In Shirou Emiya's opinion Novum Chaldea was impressive. Despite how cavernous, humid and cold it could get, at least the living quarters were well conditioned. Better still, it had all the amenities for the multitude of Servants the last remaining humans from Proper Human History would summon. And even better still, Sion's Servant, called 'Captain' served as the cleaning staff. Still, Shirou offered to clean himself from time to time. He could not let the small Servant handle everything, after all.
Sadly, today he was forced to leave his comfortable quarters, for the preparations for the summoning system were ready. He had managed to become a Master thanks to Sion and Da Vinci, and thus could Summon servants along his now-partner Ritsuka Fujimaru. However, he had much less potential than her.
Even so, he had managed to summon his beloved Valkyries, and thus he was happy.
He entered the command room, which was impressive in itself. A single holographic display sat at the centre of the room, while some computers and other devices were strewn about, some contrasting with the rock walls of the cavern.
There he spotted Ritsuka, wearing her Arctic Mystic Code, Mash wearing casual clothes he didn't know she had, Sion, Da Vinci, Holmes, and the Valkyries.
Ritsuka turned around and greeted him.
"There you are, Emiya!" Ritsuka said with a smile. He came over, returning it. He took a spot near his Servants. Thrud, Hildr and Ortlinde quickly stood near him.
"Welcome Master," Thrud said.
"Did you sleep well?" Hildr asked.
"We hope the runes worked well to calm your dreams," Ortlinde continued.
The three of them spoke without a pause, a sign of their linked minds.
"I'm fine. So are we ready?" He asked, looking at the summoning circle that had been set up on the middle of the room.
"All systems are green," Sion said, pushing her glasses up while tapping at a console. "You got the Saint Quartz?" Shirou nodded, taking out three pieces of the material.
"Good Mister Emiya. Forgive our lack of funding, but it seems someone used it all during our last adventure." Holmes said, looking at Ritsuka with a raised eyebrow. The girl, noticing everyone's stare, simply blushed and rubbed the back of her head.
Shirou sweat dropped. That trip through Patchwork London had been a nightmare. Losing his memories was something he never wanted to experience again.
"This is just a test right? Not like I'll be able to summon much," he said. He remembered the extremely low luck parameter from his future self, as well as his Valkyries'.
"Yup," Da Vinci said, stepping up. "Your Master compatibility really affects your Summon Rates. Our little Ritsuka here–"
"–I'm nearly twenty!" She complained.
"Until Moriarty leaves, you're still seventeen!" Mash argued. Ignoring them, Da Vinci continued.
"– has, in terms one can understand, an A+++ Master Potential, so her summon rates are outrageous, at least outside the Lostbelts. You, on the other hand, have a D- potential. So without catalysts, and even with them, you're unlikely to summon much."
Shirou sighed. "I see. Well, not like I'll get Super Spicy Mapo tofu or something. I'll just take whomever comes," as he said it, Thrud stepped up.
"Are you sure, Master?" She asked, looking at him in the eye with… was that worry?
"We need all the help we can get. Is there something wrong with Summoning? You sense something will go wrong" He asked with all his honesty. Thrud looked away, eyes narrowed and mouth curved downwards. Then she returned to her neutral self.
"Not at all. Forgive my concern," she said with a sigh.
Pushing his concerns about Thrud away, Shirou stepped up to the summoning circle.
"Let's do it," he said, placing the quartz at the centre of the circle.
"Okay. Initiating Concept Extraction," Sion said, as the quartz disappeared into a blue sphere of light at the centre. "Connecting Divine Power to Main Grid," the sphere split into ten smaller ones that ordered themselves in a circle. "Connecting to the Throne. Beginning Summon," the lights spun around, first slow, then at incredibly high speeds until it formed a circle of light. "We've got something!"
After that announcement, the circle of light spun, collapsed, and then exploded outwards. A pillar of light emerged, nearly blinding Shirou for a few seconds as harsh winds nearly blew him away. It was almost like the night he summoned the sisters.
When it was over, all that stood in the middle of the circle, was a blonde woman in a deep blue dress. He… recognized her.
"I have come in answer to your summons.
I bring the judgment of the scales and the justice of the stars.
My name is Astraea, a terminal of all good in this entire realm.
Even as my Master, are you prepared to be measured?"
The voice, the smug tone, the way her voice carried confidence and pride, yet also fairness, it was unmistakably her.
"Luvia?" he asked, before remembering she was not exactly Luvia. She was a Pseudo Servant, one he met in Patchwork London.
"Wow! A Ruler right off the bat? Good going Emiya!" Ritsuka cheered.
"Amazing! Did you really have D- compatibility?" Mash mused.
Shirou just stood there, flabbergasted. He thought he had lost her. Yes, he cared for Luvia a great deal. She had been… instrumental in getting by in London. She could never replace Ortlinde, Hildr and Thrud, but her support and insistence on Shirou enjoying himself with her helped him stay on the path. Also helped by the fact she constantly tried to hog his attention and 'protect' him from Rin and other mages.
His chest felt warm. Happy.
The Rule Servant looked at him, up and down.
"Oh my, quite the Master." She said, then she locked eyes with him, and her face fell. "What the… S-Shero?" The mention of his name made his heart skip a beat. Then she recomposed herself and smiled.
"You remember me?" He asked. He didn't get his hopes up.
"Not really. But my vessel, yes… she remembered you very well," she said, walking towards him. Then, she stopped, a little too close for comfort, and caressed his face. Her hand was cold and firm. "Consider this a passed judgement." She winked.
Then, another blonde head stood between them. "What do you think you are doing!?"
Luv– Astrea stepped back, expression surprised and amused. "Why! I'm judging him, that's all. It's what I'm here to do. What business do you have with that, little girl?" Astrea asked, putting her full height on display. Thrud never looked more outraged.
"Little girl?! I'll have you know, I'm a Valkyrie. I– We carry worthy heroes to Valhalla!" Thrud said. Then, Hildr and Ortlinde stepped up.
"And Shirou here has already been judged a worthy hero." Ortlinde said, reserved as ever. He was worthy?
"We won't allow anyone else to judge him!" Hildr said, stepping behind Astrea, as if to attack her.
"My! My! What jealousy! You should be punished, for you have become biased, your judgement improper!" Astrea announced, smiling with wickedness.
The Valkyries froze, then all of them screamed in unison. "Jealousy?!"
"We'll make you regret that!" Hildr said.
"If you insist on fighting, a fight is what you'll get!" She said, before summoning scales and a sword. Things were escalating fast.
He felt a nudge on his left arm, and turned to see Ritsuka look at him with a deadpan smile.
"Emiya…" she whispered.
"Y-Yes?"
"Now might be a good time to… you know… control your Servants? The place is brand new." She said before stepping back.
"R-Right!" He said, before going to his group of Servants.
"Okay you four!" He said, stepping in the middle of them. He knew how things went, it wasn't his first time. "Please calm yourselves. We need to work together, and as your Master, I–"
"Ah yes, my Master." Astrea said, stepping up. "I'm afraid this is how this relationship is going to work," Shirou felt killing intent emanate from the sisters at the mention of that word. "You'll do what you want, and I'll do what I want. We'll only travel together. So if you excuse me, I have to judge the other personnel in this cavern." She said, heading for the exit without a care in the world.
But before she disappeared, she looked over her shoulder towards Shirou. "But if you don't mind, we could share a cup of tea, Shero." She winked, and then disappeared.
He looked back at the Valkyrie sisters. They were all blushing furiously, and fuming. Everyone else simply looked amused.
"Well, that happened," Ritsuka stated. Shirou sighed.
"It did,"
Did you know her, Shirou?" Ortlinde asked, hugging his left arm.
"K-Kind of," he replied.
"Was she this… boisterous?" Asked Thrud, hugging his other.
"You know… I think she's worse this way," he said as he felt Hildr float behind him.
The three sisters stuck with him for the rest of the day, as if protecting something precious.
Shirou did not mind, and secretly thanked Astrea.
A/N: A little one shot, more lighthearted in nature. I really enjoy Luvia, so I wanted to write her in. I know Astrea is not exactly Luvia, so I tried to write her so. Also, jelly Valks.
That is all. Now on to Cold Flames: Part 8.