Scalpel and Blade

By: Bubbajack

Beta's/Co-authors: IcySnowSage, Heliosion, Geoffry Lannister, Loamy Coffee

Disclaimer: We don't own FSN or Arknights.

Ch.2: First Night

"Explain to me why we're sitting on this roof again?" Rin asked, brushing her windblown hair out of her face from the roof of the skyscraper the two were perched on.

"That boy… What's his name?" The Doctor asked, pretending he didn't already know while overlooking the city from his vantage point.

"I'm not really sure, but I think it's Emiya Shirou…" Rin tried rather ineffectively to be nonchalant.

'You're a shitty liar Rin, that's what made you a great person, but a terrible magus,' The Doctor thought to himself as he smirked a bit beneath his cowl before enhancing his eyesight with reinforcement magecraft, allowing himself to see the Emiya household from up to eight kilometers away.

He wasn't that far out at the moment, being just five kilometers away across the bridge in Shion, and could easily keep an eye on the boy from here. He watched as he stumbled into his home, none the wiser as to what was coming. "Emiya Shirou huh? So that is the name of my patient."

"Patient?" Rin questioned as she glanced at her Servant.

"But of course," Archer replied as he summoned his jet black bow, and nocked a simple arrow, waiting. "I did not have time to give him a clean bill of health under the circumstances, so until I deem it so, he is still my patient, and I will do all in my power to see to his well-being."

Rin looked at her Servant sideways, as if in askance, "Even if he were an enemy Master?"

"Even so," The Doctor replied honestly. He truly bore his younger self no ill will and had the best of intentions to help this time around… 'I just hope he'll let me,'

"Dok-tah, what're you doing up here?" Amiya asked, materializing next to him in a crouch.

Without taking his eyes off the Emiya estate, Archer replied, "Hunting, Amiya-chan."

"An enemy? The same one from before?" She asked, her Cautus ears flicking in the same direction as her beloved's sight as she focused her powers attempting to hone in on hostile emotions. She could almost taste the bloodlust and thirst coming from that area. Oddly enough she almost thought a sarkaz or Seaborn. She knew otherwise but the scent could not be misplaced.

"Indeed," He replied, his voice distant, focused, and even. It was clear to Amiya that the Doctor was in the zone. That place of zen his mind went right before he took a shot, or pulled off some insane strategy that ended up saving all of their lives. She knew better than to bug him too much when he was like this.

"What are we waiting for?" Rin asked, bundling her arms in her coat.

"Shh, Rin-chan!" Amiya rebuked, "It's not good to distract the Dok-tah when he's like this."

"Don't shush m-" Fuyuki's Second Owner didn't get to finish as her Servant let his arrow go, and there was a sudden *crack* As air was displaced, the sound barrier was casually broken like a rubber band snapping, and the arrow was sent on its way.

Then, he spoke, "Reed, you're on point. Proceed with plan A."

The Dragon woman nodded and gave her approval, "Yes Doctor."

(...)

Emiya Shirou was not having a good day. First, he fell asleep in his shed this morning, forcing Sakura to wake him up, and make breakfast by herself. He felt kind of miffed that she had to cook his breakfast as she was the guest but what could he do. Then, he tried to be nice and clean up the Archery Club for Shinji and… had a very odd dream involving people fighting on the school grounds. 'How did I end up laying in the middle of the second floor hallway though?' He wondered, scratching his head in thought. 'That was such a weird…' Glancing to his left after seeing something blue out of the corner of his seeing the blue spearman from his dream, he deadpanned, "It wasn't a dream, was it?"

"Nope," The man replied cheerily, as he balanced his crimson spear on his shoulders, his arms braced on either end of the weapon.

In response, the red-haired janitor grabbed the first thing he could to use as a weapon…

It was a metal poster shinji foisted upon him a couple of days prior saying, "You can't really call yourself a man if you don't have something like this in your room Emiya." Said metal poster was of a scantily clad woman, and for the life of him Shirou couldn't figure out what having or not having such a picture in his room had to do with being a man or not. Right now, he was putting it to better use in his opinion, keeping himself alive. 'Begin Trace,' He thought. Once he had a general idea of the strength of the poster, he continued, "Reinforce."

The simple metal poster was soon as hard as a carbon steel sword, Shirou brandishing it as such.

The Lancer was amused. "Oh? You know a little something eh? Fancy yourself a warrior huh? Alright, I'll give ya a chance to die on your feet," Grinning like a wolfhound, he said, "Hope your ready kid, cause Here. I. Come," Lancer moved forward in a burst of blue speed and swatted at the boy almost casually sending him flying down his own hallway. Shirou had just managed to get to his feet when the spearman was on him again. Looking dreadfully bored, he drolled, "C'mon kid, I know you're not a Servant, but you can at least try a little," He moved to swat him again only for Shirou to throw the rolled poster at him. It unfurled becoming a shield that, while defending him from Lancer's swing, the sudden explosion of prana released from the reinforced object sent him flying into his backyard. As he got up, for the second time that night, Shirou felt the sting of Lancer's crimson spear bite into his flesh. This time, it was just a minor slice into his shoulder, but he felt it all the same. Not the pain. No, he could ignore that, but the fear. The fear of dying. He did not fear death like a normal person though. For he did not fear for the fact it would mean his own demise, but rather, the fact it meant he would not be able to keep a certain promise, and fulfill a certain dream.

As he raced to his shed as fast as he could, he thought, 'I don't want to die! I can't yet. I haven't accomplished the Old Man's dream! I haven't paid back all the people I left behind back then! I need to live! For their sake,' He tripped over the threshold of his shed, as something landed behind him with earth shattering impact. As he floundered on the floor like a fish on dry land, his blood got onto a magic circle he wasn't even aware of and it became alive with mana. A pulse of power emanated from the circle and rebounded across the shed and backyard.

Then, in a flash of golden light, she appeared. She was petite, with hair like flaxen gold, eyes like translucent emeralds, wearing a cerulean dress underneath a gleaming knightley plate, the cuirass of which was set with sapphires in the shape of a dragon. She stood there, staring down at him like some regal lioness. That moment would be engraved in Emiya Shirou's memory for all time as she spoke, her tone every bit the Knight, "I, Servant Saber have come at your summons, I ask of you, are you my Master?"

Unfortunately Shirou didn't get a chance to answer as the sound of metal clashing against metal reached both his and this new mysterious woman's ears, and she moved to investigate. "What madness is this? Two Lancers?"

Shirou dragged himself to his feet and peeked out from behind the back of this new woman. Sure enough, a platinum haired woman was currently fighting that spearman, her poleaxe ablaze, head trailing with flame like a comet as she swung it at her fellow lancer who while confused, was grinning like mad.

"This was the fight I've been waiting for! I have no idea how you're a Lancer when I'm here, but I'm sure as hell not complain' missie. Who're you anyway?" shouted the man in blue as his bloodlust began to spike.

"I. Am. Dublin!" The other lancer roared in challenge as she attempted to lop his head off with her weapon.

"Eh, you're from Erie?! Wanna settle this over a pint instead?" Lancer offered, only for the Draco woman to attempt to smash him. "Heh, my kinda woman."

Narrowing her eyes, Reed replied, "Before I was going to kill you because the Doctor asked me to, now I'm going to do it simply because I find you distasteful."

Lancer's grin just widened, "You go ahead and try love, but when you fail, first rounds on you."

That caused the flames on and around Reed to blaze ever higher, and she charged at Lancer with renewed vigor.

Shirou however hated this. He hated seeing people in danger, be it of their own choosing or not. Especially women. He felt the need to act, to help, to do something. 'How can you call yourself a Hero of Justice if you're just going to stand there behind a girl half your size and do nothing?' a voice taunted him.

Spurred on by the voice, he moved forward only to be stopped when a hand landed on his shoulder keeping him from moving with a stern grip. Glancing over, he saw a tall man in a crimson and black metal cowl staring not at him, but at the fight. "Do not interfere, you'll only hinder Reed by forcing her to protect you."

"Who… are you?" Shirou asked.

Yet the answer did not come from the man himself, but the last person he ever thought would be at his house. The School Idol, Tohsaka Rin. "Doctor, why aren't you helping Reed-san?"

"Because she doesn't need it, now just watch," He replied, nodding towards the fight.

Reed's flames danced around her body like ephemeral ribbons. Appearing in a flash around her as she swung her weapon in an arc, only to disappear moment's later as it took a different path, and another took its place. Lancer, his crimson spear felt loose in his hands, that had become slick with sweat from the heat this unknown variable was giving off, thought, 'Oi, ya thieving priest bastard, what should I do? Does she even fall under the jurisdiction of your Command Spell?'

'Hmm this is odd isn't it?' The voice on the other end of the shared Master-Servant telepathy replied seemingly amused by his situation. 'While I did order you not to win your first fight, I never accounted for other Servants in the same Class container appearing… Withdraw for now Lancer, you can play with Saber another time.'

'With pleasure,' Lancer thought. Using the skill Disengage, he gave his fellow countrywoman a two finger salute, "Maybe another time missie, I'll bring the pints." He then astralized, and for a moment, a heavy silence reigned in the Emiya estate.

The keyword was for a moment.

With Lancer now gone, Saber focused on the immediate threat. That is to say, Archer and his Master.

"Step away from my Master and prepare to defend yourself," Saber challenged.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," The Doctor replied earnestly.

Saber blined then narrowed her eyes, "Whyever not? Are you some cowardly Assassin?"

Fixing her with a hawkish glare, not that she could see it, the Doctor replied, "If I was an Assassin, Servant of the Sword, I could've just killed your Master when you were distracted watching the fight," His clear reprimand made the Servant wince. "No," He continued in a more even tone, "I cannot step away simply because your master is currently a patient under my care."

"What?" Both servant and master said at the same time.

"Allow me to explain," Rin cut in, "This is my Servant, Archer, though he prefers to be called Doctor. He views Emiya-kun as his patient because he healed him earlier and is still worried about his health."

Shirou blinked, "Oh…I see. Tohsaka, I have a question?"

"Of course, but before that, let me fix this for you Emiya-kun," With a drop of her blood, and smattering of what he thought was German, Shirou was awed as he saw his house was fixed in a flash of crimson light.

"Oh wow, that's amazing," He said, clearly impressed.

"It really wasn't," Rin replied, "I'm sure you could do it. Now what was your question?"

"Umm, what exactly is going on, Tohsaka?" as Shirou's head tilted in such a way that Rin did not think was cute.

Rin's eye twitched, "You mean you have no idea what is going on?"

Shirou shook his head, "None at all."

"I do believe," The Doctor said, knowing the signs of Mount Tohsaka about to blow after eons of practice. "It would be best to take this conversation inside? Perhaps over some tea? It is rather cold out tonight, Emiya-san."

Shirou bowed, "Of course sensei, please, make yourself at home."

'Him calling me sensei is going to take some getting used to,' Archer thought as he made his way inside.

(...)

Archer sat in what was his old home, a steaming cup of tea in front of him as he waited for Rin to give the spiel as he called it. Every Grail War he'd ever been in she had explained the basics of what was going on, and in everytime, his younger self was clueless as ever. He felt Amiya sneak her hand into his and interlock her fingers into his own. He glanced at her and she smiled nervously. The Doctor nodded, and gave her hand a squeeze, letting her know everything was going to be fine.

"And that's what's going on Emiya-kun," Rin finished.

"Holy Grail War huh?" The red-headed teen said after a moment.

Rin nodded. "Yeah,"

"And this happened ten years ago?" He inquired.

Rin grimaced and nodded, "It did,"

Shirou became pensive for a moment, looking down at his empty tea cup as he asked, "Did this War cause the Fuyuki Fire?"

"I…" Rin began, only for the Doctor to speak up.

"Yes it did, and Emiya Shirou, should you decide to participate in this conflict, there will be conflict. Conflict that you cannot stop despite your desire to do so. This or any battlefield is no place for a would-be martyr with a survivor complex," stated the Doctor with a tone that would not bend or give.

"I'm not-" Shirou began, only for the Doctor to cut him off.

"You want to help people, save them, even at the cost of your own well-being. You who don't even care for your own self think you can just keep going on saving people when the first person you should save is your own self."

Shirou bristled, "It's not wrong to want to help people!"

"It isn't… however for them to need saving implies that they are in danger, and in need of saving in the first place. Is that what you want, Emiya Shirou? For people's lives to be endangered just so you can be fulfilled by saving them?"

The teen's eyes widened in shock at the Servant's accusation, "What?! No, of course not!" He then glared at the Servant harsher than before, "Why're you even asking me this?"

"I'm trying to get a grasp on your mental faculties. You fail to understand what it is you even really want, and how terrible a truth your desire really is," He then continued in a more chipper tone with a thumbs up he replied, "But don't worry, as your Doctor, it is my job to make sure you get better."

"But there's nothing wrong with me?" Shirou replied, confused.

"The fact that you can even say that with an ounce of conviction, proves just how much of my help you really need."

Shirou scowled and fell silent. 'He's wrong! I don't want people to be in danger, it's just if they happen to be, I want to be there to save them.'

Rin looked back and forth between her Servant and the boy she most certainly did not have a secret crush on, and right when she was about to speak up, the Doctor stood up. "Well, we should all grab our coats."

"Eh?" Rin said.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, Emiya needs to know about the rules, and who better to tell him than the Overseer?"

Rin let out a growl like an annoyed dog, "That means we'll have to take him to the Fake Priest."

"Okay, so he's just a normal rapist instead of a religious one? Good to know. Emiya, keep your ass covered at all times. You have enough mental problems for me to sort through without adding rape to the list."

"I'm not/he wouldn't!" Shirou and Rin yelled at the same time,

"Dok-tah, stop teasing him so badly," Amiya said giggling behind her hand.

"Who's teasing? Religious people here are horrible, horrible rapists in this world."

Seeing her Beau wasn't kidding, Amiya blanched. "Oh… umm, Dok-tah, why haven't they been stopped?"

"Because they hold vast power, resources, and minds of the masses," The Doctor replied easily.

"Sounds like Laterno," Dr. Kal'tsit commented idly as she appeared from nowhere.

The Laternian present commented, "I'd be offended by that remark if it wasn't true Kal'tsit."

Amiya buried her head in her hands, "Archetto can never know, she might kill him."

The Doctor nodded, "Basically, and yes… though that might be for the best," he muttered that last bit under his breath, causing Amiya to look at him oddly. He then clapped his hands, "So… coats?" He then looked at Exusiai and said, "Exusiai, I need you to swap out with Projekt Red for me. I have a job for her."

"Can do Doc, you take care of my partner now, ya hear?" Exusiai said before she faded from existence into motes of golden light. Moments later in her place was a silver haired young woman with red eyes wearing a red and black ensemble with a gray wolf's tail swishing back and forth behind her.

When she laid eyes on the Doctor she leapt forward and glomped him while yelling, "Daddy, you're okay!"

'Daddy?!' Rin, Shirou, and Saber thought.

The Doctor gently ran his hand through Projekt Red's hair, "Sorry for worrying you Red. But yes, as you can see, I'm fine, and so is your mother, and sister."

"Mom, sis, you good?" Red asked, Kal'tsit and Amiya.

Kal'tsit smiled encouragingly at her adoptive daughter, "We're fine Red, as you can see."

Amiya gave her a thumbs up. "We're good."

Red took a breath, "Good," She then sent a death glare at Rin, Shirou, and Saber. Rin and Shirou felt chills going down their spines, while Saber just smiled, amused.

'How cute, she's trying to be intimidating,' Saber cooed in her thoughts, the child reminding her of the lion cub she raised in her youth.

"Who're they?" Projekt Red growled.

Running a hand through her hair, the Doctor replied, "Friends, and not why I summoned you dear,"

Looking up into his cowl, Projekt Red's crimson eyes stared into its shadowed depths asking, "What do you need, daddy?"

In response, the Doctor summoned a leaden sphere from which came a rune inscribed blade. "I need you to use that keen nose of yours and find the owner of this weapon. Can you do that for me, Little Red?"

Flushing a bit, Projekt Red mumbled, "Okay Daddy… just don't call me little okay?" She proceeded to sniff around the sphere, picking up the scent. "Right I got it, I'll start looking."

"Thanks Red, you're the only one I can trust with this. When you find that person, bring her back to base. You should be able to tell where it is easily enough."

The girl nodded. "Yeah, I can feel the energy."

"Good, be safe out there and avoid fighting if you can alright?" Seeing her nod, he patted her head one last time before she astralized. "She's a good kid."

Kal'tsit spoke up, "What was all that about Doctor."

"Just putting a piece our enemy discarded too soon into play for us my dear. Now we're burning moonlight and we really should be going."

Kal'tsit had known the Doctor longer than any other, she knew, when he was being evasive like that it meant two things. First, that he was up to something, and second that there was no way you were going to figure out what it was until it was too late. The Doctor was an enigma at the best of times, so instead of enquiring about his plan, she simply asked, "Will Red be alright?"

The Doctor nodded, "She'll be fine," 'As long as she doesn't run into Gilgamesh. Of course it won't really matter if we never leave the damn house,' he thought to himself. "Can we get a move on before you both die of old age please?" He deadpanned.

"Doctor is right," Rin said at last, though her tone implied she too was curious as to what he was up to. "He and I will see you to the Church Emiya, but after that,"

Again, she was interrupted by her Servant, "He is still my patient Rin,"

Rin deflated, "You're not going to budge on this are you?" The girl could feel the glare her Servant was giving her from beneath his cowl.

"Short of you using a Command Seal on me? No."

Rin rolled her eyes, playing her part of an annoyed, begrudging Master. After all, she'd be an idiot to not want to ally with the strongest Servant in the War. "Fine! I guess we'll just have to enter an alliance then."

"Huh, alliance?" Emiya said, confused. "I thought this was a free for all, or a battle royal?"

"Battle Royal was a great movie," The Doctor commented, "But no, alliances are more common than you think."

Shirou accepted this with a simple nod. "Oh, okay. Well, I guess we're allies then. Pleasure to be working with you, Tohsaka."

Rin flushed, "I… yeah you too I guess," Clearing her throat, she said, "But the Doctor is right we should be going."

"I'll take care of the dishes when I get back, let me go grab my coat, and see if I can find something for Saber… A moment please."

"Just don't grab something stupid like a raincoat," the Doctor commented.

Rin nudged him in the side, "Doc, I don't think Emiya is that dense. Saber is a Heroic Spirit after all, he'd treat her with some dignity."

"Quite," Saber said from her seat on the other side of the table, having silently taken in the measure of her new allies. 'They are all strong, though I cannot get Archer's measure, he is clearly the leader though he does defer to the Kal'tsit woman and even young Amiya on occasion. I do wonder what kind of relationship they have… are they retainers? Advisors? Family? Something more?' Saber shook her head, 'It is none of my business and in the end it doesn't matter. This alliance will only last so long, and once it ends, I will have to fight them as only one of us can have the Grail,' She found herself feeling somber at having to kill innocent people like Amiya seemed to be, but she had no choice; her people deserved better than her after all.

Shirou meanwhile was looking frantically for something for his Servant to wear. 'How did Archer know I was going to give her that old raincoat?' He was so desperate to find something befitting for his Servant, he did something he normally wouldn't do. He went into his Old Man's room. The place had been undisturbed for the five years since Kiritsugu's death, and Shirou entered it now looking for clothes of all things. 'The Old Man sometimes mentioned a wife when he was talking in his sleep Iri or something. Maybe some of her old things are in the closet?'

So thinking he opened the closet and began rummaging through the items therein. 'Jackpot!' Shirou thought as he unzipped a dust jacket and came out with a white jacket for his Servant. Bringing it back into the dining room he offered it to her saying, "I think this should fit. It belonged to my Old Man's wife, though I never met her."

"Irisviel," Saber muttered under her breath almost reverently as she placed a hand on the garment. "Yes, thank you Shirou." With great care bordering on reverence, she put the jacket on; it was a bit longer on her than its original owner, but it fit her just fine. "We should go," She said, as she buttoned up the last button of the double breasted white coat.

The group finally left the Emiya estate, yet little did Saber know, Amiya's ears twitched in her direction when she whispered her old friend's name, and now, the young girl was very curious about the Servant of the Sword.

(...)

As they crested the hill on which Fuyuki Church sat, a silence fell over the group. One that had nothing to do with the solemn sanctity that such a building should normally invoke, yet instead the building gave off a feeling of foreboding. It just sat there. A building of brick, mortar and glass, yet it seemed to exude this aura that, rather than coming off as warm and inviting, it was like a standoffish mother-in-law. Cold, distant, and unwelcoming.

Amiya latched both her arms around one of his, whimpering, and after everything they'd seen and done, for a Church to have this effect on her. "Dok-tah, I don't like this place. It feels wrong, evil somehow. I… I can't really explain it,"

Placing his hand on top of her and giving it a pat, he told her, "Don't worry Amiya, you don't need to go inside," Turning to Saber he said, "You weren't going in right, Saber? So do you mind staying out here with Amiya?"

The Servant of the Sword blinked. 'How did he know I wasn't planning to go inside the Church?' She narrowed her eyes for a second but nodded when she saw young Amiya shaking where she stood in fear. "Very well. I shall stand guard with Amiya outside. The rest of you, please proceed."

"Thank you Saber," The Doctor said with a nod of his cowled head,"I appreciate this."

As the others walked past the wrought iron gate to the interior, Saber decided to reassure her temporary charge. "You needn't fear Amiya, I promise, you'll be safe under my care."

The girl smiled at her warmly. "Thank you Saber," She then looked away for a moment as if in thought before asking, "Umm, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead?" The blonde said, curious as to what this half-donkey girl would want to know.

"The Greater Grail told us that summoned Servants don't retain their memories between summonings. Is that right?" When she saw Saber nod, Amiya looked her in the eye and asked, "Then how is it, that you somehow knew the name of Shirou's father's wife?"

Saber's glass green eyes widened in shock. "I, that is to say…" She stopped stumbling over her words and gave a half-hearted glare when Amiya giggled at her expense. "How did you even manage to hear me?"

In response Amiya pointed at her ears. "These aren't just for show, you know?"

"Your hearing is rather acute for a donkey," Saber grumbled.

Amiya flushed bright red. "I'm not a donkey! I'm a Cautus …. I'm a rabbit!"

Saber blinked at her faux-pas. Now she was the one blushing. "Oh, your part hare, my mistake."

With anime tears streaming down her face as her tiny fists plinked ineffectually off her armor, Amiya cried, "You're mean Saber-chan!"

Patting her head gently with a gauntlet covered hand, the Servant of the Sword apologized. "You have my sincerest apologies Amiya… as to your question, my circumstances as a Servant are unique," Saber said evasively.

"I understand you don't trust me and don't want to talk, but Saber-san, I truly don't mean you any harm. Neither does the Doctor. For as long as I've known him, everything he's ever done, every harsh decision he's ever made, has been in the best interest of everyone…" Looking at the cobblestones as if lost in thought she spoke in a faraway tone. "I had a friend once… Her name was Misha. She and I… due to circumstances ended up on different sides in a war."

"Oh…" That was all Saber could say for she could already sense how this story ends.

"Misha… didn't make it," Amiya looked up with unshed tears in her eyes. "I know you're a good person, Saber! So is Rin, and Shirou, and the Doctor! I don't want to fight you! I don't want to have to see people I consider friends die just because they are on different sides again."

"Amiya…" Saber reached out for the girl as she continued.

"We at Rhodes Island, we've been through so much. I… I had to be the leader… Everyone was looking to me for guidance, but… without Dr. Kal'tsit, and especially without the Doctor, I don't think we could've come as far as we did. We lost people, good people some of whom sacrificed everything for Rhodes Island… but right when we came to the end of our journey the Dok-tah was taken here."

'She is the leader of her people… she's just like me…' Saber realized as pain lanced through her heart. 'Only she doesn't seem to be…' Taking a breath, she asked a question, "Amiya, tell me something, If you could go back and change it all, put someone else in charge so your mistakes weren't made, so someone else could do your job better than you could, would you?"

The Leader of Rhodes Island didn't even need to think. She shook her head vehemently and replied, "No, absolutely not!"

Surprised at the fire in her tone, Saber asked, "Why?"

"If, if I did that, it would be like spitting on the sacrifices of everyone who died! While it's sad, their deaths meant something! They gave their lives so Rhodes Island could continue on, and we carried on knowing we weren't just completing our mission for ourselves, but for them too! How could I trample on their sacrifice by saying someone could have done better?"

'This girl,' Saber thought as she felt the stirrings of shame beginning to rise in her breast, 'Has a way of making me feel guilty,' She took a breath. "Amiya, I hereby give you my word as a knight, so long as I draw breath, none from Rhodes Island shall feel the bite of my sword."

Amiya's ears twitched in surprise, "Saber you… you mean it? Even the Dok-tah?"

Saber nodded, "Yes, even that rogue."

The bunny girl wrapped her arms around the petite knight. "Thank you so much Saber-san! For a minute there, I was afraid that…"

"Never fear Amiya… I do ahem, have one request however…" Saber said.

"Yes?"

"Let me touch them," She said while looking intensely at her rabbit ears.

In response, Amiya tickled her nose with the tip of her ears. "Go ahead."

(...)

The interior of the Church was empty, the pews vacant, and the candles unlit. The only light came from the moonlight streaming in through the stained glass windows. Standing at the pulpit, with his back facing them, was a tall priest in a cossock his brown hair styled in a mullet. The Doctor had to prevent himself from tracing a modified Hrunting and his bow and getting rid of a majority of his problems right then. 'I'm a doctor, I swore a hippocratic oath, Kirei just has a severe love of schadenfreude, to the point of sadism.'

"Oi, Fake Priest!" Rin called, getting the man's attention.

Turning around Kirei Kotomine revealed the black, void-like pits he had for eyes. Opening his arms in welcome, he said, "Ah Rin, if it isn't my favorite ward."

"I'm your only ward," Rin snapped, clearly not happy being around the man.

'Tell that to the kids in the basement,' Both the Doctor and Kirei thought at the same time.

"Yes of course, that's why you're my favorite," Kirei replied, smoother than a snake oil salesman. Locking eyes with Shirou he asked, "Who is this?"

"The wild card of this war, a poor idiot who has no idea what's going on, hence, I brought him to you, since, you know, explaining things like this is your job."

"Hey!" Shirou protested. He wasn't stupid… most of the time. At least he thought so.

Kirei smiled. That was never a good sign. "I see. So little lamb being led to the slaughter, what is your name?"

Shirou clenched his fist, inadvertently showing off his swordlike Command Seals, "Emiya Shirou, and no one is going to die if I can help it."

"Emiya… Shirou…Hahahahaha… Excuse my outburst it's just… the world or perhaps the Grail has a sense of humor?" Seeing the clueless looks he was getting from the two masters, Kirei elaborated. "Kiritsugu Emiya was one of the Masters from the previous War, along with myself. Now it seems the Grail has seen fit to choose his son."

"You're lying!" Shirou snapped, "My old man wouldn't-" He was cut off by Archer who chose that moment to corparalize in front of Kirei and comment.

"No, he's telling the truth… my, my what an interesting patient you would make."

"I… excuse me?" Kirei commented. He didn't know what this Servant was talking about. "I must warn you Servant that violence on holy ground is strictly prohibited."

"Oh, I'm well aware, I'm more interested in you at the moment," The Doctor commented as he stared at Kirei.

Kirei's eyebrow twitched upwards, "Me? Just what about a humble priest has managed to catch your eye?"

After a moment's pause, the Doctor spoke, "You are fundamentally broken. You can only find joy in the concept of schadenfreude or the suffering of others. In fact, unless I miss my guess, it has advanced to the point of sadism where you wish to inflict suffering and pain on other people just so you can enjoy their suffering," Pointing his thumb behind him Archer finished, "I thought the boy was a mess but you're a new case study altogether."

"Hey! I'm not… you're not… there's nothing wrong with wanting to save people!" Shirou protested even as Kirei stared at the cowled Servant in shock, his mouth slightly agape.

"I'll get back to you in a moment, just wait your turn," The Doctor tutted, waggling a finger before focusing his attention back to the priest. "Now, what to do about you? Ah, I know, you probably just need some proper guidance and a firm hand from a proper religious person…"

"Wait, that's not…" Kirei began, but it was too late, his fate had already been sealed.

"Archetto, could you come here please?" The Doctor spoke into the open air.

The room started to feel heavy as the room felt dampened by power exerting from what seemed nowhere. Kirei hadn't felt any force of power since standing before King Gilgamesh. The power started to coalesce into the form of a young girl dressed in a black corset and gown who seemed to have a golden pauldron and a crimson half cape that also reminded kirei of certain sacramental shrouds. She opened her eyes showing one was gray while the other was crimson red. She seemed to have a sort of tiara that hung on her majestic golden hair with two flaps of hair that looked avian in nature. She also had what looked to be a lion's tail swing pack and forth.

She walked up to one of the pews and dragged her finger across the pew. When she held it up there was gray dust collected on her finger. Kirei didn't know why but he felt like he was about to get a scolding like his father did to him when he was a young boy.

Archetto turned to Kirei and the pressure in the room intensified as if a mighty beast was looking down on everyone such that they were prey.

"How do you expect to receive donations for this humble church of the lord if you cannot even put in the effort to clean it?"

"What?" was the only reply Kirei could respond with. Clearly this woman(?) was a lady of the cloth but he dare say he never heard of a half breed phantasmal beast of the holy church. At least not to his knowledge. Crown notwithstanding after all.

Archetto then walked up straight to Kirei and for once he didn't feel like being snarky. She then spoke in a commanding voice that allowed no nonsense, " Are you deaf too, you old dodger? Maybe we should run laps to get you into shape too. How can you claim to be a defender of the church if you can't even defeat a simple enemy such as dust? I dare say you are one of the most imcompetent priest I have ever met. I suppose next I am going to hear you are terrible with money and thus do not understand proper charity?"

Rin clears her throat trying to hold in a laugh. Archetto turns her eyes towards her and Rin freezes and almost stops briefing from the immediate weight that was pushing down on her. The pressure of mana coming off this girl made Rin think she was some kind of beast. Of course her servant was an Archer not a Rider. He couldn't summon some mythical beast from legend in human form right? … Right?!

"Do you have something to add missie?" Archetto asked, her eyes locked on Rin.

"Well, I just found it funny that when you brought up charity, when I was Kirei's ward growing up, he lost a majority of my family's holdings. I'm not poor but I've lost a majority of my family's prestige due to him."

"Well that won't just do. I can take a sadist. Hell I can take a hero worshiping loon. For pope's sake I married a good samaritan in all but name. There is one thing I can not stand though. The greatest of sinners. One who can't handle money! Surely you will burn in hell for losing not only the money donated to this good church but even losing your ward's land. Your ancestors must be rolling in their graves over this mass injustice," Kirei's eyebrow could not stop itself from twitching.

"Is there any suggestion you would make then? Surely someone oh so wise as you could be of service to this humble lost lamb?" The burning sarcasm and ire could be felt by all except Archetto. The Doctor wondered if she realized how much she got on Kirei's nerves.

One stomp from Archetto sounded out with a hollow thud, " It seems you have a cellar. Why not brew alcohol or sell some wine? You are in the far east. Surely you could have made some form of alcohol and sold it as a blessing from the church?"

"I suppose?" Doing an actual good deed made Kirei vomit in his mouth a bit. Even more so because it was Rin, whose personal discomfort he personally enjoyed. She was like a fine wine, her suffering and insecurity just got better with age.

Archetto nodded, "Right, but before all that, you're going to get a bucket of water, a rag, and then you're going to get on your knees and clean this place until it's spotless or until I'm satisfied, whichever comes first!"

"What?" Kirei asked dumbly.

Archetto glared at the priest causing the aura in the air to thicken even further for just a moment before she snapped at him, "Well, get moving! Perhaps this will teach you the value of money and cleanliness, you lax priest!"

Having had enough of this girl(?) Kirei moved with the speed of an experienced executor and made to chop her in the neck, intent on knocking her out. He assumed she couldn't have been that strong due to his experiences with Servants in the Fourth Grail War. Primarily coming from that of his Assassin and Iskandar the Great…

He was surprised then, when she easily caught his hand and scoffed, "Hmph, it appears your combat skills are just as rusty as your cleaning and beer brewing skills," Archetto then threw Kirei over her shoulder and through three pews, turning them into pulp. Dusting off her hands she said, "We'll work on them after you've finished cleaning up the mess you just made."

Everyone not from Rhode Island still wondered how beer making had anything to do with being a man of the cloth. But they were even more stunned when she skipped over to the Doctor and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I'm happy to see you're doing well dear, and I can see why you called me," she tsked, "This place is a mess, it's an embarrassment to any religious order. No beer casks? Terrible with money? What's wrong with him? Was he dropped on his head as a wain?"

The Doctor shrugged, "Maybe? Diagnosis is still uncertain on that front Arch. Think you can whip him into shape?"

"You can pray for a miracle all you like, but that doesn't mean you'll receive one," The nun replied in response, aggrieved as she closed her eyes in seeming pain.

"So you'll do your best but no promises?" The Doctor translated.

Archetto beamed before she kissed him on the cheek again, "Of course honey, it's you asking after all." She then pulled him into a hug, and whispered into his ear, "I switched places with Gummy Bear, and just so you know, you might wanna summon the others and let 'em know you're okay yeah?"

"Will do," As he returned her embrace, he gently tapped out something in morse code on her back, it caused the nuns' eyes to widen, and her normally mirth filled eyes to become like steel. She nodded just once. Message received.

Pulling away, the Doctor said, "We'll leave you to it; Archetto. Don't have too much fun now."

"Wait, but the rules," Rin began.

"Emiya Shirou, do you intend to fight?" The Doctor asked. "If so, walk out the door you entered. If not, surrender your command Seals preferably to Rin, and stay here in the relative safety of the Church until the War is over."

'Give me his Command Seals?' Rin thought. She wasn't opposed to that idea, but she would rather work with Emiya and Saber as she didn't know how she would take the sudden news of a switch in Masters.

'Relative safety of the church? Doctor, what do you know?' Kal'tsit who had stayed in astral form and silent this entire time to observe noted her beau's wording. Now she was curious about what unseen threat loomed in these hallowed halls. The response she was getting from Mon3tr did not put her at ease.

Shriou looked down at the back of his hand, the one that held the marks that denoted him as a Master. "I'll fight, if only to stop the fire from ten years ago from happening again."

"Well then congratulations Emiya Shirou soon, your wish shall be granted," Kirei said from his slumped position against a half broken pew. He didn't seem harmed in the least besides a bruised ego.

"Less talk, more cleaning you! I want this place spotless by morning! That includes getting all the wax off the candle altar!" Archetto snapped at him as the rest of the group left the Church.

(...)

Projekt Red followed the scent trail toward the docks where it became fainter due to the copious amounts of salt in the air. Nose to the ground, she sniffed around, hoping to pick the trail back up. 'C'mon Red, you gotta do this! For Daddy, for the headpats!' So thinking she did the next logical thing. She sniffed around the warehouses. 'It's not like a normal person would want to be out in this weather if they weren't a Lupo,' Or so she reasoned. She was a good three or so meters away from the first warehouse when she smelled it…

The iron tang of blood.

Kicking the door in, Projekt Red found the source immediately. There laying in a pool of her own blood, was a woman with reddish hair and dull green eyes. She was wearing a business suit, her left forearm had been hacked off roughly as if by a saw or some other serrated toothed implement. Tearing off the remains of her sleeve, Red wrapped the stump as good as she could in a tourniquet, before hauling the woman upon her shoulders. "Good thing you don't weigh too much lady," She said to the unknown woman. Seeing a canvas bag on the ground, she picked it up as well before she made her way back out into the cold, heading with all haste to the base her daddy had set up beforehand, hoping one of the Medics on hand could help this woman. "Just hang on lady, I'm gonna get you help, so just hang on!"

(...)

As the group exited the sanctity of the Church ground, with the wrought iron gate shutting with a solemn clang behind them, the Doctor tensed. 'Illyasviel should be making her appearance soon,' he reasoned, 'But how do I get through to her?' Sure as the sun did rise in the East, there she was, like a perfect ephemeral fairy, she did a pirouette before the Black Giant appeared behind her, a towering mass of obsidian muscle, unruly hair, and madness. It looked like power and wrath incarnate, immovable as it was unstoppable…

'But looks can be deceiving,' Archer thought to himself, smirking beneath the folds of his cowl before he spoke, "Skadi, go run interference with Saber and Reed, give Robin, Sora, Texas, and Skyfire time to get things set up."

"Understood Doctor," The Aegirian Mercenary appeared in a flash of seagreen motes of prana before she burst down the Black Giant. Reed was right behind her trailing flames with Saber bringing up the rear with her Mana Burst.

'Mama?!' Illyasviel thought for a brief moment in shock, only to shake her head as she took in the woman's appearance in full. 'No that's not her, she wouldn't… dress like that,' The White Grail thought to herself. "Go Herakles."

"GRAA!" The Bastard Son of Zeus roared in challenge, cracking the pavement as he leaped into the fray, his statuesque body twisting and distorting in inhuman ways as he flung himself through the air towards his enemies. Shattering the earth with a slam that kicked up a plume of dust, which was cleared away by a single swing of Skadi's black sword, battle was joined.

The stone ax-sword met the unknown metal of Skadi's sword with a racourous clang, the weapons rebound off one another with a small shockwave, the sound barrier breaking like a champagne glass, only for the two warriors' weapons to meet again and again, at least a dozen clashes were done within the span of a second, the pavement was up turned and ground into fresh powder by the force of their swings alone…

Then Reed entered the fray. "I. Am. Dublin!" Flying from her lips, a cascade of flames trailing behind her poleaxe as she swung for Berserker's head, only for the beastial man to do a backflip that would put an olympic athlete to shame and fling his weapon at his newest opponent, cutting off her charge and to reenter the fray with hand-to- hand combat, proving he was not as savage as first assumed.

Deftly blocking her poleaxe on his forearm, Herakles struck out with his fist sending the draco flying backwards, only to have Skadi enter his guard moments later, her black sword flashing towards his neck…

'Herakles lost one life already?' Illyasviel thought as she watched his head fly from his shoulders. She shrugged her shoulders uncaringly. 'It's just one life. That's nothing.'

"You think we at Rhodes Island will just stop at one life?" A voice calmly spoke from behind her, causing her to spin around in surprise, to find the Tohsaka Heiress' Servant, Archer standing just behind her. "Then you are sorely mistaken."

"Archer? What… how do you know about my Herakles' Noble Phantasm?" She asked with crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Bowing foppishly, the Doctor replied, "I'll happily explain if you just come with me for a bit Princess Einzbern."

Illya, seeing her Servant beginning to regenerate, giggled, "No, I don't think so. You'd better get away from me if you don't want Berserker to crush you, Archer."

Sighing a bit, the Doctor replied, "Sorry, Illyasviel, but Onii-chan isn't giving you a choice right now."

"Oni- hey, put me down! this is not how you treat a lady!" Illya complained as Archer picked her up by the scruff of her neck before jumping away and getting some distance from the battlefield. He needed to have a talk with Illya… and he still had a part to play in this strategy too.

(...)

From his vantage point atop a 'nearby' skyscraper The Doctor placed Illya down. She immediately took to her feet, scowling, "You won't get away with this Archer! My Herakles will crush you!"

"Illya-" Archer began but she was on a roll.

"Furthermore, treating a lady like that! What's wrong with you?! You barbarian!" She pouted, stamping her foot in a childish tantrum.

"I'm sorry about that but-" Illya wasn't done.

"You can just manhandle me or keep me hostage anyway, as a Servant, you should know I'm not just any Master, not that it matters anyway but…

Now it was the Doctor's turn to cut her off, "Illyasviel von Einzbern, will you act your actual age for five seconds and listen to me?!"

That got Illya's attention, her mouth was agape for a moment as she stared at the servant. 'How could he know about that?' Taking an involuntary step back she asked, "Just who are you Archer?"

In response, The Doctor took a knee as he lowered his cowl, revealing his face. Smiling a bit, he said, "Hello Illyasviel, allow me to properly introduce myself, I am Dr. EMIYA Shirou, neurologist PsyD and tactician at your service."

She stared into the steel eyes white hair and bronze skin. She knew as the Lesser Grail now that his Noble Phantasm wasn't hindering her, that he wasn't lying to her. One of her perks as the Lesser Grail was the ability to identify Servants on sight due to her limited connection to the Greater Grail. But… 'This doesn't make any sense! How could that boy become a Heroic Spirit! It shouldn't be possible in the modern era! Unless…' The revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. "You made a deal with the World didn't you… Oniichan?!" She tried out the word, she meant it as a joke, one cruel and spiteful towards both the boy and herself. A harsh reminder that her father had thrown her away for him, and that despite her wishes she would always remain a child. Yet to him it seems to have become a familial term of endearment.

"I did, I… came to regret it too… but due to circumstances I became a True Hero, and am now beyond Alaya's grasp. I have done much to save humanity. My debt has been paid and this humble Doctor is all that stands before you."

"I see…" Illya did or she thought she did. He said little but meant much, much more than he said with his few words. "So is this way you kidnapped me to tell me of our relationship?"

"No, not entirely," He replied standing to his full height once again, "I also wanted to prove something to you… that even your Herakles isn't invincible. That with the right team, and a good plan, even gods can be made to fall." Walking to the edge of the roof, he Traced his black bow. "You see Illya," he continued, "I may be an Archer… but my true power can only be expressed as a leader… Go ahead, watch the fight through my eyes, I'll allow it… watch and see just how mere mortals kill a god seven times over."

Taking him up on his challenge, Illya reached out with her prana syncing her mana with the Servant of the Bows and she looked through his hawk-like eyes as the fight continued.

'Don't disappoint me, Berserker,' She thought.

(...)

The battle between Berserker hadn't lessened at all, though it had changed location. After Skadi had removed his head from his shoulders only for it to regenerate, the group retreated to the nearby graveyard, using the headstones as cover so the behemoth of a Servant could not use his might to his fullest extent. It was working so far but they were also running out of gravemarkers.

'Is everyone in position yet?' The Doctor questioned, via telepathy. Much like how a Master could communicate with their Servant, he could do so with his Operators. 'They're running out of cover out there.'

'Yes, yes! Let's blow him away!' Sora replied giddily.

'Ready to scorch the earth Doctor,' Skyfire replied. 'Just give the word.'

'Ditto,' Reed, Texas, Skadi replied at the same time.

"Skadi, fall back. Your strength won't work on him twice, pass the message onto Saber, everyone else, Commence Ragnarok maneuver," Archer said aloud, catching Illya's ear.

"Yo! Let's get this party started!" Sora said as she materialized. "Holy Hymn!"

Sor activated her Noble Phantasm. Which in turn temporarily sealed her Illusion skill, revealing her true form as a Laterno. The angelic songstress, proceeded to sing her song, ranking up the parameters and Noble Phantasms of her allies as long as she kept singing.

The other Operators Saber included, were covered in a faint golden aura, and then the Op truly began. Skadi jumped back as Texas advanced, activating her own Noble Phantasm, "Sword Rain"

Dozens of laser swords fell from the sky impaling Berserker in the legs, pinning him in place.

Skadi turned to Saber, as Reed leaped into the sky, flames coating her entire body. "Saber, the Doctor needs you to use your Invisible Air on Reed, it'll enhance her own Noble Phantasm."

"I refuse, it'll reveal my true name and trump card," The knight protested.

Biting back a curse, Skadi retorted, "Now is not the time for your damn pride, Altria Pendragon! Now get your ass in gear and get with the program!"

The King of Knights had to stop herself from snapping to attention. For just a moment, she felt like a squire under Sir Ector again. Then she realized she was called by her True Name. 'How did… How does Archer know me? Was he one of my Knights perhaps?' she gave her head a shake. 'Now is not the time for this, but I will be getting answers from him.' She decided as she called out, "Invisible Air!"

The compressed air that covered the Holiest of Swords flew away, revealing its true splendor to be beheld by all who would think to look in her direction. The gale absorbed itself into Reed's flames which grew monumentally as she called out the name of her own Noble Phantasm, "Gwelediad y Ddraig Goch!"

The flames around her body took the shape of a Red Dragon, wings and all as she descended towards Berserker, the spear of her poleaxe leading the way. She connected in an explosion of flame, a geyser of fire leaping into the air, signaling Skyfire's part in the Op.

"Imperium!" The head Sorceress of the Wands materialized above Berserker and with a simple incantation fiery angelic wings of flame burst from her back, before they swirled together in a funnel of fire that cascaded down upon Berserker's head. This was her most powerful spell, created with the Doctor's help as he described the Throne of God, surrounded by holy fire and flame winged Seraphim… the highest echelon of Heaven… Imperium.

"Now," The Doctor said, "It's my turn," As he spoke a sphere of crimson energy coalesced in his upturned hand which then took the shape of a spiral shaped sword. As he nocked the weapon on his bow, its shape changed. It went from spiral shaped, to streamlined and more compact, it had, in a matter of moments, become an arrow in front of Illya's eyes.

It proceeded to crackle with prana as it became something fragile, dangerous… broken. "Thy core is twisted in madness, so twist all the way in Caladbolg II." Archer then let go of the string of his bow, and the sound barrier shattered like wet tissue paper as the arrow was sent on its way.

Illya saw the devastation it wrought through Archer's eyes. The sky lit up, like high noon in the middle of night, and fire consumed everything in a greater explosion than even the one caused by the Dragonic Servant just moments before….

When it cleared Illya's knees buckled and she fell to her knees muttering, "Seven lives… with one plan, you took seven of my Berserkers' lives?"

Looking back at her and dismissing his bow, Archer replied, "I told you I would prove to you even gods would fall to my machinations Illya."

Looking up at him seemingly lost, she asked, "What do you want from me? Do you just want to make me suffer? Well, jokes on you, I don't have long to live anyway."

"I know," Archer replied as he approached, "Should you survive the Grail War, you would live for about a year." Taking a knee, he wrapped her in a hug, "I intend to fix that, I promise you, I'll have a long, full life Illya."

'He thinks he can save me?' She was confused, but touched, "What does this have to do with almost destroying my Herakles, Oniichan?"

"I needed you to understand you aren't invincible Illya, that there are some very dangerous Servants about," He subtly glanced around as he said this, ready to jump away from a sudden barrage of blades just in case.

'More dangerous than him and his group then is what he's trying to say. He's warning me to be careful and not be arrogant just because I have Herakles… I wish he could've done that without killing him seven times, but he probably thought I wouldn't listen… and I probably wouldn't have,' she grudgingly admitted, as she hugged the Servant of the Bow back, she replied, "I understand Oniichan… now can we get down from here, I'm getting cold, and it's rude to let a lady freeze like this."

Servant EMIYA chortled, "Yeah sure, can't have my older little sister freezing on me now can I?"

Illya giggled, "No, certainly not," She replied as she was picked up in his arms and he leaped off the skyscraper's roof.

(...)

Seeing the devastation caused by Archer's plan through his eyes was one thing, seeing it with her own eyes was something else entirely. The graveyard was just gone. In its place was a massive crater in which her Berserker stood. Clambering down from his grip, Illya called out to him, "Berserker, come on, let's go home!"

The Black Giant was next to his charge in seconds. Placing her on his shoulder daintily like a gorilla would a kitten, he stood in front of Archer staring at him for a moment, before he spoke in a grating halting tone, "You… lead your… people well Archer… I have not… met a… strategist… of your calibur… since Jason."

"Berserker…" Illya was shocked he had overcome his Mad Enhancement… to compliment Archer on his strategy.

Slamming his fist against his chest, Archer replied learning from Jason how to properly greet Heracles, "Hail unto Herakles, strongest Grecian Hero! Son of Sky Father Zeus Xenos, and Alcheme the Fair."

"I… Look forward… to your next… gambit… fare thee well… Archer."

"Archer!" Rin said, running up to her wayward Servant. "What was all that about?"

Glancing at his Master he replied, "Rin, it's late, and you have school in the morning. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Rin's mouth fell open a bit, then she huffed, crossed her arms and looked away, "Fine, keep your secrets!"

"Now, now don't be like that," He looked over at Saber and her Master, "Since we're in an alliance now, I think it would be better if we were all staying at the same place. Rin's mansion has been heavily modified by my people and would make a great base, I would suggest you follow us there."

"Eh?! Archer! Why're you…" Rin began only for her Servant to cut her off again.

"They need to stay somewhere, Rin. What with Emiya's house exploding and all…" Archer casually commented.

"WHAT?!" Shirou cried out in panic.

(...)

"What happened to my house?!" Shirou asked, as he looked at the smoldering ruin that formerly was his home.

He never got his question answered as the roar of the Tiger of Fuyuki, "SHIROUUU!"

The red-haired teen suddenly found himself glomped on by his 'legal guardian' Taiga Fujimura. "I'm so glad you're okay! I thought you died in the explosion! The inspector said there was a gas leak in the house or something and when the furnace turned on the whole house went up! Like FWOOSH!" Taiga made noises for emphasis. Letting out a sigh of relief, she said, "As long as you're alright then that's all that really matters. A house is just a thing. It can be rebuilt. People can't be replaced. Life is precious after all," She smiled at her little brother happily.

"Fuji-nee."

"Now, as to where you'll stay for now… the Fujimura compound is big enough we can likely find a room for you." She said aloud to herself.

"Actually ma'am, arrangements can more easily be made," Archer said, easily stepping into conversation.

Taiga blinked, "Um, who're you?"

"Apologies, Dr. Einzbern Shiro at your service. I was an associate of Tohsaka-chan's father and am back in town on business," He introduced himself.

"You're a doctor?" Taiga asked.

"Of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, yes," He replied easily "But back to the topic at hand, Emiya-san needs a place to stay, and Tohsaka-chan's estate is rather large, so I just convinced her to open it up as an Airbnb. Make a bit of money on the side, you know?"

"Oooh," Taiga nodded, understanding, "But I don't know about leaving two teens alone in a house together… know what I mean?" She stage-whispered, causing Shirou to squawk indignantly.

Archer nodded, "I do. Don't worry though, I brought several assistants with me, who will be happy to keep an eye on them. In fact, this one right here, Miss Sabrina E. Penddraig here would be more than happy to do it, right, my dear?"

Saber smiled dangerously, going along with the ruse, even as she glared at her fellow Servant flintily, "Oh of course Doctor, I'd be just delighted to do whatever you ask of me."

"Excellent," Archer said, clapping his hands, "I do believe we have everything squared away then don't we sensei?"

"Yep! Thanks for keeping an eye on those kids, sensei," Taiga replied in kind happy that someone else was looking out for her little bro.

"No problem at all," He replied, "Come along children, we should be getting you settled in for the night."

As they walked away, Archer said, "Robin?"

The explosives expert appeared walking right next to him, "Yes sir?"

"Good job, was the demolition difficult?"

She shook her head, "Not at all, setting the explosives was easy, making it look like a gas explosion was the hard part but I managed."

"Again, good job Robin. I'll call you again if I need you," The Doctor told her. 'Everything is proceeding as planned,' Archer thought. 'Archetto is inside the Church, Red should be back by now, and I can properly proceed with Emiya Shirou's, Altria's, and Illya's rehabilitation in the coming days. It's a shame about the house, but it's not as easily defensible as Rins at this point. Besides, there are too many memories there for my liking.'

"Dok-tah?" Amiya said, trailing behind the rest and falling in step behind him.

"Yes, Amiya?"

"You're up to something," It wasn't an accusation nor a question, but a statement of fact on her part.

"You know me too well my dear," The Doctor replied.

"What're you up to Dok-tah?" The Cautus asked, concernedly.

"I'm going to save everyone, Amiya. From their enemies, from their pasts, their pain, and most importantly, themselves."

Lacing her hands between his, she replied, "Just make sure you don't run yourself ragged, or lose yourself in the process Dok-tah."

"That's what you're here for, my dear Amiya, He replied flirtatiously.

"Always Dok-tah," She said, tightening her grip on his hand, "I won't let you leave my side again."

'This time,' Amiya promised herself as her eyes started to glow, 'I will protect the Dok-tah.'

(...)

Word Count: 10,976 Number of Pages: 24 Date Completed: 4/2/2022

(...)

AN: Welcome everyone to Scalpel and Blade Chapter 2! It would've been out sooner but Snowy was studying for his psychology license which he passed. It was also my birthday yesterday so reviews for both of those reasons would be appreciated. Snowy is exhausted from all the studying and stress so he won't be here for this Author's Note. But we do hope you all enjoyed it and we'll see you next time. Till then, this has been a Bubbajack and IcySnowSage Production! Peace!