Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Great!” Olga snapped back, throwing her hands in the air, “She’s mute and probably can’t even understand a word that I’m saying! Wow, what great hopes we have here!”

The Master, since that’s all they could really call her, looked at the Director before her eyes turned to the surrounding area. It went about as well as anyone could hope, and Olga’s face burned bright red in her anger. She scowled, and brought her hand up to bite down on her fingernail. 

A thousand options and thoughts must have ran through her head, and she must be already thinking of a way to get out of this situation. But whatever she was thinking of, her eyes kept lingering back on the Red Command Spells on the back of Master’s hand. As though sensing it, Master turned her hand so that her palm faced out, even as she kept looking around.

All things considered, she didn’t too bothered or upset. She looked like someone just out for a walk in the park with how much indifference she seemed to exude out. If Mash didn’t know any better, she would even go as far to say that Master looked like she honestly didn’t care that the cityscape was burning to the ground around her.

But Mash, who felt the warmth of the hand that held hers so tightly, even as the world burned all around her, refused to believe that this was a lost cause.

“It's alright,” Mash said, summoning her confidence from somewhere in her heart, “I will protect you, Master.”

It was like she didn’t even say anything. Mash took a deep breath, steeling her heart because even if her words weren’t heard, it was important that she believed in them. And then, her Master moved so that she was standing directly in front of her. When Mash looked where she was looking, saw skeletons slowly inching their way towards them. Fearful, she pulled her Master behind her and prepared for the oncoming assault. 

Since the first time they met, the Master frowned when she was pulled behind her demi-servant. By then, Olga understood what had happened and shrieked in fear as she rushed behind her.

“Hurry up and dispatch them, Mash!”

“Roger!”

She risked a glance behind her where her Master stood, and hoped that she understood the severity of the situation. And more importantly, that she would not panic even at the sight of the walking-dead making their way closer to her. Even in her own head, it was doubtful. 

Yet, the Master didn’t move away from behind her. 

Chapter Text

After Caster Culainn had joined their team, the others began to join them in trickles. It was impressive, since it felt like Senpai didn't have very good control of her magic. She must have some, since Mash could feel it under her skin when she turned into a servant, but perhaps it was Chaldea. She couldn't be certain. Mash, who was at first ecstatic at the thought and sight of all these allies, quickly realized where she stood amongst them. In terms of strength and ability to fight, Mash had understood that she wouldn’t ever be number one. In all honesty, that was fine with her.

All she wanted was for her Senpai to be protected. Certainly, that was why she presented as a Shielder. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t help but think that it was incredibly unfair. She would make all the mistakes so that the other new servants would have a heads up warning. But when it came down to it, the mistakes that Mash made would stain and impede on her and her Master’s relationship from ever blooming.

She can already see it.

Her Senpai, once Da Vinci had explained to her how to use a PDA tablet, seemed glued to it. She only looked up and around when she saw another servant come before her, and even then she didn’t usually look at them longer than a quick glance. Aside from how incredibly rude it was, it caused a tight feeling to squeeze her chest. 

Because at least they get a glance.

Mash was usually completely ignored. Even though Mash was the one that dedicatedly walked her to each meal and to and fro her room any anywhere else. Even though Mash would take any hit for her, and accompany her anywhere. It was as though the Master does not care about her. 

With each and every servant that comes through, the only thought that Mash has to comfort herself was the fact that the Master so far treated everyone the same. Everyone had the same amount of indifference from her, regardless of who they are or how they greet her. Her sharp coldness was a constant. And if she was cold to them, she was absolutely frigid to Mash. 

On the other side, Romani and Da Vinci warmly greeted each and every servant, as though to make up for the fact that Master couldn’t. Even though Da Vinci was literally repeating herself over and over after every ten or so servants that walked in, she always made it seem like she was explaining the Incarnation of Humanity for the first time. 

Perhaps, that was the level of patience she needed to have. Mash needed to prepare to do anything as many times as needed. 

Okay, she thought, re-energized.

-

It seemed as though, in an instant, there were swarms of them. Of course, there weren’t really any humans aside from Chaleda staff members, but there was still life throughout the corridors. Many of the servants were figuring themselves out for the first time, and for the most part, the servants were wandering around.

Shockingly, they were mostly okay with the Staff Members as well, and others began to immediately hit it off.

However, it could also be because no one felt comfortable. There was no reason to feel this way, of course, aside from the whole ‘threat against humanity’ subplot they had to deal with. Otherwise, Servants were treated with respect, and the remaining staff members worked very hard every day. 

At worst, the humans would move like zombies, shifting around with dark bags under their eyes and mouth agape in their exhaustion. But mostly, it was as though they were never there. Like, slow-moving fixtures that shuffle or stand staring at corners. 

A good number of the servants came forward to help do some of the household chores. Others remained dematerialized unless they felt needed or called for.

However, there was a clear amount of restlessness that haunted all the servants the same way. However, most of them didn’t talk to each other, so it would remain a quiet affair for quite some time.

Chapter Text

All these servants, yet it felt like no one knew the Master.

"Well, while I'm fine calling her 'Master', I would still like to know her name," Saint Martha commented.

“To be honest, I don’t think I have ever seen her laugh,” Queen Marie replied, a small frown on her face, “It’s a little concerning.”

“She doesn’t need to laugh for her to be a capable Master,” EMIYA, the Nameless Archer, replied. “Nor is it of any importance to us whether or not we know her name.”

The answer was cold, but his gaze lingered. 

“Usually, during Holy Grail Wars, we would be the one that hide our name. How ironic that it’s the other way this time,” Assassin Sasaki said, a wry smile on his face. 

“Well, it appears that there is not much we can do about the situation,” Rider Ushiwakamkura added. "It would appear that she cannot speak."

"There are plenty of ways to speak without talking though," Lancer Benkei added, sounding as calm as possible.

“Honestly,” Caster Medea sighed back, “It’s more surprising that no one is even trying to get her to learn how to speak.”

“We are working on it,” Mash suddenly called out.

There was this feeling in her heart that was getting gnawed on the longer the other servants talked. They, who clearly had no idea what was going on, kept talking in a way that made her frown and cause something inside of her to tighten up. Unexpectedly, it bubbled up into something because she was trying her best. Wasn't it obvious? What else could she do so that it gets even more obvious? What did she need to do and then the feelings bubbled out-

“Please leave matters concerning the Master to me.”

There was a moment of pause, half of them genuinely surprised by her words and the other half looking wrong-footed. 

Mash blinked and immediately started to back-track. She dropped her eyes, ashamed for being so rude in front of these magnificent people who served as the foundation for humanity as they knew it today.

“Ah, what I mean by that is that, it would be bad if a bunch of different people tried to teach her at the same time and have it completely blow up in everyone’s face.”

“Ah, too many cooks spoil the broth,” Caster Mozart called back helpfully, inquisitive eyes focusing on her, “Yes, I suppose I understand that.”

“So please,” Mash said, lowering her head into a polite bow, “entrust this matter to us.”

There was another beat of pause, but the shielder eventually got the affirmation.

She can do it. She was Senpai's first servant. She was Senpai's Shielder. The warmth of that hand while the world burned down around them had etched itself deep into her mind, like a tattoo.

She could do it.

Chapter Text

However, when the Master woke up in the fields, only Mash with her. The permanent cold of Chaldea had been left behind, and the outdoor snowstorm was replaced with green grass and forest at the corners of the horizon. Slowly, she looked around, and her gaze rested on Mash again. She closed her eyes, took a long, long moment, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. 

Her vitals said she was fine. So perhaps, it was the nausea from the transport. While she wasn't throwing up like she did before, it must be hard to get used to still. Unfortunately, that was all they could rely on when it came to her health. She didn’t trust anyone to come with her with the intention of a check-up, and it wasn’t something that they could approach her on. The last time they tried, Romani was nursing a broken nose and still flinched when anyone came close to him with their elbows. 

Fortunately, it did seem like nothing was wrong for the time being. They counted their blessing for that.

“Alright, all systems are in the green. How are you two?”

A hologram of Romani appeared before them. His unusually solemn face looking at them seriously. 

“We are alright, Doctor,” Mash replied. And she was here, so she would make sure that Senpai was too. 

The Master’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. It was one of the rare times she seemed to emote on her face, and they took a moment to realize how young she looked when she was surprised.

“Surprised, Senpai?” Mash asked, a smile on her face, “Like this, Chaleda will continue to monitor us and record our travels for future references. It’s a little reassuring to have a constant connection to them, don’t you think?”

The Master stared for another moment before she turned back to looking around the clearing they ended up in. Her expression was wiped clean off her face, leaving her to look like a blank-faced doll that occasionally blinked if you stared long enough.

As ethereal as it may sounded, it didn't provide Mash any comfort. 

“I don’t mean to cut the chatter, but incoming!”

Chapter Text

“I was wondering why it was so quiet. Everyone was here, huh?”

The idea that, just by watching someone or something, you could get a headache was always a figure of speech for Romani. It was something that people said because when dealing with a particular someone who always caused trouble wherever they went. And if they did have a headache, it was usually derived from the stress of dealing with that trouble and its aftermath, moreso than the actual person themselves.

And then, he met the Master of Chaleda. The only one left, at least.

Their first meeting was when she was naked and that was a brief encounter that Mash ended up beating out of him. Their second encounter was when Chaleda was on fire. The third left him with a broken nose, and it’s still hard to work with it now. While he would never consider himself handsome, or even close, now his nose was crooked. 

“...Is this a Singularity?” 

And with the Master came her servants. Not a day has gone back since his pile of work seemed to increase exponentially. These days, he missed his bed like a summertime lover. A distant daydream that he might be able to catch a glimpse of once a year.

“...I see. It seems she has gone to a Singularity without any of us.”

And right now, he could feel the temperature in the room drop several degrees in temperature.

Who had let them in anyways? Where was security? No unauthorized personnel should be here, in the command center-

Right. Security was all dead. 

David and Henry and Salón and Kiara were all-

Taking a deep breath, pushing his growing headache (heartache) as far away as he could and pretending that his nose wasn’t pounding, he turned to give a weak smile to the servants that had appeared.

“...Haha, Archer Arash and Lancer Culainn,” he greeted formally, “I’m afraid that we are going to have to ask you to leave-”

“...You know, if someone had just said that the Master had taken a stronger, more capable and reliable servant, I wouldn’t have mentioned anything,” Arash said, and despite having a smile on his face, seemed to be emitting a dangerous aura. “But, it looks like she is just alone out there.”

All of Romani’s hair seemed to stand on its end. Just standing next to him, he could feel the power of the man who once ended war with an arrow.

“Yes, it looks as though Lady Mash is the only person with her at the moment. But I could be wrong," he continued, seemingly ignorant to the way Romani was breaking out into sweat.

Or maybe he was fully aware and relishing in Romani's fear. He wouldn't know. 

“No way, I saw the Holy Maiden in the cafeteria on my way here,” Cu added, squinting at the screen, “So that blondie is definitely not from here.”

“Is that so?” the Hero's voice and enunciation was perfect and smooth. Just three words. It wasn't a threat or a promise or anything resembling anything so dangerous. Yet, Romani's heart was ready to fold in on itself in an effort to hide.

And what was Romani supposed to do? Admit that they had pretty much tricked and forced the Master to go to the Singularity? He knew that it wasn’t really well done and Da Vinci’s plan would have gone much better, but there was no time. They had to clear the Singularity right now, as it was opening. There was no other option.

“I wonder why. After all, the Master has worked very hard for the last couple of days to ensure that all of us are so well-fed and strong.”

Fuck. Romani thought, feeling all of his inner organs starting to coil in on himself. His stress manifested into something tangible. He knew because he swore he could feel it lodge in his throat. 

“Senpai! Please!”

Mash’s voice echoed through the Command Room as she screamed for the Senpai who bravely threw herself into danger.

“What is she doing…?” Cu asked, narrowing his eyes as he watched the scene play out in front of him.

Truly, it wasn’t that people could cause headaches, but ulcers.

Chapter Text

The first weeks of Chaldea after the Singularity cleared out was busy, as always. Chaldea seemed to be bursting at the seams with how much was going on. Things that they used to have a team of hundreds of people doing was reduced to a team of about 50. Needless to say, everyone was feeling the workload. 

Personally, he watched an employer run straight into the doorframe, apologize profusely to it, and then run right back into it again. Breaking down into tears, that employee begged for forgiveness, promised to work harder, and then ran into a third time. It was so pitiful that he couldn't bear to watch any longer and receded away. 

And then, it seemed like the Master has gotten into the habit of prioritizing the return of her servants' full potential as she gets them. It was admirable and ambitious, but Vlad imagined that her very same ambition would be her downfall. She was thin, like the other employees here. Her face was sunken, and thin enough that her veins bulging out on her hand when he watched her hold up her PDA.

But, when he came to her, she looked no different than she normally does. With an apple in her hand, she read through the papers in front of her. If she was tired, frustrated, or even a little bit overwhelmed, she didn’t show it. At best, she just looked annoyed. Her eyes were as sharp and determined as when he first walked through that summoning circle and was immediately dismissed. 

He admired that quality of her. 

When he had first walked through, he was, like many others, disappointed to learn that his Master was someone without a voice and with no interest. There were no ambition or determination in her eyes, the same way she held no fear or insecurity in her posture. No matter how kindly Mash had tried to explain this situation as something that wasn’t a issue, it was hard to believe her.

Of course, he was no stranger to know that people are able to communicate without using words, but it wasn’t something that he ever needed to exploit to this extent. 

His Master’s eyes flickered to where he stood, and then moved back down to the paper, but made no means to otherwise recognize him. If he wasn’t already so attentive, he might have missed it. Regardless, it was a little annoying to be so swiftly dismissed as he was walking in. Her room wasn't even locked. 

“...Master,” he said, and she didn’t even look up. Vaguely, he wondered if she knew that he was calling for her, and sighed. “Would you like some tea and cookies?”

Again, no response. It wasn’t really in him to go out of his way to do something that she didn’t tell him to, but it wouldn’t be good if a servant were to inconvenience their Master in any way. But as someone who now stands as he did in his prime, he can’t stop the nagging feeling to do something. It was like the itch to drink something delicious, he felt the itch to return to his side. From the way the number of magical particles in the air jumped up the closer he came to her room, he knew that there were plenty others who were the same.

He wondered if this feeling in his heart to suddenly be with her was his or hers. 

She made no motions, and continued looking at the same pieces of paper with the same amount of concentration from when he walked in. It looked like there was also a book next to her, but he dismissed that idea swiftly. What would his illiterate Master be reading? He sighed after another moment, feeling suddenly exhausted. And with a quick bow, walked out.

-

Within two hours, he had brewed a pot of tea and baked some small sugar cookies. He thinks that they will be to her taste, and if not, he will then know for the future. The door opened for him automatically, still unlocked, but he lingered at the door, and when she barely glanced at him, took it as an invitation to come in.

It was, to put it bluntly, breaking a lot of rules of decorum by forcing her attention onto him like this. It was something unbelievable that someone of his statue would even consider doing. But here he was.

He blamed madness enhancement for the ache in his chest and placed the tray on the table next to her. She looked at it and then at him, and meeting his eyes for the first time, nodded.

He watched, as she ate a cookie and smiled when her eyes shined. She turned back to him, her eyes beaming and he watched as she abandoned her work to make quick work of another two cookies before sipping the tea. The smile she had against the rim of the cup was something that Vlad had already tucked into the corners of his heart.

She finished off the tea, ate all the cookies, gave him another nod, and then went back to work.

He supposed that it meant that she didn’t want any seconds. And that she wanted to return to whatever the papers with strange symbols (perhaps her language?) were telling her. And, more importantly, that he was done here and should excuse himself.

Despite understanding that, he lingered for another moment, taking his time to collect the tray into his hands.

But quietly, privately, somewhere far away in his heart that he wanted to squash and pretend didn’t exist, he did feel a little special, a little elated, that his Master had taken the time to raise him back to his former glory. To his peak of his power and his confidence.

Even though there was no reason to think so and all the other servants he had seen were the same, he truly thought that he was special.

He wasn't just a weapon, sharpened and ready to be used to kill (though he wouldn't hesitate to). 

Chapter Text

“Master,” the Caster whispered quietly, “It’s not much, but even this will be better than nothing.”

After the whole incident with New Orleans, he had been (like many others) on the hunt for her. However, with Mash glued to her side, it was hard to get her alone. While Cu didn’t mind if people watched and knew, he just wanted a moment with her to confirm for himself that she was alright. Until that incident, he never questioned the bond that they had, but when she came back, bruised and bloody and cold, all he could think about was that he couldn’t feel anything from her. 

Was she scared? Hurt? Angry? Annoyed? It looked like it, but there was no certainty that supported his ideas. She walked past those who offer a hand and spited in the face of those who wish her harm. She fought hard, with every fiber in her being, to anyone and everyone who attempted to put their will into her, good or bad. It wasn’t a thought he ever entertained before, but he wished that they could communicate a little better together.

It was frustrating. 

As a servant, he should be able to feel how she felt with low to minimal effort. As a servant, he should be able to find and communicate with her with ease. As a servant, he should have been the one that shattered his ribs and fought off those soldiers. As a servant, he should be reliable enough that someone as small and as young as her wouldn’t hesitate to trust him.

The space between them was wide. He has no idea how to close it. 

But he had found her. She was by herself, walking through the corridor. He didn’t know why she was there, but when he saw her, he forgot about everything else and rushed to her. 

Which led him to where he was now. She didn’t look at all surprised to see him. Her eyes met his, and he wondered who she allowed to heal her, since she seemed to stand a little straighter and didn’t look as pale as she used to be. With a healthy flush to her face and that damn black-eye completely healed, the worry in his heart disappeared and instead, he felt empty.

Why did she go to someone else? He could have healed her.

Immediately, he banished that thought. How stupid. Of course he could help, but there were much better healers under her contract. Clearly, she went to them.

So, he extended his hand to her. When she dropped her gaze from his eyes to his hand, she didn’t do anything but stare at it. He gave a little sigh and propped his staff against his chest, and slowly made to grab her hand and place it in his. 

She didn’t fight it. He wondered if it was because she trusted him. The feeling in his chest, it was oppressive. Was hope supposed to feel this heavy?

He pressed his finger against the palm of her hand and traced out a rune. Following his finger movements, a white light imbedded with his magic glowed against her skin. It shined and shimmered and when he was done tracing, it disappeared like it was never there. 

The rune itself was a simple one, a basic thing, and he could already feel his former teacher’s ridiculing him. However, this was a rune that would be based off his Master’s magic. For existing, it couldn’t be a drain on her mana. Furthermore, it just needed to protect her from silly human things. If, at all possible, anyone (he) could come and fight the really hard and scary things but the rune would protect her from small things. 

Anyone (he) would take care of the rest.

“It’s a rune,” he said, even though he knew that she couldn’t understand him. “It's my specialty now that I lost my lance when you summoned me like this.” He gave a wry grin, and slowly released her. His hand felt cold, but that heavy feeling in his chest lessened, when he watched the way she stared at it. “It’s not great, since this isn’t what I’m best at, but…”

He would, without a doubt for certain, be there next time to fight off the monsters. She just needed to be alive long enough to experience being rescued.

She stared, watching as the rune glowed on her hand and then dissipated away. Chaldea, with its white walls and white blizzard and fluorescent lights, could not have put that light in her eyes, but it felt so juvenile to think that he did. He couldn't help but embed the sight in front of him. His Master, with all her attention on her palm. Her other hand came up to trace the area where the rune used to sit, and he grinned at the sight.

Surprisingly, she could be really cute.

“It’ll at least help you until someone else can come and get you out of whatever you got yourself in," he said, even though she wouldn't know about him and his intentions.

Regretfully, reluctantly, he loosened his grip on her hand and returned his hands to his side. He repositioned his staff, but couldn’t quite make himself leave. He should. Before he made a fool of himself, and expose how worried he was and then get coldly rejected like he saw the Fox Shrine Maiden was.

And then, she grabbed his hand.

He choked on his surprise, but allowed her to do as she pleased. She opened up his palm , just as he did to her just a moment before. She wasn’t a very strong human, in any stretch of the term, and he would be able to easily break out of the grip. But he was curious. She was never one to initiate anything, even if she seemed to visit the library more often now, and Cu wanted to know what she was looking for.

The last thing he expected was for her to trace back the rune spell almost exactly. It was a little lacking in the amount of mana that she needed, but the rune was there. 

It was even weaker than the weak Protection Rune he put on her, but a shiver ran down his spine. Here was a human who never received formal magic training before (the magic of their bond wasn't something that he would speak lightly of, and it did not lie). That same human, who couldn’t even say “Good Morning” to them, had somehow managed to replicate a rune that has only been given and shown to her once. Yes, it wasn’t perfect, but it was also clearly functional. From the first time with no explanation on what this rune is or how to make it.

Surprisingly, his Master could be really scary.

“Senpai! There you are!”

A familiar figure came running around the corner. Mash rushed right up to her side with a frown, and sighed.

“Honestly, I can’t believe you. I turned around for just a moment and it was like you were never there! Goodness, well then, now that we found each other again, we…” she trailed off and turned to stare at Caster Cu. She gave a small smile as she bowed politely, “Thank you for looking after her again, Caster-san. I can take it from here.”

Suddenly, he was flooded with the wild idea of rejecting it. After the whole thing with Fuyuki, he never got a chance to really interact with the young shielder. Of course, it wasn’t like there was a lot of leisure time for someone who had to be by the Master’s side at all times. Yet, the feeling remained and intensified, like he was smelling something foul. He wanted to keep the Master close. He promised to protect her. His rune was a promise to her and she returned and she agreed he had a rune, he had Her Rune, he-

“O-oh, right,” he said, his head spinning as the feelings began to wrap around his head tightly. 

“Excuse us then,” Mash said, bowing one more time. Her hand came to grab the Master’s arm and began to tug her away. 

The feeling intensified, and Cu shot one last look to the Master. Her eyes had lost its shine, and she has reverted back to the Master that he remembered. Perfect posture and blank expression. Something nagged at him from the corners of his mind, but he couldn't come up with anything.

But, once the Master and Mash leave down the hall and away from him, the sensation fades away like it was never there. 

He looked down to his hand, where he could faintly feel his Master’s finger tracing out a rune on his palm, and clenched his hand tightly. 

Chapter Text

“Your luck has run out, Mongrel!”

The Master, as impassive as ever, lifted her hand up and immediately opened his file. While it was generally rude to open someone’s information like that, especially as a first impression, it seemed that the Master didn’t seem to understand that and Mash didn’t know how to explain it to her. As it was, this was just another thing that Mash had to explain and profusely apologize for, again and again.

However, staring at the stats and name of this man, she felt all of her innards shrivel up. 

Mash looked like she swallowed a toad whole. Looking stuck between screaming or fainting, she stood there, gaping like a fish.

“T-The… The King of Heroes?!”

“Hooh?” Indeed, the King of Heroes, the Oldest Hero, half-god and half-human, Gilgamesh stared down at her.

Despite having eyes red like fire, it was a very cold gaze.

But as Master did with all of her servants that she summoned, she remained stoic staring at the heroic spirit before eventually turning to the shielder. The shielder suddenly put it together.

She must have been checking her reaction to see how to react against strangers!

She quickly pulled herself together. It wouldn’t do if her beloved senpai learned the wrong things from her after all, and gave a polite bow to the King of Heroes. This was how you should treat people of his caliber, she hoped to convey to him while simultaneously trying to communicate to the Golden Archer how grateful she was for answering her Senpai's call.

“Your highness,” she said, “I humbly welcome you to Chaleda. We are honored to have you grace us with your presence. With your help, I’m sure that saving humanity from incarnation will be much easier.” She lifted up, a beaming, bright smile on her face as she shined with pride.

That was well-crafted and well-formed in her humble opinion, and she hoped that it’s acceptable.

“Hm. Is that so?”

It must have failed to meet his standards, however, if the disappointed look on his face was any indication.

“If the salvation of humanity can only occur by summoning another party to fight for you, is it truly a battle that humanity has won?”

He looked from Mash to the Master and then raised his eyebrow while Mash stuttered for an answer.

“Hm? And you, Mongrel? Are you the insolent Mongrel that has summoned me?”

Master looked from Mash to Gilgamesh, and met his gaze head on. Behind the archer, Mash made frantic movements like bowing or motioning her to lower her eyes before they lose a valuable ally because of their Master’s ignorance.

“...I asked you a question, Mongrel.”

“Forgive her, Your Highness,” Mash yelled out, “She hasn’t learned our tongue yet. We uhm, we are able to maintain communication-”

“Kuhaha! A Master who cannot speak to protect humanity! The end of the world approaches for you mongrels and the best you have is to summon others to fight for you through a dumb Master! Kuhaha!” he laughed, as though the impending doom was prime-time entertainment.

Mash felt her heart drop. She dropped her head, lips trembling, but the King wasn’t done.

“And those eyes, they’re so determined. Of what? Master of Chaleda, if you wish for me to wield my treasury for you, you must prove yourself worthy of it,” he said, eyes bright with thinly veiled arrogance as he grinned down at the unwavering Master. “Don’t disappoint me, Mongrel.”

The Master stared back, and Mash couldn’t help that awfully guilty feeling that they had sent a small child to be eaten alive by a demon.

No, no, she thought to herself, shaking her head. She needed to protect her Senpai. Her guilt was meaningless if she never learned from it. This time for certain. This would be the last time she ever let down her Senpai.

Chapter Text

Eventually, they managed to stop for breakfast and pull the Master of Chaldea away from the summoning room.

By then, however, six hours had passed and way past time for lunch. Mash sighed, upset by the whole thing, but knew better than to say anything against Da Vinci, who was still reeling from the shock of exactly who the Master managed to summon in the last few hours.

With enough data to keep her occupied for the better part of the day, she quickly took her leave. Romani, who was apparently still nursing his broken nose and bruised pride, had been doped up on pain meds and locked in his office trying to make himself better a little bit better. She had no doubts that he was reading up on his shitty and fake idol girls instead of doing anything productive.

Which left just Mash to look after the Master. The feelings intensified further when she realized that not all the servants had the purest intentions in heart, and began to fear for her Master’s life and safety.

But Mash would protect her. It would be fine. Mash would be strong for the two of them.

-

The first time the Master headed out into the training ground, it was after a hearty breakfast. And she spent the first 15 minutes of the mission hunched over a rock, emptying her stomach.

“Ah, could it be that the transportation was bad on your system?”

She was heaving, and when Mash leaned forward to rub her back, because that’s what she wanted someone to do for her and it was a sign of comfort that she saw in media, the Master jerked under her touch and slapped her hand away.

The same hand that could be so warm was a hand that could slap hers away.

Was she embarrassed? It was fine, Mash wasn’t upset. Mash was fine. This wasn’t a bad thing. In fact, this might be a good thing, because Master was looking at her. Her eyes, bright ambers sharpened into a fierce glare, was good.

Because she was looking at Mash.

That was a good thing. And something that she didn’t do before. This was progress, wasn’t it.

She turned back around to dry-heave into the grass.

Mash couldn’t help the warm smile on her face, even if it was inappropriate. 

It felt like they were a little closer, just from that small bit of contact. 

Chapter Text

“...A Master who can't speak, huh? It doesn't even seem like she's registering anything we are saying,” the Caster who ended up on their side said. Somehow, the grin on his face didn’t fade away though, and his eyes remained focus on the girl who was still staring at the skyline. "Is she deaf or just mute?"

“Useless is more like it. She always runs head first into danger, too. We only barely managed to survive this long because of Mash,” Olga's voice was scathing, like it was a match ready to light up this part of Fuyuki, too.

Mash hesitated but spoke up, “I think Senpai has some pretty good senses. I'm not sure how to explain it. But… I swear it's just this feeling I have that tells me we are in danger-”

“It's your heroic spirit’s instinct. You should at least recognize that,” Olga dismissed. Pinching the bridge of her nose, “To think, a useless servant and a useless Master. Fitting, at the very least.”

Mash went silent at that, but Caster looked more thoughtful. He didn’t once look at the young director, and instead kept his focus on the other woman who clearly had no interest in him. In this ashen wasteland, where nothing but plumes of smoke clogged the night sky, he wondered what the Master saw so interesting that she couldn’t stop staring at it.

But then, she straightened, turning her whole body to meet Cu’s eyes, like she sensed him, and he blinked back in surprise. Her eyes narrowed into slits and he unknowingly leaned back at little at the sheer amount of hostility in her eyes.

He was probably the strongest person here. No, no, he was definitely the strongest person here, but it would take him a bit of effort to kill the shield-child. Yet, he felt unnerved. By that expression?

“Senpai, is everything alright?” Mash called out to her, rushing to her side with a worried expression.

Like a magic spell, Ritsuka blinked and dropped gaze as Olga sighed again.

“I can’t believe this. This is absolutely awful. We are good as dead out here, especially with so many dead weight around like this.” She continued talking, droning and muttering darkly as she glared and growled at the ground.

On the flip side, Caster tilted his head a little to the side as his eyes searched the young Master in front of him, “...Interesting,” he muttered.

-

So,  seeing her again was like being pulled out of water right when he was out of air. 

“...I see,” he said, red eyes turning soft, “You know, I’d be more of a help if you summoned me as a Lancer.”

“I, I think that this form is the one that Senpai is most comfortable with, Caster Cu,” Mash added, trying desperately to find reason behind the actions. She gave a shy smile and ducked her head a little, unable to meet the older man’s eyes. “I look forward to working with you again.”

“Well, with two beautiful women asking me, I suppose I can’t say much,” he replied back, shrugging.

But when his eyes took in his Contracted Master’s eyes, felt himself straightening under her heavy gaze. He thought that it was a shame that his Master isn’t really unable to communicate with him, because he would love to know what she saw in him that made her eyes so sharp when she watched the skyline incinerate into nothing with fondness. 

At the very least, with this contract between them, he had a better idea on how she felt. He should have, at least. He didn’t feel anything from her, and all he could focus on were her eyes. 

It could be that her eyes are determined. Her eyes reflect her wish and drive to save the world. It could reply that she thought and truly believed, especially after summoning him as some class that he wasn’t even good for, that they were going to save the world like this. 

But he would be an ignorant fool if he truly believed that. 

He grinned back, feral and bright, and she turned on her heel to walk out of the room. 

“Ah, I, uhm, I think she means to follow her,” Mash explained, and he nodded, he could figure that much, but judging from how much the young girl was sweating and fretting, he imagined that it was more for her own sake. 

He wasn’t too bothered. It would be the first time he had to work with someone who was completely silent, but it didn’t seem like a task he couldn’t handle. Adaptability was one of his finger points, after all. 

He was summoned to her for a reason. He was looking to find out why.

Chapter Text

Actually, until Romani came bursting into the mess hall, no one really knew what the Master did aside from going out to fight and holing up in her room.

"Has she eaten anything?" he asked. "Her-Her weight is less than what it was last week. We-We thought it should have stabilized by now but it-it keeps dropping-"

The times where they didn’t see the Master, they never questioned it. In general, it was rare to see the Master unless they were the current servant that was being taken out into battle. Chaldea staff were very good (if extremely stressed) with their new promotions and Mash seemed glued to the Master's hip. There never seemed to be a reason to worry, especially as the servants were still a little high on the extensive amount of mana they have as they moved around in their full, tangible body.

And well, Chaldea made it clear that they will take care of their own. Several times. 

As it turned out, Master woke up, Rayshifted, fought, and then when she met whatever quota she wanted to, came back and went to bed. She had done this, like clockwork, for those first couple of days, and no one even realized that she wasn’t eating. 

Emiya, Archer in Red, blanched at that.

“...She hasn't...eaten anything? Essentially since I was summoned?”

Roman buried his head in his hands and groaned loudly.  “To think we overlooked such a big mistake...”

Suddenly, the weight of the meaning “we are understaffed” was suffocating. 

“That… oh god.”

“Wait, wait, wait, but we are all fine. We haven't once felt something wrong in the connection,” Cu Chulainn, the Blue Lancer, added. The frown on his face was prominent on the normally laid-back man, “No matter how badly you guys messed up, we should still be able to feel that. So she has to be eating something, right? Yeah, we’ll get some more food for her, but someone has to have been feeding her this whole time.”

Humans were fragile. Humans under copious amounts of stress were brittle. 

And this was their human.

“Lancer of Blue is correct,” Artoria said with a frown, “It's common sense, no one can live without food and substance, especially for a Master. We have all experienced a large amount of battles as well. Are you telling us that Master hasn’t eaten anything during all this time? No one would have been able to last this long, especially not with how often we unleash our Noble Phantasms.”

“Exactly! She should have been drop dead tired by now! Chaldea’s energies have only been supporting about majority of all the mana for the servants we have. But the rest is from her!” Romani shouted back. He ran his hands through his hair, exhausted and frustrated. He pulled his hands back, his hair half-pulled out of his ponytail and looking to be a bird's nest. “But she doesn't act like it at all!”

“You mean to say that Master’s near starving and has seen more combat than any of us,” Martha listed, “And not one person has been able to notice that?”

She stood up.

“I'm no cook, but I'll start a soup that will be easy for her to digest.”

Emiya nodded, getting up as well, “Then, I'll start the breads and fruits.”

Mash suddenly stood up from her seat and ran to the Master’s room. She had been enjoying the previously amiable atmosphere amongst the other servants, listening to them talk about what it was like to be a real Servant with a Master. Her pale face gave her away, and her fingers trembled as she ran. She ignored the calls for her, and from the footsteps, it sounded like she was being followed. Regardless, she couldn't stop. 

She was supposed to protect her Senpai.

Her Senpai, who didn't know how doors worked and had to navigate through the bathroom, didn't know anything. And it was Mash's job to protect her. She should have kept her safe and sound. She should have made certain that her Senpai never questioned her safety and security. 

For the first time since the Master was found in Chaldea, she had a visitor at the door.

The shielder knocked nervously, hopeful that her nervous exterior wasn't obvious. There was a long silence, and confused at why the door wasn't opening, Mash feared the worse. In her mind's eyes, she could just imagine her Senpai, laying on her side, exhausted and hungry at the center of the room where she was tucked away and no one would know.

No one knew. No one cared because Mash should have been the one that cared. Because she was Senpai's first servant and only Shielder. 

In a blind move of panic and fear, she materialized her shield and broke down the door.

“Master!”

And the Master, the slight woman, stared back at her with no difference in her facial expression. It was, as though, Mash breaking the door down was a normal and everyday occurrence (it wasn't, and she would need to fill a damage report about it). Dressed in the clean, Chaldea uniform, she stared at the Shielder from her place on the ground, where she was in the middle of folding her clothes.

She took in Mash’s appearance and stood up. She teetered a little, and what Mash once innocently thought of as clumsiness was beginning to read as something else in it's entirety. It punched a hole through her, as though a pit had opened at the base of her stomach and she lost her heart through it. And as calm as always, the Master came up to the door. 

Mash took a step back from the remains of the door and the Master walked out. Confused and a little curious, she followed her out of the corridor and past mess hall.

The smell of food wafted through the air. Mash wondered how her Master just kept walking until they got to the control room.

“Eh?” Mash blinked back. “Oh, we are not going on a mission,” she said, briefly thinking that it was silly of her Master to think so and then.. 

And then, she thought about it. Come to think of it, she didn’t even try to explain what was going on to her. She was just a mess, wasn't she? She had gone about this in the wrong order. She took a deep breath, even though it probably didn't matter because the Master looked like... like nothing really, her face was blank, like she was frozen in time and waiting in line at the subway or something.

"Senpai, this way," she said. As Da Vinci once explained to her, she made sure that her tone was low. She didn't want Senpai to be alarmed, or think that they were upset with her. "We are going to get something for you to eat. I am sure you are hungry, and we need to replenish your energy levels. The doctor was concerned about your weight, and to be honest, Senpai, I've always wanted to eat with you. Come, this way," she said, motioning for her to leave the Command Room and to back towards their Mess Hall. 

Master didn’t even look at her and stood at the door. Her hand came up to open the door, or at least tried until a hand in gold armor grabbed her by the wrist. And then, Archer of Gold suddenly materialized next to her.

Mash flinched and nearly swallowed her tongue. Just yesterday, when he walked through the summoning ritual, he was imposing and intimidating, but right now, waves of power radiated off of him. In the presence of the King of Heroes, Mash began to break out into a cold sweat. He assessed her with a coldness that made her flinch, with eyes made of frozen blood, but the Master didn’t seem to bothered by it. As it was, she kept her eyes on the hand on her wrist. 

As expected of the Master, she was immune to that frigid stare.

Suddenly, Mash remembered that today, she overheard how the Archers of Chaldea were bragging about being ascended and returning to their former glory, and suddenly put it together.

“...You have done enough today,” he said. “Go eat with the other mongrels. I shall permit it.”

His hand released her wrist, Mash wondered exactly what happened at the training grounds for the King of Heroes look at her Master like that. 

She didn't know how to describe it, but it was infinitely kinder than the look he gave her. 

As it was, Master’s eyes met Gilgamesh evenly, and the King of Heroes smirked back.

“Well, if you are truly so lost without my guidance,” he sighed, like this was a huge chore for him.

Which would be fine because Mash was here and she could handle this just fine now that she knew what was wrong. She held her tongue, and watched as the King of Heroes stepped towards the Mess Hall. He turned back just the slightest bit and extended his hand out to her, even going as far to disarm his arms so that his bare hand was exposed to her.

“Come. I shall grace your existence with my presence. Rejoice, mongrel, I shall allow the blessing to touch my splendor.”

She doesn't know what her Master was thinking, or what Gilgamesh was thinking as he grinned at her, but Mash couldn't help but think that the distance between them was decreasing. The Gilgamesh that mocked all of them when he stepped through that Summoning Gate, was not the Gilgamesh that stood before her now. Something was different. Something had changed. She didn't know what. She didn't even know how to describe it.

It seemed a little basal, to feel this tight over such a small encounter, but she felt like she didn’t even exist in that moment. Her throat contracted painfully, like she was out in the blizzard and her breath was turning into icicles. Some part of her, the part that she couldn't put words to, wanted to shout out, "don't take his hand, Senpai! I'll protect you!!"

Which was stupid. She knew that. It was good to have the King of Heroes on their side. It was good for the King of Heroes to show that he cared about the Master. This was a good thing, and Da Vinci would be happy to hear about this. 

But the Master took his hand, and Mash felt something hollow out inside of her.

-

“Enjoy yourself. You deserve a befitting reward for returning me to my full glory,” he said. His hand finally released hers, and instead moved to ruffle her hair, opposite of her hair-tie. His hand trailed down the side to cup the back of her head. For a long moment, he looked as though he saw something other than the Master, because his smile softened into a pleased grin. 

Master didn't react to it beyond tilting her head to look up at him. He gave a long, hearty laugh and dematerialized. For a man who loved having his presence known and basking in the attention of it, Mash couldn’t shake the feeling that she had missed something essential to their change.

“Master!” she called out, happy to return to her rightful place by her side. 

She stopped an arms length away and offered a warm smile. She lifted her hand up to point down the corridor. Perhaps Gilgamesh had figured something out, and now, Senpai understood that they were all trustworthy people. 

“Master, let’s eat dinner together. Archer Emiya and Rider Boudica really outdid themselves to make something.”

It was hard to look at Master’s blank face and say that she was even hungry, but she didn't take Mash's hand. She stared at it, blankly, and when Mash understood that she wasn't going to take her hand, she stepped back towards the Mess Hall. The smile on her face almost slipped, but Mash was patient. She could be patient.

She turned around, her arms dropped heavily to her sides and she made her way into the dining hall. Eventually, her Senpai did begin to move as well. Good, she thought as they made their way into the mess hall, that had to mean something, right? Maybe Mash wasn't mean enough? If she referred to everyone as lesser-than her, would Senpai like her more?

Maybe it was the armor? Gilgamesh's golden armor was really eye-catching. It would make sense that Senpai would enjoy looking at something more expensive and glorified. Perhaps she should attach gems to her shield or something. Would that be helpful?

Well, first, she needed to make sure that the Master ate.

-

When they finally sat the Master down, there was a bowl of broth in front of her and a loaf of bread in an instant. She eyed it impassivly, and her eyes flickered to the other servants that were crowding her table.

“Hey, let her eat in peace. Go away, all of you,” Archer Emiya said, trying to shoo away the other servants. 

“Indeed, this is not a spectacle, run along now,” Waver said, pushing his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose.

The archer frowned at him, “That means you, too.”

“I hope that this is to your liking. I wish there was a way for you to tell me what you like,” Boudica sighed, placing the spoon in her hand and ignoring the conversation behind her. “...Is there anything else we can do for you? I thought the link between us could make it easier...”

Archer in Red shook his head, "It's probably because we were summoned through Chaldea, moreso than the fact that we were summoned to her," he said.

Now that they were really looking at her and knew what to look for, they could see the exhaustion lining her features. They could see with little difficulty how much her cheeks had sunken in, the way her clothes were loose on her despite them usually being tailored fit. And yet, she sat with her back straight. Her hands rested in her lap, folded perfectly in her lap like she was posing for a picture. Her feet rested flat on the ground, her heels meeting at a perfect thirty-degree angle. 

She stared at the soup and closed her eyes. If they didn’t know any better, she looked like she was admitting defeat.

They stared at her, who continued to stare at the soup. For a good moment, nothing happened.

"...Does she know what she's eating? Or how to eat it?"

"Here, senpai," Mash said, giggling a little as she reached over and tore a piece of bread off. She then dipped it into the soup and held it right in front of her senpai's lips. Look, she could do this for her. She would do this for her any day, and anytime. "Say 'ah', Senpai."

She didn't move, but her gaze flitted to Mash and then back to the soup. Her posture didn't even shift. 

They remained like that for another moment before two more servants joined their table.

"Excuse us, Mash and Master. Do you mind if we join you?"

Rider Ushiwakamaru and Lancer Benkei, both standing with trays of food identical to the master instead of the fried rice that everyone one else had.

"I don't think the Master will be very pleased-"

"No, I think this is a great idea," Emiya said, cutting Mash off. A light shined in his eyes, as though he understood something. Similarly, he left to go get some more soup and bread for himself and returned promptly. 

"...I know that this may be rude, but I think that different times call for different measures," Ushiwakamaru said. "Please forgive me for eating before you," she lifted her spoon and ate a spoonful of the soup. Her eyes shined at the taste and gave a satisfied sigh. "Delicious. Absolutely amazing."

Next to her, Benkei began eating as well, a bright smile on his face as he energetically ate the meal provided for them.

"Indeed, this is wonderful! I can feel the warmth seeping all the way into my stomach!”

They took a big spoonful and then leaned back to give a big sigh before digging right back in. Ushiwakamaru held her face with one of her hands, savoring the way that the bread held the soup, and Benkei’s perfect posture slouched so he could eat a little faster. Watching the way they devoured the soup and bread with vigor, Mash couldn’t help but feel that she was starting to get hungry too. And then, from the other side, Assassin Sasaki Koujirou slid into the seat on the other side of the Master. 

When Mash frowned at the close proximity, she wasn’t going to say anything until she watched the former samurai rip his bread in half and then place it onto her Master’s plate. Then, he grabbed her bread and split it in half and took it. It was, by far, the strangest thing, especially when he went as far to take a spoonful of his soup and then switch it with hers.

Then, Emiya joined them before Mash could properly chastise the man. 

Emiya opened his palm up to the Master, as though to gesture to the food in front of them, and then sat down to start eating the soup and bread as well. 

Master stared at the food for another moment, eyeing the soup, then the bread, then the servants gathered around her. She raised the spoon to collect some soup and then raised it up to her lips. She tore the bread apart, dipping it into the soup and ate. 

Although everyone had different expectations on how Master ate, they expected that the way she ate and reacted to the food they gave her would be able to give them hints on the things she liked and where she was from. As it was, she just ate like a calm, civilized human from this time. Or rather, she ate like a machine, mechanically putting food in her mouth without any semblance of emotion on her face. Her eating habits did not break rhythm, nor did she do anything other than eat the food presented in front of her. She leaned down a little to eat food, but she pulled back into her perfect posture to chew and swallow.

It was a little disappointing, especially to the servants who cooked it.

“...One day,” Emiya sighed, “We’ll make something that tastes so good, you’ll smile.”

She ate and then finished eating. She wiped her hands on the napkin under her bowl and otherwise left no mess. She pulled her head up and stared directly in front of her. No one sat there, and when they checked, there wasn't anything but the wall further down. She was just, staring blankly at it. They, having already all finished, stared at her.

The questions began to form again.

“Does she want seconds?”

“Desert?”

Mash frowned back, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to make her eat more, but I wish she could give us a sign…”

Emiya leaned in slowly, ready to grab the plates, and when the Master made no movements to stop him, collected them. Her eyes flitted to his figure as he took the plates away before returning to whatever caught her attention across thee room.

“W-Would you like to return to your room?” Mash asked, standing up. In an attempt to tell her with her actions, she extended her hand towards the entrance of the cafeteria they came in.

The Master stared at her for a moment before getting up to her feet and following the Shielder out and to her room. 

There was no door, but it didn’t seem to bother the Master. She was unfazed by its appearance. Instead, she walked into her room, sat down where she used to sit before Mash came in, and finished folding her clothes.

Mash gave a tight smile, unsure what to think.

Chapter Text

There was a long silence in the Chaldea Command Room as the soldiers made their way through the thicket. Even though there was no way of the soldiers to be able to hear them, no one dared to make a sound and give away the position of the Master while they watched. Leaning against the base of a tree, the Master watched quietly. Doing her best not to make a sound, not to be seen, she leaned against the tree to hide. She took a slow breath and kept still, even going as far to cover up her flashy orange hair with a branch of leaves. 

She was among other survivors of the dragon attack from the village. While Mash and Jeanne tried to buy them some time with the promise to meet again soon, the silent Master had followed the villagers out when a group of wayward soldiers found them. 

Now, it was a hunt. 

Soldiers fired arrows into the legs of the fleeing villages. They laughed when the frightened villagers fall, mocked their panicked movements and ridiculed their desperate pleas for mercy. 

And then, there was an awful cry of pain from a young boy that made the Master of Chaldea close her eyes and take a deep breath. She kneeled down and collected some rocks nearby. Something in her eyes flashed violently. It was the type of rage that Romani was intimately familiar with, and covered his nose out of instinct.

“No wait,” Romani gasped as he began to understand what was going to happen and really, really, really hoped that he was wrong.

The command room watched with bated breath, as Master took another slow breath, and then ran out, abandoning her perfect hiding place.

Jumping out from behind the thicket, Master threw three rocks with high accuracy. It got two soldiers by the head and the last one by the arm. They yelled out in surprise and their hands came up to cradle their head with scowls on their face. The kid that he had in his arms fell to the ground and with a quick look over his shoulder, he ran.

When the soldier turned to run for the kid, the Master took off her shoe and chucked it at the man. With much better aim, like this was something she was used to, she nailed the soldier in the head. She gave a smirk and turned to run when an arrow made it into the back of her thigh.

She pitched forward and her hands barely broke the fall.

It was hard to remember, easy to forget, that some people can be awful because it’s a part of the job and a part of the time period. There was a different kind of standard that people carried back then, where life and death was a fickle thing and the life expectancy rarely exceeded 35. Even without formal training or knowing how to write their own names, all people were soldiered through everyday to live. 

The weak were at the mercy of the strong. 

 The squadron of soldiers approached the fallen Master.

Master, for her worth, struggled up to her knees and planted one foot flat on the ground when a soldier with with a sword came at her with a fury and a warcry and knocked her straight back onto the ground. Luckily, it was the butt of the sword that made direct contact with her temple, instead of swinging the blade down onto her. Unluckily, it was dead on and her head went crashing into the ground. The sound her head made when it bounced off the ground made one of the staffmembers gasp and cover his mouth.

“You fucking bitch!” he screamed at her.

He leaned down to pick her up by her hair and backhanded her with his other hand. He swung his hand back forward to slap her and this time released her so that the Master fell back to the ground from the force of the hit. He spat on her, getting her right on the face before recoiling his foot back and kicked her in the chest so hard that her torso came off the ground by a foot before she fell back again. She gave a sharp choking sound, like she couldn’t quite breath and another blow landed on her. Yet, she seemed to curl in tightly, and brought her arms up to cover her head.

He was relentless as he pulled his leg up to stomp on the side of her ribs. 

“You fucking shit! You think you’re a fucking hero!? You’re just some fucking bitch!”

“Hey, cool it!” the other soldier said, coming up to drop his hand on his shoulder. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a woman, you know? I want her to at least be alive when I’m in her.”

The tension in Chaldea was palpable, especially since some of the servants who were on Standby watched the same thing the command room watched.

The men on the screen laughed, and the second man leaned down to grab the Master of Chaldea by the hair again. They exchange rauchy lines and perverting on her injuries. Wrenching her up, they kept laughing until they saw the defiant look in her eyes. 

“...I don’t like that look,” one of the other soldiers said, already out of his armor off.

“Nothing we can’t beat out of her,” the first one replied nonchalantly. He leaned in closer to cup her face and grinned, “Ain’t that right, lil’ lady?”

“Fucking Christ, Romani, do something!” one of the Chaldea staff members shouted out.

The medical head flinched back and stuttered back, “I-I don’t know what to do-”

“Send me out there,” Emiya said, flanked on either side by both Caster and Lancer Cu Chulainn. “Send us to her side right now.”

“W-We can’t- We can't support all of you when we send you out with-without a stabilized leyline t-to-”

He cut himself off as his eyes focused back onto the screen. And they all stared in shock as the Master spared a single glance to the soldier holding her before spitting a mouthful of blood in his face.

“This fucking bitch!” the man holding her snapped back. He immediately released her to start kicking and stomping on her again, but everyone could see the smug grin on Master’s face, her pink teeth glistening until they kicked her in the mouth. Her skin bruised and swelled, but her gaze remained focused. 

“Stop instigating them!” Romani screamed at the screen, wanting to cry.

“Send us. Right now,” Lancer Cu said, his eyes never leaving the screen, “Because Master ain’t going down without a fight. We should be the ones going to fight for her.”

A sharp cry was heard, and everyone in the Command Room nearly shot out of their chair in joy and elation as Mash came in with her shield.

-

Jeanne pursed her lips as she took in the sight of Chaldea’s Master, but she couldn’t help but have some respect for her. She stared as the Master took several, slow breaths, before making it up to her feet. When Mash rushed to be her crutch, she was given the coldest gaze Jeanne had ever seen from a person. 

For a brief moment, Jeanne wanted to shake her. She wanted to remind Chaldea’s Master that they came to save her. That they ran in and spared her from further humiliation that these soldiers were going to put her through. They saved her from that. Mash came running, nearly crying when she realized what had happened with her waryward Master. 

And then, the Master of Chaldea straightened and if Jeanne didn’t run in with Mash when this had happened, would believe that nothing was wrong.

That scared her.

She stretched her arms, grimacing at the sensation of new bruises and broken skin but didn’t look otherwise bothered. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and barely spared a glance at how the white cloth began to be stained with blood.

“T-Thank you, miss!”

She turned to the kid that came up to her. The Master stared at him before she dropped a hand onto her hair and ruffled it. Then, she grabbed the kid by the shoulders, turned him around, and sent him back to the woman who was fretfully waiting for her a few feet away.

The woman grabbed the child, gave a fearful nod at the Master, and turned away. The group of people here would be okay, and the Master rubbed her neck. She turned back to Jeanne and Mash, and without any of that defiant fire in her eyes, returned to her perfect posture as her eyes stared at the horizon beyond them.

“Maybe we should rest somewhere,” Mash said, eye worriedly taking in the swollen Master. “We need to at least perform first aid…”

However, when she reached up to touch some of them and assess the damage, the Master slapped her hand away. Jeanne flinched at the sound and Mash looked like she was going to cry. She looked like her heart was split open and her bottom lip trembled. The Master, on the other hand, looked indifferent as she kept her cold, cold, cold eyes on Jeanne.

The blond saint, under the intensity of the gaze, dropped her eyes to the ground. A guilt she has never felt before, or didn’t think she deserved to feel, came crawling into her gut. 

They continued.

Chapter Text

“Master!” Shakespeare called out as he walked right up to her with a big grin on his face.

As always, the Master who put in so much effort to return him to his former glory, didn’t even spare him an extra glance. The cold exterior of his Master almost had him hesitating, but he knew better now. Or at least, he really thought he did. 

After all, if Master really didn’t like him, she would have never put the effort to maximizing his uses. From the sounds of it, it sounded like she didn't know much about anything, but he wanted her to know. He was grateful to be who he was at his prime.

And such, it was only right that he tried to return the favor as well. 

“Master!” he yelled, running around to stop her by standing in front of her and blocking off her route to wherever it was that she was going.

His Master, who was rarely caught out of her room without Mash, dragged her eyes up from her PDA. He beamed back, and motioned for her to follow him. Immediately, she began to frown and Shakespeare wondered how he was going to get her in a way she could understand.

There was one way.

He grabbed her and lifted her up much more easily than he thought himself capable. She thrashed for a moment before she stiffened and gripped his shoulders tightly instead. Without thinking about it, he started his brisk walk back to the library with a wide grin on his face. She wasn't resisting! That meant that she wanted to come with him, right? Excellent!

Everyone knew, after all, about that one-sided beatdown that occurred because Master wanted to save people that didn’t really matter. Then, to make matters worse, it turned out that the Master was the type of person to instigate the people that captured her. Had she been a little less strong-willed or perhaps was better aware of her surroundings, it was possible that none of this would have happened at all. It was satisfying and a little inspirational to think that she was not the type to bow and that her pride was strong in such a way, but it also made him uncomfortable. 

As it was, she then later tried to bite Romani’s hand off and broke his nose again when she came through and refused treatment from him, or anyone else, for that matter. For all they know, all the first-aid she got was from herself and a kit that one of the other Command Center workers handed to her with tears in his eyes and a wish for her to get better.

Of course, like many of the other servants, he wished for her good health and longevity. After all, he was given full freedom in his peak condition here. Should he lose this Master, he doubted that he would ever have something like this again.

And so, with his limp Master over his shoulder, he ran to the side library he and a select few were always holed up in. 

“I got her!” he yelled as soon as he made it in.

“Fool, what are you doing, running and yelling here…” Anderson looked up from his tablet and stared at the other Caster. “Put her down! What do you think you’re doing, you pile of incomplete manuscript!”

But the little man left his workstation to walk up to the Master while Shakespeare placed her down on the couch. The playwright wiped at the excess sweat, honestly being a Caster could be so physically demanding, and moved away to set some tea for their guest. Meanwhile, the Master looked down and nodded at Anderson, and he sighed back. Lifting his hand with a magic that came much more easily to him that he thought ever possible, got rid of that awful black eye on her face.

“Honestly, that’s what you get for instigating a bunch of blood-thirsty fighters without any of your own. They don’t know what they’re doing out there, you know. They can’t even protect our Master, truly, you might as well just make them Prisms at this point.”

She placed a hand on her face, as though marveling at the feel of her fully healed, unblemished skin. Since it was rare to see a different expression on her face, it was a welcomed change, especially since they felt like they could still see her mangled body underneath the foot of a soldier.

“...Really,” he sighed, “You should take better care of yourself, if you’re not going to bring someone that can take care of it for you.”

Shakespeare managed to keep his smile up. He placed the tea set down onto a nearby table and pulled out a mirror instead, so that she could check herself out.

“Haha!” he laughed brightly, “Master, look! Here, in your reflection you see the face that I dream of every night now!”

Anderson squawked and the older-looking man laughed.

“It’s fine, isn’t it? There’s no need to hide or fool anyone. Look, Master doesn’t even care,” he said with too much joy for a man who was ignored by the supposed object of his dreams.

“It’s not that she doesn’t care, but she doesn't understand you, dried ink well!” the smaller man scowled back.

The words were lost to the Master. She was busy, gingerly taking the mirror into her hands and studying her reflection before looking back to Anderson. She blinked and touched her face, where the bruise was gone like it never was there.

“Yes Master,” Anderson, trying to hide his reddened face as he glared at Shakespeare out of the corner of his eye, “I did that.” God, he could hear the man snickering under the sound of pouring tea.

Goodness, he was going to base a character off of him. And then kill it. Painfully.

She stared at him and then lifted her hand up towards him. He eyed the still healing cut that ran across her knuckles and sighed.

“You got much more, I’m sure,” he said. But understood the request without words, and lifted his hand to heal this as well.

She stared at it, marveling at it, and the smaller Caster couldn’t help but preen at the attention.

And then, Master pulled her shirt off. She unbuttoned the front and slowly pulled the garment off her shoulder in a way that demonstrated how much this must have hurt and bothered her. Where both Anderson and Shakespeare might have tried to claim some humility, their good atmosphere evaporated when they saw the state of her chest.

Both Casters stared at the awful collection of purples and blues, dark and angry in a way that Anderson felt that something was boiling in his chest. He took a moment to calm himself down, because his Master fucking trusted him to take her shirt off even though everyone knows she avoids the Medical Wing like the plague. 

And with how much and how often Master pretended she isn’t hurt and bothered, he doesn’t believe it in a second. Now he has a reason.

He raised his hands up. He had a job to do.

“Excuse me, Master,” he murmured, “Märchen Meines Lebens!”

Since then, Master comes to them for most of her injuries. They would probably be more receptive towards it if she wasn’t always so awfully injured every time, or if she would spend some time with them outside of their designated healing time, but judging by how she was still treating the others, this was a mercy.

-

One day, the younger version of the Witch of Colchis came to their library, furious. And then proceeded to rant for three hours about how awful it was that Master came to them for healing when she could teach her healing magic.

Anderson laughed in her face.

Chapter Text

Blackbeard gave a loud yawn. He scratched his belly with one hand and slowly made his way into the kitchen. He hoped that Emiya was off kitchen-duty, and that the pudding that they were making earlier that day was still there. From the looks of it, the kitchen was quiet and the lights were off. Lucky him~~

How lucky, for him to be summoned to a place where if he wants food, he just needs to come to the kitchen.

Ready to gain so much weight that he changed classes, Blackbeard couldn’t stop himself in his excitement. Homemade pudding, maybe some of the other pastries, and nonstop Magical Girl Madness for the rest of the night. This was the life.

Anime was a godsend and he is so, so, so happy that he was summoned to a Chaldea that had so much accessible content without those blasted paywalls. As the good pirate that he was, it was only a matter of fact that he would splurge on the collected treasures that he found.

He got to the fridge and opened it. Pulling out the homemade tray of pudding, he couldn’t help but giggle loudly. It was a very manly giggle, of course, but he was so elated that he couldn’t help himself. He placed everything down on the counter, closed the door with his foot, turned to his left to grab some more ale and nearly jumped out of his own skin when he saw his Master staring back.

Standing in her uniform without her stockings, the Master stared at him with wide eyes. He gulped audibly. With what he knows of the Master, he knew that she wouldn’t say or scream or anything, since she’s mute or whatever. However, since he was summoned to her, he knew that there must be a part of her that was like him. That's just how this whole summoning thing worked.

“...Master, if you don’t tell anyone, I’ll split the goods.”

He lifted up one of the pudding cups as an offering. Her eyes, brighter than the sun at dawn, shined back. 

-

He, like everyone else, didn’t know much about Master. Of course, he was also not in a place to ask, and to be fair, he really didn’t care. 

His Master was cute, and if she wasn’t his Master, would have been his type. She had tits and was younger than him, after all. But even he’s not actually stupid enough to jeopardize everything and get into something as messy as a relationship with his own Master. She summoned some scary servants after all. Of course, if the Master came on to him, he would have a really hard time resisting, but oh ho ho those were thoughts for when he was alone.

As it was, he was going to tease her for this, maybe in the future. Right now, he needed her to not tell Archer in Red, because while he was certain he can take on one archer, it would be a hard battle if the entire kitchen group came together. So, one pudding today for a supply of pudding later.

And, with the way his Master’s eyes watered while eating the pudding cup, he didn’t want anyone to find them like this.

He already … uh…. Had a reputation, needless to say, and since coming here, surrounded by all these cute girls, it really hasn’t gotten better. In fact, it got really bad. If Master hadn't fed him so well before, he would have gone back to the Grail a long time ago. While being gazed at so disdainfully by Mash was pretty wonderful too, his body and manhood would be threatened if someone were to find him and the Master, sitting in the dark, in the kitchen, in the middle of the night, with the Master sniffling next to him. 

Yeah, that was a bad end he wanted to avoid at all cost.

So quietly, they ate their cups of pudding. Blackbeard pretending not to notice that Master was crying, and Master scarfing down everything in the cup. She wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath, and he was starting to think that her pudding was better than his. She ate it with such vigor, eyes shining even as a few tears ran down her cheeks, and he distantly wondered if it was so delicious that she would cry over it.

And his Master really was something, if Blackbeard felt so bad about this whole thing that he gave her another pudding cup.

“You know Master, having late night snacks like this is really bad for you,” he explained quietly, “If the other servants caught you, it’d be really bad.”

She didn’t even pause to look at him, and gave a little happy hum as she licked off her spoon. He gave her a wry grin.

“More than anything, getting caught by a guy like me is really bad.”

She turned to him at that, and blissfully ignorant, gave him the biggest smile he’s ever seen on a person. Momentarily blinded by how bright and pure it was, Blackbeard almost felt himself ascending. Which was dumb, since he, like everyone else here, was already on his final ascension. 

“Christ Master, now that’s a skill if I’ve seen one,” he gasped, heaving as he clutched his heart. 

His Master gave an airy laugh, the sound quiet in comparison to his thundering heart, and he flushed awkwardly. She gave a wave, left the cups, and went back to wherever she came from.

And then, sometime in the next month or so, these meetings became regular, habitual, and treasured.

Chapter Text

Blackbeard didn’t know what happened in the new Singularity. 

No one really talked about what happened during the Rayshift unless the Master had made some serious grievances for the staff, and definitely no one talked to Blackbeard for the most part anyways. Well, except occasionally that old cow of a pirate, but it would be a cold day in hell before Blackbeard looked to Francis Drake for company.

Most of them would awkwardly dance around him, and the rest would make it abundantly obvious that they wanted nothing to do with him. It didn’t bother him or anything, but it did make it hard for him to find anyone to share the things that he enjoyed about Love Life, and other idol animes. 

But the Master, on their nightly desert runs, would come sit as close as she could to him. It was embarrassing and a little sweet all in one. She would lean against his shoulder and hum as she ate. Yep, if someone caught them, he would be killed in a merciless way.

“...and I really did tear up a little when I saw that!” Blackbeard said, continuing to gush on and on about the anime he had watched that day. “Damn, I wish I had a phone, then I could make Susume Tomorrow my ringtone! But I guess that wouldn’t be good since every time I hear it I’ll probably cry, haha!”

Usually, she would lean her head back against the wall and quietly listen to him. Sometimes, she would nod along, and Blackbeard, who really didn’t care if she was awake or not, would continue rambling on and on. And then, when they were finished cleaning off the desserts, she would stand up and leave, leaving Blackbeard with clean-up duty. 

Today, however, she leaned against him even more than usual, and rested her head against his shoulder. 

He didn’t know what happened in the singularity, but BANZAI! Hahah! A woman, as young and curvy as his Master, was willingly leaning up against him! That’s right! Take that all you stupid ikemens and gold-bordered servants! Tonight was Blackbeard’s night!

“I killed you,” she said quietly. 

He stopped cold and mourned that this would be the first words that his Master spoke to him. Of course she managed to summon freaks like those Beserkers.

“You don’t…" she hesitated, and made a motion to his head, "memory?”

He paused for a moment and turned to her. This would mark the first time they talked about anything that wasn’t anime, actually, this would be the first time he heard her voice at all. Her words were stinted, either because she didn't want to talk or because she didn't know how to. Blackbeard wasn't sure what was better.

“...Hah? Like… I don’t remember?” he asked, and then tilted his head. Perhaps, his Master was actually learning how to speak after all. He felt a little good that she had come to him to practice, and thanked the Singularity of the Day again in his head. “Well, I was here.”

He grinned at her. Feeling rather generous and in a very good mood, he stood up to grab another brownie from the pan on the counter, and then handed it to her.

“Ah, I’ve never done this before, but Master, welcome back," he said, wide grin like he found something particularly shiny.

She took it into her hands and stared at it. Then, her lips quirked into a smile and she giggled.

“Yummy,” she said, taking a bite.

He sat back down next to her, and she scooted to lean right back against him.

Was she always this cute?

Chapter Text

Coming out of Fuyuki, the Master was led into a room for her check-up. While they needed to make sure that she, the only person with any chance of saving humanity, stayed alive and in good health, they did want to make sure that she was okay mentally as well. After being in a place like Fuyuki, suddenly and unexpectedly, they wanted to make sure she wasn’t badly hurt while conducting a routine check-up.

And then, of course, they would monitor her to ensure that her stress levels and trauma wouldn’t ruin her. Romani wasn’t a psychologist, but he was the best that Chaldea had to offer at the moment. 

In fact, he was all they had at the moment. 

With that said, they brought her to the Doctor’s office after she came out of the Rayshift. Mash wanted to come with, but doctor-patient confidentiality was treasured and respected here. Due to that, Romani was the one that went to perform the check-up, Da Vinci joined him to the side as the extra nurse, as well as another staff member to carefully record all the information being shared.

But for Mash, she was nervously standing outside, waiting for the check-up to conclude and hear that the Master would be okay. She knew that she didn’t do as well as she could have, but she swore to continue to do her absolute best so that the Master would never get injured again. Those words repeated again and again, and for as long as she could taste the ash and heat, she wouldn't ever forget it. 

She wanted to protect her Master.

So, when a loud shout of pain resounded from the infirmary, she didn’t hesitate to kick the door down with all her force and materialize as a servant. Logically, of course, it made no sense. What dangers could come from the infirmary? As a demi-servant, she couldn't feel if her Master is in pain or troubled, like the other servants claim to. Still, she knew better. 

No one would scream like that unless something was terribly wrong.

And instead, the scene she dropped in on was Romani nursing a bleeding nose as he hunched over on the ground, and Da Vinci and another staff member grabbing the Master by the arms to keep her away from the Doctor. Viciously, the Master snarled as she tried to wiggle her way out of the hold to rush the man on the ground.

“W-what’s going -”

“Mash! Help!” Da Vinci snapped back. 

And even though Mash was her Master’s Servant, she moved to grab her Senpai and yank her backwards. The scalding glare that was sent her way sent shivers down her spine, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in the wrong. The touch prickled alongside her skin, and she released her like she touched fire.

“What happened?” she asked, desperation coloring her voice, while her Master's fierce glare made her stomach twist.

“Well, while I’m sure that Doctor Romani did deserve it,” Da Vinci sighed, “We didn’t think she would physically assault him like that.”

When they made a move to come closer, the Master bared her teeth like a feral animal.

“Well, as it pains me to say, I suppose we can’t hold her check-up.”

“But Senpai-”

“She clearly does not want this," Da Vinci's voice was firm. "If we push this any harder, there is a chance that she will not trust us anymore. We can’t have that happen, when we have no way of communicating with her at the moment."

But they didn't know. What if she was acting like this because she was hurt? Then, even if she hated it, and she fought it, shouldn't they help her first?

“So Mash, drop it. It's terrible, yes, but we can’t risk it.”

The Shielder looked between her Master and the Caster before reluctantly giving in.

“Now then, let’s fix the Doctor’s nose. Mash, please escort the Master back to her room. I think we can all use a break right now.”

Hesitantly, Mash approached her Master. Her Master flinched backwards a little, her ragged breathing deepening, and narrowed her eyes. It was a look that she had seen many people give people who flaunt their wealth superficially in movies. Back then, she thought it was amazing that people could convey their thoughts and feelings about someone just by how they look at them.

However, being on the receiving end of it was much more painful than she had ever thought.

“Senpai,” she said, crouching a little to make sure they were eye-to-eye, “Let’s head back, okay?”

Behind her, she could hear Romani groaning. But she made sure to keep her eyes trained on her Master. She undid the servant transformation, trying her best to appear as defenseless and harmless as possible. She watched her Master stare at her, then behind her, then back at her, and then finally relaxed a little.

Mash gave a smile, opened the door, and waited for her.

Eventually, she seemed to get a clue, and the two made their way down the corridor.

For every one step Mash took, Senpai took four shuffling steps.

--

The door opened, and the Master walked in. She stood there for a moment and Mash called back.

“I will come get you in the morning. Please rest, Senpai.”

The door closed.

After a moment of contemplation, Mash decided to lock the door. It was for her Master’s safety. Since she clearly had no idea what was going on, and also didn’t seem to trust anyone, Mash was certain that this would be the best plan of action.  It would also make sure that the other servants stayed out of her room. She had that inkling feeling that, if her Senpai was willing to break Romani's nose, she would get into a fight with another servant. That would be a fight that she might not live through. 

It would be better than the dreadful alternative where she dies from something completely preventable.

Fearing for her life, Mash did what she believed was the right thing to do, and locked the door under the Chaldea Security Protocol for the night. She pressed her head to the door.

Please, she thought. Please, let her Senpai have kind dreams.

In a couple of weeks, when the Master understood things better, they wouldn’t need this, but for now, this was the best option.

--

The following morning, Mash went to the Master’s room, bright and early in the day. It was the new start to their new lifestyle, on their way to saving humanity. It was important to wake up and eat together, every morning, especially as they began to get ready. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day!

Today, they would pull all the stops and do their absolute best to see if they could summon any other servants. The more that they had, at the very least, it would give them more allies. 

When Mash unlocked and slid the door open, she mentally berated herself for getting ahead of herself. She should have knocked first before entering the room. Well, as it was, there was nothing she could do about it, but when she opened her mouth to apologize, she felt herself paralyzed under the weight of the glare the Master gave her.

Why was she looking at her like that? Was it that important to her that she entered unannounced? Well, regardless, it will just have to be something that she got used to, because there will come a time when they cannot afford to be polite and considerate.

“...Senpai,” she tried again, “Good morning. Let’s get breakfast together today.”

She was still wearing the clothes from the day before. Did she know about the change of clothes in the closet? At the very least, it looked like she had showered, and Mash immediately started to worry about the wounds that she couldn’t see.

“... Would you like to change first?” she asked, even though she knew that the Master couldn’t respond or understand. So, she walked into the room with a quiet, “excuse me” and opened the closet for her. There was only the Chaldea-Issued uniform and underwear, but it had to be better than nothing. 

She motioned at it, and then pointed at the Master, in hopes that her meaning could be conveyed without words.

The Master stared back, and Mash wondered what was taking her. Was she just hungry? With another sigh, she decided to just head to the mess hall to begin with.

So, with a sigh, the day began.

Chapter Text

That first day, they fought until they forgot about the time. 

And then, Master, due to some strange reason, came down to the training room and stared at them.

“Master!”

She stared at them for a long moment, and it was clear from the bottle of water in her hand, the towel around her neck, that she was here to train. She stared at them and turned around, ready to leave, and Leonidas, never one to turn down someone who wanted to become stronger, ran forward to stop her.

He and the others gave her a little corner of the room. Gave smiles and waves and turned back to fighting each other. Now that they had their own Master come in as an audience, this became much more personal, and the friendly atmosphere dissipated away. Of course, the Master wasn’t actually watching them, but they didn’t actually care.

“...She’s gonna hurt her wrists doing pushups like that,” Cu remarked casually, probably tired of watching Alexander and Prototype Cu spar.

Just like that, the attention was diverted, and never returned. Within twenty minutes, there was a little group around their Master, cheering her on and counting with her.

After about 20 push-ups, she sat back, with a water bottle passed to her as Martha beamed at her, and their Master returned it with a nod. From the way she looked at the bottle and then at Martha, it was clear that she was really suspicious about it all. She opened and drank it after a moment.

Her eyes widened dramatically, and Martha's warm smile widened even more.

"Good, right?" she said, "Boudica put lemons and strawberries in mine!"

And Master, shined back as she stared at the water bottle in her hands. 

The idea that Master couldn’t communicate with them because she didn’t understand them or because they didn’t understand her, was becoming less and less convincing with every passing day. 

-

“Master, good morning!” Leonidas called out, his eyes carefully taking in all the details about her, from the way she was breathing to the way she conducted herself. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was looking for the tall-tale signs of muscle fatigue, he probably would have missed it. “How are you doing?”

The Master looked at him, her gaze a touch softer than he remembered it, and nodded back. He gave a little grin, feeling a warmth in his heart where the bond of theirs was embedded. He felt himself relax a little, and at the sight of it, his Master’s shoulders relaxed too. The gesture was about as big as the one she gave him the previous night, but she might as well as jumped onto the table and cheered, for the effect it had on her servant. 

“That’s good.”

“It’s not good at all, Leonidas-san. I heard about the late-night training lessons, those can go very wrong, and it exhausted her.”

In an instant, it was like a switch was flipped and everything that connected the two froze. The expression fell off of the Master’s face, and Leonidas felt dizzy from how suddenly she shut down the link between them. He watched as her shoulders pulled back and her spine straightened, similar to the way a cat coiled as she readied to be attacked.

“Senpai, here is breakfast. I am sorry about the wait. It looks like Archer-san really outdid herself with this,” she said, pushing a tray towards her Master.

The Master stared at it for a long time. For a moment, Leonidas could only think about that empty woman that summoned him, all those days ago, and began to wonder. 

She stared at it, and as Mash waited for her to eat it, closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. Then, she opened her eyes, and picked up her spoon and started eating the morning breakfast of warm soup and fresh bread. It was probably as delicious as everything else that they have made, and it was probably made with even more gusto because they knew that the Master would be the one to eat it.

He knew because when he came in to make something for her himself, something that will help her recover from the sudden training regime they threw her into, he was quickly tossed back out. But unlike the servants in the Kitchen, he could sit and eat with her.

Instead, all he got to see was the defeated way his Master conducts herself at breakfast.

Taking a step away, after Master ate and went on to complete the singularity of the day, he would have the time to think and meditate and wonder. 

Chapter Text

The first time the Master used a command spells, she was taken hostage by a lamia. 

Ragged and tired, it was clear to anyone with eyes that the Master was beyond exhausted. She was held tightly by the tail of the lamia while the hands were wrapped around the Master’s neck, body trembling. It was a clear threat even without words.

Move, and her neck will snap.

Worse still was that the lamia was on the brink of death herself. Blood flowed freely, and chunks of scales torn off and scattered on the ground. This was clearly a last ditch effort and anyone would be able to land the final, killing blow.

Hektor’s eyes found his Master’s again. She nodded, the faintest way, and he knew what she wanted. Regardless of what would happen to her, she wanted this lamia dead. While he was certain that he could do it without any problems and make sure that the Master was alive at the end of it, he really, really didn’t want to risk hurting her. Didn’t she already get hurt enough as it was?

And then, her eyes got desperate and his body moved without his consent.

The weight of a Command Spell was heavy and burdensome. He never realized how bad it was until she, the Master who Cannot Speak, used a Command Spell on him.

“No-”

He launched his lance, nailing the tail holding his Master, slicing across her arm, and then pierced right through the lamia.

It faded away with a shriek, leaving nothing but a Snake Jewel where it used to be. And his Master fell like a fallen puppet next to Hector's lance. 

The ugly feeling that knotted inside of him coupled with the residue of that awful command spell. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the fate of servants felt more apparent than yesterday. 

Without a word of communication, when Hektor did not even know the Master of Chaldea's name, he could slice her skin, spill her blood, and obey her command.

Master, however, was hissing as her hand came up to her wound. Diarmuid dropped right by her side, eyes frantic in worry, and she took slow breaths as though to calm down. Her hand trembled, but she raised it to look at the smudged mark on her hand.

However, seeing her raise her hand up, Diarmuid immediately went to grab it instead.

“Do not worry, Master. We will most definitely bring you back to Chaldea-”

“Move!”

Diarmuid looked up where Anderson was. The Caster kneeled down and scowled at the injury.

“I look away for a single moment and I see you have already gotten yourself in a fuckton of trouble. I’m ready to go.”

Weakly, Diarmuid didn’t even have the heart to berate him for his tongue.

“I… Master,” Hektor said weakly. He willed his lance away, and even from where he stood behind Anderson, was able to see the white of his Master's bone. He watched as she leaned to the side and threw up. Her body trembled. Still, she did not curse. She did not scream. 

Quietly, she endured. 

He watched Anderson’s blue magic shine and shimmer, and the Master’s breathing started to even out. Diamuid placed a hand over her forehead, his expression twisting into something pained, and the Master leaned out of his grip.

“...Why?” Hektor asked quietly, and when her eyes came up to meet his, swore that she looked relaxed. 

“Let’s rest here for the night,” Diarmuid announced, “I’ll let Chulainn-”

“What the fuck were you guys doing?!”

Said lancer came running out of the woods, blood splattered on him from the monsters he had killed. By his side, the other Chulainn ran for the Master’s side, whimpering quietly all the way as he kneeled next to her side.

“She used a Command Spell,” Anderson snapped back, “He didn’t have much of a choice.”

“Choice? On what? We drove the rest of them away, what do you mean-”

“I mean that he threw his lance at her under a Command.”

"She knows how to use Commands?" Prototype Chulainn asked, his pinched brows meeting at the center of his forehead as he looked at his Master, then her hands. "Huh."

“...Was there no other way?” the other Chulainn asked, staring at where his Master was slowly sitting up and pushing Prototype Chulainn’s worried hands away.

“Which is why we’re saying, if you had just stopped to listen, Child of Light, we need to stop for the day, you filthy barbarian-”

And then the Master stood up, bracing her hands on her knees as she pitched forward and shivered violently. She took another moment, calming her wheezing breath to something more manageable and quiet. She wiped the sweat off her brow with her sleeve and turned to them. Her expression was calm, even if she was a little pale.

They didn’t need a Command Spell or a common language to know what she wanted.

“No no no,” Anderson said, taking off his lab coat to cover up his Master. 

She took it, surprisingly enough, and did her best to button the front part. However, due to her ample chest, the button strained with each one of her breaths and she had to make sure not to pull her shoulders back too far.

“Goodness, you cow,” Anderson muttered darkly under his breath, as he turned his eyes away. “To think that I would…”

“Ah, Master,” Hektor, who had managed to recover from the shock, draped his red cape around her. He gave a small smile, apologetic. “I’m sorry.”

She stared at him, and reached out to grab his hand. His eyebrows shot to his hairline as she brought his hand to her chest. She nodded her head, as Hektor could feel where her heartbeat under his touch. And then, she released her hand and then pointed towards the trees.

Cu frowned, “We just checked that area, Master,” he said. “We should be going East, remember?” he asked, pointing to the other direction. “East.”

She didn't relent.

He scowled back.

“You know what, I don’t care. You wanna run yourself into the ground with exhaustion and pain, be my guest. You don’t wanna listen to us? Master, you reap what you sow.”

She nodded, like she understood him, and agreed whole-heatedly before she slowly began to start walking again.

Hey couldn’t even begin to imagine how much pain she must have been in, for her hands were still trembling as she wrapped Hektor’s cape tightly around her.

-

"...Sorry," his Master said quietly, reaching up to gently cradle his face in her hand.

Hektor leaned into her hand, feeling his heart smoother in her affection and now that he recognized it, realized how over-abundant it was. Was this how she always felt, listening and walking with a man she couldn't understand? She raised him to be powerful, raised him to be above and beyond anything his mortal life could have brought, and he replied by nearly amputating her.

But still, the warmth that swaddled his heart was hers. 

How beautiful, he thought, if only the first word he ever heard her say wasn't an apology.

"I'm the one that's sorry," he replied quietly. He hoped she understood. 

Chapter Text

“Good night, Mommy,” Jack said, wrapping her arms around the Master’s leg. “Eheheh,” she giggled, a small blush crossing her cheeks, “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

She pulled back, a beaming, happy child, who was well-fed and ready to go turn in to sleep for the night. And the Master stared back.

“S-Senpai, I don’t think Jack meant any harm,” Mash started, but cut herself off when the Master kneeled down. She pressed her skirt down against her thighs when she did so, and then reached out to grab the little assassin, wrapping her arms around her.

There was a long silence as the Master gave the young girl a full hug.

Maybe it was because she was surprised or because she had never experienced the warmth of a loving hug before, but Jack buried her head against the Master’s shoulder and wrapped her little arms around her neck. Then, she began to sniffle and cry.

In response, the Master rubbed soothing circles into her back. 

Compared to the cold Master that never seemed to notice or care about what or how they were doing, it was like they were seeing her for the first time. 

Jack continued to cry, and patiently, the Master waited for her tears to stop and her breathing to calm down. With just small sniffles left, she took a step back and gave the Master an embarrassed smile. 

The Master ruffled her hair a little bit, and gave a small smile back. Understandably, Jack gaped back at the sight, and returned the smile with one of her own. 

“Senpai… can smile…?” Mash muttered to herself. It was a silly thought, because of course her Senpai was able to smile, but it was something that she never thought would ever happen.

Truly, a Christmas miracle.

Chapter Text

The Count of Monte Cristo was just as surprised as the Master of Chaldea when she had shown up in one of the prison ward. Of course, once he got over the shock, he quickly made way to her side. Out of curiosity, of course, nothing else.

How would the Savior of Humanity react to the Tower of Despair?

But when he found her, he explained the situation, how awful it was that Chaldea’s beloved Master was left stranded here. He told her and waited for that impassive expression on her face to break down in despair and dismay, just like his must have all those years ago. Of course, there was no joy in just ruining someone, but giving someone at the end of their hope false hope was where it was. 

And, her only possible ally was him. How convenient, that a Master would just be here for him. He couldn’t wait to use her.

“...No Chaldea?”

“That’s right, you are all alone here. There will be no communications that will be able to come in or out of here. Not even your servants can come to your aid.”

“...You did this?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Edmond replied, and then laughed, “but it must be because of that fickle thing called Fate.”

“...Thank you then,” the Master said. “I’ve been desperately trying to leave that hell hole all this time.”

“That’s right, despair, I… what?”

The Master of Chaldea smiled at him, looking like any other teenage girl in the world instead of a kidnapped commander, and Edmond found himself squinting back at the radiance of it.

Denial, he figured.

-

Three hours into their walk, Edmond was considering murder. Holy shit, does she ever stop talking?

“...And I couldn’t believe it! She did find a way around! It was really well done, and in the following episode, she and her group of friends, ah the ones that went to school with her, ran through the blizzard! But it was okay because her classmates, the ones that have been cheering for her this whole time, were there and they shoved the whole path there so they just needed to run!”

Edmond considered if he should die instead.

“Master of Chaldea-”

“Just call me Ritsuka, you sourpuss.”

“Consider that I don’t care… what did you call me?”

“A sourpuss! Shakespere calls Anderson that all the time,” she explained, “It’s really funny because he always says it after reading his manuscripts, you know? I can’t really get through them yet, but I'm getting further every day. They’ve been writing easier stuff for me to learn how to read too and…”

Edmond took a long, deep breath.

“Master of Chaldea, I don’t care,” he blurted back suddenly. “So be silent!”

There was, for the first time since he had met her, a blissful silence. It lasted about three seconds before Ritsuka, the Master of Chaldea, laughed back.

“And what? Stand in silence? No way, I want you to have a good impression of me.”

He stared at her, and when he opened his mouth to ask her, closed it upon seeing the mischievous glint in her eye.

“Just you wait, you’ll miss my voice.”

It was the way she said it. Even though her hands came behind her and she leaned forward and tilted her head just slightly to the right in a way that made her coy eyes shine, Edmond felt as though there was an underlying weight to her words.

“Being alone in a prison sucks,” she said, like she could ever understand, and Edmond frowned back. "I'm so glad I can finally talk to someone!"

And then, like a magic spell, it was broken, and she was back to talking.

“Oh what was I talking about? Oh! So they finally get to run to the area, and…”

-

“...The look on Emiya’s face when we pulled it off was so worth it though. I didn’t think that Nero would be able to do it, but even Emiya could lose his patience with her. Well, I say he lost patience, but he made her favorite mango pudding for dessert after yelling at her so...” 

She was still going strong.

Edmond dully nodded along. Wondering if they were ever going to make it to the promised destination. Just another hallway and a half. Okay, just a little further. Then they would reach the first trial and he can watch reality sink in to all her optimism and properly ruin it.

“...I say, yell, but he was just uhm… pointing at her while she sat on her knees and told her all the things she did wrong and that she shouldn’t be like that for a bunch of reasons… what was that word…”

“...Scolding?”

Ritsuka looked up at Edmond surprised, and Edmon made the mistake of looking back at her. In that second, he received the full brunt of her radiant smile. He repressed the urge to hiss.

“That’s the one,” she said, “Thanks!”

He turned away. 

“...So he scolded her for at least another hour, since I was out with Arash and Robin at the time. He looked so surprised, I think he forgot how time goes on!”

-

That didn’t happen. After the first trial, she remained moreorless exactly the same.

“Aren’t you upset? At all?”

Ritsuka turned to him and tilted her head, “Why would I be?”

“...Because they were one of yours? I was under the impression that you had a servant just like that one?”

The Master nodded back, “I do.”

He squinted at her.

“But you told me that my servants can’t come here, right? So what we just fought was just something that looked and sounded like him, right?”

“I… I could have lied,” he said, and the words sounded weak even to him.

She laughed back, “You’re a sourpuss, not a liar.”

This time, he didn’t look away.

-

That night, after leaving her to sleep, Edmond returned very quickly. The groans and screams of the damned spirits that lingered here remained and echoed off the stone walls, but Ritsuka, the Master of Chaldea, seemed to sleep just fine. 

He didn’t get it, just like how he couldn’t explain why he felt like he had to remain by her side. 

She shivered, and he reached for his jacket before he realized what he was doing and stopped himself. He stared at her, hoped that she would be too tired to talk the way she has been if she wasn’t well-rested.

And then, after a moment, he got up and got her a better blanket.

-

“Haha,” Ritsuka laughed, the first thing she did as soon as she woke up, and Edmond cursed in his head that he had completely forgotten to take his jacket back before she opened her eyes. “I knew it.”

“Knew what?” he almost spat out as he snatched the cloak out of her hands and dematerialized it.

“You’re my ally.”

And like the rest of her, Edmond thought that she was a strange Master.

-

“...I didn’t think that Elizabeth could sing like that. It really is a deadly weapon. I thought I was going to die during the Pumpkin Event,” she said, a smile on her face, “But you know, she looked really, really happy when she was singing. She was really doing her best and stuff….”

She walked, unsteadily down the staircase, and Edmond lifted her hand.

Even though she never stopped talking, Edmond was glad that she didn’t mention anything about how he acted or was. He already knew that he wasn’t acting as he should, but he didn’t think he could handle it if someone else threw it back in his face. As it was, she wordlessly took his hand and walked down the rocky, uneven staircase with a lot more confidence.

“...I’m really glad that she’s enjoying herself. One day, I want to be that happy, even at the things I’m not good at.”

-

He wasn’t listening to her. Or rather, it was easy to listen to her, there was literally nothing going on except the occasional pained moan from a passing spirit, but there wasn’t much that he heard.

Truly, someone who can speak without saying anything. 

She spoke of stories and her experiences. It was amazing how many positive experiences she’s had since she started this whole Master-Business thing with Chaldea, but she had them in abundance. As soon as she was done with one thing or another, of demon pillars and a rivalry between an executioner and a musician, it was always right to the next thing.

It felt almost as though she wasn’t thinking about what she was saying, but just saying things as she thought them.

However, Edmond thought, she wasn't repeating stories. And even more surprising was the fact that she only had good things to say. It grated his nerves, more than anything else. Why wasn't she more focused on the things in front of her? Or the fact that she couldn't see any one of those beloved servants she knew?

If the spring in her step and the glow on her face was any indication, it must be a Chaldea overabundant with excitement, adventure, and joy.

Before he even knew it, he wondered what it would be like.

-

“This time,” Ritsuka said, disappearing, “was like a dream. But now it’s time for me to wake up. Thank you, Dear Avenger. I enjoyed this immensely.” 

“...Perhaps, one day, we will meet again,” Edmond replied. “We must wait and hope for that.” 

It might have just been him, but he swears that he saw her frown for the first time. 

And with that, she was gone. 

-

So, when he felt the pull, he answered it with much more eagerness than he meant to.

He stood in front her. The Master of Chaldea. The nonstop speaker of joy and energy that haunted him. He knew. In the week they have been together, he was intimately familiar with the feel of her magic, the sound of her laugh, the shape of her smile, and just like that it led him here. 

But when he stood there, there are two people he has never seen. From the look on their faces, they must have not thought that he would have been called. Well, no matter.

“M-My name is Romani. I’m the Acting Director here at Chaldea,” the pink-haired man said, sketching a bow, “Welcome… uh… If you don’t mind me asking…”

Ah, Chaldea employees. Ritsuka had mentioned them before. She had a lot of fond things to say about the people who gave her unconditional support in any way they could. She had stories ranging from the faces they made at her when no one was looking to the demands of more of their personal favorites because they were certain that the Master would like it too.

“...Avenger-Class. I am the Count of Monte Cristo.”

“T-The Count?!” the young girl next to her gasped back. He turned towards her direction and she dropped her gaze in response. “M-My apologies,” she said. “M-My name is Mash Kyrielight, I am a Demi-Servant, class: Shielder.”

“More importantly,” Romani gasped out, “Avenger class? We have something like that?”

“Where is my Master?” he asked.

“Oh, senpai? Uh, I’m on my way to wake her. She should be in her room-”

He didn’t need to hear anything else, he was already on his way. He could feel it, the place where all that familiar mana was. He knew where she was. He let himself be guided, and walked with a brisk pace to be back at her side.

He couldn’t imagine the look on her face when she saw him again so soon.

“Wait! Please!” Mash said, “Uhm, before you meet her, it’s very important that I let you know some things.”

House rules? Well, concerning how much vermin that surrounded her, he understands what they must be and why they exist.

“Uhm… Senpai can’t speak or really understand us, so please don’t uhm… expect too much out of her. She’s been asleep for the last week too, but she’s doing better now. I’m sure that she’ll be more than uhm… at least she won’t be angry-”

“I understand,” Edmond said, not quite registering the words.

That woman? Quiet? Preposterous. 

Something inside of him felt like it was rotting. Was he at the wrong place? The wrong time, perhaps? There was no way, he knew her magic. It was like she never changed. He’s nearly certain that they hadn’t seen each other for the same amount of time. 

What was this Shielder even saying? She didn’t strike him as the type to lie, and there didn’t seem like there would be any benefit in lying about this. She looked confused, and Edmond wondered if this was the Dave that shared doujins with her, or the Melissa who always came with fresh sheets and a warm smile. 

And, without even a knock, the Shielder opened the doors to the Master’s room.

Inside, the Master of Chaldea turned to them, clearly all dressed and ready for the day.

“Ah, Senpai! Good morning! I hope you slept well. I am glad that you are already ready for the day. Also, this is our new friend, the Count of Monte Cristo!” Mash explained eagerly, stepping back to motion at the Avenger. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s reliable. You don’t have to worry about anything, I will take care of it…”

She kept talking, Edmond was sure of it, but he stopped being able to hear her. Instead, all he could focus on was the stricken look on the Master of Chaldea’s face.

It didn’t make him as pleased as he thought it would.

-

He learned, very quickly, that his Master is Silent. 

No one expected much from her, and he knew from the way they treat her. Some dog her steps, and others remain in her shadows. Some servants seem to be catching on to other things better, but even the servants who had been possessed by a sin didn’t seem to know any better. 

“...Why are you silent? I know you can understand me, so answer me,” he called out.

She looked at him before she pulled her gaze back down to the book in her hands.

“...Master, no, Ritsu-”

That got a reaction out of her, and the feeling of a Command Spell wrapping around his neck and squeezing was a painful one that he never wanted again.

It couldn’t be.

The wordless command etched into his head, like it was common knowledge that he had always known.

Do not use the Master’s name.

Lost and confused, Edmond felt like he was blindly reaching around in the dark.

“You would waste a Command Spell on this?” he hissed out.

She didn’t look at him. He hadn't felt the need to strangle her this badly since the first time they had met. Suddenly, those days felt too far away, like they were just a dream....

Her words echoed in his head. The voice that he was so tired of hearing felt so far away now.

He had all the pieces, but the puzzle that he had constructed out if was telling him a story that was the exact opposite of what she had talked about. 

Chapter Text

“Oh, you have done well to draw me! Iskandar, King of Conquerors, shall carve out your path!”

The first thing Iskander thought, walking through that summoning circle, was that his Master looked defeated. She looked like a thin, small thing, and he could probably easily pick her up with one arm and run for miles. She was pale, and the bright light from the summon pronounced the dark bags that were under her eyes. The smaller girl next to her gasped, and the Master looked at her before back to the Rider who answered her summons.

There was an angle to her shoulders that made him feel it. She didn’t care about anything, and it registered in his head as a defeated kind of, but she didn’t shy away when their eyes met. Instead, their eyes met, and she straightened just a bit.

Iskander’s second impression was that this was a lion in sheep’s clothing. There was nothing defeated about her, except in her stance.

It was beaten into her then.

In their bond, their connection, their Master-Servant relationship, Iskander felt nothing.

And then, a smaller, even more frantic girl nudged his Master, bowing her head politely as she gave a smile.

“Uhm, my name is Mash,” she said. “I am also a servant of the Master. However, our Master suffered a bad head injury and has lost all method of communication with other people.”

He stared at her, whose shoulders slumped back as she dropped her eyes. This was practiced. This was something that she was used to this.

He looked at the young girl, and couldn’t feel anything malicious. She looked back and gave a shy smile. Eventually, he would learn that he was one of many servants that was called in this makeshift base as the remains of humanity. Saving the world, saving all the people in the world, it was a lofty goal and there wasn’t much to work with.

The data was there. The logic was sound. But the look in his Master’s eyes, no matter how tired she seemed, was anything but defeated.

-

It was nice, to some extent, to see the young boy again. He was a little taller than he remembered, but when his eyes watered as soon as they met, he knew that he hadn’t changed a bit.

It warmed his heart, to some extent.

“...Rider,” he said, voice soft.

Well, they couldn’t have that. Iskander gave a bellowing laugh as he gathered the kid, because it didn’t matter how big he is, he will always be a kid to him, into his arms and spun him around.

Waver struggled, spluttering in shock, for a total of ten seconds before he gave a long sigh and gave in. He relaxed his body, a smile on his face, and Iskander finally put him down.

“Well, we have plenty of time to catch up after this,” Waver said, eyes lingering on the man who single-handedly changed his world, “But right now, Master probably wants to max you out now.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” Waver said, a smile on his face, barely hidden by his fan, “And if you underestimate her, you lose.”

Iskander looked at him a little peculiarly, but figured that this would be a great place to start. He rubbed his chin, considering.

“Is that so?” he asked, ready more than ever to see what awaits for him from this contract.

-

“Please,” the young shielder girl whispered out, “Please take care of the Master.”

And Iskander was much too old to look her in the eye and do anything but laugh back. 

“Hahaha! But of course!”

He couldn’t say anything then, but when they Rayshifted, he felt something loosen in his chest. He had his theories, and as someone who didn’t remain by the Master’s side at all times, it was never proven true or false. But these last couple of days, after being returned to his full former glory, he had noticed something. 

His Master was not at all as empty-headed as some led him to think.

Regardless, when he saw Master look around, looking for someone and not finding them, she gave a sigh of relief and her shoulders slumped in a way he never saw before. She rolled her shoulders a little and, when her eyes met his, nodded curtly. 

“Alright then, what’s the mission objective?” he asked. 

“Testing, testing, ah, senpai! Can you hear me?” Mash’s grainy face appeared before them on the Chaldea live-feed.

In an instant, Iskander felt something tighten in his chest again. From of all the experience he had as servant, he was certain that these feelings didn’t belong to him, but the person he was contracted to. 

While in Chaldea, it wasn’t the Master’s mana that continuously fed them (until they inevitably got into fights), but the Chaldea energy forces. However, it was different in the field. In the field, where it was just them, the Master, and the Chaldea Commentary Team that could only contact them through the Master. 

“The source of the distortion is the castle up ahead. Please guide the Master to safety while you dispatch the problem,” she said. “I’m sure it may sound like a tedious task, but this kind of things should be squashed before they become singularities or worse. With the King of Conquerors here as well, I’m sure this will only take a few hours.”

The connection fizzled a little, and the Master finally turned towards it.

“The connection here isn’t good, but we will keep an eye on all the vitals. Please keep the Master safe.”

She probably said something else, but the connection died. Master, at the sight of this, relaxed.

Ushiwakamaru kneeled down in front of her, “Please, allow me the honor of bringing their heads to you,” she said. Master walked right by her without even glancing at her and towards the edge of the little forest they were in. The smile momentarily froze on her face, but she quickly recovered.

Iskander hid a smile behind his fist, chuckling a little as he moved forward. Ah, to be young again. To be back in his body as the wind curls around them and the cold wisps by. Of course, it was seldom when he was surrounded by so much greenery or so little troops, but this wasn’t bad.

“Master, I shall return swiftly after completing this mission for you,” Medusa said, appearing right next to her. 

The Master didn’t even look at her. If Iskander didn’t know any better, he would say that the Master was ignoring her or didn’t hear her. As their battle commander, he didn’t know what was better.

But then, his Master turned around. She pointed at Iskander, Shakespeare, and Waver and made a fist. Then, she picked up her other hand and motioned at herself, Medusa, and Ushiwakamaru. She took her first and punched the air, and then took the other hand to make a wide, circular motion, and then the two met in the middle.

Iskander’s eyebrows went high, “That’s ambitious,” he said.

“...You… understood that?” Ushikawamaru asked, “Is this not your first campaign?”

Waver lit another cigarette, “Come now, the Master is waiting for our word.” He turned to the Master and nodded, and pointed at the moon, and then raised his hand to the horizon. “We have until dawn.”

Master nodded her head, and turned around, flanked on either side by the other Riders.

-

The battle was, by no means, easy. But with nothing standing between him and two Casters to support him, he could really let loose. It was almost nice, he thought, to think of nothing and feel nothing as he cuts down hoards of opponents, once after another. The support kept his senses sharp, and his contract kept his injuries minimal. 

And then, suddenly, all at once, it felt like all the light in the world dissipated away. The men in front of him were lost and confused as the castle rumbled with a dying excitement. They were split and essentially an easy target. Their anger gave way to shock and then, like a bad dream, they all began to dissipate away into black sand.

Mounds and mounds of sand on the ground, Iskander gave a low whistle.

“Master! How splendid!” Shakespeare, who after rapid fire spell-casting, only looked a little winded, “To finish before dawn in such a romantic way!”

And Iskander looked up, he saw his Master, standing at the top of the castle gate, staring down at them. The rising dawn crept up, bit by bit, behind her, but nothing could compare to the brightness in her eyes as a small smile graced her lips. She stared at Iskander, who felt a pull he couldn’t explain, and gave a curt nod. With that, she turned around.

Between one blink and another, Iskander was back in Chaldea.

And that image never left his mind, looking oddly displaced when he could see his stone-faced Master next to him. 

Chapter Text

“Master, when you’re so cold to me, I feel even more love for you.”

Medb’s words echoed in her head as she approached Senpai's room for another day, another fight, another moment to share between them. In all honesty, with more and more servants beginning to fill up Chaldea, she was a little worried that her Master would have tried to replace her by now. But, she supposes that amongst all the strong and amazing servants that she has under contract, it was soothing to have someone like Mash, someone she could trust and always rely on since Day One.

Someone who was always there for her, for as long as death did them apart. Mash felt her face heat up, she felt so silly for thinking that she could be together with her Master, or even married, when the future of humanity wasn’t even lit.

Mash was certain though, if anyone could figure out how to save the world, it would be her < Master>. And she would be there for her, by her side, through thick and thin and everything else the world wanted to throw at her. 

“Good morning Senpai,” Mash greeted, as she always did. Her hand came up, subconsciously and completely out of habit, to grab the Master.

“I wish you would stop talking to me,” the Master said, as soon as their eyes met. 

Mash felt her heart stop for a moment. She didn’t even know that the Master had learned how to speak, but suddenly felt a wave of excitement at the thought. And then, the words registered in her head and thinking of all the bad influences surrounding her, gave a small sigh in disappointment, “Honestly, I wish you would stop watching those silly shows with Blackbeard. I bet they’ve been teaching you all the wrong things again. That’s not something you should say.”

The woman in front of her stared at her, and to anyone else, she must have looked indifferent and unimpressed. But Mash, who has spent every waking moment with her, knew better. She was just surprised. 

“Okay, c’mon, Senpai, let’s go get something to eat for breakfast.”

Her mood was a little dampened, but Mash built back her determination. It wouldn’t do to let the other servants, especially Blackbeard, corrupt the Master soon as her back was turned. She would do further her endeavors to keep her presence by her side at all times.

It was for the Master’s own good, after all. She didn’t know better, and she could barely communicate with the others. It was up to her to help her out, any means necessary. Sometimes, cutting the fat was what did that. 

Chapter Text

Lancelot extended his hand out to his Master, hopeful that she would take it, or make him pick her up and carry her, or something, but instead, his Master stumbled and slid down the rocky side of the mountain. She flailed badly, and managed to barely maintain herself upright several times. She carelessly got her hands cut and bruised her knees, and he only knows because she rubs at them and frowns when she gets on stable ground. He gritted his teeth, reminding himself to remember who he was and what was appropriate.

So he extended his hand out, and when she looked at it, didn’t do anything.

Instead, she got up, steadied herself on her own feet, and continued moving forward.

It was something courageous, to forge on through everything, and at the same time, frustrating. 

He thought that it was because of the events that had occurred in the last singularity or a time before him, but he wasn't sure. He couldn't know. It could be that she didn't like him or trust him, but she took great care to make sure that he was returned to his full glory from the moment he walked in through that circle. The other him, Berserker, who was lost and deranged, seemed oddly docile with her as well. There had to be a reason for that.

However, he knew one thing for certain. 

He would remain at her side, to the bitter end and a little beyond, for this woman who had never said his name. He didn’t know how else to explain himself other than the fact that he felt that this much loyalty to be expected.

Yet, he didn’t know where it came from. It could be because he was a knight. Or a servant, as the case may be. The bond between Master and servant was powerful and unexplainable. However, it still felt wrong.

But the only feeling that he had ever felt from his Master, the savior of humanity, the walking personification of salvation for spirits like him, the little lady that fought like a general but was mute like an infant, was a crippling loneliness he could relate to.

He felt that there were other traits and feelings that flow into him with her mana. The harder she tried, the harder he wanted to, too. When she endured, he wasn't sure if he followed because they were her unspoken orders or her heart’s wish, or if it's because he wanted to. It was dangerous, but sometimes, he didn’t know where her feelings end and where his began.

So he’d hold his hand out and wait.

And wait, and wait and wait and wait and wait and wait, for his Master to know that she no longer had to wait, for he was here. She did not have to wait anymore, he would do anything and everything, if it meant that her loneliness will subside. She did not have to look around. She was not lost. She was not alone.

Lancelot, her knight, was here for her.

Today too, she did not take his hand. Tomorrow too, he’d lend his hand out again.

If this patience was loyalty, then he wondered what it would be if she ever took his hand.

Chapter Text

“Come now, you must be suffering because you are not by my side. Haha, worry not, for I, Ozymandias, will allow you to accompany me to the next mission.”

Which would sound much better, if the Pharaoh wasn’t blocking off the door in front of the Rayshifting room, staring down at Master. He looked at her, and despite the smile on his face, his confident posture and his open arms, they could sense that he was at his wits end. His smile was twitching, and they could see all the white around his eyes as he peered down at the smaller woman.

Hector, at the very least, had enough tact to cover his mouth to stifle his laughs, while Iskander actually let loose. He quickly excused himself, courtesy of Waver, but the damage was done, and the strain was showing on the Pharaoh's face. 

“There’s no need to be shy,” he continued, eyes bright with a gleam that they didn’t usually associate with him, as he inched closer to the Master. “Going out every once in a while to stretch is good for you, and I will allow you to enjoy yourself to the fulle-”

He stopped himself as Master shook her head.

His smile twitched, before it fell.

“...Why not,” he demanded, more so than ask. His feigned goodwill was replaced with a frown and a scowl, like dark clouds rushing the skies before a lightning storm. “There’s no reason why you are taking other Rider-Class servants but hesitate when you consider me. Come now, do your best to explain yourself to me. Depending on your choice of words, I may decide if you are worth my forgiveness. Be glad that you even get a chance to express your actions, for I, Ozymandias, am allowing a justification out of my magnanimous generosity. Do well to choose your words wisely.”

And Master, who rarely look like she cared about anything in particular, who always goes every day with the same amount of work needed, dropped her eyes from Ozymandias. She took a step to the left, as though trying to sidestep him, but he made sure to block that off by taking a step to remain completely in front of her.

His eyebrows were furrowed in his poorly contained frustration, and his arms crossed in front of his chest as he peered at her. She couldn’t meet his eyes.

After a few minutes of this awkward waltz, she straightened. She looked at him and turned sharply to the left, as though preparing to run away.

Ozymandias wasn’t having that. He grabbed her by the arm and when she pulled, he yanked her back to him.

“Answer me! Why do you hesitate when I am by your side!”

“Hey, King of Kings,” Hektor frowned, not enjoying what this was leading up to. He watched the shadows around their Master shake, and knew that at least the Hassans will help him trap him before anything happens.

The Master stared back, finally meeting his eyes. She raised her hand up to his neck, and Ozymandias froze. His eyes widened, and then he released her. Her hand came back down to her side while the other rested against her heart. 

She dropped her eyes to the ground, and Ozymandias blinked twice before his laughter came right back to him. He laughed, elated and joyful, and he clutched his stomach as he enjoyed a joke that no one else understood.

“Unbelievable!” he laughed, “You were worried about me?!” He relished in the thought, and the vitality and confidence returned to his posture. “How incredibly adorable! For such an insignificant human like yourself to be so concerned over my incredibly overpowered self? Hahaha! This warm feeling that fills my heart when our eyes meet, this is your concern for me?” he laughed some more.

And then he kept laughing at a joke that was so funny that he had to wrap his arms around his stomach, as though his organs may jump out in delight if he didn’t. He wiped at his eye, where a stray tear threatened to leave as he enjoyed the moment.

 Hektor didn’t even know where to begin. Master, on the other hand, did look a little more concerned.

Ozymandias dropped his hand on top of of his Master’s head, still chuckling as he ruffled her hair, “Your worries are worthless! They are a waste of your energy and thought! Rather than that, you should have just spent time with me and realized that it is a fruitless endeavor! It’s a million years too early for some human like you to think like that! Forfeit that worthless thought. If you have time for such frivolous activities that bear no weight, then submit yourself to me and I will personally demonstrate my benevolent ability for you to bear witness to!”

Master blinked back at him, in a rare moment to show that she was a little surprised.

And then, Ozymandias gave a smaller chuckle, a little more modest and honest. He properly righted himself and reached to gently touch the Master’s cheek with the back of his fingers. 

“...You are the woman who summoned me. I will ensure your days are never dark,” he said, moving his hand to cup her face. “Trust me, believe in me, I will allow it.”

Her eyes shined, her command spells glowed, and no one would ever be able to ever prove to Hector that she didn’t know what was going on. Perhaps not every word, every phrase, how it works together and what it truly meant, but more than some bumbling deaf and mute person some others made her out to be.

The expression on Ozymandias’ face, the way it brightened and the way it shined, truly made it feel like the sun finally broke through the blizzard outside.

Her hand came up to grab the hand cradling her face, and turned her face towards the palm. Her eyes remained on his face, before they closed, and she took a step closer to him. Ozymandias’ smile remained, even though something in his eyes seemed to burn darkly in its intensity. 

“Haha, a bold one, aren’t you?” he nearly purred. “Hm, how interesting. Master, if you believe you can handle the heat of the sun, then I shall deliver this blessing personally.” 

“Mission! What an important quest we have to go on, right?!” Hector said, rushing forward to throw his arm around the Master.

He grinned, but from the look on Ozymandias’ face, he looked just as upset and agonistic as he had hoped. Unfortunately, the Pharaoh took that in stride and smirked back with such haughty arrogance that Hector was ready to answer.

“Okay,” the voice between them said. 

It would be, as quiet as a wisp, as small as a mouse, and a sound that echoed in both of their spirit origin for a long, long time.

“She spoke,” Ozymandias whispered.

“She spoke,” Hector gaped back, even as his Master left his grasp and walked away to Rayshift.

Hastily, they followed.