A plane landed and a man in priest's garb entered the airport.

The man narrowed his brown eyes. "So I'm just to check the situation with the Tokyo Grail War and make a decision on whether or not to start it again? Why wait to assess the situation first? Is something going on that was withheld from me?"

The bell to the bar's front door rang. Izumo put on a smile to greet the customer. "Wel - Oh, this is a surprise. Well, it shouldn't be now that we all have an alliance. Saber, right? What can I do for you?"

Saber was as red as a tomato at seeing Lancer Alter look at her. She took a step toward him, looked to change her mind and spun around, then grabbed at her hair in frustration and faced him again. "Look, I just want us to hang out around town or something!" She looked to instantly regret what she said. "J-just forget that!"

Before she could leave, Lancer grabbed her arm, making her look at him in surprise. "Fine. I have nothin' else goin' on right now."

Saber's face returned to being bright red. She tore her arm away and crossed it with the other in front of her chest with a huff. "Al-alright then! Consider yourself honored to accompany a king!"

"Whatever, prince," Lancer sighed.

"Hey! I'm the rightful king of Camelot and I'd say it did better when I ruled it than my father! I should've been proof enough that I'm worthy of his attention!"

Lancer already looked fed up with this argument. "Are we goin' or not?"

"Guh, fine!"

Izumo waved. "Make sure to have fun today! For some reason, I feel like a dad seeing his kid off on his first date."

Clarent was materialized and pointed at Izumo's throat. "Repeat that one more time at your peril!"

Now that Saber was gone, everyone seemed to relax. Eventually, it was time to open for lunch. Among the customers was a man with silver-brown hair and blue eyes. Just looking at the person, Izumo could tell something was off about him. But the bartender wrote it off as his imagination and went over to take the man's order.

"Welcome. What can I start you off with to drink?"

"Just some water."

"Certainly." Izumo filled a cup up with water, put ice in it, and returned to the man. "Here you are. And do you need a few minutes to decide what to eat?"

"Yeah." Then he chuckled.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No. It's just that we rely on water to survive. Yet it can also be a source of death. Like in the story from the Bible about Noah and the great flood."

"I...see. I'll return in a few minutes."

Lancer must have the patience of a saint to put up with Saber's whining. She would complain she's too cold, gripe about her feet being sore then would shut up with a blush as soon as Lancer offered to carry her, and would argue to pay for her own meal. Still, Lancer found it nice to see a non-violent side of her.

They were on the sidewalk when Saber spoke to Lancer. "Hear that?"

"Of course. Muffled noise of distress about 25 meters away. Most likely in an alley."

"Wanna get involved?"

Lancer Alter just shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

At the location, the two came across five men and a women. Tape was on the woman's mouth to keep her quiet. One of the men had her pinned to the wall with one hand while the other was trying to unbuckle his belt. The intent here was clear.

"Unhand her, you filthy peasants!" Saber said firmly. That got the mens' attention.

"Huh? The hell're you?" One asked.

Lancer sighed. "Idiots like these only respond to one thing." He flashed beside the one who spoke up. "This." He grabbed the guy by the collar of his shirt and tossed him into a nearby dumpster.

"I know." Saber lightly smacked the one that came at Lancer with a switchblade into the wall, knocking him out. "I just wanted to say that." She and Lancer tossed two others to the ground. Saber tripped the last as he tried to run away.

Lancer went to the woman and removed the tape. "Ya okay? Need a doctor or anythin'?" His sudden care and gentleness reminded Saber that, despite now being an Alter, Lancer's still a hero at his core.

"I-I'm fine!" She's clearly still shaken up. "Just a few scratches, but I have things at home for them!" Then she got up, bowed to the two Servants, and took off.

"A 'thank you' would've been nice!" Saber shouted after her. Then she caught Lancer looking at her. "What?"

"Somethin' I gotta do." That was all the warning Saber got before she saw the Alter right before her, facing her, hand starting to lift the bottom of her shirt.

She tried to swat him away but to no avail. "The hell you doing?!"

The bandages around her abdomen were now exposed. "Gonna take care of the issue of my spear's curse." Lancer's other hand hovered over the spot where he stabbed her a week ago. Several runes formed and he was silent for a couple minutes, until Saber decided to get him to talk.

"Mind telling me what you're doing to deal with the curse?"

"Shut up. I need to concentrate."

Saber instantly went red in the face, but from anger instead of embarrassment this time. "No one tells me to shut up!"

"I just did." Saber was about to say something else when the demigod's lips pressing against her own for a second did indeed leave her speechless. "I need silence for another minute. Mikoto was much more cooperative." For the rest of that minute, Saber was trying to comprehend what just happened. "Most of the curse is gone, so healin' will be much easier." His palm pressed against the bandages. "I'll close the wound itself then your mana reserves should fill up faster."

"So you know I'm in a weakened state?"

"I picked up on it while we drove off those humans. Your blows seemed off to me then I remembered what happened."

"That doesn't mean you need to treat me like some woman! ...But, thanks." The medieval knight didn't think she could get any redder.

"I'm not treatin' ya like anythin'. You're an ally now and ya aren't able to be at your best." His hand pulled away and he let the shirt go. "Finished."

"That doesn't explain why you kissed me!"

"Oh, that. I needed ya to shut your mouth and both of my hands were occupied. Plus, ya do like me."

"I do not!"

"Why'd ya ask me on a date?"

"It wasn't a date!"

"Try to explain what spendin' time with me was instead." Saber was at a loss for an on-the-spot retort. "I thought so."

The bell to the bar's front door ang as Lancer entered. Izumo grinned like an imp. "How was your date?"

Lancer waved dismissively. "Fine. Don't ask Saber that, though. She might get violent."

"Speakin' of Saber, she didn't want to come back here?"

"No. She headed back to the JUNGLE hideout 'fore I could ask her."

"You seriously got to go on a date?!" Yō demanded with a snarl.

"Yeah, does it matter?"

"It does! Stop stealing the ladies from me!"

While Mikoto and Lancer were taking a walk, Lancer felt a familiar mana signature in a field about 200 meters away, prompting him to telepathically message the others.

'She's near me and Mikoto. We'll distract her while everybody arrives.'

"She's back?" Mikoto guessed.

"Yeah. Get ready!"

Once they showed up, Draco spoke up. "I hope you notified everyone in that alliance of yours. I'll wait for the others to arrive. I want them to see this. To see any further resistance is futile."

Lancer had materialized his spear and battle clothes. "You think this is a game?!"

"Of course. You two are far too weak. You know it's suicide to combat me without plenty of help. Just stay put for now and I'll leave you alone. Or maybe you'd like to go at me now? I'll make sure to show the others your dead bodies."

Lancer growled but knew she's right. So he settled for watching her carefully for any attacks. Thankfully, there were none.

When everyone else arrived, Draco chuckled. "Now bear witness to my power. You can see it from here."

A frantic voice came to Adolf through his earpiece. "That was the lieutenant. He says something's happening in the Pacif...ic... Oh, God..."

The other Masters and Servants looked toward the ocean and were shocked into silence. It was a tidal wave large enough to swallow the entirety of Tokyo, no, all of Japan and who knows how much else.

Draco simply smirked. "The disaster comes to swallow the ripened fruit..."

As the people bore witness to the wall of water reaching beyond the heavens, wider than they can see, drawing closer, they all believed they were witnessing the end of the world. Just when it was about to hit land, the wave vanished in golden light. This made Draco lash her tail in frustration.

"That power...a Grand Servant?! But I'm not even in a mature state! Why did Alaya send one out already?! This poses a problem of wiping out this greedy land. Very well, the Grand will show itself before me anyway. After I kill it then I'll try again. I'll signal the end and reset of the world at that time." Then she turned to the others. "My patience has run thin so I'll take my frustration out on you!"

All four Kings materialized their Swords of Damocles, including Mikoto. The Slate had finished making him a new one this morning. Fog began covering the area, but since Tenkei made his former enemies Clansmen only Draco was being visually impaired.

Draco reacted to sensing magecraft launched at her, in the form of a blob of fire from Mikoto. She held her tail in front of her. "Path -" She was cut off when the spears of ice runecraft following directly behind it sunk into the appendage. Rider followed it up with harsh lightning. Though Draco's Authority of the Beast weakened the bolts that struck her, it stunned her enough to barely avoid Nagare's relentless assault. Then she jumped away just as several spikes of crystal from Adolf burst from the ground under her feet. They lost track of her when she vanished in Grail Mud.

Caster suddenly cast water witchcraft behind the Kings to push Draco back, who emerged behind them. Tenkei spun around, whipping out his arm to have his fog temporarily blind her. She acted faster, a small wave of Mud shooting at him before he could utilize his fog. Mikoto cast a wall of fire in front of the older King, buying enough time while it was being eaten for Saber to pull the Grey King away.

Lancer Alter suddenly ran out of the fog in front of the Beast, landing a punch to her face. This sent her flying back, but the Mud that splashed from her Grail teleported her away. The spearman growled, quickly looking around for her to reappear.

A harsh pull on the chain to the shackle around Lancer Alter's neck made him momentarily gag, pulled back to where Draco had wrapped the metal links around her right hand. "If I remember correctly from what I learned from G, these chains are restricting your power. Why not free yourself of them? None of you can hope to defeat me if you don't. You should be able to on your own. Are you just afraid your full power will hurt the others? That's right, you can only do it with G's help. As a fellow Beast, my aid should suffice as well."

Numerous chains and shackles suddenly clattered to the ground, the seal being completely undone. "Bitch, you're about to regret doin' that..." the Alter growled. The flames on his body grew more intense and the red veins on his neck and armor pulsed with light. The ground beneath him shattered, giant wisps of black-and-red mana flowing from the cracks.

Draco used the Grail Mud to teleport before everyone again. "That sounds promising."

Claws raked at the woman's face and she avoided it by jumping over Lancer. Unfortunately for her, it was right into a trap. Chains that were dematerialized a moment ago now held the Beast in the air. Thanks to Lancer's power boost, she couldn't break free. Right before she could gather her wits enough to use the Grail Mud. Saber had jumped at her, about to shash down with her sword. A wall of Mud stopped her abruptly, her using a platform of mana to jump back and keep it from touching her. Mud spilled out of Draco's Grail onto the chains, instantly corroding them enough to break free.

Rider was the next to go at her, in his chariot. Though a wall of Draco's Mud attempted to stop him, harsh lightning dispersed it. The ominous liquid at her feet spawned multiple draconic arms, all grabbing the bulls and chariot in an attempt to stop him. That's when Caster enhanced Rider enough to where the chariot pushed through and the woman wearing white got trampled.

Once she got back to her feet, a clawed hand to the back of her head forced her back into a face-down position. Lancer Alter maintained his hold on her, a grin of a predator having cornered its prey on his face. "And where do ya think you're goin'?" Dark violet flames devoured Draco's form. The spearman suddenly let go and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the Grail Mud that splashed at him. "Geez..." The Mud briefly covered the Beast and the flames on Draco vanished as she rose to her feet. "Did she cancel out the curse to make the flames go out?!"

"Don't let up the attack!" Nagare shouted as he slashed at her. She avoided it by jumping up but Saber appeared above her, using a punch enhanced with Mana Burst to make her crash back down. She slowly got back to her feet, shaking her head, then was pushed back a couple meters by Tenkei's bullets boosted by Caster. This put her in the position where it looked like she was engulfed by an erupting geyser of magma by Mikoto. Grail Mud ate it and several lasers looked ready to fire at him and those around him. Then there was a shout.

"I'll take your worthless heart, bitch! Gáe...[Barbed Spear]" Before Lancer could finish, Rider grabbed the spearman by the collar of his uniform and yanked him away, just in time to avoid a tide of Mud. "Hey!" It seems Draco knows how deadly that technique is and went to defense. This distraction made the lasers dissolve before they could be fired but she still easily avoided the spears of crystal that Adolf launched at her, and then her tail blocked Nagare's bolts of lightning.

Draco narrowed her eyes. These constant attacks were beyond annoying. Her final straw was having to avoid Saber's flurry of sword slashes, making her use the Mud to vanish. But she didn't reappear.

"I must say I underestimated you people, but you're still no match for me even in my larval form. However, if Alaya's deciding to already get in my way, then I suppose there's no point in stopping myself from reaching my next stage, the form you refer to as the Whore of Babylon. The greed of all the humans, pooled in the Grail, it'll allow me to fully bloom. When that happens...humanity is as good as finished."

"What a fucking coward! Ran away again!" Saber spat as her weapon dematerialized. The Swords vanished and Tenkei covered Nagare in his aura to hold his power in while Saber got him back in the electric wheelchair.

"So she's going into her adult form," Rider sighed. "We really need to find that Grand Servant."

It was night and the Clansmen of HOMRA were going home when it happened. Anna was at the bar counter enjoying the fruit punch Izumo poured for her while Lancer and Mikoto were by the door to the stairs, discussing tomorrow. Then the Servant stiffened, materializing his spear.

"Lancer? What -"

Mikoto's question was cut off by the demigod. "Get -"

The wall burst, obscuring up to the counter with smoke and dust. When it cleared, Draco was seen holding a struggling Anna.

"Let her go!" Mikoto demanded, unleashing his Sanctum.

The Beast just glanced lazily at him. "And what, pray tell, can you do? You couldn't do anything to me in my first stage and you lack the numbers in my second stage."

Izumo got out his lighter. "Destroy the bar if needed, you two. Why are you after Anna, Draco?!"

She poured out Grail Mud around her feet. "As I thought, I need her to unlock the Grail for my mature form. So I'm taking her." The Mud swallowed them both up.

"She must be takin' Anna to the Greater Grail!" Mikoto snarled. "Lancer!"

"Way ahead of ya!" He got Mikoto on his back. "You stay here, Izumo!"

"I know! Just bring Anna back!"

In the cavern for the Greater Grail, Mikoto got off Lancer Alter. "Anna!"

The little girl was currently atop the Greater Grail. High above her is a blue ring. Next to her stood Draco. "That's a good girl," she purred.

Mikoto took a threatening step forward. "You bitch! Let Anna go!"

The woman sighed. "Just a second." A beam of black-and-red mana was shot at her, but a thick wave of Mud stopped it. "Impatient."

Anna then took a step back. "It's open. Remember the promise you made me."

"I won't revisit the bar. I have no reason to now and you did open the Gate without resistance so go to your King."

Anna turned around, tears filling her eyes as they landed on the Red King. "Mikoto..!" She started running forward.

A chill ran down Lancer's spine when he saw that smirk on Draco's face and he ran toward Anna. "Don't hurt her!"

He didn't make it in time. Black-and-red spikes sprouted from Draco's Mud and entered Anna's small body.

"You fuckin' bitch!" The Alter slashed at Draco, who jumped away and freed Anna's body. Lancer caught her as she started to fall and brought her back to Mikoto all in less than a second. While Mikoto cradled the little girl, the spearman worked on healing her. There was a lot of damage so hopefully he'll finish in time.

A bloody smile was on Anna's lips. "Mikoto...I'm sorry...for what I did...I didn't want her to come back...and hurt HOMRA...Because I love you guys..."

"I know that ya didn't have a choice. Lancer, hurry it up!"

"I'm working as fast as I can! She really injured her!"

Draco's cold voice broke in. "Don't bother. She's going to die."

"Just shut up!" Mikoto snapped. "What was that even for?! She did what you wanted!"

"She's the Lesser Grail, so she can still stop me. I had to eliminate that possibility."

Mikoto looked down at Anna again when he felt her try to snuggle into him more. "It's getting cold and dark...I'm really scared..."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..!" Lancer spat. He won't make it in time.

Mikoto tried to force a smile. "I know it's scary right now, but we'll get back and do everything you like."

Anna closed her eyes with a smile. "I...can't wait..." Soon she went still and both Master and Servant were locked in silence.

Draco broke it. "I told you she was going to die."

Lancer stood up. "Damn you..!"

Draco then grinned. "Behold as I bloom!" Mud from the Grail erupted and consumed her.

Grail Mud was surging their way, making Lancer Alter swiftly pick up Mikoto, who still held Anna. "Shit! We need to fall back for now!" As they made their escape, Draco's maniacal laughter could still be heard.