Special Note: If you're noticing consistency issues between this first chapter and anything that comes after, be it writing quality or story/lore details, this is because I am currently doing a rewrite of my earlier chapters (as of writing 2 years later). In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this updated first ever chapter of The Trickster and the Grand Order!

At any rate, this is my first ever fanfic so I honestly have no idea what the heck I'm doing. It's kind of a spur of the moment thing admittedly so we'll see how it goes. Reviews and constructive criticism go a long way so leave those too! Hope you guys enjoy!

Ch. 1 - Chaldea

Far beyond the reaches of knowledge, beyond the reach of humanity, in a place where only their most distant dreams can brush against his realm, he watched and observed. Humanity had always been fascinating. They were complicated yet fascinating, full of similarities yet contradictions, full of wisdom yet foolish. They would walk forward, stumble, fall, or throw themselves to the ground, only to get up once more and keep walking, for good or ill. Thus, he loved them dearly and observed the paths they took.

His counterpart did much the same, albeit for different reasons. While he took delight in them standing and moving forward, his counterpart in turn took delight in them stumbling and falling. In fact, sometimes they instigated with a small push of their own – and sometimes more. But these days, they both preferred to simply watch and allow their agents to move for them and see what course humanity would take of their own will.

Their sight, however, stretched beyond the perception of normal humans. The past, present, and the future all lie within his view. And he saw a future: A future of fire. A future of demons. And also, a future of greatness, of humanity's strength gathering into a shining star as it reached for it all. Infinitely warm, infinitely greedy, infinitely powerful. It would be a grand trial with an enormous risk, but it would pave the way for humanity's next step forward.

Thus, he and his counterpart met. They discussed – in both words and concepts – what they had seen and what they would do. They could leave it to their agents, but there had to be a small nudge toward that future. One that could grasp both the good and evil, one who was just as greedy as all of humanity and generous in equal measure. Candidates were considered, eliminated, narrowed, and finally, focused on one: A candidate that intrigued them both. They would watch his progress eagerly and see if he would take and embrace everything – or fall to utter oblivion.

Opening his hand, a small butterfly made of light coalesced and formed in his palm. Unbidden yet laden with his will, it fluttered off into the endless darkness of the Sea. Delicate yet unyielding, it would find the pieces to move into place, and once that was one, the great trial would begin.

His lips curled into a small, amused smile. What was that one saying humanity thought up some time ago? 'The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world'. What a delightful line – one that had been proven time and time again.

The opportunity to prove it yet again has come.

The blue, sterile hallways of the Chaldea Security Organization were filled with noise as people walked by, chattering among themselves as they moved in a single direction. Occasionally, they had to move aside to allow the automated assistants through, with a few cursing them as they went by. The air was filled with nervous anticipation – after all, it was the commencement of the very first mission of their work. The staff had been here for months if not years, constantly researching, engineering, refining, and maintaining the systems and equipment here, and now it was time to display the fruits of their work. It would be a lifetime achievement for all of them, and it would be a new beginning for all of them.

And not amidst them was a very lost young man.

Ren Amamiya pulled a bit at the collar of his white uniform that he had been given as standard issue for his job as he tried to look around for any signs or maps. He had taken a bit too long putting his luggage away (especially considering what – or who – he smuggled in) and had lost track of the crowd. It certainly didn't help that every hallway looked almost exactly the same, rendering him walking in circles – verified by a small sign on a door he had definitely seen before.

He sighed in exhaustion. This was almost as bad as trying to find the Ginza line again on his first day of school. It certainly didn't help that he was sleep deprived as he once more tried to suppress a yawn. He had slept throughout the entire flight here – wherever 'here' actually was - but evidently it didn't help with the jet lag. Hopefully after the orientation he could catch a nap, assuming he could make it back to his own room. Otherwise, a quiet, out-of-the-way corner would do.

The former Phantom Thief ran a hand through his messy, black hair as he thought back to how he even got here in the first place. It had been a month since he got back home from Tokyo. His parents hadn't spoken a word to him ever since he got back, which didn't surprise him – after all, they didn't bother checking up on him once during his probation period or his brief time in juvenile hall. It had just been a matter of unpacking, trying to refamiliarize himself with his hometown, and keeping in contact with everyone in Tokyo.

To say it was disconcerting was putting it mildly. His former friends avoided him like the plague. Everyone who knew him in the past either ignored him or gave him the stink eye as he walked past. He expected all of it though it didn't make it sting any less. All he could really do was draft up plans for his move to Tokyo in about a year or so when he became independent. Sojiro had made it clear he could stay in LeBlanc if need be, but he didn't intend to take advantage of his kindness.

Then something strange happened. He had been passing by a blood donation drive and decided to stop by. Even if he wasn't a Phantom Thief anymore, he could at least assist others if even in a small way. The next day, two men in suits showed up to his home, spooking his parents who immediately called him down, thinking he was being arrested again. And indeed, Ren was more than wary of them. He figured he had eyes on him, but he certainly didn't expect them to be so blatant.

But no, they came from something called the Chaldea Security Organization. They were looking for certain candidates and apparently Ren fit the mark almost perfectly. They wanted to hire him, a prospect that both he and his parents were incredibly skeptical of. Then they showed the contract, and the sheer number of zeroes up front dispelled any doubts his parents might have had.

Ren could only sigh to himself when he saw their reaction. Again, he should've expected this. It seemed his read of people had been getting worse and worse as of late.

They left after saying they would give him a day to think about it. His parents immediately wanted him to take the offer, and Ren couldn't deny that it was incredibly tempting. With the amount they were paying, he could easily move to Tokyo with no issues and not have to worry about money for an incredibly long time, if ever again. Still, it certainly seemed too good to be true. That night, he immediately contacted his friends.

Ryuji: I dunno, man, this sounds incredibly sus.

Makoto: I agree. Offers like this usually have some terms and conditions attached – severe ones. It definitely sounds like something Kaneshiro would have cooked up if he had the resources.

Ann: No way would that pig ever be that generous, even for a long con. But yeah, something's fishy here.

Yusuke: The veil of greed may cloud even the most perceptive of eyes. Futaba, Haru, do you have any insights?

Haru: I'm afraid I'm not familiar with this organization, at least not off the top of my head. I will have to talk to a few of my father's associates – perhaps they are aware if we have made any investments on them and could furnish me with some information.

Futaba: Working on it, Inari!

Yusuke: I thought I had asked you not to call me that?

Futaba: You asked, I ignored. I thought you learned the rhythm by now.

Sumire: It certainly does seem too good to be true, senpai. What do you think about all of it?

Ren: It definitely stinks like all get out, I won't argue that. But the contract seems legit. We even have a copy that we can take to a lawyer and make absolutely sure.

Makoto: Would you like my sister to take a quick look at it?

"Huh, it'd probably be a good idea to ask," Morgana piped up from where he sat on his desk. Ren nodded in agreement.

Ren: If it's not too much trouble, please.

Makoto: Okay. DM me the contract and I'll see if she can look at it when she gets home tonight.

Ryuji: So, uh, out of curiosity, how much are we talking about here?

Ren listed the figure. Morgana eagerly peeked at the phone to see everyone's reactions as soon as he hit 'send'. A moment passed, probably so everyone could process the number, then they all started typing at once.

Ryuji: FOR REAL?!

Ann: HOW MUCH?!

Yusuke: Is-is there that much money in the world?

Futaba: OMGWTFBBQ WHAT IS THAT NUMBER

Sumire: Th-that's quite a lot!

Makoto: I… I just want to make sure - you didn't forget a decimal point or mistype the number of zeroes, did you?

Haru: Oh my! That's quite a princely sum!

Morgana chuckled. "If Haru's saying that, then it's definitely a lot of money," he cheekily pointed out. Ren could only chuckle in agreement.

Ren: I definitely agree. And here's what me and my parents get up front.

He typed in the figure and waited for the response.

Ryuji: … so uh, buddy, pal, uh, how soon do you gotta leave?

Ren: I'll treat all of you. Thought that would be a given.

Ryuji: HELL YES! You're the best, man!

Ann: All the cakes I can eat~!

Yusuke: Caviar and foie gras! Such culinary masterpieces will be within my grasp!

Haru: There are some delicacies that I can recommend for all of you, though I will have to ask what your budget is, Ren.

Sumire: It will be hard to check on the nutritional value if I go overboard. Hm…

Ryuji: Hey, don't sweat it. I'll help you out with that.

Sumire: Thanks, Ryuji!

Makoto: Guys, do remember that Ren hasn't signed anything yet and therefore hasn't been paid? I suggest holding off on your fantasies before you make yourself hungry again?

Ryuji: Yeah, a bit too late for that, Queen.

Makoto: …

Morgana snickered. "Typical Skull," he remarked. Ren chuckled as well. Then he realized that Futaba had been quiet for a while. That was concerning.

Ren: Futaba, you there?

Futaba: So, I checked every database I could about the Chaldea Security Organization.

Ren: Nice. What'd you find?

Futaba: It exists.

Ann: I mean, that's good to know, but anything else?

Futaba: Nope. Wherever I look, all I got is a name and a few details that show it's legit, but otherwise I can't find heads or tails of… well, anything. No names, no manifesto, no finances – heck, not even an official address to their headquarters! It's like every bit of actual detail about them is kept off the net!

Makoto: That's… worrying. Were you not able to hack into their systems?

Futaba: Queen, please – it's me we're talking about. If the info's not there, then it was never uploaded in the first place. They're probably going old-school in their info: Hardcopies, disk and memory drives, intranet computers, the works.

Sumire: What makes you so certain, Oracle? This does sound like the kind of scam we hear about where no trace of the company was found afterward.

Futaba: Yeah, uh, I don't think the United Nations database would have a scam company on account.

"The WHAT database?!" Morgana screeched in pure shock, mirroring Ren's own as his eyes widened.

Makoto: Futaba, I thought we talked about this!

Futaba: Don't worry, I made sure to cover my tracks. But yeah, I had to follow a trail of the tiniest breadcrumbs and it reached all the way to the UN. Not even Japan's national databases have anything on them.

There was a moment of silence from the chat and from Ren and Morgana as they processed what Futaba told them.

Ren: So to sum it up: I received a job offer from a place that has absolutely no info on the internet, but is marked down by the United Nations themselves. Meaning it's all top secret. Is that about right?

Futaba: That covers it, yep.

Another silence.

Ryuji: Sus.

Ann: Very sus.

Yusuke: This feat of trickery would put the Trojan Horse to shame.

Haru: I am rather skeptical of this.

Sumire: This is all sounding incredibly risky, even for you, senpai.

Makoto: I agree with everyone here. This all sounds very shady at best.

"Yeah, can't blame them," Morgana murmured as Ren glanced over. "The payout'snice, but we'll be essentially going in completely blind without any backup. You sure about this, Joker?" Ren was silent as he quietly considered. Then the sound of footsteps caught his attention as he glanced over. They approached, becoming louder and louder… then faded as they simply passed by without so much as a pause.

Right. He had forgotten one important fact: This wasn't his home anymore.

Ren: Queen, I'm gonna send you that copy of the contract. If it checks out, then I'm in.

Ryuji: Whoa, you sure about this?

Ren: It'll make a nice nest egg and funds for when I move to Tokyo properly. Aren't living costs over there kind of insane?

Makoto: … you aren't wrong. It was a point of contention between me and sis for a bit.

Ann: But still, isn't this going a bit far for money? There's gotta be other ways, right?

Futaba: Yeah! Just give me a bit to whip up another gacha and I can-

Ren: Guys, thanks. Really. But honestly, I just want to get out of the house at this point. Besides, there's worse ways of spending a summer vacation than with a top secret UN-associated organization.

Yusuke: Is your home life that bad, my friend?

Ren hesitated for a second as Morgana quietly observed, saying nothing.

Ren: … it could be better. Let me put it this way – at this point, you guys are my family now. That's what I choose.

Sumire: Senpai…

Ryuji: Well yeah. You're our bro, bro. We always got your back, like you always got ours.

Makoto: If that is your decision, then we'll do all we can to help you.

Haru: And even if we can't, we'll be with you in spirit all the way!

Ren: … Thanks, guys. All of you.

Futaba: I'm so telling Sojiro – he was bawling after you left. Did you know that?

Yusuke: As I recall, you were in a similar state yourself.

Futaba: Shut it, Inari!

Makoto: Can you two please behave…?

Morgana nodded resolutely. "I hope you're not expecting to go alone," he spoke up, glaring at Ren. "This place sounds incredibly dangerous and we're gonna be working with next to nothing. I'll be coming with you."

Ren blinked in surprise, then smirked with amusement. "Airport security's pretty strict," he pointed out. "It's going to be tough to smuggle you in."

The catlike being chuckled. "Joker, I thought you had more faith in me than that," he remarked smugly. "Just leave it to me – I'll be with you every step of the way."

And that was that. The contract got checked out and given tacit approval from Sae (though she called later in the evening with a good number of terse questions). The men came back, the contract was signed, and a day later, Ren was picked up and brought to a private airfield, complete with a jet without windows. His eyebrows practically raised themselves right into his hairline at the sight, but he pushed forward regardless.

Now he was here in this facility that looked like the set of a sci-fi film, completely lost. Morgana was most likely establishing himself in his bedroom – there was no way for him to easily follow him through these open hallways anyway – while he made his way to the orientation. That being said, it didn't help that he wasn't provided with a map, nor were there directions he could read. Just where the heck was everything-

As he rounded a corner, he collided with something soft. Looking down, he saw a girl maybe slightly younger than he was, with short lilac-colored hair and glasses. She wore a lab coat with a black shirt and red tie, as well as a black skirt. Odd. Was she someone who worked here as well? She seemed pretty young for it – but then, he had no right to talk.

Pushing aside the thought, he offered a hand. "Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention," he apologized as he gave a rueful smile. "Are you alright?"

The girl looked up in surprise, then gently took Ren's hand as he helped her up. "Oh, yes, my apologies, senpai," she quickly replied. "I was not paying attention to my path. I hope I did not inconvenience you."

"Not at all," Ren replied. "In fact, I could use a bit of help. Do you know how to get to the Command Center?"

She nodded and pointed down the hallway. "Take the second hallway to the left," she explained. "And go straight down. You should be able to find the Command Center straight ahead, senpai."

Ren nodded in relief. "Thanks so much, miss…?"

The girl bowed slightly. "Mash Kyrielight," she introduced herself. "I am an employee of Chaldea. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, senpai." Suddenly, there was a bit of motion from underneath her coat, and a small, white creature hopped up on her shoulders before turning to face him. It looked like a white… fox? With incredibly luxurious fur. That was the best description he had for it, anyway.

Mash blinked in surprise, then gave a gentle smile as she reached up to scratch it behind the ears. "And this is Fou," she explained. "He is a privileged life-form allowed to wander the halls of Chaldea."

"Fou, fou!" Fou barked, staring at Ren with curious eyes.

"Ren Amamiya," the former Phantom Thief introduced himself in turn with a smile. He slowly moved his hand in front of Fou, allowing the little creature to smell him first. A moment later, Fou rubbed himself against his hand, allowing him to pet the little creature in turn and eliciting a small smile from him.

"Oh," Mash gasped in mild surprise. "Fou normally doesn't take to people."

Ren smiled. "I have a way with animals," he remarked as he continued petting Fou. Mash seemed like an earnest girl. "Why do you call me senpai, by the way? I just started here – if anything, I should be calling you senpai."

Mash tilted her head slightly. "Because you are my senpai in life," she replied. "You have experienced more of the world than I have. I only know of Chaldea but otherwise, my knowledge is limited to whatever I can browse from books or the organization's archives."

The former Thief's mouth dropped slightly in shock at this information. Before he could respond, he heard a man's voice call out. "Ah, Mash! I don't wish to rush you, but I believe the others are waiting for you to suit up!"

They both turned to see a man in a green suit and top hat walking toward them, his cane tapping lightly against the tiled floor. "Mr. Lainur," Mash greeted with a bow. "Forgive me. I was informing Ren-senpai how to reach the Command Room from here. He was lost."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Is that so," he mused. "I thought I had put in a request for some direction signs or maps to be posted some time ago. I'll have to look into it. But at any rate, I can bring him to the Command Room myself – I'm headed in the same direction anyway. You had best prepare, Mash."

Mash nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to Ren. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ren-senpai," she murmured. "I hope to see you again." With that, she bowed once more to the man before walking off. Fou gave one last 'Kyu!' before she walked around a corner and disappeared from sight.

"Now, we best make our way to the Command Room," the man stated cordially. "Olga- er, Director Animusphere gets testy when people are late, Mr…?" He held out a hand.

Ren grasped it and shook firmly. "Ren," the former Phantom Thief introduced himself. "Ren Amamiya." He looked up at the man's features: Longer, curly hair, a face made for smiling, about middle aged. The man seemed affable enough – and yet, for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something felt off about the man. Still, it was better to play the fool for now until he had more information about his environment and the people within.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Amamiya," the man replied with a broad smile. "I am Lev Lainur, one of the technicians of Chaldea. Granted, as a Master candidate we won't be meeting frequently, if at all, but nevertheless, it is a pleasure."

Blinking, Ren looked him up and down. "You're pretty well dressed for a technician," he commented.

Lev stopped for a second, then laughed. "That is true," he agreed. "But today is the commencement of Chaldea – I should be dressed to impress for such a momentous event, no? Ah, yes, the commencement! We should hurry before the director truly loses her temper!"

Ren nodded and they both began walking down the hallway toward the Command Room. "Speaking of which," the former Thief spoke up. "The job description was pretty vague. What do they expect me to do here?"

The technician glanced over at him. "Hm, the paperwork was fairly vague, as I recall," the man mused. "Well, you need not worry. As a Master Candidate, you are only serving as backup in case something happens to the main team. I suppose it would be equated to the understudy of the actors. If all goes well – and our main team is highly capable, I assure you – then it should be a fairly simple job."

Lev grinned. "An easy job and a large payout," he remarked. "I believe you have discovered most peoples' dream! My congratulations, Mr. Amamiya!"

Ren chuckled as the technician laughed. "I guess I have," he agreed. Still, his mind raced. Backup? For a main team? Of what? And now that he thought about it, what was the position of 'Master Candidate' supposed to mean? Was he supposed to serve as some training for maids or something? Somehow, he had a feeling a particular teacher would be very unamused if she found out that was actually his summer job.

In a fishing pond in Tokyo, a certain woman sneezed.

The Command Room was a huge affair. About as large as the Shujin gymnasium, it was lined with workstations with computers, all filled with people wearing different colored uniforms. The aisles were filled with yet more staff as they listened to the director speak. The walls were blue but curiously shaped, someone stacked a bunch of triangles and squares together in an odd pattern. At the center of it all was a gigantic globe, showing a holographic display of the world.

Right below the globe was a young woman. Dressed in yellow, her white hair gleamed from the light of the hologram above as she gave her speech. Ren was about to stand behind the others when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Lev shaking his head. "Not here, I'm afraid," he whispered. "Master candidates are supposed to be up front."

The former Thief inwardly blanched at that. His first day here and he was going to stick out like a sore thumb. It was like Shujin all over again. Nevertheless, he reluctantly nodded and quietly pushed through the crowd, flowing through a sea of green and orange uniforms until he finally reached white. The other Master candidates around him looked in surprise, then showed a wide array of emotions: Some simply turned their attention back, a few smiled, and a couple more looked scornful.

Ren decided to keep a low profile. Better not stand out for now.

Now that he had a closer look at the director, he was surprised. She seemed fairly young – probably around Sae's age. And she was already the director of a top-secret facility? He was already impressed with Sae being a star prosecutor within the SIU and later an excellent defense attorney, but this was a whole new level. Her white hair and yellow eyes were even more prominent too. It reminded him a bit of Lavenza, only less ethereal.

He sighed inwardly to himself. After he left Tokyo, the Velvet Room no longer appeared for him. He wondered how she and Igor were doing. Probably observing all of humanity like they usually did. Were they watching him right now?

Suddenly, he felt eyes on him and looked up to see the director glaring straight at him. Did she notice he had just arrived? She was about to angrily open her mouth when movement to the side caught her attention. Turning, the director blinked in surprise as Lev walked up. "Lev," she called. "I was about to ask for you. It isn't like you to be tardy."

"Apologies Olga – er, Director Animusphere," he hastily amended himself. "I had a few matters to check up on as well as guiding a few people to the Command Room. I'll make sure it won't happen again.

The director frowned slightly in consternation, shooting a quick glare at Ren, but nodded. "It's fine, I'm sure you had your reasons," she accepted easily. "I'm glad you could join us."

Lev smiled and bowed. "There is nowhere else I'd rather be," he replied, causing the director to smile as the man took his place beside her.

Ren watched everything unfold with no small amount of surprise. He didn't think Lev was a simple technician, given his mannerisms and genteel yet affable nature, yet he hadn't expected him to be that high up on the hierarchy. Was he perhaps the vice director? It certainly reminded him of when he first encountered Kamoshida as he drove by to pick up Ann. He seemed affable enough at first… though that lasted all of a day before his true self slithered out. He could only wonder if that was going to be the case here.

With that, the director continued her speech, expressing how proud she was of everyone who worked here and how everything was only the beginning. However, her voice droned on and on, and Ren found his eyelids getting heavier and heavier. The jet lag and recent lack of sleep had been catching up with him, and now with the director's speech combined with the quiet, it was getting harder and harder to resist. The fact that he was still standing wasn't making a difference either. His eyelids gradually closed as darkness took him-

The next moment, he felt someone elbow him in the side, startling him awake – and face to face with the director. She stood shorter than him, but the fury on her face and eyes more than made up for it in terms of intimidation. "You have some nerve," she hissed. "First you show up tardy, inconveniencing Lev, then you fall asleep during the commencement speech? You obviously have no idea as to the importance of the situation."

The former Thief gulped. From his peripheral vision, he could see everyone had turned their attention to the both of them. "Sorry about that," he apologized meekly. "I didn't sleep well during the flight here. I meant no disrespect-"

"And yet you have disrespected me, the facility, and everyone here regardless," the director interrupted flatly. "Since you feel that this is all too boring that it would send you to sleep, then you are dismissed. Await further commands from your quarters, and we shall see what disciplinary measures are needed, if any."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence between the two of them. Ren's gray eyes were absent of any emotion, easily meeting the director's angry gray eyes without any trouble. A few onlookers nervously whispered to each other as everyone watched in anticipation. The air grew tense as neither side seemed to back down from whatever unspoken battle was brewing between them.

Finally, the former Thief bowed his head. "Sorry for the trouble," he murmured. Turning around, he quickly walked out, threading his way through the crowd. He thought he heard a few words of sympathy and felt a few pats on his shoulder, but he disregarded them for now besides a few small smiles of appreciation. For now, he could use a nap.

The director watched as the Master candidate left… then slowly, quietly let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. No one could see it, but she could feel the sweat bead underneath her hairline and her neck. As she turned to head back, she had to fight off the urge to rub her neck. Every second she was under his gaze, it felt like she had a dagger at her throat. People like that were… uncommon, to say the least. She would consult Lev, but he had walked off in the middle of her speech earlier, most likely to attend to other business. He had a habit of doing that.

No matter. It was a new day for all of them. She would make her mark and perhaps, finally, her father would be proud of her. Some new entrants caught her attention. The director turned and beamed at them.

"Team A, to your Coffins!" she commanded.

Ren could only sigh tiredly as he walked down Chaldea's halls. With everyone in the Command Center, he was the only walking through as his footsteps echoed faintly among the walls. Luckily, he didn't need directions this time – he had already been shown his room, after all, when he first arrived, and he knew where it generally was. At least he would have a bit more time to familiarize himself with his room and what resources it had – well, before he got punted out, anyway. He didn't exactly make the best first impression on his first day of work.

He blew out a quiet breath as he imagined his adulthood. Would this be what happened? Working under a boss that had a temper about as short as Jack Frost's attention span? Just the very thought of it gave him chills down his spine.

As he walked, a robot rolled by, catching Ren's eye as it quietly passed by him. He stopped to stare at it as it glided away, an odd sight in contrast to the empty hallway. It reminded him of the robots in Okumura's Palace. Unlike those ones, which looked relatively human, this robot was cylindrical with a domed head on top, with a small camera mounted as well as various ports and slots. He recalled during the introduction that Chaldea had robotic servitors to take care of most daily needs: Laundry, cooking, janitorial duties, and more. That way, everyone could keep their focus on their work without distractions.

The former Thief idly wondered if he could take one back to Tokyo with him. Sojiro would appreciate having a helper around the house – or at the very least, having someone help clean up Futaba's room. Futaba herself would be over the moon. She would practically be salivating over it and immediately start taking it apart, seeing what she could do with it as well as various upgrades. Knowing her, she might even hollow it out so she could crawl inside and pilot it around.

… Actually, thinking about it, perhaps it was better he couldn't take one with him. He didn't want to imagine the sheer amount of chaos Futaba could cause with one.

Walking along, it wasn't long before he reached the living quarters. It seemed every single employee had their own rooms, which was certainly a welcome surprise. Ren certainly appreciated the privacy– and it meant he didn't have to worry nearly as much about what he smuggled in. He turned a corner, reached his room, and tapped on the panel beside his door. It hissed open-

And showed his room very much occupied.

Ren blinked in surprise as he stared at the person in his room. A man perhaps a couple years older than him, with unkempt orange hair tied back in a ponytail and dressed in a doctor's coat over his green Chaldea uniform, was in his chain watching something on the computer very intently. Before he could speak up, a girl's voice spoke up from the computer. "Thank you for the superchat~" she chirped. "'Ah, Magi Mari is my only solace among all my work!' Well, if I'm your only solace, maybe you should go outside and touch some grass? Or at least go stretch your legs? You're probably getting flabby from all the slacking off you're doing, you know."

"Ah, Magi Mari, you're so right," the man cried. "Though you didn't have to say it so harshly, you know." He spun in his chair – and caught sight of Ren standing at the open doorway, simply staring.

For a moment, neither of them spoke as they tried to process the situation. Then the man suddenly rushed to close all the open browser windows on the computer before standing up, clearing his throat to compose himself. "I, er, thought this room was unoccupied," he muttered.

"I just moved in," Ren replied simply. Most of his luggage was currently in his locker right now which would explain why the man thought it was unoccupied. Other than that, however, he didn't seem to notice anything. Morgana must've either managed to either hide himself or snuck out before the staff member arrived. It helped that his best friend wasn't like other cats and never seemed to shed either, leaving no trace of cat fur. It certainly meant less he'd have to clean up at least.

The man blinked. "Just move- Ah, you must be one of the last Master Candidates to be recruited!" he exclaimed. Standing up, he grinned as he offered a hand. "I'm doctor Romani Archaman, the head physician of Chaldea. But please, just call me Roman."

The former Thief took his hand and shook it as well. "Ren Amamiya," he replied. The doctor's more laidback air and friendly tone reminded him less of Takemi and more of Maruki. "So, Roman, any health hazards in my room I should know about?" he asked, smiling wryly. "After all, if it requires the attention of the head physician, there must be a serious issue here. A chronic case of otaku, maybe?"

Roman immediately spluttered. "When- how long did-" he immediately stammered, then sagged with a sigh of resignation. "Okay, I'm not supposed to be watching videos on the clock," he quickly said. "But Magi Mari was having a stream today and I've already missed the last one! I couldn't miss another one! You have an idol too, right? You understand!"

Ren couldn't help but smirk. "Can't say I do," he replied truthfully, chuckling inwardly as the doctor's expression turned despondent. "I'll keep it a secret though, not to worry."

The doctor blinked in surprise, then sighed in relief. "Oh, thank you so much, Ren," he said. "Tell you what, next time I'll treat you to some tea after the first mission is finished." Then he stopped and checked the time on the computer. "Wait, the commencement is right now," he noted. "Aren't you supposed to be at the Command Center?"

Ah, the ten million yen question. He debated what to answer with him and he was curious to see how Roman would react. "I got on the bad side of the director," Ren replied truthfully with a shrug. "And she sent me packing while promising disciplinary measures. Not exactly fun."

Roman's eyes widened. "What'd you do to incur the director's wrath that quickly?" he asked in surprise.

"Arriving late and accidentally dozing off during her speech," the former Thief replied bluntly. "The latter I blame more to jet lag than anything else."

The doctor winced at the answer. "Ah, I see…" he murmured. "I understand your frustration but please don't be too angry with her. She's been under a lot of stress lately, especially today. This first mission absolutely had to be a success, after all."

Ren had a niggling feeling there was something else and decided to push a tiny bit. "A bit hard to do," he admitted. "She nearly bit my head off in there. Is the mission that important that she's practically on the edge of a meltdown?"

Roman opened his mouth, looked past the young man to see if there was anyone else outside, then sighed. "Honestly, it is," he answered earnestly. "The former director – the founder of Chaldea and her father – recently passed away, leaving everything on her shoulders. Since then, she has been doing everything to uphold her father's legacy, and it hasn't been an easy road for her. This first mission would be the proof she could provide that everything here meant something – to her, to her family, and to everyone who worked here. So… again, I understand your anger, but I do ask for your patience with her if you could, Ren."

The former Thief's frustration immediately melted away into hollow horror. That sounded almost exactly like what Haru went through: After her father had a mental shutdown, not only was she stuck grieving for her family, but she had to deal with constant hounding of her father's associates as well as that scumbag of a fiancé she was set up with. He helped her weather the storm as best she could, but there was still a lot she had to deal with. And even then, Haru didn't bear the responsibility of fully running Okumura Foods, the president taking up the mantle until she was ready.

He thought back to the director's situation. If what Roman said was true, then just under how much pressure was she? Suddenly, he couldn't blame her for snapping at him – even if he still believed it was an overreaction. "Alright, I understand," he answered quietly.

The doctor seemed taken aback at the easier answer, then smiled gladly. "Thanks so much, Ren," he sighed in relief. "She's a good person, just a bit temperamental is all. I'm sure once the mission's over, she'll be able to relax a little. Heck, she'll probably even forget about disciplinary-"

Suddenly, there was a distant roar and everything around them quaked. A moment later, alarm klaxons began ringing out as the lights began flashing red. Both of them looked about in alarm. "What happened?" Ren demanded.

Roman raced back over to the computer. Opening it, he rapidly pulled up the status report with his own credentials. "There was an explosion in the Command Room," he rapidly reported. "Casualties unknown as well as structural damage." He typed a few more keys, then his eyes widened. "The blast doors are going to be sealed in order to suffocate the fire!"

Ren's eyes widened. Then that would mean any survivors there would be trapped and sentence to death! "Get the med bay ready," he ordered. "I'll check on survivors and get as many as I can out of there."

"Wait, Ren!"

However, the former Thief had already sprinted out the door and was racing towards the Command Room. He heard a distant startled squawk from Roman and moments later, Morgana was running alongside him. "I heard what happened, Joker!" he quickly stated. "I'll go ahead and look for survivors!"

Ren nodded as Morgana ran ahead. For a moment, with his surroundings flashing around him, it felt like the last day of a heist in a Palace. Then he immediately shoved that thought from his head as he grabbed a corner and used that to help make a tight turn. Soon, he was approaching the Command Room. Even from here he could feel the heat of the flames that steadily got hotter and hotter as he approached.

Entering the Command Room, he was forced to bury his face in his sleeve in order not to inhale any smoke. The room was in ruins: Wreckage and rubble lay everywhere, with torn wires and broken electronics sparking. Flames leaped up all around him, bathing everything in an infernal light that made it hard to see. And worst of all, he could see people strewn all about – bleeding, mangled, and unmoving. He pushed down his nausea as he forged ahead. Not the time.

"Joker! Joker, over here!"

The former Thief locked onto Morgana's voice. Climbing over some destroyed tables and debris, he found Morgana next to a survivor. His eyes widened as he recognized the survivor: Mash Kyrielight. Unlike before, she was wearing some sort of orange and white jumpsuit. But more importantly, she was trapped underneath a large piece of rubble. "I can't get her out!" Morgana yelled. "I'm going to look for more survivors just in case, but I'll leave this one to you, Joker!"

"Got it!" Ren responded as Morgana dashed off. He quickly checked on her, seeing what he could do. Unfortunately, the rubble was pinning her down so he couldn't pull her free. Perhaps with a bar he could lever it off her.

Mash's eyes fluttered open, though only barely. "S-senpai…" she rasped out. "D-don't worry about me. Please escape... The blast doors… they'll close any moment…"

"And leave you behind?" Ren asked, forcing a cheerful grin despite his rising fear. "Not my style." He finally found a long bar that would serve as a lever. Shoving one end underneath the rubble, he began pushing down on the other to try and force it off. However, no matter how much he pushed or pulled, utilizing his full body weight and strength behind it, it didn't budge whatsoever.

"S-senpai…?"

"I almost got it, Mash," Ren panted out – then the bar broke with a snap, sending him crashing to the ground. He had to bite back a curse as he reevaluated his strategy. He hadn't heard from Morgana either. While he knew his best friend was okay, did that mean he couldn't find anyone else…?

"M-may I ask something selfish of you, s-senpai...?" the girl murmured, her words barely audible above the flames.

Singularity located. System Error. System Error. Rayshift functionality compromised. Unable to shut down. Locating eligible candidates.

The automated PA system boomed out something, but Ren ignored it. That wasn't important right now. He looked over at Mash, her eyes weak and plaintive. He wanted to reassure her and say something like 'you can ask for anything you want once you're out of here', but somewhere, deep down, he knew he'd never get that chance. "Sure, Mash," he replied gently as he knelt beside her. "What do you need?"

"C-" Mash choked a bit, her throat drier than she expected. She swallowed some saliva and spoke again. "Could you… h-hold my hand…?" she asked, reaching forward slightly.

Ren paused in surprise at the request, then nodded. "Of course," he answered. Reaching over, he took Mash's hand in his own. Her hand was much smaller than his. It felt so weak and fragile. Slowly, her fingers curled around his hand, and Ren softly grasped hers in turn, wrapping his other hand on hers as well.

The girl sighed softly and smiled weakly up at him. "Th-thank you… senpai…" she rasped out. The former Thief gulped and could only force a smile in response.

Candidates located. Beginning Rayshift in T-Minus 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

Suddenly, the entire room erupted into white around Ren – and then he fell into darkness.