"Muramasa-san~! Castoria-san~! Where'd you guys go?"
"Ah! Master. We were just scouting the area for enemies to fight."
"You were scouting the area. You just dragged me along because you got scared of going alone."
"I did not! You're just lying again, you stupid grandpa!"
"Stupid, am I? Then let me go and take the master back to the camp. I'm sure you'll do just fine here on your own."
"Guh! No… wait… I guess I kinda needed your help…"
"'Kinda' isn't going to cut it, missy. Now, if you'll excuse me-"
"Wait! Don't go!"
As the Master of Chaldea - Gudako - laughed at the funny sight that is Castoria pinning her heels to the ground in an attempt to stop Muramasa from leaving, she looked around the area they were in. They were in a forest of tall trees. She can't tell what trees they were, but they feel like the ones from home (Japan) for her. The plants and bugs look familiar. The birds flying about are recognizable. And finally, the bamboo they found in order to make a temporary house seems like it was the native kind.
As the Master walked to the two bickering servants, she spoke in a lighthearted tone.
"Now, now. Let's not fight here. You can do it when we get you two a room, though."
"I don't want to sleep in the same room as him/her!" the two servants said to their master.
"Oh~? Is that so?" The Master asked whilst bringing out her hand and grinning like a maniac. The two servants stopped to look at their Master with widened eyes.
'Is she really going to command us to sleep in the same room?' the redheaded blacksmith and caster thought.
Gudako chuckled heartily at the stupefied looks her two servants were giving. She found them cute as a couple and were pushing them on to get together. But after the Lostbelt ("6? Was it? -Gudako), their dynamic changed to something similar to grandpa and grandchild. Well, while it was sometimes fun to watch. The Chaldean master felt a tad bit disappointed that their relationship went another way than what she hoped for.
"Hahahahaha! I'm just kidding with you two." Gudako said as her minutes-long laughter died down. "I ain't gonna force you to do something. It doesn't sit right with me if I do anyways."
"Hah— Master. You shouldn't joke about such a thing." Muramasa said feeling annoyed as he scratches the back of his head.
"Muramasa is right, Master." Castoria backed up, "Command seals are very powerful and dangerous if you use them recklessly!"
"I know I know," Gudako replied whilst waving off their worries, "Next time, I won't do it. I'll still joke about it, though."
"Master!" the two servants whined at their cheeky orange haired friend.
"Now, come on!" Gudako said as she happily skipped to their recently made camp. "EMIYA made us some delicious dinner that I do not want to waste."
"Yes Master." the two servants replied, following suit.
Dusk…
"Emiya! We're home~"
"Master, you shouldn't shout like that. You might cause us more trouble than before."
"Ouch! That hurt Emiya. Now I feel like I can eat a mountain's worth of food."
"There is little to no food that can be found on a mountain, Master. Do you really want to starve to death?"
"W-wait! No! That's not what I meant."
Pouting at the sight of her 3 servants laughing at her plight, Gudako proceeded to eat the delicious meals made by her red clad chef. Using the plates and utensils projected by said chef, the Master proceeded to devour everything in a monstrous pace. She ate so fast and so much that it caused Emiya to worry that it might not be enough to satiate the orange haired Master's hunger.
But alas, to Emiya's relief, Gudako couldn't eat a single morsel after her fifth plate. With a sigh of satisfaction, the Master commended her tanned servant.
"Great food as always, Emiya!" she said with a toothy smile and a thumbs up.
"I'm glad you were satisfied, Master." Emiya replied as he waved his hand to un-project the dishes and utensils he made. A feat that still awed the blonde Caster that was watching it unfold. (More on this later.)
"Now. Onto business." Emiya said as he said down at the seat of honour*. "How did your search go, Muramasa?"
"It went as well as I would have hoped for." the blacksmith replied. "There were no enemies in the 2 miles blondie over here and I travelled."
It does not need to be said that Castoria was not pleased by the nickname. It also did not need to be said that she subsequently elbowed the blacksmith hard enough to cause him to wince in pain.
"I take it that you found no monsters of any sort on the way back?" The red archer asked again. Slightly annoyed that the redhead and the Caster started bickering.
"No. Not a single one." the blacksmith replied after having the last word in his argument with the blondie.
"Judging from what I've seen from my reconnaissance," Emiya shared as he projected a map. "We are surrounded by mountainous terrain. Using my Mind's Eye, I've made a map detailing our whereabouts and the surrounding lands. While it's limited to only 4 miles, my Mind's Eye was able to capture enough to tell where we are. More importantly, when we are."
"Any progress on trying to communicate with Chaldea?" Castoria asked as she and Gudako read the map that was currently being held by Muramasa.
"No. Something happened during the rayshift that caused not only our communications with Chaldea to be severed, but everything else as well."
"So, we're going blind in this…" Gudako said as the situation dawned upon her. "How will we get back?!" She asked with hopelessness in her voice.
"I do not know, Master." Emiya sadly replied.
"Hey, bowman." Muramasa called out. "Are you sure this map is right?"
"Yes." Emiya replied with confidence. "There is nothing wrong with the map I drew."
"Why, gramps?" Castoria teased, "You getting too old and confused to read maps?"
"Knock it off." Muramasa replied as he flicked the Caster's forehead. "I'm just saying… the area looks familiar…"
"Familiar how?" Emiya asked when suddenly, he felt it.
"You felt that too?" Muramasa asked as he stood up from the table and walked to Emiya
"If you mean the sudden surge of prana coming from the mountain behind me, then yes." Emiya replied.
"What is your command, Master?" Castoria asked for the other two servants.
"Let's go after them!" Gudako commanded.
"Yes Master." The three said. But before they could move out, the Orange Master stopped them.
"Oh! Wait a minute." Gudako ordered. Without explanation, the Orange Master suddenly jumped towards the redheaded blacksmith, who was forced to catch her. A few seconds later, Muramasa is now carrying Gudako in bridal style. Causing Emiya to become annoyed while Castoria looked neutral (maybe peeved, if you stretch it a bit.)
"Ok, now we're ready." Gudako smiled. She then pointed a finger towards the mountain where the surge of prana was felt. And with a bellowing shout, she said.
"Onward!"
And with that, the Servants of Chaldea are on the move.
Meanwhile….
"Damn it! Lady. Stop attacking me. I'm not an enemy."
"Nani o itte iru? Sore wa dō demo ī kotodesu. Anata wa Tokugawa no tochi o fuhō shin'nyū shite imasu. Anata ga ima saranakereba, watashi wa anata o owara seru koto o yoginaku sa remasu."
"What are you even- wait… My translator. It's broken. Great. No wonder she isn't stopping."
"Watashi wa saru to iimashita!"
"Lady, stop!"
For what seems to be forever (20 mins.), the General has been stalling the vicious attacks of the mysterious lady. A mysterious lady clad in samurai armour from head to toe. She appeared out of nowhere just a few minutes after the General literally fell from the sky. Dazed and confused, the General was. He didn't even have time to explain to the mysterious lady why he was there and shit. He also didn't have time to feel the presence of a third party coming his way. Since he was busy "diplomatically conversing" with said samurai lady.
Bringing up the Ninjato that he always used for single combat, the General gracefully blocked the incoming blows aimed for his neck, chest, and stomach. A katana slash from the left by the samurai was all the man needed for a counterattack.
Deflecting the slash to the side, the General brought up right leg to kick down the samurai's left knee. Causing her to kneel in pain. The man then tried to disarm the now vulnerable samurai; but was met with a quick recovery and a kick right in the middle of the man's chest. The move blew the General away. Causing his back to slam straight into the trunk of a large tree.
As he tried to get back the air that was literally forced out his lungs, the now kneeling General said,
"Huff… Huff… You're not bad… Huff…Huff."
Silence was his only reply from the samurai lady.
"Since you ain't giving up any time soon, I guess I'll have to go all out on you!"
Immediately rising onto his feet, the General raised his right hand and in doing so, it caused said hand to glow. And in a blink of an eye, 4 things happened.
In the eyes of the samurai, the General disappeared.
Said General was now behind the samurai
The Ninjato the General was holding was speeding straight for the samurai's neck
The General's Ninjato was stopped by a wakizashi that didn't belong to the samurai he was fighting.
"Huh?" Was all the General could say before a shockwave erupted from the resulting connection between the two swords. The samurai, who was about to get struck by the Ninjato, was successfully kicked away before she got kebabed to death.
Opening his eyes to see who blocked his attack, the General saw something he did not expect to see in a long shot.
"...Shirou Emiya?"
"Who?" 'Shirou' asked, "I don't think I know you, laddie. But I'm sure not this 'Shirou' you're talking about."
"...Of course." the General said in reply, silently berating himself for blurting out a certain redhead's name. "You just looked like him, so I assume."
"Right…" 'Shirou' said, unconvinced. "Are you going to stop grinding my sword, or…"
"Ah," the General said, realizing he's literally inches away from slicing the neck of 'shirou'. In response, he withdrew his ninjato and returned it to his sheath.
"Well, good sir," the General started as he watched 'shirou' makes his wakizashi disappear, "I believe this is the time to know your name, now. Since we've already stopped our hostilities, and everything."
"You really need to stop with that sophisticated talk." 'shirou' said to the General, clearly annoyed. "And also, the name is-"
"Muramasa!"
"Gramps! What did you get yourself into this time? And also, who's this?"
The Master of Chaldea and her two servants have finally arrived. They were lagging behind since the servants had their master to protect. Well, to be fair to them, it was Muramasa who broke rank and went into the battle first. And it's not his fault anyways. He was just trying to save the life of the samurai lady about to get beheaded by the General (of course, the General would never do such a thing. But you'll never know).
And speaking of the General. He's currently had a myriad of thoughts plaguing him right now. But it can be boiled down into one statement.
'Master Fujimaru?! Why are you here…'
And as for the orange Master. She thought-
"OI! It's you again. Why is it everytime we meet, bad things happen."
…nevermind. She's the type to blurt things out with no filter after all. And her servants not only know of this fact, but they get exasperated every time something like this happens. Like right now. If you were to see this in real life, the comical sweatdrop would be the first thing hanging on the servant's heads.
"I don't know what you're talking about, younger, more youthful, and less developed, Master Fujimaru." the General started. Which caused said Master to be alarmed, "But I don't think you're supposed to be here…"
"You know this man, Master?" Muramasa asked.
"This man is someone she will get to know, old man." Emiya replied as he nocked a nameless sword into his arrow at the General. Who's now raising his hands and shouting.
"Put that bow down! Archer. I'm not an enemy."
"You're a pain in the ass. That's what you are. After the shit you pulled the last time we met, I'm no longer taking any chances." Emiya replied coldly. He then turned to his master and asked, "Master. How would you want to deal with this 'nuisance'?"
"He called me 'less developed'..." Gudako said as she stared listlessly into the night sky. It was a damning blow to her femininity. That's for sure.
"Master." Emiya said with a more stricter tone, which jolted Gudako out of her misery. "What do you want to do with him?"
"Oh- uh- uhm… I guess we should hear him out." the Master replied. "He hasn't done anything bad bad. Maybe he can be helpful to us again."
"But Master-" Emiya protested but was cut by the General
"Hey don't move! You're gonna get shot!"
…
…
…
Through the sudden shout of the General, an arrow was accidentally released. Because of this accident. 3 things happened.
The samurai lady that was knocked out for a few minutes because of being (kicked) pushed away from the General's attack a couple minutes prior is now standing tall enough to be in range of the arrow that was currently speeding its way towards her head. Mind you, the samurai lady is wearing your typical samurai gear. With a blue O-yoroi and a smaller but still bulky Mempo as her top gear. With that in mind, can she possibly dodge this arrow without getting fatally wounded? No? Well, it's not a problem that she can't dodge it.
Because right after noticing her and the arrow that was about to kill her, Muramasa went into action. Using all the inhumane speed that being a servant can give him - while unknowingly getting buffed by Castoria. He ran fast enough to grab the samurai lady and push her onto the ground. But he was so fast that the Mempo the samurai lady was wearing became loose and fell off her head. The Mempo had become one with the forest after that.
And lastly, the arrow that was racing for the samurai lady. Well since she's out of the way, then I guess it's no longer aiming for her. Rather, it's now gunning the General's chest. With his right hand glowing in gold, empowering him by a ton, he grabbed the arrow just centimetres away from his heart. With a sigh of relief. The General threw the arrow aside. Knowing it won't explod-
BANG!
"You loaded an explosive arrow at me?!" Shouted the General to the Archer.
"Tch! If it wasn't for you screaming like a maniac a while ago then I wouldn't've let it loose."
"Don't make me the one to blame." the General spouted. "If it wasn't for me, then that samurai girl wouldn't be alive right now. Now, would she?"
"Both of you stopped bickering!" Gudako yelled at the two. She then pointed towards the pair of bodies lying on the ground. "Look." she said. With a hint of giddiness in her voice.
"...No way…" the General looked at the pair. "Why is she here?"
"You know her?" Emiya glared at the General with newfound anger.
"You should know her, Archer. Didn't your former Master befriend her?" the General cheekily asked. He's really found joy in pissing Archer off, now has he.
"And how the hell do you know that." Emiya growled as he instantly appeared in front of the General to grab said General by his collar.
While the General is casually explaining away how he knows who the lady under the samurai is (Chaldean Archives or some shit, idk. They're not our focus), said lady is currently lying on the ground while her apparent saviour - the redheaded blacksmith - is on top of her.
They stayed silent for a minute. They kept staring at each other's eyes for some reason. To the outside view it looks like they're having a staring contest. But to them, it was a different story.
"Watashi wa... Mae ni anata ni atta koto ga arimasu ka?" the samurai lady asked. She can't tell what it was. But something tugged within her when she laid eyes on the redhead. It's as if… a dormant switch within her was turned on.
For the blacksmith… he couldn't tell what it was… Maybe it was from his vessel. Maybe it was from his own instincts. But to him, he felt like he should know this lady. Not just her face. But from what her katana told him (yes. He is Shirou after all.), he should be familiar with this lady. But he still can't put his finger into it. But to play it safe, he replied.
"Ie. Sō wa omoimasen…'' After that, the blacksmith stood up and brought out his hand to help the lady up. The lady, seeing that there is no one hostile to her, she accepted.
"Namae wa Muramasa Senjudesu. Anata wa nanidesu ka?" he asked the samurai lady.
"... Hirodesu... Watashinonamaeha Hirodesu." the lady replied.
You know. The scene of the samurai girl and the blacksmith meeting each other looks so nice. They're directly under the moonlight, holding hands (it's a very long handshake), and best of all, they look cute(-Gudako). But they were both snapped back to reality by a blunt-ass question.
"Ok… can someone tell me what they just said?" the General asked everyone. "I can't understand a word both of them just said."
"How can't you understand them?" Gudako asked confusedly, "Weren't you talking to us just fine this entire time?"
"Apparently, his translator is broken." Emiya said as he analyzed the General's earpiece. No longer in the mood to be hostile to the man "He can only translate certain languages at the moment."
"Oh!" the General spoke up, as if realizing something. He then grabbed something out of his pocket - a smartphone - and placed his translator on top of the screen. A few seconds later, a hologram appeared from the smartphone.
"I didn't have time to figure out what was wrong with my translator because our friendly samurai lady over there tried to hack my head off with her katana. " the General said as he glared at the confused lady.
She has no idea what he said since he's speaking a completely foreign language from her point of view (English.)
"But I think I know why I can't understand them. They're speaking really really old Japanese. Something my translator has a problem with at the moment. That's why I can understand some of you but not the samurai lady."
As the General spoke to no one about his speculation, he began seeing into solving the issue that is his broken translator.
A couple of tweaking and fixing here and there, and the General's translator is now fixed.
"Got it!" the General said in glee. After placing the translator on his ear. He asked the samurai lady, "Can you understand me now?"
"Yes. I can." Quietly replied the samurai. Who was standing beside Muramasa. Who in turn, was standing beside Castoria.
"Go me." the General whispered to himself.
"Right!" Gudako clapped her hands, "Is no one here going to fight anymore?"
No one raised their weapons for a few seconds before the Master spoke again.
"Great! Now, let's go back to the camp. We'll deal with her tomorrow." She said as she pointed to the samurai lady.
"And Emile."
"That's not how you say my name. But what?" 'Emile' said.
"We're also going to have to deal with you tomorrow. Everytime I see you, disaster happens."
"I got it all from you. Master." The General now known as Emile said snarkily. Which caused Gudako to shiver.
"Ok." Gudako said as she raced towards Emile. "First off… DON'T call me Master. It's weird. It's gross. And not right."
"Alright, then. Ritsu." Emile replied. Which caused Gudako to cringe away. She did not like it at all.
"Just take me to the camp, Gramps." Gudako commanded as she let herself get bridal carried. Muramasa, Castoria, and while hesitating at first but convinced otherwise, the samurai lady, left first for the camp below the mountain they were in.
Emiya was about to join them when he was stopped by Emile.
"Did you expect that there would be someone at this time to be the spitting image of Ayako Mitsuzuri? I didn't. But it was a refreshing surprise, if you ask me."
The reply Emile got was getting shoved onto a tree and getting a sword pointed at his neck.
"Talk." Emiya threatened. "How do you know her?"
"Okay… calm dow-" the sword on his neck opened a wound. "Calm down." Emile repeated. "I took care of her grandkids and daughter for 5 years. I didn't meet her. Persay. But I got enough info to know what she looks like when I see her."
"..." Emiya couldn't tell if the man was lying. And the man was a terrible liar. The red bowman knows enough about this man to realize he's speaking the truth. Emiya knows who Emile is. Where he came from. When he came from. So it's not supposed to be surprising that he knows a lot more than most people. But the fact that the Emile knows people from Shirou Emiya's life is still unnerving.
"If you tell anyone about-"
"I won't. Emiya. And it's not like your words have any power against me." Emile said as his right hand glowed gold once more. As it glowed, Emiya felt his grip slacken.
"Don't use that on me." He growled.
"Use what exactly?" Emile said, clearly confused.
"That." Emiya pointed to his right hand. "Those command seals on your hand aren't some toy to play with."
"I didn't use them…" Emile said as he stared at his command seals. "That was all on your accord."
"..." Emiya completely let the General go. As he was about to head out, he said.
"I will not hesitate to kill you if you try to hurt my Master again."
Before he tried to explain himself, the General was left alone by the red bowman. Coughing at the dust that was blown up by the wake of the archer's movements.
"...What happened at Bussaco wasn't my fault…" Emile told himself.
Before he made his move to Gudako's camp. Emile paused and gazed upon his golden command seals once more.
'When it glowed a minute ago… iArcher thought I was controlling him. I don't think I can do that. No. I cannot do such a thing. That's not possible. Which only means one thing. '
Setting the thought aside, he glanced around the trees. Not knowing what he wants to find. And after a few seconds. He left the place.
But not before saying,
"Someone's been eavesdropping on us."
Somewhere not far from the General. A shadowy figure leapt from their branch and moved on to tell their leader what they have found.
To be continued.