Fate Grand Order reacts to Black Dawn

by Lethq

Leaving a "wizard of flowers" unsupervised was already a problem. Leaving a troll vampire unsupervised was also a problem. But leaving both of them unsupervised together... that was a super problem. Letting them coexist without any supervision was a problem of epic proportions, something like an out-of-control Holy Grail War.

8. A Witch and the Tournament 4

Thud!
Crack!
(Epic sound effects)

The sound of two arrows hitting one on top of the other echoed as they struck the target dead center.

Lady Avalon: "How did we end up here?" – she asked, watching as EMIYA and Tristan engaged in a lighthearted archery competition outside of Chaldea's facilities.

Both archers were neck and neck in the competition. Out of six shots, they were perfectly tied, neither missing the bullseye.

Cu Lancer: "Are you kidding me, bastard? You're hitting a target two kilometers away with ease?" – he couldn't believe that the kid was nailing every shot at that distance, thinking it was just showing off.

Heracles observed calmly, recalling his own training with Chiron when he learned the use of weapons and martial arts.

Scathach: "Ohhh~ interesting. That boy has shown impressive skills so far," – her smile only intensified the feeling of dread in the Cú Chulainns.

Setanta: – trembling at the sight of his teacher's smile –

Barghest: "Six for six, and still no misses..." – she commented calmly, watching the ongoing competition between the two men.

Melusine, along with a begrudging Baobhan Sith, nodded slightly, impressed by the display. Neither archer was giving an inch, despite this being a friendly competition.

Melusine: "Despite his skills at close and mid-range, Sir Tristan's use of the bow is not to be underestimated. It's no wonder he earned his seat at the Round Table in Pan-Human History," – she ignored Baobhan Sith clicking her tongue in irritation at the narrative. It was clear that the redhead wasn't going to back down against the white-haired archer.

Morgan: "Interesting..." – she thought as she watched EMIYA's back. Alongside Tristan, he was now drawing his bow and preparing the next arrow.

Bedivere: "The next target is 2.5 kilometers away," – he informed the archers as they prepared to release their shots.

Scene change.

Da Vinci: "Are you sure you have no idea what's making the projector change like this?" – she asked, working alongside Grand Caster to inspect the machine.

Merlin: "Look, I'm usually the prankster, but this time, I have nothing to do with whatever's causing this projector to switch images when we're watching different universes," – he raised his hands in a rare display of sincerity.

Da Vinci: "I'll pretend to believe you," – though she clearly didn't, there wasn't enough evidence to pin this on the mischievous mage of flowers.

Merlin: "Tsk... whatever, the machine seems fine," – he said, giving it one last check. Even after smacking it a few times with his strength, the projector was still functioning properly.

Da Vinci: "...Merlin," – she called, causing the white-haired mage to look her way – "...do you think it's wise to keep watching this universe? Especially after Salter's reaction to the last episode?" – she asked, recalling the previous chaos.

Merlin: "You're asking because of the Arturias, right?" – it wasn't hard to understand why she was concerned.

Da Vinci simply nodded, fearing for the integrity of all of Chaldea.

Merlin: "Don't worry, any damages are covered. Besides, everyone's pretty invested in seeing what the kid can do in that world," – Da Vinci sighed, realizing that the mage wasn't going to switch universes anytime soon, despite the potential chaos.

Da Vinci: "Fine... whatever," – she muttered, starting to search for snacks as she glanced at the time – "...This will be the last one for the day. It's 7 PM, and Ritsuka has to sleep," – while Servants didn't have such limits, she knew the redhead Master would be upset if they continued without her.

Merlin: "Understood, besides, we'll probably be at this for a while," – he said, glancing at the list of upcoming episodes.

How did he have a list? Apparently, the projector was giving them episode previews to estimate how long each would last.

Merlin: "How convenient..." – he mused, seeing that this universe even had a sequel – "Maybe we'll watch that later... maybe."
"...Omake episodes?..." – something told him those would be both fun... and revealing.

Scene Change

Melusine: "This has to be a joke," – she muttered in disbelief, watching as both archers, EMIYA and Tristan, remained perfectly tied even after all this time.

Barghest: ... – her mouth hung open, watching in awe as the two men prepared for their final shots.

Baobhan Sith: "...3.5 kilometers, and they're still hitting the mark?" – she couldn't believe it. Even she doubted her own ability to hit a target at such a distance, which irritated her as she watched the two continue their competition.

Both EMIYA and Tristan remained silent, their blood boiling with excitement. Neither of them was willing to lose to the other now.

The two archers, with their bows held steady, placed their arrows in position and began to draw back their strings. Both men took deep breaths, fully focused on the target for their final shot.

4 kilometers. A small distance for warriors as specialized in long-range attacks as they were.

Lady Avalon: "Even at that distance... and with these conditions," – she remarked, watching as the sunlight began to glare, becoming an obstacle for many. It amazed her that both archers could still aim accurately with the sun directly in their faces.

She couldn't help but be surprised at their ability to hit the targets she had placed under such harsh conditions.

Ignoring the stares of the others, the two men continued their focus, undisturbed by the attention, voices, or weather. For them, none of that existed. They were entirely absorbed in their arrows.

EMIYA: "Mushin is a state where the archer thinks of nothing but the arrow, putting all their emotion and heart into it."

Tristan: "...putting heart and emotion into the arrow," – he quietly repeated the words EMIYA had mentioned earlier.

The concentration of both archers was so intense that their breathing had synchronized, both of them fully absorbed in their targets.

Everyone watched in awe as the two archers, entirely focused, were ready to release the strings of their bows and fire their final arrows.

Announcement: "To all Servants who can hear this, please return to the hall for the final episode of the day," – a loud horn sounded, followed by an announcement, causing groans and complaints from the gathered Servants.

Almost no one noticed that both archers had already released their arrows simultaneously, just milliseconds before the announcement, maintaining their concentration long enough to complete their shots.

EMIYA: "I see... it's time to head back," – he ignored the result entirely and began walking back toward the hall, knowing that if he didn't, Alaya would probably force him to.

Most of the Servants present also started making their way toward the hall, except for three who stayed behind: Baobhan Sith, Tristan, and Bedivere, who watched the result of the competition from a distance.

Bedivere: "...Impressive," – he said, astonished by the outcome.

Tristan remained serene, the competition had been interesting, and it had pushed him.

Baobhan Sith, on the other hand, looked on in disbelief, quickly shifting to pure anger as she clenched her fists. That damned red-clad archer had managed to hit the dead center of the target from 4 kilometers away... and he simply walked off like it was nothing.

Tristan: "I see..." – was all he said as he closed his eyes and smiled. "The result was decided before it even began," – he thought, satisfied after witnessing the display.

Unlike EMIYA's arrow, which had landed dead center once again, Tristan's arrow had hit one of the outer rings, a small but clear difference that determined the winner.

Scene Change

Everyone was gathered in the hall, waiting for the final episode of the day to begin.

Merlin: "Alright, we're ready to—" – he was abruptly cut off as a portal, clearly formed by some True Magic, opened in the room.
"I swear, this isn't me!" – he immediately clarified, knowing full well that he'd likely be blamed for this.

EMIYA and DEMIYA let out tired groans, already preparing for whatever Zelretch was up to this time.

EMIYA/DEMIYA: "Ughhh... not again," – they muttered, clearly frustrated with whatever shenanigans the trollish vampire had unleashed.

Meanwhile, in another dimension...

Zelretch: "Trust me, kid, you'll thank me... or curse me. Whichever happens first," – he said, completely unconcerned as he continued expanding his multiversal novel for his own amusement.

As he scanned a few future possibilities for entertainment, an idea struck him.

Zelretch: "Should I?" – he pondered, looking at the suggestion to bring in those versions of Shirou, Morgan, and Mordred.
"Nahhh, too simple. What I've done now is enough," – he chuckled. The chaos he'd set in motion would be far more entertaining with just the two that were now in Chaldea, rather than the three. The mess would be much bigger this way.

Back in Chaldea...

Two female figures emerged from the portal, leaving certain groups of Servants staring with wide eyes, trying to process what had just happened.

?: "What the hell did you do now, faker?" – her tone, even her mannerisms, were eerily similar to Gilgamesh, causing a collective groan of frustration to echo through the hall.

?: "My fault? Yeah, right, you golden bitch. This has your fingerprints all over it more than mine, you airheaded, bottle-blonde with more fluff in your head than brains," – the second figure snapped back, glaring daggers at the blonde, who narrowed her eyes in a hostile glare of her own.

[Image]

Everyone could feel the tension rising as these two mysterious women faced off, clearly ready to butt heads at any moment.

Everyone (regarding the two newcomers): "...you've got to be kidding," – everyone thought, watching the interaction between the two newly arrived women.

Standing before them were two women who looked strikingly similar, if not identical, to Gilgamesh and EMIYA, both of whom were already engaged in their own disputes at the moment.

Gilgamesh/EMIYA: "...WHAT THE-" / "...here we go again," – the two heroes reacted quite differently to the situation as they took in what was happening.

The female counterpart of EMIYA locked eyes with her male version and immediately understood what had happened, letting out an exasperated sigh.

FEMIYA: "...Zelretch," – she muttered, receiving confirming nods from all the faces of the boy who had clearly dealt with this mess before.

The white-haired woman sighed again, noticing all the eyes in the room, particularly those of the women, fixed on her... specifically, on her chest.

The Women: ... – many of them subconsciously brought their hands to their own chests, feeling like they were losing a battle they hadn't even started.

And for those who might have had the upper hand in that department, like Raikou, they still felt defeated—just in a different area.

Gudako: "...Mom," – she said, staring at FEMIYA, who only rolled her eyes at the comment. It wasn't the first time, and it definitely wouldn't be the last that she'd be called that.

Raikou: – heart shattering –

FEMIYA: "...Could someone explain why this looks like a movie theater?" – she asked politely, wanting to understand the strange setup she found herself in.

Da Vinci: "Well, you see..." – she began to explain the situation to them.

Time skip no jutsu.

Da Vinci: "And that's about everything," – she concluded, finishing her explanation to the two new arrivals, who stood with their arms crossed beneath their chests.

FEMIYA: "...So, we're watching alternate universes featuring the kid? That explains a lot, especially with that decrepit old man Zelretch involved," – she sighed, not surprised at all by the vampire troll's antics.

Gilfem: "Fufufu, this will be interesting. I wonder what my husband will do in this universe," – the entire room fell into a stunned silence after her words.

Shirous: "...What?" – they said, completely dumbfounded by what they had just heard.

Gilgameshs: "What?" – none of them had expected to hear something like that.

Rins: "What?" – the collective disbelief was palpable. None of them could believe that this woman was Gilgamesh and that she had said such a thing.

Sakuras: "What?" – feeling a mix of shock and possessiveness, unable to process someone claiming her sempai.

Illyas: "What?" – eyes wide, watching her supposed sister-in-law give her brother a hungry smile.

EMIYA Assassins: "Nani!?" – they couldn't believe that a variant of the golden king was married to the kid. Something inside them said they should feel both worried and proud for the boy.

Irisviel: "...YES, MORE GRANDCHILDREN!" – she screamed in excitement, completely ignoring the sound of something breaking nearby.

FEMIYA let out an exasperated sigh, clearly fed up with the situation. It had happened again. That fool had caused another mess.

FEMIYA: "Basically... in her timeline, this idiot married the kid after the war," – she said, while the blonde Gilfem stood with a smug smile on her face, casually showing off her wedding ring on her left hand as the others stared in disbelief.

Gilfem: "Says the one married to my Archer counterpart in our world—how ironic," – it was FEMIYA's turn to fall silent, her face turning red as she averted her gaze, remembering her husband.

Enkidu: "WHAT?!" – the shout came out strange, but the shock was unmistakable.

Kid Gil: "...Oh wow," – he muttered, utterly floored by the revelation and feeling a strange sense of impending danger.

Gil Caster: ... – he didn't say it out loud, but he was already plotting ways to kill his Archer counterpart to marry Gilfem himself.

Gilgamesh: ... – stood in silence, staring at his female counterpart, absolutely baffled by the ridiculousness of the situation. His pride was wounded, but he was also slightly intrigued.

Ishtar: "HAHAHAHA YOU MARRIED YOUR WORST ENEMY! HAHAHAHAHA!" – she burst out laughing uncontrollably, rolling in the air while clutching her stomach.

Ereshkigal, on the other hand, stood in disbelief, watching her sister lose it beside her.

Irisviel: "Did you at least have a baby after you got married?" – she asked, her heart aching to know more than anything else.

The blonde Gilfem responded with a proud nod and smile, causing Irisviel to squeal with joy.

Her excitement was so overwhelming that she fainted, forcing EMIYA Assassin to catch her before she hit the floor.

Gilfem: "We have a little princess with golden hair and eyes. My sweet Enkidu knew how to rule from the moment she was born, just like my precious child," – she said with immense pride, putting her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest.

All the Arturias, meanwhile, stared daggers at the newly arrived blonde, their hatred palpable. They wanted nothing more than to give that golden-haired woman a very painful and gruesome end for daring to reveal such things.

Gilfem: "And don't think you can escape it! You also had a child with my male counterpart," – she added, turning her gaze to FEMIYA, who nervously avoided everyone's eyes, laughing awkwardly while desperately trying to avoid their stares.

Gilgamesh: – unsheathing EA in response –

FEMIYA: "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, GIL!" – she yelled, rushing to stop him from doing anything drastic.

Merlin: "...Cut, cut. What the hell just happened?" – he asked Da Vinci, who was still trying to process what had just unfolded.

Time skip – 30 minutes later...

Gilfem was now sitting comfortably on EMIYA's lap, while FEMIYA sat on Gilgamesh's, who was still recovering from the mental breakdown he'd just endured.

Next to Gilgamesh, Enkidu glared at the white-haired woman with obvious displeasure.

Enkidu: "...Of all places. Why. There?" – his slow, deliberate tone left no room for doubt that he was not happy with the situation.

FEMIYA: "I don't see the problem. After all, my husband always said this was the only place I should be sitting as his queen," – she said, her voice oozing smugness, while Enkidu let out a frustrated growl at her response.

Kid Gil: – silently pointing a Billy the Kid pistol at his Archer counterpart –

Gil Caster: "...Not yet, kid. Wait until you're sure of the shot," – waiting patiently, ready to take him down with one clean hit.

For some reason, EMIYA Assassin felt the urge to riddle that golden king with several shots from his Chronos Rose.

Meanwhile, Proto Arthur was gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly that waves of magical energy began radiating around him.

Merlin: "Alright... let's continue," – as usual, the machine displayed an image on the screen, moving the story forward.

Everyone: ... – None of them had expected that image, to be honest.

Lily: "Hehehe," – she laughed nervously, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Lady Avalon: "I'm so proud of my student," – she wiped away a tear as she beamed at her protégé, proud that Lily had managed to attract such admirable suitors.

Gilfem: "Well... I can't deny that I could never say no to Arthur Lily," – she admitted, with FEMIYA nodding in agreement. Neither of them could refuse the younger version of King Arthur.

Gudako: "As for that pair of idiots," – she pointed to EMIYA and Gilgamesh, who were both clutching their chests as if mortally offended by the comment – "They can't stop doting on Lily... especially EMIYA and every version of him. They just spoil her too much," – neither Angra, Senji, EMIYA, nor DEMIYA had anything to say, with DEMIYA being fast asleep again, seated next to Tonelico, who watched him quietly.

Mash: "Well, she is their favorite. So it's only natural, sempai," – she remarked, and Gudako nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, several of the other women felt a sinking sense of defeat, unable to do anything about it.

Merlin: – gave the machine a solid smack to change the universe they were watching –

After that, everyone turned their attention back to the screen, hoping to avoid the annoyed expressions on the faces of the two recently arrived women, who were clearly less than pleased with what they'd overheard.

After the archery competition, the tournament had held for the coming of the night. Camps and tents had been readied, though Morgan had scoffed at him when he'd asked her as to their provisions for the night. She'd tucked up the black dress with it's blue lines and, with a flourish of her hand, stepped into the carriage they'd arrived in. Raising a brow beyond his visor, he'd simply stepped back up into the wooden vehicle with no word.

Gilfem/FEMIYA: "Tournament?" – both asked, not knowing what this was about.

Angra: "Oh right. You don't know... well..." – insert epic summary – "And that's basically it... Also, looks like the kid's pretty horny since he keeps pointing out things like Morgan's backside, face, and chest," – this caused the blonde sitting on EMIYA's lap to frown, her hair beginning to wave in irritation.

Gilfem: "Ohhh~? Looks like I'll have to discipline you so you understand who you belong to," – she smiled coldly at the white-haired man, who visibly paled at her words.

EMIYA: "I'm not even your husband for you to act like that!" – he replied, trying the most obvious argument in an attempt to save himself.

Gilfem: "You're a Shirou, so it doesn't matter. You belong to me here and in every life," – she responded casually, dismissing his plea.

Angra: "My condolences," – he said mockingly about the kid's fate... although, he wasn't really sorry.

Gilfem: "You'll be next," – she said, making Angra choke on his own spit in surprise.

Angra: "Wait, what?"

Gilfem: "What are you surprised about? I said that Archer EMIYA belongs to me in every life. And since he is an Emiya Shirou, that means everything about him belongs to me too, no matter the timeline or anything," – she explained calmly, while Angra set his popcorn aside in disbelief.

Angra: "...At least give me a coffee first, okay?" – he asked, trying to slow things down.

Bunnyturia/Amor (Caren)/Bazzet: "Angra!" – the three yelled, furious at the Avenger, while on the side, Astarte merely growled in annoyance.

Gilfem: "Of course, I don't mind having a date with you or any of them," – she said, gesturing to all the versions of Shirou present.

Her action caused a wave of frustration and jealousy to wash over many of the women interested in Shirou.

Boudica: "And here I thought Nero was a nuisance..." – she muttered through clenched teeth, irritated by the presence of the new blonde sitting on EMIYA's lap.

And into a space larger than he remembered the bumpy ride in. Ah, so this was the kind of magic that a Mage from a time before could bring to bear. In the sense of the grand scheme of things, it wasn't so impressive, but Shirou could at least appreciate the complexity of a bounded field like this. It was akin to a Workshop, though he could tell it was a hasty construct rather than something akin to a Reality Marble.

Medea: "Interesting, and a good use of bounded field construction," – she commented, observing how the cramped interior of the carriage had transformed into a spacious "workshop" where they no longer had to suffer the cold of the night.

Morgan: "She tricked Merlin into teaching her magic, so the fact that she could do that is entirely predictable. Bounded fields like that are child's play for creating territory," – she dismissed it with a wave of her hand, offering the obvious explanation as to why Shirou would have such an ability.

Meanwhile, the Fairy Queen cast a sidelong glance at EMIYA, who was now being used as a seat by the golden queen. Gilfem was slightly shifting her hips, causing the white-haired Archer to tense uncomfortably.

This caused Morgan to frown slightly at the sight. She didn't understand why, but something about the interaction was bothering her more than she cared to admit.

Baobhan Sith: "It's pathetic that human is so impressed by a simple bounded field," – she scoffed, crossing her arms. Even she could create one better than her mother, yet this boy seemed awestruck by it. Pathetic.

Melusine: "...Man, I missed my chance," – she sighed in disappointment, regretting not moving quickly enough to sit on the Archer's lap.

Had she been faster, she could have had a better view for "future planning."

Baobhan Sith: "Damn perverted loli," – she growled, irritated by Melusine's remark, then turned her gaze back to the sight of the blonde queen sitting on the Archer.

The sight only infuriated her further. Was that filthy Archer really so easily swayed by other women? And to think he had been leering indecently at her perfect, pure mother?

Without a doubt, he was a mere waste of a human, easily falling to his own perverse desires. She was certain that her mother would dispose of him once he ceased to be useful.

His "mistress" was an interesting one.

Everyone: … – Silence reigned in the room as they witnessed the scene unfolding before them, knowing full well what was coming next.

Fergus: "…I told you th—" – he started to say, only to be cut off by a loud shout.

Squirturia: "EXCALIBUR VIVIAN!" – she screamed, unleashing the attack on Fergus, fed up with his constant nonsense.

Fergus: "AHHH!" – he yelled, getting hit by the full brunt of the attack, sent flying out of the room, crashing through the door and part of the entryway wall.

Romulus=Quirinus: "…Interesting. This time, it wasn't a Cu," – he noted, watching the chaos unfold.

Salter/Lanturia: "EXCA-" / "RHONGO-" – Neither of them managed to finish unleashing their Noble Phantasms, as they and the other Arturias were quickly teleported away.

Merlin, acting fast, had sent all the Arturias to a different location just in time, letting out a sigh of relief.

Merlin: "Made it just in time," – he said, wiping sweat from his brow.

BOOM!

The alarms of Chaldea blared for a moment, but as quickly as they came, they disappeared.

Da Vinci: "I hope you really know that you'll be paying for all this, Merlin," – she said, giving the Grand Caster a threatening look, to which he nodded, acknowledging the damage.

Merlin: "Don't worry, you're calm, I'm nervous," – he replied casually, pulling out a credit card.

(Tyrunt: "You really need to stop giving that card to Sans or Oscarxperia5991… And keep it safe in case it gets stolen," – glancing at the idiotic troublemaker nearby.)

Meanwhile, Morgan had a prominent blush on her face, trying to calm her strangely racing heart.

Morgan: "What is happening to me?" – she wondered as she felt her face burning and her heart pounding erratically.

Baobhan Sith: "…I'm going to kill him!" – she declared, summoning her Noble Phantasm, rushing toward EMIYA with murderous intent.

Three Command Seals later.

The redhead found herself bound, her hands tied, and a gag in her mouth. She sat next to EMIYA, furiously struggling to break free from the ropes. Of course, the Command Seals ensured she couldn't harm him in any way.

EMIYA: "This is a very bad idea…" – he muttered nervously, sweating under the intense murderous glare from Baobhan Sith, grateful that Gudako had used her seals to prevent the redhead from doing anything to him.

Gilfem: "God, this child..." – she sighed tiredly before reluctantly stepping off EMIYA's lap and lifting the fairy-haired Baobhan Sith.

Baobhan Sith: "MHP!" – she glared daggers at the blonde who had taken her place on EMIYA's lap.

Without a word, Gilfem pulled Baobhan Sith close to her, sitting her down in her lap.

It was… quite the curious scene. The female version of the King of Heroes now held the fairy with red hair, cradling her like a mother would hold a child.

Gilfem: "Hai hai... it's alright," – she said soothingly, gently stroking the fairy's head.

Baobhan Sith tried to wriggle free, desperate to escape.

Only her beloved and perfect mother had the right to do this!

Not some dumb, golden-haired woman!

But… wait...

Why… was she feeling so calm?

Her vision… was getting heavy.

She couldn't… give in like this!

No… she mustn't… but…

The love… the warmth… the affection… it made her feel so… peaceful.

Calm… happy…

Loved...

Without resisting, Baobhan Sith simply fell asleep in Gilfem's arms.

Gilfem: – she hummed softly, ensuring that the redhead fairy felt even more at ease and comfortable in her arms.

It was undeniably a cute scene. But as lovely as it was, it was equally shocking.

Ereshkigal: "...Wow," – was all she could say after witnessing the scene.

Ishtar: "...Is she really a version of Gilgamesh? ...And an Archer at that?" – she muttered, rubbing her eyes in disbelief at what she was seeing.

She narrowly dodged a few swords thrown her way by Gilfem, who clearly didn't appreciate the comment.

That confirmed it for Ishtar—yes, she was definitely an Archer Gilgamesh variant.

EMIYA: ... – It would have been a lie to say he wasn't surprised by what he was witnessing.

Gilfem: "Don't be so shocked, dear," – she said, which greatly irritated the Arturias who had been returned by Merlin after they'd calmed down. – "After all, I am. Your. Wife," – she emphasized the last three words, causing immense frustration and irritation among many of the women present.

Boudica: "It's official... I hate the Sumerians more than the Romans now," – she thought, seething, wanting to decapitate the blonde in front of her even more than she wanted to with Nero.

EMIYA, on the other hand, felt incredibly uncomfortable with what Gilfem was saying. He couldn't imagine himself—or any version of Shirou—being married. And certainly not to an alternate version of Gilgamesh.

It was, at the very least, extremely awkward... and downright weird.

Meanwhile, Morgan was staring with fury at the blonde queen, who was holding her daughter as if she were the mother, that miserable woman.

This, Morgan would not allow.

She was about to move forward, but Habetrot had to stop her, knowing that another issue would arise if Morgan acted impulsively.

Gudako: "Who would've thought the power of 'Mommy Emiya' could transfer like this?" – she commented, watching the surprisingly maternal scene play out with the recently arrived blonde.

As a consequence of Gudako's comment, EMIYA threw a piece of broccoli at her, and she was forced to swallow it with a grimace of disgust.

Vain, to be sure- not that he could blame her. If Rin could have done such a thing-

And there he was, thinking about Rin again.

Ishtar: "Fufufu, if you want, EMIYA, I can help you feel that 'warmth' again tonight," – she teased, a mischievous grin on her face as she watched the Archer, amused by what this universe revealed about him.

Of course, she had to dodge several swords thrown her way by the female version of Gilgamesh, who was quick to attack after those suggestive words.

Gilfem: "Stay away from my man, you dog!" – she shouted, not allowing the goddess anywhere near her husband, all while still holding the sleeping Baobhan Sith in her lap.

How was it that Baobhan hadn't woken up from Gilfem's yelling? Well, the fairy had noise-canceling headphones on her head, ensuring that nothing could disturb her sleep.

Angra: "That reminds me of that commercial..." – he chuckled softly, recalling the "anti-toxic girlfriend spray" commercial that Gudako had shown them not long ago.

FEMIYA: "…Seriously?" – she raised an eyebrow, watching Gilfem try to kill Ishtar.

Gilfem: "Oh, come on, you once tried to castrate your husband because he was surrounded by too many women," – she shot back with a blank expression. FEMIYA went silent, her scowl deepening as the bitter memory resurfaced.

Gilgamesh: "Hmph, as if I care. I am free to do as I wish, when and where I please. I am a king, after all," – he barely finished his self-glorifying statement before the blade of Proto Excalibur was resting against his neck, the cold gaze of the dark-haired woman in front of him sending chills down his spine.

Gilgamesh: "...Glup!" – Something told him he had spoken too much.

For some reason, the smile and laughter that followed filled him with deep caution and dread. His instincts screamed that this wasn't going to end well.

The others, well-versed in the chaos of Chaldea, knew better than to get involved. For the sake of their health, they decided it was best to ignore the scene and focus on watching how things progressed in the other universe.

Clenching his teeth, he let it fade away as he reached up and unbuckled his helmet to set it aside along with his swords as he soothed himself into a chair in the small "lounge room", his eyes on the blonde Witch as she drew a pewter pair of cups and a pitcher from a table and began to fill both with a liquid more purple than red. The harsh, too-sweet stench of wine filled the air for a moment.

Sherlock: "Sweet wine?" – he raised an eyebrow, curious about the witch's choice of drink to share with her soldier.

James: "Honestly, it's not usually recommended unless one has a strong sense of self-control, discretion… and a tolerance for the sweetness," – he remarked, using his experience as Chaldea's bartender, all while cleaning a glass at a minibar that had mysteriously appeared in the room.

(Another thing is whether the sweet wine is actually any good…) – he thought, recalling one that tasted disturbingly like blood.

Morgan: "I am British," – she stated, feeling the need to explain herself – "Drinking wine or tea, among other things, is part of my nature, as well as the status in which I was raised. I've grown accustomed to these flavors," – she reflected on the sensations and memories she had inherited from the Morgan of pan-human history, though she could tolerate greasy food to a certain degree.

Kriemhild: "It's fine, as long as it's not peasant-grade or something worse," – she made a not-so-subtle jab at a certain blue-eyed blonde, frowning at her and the "son" sitting beside her.

She would rather accept that her son was never going to give her grandchildren because he was gay than see him with a filthy illiterate peasant... especially if one of them was a swimsuit-clad Berserker with a less-than-reputable past.

"So you are a warrior." She noted, as she turned with her blonde hair swirling in the air from the suddenness of her movement. Where Artoria's was so often in that high-set bun, Shirou was perplexed by Morgan's lengthy train. It reminded him of a western fable, Rapunzel. Her hair wasn't quite to the floor, but it was still worn loosely ignoring a single braid at her crown. The more he was given to study the Witch, the more he saw differences between the two sisters.

Angra: "One has boobs, and the other doesn't," – he quipped, earning a collective sigh and some depressed looks from the Arturias who were less "endowed."

Meanwhile, Lanturia, Lalter, and Bunnyturia proudly puffed out their chests, causing some female Servants to feel utterly defeated in that particular department.

Nezha: – feeling her pride crumble silently –

Morgan: – glancing at her chest, then at Lanturia and Bunnyturia, feeling the weight of loss against them –

How could her younger sister be bigger in both bust and hips, and worse yet, a full centimeter taller and just one kilo heavier?

Amongst these thoughts were the red tattoos that adorned Morgan's exposed flesh.

Boudica: "Your younger version is quite the pervert..." – she commented with a deadpan expression, pointing at her friend, who wore a weary look while the blonde rested her head on his shoulder, still holding a sleeping Baobhan Sith.

EMIYA: "He's been chasing after an unreachable blonde for 20 years. Just imagine the sexual frustration he's been bottling up all this time," – he remarked, to which Boudica begrudgingly nodded in agreement.

Gilfem: "If you want, I can take care of your frustrations later," – she teased in a playful tone, flashing a mocking smile at EMIYA.

The white-haired Archer said nothing, opting to avert his gaze to avoid falling into her trap.

As the blonde newcomer, Gilfem, boldly declared EMIYA as her own, alarm bells went off in the minds of all the Pendragons in the room. The idea of this Sumerian claiming their "queen" in front of them was enough to make them seriously consider impaling her at any moment.

Meanwhile, Morgan, the Fairy Queen, began to utterly despise the golden-haired ruler cradling her daughter. She wouldn't allow this to go unchallenged. Her fury was so intense that even her knights distanced themselves, wanting to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Her usual staff snapped under the pressure of her tightening grip, her teeth clenched in absolute rage.

Melusine: "...Chale, I actually feel bad for the blonde," – she muttered, sensing the doom awaiting Gilfem while Barghest nodded in agreement. "Perfect. While they fight, I'll make my move," – a determined glint appeared in her eyes as she plotted to uphold her Lancelot heritage as the knight of the fairies.

For some inexplicable reason, all the Shirou variants felt a sudden chill run down their spines, sensing a strange tension building in the room.

Of course, that meant his eyes wandered to places they shouldn't have in that moment. So, despite himself, he ended up blushing as he tried to look at anything else. Studying the more brief bed and chairs that filled this space, alongside the bookshelves.

Angra: "Hold up! Time out, flower boy!" – he commanded Merlin, who begrudgingly paused the projection, clearly annoyed.

Angra: "...No way! They're almost as big as Lancer Alter Arturia's!" – Angra exclaimed, staring in disbelief at Morgan's chest on the screen, comparing it to Lancer Alter Arturia.

This caused more than a few to glance up at the screen, only to realize the chaos-bringing Zoroastrian deity wasn't exaggerating. Morgan's figure was indeed comparable to Lancer Alter in that regard.

Habetrot: "Look, Tonelico, there's still hope for you!" – she teased, her small voice earning a flurry of swats from her embarrassed friend, who couldn't bear to face anyone after the comment.

Caenis: "See, Mordred? You've still got hope too!" – she mocked the blonde's flatness, laughing as Mordred was held back by the knights of Camelot to prevent her from attacking the smug Greek, who was laughing uncontrollably.

Without further interruption, Merlin resumed the projection, and things continued smoothly.

"Drink." She told him, offering the pewter cup under his nose as he turned his attention back up unto her. His instincts told him that she was going to poison him, but he also knew such a thing would be . . . senseless now.

Tristán: "You've shown you're useful. If she kills you, it would be a total waste of a valuable asset... poor Mordred, though, how sad." – He strummed a chord on his bow, causing the blonde to glare at him angrily.

Mordred: "Tsk, as if I need that bitch to keep considering me useful," – she growled, irritated, while Gareth and Percival finally released her.

Hans: "Well, if she did kill you, it would make the whole point of her futa sister having sex with her to birth you and use you as a weapon against Arturia completely pointless..." – The writer's blunt comment made the entire room fall into an awkward silence, especially among the knights of the Round Table, as the mini Servant simply adjusted his glasses.

EMIYA: "Don't worry, kid won't let anything happen to you," – he reassured the blonde, who scoffed again and crossed her arms, clearly not believing it. In her mind, her mother was bound to discard her, like she did with all her pieces that had outlived their usefulness.

Mordred: "Yeah, right, like that's ever going to happen," – she muttered bitterly, convinced that her mother's tendency to cast aside pawns meant it was only a matter of time before she too was discarded.

Taking the cup, he nodded his head in thanks as she moved to sit across from him. Rather than lounging like he'd seen her do almost every time she'd taken a seat since he'd met her, she reclined back in the chair as if it were a throne.

He hid his grin behind the bowl of his cup as he took a small sip. The sudden onrush of harsh, bitter alcohol made his brows furrow before he took a moment to take a deep breath of the wine's scent and then went back in for a more proper drink. The second taste was more akin to his tastes. The bitter broken out with sweet grapes and fruits to mitigate the harshness of the burn.

Shirou was not a drinker, it was true.

Gerónimo: "The last time we men drank during a boys' night at the bar... it didn't end well," – every male Servant visibly tensed at the memory of that chaotic night.

Francis: "Edmond ended up in my room that night," – the Count of Monte Cristo averted his gaze as Florence Nightingale and Skadi gave him demanding stares, clearly expecting answers.

Penthesilea: "Achilles spent an hour outside my room, apologizing and crying," – the green-haired Rider blushed in embarrassment, remembering how he had been on his knees, begging the Amazon queen for forgiveness after drunkenly calling her beautiful the night she killed him.

Of course, he was avoiding the furious looks from the "cats" who were glaring at him as if expecting explanations for what happened.

Arturia: "The last time Shirou drank, Rin made him sleep on the couch for four months... after he got too close to her rival." – She recalled how the redhead had flirted with the blonde from the Clock Tower while drunk. It was curious and unfortunate, to say the least, for her former master.

Salieri: "The life of the party belongs to those four." – He pointed at DEMIYA, EMIYA, Senji, and Angra, who all visibly tensed up at the Avenger's comment.

Super Orion: "Poor Astraea..." – he said sympathetically, remembering that infamous night.

The goddess, Astraea, covered her mouth in embarrassment, as both versions of Ishtar and Ereshkigal glared at her with pure fury. They were all hoping nothing of what they were thinking had actually happened.

Heracles: grrrrr – The Greek hero's low growl caused a shocked silence to spread throughout the room.

Ishtar: "...THAT DAMN BLONDE WHORE!" – she roared in fury upon hearing that the cursed Greek had managed to take all four of them to bed in the worst possible way.

And it wasn't just her who was angry—many others were fuming upon learning this, their outrage now fully ignited.

Tamamo: "Oh, who would've thought that Rome would be losing to Greece... how ironic," – she remarked, her voice tinged with annoyance but also seizing the moment to mock the blonde, enjoying the jab despite her own irritation.

Nero, on the other hand, was pouting, glaring in frustration as her future children of Rome had been "claimed" by that Sumerian queen and now, worse, by that Greek.

The stew was shared by their other versions... including UMU Beast.

"Have I proven myself to you, My Lady?" He asked, setting the cup, still mostly full, to the side.

Upon hearing this comment, there was a certain reaction from the Arturias, their minds filled with fantasies of themselves as kings while the boy stood before them. Of course, all except for Lily, whose thoughts were the opposite, with her being the loyal knight and Shirou her king, to whom she showed her devotion.

The fantasies gradually escalated, making Merlin overly proud—if he had the power to read minds—as each of their faces turned a deep shade of red. Even Lily felt her body heat rising significantly because of it.

The least perverted fantasy at the moment belonged to Salter, Maid Alter, and MHX Alter, while the most perverted one, surprisingly for many, was being written by Lanturia, Lalter, and, perhaps to everyone's shock...

...

...

...

Lily.

She had claimed the prize for the most perverted fantasy with her Shero, or rather, one of the four she was dreaming about.

His amber eyes fixated on the blonde woman as she nursed her own cup with a more steady, practised rhythm. They trailed the sight of her throat as it contracted and flexed with each swallow of that harsh, overly sweet concoction. She lowered her cup, green eyes staring at him for what seemed like minutes, making Shirou feel . . .

And with the narrator's words, the Arturias had to reluctantly pull themselves out of their daydreams, focusing back on the screen.

Erick: "The boy seems really captivated," he muttered, feeling a little uneasy as he watched the attention the young man was giving to the woman.

Melusine: "Your Majesty, if you don't step in soon, you may lose Baobhan Sith if this continues," she said, gently urging her queen to take action before things progressed any further.

Barghest: "Melusine, what are you talking about-?!" Barghest was interrupted as her companion quickly covered her mouth, stopping her from finishing her sentence.

Morgan, on the other hand, remained silent. Her mind was racing, carefully considering Melusine's words. She could sense that something was happening, that her daughter was drifting away. If this continued, she feared she might not be able to reclaim her daughter or handle the involvement of her sister's companion. She tried to convince herself that she didn't care about the man (or so she thought), but if her daughter began to grow close to him because of certain influences, she felt she would be losing too much, too fast.

Melusine, despite receiving no response, smiled to herself, watching her plan begin to take effect. It was only a matter of time before everything fell into place.

Meanwhile, Barghest looked on in disbelief as her queen considered Melusine's suggestion. She couldn't help but recall an earlier conversation with Melusine, a memory that caused her to blush involuntarily.

Nervous? Anxious? No. The roiling in his stomach made him aware of how he liked that look.

These thoughts caused a sense of unease among the blondes, their hearts sinking at the realization that they might be losing something dear to them, feeling as though their greatest connection was being stolen away.

It couldn't get any worse...

If it'd only been Saber instead.

Now the situation had significantly improved. The hearts of each of them had returned to normal, which was undoubtedly great news for everyone.

Meanwhile, the queen in question only felt indignant about the situation, with a tick of annoyance forming on her brow. She regretted the situation she found herself in. Memories of a blonde's sweet smile made her stomach turn for a moment before she returned to the present.

This caused a blush to appear on the faces of the mentioned blondes, making them start to act like lovestruck maidens in response to the boy's comments about them.

The silence stretched on, longer than he would have ever cared to deal with.

Being . . . stared at like that was- discomforting, really. It reminded him of Rider.

Stheno: "Oh my, it seems the giant fool is definitely making a few people uncomfortable," she said, her tone teasing as Medusa tensed under her sister's gaze.

Euryale, on the other hand, said nothing, which surprised Stheno. Turning to look at her, she saw her calmly asleep in Asterios' arms.

This situation caused Stheno to adopt a blank expression before turning her gaze to Medusa and noticing something...

The variants of each of them were sitting on either side of the different versions of the archer. And by "on the side," it meant they were seated in the row behind them.

How did they manage to get Gorgon into this place? Merlin had shrunk her with magic... to add variety to the group.

At that moment, the loli realized just how much of a spinster she had become.

Ugh. His life really had been filled with notable women, hadn't it?

Angra: "Well, it's not like we hadn't noticed," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

EMIYA: "Shut up," he snapped, glaring at the Avenger.

Angra: "Oh, come on, you think Illya is the most beautiful of all the people here," he teased, causing Sitonai and Caster to blush at the revelation. "Even the old man admits it," he added, pointing at Senji, who simply averted his gaze under the sharp look Castoria gave him.

Melusine: -Her pride shattered-

Astraea: "And you don't?" she asked critically, directing her gaze at the Avenger, who was now receiving multiple stares from the group.

Angra: "...Indeed, the floor is made of floor," he replied, staring intently at the ground, attempting to dodge the goddess's question.

This earned him glares of frustration from those interested in the world's mischief.

"Am I making you that uncomfortable?" She asked, lips splitting up into a smirk once again.

Arturia: "Yes, and you're bothering him a lot..." she growled softly, gripping her seat tightly while casting a fleeting murderous glare at the female version of the King of Heroes, who was using her sheath's shoulder as a pillow while holding her "niece" in her arms.

That anger was shared by every one of her versions, as well as Rin, Sakura, and Illya, as they watched how that woman, both on screen and in the room, was getting far too close to THEIR man.

He realized the tension in his face, and let out a sigh of relief. Morgan's smirk he could deal with- that serious, studious expression did . . . things, to him. Things he didn't like when it wasn't someone else.

"I'm unsure if you are waiting for me to die from poison, about to blast me with some magic, or thinking how best to kill me when you stare at me like that." He admitted, honestly.

Her eyes narrowed, though her smirk only seemed to widen somewhat. "You're not as naive as you look."

EMIYA: "Don't worry, just give it time, and you'll see he actually is," he waved his hand dismissively, making his point clear.

Mash: "Emiya-san, I don't think that's entirely true..." she said cautiously, knowing she could be wrong but also understanding that he just needed to trust people a bit more.

EMIYA: "The last people I trusted sentenced me to the gallows, and before that, I thought Alaya would help me. It did, and when I died... I ended up being just her favorite killing machine," he crossed his arms, looking at the little eggplant as if her comment was absurd.

Cu Lancer: "Man... and I thought my luck was bad."

Sherlock: "It was only a matter of time," he said, watching as they took Cu to the infirmary... again.

Karna: "The strange thing would be if he hadn't gone at least once today." He remarked, noting the collateral damage.

Arjuna: sighing as he watched Karna head to the infirmary along with Cu.

Edmond: "I feel sorry for Asclepius," he said with a bead of sweat forming on the back of his neck as he watched the lancers head to the infirmary.

Nightingale: "It would be better if I took his place tomorrow to take care of them..." she observed, watching as everyone headed to the infirmary.

All the Servants: "Florence: NO!" they shouted in protest.

Nightingale: "Even you, Edmond?!" she looked indignantly at the count, who also seemed to be on their side.

Edmond: "...We'd like to keep our joints intact, thanks," he said dryly while giving the nurse a neutral look, clearly unmoved by her indignation.

Nightingale: "Even you, Skadi?" she asked, the only one she considered a friend, but even she was with the others.

She noted pleasantly, setting aside her own cup- empty, he noted- as she raised a leg over the other and crossed them, causing the skirts of her gown to rise up enough to where he could see the blue-heeled shoes that kept her feet from the earth.

"I am, My Lady," He corrected, "I think that I can actually do what is necessary for you, and your sister." Even before it had come out of his mouth, he knew he was about to play with fire. Perhaps even on the level of the fire that had shaped him so long ago.

Gudako: "Are you an idiot or just asking for trouble?" she asked apathetically, looking at the archer and his variants after what had just happened.

However, she received no response from the dark-haired man. As she observed him, she noticed that he seemed... nostalgic and lost in thought.

Perhaps it was on the same level as the fire that had shaped him so long ago.

Angra: "Don't compare the massive holocaust of curses you were bathed in as a kid to that fire... because that's worse than my curses," he crossed his arms indignantly, upset that something worse than his curses was being compared to him.

EMIYA: "Well, sorry for trying to see if I remember anything," he responded disdainfully, casting a cold glance at the embodiment of all the world's evils, who just scoffed. Angra hadn't placed a curse of forgetfulness on him—he had simply tried to kill him and failed. The memory loss? That was all EMIYA's own doing, not his.

Arturia: "Are you talking about...?" she trailed off, looking at the archer, who nodded in confirmation of what she was insinuating.

EMIYA: "The fire of the evils of the world after the Fourth Holy Grail War." The blonde felt a lump form in her throat as she tightened her grip on her sword. She had caused all that damage... she had left the one she loved an orphan, unable to remember anything.

BB: "The fire... that killed more than half a thousand people and destroyed part of the city," she murmured with a serious expression, quite rare for her, as she glanced slightly at her "senpai."

She knew she wasn't exactly responsible, but as part of Sakura, something in her couldn't help but worry about him deeply.

Her eyes narrowed further, and the smirk melted away. That stare was back, though there was a little less warmth in it now. Before, she was almost fond of him- at least in comparison with the way she looked like she would stand and strike him down as he sat.

Salter: "If she does, I swear I'll gut that damn witch," she muttered, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly as she glared at the screen, anticipating what Morgan might do if she continued.

MHX: "I think I'll definitely start hunting more Morgans..." she thought seriously, determined to end her if she pulled something like that.

Shirou wasn't quite sure why he always had to test his luck. He just liked the taste of his feet, he supposed.

Upon hearing what was said on the screen, everyone looked confused, glancing at the archer.

Well… everyone except the Greeks.

Fionn: "Kid?" he asked the archer, who simply looked away, clearly avoiding their gazes.

Gilfem: "Well, that does make sense," she murmured, recalling certain things she had done with her husband when they created Enkidu.

Lady Avalon: "Don't worry, Ria, if you want some advice, I'll help you," she said with a teasing smile, looking at her blushing student (all versions) who were lost in their thoughts.

Cu Caster: "I'd bet anything that the blonde is to blame for this," he remarked. The room fell into silence after that statement.

Arturia: "Hey, I didn't—!" she tried to defend herself but was cut off when the projector suddenly switched to a new image.

The room fell into complete silence, only to be quickly overtaken by a wave of laughter as soon as the image appeared. The blonde couldn't do anything, too embarrassed, as her face turned a deep shade of red.

Merlin, laughing himself, gave the machine another hit to change the image.

Iskandar: "HAHAHAHAHA!" he roared with laughter, while Zhuge Liang struggled to hold back his own, covering his mouth. This was definitely not something he expected from the dignified and noble King of Knights. "Who would've thought, Saber!" he said, glancing at the knight who looked increasingly like she wanted to disappear from the sheer embarrassment as she shrank further into her seat.

Irisviel: "I never knew you had those quirks, Arturia... and with my son, no less," she teased, watching her friend, who was trying—unsuccessfully—to defend herself, stammering incoherent explanations in response to what was on the screen.

Meanwhile, next to her, EMIYA Assassin started taking an inventory of his belongings for some reason, likely preparing to do something about the situation.

Astraea: "Imagine him in a butler outfit," she commented, and for some reason, her vessel started feeling an internal heat at the thought.

Oddly, the Rin-faces, instead of scolding the blonde, actually supported her, biting their lips and nodding in agreement.

EMIYA: "Merlin, why on earth did you put that specific photo up?!" he demanded, clearly displeased with what had been seen from that particular day of dressing up.

Merlin: "But I didn't do anything!" he replied, offended that he was being blamed.

EMIYA: "...Sorry, force of habit." The flower mage crossed his arms and let out a huff in response. "Damn you, Zelretch!" he shouted into the air, knowing that the trolling vampire was probably listening.

Somewhere across the multiverse, the trolling vampire himself was laughing at the red archer's misfortune. This was better than his 5 p.m. soap opera.

"And what, pray, is it you think you can do?" She barely got those words out, so- for once in his life- Shirou was fully aware of just how close he was to pushing the wrong button.

Super Orion: "How about I give you the best family bonding experience with your sister?" He was met with flat stares from both sisters while Artemis smacked him for what he had said. "What? I was just suggesting it could be a possibility," he defended, raising his hands in innocence and averting his gaze.

The sisters, after hearing the Grand Archer's words, simply exchanged glances and then quickly looked away, embarrassed.

Of course, none of them noticed the Shirou-faces wiping their noses after the mental image that flashed in their minds of that hypothetical scenario.

Except for DEMIYA, who remained soundly asleep in his seat.

"I-" A knock, bringing his gaze away from her's. From his peripheral vision, he saw the way her lips split further into a frown as he gathered his helmet and swords. Putting the wyrm-helm on, he went to step out from the enchanted space and back out into the field.

Morgan watched him go with a grimace, a growl in her throat that would have done her namesake proud. That did not go as I hoped.

xxxxxxxx

To the relief of the Arturias, they were satisfied that the redhead had distanced himself from the witch, ensuring that he wouldn't be harmed... or taken advantage of.

Arturia: "...I know it's not the same world, but I hope at least that knight who interrupted that moment can be promoted," she said, to which her counterparts nodded in agreement, all feeling a deep sense of relief.

However, one of them took a hard gulp, nervously watching, knowing that now... she had her own set of problems.

He stepped down from the carriage's rungs, his visored gaze settling upon a knight resplendent in armor that a normal man would have never been able to wear. It was so heavy and so ornate that Shirou was sure whatever was beneath it's helm only vaguely resembled a man.

"I come bringing an invitation for Sir Shirou the Black," The voice was muffled by his helmet, but Shirou could recognize the inflection of a man who was used to shouting war cries more than speaking courtly dialects. "If you will permit, I will escort you to My Liege."

Shirou's eyes, for a moment, looked to the man's massive shield and the sword sheathed at his hip. For a moment, he contemplated the likelihood of him being able to take on the mountain his opponent during the dueling preliminaries was most certainly not.

Without resorting to Magecraft? It would be a struggle. Besides, this was . . . part of what he wanted, at least. Getting to look upon Artoria again would make him feel more comfortable- especially after his heart had been racing in the adrenaline rush of staring down his "benefactor".

Salter: "Just admit it, and I'll stop complaining! You need to take action already! If he's as much of a man as he claims to be, he should come to my room, tear my clothes off, and show me what he's made of!" Salter was clearly fed up with her queen's hesitations. In her mind, if he was serious, there was no need for delays—he should act decisively.

She had always been and always would be loyal to her queen and wouldn't object to whatever she decided.

Arturia: "HEY!" Arturia shouted, clearly outraged by her altered version's blunt and inappropriate outburst.

Salter: "Oh, come on, don't you want to feel him claim you, take control, and leave no doubt about who you belong to? To feel his presence cover every part of you? Beg for more while he holds back?" Her rant was cut short as Lancer Arturia quickly covered her mouth, her own face flushed with embarrassment. Meanwhile, the regular Saber Arturia was turning so red that steam seemed to rise from her head, putting boiling tea kettles to shame.

Each version of the blonde knight was now deeply blushing, so intensely red that it rivaled the hair of Nobunaga Avenger or the redhead they were watching on screen. Being Merlin's students certainly wasn't helping them, as their imaginations ran wild, painting vivid pictures of the future they hoped to have for the next generation of the Pendragon line.

And it wasn't just them. Everyone in the room (except for the most mischievous ones, who were dealing with nosebleeds) had noticeable blushes after hearing Salter's words. Many of the Servants were clearly uncomfortable, as their minds conjured up images they hadn't expected.

Meanwhile, the archer and his various versions were feeling uneasy from the stares they were getting from those nearby, silently praying that they wouldn't have to face any unfortunate outcomes... especially for their hips.

"Give me but a moment to alert My Lady, and I will go with you." He said, softly, turning to open the carriage door-

Only to find inside it, the normal interior of the carriage. ". . . Nevermind." He noted that he had successfully made the Witch mad at him.

He was good at that. Closing the door, he'd turned to the massive knight and fell into step with him.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Mordred: "...You really messed up this time," she muttered, noticing how angry her mother was at the redhead.

EMIYA: "You heard the screen—I'm particularly good at making people angry," he said nonchalantly, as the Arturias, Rin, Reines, Zhuge Liang, Gray, Kiritsugu, Illya, the Sakuras, Bazzet, and Caren all nodded in agreement.

Angra: "Especially the blue Lancers and golden Archers," he threw in, hitting multiple targets at once.

EMIYA: "No, I really hate those guys," he replied, and the sound of hearts breaking could almost be heard.

Lanturia/Squirturia: with a hand over her chest and a tear rolling down her cheek.

Ishtar/Parvati: crying dramatically like dinosaurs.

Cu Proto/Gilgamesh: growling at what the boy had said.

As for the Gilfem? Nothing bothered her. She had her own "method" to let her husband release his frustration.

And what about the supreme MILF-not-MILF? Well...

FEMIYA: "Ahhh..." she sighed tiredly, seeing how upset her husband was. There was no other way—she'd have to resort to her usual method to calm him down.

The silver-haired woman took hold of his head and planted a deep kiss on the lips of the blonde, leaving him completely stunned, his mind short-circuiting at what had just happened.

Gilgamesh: "The virus database has been updated," he muttered, completely frozen.

Enkidu: silent disbelief, unable to comprehend what just happened.

She showed impressive lung capacity, as she didn't stop kissing him for quite some time. When she finally pulled away, a thin silver strand of saliva connected them as proof of the kiss, leaving him still motionless and shocked at the situation.

Proto Arthur: staring coldly, clearly contemplating doing something drastic to the Sumerian after witnessing the scene.

Those standing near the male version (and technically the strongest) of the King of Knights wisely stepped aside. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of one of Chaldea's strongest Sabers' wrath.

And what about Satan herself?

Gudako: "Look, a butterfly!" she exclaimed, completely fascinated by the insect and blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding around her.

That... that was what was happening with Satan.

Flushed with irritation, and the knowledge she would be going to bed alone, Morgan undressed and slipped into the bed. He can sleep out on the grass for all I care. She muttered mentally and tried to drift into dreams.

Upon seeing what was displayed, alarms were quick to go off, and Morgan Berserker let out frustrated growls as she noticed how many people were staring at the screen, fixed on her now-exposed body.

Angra: "Chest 10, waist 9, hips 100. Approved," he muttered while rating the queen's figure, trying to stop his cursed blood from leaking from his nose.

Both Senji and EMIYA simply nodded in agreement with the Evil of the World, not noticing how they had suddenly become the focus of many disapproving glares. The issue wasn't what they were doing, but rather that they weren't doing it for them.

And Baobhan Sith?

Well...

Baobhan Sith: still sleeping soundly in the arms of the blonde, who was glaring at her "husband." She'd have to teach him a lesson later, but for now, she had a "daughter" to take care of—a "neglectful mother" had "graciously" handed her over.

And then promptly groaned when the itch that had been building all day denied her any hopes of bed before she scratched it. Damn me for getting my damned hopes up-!

zzzxzxxz

Fionn: "...Who would've thought, Fergus actually ha—" He didn't get to finish as someone—or rather, something—interrupted him.

Lily: "CALIBURN!" she yelled as she delivered her attack right where it hurts most for men.

Fionn: speechless, effectively incapacitated, and certainly without any anesthesia.

Men: all turning pale at what had just happened.

Women: stunned, hardly believing what the young Lily had just done.

Diarmuid: frozen in disbelief at what the young version of the blonde had just pulled off.

Iskandar: stopped laughing and silently earned some respect.

Zhuge Liang: his cigarette fell from his lips.

EMIYA: Vietnam flashbacks.

The entire room fell into a stunned silence after what had just occurred. The men, in particular, were horrified and filled with sheer panic.

The walk had been lengthier than he'd expected, long enough to burn off even the light little buzz he'd gotten from that little amount of wine. Not unexpected, especially considering they were half cloaked in darkness as they passed camps and fires where men caroused and jested. Shirou's eyes were drawn to some, watching mugs be shared and men sing songs even though they'd fought or competed against one another merely hours ago. For a moment, he felt his chest fill, and then his gaze turned towards the back of that immense knight once again.

Wanting to break the trance everyone seemed to be in, Percival spoke up.

Percival: cough! "It's good... to see the aspiring squires getting along so well," he noted, observing the camaraderie developing among them, even after the competition earlier today.

Several nodded in agreement, especially the kings, who watched how the atmosphere in Camelot was one of celebration despite the losses in the contest. A now calmer Arturia smiled softly as she observed her subjects enjoying themselves, even after the impressive display Shirou had shown in both combat and archery during the competition.

The king's pavilion was situated a little further from the contestant's camps, mostly as a result of it being a larger area. Finally, Shirou's eyes settled on an array of men- adorned just the same as his escort- standing outside the entry to a particularly large tent. His escort stepped to the side and joined the conjugation of guardsmen, directing him inside with a huge gauntleted hand.

Shirou felt very comfortable in the knowledge that he was being taken seriously- though he could have done with just being greeted by the blonde alone. He wasn't that lucky, it seemed. Instant karma for pissing off the Witch? Maybe.

Maid Alter: "Oh, that cursed daughter of our mother..." she muttered, annoyed that karma was acting swiftly after her innocent queen's actions.

EMIYA: "Ah, my legendary luck... how I've missed it," he said with sarcasm.

Angra: "It's been a while since luck acted up—feels almost nostalgic, doesn't it?" he remarked, watching the situation unfold with a touch of irony.

Senji: "No wonder they always look at me with annoyance," he thought, remembering the glares he received once people found out about his abysmal luck stat.

As his boots stopped hitting soft grass and instead hit leather mat, he rounded into the pavilion and came from the dark into the gaze of fire and light illuminating those gathered.

Which was a startlingly small number, he discovered. Himself, the man with long hair from earlier . . .

And Artoria.

He hated how his breath hitched for a moment, and he could only hope that it was not noticeable.

Irisviel: "I want at least five grandchildren," she said to her friend, who was transfixed by the screen, clearly cherishing the moment.

The blonde, absorbed in the scene, couldn't help but blush intensely at her "best" friend's comment. What on earth was she thinking, saying something like that?

Arturia: "What nonsense are you spouting?! I'm a Servant, there's no way I could—" She couldn't finish, as the screen abruptly changed again, showing something that truly left her speechless.

Merlin: "Seriously!?" he exclaimed, clearly frustrated by yet another interruption in the viewing experience.

As the screen changed abruptly, Arturia and Merlin were left speechless as the new image revealed Shirou Lancelot Emiya Jr. and Vivy Emiya standing side by side.

Shirou Lancelot Emiya Jr., a young boy with short red hair and a bandage across his nose, stood with a serious expression on his face. He wore a casual outfit consisting of a light brown jacket and dark pants, his posture straight and firm, exuding a determination beyond his years. His hands were clenched slightly into fists, as if ready to face any challenge ahead.

Next to him was Vivy Emiya, a cheerful girl with bright blonde hair and big green eyes. She wore a white blouse, a navy skirt, and a dark checkered scarf draped loosely around her neck. Vivy had a friendly and optimistic demeanor, her hand raised in a playful wave, as if greeting the viewer. Her boots and tights added a hint of practicality to her otherwise lively appearance.

The contrast between the two—Shirou's seriousness and Vivy's lighthearted energy—was striking, leaving Arturia and the others in the room momentarily frozen as they took in the image of the two children, potential heirs of the Emiya line.

Merlin sighed, shaking his head in disbelief, wondering what this twist would lead to next.

Arturia: "...", her face gradually turned an ever-deepening shade of red until, eventually, steam could be seen rising from her ears.

Irisviel: "Oh my!" she gasped with delight, clasping her hands together with a wide smile. "Isn't this just perfect? Look at them! So precious!" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the screen, completely thrilled by the sight of Shirou Lancelot Emiya Jr. and Vivy Emiya. "Five grandchildren, Arturia... no, perhaps six! Oh, they'd be perfect, don't you think?"

Arturia, now practically overheating, could only stammer incoherently, completely flustered and unable to form a coherent response as Irisviel continued to daydream about the potential future.

As the screen continued to flicker with increasingly surprising images, EMIYA Assassin felt the weight of his years suddenly fall upon him. A strange sense of duty crept in, making him feel like he needed to look after those children on the screen.

Da Vinci: "...What the heck?! This is technically impossible! How could this even happen unless we're dealing with a Servant incarnated into human form?!"

EMIYA: "My condolences... to the poor kitchen," he sighed, knowing the chaos that might ensue with little ones around.

Berserklot: "Arrrrthuuuur?" He grumbled. Even in his berserk state, it wasn't hard to tell that Berserklot was questioning the situation in disbelief.

The other knights weren't much better off. They stood in absolute shock, eyes wide as they stared at the screen, recognizing that the children in the image were their future princes.

Percival: already mentally making meal plans for his king when this future inevitably came to pass. He also started preparing to nourish the future heirs of Camelot.

Gareth: her eyes sparkled with joy and tenderness as she looked at the small princes, moved by the sight.

Mordred: caught on quickly, grinning at the realization she'd be the older sister.

Bedivere: silently pledged with all his heart to protect and care for these children as if they were his own.

Irisviel: "Three more and the deal is done for my minimum of five grandchildren," she said, ticking something off a list she held in her hand.

Lady Avalon: "Doesn't Mordred count?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Irisviel: "Fine... six grandchildren total, minimum," she added, promptly writing Mordred down on the list and marking her as "done."

Merlin, increasingly frustrated, hit the machine again to try and fix the display. "Change properly, you piece of junk!" he growled, exasperated. "Are you serious?!" he yelled as yet another unexpected image flashed across the screen.

This time, EMIYA felt a twinge of embarrassment. Meanwhile, ArturiaLancer was dealing with the exact same feeling as her Saber version after seeing the image flash onto the screen, featuring Victoria, Duran, and Amber. The three stood proudly, each exuding the air of next-generation heroes, their resemblance to their ancestors unmistakable.

Victoria stood tall, her blonde hair flowing freely as she gave off a composed aura that felt uncannily like a combination of Arturia's calm leadership and Saber Alter's confident power. She wore a blue coat over a white shirt, her hand resting near her chin as if pondering something deeply, and her golden eyes seemed to reflect her noble bloodline.

Duran, the young blonde boy with the fierce eyes of determination, was a spitting image of the classic Pendragon lineage but with a hint of Shirou's spirit. His thumbs-up was the kind of enthusiastic gesture that screamed "I'm ready for anything!" and somehow reminded the group of the way Shirou Emiya always tackled challenges head-on, no matter the odds.

And then there was Amber, standing with her red hair tied in a braid, wearing a confident smile that echoed her lineage. She had a fiery presence reminiscent of Mordred, but there was something in her stance that suggested she had inherited the determination and unyielding spirit of her parents.

Irisviel beamed with excitement as she practically bounced in her seat. "Oh, five more grandchildren, Arturia! Just imagine! They could lead armies or save the world!"

Arturia had turned a deep shade of red, steam practically rising from her ears, and was clearly at a loss for words. She could only stare at the screen, wide-eyed. "This... This can't be happening..."

Meanwhile, Lady Avalon raised an eyebrow and leaned in slightly. "They seem like strong future knights. What do you think, Arturia?"

Merlin, however, was no longer amused. He struck the machine again, muttering something under his breath about Zelretch. "Enough of this nonsense! Change the image already!" he demanded.

As the screen flashed to a new image, EMIYA could only groan slightly, still recovering from the embarrassment of seeing his potential future kids on display. The ladies in the room, however, were far from done.

Irisviel leaned over to Arturia with a playful glint in her eyes. "Think about it, Arturia, five grandchildren... maybe six? Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Gilfem chimed in with a grin. "And if you're ever open to expanding the family even more, I can contribute a football team or two."

Irisviel, quick to negotiate, turned her head toward Gilfem. "Eight teams, and we have a deal."

Gilfem, undeterred, extended her hand with a confident smirk. "Eleven teams, and I'm being generous."

Irisviel eagerly shook her hand. "From now on, you can call me 'mother' or 'mother-in-law,' whichever you prefer."

EMIYA, standing nearby, couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I suppose my opinion on this doesn't matter at all..." he muttered, feeling like he'd been "sold off" without so much as a consultation.

The rest of the room was filled with mixed reactions. Gareth was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the thought of the future princes and knights. Mordred, however, was grinning from ear to ear, thinking about her newfound role as the older sister. Bedivere stood firm, mentally pledging his loyalty to protect those potential heirs at any cost.

Even the ever-stoic Percival was already thinking ahead, mentally planning out meal regimens and the responsibilities of raising the future generation of Camelot.

Merlin, finally getting the screen to change, rubbed his temples in frustration. "Note to self, have a very stern conversation with Zelretch about this nonsense."

Despite the return to normalcy on the screen, the women in the room were far from done. Their determination only deepened. After all, a war had just begun—a war for love, heirs, and the future of Camelot.

"You should kneel." The long-haired man noted, an irritated note in his voice as Shirou could admit he was standing about a bit- gawking behind his visor. It had been so long since he'd been able to see her- up close at least, ignoring earlier in the day- and, well . . .

Some memories never died. Even less so when they'd shaped him and made him do something as crazy as throw himself back into history.

But, as he paused and went to go down a knee, her voice called out. "That is unnecessary. You may stand, Sir Shirou."

Jalter: "So, you really want to be the one kneeling before him?" she asked with a teasing smile, clearly enjoying the moment.

Salter: "Yes, isn't it obvious?" she replied, her voice calm yet determined. Arturia opted to stay silent this time, realizing that arguing wouldn't do much. Salter continued, "I want to—" but she didn't get to finish, as the others quickly stopped her before she could say something too inappropriate.

It was disheartening that her voice was so even, so "dead inside" that he could hardly tell it'd come from her. He'd been so used to her warmth and her protection that . . . it hurt him.

Kind of funny, that ache in his chest.

The blonde and her many counterparts only showed a slight expression of pain at the thought. Their beloved... because of them... They truly regretted their actions, especially one of them.

Arturia: "I'm sorry..." she whispered, apologizing to her beloved for the pain she had caused by acting the way she did in the past.

Squirturia: "I know... you can change me," she said softly, offering a faint smile as she put her faith in the red-haired boy.

Lalter: "I... I'm so sorry," she silently begged for forgiveness in her thoughts, ashamed of how foolish she had been in her youth.

Swallowing past a throat filled with spittle, he was at least glad the wyrm visor was doing it's job of masking his face. "How can I aid you, My King?" He nearly stumbled, wanting nothing more than to run to her. But . . .

She would not know him. She wouldn't understand. Worse than that, he wouldn't be able to stand being rejected even that much. In fact, just- just this much was . . .

It was making him feel like he was being stabbed. No- being stabbed didn't even hurt in comparison. Shirou could describe physical pain just fine- but emotional pain was . . .

DEMIYA: Bwaaah! he yawned loudly, suddenly waking up. "Mmm? It's still going?" he asked with a bored tone, pulling his head up after sleeping on Tonelico the entire time.

The blonde, who had glasses on, pouted slightly at the loss of his weight on her head. Despite everything, she had been enjoying his company, in her own way.

Salieri: "We're almost done," the Avenger informed the gunslinger, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The gunslinger noticed the small pout on Tonelico's face and was momentarily confused. What was happening? He didn't understand, but he decided to brush it off. It was probably nothing important.

Worse. His attention turned back outwards, trying to push away those dark thoughts back elsewhere. "Purely to business, then." Artoria said, standing from her seat and taking a step down towards the blackened knight. Shirou's lips settled in a thin line. "Would you take your helm off, before we speak?"

For a moment, he fretted with the idea. Then, however, he realized that his earlier thoughts meant that his features did not matter at all. Finding a surprising amount of comfort in that thought, his hands reached up and he lightly unbuckled the brace at the back of his head, raising the wyrm-helm from his head and, since leaving Morgan's magical carriage, seeing with unobstructed eyes once again.

xxxxx

As the knight raised his helmet from his head, the blonde King paused in her next step. A ruff of red hair decorated his head, glimmering amber eyes stared at her in turn while a set of tanned- no, foreign?- features regarded her with a look that spoke of . . . relief. Sadness, even.

Why did he look at her like that?

The screen abruptly went dark.

Merlin: "Alright, everyone, time to sleep. We'll continue tomorrow. I need to figure out what's wrong with this thing," the wizard announced, dismissing everyone as he started heading out of the room, clearly frustrated with the ongoing issues.

Super Orion: "Damn it, right at the best part," he muttered, disappointed, as he gathered the trash from the food he had brought along to watch the show.

The Arturias left with a bitter taste in their mouths, unsatisfied with how things had ended. Their emotions had been stirred, and they couldn't help but hope that Shirou could somehow manage to convince their counterpart in the future.

Meanwhile, Morgan hurried off in search of her "kidnapped" daughter, who had been taken by that Sumerian queen. She had no intention of letting the situation stand.

The tension remained, even as everyone reluctantly parted ways, knowing that this strange series of events was far from over.