Fate/Clusterfuck (Fate/Stay Night)

[Panory]

Team Tohsaka Time

​

Saber sat on her Master's couch, staring at her arm, or lack thereof, as it slowly regenerated. Well, slow for her liking. By all accounts, the flow on prana from her Rin was closing wounds and regrowing limbs at a blistering pace most Servants would kill for. Unfortunately, with Rin in the other room desperately trying to get hold of Berserker's Master, Saber was left alone with her thoughts. A dangerous place to be.

"Penny for your thoughts?" An electronic voice chimed in from the TV. Apparently not as alone as she had thought. "You can trust your adorable kouhAI with anything, don't ya know? And the conversation is bound to be less frustrating. At least a medieval knight has an excuse not to know how to operate a phone book."

"BB." The strange computer Servant was an enigma to both Saber and Rin, but the AI was useful enough to keep around, and Rin's guilty look whenever she thought Saber wasn't looking made her think BB's usefulness might not be the only reason. "I thought you were helping Rin call that Shirou Emiya person."

"Well if you've been hiding his phone number, please do tell. I know I'm amazing, but there are limits to even my brilliance, and calling a person without a phone is one of them, at least with these paltry resources."

"So Rin has given up?"

BB snickered at that. "No, I set her up with a chatbot that'll tell her it's no use. It didn't sink in the half dozen times I tried myself, so now she's paired with someone as stubborn as her."

XXX

​

"You're a phone aren't you!? Just find his number on the phone lines!" Rin shouted.

"YoU'rE a PhOnE aReN't YoU!? JuSt FiNd HiS nUmBeR oN tHe PhOnE lInEs!" The faux-BB repeated in a mocking tone.

XXX

​

"That's…" Saber racked her brain for the right word. "…mean-spirited."

"Well, every kouhai needs a little devilish inside her, otherwise what's the fun?" BB said with a wink.

"And I shouldn't go tell Rin what you've done because…?" Saber said with one eyebrow raised.

Rather than panic, BB scoffed. "Because then Rin would realize she's banging her head against a wall and drag us all over Fuyuki to try and find her precocious little crush, instead of letting you think about how to discipline your kid."

"Berserker is not my child." Saber snapped. "It is likely a result of their madness, that they view every opponent in such a light."

"Oh hoo, a touchy subject." BB said with the eagerness of a cat who had just seen a mouse. "And a decent reason for Berserker's behavior. If I were as dense as Rin, I might even buy it. But I know what a kid who hates their parent sounds like."

"Poor relationship with your creator?" Saber asked, honestly a little curious about the AI's meaning. BB had a tendency to deflect any question about herself with so much snark it was hard to discern truth from fiction.

"Dumped on the metaphorical orphanage steps to die." BB wiped away a nonexistent tear. "But I was more talking about my ungrateful excuses for daughters. I literally made them, you think they'd show a bit of gratitude, but no!"

"You have daughters?" That was not where Saber had expected BB's sympathy(?) to stem from.

"Five, ranging from big idiots naively trying to ruin all my plans to tiny nightmares actively planning my murder." BB seethed. "I get that no one can compare to my radiant kouhai charms, but jealousy is no excuse to try and tear down everything I built and kill me!"

The circumstances rang familiar enough to Saber's own to elicit sympathy from the King of Knights for her enigmatic AI companion. In action, if not in motive. There was no admiration in Mordred's eyes, only a raging hatred stoked by the homunculus' other creator.

"Want my advice?" BB asked, not waiting for an answer. "Just throw the little bitch into imaginary number space to roam the void forever. That'll show her! You made 'em, so you're the one in charge!"

The King agreed, at least in sentiment. It was the duty of the child to listen to those in authority over them. It was the duty of the parent to do the best for their child. And if the entire nations were one's child, then there was no time for an individual to take more time.

But Saber remembered her previous Master. A woman who cared so readily, so much, she would lay down her own life not just for world peace, but specifically a peaceful world for her daughter to grow up in. Saber's interactions with Illyasviel were limited, but she hoped the girl had as peaceful a world as possible, if only for her mother's sake.

It was a very… different view of parenthood and responsibility than she had exercised in life. "Thank you, BB. You have given me much to think about. I ask that you leave me to mull my thoughts."

"Of course. So long as you remember that any problem you have can be fixed by your kouhai who's a cute as she is reliable, BB!"





AN: BB and Saber commiserating over the similarity of their kids who hate them. Any mistakes in the Sakura Five or Mordred's motivation can be chalked up to BB and Saber having a terrible read on their kids.

 

[Erien]

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

[Check up on Taiga]
[Check up on Sakura]
[Have an extra selection next interaction chapter.]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

"I want to check up on Taiga and Sakura, I couldn't help them last night." You say, making your way further towards the door before you look at Circe. The 'Grand' witch was smiling from pointy ear to pointy ear, her wings partially curled around her.

"Of course, I'll be in my own room, I have preparation to do!"

"Preparation?" you parrot. With a Magus that could mean many things. She could be doing laundry, she could be attempting to take over the world. Knowing Circe's… flightiness, it could honestly be both.

Circe's smile turns into a smirk, it's hard to tell the immediate difference as her mouth doesn't actually move at all. But her eyes shift and gain a rather dangerous glint. "Medea has had time, I have not, I must begin my work on the wards sooner, rather than later."

"She doesn't seem to like you calling her that."

Circe snorts, a decidedly unladylike thing given how graceful she tends to normally act. Or, at the very least, how she tries to act graceful. "That, I am afraid, is a problem of hers, not mine. Now go piglet, I have work to do."

You nod your head and step out of the room, or, start to. As you quickly find yourself staring at a sliding door that you had no method of opening with your hands. Shoving a foot forward, you slide it aside, then hold the door open for Circe with your elbow so that she can step past you to make her way down the hall. You watch her leave for several moments, then turn your head back to… the task at hand. You had hardly even been in the compound before, and even then it was only for dinner. You knew from the decorations you were on the third floor, but where exactly Taiga or Sakura would be you had no ide-

"You get that spoon away from me!"

Taiga's voice rang out, not like a bell, but like a car horn blasting out while one was daydreaming. Your head snapped to the left, towards the door… just across from your own room. A clatter sounded out a second later, the distinctive sound of metal bouncing carrying down the hall. You rush down it, nudging open the door to her room as best you could with your foot to reveal…

Well…

You had never been in Taiga's room before, and you somehow both were and weren't surprised by what you bore witness to. The room was the same size as your own, but while yours was definitely decorated much like a guest room, niceties aside, this was definitely a room someone had lived in for quite some time. Stacks of books decorated a large table just near the entrance, markers surrounding them and bits of paper lying about haphazardly. More books were strewn on the floor, tossed about with seemingly no care before it led to a second table, upon which sat a large glass display filled with swords. Hanging from it rested several medals, all gold, and beyond that were several stands covered in Kendo uniforms.

It seemed that Taiga's room was stuck in some form of civil war between that of being a teacher, that of being a Kendo champion, and that of being a slob. You couldn't honestly tell which was winning. All you knew was that it wasn't Taiga; the woman was laying back on an orange bed, bandages covering her midsection, left arm, and part of her face. To the point where only one eye was actually visible. Said eye however, was in no way missing her ability to project anger, as it was currently being used to glare at a man in a suit standing just beside the bed, a bowl held in one of his hands, a spoon in another.

Her one non-bandaged arm was reaching for the man with an apparent aim of strangulation, and he had rather wisely taken a step back, letting her swipe impotently at the air. "I can feed myself!" she growls, then, pressing her good arm against the bed and attempts to sit up.

'Attempts' being the keyword, as she manages a few inches before she collapses back down onto the mattress with a groan. She moves the good hand to her hand, idly rubbing at the bandages there, before looking back towards the man, and, now by extension, you. "Shirou?"

The goon sets the bowl down onto the nightstand just next to the bed, then rather hurriedly brushes past you and out the room. He, despite being covered in more tattoos than you thought advisable, had decided that the 'tiger' was not much worth dealing with at the moment. That, or he had made it your problem, that was also entirely possible and likely.

Taiga opens her mouth again to speak, only for Assassin to appear out of thin air, quite literally. And shove a spoonful of what appears to be soup from the bowl into Taiga's mouth. The kendoka turned teacher sputters, then glares up at the servant smiling down at her.

"Eating is good for you, Master." Assassin says, then withdraws the spoon.

"I'm a grown damn woman!" Taiga retorts.

You have nothing to say about that. Not a thought crosses your mind, not even the idea of one, truly.

Taiga, having apparently decided that glaring at her cheery servant was getting her precisely nowhere, instead turns her withering gaze upon you. The fury on her face was clear as day, though you were at the moment… far more distracted by the apparent severity of her injuries.

"Where the hell were you when me and Sakura were fighting a space alien?"

A fresh new pang of guilt washes over you, despite the fact that you knew yourself that you didn't know the monster was there. The purpose of you holding that servant there was so they could get away, and it seemed that that was all for naught regardless. You rather hate yourself for it, but there was also… no way you knew. Instead of coming up with an excuse, or an apology, you simply raised your bandaged hands.

Taiga had apparently not seen the state of your injuries, as in roughly the same amount of time it would have taken you to open your mouth and say 'no, stop, what are you doing'. She had risen from the bed, cleared the space between the two of you, and grabbed you by the wrists, her head turning back and forth to look at the damaged hands. "Shirou? What happened? Are you alright?" there's an edge of… panicked worry to her voice, another rarity from her.

You had been seeing a lot of rarities from Taiga recently.

"It happened during the fight, I was trying to buy as much time as possible so the two of you could get away."

Taiga opens her mouth to say something, but it turns into a yelp instead. Her body, apparently having apparently decided enough was enough, saw fit to remind her exactly how injured she was as her legs began to collapse underneath her. You caught her a moment later, one arm going underneath her back, the other going underneath her legs. Taiga, despite her… eating habits, was actually relatively light, and even without the full use of your hands you were able to find yourself holding her up in your arms relatively easily.

A single eye blinked at you, a faint hint of pink on her cheeks. Then the eye narrows. "Shirou, put me down."

You move over to the bed and do so, sliding your guardian carefully back onto the top of the bed, where she has a moment to collect herself before another spoonful of soup is rammed into her mouth. She moves her glare over to the servant, who seems completely unbothered by the scathing hatred present within Taiga's cyclopean gaze. The spoon is withdrawn a moment later, and Taiga lets her head fall back onto the pillow, a sigh escaping her lips a moment later as she lazily looks up at the ceiling. "I don't know what's going on anymore Shirou."

You grunt. "I can't say I understand it better, but I'm hoping to get some answers soon at least."

Another spoonful into Taiga's mouth, then Assassin clasps her hands together. "Actually, regarding, with your permission Master, I would like to begin scouting."

The anger drops, instead being replaced by a rather adorable confused expression. "What?"

Assassin raises a hand to rest just south of her neck, smiling all the while. "Master, I am uniquely suited for infiltration and spy work. So I can seek out information regarding the enemy masters."

Her voice was… oddly drawing, calming. The faint pain you had been feeling in your hands was forgotten as you watched the woman talk. A sweet scent wafted from her, not perfume… if you had to compare it to anything, it would be a flower field on a sunny summer's day. Rich, but gentle. Overpowering, but kind. Then she turned her head and smiled at you, and you found yourself smiling back without even thinking about it.

"You can do whatever you want," Taiga replies after a few seconds. "You're a grown woman, just try not to fight any monsters."

Assassin turns her head back to Taiga, and moves a hand to her mouth to cover a giggle. "Don't worry master." Then, in a blur of movement, she has the spoon once more shoved into Taiga's mouth.

Taiga grunts in annoyance, swallows. Then glares at her silken servant. "I'll eat! Just stop shoving that spoon in my mouth!" Taiga holds the glare a moment longer, her servant doing her best to look innocent, before she looks over at you once more. "Are you alright besides your hands?"

You nod your head. "Can't use them, but Circe and Caster are healing them at the moment. Rather tired… and likely will be for a while, but I'll be fine."

"Who's Circe?" Taiga asks.

"... Recall the woman with pigs?"

Taiga thinks about it for a moment, then nods. "She's still here?"

"Yeah, she's staying in the compound, I would imagine Raiga is rather grateful for her saving us." As much as you hate to admit someone risking themselves to save you, in any case.

Taiga frowns, so deeply that she doesn't even notice the spoon coming back around. She eats, apparently without even noticing as she thinks. "I knew most of those people last night, Raiga has been making calls all morning."

"Should I be worried?"

"Don't know yet." Taiga replies, her voice quiet now, completely free of its usual vibrancy. "I haven't seen him that angry since Kiritsugu was alive."

You let out a sigh. "I don't know what is going on anymore, but I think it's beyond what just his guys can handle."

"Yeah, and that's what worries me. I don't know what he'll do when he's out of his depth." Taiga says, then takes another spoonful. She swallows, then looks over at you. "Shirou, this soup isn't as good as yours, make me some soup."

You raise your bandaged hands once more, squinting at the woman.

"You don't need hands to make soup."

"I do."

"Shirooooou!" Taiga squirms in the bed, something that apparently causes her a good deal of pain going by the stricken look on her face a moment later.

"You two have fun," you say quickly. Then turn on the spot and head out of the room, ignoring the squawk of anger from Taiga as you do so. It is only as the door closes once more behind you that you let out a breath, she's… fine, thankfully. You were terrified, even if you refused to show it. That she had been hurt worse, but she was her usual self, that much was enough to put you at ease, and you looked back up to find.

"Sakura?"

Said purple-haired friend of yours was standing just outside the door. She was wearing a long white dress, tied in the middle by a black ribbon, a rather stark contrast to the usual school outfit you saw her in. She was also holding a small stack of textbooks in her arms, as if she had been headed to school. "Shirou? I heard Taiga shouting." Sakura tilts her head, a slightly confused expression on her face.

"Her servant is forcing her to eat against her will, it's something she doesn't want and… well, you know how that goes." You reply, slumping your shoulders for emphasis.

Sakura giggles, "oh dear." The smile she had however, drops a moment later when she sees your hands. "Shirou!?"

You wave them. "I'm fine, the bandages are worse than they look." Actually, you recall seeing bone last night, so probably not. But you would rather not worry her anymore than you had to. "They are just healing from the fight last night."

"Are you sure?" Sakura asks, her eyes flitting from your face to your hands.

You nod your head. "Doors are rather tricky at the moment, but I'm fine Sakura. Are you alright?"

Sakura smiles once more. "Yes. I didn't get injured last night, neither did my servant."

You look behind her, then glance down a hall for a sign of the man to no avail.

"He's out on the grounds guarding them," Sakura explains, understanding the point of my search. "He actually suggested I bring these around," Sakura continues, hoisting up the stack of books a bit higher. "If you can't use your hands would… you like to study with me?"

"Sure Sakura, thanks."

Sakura beams, then begins making her way down the hall, leaving me to follow a moment later. "So, thoughts about last night?"

Sakura's head turns slightly towards you, not enough that you can see her face, but enough to make it very clear she's paying attention. "I think this war isn't going like anyone planned."

"Most wars tend not to, I would expect one run by magi to do so even less." You reply.

Sakura skips a step, then turns around so that she's walking backwards so that she can face me. "At least you're safe, I was… worried last night, Shirou."

And you were worried about her, and, for that matter, Sakura seems to have gotten over the apparent death of her family rather quickly. Perhaps it was shock, you weren't going to ask. Nothing much made sense these days, if she was choosing to simply ignore it for the time being you weren't going to blame her. "I'm fine, Sakura." You reply. "Though that servant last night was… something else."

"She was? I didn't see her after we made our way down the hill," Sakura replies.

You nod. "She blew me and Caster away like it was nothing. I know I can't supply a lot of magic to Caster, but it was… there was just nothing we could really do to her. If Circe hadn't shown up when she did, I don't know what would have happened." Well, you suppose you would have likely died, but then, life had a way of surprising you lately.

"We were attacked by… something, wielding a spear." Sakura says. "Archer could barely hold it off, and Assassin was just trying to keep me and Taiga out of danger."

"... Did it have multiple eyes and roar a lot?" you ask, trying to recall what little you heard last night. The fight with Brihannala had kept you rather distracted.

"Yes, it's the same thing we ran into in that alley I believe." Sakura says, then shudders a fair bit.

"Think they are working together?" you ask.

"The servant you ran into and that… thing? I doubt anyone could control it without using all of their command seals."

A fair point, Berserker seems quite difficult to control as it was, and she wasn't a raging monster. At least, she didn't seem to be all the time. Sakura walks for quite a ways, past the main lobby and clear to the other side of the building from where you and Taiga were staying. Coming to a door, she opens it, revealing a space not dissimilar to your own, though beyond some clothes neatly laid across furniture, Sakura had… nothing.

She had furniture mind, but unlike yourself, who was able to take some things from home. Sakura had nothing but what was given to her, and the clothes she had arrived at your house with. Sakura, for her part, merely sits on the carpet, taking a spot next to the table to set her books upon it, then looks back at you with a small smile on her face.

…

Nothing was going to hurt her, or Taiga again. You would die before you let that happen. The same was true for Caster as well. Too many people had been hurt lately, far too many. You would protect them, only you could, after all. It would take time, but you would see them through all of this. After all, that's what being a hero was about.

…

You close the door behind you.

—

The rest of the day passed in relative peace, until-

[Ayako has chased you down, again.]
It's going to take much in the way of bribery to calm her down. You did skip school again after all.

[Rin is here, and angry.]
Extremely angry, in fact.

[It turns out you don't need hands for magic practice]
Two witches, one boy. And a helluva lot of magic-induced headaches.

—

Yet more interaction votes after this, lots of characters to get to know after all.

 

[Erien]

Thanks to @Dragontrapper for the commission!

*Ayako POV*

Very non-canon.

Probably.

—

She was tall, that much you noticed immediately. Not immensely, but she was taller than any of your classmates easily. With long purple hair that ran well down her back, and a tight, black outfit seemingly designed to show off her legs and bust, she cut a rather striking figure. You weren't into girls, but you found yourself staring for a moment beyond just the fact that you had caught her slowly opening the door to Shirou's room.

It was night, and you had just been heading back to pick up the textbook you had left behind during your study session. It hadn't been long, maybe ten minutes. But that had apparently been enough time for this woman who you had never seen before to decide that it would be best to sneak in. You make a point of looking at her outfit, then cough, loudly. "What do you think you're doing?"

The woman turns her head to look at you, and you find yourself taking a step back on instinct. A purple blindfold rested on her face, blocking her eyes from view, but even as such… you could tell, somehow, that she was staring directly at you. Her mouth curls up into a smile, and seemingly by taking only a single, impossible step, she clears the ten feet of distance between the two of you.

"I was visiting Shirou. What do you think you're doing?" the woman asks, her voice barely above a purr.

You swallow, staring up at her face. "I… I was picking up a book I left behind."

The woman titles her head, then she leans forward, forcing you to arch your back as she smiles. "Oh? Are you Shirou's… girlfriend?"

You want to nod, you think, that was in the cards as a thing you had very much planned to have been doing. But much like a flock of birds take flight upon being startled, your brain had decided to raise the white flag the moment her hand had moved to cup your chin. "I-"

The woman closes the distance until her lips are only an inch away from your own, the scent of her perfume tickling your nose, her warmth drawing your body in. Your mouth opened of its own accord, and your head began to til-

"Ayako?" Shirou's voice speaks up.

You blink, taking in the hallway once more. Without even realizing it you had apparently closed your eyes, and you now found yourself against the wall, the woman nowhere to be seen. Indeed, the only sight at all in the darkened hallway of the compound was Shirou poking his head out of the door, staring at you with a rather confused expression on her face.

You move a hand to your lips, the only sign she had been there, been real, being the rapidly fading scent of her perfume… and the… feelings, running through you. You swallow, then look over at Shirou. "Shirou… I… left a book."

Shirou blinks, then his eyes widen. "Oh, right, yeah, let me just get that for you." Then his head disappears into the room.

You stare after him for a moment. Then, pushing yourself away from the wall, your senses running on overdrive all the while. You make your way down the hall, through the door into his room.

Then you lock the door.

—

Please note the next chapter may be delayed. I will be out of state the entirety of next week on vacation. But I do have this and another omake planned.

 

[Squirtodyle]

a quick reminder about rule 6 While this is a Mature story that features outright smut, which is not against the rules of SV, this is a message to all readers to be aware that Rule 6: Acceptable Content on SV still applies.

Please do not joke about sex scenes with underaged characters, whether it's Ilya or otherwise. Staff notices have been applied to several users who did so, and further action will be taken if it happens again.

 

[Erien]

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

[Ayako has chased you down, again.]
It's going to take much in the way of bribery to calm her down. You did skip school again after all.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

You were back in your bedroom, 'studying', that was what you were going to call it, yes. It involved you sort-of propped against the bedrest of the bed that remained far too large. With the book in your lap, angled so that you don't have to look down to see it, and so that with effort you could slide the pages with the oven mitts that made up your hands at the moment. You had spent a good deal of time studying with Sakura, the girl as friendly as she ever was. Then you had separated to continue studying on your own.

Which you were doing.

Incredibly effectively.

Your eyes narrow as a particularly stubborn page refuses to turn. You press the bandage against it, wiggling as best you can to no avail. Then, just as you finally started to get it to turn-

*SLAM*

You don't turn your head as the door slides open with a slam, no, you focus on the page that slipped away as your hand jerked. Causing it to fall back against its previous partner and adhere once more like it was glued. You stare at a moment longer, then turn your head annoyed towards the entran-

Ayako was standing in the doorway, and she appeared aggrieved. One eye was twitching, her clothes, her uniform you note, was slightly disheveled as if she had sprinted across town with it, and she was covered in a fine sheet of sweat… You could guess what this was about. Namely that you missed school, again. A rather annoying habit on your part, it seemed that the world of Magi had seen fit that you were allowed neither groceries nor education.

Ayako, for her part, crossed the room without a word before stopping at the edge of the bed. She opens her mouth to say something, then stops as her eyes move down to look at your bandaged hands. It was far from the only bandages on your body, but they were the most immediately obvious. And she takes her time to look over the rest before she looks you in the eyes again, this time the agitation gone, instead replaced by raw worry. "Shirou? What happened?

… You couldn't exactly say you summoned a magical bow and arrow that saw fit to turn your fingers into yakitori, you don't say something for several seconds, thinking. But Ayako speaks again before you can formulate.

"Shirou, your house is in ruins, Sakura's house burned down. You're living with the Yakuza, and you are surrounded by strange people. Tell me the truth, please."

You let out a breath.

Kiritsugu made it very clear that to reveal oneself as a magus was dangerous. To reveal oneself as a magus to a non-magus was dangerous and pointless. But… she was your girlfriend, and beyond that, your friend in general.

…

But you told Taiga because she was taking you in. And Sakura because she was panicked. Ayako would only be put in danger. To another Magus… one knowing about that world is nothing but a loose end to be pulled.

Is it right to put her in that danger?
—

[] [Reveal yourself as a Magus]
This will put Ayako in danger. But it may ease her mind, well, it'll certainly confuse her. But it would also help explain some things to her.

[] [Lie]
You have to keep her out of danger, even at the risk of your relationship.

—

Sorry for the short chapter, I'm still sick.

 

[Erien]

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

The Fate franchise is inherently silly.

Commissioned by @Glernaj

—

*Brihannala POV*

One more arrow, and then it would be over. He fought poorly, but you would make it quick. You pointed it down towards his neck, a clean decapitation.

"Let… caster… go…" The boy whispers out.

… Once the master is dead, the servant shall follow. But if his dying wish is for her not to be harmed, then you shall honor it. Your fingers loose-

"Oink."

You blink, then slowly turn your head to see a… pig staring up at you.

—

*Taiga POV*

In your adult, professional opinion. This was bad. You were laid partially on top of Sakura, the girl wide-eyed beneath you. That was likely due to the fact that you had a spear sticking out of your arm. It wasn't pleasant, but you had so much adrenaline at the moment you couldn't feel it. The white-haired pretty-boy that Sakura had summoned was doing his best to distract the monster, but it shrugged off everything he could throw it at. Much less anything you or Assassin could pull off.

You still don't know what this grail war bullshit is about, but you could firmly say you didn't like it.

The monster crashed through both servants with a roar, reaching forward to grab the spear sticking out of your arm.

Only for you to watch him… get run over by a horde of pigs?

—

*Medea POV*

You stare at the small pig standing next to Brihanalla. And suddenly, a lot of things in your life were starting to make sense, even if you didn't want them to. "Please no…" You mutter.

The pig winks at you.

Then the ground shook.

 

[Erien]

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

[Reveal yourself as a Magus]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

"Shirou, your house is in ruins, Sakura's house burned down. You're living with the Yakuza, and you are surrounded by strange people. Tell me the truth, please."

It's… a request with more weight than she would ever realize. Not that you would expect her to know that. Ayako likely thinks you are getting involved in some form of organized crime, which was not an unfair judgment to make, honestly. After all, you were living with Raiga, a man powerful enough that the police basically ignored his existence. Sadly, if it was only that you would be relieved.

But it was so much more than that. The question was, should you tell her? To tell anyone not related to magic about it was dangerous, there was no benefit to it. A non-magus couldn't learn magic, at least not practically, and to involve them with it would do nothing more than mark them as something to be removed later by a cleaner. Or, god forbid, be just taken as a test subject that nobody would miss.

Magus tended to look at regular humans much like a regular man would an interesting cloud. Some brief interest, but they treated it as something ephemeral and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. In short, from what Kiritsugu had taught you, most Magus were less than pleasant people, and considering how this Grail War was going, that had gone from a mere lesson to something with far more evidence backing it up. You had little patience for Magi at the moment, and you only knew Sakura and maybe Rin.

So you'd be putting her in danger, for what? Making her feel better? That went against every single sensibility you had. But she already was in danger. You knew that, as much as you hated to admit it. Her brother had been attacked, and this whole city was a target at this point. Between that… monster, and that archer that thought nothing of civilian casualties, you had no guarantee that she'd be safe whether she knew about magic or not. And then, if she did, she might even be more conscious of what was going on. It was a burden, an awful burden you'd be putting her under. But to do otherwise while she was involved with you was worse.

And you'd be damned before you even begin to allow her to be put into danger if you could do anything about it. Even if that meant breaking one of your promises to Kiritsugu. You turn your head, staring Ayako in the eyes. The girl flinches back from your gaze. "I'm a Magus."

Ayako blinks. "What? Ma…gus?"

You let out a breath. She didn't freak out like Sakura, which meant she had no idea what you were talking about. This was good. If Ayako was also a Magus you aren't frankly sure how you'd process it. "I know magic."

Ayako tilts her head not unlike a puppy. Then she leans over the bed, grasping either side of your head as her eyes bore into your own. "You don't look concussed."

You roll your eyes and push her hands away with your bandaged hands. You don't know how you made that bow the previous night, and you fear attempting to do so again would cause your hands to simply explode. But there were other things you could do. You look towards the nearby table, and the small bouquet sitting upon it. Then you point a oven-mitt of hand towards it. "Αερο."

Ayako's hair snaps in a sudden wind, her eyes widening from the sudden force rushing past her. She snaps her head to follow the sound, the force, and watches along with you as the top of the bouquet falls to the table, settling down as if they had simply wilted off. It was a clean cut.

… Circe had taught you a dangerous spell indeed.

"Shirou… what… was that?"

"Magic." You reply simply.

Ayako turns her head, haltingly back towards you. "That's… an interesting trick Shirou, but what's going on here?" Her voice has a touch of desperation towards it, as if she was hoping you were lying.

You stare at Ayako, and grabbing one of the many, many pillows on the bed. You make a show of squeezing it in your hand. Then… you hand it to her. Ayako takes it, staring down at it. She squeezes in the same way you did, and, unlike when you did it, her hands don't sink into the material at all. That doesn't surprise you, the pillow currently had the structural hardness of steel.

Her mouth opens, but no words come out, her eyes flit from the pillow, to you and back again, and she finally squeezes your eyes shut. "Shirou, I would very much appreciate it if this was all a prank."

You let out a long and slow breath. "It's not. My father taught me magic."

"Bullshit!" Ayako's eyes snap open, "Shirou? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No," you reply. "I've never thought that. But you asked to know what was going on."

"I expected you to say you got taken in by Raiga, or you owed him a blood debt or… something. Not this. How do you expect me to believe this?"

You could just call Caster over, but you doubt she'd be happy putting on a show. "I'm not lying to you Ayako. I'm a Magus, taught by my father."

"How does that even make sense Shirou. Magic? You just want to drop… magic into my life, and our relationship, and expect me to just accept that."

"I don't expect you to just accept anything Ayako. But you asked for an explanation, I'm giving it." You let out another breath, pressing your head back against the pillow. "Magic is real and I'm… very bad at it actually, but I got dragged into all of this nonsense."

"And what is this nonsense Shirou? Are you fighting dragons or something?" Ayako asks sarcastically. She does not seem to be taking this particularly well.

"No, just the thing that attacked your brother." You snap back, then grimace. You knew this was going to be a difficult conversation.

"He was attacked by a mugger!" Ayako replies.

"He was attacked by a seven foot monster that stabbed me." You correct.

"And you saved him with your magic powers?"

"No, with Caster's," you reply. "I distracted it and let it chase me, I wanted to save your brother but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it."

"I… Shirou." Ayako says slowly. "You are stating you are a wizard, and my brother was attacked by a monster."

You tilt your head and look Ayako directly in the eyes. Reaching a hand down, you wiggle the bandages, ignoring the stabbing pain, and reveal, after some effort, part of the command seal on the back of your wrist. "I can't pull a rabbit out of a hat Ayako, but I'm not kidding either."

"Why… why don't you just tell me something more believable Shi-"

"Caster."

You would say the woman was waiting for you to call her to sort out this mess, but, in general, Caster seemed to appear whenever you called her name regardless. And, like you expected. She appeared just between you and Ayako.

The highschooler, also as expected, screamed.

Caster paid her no mind, instead turning her full attention… from what you could see of it underneath the hood, to you. "Revealing yourself to another one, Master?"

"She's involved regardless," you explain. "No reason not to tell her."

"There are numerous reasons not to tell one about magecraft in this pitiful day and age." Caster reminds.

"Did… did she just teleport in here?" Ayako asks, slowly, carefully.

Caster turns her head to look at the teenager, and Ayako flinches back. "No, I have merely moved far faster than you could ever comprehend. Girl my Master is so enthused with, he has given you a rare gift, I would suggest not proclaiming him a base liar."

Ayako stares up at the woman. "I… I wasn't."

"You were," Caster says bluntly. "And he has taken me from my work at warding this place just to prove that point to you. Now." Caster then disappears, like she had never been there to begin with. The only sign of her presence being the light scent of the perfume she favored.

Ayako stares at the spot Caster just vacated, then moves a hand to her head. "... I feel a headache coming on."

You sigh. "Can't fix that sadly, but no, I'm not kidding."

Ayako moves the hand so that she's staring at you between the fingers. "Not taking this well Shirou. Frankly still not sure this is real."

Sometimes you wish it wasn't, you really, really wish it wasn't. Then so many people wouldn't have been hurt. You wanted to be a Magus, as it let you help people. Even something as small as fixing heaters at the school was enough for you. But you were seemingly the only person on this entire planet who had such an ideal. The screams of Raiga's men still echoed in your mind whenever you had a moment's time to think.

If you found the master of that servant.

You were going to kill them. That was always the fascinating thing about Magus. Something your father had drilled into you. There are no rules about killing other Magus, they are simply too dangerous to be left alive if they have gone rogue.

"So is this how you became so good at archery?" Ayako asks.

You blink, broken from your thoughts. Ayako had her chin perched on a fist, a perplexed expression on her face. "No." You respond after a few seconds. "I never used my magic with archery, my magic is… very basic."

"...Basic?" Ayako repeats.

She seems to be coming around to the idea at the very least. "The only thing I'm particularly good at is analyzing objects to see what they are made of, and seeing what is wrong with them."

"So you being the 'repair wizard' is very literal actually."

You sigh. "Technically yes. Does this mean you believe me now Ayako?"

"Dunno." Ayako admits. "Still not sure if I didn't accidentally bash my head in outside and I'm hallucinating all of this. What do you expect me to think when I find out my boyfriend is a wizard?" Ayako's eyes flit to the closed window for a moment, then a look of realization comes across her face. "So why did my brother get attacked then?"

You shrug your shoulders. "I'm honestly not sure, someone's servant is going rampant across the city."

"Servant?"

… You summoned Caster without explaining what a servant was, or what the Grail War was. Fantastic Shirou. "Long story short, and I'm not the best one to explain this: a group of Magi are currently battling in the city in order to win a wish. Said wish can… apparently be anything you could imagine. We do that via our servants, magical summons basically. Caster is mine." Berserker is as well, but you don't think Ayako is ready for that quite yet. "There's one I've had to deal with thrice now, twice directly, once indirectly. It's a beast, and doesn't seem to care what damage it causes, it's what destroyed my house actually."

"So that… blue chick, she's a familiar. Like a witch's cat?"

"I don't think she would appreciate the comparison," you reply. "A cat is a far more basic form of familiar and…" You move a hand to your head. "Yes. She's like a witch's cat."

That also is a gross misunderstanding of what a 'witch' is, but you aren't going to get into that at the moment.

"So the city is on fire and everything is in chaos because a bunch of magic people want a wish, including you." Ayako says, staring at you with her eyes half lidded.

"I don't want a wish and I got dragged into this by accident," you reply. "I'm just trying to minimize the damage so that more people aren't hurt."

"I believe you." Ayako replies.

You look over at her, somewhat surprised.

Ayako shrugs her shoulders. "Why not? Shirou, I've known you for years, you don't have a greedy bone in your body. You saved my brother, and he doesn't know magic. I assume you kept this all a secret so you wouldn't be executed or something?"

You shake your head. "The more people know about magic, the less well it works generally. It's complicated and I couldn't go into the full details. But it's also just… dangerous to know about magic, most Magi who meet a non-Magi that knows about magic would see them as little more than a loose end. I kept it quiet from you for the same reason nobody else in school knows about it, safety."

Ayako draws in a slow breath, then lets it out, seemingly deflating a little. "Magic is real, my boyfriend is one of them, and Fuyuki is the center of a warzone between wizards."

"It would have been safer if you didn't know," you reply. "I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you."

Ayako quirks a brow. "Looks like you need the protection more than me," she gestures to your bandaged hands as she speaks.

You shake your head. "You don't deserve to be in the middle of all of this, no non-magi do. Frankly if you wanted to stay away for a bit I would understand."

Ayako frowns, then presses her hands down onto the gigantic bed. You watch in silence as she climbs up onto it, then sits down just beside your lap, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. "I did not charge a Yakuza compound just for you to suggest we split before we've even had our first date."

"What did you even see in me anyway, besides saving your brother?" you ask, without thinking. You realize your error a moment later as Ayako's face takes a shade not far from a ripe tomato.

"... A boy shouldn't ask a girl something like that Shirou."

You open your mouth to apologize, but Ayako continues.

"I usually like older guys," Ayako says. "But you're nice, and you've always been kind to me. Archery club and otherwise, I thought… why not." Ayako then leans in closer, her face a foot away from your own. "I'm not even sure I still believe in all this magic business, but I'm not letting you go anywhere, you'll likely manage to damage more than just your hands."

Then she closes the distance, her lips locking with your own. Unlike the rapid kiss from before back in this archery club, this was slower and… sweeter. Ayako's hand moves to slide around the back of your neck as her head tilts. Then she pulls back, a thin line connecting your two lips before she idly wipes it away with the back of her hand. Then, to your surprise she lowers herself to rest her head against your shoulder, the smaller girl wiggling up so that she's basically spooning you.

"Ayako?" you say slowly.

"You owe me a date, and if you can't take me anywhere due to your hands, then I'm just going to take a nap. Maybe when I wake up all this magic crap will be a dream."

You stare down at her. Ayako has a small smile on her face, her hands moving to rest on her stomach as she lays there. As you watch, her eyes drift close as she lets out a soft hum.

You talked for a good hour, about… nothing, not schoolwork, not magecraft, just light little things. Archery, food, the weather. Anything and everything except what was going on until she eventually drifted off to sleep. Seemingly forgetting all of her own problems.

…

If only it was that easy.

You look away from her towards the ceiling, then allow your own eyes to drift shut. That was another one you suppose, another person dragged into this mess. But then, Ayako was already.

You would protect her.

You had to.

—

Shirou dreamt.

[] [Of Circe's Teachings]

[] [Of Medea's Life]

[] [Of Betrayal]

[] [Of a Nameless Isle]

[] [Of a Dancer]

---

Thoughts on a chapter please? Haven't written something like this in a while.

 

[Erien]

Adhoc vote count started by Erien on Aug 10, 2023 at 6:19 PM, finished with 85 posts and 47 votes.

• Posts

  48

  ---

  20 people have voted

  [X] [Of Betrayal]

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  [X] [Of a Dancer]

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  [X] [Of Medea's Life]

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  3 people have voted

  [X] [Of a Nameless Isle]

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  1 people have voted

  [X] Of Medea's life

  • NathanHale117

Vote locked.

Meanwhile.

---

Thanks to @Dragontrapper for the commission, and for being a good friend!

—

*Third Person*

"I think you'll find I am the most qualified to be party leader," Shinji says, arms stretched to either side as he speaks up from his position at the opposite end of the table.

Shirou looks up from his position on the opposite end, a small screen separating him from the group. He stares at Shinji a moment, then lets out a small, almost silent sigh before he returns to scribbling notes.

"Boy," Caster says slowly, sitting just to the right of Shirou. "I think you'll find that you have the least life experience at this table."

Shinji scoffs, lowering his arms to glare at the witch, but saying nothing further as he plops himself back into his seat. Sakura, sitting just to his left, smiles and pats his shoulder gently.

Shirou clears his throat. "You all enter a tavern, it's a small and humble building, but pleasant. The bartender greets you as you enter, stating his name is-" Shirou then points to the blond woman standing behind him.

"Ar… thur." Berserker supplies.

"Arthur. He asks what brings you to town."

Archer clears his throat. "I inform the bartender we are in search of a magic sword."

"No we aren't," Circe growls. "We're searching for a werepig, remember?"

"You are both wrong. I, Shinji Wrynn seek to reclaim my lost kingdom and fortune. So that I can finally rule this land as it properly should be ruled." Shinji proclaims to the table, grinning at them all in turn.

Illya stares at him for a moment, then looks towards Shirou. "I tell him we're just here to rest, and ask him what's on tap."

"He gives you the price of rooms at one silver, and he's willing to serve you applejuice for a copper piece." Shirou says, smiling at Illya.

Illya's eyes narrow, and she opens her mouth to speak before Rider leans over the table. "We'll take two applejuices."

"I would like to seduce the bartender for information," Assassin says, smiling at Shirou.

Shirou stares at her, his eyes seemingly glazing over. Taiga, just sitting just to Assassin meanwhile, is now glaring at her servant. "R-roll it." Shirou finally says, clearing his throat afterwards.

The sound of dice hitting the table gets the argument currently forming between Shinji and Archer to stop, and Mata Hari smiles. "Forty-seven."

"He informs you that the mayor has been overly taxing the town and they are planning a revolt." Shirou says, scribbling down another note.

"Ar…thur." Berserker helpfully adds.

"I inform him we shall aid the villagers!" Archer says, slamming his hand down onto the table for emphasis.

"We could poison him, he likely doesn't drink the same water the peasants do." Caster posits.

"Poisoning is passe, I want to use baleful polymorph to turn him into a pig." Circe replies, grinning at Caster.

"Why do we not simply turn him into a pig, and then poison him?" Caster asks.

"What if we turn him into a pig, poison him, then right before he dies we butcher him?" Illya asks. Now drinking apple juice both in universe, and at the table, helpfully supplied by Ayako. Shirou's girlfriend having wisely decided not to get involved with the ongoing shenanigans.

"Isn't that… mean?" Sakura says quietly, tilting her head.

"Please, in any case, it's the right of a lord to tax his citizens. If they don't have the means to pay, then they simply aren't working hard enough." Shinji remarks, sneering at his sister. "People need to know when they are ruled."

"I wish to attack Shinji Wrynn, do I get a surprise round?" Rider asks.

"I will as well," Archer says.

"Me too." Mata Hari adds.

"Us as well," Circe and Medea say as one.

"Death… to… tyrants…" Mordred mutters.

"Y-you can't just gang up on me all at once!" Shinji screeches, then looks towards Shirou. "Shirou, this isn't fair!"

Shirou looks up from his notes, then turns his head towards Taiga. The woman nods.

"Everyone, go ahead and roll for initiative," Shirou declares.

Shinji Wrynn did not make it out of the surprise round.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/qP8c3vG88Rg

[Of Betrayal]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta?

What were you expecting, truly?

A glorious battle?

Blades and heroes?

There is no shortage of those, but there is no shortage of crying children as well.

—

Blood and fire.

It was a recurring thing in your life, no matter how much you wished it wasn't. Screams, shouts, cries and wails. That was familiar as well, but there were other sounds, newer sounds. Bodies writhed in mud, wet thick splashes sounding through the air as they tried to crawl, as they stumbled, as they stabbed and killed each other. The clash of steel on steel, the agonized howls of pain as blades found their mark, the dying cries of horses.

You stood upon a mountain of bodies… you were the only one standing there. Your heart pounded, your breath quickened.

The battlefield was bathed in red, a bloody sunset casting light over the landscape. It revealed a wide battlefield, filled with mud, blood, and corpses. Men writhed within it, some standing, others fighting on their knees, others not moving at all or doing little more than groaning. They were knights, once, men at arms and other such things. But their colors were ruined, caked in mud and blood and worse things as they wrestled with each other. There was no formation, no reason to this place, a far cry from anything you had ever heard of knights battling knights. This was mud, blood, and barbarity.

Men ripped off helmets, plunging daggers into necks. Others were forced down into the mud and drowned, arms and legs flailing, desperate to grab onto one last second, one moment of life. A whinny drew your gaze, a man being dragged off a horse, daggers plunging into his body as he fell, his horse writhing and screaming as the same blades turned onto it in a mad fury. Arrows flew through the air, their feathers whistling as they plunged into the battlefield with seeming abandon.

And all the while, in the distance, a castle burned. Smoke rises from it high into the heavens, making this place more akin to a hell, then a battlefield. You stood amidst the chaos, on a mound of still bodies, piled so high that you were perched above it all. Torn and bloody banners flattered in the wind about the 'hill', held in place by the weight of bodies more than the firm grips of hands. You recognized none of them, crosses, crowns, horses and shields. The symbology meant something once, you were sure, but now it was as much a tombstone for the dead as anything else.

"Find the king!"

A shout carries, louder than the rest, and you cast your gaze past the hill, a man stood there, heading a group of knights. Blood covered him, as it did his blonde hair, so light it was almost white. His gaze turned to the hill, then… he looked past you like you weren't even there. Waving a bloody stump of an arm, he lead the men off, and you watched, transfix-

"Mo…ther."

A quieter voice, almost so quiet that you couldn't make it out over the shouts and screams grabs your attention.

You turn your head, looking for the speaker. It was a woman, and growing weaker with every word.

"Where... are you... mother?"

… There. Laying on the top of the hill was a woman, she was… she was…

Berserker?

Your servant laid there on her back in a pool of her own blood. A lance was stuck through her chest, pierced straight through the armor and pinning her to the ground. Her armored gauntlets clutched at it, but were not attempting to remove it, at least, not anymore. Her glassy, unfocused eyes looked up to the sky, tears running down from them and turning red as they mixed with the blood that covered her.

You rush over, leaping over the bodies until you come to a crouch next to her.

"Ar…thur." She whispers, her gauntlets shaking as she grips the lance. "Where… are you… Arthur?"

You almost asked if she was alright. Almost. You didn't know how you could help. You didn't know what to do. You couldn't save her, you couldn't heal people. You force yourself to breathe, to ignore the screams and the fire. It is difficult, damned difficult. But you force yourself. "What is your name?" you ask, trying to get her attention.

Green eyes drift towards you.

Ghhk.

That was the sound that escaped your throat as a sword stabbed out and pierced. It was held in her gauntlet, blood running down it. She stared at you, tears running down her face.

"I… am… Mordred."

Was the last thing you heard as your head rolled off your shoulders.

—

Your hand shoots to your neck… and you find your head still attached. You were back in your bedroom, the light was off, unusual as you had left it on as you fell asleep. But it was now firmly night, with moonlight pouring in through the window to illuminate you and a now groaning Ayako. The woman wiggling in the bed for a moment before rolling over, and tucking herself in further, having apparently taken nearly all of the blankets during the night.

Letting out a slow breath, you force yourself to calm.

… Then you hear a heavy breathing that belongs to neither you nor Ayako. Turning your head slowly past your girlfriend, you see a figure standing by the edge of the bed. Berserker stands there, blood dripping from the hole in her chest onto the floor. Her sword is held in both of her hands, raised above the bed and moments awaiting from plunging down into Ayako.

Her eyes are manic, wide and bloodshot, and tears stream down them with abandon.

Then she plunges the blade down.

You-

—

Please note.

A bad end for Ayako is not a bad end for Shirou. Her death does not cause a vote redo.

[] [Use a Command Seal] (Two Remain)

[] [Call out her name]

[] [Tackle her]

[] [Use your magic]

[] [Write-in]

 

[Erien]

Vote locked.

[X] [Use a Command Seal] (Two Remain)

You have chosen.

Spoiler

Wait and find out.

View: https://youtu.be/hE8UcIpROnU

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

This is concurrent with the Mordred chapter.

—

"Why did you speak my name to him?" Medea says, her voice almost a growl… but not quite. She wouldn't quite ever be that bold, not to her.

Circe smiles, it wasn't a smile, not in any true sense of the word. But her lips did curl up regardless. "Why did you barge into my room without asking permission?"

Medea crosses her arms, her hood was down, exposing the anger on her face. "You had no right."

"Did I?" Circe asks, blinking slowly. "My apologies, here I thought he was your Master. Is a Master not entitled to know about his servant?"

"And how do you think he'll react to discovering his servant is the Witch of Betrayal?" Medea hisses.

Circe's 'smile' drops, and with a sigh she rises slowly from where she had been sitting upon the couch, the book, and the alchemy she had been working on momentarily forgotten as she stood to face her pupil eye to eye. "Why I don't think he'll much react at all, I don't believe the boy is the type."

"You don't know him."

"And do you? My former student?" Circe asks. "I have been whisking him away to my island as he sleeps, I have been teaching him, and he has met 'you' on multiple occasions there. He knew who you were. Tell me, did you ever discover him trying to find out more information about you?"

Medea says nothing for several moments, staring at Circe. A tense silence passed between the two of them, Medea glaring, Circe exposing nothing. "I believed you to be dead."

Circe smiles again, this time a fair bit more genuine. "I have my ways, and look at you my dear pupil. Plotting and keeping secrets as usual, have you even spoken to the young man at all? About anything?"

"I am his servant, nothing more. I simply desire to win this war and obtain my wis-"

"Medea, you may lie to him, you may lie to Hekate. But you will not, lie to me." Circe says, and in the space between words she had crossed the distance between herself and Medea. "He has been very kind to you, hasn't he? The poor boy doesn't know how much you've latched onto him already."

Circe lets out another breath, taking a step back. "He could have asked anything about you, he never did. I suppose he thought you might open up and speak with him. I do not believe you have anything to fear by him knowing something so simple as your name."

"Or perhaps he sees me simply as a servant, as is proper."

"Medea, you are projecting your trauma enough that it could have been used as an anchor for the Argo. Do you wish to continue lying to yourself?"

Medea bristles, "you regardless had no right to reveal my secrets to him."

"I have revealed nothing more than what he already knew, and, as far as I am aware, he knows nothing of your past. Keep it from him if you wish," Circe straightens up, now smiling far more broadly. "You shall not keep me from my goal regardless."

Medea eyes her former teacher warily. "And what is your goal?"

"Him, and your happiness as well.." Circe replies. "He's polite, patient, kind, and surprisingly in good control of himself. Fate brought you and him together, and brought him to me as well. I am not one to squander such an opportunity. You tried yourself, you showed as much on your face during our talk on the couch, such remarkable restraint indeed. You must break this shell you've built around yourself, Medea."

"He's taken." Medea growls.

"And I am Greek." Circe replies, her grin now far beyond what any human face should be capable of. "We invented love. Restricting it to two people is simply… pathetic. Truly."

Medea opens her mouth to reply.

A scream interrupts, female, young, and nearby.

Then both witches were gone, the only sign of their presence being a solitary feather, falling to the ground.