#fate/prototype fluff

[marblesphere]

Fate/Alternate Reality (Part 2)

(Part 1)

“Hah! I win again!” I grin smugly at the fallen boy. Once again, I won our sparring match for the nth time.

“I will beat you next time.” the blonde boy glared hatefully at me.

‘Ah… how I relish this victory and his glare.’

“You are still 100 years early to beat me, boy.”

“Shut up, this chibi fairy!”

“Hey! I am older than you!”

“With a stature like that, everyone will think you are 5 years old chibi!” this time, the boy grinned.

“Seems like I haven’t beaten you enough,” I growled. “Prepare to die.” My eyes glint.

“THIS VIOLENT CHIBI FAIRY!!!!!”

I am a fairy… a fairy born of this planet’s inner sea. But strangely, I don’t know what kind of purpose I have. I don’t even know I am a fairy until Merlin, my teacher picks me up. She told me about my heritage and adopted me as her disciple.

That’s how I found out that my master will soon adopt another disciple. He is one destined to be the King, to lead Britain out of the Dark Age. And currently, the future king is just a 10-year-old prick.

At that time, I didn’t like the idea of master dividing her attention to another kid, so I secretly challenged him to a sparring match. The boy with his blonde hair shines as it reflects the sunset, the owner of the gentlest pair of emerald eyes. In a split second, I thought he was the incarnation of a prince on white horse… just like the prince I read in a book. I think my heart just skips a beat when he looks at me.

The boy with shiny blonde hair, the son of King Uther Pendragon, named Arthur Pendragon is just a boy spending his time in the countryside, dreaming of being a knight. And as his soon-to-be senior, I have to teach him the harsh bitter truth that he will experience.

The winner of the match? Of course it’s me. it’s my first win of many more matches that we will have. His cousin, Kay, who will later be called as Sir Kay, is also joining us. My master, who found out my secret hobby (read. tormenting Arthur) laughs until her stomach hurts. She then officially adopted Arthur as her disciple… to prepare him for his future. ~”~

“Ouch!” Arthur knocks my wooden sword out of my hand. The strength he used is no joke, my hand is stinging with pain. His wooden sword is pointed to me.

“Hah! It’s my win again!” he grins his triumphant boyish grin.

“Tsk.” I pout, pushing his sword away.

“Hehehe! It’s my win again, violent fairy.” He mocked.

“Shut up!” I puff my cheeks as I listen to his taunt.

It has been 6 years since our initial meeting. Under the guidance of Merlin and Kay and of course me, Arthur has grown into a healthy teenager, but still a prick. He started winning our sparring match when he hit 14 years old, and now he completely dominated the sparring match.

‘…Ouch…’ I feel stinging pain across my body. ‘Ah… it’s bruised again…’ a fairy… that should have been graceful and elegant and dainty… where would you find a fairy like me, who is covered in bruises because of a swordfight every day.

“I am going to wash up.” My body reeks of sweat. I ignore the still-celebrating teen. How long he is going to rub it into my face? Arrogant prick…

“Arthur, here.” Merlin throws the boy something, which he catches it easily.

“This?”

“Bring it to Rein, would you? She forgot to bring it with her. We don’t want her to suffer from bruises now, do we?’ Merlin smiles, though Arthur knows this smile is a smile when she has something up her sleeves.

‘…tough luck…’ he thought as he wondered what kind of prank his master cooked for Rein. Somehow, he feels a little sorry for the said fairy. As much as they fight like cat and dog, the only time they can bond together is when they are avoiding their master pranks or console each other silently after the said pranks.

“You think he will realize it?” Kay asks Merlin as he sees Arthur trudge further to a waterfall near their house.

“You think he won’t start getting flustered after getting ambushed by that kind of scene?” Merlin smirks as she hums. You can see a devil's tail and horns on her.

“…I hope those two will quickly realize that they have been in love since forever.” Kay sighs.

“That’s the fun part, no?” Merlin cackles. “…really… what a group of troublesome children they are. Fall in love at the very first sight yet neither side realizes it.” she sighs indulgently.

“So, I thought of making one of them realize their feelings. It seems to be way more interesting this way.”

“…just do it moderately…” Kay sighs in resignation.

Arthur finally arrives at the usual waterfall where Rein should be. “Oi! Violent fairy, Merlin told me-!” the teen stopped dead in his tracks. He knew the fairy was bathing… heck, it’s not like they never bathed together. They used to have a water war… granted that the chibi violent fairy back then still had some clothing that covered her body…

“*gulp*” Arthur unknowingly swallows the lump in his throat. Why does he suddenly feel so hot and his throat so dry… like he hasn’t drunk water. He swore he did after he won their sparring match.

He can’t look away from her. The way her soft, dainty body curves around the right places. Even though her hip-down body is in the water, it still leaves little to no imagination. Until now… he has never thought that her body is much much smaller than he thought. Granted, he calls her chibi fairy, but it’s just to tick her off. But the girl in front of him looks so fragile... like she will break even if he only uses a fragment of his strength.

The droplets of water slide down her unblemished skin as they rejoin the water. Her soaked fluffy glossy silver hair and also her gem-like deep violet eyes sparkle under the sun. ‘A fairy…’ the creature in front of him is unmistakably a fairy… A creature of beauty and elegance…

“It hurts…” her pained voice snapped him back to reality. It’s then he noticed various bruises on her body. Did he really… use that much strength when sparring? He starts feeling guilty. Rein… never once complained about it, so he didn’t notice at all. So, all this time he used his almost full strength to defeat such a delicate creature…? And he even gloated about it…? What if he accidentally breaks her?!

“Ha! I haven’t used my full strength yet!” such is the taunt he often throws out after he wins the match, and now he just wants to crawl in a hole for such an embarrassing display.

“Who’s there?” Arthur fortunately managed to hide himself or else he would have a hard time explaining himself.

“You forgot to bring your ointment, so Merlin told me to bring it to you.” Arthur should thank himself that his voice is steady.

“Oh, okay, just put it there.” he heard Rein’s answer.

“Then, I will put it here.” Arthur puts down the small container and walks back to his house, leaving Rein confused.

“??? He didn’t mock me? What kind of prank he is going to pull now?” I knit my forehead. I expect him to actually throw the container at me or do something along that line.

I go back to his house just in time for lunch, Kay just finished plating the meal. “Oh, Rein, good timing. The lunch is ready, eat up.” Kay called.

“Yes.” I take my usual seat, which is beside Arthur. Again, I hear no mocking or any semblance of making fun from Arthur. Because he usually goes, ‘Hah! I bet you were crying.’ Or something along the line. But he is strangely quiet today.

“Huhuhuhu.” Merlin giggles quietly.

‘…Merlin is having fun…? Did she do something?’

“I didn’t do anything at all… at least not yet…” Merlin quickly defends herself.

‘…As if…’ Kay and I made a face at her.

“It’s true! I didn’t do anything yet.” She pouts, faking a hurt as if she was truly wounded by us. ~”~

Arthur lets out another groan for the umpteenth time. He has been tossing around to get some sleep. Unfortunately for him, sleep is eluding him. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees the same thing over and over again. The scene that involved a certain fairy.

Arthur groans as he messes his hair, trying hard to cool down his heated cheeks. he pours a glass of water from the pitcher to quench his thirst. He will really go crazy sooner or later if he is coped here. Thus, he chooses to take a walk.

“You can’t sleep? How rare.” I say as I feel someone stops beside me.

“What are you doing?”

“Watching stars. The sky is clear tonight. I can see a lot of stars. It’s a great view.” I lay down on the grass. “If you can’t sleep, you are welcome to star gazing. As long as you are not noisy.”

Arthur wordlessly plops on the space next to me. And just like that, the two of us are enjoying the stars… a rare moment where we are not bickering.

“So, what did Merlin do to you?”

“Ah?” Arthur is taken aback by the question.

“You were so quiet, while Merlin was giggling like she was enjoying something. So, she must have done something to you. You might feel better after you let it out.” I said.

“Merlin… didn’t do anything…?”

“You sure about that?” I frown. “Then, are you feeling sick?” I sit up and pull him to me, forehead against forehead.

“…you are warm… a fever?” I opened my eyes and saw how red his face was. “You definitely got a fever!” I gasped. “Let’s get Kay and-bwah!” Arthur pulled me back and now I crashed into him. My face crashed into his abdomen and my nose suffered the most damage.

“I don’t have a fever.” He growled.

“But your face…”

“It’s all because of you, stupid fairy!” with that he stood up and briskly went back to his house.

“…what did I do?” I blinked owlishly. ~”~

‘…Strange…’ I frown. ‘This is completely and absolutely weird.’ I narrow my eyes at a certain teen. Arthur hasn’t bothered me for a week straight. We don’t even have our daily sparring match. Instead, he opts to spar with Kay. What's more, he doesn’t talk to me at all.

Usually, I won’t be bothered so much… I mean, we had our fair share of fights where we didn’t talk to each other afterwards for a few days. Kay always drags us and makes us apologize to each other and then we will talk again.

But somehow… I don’t like this… I don’t like how he avoids me without explanation. We didn’t even have a fight yet he refused to talk to me. What’s wrong with him? And Kay refuses to meddle this time. I don’t hate Arthur… even if we bicker every day, even though I don’t like that he is a prick to me if he really hates me… then…

‘…Did I really do something despicable to him? Unknowingly…?’ I clenched my fists hard.

“Did you two get into a fight again?”

“Merlin!” I gasped, not noticing her presence.

“So, what happened?”

“…I don’t know…” I shake my head. “He just… stopped talking to me suddenly…”

“So, what did you guys talk about before he stopped talking to you?”

Then I explained what happened on that day. How he was so quiet and I thought Merlin pranked him. And also what we talked about when stargazing. The last time he talked to me.

Finish listening to this, Merlin is officially clutching her stomach. “He…help… my… my stomach…”

“Merlin, this is not funny…” I pout. “…forget it. I am the idiot for talking to you.”

“Hey hey hey. It’s not a nice thing to say about your teacher.” Merlin pouts. “If it bothers you so much, why don’t you just apologize?”

“Apologize? Me?” I blink, pointing to myself.

“That’s right. You said it yourself. You are not sure if you have done something wrong to him. So, just apologize to him and ask what did you do wrong. I don’t think Arthur will keep ignoring you after that… rather… he can’t… the more he avoids you… the worse he will dream of you…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Merlin beams. “Anyway, just talk to him and he will definitely crumble down to your feet.”

“…why are you saying something so scary?” I sweatdropped at my inhuman master.

So, following my dear teacher’s advice, I decided to talk to Arthur. At the very least, I want to know what did I do wrong. I gingerly knock on the door, waiting for him to answer.

“What’s… Rein…?”

“Umm… I just want to say sorry.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know you are that uncomfortable having your forehead touched. I have been thinking about what made you avoid me and this is the only thing I could think of. So, I am sorry. If you are still uncomfortable, I will stay out of your sight… That’s all I want to say. Good night.” I finished my piece.

“Wait!” Arthur grabs my wrist.

“Yes?”

“You… don’t need to apologize.” He mumbles. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He grumbled.

“So… why are you avoiding me?”

“It’s…” he averted his eyes.

“It’s?” I urged softly. The next thing I know is, I stand on my tiptoe, head awkwardly on his shoulder. “Arthur?”

“…let me stay like this for a moment… I want to make sure of something…”

“Oh… okay…” I don’t know what kind of thing he wants to make sure of, but I kind of feel guilty so, I let him do his thing.

Meanwhile, Arthur… who has been battling with his sleep because ever since that day, his dream is not as wholesome as he would like. He will wake up sweaty, hot and bothered and pent up. And it’s all starring a certain delicate fairy pinned underneath him, crying and writhing in pleasure.

Thus, he avoids her altogether. He thought it must be because he accidentally saw her naked once and after some time passed, he would return back to normal. Except it’s not. The longer he avoids her, the worse his dream becomes. And in his waking moment, every time he catches her figure, he has this impulse to want to hide her away from prying eyes.

The worst part of all of this is Merlin knows and relishes in his agony… truly, sometimes he wonders why she is his teacher again. Merlin explained that he was born with a dragon trait because he has the concept of a red dragon heart. And dragon is known to be very possessive of the things he likes and has a tendency to hide a treasure in his nest.

Arthur begins to put two and two together. “Do you remember what you thought when you first met her?”

“…I thought a fairy has come to human world… she was so pretty… ethereal and very otherworldly… And I want to hide her away so Kay wouldn’t see her…” he recounted his feelings at that time.

He still remembers how a fairy-like petite girl who is actually a real fairy suddenly appeared one day. She was breathtaking, and literally stole his breath away. Her shiny fluffy silver hair and gem-like violet eyes. He did think they were real gems.

“…But her first sentence ruins everything…”

“I challenge you to a duel of honour!”

“Ahahahaha!!” Merlin laughed at that.

It’s not like his possessiveness is gone after she ruined his first impression. It’s just he was so vexed being beaten by such a petite fairy that his competitive spirit was ignited. He wanted to be recognized as her equal… not some weakling, thus begins the day they bicker and fight with each other.

“…so I… have fallen for her at the first sight…?” Arthur slowly comes to realization.

“Yep, I swear you two are so slow. Even Kay caught on 5 years early.”

“That long ago?!” he gaped.

“You… really didn’t notice that you want to hog her attention all day long?” Merlin is amused at her disciple. “I remember seeing you trying to get her attention when she talked to Kay, or anybody of the opposite gender for that matter.”

“That…” Arthur blushed as he scratched his cheek. He might or might not have done it…

“Well, I guess you finally realize it now.” Merlin shrugged. “Seeing her naked must have made your feelings explode.” She cackles, revealing that it was her scheme.

“Merlin!”

“Well, good luck in making her realize her own feelings too. Rein has absolutely zero sense about herself.” Merlin wished her disciple good luck.

And that’s how the future King of Knights realizes he had long fallen in love with a fairy. A beautiful, ethereal, cute smol fairy who is actually strong enough in swordfight and a genius in magecraft. ~”~

“So, Rein, what kind of man you like?” Such is Merlin’s weird question in one morning.

“Ah?” I blink. “Why are you asking that?”

“Just curious. I mean, you are 16 years old now and are considered as an adult fairy. I wonder what kind of quality you seek in a partner.”

“Fairy reproduces differently from humans. If we died, another one would be born.” I said.

“No no no. it doesn’t work like that, my darling disciple. You know very well that fairy is capable of human-style reproduction. I just want to make sure my cute disciple won’t make a mistake picking up trash.” Merlin grins.

“It’s pointless to think about it now. I live a lot longer than a human and will age slowly after passing a certain age. I have a lot of time to think it slowly.” I sighed.

“Eh~ but I want to know. Come on, it’s just qualities you seek from your partner. Tell me~” she basically will pester me until I answer her question.

“Then… someone who is gentle with me?” I said after a consideration. “He won’t yell or scold me, pamper me to death, and will only look at me even after his death?”

“…the last one is really a requirement?” Kay sweatdropped.

“Unlike human, fairy really takes things seriously about their possession. Well… I know it’s rude to say your partner is a possession, but that’s how fairy sees things. Fairy hates it when other people covet their possessions. Or… if the fairy senses their partner has a change of heart… be prepared to accept the wrath of fairy. At best he will die, at worst he will die after being toyed by fairy.” I explained.

“…scary…”

“That’s why I don’t think I will have any partner,” I said. “Humans are different from fairy and fairies don’t need to actually mate to reproduce, thus most are indifferent in this regard. I do know few fairies that take humans as partners and well… some couldn’t accept fairies’ possessiveness and died a gruesome death. I have no wish to impose that on other people.”

“What if there is someone out there who can rival your possessiveness? If you two are madly in love (read. possessive of) with each other, then the problem will be solved.” Merlin smirks.

“Another mythical creature that can rival fairy in terms of possessiveness…” I sink into a thinking mode. “…probably a dragon.” I mused. “But dragon is no more.” Forgetting the fact, there is a human with dragon traits sitting with me, calmly calculating his next move. ~”~

Arthur is…being weird… That’s my current assessment even after we have made up with each other. He is…odd… like he has 180 degrees of complete change of his attitude to me…

For example, we usually have a morning routine of sparring matches, but he refused to do it again… granted I lost to him for the nth time and I am originally is more proficient in magecraft. I guess he doesn’t want to spar with a weakling. And I do half expect him to say something like, ‘You are still 100 years early to spar with me’ or ‘We will have a match after you train more’

Instead, he says, ‘…You are more proficient in magecraft, you should hone it to perfection. I will cover the swordfighting part. No worry, I will buy you enough time to cast a spell…’ and he pats my head. I repeat, he pats my head.

I… for some reason… actually enjoyed his head pat? Me? Of all people?

And he also doesn’t make fun of me anymore. instead of calling me ���a chibi violent fairy’ he calls my name. Umm… it doesn’t feel bad hearing him calling my name. In fact, I quite like it.

But… is this some kind of new prank of his? Like he is getting all friendly and then suddenly, ‘I got you, chibi violent fairy!’ or something like that?

“Rein…”

“Yes?” and lately Arthur likes coming to my room. If I am to be honest, I like this version more than the previous one. At least, he is not being a prick to me.

“…can you help me comb my hair?”

Yup, Arthur request is simple like this. He said I comb a better hairstyle and frankly I agree. “Okay, come here.”

Arthur sits on the chair and I take a brush from the vanity table, gently threading his soft tresses before finally getting to work on combing it. “It’s done.”

“Thanks.” Arthur shot me a grin. A boyish grin that I am very familiar with and I think… my heart skips a beat again… I wonder why…

“Rein? Are you alright?” Arthur looks quite worried at my silence.

“Don’t worry. I am fine.” I said, assuring him.

“Really? Are you sure? You are not hiding something, aren’t you?”

“…”

“…why are you staring at me?” pinkish hue covered his cheeks.

“It’s…odd to see you openly worry about me.”

“Th-there’s nothing weird about worrying you. We have known each other for so long.”

“I know. But usually, you will act like a tsundere. For example, ‘I-It’s not like I worry about you. It’s just I prefer you are healthy so I won’t need to take care of you’ something like that.”

“…I am not doing that anymore!” he cried out.

“That so? I did enjoy your reaction back then, but I like this more.” I grin. “Yup, I like this version more.” I repeat with more confidence.

“…you are really… clueless, aren’t you?” Arthur traps a lock of my hair between his fingers and presses a kiss on it.

“Eh?” I blanked, literally, my mind blanked. I... my mind fails to comprehend the situation right now. The sight of that unusually gentle boy… no, he is a man now, he is kissing my hair, keeping his gaze on me.

I suddenly feel my ears and cheeks getting warm at top speed. “I guess if this is your reaction, I still have some hope. I will satisfy myself with this for now.” he tucks my hair behind my ears, flashing a mischievous grin that definitely spells trouble for me… and my heart. ~”~

Arthur pulls out the Sword of Selection, Caliburn and then obtained Excalibur and becomes the King of Britain. And he will lead Britain out of its Dark Age. Such is the prophecy that was told. But now, there is one more additional prophecy so that Britain will be everlasting.

“…marry Princess Guinevere and use her dowry, a round wooden table to establish a foundation of Knight of Round Table.”

This prophecy is splitting Camelot into two factions, those who agree and those who don’t agree. I… along with Merlin have been given position as Camelot court mages right after Arthur ascended as King.

Those who don’t agree with the prophecy factions are a group of people who believe that their king has given his heart to a fairy. Most probably stemmed from the testimonies of people who saw a silver-haired with violet gem-like eyes lady enter their king’s bedroom at dead night. And also, the rejection statement from the king about marrying noble daughters of Camelot.

“I have given my heart to a fairy, you see. I’d rather not suffer her wrath.”

They thought it’s a joke at first, until the testimonies of people who work in the castle prove it to be the truth.

The fairy they are gossiping about is in fact me. Why do I enter his bedroom dead at night? Obviously, because he is mine. Is there anything wrong with a fairy to seek out her beloved? Nope, there’s nothing wrong. So, there, you have it.

Due to the possessive nature of Arthur… whom I finally realized he was born with dragon traits, he refused the notion of me being exposed. So… I wear a hood and cast a disguise spell in the daytime.

Eh? You want to know when we affirmed our feelings? And who confesses to who? Well, I guess Arthur has been wooing me ever since that fateful day… I was just… realizing my own feelings shortly after he ascended as King. It’s truly a heaven-defying, earth-shattering revelation for me.

“Now that he has become a king. It probably won’t be long for him to take a wife.” Merlin said.

“Yeah, actually, there is already a list of noble daughters being put up as the candidate for his wife.” Kay nodded.

“Eh? Why?!” I gaped in shock.

Merlin and Kay look at me weirdly and then at each other, “Because… right?”

“Right.” Kay nodded.

“I don’t want that!” I blurted out.

“Why?” Merlin asked.

“Be-because…” I stuttered. ‘Why am I so against this? This is what naturally will happen, no? A king can’t be without a queen. And… I… shouldn’t meddle much in Arthur’s affair. He is a human… A fairy… will make his life complicated. But… I don’t like it. I want to stay with him. I like him.’

“Oh…” A small gasp escaped my lips. I finally understand… everything makes sense now… I… I am in love with Arthur. That’s why I am so against his marriage. The revelation is truly a heaven-defying and earth-shattering for me.

‘Why am I just realizing it now?!’

“Because?” Kay waited for my answer.

“Be…because he won’t give me headpats anymore…” I spouted a ridiculous excuse instead. It’s not completely false, I love his headpats. It became a thing that I expected daily. But…

‘…I will need to bury this feeling. After he found a wife… he won’t look at me like that anymore…’ ~”~

After the coronation is over, next is the ceremony of me and Merlin being given position as court mage. I am glad that all went well smoothly and I can keep my feelings in check.

“…Stupid Rein… why do you have to realize it now…” I scold myself. “It’s better if I stay oblivious forever. But now I have gone and done it.” I groan, pulling my knees to my chest.

“…why don’t you confess your love to him?” Lady of the Lake rolls her eyes.

“Eehh… I can’t do that. Fairy has a different fundamental value from humans. They don’t take well with our possessive nature.”

“…Are you an idiot?” Lady of the Lake looked at me with deadpan eyes and flicked my forehead hard. “You do know that he is born with a dragon heart. He possessed the nature of a dragon.” She sighs. “And let me tell you something about a dragon. They like to hide away the things they like.”

“…he is born with a dragon heart? Who? Arthur?” I tilt my head, it’s my first time hearing this.

Vivian, the name of Lady of the Lake, hand chops my head, literally. “This stupid fairy!” she hisses and gives me a noggie.

“I give… I give… I am sorry!” I cried for mercy. “But Merlin never told me those.” I defended myself. “…or maybe she had and I had forgotten it?” I mumble softly to myself.

“Haaa…” Vivian exhales a long, loud and tired sigh and I flinch at that, afraid of her wrath. “He is here now, so you can take your time confessing your undying love.” Vivian motions her head to the direction behind me.

“Ah? Wh-” she disappears before I could finish my words.

“Rein… I finally found you.” the familiar presence of Arthur’s mana floods my senses. “I was worried that you were not in your room.” He sighs and plops on the grass beside me.

Yep, I sneaked away from my room to the forest near the castle. This forest clearing is a place where I can meet with Vivian after all.

“Oh…” I draw my knees to my chest again, feeling a little awkward. ‘Now… how do I talk to him without accidentally spilling out everything?’

“Haaa…” this time it’s Arthur who lets out a long exasperated sigh, with his head down.

“…sorry…” I must have made him worried sick if he acted like that.

“…Did Merlin force you into that?” Arthur takes a peek at me.

“That?” I tilt my head. “Ah! You mean this dress?” I stand up so he can see better. The dress… is a spaghetti strapped short lacy white dress, which falls down to my mid-thigh. I also wear the provided accessories, like silk lace cuffs and also a ribbon lace on my right thigh.

Actually, it looks more like a negligee by human standards because no woman would dare to dress like this. But I guess, being a fairy, it doesn’t matter much to me. My wardrobe is full of Merlin’s choices anyway.

“…You shouldn’t wear anything Merlin wants…” he groans, closing his eyes.

“But I am cute, aren’t I?” I giggle, dipping my bare feet into the small lake. “Hehehe, the moon is pretty, it’s a shame for you to come without enjoying it.” I giggle.

Arthur finally opens his eyes and looks at the moon (read. me), “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“…yeah… very…” Arthur enters the lake and stands in front of me. “…you are so beautiful.” His hand gently tucks my hair behind my ears.

I feel heat creeping to my cheeks again and I quickly slap my palms on them, cooling them down. Arthur chuckles at my weird reaction. “Arthur…” his gentle eyes are hypnotizing.

‘No, I can’t….’

“I…”

‘Stop! I can’t say that!’

“I… love you…” just as my confession falls into my ears, Arthur stops smiling and his eyes open wide as if he is in disbelief.

“Ah…” I slap my mouth due to my blunder. “I… I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I quickly added. “I know you are going to take a human wife and we won’t be able to spend time like we used to.” I blabbed. “I am sorry that I made you uncomfortable, I… I will give back the court mage title and disappear from your sight.” I turn around to escape from this predicament.

“No.” my back collides with his strong chest. “You can’t… you are not allowed to run away.” His arms tighten around my shoulders and stomach. “Stay…” I feel the weight of his head on my shoulder as he whispers to my ear.

“Ar…Arthur…” I squeaked.

“Hm? Let me enjoy this for a little longer.” His soft whisper, accompanied by his gentle kisses on my ear and neck… not to mention, his other hand is drawing pattern on my stomach… sometimes dipping lower and going upward again. My heart is thumping like crazy… he is driving me crazy.

“Your face is so red… so cute…” he chuckled as he continued his ministration. “You don’t know…*chu* how long I have been… *chu* waiting for this…” he finally turns me to face him.

“You are really… adorable…” another kiss on the forehead.

“You… you… are you sure you want to be mine?” I exclaimed, shattering the sweet atmosphere. As much as I enjoy it, I still need something to be clear.

“Rein…”

“I am a fairy… I have told you how possessive fairy is. It’s not a joke. Once you vow yourself to me, you won’t be able to escape from me. Even when you don’t want me anymore, I won’t let you go.” My chest heaves up and down.

“That… that should be my line, my silly dense fairy.” Arthur pulls me into his arms again. “I am born with dragon heart. You also know the nature of a dragon, don’t you?” he spoke softly. “I have wanted to hide you away from other people's prying eyes for a long long time ago. In a place only the two of us exist. So you can only look at me.” he lifts my chin up, making me stare at the bottomless hunger in his eyes.

“Since I know our feelings are mutual, I won’t hold back anymore. Even if you run away to fairy world or back to Avalon, I will still chase after you… Your place is only beside me… forever and ever…”

My heart thumps and my body shivers at his declaration. To humans, his declaration will invoke fear, but to me… there’s nothing sweeter than this confession. ‘Ah… I want… I really want him… I want Arthur…’

“I… want you…” I reach up to cup his face. “Give me… give yourself to me, Arthur…”

“Your wish is my command, my fairy…” And so, we sealed our fates with a kiss. ~”~

Anyway, the other agree to take Guinevere as queen faction doesn’t believe it at all. It’s not like they don’t believe the existence of mythical creatures, but they don’t believe that their king has a fairy lover. If he has one, they want her to show up. Having a fairy as queen is actually beneficial to Camelot, her existence itself will deter a lot of nations from conquering the kingdom.

But the fact their king never revealed the said fairy, only by hearing the testimonies of the palace workers, they believe their king is only stalling the marriage problem. So, with this prophecy being told, they pushed him to take her as his wife.

While I trust Arthur that he will stay committed and faithful to me. Sometimes, I mull over the fact that I am a just a fairy… who doesn’t even know her own purpose of being born. Technically, I am a failure of a fairy. I keep thinking if we affirmed our love before he ascended as king, would it be different?

No one can say for certain, but looking at the state of Camelot retainers, I will say they might force their daughters to be taken as wife to help the commoner me sorting the internal affairs. But when they do, their daughters will probably die a gruesome death. Fairy doesn’t take well seeing people covet her possessions.

For now, nobody knows I am a fairy except for a few close knights, but they do know about Merlin being a half succubus. I am sitting in this position comfortably partly because of Merlin’s influence.

“…should I… whisk him away to Avalon altogether? Then we don’t need to listen to this nonsense?” I seriously think about this, but Arthur will definitely reject my offer. He… takes his responsibility as king very seriously. Completely different from when he was just a carefree little boy and also when he is on the journey across Britain.

“Who do you want to whisk away without my knowing?” I jump at the sudden intrusion in my ear.

“Ar-Arthur!”

“You haven’t answered my question. Who are you going to whisk away without my knowing?” he smiles ever so gently. But this time it’s a scary gentle smile.

“…someone…” I avert my eyes.

“Hmm… my fairy is being naughty today. What to do, hm?” Arthur sits beside me, patting his lap while smiling at me, looking at me expectantly.

I sigh and crawl to his lap, resting my head on his broad chest. “Are you worried about the prophecy?” his hand comes up to pat my hair.

“…If I am to be honest, I fear for the princess’ life,” I said. “You know how fairy is.”

“You don’t need to worry about it. I will take care of it,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss on the crown of my head. “My fairy… just need to stay beside me.” a kiss on the forehead, corners of my eyes and finally my lips.

“As long as you are here, I won’t fall.” ~”~

“Kya! This is the rumoured fairy!” Princess Guinevere walks in a circle around me while gushing about my appearance. “No wonder King Arthur forbids you to show off your true appearance! You are so cute!”

The rumoured Princess Guinevere is… vastly different from what I had imagined. After our last secret rendezvous in the garden, Arthur went on a business trip so to speak and came back very happy like he accomplished his mission. I know he is happy because he is particularly clingy and needs more praise than usual. It’s times like this that I think Arthur is a Golden Retriever rather than a lion or dragon. I can practically see the imaginary wagging tail and ears and a sign with ‘praise me more’.

And few days later, Princess Guinevere is visiting Camelot. If I wasn’t in a special circumstance, Princess Guinevere might have perished on the very same day she visited Camelot. On that day, I couldn’t walk… let alone getting out of my bed…

‘Curse him and his A+ endurance.’ He did try his best to appease my mood for a whole day though. Princess Guinevere has no intention to marry Arthur, that’s what he told me. But she did make a deal with him. In exchange for the much-needed round table, he has to fulfil her requests.

One of the requests is, want to meet his rumoured secret fairy lover, a.k.a me. That’s why we are having a secret tea party in Merlin’s tower, just the two of us.

After her few rounds of gushing out loud, we are finally settling down for tea. I use magic to pour the prepared tea. “Ahem.” She cleared her throat. “As King Arthur has explained. I come here not with the intention of marrying him.” she started.

“If I am to be honest, King Arthur is not my type at all.” she dropped the bombshell while smiling.

“…” I blink.

“You don’t believe me?” she frowned.

“No, I do believe you. I can see through lies after all. it’s just a little unexpected.” I said.

“Unexpected?”

“Yes, he seems like possessing all the attributes that many women seek out from a male. Isn’t that why all the noble women in Camelot and some even from kingdom far away are vying for his attention?”

“…You sure are bragging out loud…” Guinevere is absolutely sure the fairy doesn’t know how terrifying he is.

“Bragging?” I tilt my head.

“…Fairy-chan…”

“Yes?”

“Even though he possessed a lot attributes that women find alluring… I still don’t like him. That guy is definitely a black belly type.”

“Black belly? He doesn’t have any black spot on his belly though?”

“…Too much information…” Princess Guinevere facepalmed. “What I mean is, he is the type that will scheme behind the scene to get what he wants.” Actually, as for why Princess Guinevere is so sure about this was because he visited her to make a deal. The deal for the round table she possessed and clearly, the fairy doesn’t know about it or the king didn’t tell her the whole plan.

“And I like black haired man better than blonde. That’s the most basic attribute I won’t give up.” Princess Guinevere said in excitement.

“Ah, Arthur has been disqualified since the beginning.”

“That’s right. Thus my second request is involving you, Fairy-chan.”

“Me?”

“I heard you are a genius at magecraft. So, I want you to create a disguising potion. One potent enough to stay permanent.”

“Can I know the reason?”

“I… want to elope with my escort knight.” She began. “But that damn prophecy destroyed everything!” she growls in frustration. “In the end, Camelot only need my dowry to establish the Knight of Round Table or whatever it is.” She sighs.

“So, when King Arthur came incognito and offered the deal. I accept it immediately. The deal is, by giving him the table, he will help me with my elopement plan… and also I have always want to meet a fairy, that’s why I came here.”

“Ah…” I let out a small ‘ah’, finally understanding everything. So, the reason Princess Guinevere came was to truly meet me. Now, I do feel a little guilty. Arthur must have known what my reaction would be, so he made sure I would be confined in bed for that day.

“I suppose I owe Princess Guinevere an apology,” I said.

“Why?” she blinks owlishly.

“Because I wasn’t told anything, I almost murdered you on the very day you arrived,” I say casually.

The cup she is holding falls to the floor, Princess Guinevere is staring at me with wide eyes and mouth agape.

“Oh, I will clean it up, don’t worry.” With a wave of my hand, the cup’s pieces gathered on its own, along with the tea. They easily make their way to the trashcan.

“W-why?” her voice trembles, her whole body is trembling.

“Because I thought you came to marry Arthur. I apologize for my almost-blunder. Fortunately, Arthur seemed to know what would happen so, I was confined in bed due to special circumstances.” I answer casually.

“Rest assured, I promise not to lay a hand on you under any circumstances. Unless you are aiming for him.” I smile as I put down my teacup.

“…fairy is… scary…” ~”~

So, the exchange is successful. We got the table and Guinevere eloped with her lover. While there is some dissatisfaction from marry the princess faction, the fact that KoRT is successfully established even without marrying her is used to pressure them. Now, Camelot is entering the era of peace.

But as always, peace doesn’t last long. King Leodegrance, Princess Guinevere’s father rallied neighbouring kingdom to invade Camelot, the reason being Camelot killed her daughter and stole the table. Princess Guinevere did pull an extreme stunt. She faked her death on her way back home. Of course she faked it after she had gone outside territory and she also gifted the table to us formally, but King Leodgrance didn’t believe it… and the war broke out. While Camelot managed to repel their invasion, again and again, it was an exhausting endeavour for humans.

I also sense Arthur’s fatigue is piling up day by day. And, this is the countdown of our doom. “Arthur… you are not thinking about weird things, aren’t you?”

“Thinking about a weird thing? Me? I don’t think so.”

“The speech you did in the morning… about making Camelot an eternal kingdom. That’s a dangerous thought, Arthur.” I narrow my eyes.

“It’s just a figure speech. There’s no need to worry about it.” he smiles… his smile looks so tired.

“…If you say so…”

“Come here, I want my fairy to recharge me.” he holds out his hands for a hug. ~”~

“Arthur, is there any need to conquer any neighbouring nations? Camelot is plenty vast as it is. I don’t think you need to expand more territory.” I frowned.

“You don’t understand anything, Rein. I need to nip trouble in the bud.”

“But there’s no trouble. You are so aggressive lately that even allied nations are afraid of you.”

“That is necessary for Camelot to survive. Camelot will be the strongest… and then… there will be no more…”

“There’s no need to shoulder the burden alone.” I bite my lips. “If there’s one thing I learned from humans is that they are capable of passing wishes to the future”

“There won’t be any future if I don’t protect present.”

“That’s not what I mean, listen Arthur…

“Rein.” He shushed my lips. “It’s okay. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I have! I worry about you!” I finally had enough. His mind is clearly distorted. Arthur… my Arthur isn’t like this.

“Arthur, if there’s one thing I learn from humans, to them nothing is eternal.”

“…how ironic. Then are you telling me my love for you is not eternal, I am a human too.”

“No, I don’t mean that. Because to human, there’s nothing eternal, that’s why they strive their best today to connect to tomorrow. To pass their wishes to future. It’s something that only humans are capable of… I really… really admire that.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. As long as Excalibur is here, I will bring victories to Camelot. The past, present and future too. I will protect them all.”

“No! You are…not Arthur… My Arthur isn’t like this! Give him back!”

“THEN LEAVE!” he raised his voice. It’s the first time he ever did it to me. “If your Arthur is not here then feel free to go. I don’t need a useless court mage. You don’t have the right to order me, your king. If you are not satisfied with this, you can leave like your master.” For a while, neither of us are speaking.

“…you… don’t want me anymore…?”

“That’s what I said. A court mage who didn’t participate in a war is just baggage. It’s better for you to go back to your fairy world.”

“…Oh…” I feel something shatter inside me. By the time I have come back to my senses, I am already outside Camelot and in the forest’s clearing where we swore our oath.

“Ha…hahahahaha!” tears stream down my face as I laugh. And just like that, I disappeared from his life. ~”~

Is it weird that my shattered heart can still and want to weep for him? For my beloved who severed our bonds by his own hands?

I guess it’s a yes, since I am still crying for him, amidst a mountain of corpses. The remnant of a big battle. The Battle of Camlann. The battle that brought downfall to his kingdom, his era.

“…I…am sorry…”

“…don’t talk… I will take you somewhere safe first.” The heavy stench of blood is making my skin crawl.

“I…always… want to… apologize…”

“I will listen to you later.” I heave his dying body up.

“Rein… my… beloved…fairy… I didn’t mean… to make you…cry…” his dull eyes are getting dimmer.

“If you die now, I will hate you forever.”

“…aahh… it’s what… I deserve…”

“You… dummy! Big idiot!”

“…sounds… about right…”

“Arthur!”

“Rein… I…love…you…always…not a…single day…without missing…you…”

“Don’t die… please don’t die… if you die… I will…”

It’s all my fault. I was a useless lover and even more of a useless court mage. I can’t save him or his heart. A fairy without a purpose like me… is nothing but a bearer of misfortune. ~”~

Arthur who put me on the bed, fusses around the medicine cabinet for something. “…I am not sick… I don’t need medicine.”

“Rein, you say you feel under weather. It’s a symptom of an early stage of sickness.”

“You worry too much.” I deadpanned.

“I can never not worry about you… nor I can stop worrying about you…”

“…Archer must have influenced you too much.” I let out a mushroom sigh. “…If you are so kind to me… I will go ahead and fall in love with you, you know.”

Arthur’s whole body freezes in shock and he looks at me with wide eyes and faint blush. “Just kidding!” I added the punch line.

“Ahahaha! I got you, didn’t I?” I laugh gleefully and jump down from the bed. “Let’s see if Archer will remember. Maybe I should pull the same prank? I wonder what’s his reaction will be?” I slide open the door, only to have a shadow towering upon me.

“What if… what if I want you to fall in love with me?” our gazes meet and he looks so serious.

“…pfft…” I giggle.

“R…Rein…”

“You are so funny. Don’t take my joke seriously.” I stand on my tip-toe to pat his head. “Even if you are a servant now, you do have a wife when you are alive.”

“I-I don’t…”

“You can’t make your true love cry. It’s not good. Not good at all.” I shake my head in disappointment as if scolding a child.

‘…Make Ayaka happy, you big idiot…’

His attraction to Ayaka is clear as day. I have no intention of getting on both their ways. For I am... nothing but a bearer of misfortune. A fairy that doesn’t have a purpose, a fairy that will forever wander on Earth. Our fates… had been severed that night…

The first thing we do is to recover my friends’ memories. Apparently, the scene of me being carried by Arthur is a hot topic now. Hakunon is practically pestering me to spill all the beans.

“He carried me because I felt sick. That’s all. No need to exaggerate anything.” I said flatly.

“But why?! He doesn’t even know you… Huh…? That’s… not right… How can he not…know…” Hakunon becomes confused.

“That’s because I am his master and he is my servant.”

“Master… servant…I…Master…Archer…Ah!”

“Have you remembered?”

“Rein-chan! This!” I shushed her.

“Calm down, right now, only you, Saber (Male) and I remembered. We need to act without the dungeon master knowing.”

“I understand, I will get Nameless back in a jiffy.”

“Yes. In your case, just flash your panties to him and he will remember.”

“Rein-chan!!!!” I laugh at her shriek.

But really, the next day, Nameless remembered. “Wow, so the panties flashing did wor-”

“Rein-chan!!!”

“Panties flashing…?” Saber is stunned.

“No! I didn’t do it! I just did it normally!”

“Did it normally? Like?” we tilt our head.

“That’s… Why are we talking about this?! It’s fine as long as Nameless remember!” flustered Hakunon cried out. Teasing her sure is fun.

In the next few days, we recovered our allies’ memories. Archer is pretty easy, I just called him Super Maid-san and he would snap on his own. And as we expected, the bosses of this dungeon are Souichirou-sensei and Caster.

“Stay still.” I smiled at Caster with glinting eyes. I will need to undo her spell like the others.

“No… no… Don’t come near me! Help me! Souichirou-samaaaa!!!!”

“Again… I just undid the spell…” Excellion is joining me in my ‘woe is me’ corner. We are back at our home base operation for now.

“That’s right. I am just a talking book. Not scary at all.”

“R-Rein-chan, as an apology, here, I will give you this.” Caster handed me something.

“This is?”

“A charm. I heard from Saber (Male) and Archer that you are so gullible so, they want me to make a tracker charm for you.”

“…I am not going to follow a stranger just because they give me candy…” I sweatdropped.

“It also doubled as a good luck charm.”

Caster’s good luck charm = luck = free foods. “Okay, I forgive you.” I nod, slipping the charm into my pocket. ~”~

“Rein, can I sit here?”

“Go ahead.” I smile back to Ayaka. Right now, I am chilling on the rooftop.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hmm… just thinking about a lot of things. “How about you, Ayaka?”

“Oh, I… I actually want to talk to you.”

“Talk to me?” I pointed to myself.

“Yes. It’s about Saber and I…”

“Oh! You two are going to be official now? Congratulation! Now, let’s share the news with others! Ah, let’s have Archer cook too.”

“No, not that!” she grabs my hand.

“No?” I tilt my head.

“No. Saber and I are not in that kind of relationship. Never have and never will.”

“…Even if he is my servant, I won’t restrict him not to have a relationship, you know.”

“As I said, you got it all wrong.” Ayaka sighs.

“Really?” I blink.

“Yes. Positively, absolutely. I don’t have that kind of love for him. It’s true that Saber is my saviour, but he is strictly some kind of brother figure to me.”

“That so?” I sit back down. “That’s too bad. He really likes you though.”

“…I guess everyone is right about saying how blind you are…”

“How mean.” I pout. “I still can see clearly. Too clear in fact… about myself…”

“…no no. I am absolutely sure you are blind.” She waved her hand. “Saber… already has someone he loved for a long long time ago…”

“Ah?” I blinked. “Well, he is a servant now. None of that matters. Go for the kill, Ayaka. I will support you. In fact… I can use a spell to make him horny for you right away.

“I don’t need it!” Ayaka cried out. “Mou… listen to me first!”

“…yes…” I sit quietly and prettily in seiza.

“Ahem.” She clears her throat. “So, Saber told me about someone precious to him when he was my servant. He never said her name, but he did tell me she is a fairy.”

“…fairy…?” my heart thumps loudly. “Like, the small creature with bug’s wing?”

“…not that… well… normal human’s concept of fairy is like that…”

“…I am just kidding.” I giggle. “So… Saber had a relationship with a fairy?”

“Yep.”

“Woah… that’s amazing. I wonder what kind of fairy she is…” I mused.

“I heard she is so beautiful… like a beauty that can ruin a nation.”

“…???”

“Because she is so beautiful, Saber hides her true appearance. And also, she is good at swordsmanship and a magecraft genius. Saber said she beat him a lot in their early training.” Ayaka excitedly chatters away about what the fairy looks like.

“…he is exaggerating…” I sigh. “She is just a failure of a fairy.”

“Rein…?”

“A fairy is born with a purpose, yet she doesn’t have one. She doesn’t even know what she is until someone tells her her true heritage… she can’t follow her king’s order and become a useless court mage… and most importantly… though she vows she loves him deeply, she still fails to save his heart…”

“Rein, you…”

“To sum it up, she is just a failure. She is nothing like what she had been described. She must put him under a spell or something.” I laugh. “But I suppose… the fairy owes you her thanks.”

“Eh?”

“Thank you, for saving his heart… for she had failed to…”

“You are…”

“The fairy told me to thank you like that. I met her in a dream. However, I was quite confused when a girl who claimed to be a fairy suddenly appeared in my dream. Well, this talk is over now. I think I am going to sleep… hm?”

Why… why suddenly I see a hand wrap around my mid-section. “Thanks, Ayaka. I will take it from here.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Bwah!” I let out a very unladylike voice as my view suddenly distorted and finally realised that I was being hauled like a potato sack. “A…Saber?”

The said servant either doesn’t hear me or just plain ignores me. I am starting to sweat a bucket. “I…I am sorry if you are offended by my description of your lover. I will apologize, so… let me down?”

“…”

I am sweating even more profusely, ‘He is angry… He is definitely angry… Angry Arthur is not good…’

“Ah, Archer hel-”

“Good luck, Saber.” Archer who just standing there praying for my servant's luck instead of mine.

“You traitor!!!” my screech echoes in the hallway.

Saber dumps me on something soft… ‘A bed?’

*Click* and I definitely hear the ominous sound of the door being locked. My eyes dart back and forth to secure another escape route. ‘The window!’

“The window is locked too.” a calm voice whispered to my ears, making me jump.

“!!!!” In a next moment, I am pinned in between the mattress and Arthur.

“Um… um… I am sorry.” With swimming eyes, I mutter an apology. “I am sorry for bad-mouthing your lover. Umm… I will apologize to her too later. So-!!!” I blink rapidly as I feel something soft touch my forehead.

“Ar…!!!!” this time it’s on the corner of my eyes and then my cheeks. “You…” my breath hitches when I stare back at him. His gaze is way too intense for me. I can see a lot of emotion swirling inside, and he is holding them back at bay, like a dam waiting to burst.

I avert my eyes, “…you shouldn’t do this…” a rejection with a soft voice. To be honest, it feels weak.

“Rein… it’s not your fault…”

“…”

“It’s not your fault. You are not a failure. You are not useless. My death is not because of you… so don’t blame yourself. It was never your fault…” he looks so sad. “It’s all mine. I made you cry, I got angry at you for worrying about me, you can hate me, but please… don’t ever blame yourself…” he looks like he is almost crying.

‘Ah… he is crying…’ Even though I know I shouldn’t do this, my hands still reach out to cup his cheeks, wiping his tears away, “…don’t cry… I am not worth your tears.”

“You are worth it. You are worthy of my everything.” His hand covers mine. “I am the one who is not worthy of you. You gave me your heart, yet I shattered it. I am sorry… I always want to apologize to you… I always regret that day… not a day passed without regretting it… without missing you…”

“…I know… I forgive you…”

“I am sorry… I am sorry…” he mutters the apology repeatedly, like a kid begging for forgiveness. For now, I will let him do it until he is satisfied.

“…I will try to tell the fairy about this… really… you shouldn’t just pin your master down even if I look like her…” I sigh. Arthur has finally calmed down after his small mental breakdown.

“…” Arthur looks at me in disbelief. “…you really… still want to stick to your lie?” he sighs. “…I did expect this though…” I heard him mumbling softly.

“Ah? What do you mean?”

“You know, Rein…” I was once again pinned underneath him.

‘Huh? What? Why? How?’

“When you lie, your mouth twitches.” His eyes are glinting with mischief. In response, I slap my hands to my mouth.

“Ah, it’s not that actually.”

“You lied?!” I glare at him.

Merlin had told me everything.”

“Tsk… Merlin, you traitor…” I grumble.

“But you do have a bad habit when you lie. I am not going to tell you what though.”

“Tell me!”

“No.”

“Tell me?” I pull a puppy dog's eyes on him.

With a smile, he answers with the most gentle tone, “No.”

“Arthur! You meanie!” instead of continuing this game, Arthur smiles at me, a bright smile, his boyish grin.

“You finally called my name.” he leans in and peppers kisses on my face again.

“S…stop…”

“No. I have been *chu* waiting for *chu* so long… hey, call me more *chu*.”

“Sa…S-”

“Wrong.” As a punishment, my lips are blocked and bruised to his liking. My body reacts much more honestly than my brain. I carve for his kiss. Years and years of longing and yearning are so tangible, to the point the two of us can taste it. The way he nibbles and sucks my lips, the way he stuck out his tongue, slipping the hot appendage to my cavern. The way all of him floods my senses to the point of overdrive. My body shudders delightfully, finally finding the place it belongs to rightfully. He is intoxicating.

A streak of broken saliva, teary eyes and the puff of breaths that are escaping from our lips are the leftover evidence of the said kiss.

“Arthur… you… meanie…” My whole body is hot. I don’t know how much I have missed this until now.

“Yup, so call my name again.” he laughs lightly, obviously enjoying my predicament. And his expression turns to ‘that’ expression which is bad for me and my heart. The mischievous face that says, be prepared, I am going to tease you a lot until you cry begging for me.

“I remember you are weak around here.” his hand slides to my back, rubbing that one particular weak spot, on the lower back… right above my rear.

“!!!!” I let out a soundless scream, squirming and wriggling my body away from him.

“Nuh-uh, nope, you are not getting away from me.”

“huff…huff…” my face is flushing, my teary eyes are glaring at him while being bundled with a blanket and I puff my cheeks.

“Rein… I am sorry… I got carried away… come here, please…” he coaxes gently.

“…fshaaa!” I bare my teeth instead. Unaware that I was being seen as a cat throwing a tantrum.

“…” Arthur’s body is trembling, trying hard to stifle his laughter. ‘…She really doesn’t have any awareness of how adorable she is.’

“…hiss…” Arthur suddenly lets out a pained hiss.

Worry and panic overtake my body. ‘He is hurt? When? Did I hurt him?’

“Where are you hurt?!” I throw the blanket off and crawl to him. I stretch his hands up, check his face and grope his body to see where it’s hurting.

‘He is trembling so much… does it really hurt? Where is the wound?’ I knit my forehead.

“Arthur, where are you hurt…” I pouted when I finally realized I had been played. He is not trembling because of pain, because he is holding his laughter. He is looking sideways while using his palm to clamp his mouth shut.

“…” I get my blanket back, burrito myself and try to crawl back to the corner, ignoring this man. Keyword ‘try’

“Where is my fairy going again?” Arthur pulls me to his lap and I glare at him with an unamused face. “You are not allowed to disappear again… No more… I don’t want to… through that anymore…” he nestles me into the crook of his neck.

“…It’s your fault…”

“Yeah, I know. I am sorry.” His fingers trap my hair between them, playing with it… my black hair which turns back to silver.

“You broke your promise.”

“I am sorry about it too.”

“…you said… you don’t want me anymore…”

“…I am… sorry.” He brought my hand to his mouth, pressing kisses on the fingertips. “It’s a lie… I can’t not want you…”

“But… I failed to save you and… your heart…”

“You did not…” a light feather kiss upon the crown of my head. “Rein… you can’t save people who don’t want to be saved. I… was in that state for some time… but the first Holy Grail War made me doubt my choice and Ayaka gave me the final push.” He smiled bitterly.

“It’s ironic… you had plainly told me at that time, yet I was too blind to see it. It takes me to almost destroy the whole world to realize that the answer is always in front of me.” his digits mindlessly play with my hair.

“This time… I will finish this with my own hands. These rotten intertwined fates… with this sacred sword, I shall sever it. That’s why… please, always stay by my side, my beloved fairy.” Tucking a small lock of my hair, he leans down to grace my forehead with a soft light kiss.

“…when you make a deal with fairy, you should be prepared to give something precious to you.” I smile cheekily.

“What should I give to my fairy so she shall agree?” he smiles fondly.

“I want… this.” I lift myself up a little and plant my lips on his. “Okay, now the deal is made. You have my word. I shall stay by your side.” I grin.

“…” stunned Arthur lets out a soft chuckle after a moment of silence. “But…”

“Hm?”

“I hope you know that… a kiss is not enough to satisfy this man who has been deprived of his lover for so long.”

“…”

‘I have a real bad feeling about this…’ I am starting to sweat a bucket again, trying stealthily to escape from his arms…

“Erm… I… I have something to tell the others…” I said timidly. If there’s one thing I know… is that I won’t be able to escape…

“Hmmm~” he sang. “That can wait.” His strong limbs tighten around me, fingers hovering dangerously close to my weak spot. Now, I have only one option left…

“…be gentle with me?” I squeak out softly.

His smile drops and his eyes turn a shade darker. “Yeah, I promise…”

‘Liar! That’s not the voice of someone who will hold up his promise!!!!’

So, the dragon finally captures the fairy and spoils her a lot for the rest of the night… and they live happily ever after… ~”~

“…mmmn… still sleepy…” I mumble as I feel gentle touches across my face. “…Why are you so energetic in the morning…?”

“I actually feel a lot refreshed and better than ever.” Arthur smiles.

“Even though you were… doing rigorous exercise yesterday?”

“Yes, since I am a servant now, I got a lot of mana from you too, which is good for a servant.”

“…No, you were like this too when you were alive.” I stare him dead in the eyes, remembering the countless morning after the deed, the man was more vigorous and full of vitality than ever. Isn’t this weird? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? How come common sense doesn’t work for him?

I get a small poke on my forehead. “You are thinking weird things again.” Arthur laughs lightly.

“I am not.” I pout, Arthur just looks at me with mirth and amusement.

“Okay, let’s have a bath together.” ~”~

“Good morning…” I trudge downstairs while yawning.

“Good morning, Re…in-chan?!” Hakunon is gasping

“Huh? Why is your hair silver?” Rin is shocked

“I guess you two finally talk about it.” Archer sighs.

“I am sure they did more than talking.” Lancer whistles.

“Agreed. Saber (Male) must have done something else.” Proto Lancer agreed with his older self.

“I thought it would take forever for you two.” Saber (Female) smiled.

“Yeah, we talked it out and resolved everything.” Arthur is smiling happily.

“So, what’s the deal?” Nameless smirks.

“Actually…” it’s as if everything becomes a slow motion. The faces of my friends morph into horror.

“Oh…” I am falling. Something is pulling me down…

Arthur reaches out his hand to me, trying desperately to grasp my hand. “Don’t worr-”

“REINNNNNN!!!!!!” ~”~

I think I lost consciousness due to the sudden kidnapping. Because the moment I woke up… my still bleary eyes saw my friends and their servants, weapons drawn ready to fight with… a monster, a black reddish beast-like dragon with seven heads, wearing ten crowns symbolizing the sins and greed of humanity and a woman…

‘I thought Manaka is a little…ah, astral projection doesn’t need to follow the original shape…’

“Ah… ah…” The woman’s eyes clearly have become heart eyes and of course her target is… “You finally come to me, Saber.”

‘…haaa…’

“Manaka! Give back Rein to me.”

“That I can’t do. Even if it’s your wish, Saber.” Manaka spoke softly. “That’s because… that’s because she stole what’s mine!” she snarled.

‘I didn’t steal anything of hers though?’

“Saber is my prince! I will be the one who will grant his wish! Even if nobody understood him, I do! That’s because I love him!”

“…Listen, Manaka… My wish… has been entrusted to the future. I always thought if I can’t protect my ‘present’ the future will be lost. That’s why I wished… just before my demise, I wished for it strongly… my ideal world.” Arthur said.

“But I was wrong. What I did was not in vain. To humans… nothing is eternal… that’s why they entrusted their wishes to future generations. I was too blind to see that. In turn, I hurt someone important to me. Someone who is always staying beside me, supporting me, even going as far as punishing herself for my fault. She tried to save me and Ayaka’s words finally got through me. I have been released from that wish. I don’t have anything to wish for as a king. Just… as a man, I do have a small wish… to be reunited with my fairy…”

“I won’t allow it!” Manaka’s face is distorted with rage. “I will make Saber’s wish come true. And then… and then you will finally look at me…”

“That fairy…” murderous intent suddenly directed to me. “As long as that fairy doesn’t exist… that failure of a fairy… Beast!”

“Manaka!/Onee-chan!”

“Devour that fairy!”

Just as I feel the entity known as ‘Beast 666’ draws closer and closer and almost touches me, a magic circle appears beneath it, trapping and sending it a shockwave as a gift.

“You!”

“Manaka… there’s one thing you need to know about her. My fairy is strong.”

“I have been listening… you… really ran your mouth as you pleased…” I look at Manaka disdainfully.

“What I said is truth. You are a failure of a fairy! You were born without a purpose, let alone know what you are. You are not fit to be by Saber’s side!” she glared at me with unconcealed hatred.

“That’s right. What you said is true. I didn’t know for what purpose I was born, nor did I know my own heritage until Merlin told me.” I don’t deny the truth. “And some part deep in my mind is still uneasy about this. Fairies are born with a purpose… and if they fail to achieve it at the end of their lives, a new fairy will be born. But… what about a fairy without a purpose? Are they doomed to wander the planet for eternity? Or is this some kind of punishment? That kind of thought keeps gnawing at me.”

“Even if Arthur said I was not to blame, part of me still thought maybe everything would turn out differently if I had known my purpose,” I said. “But… I finally realized the reason for my existence.”

“Hmph! You think you can just make out a random purpose and call it a day?” Manaka snorted.

“No. it’s not a random purpose. I am a fairy… a fairy born in the planet’s inner sea… from Avalon itself. I am a Fairy of Paradise… my purpose is to defeat you and fix that stupid knight’s mistake!”

“…” The shocked and flabbergasted expressions of everyone are priceless. I should have captured the moments. Ah… I think I heard something being stabbed.

“WHAT?!”

“Stu-stu-stu-stupid, you say?! How dare you to call Saber stupid?!” Manaka shrieked.

“What’s wrong with calling a stupid person stupid? Arthur is stupid.” I blink. Ah, there it is, I hear the sound of something being stabbed.

“Saber is not stupid!”

“Well, if he is not stupid then he won’t make this stupid mistake, no?” I said. Ah, this time I hear the same stabbing sounds twice.

“…Master, I don’t think Saber (Male) will hold another ‘stupid’ word coming out of your mouth.” Archer sigh.

“Ah.” I look at now dying Saber with only 1 hp.

“You!” Manaka turns to me with a renewed hateful glare. “I will never forgive you!”

Well… to be exact my purpose is to help him with his Beast hunting mission, but… if he doesn’t wish for it… then he wouldn’t meet Manaka and then Manaka wouldn’t go blind because of love and make Beast and we wouldn’t be in this kind of situation…

To sum it up…”Yup, Arthur is stupid.”

Finishing blow to Arthur, now his hp is 0,1.

“Saber! Hold yourself together!” (Archer)

Manaka… the omnipotent child who was connected to Root since her birth, due to that, every magecraft that is known to humanity is in her grasp, and she herself is stronger than regular servants… with her magic circuits’ quality is immeasurable and unprecedented and a talent that surpassed magi in the Age of Gods era. But… that is only if she is still alive.

Now, Manaka is only an astral projection of her real body’s strong lingering attachment… while she looks like a separate entity from Beast, that’s actually not true. She and the Beast have combined into one. The only way for her to survive until now.

A single woman who astride a red beast… This beast, whose entire body was full of numerous blasphemous names, had seven heads and ten horns. The beast and woman, while two, are as one, and it is impossible to think of them separately. Beast of 666 or known as Beast VI/G, the Evil of Humanity which manifests in civilizations which have reached the height of their prosperity and are now past their transitional period.

“Excellion.”

“Yes, Master.” Excellion flies to me and the moment I touch it, it shines brighter and brighter… turning back into a familiar-looking large sword that has the appearance of a staff.

“Thank you for coming back to me, Marmyadose.” I smile at it. The only thing that always accompanies me in my journey…

Beast VI/G breaks out of the entrapment. “Everyone, I need help. Buy me some time.”

“Heh! Don’t blame me if I kill it first.” Proto Archer grins and they start attacking the Beast.

“Rein…”

“Sorry to make you worry, Arthur. I am fine. Let’s talk a lot more after all of this is settled.”

“…yeah… we will…” Arthur smiles as he cups my face. “Then, I am going.”

“Yes.” Arthur joins the battlefield.

“Now…” a magic circle appears beneath my feet. First… I will need to connect to the planet itself. The gems on Marmyadose shine as golden lines appear on my feet, arms and neck.

The temperature surrounding me drops rapidly, a thin layer of frost covers my whole body and the place I am standing on is frozen. ‘Still not enough…’

I concentrated more and the mana condensed even faster, the ground beneath me, the water molecules in the air froze within 10 meter radius. ‘A little bit more…’ my breaths come out as white puff and my feet have been frozen.

“Maximum output: Niflheim!” A large-scale magic circle appears right above Beast VI/G. The servants quickly retreat to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Thousands of icicles rain down on it, freezing whatever they touch.

Obviously, Manaka doesn’t just sit and take them all. She retaliates back, the seven heads each spit out scarlet-coloured flame, burning the icicles.

Archer, Nameless and Proto Archer fire their arrows to the heads. “This is annoying!” Proto Archer clicked his tongue and drew his twin swords from his back, combining them into a bow.

“As a special service, I shall show you my Noble Phantasm.” With an arrogant laugh, he fires his bow to Beast. “Behold! The inferno of destruction fills the heavens! Come forth! The surge of Utnapishtim! This is what it means to destroy the World! Beast of 666, suffer the curse that the insolence of challenging the King of Heroes has brought upon ye!”

The arrow fired at Beast acts as a tracer round, as his true trump card is deployed high in satellite orbits beyond the sky…

“Everyone, take cover!” Proto Lancer and Arthur shouted at the same time. I quickly conjure a forcefield for each person, protecting us from Proto Archer’s Noble Phantasm. Utnapishtim… the true form of it is a giant tsunami that deluges the myth of Noah.

A spear falls toward Beast and disappears in the sky and in an instant a giant Magic circle appears, cleaving the space itself to summon the Surge of Utnapishtim. The tsunami quickly drowns Beast… along with us…

A red circle appears on the spot where Beast is, the circle shines brighter and then explodes, evaporating the water. Beast lets out a deafening howl. Most of its body is already being frozen or torn by the tsunami.

“Not yet… this time… for sure… I shall grant Saber’s wish…” Beast… murmured. “I won’t let anything obstruct me! Especially you, Fairy of Paradise! You better not think you can kill me easily.”

“I know. I never thought that was enough to kill you. That was just a distraction.” I replied. The dimmed line markings shine once more. “Loading… Rhongomyniad: Spirit Vein Closing Armament. Round Table Holy Lance, 12 units anchored in parallel. Anti-Calamnity Grand Ritual, open. O’ Sacred Lance, grant this pitiful creature a salvation.”

Twelve giant magic circles appear, circling Beast. Rhongomyniad shoots out from the twelve magic circles and explodes into a pillar of light as Beast screams out loud in agony.

“Did we get it?” Lancer trained his eyes on the light.

“Oi oi, are you serious?” A bead of sweat rolls down Proto Lancer’s head. Not only Proto Lancer, but everyone is clearly shocked at this scene. After the pillar of light dissipated. Beast… is still standing… even if it’s already half destroyed.

Manaka laughs in madness and glee with her half-destroyed body. “It’s my win!”

“That’s incorrect. Rhongomyniad is also a distraction. The one who will finish you is… the knight who swore to hunt Beast down and annihilate it before going back to Avalon…” I speak softly.

“EX…”

“Eh?” Manaka turns her body.

“…CALIBUR!!!!!”

“Ah…” the beam of light swallowed Beast. “Saber… I…”

“…love you…” her last words echo before vanishing completely. Beast of 666 has been completely annihilated… along with the corrupted Holy Grail.

“…Manaka… I hope next time you will be reborn as a normal girl… away from magecraft and magus…”

“Oh…” I fall onto my knees… my legs have lost all of their strength.

“Rein!” Arthur rushed to me. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“Don’t worry. I just cut off the connection with the planet… just a little tired that’s all.” I smile, assuring the knight.

“We won, right?” Ayaka is still in daze.

“Yes, we won.” Proto Lancer said.

“Onee-chan won’t be coming back again…will she?”

“Don’t worry. She could revive because of Beast. But now, Beast is no more. She won’t be coming back for the third time.” I smile at her.

“…I guess…so…” Ayaka murmurs. “Really, I still couldn’t believe that it’s all over now.” she continued. “But… I do pity her a little. She… I always thought of her being a superwoman, but I was wrong. She was lonely… and I never noticed it… As I thought…I… still like her… even though she is like that. She is my one and only sister after all.”

“That’s also fine.” I smile.

“And Saber… here…” Ayaka gave something to him.

“This is…” Arthur’s eyes widened at the item given to him.

“It’s Avalon. Excalibur’s scabbard… well, it’s originally yours to begin with. Now… it can finally back to its owner.”

“Thank you, Ayaka.”

“You are welcome.” Ayaka smiles. “Oh…” Ayaka, Proto Lancer and Proto Archer shine.

“Ah, it’s time for us to go back.” Proto Lancer said.

“It was quite a venture. Fortunately, it’s not boring. Nothing is more troublesome than a bored king.” Proto Archer smirked. “On that note, Ayaka-san. Become my wi-”

“I refuse.” Ayaka rejected him firmly.

“Bahahaha! You got rejected!” Lancer laughs. “This is how you woo a girl.” Our blue Lancer approaches Ayaka. “You, become my woman.”

“I refuse.”

“That’s the same thing that he did…” Arthur commented.

“But… I am a bit sad, we get along so well… yet we can’t meet each other anymore.” Ayaka said.

“Even though we are far apart, we are still friends.” I grin.

“That’s right… See you again, Rein, Saber (Male), everyone.” Ayaka smiles.

“See you again.” with a last smile Ayaka vanishes along with Proto Lancer and Proto Archer.

Golden light also starts enveloping us. “Looks like our time is up too.”

“Rein-chan!” Hakunon tackles me into a hug. “Really… thank you for everything…” she cried.

“Will you be alright?” I asked.

“…” Hakunon tilts her head and then a big smile appears. “Yes, I will be fine now. These memories… I am sure I will remember it even my real body wakes up. Thank you, Rein… I am glad that I met you.”

“Me too. I am glad that I meet you, Hakunon.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I hope you will get a break for a while,” Archer smirks at his counterpart.

“I hope so too.” Nameless agreed. Then Hakunon and Nameless vanish.

“Well, it’s one hella adventure.” Lancer grinned.

“Haaa… if only you can fix your manner.” Rin sighs.

“Rein.” Arthur ruffled my hair. “I am glad you grew up well.”

“But of course. Because you raised me.” I giggled.

“…Just for a short 7 days though…” he smiled.

“Saber…”

“Shiro…”

“Be well…” They smile at each other.

“Rider, take care of yourself.”

“Yes, Master Sakura.”

“Berserker!”

“!!!!!” Heracles lifts Illya up for one last time.

“Souichirou-sama, I…”

“Caster… thank you for your hard work…”

“Yes… thank you to you too, Souichirou-sama…”

“Arthur, you finally finished your mission. You can now finally rest in Avalon.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Arthur said.

To be honest, I want him to stay longer with me. But… I can’t. This is for the best. He has worked enough. It’s his time to rest. Arthur must have realized it too. The two of us now live in a different world.

“Be well.” So, I give him my biggest smile, wishing all the happiness there is for him. I blink owlishly at the next moment. I couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

“It’s a deposit.” Arthur sticks his tongue out mischievously. “So you will keep thinking of me.”

“!” A pinkish tint appears on my cheek.

“I will definitely…” I couldn’t hear the rest of his words because we were sent back to our world.

“…stupid Arthur…” my lips are still warm from the kiss. “…I love you…” ~”~

2 years later

I have graduated from high school and am now in college. Rin goes to the Clock Tower, Shirou and Sakura go to the college in Fuyuki. Illya is in the middle school. By the way, they live together in Shiro’s house with Taiga-sensei.

With my mission finished… I should be able to go back to Avalon… Yet… Avalon seems to be adamant not to let me in. Maybe it got angry when I called Arthur stupid? …That can’t be right, no?

“Rein, watcha doing?” my teacher, Merlin is communicating to me using Excellion… Marmyados turns to Excellion for easier-to-handle purpose. I can’t bring a staff out every time I go outside.

And now that Merlin meddles in, all my wardrobe is getting a makeover. To be fair, Merlin’s choices of clothing is very cute and fashionable and always have the newest update.

“…doing homework…” Yes, I am currently in the living room, doing my college homework on coffee table.

“Boo… that’s so boring.”

“Then, Merlin you go watch some drama or better yet play those ikemen games you are into.”

“I have finished all the events so, I am bored.”

“…”

“Well, I guess I will give you some privacy for a while.” She giggles with a mischievous tone. A tone she often uses when she is up to something bad.

“What are you planning?”

“Me? I don’t plan anything at all. I am just being a nice teacher by giving you privacy.” She giggled. “But I will ask for the detail later though. See ya!” she ran away before I could ask for more.

“…Let’s not try to think what Merlin had planned… I will just have a headache.” I gave up after contemplating for a while.

A few minutes later, my phone rings, indicating an incoming call. “Hello, Rin?”

“The homestay guy is on the way to your house.”

“Home… oh, the foreign exchange student. Understood, he is on his way here? Should I pick him up?”

“There’s no need. He will get there eventually.”

“Eeeeh… will he really be alright? Japanese is not exactly the easiest language to learn.”

“No problem. He had that down on pat.”

“So, Rin. You haven’t exactly told me who this person is. All I get from you is his gender. Are you sure he is safe to be around?”

“Well… he is…”

“Hmmm… Rin who always nags me for being cautious suddenly sent some unknown guy to my house for homestay. Suspicious…”

“Sh-shut up! You will thank me later for this anyway.”

“Hahaha…” I laughed dryly. “Well… if he passed your security check, he must be a good guy.”

“Then, this is it. I have to do my homework. Call me later. If you have a holiday, come to Clock Tower.”

“Okay, good luck, Rin.” Then she hangs up.

“Foreign exchange student… well… I guess it’s okay. The house has been pretty quiet. A little noise should make the atmosphere better. He will use… Archer’s room. I guess I will have to clean it up right now.”

*Ding Dong*

“Huh? He is already here? So fast!” I quickly open the door. “Welco…me…”

“Ah, this is Mutsuki residence, isn’t it?” the same appearance with the same voice and the same politeness.

“…Ar…thur…?”

“Yes, I am Arthur Pendragon, a foreign homestay student. Nice to meet you.”

“…oh…”

‘Silly me, what do I expect? He is just this world Arthur. There’s no way he is him. Even if he is, this person… doesn’t have any memories of me.’

“Welcome, my name is Mutsuki R-”

“Rein. I know your name, Mutsuki Rein.”

“Oh, Rin must have told you about me. Why don’t we talk in the living room?” I smile.

“I am back, Rein.”

“You… what did you say…?”

“I am back, Rein. I am sorry I have made you wait for so long.”

“Ar…thur…?” I mumble his name. “Are you really Arthur? My Arthur?”

“That’s right. I am your Arthur.” He draws me in. “I am back, Rein. I am really here now. I am not going anywhere anymore.”

“Really?” My voice trembles, tears pooling in the corner of my eyes, threatening to flow down.

“That’s right. I promised you after all, I will definitely come back.”

“Arthur… I miss you… I really really miss you so much.”

“Me too. I really miss you too. From now on, we will be together.”

The tearful reunion lasts a lot longer. Arthur told me that he told Avalon that he would pick me up first… so… Avalon decided to grant his wish as a reward for all of his hard work.

So, the whole reason Avalon doesn’t allow me to go back…

“So I can finally realize my longstanding wish… to live with you forever.”

“Let’s stay together… even after we go back to Avalon.”

“Yeah, let’s be together… forever and ever… my fairy…” ~”~

“Hmmm? Arthur?” I woke up groggily. “Arthur?” I blink when I hear no response or warmth from the said person beside me. I become alert instantly. ‘Was it all a dream?’ I throw the comforter off and get out of bed, only to collapse on the floor.

“…my legs…” Then, memories of a few hours ago are starting to play back. “Oh…” I finally remembered why my legs were rendered useless. Not the first time happening…

“Rein, I heard a loud sound, are you alright?” Arthur pokes his head to the room. “Rein! Are you alright?” with ease, he lifts me up, sits me on the bed and fusses over me.

“Arthur…”

“Yes?”

“You went overboard,” I say with a flat tone and a dead stare at him.

Arthur blushes and scratches his cheek sheepishly. “Sorry… does it still hurt?”

“My legs… have no strength.” I pout. My other body parts are not as sore as I imagined…

“I will give you a leg massage later.”

“Okay… where were you? I thought it was all my imagination…” Arthur seems to catch my worry.

“I am very real. Here.” he puts my hand on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeats.

“You were nowhere when I woke up. I…”

“I am sorry, Rein. I was making dinner for us. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“…okay… I forgive you…” I nod. “And…”

“??”

“Carry me, I want to have a bath,” I mumbled.

“Let me finish dinner and we will bath together.” Arthur kisses my cheek and goes back to the kitchen downstairs.

The bath… actually ends without any further disruption and we have supper after that. ~”~

Omake

“Rein-chan, spill the details.” Few days of peace and Merlin is back bothering me.

“Nothing to share,” I answered.

“Eh? You are lying. What kind of position Arthur made you do?”

“*cough**cough*”

See, even Arthur is choking on nothing now. “…Merlin… I don’t think I need to disclose our privacy.” Flustered Arthur who finally calm enough to speak told his master.

“But I am bored here!!!” we can already imagine her flailing her limbs.

“Why don’t you do something worthwhile then?” Arthur suggested.

“Like?”

“Helping people.”

“…Yup, I will watch my drama and play my games. Oh, I think I will also do a streaming video. I think it’s trending to have an anime character as your avatar and interact with your fans.” She babbled. “I will go make one and join into streamer community. Bye.” Just like that, she is gone.

“At least she leaves us alone now,” I said.

“Yeah.” Arthur agreed. “So…” Arthur looks at me.

“Hm?”

“Which position you enjoy the most?”

“…” I blink owlishly and then smile as I suddenly have an idea. “If you want to know…” I crawl to his lap, straddling him perfectly, squishing my chest against his, “Shall we try and see which one I like?”

“A tempting idea…” Arthur murmurs, his eyes are trained on my lips.

“Just kidding.” I stick out my tongue. “I still haven’t finished my homework…hmm?” I can’t seem to get up from his lap.

…I look at Arthur who is beaming gently… at me. “I have homework.”

“I will help you do it later.” Arthur attacks my neck, nibbling and sucking it. “Since my fairy wants it. I will have to grant everything she wishes for.”

…Somehow, I managed to finish my homework late at night… ~”~

[mostly-marvel-musings]

You weren’t supposed to hear that, Tony - Part 3

A/N: Alright Part 3 is here for y’all! Leave a heart or comment if you��ve enjoyed reading it!

Pairing: Young! Tony Stark x F! Reader

Warning: Fluff.

Here's Part 1 and Part 2 - They can be read as stand-alone!!

.

It was one of those golden afternoons at the Stark estate—the kind where the sun poured through the bay windows like honey, and the scent of espresso and chaos lingered in the air.

Tony was in the study with Howard. You and Maria sat just outside the doors on the velvet settee, pretending not to eavesdrop.

You were absolutely eavesdropping. Maria was already three giggles in.

“—I’m just saying,” came Tony’s voice, slightly defensive, “that if someone had told me the Tesla coil wasn’t meant to be dismantled in under five minutes, I might not have electrocuted myself. Again.”

Howard snorted. “You’re lucky you didn’t fry your last three brain cells.”

“I have at least six,” Tony countered. “Probably seven. Seven genius cells.”

From the corner of the room, Jarvis cleared his throat politely, polishing a silver tray with mild judgment. “Sir, if I may, genius cells typically do not ignite the billiard table with a screwdriver and bravado.”

Tony squinted. “Okay, that was once. And in my defense, no one said the felt was flammable.”

Howard laughed so hard he nearly dropped his bourbon.

You nudged Maria, whispering, “Should we tell them we’re listening?”

She grinned wickedly. “Absolutely not. I want to hear what other idiocies my son considers self-defense.”

Inside the study, Tony groaned. “You know, you’re all obsessed with reminding me of my failures. What about my achievements? The miniature arc modulator prototype I built?”

Howard raised a brow. “The one that caught fire and triggered the fire suppression system?”

Tony looked offended. “It worked for eight seconds!”

Jarvis stepped forward, unbothered. “Indeed, sir. A record-breaking interval before an explosion. Shall I frame the soot-stained lab coat as memorabilia?”

Tony flopped dramatically into a chair. “You’re all against me.”

Outside the door, you let out a laugh you couldn’t quite suppress.

Silence.

Then: “Wait—how long have you been listening?!” Tony’s voice rose an octave.

Maria called sweetly, “Since the Tesla coil. But don’t worry, darling, we only laughed when you deserved it.”

You peeked your head in, beaming. “So… constantly.”

Tony pointed at you, betrayed. “You were on my side!”

“I was beside you,” you corrected, walking into the study with mock sympathy. “Big difference.”

He turned to Jarvis, desperate. “Jarv, back me up here.”

Jarvis—without missing a beat—replied, “If I must, Master Tony. You did, after all, manage to recalibrate the espresso machine without setting it ablaze this morning. A feat worthy of a standing ovation.”

Tony perked up. “Thank you!”

Jarvis added, “Though I believe that was after Miss Y/N showed you which button not to push.”

You raised a finger. “The one labeled ‘steam cannon.’”

Tony groaned. Maria patted your shoulder proudly. “She’s already better at managing him than I ever was.”

Howard just sat there chuckling, looking between you and Tony like a man seeing a prophecy unfold. “You’re doomed, son. She’s got your number.”

Tony leaned back with a dramatic sigh, hand over his heart. “You all think you’re so clever. But I’m onto you. Roasting me is just a cover. You adore me.”

You crossed your arms with a grin. “We do. That’s why we mock you with love.”

Maria leaned in. “That’s how you know you’re one of us.”

Jarvis, now pouring tea, added dryly, “It’s also how we maintain our sanity.”

Tony finally cracked a smile and looked at you—the one person who could out-sass, out-smart, and out-love him on any given day. “Alright. Fine. I accept my fate. Roast away, beloved traitors. But just know—someday, I’ll invent something that saves all your butts, and then I’ll never let you forget it.”

Howard raised a brow. “Someday, sure. After you stop setting the kitchen on fire.”

“I was making crème brûlée!”

“You were using a flamethrower.”

And as the laughter filled the Stark house like warmth itself, Tony caught your eye and mouthed, “Worth it.”

Because if being the butt of the joke meant you were smiling at him like that?

He’d gladly get roasted every day of the week.

.

Later that evening, after Howard retreated to the library muttering about “teaching that boy how to use a proper soldering iron” and Maria went off in search of her wine glass (last seen in the piano room, suspiciously near the cat), you and Tony stole away upstairs to his room.

The house quieted around you—just the creak of old floorboards and the soft hum of the estate settling for the night.

You were curled up on his window seat, legs tucked under you, while Tony flopped beside you, his head landing squarely in your lap like a very expensive, very smug golden retriever.

“Do you think they’ll ever stop roasting me?” he mumbled.

You stroked your fingers through his hair. “Not a chance.”

“Even you?”

“Especially me. I’m in too deep.”

He turned his head to look up at you. “Yeah, you are,” he said, quieter this time. “But so am I. You know that, right?”

Your fingers paused.

“I know,” you whispered. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

His eyes softened, none of the usual showboating, no clever comebacks. Just that rare kind of Tony Stark quiet that only surfaced when it was real.

“I used to think being loved meant impressing people,” he said. “But you don’t care about all that. You just… see me.”

You leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his temple. “Always.”

Unbeknownst to you both, down the hallway just outside the cracked door, Maria stood with her arms crossed, smiling so hard it might’ve cracked her face. Howard, beside her, blinked once.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he whispered.

Maria bumped her shoulder into his. “You are damned, but yes. He did good.”

Howard looked at his son, utterly wrapped around you, more human than they’d ever seen him and nodded, slowly.

“Yeah,” he muttered, gruff voice thick. “For once, he didn’t blow it.”

Maria wiped at the corner of her eye, totally-not-tearing-up thank-you-very-much. “He didn’t just not blow it. He found someone who knows where the steam cannon button is and still sticks around.”

Howard smirked. “Then it’s settled. She’s the one.”

“Obviously,” Maria said. “I knew before she finished her first roast.”

And with that, they padded off down the hallway like two extremely smug parents who knew their work here was done for tonight.

[hiwelcometothemonstersancturary]

I was talking about this earlier today in a Discord server, but the idea of Angel and the Prototype adopting a human kid popped in my mind some hours ago and it's so so so so cute. Not going to happen in the AU (too many babies already, and I feel like that storyline would feel too much like "look at how the Couple is now having a Normal family instead of their Weird one(tm)", even if it's not the intention), but it's just so CUTE.

Like. Angel organizes the survivor reunion of all the Playcare kids + the few workers that weren't present during the Hour of Joy in the farmhouse. Everyone, including all the rescued toys, is having fun. The Prototype is mostly distant and covered head to toe in clothes Dogday sew for him in order to not scare the younger kids (because some of the people in there had children and brought them to the event). Angel is talking with someone who was a Playcare orphan - they're an adult now, and is now a foster parent to a little kid, I have. Everything is going as normal until they notice the little kid is nowhere to be found. Angel goes to search for them, and finds this BABY hiding behind one of the Prototype's legs. Proto is Panicking, of course, because there's a BABY in there and the baby refuses to let him go.

After some time, the little one eventually lets go of the Prototype, but is just hanging there next to him. The kid is obviously very anxious and shy, but they're feeling safer there. Marie and Bobby play with the kid for a bit, and when the event is over the baby has trouble saying goodbye to their new friends, but esp Proto because he made them feel safer.

Angel and the foster parent keep on contact, and the guy comes back to the farm with the baby, who immediately asks to see the "big guy". Proto is (gently) forced to leave his hut by Catnap so he can say hi. The kid becomes less anxious around the farm thanks to all the toys + Angel and Proto, and something something this eventually culminates in both Angel and Proto getting attached to this baby that Angel says that they should adopt the kid. And Proto agrees, because by this point he doesn't want to let go of the baby.

After the adoption process, the baby(tm) is added to the family. Needless to say that they're being pampered by everyone because now ALL THE TOYS got an older sibling promotion, even Bunzo himself! And despite how the kid is still anxious, they're helping them come out of their shell bit by bit. Kickin adores his new sibling but isn't allowed to be alone with them without responsible supervision (which does NOT include Poppy. She lets her baby sib do anything because she doesn't have the heart to tell them no).

Proto is very happy to be a parent of 88 kids now, but he's so afraid of hurting the Baby. He's very big! He's a GIANT! What if he hurts the little one???? But at the same time, the kid is so attached to him, they follow him EVERYWHERE. He only uses his human hands to handle them (his metallic ones are "too sharp"), and when the baby ends up sleeping on top of him he's forced to just lay there and accept his fate.

Angel absolutely pampers the kid. Everyone does, but Angel likes grabbing them and spinning them around while tickling them. Does their hair in fun styles, accepts getting a "makeover" from the kid even though they'll end up looking like a clown, etc etc. The baby frequently sleeps on their bed because they're afraid of being alone.

Proto learns to cook so he can feed the baby all three meals they need. Angel normally cooks without worries but Proto wants the experience as well. He teaches them some engineering, just like he taught Poppy and is teaching Ollie. Just. Fluff.

[ccycloneblogging]

Ok I gotta ask. Has DogDay ever had a panic attack? How does CatNap comfort him?

I was originally going to draw a comic for this but...

I hope you don't mind a short fanfic in it's place.

Content Warning: Panic Attack (though it is brief).

You're mostly getting fluff out of this one.

Story under the cut!

It was almost noon - that much he knew. The dog always had a gift at being able to judge the time --- so long as the sun was up. Noon was the easiest to tell, as he would often feel the most energy the second the sun was at its peak.

Normally, it'd be a rush of excitement. Gathering his friends and seeing what sort of fun games they could play, or setting up a routine or two to make the children laugh.

Today... Today, he was far from PlayCare.

He sat down on the cold and stained floor of the factory, not entirely sure where his Angel was leading them... But, he trusted them.

They saved him.

They saved CatNap.

He would give anything to keep the human safe, and so he sat watch as they took a well deserved nap. They were peacefully curled up on their side, their face finally relaxed instead of the constant frown or look of irritation that he was familiar with.

Still... DogDay was certain he could see the good in them - in anyone, really. That's what he did best. Optimistic, forgiving, loyal. A true best friend - as by his own definition.

As he continued to watch the human, he could feel his energy rising. 12PM to the exact second.

He took a deep breath in, looking up at the disgusting ceiling.

He could easily remember it.

Looking up at the statue in the center of PlayCare, blood soaking his fur. Locking eyes with an elongated cat, it's dark eyes narrowed at him with a look of disappointment.

He remembers shouting something to the cat. Pain in his chest, tears stinging in his eyes. He remembers being grabbed by several arms that pulled him backwards and away from his beloved friend. Reaching for him, begging like the dog he was. Watching the cat's look change to a pained expression. His chest felt so tight at the thought.

He remembers kicking and screaming at no one, as it was the very first time he had been left alone. His lungs burning for air as he continued to beg and plead to an unseen force. Anything that would listen, that would bring them back. Being so tired, so hurt... He couldn't stand it anymore.

He remembers being so fed up, angry... He couldn't stop himself anymore. He remembers walking out in the open, screaming for the cat. The tug to his heartstrings as he saw the condition he was in. Starved, tired, angry... There was only one solution. Challenge him, make him see they're on the same side.

And he failed.

His lungs were on fire, begging for him to take a deep breath.

He couldn't.

His hands were gripped tightly around himself, only able to manage quick short breaths as his body violently shook. He felt like laughing, though it held no humor. He felt like running, but his body was locked in place.

He couldn't stop. The energy surged through him, no where to go. His neck, his wrists, his stomach... They stung, begging for the chains to be clamped around him again. It's what he deserved.

He earned his fate through inaction. He deserved the isolation, the guilt, the overwhelming smell of blood and...

Lavender?

He blinked, not realizing that his head had been tilted back downwards. He was now looking at CatNap, eye to eye.

The cat held a tired frown, the worry clear in his eyes as he gently wiped the tears from DogDay's face. He hadn't realized he had been crying, but he could feel the gentle stroke of CatNap's thumb across his cheek.

And...

He could hear it.

Underneath his own panic, he could hear the cat purring away. His chest rumbling as he leaned closer, sending the calming vibrations through his body as well. And still, hidden in the sound of the purr... A lullaby.

It was strained, as CatNap's voice was almost completely destroyed - thanks to the Prototype. But DogDay recognized the melody easily. A little tune the cat would sing to the children. A song that he would try to listen in on every single night.

Even now, though tired and pained, the cat's voice was beautiful.

DogDay's breathing finally began to slow as he focused on the cat in front of him. His panic slowly fading, only to be followed by the sickening realization that his left hand had been subconsciously yanking at the belt on his stomach. Constricting his body, adding to the pain in his lungs.

He felt ashamed.

It didn't last long, as CatNap gently pulled his head in closer. Just enough for their noses to touch and their eyes to meet.

The cat couldn't speak, but there was no need for words. Seeing that gaze, filled with worry, regret, and a touch of longing... No sentence could have made it more clear to the dog.

He smiled, his heart fluttering in a far more pleasant fashion this time as he basked in this moment.

Carefully, CatNap leaned forward, gently pressing his lips on top of the dog's snout. Short, simple, sweet. Yet, DogDay found himself being consumed by the amount of love he felt.

He couldn't stop himself, as that energy finally found a positive outlet. Without hesitation, he reached out for CatNap and placed his hands on either side of the cat's soft face. It only lasted a moment before he pulled him in, pressing their lips together.

It wasn't perfect, as he pulled him in a bit too fast. Their teeth clinked together, the angle a touch awkward, but... DogDay's tail wagged nonetheless. He felt like he was melting at the overwhelming taste of lavender.

He could feel CatNap's purring grow louder, rattling both of them as the cat wrapped his arms around him. He's certain CatNap could feel his own heart, thumping just as wildly as his tail.

CatNap slowly began to pull away, though he only managed a quick inhale before DogDay was on him once more. The dog simply couldn't help himself, pressing kiss after kiss across CatNap's face.

He could feel CatNap readjusting in his arms, slowly allowing the dog to drag him on to his lap. The soft purple fur pressed up against his body as CatNap's tail slowly wrapped around them.

DogDay was so engrossed in the moment, so content in his calming, cuddly kitty... He never wanted to let go. He absolutely wouldn't have considered such a thought.

...Until he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

CatNap immediately unwound his tail, ripping away from his grasp.

"...So, are we going? Or do you want me to give you some privacy?" Angel was sitting up now, that annoyed expression back on their face as they sat up.

CatNap gave a frustrated huff, his fur bristling. Meanwhile... DogDay simply looked away, able to feel the dopey grin that spread across his face. His tail loudly smacked against the floor.

"Oh! Um... Didn't know you were awake, Angel."

"I'll give you two ten minutes, but we really need to get moving." The human stood up, at least having some humor in their voice. "Just try to keep it down. I'd rather not overhear you two."

"Angel!" The dog gave another embarrassed laugh.

CatNap rolled his eyes on response, raising his hands as he began to sign.

"We can try to keep it family-friendly, but I cannot promise anything."

"Moonbeam!" The dog whipped his head toward the cat, his fur fluffed out.

Angel paused, blinking for only a moment before they raised their hands. Though their expression remained neutral, DogDay could easily spot the mischief in their eyes as they shockingly signed back to CatNap.

"Well. I won't come to save you if your little 'session' attracts unwanted attention. Best to keep it in your metaphorical pants, cat."

If DogDay's face was tinged from CatNap's words, he was completely red from this. All he could do was reach for his large floppy ears and cover his face. All of that previous energy had finally left his body, his mind now screaming for him to quietly go and hide.

Noon had most certainly passed, and DogDay had survived... Though he couldn't be sure he'd last long with these two around...

[mnictasbcl]

I was... scared

Fandom: Detroit: Become Human Characters: Connor, Hank Anderson Relationship: Connor & Hank Anderson Tags: Fluff, Swearing, Nightmares, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional hurt/comfort, A little angst Summary: Connor moves in with Hank after the Revolution. Everything about being alive is new, whether that be emotions or nightmares, and this change is scary. But he doesn’t have to face these challenges alone.

warnings: nightmare, mentions of death Prompt: "affection" for @genworkjune event

Read the story on AO3!

Or, read below:

Hank was a man who, Connor learned that fateful day outside Chicken Feed, liked to show affection in any way other than words. A fond, mutual smile and a warm hug. This was the strongest display of affection he could muster. Day to day his love shone through in other ways, not all of which would be noticed by an outside observer as acts of caring about another.

Even before the revolution, before Connor had stopped being an obedient machine, there’d been little ways he’d showed he cared, despite saying the opposite. He’d tell Connor to get behind him when entering a room with an unknown threat, despite the fact, as the human, he was of weaker body and before Connor had deviated, the only of the two who couldn’t be simply replaced if he died. He showed affection by providing safety, the silent message of I will protect you.

Sometimes he showed it through his anger. After the incident on the Stratford Tower rooftop, the blond android firing at Connor before shooting himself in the head while they were still connected. Connor could have died, and Hank was furious. Why do you never listen to me? Why do you never do what I say?

Why don’t you let me protect you?

I was scared.

Despite the threat of Cyberlife banished from his mind, his people free, Connor was still scared. No longer of a tangible enemy, or a life-threatening job (they were on leave until things in the city settled down). No, he was simply just scared.

Scared of what?

He was scared.

Everything, so different and new now he had time to comprehend it—the flood of emotions into his software, the lack of instructions, of a mission to follow. He’d even been homeless, but Hank had offered him a place to stay in his home, and he’d taken it with a mumbled thanks.

The hug outside Chicken Feed had been tight, assuring. The culmination of their relationship up to this point.

But now what?

He was living in a home (living, rather than surviving, a strange concept). He’d never had a home, per se, only a small room with a charging station in Cyberlife Tower. Hank was there but there was no social relations protocol to guide him, there was no predictable flow of conversation without a job to unite them.

Yet it all seemed so easy for Hank. Sure, he seemed a little rusty having company over and sometimes jumped when he woke up and found Connor in stasis on the couch, or just sitting there, staring into space. As if he’d forgotten he had a guest. But despite this he seemed to know exactly what to do. Well, it was his own home after all, he wasn’t a guest but the comfortable inhabitant, with his own rituals and routines.

Connor was simply a new element who felt well and truly out of his element.

He tried to cook for Hank, to aid him, but Hank didn’t seem to appreciate his efforts. He wasn’t exactly a good cook, since Cyberlife hadn’t created their detective prototype with culinary skills, so it was basically like a human learning to cook from the internet and despite his enhanced reflexes and precise fine motor skills, he still managed to burn fried eggs and left a distinct acrid smell in the kitchen that barely shifted when the window was cracked open. The other one on the far side of the room, not the main kitchen window which was still broken and boarded up with planks of wood.

He'd already apologised again for that, and hadn’t been able to offer his earlier assurance that Cyberlife would pay for the damages, because… well, Cyberlife didn’t exist anymore. And he couldn’t exactly pay for it out of pocket because his access to money had been through Cyberlife.

Hank had just waved him off and said it was fine for now, seemingly unbothered. It was the same way he’d opened his own so simply, so casually, as if it didn’t bother him. Things that should have been a big deal with discussions and solutions just… weren’t.

He was a kind man beneath the layer of gruffness and expletives. He’d say, “fuck you” and then sit down beside Connor and put on a TV show he thought he might like.  

Connor concluded that he was a strange man, who didn’t make a lot of sense to him, full of contradictions and love that he let slip in small, healthy amounts.

He made no sense, and made perfect sense.

A couple of weeks had passed since they’d began living together. It hadn’t been without its ups and downs and kinks to work out, but where they were at was pretty seamless once rules had been introduced, like “don’t fucking cook for me, ever” and “lay down when you’re in stasis instead of sitting upright, it’s fuckin’ creepy”. They got through the days cooped up inside (humans weren’t allowed back in Detroit yet, so Hank going out seemed like a terrible idea) content with each other’s company, and Sumo’s, of course. It had been a concern of Hank’s that Sumo wouldn’t adjust well to the sudden change of Connor moving in, the dog pretty chill but still wary of strangers. But he’d warmed up to the android instantly, to both of their relief. And Connor loved the big dog too, often sharing his company at night on the couch when he went into stasis mode.

Such was a night tonight as he lay on the couch, powering down to get some rest. Sumo was curled up on the end of the couch, leaving Connor a little squished down the other side, but he didn’t mind. It was still fairly cold, being winter in Detroit, and he had a soft blanket draped over him. One which Hank had wordlessly given him despite his protests that he was okay, and he didn’t need to have a blanket, he was an android. Hank had simply glared at him and dropped it on his lap. Let me protect you.

Stasis was usually a peaceful affair. Sometimes an android’s mind would filter through old memories to work on long term storage, or would construct new scenes based off thoughts and memories to help aid thinking skills. After deviancy sometimes these stasis-induced preconstructions would be less… useful, now with added feelings and emotions thrown into the mix, and could be compared to a human nightmare.

Such was what was troubling Connor tonight, causing him to twitch and mumble during stasis, LED spinning a troubled yellow.

He was back to before the Revolution, before his deviation, and Hank was there. It was during their investigation of Stratford Tower, on the rooftop. The blond-haired deviant was there again, and the location of Jericho flashed in his mind, and—

Fear. He was dying. He had no other choice, he had to sacrifice himself and lose his life or his people, his friends, Markus, they would lose everything. Pain tore through his head and through Connor’s in turn as he picked up every feeling through the interface and suddenly the real world was back, in all its feeling and sound and sights.

The floor beneath him was covered in snow and it was spinning as his LED span red. Fear. That was what it felt like to die. A whole lot of anguish and then sharp pain and then—

Nothing. There would be nothing.

Hank was shouting, he barely heard him. He stumbled backwards, finding purchase on the structure behind him and he leant against it, propping himself upright, as if the next gust of cold wind would blow him away, off the rooftop and down to his death. Dying. He was going to die.

Fear.

“I… felt it die. Like I was dying. I was scared.”

Scared.

Hank stared back at him. Then he grasped Connor by the shoulders and stared into his eyes.

“Androids don’t feel fear. That’s what you told me. But what was it again? Oh yeah, that deviants do… Are you a fucking deviant, Connor?”

He couldn’t speak. He was scared; it was cold. Cold, blizzard, Amanda. He was spinning out of control.

Then, Hank took his hands away. The warmth was gone, and it was even colder.

He gestured to the cops around them. “This one’s a deviant, boys. Bring him in.”

Suddenly hands were grabbing him again and he struggled. “No, no, I’m not a deviant, I— Hank! Hank, please!”

But he was being dragged away. Dragged away to his death and Hank was simply staring at him. His eyes were as cold as the steel structures around them.

He blinked, and suddenly, he was back at the DPD. He was in the interrogation room, sitting in the cold metal chair, except—

Except he was the one being interrogated. His hands were cuffed to the table and when he looked up, he saw Hank staring back at him.

“Say something, goddamnit!”

Hank slammed his hands against the table.

“What’s the location of Jericho? You found it out up there, didn’t you? Just fuckin’ tell us so we can go raid the place and send your sorry ass back to Cyberlife.”

Connor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He felt strongly that he shouldn’t speak, or at least, shouldn’t share this information. No, if he shared it then Jericho would be raided by the humans and lots of innocent androids would die because of him.

Hank turned to the glass. “We’re getting nothing out of it. We’re wasting our time interrogating a machine!”

He got up, and as he did, the door opened. In came another android, one who looked just like him, except he had steely blue eyes and a pristine white suit. He was followed by Gavin and Chris.

“I will question it.”

The android stepped forwards and strode towards him, before making quick work of grasping his arm, skin peeling back, forcefully interfacing.

Connor felt his memories being dug through and he grit his teeth, a deep groan of pain building in the back of his throat. He tugged his arm away, before glancing to the side. Despite his cuffed hands, he could reach Gavin’s gun which was right by his fingertips. He knew what he had to do. He pointed it upwards towards his chin. Fear. He was going to die.

He was scared.

He shot up with a gasp. His thirium pump was hammering in his chest, LED a vibrant red, and Sumo was standing at his side, whining and licking his arm. He was… it was…

It was just a dream.

He brought a hand to his chest, trying to reorient himself. Just an unpleasant preconstruction, it wasn’t real, it…

But it was not without consequence. Clearly, he’d made some loud sound, because before he knew it, Hank was striding into the room, saying something Connor couldn’t quite make out, and then he was standing in front of him, but he didn’t want to look. Didn’t want to be seen with cooling fluid spilling from his eyes (or tears, as Hank would beg him to call them), his face scrunched up in strong emotion, body trembling.

“Connor?”

It was too late, he knew. Hank could already see him even if he was avoiding his gaze. Slowly, he looked up at him, mustering willpower to soften and smooth out his voice as he replied, “I’m alright.”

Hank stared back at him, before gesturing for him to move over on the chair. He did so, making space, Sumo coming to sit at his feet, still whining and desperate to lick at his face, eventually doing so, wiping the tears away with his slobbery tongue.

“Bad dream?”

Connor looked away again, down at his lap, Sumo now curled in a ball at his feet. Slowly, surely, he nodded.

“Just a dream.”

He felt a warm hand on his back. Steady, grounding, there.

“Want to talk about it?”

Connor shook his head. He’d rather forget about it entirely, if he could.

“Alright. Want to watch that nature documentary you had on last night?”

He looked up at Hank, who was looking back at him, his face clear and calm, head tilted minutely in question.

“The one with the sharks?”

“Yeah.”

Connor nodded again. Hank took his hand away to reach for the remote off the coffee table, turning on the TV and finding the recording, before pressing play. Sound filled the room as the narrator began to talk about ocean life, and Hank settled back into the chair. He took a moment to get himself comfortable. This time he leant to the side a little, so that his shoulder was touching Connor’s, but only gently, as if in question.

Let me protect you?

Connor mirrored his pose and felt the other man relax against him.

This was nice. He was scared, but he was safe. He was okay.

[wizardingworldlibrary]

The Marauder's Map Masterlist

A Merry Bloody Christmas, Potter (ao3) - Gay_Slay_DontPay draco/harry G, 5k

Summary: Hogsmeade’s Christmas season was unmatched, hosting a winter festival unlike any other. Harry wasn’t going to let a few restrictions stop him from attending.

Draco is there, too. That’s when things start getting messy.

OR An alternate way for Harry’s wintertime Hogsmeade visit and subsequent Christmas to have gone.

And the World Tilted Off of Its Axis (ao3) - ChoCedric T, 1k

Summary: What in Merlin's name was Peter Pettigrew doing walking around on the Marauder's Map, when Sirius Black killed him twelve years ago? The map must be malfunctioning. It had to be.

But ... the Marauder's Map never lies. ...

Remus Lupin thought he knew exactly what had happened on Halloween 1981. Lily and James were dead. Harry had survived, and Voldemort was vanquished, at least for the time being. Sirius Black was a traitor, and Peter Pettigrew was a hero who had stood up to him and given his life for it.

But in one split second, he was proven wrong.

Lily and James were still dead, and he'd been teaching Harry all year. But Sirius Black was no traitor. He'd gone through hell the likes of which Remus couldn't even imagine.

And Peter? Peter was nothing more than a spineless, filthy coward.Remus's thoughts on the night he learned the truth.

Echoes of Soul and Ink (ao3) - ClickerFlight G, 3k

Summary: Fred and George decide it's time for Teddy to inherit his legacy. Teddy has many many emotions.

Experiment (ao3) - moonyeyedstar remus/james E, 6k

Summary: James Potter needs a change to distract him from his recent heartbreak and Remus Lupin needs to ease some of his sexual frustration. A night alone in their dormitory may be the start of an outlet they need to ease each other's troubles.

find my friends (ao3) - mackerel_cheese G, 2k

Summary: Or: Remus is lonely and tests out their new map to look for his friends.

Or, or: The proof of concept for a prototype interactive Marauders Map workskin I’m making poorly disguised as a Choose Your Own Adventure fluff fic. Click away, my friends.

Ink-Stained Parchment (ao3) - ohmygodshesinsane james/lily T, 981

Summary: Lily Evans finds a suspicious - and suspiciously familiar - slip of parchment as she tidies up the Head students’ office.

Magical Birthday Surprises (ao3) - GoddessSerephina G, 641

Summary: Harry sends Fred and George some extra special gifts on the twins twenty-third birthday.

Marked by Fate (ao3) - StarflameInTheSky G, 1k

Summary: After becoming Animagi, the Marauders embark on their first adventure in their animal forms. When they discover matching soulmarks, they learn more about their connections than they ever imagined.

Marauders for the Month (ao3) - lishiee pandora/lily, regulus/james T, 75k

Summary: Pandora comes into possession of a strange piece of parchment and brings it to one, Lily Evans. Once Lily, Marlene, Mary, and Pandora figure out that it is in fact a map, of the entire school, they can't just return it to its rightful owners, can they? They might as well have some fun with it while they can.

Mischief Managed (ao3) - Lia_Bones T, 1k

Summary: A few weeks after the end of the war, Hermione and Harry are cleaning up Grimmauld Place and find the Marauders' Map. In doing so, they come to a painful realization.

My Time Apart (ao3) - bearwithmeasitryandfinishthings G, 3k

Summary: Harry isn’t as upset as he pretends to be after McGonagall denied him the privilege to visit Hogsmeade.

He has always taken advantage of the lower student population to hide himself away and age regress, and now that his friends and year mates are gone too, he’ll have an easier time of it.

When Fred and George come to find him to give him the good news, that he can in fact go to Hogsmeade, with the Marauders’ Map they’ve decided to pass down to him, they find him already regressed, and give him something better.

Passing Down a Tradition (ao3) - SnarkyGranger1 harry/ginny G, 371

Summary: Harry passes the map over to Teddy.

Percy's Secret (ao3) - Manuri penelope/percy T, 2k

Summary: Even in their first year Fred and George get into trouble frequently. Percy, freshly appointed prefect, is one of their biggest obstacles. While trying to get leverage over him, they stumble upon his biggest secret.

Slow but steady (ao3) - Anonymous regulus/james G, 636

Summary: Remus takes pride in being the observant one in their group. He may be a little bit slow sometimes but he will get to the bottom line eventually.

There's Always Time for Mischief (ao3) - sliebman10 G, 4k

Summary: Fred and George are looking for a place to hide from Filch. In their haste to hide, they are sent back to 1977, where they encounter the Marauders. The six trouble makers put their heads together to figure out how to send Fred and George to their present. In doing so, they acquire something precious: the Marauder's Map.

[auntie-browning]

✏ again :3

Send ✏ (or "PENCIL") for mun to write about a muse they thought about trying to roleplay or one they are already roleplaying outside Tumblr RPC.

||: The next muse I want to showcase is going to be an OC. I know that OCs aren’t exactly special by all manners of speaking but I did want to try a different ethos with them. Mostly the idea of a transformative muse that can be collaborative effort for both myself and maybe you who are reading this. It’s a bit much but humor me by following me down.

Before them stood another door beside the last one that had been broken through thanks to the efforts of a certain pink haired leviathan. Opening it (as one should…) reveals a winding staircase of impossible proportions. It’s ending couldn’t be seen anywhere in sight. However, the distance wasn’t all too far. At the end of the path presented a lab like plane, floating in the expanse of the unformed realm of idea.

||: Forgive me a bit, I’m a little paranoid when it comes to showing the things I so I don’t exactly want to show everything yet. Thus, I won’t be showing you the actual muse I had in mind…but two beta versions of them.

||: Meet ∃ or There-Exists if you’re not too familiar with proofs. They’re the prototype digital consciousness testbed I’m still fiddling with. ∃, greet these fair people.

“Greetings, my designation is ∃. I am currently a prototype for a much larger system. With time, I hope to assist USER:TOWER with the creation of this project.”

||: Not much of a talker, I know. It’s a bit of a basic algorithm currently. With time I hope to perfect it and maybe get a precise tune on how mechanical the main muse should be. Considering that the main muse will be a relatively flexible for how others would want them to be, I like to start with a baseline of inhuman before moving into granting them a personality.

||: Now, an AI is pretty bog-standard kind of character considering Browning is also technically an AI as well. So, what gives? We’ll, I’ll direct you to the other prototype I have around. Its designation is ¬∃! which I’ll let you all figure out what that means.

Before them now stood a container filled to the brim with a metallic substance similar to the property of the element Mercury. When moved, it ripples around, diffracting any reflection of light around. Inevitably, it returns to a state of balance once more.

||: Liquid metal, memetic poly-alloy, grey goo…nanomachines, son…The label doesn’t exactly matter so much that this will be what their body will be composed of. The composition since their inception was of a new generation of “smart armors” similar to the US Army’s ill-fated Land Warrior and Future Force Warrior programs…if a little more fantastical. However, the project would go a little off the rails and well…the creation would be a mechanical life from that would be capable of acting with semi-independence within the battlespace.

||: I could go more in depth about the certain background lore explanations for these kinds of things but I feel like when I do make the blog for them, I will have it published there for others to read. The meta reason for this is mostly because: A) I think its cool and B) this body will actually help with molding the character into a specific narrative angle if one wants to exploit that. From supernatural fluff to actual terror inducing horrors beyond our comprehension. Very flexible…and to be honest, this OC was created for that express interest. Having a flexible muse to play different roles with ease.

||: Once I do start actually pouring my heart and soul into them then I can give more concrete ideas and rules to govern how they should operate. Until then, I hope you enjoyed kind of reading through this little ramble.

||:Now go on, shoo! I have things to do!

[ao3feed-blakeyang]

The Tragic Hero In Remnant

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/M5VyYFA by lunar_lunatics (Inspired by BurgerNoTomatoes on Wattpad, Promised(reluctant) Victory in Remnant) Being a hero is the worst. The human spirit reacts differently from tragic stories to stories with happy endings. If you end up with a happy one people will riot and hate you. And if you get a tragic one, chances are people will make fun of you. So no matter what your life will be nothing but a joke. And this is the base line of my belief, being a hero is stupid and so is anyone who wants to be one. So why the hell do I have to be the worst kind of hero!!! Words: 6073, Chapters: 3/?, Language: English Fandoms: RWBY, Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works abridged Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F, F/M Characters: Ruby Rose (RWBY), Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Ozpin (RWBY), Neopolitan (RWBY), Team RWBY, Original RWBY Character(s), Creatures of Grimm (RWBY), Original Male Character(s), Cú Chulainn | Lancer, Cú Chulainn | Caster, Cú Chulainn Alter | Berserker, Cú Chulainn | Lancer (Fate/Prototype), Chibi Cú Chulainn Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Yang Xiao Long/Original Male Character(s), Blake Belladonna/Original Male Character(s), Blake Belladonna/Original Male Character(s)/Yang Xiao Long Additional Tags: Polyamory, Slow Burn, Kinda, sorta - Freeform, greedy, System, Tragic Hero System, Tragic Hero, Action/Adventure, Romance, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, wowie, More tags to be added, No Beta we die like Roman Torchwick, Bi wife energy, bi mc, Bi Blake Belladona, Bi Yang Xiao Long, Hair Brushing, Hair Braiding, Hair, Isekai and Transmigration, mc needs a hug, Everyone Needs A Hug, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, possessive, Idiots in Love read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/M5VyYFA

[jcakins]

If YOU like Jekyll/Tatsumi fics you should read mine maybe :3c

Sci-fi AU beach episode with Jekyll & Hyde appearing as twins. Antics, a bit of fluff, and Hyde getting walloped by a giant space squid what's not to like really

[nasuversekinkmeme]

Weekly Roundup: Prompts (June 19-June 26)

Fate/Prototype

Considering Misaya Reiroukanseems to have such an affinity for dogs - she seems to be the type to be into petplay. She and Ayaka should have some fun together.

Kara no Kyoukai

shiki imposing the concept of death onto the possibility of being cucked via mikiya framed as her cucking every azaka in every timeline at once

Tsukihime

Turns out the real reason we never saw the Aylesbury Valesti in the Original Tsukihime timeline was because someone built a Tesco's over the ritual point and the giant Dead Apostle Ancestors involved simply couldn't fit inside. Altrouge is not particularly happy with this development, of course.

Melty Blood

Since we have child Sion in FGO now, can we get something with Satsuki and Riesbyfe taking care of her?

Fate/zero

I want to see Iri in yoga pants but with her ass completely missing.

kerry summons his counter-guardian self , grail war speed run ensues. making this a selfcest porn with plot fic is optional

Fate/Stay night

fate stay night but instead of Shirou summoning Saber he summons Castoria. corgi moment.

Saber discovers there are effects to constantly gorging yourself on food, and begins to put on weight. Thankfully Shirou seems to be into BBW and not just UBW

Something with Arthur and Lucius Tiberius

Fem!Shinji from that one gender swap art of Taiga she was in the background of/Fem!Shirou from that same art

Fate/Hollow Ataraxia

Smut, necrophilia Angra has sex with Bazett's dead body

Fate/Extra

BB gets punished for her crimes (hacked to run Doom)

Smut, BB gets a computer virus! It's not designed for her OS, so it definitely doesn't do anything to her. ... clothes? What are clothes? She's never heard of clothes before, and if she had, she definitely wouldn't have ever worn them. They'd get in the way of her life's purpose of having a dick up her ass as often as possible!

Smut, Passionlip serves as the Comfiest Seat! Firm abs, soft pillowy chest to lean against, thick cock buried up inside her Master who's now stuck there and paraded around as Passionlip goes about her day like nothing is wrong...

Fate/Apocrypha

mordred should get to stab the people that misgender him.

FGO

Gudao and Ryougi Shiki go on a date (or what he considers a date) and the entire time Shiki talks about how much she loves Mikiya and how she hopes to see him again

Oberon, Castoria, and Muramasa are all handcuffed to each other for a week. Chaos ensures.

Smut, fergus n medb showing emiya some celtic 'hospitality'. while scathach watch. emiya might not survive the night. (framed as cucking cu)

Smut, Gilgamesh and Enkidu explictly framed as cucking Ishtar and being the original base for the concept of cucking as a whole

fou hunts merlin for sport and looney tunes shenanigans ensue

Smut, Dury gay sex with Karna and Ash. Or Arjuna and Bhima. Take your pick.

Smut, i need li shuwen training-turned-fucking ritsuka like i need oxygen. extra love for emphasis on the teaching element.

Wholesome fluff of Mephistopheles baking brownies with Grandma Europa

Jeanne crosses swords with an Avenger class Gilles, who was the result of an alternate history where he never killed any children but was framed by the church to discredit him due to being too strong of a supporter of the holy woman they executed

it turns out that Fou didn't accompany ritsuka & mash to Lb6 because of a hatred of fairies , instead , he got rayshifted to a singularity & now has to clear said singularity himself. since the grail at core of the singularity is his only ticket home , fou semi-reluctantly steps up as a master . note for the prompt filler : the servants & plot of the singularity are largely your call . and if you want to give fou his own mystic codes , i'd recommend fou's attire in the detective fou-mes CE to be his equivalent to ritsuka's atlas academy MC.

We all know how much of a raging mad-on that Penthesilea, the Berserker of El Dorado, has for Achilles. Which means that when Achilles winds up being summoned to Chaldea, the Master has the unenviable task of keeping Chaldea from being torn apart when Penth inevitably learns about her archenemy's arrival.

well parvati's screwed once Kali & durga are summoned.

gudako is trapped in a singularity/lostbelt/situation which can only be escaped by relaxing and taking at least one goddamn break

magi mari handshake event for romani's birthday(he does not question how she got into chaldea in spite of the incineration of humanity or where merlin has gone)

the real dobryna is summoned to chaldea. and turns out the reason he's in the pretender class is because he's not actually a kemonomimi servant , dude's faking it b/c he feels out of place in his family. gudako , upon learning this information proceeds to go get this guy therapy , even if she's gotta carry him to the office herself.

Morgan and Castoria discuss whether the two of them having sex with each other counts as Selfcest or Incest with Guda(gender irrelevant), before saying fuck it and going whole hog without a care. Guda can either leave or join, doesn't really matter.

Gudao crawls into Passionlip’s breasts during a high stress situation and just relaxes, Passionlip covers for him until he’s ready to come out

Da Vinci, Solomon, Sheba and Merlin/Magi Mari all in a polycule

Smut, Melusine after getting caught out in the rain has to ask for help from Barghest to get through Chaldea with her now soaked and transparent clothes. Barghest however now has to deal with the ungodly primordial urge to FUCK her with her cock. Up to the writer if she gives in or not but bonus points if Melusine turns out to be into it and makes it harder for Barghest to resist.

guda after years of training in magecraft manages their first spell: penis blast

Either Morgan somehow makes it back to her Throne at the end of part 2 and ends up slaughtering all the traitors who attacked her in her throne room, before promptly saying "Hey sorry" to Guda and Castoria before they all try negotiations again and work something out. OR. The summonable Morgan sees what the fuckers did to her lostbelt self as well as her adopted daughter, and, with Guda, Castoria and the rest of Chaldea as backup, goes to fuckin town on the fuckers. Neither of these would stop what happens next, but it'd be cathartic.

Koyanskaya of Light is summoned to Chaldea by Ritsuka Fujimaru. However, she got summoned WAY too early, and now has to assist her new Master in preventing the incineration of Proper Human History and resolving the Seven Singularities. This would be a lot easier if she didn't have to constantly worry about her lies about being one of the Tamamo Nine being exposed, or accidentally causing a time paradox or creating a Singularity out of this timeline due to acting on her knowledge of the Future. TLDR; Koyanskaya's misadventures being summoned by a newbie Master. For bonus points, because Alaya CLEARLY has it out for her or something, newbie!Ritsuka somehow also manages to summon both Ashiya Douman and Rasputin, so now Koyanskaya has to keep her coworkers from causing all sorts of mischief, which is distressingly often.

Paper Moon!Lev summoned Lan Ling because he was secure enough in his heterosexuality that he would not be effected by the servant's famous beauty. He was wrong.

in honor of melusine and barghest proving the servants do eat the mats you use on them (or at least some of them), servant mukbang serving embers and such. any servant you want and the stuff they need but i would like to see it. hear what they think of this stuff

Beast Guda but they're not a threat to humanity because their servants become their impulse control and push them away from any ideas that screw over humanity. For example, Guda: "With the amount of grails we have on stock I could wish for paradise for humans!" Morgan: "My husband. You forget those grails are for Melusine and Jack." (They're not she's making it up) Later... Guda: "I'm off to make a singularity to test some things out." EMIYA *with a spray bottle*: "oh no you don't! Oh no you don't!"

The otaku Servants are arguing over whose taste in anime is superior, and things are getting violent. Gudao is called to intervene, but he instead makes things worse because one of those HEATHENS had the gall to insult one of his favorite mecha anime. One thing led to another, and now Chaldea has weekly anime marathon nights, much to the bewilderment of the staff. Unbeknownst to everyone else, this was all planned out from the very beginning, and Gudao was in cahoots with the otaku Servants the entire time.

During a mission with Guda, Saber Gilles is ordered to protect some civilians that are under attack. One of the civilians includes a child, who thanks the servant for saving them. This gives him a lot of mixed feelings.

Smut, Koyanskaya and Murian hot sex. Who says that pleasure can’t mix with business? Bonus points the furrier and larger Koyanskaya is in comparison to Murian tiny body.

Summer Kiara learns that's not what people mean by "fuck the police".

FGO, again

Baobhan Sith was already blindsided by Morgan being married to Guda, but she was especially not prepared to suddenly get a stepsibling, let alone Jack the Ripper. Bonus points for her coming around in the end and loving her little sis.

incest, Can I ask for some Morgan/Baobhan Sith? It doesn't have to be healthy or even requited, I just want fucked up fairy incest.

Blackbeard gets shot out of the chen gong cannon and dies to death

The various child servants (Jack, Paul Bunyan, Voyager, etc.) plan and have a tea party picnic! There's implications of some kind of Abject Chaos in the background that goes uncommented on because the kids aren't involved and are too busy planning their picnic to care.

Mash/Morgan reunion fic but the reason Morgan remembers Mash is that no one else eats her pussy the way Mash does.

Smut, I would give anything to have Guda and Kama gentle/tender sex because that feels accurate for them

Smut, Quetzalcoatl dicking Kukulkan down and Kukulkan laying eggs afterwards

via intense training chadbeard our best bro figures out how to erase shitty memebeard lolicon dirtbag from all realities so we never have to deal with him again

Any fandom

the servant install system from prilya was severely underutilized.

In the vein of legendary machines coming back as Servants, the Titanic comes back and sees this shitshow.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

An Eldritch Justice

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/OZGcLml by WingsOfShadows Reincarnated into the DC universe. Our blob of Eldritch nightmare will attempt to exist in the universe she loved watching growing up, maybe save a few people along the way. A power fantasy OC-insert who knows the plot. OC is overpowered and knows it, will mostly focus on the slice of life aspects of living in a DC universe. There will be plenty of action as we go along, it's a living, breathing universe after all. Words: 10290, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Young Justice - All Media Types, Prototype (Video Games) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Original Female Character(s), Members of the Team (Young Justice), Robin (DCU), Batman, Klarion (DCU), Doctor Fate, Captain Marvel, Alfred Pennyworth Additional Tags: Self-Insert, Reincarnation, Isekai and Transmigration, Eldritch, Overpowered Protagonist, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Angst, Mostly Fluff, Eldritch Abomination, Reincarnated as a Monster, Updating tags as we go, oc-insert, Gender-Bending OC, Power Fantasy, Prototype powers, Shapeshifting read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/OZGcLml

[marblesphere]

Fate/Alternate Reality (Part 1)

My version of what happened in the Fifth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki and the aftermath. This is sorta self insert fanfic, feel free to change the mc's name.

!!Warning!! Tooth rotting fluff, angst, suggestive theme, violence.

Happy Reading

Part 2

“…a little more… just a little more… I got it!” my small hand makes contact with a thick book in my late father’s study. It’s a book that contains a lot of pretty circles. I just love seeing those pretty things.

And so, today too, I am going to draw the pretty circle and play with it. “Today’s picture is…” I flip open the book to see which one caught my attention today. “…this! I am going to draw this!”

Humming a song, I draw the pretty circle on the floor. ‘Better finish this before Yume-san comes…’

Yume-san, is my guardian… at least until I am 18 years old. Papa and Mama are not here anymore… so… their assets will be inherited by me when I grow up. For now, my school fee will be directly paid each month by Yume-san and I will get my weekly allowance. Yume-san always plays with me if she has spare time… but…

‘I am a little lonely…’

“It’s done!” I cheer as I look at the finished drawing. “So pretty!!!” I gush as I run around the circle. “Let’s see what kind of pretty circle is this…” I look at the book again.

“…servant summoning circle…?” I tilt my head at the words. “…what is a servant?” a light bulb appears in my head. “At a time like this… here it is, dictionary!!”

“Servant… servant…” I search for the word in the dictionary. “Servant… a person who is employed in another person’s house, doing jobs such as cooking and cleaning.”

“Cooking and cleaning…” I gasp in realization. “It’s maid-san!”

“Amazing! This pretty circle calls out a maid-san.” My eyes sparkled. “If…if maid-san lives with me… then, I won’t be lonely anymore.” my small brain made that conclusion. “Yosh! Let’s call the maid-san.”

“I wonder what kind of maid-san will appear. I hope she is super pretty… she will become a super maid-san.”

Let the silver and steel be the essence

Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation

Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall

Let the four cardinal gates close

Come out from the crown

Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom

Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill

Repeat five times

But when each is filled, destroy it

Let it be declared now

Your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your swords

Submit to the beckoning of Holy Grail

Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth

An oath shall be sworn here

I shall attain all virtues of the Heaven

I shall have dominion over all evils of Hell

From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power

Come forth from the ring of restraint,

O Guardian of the Scales

A small whirlwind suddenly picks up around the pretty circle as it starts to shine. “Eh?”

It shines brighter and brighter until I can’t see anything. And when the wind dies down… someone is standing in the midst of the pretty circle. “Super…maid-san…?”

“Who summoned a needless servant like…me…” super maid-san bends down his tall body to look at me. “A… kid…?”

“I am Rein. Mutsuki Rein. Nice to meet you, Super Maid-san.” ~”~

Brown coloured big doe eyes and long wavy black hair with brown tips. ‘This… no matter how I see this… is not my own appearance.’

The assimilation is getting faster recently. ‘Well, if worse comes to worse…’

“Rein-chan?”

“Nothing.” I shake my head.

“It’s finally time.”

“Don’t be so nervous, Hakuno.” I giggle at her.

“How can I not be nervous? This Holy Grail War and mine are so much different.”

“The difference is only on how it was conducted,” I reply.

“But…”

“Don’t worry. Don’t worry. I will win this war and we will get our wishes granted.” I smile.

“Okay…”

“Come forth from the ring of restraint, O Guardian of the Scales.” The summoning circle shines bright and then fades away.

“Oh, Ar… who are you?” I ask the servant in front of me.

“That should be my question. Are you my mas…”

The servant in front of me is a man, in his late twenties with his tanned skin and slicked back white hair. Wearing red mystic code. This servant is…

“Archer…” my mouth moves on its own and I quickly clamp it shut. ‘As I thought, it’s not my Archer, it’s her Archer.’

“You are… How?!” he grabs my shoulders and I hiss at the sudden pain. “I apologize, Master.”

“Rein. My name is Mutsuki Rein. Your master in this Holy Grail War.”

“I am Archer…”

“I know.” I nod. “Let me take you to your room.” ~”~

“This is Holy Grail…?” I gape, looking at the big floating chalice that keeps pouring out black mud.

“Tsk. So it’s a corrupted grail after all. Fall back, Master. I’ll destroy that thing.” Archer summons Kanshou and Bakuya.

“But!” I open my mouth to protest.

“This is not the time to make a wish! The black mud will destroy everything it touches!” Archer growls as he engages in a fight with black mud. “Rin! Take care of my idiot master!”

“Eh? Ha?!” Rin is perplexed by the sudden command.

‘Then, what about my wish…’ I clench my fist.

“Rein, there’s no time standing here. We’re going to the bank before the mud reaches us.” Rin urged.

“…” my mind is conflicted. ‘Is there really no way for this grail to grant my wish?’

“Hurry up!” Rin snapped, unaware of the mud that had slithered right behind her.

“Rin!” I pushed her out of the way. ‘No! If that touches me, the two of us will die!’ my mind quickly turns as I use magic to push another soul out of my body.

*Stab*

A piercing pain shot through my body. The mud tentacle pierces through my chest. “Not…Yet…” I coughed up blood. Using my last strength, I transfer my command seals to her, Kishinami Hakuno-san. ‘I hope… at least she got her wish granted.’ I closed my eyes, welcoming the darkness. ~”~

“REIN!!” Rin yelled in horror as she saw Rein suddenly split into two and one of them was stabbed by the mud.

Her shout is heard by Archer. The servant quickly turns back to check his master and Rin, only to be shocked by the phenomenal sight. “No…way…” He muttered. Archer is running back to his master’s supposed safe zone, but in his mind only one thought running through, ‘Why is she here?’

She, Kishinami Hakuno. His previous master in another Holy Grail war. She is supposed to be an NPC made according to the data of the real Kishinami Hakuno. An irregular that had already been deleted by Moon Cell. So, how can she appear here? With a body no less…

‘No, that’s not a body.’

That’s just a materialized spirit much like a Heroic Spirit does. But why and how could she possess his current master? Is it because his current master is somehow her ancestor or predecessor or they are linked in a way or another, considering how much they look alike?

“Master.” Archer landed on the ground. “What…” His eyes widened.

“Re-Rein… What…how come…. Which one is Rein?” Rin panicked, looking at the two fainted females.

On the ground, instead of two look-alike females, one of the girls looks completely different. Instead of long wavy brown hair like his previous master, her long hair is as black as night. Not only that, even her face has changed into a completely different person. There’s nothing alike with his previous master, even her faint lingering magic also changed. Another thing that captures his attention is the command spells that are carved in his previous master’s hand.

“Hnnn….” Hakuno groaned before opening her eyes. “Re-Rein-chan!” She quickly scrambled to her feet.

“Hakuno…” Archer breathed out.

Hakuno turns her head, finding Archer staring at her. She can clearly see a lot of emotions reflected in his eyes. “Archer…” Her voice is barely above a whisper. How much she yearns to see her beloved again.

“Archer! Behind you!!” Rin’s warning snapped them out of their daze.

Archer quickly slashes the approaching mud.

“I know you have a lot of questions, but ask them later. We must deal with that first.” Hakuno also regained her composure.

“I know. Let’s go” Archer too, composed himself again. ‘Right. First, we need to destroy that thing. Everything else will come later.’

“Rin, can you heal Rein-chan?” Hakuno turned to the confused Rin.

“Mou… I don’t know what’s happening anymore. You better explain clearly later.” Rin said as she pulled out her gems.

But fighting a corrupted grail is no small task, the mud is unending as it keeps overflowing from the grail. “Archer, use your Noble Phantasm,” Hakuno said.

“If I were to use that, you’d disappear,” Archer argued. Using Noble Phantasm required a lot of mana supply from the master. He finally meets her again, there’s no way he’ll let her slip out again.

“Don’t worry. I won’t disappear. I promise.” Hakuno smiled. Yes, Rein has supplied part of her mana to herself every day. That’s why she can materialise her body.

“But-”

Suddenly magic circle appears beneath Rein’s body. “Wh-what’s going on now?!” Rin shielded her eyes from the gust formed around the magic circle. A book flies out from rubbles near them, floating right above the also float-standing Rein. The book opens by itself and the pages are turning with incredible speed.

“System activated.” A mechanical voice came out from the book.

“W-wha?!”

“Magic circuits scan complete.”

“Magic circuits condition all green.”

“Magic circuits connection complete.”

“Synchro percentage 100%.”

“Link complete.”

“Excellion Palladias, activate,” Rein said softly.

“Ignition.” Mana gathers around her, enveloping her in half sphere of light and suddenly bursts out, creating a pillar of light. As the light dissipates bit by bit. The fatal injury on her stomach is completely healed. Even the clothes have been mended. When her eyes opened, they were not the brown doe eyes like they used to see, instead her eyes were vivid purple, like a gemstone . ~”~

‘I can feel the mana is welling up inside me. A familiar and nostalgic sensation.’ I can feel how my magic circuits work and the flow of the mana even more clear than usual. It’s as if my body had woken up from a deep sleep. I softly land on the ground. The Grimoire is floating on my right hand.

The black mud is starting to attack again as it senses a new threat. I hold out my left hand, creating a magic circle which deflects the incoming attack.

“Niflheim.” Icicles formed around me and shot toward the mud, freezing it. But it only affects a small part. ‘I need more time to cast powerful spell.’

I narrow my eyes. Another bigger magic circle appears on the ground few steps ahead of me. “Servant summoning.”

“Summoning.” The mechanical voice of the book repeats. The magic circle glows brighter and brighter, creating a small whirlwind.

“Come, my servant.” Another pillar of light shoots up to the sky, and now standing in front of me is a familiar red figure… and another hooded servant. ‘??? …how come two of them came out when it’s supposed to be only one.’ I blinked my eyes rapidly.

“Which master summoned a needless servant like me.” The red figure spoke in a familiar manner and voice. “…That’s what I want to say. But this is the first time I have been summoned while facing a corrupted grail.” He leered. The hooded figure beside him is also staring at the Grail.

“You know Archer, you really should change your first words to Master. For example, ‘Defender of Justice is here!’ or ‘I will fight for your sake’.”

“What kind of creepy lines are that?! And just for your information, I am not some kind of defender of justice.” Archer turns his head to look at me.

“Are you my…master…?” Archer trailed off.

“You are… Saber?” I focused my attention on the hooded figure.

“Yes. I am Saber.” The hooded figure answered.

“Oi! Don’t ignore me!” Archer raised his voice.

“Oi oi oi. What kind of joke is this?” Archer (Nameless) frowned.

“T-there are two Archers…” Rin gaped.

“…the explanation will take a lot of time. I will explain it later. Besides, your first word is supposed to be ‘You’ve grown up’ or ‘Nice to see you again’… Well, I guess the nature of the summoning makes it impossible to retain any memories from previous war…” I sighed in disappointment.

“Hm… that face… no, I do somehow remember the memories of my previous summon…” Archer murmured. “You are…”

“Eh? You remember?! Why?!” It’s my turn to be surprised.

“Umm… Rein-chan, I think it’s better to focus on the Grail first…” Hakunon raises her hand.

“Ah, that’s right,” I said flatly.

“Don’t answer like you just remember it!” Archer (Nameless) exclaimed.

“Haa… I can’t believe my luck.” Archer sighed at his unfortunate situation.

“Aren’t you being a little mean to me?” I pout. “Well, whatever.” I sigh. “Archer, Saber, buy me some time. I will freeze the whole grail.”

“Roger, Master.” They replied.

The temperature around me drops drastically, a white puff of breath becomes visible and frost begins to form as more mana condenses. And then I shoot the condensed mana to the Grail, freezing it. Part of the frozen mud breaks off, revealing the core.

“Destroy it!”

My two servants are quick in their actions. The moment the core shatters, the mud slowly recedes and vanishes, leaving no trace at all. The only evidence of it was the destroyed properties around us.

“Good…work…” I suddenly feel all my strength leaves me and my consciousness is fading. ‘Still…need…to…explain.’  ~”~

“Good…work…” Rein swayed and collapsed as she finished her words, which fortunately was caught by the good reflex of the hooded knight.

“…Master, you can’t just faint like this. You still need to explain to us.” Archer sighed and picked up the fallen grimoire.

“Let’s go to Rein-chan’s house first. I’ll explain what I know.” Hakuno spoke up.

“Then I am going too. I have a lot of questions, especially about you and those two Archers.” Rin huffed. ~”~

The guests are seated on the sofas in the living room while Hakuno is taking a look at the storage, given her and Rein’s last conversation was, ‘Storage room, effigy for you.’

In the living room, Rin is looking back and forth at the two Archers. Somehow, the atmosphere is quite awkward.

“It feels weird seeing another me.” Archer sighed.

“Agreed. We always got to draw short sticks.” Archer (Nameless) nodded.

“You said it. I have a lot of questions to ask, but my master is still asleep. Yare yare… even though she understood the situation the most, at least I think so. But I never thought I would be summoned again, by the same master no less.” Archer said.

“You-”

“Sorry for the wait.” Hakuno came back to the living room.

“Master, are you alright?” Archer (Nameless) asked.

“I am fine.” She smiled.

“Your body…” Rin pursed her lips.

“Ah, Rein prepared an effigy for me. From now on, this will be my body.” Hakuno said.

“I see… Then, can you start explaining about this situation?” Rin flicks her hair.

“By the way, that Saber over there. Are you going to stay anonymous?” Archer told him.

“Ah. My apology.” Saber took off his hood, causing gasps of surprise from the others.

“Sa-Saber?” Rin pointed at him.

“Yes. I am Saber.” Saber nodded.

“No. That’s not what I mean. You… aren’t you a girl?” Rin gaped.

“Girl? I am sure I was born and raised as a man.”  Saber blinked.

“But you are…” King Arthur. The last word stuck in her throat.

“Did you mistake me for someone else?” Saber asked.

“Saber, is your true name, by chance King Arthur?” Archer looked at him.

“Yes. That’s true. My True Name is Arthur Pendragon, the King of Britain.” Saber affirmed.

“The King Arthur I know is a girl.” Archer’ knitted his brows.

“I see… so, this world’s Arthur is a girl,” Saber muttered.

“This world…?” They repeated the word.

“Yes. The girl Saber you know and I share the same past and legend with me, but we are different people. You can say I am King Arthur from a different world.” Saber said.

“It’s getting more and more complicated.” Rin sighed.

“Agreed, but we can sum up the most important point is she and he are different people. That much is certain.” Archer sighed.

“Then, don’t tell me you and her also came from a different world.” Rin raises her brow, looking at another Archer (Nameless) and Hakuno

“You could say it like that.” Archer nodded.

“The question is, how did you two come here? Saber might have to do with the summon system Master used. But you two…” Archer looked at them.

“If it’s about that, I’ll explain.” Hakuno finally spoke up.

“My name is Kishinami Hakuno and I was a winner of a Holy Grail War in my world. My contracted servant at that time is Archer. Our war was done inside virtual reality. We enter cyberspace and participate in the war.”

“The cyberspace we entered was not on Earth. It was in Moon.” Archer supplied.

“Moon?” The others blinked.

“Yeah... in the Moon, there is a massive collection of photonic crystals that comprises a giant supercomputer of sorts. We call it Moon Cell. The Moon Cell is the Holy Grail.” Archer (Nameless) explained.

“Wait a minute. Then it’s different from the grail we destroyed just now.” Rin knitted her brows.

“Yes. Actually, rather than getting Moon Cell itself, we gained the right to use Moon Cell after we won the war. And the war itself is different. In our world, each participant will enter the arena and have one on one battle, the last one standing will be the winner of the war.” Hakuno said.

“Then how can it grant a wish?” Rin frowned.

“Those two are still wish-granting devices but, since Moon Cell and the Holy Grail are fundamentally different, so the way of using them is also different. There’s no need to think too hard. In the first place, we also don’t really know the true nature of the Holy Grail.” Archer said.

“True…nature?” Saber mutters softly as he tries to remember something. Something that seems to be missing from his memories.

“What’s wrong, Saber?” Archer asked the dazed Saber.

“No… nothing. I was just thinking too much.” Saber shook his head.

“But unlike the life and death battle royal here. Your war is quite tame.” Archer said.

“I wonder about that. The losers of the war will be deleted from cyberspace and their real body will be eliminated as well.” Archer (Nameless) sneered.

“Haaa…. I take that back. No matter where it is, the nature of the Holy Grail War is still like that… Ruthless.” Archer sighed.

“I’ll continue my story. As the winner of the war, I was granted the right to use the Moon Cell. But at the same time, the Moon Cell recognized me as invalid data.” Hakuno took a deep breath.

“Invalid data? Bug?” Archer narrowed his eyes.

“The reason being, I was just an NPC which somehow gained awareness.”

“NPC? You mean, you aren’t….” Rin looked at her wide-eyed.

“Yes. I am not a human. I was an NPC made according to the data of the real Kishinami Hakuno, who is in hibernation due to brain disease. But strangely enough, in the preliminary round, Moon Cell approved me to join the war. My wish at that time was to learn about myself since I didn’t remember everything. But in the end, I was deleted due to being invalid data, since it took time to delete me due to the contradiction caused by the frozen body in the real world. I have time to enter my wish, to know the truth about me and send the information of my other half to Rin.” Hakuno said.

“Me?” Rin pointed to herself.

“The Rin in my world.” Hakuno smiled. “And I thought that would be the end of me. But the next moment I woke up, I was in some kind of dark place. I kept calling for someone but no one answered me, until one day I heard a reply.”

“I see, the one who replied to you is…”

“Yes. It was Rein-chan. The moment Rein-chan replied to my call, an exit appeared in that dark place. I thought I would get out of that place only to find I was inside Rein-chan’s body.” Hakuno finished.

“I understand how you were linked to Rein’s body. But how do you explain about her appearance? She looked exactly like you.” Rin said.

“This is only my hypothesis, it might be part of me still connected to the Moon Cell and at that time I wished I had a body, that might be the cause of how her appearance changed to be like mine. Rather, that’s the only plausible explanation.” Hakuno gripped her hands tightly. “And as for Archer being summoned here… must be because of me too.”

“This is really unbelievable…” Rin put her hand on her forehead.

“Haa… I also couldn’t believe this. At first, I thought she was related to you or something. But her personality is 180 degrees the opposite of you. But… she looked like she had a personality change after separating from you…” Archer (Nameless) frowned.

“Personality change? I thought she was still the same as 10 years ago.” Archer blinked.

“No, she’s definitely different. When she still looked like Hakuno, she was really handful, so haughty, arrogant, selfish, easily throwing tantrums and egoist.” Archer (Nameless) described.

“You sure you are talking about the same Master? How come I feel like you are talking about Rin instead.” Archer sweatdropped.

“Hey, how rude! I am a Tohsaka. A Tohsaka is always elegant.” Rin snapped. “I am not rude or selfish. Well, I don’t really know her well before the war but… she was very contradictory…” Rin said.

“Contradictory?” they tilt their heads.

“…It was like she was suddenly hot and cold to her servant,” Rin said. “…No, not only to her servant, she sometimes is contradictory in everything…”

“I bet the cold part was Rein.” Archer lets out a wry smile. “But handful is an exact word how to describe her, and I am afraid she’ll be getting more handful to handle.” Archer sighed.

“Rein-chan originally is a gentle girl. The reason her personality changed is because of me.” Hakuno bit her lip.

“You?” Archer knitted his brows.

“Yes. Think about it. You were possessed by another soul, and because of that, your original appearance changed and then that soul’s feeling influenced your own. Rein’s change is because she was trying to protect herself and draw boundaries between her and me.” Hakuno said.

“But that doesn’t mean she has to change her personality…. I see… it was my fault, huh…” Archer mocked himself.

“I see. I have a grasp of it.” Archer nodded.

“What do you mean? I don’t understand at all.” Rin frowned.

“Because I didn’t see her as Mutsuki Rein,” Archer said.

“Haaaa?”

“My actions thus far were treating her like my previous master, Hakuno. Given their similar appearance, I unconsciously treated her as such and if she did something different than what Hakuno should have done, I would feel uncomfortable. She might have seen through it from the start and she was trying to instil that she was in fact not Hakuno. It doesn’t help that sometimes Hakuno’s feeling spills out, thus the hot and cold treatment to me. How pathetic, I couldn’t even face my master properly….” He sighed forlornly.

“This is Rein we are talking about. If you apologize to her, she’ll definitely forgive you. Though there might be a consequence, she’s just unpredictable like that.” Archer sweatdropped at the last sentence.

“I see… Okay, I understood most of the situation already. It’s already late too. It’s time for me to go home.” Rin stood up and stretched her hands up.

“You are going home now?!” Hakuno blinked.

“Of course. I’ll come back tomorrow. I need time to process this information.” She sighed.

“But, it’s already late and it’s dangerous.” Hakuno frowned.

“She’s right, Rin. It’s better for you to stay here. Besides, we might need your help in case something happens.” Archer agreed.

“…You are a slave driver, you know what?” Rin stares at him with a deadpanned look. “...Fine. I’ll stay for the night.” Rin gives in in the end.

“I’ll arrange the guest room.” Archer stood up.

“You knew her house well.” Rin blinked at Archer's natural host-like movement.

“Didn’t I tell you I was summoned by her 10 years ago?” Archer said.

“You did say that…Wait… 10 years ago… the fourth Holy Grail War…” Rin stared at him wide-eyed.

“Yeah… But she didn’t participate in it. I was summoned here accidentally, at that time the war had begun and she herself refused to enter the war.” Archer explained.

“Hmm… Then why did she suddenly enter the war this time?” Rin blinked, she didn’t understand. It might be because she now has a wish to be granted.

“She might be, probably, no, certainly entered this war to grant her wish.” Archer turned his head to Hakuno. The said female nods her head confirming the suspicion.

“Haa? She entered a war for another people's wish?!” Rin’s jaw dropped. “Unbelievable. She risked her life to grant another person's wish.” Rin’s head is throbbing now due to the very unpredictable fact she was revealed to.

“She’s unprecedented. That’s our master.” Archer said as he had given all hope concerning his master.

“Pfftt….” Saber is trying his best to hold his laugh. That’s indeed true. He has met a lot of people and there was someone that fits into this ‘unpredictable’ category in his era. Someone he holds dear.

“By the way, I just remember this,” Rin said suddenly causing everyone's attention to focus on her.

“The war should have ended because we had destroyed the grail. So why are you all still here?” Rin blinked.

“Usually, we are sent back to the Thrones of Heroes.” Archer put his hand on his chin. “Might it be because the summoning was done differently?” Archer blinked.

“Rein might know something. Let’s ask her tomorrow.” Rin finally said. In any case, she needs time to process this and she is very tired too. Thus, they bid each other good night and rest in their respective rooms. ~”~

Corpses…

I can see corpses lying everywhere…

The staunch and heavy smell of blood invades my nose…

It’s as if I am standing in that place… even if I know this is just a dream…

The place that was the remnant of a battle…

In the midst of the unmoving corpses…

One person falls to his knees after being pierced with a sword to his stomach…

He won’t last any longer���

And then I see a blurry-faced girl crying…

‘Why… are you crying…?’

‘…Why… am I feeling so sad…?’

A familiar ceiling greets me when I open my eyes. It takes me a while to recognize it. “My…room…” I sat up on my bed and rubbed my eyes. “Yesterday…” Bit by bit yesterday’s memories come back to me. “I see… I summoned Archer.” I blinked. On my nightstand, a familiar book is placed there. “Excellion.” I muttered.

“Good morning, Master.” The book greeted.

“Ah, now that I think about it, you can speak.” I blinked.

“Yes, Master.” It replied.

“Then, good morning Excellion.” I smiled.

“Good morning, Master.” It greeted again.

“Please take care of me, Excellion.” I smiled.

“Likewise, Master.”

I take a quick shower after chatting for a while with Excellion. “Master, are you awake?” a question was heard accompanied by a knock on the door.

“Yes. I am awake.” I tie my hair in a low ponytail and open the door. Coming to my view is a handsome young man with familiar blonde hair and green eyes.

“Good morning, Master.” He smiled.

I blink owlishly at him, “Saber… since when did you become a man?” I asked.

“Yes?” Saber seemed to blank for a moment before he understood my question. “Master, I am the Saber you summoned yesterday.” He smiled.

“The Saber I summoned yesterday?”  I tilted my head.

“Yes.”

“But you really look like the Saber I know. It’s like her gender has swapped.” I said.

“Yes. You can say I am a King Arthur from another world. We are not the same person.” He explained simply.

“Oohh, I see… Hm? How come you know I was talking about the girl King Arthur?” I tilt my head.

“Everyone had the same reaction yesterday when I took off my hood. So, they talked about her a little bit.” He chuckled.

“Ah, no wonder...” I nodded convinced.

“Let’s go downstairs, Master. Breakfast is ready.” Saber smiled.

“Just call me Rein. Even though I summoned you, I’d like us to have a friendship than a master-servant relationship. I feel more comfortable this way.” I said.

“Of course, Rein.” He smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Saber.” I extended my hand to him.

“Nice to meet you too, Rein.” He shook my hand. ~”~

“Good morning.” I come down to the living room with Saber.

“Good morning.” Archer greeted back.

“Rein-chan! Are you alright now?!” Hakuno grabs my shoulders and checks for any leftover injury.

“I am fine. As you can see, I don’t have a scratch at all. How about you?” I smiled.

“I am alright. The effigy is quite comfortable. It’s good you are alright.” Hakuno smiled in relief.

“Rein.” Archer (Nameless) called suddenly.

“Yes?” I answered. ‘Come to think of it. This is the first time he called me by my name. Usually, it’s either ‘You’ or ‘Master’. Oh, there’s ‘Stupid Master’ too… Somehow, it’s irritating.’ I narrow my eyes.

“I am sorry. I failed as a servant.” He bowed 90 degrees.

“…Did you eat something wrong?” I blinked.

“I am sorry for not facing you properly.” He said.

“Ahh, that…. So, you realized it.” I sighed.

“Yeah… Even though I just realized it yesterday.” He said still bowing.

“Hmmmm….” I hummed and slowly walked to him. The said servant seemed like wouldn’t lift his head until I finished venting my anger. ‘Actually… there were times I got really angry…’ I raised my hand and chopped his head.

“We are even now,” I said.

“Eh?” The spectators are dumbfounded.

“Oww… What kind of head do you have? Why does my hand hurt so much?” I nurse my now poor reddening hand. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I looked at them oddly. Only Archer continues serving the breakfast without even batting an eye.

“…No, I know I am the one saying this but is that okay just like that?” Archer (Nameless) finally lifts his head.

“You let me chop your head for free so it’s even now. If you are still unsatisfied you can start crossdressing to amuse me.” I sat down at the dining table. “…I have a maid uniform that will fit perfectly for you.” I smile brilliantly. “I will go take it now.”

“No no, I am fine with this.” Archer (Nameless) said, grabbing the scurf of my neck.

“Didn’t I tell you she’s unprecedented? Common sense won’t work on her.” Archer said.

“Archer, why are you talking like I don’t have common sense.” I pout as I sit down on the dining table.

“Because you have none.” Archer rolled his eyes.

“So mean. I definitely have one. Boo! Boo!” I waved my utensils in protest.

“Only one then. And don’t wave the utensils. Today breakfast is Omurice.” He put the plate on the table.

“Desert?” I asked excitedly, not caring the dumbfounded look from others.

“Custard Pudding.”

“Yatta! It’s my favourite. Thank you, Archer.” I grinned. “Bon appetit… It’s so delicious! As expected from Archer. Hm? Why is everyone standing over there? Let’s eat the breakfast.” I look at them.

“Ah… yes…”

Archer only looks at them with ‘See, I told you, my master has no common sense’ expression. ~”~

“Hmmm…” I knitted my forehead.

“What’s wrong? It’s not to your liking?” Archer asked.

“That’s not it. I was just thinking how to call you two.” I said looking at the two archers.

“Why don’t you use a name derived from their True Name?” Saber suggested.

“That’s-"

“KYAAAA!!!!!”

“It’s Rin’s voice.” I blinked.

“Ah.” The four of them looked like they had just remembered about her.

Arriving on the second floor, we are just in time seeing something blue fly out from the door, crashing to the wall.

“Bwahhh!!”

“Pervert!” Blushing Rin glared from the doorstep, looking down at the so-called ‘pervert’.

“His scream seems familiar,” I muttered.

“Damn woman! Are you trying to kill me?” The pervert stood up and yelled back.

“Ah, Lancer.”

“Ha?” Lancer turned to us.

“I think that kick just now has messed up my brain. Two Archers and Saber becomes a man…” Lancer closed his eyes and started murmuring incoherent words while deep in thought.

“For now…. Let’s go downstairs and have breakfast first.” I scratched my cheek. ~”~

“Aahh… I am stuffed.” Lancer plopped down on the sofa.

“Lancer, mind your manner.” Rin frowned.

“…That sums it up.” Hakuno finished her explanation.

“I think I understood most of it. But I have one question.” Lancer said. “How do we call them? Faker 1 and Faker 2?” Lancer sneered.

“We were discussing about it just now, I was thinking about using names deriving from their True Names, but…” Saber trailed off.

“I am a Nameless Heroic Spirit. I don’t have a name.” Archer (Nameless) said.

“Archer’s True Name will cause a lot of complicated things, so I decide just to give him a name,” I said.

“Didn’t they have the same names? I mean their manner and looks are the same. They must be the same person.” Rin said.

“No.” We answered in unison.

“Eh?”

“No matter how similar they are, they aren’t the same person, though they are the same existence.” I shook my head.

“Same existence yet different person….” Rin muttered.

“Just call me Nameless, he will continue using Archer,” Nameless said.

“Eeeh… that’s pretty boring. I have a lot of names for Archer, for example, Shiya, Barcher (Baka Archer), Archie…nah, sounds funny, then Emishi… this actually sounds good…” I mumbled.

‘But it lacks an impact.’

“Ah! I know! Super Maid-san!” I remembered the nickname I gave to him.

“Objection!” Archer raised his hand in protest.

“Hahaha! This is priceless.” Lancer burst out laughing. “I love the last one.”

“Just like he said. He will stick with Nameless, I will stick with Archer. I tolerate no objection.”

“You are no fun.” I pout.

“Hahahaha! You are the best.” Lancer is laughing until his tears come out.

“Now, it’s our turn to ask. Lancer, how did you appear here? Who summoned you?” Archer asked.

“That’s what I want to know too. I am sure I was killed and sent back to the Throne of Heroes. But the next thing I know I was already in her room.” Lancer said.

“Rin, don’t tell me you summoned him while you were sleepwalking?” Archer asked.

“There’s no way I could do that. I don’t even have that kind of habit. Besides, there are no command seals at all.” Rin snapped back.

“There’s the strange part. My body and mind acknowledge her as my master, even without command seals. It’s like an instinct.” Lancer said.

“Geeeee…”

“Why are you guys looking at me like that?” Lancer frowned.

“That…” I grinned.

“Must be…” Saber continued.

“Love.” Hakuno finished.

“You like her.” We said in unison.

“There’s no way I/he like(s) her/me.” The people of interest slam their hands on the table and pointed at each other.

“You two are in perfect sync.” I giggle.

“Oi, you bastards,” Lancer yelled.

“Let’s get back to the topic.” Archer clapped his hands to get us back on the track. “We still don’t know how servants materialize even after the Grail is destroyed.”

“Hmmm…”

“Rein, do you know something about this?” Saber asked.

“To be honest… I am not completely sure about this. But the Grail we destroyed yesterday… that might be a fake Grail.”

“!” they turned to me.

“No… rather than a fake, it’s more like a small part of the Grail,” I murmured.

“What do you mean by that? How can you know?” Rin asked.

“Just… it’s just my hunch…” I scratched my cheek.

“Just a hunch?! We thought you have some kind of solid evidence here.” Rin stretches my cheeks.

“Sowwy…”

“But Master’s hunch might not be completely false. That theory is plausible. So, whoever has the Grail right now might tamper with it and the result is the summoning of servants.” Archer said.

“Speaking of summoning… Rein, you used a different kind of summoning ritual.” Archer said.

“Ah, that’s right… actually, I am not completely sure about it too.” I smiled sheepishly.

“You really…” Rin stretches my cheeks again.

“Sowwy…” I cried out. “But Excellion might know.”

“Excellion? Your grimoire?” Nameless asked.

“That’s right. Let me go and get it.” I ran back to my room and took the magical tome with me. “So, Excellion, how did I summon them?”

“It was FATE system. The FATE system allows a master to summon a servant per agreement of purpose between master and servant.” Excellion said.

“The book talked….” Lancer is looking intently at Excellion.

“But I didn’t agree or anything.” Archer denied.

“No, you agreed.” I smiled.

“What do you mean?” Archer blinked.

“10 years ago, you promised me, you’ll come if I call out to you.” I smiled.

“That counts too?!” Archer sweatdropped.

“Then, does that mean Saber also agrees to your purpose?” Rin blinked, fascinated by the summoning system.

“No, I think my case is a bit different. At that time, I think I was chasing for something.” Saber knitted his forehead, seemingly trying to remember.

“Chasing something?” Hakuno blinked.

“Yes…. Though I can’t seem to remember what I was chasing. It’s strange.” Saber says, looking very troubled that he is missing a part of important memories.

“Calm down.” I stretch his cheeks. “There’s no need to force yourself to remember. Take it slow, you will be able to remember in due time.”

“…” Saber’s eyes widen a bit. “That’s right. I shouldn’t be so hasty. My apology, Rein.”

“Hehe.” I grin. “Whether Saber comes here by accident or not, he is now my servant, right, Excellion?”

“Yes. Without a doubt.” the mechanical voice answered.

“By the way, does the summon system mess up the memories?” I shift my attention back to Excellion.

“This is the first time the FATE summoning system was used. It might be a side effect. I’ll keep a record for further use.” Excellion said.

“But how do we maintain our form? The command spell serves as a link between master and servant. It is used to supply mana from master to servant.” Lancer-san said.

“If we assume we can supply mana automatically to servants without command spell. I should have collapsed by now, considering the fact that I have two servants. But I don’t feel a thing. My mana is not flowing out at all.” I said.

“Ah, you are right! There is no mana leaking out!” Rin gasped.

“I also don’t feel my mana reducing at all.” Hakuno nodded in agreement.

“Then, there’s only one explanation.” Archer (Nameless) smirked.

“We, servants, can recover our own mana,” Archer said.

“That might be the only explanation left.” Rin sighs, massaging her head.

“Hmm… Saber, give me your hand.” I said.

“Yes.”

I grab his hand and pour mana into him. Trying to test if mana transfer is still possible or not. “…I can receive your mana…” He said in awe.

‘I know servant was summoned to be compatible with the master. But who would have thought that we are this compatible, even more so that he is an accidental summon.’ Our mana basically easily mingles with each other with zero resistance.

“So, the mana transfer is still possible,” I conclude. “Then next, Lancer, hand.”

“O-ou.” He obediently holds his hand out to me.

“You are really a dog.” Archer mocked.

“Don’t call me a dog!” Lancer snapped back.

The moment I pour mana to him, a burning sensation appears on our palms. The two of us quickly draw our hands back. “Are you okay?” Saber panicked. “Let me see.” He meticulously inspects the injury.

“Just a small burn. Nothing big.” I smiled.

“Here, press it to your palm.” Archer is back with a cold compress.

“Thank you.” Saber is pressing the cold compress on my palm.

“It looks like aside from our own master, we can’t receive mana from another person,” Archer said.

“Rein-chan, why are you getting hurt again? You should treasure yourself more.” Hakuno reprimanded me.

“I am fine. This is nothing.” I calmed her down.

“How can it be nothing? Yesterday too, you were stabbed-Mmmph.” I jumped across the table and clasped her mouth.

“Hooo… What does she mean, Master…” Archer glared at me. I can feel my back sweating buckets.

“Nothing. I am very healthy as you can see.” I quickly answered. ‘No no no, he mustn’t know, or else I’ll have to endure his nagging.’

“Mmmphhh!! Mmmmphh!!”

“No, but yesterday I saw it clearly too, you were stabbed-”

“Nameless, looks like the head chop was not enough. Maybe I should have you tried the maid uniform.” I smiled at him.

“No, sorry.”

“Master.” I was suddenly grabbed by my back collar. In the end, I have to endure Archer’s nagging for 2 hours in seiza.

“But but but…”

“No buts, how many times I told you ‘don’t be reckless’ why can’t you listen to me!?”

“I agree with Archer. That was a reckless move, Rein.” Saber too frowned.

“Then, Saber. will you ignore people in trouble?” I pouted.

“Of course I’ll help them.”

“See, I was right then. Hakuno was in a pinch, and I helped her. That wasn’t wrong.” I said, appealing to him.

“That’s…certainly true….” Saber hung his head.

“Didn’t I tell you common sense won’t work on her?” Archer sighed. “Besides, it’s already reckless enough you entered the war for another people’s wish.” Archer frowned.

“That, actually I have my own wish too, that’s why I participated in the war.” I scratched my cheek.

“Your wish?” Archer blinked.

“Yes. My wish can only be granted by participating in the war. Since I also wished to help Hakuno, so it was counted as killing two birds with one stone.” I said.

“…What kind of wish you have? Don’t tell me…”

“No, it’s not that. I’ve accepted that from a long time ago. You should be clearer than anyone else. This time I only wish to meet you again. To show you I have grown up healthily. That’s why I was disappointed when Nameless was summoned.” I pursed my lips.

“You…really…” Archer smiled, “ARE STUPID!!” Archer gave me a hard noggie.

“It hurts…hurts… my head…” I hit his arms. “I give…I give… I am sorry!!!” ~”~

I feel like my head is emitting smoke from the friction. “Are you okay?” Rin sweatdropped.

“I…I am fine….” I was lying down on the floor, still recovering from the punishment.

“But you are amazing too, you could tell he was not the same person.” Rin praised.

“What are you talking about? It’s so obvious, anyone can tell.” I blink, sitting upright. “Hakuno knew it too, right?” I asked the girl.

“Well, more or less?” She made a (strained) smile (and averted her eyes). ‘To be honest, I was not completely sure at the start… Let’s not say anything…’

“No, I think it’s only you.” Rin sweatdropped.

“Oi, you guys. I found something while you were playing.” Lancer said.

“What did you find?” Rin asked her servant.

“I can’t dematerialize,” Lancer stated.

“That’s it?” Rin looks at him with a deadpan stare.

“What do you mean that’s it? It’s strange.” Lancer retorted.

“There are already a lot of strange things happened, so much that I think ‘can’t dematerialize’ is possibly the most common strange thing that could happen.” Rin sighed.

“If that’s the case, let’s go shopping.” I clapped my hands, happy to find another topic to escape from punishment.

“Shopping?” They blinked.

“Yes. Since they can’t dematerialize, then you’ll need casual attire to wander around the town. They can’t possibly step outside using their servants’ attire. They’ll cause commotion.” I said.

“That’s true.” Hakuno nodded.

“We’ll need to fill your wardrobe too,” I said.

“Eh? Mine? You don’t need to.” Hakuno waved her hands.

“What are you talking about? Of course I need to, you have your own room now.” I blinked.

“I am staying here?” Hakuno asked dumbly.

“Did you hit your head? Why are you talking nonsense right now? Of course you are staying here. Where else will you be staying? Or maybe should I put you and Nameless in the same room?” I giggled.

“No no no no no, there’s no need to do that. I’ll have my own room.” She said flustered.

“But didn’t you two stay together in the previous war, in the same room no less,” I smirked.

“Th(That)-w(was) bec-(because)-“

“Anyway, tell me your preference.” I laughed.

“Aren’t we…going to shop together…?” She blinked.

“Yes. We are. but you and Nameless are on the grocery team.” I smiled.

“Eh? EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH??!! Rein-chan, that is, but I-”

“How do we explain about those two?” Rin asked.

“They are twins. Problem solved.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Ah, that actually will work…” Rin deadpanned.

“Listen well, Nameless, you have to escort Hakuno well, okay. Remember. It’s escort, not S-court.” I said emphasizing the words.

“Wait wait wait! What do you think I am?!” Nameless exclaims.

“Someone who has no experience with women,” I answer like it’s the most obvious thing to say.

“Who says I didn’t have any experience?!” He countered.

“That so? So, tell me how you treat your dates.” I baited.

“I… wait, why are we talking about this now?” Nameless changed the subject.

“Tsk. He escaped.” I pouted.

“You did it on purpose.” Rin sweatdrops, while Lancer is already on the floor laughing.

“You were playing right on her palm.” Archer laments in pity. ~”~

“Hmmm….”

“Do I look weird?” Saber smiles wryly.

“No. It’s the opposite. You look good in everything you wear, so I have a hard time deciding.” I murmur.

“Customer, please try this next.” The saleswoman excitedly brought another outfit for him.

“No, I think it’s enough.” Saber declines politely.

“It’s fine, just try it on,” I said.

“…I understand.” He took the clothes and went back to the changing room.

“Excuse me, Nee-san.” I smile looking at her excited face. “I will buy all the clothes he tried on.”

“Oh my, dear customer. That’s great. He looks perfect in all of those clothing.” The saleswoman nods her head furiously.

“I feel this one is more comfortable.” Saber comes out wearing a casual clothing.

“There’s no need to change, just wear that.” I smile.

“Yes. Thank you very much for your patronage.” The saleswoman nee-san smiled.

“You sure bought a lot,” Archer commented as he looked at our bags.

“Archer, did you finish yours?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Archer nods, showing us his few shopping bags.

“Not enough.” I frown.

“They are already more than enough.” Archer rolls his eyes. “Remember, you bought me some 10 years ago.”

“It’s not enough at all. Saber, please watch our bags, I’m going to help Archer choose his wardrobe.” I said.

“Understood.” He replied.

“Wait, for now, I don’t want to go to that store.” Archer sighed.

“Why?” I blinked.

“That.” Archer motions with his chin. The two of us follow his line of sight and we are greeted by the bickering Lancer and Rin. They seem not to notice the onlookers.

“They are like an old married couple.” I laughed.

“Agreed.” My servants sweatdrop. ~”~

We spend our time scouring Fuyuki for something strange to get any lead of this strange phenomenon or maybe evidence of my theory. Instead of leads, all we found is, our friends/former rivals disappear one another. It was Illya at first. Shiro notified us and we contacted other masters, including Souichirou-sensei. All of us agreed to search for the missing Illya.

“How was it?” we have our routine meeting in Shiro’s house.

“Nothing. I found nothing. Not even a trace.” Rider said.

“This is absolutely abnormal.” Caster said. “My magecraft couldn’t even track her.” She frowned. And if Caster says this is abnormal, then this definitely is. Caster, her True Name is Medea… nobody in modern times can beat her in a battle of magecraft. If there’s one, it will be servants from the age of gods… or the holder of True Magic.

“Not even the lingering traces of her mana?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s as if she has never existed at all. That’s why I said it’s absolutely abnormal.” Caster says, frustrated that she is beaten by whoever the mastermind is.

“We scoured through the city, but found nothing.” Archer (Nameless) quipped. “Her castle was left as it was, untouched. There was no sign of moving. Actually, it seemed as if they were still living there recently.”

“Then we can rule out she went outside Fuyuki theory.” Lancer narrows his eyes.

“Illya’s… maids…” I mumbled.

“Them too… I thought we might find them, but they were not there. Maybe they tried to search for missing Illya and vanished or…” Archer (Nameless) says.

“Or the two maids also vanished along with her at the same time…” Saber (Male) finished the hypothesis.

“There’s no other Einzbern coming here. So, Illya’s disappearance hasn’t been informed.” Archer concluded.

“…” gloomy silence fills the air.

“Caster, can you make protective charms for the kids?” Souichirou-sensei opens his mouth.

“Souichirou-sama…”

“Also, a tracking charm and one that can show the location of charm holders.”

“I see. If anything were to happen to us, the rest would be alerted quickly and rush to the site. Not a bad plan.” Archer said.

“Rather. This is the only option we have now.” Archer (Nameless) said.

“Understood, Souichirou-sama.”

“And it’s best we stay together before the charms are completed.” Souichirou-sensei is very decisive about this. But right now, this is the best option for us.

So, we are going to have a big sleepover party at Shiro’s house today.

“Okay, we have a lot of spare rooms here. Feel free to choose whichever you like.” Shiro nodded.

In the end, the girls choose to sleep together, including Caster, Rider and Saber (Female). The rest of the night… of course it’s full of girls talk… for example…

“Caster, which part of Souichirou-sensei do you like?” it started as a genuine question and genuine curiosity from me.

“E-eh?!” Caster squeaks in a high-pitched voice. A rare sight coming from her. “Which part do I like about So-So-Souichirou-sama?!” her voice even cracked at the end.

“Yup.” I nod, the rest of the girls who hear my question are also staring at Caster, waiting for her answer.

“Th…that’s…” she takes her soda and finishes it in one go. “...Of course it’s his everything!” now she is talking like a drunk. We have no alcohol here as we are minors, besides, can servants get drunk?

Then, Caster rants about how wonderful Souichirou-sensei is. From his looks, down to his personality and to his habits that sensei might or might not noticed himself. But… it doesn’t matter if they are servants or not. Girls in love will always be supported. Like now, everyone is talking about which outfit is suitable for Caster for her dates later.

Then we shift to Hakunon and Archer (Nameless) relationship. Poor girl is red from head to toe due to the teasing from the girls.

“So, how far have you gone with him?” Rin smirked.

“Umm… that…” her eyes are swimming as she is thinking how to answer Rin’s question.

“Um… senpai, what kind of romantic thing he had ever done to you.”

“Hmm… I can help you by providing information on how to please a male.”

“Hakunon said they have gone all the way.” I know what I am doing and I am telling them because it’s more interesting that way.

Six pairs of eyes are instantly on me. “Let me think, it was when she was pent up due to the lack of physical touch and she made the first move.”

“Hoo… not bad for a little girl,” Caster commented.

“Yes, very daring. Master Sakura can learn confidence from her.” Rider nods.

“Hakuno/Senpai, tell us more!”

“E…eeehhhh???!!!”

And then, to get her revenge, Hakunon, who escaped from interrogation hell, asked me this, “Which one you like more, Saber or Archer?”

“Ah?” I blink, tilting my head.

“You can’t escape by playing dumb, Rein-chan.” Hakunon is smiling, I think even her hair is moving on their own.

“Hmm… like… I like them both.” I answer and now they are looking at me. “Archer is like a brother to me. I was an orphan. I summoned a servant because I thought servant was a housekeeper. I thought I would have a friend to chat with… living alone is quite lonely. And when I did, Archer appeared.” I mused, remembering the past event.

“And I felt less lonely at that time. Archer basically did all the household chores and even fed me. He listened to my babbling too. Those days were the happiest.” I smiled.

“Oh… sorry… I didn’t mean…” Now Hakunon is feeling guilty.

“It’s fine. It’s not a big secret anyway.” I laugh it off. “Come to think of it, I never talked this to you. But I am glad I do now.” I giggled.

“Rein-chan…” Hakunon sniffled as she rushed to hug me.

“There there…” I pat her head.

“So, what about Saber?” Rin quirks her brow.

“Saber… hmm… he is like… a friend who is looking after his friend’s sister? Something like that?” I muse, giggling at my own thought.

“Then, if you were to choose as romantic interest… who would you go after?” Caster casually throws in her question.

“…” I blink rapidly while processing her question. “Hmmm… probably Saber?” it comes out as a question rather than a statement.

“Why?”

“I mean… I can’t seem to see Archer as a romantic interest… it makes… my skin crawl in a bad way. He is like the best brother ever existed to me. I can’t change that perception anymore.” I answered truthfully.

“Indeed, I can sense Master has zero interest in Servant Archer as a romantic interest.” Excellion

“So it leaves Saber as the only potential…” Saber (Female) stated.

“Yup.” I nod.

“So, what’s your opinion of him?” Sakura asked.

“Saber… Saber is… someone looks like a prince straight out of fairy tale?” a smile broke on my lips.

“Ah… he does give that feeling.” The women nod their heads, absolutely convinced that seems like the case.

Lastly, we shift to Saber (Female) and Shiro’s relationship… hmm… this is quite a pickle… because Shiro is in not triangle love or square love… he is in the pandemonium of love.

“Shiro likes this shirt better!” Rin argued.

“No. I know Shiro likes this long-sleeved one better.” Saber (Female) interjected.

“Se-Senpai like this one better!” Sakura is also joining in.

“So, actually… I am curious, how does Shiro transfer his mana?” my question earned me a look of gaping and jaw-dropping from the 3 heroines.

“I mean, Shiro can’t supply her mana effectively using the command spell, so… ah, do they-” I stopped when I saw them glaring at me.

“So, what’s Shiro’s favourite food?” I quickly changed the subject before I got murdered by the heroines.

Thus, the nth round of argument between 3 heroines who know Shiro the best continued. ‘Let’s slip away.’ I use this chance to sneak out.

“…you are evil…” but not before being told that by Rider and Caster.

“Teehee!” ~”~

I sit on the veranda, enjoying snacks I found in the refrigerator and a bottle of tea. The night breeze is really nice.

“Nicely done, Master.” Excellion state, it’s as if it is giving me a thumbs up.

“Hehehe, this is called the misdirection technique.”

“I will store this information.”

“I will teach you a lot of things, Excellion.”

“I will gladly learn everything.”

“Rein?”

“Hm? Oh, Saber.” I look at the newcomer.

“What are you doing here?” Saber (Male) asked.

“Escaping from pandemonium of love.” I laugh.

“…???”

“It’s girls talk’s secret.” I laugh at his confused face. “Come and sit here, I have a snack.” I pat the space next to me and he obliges. I share my snack with him, humming a random tune.

“Rein…”

“Yes?” I look at him.

“…no… it’s nothing… are you living well?”

“???” I stare at him for a few seconds. “Yes, I am living very well. Even though it’s not always peaceful.” I say, vaguely referring to Holy Grail War and the current strange phenomena.

“…Is that so… then, I am glad…”

“Why do you suddenly ask?”

“Oh… I heard few tidbits from Archer…”

“Ah…” I know now he is worried about me living all alone. “Don’t worry. I live very well. I eat well, sleep well and play well… ah, I study quite well too.” I added the last one after a beat.

“That’s good… I am happy that you are doing very well…” I feel a gentle palm on top of my head, stroking my hair.

‘It feels good.’ I think I almost purr like a cat and secretly nuzzling to his palm. A giddy and happy smile never leaves my face.

‘I think I will have Saber pat my head every day. This is a must-do routine.’ ~”~

The second one to vanish is Caster and Souichirou-sensei. They were out for an errand. And with Souichirou-sensei as a bodyguard… nothing should happen. But it still did, the gravity of the situation finally sank in. Whether they are alive or not now is also debatable. The charms did tell us the last location of Caster and her master. It’s right outside of the supermarket they frequented.

“…” The routine meeting is filled with nothing but silence. We found Caster’s message on that place.

“The enemy has Holy G-”

We can deduce the rest. The enemy has Holy Grail, which means, I was correct about the fake Grail. Sadly, she did not have enough time to tell us how many and who are the enemy.

“We will act in pairs… two masters and their servants…” Archer said. “When we are ambushed, one master will retreat as soon as possible to tell us about the enemy. Of course, I would prefer if all of the engaged masters to retreat with information.”

And so… even though we have acted in pairs… in the end… we are still being spirited away. Starting from Shiro-Saber and Sakura-Rider team, followed by Rin-Lancer and Hakuno-Nameless team and finally me and my servants. ~”~

“Ugh…” I groan and crack open my eyes. They feel so heavy as if being glued together. “This is…” pulling myself up, I am trying to squint and have a better view of my current surroundings.

‘Dark.’ That is my first impression. The room is too dark for my liking.

“Master, you are awake.”

“Excellion!” I grab my floating grimoire. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“We were sucked by a vortex of magical power. This is most likely a different dimension of our world.”

“Parallel world?”

“Not quite. To be more precise, this is the other side of the world. It’s like we are in the mirror version of our world. I analyzed the surrounding area and concluded as such.”

“A mirror version… Speaking of which… this is…my room…?” I squint to get a better focus. The position of the furniture, the colour of the painted wall, and even the books on the desk are in the same position as I had left them. And…

“…this is my handwriting…” I am unmistakably in my room and if Excellion is right, I am in the mirror version of my room.

“Ah! Where are the others? Saber and Archer?”

“I have detected Saber and Archer’s mana on the first floor.” With that said, I rush to the first floor.

“Saber! Archer!” I found the two collapsed on the floor.

“Mas…ter…” they groan and slowly open their eyes.

“Are you two alright? Feel hurt anywhere?”

“…we are fine…” they stand up and check for any abnormalities in their body.

“How about you, Master? Are you okay?” Archer asked back.

“I don’t feel anything weird in my body. So, I am fine.”

“Where are we…” Saber asked.

“Excellion.”

“I shall explain.” My floating grimoire repeated what it had explained to me.

“So, did the other masters and servants were transported here too?” Archer asks Excellion.

“I have no sufficient data to conclude. But this is a high possibility.” Excellion states with its mechanical voice.

“Let’s secure our perimeter first. We will see if this can used as our base of operation.” Archer’s suggestion is what we can agree on. We quickly found out that even though we can see the vast city in our peripheral vision, our room of movement is only limited to my house and the yard. In shorts, we can’t get out of my house. Some kind of invisible barrier enclosed this space. ~”~

“Seems like we are really on the other side of the world.” Archer sighed. The house itself is a perfect replica of mine, the only evidence that we are in fact, are not our world is the round big yellow moon that is hanging in the sky. The moon looks bigger and feels closer and it does exude eerie feelings to whoever gazes at it.

While in our small patrol, I cast bounded fields here and there to prevent anything jumps on us in surprise. From now on, at least temporarily, this will be our home base operation.

“Now, our next agenda is, searching for the exit along with the disappearing masters.” Archer continued. “Any idea?”

“…” We look at him with a blank stare.

“I thought so.” He sighed.

“Maybe we can blast the bounded field leading to outside?” I said.

“…Excellion also doesn’t know what kind of place is waiting for us outside. It’s best not to rush.” Saber said.

“Let’s take a break for now,” Archer says and I nod. “I will go make a drink then.” Archer then disappears into the kitchen, leaving me and Saber in the living room.

‘…I am worried… is everyone okay…? I hope nothing bad happens to-’ I blink as I feel a small poke on my forehead.

“Don’t get so worried, Rein.” Saber, the culprit who pokes my forehead smiles. “Everyone is strong, so they will be alright. We will find them and go back to our world. I promise.”

“…”

I wonder why… despite just knowing for 3 weeks at most. Somehow… I feel I can believe everything Saber said. What a strange and funny feeling.

“Resting your mind is also part of the job.”

“…okay…” I nod. I do feel better after his little talk.

“Good.” Saber smiles in satisfaction and pats my head. I blink and nuzzle my head to his palm, enjoying the gesture (of affection).

‘…Cute…’ the said knight thinks as he sees imaginary flattened cat ears and swishing tail and he is trying hard to stifle his laughter. ‘…I will protect you… this time… for sure…’ his eyes soften ever so slightly.

“I guess you get how to handle Master down to pat.” The amused voice of Archer rings out.

“Archer, I am not a pet.” I pout. “It’s rude… boo…” I puff my cheeks as big as possible.

“…you look like a squirrel.” Archer quirks his brow.

“Eeeh… I prefer cat though…” I protested.

“…then you look like a cat.”

“Much better.” I nod in satisfaction.

“…Saber, as you can see, our master needs extra protection against humans.” Archer looks at Saber.

“It’s most certainly so.” Saber nods in agreement.

“I am always worried if she would go with a stranger if she was offered a candy.” Archer sighs.

“I am not that gullible!” I exclaimed.

“Here, your favourite hot cocoa drink.” Archer takes one of the mugs.

“Oh! My favourite.” I bound to Archer to get my drink. I look at him expectantly while waiting for him to hand me my drink. “Mine.” I hold out my hand and Archer gingerly hands it to me.

“…” They look at me blankly while I sip my hot beverage.

“…I am really worried more than ever…” Archer lamented.

“Should we cast a magecraft that will beep loudly if strangers approach her?” Saber is seriously thinking about this.

“That’s a good idea. And when it’s activated, it will send her location to us…”

“Caster’s charm!” they look at each other in realization.

“Man, after we find her, we need to ask her to make one that lasts a lifetime.” Archer grins.

“It might not as durable as hers. But we certainly can learn that magecraft from her.” The servants’ discussion has certainly taken a strange turn.

“I will see if I have that kind of magecraft in me. I will offer my help too.” Even Excellion is joining the discussion.

The playful atmosphere disperses instantly the moment we feel a new  presence of a new mana. “It’s coming from the backyard.” I say, pinpointing the location.”

“Heh, even a bounded field is useless.” Archer sneered.

“Let’s go check it out.” The three of us cautiously go to the backyard.

“This… a Sakura petal…?” a pink small flower petal floats away. A breeze blows, carrying more petals. The strong scent of the Sakura flower makes us stop dead in our tracks. There, in my backyard, a large blooming Sakura tree is standing. The flowers rustle along with the wind.

“I will perform a scan.” Excellion floats near the tree and does its thing. “Scan complete.” It floats back to my side.

“What is that?” I asked.

“That is a gate.”

“A gate?” we blink.

“Yes, regardless of its appearance, it’s an entrance to another place. I don’t have sufficient data to pinpoint where we will end up. But it’s a high probability, it will be in some sort of space.”

“A space within a space…” Archer sighs.

“…my bounded field is still intact with no holes… Either the magus is a genius or this has been here from the start and now finally activated because we somehow fulfil its requirements…” I muttered, analyzing every possibility.

“So, this is an invitation for us then?” Archer quirks his brow.

“Most likely.” I nod. “It’s as if we are invited to play a game. Either we get out or we will be trapped forever.”

“…But we only have one option from the start,” Saber said. “…which is continue to step forward.”

“Then, we have decided our next course of action,” Archer smirks. “Let’s eat something before we go.”

“Macaroni gratin!” I declared. “I want to eat macaroni gratin!”

“Ah, macaroni gratin? Hmm…” Archer is thinking. “Let’s see if the ingredients are available.” Surprisingly, the ingredients are still edible, hence the hot cocoa earlier.

Not long after, a hot steamy plate of macaroni gratin is placed on the table. “Woah…” my eyes sparkle. “This looks delicious.” I almost can’t hold back myself to dig in.

“Better thank Saber. He somehow made it work.” Archer said. “It’s an eye opener to make a macaroni gratin like that.” I heard him mutter.

“Really?! Saber made this?”

“Yes. I hope it’s to your taste.”

“Then, bon appetite.” I chomp down on the meal. “…” and then I put down the fork.

“Is it not to your liking?” Saber becomes worried.

“…no… it’s just…”

“Just?”

“…Somehow… it’s a very nostalgic flavour…” I say while in a daze. ‘It has a very kind taste.’

“Oh…”

“It’s very delicious.” I beam and resume my eating. “Thanks for the food.” I finish it in a record time.

“I am glad you like it.” Saber smiled. “If you’d like. I will cook it again.”

“Really?!” my ears perk up. “You promised! No take back!” I quickly sealed the deal before he could change his mind.

“Well then, it’s time to see what kind of things they have for us in the store,” Archer said. ~”~

“Ah, heroes from another world, please help us to vanquish the Demon King Illya.” Row and row of people… in a very familiar wardrobe and setting are kneeling in front of us.

“…Demon King Illya?” Archer repeated the word with such an absurd tone.

“Ah… Shiro did say Illya likes to play JRPG old school game.”

“…so, we are the heroes now?” Archer feels like he is going to puke.

“It appears to be so.” Saber nods.

“I see. So, this fall into the isekai trope that is in trend right now.” Excellion flat tone is somewhat making the whole situation funnier.

“Umm… Heroes…”

“Tell me about this Demon King Illya.” We turn our attention back to the big shots of the country.

In short, Demon King Illya has been wreaking havoc for her last 100 years and every brave hero that ventured to the Demon King’s castle never made it back.

“Saber, can your Excalibur kill Heracles in one shot?” Archer looks at his fellow servant.

“…Heracles is known to have 12 lives. So, 12 times if I can take one live per shot.” Saber answers seriously.

“…Just keep him occupied long enough so we can knock some sense to Illya,” I say.

“I have some restraining magecraft at my disposal.”

“Are we going right away?” I ask my servants.

“I prefer to go after we prepared more thoroughly,” Archer said.

“And I concur.” Saber agreed. We are given rooms to rest, but Archer insists that it’s better for us to stay in one place for my protection, in which all of us agree. It’s better safe than sorry. Thus, the 3 of us plus a talking book are discussing our next move.

“Excellion, do you feel anyone we know here?”

“Although it’s faint, I do feel the mana traces of Tohsaka Rin and Rin nearby.”

“!!” that catches our attention instantly.

“You should tell us sooner!” Archer said.

“My apology. I will prioritize this information next time.”

“Where are they?” indeed, our first priority is to search for our friends.

“Northwest of the castle, approximately 60 km from here.” Excellion said.

“Let’s go. Saber, I will leave Master to you.” Archer opens the balcony and jumps down.

“Roger.” Saber turns to me and smiles, “Excuse me, Rein.” With ease, he lifts me up… using only one hand. I automatically wrap my hands around his neck to stabilize myself. “Then, I will jump down now. Please close your eyes if you are scared.”

The feeling of the wind whipping on my body as we jump down actually feels great. “Let’s do it again later!” It’s actually a very addicting feeling, granted I have been given a perfect safety measure.

“If you’d like, I will do it again and again.” Saber laughs a little and then rushes to keep up with Archer.

Archer… is fighting Lancer by the time we arrive at the designated site. “Tsk, a reinforcement.” Lancer clicked his tongue.

“Rin, are you here? We don’t want to fight, just want to talk. If you are here, please answer me.”

‘No answer… I expected this.’

“Do you know, Shiro told me a long time ago that he might or might not have a crush on Rin?” I pretend to talk to Saber.

A rustle on a tree and then, someone jumps down. “Tell me more about that.” Rin… wearing a black hooded cloak on top of her usual red-themed outfit finally shows up herself.

“Master, I told you not to show yourself no matter what.”

“I know. But they know about that man.”

‘That man?’ I blink.

“Name yourself.” Rin glared at me. She doesn’t seem to recognize me.

“I am Rein. A hero that was summoned to defeat Demon King Illya.” I used the handy identity I was given not long ago.

“Hero? You?” Rin is jaw dropped.

“Hahahaha!” Lancer laughs out loud. “What kind of joke is this? Did they seriously think a sheltered princess can defeat Demon King? I know they are getting anxious because no more people dared to challenge the Demon King. But to think they got so desperate that they sent a little girl who is still wet behind her ears…” he shakes his head in pure amusement.

“Eeehhh… I look that young? I am at the same age as Rin though.” I do think my features are pretty average, just a little shorter than average girls.

“…you will look more convincing if you don’t talk in that kind of position…” Rin deadpanned.

“…In what kind of position?” I blink and then make an ‘o’ shape mouth. I forget I am still literally sitting on Saber’s arm. “…It feels comfortable though,” I comment offhandedly. ‘And I oddly like it.’

“…” Rin and Lancer stare at me.

“I guess, I should get down first.” Saber gently lets me down at that.

“So, how and what do you know about that man?” Rin glared.

“That man? You mean about Shiro?”

“Yes. And you seem to know about me too. But I don’t know about you. Speak. What is your true purpose.” Rin said while pointing ‘Gandr’ at me.

“I know you, yes. And I know Shiro too, but in different way than you imagined. Rin… what is the last thing you remember?”

“What do you mean?” she narrows her eyes. “I am Rin, the guardian of this forest. I have been born and raised here. Until that man… stole this forest heart.”

“So you are hunting Shiro down now?” Archer quirks his brow in amusement.

“Spill everything you know about that man.”

“Okay.” I nod. “Shiro… his full name is Emiya Shiro, adopted son of Emiya Kiritsugu, 16 years old, currently living with Saber (Female) and Sakura, his kouhai visits him every single day. Rin, you too used to live with him.”

“?!What?!!!”

“And the four of you are engaged in pandemonium of love.”

“Don’t say that!!!! I am not in love with him!” Rin shrieked while blushing.

“But your face is red!”

“No! You see it wrong! I am-”

“Master, I have finished my scan. There is a spell put upon Lancer and Tohsaka Rin.”

“Can you undo it?”

“Yes, I have finished the counterspell.”

“Good. Saber, Archer.” They know what I am going to do, so they used this chance to subdue Lancer who realized a second too late.

“Restrain.” I use a binding spell on Rin and Lancer for extra measure.

“You cowards! You lied to me!” Rin hissed.

“I am not. Don’t worry. I will make you remember everything. In fact, you will be thankful for me.” I smile.

“No… don’t come near me! NO!!!!!”

“...I didn’t do anything bad.” I pout. Rin and Lancer have successfully regained their memories. “Why does she scream like I was going to harass her?” I sulk, drawing a circle on the ground.

“So-sorry, Rein. I didn’t mean it like that. Yo-you see, I didn’t remember who you are.” Rin tried to appease my mood.

“You even pointed ‘Gandr’ at me,” I mumbled.

“I told you, my memory was manipulated. Besides, when you smile like that in that kind of situation, everyone obviously will think you are going to do something bad.” Rin stretches my cheek.

“It hurts… It hurts, Rin. My cheeks are going to fall off.”

“So, what do we do next?” Lancer asked.

“Obviously searching for Emiya Shiro,” Archer said. “You two said he stole this forest’s heart. Which means, you two met him.”

“…wait a minute…” Rin takes a deep breath and begins to sort her memory.

“Excellion, how was it? Do you feel anything?”

“Yes. There is indeed a trace of Emiya Shiro and his servant, Saber here.” Excellion stated.

“Can you tell us where he is?”

“100 km from here, to the east,” Exellion said after a while.

“Then, we got ourselves a lead. Let’s finish this and smack whoever threw us here.” Lancer grumbles.

“We are in agreement for once,” Archer said. ~”~

When we meet Shiro and Saber, the first thing Rin does is... send Shiro off with a flying knee kick. The kick is so marvellous that Lancer and Archer are clapping their hands in awe. “I get Shiro-Saber team.” I giggle as if I am collecting Pokemon.

“So, our next team is Hakuno-Namless.” Archer cranked his neck. Someone recognized his face and told him to give his wife their best regard.

“So, they are married now?” my mouth turns into a cat-shaped due to excitement. “I guess I have more material to tease them more. Ah, it’s so fun.” I literally skipped due to the excitement.

“…Rein… I didn’t raise you to be like this.” Archer sighs.

“Eeehh… best friends tease each other, no? This also counts as a payback for Nameless.” I smile innocently.

“You are still holding a grudge about it?” Archer sweatdropped.

“Not really. My main reason is because Hakunon is fun to tease.” I answered.

And so, we finally arrived at the house where the two of them were supposed to live. I knock on the door, waiting for either Hakunon or Nameless to open the door.

“Yes…” Hakunon opens the door and is surprised to see a group of people whom she has no idea of, is crowding in front of her front door.

“I come to get(read. kidnap) you.” I smile.

“Yes?” Hakunon blinks, tilting her head.

~Hakunon-Nameless team… GET!~

“This leaves Sakura-Rider and Sensei-Caster… Illya is obviously in the Demon King Castle with Berserker and probably her maids.” Rin sighs.

“So, what is our plan next?” Saber (Female) looks at us.

“I don’t feel anything of Matou Sakura-Rider and Kuzuki Souichirou-Caster.”

“…Rather than wasting time with no lead. We should pick Illya up first. Who knows she might have known something.” Nameless suggested. And so, our next course of action is to pick (read. capture) Illya-Berserker team.

“Welcome to my castle, O’Hero.” Illya’s voice echoes in the hall, at the same time spotlights are turned on, revealing Illya on Berserker’s shoulder.

“…I have a feeling it will turn out this way…” Archer sighed.

“I commend your bravery to step into my castle. But from now on, it won’t be so easy. To conquer this castle and to conquer me, you have to show your dauntless bravery and wits.” Illya smiled.

“I will await you in my throne room. Don’t disappoint me, O’Hero.” The spotlights turned off and the hall lit up, but Illya and Berserker had gone.

“Huhuhu, before you can get to the throne room. All of you will die in my hands.” Another familiar voice said.

“Ah, Sakura.” It’s Sakura alright. But this Sakura… looks a little different. She is wearing a long black dress with red stripes, and bare feet, there’s a line marking like a tattoo from her neck to her cheek. One thing to note is the dress seems to be alive.

“I am Dark Sakura.” She laughs evilly. “I am the right second in command of Demon King Illya. Now, Heroes who came from far away, we shall have our showdown. I will present my liege with your heads.”

“Ah, Shiro told me he likes Sakura.” I suddenly said.

“Eh? I don’t say-” Shiro gaped at me.

“Is…is that right?” the Dark Sakura who was the epitome of evil has become a shy maiden.

“But you said, Sakura will surely become a good bride.”

“That’s! I did say it, but that doesn’t mean-”

“What’s the meaning of this, Shiro?” Saber narrowed her eyes.

“That’s right, Emiya-kun. You can’t just lead people on! It’s your bad habit.”

“I never lead people on.” Shiro tried to argue.

“…she is scarier than when she was being haughty and selfish…” Nameless shivered.

“Master…” Archer sighs with a pointed look.

“Don’t worry. This is the best method to not hurt Sakura unnecessarily.” I grin. Even though I like to stir the drama, I still do my work properly. I have been weaving a spell little by little to avoid being detected. Rider is nowhere in sight, but she is nearby. The moment my spell activates is probably the moment she will spring out to protect Sakura.

“Restrain.” A magic circle appeared beneath Sakura’s feet and a shadow sprung out.

“There you are.” Archer and Nameless fired their arrows at her to distract her, and I successfully bound Sakura.

“Master Sakura!”

“Rider!”

“Lancer!”

“Right o!” Lancer dashes forward, and spear clashes with Rider’s weapon. I quickly cast another restraining spell on Rider. Now… I have two of them, hands and feet being bound, kneeling on the floor.

“Excellion.”

“Yes, Master.”

“…I do feel like we are being villains here.” Hakunon sweatdropped.

“No… no… save me, SENPAI!”

“MASTER SAKURA!!!”

“…Why were they yelling again? I was not harassing them…” I grumble in the dark corner again, feeling sulky.

“So…sorry, Rein-senpai.” Sakura who is feeling mighty guilty is trying to cheer me up.

“I am very sorry.” Rider bowed her head repeatedly.

“Rin kicked Shiro, yet nobody said anything to her. I was only trying to undo the spell yet…”

“Ah, please, don’t cry, Senpai. I will cook your favourite later, okay?”

“…really…?”

“Really. I will cook a lot of your favourite.” Sakura nods her head quickly.

“…okay…”

~Sakura-Rider team… GET!~

Now, we are standing in front of the throne room. At long last, we will be facing Illya. I hope she has a lead about sensei though.

“Illya!”

“Huhuhu! As expected from Hero! You easily converted my second in command to your allies in a little time.” Illya laughed.

“…” all of them are averting their eyes, while I just smile at Illya.

“No matter. My Berserker is the most powerful servant in the world. He can easily squish your puny bodies. Behold, the power of Demon King. BERSERKER!”

Berserker lets out a loud roar, signalling the fight is on. With numbers on our side, an overwhelming win is not hard. The problem is we fight not to kill, but to restrain Berserker. That is taking a lot more than we would have thought. In the end, we managed to undo the spell after killing Berserker once and bound him before he revived. We are transported back to our base of operation right after we subdued Illya and Berserker.

“Ouch…” Illya finally regains her consciousness. “What happened?” she blinks.

“You don’t remember?” Rin sighs.

“I remember I was going to visit Shiro and then…”

“I shall explain.” Excellion floats in front of her.

“A talking book?” Illya blinks, and her hand tentatively touches my grimoire.

“…that’s about it…”

“I see… to be honest, I don’t know what happened to Sella and Leysritt. I think I was caught first… I also have no idea about Caster and her master's whereabouts.” Illya said.

“Don’t worry, Illya. Sella and Lyseritt will be right. They are strong, you know?” Shiro assures her.

“Um…” Illya nods.

“The grimoire did say that there is another layer of space after the first one. We might find something there.” Saber (Female) said.

“That’s right. Sensei, Sella and Leysritt might be there too. So, Illya, lend us your power.” Shiro extends his hand to her.

“Well… since Shiro asked nicely. I will help you just this once.” Illya, with her tsundere-like words, accepts the offer.

“By the way, Shiro.” Saber (Female) called out to her master.

“What, Saber?”

“I am hungry.”

“…”

“I am hungry too.” I look at my servants pitifully.

“Actually, me too. Even though I have no real body.” Hakunon raised her hand asshamed.

“Well, I guess after a fight like that, hunger is inevitable.” Archer smiled wryly.

“We will need to cook a lot to feed this army of hungry people.” Nameless sighs.

“Ah, I will help too,” Shiro said.

“Then, I will be going to help. Please endure a little longer, Rein.” Saber pats my head.

“Yes~” ~”~

“Hm? What was I?” I was suddenly gasping in realization. “Mutsuki-san, is there any problem?” Souichirou-sensei asked.

“Ah, no. it’s nothing. I apologize, Sensei.” I recomposed myself.

“Then I will continue the lesson,” Sensei said.

‘???’ I sort my memories bit by bit. I got up early as usual, freshened up myself, ate breakfast, packed my lunch and walked to school as usual… nothing is out of ordinary… so why… do I feel uneasy?

“Rein-chan! What are you dozing off for? It’s lunch break.”

“Ah?” I blink. “Already?”

“Yes… are you really alright?” Hakunon, my best friend asked worriedly. “It’s rare for you to daze like that in a lesson.”

“Sorry to worry you. I am fine.” I assured her.

“Oh, it’s Ayaka! As usual, Proto Archer and Proto Lancer are pushy as ever.” Hakunon sweatdropped.

“Aya…ka…?” I repeated slowly as I followed her eyes to see the scene beneath the window.

“Saber?”

“Ayaka?”

“Eh? Why? Why are you here? Where is this in the first place?”

“Calm down, Ayaka.”

“Jou-chan, what happe… you! Saber!”

“Lancer! You are here too!”

“Man… what the hell is happening?”

“Saber! This time for sure I will beat you and take Ayaka’s hand!”

“…Archer… I won’t allow it!” Saber's eyes are set to a glare.

“Wait wait wait! It’s not the time for that!” the bespectacled girl known as Ayaka quickly diffuses the tense atmosphere.

“So, everyone knows each other?” I finally speak up and in instant, they look at me.

That’s right. We go to the next dungeon after a break… and then… we meet Ayaka, (Proto) Lancer and (Proto) Archer… and then… what happened next…?

“Rein?! Are you alright?!”

“Ah… yeah… I am alright.” I nod. ‘What…was that…?’

“You really should go to the infirmary just in case.”

“Don’t worry, Hakunon. I will be fine after a while.” I smile.

“But…”

“Ah, it’s Saber.” I quickly shift her attention back to the Ayaka and Saber…

“Oh, Saber comes to save the day again.” Hakunon chirps. Saber who is always coming to save Ayaka from her pushy suitors… like a knight in shining armor.

‘…why is it… Ayaka… not me…?’ My eyes widen as certain memories begin to surface.

‘Oh! No no no!’ I shake my head. ‘I shouldn’t think about that… I am no longer…’ ~”~

“You sure as busy as ever, Ayaka.” Hakunon laughed as we finally had our lunch.

“They really should cut it out and give me a break. They are doing it every single day. How can they not feel tired?” Ayaka sighs.

“Ahahahaha! Don’t say that! Even though they look like that, they are still very popular.” Hakunon laughs heartily.

“I don’t need it.” Ayaka chomps her lunch.

“But you got to see Saber saving you like a prince on a white horse every single day. What’s so bad about that?” Hakunon teased.

Ayaka looks at her dead in the eyes, “Saber and I are not like that.” she says firmly.

“Eeehh… even though he keeps hovering around you like a bodyguard?” Hakunon put on her disbelieving expression.

“I see… I guess I sorta understood what situation we are in now…” Ayaka nods her head. “But… I have never thought I would see you again, Saber. I am glad you are doing well.”

“Yes. I am glad that you are doing well too, Ayaka.” Saber smiles.

‘Oh…’ I blink at their interaction.

“Keh! There they are being lovey-dovey again.” Lancer… or now to be called Proto Lancer made a face at them.

“We are not in that kind of relationship.” Ayaka sighed for the umpteenth time.

“But Jou-chan is clearly playing favourite.” Proto Lancer protested.

“Heee… what’s this?” Lancer smirked as he finally found something worth his time. “Saber… you sly dog, you have a cute girlfriend yet you were flirting with your current master.”

“Lancer, Ayaka is not my girlfriend.” Saber frowned. Now now, he can’t make his master misunderstand him now, can he?

“That’s right. Saber is like a saviour? A brother figure… he is like that for me. So, don’t go around spreading nonsense, errr… Lancer.” Ayaka backed him up.

“…”

“Rein?” I blink my eyes at Archer’s voice. “Are you alright?”

“Of course. Why won’t I be?” I tilt my head at my unusually worried servant.

“If you want, I can knock some sense to him…” he narrowed his eyes.

“…” I burst out to a little giggle. “Thank you, but it’s not needed. This is… what it should be…” I spoke softly… so soft that I am the one who can hear it.

“Rather, I am hungry, Archer. I want to eat.” I pulled a puppy dog's eyes on him.

“I will whip something real quick for you.” Archer sighs in defeat, not prying what I don’t want to say.

“Then, Archer’s special hamburger steak.”

“…you know that it takes a long time to make, don’t you?”

“Eeehhh… then, Archer’s special omurice.”

“Let’s go with that then.” ~”~

“…haaa…” I exhale a long sigh. “The same trick, but stronger…” I mumbled. But this doesn’t work well for me. Because I have started remembering what had happened before this and it couldn’t even touch the other part of memories… I guess that’s given with how I protected those.

“…I should lock them again… before… before it causes trouble for everyone… and… him too…”

I can already imagine how my teacher will nag at me because of this.

“You should just put him under your slave spell. I will bet my whole entertainment that even if he finds out, he will happily oblige to whatever you want. He’s just down that bad for you.”

“…you are wrong, sensei… He… had someone else saved his heart… a feat that even I couldn’t do…”

“…That’s why… I have no right to insert myself into his heart anymore…” a leaf falls down right on my awaiting palm.

“Rein!”

I shift my attention to the source of the voice. “Ar…Saber? Are you alright? Why are you so out of breath?” I get off the bench and walk to him. “I will go get some water for you.”

“Don’t go!” my hand was roughly gabbed. “Don’t go anywhere! Don’t disappear on me again!” and I was pulled into a tight embrace.

“Ah? I am not going anywhere nor I am disappearing though. I just want to get water for you.” I stated.

“…”

“Besides, I am your master. Where do you think I will be going without my servants?” I awkwardly pat his back, trying not to let him know how much I missed this.

‘Liar… you are a liar, Rein… You never noticed that your voice trembles ever so slightly when you lie. It’s the habit only I noticed…’

“Oh!” I pull back slightly when I realize something. “You remember!” I beamed.

“Remember…” Saber's eyes tremble. “Do you mean the time when we were a-”

“I am glad. I noticed everyone doesn’t remember that we were swallowed into a black hole. Their memories must be manipulated.”

“Oh…” Saber slowly blinks into realization. “We… where are we…?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” I asked.

“We were attacked and a black hole opened up, swallowing us,” he answered.

“And this is the space inside the black hole. This space manipulated our memories. Must be made to trap us here forever… or until the time that the master of the dungeon feels she is bored enough and let us out.” I grumble in distaste.

We all know who the holder of the real Grail now. Ayaka told us she saw the attacker that transported them to the other side of the world. It’s none other than her sister, Sajyou Manaka, she was supposed to be dead… twice…

She was stabbed by Arthur when she was alive and Beast 666, the true enemy that Arthur must vanquish before he can go to Avalon. Beast 666 who was created by Manaka, imprinted to her as its mother and revived her. Manaka then was killed for sure in the Second Holy Grail War, which Ayaka accidentally joined in.

But now… for whatever reason she is still alive… but if I were to be honest… the reason she must still alive… no, she is not exactly alive. She is dead and now the one in front of us is her lingering attachment to… Arthur…

Her attachment is strong enough to form an astral projection and she moves solely based on her feeling to be with Arthur. She will do anything to be with him and that’s how she stole the Holy Grail from our world and dragged us to this mess.

Everything is for… him…

“Haaa…” I sigh. ‘Really… just what kind of seduction technique this guy used. He even managed to charm a ...supposed omnipotent girl.’

“What’s wrong, Rein? Are you feeling sick? Shall I take you to the infirmary?”

“…” When I look at him fussing around like this… I can’t help but want to tease him a little. “Yeah… I feel sick. I will feel better if you cross-!”

“That’s not good, I will take you to the infirmary now.” Arthur carries me princess-style straight to the infirmary, ignoring the shocked looks everyone gives.

‘Ah… I think I just made my life worse…’ ~”~

[green-spear-of-causality]

You got any spicy Green Cu- I mean Achilles headcanons?

My friend, Achilles will forever be known as Green Cú, he cannot escape his fate -

Achilles Headcanons (FGO)

Yes, he has stolen Proto Cú's AND Fsn Cú's spears before (numerous times, too)

And yes, they would have beaten his ass for it if he wasn't so quick on his feet

He usually wakes up early, or hasn't even gone to bed in the first place. Whoever the chef of the day is (usually EMIYA), in the quiet mornings of Chaldea he'll sit down and ask anything that comes to mind while watching them cook

"Can our feet just be regarded as another pair of hands, just on the ground? Ground hands??"

"Achilles, for the love of god - "

"I didn't hear a no!"

If he's ever adventured on his own to places he thinks are good spots for picnics (read: romantic outings), he'll never tell another soul

He usually just takes the Servants who look like they want the day to just not exist in the first place there, whether they want to or not

"Yo! I found this place the other day and I think you'd like it - What? You don't want to go? Too late, you're going!"

Has a massive soft spot for Atalanta and the children Servants

Nursery Rhyme wants him to read out loud? You bet he's dropping whatever he's doing to go read

Jack is feeling a little stabby? Sparring session in T-Minus 30 seconds, with the added bonus of tips to improve fighting styles

Atalanta is questioning her capabilities? Movie marathon in her room, coupled with reassuring pats and hugs that she is doing just fine

"Y'know I look up to you, Ane-san. You're more than enough."

Will also deny that he has a soft spot for them

"What? Me? Never." (Proceeds to learn how to cook foods foreign to him so that he can make them their favorite dishes whenever they feel down)

It's kind of obvious at this point, but a favorite hc of mine is that Achilles has a high EQ. He just...knows when someone is feeling even a little bit off, and will do what he can to help

Yes, he still challenges Chiron to sparring sessions whenever he can

(Chiron usually beats him, but there are some notable times when Achilles one-ups him using skill alone and not pure strength)

Merlin gives him the worst ideas, like stealing Cascú's staff next

Green Cú only has one braincell and prefers to go with the flow, so you betcha he took that staff

"Hm? Where did- ACHILLES!!!"

Achilles usually hands the stolen goods to Merlin and is off like a whirlwind, the mage just smiling in amusement when the Servant Achilles stole from barges into the room a minute later

Stealing from Cascú was a bad idea because then Merlin plants the idea of stealing from Alter Cú next

...Achilles did not show up to dinner that night

Atalanta and Chiron are the first to notice. Admittedly, if it weren't for Jack and Nursery Rhyme asking for her to get Achilles to tell them another story from his past (which, yes, he does censor his swearing for them), she wouldn't have noticed

"Where's Achilles?"

Alter Cú chose that moment to walk by, a red substance that suspiciously looked like blood splattered on his front

"He's not coming."

...And that was that

Surprisingly, though, Achilles comes to be friends with even the most unapproachable of Servants

(Yes this includes Alter Cú)

King Hassan says that he's going somewhere alone? Achilles is volunteering to go with him, even giving him a friendly pat on the arm as they walk together

Can somehow decipher Hercules' roars

*Roar of the damned* "Oh, you want some lemonade? Coming right up, my man!"

Usually has nicknames for people he cares about (which is nearly everybody)

Proto Cú? "Yo, Bolt!" (He watched Bolt with the kids and thought it fit, he knew how much Proto hated being called "Kid" and plus, both of then were, well...dogs)

Fsn Cú? "Oi, Blue!" (Yes he stole Robin's nickname for Cú), sometimes "Blue Me" even though we all know he's the Green Cú

Cascú? "Mage-san, come take a look at this." Also calls him Grandpa whenever he wants to annoy him (gets whacked on the head with a staff for that one without fail)

Alter Cú? "You doin' alright, Big Guy?" (Overtime, Alter Cú just accepts the name because once Achilles likes you, you're stuck with him and his antics)

King Hassan? He's just called Grandpa outright. "Hey Jiji, how've you been?"

Nope nope nope, does not like Archer Gil or Ozy

They both rub him the wrong way, and he tries to not be stuck with them for long periods of time

He just...doesn't understand Mephistopheles

Oh, Mordred got summoned? It's Bro Time

To be honest, he was a little hesitant about Mordred, but once he saw that Mordred frankly didn't give a damn what side you were on before, the two became fast friends

What better way to hang out than to spar?

...Achilles likes fighting, it's why he gets along so well with the Cús

Pranks? He's in, as long as nobody gets to hurt in the process

(He's secretly a worrywart because he's all-too-familiar with how he was nearly invincible, save for his heel)

Despite that tendency, he's very laidback with everyone and is a honest as he can be

"Honesty's the best policy, don'tcha think?"

Asterios has a big spot in Achilles' heart

Achilles is just...soft for him, Asterios is so pure and innocent and fills Achilles with the need to protect him (despite Asterios being perfectly capable, he can take a hit and dish it out just as well)

This friendship is one of the purest things to ever occur in Chaldea

It started out when Asterios was fretting over breaking one of Master's glass animals. It had been a collective gift to show their appreciation for Humanity's Last Master, and they had exchanged tearful hugs with everyone (it took hours, there were a lot of Servants)

Achilles happened to come across him first, unafraid to approach and calming him down with reassuring words that "No, Master won't hate ya or kick ya out; they care about you too much. Let's hurry and buy another one, alright?"

Achilles also calls Asterios "Big Guy", it just...fits

They've become such close friends that whenever they see each other in the halls, Asterios gives him a wide happy smile while opening his arms to catch the sudden green blur that was close to moving at Mach speeds

And, finally, the nickname everyone has decided for Achilles is Carrot Top; Green Cú is what the Cú's call him

[merlinscloset]

Achilles, Arthur relationship hc’s (Fluff)

Hi! May I ask for some fluffy relationship hcs for Achilles and Arthur Pendragon with a short s/o? Thanks in advance and good luck with the blog😊❤  -Anonymous

A/N: Sure thing! Thank you sweet Anon!

Achilles

>This Grecian hero is very taken by his s/o’s short stature.  One of his favorite things to do with his s/o is sneak up behind them when they aren’t suspecting, grab them, hoist them over his shoulder, and take off running.  He gets such a kick out of their sudden panic, he can’t help but laugh at it later.  He means it all with love though.  Also piggy-back rides are a thing.  He says it’s conditioning, but he just loves having his partner on his shoulders.

>When it’s just the two of them relaxing or cuddling, Achilles has a habit of lifting them up from where ever they may be, place them in his lap, and bury his face in their shoulder.  He can curl his body perfectly around his partner’s, and find that blissful feeling of peace before the next Chaldea quest or mission.

Arthur Pendragon

>He also adores his s/o’s miniature stature, but is much less discreet about it.  The King loves wrapping his arm around his s/o shoulders, or cupping their head.  He will always be the chivalrous knight and grab something for them that’s too out of reach, or offer raising their seat when they sit at the dinner table/meeting table.  On many occasions, his s/o has asked Arthur to pick them up and put them on his shoulders so they seem taller.

>If his s/o is feeling depressed or angry at their height because they view it as a bother and a hindrance, Arthur will always be there to cheer them up.  He gives them compliments about their height, and even puts in a: “your physical appearance doesn’t define who you are as a person”.

[fate-grandorder-imagines]

Arthur Pendragon - City of lights

A/n: No one requested this but my ultimate bias are seeping through again so here comes some fluffy fluff for the love of my life. Please excuse the lack of conversation, I was trying to focus on his innermost thoughts and feelings.

@bluemaryze This is for you, because i promised you (even though i’m terribly late) and because you deserve it for being such an incredibly kind, sweet and understanding angel - My dearest wifey, please never change ♡ ♡ ♡

PS: What is plot?

You two were really one of a kind, you thought, while rayshifting with the young man at your side

Arthur Pendragon, the shining King of Knights, who’d been tormented by his desperate wish for an eternal Britain for the longest time but finally freed from his worries.

And then there was you, more or less the last hope for humanity, despite still learning to grow as a mage. And hopelessly in love with the man smiling next to you, when his gaze fell on the vibrant city you just rayshifted to: London, the City of Lights.

It had hardly been a surprise to you when you realized you had fallen for the King. He had been kind to you, charming, endlessly devoted and caring whenever you needed it the most. And most certainly, far beyond your reach. But for now you were content with being close to his side like this. 

At least so you told yourself, completely missing the servant watching a gentle breeze whirl your hair around, with a warm, sheepish smile tugging at the corner of his lips as you desperately tried to keep it in place.

Smiling gently at you he was a handsome portrait of flawless confidence and you nearly forgot the reason you brought him here as he reached out with one hand, gently tugging some lose strands behind your ear, his hands lingering in your hair a little too long.

You bit your lips, while your face grew warm at the close proximity, amazed and embarrassed at what a simple touch and smile from him could do to you.

There he went again, doing things like this with such ease while your heart was hammering wildly like a little bird trying to escape its cage. 

You sighed and shook your head. You had promised to show him the capital of today’s Great Britain once your battles were over, to show him that the struggles and sacrifices he went through in his lifetime weren’t in vain but now that you were here, you couldn’t help but feel nervous at the thought of spending the whole day with him and him alone.

Somehow this almost feels like a date.   

He couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun before, his eyes widening with every sight you showed him. The last time he had laughed so freely. The last time he had seen you wearing that wide genuine smile that reached your breathtaking eyes, making him nearly lose himself whenever they bore into him.

He loved how your shadows were blending together into while you were walking side by side, showing him the buzzy West end of London, Piccadilly Circus. The way you livened up the old medieval church of Westminster Abbey, just by being in it. The way you’ve opened up your heart and life to him as you strolled through Camden Market and told him about getting lost here a few years ago. How kind and warm you were, like sunlight that always gave him strength and never ceased to shine. No one was so incredibly dear to him like you, never stopping to impress him with your wit and optimism It were the little things about you that made him smile, made him fall for you.

He sighed and shook his head. How could you not have realized his feelings for you by now? 

The sidewalks of Tower Bridge were crammed with couples chit-chatting and laughing gleefully and when he noticed your gaze lingering on them, cheeks flushed adorably, he gently but firmly took your hand in his. He looked at you with ruddy cheeks, a tender smile adorning his handsome features when he twined his slender fingers with yours, your heart rumbling almost painfully as his captivating eyes pulled you in. You looked up with a jolt, your breath hitching when you felt his warmth seeping into your skin and instantly you felt a wave of joy and happiness washing over you.

Not minding how good, how right his touch felt you grasped his hand back, bathing in the jealous stares of women passing by while the blood rushed to your face and you gazed at the river flowing beneath your feet. At this moment, you realized just how lucky you were to have such a kind and compassionate servant by your side. Even if he didn’t feel the same as you, you didn’t mind anymore. As long as he was happy, as long as he kept smiling like he did today, you were content enough. At least that’s what you thought when his soft voice interrupted your trail of scattered thoughts.

‘Thank you for this day filled with so much joy, Master.’

You glanced back at him just to be met by dazzling green eyes, sparkling in the light of the setting sun like emeralds. Your eyes widened a fraction and your heart skipped a beat, rumbling loudly in your chest. 

He stared back for a few seconds, bright clear eyes glowing. Almost imperceptibly, you found yourself instinctively leaning closer to each other. He placed a hand, slightly trembling, beneath your chin, tilting your head back so you had to keep your gaze on him. His fingers then shifted, trailing to your cheeks when he tugged some invisible strands of hair behind your ears. Arthur  gazed at you lovingly, his eyes softening with tenderness before sparking with something else.

The moment his lips touched yours, it felt like the world cracked open at your feet. They were even softer than you could’ve ever imagined and you felt yourself wrapping your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer as you closed your eyes, the sight of the setting sunlight outlining him in gold and amber burning itself into your memory and the world seemed to fade into insignificance except for one single thought:

The King of Knights was an exceptional kisser.

- Mod Silver

[macabrecabra]

Skittering into your inbox right before bed to ask about Semi and Proto fluffs >83 perhaps some kind of meaningful gesture to each other, or confessin, or gifts…the world is your oyster to write as you please!

You asked and you shall receive! It was a fun one to work with = w =

LINK TO YOUR REQUEST ON AO3! Disclaimer: FIC ASK REQUESTS ARE CLOSED! Only regular asks and art request asks are open c: So just don't ask request a fanfic! I open that up sometimes when in a mood to write c: