AN- not the happiest with this chapter. Some bits I liked, some I didn't. Either way, next time we can get back to plot. Until then, here's some of what the non-Greys are getting up to.

Interlude of Manipulators

It was to a fairly despondent team that Waver returned to. After Assassin of Grey's Noble Phantasm wore off, Gilgamesh of the last war (and by hell was Waver surprised to see that Archer still around) had sent him away, and so he returned to the designated backup base of the Red Team.

The Edelfelt Manor.

The kindest greeting he had was with the El Meloi whom had accompanied him to Japan, suffice to say.

"This is a disaster." Luvia announced, and the rest of the team couldn't exactly disagree. "We lost the mountain. Berserker is dead, and her Master was taken out by a potshot from Archer of Blue." And hadn't that been an unfortunate thing to notice, that one of their own had been assassinated during the retreat and that nobody had noticed.

"Then there was the severe mishandling of Rider." brought up Bram with a scoff. "Its to be expected though, when our 'trump card' was in the hands of our weakest link."

"You have one opportunity to apologise." warned Reines. Her tone was tired and cold. "Assassin of Grey could have encountered any one of us. It was bad luck, with the only mismanagement being that we didn't account for mental attacks."

Waver was certainly grateful that he had one ally on his side. He didn't blame the Red Team for being angry with him – but they weren't nearly as angry as he was with himself.

"I... apologise." Bram forced out.

"Can we get back on topic." This time, Forte stepped up. "El Meloi's situation can be excused. What can't be is the death of Alba. Our 'leader' is dead. And so I think its time to deal with the consequences of that."

There were two unanswered questions to be raised. Caster Paracelsus was a Servant without a Master, but he was still in the game. Who would partner with him? And secondly... who would lead the team now?

"I call for a vote of non-confidence against the El-Meloi party." Bram was certainly eager to throw him under the bus. With a shrug, he explained himself. "He can't be trusted after this. He lost our best weapon, and I honestly don't see him improving. I for one think I am more worthy."

"Of leadership?" Reines laughed. "Don't be absurd."

The magus flushed. "At the very least, I argue that I am more deserving of Caster. My loss of Saber wasn't my fault! How was I to know a Servant could be stolen by another Servant?"

"I can second that." Luvia spoke up for the first time. "I respect the El Meloi clan, but frankly, I feel that Sophia-Ri deserves the chance to redeem himself more."

There was a quick vote. 3 votes to 2 in favour of Bram.

"Very well then. I agreed to allow the Red Team to select amongst themselves, and I see no problem with the choice. I will accept you as a new Master." Paracelsus spoke.

"Excellent! I look forwards to working with you!"

Waver didn't feel too bad for missing out. The only Servant he wanted to work with was Iskandar, and that opportunity had now slipped away.

"Back to the topic of leadership... I nominate myself." Forte suggested. "Our last leader was the typical Magus, and arguably the best at the craft out of all of us. And yet, he lost all the same. Perhaps a more martial background might be more appropriate?"

"If you need martial experience, look no farther than the Edelefelt family." Luvia pointed out. "We are a family of mercenaries, while also retaining the strong focus upon Thaumaturgy. My family has experience with the Heavens Feel while frankly, Forte, you come from a far less illustrious family."

Waver sighed. "Perhaps we should cut to the chase? No need to back and forth on this. We all know how this will go. A vote?"

So they voted. The El-Meloi party had no chance of leadership and made no move to nominate themselves.

The votes were in. Forte voted for herself, and with her Reines and Waver voted. 3 votes to 2 against Luvia.

"Hmph. Very well then, the stage is yours." Luvia was gracious, if nothing else. "Our plan going forwards then?"

"Wait. Gather our strength." Forte already had a decent plan in mind. "We shore up our defences here and begin mass producing Caster's Elementals. Then, when we are ready, we attack the Greys. Frankly, the situation over at the Temple has become a bloody game of King of the Hill... and the reward isn't worth playing. The Greys may have acted against us, but the Blues betrayed them."

"Unfinished business then."

"Correct, Luvia. So we let their blood fill up the Grail, and swoop in to finish off a weakened and distracted Grey Team."

It wasn't a complicated plan... but it didn't need to be. "Let's remain flexible. Nobody leaves the building without another Master/Servant pair. We can't let Assassin of Grey get us again. Any questions?"

Archer of Red whispered something into Luvia's ear. "What about the Einzbern faction of the Blue Team?"

"Leave them be. Hercules is beyond us. Better if we can pull off a win without touching that monster."

XXXXXXXXXX

It seemed almost fitting that the victory she could taste was only that of ash. They'd succeeded in their goals. If it hadn't been for that Lancer of Grey or an unexpected summoning, this would have been a massacre for the Grey Team, while the Temple was now undeniably theirs.

But in Medea's eyes, this only made the losses all the more jarring. Their hard earned central base? Now burnt completely to the ground. They could enjoy a nice leyline to absorb mana from... but the leyline was crippled and would fail eventually, and they would have to do it from a pile of rubble.

"At least I can fuel my Servants properly. For now." Medea mused, looking over at her captured Saber. She debated using a Command Seal on him, or perhaps punishing him for his tardiness in the fight... but she couldn't be bothered. Because what was the point?

Her Master was dead. Stabbed half a dozen times in the chest. Even with all the protections she could provide, it wasn't enough to stop a determined Lancer. She laughed into the cold air, and ignored the strange look the Saber gave her. She knew it was the last thing she should be doing right now, but how could this be anything but humorous?

Of course all her dreams would turn to ash in her mouth once again? What made this life any different to her old one? If she wanted a happy ending, then the only one that could provide it was herself. And it would be paid for in the blood of her enemies and the innocents, if need be.

"Caster..." Medea could feel the Master of Assassin forming from his familiars, but she paid him no attention. He knew she was listening. "Why are you not happier? We have had a great victory have we not?"

"At what cost? I'll have my revenge. I'll pay this back on the Grey Team, tenfold."

"Patience..." heeded the slowly dying Magus. "Learn to wait. It is painful, but oh so much more effective. I haven't had my fill of tormenting that boy either. Dying today at my Assassin's hands would have been fitting, albeit disappointing."

"I don't have the firepower." Admitted Medea. She could sense what had been summoned upon this burned site: something not felt within this world for a very long time. A legitimate Goddess, albeit one in a Servant's vessel. She couldn't fight that directly. Especially not now that Lancer of Blue was dead and Kotomine (presumably) along with him.

A Caster, a Saber, an Assassin... and a Berserker.

Now, the last one had promise. But even she knew just how problematic this stolen Servant would be. She wished that she had been able to claim someone else, as she just felt dirty considering the symptoms of that Servant's Madness Enhancement. It reminded her too much of what happened with Jason. It made her draw far too many comparisons.

"You don't." Zouken shrugged. "Still, I will do what I can thin his numbers with Assassin. On that note, I'm leaving."

"Not even willing to defend the site we lost my Master for?"

"These old bones require shelter, you know?" he muttered with a feeble parody of a grandfatherly smile. "And I have a harvest to attend to. Still, let it not be said that I'm not a generous partner. Look below the temple, to the caves below. There you will find shelter, and oh so much more..." with a final laugh, the Magus scattered back into his swarm of bugs and left the temple. Medea couldn't sense him leave, nor his Servant. She didn't expect to.

But first, she had to deal with her newest pawn. Because life moves on, and the only ending to this war was an outcome where she was victorious, and had her lover by her side.

And if she wanted that outcome, she would need to work extremely hard.

"Saber, I need you to track down where the Red Team have hidden themselves." Ordered Caster of Blue. As much as she would love to be able to personally butcher the Grey Team... the time for that wasn't yet. She needed more strength. She needed time.

This task would help her in the long term, and it would keep the untrustworthy Saber away from her, serving as her eyes on the field.

"Am I some glorified pigeon familiar?" Asked Ceasar, choosing the briefly manifest before her. "I am a Saber, not some Assassin."

"Well then, be careful." Suggested Medea with a chilling smile. Saber was disposable now. If he died, she'd have more mana to spend elsewhere, anyway. If he succeeded, great. If not, then it mattered not.

Now to deal with Berserker...

"Aaaaanchin~~!" Medea knew the tackle was coming. Even so, she couldn't dodge the affectionate tackle-glomp. The sight of this woman casually throwing herself at Medea was a sickening one, but it was an act she was willing to accept to maintain her loyalty.

"Yes, Berserker." she replied through grit teeth until the beautiful maiden released her.

"Ah, I told you to call me by my name! Kiyohime! But I would accept the title 'wife' too!" Urgh. It was an insult that she lost the one true love of this life, and had it replaced by the delusional Berserker before her.

"That would be unprofessional. You are my Servant." she said sternly, and then Berserker greatly resembled a kicked puppy. "I am here to give you your orders."

She perked up. "Anything for you, my Anchin! Just say the word!"

"Guard the gate." she ordered. "Burn anyone that tries to enter. Die before you let even a single one of my enemies into my domain."

"A wife should be able to defend her home from ruffians..." she muttered darkly. "Yes, Anchin, I will guard you."

"Good." With that, she now had her main line of defence set up. Who needed a Guard Dog when you had a Guard Dragon?

"Wait, Anchin!" Berserker cried out, latching onto her arm like a leech. Medea grimaced. This behaviour... how very shameless. "We have so much to discuss now that we've found each other! I know you are a little... leery of this, but it really doesn't matter that we're both women now!"

"Oh gods. Hecate. Zeus. Aphrodite, even. Anyone. Put me out of my misery."

"I have been doing all this research, you see..." Kiyohime blushed a deep scarlet. "It is quite embarrassing to think about, but there are plenty of pleasures that only women can share with each other! We don't need to worry about an official wedding either, because same-sex marriages are legal in some countries! We can have a shotgun wedding!"

Medea wouldn't mind getting married. Just, to the person she actually loved, and not this caricature of a maiden in love.

Here, Berserker's grip on her arm tightened, and Medea felt she had no choice but to magically strengthen her own hand and pry the Berserker's off. "We can even still have a baby too! Well, if we both had physical bodies, anyway! But that's for after the war and when we find a donor!"

"Shut. Up." Medea growled and stepped away. She longed for nothing more than to tell this creature how she really felt, but she wouldn't. Berserker was too valuable. "If you have nothing of relevance to say, then don't speak. We have a war to win first."

"I-indeed!" Berserker bowed formally in apology. "I am sorry, Anchin, for being so presumptuous! We can take this slow! But first I should really tell you all about my old-"

"Enough!" she just wanted this war to be over. She just wanted any other Servant, that wasn't this obnoxious to her eyes. She didn't want to see this poor reminder of someone she once used to be (let alone the actual nightmare on the Grey Team that she couldn't bring herself to ignore). She just wanted to be in the arms of the man that made her feel so safe. "Just... just guard the gate."

Kiyohime's eyes fell, and she looked away. "Yes Anchin. I will guard our home."

"Good." With that, Medea turned on her heel and went to try and salvage what she could from the remains of the Temple. She should really look into trying to find an entrance to the underground that Zouken recommended, and then she should probably set up her rituals. The people of Fuyuki City weren't going to drain themselves for her...

XXXXXXXXXX

Kiyohime pouted on a rock. She'd been doing this most of the day, actually. She'd specifically gone to the collapsed building of the nearby temple, found the comfiest one she could find, and dragged it outside so she could sit down while guarding the gate.

She was a maiden in love! She would burn a thousand enemies, slay a hundred rivals, and do just about anything for her Anchin! And what she asked her one true love to do was... sit outside the temple and make sure nobody enters.

"It is a very important job." Kiyohime reminder herself. Anchin was trusting her with this task! If she did well at this, perhaps she might even praise her! Anything just for her to visit her once more!

This led to about an hour of happy humming, but even with Madness Enhancement EX, one can get bored.

"I want Anchin..." moaned Kiyohime. That was the reason she was in this War after all. It was all for Anchin. Everything goes back to Anchin.

Things with her one true love... they certainly weren't going to plan.

Honestly, the gender issue was complete irrelevant, as she'd told Anchin before! According to the knowledge granted to Kiyohime upon her summoning, Magical Girls were known for such things, and Anchin was now a girl with magic...

… and she was also a liar.

Kiyohime knew this with absolute certainty. The gods Anchin had worshipped in one life had also punished her in another. She didn't quite understand the mechanics of how one led to the other, but that didn't matter! All that mattered was that without her guidance and love, Anchin had been burned time and time again, and now she burned others. She lied to people. She betrayed them, time and time again.

That... was okay. It wasn't okay. But she'd make it okay. She could forgive Anchin. She'd help her. That's what love is. Despite everything she'd learned about her as a member of the Grey Team, Kiyohime would definitely forgive her Anchin.

"Grgh!" a headache, a pain, the perpetual kind. The one she didn't like thinking about. She shouldn't have thought about the Grey Team. Because that makes her think of him.

Not Anchin. No. His name was definitely James. She didn't know why she'd thought he was Anchin, but it wasn't his fault that he wasn't. He didn't mean to steal her. He didn't mean to take her from her Anchin, to summon her and prevent her rightful Anchin from calling her. Even when she'd foolishly thrown herself at him in her delusion, never once had he lied and claimed to be him. To be Anchin. She could respect that about him. She could respect a lot about him.

Sometimes... Kiyohime had a dark thought. One she made sure to stomp out thoroughly.

She wished her Anchin was more like-

"NO!" she gripped her hands so tightly that her claws made her bleed, and the redness dripped down onto her kimono. Anchin was perfect, the only one that could be her Master was her Anchin, and she needed to be perfect for her Anchin, and now she'd need to wash her kimono, but where would she find a washing basin at this hour when she'd been ordered to guard her home!

"Kiyohime." a voice greeted her, a familiar one, and Kiyohime's entire thought process ground to a halt.

The fake was here. James was here. There was that new Archer she didn't know with him and that Saber, but they weren't important. James was here.

And she needed to defend her home!

"I'm not here to fight." he said, holding out empty open palms. Yes, he wasn't one to start a fight needlessly. If he could end things bloodlessly, he really would. She could let that fire die down inside. He wouldn't lie about this. She didn't need to burn him yet. He wasn't a threat to Anchin.

"What are you here for?" she asked coldly.

"I wanted to make sure that you were still alive." he admitted. "The wicked Bitch of the West was rightfully pissed off. She could have done something hasty."

She frowned. "Anchin would never hurt me." because she loved Anchin and Anchin loved her, even if Anchin didn't show it sometimes.

Again, he presented his palms peacefully. "Not here to fight." he repeated. "Saber?"

Chevalier d'Eon nodded their head and reached into a physical satchel at their side. They reached in... and pulled out a flask? James took it from Saber's hand, then tossed it to Kiyohime. She caught it without thinking about it, then immediately winced. This could have been a trap! A bomb! She could have ruined everything for Anchin!

"It's stew." James said, and suddenly she felt silly for thinking otherwise. "Rider made it for you. Figured that with the temple literally flattened you wouldn't be able to cook anything, and that Medea wouldn't even bother."

"I'm sure there will be plenty of time for candlelit meals soon..." Yes, once the War was won. Then her dreams would come true, and she'd live happily ever after with Anchin. That was how this had to end, right?

He rolled his eyes. A familiar gesture from when she was-

"No!" She thought harshly to herself. "As pleasant as my time there was, there is no point thinking about it. I am where I should have been from the start. With my Anchin." With that her resolve hardened. No kind gestures would stop her from what she needed to do. She threw the flask to one side.

James sighed.

"Did you expect anything else?" asked that blonde Archer she didn't recognise.

"No." The Master of Grey replied, returning his attention back to Berserker. "As surprising as it is, I don't want to kill you. I'd rather you not mention me to Caster, but if you do, you can tell her that much. Her newest gambit is a success. I'm not going to needlessly risk your neck. As long as she doesn't tighten that noose of hers, I'll leave her alone."

"I don't understand, but I'll tell her anyway." That would be her last kindness to the one she once foolishly assumed to be Anchin.

"Did your time with the Greys really mean so little to you?" This time it was Saber's piercing eyes that met her. "Is your loyalty so fickle?"

"My loyalty is to ANCHIN!" She shouted, and fire came to her fingertips. Fires hot enough to burn anyone that questioned her devotion. Archer summoned a bow, and something red and sharp gathered. She remembered the pain of those arrows hitting her. She'd burn that one first!

"Enough." James said this firmly enough that even Kiyohime paused – a moment of lucidity returned to her, and the flames burned out.

"Yes. He doesn't want to hurt me. He can't get past me. He isn't a threat to Anchin. I don't need to burn him." It was a nice thought. One she grasped firmly, like flickering embers.

She couldn't ignore how Saber continued to burn her just as intently with their eyes. She couldn't forget their question. Because of course it meant something to her! "I was wrong. I thought he was Anchin, but that's wrong. Master is Anchin. That is that."

"Master is Anchin... Master is Anchin." then, James laughed. "Of course she is! Master really is Anchin, huh?"

"Of course! It's..." how do you explain something so simple? The sun burns. The rain falls. The season turns. And Master is Anchin. That was her love and her faith in Anchin. She'd follow Anchin through a thousand different reincarnations if she had to. And no words in the wind could change that simple truth that Anchin had always been Anchin, would always be Anchin, and couldn't be anything but Anchin.

James clapped his hands together. "Heh. Madness Enhancement really is a cruel curse, isn't it? I've always been a little scared of growing old. Not because of my body breaking down, but my mind. I don't want to get dementia. I don't want to forget everyone. Myself." Kiyohime understood his words, but really didn't understand what they had to do with her or the conversation at hand. "Welp, in that case, it looks like I'll need to be more proactive. I don't intend to give up on you Kiyohime. As ironic as it for me to say this, but I won't give up. I'll be the one pursuing you this time."

Kiyohime pursed her lips with displeasure. "Would you truly try to get in the way of my happiness? Do you hate me so much?"

"I'm a Contradiction, aren't I?" he shrugged. "I said I'd finish this was with no casualties. And I intend to stick to that promise. So make sure you keep yourself and your Anchin alive. There's unfinished business here."

"Do what you want. But leave."

Archer gave him a look, and he gave her one back. Acceptant. Resignation. "Alright. We'll get going. Until next time..."

With that, the Master of Grey and his two Servants left, leaving Kiyohime alone. It was quiet now. But at least she'd done her duty. She'd guarded the temple from intruders! Anchin would have to be happy with her now!

She could imagine it now! She'd go and see Anchin right this second, tell her about James and his visit, tell her everything about him and his Servants that she'd been unable to say earlier, then Anchin would pat her on the head and together they would-

Go out and slaughter the Grey Team.

"Gargh!" again, that headache. This wasn't right! She didn't want this! She couldn't want this!

Her brain twisted and writhed, as if like the serpent she sometimes became. It knotted and burned.

Anchin. Anchin. Her Anchin. The centre of her world. Her reason for being. Anchin.

Anchin.. and her.

Yes. Kiyohime could work with this. She didn't just want to win the War with her Master, her Anchin. She wanted to win it with Anchin. As lovers.

"Ahh! It all makes sense. I can't kill the Grey Team, because then Anchin gets her wish!" She was so happy! It felt sneaky, almost like lying, but she couldn't let her Anchin win now. If she did that, she'd waste her wish on bringing back that useless husk of a man she said she loved. The Love Rival. With him in play, she'd have no place in her bed for her!

And. That. Wouldn't. Work.

"It's for Anchin's own good, really. They'll only be happy with me."

Kiyohime reached a conclusion she was quite satisfied with. She wanted to win... eventually. When Anchin loved her. Then they could kill the Red Team and be together forever! So she'd keep quiet (not lie. Never lie. If Anchin asked, she would tell Anchin).

It was selfish of her, something that went against her own desires, but...

She couldn't deny it. Kiyohime didn't want to kill James. She just... she just...

"Well. Let's just say, I'm sure he'll make one of those hussies of his a very happy woman." But why was she feeling that familiar sensation of intense jealousy, and why wasn't it directed at her Anchin?

"Anchin!" She squealed, dropping to the floor and rolling around like a snake. Yes! Familiar thoughts and feelings. Anchin! She needed to figure out how to get past that cold exterior of hers and win her heart! She had to! It didn't matter if she stalled out a victory for her Anchin, if she failed to claim the real prize of Anchin's heart!

Perhaps it was through her stomach! On that note, Kiyohime's own belly started to rumble. She was a Servant, she didn't need to eat, but she'd enjoyed the luxury. And there was that that still sealed flask she had tossed aside...

"It would be a shame for it to go to waste." she muttered, searching the steps for it. "I might even get some ideas for what to feed Anchin. That chesty foreigner has odd meals I don't understand, but their flavours are excellent."

The smile on her face as she drank it had everything to do with her dreaming of a domestic future together with Anchin, and absolutely nothing to do with the memories of warmth associated with the food. Definitely not.

But just for a second, she let herself remember those frivolous times. Only for a second.

XXXXXXXXXX

The house was cold and dark, but it seemed to only get colder still once Sakura could hear the sound of the worms writhing. It felt wrong to have them here, in a place so distinctly Tohsaka. The life of Tohsaka Sakura and Matou Sakura were categorised completely differently, so to hear that sound in her once-upon-a-time childhood home...

It was an unpleasant sensation.

"Grandfather." she greeted demurely as the gnarled body arose from the collection of bugs. This form solidified into that of Matou Zouken, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

She had no clue whether this was an ill tiding, or a good sign.

"Sakura." he replied, smiling that wicked grin of his. Sakura looked straight through it with a well practised glassy look. Instead, she looked around for the others. For Rin. Had they succeeded in their attack at the Temple? Was grandfather here to pick up his 'prized heir'.

"I am sure you are wondering why I have returned." Zouken finally filled the silence. "I am going to be continuing to live here, for the time being. Myself and Assassin are best served away from that witch, at this point." Sakura said nothing, for she had no opinion on such a decision. It would be unpleasant to share space with him again, but Matou Sakura was used to unpleasantness.

"As for how the battle itself went... it is largely a success. We bloodied them all. A Matou win is close. I can feel it." there was enthusiasm there in his tone. Sakura just knew that someone else must have suffered terribly for him to be so cheerful about it. "So then Sakura, it will be your responsibility to return to household duties. Understood?"

"Yes, grandfather." Sakura still felt quite sick, but the symptoms had abated. Enough that she wasn't willing to speak against him.

"Excellent." said the man that should have died centuries ago, starting to slowly shuffle away, his cane making no noise on the soft carpet. "Oh, and Sakura?" here, he looked back and Sakura's face fell.

The master of the Matou family was an expert at drawing out suffering – she understood that all before this was but pleasant conversation to him, like speaking about the weather.

"Yes?"

"Tohsaka Rin is dead." Zouken said these words with such relish, while Sakura's own stomach trembled. She wanted to throw up. She was dead? Rin was dead? Sakura's feelings on the young Magus were mixed to say the least, but this? She didn't want this! She wanted her sister back!

"H-how?"

"The Grey Team murdered her." The Magus said, almost casually. "They stabbed her in the back, then their Master used her corpse as a catalyst to summon an abnormal Servant into the presented vessel. Do you understand? Even if you see her face again, it isn't her. The Grey Team have still killed her, all the same."

"I... I understand." Sakura quietly muttered, falling back on old habits. Better to shut down and feel nothing at all. Because Rin was dead and the Grey Team murdered her.

"Yes." Zouken agreed pleasantly, before shutting the door behind himself to leave the young purplette alone. "Yes they did."

"O-oh my." Sakura fell onto her bed – the one that Rin had given her. She was dead. Rin was dead.

"I hate him." it was something Sakura had thought had beaten out of her long ago – emotions that intense. "I... hate him. James."

Yes, that was his name. First he killed her brother (though deep down, she admitted she hated him too). Then he killed Rider, the only one who was truly and honestly on her side. It was like losing a sister when Rider faded away. Then, Shirou disappeared too, and she bet that he was behind it.

And now... now, her actual sister was dead. "I hate him."

She let that hatred stew and toil within herself, savouring the red it made her see. It was oh so nice to have someone she could definitely blame everything on. Things had never been good, but it was his fault that things were now worse.

If Sakura ever got the chance, she promised herself that she would take it. That she would kill him herself.