Summary: Cu Chulainn wasn't expecting to be turned into a Caster. He was a Lancer with the Gae Bolg, for god's sake — casting rune spells wasn't his forte compared to Scathach and Odin's natural territory. But when meeting a tiny Chaldean Master, he starts to reconsider his luck.

Note: Caster Cu was one of the first Servants that got to Bond 6 in my first year of playing FGO, and he's definitely been a Servant I was fond of then. I still am now. It's why it felt right dedicating a chapter to him, because of how much he helped me in-game, and seeing him in Lostbelt 6 again just brought more of that initial surprised joy back.

The theme for this chapter is Hakanakumo Towa no Kanashi by UVERWORLD, the first opening to Gundam 00's second season. Because the translated lyrics worked. For an alternative, I'll recommend the first theme song used for FGO — Shikisai by Maaya Sakamoto, as well as the Solomon movie version of Shikisai, The Time of Parting Hath Come.

GIANT SPOILER WARNING for everything up to Section 19 of Lostbelt 6, by the way! Because when Caster Cu comes back to the story canon, he's gotta do it in style and I'd like all readers to read up to that point first. :) Also, content warning for implied verbal and emotional abuse. Because let it be said that Olga-Marie's actions in Fuyuki did not age well.

Otherwise, here we go.

Day 68: Caster's Eye

"Hey, an enemy of an enemy isn't always a friend, but you can treat me as an ally for now." The line came out practiced, rehearsed just like Odin wanted it to be. Cu Chulainn didn't get it. Why would a great god like Odin decide to choose him as a vessel? All Cu Chulainn was as a Heroic Spirit was someone defined by his life marked by the Gae Bolg. Working with Scathach. Fighting Medb. Killing his own son. Being a Caster just wasn't up his alley.

At least, that's what he thought until he looked into her eyes.

"S-Sure! We'll need all the help we can get, so please help Mash!"

…Huh.

For the folks who were supposed to save the world by looking into the stars, Cu Chulainn was not expecting the lone Master to have them in her eyes. Not even that one Director from the Animusphere family could stand up to it, because Cu could say in all honesty she lacked them in comparison to the lass currently staring up at him with awe. And sure, the stars there were small now — barely illuminating the irises and dangerously close to flickering out from the shocked tears budding at the corners of her eyes — but they were still shining. Beautifully too, even past the slightly blurred lenses of her glasses, if he could go so far to say such a thing. Hell, he couldn't deny being drawn in.

Alright then. Might as well take a bet on her like you did with me, right, Odin?

"Glad to hear it." Cu shouldered his stave, ignoring the foreign pangs of, wrong weapon, that just vibrated his nerves painfully while exposing teeth in what he hoped was a comforting grin. The magus woman was frowning nearby, but it was like a faint blot compared to the sheer amount of hope shining in the young Master's eyes as he took in their group. Geez, way to get a man's ego up much? "Get ready for battle then, lass. My actions are based on your orders."

"O-Orders…? O-Oh, orders!" Vy sucked in a breath before the magus woman at her side could glower angrily, nodding her head and resting her left hand against her chest. Red lotus petals shined from the back of her exposed knuckles as she said in a louder voice, "Th-Then as my first 'order,' Caster, please provide cover fire for Mash! She's holding off the enemy Servant alright, but she's still shaking for her first battle! We can't have her fall now!"

Huh, Cu thought again. For a first-timer at combat, she took in the situation with the corrupted Lancer fighting her Shielder maiden friend and reacted pretty well. Alright then…

With a grin, he spelled out a rune with his fingers.

"Two Servants won't be enough! You have to summon more, Vy!"

"E-Eh…?"

Cu felt tempted to sigh and lean back to down a bottle of booze. Because really? A verbal fight? Now?

Compared to the previous battle's Lancer, the magus declaring herself as the boss of his newly minted Master lass and the accompanying Shielder maiden was looking more and more like the real monster behind the flames of Fuyuki, her white hair and yellow eyes flashing with rage and discontent. Heck, his adopted lass seemed to be wilting more and more with Olga-Marie's continued berating. (It didn't help that she kept aiming for the poor girl's throat with things like, "You're only part of the general pool, you should've been a better Master to read Mash's stats and release her Noble Phantasm!" and "Why did it have to be you who got Rayshifted here and not Lev or even another Master candidate?!", sheesh, picky much?) If not for the faraway doctor through his hologram (Dr. Roman, was it?) visibly trying to appease the Director's anger, Vy probably would've melted into the floor.

And sure, her logic was solid. As brave as his lass and her Shielder were, they were only two people in a flaming world that had gone to hell. He could fight pretty well, sure, even as a Caster, but there was still the sticking point of the corrupted Saber in the epicenter of the problem. And there was only so much mana Vy could give. More hands to fight with, the better.

Didn't make the current Director's actions any less what the fuck, though.

Thankfully, what breaks the tension is a quiet yet telling slam of metal against pavement, and when Cu opens his eyes, Mash is standing up from her shield (did she lay it down onto the ground?), brushing dust off her knees. "I know my shield can work as a catalyst, Director, so Senpai can use it for Summoning at least." Shooting Vy a conflicted look of sympathy, Mash shook her head. "The leylines are stable, but it is still up to Senpai first as a Master as to how to proceed. Forgive my impertinence for speaking up, Director, but I must say that pushing her like how you are now won't help our situation."

Olga-Marie immediately turned red in the face.

Huh. Good on the Shielder for saying something! If this shouting fest had gone on any longer, Cu would've been tempted to draw a silencing rune.

"Yeah, Director, so you have to calm down." Dr. Roman looks sheepish even through the holographic display of their communication methods — it was so tacky, Cu could've sworn even Shishou would have made something better. Despite that, the voice the doctor used after said sentence, just in what looked like the moment, hardened for a brief second, making Cu blink. "As Mash said, getting angry doesn't change the situation we're in. Vy is all we have through the Command Room explosion and your lectures aren't the way to go when taking command of the mission." To the tearing-up lass, Dr. Roman turns to a softer voice, clearly attempting to diffuse the tension Olga started with a quieter, "Vy-chan, just take a deep breath and raise your hand with your Command Seals over the center of Mash's shield. It's okay — I can guide you. So just clean up a little and focus on my voice, okay?"

Cu doesn't miss how Vy turns her head away from Olga to wipe at her face with her sleeve, stepping forward and extending her left hand over Mash's shield as the doc recommended to expose the three red lotus petals there. "O-Okay, Doctor." Cu felt his chest tighten instinctively at the barely hidden sniffle in the lass's voice, but pride surged through his veins too at the sound of slowly growing confidence echoing in the tone. "Okay. I-I'll do it."

Dr. Roman and Mash shared a smile. Cu couldn't help but do the same. But just in case, Cu cast a silencing rune to zip up Olga's lips before the Director could blow another fuse. Didn't need someone like her ruining the moment. Plus he's been meaning to do that for the past hour now. It felt good not hearing anything from her for once.

"Then repeat after me, Vy-chan. Make sure to pronounce and enunciate everything. It's okay to go slowly. As for the color line, I would use 'gold' myself, but 'white' should work here. So just do your best, okay?" For a mage that was, in his humble opinion, too goddamn far away from the fighting, Cu had to give Dr. Roman credit somewhere — his guidance was helping the lass calm down, whatever budding tears that were previously forming now disappearing as quickly as they arrived. "Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."

Vy inhaled and exhaled shakily, closing her eyes. "L-Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."

"Let white be the color I pay tribute to. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close." Dr. Roman continued in a stronger voice, pointedly ignoring the silenced Olga and her muffled screaming along the way. "Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."

Small spheres of mana raised themselves up from the engraved magic circle of Mash's shield to circle around Vy's extended hand. "L-Let white be the color I pay tribute to. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close." The lass swallowed nervously at the mana spheres, shutting her eyes tighter out of instinct, but Cu straightened his back as the mana in the air started to swirl too. "Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching into the Kingdom rotate."

Dr. Roman's smile widened even through the hologram display. "I hereby declare."

"I-I hereby declare."

"Your fealty shall be mine, and my fate shall be with your sword. If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me."

The mana from both Mash's shield and the air started circling and swirling around his lass, and Cu couldn't help but whistle as a faint pink aura started emerging amongst all the light. Olga's muffled screaming be damned, he wasn't missing this for the world. "Y-Your fealty shall be mine, and my fate shall be with your sword. If you heed the Grail's call and obey my will and reason, then answer me."

"I hereby swear that I shall be all good in the world. That I shall repress all the evil in the world."

The red lotus petals making up the lass's Command Seals glowed brighter as her voice grew louder. "I hereby swear that I shall be all good in the world. That I shall repress all evil in the world."

Dr. Roman nodded his head eagerly. "One of seven heavenly beings bearing the three great words of power, come forth from the cycle that shackles you, Guardian of Scales!"

"O-One of seven heavenly beings bearing the three great words of power, come forth from the cycle that shackles you, G-Guardian of Scales!" Vy stammered the words out just as her left hand moved instinctively to open her palm over Mash's shield, but the pink aura from her body didn't fade — if anything, it grew stronger as the surrounding mana (spheres, air, and all) condensed into gold sparks. Olga's screaming had gone quiet too in the face of all the energy, and once the gold solidified into three white rings, there was a bright flash and Cu closed his eyes.

But even without his eyes, he could feel it. Three heartbeats were solidifying in Fuyuki outside of him, the Chaldeans, and the rest of the corrupted Servants. Three pure heartbeats.

"D-Doctor, is this how it's supposed to—" the lass cuts herself off once the light dies down, and a little squeak leaves her instead.

The first of the new trio of Servants — a Saber? — immediately strides forward from her place standing on top of Mash's shield, walking past the shell-shocked Mash and Olga to take Vy's left hand in hers. "It appears you are my new lady. I am now your Servant, class name Saber," the new Servant murmurs (elegantly too, wow, that was a bit much), getting to one knee while refusing to break eye contact. Her blonde ponytail falls forward past her shoulder to drape her neck, matching her fluffy hat tilting downwards to frame her rather small face as she says, "My True Name is Chevalier d'Eon. I am the knight that will protect you and the royalty of France — the knight of the White Lily. So please, wipe that frown off your face."

"Buh," is the first noise that leaves Vy's lips. She stares down at the newly minted d'Eon, blinking rapidly. "Mwuh?"

The only man out of the new trio — a Lancer? Sheesh, way to rub it into his face that Cu didn't have Gae Bolg — stepped off of Mash's shield too to follow d'Eon's example, striding over to Vy's side and getting to one knee. The two spears at his waist were quickly placed at their feet as he lifted his head to look Vy in the eye, even if Cu could see how the Lancer carefully hid a flinch along the way. "I am a Lancer-class Servant — the first knight of the Knights of Fianna, Diarmuid Ua Diabhne." Oh, no wonder this guy flinched at taking in Vy's cute face. His women troubles were just plain bad. "Just like Saber, I am now a Servant who serves you, Master."

Vy was starting to flush a rosy pink. It didn't look to be of embarrassment — if anything, she looked almost like she was shutting down. "M-M—" her voice cracked, going higher-pitched by the second. "M-M-M-Master? Me? O-Of you?"

"Oh my." The other Caster — the last of the new trio and one who was very irritatingly familiar, agh — stepped off Mash's shield with a happy skip in her step compared to Lancer and Saber's more refined walks. It didn't even take long for her to wave her silver staff away to just float up with her mantle, taking Vy's unoccupied right hand in both of her own gloved ones for a squeeze. "What a cute Master you are! As a Caster, I can't help but find this so interesting!" If she wasn't wearing her hood, Cu knew she would've been winking at the stupefied Vy. "I'm the Caster-class Servant, Medea, sweet little thing~! It's very nice to meet you!"

She's playing it up. But for once, Cu couldn't find himself complaining. Because when Vy glanced between Medea, d'Eon, and Diarmuid all in quick succession, the pink aura was fading from her figure in exchange for wide, bright stars filling her bespectacled eyes instead. The surrounding flames from Fuyuki almost seemed pale in comparison to the sheer amount of hope and potential shining there as she slowly nodded. "A-A-Aye. I-It's, um, it's very nice to meet you three too! Uh, I-I wish I had something better to say a-aside from my name being V-Vy, but um. C-Could you all help me? P-P-Please?"

Cu wasn't even surprised over all the new arrivals nodding their heads. With how the lass had summoned all three of them with no malicious intent whatsoever, it would've been shocking if they didn't comply.

In the end, he couldn't help but grin. Things really were going to get interesting.

"Is there anything you can do about — about that damn Love Spot?!"

And of course, the oh-so-important Chaldean Director had to rain down on the hope parade. A few test battles against the growing skeleton hordes generated by Fuyuki's flames didn't seem to be enough for her. What did she want anyway? Even after Dr. Roman quietly asked Cu to take the silence rune off, Olga immediately went back into rounding on someone else once she could open her mouth again. Cu could already guess the good Doctor's recommendation was pushing their shared luck, but for Vy and Diarmuid to be wilting, well.

Olga had too much bark for her little amount of bite.

"L-Love Spot or not, I don't know, it looks like a regular mole to me, n-not to mention Lancer is doing everything that he can, Director, so—!"

"It doesn't change the fact that his mole is a risk, Vy! It's cursed! A good Master would be able to mitigate something like this, but you're just letting it run free!" Olga was close to screaming once Vy had stepped in front of the forlorn Lancer, and Cu could feel his own hackles rise once he caught a glimpse of those damn tears slowly blotting out the stars in Vy's brown irises again. "You can see his stats, can't you?! So try to turn that off or something—!"

There was no denying the slowly growing vein bulging at the top of his forehead. Cu felt his fingers move before a gloved hand was stopping him. "…Medea?"

Amazingly, the Witch of Betrayal was scowling past her hood, stave actively materializing in her outstretched hand as she floated forward. Cu blinked once she pointed the stave tip at Olga. "What can be done is to inflict a counter-curse to the Charm for nullifying the effects," the Caster mutters, zipping up Olga's first Medea-patented protest with a wave of her stave before turning to Lancer with a slightly apologetic expression. "Excuse me, Master. Lancer, you will have to hold still."

"Caster, what do you mean by—?" Diarmuid lurched back once a burst of concentrated mana flashed in his face, and Vy let out a little, "Wah!", to match his shock as Cu blinked again. The mana was settling as quickly as it had been invoked, and the next thing Cu could see was Lancer rubbing at his cheekbone where the Love Spot was. "This is…"

"Try asking Master or Mash to look you in the eyes now," Medea snapped, dispelling her stave and flipping some of her long hair to the side. "The Director's complaints be damned, your Charm curse should be under control so long as I'm around and it should be much better than covering it up. The whole thing was already annoying me, so spare me the words of thanks."

Diarmuid paused, his grip on his two spears loosening to match. Cu couldn't blame him for any of it.

It didn't stop his lass — their shared lass — from murmuring a soft, "Thank you," to the grumpy Medea and reaching out to tug at Lancer's arm. The gesture wasn't enough to take his hand, but still able to convey worry and genuine concern as she stared up at him. "Lancer?" Starlight was starting to shine in her eyes again. "Will you be alright?"

Diarmuid took a breath, closing his eyes before turning his head. "Before I answer that, my lady, could you tell me what you feel right now when looking into my eyes?"

Olga made a muffled sound of protest, but that was the only interruption in the tense silence of Fuyuki's flames that continued to rage around them.

Even then, Vy's voice came out soft and honest in spite of the timid uncertainty lacing her words, stars brightening her bespectacled brown irises as she did as Diarmuid asked and then said, "Just… Just warm? No fuzzies or weird hate or something. Not even a jump of the heart, I think." Her little smile made it all the better as she finished with, "Because it's still just Lancer."

Cu grinned. Nearby, Mash started to giggle.

Diarmuid was looking at their shared Master like she was a goddess now, and a wry smile of his own started to form on the corners of his lips past the accumulated dirt and grime from battle. "…Just Lancer?" he echoed softly.

"Just Dia," Vy added, backing up only when her mind apparently caught up with her mouth allowing the nickname to slip, glancing at d'Eon for help before trying to cover up her heating cheeks with some of her long hair. "E-Even before Caster moved, you were just Lancer, Diarmuid. What else am I supposed to see you as but a Servant who's been nothing but nice to me?"

"There you have it, Lancer," d'Eon added, taking a few steps forward to face her fellow Servant while keeping a hand on the pommel of her rapier, blue eyes warm. "Even with my Magic Resistance, I can tell your curse has been dealt with. So breathe a little easier, won't you?"

"Hmph," was all Medea had to say for her input.

Diarmuid glanced at all three women before turning to Cu. Cu decided to go with the simple response of giving the man a thumbs-up.

Once Vy tugged at Diarmuid's arm again, there was no mistaking the pride surging through Cu's veins once Lancer reached over to hold her hand in return.

That's our lass.

Medea's mutual glaring with Olga could be handled later. Probably later. Women could be way too complicated for Cu's taste.

"Fighting?"

It made sense in context. Even when Fuyuki had been resolved, there were still the other singularities left to deal with. It didn't help that Lev Lainur — no, Flauros — was way too thorough in trying to be intimidating, because when taking out Olga, he had to intimidate the lass too, didn't he? And Olga was bad enough with her words, not helped by Mash's lack of self-confidence to protest every single insult on Vy's behalf. But even Olga didn't deserve a grim death like what Flauros had done to her — a black hole was just overkill — it all made Cu wish Odin kept him around a bit longer.

But for Vy to ask for Cu and Diarmuid for help in learning how to fight? Hand-to-hand combat, too?

…Well. Cu would've been tempted to eat his own druid staff if not for Lancer already being there. Did low self-esteem just trickle down the Chaldean workforce lines like goddamn rain from a storm or something?

"Mas — Vy," Diarmuid hastily corrected himself mid-sentence, the grip he had on Gae Dearg loosening as he stared at their shared lass. It was at least comforting to know even the first of the Knights of Fianna was just as perplexed as Cu was at Vy's proposition. Runes was one thing. But— "Forgive me for my impudence, but I must ask: you wish to join the battlefield yourself?"

The faint pink flush on Vy's cheeks in contrast was barely calming the blood starting to roar in the back of Cu's ears as she nodded. Because oh no. "H-Honestly, after what happened to… to Director Olga-Marie, it doesn't feel right just standing by and watching anymore. Even if I'm giving orders and mana support." She pressed her fingers together rather awkwardly, enough to expose the growing sweat beading on both palms as she lowered her gaze to the floor. Even in the Mages' Association Uniform the good ol' doc provided her for casual Mystic Code use, she looked small. "As much as… as much as I wasn't supposed to be the last Master, I'm still here now. And… and I want to do more."

Cu opened his mouth, a protest sitting right on the tip of his tongue, when he blinked and saw them. From the barely hidden yet sharp inhale of breath beside him, he knew Diarmuid could see them too.

The same bright, warm, and determined stars from their first meeting in Fuyuki were shining in Vy's brown eyes, her glasses accentuating their sharp glow as she raised her head to meet Cu's own. Hell, they seemed bigger than before. "I don't want to see anyone close to me die again. So please, Cu, Dia. Even if I can't use runes or other magecraft, I want to do something to help you both out on the battlefield. It's the least I can do."

With a deep breath of his own, Cu turned his head to meet Diarmuid's gaze. The Lancer had a frown on his face that all but spelled out in neon headlights, I'm not sure about this, and Cu turned his focus back to Vy. "…Lass," he starts gently, to both ease the tension in the room and covertly hide his own uncertainty. "You've already been pushing yourself to get all the Ascension materials and Embers to power us up, not to mention the rest of the Servants. And you go to every Singularity and mission before the good ol' Doc even asks you to. You still feel like taking on more?"

The stars in Vy's eyes merely flashed as she nodded again, long hair falling forward to frame the determination on her face. "My family's worked with life-death situations before, Cu. And they worked as hard as they could just to let me be here. So I think I can try to live up to their example if it means being able to save them."

…Now what am I supposed to say to that? Even the flashes of memories Cu got in that moment from both their bond and Odin's influence dried up whatever else he could've mustered up in the name of "protest." The people in those memories were just strangers to him, but to a lass like Vy…

No wonder she latched onto Mash and the others so hard. Because the one image of an older woman coming home only to break down into tears at the news of her baby girl of a daughter being involved in something that just wasn't meant for kids to deal with, even by Cu's old-timer standards — it was just plain hard to refute.

So all Cu found himself saying after one more shared glance with Diarmuid was a simple, "…Alright. What do you have in mind then, Master?"

It was only at that moment Cu saw the stars in Vy's eyes flicker in their strength. Not disappear, per say, but glisten somehow with honesty and plain confusion. From the looks of it, she definitely wasn't expecting the formal title call. "Um." The determination in her voice seemed to waver next, as if she wasn't expecting to get so far in her resolve too, before a more familiar flush colored her cheeks. "I-I have experience twirling, well, um, a hiking stick? Maybe we can start with that?"

Cu immediately had to cough to hide the incoming bark of a fond laugh bubbling up in his throat as Diarmuid walked forward to take Vy's hand in one of his with a partially-forced smile. "A-A hiking stick is certainly one way to begin training, my lady," Lancer mused past the new audible strain in his voice, as if he was hiding his own amusement as he squeezed her fingers. "But if you're fine with a brute such as myself helping you, I'm more than willing to do so."

"O-Of course I'm okay with it!" The sudden shout had Lancer lurching back on his heels as Vy turned to him. "I wouldn't have asked you and Cu if I wasn't okay with it, Dia! I trust you because you two are some of my first Servants!" Indignation seeped into the previously embarrassed tone as Vy glanced at Cu before ducking her head with a pout. "Why wouldn't I be okay with it, anyways…?"

Cu stared into those stars that continued to highlight Vy's brown eyes and allowed himself one laugh. "Fine, fine. What a weird lass you are." But not one I'd ever abandon. Guess Odin really knew how to choose 'em stubborn folk. "But it's a start. How 'bout we replace that hiking stick with a proper staff?"

Vy and Diarmuid were both looking at him now. At least Diarmuid was showing more faith, but really? Why was the lass giving him that blank look?

…Oh wait. I haven't explained myself. Well, fuck.

Cu grinned to both hide his internal embarrassment and expose sharp teeth in a show of confidence. "Hey, even if I don't got my spear, I know how to twirl a staff, and Lancer here knows his way around two cursed lances no problem. Why not upgrade what you know with the hiking stick to a metal bo staff, lass? It'll be a better fit with all the twirling you know and we can drill the reflexes into ya so it moves with you as an extra arm."

And it would be a start to both honor her wishes and keep her out of trouble, he hoped. Because those stars in her eyes were already beautiful enough to draw him in instinctively. To the point of Odin even whispering, Don't let them die, in the backs of his ears.

Cu already knew he would agree with the old God's thought process once he went onto that. Seeing Vy's curious pout at the mention of "bo staff" merely reinforced it.

It didn't stop the hurt from flooding him when the inevitable happened. All Cu could do once Odin summoned him again, this time to a Lostworld, was, as that one dark-robed Avenger infuriatingly put it, "wait and hope." He already taught Vy everything he could back during the Incineration, and once the fleeing Demon God Pillars started fumbling with the loss of their leader, Odin stirred. He had to, all things considered, what with the Bleaching incoming.

It was why Cu wanted, more than anything, to be there for his lass when the original Chaldea fell. But once the Nordic God stirred and then sent him to a Britain that just shouldn't exist for the next part of their shared mission, Grímr grit his teeth and dealt with it. Because Cu Chulainn may have been cursed by Gae Bolg to do nothing but kill, but as Grímr, maybe he could do more for the lass who gave him stars when they first met. It's why he sends one of his wolves — Muninn had a good enough nose, anyway — to follow Mash when the duo get separated by the Nameless Forest, thanks to the new Servant in Morgan — what was it with Vy and summoning the scary women? — letting things play along outside her protective "Vy-barrier" to avoid trouble.

It was frustrating to not be able to follow his lass personally — there was just no touching that Vy-barrier Morgan put up even in her "Tonelico" disguise, it seemed — but the wind still sang hopefully. Of the Child of Prophecy, of Aesc's legend long after the Savior gave up on her duty to paradise.

Cu couldn't help but grin once the wind started singing tales of a brunette girl making her way to his location. Because of course she would. The stars in her eyes, even back in Fuyuki, screamed she could.

Even seeing her in the flesh is enough to wipe away any remaining frustration and anger lingering in his veins, because despite the sweat and dirt clinging to her features, it was still Vy. His lass, standing tall and strong amongst the Servants she chose to come with her to this cursed Britain. It was a bit of a shame his old compatriots of Fuyuki weren't among Vy's group, but knowing them, they had helped in their own ways, even from their places back in Novum Chaldea. Not to mention, there was something about seeing Arturia and Robin — two of his lass's very first Grailed — protectively flanking her sides that had him grinning wider.

He'd have to give Freki more cooked fish from the campfire later to thank the wolf for leading Vy back.

Even the recognition and joy starting to highlight those big stars in her eyes were so, so warm as joy started lifting Vy's voice. "…Caster?" she whispered, seemingly missing Muramasa and Caster Arturia's shared looks of disbelief. "Is that you?"

Cu lowered his hood. "Hey there, lass. It's 'bout time you got here." Was starting to worry, but Odin wouldn't let me. I'm glad I didn't have to wait long. With a grin, he stood up from his seat at the campfire. "Welcome to Orkney, Vy."

Habetrot's jaw dropped just as Vy jumped up and down in her place in the ash-covered snow grounds of Orkney. Her ponytail bounced with the motion, accentuating the happy cry of, "Cu!", leaving her lips. The Odin in him was already wincing from the volume, but Cu didn't care.

"Change that to Grímr, lass, or else it lowers my Spirit Origin's output here. Been going by that name for too long around these places to let it go." Raising his hand to stop her from running over was only for appearances, but Cu still grinned once Vy halted in place with a very visible pout. "Besides, I got something for ya to do before I fill ya in on what's up."

Past the dust covering the lenses' edges of her glasses, Vy blinked. The stars in her brown irises weren't fading compared to what he remembered in Fuyuki, glowing strong enough to portray confidence and total trust as she straightened her back. "What do you need me to do?"

That's my lass.

Cu reached into the one pack he inherited from his faerie predecessor to the Grímr name and after a bit of rummaging, pulled out a wooden stick, tossing it between his hands before putting his druid staff to the ground where his wolves sat protectively around it. Wasn't on the level of a well-made lance, but… "The wind's been telling me about the foreign mage traveling with the Child of Prophecy, ringing bells around Britain in the name of saving it." Extending the staff to a fightable length, Cu cracked his neck and took a stance. "Gotta test 'em both to see if they're the real deal by fighting hands-on, right?!"

The shock in the Caster version of Arturia's eyes didn't seem like much compared to the anticipation in Vy's own, a single flick of her wrist being all it took to extend her own metal bo staff in her own show of power. His metal bo staff that he and Diarmuid made for her, way back in the original Chaldea thanks to Da Vinci's help. "Another test of skill, huh. Okay then, Grímr, I can go. Ria," Vy's voice came out practiced and calm. "Think you're up for this?"

"I-I am! Don't worry about it — I got this!" Even with the Staff of Selection clutched between both hands, her green eyes flashed with the same stars Vy had for a brief moment that had Cu grinning toothily. "It seems this man's much less nice than your usual acquaintances, Vy!"

"On his off days, yes!" Vy chirped and Cu held back the urge to roll his eyes. "Art-san, Big Robin, Tonelico — keep everyone back for me, will you?"

The surge of pride coursing through his veins at seeing the named Servants nod their heads and hold the others in their motley party back at Vy's request, though—

Even when tougher and more seasoned of a Master, you're still as kind of a lass as ever, Vy. He hides another smile. Wouldn't have you any other way.

It takes Cu a moment to realize he's lying down in the snow. The cloudy skies of Orkney sat up above as they always did, and his robes barely keep him from feeling cold.

What registers first is the unforgiving weight of someone sitting on top of him — not straddling him, per say — but definitely holding him down. He couldn't even stretch his fingers over the wooden staff his predecessor left him, and when blinking his eyes for answers, all he could see were stars.

Vy's stars, he realizes, as she blinked down at him, eyebrows furrowed in determination against her sweaty face as she kept him from moving a single muscle with all of her weight. Her legs and boots are tangled with his in such a way that it can't be seen as intimate, and add in how her free arm is keeping his dominant hand pressed into the snow and the business end of her bo staff is stabbing the ground near his ear — well.

This is the first time she's got me down to the mats. That Caster Arturia barely did a thing outside of guerrilla warfare and support spells. This time, it's really—

"Do you yield, Caster?" Vy's voice is unwavering, the smallest strand of hair falling out of her messy ponytail being the only thing breaking her stern composure as she keeps her grip tight on his arm. The lotus ribbon clip keeping said tail together just glows from the side of her neck as she said, "Because I can do this all day."

Cu Chulainn smiled. His Lancer self probably would've resorted to Gae Bolg's ability to rewrite casualty to continue the bout, but he wasn't a Lancer anymore. Right now, he was— "I yield, little lass." And there's no denying the genuine affection bellying his voice as he looks up into those bright stars of her eyes. Because she really made it all the way here, just like Odin predicted. He couldn't be more prouder when he said, "You win."

Vy inhales slowly, sucking in the oxygen like it was precious water from how sweat dripped onto the corners of her glasses' lenses, but she smiles at him, the stars in her eyes determined and happy from their everlasting glow. Their familiar glow. "…Hehe. It feels kinda ticklish," she murmurs past the soft giggle that took out the tension in the snow, blinking at him with the same joy from before. "Hearing you say that. You and Dia taught me well, Caster."

Cu grinned back. "Your Grailed helped too, lass. It wasn't all me and Diarmuid," he points out. Because the aches in his muscles were definitely from pointers Achilles and Skadi gave her. Ow, much? "Now, as much as I'm happy ya beat me fair and square, lass, think ya could let me up?" The glare burning holes into his feet was already starting to physically and mentally burn, and Cu did not need a repeat of being on the tail end of jealousy after seeing how the source had grown attached to Vy just from her calling him "Big Robin!" for the first time. "Kinda need to get to my other job and if you keep sitting on me, I think your fiance will have my head."

"O-Oh! I'm sorry!"

Yep. Still Vy. And even if he was going by a different name and class, he was still Cu Chulainn. The least he could do for a lass like his, now, was to get her to her kouhai to continue saving the world. The fluffball of a former god in this Britain wouldn't sleep for much longer, anyway. But with a lass like Vy, Cu Chulainn knew she could win.

Besides. She succeeded once before. She could do it again. Cu already knew he'd be with her every step of the way. Just like d'Eon, Diarmuid, and Medea did before, and still would.