Epilogue 2 - Final Blooming

Arturia Pendragon knew that she was home. It wasn't the pastoral fields of Avalon, nor was it the earthier ground of Camelot. No, this was the second home she made for herself.

The sun was setting on Fuyuki City. Its golden glow seemed to shatter into a thousand pieces on the rippling ocean. The bridge was outlined in the fiery spectacle, but she knew that someone would be waiting.

Along the way, she had been given images of the fates of the other Servants. She suspected that it was Merlin's work, a final reassurance that all was well. What she saw made her smile.

The one who had been Archer, the soured hero who was once EMIYA, was given a second chance. He was chatting with his adopted family. She had never seen Kiritsugu Emiya at peace when he was her Master. This version had apparently become something of an adventurer, not a killer.

Cu Chulainn was serving a woman with short, auburn hair breakfast in bed. He leaned forward and gave her a quick peck before urging her to eat. Saber noticed their matching wedding rings, as well as earrings. A closer inspection revealed that she quite pregnant.

Hercules had brought Medusa and Medea with him to Mount Olympus. He had been bursting with power—not only his own, but the support of the world itself. The old man on the throne—presumably Zeus—looked intimidated. Hercules was obviously making some demands for the three of them.

The "negotiations" had apparently gone in the demigod's favor. The scene changed to one of familial bliss as he greeted his family. His features had changed to something considerably less brutish as he gently hugged his long-lost wife and children.

The scene changed to show Medusa working quietly at a desk. She was in her civilian clothes, but her eyes were a more normal brown color. A nearby folder read "Disposition of the Matou Estate." She was working on some legal matters. Judging by her obvious ease, she seemed content—something that would not have been possible if Matou patriarch still lived.

Medusa's smile was shared by Medea. The former sorceress was preparing breakfast, looking entirely domestic in her dress and apron. She blushed as a gaunt, severe-looking man gave her a gentle hug from behind.

The final scene was that of a Japanese inn. The man who had once called himself Kojirou Sasaki sat on the veranda. He was sipping a cup of tea, apparently content to watch the world go by.

Saber no longer felt any animosity towards those she had once fought. That was something best left behind, discarded like old habits. It was time to look forward once again.

She quickly checked herself in a nearby window. She was wearing a modest white blouse with a thin blue bow, as well as a matching blue skirt that went past her knees. She also had dark leggings and slightly clunky-looking boots that went to her ankles. It was the "civilian" clothing that she had worn before, but her hair hadn't been tied up.

Some instinct told her that the immortality granted by Avalon was gone. She would age, live out her days, and eventually die in the fullness of time. She could only think of one person to spend those days with.

She tried to be inconspicuous as she wove her way past the crowd. The bridge wasn't far away, but she started to get impatient. Her stride quickened as she saw a familiar figure in a tan school uniform. He was leaning on the rail, just admiring the sunset.

She ran towards him and called his name. He blinked, uncertain of whether or not he had really heard her voice. When he turned, his eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Saber?!" he exclaimed, just before she collided with him in a hug that would have made Wakaba proud. He dropped his bag on the bridge and held her close.

"Shirou..."

There were so many things that he wanted to ask her. He wanted to say something, but it just didn't seem like the right time. He had just been thinking about how he would never forget being in love with her, and here she was.

A cavernous rumble interrupted the moment, and Arturia blushed. She loosened up her hold and took a step back, looking down at the ground in embarrassment.

"You're hungry?" Shirou asked, picking up his bag.

She nodded. She then shyly reached out for his hand.

He took it with a smile. He could feel that there was a lightness in her heart that she didn't have at their last meeting.

"I'm home," she said quietly.

"Welcome back," he replied. Then he sniffed the air. "Hey, why do you smell like roses?"

Arturia did something that he'd never seen: She laughed. It was more of a stifled chuckle, but it was more than he was used to seeing from the stern, austere girl.

"It's a very long story," she said with a smile.

"I've got time," he replied.

THE END

Warning! Author Babble!

Wow. What a ride.

This is Pearson "Doc" Mui hammering away at the keyboard. This story was actually done as a project for National Novel Writing Month in 2011. Judging by the word count, I've definitely exceeded the 50000 word minimum. The story was actually done, but I had to let it settle a bit before I tried publishing it on . There's the old adage about how things can always be improved. At this point in time, I'm pretty satisfied.

Yes, in the whole "hero glut" scene, I just had to add characters that I thought might fit into the roles the Holy Grail might have put them in. Here's a list of the cameos not explicitly mentioned:

Green Arrow
Hawkeye
Sub-Zero
Mai Shiranui
Wolverine
Harry Dresden
The Lone Ranger
Ghost Rider
Was it overkill? Well, maybe. But, I hope that you enjoyed it.

Writing Lily was rather fun. I wanted her to be a counterpoint to Saber, the ordinary girl who happened to be King. And, tying her in with Wakaba gave the latter some fairly good scenes-and less psychological trauma.

For those of you wondering, there is no Black Rose saga in this universe. I half-jokingly say that one of Rider's jobs behind the scenes was to run over Souji Mikage.

What's next? Well, I'm currently working on a Doctor Who/Puella Magi Madoka Magica crossover. And, if I can push myself through that, I'm planning on doing a Transformers/Green Lantern crossover. Yes, Prime does get a ring.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to drop me a line.

See you in the future!

-Doc