A/N: Accidentally posted the chapter for my other story, the proper chapter is now here, sorry about that everyone!

"You know, Shirou, this is the ending I least expected from our mission."

Chelsea kept tapping her crossed legs with her fingers as she spoke from beside me. Meanwhile, I leaned back into my couch and sipped my tea slowly, savoring the beverage's calming effect on my parched throat. The mission itself wasn't overly stressful, but the trek back to the mansion was another story, even if I managed to collect all the Shingu available.

Both Spear and Yoru didn't conceal their displeasure regarding Dorothea's existence, forcing me to nervously watch over them to avoid letting them do anything rash. Given their past regarding members of the Empire, former or otherwise, their reaction was understandable. Chelsea, though, was surprisingly quiet all the way back, going back into her contemplative mode as she tried to derive my intentions.

"Oh? How did you expect it to?" I fixed a questioning glance at her, my left hand propping my head up.

A small amount of uneasiness ran through her body, which was a little unusual. Was she afraid of offending me? To be fair, I was actually amused at the current Chelsea. She wasn't the usual female fox who tried to tease everyone around her endlessly, trying to cover up her insecurities around a group of strangers. Her voice was laced with genuine curiosity, so I'll indulge her this time.

"If I may be blunt, I expected the complete retrieval of the Shingu-"

"-a complete success," I interrupted her. "All of it has been kept safe, a few of them right here in my Workshop."

She sighed, placing a hand on her hip.

"You know, it's not nice to interrupt a lady speaking."

Before she could react, I put my index and middle finger to the nook underneath her right ear. Feeling her soft skin and pulsating warmth, I said, "So, have you calmed down now? I did that so you can lower your nerves, Chelsea."

She blushed at the touch, in a manner not too different to Spear in the same situation.

Nodding, she continued. "Look, I know you'll never do anything to hurt us, and I'm truly grateful for that. It's just..." She hesitated slightly, her voice getting mixed with a sharp edge. "Someone from the Empire's elite unit... I can't help but be a little worried if you accept her so easily."

"Pfft... Hahaha!" Dorothea suddenly burst into laughter, making Chelsea shoot her with an annoyed glance.

Still smirking, the alchemist said, "What, that's all?! I'm here, selling my soul to the Devil so I didn't become minced meat back there in the mountains. From my point of view, I'm the one who's supposed to be worried, Missy."

"I'm hurt, Dorothea." I faked a heart attack, a hand on my chest. "Being called a Devil when I'm a Saint, that's insulting."

"Hmph, serves you right," Chelsea huffed, though the little twinkle in her eyes has returned. "Now, continuing at the place I left off, you mentioned a 'contract' with her on the way back. Care to explain?"

My mood was lightened by the lift in her own mood. Setting my tea down, I explained, "It's called a Self-Geas Scroll, by the way. A... soul-contract, if you will, with... lethal consequences when broken."

Glancing at Dorothea's direction, I continued, "Well, don't worry about that too much. Now, we have a skilled and powerful alchemist joining us, and she can also learn from me. A win-win, though I win a bit more."

"Not that I had a choice in the matter, you fuck... Who would choose death when presented an option to live? Besides, as long as I abide to your rules, the curse the contract created won't eviscerate me and my soul," Dorothea grumbled.

"Any decent person that believes in what they are fighting for would gladly choose death over betrayal, but I doubt someone like you would be able to recognize the value in such actions," Chelsea interjected coldly.

To be honest, I hadn't expected her to cut in that rudely, and not just her timing, but also the antagonistic words. I supposed that's something from her past, but now wasn't the time to dig. I decided to just sit back and watch, waiting if she'd open up on the matter.

"Ehhh? Um... you're right. I don't understand," Dorothea replied, as she made a confused face. "Why would any sane person wish to die? 'Death' is the end, you know? Humans should try to find ways to prolong life, discover new things! Accepting their fate and their death by just lying down like that is just cowardly, escaping the burden of life."

A shift of weight from my side notified me Chelsea was standing up in response, a dark look in her eyes.

"You speak the words of a coward!"

Compared to Chelsea's sudden winding up, Dorothea's attitude was far more laid back. Maybe it came with age? She did say she had done some experiments in order to prolong her peak physical condition, and that her true age was far above my physical age.

"Really, I don't see the problem you have with me," Dorothea casually dismissed Chelsea's accusation. "Coward, brave, who cares? Aren't we on the same side now? If you're saying we have to stand to what we believe, I'm doing exactly that: I don't have any love to the Empire, only to my craft."

Before Chelsea could say another word, the alchemist continued, "That's the only thing which matters to me. Being here is advantageous to my improvement, so aren't I in the right? Choosing something I love over death is a clear option, or can't your head comprehend that?"

"You... you...!"

It's a rare sight of Chelsea not having something to say, as her pride contradicted with the logic Dorothea had just laid out. She clearly disliked the alchemist's opinion, but the professional within her secretly agreed with it. I couldn't help but lean just that liiiitleee bit forward at this development.

"That's my issue with you!" Chelsea jabbed a finger in Dorothea's direction. "You're not helping a certain cause because you care for it! No, you're doing it for your own selfish reasons! You're despicable!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Dorothea stood up from her own seated position after her bout of laughter and strode over to stand in front of Chelsea, the shorter girl not giving any ground. "That's rich, yeah! I'm selfish, but aren't we all?"

Now that it's getting quite heated up, my palm started to curl around an imaginary handle, Black Keys ready to deploy at any time to restrain them. That said, this conversation had been very engaging to me, letting me gain insight into both of these girls' mindset.

Chelsea stared down at Dorothea, her gaze piercing into the blonde alchemist. Dorothea, in turn, curled her lips up into a feral grin.

"Let me explain something to you, Lollipop. I'll be the first to admit I'm selfish, but how are you any better? Let's face the facts. You might think you're righteous, fighting for something great, but aren't you just using others as well? What exactly are you siding with Mr. Saint over there for? You know he has enough power to bring forth change so you want to get on his good side in hopes he can use that power to bring forth changes that you want, because you're powerless to do so yourself."

The typically sharp tongued Chelsea was taken aback by Dorothea's statement, the mock-vampire's mind and tongue a lot sharper than I expected. I faked sipping my tea, but I still kept my vigilance.

Dorothea pushed on with her advantage, waving her hand. "Well, don't feel too bad... It's not just you. Everyone in this mansion is just as guilty." She mockingly patted Chelsea's shoulder, and said, "That boy... Yoru was his name, I think? His main driving factor isn't wanting to overthrow the Empire. Yes, he wants to topple the corrupt system, but his main motivation is Mr. Saint here. The kid is like puppy craving attention and praise. That Spear girl isn't much better with her obvious infatuation. I was able to notice it immediately. Then we have the Saint himself," Dorothea glanced my way. "You're the only one I haven't figured out just yet. You're fighting to change the Empire, but what do you plan on doing with it? One look at you tells me you're a schemer, a tactician. Is your end goal really something so grand as building a just system?"

Putting my tea down, I calmly answered back, impressed by her deductive capability. Really, lately I'd been meeting many smart women, though a softening of their personalities could be nice.

"No, not quite 'building a just system'."

My answer caused a rise in both of the girls' eyebrows.

"Anyone can claim to want to rebuild the current system. If I wanted to do something as meaningless as that, then I would simply be working for the Revolutionary Army. Rebuilding the government is good and all, but what happens several hundred years from now? History will end up repeating itself, because humans are stupid by nature. We claim to learn from our mistakes, but we always repeat ourselves. What I aim to do is not just toppling this corrupt world, and try to make it nicer."

I sent them strong glares, my eyes unwavering.

"I am aiming for salvation for those who are powerless and need someone to rally behind, until they can stand on their own two feet," I glanced out a nearby window, observing those under my care work and train. "Once the strong can acknowledge the weak, then my duty will be complete. Did I answer your question, Dorothea?"

The petite alchemist studied me, her eyes narrowing in concentration. Her fingers continued to tap against her arm in clear annoyance, though to whom I wasn't sure. My answers seemed unsatisfactory for her, leading to her slightly sour mood.

"I don't understand you, but I guess that's my fault for trying to." Sighing in defeat, Dorothea turned back towards Chelsea one final time. "I'm done with this conversation. Death is something to be avoided, and if you find that cowardly, then fine. I find you to be a fool for not fearing death."

Chelsea returned Dorothea's stare with a newfound intensity, her spirit remotivated.

"That's where you're wrong. I never said anything about not fearing death."

Dorothea raised a brow at that statement.

"I fear death. It truthfully terrifies me… It might be pathetic, an assassin afraid of dying, but it's the truth. However," Chelsea stole a glance in my direction, before returning her attention to Dorothea, "losing my comrades, and those I care for, terrify me more than my own death. And I would gladly sacrifice myself for my friends. I refuse to lose those I care for again!"

Dorothea had her mouth agape for a second, possibly trying to formulate a rebuttal. Finding none, she quickly snapped her mouth shut.

"Whatever." The blood-sucker looked towards me, annoyance visible in her eyes, "I'm heading towards your Workshop. I need something to occupy my time... Might as well get started on some of the work I'm contracted to do."

Without having my express acknowledgement, she waltzed off out of the room, leaving me and Chelsea alone. Moving my attention to her, I grew curious of the things no doubt flashing through her mind now, given she's still standing as still as a statue. Letting her talk first might be for the best, though, so I stayed quiet.

After a couple of seconds, Chelsea slowly turned towards me and took a lollipop out of her case before sticking it in her mouth.

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips.

"That was frustrating and awfully embarrassing. I didn't mean to get so riled up like that... It's really unlike me, hehehe..." She laughs nervously, scratching her dainty chin.

For a moment, I was stunned... as a shadow of a raven-haired queen overlapped with the assassin's face.

She was trying to hide her own embarassment and frustration behind her usual mask, but like my... former lover, she was unsually terrible at it in front of me, or anyone she's close to. Their similarity in their two differing faces were eerily close, with an aloof, teasing exterior on the outside covering a caring side to their close confidants.

Of course, I wasn't saying I was being delusional over a broken heart. They both had their stark differences, for one. Chelsea was a much gentler soul at heart, compared to Semiramis. I wasn't calling her innocent, but her true personality was straightforward and honest... and to be fair, slightly childish and idealistic. She sincerely wanted to change the world into a better place, and fiercely protective of her friends and their safety.

Semiramis... was a difficult woman to deal with as a stranger. Our first meeting was tied through intrigue and selfish desire for entertainment, not a selfish desire for the Grail. As we spent more time together, a kindred spirit between us drew us closer, blooming into something so beautiful and precious to me. She wished for someone who could comprehend her, and I harbored a small desire to live and be treated as a person, not a Saint. In that sense, we complimented each other well.

If the Grail War finished, I was serious in wanting to be with her, if my magic energy permits, and if not, I was sure we both could figure it out. The memory of her passing me every last bit of her magic energy to ensure my survival pained me immensely, leaving me with a scar I was afraid to admit.

The Queen of Assyria, unequaled in beauty and might under heaven, sacrificed herself for my desire, one of which she didn't share, but did so nonetheless.

If only... if only I had confessed my feelings to her, maybe things might've been different.

The moment Dorothea said humans were cowardly in nature, her words stabbed deep into my heart... because I didn't ask the Greater Grail to only bring me to a world worth saving. I... was running, fleeing from the pain of living in the world where she passed and left me behind. I ran, as simple as that, so I couldn't face the harsh truth.

In this mansion, I, Shirou Amakusa Toshikada, was the most cowardly of them all.

What Saint? What Servant? What 'boy of miracles'? This heart of mine, which didn't waver the slightest during the moment of my execution, bled the instant I despaired over her 'death'.

Yes, I knew the Semiramis I met was a mere copy of her true soul sealed inside the Throne of Heroes. Yes, I knew as a magus and a man of the Church, a death of a mere familiar shouldn't affect me. All that matters was the result, and I achieved it all.

Yet, I felt only emptiness in my success.

Oh, how I miss her…

I felt a tender palm cupping the side of my face, snapping me out of my contemplation. My vision was filled with a rare sight of Chelsea's worrying face, her lips pursed tightly. Really, it wasn't my intention to drift that long, but now I only followed in her footsteps, showing her my weak self. Well, I guessed that's fair, given how crudely I egged the two girls' conversation on.

Her thumb grazed my cheek, drawing a neat line downwards.

'Eh?'

What was this gesture? Her face hadn't got better even after I said I was fine, still framed with worry. Why did she do a gesture this intimate?

Feeling something out of the ordinary, I brought my fingers to touch the same part she did earlier.

They're wet.

I... was crying?

It was a lone tear rolling down my cheek which drew Chelsea's concern, as did my own. I had never cried even once in my lifetime, and until now, as unrealistic as it sounded. All sorts of thoughts rushed within my head, voicing doubts about my body's condition, but it was difficult to formulate a clear answer.

"Shirou..."

My mind came to a halt as Chelsea's sweet voice of care washed into my ears. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarassment as I waved my hand around in jest.

"It's nothing, Chelsea. My eye was just irritated."

What a shitty-ass weak lie.

It seemed Chelsea agreed with my opinion, and she enveloped both sides of my head with her hands, pulling my face down to her eye-level.

"Please... stop the bullshit," she softly said. "If it's something personal, then I won't pry too much, but please... If you're hurt, it's fine to let others know sometimes, yeah? Just... just tell me if you want to..."

My eyes peered deep within Chelsea's own light red orbs, and I could tell she was not going to let me weasel my way out of this. Really, sometimes she's just too nice for her own good. I could hypnotize her to avoid this situation, but for reasons I didn't even know, I chose not to.

I wordlessly stepped out onto the balcony, Chelsea following my steps. Moonlight had begun to illuminate the surroundings, taking me off guard regarding how much time Chelsea and Dorothea squabbled earlier. That said, the silver light bathing across the neatly manicured, European-styled garden painted a beautiful image.

Turning around to face her, my Holy Shroud trailed like a bloodied river across the air. I bitterly smiled at Chelsea, saying, "No one has seen me like that. Congratulations."

"Still keeping it up?" Chelsea sighed with exasperation. "Shirou, you've been a beacon of hope for everyone here, and that's even including myself! You don't have to put up a strong front every damn time! I've always..." Chelsea paused, her voice increasingly getting higher and higher, before continuing more sedately, "We all have a mask, and blame me for being a hypocrite about it, but you don't have to bottle everything youself! Let us help you, even just a tiny bit... Nothing good will happen if you, our leader, breaks down in a crucial moment. Isn't that what comrades are for?"

She stepped forward, her hands gripping the sleeve of my shirt. "I say this... because you're far too good in masking it all behind a facade. I was this close in believing it, but we... no, I want to know the real Shirou on an emotional level." Her voice grew meek, saying, "Because... it's unfair how you saw through me... so I thought... it'd be good if... Argh!"

She doubled back, hands clutching her head.

"Damn! Why is this sort of thing so difficult!"

Looking at the frustrated girl, a corner of my lips rose in amusement, my pain slightly lessened.

"No, no, that's fine... I understand," I replied, trying to keep the mirth from bleeding into my voice. Clearly, I failed, since Chelsea shot me an annoyed glare. "Really, honest. Thank you for that..."

I looked up into the night sky, my fist clenched ever-so-tightly.

"It's just... you reminded me of someone dear to me."

Her face wasn't clear to my eyesight, but I could tell Chelsea was listening intently.

"I thought... it wasn't fair, for you to resemble her so much. But you do," I continued. "Like you said earlier, the thing I should fear the most is the lost of my comrades... and I did lose her, even after we've achieved what we fought so hard for. She was... my partner, in a sense."

I shook my head, trying to clear away my dark thoughts.

"It's unfair... Why was I punished like that? Why take her away, instead of me? I don't understand..."

"Am I... bringing you pain?" Chelsea asked tentatively.

"I don't know," I honestly answered. "She was... special... to me. I... Many people had died for me, and the cause I and the others were fighting for. But she... she alone, after she left, I felt true pain..."

I chuckled. "Sorry, showing you something this pathetic. It's just a recurring problem lately, and I learned how to deal with it, so don't you blame yourself."

A loud bang disproved my words, as one of my palm had inadvertently crushed a part of the railing.

Uncaring, Chelsea moved to rest on the railing on my other side.

"This girl you're talking about must have been very special to you," she said. "She... was your lover, wasn't she?"

There's something in her tone I couldn't quite figure out, either to my current mental predicament, or she's revealing another emotion I hadn't witnessed her did yet. Either way, this direct question wasn't something I could remotely lie to, even to myself.

I nodded solemnly.

Suddenly, alarm bells rung inside my skull.

I hurriedly checked Chelsea's condition, and on reflex, halted both her wrists from joining together with her neck artery; a thick, long metal needle clutched inside her fingertips.

"What..." I growled, "are you doing?"

She calmly smiled at me, in that discerningly similar way to how Semiramis did in the past.

"Shirou, will you be happier if I died?"

"Don't talk such nonsense!" I instantly blurted out. "You just said you fear death, right? There's no need for this idiocy!"

I wrestled the needle from between her fingers, and easily snapped it like paper toothpick.

"You're wrong," she bluntly replied. "I said I don't fear death... if someone precious to me can be saved instead."

Now needle-less, her palm caressed my cheek.

"I'm offering my life to you, Shirou," she said, relaxed, with a small smile on her face. Tears started to gather in the corner of her eyes, but her gaze was as resolute as ever.

Slowly, she brought her free hand near the skin of her collarbone.

I knew of this technique. A must-have for assassins, a pressure point must be pressed with sufficient force to destroy one's windpipe, able to be performed bare-handed. As a skill, it's very useful for killing an enemy when one's weapon was confiscated.

My hand shot faster than a bullet, gently wrapping over her forearm and onto her back, pulling her close to prevent her from moving anymore. From the outside, it might've looked like I suddenly pulled her into my embrace, but despite my best wishes, it was more of a life-or-death situation.

"You..." I breathed in her ear, "really are alike, aren't you?"

"Isn't that a bad thing? I thought the resemblance is what was causing you so much distress."

I shook my head, feeling her hair tickling my nose.

"It's just a way of speaking," I argued. "You and her are two completely different people. It's just a moment of remembrance, not me confusing you with her, so stop it!"

Chelsea completely pulled away from my grasp, and gave me a genuine smile, before she reached her arm back and slugged me in the gut. There was enough force behind it to make me take a step back. I could have stopped the punch easily, but I felt like I deserved it so I let it happen.

"Good, because to be honest it's super annoying to hear you talk about how I resemble your past lover! I'm my own person!"

"Very true," my eyes roamed over Chelsea's body, while she gazed at me expectantly. "Semiramis had a much larger bust."

Chelsea blinked once, then twice, and then pinched the ridge of her nose. "I almost like the emotionally weak Shirou better."

"Almost?"

"Just almost," Chelsea shot a wink my way. "I like the fact that I got to see the real you even more."

I crossed my arms around my chest, "I was always the real me, just more emotionally withdrawn."

Chelsea removed her lollipop from her mouth and waved it in front of her. "You keep telling yourself that, Boss Man."

Strangely, she suddenly stopped waving her lollipop around and let her arms droop to the side. With her gaze just now shifted to the moon, she asked me one thing.

"One last question, Shirou. Do you mind if I do something selfish, just to indulge myself a little bit?"

"We humans are selfish by nature, Chelsea," I answered, my calm returned after its earlier forays. "If it motivates you and gives you courage to persist with difficult choices, then I can't say no."

I swear, her grin just became hungrier than ever before.

"Good."

The next moment, Chelsea threw her lollipop off the balcony and approached me with swiftness I didn't even know she possessed.

I felt a soft sensation on my lips for a brief moment before it was gone. Chelsea's hands laid flat against my chest, a small blush on her face, as well as a very satisfied smile on her lips.

"They tasted even better than I expected," she whispered, her breath brushing against my neck softly, before she took a step back.

"Thank you for letting me indulge in my own selfishness, Shirou. I believe that was satisfactory compensation on your part for my assistance during your time of need."

Chelsea made her way back towards the entrance inside the mansion, stopping briefly at the glass door.

"Have a good night, Shirou."

And just like that I was left alone on the balcony, with only my thoughts to accompany me.

A/N: A slightly shorter chapter marking the end of this mini arc. Originally I didn't mean to right the events that happened in this chapter but they sort of just appeared as I was typing away. In the end I was very satisfied with the character development I put into this chapter. Chelsea was always more than just a tease in the AGK manga in my opinion and she has hinted that there is more to her than what the manga showed us before her demise. This chapter also allowed me to set up some characterization for Dorothea, and most importantly build on Shirou's character. Fleshing out Shirou's character has been something I felt like I haven't done for some time. Let me know your thoughts in a review or PM. Also a thank you to my beta for doing a great job as always.

Also the AGK manga is kind of making nervous with some of their decisions but I'm hoping that they can placate my worries. One last thing. Pokemon GO is very distracting x)