Fate/Hijacked

Chapter 23

Shirou found himself standing amidst an endless field of flowers, their colours vivid yet soft, as if painted by some master artist with an ethereal brush. The air was calm, fragrant, and beneath the clear blue sky, there was a sense of serenity that permeated his entire being. In the distance, a tall white tower rose toward the heavens, pristine and glowing with a faint light. It seemed to beckon him, calling out to some deep part of his soul. There was a peace here, something far removed from the violence and tension of the Holy Grail War.

Where am I? Shirou thought, gazing around the open plain. The wind stirred the flowers gently, carrying with it whispers he could not quite understand. There was something familiar about this place, as though it existed in the recesses of his memory but had remained hidden until now.

Before he could move toward the tower, a soft, feminine laugh echoed through the landscape, wrapping around him like a gentle embrace. The sound of it sent warmth rushing through his chest, though he couldn't place why. His feet moved, but the tower never seemed to grow closer. He felt as though he was chasing an unreachable dream.

Just as the feeling of tranquillity threatened to sweep him away completely, the world around him began to blur, and the vision faded.

Shirou's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of the dream still lingering in his mind. He found himself lying on a comfortable futon, with the early morning light filtering through the thin curtains of the room. As his senses returned, he became acutely aware of something—or rather, someone—pressed up against him. Warmth radiated from a soft body clinging to him, delicate arms wrapped around his torso. His Servant, Lady Avalon, was happily wrapped around him, her arms draped across his chest and one leg thrown possessively over his. She was snuggled tight against him, her face buried in the crook of his neck as she slept peacefully.

Her peaceful expression made her seem almost angelic in the morning light. Shirou felt his heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but blush at the sight.

He gently tried to wiggle free from her grip, but the moment he moved, Lady Avalon tightened her hold on him, murmuring in her half-asleep state. "Mmm… where do you think you're going, darling?" she whispered, her voice still groggy but full of mischief. She nuzzled into him further, refusing to let him escape.

"I need to go make breakfast," Shirou said softly, trying not to disturb her too much. "Everyone's probably already waiting, and—"

"No," she cut him off, her eyes still closed as she hugged him tighter. "Let Archer handle it. You're not allowed to leave yet." She pressed herself closer against him, as if to emphasize her point. "Besides, I want more snuggle time."

Shirou sighed, his protests falling on deaf ears. He couldn't exactly argue when she was holding him like this. Especially since part of him, no matter how much he tried to deny it, didn't actually mind being so close to her. "But I should—"

"Shhh," she murmured, cutting off his weak argument. "Just relax for a little while longer… Please?"

Her voice softened even further, and Shirou felt his resolve crumble. Her warmth, her closeness, and the calmness of the moment all worked together to lull him back into a state of relaxation. He sighed again, defeated, and allowed himself to settle back into the futon.

"Alright… Just a little longer."

Lady Avalon gave a sleepy, satisfied hum, her arms loosening their grip just enough for her to adjust herself more comfortably against him. As they lay there, Shirou felt the lingering remnants of his dream about the mystical garden swirling in the back of his mind. What did it mean? Was it a glimpse into something important? Or simply a manifestation of something related to his Servant after spending so much time with the mischievous half-succubus?

Before he could delve too deeply into his thoughts, a knock on the door startled him from his reverie.

"Hey!" Rin's voice, groggy and clearly irritated, called from the other side of the door. "Oi, shameless flower lady. Are you coming down for breakfast or what?"

Shirou tensed, immediately trying to pull away from Lady Avalon again, but she held on with a smirk.

"We'll be down soon!" Shirou called back quickly, hoping to avert any more awkwardness.

There was a long pause from the other side of the door, and then a heavy groan. "Ugh, you really did spend the night in bed with her... Unbelievable..." Rin's voice was full of exasperation.

Shirou winced, his face burning with embarrassment. Before he could reply, he heard Rin muttering something about "not being paid enough to deal with this" as her footsteps retreated down the hallway.

Lady Avalon's soft laugh filled the room. She shifted slightly, her pink eyes sparkling with amusement as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Looks like we were caught, darling."

Shirou groaned, burying his face in his hands for a moment. "This is going to be so awkward…"

Breakfast was, as expected, quite the ordeal. Shirou barely had time to sit down before Lady Avalon happily plopped herself into her preferred place of his lap, much to Rin's dismay. The half-succubus seemed to also take great delight in needlessly hand-feeding him, holding up morsels of food with a playful smile, and all but demanded that he reciprocate. When he hesitantly returned the gesture, her grin widened, and she leaned forward to nuzzle against his cheek.

Shirou, flustered as always despite how many times this had already occurred, did his best to comply. Although he was acutely aware of the eyes on him from across the table. Rin sat there, sipping her coffee with a disgruntled expression, dark bags under her eyes which were glaring with a stare harder than diamond.

"It's too early for me to deal with this nonsense," Rin muttered into her cup, glancing between Shirou and Lady Avalon. Her tone was exasperated, but not truly angry. "I haven't had nearly enough caffeine for it."

Sakura, sitting beside her sister, patted Rin's back with a sympathetic smile. "There, there, Nee-san," she said kindly. "It's not so bad." Even though her tone seemed just a bit fake. Only a little.

Illya on the other hand, was openly grinning from her seat, clearly entertained by Shirou's predicament. Lancer, who was sitting next to her, raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, though the hint of a smirk tugged at his lips.

Shirou could only sigh in defeat, which made the Pretender occupying his lap giggle in amusement.

After breakfast, the mood in the house grew more serious as the group gathered in the living room to discuss the next steps in their plan to confront Kirei and Gilgamesh.

Lancer, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, was the first to speak. "Since Kirei would have felt his contract with me disappear when Archer used Rule Breaker, he probably thinks I'm dead," he said, his tone serious. "The bastard's likely assuming I'm out of the picture entirely."

Archer, who had been standing quietly to the side, added, "Gilgamesh likely believes that I've been killed as well. He doesn't know that I survived our last encounter. They'll most likely assume that Pretender is the only Servant left standing."

Illya leaned forward slightly with a thoughtful expression. "That means they're either preparing to bring forth the corrupted Greater Grail beneath Ryuudouji Temple, or they already know something's up and are waiting for us to confront them."

The room fell silent as everyone considered the implications. They could feel that this was it, the crux of the war.

Shirou clenched his fists, determination flooding his veins. "Either way, we can't let them succeed," he declared. "We'll stop Kirei and Gilgamesh, and destroy the corrupted Grail before it can cause any more harm."

Rin nodded. "Agreed. We should prepare for a direct confrontation. But we also need to be cautious. The corrupted Grail is still a threat, and we don't know the full extent of what it's capable of."

As the group continued to discuss strategy, it was decided that they would head to the temple in the early evening, but Sakura would remain behind at the Emiya estate. She was the only one without a Servant, and it was possible that if she accompanied them then Kirei and Gilgamesh might try using her as a lesser grail similar to what Caster had attempted. Neither Rin nor Shirou wanted to put her in that kind of danger. Of course, there was still a risk that they could try taking Illya to be used as a lesser grail too, but Lady Avalon implied she'd done something which would make such a thing difficult to actually carry out. That, and she had Archer too, who was uncharacteristically serious and committed without any trace of his signature snark or sarcasm.

After their strategic discussions concluded, the group dispersed to make their own preparations for the impending final confrontation. Shirou and Lady Avalon made their way to the backyard. They were going to work on familiarising Shirou with using the mana stored within the crystal flower Mystic Code that Lady Avalon had crafted and conceptually embedded within him.

"Alright my darling Master, let's get down to business," she declared boldly, one hand gripping her staff whilst the other was firmly placed on her hip, looking every part the esteemed mage. "The crystal flower within you serves as an additional reservoir of mana, which is all well and good for allowing you to finally utilise more powerful and demanding magecraft, but it's best we practice with getting you used to it. Our ideal goal is getting you to the point where you learn to draw upon it as naturally as you would your own energy."

They spent the remaining hours of the morning getting Shirou acclimating to his new Mystic Code. Pretender stood beside him with her hand pressed on his back, helping him to properly direct his internal prana into 'accessing' the crystal flower, then drawing upon the pool of mana that the arcane construct had drawn, stored and refined from the ambient environment. Eventually, under her expert guidance, he managed to reach a stage where he could comfortably access the flower with relative ease, within a few seconds. It spoke volumes about Lady Avalon's skill in magecraft and item creation that she was able to design something so useful which was still simple enough for a poorly skilled novice magus such as Shirou was able to grasp without too much difficulty.

After the half-succubus was satisfied with his progress and declared their training finished, Archer and Lancer approached. The two men had their respective weapons drawn already and fixed Shirou with a firm stare.

"Ready for some practical application, kid?" Archer's tone was neutral for the most part, but it carried a begrudging hint of approval in acknowledging his younger counterpart's recent improvements.

Lancer twirled his spear, a confident smirk on his face. "It's definitely good having more tricks and options in your arsenal, but it's more important that you can actually make use of them when battling an opponent who won't give you the time to calmly prepare your cards. Let's see how well you can use that new mana source in actual combat, and take it up from there."

Shirou nodded, steeling himself. "I'm ready."

The impromptu sparring session began, with Archer and Lancer engaging Shirou simultaneously. They instructed him to constantly maintain reinforcement throughout his limbs and torso, as the minimum requirement. After all, that the only way he'd stand a real chance against an enemy Servant whilst still being human himself. Archer once again simulated Gilgamesh's preferred strategy of firing barrages of weapons, now with Lancer also dashing in and out for close range melee attacks against Shirou whilst his 'Protection from Arrows' skill kept him safe from the salvo of blades.

The training continued, with Shirou gradually becoming more adept at accessing and utilizing the crystal flower's mana through a literal trial under fire. Archer's continuous volley of swords pushed him to become more aware of his surroundings whilst already focusing on a single foe in close range combat. The redhead was also encouraged to make use of his additional mana to project his own floating swords as a defence and counter against such projectile attacks.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the estate's back garden, Rin and Illya prepared for their own training session. The two magi stood across from each other with almost opposite stances.

"Ready, Illya?" Rin asked, stretching her limbs in preparation. Turquoise lines manifested over her body and clothes as she applied reinforcement.

"Of course, Rin. Let's see how well your bajiquan pairs with your magecraft. It should help you run away from my familiars if nothing else." Illya's tone was playful, but her eyes showed a more serious demeanour. And just a hint of competitiveness. She plucked a few strands of her white hair and formed them into avian familiars.

Rin initiated the spar, closing the distance with a swift, reinforced dash. Illya responded by launching two of her familiars at the Tohsaka. The wireframe birds darted through the air towards Rin, forcing her to pivot and sidestep the first one, then release a Gandr shot to neutralize the second.

"Impressive reaction time, Rin."

"Thanks, but don't make this too easy, Illya."

Inside the house, Sakura worked quietly in the kitchen. While she wouldn't be heading off at night to fight like the others, she still wanted to contribute. Cooking for everyone was her way of making sure they were adequately nourished and had the strength to fight when the time came. She'd even insisted on being the only one to cook lunch and dinner for the rest of the day, which Shirou had initially tried to protest and offer his help, but both her older sister Rin and Shirou's own Servant had talked the boy down and told him to let Sakura have this for herself.

She smiled softly to herself. It was nice to feel like she was part of a proper family.

Omake

Throne of Heroes: Artoria's Wrath, Part 23

In the distant Throne of Heroes, Artoria Pendragon sat with her arms crossed and her expression fixed in what could only be described as a royal pout. As had become somewhat common, she was fuming with mild annoyance.

"That woman," she muttered under her breath. "Again, she's just undermining the severity of the situation with her incessant flirtations..."

Even if she had sort of accepted that this version of Shirou enjoyed the attention he received from Merlin's female counterpart, that didn't mean she had to enjoy all the flirting and displays of affection from the half-succubus' part. Seriously, how was that Pretender not overwhelmed by embarrassment yet? She was still half-human, wasn't she? Didn't she have any sense of shame?

Lancelot chuckled. "Oh, but the Pretender has certainly been effective in preparing him. The addition of the crystal flower as an extra mana reserve is a brilliant tactical advantage. And now Archer and Lancer are training him to control a floating array of swords. It's brilliant."

At this, Artoria frowned, but not in disapproval. "Yes… that is a rather useful technique."

The knights were all too happy to continue discussing this new technique, leaning in eagerly to hear any further commentary from their king.

"It has both offensive and defensive applications," she continued thoughtfully. "By utilizing the weapons in formation, Shirou is covering his blind spots while also keeping his enemies at bay. It would have been a significant boon in battle during my time."

Bedivere nodded. "If properly refined, he could counter multiple opponents at once."

Gawain's eyes gleamed. "It's practically an automatic guard! Just imagine him standing in the middle of a battlefield, a ring of swords defending him while he focuses entirely on his attacks! It would make him nearly untouchable!"

Lancelot grinned. "I dare say, my king, he would have made an excellent knight of the Round Table."

Artoria blinked, surprised by the warmth that thought brought her. The image of Shirou, clad in shining armour, Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands while countless floating blades orbited around him like a storm of steel… The Magus of Blades. A warrior who could fight like a knight in close quarters but also command swords like a long-range sorcerer. A noble and loyal knight, devoted to his king (her) and to justice. Someone who'd unite her entourage in their love of his cooking, who'd make the perfect battle partner due to his Tracing abilities and versatility, who could understand her and give her what she truly needed-

Mordred's voice cut through her daydream with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. "Too bad we won't be getting anyone like that. The kid has no real connection to any of us, so at most Lady Avalon ends up with an overpowered boyfriend, by human standards."

Artoria's face flushed with irritation. All at once, her previous pleasant imaginations shifted to instead picture Proto-Merlin whimsically dancing with an entranced Shirou in the midst of battle, her treacherous hands all over him, as obnoxiously pink explosions devastated their enemies with complete humiliation.

"Did you really have to ruin that, Mordred!?"

Omake 2: The improbable Golden route unlock(?)

Shirou Emiya groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Something felt… off.

For one, his living room looked different. The usual warmth of the wooden floors, the familiar scent of breakfast lingering from the kitchen, and the distant chatter of his housemates—all gone. Instead, everything was awash in muted greys and eerie stillness. His furniture was there, but dulled, like an old photograph drained of life. Even the air itself felt strangely weightless, like he was floating in a dream.

"What…?" He muttered, looking around in confusion, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He didn't even remember falling asleep here.

Before he could fully process his surroundings, a soft chime rang through the air.

A glowing, translucent pink screen suddenly materialised in front of him, hovering just above the kotatsu. The screen shimmered with magical energy, and as the static faded, an image appeared—one that made Shirou's brain screech to an abrupt halt.

Lady Avalon, his mischievous and affectionate Servant, was depicted in stunning clarity. She wore her usual playful smile, her long white hair cascading down her back, her pink eyes alight with amusement. Below her portrait, words in an elegant script appeared:

"Succubus Pretender (Lovers) Route"

Shirou blinked. "What?"

Before he could even fully process that absurdity however, another chime sounded, and a second screen flickered into existence beside the first.

This one displayed a regal-looking Morgan, her arms crossed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she looked off to the side with an almost begrudgingly affectionate gaze. Her emerald green eyes carried a mixture of pride and barely restrained affection, as though she was caught between maintaining her queenly dignity and embracing something deeply personal. Beneath her image, another tagline emerged:

"Queenly Ruler (Lovers) Route"

Shirou's mouth fell open involuntarily. "Excuse me?"

A third chime. Another screen.

This one showed an unfamiliar yet somehow very familiar presence. She was a stunning blonde beauty, with deep blue eyes that radiated warmth and protection. Her golden hair had streaks of cobalt blue, and the way she looked at him in the picture, with gentle fondness, sent a strangely tight yet comforting sensation through his chest.

"Avalon Shielder (Lovers) Route"

Shirou could feel his soul leaving his body. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

But fate was merciless.

With a fourth and final chime, one last screen materialised. This one, unlike the others, was filled with barely-contained energy. A grinning, slightly red-faced Mordred stood in a casual pose, arms crossed loosely. She looked like she was trying (and failing) to act cool while barely containing her excitement. The tagline beneath her portrait read:

"Tsundere Daughter (Adoption) Route"

Shirou slowly dragged his hands down his face.

"What the hell is this…?"

Then, before he could even attempt to make sense of it, a new, larger screen appeared. This one was displaying bright, celebratory text.

"CONGRATULATIONS, SHIROU EMIYA!

Your performance across multiple parallel timelines has been truly outstanding!"

The words pulsed with a faint glow, and beneath them, smaller text explained further:

"As a token of appreciation for your remarkable achievements, you will now receive a special reward! May your future be filled with love, happiness, and many, many home-cooked meals!"

Shirou didn't even get the chance to protest before all the screens simultaneously vanished. The colour drained back into the world, and the once-stagnant air was suddenly filled with a sense of swirling, impossibly potent magical energy.

Right in front of him, a large pink portal spiralled open, shimmering with arcane light.

And then—

Four particular figures tumbled out of it.

The first was Lady Avalon, her long white hair slightly dishevelled as she just barely landed gracefully on the floor, blinking in mild surprise. She was dressed in an oversized lavender sweater and thigh-high socks, looking comfortable and relaxed despite having just fallen through a rift in reality. The moment her pink eyes landed on Shirou, she brightened.

"Oh? What's this, darling? Did you bring me here for a surprise date?"

Morgan emerged next, with regal poise—well, as regal as one could be while still recovering from a sudden interdimensional displacement. She was wearing a sleek, off-the-shoulder black sweater and dark leggings, giving her the air of a noblewoman who had just discovered the concept of 'cosy fashion' and secretly loved it. She took a single glance around the room, then at Shirou, and narrowed her eyes.

"…Explain, dear husband."

The third presence was Avalon, emerging out of the portal with an almost dreamlike grace. She was comfortably dressed in a soft white cardigan over a light blue dress. Her long, cobalt-streaked golden hair was left loose to cascade over her shoulders. She gave Shirou a serene, if slightly bewildered, smile.

"Shirou…" she murmured, as if seeing him was all the confirmation she needed that everything was fine.

Then, last but certainly not least, Mordred stumbled through, completely unprepared for the landing. She let out a startled yelp before catching herself, glaring at the now-vanished portal.

"The hell was that?!" she snapped, rubbing the back of her head. She wore an oversized red hoodie and loose pyjama shorts, groaning dramatically. She turned her head and immediately locked onto Shirou, eyes widening with surprise.

"Mama?!"

Shirou twitched. "Please don't call me that."

"But you are Mama!" Mordred declared, giving a stubborn pout. "It's your fault for being the best parent figure I've ever had!"

Shirou felt his face heat up in a mixture of flustered embarrassment and odd pride. "That—That's not how that works!" He then groaned, massaging his temple. "I have no idea what is happening right now."

Lady Avalon tilted her head. "A summoning, perhaps? Though this doesn't seem like any summoning ritual I'm familiar with…"

Morgan sighed, folding her arms. "I assume this wasn't your doing, Shirou? At least not deliberately?"

Shirou shook his head fervently. "Absolutely not."

Avalon spoke softly in a reassuring tone, "Then it is likely the work of something beyond us." She gave him a soft smile full of devotion. "Regardless of how or why, I am glad to be by your side, Shirou."

Shirou felt himself relax, letting out a deep sigh as he let the tension leave his muscles. Then he asked the most pressing question on his mind. "…So, uh. What do we do now?"

Lady Avalon's grin widened, like a Cheshire cat. "Oh, that's easy, darling," she said, stepping forward and casually slipping her arms around his shoulders. "We live together~"

Morgan huffed, placing a hand on her hip. "I refuse to be outdone." Her gaze was firm, but there was a dusting of red adorning her cheeks.

Avalon simply smiled, nodding serenely. "If that is the case, then I shall ensure Shirou is properly looked after. I hope we can all get along together."

Mordred, meanwhile, smirked. "Hah! This means I get to eat Mama's cooking every day! Hell yeah!"

Shirou paled. "Wait. What?"

And just like that, Shirou Emiya found himself with not one, not two, but four new housemates.

He was never going to have any normalcy in his life again after this.