Disclaimer: These are works of purely speculative fiction. It is not intended to infringe on any rights by any of the companies and/or individuals involved in the production of any series mentioned here. Fate Grand Order and all the franchises and series associated with it, are owned by Kinoko Nasu, Notes Co., Ltd. and their affiliates. Similarly, Fire Emblem Heroes is owned by Nintendo Co., Ltd. and their affiliates.
I DO NOT OWN THESE FRANCHISES.
Sister Fanfic: Serious Side Reels - A Grand Order of Heroes Sidestories
The sun peeked over the horizon, and its warm rays lit up the darkened sky with a light blue hue. It still wasn't bright enough to turn the sky completely blue, but it provided enough light for all the servants and clergy to walk down a path without the need for a lamp ad they started their daily routines.
Libra was one of many who had risen early with the sun. He hailed from the World of Awakening as they called it here, from the country if Ylisse.
He was known as many things, a war monk, a healer, a friend to many, and most importantly, a Shepherd. However, there was one thing that he wished more people saw him as.
A man.
Due to his effeminate features, such as his slender frame, soft-spoken voice, and long blonde hair, many people who met him easily mistook him for a woman, a fact that caused him great dismay.
Libra felt a small migraine hit his temples as he remembered the various times he was mistaken for a woman. While he had gotten used to them compared to his youth, they still were so frequent that he was left exhausted by the number of people who debated in hushed whispers about his gender behind his back.
Libra shook his head, it was too beautiful of a morning to worry about such thoughts and decided to focus more on his morning walk.
Back home and here in Askr, he always loved to take a stroll by a tranquil stream prior to giving his sermons, as it calmed his heart before speaking to the churchgoers. Even after years of practice, public speaking was not easy, so having a moment to relax was essential.
He usually followed the same route to and from his house to the chapel, exchanging pleasantries with the common folk as he wandered, but today he wanted to do something to shake up the monotony and took an alternate path.
After waking up earlier than normal, he decided he could afford to spend the extra time to clear his head and also to bring the small trepidation in his heart down a few notches. He was confident that he could deliver his sermon to the devoted followers of Naga without stuttering due to years of practice, but public speaking still took its toll on his nerves.
As he walked near a tree, just after crossing a bridge, he stopped in place. His hearing was good enough to make out the sound of someone singing.
"Lemme see, lemme see, lemme see aaahh."
What a strange song. It almost sounded like the singer was singing along to something and having a hard time remembering the lyrics.
He turned and caught sight of the mop of vibrant red hair swaying with the wind. The voice belonged to Gudako, the summoner who had single-handedly ended a war with her heroic spirits. She was currently kneeling near a colossal pile of clothes, working diligently to clean them by the cool stream. All the while she sang to the beat of a song that, upon closer inspection, could be heard faintly coming from Gudako's head.
Foreign music aside, what was more impressive was the sight before him. In the short time he had known the summoner, she had always shown herself to be a messy and lazy individual. She always woke up late in the morning or early in the afternoon. So he never would have expected to see her awake at the crack of dawn, washing fine clothes hours before she normally awoke. It was even more impressive considering she had easy access to those "washing machines" the servants were all fascinated by.
It spoke a lot about her character that she chose to do this chore the hard way. He had stopped walking and decided to focus on her, judging her diligence. He nodded in approval as he saw the appropriate steps, detergents, and posture needed to clean the garments next to her.
A bright light hit his eyes, causing him to squint. Once he adjusted his sight, he focused his attention on the source of the shine, which was in her hands. His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when he saw what she was using to clean the lavish clothes.
Rather than being made of wood like most washboards, the one Gudako was using was made entirely of gold. The gaudy object in her hands brought back memories of a certain individual, a certain tyrannical "heroic" spirit who exuded supremacy and lavishness.
Instantly, the small smile he wore when he saw Gudako's diligence soured. It would seem that this change in her behavior was once again the doing of the arrogant god that came through the summoning that day.
"Good morning," he called out, announcing his presence. The sound of his voice was a sudden interruption for Gudako, who paused and turned to face him with a small smile, clearly surprised by his appearance.
"Libra! Good morning," she greeted him. "Give me a moment, I need to pause." The summoner took out her flat 'smartphone,' as she called it, and tapped it for a few seconds before turning back to him. "Something you need?"
Libra noticed the enormous pile of clothes and became concerned. "That's quite the mountain of clothes you have there. Do you need any help?" he asked, offering his assistance.
Gudako let out a small laugh. "I appreciate the offer, Libra, but His Majesty expects me, and only me to clean linens," she explained, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
Despite this, Libra still felt guilty seeing her like this and being unable to do something about it, considering she was being forced to cater to the whims of an arrogant god. "I hope he isn't giving you too hard of a time," he asked with concern.
Gudako waved it off. "Nah, this is just basic stuff. It's one of the duties that are expected of his summoner. It's my job to keep him happy and satisfied."
"Does Gudao ever do the same?" Libra was curious about this.
"Nope. King Gilgamesh is old-fashioned, and I mean old-fashioned. Because I am a girl, it is my duty to wash and clean his majesty's clothes. It's considered quite the honor."
Libra nodded his head. Even in his world, it wasn't unusual for royal servants to be seen and treated with high regard among their peers. Regardless, King Gilgamesh was a ruthless man, and Libra couldn't help but feel concerned for Gudako.
"Can you simply tell him 'no'?" Libra asked, although he had an idea what the answer would be.
Gudako instantly responded with a firm shake of the head, "If there's one thing you must never do, it's to defy King Gilgamesh's commands without proper reason. Even then, it might not be enough, since he views himself as superior to all. He expects everyone to be subservient to him, and it's a miracle that no one has angered him too badly since his arrival," she elaborated.
"Have you tried asking for help from the other servants, ah, I mean the maids and butlers?" he had to make that distinction due to many Heroic Spirits also being referred to as servants on occasion, which is a term he and many others saw as derogatory term to refer to a heroes. Especially when many of the people of his world started to become 'demi servants' themselves.
His question was met with a shake of the head. "As I said, only I have the honor of cleaning His Majesty's clothes. Anyone else who does so will be in danger of getting skewered." Libra's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation but Gudako interrupted him with a sigh beforwme he could comment on it.
"That almost happened recently the other day when I caught Flora trying to do my cleaning duties for me. Had I woken up just a second later, she would have ended up nailed to the wall."
Libra hissed at what Gudako told him. As much as he hated the fact that such a dangerous individual was walking around, and as much as he wanted to give a piece of his mind to the man for unnecessary violence, he knew it wasn't his place.
It would seem that not all divine beings were as benevolent as Lady Naga.
"Then there was the incident when during one of His Majesty's walks, we ran into Oboro in the hall…" Libra cringed, as he had met the Hoshidan woman before and knew that the… colorful expressions she gave anyone who looked like they were from Nohr, would not be taken well by someone like Gilgamesh.
Gudako noticed his obvious expression and dryly responded with, "Yeah… I know. Thankfully, Saber Arturia and Okita were there to drag Oboro away to safety before she dug her grave any deeper." Gudako recounted, her enthusiasm waning as she recalled the challenging times she had to appease Gilgamesh.
While Libra was glad to see the summoner be productive rather than sedentary, he still worried for her. Sadly, he could not ease her responsibilities, as it was not his place to insist the redhead to defy a very powerful and unforgiving god. He knew better than anyone that such a thing would be tantamount to suicide,"If you ever need a shoulder to lean on in these difficult times, you are always welcome to visit me," so all he could offer was his sympathies.
"Thanks, Libra, I appreciate the effort but you don't have to worry about me. Gilgamesh might be a bit bossy and picky, but he isn't making me do anything bad. Heck, by his old rules, he has the right to bed me and Mashu whenever he wants, but he refrains from using his authority to do so."
Libra choked a bit on his own saliva when he heard that, but Gudako ignored him and continued, "So don't be too hard on him, okay?"
Recovering from his tiny breathing mistake, Libra nodded.
"Great, thanks! Sorry, I have to cut the conversation short, but I gotta get back to work!" Gudako immediately went back to her smartphone and tapped it before returning to work.
Libra looked at the girl a bit more before saying a small prayer and leaving.
The image of Gudako, surrounded by piles of laundry, weighed heavily on his mind as he continued to walk.
0-0-0
After morning mass, the devout servants of Naga left the chapel and headed into the mess hall, which was located nearby.
Libra was the last to leave, as it was his duty to remain behind to answer any questions the faithful had for him. After listening to the usual older churchgoers gossip about their children, he closed the heavy wooden doors of the chapel and made his way toward the mess hall to break his fast.
Libra wove his way through the bustling crowd, savoring the rare moment of tranquility. When he finally reached the Mess Hall, he greeted the usual faces he saw every day. Even though they were united in their efforts to help Gudako, when it came to eating times, everyone sat in their own cliques.
The Worlds connected to Zenith and the Chaldeans usually stuck with each other in the beginning, but as the heroes of both worlds grew accustomed to each other, they slowly began to integrate into new groups. The Hoshidan Heroes and the Japanese heroes were the first to get along with each other, as they naturally gravitated toward each other because of how many "Westerners" outnumbered them.
"Gack!"
"Oh my gosh, Okita, are you okay?!"
Libra turned to see Sakura fretting over a pink-haired girl as she choked on something.
"It's fine, *cough* a piece of rice went down *cough* the wrong pipe."
"Geez. I thought I told you that you need to eat slower."
"Sorry, I can't help it. This rice is just too good," Okita said as she continued to stuff more rice into her mouth almost immediately after she finished choking.
Seeing that the situation was not as bad as he had feared, Libra continued on his way. He had grown used to such antics long ago and knew that his assistance would not be necessary. Sakura was a skilled healer, and both she and Libra had received basic first-aid training that included how to help someone who was choking.
While Libra and the other healers from Zenith and the connected worlds still had a long way to go before they could perform serious medical procedures, they were now competent enough to handle small emergencies that could have been fatal without their intervention.
"Ah, Libra! There you are, same as always?" Archer asked him. Libra nodded and, immediately after, his meal was presented to him.
Libra thanked Archer for the food and sat down at a nearby table. As a follower of Naga, it was expected that he only eat what was needed, and anything more was considered sinful. It was a belief that few of his fellow clergy back in Ylisse followed, and they were easily tempted to consume luxurious food as a right.
For Libra, a simple bowl of thick oatmeal topped with cinnamon and a small cup of hot tea was enough for him.
As he peacefully ate his meal, a few followers of Naga came up to him and thanked him for his sermon. Some of his friends from the Shepherds even joined him while eating and engaged in some idle chatter.
Eventually, they all had other duties that needed to be done and left Libra to finish his meal in peace. After finishing, he neatly stacked the plates on the side, making it easier for them to be collected. Then, he left a silver coin wrapped in a slip of cheap paper with a few of Naga's teachings as a tip for the busser who would come to clean his mess.
He still marveled at how cheap and inexpensive paper had become since Chaldea had arrived in their lives. Likewise, he knew the price of paper was still much more expensive than on Earth before its incineration, but the few machines that could create high-quality paper still made the product much more affordable than parchment. And so, naturally, he took advantage of the situation to spread a bit of his faith where he could.
Gudako's situation aside, he had thus far had a pleasant start to his morning. His spirits were high and he felt ready to continue the day like normal. Nothing could possibly ruin this day for him.
"Yo Libra-chan!"
Libra froze, his heart sinking as he recognized the source of the grating voice that shattered his peace. Turning around, his fears were proven true when he was met with the figure of a slender person. The figure had dull pink hair that never failed to draw everyone's attention. It complemented its bubbly owner, who was a larger-than-life hero from the country of Earth known as France.
He was also one of the last people he wanted to run into today. Or any day to be exact.
He took a deep breath before releasing a sigh of frustration, realizing that his day had been ruined by three simple words. "Lady Naga, please grant me strength,"
Libra muttered a prayer under his breath, imploring the goddess for the fortitude to face the challenge ahead. He had grown used to people mistaking him for a woman, never losing his temper towards someone if they misgendered him. He held out hope that one day people would see him for who he truly was. It was through his experience that he vowed he would always be open to new things and would do his best to avoid misgendering others.
Then he met Astolfo.
Libra's worst nightmare became a reality as he ended up violating the one rule he had vowed he would never break. He had mistaken another man for a woman, the same thing people had done to him since he was a child.
To make matters worse, Astolfo never bothered to correct him, and the dastard shamelessly played coy with him for days, days!
If it wasn't for Gudako and a few other people gushing about something called "femboy slash," he would have never found out.
Astolfo was a playful and carefree individual who didn't take things too seriously. He didn't care about what others thought of him or his gender. Unlike many others, Astolfo embraced his femininity and didn't bother correcting anyone who assumed he was a woman.
Astolfo had taken advantage of Libra's mistake in the past and continues to tease him about it ever since, causing the war monk no end of embarrassment and frustration when brought up.
Inigo was one of Astolfo's latest victims.
The fool apparently had not learned his lesson when he mistook Libra for a woman. Unlike many of his flirting attempts, Astolfo actually accepted his invitations to tea and humored Inigo with a romantic date.
The poor dastard still had no idea that Astolfo was a man, and by the time Libra had learned of what happened and had a chance to explain his mistake, it was too late. Inigo had already gone on multiple tea dates with Astolfo and even received some pecks on the cheek every time.
Libra still vividly remembered the moment when he revealed the truth to his friend. Inigo, much to his surprise, didn't seem disgusted by the revelation but rather conflicted given how his face was shifting back and forth between a smile and a grimace.
The memory caused him to shudder every time he remembered it, as he wondered what might have happened had he accepted Inigo's advances all those years ago. Inigo was now a married man with a daughter, but back when he was single, how far would he have advanced had Libra not clarified that he was a man?
Libra released a sigh and addressed the elephant in the room, Astolfo, who was staring cutely at him.
Despite his distaste for him, Libra tried to remain calm and collected, hoping to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with the pink French hero. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst. "Good morning, Astolfo," Libra said, his voice calm and measured. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Uwah, you're in a bad mood today. You still mad I catfished you?"
Another reason why Astolfo is a pain to deal with.
"Apologies, I did not intend to display my distaste. Is there something I can help you with?"
Astolfo grinned mischievously, his pink hair bouncing with each movement. "Nope, just wanted to say hello and see how you're doing, Libra-chan."
Libra gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin. He forced a smile and replied, "I'm doing well, thank you. And please, it's just Libra," he just started this fact to Astolfo blankly, showing how unamused he was with his time-wasting.
Astolfo pouted playfully. "Aw, but I think Libra-chan suits you better, don't you think?" Libra's eye twitched, but he managed to keep his composure.
"I prefer to be addressed by my actual name, Astolfo."
Astolfo took a moment to look at him before he shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure thing, Libra. Such a shame, I still think it would be cuter if you embraced your feminine side more often. Ladies love effeminate bishonen."
"Right... Well then, if that's all you needed, then I must be on my way," Libra said, trying to leave the conversation with Astolfo.
"Ah wait! I just remembered what I wanted to tell you!" Astolfo called out.
Libra stopped in place, wondering whether he should just move on and ignore him before turning to hear the pink femboy out.
"You see, Libra, Forrest and that chick from Hoshidoh became really good friends," Astolfo said, "those two are really good at fashion design and stuff, so they went a bit overboard on designing and making clothes. You should see them, they are really cute!"
Libra raised his brow but saw that Astolfo had more to say, so he simply said, "Get to the point."
"I'm getting to it, geez. Long story short, they needed a model to fit the clothes properly and asked me if I wanted to do so. And I said yes!"
Libra did not like where this conversation was going, but still, he had to ask, "And what does that have to do with me?"
"Will you come with me?" Astolfo asked nicely, but Libra was not amused by his offer or his suggestive wordplay.
"I appreciate the offer, Astolfo, I really do. But I am afraid I am too busy at the moment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to," Libra said before turning and quickly walking away from Astolfo.
"That's too bad. Well, I can see it isn't your cup of tea," Astolfo replied nonchalantly before dropping a bombshell that shook Libra's world. "But what a shame, that sexy Naga babe would have totally loved to see you in a cute outfit." Libra froze in place when he heard the words coming from Astolfo's mouth.
What did he just say?
"I thought you might want to participate and impress her. Seeing as how, she wanted to participate in our little show. Oh well, if you can't then you can't. Later!" Astolfo said his peace and walked away from Libra, who was still processing the blasphemy that he had just thrown in his face.
Lady Naga, the deity he worshiped with every fiber of his being, the one who helped bring purpose to his meaningless life, was going to be exposed to Astolfo's salacious and sinful body. And he had the audacity to suggest that he, a devout follower of Naga, should do the same?
Wait, that wasn't that important. To hell with his discomfort, did Astolfo somehow trick Lady Naga into participating in such a sinful activity?!
It took a moment too long before he realized the pink femboy had already left. He turned toward the direction Astolfo had gone, a burning sensation of anger, frustration, and embarrassment rushed to his cheeks, turning them red.
Without a moment's hesitation, he ran in the direction Astolfo went.
If that pink heathen so much as exposes an inch of skin around Lady Naga, he'll peel it off himself.
Hippocratic oath be damned.
The song that Gudako is listening to is Sorge by Wrong City.
Author's Note: If any of you wondered where the hell Gudako was doing that she was missing for so many chapters, well now you know. Gilgamesh was not amused at her slothfulness and put her to work.
For those who want to know, the name of the song Gudako is singing along to is Sorge by Wrong City.
link: /watch?v=Vc5-b48GhH0
And man, poor Libra, even Grammarly has a hard time identifying his gender. Had a few times when Grammrly put up a false flag and told me to change 'he' into 'she.'
Well, thanks again for reading. Be sure to comment, I would appreciate it.