Shirou stood on a hill of blood. Bodies lay all around his feet, swords sticking out of the ground.
"You see your future Shirou Emiya. Is it all you hoped it would be?"
Shirou turned to see Archer, covered in blood that was not his, as he walked up to his younger self.
"Is it enough to deter you from this path of yours?" Archer asked, eyes boring into Shirou's soul.
"No," Shirou said firmly. "This doesn't have to be my future. I can make a better one."
Archer sighed. "Continue to believe that if you must. That just means you'll find out the hard way, like I had to."
He turned and began to walk away.
"Wait," Shirou called out and Archer turned his head. "Are you real?"
"As real as you are Shirou."
...
Shirou woke up in a cold sweat. He looked to his left and saw Rin's worried expression there.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," Shirou nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright."
Saber sat next to Rin in a black suit that she seemed oddly comfortable with. They were all on a plane to Fuyuki City, curtsy of Lord El-Melloi II.
Saber leaned forwards, hands on her knees, so she could join the conversation. "No Shirou, you're not fine. Being this close together, I can tell when you're in distress."
Shirou sighed. "Alright, yeah, I'm not fine."
Rin placed her hand on his. "You can tell me."
He nodded. "Lately I've been having these dreams. Dreams, of my future. Archer's past. And..."
He hesitated, remembering that Archer had once been Rin's servant. "I saw him. Just now. He was trying to stop me from going down the path I've chosen."
Rin sighed. "So he's the same as always."
"Yeah," Shirou said, turning to look out the window at the passing clouds. "But sometimes I can't help but wonder, what if the path I'm going down is wrong?"
Rin and Saber shared a look before Saber reached over and grasped Shirou's shoulder. "You forget Master. I once thought the same as you do now. I always thought about how if I never took up Excalibur, maybe all the tragedies that came after never would have happened. It's good to doubt your chosen path or else you may end up down the wrong one."
Shirou looked back at her and smiled. "Thanks Saber."
She nodded. "Always remember who you are Shirou. Never forget that."
"I won't," Shirou promised and went back to staring back out the window. He thought of Fuyuki City. He wondered how much it had changed in two years.
...
Shirou stood in front of his old home, drinking in the familiar air.
"Feels great to be back doesn't it," Rin said, hooking her arm with Shirou's.
"It does," he said, then looked at her. "Why don't we visit your house?"
She shook her head. "No. That place would only depress me."
She looked to her left. "Hey Caster. You done checking the place out."
He materialized. "No enemies and no traps here nor in the surrounding area. This place is perfect."
He looked around. "The Grail did give me images of what Fuyuki would look like, but it isn't the same as actually experiencing it. You know, I would like some pants."
Rin coughed. "Excuse me?"
"And a shirt," he said, hands on his hips, his staff leaning against his body. "Probably a t-shirt since it's summer. That way I can actually walk around the city."
"You know," Rin said, sweat-dropping. "The city will be full of Masters and Servants. You can't just go walking around. Someone will sense you."
"Master," he said. "I was an accomplished mage in my past life. Now as a servant, I am much stronger than ever before. The Holy Grail War has nothing on me."
"You know," Saber said, walking up to them. "He's got a point."
"But still," she said, turning to Caster. "Looking for a fight wouldn't help things. You know better than that."
He grinned and leaned on his staff. "Yes my King. But a guy's gotta live! And I intend to do so to the fullest while I still can. To do that, I need pants. Not these baggy things I'm wearing. This is the modern age. I need pants."
Saber shook her head, exasperated. "Some people never change."
"You guys should hear some of the stories about Saber here," Caster said. "I know some good ones. Like the time Gawain found out she wasn't a dude. Man, that was an embarrassing-"
He coughed, seeing Saber's glaring eyes. "Yeah, maybe another time."
"Okay," Shirou said, diverting the conversation. "Anyway, what's the first step of our plan?"
Rin looked at the house. "I'll need to put up some spells to defend this place. Caster, if you could get started on that please."
He nodded and as he dematerialized, he asked, "When I'm done, then can I get pants?"
Rin growled in frustration and didn't bother answering him, instead turning back to Shirou and Saber. "Tomorrow, we should head to the church and see the overseer. I want to make sure they're not another Kirei Kotomine."
"Wise," Shirou said. "By the way, where did Lord El-Melloi go?"
Rin shrugged. "He said he had some people to visit. I didn't pry."
"Well," Shirou said, checking the time on his watch. "It's still pretty early. How bout me and Saber go down to the market and pick up food supplies while you and Caster set the spells."
Rin smiled. "Be back soon. I'll be starving by the time I get done."
Shirou waved her goodbye as he and Saber made their way down the street, unaware of the figure in the shadows watching them.
...
"You know," Lord Baston said. "You don't have to be in spirit form while on a plane. You are wearing normal clothes."
His Saber servant materialized, her heavy armor replaced by jean shorts and a red t-shirt.
She blew a strand of blonde hair out of her face as she stared moodily out the window. "Yeah, but this is so boooring. I need something to fight. Or else I'll go mad."
Lord Baston sighed. Rocco had indeed provided him a strong servant, but he couldn't help but wish his servant didn't express everything she felt.
He looked at his reflection in the black screen in front of him. His vibrant blue eyes had faded to a dull blue over the years ever since he became a Lord at the Clock Tower. His blonde hair was getting a bit too long, so it would need trimming soon.
"Hey Master," Saber said, looking into his face with a curious expression. "How old are you?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why ask such a question?"
She gave that feral grin he came to accustom with her over the past two days. "Well, your eyes look super old and tired, but you still look young in age on the rest of your body."
"33," Lord Baston said. "Any other personal questions you wish to ask?"
She laughed, almost mockingly, but not quite. "Oh Master, no need to get grumpy on me. I mean, you could ask how old I am and I wouldn't get upset."
He stared at her with a bored expression. "And why's that."
"Because I couldn't count the years from when I was born to now," she laughed heartily. "Besides, what's the point? I've got my good looks still. That's all that matters."
"Hmph," Lord Baston leaned back in his chair. "Saber, what's your wish?"
She thought about that for a second. "Well, you see, my wish isn't something I want the Grail doing for me. What I want is to have the chance to try my hand at pulling that sword out of the stone like the King of Knights once did."
"Oh," she continued, with a gleam in her eyes. "I also want another go at the King. I want to prove to him that only I can succeed him and no one else. Those Knights of the Round Table have nothing on me, the Treacherous Knight."
Lord Baston sighed. This was going to be an interesting partnership for sure.
...
Zachery sat his bags down in the hotel room as his Archer servant settled himself on one of the beds, kicking his feet up, his cowboy hat tipped down.
"Gotta love the modern age," Archer said with his western accent. "These beds are comfier than our best beds back on the ranch."
Zachery sat in a chair, facing his servant. "So Archer, how confident are you with your abilities as a Servant."
He tipped his hat up and grinned. "Why, do you need to ask? I'm one of the best there is. We should have no problem gunning down the competition."
Zachery nodded. "Good. Because we're going to win this Grail War. The Mage's Association wants there to be a clear winner this time around. The Grail mustn't be destroyed again."
"Just give me a servant to shoot," Archer said, waving his revolver in the air. "And I can guarantee our win Master."
Suddenly, he shot at the window so fast, Zachery didn't even see Archer shoot.
"What are you-!?" Zachery stood as Archer ran to the window.
He grunted. "I saw a shadow move. I think it's gone though."
"A servant?" Zachery asked.
Archer nodded. "Likely. C'mon, were moving rooms, just to be safe."
Zachery sighed and picked up his bags again, thankful he hadn't started unpacking yet.
...
Kadali sat on her bed, reading poetry. She normally didn't read poetry, but considering who she summoned, she might as well brush up on his work. Speaking of whom...
"Caster," she said, setting her book down as her servant materialized.
"Yes?" he asked as the raven on his left shoulder cried, "Nevermore!" It sounded like a dying chicken. Very annoying.
Kadali looked into his eyes, his irises completely black, which was very unnerving.
"I'm going into the city," she said after a moment. "We're running out of food and considering we have four more mouths to feed, we should probably stock up."
Caster nodded. "Very well. I shall accompany you."
Kadali glanced at his clothes. He wore a black trench coat that reached just below the knees over a black suit and tie and his short, black hair looked like the feathers of a raven. Very conspicuous. And that wasn't even all of what he was wearing.
"Sure," she said. "But make sure to stay in spirit form. You stand out like a sore thumb."
He nodded as she left the room. He glanced at the book she was reading and noticed the woman on the front cover, drowning at sea. He turned the book over to hide the cover, then followed his Master.
...
Jeanne d'Arc walked along the highway to Fuyuki City, dressed in a simple blue suit with a tie.
She sighed. "Jeez. The Grail could've at least provided me a ride to the city."
Her feet ached and the summer sun was making her suit very uncomfortable. She would't have worn it, but it was the only thing she could find at the time to wear on short notice.
She heard the sound of an approaching vehicle and stepped out of the way of a motorcycle zooming down the road. It screeched to a halt next to Jeanne and she lifted her helmet to get a better look at Jeanne.
"Hey," she said cheerfully. "You need a ride?"
Jeanne smiled, relieved. "Yes, that would be most appreciated."
"Then hop on," the woman said, patting the spot on the motorcycle seat behind her.
"Just hold on tight," she yelled as she started the motorcycle once Jeanne had got on.
"Will do," Jeanne said. "I'm Jeanne by the way!"
"Taiga!" the woman shouted over the roaring of the winds as they sped down the highway, way over the speed limit. "Taiga Fujimura! I got a place you could stay at if you need to!"
Jeanne nodded, though it went unnoticed by the woman called Taiga. "That would great! Thank you!"
"No problem!" Taiga shouted as they rushed into Fuyuki City.
...
Lord El-Melloi II crouched by the two gravestones set side-by-side each other. He placed a rose by each of them and stood.
"Goodbye Glen," he said softly. "Goodbye Martha. Thank you for taking care of me when I needed it most."
Then he left, setting his mind back on the Sixth Holy Grail War.
This is likely the last chapter I'll write for this story for a while. And, if you're an avid Fate fan, you probably don't know who Kadali's Caster is. That's because it's an OCS (Original Character Servant) made by@PurpleInsanity. But if you're a fan of poetry, then you can probably figure out who it is. Well, that's it. Toodles