It's been long, but I've been editing this. Also Warframe kept me. hehe

Chapter 6: Road to Recovery

"Shirou." Soft hands face caressed his sweaty smudged head. "Go, save yourself." Looking up, he squinted through the blur of his heavy eyes. He knows of her pain, he knows the burden on her back was too much for her.

The same burden that... crushed him. Helpless against the weight of their very own home.

"Go…" Black goop oozed out of her. "Go."

"Mom!" Shirou bolted up hands reaching for something that was never there and would never be there. Only the darkness was there to greet him.

"Nightmares, Shirou?"

Someone groaned beside him, a messy of black hair woke up when he squinted to his left and grabbing on to his arm. "Sh…rou? Are you okay?"

He sighed, finding the strength to smile from the warmth and love in her hands. "I'm fine, Rin, go back to sleep."

"I believe Master was experiencing a nightmare." From the table, just beside a single bed, poised and calm in her demeanor was Saber Alter sitting ever so regal. "Part of me wanted to comfort him," she said looking away, and he then and there that no matter what, tyrant or not, Saber Alter was still Arturia at heart when she blushed. "But, had I no respect for Shirou's privacy I would have taken him from your clutches."

"You would not dare," Saber said, almost in a whisper as her body tensed coiling like a spring.

Alter simply smirked, tilted her head up high proudly leaned back on the chair, and said no more.

Saber to his right tensed, but he massaged her hand. "Thank you, Saber. Did I wake you? Sorry, Saber...s."

Gold eyes glared at something only she could see. "Don't apologize, Shirou. I merely woke up earlier due to a bug."

He looked down knowing that even if she knew he was not her Shirou, she still accepted him. Part of him felt guilty feeling like he tricked her, but he pushed it away because what mattered was he saved her.

He knew, saw even, as a King, aside from being prideful she also took what she cannot have or those she want. All for the sake of her kingdom against the Anglos and Saxons. He saw it all in her darkened holy sword, but he accepted that. In time he will know her, and was glad she understood it reluctantly as it as.

That and he respected Rin and Saber's decisions too. They would share a room, but not a bed.

"Bug?" He looked at Rin for clarification. He didn't know a small application of Second Magic wasn't immune to insect proliferating.

The doorbell rang, causing Rin to groan when she looked at the time, while Saber Alter's glare turned murderous when she got up to leave.

"Come on—"

"Stay, Shirou, rest after such ordeal is needed," Alter ordered. "I will deal with this menace myself."

Saber got up already missing the warmth and skin contact as she now flattened her white sleeping gown, with a concerned frown. "I'll have to keep my other self in check," she said before following suit.

Without another word, she left. Whoever rang the doorbell incessantly was going to face Alter's wrath, and he'd rather have not that so, with a sigh did he get up followed by a grumbling Rin.

"I'll make you coffee after this, Rin." A fleeting euphoric smile appeared on her before drowsiness beat it. They got out of the master bedroom, on the hallway, and down the stairs. All of which was reminiscent of Rin's house. It felt alien at first, but he got used to the Japanese-western design hybrid after being used in their travels for so long.

"Speak, peasant."

"Peasant?!" came an indignant cry from Olga. "I'll have you－"

"I care not. Speak anymore that's not thy purpose and my sword is the last thing you see." Saber Alter's power pulsed, revealing her immense magical energy causing Olga to gasp.

"Stop that," Saber warned just behind her. Though with her in a sleeping gown, it made her look cuter than threatening. "Were it not for her, Shirou would not have bore the weight of three servants."

"I care not," Alter replied. "She dare interrupt Shirou's rest and were it not for Shirou's order, your head would fall from your shoulders."

"Head!?"

"Mash and the weak man can watch your execution as the witness of your treason."

Somewhere behind, Romani spluttered, unable to form coherent sentences.

"Saber Alter!"

The scene they entered was the wide wooden double doors open and Olga with a silent Dr. Romani and Mash gaping at the two servants by the door—the former which retreated behind Mash, and the latter who looked aghast in silence.

"I'm here," he said at the bottom of the stairs, causing the two to stop fighting. Alter still glared at Olga though. "Is everything okay?"

"No—"

"Yes, Shirou. They came to discuss something."

"Senpai, Rin-san." Mash greeted with a wave and smile behind Olga. "Good morning. Saber Alter was just giving us a warm welcome."

"Mash," he said. Giving her a once over and nodded to himself a little, but still, he asked. "Are you okay now?"

The girl nodded with vigor. "All thanks to you, senpai."

A weight on his chest lifted, thankful no lasting damage happened because of the remaining emergency team's quick movement and the mystic code he pulled.

"What about you, Director?" Last he heard, when they rayshifted back, her magic circuits overtaxed raised her temperature at a dangerous level, and pushed her beyond her limits since she wasn't a Master candidate with master potential being low.

She crossed her arms looking away, never mind the fact of her burning ears. "It's nothing for someone like me. Nevertheless, you have my gratitude."

"It was nothing." He shrugged,

"The mystic code you lent us really helped, Da Vinci is now examining it for mass production and improvement."

He shrugged, but Rin walked towards the taller man leveling upon him a gaze he was familiar with.

The man sweated and retreated but froze when Saber crossed her arms. "She started without our permission! I told her not to before we could tell you!"

"I'd visit Da Vinci for a talk later," Rin grumbled.

"Guys," he came in between them. "It's fine. If you could use it to help others I'd be grateful." Truth be told, it was his client's payment for hunting a Dead Apostle four years ago. Even more so, it was a prototype Mystic Code, so its not like it matters because he may have changed it. He doubted he would be angry if people made more of it since he was pretty decent as far as magus went.

Rin grumbled some more but it was too low to hear and such a thing was something he was used to.

"Er…," Romani said awkwardly scratching his cheek. "Is Tohsaka okay?"

He glanced back to a half-awake Rin who went ahead to the kitchen now that the tension died. He shrugged and smiled. "She's not a morning person."

"Good morning, Mash, Dr. Romani, Olga. Come on in."

"Please, come in." Saber opened the door for them, not before leaving their shoes as indicated by the noise behind him.

He headed straight for the kitchen, and the first thing he did was brew the coffee and give it to Rin on the kitchen bar before prepping the food, defrosting it, and chopping.

The silence from the table made him turn to them eyes heavy with things he already knew. "So…," he began letting the word hang. "How are you guys holding up."

Romani was the first to interject, "We're fine. Many employees survived with little to no injuries. The masters though, fourteen dead, fifteen in critical, and seventeen crippled for life."

"That's… terrible." He cringed at Romani's words. Lev really did them a big favor, he thought stopping his clenching fist. An understatement that lit a dark fire in him but a matter for another time. "But that's not what I meant."

He didn't look at them, but the silence was telling enough when Olga refused to meet his gaze and Romani loosened his collar as if to release the heat trapped in him.

"To think that Lev would betray us…" The normally cheery Romani frowned.

He turned his head at them to see Olga remaining silent and beneath Mash, from the way her expression shifted ever so slightly, he decided to change the topic. "So, tell us which master has the least injury."

"I'll have to give you their conditions later," Romani said.

"Rin, what do you think," he asked while chopping the food in preparation to cook them.

"Until I see them, I won't be making any assurance." He heard her sigh. "If all else fails, we have that."

"So for now…"

"We are the last of the masters," Rin said finishing his words. "If it wasn't for Shirou…"

He didn't want to think about what could have happened to Rin any more than he wanted to think about what happened to Sakura, Illya, and Luvia. Deciding to focus on something else, he asked, "What are the chances the fifteen recovers enough to help us? If what we're gonna do succeeds."

"Far from likely." Romani sighed much to his dismay. "We don't have enough power, resources, and manpower to do surgeries and extensive healing for therapy if for some reason they do make it through."

Olga raised an eyebrow at Rin in question. "You know healing magecraft?"

Rin smirked, huffing at the other girl flicking her hair. "More than enough. As for Shirou, let's just say he has more than those knives."

She said it that way, but he knew how well Kirei had taught her. Detestable as her caretaker had been, there was no denying his prowess in healing magecraft. Something Rin learned to be great at along with a multitude of things. This was expanded after the Fifth Grail War along with her jewelcraft.

Olga glared at Rin making him sigh for the unknowing slight Olga did to his girlfriend when she said those words at the beginning. Now Rin would use every chance to one-up her whenever the chance showed itself.

"Then." Romani coughed. "We can start after we fixed all the emergency repairs."

Half an hour and he served them sausages and toast along with the traditional Japanese breakfast on a table fit for ten people. Saber at the head of the table, Rin to her right, him next to Rin and Alter at the last while on the other side the Chaldeans with Olga to Saber's left, followed by Romani and Mash.

Saber Alter frowned but groaned upon first bite. Mash's eyes widened leaving the last two to gape. Shirou smiled and nodded to himself, taking pride in what he made.

"Shirou-senpai made this?" Mash ate, her eating faster than before. "I…."

"Didn't think someone like him could cook that good?" Rin said, a low chuckle out of her mouth. "Don't worry, you're not alone. Everyone he meets is surprised by this fact."

"No… it's just that…"

He shook his head. "You guys are overreacting. It's only because I had practiced all these years. Meeting people from different cultures really helped me in that regard."

"It is true, had I had Shirou in my time, I would tear asunder any kingdom that dares to sully his food in my court." Alter nodded sagely. "Nay, I will fight for him and whatever he desires."

Saber was all too happy to reply. "Shirou makes the best meals, better than any of my cooks."

Alter's fleeting frown made him frown. Knowing it reminded him of the fact he was not her Shirou, he flinched and buried the guilt. Instead, he smiled at Rin. "You don't really mean that," he said unable to hold back his amusement.

"Don't sell yourself short, Rin," he said. "You're pretty good at Chinese."

"To think King Arthurs would even go that far." Romani gaped, looking at the food then scratching his cheek. "Say, Director, don't you think that we're a bit short on employees ever since the disaster. One of which is a cook."

Amused, he chuckled at it just to ignore the fact that only twenty percent of Chaldea's staff was left. Even with Rin and Caster fixing the magical side of things and with him fixing the still not-out-of-the-woods nuclear reactor and other delicate technologies, and both Sabers helping clear the rubble everywhere that was bombed, there were still many to do.

Olga drank her coffee slowly eyeing the food. "Food can raise the morale of people in these perilous times. As Chaldea's director, it is my prerogative to give Shirou Emiya the position of Chaldea's head chef. Effective immediately."

"Head chef?" He blinked. Oh, he knew what she was doing, the same thing Luvia wanted, but him being on the move as a freelancer can't be tied down aside from his home in Fuyuki. Even though he did cook for her from time to time.

"Yes," Olga said grabbing a napkin and wiping her mouth, ignoring that her eating became faster. "You will be compensated greatly aside from your obligations as a Master and a magus after this Singularity Disaster."

"I don't mind, I'll begin tonight." Shirou began, eating his food at a sedate pace than Romani and the two Sabers. "Anyways, what're you guys doing here."

The plates jumped when Olga's hand shook upon slamming the spoon and fork. "That's what you're asking? Is everybody ignoring the fact that there's a house that wasn't there yesterday inside Chaldea!?"

"Director, I'm just as surprised as you are. But, a magus would never reveal their mystery."

He simply shrugged. Distortion with Second Magic."

"Distortion?" Her eye twitched, a gesture which brought a smug smirk to Rin. "Have you any idea how that narrows it down!? There's Bounded Field, then there's this! I don't sense any Bounded Field that made all this possible, something I'm sure would take a lot of magical energy and since we're far away from any leylines... this is just ridiculous!"

Something to do with Second magic, in fact, with how Rin explained it, that some concepts went beyond his head. Rin only learned how to do this five years ago and had only gotten better since. Now, while Bounded Field could do a similar thing from what he knew of it, Rin went above and beyond to use it as a way to apply all the lessons she learned from Zelretch. There still remained the fact she still couldn't do the inverse of the time anomaly in the chest left by Zelretch. "You'll get used to it."

Once he fully studies the crest, he might be able to help her. If the Clocktower ever felt generous enough, something he doubted.

The young director of Chaldea spluttered indignantly at that fact.

Rin hid her smirk behind the coffee, enjoying outclassing the "upstart boss" as she said before they slept. "Yes, Director, this not special Master as you called in your speech, isn't Wizard Marshall's apprentice for nothing and has learned some things from him. Spatial distortion through another form is just the tip of it." She shrugged all too exaggeratedly as if to say, "Oh well".

He wasn't an expert on mystery or magecraft, but he understood it when she said it was like the chest of Zelretch in her home but on a bigger scale in combination with runes and bounded field.

"Then—"

"No. Unless it's needed, it's a waste of energy." Rin's face twitched when Olga didn't give up. "Look here, girlie," she said, setting down her coffee, "do you know how much energy and preparation it takes to create this space?"

"You selfish—"

Alter narrowed her eyes. "Watch it, girl. Not even I can be crass to dishonor the host of a house, especially of a higher standing. Enemy or not. Rin has more than earned the respect from you."

"Higher standing!? She's an oriental that got—"

"Got what? Lucky?" Rin stood up, Gandr glowing on her hands. "Say more, and curses will be the—"

Breathing, he was afraid of this and now it had come to pass. He had seen this before a million times. Not in his sacred grounds. "Come on everyone, break it up. Not at the table in the middle of a good meal. Not while we're eating. Settle it elsewhere on the training ground. One more word from you two and you will find yourself eating elsewhere."

Both Sabers gasped.

Said women glared at him, feeling the pressure of their stare and power, but he held on. The dining room and kitchen were his haven, there would be no such arguments or violence. Rin gritted her teeth but eventually returned to her coffee and Chinese food while Olga to her English breakfast.

"Before things get hot, Rin was right, it costs magical energy to do it, Director." In-between bites he said gesturing with his free hand. "I've seen her create it from scratch and handy as it is for us, creating another one would cost greatly. Seeing as we're stuck here for the duration, it was the better option."

His other girlfriend cleared her throat giving a less incensed Rin a careful look. "Anyway, in addition to that, you need tons of preparation aside from magical energy to make it possible. This is something I've been studying years ago but this isn't the entire spell."

"Think of it as a camping tent." He nodded at the apt comparison of Saber. "It's easier to activate and overlap this on another layer with the current reality of the place than to create one every time we go somewhere."

Olga scowled, looking sour and delighted as she thought of it. Likely swallowing her pride and saving herself from further embarrassment.

"I see," Mash said. "That sounds complicated."

Rin's words cut through. "More than complicated, if such a word exists."

Small talk here and there, but a small part of the tension returned after the meal.

"Emiya," said Romani clearing his throat. "Another reason we came here is to assess the abilities of our last remaining masters."

Huffing, his lover crossed her arms and shook her head. "You mean interrogate."

He said nothing because when it comes to dealing with magus talk and politics, Rin was the one best at it. He merely adapted to it, but Rin thrived in it.

Mash shook her head in return with an innocent smile. "Not at all, Tohsaka-senpai."

"We came here to fully study what our remaining master candidates can do with everyone— but you, out of commission for a long time."

It always returned to that, and he didn't begrudge Olga for her haste and nearly tactless information gathering. This was beyond mere Dead Apostles preying on man or rogue magi doing something unethical, endangering lives or risking revealing the magical society.

No.

This was more than that. Everyone was gone, history of man incinerated was yet to be analyzed at how deep of a level. Everything that was, that ever will be, gone.

Sakura, Illya, everyone.

He breathed out when soft hands under the table grasped his along with a silent support from his newer servants. A fleeting anger was all he could do to say to them.

"So you wanna know what you're working with," he said. This was a discussion withheld one day too long after the first singularity. "I told you everything about my Tracing. What more could I tell you?"

Olga's face twitched. "What? You asked what? How about you start with Reality Marble!? A power closest to magic that any magi would want. Or what about the fact that you, you, a specialist spellcaster is a future heroic spirit that got summoned in a Grail War. Start with that, Emiya."

"How about the fact that she," she said pointing at Arturia and Alter. "Is actually King Arthur." Tapping the fingers on the table, her angrily flinching face remained unmoved at her glaring. "Or, how about you making one of the most famous swords of all Britain. Caliburn, the sword of King Arthur, during your battle with future self."

He gestured for Alter to stop as he massaged the bridge of his nose before looking at them straight in the eyes. "I didn't think those would be relevant to you. Okay, look, my tracing comes from my Reality Marble; Unlimited Blade Works. I omitted that fact, but I didn't lie entirely. Do you know what would happen to me if I did reveal it? I don't care much for being a Sealing Designate but Rin, Saber, and everyone would be angry at the Mages Association, not to mention I couldn't save people if I was a runaway or locked up in the Clocktower being dissected for something I only discovered in the Grail War."

Silence was their reply, and in Olga's eye glaring, conceding to his point. Magi were rather selfish people, all for the sake of reaching the root or for whatever their goal was. Unafraid of using people to reach their ultimate objective.

"I never lied. Everything I see is stored there, as long as it's a weapon of war. The closer to a sword it is, the better I can process it in seeing it's entire history and thereby producing it via tracing. Daggers, knives, axes, shields, armor, you name it and all of them will be inferior to the original by one rank. The further to a sword it is, the more mana it will cost."

"Can you proj… er trace one right now?" Romani asked. "Just to see the limit. If you can, can I—we, see Caliburn?"

"Sorry, but…," he said scratching his cheek. "Something like that takes a lot out of me. I can trace others though." A lie, somewhat, but he felt it inappropriate to easily call the sword that was formerly Arturia's.

With a shrug, Durandal, Gáe Bolg, the healing knife, black keys, and a slew of simple ones; a mace, a Japanese sword, bow, axe, shield, arrow, dagger, and inefficient as it was, also a gun, an altered a sword to become a gun, and different armors that even if nameless had some sort of passive effect. Aside from the first two, all weapons ranked lower in usage, and his ease of tracing was due to being more mundane than magecraft. "These are most of what I use. It's not much, but it's all I got in magecraft."

"Senpai, the ability to copy and create Noble Phantasms is not something everyone can do," Mash reasoned.

He smiled, while it was true it was only something he could do, it still wasn't much in the grand scheme of things considering what he saw what others could do. All of that didn't matter in the end because it was better than nothing when it came to saving people.

The two swords struck the floor, giving Rin, an awkward smile because he knew she liked their house spotless. And that included the floor free from sword piercings.

Romani tugged the weapons and examined them closer only to sigh in disappointment when he couldn't find what he was looking for. "I couldn't tell these are projections."

This earned him a glare from Olga.

"As for Archer, he's me in another time. A world where Rin summoned a different Archer and died at my age by being betrayed by the very people he saved. After which he made a contract with the World." He ignored the fact that he would, at one time, have felt the same as Archer, dying without regrets at the hands of those he saved. "His motives and story are his to tell if we ever summon him, but I can tell you he's part of the reason why I am who I am today. And why I have my Reality Marble. When we first clashed, our memories, our very beings bled into each other allowing us to know each other from our skills to our history. So, Archer could be me, and I could be him, but isn't really me."

He refused to become like him. Never. Let the grail take his soul than become a man like Archer. Even if Archer made him realize things through force. "Whether I'll become a Heroic Spirit is a matter that's still decided, but that's not my goal. I just really wanna help people."

Humming to himself, Romani leaned back on the chair. "I think, that regardless of whether you are him or not, I think the potential remains."

Shirou shivered imagining himself to be like Archer, a figure of red and black jaded and hating the very dream that made him in the fires of hell. Someone so far from who he used to be. Could there be a worse personal nightmare than that?

"To think senpai will be a hero."

Sighing, that was the last thing he wanted. Whether he becomes a heroic spirit like Archer in the end was not important. "I just always wanted to help people, whatever happens after is not important. Using magecraft to do it is just a bonus. Even if I can't, I would have chosen to go to study law or criminology."

Mash frowned and he flinched inwardly.

"Don't let him fool you," Rin said. "He also didn't say that he can use runes."

He sighed, "Rin, you know I'm not that good with it." Honestly, that was the few times he asked her to teach him in exchange for letting someone else than Rin study noble phantasms. Aside from being part of a payment for Illya's new body that is.

The woman smiled sweetly and shrugged carelessly. "Not yet. I don't like her, but the way she teaches you is great. And I've also seen your drive to learn, and honestly, with your growth, it will only go stronger there."

"Ho? I didn't expect the boy here to know runes, especially in this time and age." Olga screamed when Caster appeared behind her leaning on her chair.

"You! You bastard gave me a heart attack." Cú simply chuckled and patted her hair.

"Eh," scratching his cheek, "it's not much. I only know some, and those are the new runes, weaker compared to the original as she said. Compared to what you did, it might as well be nothing."

"Even so," Caster said. "Someone who learns runes is worthy for me, kid."

"Caster, how long have you been there?" Alter asked. Stern was her gaze, but it was ruined by the fact that her face had rice on it.

A shameless grin on his face and he shrugged. "Who knows," he said walking around the table. "But since I'm here, I decided to take up Shirou as my apprentice."

"I'm not a genius like Rin." His protests met empty response to Cú who simply ignored it all. "Tell him Rin."

His girlfriend shook her head, a prideful smile on her lips. "You can do it, Shirou. Besides, between my Jewelcraft and Kaleidoscope studies amongst other things, I have too much time to research and practice. You take this one."

"I concur with Tohsaka." Oh no, not Alter too, he groaned. "We need to be strong for things to come. Lev will not stop just because we are relaxed now, sooner or later we will find these singularities and deal with more dangers. We need you prepared too, Shirou."

Olga flinched, but she held strong this time and said nothing.

Sighing, he replied, "I wouldn't mind, but I have to say that my affinity for other branches is really weak." He wondered if Runecraft was part of it considering it's not part of the five alignment elements. Oh well, it was of no consequence, as long as he could use it to help, that's all that mattered.

"Oh?" Caster raised a brow. "Even so, I'll make a warrior out of you yet. Unlike that Archer."

Years of experience in the field prompted him to nod in simple resignation knowing Cú's personality. He knew the differences between him and Rin in terms of magecraft. Her being the Average One capable of most thaumaturgy along with what she can do with Second Magic.

He didn't doubt his abilities, but he knew his limits. And that compared to proper magi he was weaker than them. That doesn't mean he wouldn't push past his limit with all his strength when it comes to danger.

"Anyways," Olga said, hiding her discomfort. "What about you Tohsaka."

"I know enough, let's leave it at that, Animusphere."

To no one's surprise, the younger woman glared at her but said nothing.

"Heh, heh.." Romani scratched his cheek. "Since we're done, how about we give you a tour of Chaldea? Da Vinci was beaming yesterday when you gave her the copy of that mystic code."

"If Emiya-senpai is okay with it, Dr. Romani." Mash added.

"We don't have time for dallying! We still have lots to do," Olga said, cutting any reply the doctor may have. "While the reactor is repaired thanks to Emiya's help. There's still the matter of finding when the singularity is. And we can't do it until we fully repair all systems."

While the system that takes care of the magical energy burden of masters is fixed, that was one of the few they could repair in their haste yesterday.

"Anything else I can do?" he asked.

Olga took out a notebook and muttered to herself. "Are you good with sorting? If yes, I need someone to help with how many supplies we have from food, and medicine to repair materials. Not only that, Da Vinci needed you for something. The rest is up to Tohsaka, Romani, and I to fix the complicated magecraft machines."

"'I'll help senpai." Tilting her head, she looked at the Sabers. "What about you, Saber-san…s?"

"My insight will be helpful to Shirou," Alter said noncommittal.

"I will help Rin. Perhaps I can help in some way."

After cleaning the table, they went their ways. The whole day in the storage area cataloging what they still had and finding out they would have six months' worth of supply. Good enough but not ideal in their situation.

Saber Alter helped with it since, as a King, she was used to handling logistics, making their assessment much more accurate just to add to his experience of being in the field.

After a day of sending supplies to the needed section of Chaldea, not to mention making lunch for some of the hungry staff. He had time to go to Da Vinci's lab. He can't believe Chaldea managed to summon Leonardo Da Vinci, must be why they have all this advanced technology that he barely knew how it work were it not for his structural grasping.

The lab he entered was a stark contrast to the entirety of Chaldea. Rather than the sterile white the room was akin to an old medieval artist's studio with stylish green stained glass. Rather than feeling sterile and cold, the place felt warmer than any lab with its wooden shelves, tables, and boards organized neatly. Great numbers of books and hemp paper on tables and shelves along with bronze and copper machines that looked old but functioned equally or better than any modern machines.

At the end of it all, a tall brunette woman in a primarily red dress worked on a table far in the center ahead in this wide room. He was about to ask where Leonardo Da Vinci was when he spied a metal gauntlet and a same-themed red-blue staff with a fountain pen pointed end and a blue and gold gyroscopic ring with a glowing magical energy pointed star at the top of it.

He blinked, surprised despite being used to it since Arturia. "You're Da Vinci?" he asked, blinking in disbelief when he saw the weapon's history.

"A Caster class servant," Alter said, verily wary of the woman on the bench working on something. "This laboratory is reminiscent of those magi I sought some assistance to."

"You don't sound surprised, senpai."

"King Arthur is a woman." Shrugging, it was nothing new to him. "And now Saber has a darker side wherein she's a tyrant. I shouldn't be surprised by it all." Plus, all these years of fighting on various fronts had long since desensitized him to unexpected thing, it instead allowed him to look at things calmly.

"Oftentimes history gets things wrong as proven by your differing tales of my Kingship."

"Oh, is that so, Alter-san," Mash tilted her head, wondering and and curious. "I've always wondered why there were different versions of your legend."

The woman turned around, hair swaying softly and smile so pleasant that it made her smile comparable to Arturia's. Almost. Her smile was innocent, with a tinge of mischievousness to it with a bit of playfulness that gave her the woman an air of innocence.

"Yes, it is I, the great inventor Leonardo Da Vinci in the flesh." The woman bowed, her eyes glinted with something he didn't know, but he doubted it was something bad if she was a Caster of Chaldea. "And you must be Shirou Emiya. I've heard a lot about you."

"Don't trust this woman, Shirou. Caster class are often untrustworthy, silver are their tongues, and poisons are their words." Alter stepped forward, covering half of him.

He knew why she would say that, he dreamt of her Kingship from its start to end, therein, a woman shrouded in darkness that ruined Camelot from the inside. Not this Arturia, but no doubt Morgan le Fay still had a hand in this Alter's downfall.

The other servant chuckled, eyes glinting with challenge and mirth. "I didn't hear you say something about the other caster."

"Cú Chulain is a warrior first and foremost. Honor and respect bound us."

"That so," she chuckled. "Mash, how nice of you to finally get a nice master."

Scratching his nape, he silently eased Alter with a hand on the shoulder and stepped forward with hands out. "From the director, I'd guess. I just hope it was all good." He chuckled.

The woman waved it off. "Despite her general demeanor, the Director means well."

"I am Saber Alter." Wary as ever, Alter kept by his side and never let go of the sword.

"Pleasure to finally meet the great King Arthur. Rather one of two." She curtsied as one would to a noble.

"Dr. Romani said you needed something from me?" he asked. What could a genius like the world-renowned Leonardo Da Vinci want from him?

"Straight to business." She turned around, leading them further in. "The magus in me wants to find out how your Reality Marble came to be, or how your magecraft works down to the finest details." He blanched, making her wave his concern away.

"What for?" he asked not because he was wary, but because he was curious and trusted her. He… er, she had that trustworthy face, unlike most magi he'd seen.

"Caster." Alter's mana spiked.

"Oh, not like that. I have standards, and unlike other magi, I can do things non-intrusively with my great skills unlike your magi today. I do respect my subjects, you know, ask my many clients. We have time for it later, for now, I'd like to see some of the defensive and support Noble Phantasm you have."

"Just the defensive ones?" he asked, asking the woman for clarification. Few came to mind, but rarely did he ever use them, and weren't as effective as Rho Aias, Pyrdwen, or Jeanne d'Arc's flag, among other things. "Would an armor count in that too."

"Let's go with whatever's the most effective ones you use for now." Da Vinci hummed. "While a genius myself I can certainly upgrade the field suits myself, I'd like to examine it to see if there's something in the Noble Phantasms that could be used in the suit when I customize it.

"That and I'm terribly curious myself," she said all too happy to admit, leaning forward than Rin would like from any other women. "Rarely do I get a chance to examine Noble Phantasms up close even during my time. Even rarer is someone who can project Noble Phantasms and any weapon as if it was nothing with no severe backlash from the world."

"Oh, it's nothing," he said shrugging, pulling them out of his world one by one. "Compared to Rin, she can do almost everything. Is there anything else I can help with"

The woman giggled. "Humble are we? You have to learn to take pride in your achievements. Not many could say they can make weapons of legends."

"Copies of Noble Phantasms," he clarified.

"Semantics," said the woman with a careless wave. "Regardless if it's one rank down from the original, no one can do what you do."

On the chair, ever vigilant, Alter with narrowed eyes nodded slowly. "Loathed as I am to admit it, she is right, master. Take pride in what you can do, you and Mash need to. While my rule was one of iron fist, I cannot deny that it saved Britain for years until my demise."

"Thanks," he said slowly.

"Mash," she winked at him, making the younger servant blink and spluttering. "You chose a good master."

Ignoring the possible implications she may have said, he said, "Is there anything else I can help you with? There's not much I can do, but I do make mystic code too."

A side project to make more money for his job under the geis that it won't be used against civilians or the innocents. Something he learned from Rin and her and his Clocktower education.

"You can?" Her smile broadened. "Lovely. I could use an assistant to help me focus on my other projects. For Chaldea, of course. Come on, let's start right now."

Da Vinci pulled him along with her to a bench followed by Mash. On their time they modified the Combat suit and he traced defensive Noble Phantasms to be studied after he told her of what he knew how it was made, what it was made of, and what it does.

After several hours of outfitting and experimentation, they came up with a plan—mostly Da Vinci, something which the woman would work on her own since it was already late at night and he needed to cook for the staff. Since it was the two of them, she would have the prototype out as early as tomorrow.

Better do it early, or else it'd be already past dinner.

"Sorry about taking your whole day with me, Alter, Mash." They both waited so patiently for him as he and Da Vinci worked on the modifications, discussing in-depth the Combat suit of Chaldea. "I'm sure you guys have better things to do than that."

Not that he was complaining, he found Mash somewhat like Saber before she drew the sword and bore the world's weight on her shoulders that he often dreamt about. As for Alter, she was vigilant and offered her own advice on what needs to be better protected.

"Tis no problem, Shirou. I was glad to have offered my expertise." Said the woman nodding in content with a neutral expression.

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "It's okay, senpai. I… got to know you and Alter-san better. Come on, I'll lead you to the cafeteria, I'm sure the people are already waiting."

Surprisingly, the place was empty when they got there, but the few cooks were already in the process of preparing the meal. Shirou introduced himself and got to work. Ignoring the grumbling of the other cooks about being inexperienced by being younger than them. Mash followed, then Saber tried too but he slowly taught her until both were following his instructions. Focusing on cooking until he made sufficient quantity for everyone then prepped each plate.

By the time they finished, the staff was already waiting in line for dinner giving them their meals after a hard day's work of repairing the sabotaged Organization.

The formerly silent cafeteria was now filled with murmurs giving it life, the staff grouping and talking amongst themselves.

"Oy, who made this?" one said loudly.

"No complaining." The oldest cook glared. "We're short on supplies as is."

Mash looked to the side in concern, concern for what Alter would do.

"Complain?" he said, baffled. "This is great. Better than any you or the previous one did."

"Yeah!" a stubby man agreed, eating his meal faster. "The organization only employed someone better after the world ended?! I knew they were cheap, but they were also holding out on us."

"Yeah! I knew there was something wrong with this organization."

Their agreement on statements made him smile, appreciating the fact the meal helped them in any way. A happy meal is a great sign of raised morale. It reminded him of the many times he cooked for the hungry people in some less-than-fortunate areas. Seeing their smiles feeding them to the best of his abilities and teaching them some recipes.

"You're smiling, Master."

He nodded. "Look at them, Mash. The world and humanity were erased. We're the only ones left and no doubt they're feeling much more than their expressions say. If my food can make them smile, make them forget the pain, even temporarily, then it's all the much better and worth it. This is why I keep fighting for my dream."

"Your words speak wisdom, master. An army may be low on arms and competent leader, but never should an army be low on morale and determination." She nodded and crossed his arms.

All of it flashed to the times when he fought others that nearly killed him. He fought for it, bled even, just for the sake of helping people. To be a hero the way Kiritsugu was to him.

Mash lowly gasped, then giggled. "I think your dream is a sweet one, senpai. I'll believe you'll get there and become a heroic spirit."

Whether that was true or not, didn't matter to him. Even if he didn't become one, or help everyone, all that mattered was he did his best in helping those that needed it.

"It reminds me of days just feeding calamity-stricken areas or just a place with food scarcity. Even if for a day or week, I got to help them by teaching them some simple dishes and feeding them." He sighed, remembering of simpler times.

The other cooks stared at him but he ignored it in favor of his friends.

"I'm jealous of you, senpai." Mash looked down. "I…want to see the world as you did."

"You will, Mash," he replied. There was no doubt of that. Sooner would he die than let the world where Sakura, Rin, Illya, and all of his loved ones be erased by the whims of Lev.

"It's been a tiring day," he said yawning. "See you tomorrow, Mash?"

"Goodnight, Emiya-senpai."

Thinking about it, he said, "Hmm. Now that I think about it, it's still too early. How about you eat with us, Mash."

She turned red, looking away from him. "I…"

"We will not mind, Mash." Alter pulled the confused girl with them with a few weak protests from her.

As soon as they entered the first thing Shirou was to rush to the kitchen to reheat and make another dish from the leftovers with Mash helping him leaving the Sabers with a, "don't fight!" warning just in case the two got into each other's faces again when Rin arrived. One fight was enough, thank you very much, one that the two gladly followed much to his relief.

"How's your day?" he asked to Rin and Saber after everything was set and all were seated on the table.

"I studied how technologies worked when I was still a king, and Merlin taught me magecraft, but the ones they have here are beyond me," she said before digging into her plate. "I only ended up watching them work on it in the end."

He chuckled. "You tried, that's what matters. I'd try but I'm more proficient with machines than magecraft-related technology."

"So it is not easy to fix then," said Alter.

"It's being fixed to a speed I'm not comfortable with. Chaldea lost more than thirty percent of the present crew and sent some of them back home for monthly long leave." She sat on the table, a thoughtful frown on her face. "I could see Atlas' work on it. They didn't tell me, but only they could create something so complicated and get it to work."

"Don't tell me it was beyond you," he said, a small smirk on his lip.

She huffed looking away, replying, "Nothing's beyond Rin Tohsaka. I just need more time studying the blueprints."

"You can do that later, for now, we eat."

With dinner as a normal affair, they finished quickly with Mash offering to wash the dishes much to his protest but didn't accept a no from him making him only relent when he remembered he had to do something before she finished. Calling Alter and Saber with him, they went to the free room on the upper floor with Rin preparing their bed.

"You would dare to command me," Alter said glaring at Saber when they mentioned getting her things.

"Then do it for me," he said instead. "Or Mash. She's been living in a laboratory for a long time I'm sure she wouldn't mind us getting her things for her, don't you think?"

His words left Alter speechless and red in her cheeks that she left without a protest.

Once done, with the help of Saber, he called Mash upstairs. She gasped when she entered the room. "But senpai, I have a room next door. "

"I know you do, but the room is…" How should he put it? She wouldn't be offended if he said something about it right? "Unnaturally clean. No one should live in it for a long time. Besides, you're a part of us now, and since we have a room, we decided it'd be better if you lived with us. You can put anything you want in here. Don't worry, Rin was the one who put the idea forward."

"Then…" She gaped, words leaving her when blinking faster. "I.. uh, I'll get my things!"

"We already sent Alter to get it," Saber said.

Just as he said it, Alter climbed the stairs carrying with her a single attache case that contained all of Mash's things. In hindsight, it was better for Alter to get her stuff because if he did, he was sure Mash would be embarrassed if not angry.

"I got it, Shirou."

When Alter put the case on the bed, they bid her goodnight and left her alone to sort her things. She looked like she needed the alone time.

In an empty hall of the throne room, a pale blonde woman in dark armor sat on the King's throne gilded with gold and the finest materials, and before her was a quivering priest in lavish clothes of gold and white. The only thing stopping her was the man in green fine clothes before them.

She had abandoned her faith, her God, and the wisdom of all that was, but even still left in her was the feeling that she could tell the man was not fully a man. A monster in man's skin. Something which she wanted to burn were it not for the fact he was the reason, her friend and ally, Gilles de Rais was able to bring her back to life.

Not God for all of his supposed wisdom.

"Speak of thine purpose Flauros and dare not stop me from righteous justice." The flames in her desire to burn the quivering pitiful man.

The man bowed, a broad malevolent grin on his lips. "Jeanne d'Arc, I will not stop you from pursuing justice to those who harmed you. I only wish to inform you of a danger to your threat and be on my way."

Jeanne's eyes narrowed, deeply scowling. "A threat? Speak, go on." Who would dare stop her from her revenge and justice? Something that was rightfully hers when God left her to die with nothing but silence on the cross.

He did not trust the man to be truthful, but since Gilles trusted him to speak before her, she gave him the chance.

"Chaldea. A group of warriors not of this land seeking me. They will know I passed here and will stop you from your quest for righteous justice." The man was all too happy to explain. "You will know who they are by what two of them will wear, a garment not of this land accompanied by two knights of great power and a magus strong as your aide, Gilles de Rais, so I advise utmost caution in dealing with them."

Sevants, tsk. Surely these Chaldeans weren't the threat he said it was, but better to be sure than to suffer in another burning.

Scoffing, she replied to get this out of her way. The fire in her demanded anguished screams, none of which this man was adding to. "I heed your advice, Lev Lainur Flauro, now begone before I burn thee."

The man promptly bowed and disappeared in a ring of light.

"Now where were we," she said with a grin.

"No please, I beg of you!" the man said crossing his arms in shaking fear.

How dare.… How dare he! Her heart burned brighter so much that her hands caught fire making him flinch. Good, let him reap the seed he has sown.

Thanks to those who followed and liked this. :))