Fate/Clover Chapter 2:
Life should have been simple for Archer. Instead it had brought more complications than he would have preferred. Take his morning routine for instance. In the house that he had built, Archer had found a sanctuary. It was away from people, Alaya, and just annoyances in general. Here the man could relax (brood) in peace. Everyday started the same until about three months after Archer's meeting with Mereoleona. She had changed everything.
Every morning Archer did the same routine. Shower, eat, and work. Every morning his hair would turn just a shade whiter, his skin a tad darker, and yet his eyes would remain their golden hue. If Archer was honest, it somewhat worried him at first. When he first arrived all the damage from the misuse of his circuits were gone. Red hair, paler skin, and golden eyes were the legacy of his…joining with Shirou in this world.
Yet, now he had to suffer with the fact that his body was beginning to become more and more like his previous self. In terms of his mental health this was actually for the better. As relaxed as Archer had become, he still couldn't stand the sight of Shirou Emiya. The issue was the concern of Alaya's hold on him returning. Thankfully, the "hole" he felt inside him from the lack of Alaya made it pretty clear that he was still free. Archer's hand twitched at the memory of being chained once more.
"TSK!"
Archer grunted as some drops of blood spilled into the sink, the cut on his cheek pronounced. Archer touched his cheek and sighed.
"You'd think I'd be better at this".
Archer dropped the blade and checked his face for anything that he might have missed. A new routine that had come within the last month or so had been shaving. Thanks to the damage in his previous life, facial and body hair were of no concern to Archer, neither having outright existed in his old life. But now, with an unmarred body from his inexperience (sans the color), Archer had to tangle with an enemy he had never fought before. Facial hair. Archer didn't despise facial hair but he wasn't in the mood to try a beard either, not when he would have to cover it while cooking. God, imagine if he had a beard HAIR in his food. He would outright kill himself if that ever happened. He had gotten better with shaving over the last month, but every now and again he would overestimate the slight angle and forces when shaving, making a small cut. He was a man with no pride…but for all his skill in precision…this bruised an ego Archer did not even know he had. He would conquer this battlefield as he had others…eventually. For now, he focused on more mundane matters, like farming.
Since Mereleona left, Archer began focusing less on his pool and more on irrigation. This work allowed Archer to practice summoning more exotic noble phantasms and pushed his limits on what he could and could not create. So far, the limit was none, but he had discovered something about his "completed" noble phantasms. Rather, they were not completed at all. In this world, the substance of Archer's mana had integrated into the noble phantasms he brought out, giving his fake weapons a greater resilience than usual. It had disappointed Archer somewhat that he wouldn't be able to wield the noble phantasms to their true and ultimate power, but it wasn't too big a deal. If instead of a full rank, his noble phantasms were only a half rank in reduction.
As he left the house Archer smiled at what was effectively his lawn. Acres upon acres of grassland, small vines of grapes forming in the distance. Archer's next hobby, was wine making. After all, there were certain recipes that Archer adored that required the alcoholic substance to be created. Archer had found the grapes far off in the eastern section of the mana zone, growing at a rapid and almost ravenous pace. He had hope that same speed would follow his grapes here, but sadly they did not.
Another day, out in the fields. Another monotonous day…or at least it should have been. Archer felt her mana moments before the wild woman landed in front of him. Archer sighed.
"Hello, again Mereleona."
The flaming-haired woman grinned at her…friend? A large bear-like beast on her back.
"ARCHER! Got some more meat!"
"For a woman who has decided to travel the world, you seem content to keep coming back here" grunted Archer irritably. Mereleona smiled and pointed a thumb at the bear she was lugging on her back.
"Tried this out on my own, and it sucked. Wanted to see if you can make it better!"
Archer sighed. Bear meat was a bit difficult to work with, but he had done so in the past. This…strange pattern of theirs had been increasing as of late, with this being the eighth visit overall. If Archer was honest with himself, Mereleona was not in fact horrific company. It irked him that she wasn't. If she was at least that little bit more of an annoyance he would have no problem escorting her off his property. Yet, here he was, rolling up his sleeves. Mereleona stared at him and gestured to his cheek.
"Shaving again?" she muttered "just grow the damn thing, see how it fits. Who knows, maybe it will make you look more distinguished."
Archer's eyes narrowed as he followed her to his shed.
"Why on earth would I need to be distinguished?"
Mereleona chuckled.
"For the old man hair you got goin on."
Archer sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"You just want to see if my beard grows white."
Mereleona dropped her bear and gave Archer a blank look.
"Is it spreading?" she asked.
Archer grunted. A few weeks ago Mereleona barged into his house when Archer's shirt had been torn, courtesy of that annoying squid creature. Across his chest and back were splotches of skin darkening to the hue that Archer was most familiar with. Since then, Mereleona had become increasingly insistent on his seeing a doctor.
"I am fine. This is something I've seen before and it is normal for my…people."
Archer had begun selling the idea that he wasn't entirely human. To be fair, by this world's standards, Archer was not. It wasn't so much a lie as it was a truth obscured by a lack of information. It was the only way to get Mereleona off his back.
"Why am I trying so hard?" thought Archer.
Mereleona blinked.
"….I keep forgetting you're not human. What are you like an elf or something?"
Archer snorted. He had met elves before, the sanctimonious pricks. The only reason they had left him alone was due to the artifact Avalon deep inside his body.
"I am not an elf."
Mereleona stared at him, the bear falling off her shoulder. She hooked it up on the station Archer had for bleeding his prey and snapped her fingers.
"So, you're like a dark elf!"
Archer stared at Mereleona. Suddenly the itch arrived. The itch to stir some shit.
"That had to be" muttered Archer "the most straightforward racist comment I've ever heard."
"The hell? How the fuck is that racist? I ain't discriminating!?"
"Interesting to know such terms are well known," thought Archer "At least I don't have to worry about my skin tone being out of place."
"You took one look at my skin and decided that since I'm not human" egged Archer "I must be a dark elf."
Mereleona grinned.
"You asshole. You know that's not what I meant. Whatever you are doesn't matter, but if you're an actual elf, man the stories you got must be great!"
Archer shrugged. Who knows what the hell he was here. Knowing his luck, perhaps he was a Dark elf. His luck was shitty like that.
"You don't know" muttered Mereleona.
"Never had parents to tell me one way or the other" grunted Archer.
Mereleona still only for a moment, then took the moment in stride.
"So, for something like this do I just slit the throat?"
"Not one for pity is she," thought Archer with a smirk.
"The fur is too thick" said Archer "so we'd skin the beast first."
Mereleona stopped moving.
"….did you just let me snag this thing up for bleeding only to have to skin it first?"
Archer smiled. Mereleona growled and punched Archer in the shoulder.
"You damn asshole! What the hell!?"
Archer shrugged. His caustic nature wouldn't leave him and besides, he enjoyed screwing with people. Mereleona seemed to share a similar sentiment as she just chuckled away…although Archer's shoulder was aching something fierce. The woman could hit…damn.
Yet again Archer suffered Mereleona's company and once again Archer didn't mind. He wasn't entirely certain what this meant for him but Archer was certain that Mereleona was becoming a close acquaintance. Like a work friend you love working with. Still…there was something amiss and Archer would get to the bottom of it. Cooking the bear into little strips of meat, Archer decided to create a wrap meal, with plenty of veggies and a home made salsa that Archer was experimenting with. It was hot and spicy with strong flavour. He put everything on the table and let Mereleona have the first taste.
Archer smirked at her expression. Her usual sharp and intense expression gave way to something soft and demure. She hated it. Archer never missed an opportunity to rub it in. He didn't even have to say anything.
"Shut it" grumbled Mereleona.
Archer stared at her, letting her eat before he spoke.
"What's wrong."
Mereleona stopped chewing to swallow and she looked at Archer.
"Nothing."
Archer rose an eyebrow.
"I'm serious" sighed Mereleona "there is nothing wrong its just…"
She growled, her magic beginning to spark wildly. It was most a show of force and to Archer's surprise she had gotten stronger, again.
"I keep peaking" grunted Mereleona "everywhere I go I keep hitting my ceiling. Usually I stay in an area, try something new, look around, and eventually I break that ceiling."
Mereleona locked eyes with Archer.
"Yet, with you I've broken through several things with my magic that I thought I couldn't."
Archer wanted to know what she meant when suddenly Mereleona preformed a rather shoddy rendition of reinforcement magic. Archer's eyes widened a tad, feeling her mana seep closer to her bones. In his world, this attempt of reinforcement would have shattered her bones…but here magic behaved differently. It was intertwined with the individual in a way that it wasn't back home.
At this moment, Mereleona's output in terms of physical performance surpassed Archer.
"Impressive" smirked Archer.
"No where close to yours."
"She noticed" thought Archer.
"Does it matter?" grunted Archer "you've surpassed me in strength."
Mereleona growled, her eyes sparking with an intensity that threw Archer off slightly.
"I've seen the way you fight…my strength doesn't matter. What good is being stronger than you when you can slit my throat mid fight?"
Archer rose an eyebrow.
"So, what are you saying" muttered Archer.
"….I'm asking you to…."
Mereleona looked to the side blushing slightly.
"Fuck….fine look can you train me? Help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?"
Archer stared at her and tilted his head.
"….you just want to fight again don't you?" muttered Archer.
She was silent for a time. Mereleona seemed to struggle with something, her face twisting like she had some bitter medicine.
"I have a rival" muttered Mereleona "back home. I fight her every opportunity I get and she curbs my ass. She's an ideal I strive to surpass. As a moron back home would say, I want to surpass my limits…I want to surpass her."
"Then fight her and leave me be."
"Fighting her does nothing. She defeats me and I've learned nothing new, gained nothing new. I don't get any better fighting her."
Mereleona stared at Archer.
"But I do with you. I don't get it, but when I fight you it feels like I'm fighting a thousand people at once. It's like you change your fighting style with every weapon you pull out of your ass."
Archer swallowed. Her instincts were as always incredible.
"Your magic control surpasses me entirely."
"Your raw power dwarfs mine" grunted Archer.
"Exactly" stated Mereleona "I'm much stronger magically than my rival and yet she still beats me. I thought increasing my power was the answer…but I'm starting to see it isn't. Archer…will you please spar with me regularly. I want to see how far I can go."
She was reckless, headstrong, and quite honestly a boor. But she was prideful…more prideful than any lion. Still, he would have to disappoint her.
"Fine" grunted Archer.
"…wait what?" he thought.
Mereleona's smile was wide. The fangs of her mouth made it look like the grin from a lion for how savage it looked.
"Fantastic! Let's start now!"
"No."
Mereleona lost some steam as she blinked at Archer.
"We just ate. We wait an hour before doing any strenuous activity."
She blinked again.
"Uh…alright."
"For now, explain to me your process for controlling your magic?"
Mereleona blinked. Archer's face became more and more grave as Mereleona's explanation continued. The issue wasn't in her competency. Her explanation was straight forward. The issue was that it revealed nothing about the intricacies of her control. Basically? She just did it. This was why Archer hated prodigies. They could learn or make something new just by raw instinct. Archer sighed and rubbed his head.
"Do you at least have an image? Some kind of framework for controlling your magic?"
Mereleona blinked.
"….."
Archer sighed.
"Fine. My framework is a blade. I envision my entire body as if it is filled with molten steel."
Archer's mana spread through his body.
"I imagine that I strike that steel."
The image of a hammer striking metal echoed within his mind. To Mereleona it seemed like his mana was "struck" by something. It suck deeper into his body reaching his bones…and than become stronger with each strike.
"This is a very excessive form" stated Archer "usually this is instant for me. But the framework, the idea behind my use of the spell is what allows such control. All of the mana I use is dedicated to this one task, no leakage. The spells you use are…."
Mereleona grinned. Archer smirked.
"Powerful but flawed. There's a lot of mana that seeps from the spell. Imagine if your spells used every once of power that you supplied it. That is what you're looking for, right?"
Mereleona nodded.
"Fine than. We meditate."
Mereleona looked like someone killed her puppy.
"You wanted help this is what it looks like" grunted Archer.
"But what the fuck would meditation do? I've tried it and it doesn't help in anyway."
If it was anyone else Archer would have just called them lazy or undedicated. Yet, this was Mereleona. He watched her train once. She was anything but undedicated.
"Explain it to me, the best you can."
She struggled with the words for a moment.
"It's…my mana responds better when I'm moving."
"She's a kinetic learner" thought Archer "there's also the fact that she's had mana since the day she was born…training her the way I've seen magus do it won't work."
"From what I'm getting you learn from observation and feeling. For you magic comes so naturally that anything that goes against what you feel as natural is difficult to learn. It might be easier for you to control the mana around you than the mana within."
Mereleona blinked.
"You're talking about mana zone? That shits the hardest thing to learn!"
Archer shrugged.
"What do the opinions of others matter to you?"
Mereleona grinned.
"True."
Archer sighed and decided to try something stupid.
"Give me your hand."
Mereleona gave it without a second thought. Archer ignored the slight pleasant thrum of emotion that brought.
"I'm going to try something."
Archer placed the tips of his fingers in Mereleona's palm. He closed his eyes and let his mana seep through into her skin. She almost jolted out of his reach, but she stopped herself. Archer didn't know what her problem was but he ignored her. He seeped his mana around hers and slowly directed it down.
"You think you know the structure of your body" stated Archer "you don't. The issue that comes with reinforcement magic is that it is ultimately limited by your perception of the given object."
"Well, no shit" muttered Mereleona "it's not like I can see inside my bones."
Archer let a breath escape, his body heating up.
"You're ok?"
"You really don't know about mana resonance, do you? I'm fine, I'll explain after."
"Mana resonance? Seems that what I'm doing isn't all that innovative. Good, less likely for this to screw up."
"I have a spell called structural analysis. Using it I can guide your mana to the points of weakness within your muscles and bones. This should give you a rough lay-out of where your mana needs to go. When I do this, think of a framework. It can be anything."
"Like…tree roots?"
"That image would work well, yes. Make it as clear and precise as you can and follow my mana."
Mereleona stiffened as Archer activated his oldest spell. It was a slow process as Mereleona was no blade. Slow but steady. After 45 minutes Archer was able to direct his mana into the weakness of Mereleona's arms. Normally the use of this spell wouldn't be so…robust. Yet the issues of conflicting mana or various other concerns were of no problem here as far as Archer could tell. His mana wasn't able to travel further as Mereleona's body naturally rejected him, as it should, nor did it magically allow Archer to reinforce Mereleona at his leisure. Instead, his mana was a trickle, a highlighted path for Mereleona's own mana to follow. Archer's entire back was covered in sweat from the concentration this took.
"Do you feel it" grunted Archer.
Mereleona didn't answer. But her mana did. It surged through his own, forcing Archer's mana to dissipate from her body. Archer smirked as he watched her twist and churn her mana in different ways to achieve interesting results. Archer's own mana was rigid. Once settled into his body, it enhanced both his strength and durability several times. Mereleona's mana was more freeform. To be honest Archer was very interested to see what kind of reinforcement would take place. Perhaps she would even achieve a mana burst {Fire} that a number of fellow servants had.
Archer stared at his hand and frowned. His entire right arm was now a familiar hue. It was a welcomed sight so long as it wasn't tainted my Alaya's touch. Mereleona grinned, her mana surging even further into her body.
"This is it!" grunted Mereleona "this is what I was looking for."
Jets of flame curled around her arms, reaching even greater temperatures than Archer had foreseen. It was if the flames had been stoked with even greater fuel.
"There" grunted Archer "you have what you wanted. Now face that rival of yours and get out."
"Nah I'm good."
Archer stared at Mereleona blankly. She grinned her stupid grin and pointed at Archer.
"Quid pro quo. I'll teach you mana skin!"
"I've learned it."
"You suck with it and you know it. Stop being a weakling and let me help!"
"How does wanting to achieve it on my own make me a weakling?"
"BECAUSE I KNOW YOU AIN'T GONNA DO SHIT WITH IT MORON! YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH OR SOMETHING!?"
Archer shrugged. He didn't care what happened to himself too much. He didn't want to die, but countless lifetimes of not giving a single flying fuck about your own well-being didn't magically change overnight.
"Now sit. My turn you dick."
Archer blinked.
"Wait wh-!"
Mereleona, reckless and foolish Mereleona gripped Archer's head of all things and surged her mana within. Archer grunted at the heat, his skin beginning to darken once more. Mereleona's mana dwarfed his considerably, pushing his natural threshold beyond its ordinary limits. There was no pain, surprisingly. It was pushing the envelope so to speak but whatever mana that Archer could not withstand dissipated seamlessly from his skin. The adeptness of her mana was also a surprise…there was experience here. Yet, even so Archer's skin began to darken hue by hue.
"So it was that was it?" thought Archer "training my body beyond its limits must progress my skin and hair coloration faster. Huh."
"Mereleona" grunted Archer "I think I'm good."
Archer had meant his words as an assurance that he knew where he went wrong. She took it otherwise. Mereleona staggered off and blinked.
"Oh shit! I'm…look at you! Fuck I'm so sorry."
In her eagerness to return the favor she had hurt her friend. To her own relief Archer shrugged.
"I'm fine. Your control needs some work. But I think I get what you were trying to achieve. Mana skin, it's not a spell is it?"
Mereleona gave a shaky smile.
"Uh no. The whole point is to exert your mana outward. It's not a spell, more like a state of mana. If that makes sense."
Archer finally got what she meant. He had treated mana skin like it was a spell. One with a cost and duration. Yet, in this world it was no such thing. Mana skin, in this instance, was merely bringing one's mana from within outwards. It would still flow and circle back within the body. It was a buffer, one that would disappear when you've run out of mana but it would lessen the damage you received nicely. It was merely bringing your mana to constantly flow a few centimeters above your skin. Just enough outwards to protect the body but not far enough for the mana to dissipate naturally.
"So" grinned Mereleona "ready to spar?"
The ensuing fight was eye-opening for Mereleona. Once again Archer had shifted weapons, a blood red spear. His attacks become wild and ferocious, aiming for all her natural weak-points. The throat, the heart, even her ankles if the opportunity was present. Acier out-skilled Mereleona, there was no arguing that. But she never fought her like this. This…this…
"THIS IS THRILLING!"
Mereleona's heart soared at the feeling of Archer's intent. The way he struck without mercy, fought her to the brink. This did more to progress Mereleona's own power than seven months on her own had.
Eventually the spear broke through her mana skin at the same time that Mereleona's flames gave Archer a devastating right hook. She hissed in pain, her shoulder bleeding steadily. Archer meanwhile was launched across their training field and slammed into a tree. He grunted, shaking his head free of any clustering senses.
Their mana was strong, but first blood had been shed. There was no point in continuing.
"You win this round" smirked Mereleona "what does that make it? Thirteen me eleven you?"
Archer hummed, uncaring of the result as usual. Both knew that neither had seen the other at their true capacity. After all, you're never more at your best than in a genuine life or death battle. But Mereleona could tell. If Archer wanted to kill her…she would be dead. She was the better fighter. Archer lacked that…instinct for battle. No, instead the man had a far greater killers instinct than Mereleona did. In a one on one fight Mereleona was the superior choice…but if you were sending someone to kill.
There was no doubt in her mind that Archer was the superior choice. He had no honor, no concept of right or wrong, or even any fighting etiquette. She could tell that all that mattered to the man was the result. It was this difference that made fighting Archer so increadible to her. Anyone else she fought, even Acier, were mindful of her status, her gender, and even her overwhelming strength. Not a single person that she had ever fought truly had nothing holding them back.
She remembered the first time she beat that Hagrid fellow from one of those piss noble families she couldn't remember. He lost, badly. Yet, the ass went around saying he went easy on her because she was a woman, because she had royal blood. They eventually learned, as all the fools did. But it hurt all the same. The concept of survival of the fittest was lost to the fools inside her kingdom.
But here?
There was nothing else more than strength. You couldn't survive if you didn't have the resolve and strength to do so…if she was honest…Archer was different. That first true connection that wasn't forged by outside means and was someone she met all on her own. Acier, for all the love and support she brought, was ultimately paired with Mereleona due to her family's connection with Acier's. If it wasn't for that…Mereleona doubted that Acier would have given her the time of day.
This had nothing to do with Acier's personality but the fact that the woman was a baby making machine. She's had one kid around her brother's age and was trying to pump out a second with plans for a third!? She didn't have time for her spineless husband much less her friends. No, Acier would always be her beloved rival and mentor…but they were never truly friends in the deepest sense. Archer was no rival…he was something else.
He was a rough asshole who genuinely got off on being a dick. But damn it he was genuine, meant what he said, and understood the nature of the world as Mereleona did.
"Fuck me" muttered Mereleona "I think you're my first friend."
Archer stilled and stared at her. Mereleona of course laughed boisterously.
"Ain't that a kick in the pants! Kind of depressing isn't it!"
Archer smirked…but that smile soon fell as he stared at the ground.
"You uh…you alright there?"
Archer locked eyes with Mereleona with such an intensity that her heart skipped a bit. Mereleona than proceeded to mentally beat the shit out of said heart for doing that.
"….I admit" muttered Archer "I'm…not as well versed with friendship."
"No, really" growled Mereleona "a sunny peach like you?"
Archer stilled.
"You have peaches here?"
"You don't back in your country?"
Archer blinked and shook his head.
"Not the point. The point is…I've kept wondering why it is you don't annoy me. Anyone else I would have launched off my property without a second thought."
"I can see that."
"Quite. The point is…I think I see you as a friend as well."
"Bitchen."
"Don't push it."
"I didn't even say anything you ass!?"
Mereleona smiled. It was small and sweet…she probably wasn't even aware she had it. Archer cracked his neck and sighed, staring at her shoulder.
"Fuck it."
Mereleona stared at her friend in shock.
"Did…did I just hear that?"
Archer smiled.
"No one would believe you."
Before she could utter another word, a flag pole appeared in Archer's hands. It looked for all intents and purposes a cloth stuck to a spear-ish pole. It was a beautiful flag but that was it…than Mereleona felt the magic. It was pure, beautiful, and seemed to sing of harmony and peave.
"Luminoisite…Eternelle!" (Refer to Notes 1).
The flag unfolded and the area around the two was filled with a holy magic so potent Mereleona felt that she could taste it! It tasted like vanilla and caramel...she hated it. To her utter shock her shoulder's wound began to mend.
"…"
"As a friend" grunted Archer "I expect you to keep this to yourself."
She understood. The axe was one thing. It was an axe and steel magic always had…oddities to it. But this was different. This was pure light magic…hell it didn't even feel like light magic!?
"The hell you really are just pulling stuff out your ass…what else you got?"
Archer's smirk made Mereleona both uncomfortable and intrigued. She always assumed there was more to his magic considering things. The axe could have been a one off. But now? It was entirely possible that she had found the most versatile mage…well maybe. There was that looney kid with the paint back home. Mereleona smiled and stood up.
"I've decided!"
"On what?"
"You're coming with me to the other mana zones!"
"No."
"Come on don't be a pussy!"
"Can you say that?"
"Show me the rule Archer! Show me the damn rule!"
"But why?" grunted Archer "I hope you don't think I'll spar with you every day?"
"Look, I get you got that hang up about fighting for whatever reason. I appreciate the times you've sparred with me so far."
Archer's face was eerily blank. But Mereleona felt she had him figured out, somewhat.
"You're stuck here. You've never gone anywhere else and OI can tell you're curious! You keep asking me questions whenever we eat together. Well, don't ask! Come with me and experience it."
"You've literally explained to me why you've done this on your own. Wasn't the whole point of these excersions of yours to prove that you were the strongest…on your own?"
Mereleona shrugged.
"Fighting you has done more for me than those seven months alone! Besides we're still hitting mana zones. If you can't keep up that's on you."
"I have a house."
"You think we're going all year? My parents want me home in two months and I'll be back over there for half a year."
"Then why bother going anywhere with that time frame?" muttered Archer "just stay here and train."
"Then we'll go next year to uncharted territory!"
Archer rose an eyebrow.
"...sure."
It had shocked Archer to realize that he had made a friend. For years he had replayed conversations over and over again. When he retained his memories during summoning's Archer was accustomed to pretending. Pretending that everyone he talked with was someone he had never met…or gotten to know one time or another. It just felt…sterile…fake after all his…existence. But here was someone that he didn't know…that he didn't have a library of information on thanks to Alaya. For all his bitching regarding wanting to be alone…Archer was still a social creature. These next two months would be…interesting.
Mereleona flipped open a random book and began writing in it.
"…you keep a dairy?"
She looked up at Archer like he was retarded.
"What? No, this is a witch book. Whatever I write here appears in its sister book? What your country never had these?"
"No."
"Really? Well shit. Yea, just writing to my parents that I'm staying with a friend for two months."
Archer blinked.
"…I've never watched you…"
It hit him like a brick…almost as hard as the book that Mereleona beaned him in the head with.
"SHUT UP!"
Archer stared at the sky.
"I don't think I've ever had someone brag to their parents that they made friends with me…it feels weird."
The next two months would be interesting…that much was for sure. But…if he was honest Archer was also kind of excited. The idea of travelling further out never interested Archer much before. But several months in the same place had made him develop a bit of a wanderlust. Who knows what kind of things await him in this world. Still…Mereleona was a ferocious fighter. Archer may not be back to his peak strength…but that didn't change that Mereleona was dangerous. It might be good to train for two months to better prepare for the future.
END
Tried a shorter chapter this time around. Felt like the right place to end this. This will be the first of two-time skips that will take place in this story. There will be massive plot divergences from here. For those of you wondering, the story was designed around the elves and devil arcs over all…so no angel arc here people. I hope the relationship between Archer Mereleona comes off as progressive. The two have latched onto each other as the first genuine connection the other as ever had (family not withstanding). Yet, their feelings are not romantic. Not yet. These are not people who fall in love so easily. What I want is what I have in life, a partner that is quite literally my best friend. We rib each other to high hell and its hilarious. She's everything I've ever wanted and everything I didn't know I needed. That relationship and my experience is the fuel for this story…
Well that and I love Mereleona and Archer and made a foolish bet to write such a crack ship seriously…so there's that. Anyway, the next story should be The Arcane Craftsman and The Legend of the Strawhats. I'm on a role with that second one and now that I'm in Atlas for the Arcane Craftsman, expect things to get CRAZY!
Notes 1: I read the official noble phantasm on Fate wiki and it looks like it lacks Eternelle lacks healing abilities. But since Fate/Order is canon (as far as I'm aware) I've given the noble phantasms healing. The potency of the healing is dependent on the target. Let's just say there's an added benefit that Archer's not yet aware of. The steel nature of Archer's mana now makes this noble phantasm as resilient as its original counterpart but the magical spells within are reduced as usual.
