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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
F/SN, F/Z, F/KPI and other products related to the Fate Series are all owned by TYPE-MOON, Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi.
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Chapter 15: Futile Hope and Worm
Returning back to the castle proved to be a particularly-difficult task to accomplish with a struggling Erika Ainsworth latching and whining against my small body. She weighted as much as I was and yet I was having some difficulty with the sore legs and arms I had at the moment, the result of the previous mad-chase I had in the alternative Fuyuki.
Ruby could have done so much to help other than merely putting some rope to keep the little blonde from jumping off and try to hide away from me. I was far too tired to be dealing with that kind of issues and I sure was starting to feel the strain building up the more I ventured deep in the safe woods.
And while my body ached and silently groaned at the pressure I was putting onto it, my mind was rendered free from actually summarize what had just happened mere moments ago.
I had taken initiative in setting some forward base in the Miyuverse version of Fuyuki, fully aware that the real fight would have to happen in that place and not in this 'stable' universe. It was the Ainsworth Family's turf and they would have fought bitterly to the very end for the sake of 'saving the world'.
The world couldn't be saved even if they pulled the wish. Why I was sure of it? It was Erika's secret burden that had caused the mess that was known as 'Degradation of Gaia'. Or at least the missed opportunity to activate it when it was needed back in the fading Age of Gods.
Pandora's Box was a difficult Noble Phantasm to understand, Darius only mentioning and trying to use it as a 'greater version' to the standard Holy Grail, yet failing to mention a single thing. If the box had been opened back in the 'canon' time, then the world wouldn't have needed any savings and, if he tried to do this now, the Degradation would have reached a higher pace compared to prior to the unorthodox pithos' activation.
The Box itself was inspired by the (in)famous Greek legend that saw it as a container of the greatest sins bestowed to mankind and the hope to fight back such adversities and… It missed the fact that it had also resulted in an effective slow down of the first Deterioration, the original one that caused the end of the Age of Gods and the period of time known as an Age of Fairies.
With the Box left closed in the Miyuverse, the world experienced just a briefer Age of Fairies compared to the FSN version and that ended up causing a dangerous shift of natural laws as unchecked Magic started to devastate the world itself.
Natural disasters, changing climate and other horrible effects that cursed Earth to suffer for decades and… Erika decided to abide to Darius' plan, that is why she ended up helping him set up the proper end of the world.
While the little girl whining against my chest might have seemed like a minor issue to deal with, I was currently holding one of the few strong beings that despised humanity as a whole after the tortured lifetime she had to survive until now.
She was a tool, she was born one and, even if she tried to appear normal, she would have never obtained that kind of peace. The guilty mind, the infuriated soul and the impotent body she was provided with could hardly give her satisfaction and… that was a constant for her to be hurt by everyone around her.
Even those that tried to 'help' her. She was aware of the truth of everything and I was afraid of how much she was aware about me. It was terrifying to know that this little girl was… this threatening and powerful if given the chance to fully manifest and that was why I had to return to the castle without any break along the way.
Luck was surprisingly on my side as I started to feel my legs close to give up at the burdened road, my eyes lit as I spotted Kid Gil waiting patiently for me. He was alone and… he looked annoyed.
He was staring at me, barely caring for Pandora as her blue eyes took notice of him and she started to yell at him too, his red orbs fixed silently onto my face. My frown was met with the appearance of his trusty chains, Enkidu wrapping comfortably around my body and the girl's as we were both lift off from the arduous ground.
I opened my mouth, maybe to greet him or merely sigh, yet I closed it as soon as possible when I saw a brief flash of anger coming from his face. I blinked, keeping quiet as the boy turned around and started to walk towards the barely-visible castle in the distance, the small portals from which Enkidu originated moving with him and dragging us along.
It was an awkward moment, one that Erika's sudden silence worsened up just a little. Her puffy eyes were recovering from some tears, her lips closed as she probably knew that lamenting her situation now wouldn't have truly gotten a better chance of leaving compared to mere instances ago.
The walk proceeded uneventful and soon we entered inside the large fortified set of building. I spared just a glance by the entrance and it seemed that there was the entire group preparing for a 'warm greeting'.
I gulped nervously as Gil barely spared a word even as we entered inside the castle and, moments later, he stopped right as we all joined him inside the closest living room. The part of Enkidu wrapped around me unfolded and I fell to the ground… painfully.
Not painful enough to have me needing some medical assistance, but enough to get my mind to fully realize that this wasn't going to be a good situation for me.
Just as I stood up in a shaky manner, I found my cheek slapped by the tiny hand owned by Luvia, the blonde looking worried but also irritated by my reappearance with another child. Salter went in to pull my aching cheek with a sharp hold over it, causing me to groan in pain, the young woman looked annoyed if not hurt by my 'unexpected walk' and the danger I had gone through.
How was I aware that they knew 'a little' of what had gone through my first step in the Miyuverse? Gilgamesh's reaction and the lack of warmth in continuing to stare me down with such a neutral tone.
The Alternative version of Artoria made way for Kuro and, instead of a punch or something along those lines, I found myself tackled on the floor by the tanned girl. Some tears started to fall to her partly-obscured face, her pink-toned hair hiding the puffy eyes from continuous crying.
I blinked as she crumpled, bringing her face incredibly close to mine. Eyes going wide open, I was finally given a full glimpse of the turmoil she was going through. It was a painful sight as I found it difficult to keep a straight stare at the disappointed and aching look she was giving me.
She knew that, Kuro was doing the worst thing I could have to endure about this very situation. Physical pain? I can tank it after so much torture. But emotional one? My mind was already fragmented as much as it was sane, and seeing how she had taken my solo mission…
I felt my throat hurting. I felt my eyes burning. This is unfair!
Just like lying to them was.
A traitorous thought pushed back, yet my intention was legitimately good as I wanted to reduce the chances of seeing them hurt… at the danger of having myself hurt by the threats lingering in that dimension.
For a moment, I could see Shirou's point and… and that was hurting my heart too.
"D-Dummy..." She whispered dully, getting my eyes back on her face and… she pressed her lips on my hurting cheek. "M-My dummy." She proclaimed frailly and softly, enough to get me easily sobered out from that intimate action.
It was innocent, it was meaningful as it dignified our ambiguous relationship and…
Why was it still hurting me?
I gulped again, this time my lips parting to say something. "S-Sorry," An apology, a true one that-
"No," She refused quietly. "Not like this." The girl continued but… she stood away from the closeness and away from me. I stood quiet as I lied still for a moment, eyes going wide and hyperventilating for just a moment.
I glanced around me, trying to find anything, something that could get me to find hope for an apology but…
Nothing. Everyone was angry, everyone was infuriated by what I did a-and-
A giggle from Erika caused my attention to snap at her and instead of the childish blue eyes of hers, I was graced with a pair of malicious cold-sea orbs. A bitter smirk was displayed on her face and then she spoke.
This… this was Pandora. Why was she showing herself this early? Why would she-
"Little, little worm~," She sang with an amused tone. "I wonder when you will snap and die."
The blonde didn't rhyme, there was no need to do that. The words struck a strange chord within my soul and…
And it started to spread.
Eyes going wide open in shock, I stared at the familiar dark and red lines spreading all along my body. Passing through the barely-used lanes of my crest-worm Circuits, hitting and warming those up with energy and dark desire.
I could remember the day I saw Sakura starting to cry for no apparent reason right as I helped her to bed after one of the sessions she had to endure with Zouken. She had looked so helpless and I felt so much weak towards the monster that was my 'grandfather'.
My Worms wiggled eagerly as they fed upon the new energy, my sight going blurry for a moment as I felt my brain slowly being burned out by the sudden appearance of this corruption.
How- Why- WHEN?
But nothing replied back to me. Even in my mind I was alone to deal with such a horrible fate.
Everyone, those that I wanted to be friend to me- They were treated as tools. I could feel the old cackle keep me awake from that insane situation, I could see how Zouken had been right about me.
"In the end, you are still someone born out from my mind, Shinji. Something made to suffer, endure and become as empty and devoted to life and death as I am. You and I are… similar and the same even."
Another cackle, another bout of pain ruptured from my Circuits and then-
THUD
Something blunt slammed on the back of my head, I felt the darkness draining away from my skin, from my circuits from my thoughts as I fell at the safe hold of someone familiar.
There was a simple lullaby that took me fully out from consciousness, the language being neither Japanese nor English.
It was in German. Die Lorelei.
"The situation is as bad as I thought," Ruby muttered darkly as she escorted the group back to the bedroom the boy had last used. "Jiji-baka might have said that there had been some foul influence conditioning the boy but… to this degree and extent? We are lucky that his body hasn't deteriorated even more than it is right now." The Kaleidostick finished with a simple sigh.
Luvia was uncertain of what was being said and sought more information with a quiet tone, ignoring the grim looks appearing in both Gilgamesh's and Artoria's faces at the dark news they had just received from the floating stick busy with helping the boy.
Kuro was silent as she put Shinji on the bed, her eyes staring attentively at his chest. It was rising and lowering to a proper pace, the little Matou's breathing having grown stable and comfortable, hopefully like his rest was.
Shock, mortification and doubt struck her mind without mercy, part of her already calling the blame on herself. It was her reaction, or rather her planned attempt to scare Shinji off from his quirky attempts to get some solo action in dangerous situations, that had caused the horrible development she had witnessed as the closest being to the phenomenon.
Pollution, his Circuits had turned dark and red as to signify the corruption and the death of those.
His hair and eyes flashing the distinct Einzbern's colors before returning to their normal coloration, the quick sight having been more than enough to left her stomach churning at the scene.
Justeaze had been silent at first, out of fascination and morbid curiosity instead of simple shock and surprise. To see this degree of pollution, even her Ancestor would have been baffled by the state the boy's body was.
It was rotting to a worrying speed, enough to make her understand the insistence Shinji had pressed on getting a new body rather than trying to cure what he already had. It was devastated, damaged beyond recovery and even her Magus' mindset failed to see it as a chance to learn something new.
It was beyond the scope of their comprehension, the extent of the corruption being something that couldn't be studied even with the most modern or effective tools allowed by the current Age.
There was an expiration date on that body, Kuro thought nervously and worringly, one that Shinji had been aware until now… and had looked very unafraid of even now that he had been close to suffer some serious damage.
He had shown some distaste and minor anger at the time requested by Touko Aozaki, the woman having to deal with some other appointments before reaching out for Fuyuki, and he never once shown to be afraid at the deadly time pressing on his soul.
A ticking bomb that waited to explode on them, she childishly added with an inner sigh, the body needing for sure to be burned with powerful fire after the boy's soul had been removed from it.
If it continued to rot and corrupt to the final bits of the few available Circuits, the chances of dealing with a worrisome undead creature would be fairly high. And that couldn't be allowed for the sake of keeping the Magus Association out of the city for the time being.
Ruby was going through numerous tasks without a pause, analyzing vital signs and other details, mundane and not, regarding Shinji's state. Reports after reports, his conditions were brought up with accurate words and enough detail to put even more concern in everyone's minds.
Mostly normal, his Circuits suffering from the sudden exertion of energy and depletion. The Worms would have started gnawing in panic in this situation, yet the Mystic Code was keen to provide them with some of the energy she was allowed to pass to him, giving him some relief as his body started to recover from the phenomenon and-
How did it happen? Justeaze spearheaded with her usual dull tone as they both finally moved their attention away from the present and back to the recent past. It certainly didn't happen without external cause.
While the Crest Worms were indeed a nasty specimen to deal with and have inside a body as young as the Matou's, the pollution wasn't related to their nature and reason to exist. Their purpose was the same as they were only living as replacement Circuits to the boy, none possessing anything that could spark the process and… he had been fine until a certain moment had struck.
In fact, from what Ruby was telling mid-activities, the reason behind her arrival had been mostly kept a secret to Shinji himself, the boy unaware that the Zelretch of his world was keeping a close watch over his 'apprentices' and that he had grown worried by how the boy had 'changed'.
Something had caused him to develop this dangerous crescendo of pollution, but what 'certain moment' could have initiated this horrible situation?
Something that had happened recently, something that could have been caused by someone that wasn't currently here in the castle as the boy was being treated.
None of the Emiya family, nor Miyu and her 'sister'. Rin was excluded too as she had been the former master of this dimension's Ruby and-
That left to only one possible candidate.
Sakura's core was inhuman, simplified and dollified for the purpose of keeping her weakened and easy to manipulate. The plum-haired girl had been spending some time with her 'brother' during the little event happening just a day ago.
Innocent and seemingly harmless, the female Matou would have eluded her sight… if not for her connection to the Berserker Card and her rare biology compared to normal humans.
She was dangerous even when she meant no harm and she was responsible for Shinji's current plight. Anger was bubbling nastily inside Kuro's head, roaring and demanding for some retribution and yet her mind was fixed on the sleeping face of the boy.
The little Einzbern was still guilty of having struck at the tired and drained Shinji, to have brought him to this meltdown and… she had to fix things. She had to.
Eyes going slowly away from the Matou to the rest of the room, she was surprised to learn that it's been three hours of silent contemplation. Three hours of watching over his slumber while making sure he was alright.
Luvia had fallen asleep on her chair, some droll starting to roll off from the edge of her lips as she frowned in her rest, aware of how uncomfortable was sleeping in that sturdy chair.
Gilgamesh's calm eyes bore on Shinji, yet he seemed unwilling to share a look to her as he was the one that was truly devoting his full attention at the boy. There was no thinking, there was no guilt, there was only mindful staring from a concerned kid.
Artoria's golden eyes were directed at the door, there was some uneasiness playing on her features and Kuro was certain that part of her truly wanted to look at Shinji but… she couldn't bear it. It was something that had come from the original Saber, the fact that she can't in her good heart look at a wounded comrade of hers.
The Einzbern sighed and… she stood up from her own chair as she silently made her way toward the door and-
"You shouldn't go," The younger version of the King of Heroes mused loudly enough to stop her on her tracks. "She is at fault, but you aren't-"
"As if your clairvoyance helped you when a faker killed you, Gil," The girl scoffed back with a cold tone, drawing an irritated look from the blond.
The boy looked angry at the comment, the sore defeat something that even her younger version was embarrassed of to some fair degree. Yet he didn't jump to the bait, knowing better than fight in the same room where their common friend was resting from that horrible ordeal.
He was calm, but he didn't deign her any other words as she walked out of the room and slowly went toward the entrance of the castle. Her clothes melted in Prana as her Archer dress materialized.
Her reserves were filled to the brim, enough to allow her for a precise and quick assassination in the proper style that only Counter-Guardian EMIYA could manage. She rushed through the cold breeze of the nightly time and quickly went for the roofs of the tall buildings making up the industrial district of Fuyuki.
There was silence, her breathing and her heartbeat keeping stable as she went ahead with a simple but effective plan. Her mind having its attention on keeping the specific pattern of her target highlighted compared to the innocent bystanders that could be around her.
She ventured deeper in the city, trying to find out where Sakura was and… the young woman wasn't in the central quarter?
A confusing surprise, but one that gave reason for a scowl to form on her face as Kuro was forced to leave the safety of the height of the small skyscrapers and rush towards the 'calmer' blocks of the town.
She stopped just as the place where the girl was came into sight and… the Einzbern frowned at the scene.
Sakura was silent as she quietly pushed her feet to propel the small swing she had taken seat into. It was a small playground, slightly off from the nearby park where children would wander around during daylight.
Violet eyes were hard-pressed on the floor as the girl seemed to be… thinking? No, it felt more like she was having an inner conflict about something. There was some quiet struggle.
How odd, Kuro thought while she traced her bow and a Caladbolg II appeared on her free hand. Red lines broke the projected copy, rendering it in a Broken Phantasm. Her eyes narrowed in deep focus at the target as she readied the projectile.
Yet Kuro made a sole mistake.
Her breathing was deep, her eyes blinking just once, the wind having her sight clouded for a brief moment.
It was enough for Sakura to move out of the swing and drop her Card to the floor.
"Install," She said with a feeble tone, almost passing unheard by her soon-to-be murderer.
Kuro didn't wait any longer as the spiral-sword rushed out of the bow and flied right towards the transforming girl.
The arrow detonated during the spacial distortion that it was known to create, the cracking explosion shattering the quiet setting as the playground was bathed in fire and power.
And Sakura…
There was a growing giggle, from soft to loud, the mad Servant laughed at the damage caused by that simple attack. Her red visor turned with a craze-looking smile at the position the Einzbern was currently hiding in.
"I see you~!" The Berserker announced giddily, causing a scoff to leave the tanned girl's lips as she jumped out and prepared Kanshou and Bakuya.
Both swords readied as she saw dark-armored Sakura bolting flashly from her previous position and right towards her. "Let's play~!" The crazy Matou shrieked as her sword prepared to clash against her opponent.
A terrible development, Kuro mused darkly, but one that she could play around with some proper attention.
Her guard was ready as the older female swung in an attempt to cleave the Archer-class wielder down with a single hit. She ducked, letting her black scimitar return the attempt by clashing against the armored side. Hot sparks erupted from the hit, but there was no damage registered by the mad enemy.
How resilient is that thing?
"Overedge." The command was immediately received by the simple swords as they updgraded to their feathery-like form as the fight finally began. The longsword slammed with immediate strength and no hesitation, while Kuro's blades were deftly deflecting and hitting the giggling Berserker.
Finally, the armor started to crack at the following strike but as the first blood was drawn by the Einzbern, the tanned girl was taken by surprise as a knee drove painfully on her stomach.
The hit was non-negligible, sending her flying away from the immediate proximity of the stronger but crazier Servant. A groan left her lips as her back started to hurt, a lesser evil compared to the ache developing from her chest.
Blood flowing in a calm stream from the edge of her lips, Kuro knew that she had let that happen for greed. She had seen the opening and she had been baited in a terrible counterattack.
Unacceptable, she thought tiredly and her hold over the twin swords renewed as Sakura rushed for another close engagement.
The Einzbern jumped away, her bow forming again as she flung two quick Caladbolg III. The weaker version explosive Broken Phantasm had the mission of stalling the opponent just for a moment, enough for the Archer to think for a proper plan of action.
She blinked as she was forced to move away from a strike landing to the ground from the seemingly-rabid Berserker, the crazed look now starting to irritate her. Just a little.
This sure looked like to be the beginning of a difficult fight.
Maybe it was hope or maybe it was a prayer, but familiar words absently left her lips as she braced for the following assault. "I'm bone of my sword," Kuro muttered, knowing already that the Card wouldn't allow her access to the full extent of EMIYA's Noble Phantasm, but rather she felt them as words of calm and focus.
A creed of Justice to keep herself standing before the worst nightmare.
But justice to whom? To the world? To Alaya?
No, she sighed before roaring a battlecry and resuming the melee.
In her mind his name burned brightly, a motivation worth more for a failure of a world.
Hopefully, once things were concluded, Shinji will be there to… bash her head and call her a dummy. His dummy.
AN
I bet nobody saw this escalation. Well, I mean, I understand that it comes out from nowhere but… yep, things are happening even without the full presence of the Ainsworth.
It ain't that difficult, it is just complicated to then evaluate how things are supposed to end and… next chapter will see a very complicated but desperate action from Shinji. You thought that the 'Pollution' was the worst that would happen to him? Prepare for some deep Magecraft poop coming soon!
P a treon . com (slash) socialistbukharin
k o-fi . com (slash) justbukharin
REVIEW Q&A!
LukeSky001: I've read both examples, kind of a pity that the Sequel of The Sage's Disciple was rebooted. Also Fate/Noble Shade feels… meh now. I think one of the issues with it was that the Author just remained too attached to the Canon plot, sometimes driving some situation… from happening when they shouldn't be happening with the changes applied. Butterfly effect was given the middle finger, me thinks. Also yes, BS-tery is kind of fun when moderated and properly written. Thank you for the kind words!
Victorsan12345: Sure, the last ending of the Anime UBW is my opinion. I know that it is a bad ending from FSN VN, but the anime used that so… it has to mean something if they chose that one.
Byayan: Not about him. But maybe, just maybe, something could be done with 'another version of him'.