By the Bonfire: Social Standing

"We call them Soapstones." Ash explained as Da Vinci looked over the crystal in her hand "They're used for setting down summoning signs so that we can transport between worlds."

"Really?" Da Vinci hummed "So this is your summoning system, looks a little less stylish than Mash's shield though."

"Aside from its physical appearance." He continued on, ignoring the jab at the summoning stone "The use is remarkably simple. You inscribe your name upon the ground and then wait for another Unkindled to summon you across worlds."

"Can you summon yourself?"

"I only ever witnessed Gael doing such things." Ash shook his head "And how he did so is beyond me. Although given your obvious interest in my belongings-" Da Vinci grinned innocently "-I decided that it would be best to show you our own summoning system, as I have already seen it used in a manner for communication within the Roman Singularity."

"Ah yes, I remember." Da Vinci nodded "Sulyvahn made modifications so that you could send the image through, yes? Not so dissimilar to our own communication magecraft."

"...Quite." Ash replied flatly, loathe as he was to admit any good work of Sulyvahn this was an exception. He wouldn't begin to attempt to understand the intricacies of modifying the spell work of the Soapstones and it had certainly benefited them when during the interference of communications. As well as keeping informed.

"Well." Da Vinci sat it down "This could certainly be useful to us." she paused then shook her head with a wry smile "I say that but it would be more than useful. A more streamlined Service that would allow us to send Servants down without the need to Rayshift them in."

"The summonings are not permanent." Ash explained "They only last so long as the danger is present, even if you could implement it, they could only call upon a Servant for a brief time."

"That works too." Da Vinci nodded her head, humming to herself "Calling Servants down for only a brief time saves us the energy of having to Rayshift them in and out. Fujimaru can still his Servants with him but would be able to briefly summon others to best suit the situation."

"I will not pretend to understand the magic behind it."

"That is because I am a genius!" Da Vinci boasted, rather loudly, thumping a hand onto her chest "Even the complicated magic's of other worlds are no match for my intellect!"

"Hm." Ash gave an unenthusiastic hum, causing Da Vinci to pout at him before she looked back at the box.

"Still...the magic to create a box which breaches upon Imaginary number space would certainly be more useful to have." She admitted "Would save us a lot of space when it came to storage."

"That is beyond me." Ash shook his head "You would need the aid of the likes of an incredibly talented Sorcerer…" he trailed off, a flash of hesitance entered his eyes "And most Sorcerers of great talent were...less than reputable." clicking his tongue, he rested his hands on the table and leaned over it "Even if we found one that wasn't there is still the issue of Havel."

Da Vinci winced "Fujimaru-kun might be able to let our rocky Berserker give him a chance but getting him to leave the other Sorcerers alone-"

"Might present a greater hazard." He completed "Although perhaps if we are lucky we could direct his hatred towards the less reputable mages, that might lessen his temperament...Still surprised he was actually able to form some manner of agreement with Havel."

Da Vinci snorted "So am I...although the Director probably still has him on punishment duty for his rather reckless vacation of the room to rush over to a Servant who actively hates mages."

"With luck, Havel can make a distinction between Sorcerers and practitioners of spells." Ash hoped as he ran his hand through his hair, letting out a breath before he looked back at the – self proclaimed – genius "Was there anything else you required of me? I had promised Arash that I would meet with him later."

Da Vinci blinked at him "Why?"

"He inquired as to whether I had a collection of bows." Ash sighed, shaking his head "When I confirmed that I did have some and was partial to using one at times he wanted to hold a small competition." the unkindled gave a hapless shrug "I'm not very accurate when it comes to Archery as most bows I used were designed for covering an area around the target."

"I assume you I called you away just before you started your little competition?" The woman guessed as she nodded her head, Ash have her a tiny grunt of affirmation "I suppose I should have expected that." she mused, shaking her head "Although I wouldn't hold out much hope of beating him." the genius gave a wry smile "'Humble Archer' he might be but there is a reason he is regarded as a great hero of Persia. Knight of the sun-"

"Warrior of Sunlight."

"Don't be pedantic." Da Vinci chided without missing a beat "Effectively the same thing. Knight of the Sun or not, I'd still fancy his chances against yours, especially given your own penchant for swords." she reasoned before cupping her chin in thought "Although according to Gareth you seem to have quite a lot in common with Sir Gawain...and its quite odd that your Firekeeper apparently looked like King Arthur."

"She also looked like Nero." Ash pointed out with a flat expression "So I doubt I have much in common with the Knight Gawain aside from physical appearance."

"Hmmm." Da Vinci hummed in response "Well, there's a good chance you might one day meet him. Given that Fujimaru-kun will likely summon more Servants in the future."

"I was under the impression that Olga was irritated at the quantity of Servants." Ash remarked, frowning in puzzlement and tilting their head slightly "Was I mistaken?"

"No." Was the immediate reply "But we're in for a penny at this point." the genius continued on as she threw her arms wide "Might as well be in for the whole bank."

"Well...No concern of mine." Ash shrugged, Da Vinci rolled her eyes and gave him a patient smile.

"I'm sure that Fujimaru-kun won't replace you." She reassured him, the amused smile on her face only had the Unkindled regard her with an indignant expression "You are his first properly summoned Servant so you'll always hold a special place in his heart~"

"...Why must you feel the need to phrase it so strangely?" Ash tilted his head and thinned his lips.

"And yet you don't deny it!" Da Vinci pointed out, her expression victorious as Ash stilled in surprise. His face soon morphing into one of apathy in the presence of her overwhelming enthusiasm. At least he thought it was enthusiasm, either that or it was a mass abundance of pride and ego in ones ability to be proven correctly.

Ash was slightly concerned that perhaps he would find himself resting while others carried on. Although perhaps that was more his sense of duty as a Warrior of Sunlight to be as useful to his summoner and ensure they completed their quest. Perhaps there was also more to it. A feeling of investment in the success of their mission. His eyes crinkled, ignoring Da Vinci's person as they focused on something else.

The woman noticed his sudden lack of attention and pouted before she saw the flicker of worry pass through his eyes.

"Oi." She reached out, poking his cheek and bringing his attention back to her "You're as much a part of the original crew as Mash is. I don't Fujimaru-kun would ever want to leave you behind as much as Mash would want to either." she smiled up at him, placing her hands on her hips "You've grown on them, just a little bit."

"Really?" Ash pondered aloud, a slightly sheepish expression on his face as he reached up and scratched the back of his head "In truth he, Mash and Olga are the three I have known the longest...including the Firekeeper."

"That's what happens when you spend more time with us than in your own world." Da Vinci pointed out before a sly smile came to her "I think everyone is right, you really are a child aren't you?"

Ash levelled a thoroughly unimpressed look at her before he turned away, picking up his Bottomless box and making for the door.

"Running away just proves I'm right!" She called out with a barely concealed laugh. Ash didn't deign that with a reply as he quickly exited the room, Da Vinci watched him leave with the smile still on her face, slowly shaking her head before letting out a good natured sigh "Honestly...you three. You're all of a piece."

Archer had come to the conclusion that his Master was a reckless fool. It wasn't a hard one to reach and he shared the Director's sentiment in berating him for the act of stupidity of walking into a room with a Berserker who actively despised him to have an honest chat.

However, he was still his Master and there was little he could do about it save drill in the importance of his won life. Not that he probably needed to at this point. The Director had the boy doing basic tasks and running repeated tests to better understand Magecraft. While he knew his Master was quite useless when it came to actually performing any of it, there was still the knowledge of what people were actually discussing around him so he could make informed decisions.

"You've got a thoughtful look on your face." Siegward pointed out, Archer turned to the undead Saber – because having a ghoul cooking your food wasn't bizarre in the least – and raised an eyebrow in questioning. The man saw his hidden question "I find it best to vocalise internal struggles when in company, it helps reach a solution."

"That implies there is an 'internal struggle' to begin with." He replied, looking back at the pan of omelette he was making "Besides, its more of an external trouble and a sense of resignation."

"Oh?" Siegward hummed "How so?"

"Master is an idiot."

"Aren't we all in some way?" Was Siegward's immediate reply, mixed in with a light hearted chuckle "Although I suppose his latest act is certainly one of certain bravery...or stupidity as Yhorm would have so lightly put it." he mused, a nostalgic smile came to his face "He would have berated the boy and then run off and done something equally hair brained."

"So a hypocrite then." Archer huffed "Hmph." that much made sense, he once knew of an idiot who was of a similar sort.

"He was." The man nodded his head before a wry smile came to him "Although I think being a Giant allowed him some leeway when it came to ill-thought out plans."

Archer couldn't tell if the man mean 'Giant' in the sense that they were tall or Giant in the sense they were a literal giant. He had long since come to the conclusion that the world that the others came from was one which had never left the Age of Gods so phantamals and the like were still common place. He couldn't say it really impacted him all that much.

Aside from a slight desire to increase his arsenal of weapons, it was always best to have more diversity and while he certainly wasn't lacking in that regard, the mystic codes which had been discussed seemed to be of a far higher quantity than the ones he knew of. He'd already paid a brief look at the Smith's wares. The enchantments and techniques certainly made the mundane steel of a higher quality and they were quick to build apparently.

The enchantments weren't anything complicated but it was the power they had behind them that made them useful. He was certainly curious if he could turn the swords into arrows, he probably could through alteration.

"You're distracted." Siegward chided in a playful manner, Archer blinked and pursed his lips. That wasn't a very becoming way for him to act. Especially when cooking, he might end up making a mistake. "Anyway, I assume you were of the sceptical sort when it came to Havel's behaviour."

"An understatement." Archer huffed "He actively despised his own Master."

"Yes...that does present a slight issue." Siegward admitted, nodding his head along and humming as he continued to stir away at the pot "Although I suppose it might be the madness clouding his mind...it is not a pleasant thought to hold." grimacing, the knight shook his head "Losing oneself to the madness and to be summoned and remain in such a state...it is not pleasant to imagine."

He hadn't really thought about it, Berserkers having low sense of reasoning was just the price they paid to be granted the extra strength.

"Ah, I suppose you might not see it the same way." The Onion Knight made a noise of understanding, turning to Archer and giving him a conflicted look "For we undead and unkindled...sanity is quite a precious thing. It remains a struggle to keep yourself from hollowing...unkindled have it easier as our duties are already made clear to us from the beginning but that does not make it any more challenging." he shook his head "Imagine being risen from your grave and your only known thought when you first open your eyes is that you have to go out and slay a Lord and all you have on you is a broken old sword."

Archer grunted in response "A daunting task to be sure."

"Quite so." Siegward chuckled, shaking his head as a sad smile came to his face "Quite so...I suspect the burden proved so much for some...the graves where I was risen was already filled with Hollows...those who abandoned all sense of purpose and lost themselves to madness."

Archer knit his brows together "You dislike the Berserker class because they remind you of these Hollows?"

"Is that a strange thing?" Siegward shrugged "No, I do not dislike them...I pity them." he lamented, moving back towards his own cooking station "I pity them for being summoned in such a way and I am saddened they ever lose themselves to qualify for such a position."

"You shouldn't waste your pity on the dead." Archer scoffed "It won't change anything."

"I know." Siegward nodded "But we're all dead now...we unkindled most of all. That the curse still clings to us even in this second life." he rested a hand over his heart, face contorted into a pain grimace "Although perhaps that is the nature of our cursed existence." eyes flickered back to Archer "Perhaps that boy can wrestle some semblance of Havel's sanity back from the brink...if he can I will praise him with all my soul."

"And if he can't?"

"...Then I can at least save Havel from himself." Siegward looked away "As all unkindled do when we find Hollows." It left little to the imagination what Siegward meant when he said that. Archer studied him for a few moments before turning back to his cooking.

"Seems I underestimated you." He replied after a few moments of silence "I thought you were composed entirely of optimism."

"I am optimistic when it helps." Siegward replied in a jovial tone "We can't be miserable all the time so it is best to find what good humour we can...but there is a time and place to be joyous and often it is a luxury to have." looking over his shoulder towards the Archer "Although you will find it an impossible task to ever have me lose that optimistic nature I cling to!"

Archer snorted "Yes...although at least you have some small sense of realism. That much is a commendable trait."

"You'll find few undead and unkindled who aren't burdened with realism." He chuckled "However when your entire hold on sanity is based upon belief in oneself you'll find few of my kind who don't have a healthy dose of optimism to them, its what keeps us sane."

Archer let out a slight chuckle "Been the first time I've ever heard of an unhealthy dose of optimism keeping someone alive."

"Well...We unkindled like to break casts." Siegward barked out a laugh as he thumped his chest "How else could we ever achieve a near impossible goal?"

Archer had to give Siegward this, the man certainly had enthusiasm to spare but it was a rare thing, tempered by a slight dose of realism. He always hoped for the best situation to unfurl but was never unprepared when the worst came about. That was how Archer pegged him now, it wasn't a bad mentality to have and apparently it was the sort of mentality that kept you sane back where being jaded would leave you on the cusp of becoming insane.

It sounded like a strange place every time someone spoke of it. A world where you were set an impossible goal and had to have an unrealistic level of stubbornness to believe you could achieve it. He flattened his expression.

There would have been a fool once who would smile at such a world.

He looked over to the only other two Servants in the room with them at the time, Sir Gareth and Sir Verndari in quite an animated discussion over something, judging by the rather tense posture the silver knight had in comparison to the strained smile on the younger girls face.

"Because it was an act of blinding foolishness." Verndari sighed, resting his hands on his head "It does not make sense why he would put himself into harms way like that for little to know reason."

"Maybe he just wanted to make friends with them." Gareth reasoned, tapping her hand on the table "Although I haven't actually met them so I don't know all that much...think I should go and say hello?"

"…" Verndari's helm hid his expression as he hummed to himself "Perhaps...in truth I have not yet encountered the Bishop either…" he grunted "However I have only ever met one Cleric in my life."

"To be fair." Gareth raised her hand "He probably didn't make that good an impression, I've heard some rumours swirling around that he wasn't all that cordial with the members of staff."

"I'm cordial with them out of necessity." Verndari replied with an audible frown "The manner in which some of them treat my Liege is most vexing."

Gareth raised an eyebrow at him "Well...they are technically his superiors-"

"Superior nothing." Verndari shook his head "He is my Liege and the one who will lead us through this campaign, he is due more respect than he is currently receiving…" pausing, the knight shook his head "Although perhaps I am too hasty...he is still inexperienced."

"I'm sure everyone will warm up to him eventually." Gareth tried to assure him "...Maybe…" she chuckled nervously, looking around and none too convinced by what she was saying "S-so...you ever take off the helmet?"

"What?" Verndari tilted his head at the girl "Yes, sometimes when I need to eat."

"Really? How come I've never seen you with it off?"

"I've never eaten around you is the very simple answer." He replied "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious is all." Gareth shrugged "Never seen you without it on so I just wondered what you looked like...You gonna take it off?"

"...No." Gareth pouted in response.

"Why not?" The whine that escaped her didn't sound much like a twenty year old girl, perhaps someone a little over half that age. Verndari's inner thoughts must have been naked on his sleeve because of their way her eyes narrowed at him considerably, a suspicious frown forming on her face. "You just thought I sounded childish, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you even going to deny it!?" She cried out in shock "That kind of thing can hurt someone's feelings!"

"You're a Knight." Verndari pointed out "An anointed Knight as well. Please behave with more maturity as suits your station, I would be remiss to think that your peers were as emotional as you."

"Hey!" Gareth frowned "We were mature...sometimes…" she trailed off and winced "W-well...um...Tristan sometimes was a little...emotional at times." the strain on her face only grew "And Mordred was a little crude…"

"...These are your countries best Knights?"

"I hear that dismissal!" Gareth frowned "What? None of your knights were like that?"

"Aside from Sir Raime's unfortunate incident with the Mimic chest, there was very little foolery on part of the Kings guard." Verndari stalwartly replied "It was a gathering of Knights that were as honourable as they were dutiful."

Gareth raised an eyebrow at him "Really? Because someone who manages to get their arms nearly bitten off doesn't sound like someone who was the picture of stoicism."

"He was too!" Verndari snapped "Sir Raime was the greatest Knight of the Kingdom! So what if he was branded a Knight of Treachery!? He was still twice the man Velstadt was!"

"...You have a Knight of Treachery too?" Gareth blinked, tilting her head "That's what little sis Mordred was called as well!"

"...This Mordred was also a woman?"

"Yeah...well, I know that now." Gareth waved her hand "Grail and all that but gee, that's a surprise."

"...Your King was a Woman disguised as a man, you were a woman disguised as a man and Sir Mordred was a woman disguised as a man." Verndari rattled off with a growing tone of bewilderment "How many of your countries Knights were actually who they appeared to be?"

"...I'm sensing an accusation there." Gareth squinted her eyes at the man "So what if some of the best Knights in the Kingdom were women?"

"...How shall I put this…" Verndari tapped his right hand on the table repeatedly as they thought up an answer "...It sets an odd precedent when one discovers that most of their fighting force was made up of women in disguise."

Gareth frowned at him before slamming her hands on the table and rocketing to her feet "We're going to the simulator. I'll show you 'odd precedent'."

"You are being far too emotional." Verndari chided "I was just curious as to why so many of your high knights were women…" he paused before continuing on "And why they weren't...well...tending to the households."

"Hey!" Gareth huffed "I can fight just as well as anyone else!"

"How many women were actually in your Kings army?"

"...D-does...does the King count?"

"….No."

"U-um...Three! N-no...two…" She muttered "Galahad has only just become a woman…er…"

"So you had a grand total of three women in your army – including the King – and no more?" He questioned "So...were women allowed in the army?"

"Not...normally." Gareth admitted "It's why we had to disguise ourselves."

"So I am correct?"

"...Kind of." She moaned "...Yes...we didn't normally let women anywhere near the front lines...also it wasn't acceptable."

"So why were you even there to begin with?"

"Hey!" Gareth frowned "I can be a Knight if I want! I just preferred fighting in plate armour than wearing dresses!" a faint blush came to her face as she tapped her fingers together and looked down at the table "A-although if Sir Lancelot were to…" she whispered to herself with a slightly giddy expression before she slapped her hands over her face "H-he couldn't...but what if he could?"

"...You weren't always like this around him, were you?"

"N-no!" Gareth sputtered "That would be incredibly distracting to him…" a resigned smile came to her "...Also I don't think I'd be good enough for him anyway...even if he did notice me."

"...Want to spar?" He asked "I find its a good way to distract myself from thinking problems."

"...Sure."

"I thought I would find you here."

"I'm surprised you went looking." Fou turned and looked up at their visitor, a furry eyebrow was raised in tandem with the curious look they sent their guest "Not many would visit upon me regularly."

"Not many can understand me." Sif responded as they moved through the hallway, keeping pace easily with the small white animal "I suspect the same runs true for you as well."

"There are those that can." Fou admitted "Then there are those that can't...I was actually surprised to meet one who could the last time the pair went down to the past."

"The one who smelt odd." Sif remarked "He acted strange within your presence as well, like when two predators meet."

"He's a smart one." Fou chuckled wryly "And he could see me, or at least the true form of me behind this thin veneer of fluff."

Sif gave an amused laugh in response – to all others it sounded like a series of whines – as their hazel eyes flicked down onto the Beast "Although I admit...there is something strange about you. Appearance aside."

"Don't mention it." Fou commanded "I won't be pleased."

"I have no intention of it." The wolf responded easily "It is your own wish to assume this form so I will not force a choice from you, although I do question the reasoning behind this appearance of yours."

"A perverted asshole." Fou bitterly remarked "Although it has its uses...they are unsuspecting of what I really am. That's fine with me."

"I imagine your ability to be held in the young girls bosom is entirely circumstantial then." Sif innocently replied, Fou paused and looked up at the larger animal with a what amounted to a glare. To all others it was adorable, to Sif it was a clear warning.

"I admit some slight jealousy, but my fur has managed to attract the attention of fair maidens just as easily." Which he ignored with an amused tone of voice, Fou growled and resumed his pace with the wolf "Although perhaps that is some slight inclination from my Master. Artorias did always have an eye for women."

"...Have we really been turned into Perverts by a pair of womanisers?" Fou wondered aloud "That's rather sad to think about."

"I would hardly put myself on the same rank as Artorias." Sif argued with an indignant tone "I just enjoyed the way they tended to my fur...one of the few advantages of being large."

"I'm no where near as fiendish as that flower bastard." Fou snorted with the same tone "But if they hold you in their chest you feel a great deal of warmth. You can't do that because you're so big."

"I suppose…" Sif admitted "This is actually my form from when I was much younger...my actual size was considerably larger than this."

"What a coincidence, same here." Fou replied "...Then again, my form is likely far more terrifying. Although I am more curious as to where you get this seemingly boundless confidence to be so brazen with me."

"Brazen? Is that how it appears?" Sif pondered before shaking their head "Nothing so insulting, considering neither of us are capable of holding conversations with others as fluently as we are now, I just thought it best to be on good terms with my only other bestial companion."

"Bestial, eh?" Fou snickered "Quite perceptive, but that does not answer my question all that well."

Sif came to a halt, their eyes glazed over "...There is one thing I fear above all others. Perhaps this aura of primal murder you emanate can come close...but compared to that thing it is still tolerable."

"Really?" Fou titled their head and let out a curious hum "Must have been quite the instinct to out pace me, although I am only in this little form. I suppose it isn't a fair comparison right now…" they paused and let out a dry huff "Comparison. Heh."

"It is...Have you ever seen the Darkness of Humanity?" Sif questioned, Fou raised an eyebrow "Their most base feelings given form? Their souls laid bare before you and incarnated in a single being?"

"I know a lot about people." They replied "I have a great understanding of their rather nasty feelings towards competition. You could say it feeds me."

"Then you would have drowned in its presence." Sif replied "Or gorged yourself to your fill, I know not which. That freak who thought to manipulate the Abyss barely reached an iota of what it was."

"...And what was it?"

"It Fathered the Abyss." Sif growled, looking away from Fou and back down the hallway "...A Beast of Humanity."

"Those are some strong words." Fou pointed out "And they probably have a completely different meaning to you than everyone else." they went on before they released a curious grunt "But I'm curious, and perhaps feeling a little competitive now, what became of it?"

"They were slain by one such man." Sif replied "...The one who could achieve what even my Master could not. I know not where they came from or how, but they appeared just as quickly as they left. The Beast was slain and my Master's soul put to rest."

"Touching."

"Very." Sif snorted "But until you reach the level of the Abyss Father, I have little reason to fear you more than them. That and you're far more reasonable than they are."

"I'm not reasonable, just a lot more tolerant. There is a marked difference." They pointed out "And it is quite reliant on the innocence of one young girl."

"Her innocence...and her warmth."

"Ye-no." Fou growled "Their innocence! I'm not a pervert like that flowery prick!"

"Hahaha!" Sif laughed as they plodded down the hallway, Fou following after them and continuously spouting off rather half hearted arguments of protest.

The Simulator was already in use by the time the two arrived, Gareth and Verndari looked at eachother before the Knight pressed the button on the wall next to the door, slight hiss of air indicated the door opening upwards to reveal the interior.

"-m just say that if you're accurate enough, you don't really need a bow that big." Arash pointed out with his hands raised in mock surrender "But I suppose if its just area of effect it doesn't really matter all that much." he admitted "What did you even call it?"

"Onislayer Greatbow."

Arash blinked "You guys had Oni?"

"Its just what the far East called Demons." Ash waved his hand, slotting in a very large arrow into the steel cord and pulling the bow back as he aimed at the target "They also made the Katana's as well."

"That's a bit of a coincidence." Arash mused as he turned back to the range "Far East have the same kind of stuff here too."

"Really?" Ash hummed in response "I have noticed some coincidences of shared names thus far."

"Suppose it is just a different Earth after all." Arash shrugged "Some themes have to remain the same."

"Possibly." Ash admitted "…"

"…"

"...No, that does seem rather odd for a coincidence, doesn't it?" Lowering the bow, he turned to the Archer and quizzed with a bewildered look. Arash let out a sigh of relief.

"You as well?" He chuckled, shaking his head "I thought it was just me but I wasn't going to comment on it. Imagine the odds that both of our Far Eastern countries end up calling Demons 'Oni' and making Katana's. That's just a really weird coincidence."

"Did yours have big horns on their head?" Arash asked, pointing towards his own forehead in questioning.

Shrugging in response, Ash answered "I never met one or heard of it beyond the bow itself. So I couldn't answer."

"Huh...Weird."

"Quite so." Ash planted the bow back into the ground and pulled the large arrow back, the cord groaned and metal creaked at the strain he put on it before he loosened the arrow, the giant arrow shot across the range and slammed into the target, the simulation shattered into splinters and sent debris shooting off in a buckshot as the arrow continued on and slammed into the ground.

"...Seems a bit overkill, doesn't it?" Arash replied as he looked the bow up and down "Also its really quite large, no? You couldn't fire it that quickly, I don't think."

"I believe the idea was that you kill it on the first shot." Ash replied as he lowered the giant steel bow and turned back to Arash "Either that or you cripple it long enough to ensure you can draw a second arrow."

"Well…" The Persian looked to the remains of the target "I suppose the results speak for themselves." he chuckled as he brought out his own bow "But...well…"

He drew back an arrow, steadying his breathing and loosening it. The arrow shot through the field with a burning flame emanating from the tip before it smashed into the centre of the bullseye and destroyed the wooden simulation.

"Sometimes bigger isn't always better."

"...Show-off." Ash grunted with a good natured smile.

Arash gave him a playful roll of the eyes "Sure...just out of curiosity, how many Noble Phantasms and other assorted trinkets you got in that box of yours?" his smile widened at the faint smile he got along with a slight shake of the head "Hmmm."

Soon pausing, the Archer looked over his shoulder towards the entrance to see Gareth and Verndari stood there. The Archer waved his hand and called out to them "Don't be too shy, just wanted to test out something."

"Hm?" Ash looked in the same direction as the man and spotted the two "Sir Verndari, Sir Gareth." he nodded his head to them "I didn't realise you would be visiting."

"An attempt at a brief respite." Verndari replied stoically "I had heard of the stores of Item boxes but it is another to see one for myself. A small armoury, no?"

"Something like that." Ash admitted, looking down at Gareth "Still, surprised to see both of you here."

"Wanted to finish our Spar." She replied "Couldn't really complete it in Rome so figured it would be best to find a winner." pausing, a playful smile came to her face as she pointed at Verndari "If I win, you have to take off the helmet!"

"I take it off when I eat." Verndari pointed out "But I suppose if it shall grant you incentive I can play along with this childish notion of yours."

"...Sir Lancelot is better than Sir Raime."

"Slander!" Verndari reacted on instinct, drawing his sword and slamming it into her manifested shield, Gareth jumped back with with force of the blow to increase the distance between the two of them with a smile on her face. Hunching herself over and flashing her gun lance into existence in her free hand. "...I have embarrassed myself." the Looking Glass Knight lamented as he brought out his own shield "Although I could say you did that on purpose to illicit a reaction."

Gareth shrugged "It was a very Mordred thing of me to do." she replied easily before frowning "...Although I still think Sir Lancelot is better."

"And I believe Sir Raime is better." Verndari answered, a slight hint of amusement in his tone "Until our two Teachers duel, I suppose we shall never receive and answer."

Grinning, Gareth cocked her Lance back "I suppose I can represent Sir Lancelot's training here and now."

Verndari chuckled, his body pulsing with white lightning "That much is try, I suppose. We shall see which Knight's teachings are stronger!" he kicked off the ground, rushing towards the smaller Lancer with his sword swinging in overhead.

Gareth let out a cry as she charged forwards, thrusting her Lance at the mirror shield.

Ash and Arash watched the two being to duel with similar looks of amusement "...So who do you think will win?" the Archer asked.

"Difficult to say." Ash replied "Sir Gareth is faster but Sir Verndari probably has the edge in endurance. His shield is more suited to taking blows than hers."

"Fair enough." Arash nodded his head "...You ever seen what he looks like without his helmet?"

"No." Ash frowned "What about you?"

"Can't say I have either."

"...Now I am mildly rooting for Sir Gareth to win just to answer that query."

"Same."

AN: Next time, we charge off into the Oceans to fight Pirates, Argonauts and whatever else is lurking around in the depths.

Pack your snorkels and your air tanks. We're about to get our feet wet.