Words Count: 4974

A/N: And here!

Here's my usual spiel:

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p(a) tr. eon(/) LiamThePoor

"Ready?" Plans made, the pair gave each other a nod, their calves tensing in preparation for the dangerous and- most probably- suicidal charge. "Three… Two… One… GO!"

Together, Archer and Shiro burst out from behind the boulder shielding them from harm's way. Only difference was: While the tanned Servant went straight to the tree to find a more advantageous spot, the amber-eyed Heroine instead rushed towards the line of fire like a moth to a flame.

Immediately, there was reaction from Simo Häyhä as bullets- aimed directly at Shiro's forehead- flew forth, yet contrary to everyone's expectations, the young woman did not even try to avoid the shots, swinging around her falchion-shaped Mystic Codes in a graceful, yet efficient manner, cleaving in twain almost every bullet and effortlessly deflecting the ones she failed to predict.

Simultaneously Rin, Sakura and Taiga made a beeline for the highway behind the forest using their reinforced strength. Shiro couldn't hear or see any of that,

All she cared about was the incessant barrage of explosive, armor-piercing rounds raining Hell at her and her surrounding. With the additional trainings she had received, there was no doubt in the amber-eyed Heroine's mind that she was stronger- much, much more powerful than she would've been without Leo-senpai's guidance- Unfortunately, sometimes just giving your best and all was simply not enough.

Shiro could try,

She could attempt to make a difference,

Her Magecraft and Martial Arts could perhaps close the giant existing gap between a normal Magus and a Servant,

But ultimately she was just a Magus whose potential had not been fully realized. Bullet fragments- hot and metallic- dug into the young woman's shoulders and arms, drawing red as she grimaced and bit down on her lip to silence the pained yelps threatening to spill from her mouth. "No… SENPAI!"

From a distance away, the younger Tohsaka screamed mournfully, unable to keep her eyes from glancing at Shiro, yet she was never able to finish the sentence, cut off by two arms- one of her sister, the other belonging to a certain Tigress- which circled under her armpits and over her shoulders, yanking the young woman to safety. "What are- What are you two doing?! Senpai's hurt, we've got to–!"

She fought, struggling, kicking and screaming as she watched her beloved forced back, trying and failing miserably to keep her defenses up while droplets of crimson stained her clothes. "Sakura, I know how you feel, but we can't! We'll only hinder Shiro and Archer if we try to step in now, you have to stay strong! Believe in her- believe in your senpai, Sakura!"

'No… NO! Senpai is- She's–' Panicking, a thought suddenly drifted through her mind. Without a moment of hesitation, the younger Tohsaka summoned all her strength and flailed out of their hold, her sight set on a jagged rock near her feet. "Sakura, what are you doing–?!"

"Taking a gamble!" She shouted, grabbing the rock and raising it high. Uncaring of the idea of pain, the young woman slammed the rock on her hand with such great force that realistically, it should have shattered every bone, torn every muscle in her hand, instead an invisible barrier- which was draining her Mana- appeared. It's a rather odd sight, like staring directly in a raging flame and seeing the air itself being morphed by the heat. 'Leo-senpai, come quickly, please! We need you!'

Yet, no one answered her prayer, the only response she got was a flicker of the bracelet. "We need to go! There are several caches of potions Leo left for us in the Mansion, maybe those will help!"

Over at Shiro and Archer, both were pushing their limits, yet in spite of their efforts, there's only so much they could do when their enemy was miles away.

While more than capable of holding his own, the tanned Servant unfortunately could not match the sheer rapidness of Simo Häyhä's shots, not with his primitive bow and arrows- which required the sort of 'inhuman' strength and concentration few could hope to achieve to even draw and aim accurately- and definitely not when he's forced to protect someone else and himself at the same time.

Vision shooting towards the other three girls, Archer's nose scrunched up in annoyance.

'Dammit, what the Hell are they doing? Why haven't they run yet?!'

The lapse in focus was just what the White Death needed to injure his opponent. His bullet punched through Archer's flesh, ricocheting against his ribs like a heat-seeking missile hell-bent on causing the man as much pains and sufferings as possible. Still, the only indication of this was the slight furrow of his brows as the tanned Servant drew the reinforced brow once more.

Not all was lost though,

Arrows and bullets collided, sending brilliant, multi-colored sparks to light up Fuyuki's sky. "Bombardment? Fine, two can play that game."

Releasing a loud sigh, Archer closed his eyelids shut and started chanting.

"My core is twisted in madness–" His Aria was loud, his instruction clear.

In less than a minute, his Mana was shaped into a lance-like sword, defying even the Laws of Gaia as the closest thing to a perfect imitation of a Noble Phantasm was conjured from his World to Reality,

Its form then morphed into that of a sleek arrow through [Alteration]. The tanned Servant needed only to say its name to call upon its unrivalled might, and scream it Archer did. "– Caladbolg!"

Space and Time were torn asunder,

Ripped, twisted and rolled into one another as the Broken Phantasm shot forth, spreading waves of unseen, yet incredibly destructive ripples throughout every Dimension known to Humanity.

The moment it reached the other Servant's location, Archer released the shape he had forced upon the 'Rainbow Sword'. Without the tanned Servant's commands, the Broken Phantasm was forcibly reverted to its original shape- a mass of Mana strong-armed into a Broken Phantasm.

Imbued with the might of Caladbolg, the Mana ruptured, sweeping past everything and everyone in its wake, leaving naught but devastation and deaths.

Unfortunately, by that time, the White Death had long fled the scene, understanding how outmatched he was in sheer destructiveness. After weighing his options- both the pros and cons- the Sniper didn't even hesitate to escape further into the City. Thankfully, since Häyhä had stationed atop of a Skyscraper, Caladbolg only managed to destroy a small section of the building, before making a beeline to the infinite expanses of Space-

Its light challenging even the dazzling radiance of the Stars.

"Archer, did you get him?" Through the telepathic-link between the two, Rin's worriedly asked. "Unfortunately no–"

Pausing, Archer's scowl grew more prominent as he continued. "– It seems the enemy has barely managed to escape the blast-radius in time, Master."

"Then is Shiro alright?!" At the name, Archer's eyes flickered towards the young woman's unmoving and prone form with a strange mixture of concern and disgust. "I'm not sure, she looks hurt…?"

His grasp on the single white falchion tightened as Archer approached himself- or in this case, herself.

This person was him and not simultaneously, he knew the look in her eyes- he could see the signs: The stubbornness, the determination, the lack of self-worth… He so easily could end it right here and save her from a lifetime of sufferings and this endless Nightmare of an Afterlife.

It'd not be hard at all,

She was already unconscious and bleeding profusely,

She's on her last leg, 'Nobody would question it if she died.'

The traitorous thought whispered oh-so sweetly in his ears, and for a second, Archer felt compelled to obey. He raised his falchion, about to strike her down, but– "Archer, keep her alive at all costs, do you understand! We're returning with potions! These should bring her back to fighting shape at least."

It's then that the tanned Servant noticed the brightly-lit red-marks on the back of her hand. "Are you certain you want to save this girl? She is a rival Master, Rin. She'll no doubt be an obstacle to us in this War, we might as well–"

"Don't you DARE finish that sentence! I don't know what caused this irrational hatred you have of Shiro, nor do I care. She better be alive and well when we reach or I'll make you suffer through every torture method ever invented by men!" Done with her tirade, the tsundere shut off their connection, but not before threatening him with a promise of immense sufferings. Left to his own device, Archer glanced at the fallen young woman.

Yes, he could end it all here…

Yet, was that truly his decision to make? Shouldn't it be left to his female-self? Seeing as she's the one actively being harmed by the sins of her past? He despised her still, though the conversation- however brief- had been able to snap the tanned Servant out of his daze. "I don't even know what to do anymore…"

He sighed, running a hand through his styled, ashen-white hair and muttered to Shiro. "You are lucky, I'll observe you for a period. If there is even an indication that you might become like me–"

Archer trailed off, huffing in anger as Bakuya dissipated in motes of lights, and alongside it, his bloodlust- restrained solely by the Servant's steely Willpower and deep curiosity. He wasn't sure where this came from, but Archer wanted to see the height this… Alternate version of himself could reach with Taiga, the Tohsaka siblings and Leona supporting her so early in her journey. "Ha- What a half-assed piece of shit I turn out to be."

The Servant laughed- a laugh filled to the brim with self-deprecation. "Don't be too tough on yourself, Shirou. Your dream was a beautiful one- more so than others, you merely lacked the opportunities and guidance to actualize it."

"With or without guidance, mine was an unattainable dream." Slowly, Archer turned to face the newcomer. Hair blacker than the abyss, eyes a baleful, acidic green and his voice- so methodical, so calm, yet containing a thinly veiled threat.

He was graceful too- much like her, much like Leona- the teenager's movements were that of a lion stalking its prey, something Archer had commented on plenty after being friend with her for so long.

It was only then that Archer realized something important: His fragmented memories were coming back in droves the instance he set sight on the boy. "Are the lives of those few worth all the lives I've taken- No, been forced to take?"

"It depends on your perspective, really. The people you were forced to put down would be resentful, no doubt. But in return, you're saving Humanity from certain doom, so it balances out?" Tilting his head, the teenager scratched his chin, looking thoughtful as he approached Archer. "Leo, I assume?"

"Leonis Magnum, at your services." The teenage boy- Leonis bowed, his movements deliberately exaggerated as he patted Archer on the shoulder. "You seem to have guessed my identity… Surprisingly knowledgeable, aren't you Leonis?"

'Just like Leona.' Was left unsaid, but the Servant could sense it- the suspicion following in the boy's gaze as his eyes followed him. "And you don't seem all that surprised about my presence."

"Should I be?" Archer asked with a raised eyebrow, watching in amusement as the boy schooled his expression. Gone was the sagely look, replaced completely by caution. "I have a childhood friend in the past, her name is- or was Leona Magnum–"

Archer corrected, allowing a brief flash of emotions to creep into his steely gaze. "– And since my Alternate appears to have been… Gender-swapped, it's not unexpected to see Leona has been too."

Despite his efforts, Archer could tell the boy was shaken at the revelation, having seen the same look on alternates of his friend, as if they couldn't quite believe an alternate, gender-swapped versions of themselves could exist in the Multiverse, which the Servant found odd for obvious reasons. Leona had been much the same, they're always so knowledgeable, so… Aware of everything, yet could be taken aback by the simplest of things.

"I- If I heal her, will you try and stop me?" Shakily, Leonis questioned.

"She won't die, not while Avalon's inside her." Archer Emiya explained, weirded out by the concern shown on the boy's face. "You should know this."

"Doesn't mean I should leave her in agony when I could help it…" Nonchalantly, Leonis shrugged, approaching with a bottle of potion in hand. "Fine, but I'd appreciate it if you never refer to me as Shirou again. Deal?"

"It is your name."

"Not anymore." The tone Archer Emiya used was serious, hiding beneath it indignation and anger. Pushing the sudden bout of aggression aside, he said, his usually gruff and sarcastic voice uncharacteristically soft. "It hasn't been my name since I- since he traded his Soul for the salvation of others. Just call me Archer… Like Rin does."

Stopping briefly, the Servant snorted in jest. "That, or Satan I suppose. My Master seems convinced I'm the First Fallen for whatever reason."

Nearly choking on spits, Leonis carefully pried open his alternate's lips. "Sorry, inside–"

"Inside joke, I know. Gods know I've heard that excuse too many times to count."

Ad he gently poured the mixture in Shiro's mouth, Leo glared at Archer with narrowed eyes. "Just so we're clear, regardless of your relationship with- with Leona–"

As though the words were bile in his throat, the teenage boy forced out a stuttered, "– I- I'm not interested in guys whatsoever- I do not swing that way and I doubt I ever will so just- I don't know, don't expect anything I guess?"

"… Good to know? 'Cause I don't bat for the same team either." Visibly relieved, the boy let out a quiet sigh as he focused on his gender-swapped Alternate. "Well, that's a relief to hear."

It's then that they both heard a loud cracking of branches a small distance behind them. ""About damned time they come back…/Took them long enough.""

They echoed in unison, chuckling before turning to face the three girls carrying a large cache of potions like it's their lifeline. "Rin, Sakura, Taiga-nee… It has been a while–?!"

Whatever Leo was trying to say was caught in his throat when a sheathed katana came barreling towards the boy as though to reflect its Wielder's rage. "Leonis, you little shit–!"

"Actually, as you can see it's 'big shit' now–" He taunted, but not before throwing a side-glance at the redhead's motionlessly prone form. "– And instead of insulting me, shouldn't you tend to Shiro's injuries first, Taiga-nee?"

"Urgh…" Although the Tigress was snarling in anger, she didn't make to attack again, not for a lack of trying mind you, she merely weighed her options and realized she would not be able to harm the boy without her katana. "This is not over! We're gonna fix Shiro right up so she can curse at you alongside us!"

"Senpai!" From the distance, Sakura- his kouhai, ever the kind and caring girl she was, raced to his Alternate like a moth to a flame, exhausted and worried. "SENPAI! I- Here, I'll feed you the potions–"

"You probably shouldn't. I've already fed her potions, more and it will cause adverse effects to her instead." Stopped by Leo, Sakura could only kneel next to her senpai, allowing Archer's Alternate to rest silently on her lap. "The- Then why hasn't she woken up yet? What's going on with the Holy Grail anyway?! And don't tell me you don't know, I know you do Leo-senpai!"

Closing his eyelids shut, Leo whispered. "Well, I guess there is no point hiding it from you guys further… Let's have this talk somewhere more suitable- safer, shall we?"

— [Fate: DML] —

None of the girls had changed much,

Though I did sense an undercurrent of suspicion from Sakura and even Rin herself. I wouldn't lie and say the look didn't sting, but since I had chosen this path, I only had myself to blame. After all, it's completely reasonable for the girls to be distrustful of me, a person could change a lot in a few months and I had been away for years.

"I'll take care of Shiro, can you three–?" The younger Tohsaka looked worriedly at us.

"We'll be fine, Sakura. Take care of Shiro." The tsundere reassured, turning to me while her sister helped Shiro onto the sofa. "Now, explain Leonis."

"What, no drink to soothe my parched throat?" I joked- a desperate and futile attempt to ease the tension- Though judging from the looks the girls sent me, murderously angry, it didn't work. Not at all. "Alright, tough crowd tonight… 'Kay, what do you guys want to know? Ask and I will try to answer as best I can."

"Leonis, did you know?" Wasting not a moment longer, Rin asked, elaborating further. "Did you know the Fifth Grail War was going to start four whole decades earlier than it's supposed to?"

I could tell, it wouldn't matter even if I lied or spoke the truth, the tsundere had already made her assumptions, she's merely looking to confirm them. "I- Well, I did… I also know why the Fifth War has started much earlier than expected, but we will have to go over the Fourth War to really understand the whys. It's going to take a while, so you two might want to take a seat. Archer–"

My gaze shot towards the man in Astral Form, "– First, I'll remind you that it is only a matter of time before they find out… If you want to admit something, now's your chance."

"Eh, I think I'll pass."

"Archer!" Rin shouted in indignation. "What does he mean? Elaborate!"

"Bossy aren't you, Master?" Archer rolled his eyes as he taunted, glancing at me from the corner of his vision. I still couldn't believe another version of me existed in his Timeline- Leona Magnum… By Gil's golden grace, the words sounded strange through his mouth and even stranger in my head. "Again, there is no point hiding it from them. The dream-cycle will inform Rin of your past anyway. Might as well say it now, and save yourself the dramas later."

"I guess?" The Servant looked at his Master- uncharacteristically serious- and drawled. "I am- or rather was Shirou Emiya from another Timeline. Yes, I am very much a guy and I do possess a hatred towards my Alternate-Selves due to their destructive ideals. No, I do not plan on killing… Shiro even though I really want to. Any other question?"

"I- You- What? What are you talking about?!"

"To sum it all up–" I cut in rudely. "– He's a version of Shiro who's not only male, but also incredibly bitter, old and hides his pains under a mask of sarcasm. The Fifth Grail War starts early because the Victor of the Fourth has yet to make a Wish. The Grail is cursed to Hell and back due to the actions of the Einzbern in the Third War. Kiritsugu realized this, hence why he ordered his Servant- Saber to obliterate the Grail via a magical nuke."

"You're kidding, aren't you?"

I did not deign her question with an answer, instead continuing with my tirade. "To top it all off, since the Grail was never actually purged of the evils, any Wish made from the Third War onwards will be twisted beyond recognition to bring the destruction of Humanity unless we do something about it."

Archer nodded at my words, shrugging with his arms crossed. "What he said is the truth, albeit a bit too simplified."

"No way… I refuse to believe it! There is no way my cute little Shiro will turn into a towering mountain of muscles like you!" Angrily, Taiga scowled at Archer. Why do I have a feeling she just missed the main points of the conversation completely? Oh-Right, she did. Meanwhile, Rin seemed lost, her feeble mind trying and failing utterly to process the information. "I- Is this a joke? You two are fucking with us, aren't you? Tell me you're joking, please!"

The tsundere gave us a pleading look, but neither Archer nor I had the heart to lie to her. "Rin, if you want us to lie to you, I'm afraid that isn't possible. What we're telling you is 100% the truth, may the Gods or whoever watching strike us down here and now should there be even a tidbit of falsehood in our words."

Defeated, the tsundere fell into her seat, having visibly aged a year or two. "… What do we do then? None of us is equipped to deal with an apocalyptic scenario! Hell, we're not even equipped to fight a normal Grail War, let alone this- this mess of a Ritual!"

By the end, she was tearing up, sniffling with her red-button nose, which forced both Archer and I to turn away in discomfort. "It's not nearly as bad as you think, Rin. I mean, I've basically spent every waking moment of the last decade preparing for this day–"

Still, it wasn't like I could leave Rin to bawl her eyes out, thus I could only relent and approach in hope of cheering her up. "– Besides, we are not doing this alone. I have amassed an entire group of like-minded people- Magi. It shouldn't take them more than a few days to relocate to Fuyuki. Plus, the Fifth War won't officially start until a new Overseer has been assigned, there is time left for us to get things in order."

I paused briefly and repeated, "Plus, we have two Servants helping us, don't we?"

"T- Two?" The tsundere stuttered, and with a click of my hands, Lancer quickly exited his Astral Form, looking as handsome- or pretty?- as ever. "Lancer, these two are Rin Tohsaka, Taiga Fujimura, and that's Archer. They'll fight alongside us in the Fifth War. Everyone, this is my Servant."

Stunning green hair and dressed in a white robe which seemed to flutter even without the need of a wind, Enkidu knelt "Servant Lancer, at your services."

"Enkidu- The Chain of Heaven?" Hearing Archer's stunned whisper, I swallowed a laugh and asked, watching as Enkidu bow at a perfect, almost machine-like 90 degree angle. "From what I've heard, Japanese care a lot about their manners. My deepest apology if my poor techniques have offended you. Sadly, adapting to a brand-new culture has proven far tougher than I previously anticipated."

"No harms done, Lancer." I waved him off as I took a nearby seat. "Nee-san, how is the Fujimura Group doing–?"

"That can wait–" The older woman snarled at me, baring her teeth in a manner eerily similar to an actual tigress, which elicited Enkidu to leap to my defense, but the Servant's told off by a glare of mine. "– I want you to tell truthfully where you have been for the last seven years, what you were doing and WHY COULDN'T YOU CALL?!"

Voice raised, Taiga grabbed me by the collar. "You tricked me into creating and running this Organization of yours, and just disappeared off the face of the Earth less than a year later, so either you give me a reasonable excuse, or I'll start slashing. Dawnbringer hasn't been able to taste iron lately."

"Are you threatening my Master?" There was naught a change in his emotions- at least not outwardly, appearance-wise- but his intention was clear to all. If Taiga tried to attack, I had no doubt Enkidu would teach her a lesson, likely escalating the whole situation and damaging my relationship with Fujimura. "Lancer… Stand down before I am forced to use a Command Seal on you."

"Master, she–"

"Enough!" After seven years of blackmailing and sending people death-threats, I had learnt a few things. First, stoic men were naturally better respected than emotional ones, more feared too- especially when their masks of stoicism were suddenly broken.

Obviously, I adopted it, learning to school my expression and control my feelings to the best of my ability- a technique which I was using on Enkidu now. "You said it yourself, you're a weapon, and a weapon's purpose isn't to determine its Master's enemies. I'll direct you towards my foes, then and only then can you do the killing, is that clear?"

To highlight my threat, the Command Seals glowed a ominous crimson, and seeing no other available options, the Servant could only comply, entering his Astral Form after a curt, "Crystal, Master."

Next, I set sight on Rin and Taiga, sighing. "Well, to explain why I was gone for so long, I was… Occupied with a job Barthomeloi gave me."

""Who's that?/By Barthomeloi, do you mean Lorelei Barthomeloi?"" Two feminine voices echoed in unison, take a guess as to which's Rin and Taiga! "Yes, that Barthomeloi- the Vice Director of the Clock Tower herself. If you think I've just been fucking around for the last seven years, then you're sorely mistaken. Like I said, I spent every waking moment preparing for the Grail War, and while I wasn't doing that, I was on the road, hunting and fighting Apostles or investing in businesses to support my activity."

It felt like my throat was restricting, like I was buried under a seemingly endless number of odd jobs I was forced to finish.

"It was fucking terrible." The words just escaped my mouth without my notice.

I couldn't breath- I couldn't think, it's just job after job after job. Lips trembling, I clamped on my emotions, wiping it all away as though it's merely a detachable part of myself. I hated it… I hated the ease in which I was able to sweep it away, the World looked like a dystopian shade of grey and white when I did it- everything was washed out and faded and just… Less(?) somehow. "That's- Huh- Leona often did that too."

'Dammit, Shirou. Stop comparing me with my Alternate-Self! You're fucking weirding me out!' Those words were never spoken as I diverted my focus on better things. "I have a group of Magi currently working for me, they're called the Elites and have been ordered to move from London to Fuyuki. Taiga-nee, I'll give you the Leader's number, please notify the Fujimura Group about their arrival. I don't want them to come into conflict, we need to be professional about this."

I didn't need the two groups to unnecessarily come into conflict, even if things were resolved peacefully, chances were the relationship between the Elites and the Fujimura Group would undoubtedly be strained, consequently affecting our teamwork in the future, and with the Holy Grail, plus the fate of the entire World depending on us, I couldn't allow any problem to pop up, not when I could help it. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I have a Castle to fix up."

Fun fact: Did you know Fuyuki had like fifty different castles scattering all over the outskirt? I didn't not until three years ago when I was looking for a place to stay when the Fifth War inevitably arrived. Surprisingly enough, I did find what I was searching for- a castle which looked like it could withstand a fucking nuke and remain standing.

I hadn't had many chances to fix it up, nor the time to put down Bounded Fields to make it the truly impenetrable fortress it was meant to be, but I tried to put as much efforts into it as I could, wanting it to become a place I could call home. "Leonis… Are- Are you alright?"

"Of course I am–" I responded nonchalantly, a lie so convincing even I was almost tricked by it, which I supposed was what I wanted in the first place: A perfect mask capable of veiling my emotions from any and all detection. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I- I just thought- Never mind." After seeing the 'confused' look on my face, neither Taiga nor Rin attempted to dig deeper, which I was rather thankful for. "Lancer, you stay here with Archer to protect them, I'll be right back."

"Master, I can't possibly–"

"That's an order, and you'll listen. Protecting them is protecting me." Enkidu's features twisted with a sharp spike of irritation and insubordination, though he did not try to protest any longer. "Very well, Master. Your order shall be done."

"I'm counting on you." I flashed him a smile, before glancing over at Rin and Taiga as my silhouette slowly faded in a flare of lights. "I'll send you two the address later. You guys can stay there for the duration of the War."

In an instance, I was gone.

There was much to be done.

.

.

.

"He is not alright at all…" Archer whispered with furrowed brows, though none was able to hear it, none except Enkidu that was.

"What a stubborn person my Master turns out to be." Lancer sighed on the side while the girls each left to do their own things. "You think Leonis is bad? Try working under Rin–"

Emiya chuckled. "– At least he doesn't call you Satan."

To that, Enkidu glanced at his fellow Servant. "Are you?"

"What?"

"Are you Satan?" Seemingly unaware of the annoyance bubbling up in Archer, Lancer asked innocently. "You do have the look for it. Your blinding white-hair, that outfit and the constant sarcasm… You do fit all the criteria."

Lips twitching in annoyance, the tanned Servant bit down on the bag of insults he had and deadpanned. "I'm not the Devil."

Enkidu blinked owlishly, before nodding. "Alright, I believe you."

Pushed to the brink, Archer could do nothing but walk off, huffing in exasperation.