Carmilla sighed, watching the Halloween singularity play out.
She had known her…..younger self was eccentric, but this was just distasteful.
Turning their Castle into a land of Halloween irked her something fierce, but there was nothing she could do but watch as her Dear Master attempted to clean up her younger self’s mess.
As the whole thing fell apart as it was want to do when the young fool tried to further her idol career, Carmilla figured she would turn a blind eye to what her younger self had done.
She’s done more to torture herself than even I could dare hope to inflict on her. Carmilla mused smugly.
As she turned to leave, a strange sound emanated from the viewing screen, which sounded almost uncannily like her own voice.
And the tension that had slowly built then subsided within the Command Room was now back with startling clarity, and she could feel the Chaldean Staff and Elizabeth’s “friends” purposefully avoiding looking in her direction.
“My my, why do you all avoid me so?” the vampire known as Carmilla questioned the room, her frozen glare causing a healthy aura of fear to manifest in all but the other Servants.
But even they were cautious.
The man in a green cape was the only one to speak up, not daring to look her in the eyes. and remained glued to the screen.
“Your little sister seems to have summoned part of you.” He quietly murmured as the screen proved his point, showing another Carmilla…..cleaning?
The temperature noticeably dropped, as the onlookers looked on in dread as the anti-hero watched an incarnation of herself do what the presumed was work beneath her station.
But as the supposedly cruel vampire continued to watch, and even made herself comfortable, the atmosphere gripping them in fear lessened, and they began to resume the former jovial nature.
No one noticed the longing in the Vampire’s eyes as she watched her younger Incarnation enjoy the Halloween Singularity, toying with their Master.
Only the man in green noticed the brief sadistic joy that spread across her features when their Master defeated the ‘other’ Carmilla.
Everyone noticed the sigh that proceeded the Vampire getting up and leaving once their Master had finished exploring the Castle, and respectfully kept silent until she had left.
“Where is she going? The Singularity isn’t resolved yet.” a Chaldea Staff member asked aloud, not expecting an answer, before turning back to their task.
The man in green breathed deep, savoring the small moment of normality before the Singularity was resolved.
“She’s probably about to organize a final surprise for the young Lancer.” He whispered, before heading in the direction of the Cafeteria.
He had a card game to win, after all.
========================================
“El-Melloi, I know your here.” Carmilla growled as she stalked the library, looking for her ‘friend’.
He wasn’t at his usual desk, the Magecraft research stations weren’t overwhelmed with theory books and loose notes, and Medea wasn’t skulking around in a bad mood after having yet another argument with the tactician.
“……in here.” A voice trailed out from a nearby alcove, with a door slightly ajar.
Since it sounded like the depressed mage she knew, Carmilla followed.
And she found said mage smoking in what was apparently a quickly constructed smoker’s room.
Not missing a beat, Carmilla began her approach, stepping into the doorway and leaning against the doorframe.
“This is new, didn’t realise even you had a vice.”
Lord El-Melloi II took a deep drag of his cigar, before replying.
“Hardly. Since Zhuge possessed me, its less a vice and more a habit, since I don’t get any of the benefits or detriments.”
He paused, looking around at the room, before adding, “Well, none that directly affect me. When I realised I wouldn’t be losing this habit, I consulted Da Vinci and had this room created. No need to harm the Staff who are researching their own projects, or ruin Chaldea’s public collection.”
“Didn’t realise you cared so much about the other Mages here.” Carmilla sneered, more of a performance sort of sneer than one backed by any malice.
Few could appreciate affectionate malice without actually meaning it, and Lord El-Melloi seemed to be used to dealing with people like her, which is why he was one of the few she would consider a ‘friend’.
Lord El-Melloi made a dismissive gesture with the hand holding the cigar.
“More I need to set a good example for Alexander, and to ensure my King is never sullied by my own poor manners.”
Finally relaxing, El-Melloi leaned back into the sole chair within the smoker’s nook.
“Enough of the banter. The fact you hunted me down means you need my view on a matter, so tell me what you need my view on.”
Carmilla gave a dramatic sigh, her smile betraying the sound she made.
She appreciated his no nonsense approach when it came down to business.
“You’ve heard of the nonsense Elizabeth got up to?”
He nodded.
“Yes, it’s partially why I’m here. Da Vinci wants me researching the Grails, as one of the few Mages who has been directly influenced by one, since what your younger Incarnation did should not be possible, considering how Ritsuka recovered the French Grail.”
Carmilla waved her hand dismissively.
“That doesn’t concern me. When it comes to her, she will always find a way to break a system. What does concern me, is the amount of people who were watching her stunt and saw ‘me’ being commanded to clean the castle.”
Honestly, she didn’t care as much about what had happened, but she had a reputation to maintain, and letting the Lancer get away scot free just wouldn’t sit well with her public image of a sadist who toyed with people over the smallest thing.
“Ah. You want me to come up with a punishment?” he asked carefully.
Another dismissive gesture.
“No, that I can do. I more wanted your opinion on whether I SHOULD retaliate. She’s already been shamed, because no way in hell is she going to beat our Master, but no one will see it as me putting her in her place, and they will see it as her getting away with defying me.”
Lord El-Melloi took a small drag of the cigar.
“Hmmm, give me a moment to think.”
Carmilla nodded her assent.
“You have until I find a chair.”
Turning her back on the aggravated sigh, Carmilla was quick find her target. Quick to return, she placed the chair in the doorway, and set down.
“Well?”
Lord El-Melloi took the final drag of his cigar, as his laptop chimed with a notification. The way he froze when he apparently read the notification gave Carmilla pause.
What sort of information could make this man stop mid-thought?
“Lord El-Melloi?”
The Lord Mage quickly shook himself out of his stupor.
“Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting….that. Where were we?”
“What should I do about Elizabeth?”
“Oh. Right.” Lord El-Melloi paused for an uncomfortable amount of time.
“Well, I’d suggest waiting in her room, and surprising her with the task of having to clean up the mess she has made, as well as the mess she’s about to unleash on Rituska.”
Carmilla tiled her head, a quizzical look on her face.
“She’s about to give Master a personal concert.” He added.
“Oh, thats nothing. If she’s doing it for our Master, they’ll be fine.
This knowledge apparently confused the Tactician, but she had earnt his trust, so he apparently took her word.
“Its also a duet.”
“With who? Ritsuka?”
Lord El-Melloi pulled out a second cigar, and took a deep drag of it.
“Just…..go to Elizabeth’s room. You wouldn’t believe me.” he stated before dropping his head down into his knees, a feeling of immense stress suddenly filling the nook, so Carmilla left the Mage to his thoughts, as she followed his advice, and headed towards Elizabeth’s room.
==============================
“……what is the meaning of this?” Carmilla quietly asked the two servants before her, her threatening aura on full display.
“I didn’t realise the Grail was still linked to me.” Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess, mumbled from her place in front of her older incarnation, her frilly pink and white dress looking cute and elegant from her place seated on the ground.
She definitely didn’t fear Carmilla, but she knew the anti-hero was easier to deal with when you went along with her whim.
“It’s a Halloween miracle?” Elizabeth weakly offered, from her place in front of Carmilla, her black and orange striped dress a stark contrast to the other nearby dress.
“I’ll make it simple. Why are there two of you?” the Vampire known as Carmilla growled, mentally directing the actual malice in the growl at the Mage currently smoking in the library.
That bastard KNEW. He must have.
“The Grail.” The two Elizabeths responded in unison.
Carmilla raised a hand to her temple, a sudden throbbing taking all her will to fight from her.
“Fine. Whatever.” She stood up and began to leave, before turning back to the two incarnations of Elizabeths.
“Why are you two just sitting there?”
The twinned Elizabeths looked blankly at their older incarnation, then to each other, then back to Carmilla.
“Because I just pulled off a huge Halloween party and I’m exhausted?” Lancer Elizabeth replied, yawning afterwards.
“Because I was just summoned, and I want to get to know my other self a bit more?” a tired Caster Elizabeth responded.
Carmilla smiled. She had them now.
She pointed to Lancer Elizabeth.
“Good, then as the person who organized this party, you can do all the cleaning.”
She then turned to point at Caster Elizabeth.
“And you can help, so you can get your needed bonding time.”
====================
A piercing wail managed to reach Lord El-Melloi, and the stress that had been assaulting his mind finally cleared.
“Oh good, Carmilla dealt with them.”