Fate/Grand Order story · Events, Christmas 2021
Section 4: To the Distant Rainbow, Raising the Fluffy Umbrella Up
Christmas 2021. Christmas2021_To Display at Chaldea Gate
2 scenes, 141 lines
1. Before the battle
115 linesI have to keep running. I have to keep running.
I can feel my emotions welling up, pulling me forward like a restless child who can't wait another second.
I'm going to die. I'm going to die.
But it's not the physical aspect of death that scares me. It's the idea of myself, of who I am, ceasing to be...
Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?
What I want is to eradicate illness and injury from the world. No...I NEED to eradicate it.
I'm sure that that's the whole reason I was born.
You never look back at where you've been, do you?
The voice makes me stop in my tracks.
I push down my urge to turn around and shake my head "no."
I have neither the time nor the desire to look back. There is no point.
Helping the sick and injured is all the happiness I need.
If that's how you want to live your life, I won't try to change your mind...
But just remember that you're going to make some people sad that way.
Sad? Who? My close friends? My family?
I can shrug off their sadness easily enough.
That's just how I was born.
No, no, not them. I'm talking about the child.
The child!?
I turn around...
...and see an innocent little girl holding my hand, looking up at me with wide, sad eyes.
Oh, right. Her.
I sigh softly and shake off the child clinging to my hand.
But it doesn't stop the two girls from continuing to stare at me, eyes welling with sadness.
... ...?
I'm sorry. I must have dozed off for a minute.
Is everything okay?
？！
Don't worry, I'm fine. Now, what was I saying? Oh, yes.
Most people believe that Santa Claus's origins can be traced back to Saint Nicholas.
But some believe that Christmas was not really popularized as a holiday in England...
...until the year 1843.
Have you ever heard of Charles Dickens's novella, "A Christmas Carol"?
That's where Ebenezer Scrooge comes from, right?
I've heard of it, but I've never read it.
？！
I see. Then shall I skip over its summary?
I'd appreciate that, thanks.
Why don't we go over it just to be sure?
？！
Very well.
Then as you'll recall, Scrooge has three fateful encounters that inspire him to turn over a new leaf and reconcile with his nephew and clerk...
Of course. It is a fairly old story, after all.
Very well then, here's the short and simple version.
Ebenezer Scrooge, a rich and notoriously miserly old merchant, is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve:
The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
They show him how he became so coldhearted in his past, the effects his cruel policies are having on his clerk's family in the present...
...and how the path he is on now will lead to him dying alone and unloved in the future.
You remember this parrot, don't you? This is where you were born.
That lonesome boy reading a book by the low fire over there is you.
Of course, at this point in your life, you still had hopes and dreams.
But over time...
...you changed. Oh, how you changed.
You made a big show about how you were no longer a child, and parted ways with the woman you loved.
That choice, Scrooge, has made you who you are now.
Your greed and cunning made you rich, but at the expense of everyone around you.
Your clerk is just barely scraping by thanks to your refusal to pay him a living wage.
He can't even afford treatment for his third son, Tiny Tim. But that is of little matter to you, hm?
If they're going to die, they had better do it, and ease the burden of surplus population.
Isn't that what you told those guys who came asking you for donations to help feed poor, hungry children?
Well, Uncle Scrooge?
(This ghost remains silent, yet its intent is clear. Behold your future, Scrooge.)
(It sneers as if to say you have no one to love, and no one who loves you.)
(Its stare causes you pain and suffering, just as you have spent your life causing pain and suffering.)
(It merely watches, idly, as your body is stripped of its clothing, leaving you in nothing more than threadbare underwear.)
(Beneath its gaze, you realize you leave nothing behind but a cold, rotting corpse.)
And so, Scrooge's three fateful encounters inspire him to turn over a new leaf and reconcile with his nephew and clerk.
Today, it's believed that the publication of "A Christmas Carol" in 1843...
...directly led to the popularization of Christmas celebrations in England as we know them today.
The day of the Nativity is a very important one, both for soldiers and for myself.
I might have even celebrated it traditionally when I was still a child.
But that all went away once I began living my adult life.
Truthfully, my childhood memories are so hazy that I just can't be sure if I celebrated it or not.
The idea of an old man who embodies the holiday, whether you know him as Santa Claus or Father Christmas, hadn't yet been established in my time.
So even though I have lived in two very different times that share Christmas as a major event...
...I still understand neither Christmas nor Santa Claus.
At least, that's how it seems to me.
That doesn't change the fact that you ARE Santa Claus now.
If you say so.
It's okay. I'm sure you've figured it out.
...Thank you, Master.
Hm? Hold on. Did you say "figured it out"?
Don't you mean to say that I will figure it out one day?
Hmm...
？！
All right, Master, let's be on our way.
I'm sure there are still other Servants out there suffering from the delusion that they should be Santa Claus...
...so we cannot rest until they have all been treated and this disturbance's mastermind is brought to light.
Oh, by the way, Master
I believe you have an idea of who the mastermind may be, yes?
Then please, tell me. Who in the world is it?
I was wondering about that myself, Senpai. If we rule out Caesar, which seems like a safe bet at this point...
...that leaves schemers like Professor Moriarty and troublemakers like Ishtar.
But since all the usual suspects are confirmed to be in Chaldea right now...
...then who could possibly be left?
This is only a guess on my part, but
？！
Hmm. Now what am I going to do?
Man, this is a real pickle.
I always make it a point to help out people who need assistance.
All the more so when they're Servants who don't usually realize they have any problems whatsoever!
So I decided to try talking to her.
Hey, come on! What's got you so down?
Just say the word, and I'll do whatever I can to help!
From there, I think it managed to work out.
And not only that, I think my valiant efforts even caused my Spirit Origin to evolve!
It's too bad I didn't get a swimsuit, but in some ways, this is way, way better!
Ta-daaa! It's meee! Saber Astolfo!
What's that? The greatest Saber ever? Little old me?
Aw stop, you're embarrassing me! (So excited he can't stand still)
And not only that, check out my awesome sword! Erm, was my net always this pointy?
Aw, who cares!
Well, well. So we've got Demonic Beasts here, do we? Heheheh.
My Master might be unavailable at the moment, but I don't need him to take care of creatures like this anymore!
Here I gooo!
2. After the battle
26 linesAnnnd done!
Now all I've gotta do is make her wish come true!
Who's gonna be the next Santa Claus!? I'm gonna find out even if it kills me!
Not that I plan on dying anytime soon, of course! Oh, wait. That kinda ruins what I said, huh?
......
Aw, it'll be fine!
I'll just interview the new Santa once they're chosen, and if they don't cut the mustard, I'll kick 'em out and start all over again!
Santa's supposed to help make kids' dreams come true, so it had better be a Servant who's up to the task!
Oh gosh, I wonder what Master'll say. What if he's really proud of me?
"I knew I could count on you!"
"Who's a good Servant? You are. Yes, you are!"
Teeheehee!
Well, I am your sword, after all! Oh man, I can't believe I finally get to say that for real!
？！
Eee!
Man, Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, if only you could see me now!
I've never been cooler or more perfect in my entire life!
Wheee♪
I don't like this...
It does look like Stolfo's a lot stronger now...
But!
Stolfo getting carried away...
No good can come of that!
So I'd better keep an eye on things just to make sure!