This is just spanning the next few days, so don't expect it to be long.

"How long can you resist Beast, Lancer?" Mikoto asked. He was currently holding onto said Alter Servant's back to make getting back to the bar faster. The aura on him is gone now that he's temporarily free.

Lancer's yellow eyes never moved away from looking where he's going. "Dunno. It's tryin' to reclaim me, but I'm holdin' it off. For now." Then he briefly glanced at the King. "Are ya gonna tell me why you're havin' me go to the bar? If I lose to Beast there then it won't be pretty."

"I'm sure you'll last long enough. And my plan involves Anna. The problem is your connection to the Grail. If she severs it then Beast will lose you entirely."

"Oh, sure. Put me in the same room as the Lesser Grail. I'm sure Beast's attempts to reclaim me won't get more desperate. I think it'll be better to kill me instead. Since I've regained most of my sanity, I won't resist that."

"I can only fight as well as a Clansman until a new Sword gets created for me. And I'm certain Beast still won't get hold of ya even if Anna's right there. We're just about at the bar so there's no more time for discussion."

Everyone in the bar looked up in surprise when the bar doors slammed open. Mikoto quickly got off Lancer's back. "We need your help, Anna! Cut Lancer's connection to the Grail then I'll make him my familiar!"

That got Lancer's attention. "We never talked about that last part!"

"You'll need mana. Even if you decide to eat people around the city for it, chances are good they won't have psuedo or regular magic circuits. You won't do it fast enough."

"I'm a high-level Servant like this! I'll leave ya exhausted in a couple days since the Grail won't relieve some of the burden!"

"I can have another person help me via mana transfers."

"Okay, but what about your Clansmen? I don't think they're too comfortable with me." Everyone else hadn't stopped staring at him like he's a freak, murmuring to each other. "What?! If ya gotta problem with me then say it to my face, ya cowards!"

"They'll get over it. Now let's remove your connection. I'm sure you can do it since you're the Grail's vessel, Anna."

"I can. But we need to go somewhere quiet so I can concentrate. Let's move to the back room.

"Did the Red King seriously pact with that Alter?!" Nagare actually sounded dumbfounded as he watched the current situation through Kotosaka's eyes. Those two must have been in too much of a rush to detect the bird.

"I've seen plenty of reckless things in my time, but that tops it all," Rider commented. "Although Lancer looks to have calmed down significantly now."

"We saw Mikoto take Ruler's vessel out of that cave," Saber added. "If she's dead, what will happen with the Grail War since it's still stopped."

"I think we have more to worry about. I had learned from Ruler that the reason the Church sends an Overseer is to keep this from completely falling under the jurisdiction of the Mage's Association," Tenkei said. "If they can do whatever, then the Church won't take it lying down."

Yukari glanced at him. "Could fighting over control of the Grail break out between both sides?"

"That, or a war."

"A Church messenger just informed me a new Overseer to send to Tokyo is being looked into. They think a man named Kirei Kotomine for now, but they aren't certain yet. They want to act before the Mage's Association swoops in," Adolf told Daikaku. "They're working fast on Ruler's death."

"Will you be returning to work?"

"The Church told us that while we technically can return to Ashinaka now, the school building received significant damage. Looks like I'll still be teaching online for a while."

"Did your familiar see what happened with the Alter?"

"The end only, when they left the cave. Mikoto Suoh seems to now be in possession of the Alter."

Daikaku took a step back, remaining eye wide. "What?!"

"He seemed to have become sane but still has his Blackened appearance so I don't know if he's still at the same threat level."

"If he is, then this could pose a huge problem for winning the War."

Lancer was having a drink at the bar counter. He still had his modern clothes and though his chains were dematerialized their effect still remained. He glanced up at Izumo, who was staring at him. Not glanced, glared. "The hell's your problem with me? Just say what it is instead of bein' a pussy about it!"

"I think your personality's also different..."

"And? Gotta problem?"

"No, not at all! It's just surprising you came back like this!"

"Hmph. You'll also be surprised at how much better I am at fightin'. This is how strong the Grail shoulda summoned me."

"And Anna's likin' that wolfhound familiar ya summoned. I think ya called it Failinis."

"He was my dad's. He'll do a better job protectin' Anna than Kiba."

"How? He looks so tiny."

"He's still powerful. And he's got a trick in store."

"Good. She might be a kidnappin' target again to further the War."

"Mikoto's basically back in the competition now," Rikio said. He and Misaki were taking a walk in Shizume. "Never thought I'd see him partnered with Lancer again."

"I know he can be trusted again, but that appearance of his is...off-putting," Misaki replied while kicking a pebble further down the sidewalk. "I guess we just need to get over it, as Mr. Mikoto says. I mean, he didn't choose to end up lookin' like that."

"I don't think us lookin' at him like he suddenly grew a second head makes him feel any better about it..."

"So your King has his Servant back now?"

Rikio looked defensive as a familiar person in a blue uniform approached them. "Why are you here?!"

Saruhiko just continued to look at Misaki, who seemed relaxed. "Just on patrol here. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. And stand down. The lieutenant will get on my case if I cause a scene here."

Misaki didn't take his eyes off Saruhiko. "He's right, Kamamoto. Mr. Kusanagi will have our asses if we stir up trouble. Yeah, we got Lancer back. Is that an issue, Saruhiko?"

"No, as long as he doesn't suddenly make a mess again. SCEPTER 4 had to help the Church evacuate Ashinaka after he occupied the island since we're in the know and it wasn't fun. So Mikoto's planning to win the Holy Grail again?"

"Dunno. He didn't say anything. Since you Blues lost before this information came out it might not've reached you. Anna is the vessel for the Lesser Grail."

"We do know. Kusanagi told Lieutenant Awashima. But what does this have to do with it?"

"She severed Lancer's connection to the Grail so Beast can't control him again then Mr. Mikoto made him his familiar to keep him in the world."

"If Mikoto felt he needed to fix the Lancer issue, then breaking his connection is reasonable. But that doesn't explain why he made a new Path with the guy. Either he secretly still wants to win or he has a personal reason for keeping the guy around."

"Well we all really like and trust the guy..."

Saruhiko grinned. "So that's it. Mikoto sure has gotten soft."

Now red aura flared around Misaki. "Hey, the War's still ongoing and Anna's the Lesser Grail. I bet he's at the bar to keep her safe from Servants."

"Calm down, Yata!" Rikio exclaimed. "This isn't worth gettin' Kusanagi pissed at us!"

The aura vanished. "I know. Come on, Kamamoto. Let's go back. I guess we'll talk again, Saruhiko. Hopefully by then, you'll be less dickish with the conversation."

"Whatever." When the Red Clansmen were out of earshot, he added, "Talk to you soon."

It was about half past midnight when Izumo, realizing he forgot his wallet at the bar while on his way back to his apartment and decided to go back to retrieve it. He was just about to unlock Homra's front doors when there was an explosion on the second floor. He quickly got the doors open an sprinted up to Anna's room, where the blast occured. He quickly joined Mikoto and Lancer, in his battle clothes, both at Anna's sides and in defensive positions. Across from them was a woman in red.

"Answer me right now," Lancer snarled. "Who are ya?!" Tongues of dark violet flames only just appeared on him then vanished as he reminded himself of how close the others are.

"I am Beast VI/S. Sodom's Beast. You may call me Queen Draco."

"Why the hell are you materialized here?!" Mikoto demanded, refusing to take his arm off Anna, who was clutching his side.

"Beast VI/G desperately summoned me from another timeline using itself entirely as a last-ditch effort not to be born, but to wipe out mankind. It would not have gotten to this point if you just remained a puppet, traitor."

Lancer smirked. "You're not a mature Beast. You don't have a Beast Crown, unless that crown is hiding your horns. Ya thing a mere larva can destroy humanity?"

Draco narrowed her eyes. "Watch it, dog! I'm that powerful even in this form!" She held out the Grail in her left hand to him. "Allow me to demonstrate." Grail Mud began to overflow, pooling at her feet. Draconic arms of mana abruptly sprouted out. They then slammed down on Lancer, who created multiple shields against them in time. All of them were cracked so badly they were nearly shattered.

Mikoto suddenly sprung out behind Draco like he teleported there, throwing a blazing punch at her, but she simply blocked it with her tail. Not a single scratch was made on it, making Mikoto growl in frustration. If only he could use his full power, he might've caused some damage. Draco's tail swatted Mikoto into the wall then fired a laser forward, destroying all the fireballs Izumo launched at her.

The Grail Mud engulfed Draco and she seemed to vanish. Lancer abruptly grabbed Izumo and Anna, pulling them away to Mikoto. Draco had appeared behind them and raised her right hand, a translucent draconic one cloaking it. She slammed it down on where the three just were, creating a giant hole in the floor. Mikoto sent a stream of fire at her, but Draco simply batted it away. She did teleport a small distance away with the Grail Mud to avoid Lancer slashing at her neck. She chuckled.

"This was only a small sample of my power. It was decided from the very beginning that fighting me is futile, but I never expected all of you to be weak enough that I won't have to use much effort in holding you off. Still, try to slay me before I exterminate humanity. I will hold off on that until I kill you." Grail Mud swallowed her up and she was gone.

"I wish she wouldn't lump me in with you guys," Lancer said over his shoulder at the three. "I wasn't able to fight as well because of the cramped space and 'cause I was protectin' your weak asses."

"Thanks for that input...What even happened?" Izumo asked.

"That person burst into my room and demanded I go along with her," Anna whimpered. "Failinis tried to bite her throat but she used her tail to sever him from nose to tail. That's when Mikoto and Lancer came in."

"Because of that I can't summon Failinis again for another five days. But that's not the big problem," Lancer said. "I'll work on creatin' a wide bounded field around the bar. It won't stop Draco if she decides to return but it should warn me in time."

"You do that and I'll work on contacting the other Masters," Izumo replied. "We may need all the help we can get."

Yeah, I decided to make the Beast in the Grail Gomorrah's Beast.