Third POV
Morning
Before every Masters plotting how to defeat the mad Caster, Mirai left her apartment to buy food supplies and of course, she is not alone. Gray followed her like a cute puppy.
At Fuyuki city where the shopping district is located, the owner of the shops knew her since she is actually a regular customer in the area. Every time when she come to buy something, the owner knows what she is looking for and it has been a normal routine to them.
“Good morning, Mirai-chan!” One of the employees in the shop greets her.
“Hello, Mirai-san!”
“How are you today, Tohsaka-san?”
“Hi Hi Mirai-san!”
Mirai waves at them the moment she enters the shop, “Hello everyone.” She smile, makes her way to the meat section with Gray behind her. Her eyes browse to the newly arrival at the third row of the meat, she pick one of the display and said, “I wonder if Mira has any specific lunch or dinner she’s plan to cook?”
Gray who stood behind Mirai, lean close to her shoulder to look at the cost and stare up at the other meat in front of them, “Knowing her, anything will be fine. She literally cook what’s inside the fridge.”
Turn her attention to him, their faces is close but she ignore it, “How about dessert? Erza’s favorite is strawberry cake though.”
“We can buy a cake at the café near the street. The one where no one knows there’s a café.” Gray suggests.
She lighten up at his suggestion, knowing which café he mention. ‘It must be that one café that is not very famous but it will soon in the future.’
“Sure!” She beams, looking at the candy section. “Oh! Maybe I should also buy some candies too.”
Gray stare at her in annoyed, “Don’t tell me it’s for that brat you’ve been so fond of?”
“He is soo adorable, Gray.” Mirai exclaims in awe, “He is the same age as Rin! How I wish to have a little brother like him~”
“You spoiled that brat too much, Master.”
She huffed at his show of disgust at the mention of the little boy, “You don’t have to be jealous, Gray. You’re a grown up man and he is just a child.”
“W-Who said I was jealous?!” His face heat up.
“No one~” She smirks in amused.
Little did they know, a certain Lancer were hidden behind one of the food sections, was observing them from afar. To say he was curious at their interaction as master and servant is totally different than his own master.
He doesn’t know why he was here in the first place. At first, he followed his master’s command in search of Caster’s hideout but when he caught a glimpse of the familiar green haired lady, he somehow unconsciously followed them till now.
Getting to know your enemy is his main purpose.
Although, watching Mirai talking to that extra Archer in somewhat casually treating like a normal human, not as a servant, makes him feels envious.
After that, the duo walks towards the playground.
Lancer was curious of why would they went to such place? That is until he saw a child.
“Mirai-neesan!”
A boy at the same age as Mirai’s little sister, exclaims upon her arrival as he wraps his little arms around her waist. “You came!” His golden-brown eyes shines at the sight of her.
She immediately embrace the little boy with a big smile, cooing at his adorableness that somehow showing her weakness and ruffles his soft auburn hair. “Of course! Look what I bought.” She lift the plastic bag to show him.
His face brighten up, slightly blush, “T-Thank you…!” Hiding his red face at her shoulder, he murmurs, “You don’t have to buy anything for me…”
“You don’t have to said that,” Mirai smile at him, “I insist.”
This little boy’s mother is sick, last year she met the boy alone as the playground and was aimlessly staring at the group of children ahead of him as if the children didn’t want to be friend with him. As moment passes, Mirai getting to know the boy and keep him company.
To her shocked…
This boy is none other than Shirou Emiya.
That boy will have a big decision in the future.
Thus, she tried her best to make his childhood better rather than having a bad childhood with her past knowledge, her past life.
‘Having a connection starting now will be an advantage in the future. Shirou will soon have the knowledge about the Holy Grail and might need an alliance too.’ She thought, an idea has been set in her mind, ‘Sadly, it depends on his choice of path.’
Knowing Shirou, his routes will be difficult.
Mirai knows all of his endings only depends on the routes he chose. So far she knew only 3 routes, Saber Route, Rin Route and Sakura Route. It will be madness if he chose Sakura… it will be a tragic and traumatize. Knowing what happened and such gruesome it is, Mirai need to think of a plan to at least ‘save’ someone.
‘That’s the only routes I’d watched in my past life. I don’t know if there is another new route for Shirou.’
She wouldn’t mind if Shirou choose Saber or Rin. At least the ending is less tragic.
But Sakura…
Such traumatized and painful event is what Mirai want to avoid.
She wish to protect Sakura from such horrible event and if only she can just kidnap Sakura and hide her somewhere far from the Matou family, especially that crazy-psycho-vampire old man.
“Mirai-nee, what do you want to become?” Little Shirou asks in curious.
Tilting her head to the side, she answers, “A singer.”
“Why a singer?”
She grinned, “I want to sing. There’s a lot of lyrics in my mind and I want everyone to hear it.”
‘Even though a lot of this songs is from my past life and I bet no one knows these songs. Mostly ost and from anime but damn…. If I sing in this world, I would be the world best singer.’ She anime cried.
“C-Can I hear you sing if you become a singer?” He nervously asks.
She claps her hands happily, “Of course! I will make sure you’ll be the first person to hear me sing!”
“Not even that scary guy?” He said, smirking at Gray.
“O-Oi--!”
“Yep! Not even him!” Mirai immediately agreed.
“W-What..?! You have got to be kidding me!” Gray argue, glaring at the little boy in annoyed.
“Yeah!” Shirou cheers.
While spending her time with little Shirou mostly listening to his story and Gray lean on the rail of the swing beside Mirai, holding the urge to tease or argue the child, not wanting to be scold by his master anyway. Just as it almost dawn, the boy saying his goodbye and left.
Before Mirai and Gray could leave the playground, the sudden heavy tension appears causing both of them (include the well hidden Lancer) on their guard.
The familiar golden dust slowly forms in front of them. Lancer eyes widen in realization at the sight of another Archer appears.
“To think I find you in such an open place, do you not know the mean of ‘Hiding’?” A superior voice spoken, crossing his arms at his golden armor chest. He stare coldly at the unfamiliar man stood near her.
Staring at the man, he look as though he can protect Mirai in fighting stance with no weapon or armor. Chuckling darkly in his mind, ‘Does this mongrel think he can defeat me with that kind of appearance? Foolish.’
Mirai gulp, staring back at the golden servant in determination, “It is not my intention to be in such place but what are you doing here?”
She knew what he is capable of. Regretting for not bringing Erza with her, it’s either leave in peace or fight to escape. Out of all servants, why Gilgamesh?! Gray could handle him but being in a class of Archer vs Archer, it can only cost more mana to increase Gray’s defense and special attack.
Gilgamesh smirks, “You have the potential of becoming a master. Why don’t you make a pact with me instead of your father?”
‘How dare he! He suppose to be with my father but now he want to create a betrayal?! Who does he think I am?!’ Gritted her teeth in disgust, if only she can smack his head…
Of course, he doesn’t know that Gray is also a servant. The moment he offered to her, Gray’s eyes glint dangerously and his right hand slowly covers with the familiar black curse. Mirai notice his tense body as she place her hand on his shoulder to grab his attention, whispers, “Not now, Gray.”
“……” He exhaled through his nose while closing his eyes to calm himself.
“I have to reject your offer.” Mirai spoke out.
That is not the answer he was looking for. “You dare to resist me, woman?” He frowned, not liking where this is going.
The moment he sees her yesterday remind him a certain someone from his memories. To think Enkidu’s reincarnation is this woman and surprisingly a potential master, he will get what he wants and make sure he definitely will. Shockingly to him, Mirai rejects his offer without a second thought.
“You think you’re high and mighty to even rejected me in such way…” His red eyes glints dangerous as he raise his hand, “I will make sure you regret this.” Few portals of Babylon gate opened each side of him.
Mirai immediately cast a barrier spell in front of Gray. “Looks like the answer is ‘Fight to escape’.” She nodded her head to Gray who understood what she meant.
Gilgamesh laughed, “Your pity barrier won’t stand a chance against my power!”
In a flash without a warning, thousands of blades and weapons shoot at them through the portals. The attack was continues, not giving a chance to prepare or escape the impact and Gilgamesh know that he win. The smoke slowly lift, the ground was destroy creating a large crater but what makes him confuse is Mirai and Gray is not there.
‘They escaped? How?’
That is until he felt cold and quickly jumps away, just as the huge boulder of ice falls at the place where he had previously stood. Gilgamesh stands at the antenna, smirks in amused.
The ice boulder crashes to the ground and when it touches, it freeze everything around it within a second. “Don’t get distracted.” A voice spoke from behind him.
When he turns, he grabbed his sword and clash with an ice blade. His eyes widen at such speed, surprise to encounter unfamiliar face. ‘Another servant? He’s not even here!’ Clashing and swings their weapons to each other, they speed are matches and he was speechless to see this strange man can changed his weapon from a sword, a gun, a blade, a bow and anything he can formed into ice.
Gilgamesh had using his Babylon gate attacking repeatedly at him but someone he uses an ice shield and summon an ice dragon to ambush the golden king.
“That’s enough!”
Mirai cast a restrict chain on Gilgamesh and Gray. A chain that no one can break it except for Mirai. A golden chain, it may not be powerful but it can absorbs the victims mana. Seeing that the two servants stopped fighting, she snaps her fingers causing it to slowly vanish.
“Starting a fight without your master’s permission is against the rule, Archer.” She spoke, looking at Gilgamesh in annoyed.
“Then why this unnamed servant appears and attack?” He scoffed, unsatisfied.
“For him, it is natural for him to defend his master.” She had no choice but to reveal it.
Lifting an eyebrow at her, he asks in somewhat surprise, “Him? A servant? Then the master is…”
Gray in his curse form stands beside Mirai with a proud smirk just as she explain, “He is my servant, Archer class and I am his master.”
“What…”Gilgamesh growls, to think she had already make a contract with another servant but not just a servant, a servant with the same class as himself. This is truly irritating.
The 8th master…
Having two Archers battle each other…
..has the Holy Grail gone mad?
“Amusing..MUHAHAHAHA.” He laughed, this is getting more and more interesting. “I’m looking forward to this.” With a small nodded, he slowly vanished into golden dust.
“Are you alright?” Gray, who is now in his normal form, concern about Mirai who is breathing nervously.
“Y-Yeah… It’s just… this is overwhelming.” She breath out, “I felt as if I’d face the angry Erza.”
He sweatdropped, “His mana is somewhat similar to hers as well.”
“Let’s go, Gray. We had to visit my mother first before go to Iris-san’s place.” Mirai said in determination.
To witness such short yet overwhelmed battle between the two Archers is something you never normally watch. Lancer couldn’t hold his breath anymore, he doesn’t expect the golden armor servant to appeared in such place without a master.
Truth be told, this is not his first ‘observe’ to Mirai.
He had secretly followed her after the battle between Saber and himself, he had seen Mirai cast a lot of spells and her enchantment is out of ordinary and he somehow got interested. She can hide her powerful presence and her servant’s powerful energy too.
He was curious as to why would she hidden herself for being a master?
Thus, on that day he secretly began to followed her anywhere and hidden in the shadow and of course without his master notice.
‘I wonder how it feels like to team up with that mystery Archer?’ Lancer wondering to himself, the curse Archer seems to be better at teaming up with Saber the last time Lancer team up with Berserker.
He hope that one day he can become a ally with them even if it for a short of time…
In the end, his wish came true.
In the forest…
Their current situation is tight, without Saber’s full strength, the moment they thought of a plan how to eliminate Caster from his book… The temperature around them immediately drops and shiver like snow. A familiar purple ice freezes the entire minions and breaks them into pieces in a second.
“W-What’s is this?!” Caster freaks out, watching his minions breaks into dust of ice.
“This…” Lancer immediately identify the familiar ice attack.
Saber’s eyes shines in relief, notice this attack can only be one servant until they heard the person voice from the distance in the foggy forest.
“Need any help?”
Making his way to reveal himself, the light of the dark sky shine upon his appearance at his now fully-curse body, dark weird tattoo at his right arm and purple eyes glows in the dark.
“Archer!” Saber exclaims.
“I can’t say I was glad to see you here, Archer.” Lancer smirks at the sight of him.
“So I’ve heard…” Gray smirks back at him before he look back at the mad caster, “Got a plan?”
Saber stand beside Gray, she said in determination, “We need the strength we can get.”
Lancer swing his red lance, ready in his fighting stance, “I wouldn’t mind team up with you guys.”
“Same here.” Gray agreed.
A battle where, for the first time in history, Saber, Archer and Lancer combined their strengths to defeat the Mad Caster.
****