Chapter 26: Rabble-Rousers
Once he learned from Archer that Team Saber and Rin were going to be released from government custody, (Thanks, convenient telepathic connection!), Sonic decided that he had imposed on the military's kindness for too long and chose to vacate the premises as quickly as he could. The remaining military chopper tried to keep up, but it gave up after Sonic reached a velocity normally attributed to a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere.
When he reached Illya's Castle, Sonic learned that Knuckles had found the second-to-last Chaos Emerald. And Sonic, in turn, told them of what Shirou had done.
"Whoa…talk about a game-changer…" Tails breathed.
Knuckles nodded. "Makes sense, though. It's getting really hard for them to hide magic lately. I guess an actual government conspiracy is the next logical step."
"When do you think they're going to talk to the Mage's Associate to figure things out?" Amy asked, "I mean, the MA is the one who normally deals with that."
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were silent for a moment. That bothered Amy. She had this unnerving feeling that there was this inside joke going on…and it wasn't funny in the slightest.
"Uh, Amy, what do you know about the Mage's Association?" Tails asked diplomatically.
Amy crossed her arms in thought. "Well, Bazett told me that they're the ones that hide magic and wizards from the rest of the world…so I guess it's kinda like Harry Potter."
Knuckles whistled. "Hoo, boy."
Sonic rubbed the back of his head. He suddenly felt like that parent who had to explain to their child that the really old relative that went to the hospital wasn't going to get better and come back in time for Christmas.
"Did…Bazett…mention how the MA keeps things under wraps?" Sonic asked at last. He already knew the answer.
"No…" Amy uncrossed her arms and looked down. "What exactly am I missing?"
They told her. She gasped.
"No way…" She whispered, "The entire village?"
"That's what Shirou said his dad told him," Sonic said, "And after hearing about what happened to Sakura, it probably wasn't the first time."
"That's why everyone's been so worried about keeping things quiet," Tails went on, "There's no telling what might happen if someone from the Association gets involved."
"…Bazett works for the Association…" Amy said at last.
Sonic tapped his foot. He never got the chance to really talk to the older woman, so he had no way real way to know what kind of person she was like. But he also didn't like how downcast Amy was getting. While her clinging tendencies worked his nerves sometimes, she was still a good and valued friend, and he didn't want her to lose hope for another friend.
Putting on a confident smile, Sonic said, "Well, maybe she's one of the good ones. Y'know, a white sheep. If she wasn't, she'd have already started trouble right now, right?"
That seemed to cheer Amy up, and the pink Hedgehog smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
It was at that moment that a fifth voice spoke up. "Damn right he is."
Team Sonic jumped as Lancer materialized into being. Sonic and Knuckles quickly got in front of Tails and Amy, their fur standing on end. While they learned from Amy that Lancer was only being forced to kill by Kotomine, that didn't mean they were going to like or be at ease around the Servant. Especially since said Servant didn't seem remotely apologetic about his past deeds.
Lancer held up his hands placatingly. "I'm not here to cause trouble. Just relax."
"Yeah, we're not gonna do that." Tails said, starting to hover off the floor.
"Look, whatever problems that were between us were because of Kirei," Lancer explained, rubbing the back of his head. "With him dead, you don't gotta worry about any problems from me."
"Yeah, but what about the people you've killed?" Sonic asked.
Lancer shrugged. "Not something I'm proud of, but Kirei had me kill them because he couldn't supply me with Mana. That's all there was to it."
"Not exactly helping your case, bub." Knuckles pointed out.
"They've got a point, Lancer," Amy said, "All of those poor people probably had families who miss them."
Lancer sighed. He normally wouldn't have cared, but he also knew that Amy had helped Bazett out and even saved her life. He was under strict (Though not Command Seal-enforced) orders to make nice with Amy's group until further notice. "Fine. But what do you want me to do? You can't send me to jail because I'm a Servant, and Magecraft is supposed to be hidden. Want me to make an apology video to post online?"
Team Sonic got into a huddle. They spoke in low tones, and at times, over each other. It was hard for Lancer to make out what they were saying. Everyone now and then one of the four would glance at Lancer, either to make sure he wasn't going to attack or to better plan. Eventually, they came apart and faced Lancer.
"Well?" The spearman asked.
In a second, the four outsiders gang-rushed Lancer. Sonic zipped around to his back while Tails, Knuckles, and Amy grabbed hold of his legs. The Hound was too confused by these actions to really fight back. His confusion increased and evolved into agitation when he felt Sonic pull at the waistband of his blue bodysuit.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! What are you doing back there!?" Lancer cried out.
Instead of answering, Sonic, still holding onto the waistband, took off for the door. The waistband stretched, getting longer and longer as Sonic went further and further. Being made of pure Prana itself, the waistband did not break. Its supernatural elasticity adjusted for whatever distance Sonic ran, refusing to give even a hint of fraying.
Hisui was cleaning the windows on the ground level of the Tohno Mansion's grounds. After scrubbing away all of the dirt, stains, and smudge marks, she began to gently wipe away the water with a dry rag. Just as she was finished, she heard a noise like a one-man stampede approaching. Turning around with only a squeegee to defend herself, Hisui's train of thought stalled when she saw some sort of spikey-headed blue creature in red and white sneakers coming up to her. In his hand was what looked like an elastic waistband that stretched out from the horizon.
Giving the maid a smile and nod, Sonic let go of the band. No longer bound by Sonic's grip, the elastic worked to resume its proper size at the speed of a bullet. Sonic put a hand to an ear. A minute later, an ear-splitting shriek caused the birds in the trees to fly away. Sonic laughed, and sped off from whence he came.
Hisui stared in confusion. The window she had just cleaned opened up.
"Huh? Hisui, did you hear something?" Tohno Shiki asked.
"Shirou, why are you smiling?" Saber asked her Master.
"I'm…not sure," Shirou replied, unable to fight the grin that inexplicably took over his expression. "But I just feel really happy right now."
That's funny. So do I. Archer thought. It was a good thing he was in astral form then. The last thing he wanted was for Rin to point how similar their goofy smirks probably looked.
The four of them had just returned to the Emiya property, dropped off by a police officer that was Most Definitely Not A Secret Agent In Disguise. Said "officer" was speaking to Taiga about what had happened at the Fuyuki Church…or at least, what Officially had happened. The story that the Masters and the agents had agreed on was that Kirei had tried to kill Rin, but another church-goer had killed him in defense of the teenager. Shirou and Saber, who were just passing by, showed up and called the police. Of course, while the adults were talking, Rin told Sakura and Illya the little details that had been left out. Sakura was horrified that the priest, supposedly an impartial party in the War, but also a friend of their family, had been working against them for years. While she held no love for the father that gave her to Zouken, she felt pity for Rin when her sister mournfully related what she learned, from Kirei's mouth no less. She imagined that she would have felt the same way if it had been Uncle Kariya.
When Taiga finished speaking with the officer, she came to the living room and pulled Rin into a hug, clearly intending on trying to comfort her student.
"I can't believe something like that happened to you…" The teacher said with uncharacteristic seriousness, "First Sakura's house blowing up, now this…the past week has been awful, hasn't it?"
Rin returned the hug. "Thank you, sensei…" And she meant it.
Taiga sighed. "It's hard to imagine that the father of the church was behind all of the mysterious killings…but I guess you can't trust the quiet ones, huh?"
"Have you ever spoken to Kotomine, Fuji-nee?" Shirou asked.
Still holding onto Rin, Taiga said, "No, but I've heard about him from other people," A frowned crossed her face. "For some reason, every time I heard his name, I would get the oddest feeling of danger."
Great, Rin thought unhappily, So even the Tiger picked up on it…
"Well, I don't blame you for being fooled by him," Taiga said, "Considering he was your guardian for the past decade, there was no reason you would suspect he had been up to trouble."
That helped dull the sting of humiliation…just a little. Taiga separated from Rin and gave her an encouraging smile.
"You can stay here for tonight," Taiga said, and to Shirou she ordered, "Be sure to give her double portions at dinner tonight!"
"I will, Fuji-nee." Shirou replied. He had already in fact been planning to sneak Rin some extra as recompense for revealing Magecraft, but it was nice to have Taiga's open endorsement of the idea. She normally became irritable when someone else got more portions than her.
"I need to go talk with grandpa," Taiga said, "Illya-chan, you said you wanted to stay here in Japan with Shirou, right?"
"That's right," Illya said, "Onii-chan invited me to stay with him, and that's what I'm going to do."
"Well, if anyone has the pull to convince the rest of your family to let it happen, it's definitely the Fujimura Group!" Taiga proclaimed, "Once I explain how badly they've treated you, Grandpa will pull out all the stops."
The only reason the Einzberns didn't come for Illya was because they she failed to become the Grail, Archer thought, thinking on events in his own timeline. And in any case, I imagine Taiga will be regretting this decision days down the road…
After Taiga left, Shirou went to work in the kitchen. While it was still too early for dinner, he could still whip up some snacks. He could hear the sound of the Sega Genesis being turned on, ("SAY-GAAAH!") signaling another gaming match between Saber and Illya. He could also faintly hear Rin and Sakura chatting. He still couldn't believe that they were sisters…
Shirou felt a presence behind him. He could also sense a pair of eyes bore into his back. There was no guess who that was. "Do you think I did the right thing, Archer?"
Archer didn't answer, at first. Instead, he entered the kitchen and leaned back against the counter. The Servant of Rin looked up at the ceiling. Shirou briefly glanced at white-haired man, wondering what he was thinking. The bowman had a far-off look in his eyes.
"Once…there was a man who decided that the best way to help people was through sacrifice," Archer said at last, "He felt that since it was impossible to save everyone, he would save the most at the cost of a few."
Shirou knew of that philosophy. From what Saber had described, his own father had lived by that coda himself, up until the Fire of Fuyuki.
"If killing a few, or letting them die, would protect the lives of the majority, than that would be necessary price to pay for world peace," Archer continued, "And since he wasn't paying that price, he could make that decision again, and again.
"But in his pursuit of peace, he didn't realize the problem with that method until it was too late. While it was true that he could save some people, in time, he ended up killing more people than he saved," Archer closed his eyes and frowned, "It was a logical fallacy that only a selfish fool would fall into."
"Is that how you became a Heroic Spirit?" Shirou asked, getting back to his chopping. He decided to whip up some apple slices, and make some tea.
"Mind your own business," Archer replied, "And as for your question, do you know what would have happened if you hadn't scared those agents with your Magecraft and talk of the Clock Tower?"
"Rin and I would have been arrested." Shirou answered.
"And possibly killed by the Mage's Association," Archer stated, "Along with that entire agency. But those deaths would have been a paltry sum compared to the chaos that would have ensued if Magecraft was publicly revealed. Instead of making a sacrifice for the greater good, you chose to selfishly preserve a few inconsequential people."
"…I think I'm okay with this kind of selfishness," Shirou retorted at last, "Especially since you said killing a few to save the most was pointless."
"This kind of selfishness is better for you," Archer replied, "No doubt the world is full of so-called 'noble' warriors who thought preserving countless souls they'd never meet at the cost of those in front of them was appropriate, only to find themselves facing a Hell that never ends…"
There's no doubt about it, he's definitely talking about himself, Shirou thought as he finished his work. He wondered what kind of life Archer had led. He would ask Rin about it when she was feeling a little better. No doubt she had probably figured it out from dreaming about his past. "So I guess I did the right thing."
"Sure, let's go with that." Archer said. He was thinking about his own death. Imprisoned by those who assumed he had provoked the disaster he set out to save people from, all because there was no way to comprehend how he did it without explaining Magecraft. He kept his mouth shut to preserve the secrecy. Now he wondered just whether he could have gotten off with a simple display…
The philosophical discussion was cut off by a knock at the door. Putting out the slices and tea, Shirou excused himself and went to see who it was. Taiga couldn't have returned so quickly, and she wouldn't have knocked; His Fuji-nee would have just barged in without warning. Could the government have sent a messenger? Maybe it was Bazett. She and Lancer disappeared after the battle with Kotomine.
But when Shirou opened the door, he found that it was neither of them. It was Shinji.
"Yo, Emiya." His estranged classmate and Sakura's older brother greeted tiredly.
"Shinji…" Shirou felt his brain stall. He hadn't even thought about the Matou teen since the battle at the harbor. "What are you doing here?"
Shinji shrugged. "Just thought I'd pop in for a visit. Maybe get some sympathy, you know? Or didn't you hear that my house blew up?" That last part sounded incredibly, understandably, bitter.
Of course, I'd be upset too if my home became a smoking crater, Shirou thought as he let Shinji inside, I probably shouldn't tell him that it was Sonic and I that did it.
"What are you going to do now?" Shirou asked.
"Luckily, the family bank accounts are still valid, they money practically makes itself," Shinji huffed, "I'm still staying at a hotel until something more permanent can be arranged."
Shirou briefly toyed with the idea of inviting Shinji to stay at the Emiya Property until better living arrangements were made, but changed his mind. Shinji was still a Master, as far as he knew. And while Saber had accepted Illya staying on the Estate, with Rin visiting while they were in an alliance to fight Eggman, Shinji might not be so welcome. And truth be told, Shirou didn't really want Shinji as a long-term resident either…
As they entered the living room, Shinji gave the assembled ladies there a once-over. His gaze briefly stopped on Sakura, before he turned to give Shirou an expression that was a cross between a grimace and smirk.
"Aren't you lucky, Emiya, all these ladies here," Shinji muttered, "It's like something out of a harem…"
Shinji stopped. He looked back into the living room. Shirou saw that his eyes were now fixated on the white-haired child playing Genesis games with Saber. He turned to Shirou, mouth opened to speak, but no noise came out. Shinji looked back at Illya, and then at Shirou, still trying to speak. Finally, he took Shirou's shoulder and pulled him back into the hallway.
"E-Emiya…" Shinji stammered, "Isn't that the Master of Berserker? Why is she inside your house!? Don't tell me you forged an alliance with her and Tohsaka?"
Ah, that's right. Shinji's been on his own for a while, so he doesn't know that Berserker was defeated, Shirou thought, and said, "It's all right, Shinji. Illya doesn't have a Servant anymore. She's not part of the Holy War, now."
Shinji's jaw dropped and he stared at Shirou. "Whaaa…?"
While Shirou explained to Shinji about what had happened in the recent battles, the ladies in the living room had their own talk. Shinji's brief intrusion had not gone unnoticed, and the girls were curious about his intentions.
"Nii-san…" Sakura murmured, looking very worried. She remembered the video Shinji showed her at the cafe. He had threatened to show Shirou if she didn't give her brother a Servant. Was he going to make good on that dire oath…?
Rin saw Sakura's fear, and her eyes narrowed. While she knew that her little sister's time in the Matou household was fraught with torment administered by that old pile of worms, she wondered if Shinji might have had a part in it.
"Don't worry, Sakura," Rin said firmly, "If that little creep causes trouble, I'll be sure to toss him out. This may be Emiya's home, but he's my student. As his teacher, I won't permit him to accept any of Shinji's…Shinji-ness."
"N…Nee-san…" Sakura looked to her older sister.
"It's not like that guy can do anything, anyway," Illya piped up, "After all, the Matous are a clan of declining Mages. Or…" She smirked, "They were a declining clan. With that sour old man dead, it's just one powerless guy with seaweed hair."
"Jeez, what a bunch of mean-spirited words," Shinji declared as he entered the room, "What kind of harem did Emiya put together?"
Shinji had the biggest, most obnoxious smile plastered on his face. While this may have been an attempt to appear friendly and endearing, there was a twitch under his left eye that made him look more like a potential serial killer about to go on a rampage. Behind him, Shirou just sighed. While Shinji seemed to no longer fear Illya, this blatant disrespect was not a step in the right direction.
Archer, meanwhile, recalled Illya telling him about how she killed Shinji not long after Rider was beaten. Given that Shinji had just tried to melt down the entire school and everyone in it with Rider's Blood Fort Andromeda, Archer hadn't given it much thought. Now though, he wondered what kind of life his Shinji could have lived if his Illya hadn't been so…thorough.
Shinji, however he wanted to play it cool, couldn't help but grin with anticipation. The little monster girl had lost her monster! And only he knew about it! He recalled what Gilgamesh had told Eggman before Shinji returned to Fuyuki…
"Wait, so we need more than that little albino to get the Holy Grail?" Eggman asked, perplexed.
Gilgamesh nodded, "That's right. Every Grail War, the Einzberns craft a homunculus to house the spirits of defeated Servants. A ridiculous little meat-puppet that pretends to be a person until they fulfill their purpose of obtaining all seven of the Servants. Those captured spirits, when their energy is combined, transform the puppet into the Holy Grail. However, that alone is not enough to cause the Grail to manifest. She would have to be in a region of power, where Fuyuki's leylines intersect."
"That would explain the girl's high energy output," Orbot commented, "She would need it in order to contain and control all that power."
"Gee, too bad we can't get her until that Stand of hers is beaten," Cubot remarked, "If only we had a Stand of our own…"
"It's not a Stand!" Eggman, Orbot, Shinji and Gilgamesh shouted.
Calming down, Gilgamesh said, "And don't insult me by considering her pet brute a threat. I have plenty of tools to kill it within my Gate of Babylon. All I need is a good opportunity to move without Saber or the rest of those mongrels interfering…"
Back in the present, Shinji reached out to give Illya a friendly pat on the head. "Well, whatever. Since we both lost our Servants, why don't we be friends, right?"
Illya glared at Shinji, and her body seemed to emit some sort of ominous light. Sweating, Shinji backed away. Once he did, the light faded.
"Only Shirou is allowed to touch me," Illya told Shinji firmly, before facing her brother. "Onii-chan, if you keep hanging around losers like this, it'll cause your dignity to diminish."
"Illya…" Shirou sighed. It looked like it would be a full-time job trying to keep the peace in this household.
Shinji's eye began to twitch again. He thought, Have your yuks now, you little hellion…I'll enjoy putting you in the doc's power-drain machine. All I need to do is find a good opportunity to sneak away and call him… No, I shouldn't be hasty. If I leave now after going to all the trouble to fast-talk Emiya into letting me come, it might look suspicious. I'll play the fool for now...
"Speaking of dignity, what does it say about yours when a member of the great and mighty Einzbern Mage Clan is spending her day playing old-school video games?" Shinji retorted not-so-good-naturedly, "Or what, is your clan that eager to win at something after failing to get the Holy Grail five times in a row?" He knew he scored a point when he saw Illya frown and puff up her cheeks. But when he saw Shirou frowning, he knew he'd have to make nice or be thrown out. "Well, the old man wasn't that much better, honestly. As old as he was, he'd never gotten the Holy Grail either. After all, close only counts in horseshoes, right?"
At this point Shinji had gotten close to where Rin was sitting with Sakura. He gave her a playful nudge with his elbow. Needless to say, Rin's expression indicated that this act was not appreciated. However, out of respect for the fact that she was technically in Shirou's house, the Tohsaka Master chose not to say anything. Instead, she flashed Shinji a smile that, technically, would look more appropriate on a great white shark. Briefly, Archer rematerialized just long enough to warn the Matou boy that while Shinji's died for some reason, Rin still had her Servant.
The rest of the evening went about the same pattern. Shinji would make the occasional effort to be friendly, only to passive-aggressively rebutted by one of the girls. Shirou attempted to be the peacemaker, but in time Shinji just closed himself off into a self-contained metaphorical corner.
Dinnertime came, and so did Taiga. She was a bit surprised to see Shinji would be sticking around as well, but also happy that he would be spending time with his sister after her unfortunate episodes. Shinji, remember the last time he spent with his sister, suppressed his gag reflex.
(And Shirou realized that the family food budget was now going to be officially in the red. He wondered if it was too late to ask the government agents for a stipend in return for more intel on Mages.)
Strangely enough, Shinji only ate just enough to clear his plate once. (Strange, in that no one in their right mind would not take a second helping of Shirou's cooking.) Once he was finished, he excused himself and shuffled out as quickly as he could without running. Once he had left the house, Shinji had to resist the urge to break into a run. There was a chance that either Archer or Saber might have been watching him leave. He couldn't act unusual, or they would follow him in suspicion. Just before he was out of the neighborhood, a woman in a dark red suit passed by. She had a decent figure, so Shinji briefly forgot all about Illya's lack of Servant and current location as he checked her out. He also forgot where to look where he was going, and walked into a street sign.
Once Taiga had left for the evening, and the dishes had been washed and dried, Archer revealed the identity of the Fourth War's Archer. It was shocking at first for the rest of the group to hear, but once they got past the initial outrage, they recognized that the mysterious Servant's power must surely have originated from one of mankind's oldest myths.
"But…if he's Gilgamesh, how can we beat him?" Shirou asked, "Does he have a weakness we can exploit?"
"The only one I can think of is his arrogance," Archer stated, "It's clear from the beginning that he could have wiped us all out without any effort. But he thinks he's so superior to us that he takes it easy. We can take advantage of that." At least, I think that's how Saber beat him in my time…
Meanwhile, Archer and Rin, mostly on Archer's request, were going to keep Archer's true identity a secret. The alliance had experienced all kinds of shocking reveals, but "Archer is Future-Shirou" would be the last straw. The last thing they needed was more confusion, and Archer really didn't want to answer any awkward questions like, "Can you remember who wins the next world series?"
("Okay! Okay! If you don't remember, just say so! What a grouch…" Rin had grumbled at the rather venomous reply she got from Archer.)
"Um…" Sakura paused a moment to think about her phrasing. She asked, "Doesn't a Servant's power depend on what kind of Master they have?"
Rin smiled brightly, "That's right! And as far as we know, Gilgamesh doesn't have a Master anymore. Without a mage to supply him with Mana, Gilgamesh would run out of life-force in a protracted battle."
"But what if Gilgamesh starts feeding on the townspeople like Lancer and Rider did?" Shirou asked worriedly, "There's no telling how many…" There was a knock at the door. "Hold on, I'll see who that is."
As Shirou left the living room, talk turned to how to locate Gilgamesh. The suggestion to use Tails' energy-radar to track the King of Heroes was considered, but Rin pointed out, "That thing isn't perfect. It couldn't even tell that a Chaos Emerald was right under Emiya's junk house until Taiga blasted a hole in the floor."
That's when Shirou came in, with Bazett McRemitz in tow. Bazett's expression was crestfallen. She had the look of a chef who had been ordered to cook their favorite goldfish on order of the king. Archer had seen that look before, as had Saber. In fact, Saber had bore that expression several times in her life as King, when having to a decision that was for the Good Of The Nation, but bad for That Unfortunate But Unimportant Village that didn't really need support from invading barbarians.
"What is it?" Shirou asked.
"The Mage's Association has alerted me," Bazett said, "They want us- the Tohsaka Clan Head and myself -to capture Amy and her friends before they expose themselves any further."
"Is it a Sealing Designation?" Rin asked sharply.
A Sealing Designation was the greatest "honor" The Mage's Association could ever bestow. Very much like seppuku, only without the sweet release of death. Those given Sealing Designations held abilities that the could not be replicated through study, and the Mage's Association would mobilize the greatest effort to capture them. If caught, the Designated would be indefinitely incarcerated, their bodies permanently preserved as samples of their power.
"No," Bazett said, "But if Rin and I can't pull it off, they will send more Enforcers- to say nothing how the Holy Church will react when they learn Kotomine is dead."
"That's a problem we can put off," Rin said determinedly, "Since we're no longer pursuing the Holy Grail, we can focus on helping those characters get back to their world."
Bazett blinked. "Not pursuing the Grail?"
And that led to Shirou explaining to Bazett what Zouken had revealed. The Irish mage was stunned at these revelations, but handled the truth better than they had hoped.
"So the Grail was cursed from the beginning…" Bazett sighed, "That would explain those corrupted Servants."
"So, are we in agreement?" Rin asked, "So far, you, Shirou and myself are the only Masters with active Servants. If we enter a non-aggression pact, we can put a pin in the Holy War problem."
"Will be that enough?" Shirou asked.
"If our Servants don't kill themselves, they can't feed their energy towards the Grail," Rin explained, "It's like they say, 'The best way to win a war is not to fight'."
As they talked, Saber's eyes drifted towards Illya. The little homunculus seemed bored with the proceedings, and was drumming her fingers on the table almost rhythmically. Saber knew, from what Irisviel had told her, just how doggedly the Einzberns had chased after the Holy Grail, how determined they were to obtain the Heaven's Feel. So obsessed that they turned her into a container for the Grail. Would the Einzbern Clan go as far as turning their own Master into a container as well? With each Servant that died, they would enter the body, and soon overwhelm its health with their energy-
No, this shouldn't be a problem, Saber told herself, As far as we know, only Rider, Caster, and Berserker were killed. Assassin escaped the destruction of the Matou house, but without a Master he should be dead from lack of Mana. It was late into the War that Irisviel's health began to decline. But she did have Avalon, didn't she…
"-ber?"
Shirou's voice broke Saber out of her thoughts. She started. "Oh! Yes, Shirou?" She looked abashed. "I-I'm sorry. I'm afraid I became lost in my thoughts are was not paying attention…"
I wonder what she was thinking about? It must have been pretty important if Saber, who is normally so attentive, would lose track of the conversation. Shirou thought, and said, "I asked you if it was all right that we no longer pursued the Grail."
"Yes, it is fine," Saber said, "I understand that the Holy Grail cannot grant any wish. And more to the point, I believe I have lost my motivation for seeking it as well," I cannot change the past…and perhaps I shouldn't. Whatever role I was meant to play back then has ended. Now, for what little time is left in this world, I shall fight to create a better future… She looked at Bazett. "However, can you guarantee that Lancer would agree to this? I find it hard to believe that Hound, who lives for battle, would let a conflict end this way."
Bazett crossed her arms and nodded. "I understand how you feel. While talking about his role as Kirei's Servant, the most frequent complaint was that Kirei never let him fight the other Servants. He's always been kept on a tight leash."
Shirou suddenly imagined Lancer as an actual dog, tied to a tree in someone's backyard. People would pass by the house, and Lancer would pointlessly run at them, barking. And whenever he reached the end of his rope, the tension would pull him back in the yard while the Hound whimpered in pain.
"Um, senpai? Why are you smiling?" Sakura asked.
"Er, no reason," Shirou lied.
"But he's not some thug," Bazett continued, "I'll explain to him how dangerous it would be if the Grail War continued. I think he's more interested in fighting a giant robot like the rest of us have."
"But what about the Mage's Association?" Shirou asked, "Will they really just idly wait for you and Tohsaka to present results?"
"Heh heh heh…" That ominous chuckling came from Rin, who now sported a devious smile on her face. She looked like a supervillain who had just conceived of a nefarious plot. That Cat-About-To-Eat-The-Canary-Smile sent a shiver down Shirou's spine.
"I think…" She paused for dramatic effect. "I have an idea for that problem."
THE NEXT DAY
Multiple rushes of wind caused by high-speed movement could be heard. The room shook from the impact of something hitting the walls and floor several times. Finally, Rin grunted, and made a noise that seemed to be a cross of pain and exhaustion.
Sonic happily bounced on his heels, an utterly devilish expression on his face. "Well, that was fun."
Rin growled, a bit too loudly. "Damn you… Even Archer was Beaten?"
"That was a close one," Sonic remarked, stretching. "But close only counts in Horseshoes."
But then Rin smirked, and snapped her fingers. The sound of jewels glowing and electricity sparking filled the air. Sonic gasped, and fell to his knees.
Rin chortled with wicked glee. "Ohohoho! While you were zipping around and showing off, I prepared one of the Tohsakah Clan's better spells to ensnare you. Now you're mine, and soon I'll know the secret of your powers!"
It was at that moment that Bazett charged into the room. Flipping through the air, she delivered an axe-kick that shook the floor, knocking a few ornaments off of the shelves.
"You fool!" Rin cursed, "Now he's loose!"
"Damn it!" Bazett cried, "That was supposed to knock him out!"
Sonic laughed. "Well, that was Fun! But I'm getting bored. I wonder if those guys in Clock Tower are up for a witch hunt?"
Sonic ran out of the room as fast as he could. It was the loudest exit he had ever done. Sonic went out of his way to stomp on the floor with each step, and made sure to slam the door as hard as he could. Rin cringed at the sound (So did Archer- fixing the hinges would be his job.), but said nothing. Archer materialized and calmly shut off the transmitter. Once he did, Rin and Bazett exhaled deeply.
"Okay, Sonic, you can come back in," Archer called out, "I turned it off."
Sonic strolled back into the living room. He had a bowl of fruit in hand. Taking a seat on the couch, he offered it to the girls while munching on a pear. Rin took and began to peel an orange. Bazett, however, tapped her foot impatiently.
"Why did I have to be the one to screw up?" She asked.
"Because I didn't want to be the one screw up," Rin replied matter-of-factly. "Anyway, you lost the draw."
We should have done Rock-Paper-Scissors, Bazett thought bitterly, I would have won for sure.
After learning that the Mage's Association was demanding Sonic's capture, the group had quickly put together a plan to buy time. Staging a battle that would be "accidentally" transmitted using the Tohsaka Clan's special communication tool, they would give the Mage's Association the impression that Sonic was on his way to attack them. With any luck, the Lords of Clock Tower would ignore Fuyuki just long enough for the final Chaos Emerald to be found. It was a risky plan, but since the Lords had a dim view of Japanese Mages to begin with, there was a good chance they would believe Rin failed in capturing Sonic. Rin, of course, refused to play the fool, so after some bantering and the drawing of straws it was decided that Bazett would "help out" but "inadvertently ruin" the capture of Sonic.
"So, what now?" Bazett asked, taking some grapes to eat.
Sonic shrugged. "Nothin' else to do, except get the last Emerald. Then me and buds can grab Eggman and get outta your hair."
Lancer materialized into the room. "I think I can help out with that."
"Oh? You want to be helpful?" Archer asked in that deadpan manner of his, "What paralell universe have I stumbled onto?"
"Get bent." Lancer retorted, before continuing. "So, is it true that Chaos Emeralds are typically found inside of those giant ring worlds?"
"Mostly," Amy said, coming in. She had been keeping watch while everyone else performed in the roleplay. "Sometimes they end up lying on the ground, like the one you found in Shirou's house. But a Special Zone's the best place to look. Why? Do you know where one is?"
Lancer smirked. "Yeah. I found one of these Special Zones not long after you guys came into our world. I've been popping in and out getting those energizing Rings so I wouldn't have to attack people. It was the only place I could have my thoughts to myself without worrying about Kotomine listening in."
Rin gaped. "What? Why didn't you say so sooner! We could have just gone after it and sent Sonic's group back home by now!"
Lancer shrugged. "Eh, I was curious to see what kind of show you were going to do."
"Why, you-!"
Bazett sighed as Lancer continued to rib and tease Rin. But before she could reprimand Lancer, she saw Amy was now sitting on the couch, looking despondent. She then got up, an walked away.
"Amy?" The Enforcer asked, "Are you all right?"
Amy looked back, sighed, and continued out of the house. Concerned for her friend, Bazett followed her. This spared her the pain is listening to Rin dragging Archer into her argument with Lancer.
The two ladies ended up in the backyard. Amy looked at the trenches made by the Tornado when it had been hidden there.
"Bazett...is it true that the Mage's Association...have they killed people?" Amy finally asked.
Bazett shut her eyes. Of course. That's what was bothering her. For all her obsession with Sonic, Amy was still a kind-hearted soul, but finding out a friend was involved in bloodshed... "...Yes."
"Did...did you do any of that?"
"...Yes," Bazett would not insult her friend by lying. She continued, "For years, I too believed that the protection of Magecraft's secrecy was more important than the lives of those who simply knew too much. When Kotomine cut off my arm for Lancer's Command Seals, I was frustrated that Kotomine had tricked me, but there was a part that accepted that I was reaping what I sowed...
"Until you saved me. And after hearing about your life of heroism, I can't look back at my old life without feeling a bit sick...and I'm not going back to it either," Bazett put her hand on Amy's shoulder. "I hope you can forgive me."
"Considering you guys made friends with people that blew up a military base in your own world, I'd say it'd be a bit hypocritical to exclude Bazett because of her own sins," That was Rin, making her grand entrance onto the scene. "If she's decided to change her ways, then it's all good, right?"
"I know that!" Amy half-shouted, "I was just...a little upset that after all this time we're going to have say goodbye. Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine," Bazett assured Amy, "But our world is still too dangerous for you and your friends. But thank you," They hugged. "For everything."
Rin nodded, and gave them a minute. As frustrating Sonic's friends had made things, she couldn't help but feel grateful for what they've helped out with. If it wasn't for them, I might never saved Sakura...
But once the minute passed, the Tohsaka Master clapped her hands. "Okay. Lancer is going to where the last Chaos Emerald is. Archer and I are going to follow him while Sonic takes Amy back to the castle. Bazett, are you coming along?"
"Of course," Bazett said, standing up. "I have more experience with those Special Zones than you do. They're impossible to navigate for first-timers. What we see in there might be more than you can handle."
"Oh?" Rin smiled tightly. "How kind of you. But don't under estimate me. My capacity for surprise has been filled to the brim. I just hope your Servant isn't all bark and no bite."
Sonic came up and tapped Amy on the shoulder. "Let's go, Amy. I don't think you wanna be here to watch this catfight."
Amy giggled, and gladly allowed herself to be held in Sonic's arms. To Bazett and Rin, she said, "We'll see you guys at the castle! Good luck!"
It was amazing, watching Illya work her Magecraft. Especially when she was using that Magecraft to repair the damage Eggman's invasion had down to Einzbern Castle. But Shirou couldn't help but feel a bit diminished when he compared it to his own skills. It was like she was the Elder sibling and he was the younger.
But that was silly.
While Illya restored the damage to the walls, floors, and ceilings, Shirou had been scouted to help fix the kitchen. With his experience in repairing, it was child's play to repair the stoves and ovens. The plumbing would be a bit trickier, but Shirou was actually grateful for it. The difficulty helped take his mind off of the gnawing pit in his stomach.
Outside, Tails continued to work on the Tornado's upkeep, while Knuckles helped out. From the sound of things, the biplane was all but finished. The Echidna would occasionally go back inside the castle to see if Shirou needed assistance with own repairs, but he was only needed if Shirou required a second hand to hold something he needed to fasten together.
"Hey, they're Back!" Tails called out.
"They" were Saber and Sakura, who had driven back into Fuyuki to pick up groceries. After taking a cab to the castle, the girls took a sports car for their errand, with Saber driving. The King of Knights seemed to have an unusual attachment to the car, but was still decent enough drive.
"Did you get everything we needed?" Shirou asked, turning away from his work. He was about done, anyway.
"Yes, Shirou," Saber reported, carrying in at least six bags. "Sakura's ability to Determine bargains was remarkable."
Sakura blushed at Saber's praise. "Well… Since it's all for Sonic and friends' going-away party, I thought we shouldn't hold back."
"…Good job." Shirou was a bit confused at how forced his words sounded.
But he still went along with helping the girls and Animals unload the cards groceries. Once he was done, he went back to fixing up the kitchen, but his heart wasn't into it anymore. There was a heaviness that took his enthusiasm away.
As she helped load the refrigerator, Sakura would occasionally glance at Shirou. She would then look away, her face changing expressions in rapid succession. Finally, she stopped and turned to look at Shirou in full earnest.
"Senpai… Do you not want Sonic to leave?" Sakura asked.
Shirou froze. Tails looked up from the Tornadoes engine, while Saber, who had been setting up the picnic table with Illya, paused in her work. Illya, meanwhile, just hummed as she stole a taste, but still directed her gaze towards her brother. Shirou felt their eyes on him the way an ant feels the sun through a magnifying glass.
"I…" Shirou paused, trying to collect himself and articulate his thoughts. He hadn't intended to be called out so suddenly. But now that Sakura had said it so simply, he realized that she was right. Deep down, he didn't want Sonic to go. The past week or so had been infuriating, nerve-wracking, and absolutely insane, but there was a part of him that loved it all the same.
Sonic was fun. Encouraging. He was full of himself but also full of hope for other people. He didn't make it easy, but the challenge of trying to deal with him was also enjoyable. And because of Sonic's presence, they've been been able to make so much progress in the War. And what about afterwards? Shirou, by his own actions, had irreversibly changed the status quo by breaking the rule of secrecy. Shirou wasn't sure if he was strong enough to face that without Sonic's support. Could he be the hero he always dreamed of, the kind Kiritsugu never could, on his own?
And Sakura understood it quite well. After all, integrating herself into Shirou's household had provided some of the very few spots of light in an otherwise bleak existence. Long before the Holy War began, she had already accepted that someday Zouken's machinations would be the end of her. But she had accepted it, under the premise that she would be spared from seeing Shirou, Taiga, and even Rin die before her. And now that Zouken was gone and her life had been given a new lease, she knew that if anything threatened it she would have trouble dealing.
"Hey, it's okay, I get it," Tails said, hovering up to pat Shirou on the back. "It was the same thing when I first met Sonic."
Shirou looked at the fox, unsure of how to respond. But his eyes bid Tails to continue. Tails reached into one of his gloves and pulled out what seemed like an old photo.
"I was always kinda shy...because of these," Tails gestured at the furry apendages spinning about to keep him aloft. "But when I saw Sonic...he was so cool. He had this confidence and seemed like he could do anything. I just wanted to be like just that, and that's how it all started."
Tails showed Shirou the photo. The picture was that of Sonic, looking a bit shorter and rounder, standing on a beach somewhere. He looked just as smooth as he did in the present, smirking and wagging his finger at the camera. Right next to him, maybe a foot behind, was a similarly diminished Tails, trying to imitate his pose. But instead of Sonic's borderline smug expression, Tails looked like he bursting with glee.
"I followed Sonic around endlessly, hoping that if I did what he did, I could be a hero like him," Tails continued, "But...after a while, I began to realize that if I ever wanted to be as cool as him, I had to do it my own way," He looked at Shirou and smiled, "And I'm sure that you can handle things here once we go home."
"And if you start to miss us, well, don't worry," Knuckles said, leaning against the wall. "You can never keep Sonic away for long. We just might end up bumping each other again."
"That's right," Saber said thoughtfully, "I remember Sonic once mentioning to me that you have a friend that lives in a world separate from your own?"
"That's right, Blaze." Tails said, "She sometimes pops in from the Sol Empire, which exists in another dimension…"
As the conversation went on, Shirou thought about it. While his heart would need time to process, his head understood the logic. Just because Sonic and friends were leaving didn't mean Shirou and the others couldn't finish what they started. And maybe they could meet again some day.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and another take his opposite hand. Shirou looked back and forth. Sakura had tentively resting her hand on the shoulder from behind, while at his side, Illya taken his hand.
He caught Saber's eye, and he realized that she was in a similar situation. She and the other remaining Servantshad been summoned as part of the Holy Grail War. What would happen to them once the War was over? Could the Masters maintain their presence with just their power alone?
He didn't want to think about losing anyone...
"Hey, guys!"
That was Sonic, walking into the room with Amy at his side. As everyone greeted them, Shirou hung in the back. For one moment in time, he didn't want to do anything just yet...
With their Servants in astral form, Rin and Bazett went into the city. Following Lancer's directions, they weaved through the crowds and in and out of alleyways. They didn't run, as that would have drawn too much attention. Rin and Archer debated warning Bazett about the deal they and Shirou struck with the agency, but decided that it would wait until after they got the Chaos Emerald. Maybe.
Eventually, the trail led them to a deserted building that had yet to be leased out. But the Special Zone wasn't in the main display room on the ground floor. He directed them towards the basement, and there in the center was the giant gold ring that acted as the Special Zone's gateway.
"I fought Knuckles here once," Lancer explained, "But when we ended up in this spot, he vanished from sight completely. At first, I thought he used his own powers to escape, but now that I know about these weird little pseudo-worlds the Chaos Emeralds create, it's obvious what happened that time."
"Knuckles probably fell right into the gate by accident," Rin guessed, "If he was captured by Caster soon afterwards, he might have forgotten."
"Or perhaps he just kept coming here and failed to retrieve the Emerald," Archer pointed out, "From what we've been told, even the natives of the other world have trouble dealing with these troublesome Special Zones sometimes."
"Let's all go in," Bazett said, "The more of us who enter, the more chances we have to find the Emerald in one entrance. Otherwise, we'll have to wait an entire day for the portal to reopen."
Rin nodded to agree, and the four of them jumped into the giant spinning ring. Rin had never been inside of a Special Zone before, and there was a part of her that was a little excited.
The portal dumped the Masters and Servants onto what seemed to be a small island floating in an endless white void. It was only an island in the most basic of terms; The landmass was completely flat, like a giant board being held up by it's own power. On the surface, it seemed like a town park, with a path paved through neatly-cut grass, a winding path with the occasional tree that dotted the landscape. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of Power Rings that were bunched together in large bushels along the way, as well as strange blue orbs that were similarly gathered. Most vexing was that all of this seemed to be moving of its own will, like the entire ground was a treadmill, or a record on a player. The motion almost caused their Masters to fall over, but Archer and Lancelot only had to provide minimal support to help them upright. The four of them ended up strolling to maintain thei balance.
"This is a Special Zone?" Rin asked, looking about in amazement. "No wonder Sonic's gang is so weird, if this is what they have to- Wait. Do you guys see that"
'That' was a what seemed like a set of digits floating up at the top of her vision. The numbers were counting down, and Rin was reminded the stats that Masters were granted on Servants the more they understood that Servant's capabilities.
"I see what seems like a countdown," Bazett responded, "If you see that as well, then it looks like we only have a limited time in here before the Zone forces us out."
"Look," Archer pointed up ahead, "There's the Emerald."
Not too far ahead was indeed the Chaos Emerald. It was being held in some kind of container that was floating up in the air. It seemed strange that something so important and crucial was being displayed so openly and closely. Bazett, who had been inside of a Special Zone before, knew that there had to be some kind of trick involved.
"I'll get it," Lancer announced, and ran after it. But instead of his usual A-Rank speed, Lancer found himself moving at the speed of a morning jogger. "Hey! What the heck!?"
"We're in a different plane of existence, separate from Fuyuki," Bazett mused, "So, there's a good chance that you're seperated from the abilities the Holy Grail granted you."
"Let's see if we can go the other way," Rin ordered, "You and Lancer keep going this way, Archer and I will swing around and try to head the Emerald off at the pass."
As it turned out, it was possible to run in the opposite direction while in the Special Zone. The problem was that it didn't do any good, as the Chaos Emerald's floating carrier seemed determined to avoid being touched by anybody. As no one was able to move at their optimal speeds of their own will, grabbing the Emerald was becoming quite the chore.
Luckily, they found that they could increase the amount of time they had in the Zone by collecting more Power Rings. However, the Zone only had a limited amount of Rings, and between four people, that meant there was still not a lot of time to go around.
"There's got to be something we can do!" Rin griped, "Archer! Try and shoot that thing down!"
"Might damage the Emerald," Archer responded, "But haven't you noticed that whenever one of use touches these weird blue orbs, that person becomes faster?"
"Are you sure?"
Archer reached out and grabbed an orb from a passing bushel. His pace instantly increased in speed. Catching on, Rin also began to try and grab orbs as they went by. In the distance, she could see the Lancer team adopt a similar strategy. This made chasing down the Chaos Emerald a little easier, but there were other obsticles. There were pitfalls in the path, and the Masters and Servants had to be mindful of where the holes were, as the faster they became, the harder it was to control their movements. Furthermore, while the paved areas of the Special Zone were easy to run in, the grass slowed them down considerably, forcing the four of them to jump in order to get anywere near the Emerald, which seemed to have an interest in floating over the grassy areas. That meant more leaping, which was tricky when they were near floating clumps of spike balls. They littered the path, and if they were like the ones from the Special Zone Shirou entered, hitting one would mean dropping Rings.
Bazett learned this the hard way when she misjudged how far she could jump and ended up crashing into one. Some rings fell from her, but she recovered quickly.
"I'm fine!" Bazett insisted, "But my timer just went down!"
If collecting Rings increased how much time we have in here, then of course losing them would do the opposite, Archer figured, and Projected a bow. "So all we have to do is avoid hitting those things with our bodies, right?"
Archer a slew of Projected arrows fly, destroying a group of spike balls and allowing Rin to pass through the smoke unharmed. However, not long after she did, the spike balls reappeared. Evidently, only the Rings would stay gone when touched.
"That's how a Servant protects their Master." Archer called out to Lancer.
Not to be baited, Lancer threw his spears, destroying several spike balls at once. The spear instantly returned to his hands, allowing him to repeat his method. Nonetheless, this began a new stratagem where the Servants would focus their efforts on destroying the spike balls and allow their own Masters to focus on the Chaos Emerald. The two ladies would gather more of the blue orbs to increase their speed, and slowly but surely closed the gap the Chaos Emerald seemingly insisted on maintaining. They ran about, going faster and faster, and the entire track seemed to spin wildly just to keep up. Anyone watching from above would compare the Special Zone's setting to a record being played at maximum speed, with a few dots zipping here and there.
But things started to go wrong near the end.
The first was that while king out some spike balls for Bazett, Lancer suddenly and inexplicably vanished. Using their powers was causing the Servants' countdowns to quicken. While Archer had been more economic with his arrows, Lancer hadn't with his spear.
"Lancer!" Bazett cried in alarm. But because she had been distracted by Lancer's diappearence, she hadn't been watching where she was going and crashed into another set of spike balls. She recovered quickly enough, but still had dropped quite a few Rings. Her countdown was in the single digits and there were no more Rings in sight. Grabbing another bunch of blue balls to increase her speed, Bazett used a rune to put even more strength into her legs and shot towards the Chaos Emerald. Getting closer and closer, Bazett was inches away from touching the Emerald when her countdown hit zero. Once it did, she seemed to fade away from the world. Archer, watching Bazett from a long distance, thought it looked very much like how a Servant's life in a Holy Grail would end.
Of course, it's not like she's dead, Bazett was just removed from the Zone like Lancer was, Archer figured, Still, we're running low on time.
"Archer, I have an idea," Rin said, "Shoot near the Emerald- Not at the Emerald,Just a few feet in front of it."
"Why-?"
"Just do it!" Rin had a determined expression on her face, but an inquisitive look in her eyes.
Archer did what she asked, letting an arrow fly towards the Chaos Emerald. As Rin ordered, the arrow struck the road very short distance in front of the Emerald. The moment it landed, the Emerald changed course and began to float in the opposite direction- towards Rin and Archer!
"I'm going ahead, Archer!" Rin declared, grabbing more orbs to push herself even faster. "Keep that Emerald from going anywhere but towards me!"
Her skirt is too short. Archer thought as he obeyed.
Rin shot forward, leaping over groups of spike balls, some arranged like hedges or fences with gaps, others that swung around in circles. The Tohsaka Master was moving at speeds comparable to a Servant, a testament to both the strange physics of the Special Zone and her own drive to succeed. Too many times Rin had been outdone or humilated, too many times had her own power come up short compared to the allies and enemies around her. All of her being was now focused on this one task; to get the Emerald!
Sonic, Tails...those guys saved Emiya, they saved my sister... Rin thought as she ran, And they saved me.
Once she was close enough, Rin pumped her legs full of Prana with Reinforcement and leapt.
I have to repay them!
When the light faded from their eyes, Lancer and Bazett saw that they were back in the empty room they had entered the Zone in. The giant ring was gone, of course. It likely wasn't going to return until another day or so had passed. If the Archer team failed, that is...
"Whoa, this feels weird," Lancer commented, rubbing his head. "Going from losing the Grail's blessings and back again...bit of a rush."
"Special Zones are just as chaotic as the Emeralds they protect," Bazett admitted, "Just be glad you never entered the first one I did. That Zone was weird. I didn't know which way was up..."
Lancer smirked, "I would have liked to see what that was like. Still, I wonder how Archer and his Master are doing?" He nodded at the space where the giant ring had been. "Think they'll be able to get the gem without us?"
"You tell me," Bazett replied, "After all, you have more experience with them. From what you've seen of the Special Zone and what you know of their abilities...will this be our only visit?"
Lancer leaned back against the wall and rubbed his chin in thought, frowning. "Well...I don't know much about his Master, Archer's pretty tough. Whenever we fought, he always seemed to know what I was going to do...but, it wasn't like he read my mind or anything. More like instinct born of experience. But his stats..."
Bazett nodded. As a Master of the Holy Grail War, the Grail granted her with the ability to see the strength rating for a Servant's abilities. But whenever she checked Archer, his stats were terrible. Almost all of them were ranked C, with the exception of his Independant Action and Mind's True Eye abilities, which were ranked B. A strange contradiction, one that would have been interesting to figure out if they were still fighting the Holy Grail War. What kind of Heroic Spirit is both weak and strong at the same time?
The Lancer Team's musings were interrupted by a flash of light as both Archer and Rin reappeared into the world. Rin had almost fallen to her knees, but Archer was keeping her steady. The physics of the real world were catching up, reminding the teenager that, Mage or not, running at intense velocities was a thing that should happen without consequences. With her thighs and lungs burning, Rin still smiled victoriously as she held up the blue Chaos Emerald.
When Rin and Bazett had arrived at Einzbern Castle with their prize in hand, it put everyone in a good mood. The blue Chaos Emerald was added to the collection, the seven lights creating a miniature rainbow that shined above the armored briefcase. Rin particularly basked in both the glow of the jewels and her own pride at having accomplished the feat.
"Hey, I already knew about that Special Zone," Knuckles put in, "I've just been too busy to go fetch it."
This, of course, set off an entire new slew of bickering, friendly jabs, and general one-upmanship. From a safe distance, Shirou and Sakura worked together to cook an irregular feast for the group. Shirou had wanted to focus just on traditional Japanese dishes, but somehow, whenever he had his back turned, there was a modern, western dish being cooked. He had a feeling that as a prank, either Sonic or Knuckles would sneak into his personal garden, the kitchen, and mess around with the pots and pans. It was all in good fun, and to their credit did not mess with the meals Shirou and Sakura were working on. Although, it may have been Shirou's imagination, but when Knuckles tried to snag a taste from one of the pots, the look Sakura sent him seemed to be from red eyes. Knuckles wisely decided that he could wait until everything was ready.
We should probably have Rin and Illya give Sakura a check-up to make sure she's completely clean of the Shadow's corruption…
Of course, there were no other problems throughout the party, so the thought passed from Shirou's mind. Soon the meal was prepared, served, and everyone was eating.
"Is this what you've been living on, Saber?" Lancer commented in between bites. "No wonder you've always been so gung-ho about protecting your Master."
"Do not belittle me by making light of my pact to my Master," Saber said firmly, "There is more to my bond with Shirou than mere gastronomic pleasures."
...She said while devouring her third helping. Shirou thought. Nonetheless, he appreciated Saber's words. Every guy wants to loved, especially by a pretty girl.
"Speaking gastronomic pleasures, try one of these," Sonic said, holding out something to Lancer. It was a cooked sausage wrapped in piece of sliced bread with a generous amount of hot sauce and bean slathered on. "It's my uncle's recipe."
Being the sort to never refuse charity (Or else), Lancer took the foodstuff from Sonic. After briefly sniffing it, he took a bite. A big smile appeared and he ate the rest almost instantly. "Hey, not bad! What's this called?"
Sonic's smile morphed into a smirk. "A chili dog."
"WHHAAAATT?!" Lancer turned white, gagged, and had a total breakdown. Everyone, even Bazett, couldn't help but laugh at his overreaction.
"It's okay, Lancer," Tails said, stopping the blue-haired Servant from using his spear to scrap off his tongue. "Despite the name, chili dogs aren't made from canines."
"Actually, I'm not even sure if they're made from any animal." Knuckles commented.
Once the food was finished (Mostly by Saber, but everyone got a fair amount. Knuckles came a close second in amount eaten), Sonic and his friends took over cleaning the dishes. But rather than gather them up in a neat and orderly fashion, Tails and Sonic made it a game where Tails would use his tails to sweep the plates and silverware into the air, and Sonic would speed around, catching the plates before the tossing them into the kitchen. There, Amy would catch and stack the dishes by the sink, which Knuckles would wash without hesitation.
Feeling a bit surpufluous, Shirou found himself wandering away and outside the Castle. There, he found Archer keeping watch.
"What are you doing?" Shirou asked, although it was more like, "Who are you watching for?" And they both knew the answer to that. Both Gilgamesh and Eggman were still out there.
"Are you having fun?" Archer chose to ask his own question.
"Yeah, actually," Shirou said, "Just came out here for some fresh air."
Silence reigned. There was this incredibly awkward feeling in the air. Things were always awkward between Shirou and Archer, but usually the past awkwardness was laced with a trace of bitterness.
"I suppose you must be happy to have met Sonic," Archer remarked, "I guess being a hero should be easy, now, that you've" That sounded bitter, but there was a hint of wistful envy somewhere within.
"...Actually, I think it's going to be harder than I realized." Shirou said at last.
Archer looked at Shirou as if he had grown a second head. "...What?"
Shirou sat on down on one of the steps to the castle, the way he and Kiritsugu did at the Estate. "I guess...it was Kiritsugu, my father, who inspired me to become a hero. I wanted to be the hero he couldn't. But, Kiritsugu failed to be a hero. He couldn't do it. I just...I think there was a part of me that figured that as long as I did better than Kiritsugu, it would be enough."
I didn't even know what Kiritsugu did at first. Archer thought, but Shirou's words were beginning to make the gears in his head turn, very slowly.
Unaware of Archer's thoughts, Shirou continued. "But now, meeting Sonic, hearing about his adventures...it's making me realize what a long road becoming a hero truly is. It sounds easy for him, but I can't even do half the amazing things Sonic can. How can I match that?"
That...was a wrinkle Archer had never considered. Ever since he had become a Counter Guardian, he had come to the conclusion that going down the path of a hero was to be blame in itself. But maybe it was because the path he followed hadn't been very well-defined. Without any real example to follow, he had wallowed in self-destructive single-mindedness until they led him to his current station in life. Would things have turned out different, if he had met Someone like Sonic in his life? Someone who was also a hero, but refused to let himself become seperate from the people?
After considering that notion, Archer decided to say his piece. "I think...the fact that you're worried means you'll have a better chance of succeeding than you would on blind faith and empty confidence. Dealing with those doubts, but not ignoring them or letting them bury you...that might be how you become a hero.
"Once...I remember hearing about this person who wanted to become a hero," Archer looked up at the sky. "Like you, he- they didn't really have any clear reference for heroism. They just rushed into that life without a second thought, and made a bad decision that ended up costing more lives than they saved. As long as you go down your path at your own pace, you'll be..."
Archer suddenly broke off his speech as he frowned. Shirou didn't get it at first, until he heard it as well; A high-pitched noise in the distance, almost like the sound an anvil being dropped in an American anime.
Archer Projected a bow and immediately fired a broken Phantasm. The shot connected to whatever was incoming, causing a huge explosion. But before the smoke could clear, several more golden bolts shot through, striking the castle. The building shook from the impact.
Although he couldn't see who fired, Archer already knew who the culprit was. It's Gilgamesh! He sent a telepathic message to Rin. He's making his move! Only the King of Heroes had the power to attack the castle from such a distance.
"Archer!" Shirou pointed in the direction opposite from where Gilgamesh was shooting. "Robots!"
Indeed there were. Dozens of land-Badniks were crawling out from between the trees, while flying robots came in from the horizon. A horde of bizarre, metal creatures, a menagerie of mecha madness, spilling out and into the courtyard. Archer and Shirou exchanged a worldless looks and prepared for the seige. Projecting a bow and arrows, Shirou began to fire at the Badniks, purposely aiming for their joints to inhibit their movements. Meanwhile, Archer watched the skies with Reinforced eyes, trying to figure where Gilgamesh was. He could just barely see a dot on in distance...and shining dot.
It didn't take long for the rest of the group to spring into action. Sonic and his friends burst out the doors and ran towards the Badnik barrage, while Saber and Lancer joined Archer. Not long afterwards, Rin and Bazett came out as well, but they did not join Sonic's group in fighting the robot invasion. Instead, they hung back at the entrance, trashing any robots that got past Team Sonic.
Archer, Illya says that Gilgamesh entered the Boundary Field from the southeast! Rin told Archer via mind-link.
As if on cue, another missile that was actually a supernatural, ancient weapon flew at the castle from just that direction. Archer was already preparing to block the attack himself, but Lancer was faster, and had intercepted the weapon with his spear.
While this went on, Saber ran towards the dot. "We cannot allow Gilgamesh the room to freely attack us!" She shouted, leaping onto and through the tree tops.
Lancer and Archer quickly followed. With his higher speed rank, Lancer soon overtook Saber, while she and Archer managed to keep up. With his eyes Reinforced, however, Archer was the first to get a good look at Gilgamesh.
The King of Heroes was sitting atop some kind of flying vehicle, sitting in a throne like the divine monarche. The aircraft looked nothing like the models produced by mundane manufactuers, it was as ornate and splendid as the finest of jewels, made from a gold-ish metal and jewels finer than emeralds.
When Archer reported this, Saber recognized it as the craft he flew during the Fourth Holy War against the most terrible of Caster's vile abominations, the Vimana. She prepared to unleash her Noble Phantasm onto it, but Lancer stopped her.
"Hold it, Saber," Lancer said, "I get you want to finish this quickly, but you never play your best hand right outside the gate."
"He's right," Archer said, "For all we know, Gilgamesh probably has a way to block Excalibur somewhere inside the Gate of Babylon. Let's get closer and see if we can find a better chance to attack."
They did, and meanwhile Gilgamesh continued to fire ancient weapons. First he tried to shoot them over their heads and at the castle, but the Servants were able to react in time to block the attacks. After the first slew, the Gate of Babylon began to point at the Servants directly. Instead of blocking the following attacks, the Servants chose to dodge them, zigging, zagging, and jumping, avoiding certain death by the skin of their teeth. And once they were close enough, Gilgamesh began to speak.
"Ha ha ha," Gilgamesh chuckled, "Were you enjoying that quaint indoor picnic? I'm sorry, but for beings summoned to fight for possession of the Grail, such a display just isn't fitting."
"Because that was part of your plan with Kotomine, wasn't it?" Saber shouted back, "Have us destroy each other so you could claim the Grail from whoever was left. Are you here to challenge us because it failed? Or did you think we would just quarrel for your amusement?"
Gilgamesh just laughed again. "Ah, that defiant temper...I wonder, if you did submit to be my wife, would be even half attractive?"
"Bored now."
That was Lancer, who immediately leapt up to board the Vimana. Gilgamesh responded to his intrusion by opening the Gate of Babylon and unleashing a slew of sacred weapons like a gattling gun. Lancer's spear became a blur as his Protection From Arrows skill enabled him to deflect and dodge the onslaught while slowly closing the gap.
But instead of waiting for that to happen, Gilgamesh was suddenly at Lancer's side. He grabbed the spear and then delivered a powerful kick to the Hound's side. As he did this, Saber was instantly upon Gilgamesh, bringing her sword down onto him. With his free hand, Gilgamesh reached within the Gate of Babylon and pulled out another sword to block her strike. As the blades connected, Archer fired a slew of Projected Broken Phantasms at the King of Heroes. The Gate of Babylon opened again and Enkidu came out, twisting and curving in the air to block the attacks. Gilgamesh then grabbed Lancer and Saber by their arms and threw them off of the Vimana before following up with another barrage from the Gate of Babylon. Archer was immediately in front of his fellow Servants his hand raised.
"Rho Aias!" The shield Archer summoned shook and cracked as the treasured weapons hammered against it. Archer gritted his teeth and felt himself be pushed back slightly from their force. Behind him, Saber and Lancer quickly recovered and raced around the bowman to continue their battle.
But when smoke from the explosions cleared, the Vimana was gone. Gilgamesh was gone. The Servants looked about in confusion.
"Wha- He ran away?" Lancer asked, disappointed. "But we were just getting started!"
"And it is tragic how deluded you are, that you think you are worth my time."
And there was Gilgamesh, leaning against a tree. It was as if he and they had not just been fighting a battle to the death. Not a single strand of his spiky hair was out of place.
"This has been a lovely diversion," Gilgamesh continued, examining his nails. "But I see no reason to indulge in this charade any more."
The Gate of Babylon opened once again, far wider than it had thus far. The fired weapons struck the ground, kicking up tons of dirt and smoke from the explosion. Not bothering to wait for it to clear, both Saber and Lancer charged through, intent on finishing Gilgamesh once and for all.
"Damn it!" Lancer growled, "He took off, for real this time!"
The voice of the King of Heroes drifted out on the wind, his tone both haughty and haunting. "This world is not fit for superior beings such as myself. The time is coming for this world to be...upgrade into something more suitable..."
"You are certainly suited for running away!" Saber shouted pointlessly. She was either infuriated at the apparent cowardice of a man who would not complete a battle, or just vexed by Gilgamesh's attitude in general.
"This does fill kinda juvenile. Maybe it's a king's idea of throwing eggs at someone's house?" Lancer remarked, leaning on his spear for support. "Oh well. Let's get back to the castle, maybe we can tear up some of those robots before the others are done."
Archer, who had been puzzling over Gilgamesh's odd choice of words, suddenly broke into a run. Saber seemed to have a similar epiphany and chased after him.
The battle against the Badnik horde wasn't nearly as exciting as the short ones the Servants had with Gilgamesh. Sonic's group had been destroying robots for so long that it was second nature to them, and the Masters were fast learners. It took some effort and there were a few close calls, they were successful in reducing the Badniks to scrap. However, despite the ease with which they removed the invaders, none of them felt very victorious.
"No sub-boss, no Eggman, just the rank and file," Sonic scratched the back of his head. "Ever get the feeling that this was too easy?"
"None of them even went after the Chaos Emeralds," Tails noted, "They just tried to overwhelm us."
Rin hummed thoughtfully. "What I don't like is how they showed up at the same time Gilgamesh did. It can't be a coincidence."
"Perhaps Gilgamesh saw them coming and decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up?" Shirou asked, but he didn't sound convinced of his words.
Knuckles held up the head of a Catterkiller as if about to do a soliloquey. But instead, he just tossed it over his shoulders. "Well, whatever they were trying to do, it didn't work. Let's go catch up with Saber's team and see if they need-"
"SENPAI!"
Out from the castle's entrance came Sakura. She was running, and it nearly stumbled over every fifth step. She seemed frantic. Her face, which had begun to regain its color, was pale again. She looked like she was on the brink of crying.
"It...took her!" She gasped as she came up. Rin was already at her side, to keep her steady.
"What? Who? Who took her? And which her?" Shirou asked, his danger senses tingling.
"I...Illya," Sakura panted, still out of breath. "The robot..."
Shirou felt his blood go cold.
"What robot?" Sonic asked suddenly, "And what happened to Illya?"
Where was Illya? She had remained in the castle to keep an eye on Sakura in case the stress of the situation would cause her to relapse.
"It took her..." Sakura whispered, covering her face in shame. "The robot took her..."
"What kind of robot could take Illya?" Amy asked, "Doesn't she have magic?"
"It was a robot..." Sakura whimpered, "...that looked like Sonic."
To be continued_
Tiger Dojo
Taiga: Insert Token! Press start for Taiga Dojo! I am your instructor, Fujimura Taiga!
Irisviel: HI, Everyone! My name is Irisviel von Einzbern. It's a pleasure to meet you!
Taiga: Shishou?! What are you doing here?
Irisviel: Well, I thought you could use the help. With Illya kidnapped, and all. Poor Girl!
Taiga: Ahhh, how can you say that so casually?! Our girl has been taken by some evil robot, and you're just standing there.
Irisviel: I'm sure it will turn out right in the end. (It's already too late)
Taiga: Huh? Shishou, did you…
Irisviel: All right, Zecchan, how do we do this? Just answer questions from the readers, is that right?
Taiga: Er, yeah. Ahem. Godzillahero3 asks, "Are you going to introduce Mordred into your story?"
Irisviel: Oh, the query of a reader who wants their favorite character to appear, but is too lazy to write their own story where those circumstances appear!
Taiga: Shishou, that was really cruel! But, at this time, no. The Servants from Zero were able to appear because of their essence was contained in the Shadow, which was made from the Fourth War's Grail mud. If Mordred would appear, it won't be in this story.
Irisviel: And since the author is too lazy and half-hearted to make a sequel, it's unlikely she'll be featured at all.
Taiga: (Urk...is she taking out a mother's anxiety onto all of us?) A-anyway, our next question is from Bender: "Why a Ruler Class Servant wasn't summoned?"
Irisviel: The Holy Grail only summons a Ruler Servant when it feels the concept of the Holy Grail War is endangered itself. Because Dr. Eggman's methods are based on technology for the most part, it hasn't sensed any particular threat yet. Of course, Rulers were only introduced to flesh out and revitalize a stagnant franchise, so it's more likely that the author doesn't want to juggle another pointless character around!
Taiga: Sh-Shishou! You'll get us written out!
Irisviel: I just wonder if these segments just introduce readers with the assumption they can influence the story to suit their tastes. Oh well! I guess we have time for one more question. This is from ESCANOR. "Have the Author seen the PS2 version of Fate/ Stay Night Realta Nua: Last Episode?" I should certainly hope so! In fact, in the final chapter...
Taiga: Spoilers, Shishou, no spoilers! That's all the time we have left, we'll see you at the next practice!
Irisviel: Zecchan, how cruel to tease like that!