FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR

"August Harvest"

Chapter 28: Charming Little Scheme

August was now officially over. Life quickly returned to normal in Chaldea once the calendars changed to September. Anything and everything that had been brought over to Okeanos had to be packed up and returned to the facility, especially if the staff and Servants didn't want anyone from Proper Human History to stumble upon any technology beyond their comprehension. Likewise, the Caster-class Servants banded together and used their magic to forcefully disintegrate Aspidochelone's corpse into mana that would return to the World in due time. Now that any and all traces of Chaldea's presence were removed from Okeanos, the Fomorian Singularity could be declared resolved.

On the first day of September, Connla gave Crom Cruach a tour throughout Chaldea. It became readily apparent that he wasn't fond of areas with large crowds or loud noises, and that he preferred quiet spots like the library, study hall, and the meditation chamber. As she showed him the classroom, he gazed languidly at the chalkboard. He felt compelled to hold a piece of white chalk betwixt his fingers and stare at the dark green board.

What is this strange sensation I am experiencing? Some kind of nostalgia?

"Is something wrong?" Connla asked, noticing that he wasn't fully paying attention to her.

"It's nothing. No need to concern yourself," Crom Cruach muttered and put the piece of chalk down, then thought, Must have been a subconscious reaction from my vessel.

He followed the little girl through the halls, and she opened a small phone to speak with someone for a few minutes. He heard her murmur, "Hello? Yes, it's me. Am I allowed to pay you a visit right now? … No, no, I don't think he'll cause you any trouble. … I understand how you feel, but please don't rush to conclusions. Not every male is like that. … Yes… Yes, I know… Yes, of course. I'll bring him with me shortly."

She hung up, and he asked, "Who were you speaking to?"

"We're a little short on spare rooms at the moment, so I asked a particular Servant if she could let you board with her temporarily. We're going to go meet her so we can see if she'll be comfortable with you. She has some trust issues, so it was hard to convince her to go along with this."

"I see."

Crom Cruach followed Connla through the dormitory halls until they reached a particular room. She rung the door chime and said to the voice comm, "We're here. Could you let us in?"

"Just a minute," a woman's voice replied. About 30 seconds later, the door slid open, revealing the lady Servant to be the Witch of Colchis, Medea. Her hair looked slightly matted, and she didn't have her makeup on. She looked a little irritated, but remained cordial with Connla as she said, "You're early. I still haven't tidied up my sculpting atelier, you know."

"I don't think he'll mind," the Lancer replied.

Medea's eyes shifted upward until they met Crom Cruach's, and her cadence immediately changed. Her sour mood disappeared, and her eyes widened slightly as she scrutinized this gaunt fellow standing before her. A small, "Oh," escaped her lips. He didn't react to her presence whatsoever.

"Can we come in?" Connla asked.

Medea snapped out of her reverie, and she uttered, "Ah… O-Of course."

She guided the pair inside her room. It was a large single room divided into several distinct areas such as the kitchen, recreational lounge, bedroom, and a workshop for crafting figurines and clothes. Medea patted the couch down and gestured to Crom Cruach, "Please, make yourself at home. I'll get some tea ready."

He sat down, then murmured, "No need to rush on my account. I can always come back at a more favorable time."

"No, no, it's no problem at all. Things have just been a little hectic ever since I helped remove Aspidochelone from Okeanos. Now that that's taken care of, I can go back to my usual routine."

"Is that so? Then it is fine. More importantly, there's something I need to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Connla tells me that you are proficient with craftsmanship. I believe this may be what I need to sustain my power as an Assassin-class Servant."

The mage raised her eyebrow and wondered, "I'm not sure what you mean."

His eyes met her curious gaze, and she blushed slightly. She looked down at the brewing kettle to hide her bashfulness from him. He didn't seem to notice as he said, "As you may be aware, I am Crom Cruach, the god of bounty and sacrifice from Celtic lore. My power… Nay, my entire existence revolves around the concept of sacrifice. The more sacrifices that are made, the greater my power will be in turn. However, the Master of Chaldea's reverence for human life causes conflict with my inherent nature. As Chaldea does not condone human sacrifice, this means I have to seek an alternate source of offerings if I am to maintain my strength as a Servant."

"You think I can help with that?" Medea asked.

"It depends," Crom Cruach replied, then looked over at the atelier and inspected the figurines she was in the middle of working on. "Merely on first glance, I can sense that you pour much love and effort into your craft. If I were to destroy your works on a regular basis, this should prove sufficient enough for me."

"Wha…"

Her heart practically seized up when she heard this. She almost dropped the scalding hot kettle onto the ground as she ran over to the workshop and snapped, "I can't let you do that! Making clothes and statues are the only things I have! Because I'm known as the Traitorous Witch, practically no one wants to be associated with me! I can't just make stuff knowing that it's going to be destroyed anyway!"

"Calm yourself," he assured. "I wasn't referring to your primary projects. If you harbor that much attachment to your creations, then I will not damage them. That I promise."

"Oh. Then, what might you be referring to?"

"Let me see… For instance, if you were to make little dolls out of scrap material, or if you were unsatisfied with a piece you were working on, then destroying those would be satisfactory. The point is that your effort would not be going towards aesthetic appeal, but rather sustaining my existence as a god of sacrifice."

Medea murmured to herself for a moment. "That could be troublesome… I always think carefully about what I'm going to make, planning everything even down to the last detail. I absolutely hate screwing up on my projects, so things like scrap material and bad designs don't really happen that often."

"I see. Then perhaps relying on you for assistance may not be such a good idea," Crom Cruach said and began to get up.

"W-Wait a second!" she blurted. "I could adapt to suit your needs, if that's what you want. I mean, I could always set aside some time to make junk dolls out of fabric that you could burn. I just wasn't expecting to hear such a request, so I might have reacted a little hastily. I'd have to fix my schedule, but I can most certainly do that for you, if that's what you so wish."

He nodded lightly, then said, "There's no need to rush. There are still plenty of other sources of sacrifice that I can channel upon. Your offerings would simply function as boosters for myself should the time come."

"So you'd want a doll or two to destroy for some battle?"

"More or less."

Her sour mood vanished and she flashed a genuine smile. "My goodness, why didn't you say that earlier? I'd be more than happy to help. But, what other sources of sacrifice might you be talking about? You're not going to go sabotage other people's work, are you?"

"That's hardly necessary. Just the very existence of so many Spirit Origins is enough for when I am idle."

"Spirit Origins?"

"Indeed. So many of you Servants have had to make tremendous sacrifices in your lives to be recognized by the Throne of Heroes. In particular, I am drawn towards those classified as Anti-Heroes, or those whom society judges to be 'evil' in nature. Such Heroic Spirits were treated with little to no respect during their lifetimes, then hypocritically called monsters after they lashed out against this cruel, unfair world."

"…"

"I do not believe that humans are born evil in nature. Rather, they are fashioned to be such through the abuse, neglect, misguiding, and selfishness of others around them. My Spirit Origin is designed to recognize the suffering that such heroes have endured and draw strength upon them. Their happiness and dignity were sacrificed to fit humanity's petty desire for a 'good versus evil' narrative, where humans designate themselves as 'heroes' to slay the 'villain' that they crafted themselves. The 'villain' could be anything from a vengeful god, a violent monster, or a black-hearted witch.

"I have seen it over and over again; Medusa, Tamamo no Mae, Asterios, Elizabeth Bathory, Abigail Williams, and even yourself, Medea. All of you were denied the right to live as humans, instead being branded as evils that needed to be taken down. Therefore, my Spirit Origin takes in the suffering that you all continue to endure and transforms it into power. The effect is usually minimal, although I can open myself up to take it all in at once if needed. It may cause exhaustion to your Spirit Origins though, so that is why I seek material offerings to compensate."

"I see…" Medea whispered. She never thought she would get to meet someone who actually understood the misery she went through in her life. She thought no one would ever get to know the real Princess of Colchis, only associating her with her continuous treachery towards everyone around her. At the very least, her attack against Jason and his wife during their wedding, and the murder of the sons she had with Jason afterward were most certainly her own doing. She would accept penance for that, at least.

As far as betraying her own loved ones though, she found it much harder to associate herself with those crimes when she wasn't the one in control. Even so, humanity deemed her a witch for it regardless. It was a much simpler narrative for people to understand; that the horrible witch turned against everyone she made contact with, and thus should be considered dangerous. Medea was disgusted with such narrow-mindedness, but that was just how humanity operated. They forced her into a role she didn't want, and she had to play it regardless, even as a Servant.

This was why she felt incredibly relieved to hear that Crom Cruach acknowledged her for who she really was and what she went through. If the suffering she endured during her life could give strength to him, then perhaps it wouldn't be as much of a waste as she thought.

Crom Cruach noticed Medea's continued silence and asked, "Was there something unsatisfactory I said?"

She shook her head, then sat down next to him and murmured, "Not at all. I was just reflecting on my life a bit. Honestly, it's just so tiring to be called a witch over and over again. I wish someone would see me as an ordinary woman… But I know that's just wishful thinking. I was the daughter of Aeetes, owner of the Golden Fleece. I was bound to be targeted anyway, if not by Jason, then by someone else."

He remained silent. Even now, he could feel her anguish radiate from her Spirit Origin into his. This was nothing new to him though. He was used to experiencing others' sorrows, to the point that he didn't really know what actual happiness was. Even when he fought against Connla, he felt the intense pain and suffering she tried to hide from everyone, which immediately dispelled any potential hatred he might have had for her disrupting his plans.

"This is why I can't stand pretty-looking men," Medea muttered bitterly. "They're always flash and no substance. I swear, it's even harder to get around in Chaldea because Master keeps summoning such men all the time. For crying out loud, is she trying to build an army of Servants or a bloody harem?"

Crom Cruach could see why Medea was so thoroughly disgusted. He had heard rumors of the hero Jason's beauty and bravery, but judging by the sorceress' reaction, he could tell that this was not entirely the truth. Out of curiosity, he spoke aloud to Connla, "Is this what you meant when you said 'not every male is like that' to Medea earlier?"

He didn't receive any response. He grew puzzled and looked around for the child Lancer, but she was nowhere to be found. He raised his brow, wondering why she would take off without a word. He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow, thinking back to the bargain he made with her during their fight.

You crafty little devil. You were plotting for me to meet with Medea this whole time, weren't you?

"Is something wrong?" Medea wondered.

"… No. It's nothing."

"Phew," Connla huffed to herself as she left Medea's room. Once the two engaged in their serious conversation, she quietly excused herself and made her way back to her own quarters. Her ploy, however spontaneous it was, managed to work – she successfully paired Crom Cruach, or rather his vessel Kuzuki Soichirou, with Medea.

The idea came to her after recalling how Fuyuki Connla witnessed that Medea's brutal death right in front of Soichirou. The shock still affected Chaldea Connla somewhat, and she always wished there was some way she could make it up to all three of them. Now that she got Crom Cruach boarded up with Medea here, Connla felt satisfied that she had done what she could, and she would leave the rest up to them. Whether or not Crom Cruach would pick up on her little scheme was another matter, but she figured it wouldn't be a big deal down the line.

"That's everything done and dusted," she murmured to herself and pressed the button to slide open her door.

"Fwa hah hah hah hah hah!"

"Heeek!?" she yelped when she heard a familiar laugh bellowing from inside the room. She regained her composure and found both Lucius and Heroine X engaged in some sort of debate. The Roman Procurator was the one responsible for the sudden laugh, and Connla barked at him, "What do you think you're doing, Lord Lucius!? Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?"

"Hm? Ah, the little hero returns!" Lucius declared boldly. "Perfect timing! Help me out here, will you? I wanted to recruit you for some training in the simulator, but X here wants to drag you along on some ridiculous adventure to find that Artorium stuff or whatever."

"For the final time, it is AL-TRI-UM! Get it through your thick skull, dumbass!" Heroine X shouted.

"Artorium, Altrium or Aluminum, it's all the same worthless junk to me. No need to involve someone as worthy as Lugh's descendant when she could be honing her skills alongside a real hero like myself!"

"Oh yeah? Well that 'worthless junk' is what I need to leave this watershed planet! I can't gather so much at once, but with her speed and agility, the collection process will go by much more smoothly!"

Connla rushed in and exclaimed, "Would you two calm down already!? We're not going to get anywhere by screaming at each other's faces like this! Besides, there are plenty of Servants in Chaldea who can help you out. Why are you guys arguing over me like this?"

"Are you kidding me? If I'm to organize a top-class scavenger party, then it should be comprised of the best heroes that Chaldea has to offer, and you are most certainly one of them!" X retorted.

"While I'm inclined to agree with your assessment of Connla's abilities, I will have to stand firm against utilizing her as some kind of commonplace anteater!" Lucius rebuked.

"Anteater!? Is that Roman wine getting to your head, Tiberius!? I need her as a dowsing rod! If anyone can bring good fortune to those around them, it's her!"

"I don't care what you call her. A real hero doesn't need to go on such a pathetic hunt when she could be assisting me in my quest for everlasting glory and fame! Think about it! What's better, plucking weird little hairs off the ground, or slaying a dragon that's hoarding a mountain of treasure?"

"Now you look here, buster!"

"Geez!" Connla pouted, unable to figure out how to settle this argument. "Would you quit squabbling already!? I feel like I'm dealing with little children!"

Off in the corner of the child Servant's bed, Mini-Cu sat there and watched the debacle in silence. One look at her miffed expression was all he needed to quietly grin to himself.

In the Kaleidoscope, Connla Cliste woke up from her month-long sleep and stared at the colorful sky. A light smile crept along her lips, and she couldn't resist giggling a little. She had just detached her consciousness from Chaldea Connla's psyche while she was trying to deal with Lucius and Heroine X's argument. Cliste would have stayed longer, but something kept distracting her, so she opted to wake up and see what was wrong.

She sat up in her bed and inspected her hands. For some reason, they felt unusually tingly… No, not just her hands. Her entire body didn't feel right. It was as if every nerve and blood vessel was going through paresthesia, or the gripping sensation one felt when their limb 'fell asleep'. Her body jerked uncontrollably as she struggled to regain her regular mobility. The strangest thing was that Cliste was not a physical being, but a psychic projection of herself being transmitted into the Kaleidoscope. Why would she experience a physical reaction when she didn't have a physical body to begin with?

Cliste knew the answer though. Her smile disappeared. She thought of her counterpart, and of her summer adventure. Her expression grew wistful as she stared at her opened hand.

Geal… Thank you for letting me watch your journey. It was probably the most fun I've ever had in a long time. But…

Then, just for a split second, her hand unexpectedly fizzled like television static.

I don't have much time left. I probably won't last long enough to make it to the next summer.

The girl sighed, then laid back down and closed her eyes.

All I can do now is pray… that you won't see me at my worst.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That's another one wrapped up, folks. As I said in my Author's Note at the end of Brothers in Destiny, I will be working on the other story that was not chosen from my little poll for the seventh story. This will be the Fate/Zero-esque one with loads of tragedy and hard decisions, since there seems to be a growing demand for Connla to go through a 'bad ending' of some kind. I prefer happy endings, but I won't ignore a potential demand either. The original concept has radically changed since BiD, but I hope to capture the spirit at least.

This will take some planning though, so I need a few months off for that and to recoup from writing this one. This was a much harder story to write due to the pandemic throwing a monkey wrench into everything, but I think I managed enough. Let's pray that 2021 will be a better year for everyone, and I will see you sometime then. Take care, and stay safe!

- Benit149