Title: fishmonger

A/N: For the Fate/Cullection zine! I got assigned Cu Alter and wanted to do an Emiya Gohan spin off for it.

Summary: Between buying a bag of fish and fighting a fishmonger who looked all too skilled with the blade, Shirou chose the former.

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"Fresh fish, get yer fresh fish!"

"Fresh off the boat! The best prices!"

Over and over, dozens of voices repeated the same lines without stop. Hawking their wares, the fishermen accosted as many visitors to the market as they could. In the noisy din, it was almost impossible for anyone to hear their own thoughts, let alone the words of someone else. It didn't hurt that the market was located on the docks. The hungry cries of seagulls competed with everything else as they swooped and dived, trying to steal a stray fish.

There was one shop though, where they didn't dare try any of that. A lone man stood at a single booth, his bright blue hair peeking out from under his black hoodie. In the sunlight, a sharp knife glinted as it smoothly sliced through a king mackerel. Before the bright red blood could drip off the blade, he expertly wiped it clean with a cloth.

Shirou stood there, mesmerized as the knifework continued. With confident, aggressive strokes, the man sliced the fish into smaller chunks and wrapped them up in a plastic bag. There was something about him that looked like Lancer, but off. Like a slight reconfiguration of Lego blocks, or the change between an item Shirou had enhanced and its original. A difference that wasn't easy to notice, but it was there nonetheless.

Distracted by his thoughts, he almost didn't notice the cold, wet bag thrust into his hands. Startled, he stared at it, and then back at the not-Lancer. Just when had he gotten so close to the booth? Holding out the fish, he shook his head quickly. "You got the wrong guy—I didn't order any fish."

"I don't take orders. You're here. The fish is here. Now give me my payment." Not-Lancer sneered, his teeth sharp like a shark's. While he brokered no argument, he was ready for one. Excited for one, even. "Unless…"

The knife was still stained red from fish blood and Shirou swallowed. Unlike the Lancer he knew, Shirou couldn't tell if this guy was joking or not. Digging into his wallet, he quickly pulled out whatever cash he could find. Why hadn't Saber followed him? "How much?"

"All of it." Not-Lancer held out a hand, his other hand tapping impatiently on the table. "Sometime today. I have a lot of fish to get through."

"All of—" Not-Lancer's smirk grew wider and Shirou glanced around for the familiar blonde bun of his servant. Nope. Not in sight. At all. Opening his wallet, he dumped all the coins and bills onto the vendor's hands. And here he thought Rin was scary. "Fair price."

Briefly examining what he extorted, Not-Lancer nodded satisfactorily. "Good enough. You'll get fish from me again."

"Again?" Shirou blanched—from the way he talked, it sounded like a certainty. Even if Shirou never returned to this market again, he was sure the fisherman would find him.

Done with the transaction, Cu Chulainn Alter reached down for his next king mackerel. At this rate, his takeover of the market would take weeks at most.