To Be More Than a Shadow

by Cosmic Sky

For her entire life, she'd been a shadow, the opposite of the man revered as the King of Conquerors. In that life, she'd seen much, including the complete dissolution of everything she fought for. Whatever worries she had she'd see the same with Ritsuka were gradually swept aside. Not only was he worthy to follow, he made her into something more. He made her into a person-a woman.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to my next Fate Lemon. This one I'll be using one of the extra Classes again, another that I'm not entirely a fan of, but I've rolled with it. Said Class is Faker and the leading lady this story will be Iskandar's Shadow, AKA "Hephaestion", AKA Hephaestion's sister, AKA…Faker. When she was revealed, I could tell Fate was retouching its roots a little bit, which is nice to do every once in a while. Anyways, for this story and those spun off it, Faker will be referred to as Alexandria; I'm sure you all can guess who'll be bestowing that name upon her. This story will be covering her reaction to that and what comes with it.

Let me just say Iskandar's one of the Servants that I've had…certain issues with. Said issues have stemmed from how I always felt like Iskandar/Alexander was whitewashed to make more likable and grandiose, the latter is something I feel could have been done without said whitewashing. With Faker, it almost felt like she was meant to represent some of the real-world internal strife that plagued Alexander's army and personal circle and the sheer breakdown of it all that followed after his death. Except some focus on that in this story, partially because I found that a fascinating part of Alexander the Great's legacy. Speaking of which, Iskandar will be referred to as Alexander by Faker since she knew him personally, and prefers his Greek name to any other names or titles he took in life.

Alright, with that out of the way, let's get to the story! Once again, Alexandria will be Faker's name, so keep that in mind going forward. Enjoy!

I do not own anything.

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To Be More Than a Shadow

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"Alexandria?"

Her response was immediate, turning to him with the quickness of lightning. "Are you happy, Ritsuka?" Despite her attempt to sound annoyed, she knew she was failing. She could feel the smile on her face, mirrored in Ritsuka's own proud grin.

"A little bit, not that I want to brag about it." Replied the younger of the pair.

"Oh, how amazing that you've maintained a sense of humility to you despite your accomplishments." It wasn't just her humoring him; she actually meant it. In her time with the Last Master of Humanity, she found that he still had an air of humility to him. Such a thing was…unbelievable, well and truly unbelievable. Albeit Alexandria wouldn't go as far as to say it was unappealing. After the personalities she'd dealt with before, she actually found it somewhat refreshing. As she'd seen, Ritsuka's humility didn't mean that he would allow others to walk all over him. If he was that weak, he'd never have made it so far. If he was weak, he never would have won the respect of Alexander.

Her muscles tightened at the thought of her old master. Her eyes shifted to the seat beside Ritsuka, which she imagined was just barely able to fit the redhead's towering frame. The mental image allowed her to physically compare the two, and that too was where their polarity showed. Their eyes in particular told quite a story. Red eyes filled with endless ambition, and blue eyes that held nothing but compassion and concern. Even if they looked ahead, there was still something remarkably different about the determination in question. She had to admit, she certainly wanted to know more.

In knowing more, she'd no doubt gain a better understand of how this boy without any memories had still possessed such a flame-like drive. Not even a tidal wave of amnesia could douse it.

"You're such an odd person." Slipped out her confession. His response was a casual chuckle that left her feeling quite amused. Arms crossed, she leaned further back into her seat and regarded him with an analytical smile. "My observation of you continues. That's quite a casual response to what can be taken as an insult."

"Hate to break it to you, but you really far from the first person to call me odd. As for how you meant it, I can tell you weren't trying to be rude, Alexandria."

Something within her…fluttered. Shook. Resonated at the call of the name. "There you go again." She whispered. It was the second time in just a few seconds she'd let her words slip out of her mouth. Words she'd rather have kept to herself. They were out, so she didn't see a point in trying to walk them back. Looking at his still amused face made her decide it wasn't worth it-there was no harm in it.

"Alexandria," he repeated.

"Yes, that name."

"Do you want me to come up with something different?"

Her immediate response should have been yes. Matter of fact, she should have told him to call her one of two things, Pretender or Faker. Either would have worked, though she somewhat preferred the former over the latter. That said, compared to the name Alexandria, she found herself preferring Ritsuka's moniker for her. No, not just a moniker, a name. He wasn't the first one to try to give her such, but…something about now was just different. Something about him was different.

She was back to her quiet analysis of him. What was it about this strange youth that'd made her accept that which she always rejected?

Maybe it was the sense of kinship she possessed with him. As his memories returned, he explained to her how he came to be. Like her, he was lucky to simply be born. He was ordinary, average, one who was not meant for greatness. Or at least, that's what everyone, himself included, had originally believed. Instead, greatness had been thrusted upon him. He'd accomplished feats that many, including her own first lord and master, could only dream of. Ritsuka had done it all, and yet he'd likely not receive any credit for it. Few would know of what he'd done, how far he'd gone. What a hero he was. Alexandria had been told how invaluable she was to the army, and on some level, she knew those people were right. Still, her role was one that went unspoken and unnoticed; that's how it was supposed to be, and she'd always been fine with that. Not having a name came with the territory-no name to be written down and spoken of.

But Ritsuka had a name. Unfortunately, it was one that would rarely, if ever be spoken. Not with the praise it warranted.

Something about that made Alexandria feel a little annoyed. Trying to pinpoint the source of that annoyance led her to realizing she was perhaps trying to overlay her feelings for Alexander onto Ritsuka, despite acknowledging the glaring differences between them. She had to stop it, for both of their sakes.

Instead of burying the issue, she found herself sinking deeper into it. "How long can you keep it up? That humility in the face of all you've accomplished, and receiving so little to thank for it?" Their eyes locked, pale blue and turquoise-blue, lighter shades of blue yet so different.

His finger went to his nose, nervously scratching it as he looked back out the window. The cityscape continued to zoom past them. A troop of dancing lights over a black sea. It was different from the Patchwork London Singularity where they'd met. This one was free of fairy tale influences, more closely resembling a modern city, a Japanese city. Ritsuka had recognized bits of his own hometown of Nagoya, as well as parts of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, and Sapporo. Really, she was quietly amazed at how knowledgeable he was regarding his nation's major cities. Albeit he told her he hadn't started out that way. Stress and a long time away from home had sharpened his mind and memory.

"I'm not doing all this with the idea I'm going to get some reward when it's over with. I'll admit, I do think it'd be pretty cool, but it's something I'm holding my breath for. Especially now with the whole world…" he shook his head as if literally shaking off the thought. Alexandria noted she should have tried doing the same. "The whole world's been bleached white, like someone panted a beautiful picture. Everyone I know…everyone I care about…I…I honestly don't want them to about everything I've gone through to keep them safe. My parents…if they found out, they'd…"

"They will not. If I must, I will do what I must to ensure they sleep soundly." Who was she to say such words? She wasn't even a true Servant, and there were certainly other people more qualified to ensure the truth never got out. He looked back to her and she realized it was empathy. His concern for his family, it was something she could understand. While she may have been undeniably devoted to her lord, Hephaestion had still been her family. His death had hurt her as much as the death of her lord eventually would. "Ritsuka," she called. "With all that said, would you at least…tell them a little bit of your adventures?"

"Heh, I think I'd have to tell them the 'PG' version." They shared a laugh at that. Even back in her time, there were things soldiers didn't tell their families about their time at war. "I already know I'll have to tell them something to explain just how…different I'll be."

That will also go into explaining me. Her eyes rose in surprise at the thought. Explain herself? That made it sound like she was going to go with him into his life after undoing the bleaching of the Earth. She'd already spoken on that matter, in another spur of the moment outburst. Though she kept up a mask of professionalism stoicism, she was internally admonishing herself. By the gods, how she was slipping.

"How different do you think you are now, Ritsuka? I'm aware that you were an entirely new, ordinary boy at the start of this."

"A whole lot. I've seen things that apparently, even veteran magi never thought they'd see, or want to see." His sigh was one of acceptance, truly tranquil acceptance that didn't quite match his still young age. "And I'm going to see a whole lot more before this is over with. Alexandria," he called.

"What must you say? I am your shadow thus I will be there to witness it all with you. I will be there to shield you from what danger visits you to the best of my ability." Seeing him smiled caused a little flutter in her chest. So much, and yet his smile could light up a chamber veiled in the deepest darkest. He'd even managed to illuminate her.

"Alex…andria?"

"Yeah, it's…well, you know, there's Alexandria Egypt, but there's also Alexandria as a feminine name. You could always go by Alexise. I hear that's also a pretty popular female name."

Name. Despite her constantly telling him otherwise, he'd given her a name, and insisted on calling her by it. A name that wasn't Faker. He insisted on seeing her as someone.

It wasn't right.

It wasn't how it was supposed to be.

It was…it was…it wasn't how she'd been raised.

He wasn't the first, and yet his attempts struck a different chord with her.

She weighed the two names he'd offered her. Alexandria and Alexise. She was aware that the latter was far more common in the modern era. It was a modern name, one that would have hardly gone noticed; if she wanted a modern alias, then it surely was the way to go. That said, something within her kept her from choosing it. Scratch that, she was even considering choosing one of them at all.

"…Alexandria. If you should call me by a name, then I will take Alexandria. Please, Ritsuka, call me by that name."

The way he looked at her, his smile, something about it made her heart flutter. That flutter was repeated every time she saw him smile, especially when it was at her.

Something outside the window caught her attention. It too made her heart stir, but in a different way. Alexandria turned her full attention to the sight, even though it was fleeting. She almost wished for the train to stop. Either that, or she'd get up and run through the cars to keep the thing in her sight.

"If this patchwork singularity holds out, do you want to play a game there? Listening to my dad's stories, I've always wanted to see or play a game at Nagoya Stadium myself."

Said stadium passed from her eyes, though they were already focused squarely on Ritsuka. "You've…wanted to play there?"

"Yeah. By the time I was old enough to play baseball, the Dragons had moved to the Nagoya Dome. It's definitely awesome in its own right and I did daydream about playing there. Just like most kids." He cheerily confessed.

She thought about his statement and of what she'd seen of him. "Ritsuka, as someone who watched several…Olympic-level athletes from the shadows, I can say that you could play there if you wanted. In fact, if you were to go into sports, you would easily become the most celebrated athlete of your time." She knew if he did, it'd invite accusations of enhancement. Humans weren't quite as strong as they had been in her day, a consequence of life no longer be a struggle for most people. Some had lamented that. Personally, Alexandria never had much of an opinion. Some people were simply born to do the extraordinary while others were content in doing what they could and no more than that. Arguably, they had no need to do more.

Ritsuka used to be in that group, but as it turned out, he was the former. In spades. "You don't know how many times I've been told that. Or been warned about it." The look in his eyes told her that some Servants had spoken to him of the envy, perhaps venomous envy, he would incur if he stepped into such a competitive field.

"But if you want to go down that path, you should. Don't let-"

"Don't let the fear stop me?" He answered with a calm smile.

Alexandria stopped herself, quickly and helplessly losing herself in the quiet confidence he brimmed with. "I'm sorry. I'm just repeating what you've already been told." Despite her attempt to look away, her eyes still moved back toward him. "And I'm…repeated that which you already know in your heart."

"Hey, it's fine. Sometimes it's nice to hear it again, and…sometimes I need to be reminded of it. Sometimes I…I need to be reminded that there's something waiting for me beyond this."

He didn't need to elaborated for she knew exactly what he meant. It lay all around them-the empty seats and the piercing silence that came from not just the train but the city around them. Despite the glamorous lights that illuminated the night in a way not possible during her time, it was all still so silent. This wasn't a true city, just another patchwork singularity held together by unknown circumstances-which they'd came to investigate. A good replication of a city it may have been, but it still wasn't a true city. Not like the one he'd grown up in. Not like the one wanted to return to. Not like the one that Alexandria, deep in the bowls of her heart, wanted to see.

No, the city wasn't entirely silent. If she listened closely, she could hear shadows making noises. Still, it was a far cry from what a true city sounded like. Her memories of her previous summoning stuck in her head, as did what memories she'd gained from Ritsuka. None of it was right.

A shadow. An imitation. A fake. Just like…just like…

"Hey, since we've talked about Japan, how's about we talk about your home? I mean, are you up for talking about it?" Despite his insistence on the ridiculous, he still remembered what she said. "I know there are probably a few places you'd rather not see, but-"

"After naming me Alexandria, you believe I should go see the modern city of Alexandria?" His sheepish grin was simply too much for her to resist. Legs and arms crossed, she threw her head back in laughter. "Hahaha! Well, you are right. For multiple reasons, I do want to go see the city, see how it's changed in the centuries since my time. Even if the lighthouse is gone." Every time she thought of the destruction of the lighthouse, it made her heart ache with sorrow. Its majesty as well as all its knowledge had been lost to the world. Another piece of Alexander's legacy lost. It was a shame that Ritsuka wouldn't be able to see it with his own eyes; he'd have loved it.

"What else do you want to see?" he asked. "Modern day Macedonia?"

The suggestion caused her body to tense from head to toe. Her homeland, almost two-thousand years after her birth. To see it again. To see the birthplace of her liege as well as where their continents-spanning conquest had begun.

While a part of her wanted to say yes, another part of her wanted to say no. Absolutely not, she didn't want to see modern Macedonia. It would just be too painful for her.

Sometimes it's best to just leave the past in the past. Bury it. Hearing the ring signaling the end of their journey was a godsend. Alexandria felt like she'd pushed herself as far as she could with this conversation. At least for the moment. Looking back, she saw Ritsuka had already concluded it was closed for the moment. When the opportunity presented itself, she had a feeling he was going to bring it up. Or maybe she would. Despite filing it away to the back of her mind, Alexandria knew it wasn't gone forever, no matter how much she wished it.

Ever so subtly, the train began to slow down. She and Ritsuka stood up and began preparing themselves to disembark. Their break time was over with. The miniscule spark of excitement she felt was counterbalanced by a similar one of sadness-she wanted to keep on talking with Ritsuka, even if she didn't like the subject matter. Maybe that was the point though.

Ritsuka was forcing her to confront herself, and he was doing it so casually to boot. She wasn't pointing her sword at him as she would have others, albeit it probably wouldn't have scared him. That same courage of his she admired could be so infuriating.

"If I got to Macedonia, you'll be…you'll be with me, right?" How many times was she going to lose control of her emotions tonight? Alexandria felt like it might be useless to keep count.

Their eyes met as they stepped forward together. All around them was a deafening silence coupled with an invisible pressure that bore down on them. They were hard confirmation they'd arrived at the heart of the Singularity. Odds were more than likely a battle awaited them, how fierce it would be was the question. She decided it was better safe than sorry.

His eyes were on her as she summoned her armor. Was it a little bulky despite her intent to be his shadow? Some would say yes, but she knew how to move stealthily while wearing it-she'd done it numerous times before. While wearing it, she presented a further contrast to her latest charge. No armor, but the black uniform he wore had as much mundane and mystical protection as the finest armor of her time. Not to mention he still looked pretty good. And he very clearly thought she looked impressive in her armor.

Alexandria shouldn't have cared about that, but she did, and she was happy for it. That happiness put an extra pep in her step as she and her Master walked through the foot doors to confront the unknown one more time.

She couldn't deny she felt a modicum of excitement at the prospect. Just a small bit.

---

When she heard the story of Cinderella, Alexandria, had to admit, she did take some liking to the tale. A young mistreated girl being blessed to have one night of joy and exhilaration, and finding such with a prince no less. That one night leading to a lifetime of happiness. It was indeed nothing short of a fancily fairy tale, but she still found herself enjoying it. On some emotional level, she perhaps saw some similarities between it and what she'd witnessed.

An innocent dream.

Wicked minds and greed that trampled all over it.

Riding away to a beautiful ending.

How she'd revered and at times cursed those very things. The ever looming sense of time was something that she knew as well. One of the joys and follies of mortal life was mortality. There was only so much one could do in their own life time…unless immortality entered the picture. She'd seen her fair share of that as well, especially danger-filled attempts to claim it. Anyways, everyone always seemed like they were operating on limited time. Cinderella had been told that by her fairy godmother. When the midnight struck, her time of joy would come to an end, and it was a return to her previous, dreary and sorrow-filled existence.

Alexandria didn't quite want to say that was her at the moment, but she continuously looked up to the sky. Darkness was fading, light was dawning, and when it did, her time with Ritsuka would be at an end.

It'd be back to Chaldea with the other Servants. Not at all an army she disliked, even if some of its members, her teammates, did rub her the wrong way. What she disliked was the idea of some of them pestering Ritsuka. Alexandria wanted to spend a little more time with him herself.

"Sine we're kind of running on limited time, no uniforms?" He called.

"Exactly. All we need are boys, gloves, and a bat." Grinning, he hurried off to pick up those very items. While he did, Alexandria once more cast a nervous gaze to the sky. In some versions, Cinderella kept on nervously looking to the clock, aware that her time in the light was ending. Ironically, Alexandria had an opposite problem. Darkness veiled the sky, but daybreak was approaching. When it did, this Singularity would finally come undone; the "program" holding it together had been deactivated, and with it the pocket dimension was coming apart little by little.

Darkness was her natural element. Despite the brightness of her outfit, she was a shadow, created to operate out of sight and out of mind. As such, the darken sky above her was the best cover she could ask for. Her red lightning likewise went well with the black sky. Everything about her was attuned to the darkness thus it was only natural she wanted to prolong it.

However, then came a ray of light. His blue eyes sparkling with joy that reached the depths of her heart. Honestly, she felt like a little girl despite being almost twice her Master's age.

"So, which one do you want?" There was a glint in his eyes, like he was challenging her to choose the hardest position.

Being a Servant neither of the role of batting or pitching would be hard for her. If anything, she had to choose which one would be the toughest for him. If he were an ordinary boy, she'd have hesitated.

"I'm up to bat, you're pitching, Ritsuka." That glint in his eyes reached its zenith. Alexendria smiled as well. Twin bolts of lightning had struck them, filling them with excitement that was undoubtedly going to last throughout the game. She was also probably going to be channeling a bit of it into her bat. Luckily, she knew a bit of Reinforcement magecraft to make sure it could stand up to her swings.

The minute she took the bat into her hands, Alexandria was taken back by how good it felt. A sword, a spear, and certainly a bow, these were all natural. So too was a club, such as the one wielded by Hercules himself. The club in her hands wasn't for smashing limbs though, it was for hitting balls, the first of which was being held and readied by her Master, who stood several feet from her. She could cover such a distance in one-quarter of the time it took one to blink, but they were only starting out.

"Ready, Alexandria?" Ritsuka called.

"Yes!" Immediately, he threw the ball. For an ordinary human, it'd have been too fast to be seen. In other words, had this been an ordinary game of baseball, it would have been the first strike. Two more would have followed and the hitter would have been out, a trend that would have continued throughout the game. But it was her, a Servant. A faker of a Servant, but a Servant none the less. Including a battle-hardened one.

Cra-ack!

The ball went flying in the opposite direction, disappearing into one of the stands. It was all over in an instant, yet she felt the joy of the hit still reverberating through her. Grinning at Ritsuka, she transmitted one clear thought, she wanted more. Grinning back, Ritsuka gave her just that. He had an entire canister full of baseballs, all ready to be thrown.

Or in the case of her fourth hit, have the stuffing smacked out of them.

Ritsuka let out a boastful laugh as if he'd been the one to do it. He was definitely the more expressive one. She undoubtedly felt a burst of pride as well, but was far more reserved about it. Maybe if she got a few more, she'd let her inner joy show. That caused a thought to suddenly hit her, why not go for many more? Three in a row? Four in a row? Five? Six? Ten? With that thought in her mind, she got back into batting position and readied herself for the next one.

Whosh!

"…W-What?"

"Strike one." His cheery voice was a thunderclap that immediately snapped her out of her stupor. Looking between him and the ball lying on the floor behind her, Alexandria realized what'd happened.

She was both annoyed and impressed. "Alright, Ritsuka. You've had your fun, but that was the only one you're going to get."

"Sure about that?" He was confident, too confident. It put her on edge thus she opened up all her senses. Another trick ball was coming, but she was going to hit this one.

The ball was launched from his hands, seemingly traveling in a straight path toward her. A routine pitch that anyone with good enough senses could counter. That was her, in spades. And she did make it. The third ball sailed overhead just as the first one had. Still, Ritsuka's smile remained. Seeing it made her tingle with excitement at what he might have had planned. She knew he had something up his sleeve. Whatever it was, she'd counter it. Alexandria called out that she would, daring him to enact whatever plan he had up his sleeve.

Whatever it was, it was either a multi-stepped plan or he'd dropped it. The continued presence of his grin disproved the latter. That ever-present tingle of excitement hadn't left her either. She felt it flare up each time he pitched. What would happen when he finally enacted his plan?

When the next ball, number ten, came, Alexandria saw a distortion around it. She recognized the touch of illusion magecraft. Amazingly well-done, especially since Ritsuka had cast it without any visible indicators. It was good, but nothing she couldn't see through. The ball's speed was misleading, going faster than it really was; she knew Ritsuka could still actually throw the ball that fast, but this wasn't one of those times. So. she waited until it came range at its true speed, that's when she hit the ball.

Whosh!

"W-What the-?" Shock anew snapped at her like a pack of wild dogs. As they tore into her, she looked between her bat and Ritsuka. That damn, charming smile was plastered to his face. Slowly, she looked around her. Lying several feet away from her was another ball, the second ball. Gasping, she walked over and picked it up, feeling its surprisingly wet surface. Her immediate thought was it might have been sweat, which wouldn't have surprised her. Nor did the faint traces of magical energy around it. "This ball, it's been enchanted. This magecraft…it's…" looking back, she saw Ritsuka holding up his right fingers, twirling them about. A flurry of cyan and gold-colored sparkles danced about his fingertips. "A fairy's mischief."

"Morgan's one grueling teacher, but I've had plenty of those."

Yes, her. Her. The former ruler of the Britain Lostbelt, the Fairy Queen. The woman who proclaimed herself Ritsuka's husband, to the complete and total disregard of everyone else, including the other Servants that proclaimed themselves his significant other. She was no less assertive than the others, but her power far outstripped theirs. That hadn't stopped some of them from trying. Alexandria would have admired their determination if she didn't find it so toxic.

And she didn't like the way the sorceress Berserker clung to their Master.

"N-N-Next!" Alexandria shouted moving back into batting position. Two strikes, one more and she was out. She wasn't going to let him get that final strike, especially using some of that fairy's magic. If I can't see through it in this little game, how will I be able to safeguard him if she tries to steal him away? Went the unchecked thought. Her focus had turned entirely toward the game to the point she didn't even question the thought.

Several more balls came, each one connected with her bat. Despite the unease she felt regarding the magic, she found herself enjoying the game once more. With her attention on the ball, she saw through every deception he put up. In the back of her mind, she was still waiting for another bout of fairy mischief. Ritsuka did it once to get a strike on her, he could damn well do it again. If she let him. Which she wasn't going to do. Absolutely not! There was no way he was getting another strike on her using fairy magic!

More pitches met, some resulting in what would have been homeruns. Alexandria couldn't help but feel mighty proud of herself with them. She seemed to have slipped into making those instead of knocking the stuffing out of balls as she'd one earlier. Maybe she should switch back to that just for the hell of it. Ritsuka's trick balls had disrupted her original plans to go for several of those in a row. Perhaps after she'd scored a suitable number of homerooms, she could switch back to those, try for that record again.

Cra-ACK!

Her body had fallen into a type of autopilot by the time her conscious brain registered the crack. Unfortunately, she was already mid-swing when that happened, and it was too late for her to stop. Pride also kept her hands moving. It was like she was watching the bat and her arms from an outside perspective. The second her bat connected, that resounding crack! was made again. It rung louder in her ears, ringing like an echo of thunder. Alexandria felt her legs wobble, yet she remained standing. Fighting through the confusion, she kept her focus on Ritsuka. With only her eyes, she dared him to continue with this latest stunt.

His ball met her bat, and again, the resulting sound of contact rung loudly in her head. The vibrations shot through her body almost leaving her wobbling, again. Over and over again, she kept on hitting them, weathering the sonic vibrations that tore through her with each pitch. The louder she hit, the worse the effects wore. Quite a clever trick, and it would have worked on a lesser hitter.

CRA-ACK!

She watched the ball fall, amazingly holding together despite the force she'd put into it. It disappeared into the purple sky like a shooting star. Watching it vanish, she felt an excited thumping in her heart. It persisted as she looked back to Ritsuka, noticing something rather important. The basket that he'd brought with him was empty; all its balls had been pitched and promptly hit by her. All save for two. Zeroing in on his hand, she saw him holding one final ball.

Alexandria looked back up at the sky, a familiar sense of worry returning to her. Thankfully, the sky was overall still dark despite gods knew how much time had passed. They still had time together.

Finally, she focused on Ritsuka. "Down to your last ball, huh?"

"Yep!" he responded. "My last chance to strike you out."

A boisterous laugh befitting of her true liege roared from her lips. "Yes, your last chance, but a pity it's all for naught! That said, I want your best, Ritsuka!" Without thinking, she conjured up the crimson-colored lightning that matched her outfit. It twisted and coiled around her in accordance with her determination. It was a fearsome sight, yet the Japanese youth she'd come to serve under remained undoubted. Her display of power actually served to illuminate the determination remained etched into his very being.

He was resolute before the storm. He was ready to give it his all, to bet on this one last shot. It all spoke of a hero that was to be admired-that was admired, by her.

Cra-ackle! Cra-ackle!

She wasn't the only one channeling the power of the king of the gods. Unlike her, like Alexander, his sparks were azure. Unlike either of them, his lightning was smaller in size, and more concentrated around his hands. Upon closer inspection, she saw it flowing into the baseball as well. If she hit this one, she wasn't going to be knocking the stuffing out of it, not unless she really put her mana into it.

"Show me what your thunder ball can do, Ritsuka!" He immediately obliged. The few concentrated sparks she'd seen suddenly exploded outward in a glorious shower of azure. To her surprise, as his lightning exploded outward, it took on a new color-golden yellow. Seeing it reminded her of what she'd heard from the likes of Medea, how Ritsuka had struggled and struggled, but he'd begun to find his footing in lightning magecraft. She'd never told him, but Alexandria was glad that he'd found an affinity for lightning, it was the strongest and most majestic element.

The baseball glowed yellow, all the force of a storm contained within it. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing up on end despite being several feet away. When he threw the ball, she knew it was coming in close to or at the speed of lightning. The mana circulating through his body would yield nothing less. In turn, she began subconsciously, then consciously doing the same with her own.

Blue eyes held one another, two nameless strivers, locked in a silent dance. Two lions, circling one another, waiting for the other to pounce.

BOOM!

Thunder sounded, reverberating through her body down to the cells within her. The cackling yellow ball flew her way, flying in a straight line. There were no tricks, at least none she could ascertain. It was purely a contest of speed and reflexes. And strength.

CRACK!

It felt like trying to hit back by a rock thrown by Hercules himself. Alexandria felt her muscles straining as she struggled to rise to the challenge. Internally, an all too familiar voice roared for her to do so, if not for the sake of the mythic hero, then surely for her own. With a roar, she conjured a storm of red lightning around her. It clashed with the golden sparks of the baseball, still rotating at breakneck speeds against her bat. It was both a boulder and a grindstone. Gnashing her teeth, she pushed back, her lightning matching her efforts. Not to be outdone, the golden lightning did the same. Through the clashing sparks, she saw Ritsuka with his hand thrusted outward, sweat racing down his brow. His eyes glowed like torches lit by Hecate herself. She wondered if he'd even thrown in a prayer to the goddess; she'd have certainly taken a liking to one like Ritsuka.

They filled the entire stadium with their clashing lightning. A battle seen and heard by no one in a world that was steadily returning to nothingness. For a patchwork world, it was certainly ending with a bang. The loudest bang came seemingly hours afterward, with an ear-rattling crack that was akin to thunder echoing across the skies.

Slowly, the lightning died down. However, the air remained charged with remnant electricity. It lay suspended in the heavy silence, as if waiting for another chance to go off.

There would be no chance.

Alexandria stared at the broken bat she'd used to hit back a dozen balls beforehand. No more. Arcs of electricity danced around the metallic stump, whose torn ends were still quite warm. No, the entire bat felt warm from its newly made top to its bottom. The electricity coursing through it was as much hers as it was Ritsuka's. Slowly, she looked away from the bat to what had caused its destruction.

Lightning still danced around the baseball, lying several feet away from her on the ground. Amazingly, it was mostly intact. The once pristine white surface had been scorched black. Something told her if she touched it, the entire thing would turn to ashes. Maybe it would if it was left alone for another few minutes.

As she began to look back, she sensed a sudden drop in Ritsuka's mana levels, as well as his overall health. Without missing a beat, she surged forth, grabbing him in her arms before he could collapse.

"Ritsuka," she called in tender concern.

The sweat on his brow was greater than she originally imagined. Not to mention his skin was perhaps a touch paler. Not even their fight with the "rogue program" that'd created this patchwork singularity had exacted such a heavy toll from him.

Despite all that, when he looked up to her with a smile, he seemed like a man atop the world. Given what he'd managed to accomplish, he had some right to look that way. "So…we…made a hell of a cool light show, didn't we?"

A surprisingly humorous laugh passed her lips. "Yes, we did. A shame that there was no one to witness it."

"Ahem, not entirely, you two." Da Vinci's voice came as a surprise to both of them, though it shouldn't have. "Ritsuka's right though, that was a hell of a show. Three strikes! Against a Servant!"

"Heh, I haven't spent all that time training for nothing, ya' know." She wondered who he was speaking to. "Alright, Da Vinci, I…think we're ready to go back."

"Good! The singularity's about to vanish entirely! If either of you exerted any more power, it might have been too much for its remnants to handle."

Hearing that made Alexandria look back toward the sky. The night sky was in utter retreat with daybreak rapidly gaining ground. Oddly, she didn't feel like falling back either. How could she when Ritsuka needed her to stand? How could she when she liked being this close to him?

Yet again, not paying too much mind to such thoughts, she helped him to his feet. He was the victor here, so he was going to leave this world standing proud, that Alexandria was going to make sure of. Their blue eyes met with mutual smiles. She felt the pull of Chaldea just as he did. Ever so faintly, she felt the world around them coming undone as they were pulled away from it. Though she knew she had nothing to fear from any of it, she still held onto Ritsuka.

A flash of light and they were back in the safe, pristine confines of Chaldea. They weren't alone.

Alexandria saw the lot of them surge forth, their focus entirely on Ritsuka. Of course, they were all concerned about Ritsuka, his scorched, numbed right hand was hard to ignore. She knew he needed treatment for it, treatment that could have been issued by Asclepius. Or Morgan, who was all too quick to usher her "husband" away. Though not without a clamor of the rest of Ritsuka's entourage. Well, mostly.

"As usual, thank you for bringing out Master back to us, Alexandria, and for putting on quite a show to boot!"

Jason and Hercules were just as much of a contrasting pair in real life as they had been in legend. From what she'd seen of them, both men, in their own ways, also lived up to their respective legends.

"Like there was ever any doubt." She boastful declared. Her eyes went to Hercules, who she could have sworn laughed. Despite the burden of his Mad Enchantment, he still found ways to express himself. As with many Servants, she suspected Ritsuka had something to do with it-like Jason, he treated the demigod as an actual person instead of a weapon. "So, who were you betting on?"

"Don't take it the wrong way…but Ritsuka. He's really been coming along in his magecraft training. As I'm sure you no doubt experienced, in all its myriad forms." His tone and word choice told her the blond had been paying close attention. Maybe too closed attention. The way he avoided her sharpened glare confirmed her suspicion. "Out of curiosity, when's the next game? Maybe we can…split up into teams."

Hercules low rumble was an agreement.

Alexandria looked between the two Argonauts, trying to decipher what their plan was. Hercules wasn't a schemer, but Jason certainly was, and more often than not, he had the former's support.

Casually crossing her arms, she looked back in the direction of Ritsuka's entourage. Or rather, where they'd gone. Chuckling, she stepped off the platform and began making for the doorway herself. "Maybe I'll consider it. You know I'll have to get together with Ritsuka. And you know arrangements will have to be made so things are fair."

"What? Come on, you know me, Alexandria!"

Yet again, the use of that name. Her name, and all it came with. A promise, more time spent with Ritsuka.

Why don't you just go to him now? After all, you're his…you're his shadow, right? Her feet were moving, faster by the second. She was faintly aware of Jason and Hercules on her heels. Very briefly, she wondered where Alexander was. It didn't surprise her that he wasn't there to welcome her back-he likely had other things to do; it wouldn't have been the first time. It wasn't out of disinterest, he simply knew she could take care of herself. And that she would absolutely be alright since she was with Ritsuka.

The truth was, as much as she still adored her liege, she was plenty grateful for the privacy she and Ritsuka had shared. She just…hoped it wouldn't be the last time that they shared together.

---

As captains, they should have led their respective teams away, in Ritsuka's case, his to victory. Back in her day, it would have been customary; the fact that he stayed behind to talk with her was something truly special. And cherished.

Despite being artificial, the blue sky carried the same feeling as the patchwork singularity's, or maybe that was just her. Perhaps most importantly, she didn't feel the same level of anxiety looking up at it.

Not even the agony of defeat gnawed at her. She simply felt the opposite, the joy of defeat, a parallel to Ritsuka's quiet basking of victory. When he turned to look to her, Alexandria began to wonder if it wasn't victory he was enjoying.

Sweaty, they lay side by side on the field, a patch of green grass that had been preserved throughout the ball game in which lightning, fire, ice, and all other manner of attacks had torn up the ground. Really, one look at it and one might have thought it was a battlefield. The only sign it'd been a baseball game was the rough layout of the field, which had also amazingly endured throughout the game. Given the field had been crafted to "Servant standards" that wasn't surprising. She heard such was common back in "old Chaldea." Sometimes she wondered what those games were like.

"We had…competitions like this back in the old days, but they weren't quite as…" Here she was, going off again. Still, she wondered how was it this youth who was still not even drinking age was able to get her to let her walls down so easily. She was really going to have to learn to stop questioning it and just accept it for what it was. Trust. Affinity. Affection. All for this adventurous youth whose feats would be the stuff of legends, if they were ever known.

"Iskandar told me that you guys used to play games like this before and after battles."

"I'm sure he did, but I'm sure you know he only told one side of the story, Ritsuka." That familiar mix of sorrow and anger crept into her. She felt it rising up like ugly bile that would force its way through her mouth in one form or another. Only looking to Ritsuka kept it repressed. Silently, he expressed regret at making her bring up memories she clearly loathed. Quickly, she shook her head, not wanting him to get the idea he'd angered her. Though he certainly enjoyed putting his life on the line, she'd accepted that part of him. If he wasn't so daring, well…she wouldn't have found him as interesting as she did.

"Whenever I…saw through his dreams, it took me a little while, but I noticed things. The way some of them looked at each other, the way some of them looked at him. Especially after he killed Cleitus."

"You never bring it up around him, I thank you for that, Ritsuka." Part of what made him such a good Master was the great, almost divine like consideration he had toward the feelings of Servants. Though she'd been told, and seen how he could be firm, for the most part he was quite considerate of the pasts of his Servants. Part of it was practicality, after all, they were the ones doing most of the fighting for human history and humanity itself. "He spoke what many in the army had begun to fear. What they saw happening before their very eyes."

"The king was going native."

She laughed at the modern phrase; Alexandria had to admit, it was both catchy and quite appropriate. "Yes, yes he was. For common soldiers, that was fine. For the king, however? No, no that couldn't be allowed. Alexander was always a foot in his own world, and everyone else tried to live in that world as well. It was owed to him as king, but his world wasn't to everyone's liking. Certainly not those who loathed everything that wasn't Greece."

"Yeah, you Greeks had a who lot of that going on. Then again, I can tell you from my own country's history, Japan hasn't been better at certain points."

"I believe every nation feels that way, all peoples. Arrogance is not confined to borders, not is it exclusive to gods or mortals. Dare I say, it is the one thing that unifies us all." Looking between each other, they found themselves laughing in mutual agreement. She'd have wondered who else would have agreed with her if she wasn't so content to just have Ritsuka to herself again. "Anyways, as I'm sure you heard, we weren't particularly fond of Persian culture. Those long, flowing dresses worn by men, those beards, and those silly festivals of theirs."

"In contrast to Macedon where you guys often got drunk." Her laughter was a concession.

"Yes, well…our drunkenness came with consequences. Very…big…consequences."

As his laughter dried up, so too did the humor on his face. Despite the artificial daylight shining over their heads, a dark cloud moved over them.

"So…he really did do it while he was drunk."

"Since you saw his memories, I'm assuming you already knew that, Ritsuka." She likewise knew that he'd never asked Alexander about it, nor did he ask Darius, not that the latter could have said anything. Alexandria found it funny how the berserk king was the only Persian Servant that'd been summoned to Chaldea. Not Darius I, Darius the Great, or his son Xerxes, both of whom would have been far more powerful than Darius III, even if he were a Rider like her liege. Then there was King Cyrus himself. All of them would have been great assets to the organization and the fight to preserve humanity. Granted, all three of them also undoubtedly would have had something to say about Alexander's destruction of Persepolis. King Cyrus might have abstained for a little while, but Darius and his son, Xeres would have undoubtedly made a beeline for Alexander's neck with their blades, or bare hands.

"In his…in Alexander's dreams, Thais' image was blackened, but I could tell she was there."

"Oh, she certainly was, and it's no surprise Alexander subconsciously tried to block her out. He always regretted burning down Persepolis, the rest of the army…" She shouldn't have closed her eyes, but she did. In darkness, she saw flames, bright roaring flames. People screaming in horror and outrage, running for their lives. They carried what they could. Others carried buckets of water, futilely trying to put the first out. "Several enjoyed watching the city burn. Cassander, Antipater, Perdiccas, and even Ptolemy got a snicker in. Several of us had grown up on the stories of Athens' destruction generations ago. Some even commemorated the fire to the gods."

She watched Ritsuka's face, and she saw the sorrow on it. There was no need for her to go into further detail. Having seen through Alexander's memories, he'd seen the great fire himself. The reactions of those who'd been with Alexander, including Thais, had been studied as well. How many wretched scenes had he witnessed through the eyes of his Servants? How was he still sane through it all? Without a doubt, his fortitude was indeed comparable to Atlas himself.

Alexandria realized she'd stared too deeply into his sorrowful eyes when he turned to her, air entering his lungs. On impulse, she turned away.

"I know what you're going to say, I should have spoken up. I…I should have said it was wrong. I…"

"Alexandria," his voice was gentle, too gentle for her liking. "…Did you think what happened was wrong?"

It wasn't accusatory, though she wished it was. She wished she wasn't recoiling-hiding- from him like a frightened child. No, like a woman afraid of rejection. That's what she was though. She wasn't a shadow, she wasn't a double, she wasn't a cursing magnet. She was something she hadn't been for most of her life, something she believed she never needed to be-a person, woman.

A steadying breath came first, then her confession. "Honestly…no. I…I mourned the loss of knowledge, but the city's destruction, the death of its populace…no, Ritsuka. I was born in…I…I was used to such things. Remember, I was there for the Siege of Tyre, I helped in bringing the city down and initiating all that followed." Memories of fire were replaced by memories of the sea…dyed red with blood. Blood from her fellow soldiers, and that of the people of Tyre. Those crucified on the beaches begged for Poseidon to take them, for any divine power to end their suffering.

She certainly hadn't listened. As far as she was concerned, they were receiving their punishment for resisting Alexander. That said, she did respect them for holding out for so long.

"Alexandria," Ritsuka called again. Sighing, in defeat, she turned back to face his expression. Luckily, it wasn't disgust, horror, rejection or some combination of them all. She'd say it was more like acceptance.

Of course he's accepting of you, you fool. He wouldn't have made it this far if he couldn't find it in himself to accept the bloodshed of those he commands. Those with pasts far messier than yours. Her next sigh was one of pure, self-directed frustration.

"I'm not going to say it's okay because…I still think it's horrible. I know it was a different time period, and things were a lot more violent back then, but-"

"If you're speaking of Persepolis, then know you are not alone. Alexander regretted it to the end of his days, wishing he could undo it. Not that he'll ever admit it. No, I believe…"

For the first time in what felt like hours, Ritsuka laughed. She saw a bit of that vibrate boy she'd became so enamored with return. "Well, the world hasn't ended yet, but we're still on the threshold. Not that we aren't trying to pull it back."

"A task we will succeed at." She liked to believe her confidence bleed into him. Truly, the threat before them was graver than she could have ever imagined. CHALDEAS, one of the very things that Chaldea Security Organization had been founded upon, being the ultimate enemy. It was irony the sort writers and theater lovers would have been head over heels for. Even as the mysterious entity hastened the world toward its end and some sort of "rebirth" that no one was any closer to deciphering. Alexandria certainly wasn't, but she didn't need to know what it was.

Come what may, she'd decided she would protect the world chosen by Ritsuka. It was the world she wished to see once more, the world she wished to roam beside him. Not as his Servant or shadow, but as…something else.

Refocusing on Ritsuka, she consciously aired her heart out, ready to accept whatever repercussions might follow. "Your previous question, about it being horrible. I…believe you were speaking of more than just Persepolis, no, I know you were. Ritsuka…you are not a conqueror, nor will you likely ever be one. Despite the quite frankly legendary war record you've accumulated." He looked away, a sheepish smile on his face. "In my opinion, it is a good thing you will never be one. You're far better at being a savior."

His cheeks flushed as red as the stripes on her uniform. Looking from his face to his hands, Alexandria was sure hers turned the same color as she reached for them. They were as warm as a heath, perhaps one stoked by Hestia herself. She always felt like she was another goddess who'd favor Ritsuka.

The goddess she prayed to though was of a more…intimate-leaning one. "Alexander spoke of conquering the hearts of people, but I believe you have succeeded him in that regard." He knew her, her devotion. He respected that while technically they were Master and Servant, her true master would always be Alexander. This wasn't about that, though. This was about something else entirely; the realization of that struck him as his eyes widened. "Alexander…he did many things, but in the end, everything fell apart. He hadn't conquerors as many hearts as he'd wished. He pushed and pushed, but eventually everyone stood up and said no more. And that was against human armies."

"Alexandria," he protested. "I…I'm honored, but I don't think you're being fair to him." She laughed at the sheer irony of his statement. Still, he was probably right, but then again, Alexandria was confident in her words.

Thus she continued. "To have the will to press onward is admirable, but to inspire it in others is a rare and incredibly miraculous trait. Alexander had it, and so do you, but you have a truly special version of it. You have inspired loyalty in former enemies, as well as kept the peace between said enemies while getting them to cooperate. More importantly, you have brought out the better aspects of some of the worst wretches across history and beyond. You've done it while still holding onto your humanity. You've fought this far and still held onto it." Hesitantly at first, she reached up and placed her hand atop his chest. It was beating as fast as it had during the ball game. "You are not someone that chases greatness, instead, greatness finds you as you chase down hope. It is not easy, in fact, I would say it's more elusive than pursuing the Ceryneian Hind. Hope was the last thing held within Pandora's-"

"Jar." He interrupted. "Sorry."

"No, you're actually right. It was indeed a jar Pandora was given…although I will say box has a nice ring to it as well."

He looked back down at her hand, potentially seeing something else. "All the evils in the world, and that included hope. People started to say hope was the worst evil of them all thus it was actually a good thing the jar was closed before it could escape too. Other people don't see it that way." His right hand, which he'd used to pitch a dozen balls in the afternoon, fell atop of hers. Residual warmth flowed into her, making her heart flutter. "Hope is the most precious thing we've got, yet it can be used to lead a person on and on. It's…hard to tell if that hope is rightfully founded or if it's been misplaced."

"I can tell you that I've seen what it can look like when it's been misplaced. Severely misplaced." The bitterness in her words didn't ruin the mood as much as she'd feared for Ritsuka kept on smiling at her in sympathy. "I also know what it looks like to stretch one's resolve to the breaking point. Frankly, it's nothing short of amazing that not only has yours held, but so too has the resolve of your army."

"It hasn't been easy, Alexandria, I can tell you that." His stiff laugh belayed the mountain, nay, country-sized pain of his words. If he went into detail, they'd be there for the rest of the afternoon, into the night, and finally the following morning.

She'd be there for him throughout it all, if it came to that. "You still did it, Ritsuka. You're still doing it. And I'm…fortunate enough to be witness to it, and…"

"A part of it. You're a part of this army too, Alexandria." Those turquoise-colored eyes, clear as a summer day yet as fierce as Zeus' lightning bolts. Even when channeling the compassion of the goddess of the hearth.

"You refused to accept simply calling me Faker or Pretender. You simply refused to see me as that which I always was." Instead of the annoyance that had colored their earlier interactions, she felt gratitude and affection. Doubly so considering that her hand was still attached to his chest. "Your stubborn refusal exceeded Alexander's, incredible as that sounds." Her fingers curled against his chest; she felt the increased thumping of his heart. Its origin, she could only speculate, particular that it was similar to the reason her own heart was now beating at a faster pace. "I've come to accept that, but…I've never stopped to ask you why."

"Because I've seen this story so many times before." The annoyance in his voice reinforced his words. Alexandria was temporarily taken aback by it. "I don't exist. I don't have a past or an identity. I'm just a fake. I've heard it so many times that I've…well, I think I've gotten tired of it." He took a breath to compose himself for it sounded like he was a stone's throw away from going on a tangent of his own. Alexandria felt the need to tell him he didn't have to hold back with her, but refrained; she'd let hi answer her in his own way. "Maybe it's just me, I see you and people like you as, well…people. You're not just a shadow. You're not just some puppet or shield. In my eyes, you're a person, a person with a past, thoughts, and feelings. All that I know for certainty. You're someone that faithfully served, and even now, serves. With all that, I…I just can't stand to call you Faker or shadow, you're more than that. In my eyes, you're a person, a person that deserves a name." There was an ever growing passion in his eyes, which never wavered from her own.

Something warm and powerful was circulating through her, something she'd never felt before. While she'd witnessed it in others, Alexandria had long resigned to never feel it for herself. She had never felt it for herself in life. She'd never met someone like Ritsuka in her long life.

In addition to his heart, she felt her own beating much, much faster. "Thus, you gave me a name. One in honor of my true master."

"I'm just glad you accepted it." He laughed.

"Heh, it was a name that I liked, though it brings to mind Alexander's city, when you speak it…you think of me." Heat swam behind her cheeks, turning them as red as her favorite color. "Ritsuka, I know that you…think of me as a person, but I must ask…what do you think of me…as a woman? Am I…attractive to you?" She remembered a few women simply took charge and stole a kiss from the man they'd set their eyes on. That'd certainly been Thais, never shy about heaping her affection on whoever caught her eye.

She wouldn't exactly say she hated the woman, but she never considered her a role model. Until now, anyway.

Ritsuka had been sitting upright beside her, then he was lying on his back, her above him. Her gaze was trying to drill a hole into him, yet he wasn't decrying her sudden aggressiveness.

"I-I-I…I-I-I…A-A-Alexandria. I…I…"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, just get it out already! You've been-"

"Gaaah! I-I-I-Ishtar! S-S-Silence, you're ruining the mood!"

"Yeah, he was just about to confess, then you how to go and spoil it! Crap, they noticed us!"

Oh, they were noticed already. Alexandria would have wondered how they managed to remain hidden, but she was aware that Ishtar knew a thing or two about stealth. Especially when it came to spying on people. Who may or may not have possessed romantic feelings for one another.

Ereshkigal laid into her look alike for all it was worth while Jason merely gave them a lopsided grin. Of course he'd been watching. He'd had his eyes on them before the game even started, and he'd been amongst the last to leave the stadium when it concluded.

Groaning, she stood up, taking Ritsuka with her. Even though he'd probably recovered his strength during their talk, she could still use the excuse of support to stick close to him. Not to mention it kept the other girls off him, including his teammates. Sure, they probably had a better claim than her to cling to his side…but Alexandria had taken a liking to Ritsuka, and she wasn't going to give him up without a fight.

And it seemed like he'd taken a liking to her. After all, he never shook her off, nor he stop in giving her smitten looks which she eagerly returned. Amidst those looks, Alexandria decided she really needed to get her point across, and she knew how to do it.

---

"Alexandria?"

"Heh, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you caught onto me. You're quite perspective."

"Given I've had to dodge assassination and borderline sexual assault attempts, I like to think I've gotten pretty good."

"Well, luckily, you won't have to worry about either of those things ever happening." Certainly not on my watch. She had no doubt that a handful of Servants had been…extremely aggressive in trying to court Ritsuka. How he'd kept his virginity was a true surprise, and she'd say a miracle.

"Um, Alexandria, are you…you have clothes on, right?"

She let out an amused, yet highly feminine laugh in response to his question. Given his previous statement, it was a perfectly valid question. "Yes, Ritsuka, I am in my usual garments." Her cheeks flashed the color of said garments. "Unless you'd…prefer me in something else. Something more…revealing." Gods, was flirting supposed to be like this? All the time she'd spent watching people, and here she was half-fumbling the deliver. Then again, that was always the thing-watching people do something then trying it yourself could be two different things.

The bathroom door opened and out stepped the Japanese youth. Were she a more…experienced woman, she imagined she'd have been disappointed by the presence of his sleepwear, pajama pants and a white t-shirt. He was ready for bed, and after an exciting, supercharged "Servant ball game" and hard drinking victory celebration, he was entitled to a good night's rest. Many, including those he celebrated with, would also say said rest should have involved a beautiful woman. Well, here she sat atop his bed, the captain of the opposing team, the losing them. Offering herself to him.

Locking eyes with her, he immediately knew why she was there. Their previous conversation had gone unfinished thanks to Ishtar's infuriating intrusion. They'd played it off during the resulting party; fortunately, she, Ereshkigal, and Jason had all kept what they'd seen to themselves. Come tomorrow, they'd be pestering them on how things turned out.

Alexandria had an idea of how she wanted things to go, but sometimes reality didn't pan out so well. That was something else she knew better than most. So did Ritsuka.

He stood still only a little more than five feet from him. So close and dressed in so little, she felt…flustered. "Ritsuka…is this…alright? Is it alright for me to be this…forward with you?"

"What do you mean, Alexandria?" That distance between them vanished. He sat beside her with those turquoise eyes shimmering. "Don't you remember what we talked about before?"

"I do, but…but…this is all new to me, alright! I've never felt this way about anyone!" The impulsive shout couldn't be recalled. "I'm sorry, I don't want to sound so…abrasive, it's just…I'm…"

"Dealing with romantic emotions for the first time in your life? Yeah, I've heard that one, too."

"And yet…you're…this is is…you and me," Hearing that made her feel both a little reassured and saddened. She wasn't alone, yet it meant that Ritsuka had likely been in this situation before. It made her feel…less special.

When she looked down at her hands, she immediately noticed something unique, the presence of a foreign hand clasping her left. Tracing it led her back to Ritsuka, to his calm yet dazzling eyes that Alexandria lost herself in.

"I'm glad it is just you and me, here and now." He responded. Such simple words, though they too sent a flutter through her heart. That feeling intensified as he tightened his hold on her left hand while moving his to her cheek. "Alexandria, I'm…I'm new to romance too. I've never had a girlfriend, or really been in a relationship either."

Hearing that actually made her feel happy, though she noted the remaining difference between them. "Well, I'm sure you've had crushes before. You're still the more experienced one between the two of us."

"I guess I am." He agreed before he started to lean toward her. She knew what was coming, and she leaned in despite the fast-paced beating of her heart. There was so much running through her mind, but all of it vanished the moment their lips met.

There was simply…nothing else. Nothing else for her to focus on. Nothing else for her to think about. Only Ritsuka.

It felt nice to just let it all go. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be loved, or to love someone. Alexandria was confident that she was going to be experiencing more of it.

Her hands moved to wrap around Ritsuka while she maintained the kiss, His left hand maintained its tender hold on her cheek. Alexandria liked having it there as much as she enjoyed having his lips on her mouth. She'd been hit with fire and she'd channeled the force of lightning, yet their heat couldn't compare to Ritsuka's lips.

She felt herself falling sideways. The softness of the bed was a minor register for her mind was still drowning in the flow of euphoria Even a seconds' long separation still left her sinking into the sensual abyss. Her breaths were fast-paced, air coming in so she could use it for the net round. It came fast, and it was just as mesmerizing as the first kiss. More so considering Ritsuka rolled on top of her. She caught glimpses of him above her, his turquoise eyes and silken black hair, hovering above her. Alexandria moved her hands through the latter, feeling the residual moisture-it was a lovely feeling. So too was the sweet aroma of his shampoo, still lingering on his person.

Alexandria noted they should probably do this whenever he came out of the shower. Or maybe at some point she could join him in the shower.

More than a shower, maybe we can find some quiet little lake or waterfall to have all to ourselves.

It was a tempting of fate, one that Aphrodite answered. Simultaneous to their kiss ending, Ritsuka thrusted his hips against hers. Alexandria felt the undeniable poking of something at her loins. What it was, she immediately identified, and it made her head spin. It was far more intense than any previous light-headedness she'd felt before with Ritsuka. All the things she'd felt before, they were truly nothing but preludes.

Heavy breathing filled the room as they broke away from one another. Ritsuka lay prompt above her, bearing down on her with his piercing gaze. She'd seen him focused, but this was something brand new. Likewise, she felt herself looking back at him with a similar gaze. A strong yearning to retake his lips possessed her. Likewise, she felt a desire to feel Ritsuka's…tent, poking at her again. Both wishes were granted as the Japanese youth fell upon her for a second time.

"Hmmmm~"

Again, her hands roamed his hair, though this time her legs rose as well. Feeling the tip of his tent against her, Alexandria realized they couldn't remain ideal. No part of her mind could with the erotic adrenaline pumping through her. Her legs slowly entwined around his waist, pulling his body against him and keeping him there. Recognizing the latter, Ritsuka indulged her, aggressively rubbing his hips against hers. Alexandria broke the kiss to let out another sultry, hungering moan.

Ritsuka leaned into the crux of her neck, his mouth centimeters away from her ear. "Alexandria, can I…I want you to be the woman I…"

Her grip on his backside tightened. "Yes, gods, yes, Ritsuka. Take me as your woman!" So much was spilling out of her, too much to stop. As frightening as it was, she realized maybe she shouldn't have tried to stop it. These feelings, this rush of exhilaration, this happiness, these were all parts of being human-being a human in love. She hadn't been either, but thanks to Ritsuka, that's what she was becoming. And frankly, it wasn't so bad. Not at all.

He pulled away, but his hands interlaced with hers. A new sense of anticipation swept through her as she once more looked up at him in all his glory. Such tender beauty mixed with a type of hardened determination. She'd have reached up to caress his face if her hands weren't being held down by his. Instead, she ultimately beckoned to him with her eyes, silently begging for him to come closer. With those same shimmering eyes, he did just that, slowly leaning down until their lips met again. She felt like she never wanted the kiss to end, damn the need for air. Her fingers gripped his and her legs tightened around his waist. This was how she wanted to remain for the rest of the night, potentially to the end of time.

Alas, it did come to an end, eventually, He withdrew his lips from hers, a loss Alexandria immediately mourned.

Amazement gradually took its place as his hands did their work. Their surprising, efficient work that left her breathless. But not enough that she couldn't speak.

"Your h-h-hands, R-R-Ritsuka," she whispered. Thanks to Olympia, she'd…known the embrace of snakes. She'd felt them slithering across her skin, and Ritsuka's touch faintly reminded her of them. Except it was a far more pleasant feeling. "H-How…are you…so…good at this?"

He was at her waist, undoing the straps around her waist. Complete nakedness was mere moments away and she could hardly wait. "Well, let's just say…I'm still a virgin, but…a lot of people took to preparing me for the day when I'd lose that distinction." His eyes met hers in a humorous exchange. "Plus, I've learned how to work fast using my hands. Crazy how those things can come in handy, huh?"

"Yes," she slurred. "Handy…indeed." Air continued to tickle her skin, followed by his fingers. Alexandria felt them increasing until they were seemingly everywhere, and then nowhere. The absence of his touch immediately struck her. Using the moment of clarity, she sat up and looked herself over. Shockingly, she was glad that all that remained of her clothing was her maroon-colored bra and underwear. The rest of her clothes lay at the foot of the bed; the pule was not yet complete. "Ritsuka," she alerted him.

With a nod, he entered her personal space once more. Like a coiled-up snake, she pounced on him, grabbing at his body, and stealing his lips with a kiss. Surprised he might have been, he quickly melted into it. She seemed to be in control of this kiss, not that he protested that. The way his hands wrapped around her cemented his relishing of it.

So, this is what it feels like to be held by a man. To love and be loved by him. Ah, no wonder there have been women who've chased this ecstasy to the ends of the earth. And some who found they could not tear themselves away from their men. I certainly know I won't want to be far away from mine.

Air that had kissed her overall body suddenly tickled her nipples. Ritsuka pulled away, surveying her chest with an apple-colored face. Alexandria's own was no better. It was the first time she'd ever shown a man her breasts; she counted herself fortunate that said man happened to be the one she was willing to give her body and heart to.

Her hands spread out as she tried to push herself upright, but Ritsuka's own pressed down on her chest. Tenderly massaging them, the pushed her back down. "Let me love you, Alexandria."

Despite all that'd happened, the words still shocked her. With a dumbfounded, blushing expression, she gazed at him. Smiling, Ritsuka pecked her on the lips.

"Please, let me."

"O…Okay. Y-Y-You may."

He continued to kiss her, and grope her breasts. His hands, once conjured mighty lightning, were as gentle as a spring breeze against her womanly mounds. Alexandria moaned in erotic gratitude at the touch. As much as she could with her lips muffled by Ritsuka's. Her hands still lay beside her, clawing at the bedsheets-his bedsheets. A momentary thought of caution crossed her mind-she needed to take care as this was still Ritsuka's bed. She didn't want to mess it up too-

"G-Aaaah~!" That thought and all others flew out the window as a bolt of searing ecstasy shot through her. Alexandria's eyes flew wide open. The ceiling vanished into a sea of stars, all of which shined with sunlike radiance. She basked in the all-consuming glow until she found the strength to open her eyes again, though the after effects lingered. "M-M-More!" her voice sounded strangled and needy.

Ritsuka happily obliged her, continuing whatever it was that brought her to the edge of ecstasy.

Several minutes, or hours, into it, Alexandria began to piece realize what he'd been doing. The constant pressure on her chest; the tender licks and kisses that continuously assailed her pointed her to one conclusion. Hazy-eyed, she struggled to lift her head, at times failing. She felt Ritsuka's teeth lovingly nibbling on her tits with his tongue occasionally running over them. Over and over again, those sweet, erotic feelings assailed her. It felt like her head was going to sin off, or she was going to unravel into scarlet ribs that would scatter to the wind.

An ear-rattling scream shot from her lips as she felt a dualistic pressure on her chest. His mouth and his fingers, those two powerful, godlike instruments. Which one was on which tit, she honestly didn't know, the haze of ecstasy was simply too strong for her to ascertain which it was. Alexandria let herself become lost in the swirling storm, being tossed from side to side by it. She was utterly by how good it felt, how fulfilling it was.

Somewhere down the line, she managed to lift her head up and keep her eyes open for longer than a few seconds. Never had she thought she'd have a man tending to her chest, at least not unless it was in the most horrendous situation. The way Ritsuka looked at her reminded her she was fortunate to have avoided that scenario, as well as that she was lucky that her first time was with a man like him.

His right hand took the place of his mouth as he moved toward her. The ensuing kiss was truly magical.

"Do you still want more, Alexandria?" He teasingly asked afterward.

Grinning, she eagerly nodded. "Yes, Ritsuka. Gods, yes."

Despite her excitement, as well as likely his own, Ritsuka took his time. His kisses along her chest and stomach was nothing but sweet teasing. Still, Alexandria would be lying if she didn't claim she didn't take pleasure in it. Each one was a short but treasured shot of ecstasy. Especially around her belly button. An elongated moan rose from her lips as she felt him feeling up her sides. More often than not, those were left exposed, giving onlookers a peak at her womanly figure; Alexandria had honestly never cared for it, but as Ritsuka felt her up, she found herself grateful that the gods had blessed her with such a figure. She knew it had enticed Ritsuka; now, she was free to let him do with it what he willed.

That evidentially included playing with her womanhood.

"H-Haaaah~! Haaaah~! Oooohhhh~!"

She'd never touched herself. It was a fact she'd never felt much in the way of shame toward. Being a shadow, she had no need of such material pleasures. Abstaining from those pleasures seemed to be working in her favor now.

"OOOHHH~!" She yelled even louder as Ritsuka's fingers pushed deeper into her cunt. Gods, he'd really been downplaying how skilled with his hands he was. A string of Greek words left her lips, praise to the gods, a few in particularly, as well as pleas for more. Ritsuka was multilingual, so he understood her; once more, he obliged her. "AAAAAAHHH~! R-RITSUKA!"

His tongue had entered the free. That charm-laced tongue of his that could be used so well. It lashed at her vaginal walls like an excited viper. Each lashing had her shouting out her submission, not that she wanted them to end. No, Alexandria wanted them to go on until the break of day. Along with his finger thrusting, of course. She pleaded for all that, and her lover continuously supplied her with what she wanted, in spades.

Despite her body's constant shaking, Ritsuka was still about to feel her up. His other hand, his free hand, smoothly moved over her hip. It was akin to his previous massaging of her breasts, right down to the level of mind-numbing ecstasy it brought. Alexandria felt her head about to spin off once more. Her pussy being eaten out and her hips massaged with the touch of a divine feather.

Alexandria knew she was in a paradise crafted by Aphrodite herself. She gave her thanks to the goddess, as much as she could, anyway. Her brain was turning to mush at a speed she couldn't comprehend. She pulled at the bedsheets while arching her body toward the ceiling. Jumbled up memories of previous intimacies she'd witnessed came to her; they were now examples for her to follow during their future trysts. Alexandria knew there were going to be many more after this one.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH~!"

It was like an arrow shot by Apollo or Artemis themselves. A blink, less than that, and it'd struck her. Rather than blood, feminine nectar flew from her cunt. It was a sudden burst that had her screaming her lungs out and arching her back to the point she seemed to be trying to snap it in two. Such an attempt brought no pain, the ecstasy of her release was simply too overpowering for that. That rush continued to overwhelm her long after she felt the orgasmic flow of her juices beginning to die down.

Her back hit the mattress, a sense of exhaustion descending upon her. This was a different sort than any she'd ever experienced. It felt…more comfortable, practically gratifying. Each breath she took to regain her strength was much the same way.

The need for her to move to gaze upon her lover never came, for he moved for her. His face was marred in a creamy white substance. With a giggle, she realized it was her own cum. Ritsuka had licked up a good deal of it, but splotches of it still lay across his face, including some in his ear.

"I…suppose you might have to take another shower. I'm sorry, Ritsuka." She sheepishly remarked.

"Heh, I don't mind doing that. I think it'd be even better if…maybe I had some company for that one." His offer set something off within her. Alexandria rolled over, throwing herself onto his chest. The Japanese youth's hands shot to her hips, holding them in his smoldering grip. "I guess I'll take that as a yes."

Smiling, she began the next kiss, not minding the lingering taste of her cum on his lips. That too was something she was going to get used to, starting now. Her kisses spread to the rest of hi face, practically cleaning it up as a dog would. Alexandria knew she was in heat, and for the first time in her life at that. She was eager to mark the brave teenager beneath her as hers, as well as repay him for all he'd done. For the world, for her king, and for her.

As easily as he'd done, she removed her clothes, an electric tingle in her fingers as she did so. It wasn't from her magecraft.

"Alexander was right, not that I did not already know that." She purred. He blushed as he sat up a little, giving her a better view of his lean yet muscular chest and abs. While she'd seen the results of his training with her own eyes, Alexandria really saw it in his naked form. The exhilaration she felt in having him all too herself was too great for words, especially when she gripped his member with her hands.

"G-Gaaah! A-A-Alex!" he shouted with a shudder.

So many men in her time liked boasting of their sexual prowess, including their cock size. Ritsuka never did, even though he had every reason to. That made him all the more charming, and made this moment even better.

After always maintaining such a cool demeanor, she'd finally ruffled him. And perhaps than some.

Sword sharpening and its variants, that's what she'd heard it called during her time. There were other, equally colorful terms. Alexandria was aware nowadays it was simply called a blowjob. Simple and direct-that was the method she used to "service" her lover's member. She held his cock in a firm yet soft grip, stroking it. His tip was taken by her lips, kissing it as he had her. Like him, she ran her tongue over his genitalia. The reaction was immediate, and a sight Alexandria savored. Her hands continued their work as did her mouth, slathering his tip in her saliva.

His while tip inevitably vanished into her oral hole. Ritsuka let out the loudest cry at that, tightly fisting the sheets. As she'd wanted more and he gave it to her, she did the same to him. Not that Alexandria could stop if she wanted to.

There was no way she was stopping until she tasted her lover's "seed." With every lick and grope of his cock and balls, she established her claim over him.

"G-GAH!"

The sudden thrust of his hips caught her by surprise; she remembered that was something else men tended to do, including grabbing the woman's head.

Keep going, Ritsuka. Was her mental message to him.

Received, the did just that. His hand kept a grip on her head as his hips began to rock up and down, pushing his dick deeper into her mouth. Not that she needed the help, she was doing a great enough job in sucking it on her own. It was undoubtedly the best thing she'd ever put into her mouth. Again, she felt that feminine sense of pride knowing that she was the first woman, or just person, to put their lips on his cock and suck it like the delicious treat it was.

Pale blue eyes looked up, meeting turquoise. Managing a smile, Ritsuka gave her the hard thrust he knew she wanted. Alexandria made a strangled sound, yet it wasn't one of distress. Eagerness colored her eyes as she felt something coming, a flood that would soak the barren landscape of her soul with the waters of life.

"Alexandriaaaaaahhhh~!"

Her eyes flew open the second she sensed it coming. Keeping her lips attached to his member, she swallowed the ensuing burst of masculine juices that erupted from his tip. While faintly resembling water from a container, the contents were so much more than that. Infinitely sweeter than the finest liquor, perhaps even what had been brewed by Dionysus's himself.

So…delicious. So…pure…and…sweet. As she did during celebrations, including the one not three hours previous, she drunk to her heart's content. Like the best parties, it was endless. Ritsuka's hand remained atop her head. His hips kept on moving too, while slowed the thrusts were still there.

The more cum he shot into her, the more she felt the stirring between her legs. Had she still been wearing underwear, they'd no doubt be sullied with her feminine juices.

Her face had been sullied as well, a result of pulling away yet his cock still having more to give. She giggled feeling the masculine seed that now rested in her stomach sticking to her face.

"I guess we really are going to need another shower, huh?" Ritsuka said in response to the sight.

"Hehehe, that's not such a bad thought, Ritsuka." Excitement flickered in his eyes as the mental image played in his mind. "But first, I believe we should probably work up just a bit more of a sweat."

That excitement turned to confession, albeit only briefly. Like the wildcats that roamed the land, she pounced on him, in all her naked glory. He must have recognized the glint in her eyes, the look of a beast ready to mate for he didn't throw her off, luckily. All she got was an accepting grin. Unable to contain herself, she fell on his lips, initiating a new kiss. His hands found their way to her hips, shooting invisible bolts of lightning into her. Those bolts danced within her, pooling in-between her legs.

Deciding on no more waiting, she positioned herself above his erect member, then swiftly brought herself down.

"A-Argh!"

"Alexandria!" Ritsuka sat upright, wrapping her up in his arms. "You should have…warned me. Or given me some kind of sign you were about to do that." He whispered.

"I just…got a little impatience. Suppose I always wanted to believe the old saying about how the quicker you get it done…the…less painful it'll be." She'd heard and seen women agonize over who they would give their maidenhood to. At least those lucky enough to have a choice. One commonality was that it hurt, and indeed, it did. While not the greatest pain Alexandria had ever felt, she had to admit, it was…noteworthy. "I'm glad you're here, Ritsuka." She murmured while wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm glad…I chose you."

"Me too, Alexandria, I'm…I'm glad I waited until meeting you." Despite the quietness of his voice, his words were loud with sincerity." Once more, she ran her fingers through his block locks. She could have sworn they still retained the moisture of his long past shower. "Just warn me when you're going to do something like that."

"Come now, you know I can handle pain."

"I know, but…that doesn't mean I like seeing you in pain." Just as she was about to respond, he rolled them over. Shocked, she stared into his blue eyes, feeling her heart halt in her chest. Such serious devotion, all aimed at her. Alexandria was truly speechless before it. At least until he slowly descended upon her and he kissed her.

At the end of it, she whispered just one thing. "Make me yours, Ritsuka."

Just like when he took her chest, she never would have guessed it was his first time. His hips moved with purpose, with a level of refinement that made her believe he'd taken another woman before her.

Some men were just naturals, and she fully believed that was Ritsuka Fujimaru.

She clawed at his backside, feeling the constant poke of his manhood against her feminine core. It was indescribably and tremendously addictive. Her legs coiled around his waist next, just as they had previously. She bore down on his backside with her nails, clawing at it like the wildcat she'd become. All the while, Ritsuka continued to happily thrust into her, pushing deeper into the heart of her being. In response, her vaginal walls tightened, a sensation she'd also never felt before.

"Fu-F-Full! I…feel…so…full, Ritsuka!" She screamed.

"You…feel tight, Alexandria! It feels…AAAAAHHH!"

"OOOOOOHHHHH~!" How much energy did he have stored up? She had a feeling she was going to find that out, much to her delight. Ritsuka had already been pushing her to the edge, but now he was speeding her along at a speed that could rival the Gordius Wheel. "YESSSSS~! ZEUS' LIGHTNING, YESSSS~!" This was the famed high that she'd heard about. Not once in her life had she paid a moment's thought to what it'd feel like for herself; currently, Alexandria knew she'd indeed been missing out on something great.

"FEEL…SO…AMAZING, ALEX…ANDRIA!" As happy as she was with how he was making her feel, she wanted to ensure he was feeling the same. To serve was in her nature, and that included being in love. Granted, she knew Ritsuka would have something to say about that-it wasn't how a relationship was supposed to go. Not a modern romantic relationship.

Wrapped around him like a spider, she rocked her hips in synch with his. It was ironic she was the one doing catchup, but then again, he was an extraordinary person. Alexandria caught the wild yet focused gaze of his as they gradually synched up. Lips collided as their hips did.

Sweat gathered on their bodies, as did imprints. Claw marks courtesy of her nails, and his hands left their mark on her hips, practically searing into her flesh. That's exactly what she wanted, and she had a feeling that he wanted it as well. He wanted to know that he was hers, that she was choosing him.

To choose meant to be alive.

She was a Servant, so technically she wasn't alive anymore, yet Ritsuka treated her as such. That's something that made him such a great Master, and a great person.

He was hers, all hers, and she was his.

"Rits…uka," This time, she was able to warn him. "I can-! AAAAAAAYYYY!"

"Me…too," he grunted while maintaining his thrusts. There was no stopping him, especially as he felt that throbbing in his member as she was feeling one in her loins. They were on the verge of climaxing, their first climax. "Alexandria," Came his strained voice. Focusing on his eyes, she picked up the unspoken message.

Their hips moved at a faster rate, yet they remained synched. They always had a bit in common, being relatively nobodies in the grand scheme of things. Despite that, they both were attuned to the greatest of the elements, commanding it as their own. It felt like that's what was running through them: pure erotic lightning that was building to one final burst. Together, they moved toward that burst.

One final jolt raced through them as they felt the onset of that burst. Like energized magnets, their lips were pulled together, where they remained until that thunderous explosion arrived.

"RITSUKAAAA~!"

"ALEXANDRIAAA!"

Her back arched upward, even with Ritsuka still atop of her. Her breasts squished against his chest; her legs squeezed his waist with such fervor a lesser man's would have snapped. Ritsuka, her Ritsuka, was no lesser man. He was hers, and she was his woman, as evident by the gallons of his seed he pumped into her.

It felt like…life itself was being poured into her being for the first time in her existence. As well as truly taken.

When Ritsuka collapsed atop of her, she kept her hands wrapped around him. Not only was she taken, she felt like she truly had something of her own. Even if he was still Novum Chaldea's heart and leader, she still had a special claim to him. A claim no one else, not even Mash, could dispute or compare to.

He knew all that when he looked into her eyes. Not only did he accept it, he was proud of it, as evident in the kiss he planted on her; overjoyed, Alexandria eagerly returned the kiss.

Their bodies rolled to the side, covered in scratches and sweat. It was a scene that Alexandria had witnessed several times, yet not once did she picture herself in it. Now, not only could she, but she could and would only ever see one man beside her-Ritsuka Fujimaru.

She clung to him not unlike one of those many lovestruck maidens from her time.

"I'll follow you wherever you'll go…but you have to promise me you'll stay alive. And that you-"

"Won't lose myself? I know that won't be easy, but…I've made it this far, and I like to think I've still got that spark everyone keeps on saying keeps them going. I once told myself all I can do is keep on going until all of this is over with, until the world is saved, or I die for-"

"You will not die." She swiftly declared. Feeling a renewed vigor surging through her, she sat up and took her place atop of him. Lacing their hands together, she fixed him with a gaze filled with not just love, but the swift, powerful determination she'd witnessed in the eyes of her king. "Ritsuka Fujimaru, I swear on the Styx, you will not falter while I remain by her side. I will not allow it, nor will I allow anyone, man, demon, god, or alien to take your life. They will have to take mine first."

Sitting up, he gripped her hands. The determination in her eyes became fully mirrored in his. "I…won't ask you not to do that, but I'll ask you this, fight to live, Alexandria. Fight so that when this is over with, you can live beside me. That we can live together."

Heartfelt warmth dancing throughout her body, she leaned forward kissed him. A short but sweet kiss. "I promise, Ritsuka. I make that promise to you…as Alexandria, your shadow…and your woman." Their hands broke, simply moving to wrap around one another. It was an all-consuming hug that reached down to their souls. "Now then, about that bath you mentioned earlier? I believe now might be a good time to take it. Together."

"You know, I think you're right."

For the first time in her life, she was carried in the arms of a man. Alexandria let out a squeal of excitement at it, as well as the fact it wouldn't be the last time. Oh, and she was about to get a second helping of the orgasmic euphoria her Master-turned-lover had given her.

Fin

---

Finally, finally got it done. This one came to me a while ago from a fan and it was enticing enough for me to go with it.

As someone who learned about Alexander the Great and the dissolution of his empire before watching Fate/Zero, I always felt a bit of disconnect with the latter's version of the man. Namely how no one seemed to bring up how his empire spectacularly imploded on itself after his death or how his army put their foot down when pushed too far. Another thing was how downright violent his conquests were, which Zero really tried to downplay. I chose to make the real-world violence and difference in ethics something Alexandria would bring up.

Alexander's generals were not happy when he began adopting Persian customs after he conquered it (Cleitus called him out on this). While Hellenism is indeed one of Alexander's great legacies, not all of his followers were for it. As Athony Hopkins said as Ptolemy in Oliver Stone's Alexander, no, "I never believed in his dream, none of us did." For many of the Macedonians and Greeks, the campaign against Persia was revenge for the destruction of Athens during the Greco-Persian Wars, and many Greeks disliked the Persians and the Asian tribes they encountered. I decided to go with Alexandria adopting what would have been a common viewpoint of the Persians, including the burning of Persepolis. Speaking of which, Thais was one of the concubines of Ptolemy, though some records indicate she and Alexander might have also had relationships. She's theorized to have suggested to Alexander to burn the city down, and in what might have been a drunken haze, he agreed to it. Regardless of why or how it happened, Alexander is recorded as regretting Persepolis' destruction.

Another thing I brought up was the Siege of Tyre, which yes, did end with Alexander the Great crucifying some 2,000 men and enslaving the rest of the city's population. Thebes was another city Alexander utterly destroyed, and it had the effect of cowing the rest of Greece into submission. I doubt any Fate work will ever bring this up, but I decided to tackle it myself with Faker/Alexandria being a vehicle for such, and Ritsuka not be distracted by the charisma and glamor Iskandar usually projects. What I focused on was while both have become charismatic leaders, as Alexandria noted, the former isn't a conqueror, he's an unlikely savior that's brought together an insanely diverse set of people together for a common and heroic cause.

The slight focus on baseball in this one came from Fate/Grail League. I saw Faker/Alexandria's outfit in the game and let's say ideas just rolled into me as I was writing. Nagoya Stadium used to be the home of the Chunichi Dragons, Nagoya's professional baseball team, until they moved the Nagoya Stadium in '97.

With that, my first Fate Lemon of the year is done. Months late, but finally done. Until the next one, everyone!