Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fanfiction.
Author's note:
School is back for real this time, no time to write all that much like I used to. But I'll try keeping a schedule for this fic alone.
Review corner:
Um, I don't know how to respond to these few new reviews, like, yeah I will continue like I said, and yeah the servant roster is sort of overpowered, but you need that when DGPS are in play.
Please leave more reviews, they encourage me to write even more.
EDIT: WOAH, A HUGE CONTRADICTION WAS IN THIS CHAPTER AND I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE UNTIL NOW.
[You do not deserve this.] A feminine voice spoke from the dark side of the room.
She was alone in a room she knew well.
why was she here? Who brought here? And why was there a voice coming from the shadows?
"Why am I here?" She whispered, a cold breath left her mouth as she spoke.
[You did not deserve this.] The voice said again.
But this time, she noticed its very slow and steady approach, like a worm.
The thought compelled her to leave the place immediately, but when she raised the sheets from above her body, she paused.
Staring at the mana-woven black dress she wore, her mind stopped working for a brief second before it resumed at maximum capacity.
Her heartbeat suddenly jumped as conclusions began to draw in her imagination.
Last time she fell asleep, or rather, unconscious, was in the pit.
Because Zouken punished her for her misbehavior of going to the church and bringing a sacred item into his workshop, as well as using it as a catalyst specifically to summon a servant that he cannot physically or magically touch.
Talk about a priest's pity.
She pushed her luck too far, and now, Zouken will be watching her all the time.
She gave Shinji the book as Zouken ordered, but… Why is the contract back to her again? Did Shinji lose the book or…
NO!
NONONONO!
[You'd better get yourself together or I will take over.] The voice whispered again.
What's with this... Who the hell was talking to her?!
She was in the Emiya household, in her senpai's house. Wearing a dress of pure magical energy, her contract with Rider renewed, and a voice annoying her from an invisible corner. What could have possibly gone wrong?
The door creaked causing the purple haired girl to jump in place, then it slid open revealing a sight that sent a shiver down her spine.
Rider walked in alongside Shirou and a woman she never saw before, although the latter wore an exact copy of the same black dress Sakura was wearing.
"Master! You're awake! Thank the Lord you're alright!" Rider ran to her side as soon as she realized that Sakura was awake, but this was wrong.
Why was Rider with Shirou like it was normal for servants to hang out with normal humans? Who is that new girl? And why is she wearing a dress that looks exactly like the one she's wearing?
"Good morning, Sakura." Shirou said.
[No, this is certainly not happening, and he greets me normally like it's the most natural thing to him.]
"Sakura? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Rider asked with an expression of worry clear on her face.
"N-No, I'm fine… But… What is going on?" Sakura finally spoke.
[A nightmare is what this is, this can't possibly be happening.]
Rider didn't reply instantly, she hesitated before she attempted to speak.
"Ah… That's—"
"I saved you." Shirou interrupted Rider with a straight face, causing Saber to snort. She hardly suppressed a laughter that would have burst from her deepest parts.
Rider's eyes widened, feeling betrayed and deceived.
"I'm sorry... What?"
Sakura inquired again as blood began escaping her face, her heart beating louder than a drum.
"Yesterday I visited the Matou mansion looking for the Master of Rider. I originally intended to strike an alliance with the Matous, because the war now is too one sided, I expected to meet Shinji if he was still alive but instead, I discovered that the Manor was infested beyond my tolerance for vermin, and as token of our alliance-to-be, I purged it." Shirou explained matter-of-factly.
Sakura froze at the explanation, her mind went blank as she listened.
"In the basement, I found you and Rider, who was too injured to fight back. I proposed the alliance and she temporarily agreed until you gave your directive."
And just like that, everything in Sakura's mind shattered like glass.
"Oh, and to ensure that there were no stragglers, I completely removed the Matou Mansion from Miyama, and that black dress you're wearing? It's a gift from Saber here." Shirou pointed at Saber who nodded at her name being mentioned.
Her face paled like the snow, her eyes lost their colour, and her shoulders slumped.
Rider stared back at Shirou dumbfounded and enraged, to be even further angered by the passive grin on his face.
"...I see…" Sakura replied after a moment's silence.
"Sakura…?" Rider shook the girl with all her might but to no avail, the girl simply broke.
"So what's it gonna be, True Master of Rider?" Shirou broke the silence with his question.
Rider rushed forward to stand up to him but stopped halfway, as the mana burst emanating from Saber alerted her back to her senses.
It was then that everything in the room, even the air, froze.
"I accept your offer, senpai. Please, use me as you like~" Sakura spelled out as her eyes gleamed red.
.
.
.
.
.
"There you go, this should enhance the mystic eyes killers for now." Lancer hummed as she handed Shiki his pair of glasses that had invisible runes newly engraved on their lenses.
"Thank you Lancer… I appreciate it…" Shiki replied with an empty voice.
But of course, not everyday you learn that your eyes are a ticking timed bomb that may at some point start unconditionally killing everything that you look at.
"... Hey now, straighten up! I didn't take you to the land of Shadows so that you can slump your shoulders and start crying!" Scáthach ordered, with the audacity of a teacher.
"Listen! If my Master allows it after I inform her of the circumstances, I will train you to control your eyes. I won't take no for an answer from you!" Shiki spiked up in surprise after the declaration, he had no idea who Scáthach was supposed to be, no idea at all.
"...C-Can you do that?!" Shiki replied energetically, clearly interested in the idea.
"Hmph, of course I can! I am a queen and a hero maker after all, and you were able to maintain your sanity for days of staring at literally Death itself, stop cutting yourself short. Controlling a pair of mystic eyes should be easier than breathing for you, given enough practice."
Shiki beamed at the answer and rose from the chair he was sitting on, walked a few steps towards Lancer which startled her a bit, before he bowed politely and thanked her: "... Thank you Lancer, I will never forget this."
It was then that they heard the door open, Bazett and Rin walked in shortly after.
"We're home." Chimed Rin as she walked in, Bazett in tow.
"Welcome back." Shiki answered.
Rin walked in and took several turns around Shiki, examining his every part.
"Oh, it's seems you're already all fixed up, that's relieving." She hummed while nodding, then walked to a corner and placed a bag she was carrying on the ground.
Bazett joined the conversation after an exchange of greetings with Lancer.
"How are you feeling, Shiki?" She said, shooting a concerned glance towards him.
Telepathy is a wonderful thing.
"Erm.. I'm okay really. I can fight again tonight if it comes down to it." Shiki replied hesitantly.
"That's great news. We just came back from the church to report Chaos's defeat. It goes without saying that the Overseer was delighted, and also requested you to visit him as fast as possible to claim your reward." Bazett crossed her arms as she spoke.
"Wait, you guys are telling me you spent the rest of the night going to the church and coming back? You didn't get any rest?" Inquired Shiki with a big question mark on top of his head.
Tohsaka raised an eyebrow at his question, then she replied: "Of course we can't rest at the same time, we have to be careful. Also which part of which statement made you think that all we did was visit the church?" She paused, pointed at the corner of the room where she placed that bag from before, then continued: "We met an interesting person when we were leaving the church. A nun who called herself Ciel."
Shiki immediately staggered as he heard the name.
[Ciel!? She found me already?!]
"Yeah I was just as surprised, when she approached us and asked us about you by name." Tohsaka chimed along, then raised the finger she was pointing at the bag with upwards, crossing the other arm underneath. "At first we denied knowing you, but I guess she picked up on the lie. She simply gave us this bag and told us to give it to you if we ever meet you."
Shiki swallowed as if a rock was removed from his throat. He was worried that she may attempt to interfere and get hurt. "Oh thank goodness, and where did she go afterwards?"
Shaking her head, Tohsaka attempted to speak, but was interrupted by...
"Everyone! Watch out! There is an enemy about!"
Shiki screamed all of a sudden as he got a telepathic message from Caster.
Bazett's eyebrow twitched then she immediately took a battle position.
Lancer traced a Rune in the air, activating one of her personal skills; Wisdom of Dún Scaíth.
Rin rolled behind the table and charged a Gandr on the tip of her right index.
Archer and Shiki readied themselves, the latter removed his glasses and took out his knife while Archer projected his twin blades.
Together, the entire team stood at the ready for the attack. Waiting as time seemed to slow down, the tension in the air soaring, then it all broke down as blue flakes of crystal blasted out from the second floor's window, slapping a black shadow inside the first floor through another window.
Immediately, everyone attacked collectively, but the shadowy figure didn't falter.
Rin's Gandr passed right by the newly distinguishable skull mask, leaving a trail of magical energy behind it.
The spear sent by Lancer would have landed true had he a human torso as it was directed towards his heart, but his spine was as curved as Archer's black sword.
Speaking of which, it greased off his black cloak, as he dodged forward and then jumped while using it as footing for his next move.
The black garbed opponent rushed forward faster than a bullet, aiming for Shiki.
He took out a dozen black darts and threw it at him, all but one vanished into golden specks upon contact with Shiki's knife, the one that didn't was not directed at him at all.
It was aimed at Bazett.
Bazett gave less than two shits about the entire situation, and dove headfirst into the shadowing entity with a punch to the face, the dart simply bouncing off of her.
However, she didn't get enough time to reinforce herself like she usually does, which means that the force of the punch was simply her own muscle strength. Which, by all means, isn't the strongest move to use against an attacking servant.
The shadowy figure recovered almost immediately and rushed forward to avoid another spear jab that was heading towards his heart, and with one swift motion, he leaped out into the open from the window.
To be continued...