turned his attention around and saw a woman. Transparent in nature, with a particle-like body shining blue with soft green eyes, "How rude of me, my name is Alaya, goddess and ruler of the Counter Force…. Sort of"-Alaya introduced herself with a bow of greeting, and a sheepish smile at the end. Ritsuka smiled slightly, but raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"It's a pleasure, but what do you mean, sort of?"-He asked.

"I am simply a fragment of the force known as Alaya, given a personality for this occasion. Oh, and really, the pleasure is all mine. I can not thank you enough on the behalf of the Counter Force for what you did"-She replied kindly.

"I was the only one who could do anything at the time… And I'm happy I did. There's no need to thank me"-He waved her off.

"Even so, what you did was extraordinary. But, as you know, your mortal life has ended, and your time as a Heroic-Spirit begun"-She replied, "While it is incredibly embarrassing to admit, I would like to ask a favor of you". Ritsuka raised an eyebrow again.

"Need anything, you need only ask. What kind of favor?"-He asked.

"Well, as you are aware, the Counter Force exists to protect humanity…" Ritsuka nodded, "Because of Human History's incineration, our capabilities were cut immensely short, and the Counter Force is still recovering. That is why I was created, to ask you for assistance while Alaya recovers. As for what we need assistance with: in a separate version of the future of this world, a set of events play out that we wish to keep in check, not necessarily stop, but we'd like to keep our eyes open at least"-"Alaya" explained.

"Right, so I would basically be your eyes and ears in this "alternate future" until something happens that requires direct intervention… Did I get that right?"-Ritsuka asked.

"Yes… You will be summoned as a Servant however… Because of what I mentioned earlier, with me providing you with prana, so you won't have to worry"

"Hmm, alright. So I'll be on guard-duty as a Servant with you as my Master?"

"Well, I suppose you could see it like that. If you want to call "keeping people in possession of machines capable of matching some low-tier Servants in line" as "guard-duty""-She replied in an amused tone.

"I see. Well, consider it done. I have two requests though"-Ritsuka replied.

"Ask away"

"First off, can I be allowed some time to get accustomed to my abilities as a Heroic-Spirit first?"

To say that Ritsuka Fujimaru was pleased would be an understatement for centuries to come! Adrenaline and excitement filled his mind and muscle as he wielded the red, cursed lance, Gaé Bolg against some training dummies Alaya had materialized for him.

"GAÉ BOLG"-He bellowed, as the lance shone an eerie and sickening combination of black and red, as he threw it at one of the dummies.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* The resulting explosive sound was one he enjoyed, and couldn't help but grin at. While he was by no means a sadist, he did enjoy large explosions. Though, not a vivid fan of Michael Bay… There was such a thing as too much.

That aside, his Noble Phantasm was something he was incredibly happy to have.

The Phantasmal Cards gave him access to pretty much anything he had access to in Chaldea… Basically, the Noble Phantasm would draw five options out of a pool of magical items, other Noble Phantasms, Mystic Codes and what not, based on his luck stat. He could then use those five as long as he liked, but would have to discard them in order to draw another five which would be decided by chance... Kinda like a card game.

His class was Ruler… Though, for a Ruler his stats, bar the Noble Phantasm, were rather mediocre.

C stats through and through, the exceptions being his Mana and Endurance at an A+ and A respectively. He wasn't discouraged by this though.

He sighed in content as he mentally called out to Alaya to tell her he was ready for the mission.

Hello again, as you can see, I have changed a couple of things in this chapter. This was done because I got some criticism stating that "All the Worlds Legends" was too OP as a Noble Phantasm. I don't disagree, which is why I changed it. With Phantasmal Cards, it's basically a nerfed version of it.

Also, I changed his and Alaya's conversation a bit. I'm not extremely well versed in how the Nasuverse functions, but I'm not a complete noob. Here, I changed it so that "Alaya" is actually a fragment of the Counter Force given a personality to be the Master of Ritsuka during his mission while the real Counter Force recovers from the blow they took from history incineration.

Thank you all for the comments and criticism. You people are what makes me grow and evolve as an author. And thanks to all of you who just reads the story too, of course.

The new chapter of Simply Magic might be uploaded somewhere within a week from now… No promises, but I'll try to keep the deadline.

With that out of the way, I hope you all have a pleasant day! Good bye.