Author's Note: I've made various edits to the time, moving from January to November 1994 as I have since learned is Fate/Zero canon. Having the Holy Grail War in November 1994 not only allows Taiga to be a freshman in high school, but also allows Iskandar's Sega Saturn to exist. It is nine years and three months between Grail Wars instead of ten years, but we can't have a perfect fit.
I am also going to change a mention in Chapter One about there being a lack of people for Artoria to battle aside from Francis Drake. Data coming in from Lostbelt 6 seems to disprove that heavily. I'm sure Artoria sparred often with beings like Barghest. Lostbelt 6 also carries implications that the Fairy race isn't as peaceful as first implied, though I'm not sure how much of that is due to the nature of the Lostbelt's deviations. Other changes have been made through the chapters to rename "Britain" as "Britannia" for consistency.
CrowKrowQrow: You're right about Noble Phantasms in general. Save for Divine Constructs like Avalon, Excalibur, and Rhongomyniad; most Noble Phantasms started as Mystic Codes or their era's equivalent and became Noble Phantasms as a result of being part of a hero's legend and gaining Mystery. The reason that Morgan was able to make Noble Phantasms for the Tohsaka children was because she took advantage of that fact as well as knowledge of the future. She took Mystic Codes that she had made and used against Artoria previously, ones that she knew would be part of her and Artoria's legends, and upgraded them while they were still Mystic Codes. Sakura's Noble Phantasm was originally a fake Avalon that Morgan tricked Artoria into carrying for a time, alongside a fake Excalibur, while a man called Accolon used the originals. Rin's Noble Phantasm was a cloak designed to incinerate the wearer that was sent as a gift to Artoria in an assassination attempt. Time and fame then turned them into Noble Phantasms since she kept the core aspects of them intact. As the creator and owner of those Noble Phantasms, and because her 'giving' them to others to use was part of those Noble Phantasm's legends to begin with, Morgan could then transfer them to the kids. This is something that would normally be impossible and only works because those specific details all align, hence Tokiomi's shock that it was successful.
celian Cogitore: You'd normally be right about the limitation against summoning two of the same Servant in a War. The excuse I use is that one Gilgamesh was summoned during the Fourth Holy Grail War and had since become independent of the Grail (being powered by a bunch of orphans in the Church's basement instead), while the other was summoned during the Fifth Holy Grail War. As such, they were summoned in different Wars and neither drew power from the Grail or was connected to it at the same time. I have thus far been vague enough to avoid implying whether the Core Damage mechanic from Extella Link is in play or not.
In the case of the two Artorias Pendragon in this fic, Saber Artoria was summoned through Merlin's meddling working to circumvent that rule. The Holy Grail saw "Mysterious Heroine X" rather than "Artoria Pendragon" on her summoning, and she uses a different Spirit Origin as well that should also bypass that rule.
Chapter 15: Family Bonds
Location Unknown
Sola-Ui stood on a battlefield bare of grass, looking on in terror at the tanned butler from the Einzbern parley as he was silhouetted by the setting sun. With a mere raise of his hand, the sky filled with blades of every type. The prana in the air filled her senses as she looked on in horror at the Noble Phantasms aimed at her person. She cried out for mercy, but the eyes of the white-haired man before her did not waver. There was no sound in this land of death aside from her desperate pleading.
The man then lowered his hand to gesture toward her. Sola-Ui's eyes widened when the weapons descended as one to tear her asunder...
November 23, 1994
Edelfelt Forest Mansion
119 hours and 20 minutes to Zero
Sola-Ui awoke with a sudden gasp from her nightmare, hurriedly raising her head from the desk she had been working on in her second-floor bedroom. The Magus realized that she had fallen asleep while analyzing the blindfold the boy had carried. The rays of the morning sun were already shining through her window. A clock nearby read 6:40 in the morning and she managed a sigh. The newly minted Master of First Saber had survived the night, which was the most likely time for battle to occur.
Sola-Ui had no idea if she would be attacked in retaliation for the conduct of her fiancé or not. Hostages were a tricky business to start with. Doubly so when the people being extorted with them could take the hostage by force without much concern. Triply so when her own Servant wasn't too keen on the idea. Were she not fearful of her fate if she left with nothing to show for Kayneth's death and the investment of the cult that had lent them Prydwen and Mordred's shattered helmet, she would already have fled to the Fuyuki Church as Kayneth had advised her to do if something happened to him.
Making her way downstairs, the woman heard a groan and some chatter. This made her tense up in worry. She decided to move slowly toward the source of the noise and take a peek, knowing that she was unlikely to be able to escape if it was a Servant. Sola-Ui found the source of the sound in the dining room, where she saw Mordred seated at the table and holding her head in her hands. In front of her was a large tub of chocolate ice cream. Around the table's corner to her left sat Shirou, who wore a deadpan expression on his face and had a more modest bowl of vanilla ice cream in front of him. In the room with them were two people she hadn't been expecting. One, who sat across from Shirou and to Mordred's right, was the cloaked man with green eyes and a white beard who had arranged for Kayneth to receive Mordred's catalyst. He seemed to be staying quiet and watching the exchange between Shirou and Mordred with a measure of amusement. The other was a man with vibrant red hair who she knew to be the Head of the Department of Modern Magecraft, and he was eating some vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with apple slices while standing near the fireplace. Mordred apparently let the two in when they came to visit, while Sola-Ui was so dead to the world that she didn't wake on their entering the Bounded Field surrounding the property. This was the last thing Sola-Ui needed...well, short of being killed by a Servant she supposed. This was still rather far down the list.
"I told you to eat it slowly, Mo-chan," Shirou said with a surprising amount of patience. He passed a glass of tepid water to Mordred, who glared at the boy before accepting the glass and chugging it down to resolve her brain freeze. Once she was done, she gave a deep sigh.
"I thought you were just lying to make me slow down like everyone else does. 'Don't eat so quickly, Mordred.' 'Don't wear your helm at meals, Mordred.' 'Don't throw your mashed potatoes at Gawain's head, Mordred'. How can something that's supposed to make you feel better when you're sad hurt your head like this? Ugh..." As Mordred grumbled and mocked the voices of past acquaintances who dared to criticize her eating habits, the cloaked man kept glancing to the sword on her hip with clear interest. Sola-Ui was not ignorant of the action.
"It happens whenever you eat cold things too fast. I have to remind the kids at the orphanage all the time to slow down. Pace yourself and it'll be good." Patience wasn't really a virtue that Mordred Pendragon was known for, but she made an effort. Glancing at Sola-Ui for a moment, the boy considered what flavor of ice cream she might enjoy. Putting an ice cream scoop in a second tub of ice cream near him, he started scooping out some mint chocolate chip ice cream and putting it into a bowl. Mordred gave a puzzled look on seeing what had been a tub of vanilla ice cream dispensing something completely different, but she chalked it up to 'weird magical stuff the kid could do' and left it at that. Shirou then placed the bowl and a spoon on the table to his left and across from Mordred. Guessing everyone's favorite flavor was easy enough. Determining what people liked to eat was part of a chef's skill set, after all. The cloaked man wasn't a fan of sweet things, so he didn't want ice cream.
"Doctor Albion, Mister Blackmore," Sola-Ui greeted. The cloaked man who had recruited Kayneth and Sola-Ui to his cause looked to the speaker with stoicism. By contrast, the red-haired man simply wore his typical smile. Neither betrayed their true feelings. "I am surprised to see you both here at such a dangerous time."
The cloaked Blackmore responded to Sola-Ui first. "I am a Gulf War veteran, Lady Sophia-Ri. Danger isn't novel to me. By way of Familiar, I listened to the meeting last night and learned of the danger to the World. How could I not come? I also had to voice my disapproval of your fiancé's conduct and the abduction of the child."
"I didn't abdu-...just shut it!" Mordred yelled from over her ice cream tub before she paused in sudden distraction and looked up from her unhealthy meal. Sola-Ui noticed the intrusion of the Bounded Field as well. Both women tensed as they felt a fair number of people nearby. The group included no fewer than four Servants and three humans; though only two Servants and one human were approaching. The others were staying closer to the road. "We don't have time for this. They're coming straight toward us, not bothering to conceal themselves."
"Yes...go greet them, Saber. Show them in if they are civil." Sola-Ui said, bracing herself for the meeting. She prepared herself mentally, worried about just how much firepower was being brought to bear. Meanwhile, Mordred took her tub of ice cream and her spoon with her to the front door.
On opening the door, Mordred observed the approach of Tokiomi Tohsaka, the odd Archer from last night, and...her father. The trio all noted Caliburn on Mordred's hip. Saber Artoria's resultant and subtle expression proved a difficult one to place. Tokiomi had explained how Shirou had called forth the sword, but it was still odd for Artoria to see it in Mordred's possession. EMIYA glanced at the ice cream tub and smirked. "Even in front of a possible enemy, you consider hunger a worse problem. You're Saber's kid alright."
"Hmph. Are you an enemy, or are you here to talk?" Mordred asked with irritation, though she kept from using insults. At least the guy recognized her pedigree without issue.
"We are here to talk as requested. The situation demands civility." Tokiomi Tohsaka responded, albeit with a slight curtness that was understandable given the trespasses against him.
"Fine. Come on in. Just don't try anything!" Mordred warned, emphasizing her words by unsheathing her spoon from the tub of ice cream and pointing it at them like a sword. Tokiomi stepped aside as a spoonful of chocolate ice cream was accidentally flung toward him and splattered onto the ground. He gave the young woman a stern glare for nearly soiling what few clothes he had, but the expression on her face as she stared at the wasted ice cream was one of such...loss...that he couldn't find the words to comment. EMIYA struggled not to chuckle. Artoria contemplated if she ever looked like that when her own food was wasted. Saying no more in favor of glaring at the group, Mordred guided them into the mansion before walking in behind them.
When the two groups met in the same room, Sola-Ui noticed EMIYA and tensed. Artoria noted Doctor Albion's presence and wore a small expression of surprise while he gave her a knowing smile. The cloaked man promptly moved away from the table and went to one knee before his King. Shirou promptly provided ice cream. The mood in the room was a bit chaotic, despite the initial silence.
Sola-Ui forced her eyes away from EMIYA and introduced herself to Artoria. "I am Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, daughter of the Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation at the Clock Tower. Kayneth and I were entrusted with a catalyst and a shield to participate in the War in support of the Blackmores."
Artoria gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment on hearing this, her eyes lingering briefly on Sola-Ui's face. "Greetings. I am Artoria Pendragon, formerly known as Mysterious Heroine X, manifesting in the Saber class. These are Second Archer and Tokiomi Tohsaka." Memories of the redhead's corpse after she was shot by Maiya in the Fourth Holy Grail War flashed through the King of Knights' mind. At the very least, Kiritsugu had learned not to employ such detestable tactics this time around unless the situation truly called for it. Perhaps it was due to Shirou's influence? She was distracted from these thoughts when Doctor Albion stepped forward.
The man in his late twenties or early thirties gave Artoria a personable smile and bore a measure of familiarity. "You know who I am, King Artoria. I've since become Head of the Department of Modern Magecraft. To avoid a Parallel World from forming by revealing too much information and changing things to excess, I've chosen to go by my nickname of Doctor Albion." Artoria knew this man well. Kurou Adashino was one of the few humans to arrive in Avalon and survive thanks to wearing a breathing device on his face that filtered out excess prana, but his accidental visit was not without consequences for his body. That vibrant red hair was one such change. He had also fallen from years in the future, demonstrating that traversing the firmament between Textures could have strange spatiotemporal consequences.
"I had not expected you, Doctor, but it is nice to see yet another familiar face," Artoria responded, nodding in his direction.
"Wait, the Head of the Department of Modern Magecraft knows a Servant in person? How?" Sola-Ui asked in surprise.
"Temporal Displacement," both Artoria and Doctor Albion said at the same time, according to the agreed-upon cover story. Then they glanced at each other, Doctor Albion smiling as if they had just shared an inside joke. "I owe King Artoria my very humanity. Let us just say that had she not interceded at just the right moment, I would have become a rather heartless man." This was seemingly an inside reference that Artoria wasn't amused by, but she held her tongue and allowed the last person to introduce themselves.
"My King," The cloaked and kneeling man spoke to Artoria, "I represent the descendants of King Gawain in whose care the surviving known relics from your rule rest."
Artoria realized that this man was among the cultists who aided Kayneth and had been threatening to use Gray as a sacrifice. She schooled her features and spoke in a level tone. "Rise and pull down your hood, kinsman. I would know the name of the man who seeks to reclaim Rhongomyniad and use Gray as a mere tool." Mordred didn't understand what Artoria meant by the lattermost part of that statement but observed for the moment. This tone was the one her father used for the holding of court and was not to be interrupted lightly.
The bearded man complied by standing and pulling back his cloak's hood. He was somewhere in his thirties despite his white hair and beard, though the years seemed to have been tinged with experience if his eyes were any indication. "I am Sir Dan Blackmore of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. I am present ostensibly to recover my niece and the Holy Lance for our kin. I have also been commanded by King Elizabeth the Second of Britannia to observe the War. We are loyal to King Artoria, though having someone summon her and bind her to their will is anathema to the family. We sought to release Lancer as soon as possible from such a state through defeat. As you appeared solely of your own will and are clearly the decision-maker for your Master/Servant pair, I do not consider your presence to be such a sin." The fact that Sir Blackmore was a knight, and was even instructed by the current British King to monitor the situation, came as a surprise to Sola-Ui and Mordred. Doctor Albion showed no signs of such ignorance.
"You speak as if your intentions do not entirely match that of the Blackmore clan," Artoria observed.
Dan Blackmore chose to confirm Artoria's suspicions. "They do not fully align, my King. The truth is that Gray has no true future in our village. With her mother's blessing, I had hoped to fake her death and spirit her away somewhere. Neither of us expected her to find what has the appearance of a decent family in this War."
Artoria's expression softened slightly, pleased that some of the child's immediate family placed her well-being over the conspiracy. "Irisviel is a fine mother, and Kiritsugu is a fine father despite the rumors regarding his nature. To that, I can attest."
"Hold it!" Mordred called out, finally unable to hold her tongue any longer. "Why is it so horrible for Gray to go back home! What am I missing here?"
Sir Blackmore turned his head to Mordred, who was glaring at him and demanding answers. With the King openly disagreeing with Gray's role in things, he decided that it was finally safe to come clean. "Our niece was to die. Due to the presence of Rhongomyniad and hastened by the summoning of the King, her body is transforming to be like that of the King's and in time will become the ideal vessel. My kin plan to use Morgan le Fay's dagger, Erosion, to replace Gray's mind and soul with those of the King. This would kill our young niece, which I am not willing to allow even for the sake of my King's return to life." Every word out of Dan's mouth conveyed a cool fury that showed just how deeply the plan disgusted him. "My protests would have accomplished nothing but to have our kin take measures against my intervention, so I played the role of a zealot so that I might choose the Servant and come here as the family's representative to secretly aid her. I chose your catalyst very carefully, Sir Mordred. Given how Morgan le Fay used you as a tool just as my kin plan to use Gray, I hoped that you might use the 'treachery' you are known for in a constructive manner that would save Gray's life once the truth became known to you. You have my apologies for the deception, but I had little choice. You are the only Knight I could think of who might be willing to reject the revival of your father and allow our niece to live." He bowed his head, surprising Mordred with more respect than he'd shown thus far.
Mordred was horrified at the revelation of Gray's plight, but this horror soon transitioned into rage. Oh, she wanted to be angry about being used, but she couldn't blame the man for hoping she'd choose to defend a helpless six-year-old girl with whom they both shared blood. But she could be angry at Sola-Ui, who she promptly turned her head toward with a roar of anger. "And you sided with them on this shit?!" Sola-Ui flinched in the face of Mordred's fury.
"Remember the presence of any children when choosing your words, Mordred." Artoria chastised, though not too harshly. Such a response was not only understandable but also a relief. It showed that Mordred still had an honorable core despite her previous betrayal. "That is, however, the truth of the matter. Though Gray's kidnapping was a misdeed, it will ultimately be what has saved her from that end. I trust that no one told you of this when you agreed to assist in her retrieval?"
Mordred slammed her fist on the table, making the dishes and spoons rattle as she looked back to Artoria. "Of course not! They just told me I'd get to fight you, take back the stolen Lance, and save a kidnapped kid! If I knew the truth, I'd have done this differently from the beginning! I get why this guy couldn't say anything 'til now, but that doesn't excuse my Masters!" Glaring back at Sola-Ui, the Knight of Treachery snarled. "We're giving Shirou back and seeing my niece. Then we're going to protect them. If you don't like it, or if you try to stab us in the back, I'll do to you what I did to my last Master and contract with someone else. Got it?"
Sola-Ui shuddered. There was a fury in Mordred's eyes promising that she would deliver on her threat, proving that Sir Blackmore had chosen wisely. The red-haired woman gave a fearful nod of compliance to the Servant. "Good," Mordred said with finality, essentially taking the lead as soon as she realized the depth of the deception. It wasn't how Tokiomi and Artoria were expecting this discussion to go, but it was acceptable.
Still, it was better for future loyalty and morale if Sola-Ui wasn't as heavily strong-armed into this. Perhaps easing the consequences between her and the Blackmores was possible, but only if Artoria made certain facts clear. It would also help Gray. Her decision made, Artoria proceeded to begin the next stage of discussions. "I cannot speak to the dishonor that Lord El-Melloi has committed against my Master and the Tohsaka family, but the situation with the Blackmores is hopefully salvageable. As I am not dead, there is no need for the Blackmores to sacrifice Gray to begin with." Sola-Ui's and Dan's eyes snapped back to Artoria and widened, though Mordred and the red-haired Director of Modern Magecraft showed no surprise.
"M-might you elaborate, my King?" Sir Blackmore asked of Artoria.
Artoria gave a subtle dip of the head, hoping that confessing this was not a mistake. "I am not a Servant forged from a soul in the Throne of Heroes. I am instead commanding this temporary body from my living self in the land of Avalon, which is in the Reverse Side of the World. Merlin created the system I am using based upon the mechanisms of the Holy Grail. This system has allowed me to be summoned throughout history as we deem necessary. I am not a random version of Artoria Pendragon. I am your own iteration, waiting for the time of my proper return to this World from the Reverse Side." The Britons of the room stared, stunned at the revelation. Everyone present knew that the right to rule Britannia was based on connecting their bloodline to Gawain who had, in turn, ruled in Artoria's stead. It was she who had unified the nation, after all. This Artoria Pendragon had just claimed to be their true King. Sola-Ui gawked in an unladylike manner, her poise broken by the revelation, while Dan Blackmore reacted by falling to his knees as he stared at the regal woman. It was not merely in loyalty, however hard that had been pressed into him from the cradle on, but also in hope.
"My King...I know it is impudent of me to ask, but would it trouble you too much to return to us now? If so, Gray would be safe. There would be no need for the child to fear returning home to her mother." Though Dan maintained his respect, Artoria could see the desperation and hope in the man's eyes. She wished to ease his concerns but returning early carried its own risks.
"Sir Blackmore, the time will not be decided by the impatience of our kin. They have waited fifteen hundred years and can wait for a mere ten more for me to return at the planned time. However, the reason for your plea is just. I will not leave you or Gray without a solution. This would aid Lady Sophia-Ri as well." The revelation of just how soon Artoria would be returning to the World was noted by those present, including Mordred. The King, however, continued as if it were merely a passing comment. "It is my will that Gray Pendragon be permitted to live her life freely as herself without being sacrificed. My Lancer self has already ordered this, and I formally reaffirm that order as Gray's kin and King. I retroactively order the Blackmores to loan Rhongomyniad and Add to the Einzbern Master and Servant for the purposes of protecting humanity in this War. The Einzbern family is typically evil; but the Einzbern Master, their spouse, their daughter, and their Servant are all deemed trustworthy exceptions. The Blackmores are also retroactively ordered to allow the El-Melloi and Sophia-Ri families to use Prydwen and Mordred's catalyst for this War so that my son might fight in defense of the innocent. It is also my desire that the Emiya-Einzbern family remain Gray's guardians for the time being. Gray's mother and Dan will be permitted visitation and perhaps eventual custody, so long as they agree to a geas to act in Gray's best interest." It quickly became clear what Artoria was doing. She had authority over the Blackmores as this World's Artoria Pendragon. By ordering them to provide those weapons and catalysts with that authority retroactively, the artifacts were technically no longer considered stolen or loaned out in exchange for services. Neither Sola-Ui nor Kayneth's family was any longer on the hook for paying back the cult for the use of Prydwen or Mordred's helm. The Einzberns were no longer considered to have stolen Rhongomyniad or Add. Gray was no longer obligated to return to the care of the cult. It was all done with the blessing of the King.
"Thank you, my King...thank you. I may have to trouble you to put that in writing, but this will be of great help." Dan said in immense relief, feeling that things might be alright.
Sola-Ui exhaled a sigh of relief as well. At least she had a defense to fall back on if the Blackmores tried to hold her responsible. However, she wasn't fully able to relax around EMIYA. She finally dared to ask the question that had been on her mind ever since she watched the parley and battle through Mordred's eyes last night. "I saw that your Reality Marble gives you a similar power to First Archer. Who is your Master, and was it you who attacked me or the King of Heroes?" Everyone fell silent at the revelation that two Servants in the War possessed Reality Marbles, though EMIYA didn't let this faze him.
"I was unintentionally summoned by an endangered child, which seems to be a recurring theme in this War. They don't know about my presence and I've been using Independent Action to operate freely ever since I was summoned. You should know that I never attacked you, either. I just dismantled the workshop your fiancé built before you two got yourselves killed and let some regular person stumble into it after your hotel checkout time. Doing things that risk exposing Magecraft to the populace is never a good idea, and I'm surprised you'd play so hard and fast with one of the Clock Tower's most important rules. And before you call me a hypocrite for referencing rules while disobeying the Reality Marble research ban, I got mine accidentally through immense childhood trauma rather than through any effort." EMIYA cut off the response that he already saw coming, not really able to help the fact that he was a walking armory.
Doctor Albion took note of the conversation with interest. "So this whole matter is a misunderstanding. Second Archer believed that the creation of such a massive temporary workshop in a highly public place, when its owners were at risk of being killed in the War and thus potentially unable to remove it, was a risk to the concealment of Mystery. A reasonable assumption to make since he was unaware that contingency measures had been taken." The doctor elected to elaborate on these 'measures' when EMIYA's glance turned toward him. "Lord El-Melloi arranged for me and a crew of others to transport his equipment to Fuyuki aboard a special ship and to assist in the setup of his workshop at the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel. We would also have tended to its removal had it not been so thoroughly and efficiently...annihilated. Our other duties included the monitoring of the Holy Grail War by way of specialized equipment. I personally volunteered because of whispers that King Artoria would be one of the Servants in the War, based on the Einzberns' efforts to secure Rhongomyniad." Artoria suspected that Doctor Albion had other reasons for volunteering, but neither was about to risk a needless paradox by discussing them.
Sola-Ui twitched lightly at the memory and EMIYA noticed. He rubbed the back of his head in frustration before speaking. "We didn't know that he had a team ready to remove that stuff if he died. Using my powers to dismantle it completely and leave a message that it was futile for him to try that again, but without causing any injury or death...that was my intention. That's also why I left Miss Sophia-Ri alive, even knowing she was Mordred's prana battery. I just saw no need to be cruel about it."
"Wait, you knew?" Sola-Ui asked in surprise and worry.
"Yes," Artoria responded for EMIYA, "do recall that some of us have been through the Fourth or Fifth Holy Grail Wars before and retain such knowledge. In my previous time through these events, the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel was simply evacuated and then demolished by destroying its structural supports. Lord El-Melloi's Workshop did not survive. It was an extreme act, but the Hotel was sadly just one of over a hundred buildings destroyed by the War's end." Sola-Ui's eyes widened in fear at the revelation as Artoria kept speaking. "Archer chose to intercede in, whether you accept it or not, a far less destructive manner than history would have otherwise permitted. That which you have suffered was the lesser of two evils, where the other would eventually have led to your and Lord El-Melloi's rather...cruel and dishonorable passing after your retreat to an abandoned factory near the harbor. Those of us who were aware of that end had no interest in seeing it repeated, even those who enacted it in the first place. Sadly, Lord El-Melloi would not be dissuaded from his fate. Though we are on opposing sides, and he sinned greatly against my Master, I can still extend to you my condolences for your loss."
Sola-Ui looked unsure. She was still fearful of the errant Archer's actions that day, and the idea that her Parallel World counterpart endured a death so horrible that even the enemy Servants decided to take it easy on her made her feel a brand new level of concern.
Tokiomi Tohsaka gave a nod of agreement with Artoria, though he couldn't help but want to move this discussion forward. The man did not want to be away from his daughters any longer than necessary. "Though I do not see Lord El-Melloi as anyone but the man who attacked my home and attempted to murder my child during a cease-fire, I can at the very least respect your loss."
Sola-Ui pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting a headache from all the ups and downs so far...or perhaps it was just from the ice cream. "I do apologize for that. Kayneth attacked you to avenge my suffering and the loss of his Workshop. I did not see this tanned Archer directly during his attack, but my abilities as a Master informed me of his class through a closed door. Add to that the massive numbers of Noble Phantasms he employed and the demonstrated abilities and class of the Tohsaka Archer who fought Mordred, and we came to the conclusion that they were one and the same. With the Tohsaka thought to bear responsibility, Kayneth would not be deterred. Sadly...I do not have any Command Seals to surrender to the Church for the prescribed punishment for attacking First Saber's Master, nor much of a way to provide recompense for Kayneth's actions. His death will surely throw the El-Melloi family into chaos, one more thing I fear I will be made to shoulder the blame for whether it is my error or not."
"Sounds like mister goatee there will have to make his claim quick before the El-Melloi family implodes, then. My ex-Master's family owes the Tohsaka Master big time between the burnt-down house, chopping his arms off, and threatening his kid's life. He's lucky Shirou was there to grow back his arms." Mordred bluntly said, surprising everyone present but Artoria's entourage and Shirou. Said entourage was concerned about just how much of Shirou's abilities might be revealed.
"Is...this true? Did Kayneth cut off your arms?" Sola-Ui inquired of Tokiomi in more than a little horror.
"Yes, as well as stabbing me through the chest. My servant, my Command Seals, and the Tohsaka Crest were all stolen by the Matou as a direct result of Lord El-Melloi's actions. Then your fiancé dared to turn on the children as I lay dying. If Shirou wasn't there or if Mordred lacked honor, the Tohsaka line would have ended last night." Every Magus present save for Shirou knew just how serious that was. The attempted extermination of a Magus family in an ambush conducted during an explicitly agreed-upon truce was a grave offense. For it to happen so openly, and over a misunderstanding, was even worse. It was becoming clear that Kayneth had trespassed so badly that reparations to Shirou and the Tohsaka family would be required.
Still, Tokiomi had to convey a position of strength. Appearing to have been too thoroughly wounded by the trespass ran the risk of simply being ignored if the El-Melloi and Sophia-Ri families could get away with it, so some clarification was required to maintain the balancing act. "Fortunately, unique assets gained during the War allowed me to place contingencies that would otherwise not have been possible. We have summoned two additional Servants to compensate, our Crest was successfully recovered from the Matou by my younger daughter, and that Crest was even duplicated thanks to a rare opportunity presented by the War. We are now in a similar position to the twin Edelfelt sisters of the Third Holy Grail War except that the twin Crests are fully autonomous from each other. However, the loss of Gilgamesh to the Matou is still a massive blow. He is a top-tier Servant and has a high enough rank in Independent Action to be a problem whether Zouken Matou is dead or not. I also no longer have any guarantee that the Einzberns will manage the bill for the destruction of my home or anything else in this War, as they have agreed to do in the past."
Sola-Ui had shown initial surprise at the duplication of the Crest, but she was quickly learning that the typical rules and limitations on Magecraft went out the window during a Grail War. It was as if the rules of the Age of Gods were temporarily restored to the World for the duration of the War. She ultimately gave a sigh and a small shake of her head. "Kayneth's Crest was lost with him and you gained a copy of your own somehow. Maybe karma is a real thing after all. I wish I could offer some assistance to make up for what he has done, but I don't control his family's assets."
"Well, Lord El-Melloi did provide you access to the funds he set aside for the Holy Grail War," Doctor Albion reminded Sola-Ui. "Even if it isn't enough to completely resolve the issue, perhaps some initial recompense is suitable to show good faith? It isn't like you need to pay for the hotel accommodations any longer." It was true that they had set aside enough money for the hotel stay several times over. It was also a fact that Kayneth had been able to afford the services of Touko Aozaki to restore his arms' mobility during the Fourth Holy Grail War of Artoria's memory, hinting at just how much wealth they had allocated to this endeavor.
The young woman pondered the matter, ascertaining how much money she had access to before coming up with a suggestion. "I have no idea what rebuilding your home would cost, but we can look into it. If that fails, there should be enough money for at least one of the children to attend the Clock Tower when they are older..."
"Can't I just put the house back the way it was before like I did to Mister Tohsaka's body?" Shirou asked innocently. Tokiomi paused to consider the statement rather than rejecting it outright as nonsense. Merlin implied that Shirou had used Caliburn to restore his arms, but Tokiomi was now hearing otherwise. Had Shirou used his Tracing ability instead? He could tell that his arms and Crest were not degrading to even the slightest degree as Projections should. Maybe that power was actually...
"It is not the same, Shirou. Please let us continue these discussions, and I can explain the differences later." Tokiomi recommended gently, his growing suspicions a taboo that he dare not voice near prying ears. Thankfully, the others accepted Shirou's query as being borne of simple ignorance.
While preliminary negotiations started between Sola-Ui and Tokiomi, Artoria requested a pen, paper, and a wax candle. The King of Knights wrote down her commands for the Blackmores in both modern language and the Common Brittonic of her era and used the candle to make wax seals pressed with the Fae script of Excalibur's blade. The reversed Fae script on the new wax seals and the energy signature of the Holy Sword made a seal that was profoundly difficult to fake. Once she finished this task, Artoria noted that there was still something nagging at her mind that she couldn't help but inquire about. "Mordred, tell me...why did you disconnect the telephone call yesterday? I know now that you did not conduct yourself dishonorably and should have had nothing to fear in speaking with me."
Mordred tensed, unsure of what to say. Would her father criticize her for failing to pull Caliburn? She feared condemnation, but then she remembered what Shirou had said. Her father loved her in some capacity. The Knight struggled to speak, trying to find a way to reconcile her feelings and respond...but the girl slammed down her tub of ice cream in frustration. "Nnnnngh...Shirou! Archer! Loan us two of your most durable blades! My father and I will do battle outside!"
"What? Mordred, are you insane?" Sola-Ui exclaimed in fear that her Servant was sabotaging their chances of survival. Most of those present looked worried, at least until Mordred's mind caught up to her mouth.
"Hey, I don't mean to the death! This isn't about the Grail War or the kid at all! We won't even use Noble Phantasms, just our skills with the blade!" Mordred crossed her arms, glaring at the room defensively.
Artoria, unlike the rest of the room with perhaps the exception of Shirou, understood her child. "I see. You desire to work through your frustrations...very well, Mordred. I will accept your challenge provided I receive an explanation afterward."
"I'll explain it if you win. And you'll answer my questions if I win!" Mordred added to the terms of their spar, wondering what skills her father had picked up over the years.
"I would regardless, but very well. Archer, I ask that you provide us each with an identical blade that may handle our strength for a time and then, if Mister Tohsaka approves, call upon the others waiting outside to observe our battle. The Tohsaka Family in this World values swordsmanship as well, so the girls could benefit from observing. Shirou, I desire that you also come to observe. Learn from it all you are able, but do so at a safe distance." Artoria's request was noted and EMIYA, after only brief consideration, projected two identical blades ideal for the task.
The tanned man began to speak, calling forth a specific power from the twin blades. "Hear me, Durandal, and grant your miracles. Thou shalt persist. Thou shalt harm only that which is evil." EMIYA's words made the two versions of the Peerless Sword cast their miracles, and he handed one each to the Pendragons. "These are projections of Durandal, the sword of Roland, which is known in its legend to be nearly indestructible even without Magecraft actively supplementing it. Of the three miracles in the sword's hilt, I just used two to make the Projections last longer and make them non-lethal to you. One remains in each, just in case." Mordred, recently judged to be lacking by a sword already, wondered if the blade would deem her 'evil' and refuse to extend its protection. She soon decided that the best solution was to simply not be struck by her father's sparring blade. Mordred surrendered Prydwen to Sola-Ui and Caliburn to Shirou, before dismissing Clarent into motes of light.
Artoria gave a small nod of gratitude to EMIYA. "Thank you, Archer. Come, Mordred. Let us go outside and...work through our issues." Mordred did not need to be told twice, the young Knight following her father outside to try and parse her feelings through battle. Everyone present soon followed them outside as well. They had no desire to miss this.
On leaving the mansion, the group promptly took note of a black van driving toward them. It soon parked and Medusa exited the driver's side door, alarming several in Sola-Ui's group who realized that a blindfolded woman had just been driving. Atalanta then opened another door and began guiding two cloak-wearing children out of the vehicle. Rin's jeweled cloak lacked a hood and she was easily recognizable, but Sakura was concealed in black and purple prana ribbons that covered her almost completely. Her face was concealed in the shadows of her hood, though this merely accentuated the pink glow of her Mystic Eyes. Both children radiated magical power, albeit in different ways. Doctor Albion silently noted the Fae-like energies carried by the girls' choice of attire.
Tokiomi decided that he needed to explain, at least in part, when he saw the stares that his children were receiving from the others. "The girls are both wearing defensive measures for their own safety. Each has one Servant tending to her defense, but no one will interfere in the battle so long as it remains within the bounds of what has been agreed to." Sola-Ui accepted this explanation with a silent nod, hoping that Mordred wouldn't recklessly decide to challenge all of the Servants present. Shirou was guided to join the other children by Tokiomi and EMIYA, promptly receiving a strong hug from Sakura once he got in range.
"Shirou! I'm happy you're okay. T-thanks for saving Rin and Daddy...i-if it wasn't for you..." Sakura said, clinging to the other scabbard bearer.
Shirou hugged back and resolved to do so until the girl calmed down, the boy having experience comforting other orphans. "Any time, Sakura. Any time." Shirou felt an echo of a memory, an urge to protect, though figuring it out wasn't as important as comforting the girl. Rin stood near while hesitating to match her sister's enthusiasm, but Sakura pulled her into the hug as well. Both were also loosely wrapped in Prana Ribbons for good measure, the tendrils reacting to Sakura's feelings and wants. Rin had little choice to participate in the hug, so she decided she could be forgiven for putting an arm each around her little sister and the boy that had protected her and her father. Everyone watched, though the reunion had special meaning for Artoria, EMIYA, and Medusa.
"Hey! Don't forget about me, Father!" Mordred was both impatient and envious of the attention the children were getting. The eyes of those assembled soon turned to the blade-bearing Knight of Treachery, who now stood in a clearing roughly 150 meters from the house. It would not have been far enough away for safety had the use of Noble Phantasms not been barred. Artoria's senses determined that the clearing lightly radiated prana and had some aging scars from battle, likely inflicted during the Third Holy Grail War. "Come on, already! I want to see how you fight in your old age!" Mordred called out to her opponent.
If the taunt irritated Artoria, she didn't let it show on her face as she stepped forward onto the chosen battlefield. Instead, she responded calmly as she lifted her Projection of Durandal into a ready position. "Mordred. Let us show respect for our opponents, as Knights should, before the eyes of the coming generation of swordsmen."
"Fine, fine! Let's just do it, already!" Mordred was excited about the battle she was about to partake in, recalling her father's abilities from the previous night. The Knight couldn't help but hope that her father's swordsmanship had grown similarly to her magical power. With Mordred raising her own blade to the ready position, father and son stood fifteen meters apart and noted each other's form. This mutual analysis for weaknesses lasted only for a few moments before Mordred lunged forward to attack her father, closing the distance between the two almost instantly. Artoria's blade parried Mordred's initial assault well enough, though the ground beneath the King's front foot did give a couple of centimeters from the remainder of the force. This blemish to the ground didn't even rate when compared to the three-meter trench that Mordred's deflected blade had carved into the ground via air pressure alone.
The duel began in earnest, the sound of steel ringing on steel propagating through the forest. Flashes of sunlight reflected off the blades as their movement caused an intermittent wind to disturb the autumn morning breeze. Both fighters were impressive, but those who had seen Artoria fight before this War would note a difference. Her blows were harsher, her control more precise, and her technique more refined. Mordred realized that even in a body perpetually unable to grow into its prime, her father had managed to close the gap with her Lancer counterpart. Whether or not this Artoria had overtaken Lancer was not yet apparent. It would take a stronger push to determine that.
Mordred called upon her Magic Core and felt it pump prana through her body. Red lightning danced across her armor as the multiplication of strength and power that came with Mana Burst elevated her capabilities. Artoria took note of Mordred's power-up, but did not act in kind. Instead, aqua-colored lines appeared across the King's body as she used Reinforcement instead of the Mana Burst that she too was known for. When they rushed at each other anew, the power and speed difference between the pair had vanished.
"You-! Take this seriously, damn it!" Mordred yelled out in a rage as she and Artoria tested the durability of the swords they had borrowed from EMIYA. Artoria dodged a strike that smashed the upper half of a large boulder left behind from the Third Holy Grail War, only to take the opportunity to practically pirouette around the over-committed Mordred and strike her firmly in the back. The Peerless Blade did not cut Mordred due to EMIYA's use of its stored miracle, but the blow did accelerate her body into the boulder and pulverize the stone on impact.
"Why is the King using Reinforcement on herself instead of using Mana Burst? That's suicidal!" Sola-Ui exclaimed.
EMIYA responded with an amused scoff, knowing that Artoria was taking another page out of Shirou's book. "Only if you reinforce your body too far by stuffing so much prana into it that it breaks down or explodes. Saber's had centuries to learn her body's limits. As for the why...she knows that Mordred needs to tire herself out to get her anger out of her system, so she's probably aiming to outlast her by exploiting Mana Burst's weakness rather than just ending the fight quickly."
"Weakness?" Rin asked, not really understanding what Mana Burst was.
The Archer-class Servant never lost his smile, noting that Artoria's style of combat had evolved due to having known Shirou and analyzing his strengths. "It's simple enough. Both Mana Burst and Reinforcement work by storing up prana in a person or thing to accomplish something, usually to boost some specific attribute. Mana Burst is better than Reinforcement in momentary output, but it's still just that - a burst in power that quickly tapers off and can leave the user exhausted with successive use. Reinforcement is something Saber can probably sustain for a longer period of time with less strain, and her base power's so high that she can match Mordred's Mana Burst with just Reinforcement."
"The loud lady doesn't seem happy about it..." Sakura uttered, having heard Mordred's reaction.
EMIYA simply shook his head in amusement at Mordred's conduct. "Mordred's a rebellious kid who doesn't even know what she really wants. She'd complain no matter what. It's a good thing her father's here to give her a spanking. Maybe then they can actually get some closure."
"But if they're the same strength, how does Second Saber know she'll win?" Rin asked, still not quite understanding.
As Mordred found herself falling for a skillfully concealed feint and taking a solid blow to the shoulder for her trouble, EMIYA summed up his response in a single word. "Technique."
The next fifteen minutes were a demonstration of the importance of technique. Mordred's aggressive style was beyond the ability of virtually anyone in the modern-day, but Artoria's more refined style carried a mastery of control that allowed her to direct the flow of battle. Only the fact that the blades were explicitly instructed only to harm that which was evil kept Mordred in the fight, as her opponent's blade met flesh quite often. It had also provided limited protection to the landscape from the consequences of Mordred's brutal fighting style.
For Mordred, who had been at the Battle of Camlann a mere eight days ago from her perspective, the difference was jarring.
"Tch...you haven't slacked off one bit, have you?" A tiring Mordred inquired in irritation before launching a diagonal slash with her blade.
Artoria answered by deflecting the strike to the ground instead of dodging as Mordred had expected, promptly stepping into Mordred's guard. The pommel of Artoria's sword broke the sound barrier with a loud crack as it slammed into Mordred's diaphragm. Mordred stumbled back, retching, opening the Knight of Treachery up to a powerful series of follow-up strikes.
The entire group was still watching the spar. Sakura and Shirou used their Mystic Eyes to analyze the swordsmanship of the dueling Pendragons. Rin was envious of her peers' gifts but couldn't really do much about it. She watched as best she could while deciding she needed to master Reinforcement. The white-haired Servant that she and Shirou now shared said that he used Reinforcement on his eyes to see further and more sharply, even during his lifetime. If she could do things like that to watch this fight, or even get stronger with it like Second Saber had, maybe it was worth doing? Reinforcement was one of her inborn attributes, after all, so she should be a natural at it. The idea of her eyes exploding in their sockets kept her from trying right now, though. Maybe once she could do it reliably with jewels...or grapes. Grapes were a lot like eyes, right?
Rin's mental attention returned to the fight as Mordred attempted a block, but Artoria struck her blade hard in a specific spot near the guard of Mordred's own sword. The leverage weakened the tired Mordred's grip to the point where she lost her hold of the blade, which was knocked clear. Artoria's blade promptly positioned itself against Mordred's neck.
"An improvement over last time, Mordred, but this spar is mine. Yield." It was clearly Artoria's victory. Mordred could do nothing but grumble and acquiesce. Though the restriction against the use of Noble Phantasms was a far harsher handicap for Artoria than for Mordred, and Artoria had avoided the use of Mana Burst, the King of Knights still managed to win decisively.
Artoria responded to Mordred's surrender by stepping back and giving her Knight room to breathe. "Now then...you shall answer my questions, and I shall answer yours in goodwill. Why did you disconnect the telephone call yesterday if I would find no fault in your conduct?"
Mordred awkwardly rubbed the back of her head with her hand, pondering how to parse her words. Words she no longer had any way to avoid using. She finally just blurted out what was on her mind, unable to stand the silence any longer. "I just wasn't doing well in the head, okay?! Caliburn accepted this boy as a rightful King but just...rejected me! He even managed to use its main attack like it was his own Noble Phantasm! As much as I wished for a chance to pull the sword, to the point of participating in this War for it, I never expected to fail! I was your one and only child, for goodness sake! I mean, why?" Mordred trembled and yelled in frustrated lament as various eyes widened at the revelation that Caliburn, a Noble Phantasm that should no longer exist, had chosen a wielder in the modern-day. They maintained their silence, however, watching the display before them. "It felt like having you turn your back on me again, and I couldn't handle hearing your voice right then! I needed some time to think!"
"I see." Artoria's expression softened slightly. "I can understand your need. I shall not hold that against you, but I have since realized that Kingship and kinship are two different things. Caliburn only considers your own abilities and mindset, not that you are my son."
Mordred froze at the latest acknowledgment of her pedigree, staring at her father in search of any sign of manipulation or deception. Finding none, she dared to hope that what Shirou had said before was true. "The kid saw your history. He said you weren't emotionless as much as pushing those feelings aside for the sake of the people until you broke. He said you didn't hate me because of my mother...that you even loved me and thought I was...too human to be King. How does that even work? I'm a homunculus, you know!"
Artoria paused for a moment to parse her words carefully. She didn't want Mordred to misunderstand her here, lest any progress be lost. Soon, she had decided on what to say and spoke to her child. "At the time, I thought that emotions interfered with the ability to rule and were a weakness that could destroy the King from within. I also saw that you wore your feelings on your sleeve. Every action was ruled by your emotions, at times to the detriment of reason. You lacked the training and the self-restraint of Kingship to the point that you did not even consider what sort of King you wished to be. You did not ponder what the station would need of you or how to help the people. To accept you as King, at least with the understanding I had then, would only bring you misery until it wore upon your very soul as it did my own. All while destroying Britannia in the process. I did not wish that for you. To be so happy at the prospect of being King seemed at the time to be proof in and of itself that you did not understand the weight of the task and were ill-equipped to fill such a role."
"Then you should have taught me instead of turning your back! Or at least explained it to me!" Mordred shouted in grief-filled anger.
"Indeed, I should have." Artoria's response surprised Mordred and stopped her growing rage cold. "Recall that I was operating under my own burdens and misconceptions. Though the admittedly extreme solution of shutting out my feelings in favor of reason sometimes served its purpose, it was a recipe for disaster when dealing with people...particularly my child. Even if I could not then name you my heir due to your lack of training, I should have been clear on my reasons. I should have realized that effective rule requires a balance of both logic and emotion, and endeavored to teach you one while you rekindled in me the other. I should have given you a chance to learn the skills of Kingship and should have been your father regardless of the outcome."
Artoria's green eyes stared into Mordred's own shocked orbs. "For 1500 years, turning my back on you has been one of my greatest regrets. Not because of what you did afterward, but because we had lost what might have been."
Mordred shuddered, lowering her head...and almost whispered her response. "I wasn't just happy at being King, you know...I was happy at being able to help you..."
That piece of information snapped into Artoria's mind like a puzzle piece, allowing Artoria to view Mordred's actions through a new perspective. She no longer just saw Mordred's actions as those of a Knight seeking power but as those of a child seeking to please their parent. The resultant rejection was thus all the more wounding to Mordred back then. After several tense moments, Artoria closed her eyes. "I see...my mistake was even more fundamental than I had feared." Reopening her eyes, Artoria stepped once more into Mordred's personal space. The Knight of Treachery did not move as she felt her father's hand on her shoulder, the younger Pendragon still looking down to the ground. "Mordred. In the end, you did help."
The girl's head snapped up to look at her gently smiling father in confusion. That smile was something so simultaneously strange and welcome on her father's face... "What do you mean? I turned your Kingdom against you! I mortally wounded you and ended your reign! How the hell is that 'help'?" Mordred urgently inquired, feeling that nothing made sense anymore.
"Because in ending my rule, you both saved humanity from destruction by Quantum Time Lock and set me on a path that would eventually save my soul. When I return to this World, I now know to accept my feelings and be just a little more like you." Mordred's eyes were wide as she considered her father's words, the girl's mouth briefly gaping like that of a fish. The gentle, honest smile on her father's face was one she'd always wanted to see...and Mordred broke. Pulling her surprised father into an embrace and putting her head over Artoria's shoulder, Mordred struggled not to show any tears.
"D-damn it! First the kid and now you! Stop makin' me feel all mushy already!" The childish smile on Mordred's face, however, betrayed her true feelings on the matter. As Artoria returned the hug, Mordred came to a realization. Beyond being chosen by Caliburn or even being King...her true wish was to have the acceptance of her father.
"Given that we have a six-year-old niece for you to meet, I doubt it shall end so readily," Artoria responded.
Only on that reminder did Mordred hesitantly break the hug after a few moments. The wide grin remained on her face, showing that a burden had been lifted from her very soul. "Guess I'll just have to put up with it, then." Mordred then looked over to the group watching them and called to Medusa. "Hey, blindfold lady! Get that van ready! I've got more family to meet!"
Emiya Residence, Fuyuki City, Japan
117 hours and 43 minutes to Zero
Waver Velvet sat tensely at the low table in the living room of the Emiya Residence with his eyes closed and arms crossed. He was drumming his fingers on his arm in a futile effort to calm himself. Next to him, Iskandar was reading a World Atlas to learn of the world he sought to conquer. Irisviel, Illya, and a blanket-clad Gray all surrounded Iskandar, interested in the world that they had been isolated from thus far. Kiritsugu and Maiya were across the table from them, reading various magazines on modern weapons. Leysritt and Taiga were reading video game strategy guides next to the mercenaries, though it was unclear just how much understanding the maid had of the subject matter. All of this reading material was drawn from a massive pile of books on the table that appealed to Iskandar's interests. The only ones in the house who were not partaking were Lancer Artoria, Sella, and a healed Kariya. Kariya insisted on helping Sella clean the home, much to Sella's frustration, because he felt too idle while waiting for news on Sakura. Lancer Artoria was simply on guard, standing on the roof and watching the area.
After straining to keep his mouth shut, Waver finally snapped. "Rider! When I said you could go to the library, I didn't mean you could steal all these books!" Waver exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone at the table but Leysritt.
"I did not steal them, boy! They are rightfully mine through conquest! Or rather they would be, had the attractive young lady at the desk not explained to me the concept of a 'library card'. To loan out tomes so others might uplift themselves then have them returned so they might aid yet others in the future? An excellent idea for the improvement of a society! It is truly a shame that the written word was too rare in my time to employ such an idea." Iskandar turned a page without remorse while Waver couldn't help but sigh. At least they weren't stolen, though the sheer amount of material checked out at once implied that the library staff was simply too terrified of the giant man to say 'no'.
Kiritsugu chose that moment to stand up, receiving a telepathic situation report from his Servant. "On your guard, everyone. Lancer sees a copy of Leysritt's van coming." That made Waver tense, even knowing ahead of time that this was what the best-case scenario would look like. EMIYA was coming back willingly, but who would be coming with him?
When the van was permitted to drive through the gate and into the walls of the compound, Lancer Artoria closed the gate behind the vehicle. The Bounded Field around the residence confirmed that no one in the van carried hostile intent. The van parked and its rear door opened to reveal the occupants, the addition of Sir Dan Blackmore and Doctor Albion drawing Lancer Artoria's eye. Mordred jumped out and strode over to Lancer Artoria with purpose. "Hey, Lancer-Father. Where's my niece?" Mordred asked the taller blonde.
"Before I tell you, I must ask of you for her sake; what are your intentions towards her?" Lancer Artoria asked Mordred carefully as the others filed out of the vehicle. The children and Tokiomi were kept together by Atalanta. Medusa never left the cloaked Sakura's side while Saber Artoria stayed with Shirou. EMIYA got out of the driver's seat and seemed ready to intervene if things got violent. Sola-Ui was nervously standing behind Saber Artoria, recognizing the woman's civility and honor as a lifeline. Between feeling intense levels of Fae-like prana from the ribbons forming Sakura's cloak, recognizing Rin's cloak as the one made by Morgan for assassination, and Caliburn of all weapons hanging from Shirou's back, Lancer Artoria's eyes widened slightly in surprise and confusion. Thankfully, an almost imperceptible nod from her Saber self kept Lancer on task.
Mordred was thankfully more agreeable than she might have been earlier this morning, though no less loud. "I'm here to help protect her! Nobody told me the girl I was supposed to be saving from her kidnappers was a human sacrifice! Between hearing that, clearing the air with Father, and this mess with the Grail; I figured I'd throw my lot in with you guys. It's not like my Master has the Command Seals to stop me. That and Father did some weird legal stuff to free both of our Masters of any obligation to those cultists. The new guys are allies too...I think. The white-haired guy with the beard is a modern Knight of Britannia, one of our kin who asked for my and Father's help protecting our niece. The other one with red hair already knows Father somehow."
Kiritsugu chose to make himself known at this point and speak to Mordred. "Good to hear that family's still important to you. Let's get inside and start talking then. Gray has a small fever, but she isn't contagious or immobilized. Hiding in a plane's cargo area during a German autumn to travel halfway across the planet wasn't without consequences, but it got her out of the hands of the rest of the Einzbern family undetected."
Dan Blackmore was aware of the Magus Killer's exploits and didn't want to trust him with Gray's well-being, but he held his tongue. His King already knew about Kiritsugu Emiya from their past dealings and still trusted him, so the Knight would abide. With the thoughts in Dan's mind left unspoken, the whole group was admitted to the Emiya Residence. They were greeted in the foyer by a white-haired homunculus that had a very human smile.
"Welcome to our home! I'm Kiritsugu's wife, Irisviel von Einzbern. That is a darling Mystic Code, Miss Tohsaka! Should I have one of the maids hang your cloak for you while you're here?" Irisviel happily asked Rin, who regretted not yet having sufficient mastery over her Jeweled Cloak's transformative abilities to conceal its true form yet. Taiga glanced over from the next room and gawked at the bejeweled attire. Leysritt put down her strategy guide at the prompting and approached. She took Dan's cloak and hung it up while Rin was taking a moment to decide. Sakura had also paused for that moment, not wanting to give up the security of her ribbon cloak even though wearing it inside might be considered a bit rude.
Atalanta weighed in on noting the girls' hesitation. "Is it alright if the girls keep them on? They both became Masters unexpectedly under traumatic circumstances last night, and the cloaks have protective properties that might make them feel a bit safer." Both girls glanced to Atalanta with gratitude.
"Of course! The Bounded Field already proved that none of you have hostile intent towards us, and I wouldn't want them to be scared. Gray is wearing a blanket around herself, and cloaks aren't that different. Just us know if you start to feel too warm." Irisviel said with an understanding smile.
Rin gave both a small sigh of relief and a curtsy. "Thank you, Lady Einzbern. I'll keep it on for now." The girl then took off her shoes and put on the offered slippers, as was customary in Japan when entering a house. The action was mirrored by the others, Mordred desummoning her armor while doing so.
"Nii-chan!" A white-haired girl rushed down the hallway to the foyer and tackle-hugged Shirou like a missile. She hadn't thought the maneuver through and the boy was likely to end up falling on the floor, but Saber Artoria thankfully knelt down and caught them both. Illya didn't seem to mind this, focused instead on Shirou. "You're here! You're finally here, Shirou!" Illya held the confused boy firmly, having been worried for him ever since she obtained the edited memories of her future self. "I'm not letting you out of my sight! Trouble always follows you, doesn't it?"
The voice and appearance of the girl triggered a memory in Shirou. It was the same one that first seeing Irisviel caused, but this feeling was stronger. "Wait...Illya? Y-you're Illya! I think I remember a little!"
"A little? I guess Merlin hasn't given back much of your memory yet...but don't worry! I'll be the big sibling this time, okay? You just relax, enjoy life, and you'll remember me before you know it! No more jumping into fights when Saber can do it for you, either! You made a bad habit of that last time too!" The namedrop of Merlin surprised a few people who weren't yet fully in the know.
"U-um...who are you?" Sakura asked, managing to recover her senses a bit sooner than Rin.
"Me? Ah!" She pulled away from Shirou and Saber Artoria, dusted herself off, and gave a curtsy to the confused Tohsaka sisters. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern, daughter of Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern...and Shirou's new big sister!"
"A-ah, I'm Sakura...Tohsaka? This is Rider..." Sakura said hesitantly while introducing Medusa. The child almost introduced herself as a Matou but stopped herself. On seeing her father nod and smile in confirmation that she was right to use the Tohsaka name, she smiled happily.
Rin curtsied back to Illyasviel in introduction. "I'm Rin Tohsaka, Shirou's classmate and co-apprentice under my father. My Servant is Third Archer." Illya envied that these two had Servants and she didn't. She missed Hercules badly, but at least she had Shirou again. That and EMIYA was back. That was double the Shirou!
Kariya Matou and a girl younger than the rest slowly stepped out from around the corner of a hallway on seeing the other kids introduce themselves. Her face was a bit flushed and she wore a dark blanket around herself, but the family resemblance to Artoria and Mordred was obvious. "I-I'm Gray Pendragon. Sorry for not getting here faster, but I'm sick right now..." Her mouth did not match her voice, the translation spell within the home allowing Gray's Britannian language to be understood as Japanese by the newcomers.
Mordred saw the child, her own kin, and her face twisted slightly into an awkward smile as she tried to think of how to introduce herself. Saber Artoria put a hand on her back and pushed Mordred forward, giving her little choice but to stop thinking and do it. "...hey there. I'm your Aunt Mordred. I was summoned to bring you home, but I decided to protect you from those guys instead. I might not be the best role model, but I'll fight to keep you safe."
Sakura, unable to restrain herself any further, rushed forward to embrace Kariya as if he were about to vanish. When he knelt down and met the hug, the quiet girl began to gently sob in relief. "Uncle Kariya..." The man smiled and hugged back, glad that she was free of the mess that had caused her such suffering.
Gray, seeing this example of familial love presented to her, slowly approached Mordred in emulation. Timidly, almost fearfully, she slowly reached out her arms...and found herself promptly wrapped up in a big hug. Remembering her own childhood as Morgan's tool, the Knight of Treachery spoke to her young kin. "Listen to me, Gray. We're not tools. We're not meant to be used, no matter what other people say. We're people. You're family. And anyone who says otherwise will have to answer to my sword."
"Auntie Mordred..." Gray managed weakly. The young child recognized a feeling of safety and relaxed into the hug. Mordred hadn't known what to expect when meeting the girl, but she now felt a very specific sensation that was born of kinship, honor, the parallels between her and Gray's lives, and the possessive draconic instincts conveyed by Mordred's Magic Core.
Protect.