Words Count: 4823

A/N: Didn't expect this, did ya'? A day sooner than usual. I actually really like [REDACTED]'s personality and character, a shame she never really plays a prominent role in the original Visual Novel and Anime, so here's a little interaction between Leo and her.

Here's my usual spiel:

You can read from Episode 103 to 111 (And 30 Eps of the Sequel – Fate: False Sovereignty.) in advanced. The Tier starts from as low as 1USD, try it out!

P a tr e on . com (/) LiamThePoor

"Here's the rule: Everything goes. Don't disappoint me, Little Ember." Cracking my sore neck, I calmly told Shiro as all traces of emotions and desires wiped from my face with the sole exception being the perverse desire to harm. "Now, give me your best shot."

The muscles in my calves snapped with monstrous Strength, rupturing the shiny wooden-floor with ease as I shot forth. Of course, with Taiga still behind me, chances were she would be hurt by the fragmented splinters, hence why even as I charged at Shiro like a humanoid bullet, I did not forget to erect a barrier over the defenseless young woman.

"Taiga-nee, this is the nature of our World!"

I screamed loudly, our bokkens clashing with an explosive boom. In an instance, the ground beneath our feet erupted, the glasses built into the building shattering in millions of jagged bits and pieces. My eyes widened in surprise as I felt myself being push back. With my base Stats, I had little reason to use [Reinforcement] against Shiro of all people… Or so I thought.

The little girl whom I had grown to care for and appreciate was not the same one I had left on her own two years ago. No, this Shiro was one Hell of a fighter,

It would appear while I was off in the Witcher-Verse dealing with Mages, Demons and Witch Hunters, our smol Heroine of Justice had not slacked for even a tiny bit– Something I was genuinely appreciative of. This feeling- this uplifting sensation in my chest and below my ribcages… Was this what a teacher would experience when they saw their students focus on the lessons and grow to become someone of importance?

Was this Pride in somebody else?

What an odd feeling… Though, it was not unpleasant in any way.

No, I kind of liked it actually.

In fact, I'd say I liked it a lot more than I had thought.

With a mighty swing, the future Heroine flung me back, the heels of my feet digging into the floor in order to slow the momentum. I could end this here and now with a [Blink] if my purpose was to discourage the smol girl, I doubted Shiro would be able to react in time, let alone fight back if I were to use even a fraction of my arsenal, but the fight was meant to both introduce Taiga to the Moonlit World and evaluate Shiro's swordsmanship.

Though I must admit, through that short exchange, I was able to grasp Shiro's proficiency in [Swordsmanship] a bit and could confidently say she was definitely more skillful than I was,

Her edge-alignment was the stuff dreams were made of,

The way her bokken slid down mine, trying to jab at my belly was incredibly smart,

But, the Heroine was still wet behind the ears. She had mastered all the basics movements in a Sword Art, and her instinct for battle was razor-sharp, yet was having a hard time trying to break through my defenses. Do keep in mind as an avid Practitioner of the [Sword God Style], I had always focused more on offense than defense and Shiro still had troubles… In case you got the wrong impression, I was in no way disappointed with Shiro.

I was quite proud in fact!

She's learning at an extremely exaggerated rate, every strike she parried was done with an ease I wouldn't have been able to replicate without my Supernatural Strength, Agility and Perception. Every swing she made was deadly, aiming straight for my vital-areas with naught a care in the World for my safety.

'That is it! THAT'S MY FUCKING GIRL! Way to go, Shiro!' A twisted, excited smile sprouted on my lips, not out of sadism or masochism or anything of sort, but proudness in my wayward Apprentice. Shiro responded with even more aggression, slowly gaining ground with every attack she made. Sadly… It'd seem her lack of battle-experience was holding her back.

Our weapons, while wooden, were swung at a speed that made sure the bluntness of them would not matter. A single hit struck true and either one of us would be out for the count, and the longer this spar went on, the more deadly our duel became.

I pushed myself off the ground, bringing the battle airborne as we danced amongst sparks.

And judging from the gasps Taiga let out, it must be quite the sight.

Around us, the once pristine dojo was left in shambles, the floor was demolished, the walls had hair-thin cracks decorating them, and the few objects and furniture had been blown to pieces, or were laying uselessly on the ground. It was going to be a pain in the ass to clean up, but with Magecraft, or the Elder Blood to be precise, it was an hour work at most.

The smol Heroine went for a swing, but she's too overextended.

My bokken, moving at a snail pace, neared her leg.

This would not hurt her too badly, not at the speed it was going, yet to my surprise, Shiro swiftly projected another bokken in her free hand to parry my attack, 'That- That was Archer's–!'

The other countering with a stab that…

'She actually managed to land a hit?' Crimson droplets marred my right cheek, splattering my spotless white shirt. I stood still in shock, narrowly dodging her swing at my temple. Seeming to have realized something was wrong with me, Shiro snapped out of her battle-induced trance, hints of the killing-machine I was battling nowhere to be seen, her beautiful amber eyes tearing as she leaped forth in concern. "Leo-senpai, are you alright?! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to– I didn't know what came over me and–"

Her hands reached to the cut on my cheek, caressing it carefully, as though she was afraid of hurting me, yet… I lowered my head further, arms circling my stomach as chuckles bubbled up my throat. Before Shiro could even properly register what's happening, I pulled her into a bear-hug, laughing like a maniac while Shiro yelped and Taiga, having finally broken out of her shock, raced towards us. "You're a genius, Little Ember! YOU'RE A FUCKING GENIUS!"

Not something anyone of the original cast would have used to refer Emiya Shiro, yet in this moment, I could sense it still, the nigh unnoticeable trembles that wracked my body.

The smol Heroine herself might not have realized, but when she threw the attack, I could have sworn she was using Rank: Veteran – [Sword God Style], a Rank I myself had not grasped. In Mushoku term, within those brief seconds, Shiro had broken into the Advanced Stage. "S- Senpai, please let me down, I'm–"

"Nah-Fuck that! My Little Ember is a sword-genius!" I spun around with Shiro in hands, never suspecting an attack from behind as Taiga, ever the 'responsible adult' amongst us, smacked me over the head. "I- What the fuck?"

"Language, young man! Momma didn't raise a thug!" She said, nostrils inflated.

Dropping Shiro, who seemed quite nausea, I pointed at Taiga. "You shut up! When have you ever raised Shiro and I?! If anything, it's the other way around, you bum!"

Not to be outdone, the Tigress of Fuyuki jumped on me, her slender bicep closing in on my neck. "You think just because you have Magic and have grown a bit taller, you can talk back to me, you brat?!"

I lightly and jokingly tapped her forearm, pretending to struggle as I reached a hand to Shiro. "Shiro-chan, help me! Taiga-nee's trying to kill your poor senpai!"

To my shock, Shiro just glanced at me, then away, fingers jamming into her ears to block out my desperate screams. "SSSHIROO–! HOW CAN YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON– ARRRGHH!"

Taiga's knuckle grinded on my head, leaving my hair a complete mess while the woman herself smiled sadistically- a smile I had only seen on her when she's using that accursed blade– The dreaded Tora-Shinai.

Legends had it, the Tigress of Fuyuki had destroyed every opponent in her path with this same bloodthirsty grin on her face. It looked like the feared Leonis Magnum might be added to the growing list today… "So now it's Taiga-nee, huh? I thought I was a bum, you brat?!"

"No, no! You're the most beautiful woman in Fuyuki–" Technically, that wasn't wrong. While Taiga never acted like it, she was quite the beauty, and since Gil was currently out of town, the Title fell on her shoulders. As for Rin, Shiro and Sakura, they were a tad too young to be included in this contest. "– Even if you spend most of your time mooching off Shiro's cooking and munching them down like a starved tiger–"

"What did you say?!" The pressure on my head increased substantially the moment those words left my mouth. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?! I'M NOT A TIGER, DAMMIT!"

Held in a chokehold, I playfully clawed at my neck, my head fell crooked the other side, tongue hanging out, eyes wide open with faux desperation. "S- Shiro… D- Delete my- my browser history!"

I croaked, before going limp in Taiga's hold.

"… Wait, are you actually passed out?"

Refusing to answer, controlling my breathing to the point it was unnoticeable for normal people– AKA, Taiga. "Le- Leo? Are- Are you alright? Oh-God! I killed Leonis, Shiro! Grab the shovel and help me bury his body, quick! Wait-No, never mind, I'll ask grandpa!"

I jumped up in indignation, a tirade streaming out my lips. "Why is burying my body your first response, Taiga-nee! Why are you so practiced at this even?! You didn't even try to perform CPR or call the ambulance, you just went straight for the worst possibility, what the Hell is wrong with you, woman?!"

"Oh-Gods! Leonis must have become an Onryō, we need to put him to rest quickly, Shiro!"

"Wait… Wait, wait! I'm not dead, I'm not– Stop hitting you damnable Tigress! Shirooo–"

.

..

…

"Honestly, why do you two fight every time you meet? It's so childish." Shiro, ever the adorably smol Heroine that she was, huffed with her arms crossed.

The expression she wore was a mixture of annoyance, helplessness and exhaustion as she sighed, before pouring Taiga and I each a much needed cup of tea. We would definitely need it for the coming conversation. I don't think she's aware of the looks we were giving her, it was always entertaining to watch Shiro, who was often the shortest in a room acting like she was an adult– It's one of the main reasons why Taiga and I quarreled with one another so much,

It's more fun than both of us were willing to admit.

Judging from the satisfied smirk on Shiro's self-proclaimed 'Elder Sister', Taiga must be having similar thoughts as I. "If we don't fight, how can we get you to fuss over us?"

I teased while Taiga nodded on the sideline. "Aw-Is that a hint of a pout I see there, Shiro-chan? You're so cute when you try to act mature."

As though in sync, I reached out to pinch Shiro's right cheek as the Tigress of Fuyuki did the same for her left. Faced with our 'cruel and insidious onslaught', redness crept on the Heroine's smooth skin. Having been taught carefully by me, the girl knew immediately this was a lost-battle and made for a tactical retreat to the kitchen, shouting. "I- I'll go make some snacks for us, you guys sit here and do not make a mess, alright?"

'Aw… Shiro is lovely even when she's trying to be commanding.'

"Don't worry, Shiro-chan." The Tigress patted her biceps in a manner I bet she thought was reassuring, then winked. "If Leo tries to act out of line, I will beat him up for sure!"

"I don't make messes, you do Taiga-nee." Licking my lips clean of tea, I threw the Tigress a condescending look. Our gazes met, and sparks seemed to erupt between us as our limbs prepared for another round of 'combat'. "What did you say, you little–?!"

"If any of you tries to initiate a fight, you can forget about dinner." Left with no other option, Shiro could only offer us an ultimatum. It didn't have much of an effect on me, since I did not mooch off the girl's kindness, unlike a certain someone here, but seeing the stern guise on the mini-sized Heroine, I relented with my arms raised tall in surrender. "Alright, this is your house, you're the host Shiro-chan. Your words are how it goes."

I then offered Taiga a hand. "Truce?"

The Tigress of Fuyuki pursed her lips, though was thankfully deterred under the threat of her livelihood, or dinner more like. "Fine, truce… But don't think I'll give you Shiro-chan to you yet, I'll get her to marry me one day– *Bonk*– Ouch!"

Bonked on the head by the same waifu she had talk about, the Tigress visibly withered under our amused stares, practically shrinking twice in size, becoming little more than a desiccated, lifeless husk right before our eyes. Silently, she sobbed, hands reaching to wipe the imaginary tears from the corners of her eyes. This all started over two years ago when the Tigress realized how good the Heroine was at cooking,

It wasn't the first time Taiga had jokingly said she was going to marry Shiro, it certainly was not going to be the last either. "Hic… Shiro-chan no longer Onee-chan, I'm so sad, I think I'll die without a kiss on the cheek."

The Heroine and I both rolled our eyes at the pathetic display of crocodile tears, but neither of us tried to offer resistance.

If it was not obvious already, Taiga was clearly joking. Still, Shiro– Ever the benevolent and kind Heroine that she was, decided to give the sobbing Tigress a peck on the cheek, albeit she seemed quite reluctant and embarrassed doing it. While she had her back to me, Taiga sent me a taunting look, a shit-eating grin of triumph.

'This damned woman!' My lips twitched in anger as I protested. "What about me? Where is my kiss?! I demand one as well."

"I'm not giving you one!"

"What? Why does Taiga-nee get one and I don't?! This is sexism! This is inequality of the highest degree, I demand satisfaction!" Bright red, Shiro raced into the kitchen, leaving us alone with one another. "… It's good to know Shiro is still as adorable as ever."

"She is, isn't she?" An uncharacteristically gentle smile graced the lips of the Tigress of Fuyuki, a sight only a rare few had gotten to see. It'd be a lie to say I didn't feel honored being one of said 'rare few'. Then, almost as quick as it came, the expression was wiped clean off her face, replaced by a mischievous one. "Heh, she kissed me, not you… Take that you little brat, I win!"

Again, my mouth twisted and twitched with anger as I lowered my head, bang shadowing my eyes. 'Just you wait… Give it a few more years and I'm totally going to seduce you. Once I'm taller, I'm so going to kabedon you. Let's see who's winning then.'

Contrary to the woman's thoughts, I did not respond with any threat, insult or joke, but an insidious chuckle and a devious smirk, the glint in my eyes causing the (in)famous Tigress to back off, arms covering her body. "Y- You… What are you laughing at?!"

"Oh… Nothing." I glanced off in another direction.

"It's clearly not nothing!" Hissing like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Taiga glared at me, but as though remembering our objective, the Tigress schooled her expression as seriousness crept in her features. "So… You two are Mages, huh? Am I to assume your disappearance was related to this in some ways?"

Despite her usually joking attitude, Taiga Fujimura was still a Don's granddaughter, she didn't seem fazed at the news whatsoever, or at least that's how she portrayed it outwardly. Girl must be freaking the fuck out inside, I knew I'd be had I been in her shoes. Just imagine, the children you played around with and helped raise singlehandedly all of a sudden showing the metaphysical ability to change and modify Reality itself to their needs and desires, albeit to a lesser extends than D&D would have you believe.

"Why now? Why today? Why show me this side of the World?" There was no aggression or blame in her tone, just curiosity and a tad bit of fear. "It's… Well, I'm going to be honest and say, I didn't plan this. Telling you about the Moonlit World was a last-minute decision. I just thought you might be of help in what is to come."

Taiga narrowed her predatory eyes, traces of mirth completely gone. "And what is to come, exactly?"

"Death…" I replied, an air of mysteriousness falling over my presence.

Our gazes met.

"…"

"…"

"You going to explain that?"

I looked out to the courtyard, wanting to disperse the tense atmosphere, I joked. "I suddenly don't feel like doing it anymore."

Perhaps realizing why I was doing this, Taiga played along. "What?! You can't stop now, not after you've wetted my appetite!"

Shrugging, I glanced at her. "Call me the most handsome man in the World and I will tell you everything you need to know."

"'Shameless little bastard/Do I need to get Tora-Shinai out?'"

"Fine, fine." I waved at her. "But first, you must swear to keep a tight lid on this, or not even I will be able to guarantee your safety, do you understand? Mages have slaughtered entire Cities to keep our Side a secret. You'll be harming Shiro, Rin and Sakura if you revealed this to someone else."

Expression hardening, Taiga nodded seriously. "I understand, now spill."

"The Holy Grail War, a War fought by seven Masters alongside their Servants, who are historical Heroes, Villains and everything in between. That's what is to come." I took a tiny sip of my tea, appreciating the gentle aroma much more than what was popular in London and the Clock Tower. "That's how the Fuyuki Great Fire started, Kiritsugu who won the Grail War forced his Servant- Saber to destroy the Artifact, causing its content to spill on the population of Fuyuki–"

"Kiritsugu wouldn't do that! He's–" The Tigress interrupted, only to be hushed into silence by me. "He absolutely would, Taiga-nee. Turns out, the Holy Artifact was cursed, a malevolent entity has inhabited it for decades and had it been unleashed on the World, the destruction would not have stopped at Fuyuki… Don't get me wrong, I despise his ideals, I loath his way of doing things even more, but if the Magus-Killer hadn't chosen the lesser of two Evils, I sincerely doubt we would be here to talk right now."

"I- But…"

"You must understand, Taiga-nee, this isn't a fairytale… Heroes lose and die miserable deaths in our World, the few who survive the harshness of it are almost always left traumatized and changed, oftentimes for the worse. It's why I want Shiro to abandon this Hero-Complex of hers, but the girl can be more stubborn than a mule at times."

"That doesn't explain why you're telling me this now." Taiga retorted.

"I was getting there." I replied. "The Holy Grail War takes place in Fuyuki every half a century. The Artifact needs time to gather Mana. I know what you're thinking, if the last War was fought three years ago, then why should you be worried, am I right?"

The Tigress of Fuyuki nodded, listening intently. "Well, when Kiritsugu destroyed the Holy Grail, all the Mana didn't go away. It got sucked back into the Artifact via the Leylines of Fuyuki, which means the next War will start much, much sooner than anticipated. In fact, I have it in good authority it will happen seven years from now… Every major player such as Shiro, Sakura and Rin will get dragged in due to their status. I will definitely get involved too, but whether I'm a Master or not remains to be seen."

"So Sakura and Rin-chan are Mages too…?" The woman pressed a thumb on the crease of her brows in a futile effort help her acclimate with this new Reality she had found herself in. "And you know this how?"

I smirked. "Would you be surprised if I said I could see glimpses of possible futures?"

Taiga let out an exhausted and frankly strange sigh. "I'd be surprised… But it's not out of my expectations given what you and Shiro have demonstrated."

Putting down her own cup, the Tigress of Fuyuki stared at. It's that moment it struck me, I wasn't talking to the fun-loving, airheaded Onee-san I often joked around with. No, I was talking to the granddaughter of one of the greatest Dons in Japan– Raiga Fujimura who, according to Sasaki's informants, basically had a third of the Japanese Government by the balls.

"What can I do to help?"

Now that's what I'm talking about! "I wish to create an Organization, a Company to help deal with the repercussions of the Supernatural. I believe you, or rather your grandfather can help with this, but I don't know how to bring it up to him."

Taiga sunk into her tatami mat, seeming thoughtful at my suggestion. "I can bring the matter up to grandfather, but I need proofs. There's also money to worry about, it's not cheap running an Organization like that. Not to mention, when you said 'deal with the repercussions', what exactly do you mean?"

My body shook at her question, the nervousness in her body language was evident to my sight. Taiga was worried, and I couldn't blame her. "Normal people can never hope to contend against Mages and the Supernatural, that's a fact, so I'm just talking about covering up evidences of their existences and evacuation of civilians should the need ever arises."

I cared not for the innocents, nobody was ever actually innocent in my eyes, but Shiro, Rin and Artoria did. "As for money, I have it covered. I have bough stocks from a bunch of technology-giants in the future, won't take long for it to bore fruits."

"Seems like you have had time to think this through. Can you visit my grandfather tomorrow, Leo? It will be easier if you're there."

"That's not an issue." Opening a portal to my Workshop, I grabbed a phone. It looked like a normal, blocky thing sold to the military, but it had been heavily modified by me, and its main-board had been replaced by one of the Communication Gem I created. "Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, which I won't elaborate further, I can not remain in Fuyuki for too long. I wish for you to run that Organization in my stead."

"I- What?!" Taiga jumped in her seat.

Yes, you heard that right. I wanted Taiga to run it, she's the best possible option right now. Her grandfather, being the powerful Don he was, could help her with the logistics and teach her how to run a shadowy Organization much more effectively. Plus, Taiga herself was quite the fighter. While nowhere near the level I, Shiro and the Servants operated in, she had tapped into her Ki, or Chi unconsciously. It's how she could overpower larger opponents and men twice her size.

Nobody was better for this position than her. "I know you wish to be a teacher in the future, and I have no doubt you will be a great one, but this is more important than your dream or my… It's a matter of survival."

Taiga bit her lower lip. "Why me? What aren't you telling me?"

I sighed tiredly. "In one of the many possible futures I've seen, a Servant used you to threaten Shiro and forcer her into compliance."

Well, it was Shirou Medea used, but still. "I won't force you, I'm sure I can choose another, but having you in on this will reduce the risks. You'll know what you are up against, and I can pull in a few favors to help your Martial Arts reach a new height- a Supernatural height. Of course, if you want to remain unaware, I can also erase your memory… This will all be just a bad-dream."

I pushed the phone in front of her. "Your choice, Taiga-nee. You can be someone of true importance, or you can hide away. Either way, I will not judge you. I understand this can be too much for someone to take in."

The Tigress of Fuyuki looked at me, at the phone, her hands reaching out hesitantly for the device as though realizing the second she picked it up, there was no turning back. "Why can't you do it?"

"Because of Rin…"

"Rin-chan?"

"Yes, somebody is using me to do their dirty-works. If I refuse, Rin's life will be in danger." I explained patiently, shaking the cup in my hand, watching to liquid swirl hypnotically. "You are the closest to a legal adult amongst us, Shiro is too brash, Rin's poor understanding of technologies will hinder her, and Sakura is simply too… Amenable to truly control an Organization of people with differing opinions."

I stared at her, expression grave. "Funnily enough, you're the only one I can trust with this. The only one I can entrust Shiro, Rin and Sakura's safety with while I'm away. Do you accept?"

Under my intense gaze, Taiga grabbed the phone. Though still reluctant, at the thoughts of her 'Little Sisters' being possibly harmed, the Tigress of Fuyuki did not hesitate to take on a responsibility few would dare. I let out a breath, relieved that she agreed. I had no one loyal on my side, and Alice Quentin needed to remain in the Tower, her information-network and influence were too important for me to even consider relocating her and the House to run what's essentially a Martial Organization.

"I'll do it if it means the girls are safe."

Talking of safe, I really needed to break Illya out, didn't I? With the three major Houses– Tohsaka, Matou and Einzbern on the same side, that's three Servants guaranteed. The Holy Grail War would be a cakewalk. "Thank you…"

I muttered lowly, flinching as Taiga's hand neared my head. "What are you–?"

"You've changed a lot, huh? That serious expression doesn't fit you, Leo-chan." I cringed even more when she pulled me into her bosom. There was nothing sexual about the act, if anything, it was a mix of sisterly and motherly. Rubbing my head, the Tigress of Fuyuki whispered softly. "I don't know what kind of troubles you've landed yourself in, but try to enjoy Life too, okay?"

"I-"

I loved Gil and she could inspire me to do the most reckless, most dangerous shits ever… But this peacefulness, this calm was something I never knew I needed. A sort of peace I had never felt with any of the girls I was involved with. Who would have guessed the (in)famous Tigress of Fuyuki also had this side to her? "Where were you the last three years anyway?"

"I was in another Universe hunting Monsters."

"… For real?"

"For real." I nodded in her embrace, chuckling bitterly. Sure, there were aspects of the Enforcer's lifestyle I liked, but most of it had been complete and utter shit, both literally and figuratively. "I actually came back four months ago, but a lot has happened since, and now I have about two hundreds Vampires to hunt before Rin gets the stick."

"It has been hard on you, hasn't it?" Her fingers tenderly ran through my hair. "Nee-chan will take care of this for you, so don't worry too much alright? It will be a shame if that handsome face gets wrinkles so soon."

"Taiga-nee, Leo-senpai, the food is–" Taiga and I practically jumped away from each other, coughing to hide the embarrassment at getting caught in such an act. Shiro just stood there, a knowing smile dancing on her lips as she glanced at us. "Why are you pulling my hair all of a sudden, Tigress!"

Catching on to what I was doing, Taiga also shouted. "Don't call me a tigress!"

We continued to fight under the mirthful gaze of the future Heroine.

I was addicted to the feeling of victory, even more addicted to the sensations during those fleeting moments where I held the lives of my enemies in the palms of my hands, but… That peacefulness,

I wouldn't say I disliked it.

'There are things to do, people to kill, Leonis. Don't grow soft on me now.' I reminded myself, not realizing the seed for it had already been planted.