Chapter 20: First Dream

Beta read by Shigiya and Darklord331

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-Fuyuki, Emiya Residence-

Shirou didn't know much about Enforcers, from their weakness to their strength, aside from what he experienced in his last two encounters. First the ridiculous amount of strength, enough to crush bones with a single attack and masters at hand-to-hand combat. Though whether that applied to only Bazett alone or the rest, he couldn't tell. 

"Hmm, unfortunately, I don't have any." Rummaging through his kitchen cabinet, the redhead sighed as there was no trace of any kind of poison he could add to her tea. "Who am I kidding, she'll most likely discover it and fling me across a few blocks with just a punch." 

Maybe this was a sign for him to stock up on such things. Or at least get some tasteless paralyzing agent that could hinder anyone who drank it long enough for him to take care of the underlying issue. Why was he searching for such a thing in the first place? Especially when said person came in peace as a guest with a broken arm. 

Honestly, even he didn't know why… perhaps the stress was getting to him and letting his more unhinged thoughts roam free bit by bit. Then again, he could protect himself by Projecting a Katana from before and reinforce it, an excellent weapon for close-quarter combat. Heck, what stopped him from bringing forth two at the same time and dual wield? Nothing! 'That's stupid, I'll look like a fool trying to swing around two swords without any technique.'

Furthermore, while Kogarasumaru was indeed a beautiful blade, Shirou felt there was something missing from the weapon in question. It was not like he was the legendary Musashi, who was famous for dual wielding two katanas masterfully. 

"Master?" 

"Huh?" 

Rider's cool but monotone voice brought him back to reality, pulling him away from the long tangent of thoughts he kept sinking into for who knew how long. "You've been staring at the cup for a while now." She said, not showing any sign of worry or anything else other than that same blank expression with the eyes hidden. He wondered why she wore that piece of cloth over them… given she wasn't blind as he found out soon after her summoning. Rider could see, better than anyone for that matter, able to spot small details dozens of meters away. 

Unless she used some form of magecraft that replaced the role of her visual senses. 

"Ah, sorry about that. Guess I'm still in shock at her being here, I never imagined she would be sitting in my living room. Our first meeting wasn't exactly ideal, to say the least, we ended up fighting each other over a small misunderstanding and I nearly died. Our second meeting was at the docks, she went to fight a chimera-like monster and I went to help out and nearly died. Now this is our third time meeting and she doesn't look like she's in good shape… Though I didn't tell her where I live."

"You expect to have another near encounter with death." She stated to which he nodded, not even bothering to hide his thoughts and fears. Unlike the last place, the house was equipped with all the weapons he could need coupled with a few explosives. In case everything went south, at least he had some way to defend himself or buy enough time. "What about the girl?" 

Rider's reminder made him sigh. 

"I know, Sakura will probably be back within an hour. We'll just have to see what she's here for and get done with this as soon as possible. By the way, can she sense you?" He still had his earlier fear of the Enforcer somehow finding out he became a Master. He made sure to hide the Command Seals with some paint matching his skin tone. 

"I'm not sure." He grimaced at her answer. "Masters and Magi can sense large amounts of Magical Energy rather than the Servants itself. But I made sure to keep myself hidden as much as possible." 

"I can chalk it up to me getting better with my magecraft these past months?" 

"..." 

"Hey, I know it sounds stupid but you don't have to give me that look," Shirou muttered with a slight pout. 

"..." 

"I mean, it shouldn't be unheard of for some Magus to suddenly gain a new level of progression with their craft and experience some level of changes." At this point, the boy knew he was grasping for straws. But, if Bazett came here for another matter entirely then he was safe, or else she would have attacked the moment they met instead of patiently waiting in front of his house. 

"Let's go then, does staying in your Spiritual Form help with concealment?" 

"It does." 

Even if she attacked him out of nowhere, at least with Rider by his side the outcome wouldn't be the same as last time. Unless she had a Servant as well. 

"Alright, no need to waste any more time." With a determined face, he grabbed the tray and walked to the living room, going outside to find Bazett sitting on the porch. "I can bring the tea over here if you don't feel safe inside." 

The Irish woman shook her head, "No need, I was looking around for a bit. Didn't want to intrude without your permission and be rude. With how our past interactions went, I assume you're very wary of me." 

'I sure am, I even had thoughts of paralyzing you.' He thought dryly with a hint of sarcasm but showed no negative emotions on his face. "It would be a lie to say that I'm completely comfortable with your visit. But we left on a good note last time, so I trust you, Bazett-san." He showed a polite smile while gesturing to her to come inside the house. 

"You're really going to end up in trouble with an attitude like that, kid. Most Magus tend to be more… strict to say the least. I've noticed how you have no defensive bounded field or anything substantial to protect your house aside from a simple formation that just serves to notify you that someone has entered." The boy froze at how easily she noticed these details. 

"Hahaha, there is no need for such things. I think that alone is enough, I'm not living in seclusion or have anything to hide." No, the real reason was he couldn't, wasn't able, to create any of the complex bounded fields no matter how hard he tried. Either nothing happened or they exploded. 

He tried practicing on it for months, not the slightest progress could be seen. 

"You're adding more credence to my words." Seeing her demeanor brought a sense of relief to the boy, she didn't seem like she came to take him in or kill him. "It's a nice place you have here." 

"Thanks," taking a seat at the table, Shirou's palms started sweating as he faced her as she took a sip of her tea. "I try to keep the place clean and well-maintained. Um, if it isn't too much to ask, but how did you find out where I live?" 

Bazett waited a few seconds before answering, further increasing his worries. "It was purely by accident, if you're worried about your information being known by any other party nor have I shared it with anyone, rest assured."

"By accident?" He tilted her head at the answer. 

"Yes, I was actually in Fuyuki for a couple of days and happened to frequent a local cafe. The owner mentioned someone named Shirou being the best employee she had and that I should return to try out some of his cooking. By curiosity, I asked if this person was a redhead, you can guess the rest." 

His jaw hung open at this piece of news, nearly smacking his face at Neko-san divulging his information to Bazett of all people! He could only see this as an unlucky moment as the aloof pub owner didn't know how dangerous Bazett was. 

"Right," the air between them became awkward, trying to come up with which topic to talk about next was hard when the other person was an Enforcer. Ah, he remembered something at that moment. "By the way, what happened with the whole Chimera incident? I hope you caught the one responsible." 

Before she left for London, Bazett did hint that she already had someone in mind but didn't provide any further information. 

"It's complicated." She said, "Turns out that the one I had in mind was just a glorified puppet. I… I got caught in their trap and had to leave London in the end." 

Shirou looked at her arm, guessing that it was most likely related to this trap she was talking about. Still, to think someone managed to injure her to this degree made him impressed, some Magi were truly a terrifying existence. 

"Do you require my help?" He asked. 

"Before I answer that, I want to ask you a question. I know you're aware of what happened in Fuyuki years ago with the fire tragedy." 

His face turned somber, "Yes, I know about the Holy Grail War." 

"A war that pits seven Masters and Servants against one another for a single wish as the end prize. Quite an attractive reward for anyone and not just Magi in general. Even those who oversee it have their own wishes they want to fulfill — that is how things are. It's a widely sought-after event by most groups who can go to extreme lengths just to secure a spot. A wish-granting artifact… who wouldn't want it?"

Why bring up all of this? Was she trying to hint that she already knew that he was a Master? Nevertheless, he kept a calm face and acted naturally. 

"I understand, but I am not interested in such things, Bazett-san. I know my limits and getting myself involved will just earn me an early grave." He lied, deciding to play uninterested in the whole ordeal and deny any involvement. "I lost many things from the fire, I don't wish to lose anymore." 

"I'm sorry for your loss… but you must know when the fifth one is going to happen, right?" 

"I believe it's in a few decades, not like I'll be here by then." His act of ignorance seemed to have worked with Bazett's following words. 

"Then I have bad news for you. According to the Church, the fifth Holy Grail War will be taking place sooner than ever before — in a few months more specifically." 

"What!?" He shouted and slammed his hands on the table, pushing his meager acting skills to the limit. "H-How is that possible!?" 

She shrugged, "Don't ask me, I don't know the details of how the mechanic works or why this change occurred. Though most theorize that it has to do with the outcome of the previous wars. Regardless, it is going to happen and there is a large chance that you'll get involved whether you want to become a Master or not." On that note he agreed with her, he was going to get involved and make sure the outcome of the war didn't follow a similar path as in the past. 

"Then… are you here to become a Master?" This was potentially very dangerous, Bazett on her own was dangerous but as a Master with a powerful Servant was nightmarish. Though if he tried, maybe they could establish an alliance first. 

"I was," her shoulders dropped as she turned her focus down the table with a tired expression crossing her face. "I… I… it's hard to explain."

She was hesitating, this was the first time he saw her like this. "I don't know if this will help, but I am not associated with either Mage Association's branches, you can think of me as an independent magecraft user at most. I know it's not enough to establish any trust in me, but I know how to keep my mouth shut."

She pondered on his words, her cup now empty as seconds turned into minutes. Bazett finally looked up, her eyes revealing a mix of uncertainty and exhaustion. "Shirou, I appreciate your offer, but this situation is more complicated than it seems. Let me ask you this first, whatever I'm about to say next will further implicate you in not only affairs related to the Holy Grail War thus endangering your life, but also my life and the Clocktower. If you want to back out, then I won't continue this conversation and we can change the topic to something else."

Shirou leaned backward with his eyes traveling to the ceiling, his curiosity piqued at her story more than anything else. 'This is not a wise decision.' Just as he was about to give his answer, Rider spoke with her voice resonating in his mind. With just the power of sheer willpower, he manages to stay calm in front of Bazett without showing anything. 

Wait, how could he talk back to her? Whenever she spoke like that he always answered by talking out loud. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever revelation Bazett was about to share.

'Can you hear my thoughts?' 

'You are too trusting.' She said, ignoring his previous question. Though he listened to her advice and once again came back to the same decision. 

'I won't deny that, but I can't just turn my back on her like this when she is obviously seeking help.'

'Yes, yes you can.' Her response came out dryer than before, almost as if she couldn't believe what he was saying. 

'I do understand where your worries are coming from.' Rider doubted he did. 'But Bazett did not come here with any particular nefarious motives from the looks of it. I don't have much to offer as a Magus and she doesn't know that I'm a Master as well. We should first listen to her story at least, don't you agree?' 

'...If you say so.' 

He suspected she wasn't happy or at least didn't agree with his decision. He was going to discuss it further with her afterward, now focusing back on Bazett, Shirou nodded firmly. "Bazett-san, I appreciate your honesty so far, and I'm willing to hear what you have to say. Please, continue."

Bazett gave a slight nod in return, her expression still a mix of weariness and uncertainty. She leaned in closer, her voice lower as if to ensure their conversation remained private. "Antrum Galliasta, that's the person who will be participating in the Fifth Grail War. He was also the one behind the release of the Chimeras in Fuyuki…" For the next few minutes, she recounted most of the information she had about this particular Magus and his family. Going so far as to tell him about her interaction with the man and his surprise attack on her. "... unfortunately, by the time I finished dealing with his creations, he was gone. I suspect him to have run away here in Fuyuki and because of that, there is a large possibility that you'll encounter more of his creations." 

He nodded, "I can understand how dangerous this situation is, but I'm confident I can take care of these creatures as I've gotten some experience dealing with them. As for Antrum, it's going to be tricky to find him, but I can manage to dig up some information." 

"No," he flinched at the sudden change in tone from Bazett. "I'm not asking you to confront them or even the Galliasta heir — in fact, I forbid you to do so!" 

"What, why?" 

"Just trust me, it's better for me to handle this instead. What you need to do is just keep a lookout and inform me of any information you might come across and alert me whenever you spot a monster in the area again." On the table, she slid a piece of paper with a series of numbers. "Call me through this." 

"...what do I get in return? While I'm more than happy to help you, my stomach and bones still feel sore from your previous punches." He crossed his arms, putting up a pitiful face. "I could barely walk and even perform my daily tasks without hearing my bones creak."

Of course, he was going to help her and try to take down this Antrum Galliasta. But he knew that this opportunity came rarely, thus putting aside his other side telling him to just accept this request without asking for anything in return — the boy decided to be slightly selfish. 

"What do you want?" Bazett immediately accepted much to his surprise, it seemed like she expected such a response from him. He nearly raised his hands and exclaimed that it was merely a joke but held back. "I may not be the richest Enforcer out there, but I don't lack in funds and resources I've amassed during my time working for the Clocktower." 

"I don't need such things." He said, knowing any resources would be a waste on him with how lacking his talent was with magecraft. "Bazett-san, I want you to teach me how to fight like you!" 

"What?" 

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Watching Bazett walk away from his house as they said their goodbyes. Their conversation though short was amicable, to say the least, and didn't even last as long as he feared. She wasn't here to capture or kill him for his status as a Master and came to seek help instead. 

"She is lying." Next to him, Rider appeared in her physical form, facing him for a few seconds and waiting for his answer. He had agreed with her words, while her story concerning Antrum and his escape did make sense — Shirou felt that there were many parts where she omitted important information. 

"I'm a bit confused as well, she mentioned before how she had help with the agents working for the Church here. But why come to me instead of them?" One thing he agreed with was that Antrum Galliasta needed to be dealt with in case he tried to release another horde of chimeras. Maybe he was planning on using them along with his Servant to win the war? "I can ask Fujimura-san if his men can find anyone matching his description around Fuyuki." 

He still had time according to Bazett from the actual start of the war, so he planned on taking advantage of that and preparing. 

"..."

"I know this is a bad idea, you don't have to tell me twice." Shirou sighed, taking the cup of tea back to the kitchen. "If it does turn out to be dangerous, then I can always count on you or retreat." 

"..." She didn't even speak in the first place, though Rider did wonder how he guessed that this was indeed the thought she was having. 

"You know, we shouldn't stress ourselves with such things for now. I never actually asked you what kind of dish you'd like or your preference. I'll be making some steak au poivre, saw a new recipe in a magazine and since Sakura isn't here yet, you can try it out and give me your opinion." Maybe with this, he would be able to alleviate some of her dissatisfaction with his choices concerning Bazett. "Ah, are you perhaps vegetarian? I should have asked you this beforehand. Oh wait, you are the food I made back in school, so it should be good." 

"..." 

Rider started feeling more and more speechless with how weird her Master was. However, she had to admit that he was talented when it came to cooking. "You're wasting your time, we Servants don't need to e—"

"And just like I said before, I don't care about that. It's not a question of whether you need or don't need to eat, you're still a person and that's all that matters." The sound of meat sizzling on the hot pan with a mouth-watering aroma of various herbs wafted inside the room. "So come on, take a seat, don't be a stranger." 

She was certain, her Master was a complete oddity… 

{Break}

-???-

Mankind's desire to idolize beauty has been a driving force throughout history. From the graceful sculptures of ancient Greece to the stunning works of Renaissance painters, humanity has always sought to capture and celebrate beauty in all its forms. Whether it is in the grandeur of a majestic landscape or the delicate details of a flower, our fascination with beauty transcends cultural boundaries and defines our creative endeavors. 

The ever-expanding lust, love, and desire of mankind for the ideal idol turned into a tangible aspect. Giving birth to beings perfectly symbolizes that which they yearned for. 

That was the story… the explanation she heard countless times from the beginning. At least, that was what Shirou understood. 

From just a glance, he agreed with the representation of beauty, but to his eyes it more or less resembled innocence more than anything else. Three purity, born to be desired, sought after, and praised by countless to the point of seeing them as more than humans. 

Goddesses? He couldn't tell, no, he just couldn't understand.

"Ah, there you are M̴̴̷̴̷̡̨͕̪͓̱͖̘̐̀̉̇̈́͂͒͘ẽ̷̵̴̴̶̦̲͙̜̲̘͈̊̿͋̈̅d̷̷̶͕͆͌̔͂ṳ̷̖̎̈̊s̴̴̷͔̩̮̆̐̀̐͘ǎ̸̓, you can't escape your sister even if you tried!" 

"Ara~ you look so adorable even when you're angry!" 

A trinity born to represent perfectness, sharing everything, and being one of the same. Though that failed to be the case, in his eyes, each one of them was unique in their own right rather than being a clone of the other. Though they shared the same face, each couldn't be any more different, especially compared to the one in the middle. 

Behind all the teasing and messing around was genuine love, the same love that had bound them together since their creation. The three sisters shared an unbreakable bond that he could not relate to, one that he could almost say he felt envious of? Probably not that, still, a bond a part of him also wished to experience with one whom he never met yet. As they playfully shared laughs and teasings, their giggles filled the room, echoing within his mind. 

They loved to tease the smallest one, that much he could see. The youngest who turned out to be the most distinct of them all yet familiar at the same time. Just like her sisters, she perhaps only wished for such moments to last forever. 

She was the exception from birth, an aspect that grew more apparent from the earlier years to the latter. An anomaly, a defect even as she perceived herself but still the same little adorable toy in the eyes of the other two. They didn't care like the rest, why would they? After all, she was and would always be their younger sister — nothing changed that reality. In the end, the youngest still envied the other two, for their form would eternally stay the same as the representation of the beauty of that era, a sense of inferiority complex that bloomed with each change that occurred within her. 

Not that it helped the other two kept teasing her about it. But in the end, she was happy with them. 

To Shirou, it was almost as if he lived her life through the same eyes and body. 

As they continued to banter and exchange playful remarks, a migraine assaulted his mind. The surroundings grow darker with each passing second bringing forth almost a sense of dread. For all the change she experienced came an equal amount of veneration from the world outside, a sense of awe and adoration that brought forth lust from many different beings. Yet this same adoration ended up earning the ire of one who could feel jealousy. 

The body he was in watched the small delicate pair of hands. The world turned dark as the sound of laughter and giggles disappeared, leaving nothing but the sound of crashing waves and when he looked at his hands…

Blood… 

…that was not hers?

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"Hah!"

Shirou's eyes snapped open with a start, his heart racing like a wild stallion. He was disoriented, his surroundings a blur until he focused on a pair of gentle hands.

"Sakura?" His voice trembled, and those delicate hands tenderly caressed his forehead, immediately soothing his racing thoughts. "Sakura, what are you..." She gently guided him, his head coming to rest on a soft, comforting surface. The soft fabric cradled Shirou's head, and as his vision cleared, he realized he was resting in Sakura's lap. Her soothing voice whispered like a gentle breeze, carrying away the remnants of his nightmare.

"It's alright, Senpai," Sakura's voice came as a melodic lullaby to his ears. "You're awake now. Just breathe and let go of those troubling thoughts."

Shirou's tense muscles began to relax as he listened to her calming words. Her fingers continued to stroke his forehead in a rhythmic pattern, easing away the remnants of his unsettling dream. At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace and security, as if all the worries of the world had faded away. Looking to the side, he found the table cleaned with no trace of plates or cups, he didn't know whether it was Rider or Sakura who cleaned it up. "It's the first time I saw you having a nightmare like this."

"Yeah…" calling it a nightmare would be wrong, his mind was still too hazy to remember the details. But in that last moment, he could still feel the warm sensation of blood covering his skin. It was… too real for comfort. 'What the heck was that?' 

"You were tired, I never thought I'd see you sleeping on the table like that. You were even drooling." She giggled at the last part. "Wish I had a camera to capture that scene."

Oh, so Rider did help him clear out the table while he slept? He had to thank her for that. "Don't do that, or else I'll do the same with you."

"I'd like to see you try," she said whilst pressing his left cheek with her finger. "By the way, did someone come here, senpai?" 

"..." Shirou took a second to think about his answer. "Yeah, an old friend of my dad came over. We had a small chat before she left." 

"A woman?" Her hands stilled for a second as he continued to speak. "Why did she come over?" 

"No reason really, just had a small chat about her past and current work. Apparently, she likes to stop by Copenhagen and even made friends with Neko-san, which I found surprising — who knew that woman could have another friend other than Fuji-nee." Should he be worried about how easily it was becoming for him to create a lie? Well, it wasn't a complete lie, but still. "Has Shinji tried to approach you or get into contact again?" 

"..." he noticed her sudden silence and turned around to look at her face, but instantly regretted it as what met his vision was her chest. Face reddening from the display, Shirou quickly averted his eyes and pushed back any shameless thoughts emerging in his head. 

'They do seem bigger lately—' Ah, he failed to do so. 

"No, Nii-san hasn't talked to me yet." She answered with a whisper. "Are you two still fighting?" 

"No, I haven't spoken to him since last time. But I got word from Issei saying that he's been hanging around the archery club a bit too much lately, some of the members think he's going to join." 

"Him? Archery?" 

"Heh, I had the same reaction. I'll see if I can talk to him amicably. Though I don't think he'll appreciate my gesture." Shinji was a stubborn person, he'd kept his grudge for who knows how long. 

"Just promise me you'll try your best and not taunt him, senpai." 

"Come on, I'm not that kind of guy who finds joy antagonizing people for the heck of it." 

He didn't need to see her expression to find out she was smiling. "Thank you." 

"No problem, he better be grateful to have a saint of a sister like you." For now, he wished to stay here for a bit longer, Sakura was more comfortable than he would ever admit. 

"A-Ah~" Shirou jolted in an unexpected moan. "D-Don't move your head too much, s-senpai…"

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean t—" he tried to get up and move away, having gotten caught in the moment and made her uncomfortable. But to his surprise, she once again grabbed his head and pulled him back to her knees. 

"I-I-It's fine… I didn't feel bad." 

Now this felt awkward. 

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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 1 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.