the importance of the plus one
Fandom: Fate/Grand Order
Character(s): Ritsuka, Taigong Wang
Pairing(s): None
Genre: Fluff/Humor
Word Count: 675
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Ritsuka, court mage, is ordered to attend a grand ball, and decides to make everyone else involved regret this while technically not breaking any rules.
Notes:
If Ritsuka had to summarize court politics in one word, it would be 'exhausting'.
Everyone has an agenda. Everything is scrutinized, from how you dress to who you look at first when entering a room, and you can never let your guard down. Keeping up appearances is king.
It doesn't suit Ritsuka at all. He became a court mage because it was the most secure job for someone with his powers (being a hermit in the forest doesn't pay too well), but he'd really rather have as little to do with the rest of the court as possible.
Unfortunately, it seems like they've noticed him skipping out on official events. His gilded invitation to the grand ball includes a personal note reminding him that he Must be there as court mage, and he Must have a partner.
As if he can just magic up a partner from thin air? There's no living person that Ritsuka would willingly inflict this on anyway-
Hm. Hmmmmm.
No, actually, this might work? At the very least it'll piss off those fancy nobles, and the ball might be interesting for once. Even if it's a disaster, it'll be funny.
Right. First stop: the royal catacombs.
It's lucky that as the court mage, Ritsuka has an excuse to be basically wherever: 'mage stuff'. If he decides he wants an undead servant, nobody's going to stop him. It's not like they're using the skeletons down here right now anyway.
Let's see, ideally he'd want someone who's already a little prepared to deal with court… ah, here we go. A former court advisor for a king many, many generations ago. A genius in both military and magical matters… and someone still remembered as something of an eccentric.
Ritsuka draws the magic circle, lights seven candles, and after double-checking his work - you can really never be too careful with necromancy - begins to chant.
"Thou who dwell on the far side of the river, return to the form of flesh and bone. Answer my call, o distant one…"
The circle around him glows, and the candles extinguish all at once. As a wave of exhaustion crashes over Ritsuka, he catches a glimpse of shifting bone, before he passes out.
When he comes too, someone is humming.
A man dressed in the fine clothes the tactitian was buried in. Despite the lack of flesh, the lights of his eyes are still bright and alert.
"Oho, I see you're awake. That was an ambitious spell you cast, you know. Even I'm impressed."
Ritsuka sits up, rubbing his head. "Thanks… it was kind of an impulse decision, really…"
"I thought so. You really should rest up before bringing someone back from the dead, but you managed it successfully, so I won't complain." He smiles. "So! What did you call on Jiang Ziya, famed advisor to King Wen, for? It can't be for my magical arts if you were capable of summoning me in the first place. Military tactics, perhaps? Has war come to the country once again?"
"No wars right now, thank goodness. This is more of a personal request." Here goes nothing. "So… I'm court mage, but I hate the rest of the court with all their power plays and passive-aggressive parties." Jiang Ziya nods along. "And I'm being made to go to a ball, with a partner, but they didn't say anything about who that partner had to be, so…"
Jiang Ziya laughs, light and easy. "You wanted to see the look on their faces after bringing in a skeleton! I understand, completely. It would be my pleasure to accompany you, …?"
"Ritsuka." Getting up, Ritsuka brushes himself off before holding out a hand. "Thanks for helping me make those stuck-up nobles regret dragging me into this."
"I would do the same in my court if I had thought of it, believe me." Jiang Ziya's handshake is firm despite the lack of muscle. "No one is better than me at following the rules of the court while annoying everyone in it."
"We're going to get along great."