Fate/Clusterfuck (Fate/Stay Night)

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/ZW7heWDx38A

[Be With Sakura]

—

*Archer POV*

She wasn't particularly hard to find, she had run away to her room almost immediately after dinner. And since… she hadn't emerged. You were outside, a shadow, a hint of a presence that would be nothing more than a faint chill in the air to anyone that wandered by. You were present, but not present. You could hear sounds from the room, the faint shuffling of feet, exhalations of breath, you knew Sakura. You knew her quite well. You knew when she was stressed.

You were rather annoyed that your younger self wasn't here to comfort her, but then… you knew him to be dealing with his own issues at the moment. To kill… especially the first, it was never easy, and he had not yet grasped the mindset that would be required to save the people he loved in this war. You turned towards the door at the sound of shuffling feet, then you opened it. You materialized the moment your steps transitioned from walking on hardwood to carpet, and you shut the door behind you just as quickly, leaving you and Sakura alone in the dim lighting of the room.

She didn't stir at your presence, she stood at the far end of the room, one hand gripping her arm as she stared out the open window and into the night. Her breath was quiet, her face in the reflection as stone. Her eyes flicked to you only briefly against the glass before returning to the garden that she was gazing down at. "Yes?" Sakura asks quietly.

…

You didn't know what to say. You never did. It was never one of your talents. You had tried to push Shirou towards Sakura so this kind of thing could be avoided. But even with what he had done, such a thing like this was inevitable, she was too closely tied to this grail war. Her, Shinji, Zouken. You had thought you dealt with them then, but it was too hurried, and you weren't quick enough. Zouken remained an enigma, where he had gone you had no luck, and things had changed too much for you to simply check the church safely.

Now though, Shinji was dead, for the second time to her, and she didn't know quite how to process that. "Do you require anything, master?" you ask.

Sakura doesn't look away from the garden at all this time, instead she just slowly shakes her head. "No, thank you, servant."

You start to frown but keep your face carefully neutral. "The boy… your friend, he is not taking this well. That is why he hasn't come around." You explain, "I can speak to him in the mornin-"

"That will not be necessary." Sakura says, cutting you off. She then turns around, her expression was… very tired. "Leave, I'm going to bed."

…

"As you wish, my master." You say. Then disappear, moving to the corner. You would not leave her, not on this night. Not on any other. It was a coincidence that you were summoned here, a trick of Fate. But you would help the people here just as you would in your own timeline. Sakura especially.

You would never abandon the woman you had loved. She was not your Sakura, but she was Sakura.

That was enough.

…

You'd get your idiot self in the morning regardless.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/1ABwmybgVfA?si=caXudiZ_XwiiwWBB
[Her thoughts on the situation]

[That bow I used today]

[Why… did she come onto you?]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta! He knows where the Grail is!

—

You stare at the witch laying back on the bed, your thoughts a mess, your feelings worse. If your brain was running a mile a minute then your heart was in the Marianas trench and looking for the cabana it rented. If you hadn't killed, more would have died… is that fair to even consider? Circe's words bounced around in your skull, and you didn't much like the idea. You would have preferred if no one died at all. But you had already failed at that, repeatedly, and in a war with Magus involved, you aren't sure it was ever even a possibility at all.

You frown, letting your gaze drift away from the witch and towards the window. Circe's words were meant for comfort, but… no, it somehow only made you feel wor-

That thought was interrupted as Circe's delicate fingers grabbed your chin and forced you to focus on her again. Her face was set in a deep frown, not the glower that Medea would aim your way from time to time however. This was more… well, you had no frame of reference for it actually, but there was worry present there.

"Do not dwell on it piglet, you would not be the first to make such choices." Circe says quietly, her voice soothing like a mist of water on a hot day. "There will be more difficulty in your future, but you will overcome it." Then she smiles. "After all, unlike every other master in this war you have the aid of a Grand witch."

You stare at her, silently. "What… do you think about all of this? About Caster, about this war, about Mordred and the like. I…" You close your eyes and let out a breath, turning your head away once more as you force yourself back to stability. It used to be that you could go through the motions of your Kyudo to do that, now that wasn't near enough. "None of this makes any sense. All of this for a wish?"

"Man has long sought 'wishes'," Circe emphasizes the word, playing it on her tongue like the final drop of an expensive sake she wishes to savor. "Whether gifts from the Gods, or from those beings who dwell in Tartarus, it mattered to them little. The faces change, the technology, the beliefs and the names. But man will always return to their baser instincts. They shall always want more, desire greater things than they have. It is a rare man to be satisfied, and a wish promises something that no man can be said to have."

You open your eyes again, then look back at the witch. She was no longer smiling, instead she was holding her hair to gaze at it in front of her face. Her eyes met your own a moment later, and the smile returned at the sight of the silent question that likely showed on your face.

"Everything, of course." Circe replies. "What is a wish but that most powerful of magics, I can grant you a great many boons Shirou, there was a time I could move the stars in the night sky and dance in the vanishing moments between eternities." The hand holding the hair twists, and the hair flashes a brilliant gold before slinking back away from her fingers. "Wars have been fought, gods have been slain for a wish. They have all but disappeared, along with the other mysteries of this world." Circe continues, "Do not describe it as some mere thing, would this ritual they have planned truly work, there is very little it could not do." Her eyes then flit to you, "Do you have a wish in mind?"

"No." You answer simply. There was only one thing you had wanted from this whole endeavor, and you so far not getting it. As for yourself separate from this war… to be a hero, that was something you would accomplish with your own two hands. Of course, you were doing a very bad job of being a hero at the moment regardle-

"You did save that brother of your girlfriend, I would say you are doing the best you can." Circe says.

"Mind reading now?" you ask warily.

"Mind reading? No, too much effort. Man reading, yes. I have plenty of experience with that." Circe replies with a smirk. "I knew great men, heroes that are now myth and legend. Not even Hercules could save all those he knew, nor could Achilles."

"Does not mean I can't try," you reply.

"No, no it does not." Circe admits. "But you should not fault yourself for failing to live at such a standard regardless." Circe then pushes herself back up into a sitting position, the woman was very close to you now, smelling of herbs and honey. "As for your questions, however," Circe goes silent for several moments, one hand moving to her lap as she looks briefly, oddly pensive. "Medea remains Medea, the girl was stubborn as a child, but she has now surrounded herself by an iron core so that she cannot be hurt again." One side of Circe's lip curls up in a conspiratorial smirk. "You have done well to break her out of that, and with great speed too… though I suppose she may have been desperate for anyone to make the attempt. I would ask you to take care of her."

"I think she takes care of me more often than not." You reply.

"It is a mutual affair," Circe replies. "As for this war, foolishness, and there is something deeply wrong with it as a whole, not the idea, if fool magus want to kill each other for sport that is their business. But this whole affair… something about it, well." Circe's smirk fades. "You shall have to discover that for yourself, it is not my place to say."

… She knew more than she was letting on, but then, she had since you first met her. The way she acted, the things she said. You had a mind to confront her about it, but then, she had never once been malicious to you either.

"Fujimaru, I couldn't say," Circe continues. "In time, perhaps. But wouldn't want me to at the moment."

"You know her?"

"After a fashion, in a manner that would be hard to explain. Just be assured she means you no harm."

"I know she doesn't."

"So quick to trust?"

You frown. "It's a waste of time to be suspicious of everybody."

"Explains why you are so eager to speak to a witch." Circe teases. "As for Mordred… she is a broken shell that is not within my abilities to fix. Perhaps, with time she could recover a slight fragment of whom she used to be, she is of the Berserker, and has been deeply infected by the madness that causes." Circe lets out a long, wistful breath. "If you trained and focused on it, you could theoretically lower the shackles it has on her mind, but full sanity is beyond her now."

"How would I do that?" you ask eagerly. "I want to help her if I can."

"Even after she stabbed Ayako and nearly killed you?" Circe asks.

"If I can help her, I will." You answer firmly.

Circe stares at you quizzically for a few moments, then. "Give me some time to look into it. However, do not expect a miracle."

"Thank you Circe."

The grin returns. "Oh, do feel free to flatter me more. But now I do believe I get to ask a question in turn. What do you think of Medea? And myself?"

"That is… two questions." You reply.

"And you asked me three," Circe teases. "Even if it was disguised as one."

"I am very grateful to the both of you," you honestly answer after a few seconds of thought. "Medea is… evasive, she doesn't seem to like answering things honestly, and frankly I thought she didn't like me very much. But I consider her someone close to me now, and…" Your thoughts move back to that night and that dream.

"She's gotten a touch handsy." Circe says with a giggle.

Your cheeks turn so violently hot so quickly you could have been used to heat a pot of tea. "You know about that?"

"I'm the one who arranged matters in such a way that it could happen. The girl needed a push in your direction, she was dithering, too scared to make a move." Circe replies. "I merely gave her a strong kick on the buttocks and she took care of the rest."

"What… about Ayako?"

Circe arches a brow. "What about her? Your life is far from normal Shirou, and if you break my dear Medea's heart I will do far worse than turn you into a piglet." The threat was clear as day in her voice, then she smiles. "Do not be hung up on modern sensibilities when you are dealing with magic and witches. Now, your question?"

You swallow, you would rather much like to ask her more about… all of that, but instead you focus on what you used today. "That bow I used today, you said it belonged to a troublesome man." You think on it, recalling what you had felt at that moment. "I saw… snippets of something, I knew how the bow was made, I knew how to use it. And I don't know how or why, who did it belong to?"

"Believe my honesty when I say I know little about how your magic works Shirou, I shall continue to study it to aid you. But I would suggest speaking to that red fellow that follows Sakura around. I bore witness to him doing something similar." Circe replies. "As for the original owner of the bow… I do not wish to speak of him. Bad memories, I'm sure you understand."

… You did, yes. "Anything else?"

"It is a good bow, strong and able." Circe replies. "It will serve you well, but do not overly rely on it. Your magecraft will need to be used just as ably if you wish to protect the ones you love. More than one fool put all his faith in a weapon and lost his life over it. "

"Alright, your question?"

"Did you prefer me as you first saw me?" Circe asks.

"... Excuse me?"

Circe waves a hand over herself, and at once there's a change. She twists in your vision like you were looking at a mirror from a weird angle. One moment, she is as you've known her, the next, she is as she was in that first dream. Taller, fuller, and, for lack of a better term, stacked. She grins at you, then leans over, a twinkle in her eyes as she comes ever closer.

You, almost on instinct, lean back, then you quickly find yourself scooting across the bed by about a foot as she swings herself around. Her breasts shifting quite distractingly within the confines of her silk dress as she looms over you. She's holding herself up with one arm, the other draped across the bed noticeable, but you have a hard time focusing on that.

"I can make myself as desirable as I need to be." Circe replies. "I'm well aware that I am not considered attractive in this day and age." Circe finishes. "So, be honest. How do I look?"

…

You weren't sure how you were meant to be reacting when a beautiful woman had you partially pinned to the bed. You knew how a very particular part of your body was reacting, but you never really let it lead the charge in your life. Honesty, you felt, would be the best thing to showcase here. "I thought you were pretty regardless."

Circe tilts her head, jewel-eyes glittering in the darkness. "Oh?"

"You're…" you let out a breath. Shinji was the one who was good with girls, as was Issei, despite the fact that he never seemed to actually be interested in them. You weren't. "Your hair, your ears, your dress. I thought they were charming regardless, and you are very fun to talk to?"

Circe stares at you for several moments, "would you prefer me over that Assassin?"

Your mind thinks to the brunette, then you nod your head. "She's pretty but… I don't really know her?"

Circe continues staring at you, then she smiles, pulling back.

By the time you get your senses in order she's already turned back to her normal self, hand in her lap, smiling. "A fine answer, now, anything else?"

You nod your head, pushing yourself back up into a sitting position. "It's…" your eyes drift to the crotch of your pants and you shift to cover it. Circe, thankfully, doesn't comment. "Why… did you come onto me in that dream? And now, I suppose."

"Ah." Circe replies. "A fine question. That would be because I love you."


View: https://youtu.be/3L1DEvzsftw

That would explain that you sup-

You're sorry what?

"You were amusing, at first. But oh so very earnest, I found myself becoming interested rather quickly. So I made an offer, and I must admit I was both surprised and pleased you managed to refuse me. Though, I must admit there was more than… one reason I came onto you as such." Circe says, then she stands and walks in front of you, she moves one hand over the immobile arm, then draws it away to reveal… a stump. You stare at it, your eyes widening. Just above where the elbow would be, the arm… stops. The flesh around the end was closed, but heavy marks of bruising surrounded it.

"This morning," Circe explains. "My magic could seal the wound and numb the pain, but little else. I have been using an illusion ever since."

You were standing before you even realized, in an attempt to do… you weren't honestly sure. "Why were you hiding it?"

"As to not worry you or Medea." Circe explains with a small smile. "I am no servant Shirou, my wounds are more permanent. I could heal it, but that would be a poor decision."

You move from staring at the stump to her eyes, asking the question with a look alone.

"I do not belong here Shirou," Circe says with a sigh. "I hid from the world, I am…" Circe then frowns. "Relic makes me sound too old, antique is worse. Vintage. Yes. The root of this world does not appreciate my existence and would dearly like me gone. At the moment that means I cannot draw mana from the environment anymore, what I left the island with is what I have, and to replace my arm would drain me completely."

Your eyes flick to the command seals on your wrist.

"I'm afraid not," Circe replies, amused. "I am a living being, not a spirit. Hence why I wished to speak to you, there are… other ways of obtaining mana. Ways I believed Medea offered to you in the past."

Your mind flashes back to that evening, Medea naked as the day she was born in your room, and a very difficult to refuse offer. "I-."

Your lips are sealed by a finger pressing against it. "Before you respond, know this Shirou. I do not care about your relationship with Ayako as I have stressed." She then lowers it, smiling an impish smile. "That is not to say I disapprove of it, I merely am stating I fail to see the need to restrict things. Of course, if you refuse, I shall attempt to find other ways of retrieving mana, this is merely the simplest. And at a certain point a woman just needs to hear a yes or no, piglet. No waiting to ask a friend, or trying to phrase rejection in pretty terms. So. What do you say?"

—

This does not affect your relationship with Ayako. At least, not in any detrimental way.

[] [Accept]

[] [Refuse]

No write-ins for this one.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/Cw0J0ruIjlg?si=H53Io9o1T1LR4PJe

[Accept]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

There was… a lot going on here, racing thoughts, racing heart, racing… emotion you suppose. Circe had come onto you before, as had Medea and… Sakura in that one particular dream you still didn't quite understand. Your life has been one giant mess of confusing women lately and if you ever met the utter bastard who had decided to turn your life into this you would set them upon the mercies of Taiga. Your mind thought of Ayako, briefly, but here was someone who needed your help, and you could, and they had aided you. Repeatedly, and without asking for anything in return. Circe had made you a better magus, and she had been just plain helpful besides.

"If it will help you, yes." You say quietly.

Circe's smile turns devilish. "Only because it will help me?"

You don't deign to give that an answer, simply staring at the woman. She searches your face for a time, looking for a trace of… something, you aren't quite sure. Then she smiles again, a smaller, pleased thing than the smirk she normally wears. Then she leans forward, pressing herself against you, her body molding against you, legs intertwining, fingers wrapping around fingers, chest pressing against chest. A sweet scent envelopes you, drowning out the scene of the room, and a moment later, the very sight of it disappears as she places her hands upon either side of your head. Her hair falls freely around you, making it so that you can see her, and only her, smell her and only her, she was… at the moment, everything there was in this world.

Then she lowered herself, her eyes fluttering closed. Yours do as well shortly after, and then you feel her. Soft lips press against your own, the final barrier breached, she falls against you fully, fully molding herself against you, wiggling, moving, trying to remove any sense of distance between your two bodies. She pulls back a moment later, a thin trail of saliva connecting your two lips she knocks away with her tongue. "I love you." Circe whispers. "Never leave me Shirou, alright?"

"Wasn't planning on it," you reply. "Any of you."

Circe lowers herself once more, her forehead pressing against your own, her eyes boring into yours. "I know, you'll try and save all of us, won't you?"

You open your mouth to respond, only for her to capture your lips again, her tongue dives in soon afterwards, dominating your own as the witch rumbles in satisfaction. She pulls back, but only enough that you can breathe and she can speak.

Her smile was, once again. Impish. "Hold on~"

Then you feel yourself fall through the bed, the mattress sinking under your combined weights for a moment before giving way completely. You see it above you, and the room a moment later, then you are tumbling through a field of stars as Circe laughs, the woman now invisible and out of sight.

*Splash*

You feel the warmth of water and the scent of salt, and a moment later… you are laying upon a large sheet upon… a familiar beach. It was the early morning, at least, in the broadest sense of the word. You weren't sure you could claim it to be 'morning' when it seemed that for all intents and purposes that time had stopped entirely. The water was not moving, the trees were bent as if in a mighty wind, but they were frozen there, leaves hanging in the air mid-fall. The island was less real than it ever had been before, but you had trouble focusing on that at the moment, namely because Circe was standing in front of you, wearing nothing but a smile.

"It does not have much time left to exist," Circe says, noticing your previously wandering eyes. "It was never meant to be here, and it took a good deal of trickery on my part to make it survive as it did."

You are only half paying attention to what she was saying, as, much like when Medea pulled the same trick, you found it rather hard to not stare. You couldn't understand what she was compensating for before, she took your breath away regardless. Peach-colored skin glowed in the frozen morning light as she moved closer to you, every shift of her body, every movement, caused the light to catch her in a different tantalizing way. It was impossible to look away, to focus on anything else. The island, your transportation, your worries and the war. It was all superseded by this, and your thoughts only became more frazzled as she lowered herself down onto the sheet, one hand moving to your face, the other to your chest. It is only as she does so you realize you yourself are also sans clothing.

"It's alright to be nervous," Circe says quietly, gently. "It's okay to be afraid, to not understand. I just need you to trust me Shirou, and follow my guidance. Can you do that?"

"I've always trusted you," you reply immediately.

Circe's smile falters for a moment, a brief look of surprise coming onto her face. Then, to your surprise, she blushes. "Fool."

"Now you sound like Medea."

Her eyes darted back, narrowed and annoyed. "Now is not the time to be mentioning other women Shirou." Then the smile returns, and she closes the distance between you once more, her lips pressing against your head. "But I appreciate the sentiment, now, leave things in the hand of this grand witch." Then she began kissing her way down your chest, and you lost the ability to think about much of anything at all.

—

You awoke… relaxed, far more than you had now in days upon days. You blinked slowly, taking in the… room. The last thing you recalled was being on the steps of Circe's temple, having passed out there after teleporting across half the island multiple times. She had been in your arms then, still injured, but apparently satisfied. But you were for the moment, alone and back in your own bed feeling… remarkably sore you note. And in a manner you were rather unaccustomed.

Sighing, idly wondering where Circe went, you turned your gaze towards the clock, the red lights in the dark revealing it to be a minute from turning six in the morning. You slept a full hour later than normal, pushing yourself off the bed with a groan, you made your way over to the closet and pulled on a robe to wear to the bath across the hall, then, making your way over to the door you open it-

And are immediately grabbed by your collar. You barely have time to let out a yelp before you are at the opposite end of the mansion. You only just register black armor and red clothing before the door to Sakura's room is violently swung open and you are thrown inside. Your shoulders hit the ground first, and you skid across the carpeting to come to a stop just before the edge of the bed. Behind you the door slams shut.

You groan into the carpet, not quite yet awake enough to begin to process why Sakura's servant thought that would be an okay thing to do, or why. And you slowly bring your head up to see… Sakura herself, sitting on the edge of her bed, looking about as alarmed with the entire situation as you were. You both sat, well, one of you was laying there, staring at one another without a word for what felt like a small eternity before you managed.

"Good morning, Sakura."

Sakura blinked, then slowly reached to the side and flicked on the desk lamp beside the bed. "Shirou? … What are you doing here?"

You push yourself up into a sitting position on the floor, adjusting your bathrobes all the while. "That's a good question," you mumble. "Your servant kidnapped me I think."

"Archer did?" Sakura replies, looking towards the door, "why would he do that?"

"Another good question," you reply. "Something you need, Sakura?"

Sakura freezes for a moment, then shakes her head. "No, not… really, are you doing alright Shirou?"

"I'm fine," you reply. "No aches and pains at least," you stare at her then for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to bring that up. "Are you alright, Sakura? With yesterday?"

Sakura's eyes dart to the floor. "I… don't know," she draws in a breath, one hand moving to clutch her arm like a lifeline. "I really just… don't know Shirou."

"He was hurting people," you reply lamely.

"I don't regret it, Shirou, I don't hold it against you either." Sakura replies quietly. "But he was still my brother."

You look away, no longer quite willing to meet her eyes. "I wished I didn't have to either, but… he was hurting people."

"He had been for a long time," Sakura whispers.

You look back up to her. "Sakura?"

Sakura shakes her head once more. "He needed to die Shirou, I'm sorry that… it was you that had to do it."

"I'd do it again, to anyone, if it meant protecting you and the others." You reply earnestly.

Sakura slips down onto the floor, her feet gingerly landing on the carpet before she sits cross legged across from you. "Why?" she then asks, looking at you earnestly.

"Because I care about you?" you reply, answering the idiotic question.

"Why me Shirou?" Sakura clarifies.

"My answer does not change just from you changing the specifics," you reply. "You're worth it and more."

"Why?" Sakura asks, more force in her words.

"I don't need a reason to help anyone, whether I know them or not," you reply. "I don't need a reason for Caster, for Circe, for Mordred or Fujiimaru. I don't even need a thought to help people I do know and care about beforehand. You're my closest friend Sakura, you've been so for a long time, there is nothing I wouldn't do for you."

Sakura searches your face for several long, pregnant moments, as if expecting to find deceit there. But you meant your words, they were what had defined your life up until this point. You would work until you could truly understand that smile you saw on Kiritsugu's face then. You had a debt to repay the world for your life.

Then her shoulders begin to shake, and without any thought you grab Sakura and pull her against you as she begins to wail. There are no words to it, no meaning, just desperate, louds sobs of grief, pain, and remorse. You hold her there, tight, you would fight for her, and you would be her anchor as well. You did not know Sakura, not deeply, not truly, she never talked about her time at home, and Shinji never spoke about her unless he had to.

But you would protect from the world itself if it came down to that, and from this war especially.

She pulls back sometime later, you didn't bother looking at the clock. One of her arms moves to wipe against her face, it pulls away to reveal red puffy eyes and… a small smile. "Thank you Shirou."

You smile back, moving a hand to wipe away the rest of the moisture. Sakura starts for a moment, then leans into the gesture, nuzzling herself against your hand. Her eyes flutter closed for a few seconds, then open once you pull the hand away once more. "Shirou, Assassin told me to do something if I got the chance?"

"Yeah?" you reply, "and are you feeling better?"

Sakura nods. "I'll be fine Shirou," she then draws in a breath, steeling herself. Then she launches herself forwards, her arms wrapping around your neck, pulling you against her as she slams her lips against yours.

A loud click sounds out as your teeth hit hers, and as her head hits yours a split second after that you feel a bright spark of pain. Sakura squeals, then scrambles over you, skipping out of the room with a fading call of… you believe she said she was heading to the bath. It was rather hard to tell.

You, for your part, laid there on the ground, one hand rubbing your forehead.

Well.

At least she was feeling better. Her mood was likely why Archer threw you in here to begin with. But her kissing you was a surprise, even if it was disguised as an apparent murder attempt. With a sigh, you sit yourself up, turning to face the door. You had expected to see Archer there, instead, even as you walk outside, you see nothing but hallway. Looking this way and that to make sure you weren't about to be kidnapped again, you begin making your way back to your own bathroom. Idly thinking over some conversations that needed to happen this morning.

Though, oddly. As you attempted to call Ayako after your bath and check up on her… she didn't answer.

Worrying.

—

Choose two, this is popularity, not plan.

[] [Fujimaru and Mash]
You wanted to know what their future plans were.

[] [Raiga]
You wanted to make sure he didn't want to murder you.

[] [Archer]
You'd like an explanation for that kidnapping.

[] [Medea]
You wanted to check up on your servant, about quite a few things actually.

[] [Circe]
You wanted to see if she had healed herself.

[] [Mordred]
You wanted to check up on her, in general.

—

Taiga will be coming up during breakfast for the next series of votes, along with Assassin. Next chapter will be another choose two with the winners of this vote removed. But with Taiga and Assassin added.

Also. Really sorry, but I dislike writing lewds so I tend to avoid it. Not a prude, just don't find the writing part particularly enjoyable for that content. I focus on character bits instead.

In other, other news, I'm currently dealing with a lot of crap, any support is appreciated, though far from mandatory.

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[Erien]

I'm depressed as fuck, have a vote.

[] [Raiga's Plan]

[] [Mata Hari's Plot]

[] [Sakura's Heart]

[] [Circe's Smug]

 

[Erien]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb3UmzOqios

[Fujimaru and Mash]
You wanted to know what their future plans were

[Mordred]
You wanted to check up on her, in general.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

You stare at the phone for a moment longer, then put it back upon its holder against the wall. That was the second time you had attempted to get ahold of Ayako, and you hadn't heard from her, or her brother, or their parents. You stared at the phone for a moment, wondering, briefly, why the bathroom even had one to begin with, but then… just about every room in this place had a phone. Whether that was for security, opulency, or Raiga didn't much like walking around if he had to make a call you had little idea. You had known the man since you were little, and he had always been quite friendly with you despite his 'reputation'.

That being an utterly ruthless 'boss'. Who kept 'business' close to the 'family' that didn't much suffer the opinions of 'outsiders' and 'everyone else in the city who asked too many questions'. The man had achieved a good deal of public acceptance after he used his funds to rebuild the chunk of the city that had burned down, and ever since he had become a form of surrogate grandfather to you. Taking you out to sporting events or out hiking… you just always made it a point to never ask him too many questions. There were things you were just not meant to know, and despite his 'teasing' offers in the past you had no intention of becoming a member of his sort of 'family'. Still, you were fond of the man, and you knew what he did, and likely why he needed a phone around at all times.

But it would be impolite to ask.

Adjusting your clothes you step back out of the bathroom then make your way towards the room Fujimaru, and now, by extension, her servant was staying in. You pause before the door, hesitating for a moment before you knock on it. A shuffling from inside, then the door opens to reveal the… pleasant smiling face of Fujimaru. Despite the scars that covered her, her smile remained unmarred, and filled you with genuine joy of your own to see it, you had actually managed to help somebody in this damned war beyond Ayako's brother.

"Morning!" Fujimaru chirps, then opens the door the rest of the way. The bedroom was much like every other bedroom… barring Raiga's, in the house. Few personal items were about, but then, Fujimaru didn't have much in the way of belongings. You looked past her, towards the bed, where 'Mash' as Fujimaru called her was sitting, across her lap was… either a cross or a shield, you couldn't honestly tell, but she had a rag in her hand and had apparently been in the midst of polishing it. With a clunk it hits the floor, and she rapidly makes her way around the bed to stand a few feet behind Fujimaru, a bright smile on her face as well.

"Good morning to you both… Mash, was it?" you ask, looking towards the shorter woman.

Mash's eyes widen, a panicked look briefly coming on her face before you lose sight of it as she rather violently bows towards you, hands on her legs, she goes the full ninety. "Ah, yes, I'm Mash, thank you!"

"... Please don't do that," you reply. You hardly had the patience for Raiga's goons doing that, much less a woman who could likely rip you in half given the size of that shield.

Mash rises, the panic replaced by confusion. "Don't… thank you?" she says slowly.

"No, don't bow like that, I didn't do anything."

"I'd argue otherwise," Fujimaru replies.

You shake your head. "I just dealt with the Master, the servants did the work, and it was Raiga that let you stay here. Are you both doing alright?"

Fujimaru lets go of the door, instead crossing her arms to lean against the frame of it. "We're fine, no new scrapes or bumps." Her eyes search your face for a few moments, saying nothing. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," you reply. You're still far from it, but it wasn't their lot to worry about you either. It wasn't the role of anyone to worry about you, it was the other way around. "I just came by to check on you, and to ask what your plan is now that you have your servant back?"

"Master… does he?" Mash says quietly.

Fujimaru nods. "He knows about Chaldea," then she steps away and gestures for you to enter.

You do so, and she closes the door behind you. Fujimaru then turns, and makes her way over to what appeared to be a silver briefcase sitting on a table nearby, she doesn't open it like you had first expected, she instead just places her hand upon it. "We can't get in contact with Chaldea at the moment, likely because today is a day that ends in 'y'. But I have access to the shadow summon system at least now, more effectively anyway."

The question must have been clear on your face, as she answers before you can ask.

"Copies of servants already in the Throne of Heroes. I can make cheap copies and use them briefly as I need to."

You blink. "My apologies but… what exactly is the Throne of Heroes?"

Both Mash and Fujimaru stare at you like you'd grown a second head. Then they just kind of stared at each other for a moment, which only made you feel worse. You speak, in a rather desperate attempt to defend yourself. "My Magus training was limited, and before this started I only knew about Ghost Liners."

Fujimaru's brow arches. "The heck is a Ghost Liner?"

"Master," Mash begins. "A Ghost Liner is… another term for a servant, but they serve as a familiar like Trimmau. Far weaker than those we get from the Grail. As for the Throne of Heroes… um, well, basically…" Mash frowns, apparently trying to figure out the best way to put this. "It's where servants are kept until they need to be summoned, heroes well, go there, and servants are basically their… clones? I don't know all the details, Da Vinci would."

"Da Vinci as in…" you begin.

"Yes," Fujimaru replies. "Leonardo, she runs ops."

You begin to nod your head before pausing. "She?"

"Yeah?" Fujimaru replies with a perplexed expression. "What about it?"

"Wasn't Da Vinci a man?" you ask.

"Yes, and it's safer not to ask." Fujimaru says dryly. "As for our plan, it's still to find the Grail, and to sort out what's gone wrong in this timeline."

"So you'll be sticking around then," you say.

Fujimaru opens her mouth to say something, then pauses, weighing her words for a moment. "I… was hoping to ask, we're willing to help you sort this all out, but well, we don't exactly have anywhere else to go, so… if you don't mind?"

You smile. "Stay as long as you need to, breakfast will be in about a half hour or so. Do you two need anything?"

Fujimaru shakes her head. "You've done plenty already."

You smile.

It was wrong, but it was pleasant nonetheless to hear.

—

It took more effort than you expected to find Mordred, it took nearly twenty minutes of searching the building to find her, but eventually you did. With just ten minutes until breakfast you found the woman standing outside, looking over the backyard with a completely dead and empty expression on her face. Her blonde hair shifted in the cold morning breeze, and, combined with the fact that she didn't seem to be really breathing it gave her the appearance of some form of guardian statue looking over the snow-covered garden. The only sign of life was the faint shifting of her eyes, tracking odd snowflakes as they drifted down to the ground, and… the dripping blood, ever present from the gaping wound in her stomach.

"Good morning," you say quietly, moving to stand next to the woman after a moment's hesitation.

Mordred blinks slowly, excruciatingly slowly in fact, like the act required great effort. Then she turned her head to look at you. Her expression was unchanged.

"Mordred, right?"

She blinks again, more rapidly this time, and her expression twitches. Spasms flit across her face, like her mouth doesn't quite know what it wants to be doing.

"Is that your name? Mordred?"

Mordred stares at you, then slowly nods her head. She doesn't say anything however, she just continues to stare with no life behind those eyes.

You smile. "I recall you talking when we first met, quite a bit in fact, don't suppose you could talk now?"

The servant continued to stare at you, saying nothing. Then, ever so slowly, she turned her head back towards the yard, watching the snowflakes fall once more.

"She is incurably insane Master," a new, familiar voice spoke up from behind you.

It was familiar in that it sounded annoyed, the fact that the voice belonged to Medea was just an added bonus. You turn your head to look at your prickly caster, she was dressed in her full regalia, purple robes with the hood pulled up over her head, staff in her hand, and her patented 'blank but vaguely annoyed' expression on her face. You smile wider. "Good morning Caster. Did you sleep well?"

Caster walks up so that she is standing beside you, and she gazes out over the yard for a moment before turning her full attention unto you once more. "Yes, thank you. I understand that your night was… busy."

Your attempt to hide your blush was valiant, if futile. "She spoke to you about it then?"

"Yes. Spoke." Medea says bluntly. "She spoke about it. Much like a rooster speaks about the dawn, or a babe speaks about its desire for its mothers breast."

"I thought it would help her." You reply. "So I did."

"And now she will stick to you like a tick that can never be removed, you do understand this if nothing else, correct?" Medea asks.

"If I can help someone I will, just like I helped you, and Fujimaru, and Sakura." You reply. "I'll never regret helping somebody."

"Of that I am unfortunately aware," Medea replies. "Are you attempting to lay with this one too?" the witch asks, gesturing towards the Berserker.

"No, I'm trying to help her if I can." You reply.

"She stabbed your girlfriend."

"Because this system has apparently driven her mad, and I would help her with that if I can." You reply curtly. "She was… fine, in the dream." Dying notwithstanding.

"She is suffering from Madness Enhancement, in return for an equal exchange of strength for sanity she is as you see her now. She is likely an equal to that monster we dealt with before, the same whom I might add I am still putting together wards to protect ourselves against, since it will certainly attack us in this place." Medea emphasizes.

"Can I remove it?" you ask, turning your head back to Medea.

The witch blinks in surprise. "Remove it? It cannot be removed, only lowered with an application of mana."

"Then how do I do that?" you ask.

"It's only temporary Master, and without a large supply of mana it is entirely a waste. Your servant is as they are, a mindless thing. To attempt to remove the one benefit they get from this arrangement is foolish."

You sigh, looking up towards the sky. She had a point, you would be an idiot to argue otherwise. Medea usually had a good point, but when it came to morals you tended to diverge. She was far more practical than you were. There was nothing wrong with that, you were, fundamentally, not a normal person. You were well aware you were 'broken', and you've already made mistakes aplenty in this war. And you were going to make more.

"Probably," you admit. "But would it make her more controllable? Relieve her suffering?"

"... Yes." Medea says after a few seconds. "But why? She's simply a madwoman."

"The same reason I'm helping you," you reply, looking at the witch once more. "Because I can, and it's the right thing to do. There's nothing more to it."

You see Medea's lips turn slightly, she forms a smile for a very brief moment before controlling it. "Fine." She says, "your decisions are your own, but be aware this will likely use a sizable portion of your mana."

You nod your head.

"Focus upon the command seal, and force the thought of calm upon it. The seal shall do the rest."

You turn your attention towards the mark on the back of your hand, twin symbols. Two for Mordred, Three for Medea. Then you let out a breath, calm? Calm was easily, it was a basic part of your archery. You control your thoughts, emptying your mind, thinking of nothing except the mark on your hand, and the sound of windchimes in the garden. Your breath comes out in a mist, the cold was present, but ignorable. As were your pains, your thoughts, your worries. You felt them fade away.

Then you felt it.

The drain of mana, enough to make your knees buckle, you do not fall, but you do stumble. Barely catching yourself as the command-seal for Mordred flashes brightly on the back of your hand. Then, a moment later, it's over. And you find yourself moving a hand to your head to aid a sudden onset headache.

Strong hands grip you, keeping you from falling further, and you take in several deep, shaking breathes, forcing the pain away. You felt… weaker, and more confused, like part of your soul or very being had been torn away. It wasn't the first time, not even the first time this week. But you could say with some satisfaction it still hurt a fair bit less than your 'training' with the pipe back in that damned shed.

Then you blink, as you realize the hands holding you up are wearing gauntlets. You stare at them for a moment, then trace them up to see the… frowning face of Mordred. It was the most expression you had ever seen of her outside of combat, green eyes looked at you with concern, and, before you could even process that.

"You okay dipshit?" Mordred asks.

"I'm… fine," you manage to reply. "Mordred?"

The servant grins, it's the same grin she had that first night when you summoned her. "The one and only. We heading out to a fight?"

… She's being rather casual about this, was she not even aware of her 'state'? You stare at her for a moment, trying to process what to say. But apparently you took too long.

Not that she reverted.

Or that Medea corrected her.

No.

It's entirely because of the fact that the nearby wall exploded.


View: https://youtu.be/5Ixiqgi308w?si=KmU63xrT4-CpWs0q

*BANG*

The brick wall along the northside of the yard detonated inwards, sending fragments of brick and mortar all over the place, and as one, three heads turned to look… as stepping through it is…

Is…

Ayako wearing a pink dress with many white frills, holding what appeared to be a toy magical stick you'd find at a cheap costume store, and… twitching cat ears on her head? She surveys the backyard for a moment, then her eyes lock onto you with a wide, bright smile. She steps forward, and you hear, then see a crack as a wall of magical energy briefly tries to block her path, before she breaks through Medea's wards with all the effort of walking through rice paper.

The air ripples around her into the sky, as the wards around the estate break from the sheer force of the entry. Then she disappears.

Then she's in front of you.

A manic look was on Ayako's face. Her eyes were wide, crazed. Then she grabbed the front of your shirt and yanked you forwards. "Magical Neko Ayako Ruby is here to save you!"

Pardo-

You briefly register Medea finally reacting, her staff moving to stop… whatever it was that was happening. But before that could happen Ayako was already moving. You were held in her arms, cradled like a western bride as she sprinted out of the mansion with a burst of speed that nearly, but not quite, put Illya's servant to shame.

"I can finally protect you!" she shouts, a long cat tail emerging from underneath her skirt to wrap around your legs.

…

…

…

Well this all makes sense.

What!?

You jerk your head back towards the mansion, where you could see Mordred and Medea both starting to run after the two of you. Then you have to keep from retching as you rocket upwards to the top of a nearby skyscraper. Ayako lands gently, then continues to run, hopping from building to building while… humming?

She was gaining speed, and moving quickly, if you were going to do something, it was best to do it quickly.

—

[] [Try to escape]
You have no idea what has happened to Ayako, but you also have no idea where she is taking you or what is going on.

[] [See where this is going]
You were so confused.

—

Fun fact, what Shirou did is canonically possible, just it only ever comes up as a throwaway line for Illya.

Second fun fact, the Throne has never been mentioned before now, outside of a sidestory of Circe talking to Medea.

And sorry for the delay, going through a bad financial situation so I'm having to sort some things out. Support is appreciated.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/B-QCPX6nabI?si=QGiMAXN3X_xpwdeD&t=22

[The Worst Possible Timeline]

Commissioned by my good friend @Dragontrapper

*Circe POV*

Soon, you would be with him, in the real world. The training had been lovely, and you knew he had been getting lessons from your niece. You would turn him into a proper magus, you would leave your final mark on this world before you died, and you would get a certain itch scratched. So you charged in, mounted upon your pigs, and saved his life, but you found…

You found…

"Hello again auntie!" a cheerful voice greeted you.

You stared down at the blue haired girl standing in front of Shirou, the staff she wielded was nearly twice again as tall as she was, and, despite the fact that she was on a blood covered battlefield, she looked every bit the angelic princess you recalled her being when she was twelve. You stared at her, then slowly raised a hand to pinch your cheek. This shouldn't be… this couldn't be. "Me-Medea?" you ask, maybe it was just a servant that looked like her and the Throne had made a mistak-

Your doom tilted its head. Then smiled. "Of course! Are you here to help?"

You stare down at Medea. Processing that, the battle forgotten. Distantly you could hear Archer being shot to death by Brihanalla, but that wasn't important. "Why… why are you here?"

Medea blinked. "Because my prince rescued me!"

You stare at the witch for a moment, then turn to look at Shirou. "I thought you rescued… she was… has she always been a child?"

Shirou stared at you for a moment, then nodded. "Yes?"

"So when she attempted to… seduce… you…"

Shirou nodded again.

"I'm waiting for my noble prince to take my first time!"

You draw in a breath, it is a leveled, controlled thing. Taught to you by eons of magical training. A witch does not panic, she takes things as they come. So what if Medea was twenty years younger than she was supposed to be, so what if the timeline had violently changed on you, so what if you even got close to Shirou now she would stab you in your sleep?

You could deal with thi-

You turned to head to the heavens and howled. "Hekate! I'll fucking kill you!"

And somewhere, far beyond in the stars, an alien machine chortled.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/xpRX7NgmgoA?t=6

[Sakura's Heart]

—

Sakura pressed her hand against the wall of the shower, letting the hot wascade fall down her back and puddle onto the floor. It was hot, but not as hot as the water running down her face, salty and unleashed unbidden. She had kissed Shirou, she had kissed the boy she loved, she had… sullied him. She loved him, she loved him more than anything else in the world. He was the only thing she did love, the only thing she could. But he couldn't love her, nobody ever could. How could they? She was worthless.

No.

Someone can be fond of worthless things. She was less than worthless, she was less than garbage, she was a grain of dirt, to be ignored and not thought about. Useless in all things. Nothing would grow on her soil, ruined as it was. She was fundamentally… an inconsequential thing, and she knew that. But still, she had dared. She had pushed, and she had gone too far, much too far. It was kind enough that he was taking care of her, that he was willing to protect her, but that was, in essence, Shirou. He would do that for anyone, and there was nothing more to it than that. Assassin had told her she was beautiful, that Shirou loved her… but that was a lie. She was Sakura Matou, and she wasn't welcome there, that name meant nothing to her. She used to be Sakura Tohsaka, and there she hadn't been wanted, she had been sold.

It had been the only time she had been of any worth.

Her hand moved to her lip, her fingers digging into it. She was a whore, nothing more. Sakura Matou knew this, and as she felt that drive within herself. That desire forced onto her that was omnipresent. She could do nothing but make herself bleed. For she deserved nothing more. She was unclean, she was dirty, and she didn't ever deserved to be loved. But she would help him, Shirou… Shirou deserved that.

Then Sakura fell to the floor, as the desire returned once more painful and demanding. None heard her sobs above the crashing water. In truth, it was because everyone was distracted by Ayako. But to Sakura?

There was no difference.

No one ever cared to hear her cry before, and that would never change.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/YmknyO8iy7g?si=1RD-bzwDZnzPmTej

[See where this is going]
You were so confused.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

Ayako had… lost her mind. Or something was affecting her, you weren't sure which. But as you tore through the skyline at speed, you rather quickly came to the decision that attempting to struggle would likely only lead to you being dropped to your death. Medea was fast when she wanted to be, but she wasn't Rider. The chance of anyone catching you as you tumbled to your demise was miniscule, if not just being caught by Ayako. So, for the moment, you stayed put, hearing nothing but the shrieking wind in your ears intermixed with gleeful, manic laughter erupting from Ayako's lips with every building she lands upon.

"Safe, safe, you'll be safe! No more monsters, no more witches, no more magic! I can do it now, I can protect you!"

You open your mouth to refute that statement, or, to at the very least note you are the last person in the city that needed protection. But she speeds up once more, going from building to building in a mad dash across to the far southern end of the city. You craned your head back with difficulty, looking to see if Medea, or Mordred, or frankly anyone was chasing after you. But you couldn't see them if they were. You expected Mordred to be chasing, sane or not, the woman went after fights like Taiga did bad decisions. Medea… she was rather upset with you, frankly she may just be leaving you to your fate. But such thoughts are not helpful at the moment regardless, not when Ayako squeezes you harder against herself, squealing, babbling, saying everything and yet nothing in a manic frenzy of words like an entire orchestra starting up out of time.

And as you found yourself flung forward onto the hard ground of a roof, it would seem the cymbal player was making his presence known. Ayako slams into an AC unit, the metal denting inwards. It shrieks as the metal wall hits the internal fans, sparks shooting up as fragments of razor sharp metal launch themselves into the air. You watch, transfixed, as several shards land a few inches from your head, smoking.

"Get out!" Ayako shrieks.

You snap your head towards your cat-eared girlfriend. She was clutching either side of her head, a look of absolute agony on her face. Her body yanked itself this way and that, she was throwing herself across the roof. "Get out of my head!"

She flings herself forward, her body skidding across the rough roof and metal shards. You move towards her, making it about halfway before the hand holding the wand jerks up. Then her head snaps up as well, a bright, blissfully happy grin on her face. "Come on Shirou! Magical Neko Ayako Ruby is here to save you!" The chipper tone and the bright smile was at odds with the wide open eyes and the tears pouring down her face.

"Ayako, what has happened to yo-" you start to say, but you are interrupted by her teleporting to cross the distance between the two of you. Then taking off into the air once more. Her body was spasming, twitching as she moved. The arm not holding the wand, and by extension you, jerking and bending at unnatural, impossible angles. It did nothing to halt her movement however, the sound of wind was even louder now as she increased her speed, her gaze locked forward, unblinking.

It was another minute before you stopped again in front of a small home. It was a short, one story thing made in the old fashioned style so that there was no space between the neighbors. The door was hanging open, partially knocked off its hinges, and you had only a moment to observe that before you were inside. You landed in a heap upon a rug, and you jerked your body around to see Ayako slamming the door shut. It doesn't so much 'close' as 'merge with the wall' via the force of her shutting it. The off hinge door allowing some light in still. Ayako stared down at you, gleefully smiling from ear to ear. "This is the first time I've ever taken a boy home~"

You aren't sure what to say to that. "Ayako, are you… in there?"

Ayako's head tilts. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm better than I've ever been. We're going to stay here, you'll be with them. Okay, safe, no monsters…" She points a finger off to your left, and you turn your head to see… Minori, her brother. Laying on his back on the floor. Hands on his chest, eyes closed. For one, brief, terrifying moment you think him dead. But the rising and falling of his chest shows steady breathing. Sitting on the couch just beside him, one head resting on the others shoulder, was an older man and woman, her parents you would assume.

Then you find yourself grabbed by the front of your shirt, and you are bodily hauled into another room. It's a simple space, but not without decoration. Trophies stand proudly on shelves and banners line the walls. Pictures are placed all over, showing Ayako at different stages of her life, you have a moment to study them before the door to her room clicks shut, and you turn your head like a man facing his executioner to see Ayako standing there. The wand was now held in both of her hands, and the only remnant of tears are drying trails upon her face. Her smile was small, sweet, less manic.

"You'll be staying here Shirou, until all this is over, no more worrying about you while I'm at school okay? You'll just be nice and safe here, Magical Neko Ayako Ruby will take care of you." She gets down onto her knees, and stretching forth a hand she places it upon your chest. "I'll make all the pain go away, this wand is letting me finally keep you safe~"

… If you were going to do something, you'd best do it quickly.

—

[] [Go for the Wand]
Whatever was happening, that wand was likely involved.

[] [Summon your servant] - (Command Seal)

• [Medea]
• [Mordred]

[] [Try and talk her down]
It's still Ayako in there, somewhere.

[] [Hold off]
You still don't rightly know what is going on.

 

[Erien]

[Go for the Wand]

—

You had to help Ayako, and it was… There! You dived forward, reaching for it, but you don't get far. Ayako's hand was pressed down against your chest, and in a matter of a moment you were slammed back onto the floor. Stars danced across your vision, and you gasps for breath as the hand moved from your sternum to your stomach and pressed down hard. You open your eyes, and find yourself face to face with Ayako, the girl having pressed her face down against yours, a manic grin splitting her face that showed every single tooth possible. "Silly, if you do that then I can't protect you! Now, go to sleep for Rub-"

Your consciousness ceased moments after that, and then, there was nothing.

—

I use an RNG to pick the servants, having this combination, for this chapter, is very funny to me.

---


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9WWwuFjug

---


"Well… that one ended quickly nya~"



"Mm… Attempting to separate an accessory from a figure… not advisable."



"That wasn't a figure, that was a girl actually."



"Are you sure? Her dress was so…"



"Fantastic Nya! We need to get ahold of that stick ourselves."



"Indeed, let us seize i-"




—-

[] [Summon your servant]

• [Medea]
• [Mordred]

[] [Try and talk her down]
It's still Ayako in there, somewhere.

[] [Hold off]
You still don't rightly know what is going on.

[] [Kiss Her]
Your mind went back to that spell Circe taught you… θέλγητρο?

---

Been a bit since the last bad end eh?

 

[Erien]

[Kiss Her]
Your mind went back to that spell Circe taught you… θέλγητρο?

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

"You'll be staying here Shirou, until all this is over, no more worrying about you while I'm at school okay? You'll just be nice and safe here, Magical Neko Ayako Ruby will take care of you." She gets down onto her knees, and stretching forth a hand she places it upon your chest. "I'll make all the pain go away, this wand is letting me finally keep you safe~"

You stare up at your girlfriend turned magical cat girl, and for a moment, a long moment, you wonder how this ranks on the scale of weird your life had been at lately. It was… relatively in the middle, as far as you were concerned. About the only really surprising thing about this situation was that it was Ayako, who was until recently about as far removed from magic as Circe was from subtlety. That didn't mean the situation wasn't serious, far from it in fact, just that… you were not as surprised as you perhaps should be at the moment.

Her hand splays further across your chest, a manic look in her eyes, and the threat was clear. Either you do something, or you become the same as her brother and her parents. You wouldn't hurt her, what you needed was a distraction to get that wand awa-

…

You lunge forward, one hand wrapping around Ayako's head, the other moving to her waist as you pull her into you. It was a stupid plan, but stupid plans had gotten you this far in life. Ayako's somewhat malicious look morphs into one of confusion, something that only grows as your lips lock with hers.

A muffle. "Nya!?" Comes out of Ayako.

—


View: https://youtu.be/Pjc1fdO7ilI?si=Zhk-4r5wBcfp5jPx

—

You separate from her, only by a mere inch, then. "Θέλγητρο!"

Then her hands are on you, shifting moving to your face, pulling you against her. Ayako's head tilts, her mouth opens, and she molds herself against you. She moans into your mouth, pressing herself against you harder and harder. The surprise you felt a moment later by the presence of her tongue currently attempting to draw yours into honorable combat, is however, not quite as surprising as the pull you suddenly felt in every direction. The body felt like it was coming apart at the seems, shreds of your very being going in every direction, inwards and outwards. Your eyes snapped back open, but your vision was blocked by Ayako, then you heard it, past everything, beyond the kiss, beyond the feeling of your very soul being strained.

It was a female voice, high pitched and robotic. "Oh… oh my," it purrs, dropping an octave a moment later and sounding sensual. "That… high bar~"

You hear something distinctly wooden clatter against the ground, and you jerk your head to the side to see the stick hit the floor.

Then you heard a scream, and turned your head back to see… your girlfriend, naked as the day she was born. You weren't sure you were meant to compare girls, in fact, you were fairly sure you absolutely were not. But where Circe was thin due to being skinny by nature, Ayako was toned. She was always the athlete, but it did nothing to shrink the size of he-

"Look away already!" Ayako growls.

Your eyes drifting down further south, past her breasts and towards her hips, where a sparse patch of brown hai-

"I said look away!" Ayako yells.

You blink, fighting… a fog you only now realized was over your mind, then you wrenched your head away to face the wall. Then you heard a scraping sound, and cast your eyes slightly downwards. The stick was… flexing, bending unnaturally in ways wood shouldn't, inching along the ground towards you like a worm.

"Ehehehehe." The high pitched voice returned. "Tell me boy, would you like to become a magical girl with your big, strong, hands?"

You stare down at the children's toy for a moment, then you raise your hand… and bat it away out the door to Ayako's room, causing it to go shrieking through the air. Ayako scampers off a second later, hands covering her… assets as she dives into her closet.

"You okay Ayako?" you call out to her.

"Face the wall so I can get dressed!"

You nod, then do so. Scooting yourself around so that you are facing away as the sound of moving fabric fills the room.

—


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TdwdL_BRCk

—

You sat in the corner for a good few minutes, listening out for the sounds of the stick coming around again, you didn't much like leaving it around… but you were finding it rather hard to concentrate at the moment. There was… a haze over your mind, a fog, and no matter how hard you tried to fight it your brain kept running back to thoughts of Circe's lithe body and Ayako's… surprisingly plump ass.

Then you heard the closet door open again, and you chanced a look back to see… Ayako was dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple red shirt. A brilliant red blush played across her face at the sight of you. You glance to the side to see… the stick, poking it's 'head' around the corner of the door, looking into the room but not moving otherwise, and Ayako glares at it for a moment before looking towards you and sighing.

"What happened, Ayako?" you ask.

"Fuck if I know," Ayako replies. "There was…" She moves a hand to her head, rubbing it. "A box or something, with that… thing," she says, glaring at the toy. "I touched it, then… I was naked in front of you."

"When did that happen?" you ask.

"Yesterday morning… I think," Ayako replies. "It's all a blur." Then her eyes widen. "Where is my family?"

"Unconscious," you reply quickly. "But they'll be fine, Circe and Caster can take a look at them, they're okay Ayako."

Ayako lets out a deep breath, her shoulders slumping. "Thank goodness, I remember… running around town, though nothing specific… and I remember a lot of yelling in the house. Are… you okay Shirou?"

You nod your head. "I was surprised, you broke into Raiga's place and grabbed me, screaming about how you were going to 'protect me'. Any idea why that is?"

Ayako blinks. "I was?" then a loud, high pitched giggle sounds out.

You both turn your heads to see the stick hopping into the room, flexing this way and that. "I unleashed all of her desires. She wants to protect you, and everyone else~"

You look back to Ayako, and Ayako looks towards the wall. "I… may be tired of watching you get mauled without me being able to do anything about it." Then she looks back. "But I don't need… whatever the hell you are!"

The stick bends sharply, like it was tilting its head mockingly. "Oh, I think you do… and so does he for that matter." The stick straightens up again, 'looks' at you, and purrs.

"And that will be quite enough," a new voice speaks up.

Two heads, and one piece of… plastic look back to see a new figure materializing in the doorway, two in fact. One in purple, one in white. Medea was standing there, her hood drawn back, her usual annoyed expression on her face. Circe was standing just behind her, smiling, and she raises the previously missing hand in a wave.

"Where's Mordred?" you ask.

Medea's annoyed look somehow only grows in intensity. "If that is your first question then I will be pleased to inform you that she is currently staring at a wall back in the manor. That magic is short term, and only lasts as long as you are within radius of her in any case. Now. Explain."

You point a finger towards the stick. "That thing possessed Ayako, she's been out of it since yesterday. Can you check on her family, make sure they are alright and fix up the house? We'll probably need to erase their memories."

"Erase their memories, what!?" Ayako screeches.

You look towards your girlfriend. "Just since yesterday, do… do you want them to remember you running around as a frilly catgirl?"

Ayako stares at you for a few moments, then looks at Medea. "Just the memories from yesterday?"

"Child's play," Medea replies. Then casts her gaze down towards the stick.

Circe was already crouched, staring at it curiously. "The Second Magic," Circe replies. "How quaint."

"Second magic?" you ask.

Circe looks up and smiles. "Not important, what is important is that this is far too dangerous to be left to its own devices."

"I will not be judged by an old hag." The stick replies. Then it hops back, or at least, tries to. It finds its movements halted as it begins to lift off of the ground, apparently not of its own free will.

Medea has her hand outstretched, her fingers splayed out, and the stick spins several times before coming to a half a foot away from her fingers. "You are powerful, tell me, what is your name?"

"Ruby! Now let me go!" the stick… Ruby, replies.

"No, no I do believe we shall lock you away somewhere."

"Wait!" Ayako yells out, causing everyone to look at her. The archery captain bites her lip, "You… said it is powerful right?"

Medea nods, "this thing contains more power within it than most servants could dream of, if it found its way into the hands of the right person."

"Could I use it to help?" Ayako asks. "I saw what it did, and I can't do any of that on my own."

"It caused you to kidnap my master, it nearly killed your family, and it has destroyed your front door."

Ayako bites her lip.

Medea turns to look at you. "Master, please tell me you do not agree with this?" her tone was carefully neutral. It was the sort of neutral that she used when she was kindly asking you to not be an idiot.

"Wouldn't it just take over her mind again?" you ask, looking at the two witches quizically.

"Oh, that was just me having a bit of fun!" Ruby replies, grunting as it tries to turn around to look at you. "Ayako would make an excellent magical girl however. She has the gift."

Medea looks over at Ayako, staring at the girl. Then she steps forward, the stick floating behind her. Reaching down, Medea grabs Ayako by the chin and looks her in the eyes before jerking her head this way and that like she was looking over an animal. "Any ability you have came entirely from Ruby. You are no magus, and you never will be one."

Then she releases Ayako and turns back. "This," she gestures to Ruby. "Is dangerous, and should be put away. I do not fully understand its function and anything magical I do not… is far too dangerous to keep around."

"Always so humble my student," Circe replies.

"Do you disagree?" Medea challenges.

Circe shrugs, standing back up a moment later. "I do not believe it is your decision." Then, both witches look straight at you.

Ruby gets the hint, crying out. "Save me! Save me from them Shirou! I won't take over her mind again, and I'll be extra good if you polish me regularly and give me a nice rubbing of wood oil, gloves are forbidden!"

…

Another odd day.

—

[] [... If Ayako wants it]
But the witches will help her.

[] [Seal that thing away]