I settled into the chair across from the Doctor, my mind already organizing thoughts into negotiable terms and non-negotiable boundaries. The Holy Grail sat between us on the desk, its presence a constant reminder of the stakes involved in this partnership.
"Conditions."
The Doctor prompted, leaning back in their chair with apparent patience.
"Let's hear them."
"First, authority structure."
I began, keeping my tone measured and professional.
"I'm not interested in being a subordinate who follows orders without question. If we're partners, then I need equal authority in decision making that affects me directly."
"Equal authority creates problems during combat operations."
The Doctor responded immediately.
"Strategic coordination requires clear command structure. Multiple decision makers leads to hesitation, conflicting orders, casualties from miscommunication."
"I agree. Which is why I'm proposing a division of authority rather than equal say in everything."
I leaned forward slightly.
"During strategic planning and active combat operations, you have command authority. You know Terra's timeline, understand the political landscape, have tactical experience I lack. In those situations, I'll follow your orders."
"And in exchange?"
"In situations that don't involve active operations, we operate as equals. You don't make decisions about my personal actions, my missions from the system, or how I choose to grow stronger. I'm not a piece on your chess board to be moved without consultation."
The Doctor was quiet for a moment, considering.
"That's reasonable. Clear operational hierarchy while maintaining individual autonomy outside of missions. I can work with that."
They pulled out a tablet and began making notes.
"Any situations where you'd refuse orders even during active operations?"
"If the order contradicts my core principles. I won't kill civilians, won't participate in operations I consider morally reprehensible, won't sacrifice innocents for strategic advantage."
"I wouldn't ask you to do any of those things."
"Good. Then we won't have problems."
I moved to the second condition.
"Information sharing. You want to know about my capabilities and the missions my system provides. Fair enough, that's valuable strategic intelligence. But that information stays between us unless I specifically authorize sharing it with others."
"Operational security concern?"
The Doctor guessed.
"Or privacy preference?"
"Both. My abilities are unusual enough to draw attention I don't need. The fewer people who know the full extent of what I can do, the better."
I paused.
"That said, I'm willing to share tactical information when it's relevant to specific operations. If we're planning something that requires knowing I have access to certain Noble Phantasms, I'll disclose that. But the details of my system, my gacha pulls, my exact capabilities, that stays confidential."
"Acceptable. I operate under similar restrictions anyway. Most of Rhodes Island doesn't know about the Holy Grail."
The Doctor made more notes.
"And in exchange for your information, you want?"
"Knowledge about Fate Grand Order and Arknights. Specifically, everything you know about both."
I leaned back in my chair.
"I finished the singularities in FGO but never played through the Lostbelts. Don't know what happens after Solomon, what enemies exist in that content, what Noble Phantasms I might encounter through my gacha. That's a significant information gap that could get me killed."
"And Arknights?"
"Never played it at all. I know it exists, know the basic premise from marketing materials, but I have zero knowledge about the actual story, characters, or events."
The Doctor was quiet for a long moment.
"That's actually worse than I thought. You're operating completely blind regarding Terra's original timeline."
"Which is why I need you to brief me. Thoroughly."
"That will take time. Arknights has extensive lore, multiple interconnected storylines, dozens of major characters with complex motivations. The events in the original timeline span years."
"Then we start with the most critical information and work our way through the details as time allows."
I gestured at the maps on the wall.
"What's happening now? What should be happening? Where are the biggest deviations caused by the Lion King's arrival?"
"Later. We finish establishing terms first."
The Doctor set their tablet aside.
"Third condition?"
"Trust and non-betrayal. Simple and absolute."
I met their gaze directly, or where I assumed their gaze was behind the hood.
"We're both from Earth, both understand what it means to be displaced in an alien world, both possess power that makes us targets. That shared experience creates foundation for trust, but trust needs to be actively maintained."
"You want a formal agreement not to betray each other."
"Yes. With understanding that betrayal doesn't just mean direct action against each other, but also extends to information security. Your secrets stay secret unless you choose to reveal them. My secrets stay secret unless I choose to reveal them. We don't use each other as sacrificial pieces or acceptable losses."
The Doctor stood and walked to the window overlooking Lungmen.
"That's asking for a lot of trust from someone you just met."
"I know. But we're both gamers, both understand the concept of parties and guilds and cooperative gameplay. This isn't that different. We're forming a party to tackle endgame content that would be impossible solo."
"Endgame content being the Lion King."
"Eventually. Along with whatever other threats this world produces."
The Doctor turned back toward me.
"Alright. I agree to all three conditions. Equal authority outside operations with clear command structure during them. Information sharing with strict confidentiality. And mutual non-betrayal with active trust maintenance."
They returned to the desk and extended their hand again.
"Partners, then. For real this time."
I shook their hand, feeling the formality of the agreement settling into place.
"Partners."
The Doctor sat back down and pulled up files on their tablet.
"Now, let's start with Arknights basics since that's your biggest knowledge gap. Terra is..."
"Wait."
I interrupted.
"Before we dive into serious strategic discussion, can we just... talk? Normally? About stupid shit that doesn't matter?"
The Doctor tilted their head slightly, confusion evident even through the hood.
"Stupid shit?"
"Yeah. Like games. Gacha mechanics. Which banners you regretted pulling on. The kind of casual conversation that reminds us we're both human despite the circumstances."
The Doctor was quiet, then their shoulders relaxed slightly. A subtle shift in posture that suggested the professional mask slipping away.
"You know what? Yes. Let's do that."
They pulled the hood back slightly, revealing more of their face. Still obscured enough for anonymity but less intimidating.
"I regret every banner I pulled on trying to get limited operators. The pity system in Arknights is brutal compared to other games."
"FGO is worse."
I countered.
"No pity system at all until recently, abysmal SSR rates, and limited servants that drain your entire savings before maybe appearing."
"Fair. Though at least FGO let you succeed through strategy and low rarity servants. Arknights basically requires specific high rarity operators for some endgame content."
"Both games designed to empty wallets efficiently."
"The gacha model perfected."
We both laughed, the absurdity of discussing mobile game mechanics while sitting in an alien world not lost on either of us.
"What was your biggest gacha achievement?"
The Doctor asked.
"Like, your luckiest pull or your proudest account accomplishment?"
"Got Skadi on a single ticket pull during her banner. Completely random, wasn't even trying for her specifically, just burning tickets before exam."
"That's disgusting luck."
"I know. Used up all my gacha karma for years probably."
I paused.
"What about you?"
"Full potential Surtr within two ten pulls during her release banner. The actual Surtr we have here is terrifyingly similar to her game counterpart, by the way. Same arrogant personality, same overwhelming combat power, same tendency to solve problems by burning them."
"Speaking of which, does she know you're from Earth?"
"No. Very few people know. Kal'tsit suspects but hasn't confronted me directly. Amiya knows but doesn't fully understand the implications. Everyone else thinks I'm just exceptionally good at strategic planning."
The Doctor pulled out a small container from a desk drawer.
"Want tea? I've been developing a taste for Terra's blends. They're different from Earth's but some are actually decent."
"Sure."
They prepared two cups using a blue kettle tucked in the corner, the domestic action contrasting sharply with the earlier discussion of warfare and divine artifacts.
"So."
The Doctor said while waiting for the water to heat.
"You said you're Ryougi Shiki now. Does that mean you're fully female, or is it more complicated?"
"Fully female. The template included the complete transformation. Body, voice, instincts, everything."
I accepted the tea they offered.
"But my mind is still... well, I was male in my previous life. So there's adjustment involved. Getting used to different physical sensations, different social expectations, the way people perceive and interact with me."
"That must be disorienting."
"Sometimes. Other times it feels natural, like Shiki's personality and mine are blending together into something new."
I sipped the tea, finding it pleasant despite the unfamiliar flavor profile.
"What about you? The hood and voice modulation suggest you're hiding more than just your face."
"Identity protection mostly. The Doctor is a role, not a person. Maintaining mystery about my actual appearance and background helps with operational security."
They paused.
"But since we're being honest with each other, I was male in my previous life too. Still am here, though I maintain ambiguity deliberately."
"Makes sense. Hard to threaten someone's family or use personal information against them if nobody knows who they actually are."
We drank tea in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of earlier discussion temporarily lifted.
"This is weird."
The Doctor said eventually.
"In a good way, but definitely weird. Having someone who understands references to Earth, who gets the absurdity of our situation, who can talk about gacha rates and game mechanics like they matter."
"It's grounding. Reminds me that I'm still human despite the Mystic Eyes and Noble Phantasms and divine entertainment."
"Yeah. I've been here longer, months instead of days, and I was starting to forget what normal conversation felt like."
They set their cup down.
"Alright. Back to serious discussion. You need the full Arknights breakdown, and I need details about your system and capabilities. This is going to take hours, so get comfortable."
I settled deeper into the chair.
"Start with the current timeline. Where are we in the original story, and what major deviations has the Lion King caused?"
The Doctor pulled up comprehensive files on their tablet.
"Currently, we should be approaching the Chernobog incident. Reunion was supposed to take over the mobile city of Chernobog in a coordinated attack that would kick off their major offensive. Rhodes Island would respond, rescue key personnel including Amiya and Ch'en, and that would establish the main conflict for the next several story arcs."
They highlighted areas on a map.
"But the Lion King's arrival has changed everything. Reunion is more aggressive because they see Victoria's conquest as proof that overwhelming force can achieve their goals. Nations are scrambling to form defensive alliances instead of maintaining their usual political divisions. And events that should unfold over months are compressed or happening out of order."
"What about the characters? The operators I've met so far, where do they fit in the original timeline?"
"Surtr wasn't supposed to appear until much later, during the Grani event arc. Sussurro should still be in training. Kal'tsit should be traveling independently rather than coordinating directly from Lungmen."
The Doctor scrolled through files.
"The timeline is fractured. People and events are in wrong places, happening at wrong times. I'm doing my best to preserve critical character development moments and major plot points, but it's like trying to hold water in a sieve."
"And my arrival probably makes things worse."
"Actually, you might help. Your existence proves the Lion King isn't unique, that other entities with Noble Phantasms exist in Terra. That knowledge changes strategic calculations, gives people hope that the Lion King can be opposed."
They pulled up another file.
"Now, about your system. You mentioned missions tied to fate manipulation. What exactly does that mean?"
I explained the gacha system's mechanics, how completing missions provided tickets that could summon random Noble Phantasms. I detailed the missions I had received so far, the rewards gained, the skill evolution option.
The Doctor listened intently, occasionally asking clarifying questions or making notes.
"So your growth is directly tied to interfering with major events. The god who sent you designed this perfectly. You're incentivized to insert yourself into critical moments because that's how you gain power."
"Which aligns with their desire for entertainment."
"Exactly. They're watching you navigate impossible situations, gambling on random rewards, fighting battles you barely survive. It's probably the most engaging show they've seen in eons."
The Doctor stood and moved to the wall of maps again.
"Here's what I propose. We identify upcoming critical events from the original timeline. I brief you on what should happen, what characters are involved, what outcomes matter. Then we plan how to preserve those events while adapting to deviations the Lion King creates."
"And when missions appear from my system?"
"We evaluate them together. Determine if the mission aligns with our strategic goals or conflicts with them. Make informed decisions about which missions you accept and how you approach them."
They turned back to me.
"You get your gacha tickets and growth. I get someone capable of operating at high power levels when needed. Rhodes Island gets protected from threats we couldn't handle otherwise. Everyone benefits."
"What about the Holy Grail? How does that factor into our planning?"
"The Grail is versatile but limited. It can't create something from nothing, but it can accelerate existing processes, enhance natural capabilities, or provide resources that exist somewhere on Terra."
The Doctor returned to the desk.
"I've been using it primarily for intelligence gathering and resource allocation. Summoning small amounts of money or materials, enhancing Rhodes Island's equipment, occasionally granting minor wishes to key personnel to improve morale."
"Could it make me stronger directly?"
"Possibly. But that would require experimenting, and the Grail's wishes are tricky. Poorly worded requests can have unintended consequences."
"So we save it for critical moments rather than casual use."
"Exactly."
We continued discussing for hours, covering everything from Arknights lore to FGO's Lostbelt storylines. The Doctor shared details about Terra's nations, major characters, upcoming events that would shape the world's future. I explained my Noble Phantasms in detail, what each could do, how they might be applied tactically.
By the time we finished, the sun had set over Lungmen and my mind was overflowing with information.
"That's enough for today."
The Doctor said, noting my exhaustion.
"We'll continue briefings over the next few days. For now, get rest. Tomorrow we start coordinating on the Reunion investigation."
I stood, preparing to leave, then paused.
"Thank you. For being honest, for trusting me with the Grail's existence, for the partnership."
"Thank you for accepting. This situation has been isolating, being the only person from Earth. Having someone who understands makes it bearable."
I left the office and returned to my quarters, my mind processing everything I had learned. The original timeline, the deviations, the stakes involved in opposing the Lion King.
And somewhere above all of it, a god watching and laughing, entertained by the chaos they had created.
Fine. Let them watch.
I had a partner now. Resources, knowledge, and plans that extended beyond simple survival.
The game was getting interesting.
Astral Express, High Orbit Above Terra
The observation deck of the Astral Express offered an unparalleled view of the planet below, Terra's diverse landscape visible through the reinforced windows. Himeko stood with a cup of coffee, watching the world spin through its rotation with casual interest.
"It's beautiful."
She commented to Welt, who stood nearby with his cane resting against the window frame.
"Reminds me of Earth in some ways. Similar continents, similar atmospheric composition."
"But fundamentally different."
Welt replied, his analytical gaze studying the planet's energy signatures through specialized equipment built into the observation deck.
"The energy readings are unlike anything we've encountered. A mineral that both powers technology and causes disease, crystalizing organic matter while granting supernatural abilities."
"March 7th wanted to visit."
Himeko smiled slightly.
"She's been pestering Dan Heng about adding Terra to our itinerary. Claims she can sense adventure waiting down there."
"March senses adventure everywhere."
"Fair point."
Himeko sipped her coffee.
"But the energy readings have been unusual lately. That's why I asked you to take a closer look."
Welt adjusted the equipment, filters and scanners analyzing Terra's emanations with increasing precision.
"There."
He said after several minutes.
"Three distinct anomalies. All concentrated on the planet's surface."
He pulled up visual representations of the energy signatures.
"The first one resembles a Stellaron. Similar energy pattern, similar reality warping potential. But it's not quite right. Like someone created an imitation without fully understanding the original."
The image showed a location underwater and a similar piece in lungmen but smaller and weaker, the energy signature pulsing with chaotic frequency.
"Could be dangerous if it destabilizes."
Himeko observed.
"Should we investigate?"
"That's not what concerns me most."
Welt switched to a different scan.
"The second and third anomalies are more troubling. They read as divine energy, the kind associated with Aeons or entities approaching that power level."
Two locations appeared on the display. One in Victoria, burning with golden radiance. Another in Lungmen again, more subdued but equally divine in nature.
"Divine energy concentrated in two separate locations on a world that shouldn't have Pathstriders or Aeon influence."
Himeko set her coffee down, her expression becoming serious.
"That's not natural occurrence."
"No. Which suggests either the Aeons are interfering with Terra directly, or something else is happening that mimics their signature."
Welt expanded the scans, analyzing the energy patterns with growing concern.
"The Divine glowing in gold signature is stronger, more aggressive. Whatever entity produces it operates at a scale that could threaten entire continents. The Lungmen signature is defensive, protective, contained deliberately."
"Two divine entities in opposition?"
"Possibly. Or two separate agendas that happen to conflict."
Welt turned to face Himeko fully.
"We need to share this to the other trailblazes. Terra might be experiencing Aeon interference without knowing it. If that's the case, the consequences could extend beyond this single world."
"And if it's not Aeon interference?"
"Then something else is granting divine power to entities on Terra, and that might be even more concerning."
Himeko picked up her coffee again, her gaze returning to the planet below.
"Should we make contact? Offer assistance?"
"Not yet. We observe, we gather information, we prepare contingencies. Direct interference without understanding the situation could make things worse."
He paused.
"But we stay close. Keep the Express in orbit, monitor the energy signatures, and be ready to intervene if the situation deteriorates beyond Terra's ability to manage."
"I'll inform Pom-Pom about the extended stay."
Himeko finished her coffee.
"March is going to be thrilled. Dan Heng less so, but he'll adapt."
They stood together in the observation deck, watching Terra continue its rotation, unaware of the divine forces gathering on its surface.
Somewhere below, the Lion King prepared for war.
Somewhere below, the Doctor and their new partner planned opposition.
Somewhere below, a Stellaron-like entity pulsed with chaotic potential.
And above it all, the Astral Express maintained its vigil, observers from beyond waiting to see how the drama would unfold.