Shirou, Blade of Emiya

[vaulttec01]

thanks for the chapter, cant wait for Lancer to meet Shirou again.

 

[gac]

So I would like to remind everyone, Shirou is a Saber face, it's entirely possible that Archer is his son and not daughter (lol).

 

[OverReactionGuy]

Sakura is definitely going to start tweaking when she finds out about that though..... dark sakura goes brrrrrrr.

Click to shrink...

Dark sakura doesn't exist in this timeline.

Shirou murdered that possibility.

 

[Mr.Nobody]

In which Shirou projects a Divine belt upon learning his som/daughter is going to sacrifice themself once the Grail manifests to purge it with fire or some such.

Or something, never finished Fate/ Stay Ring.

 

[Cherry Lover]

This is what I thought too, with the gluttonous aunt being Saber. If Sakura is an aunt then saber is too, no? Definitely Rin and Shirou's daughter.

Click to shrink...

Not necessarily. Sakura is Rin's sister, remember. Whilst Saber might well also class as an "aunt", depending on her continued existence, Sakura gets the role by default.

 

[Silly_Thoughts]

So is mummy rin, sakura, saber or later waifu that is the question

 

[Dunno.]

Can we get a full character sheet? I'm curious on how high Shirou's skills are

Click to shrink...

To be honest with you, I—myself, don't have a complete character sheet on Shirou's abilities. I kina forgot.

 

[Dunno.]

I was really hoping for a conversation like EMIYA asking about Shirou becoming a counter guardian and Shirou responding with something like "What kind of idiot would sell his soul to serve as a mercenary for all eternity?"

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Future stuff

Something along those lines will indeed happen.

On a side note—I already have the ending planned out for a while now, but I dunno if this fic will reach that far; the motivation just isn't there anymore.

 

[Spelloyal]

Spoiler: Future stuff

Something along those lines will indeed happen.

On a side note—I already have the ending planned out for a while now, but I dunno if this fic will reach that far; the motivation just isn't there anymore.

Click to shrink...

I love this fic, so that's a shame. But because it's a fate fic, instead of dropping it, I think it's worth starting the grail war and concluding the fic there. It's going to be a meh ending but it might be better than dropping.

 

[Dunno.]

Non-Canon extra 2: Parallel mayhem.

It was a peaceful, wintry sunday in Chaldea—well, as peaceful as it can get when it involves countless legends of a bygone era. Let's ignore all of that for now and focus on the important stuff; today was a rather special day for Ritsuka Fujimaru, as he had finally summoned another Servant after wasting a mountain's worth of Saint Quarts (May God rest his soul).

The Servant was a man of tall stature wearing a gray cloak over their lithe yet muscular frame, while a pure-white helmet with two horns protruding from each side encased his head. Through the helmet's eye-holes reveals a hollow visage devoid of eyes, as if staring into the abyss itself.

Currently, him and Mash are giving the new Lancer-class Servant a tour of the place, visiting various areas such as the training room where Cú Chulainn and his parallel selves occupied most of the time, medical bay where Nightingale basically lived, and the dormitories where employees and Heroic Spirits alike retire for the night after a hard day's work.

"Well, there's only really one place that we haven't gone to yet," Ritsuka mentioned.

"And what would that be?" the newly summoned Lancer asked.

"The kitchen, which is nearby—about two more turns," the Last Master of Humanity answered, pointing forward. With a nod, the trio sauntered through Chaldea's muted halls in comfortable silence, until the adorable eggplant kohai decided to ask a question.

"Um, Lancer-san?" the aforementioned Servant turned, waiting for her to continue. "It'd be confusing to call you Lancer since there's already a lot of them around. What should we call you?"

"Yeah. We can't just call you 'Lancer'. Everyone here usually goes by their name, except a select few," Ritsuka chimed in.

"Hm…" Lancer hummed, thinking. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to increase the nunber of Servants who refuse to disclose their name, as I would like my True Name to remain hidden. Though, you may call me "Hollow Knight" for now."

Ritsuka didn't bother asking the reason, there's already a lot of Servants here who kept their identity to themselves. One more won't make a difference.

"Oh… I see," Mash nodded. She then looked at the brilliant spear in his hand and asked, "I've been wondering, why does your weapon look like Rhongomyniad?"

"Because it is the very same one, little girl. It's merely been modified to be more slim," the Hollow Knight revealed without a second thought. The two were shocked at the revelation that someone else apart from Artoria wielded the divine spear, but quickly dispelled their surprise and continued walking. They've been hit with more surprising things before. A minute passed, and they finally arrived at the cafeteria.

"Well, here we are," Ritsuka announced. Nearing the entrance, the door slid open to reveal a rather spacious eatery filled to the brim with hungry Heroic Spirits chowing down on their meals.

As they entered, a voice exploded near the front of the kitchen, "Hey, Copycat! isn't it my turn in the kitchen today?"

"Piss off, Fraud. Can't you read?" the other individual, the 'Copycat', shot back while pointing at a calendar stuck on the wall.

"Says the bitch who can't think of anything original. How about we meet up in the training grounds? I'll show you a technique I haven't used since the Heian era," the 'Fraud' countered, causing the Copycat's brows to twitch in agitation.

"Oh? What's that technique supposed to be? Kneeling down on your knees and using your lips to get rid of my stress?" the Copycat scoffed. "I'm flattered, but I'm into women."

"Would it even matter? You and I, we literally look like cute girls despite being men. We can even invite Chevalier and Paris if you want, I wouldn't mind," Fraud returned with a less than brilliant rebuttal, the corners of his mouth sliding upward.

"Still a 'no' for me—wait, you didn't even deny it." Copycat's face twisted in horror. "Get away from me, you sexual deviant!"

"Stay the hell away from the Malevolent Kitchen, then I'll get out of your hair!" the 'deviant' started pushing the other person away from the cooking station rather forcefully, which was met with resistance. They dropped to the ground, grappling with one another in ways that's unsafe for children to witness.

Meanwhile, a small group emerged from kitchen area, watching the pair's squabble unfold. Minamoto-no-Raikou placed a hand on her lips, giggling, "Uh-oh, they're at it again, it seems."

"Haah…" Boudica sighed. "I don't really know if they're supposed to be enemies or lovers at this point. Are they fighting or cuddling? Also, since when did this place get renamed to Malevolent Kitchen?"

"I think it's wonderful!" Tamamo-no-Mae remarked, watching the two wrestle on the floor. "Aah… if only Husband treated me the same way," she then went off to her own little world.

Ritsuka, Mash, the Hollow Knight, and practically everyone else nearby, watched the drama as well with an amused expression. This happened quite often, so nobody made a fuss about it. They merely treated it as entertainment. The new Lancer Servant stilled, recognition flashing through his nonexistent eyes.

"Ah, sorry about that, Hollow Knight. Those two… well, I don't know why but they keep fighting, but I assure you they're good people. They just can't stand each other for some reason," Ritsuka explained the pair's dynamic.

"For my sanity's sake, who are those two?" Lancer inquired. His sight never left the duo, feeling a spark of connection between them.

"Ah? Oh, the 'Copycat' is an Archer who goes by 'Nameless'. While 'Fraud' is also another Archer who goes by 'Sukuna'," his Master responded. "No one really knows who they are since they kept their names a secret, but some Japanese Servants thinks Sukuna is from the Heian era by the way he dresses and how he keeps mentioning an ability he hasn't used since that time. Nameless on the other hand, we have nothing apart from that he may have been from a time either before or right after Gilgamesh due to how much Noble Phantasms he has."

"They're also the best chefs we have," Mash added with a smile.

"Huh… I see," Lancer drifted off. Nameless and Sukuna continued bantering, arguing who gets to use the kitchen and other pointless nonsense, until another figure came into the equation, breaking them up by pulling the other away.

"There's no need for strife, but rather, show kindness to one another," the newly added person attempted to stop the chaos, wearing a hypnotizing smile on their adorable face as they gazed down on the two.

"And that's Miquella, a Ruler-class Servant… and also another person who doesn't want to reveal their identity," Ritsuka introduced. For some reason, he felt a surge of bloodlust escape the Hollow Knight's form as he took stock of Miquella's effeminate appearance, before fizzling away.

Lancer nodded, glaring at the trio. Nameless and Sukuna, as if their prior rivalry never existed, gave a coordinated nod to one another before tackling Miquella down and pinching his cherub cheeks while tickling his sides at the same time.

"Halt—oww! Cease your actions—unhand me at once!" the pale-haired crossdresser pleaded, eyes watering from their combined might.

To the side, various men and women, both humans and Heroic Spirits alike, grit their teeth in frustration. These people were none other than faithful followers (fanatics) of Miquella the Kind. So seeing their idol, the one who stole their hearts, being treated like that made them angry. But they knew they couldn't do anything, as both Sukuna and Nameless were some of the strongest Servants out here, even besting the King of Heroes. One day… one day those blasphemous evil-doers will feel their wrath for bullying the one and only Miquella.

"Silence, traitor. You gave in to the temptation unlike us," Nameless said, his voice lowering into a dangerous octave. No one really understood what he was saying, but they didn't put much thought into it, chalking it up to his usual unhinged behavior. "Time for some punishment, O' ever wonderful Miquella. Astolfo, go get the rope in my room," he commanded.

"Oh? We're doing that today? Yes sir!" Astolfo gave a cute salute before running off, presumably to collect the item Nameless had mentioned.

"I beseech thee, anything but the rope! I cannot endure such torment again! I shall embrace thee as we rest beside each other. I know thou dost love them!" Miquella shouted rather suggestively, fear evident in his voice.

Hearing this offer, Miquella's followers felt their hearts crack, mind gradually fading into dust, only to reawaken with fire in their eyes. 'That's not fair! That should've been me, not him!' they all collective thought, jealous.

"Can I get a waffle?" another voice interjected amidst the chaos. "Can I please get a waffle?"

"Go get it yourself, you disabled gremlin," Sukuna halted his actions to reply, then went back to bullying and teasing the Ruler Servant who was wiggling on the floor, at his and Nameless' mercy.

"The one that asked for a waffle is the Good Hunter, a Foreigner class Servant. We do not know why but he likes to stroll around in a wheelchair even though he can walk perfectly fine," Ritsuka said, feeling second hand embarrassment from their antics.

"Quite the lively cast of characters Chaldea has. Not a second of boredom, I see," the Hollow Knight voiced out, almost like a whisper. What a wonderful place, Chaldea is.

END.

A/N: Pure randomness.

 

[Tobi]

I am very confused but it looks fun. Thanks for the chapter.

 

[OverReactionGuy]

When meeting yourself goes wrong.

 

[Dafuro]

It's all versions of the SI that decided to hyperfixate on diff characters eh?

 

[Dunno.]

Chapter 19: Ally.

Jumping onto the balcony of a high-rise hotel, Lancer materialized into existence. He relaxed, only to be met with a sharp, feminine voice from the bed.

"You damn idiot!" Bazett shouted, berating him.

"A patient like you should be resting," Cú reminded his Master, shrugging off the harsh comment with a wry smile.

He leaned on the railings, gazing out at the sprawling forest of concrete and glass. For someone like him, such towering buildings were a sight to behold—a testament to how far humanity had come since his time, despite the decline of all that was magical. It also served as a reminder not to get too careless in battle. The humans of today were incredibly fragile due to the lack of mana, a single swipe from Gae Bolg could level an entire building and kill hundreds if he wasn't careful. It was honestly annoying having to hold back, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Inside the room, lying atop a plush bed, was an injured Bazett Fraga McRemitz. One of her arms was wrapped in bandages, the result of a vicious encounter that left her with numerous slashes. She had just narrowly escaped death. After meeting with Kirei Kotomine, the overseer of the War, the priest had betrayed her. However, Lancer, ever vigilant due to the ominous note they had received earlier, easily repelled the man's attempt on her life and made a swift escape.

"Couldn't you have at least tried to hide your True Name? Now two Servants know who you are!" Bazett pointed out, her frustration evident.

"Meh, not my style. And it's not like I told her who I was, she just figured it out on her own," Cú replied nonchalantly.

"Wonderful," she muttered, dropping onto her back and staring blankly at the ceiling. She knew of the dangers this War presented, but it was already proving to be more difficult than she initially thought.

"I know I am, woman," Lancer smirked. He gripped the cursed spear, casually twirling it around his hand. "If I wasn't so awesome, that Archer wouldn't have recognized me."

He suddenly whipped his head to the side, narrowly avoiding a bottle-turned-projectile. The object whizzed past his face and tumbled to the ground below. Lancer glanced down at the bustling street, briefly worrying for anyone unlucky enough to get caught by his Master's ire.

"Shut—up," Bazett commanded, her voice a mix of exhaustion and wrath. She's already been through a lot in such a small period of time, she doesn't need to hear her Servant's prattlings about how awesome he is.

Lancer sighed and turned his gaze back to the cityscape. Truly, Cú Chulainn's life was filled with nothing but violent women.

---

As the sun rose past the horizon, I roused from my slumber and made my way to the entrance, quietly as to not awaken Saber who slept in the room next to my own. On my way there, however, I encountered a groggy Sakura who had just woken up as well.

"Morning," I greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Senpai," she returned, pushing back a yawn. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah. I'm heading to the Temple to talk with Caster," I announced.

"Oh," she blinked, before nodding. She already knew what I had in stock for today, so my words didn't come out as a surprise. Today was the day I meet up with Caster—also known as Medea of Colchis—and hopefully turn her into an ally, or at least not an immediate enemy.

"Don't worry, I'll be back before breakfast," I reassured.

"Ah, wait," she called out, stopping me in my tracks. "Before you leave, my familiars recently found a white-haired girl that looked exactly like Illyasviel roaming around the place. Like you said, she has a Command Seal on her hand—Berserker, if I'm not mistaken."

"I see," I noted. So, she's finally here, huh? That took a while. I just hope our meeting won't be as brutal as the original. "Did you see her Servant by any chance?"

"No." Sakura shook her head. "She either came outside alone or Berserker remained invisible."

"Well, nothing we can do about that. Thanks for the info." I gave her gentle pat on the head.

She accepted my show of affection, then spoke, "No problem, Senpai. Make sure to come back quickly, Saber might wake up soon and get mad about you leaving without her."

Slipping my footwear on, I opened the door and went outside to complete my goal for today. After much traversing, I arrived at the foot of Ryuudou Temple without complications.

With one step after another, I ascended the stairs leading to temple, calm and purposeful. As I neared the gates, I found nothing amiss, worrying me slightly. From what I recalled, a Servant—one summoned by Caster through dubious means—should have been standing guard, protecting the entryway from intruders. Yet, no such guardian was present.

No… something was there. I just couldn't see it. My head swiveled left and right, trying to pinpoint the source of the intense glare I felt bearing down on me, but I couldn't determine its exact position. A short laugh echoed in my mind; so this was what it felt like to be on the receiving end of Presence Concealment? I could see how infuriating it must be for my opponents.

I continued my march, fully expecting some form of resistance from the Assassin. Yet, I passed through the gates without encountering anything. I was certain someone was there, but they chose not to reveal themselves. A creeping sense of unease began to gnaw at me. Had something happened here?

Fortunately, my worries were proven false as a finely dressed Souichiro Kuzuki stepped into my field of view.

"What brings you here, Emiya?" Kuzuki started.

"Ah, sensei. I'm here to talk, actually. It's about certain… developments that's been going on around town," I answered, peeking left and right to get my message across.

"We may want to do this inside, away from prying eyes," he said, ushering me inside the Ryuudou Temple.

The moment I passed through the foyer, a cold sensation crawled across my back. The world fell into a state of maddening quietness, as if every living being on it had vanished all at once; I had entered a Bounded Field, one crafted so masterfully that I didn't even notice it beforehand. Instead of panicking, however, I kept my countenance and resumed my stride.

Right on cue, a familiar woman wearing a casual getup emerged from one of the adjacent rooms, greeting us. Seeing her, a hint of relief flashed through my eyes. Good, she made it here without issues, like the priests had promised.

"A visitor this early in the morning?" the woman said as the three of us gathered around a low table. Her penetrating gaze roamed along my figure, a smile sprouting on her lips. "Oh my, aren't you a cute one?"

"This is Emiya, the student I was talking about with you the other day," the former assassin introduced, motioning towards me.

"Oh? So you're that kid those monks keep mentioning every now and then. The pretty boy," she comments, her interest suddenly waning. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem a little glad upon seeing me. Have we met before, by any chance?"

"We've never met, but I have seen you before this," I revealed. "I'm here to discuss something with you and Kuzuki-sensei specifically."

"Don't keep a lady waiting, boy. Speak what's on your mind," she signaled.

Gathering my wits, I began, "I'm sure you realize by now that I'm a Master, correct?"

"I'd be blind not to notice the Command Seals engraved on your hand," Caster scoffed. "Quite reckless of you to enter another magus' territory, don't you think? What if I do something to you right now?"

"Caster, let us hear what he has to say first before doing anything hasty," Kuzuki interjected.

"Haah," she sighed. "Since you came here with no ill-intentions and an old acquaintance of my Master, I'll give you a single chance. So, what are you here for? to propose a ceasefire, perhaps? Or do you seek to become my apprentice?"

Being a mage that hailed from the Age of Gods, her knowledge of the mystic arts were extremely valuable to the modern world. So it didn't come as a surprise she thought that I was after her expertise. Unfortunately, that wasn't what I was here for.

"None of that." I shook my head. "I'm not here to sign an alliance, but to forge a new friendship that'll extend way after the Holy Grail War ends," I said, keeping my words brief.

"And why should I agree? We are supposed to kill each other, are we not? You're all alone in my domain, I can get rid of you with a snap of my fingers and easily take the Commands Seals from your rotting corpse," she responded, finding no value in my offer. "I fail to see how being your friend could be as useful as having an extra batch of those."

"Trust me, my presence would help you in more ways that you'd think," I argued. "I could even aid you in settling down here, keep unsavoury people away from bothering you. Isn't that what you wanted? To live a life of peace with your beloved?"

Medea's story was one of tragedy, a helpless victim of powers beyond her control. She was forced to love a man she's never seen before—Jason—which lead to her eventually betraying her own family, even slicing her brother into pieces… all due the whims of a certain goddess. The years came and went and her story was passed down from one to another, becoming known as the Witch of Betrayal, ostracized by acts that was no part her fault. But I knew the truth, having seen it unravel before my very eyes in a past life. Her wish was fairly simple—to live a life with her loved one.

"And how do you know that?" she growled, her voice lowering into a dangerous octave. With a crackle of refined magical energy, her Servant gear manifested over her current attire. "If you're here to harm my Master, you will regret it,"

"Caster, calm yourself. There is no need to be aggressive when he has yet to do anything that demands such a response." Kuzuki placed a hand on Medea's shoulder, stopping her from doing anything rash.

Pacified by her Master's pleas, she regained her composure and pronounced, "Speak, boy. Pick your next words wisely as they will determine whether or not you reach the afterlife."

Well, I don't know about that; I'm confident my agility alone could overwhelm her, if not, then the dozen or so Noble Phantasms stored within my Gate of Babylon should be enough to blow this mountain into smithereens. But there's no need to mention that. I was here to make friends, not enemies.

"I promise you that my intentions for coming here is without malice. If anything, I'm wishing you the best." I avowed, unperturbed by her display. Next, I expressed my sincerity by lowering my head. "You've been through a lot, you deserve this much peace and quiet. If I could help it, I don't want us to be enemies."

"So you know who I am, then? You sound pretty convinced," she observed, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Caster did not know how I came to discover her wish, making her slightly distrustful of me. "Yet, despite knowing what became of my legend, you're still willing to befriend someone like me? The likelihood of me stabbing you in the back is pretty high," the Witch of Colchis professed, hoping to plant some doubt into my psyche.

"Trusting you is my decision, proving me wrong is yours." My words left the Witch speechless, even the ever stoic Kuzuki gave a reaction by raising his brows a bit.

After a moment of silence, Medea broke free from her stupor, barkung out a genuine laugh. "The absolute gall of this boy, hah! Had Jason been more like you, maybe he had even the smallest of chances. He knows nothing but talk big words of no essence."

"I suggest we take the offer, Caster. Having another Master, especially someone like Emiya, on our side would do us great," Souichiro whispered to her ear.

"Fine. If Dearest insists," the Servant complied.

In truth, she had been frustrated by the Church priests' constant presence all over the city, which prevented her plan to cover Shinto and Miyama with a barrier that would siphon mana off the townsfolk from happening. Perhaps collaborating with another Master would be a better alternative. Though she would keep her guard up just in case.

"Unless you throw the first blow, I won't incinerate you into ashes. You got it?" Caster warned, before adding, "But don't expect me to act all chummy anytime soon just because of that."

"Better than being met with hostility, I suppose. Thank you," I bowed once more.

"Keep those words to yourself," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Now, do you need anything else or is that it?"

"Ah… well, I was a bit curious about something, if you wouldn't mind answering." Caster kept her silence, waiting for me to continue. "What's up with the Servant by the front gate?" I remarked.

"You noticed that? Quite the eye you have, you're better than you look," she praised. She was impressed by my ability to detect the Assassin Servant despite their Presence Concealment skill making it nearly impossible to do. "I suppose you're entitled to know. I have them on standby in the event of an attack. So don't try anything, boy."

From my recollection, Caster was supposed to summon the Assassin-class Servant—Sasaki Kojirou. But it appears that didn't happen. At the very least, whoever she called forth as replacement to shield her base wasn't some blood thirsty maniac who killed on sight, as proven by them allowing me entry to the temple.

"No worries, I won't." With a nod, I steadily lifted myself off the ground.

"Hmm?" she hummed, seemingly out of surprise. "Not even slightly curious as to why another Servant is guarding my territory?"

"There's no need to stick my nose deeper than it already is," I stated, shrugging lightly. "That's about everything, I shouldn't take any more of your time than I already have."

"Have a safe trip home, Emiya. Make sure to keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary," Kuzuki gave his farewells, advising caution.

"The same could be said to you, Kuzuki-sensei. You know where to find me if you require help. Goodbye." Stepping out of the Bounded Field's invisible borders, the frozen world retained its lost vigour.

---

Artoria Pendragon opened her eyes and found herself stumped. She woke up surrounded by an ethereal membrane, making everything beyond it blurry and nearly unidentifiable. As she looked around the parts where she could actually see, she realized that she was standing in front of the Emiya manor, just outside the gates, but she couldn't remember how she had gotten there.

Her suspicions grew as a quiet clack echoed across the field, and a young boy with red hair, no older than twelve, emerged from the house, determination burning in his eyes.

"Shirou?" she thought, her mind stirring. The child before her was undoubtedly a younger Shirou Emiya. "Ah, I see. This is a Dream Cycle, is it not?" Saber quickly concluded, clearing up her confusion.

Dream Cycles were an odd thing. It was the manifestation of the connection between a Servant and their Master—their bond—allowing one to witness the other's life in the form of dreams. Rare as they were, since Servants typically did not need sleep, the chance still existed. And it seemed she was experiencing one now.

Silently, she followed the young Shirou, finding no reason to look elsewhere. It felt strange; her feet never actually touched the ground, and her steps were lighter than a feather. It was more like she was gliding rather than walking as she trailed the boy.

She watched as he skillfully broke into the Matou mansion and confronted the head of the Matou family in the basement. She found it foolish of him to willingly deprive himself of the element of surprise just to talk, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Odd." For reasons unknown to her, some of Shirou's thoughts were blurred, drifting into a cacophony of noise like a broken stereo. Perhaps it was a byproduct of her unique peculiarity as a living being-turned Servant? She wasn't certain.

The atmosphere between them was tense, the boy's intent to kill practically overflowing. So why had he broken in here? Her question was soon answered. It was in that basement that Sakura's fate as the Holy Grail's vessel was revealed, along with the horrific lengths Zouken had gone to in order to torment her. Saber was disgusted to the core, wanting nothing more than to erase the old monster's existence with her blade. Alas, she could do nothing but observe.

To her surprise, Shirou managed to best the old magus in his own domain after a struggle. Impressed, Saber began to see her Master in a new light. If he was this powerful all those years ago, what might he be capable of now?

Soon enough, Shirou left the now ownerless abode and encountered a flock of priests. He quickly brushed them aside and rushed home, where he found a writhing Sakura in her room. In a moment of panic, he rushed to her side and held her with both arms.

As a blinding glow enveloped them, Saber abruptly snapped her eyes open, ending the dream before she could witness the conclusion. She rose from her sleeping position, rubbing her eyes as her thoughts lingered on the expression young Shirou had worn—a mix of victory and great relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. His happiness seemed so... genuine.

For a child to carry such a weighted expression… she was intimately familiar with that feeling. Saber looked down at her open hands, lost in thought. Unlike Shirou, however, she had yet to shake the burdens that still weighed heavily on her back.

END.​

A/N: It's a bit rough around the edges, but good enough for me.

 

[vtkun]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Antagonistic writer]

Great chapter I wonder what other scenes saver will encounter during the dream cycle

 

[dxdragon]

Thanks for the chapter!

Looking forward to what changes will happen to this Grail War.
Curious what other moments Saber will see, and if it will change her.

 

[Spelloyal]

Thanks for the chapter, my only complaint is that Shirou didn't really discuss anything relevant with Caster other than saying he's friendly. He could have mentioned the corrupted grail and asked her to help purify it. A Caster and a Saint should be able to do that working together.

 

[Dunno.]

Chapter 20: Close call.

Rin Tohsaka trudged along an empty pathway, a sigh escaping her lips. She and Archer had been at this for the past hour, scouring a large part of the surrounding area for any trace of an enemy Servant or Master, yet their efforts had yielded nothing. Frustrated, she approached a bench and sank onto it, allowing herself a moment of respite.

Why did Archer feel the need to wake her so early in the morning? She should've been asleep right now, wrapped in a warm blanket with her head resting comfortably on a fluffy pillow—not out here wandering aimlessly. Suffice to say, Rin was never a morning person. At the very least, her breakfast—cooked by her Servant—had been one of the best she'd ever had. Small mercies, she supposed.

"Hey, Archer," she called out, gaining her Servant's attention. "If we started carpet-bombing the city, do you think other Servants would come to us?"

So far, they had only come across one Servant, and the lack of progress was fueling her irritation. Maybe, just maybe, the solution wasn't to seek them out, but to force them to come to her.

"I don't recommend that, Master. There's no need to be impatient, it's only been an hour, after all," Archer replied calmly, materializing beside her in a shower of light.

"I know… it's just—ugh," she muttered, frustration evident as she lowered her head, staring blankly at the ground.

As if the universe had heard her complaints, a cheery voice suddenly erupted from behind. "Hello there!"

Smacked out of her trance, Rin turned around, scanning the other end of the street. There, she saw a little girl with blood-red eyes and hair as white as snow, dressed in a vibrant purple coat with a white scarf wrapped around her neck. But what truly caught her attention was the towering knight behind the girl, standing so still it could have been mistaken for a statue. There was no doubt—the knight was a Servant, and this girl was their Master.

"Archer!" Rin jumped to her feet, her gaze locking onto the pair. Archer quickly stepped in front of her, placing herself between Rin and the potential threat.

The Servant of the Bow scrutinized the knight's imposing frame, feeling the immense power radiating from it. A frown crept onto her lips. Archer instinctively knew she stood little chance against this opponent in direct combat; she would have to rely on her skills and attack from a distance. But she couldn't leave her Master unguarded, so the best option was to disengage.

"You must be Rin Tohsaka, yes?" the other Master began. Rin offered no response, continuing to stare warily at the duo. The albino girl grasped the hem of her coat and gave an elegant bow, introducing herself, "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern, pleased to meet you."

"Einzbern?" Rin repeated, recognizing the name as one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail War. She did not questioning why she was here, as their participation was to be expected. "The sun is out right now, so any kind of conflict isn't allowed."

"Correct," Illyasviel confirmed. Rules stated that combat was forbidden during the day. "However, due to some unforeseen complications, I'm a little late to the event, so I'll have to make up for it right now. Don't worry, this welcome party would only last for today, so try your best to survive." She then placed her hands behind her back and, with a sweet tone that sharply contrasted the gravity of her words, commanded, "Berserker, kill them. Be quick, we don't want to wake up the entire neighbourhood."

Discarding the rules, the towering knight stepped forward, the air around it crackling with power. With each step it took, a deep sense of unease crept over Rin, her body instinctively recoiling from the impending danger. Sensing the threat, Archer's magical energy surged as she prepared to confront the colossal knight despite the slim odds of victory.

Before either side could explode into motion, however, a figure dropped from above, landing with enough force to crack the pavement. The newcomer was clad in a long, earth-toned robe, draped with a red cloak lined with fur at the collar. A distinctive golden helmet adorned their head, crowned with a pair of upward-curving wings.

Both Rin and Illyasviel were momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance, mistaking the figure for another Servant. Berserker remained silent, its massive form unflinching. Archer, however, reacted differently—a wide smile bloomed across her face that went unnoticed.

Illyasviel tilted her head curiously, her red eyes gleaming with interest. "Another Servant? Today must be my lucky day," the tiny murder machine mused aloud.

Rin took a step back, ready to adapt to whatever came next. Meanwhile, the robed figure's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting this encounter.

---

The first thought that came to mind upon seeing the knight was, 'Holy shit… is that the bloody Soul of Cinder? It's even holding the Firelink Greatsword.'

I habitually used Structural Analysis on the twisting blade in its grasp, only for my head to go blank. The sword was undoubtedly a Divine Construct, and judging from how much divinity its wielder was exuding, my guess is that they're a Divine Spirit. But how did the Soul of Cinder get here?

There was something odd about this being, but my mind failed—nay, outright refused to piece the puzzle together. A shock swept through my nerves and my flesh lost its heat as I resumed to scan the knight's metallic frame, forcing me to look away.

Originally, I walking home after talking with Caster, cementing my plan to reveal my role as a Master to Rin this afternoon. But then a massive spike in magical energy suddenly went off nearby, so I had to check what was going on. I was expecting a multitude of things to happen, but this certainly wasn't one of them.

Behind the towering figure was familiar face, one that I've been looking forward to meeting for the past decade—Illyasviel von Einzbern, my adoptive sister. Everything else went away as my attention was solely captured by her. Illya was about to open her mouth, presumably to give an order to her Servant, but I spoke first.

"Wait—wait!" I raised my arms, making a gesture of surrender. "We can talk about this. I don't want to fight you."

"Of course you don't. Berserker is the strongest, after all," she chuckled, before throwing out a guess, "So, why are you interrupting us? Does your Master want to have a chat?"

"Master? No, I am not Servant," I shook my head, clearing the air between us, much to everyone's confusion. With but a thought, my helmet vanished into motes of magical energy, showing my features underneath. "You know me, right? I'm Shirou Emiya. I've been wanting to talk to you for quite some time now, Illya."

A gasp could be heard from behind me, most likely coming from Rin. I turned around, shooting an apologetic smile at her, saying, "I'll explain later, I promise. Just… let me have this for a second, okay?"

The twin-tailed magus wore a complicated expression while staring directly at me, her shock preventing her from speaking out. Archer had to shake her back to reality by tugging on her clothes. Pulled out of her stupor, Rin gave a subtle nod that most would certainly miss, allowing me to do what I needed to do.

"Onii-chan… is it? So I was right, today is my lucky day!" her gaze sharpened. "You've been looking for me, yes? What a coincidence, I've been looking for you as well!" she replied, her voice still soft, though an edge of menace lay beneath it.

"So… uh," I eked out. "Can we talk this over some warm tea and snacks?"

"Berserker, kill him now!" she bellowed, ignoring what I had to say and going straight for the kill. The giant switched targets and resumed its track, trekking ever closer to me rather menacingly. Seriously, Who doesn't find a gigantic hunk of metal slowly approaching terrifying?

"Wait, wait!" I pulled out a small USB from inside the Gate of Babylon, waving it in the air for the little girl to see. I sputtered out in a hurry, "Kiritsugu never left you; it was Jubstacheit who prevented him from coming back! He even left a message for you inside this."

"Liar! He promised he'd come back—it was because of you he didn't!" she rebutted. She refused to believe anything the redhead says, the lies fed to her over the years having already taken root in her mind. She was told her father didn't return because he found another child—Shirou Emiya—leading to her abandonment. Her sole purpose for coming here was to punish him, to make Shirou realize the happiness he'd stolen from her and how much better his life had been compared to hers.

"No he didn't," I denied. "he's been looking for you all this time, but he became too weak to do anything before he could find you!" Unfortunately for me, my passionate yells went unheard.

As the Servant of madness drew closer, I trained my sights onto it and hastily summoned my entire equipment, golden sword ready for what's to come. To my surprise, the knight of cinder's march stopped a meter and a half away from me instead of leaping to attack. The fiery aura around it dispersed, cleansed of malice, and settling calmly like a gentle breeze.

"What are you doing, Berserker? Hurry up and kill him already!" the vengeful albino howled, her patience running thin. The knight defied its Masters orders by extending its empty hand forward, palm facing upward as if asking for something.

"What do you want?" I inquired. The giant answered by pointing at my clenched hand which held the storage device, then pushed its open hand closer as if demanding it. I raised my arm, showing the USB. I reached out, saying, "You want this?"

Berserker accepts the object and spun around, causing its heavy armour to click loudly with each movement. The knight returned to their Master's side before dropping to their knees, presenting the item to Illya how a servant would to a king.

"You… what are you doing? Are you telling me to take it?" she asked, staring at the small object with a look of confusion. To this, her Servant gave a slight nod. Illya reluctantly took the USB off the knight's large hand, inspecting it closely, then turned back to us. "Fine. You're lucky, Onii-chan. But you won't be as lucky next time."

She trusted Berserker, perhaps more so than anyone else; they were Illyasviel's eternal Servant, after all, and would never betray her. If her ever powerful knight thought it was worth while, then perhaps she should give it a chance. Maybe it's nothing at all—a lie conjured up by the redhead to give him more time to prepare. But if that were the case, then her brother would have a taste her unbridled wrath.

Without further incidents, she turned heels and started walking away, shortly followed by her colossal Servant. The echoes of their footsteps resonated before fading into silence, vanishing into the distance. And with that, one Master was out of the way, leaving me one left to deal with.

Spinning around, I dismissed my freshly constructed equipment and greeted Rin with a warm smile, "Uh… hi? How are you doing, Rin? Not too bad, I hope?"

---

"I'm… fine. Not the worst I've felt." It took a moment for her to find the correct words to say. "You're a magus, Shirou? Since when?" Rin asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I prefer 'spell-caster', actually," the redhead corrected.

Spell-casters were those who practiced the art of thaumaturgy but didn't adhere to the traditional rules of magi. They operated on their own terms, much like Kiritsugu, rejecting the idea of dedicating their entire lives to researching obscure and often unscrupulous branches of magecraft, as most magi did.

"I've been one since… forever, I guess? I started learning magecraft from my father when I was seven," Shirou explained. Though he had learned far more than magecraft from Kiritsugu; the man had even taught him how to demolish a fifty-story building using the least amount of explosives. Quite the lesson to teach a child, isn't it?

"I see..." Rin muttered, her expression slowly morphing into one of betrayal. Never in her life did she suspect him to be one.

Shirou Emiya was one of the few people, if not the only one, she had truly opened up to, having grown fond of him over the years. Shirou seemed to understand her on a fundamental level, seeing through the flawless facade she had put up and encouraging her to be honest with herself. Again and again, from her childhood to the present, he had been there for her. He could be a little odd at times, but his actions always came from a place of genuine care.

"Since you're also a Master in this War, are you here to fight me as well? It's daytime, you know?" she asked, noticing the red Command Seals on his hand. Had it all been a lie? Was his kindness nothing more than a ploy to gain her trust? Rin honestly hoped it wasn't, she didn't know how to react if that were the case.

"What? No—no. You're one of the few people I care about, I do not want to toss away the times we've spent together, okay?" Shirou was quick to deny it. "Listen, I'm sorry for hiding this from you all this time, but please, give me a chance to explain," he pleaded.

"Wha—!" Rin couldn't help but make a noise of surprise at his words.

What followed was a scene akin to a lover's spat, with Shirou profusely apologizing to Rin. His words became a jumble of incoherent ramblings as he drifted off on his speech as Rin's mind was too clouded by her racing thoughts to fully register what he was saying. His casual admittance of what he thought of her caused her cheeks to flush a deep red, and she found herself unable to meet his eyes. Nearby, Archer watched the drama unfold, silently enjoying the spectacle with a gleeful smile.

"There's no need for us to become enemies, right? You know I—" Shirou's following words were abruptly cut off by the twin-tailed magus.

"Just shut up already!" Rin finally exclaimed, and Shirou immediately clamped his mouth shut. Did he not realize how his words were affecting her? She shot a quick glance at him. From the looks of it, he clearly didn't. Calming her pounding heart, Rin asked, "Does Sakura know?"

"Yeah… I'm really sorry," Shirou admitted, raising a hand to scratch the back of his head awkwardly.

"I can't believe it… you've been hiding under my nose this entire time," the young woman muttered. Her next thoughts went towards the well-being of her sister. "Did anything happen to Sakura? She's been acting tired for some days now."

"She's doing fine, and she's not a Master, if that's what you're asking. I wanted to keep her away from the War, but she insisted on helping. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep her safe," the young man reassured.

"You better. Lying to my face is one thing, getting ordinary people involved in this is another," she vocalized, trying to downplay her worries. Shirou opened his mouth to speak, but Rin cut him off sharply. "Shut it. I don't want to hear another apology out of you, or I'll get angry."

Shirou wisely kept silent, not wanting to provoke her further. An awkward silence settled between them as Rin tried to gather her thoughts. Finally, after a long pause, she sighed deeply and spoke again.

"Anyway, where's your Servant?" Rin asked, her voice softer now. She assumed his Servant might be hiding nearby, ready to intervene if necessary; it would be odd for a Master to venture out without their trusted protector.

"They're back at home," Shirou admitted. "I came here to talk things out. I didn't want to escalate the situation by bringing another Servant into the mix."

"What? What are you doing out here without your Servant, you dolt!" she exploded at his baffling statement. "You landed dead center of everything without protection! You could've been hurt—or worse, killed!"

"I'm confident in my abilities, and if that doesn't work out, I'm confident in my ability to run away," he boasted calmly, causing Rin's face to twitch in frustration.

"Then run away! Don't just stand there like an idiot!" she barked, gritting her teeth. How could he be so reckless? Did he have no survival instincts? It seemed Rin's fears were for nothing—the redhead was still the same idiot she had always known him to be.

"Because if I ran away, you could've been hurt, and I don't want to see you getting hurt," he countered, his voice containing genuine concern, more for her than himself. Berserker was a foe he could not find himself triumphing against without utilizing everything in his arsenal, so the better option would be to run away, but he would never do that if it meant putting someone he cares about in harm's way.

"You insufferable—gah!" Rin cried, running a hand down her face in exasperation. "Why can't you just listen? You're always looking out for everyone else—just once, look after yourself!" Her small outburst, one covered in heartfelt concern, silenced the red-haired teen.

For reasons she could not fathom, Shirou had always been like this—constantly going out of his way to help others, even when no one asked him to. Though it's noticeably less likely to happen now, it still does occasionally. He seriously needed to find a hobby or something. A brief silence fell between them as they both regained their composure.

Breaking the silence, Shirou spoke. "So, um… what does this make us?" he asked sheepishly, like a child seeking approval from an adult. "Are we still friends? After the War, I'll do anything you want for a week, maybe two, okay?"

"Anything, huh?" Rin's her ears reddened as a variety of ideas popped up in her head. 'Time and place, Rin,' she coughed, clearing that line of thought. "I'll put that offer on hold for now, but I won't forgive you for squatting in my territory without telling me, alright?" Rin replied, crossing her arms and sending a mean glare his way. "And whether or not we remain friends… that's up to you. You said you'd explain, yes? Then explain it later, I still have classes to attend."

In truth, she didn't want their relationship to end, hoping for it to continue. He had done so much for her, from their very first meeting to now, and Rin Tohsaka was seriously losing her mind with how much she owed him yet found not a single way to give back to him. She hated feeling indebted to anyone, so the least she could do was give him a chance to explain why he had hidden his identity as a magus. Maybe there was a good reason for him doing so, who knows?

"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that. I can pick you up after school. We can talk at my house, if you don't mind," he suggested.

"I'm fine with that. Not like a day would make a difference," she nodded. Seeing his expression shift to one of guilt, Rin quickly interjected before he could say anything further. "I already told you to shut it. I better not hear another 'sorry' from you. I want answers, good answers, later. Do you understand, mister?"

"Yes, ma'am," Shirou acknowledged with a deep nod, prompting a sigh from Rin.

She was tempted to ask about his relationship with the Einzberns, their interactions prior indicated something deeper going on between them, but she would find out in due time. She would take this short reprieve to set her mind straight, having been scrambled after the Einzbern Master's attempt at her life and the sudden revelation that Shirou had been a magus all this time. Besides, this would also be a good opportunity to see Sakura, who she knew hovered around Shirou quite a lot.

With that, the pair of childhood friends exchanged farewells and parted on a good note, their friendship still intact.

Pleased with the outcome, Shirou made his way home. As he crossed the entrance of his house, he was immediately met by a grumpy-looking Saber, who stood silently beside the doorway with her arms crossed beneath her chest, an air of menace surrounding her form.

"Shirou," Saber pronounced, her voice carrying a stern edge that sent a light tingle across his skin.

"Good morning…?" he greeted, a hint of trepidation in his tone.

"To you as well," she replied, her tone polite but firm. She continued, "I do not appreciate you going out on your own. Have we not spoken about this already?"

"I wasn't gone for that long, though. Thirty minutes at worst," he muttered defensively.

"Yes, and in that short period of time, you somehow managed to encounter not one, but three different Servants. You're lucky to have come out of that situation unharmed," she said, her eyes boring into him.

"How do you know that?" Shirou asked, surprised.

"One of Sakura's familiars kept a close eye on you, and she informed me of what happened—including your little stunt to convert Caster to your side," she revealed. "I would have appreciated it if you had asked for my input on the matter."

"She wouldn't have been so welcoming towards me if you came along. Also, Caster had an ability that lets her dispell all kinds of magecraft, including a Servant contract. If she saw you, she might've wanted to take you for herself," he explained, causing Saber's eyes to narrow. Rule Breaker—Medea's Noble Phantasm—was a tricky thing. "And the meeting with the other Masters was purely coincidental. Besides, I even became allies with Caster and secured a meeting with Rin later this afternoon. And if things go well, Berserker's Master might join us too. Isn't that good?"

"While I won't deny that, it does not change the fact that you went out without me—your Servant," she asserted, her tone reminiscent of a parent chastising an unruly child. "From now on, I will join you in your endeavors. You never know what might happen out there."

"Um… I'm sorry for leaving you behind and going off alone…?" the young man voiced out.

"Your apologies, genuine or not, will not stave you off the hook," she shot him down.

"Why do I feel like I won't be able to argue with you on this?" Shirou remarked.

"Because you have no say in the matter, Shirou," Saber declared, leaving no room for him to weasel his way out of.

"Fine," Shirou sighed, accepting his fate.

"Good, you're learning," she nodded, a look of approval on her face.

"Hey, I'm not a dog," Shirou shot back in defiance. After their little chat, the two headed inside to eat breakfast, with Saber more enthusiastic about the meal than Shirou.

---

Beneath a church, a man with golden hair sat comfortably on a resplendent chair that resembled a throne, casually swirling a cup of wine in his hand. He brought the glass closer, taking a slow sip, before staring straight ahead. His gaze, however, was not fixed on the wall before him, but on something far beyond it.

His blood-red eyes shimmered subtly as an image flashed through his mind. It was of a being clad in darkness, exuding nothing but pure hatred for the world. The creature let out a beastly roar, so powerful that it reverberated across the city like the shockwave of an explosion.

Yet, it wasn't the monster that captured the man's attention. No, it was the soft veil of light that obscured his vision, right in the midst of it all. A rarity, indeed—he had only encountered such an obstruction a few times in the past. His skill, Sha Naqba Imuru, allowed him to see possible branches of time, granting him visions of what was to come. And yet, this mysterious shield defied his sight, blocking him from gaining any information about what lay within.

"Interesting," the man mused, his voice echoing through the empty chamber. "This war is shaping up to be far more interesting than I initially thought." It was an unexpected twist, though not quite enough to compel him to take action just yet. Still, perhaps it might provide him with some worthwhile entertainment.

END.​

A/N: 100 thousand words—yay! Welp. Time to go into hibernation.

 

[Antagonistic writer]

Enjoy your hibernation

 

[LucidLight]

Just want to point out that it's false the idea that Shirou cannot copy Divine Constructs, hell, he has at least two in his Reality Marble in the OTL, Avalon and Excalibur, the only thing I remember being impossible to copy for Shirou was EA.

Though it's true that the only Divine Construct that he can safely project is Avalon, and that's only due to the fact that Avalon practically molded him into who he is, meanwhile projecting Excalibur would be still possible but would cause him to die not long after.

You should probably say that his level of the Structural Analysis Spell wasn't enough to read Divine Constructs yet.

Also, unless Zouken is somehow alive, either Sakura or Shinji should receive a Servant, it's one of the Fuyuki Grail Rules that the three families who build the ritual will always have a spot in them.

You should have in mind that Shinji doesn't have magical circuits though, so he would need to take the magic from someone else.

But that's only if you want to be lore accurate, of course, in Fanfic you don't need to follow lore 100%...

 

[BJJPanda]

It would be nice to both see an update on his skills and maybe a servant profile for where he is now so we can compare

 

[Eastiling]

Good story, lots of fun and enjoyed reading so far.

Hope to see more of this soon so we can see the meeting between Rin, Sakura, Shirou and Arturia.

Given Archers words about 'Aunties' and cooking I'm guessing she's from a route where Shirou gets with both Rin and Sakura. Hope that's the case here. Rin x Shirou is my personal fav Fate ship.

 

[Rhyasial]

Somehow even though he's just had a few lines, this Gilgamesh is worst than the OG.

 

[Vongrak]

Hello! I love this story and I saw that you were having motivation issues, at least according to your post a while back. I just want to say that this entire story has been fantastic, and I can easily recommend it even though it's incomplete. I've got a lot of hope for the future of it if you get around to writing more so go for it!