(A/N: Here's chapter four. Enjoy!

Guest review [aFan]: Thank you for the review! I do agree with your point that a character x Servant relationship is essentially meaningless because all Servants are already dead. However, that does not stop fanfic writers from pulling off some sorta Deus Ex Machina by using the Grail to give their Servants flesh and blood again, so their characters can be with their beloved forever. You can blame Shirou/Saber for being a thing. Because if Shirou can end up with Saber [and it's canon that he can], then that is all proof needed to establish that Masters and Servants [in-universe characters or OCs] can get into romantic relationships. It can only safely say that people took the Shirou/Saber idea, and rolled with it. And I don't mind as long as the story is good. I'm only keeping Orihime and EMIYA's relationship platonic because I never viewed them together in a romantic light- even before I started writing this. Plus, a month or so is too short of develop any romantic feelings from Orihime's perspective- especially coming from a girl who is thoroughly and whole-heartedly Ichigo-sexual. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing… Who knows?

I know I have more reviews, but since all the reviews are essentially the same thing [with little tweaks here and there, and some being very detailed and others not], I decided to answer the rest in a general ending author's note.

Now enjoy this chapter for now!)

The Mark of the Hibiscus

Blueberry growled at the brown haired woman before her.

Namani could only laugh nervously at the distrustful border collie. "You still don't like me, do you, Blueberry?"

Orihime smiled wryly. "She isn't attacking you the minute she sees you anymore," she said to break the tension between her dog and her friend. At least Blueberry was not outright attacking her anymore. Which would be a good sign. A very good sign. She seemed to be tolerating her.

The older woman rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Orihime. That makes me feel so much better," she responded light-heartedly sarcastically. She did not dare try to pat Blueberry- unless she wanted the border collie to take a vicious nip at her fingers.

The auburn haired woman snorted. "Don't get so mopey about it, Namani. I told you it takes time for Blueberry to get used to you." She bent down to gently stroke her dog's back to calm her down a little. Blueberry relaxed a little, but not much- just enough to stop growling at her friend. "She never really was that trusting of… other people. You know, it took her awhile to get used to me."

Namani shook her head wryly. "What do you want to do?"

They resumed walking along the streets of Shinto. It's an interesting fact to note that Namani's house is located in the Shinto district of Fuyuki while Orihime's apartment and the place they work at, Cafe Angel, is located in Miyama Town. Blueberry was trotting along by her leash, consciously making sure to stay by her owner's side that was not anywhere near the brown haired woman.

"Do you want to go shopping at the mall?" Namani asked. She threw a sly grin at her auburn haired friend. "We need to pick out an outfit for your date tomorrow."

Orihime rolled her eyes. "It's just a date, Namani," she said exasperatedly. "It's not a big deal. Besides, it's only a time thing. After tomorrow, I'm not planning to see Hector ever again."

Namani sighed. "Why are you so hard to please, Orihime? Why are you so anti-social?" she bemoaned.

Orihime simply ignored her. She was not even going to entertain Namani's melodramatic antics. She could be so annoyingly childish sometimes. In times like this, it's best not to indulge her.

Strands of her long, auburn hair gently whipped around in the chilly, evening air. She brushed her bangs away from her face when they got in the way. The air was nice and peaceful, not a single trace of unease could be sensed. Which- too most people- would be oddly puzzling considering the news going around about people mysteriously dying.

But- to Orihime- she was not expecting any less. After all, humans are quite skilled in intentionally ignoring problems that have nothing to do with them. They try not to think too hard on things that might destroy their idyllic daily lives. The majority can't cope with anything that shatters their sense of self or their worldview, so they tend not to dwell on it. Plus, the fact that humans can be coldly apathetic at times- especially in times of crisis. They could care less about the lives of total strangers. The unfortunate victims that might end up in horrific tragedies might complain about how unfair life is and how nobody helped them in their time of need. But- hey- that's just the way it is. People are simply prone to desperately avoid negative vibes.

"Is there anything you want to do?" Orihime asked Namani.

Namani pondered a bit before shaking her head. "Not really," she answered honestly, "although there is this new shampoo I want to buy. And I don't mind looking at all the possible new clothes."

The auburn haired woman stretched her arms slightly forward. She grimaced unsatisfied when she felt a few creaks from her stiff back and shoulders. "Urgh," she grumbled, incredibly displeased. "Does the mall have a massage parlor because I could really use one right now."

It probably won't do any good to go into any potential fights, if her muscles are uncomfortably stiff like this. It's not like she was planning to purposely enter a battle. She was not stupid enough to do that in her weakened state. Though there's no denying she would be in trouble, if an enemy were to attack her.

Namani beamed. "They should!" she nearly shouted in excited glee, minding the volume of her voice with other passersby around. "I heard they opened up one a couple of months ago. I always wanted to check it out!" Her brown eyes glanced down at Blueberry. "I also heard that the mall has a pet grooming shop for dogs and cats. Maybe you should take Blueberry there."

Auburn brows crinkled with uncertainty. She briefly glanced down at her dog before shooting Namani an incredulous look. "I don't think that's a good idea. Namani, you know how antsy Blueberry gets around strangers." She pondered for a bit, gazing down at Blueberry again. "Though Blueberry is probably overdue for a haircut," she muttered thoughtfully. "Her fur is growing too long. It's becoming harder and harder to brush. Maybe it is time for her to get a haircut."

"That's the spirit!" Namani smiled just as they stepped in front of the mall's front door.

The name of the shopping mall was called Verde. It was an extremely large, extravagant building as expected of a shopping mall. It was about 38 meters tall, and took up about 320,000 square feet of land. People were wandering in the building and out of the building with the majority of them carrying shopping bags. One could feel the bustle and hustle of the mall, even by standing outside its door. She was fairly certain that mall was gonna close in a few hours. However, that does not deter people or lessen the over abundance of customers because many people would shop to the very last second if they have to.

Orihime had almost forgotten the last time she went shopping at a huge shopping mall like this. It was such a long time ago. The last time she remembered was going Christmas eve shopping with her husband, son, and daughter. Theoretically, it could have been no more than 20 - 22 years ago- if one were to add her current, post-reincarnation age into the mix. And that's the thing. The whole "being reincarnated into a new world" fiasco makes everything- especially the sense of time- a mess. Because she does not know how long she has been dead for before being reborn. She could have been dead for only a minute or two, or as long as a thousand years. Who knows? Death has no perception or concept of time. The fact that this new world is uncannily the same time period as her old one, doesn't help either.

She never really did go to the mall much with her new, incredibly nicer, biological parents. Why? It wasn't that her parents adamantly refused to take, or anything childishly horrific like that. She simply felt no need to go, nor the need to force her busy parents to take her. They mainly took their shopping at the shopping district in Miyama Town, and bought her clothes at local retail stores- and she was content with that.

"Well, we're not gonna get any shopping done standing out here."

Orihime followed after Namani, and entered the mall.

She stepped inside- and let her tell people- that the mall was way more impressive inside than it was outside. Brilliant, luminescent light filled the mall, giving it a lively and jovial autosphere. Various stores littered the inside of the mall, each decorated with their own colorful designs and selling their own products. People smiled and chatted with family and friends as they cheerfully went store to store, shopping to their heart's content.

How long has it been since Orihime has been enveloped in the energetic aura of a mall like this? Perhaps too long as she had nearly forgotten about it. Being inside the shopping mall brought longing, nostalgic memories of shopping with her friends and family in the past life. A time where she and Tatsuki were merrily shopping for clothes, and another time with her kids excitedly looking at all the toys they wanted to get.

The auburn haired woman felt a tug on her left hand, the one holding the yellow dog leash. She glanced down at Blueberry who was becoming increasingly restless and growling shopper who incidentally comes with 5 feet of them. She tightened the grip on the leash, so she won't attack the nearest person she perceives as a threat in her eyes. "Calm down, Blueberry," she said soothingly, trying to get her dog to be quiet and relax. This is part of the reason she was anxious about taking Blueberry into a crowded place like this. Too many people. And she knows how antsy Blueberry gets around strangers.

She wondered if this was a good idea? She does not want to cause the border collie undue stress. It was a common fact that too much stress was definitely not good for anybody. Was it too late to turn around and go back?

"Don't stand there like an idiot, Orihime! Let's go and do some shopping already!"

Apparently it was as Namani tugged on her other wrist, either blissfully unaware or blatantly ignoring her dog's discomfort.

She shrugged her shoulders uncaringly, letting Namani drag her into the nearest clothing store called Rainz. This instant she stepped inside the store, she could immediately tell what kinda clothes the store sells. The vintage style of clothes filled the racks that were scattered all around the store. It was obviously a store made for older men and women.

She nonchalantly strolled through the store with Blueberry walking along beside her. She was not interested in any of the clothes, and neither was Namani it seemed. Though she was interested in the jewelry. Her brown orbs sparkled with joyful delight as she stared at a particular beaded necklace in the display case. The older woman has gotten quite a fond taste for old-fashioned, antique jewelry and trinkets.

"I'm gonna go find the pet grooming shop," Orihime informed her brown haired friend. She was not sure if Namani heard or registered her words, but it did not matter. She headed out to leave Rainz. If Namani needed her for anything, she could just text her. She could not sit here, watching her forever. She was hoping to be home in a couple of hours. It was already past 6. She wanted to do what she was interested in doing before going home.

The auburn haired woman left the store and Namani behind with Blueberry walking along with her. Her feet clicked against the white tiles and her gray irises darted to each store, hoping to find the pet grooming one. She eyed the numerous stores as she passed by them- each with their own unique taste and flavor. There were clothing stores, shoe stores, a store that sells sunglasses, two different types of gaming stores, one electronic and another tabletop- maybe she should stop by whenever she gets the chance- a bunch of food stalls and vendors- of course- and many other shops. With everything that Verde had, it was truly befitting to be called a shopping mall.

Still though, she did not see any pet grooming shops or massage parlors anywhere. She wondered if they were closed already? Some of the shops she had already passed by were closed with steel bars caging the front door, preventing people from entering. She never bothered checking or paying any attention to the ones that were closed, figuring there'd be no point. Well, if none of the remaining opened stores are the massage parlor or pet grooming shop, she could just assume that they are two of the closed shops and leave the mall. There's always next time.

It seems that Orihime has searched the entire first floor, and still no luck. Guess, it was time to head up to the second floor.

She strolled towards the nearest escalator that moved upward to the second floor. However, she spotted people that were already riding the escalator, and a few more waiting their turn. It was better to wait until it was a bit emptier. For Blueberry's sake. She does not want the border collie's irritation levels to rise up again. Though she did hear silent growls coming from her- thankfully- it has not transformed into full-blown angry barks. Don't want to be kicked out by her misbehaving dog. Many places have policies against allowing dangerous pets into their facilities. And for good reason too. Don't want any harm coming to the workers or the customers when it could be prevented.

She was both surprised and relieved that there were no awestruck kids coming up to her- wanting to pet her dog. Then again, it was probably already past 6:30 on a school night. She doubted that any responsible parent would let their young child stay up this late at a mall. They should be preparing and eating dinner by now.

When the escalator was nearly vacant, the auburn haired woman took the opportunity to climb on. Blueberry- on the other hand- was a bit hesitant at first, staring at the strange machine with wary eyes. She took a nervous and uncertain step forward, her front powers landing on the bottom-most platform of the escalator- only to be caught by surprise when it began moving upwards, forcing her to move the rest of her body on the escalator. The auburn haired woman smiled, amused by her dog's cuteness.

The ride only lasted a few moments before they reached the top. The minute they did, a savory aroma reached her nose. She instinctively followed the scent, and her gray eyes landed on a hotdog vendor on her right. Hmm, maybe it won't be bad to stop by for a small snack.

She approached the vendor with one mission in mind. When the man manning the vendor witnessed her coming towards him, he smiled one of those generic "nice to meet you, customer" smiles. "How may I help?" He asked the most generic and mandatory question that all people in some type of customer satisfaction business are meant to say.

She ordered herself a regular hotdog with pickle relish and ketchup. She wanted patiently for the man to prepare her food, and offered her thanks when she received her snack- obviously not forgetting to pay the man for the food. She walked away, hotdog in hand.

She resumed her search for her objective, taking a bite of her hotdog every now and then. She'd noticed that Blueberry would often stare hungrily at the hotdog in her hand, perhaps the smell fueling her appetite. Nevertheless, she refused to give her dog some because- not only had she already eaten- but hotdog was bad for dogs. Especially ones with condiments spread on it.

"You already had dinner," she lightly scolded the border collie, whose ears drooped down in dejection. She ignored her, not letting her cuteness and sad puppy-dog expression get the better of her.

After 10 - 15 minutes of wandering around, searching for the specific shops she wanted to go to- she finally found the pet grooming shop. Her first instinct was to check the time the shop closed. Luckily, there was a poster indicating when the store opens and closes on the far right side of the door. She carefully checked Monday's closing time. It said 8:00 pm.

Quickly, she pulled out her phone to check the time. It was only 6:47. That was good. Which meant she still had time to get Blueberry groomed before the day was over. Hopefully. She doesn't know how long it would take to get her dog cleaned and groomed. Hopefully, less than an hour. She entered the shop.

Orihime was immediately hit by a wave of different pet shampoo scents and the smell of wet cats and dogs' fur. The interior was reminiscent of a mini salon. There were a couple of black tables. There was a small section that obviously meant to clean and wash the pets. The extendable shower head hanging on the brick wall- the wall which separated the flat bathtub from the rest of the store- was the most obvious clue- along with the shower drain. She eyed the various shampoos, scissors, combs, brushes- anything that was needed to make sure that a person's pet was exceptionally groomed nicely.

"Hello?"

She turned her attention to the sweet, feminine voice who called out to her. Her gray orbs landed on the woman at the counter.

"Are you here to get your dog groomed?" she asked.

Orihime walked towards the counter, pulling Blueberry along. "Yes, please," she answered, glancing down at her dog who was beginning to growl. She was beginning to question once again, if it was the right idea to bring the border collie here. Though not like she has a choice. Blueberry really did need to get her fur trimmed.

The receptionist nodded her head. "What exactly are you looking for? Is there any specific way you want your pet to be groomed?"

"I want Blueberry to be fully cleaned and groomed," the auburn haired woman answered.

"So you are looking for a full service groom then?"

An auburn brow quirked upward in confusion. "A full service? What does that entail?"

The woman smiled. "We would fully shampoo, wash, and trim your dog's fur. But we will also file your dog's nails, clean your dog's ears, make sure to get rid of any dead fur and undercoat, and check your dog's overall skin condition. Is all this alright you, ma'am?"

"Yes, please!" It was far more than satisfactory. She merely came here to get Blueberry's fur cut and neatly combed. She never knew they could check how healthy her dog's skin is. That was something that somewhat bothered her, considering that the border collie used to come from an abusive household before being adopted by her. She would use any opportunity to check Blueberry's overall health. She has been doing her best to care for her, but her work won't compare to the work of a professional- nor was it a replacement for it.

She had one final question to ask. "How much would the full service be?

"Including tax… Probably around 7871 yen."

She nodded her head. She should definitely have enough. She had just gotten her bi-weekly paycheck. She would put it on her card.

There was still the matter of another issue she needed to address. She has not forgotten Blueberry's furious snarls. Her ears and tail were perked up in full alert and her distrustful eyes never left the receptionist. Her full body was tense, almost ready to pounce.

"You have to be careful with Blueberry," Orihime warned the lady. "She does not take kindly to strangers. I am the only one she truly feels comfortable with."

The woman smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry. We have a lot of experience dealing with aggressive and frightened pets."

She breathed a sigh of relief. That was good then. If they were truly experienced in dealing with troubling animals, then everything should be fine. Right?

Orihime bent down until she was at eye level with Blueberry. The border collie instantly snapped her attention onto her, the snarling and growling ceasing for a bit. She gently held the dog's head in between her hands. "Listen to me," she said softly, "you be a good girl while I'm gone. Okay, Blueberry? Be good, and I'll give you a nice doggy biscuit when we get back home."

Blueberry spread kisses on her owner's face, tail wagging happily. She smiled, affectionately patted her head. She climbed back up to her feet, facing the smiling woman again.

"Take care of Blueberry. I'll be back for her later."

"Would you like us to text or call you when your dog's grooming is finished?" the woman suggested helpfully.

"Sure," Orihime responded gratefully, immediately proceeding to give the woman her phone number.

The woman wrote it down with a pen in her name and number in the notebook on the counter. The notebook was probably where the store keeps track of all the appointments of their customers and their contact information. She closed the notebook, and nodded her head at her auburn haired customer.

Once that was finished, Orihime handed her dog's leash over to her. It was time for her to leave Blueberry in this shop's care. The woman gingerly took it. However, once the leash was within her grasp.

All hell broke loose.

Blueberry instantly started barking up a storm. Her incessant barking had caught the attention of nearly everyone in the store. Orihime's flushed in embarrassment when all eyes landed on the commotion they were causing, disrupting the once quiet and peaceful atmosphere. The border collie utterly refused to move from her spot next to Orihime as the woman attempted to drag her away. This only served for the dog's barks to become louder and angrier as she fought against the gentle pull of the leash. She wondered if her dog's piercing cries could be heard outside the store.

At last, an embarrassed and aggravated auburn haired woman shot her dog a very stern glare- roughly pointing her finger downwards. In response, Blueberry ceased her barking and whined shamefully and meekly- bowing her head apologetically. She laid belly flat on the ground, staying silent- not looking her owner in the eye.

She nodded approvingly, facing the woman once more. "Take care of her."

The woman smiled. "We will, ma'am. We'll text you once we are done grooming your dog."

Orihime bowed her head slightly and left the shop. With Blueberry dropped off at the pet grooming shop, it was now time to search for that massage parlor.

The auburn haired woman bit back a curse when she came face to face with the front entrance of the massage parlor. It was down on the first floor- near the front entrance of the mall! How could she have missed it?! Was she so focused on finding the shop that she could not find the shop?

She pinched the bridge of her nose, reigning in her annoyance. There was really not much she could do about her small blunder. What's done is done, she guessed. No use throwing a gasket about it.

She has not received any messages from Namani. It was already past 7. Was she still in the same vintage store she had left her in? She was acting like an excited child in a candy shop the minute they entered the shopping mall. The auburn haired woman was acutely aware of how hopeless her brown haired friend could be. She tends to be forgetful when she zeros onto something. But she wouldn't forget a friend in a mall, would she?

She better not.

Orihime shook her head. She could worry about that later.

Gray eyes scanned the medium-sized standing bulletin board that had the times and menu of the shop plastered on it. The shop was open until 9:30. She searched the different massage options- from a full body massage to a nice feet massage until she found what she was looking for. The back and neck massage.

The half hour back massage was worth 5035 yen and the 30 minute neck massage was worth 1888 yen. She internally counted the price in her head. That would mean she would be paying about 6923 yen. And that's excluding the tax. So this plus the money she's paying for the dog grooming would be a little of 14794 yen.

She inwardly grimaced at how much she was spending. This was nearly a third of her paycheck down the drain in a single day. Some people might whine or berate her not to be so stingy with her money. And normally… she isn't. But look at how much money she is spending in one day! So expensive! She had almost forgotten how impulsive shopping can drain one's funds fast.

Well, she needed this. There was no denying it. Her back was killing her. It was good to treat herself every once in a while. The only reservation she has… is that she hopes she does not get a male massage therapist. The minute she is assigned a man to touch her naked back, she is walking out.

Orihime walked into a shop, seeing no use to stand outside the door any longer. The first thing she caught sight of was the massage chairs situated at the center of the room with two people occupying a couple of them. The fragrance of scented candles and oil filled the room. She spotted a hallway with several doors. She deduced that most of the doors are where the more… private massages take place. After all- while the chairs are simple for a good foot or soothing head massage- a person does have to undress to experience a relaxing back or a blissful full body massage.

She made her way to the front of the counter. She was slightly relieved to see a female receptionist. She would not feel as comfortable making her request for a back massage to a man.

The woman smiled that "greet every customer with courtesy" smile. "Welcome to the Spa. How can I help you?"

"Yes, I am here for a back and neck massage," she requested kindly.

The woman nodded her head at her request. "You are lucky that we have one spare room. If we didn't, then you'd have to make an appointment," she threw out with brutal honesty. "Follow me."

She walked into the direction of the spare room she mentioned. Orihime quietly followed after her. "Can I ask for a female therapist?" she asked, her cheeks tinted slightly pink. She could feel her embarrassment rising, her voice coming out shy and timid. "I don't feel comfortable with a male…um…uh…"

She didn't need to finish her sentence as the woman nodded in understanding. She opened the door to the room and led Orihime inside, silently closing and locking the door behind her.

The room was small yet spacious. The floor was covered in velvet red carpet, and walls were painted bright red. In the center of the room was the black massage table as expected. Next to it was a counter that also had a sink. On top of the counter was a colorful assortment of lotions and oils. On the other side of the room was a curtain that probably served to be some sorta divider. Unfortunately- from her angle- she could see what was on the other side of the curtain.

"Go behind the curtain and change," the woman instructed, making the auburn haired woman snap back to reality- gray eyes on her. "You don't have to take off all your clothes. Just your top will do. There should be a towel in the basket on the chair. You can put clothes on the chair." She turned on her heel to leave. "As you requested, I would look for a female massage therapist. But you may have to wait awhile because most of our therapists are busy with other customers." With those assuring parting words to her female customer, she left the room and locked the door behind her.

Gray irises glanced around the room. It was less… magical than she was expecting from a private massage room. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. It's just that… from what she read about massage parlors and how people have praised it as a heavenly paradise, she thought it'd be more… extravagant. Well, the tales about massage parlors were obviously exaggerated.

Walking behind the curtain, she spotted a rolling chair and a brown basket filled with a white towel inside just as the woman had informed her. She reached down to the bottom of her yellow sweater and pulled her top off. She then unclasped her and took off her bra, her large busts bouncing free. She set her undergarment down on the chair. She folded her sweater and neatly set it on top of her underwear, effectively concealing it from wandering eyes. She does not want any disgusting pervert looking and examining her bra size. She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around herself, protecting her bare upper body from the cool air.

Confused with no idea what to do next, Orihime just… stood there. The woman never really informed her on what to do afterwards. She sighed, walking over to the table and sitting down.

She wondered how Namani and Blueberry were doing. Were they okay? She could picture the brown haired woman happily browsing through every store that caught her interest. However, she was more worried about how her dog was doing? Was she comfortable? She highly doubted it. But was she at least tolerating it? She could clearly imagine an uneasy and apprehensive Blueberry while a complete stranger trims her light brown and white fur and nails. She deeply hoped that Blueberry had not returned to aggressively barking her head off and ferociously attacking anyone who approached her. She does not want a lawsuit filed against her.

She flipped open her phone. Her tote bag was left next to her pile of clothes. The first thing she spotted was a text from two people. One from Namani and the other one… from… Hector?! She decided to read the message from Namani first.

"Where are you, Orihime?" the text read, "Where'd you go? You should see all the stuff I bought! I want to show you!" The auburn haired woman smiled amusingly at the message. She could practically hear the excited cheer in her voice. "I even bought you a cute outfit to go on your date tomorrow."

At that, Orihime frowned. She quickly replied back, "That was truly unnecessary, Namani. I have plenty of clothes back home."

She waited a few moments, expecting an immediate response back- but no answer. She shrugged her shoulders. Namani must be busy with something else. Or occupied at the moment.

She decided to go ahead and read the second text Hector sent her. "Hey. How are you doing, Orihime? College has been a chore lately. I have so many assignments that's due. B-but don't worry. I-I haven't forgotten our movie date."

Orihime almost giggled. Almost. She could tell how nervous Hector was by the way he was rambling in the text. She continued reading the text.

"What movie do you want to see?"

She pursed her lips for a moment before replying, "Anyone is fine. Doesn't matter."

This might be more of her indifference talking, but it truly did not matter to her what movie she saw. She was down for any movie genre as long as it was… interesting. She recalled watching a movie once during one of her off days a few months back. She sat down- a small bucket of popcorn and medium-sized orange soda in hand. The movie had started minutes later, but- after 15 minutes- she quickly grew bored and left. What a waste of money. But- at least- the food was somewhat good. She took them home and had them as a snack while she played some video games.

She could only hope that this movie experience won't be as big a disappointment as the last one. She also hoped that Hector does not pick a movie based solely on her gender or what he perceived her personality to be like. If he'd pick a movie due to his perception of her being a shy, sweet, cutesy girl, she would be very, very annoyed. It would show he never did like her. Just the idea of her. Like all the other men who liked her for only her looks or one of the many facades she showed to the outside world- depending on the situation.

It's not like any of them could ever replace the love she felt- and still feels- for her beloved husband.

A high-pitched sound rang, signaling her about another notification. It was from Namani. She finally responded back.

"Aww~! But it's a really cute blouse though!" She could feel Namani pouting through the message. "You still haven't told me where you are."

"I'm getting a massage," she swiftly responded back. "You can go ahead and go home without me."

She was met with a swift answer back. "Okay. See you at work Friday."

The minute she heard anything beeping of a text notification, the door suddenly opened. Orihime hurriedly closed her phone and stuffed it in her jean's pocket. She was not sure if having phones out was allowed during massage sessions. Plus, it's not like she needed her phone anyway. She's done what she needed to do. She'd check that last message later. She made sure the towel she had wrapped around her body just as the massage therapist stepped fully into the room.

Thankfully, a woman.

She had let out a silent breath of relief at that. She had no idea what she would do if a guy- professional or not- came in, and saw her half-naked like this.

"Hi, my name is Mine! I would be your therapist today!"

The woman was awfully cheerful. And none of that fake and forced cheer nonsense that nearly all workers are mostly mandatory to portray. She felt more at ease. It feels comfortable being around someone who genuinely likes and enjoys their job. Her shoulders relax slightly, not feeling as tense and apprehensive as she was before.

The therapist tilted her head slightly. "The quiet type, huh? Well, that's okay. It's your first time, right? You have that vibe about you. Don't worry, a lot of people are very nervous during their first time."

She went over to inspect the various bottles of lotion and oil before coming to one she liked. It was a bottle of natural herbal oil. She needed her head, completely satisfied.

"Okay. I want to take the towel off, and lay face down on the table. Your back should be facing me," she instructed Orihime. "I won't look until you are ready, if you are uncomfortable with me watching you."

Nodding absentmindedly, the auburn haired woman slowly took the white towel off. She shivered a little the minute the cool air condition hit her bare skin. She shifted her body around until she was lying face down on the massage table as instructed, her back being fully exposed to the cool air. She adjusted herself slightly in a way her chest won't cause her any different discomfort. Because she was going to be here for long periods of time, she needs to make sure she is perfectly comfortable. Don't want any aches or pains later because of bad posture. Sigh. One of the downsides of having very large bosoms.

Once she was settled, Orihime informed the therapist that she was ready, her voice somewhat muffled by the table.

"Okay!" the therapist beamed. "I'm going to go ahead and get started then!"

Orihime did her best to relax, not showing any signs of trepidation- no matter how hard her heart was pounding from sheer anxiety. How can she not be nervous? She has never done anything like this before! Not to mention the fact that was leaving herself completely vulnerable and defenseless- leaving herself in the mercy of an absolute stranger. There was supposed to be inherent knowledge to trust this stranger, they are a professional- but it was fairly difficult to do just that.

She tensed slightly the minute she felt oily fingertips pressed against her shoulder blades.

"You need to relax your muscles." She could hear the woman's frown in her voice. "It'd be hard to massage your back, if you are all tense like this. Try taking deep breaths to calm your nerves."

The auburn haired woman complied with the advice. She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. In. And out. In. And out. In. And out. She repeated the process several times. Each time she could feel her muscles loosening up. That combined with the therapist's expert hands almost caused her to sigh in pure bliss. It was like she was gently washing all her anxiety away. Now she can fully understand why people described massages as a heavenly paradise. It was just so… soothing and relaxing. The massage could tenderly lull her into sleep.

Hmm, that doesn't sound so bad right now. Yeah, perhaps taking a 30 minute nap won't bring up too much of an issue. She silently yawned, never realizing how tired she felt until now. Maybe… she should close her eyes for her.

There was a hill.

A desolate hill filled with thousands of weapons.

Weapons of many different sizes and shapes.

Swords. Spears. Axes. Lances. And many more weapons.

Each blade represented a reflection of the past.

The weapons were representations of historic records. At least- that was her first instinct when she bore witness to the unique and intricate design of each sword and bladed weaponry, indicating the eras and time periods the weapons came from.

This vast landscape had a different atmosphere from Hueco Mundo's. While Hueco Mundo's air could be heavy with an ominous, foreboding sense of dread- if one is not used to it- this landscape had a very lonely feeling to it. It was empty. Completely devoid of any emotion or life.

Loneliness. That was a feeling Orihime could understand all too well. The feeling of seeing the world in dull monochrome was something she had grown eerily accustomed to. A lonely existence longing for a past so far out of reach. The past was unobtainable, but it still doesn't stop the person from yearning, from wishing to return, from desiring to change it.

Loneliness. Regret. Sorrow. Emptiness. That was all she was getting from this bleak and dismal place. It permeated the very air and soil in this wide landscape, not a trace of happiness, joy, or content could be detected.

She was greatly bothered by the way the swords were positioned. The swords were stuck in the ground- blade thrust into the earth and hilt touching the dusky skies, resembling that of tombstones. It was almost like this place was one giant graveyard.

The large gears covering the vast, murky skies twisted and turned every so often. If her first internal response to this was not a graveyard, then her second thought would be to call this place a blacksmith's workshop.

In all honesty, most "normal" people would freak out over entering such a world. Their minds would be riddled with confusion, alarm, panic, fear, perturbation, and trepidation. No one could blame them for feeling that way. The world of the supernatural was not for the faint of heart.

But not her. She has grown scarily used to the weirdness that her life has led her to. She had intentionally jumped headlong into the weirdness, if it meant protecting her friends, protecting Ichigo. In fact, she was so accustomed to it- that this was considered "normal" for her.

She has heard that there is a quote among magi that "to be a magus is to walk with death". If that is the case, then she is someone who is already walking with death the moment she was born. Because her powers are those she was born with, not those that are inherited and taught. It would be more suitable to say "to be Orihime Inoue- or any incarnation of her- one must accept the fact that death would follow them like a shadow whether they want it to or not. Turning away, adamantly denying, or blissfully ignoring that fact is simply incomprehensible, and only spell grave consequences for all directly or indirectly involved".

Off in the distance, she could see a man. A man garbed in black and red. He was too far away to make out. She had to squint her eyes to get a clear view of him. The only thing she could discern- besides the color of his clothes- was the color of his hair. White.

Doesn't matter. She was not so curious as to go over there, and strike up a conversation with him. Even from right here, she could tell that he was nothing more than a machine. A tool used and discarded for the singular purpose of mindlessly completing missions- no matter how gruesome and gut-wrenching those tasks might be. That both saddened and irritated her.

She sighed. She reached her hand up, gray orbs staring blankly at the sky.

What was her own existence anyway? A reincarnated human with mysterious powers? A Goddess? A witch? A concept given form, shape, and sentience? She is not affected by reality, nor is reality affected by her.

Orihime Nazuki used to have a life before the being known as Orihime Inoue infused with her and took over. Though they are practically the same soul, they were fundamentally different people at one point. That one fact is undeniable.

Or was Orihime Inoue an existence outside of the universe- like some sorta cosmic entity, and Orihime Nazuki was her piece in a game board known as Fate? These are questions that have constantly plagued her.

Feh. It's not like she was any of those things, nor did she want to be praised, worshipped, revered, feared, or dreaded as one. It was merely a thought. A simple musing of existentialism is all. She was not a philosopher by any means.

In the corner of her eyes, she spotted that the man had finally taken notice of her- if the intense shock radiating off him was any indication. No matter. She had no interest in staying in this barren wasteland any longer. She had no desire or wish to indulge in either of their curiosities.

It was time to go back and return to the reality of her new, reborned self's world.

With a loud snap of her fingers, she vanished into thin air- returning back to consciousness. The man's vehement voice and questions fall on deaf ears.

(A/N: That's the end of chapter four! Did you guys enjoy it? Was it good? Yes, I know, I know. Last chapter, I said Archer would be summoned in this chapter. But I just didn't… want to ruin the somber mood of the last scene. It just… didn't feel right. So I decided to cut it off there. But don't worry. There really is nothing much to do, except summon Archer. Because the next chapter would be an action scene followed by EMIYA's summoning. But hey... At least they met, if only briefly. Now it's only time for them to properly meet.

Speaking of the last scene, I don't know if I went overboard with it. It was initially supposed to be rather short and simple, then I would immediately get into the action scene and Archer's summoning [after a scene or two], but I just grew… ambitions while writing it. I remembered one reviewer asking me how Orihime's powers would affect EMIYA's Reality Marble. Maybe that is what got to me. Or maybe my own question of how Orihime would summon Archer, and this is just me coming up with an answer. Or toying with the possibility that they have met before. Perhaps, Orihime left some sorta imprint on him. The lingering presence of her powers, her spiritual pressure, allows her to summon EMIYA. *shrugs shoulders* I don't know. These are wild ideas I had in mind. I think I remember talking about it in the author's notes of the second or third chapter. All mind screwy theories.

I am going to address everyone's suggestions right here. I reread the author's note of the last chapter, and realized that I worded my questions wrong. When I asked if Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka should be called familiars, I meant it for convenience's sake- not that they really are- since they are essentially living, talking, fairy-like embodiments of Orihime's soul [at least pieces of it] and power given form. For when characters see her Shun Shun Rikka and ask what they are, she just calls them her familiars for the sake of it and the whole "magi keeping the true extent of their powers a secret" thing.

Now the second part. There has been a bit of a divide that Orihime's powers should affect people with Magic Resistance, or that Magic Resistance should reduce the effectiveness of Orihime's powers. The majority votes for the former, although there are still some people who say the latter. Though I don't know if these are just people who are perceiving Orihime as way weaker than she actually is, or downplaying her powers. Because- as a few people pointed out- if Orihime's powers are effective against gods and divine beings, then she should easily bypass Magic Resistance. Orihime's powers are not classified as "spells" and they are already breaking the laws of reality and physics anyway. If this was Soul Society arc-Orihime, it'll be one thing, but this is an Orihime who has decades of experience with her powers pre and post-reincarnation- and having her powers be affected by Magic Resistance is just purposefully giving her a handicap and making her weaker than she actually is. And- honestly- I have to agree. That was my first thought too. Orihime should be able to bypass Magic Resistance. I only asked because I was not sure if Magic Resistance included protection from True Magic and divine powers as well- not just protection from magecraft. Sorry to the few who wanted Magic Resistance to provide well- resistance to Orihime's powers, but I think you are confusing Orihime's powers for simple magecraft that anyone can do and learn- which is not true. Totally not true. If it was ordinary kido, I would say "yes", but Orihime's powers are not kido or magecraft.

Though if Magic Resistance does provide some protection against True Magic and divine powers, then do correct me on that. I tried searching and all it says is protection against magecraft. Especially since I asked myself if Caster's Rule Breaker would affect Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka, and the answer I came up with is "no". Unless Rule Breaker can sever a person's soul. Nor can Archer project and copy Orihime's powers.

I know that somebody else suggested that Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka is a Mystic Code [Fate standards, obviously]. And I don't know. That just seems fundamentally wrong to me. Because Mystic Codes are anything made from magical energy, right? If that were the case, then calling the Shun Shun Rikka a Mystic Code would be wrong. The Shun Shun Rikka are made from Orihime's soul, given shape and form. They are powered up by spiritual energy, or magical energy [along with her emotions and willpower]- in this case- but they are not made from magical energy. That's like calling Ichigo's [or any Soul Reaper for that matter] zanpakuto a Mystic Code. And it's not. It's clearly not. Even from Fate's perspective, it's not. Remember that Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka [in its sealed state] has been deemed similar to a zanpakuto by many characters. As both Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka and zanpakutos embodies the users' soul/power, will, and personality. It's not just simple magecraft. So yeah… I don't think Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka qualifies as being called a Mystic Code. Though other characters can think and call them as such because Orihime does not want to reveal too much of her powers, nor does she want to bother correcting them. For convenience's sake. Hey, the more they want to underestimate the true extent of her abilities/powers, the better. She could be pragmatic at times. Not coldly pragmatic like Archer. But rationally pragmatic.

Honestly, I can only call Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka as similar to several, very tiny sized, living Reality Marbles. And that's speaking very, very, very broadly. Very, very surface level terms because… aren't Reality Marbles the manifestation of the user's soul onto the real world? Though, I wouldn't call the Shun Shun Rikka Reality Marbles either.

Although I do want to thank the people who provided a ranking list for Orihime's powers.

Her healing powers: EX Rank [since she could basically revive the dead and her healing powers have practically reached God levels]

Her defense powers: A - conditionally EX Rank [since she was able to hold off attacks from Ywach, who is basically a demigod]

Her attack power: C- - conditionally EX Rank [because- come on, it's not brainer. Orihime sucks at offense.]

Just like Archer [whose Projection ability depends on what he is trying to project- like anything classified as a "sword" is considered an A Rank projection and everything else is around a C Rank or B Rank, depending], I added those conditionally sets [another person's suggestion] since Orihime's powers are practically affected by her resolve, emotion, and willpower, and not just how much mana she has.

Again, I really do blame my wording of the questions. It really is hard to express what you want to say without facial expressions or gestures. In all honesty, my question should have been… Does Magic Resistance protect against True Magic and divine powers/abilities [and yes, Orihime's powers should be classified as "divine" or something along those lines as Aizen calls them "powers that trespass onto God's territory", and many comments on this story consider her abilities to be on the realm of True Magic] as well? Not just magecraft? It should have been that instead because it makes it easier to understand the effectiveness of Orihime's powers against Servants with strong Magic Resistance. But- like many people said- Magic Resistance should have no effect on Orihime's powers, so I don't know. I'm a novice when it comes to Fate lore.

I think… When it comes to Orihime's natural powers, she is skilled but naive because she lacks killer intent and struggles with combat mentality- which dampers her attack power. But when it comes to magecraft, Orihime is strong but unskilled. For that reason, Orihime has an incredible amount of mana, far surpassing Rin's [who is a magus prodigy]. However- unlike Rin- she is unskilled at using it because of her lack of interest in properly learning magecraft [and no, her own abilities don't count as magecraft]. For instance, Orihime is like Shirou. A complete novice when it comes to general magecraft, but- unlike Shirou- Orihime has vast amounts of mana reserves [are they called that?] that surpasses even Rin's. In essence, Orihime is stronger than Rin, but has less skill than Rin when the subject of magecraft comes about. In that sense, Rin is still the better magus. Though Rin still won't be able to bypass Orihime's defensive powers, no matter how hard she tries- because she is that much stronger than her. Plus, Orihime is way more experienced when it comes to dealing with the supernatural. So when it comes to magecraft, Rin is better. And when it comes to- everything else, including combat- Orihime is better.

I have to thank everyone for explaining the Independent Action skill to me. I was just asking that- since I wanted to know if Archer's Independent Action skill [or any of his skills for that matter] gets buffed with additional abilities or turn into something else due to the increase in ranks. Like how Clairvoyance provides future sight at a certain rank as someone told me. But if any of Archer's skill sets do change because of his unusual higher rank, then do tell me.

This is going on to something else now, but why did the Einzenberns choose Illya? Because when she becomes the Holy Grail, they can't win? Are they just petty and hoping that Illya would win, so nobody would win the Grail? Like the "if I can't win, then nobody can" situation? I have noticed from the Three Great Magi Families, the Einzenberns are the pettiest, the Matous are the most evil, and the Tohsakas are the most arrogant.

Okay. People are saying magi can sense other magi. Or- at least- the lingering residue of magecraft. Now the next question would be… Can magi suppress their powers to the point of being undetectable from other magi? Like how characters of Bleach are able to suppress their spirit energy or Naruto characters suppress their chakra to the point of not being traced unless they are tracked by a skilled sensory ninja?

I also got to thinking that Orihime should be able to break through any kind of Bounded Field easily. Or- at least- slip by them. Because I remember- during the Arrancar Arc in Bleach- Orihime slipped through Hachigen's barrier with very little difficulty. A barrier which was said to prevent everything inside from being detected and rebel high-level Soul Reapers and Hollows. So- given that and plus, I think Orihime's masterful skills with shields and barriers and her rejection powers- I don't think Bounded Fields should be a problem for Orihime. In fact- from her perspective- they might not even be there as she can- technically- break them with a single flick of a wrist. I mean- if she could defend against Ywach's power, then how is a Bounded Field going to stop her? And if Bounded Fields are sometimes force fields that bend reality [in some capacity, I believe- feel free to correct me on that], then what better way to break them than a person- a physical god if Orihime truly wanted to and used her powers to that extent [she has that potential]- who can reject reality and phenomenon- no matter how godlike the Bounded Field [or that reality] seems. What do you think? Thoughts?

I now know conventional weapons like guns and knives don't affect Servants. But what if you embedded them with magic? Would conventional weapons then? Like would magically-enhanced/magically-enchanted conventional weapons work against Servants?

Does food and sleep help restore one's mana reserves similar to how eating and resting help restore a character's spirit energy in Bleach?

I know this sounds kinda dumb, but… can Masters see and touch their Servants while they are in spirit form? Yes, I know. Seems like a pretty stupid question to ask. The Fate/stay night series suggests that they can. However, the many Fate fanfics I read suggests they can't. Got me pretty confused. Had me wondering if this is another thing that the Fate franchise seems to contradict itself on.

I know Archer's red cloak is a holy shroud, but what exactly does it do?

Can Orihime use makeup to hide her Command Seal tattoos?

I still don't know how many actual Magic Circuits Orihime should have, and nobody has pitched in any ideas yet. So… how about… 50? Or 60? I know Rin has 40, I believe. So basically Orihime should have more than Rin- at the very least. I think I mentioned Orihime having more Magic Circuits than Rin a couple of chapters ago.

Well, I think that is it. Thanks for reading the chapter, and leave any comments or questions in a review! Goodbye!

P.S. I still don't know what route this story should follow. If it should follow the Fate route, the Unlimited Blade Works route, or Heaven's Feel route? Or a mixture of all three routes, or my own version of the Fifth Holy Grail War with a hint of the other 3 routes mixed in [I'm gonna be dreading having to watch 2006 Fate/stay night again though]? Originally, it was going to follow the Unlimited Blade Works route [kinda]. The story was initially posted as a challenge with Orihime as Archer's Master in Fate/stay night's Unlimited Blade Works route, but not anymore [I guess]. Still trying to figure things out as I move along with the story slowly yet surely. Although Unlimited Blade Works is still my favorite route of Fate/stay night! You all know why. I don't have to spell it out for you.

P.P.S. Last reminder of Archer's stats.

Servant: EMIYA

Class: Archer

Master: Orihime Nazuki

Alignment: True Neutral

Master's Alignment: Neutral Good

Strength: D+

Endurance: C+

Agility: C+

Luck: E+ Rank

Mana: A- Rank

Magic Resistance: C Rank

Independent Action: B+ Rank

Clairvoyance: C+ Rank

Mind's Eye [True]: A- Rank

Magecraft: C- Rank

Projection Magecraft: C - conditionally A+

Last chance to change them. There are going to be permanent next chapter, if no change.)