…––––––––––…

What a twist of fate it was, to be summoned by a child that had to suffer, maybe even more than her own daughters. The rage she felt at that time was still burning so bright and terrifyingly that she had to actively repress it alas the child would be scared of her.

After leaving those ruins she made her way towards the mountains in the far distance. She had sensed her kind throughout the city -a city she couldn't believe existed as her own time was so far back that the closest sight to these were the large settlements of the Romans- with the child rest in her arms.

A scowl formed on her lips as she thought about the pain the child might feel. She pulled her cloak tighter around the child's freezing body. Though it was unsettling that the girl hadn't reacted or even awoke from her slumber once despite the treatment she received before she arrived. The only thing she was aware though was that those vile creatures were still clinging to the child's flesh and her anger spiked at the thought.

She mostly evaded the civilian settlements out of fear that someone might mistake her as a childnapper and she truly didn't feel like explaining should she really be questioned. Her nature as a Berserker was thankfully weakened due to her being summoned directly by the Greater Grail, but it still worried her that she couldn't help the child beyond slaying that creature.

She strode forward, aware that the presence of her kind was growing closer but she remained cautious and kept her own appearance low. Who knows if they were kindred spirits or one of them.

Then she felt the tremor in the distance. Not far away from the exact place she was heading towards. It was one of her own, maybe just now summoned. But why had she felt it for such a long time then? Maybe they haunted the one who was supposed to summon them and only now arrived. Or their presence only know truly manifested.

Boudicca didn't mind it though, at least now they were tangible.

A cough from the child alerted her. She knew, that she couldn't exterminate the worms entirely, she couldn't help the child without severely injuring her either – some hero she was – and she really hoped that the one summoned then was able to help her in some form or fashion.

…––––––––––…

"So you're trying to tell me that his Servant appeared from the same summoning circle as Archer?" Risei Kotomine asked the child while the green haired Servant remained by her side and didn't express anything but an interest in the bible he took from somewhere. The old priest felt a growing headache form on the backside of his skull and he wouldn't be surprised if it showed on his face.

"And my son lead you downstairs because you were interested in the summoning. Do I understand that correctly?" the child seemed to retreat into herself with each word he said. It was difficult enough for him to talk to his friend's child without showing his confusion and anger -of course not directed at the child herself but her own flesh and blood father.

He was just contacted by Father Cornelius that Caren had summoned a Servant and was on her way to Fuyuki but to make matters even more complicated was the fact that he had felt at least three additional summons in the city which meant that the Back Up feature of the Greater Grail was compromised by a third party or something was horribly wrong in this Grail War.

Either way he had to fulfill his duty as an overseer until the Ruler Class Servant is summoned and took over his duties. Truthfully speaking he felt more comfortable with Jean D'arc or Shirou Amakusa Tokisada or any other Saint overseeing the war since they could directly interfere in the Servants fights and thankfully had no desire for the Grail whatsoever. Impartiality incarnate was one of the virtues of that particular class after all.

But that still didn't mean that he could just ignore the fact that a child managed to summon a Heroic Spirit. What was the Grail thinking giving a child this much power? Or rather, how was the child even capable of sustaining a powerful Servant like the green haired one? Certainly she was an Average One but that couldn't be all there was to that? And then there was the matter of those white Command Seals.

"May I?" he knelt down and gently pried Rin's hand from her chest to get a better look at the strange markings.

"I'm sorry Father…" the child whispered, fear clearly in its voice. He had to repress the urge to sigh deeply and instead caressed the marked hand with a thumb.

"Don't be Rin-chan. It's not like you intentionally summoned this Servant." he spoke with a soft voice, one he used when he'd talk with his grandchild. There was something unusual about the the pattern and it wasn't formed like the regular Command Seals, they even seemed to glow faintly…He would need to investigate this matter calmly. He slowly got up from his position to look at said Heroic Spirit.

"Would you be so kind and tell me the reason why you answered the summon?" Every Servant had a wish, a desire, something that made them seek out the Grail and this one still seemed more aloof than anything else. That smile though. Was it male or female? And why the sudden interest in the lords teachings?

"I heard my Master's cry and answered her." the Servant stated laying the holy scripture on his lap and patting Rin's head.

"What?" the priest was slightly surprised by that answer "What do you mean with that?"

"It's as I said, my Master has cried and I wanted to comfort her. Hence why I came to this world once again." by this time even Rin looked at him in utter shock. The child then slowly started to fume and Risei had to remind himself that he wasn't dealing with Tokiomi, but his daughter. A daughter that was rather infamous for her tantrums.

"What do you mean I cried!?" the child nearly screamed, hurting the old man's poor eardrums "I don't cry! I'm not some little kid!"

"But aren't you still very young?" the Servant asked to which the child gaped "And there is nothing shameful with crying. And if I recall correctly I heard the name Sakura when I answered the call."

Risei, this time for real, bit on his lower lip when he heard that. Of course he had known that Tokiomi sent his youngest child to the Matou's out of -what his friend assumed to be- kindness for the declining Magus family. But to hear that the child that was forced to part with her sister had cried out of the repressed agony…

"I-I" hearing it and seeing it are two different things and the priest truly felt like punching something when he saw Rin tearing up slightly "That's not true…we-we promised…" the child continued but at that point he had enough. Apparently the Servant did too as he patted Rin's head with a gentle smile on his lips.

"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it then we can once you're more comfortable." the Heroic Spirit said continuing to calm the child "There is also the matter of the Servant approaching the church at this moment."

The words didn't register at first, then for the first time in years Risei's eye opened in shock. Just in time too, as the doors to the church flew open and revealed a certain golden clad Servant with an expression of utter shock on his face.

"Is that you?" he golden Servant asked stepping closer to the green haired one. In fact he apparently forgot what personal space was or that he was in a church as he immediately rushed towards and grabbed the androgynous Servant's face and nearly pressed it against his own in a more than child-inappropriate-proximity.

The old priest nearly fell over to cover Rin's eyes from the scene when it wasn't for the glare the golden Servant sent towards the child, making him nearly pass out from the intensity.

"You, how dare you call upon the king's property like this? Only I am allowed to call him forth. Die for your ignora-OOOOOOOOHhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaa!" the golden Archer doubled over holding his groin as his face contorted in pain. His red eyes bulged from his head and the priest could see each blood vessel pop from what he himself would describe as excruciating pain of heavenly proportions.

Towering over the heaving King was Rin's Servant with an indifferent look on his once gentle features and Risei was more than sure that he already figured out who this Servant was. Which didn't help this old man's growing migraine. Even Rin appeared to be perplexed by what happened before the child slowly started to snicker.

"Youooooooooohhhh!" the King groaned glaring at the child while the Servant in front of him knelt down and took a good look at him.

"Isn't it childish to argue with a child my King? Surely your ego hasn't corrupted your heart again otherwise I'm inclined to teach you humility once more." the green haired hero spoke, his tone gentle and his expression soft but Risei couldn't help but feel the shudder that ran over his back.

"Enkiduuuuuuhhh! My friend and rival, ugh, how could I not listen to your sweet voice? Of course I can forgive the child, but if she dared to touch you my priced possession then I have to put it in its place." The golden Servant slowly got up from his crouch, visibly shaken from the kick the green haired one delivered to his crotch and even the dent it left was very visible.

"Lancer. That's the class I was given and no, I'm not yours my King, I'm with Rin for the duration of the war." Risei had to actively bite his lip otherwise his jaw would drop and going by the look on the Golden King's face he was glad that he choose to do so.

The King's face was contorted into a visage of pure rage and anger with veins popping in places where they shouldn't be visible at all "YOU-" his red eyes darted to the child but Lancer's hand grabbed his face and hefted him up to a standing position in front of him.

"If you continue to look at my Master with that look I'm tempted to rip it off your face and eat it, and we both don't want that to happen right?" at this point Risei knew that it was futile to stop his mouth from hanging. He actively gaped at that interaction and couldn't help but feel more than frightened by the expression of ecstasy that appeared on the King's face.

"You would?" the once terrifying appearing King spoke with a tone better suited for a Korean Drama series.

Everything was wrong. So very very wrong! This wasn't the King of Heroes Tokiomi claimed to be the strongest Servant to ever exist. No, this was a love struck possessive egomaniac with an unhealthy obsession for his "friend" that bordered insanity!

And all the tension in the air evaporated when innocent laughter filled the air.

His old ears didn't deceive him as he looked at Rin giggling like a child. It was far to easy to lose your humanity walking down the path of a Magus, something Risei knew well since he had known both Tokiomi and his father for a long time, but seeing the child laugh so unabashedly was a grim reminder that he had never seen nor heard the child laugh in all the time he had known her. It was something he became accustomed to, not seeing the child smile or laugh in a repressed manner.

Rin was keeling over and holding her stomach as she watched both Servants "argue", probably not understanding the undertones of what they said, and simply laughed at their actions.

Still, he would pay any amount of money to the greatest of painters to capture Gilgamesh's exasperated face. But surely such a sight was priceless in its own right.

…––––––––––…

When she found them, Boudicca wasn't exactly sure what she was looking at. At first glance a scantly clad woman with beautiful white hair and skin was hugging a brunette girl wearing a pullover and skirt. Both were crying and screaming and she didn't know if it appeared rude to interrupt them from, well, that.

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt whatever you are having but,"

Her voice, in the middle of the night, broke them off of each other. Their eyes simultaneously landing on her and the child in her arms. At least they seemed like friendly people, even with the snot hanging from their noses.

"Can you help us?" Boudicca asked "Mine Master isn't feeling well and since you appear to have a command seal similar to her- Oh, where are my manners." she bowed to the best of her ability "I'm Berserker."

"Oh dear…" the white haired one said holding a hand in front of her mouth while she stared at Sakura. A sudden impulse of rage filled her, but she knew that it was just the Berserker Class side-effect.

"Zecchan…quick" the albino muttered while the brunette quickly got up and bowed.

"o-Ossu! Ma name pis stu-Student Zerro! I mean Tiger! No! Taiga Fujimura!" the brunette chirped while the one standing behind her shook her head in embarrassment. A quick slap to the back followed and the girl recomposed herself.

"Sorry about that, Uhm, Berserker-san? I'm Caster, but please just call me Iri." the Servant introduced herself with grace, something Boudicca had seen often during from Houses of old traditions. "But first; how can we help you?" The Servant asked her with those red eyes ablaze with the fire only a fellow mother could understand.

Boudicca relaxed visibly. She laid Sakura on the ground right in front of her while the Albino started to fuss and descended right next to her. She was grateful that these people were so friendly and that they went straight to the point.

"When she summoned me, her relative" Iri picked up on her tone but focused her hands, a yellowish white light emitting from them, over the child instead of interrupting her "had thrown her to the worms and they festered-" Boudicca had to bite the inside of her mouth before a growl could leave her throat but Taiga's hands on her shoulders told her that they understood.

"Okay, that should do." Iri said the light around her hands hand seeped into Sakura and the child's complexion turned from purple to a more dark-ish blue. The child's breathing also returned somewhat to normal and the visible strain the child had before had turned into a calm relaxed expression.

Boudicca stared at the Caster and wasn't sure what to say "Uhm, what?" was all that could leave her and Taiga's mouths.

"Well If you end up becoming a living incarnation of the Holy Grail you end up picking up one or two things about reverting Cause and Causality and-" the albino stared tilting her head like a bird and looking at her and the Master with a confused look before they interrupted her.

"WHAT?!"

"Well, I am technically the Irisviel from this Holy Grail War but my memories have been mingled with the Irisviel who become a Heroic Spirit." the Caster explained while Boudicca and Taiga looked at her with wide open mouths "It's the main reason as to why I remember Zecchan, but I do believe that my Grail War was very different."

It was at that moment that Taiga had ,thankfully, interrupted her with both her hands held in front of her and a look of utter confusion on her face "Okay I believe that's a conversation we shouldn't have in the open in the middle of the night Shishou!" The master got up from the ground and extended her hand to Boudicca.

"How about you and your Master come with us to my home, nobody will bother us when we go there and we can discuss what exactly is going on in this war, is that okay Berserker-san?" she had to smile at the girl. That honesty and the way she smiled reminded her of her youngest daughter and she felt, even a little, that she could trust her guts to follow this girl.

She hefted up Sakura into her arms again following after the other pair.

"By the way Shishou" Taiga asked her Servant.

"Hm?"

"Why is your attire so…bare?"

Both Servant's had to pause at the last word. A chuckle escaping her lips as she watched the white skin of Caster turning into deeper shades of red with each passing moment. She had to hold in her laughter otherwise the child in her arms would wake up; then again she truly felt glad that she found these two instead of the other pair in the far distance.

For now she just wanted to stick together with her new allies as Iri's scream of embarrassment was too delightful not to like.

…––––––––––…

Saber was watching herself in the mirror. Something she had never done before in her time despite her mother always telling her how he looked like his father. A loose hand grabbed one of the strands of his hair and he wondered if he should cut it off, might make him look ore like a man and then her Master would address him with more respect.

Of course that thought was dismissed nearly immediately and she watched the child on the bed with a look filled with curiosity and wonder.

One of his hands reached out to touch the child's puffy cheek, brushing a lonely strand of hair aside as the princess slowly rose.

Princess? Was her Master a princess? What makes one a princess anyway? In her own time princesses lived in Castles, had maids and could have whatever they wanted in large quantities…Yep, sounded exactly like Ilya…

Ilya? Was Ilya even a princess name? They were in Germany but her Master's name didn't sound German at all, more like a frankensteinian cross between Russian and German and, who would name their child with a "-viel" at the end of their name? Didn't "viel" mean "much"? Should a princess be named Ilyamuch?

Curse her British roots for overthinking these things…or maybe~

"Good-muuuahhhh-ning" the child greeted, red irises slightly dimmed from the slumber said princess had awoken from. He smiled down and patted the child's head affectionately, carefully patting the hair aside to make the child look more presentable.

"Good morning Illi." she said with a cheeky grin forming on her lips. It took the child a couple moments and one or two attempts at blinking to register what she just said. Then a brilliant blush formed on both those puffy cheeks and Saber couldn't help but laugh.

"Huh? Wawaw-What did you call me?!" the child nearly screamed, now fully awake and covering itself with the blankets fully.

"But aren't you a princess Illi?"

"Bwha-?!"

"And aren't you German? Shouldn't a German princess have a nickname that sounds more German?" Saber enjoyed her Master's antics to their fullest. Ilya threw off the comforter and looked at her with a look that screamed 'Don't embarrass me like that!' but she couldn't help it, that nickname sounded just too cute.

"Bwhah-Buwah-babababa-" Instead of continuing her antics Illi instead threw herself at her Servant and hit Saber playfully against the chest, burying her face into the Servant's shoulder in the process.

"Illi, once we've made you ready for the day and had our breakfast and lunch- Brunch in short- then we've got to catch a train not far from here okay?" Saber said stroking the still embarrassed child's back while they laid sprawled on the bed. She never knew that another bodies warmth felt so good, and she smiled how easy it felt to be human with the little princess in her arms.

"Did you sleep well…" the child asked, voice muffled by her shoulder but he heard the child loud and clear "…Onee-ni-sama?"

Saber had to double, scratch that, triple take that last statement "Wha-?!"

"Since Onee-nii-sama doesn't like to be called Onee-sama…" the child tried to explain but her mumbling slowly started to get incoherent and the Servant was left with a strange mix of satisfaction and confusion that ultimately decided to become gratitude. She hugged the child tightly, not too tightly or her stuffing's going to come out- and she repeated her nickname for the little princess.

In fact they rapidly called each other by their new nicknames until both of them felt more comfortable being addressed like that.

…––––––––––…

The strange creature hadn't acted so far and she was more than certain that the other strange creature currently clinging onto her arm was asleep and attempting to cut of her supply of blood from her limb.

She never had to care for others. It was a show of weakness and it wasn't becoming of her to let a potential liability weight her down in her duties.

Duty.

To think her brothers and sisters scooped so low as to seek a heretical object like the Holy Grail. Or maybe they were going to test the participants of the war and eliminate the anyone daring to reach that object? She couldn't help but wonder though, if that were to be the case why was she still here? No matter which of the Clan Leaders was summoned, surely at least one of them would have reduced the number of participants to the point it wasn't necessary for her to be here and yet the fact that she indeed existed meant that her brethren decided to pursuit the heretical symbol.

A sad thought indeed, as it meant that the others could have strayed from the teachings of their lord.

They need to be punished. It didn't matter anyway, to be summoned by the Grail meant to desire it, hence she was going to deliver swift judgment and pray for forgiveness.

However their destination was approaching at a rapid pace. Tempted to shrug the child off her arm she instead leaned down to wake it up. Yellow irises greeted her with an expression of utter boredom marring the child's face.

"Are we going to jump off the train or not?" the child asked while Assassin had to wonder why it knew of her plan.

"Soon" was all she whispered, already resigning herself to the fate her god bestowed upon her.

…––––––––––…

"These people are…your friends…?" Raiga Fujimura asked his grandchild looking at the group behind her in bewilderment. While it wasn't strange for Taiga to bring along new friends to sleep over he never expected her to make friends with adults…well women like that. One of them even appeared to be a mother, judging by the child in the red head's arms, and the woman right beside his granddaughter surely looked like an Einzbern.

He felt the aneurysm form beneath his skull but he wasn't going to question the child for her company.

Even if said company looked like a cosplay group.

"Yep! Totally my friends! Nothing suspicious about that right?" Taiga's eyes were spinning but her laughter was still as energetic and innocent as when she left this morning, meaning he wouldn't need to worry and could enjoy his granddaughter's companionship leisurely.

"Sure, just get inside, the lady beside you looks like she's going to freeze in that outfit- look! The woman clearly has a fever brewing with how red she looks!" Of course he was oblivious to the repressed laughter of the group and the look of terror on the albino's face but, well, such was life right?

…––––––––––…

"Sorry about my grandfather…" Taiga whispered once they were in her quarters. The group of cronies outside was glared away by both Boudicca and a fuming Iri so they were thankfully able to relax for now.

"It-" the red head had to cover her mouth while red irises slowly turned to her with a murderous gleam "Your family seems very lively." she managed to say with her face trying its hardest not to laugh.

"He could've at least had the decency not to make fun of me. He might have feint his obliviousness but I know exactly how men like him fake it." Iri said wearing a pink Kimono instead of her earlier garb, much to Taiga's pleasure since she had know her Shishou like this the most.

"Believe me he didn't mean it. And while we're on the subject; Shishou, does Kiritsugu act oblivious?"

Iri visibly pondered at that question "I don't know" she said while her brows furrowed and her eyes lost focus "It seems like I couldn't fuse correctly with my version of this war…"

"That makes sense. After all the War shouldn't have started. The first Caster was summoned not to long ago, and our comrades haven't arrived in the city yet." Boudicca said, vaguely aware where the conversation is heading but still not believing it. This meant that the Servant beside the her was the youngest Heroic spirit to date.

"Huh~…wait!"

"Oh"

Both Iri and Taiga were starring at Boudicca as if she'd grown a second head. The red head visibly recoiled from the stares and shielded the child laying behind her out of instinct.

"There're two of SHISHOU/ME"

Both of them screamed, thankfully unable to wake Sakura, and held their heads in dramatic poses. The Berserker had to wonder how these two didn't come to the conclusion already, but she argued that it might have been them just not realizing it since they finally reunited.

"Wait! Does this mean I have to fight with myself for Saber-chan's attention?!" Iri screamed to both the other's shock.

"Saber-"

"-chan?"

The red head and brunette exchanged looks before turning their attention back to the wailing Caster.

"Maybe we should change the subject?" Taiga voiced, watching her Shishou listing off a couple of things that slowly flew over their heads.

"Good suggestion." Berserker agreed, feeling the sweat slowly falling from her brows.

"You said something about comrades, does that have anything to do with why another pair of Servants got summoned by the Grail?" Taiga asked rocking side to side on her futon, while she watched the older woman ponder her words.

"Technically yes but I also didn't receive more information than that. The only things I do know are that the Greater Grail isn't allowed to be touched and that the additional Seven Servant's summoned are to unsure that our Masters receive happiness."

Taiga looked at the Berserker scratching her chin before her eyes fell on the sleeping child. The little girl's complexion turned completely from when she first laid eyes on her. What was once purple changed into a darkish blue and the once pale skin changed into a more lively color.

"Are all the additional Servants summoned by children?" she asked and Boudicca frowned at the implication of her words "I know that the Holy Grail War is a very serious business for Magi and that they don't really care who dies in them…"

"I wouldn't worry about that Zecchan."

Both of them turned to Iri looking very proud of herself "Uhm, Shishou?"

"Even if all the Masters are too young I can guaranty that no harm will come to them." Iri stated, smiling and pointing at herself "After all that's what I am here for!"

Taiga and Berserker exchanged a look before they both decided to speak up on an important matter "About that Caster, what you had said before-"

"-You said you were the Grail incarnate, right Shishou?" Taiga finished while Iri smiled a little sad.

"That's right. The Heroic Spirit version of me was indeed the vessel for the Lesser Grail but ascended due to the circumstances in that Grail War. In fact I barely remember half of the things that happened to me during that War, that might be because I as a Heroic Spirit combined with me who died during the Forth Grail War." Iri looked at her hands sadly and started to play with her fingers.

"But that's just the thing!" Taiga exclaimed loudly grabbing the attention of both Servants "You're still alive in this War Shishou! I saw you and Saber-san wandering through the town today!" a quick glance at hr night table to confirm the date "And you even waved at me! You're still alive!"

"Oh…then, does that mean I'm from the future?" Iri asked tilting her head while Berserker ran a hand through her red locks "That might explain why I can't remember certain things, and why me and Zecchan still know each other."

"…I'm…hungry…" a tiny voice admits the group said. All women's(Taiga included) faces turned to the new slowly waking up child that had interrupted their heated argument.

"Sakura…" Berserker whispered gently brushing a loose strand on the child's forehead aside while a growl escaped from another girl's stomach.

Green and ruby irises turned to watch a slowly reddening brunette in amusement.

"I agree with Sakura-chan! We should totally stuff some food into our bellies!" the brunette chirped rushing out of the room and yelling at the Yakuza outside to get them food.

The adults watched her leave with smiles on their faces.

…––––––––––…

"By the way, you never told me your name." Caren said yawing from the long train ride, something she never did before and now she certainly never wanted to again. Was it normal for a ride to be so...boring? Her yellow eyes turned to the Assassin she held onto. Of course she knew of the three Executioners on the train, probably the main reason her Servant hadn't bolted out of the window yet.

She mulled it over before but she really didn't understand what Father Cornelius told her fully. Sure she knew her father left to become some heretics apprentice for something but she didn't know he was going to participate in a Holy Grail War…

But why were people even fighting for the chalice of the last dinner or Christ? Couldn't they all just sit at a table and debate with cake and tea who gets a turn with the cup first instead of childishly fighting over it with, what she could understand of, Heroic figures in a game that doesn't really sound not exciting.

Besides why are heroic figures who made their mark in history called Servants to begin with? Sure everyone is a servant of the Lord Almighty but the lady next to her was a Muslim. So that theory was going nowhere but she discarded the thought for something else that was far more important:

She was allowed to leave the boring old Vatican.

Not only that but she even got to travel by train -which was something she had always wondered about but as it turned out it wasn't like all those commercials the Cardinals were talking in their little hidden room- and she got to see more of Italy, which was a whole lot of green and brown!

No however she was bored and since there was nobody else to pester beside the other passengers -which would be incredibly rude was she to disturb them on this atrocious journey- she turned her whole attention on her slav-…Servant.

"…I don't have one."

"A No Name Assassin then."

"I also don't deserve to be called that. I haven't earned my place among them-" the woman stopped herself from continuing but Caren was sure that No Name Assassin hadn't meant to say so much. She found comfort in knowing that she gave the older woman discomfort, finally breaking something on that stone cold facade.

"We're going to leave." No Name said looking at her for a brief moment.

Looking at the display at the front of the wagon "Without a train station?"

"We are going to jump"

Looking outside and only seeing mountains and what she'd describe as a large fall to your death "Without a parachute?"

"…" Instead of answering her the Servant hefted her from her seat and quickly grabbed her around the waist "Don't bite your tongue" she said before Caren felt a drop in her stomach. She knew as a fact that if she looked down now than she'd lose her bowl right about now, hence why she resolved herself to only look at her servant.

"Shouldn't a servant serve?" she asked but due to their fast decent and the low air pressure her voice got lost admits the cold Alpine Air.

At least she got a glimpse of a white limousine model Mailander driving through the snowy mountains.

Strange.

Why could she saw a red aura around the car?

…––––––––––…

to be continued…

…––––––––––…

Teaser:

"So you're our Assassin?"

"I don't remember being part of a group with a buffoon like you."

"Uhm, I was talking to the lady you're clinging to-"

"And I want to know why we are talking on top of a moving train cart."

"…You must have it hard…"

"…You have no idea…"

…––––––––––…

A/N Time! So sorry for the late updates. I'm not sure how many people will read this note but know that I will at least try to update once a week! I enjoy writing this story because the characters are to me very tragic and I hate tragedies with a passion!

This story might have confused a couple of people, especially the last chapter with the talk about Zeta and the change of Archers, so I'll use this note to explain them to you here since I don't want to bother with adding too many details into the story:

The Zeta refers to the section of the Kaleidoscope Zelrecht Zeta0 has access to. Imagine one the Kaleidoscope as a prism. And now imagine many Prisms. Each prism has one Zelrecht who oversees the realities within their Kaleidoscope, hence the Second Magic. Now one might question why we should bother with that image.

Simple.

In Fate/Strange Fake we see that Zelrecht is cutting light strings in his chair outside of time and space while describing possible scenarios with his reality, hence why I came up with the light allegory.

In quantum theory revolving around Qualia, light is a constant. One ray of Light equals a reality. One ray shining through a prism breaks the light and creates new shapes, colors or forms depending on the crystal/prism used. But since that'd be too difficult we simplify it by using the image of a prism that breaks one ray of light into myriads of shapes aka parallel realities. You could use the branching of realities as a basis and then go fully three dimensional; but that is how I'll explain the second Magic in this story okay.

And the change of Servant's happened mainly because St . Nick wanted to mess with Zelrecht and show him that no matter what the Vampire tried to stop him it wouldn't work since the Servants could just be changed on a whim in certain circumstances.

And I wanted to put Atlanta in the story because of her unfortunate role in Fate/Apocryphia -which to my surprise was the gentlest Fate series I have seen so far- and I paired her up with Luvia to see how they'd work as a team. Than again I bet Atlanta'd be pretty happy to have a child as a Master since she loves children so much XD

If there are more questions please leave a review or send me a pm and I'll answer them to the best of my ability!

Thank you for reading and have fun with this tale of redemption!

Yours dear,

Sha Yurigami